text:
The ZIMBABWE Situation
Our thoughts and prayers are with Zimbabwe
- may peace, truth and justice prevail.
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Bennet vows not to leave farm
As millions face starvation, Mugabe scolds Tony Blair
Farm workers accused of kidnapping cop released
Zanu PF terrorism set to rise as rural elections approach
Serious health hazard looms as Chiredzi runs dry
Chombo allegedly grabs farm
Violence breaks out ahead of Hurungwe polls
Seed price row threatens to disrupt agricultural season
MPs, councillors sign petition against torture
Mugabe blames media for image problem
Mugabe Tells Whites to Leave or Risk Jail over Land
Powell heckled at Earth Summit
125 Zim farmers head to Zambia
Arrest Mugabe - SA farmer
(Business leaders welcome)
Jenni Williams - JUSTICE FOR AGRICULTURE ZIMBABWE
Cordially invites you to a breakfast meeting
On Friday 6th September 2002
Time 7:15 for 7:30 am to 9am
At THE GRACE in Rose bank, Johannesburg (53 Bath Avenue. Jan Smuts Avenue
towards town, left into Tywhrit Avenue. To 3rd traffic light and right into
Bath Avenue. Go past the entrance to the Hotel to park in the basement
parking area)
(A finger breakfast will be served)
1. Presentation Justice for Agriculture
2. Visuals "Wet Drought" and its impact on Commercial Agriculture
3. The Special Beneficiaries of 'People First'
4. Land Reform or Land Piracy - compromising TRADE whilst embracing AID!
Background information:
1. Zimbabwe is 39 079 000 hectares in extent. Large Scale Commercial Sector
(6 000 farms) on 11 020 000 hectares which is 28.2 percent. Commercial
Farmers' Union Members owned 8 595 000 hectares.
STATE LAND is 27 604 000 hectares, 70.6 percent; PRIVATE LAND is 11 275 000
hectares, 28.9 percent and URBAN LAND is 200 000 hectares, 0.5 percent.
As at 19 July 2002, there were 6148 farms measuring 10780963 hectares of
land listed for acquisition. On this date there were 465 farms measuring 864
579 hectares delisted from acquisition. There were 339 farms, 770 759
hectares that had previously been delisted, relisted for acquisition. This
brought the nett figure to 6 022 farms on 106 8714 hectares of land. To
translates to 97 percent of the land acquired.
News release
(On behalf of Justice for Agriculture - JAG)
Land Acquisition 'by Grace and favour'
COMMERCIAL farmers are receiving positive judgments from the Zimbabwean
judiciary even though an insidious campaign of intimidation against the
legal profession unfolds. These attacks, reported in the press in the last
few weeks, are not isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern of
intimidation meant to enforce judicial and legal support for the government'
s policies or failing this to declare it irrelevant. With these developments
yet another barrier has been placed in the road to a return to the rule of
President Mugabe continues to usurp any and all speaking opportunities to
'pretend' that no single-owned farms are being acquired and that his
Government is abiding by its criteria.
As this release is written the Andy and Sharon Kockott who won their legal
battle to retain their farm, stand by and watch as their Coffee plantation
is uprooted to make way for illegal settlers huts. The Carter family on
unlisted Wye Farm were last allowed in their Raffingora home in January
2002. They grew Virginia Tobacco, Paprika and Maize. Smith Mereki, a war
veteran evicted them scoffing at their High Court order granting them the
right to continue farming. These are a few of the 1024 single owned farms
listed for acquisition and in most cases illegally evicted by war veterans.
Many will win their cases and be permitted to return to their farms but the
battle to win their right to a livelihood continues.
Justice for Agriculture call on our President to explain why there is such a
chasm between his 'words' and the 'deeds' of the settlers on the ground. We
call on him to accept that he has compromised agricultural TRADE for
shameful AID and reduced proud Zimbabweans to piteous beggars in just two
years. More and more land that was once productive lies fallow, this as the
dams are 75% full.
As to the land reform programme, we demand an explanation as to why he is
not accountable to his constitution and to the legal instruments ignored in
implementing the land reform programme. The programme communicated in the
'People First' policy document is also being ignored despite the fact that
it was recognised by the Supreme Court as a 'sound' programme.
Land is being handed out willy nilly to the politically correct with scant
regard to sustainable development or even to legalizing the position of
settlers on the land so that they can speedily grow crops to feed Zimbabwe.
JAG has before the courts, test cases challenging the amendments to the Land
Acquisition Act. These amendments, which came in through the back door of
parliament by ignoring standing orders, are odds with the Zimbabwean
Constitution. JAG will continue to advocate for agricultural stakeholders to
continue to test the judiciary in the hopes that this will unlock the way
forward for a return to the rule of law and true peace and productivity in
Meanwhile Ministers Made (Lands and Agriculture), Chombo (Local Government
and National Housing Affairs) and Chinamasa (Justice, Legal and
Parliamentary Affairs) continue to insist settlers from both the A1
(villagised) and A2 (commercial) take up land allocated to them by the Lands
and Agriculture Ministry. In so doing they are forcing the shutting down and
eviction of farm operators and their staff. The Ministers are also silent on
the provision of any legal rights on the land allocated.
Under current legislation no government minister can give out legal rights
in State property, including any land acquired by the State, except in terms
of a power given to him by a statute.
The statute in question, the Agricultural Land Settlement Act Ch 20:01
requires the Agricultural Land Settlement Board consider every application
for a lease and make its recommendations and report before the Minister
makes a decision to allocate land.
This Board has to take into account various matters specified in the Act,
and keep a record of its proceedings. No Members of Parliament can be
involved, and any Board member who has any interests himself or through
family or business interests has to declare this interest and can take no
further part in the process.
Despite this, when the Chairman and Secretary of the Board were subpoenaed
to attend a court in Harare last week, the Ministry of Lands advised that it
had not been working and had not considered any applications, and that the
identities of the Chairman and Secretary were not even known there - finally
confirming mounting suspicions that the law on allocations was being totally
All the allocations are instead being made by Land Task Force Committees
chaired by the Provincial Governors who fall under the Ministry of Local
Government and Housing whose Minister is Ignatius Chombo, himself an illegal
invader of a farm in Mashonaland West.
It appears that all new settlers are being asked to begin cropping on land
that they have no legal rights on. Legal opinion is that the 'Allocation
Letters', which are signed by Minister Made and made available to
beneficiaries, have been prepared and are issued without any consideration
or recommendation from the Board, first, are of no legal effect, "quite
This adds another legal problem for settlers, particularly those trying to
raise funds from financial institutions. Already if the Minister fails to
prove a case against the owner in the Administrative Court (where cases
concerning about 2,500 pieces of land are pending), the Land Acquisition Act
obliges the court to order its return to the owner. The Act makes no
provision for any payment to be made for standing crops by either the owner
or government, and it is thought to be very unlikely that the law could help
them at all in terms of restitution of losses.
Government has also been urging settlers to quit their jobs before they move
onto the land. The Act requires that new settlers use the land themselves -
precluding them from handing over possession to another.
As Government Ministers, we presume that the above Ministers are well aware
of the Act. It is referred to in the official land reform programme, and in
various forms being handed out, and their motives for ignoring it in
practice and creating a situation where settlers are using land only 'by
grace and favour' are unknown.
The decisions on what land to take and who will get it are incorrectly being
made by the unauthorised people, instead of the Court first deciding what
should be taken and the Board considering who will be able to use it.
No effort is being made to calculate the cost or stay within the budget for
acquisitions. The result is that, contrary to the official program aimed at
under-utilised land, the best developed land is usually being targeted,
existing farm businesses are being shut down, and farmers are seen being
chased from their homes - while the country is believed to be racking up
debts for compensation which will burden it for years to come.
JAG is also in the process of putting together a group action to sue for
losses in terms of stolen assets and loss in earnings for both owners and
employees. Estimates available indicate that the amount in question could
far exceed Z$ 20 Billion.
4th September 2002
Contact Jenni Williams on roaming mobile (+263) 11213 885 or on email
Client information - For privileged use by the addressee only.
Contact Jenni Williams on Mobile (+263) 91 300456 or 11213 885 Or on email
or Fax (+2639) 63978 or (+2634) 703829
Office email
A member of the International Association of Business Communicators. Visit
the IABC website
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Daily News
Bennet vows not to leave farm, claims CIO boss after property
From Brian Mangwende in Mutare
Roy Bennet, the MP for Chimanimani, has vowed not to leave his
Charleswood estate, accusing President Mugabe of hypocrisy on the land
acquisition programme.
Speaking in Mutare, Bennet said, in any case, his farm did not meet
the criteria for acquisition. Although the MDC MP was served with an
eviction order in May, he described it as null and void, as he claimed the
farm fell under the Export Processing Zone (EPZ). A defiant Bennet said
farms in EPZs were not for compulsory acquisition. His farm was subdivided
under the A1 and A2 schemes of the controversial land reform programme.
"Mugabe is being hypocritical," Bennet said. "On the one hand he says one
man, one farm; on the other, he grabs land from those with only one farm. I
have only one farm and I am definitely not moving from there any time soon.
I am a coffee grower and employ over a thousand people. What is going to
happen to them? Besides, my farm is under an EPZ."
Bennet said at first the government had said they would leave him a
portion of land on which to grow coffee. "Now they have changed their mind
and say I should move off the property . . . I am not going anywhere," he
said. The legislator said he had impeccable evidence his farm had been
allocated to Elisha Muzonzini, the director-general of the Central
Intelligence Organisation (CIO). Challenged to produce the evidence, Bennet
said he was still compiling it.
He said: "I have it on good authority that Muzonzini has been
allocated my farm, but to me that's neither here nor there. I will not leave
my farm." He said he had received reports that people in Chimanimani were
refusing to occupy the farm. In retaliation, Zanu PF supporters threatened
them with unspecified action if they refused to move to the farm.
Bennet said he had been told that on Monday the police in Chimanimani,
led by Joseph Mwale of the CIO, stopped truck loads of coffee pickers on
their way to his farm and asked them to return. Mwale is implicated in the
murder of two MDC activists during the bloody parliamentary election
campaign in 2000.
"Some of the pickers were school children on holiday," said Bennet.
The MP said the police accused him of using child labour and ordered the
children to return to their homes while they allowed the adults to proceed.
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Leader Page
As millions face starvation, Mugabe scolds Tony Blair
ZIMBABWEANS will have reacted differently to President Mugabe's
emotional address to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in
Johannesburg on Monday.
Some will praise it for its blunt warning to the British Prime
Minister, Tony Blair, to stop what Mugabe believes is his interference in
Zimbabwean politics.
They will remember he has been even more vitriolic in the past in his
attacks on Blair. In many ways, they will rate the speech as rather
Others will rank it as a rather unfortunate speech which did not
address the nitty-gritty issue of the summit's agenda - sustainable
development. They will regret Mugabe's preoccupation with Tony Blair to the
exclusion of the number one subject among the people today - starvation.
That subject, unfortunately, cannot be separated from the other
controversial one: the land reform programme and the seizure of the
commercial farms, and the desperate plight of thousands of Zimbabweans
thrown off the farms.
The method chosen by the government to implement the programme has
caused much suffering among the people because it has been spearheaded,
initially, by the so-called war veterans, whose regard for the rule of law
is dubious, to say the least.There has been much violence and disruption of
production accompanying the programme, some of it gratuitous and needless.
What some people have seen as the persecution of one race has been so
relentless, the phrase "ethnic cleansing" has been used in reference to it.
This is unfortunate, but the total disregard for any modicum of
decency in the implementation of the programme has left many people
wondering if this is not a deliberate campaign to terrorise one particular
race into leaving the country of their birth.
It would be a grave mistake for Mugabe to believe that all
Zimbabweans, black and white, are totally behind the method his government
has used to put the land reform into practice.
It would also be a mistake for Mugabe to believe he can speak of "my
Zimbabwe" without causing grievous offence to many people in this country.
That phrase is as offensive to many as "my people". What would be wrong with
"our Zimbabwe" or "our people"? He may be the president of all Zimbabweans,
but to sound as if he "owned" Zimbabwe rankles many people. As to what may
seem like Mugabe's personal feud, tiff or spat with Tony Blair, many people
feel it detracts seriously from the issue at hand, which is one of good
governance, fairness, democracy and freedom - and starvation.
Many people in this country are not entirely satisfied that Mugabe's
political party and his government have treated them with the fairness they
feel they are entitled to in a democracy. They are entitled to express their
opinions, without the accusation being made by the President and his
supporters that they are only doing so because they are in the pay of the
British, the Europeans and the Americans.
This viewpoint assumes that nobody would oppose the policies of this
government if Tony Blair, George W Bush and all the leaders of the EU
countries had not put in place measures which display physically their
disapproval of the government's policies.
This is just not true. For instance, there is not one Zimbabwean who
actively opposes the land reform programme. What most of them feel is wrong
about its implementation is the killing and general mayhem, including rape
and theft, which has accompanied it.
So, while it may be possible that there are those who feel the
President's speech to the Earth Summit hit the right note, there may be
others who feel strongly that by taking his brawl with Tony Blair to such a
world forum, Mugabe did not enhance his international reputation one whit.
Certainly, they would not feel that the speech will do much to help
the six million people threatened with starvation. They would counsel
against the confrontational stance of the government, while the country is
such dire need of food aid.
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Daily News
Farm workers accused of kidnapping cop released
From Our Correspondent in Bulawayo
Ten farm workers who appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Godwin
Sengweni yesterday facing charges of kidnapping a police officer were
remanded out of custody to 13 September.
Moses Siphuma, 49, Masango, 61, Zwelitsha Stanford Masuku, 36, and
Dean Maphosa, 40, Khumbula Ndlovu, Wilson Tshuma, 46, Priscilla Janet
Chiwaru, 43, June Masango, 61, Moses Moyo, 43, Douglas Mpala, 42, and Mbonwa
Ndlovu, 58, all pleaded not guilty. Andrew Marimo, the prosecutor, said on
20 May last year, the ten, acting in consent, drove a government Nissan
truck registration number GLM 1621 from Heany Junction to Fort Rixon Police
They demanded to see Constable Robert Sigauke but were told he was
absent. The group proceeded to St Jeannette primary school, about 400km from
the police station where they found him.
They demanded that Sigauke accompany them to the charge office where
they accused him of murdering James Mazada, a villager staying at Heany
Junction farm. They accused him of conniving with the owner of the farm,
Philip Edward Rodgers, in the murder. They said Mazada had been killed by
the policeman with an electric cord. Siphuma allegedly handcuffed Sigauke,
and with the help of other members of the group, bundled the police officer
into a car, then took him to Heany Junction farm. The prosecutor said
Siphuma is alleged to have stopped where a group of mourners were gathered
for the funeral of Mazada and addressed the mourners who jeered Sigauke.
Siphuma is alleged to have vowed to deal with Sigauke the following
morning. He and one of his accomplices, Khumbula Ndlovu took Sigauke to
Bulawayo where he slept under the guard of Siphuma in a relative's house.
Siphuma later allowed Sigauke to use the phone. Sigauke took advantage of
this and arrested Siphuma together with his accomplices.
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Zanu PF terrorism set to rise as rural elections approach
The right to vote has always meant the right to participate and to be
heard. Now that rural elections have been set for this month the dastardly
terrorist attacks on MDC supporters countrywide will intensify.
When we hear of or witness these attacks by Zanu PF supporters aided
and abetted by the militia and equally partisan security agencies, we all
stand diminished. This is not only because of the colossal loss of innocent
human lives and property but also because they denigrate the core spirit and
essential values of democracy and the basic and inalienable constitutional
rights of assembly, choice and voting.
These attacks also bring home the realisation that State-sponsored,
State-sanctioned and ruling party terrorism is not something that happens
elsewhere in distant lands but is an everyday reality in this country.
Why does Zanu PF resort to terrorism each time there is an election
and afterwards? And what are the circumstances that drive people to a life
of lawlessness and political crime in the name of preserving the sovereignty
of this country and racism?
The answer is very clear - to counter the opposition MDC support which
is increasing daily. Mugabe and Zanu PF will resort, as they usually do,
with a two-prolonged strategy. They will terrorise the white minority, who
are perceived as the financial backers of the opposition, in an effort to
exploit black resentment of white wealth. Torture camps will open in the
countryside where the opposition supporters will be battered into
But translated to the macro-scale the analogy would apply to the
authoritarian and oppressive regime and the absence of democratic
institutions and safety valves.
It is no secret that the Zanu PF government has failed to provide good
and honest governance, good education, adequate health care, decent housing
and jobs to its citizens.
The people of this country most chose between two distinct
alternatives - the path of peace or the path of terror represented by the
MDC and Zanu PF, respectively.
In the rural council elections this month the people of this country
are called upon to defend freedom against the ruthless enemies of peace. And
as the elections dates draw nearer, we expect as Zanu PF to regroup its
militia to create mayhem and try to undermine the people's efforts to built
lasting peace. Peace in the countryside will only be achieved when the
people are given the chance to elect the council representatives of their
We are confronted with a party that is decades old which has a history
of brutally assaulting its opponents. The people of this country must send
the message on election day that those who cause terror can not be martyrs.
Zanu PF, its underlings and partisan security agencies must realise that the
long-term solution is for both the MDC and Zanu PF to live side by side
What does it mean when youths are sent to brutalise children, fathers
and mothers in the name of politics?
Hatred and fanatism can not be the way to a better future because the
aspirations of humanity are always stronger than its animosity. Men and
women everywhere want to live in dignity and to raise their children in
peace and security. We know Zanu PF has always sought to not only
legitimise, but to also glorify, heinous acts against the MDC, which happens
to command a large following in the country. But by and large the people of
this country have refused the misleading assertion that Zanu PF is destined
to rule forever.
Many have seriously questioned the dividing line between a struggle
for self-determination and freedom and mindless acts of wanton political
carnage against innocent and unarmed civilians.
Today Zanu PF terrorism recognises no race, ethnicity or political
If Hitler was to be viewed as one of the last century's
mega-terrorists, then what spawned an aberration like him to rise and even
be adulated by a highly educated society which nurtured him and almost
unquestionably accepted him as a supreme leader? A close look at the plight
of the German people following the Treaty of Versailles and the subsequent
deterioration of Germany will provide an answer. Like Hitler, Mugabe has
used political and racial hatred as a tool to motivate and manipulate his
followers against the MDC, inflating them in the process. The rural poor and
semi-literate amongst whom Zanu PF continues to draw a constant stream of
militia and cannon fodder in the hysterical pursuit of a political agenda,
are a clear example.
But like a pressure cooker without safety valves, such a society will
explode at some point. A country that respects the rights of its citizens
and allows all of them a say in decisions that affect their lives is also
likely to benefit from their creative energies and to provide the kind of
economic and social environment that attracts investors.
Nothing destroys that atmosphere more corrosively than fear and
intolerance combined with injustice and discrimination.
Stability can hardly be taken for granted in a country where the
majority of the people are denied the opportunity to enjoy their lives
peacefully. It's sad that a brutal ruling party like Zanu PF legitimises or
perpetuates its power by holding flawed elections.
Matandirotya was the MDC's election agent in the March presidential
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Serious health hazard looms as Chiredzi runs dry
From our Correspondent in Masvingo
A serious health hazard looms in Chiredzi after the town ran out of
water for almost a week, prompting residents to use shallow wells and
streams. On Sunday afternoon water supplies had not been restored in the
high-density suburb of Tshovani, Chiredzi town and the surrounding areas.
Many residents used buckets to flush toilets while others used the the
bush to relieve themselves. One resident, Michael Nyoni said: "We have been
without water for almost a week and the council has done nothing about the
problem. We risk contracting diseases like cholera. "We are relying on dirty
water from shallow wells and streams. It's a serious situation." Acting Town
Secretary, Clayton Sanjovo, on Sunday confirmed the town had run dry.
Sanjovo said: "We are trying our level best to ensure water supplies are
restored. The problem is we share water with Hippo Valley Estates. All the
water meant to service the town has been diverted to the Estate.
"We also want to replace the old engines." Chiredzi has had water
problems for the past five years as the existing water works cannot cope
with the ever-increasing demand. The town needs over $30 million to upgrade
its water works.
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Chombo allegedly grabs farm
Staff Reporter
Ignatius Chombo, the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and
National Housing, was last Friday alleged to have ordered a Raffingora
commercial farm manager to leave the farm the following day so that he could
move in.
Justice for Agriculture (JAG), a splinter group from the Commercial
Farmers Union which is fighting for the interests of commercial farmers in
the courts, said Chombo telephoned Hannes Swan, the manager of Alan Grange
Farm in Raffingora, Mashonaland West Province, on Friday afternoon and gave
him the ultimatum to leave. Jenni Williams, the JAG spokesperson, said in
statement on Friday: "Chombo, who is rumoured to have acquired farms under
the on-going land grab, has finally confirmed his choice of a farm in a
telephone conversation with the farm manager. "Chombo insisted that the
family should move off the property as he would personally be moving in on
But Chombo, who chairs the government's national land acquisition task
force, yesterday denied that he had any personal interest in the farm, which
he said was going to be resettled under the A2 commercial farming model.
Williams said the 3 000-hectare farm had 200ha of barley valued at $70
million and 200ha of wheat worth $40 million. Chombo said he had invited
Swan to come to Harare today to discuss the issue of the farm equipment and
how the crops are to be harvested. He said: "We have put the police on the
farm to protect the crops and the equipment. The crops are an investment and
we are talking about full-scale farming. This is serious business and those
we allocate land on the farm will have to pay for the equipment and
"This is not the A1 model that is meant to decongest the communal
areas." He accused Swan of trying to derail the land reform programme. He
said: "Swan is the son of the owner of Chembada Farm in the area. That is
where he has always worked. In March or April he left and went to live on
Alan Grange Farm. When we asked him why, he said he also wanted to be
resettled. "We said hatitambe tichidaro (we don't play such games) and
ordered the police and the district administrator to see him off the farm by
Saturday last week but he met the deadline on his own," said Chombo
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Violence breaks out ahead of Hurungwe polls
Staff Reporters
MDC and Zanu PF supporters in Hurungwe West constituency have accused
each other of political violence ahead of a parliamentary by-election and
rural district council polls at the end of the month.
Justin Dandawa, the opposition MDC candidate for Hurungwe West,
yesterday claimed that a group of Zanu PF supporters known as the "Top Six",
operating from Chinhoyi town, was beating up by known MDC supporters around
the town. But Chipere Muguti, the ruling Zanu PF political commissar for
Mashonaland West province, denied the allegations and counter-accused the
MDC of attacking his followers. Phone Madiro is standing for Zanu PF after
the death from natural causes of his brother, Marko Madiro, in May. Muguti
said: "I have not heard that our supporters have assaulted anyone. But the
MDC have burnt down two houses belonging to our officials. We are yet to
respond to these attacks.
I urge people to campaign peacefully." He said the houses were burnt
sometime last week in the Dzimaiwe area and the matter was reported to the
police at Magunje. The MDC said the the incidents of assault on their
members were reported at Magunje Police Station. An officer at Magunje
Police Station said yesterday: "The officer-in-charge said he cannot speak
to you on the telephone. He said you should come to Magunje to get that
information." Dandawa said he could not campaign because of the alleged
"I can't hold rallies because our supporters would be attacked. It is
very dangerous to hold public meetings here, but as a party we will still
contest the seat," he said. He said last week, Weston Mabhera, an MDC
council election candidate, was abducted during the night in Mukonori area
and assaulted about five kilometres away from his homestead for standing in
the poll. George Zizi of Ward 12 in Muzilawambi said last week on Tuesday he
was pulled out of a bus at Magunje growth point and taken to the Zanu PF
office where he was allegedly assaulted for challenging Zanu PF in the
There has been a sudden rise in political violence in some parts of
the country ahead of nationwide rural district council elections scheduled
for the end of this month. Mukorera Taruvinga, Muzarabani district chairman
for the MDC, said he was severely assaulted by Zanu PF youths on Friday
evening. Taruvinga was nominated by the MDC to stand as their candidate in
Kapembere ward. The elections are set for 28 and 29 September. Taruvinga
said: "I was coming from Mahwenda village around 7pm when a blue vehicle
stopped to pick me up.
"I boarded the vehicle in good faith because I had heard somebody
calling my name, but later I found out that the vehicle was carrying Zanu PF
youths." Taruvinga sustained head injuries and bruises all over his face.
Elliot Manyika, the Minister of Youth Development, Gender and Employment
Creation and Zanu PF's political commissar, said he was not aware of the
incident. "This is actually news to me," Manyika said. In the Midlands
province, Anthony Chamahwinya, the deputy MDC organising secretary for
Midlands North, was admitted to a private hospital on Sunday after he was
allegedly attacked by Zanu PF supporters at Holy Cross Mission in
Laison Mlambo, the MDC provincial chairman, yesterday said Chamahwinya
was attacked while distributing nomination papers to their prospective
candidates in the election scheduled for 28 and 29 September. Thirty-six MDC
candidates have reportedly withdrawn from elections in Mberengwa, Shurugwi,
vishavane and Chirumanzu. Meanwhile, the police in Shurugwi have denied they
have arrested Taurai Danda, the MDC candidate for Ward 13. But his lawyers
said they were looking for him.
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Seed price row threatens to disrupt agricultural season
By Collin Chiwanza
A price dispute between the government and major seed producers could
seriously hamper preparations for the agricultural season. Seed companies
are withholding their products, demanding an urgent price rise before they
can release the seed to farmers.
Small-scale farmers preparing for the next planting season have no
maize seed and other essential inputs such as fertiliser. Jabulani Gwaringa,
an economist with the Zimbabwe Farmers' Union, said most seed houses were
trying by all means to limit their sales as a loss control measure. Gwaringa
said: "Seed houses have been tightly restricting their sales because the
price at which they are selling is not viable. They are making huge losses."
The dispute comes amid reports that the government wants to buy large
quantities of the seed at "unreasonably subsidised prices" under its
much-publicised $8,5 billion farm input scheme.
Through the supplementary budget, the government announced it had set
aside $8,5 billion for agricultural inputs, including tillage, seeds and
fertilisers. But economists say the sector needs at least $70 billion for
optimum preparation of the planned area to go under crop. Seed houses report
that there are more than 50 000 metric tonnes of maize seed available and
that this quantity is enough for two seasons, but may not be on the market
yet because of the controlled prices. The seed houses buy seed from the seed
growers at $110 000 per metric tonne but are required to sell it at $75 000
to the end-users. Seed producers said the problem needed to be addressed or
only limited amounts of seed would reach the farmers in time.
The country needs about 600 000 metric tonnes of fertilisers. About
400 000 metric tonnes is manufactured locally and is available in the form
of Compound D. A shortfall of 200 000 metric tonnes of ammonium nitrate
fertiliser is anticipated as this is manufactured from imported raw
materials, which require foreign currency, which is in direly short supply.
Traditionally, Compound D is required when the planting season starts, while
top dressing (ammonium nitrate) is applied around October-November. But some
farmers have started to use a new method, applying both compounds at the
planting stage. Certified maize seed has been out of stock at most outlets
throughout the country.
The shortage has been attributed to the arbitrary price controls
imposed by the government a few days before the March presidential election,
won disputably by President Mugabe. Citing low market prices, the seed
houses are demanding that the government urgently reviews prices to ensure
their businesses remain viable. The maize industry wants a 140 percent
increase to cushion them from the losses they have already incurred. Some
farmers have warned that if no urgent action is taken on the pricing
problem, they might be forced to boycott the production of certain crops
which are seen to be economically unviable.
Government officials contacted yesterday refused to comment on the
issue. An official with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural
Resettlement said the government was currently negotiating with the seed
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Daily News
MPs, councillors sign petition against torture
Staff Reporter
HARARE city councillors and opposition MDC party MPs have petitioned
the government, protesting the torture and inhuman treatment of Linos
Mushonga, the councillor for Ward 23, and Sairosi Chikowero, an MDC security
officer, who are in custody on allegations of murdering Ali Khan Manjengwa,
a Zanu PF activist.
Last week, the two accused told a Harare magistrate that they were
brutally tortured by the police, suspected Central Intelligence Organisation
(CIO) agents and soldiers, who were pressurising them to confess to the
murder of the Zanu PF activist. The Harare city councillors, who are
predominantly from the MDC, and the MPs are scheduled to hand over the
petition to the government before Friday. "We demand that Councillor
Mushonga and Mr Chikowero receive proper medical attention immediately, that
mistreatment of suspects and prisoners cease forthwith throughout the
country, that an independent Commission of Inquiry be set up by the relevant
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee to table its report within a period of
three months from now, and that adequate disciplinary action be taken
against those responsible," the petition reads in part.
"We also register our protest against the inhuman and and
unconstitutional treatment of Honourable Fletcher Dhulini and countless
other "suspects" while in police custody. We point out that the entire
nation is living in a state of fear of the very people who are charged with
protecting us." Harare North MP, Trudy Stevenson, said they were seeking
police permission to hold a protest march against the state for the inhuman
and unconstitutional treatment of their colleagues.
The petition is addressed to Kembo Mohadi, the Minister of Home
Affairs, Patrick Chinamasa, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary
Affairs, Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri, the Chief Justice Godfrey
Chidyausiku and Ignatius Chombo, the Minister of Local Government, Public
Works and National Housing.
Simbarashe Muzenda, the lawyer representing the accused, said the
police had not operated within the confines of the law. "It is not normal,
as happened in this particular case, that suspects are brutally attacked and
that they are taken to Chinamhora Police Station when they are alleged to
have committed a crime in Mbare, Harare," Muzenda said. "They were also
taken to Goromonzi, which is a notorious place and it is unusual that
members of the army and the CIO get involved in a criminal case."
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Mugabe blames media for image problem
September 04 2002 at 02:27PM
By Toby Reynolds
Johannesburg - President Robert Mugabe, who has banned foreign reporters
from Zimbabwe and enacted laws to muzzle domestic media, on Wednesday blamed
the international media for his country's negative image.
Visiting an exhibition on the sidelines of the World Summit in Johannesburg,
he brushed aside questions about his war of words with British Prime
Minister Tony Blair.
"Leave Mr Blair alone. He is from England, I am from Zimbabwe," he joked to
reporters asking about Blair's comment in Britain on Tuesday that Mugabe did
not speak for Africa.
'We must be proud that we are African'
Criticising the international media, he said they should "become part of our
environment, and not continue to be instruments to be used by our former
Mugabe's Zanu-PF, which has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980,
enacted tough new legislation this year to limit media criticism.
At least 13 journalists have already been charged with publishing alleged
falsehoods under the new laws.
The government has set a deadline for all reporters to register with
authorities, saying only Zimbabweans will be allowed to work in the country.
Mugabe, who lashed out at Blair in an address to the summit on Monday, said
Africans had little to learn from their Western critics, and urged the
international community to respect the boundaries of national sovereignty.
"We must be proud that we are African... We must maintain our personality,"
he said.
The United States has branded Mugabe an illegitimate leader following the
country's disputed presidential election earlier this year and has imposed
sanctions banning him and his close associates from the country.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell told the summit on Wednesday that
mismanagement by Mugabe had fuelled a food crisis facing almost half of
Zimbabwe's 13 million people.
Former South African president Nelson Mandela declined in a radio interview
on Wednesday to comment on Mugabe's summit speech or his controversial
programme to hand over white-owned farms to landless blacks without paying
"I prefer to express my views on such sensitive matters to the multilateral
organisation SADC (Southern African Development Community)," he said.
But he acknowledged that investor concern about Zimbabwe's future was
hitting South Africa's rand currency, which plunged 37 percent against the
dollar last year, before recovering partially this year.
"People must be aware that Zimbabwe is not South Africa," he said.
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ABC News
Mugabe Tells Whites to Leave or Risk Jail over Land
Sept. 4
- HARARE, Zimbabwe (Reuters) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe
Wednesday warned white opponents of his controversial land reforms to
cooperate, leave the country or face jail.
"Those do not deserve to be in Zimbabwe and we shall take steps to
ensure that they are not entitled to our land," Mugabe told supporters who
turned out to welcome him home from the Earth Summit in Johannesburg.
He said some Zimbabwean whites were urging former colonial power
Britain to tighten sanctions or send troops to topple him.
He cited in particular two white opposition leaders, Roy Bennett and
David Coltart, who are frequent targets of his anti-white rhetoric.
"The Bennetts and the Coltarts are not part of our society. They
belong to Britain and let them go there. If they want to stay here, we will
say 'Stay here, but your place is in jail'."
He said whites should obey orders to surrender their farms if they
wanted to stay in the country.
Political observers said Mugabe had often named Bennett, a legislator
for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), and Coltart, the
party's legal affairs secretary, in attacks on white critics.
"I don't think this necessarily means he is planning specific action
against them. He could be naming them as representatives of all his
critics," one observer said.
Mugabe lashed out at British Prime Minister Tony Blair in an address
to delegates and heads of state at the World Summit on Sustainable
Development (WSSD) Monday.
Though Blair and some other delegates were harshly critical of Mugabe
and his seizure of white-owned farms for blacks, the 78-year-old president
and his wife, Grace, were cheered and applauded at all their public
Mugabe said his land reforms had received wide international support
at the summit, except from Europe and the United States.
Several Western countries have branded Mugabe's victory in March
presidential elections illegitimate and have imposed sanctions on him and
his close associates, including his wife.
Police have charged more than 300 white farmers for defying an August
8 government deadline for 2,900 of the remaining 4,500 white commercial
farmers to quit their land without compensation.
Mugabe, who has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980,
says his land drive is aimed at correcting colonial injustice, which left 70
percent of the country's best land in the hands of white farmers.
Zimbabwe has been in crisis since pro-government militants led by
veterans of the 1970s liberation war began invading white-owned farms in
early 2000.
Aid agencies say nearly half the country's 13 million people need food
aid this year, part of a wider food crisis in six drought-stricken southern
African countries.
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Powell heckled at Earth Summit
11.14AM BST, 4 Sep 2002
US Secretary of State Colin Powell was heckled and booed during his speech
at the Earth Summit in Johannesburg.
Environmentalists whistled, jeered and shouted throughout the address,
forcing Mr Powell to pause several times to wait for the noise to die down.
Security guards hustled a number of demonstrators out of the conference
hall. Two protesters held a banner reading: "Betrayed by governments".
South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who was chairing the
session, called for the hecklers to stop and described the outbursts as
"totally unacceptable."
Delegates were initially angered when Mr Powell criticised President Robert
Mugabe for exacerbating the food crisis in Zimbabwe and pushing "millions of
people to the brink of starvation."
Heckling continued when he went on to condemn Zambia, which is also facing a
hunger crisis, for rejecting genetically engineered corn that Americans "eat
every day".
Campaigners also registered their dissent when Mr Powell defended his
administration's environmental record and its efforts to help the poor in
the developing world.
A wave of noise erupted when he said: "The United States is taking action to
meet environmental challenges, including global climate change."
The US has been hammered for refusing to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on
climate change, which many countries view as crucial for reversing a global
The Earth Summit is set to draw to a close later, after ten days of
wrangling over environmental safeguards and strategies to minimise poverty
Delegates have reached a compromise deal and UN officials are preparing the
agreed proposals for final adoption by the full summit.
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125 Zim farmers head to Zambia
Lusaka - About 125 white farmers who have been unable to stay on their land
in Zimbabwe have gone to neighbouring Zambia to explore the possibilities of
settling in the country, the state-run Times of Zambia said Wednesday.
The farmers are expected to visit Mbala, a agricultural town situated in
northern Zambia where they will conduct soil tests to determine which crops
would be suitable to grow, the paper said.
"I can confirm that we have received about 125 white farmers who have
indicated to government that they want to invest in agriculture," Zambian
Vice President Enoch Kavindele said, according to the paper.
"We believe that their input will add value to the development of the land,"
he added. - Sapa-AFP
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Arrest Mugabe - SA farmer
Cape Town - A Robertson farmer with property interests in Zimbabwe has
lodged a complaint with South African prosecuting authorities against
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe for alleged crimes against humanity.
Richard Barry has called for Mugabe's arrest and prosecution in terms of an
international statute which South Africa adopted as law last month and which
allows for perpetrators of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide
to face prosecution in South Africa under certain circumstances.
The announcement was made at a press conference in the Democratic Alliance's
offices in Parliament.
DA justice spokesperson Dr Tertius Delport said Barry's sworn affidavit
would be faxed to National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka
and the original would be lodged with the provincial director in Cape Town.
It could not be immediately established whether Mugabe, who was attending
the Earth Summit in Johannesburg, was still in the country.
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text:
7-Hurtz Electroleum
Together as 7-Hurtz, Brand New Heavies founder Lascelles Gordon and Ben Cowan, a touring member of Sparks, are making some of the UK's most addictively catchy electronic music. The pair may describe their John Carpenter-inspired melodic loops as dark but Electroleum actually breathes with life. Sneaking live bass and guitar into the mix on tracks like "3 Sisters," their second LP at times travels similar terrain as New York's Out Hud. Cowan, a former member of several contemporary dance outfits, and Gordon, a session percussionist who most recently contributed to Beth Orton's last album, both bring enough influences to keep Electroleum a far cry from typically derivative contemporary electro.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Capstone Senior Design - Supramolecular Proton Exchange Membranes for Fuel CellsEPA Grant Number: SU831899
Title: Capstone Senior Design - Supramolecular Proton Exchange Membranes for Fuel Cells
Investigators: Fuchs, Alan , Gecol, Hatice , Whiting, Wallace
Institution: University of Nevada - Reno
EPA Project Officer: Nolt-Helms, Cynthia
Phase: I
Project Period: September 30, 2004 through May 30, 2005
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2004) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Nanotechnology , P3 Challenge Area - Energy , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainability
In order to assume a leading role in the burgeoning hydrogen economy, new infrastructure will be required for fuel cell manufacturing and R&D capabilities. The objective of this proposal is the development of a new generation of advanced proton exchange membrane (PEM) technologies, based on advances in supra molecular chemistry and engineering, which will serve as the foundation for the development of PEM based membrane electrode assemblies (MEA's) and ultimately, fuel cells. PEM's are the most widely used membranes for fuel cell applications because of their low operating temperature and high power density. Sulfonated fluorocarbon membranes such as NafionTM, are currently the only standard membranes used in the industry, but factors like the cost of production and poor environmental resistance have led to the investigation of novel membranes. The goal of this proposal is the development of a new generation of PEM's, which offer advantages over the Nafion PEM's and can be used in the fabrication of prototype MEA's and fuel cells. This is the first time that supra molecular structures based on ionomeric polyimide, polybenzimidazole and polyoxazole copolymers and surfactants will be used for the synthesis of directional proton exchange membranes. The Polymer Science and Engineering (PS&E) Laboratory, Applied Surfactant Research Laboratory (ASRL) at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), have the synthesis, characterization instrumentation and device design capabilities needed to carry out this investigation. The outcome of this work will result in a new supra molecular PEM which will have high proton conductivity and be environmentally resistant. A major obstacle in the emerging area of energy storage and delivery will be overcome.


text:
West Hills Country Club Wedding Photos
We'd love to share some West Hills Country Club wedding photos from Jessica and Keith's wedding this past July! The happy couple was married in Middleton, NY at the West Hills Country Club. The country club offers an outdoor ballroom along with great views of the golf course nestled alongside the Wallkill River. They offer a number of wedding packages offering a large amount of options so that every couple is able to make their wedding unique and personal.
The reception was emceed and DJ'd by Sam Turner. With over five years of New York wedding DJ and club experience, he has the tools to mix classics in new ways and easily fuse them with the contemporary. Sam's become a sought out wedding DJ. He's willing to go above and beyond to make sure your wedding goes off without a hitch and your friends and family are on the dance floor. Sam is happy to travel all over the tri-state area, including NYC, Philadelphia, Boston, and in between. He has also started to branch out into DJ'ing at destination weddings- read about his recent Jamaica wedding. Check out Sam's Instrumental Hip Hop Mix to get a feel for his vibe.
These West Hills Country Club wedding photos are curtesy of Dustin Cantrell Photography. Dustin is a pleasure to work with and offers an intimate and dramatic take on wedding photography.
Be sure to check out our About Us page to learn why you should choose Beat Train Productions to DJ your next big event!
About the Author
Seth Isaacs
Ever since buying his first set of turntables on eBay in 1997, Seth Isaacs has been a consistent Boston talent, DJ'ing corporate functions, weddings, and nightclub events. Starting his career as an on-air DJ at his college radio station (where he was crowned "Shorty Gold"), he has translated his interest in music first into a […]


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A western Wisconsin veterinarian accused of shuttling unwitting sex workers was sentenced Wednesday in Minnesota to prison on two felonies, including one that was the first conviction of its kind in the state.
Washington County District Court Judge William Ekstrum sentenced 61-year-old Brian Kersten to 53 months - nearly three years of which must be served in prison.
Kersten, a town of Pleasant Valley resident who worked at Baldwin Veterinary Center, was convicted in October 2016 of sex trafficking and labor trafficking.
Washington County District Attorney Pete Orput said in a statement that the labor trafficking conviction was the first of its kind in Minnesota.
"Kersten was part of an international conspiracy to bring foreign nationals into Minnesota for the purpose of prostituting them," Washington County prosecutor Imran Ali said. "We have to remember that these are not victimless crimes. All these women being trafficked are indeed victims."
According to a criminal complaint, Kersten shuttled a Chinese woman in July 2016 from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to a Woodbury hotel. Prosecutors said the woman was brought to the United States under the auspices that she'd be working as a high-paid massage parlor employee.
It was later revealed that the woman was brought overseas to work as a prostitute. Kersten, who collected money for a New York woman allegedly running the operation through Backpage.com, was connected to more than $45,000 suspicious wire transfers earlier in the year to China.
A Kersten family member told law enforcement officers from Wisconsin that Kersten visited his prostitute in China and that he was bringing young girls from China to be trafficked at massage parlors, the complaint said.
Kersten, using a veterinary-owned van, made three other visits to the airport in August 2016, according to the charges.
"This case merely shows the depth and breadth of the sex trafficking occurring" in Minnesota, Orput said. "We, as a concerned public, need to acknowledge this and persevere in doing all we can to bring labor and sex traffickers to the justice they deserve."
According to the Baldwin Veterinary Center's website, Kersten has been a vet for 25 years specializing in small animals, food animals and equine medicine.


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Chandler / Sun Lakes, Arizona
Keller Williams Realty was founded in 1983 and is currently the 2nd largest real estate franchise company in the United States with over 80,000 agents in 690+ market centers (independently-owned offices) across North America. The J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Home Buyer/Seller Satisfaction Study recently ranked Keller Williams Realty as highest in customer satisfaction in both the home buyer and home seller segments, receiving the highest rating among its competitors overall. Our clients and agents have 24x7 access to the very best tools, technology, and training available in the industry.
Our office in Chandler / Sun Lakes is home to over 100 full-time Realtors serving buyers, sellers, and investors across Metro Phoenix and the East Valley, and we're growing! Since our launch in 2005, we have won numerous achievement awards and have been recognized year after year for the dedication and commitment our associates bring to our clients and our community.
We invite you to browse our website, which lets you search for any property on the market even if it's not one of our listings. Thinking about selling? We'll put together a comprehensive analysis for you at no cost that will give you an accurate picture of the current market. Want to sell but you're underwater? Our short sale specialists can help you find the best solution for your situation. Want to join our team? We're always looking for talented individuals that want to launch their career in real estate, or want to take their career to the next level. Plus, we offer on-site mortgage lending, title and escrow services, property management, and everything else you'll need to ensure a smooth and successful transaction.
Call us today at 480-444-7200 or click on Contact Us for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!
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A Bosch microwave can be repaired by replacing the line fuse, changing the door switch and replacing the magnetron. The exact repairs needed on Bosch microwaves depend on the specific problem.
A burned out line fuse can cause the microwave to stop working, as the fuse prevents too much current from flowing through the circuit. Appliance owners should inspect the fuse and replace it if blown. A qualified appliance repair person should also take a look at the unit and resolve any underlying power issues to prevent the new fuse from blowing.
A burned out door switch can cause the microwave to run for a few seconds and stop. Some of the problems include the component burning, arcing and overheating. Appliance owners should inspect each door switch for continuity, and replace the switches as necessary.
Finally, a burned out magnetron can cause a microwave not to heat. The magnetron is responsible for generating enough frequency to cook food. Operating the microwave while empty can cause the component to burn out. Appliance owners should test the magnetron for continuity and replace it if necessary to fix the problem. They should also contact a qualified appliance repair person, preferably one with experience repairing Bosch microwaves, if these repairs don't work.


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Both Newsweek and Time have Jesus on their covers, and neither article quotes an evangelical scholar in its attempt to narrate how Christians concocted the story of the birth of Jesus.
Newsweek's piece says, "We live in an age of great belief and great doubt, and sometimes it seems as though we must choose between two extremes, the evangelical and the secular. 'I don't want to be too simplistic, but our faith is somewhat childlike,' says the Rev. H. B. London, a vice president of James Dobson's conservative Focus on the Family organization in Colorado Springs. 'Though other people may question the historical validity of the virgin birth, and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we don't.'
A Newsweek poll found that most Americans side with London. It "found that 84 percent of American adults consider themselves Christians, and 82 percent see Jesus as God or the son of God. Seventy-nine percent say they believe in the Virgin Birth, and 67 percent think the Christmas storyfrom the angels' appearance to the star of Bethlehemis historically accurate." As Nicholas Kristof, columnist for The New York Times, likes to point out, more people believe that stuff than evolution.
Newsweek says they want to find the middle, somewhere between London's childlike faith and severe skepticism. Then, author Jon Meacham goes on to report only what those scholars say who do not believe what the Gospels report about Jesus' birth. "The first followers, we should always remember, believed that the Risen Lord was going to return and usher in a new apocalyptic age at any moment."
But when Jesus didn't return, these followers decided they'd better write down the story of Jesus' life, says Meacham. This Gospel story, Newsweek says, cannot ...1


text: Home > Bookshop > Australian Children's Books > Australian Children's Fiction « Back Blat Magic Stephens, Michael Our Price Retail Price AUD$13.95 Your Price AUD$5.34 Minimum Order: 1 In Stock (1) Dispatch: 1 day Blat Magic/Stephens, Mich/Paper/0207197253/S054-B2 AUD$5.34 QTY Gift Wrapping Add Gift Wrapping (click checkbox) If you would like a gift wrapping message, please add it in the Notes section on the checkout page, thank you. AUD$2.95 Publisher: HarperCollins ISBN-13: 9780207197253 Series: Binding: Paperback Year Published: 2001 Pinguel, a titan, was saved from the wolves who killed his mother by Cliffkin, an old sorcerer blat living in the Deep Forest on one side of the Cold Mountains. Pinguel learns language quicker, is much more curious, and does not want to learn invisibility to survive as do the blats. But one day, an owl of Deep Forest tells Pinguel the world is in danger and he must leave in order to save the blats and the Forest. His father, Cliffkin, gives him the Ant Bell which Pinguel is to use in times of extreme danger.In the company of an eccentric wolf and the owl, Pinguel leaves on his long journey out of the Deep Forest. In the city of the Lord Duke Pinchie du Henderson the travellers find that a number of Blats are to be executed and plan a daring escape, with the help of a family of hawks. Pinguel is to continue the quest to find Hugo, the human child who is a friend of blats and other creatures...Hugo lives on the Orestea, an ocean-going liner. All the Blats of the Deep Forest will be able to find refuge there. Saved from nearly freezing to death on the Cold Mountains by ringing the Ant Bell and finding himself in tunnels within the mountains, Hugo eventually continues his journey.Ages 10+Winner QLD Premier's Literary Prize for Best Children's Book ID: 17028 Code: HC000292


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Recently parts my face, no doubt in reaction to the temperature dropping and the wind whistling feverishly, promptly dried out like clockwork. My cheeks, the bottom sides of chin, and my eyebrows, Ugh.
To fight back I went out to the drugstore in search of some facial water faucets.
I've been trying out a few new serums too (more on that later – I haven't used them long enough) but for now I have thoughts to share with you on the Simple skincare range.
This is everything: it's stupid easy to use, highly moisturizing, and it feels very refreshing in the morning and the evening. In fact, i have decided to add it to my permanent skincare routine. I highly recommend it.
I'm not so sure about this stuff: I like that it's very gentle on the skin, which is important because my skin doesn't like anything too irritating, but I don't feel like it does an amazing job at cleaning my face. The cloth, no doubt in an effort to cater to sensitive skin, is quite thin and soft to touch. But I think the cloth needs more texture so that as you're moving it around it can really do a good cleaning job. I have to press it up against my skin more than I should, and then follow that with another soft tissue to wipe off the tinted moisturizer (which I wear in the daytime for SPF and free radical protection) that it lifted. The cleaning agents are nice and gentle though. It's OK. You need a serum to help this along; on it's own it just kind of sits on the skin for a long time and doesn't really feel like it's doing anything. It's frustrating. I think I need to get a straight up oil based moisturizer. This isn't cutting it for me.


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Dear broken children of Woolwich
Dear broken children of Woolwich,
How many times do we have to do this? You can't disappear for 12 months then reappear kitted out in clown costume and holding foam pie, posting gloating comments on the blog and expect us to not sit up and take notice of your laughable efforts. Here I am, pointing and laughing, what more can I do as you gave up all your other rights thanks to the worm like qualities you possess, incapable of straight up discussion unless you believe yourselves to be in a position that is protected from any come-backs, crawling out of the dirt and multiplying no matter how many times you get cut up. In fact you don't do straight up discussion full stop. You just shout sound-bites and la la la la las with fingers in ear-holes.
Graciousness is not a virtue you are blessed with is it? You lot are known to be the worst ilk of supporters in the country. You need to concentrate less on the gloating and more on how to support your own. You know what I'm referring to. Empty seats when it's not going your way. Bin bags. 'Manager Out' banners. Laughable really calling us deluded when the reality is you lot can't accept it. Free yourselves from the weighty prison of your over inflated egos. You think other clubs outside the collapsing Sky Sports Top Four era are of no consequence because they failed to suckle at one of the available t*ts on Murdochs bosom?
I keep telling you, I don't care for visiting Arsenal forums and blogs. I don't post on any rival forums or blogs. It's you lot that frequent this place, persistently letting us know you're out there. It's you telling us 'you don't care, it's no big deal' finishing above Spurs and yet you do nothing but talk it up and celebrate like a plucky team that done good changing your perceptions to suit the moment so you wont lose face. In hiding for over a year without your riotous banter, absent and lost and then we have the pleasure of your company again. Internet connection back up?
I remember the last viral attack from your hordes. Gloats about playing the Brummies at Wembley. A cup that traditionally meant nothing to you suddenly meant the world although you all played it cool and nonchalantly like it didn't actually matter. You lost that game. None of you could be found in the aftermath. I saw you on tv though, crying over that Mickey Mouse cup. Was the irony too much for you to share with us? Oh the lonely lonely nights.
You don't care about us? You care alright, you care. You care about us more than you care about yourself. Without us you have nothing. It's funny that - Chelsea, West Ham. They also have nothing to do with us geographically and yet they're forever humping our legs too. Seems for a club that nobody cares about everyone seems to care about making sure we know how much they don't care. Ooh, brain melt.
What's that? I'm doing the same now by obsessing about you, ranting away like a maniac punching the keyboard with rabid disdain? Not quite. I'm enjoying this. I'm enjoying proving my point. It's because I know you'll be back on this blog reading this because you wont be able to stay away, holding up your laminated cheat sheet of quick fire retorts, unable to stop yourself from posting a comment. You're reading this right now, aren't you? Tut tut, you lose. Go on, hit the comments.
So how brave of you to return and gloat. The same display of bravery we witness when you throw your dummy out the pram if things are not going well on the pitch. The same display of bravery it takes to purchase bin bags to cover empty seats where your equally brave brethren decide not to turn up altogether because...well, I don't know why exactly? Perhaps you all believe you're entitled to something because you simply believe you're entitled to it? From league titles to the Carling Cup to now finishing above Spurs. Have we caught up or have you fallen down? Who cares? No matter where you stand nobody can escape your stench. No one else in the country could give a **** about you so your desperation holds no bounds as you attempt to scratch your names in the Lilywhite surface.
We're accountable all of the time and not when we choose to be. Do we gloat? Don't all supporters gloat? But we're there to take it on the chin when thrown back at our face. It does however get tiresome if there's no one there to throw it back at again what with the constant sabbaticals you lot are inclined to taking. Mind the gap? Yep. Make sure you point us in the direction of the trophy cabinet where the 'Finishing above Tottenham' Cup will proudly sit. Once upon a time you had a bit more weight in your punch. All feels a little ticklish nowadays.
We're aspiring. You're perspiring.
We are reaching out. You are holding on.
Forever in your shadow? What shadow is that? The one casted down by your insecurities and necessity to validate your existence by crawling out of your swamp to beg for attention? You could win the title for 20 successive years and it still wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to anything. You're still a soulless, franchised entity of sh*t. You don't have an identity.
No, hold on, my mistake. You do have traditions and you do have an identity. It belongs to the man who turned up at your blank canvas of a club and proceeded to paint a self-portrait that covered every nuance of his mind creating clone hybrids from supporters to players. Arsenal is Arsene Wenger, Arsene Wenger is Arsenal. A fitting replacement for Nick Hornby and prior to that the ex-Tottenham player whose head sat pretty in your marble halls. You're not a football club, not really, you're just an extension of Wenger's ego. Which is illustrated by the characteristics and the non-existent personalities of the supporters; unimaginative, self-satisfying megalomaniacs in ghastly red who only care when they're winning, completely devoid of wearing ones heart on sleeve without prejudice and without shame. Your hearts sit in your inside pocket then get stapled on at appropriate moments when you like to show off, removed and taken out of sight when you don't want anyone to know what team you 'support'.
You're like nomadic ants, nesting under stones and logs and in cracks in rocks, all identical and unspectacular, all following each other without diversity and without soul. More specifically, you are the species of small ant, Temnothorax albipennis, which abandons established nests at the first sign of any threats. Running away to settle somewhere new, with one single queen laying the eggs with a workforce of non-breeding females leaving the nest to forage and collect building materials. You are ants. Living under rocks. A collective that do as they're told and told what to think.
What did you have before your queen? A clock and Liam Brady.
Not forgetting porn dealers, drunks, coke-heads, a bent manager, bland boring nondescript football, results counting more than entertainment. Does the past 10 or so years erase the previous 100 or so? Even your double side from the 70s is more famous for winning at White Hart Lane than it is for its brand of football and impact on the English game.
Don't pretend you don't know because you do. Deep deep down, you can see it. You know of your birthplace you know where you came from. You know you've gone out of existence and changed your name, more than once. You know you're a franchise, a business created from the death of another and squatting in north London purely for financial gain on a foundation of bribes, lies and fabrications. It's Gillespie Road. It's transparent. We can all see through the paint work. It was all done purely to take advantage of the masses of support available in that part of London. That part of London being the north part, although let's not pretend or forget your owner didn't first attempt to merge you with Fulham, at the time, a far bigger club with a far nicer stadium.
Think about that for a second. First choice, merger with Fulham. I can't be the only person laughing out loud. What's wrong with you? What's wrong with Woolwich? Are you ashamed of your own home? Why would you be so ashamed? What kind of **** is ashamed of their own personal history, their own home where they were born? Perhaps I'm being a little harsh, it's not your fault you're all broken. You're all dirty and broken.
Deep deep down, you're all so conflicted and confused which is why you struggle so much with the more emotive side of football. Because you know had that south London club not run away and aborted its dead foetus outside of SE18 you'd all be Spurs fans now.
You. Yes you.
No matter what you say, what you have to show, no one wants to be you. You're forever in your own shadow of self-hatred.
Tommy Tottenham


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Staying Calm in Any Situation is the Wisest and will Give us the Best Perspectives
Staying Calm in Any Situation is the Wisest and will Give us the Best Perspectives.
At every event where panic break out then our nerves are tested and often we do thoughtless things that must be done because of taken quick decisions.
We know at this unexpected time not what or where to start and what to do during that time, we do what seems the best is in our mind, but that does not always end so intelligent.
By such an unexpected event on a inexplicable time suddenly we are usually so shocked that crying is closer than to laugh and we will be happy if we can save ourselves from this event.
But by a panicky hasty reaction we unwittingly take place due with time constraints in a thoughtless action, where we later thought about it, another time we will have done it different so this would have been better.
If we had stayed quiet we had definitely taken a different and deliberate decision that we would not be harmed and would have been avoided talking afterwards.
And so it is also when we are emotionally hurt than we can ever cook inside and malicious things to do or say, but that is absolutely not necessary and has no effect its superfluous.
It has affected our feelings and we are not happy about it, but evil or hasty steps does not give solutions, but confrontations.
All that often only make things worse for ourselves emotionally and wherein two or more people are hurt is it possible that the physical behavior control may be lost.
Never ending discussions can arise which do not promote, but rather create bad moods and emotions get worse higher up.
So it just create more malicious blood which causes the condition out of hand and can end up with nasty consequences for both.
While if we had remained calm and had all stored in our memory we were those who had the situation under control, because we could retrospectively determine whether we want this relationship or conversation to put on a better time or completely terminate.
Also, we must look at peace with ourselves, what is the wisest thing to do or the accurate and legitimate words accurately efficiently back saying something.
Self-control is in many events in our life so important for the further course of a peaceful existence and the most important is the inner peace with ourselves.
For the best prospects in life on earth is the wisest way to continuously stay calm in any situation where we come in contact with.
I wish you a healthy life.Kindly Regards,
author Jan Jansen
You can Download My APPS –>www.easybranches.mobi . Appreciate Your Support
Read More Poetry on Jan Jansen Guru Click Here…….
#poem #poetry #poems #story #stories #quote #peace
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Rebranding Photo Shoot with Sara Logan Photography
It was so much fun to have this rebranding photo shoot with Sara Logan Photography earlier this summer! I feel as though lately I have been on the other side of the camera taking photographs of my travels, my new shop products, and various styled pieces. It was nice to have some taken of me! Here are some of my personal favorites from the shoot.
Target Hat | Forever 21 Top | Ann Taylor Shorts | Ann Taylor Shoes
All of the images were taken at the beautiful Reynolda Gardens in my home town of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I am so thankful to Sara for taking these, and hope y'all like them too!


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Hover over main image to zoom
Doc Frank Calciferol Plus tablets are provided in in sealed plastic containers, containing 25 tablets each.
Many recent studies have shown that Vitamin D3 is important in relieving depression, as well as fighting osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Most people nowadays do not get enough sun exposure to convert Vitamin D2 into Vitamin D3.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the Recommended Daily Allowances for Vitamin D are inadequate for the daily demands of most people.
Contains Pure Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) 50,000 IU (1,250 mcg).
As a high strength dose, this product is not intended for daily use.
Unless indicated otherwise, use one tablet per week.
If in doubt, consult your healthcare practitioner for dose instructions and guidelines.
The tablets are suitable for vegetarians and kosher.
The tablets are wheat, gluten, soya, nut and gelatin free.
In pregnancy or when breastfeeding, Calciferol Plus should only be used under medical supervision.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any supplement.
No drug interactions known.
Safe in combination with warfarin.
Posted by David H on 4th Nov 2018
After 27 days of usage it may be a bit too soon for an honest opinion, especially as it's used in conjunction with apricot kernels and Zee Bee Dee Oil. I believe I am currently in a state of mildly enhanced wellness.
Posted by Willem J on 27th Sep 2018
Great advice, excellent products and very reasonable prices.
Posted by Maria vA on 17th Aug 2018
I gave the Vit D tablets to a friend with severe back pain he has had for years. His quality of life without pain been remarkable. Excellent excellent product.
Posted by Adrian on 11th Jun 2017
Taking tabs weekly for a month now. Too early to give an honest opinion, OK?


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Did you know that the Japanese writing system can trace its origins all the way back to Chinese Buddhist monks in the 4th century?
Learning a foreign language is never easy.
If you find that learning Spanish, French, or German is difficult, studying a complicated syntactic language such as Japanese is even more challenging!
However, you should remember that the Japanese language is not just a language; it is a passport to all of Japanese culture! There are subsequently many reasons to learn Japanese.
Since your childhood, Japanese culture has been all around you, probably without you even really noticing it.
Japan's international influence has seeped into your sub-conscience via cartoons, cinema, sports, and gastronomy, but to name a few.
You might already be aware of the influence that Japanese culture has on our lives, and because of this you have decided to enrol on to a Japanese language course:
Or maybe you like Japan because it's part of the Far East, an exotic destination which makes you feel like you are in another world!
Learning the Japanese language allows you to not only get closer to one of the world's most unique cultures, it could also help you to teach Japanese in your country, or even work and live in the land of the rising sun.
Superprof will now list the aspects of Japanese culture you will better understand by becoming a Japanese speaker.
The history of Japan is ancient, dating back to the first settlements of the Korean Peninsula 100,000 years ago.
Under the feudal dictatorships of the Shogunate – from 1603 to 1867 – Japan was isolated from the outside world before its culture spread, in a form of the Renaissance, during the Meiji era (1868-1912).
Japan is a wonderful country to get to know!
When you were a child, did you watch the manga Nicky Larson on television?
Then, as a teenager, did you discover the world of video games thanks to Genki and Nintendo?
Was that the same time you fell in love with Japanese gastronomy such as sushi, which has now been found across the world for a very long time?
Perhaps Japanese culture had already lured you in. Then a high school trip to Japan decided things for you:
Who has not been seduced by one of these forms of Japanese culture? In the West it is colossal, and we feel its energy on an almost daily basis…
Japan's economy is highly dependent on exports to Asia, North America, and Europe.
In fact, the land of the rising sun exports manufactured goods and services almost everywhere, meaning that speaking Japanese is useful in business. But Japan also exports its own culture.
Learning Japanese language with a native Japanese teacher will allow you to:
In doing so you will be able to see and understand more about Japanese cultural exports such as:
And if you decide to learn Japanese online or in a language school, you will have the same benefits. For example, these are countless Japanese online classes (to learn to count in Japanese, grammar, writing, politeness) to accelerate your learning! The most important thing is that you see the benefits of learning Japanese and begin your learning experience as soon as you can!
Manga is imported from Japan all over the world.
A black and white Japanese comic strip which reads from right to left (the same direction as the Japanese language), manga was born in 1902 from the sharpened pencils of caricaturist (mangaka) Rakuten Kitazawa (1876-1955).
Japan will mean you will come into contact with manga of some kind.
It first appeared in the daily Japanese satirical, the Tokyo Puck. Manga is famous for vehemently criticising power, and it has subsequently been censored many times.
R. Kitazawa started off by drawing for children, and this is what he is now remembered for.
Between 1982 and 2007, the number of manga magazines in circulation went up by a whopping 250%
This increase is reflected in the fact that more than 120 million mangas are sold per week in Japan today.
Here is a list of the top ten mangas and their most famous authors:
You could read manga in the original thanks to lessons from your Japanese tutor – for example through Japanese courses London!
Knowing how to speak Japanese will obviously make it possible for you to understand Japanese films without the subtitles.
Japanese film production is the 3rd largest in the world.
Japanese cinema appeared at the same time as French and American cinema: around 1896-1897.
In order to fully understand Japanese cinema, it is essential to know the Japanese language, as well as Japanese culture, because films reflect Japanese society at any given moment.
Japanese cinema can help you:
The video game was basically born in Japan.
The Japanese giant Nintendo and NES console flooded the world with video games.
How can your Japanese classes help you with video games?
Because they can speed up your learning and help you to learn Japanese for free.
Do you want to play Street Fighter, Tekken, or Crash Bandicoot?
Playing Japanese video games can stimulate your listening comprehension. By listening to the characters' dialogue, you will acquire more basic vocabulary.
And finally, playing Japanese video games can help you get to know the local culture.
The advantage of video games is that they require active participation and maximum concentration.
Playing a video game helps to memorize Japanese words and vocabulary. It's as simple as that!
And there are plenty Japanese video games! You will have definitely heard of these:
You can study kanji while playing as well!
If you can read and understand the kanji subtitles then you're doing pretty good for yourself! Now switch to listening without the help of subtitles to better memorize the dialogue!
You can therefore see the importance of Japanese culture in the western world, and it is partly thanks to this that Japan's relations with the western world are what they are today.
Have you always wished you knew more about Buddhism?
When you visit Japan, make sure you go out to the sanctuaries!
Every time you visit Japan you are amazed by the calmness, respect, and zen-like attitude prevailing in the countryside…
It may be connected to the country's religious culture…
Japan's religious make up is primarily composed of Buddhism and Shintoism, the latter representing a set of very ancient polytheistic beliefs, still widespread in Japan.
During the Meiji era, successive emperors from 1868 to 1945 galvanized national sentiment and established plans for territorial expansion of the Japanese Empire by imposing Shintoism as a state religion.
Shintoism, however, is not a proven religion:
Japanese people tend to worship Buddha representations and Shinto deities through many rituals and traditions.
The Shinto gods are mythological characters. They are born, they live, they die and they are reborn.
They are called the Kami, a Japanese term for "what is above men" or "superior to the human condition."
These are references to natural phenomena or agricultural activities and are venerated in shrines.
The Shinto Japanese people call the souls of the Gods tamashii.
A Shinto shrine–jinja in Japanese–is the place where matsuri, the popular festivals of village communities, take place.
To honor the kami, the adepts enter the sanctuary via the torii, a portal which is often red and majestic in the form of the number pi.
In Japan, there are more than 150,000 Shinto shrines on Japan's national treasure list.
Shintoism is a true philosophy of life based on respect and salvation of the spirit, which values love and respect towards nature's strength and beauty.
For this reason, the Kami possess musubi, the vital energy that is produced and systematically regenerated by the bonds between living beings.
Unlike those who choose a European language like Spanish, French, German, or Italian, choosing Japanese will immediately make your CV stand out when potential employers are scouring for new recruits.
The Japanese infamously have a low level of English, which has recently even been acknowledged by the Japanese government. But almost 18 million Japanese left the country in 2017, spending money on clothes, food, and tourist activities. The importance of Japanese tourists to economies around the world cannot be understated, and speaking Japanese will enhance your ability to communicate with them which would give you an entry into the Japanese tourist market.
Speaking Japanese will make their stay more pleasant, as well as making your life easier, whilst all the while giving you that sense of satisfaction of being able to communicate with someone in their native language.
This is also a reason for you to learn Japanese before you travel to Japan, because trying to get by with just English might be tricky at times!
Learning Japanese is not as hard as you have probably heard. Yes it has a different writing system which is different to the Japanese alphabet, but foreigners can get by with learning only the 44 hiragana or katakana that represent the same sounds that the English alphabet utilises.
But besides the writing system, Japanese grammar is a lot easier than most European languages. There are no genders or plural forms for the nouns, and they don't need an article to accompany them. What's more, there are no verb conjugations in Japanese, and the language only has 2 tense; past and present.
With all these reasons in mind, how could you not want to learn Japanese?


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Recent Posts
- Barb on Fall in Central Park – original watercolor painting
- Maleah Georgen on Fall in Central Park – original watercolor painting
Monthly Archives: August 2013
Painting Lesson of Koi and Goldfish, by Lian Zhen
I have always loved Chinese style painting and one of the masters is artist Lian Quan Zhan. He has a talent for blending East and West styles and the results are beautiful. Lian Zhen is offering this watercolor painting lesson … Continue reading
Posted in Painting Techniques and Lessons Tagged artist, chinese, demo, demonstrations, demos, fish, goldfish, koi, lesson, lessons, lian zhen, negative painting, painting, pond, water, watercolor Leave a comment
Snowflakes and Sunsets
Like snowflakes, no two sunsets are alike. You will never see yesterday's sunset again but another one is waiting for you tonight. That's the fun of painting sunsets. No matter what colors you use, how you blend them, you are … Continue reading
Posted in Art Styles Tagged art print, bird, everglades, heron, mangrove, original, painting, sawgrass, snowflake, sunrise, sunset, tropical, watercolor Leave a comment


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Jack La Brasca
Palatine, IL
After High school, we had jobs and our first real paychecks. Living just south of Twin Anchors, we finally were able to pay for a great rib meal. With one of our friends behind the bar, Gus Johns, we were always welcomed at the Twin Anchors. The TA was not popular beyond the Old Town area, but we knew the Ribs and Rye bread were something special.
Today, we drive from distant suburbs to dine at the place first served us (60 years ago)... Sinatra had good taste in music and Twin Anchor Ribs. Hope it stays open for generations to come. We miss St. Michael High School and the Plaza Theatre, so we appreciate that our child hood places remain.


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» free
SimpleJobSite is a free new job board themeBy chrisr2 on May 8, 2018 | Comments Off on SimpleJobSite is a free new job board theme
SJS is a free job board template this is available for free from a UK based company.
I assume its a wordpress theme. They offer a "complete" version of it for $25 and hosting for about $4/month. The software appears to only offer Indeed as a backfill option.
The interface is nicely designed (you can view the demo here). I cannot attest to its functionality or reliability but its nice to see another inexpensive tool for job boarders.
The popup job boardBy chrisr2 on October 10, 2013 | Comments Off on The popup job board
The other day I discovered a "popup" job board that sprang from the government shutdown here in the U.S.
Unfurlough.us is a spreadsheet based job board that lists available gigs and the ability to promote yourself for work if you work for Uncle Sam.
This a bit of PR stunt to get some attention (it doesnt make money) but it does have some lessons here to learn from.
1. Timing: the creators took note of a trend in the workforce and created something quick to take advantage. This led to some good pr in the press and blogs.
2. Design: its a simple but well designed site. Job boards dont have to be complicated or cost a lot to build. I love the simplicity of their user interface.
These free job boards are huge threats to paid ones (premium)By chrisr2 on July 13, 2011 | Comments Off on These free job boards are huge threats to paid ones (premium)
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The hardest thing about running free job boardsBy chrisr2 on May 24, 2011 | Comments Off on The hardest thing about running free job boards
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The Freemium Job Board (free)
Most job boards are either free or paid. But very few offer a 'freemium' model where some things are free and some products are paid for. As things get more "free-er" (and more people will expect free) I think a freemium model is a good way to go for some job boards.
You could offer a short simple job posting for free while offering a permium version. For example look at what Production Hub does. They are a community site for Entertainment Jobs in Film, Television, Video and Digital Media Production. They offer a free 7 day posting alongside a 60 day featured job. This is a good way to get your database filled up instead of using backfill.
In addition to putting it at the top of listings, they also publicize to newsletter subscribers. Look to ebay for other ways to upsell. Offer BOLDED listings or ways to add their company logo, access to web stats on the job and more. You could even offer to put it on the homepage of your board for a certain time frame.
I wouldn't mind seeing one of the job board software vendors offer a solution like this. (hint hint)
Deconstructing HealthcarejobsonDisplay.com (episode 1)By chrisr2 on August 11, 2009 | Comments Off on Deconstructing HealthcarejobsonDisplay.com (episode 1)
Here's a critique for a brand new job board, that doesnt list the same old postings. [visit job board]
Want your job board critiqued? Chris will deconstruct your site for $99. Contact him today!
Dice staying relevantBy chrisr2 on July 21, 2009 | Comments Off on Dice staying relevant
Recently IT niche job board Dice.com announced the launch of Dice Learning a search engine for techies to find and complete technical training. I think its a good example of the evolution we'll be seeing from job sites in the coming years. They need to stay relevant and additional service like Dice's offering will be key.
Jobamatic shows how to integrate jobs with TwitterBy chrisr2 on July 15, 2009 | 2 Comments
Got an email today from the team at Jobamatic. They have a cool new way to integrate your jobs from your Jobamatic board to twitter through its rss feed.
Thanks to the Job-a-matic platform and TwitterFeed, it's free and easy to add jobs to Twitter. Here are step-by-step directions:
- Create an account at TwitterFeed.
- Setup your feed by clicking Connect your feed to your Twitter Account. This will take you to Twitter.com, where you'll need to either Register or authenticate your existing account by entering your Username and Password and clicking Allow.
- Describe your feed in the Feed Name field (not public).
- Add your Job-a-matic RSS feed to your RSS Feed URL field, http://jobsinwindpower.jobamatic.com/a/jbb/find-jobs-rss/. If you don't have many directly posted jobs, you can expand your RSS feed to include backfill jobs, by appending bf-y/: http://jobsinwindpower.jobamatic.com/a/jbb/find-jobs-rss/bf-y/. Fine-tune the backfill jobs appearing in your tweets using the "Backfill" tab in Job-a-matic.
- Click Create Feed.
If you want more control over how your job tweets are displayed, you can use the additional options in Advanced Settings. In particular, you might consider the following:
- Changing the Post Content to include the title only, to reflect Twitter's 140 character limit.
- Use the Post Prefix option to add friendly, marketing copy to your tweets. Job-a-matic publishers have had success using prefixes like "New Job Listing: " or "Hiring a ".
- Use the Post Suffix option to add hashtags to your tweet, so that the job gets found in Twitter search results. Popular job-related hash tags include #jobs, #job and #hiring.
Please note that including jobs in your Twitter feed is an unpaid option for Job-a-matic publishers, and like any job listing, tweeted URLs will eventually expire.
How to promote the value proposition of niche job boardsBy chrisr2 on July 15, 2009 | 11 Comments
The rise of local and niche job boards over the past 5 years is no accident. They work, and that reason is all about the focus and quality results they deliver.
When starting my AllCountyJobs.com network I used the following quotes in my marketing materials.
Forrester Research: "Local Sites Matter. Geography is more important to job seekers than industry focused sites. Monster.com is the most popular career site, but local sites place second and fourth in usage."
Weddles.com: "These (local) Web-sites offer focused recruiting opportunities within specific geographic areas. Some concentrate on unique metropolitan districts while others have a broader, regional span. In either case, they enable you to reach large concentrations of prospective candidates for positions where relocation support is not available or a local background is important to successful job performance."
CollegeRecruiter.com: There are several benefits to using niche/local job boards. First, little to no advertising money is wasted targeting unqualified candidates. Because the high profile, general boards target all candidates, the result is that the vast majority of the candidates using those boards will not be interested in the position posted by the employer because it falls outside of their career path, geographic preference or skill level.
By posting the position to the appropriate niche board, virtually all of the candidates using that niche/local board will be qualified for the position. As a result, even if the site has a small fraction of the traffic of the high profile, general board, the number of qualified candidates using the niche board tends to be higher. Second, the cost to post a position to a niche/local board is usually far less.
I think these quotes say it all. Niche boards will be around for a long time because they are so targeted. When listing the benefits of your site to employers, use quotes like this to give the recruiter "piece of mind" that their ad dollar will not go to waste. Remind them constantly that your site is not like Monster or the other big guys.
The future of job boardsBy chrisr2 on July 15, 2009 | Comments Off on The future of job boards
Gerry Crispin is an amiable guy. He is one of the gurus of online recruiting and nary a conference goes by that he is not attending or speaking at. I first came to know him from the CareerXroadsconsulting firm that he and his partner run. They used to publish a book of job board listings but gave that up after the explosion in sites prevented them from keeping it up to date.[audio:http://jobboardsecrets.em.extrememember.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/gerry-crispin-jobboards.mp3]
Anyway with all the talk about the future of job boards lately his recent comments on Peter Clayton's Total Picture Radio podcast caught my ears. (click audio above)
I was able to obtain Peter's permission to play this clip but you can listen to the entire interview for free right here.
Gerry says that job boards are 'dead' once his example of the future job board comes to fruition. I agree to a point. The boards that should fear this scenario the most are the big three…monster, careerbuilder and hotjobs. Right now those 3 are feeling a lot of heat from sites like LinkedIn which has essentially become the defacto national resume database.
To survive in this new economy these boards will have to evolve, but right now few are predicting their success.
I think the concept of job boards as lead generation tools is still a valid one. Companies will always need leads whether for sales or recruiting. Just ask anyone looking to hire engineers or nurses. No one site will EVER fulfill their needs. In the future, niche boards will become more community focused but I will write more about that later.
The other barrier to the ultimate job site are recruiters themselves. Most of them are still highly reactive when it comes to filling jobs. They get a job req and they post it online. Changing the way they do business will not be easy. I'm willing to bet that 'reactionary recruiting' will always exist. Therefore so will most job boards.
As for the niche boards their value proposition has always been much different than the big 3, and that is why I dont think they are under such a threat. To me they are the answer he gives in the audio clip. For example accountingjobstoday.com lists most of the accounting jobs and if they included a backfill from Indeed somewhere in the results is that not 85% of all the jobs the seeker searched for? I would argue its very close.
But Gerry's vision of the future does hold promise also for us niche guys. Whats to prevent someone from starting a site like newjerseyaccountingjobs.com that lists all the relevant jobs? Nothing, and I would submit to you that a hybrid site like this would be valuable, especially if you had a network of them.
In terms of the national scene, I'm wondering if this is possible…take one of those hoover databases and mash it with a custom search engine that spiders those company career pages, indexes the jobs and spits out the results. You could call it CompanyHunt: Dont Job Hunt, Company Hunt and perhaps it just might work but good luck trying to access all those ATS systems.
By the way Companyhunt.com is for sale, the web page says it'll cost you $649 bucks.
Who among you will start it?


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The EASt event was held at a quirky bar in the heart of the funky Shoreditch neighbourhood, so most people attending belonged to London's top creative minds. The urban crowd was a mix of Eastpak staff, various journalists and a sprinkling of famous faces, including Agnes b, Henri Holland and Agyness Deyn, whose sister Emily (aka NYX) is part of the Copson St collective who customized 3 rucksacks for the project. Andrew Parry and I (Nina Lamparski) who represented DAA chatted to several of the designers, some of whom could be easily linked to the bag they made thanks to their matching styles (ie. one woman and her bag were covered in metallic studs- Copson St? nm). Some guys like Charlie Bowden weren't all that familiar with the DAA cause so we gave them a rundown of the organisation's mission and what the raised money would be used for.Andrew and I proved to be a formidable tag team as he was able to provide a lot of interesting HIV research facts while I was babbling about the education centre and workshops. We also did a couple of pieces-to-camera, one with Culture Compass contributor Sophie Eggleton whose blog is here http://sophieeggleton.blogspot.com/2012/02/eastpak-artist-studio-launch.html . The video should be added soon and the whole article will also go up on http://www.culturecompass.co.uk/. The other short grab was for the Eastpak team's in-house video.In short, it seemed to have been a highly successful launch both for Eastpak and DAA. It's important to drum up interest for the upcoming online sale from March 19 now and I heard the DAA students are on that this very minute!Nina & Andrew
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