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Most of the faculty at Unmanned Vehicle University have PhD degrees in engineering and over 500 years of combined UAV experience. What's more, the university's UAV pilots have combined experience of more than 60,000 hours in Predator, Reaper, Global Hawk, Hermes, Heron, Aerostar, and many small UAVs.
Dr. Robert Finkelstein | President of Robotic Technology Inc
Dr. Finkelstein earned a PhD degree in the primary field of Systems Theory and Cybernetics and the supporting field of the Management of Science, Technology, and Innovation at George Washington University (GWU, 1995); a Ap.Sci. (Applied Scientist) degree in Operations Research (GWU, 1977); a Master's of Science degree in Operations Research (GWU, 1974); a Master's of Science degree in Physics (University of Massachusetts, 1966); and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics (Temple University, 1964). He has also been awarded diplomas from the U.S. Army Missile School (1967) and U.S. Army Ordnance School (1966), as well as certificates from the University of Tennessee Space Institute (Combat Obscuration Modeling, 1978), the University of California, Los Angeles (Battlefield Robotics, 1983), and he has taken post-graduate courses in Physics at MIT (1968-1970).
As President of Robotic Technology, Inc. (RTI) from 1985 to the present, Dr. Finkelstein is responsible for technical analyses, technology assessments and forecasts, operations research, business development, and other professional services for both government and industry – nationally and internationally – in military and civil advanced technology systems, especially robotics, unmanned vehicles, and intelligent systems. Dr. Finkelstein is the inventor of the Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR), which was developed under sponsorship of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Dr. Finkelstein is Collegiate Professor for the University of Maryland University College, where he teaches graduate courses in technology management and systems engineering, and he received the 2010 UMUC Teaching Recognition Award. He is also Co-Director of the Intelligent Systems Laboratory in the Center for Technology and Systems Management at the University Of Maryland Clark School Of Engineering. Previously, he served as a U.S. Army Ordnance Officer in Missile Intelligence. Dr. Finkelstein has authored more than 200 technical reports and studies. He contributed articles to numerous publications and wrote a quarterly column and served on the Editorial Board for "Unmanned Systems" and Board of Directors for the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. His books include Unmanned Vehicle Systems: Military and Civil Robots for the 21st Century and Beyond, Pasha Publications (1994), Defense Year-Book 1992 ("Combat Robotics: From the Kaiser to the New World Order"), Brassey's Publications, and "Military and Civil Robotics: Intelligent Machines in War and Peace," (to be published in 2016).
Dr. Robert Finkelstein is Unmanned Vehicle University's resident expert in robotics and systems engineering. Dr Finkelstein teaches courses in unmanned ground vehicles, including UGV 602, Autonomous Intelligent Control Systems.
Dr. Pascual Marques | President of Marques Aviation Ltd. (UK)
Mr. John Sauter | Director, Jacobs Technology Research Group (JTRG)
Dr.Emaid A. Abdul Retha | UAV Propulsion Expert
Dr. Robert S. Jacobs | Program Manager, Perceptronics Solutions, Inc.
Mr. Eric Jameson | Surveillance and UAV Technology Expert
Eric Jameson began his career as a Target Intelligence Specialist with a reserve F-16 unit, where he was awarded numerous Outstanding Performer awards and deployed to contingencies supporting OPERATION DESERT STORM, OPERATION DENY FLIGHT, OPERATION DECISIVE EDGE, and OPERATION NORTHERN WATCH working with a variety of USAF aircraft and sensor systems. As an Air Reserve Technician, he was selected as the Air Force's Outstanding Intelligence Intermediate-Level Civilian of the Year in 1998.
Mr. Jameson was awarded a Bachelor Arts degree in Political Science – International Relations from the University of Texas at Arlington. He was then selected for commissioning in the United States Air Force to serve as a Squadron Intelligence Officer before becoming the Wing Senior Intelligence Officer for an F-16 Fighter Wing and finally heading up operations in the Air Operations Center – Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Division focused on ISR Operations and Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED). He also has combat experience as a Mission Intelligence Coordinator crewmember with MQ-1b Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). During his career in the United States Air Force, Captain Jameson successfully led and managed a large division of 30+ people, multi-million dollar budgets, and numerous High Value/Critical Action programs.
After retiring, Mr. Jameson utilized his subject matter expertise in ISR and UAV's on several contracts to include building the entire fundamentals courseware for the new Saudi Arabian Alternate Command Operations Center (ACOC) working with the Joint Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Defeat Organization (JIEDDO). As a Senior Intelligence Analyst with JIEDDO at the Combined Operations-Intelligence Integration Center (COIC), he was deployed to Afghanistan for six months in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM where his subject matter expertise in ISR/Sensor-Fusion and analytical efforts were directly responsible for over 3,000lbs of homemade explosives (HME) being taken off the battlefield.
Mr. Jameson is a graduate of the Air Education and Training Command's Instructor School and has mastered specialty courses that include Intelligence Systems Training, Tactical Electronic Combat Intelligence Course, Combat Survival Training, Practical Intelligence Course, Air Defense Electronic Warfare Course, Wild Stallion Advanced Combat Search and Rescue Training, Anti-Terrorism Instructor Training, Squadron Officers School, MQ-1/9 Intelligence Formal Training, and the Air Force Air Operations Center – Intelligence Division Training.
Eric Jameson is the author of the original Concept of Operations which created the Non-Traditional Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (NT-ISR) mission set used by the USAF. He also built the Tactical to Operational Level Architecture for Mission Reporting and Weapons System Video used in OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM for which he received the Defense Meritorious Service Award.
Mr. Jameson served as Chief Technology Officer for a surveillance company focused on commercializing small UAV's where he used his extensive experience to educate and generate solutions in numerous business sectors and most recently accepted a position as UAV Product Manager for Stampede Global. In addition, Mr. Jameson volunteers as the Air Force Association's Arizona State Vice-President for Aerospace Education and is also on the Board of Directors for several other Non-Profit Organizations.
Mr. John L. Minor | Provost
Prior to becoming Provost for Unmanned Vehicle University, Mr. Minor owned and operated American Eagle Aerospace LLC and was the Division Chief for the Air Force Sustainment Center's Scientist and Engineer Strategic Workforce Management and Development Division, Ogden Air Logistics Center, Engineering Directorate, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Prior to that, he served as the Chief of the Systems Engineering Division for Hill AFB.
Mr. Minor has over 36 years of professional experience and retired from the U.S. Department of the Air Force after serving over 27 years in both military and civilian capacities. He is an internationally recognized subject matter expert on airborne remote sensing, airborne sensors and systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and UAV systems, systems engineering, and flight test and evaluation. He is a highly decorated academic leader, instructor and lecturer. He is the former Technical Director of the USAF Test Pilot School. In this capacity he was responsible for executing a 50 semester hour graduate level program graduating 48 student test pilots and engineers a year with a Master of Science in Flight Test Engineering as well as overseeing a 4000 hour annual test flying training program. From 2006 to 2008, he led the efforts to get the USAF Test Pilot School academically recognized, accredited and approved by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for degree granting authority under USC Title 10, a first in the 63 year history of the military school.
During his career, Minor served on the technical staff of the Air Force Flight Test Center, the USAF Test Pilot School, the 46th Test Wing, Lockheed Martin, the Lockheed Skunk Works®, Loral, and Sverdrup Technology. He began his career with the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing as a sensor system specialist on the SR-71 and U-2 aircraft. Since, he has worked on a number of high-value military programs to include the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN), the F/A-18D (RC) Tactical Reconnaissance (TAC RECCE), the Advanced Tactical Air Reconnaissance System (ATARS), and the RQ-3A TIER III Minus (DarkStar) High Altitude, Low Observable, Endurance, Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV), as well as numerous other classified manned and unmanned system programs.
Mr. Minor accumulated over 1500 flying hours in over 30 different aircraft types, including 400+ hours in the RF-4C and 300+ hours in the F-16B/D. As a USAF Test Pilot School's former Systems Master Instructor (1999-2003), he was responsible for developing a state of the art curricula and teaching sensors, weapons, systems, electronic warfare, directed energy, and unmanned systems theory, operations, and flight test to the next generation of USAF Test Pilots, Electronic Warfare Officers, and Flight Test Engineers. He has taught many short courses around the world for Society of Flight Test Engineers, the Association of Old Crows (AOC), Technology Training Corporation, and has lectured extensively throughout Europe to several Technical Universities and for the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS). Mr. Minor holds BSEE and MSEE degrees "with distinction" from the University of New Mexico under Air Force Institute of Technology sponsorship. He is an Air War College and USAF Test Pilot School graduate.
Mr. Minor has been honored with numerous awards and decorations to include: the Civilian Meritorious Service Medal, the 412th Test Wing's Senior Leader of the Year Award, the Society of Flight Test Engineers Directors and Fellow Awards, the San Fernando Valley Engineers' Council Distinguished Engineering Project Achievement Award, and the Engineers' Council Distinguished Engineering Life Achievement Award for his educational contributions to the Edwards AFB engineering community. In 2010 he was honored to receive the "Kelly" Johnson Award for obtaining "Engineering Excellence" throughout his 35-year career by the Society of Flight Test Engineers. John received the Team Hill AFB "Spirit Award" in 2011 and in 2014 he was honored to be selected as the IEEE Senior Engineering Manager of the Year for Region 6, Utah and Idaho.
Mr Minor is a member of the following professional organizations: the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), Fellow of the Society of Flight Test Engineers, (SFTE), Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) , the International Test and Evaluation Association (ITEA) , Senior Member of the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE), the Air Force Association (AFA), and the Flight Test Historical Foundation. He was the President of the Society of Flight Test Engineers from 2004-2006. Mr. Minor also has been inducted to the following science and engineering honor societies: Eta Kappa Nu – The Electrical and Computer Engineering Honor Society, Tau Beta Pi – The Engineering Honor Society, and Kappa Mu Epsilon – the Mathematics Honor Society.
Lt. Col. (Ret) Fred Bivetto | Adjunct Faculty
Lt .Col. (Ret) Frederick C. Bivetto joined Unmanned Vehicle University straight from the USAF Test Pilot School (TPS), where he served the Director of Curriculum Standards and Chief Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Test Pilot with responsibility for the development and maintenance of $37M, 1200 hour, Master of Science accredited flight test curricula with over 22 years of engineering, aviation and project management experience. In addition to managing the pilot, navigator/combat systems, officer and flight test engineer curricula, he was initial cadre for the development of the experimental Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)/Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) test pilot curriculum and the university's first Chief UAV/RPA test pilot. Mr Bivetto holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, a Master's Degree in National Security, and is a graduate of the USAF Test Pilot School, which is currently equivalent to a Master's of Science degree in Flight Test Engineering.
Mr. Bivetto earned his commission in the United States Air Force 1992 through the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corp. He began his Air Force career as an airborne Mission Commander and aeronautical engineer on the EC-135E / EC-18B Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft (ARIA). He led numerous missions to worldwide remote locations for Navy Trident ballistic missile re-entry tests, cruise missile chases and space launches (from DIRECTV to the SPACE SHUTTLE). Mr. Bivetto then went off to specialized and joint undergraduate navigator training, earning an academic excellence award and the wings of a weapon systems officer (WSO) and electronic warfare officer (EWO) flying the mighty B-1 "Bone".
During his operational career he was the squadron Chief of Standardization/Evaluation, Flight Commander and Top Graduate of the B-1 Centralized Flight Instructor Course. Mr. Bivetto is a multiple combat veteran of Iraq's OPERATION DESERT FOX and Afghanistan's OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM with 240 combat flight hours and a tour with International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) as a trainer/mentor. While deployed for OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM he was selected for the prestigious USAF TPS special flying program and graduated with the Ellison Onizuka "Propwash" Award.
During his flight test career he was an Instructor Experimental Flight Test B-1 WSO/EWO, Airborne Laser (YAL-1A) Flight Commander, Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS/X-45) & Global Hawk (RQ-4A/B) Assistant Director of Operations, Operations Officer of a Presidentially-directed unit, Predator (MQ-1) & Reaper (MQ-9) Detachment Commander, Nellis Test and Training Range Squadron Commander and Operations Group Deputy Commander (Experimental Flight Test F-16 WSO & other classified systems).
Mr. Bivetto has accumulated an impressive and diverse series of firsts for the Air Force: first B-1 combat mission (OPERATION DESERT FOX), first B-1 combat mission for night one of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, first B-1 launch of the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), Laser Weapon Officer for first integrated Airborne Laser systems test, first dual-qualified UAV/RPA test pilot (Global Hawk and Predator), flew first Navy Global Hawk cross-country and the first Predator Viper Strike munition test sortie. Lt. Colonel (Ret) Bivetto is a master aviator, UAV/RPA test pilot, FAA commercial, single/multi-engine (ASEL/AMEL), instrument rated pilot and CFI-A with over 2,500 flight hours in 30 different aircraft. Fred Bivetto d is currently the Dean, School of Unmanned Technology for UVU and teaches UAV301/601 "UAV Fundamentals" and UAV702 "UAV Flight Test".
Crissie M. Jameson, Ph. D. | Dean of Academic Affairs and Research
Higher Education, Research, and Accreditation Expert
Dr. Crissie M. Jameson has worked in higher education for over 10 years. Dr. Jameson is a former K-12 teacher, teaching all grade levels from preschool to high school and is now a full time faculty member at a large, online institution. Dr. Jameson has worked in institutional research, strategic planning and accreditation in higher education for over nine years and was a founding Director of the Institutional Assessment office at a small, private university. As the Director, she was the only institutional research employee and conducted all research and assessment responsibilities for the institution. As an Association for Institutional Research/National Center for Educational Statistics postdoctoral fellow in 2009, she conducted a study concerning features of campus data systems and reporting to IPEDS. Dr. Jameson most recently served as the Director of Academic Quality at a large, online institution.
Dr. Jameson has been a part of accreditation re-affirmation committees for several universities including accreditation for WASC (Western Associate of Schools and Colleges), SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) and HLC (Higher Learning Commission). She has lead and developed academic and co-curricular review processes for universities. Dr. Jameson has also lead satisfaction surveys and programmatic specialized accreditations at the university level.
Dr. Jameson received her PhD from Florida State University in 2008 in Educational Psychology with minors in Statistics and Program Evaluation. Dr. Jameson has taught in higher education for over 10 years at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has been a part of numerous research projects both with a group and on her own in all research method types (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods) and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and presented at numerous national conferences. She has taught research methods, and quantitative analysis and has served on dissertation committees. She also currently serves on an international university Institutional Review Board committee.
Paul Dragos | Dean, School of Flight Training
In 1984, was accepted in to the United States Navy's "Aviation Officer Candidate" Program and commissioned as an Ensign later that year.
In 1986 he earned in Navy Pilot Wings and completed three Western Pacific Tours (WESTPACS) aboard the Aircraft Carriers USS Saratoga (CV-60) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). These included operations over Iraq during OPERATION DESERT STORM (1991).
In 1997, Paul served on a final WESTPAC cruise as Assistant Air-Boss of the USS Peleliu (LHA-5). After this, he served two years in the United States Naval Reserve and participated in the Predator Drone Testing at Naval Air Station San Clemente Island.
Throughout his distinguished career, Paul has amassed over 2,500 flight hours in a variety of military aircraft, including Jets and helicopters. In the process of doing so, he has earned several decorations, including the Navy Achievement Medal, the Armed-Forces Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Medal, and several Service Ribbons.
After leaving the Military, Paul continued his civilian career in the telecommunications and aviation industries. He has a Private Pilot's License with a commercial rating and is active in the Unmanned Aerial Drone industry.
Dr. Elena Spiridon, Ph.D. | Lecturer in Aviation Psychology
Dr. Elena Spiridon obtained her PhD in Psychology from Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom. She is a Chartered Psychologist, endorsed by the British Psychological Society. Elena was awarded her BSc (Hons) in Psychology (Grade: First Class) by Lancaster University, for which she was also granted the GBR British Psychological Society Award for the student with the highest average mark. Elena's research interests are in the fields of Psycho-physiology, Ambient Intelligence, Human Computer Interaction, Electroencephalography, Cardiovascular measures, Educational Psychology, and Human Factors in Aviation. She has participated in World-class research projects. In particular, her PhD research at Liverpool John Moores University was funded by the European Commission within the 7th Framework Programme (FP7) as part of the REFLECT project. The overall aim of the doctoral research programme was to develop a prototype biocybernetic system that accurately measures affective-motivational states via psychophysiology and provides feedback to the user in real-time. The work focused on identifying cardiovascular and electroencephalography-based indicators of anger, in combination with levels of control, towards the development of a cybernetic loop that offers the possibility to self-regulate negative valence psychophysiological reactions. Elena has published her work extensively in leading Psychophysiology, Biological Psychology, Affective Computing, and Intelligent Interaction journals. Another area of research interest is the application of Psychophysiology and concepts of Human-machine interaction in the development of the UAV ground control station. Elena is also the Director of Marketing at Marques Aviation Ltd and participates in the R&D and promotional programs of the MA THOR unmanned aircraft series. Elena is a member of the Conference Scientific Committee for the World Congress on Unmanned Systems Engineering (WUEng) and the International Aerospace Engineering Conference (IAEC). She is also a Member of the Board of Directors at Oxford Aerospace Academy. Elena is a recognised fellow teacher of the Higher Education Academy with experience of teaching at this level exceeding 10 years at various UK institutions: Edge Hill University, Liverpool John Moores University, and online at Unmanned Vehicle University where she is the leader for the UXV 805 Human-Machine Interaction course.
Recent Publications
Smith, S. & Spiridon, E. (2019). Influence of ambient light and feedback on motivation to carry out a task: implications for operation of unmanned aircraft. International Journal of Unmanned Systems Engineering, 7, 12-23.
Ebbrell N. and Spiridon E. (2019). Psychophysiological effects of incentive feedback on unmanned aircraft operator's mood and motivation. International Journal of Unmanned Systems Engineering, 7, 1-11.
Al Shibli, M., Marques, P. & Spiridon, E. (2018). Artificial intelligent drone-based encrypted machine learning of image extraction using pre-trained Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). International Conference on Big Data and Machine Learning, BDML2018, Nagoya, Japan, November 23-25.
Spiridon, E. & Fairclough. S.H. (2017). The photometry of GCS lighting used as an environmental chromatic cue for self-regulation of negative emotions. 2017 World Congress of Unmanned Systems Engineering. University of Cambridge, 27 & 28th July, Cambridge, UK. pp. 1-5.
Spiridon, E. & Fairclough, S.H. (2017). The effects of ambient blue light on anger levels: Applications in the design of unmanned aircraft GCS. International Journal of Unmanned Systems Engineering, 5(3), 53-69.


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JKM Brett: I had an opportunity to read this blog post by Dr. Mark Bertin who has written two books to aid parents and caregivers of children who have ADHD. ADHD makes it extremely difficult for a child to access the parts of their brain they use or rely on executive functioning (EF) skills. These skills include things like organization, time management, and being able to transition in and out of routines, both expected and unexpected. In my career many of my students suffered from EF deficits. EF Coaching from specialists teamed with parents can make a substantial difference. As Dr. Bertin notes in this post, children often take their EF cues from the prominent adults in their lives. When Parents take an active role in shaping routines, results tend to be more positive. If your child has ADHD or EF deficits, this is for you! Here, Dr. Bertin provides tips for each stage of the day.
Enter Dr. Mark Bertin:
Transitions create an opportunity for change. For parents, any shift in the family schedule is a great time to consider what you'd like to do differently. Around ADHD, kids rely even more than peers on parents for structure, whether around school, health, technology, or anywhere else. Naturally, change is hard for all kids, and can be harder for those with ADHD. A new school year is the perfect time to pause, reconsider, and set up new routines.
ADHD undermines executive function (EF), the skills required to anticipate, prioritize, manage time, and manage any new plan. Because of that, having ADHD itself gets in the way of planning around ADHD. That typically means parents, not kids, modify and implement new plans as kids grow up, right up until they figure out how to do it themselves.
Introducing these new routines during transitions often makes them less jarring. Adult guidance is how children with ADHD learn to manage their own ADHD: Now that you're older, we're going to do homework this way. Your bedtime routine is going to begin later. Or maybe, Now that school is in session we'll need to manage your screen time differently. Finding a natural break makes shifting gears around ADHD and family routines a lot easier.
Here are a few common ADHD-impacted routines to reconsider as school approaches:
· Morning routines: One useful shorthand for problem solving is seeing ADHD as a developmental delay in executive function. Frustrating as it is, a child's self-management skills are behind. If she can't get ready on her own without distractions, a parent becoming more involved can be exhausting but leads to more success. It's also through adult-supported consistency of this kind that independence eventually develops. Sometimes collaboration eases tension too – We both tend to run a little behind, so this year let's see if we each can get dressed and have our teeth brushed by 7.
· Homework: Children with ADHD struggle with prioritization, procrastination, planning, and time management. Parents typically define the homework plan, right up until kids show themselves capable on their own. This year, you'll take a short break after school and then get your homework done. Only then is it time to play. If you do it without arguing, you'll earn a reward.
· Exercise: Being active helps improve sleep, mood, and ADHD itself. But ADHD makes team sports, sticking to exercise routines, and even sustained effort hard, so exercise is often avoided. Instead, make a concrete plan: Everyone is going to exercise. We'll help you find something fun, but you need to pick something by the time school starts.
· Technology: Screens and ADHD are often a perfectly disruptive storm. Symptoms such as hyper-focus of attention, frequent boredom, persistent novelty seeking, and poor time management converge to make screen time a huge disruption. Clear, unambiguous boundaries around technology prevent children from becoming overly focused on it. This fall, you can watch one show while I make dinner, and that's it for school days. On the weekend, you get one hour total a day. If you cooperate, you can earn extra time.
Start the new school year by putting in place whatever you feel would benefit your children. It's an ideal time for parents to make ADHD more manageable and family life a lot less stressful. During these last weeks of summer, consider how you'd like to take advantage of the upcoming opportunity for change.
Dr. Bertin is a developmental pediatrician and author of Mindful Parenting for ADHD and The Family ADHD Solution, which integrate mindfulness into the rest of evidence-based ADHD care, and a contributing author for the book Teaching Mindfulness Skills to Kids and Teens. His next book, How Children Thrive, will be released spring of 2018. Dr. Bertin is a faculty member at New York Medical College and the Windward Teacher Training Institute, and on the advisory boards for the non-profits Common Sense Media and Reach Out and Read. His blog is available through Huffington Post, Mindful.org and Psychology Today. For more information, please visit his website at http://www.developmentaldoctor.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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2 Conclusion
We have now looked specifically at two considerable monuments created at about the same time to commemorate the First World War. You have been using your eyes, and looking closely to respond to visual clues. We hope you found that, in doing so, you developed your understanding of them as memorials and also as 'made objects'; and that in the process of asking questions about them you have reached some kind of explanation as to why they are as they are.
Exercise 15
We would like you to conclude this section of your work with a piece of writing. Aim for a length of about 500 words. The question to answer is:
'If you had been on a war memorial committee in your locality in 1921, what would you have wanted to commission as a war memorial?'
You might like to consider the following factors: location; purpose and function of building; symbolism or realism; use of paint, stone, marble, etc.; overall form.
Whatever you decide, the crucial thing is to identify what you feel to be important, and give your reasons why. When you have completed this task, spend time on reflecting over your work in this section.


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Independence Day Stories
My next storytelling show with Better Said Than Done – the best performance act in Virginia according to Virginia Living Magazine – is just over a week away and we are going to bring the fireworks. Join Better Said Than Done for an explosive night of storytelling!
Independence Day: stories of declarations, freedom, and fireworks
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Epicure Cafe
11213 Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA
7:00PM Show
Doors Open at 6:00PM
$10 Tickets at Door (Cash Preferred)
The performance will feature entertaining performances of true, explosive stories. Storytellers include: Geraldine Buckley, Lisa Kays, Jessica Piscitelli, Mojdeh Rezaeipour, Adam Ruben, Ellouise Schoettler, John Tong and Michael Zhuang.


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Tyler Shields is certainly an interesting photographer. He loves to soak his subjects in water, cover them in mud, oil, fake blood, margarine, what have you, and to physically assault his models and encourage them to commit low level misdemeanors in order to nudge them out of their young Hollywood stupors. You may love the results or hate them, but you have to admit that the results can be arresting. Here is a video he released yesterday, a retrospective of the year 2010. I like it, and not just because it features a wet Alex Pettyfer having his shirt torn off, although, you know, it doesn't hurt. Here's a list of participants, roughly in the order of appearance: Lindsay Lohan, Juno Temple, Shiloh Fernandez, Harry Shum Jr, Garret Dillahunt, Haley Bennet, Aaron Paul, Ali Cobrin, Lydia Hearst, Alex Pettyfer, Levin Rambin, Matt Dallas, Alessandra Torresani, Izabella Miko, Deborah Ann Woll, Emma Roberts, Colton Haynes, Ashley Bell, Alison Brie, Julianna Guill, Zachary Quinto, Sara Paxton, Kristen Carpenter, Brittany Snow, Toby Hemingway, Thomas Dekker, Josh Hutcherson, Ro, Elena Satine, Lyndsy Fonseca, Stana Katic, Scott Patterson, Taylor Cole, Portia Doubleday, Kyle Gallner, Summer Glau, AJ Mclean, Conner Paolo, Logan Huffman, Haley Ramm, Ashley Greene, Dakota Johnson, Lauren Hanawalt, Michael Gladis, Lauren Storm, Vincent Kartheiser, Jayma Mays, Cody Longo, Kristin Cavallari, Jordon Fink, Danny Trejo, Electra Avellan, Josh Henderson, Beth Behrs, Alex Meraz, Justin Long, Rainn Wilson, Kellan Lutz, Gary Busey, Bobby Campo, Brie Larson, Jamie Alexander, Zelda Williams, and Tyler Shields.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Labels: Alex Pettyfer, Shirtless, Tyler Shields
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Conveyancing for Developers
Certus Conveyancing's team has considerable experience of advising on a wide range of property developments in both the residential and commercial sectors such as broadacre subdivision, apartment buildings, townhouses, office buildings, industrial sites, retail shopping centres and mixed use facilities. The ability to offer end-to-end service makes Certus Conveyancing an invaluable partner, whatever the scope and scale of the development.
Our areas of expertise include:
- Development contracts and construction contracts
- Property structures, trusts, joint ventures and project management agreements
- Land acquisition and compensation
- Town planning advice, submissions and appeals
- Transfer duty and land tax issues
- Off the plan and proposed lot sales
- Option agreements
- Marketing arrangements
- Management rights
Our team will ensure that you remain in control during the entire process however complicated or simple things may seem. Property developers and sellers to property developers of all sizes rely on us over and over again because of the certainty our commercial focus and pricing brings, the high level of service we pride ourselves on and the excellent value we provide.
Whether you are a property developer or have been approached to sell to a property developer, we can assist you. Contact us to speak to one of expert lawyers on 07 3106 3016.


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A majority of pregnant women would shy away from weddings and other social gatherings for fear of not looking as glamorous as they would wish. Super maternity wedding guest dresses specially crafted for you to perfectly aid in dressing your baby bump and still look stunning. You needn't shy away anymore.
A wide range of elegant maternity wedding guest dresses is lined up for you and the baby you are expecting. Full-length dresses add style and make you look glamorous. Particularly, you don't need to cover it up like it is almost always the case. You just need to pick one of these great designs and look fabulous.
Availability is not the only special thing about our maternity wedding guest dresses, but they also are of high quality and in all sizes. They unquestionably offer full comfort throughout the day and keep you at ease as well as maintain the decency of a soon-to-be mother. These dresses eliminate the struggles, energy and time spent making trips to tailors. Say bye to those numerous tailors' visits and settle for one of these exquisite dresses premade for your baby bump.


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Sunday, October 31, 2010
Warm Almond Encrusted Goat Cheese Salad
Baby Field Greens
Slivered Almonds
Wheat Germ
Goat Cheese
- Crush slivered almonds and place in bowl with equal parts wheat germ.
-Slice goat cheese into 2oz. rounds and lightly coat in beaten egg. Then place in bowl to coat with almonds/wheat germ. Place back in egg and then back to almonds/wheat germ to double coat.
- Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10 min at 350 degrees.
-Fill a bowl with field greens and top with blueberries and halved grapes.
-Top with warm goat cheese medallion and drizzle with blueberry vinaigrette.
Labels: salads
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Here's a quick nail of the day from the new Accessorize make up range. Gorgeous shade, easy to apply but it does have slightly visible brush lines (often happens with metallic/shimmer colours). Dried quickly but sadly chipped almost as fast – less than 24 hours before this was chipped to the point I had to remove it, even with a base and top coat.
**The Small Print**
Bought by me.


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A-Z of LECTURES and CATEGORIES
King's Lynn
'We hold monthly talks given by local speakers or arrange outside visits to places of interest; not all of these are depicting local history but they are always well attended.'
'As in previous years we have arranged a varied programme, in both subject matter and format and I am sure you will find something of interest. Just to remind you the requirement to complete any course work is optional - just come along and enjoy the lectures!'
Meetings 'last Wednesday evening of each month - 1930 hrs'.
'Meetings are held on the first Wednesday evening of each month (except January) commencing at 7.30 pm.'
'Organise a number of events throughout the year including exciting and informative talks by experts on diverse subjects.'
'Meetings of the Society are held twice monthly, on a Monday evening. Talks/events and observations are scheduled for alternate meetings..'
'The King's Lynn Literature Festivals are held during a single weekend in March (Fiction) and September (Poetry) each year. Our guiding principle, initiated by King's Lynn's finest, Tony Ellis and co-founder, the late George MacBeth, is to present some of the best contemporary writers of chapter and verse in a friendly and informal setting.' Held Mid March (Fiction).
'The King's Lynn Literature Festivals are held during a single weekend in March (Fiction) and September (Poetry) each year. Our guiding principle, initiated by King's Lynn's finest, Tony Ellis and co-founder, the late George MacBeth, is to present some of the best contemporary writers of chapter and verse in a friendly and informal setting.' Held Late September (Poetry).
'We meet at 7.30 pm on most Mondays (except Bank Holidays and in July & August) ... Our programme comprises a mixture of talks, competitions, inter-club events and practical sessions ... We welcome new members and visitors.'
'We aim to organize a diverse range of talks; some covering the more unusual forms of wildlife, some relating to our local region and others involving distant, remote or exotic locations. Monthly talks are arranged from September to April and occasionally in May ... Talks are open to all members of NWT and to non-members for a small fee.'
'The club organises a series of lectures on archaeology topics which focus on West Norfolk although we do invite lecturers from further afield when the topic is relevant to our area. We meet once a month on the third Tuesday, with some exceptions over the Christmas period.'
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- Suffolk Local History CouncilCategory: Local History Federations-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/suffolk/(102 visits)Record Created:
- Derbyshire Wildlife Trust - Amber ValleyCategory: Wildlife Societies-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/alfreton/(93 visits)Record Created:
- World Ship Society - Firth of ForthCategory: World Ship Society-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/city-of-edinburgh/(98 visits)Record Created:
- The Arts Society - Glaven ValleyCategory: The Arts Society-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/cromer/(97 visits)Record Created:
- Monmouth Astronomical Research SocietyCategory: Astronomical Societies-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/monmouth/(92 visits)Record Created:
- Rugby Natural History SocietyCategory: Natural History Societies-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/rugby/(92 visits)Record Created:
- EXPLORE Lifelong Leaning in NewcastleCategory: Wellbeing & Health-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/newcastle-upon-tyne/(91 visits)Record Created:
- Jane Austen Society - Bath & BristolCategory: Jane Austen Society-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/bath/(116 visits)Record Created:
- Egham by Runnymede Historical SocietyCategory: Local History Societies-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/staines-upon-thames/(108 visits)Record Created:
- The Arts Society - ArunCategory: The Arts Society-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/arundel/(133 visits)Record Created:
- Bicester Camera ClubCategory: Camera, Photographic & Video Societies-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/bicester/(167 visits)Record Created:
- Suffolk Naturalists' SocietyCategory: Natural History Societies-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/suffolk/(114 visits)Record Created:
- Berkshire Family History Society - Vale of the...Category: Family History Societies-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/abingdon/(164 visits)Record Created:
- Sutton Courtenay Local History SocietyCategory: Local History Societies-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/abingdon/(112 visits)Record Created:
- Dundee City ArchivesCategory: Libraries & Archives-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/dundee-city/(113 visits)Record Created:
- The Arts Society - Guildford Wey ValleyCategory: The Arts Society-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/guildford/(108 visits)Record Created:
- Chelmsford Science and Engineering SocietyCategory: Scientific Societies-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/chelmsford/(109 visits)Record Created:
- Glasgow ScribesCategory: Arts & Crafts-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/city-of-glasgow/(114 visits)Record Created:
- Norwich Science FestivalCategory: Science Festivals-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/norwich/(109 visits)Record Created:
- Loughborough Archaeological & Historical SocietyCategory: Archaeological Societies-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/loughborough/(111 visits)Record Created:
- Institute of Modern Languages Research [London]Category: Literary Study & Research-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/holborn/(108 visits)Record Created:
- Cottage Garden Society - WiltshireCategory: Cottage Garden Society-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/wiltshire/(109 visits)Record Created:
- Brooklands MuseumCategory: Transport History-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/walton-on-thames/(100 visits)Record Created:
- Archives WalesCategory: Libraries & Archives-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/wales-explore/(114 visits)Record Created:
- * National Philatelic SocietyCategory: Philatelic Societies & Stamp Clubs-> NEARBY (+ Map): www.open-lectures.co.uk/holborn/(110 visits)Record Created:


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PTS AC Recert (Incl DCCR Recert)
Duration: 1 Day
Max Delegates: 12
PTS Primary Objectives
At the end of the training the delegate will be able to:
Demonstrate their ability to interpret correctly the Rule Book GE/RT 8000 Series or Guide to Personal Track Safety or PTS Key Point Card NR9922 and relevant local instructions when required to go on or near the line.
Demonstrate their understanding and ability to follow a Safe System of Work.
Introduction and workbook Exercise
Personal Responsibility
Emergency Situations
Communicating Clearly and Emergency Phone Calls
Knowledge Assessment
Completion of Post Course Training Objectives
DCCR Primary Objectives
Describe the principles of the DC Electrified system.
Identify the main components of the DC conductor rail system.
Identify hazards and risks associated with being near or adjacent to the DC conductor rail.
Describe how to cross the DC conductor rail safely.
Describe how to transit tools and equipment safely across the DC conductor rail.
Describe defects that would render insulated tools and equipment unfit for purpose.
Identify hazards associated with working within DC isolations.
Describe the work safe and emergency response procedures
Identify the three risk control areas as stated in NR/L3/MTC/0152.
Explain how to safely transit tools, materials and equipment within the DC electrified area.
Workbook exercise
Knowledge review and Assessment.


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Chelsea Manager Jose Mourinho has been given a suspended one-match stadium ban and fined £50,000 by the Football Assocation.
The charge comes after the Chelsea manager admitted a breach of FA rules in
relation to post-match media comments against the officials.
Mourinho was charged for misconduct following Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday October 3, where referee Robert Madley denied Chelsea a spot-kick in the
Speaking after the game, Mourinho had said the Blues were "always punished" by officials because "there is always a question mark" from the media.
"If the Football Association wants to punish me they can. They don't punish other managers," he added.
SOURCE: Sky Sports
– See more at: http://akpraise.com/2015/10/14/chelsea-manager-jose-mourinho-slammed-heavily-by-english-fa-with-50000/#sthash.wdxBVBpt.dpuf


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A family of Russian Old Believers, who fled to escape the Bolsheviks in 1936, are discovered by a party of geologists in 1978.
A helicopter sent to find a safe spot to land a party of geologists was skimming the treeline a hundred or so miles from the Mongolian border when it dropped into the thickly wooded valley of an unnamed tributary of the Abakan, a seething ribbon of water rushing through dangerous terrain. The valley walls were narrow, with sides that were close to vertical in places, and the skinny pine and birch trees swaying in the rotors' downdraft were so thickly clustered that there was no chance of finding a spot to set the aircraft down. But, peering intently through his windscreen in search of a landing place, the pilot saw something that should not have been there. It was a clearing, 6,000 feet up a mountainside, wedged between the pine and larch and scored with what looked like long, dark furrows. The baffled helicopter crew made several passes before reluctantly concluding that this was evidence of human habitation—a garden that, from the size and shape of the clearing, must have been there for a long time. It was an astounding discovery. The mountain was more than 150 miles from the nearest settlement, in a spot that had never been explored. The Soviet authorities had no records of anyone living in the district.
The youngest daughter of the family, Agafia Lykov, born in 1943, is still living there.


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AOL Radio may need to turn up the volume to get its users to download the latest security update, or its listeners may tune them out.
AOL Radio re-posted its Unagi plug-in 184.108.40.206 on Friday, but it failed to stress that users running versions of AOL Radio prior to August could be facing a security risk if they didn't download the update.
It turns out that AOL Radio users running version 220.127.116.11 are at risk, said Thomas Chau, who runs the AOL Radio blog. He noted, however, that anyone who downloaded the Unagi plug-in 220.127.116.11 originally posted on the site last fall, or is running the recently released AOL Radio 4.0 beta are safe.
The earlier AOL Radio version contains a security flaw that could allow attackers to compromise users' computers, after viewing a malicious Web site, document, or HTML e-mail, according to a report by the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) that was released earlier this week.
The security flaw is found in an application, AOLMediaPlaybackControl.exe, that is used by AOL Radio to stream audio in Web pages. But the application contains a stack buffer overflow, according to US-CERT, which could be exploited via the ActiveX control used with the application.


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It was morning just after everyone had left for work or gone to school. I wandered into her room looking for something she had borrowed and inevitably hadn't returned. All of us with a daughter knows what that's like.
The one she and her cousins received as Christmas presents when they were one. I stopped in my tracks and choked up. How much longer will I walk in and see that. Just when you think they're all grown up there are little reminders that they aren't quite yet. I walk into my child's room next door, all neat and tidy looking like nobody has been there, because he hasn't been. He's at college. This is one of quite literally hundreds of reasons that I can list as to why you need to have beautiful, emotive photographs of your child before they go away to school. The lamby in your child's life and unmade beds aren't going to be there forever.


text: IntroductionAdrenaline Networks was founded on the 26th April of 2017.We are a growing community who is currently focusing on giving you a 'better then average' roleplay experience - Unlike the majority of servers, we strive to say we use barely any Scriptfodder addons. We use a gamemode that has been worked on for more then 7 months, and everything that is currently there is completely custom compared to those in DarkRP. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone is important - No matter what role, job, or background you come from, we aim to give everyone an equal opportunity at Adrenaline Networks. Our gamemode offers many different opportunities to roleplay, from being a resteraunt owner, to black market dealing and cooking meth, or perhaps you would like to go for a Government Role - We've got you covered with our enhanced systems. We're constantly working to update the gamemode - and you can assist us. You can become a major part of our Network by entering our forums, submitting suggestions, bug reports or looking at our changelog that the development team publishes. We aim to keep our development open, and every suggestion is taken into account. Become a part of our Network at https://adrenalinenetworks.net/ where you can find everything from our forums, guidelines and service pages. Be someone else with us. Notable Features An enhanced inventory and store system Create your character. Be a female or male, set your description, organisation and name with a click of a button. An enhanced location system An extremely enhanced Police system, both warrants, arrests, tools and equipment available to you. A realistic law system Able to view bans, blacklists, steamIDs and your own statistics on the forums. A custom administration system A secure Discord Server A lot of custom commands, such as /panic, /request, /r, etc. A custom frisk system Exempt and Civilian custom plates A completely different experience to what you are used to. Custom mining and fishing system Attachments based on jobs LinksWebsite: https://adrenalinenetworks.net Discord: https://adrenalinenetworks.net/discord/ Changelog: https://adrenalinenetworks.net/services/updates/ IP: Content Spoiler: Images


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In the mid-1800s a French man by the name of Louis Ducos du Hauron had an idea for developing color photographs.
At the time it was incredibly difficult – if not entirely impossible – to develop colored photographs due to an insensitivity on the plates used to develop red and green colors in the photographs.
Hauron's idea was simple enough: he added chemical stabilizers to the development process.
But Hauron didn't officially patent or document the idea fully for about six years. During that time a Charles Cros, a French poet, stumbled on the exact same idea. In a surprising move, Hauron re-appeared and patented his original process a year after Cros came up with his, establishing himself as a leading pioneer in the color photography industry.
The simple idea revolutionized photography. It was undoubtedly one of the most impactful ideas in history, and yet two men were capable of having it.
Through-out history there have been countless ideas (both big and small) where multiple people were responsible for coming up with them.
Calculus was invented by both Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Oxygen by Carl Wilhelm Scheele, Joseph Priestley, and Antoine Lavoisier. The carbon microphone, the internet, sailing vessels, printing, and many, many other ideas and inventions all discovered simultaneously by independent people.
Yet, despite the almost ubiquitous nature of these ideas, each has been labeled as revolutionary and world-changing, undefinably valuable.
If it's possible to have a world-changing, creative idea that so many other people can have, how are you to know whether or not the idea is valuable? Here's three ways:
Look at how original the idea is
Despite multiple people coming up with the concept of a telephone, Alexander Graham Bell was the only one who came up with the original idea of utilizing stretched animal skin on the receiver. Suffice to say, that idea helped make the larger concept more original.
When you look at your ideas, evaluate how original it is. Have you ever seen anything like it before? Would others call you "crazy" even though you know the idea is possible? That's original, and you might be onto something with it. But there's more to evaluate.
Ask how easy it would be for someone else to think up
How much time have you put into the idea? We're not looking at the time it took to write the idea down or daydream about it, but the experiences and existing knowledge you have that made it possible to conceptualize it.
Most ideas take years to come to reality due to a number of variables at play.
Steven Johnson explores some of these variables (like culture, state of environment, and more) in his great book: Where Good Ideas Come From.
Consider how helpful the idea is for you
Not all big ideas are world-changing. Some of the most valuable creative ideas only need to help one person: you.
If your idea will undoubtedly help you and your life (without straining others, of course), there's a decent level of value in that.
But that's not all
The real trick to evaluating an idea's value is, of course, to test the idea in the real world.
Because ideas aren't worth anything if they're just in your head. It's only when you try the idea out in a tangible way that you're going to really see it's value.
For more insights into evaluating the value of ideas, checkout the answers on Quora to How can I determine the value of an idea?
Photo by flickr user.


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YEG Dignity Presents: Do The Rights Thing
Do the Rights Thing is a quarterly film screening exploring human rights issues, locally and across Canada. It represents an opportunity to bring greater awareness to issues of injustice in our community by making space for those with lived experience to tell their own stories.
June 10 @ 3:30 pm
Metro Cinema, 8712 109 St NW
Presented by the Shiloh Centre for Multicultural Roots. Directed by Dr. Jenna Bailey
We are the Roots tells the story of a wave of African American immigrants who moved to Alberta and Saskatchewan between 1905-1912 in search of a better life. Taking advantage of Canada's offer of 160 acres of land for a $10 fee, 1000-1500 individuals moved to the Prairies and helped develop several settlements throughout the provinces.
Through the stories of 19 descendants of the original settlers, We are the Roots focuses on the experiences of discrimination these individuals encountered while living in the rural communities and in Edmonton.
Please Access through the back door!
This event is a partnership between Metro Cinema, the Shiloh Centre for Multicultural Root, and The John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights.


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"I use my voice to change lives." How an iconic musician is fighting malaria
Malaria is the cause of close to 500 000 deaths a year. For music legend Yvonne Chaka Chaka, this is more than just a devastating statistic. In the early days of her career, one of the musicians she worked with contracted cerebral malaria. An initial misdiagnosis led to her colleague and close friend passing on. The unfortunate and unnecessary death was the beginning of the singer's journey as a malaria activist. For the past 13 years, she has worked tirelessly to improve healthcare in Africa.
Born in Soweto as Yvonne Machaka, the musician was raised by her mother, a domestic worker who taught her that who you are matters more than what you have. Machaka's father passed away when she was just 11, leaving her with his love for music. From singing into a broomstick in her home, Machaka entered a talent show in 1981, becoming the first black child to appear on South African television. Her bold voice and vivacious personality was hard to ignore, and in her early 20s she was already churning out radio hits such as Umqombothi, and Thank You Mr DJ. Featuring the experiences of black South Africans in her lyrics and videos, Machaka's music renewed the energy of a nation weighed down by the apartheid regime. She became an icon, locally and internationally. The mother of four is now using her voice, fame, and influence to work towards the eradication of malaria through her support of a number of health initiatives.
Machaka is a Goodwill Ambassador for the Roll Back Malaria Partnership and has worked with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The humanitarian founded the Princess of Africa Foundation in 2006, campaigning for improved preventative measures and treatment against malaria. In 2012, she became the first African woman to receive the World Economic Forum's Crystal Award. Machaka's rise to stardom began more than three decades ago. But with her music and life-saving efforts, she's still making a difference to South Africans today.


text: Share: Comments Print March 16, 2011 at 8:17 PM Talk at the University Lions Club Posted by Gabriel Campanario Last week I did a presentation about my work for members of the University Lions Club. I wish I could have stayed longer to do more sketches and hear more stories from the people who attended the meeting. Past president Patty Minzel said the club was only for men at first, but they changed the rules. Now the women do everything, she joked. To learn more about this service organization with over 45,000 groups and 1.35 million members all over the world you can visit www.lionsclubs.org. Comments


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Can you go AU NATUREL and have great looking glowing skin? *CONTEST*
What you eat ultimately reflects on your face. The correct diet will provide nutrients to your body to repair the damaged tissues, mend collagen, build new cells and bones, produce enzymes and proteins, and so much more. Regular sleep (at least 7 hours a night), yoga & meditation and good eating habits all play a big part into having naturally beautiful skin.
Eat fruits and vegetables, fiber, lean protein, complex carbohydrates and foods that are less in saturated fat. Consume berries (the best food for clear skin) since they contain antioxidants that work as anti-skin aging. Antioxidant-rich foods seem to have a protective effect for the skin.
3 skin care tips to achieve a great natural glow:
1) Opt for fragrance free skin care products because fragrance is the most common cause of skin-care-related allergic reactions. If you're sensitive, be sure to choose products that are labeled "fragrance-free."
2) Keep your skin care simple and avoid heavy duty cleansers. Mild, non-detergent cleansers like milks, gels or foams are best. Make sure the ingredients contain gentle, plant-derived surfactants (the prefix coco- equals coconut, gluco- equals fruit sugars). Always use a pH-balanced cleanser and avoid toners. Use a multi-tasking moisturizer that provides both hydration and protection.
3) Sunscreen! Did you know 80% of the aging that dermatologists see is due to excess sun exposure? Sun can break down the collagen and elastin in your skin and cause more wrinkles. Use a SPF 30 or higher on your face and to make sure the sunscreen is labeled broad spectrum. Like the ones below by Arbonne
Contest Rules
1) Tag three friends to join the contest for (1) entry
2) Tell us your favorite skin care tip for (1) entry
3) Post your favorite healthy recipe for (2) entries
You can have a maximum of 4 entries in today's contest. The winner will receive a full-sized bottle of Arbonne's Water-Resistant Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 US #950 and Lip Saver Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 US #965. The contest ends Tuesday 4/7/2015 at 12:00pm est. The winner is responsible to check back Wednesday to see if they won and they must contact us at email@example.com to claim their prize.
Arbonne products "are good for you and kind to the earth"
To find out more, or shop please visit: http://www.arbonne.com/pws/daveycook/tabs/home.aspx
Good Luck!
Clique Boudoir


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The Arts are an essential element of a Soundview education. Arts education has a number of benefits to the social, emotional, and intellectual development of children. To name just a few:
1. More time to practice being curious, creative, and inventive develops these skills for lifelong use.
2. More time spent in the arts correlates to Improved academic performance. Large scale studies show score increases of 38-50 points on SAT in verbal and math. Studying and practicing dance improves reading readiness, and music gives context for teaching language skills.
3. Using a variety of art tools develops fine motor skills at all age levels. Music and art instruction develops capacity for spatial-temporal reasoning.
4. Visual learning and thinking skills are developed. Time in the arts increases reasoning, intuition, imagination, problem-solving, and expression. Students' abilities to make abstractions and inferences are increased.
5. Working on a variety of phases of projects develops perseverance, confidence, and decision-making.
6. Language development and cultural awareness are reinforced as students talk about art and music through observations, personal connections, and historical and cultural contexts.
Art is always on display in Soundview's hallways. Check out these 8th grade final projects. After lessons and practice with gesture, angles, proportion, shaping, and shading to indicate form, 8th grade artists created these figure drawings using various charcoal media.


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As an account security measure, you will need to grant access to this browser by entering the special code. You will find it in your e-mail inbox at
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Final Fantasy VII Steam Gift
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Prime Games
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In Midgar, a city controlled by the mega-conglomerate Shinra Inc., the No. 1 Mako Reactor has been blown up by a rebel group, AVALANCHE.
AVALANCHE was secretly formed to wage a rebellion against Shinra Inc., an organisation which is absorbing Mako energy, destroying the natural resources of the planet. Cloud, a former member of Shinra's elite combat force, SOLDIER, was involved with the bombing of the Mako Reactor.
Can Cloud and AVALANCHE protect the planet from the huge, formidable enemy, Shinra Inc.? The RPG classic Final Fantasy VII returns to PC, now with brand new online features!
Achievements – Whether you're a seasoned Final Fantasy VII veteran or exploring this RPG classic for the very first time, show off your in-game accomplishments and put your gaming skills to the test with 36 brand new achievements to unlock. Share your profile with friends online to find out who is the ultimate Final Fantasy fan.'
Cloud Saves – If you're away from home or simply using a different computer to play, enjoy Final Fantasy VII wherever you are. With cloud save support in Final Fantasy VII you can continue your game progress right where you left off (Requires Internet Connection. Saves can only be transferred between a maximum of 3 computers at any one time).
Character Booster – Find yourself stuck on a difficult section or lacking the funds to buy that vital Phoenix Down? With the Character Booster you can increase your HP, MP and Gil levels to their maximum, all with the simple click of a button, leaving you to enjoy your adventure.
Optimized for PC – Final Fantasy VII has been updated to support the latest hardware and Windows Operating Systems.
- OS: Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7 (32/64bits)
- Processor: 2GHz
- Memory: 1 GB RAM
- Graphics: DirectX 9.0c-compatible graphic card
- DirectX®: 9.0c
- Hard Drive: 3 GB HD space
"Please remember that we are NOT responsible for any problems that may arise from purchasing and using Steam Gifts. You are doing it at your own risk.
"Please note, that due to recent Valve Steam Gift policy update Steam Gifts for games that are covered by VAC ban program can no longer be added to Inventory. Make sure that you are logged in to the proper account before entering the link as Steam Gifts can be only added to your library or rejected.
How do I use a Steam gift given to me?
- If you do not already have Steam, download and install Steam here. Once you have Steam installed, you will be prompted to create an account or login to an existing Steam account. If you do not have an account, please create one.
- You will receive an e-mail containing a link that will open Steam allowing you to redeem your gift. After clicking the link, you will receive a notification at the top right corner in the Steam client informing that you have a new gift.
If you have any problems regarding activation, please contact us:


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Here's your chance to get up close and personal with your favorite characters from The Nutcracker! Clara, the Snow Queen, the Dewdrop Fairy, and Mother Ginger herself will usher in the holiday season at the Mother Ginger Tea! Enjoy an enchanting afternoon tea followed by a special preview performance from The Nutcracker. You won't want to miss this Christmas time favorite that has become a tradition for so many families.
Saturday, November 17th
Two Seatings: 3:00 pm + 4:15 pm
$25 per person
All children and each adult attending must add their name as a "student" on the registration form, and pay the $25 per person seating fee in order to reserve a seat.
Questions: email@example.com or 214.357.8888


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When Insights Serve the Flow of Life: Thoughts on Adoption/
Not long ago, a young woman came to a workshop, and as we were talking about her difficulties in becoming pregnant, she said something like, I would never adopt, having seen through family constellations the terrible consequences. I heard her, heard what she'd heard and saw what she'd seen, all in a flash. I was immediately struck by how easy it is slip into a dogmatic way of thinking, even while looking through this experiential, insight-oriented lens. I am not speaking now of this young woman, but of myself, who could have taught this idea about adoption somehow.
From the beginning, my sense has been that what Bert Hellinger was pointing to when he spoke of adoption -- of most things, really – was the necessity to take our actions seriously, to attempt to imagine them beyond that most local neighborhood of ourselves. What it means to go outside of those parameters in this case includes:
That the child, who is taken (given up, remanded, or in any other way severed from original connection), suffers a deep and enduring breach of the most basic level of security: to be taken care of by those who gave life. While there is not compensation for this betrayal, even the simple recognition of it may inform any potential parent's decisions in a good way.
That in this loss of connection it is not only the biological parents themselves who are missing, but the biological language and culture of the specific family. All of it is in the child but no longer reflected back to him or her by the group.
That rather than condemning the biological parents for their handling of circumstances, gratitude to them is the place to start. Such a stance rights the initial agreement between biological lifegivers and nonbiological caregivers in a powerful way, perhaps allowing the child to better integrate both the original and the newer streams that hold him or her in life. Such gratitude has no place for the details of judgment, so the child doesn't need to be fragmented within it.
The constellations I have seen often reveal discrepancies at vital points that damage the possibility of good outcomes. That's different than adoption being "wrong." Imagine the adoptive couple standing in the full depth and breadth of their gratitude for having the opportunity to nurture this life who has come into their care. Imagine if that were the sole message received and shared. Imagine that both partners were united on this level. Imagine, too, that their understanding encompassed the deepest sense that the child draws from currents outside of theirs and that their task is not to replace or erase those currents but to support them, in the best possible ways, with the biological parents standing with them at all times, in the best possible ways.
At the workshop, when we set up a piece for this young woman, there was such clarity and profundity on this layer: an image in which a child could be seen and loved and supported in all of his or her complexity.
Because I do not presume to speak for Bert Hellinger, I offer only one quote on the subject here. In Lousiville, Kentucky, in 2008, a member of the audience asked a complicated question about the new technologies available to conceive a child. I'd lost track midquestion and was afraid Bert was going to ask that I repeat the details, but instead he simply smiled and then looked out into the large audience: "Welcome child," he said.
That beautiful phrase has stuck with me all these years as the key answer to this type of question: yes. It also seems to me the pivotal question on the way to most of our answers. Welcome child, welcome love, welcome life.


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Danielle was a lot of fun to photograph. She is a strong athlete, but also very feminine.
When choosing 1 image for this blog, I'm forced to bypass a lot of wonderful photographs. My goal though is to showcase some of the unique things we do that very few other photographers can do... after all, that is why people come to me.
Danielle is one of our studio models and being an All-State selection for softball, I had to go with this "magazine cover looking " photograph.


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Cocoons Clip-Ons Rectangle REC1 Sunglasses
by Cocoons
Item Number: 010150
Cocoons Clip-Ons Rectangle REC1. A polarized clip on with plastic-coated prongs that fit easily over your prescription eyewear without scratching the lens. With superb optical quality, a lifetime warranty, and a countless number of adaptable shapes, you're sure to find your perfect match for your favorite eyeglasses. Available in an array of lens colors.


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Report: Bronx subways filthiest in the cityPosted: Updated:
Subway stations in the Bronx are the dirtiest in the entire city placing them dead last in terms of cleanliness, graffiti and litter, according to a new report by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
MTA inspectors found that the borough's subway stations passed cleanliness tests only 78.5 percent of the time in June, according to the figures released yesterday.
Officials say they have already started to clean up Bronx stations. About 42 of 71 stations have finished or are currently under rehabilitation.


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Regular price
(per Metre)
Cotton Velvet Curtain Fabric - Porlock
Porlock is a 100% cotton velvet fabric suitable for curtains, upholstery, walling and bedding.
100% CottonWidth - 145cmRepeat - 0cmFire Rating - CIGMartindale Rub Test - 20 000
Aftercare >Light vacuum clean regularlyDry clean only
Minimum order - 1 metreDelivery - 7/10 days from date of order.
Important - For true colour accuracy we recommend that you request a cutting before ordering - see disclaimer article below.


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Energy Balancing with Himalyan Singing Bowl. 90 minutes INR 9,000
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Slam Dunk
Mixing instructions:
Mix in a rock glass,filled with ice. Add 1.5oz of Southern Comfort. For the mix, add 1 can of cranberry juice with half a can of orange concentrate into a pitcher. Use this mix to top off the drink.
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Size: 15 mL
Brand: Deborah Lippmann
Collection: Holiday 2012 Collection
This product contains no toluene, DBP or added formaldehyde.
About Deborah Lippmann:Deborah Lippmann is known as the celebrity manicurist working with icons such as Cher, Sarah Jessica Parker, Lady Gaga, and Beyonce. With shades consistently worn in cover shoots for the most fashionable magazines (Vogue and In Style), Deborah Lippmann has built a reputation as the go-to nail polish both for its sharp colors and amazing quality.
Application Instructions: For best results first apply a base coat to clean, bare nails. Then apply 2-3 coats of colored polish (depending on its consistency and thickness). For long lasting wear finish with a top coat.
Posted by Unknown on 12th Jan 2013
A VERY sheer black base with multiple sizes of gold glitter. I was a little disappointed with how sheer the polish was. I prefer to layer it over a black base with two coats of Cleopatra in NY on top for best results. Dry time was a little longer than my previous Deborah Lippmann polishes. Overall though a very beautiful polish with great results. Lots of compliments!
Posted by Sharon -Your Time Aesthetic's on 30th Nov 2012
Love the colour, texture and reflection of gold. It's not to be applied in smooth brush strokes like regular polish but then this isn't a regular polish. Nice little pats will give a beautiful coat in two layers.
Posted by Brenda on 27th Nov 2012
This was the first polish I put on the day I got it ,Love it!. Its full of glitter very pretty, I found the base to be a bit sheer, I did 3 coats and it looked awesome!!


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Back Through Time
"Show them to me," I say as soon as the front door closes behind me. Perhaps she smiles, though she doesn't as a rule. She has never warmed to the newfangled mania for smiling, which she considers a regrettable side-effect of snapshots and modern dentistry, so she never minds if I am serious, never asks, "Why the long face?" She is serious too, about our little ritual and about everything else. Hand-in-hand, we walk upstairs to the bedroom that will be called "Nam's room" for decades after her death. She opens the closet door, it always sticks a little, then pulls from the top shelf the large silver box embossed with fruits that she brought back from Italy. We sit on her bed and she begins to empty the box methodically, still by still, telling the stories that go with each image, each face. If she tells me about her trip abroad, I don't remember it. I am not interested in traveling across an ocean. I am interested in traveling back through time. To the exotic land of the past. To the land of the dead. Even pictures of her as a child no older than I am in her high-necked dress and high-button shoes are of some long-lost person, not the stern old woman sitting beside me, skin thin and ivoried as vellum.


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The primary instrument in all property transactions is the deed. Property deeds are recorded documents legally denoting the transfer of land from one party to another. The parties listed on a deed are either grantors (sellers) or grantees (purchasers). Deeds are generally recorded with the County Recorder of Deeds or County Clerk; although this does vary in some locations, such as in the Northeast where property records are more commonly recorded at the municipal level. Recorder of Deeds offices are increasingly making their more recently filed records available on the internet, while older documents are typically only available in-person-this can vary a lot from office to office.
Deeds can be used to identify who currently owns a specific parcel of land and who else might have a claim to the property. Deeds can also provide additional information, such as who else has owned the property and whether there are any conflicts of interest between the owner and other individuals or businesses that do own or have owned the property.
One method to determine if a possible conflict exists is to compare the purchase price with the historical trend for that property. Ethical improprieties can be evidenced when a property is purchased for significantly more or less than what it is worth on the open market, particularly in cases where a relationship between the parties can be documented. Examples: the relationships that exist between candidates and officeholders and campaign contributors, friends or someone who has business before the body on which the elected official serves.
The property purchase price is not always listed directly on the deed, but can be calculated by multiplying the transfer tax amount listed by the tax rate for the county in which the sale took place. For instance, in Sacramento County, CA the transfer tax rate is $.55 per $500 of sale price. If the amount of transfer tax is listed as $100, divide $100 by $.55 and then multiply by $500 to determine the property was purchased for approximately $90,909.09. The transfer tax rate does change over time, but the County Recorder or County Tax Collector can provide the exact rate for the deed in question.
Deeds do not always list the mailing address of the property in question, instead providing what is known as the "legal description." A legal description is a detailed description used to determine the exact boundaries of a specific parcel of land. In other words, if a dispute arises between two land owners over the placement of a fence between the properties, the legal description would be referenced for definitive word on the property boundaries. The legal description is consistent and, therefore, useful in tracking events related to a specific parcel, since other identifiers (such as mailing addresses and parcel numbers) often change.
Lastly, deeds can also provide evidence of racial discrimination. To learn more on using deeds to spot potential discrimination, see our post on Finding Racially Restrictive Covenants.
While the format of deeds may vary somewhat from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, you can see an example of what a typical deed looks like by clicking here.


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Dr Ranjana Srivastava, So it's Cancer: Now What?/
Odds are that you know someone who has been diagnosed with cancer. It's always a shock. Always.
This book breaks this taboo topic down into digestible pieces, explains some of the terminology and produces a series of practical suggestions for you to discuss with your family and treating doctors. Sometimes the shock is so great, people are overwhelmed by the choices presented to them and patients often feel there is no choice at all.
This book gives you the practical tools, and vocabulary to navigate this path and manage your treatment, your family, career and your home. It's a hell of a juggle at the best of times but Srivastava has some sensible suggestions.
Some of these practical tips include:
How to find the right specialists?
How to decide if a clinical trial is appropriate?
How to tell your children?
Is my family at risk?
What if there is no option for surgery?
Fatigue, loss of libido, natural therapies, starting treatment, finishing treatment, managing pain, managing end of life, keeping hope alive, and lastly:
Will my death be painful?
Through the process of cancer treatment people often leave the specialists' office with more questions. This book helps you seek the answers you need.
If you know someone very well who has been recently diagnosed, then this book could be a helpful read because I guarantee they may be Googling some or all of these topics.
The Blurb
'You have cancer.'
These three small words have the power to dramatically change your existence. They can set in motion events that leave you – the patient – feeling out of control of your own body and circumstances. And while there are still many mysteries about cancer, it's important to understand the illness and how it will affect your life.
With her trademark wisdom and warmth, Ranjana Srivastava guides you through the challenging and complex world of the disease. What is cancer and how is it treated? Why can't I have an operation? What should I eat, and how do I manage pain? She equips you with the knowledge to make informed decisions on the most daunting questions, such as how to find the right oncologist, and how best to break the news to your family.
So it's Cancer: Now What? Is a practical, comprehensive guide to what to do when cancer enters your life, by medical oncologist and award-winning author Ranjana Srivastava.
To see an extract of the book click here to go to the Penguin website.
I was sent a review copy of So it's Cancer: Now What? from Penguin, but all opinion are my own.


text: NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks on Friday ended slightly higher, with financials pacing the gains, as investors basked in the market's longest winning stretch in nearly two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +1.02% rose 5.90 points, or 0.1%, to end at 8,131.33, its highest close since Feb. 9. The blue-chip index tallied a weekly gain of 0.6%. The S&P 500 SPX, +1.22% added 4.3 points, or 0.5%, to 869.60, a 1.5% rise from last week's finish. The technology-laden Nasdaq Composite COMP, +1.47% advanced 2.63 points, or 0.2%, to end at 1,673.07, up 1.2% for the week.


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Don't show this again
The Warp Sequent is a bit of a mind flip. Rising above ZTE's sea of disappointing handsets, it's a reliable and decent prepaid phone available on Boost's 3G network.
The Warp Sequent sports a 4.3-inch touch screen and a nearly vanilla Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS.
The handset measures 5 inches tall, 2.56 inches wide, and 0.39 inch thick, and weighs 4.6 ounces.
On the back is a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and panoramic shooting capabilities.
Above the display are a 1.3-megapixel camera and an LED notification light.
Powering the phone are a 1.4GHz processor and a 1,650mAh battery, which roughly translates to 8 hours of reported talk time.


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One of the foods which my daughters love to eat which we can't get in England is Bak Kwa, which is a Chinese salty-sweet dried meat which can be bought in countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. For Chinese New Year this year, my wife decided to make this for my daughters, as a special treat for the occasion. I also managed to convince her to make this for the church CNY celebration as well. Continue reading Bak Kwa
Tag Archives: chinese new year
Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner 2017
On Chinese New Year Eve, we invited 4 special friends over to share our reunion dinner together. As always, my wife was up to the task and had determined the various dishes she would like to cook for all of us days ahead of the event. In total, we had ten different dishes served for our reunion dinner. Continue reading Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner 2017
Chinese New Year Meal
Today is the fourth day of Chinese New Year, and as expected there was a celebratory dinner held in our church. I gather that the Chinese New Year celebrations goes on for 15 days (longer than the 12 days of Christmas). Many people brought a dish they had cooked to share. As usual, I was there with my trusty camera to capture it all. Continue reading Chinese New Year Meal


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This leaflet against the first round of furloughs last year.
Strikes Not Furloughs! How to Fight Attacks on Public Employees
In his quixotic quest for ways to balance the deficit-ridden California budget without imposing any part of the burden on powerful corporations or the state's wealthy coterie of campaign donors, Governator Schwarzenegger has targeted the state's public employees for an unprecedented, massive attack. Between the elimination of paid holidays and the imposition of mandatory furloughs, state employee wages have effectively been cut by almost 15%. Massive cuts in the future state budget for education promise to result in college enrollment cuts, massive layoffs of teachers, larger class sizes, shorter school years, and even school closures. Yet until recently – now that it may well be too late – the unions that represent those employees have largely abandoned their members to suffer, without raising a finger in their defense.
The July 1 Rally – A Case Study in Futility
The largest public workers' union in the state is SEIU 1000, which has approximately 30,000 members in Sacramento,the state capital, as well as over 120,000 others around the state. On July 1, 2009, SEIU 1000 held a march and rally in Sacramento against the current spate of attacks on California state workers. Even though tens of thousands of SEIU members work within walking distance of the site, and even though it bused in from outside the state capital), SEIU 1000 was barely able to motivate 3,000 members and supporters to participate.
The other state worker unions – CAPS, PEGS, AFSCME, IUOE Local 39 – did nothing to mobilize workers to attend the rally. About 150 Communications Workers of America (CWA) workers appeared early in the afternoon on the capitol steps, just around the corner from the SEIU rally point. It seemed obvious that the two contingents should merge in a show of class solidarity, but what was obvious to some was ignored by both the CWA and SEIU leaderships, who while on site did nothing to initiate a joint action.
Concurrently with the demonstration, the governor, speaking at a press conference, lambasted state workers and their unions as "special interests," and then signed an order for a third unpaid furlough day per month. Beyond holding the relatively small demonstration, the unions representing the state workers barely raised a peep at this outrage. Of course, the 3,000 of us on the capitol lawn were hooting and hollering at the top of our lungs, but after a few hours we all went back to the office or got on our buses and left, with less in our benefit package than when we had arrived.
The Legacy of Business Unionism
Why aren't the public employee unions in California (and other states in similar situations) activating their membership to take militant action to combat these attacks? Are they incapable? Just plain against the concept? Or working for the other side?
In the days leading up to and just after the announcement of the third furlough day, the scuttlebutt around the water cooler was that what we need is a strike. Workers are pissed off, and jawboning about how we need to strike is how folk vent. However, there is no confidence among the workers that our unions have either the strength or intestinal fortitude to build for a strike. Instinctively, workers know what is needed, but we also see that we have no organizational structure capable of fighting. Nor is there any semblance of solidarity developing, which is essential if we are to build for, initiate, and sustain a winning strike. Union activists and staffers quickly cover their inaction with "blame the worker" statements, such as "Of course we need a strike, but if we can't even get our people out for a picket line or on the bus to Sacramento, how do you expect them to strike?"
It's time that we look at our organizations to see why they are incapable of building a fighting leadership. The hand wringing we are seeing on the part of the staffers, executive boards and activists who have stood by, watched, and allowed our unions to disintegrate over the years is the conscious expression of the destruction wrought upon organized labor by 50 years of business unionism. Few and far between are members who remember or have learned the story of what it took to win the unions in the first place. For decades, labor has been told by its leaders to build support for Democratic politicians who, despite posing as "friends of labor," invariably legislate, execute, and administer policies written by and for their true friends in the financial and corporate sectors. Rather than building a fighting workers' party, preparing rank and file action committees, organizing the unorganized, and building solidarity among different locals and unions, our union "leaders" have told us that their Democratic "friends" would look out for us. So we kept sending them our contributions, worked their phone banks, and supported their candidacies.
What have we gotten in return? The real deal is being exposed now, when we are faced with a world wide collapse of capitalism, and all the Democrats and all the Republicans can't put Humpty Dumpty back together again. The very same politicians who were elected to office with the support of organized labor are telling us that there is no money and that we all have to "share the pain." Big time liberals in the California Legislature like Mark Leno and Tom Aminano, both of who, climbed the Democratic ladder from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to the State Assembly, can be heard on the radio pushing the anti-worker, anti-union solutions that their caucus put together with uber-worker-hater Governor Schwarzenegger to be presented to the voters on the May 19th ballot, and soundly rejected.
No wonder the workers have lost faith in their unions. All that is left of the fighting spirit of state workers is to bluster boldly by the water cooler, as a mere fraction of the membership answers the leadership's call to rally at the capitol. It's going to take a lot more than the unions are currently doing to mobilize the fighting spirit of workers who have lost all faith in their leadership's ability or willingness to fight back.
The intention of this leaflet is not to point to one union and blame it for the lack of leadership. But we cannot understand fully why workers don't respond to their union's calls for demonstrations unless we look at some of the concessions and practices some of the leaders of these unions have been party to. For example, they accepted a two-tier medical plan under which new workers have to wait longer to become fully vested, which ruptures the solidarity between younger and older workers. When the SEIU leadership cut a deal for one furlough day in the negotiations leading up to the failed May 19 ballot initiatives, they willingly voted to accept this concession despite the fact that other unions, facing the same furloughs, were still struggling (in court) to stop all furloughs. And, of course, the reliance on the courts by CAPS and PEGS as their sole method of opposing the forced concessions did nothing to mobilize the workers to take any organized action greater than calling their legislator or sending a postcard to the governor.
In short, it is clear from the tactics and leadership provided by our unions that they simply are not capable of defending our interests, and are definitively not interested in fighting for workers' power. Their intention has long been to support the status quo. To that end, they have limited their role, as they have seen it, to negotiating for wage increases that keep up with inflation; preventing givebacks; and supporting only the most gradual reforms, if any. But today they have shown that they are not even capable of those limited tasks.
The Need to Build Inter-Union Rank-and-File Solidarity
If we had a fighting trade union leadership, they would long ago have convened a series of district-wide inter-union rank and file conferences to mobilize workers and prepare our organizations to take united action to defend our quality of life and protect the multitude of vitally necessary social services – health care, education, workplace safety, transportation, parks, home care for seniors and the disabled, the poison hot line, and so forth – that state and local government employees provide to the public at large. But the union bureaucrats are so set in their ways that even the mention of such a concept sends them into apoplectic fits.
It was due to this vacuum of leadership, and the unions' history of concessions and dependence on politicians and courts, that rank-and-file workers at the California Department of Public Heath (CDPH) Richmond campus came together on their own, in the spring of 2009, to form the inter-union organizing committee that is the main force behind the Furlough Friday demonstrations. This committee's purpose is to investigate ways to build solidarity and fight back against the cuts in our benefits, threats of layoffs, and cuts in public services and education. If not for the efforts of this committee, there would not have been a busload of folks from Richmond joining the rally in Sacramento. At the rally in Sacramento, we distributed 400 leaflets approved by our steering committee calling on state workers to form inter-union organizing committees in every workplace throughout the state. Our bus to Sacramento carried public employees from a variety of state and local unions, including workers from EBMUD (the East Bay water and sewer utility) and the West Contra Costa County School District. The Richmond bus set an example of solidarity which must be repeated ten-thousand-fold if we are to defeat the anti-worker policies of the politicians in Sacramento and their corporate and banker friends who have destroyed the economy. Since then the workers have initiated a Furlough Friday Protest at the State Building in Oakland and have urged other State workers to do the same at their job sites.
These workers have reached out to communities impacted by the cuts in the state budget including school teachers and BART workers to make common cause, because they understand that united workers action is the only road to victory.
Don't Share the Pain – Send It Back Where It Came From!
The ruling elite of California are rich beyond our wildest dreams. The governor and the politicians are all in Sacramento to protect the plutocrats' wealth, not to serve working people. The same fatcat bankers and investors who ruined the economy now want working folk to pay the price for their recklessness and greed. We need to send them a loud and clear message that we refuse! The only way to force the corporations, the billionaires, and all their fat cat stooges to pay for education and social service is to take militant direct labor action – in other words, strikes.
As we have been advocating since the beginning of this crisis, there is a road to victory for working people, the recipients of social services, and the community. That road is though massive coordinated state wide strike action. The only way for us to win is to defy the Taft-Hartley law that prevents sympathy strikes. We must stand together with one another to support all strikes against furloughs, layoffs, budget cuts, school closures, and other measures designed to force us to bear the brunt of the financial crisis.
In July, SEIU 1000 finally got serious, and took a vote authorizing strikes to oppose the third furlough day imposed by the governor. Let's force them to stick to their word, and make other public worker unions follow suit. Only militant, unified action can lead us to victory. To prepare, we must immediately convene mass inter-union assemblies of the working class, including not only members of the trade unions but also the unemployed, the poor, seniors, students, and other recipients of public services. When workers meet and talk, the ruling elite tremble, because their lies will not stand the scrutiny of public discovery.
Forward to mass inter-union assemblies of rank-and-file public workers!
Occupy the state workplaces and keep out all scabs!
For mass strike action throughout the state to save education and social services!
August 2009
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