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Foster Wheeler to supply CO incinerator for new Vietnam refinery project

Foster Wheeler has been awarded a contract for the design and supply of a carbon monoxide (CO) incinerator package for a residue fluidized catalytic cracker in Vietnam, the company announced on Monday.

The contract was awarded by JGC Corp., which is acting on behalf of the engineering, procurement and construction consortium for the $9 billion Nghi Son refinery and petrochemical complex to be constructed in the Nghi Son Economic Zone in Thanh Hoa province.

The Foster Wheeler contract value was not disclosed and will be included in the company’s first-quarter 2014 bookings.

Foster Wheeler will design the incinerator in accordance with the CO emissions requirements of the new complex. The CO incinerator is expected to be shipped FOB (free on board) as one single module during the second quarter of 2015.

“This award reinforces Foster Wheeler’s position as a leading supplier of CO incinerator technology,” said Roberto Penno, CEO of Foster Wheeler’s global engineering and construction (E&C) business.

“Supplying this equipment as a single module reduces field construction time, delivering major safety and schedule benefits," he added. "The incinerator will also be designed to help meet the low emissions targets of the new complex. This is a very important second award for this complex in Vietnam for our UK fired heater division, and it follows the first award, in 2013, of two Terrace Wall hydrogen reformers.”

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Questions to Ask Your Lawyer..
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Divorce > Questions to Ask Your Lawyer.

Questions to Ask Your Lawyer.

< Previous article  |  Next article >

by: Charles Kassotis
When looking for a lawyer to handle a personal legal matter, you can usually find one by contacting the local bar association or an attorney referral service in your area. If those don't pan out, try the state bar association or word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied friends, family members, or coworkers. After getting the names of two or three attorneys that specialize in the area for which you need assistance, make an appointment to ?interview? each lawyer before you decide which one to retain as legal counsel. Some lawyers offer a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your case and see whether client and attorney suit each other. Here are some questions you may want to ask:

1. How long have you specialized in this type of law? If the attorney has recently switched from probate to criminal law, and you are accused of committing a crime, you may want to look for a more experienced attorney. On the other hand, perhaps this attorney has been assisting a partner with criminal cases, or has done extensive work in this area previously. Find out if there is enough evidence to warrant your trust in this particular attorney for handling your case.

2. What are your fees? Never retain an attorney who is vague about the cost of his or her services, or about the type of expenses you may have to pay. While it is natural to be unsure of an exact price for copying, telephone, and postage costs, the attorney should be able to give you a ballpark figure, as well as any potential costs for expert testimony, including depositions, interrogatories, or videotaping sessions and travel fees. Try to get an estimate in writing of at least the attorney?s fee. Many charge by the hour or by the procedure, such as a $1,500 divorce. Others are required to collect a portion, like one-third, of any awards made in personal injury cases, for example.

3. What are the chances of success for my case? This will apply to issues of litigation where you are suing someone in court. You want to get a percentage, like 60 percent or 20 percent, of what the outcome is likely to be. For other types of cases, such as estate planning, you can change the question to relate to matters involving your anticipated estate plan with applicable taxes.

4. How often can I expect to hear from you? A competent attorney should be in regular contact with a client to provide status updates, even if there isn?t much to report. A monthly phone call, email, or letter will help to allay worries and confirm hearing dates so that you don't get disconnected from the legal process for months at a time.

5. What is the likely course of my case? Your attorney should be able to give you a clear outline of what to expect. Some types of cases might require a few meetings with the attorney. Others might demand court appearances and deposition sessions. Sketch a timeline of projected activity so you can plan accordingly.

After comparing attorney responses to your questions, you may be in a better position to choose the attorney who will work most effectively to protect your interests.

About the author:
If you want to know more about lawyers, visit the Lawyer Research and Directory at

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Kennedy Space Center | I-95 Exit Guide

Heroes and Legends Attraction Opens at Kennedy Space Center

A blast of colors lit up the sky at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida above the new Heroes & Legends featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame presented by Boeing. But not because of a rocket launch!

A spirited pyrotechnics display marked the opening of the new attraction, which was attended by more than 25 veteran and current NASA astronauts, including revered Gemini and Apollo space program astronauts Buzz Aldrin, James Lovell and Thomas Stafford. They were joined by the adult children of the late-astronauts Alan Shepard and Neil Armstrong, as well as representatives from NASA, The Boeing Company and Delaware North.

Hundreds of park guests also attended the ceremony, which was held on Veterans Day to honor all military heroes, including the many astronauts who are also military veterans.

Designed to be the first stop upon entering Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Heroes & Legends uses the early years of the space program to explore the concept of heroism, and the qualities that define the individuals who inspired their generation. The 37,000-square-foot, retro-fitted building marries cutting-edge technology with mesmerizing special effects, priceless artifacts and thought-provoking exhibits.

Through engaging storytelling, guests embark on an awe-inspiring journey through Heroes & Legends that begins with an immersive exhibit designed to spark thought and discussion about how society defines a hero. Cutting-edge technology, interactive elements and engaging exhibits work together to introduce visitors to the heroes of the NASA space program: the pioneers who made space exploration possible.

Heroes & Legends is separated into three distinct experiences, plus the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame:

  • In the stunning 360-degree discovery bay, What is a Hero?, guests explore how society defines heroism through diverse perspectives. Each examination of heroism starts with the following questions: What is a hero; Who are the heroes of our time; and What does it take to be a hero? During the seven-minute presentation, the historic beginning of the space race is acknowledged as the impetus for America’s push to the stars in NASA’s early years and the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
  • Through the Eyes of a Hero is a custom-built theater featuring a multisensory 4-D experience during which guests vicariously join NASA’s heroes and legends on the most perilous stages of their missions. Artistically choreographed lighting and special effects are enhanced by intense, deeply resonant sound effects and surrounding images to create the sensation of being “in the moment.” The seven-and-a-half-minute show takes guests on an intimate journey with four space-age heroes – Alan Shepard, Neil Armstrong, John Glenn and James Lovell – to fully immerse them in the awe, excitement and dangers of the first crewed space program missions.
  • The third experience, A Hero Is…, offers interactive exhibits that highlight the nine different attributes of our history-making astronauts: inspired, curious, passionate, tenacious, disciplined, confident, courageous, principled and selfless. Through the use of holograms and augmented reality, visitors will be able to interact with space program artifacts in a way never before possible.
    A collection of nine exhibit modules explores each aforementioned attribute through the actual experiences of NASA’s astronauts and memorabilia. Their stories are enhanced with real artifacts from the astronaut and the space program, including a Gemini IX capsule featuring a realistic projection of astronaut Gene Cernan climbing out of the tiny spacecraft. Other interactive features inspire further exploration of the original Mercury Mission Control room consoles, with a periodic flashback to the tense moments preceding the landing of Freedom 7 by astronaut John Glenn. Rounding out the collection of authentic artifacts is a Sigma 7 Mercury spacecraft, which is paired with a Mercury-Redstone rocket, and Gus Grissom’s Mercury spaceflight suit.

The culminating exhibit of Heroes & Legends is the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Housed in a majestic rotunda, the exhibit intimately connects the visitor to each of the nearly 100 astronaut inductees through the use of state-of-the-art interactive technology. A signature element of the experience is the ability to capture a memento: a special photo opportunity that allows guests to pose with one of the Mercury astronaut heroes and legends.
“The goal is for visitors to leave both attractions with a renewed sense of pride and a more in-depth understanding and appreciation of the qualities of heroism represented by NASA’s pioneering astronauts, and why they deserve admiration and respect,” Protze said.

Heroes & Legends featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® presented Boeing was developed in collaboration with NASA by Delaware North, one of the largest privately-held hospitality companies in the world. Delaware North has operated Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for NASA since 1995, also developing Space Shuttle Atlantis®, the Apollo/Saturn V Center and other attractions at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The facility is completely funded by ticket sales, with no contributions from taxpayer dollars. For more information or to book a visit, go to

For more I-95 attraction information, visit, the Internet’s largest and most complete website devoted to I-95, America’s Interstate Main Street. Detailed exit service listings… discount lodging, camping, food, gas and more for every exit from Maine to Florida! Plus I-95 construction, real-time traffic and road news.

Traveling another route? Visit our growing family of exit guides: I-4 Exit Guide, I-5 Exit Guide,  I-10 Exit Guide , and I-75 Exit Guide.


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IADC Drilling Engineers Committee (Formerly DEA) Forum

Date: 11 June 2014

Time: 8:30 am – 12:00 pm

Venue: Weatherford

2000 Saint James Place
Houston, TX  77056

If you pre-registered for the meeting, before 6 June, Please click here to view parking instructions

 Pre-registration for the meeting has ended. Members are still welcome to attend the meeting, but will need to park in visitor parking and plan to arrive early due to the visitor check-in process

Please click here to view the agenda


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Category Archives: Competition

Intended for use with the SM song comp

2017 Susanne Millsaps Performing Songwriter Contest

Pictured 2016 Susanne Millsaps Performing Singer Songwriter finalist.

The finals of the 2017 Susanne Millsaps Performing Singer Songwriter Showcase will take place on Saturday June 24th, at The Utah Arts Festival Big Mouth Stage.  Many thanks to all of the very talented Songwriters who entered this years Susanne Millsaps Performing Singer Songwriter Showcase. The finalist for this years competition in alphabetical order: Bob Cantonwine, Jane Fallon, Jen Hajj, Dave McCormick, Bill McGinnis, Molly McGinnis, Rex Seabury, Alicia Stockman, Kray Van Kirk, Eric Wagner.

2017 Utah State Instrument Championships

Pictured:  Matthew Seabury,  2014  fingerstyle guitar champion.

The 2017 Utah State Instrument Championships will take place on June 3 & 4 in conjunction with the Ogden Music Festival at Ft. Buenaventura State Park in downtown Ogden.

Registration is now available at

Saturday June 3    8:00 AM Flat Pick Guitar Championships  Novice & Open Divisions.

Mandolin Championships  Novice & Open Division.  Directly following the Flat Pick Guitar Championships.

Fingerstyle Guitar  Open Division Directly following the Mandolin Championships.

Sunday  June 4   8:00 AM

Banjo  Novice & Open Division

Bluegrass Fiddle  Novice & Open Division  Directly following the Banjo Championships.

For questions please contact event coordinator Mary Danzig  at [email protected]

2016 Susanne Millsaps Performing Singer Songwriter Showcase

The 2016 Susanne Millsaps Performing Singer Songwriter Showcase Finals were held at The Utah Arts Festival on Saturday June 25th.  The finalist pictured L-R were Amber Ikeman (3rd Place), David Lane, Josh Harmon (1st Place), Dan Weber, Alicia Stockman, Roy Matthews, Jim Fish, J.T. Draper, Paul Fritzler, Michael Henchman, Eric Warner (2nd Place).

Congratulations to all the 2016 finalist and contestants!!

Josh Harmon, our first place finisher received a RainSong carbon fiber guitar listed at $2700.00, plus opened Sunday night on the headliner festival stage.

2016 Susanne Millsaps Performing Songwriter Showcase

The 2016 Susanne Millsaps Performing Songwriter Showcase will be held in conjunction with The Utah Arts Festival again this year at the Big Mouth Stage, on Saturday, June 25th.  (This event is being presented by: The Intermountain Acoustic Music Association- IAMA.

  Come one, come all – it’s the annual Susanne Millsaps Performing Songwriter Showcase.  Previous finalists have called it “a complete honor”, “a total blast”, and “the best songwriting contest around.”  We’re welcoming entries from solo singer-songwriters (sorry, no duos, trios, etc.) performing their own original music.  Finalists will be selected by a blind judging panel, with scoring based on vocal ability, instrumental ability, and songwriting.  Last year’s winner was Mindy Dillard from Berkeley, California.
  The top ten finalists selected will compete on Saturday, June 25th between noon and 3:00 PM. at the Utah Arts Festival.   A panel of experienced judges will be situated in the audience and will select our winners.  Their judging criteria will be the same as for the initial round, plus the added element of performance quality. All performances must be solo and you must use an acoustic instrument. Instruments will be limited to what you can carry on stage and no piano will be provided.
Utah Arts Festival admission for finalists will be complimentary on Saturday.  Finalists will receive information on how to get into the Arts Festival grounds upon selection.  The first-place winner this year will have the opportunity to open for a Festival headliner on the UAF’s Festival Stage later in the day! The Winner will also receive a RainSong composite guitar. There will be cash prizes for 2nd and 3rd Place winners as well.  An electronic instrument input is allowed, and instrument mic’s will be available.
   This year, we are accepting electronic submissions only via our [email protected] email address.  Prior to submitting your electronic MP3 files, you will be required to submit your payment via our Eventbrite link. Once you’ve paid and confirmed your entry, you can send us your MP3 files with proof of your Paypal confirmation and payment.  All entries will then be organized for pre-judging.  Please remove all metadata from your submission, since we utilize blind judging.  Instructions as follows:
1.            DEADLINE FOR ENTRY AND PRE PAYMENT OF $40.00 IS: Sunday, MAY 1st!
3.         ONCE PAYMENT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AND CONFIRMED, please email your 2 original songs as MP3 files only (no videos) to:  [email protected] along with confirmation of your payment via Paypal
   An “entry consists of 2 songs (written or co-written by you) that showcases your solo sound.  Payment of $40.00 via the Eventbrite link will be required in order for each pair of 2 songs to be included for pre-judging.   Multiple entries of 2 songs each are OK, but a fee of $40.00 per entry is required.  If you have questions about entering, please email  [email protected]  or call contact Guy Benson [email protected]
  Finalists will be announced and notified by Tuesday, May 24th.   You will have approximately 4 weeks to make arrangements to be at the showcase on June 25th.
2015 Finalist Pictured L-R  Michael Henchman, Dan Weber, Rex Seabury, Mindy Dillard, Paul Fritzler, Michelle Moonshine, Roy Matthews, Jen Hajj, J.T. Draper, Marv Hamilton.
 Register for 2016 below:


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IBC Taught Me to Live
by Theresa Corbin
Weston, Florida

In August, 2001, I turned 57 years young, but in December 1999, I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. This was followed by six chemo treatments, a modified radical mastectomy, six more chemo treatments, and 38 radiation treatments. In the beginning stages, just after diagnosis, I made myself sick with fear of the unknown. I was afraid to go out in public because I just knew I had this “C” in the middle of my forehead, and the world would know I had “Cancer.” I was also scared to go out for fear of catching a cold and dying from it! With the help of my family and friends I began to venture out for dinner in the late afternoon to avoid crowds. I returned to work after seven months of treatment, and then I decided to retire and enjoy life.

Today I have decided that if I have to entertain IBC, then I must treat it a pest that just won’t go back from where it came. I let it tag along with me to Sunday Mass, to Gilda’s Club support groups and lectures, to dance classes every Wednesday night, to dinner and dancing on Saturdays, and to the ocean twice a month. I also let it accompany my wonderful dog, Tiger (a cross between a rottie and a chow), and me on our morning walks. I have learned to cope with this pest and to not let it get me depressed. I do have my days, mind you, but I shall continue to fight this pest with all I have.

I shall enjoy my life doing the things I used to dream about. In the last six months I have made a trip to Maryland to visit my family and to Las Vegas to visit friends. I am planning another trip to Maryland and a trip to the Caribbean. I have two grown sons with whom I spend a lot of time and who are very supportive. I have been blessed with my children. I have my dad, sisters, a loyal dog, and many, many friends. As crazy as this may sound, I am happier now than I have been in many years, and it took something like the big “C” to make me realize what I have and how happy I could be. As for positive thinking, I shall send an updated story once a year for at least the next 40 years!!! But, on to the ocean tomorrow morning!! And to Salsa lessons when I return!! What a life!!!!

Story Submitted 2001


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Call us (+39).342.9352395

Stand Up Paddle - Sunset Tour

This is a fun and easy outdoor water activity that gives you the sensation of walking on water. Your Stand Up Paddle (SUP) Tour can be adjusted according to your skill level and comfort zone.

You will enjoy a peaceful moment on the river while taking in the majestic atmosphere of a Florentine sunset. Have fun on board of our SUP as you paddle at sunset along Florence skyline.

We will provide insurance, all the equipment, and professional instructors.

*I Bike Italy, inc reserves the right to substitute any part or all of the tour with an activity of equal or greater value.

Time 07:00 p.m. - 09:00 p.m.
Max no of participants

Difficulty From beginner to advanced

From April 1st to September 30th

Meeting point Pescaia Santa Rosa - San Niccolò Beach
Price 60 Euro pp
STUDENTS 10% off
all equipment
professional instructor

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Jianfen Liu

Liu Jianfen is the faculty and associated professor of school of nursing, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) in Beijing, China.

Her major is Public Health Nursing and Community Health Nursing. She has been teaching at SON PUMC for nearly 30 years. She is involved in training for trainers (TFT) projects in HIV/AIDS since the year 2003 and TB project (TFT) since 2009. She wants to share the experiences with others about TB training.

Additional Info

  • Country: China
  • Project role: Local Trainer
  • Job title: Lecturer and associate professor, School of Nursing, Peking Union Medical College (PUMC)


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"CBS Morning News" Shopping Habits and Lifestyles Poll, January 1989 (ICPSR 9230)

Principal Investigator(s): CBS News

This data collection focuses on the shopping habits and life styles of the survey respondents. Questions included whether the respondent felt shopping for clothes was a chore or a pleasure, whether the respondent made a point of buying clothes on sale or ever bought clothes from a mail-order catalog, whether the respondent spent more or less than one thousand dollars for clothing in 1988, whether Nancy Reagan"s or Barbara Bush"s fashion style was more appealing, and how frequently the respondent bought things he or she did not really need. Additional topics covered include divorce, living together outside of marriage, the proper age for a man or woman to marry, the sexual activity of senior citizens, rumors that Elvis Presley was still alive, and changes in life style caused by concerns about AIDS. Background information on individuals includes party affiliation, age, marital status, sex, and education.

Access Notes

  • One or more data files in this study are set up in a non-standard format, such as card image format. Users may need help converting these files before they can be used for analysis.

  • Data in this collection are available only to users at ICPSR member institutions. Please log in so we can determine if you are with a member institution and have access to these data files.

Dataset - Download All Files (0.246 MB)

Study Description

CBS News. "CBS MORNING NEWS" SHOPPING HABITS AND LIFE STYLES POLL, JANUARY 1989. New York, NY: CBS News [producer], 1989. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 1990. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR09230.v1

Persistent URL: https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR09230.v1

Export Citation:

  • RIS (generic format for RefWorks, EndNote, etc.)
  • EndNote XML (EndNote X4.0.1 or higher)

Scope of Study

Subject Terms:    consumer behavior, demographic characteristics, lifestyles, public opinion, purchasing, shopping, social values

Geographic Coverage:    United States

Time Period:

  • 1989-01-29

Date of Collection:

  • 1989-01-29

Universe:    Adults aged 18 and over in the United States.

Data Type(s):    survey data

Data Collection Notes:

This file contains a weight variable that must be used in any analysis. The data contain blanks, and telephone exchanges have been recoded to "999" for reasons of confidentiality.

Sample:    Stratified random digit dialing.

Data Source:

telephone interviews

Original ICPSR Release:   1990-05-01

Metadata Exports

If you're looking for collection-level metadata rather than an individual metadata record, please visit our Metadata Records page.

Download Statistics


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Amazon Web Services

Amazon Web Services or AWS is a cloud computing platform offering by Amazon providing a wide array of cloud services to the customers. Amazon AWS offers several cloud options including Amazon Simple Storage Services (Amazon S3), Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), Amazon SimpleDB, Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (Amazon VPC) and Amazon WorkSpaces. This group of remote computing services that make up the cloud-computing platform over the internet are known as Amazon Web Services. Most of these services are not directly exposed to the end users. Amazon S3 and Amazon EC2 are two of the most central and well-known offerings.

To enable the use of online services via REST, HTTP or SOAP protocols, Amazon first introduced Amazon Web Services in 2006. AWS launched two Amazon CloudFront edge location in India on 28th July 2013 joining 42 edge locations worldwide. This makes the services global, fast, flexible and cost-effective. Amazon Web Services is now a $6 Billion-a-year cloud-computing monster, and is considered Amazon’s most valuable asset. AWS generated the sales of $1.57bn in the first quarter of 2015, and firm’s total revenue for the quarter rose by 15% to $22.7 bn, which was much stronger increase than expected. AWS provides cloud computing services to several household names including Spotify, Dropbox, Uber, Netflix, CIA and Samsung.

AWS services include:

Cloud– Virtual Servers, Containers, Event-driven Computer Functions, Auto scaling and Load Balancing

Storage and Content Delivery– Object Storage, Block Storage, Archive Storage, File System Storage, and CDN

Databases- Relational, Caching and NoSQL

Networking– Virtual Private Cloud, DNS and Direct Connections

Administration and Security– Identity Management, Access Control, Key Storage and Management, Usage and Resource Auditing, Monitoring and Logs, and Service Catalogue.

Enterprise IT Applications from AWS include Desktop Virtualization, Email and Calendering, and Document Sharing and Feedback. Engineered for the most demanding requirements, AWS offers following advantages:

Secure– AWS cloud security infrastructure is one of the most secure and flexible cloud computing environments providing highly reliable and extremely scalable platform so that the data and applications can be deployed securely and quickly. Data and applications are not only protected by highly secure infrastructure and facilities, they are also protected by extensive security and networking monitoring systems that provide critical security measures such as password brute-force detection and distributed denial of service (DDoS) protection on AWS accounts. Additional security measures include built-in firewalls, secure access, private subnets, multi-factor authentication, unique users, dedicated connection options, encrypted data storage, centralized key management, security logs, perfect forward secrecy and so on.

Compliant– AWS’s Cloud Compliance ensures robust control to maintain data protection and security in the cloud. Compliance responsibilities get shared as the systems are built on top of AWS cloud infrastructure.

Private, isolated Resources– Enterprises adopting cloud computing require secure data and applications, increased agility, and reduced costs. However, some organisations also need to take into consideration the unique requirements for regulatory compliance and resource isolation. AWS offers private network, private compute, private storage, enterprise governance, and private encryption resources for completely private cloud experience.

Hybrid– AWS offers solutions and tools to integrate existing resources of the organisation with the AWS cloud to extend and enhance the capabilities and accelerate the adoption of cloud computing. Offering a wide range of options to develop architecture, hybrid architecture involves integration of storage, networking, management and access control. The capabilities include integrated networking, integrated Cloud back-ups, integrated access control, and Integrated resource management and workload migration.

Amazon Web Services have changed the game in several ways. You pay only for what you use, scale up or down easily within few minutes based on the demand. Servers can be added to different parts of the world to provider faster services to the customers. Additionally, Amazon periodically keeps adding features and services to their existing offerings, making it a preferred choice for organisations in different domains. Recent AWS add-on includes Amazon Machine Learning. However, with IBM, Google and Microsoft emerging to grab some of the market share, it needs to be seen how Amazon is able to hold its margins high over the long term.


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Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti

Cholera as Both a Health and Political Issue

The UN is still not doing enough to stop the cholera epidemic in Haiti.  Some say it’s due to this being a complex political issue.

UN sued for cholera, refuses to talk about it

Saeed Shabazz, The Final Call
November 4, 2013

un_child_300x225_1.jpgUNITED NATIONS ( – Haitian activist organizations remained true to their word by filing an early October class action complaint on behalf of five Haitian families who have suffered because a cholera outbreak in the country tied to UN peacekeepers.

The suit was filed in the United States District Court Southern District of New York. The defendants in the suit are the United Nations, the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. The UN and the secretary-general are charged with complicity in bringing cholera to the Caribbean nation in 2010.

The Boston-based Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti and the Haitian-based Bureau Des Avocats Internationaux said the lawsuit was necessary after a February letter 2013 from UN secretary-general stated that their 2011 calls for compensation for cholera victims in 2011 would not be honored.

Since then some UN officials, including High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, have said cholera victims should be compensated. Ms. Pillay made her remarks in August during a speech in Geneva, Switzerland, while others have said the UN needs to come clean about Haiti’s cholera epidemic. In July, the UN’s special panel of experts concluded that peacekeeping troops were the most likely cause of the epidemic.

“But this broad recognition of the UN’s responsibility has not led to justice for the cholera victims, or concrete progress towards stopping the cholera epidemic’s killing,” said Atty. Brian Concannon Jr. of the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti in an e-mail to The Final Call.

Some international law experts say the UN and UN entities are immune from domestic lawsuits.

The lawsuit says since the introduction of the vibrio choleras in 2010, some 8,300 Haitians have died while over 650,000 have been sickened. An Aug. 1 report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted that from Jan. 2013 to Aug. 2013 there were 312 deaths recorded, while 35,478 new cases emerged.

The secretary-general’s media office told reporters seeking comment about the Oct. 7 legal filing that the UN had “commented” a lot in recent months. Therefore, the spokesman’s office said, there would be no response to lawsuit claims.

In the corridor outside of the UN Security Council, French UN ambassador Gerard Araud told reporters pressing him for a reaction that the UN had made an answer through the assessment of the secretary-general, which was based on the Convention of Privileges and Immunities, adopted at the world body’s inception in 1946. That assessment was the UN was not liable for anything.

“No one at the UN is going to say they believe in the scientific facts being presented; the political situation at the UN dictates that they deny the UN role,” Frantz Jerome of the N.Y.-based Citizens Committee for the Protection of Haiti told The Final Call.

The cholera epidemic in Haiti is very complex, and very much connected to the issues of who would control Haiti’s water and its trillions of dollars worth of natural resources, Mr. Jerome said. “Look at the timing of the introduction of the disease, when there was talk about the discovery of gold and oil and who would control these resources,” he said. “The cholera epidemic has managed to keep the people in a state of chaos, another means of divide and conquer.”

Mr. Jerome said the figure of 8,000 deaths is low, because in rural areas relatives are told to cremate the dead to prevent the spread of the disease. Nobody really knows the correct death count, he said.

The secretary-general’s spokesman told reporters Mr. Moon’s focus is helping the people of Haiti overcome the cholera epidemic. “And the key component of that is funding,” he said.

The UN says it is working to fund its $2.4 billion “cholera elimination plan,” Mr. Concannon said. “But the amount raised in July was $30 million less than what was raised last December when the effort was launched. The UN said $450 million was needed over the first two-years of the program.”

UN watchers say a high-level donors meeting to raise funds for the plan scheduled for October has been postponed until next year.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned over the summer that: “Resources for cholera response, including funding and staff, have been in steady decline since 2012; if this trend continues it would be virtually impossible to effectively and efficiently respond to the epidemic.”

Ambassador Lyall Grant of the United Kingdom balked during Oct. 10 proceedings to extend the mandate for Haitian peacekeepers. “This makes no sense, mandating 5,000 military peacekeepers in a country where there has been no recent military conflict,” he said.

According to UN data, the Haiti peacekeeping budget for 2013-2014 is $576.6 million. The UK ambassador told the Security Council those funds should be transferred to UN agencies that would ensure long-term support for Haiti.

Click HERE for original.

Contact IJDH

Institute for Justice & Democracy In Haiti
15 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116

Telephone: (617) 652-0876
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Use Giving Assistant to save money and support Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti Inc.


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Illinois General Assembly

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 Bill Status of HB3673  100th General Assembly

Short Description:  USE/OCC TAX-GRAPHIC ARTS

House Sponsors
Rep. John M. Cabello - Brian W. Stewart

Last Action
DateChamber Action
  3/31/2017HouseRule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance
35 ILCS 105/3-5
35 ILCS 105/3-85
35 ILCS 110/3-5
35 ILCS 110/3-70
35 ILCS 115/3-5
35 ILCS 120/2-5

Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Reinstates the graphic arts machinery and equipment exemption and the corresponding Manufacturer's Purchase Credit on and after January 1, 2017. Provides that those credits are exempt from the Acts' automatic sunset provisions. Effective immediately.

DateChamber Action
  2/10/2017HouseFiled with the Clerk by Rep. John M. Cabello
  2/10/2017HouseChief Co-Sponsor Rep. Brian W. Stewart
  2/10/2017HouseFirst Reading
  2/10/2017HouseReferred to Rules Committee
  3/1/2017HouseAssigned to Revenue & Finance Committee
  3/9/2017HouseTo Sales and Other Taxes Subcommittee
  3/31/2017HouseRule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

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In the kitchen with Callum Hann

MasterChef 2010 runner-up Callum Hann, 24, was raised in South Australia's Barossa Valley, a region famous for its premium wines and fabulous food.

Callum Hann became a household name after finishing runner-up on the hit television series MasterChef two years ago.

Callum Hann became a household name after finishing runner-up on the hit television series MasterChef two years ago.

Hann has joined ConnectPink, Fairfax Regional Media's online website for women, as a foodie blogger and is keen to share his passion and his recipes.

What types of recipes and words of wisdom do you hope to share?

I love to cook simple, seasonal food which still has a wow factor. I would love [readers] to try something new and maybe learn a few more techniques. There is no place in my life for hiding recipes or having kitchen secrets; for me food is there to be shared.

What's your favourite dish?

My favourite dish is constantly changing; I get a bit bored if I cook the same things too often. My girlfriend Chloe and I have just expanded our veggie garden, so I am getting stuck into lots of fresh salads at the moment.

What are your tips for creating healthy meals on a budget?

I think the key is organisation. Try to plan a week's worth of meals and do one big shop, which saves you so much time and money in the long run. It also allows you to take advantage of leftovers and freeze future meals.

How do you suggest new cooks ease their way into the kitchen?

I think the best thing to do is just get stuck into it. If the worst thing that happens to you in your day is you burn a couple of steaks, I think that's still a pretty good day.

Who influences your cooking?

Jamie Oliver has been my biggest cooking inspiration since I was a child. I'm lucky enough to now be the Australian ambassador for Jamie's Home Cooking Skills.

What ingredients can't you live without?

Garlic, spices, herbs, condiments, good quality olive oil and lemons. The little heroes that make all the difference in a plate of food.

Where is your favourite place to eat out?

It sounds a bit corny, but Chloe's mum cooks a mighty fine roast dinner. She is one of those people where you don't ask for second helpings, she makes you have second helpings. Not that I'm complaining.

What's growing in your garden?

At the moment there are leeks, garlic, beetroot, chard, chillies, capsicum, tomatoes, peas, snow peas, strawberries, lemons and a whole array of herbs.

Why is it important to taste food during the cooking process?

If you follow a recipe exactly you will end up with it tasting exactly how the author of that recipe wants it to taste. We all have different tastes, so constantly tasting and adjusting is vital. If I say "juice of a lemon" in a recipe, all lemons are different sizes right?

Has travelling overseas influenced your recipe choices?

Definitely, I have expanded my horizons by seeing not only what other countries eat, but how they eat it. I love tasting a new dish, and thinking about how I can recreate it in my own kitchen.

Is there one dish you just cannot master?

No matter how many times I try to make my mum's chocolate torte, it never seems to taste quite as good as hers.

Sample Hann's culinary style at, where he's kicking off with a delicious recipe for Vietnamese chicken with green mango salad.


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South Coast Fare dodgers number 10%

One in 10 commuters on the South Coast rail line are fare evaders, according to a NSW government survey. That's higher than the state average.

In November 2012, Transport For NSW conducted the state's first fare evasion survey to discern fare evasion rates on trains, buses and ferries. While the bus routes in the Illawarra did not form part of the survey, the South Coast train line did.

According to the survey, 10.75 per cent of the people who caught the train during the survey period had not paid the correct fare. That is higher than the 8.3 per cent rate of rail fare evasion across the state.

The fare evasion figures include those who do not pay any fare before boarding, as well as travellers who buy a concession ticket to which they are not entitled.

Across the state, the rate of fare evasion for buses was 15.3 per cent and 4.9 per cent on ferries.

A Transport For NSW spokesman said fare evasion on buses occurred when a person bought a zone one ticket but travelled into zone two - known as "over-riding".

"Intelligence from the survey has helped us shape our approach to security and revenue protection on the network, including the introduction of 150 dedicated transport officers, who have been tasked with catching fare evaders and issuing infringement notices," the spokesman said.

"Since October 2013, transport officers targeting over-riding on buses have checked more than 167,000 tickets, and issued some 7000 fines."


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11 October 2017 2:55 PM, PDT | The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News | See recent The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News news »

Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot is in negotiations to star in Ruin, a post-WWII revenge thriller being made by Mad River Pictures, the company run by Marc Butan, THR has confirmed.

Justin Kurzel, who directed Assassin’s Creed, is helming the thriller, which centers on  a former Nazi captain who, as way of making up for his crimes, hunts down and kills his former team of SS officers in Germany.

It is unclear what role Gadot would play or when the movie would shoot. The actress has the Wonder Woman sequel on her docket for late next year.

Whether »

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Law Offices of Jan Joseph Bejar A P.L.C.
Resolving Immigration Problems In An Honest & Responsible Manner

What do you need to apply for citizenship and naturalization?

Immigrants who are currently living in California will likely have a lot of questions regarding their immigration statuses and how to transition from immigrant to citizen. Achieving citizenship and naturalization is not something that can be done overnight. It takes time, and the process can be somewhat intimidating. Before beginning the process, it is important to know which documents are required when applying for U.S. citizenship.

The application for citizenship can seem pretty intense. There is actually an extensive list of documents required for those wishing to obtain U.S. citizenship; however, not everything on that list is required for every person. Requirements for each individual are unique to his or her specific situation, and, as such, some may be required to submit documents that others do not need to worry about. A few examples of necessary documents include:

  • Green card
  • Two photographs of applicant
  • Documentation of any name changes
  • Tax forms
  • Marriage information

Application errors and missing documentation are two of the leading causes for application denial. Because individual circumstances will determine exactly what is needed for a citizenship application, an immigration attorney can assist in this process by ensuring the proper forms and documents are submitted. The assistance offered by these individuals can help immigrants get through the application process as quickly and smoothly possible.

Immigrants in California who are considering applying for citizenship and naturalization do not have to work through the process alone. Assistance is available to help prevent errors that will delay the application process. An experienced immigration attorney can answer any and all questions regarding application requirements and help those interested in achieving U.S. citizenship reach their goal.

Source: FindLaw, "Documents To Show Your Attorney: Applying for Citizenship", Accessed on Feb. 4, 2015

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Why are you keeping your debt a secret?

by Peter Andrew

Previous generations were ashamed of debt. Not only was it relatively rare, but it was also widely regarded as a moral issue. How different things are today! In the first quarter of 2011, U.S. households owed $11.5 trillion in consumer debt, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. True much of that was secured on real estate, but if you strip out mortgages and home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), you're still left with $2.29 trillion. Divide that by the country's population of 312 million, and you find that every man, woman and child in America owes on average $7,340.

Of course, many owe nothing (babies, children, rich folk, those who are brilliant money managers), but that just means that many others owe more. And some owe much, much more.

Average credit card debt scary

In March 2012, Richard Barrington wrote a fascinating analysis of credit card debt (Average credit card debt: It's bigger than you think) for IndexCreditCards.com. Using Federal Reserve data, he showed that the 46.1 percent of U.S. households that have credit card debt owe, on average, $15,166 on their plastic.

Both those figures are surprising. The sum is scary, but the fact that it's shared by 46.1 percent of households is significant. Virtually one in two of your friends, relations and colleagues is likely to have credit card debt. So why should you be scared to talk about yours?

Talking about debt is difficult

It's those who have the biggest problems who are often the least likely to talk about them. Yet they're the very ones who need the most support. They're also the ones who are least likely to be able to keep their issues a secret in the long term.

Some debt collectors try (usually illegally) to leverage payments from the desperate by "mistakenly" letting the debtors' family, colleagues or neighbors know what's going on. Once in court, a debt case becomes a matter of public record. And a foreclosure is eventually going to be obvious to all.

Another group that finds it hard to keep their financial challenges secret comprises the growing number of adult children who are being forced to live with their parents. Investopedia says that there's even an acronym for people in this position: KIPPERS, or Kids in Parents' Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings. Reuters recently quoted Census Bureau data that suggest that, between 2007 and 2010, 1.2 million extra KIPPERS moved back into their parents' homes, bringing their number to 15.8 million. Again, KIPPERS frequently find it hard to keep their situation to themselves.

In many circumstances, keeping your debt secret serves only to put off the evil hour, and simply makes the final denouement even more embarrassing.

It's good to talk

How much easier it would be if we were all more open about these sorts of problems. If the people who are important in your life knew you were experiencing difficulties, they might better understand why you are reluctant to join them in restaurants, bring a bottle of good wine to dinner or travel long distances to family events. And sharing information with your kids may help them moderate their expectations, as well as provide them with potentially valuable money-management lessons for their own futures. Being upfront about how tight things are could allow you to save unnecessary expense, and pay down debt faster.

You might even get an offer or two of help. However, those sometimes present their own problems. If your parents, say, aren't rich, and your chances of repaying them are slight, then you might need to summon the strength to decline their kindness. Better to go bust owing a few credit card companies than crippling mom and dad financially.

Credit card interest rates high

But if someone wealthy offers to bail you out, then why not consider it? At the time of writing average credit card interest rates are running at 16.87 percent, while savers are often lucky to receive 1 or 2 percent. If you agreed on a personal loan at 5 or 6 percent, you could reduce your interest payments by close to two-thirds while your lenders could triple their return on their savings. If that's not a win-win, what is?

Of course, not everyone has rich friends or relations who'd be willing to help. And some may know that the significant people in their lives would greet news of their debt with disdain or worse. But if all that's holding you back from breaking the bad news is an overblown sense of shame, you might find that sharing your problems really does halve them.

Published 09/10/12

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Vadodara (Gujarat), Apr.9: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi arrived here on Wednesday to file his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections. The Gujarat Chief Minister is now leading a ‘Vijay Vikas Yatra’, a road show, to the collectorate office to file his nomination papers.

Vadodara is considered a BJP stronghold with the party winning the seat by almost 1.5 lakh seats in 2008. Six of the seven assembly segments in the constituency are held by the BJP while the remaining seat is held by an independent, who is now in the BJP fold.

The Vadodara unit of the BJP has reportedly chosen a tea vendor as one among five proposers for Modi’s nomination. Party sources said tea seller Kiran Mahida will be one of the proposers. Modi is up against Congress candidate Madhusudan Mistry from the constituency.

Modi is also contesting from the Varanasi constituency in Uttar Pradesh.


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"Love is an endless mystery, for it has nothing else to explain it" ~ Rabindranath Tagore

Lakshadweep: Islands of Adventure

Manuel Fernandes was a participant in the Nature Trip to the Lakshadweep Islands undertaken by the Bombay Natural History Society. The trip allowed a day in each of the three islands visited - Minicoy, Kalpeni and Kavaratti - in a five day cruise on the M.V. Tipu Sultan, ex-Cochin Harbour.

"Ah! What pleasant visions haunt me
As I gaze upon the sea!
All the old romantic legends,
All my dreams come back to me."
H.W. Longfellow - The Secrets of the Sea.

Late one February afternoon, the M.V. Tipu Sultan steadily put out to sea from the Cochin Harbour. The land gradually receded before our eyes even as the small fishing boats raced back with their day's catch, the gulls soaring and darting noisily above them, laying claim to their share of the fishermen's labour. The Chinese fishing nets, those marvels of fishing in coastal waters, hoved along and passed us. An occasional dolphin gambolled out of the sea, shimmering in the sun. The land soon became a distant horizon that would finally disappear behind the curving earth. Then there was only the ship and the sea.

About Lakshadweep
An Overview

Islands in the Sun

SCUBA Diving
An Introduction
Discovering Diving
Ocean of Joy

Not quite. The attempt of the blue-back waters of the Arabian Sea to hide it's denizens was ever so often frustrated as the rebellious flying fish broke out on their short, swift flights. True, they were swallowed again by the sea but they had made their point: We were not the only ones on those waters. Only near the island of Minicoy did something else manifest itself from the deep. A fin was seen coming rapidly towards the ship. Closer scrutiny revealed it to be a hammerhead swimming determinedly right up to the ship. It examined the entire starboard side and then, as if deciding with disdain that it would have no truck with this ship, disappeared into the wake of the Tipu Sultan which went on, to it's first destination.

Some passengers were asked to open their suitcases, while others were allowed to go without scanning. Finally, I came out and felt relieved.

The island of Minicoy was sighted after about twenty hours of sailing. When the ship dropped anchor the land was still far off, with the silhouette of it's lighthouse standing sentinel-like over its mysterious domain, barely visible in the haze. The small, motorised boats with helmsmen expertly manoeuvring among the coral reefs, came up one after the other to the disembarkation doors of the hold. Locals and visitors piled into these ferries and were quickly whisked off to their homes or to strange, enchanting lands.

As the boats pushed on this way and that, safely avoiding the reefs, the island became clearer and clearer. The blue-back waters of the deep sea had melted into sky blue which soon blended into aquamarine and finally the pure green of the lagoon. Beyond, the near-white coral sands beckoned us to cross them and reach the verdant, swaying palms of the coral island. The water was at least twenty feet deep, but so clear that we could actually tell the forms of the corals and anemones swaying as they fed on the sea bed. Scooping out some water in one's hand revealed it to be as clear and transparent as any self-respecting water should be. Then whence the colour?

To quote Rachel Carson, "The sea is blue because the sunlight is reflected back to our eyes from the water molecules or from very minute particles suspended in the sea. In the journey of the light rays into deep water all the red rays and most of the yellow rays of the spectrum have been absorbed, so when the light returns to our eyes, it is chiefly the cool blue rays that we see." However, in coral lagoons, the rays of the sun penetrate right to the sea bed, thanks to the clear waters. So the light yellow of the sands is also reflected back and as they mix with the blue, there before you are the turquoise waters!

In less than an hour the boats were tied up along a small jetty and we took our first steps into Minicoy. Even as we marvelled at the crisp white sand under our feet and the green of the palms above...
In less than an hour the boats were tied up along a small jetty and we took our first steps into Minicoy. Even as we marvelled at the crisp white sand under our feet and the green of the palms above, an awesome rattling sound shook us and we looked around, aghast, for its source. It was only the tiller, a sort of miniature tractor, which when attached to cart serves as transport for people and goods of all islands. So we rattled off in these for a "welcome drink". No, it's not like those advertised five-star hotels in Goa.

FROM THE COCONUT back into the tiller to rumble through the winding ways lined with palms, pines, breadfruit and casuarina to jolt to a halt at the lighthouse. The Minicoy lighthouse is the tallest in the islands, standing at 48.13 metres. high. View the palms from above and feel superior. These tops are like a carpet before you, only occasionally broken by a clearing for a house, or by the single street which runs the length of the island. Big boards outside have already precluded you from taking pictures. When present-day satellites can photograph the number plate on an automobile, the "Photography Strictly Prohibited" notice seems anachronistic. So we descended, enthralled with the sight, but unhappy that we could not share it with friends back home.

After the lighthouse, the tiller drove us rough-shod to the beach. Only babies could swim here: the water is uniformly knee-deep. A walk along the shore revealed colonies of hermit crabs adapting themselves to shells of their choice depending on their sizes. The hermit is a unique crab it has no shell of its own, so it uses the discarded ones of various snails to protect its body, while its legs hang out from the opening as it drags itself and its protection over the sands. Moving much more speedily over the sands is the ghost crab. This is a more characteristic crab, whose colour blends finely with its environment. If threatened, it disappears swiftly into its hole in the sand.

Wading near the reef, a sharp call from the shore of "Shark! Shark!" brought everyone out. A baby shark had been caught and was being held up by the guide for exhibition. Sharks don't usually enter the waters of the lagoons as they are too shallow for them. But apparently sharks also make mistakes.

BACK ON THE TILLER, the only piece of human contrivance which spoils the still of the islands, we were taken to the tourist hut for a sampling of the other industry of the islanders. The first was the coconut, now a feast of tuna fish. Later the tiller precariously manoeuvred its exhaust-belching way through the palm trees and coughed out into a village. A marriage was to take place there the next day and in front of a colourfully painted community house, the women were busy preparing food in large pots on open fires.

An exhibit in Minicoy is a typical bridal house. Each room is decorated traditionally and awaits the newly-married couple. The matriarchal system prevails here (as also in the other islands), with the man going to live in the woman's house, bringing a dowry with him!

The jobs here range from the traditional tuna fishing and coconut cropping to employment in government offices. The islanders are on the Scheduled Tribe list and hence get a lot of preferential treatment for education and government jobs on the mainland, to where many have now moved. However, a mainlander is restricted from settling in these islands, except of course, if there is a marital bond. Foreign tourists are restricted entry except on specific inhabited islands like Bangaram. The culture, traditions and most important, the islands themselves are so fragile that no amount of restrictions for preserving them could be enough. No one is allowed anywhere here without an authorised guide. The older islanders do not take too happily to visitors, although tourism does help the economy. I experienced this personally when I ambled along alone with my camera on a village street in Kavaratti. I reached a mosque and as I was photographing it, an old man accompanied by some children instructed me to go back to the tourist hut and followed me until I reached there.

After spending a night on the ship, we were ready for the next island in the morning. The sun rose from the Arabian Sea, pushing its way inexorably through a cloud whose attempts to obstruct it with its ephemeral existence were doomed. The sun was well up when we approached Kalpeni. Once more the boatman wove through the markers which indicate the reefs. Atop each marker, statue-like was a solitary grey heron, one of the few birds seen around the islands. It is ironic that these volcanic islands which owe their lush vegetation to the fertility provided once by the droppings of sea birds, should now be so bereft of bird life. Apparently, man and bird could not co-exist here.

Kalpeni has three inhabited satellite islands surrounded by a wondrous lagoon. Visitors are hosted at the Koomel Bay which overlooks two of these islands. The third is at the northern end. A morning walk along the strand line here revealed a clutch of cuttlefish eggs, green and sparkling in the sunshine, resembling a bunch of grapes. Wading through the lagoon waters one found the sea bed littered with sea cucumbers of various shapes and colours, but mainly black; sponges, bristle worms, brittle stars and even a long-spined black sea urchin were encountered. The most fascinating was our first close look at the stag horn corals living wild in the sea. In about waist-deep water, one could go down with swimming glasses or snorkels and gaze in wonder at this primitive creature, so very plant-like, with angel and parrot fish darting and frolicking among its "branches."

BACK ON THE beach the hot noonday sun reflected brilliantly from the near white calcareous sands. Eyes smarted and skins peeled with the heat. It was almost as if the islands were telling the visitors to go away. This is no place for you soft-skinned people. The natives, however, had planned entertainment and we were treated to an exuberant folk dance. Cymbals clashed and drums beat as they leaped and gyrated both to their traditional songs and to Hindi film songs which worm their insidious influence into the remotest corners of the sub-continent.

The Kalpeni lighthouse, 37 metres tall, provides a view of the entire island. The northern view is particularly electrifying. On the east are the blue waters of the deep sea. On the west, the reef-protected green waters of the lagoon lap on to the white sands. At the northern tip, the blue and the green conjoin and mingle. Between all these waters is the stretch of palm trees, a lush dark green. All this under the canopy of the bluest of skies. We glared again at the board proclaiming, "Photography Strictly Prohibited."

The next morning a dull cloud in the east told us that once again we wouldn't see the sun rising from the sea. However, the cloud turned out to be Rabindranath Tagore's, standing "humbly in a corner of the sky. The morning crowned it with splendour." On this last day, the Tipu Sultan took us to Kavaratti. Actually, it was the nearby island of Amini that the legendary Tipu Sultan had taken over on a request from the islanders in 1783.

KAVARATTI IS the largest island and the administrative seat of Lakshadweep. With Kavaratti came its glass bottomed boats. Everyone sat around in the boat, voyeurs of the deep sea. The turquoise waters revealed their secrets. Huge brain corals, star corals, staghorn corals; unbelievably sized sea cucumbers, sea anemones, star fish; shoals of sturgeon, angel and butterfly fish went past as the boat floated gently on the calmest of waters. One could not but envy, the occupation of the deep sea diver. What a world he must live in. Perhaps the envy, the strong desire to be down there, goes back to the period of our ancestors who took the first uncertain steps out of the sea.

For greater contemplation of sea life, there is a small aquarium in Kavaratti. Of particular note was the conglomeration of the white sea anemone on a giant clam with its commensal, the clown fish ever near. A Moray eel in a corner of it's tank also drew attention.

The Lakshadweep islands represent nature at its pristine best. The chief animals, the corals, belong to a period soon after the beginning of life in the seas. Many of the islands are not even inhabited by man and they remain practically untouched by his industrial advancement. Those who dwell there still retain their tribal customs and cultures. But the mainland always beckons to them. The younger folk get scholarships to the universities of Cochin, Calicut and elsewhere and it is very likely that they will leave behind their heaven and seek opportunities in the wider world. To us mainlanders, the islands are an enchanting, once in a lifetime, experience. For the naturalist three days are but a fleeting moment. But perhaps the younger islanders think, in the words of Sir Richard Burton, "Little islands are all large prisons: One cannot look at the sea without wishing for the wings of a swallow."

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Editor: Romola Butalia       (c) India Travelogue. All rights reserved.


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Aagaya Hero Critic Reviews

Govinda’s much-delayed film ‘Aagaya Hero’ has received poor reviews too. The box office opening is extremely dull too and the film will fall below the 1 crore mark on Day 1 unless there’s a turnaround in the night shows. Too many films in the same week, with last week’s release Badrinath Ki Dulhania still going strong.

Average Rating of All 'Aagaya Hero ' Review - 1 stars

Aagaya Hero Review by Mihir Bhanage on The Times Of India

Rating: ★½☆☆☆

As is expected from a Govinda movie, there are song and dance sequences, over-the-top dialogues and the likes. But in Aa Gaya Hero, he tries to eclipse all the mindless comedies of the 90’s while doing a supposedly serious role, dressed in track suits and tuxedos. There are actors like Ashutosh Rana, Milind Shinde, Makarand Deshpande and Murli Sharma who are completely wasted. The film is full of inconsequential comedy that goes on for two hours and if you survive by the end of it, a ‘Finisher’ trophy is the least the makers can give you.

Aagaya Hero Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Tacky visual effects seem straight out of 90s television show Shaktimaan sans Mukesh Khanna’s charm. Probably budget was an issue, so every time a bad guy falls on the walls, the whole frame shakes. Govinda’s old friends such as Chandrachur Singh and Harish return after long, and contribute their share of hamming. It’s really hard to understand why Govinda was so desperate to do this film. It feels bad to rate two films zero in the same week (Abbas-Mustan’s Machine), but then you’re left with no option when you see even the hall attendants yawning.

Aagaya Hero Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Aa Gaya Hero is a story of a policeman who makes an elaborate plan to trap the assorted bad guys by closing all loopholes they usually employ to escape justice. The whole thing is handled so badly, the songs and dances are a relief from the strangest goings on.

Aagaya Hero Review by Sreeju Sudhakaran on Bollywood Life

Rating: ½☆☆☆☆

Forgotten actors like Chandrachur Singh and Harish are cast for no reason, and I am feeling really bad for talented performers like Ashutosh Rana, Makarand Deshpande, Murli Sharma for agreeing to be a part of this farce and make a mockery out of themselves. And I am pretty sure the names they mentioned under the screenplay, editing and direction credits are as real as the Loch Ness monster.

Aagaya Hero Review by Syed Firdaus Ashraf on Rediff

Rating: ★½☆☆☆

Actually, it won’t even work if he plays the typical ‘Bollywood’ honest cop, as he does in his ‘comeback’ venture, Aa Gaya Hero. Even if he is not, thankfully, wooing a heroine half his age. Even if his dances as wonderful as ever. The fact is: He is 53. He is NO LONGER young. His skin is sagging. The flab is showing. What he is, is a fantastic actor. And if he wants to give Bollywood’s filmmakers a wake up call, he needs to do a film that showcases his acting talent. And Sirji, in order to do that, you need a good script. Not trash that masquerades as a film. Till then, it’s better to bid the idea of a ‘comeback’ goodbye.

Review by Sonil Dedhia on Mid-Day India

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

What’s more, Govinda seems to be competing with Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan (Messenger of God) for a record on bagging maximum credits — producer, story, screenplay and dialogues. And mind you, at 53, he can still charm you with that million-watt smile, funky dance moves and his colorful costumes, but that’s not enough to pull off a film anymore. Once deemed a hero of the masses, an entire generation has grown up watching his brand of comedy, but it is unfortunate to see the legend making a mockery of himself in this one. I’d rather suggest watching the re-run of his ’90s movies.

Review by Kunal Guha on Mumbai Mirror

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

It is upsetting to see Govinda here. With an enviable filmography, one wants to remember him as the ‘Number 1’ star whose memorable one-liners and dance numbers can’t be replicated by any contemporary actor. The film also stars Murli Sharma, Ashutosh Rana and a range of retired villains. The film’s modest budget doesn’t keep them from realising their grand vision. One of the master villains has a foldable airplane which slides into his evil lair — inside a mountain which swishes open like a PowerPoint slide.

Review by Vishal Verma on Glamsham

Rating: ★½☆☆☆

Govinda is associated with buffoonery and it’s fun but here things get so overboard that Govinda starts dancing after every 10-15 minutes so that we forget what has happened just before but the dil of entertainment hungry souls of Bollywood wanted so much more from this talent who promised a revival in PARTNER and still we are waiting.

Review by IANS on Zeenews

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

The film feels like a Z-grade film of the early 1980s. Packed with numerous characters hamming while mouthing inane lines is saying the least. Joining Govinda in this jamboree are Ashutosh Rana and Murali Sharma as brothers and local goons, Makrand Deshpande as the spineless MLA, Surendra Pal as a politician, Harish Kumar and Chandrachur Singh as inspectors along with Poonam Pandey and Richa Sharma as their colleagues in disguise.

Best Rated Films in 2017

  • Govinda is one of the most talented actors ever
    He is an absolute natural
    Whether it was romance, dance , comedy, drama ,action…
    It was always effortless
    He has overshadowed even the very best effortlessly

    But has wasted his worth with Crap like this
    Hope he realises and does something sensible

  • Ha ha ha… How and why such movies get made and even how and why did they get a release will always remain a mystery ??????????
    I don’t think any of the critics had dared to watch it, they had just given the review by the title only… I mean who on earth has the power to withstand such a torture like ‘Aa gaya *ero’

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What’s the fate of day-and-date?

What's the fate of day-and-date?

The recent news that IFC was cutting back on its feature distribution and sticking to its First Take day-and-date VOD program is generating a healthy amount of debate on indieWIRE and the blogs (namely Brian Newman’s provocative post).

Whether day-and-date is the future of ultra-indie distribution and is financially beneficial to filmmakers is still largely an open question, I believe, but last fall, I investigated the day-and-date programs of HDNet and IFC First Take for this Filmmaker Magazine article and found a wide range of opinions from filmmakers who took part.

Caveh Zahedi, for example, who had a number of outspoken troubles with the release of “I Am a Sex Addict,” saw his film gross only $115,000 theatrically on a $100,000 marketing budget.

But Caveh told me he’d do the same thing again. He even sold IFC the DVD and TV rights to his entire back catalogue for the same deal points: No money up front and a 50/50 split after the company recoups its costs.

“My sense is that the movie was seen by more people than it ever would have been otherwise,” Zahedi said. While he hadn’t yet received numbers from Comcast on how many people watched his movies on demand, he believed it was enough to offset theatrical costs. If Caveh’s out there reading this, maybe he’s gotten the numbers by now and can share them with us.

I have to wonder if the program ends up not being so beneficial to filmmakers, why would they keep signing up for it?

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Review: ‘Power Rangers’ Is a Mega-Budget Reboot That’s Embarrassed of the TV Show It’s Based On

For all of its surprising relevance, “Power Rangers” feels hopelessly lost in time.

Power Rangers

“Power Rangers”

It really isn’t that weird that someone spent $105 million on a “Power Rangers” movie in 2017. What’s weird is that someone spent $105 million on a “Power Rangers” movie in 2017, and then decided that it should open with a gag about a teenage boy inadvertently masturbating a bull.

Yes, we live in an an infantilizing age of blockbuster cinema that sustains itself by selling people overpriced echoes of the songs they sang as kids. Yes, Hollywood is growing desperate for previously established properties it can exhume, refurbish, and sell back to the public as mega-budget franchises with international appeal. And yes, the studios are starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel, throwing money at anything that boasts even the faintest glimmer of brand recognition (the next few months alone will see big screen versions of “CHiPS,” “Ghost in the Shell,” and “Baywatch”). But “Power Rangers,” which feels so distant from the zeitgeist that it seems like NASA should be forced to hold a press conference every time it comes into view, admittedly makes a certain amount of sense.

Moviegoers old enough to buy their own ticket may not know this, but “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” — a kitschy, brilliantly resourceful kids TV series that debuted in 1993 by wrapping an original story about a fresh-faced team of American superheroes around the oodles of colorful, exaggeratedly dubbed battle footage that it borrowed from a popular Japanese show — is still on the air. And while the program’s current iteration probably doesn’t politicize this point, there’s no denying the timeliness of a saga about a multi-racial squad of high schoolers who can only achieve their true power and transform into a giant robot (Megazord!!) by “putting down their masks” and working together to defeat an ancient evil. And yet, for all of its surprising relevance, “Power Rangers” feels hopelessly lost in time. There is an audience for this movie, but this movie has no idea who that audience might be.

“Power Rangers” isn’t for adults, who might be hoping for a lovingly ironic approach in the tradition of “21 Jump Street.” It’s not for teens, who grew up with this stuff, and might enjoy seeing their childhood toys repurposed for a gritty reboot that flatters their maturing sensibilities. And it’s not for children, whose parents might let them watch the TV show on Saturday mornings, but may not understand why they’re supposed to laugh during the pre-credits scene in which a high school prank goes awry after a juvenile delinquent admits to mistaking a bull for a cow and yanking its dick until some “milk” came out.

READ MORE: Elizabeth Banks On Why She’s Not Directing “Pitch Perfect 3”

In fact, from the symphonic music that plays over the opening credits to the film’s glacially-paced origin story and the city-destroying robot fight with which it culminates, “Power Rangers” owes far more to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the “Twilight” generation, and Michael Bay’s “Transformers” movies than it does its own source material. If not for a handful of scattered call-backs and an amusingly incongruous performance from Elizabeth Banks (who plays the evil Rita Repulsa with such go-for-broke glee that it feels like she’s fulfilling a Make-A-Wish request for a dying fanbase), it would seem as though this movie were embarrassed of its origins.

The basic gist is still the same, even if the new Power Rangers look more like “Riverdale” rejects than than they do the cherubic Disney Channel graduates who populated the original. After a brief, campy prologue that finds Repulsa fighting a dude named Zordon (Bryan Cranston, who has deep ties with the franchise) during the Cenozoic Era, we’re whisked back to the present, where a motley crew of beautiful teen screw-ups are about to meet in detention and form the weirdest Breakfast Club of all time.

Elizabeth Banks in Power Rangers

“Power Rangers”

Jason Scott (the mannequin-like Dacre Montgomery, who aspires to Charlie Hunnam’s level of lifelessness) is the local football hero who throws his future away when he gets involved in the aforementioned bovine incident. His reasons for wanting to strand a farm animal in the halls of his high school aren’t super clear, but they’re broadly of the James Van Der Beek “I don’t want your life” variety.

He’s joined by newly disenfranchised mean girl Kimberly Hart (compelling half-Indian actress Naomi Scott, destined for better things), quiet rebel Trini (Latina YouTube star Becky G), badass momma’s boy Zack (a charismatic 29-year-old Chinese-Canadian talent named Ludi Lin), and the savant-like Billy, who struggles with sarcasm but amiably self-identifies as being on the Autism spectrum. He’s played by RJ Cyler, who never reprises his famous “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” catchphrase (“‘dem titties”), but does get to articulate his character’s non-neurotypical nature in a monologue about how difficult it would be to “cram a ton of crayons in a butt.”

In some respects, this is an admirably diverse group of characters, a fact that “Power Rangers” emphasizes from time to time, either by digging a bit deeper into their respective cultures or by having an alien machine size them up by exclaiming “Different color, different kids, different color kids!” In other respects, there are some glaring gaps in representation, and these omissions are made all the more pronounced by the film’s overt focus on inclusiveness. Maybe Muslim kids, Jewish kids, or anyone else who doesn’t see themselves on screen can hold out hope for the sequel — more likely, they’ll come to think of their absence as a blessing in disguise.

If this all sounds like a lot of liberal posturing, it’s not as if the movie gives you all that much else to think about. Silly as many of its details may be, “Power Rangers” adheres to the same tired structure as every other effects-driven story about unassuming people who inherit superhuman abilities, defeat the bad guy, and leave us with some canned voiceover about their future adventures. This one leads all five of its heroes to the same mine, where they discover a buried spaceship, become strong, make friends with a chatty robot named Alpha 5 (voiced by Bill Hader), and receive marching orders from Zordon, who is trapped inside the ship’s computer system or something. Meanwhile, the ghoulish Rita Repulsa is terrorizing the good people of Angel Grove and stealing their gold so she can rebuild her (ironically worthless) hench-golem for the film’s only big fight scene.

“Power Rangers”

It’s hard to remember exactly how John Gatin’s screenplay pads out the rest of the film’s 124-minute running time, but there are a ton of training montages, Rita murders a homeless guy for no particular reason, and at one point the Power Rangers are almost undone by a sexting scandal. At least director Dean Israelite — whose “Project Almanac” now seems like a dry run for this — is smart to spend plenty of time on Alpha 5; the robot minion doesn’t have a single clever line of dialogue, but it looks like scrap metal from the set of “Forbidden Planet” and moves with a visual ingenuity worthy of “Star Wars.”

Not that “Power Rangers” would have been improved by trying harder to ape ILM genius with CW talent. What this exasperatingly bland movie needed was more personality of its own — it needed to be made on a budget small enough to afford to fail even harder than it’s probably going to anyway. If not for Elizabeth Banks, some dinosaur-shaped mechs, and the fact that everyone keeps saying the word “Zordon,” this would hardly seem like a Power Rangers movie at all; even the iconic, color-coded spandex suits have been turned into hard plastic nonsense that looks so dumb and lifeless that Zack Snyder might as well steal it for “Justice League.”

The film is a blast during the few brief moments when it embraces the cartoon craziness that’s made the television show into such a cultural fixture, but it sheepishly backs away from every one of these giddy indulgences as if it’s afraid of getting caught with a hand in the cookie jar; why play the series’ unforgettable theme song (“Go Go, Power Rangers!”) if you’re going to cut it off after just a few bars? If only “Power Rangers” had the courage to put down its mask and work with its audience. It may not be possible to cram a ton of crayons in a butt, but that doesn’t mean we should settle for anonymous photocopies, instead.

Grade: C-

“Power Rangers” opens in theaters March 24.

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Ted Walko, Global Basestocks and Specialties Marketing Manager at ExxonMobil, talks about global trends in the base stock market and the drivers behind the company’s investment in additional Group II capacity.

Advanced engine lubricants are one of the tools OEMs rely on to help meet ever-tightening emissions legislation. The need for formulations to deliver exceptional engine protection at lower viscosity grades is driving the demand for higher performance base stocks. And, although this quality shift is being seen on a global scale, the penetration of Group II in Europe has been relatively slow.

Walko says the lack of local Group II supply in Europe means base stock needs here are largely being met by Group I and Group III base stocks. However, base stock quality demands in Europe are changing due to OEM advancements, car population turnover and an overall change in consumer buying patterns.

By 2030, ExxonMobil projects that 50% of Europe’s overall base stock demand will be for Group II products.

Source: ExxonMobil assessment of publicly available information

Increased Group II capacity

To help meet growing demand, ExxonMobil is investing in Group II capacity additions at its Rotterdam, Netherlands, refinery. Through the expansion project, ExxonMobil’s new hydrocracker will convert heavier feed stocks into higher quality end products, such as ECHTM Group II base stocks and ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel.

XOM Refinery

Earlier this year, ExxonMobil installed the three reactors (pictured above) which, in tandem with the vacuum fractionation tower, has completely altered the Rotterdam refinery’s skyline

“Our Rotterdam hydrocracker expansion project is on track and on time,” says Walko. “Through this project, ExxonMobil will produce industry leading EHCTM Group II base stocks in Europe for the first time. Startup is planned for Q4 2018, with commercialisation of the products in early 2019.”

Inline Xom

Vacuum fractionation tower at Rotterdam

The investment in expanding Group II capacity at the Rotterdam refinery is clearly good news for European customers.

Walko says, “Producing Group II in Europe means that global marketers with local blending operations will no longer need to recertify their products in each region or develop regional specific formulations. This not only reduces complexity but also saves them time and money.”

In addition to the investment at Rotterdam, growing demand for higher quality base stock products in Asia Pacific has prompted ExxonMobil to invest in an EHCTM Group II expansion project at its Singapore refinery.

Announced in February 2017, ExxonMobil is expanding to strengthen global supply of these products and enhance the Singapore facility’s competitiveness in the region. Construction has kicked off and completion is anticipated in 2019.

With these Group II capacity additions on the horizon, Insight was keen to learn how the new products fit into the future base stock product portfolio and whether they spell the phasing down of Group I production.

“ExxonMobil has a balanced portfolio of assets to produce Group I and Group II base stocks – a testament to our commitment to bringing the most efficient production capacity to the marketplace,” says Walko. “We are confident that ExxonMobil will be the only global producer with significant manufacturing assets strategically located in three continents, that are committed to producing Group I and Group II base stocks.”

Continued commitment to Group I

Certain applications, such as industrial, heavy-duty diesel and marine lubricants, value Group I’s high viscosity and solvency. As such, ExxonMobil says it is committed to providing customers with a reliable supply of Group I.

Although ExxonMobil anticipates a decline in demand for Group I base stocks, they will continue to be relevant and favoured for specific formulations well into 2030.

“Our robust product portfolio includes CORETM Group I base stocks, which deliver consistent quality and broad blending coverage,” Walko confirms. “With a global network of refineries currently producing Group I base stocks, ExxonMobil has the flexibility to meet this particular customer need today and well into the future.”

Group II performance

As the automotive world looks for contributions to fuel economy improvements from lubricants, we wanted to understand the optimum outlet for the Group II products from a viscosity grade standpoint.

“Our high performing EHCTM Group II base stocks are used in a wide range of finished lubricant applications. They help to provide improved oxidation stability and deposit performance, superior volatility and low temperature performance capabilities versus Group I base stocks in SAE 15W-40 heavy-duty diesel engine oils and in SAE 5W- and 10W- passenger car engine oils,” Walko explains. “In addition, EHC base stocks can help to lower formulation costs since additive treat rates can be reduced and less Group III can be used in certain applications.”

Walko adds, “EHC base stocks can also provide significant efficiencies when used in combination with other base stocks, beyond the heart of the market, such as higher performance/lower viscosity automotive lubricants as well as high performance, high viscosity industrial and marine lubricants.”

Tailored cuts

ExxonMobil produces different EHCTM Group II cuts.

“In Asia Pacific we produce EHC 50 and EHC 110, in the Americas we produce EHC 45 and EHC 65 and in Europe, Africa and the Middle East EHC 50 and 120 will be produced,” says Walko. ”Lubricants blended with these base stocks can achieve equivalent performance to high quality lubricants blended with Group I/II/III due to their superior viscosity index (VI), Noack and cold flow properties.”

Walko continues, “Our base stock slate provides a range of options, which allows us to meet customers’ needs while reducing operational complexity and simplifying the tankage required for their main base stocks.”

Future challenges

To be successful in the base stock market it’s increasingly apparent that suppliers must have a long term commitment and the flexibility to adapt as upcoming lubricant specification changes may present challenges to overcome.

According to Walko, “Over the next few years, lubricant and base stock manufacturers will need to adjust their formulations. The most successful suppliers are those that plan ahead and maintain flexibility as the industry and customers evolve.”

ExxonMobil says long term success requires:

Leveraging deep value chain knowledge The right level of insight to help customers adapt to changing technologies and engine oil specifications.
Ongoing investment A robust network of strategically placed refineries to ensure supply security, efficiency and cost effective product distribution.
Staying at the cutting edge of technology Use of the best manufacturing technology and finished lubricant practices available.
Putting the customer first Adjust and adapt to customer needs and offer reliable advice backed by deep expertise and experience.

Walko believes that conversion technology and lubricant know-how are becoming increasingly important as the market shifts towards higher performance base stocks.

Walko concludes the interview by stating that, “By combining leading technology with leading expertise and 135 years of experience in the production of base stocks and finished lubricants, ExxonMobil can lead the industry in the development of innovative, best-in-class solutions that will continue to shape the future.”

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