#dear home office 2: still pending

[bowandcurtsey]

I don't know if it's already been done or if it's still a pending request, but can I ask about Yami, Fuegoleon, William and Nozel having a hard, stressful day behind them and their girlfriend is doing something quiet and romantic to make them relax? What exactly it's up to you, I'm just thirsty for some nice romantic fluff XD

Nice Romantic fluff （✿＾－＾) Coming right up Anony!!

Yami | Fuegoleon | William | Nozel x f! reader

Yami Sukehiro

You man walked into your shared room after an afternoon long meeting with Julius. He made a loud dramatic sigh and fell face first onto your bed.

You were surfing the net on your computer and you looked up to your man. "Long day Chunky?"

"Don't even get me started princess, Julius is all the way up to my neck with the pay cutting and extra duties shit."

"Sounds really shitty," You came beside him and patted his hair, "how about a nice soak in the hot baths?"

"Mmmm. Sounds good if you're joining me." Your man replied with a muffled voice into the pillow.

He dipped into the hot bath, heaving a sigh of relief. "Ahhhhhhh~"

You came in awhile after him, holding 2 large bottles of icy cold beer in your hands. You grinned at him and passed him a bottle.

"You're the best in the world, baby. If any one says otherwise I'll beat them up." he joked.

"You gangster," you sat in the warm waters beside him, "come on, I'll give you a massage"

He turned, facing his back towards you as you started to knead on his tough and hard shoulders. You went to a massage course just for this man. He was always surpassing his limits and his body was always stiff and tensed.

"Damn," he grunted in pleasure, "You're getting better and better at this baby"

You pulled both his arms backward, stretching one of those hard to reach muscles, his upper back cracking. "ooooof" he moaned out, "that was fucking good baby"

He pulled you into his lap, resting his chin on top of your head. "never knew I needed a woman in my life until I met you."

Fuegoleon Vermillion

He was sitting in his office, it was way past his working hours now and you decided to come by his office with some hot soup.

"Honey?" he looked up from the piles of paper he was buried in, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm sure you haven't had dinner love, so I brought some warm soup." You walked over to his table, "have a 10 minute break?"

He relented as his stomach started protesting at the aroma of your home made soup.

You put on some jazz music on the radio and he slowly enjoyed his herbal chicken soup.

He sat in silence with his eyes closed as he enjoyed his jazz music. When he opened his eyes, you were standing in front of him, with your hand outstretched towards him.

"Let's dance a little dear, it's been a long time we had a dance." you suggested, a twinkle forming on your face.

"Now? Here?" he asked, confusion on his face

"why not?" you chuckled, you were always the spontaneous one, pulling Fue to do things that he never did in his life, which was why he fell in love with you in the first place.

He stood up and held your waist in one hand, your hand in the other and you both just swayed to the music.

"Don't be too hard on yourself dear," you reminded him gently.

"Thank you honey, what would I do without you in my life." he relaxed into your presence, taking in the smell of your perfume.

The music ended and you both came to a halt, just holding onto each other, gazing into the other's eyes, appreciating the moment you both are having.

The crimson lion captain placed his hands on your cheeks and pulled you into a kiss.

William Vangeance

It was a really rough day for the golden dawn captain. You were not really sure what or why, but he went out to an urgent meeting on his off day and came back in the early afternoon and didn't speak much.

He only sat in the balcony with a tea mug in one hand, looking at the skies. You wanted to ask him what was wrong, but felt like it wasn't a good time to talk about it immediately.

You went into the kitchen. And you started baking. You whisked and mixed and soon, a vanilla fragrance was pouring through the entire house.

William loved the smell of baked food. The smell of warm, fresh pie, cakes, pastries made his mind calm down and put him in a good mood.

He closed his eyes as he took in a deep breath. The smell of his favourite fruit pie filled his nostrils and distracted his mind from the bad, stressful meeting earlier on.

His legs moved on his own, following the aroma that led him into his own kitchen. He was so immersed into his thought that he didn't hear you cooking.

"What's in the oven my dearest?" a smile formed at his lips at the sight of you in your apron, your hair bun up messily with a speckle of flour on your cheeks.

"Your favourite~" You beamed at him, wiping some sweat away from your forehead.

He came over and wiped the flour off your cheeks, "What's the occasion darling?"

"I just thought you seemed like having a bad day.." You fondled with your apron nervously, afraid to trigger him again, "so I thought I'd cheer you up with your favourite pie..."

He let out a sigh and his shoulders slumped, he smiled tenderly at you, "I'm sorry I made you worry love," he pulled you towards him, pressing a kiss on your forehead, "And yes, just the smell of it is cheering me up, what did I do to be blessed with you"

Bonus: While taking a bite out of the fresh-out-of-the-oven pie, William casually asked, "So love, you're always making my favourites, what are your favourite pastries?"

"I only have one favourite to be honest,"

"oh? What isit honey? I'll buy it for you in return some day~" He happily took another bite off the delicious pie.

"Your happy face when you eat my food."

William absolutely blushes, melts and pulls you into a kiss.

Nozel Silva

He came home and sat in his armchair, pinching his nose bridge with his thumb and index, his eyes shut and his brows furrowed.

You could only imagine anyone that crossed path with him today and was at the receiving end of his fury. You decided to leave you man alone and headed to the next room and lifted up your piano cover.

You started playing. All his favourite pieces. You took note of the recordings on the gramophone practiced them while he wasn't in

As he heard the clean and relaxing piano keys, he felt his shoulders slump a little as the muscles in his body lighten. He sat back in his hair taking in a deep breath and releasing, all the tension in his body dissipating.

He realised, it wasn't just a coincidence after the 3rd piece you played, that you were playing all of his favourites, you were actually paying attention although you never showed any signs of interest.

His lips slowly tugged upwards into a sweet smile, relishing in bliss.

After 20 minutes he quietly left his chair and came into the room you were in, he leaned against the door frame, admiring the view before him; his beautiful girlfriend playing the piano.

You finished the current piece and looked up, you saw your white haired boyfriend smiling in contentment at you, "Thank you." he spoke softly and gently, "You played every piece beautifully angel."

-end-

I hope this was fluffy and floffy enough for you bb! Thank you for requesting hehe!!

[jimothysomebody]

Doleful, Dire, Dystopian (an entry)

It is currently 2:16am on March the 24th, and it is a very distressing time. It feels as though Rome is burning as Nero plays the fiddle. It is just... dystopian, beyond anything I could have fathomed living through, supposing I do. One in Six... hell, that's a roll of the die, try not to roll a 1. History has not been written at such a pace as it is today. The world, collectively, has not seen such a panic as this since perhaps 9/11, and still more people have died of Covid19, and still more people will continue to. Nobody knows how long this is going to last. The stay at home order put in place by OH Gov. Dewine, now in effect, is set to last until April the 6th, and that is supposing the situation doesn't become too much worse... I am no stranger to the specific kind of imagination that is accompanied by fear, but even at this point... I do not know what to imagine, I do not know what to expect.

Everyone seems afraid to touch everything, and yet people in their much understandable panic seem to be seizing the opportunity to get what they can, while they can. Families are struggling to basic staples groceries in stores, hygiene and cleaning supplies such as Lysol, hand and dish soap, hand sanitizer, even toilet paper, which has become exceptionally rare and damn near gold. People are resorting to using baby wipes which could be used by parents who need to change their childrens diapers, paper towels, non flushable wipes, all things which could result in costly sanitation and septic problems. Many people are out of work, Job & Family services websites are crashing from web traffic and applications for unemployment or food stamp benefits. So much changed so quickly. Restaurants, bars, many stores that aren't grocery stores have closed to the public, with the exception of getting food via drive through windows, or delivery services such as uber eats, grubhub and doordash. Hosts for television shows are hosting shows from their living rooms, hunkering down and trying to weather this out. And upsetting still, is the eternal tug of war between democrats and republicans, this time over how to get immediate emergency financial relief to the Americans who need it. Rome is burning, and they both are playing the fiddle. But perhaps what is most upsetting about this, is we knew this was coming, and the highest office in this nation did not sooner demand of his government to brace for this, to draft legislation sooner. The World Health Organization declared the spread of Covid19 a global emergency on January 30th. The American Legislature did not begin drafting legislation to aid the American people in this time of crisis, panic and uncertainty until March 17th. A month and a half went by, and they weren't preparing for this, and it is deeply upsetting.

I worry, for myself, for my love, my dear friends and loved ones. One of my friends may have had and recovered from Covid19 already, but due to the unavailability of testing could not be tested, and still had to work to support themselves and their family. Another such friend was hospitalized and the results of their test is still pending, but they too are recovering from whatever ailment it may have been, Covid19 or otherwise. One of my very dearest friends already has a lung condition and is deemed an essential worker, and I am deeply fearful of how they may fare should they contract the virus.

I have recently been going to the local cemetery as a calming excursion. I enjoy the peace, the sound of birds, the sensation of the wind over me. The silence. A sort of memento mori, perhaps even a presage. I have stopped going. Not that I should anticipate to be within 6ft of anyone during these walks, which still are permitted during this stay at home order by reason of exercise/for mental health, but at this point, I just want to be as safe as I can be, and through my safety help to ensure the safety of the people I care for. I am highly considering derailing my diet, convincing my love to get a chest freezer and to load it up with food, stock the cupboards, too, and just stay put. Throughout much of the day, this all does not weigh so heavily on my mind, but when the night comes, all the world seems to slow, and it is within that stillness and loneliness that I am left vulnerable to the hypothetical, to anxiety, to this sense of foreboding and utter dread. These are doleful, dire, dystopian and uncertain times.

To Be Continued.

[theatrebubble]

Edfringe 2017 - Dear Home Office 2: Still Pending at Gilded Balloon Teviot

Edfringe 2017 – Dear Home Office 2: Still Pending at Gilded Balloon Teviot

With news of Theresa May’s deliberately misleading figures surrounding international students and immigration breaking this week and the anti-refugee/migrant sentiment surrounding Brexit still strong, Phosphoros Theatre’s return to the Fringe is very appropriate.  Dear Home Office 2: Still Pendingmay be a rather tongue-in-cheek title – giving a nod to both its sequel status and the Home Office’s…

[doctormike]

Testing for COVID-19

Dear families and friends,

I have been getting a lot of questions from my patients' parents about testing for COVID-19.   I know that many of you don’t have the time for this whole thing, so here’s the TLDR version:

None of the tests have formal approval by the US Food and Drug Administration, but many have been given Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) pending approval.

There are two types of tests, diagnostic tests that tell you if you currently have COVID-19, and antibody tests which tell you if have had it in the past.

In my practice, I mainly use diagnostic testing for patients having surgery (all facilities currently require this within 72 hours of the operation).

Patients being tested because they are sick and COVID-19 is suspected are better referred to open facilities with lots of protective equipment, rather than in individual doctors offices.

There really is no urgent medical need to do antibody testing in the office right now, although many people request it out of curiosity. At this time, it is mainly indicated for large studies monitoring exposure rates in a population or for people who have recovered and want to donate plasma to treat others.

A positive antibody test does NOT necessarily mean that you are immune, or that you can’t transmit the disease even if you are.  This is a new disease, and we are still learning about it.  Everyone should continue to follow local recommendations about hand washing, mask use and social distancing.

Things are changing rapidly, and this email may not age well.  So keep up to date on this topic as it develops.

PLEASE make sure that your kids’ regular vaccines are up to date - this can be done safely in your pediatrician’s office.  This pandemic should make it clear just how dangerous viral infections can be.

OK, if you are still reading, let’s get into the details. While actually getting a test is becoming easier over time, there still seems to be a lot of confusion about the nature of the tests, and what they do or do not demonstrate.  Testing would be best done through your pediatrician's office, although I have some access to these tests in my office as well.  But just because it is possible to get one, that doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea.

Before we start talking about tests, let me just clarify some terms:

Coronavirus:  A large family of viruses, which includes the one causing the current pandemic, as well as SARS (2002), MERS (2012) and some of the common cold viruses

COVID-19:  An abbreviation for “Coronavirus Disease 2019".  Technically, this refers to the disease, not the virus itself.

SARS-Cov-2: The virus that causes COVID-19

It’s helpful to know this when thinking about testing, even though most people just use the term “COVID-19” and everyone knows what they are talking about.  I will use that for clarity in the rest of this email, even though I may be talking about the virus and not the disease.  Also, there are a lot of details about the mechanics of testing that I have simplified here, since I didn't want to make this more complicated than necessary.  Finally, remember that you are seeing medical progress happening MUCH faster than ever before, so this email may not age well.  Keep watching trusted sources of information for new developments and tests as they happen.

You should understand that while there are no FDA-approved tests for COVID-19, there are a VERY large number of tests from different manufacturers, and some have been granted EUAs (Emergency Use Authorizations), since formal FDA approval takes so long.  This is because this is a totally new virus, and because of the urgency of the situation, especially in the first few months of the pandemic.   But many of these tests are not very accurate, and the FDA is now starting to revoke authorizations for companies that can’t show that their tests are good enough.  In many ways, inaccurate testing is worse than no testing, since it can lead doctors and patients to make bad decisions.  The FDA is trying to limit its EUAs to manufacturers that can meet certain standards - here is their current list of these tests.  

So let’s talk about the different types of COVID-19 tests.  The two main types are diagnostic tests (which tell you whether you are currently infected with the virus), and antibody tests (which tell you if you have been infected with the virus in the past).  They are both important in the fight against this pandemic, but they have very different roles.

Most of the diagnostic testing so far has been by molecular tests, which detect genes that are unique to the SARS-Cov-2 virus.  This is usually done by a chemical reaction called PCR, which makes huge numbers of copies of the virus’ genetic material, to the point that the small amount in a swab of the nose can be detected in a lab.  The PCR test has mainly been done so far by nasopharyngeal swab, which is a thin culture stick placed in the back of the nose, and takes a few days to come back.  It seems that a less invasive test based on saliva will soon be widely available as well, and some rapid and even home-based molecular tests that can give results in less than an hour – watch for these developments.  In addition to determining whether or not a patient actually has COVID-19 at the start of an illness, a diagnostic test can monitor for how a patient clears the virus.  This information can help doctors make decisions about hospital discharge, and whether or not a patient is still contagious.  The CDC points out that you can make that call either by testing (two negative diagnostic tests a day apart), or by time (3 days after recovery or 10 days after the onset of symptoms).

Another type of diagnostic testing looks for proteins on the surface of the virus (antigens) instead of genetic material.  The first of these antigen tests got an EUA from the FDA on May 8; these are cheaper, faster, and can be done at a scale appropriate for widespread testing.  If this test comes back positive, it is very accurate, but it is much more likely to miss an infection than the molecular tests.  So if the test is negative and a doctor still thinks that a patient might have COVID, then they would need PCR testing.  Still, this could be useful for screening large populations if done regularly.  People testing positive would be identified much more quickly and quarantined, which would slow the spread of infection.   People who had the virus but were missed by an antigen test could get picked up on the next round of testing, since this could be done much more frequently.  While of course it would be better to not miss any people with the virus, that doesn’t mean that the antigen test is worthless, especially if it is done widely and often in high-risk populations.  Since COVID-19 patients shed virus early in the course of an infection, the sooner you can identify and isolate an active case, the better.

Now let’s talk about antibody testing (also called serology testing).  When a patient is exposed to anything that isn’t a part of their body (a virus, bacteria, or even toxic chemical molecules), the immune system defends them in a number of ways.  One way is the production of proteins called antibodies, which stick to a virus.  Specifically, they stick to antigen proteins on the surface of the virus.  This helps the immune system control the attack by blocking the virus’ ability to infect cells, by triggering the production of proteins that can destroy the virus, or by making the virus or infected cells easier to consume by other cells in the immune system.

There are several types of antibodies, but the ones that we test for in COVID-19 are IgM (which is the first one to appear), and IgG, which can last a long time after infection.  Vaccination is a way of getting the body to produce IgG so that the next time the virus shows up, the immune system is ready for it.  While there is no vaccine for COVID-19 yet, all of the vaccines that children get work in this way – they use a weakened or dead form of a virus or bacteria to get the immune system to produce antibodies.

This brings up a VERY important point.  I know that a lot of you are worried about going out of the house, even for doctor's visits.  Let me just tell you again that it is EXTREMELY important for your children to get their regular vaccines!  Some of these diseases are far more dangerous to your children than COVID, and your pediatricians will be doing all that they can to make office visits safe.  PLEASE do not skip these, especially for younger children.

Now that we know what the different types of tests are, let’s talk about how good they are.  For any medical test, it’s important to know two things – sensitivity and specificity.  The tests that we are talking about detect either a disease (COVID-19) or some other condition (the presence of antibodies).  If they are positive, that means that the patient has the infection, or has antibodies.  Sensitivity is how likely the test is to pick up the condition; specificity is how likely the test is to be negative if the condition is NOT present. Both of these are measured as a percentage.  A test with good sensitivity will have very few false negatives (you test negative but you actually have that condition).  A test with good specificity will have very few false positives (you test positive but you DON’T actually have the condition).  This is pretty complex, and for situations where most people don’t have the disease, unless the specificity is extremely high you are going to have a lot of healthy people testing positive.  if you are interested in comparing the accuracy of different tests out there and seeing what happens with different clinical situations, here’s an interesting simulator to play around with.  If you want to see how the simulator works with the real data on the 13 antibody tests for which the FDA has granted EUAs, that information is here.

So what do I do with these tests?  In my ENT practice, I am mainly using the PCR test for patients who are not sick but who are having elective surgery.  Operating rooms are reopening, but they all require a negative diagnostic test within 48 or 72 hours of the operation.  These swabs are still in limited supply, so we are trying not to use them in other situations, although occasionally that might be requested (for example, determining the need for quarantine in a patient with no symptoms but who has been exposed to the virus). The other reasons for doing diagnostic testing are for patients suspected of having COVID-19, or for health care workers with minimal symptoms who work closely with others at high risk.  Patients suspected of having this infection are sometimes not tested at all, especially if the symptoms are typical and mild, and they are just going to recover at home in isolation.  If we decide that a test is needed for a sick patient (for example, if we are considering hospitalization), it is better to do that in an open space, in a facility with more protective precautions, so we would try not do that in our office.

What about antibody tests – should you or your child get one?  Since these tests are much more easily obtained, lots of people have been getting them.  Often this is done out of curiosity - someone has had an illness earlier this year and recovered at home, and they want to know if it was COVID-19.  Remember, these won't be positive for several weeks after an infection, some people make more antibodies than others, and some don't make any at all.  Other people have the idea that if they are positive, then they have an “immunity passport” – they don’t need to follow state guidelines for social distancing, masks or hand hygiene.  There are serious problems with this line of thought.

First of all, there are a lot of antibody tests out there, and they don’t all have great sensitivity and specificity.  In some facilities, positive tests are sent to a clinical laboratory where follow-up testing can be done to make sure that the positive result is actually correct.  One of the reasons for this is cross-reactivity, in which the test may be positive if you have antibodies to other coronaviruses (such as the common cold).  You might want to check out this page from Johns Hopkins, which has a long list of antibody tests (those with EUAs from the FDA and others as well) and some good details about how the different types work.

But even if an antibody test is very accurate, remember that all it shows is the presence of antibodies.  Because this is a new disease, we still don’t know what that means.  There is not yet clear evidence that people with antibodies are protected from getting sick again, or that they can’t spread the infection to others.  And if there is some protection, it’s not clear how long that will last.  While COVID-19 is new, you can look at other infections to see that it’s not such a simple question.  For example, HIV infection produces antibodies, but they don’t protect against disease.  In dengue, the antibodies actually make reinfection MORE lethal.  Some diseases like measles produce antibodies that give you lifelong protection, but others (like the coronavirus SARS) produce antibodies for a while but are mostly gone after a few years.  And of course, we don’t know if the SARS-Cov-2 virus will mutate, like influenza, in which changes in the surface proteins make antibodies from infection or a vaccine less effective against new strains over time. The current recommendation for antibody testing (from the AMA and other organizations) is that it not be used to make medical decisions about individual patients.   We definitely do NOT want people using these test results to stop social distancing, hand hygiene or the use of facemasks in situations where these things would otherwise be needed.   Antibody testing is recommended for two main things – big studies that look at how common COVID-19 is in a large population, and testing people who have recovered and want to donate blood for the preparation of convalescent plasma (a blood product that may be helpful to some very sick patients).  This is a really complex question, and the details are beyond what I want to include in this email.  But here is a good article that explains the issues with antibody testing in greater detail, if you want to dig in for a deeper understanding of the questions involved.

OK, that was a lot longer than I had intended!  I hope that it was helpful.  Just remember to watch the state guidelines on distancing and masking, and always practice good hand hygiene (even if you test positive for antibodies).  Remember to vaccinate your kids against all the other disease that we can now control.  And finally, if you are getting a test, make sure you understand how that information is going to change what you are going to do.

Stay safe!

Mike Rothschild, MD

[wknc881]

An Update from WKNC

Dear WKNC Audience,

It seems as though everywhere you look COVID-19 is impacting individuals and their livelihoods. Universities and schools across the nation are closing and transitioning to an online format, and NC State University is no different. Thus, as WKNC is a University entity, some changes have to be made to our current structure as well.

As of Tuesday, March 17, WKNC’s offices will be closed to the public until further notice. During this time staff will be working remotely and on-air DJs will be limited. Despite this, we will remain on-the-air 24/7/365 due to our ability to automate rotation. However, as our offices are closed, all pending Lounge sessions, on-air interviews, tours, merch pick-ups, and other in-person events are canceled. As far as merch goes, purchases from our swag store can still be made, but it is currently unknown when they will be able to ship out or be available for pick-up. Regarding DJs, while our request lines will still ring, it is unlikely that anyone will be in-studio to answer. Our Music Directors have worked hard to curate our playlists so the great music will continue to play, nonetheless. 

Please stay connected with us on social media (@wknc881 across all platforms) for updates on our situation, COVID-19, university regulations, staff productivity and more. 

As you are all remaining in your homes for an unspecified duration of time, tune into WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1 or HD-2 to pass the time and ease your mind. We’re not gone, we’re just a dial away. 

Stay safe, stay healthy, keep it locked.

-Laura Mooney, General Manager of WKNC 88.1

[postolo]

Atul Sharma on establishing ASA Legal Services LLP and upcoming field of Insolvency & Bankruptcy laws in India

Mr. Atul Sharma is a successful and pragmatic lawyer having experience of more than a decade in the legal field. After graduating from Meerut University in 1983, he started his individual criminal practice by the name of Atul Sharma & Associates which he successfully grew and developed over the course of time. His area of specializations includes Arbitration, Civil Litigation, Insolvency& Bankruptcy laws, amongst others. Keeping up with the growing and evolving market, he expanded his operations by establishing ASA Legal Services LLP, a full-service law firm with operations in cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. With a pan-India presence, ASA Legal has gone on to cement its status as one of the reputed law firms of the country. Mr. Sharma advises various clients ranging from corporate houses, Banks, Financial Institutions, Public Sector Undertakings, etc. and also has experience in advising and working in issues relating to real estate financing and restructuring.

Mr. Atul Sharma will be taking us through his legal career, and will be sharing his thoughts on the upcoming field of Insolvency & Bankruptcy laws in India, the challenges one comes across in running their own law firm and how can one build upon it

1.Hello, Sir! It is indeed an honour and pleasure to have you with us. To begin with, please tell us about yourself, how did you start your journey in the area of law or rather what made you interested in this field?

First, I’d like to sincerely thank you for giving me this coveted chance of sharing my experiences and insights about my, never-ending, journey in this legal profession with your dear readers.

When legal profession was not the choice at all, the last resort for people who didn’t do or opt for anything fruitful lucrative career in life, I decided to pursue it with a firm belief that I’d break the said notion which have stigmatised such a quality profession.

Hailing from a middle-class family, I started my career in the year 1983 after passing out from Meerut University, Uttar Pradesh where the way forward was uncertain and undefined but I steered my journey with the sheer belief that “I’d be the change” instead of being “Subject to a change orchestrated by someone”. I always believe that lawyers have a substantial impact in the betterment of the society in many ways. Two things which I strongly believe have formed my present are my commitment towards my work and believing in myself, which changed the modest beginnings till date

2. You have started your career in 1983. Tell us about how the field has transformed over the years and what the future holds for new generation lawyers.

Prior to the emergence of corporate legal sectors, jobs available to lawyers like me were mostly assisting to practicing advocates and that to without any payment. So, there were only two option either be employed with private or govtsector or practice as independent lawyer. The practice had only two option i.e. civil or criminal.

But from the 1990s when liberalization came in to picture under the Indian economy, demand for lawyers who provided advisory in different practice domains have taken this field to a completely new era of modernization. Now we can see tremendous advancement in the area of law with different practice areas such as Banking & Finance, Mergers & Acquisition, Investment Arbitration, Private Equity & Venture Capital etc.

The establishment of good law schools in India has completely changed the landscape of Indian legal system, bar and bench both have modernized themselves. And I believe that future of new generations lawyers will be more technologically advanced, each lawyer will have their own specialized practice domain not like it used to be in early 90s.

3. It has been more than a decade since your commencement in this field. How do you still manage to put forth so much energy and enthusiasm in the field when lot of youngsters in this profession are struggling to cope up even for couple of years?

The key to success in this field is patience and perseverance: patience to learn the craft, patience to start from zero and go up the ladder eventually, patience to imbibe the nuances of the profession while being at the nascent steps of your career, persevering while the odds are heavily stacked against you because the tides that rise up to your height now will ebb away eventually and you’d be standing tall.

No one is born big and become a brand. Everyone has passed through the litmus of time and has to carve a niche for himself. Everyone must carry its horizon which sets the bench mark for rest.

I believe unless one dreams, he cannot achieve it. So, my job is to have a dream and make it possible. Youngster are my source of energy, they challenge me in every spear of life, professional, social &emotional.Their rough quest to achieve, survive and quick strides to make big irrespective of all odds is what challenges me more and more. Though I may have suggestion for them to have baby steps today which would eventually make them stand as an adult tomorrow.

I have left nothing unattended in my life. Though I’m not very organized, but my zeal to leave nothing unattended, makes everything possibly correct and organized.

4. From Atul sharma to Atul Sharma & Associates and presently, ASA Legal, do tell us how it all came about. Noteworthy, it was 23 years in Atul Sharma & Atul Sharma & Associates and 12 years already in ASA Legal. Do tell us about the firm and its practice areas.

I started my carrier in 1983 from Patiala House District Court, as a criminal lawyer. I was assisting to few senior lawyers in trials and bail matters. With a short span of one year I was able to establish my small practice in criminal field. However, very soon realised that my interest lies somewhere else, so stared trying on the civil side, MACT, Matrimonial, Banking and so forth other commercial practice areas. Especially, practice in banking lawsgave lot of knowledge of litigation and corporate work. And this was the turning point where Atul Sharma turned into Atul Sharma & Associates representing practically all the Banks, Financial Institutions with their advisory as well as litigation requirements.

With the increase in the work as well as number of lawyers associated, Atul Sharma & Associates become ASA Legal, a full service law firm having its operations in India with offices located at New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad having two senior partners, eight partners and additional lawyer’s at different levels who look after the clients and their requirement, most of the lawyers at ASA Legal are home grown talents. But I would specially mention Mr. Anil Kumar Sharma and Mr. M.L. Rajora, two senior partners in ASA Legal who have supported and helped me in building this organization from the grass root level.

The Firm is a well-equipped organization comprising of highly qualified and well-experienced legal professionals and consultants trained to deliver/provide necessary and requisite legal support as per the requirement of the clients, both domestic and foreign.

The Firm represents clients across a spectrum of sectors comprising of government and non-governmental organizations, international entities, multinationals, Indian and foreign corporate bodies, banks, financial institutions and individuals in an array of matters. Our main areas of focus are litigation, dispute resolution, arbitration, insolvency and bankruptcy, corporate law, banking and finance, employment, labour and industrial law, real estate, corporate restructuring and due diligences.

5. Bankruptcy and Insolvency, recovery related matters is one of the core areas you and the firm specializes at. What are your viewsabout the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (“I&B Code”)keeping in view the present market scenario?

Around a year back I was going through the World Bank’s report on how other countries are handling their insolvencies, while reading the report I found that global ranking of India under the insolvency regime is above 100.

Before the I&B Code came into application the whole procedure of insolvency and liquidation has dependably been in the hands of the shareholders and debt holders. By and large, when the whole procedure was finished, the benefits were dissolved with very small portion left for the creditors. Or on the other hand the promoters took an interest in the offering procedure and reacquired similar resources however with a very steep haircut, leaving the lenders vulnerable.

The I&BCode has been made for a noteworthy power move from the hands of the shareholders, management and the promoters to the lenders. Presently a

creditor with a default of Rs 1 lakh, can take the organization into liquidation. But still the Code has many grey areas which from time to time will be refined by absorbing the nature of Indian economy sector wise.

There is no doubt about the phenomena I&B Code is doing. But at the same time, I must say, that the I&B Code as on date is a double-edged sword. With the ever-dynamic approaches, every day, there is a new interpretation a new approach. For certain businesses it’s a boon, whereas for others it appears to be a cause for failing business models. We are still experimenting; indeed, we have grown and have grown for good, but the experiment is on. One must understand, that insolvency is an underlying state and merely with none payment of pending amounts that state cannot be reached, the underlying condition of reaching insolvency is no-capacity to pay and not the no-desire to pay. For the no-desire situation I believe, the right forums are the civil ones, whereas for no-capacity it is the NCLT as Adjudicating Authority.

One must understand the difference, if that is achieved, I believe the object of the code will be achieved. We cannot equate horses and mules, similarly we cannot equate a Solvent Financial Figures with the none-solvent ones only on the basis, that there is a delay in the payment or there is no desire to pay, a very thin line difference indeed.

I would again say as of now I&B Code is in its initial phase, we are still experimenting, the results will become better in the coming time, especially, when the application would be made in right direction.

6. What were the challenges faced while building up your own law firm as it stands today?

Nothing delivers without pain. The journey with new challenges, failures and pain has been wonderful. If I see back in time, I feel happy for all my failures, unsuccessful attempts because they lay the foundation stone of success.

 Building up your own law firm requires lots of perseverance, handling the client, convincing the clients, turnaround time of ongoing assignment, infrastructure and most important thing flexibility of your family and employee towards you.

The biggest challenge is to give commercially viable solution to your client and to implement it to the satisfaction of the client.

7. Any advice for our readers?

Simple advice for the readers would be to stick to this one liner which I, personally, have always found very valuable in this profession, i.e. Rome wasn’t built in a day. The simple mantra of being willing to start from zero is nothing but learning the tricks of this trade now because all the knowledge that you imbibe today will help you rake up the sums later. Your tangible dreams can only be fulfilled if your intangible knowledge is strengthened, polished and founded corrected.

I am firm believer of these line by poet Dushyant Kumar “Kon kahta hai ki asman me ched nahi ho sakte, ek bar pather uchalke to dekho”

  Interview conducted by Shubhodip Chakraborty, a final year student of KIIT School of Law, Bhubaneswar pursuing BBA.LL.B (Business Law Hons.). He is the Student Ambassador of KIIT School of Law.

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Sections NewsSportsEntertainmentObituariesJobsCarsHomesClassifiedsE-Edition Log In Lakeland 82° Subscribe Now Previous Head of UN Women: Technology revolution must benefit women Dear Abby: Pen pal labors from a distance as dementia fades friend’s memory Miss Manners: Expect judgment from guests when giving private home tours Florida Lottery results for Saturday, March 9, 2019 Source: Raiders acquire WR Antonio Brown from Steelers No survivors in Ethiopian Airlines crash en route to Kenya Live blog: FHSAA Wrestling State Finals in Kissimmee Trump to demand $8.6 billion in new wall funding, setting up fresh battle with Congress The Latest: Jetliner crashes in Ethiopia, killing 157 from 35 countries Canada’s no-sex, no-money scandal could topple Trudeau Brexit backers to UK prime minister: Don’t delay Head of UN Women: Technology revolution must benefit women Dear Abby: Pen pal labors from a distance as dementia fades friend’s memory Miss Manners: Expect judgment from guests when giving private home tours Florida Lottery results for Saturday, March 9, 2019 Source: Raiders acquire WR Antonio Brown from Steelers No survivors in Ethiopian Airlines crash en route to Kenya Live blog: FHSAA Wrestling State Finals in Kissimmee Trump to demand $8.6 billion in new wall funding, setting up fresh battle with Congress The Latest: Jetliner crashes in Ethiopia, killing 157 from 35 countries Canada’s no-sex, no-money scandal could topple Trudeau Brexit backers to UK prime minister: Don’t delay Head of UN Women: Technology revolution must benefit women Dear Abby: Pen pal labors from a distance as dementia fades friend’s memory Miss Manners: Expect judgment from guests when giving private home tours Florida Lottery results for Saturday, March 9, 2019 Source: Raiders acquire WR Antonio Brown from Steelers No survivors in Ethiopian Airlines crash en route to Kenya Next Polk child-care agency CEO set to resign amid multiple allegations, currently under internal investigation MOST POPULAR 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Dog beaches in Florida: 11 of the best dog beaches, from Panama City to Key West Mar 8 at 2:25 PM 9 Bartow man guilty in stabbing death of Mulberry woman Mar 8 at 6:39 PM 10 Union Academy former assistant principal retires amid sexual harrassment investigation Mar 8 at 9:04 PM 11 Sebring bank shooting: Still numb from tragedy, Florida town hosts race day Mar 8 at 5:37 PM 12 Local aviation luminary dies at 97: ‘His hands were gifted in the sky’ Mar 8 at 7:27 PM 13 Florida sheriff adopts kitten whose abuse was caught in viral video Mar 8 at 12:25 PM 14 Talks underway to build Lake Mirror high-rise Mar 10 at 8:23 AM 15 Cardiac concerns: AFib, heart infections can result from drug abuse Mar 8 at 2:01 AM 16 5 killed in plane crash near Pahokee airport Mar 8 at 9:36 PM 1 Lakeland police: Man drives girlfriend’s truck into Lake Morton Mar 8 at 3:51 PM 2 Kathleen drama teacher Christina Dobbs Lee charged with leaving scene of Lakeland crash that injured other driver Mar 8 at 3:51 PM 3 Johnathan Alcegaire gets death sentence for home-invasion triple murder in Lakeland Mar 8 at 3:52 PM 4 Police report filed after Florida bus driver removes student’s MAGA hat Mar 8 at 11:57 AM 5 Cops: Man broke into Arizona woman’s home while she slept, made tortillas Mar 8 at 1:52 PM 6 Sting ends in 3 arrests, seizure of 3½ pounds of meth, marijuana in Haines City Mar 8 at 6:29 PM 7 WHPD: Family is asking for public’s help locating missing Haven man Mar 8 at 4:31 PM 8 Dog beaches in Florida: 11 of the best dog beaches, from Panama City to Key West Mar 8 at 2:25 PM 9 Bartow man guilty in stabbing death of Mulberry woman Mar 8 at 6:39 PM 10 Union Academy former assistant principal retires amid sexual harrassment investigation Mar 8 at 9:04 PM 11 Sebring bank shooting: Still numb from tragedy, Florida town hosts race day Mar 8 at 5:37 PM 12 Local aviation luminary dies at 97: ‘His hands were gifted in the sky’ Mar 8 at 7:27 PM 13 Florida sheriff adopts kitten whose abuse was caught in viral video Mar 8 at 12:25 PM 14 Talks underway to build Lake Mirror high-rise Mar 10 at 8:23 AM 15 Cardiac concerns: AFib, heart infections can result from drug abuse Mar 8 at 2:01 AM 16 5 killed in plane crash near Pahokee airport Mar 8 at 9:36 PM 1 2 3 4 Never Miss A Story Subscribe to The Ledger Subscribe Now OUR PICKS Previous The latest in entertainment Get Closer with ThriveHive Explore Recipes and Stories WTSP weather: Polk County radar Follow us on Facebook The latest on your teams The latest in entertainment Get Closer with ThriveHive Explore Recipes and Stories WTSP weather: Polk County radar Follow us on Facebook The latest on your teams The latest in entertainment Next HIDE CAPTION Gilbert Rincon [LEDGER FILE PHOTO] By Eric Pera Posted Mar 7, 2018 at 9:52 PM Updated Mar 30, 2018 at 7:09 PM LAKELAND — The CEO of the Early Learning Coalition of Polk County has agreed to resign in the wake of an internal investigation into allegations of sexual harassment, favoritism toward certain employees and creating a toxic work environment. Gilbert Rincon, 50, remains on paid administrative leave pending completion of the investigation that also is looking into allegations of the misuse of funds for travel. Diane Bowman, the coalition’s vice president of client services, has been named interim CEO. During an emergency meeting Tuesday morning, ELC’s board of directors agreed to keep Rincon on the payroll for a third week while lawyers for both sides negotiate a severance package. Related content Polk child-care agency nears agreement with former CEO for resignation amid internal investigation March 21, 2018 The board is expected to review the compensation package at its regularly scheduled meeting at 8:30 a.m. March 21 in the education building at the Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute, 1855 W. Main St., Bartow. Until two weeks ago, Rincon presided over the $32 million nonprofit agency that oversees subsidized child care and early learning programs in Polk. The Lakeland-based coalition serves an average of between 9,000 and 10,000 children. It also is responsible for on-site inspections of child-care providers and provides training and resources. Rincon is paid an annual base salary of $163,734. Bill Dorman, chairman of the agency’s board, referred all questions to J. Kemp Brinson, the Winter Haven lawyer hired to look into complaints about Rincon, who was hired in November 2010 as chief operations officer and elevated to CEO in late 2012. LISTEN: 911 AUDIO Rincon did not immediately return phone messages Wednesday afternoon for comment. Brinson provided The Ledger with a tape recording of a Feb. 21 board meeting at which he briefed the board on his findings so far. At the meeting, he said concerns about Rincon’s behavior surfaced in early 2016 when an employee who had been terminated accused the CEO of having an inappropriate relationship with another agency employee. Both Rincon and the employee denied any relationship, Brinson said, and there was no evidence to the contrary. In late January, another employee and her supervisor complained of a hostile work environment and they alleged that Rincon had continued showing favoritism to the same employee with whom he’d been accused of carrying on a relationship. Brinson said there is evidence of favoritism, but didn’t think the situation met the legal definition of a hostile work environment. More concerning, he said, were “multiple reports of inappropriate levels of alcohol consumption, especially on trips by Mr. Rincon.” Staff also relayed to Brinson a “very, very strong fear of retaliation by Rincon for speaking to me.” Brinson said the tense atmosphere within the office environment had reached a critical level. “I think if something is not done to address this situation in some sort of bold way, this organization has a very high risk of a substantial number of senior staff members leaving this organization for other jobs,” Brinson said. Additional concerns uncovered during Brinson’s investigation include “a suggestion of improper use of funds for travel ... and an allegation of sexual advances made to a different employee,” Brinson said to the board. “My goal is to get to the bottom of those.” Speaking to a Ledger reporter Wednesday, Brinson said he expects to complete his investigation by next week’s board meeting, and he downplayed concerns over misuse of funds. “If anything concerned us greatly, we’d be making a lot more noise,” he said. “The issues are not any sort of theft, or anything that concerning. The issue of travel is something of discretion.” Eric Pera can be reached at eric.pera@theledger.com or 863-802-7528. 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[torixus]

Dele Momodu On president Buhari Suspension Of Onnoghen

Fellow Nigerians, the way events happen at the speed of light, in our dear beloved country Nigeria, is unbelievable. I flew out of Lagos yesterday on a few hours flight to Sierra Leone but within that twinkle of an eye, a monumental development had occurred back home. Thanks to social media, cyberspace was awash and agog with the story of President Muhammadu Buhari literally firing the Chief Justice of the Federation, Honourable Justice, Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen GCON, with automatic alacrity, even though the President claimed that his action was merely a suspension. I’m not a lawyer but I’m knowledgeable enough about the Constitutional supremacy, rule of law, fair hearing and judicial process. For now, I will not go into the rights and wrongs of the allegations against the CJN, Honourable Justice Onnoghen because the matter is subjudice as it is still being dealt with by the courts. The President’s actions yesterday would seem to belie this crucial fact. The case against CJN Onnoghen may later turn out to be unassailable, but until then he should be given the benefit of the doubt and allowed to enjoy his right to be presumed innocent until declared guilty by a court of law. It is for him to choose the path of honour and resign, but it is also entirely his discretion, knowing the strength of his case and the conviction about his innocence, to insist on remaining in position until the outcome of the case against him is known. Without jumping to any conclusions yet, I took time to read President Buhari’s speech dealing with the swearing in of the newly appointed Acting Chief Justice of the Federation, Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed. I was alarmed by what I read. The rhetoric seemed to me to be even worse than it has been in the past. The dictatorial and strident tone and toga of the President in his first speech as Military Head of State was all too palpable for me. I am certain that this speech will go down in the annals of Nigerian history as one of the epochal speeches that shaped Nigeria. Whether for good or ill, only time will tell. Let me therefore literally and figuratively take the pain to quote him verbatim. Fellow Nigerians, A short while ago, I was served with an Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal issued on Wednesday 23rd January 2019, directing the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen, from office pending final determination of the cases against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and several other fora relating to his alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. 2. The nation has been gripped by the tragic realities of no less a personality than the Chief Justice of Nigeria himself becoming the accused person in a corruption trial since details of the petition against him by a Civil Society Organization first became public about a fortnight ago. 3. Although the allegations in the petition are grievous enough in themselves, the security agencies have since then traced other suspicious transactions running into millions of dollars to the CJN’s personal accounts, all undeclared or improperly declared as required by law. 4. Perhaps more worrisome is the Chief Justice of Nigeria’s own written admission to the charges that he indeed failed to follow the spirit and letter of the law in declaring his assets, citing ’’mistake’’ and ’’forgetfulness’’ which are totally unknown to our laws as defences in the circumstances of his case. 5. One expected that with his moral authority so wounded, by these serious charges of corruption, more so by his own written admission, Mr. Justice Walter Onnoghen would have acted swiftly to spare our Judicial Arm further disrepute by removing himself from superintending over it while his trial lasted. 6. Unfortunately, he has not done so. Instead, the nation has been treated to the sordid spectacle of a judicial game of wits in which the Chief Justice of Nigeria and his legal team have made nonsense of the efforts of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to hear the allegation on merit and conclude the trial as quickly as possible considering the nature of the times in which we live. 7. Whether deliberately or inadvertently, we have all seen the full weight of the Chief Justice of Nigeria descend on the tender head of one of the organs of justice under his control. There is simply no way the officers of that court, from the Chairman to the bailiffs, can pretend to be unaffected by the influence of the leader of the Judiciary. 8. Not only the trial court, but others have been put on the spot. Practically every other day since his trial commenced, the nation has witnessed various courts granting orders and counter-orders in favour of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, all of them characterised by an unholy alacrity between the time of filing, hearing and delivery of judgment in same. 9. The real effect has been a stalling of the trial of Justice Onnoghen, helped along by lawyers who insist that these orders, whether right or wrong are technically valid, and must be obeyed till an appellate Court says otherwise. No doubt, that it is the proper interpretation, but is it the right disposition for our nation? 10. Nigeria is a constitutional democracy and no one must be, or be seen to be, above the law. Unfortunately, the drama around the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria has challenged that pillar of justice in the perception of the ordinary man on the street. For it is certain that no ordinary Nigerian can get the swift and special treatment Justice Onnoghen has enjoyed from his subordinates and privies in our Judicature. 11. In the midst of all these distracting events, the essential question of whether the accused CJN actually has a case to answer has been lost in the squabble over the form and nature of his trial. This should not be so. 12. If Justice cannot be done and clearly seen to be done, society itself is at risk of the most unimaginable chaos. As a Government, we cannot stand by wailing and wringing our hands helplessly but give our full backing and support to those brave elements within the Judiciary who act forthrightly, irrespective of who is involved. 13. As you are all aware, the fight against corruption is one of the tripod of policies promised to Nigerians by this administration. Needless to say that it is an existential Policy which must be given adequate attention and commitment by all the three arms of government. The efforts of the Executive will amount to nothing without the cooperation of the Legislature and especially the Judiciary. 14. It is no secret that this government is dissatisfied with the alarming rate in which the Supreme Court of Nigeria under the oversight of Justice Walter Onnoghen has serially set free, persons accused of the most dire acts of corruption, often on mere technicalities, and after quite a number of them have been convicted by the trial and appellate courts. 15. Since there is nothing the Executive Arm can do after the apex court of the land has spoken on any matter, several of these individuals walk free among us today, enjoying what are clearly the proceeds of the corruption which for so long has defeated the efforts of this nation to develop and prosper. 16. It is against this background that I have received the Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal directing me to suspend the Chief Justice pending final determination of the cases against him. It also explains why I am not only complying immediately, but with some degree of relief for the battered sensibilities of ordinary Nigerians whose patience must have become severely over-taxed by these anomalies. 17. In line with this administration’s avowed respect for the Rule of Law, I have wholeheartedly obeyed the Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal dated 23rd January 2019. 18. Accordingly, I hereby suspend the Honourable Mr. Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen, GCON as the Chief Justice of Nigeria pending final determination of the case against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. 19. In further compliance with the same Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, I hereby invite Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed JSC, being the next most Senior Justice in the Supreme Court, to come forward to take the Judicial Oath as Chief Justice of Nigeria in an Acting Capacity. 20. Fellow Nigerians, we can only stand a chance to win the fight against Corruption, and position our dear nation for accelerated development when we stand together to contend against it. Thank you and may God bless our country. It is worth reiterating that this aforementioned speech read to me like a coup day speech, with all the preaching and pontificating, especially as it was littered with huge dollops of self-righteousness and moral indignation. The President sermonised in a holier than thou manner with the trenchant rectitude that has now become the hallmark of this administration particularly in the twilight days of this first term. President Muhammadu Buhari turned himself into a real four plus four. He became the Investigator, Prosecutor, Judge and Executioner in one fell swoop. From that moment, Nigeria immediately transfigured, and migrated, to full blown dictatorship. The President, with one stroke of the pen, instantly abolished the principle of separation of powers as enshrined and entrenched in our Constitution. He more or less abolished any notion of the independence of the judiciary and checkmated the legislature with which he shares the joint responsibility for the suspension or removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria. Indeed, the President’s action is an abrogation of the supremacy of the Constitution, a document which he has given short shrift and practically turned to toilet paper. To all intents and purposes, that is how worthless our Constitution is right now! One thing is sure, the President is no longer in the mood for the niceties or nuances of Democratic tenets and concepts, but is firmly in the autocratic power mode that militocracy so generously offers. I weep for Nigeria and I cry for the President and his gang of powermongers who have refused to read the history of Nigeria, and, if they did, have refused to learn anything from it. I heard and read of many Buharideens shouting, jumping and jubilating that the President has done the right thing by summarily sacking the CJN. I don’t blame them, but I wish to let them know that the ozone layer they have entered is too dangerous for anyone to contemplate. Anytime it seemed Nigeria has been conquered, the conqueror is usually defeated by the resilience of our long-suffering people. The tragedy is, I see many lawyers in this government who are all keeping mute in the face of tyranny, just for them to remain in power, by fire by force. As I wrote to our dear President not too long ago, man shall not live by power alone. God has been very kind to President Muhammadu Buhari. He became Head of State about 35 odd years ago and was sacked in 1985. Anyone would have thought it was over and finished for him. In less than a couple of years, many Nigerians who hailed his emergence as Head of State were jubilating on the streets when his military government was toppled in a palace coup by those close to him. But God, in His infinite mercy and wisdom, brought him from the shadows of death and restored him back to even greater power and glory in a democratic setting, after making several amazing shots at the Presidency. Holy Moses! No one would have thought Baba would blow his second chance and shatter it into smithreens in this manner. Since 2015, it’s been obvious that President Buhari is only different from Major General Buhari in terms of change of nomenclature and uniform. He must feel a sense of nostalgia for those days when he didn’t have to share powers with the legislature and Judiciary, and now craves a return to that time he was alpha and omega. But truth is whatever victory he hopes to record, by playing for broke yesterday, can only be pyrrhic. Nothing more. When tomorrow comes, like it would come, sooner rather than later, he would look back with regrets and ask, why did I do that which may have been needed, but totally unnecessary. I have no doubt in my mind that whatever happens, it shall be well with Nigeria and this too shall pass away. Dear compatriots, stay strong and resolute. The best is yet to come. God bless our great country. via Blogger http://bit.ly/2sNr8ac

[berrettadesign-blog1]

10 Ways to Avoid the Landmines of Thanksgiving

The holidays are coming. It means festivities and joy, but it may also mean stress, anger, resentment, family characteristics you're sick of, extra work at any office, grinding travel, amped-up kids, weather problems, and, because of all of this stress on your resistant system, illness.

What can help? Emotional intelligence and etiquette. Etiquette exists to grease the wheels of social interaction, and make the other person feel good. Here are some common dilemmas, what to say, what not to state, and why.

1. The invitation. When you may be waiting for the best offer, your hostess wants to know that she's the best offer. At the time that is same you don't want to be left home alone. Sound familiar?

BEST RESPONSE: "Yes we'd love to come," (yes please) or "I'm sorry we already have plans," (no thanks) or, (if shopping, have excuse ready) "We'd love to, but we can't say 'yes.' We're waiting to see if Fred's individuals are coming. [sigh] You know how that is."

AVOID: "Um ... um ... I do not understand. Can we let you know later?"

STRATEGY: If you are shopping for the best deal, have prepared ahead of time a plausible reason (Fred’s people) to delay a response.

2. The hostess replies to the above.

BEST RESPONSE: To 'yes' - "Glad you can come" and present details. To ‘n’ - "I'm so sorry. Maybe another right time." To the 'waiting' - the lead is taken by you here. If you want them to come, say "Well let me know. It's an invitation that is open. And if Fred's folks come, they're welcome too." Them, but do it this way: "Oh, okay then if you think they're looking for a better deal and are annoyed, UNinvite. Maybe another right time."

AVOID: Confrontation, as in, "What's the matter? Are you seeking a better deal?" Or losing i: "That's the last time we ever ask you over."

3. The monster-in-law. (weird uncle, abrasive sister, etc.) who picks a fight. Let's say she says, "Oh, [ha ha] you are seen by me still can not be bothered to iron a blouse."

BEST RESPONSE: Ignore it, smile, change the subject. "It's brilliant to see you. Exactly how was the drive?" or "Please pass the mashed potatoes."

AVOID: Taking the bait. Do not get angry and allow yourself to get sucked in to discussing whether a blouse should be ironed, whose business it is what your wear, her mental health, your opinion of her personality, or why she feels she has to bring this up every time. (Bile and pumpkin pie don't go well together!)

4. The game. If watching the game is vitally important to you or your partner, and you've been invited to someone's house, deal with it -- but subtly.

YOU: "Oh we'd love to come, but Tom has just GOT to see the game at 5 pm." Then your hostess can say that’s not a nagging problem, or "Oh, I'm sorry. I understand. I guess we'll have to get together another right time."

AVOID: "We won't come unless Tom can watch the game." It's not your event to plan. Also you don't overtly want to suggest that the game means more than an invitation to their house (even though it does).

5. How to keep the guests from staying all day and all night.

THE INVITATION: "We'll be eating before the game, so why don't you come about X. Then it's not going to have to be a later evening, you know … the kids ... it's a work night for Al ..."

AVOID: I want everyone out of my house by 7 pm.

6. How to cause them to go home once they're there.

BEST TACTIC: When it's time for them to go home, give strong signals that are nonverbal. Appear to be restless or bored (start fidgeting or look around). Yawn. Get up from your chair and start ash that is emptying. Yawn. Start massaging your tired back. Let the conversation lag. Ask one of the visitors, "Do you need to go to get results tomorrow?" and glance at your watch.

AVOID: Go home! Leave!!! I worked all day, I'm exhausted, and I have to clean all this up and then go to work in the morning.

7. The parting. You must lave, and start heading toward your coat/the door when you, the guest with the high EQ, sense it's time to go home, stand up, announce that. Your hostess will then say, "Oh, please don't go," or "Must you leave so soon?"

BEST RESPONSE: Insisting you stay is a formality. Ignore it, and take your leave, Because of number 6, and also because it's always best to leave them wanting more.

AVOID: Taking that literally - that's naive.

ALSO AVOID: Getting into a whole new conversation at the door. Talk as they escort you to your car, or whatever, then thank them again and go home.

8. The gift - should you or shouldn't you?

No body's going to refuse a present, or think ill of you for bringing one, come on! But is it required? No. But it's always welcome.

UNLESS: You bring a food or another item that "one-ups" the hostess or appears to be correcting a fault.

SUCH AS? Such as bringing a fancy gourmet pumpkin pie or (surely dear readers, none of you would do this) a lovely bathroom hand towel when she has never had anything within the visitor bath besides paper guest towels).

SO WHAT'S SAFE? A bottle of wine or liqueur, a box of chocolates, or flowers that are fresh.

9. The cell phone.

BEST ETIQUETTE: Turn your cell phone off or leave it home. Unless you are on-call (I mean like a doctor or therapist). That you have this pending, and "I hope everything will be alright, but I might have to take a call. if you are in the position of possibly having to deal with an emergency (say your aged mother is flying to Beirut that day), say" Then set it on vibrate. If it goes off, get up and go off in private to talk.

AVOID: Talking on your cell phone! Pay attention to the real people who are there. This is certainlyn't a "virtual" event.

POSSIBLE EXCEPTIONS: extremely casual, all-family gatherings where those who couldn't be present call to join in.

10. schmuck selber basteln anleitungen The conversation. As a guest, it's your work to participate and stay pleasant, keep the conversation going, and assist everyone have a time that is good. Make them grateful that you came.

You’ll get an A+ if you: Smile, and if you have a list of safe and positive topics, the discussion of which makes people feel GOOD (weather, kids, Christmas plans, movies, the new shopping mall, books, travel).

You’ll get an F it was to get there, your divorce, religion, war, politics, your love life, abortion, how depressing and stressful the holidays [your life][Aunt Mary][your work] are, how your sister can't control her kids or your father can't control his tongue, or anything about WEIGHT!. (You get the picture. if you: Bring up controversial, tasteless and/or upsetting topics, the discussion of which makes others feel BAD or UNCOMFORTABLE (your surgery, your mother's ulcerative colitis, Fred's drinking, how hard)

[torixus]

Dele Momodu On president Buhari Suspension Of Onnoghen

Fellow Nigerians, the way events happen at the speed of light, in our dear beloved country Nigeria, is unbelievable. I flew out of Lagos yesterday on a few hours flight to Sierra Leone but within that twinkle of an eye, a monumental development had occurred back home. Thanks to social media, cyberspace was awash and agog with the story of President Muhammadu Buhari literally firing the Chief Justice of the Federation, Honourable Justice, Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen GCON, with automatic alacrity, even though the President claimed that his action was merely a suspension. I’m not a lawyer but I’m knowledgeable enough about the Constitutional supremacy, rule of law, fair hearing and judicial process. For now, I will not go into the rights and wrongs of the allegations against the CJN, Honourable Justice Onnoghen because the matter is subjudice as it is still being dealt with by the courts. The President’s actions yesterday would seem to belie this crucial fact. The case against CJN Onnoghen may later turn out to be unassailable, but until then he should be given the benefit of the doubt and allowed to enjoy his right to be presumed innocent until declared guilty by a court of law. It is for him to choose the path of honour and resign, but it is also entirely his discretion, knowing the strength of his case and the conviction about his innocence, to insist on remaining in position until the outcome of the case against him is known. Without jumping to any conclusions yet, I took time to read President Buhari’s speech dealing with the swearing in of the newly appointed Acting Chief Justice of the Federation, Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed. I was alarmed by what I read. The rhetoric seemed to me to be even worse than it has been in the past. The dictatorial and strident tone and toga of the President in his first speech as Military Head of State was all too palpable for me. I am certain that this speech will go down in the annals of Nigerian history as one of the epochal speeches that shaped Nigeria. Whether for good or ill, only time will tell. Let me therefore literally and figuratively take the pain to quote him verbatim. Fellow Nigerians, A short while ago, I was served with an Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal issued on Wednesday 23rd January 2019, directing the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen, from office pending final determination of the cases against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and several other fora relating to his alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. 2. The nation has been gripped by the tragic realities of no less a personality than the Chief Justice of Nigeria himself becoming the accused person in a corruption trial since details of the petition against him by a Civil Society Organization first became public about a fortnight ago. 3. Although the allegations in the petition are grievous enough in themselves, the security agencies have since then traced other suspicious transactions running into millions of dollars to the CJN’s personal accounts, all undeclared or improperly declared as required by law. 4. Perhaps more worrisome is the Chief Justice of Nigeria’s own written admission to the charges that he indeed failed to follow the spirit and letter of the law in declaring his assets, citing ’’mistake’’ and ’’forgetfulness’’ which are totally unknown to our laws as defences in the circumstances of his case. 5. One expected that with his moral authority so wounded, by these serious charges of corruption, more so by his own written admission, Mr. Justice Walter Onnoghen would have acted swiftly to spare our Judicial Arm further disrepute by removing himself from superintending over it while his trial lasted. 6. Unfortunately, he has not done so. Instead, the nation has been treated to the sordid spectacle of a judicial game of wits in which the Chief Justice of Nigeria and his legal team have made nonsense of the efforts of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to hear the allegation on merit and conclude the trial as quickly as possible considering the nature of the times in which we live. 7. Whether deliberately or inadvertently, we have all seen the full weight of the Chief Justice of Nigeria descend on the tender head of one of the organs of justice under his control. There is simply no way the officers of that court, from the Chairman to the bailiffs, can pretend to be unaffected by the influence of the leader of the Judiciary. 8. Not only the trial court, but others have been put on the spot. Practically every other day since his trial commenced, the nation has witnessed various courts granting orders and counter-orders in favour of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, all of them characterised by an unholy alacrity between the time of filing, hearing and delivery of judgment in same. 9. The real effect has been a stalling of the trial of Justice Onnoghen, helped along by lawyers who insist that these orders, whether right or wrong are technically valid, and must be obeyed till an appellate Court says otherwise. No doubt, that it is the proper interpretation, but is it the right disposition for our nation? 10. Nigeria is a constitutional democracy and no one must be, or be seen to be, above the law. Unfortunately, the drama around the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria has challenged that pillar of justice in the perception of the ordinary man on the street. For it is certain that no ordinary Nigerian can get the swift and special treatment Justice Onnoghen has enjoyed from his subordinates and privies in our Judicature. 11. In the midst of all these distracting events, the essential question of whether the accused CJN actually has a case to answer has been lost in the squabble over the form and nature of his trial. This should not be so. 12. If Justice cannot be done and clearly seen to be done, society itself is at risk of the most unimaginable chaos. As a Government, we cannot stand by wailing and wringing our hands helplessly but give our full backing and support to those brave elements within the Judiciary who act forthrightly, irrespective of who is involved. 13. As you are all aware, the fight against corruption is one of the tripod of policies promised to Nigerians by this administration. Needless to say that it is an existential Policy which must be given adequate attention and commitment by all the three arms of government. The efforts of the Executive will amount to nothing without the cooperation of the Legislature and especially the Judiciary. 14. It is no secret that this government is dissatisfied with the alarming rate in which the Supreme Court of Nigeria under the oversight of Justice Walter Onnoghen has serially set free, persons accused of the most dire acts of corruption, often on mere technicalities, and after quite a number of them have been convicted by the trial and appellate courts. 15. Since there is nothing the Executive Arm can do after the apex court of the land has spoken on any matter, several of these individuals walk free among us today, enjoying what are clearly the proceeds of the corruption which for so long has defeated the efforts of this nation to develop and prosper. 16. It is against this background that I have received the Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal directing me to suspend the Chief Justice pending final determination of the cases against him. It also explains why I am not only complying immediately, but with some degree of relief for the battered sensibilities of ordinary Nigerians whose patience must have become severely over-taxed by these anomalies. 17. In line with this administration’s avowed respect for the Rule of Law, I have wholeheartedly obeyed the Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal dated 23rd January 2019. 18. Accordingly, I hereby suspend the Honourable Mr. Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen, GCON as the Chief Justice of Nigeria pending final determination of the case against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. 19. In further compliance with the same Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, I hereby invite Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed JSC, being the next most Senior Justice in the Supreme Court, to come forward to take the Judicial Oath as Chief Justice of Nigeria in an Acting Capacity. 20. Fellow Nigerians, we can only stand a chance to win the fight against Corruption, and position our dear nation for accelerated development when we stand together to contend against it. Thank you and may God bless our country. It is worth reiterating that this aforementioned speech read to me like a coup day speech, with all the preaching and pontificating, especially as it was littered with huge dollops of self-righteousness and moral indignation. The President sermonised in a holier than thou manner with the trenchant rectitude that has now become the hallmark of this administration particularly in the twilight days of this first term. President Muhammadu Buhari turned himself into a real four plus four. He became the Investigator, Prosecutor, Judge and Executioner in one fell swoop. From that moment, Nigeria immediately transfigured, and migrated, to full blown dictatorship. The President, with one stroke of the pen, instantly abolished the principle of separation of powers as enshrined and entrenched in our Constitution. He more or less abolished any notion of the independence of the judiciary and checkmated the legislature with which he shares the joint responsibility for the suspension or removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria. Indeed, the President’s action is an abrogation of the supremacy of the Constitution, a document which he has given short shrift and practically turned to toilet paper. To all intents and purposes, that is how worthless our Constitution is right now! One thing is sure, the President is no longer in the mood for the niceties or nuances of Democratic tenets and concepts, but is firmly in the autocratic power mode that militocracy so generously offers. I weep for Nigeria and I cry for the President and his gang of powermongers who have refused to read the history of Nigeria, and, if they did, have refused to learn anything from it. I heard and read of many Buharideens shouting, jumping and jubilating that the President has done the right thing by summarily sacking the CJN. I don’t blame them, but I wish to let them know that the ozone layer they have entered is too dangerous for anyone to contemplate. Anytime it seemed Nigeria has been conquered, the conqueror is usually defeated by the resilience of our long-suffering people. The tragedy is, I see many lawyers in this government who are all keeping mute in the face of tyranny, just for them to remain in power, by fire by force. As I wrote to our dear President not too long ago, man shall not live by power alone. God has been very kind to President Muhammadu Buhari. He became Head of State about 35 odd years ago and was sacked in 1985. Anyone would have thought it was over and finished for him. In less than a couple of years, many Nigerians who hailed his emergence as Head of State were jubilating on the streets when his military government was toppled in a palace coup by those close to him. But God, in His infinite mercy and wisdom, brought him from the shadows of death and restored him back to even greater power and glory in a democratic setting, after making several amazing shots at the Presidency. Holy Moses! No one would have thought Baba would blow his second chance and shatter it into smithreens in this manner. Since 2015, it’s been obvious that President Buhari is only different from Major General Buhari in terms of change of nomenclature and uniform. He must feel a sense of nostalgia for those days when he didn’t have to share powers with the legislature and Judiciary, and now craves a return to that time he was alpha and omega. But truth is whatever victory he hopes to record, by playing for broke yesterday, can only be pyrrhic. Nothing more. When tomorrow comes, like it would come, sooner rather than later, he would look back with regrets and ask, why did I do that which may have been needed, but totally unnecessary. I have no doubt in my mind that whatever happens, it shall be well with Nigeria and this too shall pass away. Dear compatriots, stay strong and resolute. The best is yet to come. God bless our great country. via Blogger http://bit.ly/2sNr8ac