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MacSpeech Dictate Old Version by Review Summary , Sep 11, 2015
MacSpeech Dictate [Old Version]
Based on 209 customer reviews
Returned or considering to return: 5.7%
Voice 4.0 average
Speed 3.9 below average
Application 3.8 below average
Microphone 3.8 average
Recognition 3.7 average
Manual 3.3 average
Program 3.2 below average
Correction 3.1 average
Support 1.8 mediocre
Disk 1.7 mediocre
"I can see how this product would have real application for people who are not able to type for any particular reason such as arthritis or paralysis -- MacSpeech Dictate will even operate all the functions of your computer -- which Leopard will also do, but why not have the dictation capability also?"
"It's hard to assign some number of stars to an application with which you're having such a love hate relationship."
"iListen had a pretty well developed set of training and correction features which I had to use constantly because the application's accuracy was not very good."
"The application has fairly good voice recognition."
"I'm happy with the application and I'm looking forward to trying their transcribing product."
"I have used voice recognition software in the past and have to say this is the absolute best application for voice recognition I have used to date."
"From what i have seen on Dragon, the user easily switches between applications and uses all of them as easily as dictation."
"I was hoping that I would be able to use applications like GarageBand or be able to create a playlist and burn it to a CD without even touching the keyboard."
"The most significant complaint that I have with it is that it is extremely clumsy to make corrections, and thus properly train it."
"You must not use your hands to make corrections or the program will get confused and work very erratically!"
"A good first step for correcting this problem would be for the program to display a reason why it's not responding to a command."
"I've been waiting for something like this --because I am an extremely slow typist -- and can't get my thoughts down on paper before I start self editing and constantly correcting my mistakes, which makes things go even slower."
"If you don't expect perfection, but work with the software, i. e. making corrections by hand as you dictate, you can get good results."
"Another star from me when 'missing' features such as adding words and correction have been added."
"As a result it tends not to get better over time, unlike the Windows companion product which has a slick and well integrated correction facility."
"The speech recognition is good, but to do the corrections it takes way too much time -- I would say wait until they work out the bugs!"
"Its versatility, accuracy, correction, all need a lot of improvement."
"Correcting erroneous transcriptions is easy and painless."
Crash:
"If I only keep one document open an always erase mistakes using voice commands, it won't crash."
"Initially, I had some problems with the program crashing."
"It (despite the glowing claims) CANNOT be easily trained, it crashes, and is just not as easy to use as DNS."
"I too have had the bad disc crashing on profile creation problem."
"I purchased MacSpeech Dictate and too had the crash on creating a new profile problem."
"unfortunately, the program crashed repeatedly when trying to create a profile."
"Dictation works pretty well for these 5min but then it crashes and I have to start it again which takes about 1-2min."
"I haven't lost any information so I'm not too upset about the crashing, it does a good job of recovering the text that was produced."
"It is still occasionally unstable but has a good auto recovery function, so if it does crash you lose very little work after restarting the program."
Disk:
"I did not have the disk or installation problems that many people describe."
"It was unfortunate but the problem was eventually fixed, new disks were produced and the product worked."
"I am very disappointed - and out $189 for 2 worthless disks."
"I read the caveats about bad install disks for this allegedly excellent rendition of Dragon Dictate Naturally Speaking."
"It appears that the initial glitches with defective software disks and poor support from the developer are the main problems that have been giving this product poor reviews."
"I had the bad DATA disk problem and just got my new one and now am up and running with MacSpeech."
"I've had no problem with my disk or installation."
"Frankly, I'm pretty impressed even though I was frustrated when the disk did not work."
"Well, a week later I got the replacement disk!"
"Amended review:I was finally able to obtain a new data disk from MacSpeech."
Headset:
"I use a desktop microphone since I am disabled facing the hassle up putting on a headset is daunting."
"I found this program and I was able to do the majority of my writing just by speaking into a headset."
"Package included microphone headset which makes life easier."
"The headset that came with the box is very comfortable."
"I use a Logitech wireless chat headset and it works great."
"The included headset works perfectly."
"They have reprinted the MacSpeech Dictate manual (which in itself is not user friendly) and I did not find the program user friendly either."
"And if you're wondering what the alpha word is for v (missing in each of the lists in the manual), it's victor."
"I hate that the manual is a PDF."
"Hopefully they improve this in future releases, not having a PDF manual to look at is kind of annoying."
"What MacSpeech Dictate is missing is a good manual."
"The program seems to be running very well, but as others have said, you MUST read the manual."
"The manual is explicit about not confusing MSp by mixing speech and typing."
"I'm sure some people would love that, but I personally don't care about the APA manual of style."
"Personally, I prefer the headset because it has a 10 foot cord and I can move around while I dictate (dusting, folding clothes, etc)Here are a few helpful hints:1) As stated above, YOU MUST THOROUGHLY READ THE ONLINE MANUAL AND SPEND TIME VOICE TRAINING THE PROGRAM2) If you have a laptop like mine (early 2009 aluminum macbook) you must use the FRONT USB port for your headset mic."
"The program comes with a Quick Start 4 page pamphlet to get you started but the website offers a 156 page pdf of the full manual that is essential to running the program smoothly."
"MacSpeech Dictate isn't the most accurate dictation software, though is one of the better for Macintosh computers I am using the ion using the software right now could dictate this review I will now stop editing it so you can see how I've heard MacSpeech Dictate really is a MacSpeech Dictate comes with its own headset that plugs into a USB port Alexa be a very nice quality and the sound is very good for dictation software is very weird because you have to talk in a regular voice if you make your words to blocky or choppy it will not be as accurate a truly is designed for you they hear voices as you can see sometimes it's screws up for me it is faster than typing I'm a student and I use this to dictate my papers in the command mode for MacSpeech Dictate is really just a joke it is incredibly inefficient and inaccurate another annoying part is that if you forget to turn the microphone off and there's some small amount of background noise it will dictate was it were any of those simple words one time this happened Rowson Photoshop mouse changing the text to a smaller size since I had everything highlighted it deleted all and to undo tax for the Photoshop only works once I lost my 20 minutes of Friday and had to restart my paper as you can see it's not very accurate there's definitely room for improvement if you are disabled this will probably help you if you can type in one safe time this was not if you really hate typing another get out of it and just edit a lot of stuff this is for you even though after having to go back as everything nature this instance is downright this is in CV that much time."
"As a last-ditch attempt to make it work, I plugged the headphones mic in through my old Griffin Technology iMic USB External Sound Card which I had purchased years ago for my old iBook and everything worked perfectly."
"I have tried to connect my excellent Olympus recorder to the USB connector but the results are horrible....I connected the earphone output to the mic input with a male to male connector."
"Dragon Naturally speaking works fantastically with the internal mic."
"Has poor recognition-- even though I have purchased several expensive and highly recommended microphones to maximize recognition."
"So after this brief little trial I do think my initial reaction is very positive toward the software and I think it will save me a lot of time as I do not enjoy typing and greatly prefer the ease of dictating over this microphone."
"I wear it around my neck with the mic a few inches from my mouth and have no problems."
"This is offered as a separate program that is not inexpensive (haven't tried it so can't vouch for accuracy)."
"Considering the price of this program, the performance is pretty disappointing."
"The customer service person however, did offer me Nuance Dictate for $100.Please do not waste your money buying this software."
"But this product has a top of the line list price of $199.00.Please, I beg you, save your money."
"Bottom line: if you want to use bluetooth with Dictate, buy the adapter (Amazon has a very good price.)"
"For me, MacSpeech Dictate was a waste of money and an even greater waste of TIME."
"Because of the limited way in which I used the program I may not be the best judge of how perfectly it can transcribe one's speech."
"What I do know is that it was easy for me to set up on my MBA and the program made very few mistakes with what I said once I completed my speech profile."
"I suppose for folks who are disabled enough that they have to use such a program it's better than nothing, but I am sorely disappointed."
"While the actual word recognition is decent, random formatting errors and poor editing make the program nearly unusable."
"My problem with the program is what it does not do, particularly in comparison with the Dragon speech program."
"A really terrific program that greatly reduces the stress on my RSI plagued wrists and shoulders."
"I am still training the program but I am amazed at how quickly and with what depth and range this program types what I tell it to and the work is not always simple."
Recognition:
"The problem I have is that is is not nearly as accurate as native window speech recognition or the windows version of Dragon NaturallySpeaking."
"Frustrating because I know the value of good voice recognition software from Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking."
"Some of the software's problems with recognition were simply my problems with not speaking clearly."
"Hard to believe Nuance would license their voice recognition engine to these jokers...it has really degraded the product as compared to the windows version (Naturally Speaking)."
"The baseline voice recognition is OK, but the lack of tunability to your voice is a key problem."
"Sure it has good dictation recognition of words, just hope you don't have to correct anything!"
"This flawed product marries Dragon's decent speech recognition engine to a poorly conceived and executed text editor that has nothing to do with Nuance's far superior product, which handles these things effortlessly, regardless of your input device (mouse or keyboard).Please, MacSpeech, kill this dog, go back to the drawing board, and release a product that actually works."
"The software is mediocre and the service is TERRIBLE."
"If you were to bundle the potentially best voice dictation application for Mac that's on the market (and probably the best on the horizon) with one of the worst customer service group you can imagine, and heat that mix with the total absence of documentation on the disc or third-party, you'd know why so many reviewers are complaining that they've been defrauded."
"Went through several days of customer service hassle before they finally sent me another data disc."
"Although their customer service was terrible, I must say that they are pretty good as far as their dictation software is concerned."
"Even then, I would seriously consider not purchasing from a company that does not release the fact that they are having an epidemic of problems with this software, does not return e-mails, and has excessive wait times for customer service."
"Eventually this will be a good and usable product, but the service mentality of the management of the company is questionable."
"I dictate every day with a transciption service, and this is not even close to being able to replace it."
"Cheap, easy, no long delays, no frustrated users, no over worked service reps, (hey, service, that is what they hire these poor folks for right, solving your problem within minutes of placing your call?"
"I'm the type of person who has hundreds of thoughts at the same time, unfortunately I'm not a fast enough typist to get them all down."
"And if you hit the delete key six times when you should have hit it five, you have to wait... and wait... letter by letter until the frustratingly slow machine catches up."
"I would highly recommend it for anyone in who has problems typing, spelling, speed, and anyone with a learning disability."
"This creates a lot of frustration which takes away from the speed and ease of use for this program."
"The software gets better in its accuracy and speed the longer that I use it."
"You can see, the product dictates very accurately and amazingly fast."
"MacSpeech Dictate uses the same speech engine and like Dragon NaturallySpeaking accepts input at a conversational speed andwith accuracy well in excess of 95%."
"It has saved me hours of typing and works nearly flawlessly with AMAZING accuracy and speed."
"Complaints to their support group resulted in an email that took multiple pages of complicated instructions showing how to uninstall and reinstall on the Mac."
"BTW: I have tried to work with tech support on the problem."
"I had major trouble at first, but after contacting tech support a few times my problem was fixed."
"I think some of the early reviews are really criticism of MacSpeech's technical support, and possibly some early problems with the reliability of CDs on which the product shipped."
"The tech support person told me there was a backlog of people with problems before me."
"You can't move between your voice and your hands; it is amazing complicated to use; the support people send you chunks of the manual back to you in response to questions."
"Has much support (Quick Set Up, User Guide, web site with instructional videos and free email support).The accuracy is amazing!"
"Regarding MacSpeech's customer support shortcomings, again, pay no attention to the negative comments regarding it."
"update: Product support was pretty good once I got their attention."
"Time will tell, but initial impressions are great period online support could be more robust but this will come with time."
Voice:
"It was really easy to install and set up and training it for my voice took very little time."
"As far as voice dictation software goes, I started out using good old IBM Via Voice for the Mac way back in the day."
"It has learned my voice and generally works well in spelling correctly things I dictate."
"When I tried to install it I got a message that the company knows it is not compatible with my version of Windows (XP)."
"I hate Windows (especially Microsoft's constant downgrades; e. g., Windows ME, Vista, 7), but still use a PC at my office (Windows XP is tolerable, but still a far cry from Leopard)."
"I've used Dragon Naturally Speaking for windows and it's worked OK - not great, but at least its usable."
"Big user of Dragon NS product for windows.. used it often and really liked it."
"I never had any problem with the dragon dictation running on Windows simulator on my Mac."
"I currently use Dragon Naturally Speaking for Windows on my MacBook under boot camp and get excellent results."
"I was forced to purchase a copy of Windows so that she could use Dragon NaturallySpeaking, which works wonderfully."


text:
Newry Sinclair family
The Sinclairs in England
Newton Manor Court
Other Irish Sinclair families
'The Moorlough Shore'
St. Clair family of Herdmanston
William the Waster
St. Clair Earls of Rosslyn
St. Clair family of Rosslyn
Rosslyn St. Clair descendants
The Last Rosslyn
Janet Sinclair, 'darling nurse'
Sinclair of Dryden
Sinclair of Dryden in Perthshire
Rosslyn Chapel
The Morville and Galloway families
Castle Sinclair Girnigoe
The Saint Clair family
Richard de Saint Clair
Bretel de Saint Clair
Hubert de Saint Clair
William de Saint Clair
Hamo de Saint Clair
The Lanvalei family
The Burgh family
The FitzWalter family
The Marshal family
The Morley family
The Vilers family
The Rie family
The Dammartin family
Norman descent
Hamon aux Dents
Walderne de Saint Clair
Hubert de Rie
Viking descent
'Sinclair's ballad'
The Newry Sinclair family
During the nineteenth century, there were two Sinclair families living in the town of Newry, Co. Down. Both were merchant families, and both played a significant part in the economic growth of the town. Yet they were not related (unless they shared an ancestor many years before). More information can be found about the other Sinclair family here.
Sinclair & Son
William Sinclair first appeared in Newry in 1834 when he set himself up as a meal seller in Water Street. In 1840, he married Ellen Walker, one of the many grandchildren of Thomas Walker, a successful merchant in Richhill, Co. Armagh, some 15 miles from Newry. According to family tradition, the Walkers were descendants of the famous Reverend George Walker, who led the townsfolk in their defence of Derry during the three-month siege by King James II in 1689. George Walker died in 1690 at the Battle of the Boyne, but his descendants continued to live in Co Armagh.
Ellen's mother was Jane Redmond, the daughter of John (Old Jack) Redmond from another long-established planter family in Co. Armagh, originally from Yorkshire. The Walkers were Church of Ireland, but William was Presbyterian, which meant they could not be married in a church by a Presbyterian minister. Instead, they were married in her brother's home, Grange House, a few miles south of Richhill.
During the following years, William built up a successful business as a corn miller, taking in his nephew, Abraham Redmond Walker, as a partner. By 1865, though, Walker had left the business and established his own corn mills. William and his son, Abraham Walker Sinclair, continued running the original business as Sinclair & Son on Canal Quay. In 1872, the mill burned down – not uncommon in the years before a town had its own professional fire brigade. Clanrye Mills were rebuilt at a cost of £10,000. After the business closed down Robert Sands purchased the property and continued milling. Today, it is used as an animal feed depot.
Abraham married Mary Margaret Davis, the daughter of Jemima McBride and William Alexander Davis, a well-known doctor in Newry, and Medical Attendant to the Newry Workhouse. Abraham became a magistrate for Co Armagh. They lived at Sugar Island and had eight children, four of whom died young.
On Thursday evening last a number of lads were sliding on the Old Basin, when the ice suddenly cracked, and Master Charles Wilson, son of A. Wilson Esq., went down. He clung as well as he was able to the broken ice, but piece after piece gave way, and his situation became perilous in the extreme. There was an immense crowd on the bank, and great excitement prevailed, but no one seemed disposed to make a practical effort to save young Wilson's life. Driving reigns and ropes were thrown to him, but he could not lay hold. Just in the nick of time Mr. A. W. Sinclair, T.C., came up and without a moments hesitation, jumped into the water, seized the lad, and brought him to the bank, amidst the applause of the spectators.
By the late 1880s, restrictions on Canadian corn entering Britain had been lifted and Irish corn-milling was suffering badly. Similar problems had been occurring in England where imported flour was one of the main reasons for the closure of many mills. Eric Sinclair, Abraham Walker Sinclair's grandson, married Norah Brown, a descendant of a family of millers in southern England.
William retired to Warrenpoint and died in 1880. Abraham finally gave up the business in 1891 and moved to Belfast, where he worked for the Flour Merchant Commission. He died in 1908 and Ellen died in 1928.
Clanrye Mills, photographed in the late nineteenth century when it was owned by Robert Sands, another Newry entrepreneur.
With thanks to Jim MacAnulty for the use of his photograph.
The Seven Steps, Albert Place, Warrenpoint, used as a holiday home by the Sinclairs until William retired there. This photograph was taken when it was a school, but it was a hotel when the IRA bombed it in the 1970s. Now it has been turned into luxury apartments.
With thanks to Brian McCalmont at www.oldwarrenpointforum.com.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Can you point to two or three of the key trends in 2018?
There are many trends running simultaneously, which is great news for all of us. Oversized sunglasses are always popular, but on the other hand, the minimal trend has also impacted sunwear and very light designs with narrow frames – and of course the unisex aviator shapes – are going to continue to look edgy. There are also a lot more eccentric, crazy shapes like hexagons and designs that make a big statement such as cat's eyes, so if you're looking for something with a special personality – it's out there! The trend for tiny sunglasses is also going to stick around, that's a different look that really caught on last summer – the celebrities loved it.
There has been lots of focus on the lens colours and lens shapes this year. Does this continue?
Yes, definitely. Lenses are a focus for creativity, and the colours and shapes have really developed dramatically. Alongside the statement mirrors, and more unusual popular tinted colours such as yellow, I have seen some really interesting graduated colour effects. I've also noticed that the Sun-Clip is back again and there are some super versions coming out for the new season. They are flattering and versatile.
While we traditionally seem to love classical acetate sunnies, and the retro-inspired metal styles, there are more and more opportunities to wear recycled eco-friendly materials and this is something that consumers will be looking for increasingly. These materials have really come on in the last years and are comfortable to wear, and kind to the skin. M49 by Mazzucchelli is one I'd definitely recommend, but there is now a wider choice of collections with an eco-friendly commitment as well as some gorgeous natural buffalo horn and wood sunglasses in the luxury ranges.
What is the colour palette for 2018?
Really, you can select your favourite colours in sunwear….as there is a wide choice. Tortoiseshell and neutral tones are doing well, and in the UK I have seen a greater interest in traditional colours with a touch of colour added on the temple or interior of the frame. We are also seeing other colour trends where 2 or 3 tones are combined in one design, often colours you might not expect to see together. You'll also see green tones creeping into the collections again, transparent tones and some lovely flashes of red, neon pink and bright yellow.


text:
Q: Clicking a community bulletin blog link traps me in mobile view for some articles Similarly to this question (now fixed) where the slug ?blb=1 was forcing the blog to remain in mobile view in Chrome, I'm now experiencing the same issue with links form the community bulletin with the slug ?cb=1.
For example, when I click a blog link to The War of the Closes from the community bulletin I am presented with the mobile view.  When I click the exit button in the footer the page reloads, still in the mobile view - I'm stuck.  Removing the ?cb=1 slug takes me back to a normal view.
I've just noticed that I can only reproduce this on the War of the Closes Article, though it persists after a cache clear and in incognito.
Chrome 27.0.14
Windows 7

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Family means everything and now you can show off just how much they mean to you with the Family Tree Necklace in 18k Gold Plating. This personalized family tree necklace can be engraved with the names of the members of your family. Keep them all close to your heart while wearing this beautiful personalized tree necklace.
The Family Tree Necklace is made out of 18k Gold Plating over 0.925 Sterling Silver and hangs on an 18k Gold Plated Bead Chain.
My Aunt loved it,, it will be a keepsake forever.
Beautiful item. Very timely shipping. Excellent value.


Transformers Hall of Fame --real people!
Today Hasbro announced that they are inducting 4 (real human) people into the Transformers Hall of Fame, those most influential in the development of the brand... Check out the press release (below) and DISCUSS!!!
Bob Budiansky: While working as an editor for Marvel Comics in 1983, Mr. Budiansky named and wrote the personality profiles for most of the first 20 or so TRANSFORMERS characters. He then became the editor of the very first TRANSFORMERS mini-series, which led to his scripting most of the next 50 issues of the monthly TRANSFORMERS comic book. As he continued working with the brand on behalf of Hasbro, he named and wrote the packaging copy and personality profiles of dozens more TRANSFORMERS, and developed story treatments as new lines of TRANSFORMERS were introduced.
Peter Cullen: Mr. Cullen is a voice actor best known for providing the English voice for the wise and heroic AUTOBOT leader OPTIMUS PRIME in the popular 1980s cartoon series "The TRANSFORMERS" and in the 1986 animated film "The TRANSFORMERS: The Movie". He reprised the role again in 2007 and 2009 in the live action TRANSFORMERS movies, and will return for the third installment slated for 2011. Additionally, he has provided the voice of five other TRANSFORMERS robots during his career.
Yoke Hideaki: While working at TAKARA TOMY, Mr. Hideaki invented the Micro-Robot segment within the MICRONAUTS toy line, which featured the engineering innovation of transformation in action figures that were no more than 3 to 4 inches tall. TRANSFORMERS characters MEGATRON, SOUNDWAVE and RAVAGE can trace their origins to Mr. Hideaki's efforts. He acted as liaison between TAKARA TOMY and Hasbro during the early years of their business relationship.
Kojin Ohno: Mr. Ohno started his career at TAKARA TOMY, working on the design of the Microman and Diaclone toy lines, which would later become one of the inspirations for the TRANSFORMERS toy line. Mr. Ohno created SUNSTREAKER, which is considered the first "car to robot transforming toy". He was also instrumental in the introduction of Beast Wars TRANSFORMERS for the Japanese market. He helped design toys for both live action TRANSFORMERS movies. He takes great pride in being the person who designed the largest TRANSFORMERS toy from Generation 1: FORTRESS MAXIMUS.
Budiansky, Cullen, Hideaki and Ohno will all attend the 2010 TRANSFORMERS convention (known as BotCon) in Orlando, FL and will be officially inducted into the TRANSFORMERS Hall of Fame during the festivities on Saturday night, June 26, 2010.
Re: Transformers Hall of Fame --real people!
"Hideaki" is his first name, "Yoke" is his surname. Seems Hasbro messed up there (unless they were going for a "last name first name" format, but they still put the "Mr."s with his first name).


LincSport Talks: Did Chris Moyses do a good job at Lincoln City?
After Chris Moyses announced he will step down as Lincoln City manager at the end of this season, our writers have given their opinion on how they thought he did in the role.
Adam Tomlinson (Sports Editor): You have to say Moyses' tenure at Lincoln City was a success. He turned the club round after Gary Simpson was placed on gardening leave and has created a feel good factor around the club. Yes his slight inexperience could've cost the Imps this season, but he brought in some good players and has left the club in a very good position for next year. I would've liked him to stay on for another year to see what he could achieve, but he can certainly leave feeling proud of what he's achieved.
Liam Ray: (Deputy Sports Editor): The club was on its knees after Simpson's sacking on and off the pitch. Although the league position hasn't changed, he's transformed the attitude and mindset of everyone involved.
James Williams (SU Sports Editor): Moyses transformed a dysfunctional side over the summer into a team that looked like it might challenge for promotion. Unfortunately that hasn't happened but there have been a number of encouraging performances during the season especially when the team has been at full strength. You can't deny the fact Moyses loves Lincoln City and has certainly left the club in a much better state than when he joined.
Ryan Hall: I think Moyses will definitely be able to look back on his time at City as a success. He managed to rebuild a side that had lost many of its top performers and even guided the club to a positive goal difference which is all the more impressive considering this was his first job at Conference level. His great work means that Lincoln should now be a very attractive proposition for potential incoming managers.
Luke Vials: Despite the clubs league position not improving since Moyses' appointment, you can definitely see what he has brought to the table. The 'feel good' factor has been brought back to Sincil Bank and some of the best football since the imps dropped out of the football league has been seen. All in all Moyses work leaves a good basis for the new manager next season.
Nathan Hill: If we're to judge "doing a good job" on results alone, then he's probably not done a good job as Lincoln will finish this season barely any higher up the league table than last season. However, he has put The Imps back on the right track and laid the foundations for a serious play-off challenge next season. If his successor were to achieve promotion, some of the credit would have to go to Moyses and therefore it has to be said that he's done a good job.
Danyal Khan: Moyses has made some good signings, and transformed the side from last season. After promising much when they found themselves in a playoff position earlier in the season, the squad and Moyses have disappointed and unfortunately the fault rightly or wrongly falls on the manager. Overall he's done a decent job, but there's a taste of what could have been.
One Response to LincSport Talks: Did Chris Moyses do a good job at Lincoln City?
I don't agree with it falls on the managers shoulders for the lack of consistency from some of the players.
This takes only 2 minutes to read!
Keep up to date with The Linc on Twitter.


UAB INTRAC Lietuva is a company within the INTRAC group. The company works with sales of and service for heavy machines in the forestry, material handling and construction sectors. INTRAC Lietuva covers the Lithuanian market through its four offices in Vilnius, Kaunas,Panevezys and Klaipeda. Headoffice with workshop, spare parts stock and central sales- and service functions is located in Vilnius. The branch offices offer stationary or mobile service as well as sales of spares and accessories. Totally 60 people are employed in the company and the turnover for year 2018 exceeds EUR 15 millions.
Five service vans operate out from Vilnius while additional five buses are stationed at the Kaunas,Panevzys and Klaipeda offices. 22 service mechanics handle the service and repairs.


text:
Desert Eagle – Edwards
Home Local STARBASE is hiring
STARBASE is hiring
Janet Creech, STARBASE Instructional Systems specialist, shows a student how to calculate the volume of different boxes during the first day of STARBASE classes March 5, 2019. Edwards is one of nine active duty bases with an official STARBASE program. The STEM-based program familiarizes elementary students, primary fifth and sixth graders, from all backgrounds to the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. (Air Force photograph by Kenji Thuloweit)
Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California is now hiring a government civilian instructor position for its STARBASE program.
Interested applicants should contact STARBASE Director, Amira Flores at amira.flores@us.af.mil., no later than June 6,. 2019.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
* Comprehensive, practical knowledge of STEM lessons and ability to present complex developmental and presentation problems to elementary/middle students.
* Subject matter knowledge of a range of STEM concepts, principles, and practices.
* Knowledge of basic computer technology necessary to teach lessons at the elementary/middle school level.
The Department of Defense's STARBASE is a premier educational program sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. At DOD STARBASE, students participate in challenging "hands-on, mind-on" activities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, or STEM, according to the DOD. They interact with military personnel to explore careers and observe STEM applications in the "real world." The program provides students with 25 hours of stimulating experiences at National Guard, Navy, Marine, Air Force Reserve, Army and Air Force bases across the nation.
STARBASE focuses on elementary students, primarily fifth graders. The goal is to motivate them to explore STEM as they continue their education. The academies serve students that are historically under-represented in STEM. Students who live in inner cities or rural locations, those who are socio-economically disadvantaged, low in academic performance or have a disability are in the target group. The program encourages students to set goals and achieve them.
Read more about DOD STARBASE at https://dodstarbase.org/.
VIA**
SOURCE**
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AFRL commander relieved from command


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Home » Website » Sports » IPL 2020: Royal Challengers Bangalore - Check RCB's Complete Indian Premier League Schedule And Squad
IPL 2020: Royal Challengers Bangalore - Check RCB's Complete Indian Premier League Schedule And Squad
The Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore will need a good start to their IPL 2020 campaign to end the title duck. Here's a look at their fixtures and squad
Outlook Web Bureau	06 September 2020
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AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli
Outlook Web Bureau	2020-09-06T21:05:24+05:30 IPL 2020: Royal Challengers Bangalore - Check RCB's Complete Indian Premier League Schedule And Squad
Another Indian Premier League (IPL) season, and another chance to break the title duck for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). They had come close to lifting the trophy in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but ended up second best. (More Cricket News)
After finishing last in the previous season, the flambouyant team led by Virat Kohli will hope for a good start and possibly mount a title challenge this time. And they play their first match against SunRisers Hyderabad.
Check Royal Challengers Bangalore's complete schedule here:
September 21: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Dubai (7:30PM IST).
September 24: Kings XI Punjab vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Dubai (7:30PM IST).
September 28: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians, Dubai (7:30PM IST).
October 3: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals, Abu Dhabi (3:30PM IST).
October 5: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Capitals, Dubai (7:30PM IST).
October 10: Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Dubai (7:30PM IST).
October 12: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Sharjah (7:30PM IST).
October 15: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kings XI Punjab, Sharjah (7:30PM IST).
October 17: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Dubai (3:30PM IST).
October 21: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Abu Dhabi (7:30PM IST).
October 25: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings, Dubai (3:30PM IST).
October 31: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sharjah (7:30PM IST).
November 2: Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Abu Dhabi (7:30PM IST).
Check Royal Challengers Bangalore' squad here:
Virat Kohli (captain), AB de Villiers, Devdutt Padikkal, Gurkeerat Singh, Moeen Ali, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Parthiv Patel, Pawan Negi, Shivam Dube, Umesh Yadav, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Aaron Finch, Chris Morris, Dale Steyn, Isuru Udana, Joshua Philippe, Kane Richardson replaced by Adam Zampa, Pavan Deshpande, Shahbaz Ahamad.
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IPL 2020: Kolkata Knight Riders - Check KKR's Complete Indian Premier League Schedule And Squad
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The U. S. Supreme Court has ruled that the prisoners held at Guantánamo Bay are entitled to the same constitutional rights as anyone else tried in a United States court of law.
From the New York Times article about the decision, ""To hold that the political branches may switch the Constitution on or off at will would lead to a regime in which they, not this court, say 'what the law is,' " Justice Kennedy wrote, citing language in the 1803 ruling in Marbury v. Madison, in which the Supreme Court articulated its power to review acts of Congress."
Treating people as human beings has always been risky. But I think America is up to the task.
Freedom gets people killed. Justice gets people killed. But slavery and injustice get more people killed...and way more *spirits* killed.
I'm not sure why more Americans will get killed because of this, and I'm not sure what Scaly's time frame is. In my idealistic universe, spreading the gospel of justice and human rights will ultimately result in a less deadly world for everyone. I heard that this is the third time the Supremes have made this decision and finally Bushy said he would go along with it, but that didn't mean he liked it. He's a demented petulant tyrant.


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Home » Uncategorized » Fall of Tripoli
Fall of Tripoli 104
August 22, 2011 in Uncategorized by craig
It seems that Gadaffi's regime has collapsed very quickly at the end. It is difficult to be sure as yet, but it seems there may have been mercifully less further bloodshed than might have been feared. Thank goodness the NATO bombing campaign will now end.
It is plain that there is a great deal of support from ordinary citizens of Tripoli for the rebellion. Whether that translates into specific support for the leadership of the Transitional National Council is quite a different question. Getting rid of a bad government is difficult, but not as difficult as establishing a good one. The next few weeks will be very interesting.
The mainstream news media will move on in a few days, as it has moved on from Egypt. Not all pro-democracy demonstrators arrested under Mubarak have yet been released under the new military government there. However it is good to see anti-Israeli demonstrations are allowed. That is a major advance on the Mubarak years. NATO may yet find it equally difficult to hijack the Libyan people to their agenda.
Now of course NATO are free to move on to oust the despotic, torturing regime of Bahrain. Or not.
104 thoughts on "Fall of Tripoli"
wendy August 22, 2011 at 16:49
"BBC/Sky are pure establishement propagandists in the mold of Pravda, Russians had to learn how to read pravda between the lines,"
this is true, i dont know anyone who would think it not true.
"One has to admit that the big powers have managed pretty well a regime change on the cheap. A brilliant move to hijack a popular revolt and getting it to adopt their agenda."
no they didnt hijack, sarkozy and obama/cameron had it planned 12 months ago. this wasnt a popular uprising akin to egypt but nato inspired from the start with special forces on the ground from the start to the end.
it is nato troops and mercenaries what won it.
"This man Mr Golding has disturbing news for us all. He is telling about the corridors of peerage power where there is a hegemony that is lying about September 11th. This is called the big lie and it is coming to us through the history channel and other channels. I think the implication is clear: Mr Golding has the real information and all the mainstream media are working for the sinister forces."
and yet the david kelly files are sealed for 70 years .. who said secrets cannot be kept.
and if a variety of cells operate without direct interaction but facilitating a larger action ..only a few need to know.
my question : a helicopter was destroyed in the claimed killing of obladen. and it was the one that landed according to reports. and no other helicopter landed. how did obladen body reach the ocean?
YugoLies August 22, 2011 at 17:12
i) US establishes base for AFRICOM in Libya
ii) Libyan assets sold off dirt cheap to Western corporations
iii) The al Quaeda members of the rebels make full use of the training received from UK ex-SAS mercenaries and weapons (including ground-air missiles) looted from Gadhafi's military stores
Maybe we will get a threefer
Ruth August 22, 2011 at 17:49
Courtney,
A while ago you wrote that the majority of Libyans supported Gaddafi. I was so shocked by this assertion that I said it was bizarre. I apologise for being so blunt but as my family is Libyan and I have a good knowledge of the country I found what you said quite extraordinary.
As you didn't believe me and wanted evidence, I decided to wait until Gaddafi fell to show you the proof. In the coming days you'll see how much the majority of people hated him and how he abused his people.
I agree with you totally that the West is not helping the Libyans for humanitarian reasons.
Jon August 22, 2011 at 17:58
@HG_Wells, hello and welcome. I've read a few of your posts – thought they were parody at first, apologies! But we do try to encourage everyone to discuss things in an atmosphere of respect, so please go easy on Mary and Mark. It is quite acceptable to support NATO and assert that Western powers believe in genuine humanitarianism, for example. But if you believe those things, let us know why! A discussion with reasoning is much more beneficial, I always think.
For my money, criticising the intervention is not the same as supporting Gaddafi – a mistake that our resident troublemaker Larry St. Louis makes deliberately. I think the principle most in operation on this blog is "do least harm", and I think it is thought (with some justification) that bombing a country will kill some of the civilians that it is advertised as saving. Bringing Libya into the "enlightened" circle of countries that have endorsed neocapitalism (see also: Iraq) will invariably worsen the inequality gap too, thus causing a fresh set of problems for generations down the line.
However, for all the talk of "stability" that is required of Libya (i.e. amenable to selling their oil at reasonable rates) I wonder if the band of mercenaries we have chosen to support should trust us at their own risk. They may well intend to go their own way politically, at which point we will need to depose them with another war, or maybe a CIA assassination, or…
So, I think it's complex. I think Gaddafi is indeed mad, his socialist theory as I understand it is laudable, but ultimately incompatible with his dictatorship, which is brutal. But his replacement could equally be as awful: another dictorship, or a long period of civil war, or the introduction of Western capitalism against the wishes of the people.
@All – please do not feed Larry from St. Louis (or YugoWhatever) with responses. As far as I can tell – over the very long term – he is just here to disrupt and derail. Where he has not been responded to, I'll delete his comments, so as to keep the discussion on topic. Needless to say, constructive disagreement is always welcomed here.
Guest August 22, 2011 at 18:26
"I wonder if the band of mercenaries we have chosen to support should trust us at their own risk."
I have not heard the name Blackwater in all this, I have heard they have at least 50,000 mercenaries in various locations around the middle east. Bahrain is their HQ, I wonder if their mercenaries are in Libya ?.
Herbie August 22, 2011 at 18:36
What Next For Libya?
Human rights abuses, cronyism, massive amounts of taxpayer money gone in dubious circumstances, "difficult" people assassinated, law book thrown out when it suits the leader, excessive force used by power-crazed cops, bizarre political decisions, countrywide surveillance of its citizens, strange associations with foreign governments, people gaoled on a whim, and massive corruption.
But enough about the UK.
This is about New Libya.
http://captainranty.blogspot.com/
An old joke, but amusing all the same. Worth a read, as he has some experiences of Libya to share.
Methuselah Now August 22, 2011 at 19:37
So the great powers succeeded, yet again, in subverting the popular Middle-East spring with its natural course towards Saudi Arabia and instead re-directing, with the drones and the paid western mercenaries/"Advisors" and our propaganda/conditioning outlets, towards those leaders who naively continue to believe they should have different priorities to those more powerful and dare to be belligerent rather than submissive.
As long as everything can be privatised, and their societies divided, easier to rule. The biggest oil reserves in Africa.
These are the values our children see, will see, and future leaders will duplicate, and they wonder why riots happen.
A hopeless world, where like the spoilt or indulged, will eat/destroy itself from within (see: America).
How many days until that U.N. resolution was due to run out, and suddenly a fall………
Courtenay Barnett August 22, 2011 at 19:55
WHAT NEXT FOR LIBYA – INDEED – WHAT NEXT?
I ask myself one question:-
When the US and NATO "liberate" Libya – who then liberates Libya from the US and NATO?
The attacks on Libya are no more or less than criminal – and I do not use the word lightly, but literally mean it for good reason. UN Resolution 1973 does not anywhere in it permit:-
•	Support of a faction within Libya to overthrow the government
•	Arming of a faction within Libya to overthrow the government
•	Bombing in support of a faction within Libya to overthrow the government
For those on this blog who are not historians I recall the following.
I quote from an article entitled, Libya's Finest Hour….As NATO Presses Conquest, from the Black Star News Editorial.
"The newspapers of the day including The New York Times celebrated "Italy's Great Victory" in Africa, saying the defeat of the Abyssinians meant "civilization" had prevailed over "barbarity." Africa would now be opened up to profitable Western commerce, the Times opined.
Then in 1896 Menelik II, together with his wife Empress Taytu leading the charges, struck with ferocious power and courage. Menelik II destroyed an entire Italian army of an original 10,000 troops, vanquishing nearly half, including most of the leading officers and capturing half of the army.
That was Ethiopia's greatest hour and indeed Africa's finest moment against European imperial aggression."
Moving forward to what is actually happening in Libya, I quote from the web site,
http://www.globalresearch.ca
"Massive bombing of residential areas in Tripoli over the last three days
Nearly 20,000 sorties, and 7459 strike sorties since March 31st
"Since the beginning of the NATO operation (31 March 2011, 06.00GMT) a total of 19,751 sorties, including 7,459 strike sorties, have been conducted.
Sorties conducted 20 AUGUST: 105
Strike sorties conducted 20 AUGUST: 36"
These figures do not include the extensive bombing raids directed against civilian targets conducted on the 21st and 22nd of August.
Realities are twisted and turned upside down.
The bombing is part of NATO's mandate to "protect the lives of civilians"
Make no mistake, NATO is involved in extensive war crimes. The media has been involved in a coverup operation.
The military alliance is supporting an insurgency which in large part is integrated by Islamist death squads which have been set loose in the streets of Tripoli."
While some on this thread may see the events that are unfolding in Libya as some sort of "liberation", for my part I beg to differ. The issue here is not whether one wants to gloss and excuse any transgressions of Gadaffi, but whether one wants to adhere to the most fundamental principles of international law and the conduct of international relations in a "civilized" and humane manner.
The questions to my mind are these:-
1.	When the ANC opposed Apartheid there were well established voices in leadership, such as Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela. These men were termed "terrorists" by the white racists and by the West. The likes of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan wanted to prolong the "civilized" rule of Apartheid while Mandela and Sisulu wanted to ensure that the people's rights were recognised and the benefits of the economy reached the majority. These men had a history of leadership and commitment to a political cause when they had pursued a political path for the betterment of their country. Question 1 – where is the recognised leadership in the NTC in Libya with a record of dedicated opposition and a political or any vision of where Libya will be taken post-Gadaffi?
2.	When Menelik 11 defeated the Italians and when the Italians had their prior incursion into Libya one could discern a colonialist mission of occupation and domination of the foreign territory. Question 2 – By way of the US and NATO's violation of Resolution 1973 in its pursuit of a war aggression and directing the war of aggression against a sovereign government – does anyone not discern the colonialist and imperial design of the whole operation, that bears comparison to the historical record in Ethiopia and previously in Libya?
3.	When the models of the results in Afghanistan and Iraq beam in one's eyes – is it that we are brain-dead in not discerning in Libya and or the future of Africa – the process afoot:-
i)	Breach international law and become an active participant in a war of aggression against Libya by supporting the rebels with bombing and supply of arms.
ii)	Use a fig-leaf of "democracy" and "freedom" to cover naked aggression.
iii)	Commandeer Libyan funds in the billions and use same to fund the rebellion.
iv)	Steal Libyan resources once the Gadaffi government is ousted and enjoy the stolen fruits of oil, gold and water in abundance. If anyone complains about the mayhem that will undoubtedly unfold, then simply blame it all on Libyan ineptitude.
v)	Post-rebellion – send in contracted parties to rape Libya's resources with contracted security officers; consultants; a manipulated grab of the oil, the gold bullion, the water resources and use all t he Libyan national resources to repay for the "aid" and "help" that the benevolent is giving. Recall the process with Mossadeque in Iran and where that finally led to? Maybe the wheel of history and the whole cycle it turning gain from Libya to Syria to Iran – yet again.
Question 3 – If I am not right in all I have stated – only subsequent events will assuredly prove me wrong – are all agreed on that?
When this process is all over – tell the Libyan people, as has been told to the Iraqis – " you are liberated and free to choose your leader", but continue to occupy to ensure that they make the right choice for leader.
Anyone ever read the AU roadmap to peace? Anyone ever questioned that if the people did not want Gadaffi as a leader –then by permitting a Western style election which Gadaffi is agreed to – then the result just might be that the people freely choose Gadaffi? But, the US and NATO won't permit that process to operate, because it must install its own puppets to control the Libyan political process.
I am simply saying that before our eyes this is hypocrisy, criminality and banditry at the highest levels in the world, involving the UK, France, the US and the perpetrators of crimes against the Libyan people done and yet to be done by Cameron, Sarkozy and Obama.
Gadaffi provided money for his people, health care, housing, educated women and has a highly educated population, water via the aquifer in abundance, gold in abundance for the nation's on-going development, infrastructure – and of course the US/NATO having bombed the said infrastructure, the West will now be providing the consultants, road builders, engineers, security officers and a wonderfully sound and democratic government compliments of a truly "civilized" process of rebuilding a Libya destroyed by the bombing and overthrow of established government. My – isn't "democracy" in these circumstances a wonderfully violent and desirable process?
Of course, there will be those who disagree with my views – but I am only too happy to hear their facts and reasoned argument – why Libya will be better post-Gadaffi?
CB ( http://www.globaljusticeonline.com)
Jaded. August 22, 2011 at 19:57
Jon – 'As far as I can tell – over the very long term – he is just here to disrupt and derail.'
No kidding jon, when did you realise that? 🙂 He is the internet forum equivalent of the 'lone gunman'.
Suhayl Saadi August 22, 2011 at 19:57
Ruth, thank you for your lucidity an courage. I'm sure everyone – regardless of their views – will join me in hope that your family are safe and well.
mark_golding August 22, 2011 at 20:01
Guest – Not sure about 'mercenaries' in a Bahrain HQ, certainly I know a private SAS trained heavy based in Dubai and working in Libya to assist the piranha grab for oil by BP that Blair negotiated. That said I feel very sorry for Ruth who has revealed her family is Libyan. NATO and her allies have orchestrated the taking of Libya not the rebels and Britain, France and the US will now want pay-back under the guise of 'assisting' the transition. This means the Libyans will lose their country as well as many more lives as the thieves conjure up more chaos and confusion in the Libyan population so that their hegemony and plunder can proceed under cover of renewing, restoring and healing the damage of a so called tyrant.
Boots on the ground? – can you fire a gun? Are you ex SAS? – British Private Security Companies NEED YOU in Libya – excellent rates of pay and generous expenses – alternating 90 days in Libya and 14 days back home – you must pass a medical and positive vetting.
mary August 22, 2011 at 20:04
LIBYA AFTER GADAFFI: STATEMENT BY STOP THE WAR COALITION
The fall of the Gadaffi regime in Libya marks yet another turning point in what
has been a truly remarkable year in the Middle East. The victory of the rebels,
backed by Nato bombing in a six month campaign initiated by the British and
French governments, also heralds the rehabilitation of a discredited doctrine
— that of 'humanitarian intervention' — after the debacle of Iraq and
The defeat of Gadaffi is now being used to justify military action on the
grounds that it has helped the Arab revolutions. David Cameron declared outside
Downing Street 22 August 2011, 'This has not been our revolution, but we can be
proud that we have played our part.'
The hypocrisy of Cameron is staggering, given the role of British and other
western governments in backing up dictators and despots in the region — only
halted in some places by the actions of the Arab people themselves.
The Nato intervention has not been for idealistic values. It has been about
regime change, so that a leader more acceptable to western governments and
business could replace Gadaffi.
Right to the end, NATO was bent on a military victory and bringing the
Transitional National Council (TNC) — the Benghazi administration — to power
in Libya by force of arms. All proposals for talks to achieve a political
solution – whether from within Libya or outside – have been brushed aside.
/…http://stopwar.org.uk/index.php/libya-after-gadaffi-statement-by-stop-the-war-coalition
The founding statement. 4 April 1949. What a sick joke.
Washington D.C. – 4 April 1949
The Parties to this Treaty reaffirm their faith in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and their desire to live in peace with all peoples and all governments.
They are determined to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilisation of their peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. They seek to promote stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area.
They are resolved to unite their efforts for collective defence and for the preservation of peace and security. They therefore agree to this North Atlantic Treaty.
vronsky August 22, 2011 at 20:31
"he is just here to disrupt and derail."
But only certain topics, don't you notice – anything critical of Israel and anything suggesting that events on an early autumn morning of two thousand and eleven did not unfold precisely as described by the authorities. On those, the noise level goes all the way up to 11. He (it? they?) has no opinions on anything else. Can't you take his (its, their) 'contributions' as read, and just delete on grounds of moronic predictability?
Why is he (it? them?) here and not somewhere else? Perhaps because Craig has credibility and if a loose end gets pulled here there's no telling whose jumper might unravel?
Well, let's hope that the Libyan people will not allow these outside powers to steal their future. I wish them all the best.
Paul Johnston August 22, 2011 at 21:36
Not sure how Gaddafi can be described as being in anyway "Socialist".
More a case of distributing a certain amount of the wealth of the country to keep a certain group happy and willing to oppress other less lucky groups. The differences between this and the Baathist model in Syria and Iraq seem minimal. May I suggest he was clever enough to encourage "useful idiots" who say he is not that bad whilst glossing over his appalling human rights abuses.
Flames away 🙂
Scouse Billy August 22, 2011 at 21:39
O/T but interesting I think you'll agree:
"French authorities may seek an international arrest warrant for two former police chiefs, who withheld a prophetic note in which Princess Diana seemingly predicted her assassination by car crash.[1] Something she stated on more than one occasion.
Former Scotland Yard chief Lord Condon and former Assistant Commissioner of Specialist Operations Sir David Veness, have been ordered to attend an interview in Paris to address why the note was under lock and key for 3 years following Diana's death. If they fail to attend they will be treated as suspects. The note remained hidden even when Lord Condon's successor Lord Stevens took over as Metropolitan Police Commissioner, suggesting the orders may have came from a higher authority."
http://wideshut.co.uk/princess-diana-death-french-authorities-may-arrest-british-police-conspiracy-re-ignited/
mark_golding, thanks for that info, I found out they are everywhere!!!
http://www.google.com/search?domains=globalresearch.ca&q=XE%20services%20Blackwater&sa=Google+Search&sitesearch=globalresearch.ca
YugoLives August 22, 2011 at 21:47
[mod/jon: disruptive, abusive, deleted]
Anon August 22, 2011 at 22:03
Off topic,…New York prosecutors seek to drop Strauss-Kahn charges"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14619921
Damage done, mission accomplished.
John Goss August 22, 2011 at 22:07
At 8 a.m. the BBC reported that Gaddafi's compound was due to fall in two hours. 14 hours later it is reporting it will fall within two days. The great tragedy is the number of reported deaths.
@ Suhayl,
The NTC is made up of a hodge-podge of power hungry factions":-
– fundamentalist Islamists
– those who wave old King Idris' flag – that harks back to days when the King kept all the oil wealth and only about 20% of Libyans were literate
– defectors from Gadaffi
– genuine dissidents from Gadaffi
– oppotunists, looters and criminals of one sort or another
All the above with no clear vision for Libya's future – but the US and NATO know where the oil is.
What do you expect but bloodshed and chaos.
World Bank ready to "help" Libya?
"Help"? – I know a four letter word beginning with "f" ending in "k" – "f..k" – anyone have an idea what the World Bank intends to do to Libya and the Libyan people?Didn't take 'em long to get on the get go….did it? http://www.activistpost.com/2011/08/world-bank-ready-to-help-libya.html
Mr. Barnett – 'Anyone have an idea what the World Bank intends to do to Libya and the Libyan people?'
I'm guessing that the Libyans would like nothing more than a nice, shiny, new credit card with a high interest rate! That's a credit card which they don't actually need of course, but still… it's good to get with the times. They can pay it all back very slowly over the next 50 years or so. Meanwhile, the crooks running Libya will have to do exactly what they are told to keep their creditors happy.
@Jaded,
I agree with you. Seen it happen all over the "Third World" and then a previously oil rich, debt free country gets ensnared in the 'debt trap' – but all for a good cause – in the glorious name of "freedom" and "debt-mock-crazy" – sorry: "democracy".
Mohamed August 22, 2011 at 22:35
Hi Craig
Came across this posting on the medialens website re. your blog. Seems this guy has completely misunderstood your comments
"Murray's reaction to the 'rebel' takeover of Tripoli is deplorable. He makes several undetermined and 'wishful' points:
1. That there has been not as much bloodshed as he previously thought there would be
2. That the NATO bombing – which is a blatant violation of 1973 – has been justified in achieving the aim of 1.
3. There is a great deal of support for the rebels – which is as yet unproven given that no elections have been held!
4. That the west's attempt at getting rid of 'a bad government' is somehow ok
5. That NATO can proceed to attack Bahrain."
http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/msg/1314028079.html
Duncan McFarlane August 22, 2011 at 23:00
Bit soon to raise the Mission Accomplished banner yet H.G Wells.
Even many Libyan rebels fear there'll be chaos or a second civil war between the various rebel faction e.g quoted in the Independent :
'Adem Husseini, 40, also from Manchester, foresaw a period of turbulence after Colonel Gaddafi and his regime are driven from power. "I am going to go back to the UK after the job is done, but I am not going to bring my family for the next three years. There are too many men with guns – a lot of them very young. I am talking about heavy weapons. Some people even have their own private tanks.
"We are fighting for freedom. History will record we were on the right side. But we are going to go through a very risky time.'
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/next-stop-tripoli-ndash-libyas-rebels-sense-victory-is-within-reach-2340837.html
The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) is equating the 'rebel' victory in Libya to the victory in Iraq albeit reinforcing that the post mission attempts to rebuild the country will not repeat the catastrophic mistakes of the Iraq occupiers that resulted in a blood-bath of torture, 'death squads' Black-water thugs, murder, treatable diseases, malnutrition and genocide which the BBC collectively now calls 'mistakes' and bad planning.
The BBC even had the gore to show the fall of the famous April 2003 toppling of Saddam Hussein's statue in Firdos Square, a US psy-ops operation plain and simple (and verified).
Sorry but I have to ask, who are these ass'oles called BBC Trustees who cannot bring themselves to direct BBC News to show the NATO strike massacres in Tripoli. Before the power was cut and the Internet disabled I received a report of psychological warfare operation aimed at concealing the bloody assault that has been mounted on Tripoli by NATO. The wall of deception was also intended to confuse and demoralise the Libyan Resistance, which has been staunch and united against NATO and the rebels ever since the onset of this illegal NATO war.
Tripoli was gained by small numbers of 'sleeper cells' consisting of heavily armed SAS trained Gaddafi elite deserters, tempted by Western bribes coordinating with NATO special forces landing at numerous positions along the Tripoli coast by fast, manoeuvrable RIBS, so I suspect this operation was launched from a Navy ship anchored some way off shore, and backed up by NATO bombing and drone strikes called in by professionals on the ground in Tripoli which killed at least 1,500 innocent Libyan people.
Now the dumb world is intoxicated by BBC propaganda – swooning over the complete fantasy of a jubilant rebel victory in Tripoli celebrating the end of the war.
Utter bollocks and if I am arrested under the OSA I will still declare this fight to be the utter bollocks of the Agent Cameron line, his stupid face simulating a staunch Thatcher after Falklands.
Libya – what is the truth?
http://libyasos.blogspot.com/
my guess is that this is closer to the reality of recent events.
anyway bbc is readying syria as next target (no mention of saudi or bahrain-less of palestinian issues) .. just waitng for turkey to make that move .. the nato troops are already in the country (turkey)according to some reports.
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In countries where the tele authorities had the interest of the consumer in mind SIM and phones HAD to be sold separately and switching operators was made easy: you got to keep your number and only had to deal with the new operator. Result: cheaper and better service. So yeah, welcome to the 1990s Brexit Britain.


The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) today took several important decisions in its 140th Board meeting Chaired by the Chairman DJB & Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with one of them pertaining to approving re-launch of the scheme to regularize unauthorized water connections. The scheme has been initiated for a period of three months.
There are a large number of unauthorized water connections in various parts of Delhi, especially in the unauthorized colonies. This not only causes revenue loss to the Board but such connections are also utilizing water which cannot be accounted for and also contribute to contamination. DJB has been consistently making efforts to reduce non-revenue water through various means.
In spite of efforts made by DJB, large numbers of unauthorized water connections are still continuing in various unauthorized colonies. To overcome this problem the scheme is being re-launched.
Besides, it approved recovery of development charges from the consumers before sanction of New Water Connection for each dwelling unit separately when a consumer applies for a waste/sewer connection. In case the property is occupied by a single owner, the recovery of infrastructure charges is again from the single owner.
Also, the deadline for penalty on Rain Water Harvesting on consumers of Dwarka Sub-city has been extended for two months from the date July 1, 2018 to September 1, 2018.
Some other decisions include providing and laying 250 mm to 1400 mm nominal dia internal and Peripheral Sewer lines in Begumpur group of unauthorised colonies, rehabilitation of Yamuna Vihar Waste Water Treatment Plant where 17 MGD Sewage is being received at Yamuna Vihar STPs against the operational capacity of 35 MGD, construction of 37.10 ML Capacity Master Balancing Reservoir (<BR)/ BPS at Palla, approval for providing, laying and joining 700/ 600/ 450/ 400 mm dia peripheral main for U/A colonies (Qutab Vihar Phase-I & II Goyala Vihar Pankaj Garden Goyala Khurd) under Matiyala Constituency.
1). Pertaining to approving re-launch of the scheme to regularize unauthorized water connections. The scheme has been initiated for a period of three months.
2). There are a large number of unauthorized water connections in various parts of Delhi, especially in the unauthorized colonies. This not only causes revenue loss to the Board but such connections are also utilizing water which cannot be accounted for and also contribute to contamination. DJB has been consistently making efforts to reduce non-revenue water through various means.
3). In spite of efforts made by DJB, large numbers of unauthorized water connections are still continuing in various unauthorized colonies. To overcome this problem the scheme is being re-launched.
4). Approved recovery of development charges from the consumers before sanction of New Water Connection for each dwelling unit separately when a consumer applies for a waste/sewer connection. In case the property is occupied by a single owner, the recovery of infrastructure charges is again from the single owner.
5). Also, the deadline for penalty on Rain Water Harvesting on consumers of Dwarka Sub-city has been extended for two months from the date July 1, 2018 to September 1, 2018.
6). Some other decisions include providing and laying 250 mm to 1400 mm nominal dia internal and Peripheral Sewer lines in Begumpur group of unauthorised colonies, rehabilitation of Yamuna Vihar Waste Water Treatment Plant where 17 MGD Sewage is being received at Yamuna Vihar STPs against the operational capacity of 35 MGD, construction of 37.10 ML Capacity Master Balancing Reservoir (<BR)/ BPS at Palla, approval for providing, laying and joining 700/ 600/ 450/ 400 mm dia peripheral main for U/A colonies (Qutab Vihar Phase-I & II Goyala Vihar Pankaj Garden Goyala Khurd) under Matiyala Constituency.
🙏Thanks to our MLA Shri Gulab Singh and CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal for the facilitation of Residents of Dwarka & Matiala Constituency.


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Home / About Venable / News / Lindsay Nathan Joins Venable's ...
Lindsay M. Nathan Lawrence H. Norton Ronald M. Jacobs
Lindsay Nathan Joins Venable's Political Law Practice in New York
New York, NY (August 5, 2019) – Venable LLP is pleased to announce that Lindsay M. Nathan has joined the firm as counsel in the Political Law Practice in the New York office. Ms. Nathan provides strategic advice, guidance, and oversight to political groups and nonprofit organizations on all aspects of federal, state, and local political law.
Ms. Nathan has broad experience in campaign finance, lobbying disclosure, and government ethics and gift rules. Prior to joining Venable, Ms. Nathan was the senior corporate counsel for the nation's largest gun violence prevention organization, Everytown for Gun Safety, where she advised its board of directors, officers, and staff on federal and state lobbying and campaign finance laws; state charitable solicitation laws; state laws regarding corporate and charitable governance; tax laws applicable to affiliated Section 501(c)(4), 501(c)(3), and 527 organizations; as well as a number of other nonprofit issues. In addition, she has direct experience working in the public sector.
Ms. Nathan has also held senior positions in the office of New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. During her tenure, she provided legal and policy advice to the governor's staff, helped overhaul and streamline the gubernatorial appointment process, oversaw agency implementation of the governor's initiatives, and oversaw statewide litigation strategy and progress.
Lawrence H. Norton, co-chair of the Political Law Practice, said, "We have had the pleasure of working first-hand with Lindsay while she was our client at Everytown for Gun Safety and can attest to her stellar experience and reputation in the industry. Her background at both a national nonprofit and a major political office will be invaluable to our clients."
Ronald M. Jacobs, co-chair of the Political Law Practice, said, "Lindsay's in-house experience will help us to continue to provide practical, and actionable advice to our clients. She understands how to navigate complex regulations and provide clients the counsel they need."
Commenting on her move to Venable, Ms. Nathan said, "In my work at Everytown, I came to know Venable well as the leading firm for political law. Venable's attorneys are experts in helping clients address complex issues with ease. I look forward to working alongside these distinguished colleagues and beginning the next chapter of my career."
Ms. Nathan received her J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, in 2008, and her B.A. in History of Art from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2004.
Venable LLP is an American Lawyer Global 100 law firm headquartered in Washington, DC that serves as primary counsel to a worldwide clientele of large and mid-sized organizations, nonprofits, high-net-worth entrepreneurs, and other individuals. With more than 850 professionals across the country, including California, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC, the firm strategically advances its clients' objectives in the U.S. and around the globe. Venable advises clients on a broad range of business and regulatory law, legislative affairs, complex litigation, and the full range of intellectual property disciplines. For more information, please visit https://www.venable.com/.
Political Law


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Nicole Kidman in talks for Lars Von Trier's 'Wasington'
Nicole Kidman in talks for Lars Von Trier's Wasington
According to Variety, Nicole Kidman has revealed that she is in talks with Lars Von Trier to appear in Wasington, the final part of the maverick Danish auteur's controversial American trilogy.
Kidman starred as the gangster's daughter Grace in the first movie Dogville, but was unavailable for the second installment Manderlay, despite having originally stated that she would appear in all three films.
The role of Grace in Manderlay, which had its world premiere in Cannes last week, was taken by Bryce Dallas Howard. Kidman told the U.K.'s Daily Mail that she and Howard will "share the role" in the third movie.
"Lars has been talking to Nicole as well as Bryce, the idea being that they would both be in 'Wasington,' confirmed Von Trier's producer Vibeke Windeloev.
However, production of Wasington has been delayed until 2007, because Von Trier wants more time to get the script right. Meantime he will return to his Dogme style of filmmaking to shoot The Managing Director of It All early next year.
Co-founder of Movieweb. Heavy-metal-horror head. Guitar in Ignite & Into Another. Freshly minted Pinball guy. I like to create.


Short sleeved Romper with ruffled detailing for girl. Round neckline. Small opening on the back with a button fastening to allow the garment to be put on easily. Elastic waistband for a better fit. Flowing chiffon fabric. Pleated design. Overlapping belt to improve the fit. Decorative elements: studs.


Joseph Coetzee, White Supremacy, 2015. All images courtesy of the artist.
Joseph Coetzee's film, The Red Death: Boetie is Verlore (2015), was produced over a two-year period and forms the basis for his Masters Degree at the university currently known as Rhodes. Set in Grahamstown, South Africa, this forty-eight minute magical realist documentary takes the viewer on a lucid, haunting, and self-reflexive dream through the psyche of white South African youth – a kaleidoscope of booze, insecurity and indifferent gratification.
Joseph Coetzee, detail of a still from The Red Death: Boetie is Verlore, 2015.
Inspired by bell hooks' notion of 'white supremacist, heteronormative patriarchal capitalism,' Coetzee's film draws from personal experience and the overtly vulgar pool of past and present popular culture – WWE, Jersey Shore, MTV, Men's Health, KFC… These elements are placed alongside clippings from the 1984 apartheid propaganda film Boetie Gaan Border Toe!. Translated, the title means 'Boetie goes to the border!' In Coetzee's film, the title has been adapted to read 'Boetie is lost.' Boetie (the film's protagonist) is white, rich, misogynistic and egotistical (the number plate on his red Porsche will attest to that). Ironically, he's also cast as the hero figure – 'he's the man!' As Coetzee points out, this is a common archetype within contemporary popular culture, one that is all-too-often disguised beneath the façade of entertainment (think James Bond).
Joseph Coetzee, White Supremacy II, 2015.
Layered amongst a series of off-street interviews with students from Rhodes University, a South African National Defence Force member and two young American missionaries, Coetzee's critique provides a window into contemporary consumer culture that is neither shaken nor stirred – it's flat, transparent and intentionally grotesque. In each of these instances, there is a profound concern with the insidious institutionalisation of the psyche. The artist's translation resembles a kind of self-emulating, barely recognisable virus; its clone-like qualities layered and inseparable from the banal rhetoric found in the real-life interviews. His myriad of copy-paste collages, perverse clickbait, masked figures and faceless torsos is force-fed;stitched together by the ambient, avant-garde electronic music of Grahamstown-based artist Caydon van Eck (a.k.a B00n). The aesthetic is intentionally glitchy, using the airbrushed stamp of big-money propaganda in a way that critiques itself: a pointed perspective that exposes the ubiquity of our monster.
Coetzee's attempt to actively exorcise the Faustian monster within – to see just how far the rabbit hole goes – is terrifyingly familiar and has more to do with what it is than what it says. Wherever the microscope turns, whichever frame we look through, we see the same thing: it is a culture under siege; a humanity reduced to its passive, lifeless dependency on the prescriptive, macho-lens of white hegemony – a perspective less concerned with the reality behind the illusion as it is the reality within the illusion itself.


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August 23, 2017 September 28, 2019 / filmoblivion
While Tim Burton's 1989 "Batman" film was originally considered to be shot at Warner Bros. Studios, the film instead primarily shot at Pinewood Studios, just outside of London, England. However, the Batmobile from the original film can today be seen at the Warner Bros. lot, as part of their studio tour.
LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505
In 2019, the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles held a limited exhibition called "Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles of Science Fiction and Fantasy," which featured one of the original, screen-used costumes worn by Michael Keaton in the film.
LOCATION: Peterson Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
A couple models of the Batmobile can be found on display at Planet Hollywood in Florida.
LOCATION: 1506 E Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Related articles: Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), Ed Wood (1994), Big Fish (2003), Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children (2016)
Batman, Miscellaneous Locations
1989, Batman, Batmobile, Florida, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Michael Keaton, Planet Hollywood, Props, Tim Burton, Warner Bros. Studios
← Knocked Up (2007)
Mullholland Drive (2001) →


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Estate planning for beneficiaries with a disability
Estate planning can be complex, but even more so when it involves a beneficiary with a disability.
This type of planning can mean setting aside additional funds for an individual with a mental or physical disability, especially if they can't earn an income, while also ensuring they don't lose any of the government benefits available to help support them.
In some cases, caregivers who are looking after individuals with a disability want to ensure that the individual is financially secure and has someone to look after them when they pass away or become incapacitated.
"It can be an overwhelming issue for-the primary caregivers of an individual with a disability," says Jag Gandhi, vice-president of wealth planning at Gluskin Sheff.
Building an effective plan
A successful estate plan for disabled beneficiaries starts with finding an experienced, trustworthy team of legal and financial advisors with whom you can explain your beneficiary's needs, mental capacity and entitlement to government assistance, where applicable. This support system will help to ensure you're using the most suitable programs and structures based on your unique circumstances and that assets are transferred to your disabled beneficiary in a manner that would best benefit them.
"When we're doing this type of planning, it's important to realize that disabilities can take many different forms and can range from mild to severe," Gandhi says. "We really need to understand the disability, and the scope and the breadth of the disability, and what we're planning for, because that's going to play a significant part in the type of planning that's most effective."
For instance, Gandhi says it's important to know the beneficiary's sources of income and if they qualify for the federal disability tax credit (DTC), which is a non-refundable tax credit that helps individuals with disabilities or those who support them, reduce the amount of income tax they may have to pay. The DTC is intended to provide more tax equity by providing some relief for disability costs that other taxpayers don't have, such as the need for a wheelchair or other accessibility products and services.
Eligibility for the DTC can also lead to other federal, provincial or territorial programs such as the registered disability savings plan (RDSP), the Canada workers benefit disability supplement, and the child disability benefit.
Some may also qualify for provincial benefits such as the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) in Ontario, which is income support for people with disabilities to pay for living expenses like food and housing. Once the individual qualifies under a provincial income support program, they could also then qualify for various other provincial support programs like health benefits for drug and dental coverage and disability-related benefits.
Whether the individual with the disability is capable of making their own financial decisions, or whether they need a power of attorney for property or whether a guardian of property by a court needs to be appointed once the individual turns 18, also plays a significant role in how the estate plan is set up, Gandhi says.
According to Gandhi: "From an estate planning perspective, you really need to understand the disability, the limitations and the support that's required to manage that disability from day to day. It's a lot of information, but it's critical information in the planning process".
Using trusts for disabled Individuals
Another way to provide additional funds to individuals with a disability is to set up a trust in a way that won't jeopardize any government benefits they may be entitled to receive.
A trust can be an inter vivos trust, which is established during one's lifetime, or a testamentary trust, which is established on death.
A common trust structure many people use for individuals with disabilities is a Henson trust, which gives trustees full discretion of how to distribute the income and/or capital of the trust funds and can be either inter vivos or testamentary. If it's a testamentary trust, the trust could also jointly elect with the qualifying beneficiary to be designated as a Qualified Disability Trust (QDT), where a qualifying beneficiary is eligible for the DTC. The QDT was established in 2016 as an exception to the rules that all testamentary trusts are taxed at top marginal rates. Therefore, income earned and retained in the QDT would be taxed at the graduated rates.
While both trusts can be useful in planning, there are some differences to note, Gandhi says. For instance, an individual with a disability can have more than one Henson trust, but can only elect one testamentary trust as a QDT for each taxation year. For instance, if the parents of a individual with a disability are divorced and have each created a testamentary trust under their respective wills for their disabled individual, and the individual qualifies for a DTC, only one of the testamentary trusts can be elected as a QDT in a given year of taxation.
Unlike the QDT, the individual with a disability is not required to qualify for the DTC in order to be named as a beneficiary under a Henson trust. The main feature of a Henson trust is that the beneficiary has no vested interest in the income or capital of the trust. This means the individual cannot claim or demand payment from the trust and are not considered to own the trust assets. Most provinces have held that a Henson trust is not an asset for purposes of their disability support programs.
"Trusts can be useful planning tools for individuals with disabilities, but there are many important considerations that should be fully explored with a qualified professional," Gandhi says.
Ways to use insurance
Insurance can also play a role in helping support beneficiaries with a disability, says Jonathan McMurrich, senior wealth planner at Gluskin Sheff.
Caregivers may wish to use insurance policies to ensure that in the event of their own disability or death, that there are financial resources available to continue supporting the ongoing needs of the disabled individual.
"It's prudent, particularly when dealing with a disabled person, to think about what the day-to-day financial requirements are going to be." He says the insurance options also need to reflect the needs and financial situation of the beneficiary.
"If there is a situation where the disabled individual qualifies for government support programs, it's important to make sure any insurance proceeds are structured in a way that would not disqualify them for those benefits," McMurrich adds.
Having the caregiver conversation
Another consideration is who will take care of the person with a disability when the primary caregiver passes away. McMurrich says that includes both caregiving duties, for those who can't take care of themselves, as well as who will oversee their financial affairs.
The decision on who will care for the individual with a disability could also determine how to fund their future care, McMurrich adds. He says there could be different costs if they need to be moved to a health care facility, or if they receive in-home care.
Start the conversations early
McMurrich says families need to have these conversations early and often, especially as family situations change.
"It's important in these types of situations that people work with qualified financial and legal advisors, including licensed insurance advisors, to ensure that they're making the right choices for their loved ones," McMurrich says.
Talking to advisors about these issues can be especially tough for caregivers looking after an individual with a disability, Gandhi adds.
"It's hard for caregivers to think about a time when they're not going to be around and to think about what is going to happen to the individual with a disability: Who's going to take on the responsibility?" Gandhi says. "Part of our role as advisors is to help families think through the process and to really make them aware of what's in the best interest of the individual. At the end of the day, that's what matters the most."
Pride Month: Wealth planning for modern families Read
Fraud Prevention Month: How to spot the signs of financial elder abuse Read


What Did Labor Do Wrong?
As I noted yesterday, there's some dispute over whether Labor should be called a winner of the Israeli election in any sense of the word or whether it's a clear loser. The answer should probably be some combination: it did better than it had in the previous election (even if only by a couple seats), while at the beginning of the campaign it was polling into the low 20s but ended up with only 15 seats.
The more important underlying question, then, is why did it only get 15 seats—third place—when it was widely expected to be in second place with at least 17-18 mandates. It's true there are some concerns over the methodology and practice of public opinion polling in Israel, but it's also true that surveys were often within their margins of error on most of the parties. Let's look, rather, at the campaign itself.
I'll start off by repeating that Labor leader Shelly Yachimovich made a clear choice not to talk about the occupation or foreign affairs, and I think it was a solid decision. All indications were that Israelis simply didn't want to talk about these things either, but they were highly interested in domestic issues, especially socio-economic ones.
First, the appearance of Tzipi Livni and Yair Lapid clearly undermined Yachimovich's claim to represent the only new face in the campaign. Lapid was obviously the "freshest," especially with continuous comments about his appearance, but his was a totally brand new party. As dynamic as Yachimovich tried to seem, Labor still represented something old.
Labor, Livni, and Yesh Atid fought for the same electorate of centrist, undecided voters. Such a crowded field certainly meant a division of votes, since there was so much choice. At the same time, Labor was competing with Meretz, as usual, for those further on the Zionist left. That Meretz explicitly talked about the occupation but Labor didn't was bound to lead to some shift in votes.
Second, Labor was operating among an electorate that was still very much interested in the right. There are some claims that Israel isn't the right-leaning country everybody feared it was. Israel was never about to descend into a long winter of theocracy, authoritarianism, and violent militarism. Still, while it's true the right and religious parties didn't do as well as widely expected, demographic and public opinion trends indicate there really is a slow right-religious shift among the Jewish population. Moreover, the right and religious parties still did well (Jewish Home) or held their own (Shas, UTJ). Likud-Beiteinu is the only list that dropped, but many of their voters went to Yesh Atid—a center-right party.
First, as I said, Yachimovich—against the advice of some within the party—made a conscious decision not to talk about the Palestinians, the settlements, or the occupation. This was fine as far as it went, but it was inevitable that the issues would come up during the campaign, forcing her to give some response. When she did, though, it came across as too forced, and made it seem as though she was ducking the issue as much as possible.
Again, this isn't a big deal as far as it goes given what Israelis were saying they wanted to talk about—and Lapid himself said pretty much the same things she did—but for some it came across as deceptive. Labor was seemingly held to a higher standard because it's the traditional party of doves, and is expected to focus on the peace process. That it wasn't a major party issue was seen as a betrayal—even Haaretz and +972 writers were arguing that Livni was the better choice because at least she was talking about this most important of issues.
Second, Yachimovich seemed to close the door on joining a Benjamin Netanyahu-led coalition. It was clear to everybody that Bibi would become prime minister again. Closing off options before the results were even in seemed petulant to some, bad strategy to others, and inexperience to many.
Third, Yachimovich didn't have enough security officials on her list. Labor has been a traditional home for military officers once they left the army, and the gap at the top of the list was glaring. Binyamin Ben-Eliezer was there, but he's an older, more tired version of the crop of young recruits that have long seemed to populate Labor at every election. Instead, her list was filled with dynamic, creative individuals who worked in a range of other areas. This was, again, good for the focus on domestic issues but not on security affairs.
That Lapid's list was similar to Yachimovich's, in that his top security official held the number 5 slot (Yaakov Peri) but the rest of his list had a variety of non-security candidates, didn't mean anything since Lapid was not expected to campaign to foreign affairs. He could get away with things she couldn't.
Fourth, Yachimovich angered some within the party by bringing in lots of new people, but also changing some of the voting procedures of the primary process. This led to some perceptions of infighting, which may not have played well.
Labor has been struggling for many years to rebuild itself into the party that founded the state and posed a serious alternative to Likud in the 1980s and 1990s. Some of the lessons to be learned from this campaign may not be relevant for the next one, but clearly Labor still has a long way to go.
The Israeli electoral and party systems have long been broken. Political parties were always breaking apart and merging—indeed, both Labor and Likud are themselves amalgamations of several factions, some of which have over time left the party and then returned to it. Up until the late 1990s it still functioned relatively well.
But this year's election process seems more flawed than usual. Or maybe it's because the process is more exposed than usual. Tzipi Livni, for instance, has been making political announcements on her Facebook page since she left Kadima. And there are a number of really good Israeli journalists tweeting from virtually every public meeting the parties have been holding.
First, the center/center-left is far more fragmented than ever before. It makes no electoral sense for there to be a Labor, a Tzipi Livni Party, a Yesh Atid, and a Kadima. It's true that in the past there have been several parties clumped on a particular spot on the political spectrum. What's different this time is that none of these parties show any sign of willingness to work closely with each other. Worse, they've all given indications that they'll jump into a government with Bibi and Likud at the first opportunity.
Second, the sheer ego that's been driving the electoral process is more staggering than normal. Individuals have been forming and leaving parties seemingly on a whim. Tzipi Livni didn't want to play second fiddle to anybody else, so she formed a brand new party named after her. Yair Lapid didn't want to be in second place either, so he, too, formed his own party.
Ehud Barak abandoned the party he specifically formed to enter government because he couldn't handle the embarrassment of staying with it to the bitter end. Amir Peretz sulked because he was at number three in Labor and couldn't get Shelly Yachimovich to give in to his demands, so he left the party he had once led and went to Livni.
Haim Amsalem was kicked out of Shas for dissenting from the party's rabbinical line, and formed Am Shalem. Michael Ben Ari and Aryeh Eldad didn't like the new leadership in National Union, so they left to form Strong Israel.
But weighty issues remain to be adequately dealt with. Hamas and Hezbollah are clearly much stronger than ever before; relations with Turkey and Egypt are persistently stagnant, with no sign of potential improvement any time soon; the Iranian nuclear question is coming to a head within the next six to 12 months; the Syrian endgame looks to be here; and the recognition of Palestine as a non-member state at the UN is raising new questions about political and legal maneuvers and putting renewed emphasis on Israeli policies toward the West Bank.
Israel is distracted from dealing with these issues because parties and politicians are busy fighting for what they see as their rightful share of the political pie. The saddest part of it all is that the outcome of the elections is unlikely to change things all that much. The right is likely to still get between 65 and 68 seats, or more (the most recent poll gives it 73 Knesset seats—though I should repeat that I'm not convinced "left" and "right" are necessarily helpful categories). Bibi will probably still be prime minister. And, as I said, most parties would join Bibi's coalition if they could—except the Arab parties (which won't be asked) and Meretz (which seems most likely to stand more on principle than any other party).
The silver lining is that the electoral lists are now set, by law. We'll see less overt and public plotting and scheming…at least until January 23.


With great food, all you need is your favourite drink to make the night lively! Garage Inc. – a famous Delhi Restro is now in Mumbai. Located close to the Colaba Causeway, near the Arabian Sea, this place generates old architectural feel with vintage posters and with paintings on the ceiling which are not visible at night time. Music is good with enough space to groove with music while you sip on drinks.
Kala Khatta Beerita – Kaala Khatta, Vodka, Chaat Masala, and Beer.
Moondust – Tequila, Blueberry, Activated Charcoal, and Silver Dust.
Start the party a little early at Garage Inc. as you can now enjoy a Buy 2 and get 1 free offer from 4 pm to 8 pm from Monday through Friday.