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Oh the 80s. With big hair, bold and bright colours, our students came to campus with even bigger and brighter dreams. The campus was a happening place. During the previous year, the RDC Students' Association (SA) became the first and only college or technical institute in Alberta to erect their own building.
As the SA settled into their permanent home on campus the student body attended classes in newly expanded campus. 1979 saw the completion of four new academic wings (the 1500, 1600, 2500 and 2600 wings). More than 1,700 full time students attended RDC; the College had grown tenfold since it first opened its doors!
An influx of new students enrolled in nine new apprenticeship programs that launched at the beginning of 1980 as the province prepared for a major expansion in technology and trades training announced by the Minister of Advanced Education and Manpower in that year.
The Apprenticeship and Technology program would commence in full swing the following year in 1981, and, as to this day, would be a big draw for students across the region seeking training in much needed skills for in-demand jobs.
- Raise your glass, after class
- Buildings that set the scene for a living legacy
- A Series of cultural contributions (pun artfully intended)
- All the world is a stage
- A monument to creative possibilities
- Athletics programs continue to thrive
- Our Quarter of a Century
- Alma Mater matters
Raise your glass, after class
The 1983 edition of Legacy is emblazoned with headlines that might cause the present day reader to pause and ponder if local news reporters carried around a hidden flask. The following are a few headlines that made the press in that year:
RDC board approves student bar
College lounge seen inevitable
Student battle lines drawn over controversial college lounge
Students: why we want a lounge at the college
Students asked to back lounge
Community has stake in college lounge issue
While most every college campus in the twenty-first century has bars and lounges where alcohol is readily available during campus hours, in the early 80s, in Alberta, colleges didn't have licensed lounges. After significant student petitioning and pressure, the Alberta Liquor Control Board ended a year-long, province-wide controversy by granting the SA an Institutional Liquor License.
On Thursday afternoon in 1983, a new 110 seat lounge opened for business with students lining up at the door for the grand opening. A local reporter counted 65 students sitting down for drinks in the first few hours of operation.
For future RDC president Ed Luterbach, the opening of the lounge signaled a new level of maturity for the campus, highlighting the stability and maturity of students and the institution. "To me this symbolizes the college coming of age," he told the Advocate, which noted he was one of the few college staff members who dropped in to the opening event.
"Most patrons agreed the brightly lit lounge, with potted plants hanging from the ceiling and students' art on the light green walls was a welcome change from the rowdier pubs that used to be the only college functions where liquor was served." xlii
Perhaps most notable of that opening night, despite the scepticism of the establishment's critics, was that the lounge was "quiet and the drinkers restrained," a point of vindication for student association president Mike Knopp who, along with other representatives from the College, had assured the Alberta Liquour Control Board would be the case during the organized campaign to win approval for the lounge. xliii
With full service students' lounges now the norm in the province, perhaps what is most surprising about this chapter in RDC's history is the price of beverages, as reported in the same news article: beer sold at $1.25 a bottle, liquor $1.75 per glass and the register rang in at $6.75 for a bottle of wine.
Buildings that set the scene for a living legacy
At RDC we've always said that the College is not the facility but the people. Students, faculty and staff make it such a unique and thriving place. The people are the heroes of the story that is told by our institution and the ones who leave a lasting and proud legacy.
Any great story needs a setting upon which all the human narratives can take place. We truly have exceptional facilities that make our story possible. Ever since we set our roots at our permanent location our buildings have continued to grow with our students to meet their needs and inspire learning.
On a beautiful day in September 1983, we officially opened our Apprenticeship & Technology wings, our brand new Handicap Student Residences and our new Residence Administration Building. By the end of the year our campus had doubled in size through the completion of a Technical Wing, new Student Residence Condos, the expansion of our Cafeteria and a new Conference Room.
The Apprenticeship wing housed eleven new trade programs including Auto Body Mechanics, Carpentry, Electrical, Heavy Duty Mechanics, Motor Mechanics, Plumbing, Sheet Metal Mechanics, Sprinkler Fitting, Tile Setting Water Well Drilling and Welding. Our timely expansion built our capacity so we could instruct some 1,800 Apprenticeship students each year in a more than 14,000 square foot building with hands on learning spaces. Suddenly RDC housed the second largest trades and technology school in Alberta.
The demand for expanded Residences showed just how much RDC had become a community within a community. With nineteen self-contained row houses we could now accommodate more than 200 more students who could live on campus, along with eight more families. Six two-bedroom units allowed more space for disabled students to live on campus.
As we approached our twentieth anniversary in 1984 RDC was approaching a new milestone in enrolments. We were the learning place of choice for nearly 3,000 students (2,940 to be exact), the most in our history!
A Series of cultural contributions (pun artfully intended)
The 80s were truly a decade in which the Arts began to flourish at RDC and our cultural contribution to the region was cemented. It was in 1985 that Series, the annual summer workshops in multiple artistic disciplines became a permanent project of the College. It was transferred to RDC by Alberta Culture from the facilities of the Hinton Forestry School where it began in 1975.
The residential arts program at RDC welcomed Canadian and internationally renowned artists from all over the world to lead weeklong courses in a variety of mediums from painting to printmaking, drawing and sculpture, glassblowing, bead-making, metalsmithing, ceramics, photography, welding, bronze casting and more.
1985 was also the year that our Permanent Art Collection completed its two-year tour to venues across the country, brining thirty-three unique pieces from the collection to Canadians to mark its 10th Anniversary.
And it was this year that the College established a Writer-in-Residence program in the summer. The program invited a notable author to present a public lecture, do a public reading of work and gave opportunity for community members to meet one-on-one with the author as a way to develop their own craft. W.D. Valgardson was invited as the first Writer-in-Residence, the first of many notable writers to nurture local talent. Along with the residency the Writers on Campus program would later be inhabited by John Lent, J. Jill Robinson and Lorna Crozier, among others.
All the world is a stage
The Arts Centre swung open its beautiful glass doors in 1986 to a public eager to see its impressive design. People from all over central Alberta enjoyed a wide range of performances at a celebratory Opening Gala on October 17, 1986 followed by a nearly month long Opening Festival.
More than 36,000 tickets were sold for the first season, this at a time when Red Deer's population leveled out at 54,000. If there was any doubt that central Alberta would make use of a multi-purpose Arts venue, then the opening season of the Arts Centre put those questions to rest.
However, only a few years earlier, the much needed, ambitious multi-million dollar building project looked like it may never get off the ground. In the spring of 1982, the Department of Education gave the go ahead for construction on the facility, approving a $10 million grant. Yet a sharp economic downturn in Alberta in the early 1980s caused enormous difficulty for the contractor hired to implement Arthur Erickson's designs.
In 1984 construction on the Arts Centre sputtered to a halt while the College worked to protect its investment and navigate through legal issues forced upon them as the contractor struggled in the volatile economy.
As construction recommenced, in December of 1985, Ontario artist Dorothy Caldwell won a $70,000 Fibre Arts commission to produce, at 5 by12 metres, one of the largest fibre sculptures in Canada for the Arts Centre lobby.
A monument to creative possibilities
Designed to suggest a locomotive charging forward through the rolling prairies and their golden fields of wheat, the Arts Centre stands as a symbol of beauty and forward motion toward creative possibilities. The building was completed in the fall of 1986, one of the most remarkable and identifiable landmarks gracing Alberta's busy main corridor of the Queen Elizabeth Highway.
The beautiful red bricked building, with its dramatic lobby and intimate Mainstage, truly inspired those first visitors. Caldwell's gold leaf stitched fibre sculpture Landstat cascaded from the high ceiling to accentuate the building's grand interior.
As we opened the Arts Centre and welcomed the community we also launched new Performing Arts programs in Music and in Theatre.
Those first audiences enjoyed one of the most exceptional performing arts facilities of any college in Canada. And it was opened in a memorable way! The National Arts Centre Orchestra, Alberta Ballet, the Chinese Acrobats of the Pagoda and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra were just a few of the groups who performed in the inaugural festival.
Since this grand facility opened its doors in 1986, more than one million people have enjoyed performances that have featured the talents of professional artists, student artists and community performers. More than 5000 students have been enrolled in RDC's Performing Arts programs. There have been over 100 theatre productions and over 500 Music Program concerts. Hundreds of thousands of performers have graced the stage.
The Arts Centre soon became an emblem of creative excellence to the community and in the province, a place to showcase the rich artistic talents of the community. A venue for inspiring performances by world-class artists and entertainers, to this day, it captures the imaginations of both young and old.
Athletics programs continue to thrive
Our campus mascot, Rufus, became known for not only his disarming hugs of enthusiastic fans, but also for his roar. As stuffed animals go, a kingly, noble animal was the best representation of the Kings and Queens who continued reign in ACAC competition.
The Hockey Kings started the decade off with a bang, transitioning from the successful seventies with a national championship in 1980. Building on our national sports legacy, our Queen Volleyball Team took home the Canadian Colleges Athletics Association (CCAA) Championships in 1984.
Our Badminton Queens would follow in the champion tradition when the Doubles team of Kathy Casselman and Rhonda McKay won the national gold medal in 1986. Our Mixed Curling team also took home the national championship in the same year.
RDC Athletics were given the Alberta Colleges Athletics Association Supremacy Award six times in 1983, and each year from 1985 to 1989 while our coaches were recognized for their contribution at the national level. Coaches Al Ferchuk (Kings Hockey, 83), Bob Bennett (Badminton, 84), Cor Ouwerkerk (Queens Volleyball, 85, Bob Bennett (Badminto, 85), Gord Inglis (Kings Volleyball, 86) were named CCAA Coaches of the Year.
Our Quarter of a Century
In 1988 we reached our 25th Anniversary and celebrated with the community a quarter century of providing post-secondary education in central Alberta. With nearly 5,000 full-time students, there was much discussion about how RDC should grow into the future.
Enrollments continued to steadily increase, beyond the pace of Government funding, which put RDC in a conundrum of sorts. There was increased demand for programs, but funding shortfalls meant we potentially needed to reduce the number of learners we served in order to ensure we could offer the exceptional experience our students had come to expect.
Achieving degree-granting status was one way to solve the riddle. A task force was formed to explore what level of support there was for RDC-granted degrees, which seemed a perfect solution to the problem. Every two years RDC transferred well-prepared students to other Albertan Universities to finish their programs. The community consensus was that many would stay and learn in Red Deer if they could, which would be not only be a boon to the local economy, but ensure RDC would continue to thrive.
Results of the studies, undertaken by outside consultants, "indicated conclusively that Central Albertans strongly supported a degree-granting post-secondary institution in Central Alberta. Red Deer College was identified as the best choice because of its location, reputation, quality of instruction, size and atmosphere," wrote RDC President Dr. Edward Luterbach in his annual report. xliv
The studies further showed a strong desire in the community for degrees to be offered in addition to the vocational and university transfer programs already offered. This sentiment was in line with the original aspirations of the founders, as voiced by Margaret Parsons from the beginning. As we looked beyond our 25th toward the future, degree-granting was a major goal we set our sights upon.
Alma Mater matters
In 1988 the Red Deer College Alumni Association was officially formed. The Association would be a place for successful students who had moved on in their lives and careers to enrich the lives of graduates, connect with the community and organize legacy events.
On event was a Homecoming, the first in our history, which took place during the celebrations of our 25th Anniversary. It was a chance for Alumni of Red Deer College to get together, renew old friendships and start new ones.
Many of the gathered alumni made a trip to the newly named Margaret Parsons Theatre, the team teaching theatre where many had taken courses. Naming the theatre in her honour was a suitable way for RDC to recognize Margaret Parsons' contribution to the College as a founder after her death in 1984.
Since its inception, the Alumni Association has assisted RDC students and helped them to stay connected with the College. To this day, the volunteer executive is dedicated to promoting academic excellence and works together to raise funds for scholarships and bursaries. The Alumni Association also works to ensure that RDC continues to play an integral role in the region.
As the 80s came to an end, increasingly, RDC Alumni, our staff and programs were receiving national attention. RDC was recognized with the prestigious National Council Award of Excellence for Staff, Program and Organizational Development at a ceremony in Chicago, Illinois, the first time a Canadian college had ever been nominated for the award. xlv
Red Deer College Press was named Publisher of the Year for its editorial and design achievements. The Press was launched in 1971 as an in-house publisher of books written by college faculty and students. RDC English instructor Dr. Gary Botting, himself a poet and playwright, was the driving force behind it. At the turn of the decade Red Deer College Press was publishing more than a dozen new publications each year, which started to reach broader markets in Canada, the US, Australia and the United Kingdom and to be recognized with many awards.
In 25 years Red Deer College had become an irreplaceable hub of learning where great things happened and where successful graduates were equipped to make significant contributions to their communities and to the world.
xlii - "Tipplers give top marks to college lounge," Jim Lozeron, The Advocate, DATE, 1983.
xliii - ibid
xliv - "President's Report," Dr. Edward J. Luterbach. RDC Annual Report. 1988.
xlv - About Red Deer Press. Retrieved January 29, 2015.


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Graphic video footage of police brutality in Fiji which emerged last week is attracting international condemnation. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has condemned the incident and the New Zealand parliament is due to vote this week on a motion to condemn the brutality.
Police brutality of this nature has allegedly been going on in Fiji for years, just as sorcery-related murders have in Papua New Guinea, with little international and only limited domestic media coverage. Indeed, this 2010 report by a UN Special Rapporteur on torture tells of police brutality reaching the level of torture in Papua New Guinea.
The difference today is that witnesses can now take photos and video of incidents like these on their mobile phones and upload them to social media sites. There is no need for the traditional media to have journalists and cameras in the right place at the right time to get scoops on alarming incidents such as this or to publicise written reports by Amnesty International. Thanks to enterprising individuals at the scene and the power of social media, people can see the violence for themselves on their smartphones anywhere in the world.
Will the international outrage over this incident prove a turning point for Fiji?
Other presumed turning points – the regime's abrogation of the constitution in 2009, its campaign against the Methodist Church, or its trashing of the Constitutional Commission – have not resulted in mass public protest or increased international sanctions beyond the region.
At first blush, it would seem unlikely that this video and the reaction to it will prove decisive in redirecting the regime from its plans for Fiji or in influencing stronger international action against Fiji.
Bainimarama has responded by standing by his security forces, although Fiji's police have expressed concern (see video above) and are investigating the incident. As the experience in Papua New Guinea has shown, police violence is not necessarily related to the type of government in place, and it may not have government sanction. But at least in PNG the police force has been transparent about the extent of the problem: 623 acts of police violence were documented in 2011 and 2012. The police responsible for violence have been disciplined, with 87 dismissed for brutality since 2010 and a further 73 demoted.
Bainimarama's first response was not to condemn this incident but to support his men, demonstrating once again that his regard for human rights in Fiji is subservient to the needs of his regime. As if to rub salt into the collective human rights wound in Fiji, police canceled a permit for the annual International Women's Day 'reclaim the night' march last week.
As Rodger Shanahan has argued, Australia's own record of consistency in condemning acts of violence abroad is patchy. It is a similar story the world over. Bainimarama knows he can ride out international criticism by blaming NGOs and outsiders for beating up the story and focusing on the law and order challenge rather than the nature of his government's response to it. His government has been given a soft ride outside the region thanks to Fiji's intensive and creative diplomacy. None of the new diplomatic partners Fiji has been courting (China, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, Russia, United Arab Emirates) has voiced concerns about Fiji's domestic affairs and are unlikely to be provoked into doing so by this video.
But in an age where social media plays such an important role in influencing the thinking of young people, Bainimarama would do well to consider the implications of his management of this incident on his country's image as a tourist destination and its dependence on the tourism dollar. At time of writing, the various YouTube videos depicting the police brutality incident had notched up over 145,000 views.

subset: commoncrawl


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Effective October 1, 2012, REACT introduced new single stream recycling that includes recycling plastics.
YOUR NEW RECYCLE PROGRAMback to top
REACT Waste Management District is proud to offer its "no sort "recycling program. Our single stream or co-mingled program means no more sorting for you - simple and easy to understand. All approved recyclables, except for glass, can now be placed together in the large blue recycle bins. Glass will still need to be placed separately in the small blue bins. A current list of accepted recyclables, which now includes household plastics, is listed in this pamphlet. Additional commodities will be added in the future as sustainable markets become available. This program is available to all individuals living within the REACT District.
Please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with your collection program. It is an easy and convenient way to demonstrate your commitment to recycling and protecting our environment. Your support and cooperation will assist us in diverting over 60% of household waste from the landfill.
ALLOWABLE PAPER FIBER MATERIALSback to top
Do Not Bag or Tie
- Flatten corrugated cardboard and paperboard( ie. empty cereal boxes, empty detergent boxes, empty tissue boxes)
- Newspapers, flyers, inserts, junk mail
- Magazines, catalogues, paperback books, hardcover books with cover and spine removed
- Telephone books
- Letter quality paper
- Brown paper bags, tissue roll cores, gift and packing paper without foil, paper egg cartons
- Envelops with or without windows
- Copier paper, computer printouts, NCR (no carbon required) paper
- Shredded paper must be bagged in clear plastic bags
Sorry, we do not accept the following:
- Waxed, plasticized or food contaminated paper
- Soiled tissues, napkins and paper towels
- Confetti shredded paper
- Heavily dyed or colored construction paper
- Styrofoam or other foam packing materials
- Household garbage, organics, hazardous or regulated waste
- Items other than those listed in the "Paper Fiber" section above
ALLOWABLE CONTAINERSback to top
Cleaned & rinsed - Do Not Bag:
- Aluminum soft drink and beers cans
- Household tin cans (please rinse)
- Milk cartons and jugs (please rinse and remove caps)
- Household plastic containers and bottles with this symbol with the number 1-7 in the middle. A container with arrows without a number or a container without arrows cannot be accepted
- Please place glass in separate bin labeled for glass
Sorry, we do not accept the following:
- Contaminated plastic food or product wrap
- Hazardous chemical containers (ie. motor oil containers)
- Auto parts, batteries
- No grocery bags or stretchable plastic packaging
- Propane tanks, gasoline, or any type of fuel container
- Wire or plastic clothes hangers
- Clear plastic clam shell containers without the arrows
- Potato chip bags lined with foil
- Plastic toys or Tupperware
- Plastic pipe
- Outdoor lawn furniture
- Vinyl siding
- Items other than those listed in container section
Please do not put recycling on the ground around the bins. You can help keep the cost of collecting, sorting and processing down by recycling only those types of plastic that can be accepted in this program. The item must have the recycling arrows on it and a number inside ranging from 1-7. The following is a list of the accepted grades of plastics and their common household uses:
Plastic #1: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, PETE):
Common uses: soft drinks bottles, cooking oil bottles, peanut butter jars. This the most widely recycled grade of plastic. Remember to please rinse and remove all caps.
Plastic #2: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
Common uses: milk jugs, detergent bottles, windshield washer jugs. Please remember to rinse and remove caps.
Plastic #3: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Common uses: hard plastic water bottles, salad dressing and liquid detergent containers. Please note that plastic pipes, outdoor furniture, vinyl siding and other items may be PVC but are not acceptable.
Plastic #4: Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
Common uses: food storage containers, dry cleaning bags, produce bags, trash can liners. Please place inside another bag and tie. No contaminated material allowed.
Plastic #5: Polypropylene (PP)
Common uses: container for yogurt, margarine and take out meals, ketchup bottles, syrup bottles. Please remember to rinse.
Plastic #6: Polystyrene (PS)
Common uses: clamshell takeout containers, yogurt containers, margarine containers. Please remember to rinse.
Plastic #7: Other.
It can be a mixture of above polymers. Common uses: 5 gallon water jugs, some citrus juice bottles, some condiment bottles. Please remember to rinse and remove caps.
Please help keep your recycle center clean! For your safety, please do not go near recycling collection containers when REACT trucks are emptying the bins.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSback to top
Do we need to bag the recyclables before placing them in the bin?
No, we specifically ask that customers DO NOT BAG or TIE their recyclables before depositing them into the bins. Having to de-bag the recyclables would require an extra expense.
The exception is plastic grocery bags and clean plastic film, and shredded paper. These items should be bagged and secured.
How should I prepare my recyclables for collections?
Flatten all cardboard boxes. Wash and rinse all beverage containers, food plastics and household tins before depositing in the recycle bin. Remove all lids and caps from all containers. Labels do not have to be removed.
What plastics can be placed in the bin?
All plastic bottles and containers must have the recycling arrow which is this symbol with the any number from 1-7 in the middle. A container with no arrows or a container with arrows but without a number inside cannot be accepted. Clean plastic film and product wrap can go in bins. NO STYROFOAM.
What happens to the materials?
Once the single stream materials are collected by the truck, they are taken to REACT's Material Recovery Facility where they are baled and shipped to All Green Recycling in Saskatoon.
Why is glass to be placed in a separate bin?
Broken glass can be a hazard to the individuals who are responsible for pulling out all contaminants at the sorting belt. Also, glass in the single stream recycling down grades the product which can be rejected for shipment.
A Recycle Center Near You:back to top
Lac Vert
Lake Lenore
Manitou Beach
Middle Lake
Quill Lake
St. Benedict
St. Brieux
St. Gregor
REACT also rents 6 cubic yard cardboard bins for businesses on a permanent basis. The business can determine how often the bin needs to be serviced to meet their needs. Contact the REACT office for pricing.
Recycling Oil and Filters
You may take your used oil, motor oil containers and filters free of charge to the following Oil Collection Sites:
Humboldt and Cudworth Landfills and the following transfer stations: Watrous, Watson, Naicam, Bruno, LeRoy, Quill Lake, St. Brieux, Langian, Colonsay, Young and Middle Lake. We do not accept antifreeze.


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Castlederg parade: Watchdog asked to investigate Gerry Kelly's actions
A Stormont watchdog has been asked to investigate the behaviour of a Sinn Féin MLA at a controversial parade where dead IRA men were honoured.
Gerry Kelly made a speech at the Tyrone Volunteers Day Parade in Castlederg on Sunday. The event paid tribute to dead republicans, including two IRA bombers.
Unionist politicians have made formal, written complaints to Douglas Bain, the Assembly's Commissioner for Standards.
The DUP's Tom Buchanan and TUV leader Jim Allister asked him to investigate.
'Glorification of terrorism'
Meanwhile, the DUP Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster is seeking an urgent meeting with the Director of Public Prosecutions to find out what standard of evidence is needed to secure prosecutions for alleged glorification of terrorism at the Castlederg parade.
Many unionists were angered that the parade was allowed to go ahead, given that it honoured, among others, two IRA men who were killed by their own bomb in 1973.
Seamus Harvey and Gerard McGlynn died when the device they were transporting into Castlederg exploded prematurely.
Protesters, including some relatives of IRA murder victims, staged a counter-demonstration against the republican march on Sunday.
Both the parade and the protest passed off without major incident, amid a heavy police presence.
'Paramilitary-style clothing'
On Monday, the DUP said its West Tyrone MLA Tom Buchanan had written to Mr Bain, asking him to investigate whether Mr Kelly's attendance and speech at the parade were in breach of Stormont's code of conduct for MLAs.
Mr Buchanan wrote: "The glorification of terrorism is a criminal offence. His decision to heap praise on those who died while actively breaking the law (transporting a bomb) is in clear breach of the duty to uphold the law."
The DUP MLA identified several requirements listed in the code which he believed Mr Kelly had breached by his actions in Castlederg, including public duty, accountability, equality, promoting good relations and respect.
In his complaint, the TUV leader said that in addressing an event "celebrating the lives of two men who were blown up by their own bomb in the town they intended to attack" the Sinn Féin MLA had "seriously damaged community relations".
Mr Allister also said the Parades Commission determination in relation to the Castledurg parade "clearly stated that no paramilitary-style clothing was to be worn at any time during the parade and that there were to be no depictions of weaponry".
'Hierarchy of victims'
The TUV MLA said both of those conditions had been breached during the march and has submitted photographs taken at the event to be used as evidence of his complaint.
In his address at the commemoration, Mr Kelly said: "No unionist MLA, councillor, MP or minister, no loyalist paramilitary or loyal order spokesperson - no matter how loud they shout, will prevent me or any other republican honouring our comrades who gave their lives in the struggle for Irish freedom and equality."
He added there must not be "a hierarchy of victims which would discriminate against republicans and nationalists not just in life, but in death also".


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Ministry Bulletin for School Leaders | He Pitopito Kōrero
Our bulletin is sent to school leaders fortnightly, except during school holidays. It provides a central place for Ministry information - what school leaders need to know and action, local news, events and more.
Calendar of key Ministry dates
View and subscribe to the calendar of key Ministry dates for 2019.
If you wish to contact the bulletin team email email@example.com and they will be happy to help you.
Current Ministry Bulletin for School Leaders
Last reviewed: Has this been useful? Give us your feedback


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It was my first weekend in Melbourne or rather say Australia and a long weekend here in Victoria being Queen's birthday on June 13th '11, few colleagues had planned to visit this snow filled placed, Mt Buller, about 208 km from Melbourne on June 12th '11, on a Sunday, so that we could relax the next day.
We started off at 5am in the bus at Fed square, Melb CBD. It is a 3 hour drive from Melb and we reached around 8am. One can hire the toboggan, ski jackets, gloves and ski pants and the ski board if you don't have one. We hire them all and started off with the toboggan with two sitting and sliding on it from the top.
I was excited seeing the snow filled mountain and holding the snow for the first time. It was my first encoutner with snow. When two of them slide others who were down would throw snow at us and it was all us hitting each other with snow. All of us started playing with snow after a while.
At 1pm, it was lunch hour and having skipped the breakfast we focussed on nothing else than pizza and coke. ;) We started again on the snow filled beauty with all smiles.
At 5 PM we got back back to the bus reluctantly as we had to head back home. All of us were tired and dozed off in the bus. At 8 PM we reached the Fed Square. It was a one day trip and a memorable one. :)
For more information, visit: http://www.mtbuller.com.au


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Consumer accounts are assets for companies that lend money, but if you don't make payments on your account the debt becomes a liability. Lenders "charge-off" those debts after they go unpaid for a while, but your original lender can recover a portion of the balance you owe by selling your charge-off to another company. It still won't be considered paid, for credit reporting purposes, until you actually settle what you owe.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)
Although your creditor may have decided to charge off your debt, this does not mean that you do not still owe the sum in question, most likely with added interest and fees.
Assessing Your Account Status
Even though your lender receives payment from the creditor that purchases your debt, the lender does not apply that payment to your delinquent debt. Nor does it award the account "paid" status on your credit report. The purchasing creditor – typically a collection agency – will work to collect the full delinquent balance and may even charge you fees and interest in addition to the amount you originally owed. The only way your account will reflect a "paid" status is if you pay of the debt in full.
Exploring Your Time Frame
A lender's policies determine how long its willing to maintain ownership of a delinquent account before charging off the balance and selling the debt. Banks and credit card companies generally wait 180 days before charging off and selling debts, while hospitals and doctor's offices may charge off debts much sooner – sometimes within 60 to 90 days.
Assuming Debt Ownership
After your lender sells your charged-off debt, the company that purchased the debt is the legal owner of the account. Should you decide to pay off the debt, you must pay off the creditor that currently owns the account – not the one that originally opened the account for you.
Related Articles
Although there is a limit to the amount of time a creditor has to file a lawsuit against you, there is no limit to the amount of time companies have to sell your debt. Over time, your account can pass from company to company – all of whom will demand payment from you.
Consequences of Nonpayment
The very presence of a charge-off on your credit report severely damages your credit scores. Lenders are hesitant to do business with individuals whose past history demonstrates that they lack effective debt management skills. The credit damage you suffer doesn't stop with the charge-off. If a collection agency buys your debt from the original lender, it can also report the unpaid debt to the credit bureaus.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires companies to report only accurate information on your credit report. Thus, if you pay off the debt after your original lender sells it, the collection agency must report the fact that you paid to the credit bureaus. This does not improve your credit scores, but it does show future lenders that you did not ignore your obligations and repaid what you owed when you were financially able to do so.


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The capital city of Andhra Pradesh - a prominent Indian State, Hyderabad is a sprawling, bustling and vibrant city. Often described as the "City of Minarets" or "City of Nizams" or "City of Pearls", Hyderabad occupies a pivotal position in the heart of the country. It is a premier state in terms of population, revenue and importance. The city stands at an altitude of 1776ft above the sea level on the Deccan Plateau region. Attached to the city is its twin, Secunderabad, which is a part of Hyderabad and they are separated by a lake called Husain Sagar. Husain Sagar, an artificial lake, was constructed during the time of Ibrahim Quli Qutub Shah Wali in 1562 AD. A 400 years old historical city, Hyderabad is adorned with natural beauty, beautiful historical buildings, mosque and minarets, forts, bridges, parks, gardens, hills and lakes.
Popularly called as the "City of Nizams", Hyderabad, today is a blend of old and new and one of the most developed cities in the country in terms of politics, education, technology, entertainment, media, fashion and arts. The standard of living of the people has developed to such an extent that it has become one of the happening and leading cities of India.
In this "City of Pearls", you can find pearls from almost all over the world. The artisans here are skilled enough to pierce and string pearls without damaging them. The other main essence of Hyderabad is the chime and shine of colorful Hyderabadi bangles in the pearl and bangle market known as Laad Bazaar. All along the streets of the old city at Charminar (Char - four and Minar - Tower) you can find hundreds of bangle shops lined up with around 2500 craftsmen weaving their magic. In addition, you can find pretty colourful clothes embroidered with copper and silver threads giving a royal look to your attire. The Hyderabadi cuisine especially the Shahi Biryaani, is much sought after.
Hyderabad is well known for its IT companies in india and lately it acquired the status of "Cyber City" or "Cyberabad". All major MNCs like Microsoft, Google, Deloitte, Motorola, Oracle, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and other companies including the Indian-based Companies like Wipro, Satyam, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Apollo Health Street and many more have their Product Development Centre in Hyderabad Andhra Pradesh.
The City is known for hospitality and friendly people. People from every walk of life- rich and poor, orthodox and modern, made the city as their abode. All the religious groups, Hinduism, Islamic, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, are all found here. Roads are usually busy on the weekdays at peak time- generally in the morning from 9:00am to 11:00am when people rush to reach offices and schools and in the evening around 17:30hrs to 20:00hr when the roads are jam-packed. Towards the evening and mainly on weekends, many people set for spending leisure time and head for some hot spots like parks, theatres, malls and pubs. A popular avenue, Necklace Road, lying on one side of the Hussain Sagar provides a scenic atmosphere where most of the people like to spend time. There are many popular eateries along this strip where you can pacify your taste buds.
Hyderabad-Andhra Pradesh is decked with many mega malls, recreational parks, IMAX Theater and many other entertainment centres. It is also home to the second largest film industry in India, the Telugu Film industry, known as Tollywood. Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, NT Rama Rao, Negeshwar Rao, Balakrishna are some of the sought after celebrities from Hyderabad film industry. Hyderabad has made its mark in the field of sports by producing some of the luminaries like international tennis player Sania Mirza, cricket player VVS Laxman, badminton player Pullela Gopichand, former Indian Cricket player and present Indian Cricket Team Selector, Venkatapathy Raju, International Chess Player P. Hari Krishna, Olympic Bronze medalist in weight lifting Karanam Malleshwari and many others.
The city has many high-end world class hotels and restaurants like Marriot, ITC Grand Kakatiya, Taj Group of Hotels- Taj Krishna, Taj Banjara, Holiday Inn and many others.
You also have famous international eateries like Mc Donald's, Pizza Hut, Subway, KFC, Coffee Day and others in the city. There are also some exclusive and branded boutiques like Stanza, Neerus, Brisah, to name a few, where you get some of the fashionable and stylish outfits.
Not to forget are the official residence of the Nizam called as Purani Haveli, the King Kothi Palace where the last Nizam - Mir Osman Ali Khan lived and the Birla Planetarium located on the hill of Nawbat Pahad which is a tribute to the advances made in science and technology, the Paigah Tombs that are 200 years old situated at Santoshnagar and which are made of lime and mortar beautifully carved having marble inlay work on them and belonging to the Paigah nobles.
Also Osmania Hospital, City College, MJ Market (Mozam Jha Market), Unani Hospital and the Osmania University buildings, built in the time of Nizams that stand even today are the great examples of the development and architecture of the Nizam era.
The State Library, the Public Gardens are among the old and official buildings of the city. There is also a Lal Bahadur Stadium or LB Stadium, Indoor Stadium at Gachibowli, GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium and Kotla Vijay Bhaskar Reddy Stadium where many prominent games like Asian Games, World Military Games took place. Every two years there is International Children Film Festival that takes place in the city.
Other prominent and latest places to visit are KBR Park, and NTR park/gardens that are popular parks in the city, the Statue of Buddha on the Hussain Sagar Lake. Apart from this you also have other theme parks like Ocean Park, Mount Opera, Elles World, Snow World and the latest Jalvihaar. There is also Nehru Zoological Park located close to Mir Alam Lake, which is amongst the largest Zoo parks in India.
Around 25kms from Mehedipatnam you have Chilkur Balaji temple of Lord Venkateshwara also called as 'Visa Balaji'. There is Sanghi Temple dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara close to the Ramoji Film City.
There are some man-made lakes like Gandipet, which is the largest in Hyderabad and a major drinking water source to the city; the Himayat Sagar Lake close to Gandipet; the Hussain Sagar Lake that separates the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Durgam Cheruvu, a lake in the HI-Tech City is also one of the happening places. There are a number of malls and entertainment centres in the city. Lifestyles, Hyderabad Central, The City Centre, and Babu Khan Mall are some of the high-end happening shopping malls where you can get everything you desire.
During your stay in Hyderabad, do not forget to taste the fabulous Hyderabadi cuisine. This Mughalai style of cooking dates back to the Asaf Jah period, which has a typical Mughalai flavour and an exotic blend of spices. This mouth-watering royal food can be found at many good restaurants in the city. Not-to-miss is the Hyderabadi Biryani; Kebabs cooked in different styles like Boti, Jhammi, Kalmi, Shikampur, Sheek and Dum; Khormas- a vegetable or meat dish cooked with rich creamy and spicy gravy; Rumali Rotis- bread as thin as handkerchief.
Things to do in Hyderabad City:
If you are visiting the city in the month of Ramzaan (usually in the month of October/November), don't forget to taste Haleem- pounded wheat and meat cooked with coriander and mint leaves and rich spices and Sheer-Khorma- a sweet dish made of spaghettis.
If you are visiting in the month of January, don't forget to visit the All India Industrial Exhibition where craftsmen from all parts of the country and from various industries like cottage, small-scale, large-scale, electronic and handloom industries exhibit their workmanship, skills and latest inventions.
The city is overall a safe place to visit. However, you will have to be cautious with your belongings especially in the crowded places and while walking on the road. It's always better if you avoid travelling alone during night times. Also double-check with your belongings and baggage as you get down from a taxi or auto. Any inconvenience, you can call 108 and 100 for police service.
All money in bills and travellers cheque should be changed into Indian currency only through authorized money changers and banks.
Some minimum precautions should be taken anywhere you travel in the city. Drink aerated or mineral water as the tap water is not filtered.
Local Travelling Services:
The public transportation in Hyderabad is more convenient and easy way to get around. You have taxis, auto-rickshaws, APSRTC buses and Multi Modal Transport System (MMTS) or suburban railway system that connects to some of the major places in the city.
The best way to get around is to use the yellow colour auto-rickshaws, generally called as "auto". They are fast, bear reasonable amount and have digital meters for fare, which depends on the distance travelled. The minimum fare starts with Rs.12/- and make sure the meter is turned on before you get in. From night 22:00hrs to early morning 5:00, you will have to pay double the meter charge or sometimes half the amount from your point of hiring. They are one of the convenient ways to roam about as the city suffers with traffic congestion.
The APSRTC inter-city bus service is the other best option and economical way to get around, as the ticket fares are cheaper. You just have to know the proper bus number and the destination it goes which is displayed on the board in the front and back side of the bus. There are also some Metro Liner buses with comfortable but limited seats and offering service to limited destinations. In the peak hours the buses are heavily stuffed making it almost impossible to get in. The ticket can be bought at the conductor of the bus. The minimum fare starts with Rs.2/- for the first stop from the point of boarding and a maximum of Rs.7/- for a distance of 16kms roughly. These buses run from early morning 5:00 to 23:00 hours. The main bus stops are at Koti, Secunderabad, Nampally, Afzalgung, Charminar and Dilsukhnagar from where you can reach to most of the places in the city.
There are many private-owned taxi services and cabs that take you to your desired destination. You will have to make an advance booking over phone or at their offices. Most of them are located at nampally station where you can rent a car and drive. Some of them are Casy Cab: +91-040-27762023/27767146 and City Cabs: +91-040-55316000/55316001.


text:
Kissed my dad gave em herpes now
He got crabs from this last girl
This other girl too he kissed my
Last sister sister last sister too
Lisa you dumb bitch you left me
For some other chick nigga
And the baby too the baby digs
You but mines a little small
I dont give a fuck
I look like a fucking frog
Stupid little bitch
Freaking hate you for this shit
Lisa...fuck her
Lisa...fuck her
Gave you what you want
Gave you what you need
Then I gave you kiss
Now my penis bleeds
Now im at the clinic
Bitch, im stuck up at the dentist
This motherfucking relation
I hate it bitch its finished
You gave me raw
I gave you peace
Infection on your yeast
And you tried to fuck my niece
She only 7
But when she turn 11
Y'all can fuck the indians for
Hot dogs at 7/11
And you tried to give a kiss
Now the little bitch got
Herpes on her lip
Ear bitch listen you was it
I wasn't pimpin you, half black
How the fuck you gonna burn up all the chicken
You can't make kool-aid im so serious
No fruit punch so i had to drink your period
Fucking buyin fake dildos up on my visa
Huh, i was in love with you lisa
Casey Veggies:
What's this bump on my lip
What the fxck is this yellow shit coming off my dick
I shoulda used a fucking rubber
Lisa, b*tch you told my your name was ronda
Showed my little brother how to take an AIDS test
Come to find out, my ass was positive
Took care of all 7 of your kids
Bitch fucked bobby brown that was her prerogative
Sniffin coke, smoking crack
Shoulda never fucked you in the ass
Bitch you a crackhead
-not in rap form-
Everyone knows, we was all in the club
And they was like, "ah"
And I as like *kissy noises*
And they was like this, and i was like, bitch, whats yo name
Shes like clean i'm like HMM
*distant* what happened?
I said bitch
Left Brain:
Stupid ass bitch I can't believe you did me wrong
I gave you a kiss and I went to go home
I came back to your fucking house you fucking rat
Now I came back shoulda I don't give a fuck you stupid fuck
Bitch you smell like ass
I gave you a kiss
I really love you bitch
Why you do me like this
I gave you everything like my fucking dick
I gave you money, cars and diamonds and shit
But I just see just below the bitch that
That you suck everyones mother fucking dick
I'm a roll 'nother motherfucking blunt with you bitch ass
Suck enough niggas like a std n shit bitch
Ain't taking care you no more
See your kids smoke more so get the fuck out the door
And get on your knees and suck my dick one last time
This one time suck it suck it like I fall off and shit
Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, Lisa (I loved you bitch)
I gave you everything I had
Bitch I let you fuck my dad
(Lisa) Timmy (Lisa) Tracey (Lisa) Keisha
See, it was all good and stuff, and you just come
To my house and chill on my couch, but now, you gave me everything
You had, herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, I can't even give my mom
A hug, shit (Hold on wait, wait, wait that bitch stole my motherfucking base)
(She took my baby!)
(Nigga she took my baby!)
She took your baby? Bitch thats based
I'll stab this bitch with a motherfucking pencil
When I go get her, she gone get knocked
(and my dick fell off)
I loved you Lisa (you pissed me off there slut)
We loved you Lisa
You even fucked everyone in the family
Can't even go to the family reunion, bitchhhhhhhh
Mmm Lisa bitch
Hee hee Odd Future, ahh shoot a nigga
(Odd future, i'mma say a shout out to my dirty niggas in the dirty skatepark, skatepark dirty dirty, aww)
Aahh, okay okay
You can stop recording
Waitwaitwait one more thing one more thing one more thing
Uhh, you still recording? Oh


text:
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I wrote the following article for the "Close Guantánamo" website, which I established in January 2012, on the 10th anniversary of the opening of Guantánamo, with the US attorney Tom Wilner. Please join us — just an email address is required to be counted amongst those opposed to the ongoing existence of Guantánamo, and to receive updates of our activities by email.
Here at "Close Guantánamo," we are saddened to hear of the death, at the age of 94, of Judge John J. Gibbons, who was one of the signatories to our initial mission statement when we first launched "Close Guantánamo" on January 11, 2012, the 10th anniversary of the opening of the prison. Appointed in 1970 to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in Philadelphia, by Richard Nixon, he served on that court for 20 years, the last three as Chief Judge. While at the court, he authored more than 800 opinions.
When he left the bench, Judge Gibbons became a Professor of Law at Seton Hall University School of Law in New Jersey, and also rejoined the firm he had been part of prior to becoming a judge, which become known as Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione in 1997, and then Gibbons P.C. in 2007.
Although he was a Republican, and, as Chris Hedges noted in a New York Times profile in February 2004, "his politics tend[ed] to veer to the conservative," he was also "at once an insider and an outsider," something of a "gadfly" at his largely corporate firm, where he was "one of the state's leading crusaders against the death penalty." He had, he told Hedges, "always been outraged by the use of the death penalty," which was why his firm "filed 'friend of the court' briefs in almost every death penalty case in New Jersey." Read the rest of this entry »
I wrote the following article for the "Close Guantánamo" website, which I established in January 2012, on the 10th anniversary of the opening of Guantánamo, with the US attorney Tom Wilner. Please join us — just an email address is required to be counted amongst those opposed to the ongoing existence of Guantánamo, and to receive updates of our activities by email.
In the 21 months since Donald Trump became president, it has become increasingly difficult for those of us who care about the necessity of closing the prison at Guantánamo Bay to keep this burning injustice in the public eye.
Journalists who care have tried hard to find ways to not let Guantánamo be forgotten, and one of those journalists is Karen Greenberg, director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law, and the author of The Least Worst Place: Guantánamo's First 100 Days, published in 2010.
Karen and I first got to know each other in the George W. Bush years, when my book The Guantánamo Files was published. She screened 'Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo,' the documentary film I co-directed, in New York in 2009, and has been a panelist on several occasions in the panel discussions Tom Wilner and I organize every January, on the anniversary of the opening of Guantánamo, at the New America think-tank in Washington, D.C. Read the rest of this entry »
Last week was a particularly disastrous week for Parliament, when a horribly large majority of MPs voted to let Theresa May, the Prime Minister, do what she wants regarding Britain's exit from the EU — and what she wants, as she has made clear, is as "hard" a Brexit as possible — one in which, in order to exercise some spurious control over immigration, we are forced to abandon the single market and the customs union, which will be insanely damaging to our economy.
The MPs' unprovoked capitulation, by 494 votes to 122, in the vote allowing May to trigger Article 50, which launches our departure from the EU, came despite three-quarters of MPs believing that we should stay in the EU, and despite the narrow victory in last June's referendum, which, crucially, was only advisory, although everyone in a position of power and authority has since treated it as though it was somehow legally binding.
The MPs' capitulation was also disgraceful because, following the referendum, a handful of brave individuals engaged in a court battle to prevent Theresa May from behaving like a tyrant, and undertaking our departure from the EU without consulting Parliament. Both the High Court and the Supreme Court pointed out that sovereignty in the UK resides in Parliament, and not just in the hands of the Prime Minister, and that Parliament would have to be consulted. Read the rest of this entry »
What a disgrace the majority of MPs have shown themselves to be, as they have voted, by 494 votes to 122, to pass the government's derisory little bill allowing Theresa May to "notify, under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union, the United Kingdom's intention to withdraw from the EU."
Although numerous amendments were tabled — seven by Labour, others by other parties — all failed to be passed. On Tuesday, an amendment by Labour's Chris Leslie, stating that "the government should not be allowed to agree a Brexit deal until it has been passed by both Houses of Parliament," was defeated by 326 votes to 293 — a majority of 33 — including seven Tory rebels: as well as serial Brexit rebel Ken Clarke, the rebels were Heidi Allen, Bob Neill, Claire Perry, Antoinette Sandbach, Anna Soubry and Andrew Tyrie.
And last night, before the final vote, there was another blow — this one not to the hard-won sovereignty of Parliament, given away by MPs as though it was nothing, but to the three million EU nationals who live and work in the UK, when the amendment by Labour's Harriet Harman, in her capacity as the chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, guaranteeing EU nationals the right to stay in the UK, was defeated by 332 votes to 290 — a majority of 42. On this amendment, there were three Tory rebels — Ken Clarke, Tania Mathias and Andrew Tyrie. Read the rest of this entry »
In America and around the world, the apocalyptic nightmare of Donald Trump and his administration is provoking widespread protest. In the UK, meanwhile, as deluded nationalists led by the Prime Minister Theresa May forge ahead with pushing for our departure from the EU as a result of last June's narrow victory for the Leave campaign in an advisory referendum in which 27.9% of the electorate couldn't even be bothered to vote, almost no one is standing up for the 16.1 million people — myself included — who voted for Remain.
It is as if, at a general election, the party that wins gets the right to prevent the opposition from criticising them at all, and also gets to completely ignore everything that those who voted for the opposition believes, when it contradicts what the winning party thinks.
How is this possible? The wretched referendum, whose outcome was not legally binding, was so blunt and inadequate a tool that it failed to specify what leaving the EU would entail, or, indeed, whether that would be acceptable to voters. And yet, under Theresa May and her three Brexiteers — David Davis, Boris Johnson and Liam Fox — no questions about the form Brexit might take — let alone whether it might not be a good idea to accept the result of an advisory referendum that might end up being economically suicidal — was allowed. Read the rest of this entry »
Great news from the grown-ups in the room today — the Supreme Court — as the highest judges in the land have confirmed what the High Court ruled nearly three months ago: that the government cannot trigger Article 50 — the mechanism for leaving the EU — without an authorising act of parliament, as Lord Neuberger, the President of the Supreme Court, stated in a summary of the court's decision, delivered by a majority of 8-3.
As the Guardian described it, Lord Neuberger "said the government generally has a prerogative power to change treaties, but it cannot do that if it will affect people's rights." As the summary of the court's ruling stated, "The change in the law required to implement the referendum's outcome must be made in the only way permitted by the UK constitution, namely by legislation."
The judges added, "The Supreme Court holds that an Act of Parliament is required to authorise ministers to give notice of the decision of the UK to withdraw from the European Union." See the full ruling here.
From the beginning, when Theresa May was the only minister left standing after the bloodbath that followed the EU referendum's outcome, it was outrageous that a decision that was supposed to be about the importance of restoring sovereignty to the UK was hijacked when May, who had nominally been a Remain supporter, instead revealed herself as a would-be tyrant who was intent on ignoring the fact that sovereignty in the UK resides with Parliament and not with the Prime Minister or her cabinet. Read the rest of this entry »
January 11, 2017 was the 15th anniversary of the opening of the "war on terror" prison at Guantánamo, and for the seventh year running I was in Washington, D.C. to call for the prison's closure as the co-founder of the Close Guantánamo campaign, with representatives of other rights groups, Witness Against Torture, Amnesty International, the Center for Constitutional Rights and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture.
This year, the protest took place not outside the White House (which is off-limits in the run-up to presidential inaugurations), but outside the Supreme Court, and, as I explained in my speech to the gathered protestors and the media (those who could be bothered to take an interest), this year's anniversary was, excruciatingly, a double disappointment, because President Obama is just days away from failing to fulfill the promise to close Guantánamo that he made on his second day in office nearly eight years ago, and Donald Trump is about to take the prison over with his wild promises to "load it up with some bad dudes."
I urged those gathered to make it a priority, from Day One of the Trump presidency, to demand that Trump frees those men still held who have been approved for release (9 at present, with the release to Oman yesterday of ten men, although we are told that between 3 and 5 more will be freed by Obama in his last week), and also to demand that he continues with the latest review process, the Periodic Review Boards, for which 26 of the remaining 55 prisoners continue to be eligible. I will soon be launching a new initiative, aimed at Donald Trump, via the Close Guantánamo campaign, and I encourage you to sign up to receive further information, as I draw the year-long Countdown to Close Guantánamo, aimed at President Obama, to an end. Read the rest of this entry »
On Wednesday, I was outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. for the annual protest against the continued existence of the "war on terror" prison at Guantánamo Bay, with representatives from rights groups including Witness Against Torture, Amnesty International, the Center for Constitutional Rights and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, plus some powerful spoken word pieces by The Peace Poets.
I spoke about the double disappointment of this depressing anniversary, with Obama just days away from failing to fulfill the promise to close Guantánamo that he made on his second day in office nearly eight years ago, and Donald Trump about to take the prison over with his wild promises to "load it up with some bad dudes," and I urged those gathered to make it a priority, from Day One of the Trump presidency, to demand that Trump frees those men still held who have been approved for release (19 at present, although we are told that between 13 and 15 will be freed by Obama in his last week), and also to demand that he continues with the latest review process, the Periodic Review Boards, for which 26 of the remaining 55 prisoners continue to be eligible.
The PRBs, which function like parole boards, have reviewed the cases of 64 men in the last three years, and 38 have been approved for release. The 26 other men had their ongoing imprisonment upheld, but their cases are regularly reviewed, and some of them will almost certainly also be approved for release — unless Trump repeals Obama's 2011 executive order establishing the PRBs. Read the rest of this entry »
Yesterday was the 15th anniversary of the opening of the "war on terror" prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and a typically busy day for me. My seventh annual visit to Washington, D.C. to call for the closure of Guantánamo on the anniversary began with a protest outside the Supreme Court with representatives from rights groups including Witness Against Torture, Amnesty International, the Center for Constitutional Rights and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. As usual, there were speakers from all the groups involved, plus some powerful spoken word pieces by The Peace Poets, and video of my talk will hopefully be available soon.
The day continued with a panel discussion, Guantánamo Bay: Year 15, at New America, with my friend and colleague Tom Wilner, counsel of record to the Guantánamo prisoners in their Supreme Court cases in 2004 and 2008, with whom I co-founded the Close Guantánamo campaign five years ago, Jim Moran, former congressional representative for Virginia's 8th district and a longtime opponent of Guantánamo, and Rosa Brooks, a Senior ASU Future of War Fellow at New America who also served in the Obama administration. The moderator was Peter Bergen, the Vice President of New America and the Director of the International Security Program.
I'm pleased to report that the panel discussion was streamed live, and that a video is available on YouTube. It's cross-posted below and I do hope you have time to watch it, and to share it if you find it useful. Read the rest of this entry »
Dear friends and supporters,
I'm delighted to be writing to you from Heathrow Airport — despite a seriously disruptive Tube strike in London — awaiting a flight to New York City, for what will be my seventh annual visit at this time of year, to campaign for the closure of the prison at Guantánamo Bay on and around the anniversary of its opening, on Jan. 11.
I'm not delighted to have to keep calling for Guantánamo's closure, of course, and this year, the 15th anniversary of the prison's opening is a particular difficult occasion: simultaneously, a definitive black mark against President Obama for having failed to fulfill the promise to close the prison — within a year! — that he made when he first took office eight years ago, and the introduction to Guantánamo under a third president, the worryingly unpredictable Donald Trump, who has vowed to keep Guantánamo open, and to "load it up with bad dudes," and who, just days ago, tweeted that there should be no more releases from Guantánamo.
Trump's comments came in spite of the fact that 19 of the 55 men still held have been approved for release by high-level, inter-agency review processes, and others may well be approved for release in future by the latest review process, the Periodic Review Boards, unless he decides, unwisely, to scrap them.
I will be talking about these topics, and reflecting on Guantánamo's history, what it means, who is held, and why the closure of the prison remains so essential, during my visit. Read the rest of this entry »
Investigative journalist, author, campaigner, commentator and public speaker. Recognized as an authority on Guantánamo and the "war on terror." Co-founder, Close Guantánamo, co-director, We Stand With Shaker. Also, singer and songwriter (The Four Fathers) and photographer.
Email Andy Worthington
Stonehenge: Celebration & Subversion
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Alternatives to Foreclosure
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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB):
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or you can call (800)388-2227
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Predatory Lending
CFPB www.consumerfinance.gov or 1-855-411-2372
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Dept. of Education www.ed.gov or 1-800-433-3243
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Are we witnessing a New Cold War, pitting the West against Russia? How does the West's foreign policy apply to Ukraine and the post-Soviet space in general? And which countries continue to hold to old Cold War attitudes? CrossTalking with Eric Draitser, Mark Almond and Steven Cohen.
Build Up to WW3 -- New Cold War?
Labels: Build Up to WW3
Hacking The Hackers -- British government launches DDOS attack on Anonymous
Government Communications Headquarters, the British government's version of the National Security Agency, has gone on the offensive against hactivist group Anonymous. According to documents leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, GCHQ took a page out of the hacker group's playbook when it launched a distributed denial of service attack on Anonymous. RT's Liz Wahl takes a look at the DDOS attack and other ways the British government is trying to dissuade hackers.
The Beginning Of The End For The MSM 2.0!
Dan Dicks is an investigative journalist and an award winning documentary filmmaker. He is also the founder of an independent media outlet known as Press For Truth which produces videos and documentary films about issues that the mainstream media often fails to report on. Dan produced his first documentary in 2008 "The Nation's Deathbed" which focussed on the Security and Prosperity Partnership and a protest that Dan attended in Montebello Quebec. After the release of "The Nation's Deathbed" Dan produced his second documentary titled "United We Fall" which deals with the prospect of a European styled union for Canada, the US and Mexico. Even before the release of "United We Fall" Dan began directing and producing his third documentary film titled "Into The Fire" which deals with the G20 summit that came to Toronto Canada in the summer of 2010. In September of 2011, Dan produced "The Toronto Hearings on 9/11: Uncovering Ten Years of Deception", which was a six hour project that explored various testimony from expert witnesses surrounding the attacks of September 11th, 2001.
"The Turning Point" is the latest documentary from Dan Dicks which explores the secretive Bilderberg group. Dan is also a musician and wrote and performed the music for all five films. As founder and owner of Press For Truth, Dan continues to create thought provoking videos and documentary films for his websites pressfortruth.ca and pressfortruth.tv
The Economic Collapse Is Coming - Documentary
When the world's financial bubble blew, the solution was to lower interest rates and pump trillions of dollars into the sick banking system. The solution is the problem, that's why we had a problem in the first place. For Economics Nobel laureate Vernon Smith, the Catch 22 is self-evident. But interest rates have been at rock bottom for years, and governments are running out of fuel to feed the economy. The governments can save the banks, but who can save the governments? Forecasts predict all countries' debt will reach 100% of GDP by next year. Greece and Iceland have already crumbled, who will be next?
The storm that would rock the world, began brewing in the US when congress pushed the idea of home ownership for all, propping up those who couldn't make the down payments. The Market even coined a term, NINA loans: "No Income, No Assets, No Problem!" Enter FannieMae and FreddieMac, privately owned, government sponsored. Want that vacation? Wanna buy some new clothes? Use your house as a piggie bank! Why earn money to pay for your home when you can make money just living in it? With the government covering all losses, you'd have been a fool not to borrow. The years of growth had been a continuous party. But when the punchbowl ran dry, instead of letting investors go home to nurse their hangovers as usual, the Federal Reserve just filled it up again with phoney money. For analyst Peter Schiff, the consequence of the spending binge was crystal clear: we're in so much trouble now because we got drunk on all that Fed alcohol. Yet along with other worried experts, he was mocked and derided during the boom.
Have you taken out a mortgage, invested capital or bought shares? If you have, likelihood is you lost out in the latest bust. Governments promised decisive action, the biggest financial stimulus packages in history, gargantuan bailouts: but what crazed logic is this, propping up debt with...more debt? This documentary brings an entirely fresh voice to the hottest topic of today.
Labels: The Economic Collapse
Adam Loewy -- The Alex Jones Show(Commercial Free AUDIO) Wednesday February 5 2014
On this Wednesday, February 5 edition of the Alex Jones Show, Alex covers efforts by Obama's police state to fend off growing criticism of its airport Gestapo, the TSA, and popular and growing outrage over the end of privacy and the dilution of much of the Bill of Rights. Alex also gets into the reasons the economy is crumbling and why more and more Americans are mired in crushing poverty. On today's worldwide broadcast, Alex talks with Adam Loewy, a personal injury attorney who has been litigating police brutality cases for over 10 years. Mr. Loewy talks about the tazing of Noe Nino De Rivera, lies the government concocted related to the case, and the hurdles standing in the way of Americans suing the government when it violates their rights. Mr. Loewy will be in-studio with Alex.
Labels: Adam Loewy
Nostradamus Prophecies for 2014 - 2020. Antichrist and Alien Invasion.
Nostradamus Prophecies for years 2014 to 2020. Including the rise of the Antichrist President Putin of Russia, and alien UFO invasion of earth and modification of human DNA for immortality.
Nostradamus prophecies for 2014 and after. Interpreted by Astrology and Bible prophecies. The third Antichrist is revealed as Russian President Putin.
Predictions of future world events by the French prophet Nostradamus, interpreted by astrology charts and the Book of Revelation.
Posted by Unknown 3 comments:
Labels: NOSTRADAMUS
7 Amazing Facts About the U.S. Debt
The United States debt is spiking at an unstoppable rate. Check out these facts illustrating just how bad things have gotten.
Sign the Pledge for a World Beyond War
I understand that wars and militarism make us less safe rather than protect us, that they kill, injure and traumatize adults, children and infants, severely damage the natural environment, erode civil liberties, and drain our economies, siphoning resources from life-affirming activities. I commit to engage in and support nonviolent efforts to end all war and preparations for war and to create a sustainable and just peace.
Mark Passio -- Dark Occult Forces & Natural Law
Mark Passio is behind the website, WhatOnEarthIsHappening.com, which encapsulates many years of his extensive research and investigation into the nature of our shared reality. Through his presentation, videos and podcasts, he takes one on a journey of self-exploration, examining human consciousness and the way it relates to the universal problems which we currently face as a species. In this first hour, we'll discuss dark occult organizations as Mark was a former priest in the church of Satan. Mark talks about how these organizations are filtration centers in search of psychopaths for specific positions of power. These well-connected dark organizations rely on control, which is essential to shape a specific world view. He relates this to our current collective mass mind state. Then, he speaks about the mechanics of natural law, which all humankind is bound by and the effects of violating the natural law.
Labels: Mark Passio
RED ALERT! Soros Group Predicts Terrorism at Winter Olympics
Internationalist group believes threat may not come from Muslim North Caucasus region, but "Radicals can come from any region of Russia". The question is, are these radicals funded by the very corporations represented by the IGC?
Jesse Ventura : The War On Terror Is Staged & The War On Drugs Has Failed
Jesse Ventura: Why The War On Drugs Has Failed & The War On Terror Is Staged
Alex discusses with Gov.Jesse Ventura why the war are drugs has failed just like prohabition did.It has only created a bigger underworld and dangerous black market.
A recent article in the UK Independent headlined US Waives White Flag in Disastrous War on Drugs illustrates the tacit announcement by some leading US policy makers that they are abandoning the failed 40 year long War on Drugs. This couldn't come too soon for a war that has cost thousands of lives, hundreds of billions of tax dollars and has helped push the domestic US prison population to an estimated 2,000,000 inmates.
Certainly banks like BCCI played their role in facilitating numerous dirty money deals including its involvement in the IRAN-CONTRA Affair. Banks, as well as oil companies, benefit significantly from drug trafficking. According to a recent report in the London Observer, drugs money worth billions of dollars provided liquidity for Wall Street and the City of London's leading banks and kept the financial system afloat at the height of the global meltdown. Another Senate staff report estimates "that $500 billion to $1 trillion in criminal proceeds are laundered through banks worldwide each year, with about half of that amount moved through United States banks." The London Independent reported in 2004 that drug trafficking constitutes "the third biggest global commodity in cash terms after oil and the arms trade."
Beginning: The Opium Wars Between Britain and China
Opium, which was not prohibited in the US, UK and Ireland, was smuggled by merchants from British India into China in defiance of Chinese prohibition laws. The First Opium War between Britain and China began in 1839. Further disputes over the treatment of British merchants in Chinese ports resulted in the Second Opium War. China was defeated in both wars leaving its government having to tolerate the opium trade in which cheap narcotics plagued Chinese society. Britain forced the Chinese government into signing the a number of Unequal Treaties as well as the annexation of Hong Kong by Britain. Chinese found these agreements humiliating and these sentiments contributed to the Taiping Rebellion (1850--1864), the Boxer Rebellion (1899--1901), and the downfall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912, putting an end to dynastic China and laying the ground of domestic discontent and power vacuum which culminated in the Communist revolution later that century
The War on Nothing
Whether it's the War on Drugs, the War on Crime, or the War on Terror, by now experience should teach us that our government can neither wage, nor win "wars" against abstract nouns. Formally and mutually "declaring war" must first recognise sovereignty, which generally assures formally Declared Peace, a Cease Fire, an Armistice etc or a Surrender with Cessation of Hostilities for a mutually agreed and declared "Victory". There can be no victory in such political pursuits, only ultimate defeat.
Yet, we are told that, "winning isn't everything, it's the only thing," and "there is no other option," even if it means losing everything else from morality and integrity, to wealth and freedom (as in the case of the War on Terror). We were told that we needed rendition and torture to keep America safe from terrorists. The results, or lack thereof, certainly speak for themselves. Insiders at the CIA may even tell you, off the record, that involvement in illegal drugs trafficking as essential to fund operations which our elected officials will not sanction. But don't be fooled- black market cash is the real grease that fuels the shadow government and the wheels of power and control worldwide
Whether it's under Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr, Clinton, Bush Jr, or Obama, the policies have remained the same and the damage to our bottom line has been mountainous. It's time to ditch the policies we have come to tolerate for decades before they consume what is left of our moral core.
Labels: Jesse Ventura
The Bankers still want their Bonuses
The Head of Campaigns at the British Bankers' Association tells Going Underground host Afshin Rattansi that despite what the ninety nine percent think, bankers in the UK still deserve their rewards. Fiona McEvoy warns the top talent might go to the US otherwise. As the taxpayer continues to foot the bill for the high-fliers, and the EU ponders caps on payouts, the UK government looks set to carry on pleasing the banks
Elizabeth Warren Floor Speech on Unemployment Insurance
Senator Elizabeth Warren spoke on the Senate floor on February 3, 2014 about the importance of extending unemployment insurance benefits.
Elizabeth Warren telling it exactly how it is. What those Senators are saying is a slap in the face to hard working Americans. I am sure that there are some that take advantage of the system, but that should not be blamed on everyone. Its like a Company that refuses to supply toilet paper in the Public restroom because someone keeps stealing it. The many suffer because of one persons greed.
Elizabeth Warren telling it exactly how it is. What those Senators are saying is a slap in the face to hard working Americans. I am sure that there are some that take advantage of the system, but that should not be blamed on everyone. Its like a Company that refuses to supply toilet paper in the Public restroom because someone keeps stealing it. The many suffer because of one persons greed.
Labels: Elizabeth Warren
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Monday, August 9, 2010
Upcycled Ribbon Spool Candy Treat Holder
Hi Dandi Crafters, Teri came up with a fantastically, fun challenge over at Sugar Sweet Paper Treats. The challenge is to create "cards/projects made any way but a normal side/top fold card!!" How fun is that! Anything goes! OK I am up for that!
If you knew me in my earlier crafty days you know I am in my heart a bow chick. Well being a bow chick at heart I still have lots of ribbon although my crafty bow days are mostly behind me. That means I have lots of ribbon spools. Well I took those ribbon spools and put them to some fun use. I am not the first to make a treat holder out of ribbon spools, I have seen it all over the Internet, this is just my take on it.
You take 2 empty ribbon spools, you know the thing that your ribbon is wrapped around when you buy it. Take the one side off each of the spools. Next you need a transparency. I personally didn't have any transparencies. I did however because I have kids I have TONS of plastic report covers. I buy them all the time for about 15¢ each, or some really cheap price like that. So that is what I used. I actually liked the color that using the folder adds. You cut the folder to be the height you want your treat holder to be. Mine is about 6 inches high. The width of the folder will depend on how wide you need it to fit inside the spool. Leave about 1/4 inch lap. I decorated mine, now get this with paper I bought!!! well mostly. LOL I know, aren't you proud of me! I was...LOL The striped paper, red polka dot paper and heart paper is K&Company Ka-Zoo all in one paper pad. Honestly I don't know how you all use paper you purchased. What happens when you run out of paper that you love! It is very nerve racking to use paper that I purchased...LOL hehehehe
I needed to then cover the spool lids and make them pretty. I measured my spool lid. It was just over 3 inches so I cut a round circle for the outside at 3.25. I used SCAL to cut circles so I know they would be exactly what I needed. The inside I cut the outline circle to make a thin accent that was 2.72. The inside of that circle I cut another circle,that was 2.55 , inside the first circle so that it would give me a thin circle line that I could put around the outer edge. To make the scalloped border that decorates the lid I cut a 9 inch by 1 inch piece of paper. I then used a Martha Stewart punch on it. If I didn't want to use a Martha Stewart Punch I wold have cut it 9 inches by .55 inches.
After I had all the parts decorated so all the unsightly ribbon spool parts where disguised, I then decorated it. I used Cricut Cartridge Create A Critter page 64 in the handbook to cut a butterfly for the lid. I also used Create A Critter page 64 again, the phrase button, for the red heart and turquoise polka dotted heart on the tube. The turquoise paper is my paper. LOL Create A Critter, page 62, was also used for the red polka dot scallop circle the butterfly is resting on. The butterfly on the heart is from the Storybook book Cartridge,pate 49 Fancy/Corner Button. Finally I filled the treat tube with Hershey's Nuggets. It turned out pretty cute for something that before it was assembled I might have tossed out.
Posted by DtsArt at 7:26 AM
Labels: Create A Critter, cricut, cricut cartridge, SCAL, Sure Cuts Alot
2 comments:
- AmandaB said...
Dardi, What a Fabulous treat holder!!! You are so creative!!
- August 9, 2010 at 9:09 AM
- Cokie Pop Paper Boutique said...
I love altered projects. This is so cute.
- August 9, 2010 at 6:33 PM
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what if your child could easily receive real art training right in your own home?
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