Feb 20, 2021 | Uncategorized
GJEL Accident Attorneys has selected Jack Weller as the spring 2021 winner of its semi-annual $2,000 law student scholarship. The scholarship is based on an essay of 500-1000 words in response to the prompt: “Reasons I wanted to go to law school.” Essays are judged on quality, thoughtfulness, and content.
Jack Weller decided he wanted to be an attorney when he was living in Mongolia and working in a branch of its government. Jack moved to Mongolia to learn about the country’s culture and politics in its post-Communist era. During his time there, he witnessed the Mongolian people’s struggle for, but unwavering commitment to, democracy.
“My own understanding of my role as a citizen was sharpened by seeing Mongolians proudly wave their flags,” Jack wrote in his scholarship essay. “I understood then that democracy has no more avid champions than those who have previously been robbed of its blessings.”
While in Mongolia, Jack worked in the country’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism. He researched the effects of climate change on Mongolia’s government. The country already endures extreme temperature swings and is expected to be drastically impacted by global warming. Jack studied how government policies regarding climate change would affect individual people and the country as a whole.
“More than just a study of how individual policies would affect a primarily pastoral society, this work was a lesson on how democracy, and a fair and open legal regime, allows for a polity to solve its most pressing challenges,” Jack wrote. “It was in Mongolia that I discovered this passion not only for democracy as a philosophical end in and of itself, but as a living, breathing process of governance, in which the law plays a vital role.”
After returning to his home state of California, Jack worked in political communications for a few years after earning a Bachelor’s degree in political science. Jack is now pursuing a legal education and is completing his first year at Stanford Law School.
This program was sponsored by GJEL Accident Attorneys, 1625 The Alameda #511, San Jose, CA 95126 Phone: 408-955-9000
GJEL serves injured clients throughout Alviso, North San Jose, Alum Rock, Little Portugal, Rose Garden, Santana Row, West San Jose, Willow Glen, Evergreen. Japantown, Mayfair, Downtown, Little Italy, The Alameda and more.
Read Jack’s Full Essay Below
Reasons I wanted to go to law school:
I looked with trepidation at the bowl of fermented mare’s milk that had been placed in front of me. It was small but gave off a pungent odor, and the substance at the bottom looked unpleasantly like a cup of eggnog left out for too long in the sun. Here, in a tidy yurt at the edge of the Gobi Desert, the only gracious thing for me to do as a guest was to eagerly drink it, despite its unfamiliar scent and unpleasant reputation. In Mongolia, the drink is called airag, and it is a customary offering to every visitor. After a lifetime of guacamole and came asada in my native San Diego, I had found myself thousands of miles away, in a windswept patch of the steppe, obliged by courtesy to take a drink. The substance was acrid, viscous, and bitter, but I swallowed it down without hesitation.
I had come to Mongolia out of desire to learn about the workings of one of the world’s most vibrant democracies, even in the midst of an era political scientists were already labeling the “democratic recession.” Twenty-five years prior, Mongolian citizens had swarmed the streets of their capital, demanding an end to seven decades of Communist repression and vowing to build a better society for their children. Though locked between two authoritarian powers, and with little institutional memory of democracy, the struggle had been successful. Mongolia had achieved a remarkable level of human development for a country that had been almost entirely nomadic as recently as 50 years ago, and women made up a huge part of its educated and dynamic workforce. During the time of my visit, scholars were calling the robust multiparty democracy of Mongolia a model for developing societies worldwide.
While living in Ulaanbaatar, I worked for a subordinate branch of the country’s Ministry of the Environment and Tourism, where I helped research the effects of the government’s climate change mitigation programs on nomadic steppe communities. Mongolia will be one of the countries most severely affected by global climate change, and it already suffers from extreme swings of temperature. More than just a study of how individual policies would affect a primarily pastoral society, this work was a lesson on how democracy, and a fair and open legal regime, allow for a polity to solve its most pressing challenges. It was in Mongolia that I discovered this passion not only for democracy as a philosophical end in and of itself, but as a living, breathing process of governance, in which the law plays a vital role. It inspired my thesis on the evolution of unconstitutional appointments of “czars” to the American executive branch, and it drove me to work in political communications after graduation.
My own understanding of my role as a citizen was sharpened by seeing Mongolians proudly wave their flags on the 25th anniversary of their revolution. People gathered by the tens of thousands in Siikhbaatar Square, surrounding the Parliament Building in a show of celebratory patriotism. Many wept in the streets and chanted songs of freedom. I understood then that democracy has no more avid champions than those who have been previously robbed of its blessings.
Feb 17, 2021 | Uncategorized
Actress and motivational speaker Pooja Bedi launched NGO Habitat for Humanity India’s Build Yourself, Build India initiative with a powerful session on driving personal transformation and self-development. Build Yourself, Build India is a series of workshop organised by Habitat for Humanity India to help corporate professionals and HR leaders energise themselves by focusing on their body, mind and soul amidst a stressful environment.
“Working remotely in the wake of the COVID-19 induced lockdown has been a challenging and disorienting factor for many. It has brought to the forefront the issue of mental health. Through this workshop, our goal was to inspire corporate professionals to reinvent themselves. Compassion and kindness should be central to one’s company culture and employees should participate in community development projects like building homes for
vulnerable people in order to build an inclusive and vibrant society,” stated Pooja Bedi.
“Pooja’s workshop was an amalgamation of philosophy, metaphysics, healing modalities, science, theosophy and motivated the corporate professionals to focus on self-development and transformation,” said Dr Vikas Vats, President HR Association of India after attending the workshop.
Pooja Bedi has been associated with Habitat for Humanity for more than 14 years and has helped low-income families in Maharashtra build homes. Sabira Merchant, noted media personality and India’s top etiquette trainer will hold the next exclusive session of ‘Build Yourself, Build India’. To participate, write to info@hfhindia.org
Feb 17, 2021 | Business, Tech, Uncategorized
K.Hartwall is launching a brand-new AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) called A-MATE. This is the first fully electric free-lift pallet AGV with omnidirectional drive on the market. A-MATE is an extremely versatile mobile robot that will bring a new level of automation to intra-logistics, and to the movements of different load carriers, from pallets to roll containers and foldable cages or “gitter” boxes.
The proven free SLAM navigation combined with the innovative fleet management allows our customers to have a full overview of and control over their internal logistics operations. Furthermore, safety has been a central point of focus in the development of A-MATE as AMRs become an integrated part of the overall logistics process. The result is that A-MATE is the only 360° safety pallet AGV on the market—not only when fetching load carriers but also when transporting them.
A-mate offers clear advantages compared to existing AMR products on the market through its increased load capacity of 1000 kg. One of the key advantages is its ability to lift a load of up to 1 ton to a height of 1 meter without using supportive scissors below the forks. This allows for very close access when loading or unloading both conveyors and pallet racking. Furthermore, thanks to its slim design, A-MATE can move freely in both narrow aisles and within pallet stacks.
With A-MATE, K. Hartwall reinforces its market leadership in logistics equipment for warehouses and industrial manufacturing. The combination of traditional load carrier solutions, such as roll containers, Lean adaptor pallets and dollies or foldable cages, with mobile robots demonstrates how the Finnish company is looking to the future of logistics.
“A-MATE is proof of how to combine autonomous mobile robots with traditional load carriers to help our customers achieve both greater efficiency and increased safety. With K.Hartwall’s logistics solutions portfolio, you can now automate the movements of your load carriers in a very easy way,” says Jerker Hartwall, CEO of K.Hartwall.
A-MATE and our other AGVs offer our customers a new way to reduce costs and increase efficiency in their logistics processes by allowing them to decrease their dependence on skilled labor and reduce costly process errors and the risk of accidents.
Today, almost half of all working hours in logistics are spent on manual routine jobs. By 2035, automation will reduce that number to 35%. Key to this evolution is the increasing deployment of AGVs and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). At K.Hartwall, we want to be part of that revolution and support our customers in the postal, retail, and automotive industries make the next smart move in their logistics!
Feb 8, 2021 | Uncategorized
U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” has recognized Vetrano | Vetrano & Feinman on the “2021 Best Law Firms” list. Vetrano achieved Metro Tier 2 rankings for Philadelphia in family law and family law mediation. The Main Line area divorce and family law firm has received this recognition multiple times, including an inclusion for the same ranking in the 2020 edition of the U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list.
All eligible law firms are evaluated through a rigorous process that includes review based on various criteria, such as “expertise, responsiveness, understanding of a business and its needs, cost-effectiveness, civility, and whether they (the reviewer) would refer another client to the firm.” To be considered for selection to the “2021 Best Law Firms” list, a firm must have at least one lawyer who has been listed in the 26th edition of “The Best Lawyers in America.” Only the top 4% of practicing attorneys in the US achieve this recognition and Kathleen Vetrano has earned this recognition many times since 2009.
According to Phil Greer, CEO of Best Lawyers, in the Best Law Firms press release, “For the 2021 ‘Best Law Firms’ publication, the evaluation process has remained just as rigorous and discerning as it did when we first started 11 years ago. This year we reviewed 15,587 law firms throughout the United States – across 75 national practice areas – and a total of 2,179 firms received a national law firm ranking. We are proud that the ‘Best Law Firms’ rankings continue to act as an indicator of excellence throughout the legal industry.”
The Vetrano | Vetrano & Feinman family lawyers are pleased to have been honored with this recognition. All of the firm’s attorneys are committed to helping individuals who are going through the divorce process and to helping them maintain a healthy family environment during the process and after the divorce is final.
About the Divorce and Family Lawyers of Vetrano | Vetrano & Feinman LLC
Vetrano | Vetrano & Feinman LLC is a Main Line family law firm that provides clients with skilled legal services in all areas of family law, including divorce, child custody, child support and alimony. Vetrano | Vetrano & Feinman LLC’s family law attorneys offer knowledgeable and compassionate guidance to families navigating the difficult issues of divorce and family law in Main Line communities such as Blue Bell, Wayne and Bryn Mawr.
For more information, please call (610) 265-4441 or visit the website, www.vetranolaw.com.
Feb 1, 2021 | Uncategorized
Named behind the brainchild and designer Divvya D Kanakiyaa, this brand is a one stop shop for all Indian brides! She works towards “Silent luxury” that pays more attention to classic elements, such as craftsmanship and heritage. She believes that being subtle and less conspicuous to a point of completely avoiding “bling” is perhaps the way forward. Whether you’re looking for outfits to wear at sangeet, mehendi/haldi, cocktails, engagement, carnival etc. she has got you covered.
Specializing in capsule trousseau making, Divvya likes her brides to leave the running around and clothes woes to her and indulge in pampering themselves instead! Sustainable fashion is in vogue now but she has been following this motto since inception. She designs each garment in a manner that it can be reused and repeatedly worn for occasions. Her latest collection has 4 capsule collections – SUKRITI, AVANTI, TARA & MAITHILI, that is curated for the princess of today, a fierce princess warrior, the silhouettes are flowy, well draped and embellishments are empowering and vibrant. Passionate about Indian hand embroidery and the vintage Indian aesthetic, all her embroideries and embellishments are painstakingly handcrafted by the most skilled of artisans. Through her work, she aims at creating an appreciation for vintage techniques with modern silhouettes, some of which we are sure you have not even heard of!
Feb 1, 2021 | Uncategorized
An MoU was signed today between the Kerala State Eklavya Model Residential School Society and the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) for effective management of the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in Kerala. The MoU was signed by Shri Puneet Kumar, Principal Secretary, Scheduled Tribes Development Department, Government of Kerala and Shri. Asit Gopal, Commissioner, NESTS in the presence of Dr. Naval Jit Kapoor, Joint Secretary (EMRS), Ministry of Tribal Affairs in New Delhi today.
Out of 28 States, where EMRSs are being established, the NESTS has executed MoUs with 21 State/UT Governments as on date including Government of Kerala. The signing of the MoU is the first step towards positioning of EMRSs as harbinger of tribal education in the remote tribal hinterlands and it would bring all States on a uniform and mutually agreed platform.
In his message, Sh. Arjun Munda, Minister of Tribal Affairs said that with the overarching vision of the Prime Minister to usher all round development in tribal areas, the scheme of EMRSs was revamped in 2018-19 to improve the geographical outreach of the programme and introduce several qualitative changes to improve learning outcomes in the schools. By the year 2022, there is a target of establishing 740 EMRSs across the country covering every block with 50% or more ST population and 20,000 or more tribal persons, benefitting around 3.5 lakh tribal students.
In her message, Smt Renuka Singh Saruta, Minister of State said that with this strategic partnership with State Governments, efforts are being taken to ensure holistic development of the students in both academic and extracurricular sphere will bear fruits. The EMRSs have become beacon of success in the tribal areas and emerging as a premier institution of Nation Building.
Sh. R. Subrahmanyam, Secretary Ministry of Tribal Affairs in his message conveyed that as part of revamping of the programme, several systemic changes have been introduced including construction of schools by central agencies, CBSE affiliation of the schools, recruitment of regular teaching and non-teaching staff, designing of school uniforms, capacity building of teachers, leadership development of principals, introduction of online/digital technologies in the schools.
Sh. Puneet Kumar, Principal Secretary ST development department, speaking on the occasion thanked the Ministry of Tribal affairs, Government of India for the overwhelming support through EMRS Scheme on behalf of the Government of Kerala and said that he looked forward to continued cooperation and support for the benefit of the tribal students by improving standards of teaching and improvements in Infrastructure of EMRSs.
EMRSs are a flagship intervention of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to provide quality education to tribal students in remote tribal areas. The programme being implemented since 1998 have created a niche in the tribal education landscape of the country. However, the scheme was revamped in 2018 to improve the geographical outreach of the programme and introduce several qualitative changes to improve learning outcomes in the schools.
Currently there are 588 schools sanctioned across the country in 28 States/UT with around 73391 students enrolled in the Schools. Another 152 schools shall be sanctioned by the year 2022. Details of the schools can be seen on the dashboard of the Ministry available at www.dashboard.tribal.gov.in.
NESTS was established in April, 2019 as an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to run and manage the schools. Ever since then, In order to ensure adequate availability of financial resources in the schools, the recurring cost per annum per student was enhanced to Rs. 1,09,000.00 in 2018-19 from the existing unit cost of Rs. 61,500.00 in 2017-18.With the increase in recurring cost and the construction grant it was imperative that the qualitative improvements in the running and management of the schools are initiated simultaneously. With the execution of MoU, the schools shall be eligible for higher recurring costs so as to ensure qualitative improvements in the schools.
