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Get Behind the Wheel by Scheduling Online
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The Ocean Pulse™ Duo & Quadra are innovative wavemakers that were specifically designed to replicate the natural alternating rhythms of the tides and currents for home aquariums.
These wavemakers instantly create turbulent flow patterns with adjustable alternating cycle times from 10 seconds to 6 minutes. All models are equipped with an adjustable dial(s) for quick and easy set-up for virtually all types of inverts, corals, filter feeders, and fish who will gain immediate benefits.
Note: Always research specific flow requirements for individual animals before making adjustments.
Water movement is vital for the success of invertebrates, animals with symbiotic algae, filter feeders, and fish. The natural currents in the ocean bring random flow and wave cycle patterns that provide nourishment while suspending waste particles for filters to effectively trap.
Recreating water movement is essential for captive animals within our aquariums for long-term success. By installing the Ocean Pulse WaveMaker, you will immediately be rewarded, as you see your aquarium transform into a cleaner, healthier, and more natural environment.
Model #: WM-01
Pump Capacity: 2 pumps
Time Range: 10 seconds - 6 minutes
# of Dials: 1
Max AMPS per socket: 1.2 amps / 132 watt
Volt/Hz: 110V/60Hz
Power Consumption: 2 watts
Weight: 0.4 lbs
Dimensions: (L) 2.75: x (W) 1" x (H) x 4"
Model #: WM-02
Pump Capacity: 4 pumps
Time Range: 10 seconds - 6 minutes
# of Dials: 2
Max AMPS per socket: 1.2 amps / 132 watt
Volt/Hz: 110V/60Hz
Power Consumption: 3 watts
Weight: 0.6 lbs
Dimensions: (L) 6.75: x (W) 1" x (H) x 3.75"

subset: commoncrawl


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After the devastation of World War I, the Revolution, and Civil War, Russia was a total wreck. Factories were in ruins and half the working class gone, either dead or returned to the farms. Millions had died, mainly from the famine and disease accompanying war. Two million more, mostly nobles, middle class, and intellectuals, had emigrated to other countries. Now it was up to Lenin to restore some degree of prosperity and order. There were four main policies he followed, one that loosened his control for the time being and three that tightened his control.
Lenin eased up a bit with his New Economic Policy (NEP), which allowed some degree of free enterprise to encourage higher production by the peasants. While Lenin had little choice but to let free enterprise return, he could also justify NEP in Marxist terms since, according to Marx, Russia would have to evolve through a capitalist phase before it was ready for Socialism. For several years in the 1920's, Lenin's Russia saw widespread experimentation in the arts and social engineering as well as economics. Cubist and futuristic art flourished. Avant-garde theater featured acrobats as well as heavy political messages. The family was also under attack as a bourgeois institution with women as the oppressed working class. Therefore, women gained equal rights and pay as well as access to easier divorces and legalized abortions. Some young communists even saw free love and public nudity as revolutionary acts of liberation from bourgeois values. Older Bolsheviks frowned on such acts, but tolerated them in the spirit of creating a new socialist society. Lenin made similar concessions in government, giving tsarist bureaucrats and technical experts more authority in running the government and factories since most communists were uneducated and untrained in the technical expertise needed to run a country.
However, this is not to say that Lenin relinquished any political control over Russia. For one thing, the old non-Russian provinces of the tsarist empire were brought back under tighter control, the rationale being they needed Russia's help in establishing a socialist paradise more than they needed national independence, which would be irrelevant once the workers' revolutions had swept the globe. Of course, to these subject peoples, this new Soviet Union looked suspiciously like the empire of tsarist Russia.
Lenin exerted greater control over local governments through the Communist Party. One problem he had from the earlier days was that the local soviets had seized control of local governments. Although the Bolsheviks themselves had used the slogan, "All power to the Soviets" and could do little to control the soviets during the crisis of the civil war, Lenin was determined to eventually get tighter control on local matters. What he did was create a party structure parallel to that of the government. The local party officials were much more tightly controlled than the soviets and correspondingly more efficient in carrying out Lenin's directives. As a result, control of the Communist party was as important for the rulers of the Soviet Union as was control of the government as a means for ruling the country.
Finally, Lenin, like Marx, felt the workers could not achieve true revolutionary consciousness on their own, but needed a strong centrally directed party of Marxists to lead them to socialism. Therefore, he had to resort to what he called "Proletarian dictatorship" to ensure the workers got what they deserved. However, this was not rule by the working class, but rather rule by the Communist party with working class members in it. Of course, Lenin strictly ruled the party, thus theoretically making his will that of the party and the people. Enforcing "proletarian dictatorship" and the "Red Terror" was the CHEKA (the All Russia Extraordinary Commission for Combating, Counterrevolution and Sabotage). This was Lenin's secret police, except that it was much larger, more effective, and deadly than the Czar's secret police had ever been.
The harsh and autocratic nature of the Soviet system that emerged was influenced by several factors. First, there was the dictatorial nature of Lenin's personality that largely determined the course of the revolution. Second, there was a certain continuity from the tsars' absolutist regime to Communist rule. Finally, many more Communists had joined the party during the revolution and civil war than before 1917. As a result, they saw the revolution in military terms as a sort of brotherhood in arms, and it assumed a military aspect with party members wearing military uniforms and using military jargon for political offices and concepts.
However, before Lenin could enact a thorough program of reform in the Soviet Union, he died in 1924. He was a brilliant leader and sincere revolutionary who oftentimes ignored human feelings in pursuit of his Communist revolution. His harsh measures must be seen in light of the harsh conditions that demanded them if the Revolution were to survive. Lenin is remembered as the father of the Revolution, but his early death left to his successor, Stalin, the job of carrying out the real revolutionary transformation of Russia.
Lenin's death led to a power struggle between Leon Trotsky, the creator of the Red Army during the Russian Civil War, and Joseph Stalin. Stalin was one of the few real working class members of the Communist party's upper ranks. The name Stalin, meaning "man of steel", reflected his willingness to take on jobs no one else wanted, gathering a lot of power into his hands in the process. He was also a cold and ruthless politician who managed to squeeze out the more intellectual Trotsky. Not content with a mere political victory, Stalin's agents later tracked down Trotsky in Mexico and murdered him in 1940.
While Trotsky had wanted to focus on spreading the Communist revolution worldwide, Stalin wanted to concentrate on building up the Soviet Union internally first. He felt a need for a revival of the revolutionary spirit since many Communists thought Lenin's NEP had steered Russia away from a true socialist society. His first step was to purge the moderate wing of the party that still wanted to continue Lenin's policies. Among his victims were the middle class and non-Communist bureaucrats and technicians that Lenin had relied upon to keep the state and economy working. While this was popular with the more radical Communists, it also deprived Stalin of the very people he needed to develop Russia's industries. Stalin then launched a campaign to build the Soviet Union into a great power. His program had three parts: the transformation of the Soviet Union into an industrial power, collectivization of the farms in order to support the populations in the new industrial cities, and a purge of any elements Stalin suspected of disloyalty.
Stalin's industrialization was carried out in a series of Five Year Plans where the government set projected goals for economic growth. However, the first Five Year Plan (1928-32) in particular was as much political rhetoric as economic planning, which seriously hampered efforts to meet its goals. For one thing, human and material resources were not adequately figured into the plan, causing constant confusion and work stoppages. However, at least officially, each of Stalin's Five Year Plans more than met their goals. How much of this was the truth, Stalin lying to the world, or nervous officials lying to Stalin is hard to say. There were harsh penalties, even executions, for officials failing to meet their quotas, thus providing strong incentives to meet their quotas by padding their figures or even sabotaging each other's efforts.
Whole new cities and even lakes appeared where none had existed before, many of them named after Stalin himself. Oil production trebled, while coal and steel production rose by a factor of four times. Stalin also established a massive system of public schools and universities to provide a literate (and more easily brainwashed) work force as well as engineers for his factories. By 1940, the Soviet Union had an 85% literacy rate and was the third largest industrial power in the world behind only the United States and Germany.
However, this was done at a price. For one thing, Stalin concentrated on heavy industries, such as steel, electricity, and heavy machinery, and consequently ignored the production of basic consumer goods, including even housing, for his people. He also used virtual slave labor by taking millions of peasants and others whom he saw as threats to his regime and using them in building his massive canal, hydroelectric dam, and factory projects. Thus millions died for Stalin's dream of an industrial state.
Collectivization of the agriculture was mainly a means to an end: to produce enough food to support an urbanized industrial society. Marxist doctrine forbade private property, and Stalin, wanting as much centralized power as possible, used this principle to gather the farms into giant state-run operations. In theory, organizing the farms along the lines of industrial factories should increase productivity enough to support the Soviet Union's new industrial cities. However, there were several flaws with this. First of all, such a scheme demanded a level of mechanization far beyond the Soviet Union's capacity, which, at that time, still had 5.5 million wooden plows in use. Also, Stalin failed or refused to recognize that people work harder if they feel they are working for themselves instead of a landlord, even if that landlord is the state. Since many peasants had gained possession of their own land before and during the Revolution, collectivization met with strong resistance from these landholders, known as kulaks, and that led to untold troubles.
Stalin saw the kulaks as traitors to the Revolution and launched an all out campaign against them. Police and soldiers surrounded villages and hauled the peasants off to collectives, labor camps (which provided slave labor for Stalin's industrial projects), or mass executions. Collectivization was also a disaster for Soviet agriculture and its people. Peasants burned their own grain and butchered their livestock to keep them out of government hands. That and the disruption caused by Stalin's harsh policies led to widespread famine that killed millions more. Any gains Soviet agriculture may have made were probably in spite of Stalin, not because of him. This brings us to the third feature of his regime, the Stalinist terror.
Stalin was an extremely paranoid man who easily imagined both that anyone not meeting his expectations of performance was a traitor to the state and that anyone exceeding his expectations was an ambitious conspirator against him. In 1936 Stalin purged a wide range of people whom he saw as traitors or threats to his regime: government officials, military officers, old Bolsheviks, and teachers in addition to kulaks and inefficient factory managers.
The trials of these people were an absolute farce, where the accused were forced to read contrived confessions of their alleged crimes against the state before being sent to Stalin's labor camps, providing much of the slave labor needed for Stalin's industrial projects. However, the purges did great harm to Russia. Besides stifling initiative and poisoning society with an element of fear, they also eliminated most of the Red Army's top officers, replacing them with men who were inexperienced and subservient to Stalin. Russia would pay a terrible price for this in World War II.
Those replacing the bureaucrats and engineers eliminated by Stalin's purges were young men from working class backgrounds educated in the new schools and universities established by Stalin. Instead of the radical and somewhat independent-minded Bolsheviks in military uniforms agitating for more revolutionary reforms, Stalin now had an elite corps of educated engineers and bureaucrats loyal to him and more concerned with technical matters and industrialization than factional politics, Marxist ideology, and loyalty to a fighting Marxist brotherhood. Instead of uniforms and eccentric cultural ideas, they wore suits and attended classical concerts and ballets. They were the products of the revolution, but they were hardly revolutionary themselves, being prone to conserving the gains made by their party rather than pushing toward new frontiers. Stalin's two successors, Khruschev and Brezhnev, both came from this generation and reflected its more conservative tendencies. The revolution had come full circle.
Regardless of the cost, the 1930's saw the Soviet Union emerge as a major power, which seemed all the more remarkable since the rest of the world was mired in the Great Depression. This provided great publicity for Communism when resurgent Russia was compared to the ailing capitalist world. Communist membership grew in the western democracies, while a number of poorer countries adopted their own five-year plans in imitation of Stalin's "socialist miracle". All of these underscored the fact that the 1930's were a time of great economic hardship, which led to rising political tensions and eventually World War II.


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The summer is off to a quiet start or so it seems. The workshops in Italy (Florence and Matera) went fantastically well, but back in NYC most of the action has been behind the scenes. There is a new website in the works and it will be released next month. After nearly 5 years of adammarelliphoto.com and over +1,500,000 unique visitors it is time for a refresh.
A complete artistic resource for photographers
When I started the site, there was no long term vision. It was an experiment to see if photographers were interested in the lessons and observations from the world of art. Most people told me it was too complicated. They said stick to writing reviews and making top 10 lists. That is what photographers want. And while there is a large audience who read photo websites like they are Buzzfeed quizzes, there is another, more thoughtful group.
That group is you…and as I suspected there are more curious, art-minded photographers out there than the photo world thinks. Which is why, after 5 years of articles, videos, and comments, I feel like we know each other well enough to rebuild the site with our interests in mind.
The New Site
What will you find on the new site? The aim is to be a resource of artistic knowledge for photographers. And one of the major steps in doing that is making the site and the back articles easier to navigate. This way, you can quickly read up on an array of subjects without having to go through miles of "blog-style-entries" or tags. Easy, simple, and rich were the words at the forefront of my mind when I designed the site.
Additionally, there will be a dedicated video page for both free and online classes…all in one place.
But what will happen to adammarelliphoto.com? For the time being, nothing. All of the content will stay. Some of it will get migrated to the new site, but everything you enjoyed reading, from articles on Eugene Smith to the Surrealist's Manifesto will still be accessible here.
I'd like to thank EVERYONE for your patience and support. This website continues to bring together a fascinating combination of photographers and travelers, who share common approaches to leading interesting lives. I expect the new site will make that process even easier.
In the days leading up to the release, I will be posting a collection of pictures from our recent travels to Florence and Matera (along with the camera settings) for you to enjoy. Hopefully it reveals a bit about my process of Natural-light shooting and how good pictures don't need to be complicated.
New site will be live next month, with an announcement here. Stay Tuned!
6 Responses to "Coming Soon: New AM Workshops Website"
Your observations about art is what drew me to your site. When I was in college (a very long time ago) I dated an modern abstract painter. But I didn't like her paintings, so I felt obliged to learn, and find a language to express my discontent about the work. The end result was to fall in love with all kinds of painting. This love and understanding has continued to inform my seeing and my photography.
Looking forward to the new site, Adam. The current one, your lessons, and your YT videos are amongst my favourite photography resources out there. Keep up the good work.
Great Adam. Looking forward to the new website. I love you approach towards photography and have been learning great deal just by reading your articles. Thanks for all your effort and keep up all the good work that you do.


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It seems that speaking to the now-infamous Joe the Plumber, Barack Obama said the following:
"And I do believe for folks like me who have worked hard, but frankly also been lucky, I don't mind paying just a little bit more than the waitress that I just met over there who's things are slow and she can barely make the rent. Because my attitude is that if the economy's good for folks from the bottom up, it'This gonna be good for everybody."
"If you've got a plumbing business, you're going to be better off it you've got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you, and right now I think everybody's so pinched that business is bad for everybody and I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody. "
This is pretty uninteresting stuff if you ask me. But the fascinating part is that apparently conservatives are writing in to Marc Ambinder demanding that he cover this incident as Obama admitting that he's a closet socialist. Ambinder judiciously concludes that it's "misleading to suggest that Obama was revealing his secret socialism here." But I think it's probably misleading to say that the right is trying to mislead anyone here. Conservatives have really convinced themselves — or at least a lot of them have — that bog-standard left-of-center bromides about progressive taxation and broadly shared prosperity are, in fact, a form of wild-eyed radicalism.


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Betsy Morgan
History Department Head
Betsy hails from the great state of Virginia, and she is, in fact, a lover—of all things history, film, and dog-related. She received her degree in History from Columbia University, where she was lucky enough to study with the oft-quoted historian Eric Foner. Since then she has been spreading her infectious enthusiasm for history and herstory to middle- and high school-students in sunny Los Angeles. In addition to teaching, she is a professional writer with published articles in a range of print magazines and online sources. She is also currently working on a Young Adult novel.


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Demolition continues on the old bridge across the top of the dam at Big Bear Lake. The removal project is about one third complete.
Here is another image of the bridge at Big Bear Lake when it first opened in 1924.
Note: This post contains material from the Channel-6's The Big Bear History Show. The copyrighted information in this article have been presented here with permission from Rick Keppler and Bear Valley Broadcasting.


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Gardenzine enjoyed this post so much they asked if they could post it on their site. You can read the full post here.
Saturday, 30 May 2009
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Half barrel pond
Half barrel ponds are great for small gardens. It just so happened the one I set up last year needed a bit of a facelift.
Here's how I got on.
As shown in the picture above the area around the pond was covered in gravel. The whole garden was awash with it when I moved in around two years ago and it has been my mission since then to rid this evil.
The exorcism didn't work so after moving several back breaking buckets of gravel and dead soil the bare bones of the area became visible.
The fish and plants were placed in temporary accommodation, other wise known as a tub-it. How versatile are these fantastic devices? I use my three for everything from mixing compost to, well, storing fish apparently!
So two goldfish, Iris laevigata 'Variegata', Gunnera magellanica, Typha minima, Juncus effusus 'Spiralis', Equisetum scirpoides and an unknown Nymphaea were all sweating away in this tight panic inducing bucket.
The area was edged with timber cut at different lengths and placed on end. I like the informal feel it creates and it matches the rest of the lower garden. The borders in the lower garden form a spiral around a central paved area and are planted with a great variety of plants to create an informal but modern cottage garden. Cottage fusion I like to call it. Although at present a lot of the fusion is missing thanks to the Winter!
The ground around the pond was prepared with top soil, compost and some fertiliser in the shape of blood, fish and bone. Although it smells a little, is it wrong that I quite like the smell?, it is by far one of the best fertilisers available. On top of this I regularly apply a foliar seaweed feed and mulch anually with compost from the local amenity site. Food waste is collected fortnightly and composted by the local authoity. The compost produced seems to be great for the garden and its free!
Finally, the planting began! I always have an abundance of spare plants hanging around the garden. I am a massive fan of propagation and collecting plants and as a result I had most of what I needed at my disposal. Digitalis pupurea, Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw', Astrantia bavarica, Carex buchanii, Leucojum aestivum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Allium sphaerocephalon and a hardy Geranium were all thrown in. I'm not a Geranium lover and I'm as surprised as the next person that I've actually planted one. The bees like them though so I guess thats reason enough for me to include it.
As I needed a little more structure I popped to my local botanical garden, as they have a great weekly plant sale, and I came back with a gorgeous Viburnum opulus, which I've placed behind the pond, a Primula bulleyana, and a Persicaria bisorta 'Superbum'. And thats it! I'm really happy with the final result and I'm hoping that it will help to pull in even more wildlife to the garden.
Posted by Ryan Lewis at 8:16 pm 12 comments
Labels: half barrel pond, Make, pond
Friday, 22 May 2009
It's war!
It's time to get serious with the little slimy garden munchers!
So, I've been patient. I've been nice. I've even shared my booze with them (unheard of)! I've thrown everything at them, including the kitchen sink, but nothing works!
I was devastated to discover that they have suddenly taken a fancy to some of my Dactylorhiza species of native terrestrial orchids!! This is crossing the line! Not only did they wait for the plants to throw up flower spikes, but they watched me get excited and then hit me hard when I was most vulnerable. Well, no more!
I have invested in the rather frowned upon blue pellets. I will also kill on first sight. No warnings will be issued as in previous years. Now its personal! The zero tolerance approach has begun and I WILL succeed!!
Posted by Ryan Lewis at 6:10 pm 11 comments
Labels: Dactylorhiza, Garden Pests, Orchids, Ryan's Ramblings, slugs, warfare
Sunday, 17 May 2009
Rare Plant Sale
When I see the words 'Rare Plant Sale' my heart skips a beat, my palms get sweaty and my adrenaline is pumping. I am aware of how strange that sounds but I'm just being honest.
Today was no exception.
I was hoping to pick up some unnamed beauty from some far flung corner of the world. Maybe a long lost treasure that has recently been rediscovered and propagated in small numbers. But it was not to be. Apparently the words 'Rare Plant Sale' now actually mean 'Not everything here will be at your local garden centre but in fact most are commercially available in large numbers if you look hard enough'. It doesn't quite live up to the brief but I guess it dragged me in and when it comes to any kind of plant sale I'm like a kid in a sweet shop. Eyes on stalks and wallet wide open.
I bought Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum' (above) which I have been after for a little while. It's a good strong looking plant and is great for beneficial insects.
Right is my impulse buy, Dodecatheon jeffreyi 'Sierra Shootingstar'. I have been debating with myself, out loud in private and in my head, whether or not to buy one and in my frenzy I gave in. It was cheap and I couldn't resist.
And a good day was had by all!
The initial picture above is of a great unkown Azalea next to a mossy Silver Birch.
Posted by Ryan Lewis at 9:09 pm 14 comments
Friday, 15 May 2009
My Guest blog.
Today marks a new step for me in the shape of a guest blog for Fine Gardening Magazine.
Please take a peek and leave me some comments over at FG: http://www.finegardening.com/item/8610/a-british-perspective-on-american-gardens
Posted by Ryan Lewis at 8:37 pm 6 comments
Guest Blog: Fine Gardening Magazine
Posted by Ryan Lewis at 4:45 pm 0 comments
Labels: Guest blog
Cypripedium calceolus. The experiment!
Over the past couple of years I have become somewhat obsessed with hardy orchids and as I've experienced some success I thought it was time to branch out into new territory.
I have written about Dactylorhiza species in previous posts and following on from this I have decided to dedicate a post to my most recent endeavor. I am attempting to grow Cypripedium calceolus from newly deflasked seedlings.
I have chosen to grow Cypripedium seedling's as opposed to mature plants for two reasons. Mature specimens prove to be rather expensive. A single plant can cost anywhere upwards of £30. I also prefer to know that the plants I am buying are not supporting an illegal practice. Many plants are taken from the wild and as these plants are very rare native wildflowers I would hate to think I could be complicit in this awful crime against our landscape.
When growing seedlings of typical garden plants the process is fairly easy and although some extra care is sometimes required at certain growth points the cultivation of Cypripedium seedlings is a different kettle of fish altogether! The seedlings I have bought come from a sterile environment, known as a "flask", and as a result planting directly into compost or soil is not possible. Seedlings need to acclimatise to the outside world and compared to the flask this world is rather hostile and filled with danger.
Specialist substrates are essential in the cultivation of these seedlings. I use a mix of Perlite and Seramis, although I'm sure you can use other substrates such as vulca. Perlite acts to improve drainage, whereas Seramis holds on to nutrients and water. It is very important that organic matter is not introduced to the mix as this can promote mold which inevitably results in the death of seedlings. A period of exposure to cold temperature is also necessary to break dormancy. This process of vernalistation takes place over three months and ideally plants should be kept at a temperature below 5 degrees celsius during this time but should not be allowed to freeze. A slow release fertiliser should be added to the substrate to aid plant development.
I placed five seedlings into terracotta pots which have been treated as discussed above. All five have now come through dormancy and are starting to leaf out. I chose to leave the seedlings outdoors over winter and this was sufficient to break bud dormancy. It may be advisable however, to place seedlings in refrigeration to complete this process.
Siting is also quite important. These plants require a shady environment and need shelter from the midday sun. Roots need to be firmed in but also need the freedom to run, so a fairly loose but moist substrate is preferable.
Following a successful first year outside of the flask seedlings can be planted into organic substrates used for mature specimens, however, I have a while until I can do this.
Wish me luck!
Posted by Ryan Lewis at 7:31 am 8 comments
Labels: cypripedium calceolus, experiment, Orchids, Plant Focus
Thursday, 14 May 2009
Fork'n Monkey awards
All this blogging malarky is still pretty new to me so it was a surprise to discover that people are recognised for various reasons and are actually given awards!
For those of you who are wondering what I'm on about please continue to read this brief post. For the rest of you who are up to date on this kind of stuff just head on over to the GM blog to add your nominations.
This is the second year of Fork'n Monkey awards and there are several categories in which to enter your favourite blogs and bloggers. I feel that I have made an awful faux pas in nominating myself so I apologise for that, although I am quite comforted that several others have now too!
Anyway, go and check out the many categories for awards and add your vote in the comments box! I have been reliably informed, however, that Nigel Colborn is set to recieve the vast majority of awards for his excellent blog! Good luck Mr C!
The blog can be found at: http://fingmonkey2009awards.blogspot.com/
All entries must be in before 17th May. Get voting and support your fellow blogger, or make fun of them at least!!
Posted by Ryan Lewis at 7:07 pm 2 comments
Labels: Fork'n Monkey awards, Garden Monkey
Saturday, 9 May 2009
Plant I.D. needed!
Posted by Ryan Lewis at 10:53 pm 15 comments
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Making my own pots from scratch!
To think that you can actually make pots from clay! It's amazing isn't it?!
On my recent work away day we spent the afternoon, after the business bit, with a potter. Naturally I knew exactly what I wanted to make and of course it was linked to horticulture. I love handmade pots. I love simplicity and the rough nature of such items and of course mine was going to be rough!
After throwing the clay it was centred on the wheel and I began to turn the clay to form a little mound.
The glasses were a bit of a problem, constantly slipping down my nose, luckily I had a helper on hand to push them back up.
After making the small mound of clay it was time to start making the pot. A small hole was made in the clay and this stopped around 1-2 centimetres from the base.
The nearly finished pot complete with me gurning like an idiot. Apparently I do this when concentrating!
And here is the finished article complete with lip! It was so rewarding making a pot by hand and now i've got the bug. I want to make all my pots by hand, not to mention my plates, mugs, jugs, bowls, etc!
Well, maybe one day!
Sunday, 3 May 2009
A snow white beauty!
This stunningly beautiful arachnid has eluded me on many occasions as it is camera shy and cannot stand the paparazzi!
Introducing another of my garden helpers. The Crab Spider (Misumena vatia).
This spider is a regular feature in my garden. Yesterday I saw it on a Strawberry plant but it was too fast for me to photograph. The beauty I came across today was more than happy to pose for pictures for a while but then once it knew I had my shots it was off.
These spiders look so exotic that when I first saw it, a number of years ago, I thought I had stumbled upon a foreign stow away which must have come in on a Banana shipment from some far flung sun soaked destination, well maybe I got a bit carried away, but you can see my point.
This spider looks so incongruous in a British garden. Well that is when its away from plants whose flowers are matched to the colour of the spider itself. These spiders can vary in colour from shades of white, yellow and pink. This helps enormously when the spider lives on flowers of these colours. Quite what my spider was doing on Bluebells is another matter!
The reason that camouflage is so important is that not only does it keep the predators away but it helps the spider get to grips with its food. You see, this spider is an ambush predator and as a result it relies heavily on it's camouflage to get up close and personal with prey which often includes Bees, Butterflies, and Hoverflies amongst other insects. Unlike a lot of spiders this one wanders and does not rely on spinning a web to catch its prey.
So next time your in the garden get up close and personal with your flowers and look for this great little garden helper!
Posted by Ryan Lewis at 7:35 pm 7 comments
Labels: Bluebells, Camouflage, Crab Spider, Ryan's Ramblings, Venomous
Saturday, 2 May 2009
The candy-floss tree.
In my opinion this has got to be the best tree available for the garden and the best kept secret in horticulture.
Introducing Cercidiphyllum japonicum or as it's commonly known the Katsura or Candy-floss tree.
Introducing Cercidiphyllum japonicum or as it's commonly known the Katsura or Candy-floss tree.
As the name implies this tree originates from Japan and is particularly good when planted in a woodland setting on neutral to acid soil. The tree is decidious and provides a great deal of structure and interest in the garden all year round.
Here you can see the leaves of a mature tree (pictured left). The leaves are heart shaped to ovate and in my young plant they are fringed with a thin red vein.
During the autumn this tree provides the most exquisite focal point. When young the leaves are bronze but turn pale yellow to pink in autumn and colour up best on a good acid soil. But the crowning glory can be fully appreciated when the leaves fall. The air is suddenly filled with an amazing smell of burnt sugar, hence the other common name of 'Candy-floss tree'.
I first discovered this tree one autumn a couple of years ago when out walking the dogs. We have a mature specimen in our local park which I was blissfully unaware of at the time (pictured right, complete with Maggie my Border Terrier). This is great as the park is literally at the end of our road. Initially I did not recognise the tree but the smell of burnt sugar was so amazing that I was led straight to it. Since that day I have always wanted one of my own.
As documented in my last blog entry I have found a perfect specimen. I was so happy to find the specimen and for a bargain price too!
So if you are looking for a great tree to provide a great deal of late season interest as well as all year round structure I would strongly suggest you hold out for this fantastic tree. It's likely that you will be the only one in your social circle to own one and in autumn you will be inundated with visits from people wanting to smell the candy-floss tree!
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Hello peoples! In today's post I am listing some blog post ideas that have to do with books. If you are new here and you aren't already following my blog it would absolutely make my day if you did. :) I wouldn't say I really blog at a book blog but I like to think I do. I mean I love books. But for all of you actual book bloggers out there or or a blogger that just wants to try something new, here are 27 easy blog post ideas relating to books!
1. Just a regular book review
2. My tbr list
3. Books I read this week/month/season/year
4. Books I am exited for
5. A book tag
6. Types of bookworms
7. How to know if you are a bookworm
8. 10 books that need to exist
9. 10 things that make me love a book
10. My favorite books of all time
11. The expectations vs reality of being a book blogger
12. My favorite authors
13. Why you should read
14. Book haul
15. Things I hate in books
16. How to choose what book to read
17. My favorite book covers
18. Books I loved as a kid
19. Books I need to see as movies
20. My favorite book titles
21. My favorite book characters
22. My favorite quotes from books
23. Books that made me happy
24. Books that made me cry
25. Favorite fictional places
26. Books that remind me of real life people
27. Stereotypes in books that I hate
And that is all for now! Comment down below if you have any book suggestions for me or if you have anything to add to the list. :)


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NBC has announced that the 'Where in the World is Matt Lauer?' feature will return to the Today show next month.
The trip, which marks the tenth anniversary of the travel segment, will see Lauer travel to five global destinations over the course of five days, with both viewers and show correspondents Ann Curry, Al Roker and Natalie Morales being unaware of his location until Lauer goes live on the morning show.
While the 'Where in the World is Matt Lauer?" segment will launch on November 7, viewers will be able to go onto Facebook and Twitter from November 4 to unlock additional clues and log their guess for where the anchor will appear next.
In addition, Today has announced plans to send one lucky winner and one guest to one of Lauer's destinations, with entries for the competition being open from October 24 to November 8 on Today.com.
The show's website will also commemorate the past ten years of 'Where in the World is Matt Lauer?' segments by featuring a complete video and photo archive of Lauer's past trips in advance of this year's feature.
Watch Matt Lauer announce the return of his "Where In the World..." feature below:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy


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Glasses are just another addition to the wonderful world of accessories. The right model makes or breaks your face and look. Luckily I've been blessed with 100% sight, so I don't need to wear glasses yet. Though, one day I'll need a pair and I already know exactly which pair to choose. I'm a major sucker for cat eye glasses, which are witty, classy and elegant as hell. Finding cat eye glasses or sunnies in stores isn't always easy, but the internet is a magical place where everything is just a few clicks away.
Smart Buy Glasses is a site that offers a major amount of glasses and sunglasses. You probably already heard about it. If you are searching for a special pair of glasses, you have a big chance of finding them there. The site is also very practical, not only can you choose from different designers, but also from different frame models. Just select the frame you prefer and a selection of glasses or sunnies pops up.
I've been browsing through cat eye frames and found some nice pieces. Oh, the beauty of cat eyes!
I ship these glasses so hard!
I hope Tom Ford keeps up his incredible work for years to come, so when I finally need a pair of glasses I can get one. Isn't this just perfection?! I really prefer a bold statement frame to the boring 'office' glasses.
The great thing about the site is that you can choose prescription lenses for any sunglasses. So still looking stylish and keeping the comfort of glasses during those sunny days.


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Golden Fleece
W.R. Mead
- Sheep and Man by M.L. Ryder
Duckworth, 846 pp, £55.00, November 1983, ISBN 0 7156 1655 2
- Outback by Thomas Keneally
Hodder, 256 pp, £12.95, October 1983, ISBN 0 340 33669 2
There is little in common between these two books save that they are both written by enthusiasts, and that they both extend the reader's vocabulary. One book is by a man of the West Riding with an obsession for sheep; the other by an author who is making a distinctive contribution to Australian literature and who has a passion for the outback. Sheep and Man employs the full range of zoological terminology and gathers together the arcane languages of the shepherd's calling from the four corners of the world. It will enable us to add 'slynkette', 'kebb', 'riggon' and 'jerk' (or 'gimmer') to our terms of affection or abuse, to display our knowledge of wool weights by reference to cloves, tods and weys, or (if we encounter an ear-clipper) to understand the difference between a fidder, a hingin' widder, a stoo or a gongbit. As the anecdotes and biographical sketches of Outback attest, a glossary of powerful and pungent expressions is also to be found in the thirsty, bull-punching Northern Territory. It is the language of a land such as God gave Cain – or Mina Minahan, to select one of the characters that Thomas Keneally pulls in from Australia's badlands and sets amid the colourful photographs of Mark Lang and Gary Hansen.
The full text of this book review is only available to subscribers of the London Review of Books.
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Vol. 6 No. 4 · 1 March 1984 » W.R. Mead » Golden Fleece
page 22 | 2090 words


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Sake: Learning to Make Sake at Kitagawa Honke Sake Brewery in Fushimi – Part 2
This morning I awoke at 5am, opened the window and looked out at Kitayama, the North Mountains of Kyoto to see everything covered in heavy, wet snow.
At 7am, amid heavy snowflakes, I was met by Yukihiro Kitagawa, outside his sake brewery, Kitagawa Honke, the maker of the premium sake brand, Tomio. Mr Kitagawa is the 14th president of Kitagawa Honke.
In part 2 of our sake series, we examine the following:
- The history of Fushimi, Kyoto.
- The water of Fushimi and the two tastes of Japanese sake.
- The social and organizational relationships within the sake brewery.
Whiteboard Notes
Fushimi water hardness (softness), minerals and saccharification. Again, saccharification is the process of converting starch into sugars. Minerals in the water influence the fermentation process.
Fushimi History
Fushimi is synonymous with sake in Japan and Kitagawa Honke is located here. Fushimi was once it's own city but is now a ward of Kyoto.
Fushimi is one of several bakufu-machi (幕府街), literally, military government city, in Japan. Kyoto was the seat of the throne, but the emperor was often not consequential as a leader. The real power resided with the bakufu, the military and political leaders that comprised the samurai class.
After the Warring States period, Fushimi was built as seat of the bakufu.
Fushimi is a very interesting town. It was once the fifth largest city in Japan. It was the 'port' of landlocked Kyoto. Fushimi is criss-crossed by navigable rivers, which run down from Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, through Fushimi and lead to the merchant town of Osaka and the sea. Much commerce was conducted between Kyoto and Osaka by river.
Fushimi is a delightful town, with many historic places to visit. For example Fushimi Castle and Fushimi Inari Shrine. Fushimi is about 10 minutes by train from the center of Kyoto.
Fushimi Water
Fushimi is blessed with springs that produce water of unusual softness. The original meaning of Fushimi appears to mean 'hidden water' (伏水), spring water. It is said that in 1594 water began vigorously bubbling up from the ground and sake breweries began to spring up and the town began to develop and prosper.
The rivers of Fushimi have nothing to do with the taste of the sake, they provided the transportation of it to the rest of Japan, via Osaka.
The Taste: Feminine Sake vs. Masculine Sake
Even today, Fushimi is the second largest producer of sake in Japan. The largest is Nada, in Kobe. Nada-zake is considered to be masculine in taste, Nada's water is hard. Fushimi-zake is considered to be feminine in taste, Fushimi's water is soft. Brewing style and tradition are surely part of the taste of the final product, but mineral content in the water creates unique characteristics in the fermentation process. And the fermentation process makes the taste.
Relationships: Kuramoto – Toji – Kurabito
As with all else in Japan, human relationships are very important to getting anything done, including making great sake!
Kuramoto (蔵元): brewery owner
Toji (杜氏): master sake brewer
Kurabito (蔵人): brewery workers
The kuramoto (president/owner) of the brewery oversees all aspects of the business.
The toji, master brewer, oversees all aspects of the sake production and hiring and managing the brewery workers. The position of toji and his relationship with the president/owner is very interesting. Every year, they decide what kind of sake that they will make and how much. From there, the toji is completely entrusted with the production of the year's sake. A bit different than the modern CEO – department head relationship.
Currently there are three main 'schools', or ryuha of toji.
The meaning of toji is quite interesting. 'To' is said to be family name of the Chinese man that invented the process of brewing alcohol from rice. 'Ji' is the most polite form of 'Mr.' in Japanese. So, 'Mr. To' in honor of the man that started it all. The position of toji is highly respected in Japanese society, similar to the 'celebrity chef' phenomenon in Western countries, only with centuries more history.
Under the toji are the kurabito literally 'brewery person', a person working in the brewery. These people wash the rice, steam it, ferment it and bottle the sake. This is very hard work, manual labor. More than that, it is cold and wet work. The colder the air temperature, the better the sake that can be made. Water is used everywhere in the production process.
It is quite interesting to note that in many traditional industries here in Kyoto, it is very difficult for the owners to find young people that want to work in, say, a weaving or dying factory, but sake breweries have no trouble recruiting young, hardworking people excited about making great sake.
Traditionally, the sake brewery was the domain of men, but here at Kitagawa Honke there are two women on the kurabito crew. There are even female toji now.
Here are some (more) photos I took of various stages of the production of 'no.18'.
Rice Milling
This shows the rice, from left to right, in it's natural state as brown rice and milled down to 70%, 60% and 50%. The more it is milled the higher the quality sake that can be produced.
Rice Milling
Old and New: Instruments and Shinto 'Paper Amulets'
The 'paper amulets' are from Matsuo Shrine in the Western Hills of Kyoto. In Matsuo Shrine is the God of Sake. These o-mamori (御守) are everywhere in the brewery, even attached to the most sophisticated instruments!
Production Lot No. 18. 1/26
This instrument measures, regulates and records the temperature in the vat.
In the Lab: Kiki-zake (利き酒・聞き酒) Evaluating the Sake
The toji took me down to the lab to taste some of the brews that he is most proud of. These three sakes were absolutely out of sight! How do you get such a complex and fruity taste out of rice? I do not know!
Of course you are supposed to spit out the sake, and I did spit out most of what I tasted. But the taste is different and fuller when swallowed. I ended up completely smashed, by 11:30 am!
In the Lab: Three Sakes
The Toji invited me down to the lab to try these three sakes of which he is particularly proud.
In the Lab: Tarekuchi Sake
This sake, Tarekuchi was exquisite, complex and fruity.
In the Lab
In the Lab
Here is a sneak peek of 'Learning to Make Sake' – part 3:
Fermentation process inside the vat, comparing lots 18 and 20.
Sake Series:
Learning to Make Sake: Part 1
Learning to Make Sake: Part 2
Learning to Make Sake: Part 3
Learning to Make Sake: Part 4
Learning to Make Sake: Part 5


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A mediaevalist trying to be a philosopher and a philosopher trying to be a mediaevalist write about theology, philosophy, scholarship, books, the middle ages, and especially the life, times, and thought of the Doctor Subtilis, the Blessed John Duns Scotus.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Blog Changes
We (obviously) haven't put a lot of work into the aesthetics of The Smithy, preferring to focus on the ideas instead, and having no design sense anyway. But in an attempt to make the blog a little less ugly I've changed the fonts, and to make it a little easier on the eyes I've increased the font size. These and all elements are subject to change on reconsideration.
Posted by Michael Sullivan
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Here we go, today I brought my phone to the computer and uploaded all my pictures. Sorry about the other day, I was simply so tired and sour after vacuuming and tidying half the house, that I just didn't want to make the effort when I realized the cruise photos was on the phone upstairs...
This is the ship, Viking Cinderella. The association (civilförsvarsförbundet) had rented the whole thing for us, and here it is coming in for a quick stop before we could board. Which we almost didn't...
My husband's "boss" had booked us on this cruise in September already, and was told we only needed ID to board. Once in check-in, everybody else had a booking number, and my husband was nowhere to be found on the passenger list... We began thinking that we might have to book a hotel room and spend the night in Stockholm instead. But they got us a cabin eventually, and food tickets too... We even offered to stand in the kitchen, eating the leftovers from the plates if only we could get on board... ;)
We walked to the terminal from the train station, in wind and snow. My precious earwarmer was truly put to the test! My face was almost as red as my coat once we got inside! :)
So this little place of ours felt almost as good as heaven, warm and... well maybe not too cozy, but at least we were finally on board, and the cabin even had a window. For a moment, I feared that the black straps was there to keep me from falling down from the bed in rough sea, but I guess it was only to keep the bed linen in place when the bed was folded up against the wall... :)
And who cares about small cabins when you get to spend some time away from house and chores with the one you love?
A really bad picture through a window at night, I know... Can you see me? ;) But the capital looked so pretty with all the lights, I just had to try and catch it with the lens. I might add that most of the pictures are taken as a documentation for our kids when we got home, they were pretty curious about it all. Picture quality was secondary.
The night was spent with hugs from my husbands friends, listening to speeches (the association celebrated 75 years), a fancy dinner and lots of talking to interesting people. Unfortunately my husband came down with a pretty nasty fever during the night, and I was a bit dizzy and uncomfortable (I'm honestly quite scared of deep waters, and had a hard time trying to relax) so we didn't get too much sleep I'm afraid. But morning came with the view of another country, since we made a quick stop in Åland, a Finnish island not far from Stockholm. We remained there only during breakfast time, so we never made the effort to get on shore. So this breakfast view is all you will see of our destination. I guess these cruises are mainly for getting people to dance, spend money in the bar, eat expensive food and buy stuff in the tax-free shop. Which we did, candy and clothes for the kids to be specific. The destination is of less importance...
My phone adapted to the surroundings by jumping to Finnish time, which got us confused a few times. Especially since it wouldn't jump back to Swedish by itself... So I found this clock rather cool, don't you? :)
After having a few pills, Anders felt well enough to participate in a CPR contest. He's a bit blurry, but that's only because he's fighting so hard to get this poor man back to life.
They stated that the winner would be the one who got the doll up walking... You don't need a cardiac arrest to find that hard without arms and legs, if you ask me.
There was not much of an open sea, since most of the cruise take place among all the little islands in the archipelago of Stockholm. Lot's of nice (as in expensive) houses though.
Not the kind of weather that makes you want to stand on sun deck to long though, a few snap shots for the kids and quickly inside again!
We had lunch by the front window, which was quite nice. A little cold though, due to the weather. (I might add that we didn't walk back to the station in Stockholm, we took the bus this time. Expensive, yes, but worth every crown!)
Our son had ordered us to take pictures of our food, so we did. I loved the apple pickled herring, I have to say. Lovely!
And finally we sailed (or whatever you do on a big ship) through Stockholm again. Our capital is surely something else, sitting on the water as it is. I haven't been there much, but we're thinking about going back this summer.
Well, that's it! We took the train back to a freezing cold night, and in the morning the kids declared their new clothes from the tax-free their favorites. :) It was a nice trip with some time "alone" (or at least away) even though my husband was ill. Getting the opportunity to sit and talk without interruption, or walk hand in hand admiring the view, just appreciating each others company is not to be underestimated!


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In regards to the Jan. 10 article headlined "Sour Notes," I disagree with Mike Woo and others who say that the Hollywood Palladium is at fault for all the problems in that area. They point their fingers and blame the Palladium for their own shortcomings.
If Mr. Woo and others in the government would concentrate on removing the drug dealers, gang members, and other troublemakers from the streets of Hollywood we would not have nearly half the problems that we have on the streets around the Palladium.
The community as a whole has to get involved if we are to take back our streets from the troublemakers. We cannot wait for the politicians and professional crybabies who only think of themselves. Instead of threatening the Palladium with legal action, wouldn't it be easier to sit down and try to figure out a solution?


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Archive for October, 2009
My consultation response
I toyed with the idea of several pages of creative swearing to make up for most people removing such words from their submissions but decide in the end to submit something that would take a while for them to read. Process this consultation is a month will you? Ha!
1 Do you agree that these proposals strike the right balance between the rights of parents to home educate and the rights of children to receive a suitable education?
First and foremost parents have a DUTY in law to ensure their children receive a suitable. It is only a right in so far as it is the natural right of parents to raise their children as they see fit. Children do not in fact have the right to a suitable education in English law for the entirely pragmatic reason that it would leave the state open to legal action from every child who does not receive a suitable education in a state school! By own own standards (5 good GCSEs including English and Maths) you are currently failing over half of the children for whom your are providing an education.
This question attempts to create a totally artificial conflict between parents and their children. Even if such rights existed these recommendations would not strike any sort of balance.
This is all a pretty clear cut case of unwarranted state intrusion into the private lives of citizens. We have committed no crime, we are not even suspected of committing a crime and yet these proposals will treat us all as suspects who must prove their innocence, on an annual basis no less!
This is not only a fundamental violation of the most basic tenants of English law, it also violates Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights which was made binding by the Human Rights Act of 1998.
You can't even make the excuse that on average home educated children are at greater risk of not receiving a suitable education. Every shred of research on the subject shows the outcomes of home educated children to be superior to those sent to school Graham Badman's NEET stats are laughable. 74 self-selected local authorities provided figures having been very clearly asked to help prop up Mr Badman's case. Not only that, Badman asked only for the figures for what we can call 'year 12′ when many home educated young people are STILL being home educated but under no obligation to tell Connexions what they are doing. Is anybody going to dare suggest that this was not a cynical and deliberate choice, designed to generate the worst possible figures? If that weren't enough he then compared the EHE figures for these 74 LAs with the national figure despite having specifically asked for "the comparative information for all young people in this cohort". I'm sure when the figures do become public we will find that the national figure was used because it was lower and provided a much more satisfyingly 'stark' contrast. All this doesn't even get into wether NEET figures are even a useful measure of outcomes. A young person taking a gap year and doing voluntary work is classified as NEET.
2 Do you agree that a register should be kept?
A list of names serves no purpose at all unless it is going to be used and it is the uses which you propose that are the problem. What other legal activities will we be asked to register for next? We do not exist for the convenience of public employees, to be recorded and measured just because they want to know what we're doing at any given moment. If there is no overriding need for government to collect this information then it simply is none of your business.
3 Do you agree with the information to be provided for registration?
I do not agree that there should be a register so the details are rather beside the point aren't they? But since I'm here I'll explain why the "initial statement of educational intent" is such a monumentally bad idea. The only educational intent that I have any intention of giving you or anyone is that I intend to fullfil my legal duties as specified in Section 7 of the Education Act 1996. I will do what is legally required of me, not I might add because it is legally required but because I am a parent and that is parent of my job.
I largely follow my child's interests as well as taking advantage of what comes along and that makes any sort of 12 month plan rather pointless. I certainly couldn't have told you that my daughter would have watched and been fascinated by Victorian Farm this year and that we would have followed up on this interest covering historic farming techniques, visiting a rural life centre, learning how to bottle fruit, spin wool, and a host of other activities. 12 months ago I didn't even know that television program would be aired.
I will not set targets that my daughter might not want to meet. If she doesn't want to do any maths for the next year that is not a problem, she's a year ahead of school standards already, but I doubt a local authority inspector would see it that way. While we're on the subject, since she's only 5 there's the recommendations of the Cambridge Primary Review. The government have rejected it's conclusions out of hand but maybe I and other parents don't. Maybe we agree that formal learning before the age of 6 is counter-productive so our statements of educational intent would say, no formal learning this year. No, the whole idea is madness, and with no evidence at all that we are not doing a good job it is all ridiculous to even ask.
4 Do you agree that home educating parents should be required to keep the register up to date?
The design of this consultation doesn't take into account the possibility that people might disagree with you. No, we should not be required to keep up to date information that is none of your business in the first place!
5 Do you agree that it should be a criminal offence to fail to register or to provide inadequate or false information?
1984 was written as a warning, not an instruction manual.
6 a) Do you agree that home educated children should stay on the roll of their former school for 20 days after parents notify that they intend to home educate?
To what purpose? If local authorities are to offer mediation services between schools and parents (not a bad idea) these should be provided to all when requested and should not require parents to threaten to home educate before anyone does anything. Too little too late.
6 b) Do you agree that the school should provide the local authority with achievement and future attainment data?
No, no, no. Schools LIE. This already happens. I know of a child who having been tested and found to be at year 1-2 level in maths while in school magically jumped up to year 4 level in the report produced after she'd been removed from school all of 6 weeks later! Schools will lie to make themselves look better, to cover their own failings and some will lie out of malice.
The past and future achievements of home educated children are the business of those children and their parents NOT the local authority.
7 Do you agree that DCSF should take powers to issue statutory guidance in relation to the registration and monitoring of home education?
The DCSF has already taken far too much power to itself. Our children do not belong to the DCSF and we do not need registering or monitoring to raise them. Local authorities already have sufficient powers to investigate and intervene if they have cause to believe that parents are failing in their section 7 duties. Sure, some complain that the job isn't easy, well cry me a river! Who said that their jobs have to be easy? The jobs of social workers and the police aren't easy but they are expected to deal with that because there has to be a balance between their powers and the rights of citizens to live their lives free of disproportionate interference.
Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.
2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
8 Do you agree that children about whom there are substantial safeguarding concerns should not be home educated?
If they are safe enough to be left with their parents out of school hours they are safe enough to be home educated. You can't have it both ways. Imagine that you did refuse a family the right to home educate and then something happened to the child. You would have demonstrated that you knew there was a problem but didn't do anything useful about it. If there are substantial safeguarding concerns you DO something about them, you do not just send the child to school and assume that school staff will magically solve the underlying problem. This kind of power would punish children who yes, might have a difficult home situation, but who are suffering dreadfully at school.
Article 5 of the UNCRC: "States Parties shall respect the responsibilities, rights and duties of parents…to provide, in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child, appropriate direction and guidance in the exercise by the child of the rights recognized in the present Convention. "
9 Do you agree that the local authority should visit the premises where home education is taking place provided 2 weeks notice is given?
Article 16 of the UNCRC (which you are are so fond of attempting to use for your own purposes) states that "No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation. The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks."
Article 3 of the UNCRC "In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration."
Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.
2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
You are suggesting violating all of these and the age old idea that our homes are private, because that is what we are talking about, not a place of education, our HOMES.
10 Do you agree that the local authority should have the power to interview the child, alone if this is judged appropriate, or if not in the presence of a trusted person who is not the parent/carer?
No. If there is a safeguarding concern about any child existing procedures should be followed and the matter should be handed over to fully trained social workers. There is no need for additional powers.
Article 9: "States Parties shall ensure that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will, except when competent authorities subject to judicial review determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures, that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the child. Such determination may be necessary in a particular case such as one involving abuse or neglect of the child by the parents, or one where the parents are living separately and a decision must be made as to the child's place of residence."
There is NO justification for interviewing a child alone on educational grounds.
Article 15: . "States Parties recognize the rights of the child to freedom of association and to freedom of peaceful assembly. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of these rights other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others."
We've already heard from Mr Badman (oral evidence to the House of Commons Children, Schools and Families Committee) that local authority staff are to be trusted to decide if a child who refuses to be interviewed is doing so of their own free will or under parental influence. How exactly he imagines they will do this without forcing the child to speak to them thus violating their rights is a mystery.
11 Do you agree that the local authority should visit the premises and interview the child within four weeks of home education starting, after 6 months has elapsed, at the anniversary of home education starting, and thereafter at least on an annual basis? This would not preclude more frequent monitoring if the local authority thought that was necessary.
I don't agree with compulsory visits and interrogating of children against their will PERIOD. There is no point getting into a detailed discussion about how often you should get to do something that you should NOT be doing.
A minimum of three visits in the first year and you want everyone to believe that this will cost no more than £21m in the first year and £9.7m thereafter? On what planet?! We have yet to see an impact assessment to explain this unrealistically tiny figure and no wonder! Let's just take the conservative figure of 30,000 additional children that local authorities don't know about who would have to be processed in the first year. That's 90,000 home visits with travel time and expenses. How many additional staff do you think will need to be hired? Oh, and let's not forget the logistics, de-registration tends to come in spurts, September in particular will be a busy, busy month! You simply haven't thought this through have you? Amazing, these recommendations manage to be immoral, unworkable and stupid all at the same time!
Local MP visits
This week local MP Jeremy Hunt (South West Surrey) visited the Godalming Group to meet local home educators and hear concerns about the Badman Report and current DCSF attempts to license and control how we educate our children.
We had a good turnout, including representation from HEYC who Jeremy has offered to visit in their own right. He and his assistant Laura left with a nice fat file for reference including a copy of the wonderful Right to Reply document (a report produced by home educators for the Mass Lobby of Parliament on October 13th) and promised to talk to Michael Gove and the Conservative education team for us.
While some of the parents talked to Jeremy the children made Hama Bead pictures, made good use of the toy collection and played outside in the garden as usual.
Many thanks to Julie, Titis, Sandra and Sarah for the cakes and cookies, all very tasty and not a crumb left at the end, to Tracy for the photos, to those who shared their experiences and opinions and to everyone who came just for being there.
Tweets from the Wednesday a.m. session
Here are my tweets done live during the session, missed some names again but here it is!
Members introducing themselves. Lady from Chard first. Says their relationship with LA good, balance of power even
Jane from HEAS. Fiona from EO. Carol from Autism in Mind. Simon has a 16 year old.
Chairman asked about parents who aren't articulate. Jane says such parents are really known to LAs and aren't really HEers
Fiona answering saying anecdotal evidence not good idea. Chard lady saying less vocal parents not out of the loop
Carol saying parents of SEN children too busy to be vocal.
Chairman asking if more research needed. Says stats in Badman report don't stand up to scrutiny
Fiona agrees with chairman that not knowing number of EHE children wrong
Female MP asks if benefit of finding tiny number of at risk great enough to demand registration of all EHE children
Fiona points out that there is statutory guidance on CME
MP asks if simple registration without Badman strings would be OK?
Simon no (with added rubbish) - [missed bit because of a phone call]
Fiona points out fear that registration would lead to more. Chairman says let's forget Badman. Fiona thought inevitable
Jane No, can see why you'd want it. Carol head count on the face of it OK, but doesn't think it would achieve aim
MP how many of panel members registered Simon, Fiona Carol yes others no
MP general lack of confidence in LAs. How can LA establish basics without sucking you into National Curriculum
Carol saying LAs not good at understanding needs of SEN children. Parents often have totally broken relationship with LA
Simon - against overly proscriptive, shouldn't be formal testing but should be easy to spot failure to educate at all
Fiona suggests more research into why relationship doesn't work.
Jane saying parents and LAs contact her regularly because LA staff just don't understand HE
Chard EHE was under equality and diversity dept and so was treated as a cultural minority so has worked much better
Chairman - statement of learning. Simon thinks there should have some idea of what you hope them to be doing
MP points out Simon writing in TES and not typical
Fiona wants to know what would be involved. Doesn't think 2 sides of A4 sounds likely. Fears it will be uneven
articulate parents would probably find it easier. LAs have been known to turn down 30 pages
Fiona bringing up progress assessment and testing
Chard lady explaining how it won't work for AE. Jane suicidal and damaged children in no state to be expected to do this
MP Q about AE. Jane children who are AE achieve amazingly. Points out Alan Thomas.
MP quoting from Simon's paper Fiona pointing out ed doesn't stop at 16, life long learning, exams can be taken later
subjects evolve, works best with autistic children because they feel they own their learning
MP (former teacher) great range of reasons and styles. What about other parents. Simon says science easy at home
Simon attacking AE, says more research needed
Fiona says again more research needed. Some parents need support. HE support organisations do what they can
Fiona sceptical of support offered by Badman report. Support offered by LAs good in theory
Jane if registration is necessary for support why not make it voluntary.
MP talking about Essex money from LA case. Asking if funding and oversight could be tied together.
Fiona says that was really a small school. Some HE parents might want to go that way but it wouldn't really be HE
Carol doesn't believe the money would be there when it wasn't for SEN children in school. Simon doesn't believe it either
MP saying why object to registration if your education is ok
Jane LAs already don't leave people alone. Parents dealing with fallout from school withdrawal
STUPID question comparing doctors to teachers! Carol explaining about her son when he came out of school
Fiona points out that it's just "if you've go nothing to hide …" MP David something pushing on assessment
Fiona talking about good practice. need to look at WHY people don't make contact.
Zena duty is hers and SHE knows that they are progressing. Not for the state to take over that roll.
Simon sticks the knife in. Rights of the child. End of the session.
Questions Badman and the DCSF could have asked but didn't
What are post Year 11 but not NEET children doing? Wouldn't comparing EHE and school children provide at least some sort of 'evidence of outcomes' which they claim not to have at all?
How many Child Protection Plans on school attending children result from initial concerns raised by school staff? They want us to believe that school is a 'safety net' but we haven't been provided with any proof.
Where did the Child Protection Plans on EHE children originate?
Live comments on Select Committee pt 2
Annette (someone) reading out the e-mail that's been on the lists from the LA saying the data was from ALL children ever. Badman denies it point blank. Badman claiming his .4% right. Hope she goes off and checks and finds out he's wrong.
Chairman saying that this should be about education.
Johnson admits that it's really about standard of education. Trying to blame media for focus on welfare! Ha!
Johnson worried about not having a full dataset! OMG the horror the horror!
Registration. Woman on panel in favour of registration, asking about right of appeal (which DCSF haven't mentioned). Is an appeals procedure in the current consultation because she says she can't answer because it's ongoing.
Moving on to SEN and how parents feel about being monitored. Badman avoiding the question and blabbing on about money for support of SEN children and ignoring the stress caused by monitoring and approval.
Chairman saying relationship should be positive, helping rather than inspection. Johnson agreeing despite her drive for inspection. Woman goes back to parents of SEN children who don't fit into a round hole. Badman seems to be suggesting that SEN children should be treated differently from other EHE children. Maybe they'll get let off the HENC curriculum?
MP suggests dropping registration. Johnson says LAs need to know numbers to be able to plan services. Will there be a sanction? Johnson refuses to answer because the consultation is still open. Yeah right! Badman claims that annual registration is not such a big deal. Badman says that we are performing a 'public function'! Back to rights of children, bla bla bla, sorry Graham we know exactly what that means!
Female MP right of entry to home and interviewing children alone and LAs not making use of current powers. Badman quoting an LA is NOT answering the question! Children do not NEED to meet ECM outcomes! Badman claims that the quote represents almost ALL LAs! How that is possible when so many didn't answer at all is a mystery.
What if the child doesn't want to meet you? Badman admits he was dreading this question. Ah, we're to trust LA officials to decide if that's REALLY the opinion of the child! How convenient!
Badman claiming that nothing in his report will stop us home educating. Oh this is FUNNY. We should trust to the good sense of the people working in EHE licensing. In a pig's eye! When you've got someone like we have I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him!
Woman asks about training and the resources required. Could it be a bottomless pit. DCSF claim training is part of full response costing.
MP asks about learning outcomes. Ah NOW it's outcomes they're admitting that they have incomplete stats. Admitting research shows good outcomes but dismissing it because they don't know how representative it is. Funny how that doesn't matter for LAs isn't it?
Badman going back to NEET data and calling it 'stark'.
They really do hate not knowing.
Q about statement of intended learning. 2 sides of A4 Johnson says. Admits that AE will be an issue and there is 'work to do'. "suitable" and "efficient" again.
Badman "21st century society" and back to the UNCRC. He can't conceive of a middleschool age child who doesn't know about the history china or carbon sequestration. Quotes Harrison case. MP points out it seems statement will require some required areas of knowledge.
Badman claims he's independent (watching Home Educators roar with derisive laughter) and it's beyond his brief. BUT he thinks it there should be a curriculum.
Chairman brings up socialisation. Badman … no, he's not going to try using the CoE quote?! ah, backs off from that. Chairman MP cracks joke about weird private school graduates.
MP asks if it's the thin end of the wedge. Good man! Regulation vs freedom. Points out that National Curriculum started 'broad brush' and ended up narrowly proscriptive. Danger of same happening to HE. Badman denies that's what he meant. Johnson says nothing.
Badman admits that there are as many types of home ed as there are home educators. If he realises that why is he suggesting what he is?
Dark-haired MP asks about example of registration but minimal intervention. Badman brings up Tasmania, admitting HEers hate the idea. Points out that EO is not representative.
LOST FEED looks like the video automatically cuts off when the meeting is meant to have ended. Very irritating!
Live comments on Select Committee pt 1
Don't promise that this will make sense. Just bashing down my thoughts as I listen.
Diana R. Johnson
No, Ms Johnson, the only reason the EHE Guidelines don't work is because some LAs ignore them!
Oh, so our contributions will be carefully taken into account will they? So no one month turn around then?
If AND WHEN Graham's recommendations are implemented. No predetermined outcomes then.
Graham Badman
"LIGHT TOUCH" Grrrr
Our children are NOT in the government's CARE!
Do we honor the rights of children? US? F***ING CHEEK!
He's really trying to pretend that he's sympathetic and on our side. Loathsome little TOAD!
No Graham the DUTY of parents. And when have you EVER listened to children?
Oh he's surprised at the response to his report from a 'vociferous minority' which he can COUNT, we're such a small minority! He can seriously believe that can he?
MP drawing attention to "known to social care" numbers. Go on then Graham, answer the question … ah, now we're onto the new figures which haven't been ripped apart yet … and he's claiming that his original figures are right and EHE kids are at double the risk!
MP asking about disparities between LAs. Graham can't answer. Fudging like mad.
Repeating the double lie and saying that means Child Protection Plans!
Trying to imply that SCRs asking for more regulation of HE without actually SAYING that. He really is a slippery little weasel.
Denying that false reporting accounts for higher figures
MP (sorry missed names) asking about public access to Badman's September data. Asking why they don't just put up all the data to save people having to do FOI requests. Feeble excuse.
Badman claims that .2% of general population have CPPs and EHE is .4%. And then admits that's from at most less than half of the true national population. MP caught him on it!! Ha! You star!
Give it up Graham, he's caught you!
Starting on NEETS but then a bell started ringing, something called a division which the MPs have to go and vote on.
Sound is off so I can't hear Badman, Diana Johnson and their team scheming. See them looking around to check if any home educators are listening in.
Here comes the National Curriculum
But it's all for our own good. Who do we think we are to decide what our children should study, or worse still leave it up to them?!
'Suitable' home education review
Have I mentioned recently how much I truly DESPISE these people?
Here, have some trinkets … now hand over your children
I'm glad we had a nice, proper HE day yesterday and that I didn't come across the pile of steaming excrement below before dinner.
They don't listen. They don't WANT to listen. They want our children in school and if they can't force that they want them jumping through their moronic National Curriculum hoops and meeting their meaningless targets at home.
Blogdial is right you know. And I will NOT OBEY! This goes to the very core of what it is to be a parent and as David Cameron said only yesterday "there's nothing, absolutely nothing — you wouldn't do to protect [your children]" Well Mr Balls I will protect my child I will NOT allow you or anyone else to destroy her education with your targets and tick boxes and random list of things that children 'should' know. I will REFUSE. If all else fails, if this country becomes a place where parents have their natural role subverted by a rabid, power-crazed state, then I will leave! My child was born a free person, an individual with rights that the UK government did not grant and cannot take away.
So you can take your licensing and your pathetic attempt to bribe me and firmly shove them where the sun don't shine!
Diana Johnson announces new support package for home educating families
09 October 2009
Schools Minister Diana Johnson has today announced better access to qualifications and more support for home educated children with special educational needs (SEN), signalling the start of a new relationship between local authorities and families who choose to educate at home.
The commitment comes as Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls today sent the Government's full response to Graham Badman's Review of Elective Home Education to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee.
The response sets out a new support package for home educated children, which includes better access to GCSEs, vocational qualifications and further education. The proposed changes to monitoring arrangements will also make sure that the right checks and balances are in place so all children receive a suitable education, in a safe environment.
Key features of the new support package include:
* more flexible access to public examinations and exam centres for home educated children, so their parents no longer have to rely on ad hoc arrangements with schools or colleges that can be a long way from home
* more tailored support for home educated children with special educational needs
* better support for home educated young people who want to go to college
* improved access to music lessons, school libraries, work experience, sports and other specialist facilities in schools and colleges
* a commitment from the Government to look at arrangements for flexi-schooling, so that home educated children can have the option to attend school on a part-time basis.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools Diana Johnson said:
The vast majority of home educating parents offer their children a good education, and the support we have outlined today will help them and their children. It is right that home educated children should have access to things like school libraries, sports facilities and music lessons and also have more tailored support for special educational needs.
We've always been clear that parents have the right to educate their children at home. There are no plans to change this, and we understand parents choose to home educate for a number of different reasons.
But we know there are a small number of cases where local authorities have concerns for the safety of home educated children. The Government has a responsibility to make sure that the safety – and rights – of vulnerable children are protected, which is why we are looking at how we can put in place better checks and balances, so we can be confident every child is safe and learning.
Today's response reiterates the Government's support for statutory arrangements for the registration and monitoring of home education, so that all children are kept safe and receive a good education. The proposals are currently the subject of a public consultation, which closes on 19 October.
Graham Badman has today also written to the Select Committee setting out the results from a snapshot survey of local authorities, which received 74 responses.
Graham Badman said:
I am pleased that the Secretary of State has accepted my review in full and will provide the resources needed to support home educators to do their job in the best possible way.
The package as a whole will give home educated children far greater access to FE colleges, exam centres, school facilities and wider educational opportunities, while ensuring that they are prepared for life in the wider community as adults.
Local authorities say that most home education is good, but they need stronger powers to deal with cases where it is poor and to step in if they have concerns for a child's safety. I am glad that the Government is consulting on arrangements to make sure that all home educated children have access to a good and safe education.
The response also outlines that more work will be done to clarify what is 'suitable and effective' home education to support new guidance to local authorities on supporting and monitoring home educators. This will emphasise how local authorities can work with home educating parents to make sure that the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs, can be met in the home environment where appropriate. The guidance will take account of findings from the Lamb Inquiry, to be published later this year.
This effluent plus links to further offensive drivel here
Rural Life Centre
As a break from following all the political goings on and the joys of being doorstepped yesterday by a **** from the local council, today we followed up on the Victorian Farm theme and went to the Rural Life Centre at Tilford
The sun shone and we had the place almost totally to ourselves, not even one school group, it was lovely! Audrey got to spend as long as she wanted on the various hands on activities (bet you always wanted to know what the parts of a harness are called).
Although I did have to finally call time on the period costume dress up
and trying out all the toys in the school house.
AND they had a seed fiddle!
Press Release - Mass Lobby of Parliament
Mass Lobby of Parliament on Tuesday 13 October 2009
PARENTS and their children will be attending a mass lobby of Parliament next week to protest about planned changes to the law on home education that will strip them of their rights and intrude into family life.
Nearly 200 adult supporters have confirmed with the organisers that they will be attending the rally on Tuesday 13 October, bringing with them 190 children. Many of them have firm appointments to see their MPs.
The mass lobby has been organised in the wake of a Government review into home education.
Graham Badman, former Director of Education at Kent County Council, who carried out the study, recommended that local councils should have the right to enter family homes and question children alone.
He also said that parents who home educate should be forced to register every year and gave local authorities carte blanche to refuse registration.
The Review of Elective Home Education in England was accepted in full by the Government, which wants to change the law as soon as possible.
It intends to use its Improving Schools and Safeguarding Bill to introduce home education registration and monitoring legislation as early as next month.
The Badman report and the Government's eagerness to accept it has brought an angry response from home educators.
Mass lobby organiser Claire Blades, 45, from Aylesbury, said: "No longer are parents being trusted to make decisions about their own children.
"First we had the news that 11.3 million people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - close to one in four of the adult population – would have to have Criminal Record Bureau checks.
"Then we had the case of the two policewomen who were accused of illegal childminding because they took care of each other's children on their days off.
"Now parents who home educate are to be forced to undergo intrusive monitoring in their own homes because they are not trusted with their own children.
"By ignoring the onward march of legislation that intrudes into family life, we are allowing ourselves to sleepwalk into a nightmare. It is time to wake up and call a halt to the ever-growing band of officials who think they know what is best for our children and our families."
Home educators claim that the Badman report, published in June, is inaccurate and shows little understanding of the home educating community.
So many home educators complained that the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee ordered a short inquiry into the report.
There were more than 200 written submissions to that inquiry and home educators are awaiting notification of when the Select Committee hearing will be.
Mrs Blades said: "Mr Badman claimed that the ratio of home-educated children who were "known to social care" was twice that of the population at large.
"It turns out that that vague statistic came from a small sample of 25 local authorities.
"The group, Action for Home Education, has carried out its own research using Freedom of Information requests to all local education authorities in England and the picture painted is quite the reverse.
"Interestingly, even Mr Badman has come to realise that his statistics are flawed.
"On 17 September 2009, he wrote to all local authority Directors of Children's Services to say: 'I would like to strengthen my statistical evidence in advance of the Select Committee hearing so that it is more extensive and statistically robust.'
"He practically begged the Directors of Children's Services to help him 'make the strongest possible case to the Select Committee'."
"The picture painted of home education in the Badman report is unrecognisable to the thousands of families in this country who exercise their legal right to educate their children without sending them to school.
"It is unrecognisable to the thousands of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who share the lives of home educated children. It is unrecognisable to the children themselves.
"The mass lobby is an opportunity for us to show our MPs what home education is really about and to bring important issues like inaccuracies and bias in the Badman report to their attention."


text:
Coloured with copics
Skin E11, E000, E04, E11, E21, R20
Hair G07, YG23, YG06, Y11
Dress C7, C5, C3, C1, C0
Ball Y21, Y11
Bodice YR18, YR14, R02, Y11
Owl die cut from Cottage Cutz. Spiders web from Cheery Lyn.
Papers from Tracy Wrays's Trick or Treat collection.
Flowers, lace, ribbon and feather from my crafty stash.


text:
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Farm Chicks 2013!
7 comments:
How fun was that!! Lucky girl~ My husband had a job interview in Spokane many years ago and I thought it was such a cute town.ReplyDelete
So what did you get??
Hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday!
ok...kinda jealous about this. but i'm glad you went!! ya you!!ReplyDelete
we need to catch up. i was thinking about you this morning. i'll call you tomorrow. needing your advice and expertise on babies and houses.
love you.
this looks crazy FUN!! such a treat to get away... so glad you had the opportunity, sweet lady!ReplyDelete
Oh, this looks like so much fun! I'll be making my first trip to Washington this August. Hubby and I will be visiting the Seattle area. Glad you had a well deserved fun time!ReplyDelete
Welcome Home, Girlfriend! SOOOO happy for you that you were able to make that trek at the last minute! Eager to see you again. xoxxoReplyDelete
Looks like so much fun! Wish I could have been there! Hope you found some great junk!ReplyDelete
soooooooooooooooooooo jealous!! i had to miss this year. maybe we can make a plan for next year!!ReplyDelete