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This is a series of observations of the performance of President Mnangagwa and his administration so far in certain. Also included are recommendations for how government can improve it's performance and civil society can pressure them to do so. Though extensive, this is by no means an exhaustive account of the state of Zimbabwe and much will continue to be written about the ascendency of President Mnangagwa, his performance and that of his administration. This is important as it gives us opportunity to discuss, be better informed and hold the executive to account when we get the opportunity to.
The President is gone. Long live the President.
In September 2008, following a drawn out, bloody and acrimonious general election, SADC chairperson and chief mediator in the Zimbabwe crisis announced to the world the conclusion of a Global Political Agreement, GPA, which saw the immediate formation of what became known as the Government of National Unity, GNU. The GNU saw then President Mugabe retain his post but also the appointment of Morgan Tsvangirai as Prime Minister along with members of the opposition to key cabinet positions, most notably finance and industry & trade. The ushering in of the GNU saw immediate positive changes in the lives of Zimbabweans, inflation was brought under control, prices plummeted, goods reappeared on supermarket shelves, fuel was plentiful and people were able to access cash from their bank accounts without hinderance. 2009 saw the first positive GDP growth in many years, what was key to it was the buy-in of everybody involved. From politics, to business, to NGOs, to the international community and ordinary Zimbabweans, everybody was aware of what exactly was happening and why. Unfortunately the recovery was short-lived for reasons I will not go into here, had it not been, Zimbabwe may not be where it finds itself today, fast forward to November 2017.
Despite the fact that Zimbabwe was in the midst of the worst economic turmoil since 2008, in some aspects the worst in history, nobody predicted the events of November 2017. In a matter of days President Mugabe resigned after 37 years power and Emmerson Mnangagwa became the new president. Shortly following his ascendency President Mnangagwa declared "Zimbabwe is now open for business" which quickly became his government's mantra. It was catchy, punchy and quotable so despite questions about what the mantra actually meant, general consensus in the country and beyond was to give this new administration the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately time and circumstances have not been so kind over the last few months and whilst this administration has made some progress, it has often times been caught flat-footed as will be shown below.
Old brooms with older tricks on broken telephones.
From the start, the Mnangagwa administration, made up almost exclusively of people who had served under Mugabe for much of his 37 year rule, appeared to be caught between the way they were used to running the country and the demands of their new principal. Vice President Kembo Mohadi is on record saying that under former President Mugabe ministers hardly came to work choosing to spend most of their time on their farms but now things are different. As government expends much energy on restoring the image of Zimbabwe through various rebranding efforts and separating itself from the Mugabe era, much of it's messaging has been focused around the president himself and the Office of the President and Cabinet, OPC.
There is more than a hint of centralisation of power and decision making around the president in this administration, something Mugabe was routinely accused of despite having a bloated cabinet and civil service.
There is more than a hint of centralisation of power and decision making around the president in this administration, something Mugabe was routinely accused of despite having a bloated cabinet and civil service. Under Mnangagwa there have been instances where certain functions that should be the purview of specific ministries being usurped by the OPC on the pretext of multi-stakeholder coordination. The OPC does not have a good history, having been used by then president Mugabe to monitor just about every facet of Zimbabwean life so it is entirely understandable that any moves towards this by President Mnangagwa would be cause for concern.
Key institutions that should be disseminating important information on recovery efforts have websites that have barely been updated since Robert Mugabe was president, if at all, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Investment Authority. There is also the duplication of functions with various agencies that report to different principals working sometimes at cross purposes or doing the exact same job. This simultaneous vacuum and proliferation of information makes it difficult to track progress on policy reform and hampers efforts to communicate with key stakeholders across the various functions of state. One has to constantly scour the media for policy announcements and even when these stories are published, it is still a task to get accurate information from those responsible for policy implementation, some department heads do not even have work email addresses.
The lack of communication also leads to instances of contradiction in policy positions as one agency of government does not know what the other is doing, at best this is just embarrassing, at worst it results in the misallocation of scarce resources, failures in service delivery and lost investment. At a recent investment conference in Bulawayo one presentations hailed the airport as a key investment driver that showed how the city is open for business only to be immediately followed by another which highlighted how the same airport is in dire need of investment and is barely fit for purpose. It cannot be overstated that this is a government in dire need of a transparent, accessible and responsive communications strategy.
Where there is policy ambiguity, inefficiency and corruption follow.
Local media coverage, both state and private, of this administration has quickly fallen back on old habits, notably, focusing on the president and the rest of government as secondary. Despite initial noises about no longer doing business as usual, cabinet has fallen back into old habits and in many cases is doing just that. To get anything of significance done in Zimbabwe still requires buy-in, read permission, from the political appointee in charge, in most cases the minister. This often unnecessary layer of red tape allows them the opportunity to claim this as their achievement giving them undue authority and influence over business activity whilst gaining political milage. In the past this was a significant impediment to investment in Zimbabwe as reported by various investors as ministers and officials reportedly demanded bribes. Already there are rumours of individuals selling access to the President and claiming, for the right price, to be able o get his approval on investments, time will tell if this is indeed the case and if so, government's response will be most telling.
It is imperative for government to employ and empower professional staff to manage investment processes taking this away from politicians, including the president except in matters of national interest. Ministers also need to be empowered to speedily develop and lobby the passing of policy that responds to the country's recovery needs followed by ensuring it's implementation. This, rather than speeches, trips and ribbon cuttings, should be their focus.
What could have been a significant win for this administration if properly executed has become an embarrassment and the only winners are going to be the lawyers engaged to sue or defend them.
As mentioned earlier, the focus on the president and the OPC has to an extent disempowered some ministries in the name of expediency and multi-stakeholder coordination. Such is the case with the handling of the externalisation list. From the start the presidency, in partnership with the reserve bank, led the call for the repatriation of funds illicitly exported from Zimbabwe within ninety days. The entire process was, for reasons best known to them, exclusively handled by the RBZ and the OPC resulting in a list that has disappointed many and been panned across the country and beyond likely opening up government to litigation and with no clear indication as to what happens from here. What could have been a significant win for this administration had it been properly executed has become an embarrassment and the only winners are going to be the lawyers engaged to sue or defend them.
This desire by the presidency to be seen to be active will likely, if it hasn't already, cause conflict with line ministries as it looks a lot like interference. As early as mid-December 2017 some ministers were reported to be struggling with the demands of their offices. The OPC should ideally be focused on developing and monitoring implementation of an over-arching national recovery strategy that will inform policy and coordinate interaction between ministries without getting into the daily minutia of operationalising this strategy.
Dollars over sense?
In Zimbabwe's push for investment there have been both overt and covert efforts to change, remove or ignore regulations that have in the past been viewed as a hindrance to business. An overt example is the Indigenisation Bill which from April 2018 will no longer restrict foreign investors from owning more than 49% of a business in almost every economic sector except for platinum and diamonds. This, according to ZIA, has opened Zimbabwe up to a slew of investment enquiries some of which are reportedly at advanced stages of preparation for commencement. However, as unpopular as it was with business, the indigenisation bill served to ensure local ownership and participation in the economy, just like in other countries with similar laws, but it was badly written and applied. Without this protection, what will be the long term effects on local business of unfettered foreign investment?
Mining has been touted as the key to a quick turnaround in Zimbabwe and since November, President Mnangagwa and Mines Minister Winston Chitando, a mining professional, have shown themselves to be extremely pro-business. Since December barely a fortnight has gone by without the announcement of some new "investment commitment" in this sector. However, mining is not just about the businesses and investors, it affects communities, the environment, national economic planning and future resource allocation. To fully take these intersections into account requires inter-ministerial cooperation and coordination but due to the communication limitations highlighted earlier, it is unclear if this is happening or even if there are at least plans to do so.
Throughout all of this the Environmental Management Agency, EMA, has been conspicuously silent which is odd for an agency that is mandated to ensure sustainable resource management, prevention of pollution and environmental degradation, the last two being direct consequences of mining and manufacturing. EMA falls under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate headed by Oppah Muchinguri who has most prominently been in the news for investigating ivory smuggling, EMA and the ministry's role in regulating Zimbabwe's economic recovery have not gotten much attention. There is a possible reason for this, EMA's more stringent regulations are seen by the new administration as a hinderance to investment.
Talk to artisanal gold miners in and around Bulawayo and you get a sense of this covert business-friendly relaxation, possibly suspension, of regulations. They will tell you they no longer see EMA inspectors or police doing routine visits to their operations, word is both EMA and ZRP have been told to lay off because artisanal miners now account for more than half of Zimbabwe's gold output. Under Mugabe the police became a bane upon the lives of all Zimbabweans, at the centre of corruption, bribery and human rights abuses but since the "coup that was not a coup" they have gotten a new commissioner and have drastically scaled back their visibility. You can drive around Bulawayo and Harare CBDs for literally days without seeing a single traffic cop.
What will be the cost to the country of this relaxation of regulations? .
A deafening fiscal silence.
In his budget speech last November, Finance and Economic Planning Minister Patrick Chinamasa announced a number of interventions to reduce government expenditure, reduce debt reliance and increase state revenue whilst creating a more functional economic environment for all Zimbabweans. Jump to March and the minister has barely been seen in public leaving most major announcements to the presidency. This does not mean he has not been busy, quite the opposite, however, not exactly busy keeping his budget speech commitments.
For a country with $11,6 billion of public debt as at June 2017, this type of apparent fiscal profligacy is greatly concerning and there is little evidence that this has slowed down.
In January it was announced that the government would seek to pass the Zisco Debt Assumption Bill, currently going through public hearings, which will see treasury taking over $380 million in Ziscosteel debt so the company is more attractive to potential investors. This year treasury also assumed an NRZ debt of $348 million, in 2015 treasury also assumed debts of Air Zimbabwe of $300 million and the Reserve Bank for $1,35 billion.The state broadcaster ZBC has debts of $66 million it has failed to pay and recently the CEO suggested that government take this over through a debt assumption bill. For a country with $11,6 billion of public debt as at June 2017, this type of apparent fiscal profligacy is greatly concerning and there is little evidence that this has slowed down. The finance minister's silence on the implementation of austerity measures and the reduction of public debt does not inspire confidence and is a red flag for any potential investor with a long term investment horizon.
Another promise made by Mnangagwa is to compensate white farmers who lost their farms during the land reform process. Depending on who you speak to, this compensation amounts to anywhere between five and thirty billion dollars, with government and the farmers at opposite ends of the spectrum. As a show of goodwill some white farmers have been restored to their farms whilst negotiations continue to get more of them to return. Considering Zimbabwe's already massive debt burden it is anybody's guess when and how these farmers will be compensated. Judging by past performance, treasury is likely to at some stage finance compensation through the issuing of treasury bills or agricultural bonds. In both cases this will just be kicking the can down the road until these bills, bonds or any other debt instruments must ultimately be honoured.
The optimist may want to assume that Chinamasa is quietly busy engaging with global institutions on resolving these issues and other fiscal matters but the realist will wonder why, knowing the urgency of the situation, the government has not been able to secure the necessary support to resolve the debt crisis by now.
Chinamasa's promise to cut government's wage bill in his November budget announcement was not unexpected and since then there have been some, though not significant, cuts. Whilst civil servants have said they understand the pressure government is under their patience has worn thin resulting in teachers, nurses and junior doctors demanding wage and allowance increases with the latter two currently on strike. It is an unenviable task to balance these demands with limited resources whilst dealing with other pressing commitments however, government would do well to be more proactive in their response. It is surprising that after weeks of being on strike the president is yet to engage junior doctors directly.
Quick wins lost, the achievements that should have been.
President Mnangawa set a deadline of 100 days from his inauguration to effect significant change, an offer that quickly came to haunt his administration when at the end of it questions were asked about what really had been achieved. Over the 100 days much was said and much was promised creating a great sense of anticipation which, depending on who you talk to, amounted to very little or was earth shattering progress as never seen before in Zimbabwe. This contrast of views is due in no small part to government's failure to control the narrative, there is a lack of coordination in government's messaging and often the situation on the ground has not been what officials intend or would have us believe.
One can be forgiven for having flashbacks to the era of mega-deals, when many of the same people, under President Mugabe, promised the country they were at various stages of negotiating billions in investment from China that never materialised.
After his first 100 Days Mnangagwa released a short video and penned an op-ed piece in the New York Times highlighting his and government's achievements, unfortunately, it does not take much to show these claims to not be as grand as they are made out to be. One claim that is especially striking is that of "$3 Billion in investment commitments", this has been repeated ad nauseam by government and state media with no interrogation. There has been little indication as to when these "investment commitments" will transform into actual money, assets or infrastructure being transferred to Zimbabwe and jobs created. One can be forgiven for having flashbacks to the era of mega-deals, when many of the same people, under President Mugabe, promised the country they were at various stages of negotiating billions in investment from China that never materialised. As with the mega-deals then, specific details of the various investment commitments now are hard to come by as the process is shrouded in secrecy.
Earlier this month Sivio Institute released their "The 100 Day Report on the New Government – A Citizen's Perspective" which has, amongst other things, tracked government's promises and actions over the first hundred days providing the first independent analysis of it's kind. Government, despite assurances from various ministries, is yet to provide anything more than soundbites regarding their first hundred days. Instead, promises are already being made for the next hundred and two hundred days.
The problem with Zimbabwe is that the government is focused on marketing what they want to show to the world and the investment community in particular, without taking the time to understand what the world and investment community actually want to see from Zimbabwe. So whilst the Mnangagwa administration focuses on wooing foreign direct investment, FDI, potential international partners are looking to the government's commitment to good governance, standards of best practice in local business and respect for the rule of law. It comes off as disingenuous to be telling the world that "Zimbabwe is now open for business" yet the vast majority of local businesses are struggling and blame government for many of their problems.
A president who promised to focus on the economy has after more than 100 days, failed to solve the cash crisis and eradicate bank queues but instead celebrates the forced use of plastic money as an achievement.
It is notable that a president who:
- came in with a promise of "jobs, jobs, jobs" has not given an indication of how many have been created during the life of his administration;
- promised to focus on the economy has after more than 100 days, failed to solve the cash crisis and eradicate bank queues but instead celebrates the forced use of plastic money as an achievement;
- came in promising to uphold freedoms has and done nothing to amend legislation like AIPPA, BSA and POSA that restrict the rights of Zimbabweans to freely access information, congregate and speak in direct conflict with the new constitution. Whilst there is definitely a greater sense of freedom of speech today than possibly any other time in Zimbabwe, these oppressive laws remain and celebrating the national broadcaster covering the rallies of opposition politicians is setting the bar extremely low;
- has repeatedly invited the international community to come and observe the elections is yet to give a date for said elections and insists the country can't afford a diaspora vote;
- has consistently said "the voice of the people is the voice of God" is seemingly deaf to the salary and allowance demands of teachers, nurses and doctors with the latter's strike now entering it's fourth week.
These are but a few of the challenges that the Mnangagwa administration were previously party to creating and had the opportunity to correct in their first hundred days but did not. It is unclear why the administration has failed to adequately address any of these issues, what is clear is that these issues are not their area of focus. Instead, the focus is on good news about the president and his cabinet as they fall over each other to officiate at the next factory opening, the next business conference or any international platform that will host them to tell the world that Zimbabwe is open for business.
Fact is, there is nothing that Zimbabwe has which cannot be found elsewhere in the world and this is not the only country to declare itself open for business. At the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year attended by President Mnangagwa, the leaders of South Africa and the United States used the exact same phrase to describe their countries. This is the nature of the global competition for investment. How then does Zimbabwe expect to get investor attention ahead of these global and continental heavyweights?
The only thing that this administration has going for it is it's credibility and it has expended a great deal of this since November. With so many challenges that can go horribly wrong Mnangagwa and his administration have very little room for any more mistakes. If, for example, the much touted investment commitments do not turn into tangible results within a reasonable period, read before elections, there will not be enough promotional videos, conferences and op-ed pieces in the world to restore the administration's lost credibility. All is not lost though, government can still turn this around by effecting the legal, political, social and economic reforms they are well aware off which will see immediate positive changes for all Zimbabweans rather than focusing almost exclusively on attracting FDI. Like charity, investment begins at home, fix your domestic environment and they will come.
Based in Johannesburg South Africa, Ricky Marima is a recovering economist and twenty year veteran of building businesses across a variety of industries. He currently works at knowledge startup RemNes where he guides clients across the continent to ask the right questions about the 4th Industrial Revolution. You can reach him on email@example.com


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Katharin Elsner October 29, 1930 - March 15, 2018 Katharin Elsner of Coquitlam, BC passed away in her 87th year on March 15, 2018. She is survived by her children, Lisa and Kenneth, five grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and extended family members. Katharin was born and raised in Köckendorf, Austria and came to Canada as a young woman where she met and married the love of her life, Kurt Elsner. The deep and enduring nature of their 53-year partnership is an inspiration and their love and companionship will be fondly remembered. They travelled extensively, visiting Europe often, and lived life to the fullest. Katharin had a great sense of style, and was a gifted seamstress and clothing designer. She had a great love of the outdoors, singing and creativity and her kind and caring nature touched many people. Katharin was a bright light in the lives of others and will be dearly missed by her friends and colleagues at Marlborough House, where she lived very happily for many years. Finally, her deep love, loyalty and devotion to family will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved this wonderful woman. A celebration of Katharin's life will take place at Trinity United Church on Saturday March 24, 2018 at 2:00 pm.
Published in Vancouver Sun and/or The Province on Mar. 22, 2018
Other obituaries from :
The Vancouver Sun and or The Province, BC
Other obituaries from :

subset: commoncrawl


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CTBE develops technological changes in processes needed for the agricultural management of a more sustainable sugarcane production. The physical side of the agricultural practices is quite restrictive to the protocols of field management. The projects are focused on the way the operations are executed in order to reduce economical and environmental impacts of sugarcane production.
Great effort has being made by the breeding programs in Brazil to increase sugarcane yield and resistance to pests and diseases but little was done to create mechanical tools flexible enough to manage plantations according to plant requirements instead of adapting the agricultural practices to the existing equipment.
The three main mechanical processes being studied are: soil compaction by field power units as well as planting and harvesting processes. Planting, ratoon care, harvesting and in-field transportation involve heavy equipment currently associated with soil compaction, ratoon damage, fuel consumption as well as capital and operating costs. These sustainability drawbacks are mostly related to the operational principles of the available technology for mechanization and do not exist visible trends of changes being promoted by the equipment manufacturers. This trend is compatible with the mission of the manufacturer which does not include factors such as: soil conservation, production cost, crop yield and emissions of GHG.
Soil compaction results from the traffic of heavy equipment having narrow wheel tracks such as the one row harvesters that travel 6.7 Km/ha to remove 80 t of produce to the field boundaries. This condition makes about 60% of the soil inadequate for efficient plant growth after being travelled yearly by 16 heavily loaded tires of harvesters, tractors and side-dumping wagons. It also needs about 40 l of fuel/ha to overcame the rolling resistance to motion.
Controlled Traffic Structure (ETC)
Alternatives are being developed for the planting and harvesting processes to make them compatible with multi-row equipment in order to sharply reduce machine travel on productive soil and also reduce mechanization cost. A field power unit named Controlled Traffic Structure (ETC), having a 9 m wheel track was designed and built for experimental trials. Field trials using no-till farming applied to sugarcane show no yield decline when compared to conventional tillage and still have all the benefits already proved in grain agriculture under no-till farming.
Tests with the base machine prototype of the CTBE's Controlled Traffic Structure (ETC).
Sugarcane Harvesting and Precision Planting
Uneven billet distribution of the current planting process requires excessive amount of seed in order to reduce skips that results in a competitive environment among about 30 seedlings/m that will end up, after a 100 day process of mortality, with less than 15 millable stalks/m. The precision planting process being developed is indicating significant yield increases in field trials established in sugar mills. This process places equally spaced seeds in the furrow so as to require less seed per unit area as well as create a less competitive environment to avoid seedling mortality and allow for a much larger percentage of the sprouted tillers to reach the millable stage.
The harvesting process studied by CTBE addresses mainly the stalk feeding operation into the harvester under severe conditions of tangled plantations. It is the main drawback of present technology that promotes losses, ratoon damage, high power demand and heavy restrictions to the development of multi row harvesters. Three are three prototypes at a field testing stage producing the required design data for the project of a multi row harvester able to overcome the main drawback described before.
The alternative mechanical processes described above are part of the new agricultural model proposed by CTBE focused on the integral use of sugarcane under more sustainable conditions for production.
Machinery prototypes produced by CTBE at a field testing stage.


text: Uncategorized Spring season in Sydney -A photo blog Posted by nisreenakolawala on November 20, 2018 Share this:TweetWhatsAppLike this:Like Loading... Related Published by nisreenakolawala I am a former Architect who left her career to follow her heart and passion, which involves travelling, photography and Social media marketing. I have stayed in a rustic village of Eastern Himalayas, swum with colorful fishes and corals in Fiji, lived with gypsy Banni villagers in Western India, interacted with Kenya's Masai tribe, river rafted in the freezing cold river in Ladakh, lived and explored a quaint beach town of Tanga in Tanzania, took a 48 hour camel safari in the Thar desert of Rajasthan, sailed on a felucca on the mighty Nile river in Egypt and chilled with the Kangaroo's in Australia. Needless to say I am always adding more experiences and places to the list. View all posts by nisreenakolawala


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Since 1991, we have taken pride in tending to the personal travel needs of our customers. We are personally
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Alaska, Hawaii,
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Our Fringe Collection is a fun contemporary design with a mix of traditional accents. These earrings feature unique 2 inch fringe tassels that hang down and are sure to draw people to you and admire your chic style! We love to wear these earrings with our Stone Collection necklaces to really bring it all together. We hope you love the Fringe Collection, exclusively from Kinsley Armelle.
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The Margaret Farley Lecture
The 2013 Margaret Farley Lecture took place on October 29th.
Sidney Callahan, PhD
Distinguished Scholar
The Hastings Center
Confronting Religious Experience: Where Theology and Psychology Meet
Click here to be taken to a video of this lecture.
About the Speaker: Sidney Callahan has been a Distinguished Scholar at the Hastings Center since 2003, and has been married to its co-founder, Daniel Callahan, since 1954. With Daniel, she has six sons and one daughter. Sidney has also been a Senior Fellow Center for the Study of Law and Religion Emory University since 2006 and an Advisor at the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture since 1999. She has been a licensed psychologist in the state of New York since 1980, after receiving her PhD from the City of New York Graduate School. Sidney was also a tenured Professor of Psychology at Mercy College from 1980-1997. Her most recent books include Called to Happiness: Where Faith and Psychology Meet (Orbis Books, 2012), Created for Joy: A Christian View of Suffering (New York: Crossroad, 2007), and Women Who Hear Voices: The Challenge of Religious Experience (Paulist Press, 2003). She is the recipient of numerous honors and awards.
Click here to read about the 2011/2012 lecture
Click here to read about the 2010/2011 lecture
Click here to read about the 2009/2010 lecture


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Cognac Preview #1 — Claude Thorin
We are going to sell so much Claude Thorin Cognac at K&L this year that I expect it to be a household name with our customer base by 2015. Brandy drinkers searching for Grand Champagne quality at reasonable prices are going to be thrilled—there's nothing this good for this cheap on the American market and we're bringing in a whole lotta Thorin for that very reason.
All of the new-make from Claude Thorin goes into new Limousin oak for the first twelve months before being transferred into used russet barrels. From what I tasted, there is very little coloring or boise being added to the final blends as the clean, fruit-driven flavor of Grand Champagne is front and center. There's nothing transcendent going on with each sip, just good, honest brandy from a French farmer. It's when you see the price tags that your eyes jump out of your head.
We were very interested in just about everything that Mr. Thorin poured us that afternoon at his chateau, but we narrowed our scope down to four basic expressions: the core range of VS, VSOP, and Napoleon, along with a 2002 Vintage that was so clean it reminded us of the Bruichladdich Bere Barley whisky from a while back. We're expecting the VS (a five year old marriage) to clock in around $29.99, the VSOP (made from eight year old brandies) at $39.99, and the Napoleon (a fifteen year old expression) for around $59.99. The 2002 Vintage should be about $59.99 as well. These will be the work-horse brandies of our collection and we're pretty sure that—after trying out a bottle or two—you'll be back for seconds.
-David Driscoll


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A lot of people think they can't wear yellow but, in fact, everyone can wear yellow. Yep. There's more than one shade of yellow and that may be why you might think you can't wear yellow.
Watch this video to learn which yellow everyone can wear plus learn how different shades of yellow are created. This has everything to do with which yellow will look best on you.


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Mission: At Ryders Hayes School, children and staff will strive to:
Vision and values:
To nurture and facilitate the growth of our pupils and their learning; equipping them with the skills and attributes to embrace the challenges of a rapidly changing world. To enjoy success for today and be prepared for tomorrow, by instilling the values of:
Enquiry: Search for knowledge through questioning and research
Adaptability: Thrive in a variety of situations and approach a task with confidence
Resilience: Keep on trying even when something is difficult
Morality: Know the difference between right and wrong and show this in interactions with others
Effective Communication: Share thoughts and feelings through speech and actions
Thoughtfulness: Use a wide range of thinking skills to solve a problem
Collaboration: Work alongside others, understanding everyone's role within the group, as well as respecting the views and ideas of others
Respect : Show respect for the needs of other people, living things and the environment
International /open mindedness: Be open and receptive to the circumstances, views, beliefs, and religions of people from other countries and cultures; people of different races and family structures; people with disabilities, and be at ease with anyone who is different from us.
Growth Mindset: learn at all costs; work hard-effort is key; confront mistakes and deficiencies as opportunities, and learn from them.


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Australia's conservative coalition is set to cut more than 90 percent of the funding related to global warming from their budget, from $5.75 billion this year to $500 million, over the next four years.
Environmentalists and leftist politicians in the country protested the move by conservative Liberal Party Prime Minister Tony Abbott's governing coalition to slash funding for climate programs, arguing such funding for green energy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions were necessary to stop global warming.
But Abbott's government shot back, saying that the country needed to reduce the size of government and improve the economy.
Trending: Bernie Sanders Defends His Attendance At Rally Calling for Death Of Americans
"The coalition government acknowledges the role of renewable energy in Australia's energy mix," said Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane. "There is over $1 billion in funding for existing renewable projects to be completed over the coming years."
"Given the tight fiscal environment as a result of [liberal] Labor's legacy of debt and deficit, the government considers there is a very significant investment in renewable energy," MacFarlane added.
Abbott's Liberal-National coalition won a landslide victory in Australia's election last fall. One of the main promises of Abbott's coalition was to repeal the country's carbon tax and costly environmental agenda.
The Liberal-National's plan to repeal the carbon tax are stuck in the Senate due to Labor and Green party members joining to block any attempt at repeal. Green and Labor party members have refused to back the carbon tax repeal until Abbott proposed an alternative plan to fight global warming.
"Tony Abbott should now abandon the so-called direct action plan, which is little more than a slogan," Green leader Christine Milne said in a statement.
But Abbott shows no signs of slowing down in his quest to repeal the country's environmental laws, which have slowed economic growth, including mining taxes, green energy funding and the carbon tax.
"The carbon tax is an act of economic vandalism," Abbott said in March. "You can't trust [Labor] anywhere near an economy."
The carbon tax was imposed by former Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard in the summer of 2012, and quickly became unpopular as businesses and households began to bear the costs of higher power bills and higher inflation.
"Poor policy processes tend to lead to poor policy outcomes," wrote Dr. Alex Robson, economist at Australia's University of Brisbane, in a study prepared for the Institute for Energy Research, which opposes a carbon tax. "Australia's carbon tax experience provides a number of important lessons in how not to go about implementing sensible climate change policy."
After just one year, the carbon tax increased taxes on 2.2 million Australians, according to Robson, and has done nothing to decrease the country's carbon emissions, which aren't predicted to fall below current levels until 2043.
Robson also found that a year after being enacted, the carbon tax caused electricity prices to rise 15 percent. The country's unemployment rate shot up by 10 percent after the carbon tax was implemented.
"The carbon tax is bad for the economy and it doesn't do any good for the environment," Abbott told The Washington Post last year. "Despite a carbon tax of $37 a ton by 2020, Australia's domestic emissions were going up, not down. The carbon tax was basically socialism masquerading as environmentalism, and that's why it's going to get abolished."Facebook, Google Plus, & Twitter. You can also get Freedom Outpost delivered to your Amazon Kindle device here.


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Our knowledge and understanding about our brain is evolving at a fast pace, establishing a clearer relation among why we do, what we do and how.
One of the key ability of the brain is Neuroplasticity, to form and reorganize synaptic connections, especially in response to learning or experience or following injury. For example – while learning to drive a car, the brain reinforces synaptic connections that send signals to our hands, feet and eyes to help us drive more effectively i.e. we learn driving better.
Neuroplasticity is also known as brain plasticity or neural plasticity, describes lasting change to the brain throughout an individual's life course. Learning new concepts, participating in new activities, and having new experiences are changing who we are, atleast in our synaptic connections. And guess what, age is just a number.
The term gained prominence in the latter half of the 20th century, when new research showed that many aspects of the brain can be altered (or are "plastic") even into adulthood.
In a classic research-based TEDx Talk, Dr. Lara Boyd describes how Neuroplasticity gives you the power to shape the brain we want.
Dr. Lara Boyd was recruited by the University of British Columbia in 2006, to become the Canada Research Chair in Neurobiology and Motor Learning. She has established the Brain Behaviour Lab, recruited and trained over 40 graduate students, published more than 80 papers and been awarded over $5 million in funding.
Her efforts are leading to the development of novel, and more effective, therapeutics for individuals with brain damage and also have applications in optimising day-to-day work and life.


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Please ignore Royston Blake's aggressive sales technique. He will not really escape from Mangel and track you down. When push comes to shove, I think we all know that escaping from Mangel is beyond him. And so is effective, considerate promotion of the books he calls his own. So, you are welcome to peruse his chronicles and procure one or two if you wish, but there is no implied threat of violence if you don't. I can't confirm that he won't get Nathan the barman to perform some kind of magic ritual against you, though.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Aggro Blakey
Posted by Charlie Williams at Wednesday, November 16, 2011
3 comments:
- Ricky Bush said...
Yeah, he ain't leavin' Mangel.
- 11:29 pm, November 16, 2011
- Charlie Williams said...
Or maybe he will?
- 8:23 pm, November 18, 2011
- commission bot said...
I think you do better in the future.thanks for sharing such a great stuff.great!
- 6:23 am, December 20, 2011
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"Wow, that looks convincing!"
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It's been a busy month for pirates… at least those rascally bucaneers who pillaged and plundered the Caribbean three hundred years ago.
Disney was right to name their amusement attraction and film series by the name Pirates of the Caribbean. Both helped capture the essence of what has made pirates attractive over the centuries though some people I talk to are shocked when I point out Jack Sparrow was just a fictional character.
Books and films have propagated some of the common myths we cherish about pirates like burying treasure every chance they got or entertaining themselves endlessly by making their victims walk the plank.
The fact is pirates were too busy donating their money to impoverished innkeepers in exchange for a little rum to find time to bury it. Why they were even known to assist lonely women down on their luck and their backs in return for a couple of life's simple pleasures. Their generosity left them broke.
As for walking the plank, it's difficult but not impossible to find references to this diabolic deed. You can read more about it in me upcoming book Uncommon Mariners. Let it suffice to say, once pirates captured a ship, like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, they set straight to work, searching for all that hidden gold.
Disney would have you believe as would Homer Pyle the painter of pirates that those who didn't cough up their belongings were forced to walk the plank while a crew of gnarly, smelly pirates chortled and snarled "Aarrrgh." Sometimes spelled aarrrrgh or arrr, the accent being on the last three letters. The truth is, if murderous pirates were sufficiently annoyed with you or their underwear was too tight that day, they simply threw you overboard.
A lot of people including a number of historians over the years put Blackbeard in this category, but that's only because they came to believe the Hollywood hype and Blackbeard's own press releases. Of course, Blackbeard didn't actually issue press releases. He didn't have to. His physical demeanor gave the aura of being the nastiest, meanest, most ornery, ferocious pirate in the Caribbean. One look at his snarly beard bedecked with burning fuses struck more fear in a shipload of sailors than a hundred press releases.
The reason I'm telling you this is because December the 10 has slipped into oblivion again this year, the date Stede Bonnet, was hanged in Charleston in 1718. Bonnet was a gentleman pirate and one of Blackbeard's consorts, but It would be stretching the truth to call him his friend.
Bonnet became a pirate for the most unlikely of reasons. He was tired of his wife's nagging. If you had to pick him out of a lineup of ten pirates, you'd be wrong nine times. He looked more like a Wall Street type than a thick-bearded ruffian ready to cut your heart out.
Still the fact remains he was a pirate. Strangely enough, he had to buy his ship not steal it, and he didn't even understand how the whole pirate thing worked: First, you pillage, then you plunder, drink some rum, then pay the crew. Pirates called it: "No prey, no pay!"
Stede's first mistake was paying his crew before they even left port. Actually, his first mistake was becoming a pirate.
After being resoundly beaten in one of his earlier encounters, he limped into the pirate base of Nassau where it was love at first sight. Not what you're thinking I guarantee you. Blackbeard was on the dock, and when he laid his eyes on Bonnet's ship, the Revenge, he knew he had to have it.
The amusing thing is Blackbeard through wit and coercion had Stede Bonnet join his fleet with the gentleman pirate pretty much a hostage on his own ship. "You read yer books in yer fancy library," he no doubt told Stede, "and I'll find ye a fine sailing captain to manage the dirty work. Arrrrgh!" I'm not sure Bonnet was ever aware Blackbeard had relieved him of his ship.
A lot of adventures passed under the ship's keel before Blackbeard and Bonnet parted ways, but you can be sure it wasn't over until the master of intimidation said it was over.
Bonnet didn't last long after that. The luckless pirate was caught by mistake off North Carolina when pirate hunters were searching for someone else. He was brought to Charleston, South Carolina where more than a few common folk threatened to riot when he and his men were scheduled to be hanged.
Many of these locals were ex pirates from Nassau and smugglers who made more money than an inside trader on Wall Street. But the thriving days of piracy in the Caribbean were on the wane, and Stede Bonnet's days were numbered.
Stede Bonnet may not have cut the colorful swath in history Blackbeard did, but you deserve to know that despite the myths, he was Blackbeard's peer and should be respected for that.
As for this well-educated man with a refined background turning to a life of crime, I have to ask you. What would it take for you to live your pirate dreams?
See you out there on the high seas of life. Arrrgh!
To leave a comment, please go to https://billhegerichsr.wordpress.com/2016/12/19/on-stede-bonnet-pirate-myths-and-blackbeards-foil/
Lately it seems wherever you turn, you either hear about the Rio Olympics or you see it on TV. I'm not complaining. I find it inspiring to see so many topnotch athletes performing at their best.
But did you ever wonder what it would be like if pirates held their own Olympics? I can't help but think it would be an exciting event well worth watching.
If I was organizing the event, I would have eight categories. First, there would be the sword and cutlass events. The first part would consist of polishing and honing a sword or cutlass. (Swords are more for piercing; cutlasses are more for slashing though you can do both with either.)
Each pirate would be given a dull, rusty blade and his job would be to turn it into a thing of beauty that every other pirate would want to steal.
Since this event is in the nascent stages, I'm still working out the details like how to prevent a bunch of pirates who had too much rum to keep from cutting themselves. In the end, the sword that pirates try to steal the most gets the gold. And you know how pirates love gold.
The next event requires each pirate to draw a treasure map. You heard that X marks the spot. Can you imagine a pirate marking a hundred X's on his map? A stolen map would be worthless to the pilferer.
And before you object to pirates stealing at the Olympics, I want to remind you that they're pirates. They're supposed to steal from each other. In fact, if they failed to steal anything during the events, they'd be disqualified.
Another event would require everyone to design their own pirate flag. The only stipulation is that it's designed on cloth. One pirate new to the trade actually flew an old piece of burlap because that was all he had. As time went on he got better.
Imagine the possibilities pirates could come up with after a couple of rum and Cokes. A treasure chest on a field of pink. My grand daughter would love that. Or picture a skull and crossbones on a rainbow background. I bet that would bring a smile to the faces of a lot of men and women in the gay community. Aarrrrgh!
Pirates are often given a bad rap about their hygiene- and some might well deserve it. In this next event, pirates are given a bar of soap and required to wash up. Drop the soap, and you're automatically disqualified. Continue reading →
Happy Veteran's Day to all those men and women who have sacrificed so much so that all of us Americans could enjoy our freedom. Whether you served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, our debt to you is profound. We honor and respect you and thank you for the freedoms we enjoy.
Arrrrgh! Sorry I be's late with this communicado, but me and me pirate wench have been held incommunicado this past weekend. We were bivouacked at the Waccamaw Artists Guild's Art in the Park at Chapin Park, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
My wife creates Little Books of Mirth that she absconded from fairies who live in the woods behind our humble abode. She learned that trick from the best of pirates. But she be just as famous for her beautiful shell wreaths made with shells from beaches around the world where many a pirate and mariner have been marooned.
As fer me, me art comprises of photographs I took while pillaging' and plunderin' from Cape Cod to the Caribbean. One of me favorites is a diorama I discovered celebrating Homer Pyle's painting Marooned. It depicts a solitary pirate sitting on an abandoned beach, a bandana wrapped about his head, shoulders slumped, lost in thought, no doubt contemplating the events that led to his situation. No doubt, one of those somber thoughts, is about what is to transpire with no worldly possession in reach other than a swallow of rum and a pistol.
Ye see, mates, pirates were frequently marooned on an inhospitable island with nothing more than a bit of rum and a pistol with one ball to speed his end at his own hand. It was a fate assigned to that pirate who didn't play well with other pirates.
Howard Pyle is also known for two other easily recognizable paintings of pirates. One is of a blindfolded man, hands tied, ready to walk the plank. In the background, several pirates leer gleefully, exhorting the victim to the edge.
No doubt, Pyle got his ideas of pirates from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island and Alexander Exquemelin who served as physician among pirates. While Exquemelin's embellished accounts in The Buccaneers of America are grounded in fact, Stevenson's poetic license resulted in the creation of several pirate myths that thrive to this day.
The truth is there are only one or two accounts of pirates making their victims walk the plank. Not being well known for their patience, pirates devised a much quicker method of disposing of unwanted mariners. "Run a saber through the bloke and throw the body overboard. Alive or dead. Makes no difference to me," pretty much captures their attitude.
However, considering that some captains and crews were, indeed, sadistic, it's not hard to visualize pirates delighting in the torment of a blindfolded victim teetering on a plank extended over the sea.
Continue reading →


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We are proud to announce that Uncle Phil's Polish took home a Bronze Medal in the Deli Mustard category in the Mustard Museum's Annual Worldwide Mustard Competition.
News and Events
August 8, 2013
Official Mustard of UW Athletics
Uncle Phil's is proud to be the official mustard of UW Athletics. Look for Uncle Phil's mustard at concessions stands in Camp Randall and the Kohl Center.
August 8, 2013
2013 Recipient of Family Business First Awards of Northeast Wisconsin
Wisconsin Spice, the manufacturer of Uncle Phil's Mustards, was one of three Northeast Wisconsin businesses to receive the Family Business First Award in May 2013.
August 8, 2013
ALS Association Minnesota Chapter
Uncle Phil's is a proud sponsor of the Kolar Toyota ALS Walleye Tournament. All proceeds support the ALS Minnesota Chapter and their fight against ALS.


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About Us
We are Karen and Michael. We are the owners of The Retreat By The Lake. The Retreat is our winter home but when we are not there we like to share it with others. We are both retired civil servants from Ottawa Ontario Canada and we take great pride in the maintenance, management and rental of what is truly a superior vacation home that is within minutes of North America's most famous theme parks.
Our History
We are a Canadian family that has been to the Orlando area several times. We had always stayed within Walt Disney World. At the end of the last school year, we decided to do WDW one more time, but with a twist. We stayed at a vacation home in the area so that we would have lots of space for us and our kids, our own pool, peace and privacy, and flexibility in terms of meals and things. It was a truly wonderful experience... it was our best trip ever to the see "the mouse"... and we were left with lots of extra money in our pockets and wondering why we hadn't done it this way before.
In fact, it was such a great experience that we decided to purchase a vacation home in the area so that we would always have a nice place to stay when the winters here in Canada get to be too much for us to bear. It would also be a place that we could share with rental guests when we are not able to be there. So, we purchased The Retreat by the Lake in the fall of 2010.
We absolutely love the villa and its spectacular waterfront location. And to make it extra special, we decided to do a complete renovation. There is a new kitchen, flooring, bathrooms, fixtures, and all new linens and furniture. It is now a modern, luxury villa, with all of the amenities that one would expect of a five-star vacation home.
As the new owners of the Retreat, we are dedicated to continuing the tradition of service established by the previous owners who have been wonderfully helpful to us. Our goal is to provide our guests with an exceptional place to stay in a peaceful, residential setting that is only minutes away from all the major attractions that Orlando and the Central Florida area has to offer.
Phone Us
You can call us between 9am and 9pm EST. If we are not available please leave a message with your name, contact info and details and we will get back to you a soon as possible.
Phone: 1-613-737-3622
Email Us
Have a question? On the fence? Send us a message using the contact form. We try to respond to all inquiries within 3 hours.


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Highly skilled & experienced tutors
Our expert team of tutors based across our 10 Training Schools are all qualified to the highest levels, with years of industry experience and all friendly and excited to welcome all our fantastic students
I attended the Spa body massage course which I thoroughly enjoyed. Our tutor Lisa was lovely and made the course very enjoyable and learnt a lot from this 2 day course. I would highly recommend this course to anyone wanted a career in massage therapy. I will be booking more courses in the future with The Beauty Academy. Thank you!
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I've attended 4 courses here now and absolutely loved all of them. Great tutors, great atmosphere and came away feeling confident in my starting my treatments!
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I'm currently doing my VCTC Level 2 & 3 with The Beauty Academy in Birmingham and I am loving all of my courses. I've had the pleasure of having both Yvonne and Katy for courses and they're both attentive to myself and the other students, I feel very supported… You simply cannot fault the phenomenal tutors. The support team for the coursework is great and they're always there to help! Chloe and Vicky at head office have both been extremely helpful in my journey so far. Thank you to everyone at The Beauty Academy.
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"Greening the Gap": Planning for Waterfront Access in East Harlem, Graduate Urban Planning Studio, Hunter College
I taught this year-long studio course in the 2012-2013 academic year. The students did a fantastic job. You can see the results of their work using the link above. The photo of the class members below was taken by our Graduate Teaching Fellow, Steve Duncan, at one of our community visioning events.


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Eric Judges Type Directors Club 33/58
Whirlwind weekend in NYC
The votes are in, and winners selected for the Type Directors Club 58th annual competition. We've returned from a whirlwind trip to New York City where Eric judged this years show with a fantastic panel — Frank Chimero, Ray Fenwick, Louise Fili, Jason Santa Maria, Kevin Smith and Jason Schulte. Many thanks to the team at the TDC for all their hospitality and coordination. Look for an amazing book and traveling exhibition later this year.
And while you're at it, why don't you head over to the TDC website and become a member? Not only will you receive one of the last hardbound design annuals still in publication (the current TDC 57 designed by our own Christine and Matteo Bologna), but you'll be supporting an important organization committed to excellence in typography and design.


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Meet Our Amazing Friend Night
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
There's nothing more attractive than hearing how someone is a great friend. However, we often hear the hilarious and heartfelt details of a person's friendship at weddings and funerals. And in both cases that person is not available. While the content of wedding toasts and eulogies are great, the info is a little late, right? Meet Our Amazing Friend Night is all about hearing the what makes a person awesome and worth getting to know while they're both alive and available. In partnership with WBEZ, we're giving couples the chance to toast their favorite single friend and talk about all the things reasons why you should get to know him/her. This event is for WBEZ High Fidelity members and their friends so look in your email inbox for a link to tickets if you and HF member. To learn more about the thinking behind this event, read the blog post!


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I didn't always loathe waking up early. In fact, I think it was the early-morning swimming that caused the deep feelings of regret towards booking such an early flight. There's nothing like getting up at five and jumping into an icy pool while it's still dark and snowing outside. I always wondered if growing up in California instead of Canada would have made a difference. Luckily, before making my way to Omaha, I would be spending a few days in the San Francisco Bay Area to catch up with some old friends…
Better a late night than an early morning, so I stayed up. I was out the door at five to make my seven thirty flight and still felt fresh. If people ask Braden Keith when he sleeps, then they ask me, "why are you still up?"
Vancouver has its own US Customs checkpoint. So you can be in the US while still in Canada, which is hard to wrap your head around on zero hours of sleep. It may be the only place in the US where you can legally buy liquor at age 19.
Last summer, I had the pleasure of working at Finis. I absolutely fell in love with the Bay area. I decided to drop by to see the new office and some of the projects the team is working on.
If you haven't had a chance to use any Finis products, you've probably at the very least seen somebody paddling up and down the pool with their iconic swimmer's snorkel. Finis was founded in 1993 by John Mix and Pablo Morales. They started with monofins and moved into other innovative training products. Finis is still expanding and are up to about 45 employees from 35 when I arrived at the beginning of last summer.
John Mix is still the president and Mark Stephens is now VP of Product Development. I had the chance to sit down for lunch with both of them and talk about the ever changing world of swimming and what's new in the market. Always an interesting conversation to be had.
Luane Rowe, Finis' inudstrial designer and resident Australian, demonstrated their new toy: a 3D modeling tool used to build product prototypes out of various types of polymers. She demoed it to me by producing a 3D Finis logo. Very cool.
Finis is known for their unique and particularly useful products. I can't say too much, but look for Finis to be bringing a couple of really innovative new tech toys to the market this year as well as some brilliant upgrades and reboots of products they already sell.
The next stop on the list was Tri Valley Aquatics (TVA) in Livermore. I surprised Coach Daniel by showing up unannounced and in even worse shape than last year. The club is young, the facility at Las Positas College is beautiful and the kids have a lot of fun. Every time I get in the water there it reminds me of what swimming is really about.
Finally, it was off to the Nike Clearance Store to buy three pairs of size 14 shoes at rock bottom American prices and then to the beach. Life is rough.The next time I check in, I'll be on the ground in Omaha where we'll be bringing you full coverage of US Olympic Trials. If you haven't already, be sure to enter our Trials Pick 'Em Contest. You could win some schweet SwimSwam Swag and other cool prizes from Engine.


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At 147 years Canada stands amongst nations of the world as a teenager, its future shining with an abundance of hope and promise. We have not known anguish or struggle over ideology, setting brother against brother as have our neighbours. Nor have we been exposed to the terror of invasion by foreigners as those lands from which many Canadians find a link through ancestry. Our growth and gradual maturity has been peaceful, built on discussion and debate rather than anger or violence.
Although our past has travelled down roads of peace we had not ignored the call for help from others. The two great wars saw Canadians proud and strong standing alongside other nations willing to sacrifice life for the ideals of freedom and dignity. More recently our brave men and women travelled to lands where democracy and freedom as daily concepts had no existence or chance of practice. So it can't be said that in our youth we have not known sacrifice or experienced the pain of loss.
No Canadian had known how it would feel to wear the yoke of slavery. Individual freedom has been an almost presumed code of existence. Yet another form of slavery had not escaped our society, and we still deal with it today. The notion that race, religion or gender can be identifying marks may seem repulsive to many yet those marks still exist.
Although Canadians had not taken part in the horrors of slavery and willingly opened their doors to those brave enough to travel the dangerous road toward freedom, we still fought with the notion of branding. Five courageous women, Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Nellie McClung, Louis McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards, later to be known as The Famous Five, dared to question the ideal that a person was not a person, unless he was a man.
These five Canadian women asked the Supreme Court of Canada to answer the question, "Does the word 'Persons' in Section 24 of the British North America Act, 1867, include female persons," in the case Edwards v. Canada (Attorney General). The Supreme Court on the 24th of April in 1928 summarised its unanimous decision that women were not such "persons." Later on October 18th 1929 the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council overturned the judgement. What these five courageous women did brought about change in the Canadian judicial approach to the Canadian constitution that has come to be known as the "living tree doctrine."
As it came to be known the "Persons' Case" also had important ramifications for women's rights and women had never stopped demanding equality. From women's rights to human rights Canada has found individuals willing to stand against the flow and dare to provide reasons to change. John Peters Humphrey authored the first draft of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and on December 10th 1948 the General Assembly unanimously adopted the declaration.
All of humanity had witnessed the horror of war and the unspeakable atrocities committed by man against man. It was not only a time for healing, it was a time for change. Mrs. Roosevelt dubbed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the "International Magna Carta of all mankind." In 1882 Canada adopted its own legal framework to protect and defend basic human rights of all Canadians with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Canadians have been willing to show that change is the nature of humanity and we have provided examples of true pride in our past. Yet it is the future that has to be thought about, as our recent past has not had the same dignity. Our true independence relies on the dependance on all Canadians. We still have to deal with big issues in relation to equality of all, but as individuals it is our home base that holds the true relevance to each of us.
It is on that level that we need to care enough to stand up for the ideals expressed by the few courageous individuals in our past. There are weaknesses of the human spirit that cannot be eradicated on the whole but to simply accept that fact and do nothing about it is simple cowardice. Environmental issues, although clouded at times, are very real and not simply play things for hippy activists. If we are not willing to care for the soil we walk on, the air we need to breathe or the water that sustains all life today then what are we handing down to our children and grandchildren?
Accepting things simply because fear of raising one's voice is too great to overcome will only in the end bring about an erosion of individual freedom. In St. Catharines, Ontario self-imposed censorship has reached a level where greed and corruption are the true masters of the future. It is easy to claim that one individual, any one individual, cannot bring about change. Yet looking at a crowd what do you see, it is a gathering of single individuals willing to stand together for an ideal.
Whether we remember the Famous Five who stood against all that was accepted in their time, or remember the eloquence of thought of someone like John Peters Humphrey, it is the individual human spirit that is worth celebrating. Mary Ann Shadd, editor of The Provincial Freeman first printed in March 1853, provided a motto for her life, her work and the reason behind her courage, "Self-reliance is the true road to independence." As we celebrate Canada Day these words need to be held tightly to our spirit. It is the individual who is part of a whole that provides strength to the whole. Our future depends on each of us, and each of us are equally responsible for our combined future.
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: Do Greener Neighborhoods Produce Healthier Babies?
FRIDAY, Sept. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women who live in leafy, green neighborhoods are less likely to have premature or low birth weight babies, a new study suggests.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 64,000 births in Vancouver, Canada, and found that expectant mothers who lived in a neighborhood with plenty of trees, grass and other vegetation had a 20 percent lower risk of very preterm birth (before 30 weeks) and a 13 percent lower risk of moderate preterm birth (30 to 36 weeks).
Babies born to mothers who lived in greener neighborhoods were also less likely to be small for their gestational age, and weighed an average of 1.6 ounces more at birth than those whose mothers were from less green neighborhoods.
The findings held up even after the researchers adjusted for factors such as neighborhood income and walkability, and exposure to air pollution and noise, according to the study published online recently in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
"This was a surprise. We expected the association between greenness and birth outcomes to disappear once we accounted for other environmental exposures such as air pollution and noise," study lead author Perry Hystad, an assistant professor of environmental and occupational health and safety at Oregon State University, said in a university news release.
"The research really suggests that greenness affects birth outcomes in other ways, such as psychologically or socially," he added.
The study doesn't show a direct cause-and-effect relationship between green environments and better birth outcomes, and further investigation is needed to learn more about the link. Greater amounts of green space may provide residents with more opportunities to socialize and enhance their sense of belonging, or may help reduce stress and depression, Hystad suggested.
"We know green space is good. How do we maximize that benefit to improve health outcomes? The answer could have significant implications for land use planning and development," he said.
Premature and underweight babies often have more health and developmental problems as they grow, and the cost of care also can be much higher, Hystad said.
-- Robert Preidt
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All contents © Copyright 1999-2019 Genius Central and B-Alive Vitamins. All rights reserved. This internet site is hosted by Genius Central, a Web site service provider to natural health stores nationwide. Genius Central and B-Alive Vitamins have no means of independently evaluating the safety or functionality of the products offered by their suppliers and affiliates and thus can neither endorse nor recommend products. Information presented is of a general nature for educational and informational purposes only. Statements about products and health conditions have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Products and information presented herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Your use of this site indicates your agreement to be bound by our
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The Prosecutor
A near-retiring
US prosecuting attorney visited, on her way to
the Middle East. She was a Peace Corp worker in her younger
years, then married a Samurai in a full Japanese wedding ceremony, and now
continues to serve her country by leaving soon for Iraq, where she will "live
in a box" for 2 years, teaching legal techniques to Iraquis. Then she has put in for another 2 years in
after that. Her only hope was that she
would not have a roommate in her residential "box". Hats off to you, and thanks! Afghanistan


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For the last two days I have been busy creating a baby girl chipboard album. It's really kept me busy. When it's done, I'll post the pics! Being the mom of 2 boys, I rarely get a chance to do girly girly scrapbooks. So I am thoroughly enjoying this!
The Pink Elephants Monday challenge this week is : Brown. To check out the challenge go to: http://thepinkelephantchallenge.blogspot.com/. The image I used is a coloring page.... Again! Isn't it so cute though! I colored the image with my Copics and the sentiment on the card means Congratulations.


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Free Standard Shipping on orders over $75
This super soft boy's flannel shirt by Appaman can be worn on it's own or layered on top of a cool graphic tee. It will keep your boy warm on cold winter days or can be used as a little jacket on cool fall afternoons. Choose from gray gingham, blue plaid or orange/teal plaid to match your boy's clothing style and preference.
SSL Secure Site


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SEATTLE (Reuters) - Supporters have raised more than $100,000 to pay the legal fees of a Washington state florist who was sued for refusing to sell a gay couple flowers for their wedding because of her religious beliefs, an online donation site said on Monday.
Friends of Barronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene's Flowers in the southeastern city of Richland, launched the donation drive on the Gofundme.com site last month, saying the money would also be used to help protect her small business.
"The 70-year-old grandmother may lose her business, her home, and her savings - because she stood for her faith, she could lose everything she owns," the site said.
Stutzman refused to provide flowers for the 2013 wedding of her long-time customers, Robert Ingersoll and Curt Freed, saying the same-sex nuptials went against her Southern Baptist faith.
Stutzman referred the couple to another florist who provided the arrangements for the ceremony.
Both the couple and Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued Stutzman, saying her refusal to do business with the couple on the basis of their sexual orientation was illegal.
In March, a Benton County judge fined Stutzman $1,000 plus $1 for court costs after ruling that she had violated state anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws.
The couple is also seeking damages and fees, court records show.
Stutzman in February declined a settlement offer from the attorney general that would have ended future litigation, saying she was protecting her right to free exercise of religion.
The crowd-funding effort for Stutzman comes as a similar online donation drive last week netted more than $840,000 for an Indiana pizza shop that came under intense criticism after one of its owners said she would not cater a gay wedding because of her religious beliefs.
(Reporting by Victoria Cavaliere; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Sandra Maler)


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Use a brush whose bristles are made from natural animal hairs, it is softer and more flexible, which means less damage will be done to your hair.
Hair is most fragile when it is wet so avoid brushing or combing when it's wet, or else it will cause breakage. Wait until your hair is almost completely dry before brushing it.
Use brushes/combs with widely spaced bristles/teeth and smooth tips. Sharp tooth combs can damage your hair, cause split ends, and scratch your scalp.
To keep your brushes and combs clean, wash them weekly using soap or shampoo.
Comb your hair to remove any tangles before brushing it.
Begin by combing your hair gently at the ends to get any tangles out and work your way up to the base of your hair.
Always brush/comb with a downwards stroke.
Avoid using plastic brushes/combs which create static electricity


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WACO, Texas (AP) Baylor has dismissed junior tight end Tre'Von Armstead for an unspecified violation of team rules.
Coach Art Briles announced the dismissal Friday in a brief statement that offered no other details. Armstead played 27 games for the Bears, with five catches for 62 yards and one touchdown.
The decision comes two weeks after defensive end Shawn Oakman and safety Orion Stewart were suspended for the season-opening win over SMU for violating unspecified team rules. Both played last week in a victory against Lamar.
Baylor's season began shortly after the school hired an outside law firm for an independent investigation into the university's handling of sexual assault complaints, including one that led to a conviction against former transfer Sam Ukwuachu.


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Sam Nhlengethwa / Kind of Blue / 2010
In a solo exhibition of new drawings, prints and paintings at the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg, Sam Nhlengethwa pays homage to trumpeter and composer Miles Davis and celebrates the recent 50th anniversary of his groundbreaking album Kind of Blue. The record, which is universally known as one of the most influential and best-selling jazz albums of all time, has been as significant in South Africa as it has been everywhere else.
Described by many musicians and music-lovers as a bible – "something everybody owns" – Kind of Blue could be found in the record collections of everyone Nhlengethwa knew growing up. "When I was a youngster," the artist reflects, "on Sundays when people were relaxing, from street to street people would sit with a portable vinyl player listening to Miles Davis."
And, he says "unlike with the other vinyls where we picked tracks, Kind of Blue was played repeatedly from the first track, 'So What?' to its last track 'Flamenco Sketches'". With its experimental modal sketches, the album's initial and ultimately enduring success came as a surprise to Davis and his sextet, which consisted of pianists Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Paul Chambers, and saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley. "Evans is quoted as saying when they did the album, they had no idea it would become so important," explains Nhlengethwa. "As a painter, I drew a parallel to that – when I make a new painting I never know how important it will be."
Much of the musicians' astonishment at their own success lay in the album's commercially precarious experimentation. While Davis's albums Milestones (1958) and 1958 Miles (1958) featured modal elements, Kind of Blue was based entirely on modality, marking a major departure from his previous albums and their highly popular hard bop style. Influenced by pianist George Russell, Davis provided each performer with a set of scales rather than a complete score, which determined the framework of their improvisation and technique. This musical process, with its focus on scales and modes, embodied what Davis famously called "a return to melody". Recorded in only two short sessions in 1959, Davis and his sextet reached a new level of ingenuity through an eagerness to relinquish popular approaches in the quest for something new and compelling.
The universal nature of the album, its maverick edge and the significance of its 50th
The show will consist of over 30 mainly small scale works, as Nhlengethwa wants "the show to breathe, I don't want it to be too cluttered". The gallery space will, however, be infused with the modal sketches of Kind of Blue, as the album will be played on a loop for the duration of the show. This pensive, musing show will be the last of Nhlengethwa's to focus on the theme of jazz, something he has dealt with for decades. Presenting a distinctive series, which is at times sombre and at times celebratory, Nhlengethwa's Kind of Blue maintains a sophisticated character suited to the thematic closure he is pursuing.
Nhlengethwa was born in the mining community of Payneville in Springs in 1955 and grew up in Ratanda location in Heidelberg, east of Johannesburg. He completed a two-year Fine Art Diploma at the Rorkes Drift Art Centre in the late 1970s. While he exhibited extensively both locally and abroad throughout the 1980s and '90s, Nhlengethwa's travelling solo show South Africa, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow in 1993 established him at the vanguard of critical consciousness in South Africa and he went on to win the Standard Bank Young Artist Award in 1994. His work has been included in key exhibitions such as Seven Stories about Modern Art in Africa at the Whitechapel Gallery in London and major publications such as Phaidon's.
The 20th Century Art Book. He has had several solo shows in South Africa and abroad and has been a resident of the Bag Factory Artists' Studios in Newtown, Johannesburg since the 1990s where, he says, "a week never passes without me listening to Kind of Blue".


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Ravenrock Rim Cabin for Personal Retreat
The small camping Rim Cabin is a perfect personal retreat. It perches on the rock rim nestled in a shady grove of Ponderosa pines with an easy descent into the forest. The panoramic cabin windows and deck offer an astonishing canyon view. Metal roof and tanks provide water catchment. (Devices can be powered by a small solar panel set-up, though there is no wifi and cell signal can be erratic.) Cooking is on a propane camp stove. The cabin is available for one to two week personal retreats when Dunya is in residence. Please inquire: firstname.lastname@example.com
RAVENROCK BARN and CROFT GALLERY
Dancemeditation™ is a program of the Dervish Society of America (DSA), a nonprofit 501-C3 organization dedicated to the Path of embodied mysticism. DSA provides opportunities for personal development, exploratory inquiry into embodied spirituality, and community connection through practice, service, and performance. DONATIONS are tax-deductible.


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|Does Privatization Raise Productivity? Evidence from Comprehensive Panel Data on Manufacturing Firms in Hungary, Romania, Russia and Ukraine
J. David Brown, John S. Earle, and Almos Telegdy
Does Privatization Raise Productivity? Evidence from Comprehensive Panel Data on Manufacturing Firms in Hungary, Romania, Russia and Ukraine
June 6, 2005
This paper analyzes the impact of privatization on multifactor productivity (MFP) using long panel data for nearly the universe of initially state-owned manufacturing firms in four economies. Controlling for firm and industry-year fixed effects and employing a wide variety of measurement approaches, majority privatization raises MFP about 28% in Romania, 22% in Hungary, and 3% in Ukraine, with some variation across specifications, while in Russia it lowers it about 4%. Privatization to foreign rather than domestic investors has a larger impact (about 44%) and is much more consistent across countries. The positive effects emerge within a year in Hungary, Romania, and Ukraine and continue to grow thereafter, but are still ambiguous even after 5 years in Russia. Pre-privatization MFP exceeds that of firms remaining state-owned in all countries, implying that cross-sectional estimates overstate privatization effects. The patterns of the estimated effects cast doubt on a number of explanations for "when privatization works."
National Council for Eurasian and East European Research (NCEEER) is a non-profit organization created in 1978 to develop and sustain long-term, high-quality programs for post-doctoral research on the social, political, economic, environmental, and historical development of Eurasia and Central and Eastern Europe. More
Doctors' and Parents' Perspectives on Communication Regarding HPV Vaccination in Bulgaria
Elitsa Dimitrova, Yulia Panayotova, Anna Alexandrova-Karamanova, and Irina Todorova
Contextual Constitution of Behavior: Introducing the HPV Vaccine in Eastern Europe
Irina Todorova and Adrian Baban
The Readers of Novyi Mir, 1948-1969: A Social Portrait
Denis Kozlov


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Scientists Say It's Possible That People With This Rare Blood Type Have 'Alien' DNATranslateCategories: Mystery Tags: People · Possible · Scientists
For as long as humans have existed, there have been eight common blood types: A, AB, B, and O, with each having a positive or negative trait. These only vary based on the proteins found in each individual's blood.
It is suggested that as much as 38 percent of the United States population has O-positive blood (the most common), while as little as one percent has AB-negative (the least common).
Now, scientists are claiming that they have discovered a new blood type in humans that stems from an unbelievable source. You have to see what it means if you have this stuff coursing through your veins…


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Education news of interest in Central Kentucky
Education news of interest in Central Kentucky.
■ Benjamin (Ben) Tucker, valedictorian of the Class of 2013 at Sayre School, was recently named the winner of a national contest for the best high school graduation speech in the country by Own the Room Speakers Corner, in partnership with Parade Magazine.
Tucker gave a lighthearted ode to his alma mater, urging his classmates to attend their first reunion because, after all, they are family who love and care for each other. To see the speech, visit: Youtube/eiwmo1j2rgM
Tucker beat out finalists from nine other states for the recognition.
Tucker will attend DePaul University in the fall and plans to major in digital cinema and television production. Along with Parade Magazine's Best High School Commencement Address 2013, Tuckers's achievements at Sayre School include: president, Sayre School Student Council; president, Sayre National French Honor Society; president, Lexington Youth Arts Council; vice president, International Thespian Society; numerous Kennedy Bookstore Literary Awards for Fiction, Personal Narrative and Academic Essay writing; appointed Commonwealth Ambassador for Kentucky by Secretary of State Alison L. Grimes; AP Scholar with Distinction; National Honor Society member; The Silver/Bender Foundation Scholarship from the Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation Holocaust Remembrance Project 2012; and Kentucky Commonwealth Diploma 2013. His published work includes Problem Solving, a play performed and published by Actors Theatre of Louisville in 2012.
■ Ethan Hamblin, 22, a Berea College senior and native of Gays Creek (Perry County), has received the Sargent Shriver Youth Warriors Against Poverty Leadership Award from The Marguerite Casey Foundation.
While interning at the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky in Hazard, Hamblin established the Youth Leadership and Philanthropy Initiative to spur local youths to invest in enhancing their community by participating in applying for grants, fundraising, nonprofit engagement and community service.
As one of 14 young persons to receive the award, Hamblin will receive $5,000 in recognition of his vision, passion and dedication to improving the lives of families in his community.
■ In honor of Blue Grass Community Foundation's founders, the foundation established the Irene and C.W. Sulier Scholarship to provide scholarship awards to five Fayette County Public School graduating seniors who demonstrated community service through their active philanthropic works.
The following students received this year's scholarship: Virginia Newsome, graduate of Lafayette High School; Roshnee Raithatha, graduate of Henry Clay High School; Dylan Sarkisian, graduate of Henry Clay High School; Nada Shalash, graduate of Tates Creek High School and Syndey Winchester, graduate of Tates Creek High School.
■ Qaisar Sultana, professor emeritus in the department of special education at Eastern Kentucky University, has been named a Senior Fulbright Specialist.
This fall, Sultana will travel to Norway where she will teach graduate students in the European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations Program and undergraduate students in the Teacher Training Program.
Sultana joined EKU in 1980 as chair of the department of special education. She retired in 2006 but has remained professionally active, occasionally teaching part time in the department and frequently traveling overseas consulting, delivering keynote addresses at international conferences, conducting professional development of teachers and teacher educators, assisting with curriculum development, designing evaluation systems and writing public policy in education, among other responsibilities.
■ Eastern Kentucky University Department of Music Chair Rob James was elected recently to serve a two-year term as president of the Kentucky Association of College Music Departments.
The association is a service organization created to increase the effectiveness and advance the standards and ideals of higher learning music departments in Kentucky. James served as president-elect from 2003 to 2005 and president from 2005 to 2007. He also served as secretary from 2011 to 2013.
James joined EKU in 1988 and has served as music chair and professor. He received his bachelor's degree from Oakland University and his master's degree from Miami University of Ohio.


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Solve This (? + ? + ?=30)
If 1111=R, 2222=T, 3333=E, 4444=N Then 5555=?
Guess the Hindi Muhawara from the following whatsapp Emoticons?
Sweet, Medicine, Film, Girl, City, Car, Place, Doggy all are name same, guess which word it is?
Guess me who am I, I am the first on earth, the second in heaven...
Mitchell Starc
was on Sunday named the Player of the Tournament after his team won the
2015 World Cup defeating newzland
in the final at the majestic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here. The 25-year-old was the unanimous choice of a select Heading group of experts.
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2018 © Queryhome


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Canon Announce Upgrade To Their Flagship 600EX-RT Speedlite
Canon updated their radio triggered flash system with the new Speedlite 600EX II-RT unit, compatible with most EOS cameras. It provides up to 2 x faster continuous burst rates, and improved heat protection buffer.
The Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT flash replaces earlier Speedlite 600EX-RT, which launched four years ago alongside the Canon 5D Mark III camera body. The new strobe shares a lot with its predecessor, including the exact same 20-200mm coverage and top-of-the-line guide number of 60 meters (197 feet) at ISO 100. It retains the interesting dual radio / optical transmission support for wireless flash control in up to 5 groups, and has very similar styling, controls and display to the earlier model as well.
The new Speedlite 600EX II-RT from Canon offers wireless shooting via radio and optical transmission, but improves flash recycle times though 1.1 to 1.5x when using AA batteries and up to 2x with a new CP-E4N add-on battery pack.
For added coverage and functionality, the flash's zoom head can reach from 20-200mm, with the option for wide 14mm coverage when built-in diffusion panel is used. Also, the unit can tilt from -7 to +90° and rotate 180° either right or left for complete bounce capabilities. On the back of the 600EX II-RT is a backlit dot-matrix LCD panel that displays the status and enable users to easily access and change settings. Additionally, the flash is durable with a redesigned contact construction and improved water and dust resistant sealing.
Pricing for the Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT flash strobe is set at around US$580.