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JOHANNESBURG, December 2 (ANA) – The United National Transport Union (Untu) is considering a final wage offer by parastatal Transnet, but has not excluded industrial action should its members reject the offer.
Transnet shocked labour on Friday by firstly putting a very low opening offer on the negotiation table at the Transnet bargaining council and then replacing it with a final wage offer after labour declined to accept, Untu general secretary Steve Harris said in a statement.
Both Transnet offers were based on the fact that rating agency S&P Global downgraded Transnet on November 28 to full junk status, days after it downgraded South Africa's credit rating in totality to the same.
"The company alleges this had changed it financial position drastically a month after Transnet's chief executive Siyabonga Gama announced on 30 October that Transnet's profits have soared to R37.1 billion, thanks to the fact that the company gained market share in general freight cargo and coal volumes. Transnet's revenue rose by 13.8 percent," Harris said.
Gama also assured Untu in front of a full house at the Transnet indaba on October 23 at Esselenpark, Johannesburg, that voluntary severance packages would not be on the table as the company intended to create 20,000 new skilled job opportunities by 2022.
"But now his management team is saying the downgrading has a significant impact on Transnet's balance sheet and Transnet management's biggest concern now is to manage costs and to protect the company against growing fixed costs.
"According to the company, labour's demand of a 12 percent salary increases every year for the next three years will result in a R8.8 billion increase to its wage bill over the next three years, which will have a significant impact. For Transnet, double digit salary increases are therefore highly unaffordable.
"Transnet also changed its mind about the no retrenchment for the next three years, saying that the current economic climate is too uncertain and that there might be an operational need for retrenchments in future," Harris said.
Transnet started its wage offer by saying that labour's demand of 12 percent was very high, taking into consideration the current consumer price index (CPI) was 4.8 percent. It offered Untu members a multi-term wage agreement with a five percent salary increase for 2018, 5.5 percent in 2019, and six percent for 2020. Transnet was not prepared to add an additional two percent increase for employees earning less than R100,000 a year. Transnet believed its entry level wages "are very favourable in the market and above the minimum wage", he said.
Transnet was also not prepared to increase its medical subsidy or housing allowance to more than the agreed wage percentage, while labour demanded that both be increased from the current R1300 to R1790 in 2018, R2500 in 2019, and R3500 in 2020, because the only two medical aids Transnet members could belong to had increased fees by between eight and 10 percent for 2018. Other points of contention included night shift and standby allowances.
Harris rejected this offer in totality, saying Transnet had resorted to "Chinese bargaining", after labour asked and gave the commitment to stick to the bottom line to ensure that an agreement was reached so that employees could get their increases as of April 1, 2018.
Transnet only wanted to "take and take benefits that Untu have fought for the past 30 years, thinking labour must agree to give up these benefits while they pay peanuts in return".
Transnet then came back to the negotiation table to put their final wage offer to labour – a 6.5 percent increase for 2018; 7.25 percent for 2019; eight percent for 2020; no retrenchments for the next three years; and no increases in any other allowances, including medical aid and housing allowances.
Untu now had until January 15 to present this offer to its members for a mandate to accept or decline the offer. If members did not accept the offer, Untu, the majority union in Transnet, would have to declare a dispute and refer the dispute to conciliation.
"If the dispute cannot be resolved and a certificate of non-resolution is issued, members will have to decide if they want to exercise their constitutional right to participate in a protected strike like we did in 2010 when our members took to the streets for an 11.5 percent salary increase," Harris said.
– African News Agency (ANA)


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There are some very indepth studies going on around the world that are provingthe effectiveness of acupuncture.
The article below explains.
"For chronic pain, in the largest study of its kind to date, 454,920 patients were treated with acupuncture for headache, low back pain, and/or osteoarthritis in an open pragmatic trial. Effectiveness was rated as marked or moderate in 76% of cases by the 8,727 treating physicians.19 In a 2-year retroactive survey of over 89,000 patients published in 2016, 93% of patients said that their acupuncturist had been successful in treating their musculoskeletal pain.20
A meta-analysis of 17,922 patients from randomized trials concluded, "Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic pain and is therefore a reasonable referral option. Significant differences between true and sham acupuncture indicate that acupuncture is more than a placebo."21 A follow up study with this data looking at long-term pain relief, found that the benefits of acupuncture persisted 12 months after treatment ended.22

subset: commoncrawl


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Posts Tagged 'new york'
September 11
I can't believe fifteen years have gone by since that day, since the deadliest and costliest single terrorist attack of its kind on non-military targets in the history of the world, since cowardly and murderous heretics decided senseless chaos and indiscriminate killing were the only ways to redemption. I can't believe people born after the attack are in high school now. I can't believe there are people voting in this upcoming election, where we are still dealing with the divisive ramifications of terrorism and national security, who may be too young to remember when this event even happened.
And I know many probably mean well when they brandish the flag and loudly tell us all to "never forget." In reality, though, what almost all people saying "never forget" need to do is… STOP.
Stop saying "never forget."
If you are not an actual victim of this attack, if you are not the relative or friend or colleague of someone who is or was a victim of this attack, if you didn't spend hours or days after the attack struggling to make contact with everyone you knew from the four fateful flights or from the New York or Washington areas where these murders actually occurred to be certain everyone was accounted for, please stop saying "never forget."
You have nothing to forget.
Those this profound tragedy directly touched would like nothing more than to forget, and yet how could they ever?
Everyone in the world with access to media on September 11, 2001 shared the experience of watching with utter confusion after the first plane, American Airlines Flight 11, impacted the North Tower.
"Oh, no. That looks awful. Maybe a news helicopter lost control or something."
Everyone in the world stood and screamed and swore aloud when they saw the second plane, United Airlines Flight 175 – a nearly fully fueled Boeing 767-200 aircraft with registration number N612UA, hurtling over Staten Island and plowing into the façade of the South Tower at nearly 600 miles per hour (950 km/h).
That initial dose of almost cinematic dystopia, along with perhaps giving blood to help victims that never emerged from the rubble, digging out an old American flag to display out front, and being glued to cable news coverage for the next year, two years, fifteen years… that's about where the shared elements of this event end.
Answering the question of "Where were you when you first found out about the attacks?" with a sheepish "I had just finished wrecking the toilet at the Starbucks in the strip mall down the street from my house" eternally disqualifies you from telling anyone never to forget. The best thing someone like that can do is keep quiet. Keep quiet and step aside and allow those whose lives really were permanently altered by this crime to do the best they can to get through this day for one more year.
The last thing the surviving victims, families, friends, and colleagues need is to be reminded of the senseless, violent, and painful manner in which their loved ones died. The last thing they need is to be bombarded on traditional media and social media with 9/11 specials and 9/11 retrospectives and, perhaps tackiest and most heartbreaking of all, 9/11 sales. (Shame on that former mattress store in Texas for ever even considering such a thing. I hope the responsible parties never earn another dollar.) Why can't people express their respect for the losses of others by giving them space? Why can't people honor a terrible day by doing something other than making it about themselves?
The September 11 attacks weren't perpetrated against the suburbs or against middle America or against capitalism or against "our freedom." They were committed against visible symbols of American hegemony abroad by the brainwashed followers of a morally bankrupt group of lunatics who wanted nothing more than to get the attention of our government. It was never meant to be a rallying cry for those who'd been longing to score political points against "others" for decades.
There is no need to say "never forget" because how could anyone involved ever forget? I just wish the people who've been shouting "never forget" for the last fifteen years could say with confidence that they have ever learned.
Life in New York: Walking
When you live in a city where you likely pay thousands upon thousands (or even millions upon millions) of dollars for the mere privilege of living in a tiny, dank apartment with a view of a brick wall, a gaggle of loud neighbors, and no washer or dryer, you have to find a way to spot deals when there is one out there to be spotted.
One of the last great deals left in New York is also one of the most convenient and most interesting forms of exercise you can engage in: walking! This is a walking city. It has always been a walking city. Even before the Commissioners' Plan of 1811, which laid the egalitarian and perhaps rigid street grid plan onto most of Manhattan, New York was a city best enjoyed on foot.
It is not simply a process of elimination that makes the city so much fun to walk. It is not because driving in the city is an anxiety-fuelled nightmare. It is not because commuting by subway, bus, or taxi is some dystopian combination of crowded, slow, and smelly. What makes walking through New York rewarding and fun is the same thing that makes any city worth visiting or living in: its people and its neighborhoods.
There should be no surprise when I say that the people-watching here is without parallel, but when you combine it with the fact that neighborhoods change color and flavor every few blocks, you wind up with an entertaining and different walking experience every time you go out… and I can't stress how important that is for me. If exercise feels like a repetitive chore, I won't do it. I won't want to get off my butt on the weekend, no matter how nice the weather may be outside, if what I get is the same every time.
We have really begun to get back into the swing of going on long walks to different parts of the city and think about planning the next walk before the one we're on is even done. And this is not just on weekends, either. As with a lot of other things in life, results are what matter… and we've got them. In the month of May alone, we have walked more than 100 miles (160 km).
Not too bad!
I'm not your intended recipient
I have seen a huge increase in the number of misdirected emails I have received. I know I have a common male first name, David, and not the rarest last name of a certain heritage, so some misdirected emails are inevitable for me. That comes with the privilege of ungooglability and being a relatively early adopter of Gmail, I suppose. My issue is that the majority of the misdirected emails I'm getting are clearly intended for the same older couple in Essex, Connecticut who don't seem to know (or give half a crap) that the email address they're giving to their family members, friends, place of worship, preferred women's apparel shop, and even their boat dealer IS NOT THEIRS.
Every time I receive a wrong-number email, I always send a courtesy alert:
Hello, Mr./Ms. Innocent Goober.
I'm not the intended recipient of your email below. Please verify the email address of the person who was meant to get this message.
Kind regards,
David Notthepersonyoumeant
New York, NY
I always include New York, NY in there because that is normally the most glaring sign for people that they sent their message to the wrong party.
Sometimes I get a response; sometimes I don't. I don't really care if the sender responds to apologize or not. What I want him or her to do is to reach out to the goofballs who share my surname and give them a shake. Email address accuracy is important, and the technology has been around long enough that it is no longer acceptable to claim unfamiliarity with how it all works.
PS – If you're going to send me an email that's meant for someone else, don't have the last name McAnally because I'm just going to make fun of you in my mind for the rest of the day…
Laundry list items
Not a lot of time for le bloggage tonight because of the curse of the laundry and other fun distractions like the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but I wanted to talk about the future. Again. I mentioned the FLICS posts right before putting up a list of conversation starters yesterday, but allow me to throw out a preview of other regular kinds of posts I look forward to sharing with you. Obviously, more ideas are welcome!
- Detailed discussion of my political positions by topic. I like to consider myself politically active and engaged and am prepared to talk about where I stand and why.
- Recipes and restaurant reviews. I love to cook and dine out, and I would love to share that passion with you all here.
- Thoughts on language. I named this blog Call Me English because I'm a language man. I love words and am in awe of the power they wield. It was comedy legend George Carlin who said that "the quality of our thoughts and ideas can only be as good as the quality of our language," so I will talk about the finer points of language that we should all be aware of and use more effectively.
- Life in New York. I am lucky enough to live in one of the most exciting and influential cities in the world, and I look forward to sharing some of the positives and negatives of life here.
FLICS #2: Mike Tyson Understudy Edition
So here are five more things that have sprouted up the last couple of days…
- Mike Tyson and Broadway mix, apparently. Whose idea was it to put the boxer-turned-wife-beater-turned-prisoner-turned-vegan (?) on stage? Spike Lee's.
- We went to Gotham Bar and Grill for my brother's birthday a couple of nights ago, and although the food was very tasty, the service was a little over the top, especially considering that the kitchen was slow. Have you ever had a meal in a nice restaurant where the server tries too hard to show you how much he knows about the menu? "No, Wyatt, I really don't need an anecdote about the founding of the farm my braised baby bok choy came from." Couple that nonsense with the woman at the next table swimming in Estée Lauder's Youth Dew (Eau d'Old Lady), and you've got yourself a weird evening.
- One thing I've taken particular notice of during this super hot, sticky week: some people just have faces that seem like they would be dangerously satisfying to punch.
- Speaking of the heat wave, why do the media in New York feel the need to give the most obvious weather advice ever? It's a couple of degrees short of boiling outside, so don't wear any sweaters, don't engage in any strenuous activities outdoors, and don't attempt to cool down by climbing into your refrigerator.
- Twitter was down for a not insignificant amount of time today due to what they called a "cascading bug." The internet seemed to collectively lose its cotton-pickin' mind. The first thing I thought of was what a huge increase in actual work productivity it would bring… once everyone stopped bitching about it on Facebook. Don't you remember what life was like before we had all these different forms of heroin to be addicted to?


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This powerful system is designed for larger settings where greater signal range is needed for your translation feed. Such as: Large scale worship services Multi-room settings like libraries, conference facilities, etc Larger auditoriums and sports facilities
The Williams Sound PPA 377-00 Personal PA Pro FM Translation System allows up to four listeners to tune-in to a translation or other audio feed using the included PPA R37 receivers. IMPORTANT UPDATE: The transmitter in this system has been replaced with the T-45 transmitter. Contact us for a custom quote for this equipment.
Looking for a fast and economical way to provide live interpretation for your audience? We've customized this FM starter pack to give you everything you need to get up and running as fast as possible. At the center of this system is the powerful PPA T46 transmitter. With an indoor range of 100 feet, this transmitter creates a mini-broadcast of your translated audio using the FM spectrum.
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|The Kinteh-led executive committee was dissolved by Gambia's sports ministry on March 2, 2012 and banned by a local football normalisation committee on July 15 2013 from holding office (Photo/Picasaweb/freedom).
Gambia's football governing body Saturday lifted a five-year ban on former president Seedy MB Kinteh and members of his ousted executive committee.
Kinteh and his former vice president Adama Halla Samba were banned after a GFF Normalisation Committee-established Disciplinary Committee accused them of "financial misappropriation" and "managerial irregularities".
Senior staffers Abdou Salam Jammeh, assistant secretary general; Terema Dahaba, former director of National Technical Training Centre; Kemo Ceesay, former treasurer, and Jammeh EK Bojang, secretary general and Omar Sampo Ceesay and Lamin King Kolley – all former executive members of the Federation (formerly Gambia Football Association) were also banned.
On October 26, the Gambia Football Federation, GFF, which was elected in July, lifted that ban at an impromptu extra-ordinary general assembly held at the national stadium hostel, Bakau.
Mustapha Kebbeh, President of GFF, told journalists the ban is scrapped with "immediate effect" to pave the way for unity. Kebbeh had pledge to unite all stakeholders in Gambian football after a long running war of words between his camp and that of the then normalisation committee prior to his election.
He said members of the Federation requested for it [lifting of the ban] and have given genuine reasons why such a ban is not in line with the call for unity in football development.
Kinteh and Samba have since denied the allegations and have accused the Normalisation Committee (NC) of presiding over a smear campaign and witch-hunting exercise against the Kinteh-led Executive Committee that was dissolved by The Gambia's Sports Ministry on March 2, 2012.
When the five year ban of Kinteh and 15 of his dissolved executive committee was announced, amid rising tension, local journalists said they saw this (ban) coming ever since the GFF-NC granted itself "sweeping powers" in a mysterious letter purportedly sent to it by FIFA.
Namorry Trawally, a senior sports journalist, said the NC wants to kick against public opinion by vowing at a secret meeting to disqualify Mr. Kinteh and Mr. Samba from contesting for the presidency of the GFF.
"This recent overture from Mr. Omar Sey (NC Chairperson) has not come as a surprise to most of us because he has an old score to settle with either of the two," alleges Trawally, also the Editor-In-Chief of Sports View.
On June 8, former FIFA Deputy General Secretary, Jerome Champagne, said he is dissatisfied with attempts to block candidates running for GFF presidency.
"To block candidates is not correct and frankly we should have an open election," Champagne told West Coast Radio. "Football is about democracy, and football is about giving a chance to everyone."
A few hours to the July 31 election, Brikama United FC and Bakau United FC agreed to withdraw the candidature of Seedy M.B. Kinteh for the presidency of GFF.
"This decision was reach in the best interest of national peace and security," the clubs said in a statement.
On July 17, the NC rescinded the ban imposed on Regional Representatives after an appeal filed by Messers Abdoukarim Sey and Ousainou Darboe, the representatives of West Coast Region and Banjul.
Both told an appeal hearing presided over by the NC that during the period under review (2009-2011) they were merely on the peripheries of the administration of the Seedy Kinteh-led executive.
Meaning lifting a five year ban on the following regional representatives: Alh Omar Sowe - Upper River Region, Saikouba Ceesay - Central River Region, Wandifa Kinteh – Lower River Region, Lamin Dampha – North Bank Region, Ousainou Darboe - Banjul, Abdou Karim Sey – West Coast Region, and Sulayman Drammeh – Kanifing Municipality.
Written by Modou S. Joof


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Database releases are slowing your company down.
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Hollywood shootout: Detectives focusing on gunman's breakup
Los Angeles police investigators are focusing on the theory that a gunman who opened fire in Hollywood last week was despondent over breaking up with his girlfriend. Officers fatally shot the man.
Law enforcement sources said the breakup was being viewed at this time as the most likely motive in the man's rampage but stressed that the investigation was still ongoing.
PHOTOS: A deadly scene in Hollywood
Tyler Brehm, 26, died of multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body after being shot by two LAPD officers during Friday's incident, Coroner's Deputy Chief Ed Winter said.
Brehm had messaged his ex-girlfriend before the incident. On Dec. 7, he had changed his Facebook profile to single. He had dated Alicia Alligood, a model, for 4 1/2 years.
In an interview with KTLA News, she described Brehm as "really stressed out lately" and said he'd recently started taking pharmaceutical drugs.
In his Twitter account photo, Brehm is pictured in a shirt and tie with Rayban sunglasses and drug paraphernalia –- a bong -- in the background.
He and Alligood had moved to Los Angeles County about a year ago for her work as a model.
Music executive remains in critical condition
Gunman wanted to 'change the world,' ex says
Gunman's ex: Breakup may have led to shooting
-- Richard Winton
Photo: LAPD officers with guns drawn stand over Tyler Brehm after Friday's random shootings on Vine Street in Hollywood. Credit: Gregory Bojorquez/Associated Press


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JavaL (instead of LuaJ, you know?)Basically, sort of like that n00b programming language ComputerCraftFan11 is writing, except instead of parsing Java source code (which would be a pain in the a**), it parses either Java bytecode (directly), or disassembled (through `javap -c`) code.
That way, instead of relying on people to program according to a strict standard supported by the interpreter (durr, you must put one statement on each line and you have to have braces on the same line and no extra whitespace), the interpreter only needs to rely on the (inherently strict) bytecode produced by the Java compiler (or, if you're really desperate, yourself).
That's what I'm working on right now, using Wikipedia and the Java VM Specs as reference.
Edited by pokepal101, 03 January 2013 - 12:32 AM.


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Visit us for a fun break in the heart of the countryside with plenty of fabulous attractions on your doorstep.
Family Days Out – There's Lots to See and Do at The Kingswood Trust
There's lots to see and do at The Kingswood Trust to plan your family days out. Visit us for a fun break in the heart of the countryside with plenty of fabulous attractions on your doorstep.
We have lots of fun opportunities for family days out and events for families in our stunning location. For example, join in the Eggstravaganza and Animal Zoo, Fairies and Elves Festival, Family Music Festival, Camp-Out and Pumpkin Parade. Follow our Facebook page throughout the year for our open days, family picnics and seasonal play days.
We have both indoor accommodation and camping outdoors. Check out our Facebook calendar here and enquire here about childminder activities, "home school" days and family sessions. You can also find out about our new opportunities via our social media pages.
If you fancy a staycation there are also plenty of places to visit nearby such as Cosford RAF Air Museum, Weston Park, Boscobel House and David Austin Roses.
Holiday Clubs
Through-out the school holidays we offer, family days out and holiday clubs. Children aged 6-11 years can take part in a range of activities from archery to willow craft. Come and enjoy our forest style clubs with camp fire cooking, animal encounters and nature activities or participate in our new multi-activity holiday club. This new club includes dodgeball, tri-golf, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, quick sticks hockey, tennis, arrows archery, futsal and kwik cricket.
Camp out on our open fields and wake up to the dawn chorus. Our site is full of interesting things to see and do. Campers have access to toilets and showers, use of all outside grounds and fire pits, washing up areas and water points. There is plenty of space for privacy and over 50 tents or camper vans can stay here.
Family Holiday Stays in the ORB
Did you know that families can book a fun filled holiday at The Kingswood Trust? Our three bedroomed ORB deserves a special mention especially if you are thinking of booking The Kingswood Trust for a holiday or family days out. Nestled in our picturesque site, the ORB offers natural views and interesting features to discover.
100% Enjoyment
Sleeping up to 16, the ORB has been refurbished to provide five-star quality modern accommodation, whilst retaining an olden day charm. Great for retreats and gatherings of all kinds.
Visitors per year
Volunteer hours last year
What We Offer You at The Kingswood Trust
The Kingswood Trust delivers Learning Outside the Classroom activities for schools and other groups through day visits, programmes of activities and residential stays...
There's lots to see and do for family days out at The Kingswood Trust. Visit us for a fun break in the heart of the countryside with plenty of fabulous attractions on your doorstep...
If you run a club or group, experience an exciting place to deliver your community group activities. The Kingswood Trust will offer you a fabulous space to be creative...
Let us deliver a fun team building day outdoors with nature all around you. We guarantee team group activities that are fun, and a memorable experience that will improve communication...
We had a very enjoyable day, well organised and professionally run with great staff. There was laughter and nonstop chatter, from start to finish.
- Elizabeth Birch, Cheltenham Ladies College Guild.
Thank you for letting us do all the activities and have fun. I liked doing the peg trail and tree climbing. I want to go again because it was so good.
- Sophie (Aged 6).
The Orb was ideal for all our needs with space for the 15 of us to eat together, perfect for group activities and families. I think we would struggle to beat it on quality and value for money.
- Max Woollard from Cheshire.
Volunteering at The Kingswood Trust makes me feel valued and confident. It was great fun, giving the pets their breakfast and discovering freshly laid eggs in the chicken coop. Thank you for such an amazing opportunity.
- Juliet (Aged 12).
My favourite activities were the rope course, the midnight walk and the air raid shelters. Thank you for letting us stay for a night and meet the animals. You looked after us so well.
- Johnnie (Aged 7).
The Kingswood Trust is a great place to visit and volunteer. Working at the Trust has helped me become more confident and now I am now in full time work
- Stuart Bickerton from Telford.
Thank you for looking after my children at The Kingswood Trust Holiday Club. They have both thoroughly enjoyed their adventures, nature based and fun outdoor activities and arrive home happy and tired, ready for a good night's sleep.
- Simon Briscoe from Wolverhampton.
The Kingswood Trust charity is a place where there are no limits to learning and no boundaries to the imagination.
- Rachel Wells - Head Teacher and Charity Manager, The Kingswood Trust.
I loved the zipline and feeding the rabbits. My most favourite time was when we ate our roast dinner and then went to the play area. I have been begging Miss Mason to come back soon and I hope we will.
- Rukudzo (Aged 7).
10 reasons to choose The Kingswood Trust
1. The Kingswood Trust was awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge in Autumn 2017.
10 reasons to choose The Kingswood Trust
2. We are much more than a school trip… our activities support learning and development for all.
10 reasons to choose The Kingswood Trust
3. Our Charity is fully risk assessed and has an outstanding health and safety record.
10 reasons to choose The Kingswood Trust
4. Our venue is local – to Wolverhampton, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Telford and Wrekin and Birmingham and the Black Country Authorities so there is less travel time and lower transport costs.
10 reasons to choose The Kingswood Trust
5. All Teaching staff have teaching qualifications or L5 Support assistant qualifications and are experienced outdoor educators – 4 staff have a level 3 Forest Leader qualification.
10 reasons to choose The Kingswood Trust
6. Our curriculum enhancement opportunities are carefully planned to meet the needs of schools and groups – learning is memorable, active and fun.
10 reasons to choose The Kingswood Trust
7. We connect people with nature for improved education, health and wellbeing – research backs up this need to combat "Nature Deficit Disorder".
10 reasons to choose The Kingswood Trust
8. We offer a range of pre-visit support via our teaching staff and house manager, including pre-planning visits, parents presentation and video for school use.
10 reasons to choose The Kingswood Trust
9. We can provide you with testimonials from other schools and groups who choose The Kingswood Trust or check out our evaluation feedback.
10 reasons to choose The Kingswood Trust
10. We offer good value for money – and have a range of offers available and supporting staff come free.
The Kingswood Trust Newsletter
Join The Kingswood Trust Newsletter for the latest news and events information, including special offers.
Special Events
Are you looking for a fun activities for the whole family, or something new to do with friends? Check out our calendar of events and other opportunities and connect with nature and the great outdoors. Visit our Facebook page now. Here you can find out news and what's on and book onto our events and activities.
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The Kingswood Trust
Address and Directions
The Kingswood Trust
Holyhead Road
Tel: 01902 558132
Registered Charity Number:1149688
Email: email@example.com
Email Head: email@example.com
Opening Times
Monday: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Wednesday: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Friday: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Weekends: Vary by event
For group bookings and stays contact The Kingswood Trust directly to arrange or call us direct on 01902 558132.
What's on: Download The Kingswood Trust 2019 calendar
The Kingswood Trust are delighted to have achieved top marks for Learning Outside the Classroom, read more about LOtC here.
Assistance Dogs are welcome at The Kingswood Trust.
The Kingswood Trust is wheelchair friendly. All buildings are on one level and the majority of the grounds can be accessed with a wheelchair. Wheelchair accessible toilets are also available.


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A match made in heaven, no?
Though I love sweet potatoes, I've never been a fan of the classic brown sugar, marshmallow, and butter combinations. Honestly, the thought of marshmallows and sweet potatoes just makes me want to puke.
But cinnamon, oh cinnamon, well that's a different story. I absolutely adore cinnamon and sweet potatoes together. Whether it's sweet, savory, or something in the middle, it disappears into my belly right away.
Last weekend I had some free time and a bunch of sweet potatoes. Insert sweet potato chips.
I didn't want plain old sweet potato chips, though. Nope, I wanted something special. So I added cinnamon.
And can I just say: YUM.
This cinnamon added just the right of sweetness to the already sweet sweet potato, and the sprinkle of salt I also added balanced out everything with just a touch of savoury.
Perfection in a chip.
Cinnamon Sweet Potato Chips
- 2 sweet potatoes, washed and dried
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt per baking sheet
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon per baking sheet
Preheat oven to 300 F. Slice potatoes thinly with a mandolin slicer or a knife. I used a mandolin slicer. Grease 2-3 baking sheets. Lay potato slices in a single layer on baking sheets. Drizzle with just a bit of oilve oil. Flip over slices so that both sides are thinly coated in oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon and salt (1/4 tsp of each for every baking sheet). Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, flipping chips over every 20 minutes or so. Take chips out while they're still a bit chewy, they will harden up with time. Store in an airtight container.
Revisited Recipe of the Day:
Cinnamon Sugar Muffins


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OVERTON, VOLMA ROBERT, SR. (1924–2005). Volma Robert Overton, Sr., celebrated civil rights leader, advocate for equality in Austin Schools, and the fourth child of Nicholas and Eliza (Edmondson) Overton, was born in the community of Maha, Texas, in rural Travis County on September 26, 1924. He grew up in a family that eventually included a total of nine children.
Overton attended a small African-American school in Maha before he moved to Austin to live with relatives and attend junior and senior high schools there. He attended (Old) L. C. Anderson High School in Austin and graduated in May 1942 with a class that numbered fifty-six. Six months later he was drafted in the United States Marine Corps, where he served two years in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. After the war, while he was riding on a city bus in Austin, Overton (in full military uniform) was asked to give up his seat to a white passenger; this incident profoundly influenced his life and inspired his dedication to fight for civil rights.
In February 1946 Overton met Warneta B. Hill, a native of Yoakum, who was a student at Tillotson College, (now Huston-Tillotson University). They dated steadily for three months, were married on April 16, 1946, and became parents of one boy and three girls. From 1947 to 1950 Overton attended Tillotson College where he earned a B.S. degree in chemistry with a minor in math. Within a few years of his service in the Marines, he joined the United States Army Reserves, and he served for twenty-eight years and retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Overton was employed with the United States Postal Service in 1952. He served as president of the Austin chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1962 to 1983. He participated in the 1963 March on Washington and the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March, where he marched alongside Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1964 Overton conducted a "read-in" at a meeting of the Austin city council to protest the council's refusal to consider an ordinance forbidding racial discrimination and creating a human rights commission. During Overton's leadership, the Austin chapter picketed segregated businesses, integrated Bastrop State Park, and led a crusade to bring about single-member districts for Austin city council elections. He also played an integral part in establishing the local NAACP chapter's first credit union in East Austin. In 1969 the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, the federal agency which then regulated federal credit unions, approved the NAACP's charter for a credit union. It later merged with what became the Greater Texas Federal Credit Union.
Overton's most important accomplishment was his work that led to the desegregation of Austin public schools during the 1970s in which he made his daughter, DeDra, the lead plaintiff in a 1970 lawsuit. The matter resolved thirteen years later when a federal court finally declared the Austin school district desegregated.
In 1979 Overton was appointed postmaster at Cedar Creek, Texas, and he served there until his retirement in l985. Overton continued his efforts to improve education throughout his life. In later years, he founded a golf tournament to raise money for scholarships to help talented minority students attend college. He received many honors during his lifetime for his service, including the NAACP Arthur B. DeWitty Award (later renamed the DeWitty/Overton Award ) in 1967 and The Villager newspaper's Austin's Living Legends (1990). On March 25, 2004, he was one of five civil rights pioneers presented with the first LBJ Award for Leadership in Civil Rights by the University of Texas at Austin.
The book Volma—My Journey: One Man's Impact on the Civil Rights Movement in Austin, Texas (1998), authored by Carolyn Jones, chronicled Overton's achievements and dedication to the causes of equality and education. The Austin Independent School District broke ground on Volma R. Overton Elementary School on Saturday, June 24, 2006. The school, located in East Austin at 7201 Colony Loop Drive, was dedicated in a ceremony on January 25, 2009.
Overton joined First Baptist Church of Austin in 1963 and became the congregation's first black member in the church's 100-plus-year history. He served in the capacity as a deacon (since 1967) and lay leader and was committed to the church's involvement in the social ministries of the Austin community. Overton persuaded members of his church to establish a mentoring program at Oak Springs Elementary, which served mainly low-income minority students.
Overton died in Austin on October 31, 2005, and funeral services were held on November 5, 2005, at First Baptist Church of Austin. He was laid to rest with military honors in the Texas State Cemetery. Volma R. Overton, Sr., and Warneta Hill Overton, his wife of fifty-nine years who succeeded him in death on August 20, 2008, are two of the few African Americans buried in the Texas State Cemetery. He was survived by their four children. Overton's epitaph reads: "Civil Rights Activist, Humanitarian, Servant to all Mankind, Fighter for Justice for All."
"AISD breaks ground for Volma Overton Elementary School," The Villager, Volume 34, No. 7, July 7, 2006. Austin American-Statesman, November 1, 2, 6, 9, 2005. "In Loving Memory of Volma Robert Overton" (funeral program), Saturday, November 5, 2005, First Baptist Church, Austin, Texas. Carolyn L. Jones, Volma—My Journey: One Man's Impact on the Civil Rights Movement (Austin: Eakin, 1998). Program from 46th Annual Dewitty/Overton Freedom Fund Banquet, December 10, 2011. "Symposium assesses struggle for equal rights," The Record, LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin, Number 142 (Spring 2004). "Volma Overton: Long-time Austin civil rights activist dies," The Villager, Volume 33, No. 23, November 4, 2005. Volma R. Overton Elementary School, Dedication Ceremony, January 25, 2009 (Program brochure).
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Uploaded on June 13, 2013. Modified on August 15, 2013. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
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Call for Papers: Texas Center for Working-Class Studies
Events, Symposia, and Workshops
Hi all! You may be interested in this call for papers I received from the Texas Center for Working-Class Studies at Collin College...
Katy Jennings' Ride
Scholarly Research Request
I'm doing research on Catherine Jennings Lockwood, specifically the incident known as "Katy Jennings' Ride." Her father was Gordon C. Jennings, the oldest man to die at the Alamo...
Texas Constitution of 1836 Co-Author- Elisha Pease?
Ask a Historian
The TSHA profile of Elisha Marshall Pease states that he wrote part of the Texas Constitution although he was only a 24 year-old assistant secretary (not elected). I cannot find any other mention of this authorship work by Pease in other credible research about the credited Constution authors...


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Thursday May 14, 2015 – Rekindling The Spirit Of Patriotism By Pastor Taiwo Odukoya Of Fountain Of Life Church
"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God" (Romans 13:1)
Few things will enable a leader to harness the collective creativity and persistence required to grow, develop and weather storms like a people's love for their organisation or country. In his seminal work, Exodus: Immigration and Multiculturalism in the 21st Century, economics professor, Paul Collier, argues that poor societies are poor because they lack the attitudes of trust and cooperation rooted in patriotism. But as powerful a sentiment as patriotism is, it wanes or waxes to the rhythm, failure or success of leadership.
Patriotism is not a function of birth. In other words, being born a Nigerian does not automatically instil patriotism. Patriotism follows leadership's ability to create a sense of shared values, purpose and destiny people can connect to. It was on the assumption of office John F. Kennedy said: "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." Liberty, for Kennedy, as for most Americans, was an overriding virtue that could not be compromised, something that excited the moral sensibilities of the people, a shared value they could rally around. Similar to this was Gen. Yakubu Gowon's victory speech after the civil war which introduced the slogan, "To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done." This provided a then fragmented Nigeria with a sense of direction, shared purpose and something to aspire to. The truth is, patriotism does not develop in a vacuum. Leaders must inspire and sustain it by articulating and exemplifying a common set of values, norms and aspirations.
No matter how multicultural or multi-religious a people may be, a shared interest and pursuit can help them find strength in their differences. For over a decade, during its civil war, Lebanon was fractured into warring sects: Sunni, Shia, Maronite, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Druze – all at each other's throats. After the war ended, there sprung up in the country a sort of defiant patriotism, a shared love of country over sect. A British journalist visiting Lebanon and writing for The Spectator had this to say:
"A decade ago, when I visited with friends, no one we met would confess which side they'd been on in the war. 'It doesn't matter, we're all Lebanese now.'"
Consider the sense of patriotism that typically attends our support for our national sport teams. Consider how Nigerians, regardless of tribal, religious affiliation or class rally round the Super Eagles wishing and willing the team to victory. Now, consider how much stronger a country we could build if we transferred that same sense of devotion to every aspect of our national life; that same interest, that same sense of pride and joy we derived when the Super Eagles won the African Cup of Nations in 2013, oblivious of the ethnicities or religions of the coach, captain or player who scored the winning goal.
Now it is true that the sense of patriotism and destiny that attended the birthing of Nigeria in 1960 has continued to wane owing to decades of systemic and leadership failures. To unlock the potential for greatness we all know Nigeria possesses, we should amongst other things, rediscover and reignite our sense of patriotism; one that recognises the beauty of our differences but transcends them. This will require definite direction by the leadership.


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Understanding Metagaming
In the past, we have touched on metagaming a bit, but I wanted to talk about it a little more, since it has been a while since we addressed the topic and there are some new players in the game who may not be familiar with how we handle it.
What is metagaming, exactly?
Metagaming is the act of using a strategy, action, or method in a game that goes beyond the rules, uses external factors or information to affect the game, or goes beyond the limits or environment of the game. In Riverside Opera, we discourage all metagaming, and we do not tolerate any sort of cheating at all. For our part, we enforce metagaming as cheating when any information learned or action taken while out of character (OOC) is used to your character's direct or indirect benefit in character (IC).
Again, in Riverside Opera, cheating is not tolerated. A first offense will cost the offending player 5 XP. A second offense will result in the Storyteller asking that player to not return to the game. It sounds harsh, but we take cheating very seriously, and we do not tolerate it in any form, especially when it comes to metagaming.
The definitions I gave above make it sound like it's easy to spot metagaming, but in practice, there is a great deal of grey area and nuance to consider. Since it comes with such a hefty penalty, the staff has to take into consideration every circumstance of a situation before ruling that a particular action is metagaming or not. We don't take accusations of it lightly, and we don't accuse players of it on a whim, either.
We want the story to remain as organic and sensical as possible, and—more importantly—we want the game to be fair to all its players.
But why is metagaming a bad thing?
Say that Randy has saved up a ton of points and is going to cash them in on a set of Perks in order to be able to play his perfect Follower of Set, his favorite clan. In his excitement, he tells a bunch of his friends while at dinner one night that he is planning on bringing that character to the game, but his character is going to pose as a Toreador to avoid suspicion.
Well, Chris, who knows about the shady things that Randy's characters get up to, overhears the conversation at dinner and decides to have his character tell the Prince that a Setite is planning to come into the city next month and destroy the power structure. After all, Chris's character is better off if he doesn't have to compete directly with Randy's.
See where things get a little unfair? Randy's entire concept is ruined.
But we can just undo that interaction, right? Tell the Prince's player that the conversation never happened? Yeah, not exactly. What if the Prince decided to rally forces and told several of her closest supporters to be on the look for a Setite? And then they each told two other people? Now the whole LARP knows, and it is MUCH more difficult to have everyone pretend that they don't know that Randy's Toreador is actually a Follower of Set.
Information is king in Vampire LARP. It is crucial to the political economy, and if anyone ever uses out-of-character information in this way, that economy can be disrupted or destroyed. Riverside Opera is a game of political intrigue, and it's very difficult to have intrigue if you can't trust that other players will keep their IC and OOC knowledge separate.
Another good reason to avoid metagaming comes down to a sense of community. It's very difficult to have OOC trust when anything you say at dinner or in Discord can be used against your character at the actual game. That leaves us as players in a very difficult position—do we just not talk about this thing that we dearly love with our friends who also love the same thing? We are all very invested in our characters, and we want to protect the XP, time, and costuming investments we have in them, but that becomes hard to do if every little thing we say OOC can be used against us IC, so if metagaming is allowed, then we must choose whether to talk about the game with our friends or to protect our investments in our characters, which is a choice no one in the game should be required to make.
Examples of Metagaming
Based on the definitions above, which of these examples is metagaming?
Scenario A
Benny is playing Alfred, a Brujah who really wants to fill the Prince with aggravated damage holes. On the night of court, Alfred attempts to bring a shotgun onto Elysium, but the metal detector goes off as he enters the building. The Keeper of Elysium informs him that he must leave his gun in his car, so Alfred goes back outside and takes it to his car. Benny leaves the item card in his passenger seat and comes back inside, getting past the metal detector.
Frustrated at his luck and lack of foresight, Alfred goes to Cindy, an Assamite who takes assassination contracts, and asks her to kill the Prince for him. She agrees.
Several hours later, near the end of game, Benny goes outside to take a phone call. He sits in his car and chats for a bit, and before he comes back inside, he picks the item card back up and slides it into his badge, not wanting to lose it or forget it there (since he should be turning it in at the end of the night). He then goes back inside. When he goes back in, he fails to narrate that the metal detector goes off.
Right before closing court, Benny bends over to tie his shoe, and his badge tips over, dumping XP votes, Self-Control cards, and item cards all over the place. Benny attempts to collect everything, but in his embarrassment, he forgets to check and make sure he picked everything up. Cindy's player, Daphne, only enters the room after he has already regained his composure and gotten back into character.
When closing court begins, Cindy is standing in the foyer when she notices the shotgun under a table. Cindy bends over, picks up the shotgun, and attempts to shoot the Prince.
Scenario B
Emily has been keeping an eye on Gerald all night. She knows that he is planning something, and she has been brushing up on her Ancient Etruscan, since he has been having conversations with other suspicious people on Elysium in that dead language. Emily's player Fatima purchased Linguistics: Ancient Etruscan to help her character eavesdrop on her enemy.
Later that night, Emily uses Heightened Senses to listen in on Gerald talking to Hagathor, a Nosferatu ne'er-do-well. When Fatima examines the scene, she notices that both of them are using the hand symbol which indicates they are speaking another language. She assumes that they are speaking Ancient Etruscan, so she starts taking mental notes about what she is hearing when she walks into the room. What she hears is Gerald and Hagathor discussing murdering the Ventrue Primogen so they can put someone who will support Gerald for Harpy in that spot.
Excited that she walked in at the exact moment they said something really juicy, she turns on her heel and leaves the room without even closing the door. The players of Gerald and Hagathor assume that their language hand symbols deterred her spying, since they were speaking Sumerian during their meeting. They feel no need to clarify, since they assume Fatima couldn't understand them anyway.
When Gerald and Hagathor exit their private meeting, they are greeted by the Sheriff and four Deputies, who take them into custody for conspiracy to violate the Tradition of Destruction.
Scenario C
Ichabod has a dastardly scheme to burn down Elysium and make it look like the Tremere did it. His player, James, pulls the Storyteller aside and talks at a normal volume about what he intends to do: he is going to pump a boric-acid napalm into the sprinkler system and set it up with a remote trigger so that it goes off when he texts a particular phone number, lighting up Elysium in green fire.
Latanya sees this interaction and hears of Ichabod's plan. Then, her character Kelly goes to the Sheriff and suggests that he might want to check if the sprinkler system is working properly. The Sheriff investigates and finds the boric-acid napalm trap, disabling it before it can do any harm.
Later, when James tells the Storyteller that Ichabod texts the number, the Storyteller tells him that nothing happens. James then inquires as to why, since he had never told anyone in or out of character about the plan except for the Storyteller.
Based on the most basic definition, all three of these instances are metagaming, but it is less clear whether there was willful cheating going on. Let's go over each instance in detail.
Scenario A – Explanation
Alfred/Benny – Despite the fact that he OOC brought in the item card from his car and despite the fact that said gun was used IC, Benny is not guilty of metagaming or cheating. He never intended to use the item at all, much less to his benefit, and any actions he took were purely OOC, including accidentally spilling his badge on the floor. While it might look hinky (and perhaps someone less scrupulous than Benny may have done something similar on purpose), there isn't any evidence here to prove intent, even though he received IC benefit from an OOC action.
Cindy/Daphne – Cindy's actions are purely IC, though Daphne should have stopped to ask the Storyteller or gathered room OOC if there actually was a shotgun conveniently hidden under the table. There still isn't any cheating going on here, though better discretion and OOC communication were absolutely warranted.
Scenario B – Explanation
Emily/Fatima – Assumptions are a killer in this situation. She is absolutely guilty of metagaming, but it is another question entirely if it was explicitly cheating. She had intent, yes, but she assumed that she was doing things by the book. Had she stopped to ask (as she absolutely should have) what language the other characters were speaking, it would have been clear that she didn't know what she claimed to know. If it can be proven that Fatima had prior knowledge that either Gerald or Hagathor knew any other language at all besides Ancient Etruscan, then this circumstance would be cheating (and Fatima would be docked 5 XP). If not, it is only a warning to communicate better next time, with the next instance, innocent mistake or not, costing Fatima 5 XP. In any case, you should always clarify what language is being spoken when someone else is using that hand symbol.
Gerald/Hagathor – While they were guilty of not clarifying what language they were speaking, neither of these characters' players are guilty of any metagaming or cheating.
Scenario C – Explanation
Ichabod/James – Ichabod is rightly upset by what has transpired here. He did nothing wrong and was not only thwarted, but also might very well be punished IC for doing something that no one ever should have known was going to happen.
Kelly/Latanya – This is a situation where it is 100% metagaming and cheating. Nothing that is ever said to the Storyteller should ever be taken IC unless the Storyteller is actively playing a character. In this situation, Latanya would be docked 5XP, and if she ever cheated again, she would be asked to not return to the game.
Avoiding Metagaming
As a player, you have a duty to avoid metagaming. If there's ever a situation where you might, even unintentionally, be using OOC knowledge or actions to your IC benefit, you should go out of your way to not do so. It can be difficult to think about every little thing your character does, so here are some quick tips that, if followed, can help you avoid metagaming without a ton of effort.
- If anything is said to the Storyteller, it is OOC information. Just ignore anything another player says to the ST. Walk away if you have to. Plug your ears. Sing a song. Decide that you're super interested in your fingernails all the sudden. You wouldn't want someone eavesdropping on your conversation with the ST, so do others the same kindness.
- Before acting on any information, intelligence, or evidence, be sure you can point to exactly where you got that information IC. If you can't remember, it might have come from OOC sources, so it might be best to not act on it instead.
- Don't share your super-secret plans. For real. Just don't tell anyone what you're up to. The fewer people know about what you're doing OOC or IC, the less chance that someone can muck it up. Don't talk about it at Huey's after game, don't squee over your brilliant plan in Discord, and don't talk loudly OOC at game, either. Keep it under your hat, and less goes wrong.
- Don't make assumptions. Always communicate. If something you see or hear is an absolute bombshell, be sure to double check that what you heard or saw was accurate. Especially in cases where the next action you take could carry the risk that someone else's character might die, it is vitally important that you check to make sure there's not any misunderstanding.
As always, if you have any questions about whether or something is metagaming, please feel free to ask. It can be difficult to spot and even more difficult to avoid, and we want to keep the game fair and fun for everyone.


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Lyrics from Blur's 2003 single 'Out Of Time' have appeared on London's Millennium Bridge today (December 10) as part of a street art stunt.
The stunt (pictured) came just 24 hours after NME.COM exclusively revealed that Blur have reformed.
Commuters crossing the bridge today were greeted with the following lyrics, taken from 'Out Of Time', plastered to the floor: "And you've been so busy lately / That you haven't had the time / To open up your mind / And watch the world spinning / Gently out of time."
The graffiti, which is not tagged, takes up around 30 feet of the bridge, which overlooks St Paul's Cathedral and the Tate Modern.
For the full exclusive joint interview with Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon get this week's issue of NME, on newsstands across the UK now (December 10).
To see more pictures of the stunt, head over to the NME blog.


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Unto our dearest cousins in Winter's Gate, Eskalya, Selviergard, Earngyld, Pavlok Gorod, and Hrafnsfjord, do Mistresses Clare Elena de Montfort and Clare de Norwude send glad tidings. We invite you all to join us for a feast in the fourteenth century to honor the Sancti Quatuor Coronati. During the day, we offer amusements including tournaments and dancing, and for supper a grand spread prepared by Mistress Clare Elena according to books acquired from only the finest booksellers. For those interested in the arts, we offer a place for you to display your works in progress and the chance to win a small prize. A prize will also be offered to the individual with the best fourteenth century ensemble.
Autocrat: Clare de Norwude
Site Information:
Finlandia Hall (8225 Spring St., Anchorage AK 99518)
Start Time:
11 am and closes at 9 pm.
Site Fee:
$10 ($15 for non-members). Youth 12 and younger $5. Family cap of $30.
Feast Fee:
Feast Tickets are $10. There are 40 tickets available, e-mail the autocrat, Clare de Norwude, to reserve one.
Take the New Seward Highway towards Dimond Blvd.
From the north, take the Dimond Blvd/Abbott Rd exit and turn right onto Dimond Blvd. Take the second right onto Spring Street and Finlandia Hall will be on your right after approximately 0.1 miles.
From the south, take the Dimond Blvd/Abbott Rd exit and turn left onto Dimond Blvd. Take the second right onto Spring Street and Finlandia Hall will be on your right after approximately 0.1 miles.


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Kyle Busch, who made headlines this week for not acting like a total ass when he finished 38th at The Brickyard, has yet to follow through on his promise to buy more Gibson guitars from artist Sam Bass to replace the one he smashed after his June 6 win at the Nashville Superspeedway. Bass did, however, receive an apology from NASCAR's president. "Mike Helton came up to me a few weeks later and said he appreciated how I handled it," Bass said. "I imagine there was some communica ...//more
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Kyle Busch celebrated winning the Federated Auto Parts 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday by smashing his trophy - a Gibson guitar painted by artist Sam Bass. Bass was "stunned and heartbroken" by the act, according to Scene Daily's Jeff Gluck. Busch's explanation: he wanted to smash the guitar into individual pieces that he could give his crew.Whatever the reason, Busch's action was deplorable. Not that he did it. The guitar was his to do as he pleased. We're disappointed i ...//more


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Nicole Kidman will be joining season 2 of Top of the Lake!
When the rumblings of a second season of "Top Of The Lake" emerged last year, one of the first names linked — and quickly denied — was Nicole Kidman. Well, it turns out those initial reports were right, and with filming gearing up to get underway soon, the rest of the cast for the new season is being rounded up.
Liv Hewson is also boarding the series along with the previously announced Gwendoline Christine, David Dencik, Alice Englert and Ewen Leslie, who are coming along with Kidman and joining the returning Elisabeth Moss for "Top Of The Lake" season two. Jane Campion is back as well, co-directing with Gerald Lee, and marking her third collaboration with Kidman following "The Portrait Of A Lady" and "In The Cut."
"Top Of The Lake: Series Two," will continue four years after season one, and will see Moss' Detective Robin Griffin digging into a mystery when a body washes up on the shore of Bondi Beach.
Source: The Playlist


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Would it be jumping the gun to declare Barack Obama the dumbest president ever, after only 4 days? Maybe, but his latest observations don't make him look like the sharpest brick in the box:
WASHINGTON -- After his daughters got a snow day Wednesday, President Barack Obama wants to see a little bit of "flinty, Chicago toughness" applied locally.
"When it comes to the weather, folks in Washington don't seem to be able to handle things," a joking Obama told reporters Wednesday morning.
"My children's school was canceled today because of what? Some ice."
Obama said his daughters -- Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7 -- pointed out that school in Chicago is never canceled.
"In fact, my 7-year-old pointed out that you'd go out for recess. You wouldn't even stay indoors," Obama says.
"We're going to have to try some flinty, Chicago toughness to this town."
Malia and Sasha Obama attend Sidwell Friends School, a private school in D.C.
Course, I know he's only repeating things he's heard others say. Many people will repeat the "DC drivers can't handle the snow" urban legend. But look at the chart above. No city in the country has a larger influx of commuters every day. No place else even comes close. (and Chicago doesn't even make the list)
This not only makes for some epic congestion, it also makes it harder for road crews to clear and salt the streets. Do the deciders wimp out when it comes to weather related closings? I don't think so. Pretty much they have learned their lessons the hard way, through bitter (cold) experience.
Tell you what Obama. Convince the city to stay open next storm, and see how it works out. As someone who has learned his lessons the hard way, I'll be in the suburbs laughing at the Portuguese Picnic you create.


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It feels like a death in the family.
The New England Aquarium Right Whale Research Program has just released confirmation of the death of the 13th right whale.
Couplet, #2123, was found on Monday, east of Cape Cod.
It has been a catastrophic summer for these magnificent whales who make their home up and down the east coast, including the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Bay of Fundy, where you were critical to our success in stopping the Digby Quarry, and fighting against tankers from the Energy East Pipeline in this unique home for whales.
The loss of 13 individuals in the estimated population is equal to nearly 3% of the entire North Atlantic population.
As many as 15 deaths may have occurred, with reports of two other right whale bodies whose sightings at the moment cannot confirm if they are among the 13, or if, in fact, they are 2 additional mortalities.
Couplet was a known whale and had given birth to and mothered 5 calves, as reported by NEAQs.
She would never have been aware of the circle of care that was surrounding her nor all of the committed folks who have been working to try to keep her safe and shield her from what is now very likely her unnecessary death – the researchers who have known and watched her since she was a baby, people in groups like Sierra Club fiercely advocating to help her, the unbelievably brave teams of rescuers who risk their own lives to disentangle whales in trouble, and the committed supporters who fund the work that enforces legislation to protect them and who demand urgent action with their individual voices.
As tragic as this is, there is nothing we can do for Couplet now – she is gone.
But what we can do is build a fortress around the calves she raised, and her remaining kin.
We are in the midst of a make-or-break court challenge to do just that. These whales face unrelenting threats that are killing them – ship strikes, entanglements, the threat of seismic testing in their waters and the looming reckless proposals to drill for oil and gas in their sanctuaries. Our court challenge will be critical to alleviating some of the burden of these threats, and we are in this to win - in their name.
Right now, they need heroes and angels. No other factor will save the remaining North Atlantic right whales. It's you and it's me.
Thank you for continuing to demand protection for one of the planet's most endangered species. Thank you for funding our immediate challenging work in the courts to protect the Gulf of St. Lawrence and its precious marine residents. Thank you for standing with whales like Couplet who urgently require protection.
Thank you for anything you can do to honour and protect her lineage and her legacy.
Melissa Munro
Director of Development and Communications
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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I read this book Q and A on the lovely Cocktails and Teacups blog, and couldn't wait to fill it in myself. So here goes...
What are you reading right now?
The Bubble Gum Thief, by Jeff Miller. Amazing book so far!
Do you have any idea what you'll read after you've finished this book?
Probably The Vow, by Kim Carpenter.
Five books you've always wanted to read but have never got round to?
A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
The Great Gatsby, F.Scott Fitzgerald
Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
The Magus, John Fowles
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bronte
What magazines do you have in your bathroom/lounge right now?
The Marketer, the magazine I get through my Chartered Institute of Marketing membership. I don't really like magazines and think they're a waste of money... probably not a popular opinion.
What's the worst book you ever read?
I don't tend to dislike many books, but I thought P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern was awful. I couldn't wait to finish it, and reading it felt like a real chore towards the end. I kept hoping it would get better, but it just got worse! I think Ahern used the word 'giggled' a minimum of three times on every page. Extremely irritating.
What book is really popular but you really hated?
See above...!
What's the one book you recommend to everybody?A Place of Execution, by Val McDermid. It's difficult to choose one favourite book to recommend, but this one is definitely up there.
What are your three favourite poems?
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, William Wordsworth
All of Shakespeare's sonnets, the man was a genius.
Don Juan, Lord Byron
Where do you usually get your books?
Amazon and charity shops mostly.
Where do you usually read your books?
I always read a few chapters in bed before going to sleep.
When you were little, did you have any reading habits?
I used to read at the table, on the toilet, when I was walking around the house, in the car, in other people's houses, in church, on holiday... I was constantly reading something or other. I used to aspire to be an authoress when I was younger, and would always try to write a chapter or two of my own after finishing a really good book.
What's the last book you stayed up half the night to read?
Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. Brilliant book.
Have you ever 'faked' reading a book?
No... why would I fake it? I love reading!
Have you ever bought a book just because you liked the cover?
No, but I've bought several books just because I like the sound of the blurb on the back. I don't usually take much notice of the cover.
What was your favourite book as a child?
So many to mention... the whole Chalet School series by Elinor M. Brent Dyer, every single Enid Blyton book ever written (especially The Magic Faraway Tree and the Five Find-Outer books), the Nancy Drew books by Carolyn Keene, the Babysitters' Club books by Ann M. Martin, and George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl.
Which book changed your life?
Difficult to think of just one book... all Enid Blyton's books had a huge influence on me as a child and sheltered me from reality for a while!
What is your favourite passage from a book?
I'll have to get back to you on this one... too many to mention!
Who are your top five favourite authors?
Val McDermid
Ben Elton
Louisa May Alcott
J.K. Rowling
Margaret Atwood
What is your favourite classic book?
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.
Five notable mentions?
The Vanishing Point, Val McDermid
The Web, Jonathan Kellerman
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Silence of the Lambs, Thomas Harris
Blue Sky July, Nia Wyn
The Vanishing Point, Val McDermid
The Web, Jonathan Kellerman
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Silence of the Lambs, Thomas Harris
Blue Sky July, Nia Wyn


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Reisen mit J produces greeting cards, flyers, and posters for any occasion. My favorite technique is to combine black, finepoint ink and watercolor - creating a coloring book page in a way - because I love the contrast of sharp and intricate ink with the fluidity and variability of watercolor.
Send me an e-mail regarding your slow-mail.


text:
Part One. Marketing to a Demographic and the Assumed Demographic Feed Off Each Other in a Symbiotic Relationship.
1. Television markets to a stereotyped demographic. For example, MMA fighting has ads for young males with a very narrow definition of masculinity. Or soap operas market to married women with a very narrow personality type. These ads reinforce roles and have a lot of influence on the viewers who "become" like the very ads they're supposed to be like in the first place. In turn, the marketers see the demographic traits as "proof" that they've defined their audience and this cycle repeats and reinforces itself.
2. Sometimes these roles "match the expectations and fantasies of their intended audience." See page 203.
3. Men's Men: The man is the embodiment of hyper masculinity. As such, he seeks "escapism and male camaraderie" like in the Acura or Carl's Jr. commercial. In this latter commercial, the man is always young, handsome, and smarter than the losers who get ripped off in steak houses. They want to be alone. "Get your own burger." Or "Leave me alone. I'm eating."
4. Men's Women: Often depicted in beer commercials, these women play out a man's perennial adolescent imagination.
5. Women's Women: These women have the same desires and insecurities of the women audience. They fear being fat, falling short as housewives and as mothers. They desire to be desirable and perceived as smart and thrifty in the community.
6. Women's Men: These men fulfill women's fantasies of the ideal man.
Part Two. Essay Option:
In half a page, summarize Steve Craig's major points. Then choose 4 commercials OTHER than the ones Craig uses and show how each ad markets to the four categories of people.
Part Three: Contrasting the Bro and the Metrosexual
The 12 Qualities of the Bro (also called the Dude)
1. He is self-conscious about people ranking him high on the Heterosexual Scale. He does this by amassing Man Points.
2. The less meticulous his fashion style, the more Man Points he receives.
3. His definition of masculinity is narrowly focused on feats of strength, athleticism, toughness, and general competitiveness as for the Bro masculinity is born from a fantasy of dominating others.
4. He prefers a dumbed-down image of women, in which they are accessories and as such do not inconvenience him from his true passion: hanging out with other guys. His image of women conforms to his intractable adolescent imagination.
5. The Bro prefers technology that heightens his sense of male power and dominance. Therefore, cars are a central theme in his technological world, as are violent computer games.
6. The Bro has a streak of misogyny (hostility toward women) in which he looks at women as threatening to his freedom and independence. Therefore, a lot of car and truck commercials depict men getting together and "escaping their women" on a variety of expeditions, treks, and general getaways.
7. The Bro can never reconcile his perennial contradiction: He bloviates endlessly about how much he loves women but he forever longs to escape from women and enjoy the escape of male camaraderie.
8. The Bro often feels disgusted and oppressed by the "feminization" of popular culture and he seeks relief from this disgust by becoming absorbed in violent, conspicuously male pursuits: football, MMA fighting, bellicose computer games.
9. The Bro loves hanging out with other Bros or "dudes," but he demands that the number be three men or more since two men on an outing is too intimate and suggests a relationship not sharply heterosexual and masculine.
10. The Bro only dances when drunk and even then his dancing cannot be over-choreographed because an expertise in dancing suggests a lack of Man Points. In essence, the Bro dances as a "necessary evil," part of the mating game he must put up with.
11. The Bro is comfortable with his ignorance and finds intellectual curiosity less than manly. He thus seeks other men who are as comfortable with their ignorance as he is.
12. The Bro is essentially conservative in nature, meaning that he hates change. He believes things are a certain way and to try to change them is to tinker with nature, a foolishness that will result in chaos and destruction.
The 12 Qualities of the Metrosexual (also called the Hipster)
1. The metrosexual is a heterosexual who unlike the Bro is meticulously concerned with grooming and fashion, to the degree that he budgets for a variety of beauty and grooming products and does so without feeling insecure about his sexuality.
2. The metrosexual is a highly refined consumer who pursues the best products available and distinguishes between high quality, mediocre quality, and low quality. While the Bro drinks Bud Light, the metrosexual is more inclined to drink Grey Goose or a mojito. A Bro does not know and does not want to know what a mojito is. While the Bro wears Gap jeans, the metrosexual wears Diesel or Evisu. However, the Bro wouldn't get caught dead in those designer labels.
3. The metrosexual is open-minded to new experiences, travel, and change, things considered anathema and an abomination to the Bro.
4. While the Bro is provincial, clinging to the cultural mores of one small town or area, the metrosexual is cosmopolitan, gathering influences from all over the world.
5. The idea of a "feminine side" is abhorrent to the Bro, but the metrosexual embraces his feminine side in order to express his full humanity. The metrosexual not only goes to "sensitive" movies that the Bro would never go to; the metrosexual cries with no shame at those movies.
6. For the Bro, a lack of style is the hallmark of his bedroom. In contrast, the metrosexual looks for a very distinct style and is not ashamed to consult with an interior decorator or some other fashion consultant.
7. While the Bro frets over others accusing him of being a homosexual, the metrosexual is blithely indifferent regarding what anyone thinks of his sexuality since he is very secure in his deeply-rooted heterosexual orientation.
8. While the Bro eschews books and reading in general, the metrosexual is constantly haunted by the idea that he is behind in his reading and is constantly eager to start a new book.
9. The Bro clings to old traditions while the metrosexual is always on the cutting edge and is often perceived as a "cool setter."
10. While the Bro likes to "get up and go," the metrosexual will prepare himself in the bathroom twice as long as the average woman. Even the metrosexual's closet will be oversized to accommodate his abundant fashion choices.
11. The Bro orders plain, provincial food like a hamburger while the metrosexual eats from an international menu. For example, the Bro cannot eat with chop sticks while the metrosexual is fluent in this form of eating.
12. The Bro goes out of his way NOT to dress in gay attire while the metrosexual and gay attire are often the same.
Part Four. Essay Option:
Summarize Warren St. John's definition of a metrosexual and McMahon's definition of a Dude. Then choose a metrosexual and Dude you know and profile them in a contrast essay.


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Hello everyone! A few days ago, I got to work a little early so I had time to pop in to the drugstore and look at the makeup. Evidently I stopped in the nail polish aisle! I've heard many great things about the Essie LuxeEffects collection, so I decided to give it a try :)
Here are my nails painted with Sally Hansen's Maximum Growth Plus in "Tangerine Joy":
Then I added two coats of Essie's "Pure Pealfection":
I really like how this turned out! Pure Pearlfection is perfect for bling-ing up your mani without going over the top with chunky glitters. And it looked great in the sunlight :)
Thank you for reading!