text:
International Herald Tribune
The Associated PressPublished: June 8, 2008
HARARE, Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe's opposition had a successful day of campaigning
despite attempts by ruling party militants to thwart election activities,
party officials said Sunday.
President Robert Mugabe's supporters cordoned off the area where opposition
leaders were to speak in a Harare suburb, preventing the opposition from
going ahead with the rally, Movement for Democratic Change spokesman Nelson
Chamisa said.
However, two other gatherings went ahead as planned in Harare despite
militants threatening and intimidating supporters at the venue, Chamisa
"The people are so strong and so courageous. It was very successful," he
On Saturday, a court had struck down a police ban on opposition rallies.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai faces off against Mugabe in a presidential
runoff June 27. Tsvangirai won the most votes in the first round in March,
but not enough to avoid a runoff.
Tsvangirai, meanwhile, continued campaigning Sunday in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's
second main city, where he has been speaking to small groups of voters
around Bulawayo.
He also made a surprise visit at a small rally in Kwekwe, where he urged
supporters to go and vote, the party said in a statement.
"The people have already won. The coming election would only reaffirm this
victory," Tsvangirai said. "Zimbabweans would resoundingly defeat the regime
and begin a new life with hope of a better Zimbabwe."
However, the opposition said police attacked supporters in Bulawayo and
prevented them from putting up election campaign posters.
A team of four party members were putting up posters when they were
confronted by police and other security forces who told them that "it was
Mugabe's country and only Mugabe could put posters on street poles and the
MDC would not be allowed," the opposition said in a statement.
The team continued on to the railway station, but were followed by police in
riot gear and on bicycles, the party said. The police assaulted the MDC
members with baton sticks. One person suffered a broken leg and was admitted
to hospital.
Comment from the police was not immediately available.
Tsvangirai's spokesman, George Sibotshiwe, said Mugabe has turned Zimbabwe
into a police state.
"The regime is denying the people their fundamental rights in order to steal
the June 27 election and subvert the will of the Zimbabwean people through
widespread violence and killings, wanton arrests and by closing political
space for the MDC to campaign," he said.
Also Sunday, a court ordered police to release opposition lawmaker Eric
Matinenga, who was taken from his home Saturday and detained at a station
outside the capital. He was accused of fomenting violence, lawyer Beatrice
Mtetwa said.
Matinenga, also detained on similar charges earlier in the week but released
because of a lack of evidence, is among scores of opposition activists
arrested in recent weeks. Matinenga, himself an attorney, has represented
opposition leaders in a string of high-profile court cases.
The opposition and rights groups cite a rise in violence and intimidation in
the run-up to the vote. Tsvangirai's party, blaming state agents, says at
least 60 of its supporters have been slain in the past two months.
Tsvangirai, who his party says has been the target of at least three
assassination attempts, left Zimbabwe after the March vote, but returned in
late May to campaign for the runoff.
Sun 8 Jun 2008, 14:37 GMT
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's High Court on Sunday ordered police to release
an opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) member of parliament, who
was arrested on Saturday for the second time in a week.
Eric Matinenga was initially arrested on June 1 on charges of inciting
public violence in his constituency, but was released on Thursday after a
magistrate dropped the charges and said he had been wrongly charged.
He was detained for a second time on Saturday morning.
Matinenga's arrests come amid accusations by the opposition that President
Robert Mugabe's government is trying to sabotage MDC leader Morgan
Tsvangirai's campaign ahead of a June 27 run-off presidential election.
The second round vote follows a disputed March poll which showed Tsvangirai
beat Mugabe, but not by enough votes to avoid a run-off.
"The MDC welcomes the judgement as the only logical thing to do as Advocate
Matinenga is a fine son of Zimbabwe, whose quest for the freedom of the
people of Zimbabwe is unquestionable," the party said in a statement.
Six MDC lawmakers have been arrested for various offences since the March 29
The opposition, rights groups and opposition members accuse veteran leader
Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party of trying to rig the election by intimidating
voters, undermining the MDC and thwarting its campaign efforts.
Yahoo News
1 hour, 31 minutes ago
HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwe doctors have treated nearly 3,000 victims of
political violence over nearly two months, a medical association said
Sunday, three weeks before a tense presidential run-off.
"We have noticed with great concern the increase in politically motivated
violence to our fellow Zimbabweans," Specialist Doctors in Zimbabwe said in
a statement.
"Many victims, including children, are currently under our care with severe
injuries sustained over the past few weeks."
The association includes the Surgical Society of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
Anaesthetic Association, National Physicians of Zimbabwe and the Paediatric
Association of Zimbabwe.
A total of 2,900 victims had been recorded throughout the country, it said,
adding that some 200 among them had to be hospitalised.
"Sadly, a number have succumbed to these injuries," the group said.
Violence has mounted ahead of the June 27 run-off, when opposition leader
Morgan Tsvangirai will be seeking to defeat President Robert Mugabe, who has
ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change says around 60 of its
supporters have been killed by pro-Mugabe militias.
Mugabe blames the opposition for the increase in violence, but the United
Nations' chief representative in Zimbabwe has said the president's
supporters are to blame for the bulk of it.
Zimbabwe's government has also suspended all aid work ahead of the vote,
leading charities to warn of a possible humanitarian crisis in a nation with
the world's highest inflation rate and major food shortages.
Yahoo News
by Sibongile Khumalo 19 minutes ago
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Activists say Zimbabwe may be facing an exodus of human
rights lawyers like Makoni because of a crackdown by President Robert
Mugabe's regime.
Rights lawyer Andrew Makoni hopes he is safe now as he sits in his new
office here, but he remains shaken after packing up and leaving Zimbabwe
recently out of fears he would be killed for his work.
"My departure was so sudden I had to leave my family behind," said Makoni,
who has represented Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. "They will
be joining me once their visas are sorted."
The last couple months have been especially perilous, the activists said,
with Mugabe's 28-year reign over the country in jeopardy ahead of a June 27
presidential run-off.
Lawyers have been routinely threatened or arrested, testing even the most
hardened among them, they said.
"State institutions are being used to carry out atrocities against innocent
civilians and those defending them," said Beatrice Mthethwa, president of
the Zimbabwe Law Society.
Makoni represented Tsvangirai, who faces Mugabe in the upcoming vote, when
the opposition leader was beaten up and arrested in March last year. The
lawyer said working in Zimbabwe had become almost impossible.
"If you represent a political or human rights abuse case you are
automatically associated with the cause of your client and subjected to
intimidation and arrest," he said.
Makoni claimed he fled after security forces assigned to a police station
near his home in Harare hatched a plan to kill him.
"Areas outside Harare like Muthoko, Murewa and Guruve are notorious for
politically-motivated tortures, disappearances and killings, and lawyers are
often ambushed when they visit these areas," he said.
Last year, Makoni and his partner Alec Muchadehama made headlines when they
were detained after trying to obtain bail for members of the opposition
They were charged with obstruction of justice and later released on bail
following an uproar by rights lawyers and organisations.
In the last two weeks, four of Makoni's clients who were members of the
opposition party were mysteriously killed, he said.
He claimed the situation was so bad that the number of human rights lawyers
throughout the country had dropped to about 10.
Irene Petras, director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said only a
handful of the bravest lawyers were willing to take on the government.
"We are not letting the biased and volatile political climate undermine our
work," said Petras.
The Johannesburg-based Southern African Litigation Centre (SALC) said
Makoni's flight was likely to be followed by others.
The organisation in recent months spearheaded a Durban court bid to prevent
a Chinese ship from offloading its cargo of arms intended for Zimbabwe.
SALC director Nicole Fritz said it is a deeply troubling sign of the
situation in Zimbabwe when the best and most courageous human rights lawyers
are targeted and forced to flee.
"South Africa and regional leaders need to put human rights monitors on the
ground now because the Zimbabwean authorities who refuse to relinquish power
cannot be trusted to secure the lives -- let alone the interests -- of their
citizens," said Fritz.
Lawyers in Zimbabwe say working conditions have been deteriorating for
several years, but the situation has worsened over the past couple months.
"These days being a lawyer means you are also an MDC member," Mthethwa of
the Zimbabwe Law Society said, referring to the Movement for Democratic
Change opposition party.
"Perpetrators often get off the hook as incidents of abuse go unreported.
Even if they are reported nothing much gets done about it."
Business Report
June 8, 2008
The Zimbabwe dollar plunged through Z$1 billion to the US dollar on the
country's legal and illegal markets this week.
"The market is short and we are in free fall," Harare-based economist John
Robertson said on Friday. "It is likely that one US dollar will buy Z$2
billion or more by the end of June."
At Zimbabwe's official inter-bank rate on Friday, $1 bought Z$1.4 billion.
The Old Mutual implied rate, used as a guide by many businesses, valued the
US unit at Z$3 billion.
Zimbabwe has the worst inflation rate - 1 700 000 percent - and the fastest
shrinking peace-time economy. It is in its 10th successive year of
"The crisis is now unmanageable," said University of Zimbabwe economics
lecturer Anthony Hawkins. "Unless Zimbabwe stops printing money, it won't
get anywhere."
Brains Muchemwa, an analyst with Zimbabwe's Genesis Investment Bank, said
the exchange rate was likely to remain in decline "reflecting supply and
demand dynamics in the economy".
Central Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono reduced restrictions on
foreign currency trading on April 30 to ease shortages.
Ignatius Padya, a black market currency trader in Harare, said:
"Liberalisation has not changed the fact that foreign currency is in short
supply and is not available from the banks. Or the banks are not selling,
which is the same thing."
|Written by Matirasa Muronda
June 9, 2008: For long-suffering Zimbabweans, it never rains but pours. Stared at by an incredulous world following a rare political development, Zimbabweans find themselves faced with an even bigger crisis, that of having to deal with increasingly insurmountable economic challenges.
Already, the country is having to go for an unprecedented second round of voting, despite one candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change, claiming victory against incumbent president, Robert Mugabe of Zanu-PF, albeit without the 50 per cent win required by the constitution.
Day-to-day existence for almost the entire population — save for a few super-rich and those well-connected to the ruling party top brass — has become a living nightmare, with prices of goods and services going up by the hour, and way out of reach of most Zimbabweans.
Zimbabweans no longer go for "window-shopping" with a view of coming back to make the purchase later, because prices rarely last for two days at the same level, a situation which has seen service providers now charging in US dollar or South African Rand.
A private butchery, which now makes door-to-door deliveries because of the scarcity of good quality meat, has since advised its clients it will now be selling its products in South African Rand, arguing villagers are also demanding payment in forex — and rejecting Zimbabwean dollars because of its instability — for their goats, sheep or cattle.
Low income
Both petrol and diesel are now being sold in US dollars — from $1.30 to $1.50 a litre — with such goods as motor vehicle parts/accessories, and such rare basic commodities as cooking oil, washing soap, tooth paste etc- also being charged in forex by traders, who are bringing them in from neighbouring South Africa, Botswana and Zambia because local industry has either completely stopped production of the commodities, or is producing too little to meet demand.
And not to be outdone are landlords in both low-income and high-density areas, who have since started demanding rent in foreign currency, to open a new chapter in the people's suffering. Lombard Matsika tells a grim and touching story, of how life has become a living hell for himself and his family of three. "To say things are tough would be an understatement," begins the 42-year-old, who works as a supervisor with a communications firm, in central Harare.
"I have a young family with two of my three children going to primary school, but the salary that I get is not even enough to feed the family for a single day.
"And to make matters worse, I have tried to get basic commodities like sugar and cooking oil, but you cannot get these in the supermarkets, but the black market where the cross-border traders are demanding payment in either Rand or US dollars. I live in Warren Park (a high-density township in Harare) and the landlord told me at the weekend that starting from June 1, I will have to pay rent in South African Rand and he has pegged it at R150 per room.
"I'm renting four rooms which means I need R600 every month, which I certainly cannot afford. I used to pay Z$2 billion per room, which was Z$8 billion per month, but because of the inflation, this money has been rendered worthless, and is only enough to buy just two litres of cooking oil, so says the landlord, hence this new demand for rent in forex.
And on top of that, I have to pay school fees for my children, and food because I am the only breadwinner in the family as my wife is not employed," said Matsika, adding he was contemplating taking his family back to his rural home in Murehwa. Ennet Mujana rents two rooms in Dzivarasekwa, one of Harare's low income residential suburbs, and she has also been informed that each of her rooms will be going for 100 Rand, starting from 1 June.
Enough is enough
"I'm a civil servant, and my salary is not even enough to pay for one room. I have tried to plead my case with the landlord, but his wife told me, to my face, that she is not the one who is making things unbearable for Zimbabweans. She told me I have to fork-out the money or vacate the premises. I also have to sell sweets, dried maize, and peanuts at work to raise more money or I will be thrown onto the streets. Life used to be tough, but this new development, where we have to pay for basics in foreign currency, has brought real terror into our lives. What do we do?" Mujana said.
Lucky Soma says he was asked to pay US$200 for a house he rents in Park Town, Waterfalls, one of Harare's low-density suburbs. "I used to pay in Zim dollars all along, but the landlord wants US$200. I have since taken him to the Rent Board, who are looking into the case and have advised me to continue paying the old rate in Zim dollars. This is murder, daylight robbery and unfair to some of us who have to go on the streets to buy the forex, whose rate continues to change each minute. Hopefully, the Rent Board will be able to intervene," said Soma.
Trevor Mberi, who rents out one of his two houses in Southerton, a middle density suburb in Harare, defended his decision to peg his rent in US dollars.
"Look, if I have to charge in Zim dollar, it means I have to change the amount every week because by the time month-end comes, the money is eroded by inflation. At least, if I charge in US dollars, no matter the inflation, I'm assured that I will get value from my property at the end of the day. I know things are tough, but I also have to survive and realise a return on my investment," Mberi said.
The Central Statistical Office has failed to issue the rate of inflation, which stood at 100,000 per cent in January but has been put at a staggering 1.7 million per cent by independent analysts.
The country's local currency has become so worthless it was trading at 1US$ to Z$1.2 billion by last Thursday, yet a day before it was trading at 1$US to Z$701,000. The development has seen virtually everything go up on a daily basis, much to the frustration of ordinary Zimbabweans who are now looking forward to the presidential run-off "to one and for all get ourselves out of this hell-on-earth." "Only a change of government will free us from this suffering.
We voted against the government and it never changed our lot, but even if Zanu-PF sends out its militias to beat us up, we will make sure come 27 June, we will vote for change, any change, as enough is enough," laments Jim Fero, an informal trader.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean police have been running commercials on national television over the past week, warning landlords against charging clients in foreign currency.
But the warnings have not been taken seriously by the majority of Zimbabweans, who dismiss them as a campaign strategy by Zanu-PF ahead of the presidential run-off between Tsvangirai and Mugabe, set for 27 June. So far, no one has been convicted of charging goods and services in forex, although a few individuals have faced charges of flouting exchange control regulations.
- NATION Correspondent
(Left,A policeman stands next to the charred body of an MDC staffer burnt to death at the Zaka MDC offices by ZANU PF militia.)
Elliot Manyika,ZANU PF-Bindura., reportedly told villagers at Chinyauhwera Business Centre, south of Mutare City that ZANU PF party supporters should be on the lookout for "sellouts" and "traitors" who wanted to give back the country to Britain.
Addressing the gathering Manyika who is also a Minister in Mugabe's government said,"You should be on the lookout for traitors," Manyika said. "They are among us. We have enemies all around us".
Hours after Manyika's rally Zanu PF supporters and a group of men in army uniforms moved from homestead to homestead in Chigodora and Chitakatira villages attacking MDC activists and burning their homes.
Eleven MDC activists including three councillors in the villages were taken to hospital in Mutare after sustaining serious injuries. Some of the affected were only identified as Mwedzi and Mutsoto.
Three teachers at Matika Primary School were also forced to flee the school station after they were threatened by Zanu PF militia. The teachers participated in a voter education campaign during the run-up to the March 29 polls. They were confronted by Zanu PF activists led by a woman identified only as Mrs Mangirazi and accused them of misleading villagers to vote for the MDC.
Chigodora, Chitakatira and Matika villages are in Mutare South which was won by a Zanu PF 's, Fred Kanzama.
Manyika said villagers should be on the lookout for MDC supporters and eliminate them because the MDC was being used by whites to "re-colonise" Zimbabwe.
"The whites found out that Tsvangirai is a willing tool and are using him to re-colonise the country. Now that we have our independence, we are forgetting what we went through during the armed colonial era and today some are saying we want Tsvangirai who wants to return the country to the whites."
"Tsvangirai ran away during the liberation struggle and today the whites are using him to cause confusion in the country."
Police were present at the gathering and heard the remarks.Six MDC lawmakers are behind bars after police say the incited violence,none of them have addressed any gathering.
Manyika's utterances have raised concerns about Police bias.
By Tongai Gava-Special Projects Editor ⋅ zimbabwemetro.com ⋅ June 8, 2008
A brother to the Minister of Information was beaten to death by ZANU PF
militia,the state media has been keeping a tight lid on the story.
Sindisiwe Ndlovu, a younger brother to Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, was buried on
Sunday in Mberengwa.
He died on Wednesday after being assaulted by a group of twelve ZANU PF
militia over disagreements over payments for their services.
The twelve Militia usually immune from prosecution were rounded up on
Thursday and locked up at a police station in Mberengwa.
[7th June 2008]
Ministry orders suspension of PVO/NGO field operations
Mr Goche, acting in his capacity as Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, has issued a circular letter dated 4th June 2008, which although headed " To All Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs)/Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)", was only delivered to a number of organisations distributing humanitarian aid. It reads as follows: It has come to my attention that a number of NGOs involved in humanitarian operations are breaching the terms and conditions of their registration as enshrined in the Private Voluntary Organizations Act [Chapter 17:05], as well as the provisions of the Code of Procedures for the Registration and operations of Non Governmental Organizations in Zimbabwe (General Notice 99 of 2007). As the Regulatory Authority, before proceeding with the provision of Section (10), Subsection ( c ), of the Private Voluntary Act [Chapter 17:05], I hereby instruct all PVOs/NGOs to suspend all field operation until further notice.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights have taken the preliminary position that the letter is not legally valid, as the Private Voluntary Organisations Act does not empower the Minister to suspend an NGO's operations. Also, section 10 of the Act, cited in the letter, empowers the PVO Board, not the Minister, to take action to de-register an NGO. But, whatever the legality of this instruction, it is a political reality. Today's Herald went a step further in its headlines and stated [based on a statement by the Deputy Minister of Information] that "All NGOs have been ordered to apply for new registration permits as part of measures to clamp down on the incidences of civil society meddling in the country's politics ahead of the June 27 presidential run-off." This is not in fact what Minister Goche's circular letter states, but for security reasons NGOs should seek clarification and legal advice and take due care.
Election Update
A list of the 9231 Polling Stations has been published in the press, and the two major political parties given copies. There have been a few changes since the March 29 poll, but no reduction in numbers of polling stations.
Presidential Election and By-Election Calendar
16th May: The Election Period started [on the date that Zimbabwe Electoral Commission [ZEC] gazetted the date of the Presidential and By- Elections poll.
Media coverage rules as specified by the ZEC Act and Regulations apply from this date
2nd June: Accreditation of international and local observers and journalists by ZEC commenced at the Harare and Bulawayo Polytechnics. International observers who observed the last election do not need a new invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [new observers do] but still need to be accredited. Local observers need to apply for an invitation from the Minister of Justice before seeking accreditation. The process of accreditation will continue until polling day. [In fact, according to the Electoral Act observers are entitled to observe from the commencement of the election period on 16th May.]
4th June: Checking of applications for postal votes by the Chief Election Officer commenced. ZEC has made a statement that election agents and observers are invited to witness this process. The checking will be done in Committee Room No. 6 at the Harare International Conference Centre [HICC] from 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, until polling day..
17th June: Closing date for applications for postal vote. All applications must reach the Chief Elections Officer [by hand at the HICC or by registered post to PB 7782, Causeway] by noon on this day.
20th June: Postal Ballot Boxes will be sealed. This will be done at ward centres and election agents and observers are entitled to be present.
27th June: Polling Day for Presidential Run-off Election and By-Elections
The Election period [and the duties and functions of observers] continues until the announcement of the results
Information from ZEC
National Multi-Party Liaison Committee meeting: The National Multi-Party Liaison Committee has condemned the violence that is taking place and at their meeting on 4th of June it was decided that a declaration condemning political violence would be drawn up and signed by the two main parties. The provincial, constituency and local authority Multi-Party Liaison Committees are scheduled to commence their meetings next week.
Proposed Increase in Number of Polling Agents: ZEC has agreed that the number of candidates' election agents permitted inside each polling station should be increased from one to two per candidate. This will require a gazetted SI amending the Electoral Regulations.
Training of election officials: Training of constituency election officers is continuing up to the 22nd June.
ZEC Committee on Media Monitoring: ZEC has stated that it continues to monitor election coverage by the media. [Section 16G of the ZEC Act obliges ZEC to carry out such monitoring to ensure that parties, candidates, broadcasters print publishers and journalists observe the fair coverage provisions of the ZEC Act and regulations. ZEC's post-election report to the President and Parliament must include a report on election coverage by the media.]
Election Candidates
Presidential Run-Off
· ZANU PF Robert Mugabe
· MDC Morgan Tsvangirai
· Gwanda South: Orders Mlilo, ZANU-PF; Nephat Mdlongwa, MDC-T; Elizabeth Ndlovu, MDC.
· Pelandaba-Mpopoma: Sikhanyiso Duke Ndlovu, ZANU-PF; Samuel Sandla Khumalo, MDC-T; Dhumani Gwetu, MDC; Chamunorwa Mahachi, ZDP; Samuel Mahlamvana Ndlovu, UPP; Leonard Nkala, PUMA; Job Sibanda, Ind; Fungai Mutukwa, Ind.
· Redcliff: Sheunesu Muza, ZANU-PF; Aaron Chinhara, MDC-T; Tapera Sengweni, MDC-T; Gilmond Karigambe, MDC.
Update on Election Related Court Cases
Election Petitions: The Judge President has heard legal argument on preliminary points in 8 cases and has reserved judgement.
Case to bring Presidential election date forward: to be heard on 19th June
Case by disallowed Presidential candidates: Judgement is still awaited.
Challenge to Official/Police Involvement in Voting arrangements for disabled: date not yet set for hearing.
Arrests of Elected MP's and Senators
In the last few weeks at least 10 newly elected legislators have been arrested [some detained up to two weeks before bail]. All 10 are MDC legislators [as far as is known, there have been no arrests of ZANU-PF MPs.] This raises concern, not only about the circumstances of their arrests and their treatment in police custody, but also emphasises the vulnerability of the MDC's 10-seat majority in the House of Assembly. The arrests were on various charges, including serious offences, such as inciting public violence, punishable by long periods of imprisonment. If an MP is convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 6 months or more, the MP loses his or her seat automatically.
No new Bills or Acts were gazetted this week
Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied.
June 08, 2008, 16:45
Zimbabwe is a police state and the levels of intimidation show the crucial
importance of deploying large numbers of election monitors, said Archbishop
Thabo Makgoba on return from the country today.
"There is no doubt that Zimbabwe is a police state," he said in a statement
after making a pastoral visit to the Zimbabwe's Anglican bishops. "The
levels of intimidation I witnessed on a visit to Zimbabwe last week
underline the crucial importance of deploying large numbers of both
international and local election monitors...for the June 27 presidential
run-off," he said.
On a four-hour trip from Harare to Masvingo, the bishop passed nine police
roadblocks and was stopped at every one. Most visible were uniformed police
armed with rifles. Groups of men, women and young people were in the streets
chanting: "Mugabe, what should we do with the sell-outs, tell us."
He said he witnessed along the road to Masvingo derelict once-prosperous
farms, and queues of people stretching from shops. "Hyper-inflation, poverty
and hunger is their daily reality," he said. Makgoba apologised to the
Anglican bishops of Zimbabwe for the xenophobic attacks their compatriots in
South Africa suffered, and assured them of support and prayers. - Sapa
The Mugabe regime's decision to stop aid organisations feeding the starving
has led the news bulletins. Passers-by showed great sympathy, especially
following Mugabe's cynical rhetoric at the world food conference in Rome.
Many stopped to discuss the situation and also signed our special petition
addressed to Mugabe's protector, President Mbeki: "Following the recent
attacks on Zimbabweans and other foreign nationals in South Africa we, the
undersigned, call on President Mbeki to take action to ensure the safety of
these endangered people and bring the perpetrators to justice. We urge
President Mbeki to end his support of President Mugabe, allowing a
resolution of the Zimbabwe crisis and the return home of exiled Zimbabweans.
Zimbabwean blood is at your door."
As we only ran this petition for one day there are not the thousands of
signatures we normally collect but we want to give a copy to Archbishop
Desmond Tutu who on Monday 9th June is to visit St Martin in the Fields
church in nearby Trafalgar Square to speak at a service for peace, including
the blessing of three Zimbabwean sculptures. We are hoping for a good
turnout of Vigil supporters in our t-shirts distributing our leaflets
explaining the situation in Zimbabwe.
On Thursday 12th June we are to present the petition proper to the South
African High Commission next door to St Martin in the Fields. The Vigil
will be protesting there for two hours from 12 noon to 2 pm with blood-red
banners reading "Mbeki, Zimbabwean blood on your hands".
We intend asking the clergy at St Martin's, famous for its international
approach, to join us in a prayer Vigil on Saturday 21st June along with
Zimbabwean pastors and other ministers.
As you will know, Western governments are lost for a response to Mugabe's
moves. The new leader of the Liberal Democrats, the third largest party in
the UK, Nick Clegg, has called on governments to stop financial remittances
to Zimbabwe. Obviously our supporters are disturbed at this (unworkable)
suggestion. The diaspora knows that the money being sent back to Zimbabwe
is helping keep Mugabe in power but do not think that starving our relatives
is an answer. The Vigil is to seek a meeting with Kate Hoey of the all-party
parliamentary group on Zimbabwe to suggest other options for securing change
in Zimbabwe.
These include the action proposed in one of our petitions. "A Petition to
European Union Governments. We record our dismay at the failure of the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) to help the desperate people
of Zimbabwe at their time of trial. We urge the UK government and the
European Union in general to suspend government to government aid to all 14
SADC countries until they abide by their joint commitment to uphold human
rights in the region. We suggest that the money should instead be used to
feed the starving in Zimbabwe". The money involved is quite substantial. The
UK alone is the world's largest foreign aid donor after the US: among SADC
countries it gave £75m to DRC, £61m to Zambia, £63m to Malawi, £56m to
Mozambique etc etc in 2006/2007.
If SADC allows Mugabe to steal the Presidential Run-off on 27th June we will
ask Ms Hoey and others to press for this action to be taken against SADC
and also launch a campaign to persuade FIFA to move the 2010 World Cup from
South Africa. To underline the crucial role that South Africa plays in the
Zimbabwe crisis we are seeking police permission to form a human chain from
Zimbabwe House to South Africa House on election day, when we are holding
another mock ballot outside the Zimbabwe Embassy.
The evening before, on Thursday 26th June, the Vigil will be taking part in
the annual service in support of Zimbabwean victims of torture organised by
the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum. This year there will be even more
horrifying pictures on display. See 'For Your Diary.'
Nelson Mandela is visiting London to mark his 90th birthday which is being
commemorated at a concert in Hyde Park on the day of the Presidential
Run-off. Some Vigil supporters will be going to Hyde Park with banners
reading "Speak out Mandela" and "What about Zimbabwe?"
We are having difficulty keeping one of our posters up to date. It reads
"Zimbabwe leads the World" then lists devastating statistics. First on the
list is "Highest inflation". We have had to cross out the March elections
figure of 100,000% and change it to 2,000,000%! Further down the list is a
statistic about documented torture cases - we have simply had to add "plus,
plus, plus" at the end.
For latest Vigil pictures check:
FOR THE RECORD: 155 signed the register.
· Archbishop Desmond Tutu in London. Monday 9th June 6.30, St Martin
in the Fields, Trafalgar Square. Archbishop Tutu will be at St Martin's to
speak at a short service for peace including the blessing of three
Zimbabwean sculptures by the room that has been named after him. St Martin's
write 'please come as this is a wonderful opportunity to meet Archbishop
Tutu and all are very welcome'.
· Protest against the xenophobic violence in South Africa. Thursday
12th June 12 noon - 2 pm outside the South African High Commission,
Trafalgar Square. We will ask the High Commissioner to pass on our special
petition to President Mbeki.
· Zimbabwe Association's Women's Weekly Drop-in Centre. Fridays 10.30
am - 4 pm. Venue: The Fire Station Community and ICT Centre, 84 Mayton
Street, London N7 6QT, Tel: 020 7607 9764. Nearest underground: Finsbury
Park. For more information contact the Zimbabwe Association 020 7549 0355
(open Tuesdays and Thursdays).
· 'The Twilight Rainbow'. Until Sunday 15th June. Theatre Under-Fire
(TUF) Productions' dance and music production "The Twilight Rainbow" at the
Warehouse Theatre, Dingwall Rd, CR0 2NF, Croydon, adjacent East Croydon
station. Check: www.warehousetheatre.co.uk, 020 8680 4060 for more
information and tickets or contact TUF Director, Peter Mutanda, on 07939 704
448. The performers are Zimbabwean refugees and asylum seekers.
· Prayer Vigil. Saturday 21st June from 3.30 - 5 30 pm outside the
Zimbabwe Embassy 429 Strand, London WC2. This will take place within the
normal Vigil which runs from 2 - 6 pm.
· Next Glasgow Vigil. Saturday 21st June 2 - 6 pm.. Venue: Argyle
Street Precinct. For more information contact: Ancilla Chifamba, 07770 291
150, Patrick Dzimba, 07990 724 137 or Jonathan Chireka, 07504 724 471.
· Service of Solidarity with Torture Survivors of Zimbabwe, Thursday
26th June 4 - 5.30 pm on UN International Day in Support of Victims of
Torture organised by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum supported by the
Vigil. Venue: St Paul's Church, Bedford Street, Covent Garden WC2E 9ED. All
welcome to join the service and post-service procession to lay flowers on
the steps of the Zimbabwe Embassy.
· Zimbabwe Vigil's mock Presidential Run-off. Friday 27th June 10
am - 4 pm outside the Zimbabwe Embassy.
· Mandela 90th Birthday Concert. Friday 27th June, 4 pm in Hyde Park.
Vigil supporters to attend the event with banners reading "Speak out
Mandela" and "What about Zimbabwe?"
Vigil co-ordinators
The Vigil, outside the Zimbabwe Embassy, 429 Strand, London, takes place
every Saturday from 14.00 to 18.00 to protest against gross violations of
human rights by the current regime in Zimbabwe. The Vigil which started in
October 2002 will continue until internationally-monitored, free and fair
elections are held in Zimbabwe. http://www.zimvigil.co.uk.
MDC Press Release: Sunday 8 June 2008, 1455hrs
Police and members of the Central Intelligence Organisation in Bulawayo have
attacked MDC supporters and banned them from putting up election campaign
posters for President Morgan Tsvangirai.
At 1200hrs, a team of four MDC members led by the MDC National Deputy
Spokesperson, Ms Thabita Khumalo, were putting up posters on electricity and
street line poles near Magnet House in Bulawayo, when they were confronted
by Central Intelligence Officers who told them that "it was Mugabe's country
and only Mugabe could put posters on street poles and the MDC would not be
The poster team then moved to the railway station to continue with their
work only to be followed by police officers in riot gear and on bicycles.
The police, after insisting that the country belongs to Mugabe and that the
MDC would not be allowed to put up posters, started assaulting the MDC
memebrs with baton sticks. One of the team members, Jerry Chiteshe suffered
a broken leg and he is at Gallen House Hospital.
MDC Presidential spokesman, George Sibotshiwe, pointed out that the Mugabe
regime has turned Zimbabwe into a militariased police state. "The regime is
denying the people their fundamental rights in order to steal the June 27
election and subvert the will of the Zimbabwean people through widespread
violence and killings, wanton arrests and by closing political space for the
MDC to campaign", Mr Sibotshiwe said.
"However, the time for change has arrived and the resolve of the people of
Zimbabwe to attain that change is as strong as ever", he added.
This entry was written by Sokwanele on Sunday, June 8th, 2008
CAPE TOWN (AFP)--Zimbabwe has enviable resources and infrastructure for a
bright economic future after President Robert Mugabe's departure, despite
current woes, political and business leaders said Friday.
Addressing the 18th World Economic Forum on Africa, Zimbabwe's opposition
leaders and businesses said that once the country's political crisis is
resolved the economy holds endless opportunity.
"Our economy can be stronger than South Africa. We have the potential when
we get our legitimacy to fly...to become a global economy," Arthur
Mutambara, leader of a faction of the main opposition Movement for
Democratic Change, told delegates.
Zimbabwe businessman Nigel Chanakira, chief executive of Kingdom Meikles
Africa, said business opportunities still existed in the southern African
nation despite an official inflation rate of more than 165,000 percent.
"The reality of the matter is that countries don't fall off the face of the
earth. People live in Zimbabwe, people conduct business and still try and
fashion a life out of that.
"In the midst of the chaos there are business opportunities. Services are
required, basics are needed. People can play a role from that perspective
amidst the unpredictable macro economic indicators.
"This is not time for an African renaissance, it is time for the African
reformation," he said.
He outlined a plan including talks with the West, a conference on land
reform, a donor conference and multilateral institutions engaging in
Zimbabwe to rebuild the economy.
"Talks with the West have to take place whether we like it or not. We are
entrenched and steeped in history...pointing fingers at one another just
doesn't cut it any more," he said.
"It takes the brave."
Simba Makoni, a former finance minister who ran for president in the first
round of elections in March, said the tourism, agriculture and manufacturing
sectors could all be revived relatively easily.
"You can literally switch on tourism once there is normalization...there is
no threat of fear. You can kickstart agriculture, there is still a core of
competent farmers."
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is facing a run-off election against
opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in three weeks' time.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
BuaNews (Tshwane)
8 June 2008
Posted to the web 8 June 2008
The South African government has called on all parties involved to
discontinue any action that may serve to detract from the objective of
having free and fair Presidential run-off elections in Zimbabwe.
In a statement issued by the Presidency on Friday, government expressed its
hope that the matter raised by United States of America Secretary of State,
Condoleeza Rice, bilaterally with the Zimbabwean authorities regarding the
plight of USA diplomats in the country, will be resolved as speedily as
possible at a bilateral level.
"The South African government is currently seized with the matter of the
facilitation between the relevant parties in Zimbabwe to ensure that the
Presidential run-off election takes place under optimal conditions that will
enable the will of the Zimbabwean people to be expressed," the statement
The election run-off date is set for 27 June following the initial
presidential balloting being inconclusive and marred by allegations of fraud
and vote rigging.
Both current President Robert Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai fell short of gaining
a straight majority.
Early last week, President Thabo Mbeki urged the government and the people
of Zimbabwe to activate joint monitoring mechanisms as part of creating an
environment conducive to holding free and fair elections.
"President Mbeki appeals for calmness and proportionate use of language, the
better to manage tensions which are generally associated with election
campaigns in many parts of the world," the Presidency said.
The statement followed the detention of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai who was later released without being
Mr Tsvangirai was detained so that his vehicle particulars could be probed.
Upon being informed by the MDC of the arrest of its leader, President Mbeki
in his capacity as the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
facilitator immediately contacted the government of Zimbabwe to ascertain
the circumstances of the arrest.
A preliminary group of South African observers have been deployed in
Zimbabwe ahead of the run-off elections.
The numbers of observers to Zimbabwe have increased substantially and South
African Development Community (SADC) observers would also be in place by the
time the elections are held.
SADC observers will not only be observing the voting but intervening where
there are acts of violence in an attempt to disrupt a free and fair election
Following allegations of violence in Zimbabwe in the run up to the
elections, President Thabo Mbeki had dispatched senior South African retired
generals to assess the situation in the country and to report back to him.
How some of Mugabe's men - and one woman - plot an end to democracy
As if the world of Zimbabwean politics wasn't sufficiently complex, into the
fray during this last week has stepped a new force which boasts the
intimidating title of the "Revolutionary Council."
It is composed of former freedom fighters and Mugabe hard-liners, its aim is
to shelve the current electoral process and reconsistute the old
Zanu-PF-dominated parliament, and its patron is none other than the nation's
First Shopper, Mrs. "Amazing" Grace Mugabe.
The Council, which is headed by veteran hard-case Chris Pasipamire, says its
main objective is to defend the so-called land reforms, under which the
white farmers of Zimbabwe were kicked off their land, to be replaced by
blacks, most of them top officials in Zanu-PF.
It is this policy, of course, which has led directly to our country's
progress from breadbasket of Southern Africa to basket-case, a factor which
only seems to urge on Mugabe and his economic experts.
Pasipamire loudly proclaims Grace Mugabe as his patron, although Grace
herself, who is 40 years younger than her husband, has so far not
acknowledged the title. She has been in Rome recently, supporting her
husband at the UN Food and Agriculture summit, and avoiding reporters by
sending her minions out to the shops to spend our money, instead of going
But only a few days ago she told a gathering of Zanu-PF people that her
husband would never - repeat never - hand over power to opposition leader
Morgan Tsvangirai, even if the MDC won the run-off election due on June 27 -
a statement that might easily fall from the lips of the patron of the new
Revolutionary Council.
Might I at this point add a few words of comment following the hypocritical
and hysterical outburst that the western world greeted the incident
involving US and British diplomats last week?
It seems that the diplomats were stopped at a road block, harrassed, had
their mobiles snatched, were threatened with fiery death, and were held for
several hours before being released.
Believe me, ladies and gentlemen of the outraged European and American
press, if you were African, and an MDC supporter, that would have counted as
a good day.
Posted on Sunday, 08 June 2008 at 08:06
The Age, Australia
Jo Chandler
June 9, 2008
AS I settle down to read the latest email from "Anne-Marie" the smell of
banana bread, not long out of the oven, warms the house. The heater is off,
the scene set by middle-class mortgaged necessity as fuel costs and interest
rates and greenhouse guilt nibble wearisomely at household comforts. Last
week's fruit becomes this week's playlunch, jumpers stay on indoors, the car
stays in the driveway.
A click of the mouse takes me into Anne-Marie's distant household. She's
Zimbabwean, a health worker, living in a district that was rich farming
country a decade ago, before the land invasions. This was the bread basket
of southern Africa. Now she bakes her own bread at night, she says - that's
if the power is on. In the shops "there is nothing on the shelves".
Her district was once a political stronghold for President Robert Mugabe,
but the slide into endemic poverty turned the vote against him in the March
29 poll, and for their ungrateful betrayal, the people pay a heavy price. A
campaign of retribution and intimidation in the form of brutal assaults is
conducted under what Anne-Marie dubs "Operation Where Did You Put Your
The political instability means she has been unable to get to the rural
hospital from which she works for weeks now, jeopardising the precarious
health of an untold number of people not just in this generation, but the
next. She stays in touch by phone. Her colleagues tell her things are calm,
though tense, through the day, but at night the beatings are savage, the
bloodied evidence coming to them each dawn.
Her letters are echoed in The Guardian newspaper, which observed that before
the re-vote for the presidency on June 27, "Mugabe's strategy now seems to
be to cripple the opposition by arresting its leaders and militarising his
former strongholds in the rural areas, where (Opposition leader) Morgan
Tsvangirai made major gains in March".
Food is the focus of Anne-Marie's days now. Sometimes the power is gone for
eight hours a day, for days in a row, with no notice of when it will fail.
It means she can store no perishable foods in her house.
Every three months or so, she and her cousin take his truck on a round trip
of almost 1000 kilometres to stock up on non-perishable foods from across
the border in South Africa. The Zimbabwean dollar fell to a new low late
last week, being quoted by traders at 1 billion against the US greenback.
Food of any kind is scarce in the Zimbabwe markets, and where it appears,
the clamour from desperate buyers pushes prices higher still. She says a
kilogram of chicken - if you find it - costs more than 5 billion Zimbabwean
"The honest truth is that there is a genocide happening in the rural areas,"
she writes. This, she says, is why last Thursday Mugabe's Government
announced a ban on non-government organisations providing food aid in the
countryside, accusing them of "political activity".
Anne-Marie is blunt: "The Government is afraid that if humanitarian
organisations get first-hand information and alerts the international
community, it will be in trouble." British and American diplomats who
attempted to travel into the countryside last week were bailed up by a mob
loyal to Mugabe, slashing their tyres, assaulting a driver, and threatening
to burn them in their cars. This is the visible, reported front.
Anne-Marie gives a glimpse of the unseen. The persecution is hitting church
groups doing what they can, despite Mugabe's espoused Catholicism. People
are anxious, stressed, and "dead scared", she says. "The countryside has now
become a no-go area for people in the towns because the urban people are
being accused of giving political orientation to rural folk."
I'd asked whether food was being used as a weapon, as is being increasingly
reported, and she'd responded wearily: "Food has always been used as a tool
in elections by the Government, with Opposition members being refused
(permission) to buy grain from the grain marketing outlets. Grain is only
sold to ruling party card holding members."
The politics of food became even more obscene with President Mugabe's
appearance at the United Nations emergency food summit in Rome last week. He
was snubbed at the official banquet (itself something of an obscenity, given
the context). But according to London's Telegraph newspaper, he did not do
without, having imported his own chefs and waiters to cater to him at his
luxury hotel, along with "crates" of African food.
I reread the letters, and the reports in the international papers. I wonder
at how we can be so intimately connected in the shrinking virtual world
village, to so easily reach each other's realities. At how we are
increasingly entwined by global markets, each riding the currents of
commodities trades and crop failures and fuel prices and changing weather,
though I'm paddling in the shallows and Anne-Marie's somewhere out at sea in
dark, wild, terrifying waters.
And yet at the political level, at a humanitarian level, the connections
seem increasingly fragile, fraught, and inadequate. The distance between
people seems to grow even as the world gets smaller. As the political elite
negotiated their way diplomatically, uncomfortably around President Mugabe
in Rome, as if politely ignoring some vile smell in the room, Anne-Marie's
concerns were with a rawer political reality. A relative, active with the
Opposition, has vanished. He's not answering his mobile. She worries and she
prays. "I must thank God who has sustained my family through these very
difficult times."
Jo Chandler is an Age senior writer.
June 8, 2008
Two spies released after serving three years
By Raymond Maingire
HARARE - Two Zimbabwean spies, jailed three years ago for being part of a
high profile spy ring involving a South African national, were released
Saturday after serving three year jail terms.
But their lawyer, Selby Hwacha of Dube, Manikai and Hwacha legal
practitioners, vows he will still pursue a pending High Court appeal against
both their sentences and convictions.
The two, banker Tendai Matambanadzo and Itai March, a former director in the
ruling Zanu-PF party, were arrested together with former
Ambassador-designate to Mozambique Godfrey Dzvairo in December 2004 after
they were found to have been in breach of Zimbabwe's controversial Official
Secrets Act.
Dzvairo was sentenced to a six year jail term while his two accomplices were
each slapped with five year jail sentences after they all pleaded guilty to
the charges at their first court appearance on December 24, 2004.
Hwacha confirmed two of his clients had since been released. He argues that
the three's convictions were secured after police extracted pleas from the
accused men under duress.
"Their appeals are still pending," he said, "The case should be taken to its
logical conclusion. It is still important to determine whether they were
indeed guilty."
He says their convictions and the sentences were "unjustifiable" in light of
new evidence already filed with their court records and he intended to help
absolve them of the charges.
The three were charged following a scandal in which six members of the
ruling party were accused of being part of an espionage ring which provided
neighbouring South Africa with information on the party's affairs.
The matter came to light, it was alleged, when Zimbabwe's Central
Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives arrested a South African spy in
the resort town of Victoria Falls in December 2004. It is alleged that under
questioning, he gave the names of alleged collaborators within Zanu-PF.
The other person allegedly connected to the affair, Zimbabwean diplomat
Erasmus Moyo, allegedly escaped while being moved from Geneva to Harare.
Flamboyant Harare businessman and former Zanu-PF legislator, Philip
Chiyangwa, was also caught in the net for allegedly receiving Z$10 000
dollars a month to pass on intelligence to South Africa. Chiyangwa was later
freed by the High Court, which ruled that there was insufficient evidence
against him.
Harare magistrate Peter Kumbawa, however, went on to convict Dzvairo and his
two accomplices on their own plea of guilty after a grueling 15-day trial,
ending on February 8, 2005.
Successive attempts to bring their appeals to the High Court have failed to
yield any fruit as the court has reportedly been unable to locate valuable
documents key to any ruling.
The last the matter was taken to court was in December last year when the
presiding judge, Justice Anne-Mary Gowora postponed the matter citing
bereavement in her family.


text:
Release Notes: This version contains several new, smaller features and will be needed as the base for upcoming new and updated level sets. In particular, there will be an update to the EMC level collection soon that will use some of the new features. It also fixes some program bugs, so updating is recommended.
Release Notes: This version is an important bugfix release, as it removes a major bug in version 3.1.1 which prevented private levels from being edited with the level editor. Everybody who wants to create his or her own levels is strongly encouraged to update to version 3.1.2.
Release Notes: A nasty bug in level loading and multiple config pages code that caused crashes with levels created by the previous version (3.0.3) of the game has been fixed.
Release Notes: This release fixes the following faulty behaviors: messing up custom element properties in 3.0.0 levels, choosing wrong engine version when playing tapes, creating inaccessible elements at player position, not finding the current level's artwork directory, crashing at startup under Solaris, not finding its files in the DOS version, missing the graphic for the active red disk bomb. Some new features include an additional custom element property for dropping collected elements and 128 more custom elements.
Release Notes: This release allows the complete configuration of all graphics, sounds, and music. New custom elements allow the creation of completely new game elements. Over 500 new levels are included since last release. Some level sets include partially or completely new artwork. Two great new artwork sets (with levels) for the game are available for download from external sites.
Release Notes: This is a major code redesign (Rocks'n'Diamonds 2.0.0 can be recompiled with SDL). The SDL version includes full-screen mode and several mod tracks replacing the .wav music files.
Release Notes: More level editor enhancements, enhanced high score list, new elements for "Diamond Caves II" style games, brushed-up elements for "Supaplex" style games, lots of new levels converted from "Emerald Mine Club" disks (over 10.000 levels), "DX-Boulderdash" and "Supaplex", game data files separated into read-only and writable files (for distribution packages) as well as new setup options for level handicap and unlimited time.
Release Notes: Strongly enhanced level editor, new elements and levels for Supaplex style games, completely rewritten platform independent gadget code (buttons, scrollbars, text and number input gadgets), nasty sound bug fixed (showed up with Linux kernel 2.2.x).
Release Notes:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
STFC: Ferry and Caddis Sign
For us fans the wait has been a bit nervey but we're an unpatient breed.
Andrew Fitton and Danny Wilson have always maintained that patience would be the key to securing their services. Last week the Swindon chairman stated that the club hadn't hounded the Scottish side for the deal to be fast tracked.
Both players had featured for Celtic in pre-season including their tour of the United States.
We know all about Simon Ferry after he impressed during his loan spell last season. Meanwhile, Caddis featured for the Celtic first team on 17 occasions in the Scottish Premier League.
Both players have signed 3 year deals with the club (pending Football League approval)
The official Celtic website stated the both 'players leave with the thanks of everyone at Celtic Football Club, and best wishes for their future football careers.'
Both could feature on the opening day against Brighton and Hove Albion.
Join Vital Swindon!
It's easy to register , simply click the link and enjoy getting involved (you can even win prizes!)
Message Board To visit the message board, click here. Get involved
This website is your website and we are looking for people to help run the site. Do you go to most of the games and have an opinion? Why not write a match report? Perhaps you are a budding journalist or even just someone who is very opinionated? Well why not join our team? If this interests you please contact Vital Swindon.


text:
Word Formation
Word formation. . How do we make new words? Ways to enrich vocabulary. Word formation. Types of words. Word-formation and inflection. Formations and their bases. Stems. Types of word formation. Derivation. Derivation Derivational affixes. Derivation Derivational vs. inflectional affixes. Derivation Derivational affixes. Derivation suffixation and prefixation. Derivation Suffixation. Derivation Prefixation. Compounding. Compounding formal types of compounds. Compounding derivational compounds. Compounding classification by word class. Compounding. Conversion. Shortening. Shortening Clipping. Shortening Blending. Shortening formation of initialisms. Summing up. Literature.
Any language enriches its vocabulary in two ways: by borrowing from other languages, by forming new words using the existing resources. This lecture is about the latter way to enrich vocabulary – word formation.
Word-formation (word-building) – forming new words from existing ones by using different devices. What devices are used to form these English words? writer to enable book-shop to water SMS.
In word formation analysis, words are classified into: Root-words (simple words) – The structure of these words may be analysed only historically. Formations (complex words) – The structure of these words may be analysed synchronically. These words are formed from other words existing in the language.
Which of these words are formations and what devises are used to form them? disc, disciple, disturbance to discern, to disagree, to discover dishonest, disappointed, dispensable.
Word-formation should not be confused with inflection. Word-formation is a lexical process which actually forms a new word out of existing one. Inflection is a grammatical process which produces alternative grammatical forms - inflectional variants of the same word.
Which process (word-formation or inflection) is illustrated in these examples? rose roses strong stronger depart departure hope hopefull.
A formation is formed on the basis of another word which is called a base. A base may be composed of a root heart heart-y a root + affix hearty heart-i-ly a root + a root heartbreak heart-break-er.
- Anglų kalba Skaidrės
- MS PowerPoint 5658 KB
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text:
EIW FAQ - Are counselors available this summer to speak with me regarding Early Interview Week?
Yes! Our office is open from 9-5, Monday through Friday, and we are available for both in-person and phone appointments.
As during the school year, please schedule an appointment online through our scheduling system. If possible, use Internet Explorer as your browser when scheduling an appointment (this is the preferred browser for the scheduling system). If you have difficulty scheduling an appointment time online, please DO NOT email or call your counselor directly to schedule an appointment. Instead, call the front desk at (202) 662-9300 during business hours to make an appointment.
We look forward to meeting with you!
Posted by Jennifer Van Buren at 10:50 AM - Categories: OCS / OPICS News | FAQs | Early Interview Week (EIW)


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17 new projects on Pittsburgh's Northside
Perry Hilltop and Fineview Unity Sign / Photo by Renee Rosensteel
Sprout announces 16 more grants for community projects working to improve the quality of place, education, and employment in their Northside neighborhood.
The One Northside Neighbor-to-Neighbor grants program catalyzes innovative community projects and creates opportunities to engage residents and contribute to the One Northside vision. Through support from The Buhl Foundation, grants of up to $1,000 are offered to provide immediate support for small-scale community projects with broad resident support on Pittsburgh's Northside.
After a thorough review, The Sprout Fund is pleased to announce the third and final round of new projects for 2017, 17 projects that will receive $1,000 Neighbor-to-Neighbor grants. As part of their proposals, applicants wrote the headlines that appear below as examples of what the news will say at the successful conclusion of their projects.
These latest projects join 14 others supported in June and 15 supported in July, meeting our goal of supporting 45 resident-led projects on the Northside this summer with Neighbor-to-Neighbor grants.
Neighbor-to-Neighbor projects supported in August 2017
All-Star Smiles
"Providing Our Future Leaders of Tomorrow with 'All-Star Smiles' Read how a local college student is changing oral education with prevention"
Brytney Humphries' Quality of Education project in Central Northside teaches healthy oral habits to students at Manchester Academic Charter School. The 6-week oral health curriculum will introduce and reinforce a new oral hygiene topic each week and will also include a parent-teacher meeting so that the healthy habits taught through the program can be encouraged both at school and at home.
Crafteroni and Cheese
"Nothing Cheesy About Kids Sewing and Cooking with Crafteroni and Cheese in Brighton Heights (Except the Cheese!)"
Donna Nyambe' Quality of Education project in Brighton Heights is a 6-week program that teaches basic cooking and sewing skills to middle school students. The weekly sessions will focus on project planning, learning to use a pattern, fabric selection, cutting, and using a sewing machine to create a backpack or garment of their choice. Students will also learn basic cooking skills, selecting fresh ingredients from a local grocery store and learning to use the tools needed to make 3 dishes that they could easily replicate at home.
Engaging Seniors: Bringing Steps in Motion to a Larger Audience
"Connect with senior citizens on the North Side to hear their stories of using the public steps of Pittsburgh in a North Side animated film!"
Catherine Drabkin's Quality of Place project in Central Northside and the surrounding Northside brings the Steps in Motion project to a broader audience, specifically Northside senior citizens, and uses it to collect stories about the history of the steps. Through a series of events, senior citizens will watch the Steps in Motion animation and then reflect on how the city steps have been used over time. While younger generations work to maintain and repair the steps throughout the Northside, this project aims to preserve the stories of this unique feature of Pittsburgh.
From Pantry to Plate
"Neighbors eating from pantry to plate delicous food."
Naomi Wilson's Quality of Education project in Brighton Heights hosts food demonstrations at the Greater Allen AME Church as a way to provide health and wellness education in a fun atmosphere. Nutritionists from the community food bank will help to plan the 6-week program, using food available at the food bank. A wellness coach will additionally provide education on diabetes and heart disease.
Harbison Ave. Little Free Library
"Little AND Free AND Library – Three Words Everyone Loves, Now Open in Brighton Heights"
Sarah Steers' Quality of Place project in Brighton Heights makes books more easily accessible to residents on Harbison Avenue who have a difficult time getting to a public library. The project will build and fill a Little Free Library that will then be installed on Harbison Avenue, including books for all ages. The community will help to decide where the little free library will be located.
Historic and Contemporary Congregations of Allegheny City/North Side
"The Enduring Congregations of the Northside's Core: Past and Present"
Amelia Gehron's Quality of Place project in Allegheny Center and Central Northside features a walking tour of the surviving religious congregations on the Northside. The role of religious communities was and continues to be a vital feature that adds to the quality of life for many Northside residents. The tour will focus on the impact these congregations have had on past and present Northside life.
Infant Mental Health Project
"Northside Nonprofit Helps New Parents Nurture Smart and Well-Adjusted Babies"
Vicki Sirockman's Quality of Education project in East Allegheny / Deutschtown develops a new series of classes for parents that encourages positive cognitive and mental health development in infants. The class curricula will be developed in partnership with Project LAUNCH, a new infant mental health advocacy and education initiative. The classes will seek to teach new parents skills to reduce the effects of toxic stress in babies. Parents who participate will be given MAYA Money that can be cashed in for baby supplies as an incentive to participate.
Money Matters 2017 Financial Bock Party!
"Quinerly Financial Group rocks the Northside with their "Money Matters" 2017 Block Party!"
Simone Quinerly's Quality of Education project in Allegheny Center launches an event featuring hands-on activities that educate youth on financial literacy. The event will target Northside youth ages 3-18, who will learn financial skills appropriate for their age group. High school students will learn about financial aid, loans, and scholarships along with banking and budgeting while the younger attendees will focus more on the concepts of money and saving using a savings jar. Parents will additionally be given the opportunity to sign up for a 529 college savings plan during the event.
Northside Lot Tenders
"Northside Communities Join Forces to Battle Blight"
Debbie Reed's Quality of Place project in California-Kirkbride mobilizes volunteers through the California-Kirkbride Neighbors and Charles Street Valley Area Council to clear and beautify vacant lots. The project aims to bring pride to the neighborhood and provide safe places for children to play through regular volunteer days that tend to neglected greenspaces.
Ntosake Leadership Training Delegation
"Perrysville Hilltop NTOSAKE women on the move and making a difference one child/family at a time!"
Betty Tate, Frances Haynes, and Bonnie Kenney's Quality of Employment project enables the 3 Northside women to attend the 2017 Ntosake Women's Leadership Training in Kansas City, MO. This annual training focuses on providing a toolbox of leadership skills that level up and build on what they have learned in previous years. The women will then implement these skills through their work with Northside youth.
Observatory Hill Business District Light-Up Night
"Changing Perceptions; the Start of What Unity Looks Like in Observatory Hill!"
Dorrie Smith's Quality of Place project in Perry North / Observatory Hill helps to highlight the neighborhood's business district with a community event during the holiday season. Light-Up Night will take place at the 5 Corners of Observatory Hill, where East, Baytree, Mairdale Streets meet Perrysville Ave. Carolers and church choirs will sing throughout the business district and Santa Claus will give out small gifts for children in an effort to bring vitality and attention to the businesses while also encouraging unity within the neighborhood.
Picture This!
"Picture This! Brighton Heights Teens and Tweens See Through New Lens!"
Kate Kelley's Quality of Place project in Brighton Heights teaches basic photography skills to Northside teens through a 10-session photography course. Using the Northside as their classroom, the student photographers will document the exterior of many beautiful and significant neighborhood landmarks of the Northside: school buildings, monuments, playgrounds, bridges, churches, businesses and houses. The photographs of the students will be professionally printed and displayed at a public event.
Promoting Community Gardening and Healthy Eating
"Welcome to Ballfield Farm! The place for our community to enjoy health and happiness!"
Sandy Kessler Kaminski's Quality of Place project in Perry Hilltop / Perry South brings awareness to Ballfield Farm by painting a mural on the side of the farm's storage shed that includes the Ballfield Farm logo. The project would increase the farm's profile in the neighborhood, promoting a community resource where food is grown collectively.
Provident Charter School Indoor Garden
"Provident Charter School Helps Give Students Access to a Healthier Lifestyle"
Rachel Owens' Quality of Education project in Troy Hill will bring an indoor garden at Provident Charter School to life with soil, plants, lighting, and gardening supplies. The project will not only teach students about gardening but also harvesting, cleaning, preparing, and eating produce throughout the school year. The Grow Sphere where the garden will be housed was made possible through the Let's Move Pittsburgh program at Phipps Conservatory.
Reach Out and Read comes to the Northside!
"Your doctor gave you what? This Northside Doctors' Office Promotes Health and Literacy"
Trina Peduzzi's Quality of Education project in Central Northside brings the Reach Out and Read program to the Pediatric Alliance – Allegheny office. Reach Out and Read is a national program whose goal is to prepare the youngest children to succeed in school by partnering with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. The pediatricians and pediatric nurse practitioners will advise parents to read frequently to their children and, at the same time, distribute free, brand-new, developmentally- and culturally-appropriate books to children from 6 months through 5 years of age at each regular checkup.
Save the EARTH….Sew a BUTTON
"Local Costume Designer gives up film for bigger issue … Saving the Planet one Button at a time!"
Lisa Marie Bruno's Quality of Education project in Brighton Heights and Spring Hill / City View teaches sewing to Northsiders as a way to cut down on textile waste. Sewing classes will be organized with local youth service providers and churches, using clothes with missing buttons to not only help Northsiders learn a new skill but to also save the garments from being thrown away.
Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Education Project
"Marshall-Shadeland Residents Learn about Domestic Violence and How to Get Help"
Ginger Underwood's Quality of Education project in Marshall-Shadeland educates the community, primarily women, on the Victims of Crime Act. The objective is to empower residents and to make referrals to resources in the community, if needed, through a workshop series that focuses on child abuse, sexual assault, and domestic violence and a conflict mediation training.


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Does your business need a compass?
Sometimes when we are running a micro business we don't realise that creating a strong strategy is just as important for us as it is for big business. Businesses grow and develop in many different ways. Some business owners are super organised and spend 3 months planning their business, producing a 25 page business plan plus executive summary, 15 page marketing plan and 10 pages of financial documents; others launch their business without really thinking about where the money is going to come from or how they are going to get new clients… or you might find that you are somewhere in between.
But no matter how you started, it's always worth revisiting your strategy and figuring out whether you are on the right track and whether the assumptions you made still hold true.
When you approach your business strategy there are a number of key elements that you need to bring together and I will be covering these over the coming weeks. The first thing though that I think you must have, is actually one that many people don't even think about and that is defining your values.
Your business values need to inspire you
The values that you focus on are the foundation of your business. They are the place that you come from when you are making decisions around branding, products/services, suppliers, partnerships and focus. For me they are a point of reference against which I can measure what we are doing, what we put out in the world and how we do it. However, they are not static.
The values that you had when you started out, may not necessarily be the values that are most relevant to you today and it is always worth revisiting them at least once a year.
When big business choose values they might go for words like these ones on the right. DON'T DO THIS! Your values need to inspire you every day to build a business that is going to set the world alight – at least a little bit. They should reflect your uniqueness and will be your guide for your business strategy, your recruitment strategy and your product strategy. It can be difficult to know where to start with something like this, so I have put together a simple exercise to help you work through it.
Exercise: How to figure out what your values are
There are two parts to this exercise. The first you do alone and the second part you do with someone else such as a team members, trusted friend or business mentor. There are no right or wrong answers to selecting your business values as they going to be very personal to you.
What you'll need.
A notepad. It is worth finding a notepad that you love. I use the moleskin plain paper cahier journals because I love the simplicity and size of them and can doodle and draw pictures as well as words. Because they are plain paper rather than lined I feel like they allow me more freedom to be creative. This keeps everything in one place and makes it easy to review. Note: You can use a computer / ipad but I have found that writing it down makes me feel more connected to what I am writing.
Pen / Pencil. Find a writing tool that you love writing with. I use a mechanical pencil that I bought in Canada that writes really smoothly and looks great. I know it's weird, but I've found it makes a difference.
Quiet place where you won't be interrupted. If possible, find a place that inspires you or makes you feel great as this will help the ideas flow.
Step 1: Which companies do you admire?
Write down a list of at least 5 companies that you really admire. They don't need to be in your industry or related to what you do at all but they should be companies that you feel are really getting it right. After each company, write down at least 3 values that they embody for you.
When I did this exercise the companies that I chose were:
Disney: Customer at the heart of what they do, Experience, Wonder
John Lewis: Trust, Fresh, Aspirational, Customer Focus
Apple: Beautiful design, Quality, Excellence, Aspirational
Cirque du Soleil: Wow, Creativity, Excellence
Cath Kidston: Stylish, Fresh, Feminine, Excellence
Danbury Motorcaravans: Fun, Excellence, Creative, Smart
Obviously these are not the values that they would describe, but they are the things that I take away from them. There are definitely some themes that are common across the brands that I felt that I wanted within the Women Unlimited brand values.
Step 2: Start writing your list
Your still on your own for this one. Write down a long list of words that you would like to reflect your brand and your business. Quite often you'll find that you are writing down words that are personal to you – that's ok. Don't filter at this point. Just write down everything that comes to mind. Use your companies that you admire as inspiration. What do they have that you'd like to incorporate into your business? What are some of the values that you have picked up along the way in your pre-business days? What do you want others to take away when they think about your brand, your product or service? What personal values are important to you?
These questions all help to make up your priorities but if you are anything like me, you'll find that your list is enormous. It's worth at this point looking through your list and seeing if there are words in there, that you don't consider to be 'core' to your business. The word 'core' here means integral, central and essential.
Step 3: Share and discuss
Now I'd like you to share your values with a trusted business friend, mentor or team member. The act of discussing them helps you to really define what the words mean to you and will give you the opportunity to explore them in more detail.
Step 4: Consolidate
Consolidate your business values into the ones that are fundamental… I suggest that you be quite strict with yourself and select only 5. This will really help you to figure out what is really important to you versus what is nice to have. Usually this also requires combining words into a single value.
Step 5: Definition
Explain to your trusted business friend what each of your values means to you. Explain it in detail and why it's important. And write your definition down. Does it make sense? Does it feel right? Are you inspired by what you have written? If the answer to any of these is no, then revisit your words until the answer is yes across the board. Now do a quick sense check – is anything missing? You'll know you've got it right when you feel excited by what the words say to you about your business, your brand and the way that you work. Odds are there will be one or two words that are not where you are now, but more where you want to be. That's ok. Your values should feel like a bit of a stretch and should be aspirational. They are a starting point from where you can move your business forward in a really positive direction.
Examples of business values
I love Zappos … they are an American brand launched by Tony Hsieh (read the book Delivering Happiness if you'd like to find out more about this phenomenal brand) and they have created their own take on their values. They really live by these values and they have helped to grow Zappos into the company that it is today.
Here are Zappos' 10 Core Values
- Deliver WOW Through Service
- Embrace and Drive Change
- Create Fun and A Little Weirdness
- Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
- Pursue Growth and Learning
- Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication
- Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
- Do More With Less
- Be Passionate and Determined
- Be Humble
SEO Moz are a website that writes about all things SEO. They kindly share their core values here, which they call their guiding principles. I love this!
- Transparency & Generosity
- We share what we know and what we do publicly and honestly
- We weigh transparency against respect for privacy in cases where it may harm individuals or organizations (internally or externally)
- We encourage and reward sharing in other individuals and organizations
- We democratize knowledge of how search engines work and how to optimize Internet marketing campaigns of all kinds
- Empathy & Respect
- Identifying with the feelings, desires, ideas, and actions of everyone we work with – employees, partners, customers and community members – and using that knowledge to improve the ways in which we work with them
- Treating everyone we encounter with respect for their personal and professional lives
- Quality
- We create tools, content, and services that provide the greatest value to SEO Moz
- We build superb usefulness and user experience into everything we produce
- Our products make our members & readers better search marketers
- Authenticity
- Incorporating our personal & company values in all our business dealings
- Represent those values honestly with
- rational, realistic behavior
- intuitive, creative, independent thinking
- flexibility and the ability to manage change
- accountability – willingness to accept responsibility and correct our mistakes
Hopefully that gives you a good sense of where to go in creating your core values. We'd love to hear how you get on and feel free to share any of your values below (or share companies that you think are doing an amazing job on this front!)
Photo credit: ecatoncheires


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Remember Westworld, that cool movie from the '70s starring Yul Brynner as a killer cowboy android? Well, even if you don't, HBO does, and they decided the film was fertile ground in which creators Jonathan Nolan (Person of Interest) and Lisa Joy (Burn Notice) could grow a new TV series.
The first teaser for the 2016 series arrived over the weekend, and though it's only 30 seconds long, it's wonderfully evocative of a world in which people-who-aren't-quite-people have been living a lie, humanoid shapes emerge from liquid plastic, and terror looms. We don't really know yet exactly how Nolan and Joy are planning to stretch this concept into a longform story, but we can't wait to find out.


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More familiar as the gateway to the Costa del Sol, the breezy Mediterranean port of Malaga is also a perfect spot for art-lovers to while away a weekend
Before he grew up and ran away to France to live a wild bohemian life, rich in passion, and revolutionary in its effect on modern art as we know it, Picasso spent his early years in the elegant port town of Malaga, on Spain's Costa del Sol. It is in the city's central square that I now sit, quietly sipping a café con leche. The waiter raises an eyebrow casually as I order my toast, like the locals, doused in olive oil.
Back in history, a huge earthquake destroyed the town, flattening 10,000 houses. Some art experts claim the memory of this event, reverberating through the centuries, provided some of the inspiration for Picasso's famous scene of destruction and horror in the war allegory painting 'Guernica'.
The second largest city in Andalucia is a buzzing modern survivor with a vibrant historic core. Malaga's coast, with its Moorish aspects, is a reminder of the influences it has felt throughout its history from the African continent across the water.
Picasso went off to experiment with artistic styles and live a life full of friendships and love affairs with beautiful women. Malaga may not have the outrageous attitude of its famous son but like many good paintings, it strikes its own harmonious balance between quiet elegance, lively fiesta and cultural kudos.
While cheap flights arrive into Malaga airport in abundance, the town itself is surprisingly unharmed. Amid the gentle pace of leafy streets, history is finely rejuvenated beneath a vibrant Mediterranean sun. The attractive historic quarter of the city is set around the two main squares of Plaza de la Constitucion and Plaza de la Merced. Watch the locals pace calmly through the day and join the youth in alfresco drinking in the evenings.
Picasso is purported to have once said, 'Give me a museum and I'll fill it' - something he has managed to achieve in more than one glamorous world capital. A long time in coming, the Picasso museum in Malaga opened in 2003 and has ensured the city's place on the cultural map. The elegant Palacio de Buenavista (San Agustin 8) houses more than 200 paintings, drawings, ceramics, engravings and sculptures, delivering an insight into Picasso's prolific progress and experimentation with artistic styles from the late 19th century until his death in 1973.
Most of the city's main sights lie just north of the Paseo, in a web of crumbling 19th-century streets. Searching further into Picasso's past, steps away from the impressive collection of paintings, is a small museum in a house on Plaza de la Merced, celebrating the place of his birth.
The visual culture moves forward: Malaga's contemporary art museum houses a permanent collection of around 400 works from the mid-20th century onwards, with artists including Miquel Barceló, José María Sicilia and Juan Muñoz.
Step back in time and Malaga, like much of Andalucia, was under the influence of the Romans, the Moors and the Phoenicans. The 11th-century Alcazaba palace is redolent of them all, and Roman mosaics and Arabic ceramics are on display in a museum inside. From a hill above the city, where two castles sit, travellers steep themselves in centuries of the port's history. The Gibralfaro and Alcazaba speak of days when such exhilarating views were for defensive function rather than pleasure.
With the light of the late afternoon bouncing off the buildings, the shady streets of the old town are a welcome sanctuary of cafes and bars. Indulge in Andalucian delights such as cured ham sliced off the dried haunches of an acorn-fed pig or the typical dark brown muscatel wine the town is known for. When the sun sets, there is life to be lived in Malaga's balmy night air, watching the frenzy build as you sip your glass of vermouth and contemplate a seafood supper.
As Picasso once said, 'You have to have an idea of what you are going to do, but it should be a vague idea.'
Where to stay
The Parador de Malaga Gibralfaro is a luxurious modern hotel near the castle of the same name. Doubles from E220.
Hotel Molina Lario is a stylish boutique hotel in the centre of town. Doubles from E100.
Where to eat
El Jardin, next to the palm-fringed gardens of the cathedral, is a pleasant spot to savour a morning coffee. Calle Canon, 1.
Aceite y Pan, in the well-heeled La Malagueta area, serves up classic Mediterranean seafood such as stuffed crab claws and hake in parsley sauce. Calle Cervantes, 5.
Beachside fish specialties are served up to a lively local crowd at Miguelito el Cariñoso. Paseo Maritimo (El Pedregal), 77.
How to get there
British Airways and easyJet both fly to Malaga.


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Sousa Praises Rowlands Spirit
Paulo Sousa has spoken in the wake of Martin Rowlands being ruled out for the season.
Following Sousa dedicating the weekend`s win at Derby to the R`s skipper, Sousa moved to praise the midfielder who was recently ruled out for the season with anterior cruciate ligament damage.
Sousa told QPR.co.uk: 'Martin is our captain and our leader - he epitomises everything we are about.
'We have lost him as a player, but we will not lose him as a personality, because he is a huge character around the Club and I will continue to involve him as much as possible.
'He is a player we all hold in extremely high regard and we will be doing everything we can to get him back to full fitness as soon as possible.'
Martin now joins Patrick Agyemang, Akos Buzsaky and Rowan Vine on the sidelines with the latter two players both long-term injuries.
We want to know YOUR thoughts!
To have your say you can comment in the space provided below, or chat about it on the forum.
Skipper Out For The Season.
Call Up`s For Delaney And Miller.
Rangers Move For Striker.


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Winter might have seemed a long way off during last week's hottest stretch of summer so far, yet some birds already are heading south.
Winter might have seemed a long way off during last week�s hottest stretch of summer so far, yet some birds already are heading south.
It might well be the case that the migration flood north of male birds in mating plumage is celebrated ritually among bird watchers as a herald of spring. Still, the autumn migration, though it unfolds in smaller waves and holds birds that are drabber than in spring, is in one way more spectacular: The ranks of each species are swelled by the young.
The hunting of migrating waterfowl depends on this fact of nature. The killing of the birds, when regulated, at the time of their population peak is less likely to do harm than if done when a depleted number surges toward breeding grounds during the procreative months of spring.
Key to what is acceptable in terms of losses incurred during the fall hunt, moreover, is population of each species. That, in turn, is determined by the spring/early summer breeding success.
As it turns out, surveys conducted by wildlife professionals on the duck breeding grounds in the United States and Canada show that waterfowl did spectacularly well in 2013. Translation: Come fall, watchers can expect plenty of sightings and hunters a continuation of liberal bag limits.
As for the numbers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service last week reported a duck population of 45.6 million birds in the �traditional survey area� that comprises the north-central United States, south-central and northern Canada and Alaska. Though that number is down about 6 percent from the estimated 48.6 million ducks surveyed in 2012, the results put the current North American population about 33 percent above the 1955-2011 average and at the second-highest total recorded during the period.
The estimate excludes scoters, eiders, long-tailed ducks, mergansers and wood ducks. Among duck species of interest to hunters, the fish and wildlife service offered these estimates: � ?Mallard abundance is 10.4 million birds, down only slightly from the 2012 estimate of 10.6 million and 36 percent above the long-term average.
� ?Blue-winged teal number 7.7 million, about 16 percent below last year�s estimate of 9.2 million but 60 percent more than the long-term average. � ?Green-winged teal numbered 3.1 million, about 12 percent fewer than in 2012 but 51 percent above their long-term average.
� ?Northern pintail came in at 3.3 million, down 200,000 from a year ago and 17 percent fewer than the average.
� ?The American wigeon count was 2.6 million, about 23 percent more than the 2012 estimate and close to the long-term average.
� ?The combined lesser and greater scaup count, at 4.2 million, represented a decrease of 20 percent from last year and is 17 percent fewer than the long-term average of 5 million.
� ?The canvasback population of 787,000 is similar to the 2012 estimate and 37 percent more than average.
Above-average precipitation accounted for �good to excellent� habitat conditions throughout much of the Canadian breeding grounds, the wildlife service reported. Despite a late spring and heavy April snows, conditions in the U.S. were rated fair to poor, a continued source of concern for Ducks Unlimited, a hunting/conservation organization that emphasizes the need for habitat.
�This spring saw abundant moisture in much of the heart of North America�s most important duck breeding areas,� said Ducks Unlimited chief scientist Dale Humburg in a statement released last week. �That bodes well for duck-breeding success this summer and hopefully for hunting this fall. But we remain concerned with continuing loss of nesting habitat in these areas. Because ducks need both water and upland habitats to successfully raise their young, the ongoing loss of grasslands and wetlands across the Prairie Pothole Region will continue to impact the number of ducks in the fall flight.�
How the 2013 numbers translate into bag limits and waterfowl seasons in Ohio will be determined in coming weeks.
A copy of Trends Report in Duck Breeding Populations, 1955-2013 is available at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website, fws.gov/migratorybirds.


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Betsy W Williams, PhD, MPH
Professional Renewal Center
Clinical Director
Dr. Betsy White Williams earned her Masters Degree in Public Health from Boston University and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with specialization in clinical aging from the University of Southern California. She completed her postdoctoral training in clinical neuropsychology at the University of California, San Diego. Her early research and clinical work were in the area of neuropsychological changes associated with Alzheimer's disease.
For the past thirteen years, her research and clinical foci have shifted to issues having to do with high professionals. She has extensive experience working with high accountability professionals, in particular healthcare professionals. Her work with physicians includes addressing concerns related to clinical competency, substance use disorders, burnout, professional boundaries, disruptive behavior and aging. In this work she has provided assessment, treatment and remedial education/treatment services. Currently she is the Clinical Director at the Professional Renewal Center in Lawrence, KS an assessment and treatment facility in Lawrence, KS.
In her clinical capacity Dr. Williams is involved in the multidisciplinary assessment process as well as treatment/remediation process. She provides ongoing interface among the client, the workplace, administrative and regulatory authorities, and professional assistance programs. As a result of her broad experience she is familiar with issues related to clinical and quality assurance systems.
In regards to her academic work, she is the former Director of Outcomes and Research in the Office of Continuing Medical Education at Rush University Medical Center and was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Rush University Medical Center. She is currently a Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry School of Medicine, University of Kansas.
She is the course director and faculty for The Distressed Physician, a remedial continuing medical education activity, Healthcare Communications for Healthcare Professionals, a one-day CME activity that provides an overview of the importance of and skills to foster good communication in the healthcare environment, and the COPE program which is a performance improvement CME activity.
Dr. Williams is is a member of the Kansas Pain Management & Substance Abuse Statewide Educational Initiative Planning and Expert Committees. She is Chair of the Research Committee for the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education (SACME) and is currently on the Program and Research Committees of SACME. She has been actively involved and on the Board of the Society for the Advancement of Sexual Health SASH. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity and a reviewer for The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions. She has published in the areas of the efficacy of continuing medical education, disruptive behavior, chemical dependency, sexual misconduct, aging, and clinical competence. Recent published articles include
Surgeons in Difficulty: An Exploration of Differences in Assistance-Seeking Behaviors between Male and Female Surgeons;
Assessment of a Physician's Workplace Behavior, Pursuing Professional Accountability: An Evidence Based Approach to Addressing Residents with Behavioral Problems;
Relationship Among Practice Change, Motivation, and Self-Efficacy;
Evaluation of the Interactive Science Publishing Tool: A Three Dimensional Interactive Software Application
She received the Ray L Casterline Excellence in Writing Award in 2010 for the Article Disruptive Physicians: A Conceptual Approach and the Society for Academic CME and the 2013 Fox Award for Best Research Presentation for Self Efficacy and Structural Barriers as Mediators of Practice Change.


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Man you guys, I think I need an intern or something. I mean if Kramer could have an intern, I could – right? So much goodness going on – Our good friends, The Dead Exs dropped their sophomore album, Relovolution, while we were AMAing, and we are going to have a lot to say about this one. Cosmonauts are just a week away from unveiling the video to the song they recently debuted and which we had in the shuffle yesterday, Cold Harbor. The Disappointment have a new video, we just heard a killer new song from Dogs of Oz. There is new music out or coming soon from The Avett Brothers, Mumford and Sons, Band of Horses, John Hiatt and just about everybody else. We made some good contacts at the Americana to-do, and some big things are coming for little ole us. So of course, by nbl (non-blogging life) is also exploding and time become a precious commodity, but it's all good.
Our shuffle today features two artists we saw live last week plus a song from the early 2000s and a relatively new song that sounds like an old song… Let's jump into the shuffle:
Up next, we have a retro-sounding fuzzy guitar-driven, Garage Rock song called Driven by Love from the band 45 Spider which comes from Supercharged Sounds (the 8th Volume of the Best of GaragePunk Hideout) which came out in July.
Next, we have the debut single by California ska-punk band OPM from way back around the turn of the century. Heaven is Halfpipe promises skating after death. The debut album was called Menace to Sobriety (see what they did there?)


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ROOSEVELT --A Long Island woman is under arrest, charged with running an illegal social club in the basement of her home.
Police say 32-year-old Melinda Almonor-Douglas had 70 to 80 people partying at the William Street home in Roosevelt at 5:30 a.m. Saturday.
Neighbors called police, and when officers cleared out the house, they found a handgun in the basement.
No injuries were reported.
Almonor-Douglas is now charged with criminal possession of a weapon.


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Built-out office space. Square footage values are approximated.
127-155 Montée-de-Liesse is a two-storey multi-tenant building with offices on the second floor and industrial on ground level. The building is located in Saint-Laurent's industrial park district, southeast of Highways 520 (de la Côte-de-Liesse) and 13 (Chomedey), just north of CN railroad tracks, and is minutes from Montreal-Trudeau International Airport.