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The Guru Granth Sahib, or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708. It is a collection of hymns (shabda) or baani describing the qualities of God and why one should meditate on God's name. Guru Gobind Singh (1666–1708), the tenth guru, affirmed the sacred text Adi Granth as his successor, elevating it to Guru Granth Sahib. The text remains the holy scripture of the Sikhs, regarded as the teachings of the Ten Gurus. The role of Adi Granth, as a source or guide of prayer, is pivotal in worship in Sikhism. The Adi Granth was first compiled by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev (1563–1606), from hymns of the first five Sikh gurus and other great saints, or bhagats, including those of the Hindu and Muslim faith. After the demise of the tenth Sikh guru many edited copies were prepared for distribution by Baba Deep Singh. It is written in the Gurmukhi script, in melange of vari...

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It’s time to step out of the box and shift your paradigm. It’s time to put everything you know about a high rate of return being equal to high risk to the side. What I’m about to tell you could turn the way you think about investing upside down. Are you open-minded to new ways of thinking? Are you ready to step out of the box? Ever think about how banks and insurance companies invest their money? Ever think about how much money they make on your savings or insurance premiums? We all know that basically, they invest that money so as to earn more than they are paying you. What most people don’t know is that, for decades, banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions have been making Tax Defaulted Paper part of their investment portfolios. Banks and other institutional investors enjoy high yield returns on their money, many times using the capital provided by the small investor, such as you and I. In exchange for the use of that capital, they pay interest rates that ar...

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The results of the Final Assessment indicate that the initiatives and actions of the Business Mobility Group (BMG) have been very successful in reducing transaction costs related to cross-border business travel in the APEC region over the TFAP II period of 2007 through 2010....

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The purpose of this project is to contribute to ongoing efforts tailored toward promoting greater financial markets stability and integration in APEC economies, achieved by: 1) undertaking research to determine the conditions that foster financial market stability to enhance integration of financial markets across the region; and 2) drawing on the findings of the research to generate policy recommendations that are intended to address the impediments to financial markets stability and integration....

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Situated along the Pearl River, Guangzhou has a lot of up-to-date shiny glassy skyscrapers and some densely-populated districts, in which everything is to be found (technological items, dry fishes, clothes, all kinds of food, etc.). Every corner is a hidden treasure...

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Bangkok is the most vibrant city in South-eastern Asia, cosmopolitan and exotic, ancient and modern, frenetic and enjoyable. Chinatown and its street vendors, Dusit and the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall, Sukhumvit with its street markets, the busy Prathumwan quarter, the floating market in Taling Chan: every place deserves a visit but absolutely do not forget the Royal Palace and the Wat Pho temple (with a giant golden Buddha)...

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Bright lights, towering skyscrapers, frantic people: welcome to the Big Apple! New York City is one of the most fascinating cities in the entire world and its museums, restaurants, night-life, architecture and trends will conquer you...

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Amsterdam is undoubtedly one the most charming cities in Europe: its canals, its narrow and crooked houses, its nightlife and its care to culture are unique. Due to the relatively small dimensions of the touristic part, it’s easy to explore this city by foot, trams and bicycles....

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As you know the curiosity of public increases rapidly about the Islamic regime of Iran More than once we hear about people that searching for information about the lifestyle of the residents behind the walls After four years of intensive work the answers are finally published, now its up to us to share their secrets with the world "Another way" is the story of Iran through the eyes of a child within revolution events, the war, escape through Kurdistan and a search for a home. "Another way" is the true story of my life and my family...

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Everything that exists is an outcome of interaction between two forces--giving and receiving. When they work in harmony, life flows peacefully in its course. When they collide, we must deal with calamities and crises of great magnitude, says Prof. Michael Laitman. These forces are at work in every aspect of life: family, economy, politics, ecology, and health. Bail Yourself Out: How You Can Emerge Strong from the World Crisis is a guide to mastering these forces on the personal, national, and global levels. With this knowledge, we hold the key to success by harnessing them to our benefit....

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In Together Forever, the author tells us that if we are patient and endure the trials we encounter along our life's path, we will become stronger, braver, and wiser. Instead of growing weaker, we will learn to create our own magic and our own wonders as only a magician can.In this warm, tender tale, Michael Laitman shares with children and parents alike some of the gems and charms of the spiritual world. The wisdom of Kabbalah is filled with spellbinding stories. Together Forever is yet another gift from this ageless source of wisdom, whose lessons make our lives richer, easier, and far more fulfilling...

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From the One and the same Light, the entire universe came into existence. How can there be good or bad among them? Sri Guru Granth Sahib is a unique religious and philosophical treatise. It contains divinely revealed Word and is written in a simple and readily understandable language. The beauty and splendour of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is that the revealed Word and reason are consistent. There are no dogmas - only universal and eternal rational beliefs and practices. The ideals, as laid down in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, are at once reasonable and desirable. These are perennial source of freedom and creativity, unique in the present day world.There are many divine messages unmistakably addressed to all mankind, which remain uniquely significant for all times, having a crucial relevance to the present time. Some of these are outlined as under....

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In Ireland the humble hare has been the subject of great controversy. After years of an abusive sport, which resulted in its child-like death screams being heard regularly throughout Ireland, a result was achieved. For those few dedicated people trying desperately to save the gentle creature from the horrors of the cruel sport of hare coursing, the struggle was painful and fought against great odds. The author writes about his experience of a campaign against this barbaric blood sport, focusing mainly on a controversial phase in the 1980s when the State deployed a police heavy gang to suppress anti-coursing activism. The author’s own peaceful and non-violent action and that of, initially, a few others' did arouse the public and achieve what at first appeared to be a hard-won benefit to the hare. But the hare's troubles were - and are -far from over. Though it can no longer be torn apart by greyhounds, now muzzled, it can still be mauled, injured, and tossed about like a rag doll on the coursing field. In addition to highlighting the hare's sad plight, this is also a campaigner's story. The author recounts vividly the ups a...

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Every cause carries a price tag. It makes demands on your time…on your family and social life. It can bring discomfort, enmity, misunderstanding, and social isolation, though these downsides can to some degree be offset by the sense of camaraderie that comes with being part of a group or campaign involving people from all walks of life. I paid a high price for my campaigning. The loss of my job with a Farmers Co-operative at a time when jobs were scarce in Ireland; followed by arrests, lengthy interrogations, false accusations of guilt, and five tension-racked, emotionally shattering court cases. All for my efforts on behalf of the humble hare, a creature hailed in Irish legend and folklore, a proud part of my country’s wildlife heritage, but that Irish law permits to be abused in a cruel game of chance called hare coursing…one of the world’s most barbaric blood sports ...

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1. View to a Blooding -- 8 -- 2. A Living Link -- 13 -- 3. Supper with the Hare Catchers -- 16 -- 4. Crusading Zeal -- 20 -- 5. A Tin-Pot Coliseum -- 22 -- 6. My First Sight of the "Antis" -- 26 -- 7. How to Resist? -- 29 -- 8. Michael D Bids to End Hare Coursing -- 31 -- 9. I Join the Campaign -- 35 -- 10. Coping with Bullies -- 38 -- 11. Tensions Mount -- 40 -- 12. Threats and "Friendly Advice" -- . 43 -- 13. Punch-bag Day at the Co-op -- 49 -- 14. "Get Rid of the Thundering Eejit!" -- 54 -- 15. The Fixer and the Foreman -- 56 -- 16. "A Catch 22 Situation" -- 60 -- 17. Limbo -- 64 -- 18. Constructive Dismissal -- 67 -- 19. "Inflammatory letters" -- . 70 -- 20. "A Co-op is Like a Church" -- 73 -- 21. A Curious Sense of Elation -- 78 -- 22. "Ye're Not Wanted in These Parts" -- 81 -- 23. Showdown in Tipperary -- 83 -- 24. Sabotage -- 88 -- 25. Don't Wake the Cat -- 90 -- 26. Duress -- 94 -- 27. Capitulation -- 101 -- 28. Learning About Section 30 -- 106 -- 29. The Bigger Picture -- 111 -- 30. Freed Hares, Glassed Fields, and Burning Haybarns -- 115 -- 31. Second Visit -- 118 32. The Tipsy Branchman -- 123 -- 33. Another "Little State...

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This report provides information and findings on the evaluation of the Key Performance Indicators of the APEC Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC) for the period 2006-2010 (the period associated with the Second APEC Trade Facilitation Action Plan (TFAPII))....

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1. Background Of The Study -- 2. Research Objectives And Methodology -- 3. Findings And Analysis On The Key Performance Indicators -- 4. Conclusions -- Appendix --...

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APEC economies engage in Economic and Technical Cooperation (ECOTECH) to attain sustainable growth and equitable development in the Asia-Pacific region, to reduce economic disparities among members, and to improve overall economic and social well-being. ...

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The SCE met all of its commitments outlined in its annual work-plan. Its key achievements include the creation of three new groups: the Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy, the Ocean and Fisheries Working Group, and the APEC Experts’ Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade. A new Policy Partnership on Food Security was also created by APEC Senior Officials in 2011....

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This report presents the estimates of trade transaction costs in APEC for each year from 2006 to 2010. The estimates are to form part of the Final Assessment of TFAP II and are to be based on the methodology and approach that was developed for the Interim Assessment of that Plan....

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1. Introduction -- 2. Economic Context For The Estimation Of Trade Transaction Costs -- 3. Estimates Of Trade Transaction Costs -- 4. Sensitivity Tests Of Critical Assumptions -- 5. Conclusions & Recommendations --...

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This report presents the estimates of trade transaction costs in APEC for each year from 2006 to 2010. The estimates are to form part of the Final Assessment of TFAP II and are to be based on the methodology and approach that was developed for the Interim Assessment of that Plan....

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1. Introduction -- 2. Economic Context For The Estimation Of Trade Transaction Costs -- 3. Estimates Of Trade Transaction Costs -- 4. Sensitivity Tests Of Critical Assumptions -- 5. Conclusions & Recommendations --...

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This report, the Actions and Measures on Customs Procedures were assessed from two distinctly different perspectives — the specific objective that was set for their sub-area of the Plan and their contribution to the overall goal for the Plan of a 5% cut in trade transaction costs....

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1. Background To The Study -- 2. Assessing The Actions & Measures On Customs Procedures -- 3. Time Release Survey Of Goods -- 4. Apec Framework Based On Wco Safe Framework -- 5. Simplification & Harmonization Of Customs Procedures -- 6. Paperless And/Or Automation Of Trade-Related Procedures -- 7. Findings, Conclusions And Recommendations -- 8. References -- Lists Of Annexes --...

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The aim of the study is to assess the contribution of the actions and measures of APEC‘s Electronic Commerce Steering Group (ECSG) towards reducing trade transaction costs in the region through a case study of an Electronic Certificate of Origin (e-CO) project. The study assesses the results of the e-CO Pathfinder Project between Chinese Taipei and Korea in reducing trade transaction costs since implementation began in June 2010. These results are then extrapolated on the assumption that e-CO is adopted in other APEC economies, using several different assumptions and scenarios....

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APEC Leaders in 2009 endorsed an APEC-wide improvement of 25 percent by 2015 in five key areas of doing business: 1) Starting a Business; 2) Getting Credit; 3) Enforcing Contracts; 4) Trading Across Borders; and 5) Dealing with Permits, with an interim 5 percent improvement by 2011. A quantitative assessment based on the World Bank’s Doing Business indicators from 2009-2010, the latest data available, shows APEC is making good progress toward the 5 percent interim improvement target by the end of 2011. In the absence of 2011 data in September and early October 2011 when this report was completed, this interim assessment uses a pro rata benchmark of 2.5 percent to evaluate APEC’s progress. APEC’s combined improvement across the five priority areas between 2009 and 2010 is equivalent to 2.8 percent, exceeding the pro rata benchmark. APEC demonstrated the third best improvement among nine key regional and economic blocks. ...

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This report is a collaborative effort between the APEC Economic Committee and the APEC Policy Support Unit.