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Only you can help.

For the price of two or three fancy lattes a day you can give a hipster access to Wi-Fi.

Hi. I’m a guy from The Onion’s AV Club forums, here to talk to you about a horrible, unseen evil right here in America: a lack of socially acceptable Internet devices for hipsters in cafes across the country. Today with the economy slow to recover and many know-it-alls in their 20s too bearded, “eclectic,” or adorned in stupid glasses and leggings to be employable we’re facing a shortage of epidemic proportions. But it’s not hopeless. Not as long as there are people like you, and the ViewSonic gTablet.

For a low one-time donation or several monthly donations if you’re not into paying up your credit cards in a timely manner, you can donate this tablet to a hipster in your neighborhood. It runs on Android 2.2; that’s way cooler than any iPhone OS these days. Its 10.1” capacitive touch screen is just big enough for everyone else in the coffee shop to see the live performance video of some indie darling band they’ve never heard of in beautiful 1080p.

Please. Donate now. You’ll receive monthly updates on your hipster via seemingly random photos and “ironic” quotes on their Tumblr. More importantly, you’ll know that you’ve made a difference in helping an entitled, good for nothing, holier-than-thou jerk espouse his worthless opinions online.

Authorized for SquareTrade Extended Warranty

"

Warranty: 1 Year ViewSonic

Condition: New

Features:

• The ViewSonic gTablet has a crisp and vibrant 10.1” capacitive touch screen display with plenty of real estate for even the most demanding tablet users
• Great for multitasking, viewing multiple apps, and browsing web pages in their entirety, including the ability to play Flash videos
• With is 1080p playback resolution, sharing entertainment and photos on this gorgeous display is truly a delight
• Extensive format support includes H.264, WMV, WMA, MP3, DivX and more
• Easy to take anywhere with its super slim and sleek design and smooth beveled edges. Weighing in at 1.5 pounds and just 0.5” thick, just grab it and go
• Newly revised OS gives you the ability to switch between TapnTap menu environment and Droid graphic environment with a single screen touch and results in improved system stability and speed
• Engineered with you in mind, the navigation is practically instinctive. You find the buttons exactly where you would have placed them, which will have you toggling, searching, going back and moving forward all at lightning speed
• On-display buttons include Search, Home, Menu and back. Volume rocker is located on top
• You get an awesome performance from practically any source with this tablet: play music files, watch movies, or upload images from your camcorder and share entertainment with your friends on the go
• Switch between apps and tasks instantly: while checking email, download apps while updating your calendar, jump from reading your eBooks to keeping up with your favorite blogs
• Open multiple apps with the flick of a finger. It is so intuitive, you’ll be able to pinch, scroll, rotate or zoom to your heart's content
• Expandable memory up to 32GB via microSD
• Offers 3.5 mm headphone jack, USB port, and mini USB port
• Direct access to the Apps Store to download thousands of leading Android apps
• Features Google’s Android 2.2 OS with new features and benefits such as faster web browsing, simple app launching and updating, and a completely more intuitive experience
• Improvement in JavaScript loading, better overall performance of Android OS, USB and Wi-Fi Internet Tethering, Microsoft Exchange integration, compass support for Google Maps, improved Google Voice Search that recognizes long and complicated speech
• Now you can contact anyone just the way they like. Use email, video chatting, tweet them on Twitter or update your status on Facebook
• Wi-Fi b/g/n support, video conferencing via 1.3MP camera, and Bluetooth support with 8-10 hours of battery life
• Experience the power of NVIDIA’s latest processor. Designed for mobile applications, you will experience super fast gaming, crystal clear 1080p HD video, blazingly fast web access and surreal HD video chatting
• 1 GHz Dual ARM Cortex-A9 processor, 512MB DDR2 memory, 2D/3D Graphics processing, HD Video encode and decode, Ultra-low power GeForce GPU, 1080p video playback processor, OpenGL ES 2.0, and 32-bit LP-DDR2, DDR2
• Applications and games come alive in your hand with the G sensor. Your gaming imagination never has been this real or this wild. An ambient light sensor also automatically reduces brightness in dim lit settings to conserve power. It follows your every move; it feels what you feel
• The gTablet app is preloaded, which gives you instant access to manuals, user guides, the latest update information, file download resources, support hotline number, source code information for developers, and more
• Quick Start Guide (click here)
• Users Guide (click here)
• How to Use Android (click here)

Additional Photos:

• Power Button, USB Port, Speakers, Headphone Jack, and Power Port
• Speakers and On-Display Controls
• Volume Rocker
• Microphone and Proprietary Port
• Back Profile
• 1080p Resolution Video Playback
• Best use for this and all other PCs
• Package Contents
• Packaging

Specifications
CAMERA:	1.3-megapixel camera
BATTERY:	3650mAh Li-ion polymer battery
OPERATING TEMP.:	32°F to 113°F
STORAGE TEMP.:	-4°F to 113°F
DIMENSIONS:	6.8” (H) x 10.5” (W)
WEIGHT (with battery):	1.55 lbs.
MEMORY:	16GB internal memory
INPUT/OUTPUT:	USB 2.0 (Slave) Mini USB 2.0 (Host) 3.5mm stereo headphone MicroSD DC Input (Power)
OPERATING SYSTEM:	Google Android 2.2 (Froyo)
CPU:	1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2-Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU with 512MB DRR
VIDEO:	NVIDIA Tegra 2, OpenGL ES 2.0, 32-bit LP-DDR2, DDR2
DISPLAY:	10.1” TFT-LCD with LED driver system
NETWORK:	Wi-Fi : 802.11 b/g/n Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
RESOLUTIONS:	1024x600 resolution
AUDIO OUTPUT:	Built-in 2 x 1-watt stereo speakers 3.5mm stereo headphone
POWER:	7.4 Voltage Power Adapter
SUPPORTED MEDIA FORMATS:	S1080p H.264/H.263/ VC-1/MPEG-2/4/WMV9/DivX 4/5 Video Decode 1080p H.264/MPEG-4 Video Encode Supports multi-standard audio formats, including AAC, AMR, WMA, and MP3

Included Software

Adobe Flash Player Kindle Pandora Radio G-market Angry Birds Color Note

In the box:

• ViewSonic gTablet 10.1” PC Android 2.2 (UPS300-2.2)
• USB Cable
• Power Adapter
• Cleaning Cloth
• ESD Cover
• User Guide
• Quick Start Guide

 

photo credit: juplife

Hindustan Motors is mulling efforts to change its 60 years old Ambassador as its sales is not good nowadays.And so,its generous boot has been detached to four metres that qualifies it to be a small car in order to make it more favourable.It features the same rounded hump but with a sharp truncated rear part.

....Click here to read complete post

Today only, Woot Sellout offers the refurbished Uniden 3-Camera Indoor/Outdoor Wireless Security System, model no. UDW20553, for $199.99. With $5 for shipping, that's $20 under our March mention of a refurbished unit and $81 below the lowest total price we could find for a new one. It features 2.4GHz digital frequency hopping spread spectrum technology, a 7" color widescreen LCD, two weatherproof cameras, portable rechargeable camera that transmits up to 500 feet, night vision viewing, Windows connectivity, and more.

Note: A 90-day Woot warranty applies.

Adirondack Chair Shop Adds Rustic Cedar Line of Furniture PR.com (press release) Adirondack Chair Shop has added a new line of Adirondack and rustic camp style furniture. Schoharie, NY, May 07, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Adirondack Chair Shop is pleased to announce that it has added the Rustic Cedar line of Adirondack chairs, ... and more »

Staples again offers the True Designs Mesh Manager's Chair in Black, model no. 17830-CC, for $149.99. With free shipping, that's $90 off and tied with our mention from February as the lowest total price we could find. Sales tax is added where applicable. Features include an eagle 5-star base design, center tilt, built-in lumbar support and headrest, and more. Deal ends May 14.

• @ Best for Babes: The Next Generation of Moms: When Breastfeeding Comes Full-Circle
  As mama to two daughters, this article was extremely powerful to me. The one that follows on having conversations about breastfeeding with our own mothers is a fantastic read, too!
• @ Real Child Development: Are You an “Expert” on Your Own Child?
  Think you're the "expert" on your child? It might not be a bad idea to think again. (Hint: maybe the word "student" is more appropriate)
• @ Mamahhh...: Interview with Birth Advocate Rebecca Quintana
  Birth advocacy from the perspective of a six-time Cesarean birth mama. So inspiring!
• @ The Green Phone Booth: The Bitter Sweet Truth About Hershey
  As a Nestle boycotter, I find I often turn to Hershey's for chocolate needs. This article from Lisa is challenging me to, once again, look elsewhere.

The Electronic Form/Report Bundle? is an Information Manager and much more! This program has a user?friendly point and click interface that makes it easy to maneuver around and use. The program is designed to give the entrepreneur an edge over … Continue reading →

GALWAY are looking for a financial return for helping to boost Leinster Council's coffers by making their senior hurling championship a more lucrative product.

BYOD Requires Mobile Device Management InformationWeek A lucky few are still able to maintain the "corporate liable" mobility model, where the company buys the device (typically a BlackBerry), arranges and pays for the service plan, and manages the environment with BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES). ... and more »

Since Mark has decided to join us Authors I decided to make him a new signature more fitting for his new status (frankly i just couldn't figure out where to stick author.) here is a link to his story Birthday Boy

and then to the...

Time for a summer tote, bitches. ... More »

Post from: TheGloss

One of my all time favourite films is ‘The Prestige’. I especially love the opening sequence where the voice-over shares how every magic trick has three parts – ‘the pledge’, ‘the turn’ and finally ‘the prestige’ - I recently attended a couple of conferences and did find some of the great speakers unravel their talk... Read more »

Can you imagine trying to run your business without email? It would be possible, but a lot more awkward. You would need to use snail mail more often, which is slow and expensive.  Many of the people you know have Facebook accounts, so you could ask them to “friend” you, allowing you to send them...

Executive Coaching is an experiential and individualized leader development procedure that builds a leader's capability to accomplish short- as well as long-term organizational objectives. It's conducted through one-on-one interactions, driven by data from multiple viewpoints, and based on shared trust and admiration. The corporation, an executive, together with the executive mentor operate in partnership to achieve maximum impact. The training partnership is really a win-win strategy in which all partners plan the approach together, communicate openly, and do the job cooperatively toward the ultimate accomplishment of overarching organizational objectives.

drumroll please...Harvard-educated Lobsang Sangay. He won 55% of the votes, over Tenzin Tethong (37.4%) and Tashi Wangdi (6.4%). During the Kalon Tripa elections, 83,400 Tibetan were eligible to vote and 49,000 ballots were cast. [ more › ]

Teradata opens PH office, first in SE Asia Inquirer.net Teradata's business intelligence software also allows clients to be able to spot trends more easily, which can be vital to their business plans. “The availability of a highly-talented workforce with excellent English language skills will further enable ... Teradata Opens Global Consulting Center in the PhilippinesWebWire (press release) all 2 news articles »

Rayman: Origins made quite the splash at last year’s E3, one of the first titles due out of Ubisoft’s UbiArt Framework label, and the resurgence of creator Michel Ancel. The 2D downloadable, episodic platformer looked stunning, and was due on PSN/XBLA last holiday… and then it went missing. For a long time. The publisher didn’t mention it for months, failing to include in recent release forecasts, but the project has surfaced in the newest Game Informer, which is all about Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. Unsurprisingly, the large window of silence has resulted in some changes. First off — Rayman: Origins is no longer a digital effort. Ubisoft is opting for a disc-based product on PS3 and 360, and has shifted release to sometime later this holiday. Unfortunate for some, perhaps, especially since that means a likely higher price point. However, the extra year of development time will result in a far more polished experience, and not to mention the first new, proper retail Rayman game game in years. Exciting! In more exciting news, Origins is confirmed to have 4-player local co-op (all characters have the same abilities), and levels are designed to be ‘accessible’ for all players regardless of whether they choose co-op or solo approaches. It’s also accommodating for those who like collect-a-thons, as well as speedruns. Finally, Lums that players collect along the way act as currency, used to buy new power-ups, health and “I Dare You” challenges, where you wager on whether you can successfully pull off complex acrobatic chains in a level.

China's rough-and-tumble used-car market San Jose Mercury News (Dai Sugano/Mercury News) SHANGHAI -- Americans know well the stereotype of the used-car salesman. In China's burgeoning car culture, that stereotype is on steroids. Those looking to sell their old set of wheels often end up in a city-center market ... and more »

China-based S'poreans cast their votes in Shanghai Channel News Asia SHANGHAI: Singaporeans based overseas can vote at nine overseas polling centres. The polling centre in Shanghai saw some 10 voters streaming into the Consulate even before voting began at 8am. ... and more »

Some of the coolest things ever, you might find just randomly searching images on the internet.

AD posts “I wonder if JMB had a white horse?” (hit the link for context) and I wonder the same thing myself. Google image search for “John Moses Browning +horse”, and I find this picture:

. . . → Read More: JMB Tattoo

Pennsylvania, New Jersey Inventors Develop Patent for Distributed System of ... Power-Gen Worldwide The abstract of the patent published by the US Patent and Trademark Office states: " A distributed system of electrical generators utilizing wind driven natural motion of trees includes pull-retract generators deriving torque from the back and forth ... and more »

coach bags, coach handbags, coach handbags cheap and 5 more joined Wired Journalists

In late 2007, student Meredith Kercher was found brutally murdered in a hillside cottage in Perugia Italy. Her murder sparked a media frenzy due to the alleged sexual nature of the crime. News out of Perugia told unsubstantiated tales of a satanic ritualistic sex orgy that led to murder. At the heart of these accusations was Meredith's roommate Amanda Knox. This outrageous fantasy all began with a kiss.

The morning following the murder, Amanda Knox and her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were standing outside the cottage watching investigators and members of the media converge on the murder scene. As both stood there in the cold, Raffaele held Amanda keeping her warm and at one point they shared a few short kisses. At that moment cameras flashed, images of the two kissing were viewed around the world, instantly creating the fictional satanic ritualistic sex crazed killer "Foxy Knoxy." The media failed to note that Amanda was scared and shaking, looking for comfort in an extreme moment of shock. They also failed to note that the nick-name pulled from Amanda's MySpace page was actually a childhood nickname earned for her skills on the soccer field. "Foxy Knoxy" made for salacious headlines in a story that was becoming more sexually charged with each coming hour. Sex sells and the media saw the opportunity to cash in. Unfortunately the truth was nowhere on their radar.

In the days and weeks that followed, the fantasy of a lust driven and sexually motivated sex killing was the topic of conversation about a case that in reality had absolutely nothing to do with sex. Police moved forward with their investigation of what they would call a "threesome sex-orgy gone wrong." False claims fueled what quickly became a sexual obsession that overwhelmed every media report. One story in particular sent the obsession into overdrive. It was reported that Amanda went to a lingerie shop with Raffaele shortly after the murder to by a g-string. Readers were told they were seen laughing and talking about "wild" sex in the store. As it turns out, the witness claiming to hear the sex talk didn't speak any English. Amanda and Raffaele just so happened to be speaking English in the store. We would later find out that the witness was paid by a tabloid. Even worse, the store wasn't even a lingerie shop. Elizabeth Vargas, an ABC reporter, reported on the Oprah Winfrey show that she visited the store and observed that they didn't even sell the sexy lingerie that was described in the media. She described the store as being similar to a Target store in the United States. Unfortunately, the security camera footage that showed a brief moment when Amanda smiled at Raffaele was all the media needed to propel the lie around the globe.

 

Barbie Nadeau

One of the most salacious writers in the case, yellow journalist Barbie Nadeau was front and center when it came to fueling the sexual obsession hovering over the case. She printed outright lies regarding excerpts leaked from Amanda's prison diary stating that Amanda claimed to have slept with seven partners during the time she was in Italy. The truth is, in a dishonest attempt to gain information about her sex life, Amanda was told by corrupt prison officials that she tested positive for HIV. In a very responsible manner, Amanda put together an honest list of partners she had been with during her lifetime. Little did she know that immoral journalists such as Barbie Nadeau would use this information to formulate egregious lies to be used against her.

Nadeau consistently shows how out of touch she is with the current culture in Perugia Italy. For example, Nadeau left college students in Perugia baffled when she made this observation:

"I don't think it's completely out of the picture to assume that group sex is part of the university experience now.  Based on interviews I have done, it's just what kids are doing in Perugia. These kids are not strangers to what I would consider to be extreme sex games."

Most readers would probably be quite interested in hearing from those Barbie claimed to interview. If group sex is a normal part of college life, Barbie Nadeau is the only one to realize this.

But Barbie's salacious style is not just used to sexualize the students of Perugia or Amanda Knox. Instead, Nadeau is one of the few yellow journalists willing to take her constant sexualization to the next level by disrespecting the murder victim, Meredith Kercher, in her book Angel Face, describing her lifeless naked body in lurid and sexualized terms ( as viewed during autopsy). There was no reason whatsoever to mention anything about the appearance of Meredith’s private parts and Nadeau should be ashamed for stooping to that level to promote her career. 

Sexually charged headlines for articles written by Barbie Nadeau, and others like her, came easy for editors all around the world.  For those who haven't followed the case, salacious headlines like the following were the norm:

"Lesbian Sex Plea to Knoxy"

"Foxy Knoxy plays the field from her jail cell with new romance"

“Diary reveals Foxy Knoxy’s sex secrets"

“Hayden banned from seeing sex monster Knox”

 

The Prosecution and the Court

The media carries much of the blame for fueling the sexual obsession, but we must not forget that they were being fed erroneous information from the prosecution's office led by Giuliano Mignini. Mignini was the media's source for many of the lies that were spread early on. Prosecutor Mignini would change his theory of the crime many times throughout the course of the trial. He eventually dropped the sex game theory that filled the headlines for over two years leading up to the verdict, going with an equally ridiculous theory that Amanda simply hated Meredith enough to kill her. Along with the baseless motivation of hatred, he was able to keep lust in his narrative. He created dialog for Amanda during his closing argument and imagined her saying this to Meredith during the attack: "You are always behaving like a little saint. Now we will show you; now we will make you have sex."

Judge Massei, the head magistrate in the case, didn't buy Mignini's theory and instead created his own lust driven theory of the crime. Massei suggested that Amanda and Raffaele were being intimate in Amanda's room when they overheard Rudy Guede attacking Meredith. Instead of coming to Meredith's aid, Amanda and Raffaele decided to join in on the attack. The amazing thing is that Massei's theory is even more ludicrous than Mignini's. Why would Amanda decide to help a virtual stranger attack and murder her friend? How would they have known that Rudy would not attack them? Common sense was nowhere to be found and apparently any sexually driven theory would do.

 

Peggy Ganong and Perugia Murder File

The sexual obsession fueled by the court and observed in the media was quickly adopted by a group of individuals running an ongoing hate campaign against Amanda Knox online. This group assembles on a discussion board called Perugia Murder File (PMF) run by Seattle resident, Peggy Ganong. The same group also runs a so called informational site called True Justice (TJMK) run by New Jersey resident, Peter Quennell. This group claims to be dedicated to preserving the memory of Meredith Kercher but in reality their only goal is to smear Amanda Knox. They continuously show an obsession with sex in their daily conversation attempting to paint Amanda's supporters as middle-aged men that only support Amanda because they are sexually attracted to her. Here are a few quotes from PMF, the site moderated by Peggy Ganong:

"They are middle aged Perverts who dream of being the foxy to Amanda's knoxy"

"All are middle-aged men driven by fantasies of recapturing lost youth, being a hero and carrying the damsel in distress off into the sunset."

"those middle aged one hand typists who spend their sleepless nights imagining romantic interludes with Amanda."

"seriously sick, pitifully perverted, lust aided attraction that some bored middle aged males with keyboards, have for a unanimously convicted, justly incarcerated young female"

Recently, this group suggested that Wikipedia Founder Jimbo Wales became interested in the Amanda Knox case because he was looking to have sex with Amanda.

"I don't see the pay-off in the end. Right now, Jimbo is on the verge of losing any sense of respect as a new media entrepreneur (lying about his checkuser results, for example) just for a chance to catch a peek of some tender young sex killer flesh."

"Jimbo is precisely the profile of the aging Lothario looking for access to tail through his powerful media connections. He isn't thinking with his correct head and everything he's proposed is straight out of the FOA manual."   

"Somebody should give Jimbo a cold shower. He's really lathered up and ready for brunette sex killer action"   

Peggy Ganong should have been ashamed to be part of that conversation, but as moderator she not only endorsed the dialogue but joined in with a zinger of her own: "In all seriousness, what is it with these wiki guys and their wicks?"

 

Peter Quennell: The worst of the sexually obsessed

Peter Quennell, who runs the website True Justice, does nothing to hide his obsession with murder victim Meredith Kercher on his site, giving readers an experience that is outright creepy. He doesn't hesitate to carry on the sex laden talking points of his group. He had this to say about me when he felt the need to talk about my daughter while accusing me of lusting over Amanda:

"Hmmm. Someone now tells me that Bruce Fisher who runs some FOA website claims to have a daughter. I have never paid much interest in him, but one has to wonder why he is slobbering kinkily over Amanda Knox while at the same time undermining those public institutions that are the bedrock of the future of his daughter and, when she has them, her own kids."

Even though many of the people that support Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito are women, Peter Quennell, Peggy Ganong and their followers, like to spread lies that the support comes primarily from perverted middle-aged men. This line of thinking is disgusting, but not surprising.  More likely than not, followers of Quennell and Ganong project their own shameful and creepy sexual obsessions onto others.

Recently, Quennell showed his obsession with young women when he stalked and attempted to extort money from a young woman who resisted his advances. This young woman's name will not be mentioned in this article in order to protect her privacy. Quennell attempted to lure this young woman into a business deal in which he would create a promotional website to help build her career. She was new to the United States and Quennell's offer sounded pretty good in the beginning. Quennell proceeded to create a website telling the young woman that he was creating the site free of charge to show her the benefits of his promotional expertise. The site included many personal details of the young woman's life and she did not approve. The young woman was shocked at the website Quennell had created and also became concerned (and was warned by at least one friend) that his interest in her was not solely business-related. Quennell's emails were at times sexual in nature, repeatedly asking for her to take trips with him. He refused to cease communications with her when asked, and he appeared to her to be obsessed.

The young woman asked Quennell to take the website offline but he refused, demanding money to remove it. Quennell sent the young woman hundreds of emails encouraging (pressuring) her to work with him. This disturbing daily barrage of emails led the young woman to become afraid of Quennell and she decided to go to the police. It was only after being contacted by detectives that Quennell finally removed the website ending this young woman's nightmare.

Quennell has been instructed by the police to have absolutely no contact with this young woman. In fact, if, as a result of this article or any other catalyst, Quennell decides to disobey the instructions of the police and contact or harass this young woman, or repost the offensive website he created, he knows that he will be in violation of stalking laws, and will be subject to arrest.  Additionally, individuals close to the case are in possession of several hundred emails sent by Quennell to this young woman. To this point, they have been kept confidential, and will remain so, unless Quennell violates stalking laws by any of the previously mentioned actions or continues to harass the young woman in any way, shape or form.

I know of other women that have been mistreated by Quennell that have chosen to stay silent for personal reasons. I encourage anyone that has been wronged by Peter Quennell to come forward. Exposing the truth will help to prevent Quennell from mistreating others in the future. Peter Quennell is one of the leaders of the ongoing hate campaign against Amanda Knox. If this information doesn't cause readers to pause and reevaluate what kind person Peter Quennell is and how credible his website is, nothing will.

The truth in this case has been clouded over by a disturbing sexual obsession that began with the prosecution. This obsession spread like cancer throughout the media, distorting public perception, fueling a hate campaign, eventually leading to the wrongful conviction of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, who now face a quarter century behind bars.

The murder of Meredith Kercher was a brutal crime but not a complicated one. Rudy Guede ambushed Meredith when she arrived home while Guede was in the process of burglarizing the residence. Meredith endured a violent attack which included rape. This crime was not one of lust acted out by three sex killers. This crime was one of extreme violence inflicted by one man in an act of pure evil. The sexual obsession that overwhelmed this case was based on pure fantasy; it was never about sex.  

The Democracy Manifesto (go to the manifesto) represents a significant moment as far as the global conversation on democracy is concerned. It is also a moment of new beginnings.  A good conversation is one that produces more of it. I hope this one snowballs into more debates and dialogues. Democracy is worldly, primarily an artifact. Like other human artifacts, it too needs care, continuous attention, ingenuity and passion. The ongoing conversation on democracy, as I can recall from my own experiences, never suffered from dearth of ambition. Yet it has always been an exercise in humility and deep engagement.

Imagine that you go into a ‘sleep mode’ today and are revived after a gap of several decades. What do think will have been the history of democracy while you slept? What narratives will emerge? Will experiences in different parts of the world, particularly in the global south, be a part of the larger story of democracy?

You only need to ask the question to sense the importance of an affirmative answer. If currently existing democracy in India has merely overcome corruption and ensured the rule of law, if China has moved towards democracy, if Brazil continues to have popular government and there are elections in South Africa that change the ruling party, if there is democracy in Egypt (who would have thought of writing that three months ago?) and Palestine… or if there are not any of these things…

It is clear that the dominant ways of thinking of democracy are and continue to be narrow. They tend to make the political clamour, experiments and mobilizations in different parts of the world invisible. But it is surely the case as our experiment shows that if we think of democracy and look forward then the still dominant view is quite inadequate. The future of democracy will be shaped and even decided in countries that are more experimental than its traditional homelands. The ‘frontier’ of democracy to borrow an image, is no longer found in the ‘west’ or the global north.

This is the starting point of our global conversation. It questions the dominant view, and shows that other ways of engaging with democratic experiences are possible. Not only possible but also necessary and now in the public domain. 

First, a bit of history. 

A few years ago a group of scholars and activists from South Asia wanted to reflect on democratic experiences in their countries in the region. They all agreed that knowledge about democracy must be produced in a democratic fashion and that this demands a methodology that does not devalue specificities of experiences. They initiated a conversation within the region and finally produced a report - State of Democracy in South Asia.  The impetus for a further, global conversation on democracy emerged from several regional conversations that followed especially this South Asian one. No doubt, in the past there were discussions on democracy. But this time round, the conversation delves deeply into the fundamental questions regarding the ways in which democracy has to be explained and evaluated.  It attempts to re-define what it means to be democratic.

The Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), in Delhi, coordinated the initiative, and thanks to the intellectual energy of Professors Rajeev Bhargava and Yogendra Yadav, and a grant from the Ford Foundation, the global conversation took off to a good start three years ago.   During this period, three major international meetings, involving participants from Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America, were held (two in India and one in South Africa). Besides academics, a good number of participants came from the world of civil society and social movements.  The conversations thus far have been focused and productive.  

As I write this, activists and ordinary citizens have gathered in different parts of India to raise the issue of corruption in politics and public life. To them, fighting against corruption is a struggle for democracy. Like the continuing upsurge in the Arab World, the mobilization in India reflects the local concerns, dreams and aspirations. In some of these cases, practices on the ground seem to run way ahead of the dominant democratic thinking. However there are occasions when these events fall far short of the high normative standards of democracy. The lack of fit between theory and practice, in the above sense, is what grounds the substance of the ongoing conversation on democracy.

Being conversationalists we decided that we would produce only a draft of a Democracy Manifesto and ask for further thoughts, comments and even asides. Here it is. Let’s see what happens. We already have responses from Anthony Barnett, Laurence Whitehead, Jorge Heine and Melissa Williams. Hope more will join in.

The Democracy Manifesto: Re-imagining Democracy in Our Time 

To the introduction

The Arab democratic upsurge of 2011 inspires democrats all over the world. It has fired up the imagination of all those struggling for self-rule under authoritarianism. It also gives hopes to those engaged in deepening democratic practices everywhere. To all those who see democracy as a shared journey of humanity, it provides an occasion to reflect on what democracy means. This is a moment to re-imagine democratic ideals and practices in our time. 

1. Democracy as a political principle and as a form of government has expanded to nearly all corners of the world. It is recognized now that every human being must have an effective say in the decisions that affect their life. The notion that every government must respect this fundamental principle has greater acceptance than ever before. The ideal of self-rule has begun to fire up peoples’ imagination all over the world.  Democracy may not be a form of government that is experienced globally, but it has become an aspiration that is shared across the globe. This aspiration takes different forms. The ideal of popular self-rule has multiple readings.  Theses will depend on which people are being talked about, what understanding of self is being invoked and what  is accepted as self-rule.  “ The people” could mean all the citizens of a national state, the citizens at a region or locality, or the planet’s entire population. The self could be seen in terms of the individual citizen or in terms of a social community. Self-rule could be interpreted as voice, consultation, consent or consensus in any authoritative and binding decision-making process. A standard understanding is that democracy means free and fair elections, but it can also take other forms.
2. The globally dominant notion of what democracy means, however, does not reflect the journey of democracy. The prevailing orthodoxy about democracy  draws upon the limited experience of a small part of the globe. Selected facts of European and North American history have been turned into abstract principles. One of the many strands of western political thought has been assumed to be the sole repository of the normative imagination for democratic practices in different societies at different points of time.  An idealized notion of western liberal democracy hegemonizes the democratic imagination. It is assumed that capitalism and modernity have an intrinsic relationship with democracy. This hegemony of the western experience and imagination may not always affect popular struggles that are being waged in the name of democracy all over the world. Yet, it does constrain the translation of popular aspirations, practices and struggles into a set of norms, institutions and theories in the Global South. It also constrains the deepening of democracy within the global North.
3. Enriching our democratic imagination in line with the expansion of democracy would involve several things: widening our conceptual apparatus to accommodate diverse languages and idioms of democracy;  enriching our normative standards to reflect multiple histories and traditions of democratic thinking; and  correcting our explanations to account for radically different experiences and trajectories of democracy. Reimagining democracy along these lines is one of the most pressing ethical and political tasks of our times. It is imperative not just for democrats in the ‘aspiring’ and ‘new’ democracies, but equally in ‘established democracies’.
4. The prevailing orthodoxy on the democratic imagination assumes that democracy is strictly the gift of western civilization.  Yet, an honest genealogy of democratic ideas and practices must acknowledge that these are rooted in multiple trajectories. Ancient Greece was but one of the sources of democratic imagination. The ideas of democracy can be traced to Buddhist Sangha, Ganatantra traditions in ancient India, Islamic traditions in many societies and practices among the indigenous communities across the world. Much of the modern ideology and language of democracy has spread to most parts of the world from Western Europe and North America. Many of the well-established democratic institutions and practices in today's world were secured first in Europe through a series of popular struggles. The gains of these struggles are now part of our global human heritage.  Yet the western legacy is neither singular nor unambiguous.  For every advance in democracy, there is also the history of denial of democratic rights. Besides, the history of the expansion of self-rule for one's own citizens was inextricably woven with the history of denial of self-rule to larger subject populations outside and ethnic minorities inside the territory of a ‘democratic’ state. For most of the world, the contemporary practices of democracy are neither a direct off-shoot of the various ancient traditions nor an imitation of the modern west. The democratic aspiration spread to most of the world by way of anti-colonial struggles and the various movements for self-determination and self-rule in the last two centuries.
5. Enriching the democratic imagination requires questioning the simple-minded democracy/non-democracy binary canonized by the dominant orthodoxy. As democracy becomes the most sought after regime label, the quest for self-rule is reduced to a contestation about the latter. This promotes binary, either-or, thinking over a graded understanding of the spectrum from democracy to non-democracy. The dominant orthodoxy’s focus on classifying a country either as a democracy or a non-democracy encourages façade democracies. This binary distinction has resulted in an excessive focus on the threshold of when a non-democracy turns into a democracy.  This summative and static judgment performs the function of putting some ‘established democracies’ beyond reproach. This artificial binary construct must come to an end.  Democratic practices may exist in apparently non-democratic regimes. Established democratic states can embody a vast array of non-democratic practices. There is no "finished product democracy" and there never will be.  The aspiration for democracy is open-ended. Each fresh step opens new horizons.
6. The dominant orthodoxy espouses teleology. Democracy is the ultimate and inevitable destination. This often leads to thinking in terms of stages or pre-conditions to the ‘transition’ to and ‘consolidation’ of democracy. Yet, there are multiple sequences and routes by which different political regimes come to be democratic. The route taken by democracy in the west is but one sequence of many. In turn, there are multiple trajectories within the west itself. Material prosperity and cultural uniformity are neither necessary nor sufficient conditions for democracy.  We also need to move away from an instrumental and determinist view of the outcomes of democracy.  Democracy leads to different outcomes in different historical settings.  Democrats need to be aware of the dysfunctions of democracy, and not just in 'new' or 'developing' democracies. The case for democracy cannot rest on dubious and instrumental grounds such as its purported usefulness for desired economic outcomes. Democracy must be cherished for its intrinsic value, for what it means to human dignity.
7. Reimagining democracy requires a fundamental shift. There is a tendency to assume that democracy is an attribute of political regimes rather than that of political practices. This leads to privileging form over substance, to making too much of formal political institutions and to reducing democracy to electoral democracy. An emphasis on practices would require a more careful and painstaking sifting of the substance of political action, its contextual meaning and its consequences.  This also enables us to think of democracy beyond the formal domain of politics. Practices within the domain of the family or the market, for example, need to be viewed in terms of the extent to which they enable or constrain self-rule. Democracy needs to be thought of as a way of life.
8. Questioning the dominant orthodoxy also leads us to the search for an appropriate level of analysis. There is a need to move beyond a fixation with the national state as the natural unit within which one thinks about self-rule. The locus of national power is no doubt the principal level of struggles for self-rule. But to focus exclusively on it side-steps the colossal inequalities among and within nation states. The latter deny vast numbers of people across the globe an effective voice over decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods. The quest for democracy must go wherever effective and binding decision-making occurs.  Shifting sites of sovereignty require that we begin to think of inter-national relations as an arena of democratic contestation. The same could be extended to the level of continents or other groupings of nations. At the same time, the unit of analysis needs to be extended downwards, to regional and local units, for this is the level at which most citizens experience self-rule or its absence.  
9.  The idea of democracy is becoming global, and it acquires multiple meanings. As democracy becomes a global aspiration, it attaches itself to different and often competing values.  This entails a conversation with pre-existing cultural values. Many of these values are contradictory to the democratic ideal; they must go. Some of the pre-existing values are not fully compatible with democracy; they must change. At the same time, the idea of democracy itself does and must undergo a change.  As the idea of democracy is interpreted and re-interpreted in different parts of the world, misunderstandings and misuses will arise. Therefore democracy is and will remain a contested concept.  This contest is resolved by entering on a case by case basis. It cannot be resolved a-priori by insisting upon an original, all-encompassing definition of democracy.  The demand that democracy all over the world must conform to a fixed definition first worked out in one part of the globe is inherently undemocratic. The ideal of democracy requires a respect for the democracy of knowledge. Knowledge production is not limited to some privileged sites, some societies or some period in history. The ideal of democracy has emerged from a dialogue of the various expressions of self-rule in human history. If democracy is anchored in reason, dialogue is the custodian of reason.

10. Current definitions of democracy threaten to reduce it to an institutional checklist derived from idealized notions of the experience of a small part of the globe.  The ideal of democracy is seen to be synonymous with the historical form of liberal democracy in advanced capitalist societies of Western Europe and North America.  Often this is further reduced down to a few key institutional features.  Yet, the historical experience of democracy in most of the world provides overwhelming evidence against this approach.  More often than not, imported institutions do not produce the same consequences that they did in their home context. Similarity of form is no guarantee of democratic substance.  In fact, a search for familiar form is an invitation to cynical and superficial copying for extraneous gains. On the one hand, the experience of ‘established democracies’ shows that the appearance of a democratic form of government can very well go hand in hand with the de facto rule by experts, the dominance of corporate power, social control by private networks and  the decline of citizen participation. On the other hand, the experience of democratic success outside the global North suggests that a departure from the mandated institutional form is often a pre-condition for success.  Mass democracies of post-colonial societies tend to acquire depth through practices that may not have a legitimate institutional expression in the conventional wisdom on democracy.  Institutions are crucial to the formation and strengthening of democracies, but what institutions do depends on the context in which these are located.  We need to shift the focus from the form of an institution to its real- life consequences in a given context. Democracy is an ever-evolving principle that can take different institutional expression at different points of time in different societies.

11. Thus, the principles and practices of democracy have to be open to multiple sources of learning. There are several living 'traditions' of consultation and consensus making all over the world. Such local practices need to be 'critically transformed' in order to make them relevant for democratic practices today. New power sharing arrangements are being worked out all over the world in different contexts, in response to different needs. Various monitoring tools are being invented in different democracies. So far only a few of these appear on the radar of  the democratic imagination. The search for a richer democratic imagination requires that we look for practices, institutions, intellectual traditions and thinkers everywhere to help us reshape democratic theory.

12.  The very notion of exporting democracy is inimical to the spirit of democracy. Democracy promotion can turn into democratic imperialism. Like all ideologies, democracy too can turn into a dogma. Strengthening democracy is about deepening the values which shape the principles of democracy within a society. The 'culture of democracy' of a given society is vital to building democracy. The idea that some people lack 'culture' and are not ready for democracy also goes against the principle of democracy.

13.  To deparochialize the idea of democracy is not to privilege an Eastern or Southern view of democracy over existing Western or Northern views. To the contrary: it means universalizing our understanding of democracy and democratic practices. The insistence on difference and divergence is designed to synthesize the multiple experiences of democracy. This is a necessary condition for reclaiming the global heritage of democracy and for reimagining a truly global future for it. FROM SOUTH TO NORTH.

Of the various values that the idea of democracy attaches itself to, four deserve a special mention.  First, democracy requires individual and collective freedom, for self-rule cannot exist in the absence of a basic guarantee of freedom.  Any kind of coercion or violence thus goes against the spirit of democracy. Second, the idea of self-rule requires that everyone have an equal say in matters that concern them.  Democratic deliberations require a level playing ground, free from widespread inter- and intra-group inequalities. Third, the ideal of self-rule requires a recognition of communities that often constitute the self. Thus democracy requires respect for deep diversity. In a world where most political units contain diverse communities, any attempt at cultural homogenization is not in keeping with the spirit of democracy. Fourth, given that democracy requires maintaining the conditions for democratic deliberations for future generations, it implies an ethic of responsibility towards nature.

Traditional ‘Europeans’ are worried. It’s not only fear of strangers: it’s the  redefinition of ‘our’ space and  uncertainty about ‘our’ future. Future developments, largely unexpected, let us stress that once again, will force us to redefine choices and policies that previously had been (differently in different countries) seen as ‘ours’ by definition. But now it seems that ‘immigration policies’ will have to be designed and ‘immigrants’ dealt with in a very different context. 

Attention at present is primarily  focused on France and Italy and the policy responses and  ‘messages sent out’ by governments under the pressure of people flow, prompted by the violent confrontations with dramatic  human costs in North Africa and the Middle East. What we are facing now is a process of change that ought to bring us, traditional ‘Europeans’, to reconsider how the Mediterranean space is defined, and how we are related to and confront political contexts and peoples that we had seen as far apart, different, actually as others. 

How these events (ongoing conflict in Libya in particular) have been handled by the Italian Government is a widely discussed theme in our political sphere, public  discourse and in the media. It all began with growing numbers from the other side of the sea reaching the island of Lampedusa. Within a very few days, the anticipation of further arrivals, difficulties in facing that, graphic images in the media had come to be regarded as a highly visibile challenge. A core concern for those in power was how to handle this in terms of domestic politics (elections were close, the Lega Nord was extremely vocal in its opposition to all forms of asylum). The EU was regarded as a major source of support, and the Italian Government had recourse to the EU at the very beginning. It immediately announced that money would be made available. 

However, lack of adequate planning at the European level triggered a round of international debate.  Back in Italy, the main problem was how to tackle the immediate challenge while anticipating further developments. Various arrangements were put in place, trying to face the immediate needs of those, in extremely distressed circumstances, who continued to arrive. 

But accommodating these people raised a further issue - of increasing numbers of newcomers, not only from the Mediterranean area, but from other African regions. Immigrants from all over the world had reached Egypt in particular. A much more profound process of global mobility was thus for once made visible. This was immediately seen as having a ‘European relevance’,  and dangerous implications. 

Of course there were voices in some sectors of public opinion and in some political groupings, who made it clear that giving support to these people in their political struggle and solidarity in their present (and future) difficulties were crucial choices, reflecting fundamental values. 

But political leaders  and the media insisted that there were far too many of them and that they had to be sent back to their countries, or moved out of Italy (most of them towards France: Tunisians in particular were making it clear that this was their preferred destination). So the obvious next step involved granting  ‘temporary acceptance’ documents which would allow all to move freely within the Schengen area. Hence, out of Italy: this was the goal. 

The French Government immediately opposed this solution. 

Increasing numbers of ‘immigrants’ have tried to reach the Italian/French border nevertheless. The first reaction was to refuse all those travelling from Italy entry into France. International television channels showed how many people had to pass through days (and nights) without being given any adequate  assistance or any information. In the days that followed, controls were established at the border by French authorities. Those who did not have what was considered a sufficient amount of money were not allowed to move on into France. 

At the end of April, Sarkozy and Berlusconi met in Rome: their agreements and ‘solutions’ were announced. 

It is very clear that both feel the pressure from their ‘populist’ right-wing political rivals, Marine Le Pen in Front National  in France and the Lega Nord in Italy, together with large sectors of public opinion in both countries. But beyond that. Economic and social problems are to be expected in the  coming months (and years). Resistance to processes of change is to be expected. The sharpening of conflicting interests, and of course, forms of discrimination and growing xenophobia are one response. 

A scenario-in progress is what we have to face that had somehow not been anticipated in a ‘traditional’ European perspective, despite Europe’s intimate knowledge of how this dynamic can develop. 

So, we must work at redefining our near-term and longer-term future. 

Hopefully, also, we might finally learn how to live in diversity, while taking into account ongoing social and political pressures (and considering how unprepared Europe appears to be to face them). Two aspects in particular demand our urgent fresh attention, the rising populism in many EU countries, and the relevance for Europe of  present events  in North Africa and the Middle East. 

Just a brief comment looking at the past. In the post-war period, the project of adequate migration policies and institutions was seen as an important and feasible social and political objective in the Nordic countries, and in different ways and with different procedures in France, the UK, and Germany as well. ‘Newcomers’ were needed. Conditions of discrimination and inequality were present, but a variety of approaches and models to deal with this were developed in contexts which all had in common assumptions that a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, mutli-religious future settlement could be reached. 

Putting it briefly: those circumstances made living in diversity a possible European framework, a common goal which would, of course, require a shared project and continuous engagement. But suddenly, we find ourselves in very different circumstances. Now we face, all over Europe, growing ‘institutional xenophobia’ and a pervasive ‘politics of fear’. 

In many EU countries populist parties and a supportive public opinion have become a central political and social dimension (with somewhat different aspects and perspectives as to their future roles and positions). But common traits, which have been analyzed in a number of studies, are there for all to see: not only growing problems in the economy and in the labour market in particular; but increasing disaffection with the institutional machinery, national as well as European; and then there is the role of the media in stoking this fear. In all these different cases, the question of migration, and all the policies related to living in diversity have taken centre-ground, not lessening the fear and its attendant xenophobia, but adding to its thralldom.  

A highly visible new generation of political leaders, markedly different as to their backgrounds and their policy proposals, as well as their highly personal ways of presenting themselves (in Italy, Berlusconi and Bossi must both be seen as interesting examples) have built strong support from large sectors of the population who have felt that they have no voice.  

What is the alternative to their fear and xenophobia? Does ‘traditional’ Europe have an answer? 

I would like to wish you well next week for Europe Day and your investigation of the ‘Uses of Xenophobia’, and also congratulation on the tenth birthday of openDemocracy. This is indeed a timely discussion.

Yesterday, as it became clear that the Referendum on the Voting System had not been a YES, Andrew and I said YES in May once more to each other in a very special way: I solemnly promise that I will protect you, N., my brother, with my utmost care, that I will honour and cherish ...

Well, that was a thoroughly depressing day! All chances of voting reform for a generation down the pan, and the Lib Dems knocked for six by the voters. That's democracy for you, I guess... Perhaps, after all, liberalism's concern to stick up for oppressed minorities is more to do with rational self-interest than enlightened altruism. To save myself from such musings of doom, I spent last night watching Pete Doherty play the Oxford O2 instead. It was a pretty surreal experience. I had expected the concert to be sold out, and it was. What I hadn't expected was the audience ...

San Ramon officer charged with drug, gun crimes San Francisco Chronicle San Ramon Police officer Louis Lombardi (R) stands with his attorney, Harry Stern as he is arraigned on drug and other charges in Contra Costa Superior Court on May 6, 2011 in Martinez, Calif. Pool Photograph by Karl Mondon/Contra Costa Times (05-06) ... and more »

Washington Times

EDITORIAL: Gun-grabber misfire Washington Times 13, 2009, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley looks at a handgun during a gun turn-in program in Chicago, as Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis looks on in the background. Daley, one of the nation's most vocal gun control advocates, said the city will ... and more »

Watch 48th IPL of Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings of IPL 2011 – Online Free. Get latest links for Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings flash players and ustream links. You can also get the live links of CSK v KKR p2p, justin.tv and other high...

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MMA Workouts, and especially mma workouts at home are probably the fastest growing segment of the fitness world in 2011.  MMA has existed for years but it was always presupposed that these warrior like workouts were only for the most elite athletes.  To some degree...

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The 48th T20 game of the Indian Premier League will be played between the defending champions Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday, May 7, 2011 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkatta. The day/night game will begin on 4 p.m. India time. Click to see live score....

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Kamsky Sets Back Bulgaria's Topalov in FIDE Candidate Matches 2011
Sports | May 6, 2011, Friday
Source: http://www.novinite.com

Chess is a Medicine for Anti Aging
By Leonxto Garcia for FIDE Chess in Schools Commission

All about the live coverage of the Candidates matches round 3, with analysis, video, news, live commentary and more!

Join Hélène Mulholland for rolling coverage of the fallout from yesterday's elections as the UK votes to maintain the first-past-the-post system

Good morning. It's the morning after the night before, when opponents to replacing first-past-the-post with the alternative vote to elect MPs to Westminster resoundingly won the day in the referendum.

Both David Cameron and Nick Clegg have said now that UK voters have had their say, it's time to "move on". Easier for some than others. The local elections returned disastrous results for the Liberal Democrats, a stronger than expected performance for the Conservatives, and a fairly disappointing one for Labour. Ed Miliband's party failed to make a breakthrough in the locals, narrowly failed to secure an overall majority after winning half the seats in the Welsh assembly and badly in the devolved Scottish elections, whereas the Scottish National Party had every reason to be on cloud nine after sweeping to power.

I'll be blogging the latest on what yesterday's results will mean for the respective political parties, as well as covering the latest results in Northern Ireland, where the count for the Stormont elections continues. Counting there (which began yesterday) has been extremely slow – election workers in Fermanagh/South Tyrone were using hairdryers on ballot papers that got rained on.

So far, we have the results for just 41 seats out of 108 in an election where the UUP faces being pushed into fourth place. The DUP currently has 18 seats, Sinn Féin 14, SDLP 3, UUP 3, and the Alliance party 3. Peter Robinson, the leader of the Democratic Unionist party, was elected to Stormont a year after the loss of his Westminster seat.

Little or no progress has been made on majority of environment policies analysed in Friends of the Earth report

Progress on the prime minister's pledge to make the coalition the "greenest government ever" was heavily criticised today by environmental leaders.

The former government adviser, Jonathon Porritt, said the likelihood of the government living up to the promise made almost a year ago was "vanishingly remote".

In a report commissioned by Friends of the Earth, Porritt said ministers were failing to deliver on key environmental pledges, and policies had been watered down, delayed or even abandoned.

In the wake of the report, the Friends of the Earth executive director, Andy Atkins, warned that without "real political courage", Cameron's green ambitions would be simply hot air.

From proposals to sell off public forests to a review of feed-in tariffs for small-scale renewables and the decision to scrap a £42m marine renewables development fund, the government has failed to champion green issues, the report claims.

According to the research, little or no progress has been made on three quarters of 77 environmental or sustainability policies that were analysed.

Porritt said the review of the policies showed that the "bad and the positively ugly indisputably outweighed the good", and that growth at all costs had won out over efforts to create a green economy and thousands of low-carbon jobs.

He said Cameron had not been personally visible on green issues, the Treasury had been hostile to environmental policies and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was being "trampled all over" by other Whitehall departments.

And the "big society" and the localism agenda is being driven by the ideological priority to shrink the state, rather than delivering improvements in people's local environment and lives, he claimed.

Porritt was chairman of the Sustainable Development Commission, which was set up to hold the government to account on its policies on sustainability but which was scrapped last year in the "bonfire of the quangos".

In his new report he warned that in the last year, most of the "important battles" on the environment had been lost, including the Treasury's refusal to let the green investment bank borrow funds until 2015, which he said would reduce its ability to drive investment in the low-carbon economy.

But the report did flag up a number of green initiatives which it said were positive, including scrapping plans to expand airports in the south east, announcing the world's first incentives to promote renewable heating and agreeing to roll out smart meters to 30m homes by 2014.

Porritt said: "The prime minister's own credibility is at stake here – as is that of the Liberal Democrats who have clearly failed to use their influence inside the coalition to ensure a better performance on the environment and sustainable development.

"It's certainly not too late, but things are going to have to change dramatically to make up lost ground."

Atkins said: "Confidence in David Cameron's boast to run the 'greenest government ever' is fading fast.

"Rather than creating a green and safe future, his government has steadily dismantled pledges and policies that would help him achieve it.

"David Cameron could be building a prosperous low-carbon economy out of the rubble of the old, creating new jobs and industries for recession-hit Britain – but green development is continually being sacrificed in favour of growth at any cost.

"Unless the prime minister starts to show real political courage and leadership on the environment, his green ambitions will simply be more hot air."

Last month, green campaigners and business leaders attacked the government's environmental record, with one investor saying the coalition's actions threatened to "choke off the lifeblood of the green economy."

The values of the Middletons' class – hard work, respect for property and insular family life – are actually at odds with those of the aristocracy

Wake up. The honeymoon is over. Back to reality. Even princes have to go to work like normal people. And Kate, who has opted to be a full-time RAF officer's wife, can wave him off, as she is now living the dream on Anglesey. The dream means running her husband baths, watching him play polo and attending the odd charity bash with him. Apparently, she wanted this old-fashioned role, which some call wife, but I call "lovely assistant". Indeed, despite the palace's plea for privacy after the nuptial glut, it may well be impossible for Kate to "work" because of the huge amount of attention on her.

It has to be said, though, that up until now, Kate's jobs have seemed fairly token. Has this woman ever been financially independent? It seems rather she has spent her time being groomed to be a wife. That such grooming allows "a commoner" into the royals represents a triumph for the bourgeoisie. Last week's entrenching of establishment values, amid middlebrow mores and faux militarism, was lapped up by some. Many were indifferent. Few were stirred by pure republicanism, which remains abstract, but nonetheless we were repeatedly addressed as though we were all avid royalists. Royalists needed to pimp their romantic fantasy alongside their tea towels 24/7. The fantasy is that romance is always transformative. Mermaids get legs! Girls from the home counties get castles! The problem is that we know too much about the Middleton background to pretend this all happened naturally.

The Middletons were on full display; a small business compared to the firm, but there is something rather corporate and manufactured about them.

We have been invited both to sneer at them for social climbing, and to identify with them for their hard work and "ordinariness". Their back story represents almost a primer in the history of social mobility. From mining stock, Carole Middleton became an air hostess. She met her husband Michael while he was working as an air steward. They set up a family business selling party bags online. They made enough – we don't know how much, as their company is run as a partnership, so we don't see how much tax they pay – to send their three children to Marlborough College.

As is always the way, it's the woman, Carole, who is seen as socially aspirational and pushy. Her girls, Catherine and Pippa, have been called "the wisteria sisters", as they are adept in social climbing. It is a recurring motif from Austen to Osborne that women are the schemers who dream of an upwardly mobile escape.

It is Carole, too, who is said to have made the "gaffes"; saying the wrong thing to the Queen, chewing nicotine gum at Sandhurst. It is Carole's prawn-and-cottage-cheese diet we know about. It is Carole who was laughed at when she was finally invited to Balmoral. There she was, laying flat out in the damp grass with a ghillie to instruct her in deer stalking. Nothing could signal the gap between the Middletons and the aristocracy more than this. The Middletons may like the races and have shares in a horse, but they don't kill large animals for fun.

Blood sports are the province of our ruling classes, from our Queen to David Cameron. The bourgeoisie simply have to accept this is the way things are done.

The values of the Middletons' class – hard work, respect for property and insular family life – are actually at odds with those of the aristocracy, who don't work and inherit wealth. But the wedding achieved a sleight of hand in its illusion of harmony. Thus, the Middletons were the stars of the show. Carole was deemed to have dressed well enough. Pippa, upstaged by her own backside, is the new top totty. James, who until now was known mainly as a cross-dressing cake-maker who liked posting pictures of himself naked on Facebook, has been reinvented as a speechifying young blade. Indeed, the Middletons, in outfits and behaviour, were conservative enough. It was the royals who wore what they bloody well liked, with Beatrice and Eugenie cleverly suggesting Spiker and Sponge from Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach.

The dress, which was said to melt the hardest of republican hearts (really?), was a McQueen effort, with any radical edge softened, and unsurprisingly retro. Nothing to frighten the horses. Kate looked suitably demure. Except for the double nipple effect that this couture provided. The pretence of virginity is part of the facade, after all.

The prince's mother, as if we could forget, was sacrificed on that altar. This wedding served to remind us, though, that the Diana moment is long gone. Since about 2002 the royals have got their PR in order. The success of their press operation is manifest in the uniform nature of the fawning coverage.

Consent was assumed: we were all, we were repeatedly told, thrilled by this occasion. Hegemony was secured as Harry grinned at Pippa. The boring bits of the service, or the shots of most of the congregation unable to sing any of the hymns, were glossed over.

The celebration of reactionary values was duly achieved, by assuming we are all bound up in them. No wonder the Labour politicians – at least those invited – looked so out of place. This was the ruling class en masse, preening itself for letting in "a commoner". Us commoners should be duly grateful.

This young woman and her family may have got what they wanted, and they may give the monarchy a sheen of modernity. But there is little modern going on. The world of this wedding is that of a regressive culture in which women express their individuality by not wearing a hat, women are still unironically "given away", a good marriage is the sum of female achievement.

As was made clear, and indeed taken for granted by those who should know better, we all think like this, except a few crazed republicans. The institutions of Christianity and patriarchy are unquestionable. Well, it's a wedding! Don't be grouchy. Yet there is another world out here where supreme indifference was not borne out of any hostility to the couple, rather a disdain for every convention on display.

The bourgeoisie always presents its way of life as the only way to live. But there are others less stultifying. The fantasy that we may escape class, one at a time, through marriage, remains. The system on display last week is as rigid as it ever was. The acceptance of the Middletons by the monarchy was not some great moment of modernisation; it is simply a deal to ensure everything carries on as it always did.

Our consent to this deal is sewn up by the continuing narrative, which assures us that every girl wants a prince. And a fairytale wedding. Whatever we say. Mindless babbling about the intricate lacework on a dress will stop us from seeing the straitjacket stitched into its structure, surely? And the conservative heart that beats within.

Have you ever seriously thought about the results you aim to achieve from your marketing efforts? Of course, you want more clients, more revenue, and more profit. That's the ultimate marketing result - a steady stream of new business. However, these ar...

Kris Hoet wrote a new blog post: Nutricia launches unique dual-screen pregnancy iPhone app for couples Young parents all over Belgium rely on Nutricia babyfoods every day. And now, Nutricia has found a way to support mums even before their baby is born – with Baby Connection: a unique iPhone app that helps gets the dad more involved in the pregnancy. Baby Connection works best when you use it as a [...]

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If it turns out they’re right, will there be someone we can sue? [Oliver; more on government's tendency to expose the public to risk] Tags: salt Related posts Update: “Sodium lawsuit against Denny’s dismissed” (0) The odium of sodium (2) Stossel on the food police (3) Shaker abstinence: FDA to regulate salt in food (15) Salt reactions (7)

Hartlepool Today

Heart attack victim's epic bike ride Hartlepool Today A TRUCK driver who survived a heart attack will set off on a mammoth charity bike ride today – almost six years to the day he nearly died. Kevin Bostock was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, suffering from chest pains on May ... and more »

Palm Beach County School Bus Driver Suffers Heart Attack, Crashes Bus NewYorkInjuryNews (press release) West Palm Beach, FL — A bus crash at Lake Worth Community High School was cause when a Palm Beach County School District bus driver lost control of her bus, after suffering a heart attack on Tuesday morning, May 3, 2011, reported The Palm Beach Post. ... and more »

Mark Yuasa covers fishing and outdoors in the Pacific Northwest. A Seattle native, Mark is a lifelong angler who grew up near the banks of Lake Washington, and has been covering fishing and outdoors for more than 19 years for The Seattle Times.

For the past while, 'The Amazing Spider-Man' set photos have been leaking like crazy. They started off pretty tame, but have progressed into stuntmen and star of the film, Andrew Garfield swinging around the streets of New York with the assistance of wires. Photos are lovely at capturing a moment, but they can also be a bit of a tease. YouTube user, Ajhp23 has managed to get their hands on more than just some flashy photos. There are two videos below, one showing who is presumably a stuntman doing some wire-assisted web-slinging, while the other has him taking a spinning tumble off of the back of a bus.Directed by Marc Webb, 'The Amazing Spider-Man' stars the aforementioned Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, along with Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors, Irrfan Khan as Nels Van Adder, Campbell Scott as Richard Parker, Embeth Davidtz as Mary Parker, Martin Sheen as Ben Parker, and Sally Field as May Parker. The film is set for a July 3, 2012 release.  Source: Ajhp23

Will Smith is the favourite for the lead role in Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The box-office supernova, whose last screen appearance was in Seven Pounds, is Tarantino's favourite to star in the spaghetti western, although it's unclear if he has even read the script that has been sent to his reps yet.

According to sources at international distribution meetings QT has been attending, Smith is the director's top choice to play Django, a freed slave who seeks revenge on a plantation owner to save his slave wife.

The Hollywood Reporter mentions a couple of hinderances - the controversial nature of the expletive-laden script, Smith's financials - which could prevent the actor from joining.

If Smith does sign on, this could be a hell of a lot more interesting than the 'safe' fare that he's been associated with for so long now.

The prospect of an A-lister in the lead role is extremely tantalising too, considering what Tarantino did with Brad Pitt in Inglourious Basterds.

While Christoph Waltz has long been linked to the role of the German bounty hunter who trains Django, Samuel L. Jackson is said to be in talks to play the house slave of Monsieur Calvin Candie, the picture's big bad.

We can't imagine it'll take much to get QT-collaborator Jackson to sign up for Django, even if he is pretty busy with Marvel at the moment.

Django Unchained is expected to shoot in the South in the Autumn.

Will Smith will next be seen in Men in Black III.