text:
It’s clear from even the most cursory reading of his lyrics and themes that Porcupine Tree frontman and principal songwriter Steven Wilson is deeply passionate about media. Only fitting since as a musician he’s on the front lines of a popular culture which over the last 10-15 years has shifted toward blind celebrity worship and a lack of focus on the creative process. As a spearhead act of the modern heavy progressive movement, Porcupine Tree flies in the face of the culture, such as it is, at large.

Signed at long last to Roadrunner Records (which is really where they belong), Porcupine Tree have released The Incident, their latest in a long string of albums at least partially based on the notion of identifying and indicting the vacuous and contrasting it in every way possible. Wrapped around the mundane everyday desensitization, The Incident was formed around one large composition split into separate tracks, even in presentation going against the 99-cent-single ethos.

Of the lengthy conversation we shared about the record, writing it, recording it (Wilson produces all his own material) and ultimately touring on it, the part where the guitarist/vocalist really opened up was in the discussion of media and how it relates to Porcupine Tree’s music and ideology. As such, that’s what I’m printing. We now join the interview already in progress…

…How did the concept for the album come about?

The concept really came about one night when I was driving home. I saw a sign on the highway saying, ‘Police Incident,’ and I suddenly—for whatever reason, I still don’t know exactly why—I started to dwell on the word ‘incident.’ It doesn’t actually tell you anything except that something has happened.

I started to dwell on ‘what exactly is that incident?’ A squirrel walked onto the motorway? A traffic cone fallen over? Something trivial like that? As I was driving through, I realized quite the opposite, it was a very, very serious car accident. Presumably fatal. So I had a very sort of poetic moment and subsequent to that, I started to notice on the news, particularly on the BBC News on the TV, the use of this word ‘incident’ was almost ubiquitous. It was always being used and very often in a context that almost seemed designed to disconnect you from the horrific reality of what they were talking about.

‘Incident’ itself is a very dispassionate word. Quite detached. Very often they would be talking about horrific things, like child abduction, homicide or an earthquake. Talking about really horrible things that have terrible emotional consequences for the people involved and still they relate them to us as incidents in the media. I found out why that was. We can’t all be empathizing with every awful thing that happens in the world, otherwise we’ll all be walking around emotional wrecks.

But at the same time, there’s something quite twisted about that, and what really brought it home to me was the whole Michael Jackson thing, which actually happened after the album was finished, but kind of threw it into relief to me, because it shows that when the media choose to, they can do the exact opposite. They can make you feel like something awful has happened.

They can make you feel like you should all engage in some incredible communal feeling of mourning and sadness, and I call it the ‘Princess Diana Effect,’ because Princess Diana for me was someone I had no interest in as a person, no interest in anything she had to say, anything she was doing, and yet when she died, I was somehow expected by the media to feel incredible sadness and like I’d lost someone close to me. The same thing happened with Michael Jackson.

The point I’m making is these are not related to us as incidents, quite the contrary, and there is something quite twisted about the way the media choose to create emotional hysteria about certain things which actually ultimately are far less significant. I mean, Michael Jackson dying is sad. I’m not trying to be callous and say it’s not. Of course I was sad about it. When you consider that in 2001 20,000 people died in an earthquake in India, relatively speaking, that puts it into perspective. A pop star died. A pop star that hadn’t made a good record for 20 years died. Twenty thousand people dying in a few minutes in India, and that is related as an incident, and that is what is twisted about the whole thing.

I guess there’s something deep in the whole psyche of humanity. We have to block out these things in a way, but it’s funny how we sometimes choose to have this wonderful communal mourning for certain celebrities when they pass away. Anyway, I could talk about this all day, but that was kind of where the incident concept originally came from, but as I say, it was kind of a loose concept because I was picking up on various media stories that struck me and had almost been glossed over in the news.

There was one about the religious cult in Texas last year that was evacuated from a compound. There was one about a body being found in a river. There was one about a child abduction. I picked up on these things and wrote in a first personal way to try and put that emotional resonance back into the stories that I felt I hadn’t had the opportunity to feel when I’d seen the original news items.

That ultimately led me on to writing about my own life and being more autobiographical and writing about certain incidents in my own life, both good and bad, that had effected me as a person and changed the path of my life, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. It’s quite loose, but there is a theme running through everything, I think, which is this sense of seismic events, life-changing or life-altering or sometimes life-ending events.

That kind of media critique is something you’ve been doing for a while now. On Fear Of A Blank Planet, there was a more general look at culture through the Bret Easton Ellis book. Are you conscious of the ways you present your perspective in the lyrics?

I guess if I’m conscious of anything, I’m conscious of the fact that I’m very much following in the tradition of musicians—not just musicians, anyone creative —that are very much aware of their own sense of alienation from the technological age that they live in. It’s very hard not to feel alienated from a world in which reality TV is so omnipresent and seemingly so influential. It’s very hard not to feel alienated from a country where most kids these days seem to be more inspired and more passionate about computer games than they are by music.

It’s very alien to me because I grew up—not so long ago—in the ‘80s. In the ‘80s, music was still the number one way that you, as a kid, as a teenager, you would use to define your personality as distinct from your parents’ personality. You’d always pick music that your parents would hate (laughs). Rebellion is a very important part of growing up, no question, and that was the way you did it, with music.

Nowadays, the music the kids listen to is to is more conservative than the music their parents listened to. Their parents were listening to The Smiths or Slayer or Pink Floyd. Now the kids are listening to Green Day and Metallica, which is much more conservative musically than what their parents were listening to, and I think this is the first generation you could say that of.

Every subsequent generation really has shocked in some way the previous generation with their musical taste and there’s no way for kids to do that now, so in a way, I guess the way they rebel against their parents now is with technology, with computer games, with cell phones, with iPods and all this technology, which is kind of alien certainly to my generation.

I don’t necessarily think it’s a good thing, so it’s that sense of alienation. I guess it’s the same sense of alienation that Thom Yorke felt 10 years ago when he wrote OK Computer or Roger Waters felt in 1979 when he wrote The Wall.

There is this sense of artists particularly more from the hard rock tradition of feeling and trying to express this sense of detachment and alienation from the world they live in. I guess that’s what I do, and because of the generation I’m from, I find myself in a world that is all about reality TV, iPods, cell phones, computer games, the death of certainly the commercial end of the music industry, American Idol and all this stuff, which is hard not to feel about cynical about. It’s all pretty much lowest common denominator stuff, which is unfortunate, I think…

The Incident is available now on Roadrunner Records. Porcupine Tree will be appearing live at Terminal 5 in NYC on Sept. 24 and at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia on Sept. 26. For more info, check out

About The Author

Related Posts

9 Responses

  1. Germania

    I’m from the same generation as SW and a fan of PT, but I disagree that the digital age is alien. Sure, I don’t want to hear the Zen bass played at a concert, but an MP3 player is a great way to add and discover new and old music (including PT).

    The comment about what we as parents listened to is somewhat true, but remember that we’re also the “disco”, “Donny and Marie” and “The Muppets” generation. Quite innocent compared to much of what is released today. Sure, many paltry bands are out there, but there is so much more potential that can be tapped as well.

    As for the media and the public at large, we as a society do tend to detach ourselves from major disasters in favor of single horrible events that are easier for our minds to comprehend. Look at the war coverage or 9/11. The media can focus in on a few people affected to give you a sense of the dispair of those individuals, but we cannot ever fully grasp the situation unless we are directly affected by it.

  2. Bogdan Ciric

    I think that if a kid really digs deep, they can find an immense amount of bands that are way more extreme than The Smiths, for instance. However, the point Steven is trying to make is that people, in general, are becoming complacent and lazy and accepting everything that is told to them (through the media, for example) as the plain and obvious truth. Which is quite a bad state to be in. Which ties in with his point on Fear of a Blank Planet – the modern person is not curious enough about the world as everything is easily accessed. Thus, humans are now more lazy and technology has become a substitute for effort…

  3. Brian

    The one point I would make, and the one I think SW always misses, is that PT is a MP3 phenomenon. Were it not for the incredible freedom of distribution, wrongly or rightly, bands like PT would stay under the radar forevermore. As it stands, word-of-mouth has made PT a success, and one that SW has every right to. He is a prolific and, in my opinion, great artist. But, he must realize that technology has played a significant role in helping him achieve his success. Hell, he is the master of the 5.1 mix, what is that, if not modern technology?

  4. AJ Saxon

    I only discovered PT a little over two years ago and instantly fell in love. I understand exactly what SW is saying about the current generation in comparison to ours (I’m only a couple years younger than Steven). I have, however noticed that most of our generation has really let go of their own passion for anything truly creative (a friend of mine from high school, seems almost offended when I talk about bands he’s never heard of but then he won’t seek them out either and he’s a musician).

    Music has always had a great affect on me, both emotionally a physically… I don’t understand the facination with reality TV or video games. I still buy CDs. Seeing PT live was an amazing experience and reminded me just how powerful music can be.

  5. Stuart Condie

    I don’t think that Steven Wilson is anti-technology – he admitted in a recent interview to using add-ins for all his recorded guitar sounds and having been brought up in the era of hard disc recording – but rather a sadness or despair that with all the wealth of music and culture now accessible to everyone, we seem ready to settle for mass-market, demographically sanitised pap. The sin of reality TV is not that it replaces professionals with the common man, which could be a democratising force if properly handled, but that it tells us what our emotions are meant to be and manipulates what we are supposed to feel. To achieve that, all the shades of grey are taken away and simple is the order of the day. Look at the charts and tell me that music isn’t suffering from the same dumbing down.

  6. Adam

    Every time I read an interview with SW, I seem to like him more. I agree with most of what he says. Keep up the great music, Steve!

  7. Patrick De-La-Mare

    The More interviews I read of S/W the more I like him he is a very intelligent person as well as being a very talented musician and producer the Latest P/T album is a brilliant effort and I am very much looking forward to seeing it performed live in London.. I totally agree with his view of the modern media and the fact that people are becoming lazy were music is concerned most kids these days can’t be bothered to research music and rely on radio which in most cases is very limited and they only play what the record companies want you to here. Like the media it is censored. With regards to modern technology. I am 45 years old and I am a total gadget head. I own a iPod which to me is the greatest invention since the CD. If you had told me when I was 17 that one day |I would be able to have my entire music collection in my back pocket I would have asked you what drugs you were taking. Mobile phones are very useful as well but it took a while for them to get sold to me. As for the internet I think used in the right way it is amazing and the best thing that has happened to the music industry even thought a lot of people would disagree. Bands like P/T would have found it very hard with out the internet. It is a brilliant communication tool and as a means of spreading the word it cannot be beaten. In Think there are a lot of bands out there that blow the socks of anything I was listening to when I was a Teenager P/T for one Opeth, Dream Theatre, Within Temptation, Masterdon, I could go on. There a lot of kids out there that don’t know about these bands that I am sure would find them really cool but if they can’t be bothered to find out. What can you do? Nearly all the music I have got into in the last ten years has been through word of mouth and the internet.. My music collection at the moment runs at over 1000 cds and twice as many mp3 files. I love it

  8. Kerri

    I have to agree with Adam. I can understand Steven’s frustration with the iPod shuffle mentality, but were it not for the Internet, I wouldn’t have heard of PT. That’s how I found out about PT and countless other bands I have gotten into in the last decade. I have spent more on albums in the last decade than I ever did previously.

  9. Tim Coffey

    All I can say is that I discovered PT the old fashioned way when they opened for Yes at the Tower Theater back in 2002 or 2003. Abstentia was the new album. I never thought that I would grow to love an opening act, but I got hooked. Funny die hard 45 year old prog rock fan of 70’s music(Yes,Genesis, Kansas) found a band to get into and look forward to some new music. When I saw them for the FOBP tour at a casino in Atlantic City, I took a friend, but still thought that an act at a casino was not relevant. HOwever, when I saw PT for the Incident inPhiladelphia and saw the fans reaction, I relized that the next time I see them it will be at a much bigger venue. Too bad we do not have the fan base in the states, like Europe does. Anyway, I am looking forward to more new material from SW and PT. Maybe I will look into pre-Abstentia material.

Leave a Reply to Adam Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

*/ ?>


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Type: response

text:
Aimee Mann is gearing up to release her eight solo album, Charmer, this spring, and what better way to do so than with a show at Carnegie Hall. Her tour will cover the East Coast, starting in New Jersey, reaching Maine, Maryland and ending at Carnegie Hall on Jan. 28. At these shows Mann will be giving fans a first listen at what she’s been working on. Don’t miss a chance to hear some new music from Aimee Mann! Tickets are limited, so get them today. Check the venue’s website for more information.

About The Author

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

*/ ?>

warcinfo:
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2018-39
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for September 2018
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-45-127-147.ec2.internal
software: Apache Nutch 1.15 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 0.11-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: http://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/


text:
Category Archives: Troubleshooting

Queen cups vs. Swarm cells vs. Supercedure cells!

Well, we’ve made a new and interesting/mildly worrying observation in our hives recently. That is, the presence of so-called “queen cups” in both hives. These are enlarged, rounded cells that the workers have constructed on the face of a frame: Thankfully, they are empty (i.e. no egg or larva in them). Based on 1. the position of the cup on the frame (it’s in the middle, and not hanging off the bottom), 2. the fact that there are only a

Are my bees drunk?

Because why else would they be building comb like this: And this: These are frames from the second hive body on Hive 2 (the strong one). Why would they all of a sudden start building wonky comb, when previously they were drawing nice bee keeper-friendly comb within the frame foundations? This is burr comb, or in this case, bridge comb, because it is comb drawn perpendicular to the frames, and actually forms a bridge joining two adjacent frames.  I did what

Two steps forward, one step back…

So, remember a couple posts back where I said we added a second brood box to hive 1? Well this past weekend during our inspection, we decided to backtrack and remove it. It had been in place for 4 days and there was absolutely no activity on it. Our strong hive (hive 2) already had 4 frames being drawn and eggs being laid in the same amount of time after adding the second brood box on it, so we knew

Delving into the hive life

A week ago (3 weeks after installation), hive 2 had drawn out about 75% of the frames, which is the point at which most beekeepers add a second brood chamber. If you fail to give the queen enough room to lay eggs, the colony may decide to swarm and leave the hive. To avoid this, we added a second brood chamber above the first. To our surprise, after only 1 week with the second story, this past weekend’s inspection revealed 4


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/xhtml+xml

text:
Friday, November 07, 2008

Happy to report that "Stomp the Yard" director Sylvain White is continuing to evolve in his career with bigger and better projects. According to Variety, he's set to direct "The Losers," an adaptation of the DC-Vertigo comicbook about a band of black ops commandos who are set up to be killed by their own government. They barely survive and set out to get even.

The series was first published by the DC Comics imprint Vertigo in the 1970's. Gregory Noveck, who oversees DC Comics film transformations, will be involved in a producing capacity.

White, will direct "The Losers" as his next project. However, he continues to develop an adaptation of "Ronin" for Warner Bros, "Static" at Columbia Pictures, and "Castlevania" via Rogue Pictures which got close to production before being thrown off because of the Writer's strike.

Kudos to Sylvain for this great accomplishment!


text:
Home»Local News»a pilgrim reflects on Fatima

a pilgrim reflects on Fatima

Pinterest Google+
Mass at Fatima with Bishop Binzer. CT PHOTO/GREG HARTMAN

Our own Greg Hartman is on pilgrimage with Bishop Binzer and 134 people from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, stopping at Marian shrines with the ultimate destination of Fatima for the 100th anniversary of the end of the apparitions there. Here is his Oct. 4 report from Fatima:

Today the pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati spent their final full day in Fatima, Portugal.

The Archdiocesan prayer for vocations begins, “You have granted us for some definite purpose. Grant us the grace to know the path You have planned for us in this life and to repspond with a generous: Yes.”

Bishop Joseph R. Binzer presided at the 9:30 a.m. Mass for English speakers, concelebrating with priests from the States and Ireland. He spoke about saying yes, remembering when, as a child, his mother would give him chores, and sometimes he would procrastinate yet eventually say “yes” — and how pleasing that was to his mother.

The pilgrims on this journey have been called to that “yes.” In Fatima, three children — Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco — said yes in a place where their parents scorned them, friends ridiculed them, and civil authorities tried to silence them. Yet they said yes though perhaps the easiest thing would have been remaining silent. They kept on saying yes in a very dangerous time.

The tomb of St. Jacinta – CT PHOTO/GREG HARTMAN

Today is the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. And 2,331 kilometers away in the Chapel of Apparition in Fatima, the archdiocesan pilgrims remembered how the Lord asked St. Francis to rebuild His house, and he too said yes. Our pilgrims will come home, each taking away a new wisdom from God never realized in the past. Though the task to rebuild our houses with faith, hope, and love may be daunting, these pilgrims now have armor from encountering St. Bernadette in that small village in Lourdes and the perseverance of those three children in Fatima: the message of devout prayer, of shedding the old self and putting on the new.

In 11 days the pilgrims have seen the grandeur of many cathedrals, the simple devout lives of saints, the beauty of God’s creation in the countryside, and a witness to faith that at this point is hard to really comprehend. The world became pleasantly small on this pilgrimage, and perhaps the differences in many cultures, after all, weren’t many.

In a few days, routine will once again envelop the lives on this journey. You have journeyed with us from home, taking care of the ordinary, while we experienced the extraordinary. In reality, you don’t have to travel thousands of miles to encounter Christ, A simple walk, or short drive will bring you to a parish where perseverance and conversion takes place every day in the lives of everyone. We are all pilgrims on a journey to the ultimate encounter with Christ.

The tomb of St. Francisco — CT PHOTO/GREG HARTMAN

From the Pilgrims Prayer of Santiago de Compostela:  “May all of journeys keep us kind, patient, and good-humored with one another, and safe from danger and anxiety as we travel. Bless those who guide and minister to us on the way, surround with your care our loved ones at home.”

It’s easy to choose our own path, and comfortable to be on our own path. In the movie “The Way,” a father loses his son, who went on pilgrimage to Europe. The dad and son were played by real life dad and son Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez. While driving to the airport the fictional son in challenged his father with this statement: “We don’t choose life dad, we live it.” The challenge has been given not only to the pilgrims on this journey, but to all who follow Christ. The challenge is to listen in prayer and discernment, and to say “yes.”

For many more photos and a running report on the pilgrimage, see our Facebook gallery page.

Tree at the site of the apparitions – CT PHOTO/GREG HARTMAN
Previous post

Free Reformation lecture series continues Tuesday at St. Gertrude

Next post

Meet Sister Mary Kelley Rush, SND


text:
You are here: click here for main page > reviews > pc

Gamebience Announces PC Game 'Cricket Life 2007'

Posted Monday, August 28, 2006

e-mail E-mail this page   print Printer-friendly page

A first-of-its kind game that blends strategy, business, management and entertainment genres in a single sports game

Monday, August 28, 2006
Toronto, Canada

Gamebience today unveiled its premiere PC-based cricket game Cricket Life 2007 here at Toronto. Developed and to be published by Gamebience, Cricket Life 2007 is a game that lets users take control of every major aspect of a cricket player’s life.

Announcing the game into the market, George Fredericks, the Media Relations Officer said, “Cricket Life 2007 is a new concept in the area of sports gaming. It is not just a sports game but a sports-based strategy and business game.” Cricket Life 2007 game has many new features that haven’t been experienced before in other Cricket games. “The game allows you to sign sponsorships with companies, invest hard-earned money in various businesses and even try and win various international and domestic awards – just like in real life.” Cricket Life 2007 allows the gamers to climb the ranks through the state team to become the captain of their chosen cricket team. Win the games, captain the side and reap the rewards. Watch yourself becoming the hero of the cricket world and see your name appear in leading newspapers.

One of the most interesting parts of the game is its business aspect. The gamers can invest their hard-earned money into business and personal assets such as to buy luxury homes. It even allows them to start a sports academy or to start their own ‘5-star hotel’! What’s more, want to take a break from cricket? You can even go for a vacation. Moreover, gamers are entrusted to take a major decision of any player’s life – say to get married. Every decision that a gamer takes in the game has a big influence in the player’s life. This multi-dimensional game offers some stimulating mental exercise and tests the gamers’ cognitive dexterity in making intelligent decisions.

The game includes 2D and 3D graphics to balance the game. The game features over 30 customized International and Domestic tournaments. A comprehensive ODI and Test Player and Team rankings forms a part of the game. Features such as various International and Domestic Awards Ceremony for sporting excellence only add more spice to the game. More details about the game’s exciting features will be revealed between September 01, 2006 and September 15, 2006 on their website, as part of the game’s awareness campaign.

Regarding the status of development, S.A. Uzayr, who is heading the project team and is also the CMO said, “The game has been in development for over 8 months. We will be into beta stage within a short time. So the gamers don’t have to wait for a long time to see this game out in the market.”

Speaking about the game, he said, “Cricket Life 2007 is a new concept in the area of sports gaming. This is a game that is focused on making strategic decisions like where to invest money, what sponsorships to sign and how to achieve success. Such decisions are often taken in the real-life and hence the game lets the users to learn something that is useful in real-life along while having some great time.”

Got Feedback?
Send a letter to the editor.

Sign up for our free monthly newsletter.

Promote your brand at

Subscribe now: RSS news feed, plus free headlines for your site


text:
The Conference Forum

For BELTs, PELTs, NLLs and those who can't bear to say goodbye ... and for peasants, pedants, and hedonists!

Return to front page

Newest article: Re: TV series they haven't made ... but should do … by BaldmanToday 23:06Today at 23:06:56view thread

Oldest article: Alastair Cook by Greek Card3/9 12:12Mon Sep 3 12:12:12 2018view thread

No articles found


text:
Loading... Please wait...

Add to Wish List

Click the button below to add the TF5 Digital Mixing Console to your wish list.

TF5 Digital Mixing Console

  • TF5 Yamaha Digital Console
Your Price:
$3,599.99 (You save $600.01)
Calculated at checkout

Product Description

32 mic/line (XLR/TRS combo) + 2 stereo line (RCA pin)

Yamaha has always made it a mission to stay in touch with the needs of sound engineers worldwide. The outcome is evident in the success of the recent CL and QL series digital mixing consoles, and the flagship RIVAGE PM10. The key to success has always been in supporting the user’s creativity. Creativity is most effective when unrestricted, and now Yamaha has created a new digital mixing console that gives the user's intuition even freer rein. TouchFlow Operation™ introduced in the TF series consoles allows the user to respond to the music and artists on stage with unprecedented speed and freedom, taking live sound reinforcement to a new level of refinement. With the TouchFlow Operation interface optimized for touch panel control, experienced engineers as well as newcomers to the field will find it easier than ever to achieve the ideal mix. Recallable D-PRE™ preamplifiers support sound quality that will satisfy the most discerning professional ears, while advanced live recording features and seamless operation with high-performance I/O racks give these compact digital mixers capabilities that make them outstanding choices for a wide range of applications. Experience the intuitive control and creative freedom that a truly evolved digital console can provide.

Product Videos

Real Feedback - Introduction BTS Reel (1 of 15) - Yamaha TF Series (03:01)
Real Feedback. Real Audio Engineers. Yamaha TF Series Mixing Consoles (1 of 15) In this series of unscripted videos, which gives real feedback on the benefits of TouchFlow Operation™: the heart of our most intuitive series of digital mixing consoles, the TF Series. Meet the engineers, hear the artists, see behind the scenes footage, and learn more about why Yamaha reimagined the live sound mixing experience in order to empower more users than ever before to get good quality audio quickly. Yamaha TF Series digital mixing consoles allow engineers to respond to the music and artists on stage with unprecedented speed and freedom, taking live sound reinforcement to a new level of refinement. With TouchFlow Operation™, Yamaha has reimagined the mixing experience: utilizing features like 1-knob Comp™, 1-knob EQ™, GainFinder™, QuickPro Presets™, motorized faders, a multi-touch screen, mobile mixing, and virtual soundcheck the TF Series makes it easy for experienced engineers and newcomers alike to achieve the perfect mix in no time. In addition, recallable D-PRE™ studio quality head amps, high performance processors and effects, USB multi-track audio interface, and remote Dante networkable stage box option, the TF series of compact digital mixers will satisfy the most discerning artist or engineer in a wide range of applications. To see the rest of the videos and learn more about the engineers visit: http://4wrd.it/TFinfo Experience how Yamaha "Design Meets Intuition” by visiting http://4wrd.it/TFSeries to find a place to test drive the TF Series today!! → follow Yamaha Commercial Audio ← Twitter - https://twitter.com/YamahaCommAudio facebook - https://www.facebook.com/yamahacommaudio Roundtable Panel Hosted by John Schauer - Yamaha MI Pro Audio Product Manager Featured Audio Engineers: Nolan Rossi, Harold Rubens, Jeff Sandstrom, David Terry Audio Equipment: FOH/Monitor Console: Yamaha TF5 Digital Mixing Console http://www.4wrd.it/tfseries Recorded via: Yamaha TF5 Digital Mixing Console and Cubase Artist 8 http://4wrd.it/CUBASE-ARTIST-8 Floor Monitors: Yamaha DXR10 Powered Loudspeakers Microphones: various models from Audio-Technica, Sennheiser, and Shure Musical Instruments: Yamaha CP4 Stage Piano Yamaha TRBX504 TWH 4 - string Bass guitar Yamaha Pacifica PAC611HFM TBL Translucent Black - Electric Guitar Yamaha L Series LL16MHC Handcrafted Acoustic Guitar Yamaha Stage Custom Birch 5pc Drum Set Pure White Yamaha DTX-MULTI 12 Electronic Percussion Pad Credits: Audio Engineer for Live Mix: Harold Rubens Audio Engineer for Multi-track Recording: Harold Rubens, Mike Overlin Audio Engineer for Stereo Mix for Video: Jeff Gilhart Leann Albrecht - "You Are the One" Words & Music by Carl and Leann Albrecht ©2006 High Hill Songs/ASCAP CCLI# 4802488 Leann Albrecht - Lead Vocals Carl Albrecht - Drums, Vocals Tom Lane - Electric Guitar, Vocals Michael Demus - Acoustic Guitar Jason Foster - Bass Guitar Chris Springer - Piano, Keys
  • Real Feedback ...
    Real Feedback. Real Audio Engineers. Yamaha TF Series Mixing C...

Find Similar Products by Category

Customers Who Viewed This Product Also Viewed


text:
• Superstore Season 1 DVD Superstore Season 1 DVD Roll over image to zoom in

Superstore Season 1 DVD

Product Code: Superstore Season 1 + Freeshipping
Availability: In Stock
Price: $24.99 Ex Tax: $24.99

Product Information of Superstore Season 1 DVD

Actors: America Ferrera, Ben Feldman
Language: English
Boxed Set: Yes
Number of discs: 2
Condition: New
Region: Region Free
Weight: 0.4 kg
Format: Support both NTSC & PAL
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
DVD Release Date: 2016

Superstore Season 1 DVD

Summary of Superstore Season 1 DVD

People were saying bad things about it before it aired, but surprisingly, I found this to be very entertaining, albeit mildly clichéd at times, however, it was peppered with some hilarious laugh out loud moments too, just like UKS - especially from Garrett.I love America Ferrera, and I like the other casting too, plus it's nice to see Kids in the Hall vet, Mark McKinney working again as an over the top character actor. Overall, it's not bad for a pilot episode,Superstore Season 1 and yet it's unique. It needs a tiny bit of tweaking, but otherwise, I think it could be a hit, or at least a cult fave like two of my other past favorite sitcoms; Parks & Rec and The Office, which were produced by the same people making "Superstore". I'll continue to watch and buy episodes.I guess since NBC screwed up big time by outsourcing Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt to Netflix, because they claimed there wasn't any room on their schedule, they realized afterwards that they should have MADE the time,Superstore Season 1 DVD so they set out to do something similar, and they came up with Superstore.

Write a review

Your Name:

Your Review: Note: HTML is not translated!

Rating: Bad           Good

Enter the code in the box below:

Tags: Superstore
Copyright 2013-2018 Thedvdonline INC.
Email: Customerserice_24h@foxmail.com


text:
Egg-citing day

On to our 2nd egg hunt of the year... with Grandma Great at the Atriums!  Aaron was so cute with his little basket and Papa.  Papa held the basket while Aaron collected eggs.  Only Aaron wanted the BIGGEST egg he could find. It was a decoration so it didn't actually have anything in it but that didn't seem to phase him!  He was more interested in it than the actual candy-filled ones!  The Easter bunny was there too and Aaron thought he was pretty funny.  He kept trying to pet him.  Too cute!  At least he wasn't scared of him!  We got some pretty great pics.  Enjoy...  (I had a very hard time narrowing them down so there are a few!)


text:
Dustin Putman
 This Year
 Mailing List

Reviews by Title

Reviews by Year
1997 & previous

Reviews by Rating
4 Star Reviews
3.5 Star Reviews
3 Star Reviews
2.5 Star Reviews
2 Star Reviews
1.5 Star Reviews
1 Star Reviews
0.5 Star Reviews
Zero Star Reviews
Haunted Sideshow

Dustin Putman

Dustin's Review

The Cave (2005)
Zero Stars

Directed by Bruce Hunt
Cast: Eddie Cibrian, Cole Hauser, Lena Headey, Morris Chestnut, Piper Perabo, Rick Ravanello, Marcel Iures, Daniel Dae Kim, Kieran Darcy-Smith.
2005 – 97 minutes
Rated: Rated PG-13 (for creature violence).
Reviewed by Dustin Putman, August 25, 2005.

From the performances to the writing to the cinematography to the special effects, "The Cave" is a rickety, ramshackle junk heap of a monster movie, the type that wouldn't even pass muster with die-hard viewers of the Sci-Fi Channel. Bloodless, scareless, eventless, and nearly violence-free, the film is a PG-13 kiddie movie posing as a horrific creature feature, and a shoddy, cheap-looking one at that. That it is finally seeing release on the final weekend of August (well-known to be a studio dumping ground for such quality-deficient fare) comes as no surprise. How it got so far as to see the inside of multiplexes nationwide, however, is one of this year's most perplexing cinematic mysteries.

The plot, for what it's worth, is nothing new. A gaggle of explorers and scientists enter a huge underground maze of caves in the Carpathian mountains where, twenty years earlier, several men supposedly met their deaths after falling rocks trapped them inside. At first amazed by the size of the caverns and the complexity with which its animal population has lived and evolved below the surface for thousands of years, the spelunkers soon become the potential prey of nasty winged serpents that are part man, part parasite. In a turn of events that goes nowhere, Jack (Cole Hauser) begins to slowly transform into one of the monsters after being bitten. Now, with one of their own going mad and the rest of the creatures circling in, Tyler (Eddie Cibrian), Buchanan (Morris Chestnut), Charlie (Piper Perabo), Katherine (Lena Headey), and the rest of the paper-thin characters vaguely resembling human beings desperately attempt to find an escape route to the outside world.

Without even a rudimentary understanding of how to create tension, director Bruce Hunt's filmmaking style is to start things off slowly, mosey through a second act that remains slow, and then ends with one of the most lethargic, lackluster anticlimaxes of any movie this year. Eliciting sheer boredom from the viewer, it turns out, is the least of its problems. No doubt the victim of technical ineptitude as well as the restraints of a PG-13 rating no horror film about murderous beasts in a cave should have the disservice of aiming for, the editing by Brian Berdan (2004's "The Big Bounce") appears to have been cut together with an out-of-control chainsaw. So choppy is it that what unfolds on the screen is downright incomprehensible, with characters ending up dead before the viewer realizes they've been watching a killing scene. To make matters worse, the cinematography by Ross Emery is so undistinguished and dark that it's difficult to make much of anything out. Depending on who you talk to, this could be a detriment or the sole saving grace of the picture.

As for the creatures, rejects from 1982's cult classic, "Q," and 2000's "Pitch Black," the fleeting glimpses of them are keenly unfocused to try and hide the low budget. They, as well as the rest of the visual effects, are laughably piss-poor, reminding of a cheesy '70s B-movie that would be heckled on "Mystery Science Theater 3000." All that is missing are the strings (alas, fake matte shots do make an appearance in the unthinkably terrible opening scene's rock slide). Mostly, though, the actors simply give pained reaction shots and run when the creatures are near without director Bruce Hunt allowing us to see what it is they are frightened by. When they aren't doing that, they are wandering around without a clue as to what they should do.

Many of the performers are up-and-comers—Cole Hauser (2004's "Paparazzi"), Piper Perabo (2000's "Coyote Ugly"), Lena Headey (2000's "Gossip"), Morris Chestnut (2004's "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid"), etc.—though one must question just how up-and-coming they really are to have resorted to such a ham-fisted, thankless production in order to pay the rent. None walk away from the wreckage unscathed, and most act as if this were the first time they've been put in front of a camera. The height of intelligent dialogue finds Headey's Katherine observing that a parasite is "ubiquitous."

And then comes the ending, or what passes as one. "The Cave" lurches along so deliberately for the first eighty minutes that, one understandably figures, it is all leading up to an exciting, action-laden finale. Not here. The film simply decides it is over, throws in a ridiculous "surprise" development in the last scene to rapturous audience snickering, and then cuts to end credits. The actual defeat of the creatures doesn't play like an afterthought so much as it feels in retrospect like it never occurred. The whole of the film is, indeed, that empty and forgettable.

How does irredeemable, talent-deficient garbage like "The Cave" ever get greenlit and made in Hollywood? An amalgamation of bad ideas and worse delivery, the film is so inadequate that it can't even deliver a payoff, let alone the basic things one expects from a monster movie, like suspense, fear, ripped body parts, and slime. If there were any inevitable jump scares, even they were so ineffective as to not call attention to themselves. Easily one of the biggest monumental wastes of time to be had in the theater all year, "The Cave" marks the bottom of the barrel of a genre that doesn't require much to begin with. Although proper moviegoing etiquette should usually be abided, this is one case in which lobbing tubs of popcorn and soda at the screen in a riot of audience defiance is a fully warranted option. Apparently made for no one—the target audience of teenage and twenty-something males certainly won't get what they came for—"The Cave" represents cinematic pain at its most mindnumbing and depressing. A turd held up to the flickering bulb of the projector would be a marked improvement.
© 2008 by Dustin Putman
Dustin Putman


text:
Review: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

Directed by: Tommy Wirkola
Written by:Tommy Wirkola, Dante Harper
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Peter Stormare, Famke Janssen, Thomas Mann
Released: February 7, 2013
Grade: C

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Once upon a time, there was a boy called Hansel and a girl called Gretel.  Wandering through the woods, they came across a house made of candy and gingerbread.  What they didn’t know… was that house belonged to an evil witch who liked to cook and eat small children.  Hansel and Gretel had the last laugh though.  They shoved the witch into the oven and she burned to death.

The entirety of this German fairy tale is covered before the opening credits even begin in Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters.  It sets the stage from which writer-director Tommy Wirkola has tried to create an 80 minute epilogue to this famous story.

It turns out that Hansel and Gretel weren’t satisfied with the death of just one witch.  Now that they’ve grown up (and look like Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton), they want to rid the whole world of these villainous creatures by “setting their ass on fire”.  Oh, and get paid handsomely in the process.  It’s a creative but still dangerous way to make a living.

For their latest assignment, they’re been brought in by the mayor of a small town who is worried about the number of children who has recently gone missing.  Hansel and Gretel will have to battle more than the witches responsible though.  The local sheriff (Stormare) isn’t happy that this authority is being trumped.  He’d like to continue his evidence free, Crucible-like strategy and pick women at random to burn at the stake.

We’ve seen a few attempts over the past year to revive a simple fairy tale and transform it into a big screen action-adventure.  I preferred the more intricate story in Snow White & The Huntsman over Mirror Mirror but both films showed that such an adaptation can appeal to audiences.  A sequel is planned for Huntsman given its success at the international box-office.

There’ll be no such sequel to Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters.  This movie is terrible.  There’s graphic violence, coarse language and even a splash of nudity.  It’s all been included to help sell this film to the young adult crowd.  If you like the thought of a giant troll stamping on a man’s face and squashing it into a million gooey pieces, make sure you buy a ticket to opening weekend.

I’ve got no issue with the inclusion of violence, language and breasts… but the film’s problem is that this all seems more important that actually telling a story.  The forgettable premise revolves around some ancient legend that will allow the witches to become immune to the effects of fire.  Famke Janssen plays the “lead” witch but she’s not particularly scary or threatening.

There’s also a lack of witty banter between the characters.  If you’re going to create such a silly story, why not make it funny?  For the record, the dropping of an unexpected f-bomb does not count as humour.  Don’t expect any romance either.  They’ve cast Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton (both easy on the eye) but keep in mind that their characters are brother and sister.  Part of me thinks they'd have been better casting Jason Statham and Milla Jovovich given the film's theme of action first, plot second.

It’s certainly not for kids… and I’ve got doubts about whether Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is fit for anyone else.


text:
Steel Blue Killifish (Fundulopanchax gardneri)

From The Aquarium Wiki
(Redirected from Akure Aphyosemion)
Jump to: navigation, search

Steel Blue Killifish

Fundulopanchax gardneri.jpg
Steel Blue Killfish

Fundulopanchax gardneri

95 Litres (25 US G.)

6-7 cm (2.4-2.8")

6.0 - 7.0

22 -25 °C (71.6-77°F)

5-8 °d

1:1 M:F

Pellet Foods
Flake Foods
Live Foods

5-8 years

Additional names

Blue Lyretail, Steel Blue Killifish

Additional scientific names

Fundulopanchax gardneri gardneri, Aphyosemion gardneri

Origin[edit | edit source]

These Killis are native to Cameroon and Nigeria.

Sexing[edit | edit source]

Females are less decorated and golden coloured while males have red, blue and yellow patterning across golden body. Females have enlarged abdomens compared to males.

Breeding[edit | edit source]

Hardy and easy to breed, a pair in top condition will lay a clutch of about ten eggs daily. A non-annual, it spawns on aquatic plants, with eggs hatching after 14-21 days. Even so, the eggs can tolerate up to one year dormant period.

Tank compatibility[edit | edit source]

Best kept in a species tank. Either keep one male or a group of males (3 or more) among a larger number of females. Two males by themselves will result in a dominant and subdominant male, resulting in continuous harassment. Eventually, the subdominant male will have his fins ripped apart and succumb to injuries. Multiple males however changes the dynamic, and allows the dominant male to change targets.

Suggested Options[edit | edit source]

If a community tank is desired, then peaceful and unassuming fishes would make the best tank mates. Such fish include Corydoras, Otocinclus, and Plecos. If the tank is large enough (50 gallons or more), then one could venture to keep nimble and hardy Characins and Cyprinids such as Neon Tetra, Cardinal Tetra, and Espe's rasbora. In addition, keep them in large schools, so that the large number will confuse the aggressive killies.
Delicate and colorful fish would best be avoided. These fish include Guppies and Pencilfish. Also small freshwater shrimp can be prone to constant nipping, especially if the fish think they resemble prey. Examples of vulnerable shrimp species include Red Cherry Shrimp, and Bee shrimp, and Amano shrimp.

Diet[edit | edit source]

Omnivore. Living or frozen foods, such as Daphnia, Tubifex Worms, Enchytrae, and Brine Shrimp. Will also accept Pellet foods and can be weaned on Flake Food.

Feeding regime[edit | edit source]

Feed once or twice a day.

Environment specifics[edit | edit source]

A heavy planted tank with roots and rocks to provide plenty of hiding spaces. Peat moss would provide best substrate to make the water slightly acidic and soft.

Native Habitats[edit | edit source]

Tropical Congo Habitat

Behaviour[edit | edit source]

Usually peaceful fish that are easy to spawn. However, males can exert aggressive tendencies, especially when hungry.

Identification[edit | edit source]

Males and females can be identified through their upturned mouth and eye in close proximity to the mouth. Males further have colorful bodies and elongated fins. Body colors can vary. Most common are greenish blue that gradually shades into steel blue as the body terminates in the caudal peduncle. Red or purple dots further speckle the entire length of the body, dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. The abdominal, dorsal, anal, and caudal fins may be outlined yellow and orange.
Females, on the other hand appear grey. Through breeding, more colorful versions may exist too, but are not the norm. Unlike the males, females will have short and rounded fins.

Pictures[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]


text:
Tagged jon meddings

Cumming School of Medicine renews official accreditation for eight years

By Scott Strasser, August 26 2016 — The Cumming School of Medicine is now officially accredited by the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC), paving the way for students to continue studying medicine at the University of Calgary for the next eight years. Accreditation is a necessary condition for a medical school’s graduates…

Hiring | Staff | Advertising | Contact | PDF version | Archive | Volunteer


text:
Applications for PHCC Scholars and Commonwealth Legacy Scholars now open

Applications for PHCC Scholars and Commonwealth Legacy Scholars now open

February 5, 2018

MARTINSVILLE, VA - The Patrick Henry Community College Foundation is now accepting applications for the Patrick Henry Scholars and Commonwealth Legacy scholarship. Each year, PHCC chooses a small group of local high school graduates to become Patrick Henry Scholars. These Scholars receive a scholarship to cover tuition, textbook, and fees for up to two academic years.

“These scholarships are highly competitive, and the guidelines are rigorous,” says Tiffani Underwood, PHCC’s Interim Director of the Foundation. “We have set the bar high because becoming a Patrick Henry Scholar is a distinguished honor that is both an experience and an opportunity. It can open many doors, not only at PHCC but also beyond at the students’ transfer institutions and in their careers.”

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must have a high school grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. They must be graduates from an area high school or have completed a homeschool program of study. Scholars are chosen for their superior academic achievement, civic involvement, and leadership potential. Graduates of homeschool programs must be 17 years of age or older at the time of the application and must reside in the PHCC service region.

Once accepted, Patrick Henry Scholars must maintain a 3.0 grade point average and be full-time students (enrolled in at least 12 credit hours) at PHCC. They also will be expected to participate in two extracurricular activities per semester and accrue ten volunteer service hours each semester.

Applications are available on the PHCC Foundation’s Website at, as well as on PHCC website’s homepage,, under Financial Assistance. The deadline to apply is March 30, 2018.

Students who apply for the Patrick Henry Scholars award will automatically be considered for the Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship. One outstanding student from each community college in Virginia is selected to receive this award which was created by the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and sponsored by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education. The funds from this scholarship can be used for tuition, textbooks, and fees. Eligible students are full time, associate degree-seeking students attending college for the first time. As a merit-based scholarship, it will be awarded to a student who has demonstrated academic excellence and a commitment to develop leadership skills.

For additional information or questions, contact Letitia Pulliam at (276) 656-0250 or

Select News Year:


text:
Robotics Workshop Announcement

29 Jun, 2016   | by: and

Two of our contributors, Dr. Christoph Lutz and Aurelia Tamò, are co-organizing with Eduard Fosch Villaronga and Jo Bac a twinned workshop on robotics, to be held in both Barcelona (Spain) and Yokohama (Japan). These workshops take place on 2 and 14 November 2016 and will have the same content and format. Participants can select which workshop they would prefer to attend.

Robots, robots everywhere!*

3 May, 2016   | by: and

We were among the lucky ones chosen to present at the 2016 We Robot Conference and for both of us, it was one of the best conferences we have ever attended. We Robot 2016 took place at the University of Miami and was hosted mainly by Professor Michael Froomkin. From the organization to the speakers: everything was amazing! We won’t address every topic discussed at the conference but we will give you a taste of the topics and point you to some interesting readings in this area. Interested parties should also check out the We Robot website and consider applying for next year’s edition, taking place on March 31 & April 1 at Yale University. More…

, , , , , ,

Long Live hitchBOT — How to Deal with Robots and the Ethical Issues they Trigger

3 Sep, 2015   | by: and

The abrupt death of hitchBOT on August 1, 2015 shocked its fans. hitchBOT, the friendly hitchhiker robot, had traveled across Germany, the Netherlands, Canada and some parts of the USA. In Philadelphia, however, the robot was vandalized—a scenario he had not been programmed to deal with. And so his journey ended. More…

, , , ,

Things that caught our eye

1 ISO Standard >150 $ -> #!@*?

23 Jan, 2015   | by:

(Disclaimer #!@*? translates into: why the heck are ISO standards so expensive?)

I’m assuming that everyone knows or has come across an ISO standard sometime during their research. ISO standards are developed by experts in a specific field. Through a consensus process, together they define generic specifications and guidelines to ensure that the relevant industry leaders adhere to the same requirements of products, processes and services.

With respect to the question, why one single ISO standard is so very expensive, the organization answers as follows:

“Developing, publishing and maintaining ISO standards incurs a cost, and revenues from selling them helps ISO and its members to cover an important part of these costs. Charging for standards allows us to ensure that they are developed in an impartial environment and therefore meet the needs of all stakeholders for which the standard is relevant. This is essential if standards are to remain effective in the real world.” (emphasis added)

The first argument is that costs occur and that the money is needed to cover those “production costs”. This seems like a rather valid point: the creation of guidelines on which industry members can agree upon (through a consensus process) seems like a tedious task. Nevertheless, these costs might have occurred either way. For instance, if the industry leaders did not establish such standards but legislators had, as then extensive lobby efforts are required. And such lobby efforts come at a certain cost too.

The second argument of the ISO is to ensure that they are developed in an impartial environment. Here I think some clarification is necessary, as the argument seems a bit blurry. Why would the consensus processes be biased if the ones agreeing on the guidelines knew that everyone could access them for free?

If the standards were free more people could peer-review them and/or blog about potential misfits. Therefore, the question arises: Are these standards so controversial that one would like to deter the greater public from knowing what there is inside and prevent widespread public discourse?

Anyway, in my opinion standards should be free. This point has been brought forward by others too. Reasons brought forward by some individuals of why ISO standards should be free are:

  1. National legislations sometimes incorporate or link ISO standards and thus free access would lead to greater legal certainty (read here).
  2. ISO standards are developed by volunteers and thus there are no significant costs for ISO in producing them (read post 1 or post 2).
  3. Fees may reduce the impact of the standards (read here).

The Right to Remember: On the WP29’s Opinion concerning the Right to Be Forgotten Ruling & the Balancing of the Freedom of Expression

10 Dec, 2014   | by:

Two weeks ago the Article 29 Working Party (WP29) issued Guidelines on the Implementation of Google Spain judgment.

Let’s have a look at how often the WP29 elaborates on the delicate balance between oblivion, erasure or forgetting and the individuals’ right to freedom of expression. More…

, , , ,

The server’s security certificate is not valid – Continue anyway?!

14 Nov, 2014   | by:

Everyone is familiar with this scenario: you want to browse onto a particular website but instead a message pops up warning you that the security certificate of the site is no longer valid. What do you do now? Continue?

, , ,

Things that caught our eye

Floodwatch – Reverse Engineering Advertising Algorithms?

10 Oct, 2014   | by:

Criticism towards the online ad industry is abound. The lack of transparency in online tracking and targeted advertising is in fact a good reason for concern. Currently it seems that all the power of gathering personal data is in the hands of companies, which are only interested in leading us to click on more “consumption banners”.

Why not change the status quo by understanding how the ad industry works? Floodwatch just caught my eye today. As a Chrome extension it offers:

“tools to help you understand both the volume and the types of ads you’re being served during the course of normal browsing, with the goal of increasing awareness of how advertisers track your browsing behavior, build their version of your online identity, and target their ads to you as an individual.”

Floodwatch’s ultimate aim is to provide users with information about targeted ads to fight back against the tracking and targeting practices of the ad industry.

, , ,

Putting Oblivion, Erasure and Forgetting into Context

8 Oct, 2014   | by:

Damian George and I recently published an article on the right to be forgotten respectively the right of oblivion and erasure in the Journal of Intellectual Property, Information Technology and Electronic Commerce Law (JIPITEC). In this publication we discuss different cases handled by French, German and Italian courts and attempt to understand how the different legal backgrounds have led to a diverse implementation of the European data protection principles into national legislation.

We draw different insights from our comparative case law analysis and would like to share some of them here. More…

, , , , ,


text:
Right to Vote Postcard

VICA Right to Vote Postcard

VICA launches Right to Vote Postcard ON INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS DAY

On International Migrants Day on December 18th, the Votes for Irish Citizens Abroad (VICA) campaign group will launch their Right to Vote Postcard.

The Right to Vote Postcard initiative aims to prepare the Irish electorate to question their candidates in the 2016 general election about the “continuing disenfranchisement of Irish citizens who live abroad”.

International Migrants Day is celebrated on December 18th annually and is mandated by the UN to celebrate the contribution of migrants around the world to open and inclusive societies.

Speaking ahead of the launch of the Right to Vote Postcard, Sarah Cantwell, a spokesperson for VICA, said:

“It is fitting on International Migrants’ Day, and ahead of next year’s general election in Ireland, to reiterate the call for the Irish state update its laws on overseas voting in line with 129 countries worldwide.
“This would ensure that Irish citizens living abroad can participate in Irish elections and referenda which affect their future and the future of their loved ones in Ireland.”

Right to Vote Postcard

The Right to Vote Postcard describes how the Irish State has been criticized by the OECD and the European Commission for continuing to exclude its citizens abroad from its democratic processes.

It also emphasizes how enfranchising Irish citizens abroad can help to offset the losses to Irish society caused by large-scale economic migration.

Ending on an upbeat note, the postcard references the recent Home to Vote campaign during the marriage equality referendum which showed the great appetite of Irish citizens abroad for participation in Irish elections and referenda. (link to IW article)

The postcard can be accessed on VICA Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/votesforirishcitizensabroad ) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/VICAcampaign) accounts or on the VICA www.vica.ie

More abour VICA:
VICA is a London-based group of Irish people campaigning for Irish citizens living abroad to be given the right to vote in general elections, Presidential elections and referenda.

VICA believes that the right to vote in general elections should be granted to all first generation Irish citizens (i.e., those who were born in Ireland), regardless of where they live. VICA proposes this should be managed by a system of reserved constituencies in order not to “swamp” the votes of citizens resident in Ireland, and to ensure meaningful representation of emigrants. Similar systems are used by France and Italy.

Further information can be found at www.vica.ie.

Read more about the OECD and the European Commission criticisms here:
Disenfranchisement: Commission acts to defend voting rights of EU citizens abroad, European Commission, January 2014
OECD Economic Surveys: Ireland 2015,September 2015.

Sign in or create your account to join the discussion

Register now to keep up to date with all the latest:

  • Irish News
  • Sport
  • Community and Entertainment

Sign up to our Newsletter to be in with a chance to win a snazzy iPad and for all the latest...

  • Email updates
  • Regular features
  • Competitions and give aways


text:
kosher drink recipes

Refreshing Sugar Free Grapefruit Granita

1 Comment 07 May 2010

Share |

This granita recipe is so simple and refreshing.
Typically you would use a sugar syrup with fruit, but this is simply fruit.

  1. Juice a few grapefruits or oranges
  2. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish; cover with plastic.
  3. Freeze until mixture begins to set, about 30 minutes. Scrape icy particles from sides, stir with a fork, and return to freezer.
  4. Repeat scraping and stirring every 30 minutes until mixture is frozen with a grainy texture, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
  5. You can add a kick to the granita with a splash of your favorite liqueur. I happened to have pineapple vodka and it was great. experiment with what ever you have.
  6. Garnish with fresh mint.

By: Nina Cohen

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Share your view

Post a comment

Personalize Your Party and Chic Gifts!

“Like” us on Facebook!

© 2018The Jewish Hostess - Kosher Recipes, Jewish Recipes, Gourmet Kosher Recipes®


text:
AWG Champion: A Rebel with a Cause

By Phindile Xaba

AWG Champion was true to his name, vigorously standing up for the rights of society’s most vulnerable.

Allison Wessels George Champion also known as AWG Champion was born on December 4, 1893 at Sans Souci School, near the mouth of the Tugela River, in Natal.

Champion was a trade unionist, political activist, civic leader, opinion maker and businessman who also owned a farm.

He was born to a father whose name was Patiya Mhlongo. His father had been adopted by an American Board Missionary who then gave him the surname Champion.

The young Champion would attend school at Amanzimtoti Training Institute which later became Adams College, and would soon gain a reputation as a difficult pupil who challenged authority. He was eventually expelled from school in 1913 at age of 20 and took up his first job as a Native constable in Johannesburg. He retired from service after acting as a plain-clothes constable in Dundee, Natal, in 1915.

Two years later in 1917 through to 1925, Champion would become a clerk at the Crown Mines in Johannesburg. He also had a brief stint at diamond digging in Kimberley. During his time in the Transvaal he was elected president of the newly formed Native Mine Clerks’ Association in 1920. Champion soon was noticed as an African spokesman and became associated with the Joint Council of Europeans and Natives, Johannesburg, and Bantu Men’s Social Centre.

Trade Unionism, politics and exile

Upon his resignation at the mines in 1925, he met with trade unionist Clement Kadalie and soon thereafter joined and was appointed Organising Secretary of the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU) in the Transvaal. He was later posted to Durban as Natal Secretary where he demonstrated his leadership abilities by building the largest branch of ICU in the country.

He embarked on a highly successful campaign against the much hated by-laws, that which required ‘dipping’ (in Durban human beings had to be dipped like beasts) , the curfew and the character reference workers had to get on their passes when leaving an employer.

In an interview with S Trapido in 1946 he indicates that “…the reason [why the ICU was so strong in Natal] was that the native workers and those who were on the rural farms under European farmers, as well as those in the native reserves were suffering under many harsh restrictive regulations.

As second in command to Kadalie, and strongly supporting him in ousting Communists from the organisation in 1926, Champion became acting ICU national secretary during Kadalie’s trip to Europe in 1927. The following year, after Kadalie’s return, the ICU began to break up. Champion sought local control as a leader of a now independent and the powerful ICU yase Natal . Following a period of unrest and rioting in Durban, he became the first person to be exiled from the whole of Natal and Zululand under the notorious Riotous Assemblies Amendment Act of 1930, by the Minister of Justice, Oswald Pirow, on 24 of September 1930. He then found employment in Johannesburg until 1933. When his ban was lifted he returned to Durban.

During JT Gumede’s presidency of the African National Congress (ANC) in the late 1920s, Champion held the post of “minister of labour” in the ANC National Executive. When Pixley Seme succeeded Gumede as president in 1930, Champion lost his position in the inner councils of the Congress; but his influence among Natal Africans could be not ignored, and in 1937 he came back onto the ANC executive where he remained for the next 14 years.

After resigning from the Congress, Champion concentrated on local advisory board politics and his business affairs, including the running of a general store in Chesterville location in Durban.

A stint with Abantu-Batho Newspaper

Although Champion had been critical of the paper in earlier years he ended up joining Abantu-Batho staff in 1930. In 1919, with other members of the committee of the ‘Natal Native Congress eGoli’, he sided with Msane against the paper’s editors. However in his hour of need, he ended up joining them: “I helped edit the paper, assisting Mr JT Gumede in Johannesburg while I was under restriction,” he was quoted as saying in Limb’s The People’s Paper; A Centenary History and Anthology of Abantu-Batho.

Champion did help to co-edit the paper, publishing a striking photograph of armed women protesting poverty at Weenen. The caption read: “Amakosikazi akwa Nobamba eyocita utshwala. These black ladies raided the Kaffir Beer Hall in Weenen in September, 1929…Right from Weenen to Newcastle women fought well, but they could not succeed because their men were in collusion with the Government and Local Authorities”.

Champion was married to Constance Gumede, daughter of ANC pioneer and journalist Josiah Gumede. Constance helped with caring for the farm in Inanda and running their businesses. Champion died in 1975.

First President: a life of John L Dube, founding president of the ANC by Heather Hughes, 2011

Limb, P. ed. 2012. The People's Paper; A Centenary History and Anthology of Abantu-Batho. Johannesburg: Wits University Press.

South African Labour Bulletin : September-October, 1974, Vol.1, No.6. An interview with Mr. Champion conducted in 1964 by Mr. Stanley Trapido, Lecturer at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, Oxford.

Phindile Xaba

She is a seasoned journalist and media practitioner across multiple platforms. She began her career in print media at age 17; and then moved on to explore the TV industry where she worked as a television production manager, scriptwriter, publicist, producer/director, language advisor/trainer and researcher, with some of her work being showcased on SABC, M-Net, […]

Subscribe to our newsletter and get notified of new issues.


text:
Sunday, July 31, 2011

Whole Brain Teaching Gestures, More Fun with Vinyl and TPT Sale!!!

I have had a lot of requests for the gestures I use with my rules.  I thought I had a document that lays it all out but of course I can't find it.  The more I thought about it, the more I am thinking that I never had a document.  I think I learned the gestures from watching the numerous Youtube videos about Whole Brain Teaching - Here is one of my favorites!!

You will notice that my rules are a little bit different than the ones that are in the video.  After using them for a few years a fellow teammate and I decided to tweak them just a little bit for this school year and see how it works.  We had to change the gestures a little to match the new rules.

Rule Number 3: Keep your hands(raise both hands above head) and feet(point to feet) to yourself(point to chest)

Rule Number 4: Raise your hand(raise hand) to speak(talk with hand) and stand(raise hand - motion to rise or stand up)

Rule Number 5: Be safe(like an umpire at home plate) be kind(give self a hug) be honest(hand over heart).

I hope this helps - watching the video will help!! :)

Now, more fun with vinyl!! :)

I don't know about anyone else, but it seems like I go through clothes pins like water!! They disappear or I have to throw them away because they have names on them that can't be reused the next year. Now, I know they are not expensive, but anytime I can save a little here and there is a good thing!!! I have been trying to solve this problem and I came up with one way to use the same clips for my clip chart year after year!!  Numbers!!  This year I am going to use numbers more for things like this - their heart word boxes, D.O.T Book, Book Box etc.. will all have the same number on them!  I found some round wood pieces at my favorite store...Hobby Lobby and spray painted them pink of course!! :)  Then I glued them to the end of a clothes pin(not the end they squeeze... the other end) I then cut vinyl numbers and placed them on the wooden circles!!  Hopefully this will work out in real life like it is in my head, but you just never know!! :)  Hopefully I can post a picture of my clip chart hanging with the clips soon!  :)

 TpT will be having a Back to Sale Aug 1 - 6.  They are offering 10% off your total purchase if you use the code: B1T1S  I will also be running a sale next week for any extra 10% off!!  Happy Shopping!!!

  1. Very cute idea. I don't have a clip chart...but I'm already trying to think of a reason I would need clothes pins like these.

  2. Thanks for sharing this video! I want to check into this more!
    Spotlight on Kindergarten

  3. I use numbers for tons of stuff... lunch choices, backpack hooks, homework folders, etc. This is great because you can have everything labeled before you even have your class list. It's also great for when you get new students. Your clips are very cute!

    Tales of a Teacherista

  4. I love those wood pieces! I am going to have to search for some!!! Thanks for this idea!! LOVE!
    ❤ Sandra
    Sweet Times in First

  5. I love how you changed the rules to fit your needs, but still incorporate the repetition and gestures. Good idea!

  6. Thanks for inspiring me to check out Whole Brain Teaching! I absolutely LOVE it! I mentioned you on a new blog post about Whole Brain Teaching, so please stop by and let me know what you think!
    JulieMs. Marciniak's First Grade Critter Cafe

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.


text:
PIctures note

Do click on the pictures to get a bigger size :)

Monday, November 7, 2011

Tau fu Fah ~ Jalan Tengah

For those who stay in Bayan Lepas, the mention of Jalan Tengah Flats foodcourt should be of no surprise for good and affordable food. Today I'm sharing about a Tau Fu Fah stall that I really enjoy. The tofu is smooth and flavorful and the soya bean drink with grass jelly (cincau) is another of my favorite. You will sure be surprised with the generous helping of the grass jelly and the fine texture it presents. Do give this one a try for those that enjoys their tau fu fah!
I have been here numerous times and its opens about 10.30 till 1.30pm (depending if there is any left)
GPS : N5.318713 E100.285832

A bowl of their tau fu fah!
Soya Bean with Grass Jelly!

This is how the stall looks like. The owner rides his mobile stall here daily

No comments :

Post a Comment


text:
Jake Grip n Go Grey Lime 23

$54.99 $43.99 $11.00

Available Options:

Grip n Go Size:

Sale shoes are FINAL sale and may ship without their box.

Jake Grip n Go Features:

G2 Technology is specially designed for children transitioning from early walking to walking with a more confident stride. G2 Technology includes a soft rubber sole, rounded edges that mimic the natural shape of a child’s foot, heel stability, and a soft toe box that allows toes to curl and grip the floor.

Machine Washable shoes can handle the playground and the washing machine, so they are easy to keep clean and smelling fresh.

Vegan shoes are made with no animal products or by-products.

  • Man-made upper

  • Breathable mesh lining

  • All natural rubber sole

  • Casual sneaker style with Velcro closure

  • Approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association for promoting healthy foot development

Customer Reviews

This product has not yet been reviewed.

Write a Review

Please login or register to write a review for this product.


text:
The MakerHive

PSI Pen Press Mod#2

PSI Pen Press Mod#2 Image
Detail Image
Detail Image

Pen Press Modification #2

Use these 3D printed parts to make your PSI pen press a Disassembly tool.

See the

The Kit include everything except the Eyelets and 1/4 - 20 Hex Nuts. These can be purchased up at any hardware store.
3D printed Base
3D printed Clamp
6 - #6-32 x 3/4" SS machine screws
2 SS Washers
2 SS Nylock Nuts.

Note: These Items are 3D printed per order, please allow a day or 2 for shipping. thanks

Your Price:$8.50
Weight:0.500 lbs


text:
Friday, October 20, 2006

Assorted lists (a bloke thing)

Currently reading: Love, Poverty and War by Christopher Hitchens

Most recent "lost gem" addition to iPod playlist: The British Way of Life by The Chords (1979)

Best thing on TV: Spooks (just gets better)

Morning radio: Today on BBC Radio 4 (posh London FM)

Drivetime radio: Peter Allen and Jane Garvie on Radio Five Live
(the voice of intolerant liberal Britain - "ban it! tax it!")

Best music magazine: Word

Best current affairs magazine: Spectator

Best other blogs - Harry's Place and Dougal

Favourite current Blackburn Rovers player: Benni McCarthy

No comments:


text:
Skip to content Skip to navigation

Moving Stuff Around

Translational Ecology
by Bill Schlesinger
Thu May 31st, 2018

This land where I travel once fashion with beauty now stands with scars on her face

The wide open spaces are closin’ in quickly from the ways of the whole human race

                                                Willie Nelson, Slow Movin’ Outlaw, 2001

What form of mining causes the greatest disruption of the Earth’s surface?  In the Eastern U.S., many people will respond: coal mining.  In the Western U.S., the responses may vary, but mines for copper and other metals are likely to top the list.  Extracting materials for industry often leaves big, obvious holes on the landscape and concentrates metals in buildings and automobiles in world’s urban areas.  The human search and extraction of aluminum, iron, copper, zinc, silver, vanadium, and other metals greatly exceeds the natural exposure of these metals at the Earth’s surface.

When we focus on industrial metals and coal, we overlook an even greater removal of material from the Earth’s crust—sand, gravel, and what is widely known as aggregate.  These materials are used in cement and concrete to build roads and buildings. The production of cement requires a source of limestone (calcium carbonate), but most of these materials are extracted without much regard to their mineralogy.

If we add the erosion of agricultural soils to the total amount of materials used in construction, we find that humans mobilize about 35 billion tons of material from the Earth’s crust each year. These materials are transported long distances. Other long-distance transport by humans includes the transport of goods by maritime shipping (2.5 billion tons/year) and freight transport in trucks (7.1 billion tons/year).  The total movement of stuff by human activity greatly exceeds the natural or background transport of sediment to the oceans via the world’s rivers—about 13 billion tons/year—some of which is now also derived from human activities.

Other human activities that disrupt the Earth’s surface move the materials shorter distances. About a trillion tons of soil are turned over or cultivated with plows each year on 6 million square miles of land. This disturbance of soil by humans vastly exceeds that from the collective activity of other Earth-moving animals—such as badgers, gophers, ants and worms, which engage in short-distance transport.  All told, there is no doubt that humans are the largest force shaping the surface of the Earth today.

The collective movement of materials by humans and the enhanced transport of sediments in rivers degrade soil health, both for our own food production and for the persistence of the other species that share our planet.  About one-third of land that has been used for agriculture now is now abandoned—unproductive for cultivation.  These scars on the Earth’s surface will be difficult to heal in the face of rapidly increasing human population and its resource demand.  The Earth is not getting any larger and increasingly no one seems to care about the long-term impacts of the human species on soil health.

Haff, P.K.  2010.  Hillslopes, rivers, plows, and trucks: Mass transport on Earth’s surface by natural and technological processes.   Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 35: 1157-1166.

Hooke, R.L. 2000.  On the history of humans as geomorphic agents.  Geology 28: 843-846.

Janzen, H.H., P. Fixen, A.J. Franzluebbers, J. Hattey, R.C. Izaurralde, Q.M. Ketterings, D.A. Lobb, and W.H. Schlesinger.  2011.  Global prospects rooted in soil science.  Soil Science Society of America Journal 75(1):1-8.

Sen, I.S. and B. Peucker-Ehrenbrink. 2012. Anthropogenic disturbance of element cycles at the Earth’s surface. Environmental Science and Technology  46:8601–8609.

Syvitski, J.P.M., C.J. Vörösmarty, A.J. Kettner, and P Green. 2005. Impact of humans on the flux of terrestrial sediment to the global coastal ocean. Science 308:376–380.

 Wilkinson, B.H. and B.J. McElroy. 2007.  The impact of humans on continental erosion and sedimentation.  Geological Society of America Bulletin 119: 140-156.


text:
Site Search

Facebook MySpace Twitter Digg Delicious Stumbleupon Google Bookmarks RSS Feed

Local Weather

Kimberly Payne - September 12, 2014

Kimberly L. Branham-Beck Payne, 45 years of age, died Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, surrounded by her family at home.
Kim was born in Cheverly, Md., on Nov. 18, 1968, to David and Patricia (Tuttle) Branham.
She moved to Minden as a young child. She graduated from Minden High School before pursuing a bachelors degree in English first at Baylor University and graduating from Texas A&M. Later, she completed a masters degree equivalent in Montessori Education.
See the September 17th Courier for full obituary.


text:
Torre Blanca

I thought I'd go for one not in the TME and armed with map and compass, my daughter and me headed to the north east of the island.
I must have been in the zone or something because it was much easier to find than i anticipated. After getting to the long gated drive we passed through the gate, drove the drive and parked at the house, Torre Blanca. A lady was taking her son to school so I asked Sa Torreta? Then came a jumble of Spanish, but miraculously
I gleaned from this, two gates, keep left.
A five minute walk, and the taula peers at you over the trees. It was sheer bliss to find this place intact despite its proximity to the house, The tall taula is blacked at the bottom from ritual burning and the sanctuary wall is still high, but above it all is the large talaiot with exotic views out to sea and over land to Menorca's central sacred hill El Toro.
We sat quietly and watched house geckos for a while, I love 'em, and I love this place.
postman Posted by postman
25th May 2008ce
Edited 28th November 2012ce

Comments (0)

You must be logged in to add a comment


text:
Look no Further for your Perfect
Wedding Hair & Make up...

Make-up artist Jo Edwards and hair stylist Jo Lewis have been combining their talents for over 12 years as The Perfect Marriage and have hundreds of happy brides to show for it!

They count many celebrities amongst their clients, their reputation for providing a reliable service with attention to detail is well known.

The friendly, professional duo will come to your home or venue on your wedding day and work with you and your bridal party to achieve long lasting and stunning hair and make up.

Jo Edwards: Makeup ArtistJo Lewis: Hair Stylist


text:
LETTER: Stop and see care center residents

January 6, 2017

I am living at the Rugby HAMC Care Center (Nursing Home) along with many other residents. The care here is excellent and we have many skilled and compassionate staff attending to us....

« Back to Article

sort: oldest | newest

No comments posted for this article.

Post a Comment

You must first login before you can comment.

*Your email address:
Remember my email address.

I am looking for:
News, Blogs & Events Web


text:
A Course Correction Is Coming To The Body Of Christ

At the beginning of the year, The Father began showing me there is a course correction coming for the Body of Christ as a whole. And we are going to have a decision to make about it. Will we choose to go in the direction the Holy Spirit shows us or not?

God never removes our choice. However, it is always wise to heed the leading of Holy Spirit, who is the “Spirit of truth” (John 16:13). God would not be doing this if a course correction weren’t needed. Why would He spend His time turning us in a new direction if it were not necessary? He wouldn’t. So that means this is essential for our being in right position and proper alignment with Him as His Body. But this isn’t just a correction in our trajectory. It is also a correction in how we conduct ourselves as God’s people.

We cannot be offended at our Heavenly Father when He sees we are in need of true correction, whether individually or corporately. He is just and righteous, and we must learn how to yield to His correction when He reveals to us there are changes we need to make (Hebrews 12:1-9).

He is a kind, loving, generous Father. He is also an omniscient God - He sees and knows all. And He sees the truth of what’s really going on, including what is hidden, even within the recesses of our own hearts; things we cannot see or discern about ourselves. Remember, God doesn’t judge by outward appearances; He looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). And that's precisely what He is doing.

We cannot adjust or correct ourselves according to what we think or assume to be right. It is the truth The Father reveals to us through His Word and by His Spirit that we need in order to make proper, healthy, and sound correction. It is by His standard of truth we must gauge and amend ourselves. His standard is the plumb line for our lives and that would be Jesus, himself, who is the head of us, His Body.

So what exactly is God the Father saying about all this?

I heard Him expressly say, “As My people, you cannot be set in your own ways. Instead, you must be set in My ways.”

Doing things our way has cost us and it has hurt many people – other believers as well as unbelievers. We must learn to truly function in His ways, and our motives must line up with His heart.

The course correction is coming. We will either choose to embrace it or reject it. I pray we embrace it and the needed change it will bring.

Another thing He spoke to me about is our holding back with Him. The Father wants every part of us. As it is, many are only giving Him safe, nice portions. But He wants all of us, and all of us needs Him.

We've all had, myself included, some piece of ourselves - wounded, frightened, prideful, stubborn, broken, disappointed, rebellious, bitter, traumatized - in need of His beautiful mending touch. There is nothing shameful about that. However, withholding these pieces from Him is hurting us personally, and it is hurting the Body of Christ as well. It has led us off course.

We must be like David and ask Him to search our hearts and thoughts and show us what He finds. (Psalm 139:23-24). Then we must be willing to receive what He shows us and allow Him to help us through His corrective, healing course.

God is faithful and true. He loves us and cares about where we are headed. He knows all our past hurts and injustices. He also knows our present struggles. And He wants to help us deal with them rightly. We can’t take matters into our own hands and then expect God to follow suit. It doesn’t work like that. We must purpose to align ourselves with Him and His order.

We have come into a new time. It is a time that will no longer allow us to hold onto past hurts and offenses and filter our thinking, our choices, and even our theology through them. God wants to bring healing and restoration into our lives; for us and for the sake of The Kingdom so we can function freely in all He has for us to do.

His Kingdom is advancing. The light of the world is shining brightly in His glory and power. By the mouth of many prophets, we are hearing that an awesome, unprecedented move of God is soon coming and we each have a part to play in this. Or to put it another way, Heaven is going to invade earth in a way it never has before. And this isn’t going to be a one-time deal and then it’s over with. Rather this will be abiding; steadfast. In fact, I believe it's going to be more of an awakening that will change everything. However, if we are not in alignment with His heart and His order we will miss it, or some part of it, because it won’t look like what we’re expecting. It won’t look familiar because God is doing a new thing and He truly wants us to be ready for it (Isaiah 43:18-19).

Do we really want to risk missing out on something we’ve long been waiting and praying for? The Father certainly doesn’t want any of us to miss it; not even in the slightest.

May we humble ourselves before Him and allow this course correction to lead us into all truth. There are portions of this that are going to be a hard pill to swallow but know The Lord will never mislead us. Not ever. And through this, He will bring us into new levels of wisdom and understanding. He will bring us into deeper levels of His love and power. He is doing this to ultimately bring us into the abundant life He designed and created us for.

Many exciting things lie ahead and The Father is wanting to fully ready us for them. The question is: will we let Him?

In His Great Love,

Michelle Holderman
P3 Ministries
Copyright © 2015

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths.” PROVERBS 3:5-6 NIV

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts. Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” PSALM 139:23-24 TLB

“Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth. Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.” PSALM 86:11 NLT

No comments


text:
Perspective, numbers and how to talk to kids about a teachers strike were the main topics at a coffee klatch hosted by the Greencastle-Antrim Education Association last week.

It was the latest in a series of teacher talks presented by the teachers union as part of the ongoing contract negotiations. The 181-member union is working under terms of a contract that expired Aug. 31, 2017, and has set a strike date of April 4 if an agreement is not reached. The teachers have voted twice to accept the recommendations of a fact-finders report, while the school board has twice rejected them.

About 40 people attended the meeting, including parents, other community members, support staff and teachers.

Dan Barrett, elementary guidance counselor, led the session and started by talking about perspective.

He said there is the perspective the board presents, the perspective the teachers present and "somewhere in between those two is the truth."

GAEA's negotiating team is made up of 10 teachers, a very diverse group, that came to "the conclusion a strike is what we need to do as a community of teachers," Barrett said.

The school board presents a view of the numbers that is skewed and wrong, Barrett said.

"They have the perspective that Greencastle teachers are paid too much," Barrett said, going on to say that good districts pay teachers well and get good results.

He said after nine months of saying teachers were not worth a raise, the board chose not to share numbers with the fact-finder. In addition, he said only two of nine board members have been active in the majority of negotiations.

"We really really want them to come to the table," Barrett said.

Barrett talked about numbers that were presented at a state-of-the district meeting earlier this year. Since the nationwide recession in 2008, revenue has continued to group.

The last four or five years, the district's budgeted revenues have been lower than actual revenues and actual expenditures are higher than expected, according to Barrett.

During the tough years of the recession, GAEA members had a contracted raise of 3.8 percent every year for four years. In the fourth year, the union agreed to open the contract and took a zero percent raise.

Another time, the teachers saved the district $700,000 by agreeing to higher insurance deductibles.

Every year, the board projects there will be a budget deficit, but the district's fund balance — or savings — has only gone from $5.2 million to $4.65 million — in the past 10 years, Barrett said.

"Financially, Greencastle is relatively stable," Barrett said. "We believe we are not asking for too much ... a 2 to 2 1/2 percent raise isn't asking for too much."

He said the average salary of $70,359 is not out of line when compared with district residents.

Talking to kids

High school guidance counselor Diane Reed joined Barrett at the front of the room as they talked about talking to kids.

"We don't want to strike, we believe we can come to a fair agreement," Reed said. "But if it comes to a strike, we want parents to know how to talk to children."

Disagreements are a part of life, but it's how you get through them that's important and this is a teachable moment, Reed said.

"We have a strong disagreement and we are going to get through it together," Reed continued.

A strike is a tool — not one the teachers want to use — that the state gives them permission to use in an impasse.

GAEA teachers care, said Reed, explaining she has been here 25 years and loves the district.

"Let your kids know that teachers love their jobs and we will get there together," she continued.

Like when there is discord in a marriage, children may blame themselves. Reed said to stress that it is not about them, it is about two groups that can't agree.

For younger elementary students, it will seem almost like a vacation and there is no need to go into great detail, Barrett said.

Older elementary students, in fourth and fifth grade, may ask more questions, Barrett said. He echoed Reed's comments that a strike is a tool in the disagreement.


text:
Back to All Events

Pop-up show with The New Students

  • All Angels' Church 251 W 80th St (Broadway & West End Ave) New York, NY USA (map)

The Scarlet K plays an intimate pop-up show on a double bill with fellow Americana band, The New Students, as part of All Angels' Church's Art & Music series.

Featuring: Sarah Knight (ukulele/piano/voice), Matthew Gelfer (fiddle/guitar/banjo/ukulele), Brian Herrick (mandolin/trombone), Casey Howard (guitar/banjo), Steph Fedor (bass), Hope Bagley (saxophone/clarinet), Hugh Ash (trumpet), Britton Matthews (drums).

6PM Doors / 7PM Show
TICKETS: $10 at the door

Earlier Event: August 13
The Scarlet K - Debut


text:
• 86°
Wyatt Smith, 14, holds a Haitian child during a week-long mission trip to the poverty-strickened country. The North Albemarle Baptist Church mission team is back home after being stranded in Haiti after an uprising over increased fuel prices created unsafe conditions.

Uprising strands church missionary team in Haiti

A team of 12, including two teens, from North Albemarle Baptist Church is among a number of American missionary groups stranded in Haiti because of an uprising.

First slated to leave Saturday from a week-long mission trip in the underdeveloped nation, a forced closure at the airport after escalating protests delayed the team’s departure. As conditions worsened overnight, Sunday’s planned exit was nixed as well.

“Traveling to the airport is a no-go. It’s just not safe, ” said the Rev. Brad Lynch, North Albemarle Baptist Church. “We’re getting reports of citizens arming themselves.”

The U.S. Embassy in Haiti has warned American citizens to stay inside while demonstrations continue. Protesters have been burning tires as barricades to streets and looting establishments since the Haitian government spiked fuel prices.

Last week gasoline prices increased 38 percent, diesel prices soared 47 percent and kerosene topped an extra 51 percent in the poverty-strickened Haiti, CNN reported from the its daily newspaper Le Nouvelliste.
Estimates show about 160 people from American churches are in Haiti on various mission objectives.

Mission trips there are typically higher during the summer months because of vacations.

North Albemarle’s objective with the mission trip was threefold: medical, construction and orphanage. The team was providing assistance in all three areas.

Outraged citizens took to the streets this weekend to show their disdain toward a government long deemed corrupt.

“This is the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Lynch said. “The Haitians we have on the ground are saying they’ve never seen anything like this.”

North Albemarle’s team is presently staying at an orphanage where they have been working. The site is about 45 minutes north of the nation’s capital of Port-au-Prince, Lynch said.

Orphanages are considered “holy ground” by Haitians, suggesting the team is as safe there as anywhere, he added.

“We’re thankful that they’re safe in the compound,” said Brittany Blalock, whose husband David is part of the team. She explained that most Haitians grow up in an orphanage and remain respectful of the facilities.

On Sunday team member Wiliam Louis, a former resident of Haiti and there with his wife, decided to walk toward the capital city only to find protests had spread as more roads were blocked with burning tires, making the trek to the airport unsafe.

Reports include armed protestors requiring tolls to pass.

Renewed plans call for the team to leave Wednesday amid hopes tensions might ease by then.

While the team is considered reasonably safe at the orphanage, a new concern is food and clean water. Because they were scheduled to depart, the team gave away their supplies Friday night, including clothing.

“We’re going to run out of food and drinking water,” Lynch said. “If they drink dirty water they’re going to get sick.”

Meanwhile, family members and the church have been scurrying to get help to the team. Along with supplies, supporters have been trying to make sure team members have cash.

But mostly they’re doing what can to ensure their safety so they can depart as soon as possible. Supporters have contacted their elected officials for help.

Congressman Richard Hudson is among those lending a hand.

“What’s happening in Haiti is terrible. I’ve heard from one group of missionaries from the eighth district,” Hudson said. “Everyone is safe and I have been actively working with the State Department throughout the weekend to ensure their safety and get them home. I am encouraging any other missionary groups from our district who are in Haiti to reach out immediately. I will continue to pray and do all that I can to guarantee their safe return home.”

Two teenagers are a part of the North Albemarle Baptist Church’s team.
Rocky Smith said his wife, Beverly, and their 14-year-old son, Wyatt, have been amazing in the face of their team’s adversity.

“What amazes me is that they have such a strong faith,” Rocky Smith said.
Prayers continued at Sunday’s church services for team members expected to have returned and resumed their responsibilities back at home this week.

“Employers have been super helpful and understanding,” Blalock said. “Their life was supposed to pick back up.”

Missionary teams from North Albemarle Baptist Church have been serving in Haiti for nearly two decades without incident before this ordeal, Lynch said.

Despite the upheaval that has delayed the group’s return, supporters remain faithful this, too, is part of God’s greater plan.

“We just have to have faith in the Lord,” Lynch said. “He’s in control of all this. That’s where our hope is.”

For other mission groups in Haiti that might need assistance, contact Congressman Richard Hudson’s office at 704-786-1612 or 202-225-3715.

Contact Ritchie Starnes at 704-754-5076 or ritchie.starnes@stanlynewspress.com.