text:
Each year, one out of every three people over the age of 65 has a fall. Falls are the leading cause of death from injury for people 65 years or older. The most common form of injury from a fall is a hip fracture.
The emotional effects of a fall can be devastating. Fear of falling again can cause a person to restrict his or her activities, resulting in feelings of loss, loneliness, and helplessness. Avoiding activity because of fear and anxiety can actually increase the risk of falling again.
Here are five things you can do to help avoid a fall:
- Try not to contribute to the fear of falling by putting too many restrictions on activities.
- Encourage regular exercise and enjoyable activities that promote independence. A primary goal of fall prevention is maintaining and encouraging independence.
- Medical conditions that contribute to falls should be treated by the doctor. Vision and hearing should be checked regularly.
- Remove hazards in and around the home. Alert visitors to hazards that cannot be removed, such as oxygen tubing.
- Don't assume that falls and the problems that lead to falls are a natural, unavoidable part of the aging process.
Download the fall prevention checklist


text:
A British company is offering a unique advent calendar featuring 24 rare varieties of whisky with a price tag of nearly $13,000.
Drinks by the Dram announced its 2018 lineup of advent calendars, including the "Very Old and Rare" calendar featuring "24 of the most spectacular whiskies ever created."
"Behind each door is a dram of exceptional drink -- from expressions worth £19,000 [$24,656.78] a bottle to complex Japanese whiskies, and even a 60 year old Scotch!" the company said.
The advent calendar, which retails for $12,977.19, comes in a walnut or ebony finished box handmade by cabinet-maker Simon Jewell.
The calendar can be purchased at several online stores, which offer international shipping.
This article has been adapted from its original source
Via SyndiGate.info
Copyright © UPI, 2020. All Rights Reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Nowadays you can bet from anywhere, you can check the latest Sbat live football scores and choose from a wide range of betting apps to use. The beauty of being able to bet on the go will never age. Wherever you are and whenever you please, you're able to have a dabble on whatever you like. You wake up late and don't have time to make it to the bookies, you're at a friend's house and remember you haven't placed any bets or you simply just can't be bothered, it doesn't matter!
There are a whole host of great betting apps on the Android market with some great offers and you're sure to be able to find one that suits your taste. You can even download multiple and flick between them so you're sure to get the best odds and all of the promotions!
1. Bet365
The Bet 365 app comes with some brilliant offers, a range of markets and an incredibly easy to use interface. It's undoubtedly one of the best betting apps for football and allows in-play betting so if you have a feeling you know what's going to happen next, you can stick a wage on it. Casino, bingo and poker games are also available for avid casino goers and new customers can access a matched deposit bonus of up to £200.
2. William Hill
Popular high-street bookmaker William Hill have brought us another classic gambling app that is convenient and easy to use. It's pleasingly easy to place football accumulators and its partial and full cash out options are brilliant if you're looking to take your money and run, or rather, cut your losses before completely losing your stake. It also allows betting on television related happenings, political outcomes and even the weather. New customers receive two free £10 bets when they wager £10 on a single bet.
3. Paddy Power
You've probably stumbled across some of Paddy Power's hilarious content on social media and if you haven't, where have you been? But only are Paddy Power fantastically funny, running the biggest betting account on social media, but they also host a great app. As well as some excellent offers for new customers, there is constantly ongoing offers for existing customers meaning you're often rewarded for your loyalty to our Irish friends. The app provides horse racing offers, acca insurance and much, much more.
4. Sky Bet
Sky Bet offer some fantastic markets that you're able to play for free! This includes Super Six which involves betting on six selected three o'clock kick-offs every Saturday (usually the main Premier League games), you must enter what you think the score will be and what minute you think the first goal of the afternoon will be scored for the chance to win £250,000. New customers are also able to claim a free £20 bet.
5. Coral
Coral are another high-street bookmaker that have provided us with another brilliant app. They constantly offer enhanced odds meaning your winnings are often maximised as well as offering super acca insurance…there more you back, the more cover you receive! It also offers acca insurance for both teams to score so long as you have placed more than four selections.


text:
LIAT and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) would like to make you aware of some changes in LIAT's reservations process. TSA has implemented Secure Flight, a program that enables TSA to assume responsibility from airlines for matching passenger information against the consolidated government watch lists. This program will go into effect from Nov 01, 2010, however LIAT will start testing this program from Oct 15, 2010.
How will Secure Flight affect LIAT passengers?
Passengers with existing bookings to US destinations (i.e. ST. Croix, ST.Thomas and San Juan Puerto Rico) are asked to provide the Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) by contacting our Call Centre:
LIAT representatives will also be calling affected passengers to gather the necessary data prior to travel. LIAT will further advise passengers making reservations on our web site ( www.liat.com ) when they will be able to include Secure Flight Passenger Data. Moving forward, LIAT will revise its booking policy to include these new requirements for passengers travelling to all destinations.
Passengers should note that a 'Redress Number' does not apply for travel to non- US territories
LIAT will send the information you provide to TSA, who will match it against the consolidated government watch lists. Please note that boarding passes may not always display the exact information you provided when booking your travel. This will not affect you when traveling. The name you provide when booking your travel is used to perform watch list matching before a boarding pass is ever issued.
Redress – for passengers who feel they have been misidentified
Those who believe they have been misidentified as a match to the watch lists are invited to apply for redress through the Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (DHS TRIP). Secure Flight uses the results of the redress process in its watch list matching process, thus preventing future misidentifications for passengers who may have a name that is similar to an individual on the watch list. For more information on the redress process, visit www.dhs.gov/trip .
What are the benefits of Secure Flight?
Secure Flight makes travel safer by more effectively identifying individuals that may pose a known or suspected threat to aviation. It also enables officials to address security threats sooner. Furthermore, by creating one watch list matching system, it helps prevent the misidentification of passengers who have names similar to individuals on government watch lists. Lastly, Secure Flight offers an improved redress process, so that those who believe they have been misidentified as a match to the watch lists can avoid further problems in the future.
How will Secure Flight affect you?
Under the Secure Flight program, you are required to provide your full name (as it appears on the identification document that you plan to use when traveling), date of birth, and gender when making a reservation. You will also be able to provide your Redress Number, if available. (Those who believe they have been misidentified as a match to the watch list are invited to apply for Redress at www.dhs.gov/trip to help prevent misidentifications and potential inconveniences in the future.) If you use a frequent flyer account, you should ensure that your profile information matches the identification document you plan on using when travelling. Please note that boarding passes may not always display the exact information you provided when booking your travel. This will not affect you when traveling. The name you provide when booking your travel is used to perform watch list matching before a boarding pass is ever issued.
Protecting your privacy
TSA and LIAT understand that personal privacy is important to you. That is why we want to assure you that the privacy of individuals' information is a cornerstone of the Secure Flight program. TSA collects the minimum amount of personal information necessary to conduct effective watch list matching. Furthermore, personal data is handled in accordance with stringent guidelines and all applicable privacy laws and regulations.
Privacy notice: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires you to provide your full name, date of birth, and gender for the purpose of watch list screening, under the authority of 49 U.S.C. section 114, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 and 49 C.F.R parts 1540 and 1560. You may also provide your Redress Number, if available. Failure to provide your full name, date of birth, and gender may result in denial of transport or denial of authority to enter the boarding area. TSA may share information you provide with law enforcement or intelligence agencies or others under its published system of records notice. For more on TSA privacy policies, or to review the system of records notice and the privacy impact assessment, please see the TSA website at www.tsa.gov
TSA values your partnership in making air travel safer and easier for everyone. If you would like to know more about these changes, we invite you to visit TSA's Secure Flight Web site at www.tsa.gov/SecureFlight , where you can find a detailed program overview, travel tips, frequently asked questions, and more.


text:
We see things differently.
We'll open your eyes to a whole new world of business opportunity.
Outsourcing your marketing team is a big decision for any company. Let us get to truly know and understand your company and its needs, so we can make the right choice for the future growth of your company. When you put your organization into our expert hands we will be the marketing department that brings results.
Call today to schedule an introductory meeting with our team. 770-407-6552.


text:
"RuggaBub" and has been in business for over 5yrs; we are looking for businesses to be featured. The site will be set like a mini Etsy where you will have a store login, and you will be able to control your store and products listed. We will help you set up your store and load some of your products on your behalf to get you started.
There is no listing fee or monthly fee; there will only be a small commission of 15% on your product sales made through the website (excluding postage costs), so you will only pay as a sale is made (this will be automatically processed through the system).
The first month is FREE which is your trial period. All advertising and promoting will be carried out by RuggaBub via Facebook, Newsletters & Instagram. So FREE advertising for you is included as well – Win Win All Round!!!


text:
A blog reader, Annie, recently asked me what I thought about stained front doors as opposed to painted ones. There weren't very many houses that I could think of that had a stained door… and besides you know that I love a classically painted door (or one that adds a great pop of color to your house):
…After emailing with Annie I started driving around while being conscious to look out for stained doors and there were surprisingly more than I thought there were, and I loved them! Here are some of my favorites that I've seen lately, they are definitely classy and go with so many different paint options. This one is close to our house, my guess is they are painting the inside of their door based off the painters tape. 🙂
Besides loving the front door on this house I adore the updated Cape style to it!
Right around the time we bought our house the house that was previously on this spot, a tiny run-down Cape, was torn down. The builders needed to use the existing foundation and built this house with a small foundation but one that felt so much larger with the front porch and a larger footprint for the first and second floor than the basement had.
This is one of my all time favorite houses around. I wish I was able to get a shot of the whole house for you but it is tall and skinny. It was built on a teeny tiny lot and they utilized the space so well. I love the pergolas over the windows and how they coordinate so well with the stained doors.
I wish I had a "before" of this house to show you. This is the classic example of how changing a couple of things to the exterior of you home can give new life to a space. The shingles were SO old and stained from years of rain and sun to the darkest and most uneven brown. The existing door wasn't there, in it's place was a beat up sliding glass door. Oh, and the house had red trim. To say this is a welcome improvement, which I see frequently while running, is an understatement.
For good measure I found a few stained garage doors that are amazing. They look so quality and substantial! (I've got another really dynamite one coming, but that's next week for another post!).
Anyone thinking of adding a stained front door to your house? I love them! Want to remind yourself of these ideas? Use this super easy graphic to pin.


text:
Jason D. Hill, 20
Hill was killed June 11 by small-arms fire in the Narh-e Saraj district of southern Helmand province, near the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah. Hill's father, grandfather and great-grandfather served in the Marines.
18 memories of Jason D. Hill
Share a memory of Jason
Search by: Age, Base, Branch, Cemetery, Date of Death, Country of Birth, Gender, High School, Hometown, Marital Status, Name, Number of Children, Theater of Operation, Place of Death
Sources: Times research, Defense Department, iCasualties.org
Help us complete our database. Something missing or wrong? Want to share a photo?


text:
You are currently browsing the monthly archive for October 2009.
I like to watch how people use their hands. Hands are beautiful and expressive and most often they are used with grace. Fortunately, I have never seen anyone beat another human being or kill another person. Boxing has never been a "sport" in my book. Hands are for caring, for holding a baby, wiping a fevered brow, cooking and washing, making music and painting lovely pictures, writing, and receiving the Body of Christ at the Eucharist, and oh, so many other extraordinary things such as fixing a hurt toe. You'll soon see where I am going with this.
Feet are on my mind right now. Perhaps it has to do with Jessie putting shoes on old Obadiah's (Shamba's) feet. I well -up with emotion when I think of that loving gesture, and I think of one of Jesus' last acts before his crucifixion: he washed his disciples' feet.
Jessie and I are in somewhat of a deja vu situation at the moment. Two years ago she had a bunionectomy and recuperated at our house for two weeks. We planned our funerals during that stay, crying and laughing, all at the same time with 3 dogs on her bed. My dog, James went to sleep with his head on the Prayer Book/Hymnal which I think makes him ready for confirmation. Jessie is back at the Bandy nursing home having had a toe shortened on Monday. The doctor told her that an extra long toe is an indication of intelligence, and then someone else told me it is a sign of royalty. I guess I'll never hear the end of that. She was very brave and resisted any kind of sedative while they put 7 gargantuan needles into her foot and ankle to block the pain. Then she refused the Versed because she wanted to watch the entire procedure. No luck there ~ she was draped in everything but mosquito netting and couldn't see a darned thing but she could hear the electric saw (bzzzz), and Dr. Strom heard from the other side of the drapes: "I want to see the bone that you remove." She also wanted ME to see the bone which had to be left at the hospital. No body parts are allowed to leave the hospital. She was in pain walking to and from the Bishop Stanway Primary School in Africa but it didn't slow her down, just as having a cracked rib didn't slow me down. I kept that a secret because I knew people would worry. When you love what you do, pain seems irrelevant. It gives me joy to be able to care for Jessie as I know she would take care of me if I needed it. She's a dear and beautiful friend and I wouldn't take a million dollars for our friendship.
We have some other news that we hope will interest you. The Reverend Moses Matonya, priest and principal of the Msalato Theological College will be with us in Pinehurst shortly after Christmas. He will preach at St. Mary Magdalene's Episcopal Church in West End on January 3rd at 9:30 a.m.. Many of you have donated generously to the college and the Bp. Stanway Primary School. We hope people from Emmanuel will come and also the good people from Christ Anglican Church in Southern Pines. The Reverend Robert Brown, Vicar at St. Mary Magdalene's wants to throw the doors open to everyone. We might even sing the song that was sung daily at Lambeth: ALL ARE WELCOME. Please come and meet this wonderful man of God.
With Anna Franklin Smith's skills we are working on our Power Point and hope to have it ready next week. Then we will take our show on the road to tell the story and to raise money for these struggling brothers and sisters. Dr. Paul Farmer writes in his book, "Mountains Beyond Mountains": "Lives of service depend on lives of support." We continue to need your help.
"I cried because I had no shoes, 'til I met a man who had no feet." Please pray for all who are losing hands and feet in the war, pray for the people of Africa who have no shoes, and pray for Jessie as she mends.
As I eagerly wait for autumn, nay, yearn for chilly fog-bound misty mornings that will burn off later in the day leaving laser-like shafts of golden sunlight to pour through my windows making even old things look new, I think of Africa and their two seasons, the dry season and the wet season. I check the weather forecast in Dodoma every morning. It's hot and sunny now with no signs of rain on the horizon. When they do get rain it is often too much or too little. For several years they have had too little leaving drought conditions which lead to famine. What will this "rainy season" bring I wonder to myself. The students will leave soon hoping to plant crops and to pray for rain that will make them flourish but there is no guarantee.
Schools used to shut down when our country was young so that everyone could help bring in the harvest. Planting and harvesting is a time-critical activity. Crops in Dodoma looked so withered and pitiful when we were there ~ a few stalks of corn, nothing like our tall waves of grain in Nebraska or Maryland. There are no irrigating systems in Dodoma; all they can hope for is rain from heaven.
In Matthew 9:35-10:4 Jesus says that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. He must not know about Dodoma. Has he overlooked that part of the world? Barbara Crafton always sees the metaphors in the bible and she says we miss that Jesus is speaking of urgency, not just that harvesting is a big job. This is what she says: "He's not just saying it's a big job. He's saying it's a big job that can't wait another minute. You don't have unlimited time to touch the lives you are called to touch in the course of your lifetime. The person before you may never be before you again, and you may never have another chance with her. You may never see him again. If someone is going to experience Christ by experiencing you, you'd better start now. As if there is no tomorrow. There may not be."
There is an urgency about Africa and those I have come to love there. I cannot make it rain but I can try to make their lives known to you that in turn might make you feel we cannot wait another minute to give them aid.
While I was in Africa this past summer (their dry season) two friends of a lifetime died in Virginia. Yesterday, the husband of my friend Peggy Joyner who died suddenly after not being sick one day in her life, sent me a check for Karimu to honor her life. We are all called to enlarge the Kingdom, all called to help others. I'm soon to be 76 and my chances are diminishing. Soon I may need help too. But while I can I am committed to those who happened to be put on my path. They are people like Moses Matonya, Alex Mshoka, Daniel Fweda, Stephen Mnubi, who is being sponsored by a small church in Pinedale, Wyoming, little Hildar in Jessie's school, Musa and Lidya, Joseph and Christant and Kilian ~ the list goes on and on. We met their families and ate at their tables. Little Sechee cried when we left. They are now part of Jessie's and my family. Pray for rain for them and please help us to help them. Remember a little bit may stand between them and starvation.
Blessings to you this season of harvest.
Anglican churches all over America had pet blessings today (Oct. 4) commemorating the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. At Emmanuel Church, Southern Pines, we read from Genesis, the Psalms, and the Gospel of Matthew (Consider the lilies of the field). We sang: "All Things Bright and Beautiful." Father John, caught unaware, stepped into horse manure but the blessings went on. Bishop Michael Curry who had been here all day to preach and confirm and to meet with the vestry graciously stayed an extra hour to bless our beloved animals ~ everything from dogs to iguanas. He knows James' story and has his picture on his computer. He said something about finally meeting James, the dog that God sent me when I was in deep despair.
The dichotomy for me comes in knowing the condition of dogs and cats in Dodoma where Jessie and I just spent 7 weeks. The dogs and cats are starving and ravaged with mange and parasites and open sores. Jessie witnessed some in villages driving dogs off with sticks and clubs and she told them that was wrong ~ that dogs are part of God's creation. We fed those who routinely came to our door ~ bread soaked in milk. Did we help or do harm? Part of me understands that feeding dogs and cats takes food from the children, but the other part of me says everything is topsy-turvy in this world. So many have asked how we are doing as far as re-entry into our culture and all I can say is that it is hard. We are caught in a tension that seems unfixable. Talking to my doctor last week (he also goes to Africa) I asked him what was the lure, what made us want to go back and back and back again. He said: "Maybe it gets us away from this crazy world in which we live."
Albert Schweitzer wrote this prayer:
"Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends the animals, especially for animals who are suffering; for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put to death. We entreat for them all thy mercy and pity and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion, gentle hands and kindly words. Make us ourselves to be true friends to animals and so to share the blessing of the merciful." Amen
I'm going to bed with this prayer on my heart. Tally+
I've been reading about St. Francis tonight, how he renounced all material values, and devoted himself to serve the poor. Francis chose the name of the Order of Friars Minor to emphasize his desire to be numbered among the least of God's servants.


text:
John 5:7-9
"I can not get into the pool. People hold me back, get in my way, and push me aside."
And Jesus says, "Well, that is not okay, so get up, pick up your mat, and walk. You do not need to go into the pool. " (rephrased by me).
This is such a blessing from the Lord.
Sometimes things in our life are out of each or people shove us aside. An example could be, trying to move up in a job. You want that higher position, but you are not willing to push others aside to get it, because you are kind and want to treat them with love. Of course, the world on the other hand, tells you to do whatever you can to move up. So, naturally YOU are pushed aside.
Lucky for you, there's something that ensures you will have joy and peace in all circumstances. You don't have to fight your way to it, push people aside, walk thousands of miles, because Jesus meets yo right there.
He meets you as you stare longingly at the job position, watching others fight for it and get it. But, He looks at you and tells you, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!"
He will take care of you in ALL circumstances.
You do not ave to fight to get the job or whatever else it is, because Jesus gives you exactly what you need. So live like a once paralyzed man healed, and get up, and walk!


text:
Author Archives: Lucy
Guest post: On Open Days : showing library staff what actually goes on in your cataloguing department! – Lynne Dyer, Bibliographic Services Manager.
We are pleased to host this post by Lynne Dyer about raising the profile of a cataloguing team through open days. Lynne was inspired to write this after reading Rachel Care's post earlier this week. Please add your thoughts in the comments box below.
On Open Days – showing library staff what actually goes on in your cataloguing department!
Lynne Dyer, Bibliographic Services Manager, De Montfort University
Many years ago, the Cataloguing and Acquisitions teams were based in a different building from the rest of the library, across the road in a fairly basic office. Logistically, this posed several major problems; adding at least an extra 24 hours to the order to shelf time; increasing the time taken for staff to get from one building to another to undertake their library duties (like, counter, enquiry desk, shelving and shelf-checking sessions); rendering two senior staff unavailable to participate in the duty manager rota (as the duty manager deals with library security incidents and fire alarms / bomb alerts and needs to be on the spot), to name but a few.
Some of the advantages were that cataloguers were not disturbed by other library staff coming into the office to look at items in the backlog (!), but the corollary of this was that we were quite isolated from mainstream library activities, staff from the team were not always known by their colleagues in the library and few other library staff had any knowledge of the work processes in the acquisitions and cataloguing teams.
The Solution
In order to address some of these issues, I organised a series of what I called Open Days. An invitation was issued to all members of the library staff to come and see what went on in the cataloguing team. It had been originally planned that the Open Day would cover both the work of Acquisitions and Cataloguing but this proved impractical to organise so was restricted to the work of Cataloguing. Within the team, a member of staff was assigned to demonstrate each process to the visitors, showing them what was done, how it was done and to answer any questions the visitors might have. Sessions were scheduled to last up to 15 minutes each, and were sequential, so visitors would start with the ordering process, move on to receipting, to cataloguing, to classification etc..
Publicising the Event
The whole event was marketed by a snail mail shot to all library staff which included a "personal" invitation (see Appendix A below). This invitation was also used as an A3 poster displayed on the various library staff noticeboards. No-one was chased or hounded to come, the sessions were in no way compulsory; it was assumed that anyone who didn't reply would not be coming.
We were hugely surprised by the amount of take-up we had! So many people wanted to come and see what we did that we had to arrange three groups, the first starting at 9.30am, the second at 10am and the third at 10.30am, which would allow for any session running over time. Once we knew exactly who was attending we allocated them to a specific group and sent them a timetable. (see Appendix B and Appendix C)
Easing the Stress of the Staff
The majority of cataloguing and acquisitions staff had never taken part in any such event previously and were quite unsure and worried about how to present their work to colleagues. In truth, some were quite terrified. In order to help them feel more relaxed about it and better prepared, a briefing session was held at which staff could air their concerns and one or two pointers could be given to them:
- Know exactly what you're going to say, even if you have it all written out on a crib sheet!
- Have all your examples sorted and ready to use
- Try out your presentation on a team colleague first
- Wear something you feel comfortable in – it will help you feel confident!
- If people ask questions, answer them as best you can. If you don't know the answer, say you don't and offer to find out the answer later, or refer them to someone else who might know the answer
- If you feel that questions or comments are being made that seem to criticise you or your working practices then say that this is not an appropriate time for such a discussion and suggest that the questioner addresses their queries to me, the team manager
- Remember that you know your job inside out, upside down and back-to-front, so you're the one in control.
The Open Day
Generally, staff were well-prepared for their demonstrations, some had written notes, others had done a practice demo to a cataloguing or acquisitions colleague etc. so when the time came to share their tasks with other library staff they were very well able to do this.
On the day, naturally, some sessions overran, and some were a tad shorter than anticipated, but on the whole timings were kept to (see Appendix C). If I remember correctly, it did become necessary to take a couple of sessions out of turn, just so that the groups didn't overlap. Also, as an organiser, I did notice that one or two people didn't attend every demo they were scheduled to, but that was probably a good thing, as they could concentrate on the things that interested them most, or fitted in with some of what they themselves did. Doing the demos was a very intensive time, however, with each person doing three demos in quite a short space of time, so everyone was drained by the end.
Getting the Feedback
In order to gauge how successful the event had been, each attendee completed a feedback form, which asked them to comment on certain aspects of the day (see Appendix D). This feedback was to help us, when planning any subsequent event, to provide a better experience. Pleasingly, the response rate was 75%, and the majority of these comments indicated that people found the sessions useful, that the format was right, and that they were happy to see everything. The best things seemed to be:
- Seeing the whole process through and how it fitted together and where it fitted into the roles of the attendees
- The Open Day taking place!
- That each session was informative
- Group size was good
- The great reception received from the Cataloguing staff
Things that could have been done better included:
- The timings – some demos were too long
- The content – some demos were trying to convey complex ideas and processes in too short a time
- A tea break scheduled in
- More time for questions and answers
- More time for a general wander around the office
All these comments were useful and were taken on board when we ran our next set of Open Days.
Subsequent Open Days
The success of that first Cataloguing Team Open Day led other teams to try the same format, so very soon, nearly everyone in the library knew what went on in all parts of the library and such understanding led to better working relationships across the service.
For a couple of years, the Open Day became on annual event, although numbers dwindled, as the staff turnover here has never been high. After the initial Open Day the itinerary was tweaked a bit, timings were modified, a tea break included and some demos removed, in line with the suggestions we had received on the feedback forms.
Having let these sessions lapse, we reinstated them, with a slightly different focus, so people were invited to discover a specific aspect of the cataloguing and acquisitions role, e.g. following the trail of a book order, from order to shelf, following the trail of a serial through the team, and groupings of other, supplementary activities that the teams undertook, for example, the project to get exam papers digitised (see Appendix E). In addition to the revised "routes", the reverse of the itinerary included a list of all members of the team, their telephone extension number, their email address, and a list of areas in which they were experts. This was headed:
Get the right person – get the right answer!
On the day, each section – e.g. Cat / Class, Serials, Local Inputting etc. – had a banner hanging over their work area to direct people to the sections they were interested in visiting.
Extending the Model
On a more local level, we have also used the same Open Day style to alert people in the team to how their role fits into the role of the team as a whole, so staff were invited to demonstrate their tasks to others in the team. This has led to a more flexible team; people became aware of what else was happening in the team, so they were able to identify areas where they could help out. But, more on this in a future post!
Lynne Dyer, June 2011
Appendix A
"Now what did I do with that book order?
Oh yes, I sent it over to the X building …"
From the black hole that is the X building,
home of the Acquisitions and Cataloguing teams,
we offer you the chance to find you exactly what
happened to your order and how it transmuted
into an entry on OPAC!
See ordering, cataloguing, processing and other
fascinating tasks in action during a fun-packed
Day: [Day, Date]
Venue: Building X, Rm 2.12
Time: 9.30 onwards
Your personal invitation
Dear ………………………………………………. You are invited to our Open Day.
Dear Lynne
I am / am not * able to come to your Open Day
*Please delete as appropriate and return to Lynne Dyer
Cataloguing Team, X Building, Rm 2.12
Appendix B
Response to those expressing an interest
OPEN DAY – [Date]
Thank-you to all of you who said you would like to come to our open day. I have divided you into three groups and the following people are in each group.
Please come over to Building X, Room 2.12 and report to the reception desk in time to begin your tour at the appointed time!
Anyone who said they could only come for some of the time, if you still want to come, just join the people in the group that suits you best.
Please let me know if you have any problems with the timetable.
Many thanks. We hope you enjoy your visit!
Appendix C
OPEN DAY – [Date]
Group 1
9.30 Introduction (staff initials)
9.45 Book orders onto the LMS (staff initials)
9.55 Role of the bookshop (staff initials)
10.05 Receipting (staff initials)
10.15 Dealing with duplicates etc. (staff initials)
10.25 Original works cat/class (staff initials)
10.35 Subject indexing (staff initials)
10.45 Inputting local information (staff initials)
10.55 Processing / jacketing / labelling (staff initials)
11.05 Checking / boxing up (staff initials)
11.15 Any questions (staff initials)
Group 2
10.00 Introduction (staff initials)
10.15 Book orders onto the LMS (staff initials)
10.25 Role of the bookshop (staff initials)
10.35 Receipting (staff initials)
10.45 Dealing with duplicates etc. (staff initials)
10.55 Original works cat/class (staff initials)
11.05 Subject indexing (staff initials)
11.15 Inputting local information (staff initials)
11.25 Processing / jacketing / labelling (staff initials)
11.35 Checking / boxing up (staff initials)
11.45 Any questions (staff initials)
Group 3
10.30 Introduction (staff initials)
10.45 Book orders onto the LMS (staff initials)
10.55 Role of the bookshop (staff initials)
11.05 Receipting (staff initials)
11.15 Dealing with duplicates etc. (staff initials)
11.25 Original works cat/class (staff initials)
11.35 Subject indexing (staff initials)
11.45 Inputting local information (staff initials)
11.55 Processing / jacketing / labelling (staff initials)
12.05 Checking / boxing up (staff initials)
12.15 Any questions (staff initials)
Appendix D
Cataloguing Team Open Day [Date]
Feedback form – in order to help us plan our next session. All replies will be kept confidential.
Did you find today's sessions useful / helpful?
Was the format of the morning right for you?
Would you have preferred to choose which demos you came to?
What was the best thing about the morning?
What could have been done better?
Thank-you for your time.
Please hand this completed form in as you leave or send it to: Lynne D, Building X, Rm 2.12
Appendix E
Cataloguing Team Open Morning
The morning will begin with a tour of the department to see the progress of a book order from the time it is received in the team to the time the actual book leaves the office. You will then be able to pick which aspects of the team's work you learn more about by choosing specific areas to visit. Below are some suggested combinations that will give you an overview of the team's work.
The Basic Book Route
If you want to know more about the basic process for books, follow this suggested route:
¨ Ordering
¨ Receipting
¨ Cat/Class
¨ Local inputting
¨ Processing
¨ Final checking
The Enhanced Book Route
Add-ons to the Basic Book Route could include:
¨ Duplicates, new editions, urgents and freebies
¨ Subject indexing
The Serials Route
If you want to know more about the cataloguing of journals try the following:
¨ Serials
¨ e-Journals
The Homemade Route
If you just want to see one or two aspects of our work feel free to make up your own route, or just come down and ask questions of anyone in the team – if they can't answer your question, they will know someone who will be able to!
We hope you enjoy your visit.
PS The Exam Paper Route is unavailable for this session, but we hope to run something specifically on this once term has begun.


text:
I'd like to start today's post with a big thanks for the positive reviews I'm getting on GoodReads.com, please add yours if you can.
Also, a big thanks to everyone who has emailed me with supportive comments for the Yii 2 For Beginners book and for the positive comments on this blog.
I've made it my mission to help introduce people to the wonderful Yii 2 framework, and I know from first hand experience how hard it is to get up and running on something as big as a PHP framework, especially if you've never worked with one before.
The decision to use one framework over another is a personal choice. The major frameworks that I talk about, Yii 2, Laravel, and Symfony, are all great frameworks. You have to pick the one that suits your development style and this can certainly be a challenge when you haven't worked with them because how are you supposed to know how well it fits?
Well, it's like expensive clothing, you won't know if it fits until you try it on. Obviously I'm recommending Yii 2 as the first choice among the frameworks from my point of view. Here's why:
Top 10 reasons I would start with learning Yii 2:
1. Yii 2's Advanced Application Template. This template comes with a working user model that includes registration, login, and forgot password functionality right out of the box. It also includes backend and frontend separation, so that you are clear on how to structure your admin area. You can get up and running quickly.
2. Gii. Yii 2 has an amazing code generation tool named Gii, which helps you stand up your models, controllers, and views quickly. The generated code almost always needs refinement, but once you know how to do that, things move along with lightning speed. It takes about 2 minutes to generate 8 files, a model, a search model, controller, and 5 view files. You'll be amazed how far you can go in so little time.
3. Clear MVC pattern. Yii 2 has folders named models, controllers, and views, so the application structure is just what you would expect from an MVC.
4. No Routing. Most of the other frameworks require you to explicitly name the routes through the site, which can be tedious and at times confusing. Yii 2 handles this automatically. Of course you can set things like pretty URLs and any other customizations that you need, but the basic routing is handled by the framework. This is makes it very easy and intuitive to work with.
5. Widgets. Yii 2 supplies an incredible number of widgets to help develop your application. They cover everything from GridView, Pagination, Forms, DatePicker, etc., it really is impressive what you get out of the box. The widget class is easy to extend, so you can quickly build your own widgets. And once you start using these, you will get spoiled very quickly because you will want to use them for everything.
6. Mobile-First Bootstrap. So right out of the box, Yii 2 incorporates Twitter Bootstrap, which of course is device-responsive, so you can jump into mobile-first design right from the start. Wouldn't you love to pitch that to your client?
7. Validation Made Easy. Validation in Yii 2 is handled on the model, with a very intuitive Rules method that simply holds an array of settings. The settings include the name of the attribute you wish to validate, the validator, and the options.
For example, do you need to make your email addresses unique so two users can't have the same email address? It's one line added to the Rules method.
['email', 'unique'],
It's that simple.
8. Behaviors. Yii 2 incorporates a method named behaviors in both the models and controllers and this is another intuitive winner. In models, behaviors are used to manage events, like automatically inserting timestamp for creating and updating records, which is a useful behavior for a model to have. You can see how intuitive that sounds.
On Controllers, behaviors help you manage access control, things like restricting pages to logged in users only. Again, very intuitive and easy to work with. You can reference some of the tutorials on this blog for examples.
9. Native ORM. So first, what is ORM? According to wikipedia:
Object-relational mapping is a programming technique for converting data between incompatible type systems in relational databases and object-oriented programming languages. This creates, in effect, a "virtual object database" that can be used from within the programming language.
It's a perfectly scientific explanation, but I don't find it particularly helpful. We can break it down to something more digestible.
In the simplest terms, the ORM manages how your application communicates with the database, greatly simplifying the syntax. Example:
return $users = User::find()->asArray()->all();
The above code returns all the users from the user table in an array. No having to open a connection, no SQL, no binding parameters, no specifying fetch mode, etc. It's just one line that reads like a sentence. Look at how simple that is!
Because Yii 2's Active Record ORM is native, it is integrated seamlessly into the framework, and this is one of the reasons why Gii is so effective at generating code. The other frameworks use Doctrine, which brings with it the excess baggage of their repository structure etc., and in my view, making it more complicated and less efficient.
10. Enterprise Capability. If you are just starting out with framework development, you are probably not ready to jump into enterprise development. But wouldn't it be wise to learn the framework that can take you there? Learning Yii 2 ultimate builds value into your career as a programmer.
Ok, so that's my short list of why I would start with Yii 2 as opposed to some of the other choices out there.
The key to learning a PHP Framework, if you have never done this kind of development before, is patience. Yii 2 hands you an amazing amount of features, but you have to be willing to take the time to learn them.
Another key to success in programming is this: Don't quit. Just keep going until you get it. You will get it.
Yii 2 has a great community that is willing to help you. Also, I wrote a book that can get anyone with a moderate amount of PHP skills up and running quickly.
I've also augmented that with free tutorials on this blog, and I've also included bonus material into the book. Everyone who purchases the book gets the free bonus updates for the life of the book. I plan to keep working on it for the foreseeable future.
Working with a PHP framework is a journey, not a destination. It's hard work but it can also be a lot of fun. I'm very happy to share this journey with you.
Thanks again for all the positive comments and reviews. As always, any comments, reviews, word-of-mouth referrals, are greatly appreciated.


text:
The SLT effect
The SLT effect is something that happens when a member of SLT enters your classroom. I remember in my NQT year having a Y10 class I struggled to control and a deputy head walking in to my classroom and the class all of a sudden becoming the very model of good behaviour. I've seen this effect time and time again, in my lessons and in the lessons of others. I've only ever known 1 class be immune to it.
The effect can be welcome, if your being observed for performance management or Ofsted, and it can be unwelcome – like it was I that year 10 class in my NQT year, as I'd asked the deputy to observe to give me ideas of how I could improve the behaviour.
A couple of weeks ago I welcomed a member of SLT into Y13 class, and I experienced the effect in a really different way. The class are normally a really bubbly class who are constantly discussing the maths and asking questions to further their knowledge and help them make sense of the new content, and to aid their application of that content. But this lesson they froze, they responded to questioning timidly and with short answers and didn't ask any questions themselves. It was like a totally different class.
It got me thinking about the class and why this happened. I can only imagine it must stem from a lack of confidence, perhaps they were worried that our visitors would think they were no food at maths (they are in fact very good). I feel I now need to look at building their confidence to discuss their learning in front of others, and to build their confidence in the learning itself.
Have you experienced similar? Do you have any ideas of how to combat this?
Great teaching leads to student progress
Today the Sutton Trust report "What makes great teaching?" by Rob Coe, Cesare Aloisi, Steve Higgins and Lee Elliot Major was released. It's a report I've eagerly been awaiting and I very much enjoyed reading it. You can download the report in full here free of charge. It's only around 50 pages long and I'd say read it, but if your lacking in the time or the inclination I would say you should definitely still download it, and read the executive summary which is only around 3 pages long. This executive summary is a brilliant summary of the report, so I feel no need to summarise it here, but there are a few points I'd like to comment on.
Above is a screenshot of the start of the executive summary which includes the quote:
Great teaching is defined as that which leads to improved student progress.
That, to me, seems the most obvious thing in the world. If the pupils are progressing well in your subject, then the teaching is great. If the students aren't progressing, then you need to look at what's going on and put things right. Unfortunately, this hasn't been the case in recent years.
Last year I was discussing the progress of my NQT with the SLT member in charge of the department. He had completed the penultimate NQT observations on those in the department and had graded one as outstanding and the one I mentored as requires improvement. We discussed this and he said that there were things missing from the lesson, the sort of things you would expect from all singing all dancing lessons – one example he gave was "he didn't use lollipop sticks"!!! I found this particularly bad as the class he'd seen my NQT with was his year 9 class and I knew that the class in question had made significant progress throughout the year. More progress across the year, in fact, than any other class in year 9! Which to me proves that the teaching they were receiving was great. This points to an issue highlighted in the report:
I also had a discussion with a HoD at another school who told me he didn't understand how his AS results had been so poor when he'd had a "consistently outstanding" teacher teaching them all year. My advice was simple: "you need to redefine your conditions for outstanding. If the students aren't making progress, then you need to try something else."
I'm glad that this report, and recent ofsted guidance, is signposting a move away from the idea of preferred teaching styles and single lesson judgements. Different things work for different teachers, and different things work for different classes. Context is key. There's a wealth of ideas and things research suggests works in this report, and I'd suggest trying it out, I will be, but you need to always bare in mind that things that work elsewhere won't always work for you.
Another key point I noted was the strength of evidence to say that Pedagogical Subject Knowledge was important, especially in maths.
This is something I've written about before, and again something that seems obvious. Yet I've often heard people say "If you can teach, you can teach anything." I've experienced in my own education teachers that were one page ahead in the text book and it wasn't effective. We need to ensure our pedagogical subject knowledge is up to scratch, that we know the links between our subject and the misconceptions likely to occur. This is particularly important now, as we are in the middle of massive curricula reform which will see a large amount of teachers teaching topics they haven't taught before, and we all need to make sure we are prepared.
Teacher observations
A strong theme throughout the report is around observations. The report seems to favour heavily the idea that they are most effective when done in a formative developmental way.
They also have some pointers as to how this development can be helped:
These are ideas I like. I think all teachers should be constantly developing, and striving to improve. Hattie's research suggests that there us a massive positive effect on outcomes when teachers see themselves as learners and this backs that up. I've noticed an uptake in the number if teachers I know undertaking further study, and this can only be a good thing.
The model of formative and development observations seems to oppose the recent move to performance related pay, and the report has this to say on it:
The report talks about creating a culture where teachers are comfortable discussing their shortcomings, and working to improve them. But if they are tied to pat progression then teachers may not feel comfortable owning up to them.
I was worried to see in the report that apparently 90% of teachers still buy into learning styles
Which is terribly worrying given the weight of evidence against then. It's easy to find a bucketload but here's one to start you off.
As you can see, there's a wealth of fantastic stuff in the report, these are just a few key themes I've picked out that interest me. The mainstream media seem to think the main theme is about "lavish praise" but that's just a tiny part!
If you have strong views on any of this, or anything else in the report, I'd love to hear then.
I'll leave you with an interesting page on effective teaching of numeracy:
What are we testing for?
There are many types of assessment that take place within our schools. Formative, Summative, AfL etc are all buzzwords that relate to some kind of assessment that occurs on a daily basis, each with a different perceived purpose. So what is the big picture? What are we testing for? Should we be doing it?
I was recently told by someone that they had received feedback from a lesson observation which marked them down for "lack of AfL". I asked if they had been given anymore information than that and was told that the observer had said "You need to use lollysticks or whiteboards." This left me a little underwhelmed. The person I was speaking to was an NQT, and I thought that feedback was fairly meaningless and certainly less than helpful.
We're talking "Assessment for Learning", not Aussie Rules. The basic premise, as set out by Wiliam et al in the black box series, is to assess in lessons as you go along, to check the class understand what you're teaching them. In theory, I can see this is excellent practice, but in reality it has in many places become a box ticking exercise. I spoke to a senior teacher this year who described lesson observations as "a game you play". This frustrated me, I'm a firm believer of trying to be the best teacher I can be every lesson, and I try not to do anything out if the ordinary in observations. (My year 11s did throw the following accusation at me once: "Sir, how comes you pronounced your T's properly when [the head] was in the room?"- this apparent vocal change was entirely subconsciously!)
That aside, I do think there is place for AfL in lessons, I'm a big fan of whiteboards, they're versatile, they allow you to check answers from a whole class to ensure they know how to do something. They don't, however, do some magic and allow pupils to remember how to do things forever. Lollysticks, on the other hand, seem less useful for AfL. I've always been told they are "AfL", but I don't really see how. You still only get an answer from one person. They may be good for some things (whether they are or not is a debate for another time, but you can read Tom Bennett's (@tombennett71) thoughts here), but I don't see how they fit here.
If the feedback was, " You need to ensure whole class engagement, try using a random name selection method such as lollysticks." I could have understood it. If it was "You need to ensure the whole class are ready for the task, use whiteboards." I could have understood it. but to say "You need AfL use lollysticks or whiteboards" just doesn't help anyone. AfL is great, but use it correctly, ask yourself "why am I doing this?" if the answer is "to tick a box" then don't bother! If it's "because it will aid the pupils learning." Then give it a hell yeah.
Formative/Summative Assessment
This whole dichotomy which is often discussed between formative and summative assessment seems silly. Yes, there's a difference between checking progress in a lesson on a whiteboard and sitting a test, but surely the point of end of term tests is to see how much pupils have learned? If your class have done half a term on Algebra, and they all got the expanding brackets questions wrong then you need to go back over expanding brackets. Thus the assessment is still formative.
I think many of us are guilty of overtesting to gather evidence of progress. An inevitable consequence of the raft of policy around this area. This itself can lead to issues. A twenty minute end of topic test which takes place at the end of a lesson where pupils have covered the content may give positive results, but the retention may not be there and they may not be able to recreate those results the following week. We need to structure our schemes of work, our lessons and our testing to create sustained progress. To ensure learning that sticks. I'm not sure how we do this yet, but I think a mastery based curriculum may be a good start. I've read a lot on memory and learning from Joe Kirby (@joe_kirby) which I want to get deeper into. (IE this but he has other posts too)
I think in class tests are a vital part of what we do, but their primary purpose should be to inform future teaching and learning, with progress monitoring a by product. When progress monitoring becomes the primary gain, we've got our priorities confused.
High stakes external exams
These are the output of our education system, what we are always building towards. It seems strange to put teenagers through such tribulations at an age when hormones are flying etc, but I'm not sure what the answer is. We need to have some form of qualifications that distinguishes each of us. @Bigkid4 has some good suggestions here. If you have any ideas I'd love to hear them.
This post is part of the #blogsync initiative for June 2014, you can read the others here.
Reflections on the spring term
Well, that just flew by. I can't believe how fast it went! Christmas seems only a few weeks ago. So what has happened, and what have I learned?
I have completed stage one of a project I was involved in with a PE teacher who is one year on from me in terms of his career. The first stage of the project involved each of us observing the other as if it were a formal observation. It was brilliant CPD for both of us. I got to see a PE lesson that I rated as a good with outstanding features. I got to give feedback and discuss the lesson and the grading process with him, got great feedback on my lesson (also graded good with outstanding features) and again had some great discussions about the lesson and the grading process. I was paid a huge complement as part of my feedback when my collegue said: "you ooze pace, but manage to do it in a calm and relaxed manner." he also noted, "you can tell this is the standard of lesson their used to, and not a one off lesson for observations sake." This second comment ties in strongly with my philosophy on teaching. I think we owe it to the pupils to give them the best lessons we can, to enable them to meet their potential and succeed on reaching their goals.
This has been a common theme for me this term. I have had a number of conversations, sometimes heated, on the subject. We took part in a peer review a few weeks ago where SLT from two other schools came in and along with our own SLT observed a lot of staff. Each department was given three lessons where an observer would be circulating the lesson. In the staffroom after they announced the time slots a colleague said, "that's alright, I only have to plan two good lessons." This irked me and I questioned this. I outlined my theory that we should all be trying to be at least good all the time. There was a little argument and a couple of others seemed to take their side, claiming it was impossible given the time to plan good lessons every period. I disagree, and think if the time is running out then you need to work smarter, not harder. A well planned and resources lesson can be tweaked and used again with a different class when the topic is next met. Marking can be kept on top of by implementing smarter working systems and doing a bit at a time, etc. Thankfully though, it seems from other discussions I've had that most of my colleagues are in fact in my camp on this one.
This term saw my first foray into teaching further maths a-level. Having finished FP1 and most of FP2 I have really renewed my passion for higher level maths. It has encouraged me to start researching higher maths for fun, this has meant though that maths books and education books are both now ahead of novels in my reading priority list. Reading is something that I have lost time for in general as well. This has been due partly to the hours I work, but mainly the fact I have a young baby at home and I spent all my free time playing with her. I do miss reading a little, but the precious moments I have with my daughter are far more important, after-all, the books will always be there. She will grow up and lead her own life. I am hoping to incorporate more reading time once she has gone to bed during next term though!
I have been excited by the blogsync initiative pioneered by Chris Waugh this term. It has given me a chance to express my views on topics and has given me a vast array of blogs and papers to read which have helped me to evaluate and improve practice. (Finding time to read these short entries is much easier than whole books!)
I have had another PGCE student take some of my lessons this term and have again enjoyed the experience and found that observing others is key to improving myself, be it said PGCE student, or the more senior members of staff I've observed. The whole process of helping develop students has been great and I have asked to be considered as a possible mentor (for NQTs; ITT students or even both) next year.
All in all, I have enjoyed this term and feel renewed and invigorated by the challenges ahead. The next half term is to be my last with my current classes (We change timetables at spring bank), and the ones I lose next year I will miss. None more than my year elevens, with whom I have built a great relationship. They were the first class I took over at this school, and I will miss them all. I just hope they leave with the best grades they can and go on to achieve all they want in the future!
There are also some changes being made to staffing at school. The vice principal is moving on to a headship and a couple of the department are moving to schools closer to home to cut down on their commutes and give then more time with their families. This means next year will be very different. I will miss those leaving, but wish then the best. I do, however, think that it is good to have some changes, if everything stayed the same we may find ourselves complacent, familiar, taking our foot of the gas. We have come a long way in the last two years, but our work is far from over and I know the staff staying are committed to taking the team on to the next level. I am looking forward to seeing what next year brings, for me; the team and the school as a whole! But first, there is the small matter of the summer term and external exams for us to sink our teeth into.


text:
|Ben reviews Baja
Life is an adventure. I'm sure I've seen that on a picturesque postcard somewhere. Some adventures in life require just the right amount of 'crazy'. Tony Vidal (The Prankster) writes and directs the adventure of an average college Joe who is so wrapped up in doing for others that he can't do for himself.
It's funny, but as I watched this story unfold, Bryan (Jake Thomas) reminded me of me when I was younger: so convinced that I had to help others or be supportive of others that I didn't pay attention to my own needs or wants. It wasn't until I'd moved to Arizona that I had a friend like Todd (Chris Brochu), a more free-spirited individual, who didn't have a care in the world. My friend didn't have the trust fund that Todd has, but he had the same spirit and zeal. Todd came with friends too, Jessica (Michelle DeShon) and Lisa Bolanos (Arienne Mandi).
Mr. Vidal wrote a script that is full of life, spirit and vigor as Todd and crew take his parents, Hal and Josey (Kurt Fuller and Cynthia Stevenson, respectively) RV from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, so that they can eventually fly down for a vacation and then to drive the RV home.
Hijinks ensue when Todd tries to make some money, but doesn't really see the bigger picture. Jessica is trying to get a film project put together, but nothing seems to work in her favor. There's a moment when Todd's "business sense" puts Lisa's work. And, it turns out that they make a great set of business partners.
One of my favorite characters is Lisa. As much as this was Bryan's journey of self-discovery, Lisa makes the most of the trip with her own version of self-discovery. At the beginning of the film, we realize that Lisa might be intentionally held back from discovering who she is. So, she decides to join in on the journey to meet her dad, Luis (Jose Zuniga). Through their meeting, she discovers something about the beauty of herself. Though the overall story relies too much on this character and her story, it fits nicely within the framework because I could relate to Lisa as much as I could Bryan.
Mark Margolis has a smaller role as Don Primo, but he is the common thread throughout the story, being as essential to Bryan's story as Carmen (Zoe Corraface). They both remind us that life really is an adventure. We just need to get loco every once in a while to reconnect with ourselves and with our environment.
I found the overall film to be a little too reminiscent of my own life to fully enjoy it. But it is harmless, yet meaningful entertainment that audiences should appreciate.
Share this review.
-Ben Cahlamer


text:
Dan Barton is Founder of Wicker Man Oxford. For the last three years Dan has invested a vast amount of effort, time and personal resources in developing novel and exciting giant Wicker Men for charity. The sculptures have gained great local interest, and have been taken on tour round the county of Oxfordshire. Finally the giant sculptures (which are of a metal frame with combustible cladding) are ignited at the annual Oxford Fire Works Display. The 2009/10 events were an enormous success raising tens of thousands of pounds for local charities. Dan has his own Business and has enjoyed working with Historic Buildings for the past 15 years prior to this a Cabinet Maker of fine furniture. Dan runs a small team of dedicated employees who share a similar passion with a diverse range of skills thus allowing them to work on many significant buildings throughout the surrounding Counties. Dan has 2 Sons who keep him entertained and busy and is married to Janette!
Janette Barton part of the Management Team responsible for Finances, the current Website, general admin of the project . Married to Dan and Business Partner in their Historic Building Restoration company Janette is the Accounts/Admin Manager responsible for all activity that generates within the office. Janette has recently part qualified towards her Association of Accounting Technician qualification and is taking a break from studying to concentrate on this project and Project Manage a house re-build that Dan and herself will be embarking on in the near future. Mum to 2 lively boys who as all parents know is a tough but rewarding job in itself!
Alan Hambidge part of the Management team responsible for Sales, Marketing and Promotions (including Corporate Sponsorship and Associated Brands) and Compliance Manager. If you or your company are interested in advertsing on our 40ft transporter please contact Alan email. Alan runs his own business Empathy Environmental Consultants and has over 18 years experience in the field of risk management, providing training to many thousands of delegates. Alan has conducted several hundred risk management audits and coordinated thousands of risk management projects (including risk assessments) for Local Authorities, NHS Trusts, Universities and Housing Associations. Alan is also Publicity Officer for Kingston Colts Football Club who his Sons play for and his wife Sally Manages the youngest team.Sally is also part of the merchandising and Tour team.
Paul Wentworth part of the Management team responsible for the Structural Steele work involved in the trailer and Sculpture Construction. Paul runs his own businesses Pump Parts and Cobra Concrete Pumps.
Helen Harding is part of the Sculpture and Tour Team and assists with Sales, Marketing and Promotions. Helen is a key member of the team ,always finding energy and enthusiasm to keep going on the build when the rest of us are flagging and ready for our beds. By day Helen works as a sign maker producing and installing external, and internal signs and vehicle graphics. Helen is also a Scout Leader.
Sean Higgins is part of the Sculpture Build and Tour Team. This will be the 5th sculpture Sean has helped to make, making him our honoury service member of the team! Sean is a Project Engineer working for a Science and Technology company. Sean's partner Laura is also part of the construction and Tour team.
Sarah Webb is part of the Sculpture Team . Sarah has been involved since the 2010 sculpture bringing her basket making and contemporary willow artist skills to the team. Sarh produces a comprehensive range of willow baskets and sculptures. Wherever possible Sarah's materials are sourced locally or from English growers, helping to support a traditional rural industry.Sarah is happy to teach, demonstrate and give talks on basketry and willow sculpture.
Brian Bonnet is part of the Sculpture team and has compiled the Structural stability Calculations for the 2009 & 2010 Sculpture. Brian is a structural Engineer and Dan met him through his Historic Building projects
John Curry is part of the Sculpture Building Team. John works for Thames Water as Maintenance Delivery Manager, TV East and is Dad to 3 children and married to Lesley! John is a member of the Lions Club.
Matt Williams and David Bragg are part of the Sculpture Building Team. They run their own business Rumpelstiltskin Thatching Company, they have a commitment to preserving regional styles of thatching, and as such the majority of their work consists of reintroducing long straw thatching to Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties. (Matt & Dave) were recently featured on the BBC's Mastercraft, programme presented by Monty Don.http://www.rumpelstiltskin-thatching.co.uk/index.html Dan met Matt & Dave whilst working on a scheduled ancient monument that Matt and Dave were thatching.
Liz May is part of the Sales, Marketing and Promotions Team photographing the different stages of the project. Liz is also currently photographing each entry received from our Competition (over 1000) which will be incorporated into a fundraising campaign which we will be running in the run up to the burning of the sculpture on 6th November 2010. Liz runs her own photography business Unique Photography.
Ali Pool is part of the Sales, Marketing and Promotions Team producing graphics for the project. Ali designed the competition flyer that went out to Schools, Scout groups, Libraries, Childrens hospital wards and Oxfordshire Museums. Ali Graduated from Bath Spa Uni in 2009 with a degree in Graphic Communications, she is currently available for commissions and looking to develop her portfolio through freelance work.as a Graphic Designer, Illustrator and Photographer.
We are very fortunate to have additional volunteers not named above who lend their services to the project when they can from Printers, Writers, Structural Engineers, Mechanics, Metal Fabricators, Engineers, Tyre Fitters, Artisits, Web/Graphic Designers, Hauliers, Teachers, Oceanographers. This also stems to friends and Family who have been known on weekend visits to be thrown head first into certain aspects of the project.
To you all we are eternally grateful because without our fantastic Community of willing volunteers this project would not be possible.
You are viewing the text version of this site.
Need help? check the requirements page.


text:
- Money itself is valueless. It simply represents the ability to obtain that which is valuable--food, housing, gold, diamonds and so on.
- -- Catwoman
Appearing in "A Slight Detour"Edit
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Mookie
- Al
- Lewis
- Mr. Mercury
- Jerry
- Leo (Only appearance; dies)[1]
- Hardcases, Inc.
- Vin Nastacio
- Natasha White
- Billy Wu
- Rosalie Hernandez
- Eddie Conway
Other Characters:
- Oracle
- Batman
- Lex Luthor (Behind the scenes)
- New York City Police Department
- Catwoman's Whip
Synopsis for "A Slight Detour"Edit
Catwoman showed her the stolen discs to Al and Lewis and told them that she would start bidding them for sale. Al and Lewis were mad at Catwoman for letting Mookie sacrifice himself. However, Catwoman showed them that Mookie was alive and fine resting in the room of the hotel they were staying. Catwoman told them that Mookie had some kind of supernatural power that allowed him to stand harmless after explosions and bullet shots. Mookie was high after the feeling and Catwoman realized that Mookie liked the feeling of explosions.
In Gotham City, Oracle and Batman learned of Catwoman's feat on stealing the discs. Oracle was worried and didn't trust Catwoman after she murdered Selina Kyle. Batman knew the truth behind that story but he didn't told so to Oracle. Instead he came up with possible scenarios in which Catwoman never killed Selina Kyle. A few moments later, Oracle realized that Catwoman was offering the discs to the highest bidder on internet. Batman wasn't surprised at all.
Elsewhere, Mercy Graves contacted her employer and notified him of the bidding. She was told to buy those discs at any cost. Maxi Zeus was also interested in having the discs and he planned to steal them from Catwoman. At their headquarters, the Hardcases, Inc., were using her abilities to learn of Catwoman's next step and they learned that she was going to make the exchange of the discs at the top of the World Trade Center.
Catwoman and her crew were in fact at the World Trade Center and she told her crew to stay there until she calls them to the other building. Catwoman left them and one of the guys was thinking that he and Catwoman might have a chance of dating. At that moment, Maxie Zeus and his people arrived at the place and attacked them. Mookie was standing there and was hit by all the bullets but he wasn't harmed. A few seconds later, the Hardcases arrived as well and a fight between them and Zeus' people started. The Hardcases overpowered Zeus'crew. When it was all said and done, the New York City Police Department apprehended all the people including Catwoman's crew. The Hardcases looked for the discs but they found a tape instead. It was a recording of Catwoman telling them that they went straight for the bait and that she was going to exchange the real discs somewhere near the Brooklyn Bridge.
Catwoman and Mercy were already at the meeting point and exchanged the packages. Catwoman opened up the case Mercy gave her and a blast of phosphorus made her blind and Mercy seized the chance to attack Catwoman. Using her whip, Catwoman managed to move Mercy's aim and saved herself from the bullet shot. The Hardcases arrived and tried to stop Mercy and recover the discs. The combined forces of the Hardcases were no match to Mercy Graves, who took them all down without breaking a sweat. Catwoman was still blinded and tried to move herself out of the danger zone but she was shot by Mercy. The bullet grazed her body but it wounded her and then Catwoman fell to the river. Mercy escaped in her car with the discs despite the Hardcases' leader trying to stop her. Mercy called her employer and told him that she got the discs but that Catwoman survived. Mercy was told not to worry for that as now they have more important matters to deal with.
- The events of this issue take place after Catwoman #73. No Man's Land continues in Robin #68.
- No trivia.
See Also
- Write your own review of this comic!
- Discuss Catwoman Vol 2 74 on the forums
- Cover gallery for the Catwoman series
Recommended ReadingEdit
Links and ReferencesEdit
- Batman at Wikipedia.org
- Batman at DC Comics
- Batman at DCU Guide
- Batman at IGN Comics
- Batman at Newsarama
- Batman at Dark Knight
- Batman at DC Indexes
- Batman at Comic Book Resources
- Batman Yesterday Today and Beyond
- Batman at TV Tropes
- ↑ First and only known appearance to date besides flashbacks


text:
Being an account of my wargaming activities, a few sailing
stories, some beer related anecdotes, what music I'm listening to....
oh, and anything else that knows me!
Being an account of my wargaming activities, a few sailing
Friday, April 19, 2013
First game of the year..
Posted by Steve-the-Wargamer at 4:56 pm
Labels: ACW, General Wargaming
6 comments:
Looks a great game, love the tower!ReplyDelete
I love the tower, is it scratch built?ReplyDeleteReplies
Scotty/Ray - thanks...not scratch built but it is a bit of a hybrid... more information hereDelete
...but basically it came from SHQ
Can't wait to see some more. Salute eve! Excited!ReplyDeleteReplies
I'm hoping to make the one o'clock meet... I have also already ordered 3 packs of Sean's excellent ACW figures at the show price (30% off!) so I started shopping before Salute even opened... :o)Delete
Great looking table.ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Festivals at Bertha DocHouse
This month we play host to some fantastic film festivals at Bertha DocHouse: Greenhorn Short Film Festival, Being Human Festival and the Irish Film Festival London. Find out more and book tickets by clicking on the below events:
GREENHORN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL: I Am What I Am
Saturday 14 November 2015 8:30pm
Join poodle trainers, Mexican wrestlers, celebrity impersonators and punk grannies for this exciting evening screening of award winning short documentaries at Bertha Dochouse.
BEING HUMAN FESTIVAL: Participatory Documentary Filmmaking for LGBTI Activism
Friday 13 November 2015 12:00pm
The first of two LGBTI Human Rights Activism and Film events organised by the 'School of Advanced Study' as part of the Being Human Festival 2015. This event will focus on the experiences of the Envisioning Global LGBT Human Rights.
BEING HUMAN FESTIVAL: No Easy Walk to Freedom - UK Premiere + Q&A
Saturday 14 November 2015 3:00pm
No Easy Walk to Freedom tells the story of the struggle to strike down section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalizes same-sex sexual behaviour in India. Followed by panel discussion.
IRISH FILM FESTIVAL: A Kind Of Sisterhood + Director Q&A
Sunday 22 November 2015 3:30pm
This is the story of women political prisoners in Armagh and Maghaberry jails, told in their own words.
IRISH FILM FESTIVAL: Name Your Poison + Let Those Blues In + Q&A
Sunday 22 November 2015 1:30pm
GAA hard man Anthony Molloy journeys to New York in search of the toughest Irish immigrant America was ever to see: Mike Malloy, the "Rasputin of the Bronx."


text:
The Bricks - Top tips for an award winning site
For those of you who don't know, The Bricks is an awards celebration like no other! Our annual celebration recognises and rewards developers and contractors who go the extra mile, regardless of size, to deliver quality construction and design. With competition at record levels how do you make sure your site stands out from the crowd?
What are our judges looking for?
- High standards of technical competency and build quality
- Consistency and quality of work evident across all trades and build stages
- Site and project managers should demonstrate a high level of organisational skills and customer service
- Well planned sequence of work
- Good safety procedures
- Maintaining a clean and tidy site
- Choosing not to accept 'second best'
You can see what it meant to the 2014 winners in our newsletter and our video of last years event.
You can learn more about the Bricks here, or if you have any questions please let us know email@example.com
By Frzana Ashraf


text:
You are the most welcome!
Come and "sleep like a monk" at the Abbaye Royale de la Réau
Come and "sleep like a monk" by candlelight at the Abbaye Royale de la Réau, in one of the five monks' quarters, with a simple and plentiful breakfast in the refectory. A wonderfully novel experience – deep sleep assured!
Situated on the second floor of the monastery buildings, accessible via an old wooden staircase, the monks' quarters once housed the bedrooms of the canons. The decoration is purely monastic; simple but at the same time not austere. A long, covered corridor laid with old tiles leads to each quarter. Large 17th century windows illuminate the pale coloured rooms which all face the south side of the park. The beds are made of wood with drapes to protect from draughts as in olden days – no straw however, but a good mattress enclosed by neat curtains. A rush chair, and a table or a chest are the only decoration. A screen hides the washbasin in each quarter; four bathrooms with toilets at the end of the corridor. In short, you will experience the real life of a monk at the abbey for a night or two. Breakfast is served each morning from 8.00 in the old refectory on the ground floor: tea, coffee, hot chocolate, bread, butter, and jams home-made from our orchard fruits.
This is an ideal retreat location for a group of fifteen, a magical night for individuals, or for families searching for shared moments, an unusual night in a timeless setting.
Capacity • 15 people maximum
• Two adjoining quarters (for a family) with four single beds
• Three quarters each with two single beds
Single beds (90 x 200cm)
Sheets are provided, a basin in each cell, individual lavatories and bathrooms at the end of the corridor, Hot water, no electricity.
Breakfast served in the refectory from 08.00 to 09.00
Wifi point at reception
Tarif • 100€ per 2 persons including breakfast
The Abbaye Royale de la Réau is situated in the commune of Saint-Martin l'Ars, in the Vienne region (86), 45 minutes south of Poitiers, and a short distance from the Charente. Barely one hour from Futuroscope, 30 minutes from the Vallée des Singes at Romagne, 45 minutes from the archaeological site of Cassinomagnus in Charente, 30 minutes from the Abbaye de St Savin listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, one hour from Angoulême or from Limoges, and a few minutes from the Floating Village restaurant at Pressac for dinner on the waterfront.
The Abbaye Royale de la Réau is an essential stopping point. By visiting you are contributing to the rescue of an historic monument founded by the great Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine.
We look forward to welcoming you!
The Abbaye Royale de la Réau is an essential stopping point, an historic monument both unusual and timeless. To come and sleep "like a monk" is a unique experience and a special time for families or groups to share; an unexpected and magical night to be found nowhere else.
Abbaye Royale de la Réau
86350 Saint Martin l'Ars
Tel: +33 5 49 87 03 08
Visiter l'Abbaye Royale de La Réau, c'est participer à sa sauvegarde.


text:
Posts Tagged 'fundraising for groups'
"They Don't Care What You Do!"
Posted by: celebrationsint on: January 13, 2011
"They don't care what you do!" my BNI (Business Network International) trainer emphasized repeatedly. He was referring to the fact that in most cases, your profession emphatically implies what you do. He wanted to impress upon us the fact that it's not what you do, but the benefits you can offer people that captures their interest.
With that in mind, you all know that travel agents help arrange travel.
Here are some things that you may not know that some travel agents do, including myself and my agency, Celebrations International Travel:
– Meetings/Events at Sea or On Location: My agency can help you organize a meeting or event on a cruise, or at an all-inclusive resort or a hotel in the city of your choice and take care of the details!
– Group Pricing Without A Group: Who says you always have to travel with ten of your best friends to qualify for group rates? At Celebrations International Travel, we've reserved space on many popular cruise sailings that allow us to offer the savings of group rates to our clients, whether you're traveling as a couple or bringing all your friends and family along. With some notice, similar arrangements can be made at all-inclusive resorts or for escorted tours.
– Fundraising: That's right….You can help raise funds for your favorite charity or cause through your travels. Contact us to find out more.
– Itinerary Planning: Even if you have a good idea about where and when you want to travel, a good travel agent can provide you with good tips and advice on things to see and do (and the best days/times to do them), the best ways to get around, and good places to eat and shop. Especially for international destinations with which you aren't familiar, your agent may be able to give you practical advice on currency exchanges, taxi services, money-saving ideas, and general travelers' safety.
– Special Occasions & Celebrations: We believe in Celebrating Life Through Travel! If you're celebrating a special occasion on your trip, let your travel agent know so that he/she can do their best to help you celebrate!


text:
The most exciting cars of 2014
Last year was surprisingly rich in automobile specialties.
In fact, each segment debut model, this is really worthwhile.
Remember the best of them.
Hyundai i10
In the segment of citycars (A Class) special attention is given to the new Hyundai i10. Nice design, spacious as the tiny dimensions, interior, excellent facilities and the economic engine of 1.0 and 1.2 liters – the strengths of this model a lot.
The most striking debutant in B-class undoubtedly become the new Mazda2.
Peugeot 308
In the C-class is difficult not to mention the new Peugeot 308. The car has even won the title of the car in Europe.
Volkswagen Passat
The segment family car (D-grade) without exaggeration be called Volkswagen Passat. Eighth generation model has a classic design, with its supporters just love stamps, spacious interior and an even bigger trunk.
Toyota Camry
The most anticipated debutant of 2014 year in the business segment (E-Class) was a renewed Toyota Camry.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
The title of the best executive sedan (F-class) is unhesitatingly commended Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The car debuted in late 2013, but gained real popularity in 2014.
Volvo XC90
The title of the best crossover in 2014 earned a long-awaited successor to the old-timer Volvo XC90. Second generation model drawn fresh, quite original style and set inside a third row of seats and used high-quality leather and real wood.
Ford Mustang
The title of the best sports car in 2014 is to give the new Ford Mustang. In his '50 Muscle car kept distinctive design, although significantly "fresh", but "under the skin" – this is another car.


text:
go to the parks office and they will show you. it says for Abram Hewitt to go to Wawayanda's office.
I know that certain areas like Abram Hewitt State park, and others are restricted to certain areas of hunting. Does anyone know where I can find maps of these? Also, can anyone recommend areas in northern NJ to deer hunt? Im new to the sport.
go to the parks office and they will show you. it says for Abram Hewitt to go to Wawayanda's office.
Email or Write to Michelle Buckley at the NJ State Park Service. Wait 6 months until after hunting season is over to receive response that says we are sorry that we do not have a map available for that area. I don't know if they are overwhelmed by requests, don't want hunters on state park lands or both. I suggest going to the park you are interested in hunting or the office that is responsible for overseeing the park and try to talk to somebody in person. Some rangers/park staff will be very helpful. Some will barely be able to hide the fact that they can't stand hunting and hunters. Good luck! PS- still waiting for a Farny SP hunting map
If you go to the park office for ringwood state park you can have copies of maps made there, I used to hunt there and your supposed to get a permit to drive on the dirt road that goes into the park,on that permit shows the areas your allowed to hunt in ringwood state park.
NJ fish & game web site,they have them in pdf.
If you have a smart phone download the free NJ Fish & Game APP, its free. Easy to look up anything and I believe it has all the WMA mapped out
The app has state parks...use the near me icon you can pick from wma, state parks, fishing locations, and boat access locations. When you click the location you want you can view maps.
There is a state park app that looks just like the fish and game app that has it I use both apps. the official state parks and forest guide by pocket ranger
This is my first time attempting to post pictures with a post, so if its jacked up bare with me..
Just moved back to NJ and have been craving the same thing.. Found two ways so far to find State and County owned land.. First is using the NJDEP Fish and wildlife Interactive reporting Map. As long as you know the general area of the land this can define it for you. You just have to zoom in to a certain level in order to view the area. Its purpose was for reporting harvest, but has additional uses. The legend to the left defines the areas.. State is in green, Purple/magenta for county..
NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife - AHRS Deer Hunting Location Viewer
The Second is to use NJ DEP GIS.. NJ-GeoWeb
There is a whole bunch of stuff you can click on and off on the website.. A lot is useless for hunting, but some is relevant.. Just find what you are looking for and click off on it.. Again you are going to have to know the general area, but this will help define the area.
Hope this helps!!


text:
"I have been taking my parents to see Dr. Aryan 'Paz' Pazirandeh at Natural Vision in Fresno for over 5 years and he is one of the best doctors my parents have ever had, and they see over 10 doctors each. Dr Paz is not only extremely knowledgeable and capable regarding his profession of optometry but has the rare ability to explain complicated procedures and concepts in clear and easy to understand terms, while still being very precise and thorough. Although he is quite in demand and busy, Dr. Paz never lets his patients feel it and answers each and every question with a warm and friendly smile; you never feel like his foot is half way out the door. Dr. Paz has the best chair side manner; thank you Dr. Paz for taking the time to make each visit such a pleasure! Ophthalmologist Dr. Kaye completed cataract surgery for both my parents and is also very kind, gentle and a capable surgeon. Thank you Dr. Kaye and the rest of the staff at Natural Vision for taking such good care of the optical needs of my parents. As a pediatric dental specialist I have treated thousands of children over the past 15 years and I appreciate a doctor with patience, who puts the patient first. If you are looking for an awesome optometrist for yourself, your child or a family member, look no further than Dr. Paz and Natural Vision!"
"I've had the honour of having both Dr Kaye and Dr Nguyen as my doctors for many years. I would like to share the fact both excellent in their field. The office has all needed medical equipment to handle anything. If they feel that there is a second opinion needed they do not hesitate to send a person for one as in the case with me. I do not give a recommendation lightly but in this case they and the staff are excellent and the personal care and connection they make with their patients is awesome"
"I've been here a few times before. Once for my daughter and once for myself. The exams were very thorough and everyone from the staff that we encountered was great! This place has a pretty good selection of glasses with good prices! Left here with pretty nice pair of RayBans. I'm definitely coming here when our follow-ups are due."
"I have been taking my children to the Sanger Officer for the past 5 years. The staff is very accomidating to my schedule and friendly to us. The office staff is always pleasant and it's a pleasure to converse with them.
The staff treats my kids and I in a respectfull manner and i have no complaints with the place. Having said this I have seen many people (customers, patients) walk in and act like they own the place, they allow there kids to act like animals. These same parents get offended if there told anything, regarding there animal kids.
Natural Vison is a great place and the staff is awesome. Thank you guys."
"Natural Vision is a very clean and professional place. I have been there several times now over that last few years and they are sometimes busy, but they are very efficient and friendly. I recommend them highly."
"I got my Lasik here. It was so reasonably priced and I can see perfectly now without my stupid glasses. :)"


text:
"How are my people doing?" is what the Chavez government claims Chávez said after he regained consciousness.
Venezuelan on line satire site Chigüire Bipolar nailed it: according to communication minister Villegas, doctors said Chávez needs a doses of 23 governorships to recover soon.
This is going to get more and more ridiculous by the day: tomorrow they will tell us Chávez is much healthier and is calling for a massive vote in favour of PSUV candidates.
And today, just a day before the regional elections, the state will sell over 3 million tones of (mostly imported) food at very low prices. All workers will be wearing government-friendly t-shirts and all this will be linked to the current government on state TV.


text:
Confession: This isn't local pumpkin. This is canned organic pumpkin from somewhere in the U.S. But, of course, you could make it with your own pumpkin puree, or probably even squash.
The recipe comes originally from Smitten Kitchen, as interpreted by Oh She Glows. Pumpkin puree is sweetened, spiced and thickened into a yummy topping.
Start with pumpkin puree and apple juice (I used cider).
Add sugar and spices. I used half maple sugar, half brown sugar but honestly, I couldn't taste the maple. (Maybe I could have with a side-by-side comparison.) By the way, if you really want a way to keep your brown sugar from going hard, store it in a mason jar. It's actually airtight and doesn't lose moisture.
I served it immediately on top of steel-cut oats (cooked up with dried cherries and topped with sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, almonds and hemp milk).
So, so delicious. We're going to serve it with cornmeal muffins at Thanksgiving dinner.


text:
India should open door wider to global bond buyers | Mihir Sharma
The market's gloom reflects how badly India's macroeconomic fundamentals have weakened. Last year, the economy seemed to have vanquished the threat of constantly rising prices; markets now worry that inflation is back.editorials Updated: Mar 07, 2018 14:55 IST
Hoping to jump-start its "Make in India" manufacturing push, India's government has rolled out the welcome mat for foreign investors. It should consider doing the same for global bond buyers.
Indian bonds are, at the moment, suffering a full-scale rout. On Monday, yields on benchmark 10-year government debt — called the "G-sec" rate in India — continued their slow creep upwards to 7.78%. Many expect them to cross 8% at some point in the next few months. How swiftly have things turned bad? Well, as recently as last August, G-Sec yields were south of 6.5%. By the end of February, bond prices had fallen for seven successive months, the longest decline in two decades.
The market's gloom reflects how badly India's macroeconomic fundamentals have weakened. Last year, the economy seemed to have vanquished the threat of constantly rising prices; markets now worry that inflation is back. The Reserve Bank of India sounds distinctly hawkish. Over the past year or so, there's been a flood of new bond issues from India's states.
Most importantly, the federal government, faced with a difficult political situation and looming elections, has abandoned its hard-won reputation for fiscal restraint. In its last federal budget, India missed its fiscal deficit target. Worse, the budget math looks distinctly dicey, which suggests the government is going to be even more profligate next financial year. The ruling party is trying hard to woo angry Indian farmers through enhanced price supports for grains. That would be a pretty nasty one-two punch for the bond markets: It would both weaken government finances and drive up inflation expectations.
High yields have complicated things for the government. It isn't just that its borrowing costs are going up; the yields also threaten India's already stressed state banks. In January, the RBI's deputy governor warned that Indian banks were sitting on too many government bonds and thus taking on too much interest-rate risk. What he was actually telling banks was that they shouldn't expect any help from the RBI in moderating that risk: "Interest-rate risk of banks cannot be managed over and over again by their regulator," he said.
Indian banks are holding far more government securities than they're required by law, so their profits have been hit particularly hard by the bond rout. Of course, now they're trying to sell off the excess, which has only pushed up yields even further. This comes at precisely the time when banks are facing extra provisioning requirements to address their giant bad-asset problem. Meanwhile, their principal shareholder, the government, is pushing them to lend more to companies to revive private investment.
Can India's government do anything about this, or must it simply push through the pain? Well, if you're worried about the price of something falling, you can either increase demand for it or reduce the supply. Certainly, given the government's spending and borrowing plans, there doesn't seem to be much that can be done about the excess supply of bonds.
What about demand? Perhaps there was a time when the government could have simply ordered state-owned banks to mop up the extra paper. But that, given the banks' parlous state, is no longer an option.
At the same time, the government seems to be shrinking the market for corporate bonds. A recent report suggested that India's state-owned pension fund could lower the number of corporate bonds it holds from 35 percent of its portfolio to 20 percent. India's corporate bond market is already massively underdeveloped; it's only 15 percent of bank credit to industry. If you really want it to grow, you have to increase the number of buyers and deepen state institutions' appetite for risk.
There is one thing the government and the RBI can do to stabilize the bond market -- rethink India's habitual paranoia about "foreign" money. In September 2015, the amount of rupee-denominated government debt that foreigners could buy was raised -- but still limited to five percent. Investors are also constrained by a $51-billion limit on foreign investment in Indian corporate bonds. The RBI adjusts the G-Sec ceiling every now and then, but usually only to try and attract "long-term" investors.
This paranoia is inexplicable. There's a fear of instability, of foreign investors forcing a crisis. But that is something that usually happens in countries that have sold too much dollar-denominated debt to outsiders. It's difficult to see how rupee-denominated debt would have the same problem.
If the government wants to expand companies' access to funds, deepen the bond market, increase risk appetite and manage the effect of government borrowing, it will have to abandon its fear of global capital. Let foreign buyers eat their fill of Indian debt. After all, that's the basic engine of capitalism: India is where the growth opportunities are and it should and must attract capital from places with less-inspiring returns. By keeping foreigners from lending us money, we're hurting ourselves most of all.
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Bloomberg View