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If you would like to know more about our next pre-marriage course, then please don't hesitate to contact us.
Contact our office
+27 21 686 2970
Pre Marriage
Three times a year we run a Premarriage course for engaged couples preparing for marriage. Many different topics are covered in an interactive way (with time for couples to chat and process) and it is a great way to prepare for this important life stage.
The course is open to engaged couples in Cape Town – not only those who are part of the Common Ground community. The course runs over 2 weekends – Friday nights (7 – 9.30pm) and Saturday days (9am to 3.30pm) at our Rondebosch campus (23 Milner Road). Please note couples need to attend both weekends.
Many topics are covered in an interactive way (with time for couples to chat and process!) and it is a great way to prepare for this important life stage. Here are the topics we cover over the two weekends:
– Communication
– God's design for marriage
– Myths, desires and expectations
– New families
– Sex and Intimacy
– Dealing with Conflict
– Romance & Love Languages
– Finance
– Dealing with the past
– Creating a vision for your Marriage
– Guest discussion – a panel discussion with some couples who've been married for a short while and for many years.
There is a cost involved to cover meals, refreshments and course material. This is currently about R 750 per couple for the whole course.
Online registration for each course usually opens a month before each course.
If you are interested in attending, please click here to signup and to make payment.
Contact email@example.com for further questions or queries.
If you are not yet engaged but are a seriously dating couple, then click here to download a document we created. This helpful tool is to assist you in establishing where you really are in your relationship and to help you decide whether you are ready for marriage.
2019 Course Dates
We are running our premarriage course on the following dates in 2019:
22 – 23 February & 1 – 2 March 2019
12-13 July & 19 – 20 July 2019
08-09 November & 15-16 November 2019
If you would like to be added to a mailing list for one of these dates, please click here.
"Absolutely fantastic! We loved it! Thank you for being so honest about your true life situations! The examples from your respective marriages were great and made us feel so relieved to realise that we are not the only couple that experience all these different relational positives and negatives."
"We really enjoyed the past two weekends, and felt we learnt more than what we thought we would. The sessions were great and the interaction comfortable. We have a lot to still talk about and decide on going forward and are happy to have had these sessions as a starting point and laying of sturdy foundations in various areas that will make up our lives together."
"Thanks for such an excellent course which really covered so many valuable topics. I enjoyed it all so much and appreciate the time and effort you all put into it. It's really well run from the content to the logistics and the attention to detail is appreciated. I also liked having the panel discussion which gave us great insights into how others have handled challenges in their marriages."
"I really enjoyed the course and I feel even though I'm not far into my spiritual journey it truly gave me the tools to deal with the day to day problems we might have. Thank you!!!"


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The Riverside Theatre Company is a young peoples' theatre group with members in the age range 7-13 and what a talented group they are! Bugsy Malone is a musical show, specially written for young performers, set in New York in the 1920's mobster era. The programme, rightly so for young performers, did not associate character names with cast members therefore members can only be identified by their characters.
Bugsy Malone, a boxing promoter and the narrator of the show, was a very good actor with stage confidence and presence. As the lead character with extensive dialogue to learn this young man certainly was a very capable lead. Fat Sam and Dandy Dan are opposing gang leaders with Dandy Dan trying to take over Fat Sams' patch. Both characters were well played by the actors equally well supported by their gang members. Tallulah, Fat Sams', girlfriend and members of her dancing troupe, excelled with great singing, dancing and choreography. Leroy, a budding boxer, being promoted by Bugsy, was superb with a confident solo song and dance routine.
Poor Blousey, an aspiring singer up to the city for auditions at Fat Sams' keeps getting rejected as Sam and Dandy Dan are engaged in battles with splurge guns and custard pies. Bugsy falls for Blousey and tries to get her an audition with Fat Sam. Fat Sam eventually takes her on as a singer much to the annoyance of Tallulah whose flirtations with Bugsy are rejected. The battle between Fat Sam and Dandy Dan sways to and fro throughout the show with Fat Sams' mob out custard-pied by Dandy Dan's splurge guns so a plan is hatched to steal the splurge guns and have a showdown. Bugsy agrees to help Fat Sam raid Dandy Dan's splurge gun store for the final showdown to earn money to take Blousey away to California but poor Blousey is stood up at the train station. More drama movingly played and sung by Blousey and Bugsy.
The raid culminates in an outstanding final number with lots of foam and custard pies splatted all round the stage and over the actors who shrieked with joy and excitement. Comedy was notable throughout the show, but the two hapless cops "Smolsky and O'Dreary" who even counted to 10 before raiding the joint deserve a special mention. A large ensemble supported the principles with enthusiastic singing and dancing in the set numbers. The age range of the members was wide and their ability to sing, dance and perform some of the quite complex choreography was really impressive. Bugsy Malone was fast-paced with performances well beyond what one would consider possible for such young actors involving big numbers, dancing and set routines all of which made for a fabulous show. Grasping the New York drawl and presenting the dialogue in a confident manner, not an easy task, was notable from all the cast. The cast used the auditorium to the full with good use of the side-of-stage and rear doors adding a more intimate involvement with the very appreciative audience.
A simple but effective set comprising two sets of steps and a high platform between, which housed the four-piece band below, was effectively used. A set piece of a large sign "Bugsy Malone" outlined in colour-changing LED rope light over the steps made for effective mood changes in the different scenes. The music, under the direction of Emily Wainwright was just right; not too loud so that the dialogue and words of the songs could be heard. Slick scene changes, excellent sound and lighting, courtesy of Dave and Kate Maltby, great production by Jules Riley and excellent Direction by Rowan Marshall made for a wonderful, thoroughly enjoyable, show.
It was a real pleasure to see about 40 young talented people on stage, presenting an outstanding performance in such a confident manner and having fun doing it. Keep up the good work Riverside; you are a credit to the local amateur dramatic scene developing young actors, giving them confidence and ability to develop and be integral members of a team.
David Alexander
29th April 2018
Being old enough to remember when Alan Parker's film Bugsy Malone was first released it's hard to believe now how controversial the idea of children playing gangsters was at the time. What Parker managed so cleverly was the way the film managed to undercut the classic Hollywood gangster movie source by the use of custard pies and 'splurge' guns. The show has become a staple of youth theatre now and Paul Williams' songs allow both huge chorus outings and touching solo pieces.
It was my first visit to the Priory Centre and it is a big room for anybody to perform in so for the young cast it must have seemed very large indeed. The stage set was a striking 'black box' design and the decision to put the band in centre stage gave it a focal point and a bridge over the top that allowed the action to be spread out in a full three dimensions. I do wonder if it could have been used a little more in the large chorus numbers but the task of choreographing children up and down stairs would certainly be too great for me.
Having some experience of working in amateur theatre I am very aware that a massive amount of rehearsal time is spent leading up to the performances, which in this case is two shows on one day. For the cast this is the culmination of all those weeks of learning lines and movement but for the technical crew they get very little time to actually 'tweak' their equipment in the venue and have the opportunity to have all the cast and equipment in the same place at the same time. In addition to that unless there is a limitless budget, and there is never a limitless budget, the combination of miked and un-miked performers is a problem that can never be fully overcome and occasionally there were some microphone delays that meant that the initial part of some dialogue was lost.
The band were outstanding and for a musical having a good band is simply the best foundation you can ever have. The principle performers relaxed as the show progressed and their performances improved accordingly. The high points of the show are the large group numbers from Fat Sam's Grand Slam, through Down and Out to the climactic You Give a little love.
Personally I could have done with more splurge earlier in the show, but at the end of the performance, with the stage covered in custard pies and an audience clapping along to You Give a Little Love, you have to concede that it's a pretty good way of spending a Saturday afternoon.
Paul John Blackwell
Director Milton Keynes
On entering the Great Hall of the Priory centre for the evening performance of Bugsy Malone we were treated to some 1920s background music transporting us straight in to the a prohibition speakeasy with a simple but effective set preparing us for what was to come. The lighting of the "Bugsy Malone" sign attached to the platform gave the effective addition of colour to an otherwise monochrome world, which included costumes, background set and props, all to great effect. The positioning of the band under the platform also made for a great visual.
After Bugsy introduced us to his world we went on to be treated to everything you would expect from this show, splurge guns, gang riots, night clubs and paper plates in the face. The cast was large and some of this could have been problematic, but the timings on and off stage were spot on. Everyone clearly new their choreography well and performed it with great enthusiasm. There were some sections of choreo that were done brilliantly and would have left some adult casts struggling. There was a good pace throughout the spoken scenes and at no point did we feel that the show was dragging. Simple use of set meant there were few interruptions to pull the audiences eye away from the action which also assisted with the pace.. Great use was made of the whole Hall adding extra colour and interest to the performance.
Whilst there were some notable performances amongst the leads, I think the praise has to go to the collective cast as a whole. The energy, enthusiasm and obvious joy in bringing their show to the stage shone through. The cast had obviously worked incredibly hard and it certainly paid off.
The only issue with the production as a whole was the audibility of the spoken word in some scenes. Accents, the use of microphones, diction and under-projection meant that some of the dialogue was lost making some of the story line tricky to follow.
Having said that - a great show all round, the cast and creatives did a fantastic job! Well done!
Pocket Productions

subset: commoncrawl


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|Project by MShort
|posted 08-24-2011 03:44 AM
|1832 views
|2 times favorited
|10 comments
10 comments so far
#1 posted 08-24-2011 04:03 AM
They're beautiful. Do you have any audio of how they sound when ringing?
-- Chris ~~Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past."
#2 posted 08-24-2011 04:10 AM
Yup, they sound like ding, dong, ding, ding, dong, ding! LOL :D Nice bells. Mike. Are you starting a bell collection?
-- LittlePAW - The sweetest sound in my shop, next to Mozart, is what a hand plane makes slicing a ribbon.
#3 posted 08-24-2011 05:22 AM
Looks like there's a ding-a-ling on the loose here. :) Nice job, and yes, an audio would be nice.
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
#4 posted 08-24-2011 05:33 AM
My mother collected bells, she would have enjoyed having your set as well. Great job!!
Thanks for sharing
-- Chuck Emery, Michigan,
#5 posted 08-24-2011 06:43 AM
Was you eating ding dong's again, those look real nice Mike, I especiall like the 5th one from the left.
-- RStadler
#6 posted 08-24-2011 01:39 PM
I like second from the left. No wire marks in the handle but several in the bell. Plus I prefer the lighter colored bell. Thanks for posting….I do believe I have to try to make a few of these.
-- "Fine Woodworking" is the name given to a project that takes 3 times longer than normal to finish because you used hand tools instead of power tools. ----Mike, Waukesha, WI
#7 posted 08-24-2011 01:58 PM
Those are really cool looking bells.
-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!! Variety is the Spice of Life!!
#8 posted 08-24-2011 04:17 PM
I turn a small wooden clapper that is about 1/8" in dia and has a ball turned on the end of it. I use 26 gauge wire to make two small eyelet loops. I drill the clapper and insert the eyelet and then add the second eyelet to the clapper eyelet and drill a small hole in the bell and use CA glue to hold it. The challenge is to get to get my fingers in the bell and get the wire in the hole before the CA sets up. They may be a better way but I have not figured it out. This seems to work for me. Thanks.
-- Mike, Missouri --- "A positive life can not happen with a negative mind." ---
#9 posted 08-25-2011 12:33 AM
Mike these are little Hum Dingers, great way to use up some scraps & get some skew practice, I'm with Jim & RS with that 5th from left,
-- Pete G: If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got
#10 posted 08-25-2011 09:05 PM
hi mike nice bit of turning great looking bells love all of them
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Stumpjack Hot Sauce
Here's the recipe Stumpjack Hot Sauce I promised I'd share. It's a riff on the Blue Ribbon Restaurant, New York, hot sauce recipe. The garlic and onion give it an extra layer or two of flavor and the carrots give it a nice mellow sweetness and great color. I especially like it on eggs and in certain creamed soups.
- 3 cups distilled white vinegar
- As many habanero and cayenne peppers as you want (I used 10-12 total, 5-6 of each), with seeds removed. The seeds add more heat but may not puree completely. If you want more heat just add more peppers.
- 2 heaping tbsp coarse Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 lbs carrots (trimmed & peeled, cut into chunks)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic, diced
- 1/4 cup diced white onion
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a wide saucepan. Sauté the onion, garlic and peppers for just a minute or two, just enough to soften everything up a tad and release some flavor and aroma.
- Add the vinegar and salt, and bring everything to a boil. (Make sure you open the door or a window to get some good ventilation; boiling vinegar can get pretty intense.) Let it cool.
- Add the chunked carrots to a pot with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 8-10 minutes. You want the carrots tender but firm. Drain and give them a few minutes to cool.
- Add the peppers, onion, garlic and vinegar mixture to a blender or food processor along with two cups of the cooked carrots. Puree until smooth.
- Taste it. If it's got too much heat add another cup of carrots and puree again, until you get it to where you want it.
- Once you have the flavor and level of heat you're happy with you can either bottle it up right there, or strain it to get a greater liquid texture.
- Bottle it in a cool-looking bottle. It will last in your refrigerator for at least a year.
* variation: divide the vinegar mixture in half, pureeing one half just as directed, but to the other half add some fruit like papaya, peach or pineapple before pureeing. You can cut down on the carrots a bit if you add fruit. The best advice for making this stuff is to let your imagination be your guide, have fun and write your ingredient list and process down as you do it. You might come up with something that knocks your socks off and having it written down will ensure that you'll be able to replicate it again.


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There are some big Bruins fans in Montreal
Most hockey fans in Montreal hate the Boston Bruins … but there are some Montrealers who love them.
I figure a lot of that has to do with Bobby Orr, who in my opinion is the greatest hockey player who ever lived (read why by clicking here).
In fact, when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup in 2011, there was a group of Montreal Bruins fans who held a parade in South Shore Greenfield Park.
Below is a column I wrote about them:
(Photo: Courtesy Wade Wilson)
Bruins fans steal the show at parade
It has been 18 years since there has been a Stanley Cup parade in Montreal, but there was one last month in Greenfield Park.
Well … sort of.
The organizers of the annual Mike Reid Memorial Softball Tournament decided to put a car in the South Shore town's annual Canada Day parade.
"We basically told them that we were representing the Mike Reid tournament, so they said okay," recalled Wilson, the head organizer of the charity softball event. "But they had no idea we were doing it up in the Boston Bruins colours."
Wilson was one of seven Bruins fans who piled into Pat Leonard's 2003 Mustang convertible wearing their Boston colours and carrying a big inflatable Stanley Cup.
"It was a surprise to them, but the parade organizers were fine with it," Wilson said. "It was the reaction on the street that was just hysterical. People actually had hoses and water guns out and they were spraying us and booing us.
"Some of the people, believe it or not, were a little upset," Wilson added with a laugh. "But the majority thought it was just great fun and they were okay with it."
Whether you cheer for the Bruins or you hate them, you have to applaud the efforts of Wilson, Leonard and others who have been putting on the charity softball tournament for 27 years and raised $800,000 for Montreal's Mackay Centre School for deaf and disabled children.
Mike Reid, a Greenfield Park native who attended the Mackay Centre School, died on June 12, 1984, at age 20 after a lifelong battle with Duchennes muscular dystrophy. A former Quebec poster child for Jerry Lewis's annual Labour Day muscular-dystrophy telethon, Reid died on the day he was supposed to graduate, but his name lives on at the school's Michael Reid Memorial Resource Centre.
Reid was also a huge Boston fan, and his favourite player was Bobby Orr. So it's fitting that one of the items being auctioned at this year's tournament is a Bruins sweater autographed by the Hall of Famer.
So, how does someone growing up in Montreal become a Bruins fan?
"I started following hockey when I was 5 years old, and my uncle was a big-time Bruins fan," Wilson recalled. "He said to me: 'Why go for the Canadiens? Go for an underdog team.' He was a big influence in my life, so I became a Bruins fan and I never switched, with Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito and all the greats."
Garry Galley, one of Wilson's best friends while growing up in Greenfield Park, played 17 years in the NHL, including four seasons with the Bruins, beginning in 1988-89. When Galley went to the Stanley Cup final with the Bruins in 1990, Wilson travelled to Boston for a couple of games, watching his team eventually lose the series to the Edmonton Oilers.
It was just one of many playoff heartbreaks for Bruins fans – most of them involving the Canadiens – as memories of Boston's last Stanley Cup championship in 1972 continued to fade like that famous photo of Orr's winning goal.
So it's not a surprise that Wilson and his buddies were ready to party this year when the Bruins knocked off the Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs en route to winning the Cup.
"It was a frustrating 39 years," Wilson said, "because, all through my high school days, Montreal was dominating all the playoff series and I used to take so much abuse when I went to the Forum or from my friends at school, who used to beat on me all the time. So this was my chance, after 39 years, to finally celebrate.
"The Bruins won on a Wednesday night and it was karaoke night at Scottyz (bar in Greenfield Park) and there was a girl up on stage singing and we went up there with our Boston gear on, took the microphone and started singing: 'Olé! Olé! Olé!'" Wilson recalled.
"We survived," he added with a laugh, "but we had a few upset people. It was all in good fun, though … nobody took us too serious. They were more upset when we showed up after the Canadiens lost."
Leonard was happy his convertible made it through the Canada Day parade without any damage.
"It was a little hairy with the waterworks," he said about the people with hoses. "The car got a little wet, but that was it. I didn't have to clean the interior.
"It was pretty good," he added with a chuckle of the reaction at the parade. "I thought it was going to be a lot more violent, but people laughed it off and had a good time with it."
But Leonard and his buddies almost ran into some serious trouble after the parade. While making the short drive home, Leonard was pulled over by the Longueuil police.
"I figured we're done … we're going to jail," Leonard recalled. "We had seven guys in a four-seater. Then the cop, in a thick French accent, says: 'I have four teams that I cheer for: the Celtics, the Patriots, the Red Sox and the Bruins … way to go, boys!
"It was classic."


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Cheezburger CEO: Identifying Internet Culture
WSJ's Geoffrey Fowler talks with Ben Huh, CEO and founder of the Cheezburger Network, about the difference between pop culture and Internet culture.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I am Geoffrey Fowler year to date the Web to Plano Expo in San Francisco ... the founder and CEO of the Cheezburger network ... hopes to bring the world ... of Wall captain of the era ... of work time diversions thanks to Santa for joining al Epoch ... so you'll give a keynote speech yesterday when you highlighted ... the difference between a pop culture and Internet culture ... what's the difference though profit result we believe the top down on costs for where our small group of people who control ... of production and consecration decide to broadcast out a gain something that's interesting or funny to be pleased it was like on TV from some ... of their culture to such subversive or so that when we take the pill Coltrane with the meaning of the something that people can own and enjoy in a shoe bomb ... on replicate on their own so they can to speed the creation of ... the states the complete opposite of pop culture ... so is the humor that you can use inherently differences in how to be different ... but it is this mythical a different than that of popular culture tends to be a model with a combine of Cali so therefore it is up on Simor boss has become a subject for ... a recall for tends to be somewhat below the one you want Tom Ford tempo come I can be a fan of somebody ... because I believe that they are ironic ... and also funny to see how ... bright and I think that you may be somewhat conflicted but it doesn't change the way I can walk right ... examples of people in popular culture ... were able to more shows are products of topical ger ... are able to ... steer the ball off of some of Bach's irony that in a culture does so well they got up and tonight ... he actually all of us together example is the benefit ... of the ... artist musician ... 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I don't know what wines are ... willing to bet ... that the community will know within the ones I did this are defending ... an end and you get little ones that they believe are not working ... Jeff are worried that some of the sites that you guys ... make up a life filled plot ... encourage people to do stupid stuff just ... in the hopes that ... they will go viral ... I know that failed to encourage people to try to get ... I think people have a very good on genetic survival mechanism which says if it's not ... dangerous ... what we should do ... but that it was the time that happens ... after the fact payouts ending up with the potential deal ... most of the failed one ... a lot of big media companies ... want to try to tap that kept missing the virally of ... 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Twitter feed ... this is that with you believe that that was released a tip that this but adds that the person making it up ... and then to now ... doesn't mean that this TV show about ... a problem with the Rioli or the release of the somewhat irrelevant because it sets the scene isn't good enough ... but to no one really find out for sure ... about the curious case of attack costs are worth double the fringe of the country ... as one person being a writer using Internet based Kohl's to propagate a store ... like a Hollywood identify key style and turning into a shell which is actually very much but likely would accept the fact that he didn't have ... much to good use of traditional channels of getting recognizes how ... the keypad on a previous history and an experience working in entertainment I feel certain age to ready the plane was so quickly ... turned into a TV show ... so that's really cut above the upper fringes where all the people see that angle while the cynical trip that it's not the city so there was no participation in in ... in the user's no one on when to shut my gut says and the sudden exit of the make something greater and better ... mood to dance I mean ... it's one person's health ... a ... duet bikie tummies overcomes you you in your company and ask for help in figuring out the stuff I absolutely not ... my thing we're still in the new houses point was a hot ... day just like outsider or I can disrupt air on the chess like ... like it although it's been a bit but one thing ... I mean you know we love will be doing this is our hope that this community and would like to continue to grow that's ... what we're going to refocus on the Internet and Michael chakra ... thanks so much for a second set up a bank's effort ... the Wall Street Journal Geoffrey Fowler ...


text:
Cloak and Jaguar
I have finally finished the first draft of my book, Cloak and Jaguar. I am in the process of putting together a proposal to send to agents and publishers as I begin the search for support and a home for my manuscript. It is just the beginning of a probable long journey of rejections, re-writes, edits, and "killing my darlings."
Here is a preview, Cloak & Jaguar
Thanks goes to Dexter Oliver for his edits.


text:
Stepford Wife
Cindy responding to ABC asking about Palin's credentials:
"Alaska is the closest part of our continent to Russia. So, it's not as if she doesn't understand what's at stake here."
lol lol lol
And then we have the woman who didn't care about thrusting her pregnant 17 year old daughter into center stage and in the 90's was a member of The Alaskan Independence Party, they are the party pushing for a legal vote for Alaskans to decide whether or not residents of the 49th state can secede from the United States, crazies.
Country first McCain?
9 comments:
- Kristin said...
I am disgusted (and shocked, really) that Sarah Palin would agree to the VP candidacy when she knew her daughter was pregnant. Not so much for the hypocrisy factor as for what this is probably doing to her daughter!!
Can you imagine being a teen and having your private matters and (probably quite embarrassing) pregnancy be the topic of world news??!
I would never do that to my child.
If she is that insensitive to her child, willing to put her own kid through that to further her career...
What kind of world leader would she be?
This disgusts me.
- 2.9.08
Kristin, I agree with you. Not to mention Palin has a young child with Down's Syndrome, it sounds like her family may be feeling the total repercussions of her career, unfortunately. I feel sorry for them.
McCain shot himself in the foot picking her for his VP. If he passes away, can you imagine this woman running the country?
'Stepford McCain' has always frightened me. She seems like a social-climbing nightmare.
- 2.9.08
- allicat said...
Truly I want to just stick my head under a pillow and not come out again til it's time to vote - and then depending on the results, stay out and live, or hide under the pillow for another 4 years.
I get so excited hearing Obama speak, the idea that this intelligent, inspiring, thoughtful, articulate, gracious man could actually be our president.... I mean how could anyone not see that he and Biden are what this nation needs right now....
And then I hear members of my extended family, or their relatives or friends say things like...
"I'm not going to vote for Obama... I don't like Michelle because she looks like a monkey..."
"Obama wants his daughter to have an abortion!!! There's no way I'd vote for him!"
These irrational statements made (by people who get their news from Fox) with such fervor that it is clear that absolutely nothing will sway them from their illogical and thoughts - regardless of the truth.
And I recognize our nation is filled with people like this and it makes me want to cry.
Can you imagine angry old McCain, with his temper always on the verge of explosion, with the world biggest army and an arsenal of nuclear and other weapons at his disposal???
And, even worse than him.... Palin... I read she supports teaching creationism in science classes. Haven't we suffered enough of an assault on science and reason the past 8 years????
Please... please.... pray to our noodly master, the Flying Spaghetti Monster (or whichever god/or not that you worship) that this travesty will not come to pass. And then go out and vote for obama!
Obama must win this year....
- 2.9.08
- Michelle said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- 2.9.08
- Michelle said...
Amen to all. Alli, you actually heard someone utter that Michelle looks like a monkey? w.o.w.
On realclearpolitics.com click on the article "Dan Quayle With An Up-do" This woman explains exactly how I feel about Palin.
- 2.9.08
- Allicat said...
Actually, Ashley heard it. From her mother in law.
- 2.9.08
- Ashley Rae said...
Sad, sad, sad. Yes. That was said to me and I was disgusted. Really?... REALLY?? I couldn't believe it was said. It depresses me that someone is that shallow to not like/hate someone based on how they look. It's extremely immature and asinine. Yet it happens all too often. I am embarrassed to be related to these people, no matter how distant.
On another note, if we like Hillary, how could we not vote for Palin? Samantha Bee said that those two are gynecological twins! LOL
- 2.9.08
So let me get this straight...
Women shouldn't have jobs if they have kids, especially one with Down's?
And if your child is having premarital sex, and winds up pregnant and decides to keep the baby, you should abandon everything you're doing, and hide in a cave so no one finds out. Don't you think she discussed her running with her daughter first, and if her family didn't feel good about it, she wouldn't? Like any mom, I do.
And Obama saying he'll tax big businesses and the oil companies is okay with you, because they'd never pass that tax on to us. Wait until he's in office and the economy is worse, and then remember that I told you so.
Obama is articulate....when his teleprompter is working right.
Biden, where to begin:
1) In the 70's, Biden opposed giving aid to the South Vietnamese government in its war with the North. Congress cut off the funds...contributed to the fall of a US ally, helped communism advance, and led to mass death in the region.
2) He advocated defense cuts so massive that even Edmund Muskie and Walter Mondale opposed them.
3) He is and always has been a fierce opponent of modernizing our strategic nuclear forces.
4) He opposed helping Kuwait and the US entry in the Gulf War...saying "What vital interests of the US justify sending Americans to their deaths in the sands of Saudi Arabia?"
5) In 2003, he voted to authorize the war to liberate Iraq...then in 2006 he argued for Iraq to be partitioned, which would have broken up the state he authorized us to liberate.
6) In 2007, he called the troop surge a "tragic mistake"...which was obviously wrong...b/c without the surge, Jihadists would have won their most important victory ever.
Don't be surprised if Biden's health suddenly becomes a bigger issue, and he has to drop out of the running, so that Obama can choose a better running mate. Someone that can hold a candle to Palin.
"Stepford McCain' has always frightened me. She seems like a social-climbing nightmare." You're not any better than the person that said Michelle Obama looks like a monkey.
- 7.9.08
- allicat said...
Thank you, Karl Rove minion.
"Anonymous" (We'll call you Karl Jr. since you didn't leave your name) missed the point entirely about the pregnancy issue. not that she can't have a career - but that she, by choice, thrust her daughter into the spotlight at a vulnerable time in her life. Not a choice that many mothers understand.
The RNC is now peddling stories that Senator Biden's acknowledged expertise in international affairs is actually a weakness. Typical Rovian tactic.
I don't have time to investigate all your claims, but here are rebuttals to a few.
3. The phrase "Opposed modernization of US nuclear forces" is taken directly from the critique of a former deputy assistant to Bush. The definition of "modernization" turns out to consist largely of things like Star Wars.... which cost $50 billion from '83 to '93, despite failing to produce any deployable systems or major technological breakthroughs, gave the US taxpayers no bang for its bucks - but did fund a lot of 3-martini lunches at Lockheed-Martin and other defense contractors. Joe Biden has never been alone in his opposition to Reagan's SDI and holds a position informed and shared by many military and defense systems experts.
4. Biden argued war in Kuwait as as a last result (as war always should be) and, along with many other Democrats,insisted that the administration and its allies should have waited months — and maybe as long as a year — on the expectation that the pressure from economic sanctions would eventually force Iraq to withdraw. That view was endorsed by some scholars and former Pentagon officials who had testified before congressional committees.
5. He supported a plan to help end the secterian violence occurring at the time. The Biden-Brownback Resolution passed the Senate 75-23 in a nonbinding vote on September 25, 2007, including 26 Republican votes. The Iraqi government chose not to implement it, as was their right.
6. First of all, the troop surge would not have even been necessary had idiot Bush not been so anxious to go to war in the first place. (Yeah, we really want another trigger happy guy in the white house).
Second, he did not oppose a troop surge. He said: "I will not to support a surge of troops unless it's tied to some reason for me to believe that they have a political solution."
Biden said any proposal to send about 30,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq should only follow a political solution that will end sectarian violence and civil unrest.
Unfortunately, as Obama correctly stated on Bill O'Reilly's show - while the surge has been militarily successful, "The Iraqis still haven't taken responsibility. And we still don't have that kind of political reconciliation."
Want more war? Vote McCain/Palin.
Want diplomacy, cooperation and peace - with war as a last result? Vote Obama/Biden
- 7.9.08


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Thursday, November 15, 2012
Solange Knowles Angered By 'Discrim-FRO-Nation'
SOLANGE KNOWLES claims that she was stopped and her afro searched during an airport security check in Florida last night. Knowles, the younger sister of singer Beyoncé, immediately took to her Twitter page to reveal the details of her ordeal. Tweeting a link to a story about a US woman who was also frisked during a similar check, she wrote: "I kid you not. This just happened to me" She went on: "Discrim-FRO-nation. My hair is not a storage drawer. Although, guess I couuld hide a joint up in here. *Blames "Romnesia" (my wigs name)" In September Dallas woman Isis Brantley was headed down an escalator at Hartsfield-Jackson International airport in Atlanta, after she was screened a the initial security checkpoint, when she says two TSA agents came after her asking to check her hair for explosives. Brantley says the agents began patting down her large afro in public as she waited on a train platform. Solange, who is renowned for her extravagant hairstyles, made light of the situation and challenged her Twitter followers to a "little game called: "What did TSA find in Solange's Fro"? One response from user @Remzophilos read: "the good lord, Jesus of nazareth was fount in @Solangeknowles' fro." She later tweeted: "Ok. Game over:( Flights taking off. Me and my wig had a lot of good laughs with y'all." Posted on: 15/11/2012 05:14 PM
Posted by Brooklyn Dreamer at Thursday, November 15, 2012
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Greetings from Cut Bank, Montana—a small town of less than 3000 people about 40 miles away from the Canadian border. It's by far the smallest community I've ever lived in—the Blackfeet Indian Reservation is to the immediate west of Cut Bank and the next town, Shelby, is about 30-35 minutes away to the east.
The last time I wrote, I was in Kalispell, Montana—which frankly feels like a metropolis compared to Cut Bank. During the several hour drive, the farther I drove, the more sparsely populated it got. After a particularly busy stretch in Portland and Seattle, I was wondering (and admittedly a bit concerned) about how the next leg of my trip was going to go.
And there are several recurrent themes that keep transpiring throughout the course of my journey. One of which is: it always takes a village.
When my time in Seattle was wrapping up, I was making some calls out to Montana and frankly having a tough time figuring out my placement. The New York Times article, Put Lawyers Where They're Needed specifically cited Montana for its lack of legal accessibility. But I really wanted to spend some time here in one of America's most remote states. What is life like here? I wondered. What does the legal community look like here? I further inquired to myself.
I was spinning my wheels. Then, a close friend of mine from college (hi, Britt!) had a friend/former coworker who lived near Flathead Lake, Montana (several hours away from where I am in Cut Bank). She gave me her former coworker's contact information in hopes of knowing someone in the community who knew of a public interest-minded attorney whom I may able to connect with.
Long story short: my friend's friend's sister's friend is the attorney I am now working with in Cut Bank. WOAH! That is some serious Kevin Bacon degree of separation going on there. And I honestly think I needed that level of community connection in order to be able to access this opportunity. Not to mention, I found out that I have two other 3rd/4th degree connections in this small, remote town.
The attorney I am working with in Cut Bank is a solo practitioner—a different model than the legal nonprofits/clinics/orgs I've been working with since this project started. But I am doing this to experiment with different areas of the laws and different ways of practicing more radical public interest law. And I am so glad I did.
Terryl is the only attorney outside of the reservation within the vicinity—in fact, she actually CREATED the Blackfeet bar exam! (Many tribes have their own bar exam in order to practice on the reservation.) She is really the main attorney for this entire area—which I assume covers at least 100 miles. As a result, she is super busy—and I have in the super short time I've been here been able to help out with discovery and exhibits for a major case that is in process on the reservation.
And I am already very interested and intrigued by both the impact litigation and individual, mostly civil work that the office does on behalf of the tribal government as well as individual tribal members. I think I will be learning quite a bit here.
And I am still honestly processing my experience spending the entire day today at the Blackfeet Reservation. There are many thoughts going on in my head that I am sure I will further detail in my next blog post. But there is one that is percolating at this moment:
The world is only as small as our concentric circles of accessibility allow.
It was clear that as soon as I set foot on the reservation, I was exceptionally clear that this was my first time really spending any time on reservation land. Reading some of the pleadings in the office earlier, I recognized tribal names that I was not ordinarily very familiar with—and in my personal and professional work, I have been exposed to a fair amount of diversity. It was clear that I never had any substantial interaction with members of the reservation community. And this realization hit me repeatedly over and over again today—how the concepts of oppression and colonization are most certainly related but also distinct in nature.
Of course, hundreds of years ago when Europeans began to colonize the now United States, there were Native Americans who were indigenous to this continent. The present day Indian reservation is clearly a effect (to say the very least) of this sordid history of American colonization. And that is unique to any other community in the United States.
Every second of every minute while I was on the reservation today, I felt a different type of trauma-impacted community than one I had been in before.
For starters, the fact that there is still a federal agency called the Bureau of Indian Affairs (formed in 1824) nearly speaks for itself. The inhumane history of forced assimilation and mismanagement has been apparent during its existence.
Being on the reservation had me reflecting on how I feel complicit in this, somehow. That by being an American citizen born when I was, that I am accessing privilege that was the result of a domination of a people who used to live here. Even though historically the colonization was "complete" hundreds of years ago—its effects without a doubt still linger on today. The colonization is very much still going on. And property and human rights issues are still at stake.
When I originally set out to do this project, I had (and still have) this strong urge to get out of whatever societal silo (or concentric circle) I may be in. How many people do I know who live on Indian reservations? Prior to today, I believe none. How many people did I know who spent time in a federal immigration detention center? Prior to a month or so ago, none. And so on, and so on.
The more I intentionally try to collide with circles that may not be de facto or semi-de facto my own—the closer I think I am getting to this concept I stated above. What the hell is going out there in the world outside of whatever circle I am in? No person is an island.
Although it's been an intense period of time, it's also been a rewarding one. I am actually living and working out of the office (it used to be a house)—and I a really enjoying it (the commute = great). I spend the evenings by myself and I quite like it—it is an opportunity for me to introspect on going on month 5 (!!!) of this pro bono journey. And to continue to plan for the road ahead. I can see the appeal in living in a small town for this type of reason.
Thanks as always for reading—even though I may be a bit isolated here in northern Montana, close to Canada—you always make me feel like I'm not alone in this. Much love to you all.


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This blog is a collaborative collection of the stuff we all make at home, and want to share. We share sewing, baking, craft stuff, home decorator projects, sculpting, painting, gardening, photography, scrapbooking, music, and anything else we want to throw down for viewing or listening (whether we consider it a success or not).
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Bringing My Dining Room Out of the 90s
Or out of the 70s? I don't know....exactly when was beige fabric printed with small music notes and square dancing calls ("Do-si-do!" "Promenade your partner!") hip? The story of how our dining room set came to be ours is kind of an odd one, so I'll give you the short version: It's 1998, we just got married 2 months ago, and we're moving into our very own home! It's the start of the school year, and I mention our new house to one of my co-workers because I know we live in his neighborhood. He's a very nice man in his mid-50s, and he says, "Do you guys need any furniture? We're cleaning out my mom's house because she just died. Come on over after school and you can take a look at what we have left."
Since I have a personal policy of never turning down a guy's dead mom's furniture, we drive out to her house after school that day. He gives us his mom's dining room set, a twin bed, a giant ladder, a dehumidifier, and probably a couple other things I'm forgetting. He won't take any money for it, so to show him my gratitude, I bake him an apple pie next day. He smiles and thanks me, then puts it on the table in the teacher's lounge to share...later someone told me it was because he'll go into anaphylactic shock from one of the pie ingredients (was there nuts in the pie? I can't remember what he was allergic to.) So anyway, kinda an odd way to aquire furniture, but it's served us well!
The chair seats, however were totally worn out when we got it. I set out immediately to find fabric to recover them. And for some reason, I liked the beige square dancing stuff. (In my defense, the words are very faint and you wouldn't necessarily take the time to read them if you were just sitting down to eat!)
A couple weeks ago, I was out at Hobby Lobby and saw some fabric I just loved. I stood there trying to figure out what I should make with it. It was a heavier cotton fabric and I decided it would be just the thing for our dining room chairs. Partially because our chairs were getting so ghetto again from years of use, and partially because the colors were perfect. Our dining room sits right between our kitchen, which has walls same color as the blue in this fabric, and our family room, which has a lot of espresso brown furniture. So this was the perfect fabric to tie it all together.
I feel a little silly explaining how to recover a chair, because it really is pretty self-explanatory, but since this is a craft blog, I'll go for it.
First, unscrew the chair seat from the frame, then pry out the old staples. Take off the old fabric and toss it, but you might save the old padding and just put new stuff on top of it for a little extra fluff.
Posted by Nicole at 11:20 PM
3 comments:
Sorry to post this in two parts....I'm not sure how to do one post with more than 4 pictures.
- February 15, 2009 at 11:24 PM
I found that I was able to buy good dining furniture for a great price at the spacify.com. It was less costly than elsewhere.
- February 16, 2009 at 5:43 AM
- a witt said...
This is great!! I'm about to recover my dining room chairs, too, at some point. Mine are WHITE fabric, and that just ain't gonna cut it. I'm going for pleather or something stain-resistant.
- February 17, 2009 at 9:56 AM
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Business Administration NVQ Level 2, 3 & 4
Awarding Organisation
Target Group
This vocational training course is suitable for anybody working in an office environment across all sectors undertaking an administrative role. Our Alliance Learning tutors will be able to advise on the most appropriate level.
Course Duration
Each level of qualification takes approximately 12 months to complete.
Course Content
The Level 2 NVQ Certificate in Business Administration consists of 45 credits.
The Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Business Administration consists of 58 credits.
The Level 4 NVQ Diploma in
The NVQ will be assessed in the learner's workplace. The learner produces a portfolio of evidence through either e-portfolio or paper-based portfolio, which is used to prove competence
How often will an assessor visit me?
To complete the NVQ it is required that one of our assessors visits you and witnesses you working first hand in your job role. During the qualification, you will receive 8-12 visits.


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Beef Stew (Boeuf Bourguignonne)
Perhaps the most famous of all stews, boeuf bourguignonne is chunks of beef that are browned and then slowly braised in red wine until the meat is fork-tender.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: Approximately 3 hours
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
16 ounces white mushrooms, sautéed in butter
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
8 ounces cooked broad noodles for serving
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook just until the fat melts but doesn't brown. Remove to a plate.
Add just enough beef to cover the bottom of the pot and brown evenly on each side. Remove to a plate and continue with the remaining meat.
Add the carrot, onion, garlic, and thyme to the pot. Cook until the onion is soft.
Return the meats to the pot. Heat, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with the flour and cook until the bacon and beef are well browned.
Add the wine, broth, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any cooked-on particles.
Cover and simmer 3 hours, or until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Spoon off any fat from the sauce.
Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce to approximately 2 cups.
Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Return the meat to the pot along with the mushrooms. Stir in the parsley.
Serve over the noodles.


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The Ashmolean has embarked on a major project to digitise its collections with an initial target of making 250,000 objects available online by 2020. We will be adding and updating records every month. For more information on the project see About.
Explore our online collection of paintings, prints, drawings and bound volumes.
Discover ceramics from around the world in the Ashmolean's online collection.
Browse sculptures, statues and figurines featured in our online collection.


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About Brenna Palughi
Actor | Director | Choreographer
Brenna Palughi has performed off and on Broadway, in network and cable television, film and web, in video art, at museums, with veterans at VA hospitals and in dance pieces around the city.
Her most critically acclaimed roles include the autistic Sarah in Scared of Sarah at La MaMa, Whitney, a woman with schizoid personality disorder; in World Builders at the Contemporary American Theater Festival and her recurring role as a neurotic hippie, in HBO's High Maintenance.
Brenna is also a filmmaker. She is finishing post-production on Close, a short film she wrote and directed. She is currently filming The Fight, a collaboration with Sarah Lasley and Adria Vitlar, and in pre-production for a feature film, Spinsters.
Brenna received her MFA from the Yale School of Drama where she played queens and elves, Shakespearean lovers and Chekhovian sisters, beasts, executives and men and women in drag. At different times in her career she has been labeled a fixture of the improv scene, a physical theater experimentalist, a sitcom girl and a go to for the weird woman. Brenna is a proud member of The Actor's Center.
Website: viragotheatergroup.com
Instagram/Twitter: @brenna.palughi


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Check out this great fan-made trailer for the next TRON film TRON: Destiny. I just re-watched TRON: Legacy last night and just marvel at the world Joseph Kosinski and his team created for that film. Closer to the end of this trailer things start to get interesting. Nice use of the Daft Punk track and the effects and the end titles are pretty cool.
via Geektyrant


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Soil loss an enemy to Malawi's development
80% of Malawi's population is dependent on subsistence agriculture. Every year, soil erosion reduces agricultural productivity by 6% putting less food on the table for many households. A 2011 Poverty-Environment Initiative study estimated that if soil erosion would be tackled, 1.88 million people could have been lifted out of poverty between 2005 and 2015. In an effort to determine the best approach to combat soil erosion, the Government of Malawi in collaboration with the UNDP-UN Environment Poverty-Environment Initiative and the Food and Agriculture Organization has undertaken a soil loss assessment to update the 1992 soil loss baseline.
The study found that the average national soil loss rates in 2014 were 29 ton per hectare per year. The problem of soil erosion is severest in the northern part of the country and in particular in three districts, Nkhata Bay, Mulanje and Phalombe. The soil erosion problems in the north arise from the fragile and shallow soil types, lack of good soil management practices, steep slopes, and high erosive rainfall aggravated by a change in land use from natural forest to agriculture due in part to population pressure.
Dopa village in northern Malawi provides a typical example of the complex relationship between poverty and environmental factors such as soil loss. Crops are the major source of livelihoods in the village, but, yields are below their potential partly due to soil erosion and the corresponding loss in soil fertility. Deforestation on the hills surrounding the village is a related problem as the wood provides an alternative source of income and help meet energy needs. Deforested hills have led to landslides during the rainy season further exacerbating the problem of soil erosion leading to a vicious cycle of food insecurity, poverty and environmental degradation.
John Mussa, Director of Land Resources and Conservation Department, from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security explained that the Soil Loss Assessment carried out is important for Malawi as it "…can inform how we design more sustainable land management interventions to combat soil erosion." like the soil erosion experienced in Dopa village. The soil loss assessment will help the Government to target its efforts in the districts most affected and defeat the enemy of soil erosion threatening food security and poverty reduction. Further capacity building for district land resource and conservation officers on how to monitor and combat soil erosion is needed.


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Setting up a new company or naming a new product used to involve a quick check with Companies House and maybe the Patents Office to ensure no one had already registered your intended name. But with virtually all businesses now reliant on the web to some extent, you must also factor in domain name availability. Very few single word domain names are now available, or if they are, it's only with extremely obscure suffixes where ideally you'd want .com or .co.uk to be.
I mistakenly typed in www.twitter.co.uk the other day and was met not with the social networking site, but with the rather irate homepage of the owner of this domain address. Now to be fair, the owner of this site claims to have registered the .co.uk domain address a full year before the slightly better known .com site started, but how much must he wish he'd also bought the .com version at the same time? He would have protected his identity by owning both domain names. He is of course receiving thousands of mistaken hits (one every 20 seconds by his estimation), and is even offering advertising on his site because of that amount of traffic, but I suspect all that happens is people very quickly leave the site and go to the .com version instead. He is also receiving thousands of unsolicited, mistakenly addressed emails. Ironic when you consider that twitter.co.uk was set up to promote a piece of software designed to help blind people use computers, TWITTER standing for Talking Wordprocessor, Internet, Typing Tutor, Email Resource.
And here lies today's lesson my children – if you are creating a new business, brand or product, don't make a final decision on the name until you've checked out what domains are available and once you find those domains, guard them with your life – register the .com and .co.uk versions at the very least.


text: Heartofice #321 Posted April 1 (edited) No doubt May could have done more to get other parties on board and the way she has approached getting people to vote for her deal has been confrontational and unhelpful. But yes, her deal is still relatively soft. The backstop is worse than remaining if we get trapped in it. The future relationship hasn't been ironed out yet but even that seems to be pretty soft in many regards, and even seems to hint at customs unions. This is of course why Brexiteers don't like her deal. I've yet to really understand Labours problem with it other than it simply not being their deal or that it's not Remain. If she went back on her red lines, for instance keeping freedom of movement then she would really struggle to claim she has delivered Brexit in any real terms. Edited April 1 by Heartofice Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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|This is Christ Church Cathedral
|This is inside Christ Church Cathedral. I didn't pay for the tour, so this is all I can give you, sorry.
|Back outside the Christ Church Cathedral
|This is Einstein's head made of Sand at Dublin Castle
|This is Saint Patrick's Cathedral, a man most known in America for popularizing binge drinking green beer and pinching schoolkids who do not wear green to school on St. Patrick's Day
|Another angle
|And another
|And another
|This is the Temple Bar area in Dublin. It's full of tourists, beer, some drunken tourists, cobbled streets, beer, live music, and beer.
|Due to talent and fingerless gloves, these guys drew a pretty good crowd.


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School Ethos
Mission Statement
At Elms Bank we wish to create opportunities for every pupil to develop to his or her maximum potential. We strive to deliver an outstanding service to all pupils and their parents. We look for every chance to recognise and celebrate achievement. We take pride in what we do and accept that all we do can be continually improved. We aim to enhance the quality of life for all pupils who attend Elms Bank.
Aims of the School
Elms Bank has overall aims, which seek to ensure that each pupil receives the very best care and education. The staff and governors have agreed these aims, which are listed below.
- To offer each pupil a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum within the National Curriculum that is externally accredited where appropriate.
- To ensure that pupils' individual needs are met in terms of moral, spiritual and social developments and in the acquisition of personal and social values and skills.
- To support pupils in a caring community where the school philosophy enables all to access the curriculum regardless of physical disability, learning disability, gender, race or culture.
- To support pupils in a climate of warmth and understanding in order that self-esteem, confidence and responsibility can grow.
- To maximise every pupil's potential for independence whilst respecting those pupils who will always require support.
- To support parents and families by keeping them informed and involved in their child's progress, achievement and school events.
- To encourage, support and develop all staff in a positive professional environment where individual needs and achievements are recognised and appreciated.
- To promote and develop skills for further education, work, home and leisure activities.
- To raise standards thus improving and enhancing the quality of lives of all pupils and establishing a centre of excellence.
- To help pupils develop into good citizens, with minds ready to explore, question and challenge policies underpinning society.


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Here is the Arndale Center in full swing, complete with Christmas decorations. It's all very busy.
Here are some dinky erasers that I got completely mesmerised by. They are amazing. And absolutely tiny.
347/365 - Zan has the best time with amazing friends.
And yes, Ric, this was the photo of the day :)
I love the get togethers I have with my college friends and their other halves. It's always great to see Ric and Rachel when they come over from Guernsey, and I'm looking forward to catching up with Shazia and hopefully J and Jenny too. I write about this all the time, but I won't hesitate to write it again - this bunch of friends are the best a girl can have. I'm so thankful that I have such wonderful friends. :)


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Rehearsal Dinner Invitations and Wording
There are so many mini events and activities that are part of a whole wedding celebration, and a few of them may be worthy of an invitation all on its own. Perhaps the most important non-ceremony or non-reception event of a whole wedding celebration is the rehearsal dinner, when the bridal party and family members gather in a more intimate setting.
Ultimately, rehearsal dinner invitations can be handwritten, telephoned, or even emailed. However, a tangible invite might be more helpful for out-of-town guests, and they certainly bring a sense of importance and formality to the event. If you're planning on having the actual wedding rehearsal right before the dinner, list the time and place of the rehearsal and the time and place of the dinner on the invitation, so that everyone is aware of the schedule for the evening.
Most people send out their rehearsal dinner invitations as part of the full wedding invitation suite. However, if you aren't able to do this—say, you don't have all the details just yet—just make sure you don't forget to send them out with adequate time to get your rsvps!
So what how might you word a rehearsal dinner invitation you ask? Well aside from the date, time and venue location, here are some wording ideas to get you started!
Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Invitations and Wording
Love, Laughter, before Happily Ever After. Please join us for a wedding rehearsal celebration honoring [insert couple's names here]"
"In anticipation of [name] and [name]'s big day, we wouldn't celebrate any other way than in the company of your family and friends."
"A romantic affair… something special is in the air. Kindly join us as we celebrate on the eve of the marriage celebration uniting [name] and [name]."
"Please join [name] and [name] as they toast to their families at their wedding eve dinner."
"Before 'I do', let's raise a glass or two!"
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I M Pei, the architect behind buildings including the glass pyramid outside the Louvre in Paris, has died aged 102.
Tributes have been pouring in, remembering him for a lifetime of designing iconic structures worldwide. Pei's designs are renowned for their emphasis on precision geometry, plain surfaces and natural light. He carried on working well into old age, creating one of his most famous masterpieces - the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar - in his 80s.
Some of his works:
Louvre Pyramid
Bank of China Tower - the best looking Skyscraper design ever, in my opinion.
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Suzhou Museum


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By day, the Marvel Universe's New York City is a concrete jungle full of predators. By night, things become even more perilous when the city's most dangerous predators come out. Fortunately nocturnal travelers fall under the protection of the Egyptian God Khonshu and his chief follower, the wealthy mercenary turned costumed hero Moon Knight AKA Marc Spector who returned to the Big Apple in the debut issue of his All-New Marvel NOW! ongoing series by writer Warren Ellis and artist Declan Shalvey.
RELATED: Wood & Smallwood Take Over "Moon Knight" with September's Issue #7
Across a series of done-in-one stories, Ellis and Shalvey have thrown a bizarre collection of killers and villains that walk the night against the eponymous hero. That odd assortment of foes and single-issue format will continue this September when writer Brian Wood and artist Greg Smallwood take over the title. CBR News spoke with Wood about his plans for "Moon Knight," what he plans to incorporate from the previous run and how his run will stand on its own.
CBR News: Brian, you're no stranger to costumed heroes and characters who survive on combat skills and wits, but have you ever written a character who combines both the way Moon Knight does? He's sort of a pulp, urban vigilante. What do you find most interesting about that archetype and the character?
Brian Wood: I might argue with that -- I think I am a stranger to a lot of this, at least compared to a lot of my peers. A lot of people these days know my name in connection to the X-Men or Star Wars, but I have a 15-year career and nearly all of that time was spent doing creator-owned material. So I still feel like a rookie when it comes to these big company books. In the case of "Moon Knight," the biggest reason I'm taking it on is because I love this iteration of the character that Warren [Ellis] and Declan [Shalvey] and Jordie [Bellaire] have created -- I wouldn't be pitching "Moon Knight" if that didn't exist, you know? This Moon Knight I can get with -- I've always felt an attraction to and affinity for this sort of Warren Ellis story.
Let's talk a little bit more about the character of Marc Spector and his mental state. In the first issue of this new series Spector's doctor revealed that his brain and nervous system was sort of rewired to process the four different aspects of Khonshu. What's your sense of Marc's mental state when your story begins? Can you talk about how his brain works? Does it allow him to do and perhaps process certain things that normal humans can't? Or would talking about that tip your hand and spoil some of your stories?
[Editor] Nick Lowe and I have had conversations about this, and while I don't want to get into details at the moment, it's something that will be considered and developed going forward.
How important a character is Khonshu in your immediate plans? What do you find most interesting about the character?
Not to be boring, but I'm holding back on details right now. But I will say that I consider Khonshu to be important to the book, and I love what Warren's done with it so far.
AXEL-IN-CHARGE: "Fantastic Four" Future, "Doctor Strange" Plans & the New "Moon Knight"
Khonshu sends Moon Knight out to protect the night travelers of New York, and recently two other street level heroes who did that, the Punisher and Daredevil, moved out to the West Coast. In terms of street level heroes now in New York, it feels like the primary ones are Spider-Man and Moon Knight. What's it like writing the character in that kind of environment? What types of crime are you interested in having Moon Knight investigate and foil? Will you continue primarily with weird crimes like we've been seeing or will it be more grounded like organized crime and serial killers?
Well, I've said in other interviews that Warren writes the weird like no one else can, and even if I was as good a writer as he is, I wouldn't be trying to mimic that. But at the same time we won't be dealing with totally normal bad guys either.
If you look at the few issues that have come out, the villains or adversaries are heightened versions of otherwise normal people -- a sniper, a street gang, a disillusioned soldier, etc. We're keeping with that theme, with bad guys that fit into the grounded setting of the book but are elevated, altered, heightened in some way to be larger than life like that. But if you're talking about "Moon Knight" #4, the dreamscape stuff? That is just so Warren that anyone trying to write like that would just come off as a lame copy. I'll write to my strengths, using the city, military themes, media themes, socially-conscious themes, and so on. But this will not feel divergent or jarring. No one involved is looking to reinvent a book that is this good already.
I imagine the city of New York will be one of "Moon Knight's" regular supporting characters, but who else can readers expect to see in your run? Warren brought back Detective Flint. Any chance we'll see him or some of the other characters from Marc's past? Or will your stories primarily feature new characters?
I have not written Flint into any scripts yet (I imagine I will, though), but the doctor, from back in #1, she reappears.
What's it like following up Warren Ellis on "Moon Knight?" It seems like the done-in-one structure of his stories means it would be easier to start a new run on the book, but is that necessarily the case?
Well, that's a big question! It's funny, when Nick Lowe asked me if I wanted to pitch for this book, I was like, yeah, cool, I consider Warren a friend and I'm familiar with his work, it would be fun. I felt honored and greatly respect what the whole creative team had done so far. It wasn't until the news broke that I realized, wow, I have to be the guy that comes in to a wildly popular book where no one wants a change to happen. So to some I'm already in the dog house, so to speak. It's an uncomfortable feeling. But honestly, I'm writing to please Nick Lowe and to show my respect to Warren and Declan and Jordie, and to make Greg Smallwood and Jordie (so glad she's staying on) look good, so that's my goal.
And I love done-in-one stories, I have a history of writing in that format and I'm comfortable and confident. I asked Marvel if they would prefer I wrote a more traditional arc, but everyone seemed to prefer the book this way. I know I do.
The done-in-one format allows for a fun variety of stories and characters, but will these stories build upon each other? Will we see characters and situations come back and escalate over time?
We will. The doctor, like I mentioned, and other events will help cause later events to come to pass. I'm being vague, I know. The short answer is yes.
RELATED: Ellis, Shalvey Address "Moon Knight" Departures
Artist Greg Smallwood will be joining you on the book. What do you feel he brings to "Moon Knight?"
This is such a common question to get, and really, there is no better answer than: loads of talent. That's it, that's what Greg brings. He's terrific. Same with Jordie. And Declan's staying on and doing covers, also fantastic.
Finally, your "Moon Knight" run begins in September with issue #7. What sort of hints and details can you offer up about the plots of your initial issues?
I'll just drop some titles at you, for the individual issues. Warren's had single word titles for the issues so far, and we're keeping that. So we have (and subject to change, of course): "Blackout," "Live" (as in, "on the air"), "Doctor," "HQ." That's all I really want to say. I guess in another interview I've said that #7 is about a blackout in NYC, hence that title!
It's been hard to ignore a lot of the e-mails I've gotten in the last few days and people really seem to think the book as they know it is over. And obviously I am not Warren Ellis, but everyone involved knows how perfect this book has been so far and is committed to delivering the same sort of reading experience going forward. I've used the word "respect" a couple times already, and it's really true. I don't just know the outgoing creative team; I'm friends with them, too.
Brian Wood and Greg Smallwood take over "Moon Knight" in September with issue #7.


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What is a Flexible Instructional Day (FID) or eDay?
The PA Department of Education (PDE) has approved the use of five Flexible Instructional Days per year for the Carlisle Area School District. The Carlisle Area School Day refers to this as an eDay. An eDay is used in place of a school day that has been cancelled due to inclement weather or other emergency situations. An eDay means that students will complete learning activities and assignments provided by the teacher at home on the cancelled day or on the make-up day. Students will receive learning activities and assignments for each subject that would have originally taken place during a regular school day.
How did the Carlisle Area School District explore and prepare for the use of a Flexible Instruction Day or eDay?
In November, 2014, The PA Department of Education (PDE) provided school districts with an opportunity to apply for the use of Flexible Instructional Days when schools are cancelled due to inclement weather or other emergency situations. PDE required schools to file an application, develop model lesson plans and address various criteria. The school district convened groups of administrators, teachers and parents to review the guidelines and determine if a Flexible Instructional Day was a viable alternative to a snow day or snow make up day for The Carlisle Area School District. Each of these groups supported the concept and the district submitted its plan to PDE on January 7, 2015. The district currently refers to the Flexible Instructional Day as an eDay or an "electronic" version of a school day. On Thursday, March 19, 2015, PDE approved the use of one eDay for the 2014-2015 school year and the district determined that Monday, April 6, 2015 was an eDay. All school buildings were closed on that date and students completed learning activities and assignments from home. In October 2015, PDE approved the Carlisle Area School District's Flexible Instructional Day Plan for the next five years. The district is approved to use up to five eDays each year.
What if a student does not have access to a computer and/or internet to access the lesson or complete activities?
The teacher may provide students with a offline version of the learning activities and assignments prior to the FID. Or, the student can obtain the assignment in a hard copy version during the next regular school day. Either way, students will have three days to complete the required learning activities and assignments.
What happens if a student does not complete the FID assignments?
The student will lose the point value or grade for the assignment. This loss of points could negatively impact a student's marking period grade. Each teacher weights learning activities and assignments differently. It would be in the best interest of the student to complete the assignments within the three day window. Parents should contact their child's teacher if there are extenuating circumstances that prohibit your child from completing the assignment satisfactorily. Please be aware of individual teacher policies regarding incomplete or failed assignments. Some teachers impose additional penalties like detention when students reach a certain number of missed assignments. For example, five missed assignments might mean after school or lunch detention for your child.
What if a student is on a pre-arranged absence?
The student would be expected to make up the learning activities and assignments within three days of returning to school just as if it were any other absence from school.
How is a student expected to complete the activities if they go to day care when school is cancelled?
If the student cannot access the internet or take hard copy of the learning activities and assignments to the day care to complete that day, they would have three days to complete them.
How much time is my student expected to take to complete the assignments?
Teachers have designed learning activities and assignments that are equivalent in time to a regularly scheduled class period. Students working independently on an assignment will likely take less to time to complete the assignment compared to a large group setting. Teachers will make every effort to assign an approximate time to each activity or assignment.
What if there is only one computer in the house but multiple students?
Students may need to share resources in the home or other locations. Some students may want to work on offline options while others complete online assignments. High school students would be expected to use the district-assigned laptop which may help alleviate the demand on the home computer. All students have the ability to request an offline version of the learning activities and assignments prior to the scheduled FID or on the first day after students return to school.
May a student access the assignments or complete the online assignments from their Smartphone?
Teacher websites can be accessed from a variety of tablets, Smart phones, laptop and desktop computers. The assignments may use a variety of websites and applications that may or may not work from a variety of devices.
Will there still be make-up dates built into the district calendar?
Yes, make-up dates will continue to be built into the district calendar. An FID is an option that may be used in place of one or more cancelled school days or make-up days but may not be used for all cancelled school days in any given school year.
(717) 240-6800
Mailing Address
540 W. North Street
Carlisle, PA 17013


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It is interesting how quickly something becomes traditional. I have been in Nardo for three nights and I am already very much sucked in to the six o'clock old man club that meet in the Piazza Antonio Salandre in the centre of Nardo.
On the Piazza is Gambrinus's bar, restorante and gelateria, which is a semi focal point, but there is also an 'Ass.Naz. Combattenti a Reduci', and gaff that appears to do politics too. It's all about sitting about, or standing in the square in fact.
Old men all over the world in hot climates are doing the same. They converge on different modes of transport. Old cars, old bikes, old scooters are all well represented in the fleet. Many walk too. On arrival various sub groups develop with occasional singular deployments between groups. The debates are serious, earnest, and humorous. They talk so much every night, they must be thoroughly excellent debate merchants. Or are they all just talking rubbish? Who knows.
I wonder when this tradition started. Over a hundred years ago I'm sure. I wonder at what age does one think, 'I really wanna make a go of this Palazzo thing, and go most nights'. Most men are of pension age, but there are some in their fifties and even late forties. They are few. No women are involved. The style is excellent.
Old man style in hot countries is excellent, especially in Italy.
The best thing is their old leather sandals. The simple crossed two piece leather arrangements. What is key is that none are new. They are all old, just like the feet that wear them. No Havaianas or Crocs pollute this ancient vista.
The smart men wear loafers and slacks and short sleeve shirts, but many wear vests, jewellery and short shorts. I'm very interested in this particular look. It's a closed shop, so I don't get to discuss it with anyone. I wonder if my old man would have been allowed to join in if I'd brought him here before he lost his mind to Alzheimer's. I don't know, but I like to think he'd have been involved in some way or other, probably at the bar end of the square. Bless Don. He had the Sandals. Maybe that is the membership token required.
Church bells strike every quarter, not just from one church, but from several. At 8, the old men all start to leave. The gradual dispersal is a sight to see - talk about taking things easy. They probably go home and ignore their wives. Or rump them silly. Who knows, but I can't wait to join the club.
Stubbs out.


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Cemetery Rationalisation
Our cemetery rationalisation service includes:
- Extending 1-2 interment grave plots for 2 further interments
- 'Lift and lower', extending a plot when there are no new plots available near family members, or when the cost of a new plot has become prohibitive
- Same day plot extension and new burial arrangements
The Ministry of Justice co-operation has agreed to provide 'express' issue of the MOJ Licence to Exhume (provided no objections are encountered).
Grave plot extension
Most Cemeteries provide burial plots for a set number of interments – 1, 2, 3 or maybe 4. Such burials are usually 'Above & Below' rather than 'Side by Side. Our cemetery rationalisation service is available for entire cemeteries and individual graves, to help create more space efficiency.
Complete section clearance
Working under the provisions of the MOJ Archaeological Licence System (Disused Burial Grounds Act – Amendment 1981) entire sections
of unattended cemeteries may be exhumed en-masse.
With provision for re-interment elsewhere, Rowland Brothers offer Cemetery Rationalisation enabling areas currently unvisited to be returned to use.