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A head teacher who only recently started in the role was found dead at her school, in Worcestershire.
Helen Mann's body was discovered at Sytchampton Endowed First School in Stourtport-on-Severn, by a member of staff, on Monday afternoon
West Mercia police said her death was "unexplained." Mann, 43, had only taken up the post last summer. Local reports claimed she committed suicide.
Less than two weeks before her death, parents of pupils were invited to "meet our new headteacher" on the school's website (above).
Counselors were offering support to pupils and staff at the school, which was not set to reopen its doors until Thursday.
A police spokesman said: "Police were called to Sytchampton Endowed School yesterday at around 4.20pm where a woman in her 40s was found deceased on the school premises.
"Officers are investigating the death, which is being treated as unexplained but is not believed to be suspicious and they are compiling a report that will be passed to the Worcestershire Coroner."
John Edwards, Worcestershire County Council's Head of Learning and Achievement said: "Together with the governing body we aim to get the school back open as soon as possible so that support can be provided to those that need it whilst offering a structure of normality."


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Last Saturday, I joined approximately 500 people wandering the back lanes of Vancouver taking their shoes off and then putting them back on. We were participating in the fifth annual Vancouver Heritage Foundation Laneway Housing Tour that showcased eight laneway homes around the city.
Now some might wonder why a heritage organization would be organizing a laneway housing tour. The answer is simple. It wanted to demonstrate how adding a laneway house behind a house can be a positive way to retain heritage and character homes.
This year's tour included six houses built after 2009 when the City of Vancouver amended its zoning bylaws to permit laneway houses in some single family zones. However, it also included a 900-square-foot laneway house behind a West 11th home that was constructed in the 1890s, and a 1,600-square-foot house built in 1990 behind a 1912 character home on Maple St.
What was significant about these two properties was unlike the smaller houses built under the city's laneway housing program which must be rented, they could be sold. That is because in some zones the city allows a laneway or coach house, as they are sometimes called, to be sold when a heritage house is being preserved.
I have had a longstanding interest in laneway houses dating back to the 1960s when I first discovered London mews houses. As a CMHC planner in 1976, I oversaw a study exploring opportunities for "sensitive infill" that proposed laneway housing for Vancouver. In 2008 I formed Laneway Cottages Inc. anticipating changes in Vancouver's zoning bylaws to permit laneway homes, noting that this had been one of the recommendations of the earlier EcoDensity initiative.
Unfortunately, given the way the initial laneway zoning bylaw was drafted, it did not permit the kind of laneway houses many were seeking, namely predominantly single storey cottage-like homes for sale.
The earlier Vancouver Heritage Foundation tours demonstrated how laneway houses could be a very effective and charming way to increase the density in a neighbourhood without significantly compromising its character. However, there was often a shortage of parking since the zoning did not require any parking space for the laneway unit.
Furthermore, the garages in many early laneway homes had large windows and in-floor heating, making it obvious they would be converted to living space at some time in the future.
Given that some single-family lots could have three dwelling units (a main dwelling, a basement suite and laneway unit) without any off-street parking, this resulted in numerous and valid complaints about parking in some neighbourhoods.
The city has hopefully addressed this problem by modifying the regulations to discourage garages from being used as living space.
From discussions with laneway house builders it appears a large number are not being constructed as rental units, but rather as homes for relatives. In some instances, the children are moving into a laneway house, with the intention of moving into the big house at a later date. In others, one or both parents are moving into the laneway unit.
Despite some complaints, I believe the program is working. However, many would like to see the city permit some laneway units to be sold, rather than remain as rental, resulting in more affordable ownership housing in established neighbourhoods.
During my recent trip to England, I learned that the government is exploring ways to encourage those 55 and older to move out of larger homes to free up their homes for families with children. However, for older people, a major constraint is often the lack of appropriate alternative accommodation.
A similar problem exists in Vancouver. Many older households would gladly sell their larger houses but they don't want to move into an apartment. However, they would happily buy a smaller infill house in their neighbourhood if this type of housing was available. Similarly, young couples would buy a small laneway house to get into the market.
On Nov. 15 we will go to the polls. This is a good opportunity to vote for those politicians who support innovative approaches to the provision of more affordable housing choices, such as laneway housing for sale.

subset: commoncrawl


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That's right. Let it all in, fresh air that is (I am primarily talking to you ladies). Our skin is the largest organ that we have and we often disregard that when we layer it with chemicals day in and day out. Each day we run into toxins and different chemicals in the environment, but we also (amazing job if I am not speaking to you in this article!) tend to layer it with chemical filled body washes, shampoos, lotions, perfumes, and MAKE UP.
I want to start off and tell you, YOU are beyond beautiful! And even more so when we can actually see your face hidden behind all the makeup. Now I am not telling you never wear make up again, but for just ONE day a week leave it in the drawer. Allow your skin to breathe, to feel the sunlight on it without anything in the way.
I took two pictures (yes, I took a selfie) to see how I looked different with and without makeup. I don't wear a whole lot of makeup, but you can definitely tell that the one side looks more defined and a little less tired under the eyes. However, it made me feel more comfortable about going a day without makeup.
Sometimes we tell ourselves these stories for such a long time, that before we know it they seem like the truth. Well my story was thatwithout makeup I didn't have a chance at looking beautiful. Self-talk can either be your biggest enemy or your best friend. I choose the latter.
You, you, you, you, you, you, you, AND you are B.E.A.UTIFUL!
If you are not comfortable leaving the house yet, stay home and have a you day. Listen to some music, watch a movie, write, craft, whatever makes your heart sing, because well it is a YOU day.
Some tips for beautiful skin:
*Drink a large glass (16+oz) of H2O first thing in the morning with 2 drops of lemon essential oil. This will rehydrate your body and the lemon helps to alkalize your body to help reduce any inflammation.
*GREEN SMOOTHIES! One of my favorite things in the morning, but the fruits and veggies you can get it first thing will help your skin absolutely glow! Here is mine from this morning:
1 C coconut water
1 C filtered water (this prevents your smoothie from being too thick)
1 C cucumber
¼ avocado
1 apple core removed
¼ in ginger
½ C fresh pineapple
-Blend the water, coconut water, spinach, and pineapple until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients blend and enjoy! I recommend pouring it into a wine glass or your favorite glass/mug for an added bonus:]
-The spinach is loaded with tons of vitamins and minerals, namely vitamin A,C,E and vitamin K that help the skin tremendously. Its' high levels of vitamin K and folate help to clear complexion by removing dark circles, bruises, and acne. Spinach is also chock full of antioxidants that fight free radicals, those nasty things that make us age!
-The coconut water is full of electrolytes to help with hydration and is also very good for aiding in good digestion. (Good digestion= good skin)
-Last but not least, the ginger is fabulous for helping reduce inflammation, aiding in digestion, and helping detoxify your liver.
Give it a blend and let me know what you think. I would also love to hear any spins you put on it! Tag @sschmuck12 with your remakes:D
*Sweat once a day! Your pores and muscles will thank you. Exercise has a vast array of health benefits that we can go fully into another time, but it helps boot the toxins out of your body, reduce stress and anxiety, increases restful sleep, increases energy levels, and improve self-confidence!
You are without changing a thing about you already amazing.


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It was the summer of 2007 and I was reunited with two dear high school friends who had gone to college on the East Coast. We were all home in Seattle for summer break.
Mo, Allie and I took our last jaunt to Portland for the midnight book release party for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — plus tax-free shopping of the Nordstrom Anniversary sale. (We had done the same thing two years prior for the release of Half-Blood Prince).
I really thought it was the end. I was sad that this would be our last midnight Harry Potter book event since it was the eighth and final book of the series.
And don't get me started on how I felt when the last HP movie was coming out …
The three of us were in between sophomore and junior year of college. We weren't even of legal drinking age yet. But the Harry Potter series had been with us since grade school.
Now, in present time, I'm one year away from being 30 — and I went to another Harry Potter midnight book release party. For those of you unaware, the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play script was published into a book and was released on July 31 (same day as Harry Potter's birthday!) For those of you really unaware, Cursed Child is the story of Harry and the gang 19 years after the final book.
I even wore the same home-made shirt I made nine years ago. (Thank goodness it still fit!)
Bryce tagged along with Phyllis and I and jokingly made comments beforehand that included "What if we are the only ones who show up?" or "What will you guys do if we go and they have cancelled the event because there was not enough interest?"
Phyllis and I had high hopes though.
There were about 100 or so muggles at the Seattle downtown Barnes and Noble. The employees were dressed in house robes. I finally got sorted into Gryffindor.
But, yes, it was weird.
It was like being taken back to a part of my past. The majority of folks who joined the fun were about our age and give-or-take some years younger/older.
Phyllis also wore her homemade T-shirt from nine years ago. Mine said "Defense Against the Dark Arts Major" and hers "I play Quidditch."
I don't know if it is irony or what but while we were waiting for midnight to strike, a college boy walked past us wearing a grey sweatshirt with bold print reading "Yale Quidditch"and Phyllis immediately turned to me and exclaimed, "Oh my god, I don't actually play quidditch!" We both burst out laughing.
Back when we were in college, saying you played quidditch was like saying you were majoring in Defense Against the Dark Arts. But now playing quidditch in college is an actual team sport.
It was a weird experience, but I'm glad we did it.
After all, this was the very last Harry Potter midnight book release.
J.K. Rowling even says there will be no more new stories.
But, I wouldn't complain if otherwise.


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The Face Shop has collaborated with My Other Bag earlier this year, and together they have created three types of CC cushion with a fashionista packaging that any bags lovers would adore. I bought these purely on the packaging and I also want to try The Face Shop products since I am not so familiar with the brand nor have I tested many makeup products from the brand.
Today I am sharing with you my first impression of the CC Oil Control Water Cushion and CC Intense Cover Cushion from the The Face Shop x My Other Bag collection; and I am so excited to be finally reviewing a beauty product that is still available to purchase. (Sorry for sharing with you too many Limited Edition and/or products that are no longer available on the markets lately).
There are three CC Cushions available in the The Face Shop x My Other Bag collection and they are: CC Oil Control Water Cushion, CC Intense Cover Cushion and CC Ultra Moist Cushion. Each cushion is available in three shades V103 (pure beige), V201 (apricot beige) and V203 (natural beige). I self-matched my shade via Google image and picked up V201 which is a little light on my NC25 skin tone, but the color still match.
I originally only wanted the CC Intense Cover Cushion because of the Chanel bag inspired packaging, but I ended up getting the CC Oil Control Water Cushion too as I have oily skin and I thought that it would be good to have another formula to compare. I didn't get the CC Ultra Moist Cushion as I believe that is designed for people with dry skin, also I wasn't too much a fan of the packaging, so I saved my money.
The Face Shop x My Other Bag each comes with a cute little pouch with a bag design printed in the front to match its' actual cushion packaging and on the back of the pouch it has the names of the design (I assume) and a short description.
Each CC Cushion is housed in a standard two compartment compact with a mirror and a puff included. I love the designs of the puffs, but I am sad to say that I am not a fan of the quality. I feel like the puffs are hard, not too soft and bouncy, they apply the CC Cushion okay, but they are very hard to wash. I have since throw away two (I received extra puff from my order) because I have washed them with soaps, shampoos and sponge cleansers a couple of times, but the puff is still dirty and there were still products squeaking out; I had no choice but to throw them out.
To be absolutely truthful with my readers, I am not even going to hide the fact that I Photoshop and smooth my skin in most of my lip swatches photos. It's not that I have bad skin texture etc..., but my main focus is to show the colors of a certain lip product I was reviewing.
I want to be honest with my reviews of a face product that requires me to show the before and after results, therefore, I keep all photos that shows my face in this first impression post "un-smoothed" (if that is even a word).
Upon my first applicator of the CC Intense Cover Cushion, I immediately see the difference. The CC Cushion covers my blemishes and it brightens up my uneven skin tone; but at the same time it feels heavy and it looked as if I had applied too much. Also, my pores looks huge and it showed little bumps around my chin.
During the day after approximately 4 - 5 hours wear, my face felt very heavy (if I exaggerated a bit, it felt like there were oil dripping from my face), so I checked in the mirror to see that my face was in fact very oily. I wear glasses and the areas around my nose are all rubbed off, right then I wanted to wash my face badly and re-do my makeup.
Although the CC Intense Cover Cushion worn for long hours (9 hours), the end result was pretty scary. Large pores everywhere, bumpy around the chin, nose area totally rubbed off from wearing glasses, around the mouth area and the chin looks like dry patches.
Not to mention, my lipstick looked horrible on the day I took these pictures! It was overall a bad face day lol ~
The Face Shop x My Other Bag CC Oil Control Water Cushion is inspired by the Zoey tote. There are no a lot of clear description stated online, but a few says this product will increase vitality to the skin, moisture skin while hiding imperfection and dark effects. This CC Cushion claims to be tough on sweat, long wearing and it will provide a smooth, silky and glowing skin.
As soon as I have applied the CC Oil Control Water Cushion, I notice that the texture is thin and the puff doesn't pick up a lot of product, but still managed to applied onto the face smoothly and evenly. This CC Cushion feels dreamy when applied, it blends well, but at the same time it shows a little sign of streaky-ness which can be layered to make it even. It blurs imperfection and in real life my face shows a healthy glow without looking oily and most importantly, it doesn't feel heavy at all, very lightweight and wears comfortably.
I checked in the mirror before lunch, approximately 4 hours wear; my cheek and my T-zone was a little oily, the nose area is a little rubbed off due to wearing glasses and some areas has faded. I checked again before leaving work and I was rather impressed with how well it stays apart from the little oily-ness. In total I have worn the CC Oil Control Water Cushion for 7 hours and during the whole wear, it was comfortable, lightweight, it doesn't clings to dry patches, it keeps my face fresh, not too oily and most importantly, the CC Cushion didn't make my face look cakey.
Both CC Cushion claims to covers imperfection and provides a flawless skin, and while my before and after photos above shown good coverage result, I am still curious as to how well these covers with something more intense than just bare skin. So I draw two rectangles on my arm with a Colourpop brow pencils, then covered up the brow pencil with CC Oil Control Water Cushion on the left and CC Intense Cover Cushion on the right.
As you can see, both CC Cushion covers quite well. CC Oil Control Water Cushion is a little sheer compare to CC Intense Cover Cushion.
It's sad to say that I love nothing about this CC Intense Cover Cushion apart from its cute packaging >.< ~ I like that it brightens up my skin tone and covers imperfection well, but I could not stand that it gets so oily (obviously not made for those with oily face) and it has weird bumps around the chin and enlarged pores. I also didn't like that the CC Cushion feels heavy even though I have applied lightly, and it looked as if I have layered and layered of products on, thick and gross.


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Blowing your inheritance
Managing your DNA in business and life.
Genetics have always been a good excuse. We often hear it. "There's nothing I can do about it. It's the way I am."
Sometimes, that's a good thing, like healthy acceptance; other times it's resignation and disempowerment.
You hear the dichotomy in business with statements like: "We are really good at doing this" versus "This is the way we've always done it."


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When the recipients came to our town for their embryo transfer we were scared but excited that they had decided to meet us. We thought they might not want to add to their stress with a visit to our town. We left the decision up to them and they said yes. It seemed like a good idea for them to meet our children before their transfer. If the kids were bouncing off the walls the recipients might think twice before using our embryos!
We had sent Jenny and Erin the train schedule and map instructions to find the train station. It is always hard to navigate in a new place and the recipients just missed the scheduled train. No matter. They called to say they were on their way.
Soon the intercom from downstairs rang. Jenny and Erin were on their way up! We were going to meet our recipients after all...
Friday, April 20, 2007
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Liver Cancer
The Interventional Radiology Division at Mount Sinai has long been considered one of the premier groups for minimally invasive treatment of cancer, specifically liver cancer. Our Division utilizes a full array of technologies to safely and effectively treat cancer. We treat tumors using transarterial catheter based therapies such as chemoembolization, also referred to as TACE, Y90 radioembolization, and bland embolization. We also utilize percutaneous techniques, which encompass radiofrequency ablation, cryoablation, and microwave ablation.
As a leader in the field of interventional oncology, we are also involved with numerous research studies utilizing the latest breakthroughs in treatment therapies. This provides us the opportunity to utilize the most innovative technologies, such as 3D navigational devices, to safely treat your tumor with the minimum amount of radiation exposure.
Comprehensive Care for Liver Cancer
Our multidisciplinary team of experts in the fields of oncology, surgery, liver medicine, and radiation oncology work together to provide the best care to patients. Our Division has considerable experience and expertise in treating liver cancer due to the tremendous volume of interventional oncologic procedures performed on a daily basis. We perform the highest volume of advanced, minimally invasive treatments for cancer in the United States. Our Division's care for our patients is comprehensive, including a full array of dedicated and compassionate nurses and physician assistants, to help facilitate your admission and post-procedure care.


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Shocked? Me too. About a week and a half ago I realized how obsessive I was becoming. We went to dinner for my sister's birthday (somewhere I almost didn't go because I knew I didn't have enough calories for the day), and I laughed because after 2 pieces of pizza I only had 14 calories left. Instead of asking my sister about her engagement, my brothers about school, or my grandma about her chemotherapy, I was going on and on about my 14 calories I had left for dessert. I didn't like that version of me.
We had friends from our church over for dinner the other night and my husband made scone burgers. Think 2 scones plus a very yummy patty. I panicked all day about how on earth I was going to fit the calories in and how fattening it was. Instead of being grateful that my husband was making his specialty for our friends, I was complaining about it all day. I didn't like THAT version of me either.
For The Strength of Youth is a pamphlet that comes from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It gives guidelines for youth and adults alike to be their best selves and live a happy life. In the pamphlet in the Physical and Emotional Health Section it says, "To care for your body, eat nutritious food, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. Practice balance and moderation in all aspects of your physical health. Also, avoid extremes that could lead to eating disorders."
I wouldn't necessarily say that counting my calories would eventually lead to an eating disorder, but maybe it would. It was certainly controlling my life way more than I am proud to admit. I want to be the version of me that's ME. That eats a donut every Wednesday, because that's moderation. That tries to work out 30 minutes a day, but will drop everything to serve as the Savior would. I think Heavenly Father wants me to take good care of my body, but I think he wants me to focus on the moderation for now.
So what comes next? I'm not really sure. We have a Disneyland trip coming up and I don't want to spend the whole trip worrying about finding the healthiest foods, or turning down a Mickey ice cream bar because it doesn't "fit my macros". I'm trying to figure out the moderation thing right now. I'm taking a break from calorie counting, and focusing on trying to eat more fruits and veggies and to ONLY eat when I'm hungry and ONLY eat until I'm full.
We should LOVE our bodies. Exercising and eating right should be done because we LOVE our bodies, not because we hate them. So that is what I'm focusing on. That's what comes next for now.


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text: Mental Health Leader / Senior Director - MHRC Facility 115Founded in 1965, Telecare is a rapidly growing mental health care company dedicated to making a difference for our clients, the community, and our employees. We offer an array of mental health services to adults with serious mental illness. We partner with public sector entities and behavioral health organizations, and have over 122 programs and over 3,510 employees across the country. And we're growing all the time! When you work at Telecare, you help to empower thousands of individuals every day in their journeys of recovery.As part of the Telecare Family, Gladman is licensed as a 40-bed Mental Health Rehabilitation Center (MHRC) providing sub-acute psychiatric treatment to adults 18 and older.Employment Status: Full-TimePOSITION SUMMARYThe Administrator manages all aspects of the day-to-day operations of the Program, which involves ensuring regulatory compliance and actively overseeing quality assurance performance improvements. Additionally, the Administrator collaborates with all corporate departments and outside consultants and representative of the program to State/County agencies, community partners, and consumer groups. QUALIFICATIONSRequired:• Bachelor's degree, preferably in Business, Social Services or Public Health• Four (4) years of experience in an administrative management position in a health care setting• Two (2) years of responsibility of supervising professional staff, budgeting, program planning, and licensing• Must understand community mental health services, psychiatric rehabilitation concepts, and the Recovery Philosophy• Must be at least 21 years of age• Must be CPR, Pro-Act or CPI and First Aid certified on date of employment or within 60 days of employment and maintain current certification throughout employment• All opportunities at Telecare are contingent upon successful completion and receipt of acceptable results of the applicable post-offer physical examination, 2-step PPD test for tuberculosis, acceptable criminal background clearances, excluded party sanctions, and degree or license verification. If the position requires driving, valid driver's license, a motor vehicle clearance and proof of auto insurance is required at time of employment and must be maintained throughout employment. Additional regulatory, contractual or local requirements may applyPreferred:• Master's degree in Social Services, Psychology, Public Health, or Business• A successful track record working with, and sensitivity to, multi-cultural populations and issues in urban settings are highly desirableESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS• Demonstrates the company mission, purpose, values, and beliefs in everyday language and contact with the internal and external stakeholders• Plans, organizes, directs, and controls the Program; responsible for the administrative functioning of the Program• Acts as the privacy contact for the Program, maintaining all required records, logs, and systems in compliance with HIPAA regulations• Implements all Program policies and procedures through the appropriate assignment of duties to the administrative staff• Manages all strategic planning activities of the Program with the primary goal of ensuring the ongoing effectiveness of the Program• Develops and maintains a productive work relationship with State and local agency representatives; actively participates in meeting customer needs to continuously adapt to changing customer and community needs; acts as liaison between the Program and State/County customers and community partners• Establishes staffing requirements for all departments; directs the recruitment, selection, and disciplinary action within the Program• Manages the Program within allocated budgetary parameters and collaborates in the development of the fiscal budget• Supervises all department managers and maintains supervisory authority over personnel assigned to the departments• Ensures that the Program complies with all applicable laws and regulations and keeps informed about changes in regulations• Ensures compliance with Telecare's policies and procedures• Demonstrates an understanding of Telecare's stakeholders, including members served, families, and customers, in all interactions and conduct• Establishes the culture of the program and creates initiatives that reinforce the culture• Acts as the Program's liaison to the Corporate office, ensuring Corporate initiatives are implemented and maintained• Provides Clinical supervision• If employed at inpatient program, must assist with restraint of members served in the event of assaultive behavior and pass assault crisis/crisis prevention training• Duties and responsibilities may be added, deleted and/or changed at the discretion of management.SKILLS• Knowledgeable about budgeting, HR, and applicable program regulations• Able to communicate well, team build, and problem solve Familiar with psychiatric conditions and recovery principles • Good customer relations skills• Able to identify and remove barriers to changePHYSICAL DEMANDSThe physical demands here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.The employee is occasionally required to stand, twist and lift and carry items weighing 25 pounds or less as well as to frequently sit, walk, reach, bend and do simple and firm grasping occasionally. The position requires manual deviation, repetition and dexterity and to occasionally drive.To apply, visit https://recruiting2.ultipro.com/TEL1006/JobBoard/2fcbb6f4-e717-17cb-9327-3dd87a55b08d/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=fb9bba20-38ee-4698-9ccf-6265c33fb563EOE AA M/F/V/Disability Copyright ©2017 Jobelephant.com Inc. All rights reserved. Posted by the FREE value-added recruitment advertising agency jeid-4e1340dc08c99243866325e39f5b3643


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Cindy, Stephanie, Claudia, Naomi, Linda and Christy
by Mario Testino, Vanity Fair 2008As my Blog readers know, I grew up in the supermodel era, back when Linda Evangelista wouldn't "get out of bed" for less than $10,000, they strutted for Gianni Versace and appeared in George Michael's iconic 'Freedom' video in 1990. I even had to try the Fashion Cafe in London (they had curiously great fries - which was about all I could afford in 1998).
Stephanie, Cindy, Christy, Tatjana and Naomi
by Herb Ritts, 1989Very few models have come close to the beauty and the enigma of the originals - Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell (dubbed 'The Trinity), Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss and Stephanie Seymour. Also to be included in this rarified group should be Helena Christensen, Tatjana Patiz, Kristin McMenamy, Nadja Auermann, Yasmin LeBon, Carla Bruni, Eva Herzigova and Amber Valetta. Nowadays there are few models who could be bestowed with the same honour. Perhaps Gisele, and now Cara Delevingne who is fast tracked to being a force to be reckoned with. Time will tell. "Gisele Bündchen—with her curvaceous figure, $35 million annual income, and sex-symbol boyfriends (Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Brady)—is probably the only true supermodel around today. On the other hand, as Stephanie Seymour points out, the term has become so overused in the new century that now everybody's a supermodel. "It's very embarrassing," she says, "when you meet, like, a Russian prostitute, and she says she's a supermodel. And you're like, 'Hey, me too!'" (A League of their Own, Vanity Fair).
I never would have imagined that 30 years later, we would still be seeing those famous faces gracing campaigns and editorials - and looking amazing! Naomi just closed Diane von Furstenberg at New York Fashion Week, and as E New correspondent Alicia Quarels put it "She was like 'Listen kiddoes, this is how you do it', because nobody can walk like Naomi, right? She came out like 'I'm not playing', I love it!" Sure, they may have had a few tweaks here and there, but you cannot deny those naturally stunning features or that bone structure! Check out these shots from 2012-13.
Kate Moss - Age 39
British Vogue, June 2013
LOVE magazine, 2013
Interview, September 2013
V Magazine, Spring 2013
Interview, December 2012
Esquire, September 2013
Interview, September 2013
Vogue Brazil, May 2013
Helena Christensen - Age 44
Elle Spain, May 2013
Triumph Collection, 2013
Vogue Paris, December 2012
Stephanie Seymour - Age 45
Interview, September 2013
Jason Wu, Spring 2013
Vogue Paris, November 2012
Paris Vogue Homme, Fall/Winter 2012
V Magazine, September 2012
Linda Evangelista - Age 48
I-D, Fall 2012
Interview, September 2013
Vogue Germany, July 2013
By Karl Lagerfeld for The Little Black Jacket, 2012
Christy Turlington - Age 44
Interview, September 2013
Prada Fall 2013
California Style, March 2013
Calvin Klein 2013
Vogue Paris, December 2012
Tatler UK, September 2012
The Edit, May 2013


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The New England Tea Men were a North American Soccer League franchise that existed between 1978 and 1984 (although between 1980 and 1984 they had moved to Jacksonville and changed their name).
The franchise was established by the Lipton Tea Company, one of two sources from which the club took its name. The other being the infamous Tea Party incident of 1773 in nearby Boston. Based in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts, the club played its home matches at the magnificent Foxboro Stadium, a 60,000 capacity colosseum. The ground was home to the NFL outfit New England Patriots, but was sadly demolished in 2002 and replaced by the Gillette Stadium. Given that the population of Foxborough itself was just 14,000 people in 1978, this made the stadium over four times larger than the municipality.
The club's first manager was non other than legendary Irish full-back Noel Cantwell, who had played for West Ham and Manchester United and had previously managed Coventry. Cantwell had returned to Massachesetts, having managed a local team briefly in 1972. His task was to build a squad of talented footballers with the generous funds available in just four months. He did this by buying or taking on loan a host of British based professionals, many of them past their prime, and offering big wages. Players to come included former Coventry striker Brian Alderson, West Brom legend Tony Brown and Peterbrough stalwart Jack Carmichael. Alderson and Brown had played for Cantwell before, in England.
Also signed, on loan, were Charlton Athletic's star striker Mike Flanagan and Republic of Ireland and Derby County midfielder Gerry Daly.
|Daly takes on the Cosmos
In the summer of 1978, with the English Football League season finishing, Daly decided to follow Noel Cantwell across the Atlantic and earn some extra money, playing in America. Unlike many of his new team-mates in Foxborough, Daly was not past his prime, and was still just 24.
The season was quite a success for Cantwell, Daly and co. The Tea Men finished 1st in the Eastern Division, ahead of the likes of Mirandinha's Tampa Bay Rowdies, George Best's Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Johnny Giles' Philadelphia Fury.
Mike Flanagan netted an incredible 30 of New England's 62 goals that season, in just 28 appearances. Daly made just 18 appearances for the Tea Men, and scored 7 goals. Yet such were the quality of his performances that he was still named in the NASL Team of the Year, alongside the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, Carlos Alberto and Giorgio Chinaglia. He also managed to keep out George Best and Alan Ball.
|Peter Carr (3), Gerry Daly (12), Flanagan (10) and Laurie Abrahams (8)
It had been quite a maiden season for the Tea Men. Yet, their average attendance of just 12,000 fans (in a 60,000 seater ground) was disappointing, especially compared with the 45,000 average recorded by the Cosmos.
Back in England in the 1978-79 season, Daly's Derby were relegated. Putting this aside for the moment, Daly again decided to repeat the trick by moving to America for the summer, signing again with the Tea Men on loan.
The 1979 season was a big disappointment however, for Cantwell, Daly and the Tea Men. Without Flanagan, who was back with his parent club Charlton, the club struggled for goals. The Tea Men won just 12 matches that season, losing 18, and they finished last in the Eastern Division.
Off the pitch, other problems arose with scheduling. The Bay State Raceway motor-racing franchise had also acquired the use of the Foxboro Stadium. Their race days were on Saturdays, conflicting with the NASL. As a result, it was the Tea Men who chanced an unsuccessful relocation to a smaller ground, and attendances dwindled. They managed to move back to Foxboro, but could only play on Monday nights, which kept attendances down. In fact, the average attendance for the club that year was a paltry 6,500 fans. This naturally made it difficult for the franchise to make profits, which would affect wages and investment.
The 1979 NASL season was won by the Vancouver Whitecaps. Daly himself made 23 appearances and scored 9 goals. After this, Cantwell remained with the club for another year, but the franchise had relocated to Jacksonville, Florida. They reached the Play-Off Quarter Finals in 1981, but never saw any success again.
Following this second stint in America, Daly then 26, decided against following Derby to Division 2 and moved to Coventry City. It is surprising that he decided not to stay in America, like many of his New England team mates, but instead spent the next ten years with various sides in English football. He retired from the game in 1991, and later managed his last club, Telford United, in the early 1990s.


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I have however, been keeping up with my favourite blogs and today I came across this photo on Young House Love's blog (originally from House Beautiful).
I am in love! 1) I have that mirror (or at least, a cheaper version of it) and have yet to find a place for it. 2) The accent "wall" looks to be panelling which is a great idea as I'm not sure about doing such a dark color permanently. 2) The panel color is similar to our old living room accent wall, which I adored.
It's funny. Seems like I have a real weakness for this type of palette. Here's the photo that inspired our living room years ago (see Home Tour section of my blog):
Similar, no?
Now I'm really tempted to make a weekend project out of doing something similar in our kitchen nook.


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Welcome to Carpathian Gifts! Carol Carter creates unique hand stiched designs inspired by the work of New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.
All apparel designs are available on t-shirts, sweatshirts, long sleeve shirts, and youth t-shirts. Each print is hand-stitched with over 50,000 stitches to create the unique design. All designs are stitched on top grade shirts manufactured by GILDAN, known for fine quality in the industry. This makes each item one-of-a-kind as no two can possibly come out exactly the same!


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In a world of lies, he's the only man she can trust
Navy SEAL Brodie McGuire's orders were clear: Get the hostage out alive. After spiriting Jennifer Wesley to safety, their terror and need ignited into passion. Mission over, haunted by memories of their night together, Brodie didn't expect to see the Louisiana society girl again. Then she showed up at McGuire Securities.
Six years ago, Brodie saved Jennifer's life. Now she needs his protection again. But he has no idea who she really is. On his family's Texas ranch, attraction flares, taking them over the edge. As Jennifer's violent past explodes in the present, she has to find a way to earn Brodie's trust before her deadly secrets get them both killed.
Very good book. Six years earlier, when Brodie was still a SEAL, his mission had been to rescue Jennifer. He got to her right before she was going to be killed. There had been an immediate flare of attraction between them, which they gave in to, but then it was over. Brodie never expected to see her again.
Now Jennifer has shown up at the security firm that he and his brothers run. She is being stalked and Brodie is the only one she feels she can trust. But in order for him to protect her properly, she's going to have to come clean about her past.
Brodie had never forgotten Jennifer and often wondered how she was. His protectiveness kicked in when she came to him for help, and the attraction flared hot again immediately. When he found out the truth about her past, he had a brief period of wondering if she could be trusted, but that didn't last too long. I loved watching him stand up for her to his brothers, and how he got them involved in helping too. Brodie's passion and protectiveness grew to the point where he realized that his heart was involved also. He swore that he wouldn't let her walk away again.
Jennifer was an amazing woman. She had been an undercover agent for years, until she couldn't stand the life anymore. She, too, had never forgotten Brodie. As she revealed her past to him, she was worried that it would drive him away from her. As the danger increased, she felt guilty about the trouble she had brought to his family. Her love for him grew to where she'd rather leave him than have him and the family hurt because of her. I loved seeing them come together, and trust each other to be what they needed.
The action and suspense in the book was great. From the moment that Jennifer reappeared in his life, the action didn't stop. I figured out part of the stalker problem pretty quickly, but there ended up being more to it. The additional danger was intense and the final confrontation kept me riveted until I was through it. There were some interesting twists, including a possible connection between Jennifer and Brodie's parents. There was a surprise player in the trouble that Jennifer was having, and we're left hanging a bit about what his complete involvement was. There's also a new clue in the deaths of the Maguire's parents that is a lead in to the next book.


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Sunday, November 8, 2009
Infinite Possibilities, Part 5
The Naturography Blog can now be found at http://naturography.com
This blog post can now be found at http://naturography.com/infinite-possibilities-part-5/
Thank you for your interest.
4 comments:
- Paul B said...
Mike, I hope these columns are in your book, fantastic. Help us all see better, please.
- November 9, 2009 at 6:00 AM
- Curtis Copeland said...
Beautiful image - and great thoughts. Thanks for sharing!
- November 17, 2009 at 3:28 PM
- Mike Spinak said...
I hadn't really decided about these articles in book form, but I'll consider it. Some of the content is certainly related to some of the content which I intend to put into the books.
Curtis, Thank you, and you are welcome.
- November 23, 2009 at 5:32 PM
- Ralph Nordstrom said...
Mike, your comments are right on. I often find myself in Zion on the bridge over the Virgin River at sunset photographing the Watchman. The bridge is lined with people, their cameras on tripods. One might ask, "Where's the creativity in this?" But you hit it on the head in this series of articles. The point that is the most meaningful to me is that we as artists all have, first of all, a unique way of perceiving the world, and second, a unique way of expressing it. After all, art is interpretation, art is communication. So while there may be 30 or 40 people standing sholder to sholder on the bridge, the artist will come away with a unique expression of his or her experience and emotions. Great series of articles.
- February 13, 2010 at 9:01 AM


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I'll take some proper before photos but just so you have an idea, it's a small-ish room and still has some dated yellow floral wall paper and a decent sized closet. I did have the floors refinished when I moved in but have otherwise ignored the space. We currently have bunk beds in there for when the kidlets come on the weekend but it's really quite sad looking. They don't seem to care but we said we promised we would spruce it up this spring.
Steph's plan is to build some "floating" bunk beds. He has a plan mapped out in his mind. Which simply means that I am not totally sure what the plan is but I'm thinking something along the lines of these.
Here is my inspiration board for the space.
I'll paint the walls my favorite white (BM Chantilly Lace), once we've dealt with the wallpaper. Unfortunately, the wallpaper was applied over bare plaster, many years ago, and will be an absolute pain to take down. This is the sole reason for why the updating of this room has taken so long. We had the same problem in the master and it was an awful experience so I've been putting it off.
It likely won't be till spring, as Steph is travelling some for work in the next month or so and it may be too soon after the bathroom renovation for me to nag:) It's still fun to plan!


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Boldly Thinking Beyond the 'Sharrow'/
By JAMES KENNEDY/ecoRI News contributor
PROVIDENCE — The city's Bicycling Master Plan emphasizes a paint-only strategy that lacks ambition and imagination. This was illustrated at the last Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting when the height of excitement was a discussion of "sharrows" on Camp Street, a calm, residential street on the East Side that requires no amendments in order to qualify as bikeable.
BPAC has suffered the same fate as many progressive groups in the United States: it acts as its own worst enemy, constraining its vision to peripheral reforms before it even faces any opposition from outside. If the political process will inevitably whittle down cyclists' proposals, then cyclists should focus on making their initial demands bigger. Sharrows shouldn't even be on the table.
The most common excuse for BPAC's lukewarm approach is that more serious changes to the city's roads would be expensive, complicated and permanent. This doesn't have to be so. An ambitious bike plan can strike at the core of Providence's transportation problems while leaving the city the option to reverse changes if they don't work. The expense of experimentation can be minimal.
Philadelphia, which ranks No. 1 in the United States for per-capita biking, is a model for success. In 2011, the Bicycle Coalition there proposed a pair of buffered bike lanes on JFK Boulevard and Market Street. The plan required the removal of not one but four full lanes of traffic.
Rather than fretting about the permanence and expense of such a project, or suffering mini-panic attacks about what suburban commuters might think, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's office sensibly experimented with orange cones and caution tape to test the effects of a road-traffic diet.
Philadelphia's initial attempts to make Center City bikeable were less bold. The first east-west bike lane in Center City was a bike-bus share lane on Chestnut Street that resulted in confusion. The "shared" lane gave neither buses nor bikes truly prioritized access to the street. Cyclists who didn't want to sit in unending stop-and-go traffic behind a diesel bus avoided the route entirely. Buses inched along without their own dedicated lane. The failure to create a critical mass of cyclists, and the periodic absence of buses between arrival times left a void, which aggressive taxis were gleefully happy to fill.
Providence's approach to bike infrastructure represents an even more tepid version of Philadelphia's Chestnut Street experiment.
By contrast, Philadelphia's buffered Spruce and Pine lanes succeeded because the move didn't require public transit users and cyclists to compete for the same road resources. Innovations such as timing the signals to 20 mph so that bikers got a consistent "wave" of green lights helped to calm traffic and make the route safer.
The existence of a partial road block on Waterman Street near Brown University demonstrates how a temporary narrowing of the street for construction is enough to make drivers act with some civility. The speedway that Waterman Street becomes just a few short blocks beyond — from Hope Street to Wayland Square — shows that without changing the roads' construction, Providence's bike routes are little more than a hollow suggestion.
Concrete isn't necessary to change traffic patterns. All it takes is a little imagination and the willingness to experiment.


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Hey everyone!
How are you?
another post only in english today....sorry! It's because I don't have much time and writing each post in 2 languages takes a lot of time so I rather write more often, but only in one language. Hope you'll forgive me. :)
Ok, so since I liked seeing the month of September of my Project Life album all together in just one place so much, I decided I'd go back and do the same for every month. :) I do it mainly for me, to look back. You can have a peek into my album too at the same time. lol Enjoy!
Dear August,
In August we went to the pool everyday. We not only discovered Arielle's love of water and for swimming but we also made new friends.
Arielle's first swimming lesson came to an end and she got a "repeat" but she loved her teachers and she was ready to continue to learn.
In August we had my brother and his family over. It was a lot of fun.
In August we went to see movies in the Barnes and Noble parking lot. We ate popcorn. Before the movie, we would eat at Flat Bread and we would play at the playground.
In August Arielle's second swimming lesson came to an end and she passed. At that point she was swimming under water and she was impressing her first swim teacher. The best part was that we were at the pool every day, taking advantage of the sun and the summer.
In August Maya started to say some more words.
In August, going to bed wasn't easy.
In August Maya and Arielle started to play more together.
In August there were flowers growing in my garden. My first garden, my first flowers! :)
In August I went to the park with Arielle and we met friends.
In August I got a prize that I won at Two Peas. That made me happy.
In August I received some happy mail from my friend Keiko in Japan!!!!
In August we got together with our new friends at the library for some crafts.
In August the girls got an haircut.
In August we got the sad news that Arielle's teacher was not coming back to teach next year. :(
In August we did some water painting.
In August my little one was carrying her stuffed animals everywhere.
In August Maya got some blood tests and did that without tears.
In August we went to the Plainville hot air balloons festival with Mrs.Thompson and we had a lot of fun!
In August, my best friend visited me with her 3 kids: swimming pool and scrapbooking with her was great.
In August we went to the pool with our beloved new friends.
In August we also managed to go to the beach near here, It's always funny to think that we live close to a beach.
August was great!! :)
See you soon!
Friday, November 9, 2012
Project Life - August
2 comments:
Belles photos de tes pages, astu trouvé un nouveau spot !!
j'adore quand tu nous fait des recap, et j'adore encore plus me voir dasn tes pages !!!
je m'en souvenais plus moi de l'histoire a la piscine... va bien falloir que je le fasse moi aussi ce Project Life !!
bon bravo et merci de te souvenir de nous
gros bisous
ps: la photos dans le divan ou Alex hurle est tordante !!
- November 12, 2012 at 11:07 PM
- Marie-Pierre said...
oui, moi aussi j'ADORE cette photo. :) Comme quoi il faut prendre des photos, même si dans le moment présent on a l'impression qu'elles sont imparfaites. :)
- November 12, 2012 at 11:13 PM
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( read Claudia's of The Paris Apartment's post here ! )
acrylic and plaster on burlap 2ft x 3ft each
( prints available Jan '11 )
I will be back as soon as I can
( & often )
Top hat and bowler pendants available here
It will be a great comfort that you are holding your Mom's hand through her treatments. Will be thinking of you and hope all goes well. Much love XO
Good luck. It's so hard to deal with a loved one who is sick, and yet so purposeful to do the best you can to love them with all your heart.
Lisa, your priorities are absolutely in the right place and no apology is ever needed for that. She's in my thoughts and prayers. Stay strong!
Lisa & Alfie
Hello Lisa,
Wishing you all of the best while devoting yourself to being with your Mother right now. Holding good thoughts for you and your family right now. The best medicine is indeed somebody you love by your side, this has more power than any chemo treatment.
Much Love to you!
Good luck , it is great to be by your mum in these tough moments. Judith is right, the best medicine is you
Lisa, I am glad you can spend time with your mother, I could not be there for my dad. That time together is important, and don't forget humor.... it helps, even inappropriate humor. My favorite quote is "When you're going through hell, keep going." from Winston Churchill, so remember, "keep going."
I'm sorry about your mom. Its a good thing she has such a wonderful daughter.
Also, I just passed on the Sunshine Blog Award on to you. Congratulations!
Prayers and warm thoughts go out to you...
If you are anything like her, I would say that she is a woman of vision and strength, and will rise above :)
Bonjour, just to let you know how much I adore your blog, I have an award for you on mine. Please take a moment to stop by and pick it up!
I will be thinking about you and your mother. Be well.
Oh Lisa, I am so sorry I haven't been over to see you...
Please know that you are the perfect person/daughter to go on this journey with your precious Mother. I know in the end that this will be a very meaningful and spiritual experience for the two of you and that tremendous growth and understanding will come from it. Please, please promise me that if you need a break that you will call me up and come stay with me for a few days of fun and escape. You deserve it... don't forget that. In the meantime, you and your Mom and family will all be in my loving thoughts and prayers. God Bless you Lisa Golightyly. I love you!!!!!!!!!!
best wishes to you and your mom...your priority is certainly to her! the fact that you are caring for your mother will only make her recovery that much smoother (trust me, it makes a difference).
xox alison
i hope your mom feels better soon. i'll pray for her! take care dearie!


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|» French
History Timeline of the Acadians
1605 Port Royal, which will become the major town of Acadia, is settled.
1607 De Mont's monopoly is revoked.
1623 Biencourt dies and LaTour is in charge.
1632 England and France are at peace (Re: Treaty of St. Germain-en-Laye). Razilly brings 300 men.
1636 The St. Jehan arrives with settlers, including men AND women.
1654 Sedgewick captures Acadia for England.
1657 Thomas Temple is appointed governor and sails to Acadia.
1666 France officially ceases the practice of sending colonists to New France.
1667 England and France are at peace, again (Re: Treaty of Breda).
1670 Grandfontaine arrives and formally takes control of Acadia for France.
1671 The earliest surviving Acadian census is taken. The total count comes to 340 people.
1672 Beaubassin, a town in northern Acadia, is founded about this time by Jacques Bourgeois.
1682 Grand Pre, another major Acadian community, is founded about this time.
1687 A churchis built (at Grand Pre).
1690 Port Royal is captured by British forces led by Phipps.
1697 England and France are at peace, again (Re: Treaty of Ryswick).
1698 Pierre Thibodeau settles in the Chipoudy area.
1701 The Acadian town of Petitcodiac is founded.
1704 Another census finds a population of 1450 Acadians.
1708 With the onset of Queen Anne's War, hostilities with the English restart.
1710 Port Royal is taken by the British (for good) and renamed Annapolis Royal.
1713 Acadia is 'permanently' given to the British after the Treaty of Utrecht.
1730 The Acadians agree to sign a conditional oath.
1749 2,576 settlers are brought to Acadia by the British. Halifax is founded.
1750 LeLoutre gets the Indians to burn Beaubassin to get Acadians over to French territory.
1755 The deportation(exile) of Acadians begins. Over 6,000 are deported in the first year.
Here is a more detailed timeline of the deportation events.
1758 The Acadians who fled to Ile St. Jean and Ile Royale are rounded up and 3000+ are sent to France. Two of the ships are unseaworthy and sink ... hundreds of Acadians perish. The ones who make it to France initially settle in northwestern France, around St. Malo and Morlaix.
1763 The war between the French and the British is over. Acadians who have survived the interrment in England are sent to France. Some Acadians try to return to Acadia (now Nova Scotia) and find their land settled by others.
1764 The first Acadians (20) arrive in Louisiana from New York via Mobile.
1765 The first Acadians begin to settle in Louisiana.
1773 A census is taken in France that finds 2370 Acadians living there.
1785 Spain provides 7 ships to carry over 1600 Acadians from France to Louisiana.
1788 A small group of Acadians arrive in a small ship captained by Gravois.
1881 The first Acadian national convention.


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Thursday, August 2, 2012
State of the Nation
'State of the Nation: Contemporary Zimbabwean poetry' compiled and edited by Tinashe Mushakavanhu's and David Nettleingham, published by The Conversation Paper Press, UK, 2009, 186 page paperback, ISBN 978-0-9563137-0-6
(Reviewed by Memory Chirere)
When I received this book of poems, 'State of the Nation: Contemporary Zimbabwean poetry,' its very pointed title hinted that it is a project on Zimbabwe now as seen by its various poets.
I know that the state of our beloved but beleaguered nation, Zimbabwe, is now well known. Now a term 'Zimbabwean crisis' has even been coined. Whatever way you look at it, the Zimbabwean crisis is characterized by serious food shortages, lack of jobs, rampant underpaying of civil servants, acute brain drain and the general collapse of public amenities.
In Zimbabwe today, attempting to define this crisis and its causes tends to tear the community into two irreconcilable stables. That is to be expected in all polarized communities.
Therefore, any book as this one, 'State of The Nation' that boldly positions itself to look at our woes in the eye, raises great expectations. Poets are seers and from them we want to know 'where and when the rain began to beat us.' The editors did well to ask the poets to start with each, a testimony on what it means to be a poet, and sometimes a Zimbabwean poet. It means that if you cannot read the poems, you go for the narratives and sometimes, as in the cases of Emmanuel Sigauke, Nhamo Mhiripiri, Ignatius Mabasa and the late Ruzvidzo Mupfudza, you go for both.
But then I must state that this cannot be an out and out book review because I know and am known to most of the poets in here. I know the fires that beget the red brick. Reading them is like meeting again in a new country, under a new sky. To me, most of these are both poets and people.
Probably the most unique thing about this book is that it has poets from Zimbabwe who are still very active. For instance Christopher Mlalazi won an 'honourable mention' in the Noma awards with his book: Dancing With Life: Tales from The Township. Although there are indications that it is nomore, Noma is a greatly prized literary award in all Africa. Mlalazi is also a recent winner of NAMA, a prestigious national award. When I wrote him to say congratulations for Noma and pointed that he has now won both Nama and Noma, he wrote back: "Ngiyabonga baba… Now I want MANA (money)." Even his poetry is like that, spontaneous and hard hitting. In 'A soundless song', a goat is described as 'mercilessly tearing at the petticoats of a tree unable to flee'.
I see that the late Ruzvidzo Mupfudza's personae have not, unlike us, left the bars. In the first two poems I see it and agree with Ruzvidzo that the thin board between wakefulness and sleep is a zone during which one sees further than the eye. At that moment, one's sins (and of those people behind and ahead of us) coagulate into one event. And, ah Ruzvidzo still sees the heroic Nehanda too!
Ignatius Mabasa's 'problem' about which language to use (or not to use) is not a problem. Good translations (as Mabasa has done with poems like 'Cavities' and 'Concrete and plastic') will serve us well. Having seen these poems before in the original Shona, I dare say they have even gained an extra amount of subtlety. Consider Mai Nyevero's 'tan thighs' and how she 'laughs like a hyena.' I actually see her and suffer. Harare is teeming with such women. I wonder why Mabasa did not include a piece on 'baba vaNyevero'. Of course, I cannot run away from the fact that Mabasa's strong point is the Shona language, rendering him one of the more successful writers of our generation with his novels, Mapenzi and Ndafa Here?
Nhamo Mhiripiri and his wife Joyce Mutiti are Zimbabwe's writing couple. I do not know if we have another. We must have more. In college we saw them courting, writing and smoking together. We wondered why they didn't fall on each other and fight because discussions at the Students Union tended to end in fistfights. They didn't give us that opportunity. Nhamo's pen is conscious of ideology and theory. Joyce is private. Today you still see them together either at the Book fair or the book launches in Harare.
In his own testimony, John Eppel makes the crudest series of claims and accusations that I have ever heard from a fellow writer on the late Vera and a number of fellow Zimbabwean writers. First, Eppel says the late Yvonne Vera, 'like all Shona writers with ZANU PF sympathies (was) still in too much denial to tackle the shameful period" (of Gukurahundi) and therefore Vera's The Stone Virgins 'is abject cowardice.' Really?
Vera's The Stone Virgins is about the civil war in Matabelaland and the Midlands provinces in the 1980's which resulted in loss of civilian lives. I insist that there cannot be one super way of writing about it all. There cannot be any one heroic or cowardly way of writing about it, either. I agree with Maurice Vambe when he argues (elsewhere) that Vera's The Stone Virgins employs reportage because of reportage's ability to unravel potential discrepancies between facts outside the text and reality imaginatively constructed. These are indeed a multiplicity of narrative voices in this novel, all vying to capture the problematic of representing a civil war that can never be complete when uttered from one side or position.
Eppel also says that nobody includes him in the bibliography of Zimbabwean writers. He even claims that no contemporary of his; Mungoshi, Zimunya, Hove, Chinodya, Dangarebga, Chirikure… ever notices him except Julius Chingono! But then Eppel admits, strategically too: 'generalisation is a tool of the satirist.' Maybe.
The five poems by Charles Mungoshi crawl all over you like ants from the underworld. As you read his poems you have a feeling that you are working your difficult way around boulders, towards some treasure. In his 'A Kind of Drought' the spirit is weak because one has been lied to, cheated and finally deserted by fellow humans and what remains are roads, because they do not lie and trees too, because they remain the same old faithful parents and one can do many things with trees, including going round and round and finally dying safely under them. And as the spirit wanders, you wish you could come to a river.
Dambudzo Marechera's poems, given to the editors by one Betina Schmidt, are dedicated to Betina and are about Betina. They remind one of Marechera's earlier poems, the Amelia poems. Of them Marechera once said: 'Amelia's presence in the flat inspired me to write the sonnets. When she had been in the flat and then left, I would still feel her presence, and any item she had touched could give me the first line for a poem. Or just the emptiness… the flat felt so completely empty, and it is this emptiness which is all around me which I have to grab by the collar and put into a poem.'
Nearly all the poems about exile in this book seem to insist on the fact that exile is more dangerous than home. These poems seem to be in the majority with the outstanding being Chenjerai Hove's 'Identity', NOViolet Bulawayo's 'Diaspora', Tinashe Mushakavanhu's "Tomorrow is long coming', Kristina Rungano's 'Alien somebody' and Amanda Hammar's 'Exiles'. If it is not the loneliness, it is the anxiety or the downright confusion that comes close to declaring that one has no country because things are currently unwell in one's country.
Amanda Hammar's is the most uplifting narrative in this book, if you do not get confused easily. What is a Zimbabwean poet, Kizito Muchemwa once asked Amanda Hammar in Uppsala in 2009. 'Does location matter; does exile/proximity make one less or more Zimbabwean; what it is we can or should, or should not, write about, or should that even be a question at all?' And Amanda Hammar's answer, which comes after a long search is: 'I am no longer solely defined by my Zimbabweanness. While for some, such a condition may seem unremarkable, for me it is both a new sensation and a big and painful admission.'
Then you realize that this book is also about identity. In Europe, Mushakavanhu's persona feels like 'a dark presence' and his 'coal black hand tightly clasping' the long white fingers of a half desired white wench cause heads to turn on the streets of Europe.
In her narrative, Jennifer Armstrong says she writes as a poet and not as a white girl. She says 'the black white history of Zimbabwe (and Rhodesia)' has given us 'the remarkable and highly dubious gifts of race and gender.' And her shortest poem goes:
I don't think
my race
will win
this race
although it might
come second
It is refreshing to come across the new voices; Beavan Tapureta, Tinashe Muchuri, Batsirai Chigama, Josephine Muganiwa... voices associated with the spoken word at the Book Cafe and the Zimbabwe-Germany society.
Maybe Emmanuel Sigauke's poems stand out for not going necessarily for the 'state of the nation'. They are not about what I need from my country and government but are about what I did and may do. His poems as in his book 'Forever Let Me Go' are about personal journeys from the past to the present. Poems about what could I have been had I not been married to you and about the dramatic happenings in distant villages and the zinc roofed houses that we didn't and have forgotten to build.
My worry though with most Zimbabwean poetry since And Now The Poets Speak of 1982, is the prevalence of melancholy. Our poets are yet to find an idiom that redeems, regardless of the well known woes. The poetry of Jorge Rebelo and Jose Craveirinha are an example of poets who, while chronicling the ills of their society, reflect also on what they should offer the same society. They went beyond the realm of 'look what they have done to me' and began to show 'what we have to do about it'. I honestly believe that Zimbabwe is not the worst and last place God made. We shall overcome.
Nevertheless, Poets Tinashe Mushakavanhu and David Nettleingham have done well to put together the first major anthology of Zimbabwean poets writing in English since And Now The Poets Speak. And in both cases, the poets are concerned about the sate of their nation. Mushakavanhu walks with a spring, head up, chest out and before he talks, he rubs his hands together like the soothsayer that he is. Somewhere in some uncomfortable weather we once talked about how, one day, he is to become Zimbabwe's youngest publisher.
Posted by kwaChirere at 12:28 PM
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Animal Planet's second season of Groomer Has It ended Saturday night, and 42-year-old Hollywood groomer Huber won the $50,000 cash prize, and the product placement Subaru Forester and Wag'n Tails mobile grooming van, never mind the made-up title of "groomer of the year." He beat Lisa, the 42-year-old groomer from the Chicago area.
After grooming three rare breeds and winning, Huber told us he emigrated to the U.S. and started off cleaning toilets, so he said, "it's a bit cliche, but the American dream really does exist." He beat Lisa because, as judge Joey Villani said, "I just loved how professional, how safety conscious,how you treated the dogs, how your overall grooms came out–it was unbelievable." Ornery judge Xavier Santiago said, "Huber, you have heart, you have passion, you have a wonderful skill set."
The last episode was free of the sort of absurdity, ridiculousness, and low-rent elements the show is known for, but that wasn't true of last week's episode, when Dancing with the Stars co-host Samantha Harris showed up to coach and judge the final three in a challenge that involved presenting grooming skills on camera.
Yes, Samantha Harris was giving advice about how to be an effective communicator on camera. This is a woman who once talked as if she had injected herself with Novocaine and who repeatedly held a microphone in front of Marlee Matlin's mouth as the contestant signed answers to Samantha's questions was giving advice. On the Animal Planet series, Samantha interrupted one contestant after she'd given a "great" introduction because Samantha had no yet had a chance to call "action." She did that multiple times, which coming from someone else would seem like an attempt to unnerve the contestants, but I think it was just Samantha being Samantha.
When she was first introduced by Jai Rodriguez, she gave the contestants some advice, and almost started babbling before recovering: "Well, I think, first of all, you hit the nail on the head. You need to be clear and concise. It's very important that you break it down for everyone. The pet owners that are watching are going to need you to talk to them–not over their head," Samantha said. "But more than anything, let your personality shine through."
She later criticized Danielle for not showing her personality enough, which Samantha said is necessary to "make the viewer want to continue watching you"–and then Danielle won despite not showing enough personality. Is it really a surprise that Samantha's decision would reward someone who did not make viewers want to watch her?


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This tour gives you a comprehensive introduction to the main highlights Egypt has to offer. The tour includes visits to the pyramids, Sphinx and the famous Egyptian Museum in Cairo, a luxury 4 day/3 night cruise along the Nile from Aswan to Luxor with stops at Kom Ombo temple and Edfu temple, the Valley of the Kings and Karnack temples, and a stay at a top quality beach resort in Hurghada.
(Cairo/Aswan/Nile cruise/Luxor/Cairo/Alexandria)
Trip type: Private Guided Tour | Trip runs: Everyday
The pyramids of Giza, The Sphinx, Pyramids of Sakkara, Memphis, The alabaster sphinx, Egyptian museum, Coptic Cairo, Church of saint sergius, Synagogue of Bn Izra, Islamic Cairo, Citadel of Saladin, The Unfinished obelisk, The temple of Philae, Felucca ride, Abusimbel, Kom Ombo, The temple of Edfu, Luxor temple, The Karnak temples, The Valley of the Kings, The valley of the queens, The modern looking temple of Queen Hatshepsut, The High dam, Khan El-Khalili bazaar, Gawhara palace, Alabaster mosque, Al-Azhar mosque.
Day 1 (arrival): Arrival to Cairo airport, Egypt Fun Tours representative will assist you through passport control formalities, luggage identification & portage will greet you. From the airport you will be transferred by our private A/C car to your hotel.
Check in your hotel and overnight in Cairo.
Day 2 (Pyramids tour): After breakfast start our visit to The pyramids of Giza (the great pyramid of king cheops, the remains of the funeral temple of the same king, the pyramid of king kephren, the pyramid of king Mekarynos, get inside one of the small pyramids, and see the Sphinx). Egyptian Lunch in a country side restaurant. Visit The pyramids of Sakkara ( The visual presentation of Sakkara, the step pyramid of king Djoser-the very first pyramid, the museum of Imhotep, the tomb of a high official, the pyramid of king Titi, the pyramid of king Unas, and see the pyramids of Dahshur from a distance). Visit Memphis the very first capital city of Egypt ( the statue of king Ramses the second-16 meters high, the alabaster sphinx of queen Hatshipsuit). Attend the sound and light show at Giza area ( optional). Overnight at your hotel in Cairo.
Day 3 (Cairo city tour): After breakfast at your hotel; Start our tour to the Egyptian museum (more than 120,000 pieces from ancient Egypt, plus the amazing collection of King Tutankhamen from the 18th dynasty new kingdom, and the royal mummies).
Visit Coptic Cairo (the church of saint sergius the very first church built in Egypt, the synagogue of Bn Izra, and the so called Hanging up church). Lunch in a tourist restaurant by the river Nile. Visit Islamic Cairo-the Citadel of Saladin, the alabaster mosque of Mohmed Ali, the Gawhara palace of Mohamed Ali, the mosque of Amr Ibn El-aas the very first mosque built in Egypt. See Khan El-Khalili bazaar (where you can see Al-Azhar mosque, and the very unique Islamic ancient streets and complex). Transfer to the train station for your sleeper train to Aswan. Dinner is on board of your sleeper train.
Day 4 (Aswan sightseeing): Breakfast on board of your sleeper train. Arrive at Aswan to start our visit to the High dam (was built in 1960 to control the annual flood of the Nile, and arrange agriculture process). Visit the Unfinished obelisk (a huge obelisk dating back to the 18th dynasty that was lift unfinished). Check in our hotel for Lunch(not included) After noon take a motor boat to the temple of Philae (was built by the ptolomies dedicated to love goddess Isis). Take a felucca ride around elephantine Island sail past the Agha Khan mausoleum, and Kitchener's Island. Back to your hotel.
Day 5 (tour to Abu Simbel& Felucca): Breakfast at your hotel. An early start for an optional tour to Abusimbel (not included within the price). Transfer to your Nile Cruise, check into Cruise for Lunch, after which you will sail towards Kom Ombo. Dinner on board of your cruise ship Overnight on board.
Day 6 Sailing (comombo & Edfu): Breakfast on board of your cruise ship. Visit the unusual Greco Roman double temple of Kom Ombo (dedicated to two gods, the falcon god Harveris, and the crocodile god Sobek). Visit by a horse carriage to the temple of Edfu (dedicated to the falcon god Hours, and the second largest temple in Egypt. Lunch and Dinner on board of your cruise.
Day 7 (Luxor east): Breakfast on board of your cruise ship. Visit Luxor temple (was built by the kings of the middle and the new kingdom). Lunch on board of our cruise ship. After noon start our tour to visit the Karnak temples (the largest complex of temples in Egypt originally attached to Luxor temple by an avenue of sphinxes). Dinner on board of your cruise ship. Overnight on board.
Day 8 (Luxor West): After breakfast, disembark your Nile cruise. An early morning start as you cross over to the West Bank of Luxor
you come from sun, sand and rugged mountainside you enter: The Valley of the Kings (home of 65 tombs of the kings of 18th to 22nd dynasties). The valley of the queens (accommodates the tombs of queens from the new kingdom with the famous tomb of queen Nefertari). The modern looking temple of queen Hatshepsut (she ruled over Egypt for 19 years as a king). The colossi of Memnon (originally belong to king Amenhotep the 3rd). Afternoon Free time at leisure. Transfer to the railway station to take the Sleeping train on your way to Cairo. Dinner on board of your sleeper train.
Day 9 (Cairo/Alexandria): Breakfast on board of your sleeping train. Arrive Cairo, meet, welcome and assist by our representatives. Transfer to the hotel (Optional day trip to Alexandria). Overnight in Cairo
Day 10 (Departure):Breakfast at the hotel. Egypt Fun Tours representative will transfer you to the airport and assist you at the airport through final departure formalities.
Egypt Highlights In 10 days Includes:
- Entrance fees to the sites mentioned in the above itinerary.
- Meals as mentioned.
- An A/C tourist coach new model 2009 or 2010 with a professional driver and a license from the ministry of tourism.
- A guide (Egyptologist) with a guiding license from the ministry of tourism
- Egyptian Cell phone for the trip organizer to use while touring.
- All transfer as mentioned in the above itinerary.
- Hotel stay in Cairo
- Nile cruise (Aswan-Luxor).


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As the annual converging organized by SOA (School of the Americas) Watch on Fort Benning, Georgia approaches (November 17-18), it is perhaps helpful to remember the Salvadoran army officers who murdered Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and young daughter in 1989 were pardoned in El Salvador. In outrageous contrast the thirteen U.S. citizens who reenacted the 1989 murders, as part of a demonstration against the School of the Americas (S.O.A. – School of Assassins) where the officers were trained, were sentenced to prison. This has happened every year since the murders and will continue, according to organizers, until the school is closed.
The pious, if sleepy, Judge Elliot, who found the defendants guilty April 29, 1998 also imposed on them a telling anecdote: if a man steals bread for his starving children he has good motives but criminal intent, has broken the law and therefore should go to prison. Apparently the learned judge has not read Les Miserable, or perhaps did read the sad tale and identified with the sociopathic prosecutor, cheering on his obsessive pursuit.
The defense took two basic strategies: to call for dismissal of the charges, engaging in banned political activity at Fort Benning where the school is located, on the grounds that only those opposing the S.O.A. were banned while those in favor were allowed to express their support; and that a higher moral law justifies the "illegal" action taken by the group. The analogy was drawn that citizens would have been breaking German law if they had stopped the death trains to Auschwitz but a higher moral law would have absolved them.
Reverend Bill Bichsel, in his eloquent pre-sentencing statement, said, "We are not afraid of your jails or your police. We will be back to demonstrate on each anniversary of the murders until that school is closed. I hope one day you (Judge Elliot) will join us." Spontaneous and sustained applause erupted in the packed court room, sending the Sheriff in charge of security walking in circles frantically wondering what to do about it.
The S.O.A. claims that its instruction aims to instill "American" values in its students. Some folks from the area might point out that they too are "Americans," if Central or South Americans. Critics claim that the school actually teaches torture techniques (verified by the leaking of a manual). The fact is that many of its graduates have engaged in undemocratic activities, coups and assassinations, such notorious figures as Manuel Noriega and El Salvador death squad leader Roberto D'Aubuisson. It is a dubious proposition that a rigid hierarchical military is the appropriate teacher of democratic values. The school's unspoken mission, and one of the reasons it should be closed, is to establish relationship with Latin American military officers so as to have coup-influence in the event leaders down there get the idea that democracy is more important than U.S. corporate interests, as happened recently in Honduras. Our dear Senator Shameless responded to my letter asking him to push for democracy there by claiming that the over-thrown president, I paraphrase, had it coming. He was attempting to extend his term. My! Far worse a crime than violently taking over a country and banning the legitimate, elected president who may or may not have been planning to, through legal means, extend his term. His real crime of course was putting the needs of his fellow citizens before corporate and elite interests and – shudder – associating with (elected) Venezuelan President Chavez (routinely referred to as a dictator in mainstream "American" media). U.S. yearning for democracy and freedom seem to run consistently along these two lines: flamboyant and self-righteous rhetorical concern contrasted with apparent fear and loathing of the real thing. The annual SOA event is one opportunity for citizens to oppose this murderous hypocrisy.
Tom Ferguson
Tom is a painter, a cartoonist, a musician, a thinker and more. View some of his web sites:
- www.thinkspeak.net (Painting)
- toons.thinkspeak.net (Political Cartoons)
- thinkspeak.bandcamp.com (Music)
- tfthinkspeak.blogspot.com (blog)
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