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After FOIAed emails released, city's Potomac Yard narrative changes
An image generated by WMATA that shows the revised Potomac Yard Metro plan with a northwest entrance and planned southwest access point. The original plan called for three entrances. (Image courtesy WMATA)
By Alexa Epitropoulos | [email protected]
The narrative on the Potomac Yard Metro station design changed dramatically following the release of emails after a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by concerned residents. The emails reveal that city officials worked behind the scenes to suppress a rendering that showed the Metro's southern entrance had been removed from the plans and tried to keep this knowledge from the public even after a WMATA official told them it wasn't necessary.
The results, which yielded 500 pages of emails and 700 pages of redacted emails between City Manager Mark Jinks, members of city council, city staff and WMATA officials, reveal that WMATA didn't consider the removal of the southern entrance from the plans to be "proprietary."
Additionally, the documents indicate that the city wasn't required to keep the elimination secret as part of WMATA's procurement process or as a result of the non-disclosure agree- ment between WMATA and the city.
While WMATA's media relations manager did not respond to requests for comment, Jinks said it was the city's understanding – since June 2017 – that the southern entrance elimination must be kept secret.
That assertion has come into conflict, however, due to an April 9, 2018, email between John Thomas, acting chief engineer at WMATA, and Potomac Yard Metro Project Manager Jason Kacamburas.
"I meant to ask you about that last Wednesday evening at PYMIG when noted the secrecy required. The single entrance is not tied to any of the proposers as it is something we decided to do," Thomas said in the April 9 email, sent at 1:06 p.m. "Therefore, it is not proprietary from a procurement stand point."
Jinks said on Tuesday he didn't know why Thomas said that. He said, in the city's view, WMATA changed its stance on the secrecy needed for the southern entrance removal.
"WMATA, in our view, basically changed their position from where it was a year ago until now," Jinks said. "I think they may have concluded the process and spurred it along. It was less risk to the procurement that the information be public."
However, there's no hard evidence of any meeting, communication or legal document where the city was told the southern entrance elimination had to be kept secret. The city's response to residents' request for proof of such an agreement was that "no records exist relating to your request."
The response, signed by Assistant City Attorney Christina Zechman Brown, stated that the "city's understanding of the need for strict confidentiality in that procurement process for the Potomac Yard Metro Station was based on meetings and telephone conversations with WMATA."
Other emails show that city officials, including Deputy City Manager Emily Baker and Kacamburas, attempted to remove and replace a rendering that depicted one mezzanine – thus showing the south mezzanine had been removed – from a WMATA presentation released on April 9. Though they didn't specify what the new rendering should be replaced with, any earlier rendering released to the public would have depicted the Metro station with two entrances.
"We have to pull it," Baker said in an email to Kacamburas at 1:31 p.m. on April 9.
"We have clear direction from the city manager's office we need to replace that station layout graphic. The city has not disclosed any design changes, and we are going to council [on April 11]. Even city council has not seen that image," Kacamburas said at 1:38 p.m. on April 9 to Thomas.
When asked about the effort to replace the image, Jinks said he wasn't involved in the process, despite Kacamburas saying that the direction to replace it came from the city manager's office.
"I was not part of that process, so I can't put it into context. If WMATA had to show something and was not going to show the one [mezzanine] station, the logic would be showing a two-entrance station, which is what we hoped to be able to build," Jinks said.
Washington Business Journal published the new rendering showing one mezzanine in an article on April 11 about the budget of the Potomac Yard Metro increasing to $320 million. Though the article didn't mention the change in access, the rendering generated widespread attention from residents and other news outlets.
Two days after Thomas informed Kacamburas that it wasn't necessary to keep the southern entrance elimination a secret and a day after the rendering was published on the WBJ website, Jinks emailed several members of city staff, including Baker, Transit Services Division Chief Allan Fye, Transportation & Environmental Services Director Yon Lambert, T&ES Deputy Director Hillary Orr, Acting Director of Project Implementation Mitchell Bernstein and Ka- camburas, and told them not to speak with the press.
"If the press calls any of you, please say nothing and refer them to [Office of Communication & Public Information Director] Craig [Fifer]," Jinks said on April 12.
Missing from the emails obtained via FOIA are exchanges between Mayor Allison Silberberg, city council members and city staff and WMATA. The only non-redacted exchange released between a member of city council and Jinks is correspondence between Vice Mayor Justin Wilson and the city manager on July 14, 2017.
During the email exchange, Jinks forwarded Wilson a presentation about the Potomac Yard Metro project update. When Wilson asked if the proposal had been distributed to PYMIG, Jinks told him "while the design/bidding process may take longer, with one less ped[estrian] bridge and mezzanine to build the construction time should shrink by some yet to be determined time."
The FOIAed email exchange begs the question of whether Wilson knew about the southern entrance removal before his council colleagues. Wilson, however, said all councilors knew bids were higher than anticipated, that costs had to be cut and that removing the southern entrance from the plans would be the most likely way to cut costs.
When asked about the June 2017 executive session referenced by Wilson, Jinks wouldn't answer one way or the other if the southern entrance elimination was portrayed as the most likely option, saying he would let members of council speak for themselves regarding executive sessions.
"It's fair to say once we got the bids in and we had discussions, we basically, between knowing the bids were over at the end of June, there were discussions about options and, as I said, the only big money-saving option with the station is how many entrances it had," Jinks said.
Silberberg maintained that, while she recalls being informed in summer 2017 that costs were coming in higher for the Metro station and that council had asked staff to look for options to lower costs at that point, she didn't know about the southern entrance elimination until March 2018.
"It wasn't until late March of this year that they came back and said it was much higher and we asked for the options of what that would mean and if we had to lower the cost. That's when we were told that they couldn't actually tell us how much it would be and how much more it would be. We did push back but we were repeatedly told by staff and the city attorney because of the nondisclosure agreement," Silberberg said. "They came back a week or two later and said it would be $320 million and we would lose the southern entrance."
She said she didn't know about the email between Jinks and Wilson until the emails were released.
"I didn't know about that until I read it, like everyone else in the public. I'm reading these emails alongside everyone else," Silberberg said.
When asked why Silberberg and Councilor Paul Smedberg, who has served on the WMATA board for two years, claimed to have found out that the southern entrance elimination was a possibility in spring 2018, Wilson said he couldn't speak to what they remembered.
"I can't speak to their recollections," Wilson said. "Council was notified in an executive session in mid- June … What happened in June was we were notified that the bids had come back way high, and, essentially, we had a choice. We could restart the procurement, which would have added a couple of years and God knows how much money to the project, which, quite honestly, would have been fatal for the pro ect or we could work within the sealed bid procurement process to bring the costs down. They presented to us, as I recall, a series of options for lowering the costs on the project and asked if we were willing to entertain those options."
In an earlier article, Wilson told the Times that he knew there were a number of options on the table for reducing the cost, but wasn't certain until shortly before the memo was released. He said that's still true.
"What I said was I wasn't sure that was going to be re- moved until the spring and, honestly, it's still not 100 percent sure. Because the contract hasn't been issued, it's still preliminary," Wilson said.
A project update released to the public on July 17, 2017 said responses to WMATA's request for proposals were received in March 2017, and WMATA was reviewing proposals and "working with respective design build vendors to evaluate the proposals including cost savings opportunities within the context of procurement."
While the public memo said consideration of changes to the station design would occur in late 2018, it did not mention that removing the southern entrance was one of the possibilities.
Potomac Yard residents involved in filing the FOIA requests said they were disappointed by what the emails reveal about the city's actions behind the scenes.
"The city seems to have worked directly to suppress information, even when WMATA indicated that wasn't proprietary, which contradicts the whole narrative that was constructed by the city that they pushed for transparency, that they were pro-transparency," Potomac Yard resident Rafael Lima said. "The only meaningful action we have seen is counter to that – it's to decrease transparency."
Adrien Lopez, who filed the request, echoed that sentiment.
"They were suppressing that information. WMATA really wanted to get that information out to the public and, in the end, the city said not to," Lopez said. "I don't know if that was just city staff or council was involved in that. We don't know because we don't have all the exchanges."
Tanya Culbert, another resident and Potomac Yard Metro Implementation Group member, said that even if the city had the understanding that WMATA required secrecy for the southern entrance removal, there's still no indication that they pushed for the information to be released to the public.
"This is a big enough deal with the public that they should've been actively ask- ing the question 'Can we reveal this?'" Culbert said. "… These questions they asked WMATA after the public was outraged was what they should've been asking them, as public officials, last July."
Lima said the city's claim that WMATA prevented the information from being revealed serves the city's own interests.
"In the end, this narrative serves the city the most," Lima said. "Why bother with stakeholders if you can keep it all confidential and announce when it's a done deal? At the minimum, the narrative serves their purpose as well, because it achieves just that."
Lima said, without WMATA having released the information in the presentation to begin with, residents likely wouldn't have any opportunity to have input in the decision.
"If the rendering hadn't gone out, we would not know, we would not have a chance to influence [the decision] and we would have been in an even worse place as residents because the Metro would not have any access for us," Lima said. "In the end, we could still be in a situation where the power line is not constructed and we would be paying taxes – special taxes, for that matter – on a Metro station that doesn't even provide access to us."
Lopez filed an appeal on Monday with the city to get access to the 704 pages of redacted emails. The emails, redacted under the procurement exemption, are redacted in full, from top to bottom, something Lopez pointed out in her appeal. In the appeal, Lopez urges the city to reconsider the redaction, saying there are no grounds to redact it under Virginia's FOIA law. She also requested an accounting of the basis for exclusion and subject matter of the withheld portions.
Lopez, who works in information access for a bank in D.C., said the city's broad use of the procurement exemption isn't a viable excuse.
"If you want to black out portions of it, at least have a public version of it. … Give us something, give us the meeting dates. Even if you don't want to give us the conversation that took place on the phone, just make a good faith effort to clarify," Lopez said.
Jinks, when asked about the documents that were redacted, said that all 704 pages of redacted content is part of WMATA's procurement process and that the information will be released after procurement is completed. He didn't know if an additional cost would be assessed for that information. Residents paid $810 for the initial FOIA request.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Jinks said.
Jinks said, ultimately, it wasn't city staff's fault that information wasn't released to the public sooner.
"We were trying to act in the best interests of the community and doing it in a procurement process that is not one we're in charge of the rules for," he said. "I think staff was put in a kind of circumstance where it's a no-win situation."
Lima and Lopez said they will continue to push forward, with the hopes that the city will provide an explanation and a solution on restoring southern access. Lima said he remains hopeful, but that his concerns have only increased.
"The narrative that they have been constructing is evolving every day and it is evolving with contradictions and those contradictions just raise more concerns," Lima said. "It's in their interest to release more information, to clarify, to go in-depth to ad- dress why this was kept confidential and clearly explain to those who are being hurt by this decision that this confidentiality."
As of now, however, residents are concerned that this process reveals that something larger is wrong with city hall.
"There's signs of an endemic problem, deeper than the Potomac Yard Metro," Culbert said. "It's no longer just the Metro. This is a catalyst to reveal some really serious issues."
Missy Schrott contributed to this story.
adrien lopez
Christina zechman brown
city manager mark jinks
craig fifer
Justin kacamburas
mayor allison silberberg
potomac yard
potomac yard metro
PYMIG
southern entrance
tanya culbert
vice mayor justin wilson
Alexa Epitropoulos
transparencypy June 7, 2018 at 5:36 pm
Good article Alexa!
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It's simply The BEST
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By Denise Dunbar | [email protected] Despite repeated claims by staff from the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services that the Alexandria Fire Department had significant...
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Board of Architectural Review Public Hearing
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1:16 Board of Architectural Review Public Hearing
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Is there some sort of way to set up a shared folder in SkyDrive so that when I add something new to it, like a picture, the people who I share the folder with get some sort of notification? I'm trying real hard to switch from Apple and have not found a way to replicate photo sharing and notifications like iOS does. Thanks in advance for any help!
You might need to sign in with your Microsoft account.
Go to the file or folder you want to share.
If the details pane on the right is collapsed, expand it.
Under Sharing, click Share or Share folder.
Just add them to a "room" you can create on your phone. Then you can easily share all types of things with the people you've added to that room.
This doesn't involve SkyDrive. But it may be a simpler solution to what you're trying to do.
does photo sharing in rooms work for non-WP8 people though? I thought only messaging and calendars were share-able outside WP8.
There are rooms, and then there are groups. Rooms have features that only work with wp8 phones. But you can easily send texts and pics through mms with groups.
Rooms are specifically designed to work best with wp8, but certain functionalities also works with wp7 and iphone (maybe android).
For instance, file shared within the group will appear in a folder on wp7 or iphone skydrive account.
Calendar is also shared. You won't be able to chat with the group using the wp8 room chat feature, but adding someone into a room will add that friend as a messenger buddy (once he or she accept the invitation).
JonnieLasVegas and dgr_874 like this.


Photoshop and PSE have some really neat presets hidden in their program and today I am going to show you how to make your own custom rainbow overlay in Photoshop or (affiliate link) Photoshop Elements using one of these hidden gradients! Click here to download the set I made for this post and a step-by-step tutorial on how to add them to your own images.
Go to the top menubar and click Edit.
Change the Preset Type to Gradients on the top.
Click on the little cog to the top and right of the Preset Type drop-down menubar and select Special Effects.
Click Append on the pop-up. You don't want to replace all of your gradients, just add these to your set.
Now we can make our custom rainbow overlay. I make my New Document pretty large, 5000 pixels by 3333 pixels, but you can create your own custom size.
Open your Gradient tool and click to select the rainbow gradient.
Click the shaded circle on the top menubar just to the right of the gradient.
Click and drag on the blank document. In this example I made a simple circle. I could move this around to reposition it or make a new one with a different rainbow.
Once you are happy with the placement of your rainbow save the file as a png and you are ready to start using them on your own images.


The photoreceptors and eyes of four fish species commonly cohabiting Fennoscandian lakes with different light transmission properties were compared: pikeperch Sander lucioperca, pike Esox lucius, perch Perca fluviatilis and roach Rutilus rutilus. Each species was represented by individuals from a clear (greenish) and a humic (dark brown) lake in southern Finland: Lake Vesijärvi (LV; peak transmission around 570 nm) and Lake Tuusulanjärvi (LT; peak transmission around 630 nm). In the autumn, all species had almost purely A2-based visual pigments. Rod absorption spectra peaked at c.526 nm (S. lucioperca), c. 533 nm (E. lucius) and c. 540 nm (P. fluviatilis and R. rutilus), with no differences between the lakes. Esox lucius rods had remarkably long outer segments, 1.5–2.8-fold longer than those of the other species. All species possessed middle-wavelength-sensitive (MWS) and long-wavelength-sensitive (LWS) cone pigments in single, twin or double cones. Rutilus rutilus also had two types of short-wavelength sensitive (SWS) cones: UV-sensitive [SWS1] and blue-sensitive (SWS2) cones, although in the samples from LT no UV cones were found. No other within-species differences in photoreceptor cell complements, absorption spectra or morphologies were found between the lakes. However, E. lucius eyes had a significantly lower focal ratio in LT compared with LV, enhancing sensitivity at the expense of acuity in the dark-brown lake. Comparing species, S. lucioperca was estimated to have the highest visual sensitivity, at least two times higher than similar-sized E. lucius, thanks to the large relative size of the eye (pupil) and the presence of a reflecting tapetum behind the retina. High absolute sensitivity will give a competitive edge also in terms of short reaction times and long visual range.


WELCOME TO THE FACTORY! In Mad Factory you're the new hire in the universe's finest cookie factory–and you've got orders to fill! See who can make, bake and frost the most cookies and reach the top of the leaderboard! Can you keep your cool and deliver the goods in this addictive VR experience?


- Smart Forecasts combine multiple weather conditions to identify the best times for your activities.
- Preset included for biking, sailing, gardening, landscape photography and lots of others.
- Smart Forecasts also know about Air Pollution and can advise against running in the smog. We like to help avoid premature death and respiratory attacks.
- Create your own custom Smart Forecast.
- Get out there and adventure!
- Now you can send pressure data directly from your phone's barometer to help improve your hyper local forecasts. You don't NEED to, though. No pressure.
- The radio tile was on its last legs. The stations were getting progressively less reliable and signal was spotty.
- Bug fixing. Less crashing.
- Now you can send pressure data directly from your phone's barometer to help improve your hyper local forecasts. You don't NEED to, though. No pressure.- Smart Forecasts also know about Air Pollution and can advise against running in the smog. At WU we like to help avoid premature death and respiratory attacks.- The radio tile was on its last legs. The stations were getting progressively less reliable and signal was spotty. - Bug fixing. Less crashing.


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"to dust"
THE STORY - Shmuel, a Hasidic cantor in Upstate New York, distraught by the untimely death of his wife, struggles to find religious solace, while secretly obsessing over how her body will decay. As a clandestine partnership develops with Albert, a local community college biology professor, the two embark on a darkly comic and increasingly literal undertaking into the underworld.
THE CAST - Géza Röhrig, Sammy Voit, Sarah Jes Austell & Matthew Broderick
THE TEAM - Shawn Snyder (Director/Writer) & Jason Begue (Writer)
THE GOOD - A solid performance from Geza Röhrig, strong direction and an interesting examination on the nature of grief.
THE BAD - Matthew Broderick feels out of place. Some of the comedy doesn't land. Most of the other performances come up short. It feels like two different films with one part stronger than the other.
There are several films out in the world that attempt to tackle the difficult subject matter of grief. It is a complicated issue to broach, but when done properly, it is a way to give meaning behind a time in one's life that feels utterly devoid of one. It can similarly be a fascinating exploration to examine this topic while wrapped around certain cultural identities. That is precisely what "To Dust" aims to discuss, and in the end, it is a flawed yet very engaging story that features some fine performances to admire.
The film stars Géza Röhrig, as a Hasidic cantor named Shmuel. He is a man who has just lost his wife to cancer and is currently battling a conflict within him as he imagines how her body will decay. Seeking more knowledge in this area, he contacts Albert (Matthew Broderick), an inept science professor at the local community college. The two of them explore this scientific process as far as they can in the hopes that eventually it can settle Shmuel's troubled soul in the face of his questioning faith.
For a film that has such obviously limited means, there is quite a strong sense of direction that Shawn Snyder brings to the piece. Many of the scenes have a simple yet dynamic sensibility to them, and you are eagerly drawn into the world of these characters. There are tonal shifts between the somber reflection of grief and the overtly comic "odd couple" bits, but the film manages to surprisingly shuffle between the two rather effectively. The storytelling here has a confidence to it that does not patronize the audience watching it nor the culture it is portraying. There is an authenticity represented here that is truly felt.
Much of that authenticity can be attributed to a well-conceived screenplay. Snyder and co-writer Jason Begue hone in on this society with a unique set of religious teachings that never come on too strong and are used to help push the narrative around its central character. The examination on how one deals with grief juxtaposed against these ingrained ideals is one that is fascinating to see unfold. Still, one does feel disappointed whenever the film switches from its sole focus on Shmuel to when he shares the stage with Albert. Even as the shifts are not that jarring, those scenes do feel as if written for a completely different film and does manage to undercut the genuine dramatic pathos that was being discovered. It's not the worst comedy seen, but it does feel unnecessary when everything else apart from it is quite strong.
Röhrig gives a solid performance here, even if it doesn't reach the heights of his turn in the Oscar-winning "Son of Saul." Once again, he provides a grounded and mostly inward facing performance that showcases the sadness and turmoil he is going through. Röhrig captures the conflicted nature of this man's battle between faith and rationality and provides some real tender moments to see. The film truly does feel like a stronger piece whenever Shmuel is the focus, and much of that is due to the care with which Röhrig plays this character in a simple yet complex way.
Broderick, on the other hand, is not necessarily bad but his character is one that is clearly providing comic relief, and in doing so comes across a bit too broad. His absent-minded professor distracts and, even though there are a few good one-liners, ultimately feels unnecessary. The chemistry he shares with Röhrig also feels awkward and unnatural, and not in any way that legitimately helps the film. Most of the cast is populated by a serviceable ensemble with some admittedly weak child performances. It really is Röhrig that provides the best performance in the film.
Ultimately, the film is far from perfect but it does many things quite well. Despite some of the comedy not landing and not every member of the ensemble giving particularly strong performances, the central story is one that is quite endearing. The showcase of how grief and loss collide with religious teachings and insecurities is a fascinating thing to witness, and the story manages to successfully dive into those waters. The central performance is particularly strong and conveys much of the silent power that is placed within the story. There are certainly better films that have touched upon this subject before, but this is still a fine one to watch as well.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Insider Interviews: Matt Orton
All Articles, Craft, Film, The Insider Interviews
The Insider Interviews series started in 2010 as a set of recorded interviews, featuring the likes of Tom Hiddleston, Gareth Unwin, who produced THE KING'S SPEECH, Ben Wheatley and Hossein Amini, the Oscar-nominated writer of DRIVE and THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY. You can watch these here.
The Insider Interviews now exist as live monthly events in central London, which is a combination of a compered interview and taking questions from audience members. If you would like to check out future speakers and join an Insider Interviews Live evening, you can see more details here.
After winning the BBC Writersroom Young Writers' Competition in 2012, Matt Orton's spec screenplay CLEAN featured on the Brit List and was optioned by Michael Kuhn's Qwerty Films.
Matt Orton's script OPERATION FINALE, about the team who captured Adolf Eichmann, one of the architects of the Holocaust, is soon to go into production at MGM with Oscar Isaac starring and producing and Sir Ben Kingsley starring. His current projects also include a film based on the Battle of Britain for Ridley Scott to direct.
This Q & A was compered by producer Pete Smyth.
MATT ORTON
You've been very busy recently with a number of projects, including OPERATION FINALE, can you tell us a bit about what are you working on now?
The Eichmann movie [OPERATION FINALE] starts shooting in the Autumn. It's the first time I've been through this process and it's exciting. And I'm also working on a political thriller with a wonderful director. So yeah, juggling those little guys.
So how do you juggle multiple projects? How do you manage?
TThat's a really good question. Very little sleep is part of it. A bigger part involves dividing my day. I try to be disciplined with getting up really early and finding a cut-off point in the day that allows me to switch over to something else, so I can work five or six hours on one project, take a pause, go and have lunch, and spend the same amount of time on another one.
A lot of the management of this stuff is quite admin-y, so it's also about not letting the admin side of it overwhelm the creative side. So I try to turn my phone off all day, unless it's a window of time when I'm replying to emails and doing calls, just to make sure there's enough time to focus on the creative things, because ultimately that's what's important.
You don't want to spend more time writing emails than scripts.
Exactly. Sometimes it really feels like you're doing that. This is the other thing as well, working with America they're obviously eight hours behind, so people will sometimes ask, "Can you do a call at 1 PM?" and I just don't think about the fact that that's at 9. So that's where the lack of sleep comes in.
But there are fun parts of it too. Yesterday I got to have a long call with our wonderful director, Chris Weitz, and an anesthesiologist about anaesthetics that were used in the 1960s. Those kind of calls are always worth staying up for.
SELLING A SPEC
In terms of OPERATION FINALE, am I right in thinking that was a spec script?
It was a spec script. Originally a friend put me on to the idea, and then I started doing a little bit of digging around. I thought it was a great story about the formation of Israel. It's this huge moment in this country's history, the first real moment where Israel was presented with an opportunity to hold its past executioners to account.
This was an incredible moment for a country which had for 12 years done its best to ignore the Holocaust. There are all these amazing and awful stories about Holocaust survivors being called nasty things and forced into poor housing, being ignored rather than comforted.
When I went to Israel and spoke to people, universally the one thing that they all remembered about the Eichmann trial was that it was this moment of national catharsis. It was this moment of them finally confronting the past, mourning together, and finally being able to move on.
You don't get any work done, but it's brilliant, it's an amazing country.
And I, in reading about the main character, this guy Peter Malkin, found someone who personified that journey really well. He's this guy who's haunted by the death of his sister, who died, she and her children, during the Holocaust, though not via Eichmann's hands.
He's this guy who's stuck in arrested development and he begins to imbue this mission to capture Eichmann with the sense that this might be the thing that will allow him to move on with his life, as opposed to someone who's haunted by his past tragedy. That to me mirrored the story of Israel.
Eichmann's Confession Is Heard In Court (1961)
As I started to dig into that, I was lucky enough to make contact with the son of the anesthesiologist who ended up putting Eichmann to sleep. It's incredible, you go to Israel and speak about this story and strangers in a cafe will overhear, and say, "Come over here, over here, come talk to me!" You don't get any work done, but it's brilliant, it's an amazing country.
I slowly ran myself into more and more debt doing research trips like that, but then ultimately I had this script which MGM bought, and that was a really big moment.
If you enjoyed this article, why not check out our Insider Interview with Rhodri Thomas?
Continued inside the vault…
If you enjoyed this interview, make The Insider Interviews LIVE your regular monthly networking event.
See upcoming speakers, future dates and ticket details here.
Categories All Articles, Craft, Film, The Insider Interviews Tags Matt Orton, Matthew Orton, Screenwriting, The Insider Interviews
OPINION: Screenplays That Send Messages
Download the 20 Best Screenplays For Screenwriters to Learn The Most From


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Home Family Law and Divorce Divorce: Who Gets What? Alimony
Remarriage and Alimony in New York
Understanding the impact of remarriage and cohabitation on alimony orders in New York.
By Kristina Otterstrom, Attorney
Although alimony is not awarded in every New York divorce, a judge may award alimony if there's a large difference in the spouses' finances and/or earning capacity. New York law establishes when alimony is appropriate as well as guidelines for determining alimony amounts. Alimony (also called "spousal maintenance" or "spousal support") may terminate if the supported spouse remarries or dies, although there are exceptions.
This article provides an overview of alimony in New York. If you have questions after reading this article, contact a local family law attorney for advice.
New York Alimony Basics
"Spousal maintenance" or "alimony" involves court-ordered payments made by one spouse to the other. Neither spouse has an automatic right to alimony in every divorce case. Instead, a judge will evaluate each spouse's needs and financial situation to determine whether a maintenance award is appropriate in your case.
New York recognizes two main types of alimony: temporary maintenance and post-divorce maintenance. As the name implies, "temporary maintenance" is alimony ordered temporarily while a divorce action is pending. "Post-divorce maintenance" is any alimony awarded after a divorce is final. This includes alimony made in a lump sum payment, alimony for a set period of time, or long-term alimony payments.
How Does a Judge Make an Alimony Award?
When determining whether alimony is appropriate in your case and how much to award, a judge may evaluate the following factors to determine post-divorce maintenance:
the length of the marriage
each spouse's present and future earnings
the property awarded to each spouse in a divorce
the tax consequences associated with paying or receiving alimony
each spouse's age, physical, and mental health
each spouse's needs, including education and training expenses
the availability and cost of medical insurance for the parties
the ability of the spouse requesting alimony to become self-supporting
either spouse's contributions to enhance the other spouse's earning capacity (such as being a homemaker while the other spouse pursued education or a career)
the waste of property by either spouse (such as lost marital funds through gambling addiction)
the actions by one spouse that have inhibited the other spouse's earning capacity (such as, but not limited to, domestic violence)
the transfer of property by either spouse that is unfair (such as hiding assets), and
any other factor the court deems relevant.
A judge will decide how much weight to give each factor. Ultimately, the needs of the spouse requesting alimony (also called the "recipient spouse" or the "supported spouse") and the other spouse's ability to pay will determine the outcome of your case. New York has an alimony calculator available on the New York Courts website to help you estimate an alimony award in your case. See N.Y. Dom. Rel. § 236B(6) (2020).
In New York, a judge will modify alimony when a substantial change in circumstances has occurred, but a modification of alimony isn't automatic—the requesting spouse must file a motion with the court asking for a change in the amount of support.
Modification or Termination of Alimony
Many spouses who pay alimony as part of a divorce wonder, when will alimony end. In New York, a judge will modify alimony when a substantial change in circumstances has occurred, but a modification of alimony isn't automatic—the requesting spouse must file a motion with the court asking for a change in the amount of support.
A post-divorce alimony award lasts until under the award is modified, either spouse dies, or the recipient spouse remarries. In some cases, a recipient spouse's cohabitation can spell the end of alimony payments. See N.Y. Dom. Rel. § 236B(a) (2020).
Cohabitation and Alimony in New York
Although marital fault is not typically considered when awarding alimony in New York, true cohabitation can end a supported spouse' right to collect alimony payments. Under New York law, cohabitation is more than a romantic relationship where a boyfriend or girlfriend occasionally spends the night. Instead, cohabitation occurs when the recipient spouse habitually lives with a romantic partner and the two act as husband and wife. Cohabitation is extremely difficult to show, but if the paying spouse can prove it, a court can terminate the alimony obligation. See N.Y. Dom. Rel. § 238 (2020).
Does Alimony End When you Remarry in New York?
In New York, alimony typically terminates upon a recipient spouse's remarriage, though some exceptions may apply. A divorce order may require alimony to continue after the recipient spouse's remarriage in certain circumstances. However, if there is no such provision in your divorce decree, alimony will automatically terminate when the supported spouse remarries. If the obligor spouse continues paying alimony without knowing his or her ex has remarried, the obligor spouse can seek reimbursement of alimony paid after the remarriage.
If you have additional questions about the impact of remarriage on alimony rights in New York, contact a local family law attorney for advice.
Start here to find family and divorce lawyers near you.
Talk to a Family attorney.


text:
Jason Forbes/ June 30, 2017/ Sport/ 0 comments
There was an element of the tortoise and the hare when David Warner and Matt Renshaw struck centuries at the SCG. On occasion, such tensions can lead to violent confrontation amongst players or spectators within and beyond the sporting venue, as in the Football War These trends are noticed by a lot of as contrary to the basic ethos of sports being carried on for its personal sake and for the enjoyment of its participants. Several men this age like keeping match or playing sport – is there any present that can assistance them with their fitness education. Please vote Daily for the Women's Sports Foundation in Gatorade's For The Love of Sports. FirstRow Sport is extremely basic site anything is focused on reside sport streams.
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The widespread existence of gambling on the results of sports fixtures creates the motivation for match fixing , where a participant or participants deliberately work to make certain a provided outcome. Our BSc in Sports Technology programme aims to present students with a broad curriculum focused around sport, design, technology and innovation. Sign up now to receive Sports Illustrated's finest content, particular presents and much more.
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Thanks for your help anyways Petronilla Escarabajo.: Anyway, it is fixed. Our stores Discover our stores. Just give it a try, if it works, awesome, if it doesn't there are so many more solutions offered which are notably more analytical and proficient. It worked perfectly on my previous version, but now, it is impossible.
Lots of people see "Broadcom" and jump on this but it's not compatible with the which is newer. You can try to use Broadcoms hybrid driver with patch. ID and the method to install the driver associated with it in a simple and correct way.
I'm a user with no advance knowledge in Linux, so I would need clear explanations on how to make, compile, etc. No customer comments for the moment.
To begin with,if you already have bfwcutter wirelees, you need to reinstall it, please run: Even after installing the correct driver the user would end up in a "trying to connect" loop. I did bcm94312mccg following steps: LuisAlvarado Alright, thank you and sorry for the attempted hijack. This was from the site http: The installation procedure is done only via terminal and also while connected to the internet with a temporary wired ethernet connection or USB modem or any means possible that can give your PC, for the time, Internet access.
Common problems that will be solved Apart from drivers not installing are: Go to see our FAQ section. No products Shipping 0. You must go to http: The issue with your wifi is that you are using the one forced by Ubuntu, but that does not work. Manu Kemppainen 11 1.
TristanT – Awesome work!. Wireless does not work anymore after software update with Ubuntu Install the "B43 driver" for wireless.
With rfkill I can see: On some specific scenarios, installing wireles drivers, be it in offline mode through various DEB packages or through apt-get with internet access, will not work if Secure Boot is not disabled.
Silambarasan 2, 8 20 I hope this helps, and I'm cautious of generalizing the above path to resolve the mass issue. If you're not running Natty or Oneiric, your kernel probably won't have this driver.
Still, having used Gentoo for years, I've got used to its verbosity and which may seem unnecessary coloring and formatting of output. Assuming you used wjreless PCI.
Then in a terminal, execute: You can change PIO to 1 if you need to it. Install the firmware-binstaller package and not the bcmwl-kernel-source package contrary to what is advised in the table for 14e4: Only registered users can post wideless new comment.
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Kempen European Private Equity Fund neemt belang in precisie metaalbedrijf Wilvo Group
To news & knowledge overview
Kempen European Private Equity Fund acquires an interest in high-precision sheet metal processing company Wilvo Group
Amsterdam, 23 July 2019. The Kempen European Private Equity Fund has acquired a significant direct interest in Wilvo Group B.V. ('Wilvo Group'). Wilvo Group is a family business in the province of Brabant in the Netherlands that has evolved into a specialist in the processing of thin sheet metal and precision parts assembly. Wilvo Group employs 230 people and has an annual turnover of approximately € 50 million*.
The participation of the Kempen European Private Equity Fund is a co-investment with the German investment company Steadfast Capital. The investors have backed the management buy-out by the Wilvo management team, who, as new co-owners, are highly motivated to drive further growth for Wilvo Group, both organically and through targeted acquisitions. In addition, former director and major shareholder Louis Vosters will retain a stake in the company.
Sven Smeets, Cohead, and Bram Bikker, Director of the Kempen Private Markets team, explained: 'The Kempen European Private Equity Fund focuses on investments in stable, small and medium-sized businesses that lead the market in their own specific niche. Wilvo Group is a prime example of a great family business with a long history and an impressive client base. It matches our focus. We have every confidence in the management team's ability to build on the success of the company. We, therefore, take pride in the fact that the investors in our fund, the clients of Van Lanschot Kempen, will have access to such a magnificent company.'
Rob Lemmens, Commercial Director of Wilvo Group, stated: 'With Kempen and Steadfast Capital, we have two professional investment partners on board who can help us to achieve our growth objectives. The Kempen Private Markets team supports professional business practice. We look forward to a successful partnership.'
About Wilvo Group
Wilvo Group is a technologically advanced high-precision sheet metal processing company focused on manufacturing metal products using CNC machines and completely robot-controlled laser, punching, bending, and welding machines. Besides light construction work, the company offers special industrial services. Wilvo's high-tech assembly line and exceptional expertise ensure that complex projects, in small as well as large series, can be completed successfully within a relatively short period of time, for clients at home and abroad. In addition, Wilvo has two clean rooms (totalling 1000 m²), that rank among the largest in the Netherlands and that are ideal for large, highly sensitive machines and components. Wilvo Group was founded in 1970 as a metal processing company by A. Willems and J. Vosters, who were later succeeded by the son of the latter, Louis Vosters.
learn More on the kempen european private equity fund
Kempen European Private Equity Fund (the Sub-Fund) is a sub-fund of Kempen Alternative Markets Fund SICAV-RAIF (the "Fund"), domiciled in Luxembourg. Kempen Capital Management N.V. (KCM) is the management company of the Fund. KCM is authorised as a management company and regulated by The Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. The Sub-Fund is registered under the license of the Fund at The Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets.
The information in this document provides insufficient information for an investment decision. Please read the prospectus. This document is available on the website of KCM (www.kempen.com/investmentfunds). The Sub-Fund is registered for offering in a limited number of countries. The countries where the Sub-Fund is registered can be found on the website. The value of your investment may fluctuate. Past performance provides no guarantee for the future.
The Fund is a closed-end investment fund and is only available for professional investors.
*FD, 29 May 2019. Link: click here.
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2021, 14 January
The Tipping Point: The race for end game assets
Asset Allocation Outlook January
In the wake of the spectacular upturn on the equity markets in November, the positive sentiment continued into December as well. Equities even managed to climb a few percent higher, with the plus of 7.2% in emerging markets standing out in particular. Spreads tightened further on credits and government bonds issued by Southern European countries and emerging markets. Looking back at 2020, gold heads the rankings at a price gain of 25%.
Kempen Real Estate Update: 2021 – Something to look forward to
The year behind us has been exceptional on many fronts. What started out as just another solid post-GFC liquidity fueled year of even higher highs, unexpectedly turned into a year where business models were tested, companies had to evolve or face collapse and the ever-more important global political economy took a central role all due to a truly global pandemic.
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Kempen & Co is a trade name of Van Lanschot Kempen Wealth Management NV. Both Van Lanschot Kempen Wealth Management NV and Kempen Capital Management NV are part of Van Lanschot Kempen NV


IT leaders can play a starring role in the technology-driven re-invention of business, argues Philips' Jeroen Tas.
Companies that want to succeed in the digital age need to take bold steps to reshape their IT infrastructure, says Philips' Jeroen Tas.
How the application of agile processes at Philips has made IT more responsive and business–aligned.
Philips' Jeroen Tas on the steps CIOs need to take to meet the challenge of business users who are set on purchasing their own IT.


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Why isn't the Pacific Office Automation 147 Xfinity series at WWT Raceway?
NASCAR's Pacific Office Automation 147 xfinity series race marks the return of a NASCAR event to the Pacific Northwest in over 20 years.
By TeddyRicketson@TeddyRicketson Jun 3, 2022, 4:15am PDT
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Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images
NASCAR will see its various series heading to different tracks in a rare occurrence. While the Camping World Truck Series and Cup Series will head to the WWT Raceway in Illinois, the Xfinity series will be heading further west. The Pacific Office Automation 147 will run at the Portland International Raceway in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, June 4th. This marks the first time since 1999-2000 that there has been a national series race there.
The Xfinity Series is being used as a tester to see about the possibility of using it as a location for a future truck or cup series race. This will be a road course for the Xfinity series and could add a unique race format to the schedule.
The Pacific Office Automation 147 will be 75 laps around the 1.967-mile track. It has 12 turns in it and will be a new challenge for the drivers. Practice for this race will take place at 1:05 p.m. ET on Friday, June 3rd. Qualifying will run at 8:05 p.m. ET and will air on FS1. This race will be held on Saturday, June 4th at 4:30 p.m. ET and will also air on FS1.
Are Anthony Davis, LeBron James playing for the Lakers on Tuesday vs. the Knicks?
Picks, predictions for Nebraska vs. Illinois on Tuesday, January 31


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Another Devastating Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast for 2021
June 2, 2021 Voared Health, Truth 0
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warns the United States and countries in the Caribbean and Central America to be prepared for what is expected to be another above-normal Atlantic hurricane season.The outlook for this year's hurricane season, which began Tuesday, is grim. Last year's record-breaking season had 30 named tropical storms, including 19 hurricanes, six of them major.The WMO says the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is likely to be less active, with between 13 and 20 named storms, of which six to 10 could become hurricanes.WMO spokeswoman Clare Nullis says the coming season is likely to be particularly difficult for countries, such as those in Central America, that are still recovering from last year's devastating storms."Emergency managers are obviously very concerned that if another tropical storm or hurricane does impact, this will have serious consequences. It only takes one hurricane to make landfall in a season to wipe out years of social and economic development." she said.Nullis says climate change has an influence on seasonal storms, which are increasing in intensity and frequency. She says carbon dioxide concentrations remain at record high levels and will continue to drive global warming."All naturally occurring climate events now take place in the context of climate change, which is increasing global temperatures. As we know, it is exacerbating extreme weather and it is impacting seasonal rainfall patterns," Nullis said.While 2021 got off to a relatively cool start, Nullis cautioned against believing that there is a pause in climate change. She noted that the WMO predicts a 90% likelihood of at least one year between 2021-2025 becoming the warmest on record, dislodging 2016 from its top ranking. Globally averaged temperatures in 2016 were 0.99 degrees Celsius warmer than the mid-20th century mean.The Atlantic hurricane season ends November 30.


Kylee is using Smore newsletters to spread the word online.
Ariel is the fourth largest of the 27 other moons. Ariel orbits and rotates in the equatorial plane of Uranus. Ariel also has an extreme seasonal cycle.


"We're raising the bar for a hunkier, hotter breed of buff butler..."
Having a big event? Why have one butler when you can have two attractive hunks serving at the same time? Make your event glamorous and memorable with two hot, well educated adonises. As a summer promotional offer ending in August we are giving a special "two for one" deal to events that require two butlers. Enquire for details.
Your butler in the buff can wait on you hand and foot and delight you and your guests like queens. Your butler in the buff can also host your party and help carry out and throw fun games for you to enjoy. It's a special occasion, so you should celebrate accordingly!
Your butler will wear only an apron and bow tie, serving food and drinks, hosting games and entertaining guests.
Butlers can be extremely helpful during big social events and are able to do a wide variety of personal service tasks that can make life a lot easier for you and your guests.
Enquire about the 2 for 1 butler offer.
Or why settle for a buff butler when you can have both a hunky hen party life drawing model and butler at once?
Philip left Sweden to setup a hen party company in England. While working for butlers in the buff he decided he could setup a firm providing a higher quality experience, tailored towards hen parties and television appearances in UK.
"We arrive prepared, 'on the ball' and with 7 years solid hen party butlering experience to add entertainment and excitement to parties, unlike many companies that simply 'mass outsource' to tuned out awkward college students. They're becoming very commercialized with their expansion plans and hiring anyone with a six pack without telling you which butler you'll receive. We're tightly knit with a much higher barrier to entry with specific requirements. I believe there's a perfect sweet spot for the ideal butler in the buff, with a well balanced blend of youth, charm and wisdom. We're raising the bar for a new breed of buff butler. Our feedback reflects this."
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text:
import { Post } from "../entity/Post"
import {
    EntitySubscriberInterface,
    EventSubscriber,
    UpdateEvent,
} from "../../../../src"

@EventSubscriber()
export class PostSubscriber implements EntitySubscriberInterface<Post> {
    listenTo() {
        return Post
    }

    beforeUpdate(event: UpdateEvent<Post>) {
        if (event.entity) {
            event.entity.updatedColumns = event.updatedColumns.length
            event.entity.updatedRelations = event.updatedRelations.length
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


BEMAC is proud to announce the launch of our new EMERGE Professional Development Program. Tailored to support and empower young people who are embarking on the journey of the emerging artist, EMERGE aims to bestow skills, information and insight, while facilitating and supporting the creation of supportive networks and collaborations.
BEMAC believes in the power of the arts to transcend social barriers, personal limitations and the constructs that inhibit cross-cultural harmony and understanding. Supporting the creative freedom and expression of young, emerging artists of diverse backgrounds, we believe, is an integral component of building our collective future.
In alignment with our parent organisation Access and their mantra of 'Creating Equal Opportunities', EMERGE programs and events harness the power of arts and music to empower, upskill and connect emerging artists of culturally and linguistically diverse, as well as Indigenous backgrounds. Providing workshops and professional performance opportunities and support.
Our first three EMERGE programs will cover DIY home recording (RECORD), singer-songwriting skills (THRIVE) and performance (CULTIVATE).
Please find details for all below and simply email admin@bemac.org.au or call us on (07) 3391 4433 to register your interest.
Taking place at The Access Gateway during the winter school holidays, RECORD is an intensive 3-day workshop program wherein participants will learn about operating a DAW (digital audio workstation), digital audio technology and terminology, recording digital audio, editing and mixing, mastering and online publishing.
Featuring three of Australia's most celebrated Indigenous musicians – Emily Wurramara, Sue Ray and Kahl Wallis – THRIVE will engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people eager to establish a career in music. Through workshops and mentorship, THRIVE participants will develop and produce original music, which they will perform alongside workshop facilitators at a special showcase at Queensland Multicultural Centre on June 15.
CULTIVATE is aimed at empowering women and girls of refugee and migrant backgrounds through music and skill building. The CULTIVATE program will be led by two award-winning Brisbane-based female musicians – Pauline Maudy and Greta Kelly – who have a passion for world music and believe music has the capacity to heal and sustain people through difficult times.


Cassius Mass, an intriguing name for an intriguing character, even if it sounds a little too much like "Max Steel" or "Dirk Dark," but what is a deep character without his story? Enter Lucifer's Star, the opening to what promises to be a deep and fantastical space opera to rival some of the other great sci-fi stories out there today.
This story follows the tale of Cassius, former pilot and current lowlife, as he struggles with the meaning of the events that took everything from him and searches for something to give his life purpose again.
We don't like to give away too many details, so we won't. Let's just say that if you enjoy sharp wit, plot twists, and robots, this story is for you.
That being said, while there are many reasons to recommend Lucifer's Star and they are the same reasons we might recommend any book like it. Mister Phipps does it all right, but it is not his story that makes Lucifer's Star a standout, it is the author's style and spirit that he has so instilled into this read. The book is dark and humorous. Mister Phipps has clearly spent a lot of time polishing his style. If one were to ask us what we loved most about Lucifer's Star, we would say that we did not love the plot half as much as we loved the writing. The pacing is spot on, moving along a story of intrigue, betrayal, and sarcasm that spans the stars.
Now, of course, we didn't love everything about the book, how could we? One thing that perhaps struck us as most odd, despite the cast of characters and being billed as a space opera, you really only get a single perspective, that of our sardonic Byronic hero. While we loved seeing the world through Cassius' 'enhanced eyes' we would have liked to see things from a different perspective every now and again. Imagine Star Wars from the perspective of only Luke. Trimming out those varied viewpoints can sacrifice story depth.
Despite our gripe, Lucifer's Star is a fantastic read. It is one of the best contemporary science fiction novels we have read to date. We would even read it again, which is about as good a recommendation we would give to a book.
Lucifer's Star gets a solid A rating from us. Full of twists and turns, Mister Phipps delivers a story worth every penny. Full of wit and intrigue, the stakes couldn't be higher. Rarely do we see characters so deeply flawed and believable in the genre, and we look forward to reading more from Mister Phipps in the years to come. We have only one warning, this book isn't for younger readers. Keep that in mind when setting foot into the fantastical universe of Lucifer's Star.
Want to read this book? You can buy Lucifer's Star on Amazon.
Thank you very much. This is a great review and, yeah, I could have handled it from multiple perspectives. I'm considering doing a novella or even novel from Clarice's point of view next.


text:
Afghanistan's dwindling Sikh and Hindu communities turn towards the exits
Posted in News on April 30, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Source: Global Voices
In Afghanistan, Sikh and Hindu minority groups have for decades experienced targeted religious persecution while suffering from low access to civil rights.
Given that these injustices have been compounded by the country's deep and growing security issues, it is hardly surprising that of the 220,000 Sikh and Hindu citizens living in Afghanistan in the 1980s, less than a thousand remain.
The Manmeet Bhullar Foundation is committed to enabling Afghan Sikhs and Hindus to achieve asylum in Canada.
They have asked the Canadian government to recognise Hindus and Sikhs of Afghanistan as particularly vulnerable minorities and develop an appropriate plan to evacuate them.
A deadly attack on prominent Sikh leaders in July 2018 added urgency to this bid.
The July 1 suicide bombing that killed 19 people and injured 10 as Sikh and Hindu representatives made their way to a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was claimed by the Afghanistan's ISIS affiliate and sent tremors through the community.
Canada-based organisations, including the World Sikh Organization and Gurdwara communities have supported the asylum drive, claiming notable successes. The first Sikh and Hindu Afghan Refugee families arrived in Canada on March 13, 2019.
A final exodus?
As an exit door potentially opens for Afghanistan's remaining Sikhs and Hindus, the publication in March of the "Survey of Afghan Hindus and Sikhs" conducted by the Porsesh Research and Studies Organization (PRSO), a non-profit based in Kabul feels pertinent.
The survey was conducted "to understand better the situation, and provide a clear picture of their [Afghan Hindus and Sikhs] living conditions" according to its authors.
The survey focused on the security, political participation, economic situation, civil rights, national mood, migration, and integration situation of Hindu and Sikh communities in Afghanistan.
The survey found that "Hindus and Sikhs are considerably less optimistic about the direction of Afghanistan compared to the rest of Afghans."
Insecurity, unemployment and poverty are the factors driving this pessimism. Children lack access to education. For women, one of the main problems is "not being able to freely go outside."
Afghan Hindu and Sikh communities have always participated in Afghan society.
While more than 50 percent turned out to vote in the most recent national elections, only a third (34.38%) of respondents say they feel they can influence their local government's decisions. This is considerably lower than the national average and is spurred partly, the survey's authors believe, by Sikhs and Hindus "poor representation in government administrations."
Economically, "a quarter of the respondents reports having difficulty purchasing simple and basic food", while others can only afford basic needs. Sikhs and Hindus invariably work in the private sector as smalltime traders and shop owners.
Regarding emigration "60.7% of survey respondents expressed desire to migrate if they were given opportunity." The remainder cited their patriotism as a reason not to emigrate, a reminder of the roots these communities have put down in Afghanistan despite difficulties, and the emotional wrench of leaving.
At the heart of the two groups issues in the country is a systemic bias against non-Islamic religions written into the constitution, which the survey called "excessively dependent upon Islamic interpretations and (containing) many articles discriminatory towards Hindus and Sikhs." Although both groups are free to worship, the constitution's recognition of the supremacy of Islamic law makes it difficult for Hindus and Sikhs to live publicly according to their faith.
This has ingrained in many a perception that the state's institutions exist to harass rather than protect them.
Sikhs and Hindus typically fear encountering the Afghan National Police more than others. More than a quarter of respondents have experienced some type of threats in the past, while a quarter also claimed to have been victims of land-grabbing or property seizure.
The survey concludes with recommendations to boost political and legal rights and access to education and employment for Sikhs and Hindus, while promoting diversity and pluralism in the country as a whole.
Ehsan Shayagan, Founder and CEO of PRSO expressed hope that the survey "will help in inclusion of Afghan Hindus and Sikhs in the peace and development process in Afghanistan."
Sadly, it may be too late for that.
First ever book on Afghan Hindus and Sikhs in English by Inderjeet Singh
Posted in Culture, History, Opinion on April 15, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Link to the book on Amazon.com and Amazon.in
Can an Afghan be a Hindu or even a Sikh? History says yes. Islam entered Afghanistan in the 7th century. The Hindu Shahi rulers of kabulistan were replaced only by the end of the 10th century by the Ghaznavides, who maintained Hindu forces. For three-quarters of the 13th century, The pagan Mongol ruled the region. Timur the lame fought with the jats in Central Asia in the 14th century. Babur, who captured Kabul in 1504, refers to Kabul as hindustan's own market. Further, Guru Nanak visit in the early 16th century laid the foundation of Sikhism in Afghanistan. Several documents record the native Hindus and Sikhs in the Afghan society and their thriving trade. But today, almost 99 percent of Afghan Hindus and Sikhs have left the country. The khurasan of yore accommodated Hindus and Sikhs as its own, yet today's Afghanistan refuses to see them as natives. Will history claim justice for the original 'lalas'? Afghan Hindus and Sikhs narrates the history of their rich contribution and turbulent journey in the last millennium.
Afghanistan- Afghan Hindus, Sikhs Vow Full Support to Peace Efforts
Posted in News on April 6, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Source: MENAFN, ToloNews
(MENAFN – Daily Outlook Afghanistan) KABUL – Afghan Hindus and Sikhs at a ceremony in Kabul on Friday said their community has also been affected by insecurity and violence and that they fully support the ongoing efforts for peace as they are tired of war same as other citizens of Afghanistan.
They said they hope to see a peaceful Afghanistan in the not-so-distant future.
The Hindus and Sikhs remembered the 13 fallen members of their community who lost their lives in a suicide attack in eastern Nangarhar province last year. The ceremony was attended by a number of Kabul residents and government officials.
On July 2018, when a number of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus wanted to visit President Ashraf Ghani in Jalalabad city in Nangarhar, a suicide bomber attacked them and killed 13 of them, including Afghan Sikh leader Avtar Singh Khalsa.
'My father who headed the Afghan Sikhs and Hindus Council and was a teacher lost his life in that incident. Our representatives from Ghazni, our elders and prominent young people were killed in that incident, said Narender Singh Khalsa, son of Avtar Singh Khalsa.
Khalsa was the only candidate for parliamentary elections from the Hindus and Sikhs community. His son ran for parliamentary elections after his father's death.
Royender Singh Khalsa, daughter of Khalsa, said they are not only faced with insecurity but they are suffering from injustices in society.
She said they want a peaceful life and that they support peace efforts.
'My two sisters were killed in the past and my uncle was killed when the Kochis attacked our Dharamshala. What has remained for us in this city that we should love it and live for it? Nothing has left for us, our elders have been killed and now only widows and orphans have remained, Royender said.
Yusuf Pashtun, an advisor to President Ashraf Ghani, said at the ceremony that the Hindus and Sikhs have been living in Afghanistan for long time and that they have deep roots here.
'There is no doubt that we accepted Islam, but we are from one tribe, we are brother and we should continue this brotherhood, said Pashtun.
An investigation by TOLOnews from last June shows that close to 99 percent of former Hindu and Sikh citizens of Afghanistan have left the country over the past three decades.
The investigation revealed that the Sikh and Hindu population number was 220,000 in the 1980s. That number dropped sharply to 15,000 when the mujahedeen were in power during the 1990s and remained at that level during the Taliban regime. It is now estimated that only 1,350 Hindus and Sikhs remain in the country.
According to the findings, the main reasons behind their departure include religious discrimination and government's neglect of the minority group, during the Taliban era in particular.
The TOLOnews findings indicate that where Hindus and Sikhs were once very active in business within the country, they are now faced with increasing poverty.
The findings also show that Hindus and Sikhs had suffered huge setbacks after the Taliban regime collapsed in 2001. This forced a large number of them to leave the countryside and to migrate to Kabul for a living. As a result, there are no Sikh or Hindu citizens living in Helmand and Kandahar provinces.
Despite their problems, remaining Hindu and Sikh residents have said they are trying to continue with their lives in Afghanistan as they are optimistic about the country's future. (Tolo news)
Afghan Hindus, Sikhs Vow Full Support To Peace Efforts
Posted in News, Videos on April 5, 2019| Leave a Comment »


The ruling people's party acting Secretary General , Paul Maulidi may be committed to prison or his asserts seized for deliberately disobeying Mzuzu high court order which restrained him from recognizing the victor of Mchengautuwa West ward amid alleged electoral irregularities.
Goodwin John Mvula, alleges that the victor Denis Moyo dubiously and unlawfully triumphed hence he sought the Court's intervention for Judicial review.
Moyo scooped 524 votes against Mvula's 504.
Under miscellaneous civil application number 5 of 2014 between Mvula as applicant and Moyo as first respondent and Maulidi as second respondent,Judged Dr Redson Kapindu also restrained Moyo from standing or holding out as PP candidates.
"Moyo or his servants, agents or whosoever are restrained from portraying him, campaigning for him as pp candidate until the hearing and determination of the main matter or until a further order of the Courts", the copy reads in part.
Mbendela warned Maulidi, Moyo and PP that any person who disobeyed the order shall be held reliable for contempt of Court and may be committed to prison or may have his property seized.
Investigations has found out that Maulidi signed Moyo's certificate which is the party's authority for a candidates to stand on its ticket on February 9 2012.
PP has paid nominations fees for both the parliamentary and local government levels except those holding ministerial post.
Where did this PP get the money to pay nomination fees for their aspiring candidates?


(Winston-Salem, NC)—Fast-casual restaurant chain Tijuana Flats, known for its sauce bar and Tex-Mex menu, is now carrying ¡Sabor! by Texas Pete® Mexican-Style hot sauce. ¡Sabor! by Texas Pete® is one of the several varieties of Texas Pete® hot sauce offered by Garner Foods.
¡Sabor! by Texas Pete® is being served on the popular sauce bar and it's also available behind the counter for retail purchase. ¡Sabor! by Texas Pete® offers a uniquely bold and balanced combination of spices, sea salt, sautéed garlic and aged peppers that is a perfect addition to the restaurant's menu.
There are currently 120 Tijuana Flats restaurants in six states. To find the Tijuana Flats restaurant near you, search their locations here. If ¡Sabor! by Texas Pete® isn't being served at your favorite Tijuana Flats restaurant, be sure to ask for it!
Headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC, Garner Foods is famous for its Texas Pete® Hot Sauce. Founded in 1929 as a maker of barbecue sauce, the company now sells a full line of hot sauces, wing sauces and seafood cocktail sauce under the Texas Pete® brand, CHA! by Texas Pete® Sriracha Sauce, as well as, ¡Sabor! by Texas Pete® Mexican-Style Hot Sauce, and salsa and tortilla strips under the Green Mountain Gringo® brand. Texas Pete® and Green Mountain Gringo® products are sold in supermarkets, military commissaries, convenience stores and restaurants throughout the United States. Learn more at TexasPete.Com.


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Be sure to thoroughly butter the dish.
After the breadcrumbs are made and the cheese is shredded, it's a matter of assembly. Perfect for a rough morning.
Your Best Brunch Eggs Contest Finalist!
I made this for brunch this morning with 2 adjustments that worked well: a mix of fresh baguette breadcrumbs and panko which helped combat potentially soggy bread, plus heavy cream instead of half and half and at a smaller volume than called for in the recipe. It was delicious and I will definitely make this again.
I have been making this for years, found the recipe in a little booklet called "Favourite Dairy Recipes" that my mom brought home from a trip to England. It is very good, my kids love it and it's an easy way to cook a lot of eggs at one time.
I made these for Christmas breakfast and they were fabulous. I've got a batch in the oven right now and my mouth is watering. I'm not kidding - they're THAT good! I use organic eggs as they are much healthier and have a superior flavor to regular eggs. I also use organic half and half for much the same reason.
This time around, I am using Ezekial Sesame Bread that I made into bread crumbs. I am very curious how this recipe will turn out with the substitution. This is a flourless sprouted grain bread and it is delicious. You can get it at Trader Joe's.
I kind of botched the recipe by using challah instead (and not in bread crumb form). The flavors were really delicious. When I make it next time, I will take the time to use bread crumbs!
Made this for Christmas morning, but forgot to add the half and half. Worked beautifully anyway, though!
Trying this tomorrow for a holiday brunch with friends & David Eyre's pancake. Can't wait!
So simple, yet so creative. Great for brunch or a weeknight dinner.
Wow - I actually made ths Scottish Farmhouse Eggs for dinner last night, with a little salad on the side. Tremendous! What a great dish. You're so right about how the cayenne cuts the richness a bit. Immediately started thinking of other things to add, i.e. asparagus, spinach, chopped prosciutto, etc. Thank you! This could be a new go-to and not just for brunch, either!
I made this recipe and the savory bread pudding and my guests liked the Scottish Farmhouse Eggs best. I liked how simple the recipe was, and the hint of spice. Yum.
This is one of the most simple, delicious and inspired things I have eaten in recent memory.


Tips On Getting More Instagram Followers: Instagram swiftly outgrew its first impression as a fun app for youngsters and also has become a severe material advertising and marketing, networking as well as target market structure tool for people as well as brand names. It is among the most preferred social networking websites on the planet, with over 200 million active regular monthly members sharing 60 million photos and also 1.6 billion sorts daily.
Certain, 58 times better interaction than Facebook sounds excellent, however you can do so much far better compared to that on Instagram. Whether you're a large brand or possibly just asking yourself how to come to be Instagram famous, I don't want you to strive for average; I want you to reach for the celebrities and become an Instagram unicorn. An electronic unicorn is that enchanting, unusual animal that outmatches all others by orders of magnitude.
That's nice that you developed a #joesgarage hashtag for your firm, yet who understands to utilize it to share content concerning you? Make certain it's in your profile, yet take the video game offline as well as have it printed on your invoices, in print advertisements, on signs in your shop as well as at pertinent occasions.
If you're on radio and TV, straight people to use your hashtag. Integrate online as well as offline projects by guaranteeing it's detailed on your various other social accounts, on your internet site, and in your email blasts. Don't simply wish individuals will find it.
When it concerns Instagram caption concepts, you have to look past the one-word, obvious hashtags. Sure, you intend to make use of those, too, but mix it up and utilize hashtags to inform part of your tale. Be amusing, ironic, or shocking-- just don't be DULL. Joint work space firm WeWork is terrific at this, and also they consist of a fun mix of Instagram web content, too.
For each post, make use of a mix of topically appropriate hashtags such as #woodworking for a carpentry company, for instance, as well as trending, super-popular hashtags anywhere you can.
The actually details hashtags resemble long-tail keywords in that they reveal even more intent as well as aid you discover the right people, but the widely trending hashtags like #instagood, #tbt, #photooftheday or perhaps simple old #fun obtain you before even more individuals as a whole. You require both to earn it on a social media as large as well as loud as Instagram.
It's prime real estate on your Instagram profile ... do you truly want your bio to just connect to your website homepage, forever? Yawn. Change it up a minimum of bi-weekly and also make use of that clickable link in your biography to drive website traffic to your latest or most preferred web content.
A photo is worth a thousand words, yet you cannot skip the words entirely. National Geographic is superb at utilizing storytelling alongside their Instagram photos to generate interaction and also sharing. While standard media brand names have actually dropped like flies, NatGeo has prospered throughout digital as well as turn into one of the leading brands on Instagram, with over 50 million followers.
Like the various other Instagram hacks I've consisted of below, this is something you'll wish to commit to working into your method in time, so don't worry if it feels weird initially. Your writing will improve as you discover your brand's Instagram voice.
Check out the profiles of everyone you've recognized as an influencer in your room (Also Known As an individual that influences the people you want to enter front of) and "Turn On Post Notifications" to be notified whenever they share brand-new web content. You could after that communicate with them consistently and become one of their preferred individuals or brands.
If you just intend to include the best user-generated web content regarding you or your brand name on your Instagram profile, you can. Now, you can't get rid of the marked photos from the site completely, by choosing "Edit Tags" choosing the ones you want to eliminate and also picking "Hide from Profile" (you could have to verify). It does the trick.
Mentioning giving you greater control over which tagged images appear on your profile, you could change your Instagram setting so tagged images will not show unless you accept them initially. You'll discover this under "Options" "Photos of You" and "Add Manually"
I'm trying to think about a reason any company would NOT wish to do this ... Nope. I have actually obtained absolutely nothing. You must absolutely set this approximately avoid potentially embarrassing situations.
It's humanity to want to suit, however on Instagram, you want to stand apart. Indian beverage brand name Frooti has actually established such a distinct visual material style, it's instantly well-known every time an individual sees a Frooti message in their newsfeed.
See exactly what's going on in a specific area (state, your neighborhood, a city you're targeting in advertisements, or perhaps an occasion in a certain location) by mosting likely to the search page and also picking the Places tab. Then, type in the name of the location to see all geotagged posts for that place.
Instagram, like various other social networks, is a discussion, not a broadcasting platform. What activity do you desire individuals to handle your message? If you do not know that, start over and also figure it out. Staples is terrific at producing involvement by letting individuals recognize precisely just what they anticipate them to do with their posts (bonus factors if you make it sound enjoyable). Often, that call to activity smartly gets individuals to share or virally spread Staples' material.
-Advertise your dedicated hashtag on your other social accounts, on your site, as well as your email blast.
-Obtain imaginative with your hashtags. Be funny, ironic, or shocking-- however never ever monotonous!
-Enjoy topically appropriate and trending hashtags. Sign up with these discussions to obtain before even more individuals.
-Utilize your bio link to drive website traffic to your latest or most popular content.
-Compose descriptive captions. Storytelling will certainly help produce involvement and also sharing.
Interact with top influencers in your area and also try to turn into one of their favored people or brand names.
-Do not want a labelled image of you or your brand on your profile? Modify Tags to conceal pictures from your account.
-Change your settings so any possibly awkward marked pictures will not show without your authorization.
-Develop your own one-of-a-kind, identifiable aesthetic design. Identify exactly how you wish to stand apart and also make it so!
-Go to the Places tab to see what's taking place locally - your neighborhood, a city you're targeting in ads, or an event in a specific area.
-Use a call to action to inform individuals what you desire them to do with your messages. Discover creative means to get individuals to share your content.


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text:
Aristo Bio – Tech And Lifescience Limited IPO opens on 16th January 2023
Issue Price Rs 72, Issue Size Rs 1,305.22 Lakhs
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 13: Aristo Bio – Tech And Lifescience Limited, is an agrochemical and crop protection Company and engaged in a wide range of product categories, such as Insecticides, Herbicides, Fungicides and Plant Growth Regulators. The issue opens on 16th January 2023 and closes on 19th January 2023 and will subsequently be listed on NSE Emerge platform.
The company intends to raise Rs 1,305.22 Lakhs by issue of 18,12,800 shares which are priced at Rs 72 per share and will be sold in lots of 1,600 shares. The HNI portion is 8,60,800 shares, which is 50% of the net issue shares. The remaining 50%, which is 8,60,800 is the Retail Investor portion. The lead managers to the issue are Beeline Capital Advisors Private Limited, leading merchant banking company of Gujarat and the registrar to the issue is Link Intime Financial Services Private Limited.
Out of Rs 1,305.22 lakhs to be raised, Rs 935.22 lakhs will be used to fulfil the company's working capital requirement, Rs 250.00 lakhs will be utilised for general corporate purposes and Rs 120.00 lakhs will be used for meeting issue expenses.
Chairman and Managing Director, Aristo Bio-Tech And Lifescience Limited, Mr. Narendra Singh Barhat, said, IPO funding will help us in growing our company to next stage as we have enough capacity in our existing setup and good team what we need is working capital to fuel our growth and IPO funding will provide that.
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How do you teach your child to "look on the bright side" and have an attitude of gratitude? Dr Samantha Rodman explains.
This article originally appeared on Dr. Psych Mom and has been republished here with the author's permission. By Dr Samantha R0dman.
Are you naturally carefree and happy? If so, it's likely a mix of your genetics (identical twins reared apart are usually the same level of happy) and your personal choices about how to live your life. The field of positive psychology centres on the idea that people can make themselves happy just by changing how they think and act. Happiness is conceptualised as more of a habit than a God-given blessing. And while some of your happiness is biologically determined, there are many things you can do to be happier.
These 11 questions focus your children on how to make themselves happy. Eventually, your children will internalise these questions and ask them in their own heads. Then you'll have given them the gift of happiness, which will make you so (you guessed it) happy.
1. What was your favourite part of today?
This is a good question to ask at bedtime, to help your child feel content and happy before sleep. It also instils a habit of focusing on the best thing that happened in any given day rather than the worst. If you make this part of your bedtime routine, it will become second nature.
This is a good question for the dinner table. Every family member can take a turn saying what he or she is grateful for that day. There is a strong correlation between happiness and gratitude, so this one is very powerful.
3. What are you going to do about that?
When a child comes to you with a problem, ask this question in a warm and curious tone. Don't just jump in and solve their problem; how does that help them in the long run? At least give them a chance to work it out on their own, and give them the gift of your confidence in them, which is evident by this question that implies that they can think of solutions to their own issues. If your child says "I don't know," you can say, "I am not sure either, let's try to figure it out together." Happy people are people who think of problems as surmountable, and think of themselves as effective problem solvers.
4. How did that make you feel?
At the risk of sounding shrink-y, an essential part of happiness is being able to notice and express your own emotions. If you can verbalise what you're feeling, you can make sense of it, you can process it, and you can obtain support from others. This is a great question to ask when your child comes to you with something "bad" that happened, instead of either dismissing it ("that wasn't that bad") or fixing it ("let Mummy get you some ice!"). It trains your child to be aware of his feelings, and to use that information effectively.
5. What do you think he/she feels?
In any situation, you can cultivate empathy by asking your child to wonder about what someone else feels. Empathy will make your child a happier person; he or she will have stronger interpersonal relationships, feel better about himself for thinking of (and then, often, helping) others, and derive more meaning from life.
6. How can you look on the bright side?
7. What part of that can we learn more about?
In any TV show, book, trip outside the house, basically any situation at all, there is something to learn more about. And look at you, Super Parent, you already have your smartphone at the ready! So this time use it for teaching your child that life is full of learning opportunities. Happy people are people who are curious and always learning. So when you watch TV and someone says "Bonjour," you can look up pictures of France or a YouTube song sung in French. When your child realises that this question means that you're going to whip out your phone and show them something new and special, they will ask it to you all the time. And that's how you end up looking at pictures of real estate in Nebraska with your four-year-old. Don't ask.
8. What do you want to do on the weekend?
Research shows that anticipation of positive experiences brings more happiness than the experiences themselves. Once your child is old enough to realise that tomorrow is not today, start instilling a habit of positive anticipation of small pleasures. A child who is excited all week to get frozen yogurt on the weekend is a happy child, just as an adult who plans a vacation six months in advance is happier during those six months.
9. What can we do to help/to make someone happy?
Bringing your child along to visit a sick relative, or someone recovering from surgery, or to volunteer at a soup kitchen is a wonderful gift that you can give to your child. Your child will feel even more proud of his behaviour if he is the one to think up the nice thing that can be done (e.g., baking cookies to deliver, drawing a card). Research shows that giving releases oxytocin and endorphins, so it's like a high that your child can become addicted to. Also, involve your child in your charitable activities, as giving charity is a form of altruism that is also linked directly to happiness (and just to being a good person, which you also want for your child).
Incorporate a spirit of generosity into your child's daily life. Whenever you're out, buy something little for someone else. When you colour, make a picture for someone else. Giving things to others makes people happier than buying things for themselves, and enriches interpersonal relationships.
10. What do you want to do outside today?
Getting outside and engaging in physical activities alongside your child is a wonderful way to get him in the habit of not just sitting around. Exercise releases endorphins and is as often as effective at treating depression as medication. And the most powerful way that you can teach your child about exercise is to do it yourself. Children whose mothers exercise are more likely to exercise themselves. And sunlight can also help boost mood and regulate circadian rhythms, which means better sleep for your kids, which makes everyone happier.
11. When do you feel happiest?
If you direct your children's attention to the experiences that they most enjoy, they will start to realise that they can choose to proactively increase their time spent in activities that make them feel best about themselves. According to researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, "flow" is the state where people find an activity so enjoyable and rewarding that they become completely immersed in it, losing all sense of time and feeling completely in the moment.
If your child is lucky enough to have found an activity that makes him feel a sense of "flow," it is helpful for you to point this out and allow your child enough time to attain this state. Note: for many kids this is video gaming, which is actually fine, since a great deal of research points to many psychological benefits of gaming. The best-case scenario is for your child to find a career that puts him into "flow," since then, as the saying goes, he will never "work" a day in his life.
Till we meet again, I remain, The Blogapist Who Actually Does A Lot of These, So If I Can Do Them With Three Kids And Limited Patience, So Can You!
Dr. Samantha Rodma is a clinical psychologist and dating coach from Washington D.C. She has a husband, three young children and one fish. She blogs at Dr. Psych Mom.