text:
But this is an old story now. Such criticism began almost a year after Pakistan launched a full-fledged military operation with almost 80, 000 troops in the region in the spring of 2004, after making an enormous contribution to stabilizing post-Taliban Afghanistan during late 2001-2003, including the capture of scores of al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders and activists and their extradition to the United States, and providing the due logistical, security, political and economic help that proved crucial in sustaining the post-Taliban political process in Afghanistan.
Backdrop to Attacks
Besides undertaking the military operation, the Pakistan army concluded two accords with the Taliban jirga in south and north Waziristan, in March 2005 and September 2006, respectively. It was in the aftermath of these accords, particularly the second one, that US and Afghan allegations about Pakistan not "doing enough" or the ISI covertly assisting the Taliban started to surface.
On the surface, these accords only reinforced Pakistan's preference for negotiating peace with moderate Taliban with the intention of isolating them from Taliban hardliners and their al-Qaeda allies. In the aftermath of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States until the war against Taliban began on October 7, 2001, Pakistan's leadership had engaged in hectic back-and-forth diplomacy to incorporate moderate Taliban in the governance of Afghanistan. However, the enormity of the 9/11 terrorist incident, and the intransigence of Taliban hardliners, was such that Pakistan's efforts in this regard failed.
The accords in south and north Waziristan were grounded in realistic compromises. The government of Pakistan was to halt the military operation, release Taliban prisoners and provide financial compensation to Taliban, while the Taliban gave a commitment not to infiltrate the Durand Line and attack local and foreign forces in Afghanistan, and not to give refuge to any foreign militants, including Uzbeks and al-Qaeda members. While the south Waziristan accord collapsed after the US attack at a madrassa in Damadola village that killed 80, an air attack which was officially claimed by Pakistan, the north Waziristan agreement was revoked unilaterally in July last year by the Taliban jirga in reaction to the Red Mosque operation.
The period since then has seen the threat of Talibanization that was confined to FATA before spreading its tentacles to hitherto peaceful Swat valley, relatively stable areas of the Frontier province and even to major cities like Peshawar and Karachi. The victims of Taliban militancy are no more security personnel alone, hundreds of unarmed, innocent civilians have been killed in scores of suicide bombing incidents in the country's major cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar. It was amid this rising terrorist wave that the country lost its most promising leader, Benazir Bhutto.
The political transformation that has occurred in Pakistan this year, from nearly nine years of Musharraf-led military and quasi-military rule to a civilian-led democratic dispensation that has just taken full control of governmental affairs, is perhaps the most important development in the country insofar as its ability to proactively tackle the Taliban threat in FATA and Swat regions and all of its regional militaristic manifestations are concerned.
Conspiracy or Coincidence!
Coincidently, the surge in US attacks in south and north Waziristan has occurred during the weeks that have seen the completion of the democratic shift in Pakistan. In a country where conspiracies sell, some people, including ruling party leaders, perceive this as a US conspiracy to destabilize democracy. They argue that there was no such problem as long as Musharraf was ruling, asking why these attacks have intensified only after the resignation of Musharraf?
There are others who offer an additional coincidental explanation, pointing out the coming US elections as an important factor responsible for the recent hype in US attacks in Pakistan's tribal regions. Already a number of stories in US media have appeared suggesting that the Bush Administration wants to kill or capture a high-value target, either al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden or his number two Ayman al-Zawahiri, through intensifying US air and ground operations in FATA.
Guided by the neo-conservative agenda, the Bush administration waged the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in the aftermath of 9/11. While the United States has gained relative success in Iraq, Afghanistan continues to be a foreign policy failure for the Bush administration. This failure is caused less by al-Qaeda, which was decimated in the initial years of the war in Afghanistan, and more by the Taliban and their militant allies like Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and Jalaluddin Haqqani. Still the capture or killing of top al-Qaeda leaders, allegedly hiding in mountainous region straddling the Durand Line, will be a huge symbolic victory for the neo-conservative US Republication leadership, especially in terms of increasing the chances of victory of its Presidential candidate John McCain in the November US Presidential elections.
Tacit Understanding
Leaving aside conspiratorial or coincidental public explanations of the recent surge in cross-border US attacks in north and south Waziristan, their backdrop dating back to the conclusion of south and north Waziristan deals and the US reaction to them, as narrated above, seems to suggest that these attacks have not happened in a vacuum.
Throughout the Musharraf era, there was always a tacit understand between the United States and Pakistan about how to jointly combat the Taliban threat on Pakistani side of the Durand Line. It is true that much of the cooperation for the purpose between the two countries took place either within the tri-partite Pak-Afghan-NATO/US commission or bilaterally between US and Pak security forces, whereby US forces were given limited airspace combat role provided there was an actionable intelligence. The 2005 Damadola attack and another cross-border US strike in Bajaur in 2006 took place as part of this understanding.
Simultaneously, however, with each passing month since the start of 2007, Bush administration officials and US media have upped the ante insofar as US and Afghan suspicions about Pakistan's so-called double-dealing in tackling the Taliban threat in tribal regions are concerned.
The Bush administration had also sponsored the political change in Pakistan with the hope that its new civilian leadership will help tackle this threat more effectively. The death of Benazir Bhutto, who had assured the United States that Pakistan would "do more" to meet US expectations from it in the War on Terror, might have been a blow to the US-sponsored deal to create a moderate civilian front against terrorism, by overcoming domestic security hurdles, including the alleged covert support from the country's intelligence service.
However, despite Bhutto's assassination, the country today is led by the same moderate front, with the ruling Pakistan People's Party having both the posts of the President and the Prime Minister and their allies range from Muhajir Qaumi Movement in Sindh to Awami National Party (ANP) in the Frontier, both known for their liberal religious credentials.
Issue of Sovereignty
It is also a fact that the PPP-led coalition government has rejuvenated the security operation in FATA and Swat even during Musharraf's days as President. So much so that the May agreement which the ANP concluded with the Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi in Swat on the lines of earlier accords in south and north Waziristan agencies was instantly disowned by Rehman Malik, the government's interior affairs advisor and the country's emerging counter-terrorism czar.
Interestingly, just as US attacks in tribal region have gained unprecedented momentum, Pakistani security operation in FATA, currently in Bajaur, and Swat valley has been in full gear. If we presume Pakistan and the United States cooperate closely in the War on Terror, a sudden hype in US attacks in the tribal belt can be justified only if the former is not doing enough. But the same cannot make any sense when the country has indeed started to proactively tackle the Taliban threat.
This has happened only when the new civilian leadership has realized that the Taliban threat is first and foremost a national security threat to the country, and that is why the War on Terror is first and foremost Pakistan's own war. The hype in US attacks in the country's tribal regions, whether it is motivated by electoral considerations of the Republican leadership or caused by Indian or pro-Indian Afghan leadership's manipulation of US sensitivities regarding the counter-terrorism effort in the region, will most certainly fuel anti-Americanism in Pakistan and reinforce the lingering public perception about the country fighting essentially America's war.
Sovereignty is an equally important issue for both the civilian and military leadership in the country. A military or a military regime, due to its dictatorial nature, may contain the public enrage that results from incidents of violation of sovereignty, as it did in the case of Damadola and Bajaur attacks in 2005 and 2006, even to the extent of owning them. Since the civilian leadership is rooted in the people, it cannot ignore the public fallout that results from such incidents, especially if their recurrence level is high, as has been the case in recent weeks.
Fallout on Civilians
The issue of sovereignty becomes more acute if we take into consideration historical complexities in Pakistan's civil-military relationship. Pakistan's army chief General Ashfaq Parvaiz Kayani has already issued a hard hitting statement, warning the United States against taking any further air or ground operation in tribal region. The military spokesman has more than once said the right to act against extremists is Pakistan's alone, and that the country has the option of retaliating in case sovereignty was violated by US forces again. The civilian leadership, including Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar, has made similar remarks. Obviously, given the precarious nature of civil-military ties in the country, the political leadership cannot be expected to be less nationalistic and patriotic than its military counterpart.
Of course, just like the Musharraf-led regime, the PPP-led civilian government would like to cooperate with the United States in the War on Terror. This is because it considers this cooperation vital for Pakistan's security and economic needs. That is why the obvious preference of the current political leadership is to take the US in confidence on the matter, assuring Washington that its concerns would be addressed within the available bilateral and multilateral mechanisms for intelligence sharing and security operation on the basis of actionable intelligence.
While US aerial assaults have taken place in the past, the key difference now is that not only their intensity has increased but they have been accompanied by the first-ever ground operation by US forces in the tribal belt. On Monday, there were speculations that another such incident targeting the same area in south Waziristan was aborted after firing by Pakistani forces.
If the incident was really confirmed, then it would be serious matter. Even the previous incident has created an impression as if the new political leadership in Pakistan has agreed to some new rules of engagement with the US for jointly combating the Taliban threat in FATA, something which the former has denied.
Turning the Tides
Overtime, Afghanistan has no doubt become a regional problem which needs a regional solution. This would mean that Pakistan becomes a part of the US/NATO strategy of fighting Taliban-led insurgency, whether it is in Afghanistan or in FATA. That would require the government in Islamabad to double and re-double its security campaign against the Taliban and their militaristic affiliates refusing to surrender the military option and cross-border infiltration into Afghanistan and attacks against Afghan and US/NATO forces there.
However, such a strategy would also require a rejuvenated effort, premised on earlier accords and the current efforts, for instance, in Bajaur, to cultivate moderates among the Taliban for peace by isolating them from hardliners and turning them against al-Qaeda and their sympathizers. A simultaneous effort has to be waged to bring about the power shift in FATA, from Mullahs to Maliks.
A civilian regime is the best guarantor of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Negotiating peace with the moderates among the Taliban would mean that nobody from amongst them will cross the Durand Line and will understand due constraints of the state of Pakistan in a volatile situation like this. A militancy-free and peaceful Afghanistan is in everybody's interest, more so in Pakistan's interest—as it will open up enormous avenues for economic progress for the country through wide-ranging international activities revolving around making use of the vast untapped hydrocarbon resources of Central Asia.
Reversing the Taliban threat in FATA and Afghanistan is in Pakistan's best national interest. Therefore, it should be our key strategic choice. And the same should be in the interest of every principal player engaged in securing and building Afghanistan. Even if the current hype in US operations in FATA is motivated by Republican leadership's electoral considerations, the US elections are only a month and a half away.
Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama sounds tough on Afghanistan, especially when it comes to tackling the Taliban threat in FATA is concerned. However, once in power, he can be expected to cooperate with the civilian democratic leadership in Pakistan and explore as many ways as possible to jointly tackle the Taliban threat, whether it emanates from FATA or Afghanistan's eastern and southern regions bordering Pakistan. The recent unusual hype in US attacks in the region has already damaged US-Pak ties enough, and this campaign must end forthwith, with Pakistan continuing its security operation with greater vigour and more creativity and the United States willing to forego its own previous suspicions and current concerns for the sake of stabilizing the country's fragile democratic regime, which, unlike its predecessor, cannot be expected to thrive on creating the bogy of 'jihadi' power or sustaining the threat of religious extremism for the sake of prolonging it rule with support from the United States.
Access column at weeklypulse.org


text:
Exhibit home > "A Heap of Broken Images": The Waste Land
"A Heap of Broken Images": The Waste Land
Ezra Pound met T.S. Eliot in London in 1914, some time after he asked Conrad Aiken to recommend a poet who was doing modern, different work. Eliot was recently graduated from Harvard, doing post-graduate work in philosophy at Oxford University and struggling with the conflicting ideas of becoming a professor or dedicating himself to poetry. Pound read Eliots The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, immediately deeming it the best poem I have yet had or seen from an American, and took the young poet under his wing. Harriet Monroe published Prufrock in the June 1915 issue of Poetry on Pounds strenuous recommendation, and several more Eliot poems later that year. Pound included two poems of Eliots in the second issue of BLAST, published in July 1915. Eliots first book, Prufrock and Other Observations, was published in June 1917, by the Egoist Press, although Pound had fronted the printing costs. Poems was published by the Hogarth Press in 1919, followed the next year by Poems, published by Alfred Knopf. Eliot also authored, anonymously, a brief monograph on Pounds work which was published by Knopf in 1917.
Eliot had secured a position in Lloyds Bank in 1917, but the pay was meager, even supplemented by Eliots occasional reviews. Pound had earlier attempted to raise funds so that Eliot could leave the banks employ to write full-time, but nothing came of it; in 1922 Pound tried again with a plan called Bel Esprit. The printer John Rodker produced a printed missive, but Eliots innate uneasiness about the endeavor and other events eventually caused its foundering.
The pressures of work and finances and Eliots strained marriage to Vivien Haigh-Wood culminated in a nervous breakdown. He was ordered by a specialist to take a three-month leave of absence from the bank; it was during his recuperation at Margate and Lausanne in late 1921 that he applied himself in earnest to a sprawling chaotic poem he had been considering for several years. En route to Switzerland, he visited Pound in Paris in November and showed him the poem, originally entitled He Do the Police in Different Voices (Betty Higdens comment on the foundling Sloppys oral reading of the newspaper in Dickens Our Mutual Friend), but soon titled The Waste Land. Pound edited the poem substantially, deleting entire sections and calling for Eliot to tighten and rearrange others. The final product reflects almost as much Pounds vision of Eliots poem as of Eliots himself; Eliots dedication of the poem to Pound as il miglior fabbro (the better craftsman, and itself an allusion to Pounds work, as it was the phrase Dante had used to praise the troubadour poet Arnaut Daniel, whose work Pound had translated) reflected his thought that Pound had done so much to turn The Waste Land from a jumble of good and bad passages into a poem.
The poem was published in October 1922 in the Dial (where it received the $2000 Dial Award, as payment for the poem due to intense negotiations by both Pound and Eliot with the Dial editors) and the Criterion, a new magazine edited by Eliot. It was published in book form in December by Boni & Liveright; this edition marked the first appearance of Eliots notes to the poem. A later edition was published the following year by Leonard and Virginia Woolf at the Hogarth Press. The poem had great impact from the moment of its publication; the critic Lawrence Rainey has said, the publication of The Waste Land marked the crucial moment in the transition of modernism from a minority culture to one supported by an important institutional and financial apparatus. It could be added that this was the vindication of everything Pound had been promoting for the past fifteen years, and marks the moment of his greatest triumphthe justification of our modern experiment.
The relationship between Pound and Eliot, although it continued primarily in correspondence, was never the same after 1922. Both wrote regular criticism of the others work, and Eliot played a role in securing Pounds release from St. Elizabeths in 1958. Pound attended Eliots memorial service in Westminster Abbey in 1965, and wrote of him, His was the true Dantescan voicenot honoured enough, and deserving more than I ever gave him.
Pound's Own Influences and Forebears
William Carlos Williams and H.D.: The Penn Years
London: William Butler Yeats, Wyndham Lewis and Others
"A Heap of Broken Images": The Waste Land
"An endless poem of no known category": The Cantos
World War II, The Pisan Cantos and St. Elizabeths
copyright © Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark,
+1 (302) 831-2229
Revised: 03/12/09

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In his early teens, Robert Goldsborough complained to his mother one summer day that he had "nothing to do." An avid reader of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries, she gave him a magazine serialization, and he became hooked on the adventures of the corpulent Nero and his irreverent sidekick, Archie Goodwin.
Through his school years and beyond, Goldsborough devoured virtually all of the 70-plus Wolfe mysteries. It was during his tenure as writer and editor with the Chicago Tribune that the paper printed the obituary of Rex Stout. On reading it, his mother lamented that "Now there won't be any more Nero Wolfe stories."
"There might be one more," Goldsborough mused, and began writing an original Wolfe novel for his mother as a 1978 Christmas present. This story, Murder in E Minor, remained a bound typescript for years, but in the mid-'80s, Goldsborough received permission from the Stout estate to publish it. Murder in E Minor first appeared as a Bantam hardcover, then in paperback, and six more Nero Wolfe novels eventually followed–all to favorable reviews.
As much as he enjoyed writing those mysteries, Robert Goldsborough longed to create his own characters. Thus, so far we have Three Strikes You're Dead, set in the gang-ridden Chicago of the late 1930s; Shadow of the Bomb, set in the early years of America's participation in World War II as scientists worked to secretly develop the atomic bomb on the University of Chicago campus, and A Death in Pilsen, set during the postwar mid-1940s in an old southside Chicago neighborhood–each book in the series narrated by Tribune police reporter Steve Malek.
Goldsborough, a lifelong Chicagoan who logged twenty-one years with the Tribune and twenty-three years with the trade journal Advertising Age, says it was "Probably inevitable that I would end up using a newspaperman as my protagonist."


text: In Daytona Beach, Florida, a teen was stabbed at an amphitheater over a fight involving text messages and a girlfriend. As a result of this meeting / fight, the teen, 16 year old Robyn Mary-Ruth Munsch, died. Police charted Raymond North (age 23) with first degree murder and charged Carl Bech and Dallas Mobbs as accessories to this crime according to a story posted at the Orlando Sentinel and Florida Times Union websites. A young person's life was ended short due to senseless violence. News reports did not indicate very many details of the crime; however, it is clear that the senseless death and injuries could have been avoided. Settling matters with fists, knives, and / or guns is not a solution at all. When children have a problem at school or with others, it is vital that children seek advice from their parents, elders, and mentors. The best advice for this situation would have been to stay away from the amphitheater and let time pass over this matter. Neither a girlfriend, insult or pride are worth the loss of a teen's life.


text:
Welcome to the Musical Bouquet'The Musical Bouquet' A Study of a Music Publisher 1845-1917 - Mervyn Slatter Published privately (in 2011)
This website gives extracts from the above book, which is largely based on my collection and that of the British Library.
The 'Musical Bouquet' publications fall into three categories:
- The Catalogue - some 6,870 pieces numbered from 1 to 9161
- Other Publications - tutors, albums etc.
- Standard Pieces - more expensive sheet music
+ many references to music found in 'Other Publications'
I am hopeful that the catalogue can be improved by comments from the public and I am more than happy to share information regarding this publisher.


text:
Hello all you beautiful people! I am here with the podcast that is the first step in making Mega64 the greatest thing on the Internet! In this episode: We announce our Patreon! This was hour 6 of our Patreon launch extravaganza! We talk about all the fun we had during the stream and talk about our new BTS videos that we just released!Plus, for a added bonus Rocco isn't wearing pants for the entire episode! How lucky are you!!!! Click here for the audio!!!!
That's all for now! Thank you to everyone who donated to us, we are completely humbled by how rad all of you guys are. WE WILL SEE YOU AT GAMEDAYS!!!!


text:
Liveability reflects the wellbeing of a community and the many characteristics that make a location a place where people want to live now and in the future. A liveable city or region meets the basic social, environmental and economic needs of its people. It also addresses community values and preferences for amenity, wellbeing and a sense of place.
The long-term interests of the community and future generations are central to the decisions we make in meeting the challenges of population growth and climate change, and how we make our cities and regions a better place to live.
So what does this mean for waterway and catchment managers and water authorities? How do we plan for the best use of waterway corridors and the significant amounts of public land that are required for us to provide water supply, waste water, drainage and flood protection services.
Come and hear about what Melbourne Water is doing to enhance life and liveability within its region.
Virginia Harris, Team Leader for Liveability & Environmental Stewardship, will talk about Melbourne Water's strategic direction for providing liveability services and provide some examples including Williams Landing, Maroondah Coranderrk Aqueducts and planning for the Yarra River.
You will also hear current research about amenity values and what the community value along our waterways
Nibbles and drinks start at 5:30pm. The seminar will start at 6pm.


text:
August 22, 2010
August 27th, 2010 by Terri
Had our first overnight out away from the babies! Saw Shinedown, Chevelle, Puddle of Mud, Sevendust, and 10 Years. Awesome; just what I needed. Thank you to my babysitting team (of 4!!) for the help. :) Great way to celebrate both Jason and my birthdays. Mommy feels refreshed and young again!
Posted in General News | No Comments »


text:
olving your toughest problems
Cub Cadet makes beautiful landscapes possible with the right combination of cutting-edge equipment, leading industry expertise and a commitment to service
Tank™ LZ
27hp Kohler® Command™ V-Twin Engine.
Large 152cm (60") fabricated deck.
Ideal for mowing yards up to 3.5 acres
Our great range of machinery including all the top brands Stihl, Cox, Cub Cadet, Superswift, Walker, Bobcat, Atom, Victa, MTD, Deutscher, Briggs & Stratton, Hustler, and more...
137 Fyans Street, South Geelong, Victoria, 3220
(03) 5229 3924


text:
Phone: (250) 635-4938
Toll Free: 1-800-663-7766
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE 3 sets of super b flat decks left. One set with aluminum wheels and lift axles, other two sets have steel wheels. c/w 2 – 55″ aluminum toolboxes. Call today for pricing!
LOCATED IN: WILLIAMS LAKE Take your pick of 3 different Raja super b flat decks. All have 2 – 60″ aluminum toolboxes, 2 dunnage racks, some with 22.5 and 24.5 tires and with aluminum wheels and steel wheels.
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE 24″ KP setting, 4′ sliding suspension, 11R24.5 tires, 26 winches with adjacent j-hooks
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE 11′ gooseneck, 25 winches with adjacent j-hooks, 255/70R22.5 tires, 2 aluminum pipe bunks, wide load lights, premium aluminum tool box
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE 16 foot tridem pony pup, 1/4″ Hardox tub style floor, 3mm Hardox steel sides, bulkhead and tailgate, 8″ channel tip sills, high lift tailgate, air operated tarp, air ride suspension with lift axles,
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE 55 Ton lowbed with tri-drive compatible hydraulic neck with flip extension, beavertail rear, boom stand, 11R24.5 tires on aluminum wheels, 21-1/2 deck x 10′ wide, enclosed Honda power unit, also compatible to work off wet kit on truck.
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE New sliding axle trailer, 10′ wide, 22.5 size tires on aluminum wheels, Warn 30,000 lb. hydraulic winch, 3 sets of hydraulically actuated split rollers, 4″ strobes in rear, Lodar 10 function wireless remote.
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE 53′ X 8-1/2′ step deck with fixed beavertail and flip ramps, 255/70R22.5 BF Goodrich tires on aluminum wheels, strobe lights, wide load lights, 2 premium aluminum tool boxes.
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE 55T Square back hydraulic gooseneck lowbed. Main deck is 10′ wide with swing-out outriggers by 24′ long, pin joint rear end to add more deck sections, Honda motor mounted in upper gooseneck, hydraulic flip extension with two pin positions for 3.5m / tandem jeeps. Depressed crossmembers on 24″ centres c/w D-rings
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE Ready to go! Highway hayrack with 3 bundles of 9'6″ bunks, 11R24.5 Goodyear Workhorse tires on aluminum wheels
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE 9 Axle super b log trailers, 4 bundles of 9'6″ bunks, Ridewell suspension, 11R24.5 tires on aluminum wheels, lift axles, rubber belting on gooseneck.
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE New off-highway hayrack ready to go. 10'6″ bunks, 11R24.5 BF Goodrich rugged tires on aluminum wheels
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE K-Line 65T beavertail lowbed. Tri-drive compatible neck with flip extension for single axle jeep, 10'6″ wide deck, pin joint, hydraulic neck, boomstand, compatible for tandem booster
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE 2019 K-Line 45 Ton Tridem Tilt/Slide Trailer, 10′ Wide, 30,000 lb Hydraulic Winch w/100′ of wire rope, 255/70R22.5 tires on aluminum wheels
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE Lowbed Jeeps…3.5M single axle jump jeep, single axle jeep designed for tri-drive trucks, tandem axle jeeps.
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE Quad Axle Short Logger, 31′ with 4) 9'6″ Strong Arm folding stakes and bunks. Walking beam suspension with SI electric scales. c/w 2 x 9'6″ truck bunks, 22.5 aluminum wheels
LOCATED IN: PRINCE GEORGE Lowbed boosters, Claw and Fishmouth style.


text:
Since some time ago I could not scroll in any GTK+ 3 window in StumpWM with an external mouse. Today I found a workaround for this problem: executing
export GDK_CORE_DEVICE_EVENTS=1 in a shell fixes the problem. To set this automatically when starting StumpWM insert the following in your
;; bugfix for scrolling doesn't work with an external mouse in GTK+3 apps.
(setf (getenv "GDK_CORE_DEVICE_EVENTS") "1")
This bug was also reported (and fixed) at the following bug trackers. However, none of those fixes worked for me.
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=983834
- https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=699574
- https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gtk+3.0/+bug/1171342
I found this solution at https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/slackware-14/gtk-3-mouse-wheel-doesn't-work-on-current-wed-sep-25-a-4175478706/.


text:
The Energy Education Council in an internationally recognized leader in providing a wealth of safety, efficiency, and renewable energy information.
For over 50 years, electric cooperatives have sponsored the annual Rural Electric Youth Tour by sending their high school juniors and seniors to Washington, D.C. to experience, first hand, the essence that is our republic. Witness the profound grandeur of monuments to our greatest leaders; reflect on the true cost of freedom by eyeing row upon row of white crosses at Arlington Cemetary; question your Congressmen and Senators on issues that affect you, and unlock your individual spirit.
Your local cooperative, Lyon-Lincoln Electric Cooperative, pays all the expenses for your trip and the Minnesota Rural Electric Association coordinates the events. The 2018 Youth Tour dates are June 9th-14th. To apply for the 2018 Youth Tour, simply fill out this application and submit it to our office along with a short essay. APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR THE 2018 YOUTH TOUR IS MARCH 2, 2018!
Not convinced yet? Check out NRECA's website at http://youthtour.coop. You can see photos, videos and participate in the YLCBlog. Hope to see you in June!


text:
Who doesnt need more storage in the kitchen? You may not have a massive space with dozens of cabinets and yards of countertops, but that doesnt mean you dont have the space you need to store all your stuff. Use a few of these clever tricks and you might be surprised how much extra room you can create.
Dining table storage
Getting creative with your dining space doesnt have to mean adding another piece of furniture. In a smaller space that cant accommodate a server or sideboard, how about a table with hidden storage under the eating surface?
Spice it up
Limited cabinet or countertop space can make it hard to store and view your spices, but a simple drawer hack can change that.
"Storing spices in a drawer rather than a wall-mounted rack ensures seasonings are handy for cooking while preserving their delicate flavors by protecting them from sunlight, moisture and heat," said HGTV. Use the 3.99 VARIERA spice insert from IKEA for an inexpensive solution.
Build in a wine rack
Dont have space for the wine cellar you want? Build a cool wine rack right into your island.
Transform your pantry
A small pantry space can be difficult not just from a space perspective but also because a narrow but deep space can make it hard to see whats there and access all of your goods. For as little as a couple hundred dollars, you can transform your pantry into a pull-out, which maximizes your space and gives you easy access to everything inside.
Add a retractable pot rack
Perhaps the issue isnt so much about lack of space but lack of usable space when it comes to your pots and pans. Oftentimes, the cabinet intended for these items is one large box that makes it hard to keep the area neat and be able to easily find what you need without making a bigger mess. This DIY rack solves that problem and frees up space at the bottom of the cabinet for other items.
Creative pot racks
Dont have the space for all your pots and pans in a cabinet? Many homeowners choose to go the overhead pot rack route, but, if you dont have the headroom for that or just dont care for that solution, how about this one: "A floating shelf that can also double as a floating pan rack," said Architecture Art Designs. Not only does this allow
you to display your nice cookware prominently and keep it within easy reach while bringing in a natural element, its perfect for a space in need of a focal point.
Banquette storage
If youre doing a custom banquette, its easy enough to incorporate drawers underneath - the perfect place to keep all those things you dont need every day but dont want to store in the garage, like fancy dinnerware and silverware, tablecloths, and holiday serving pieces.
Easily accessible drawers that slide out from the end also make a great place to keep kids art supplies.
You can also buy ready-made pieces for your dining room or breakfast nook, like this bench with a seat that lifts up to accommodate your storage needs.


text:
Home › Program Descriptions › Construction › Back
CONSTRUCTION 208: Startups – The $64,000 Answer
Learning Objectives
- Identify how startup problems damage more than the pool finish: customer confidence and your bottom line.
- Discuss how to generate tens of thousands of dollars with well executed startups.
- Examine how to eliminate project complications with monitored startups.
- Identify how to turn those perfect startups into referrals to grow your business.
Although this program includes technical information, it is more about the business side of doing proper startups. Use these lessons learned to improve and expand your startup services and retain those clients for ongoing service and maintenance. Protect the pool finish and your client's investment while reducing your exposure to liability.
Time/ Credits
1:00 hrs
0.1 IACET CEUs


text:
Magic happens and capturing that moment of beauty is my mission. I want to bring images to people that awake their attention and inspire their imaginations.
My photography interest started many years ago but matured over the last 10 years. My vision was sharpened by many photographic workshops, classroom instruction at the ICP and NJ Visual Arts Center and participation in many photographic competitions of the New Jersey Federation of Camera Clubs and the Livingston Camera Club. My many photo friends are of immense help. I have been featured in several solo shows and won best in photography at the Maplewood Art Walk.
The photographic image and digital technology allowed me to express my creative interests and use the camera lens to bring focus to my mission. I continue to learn and be amazed at the possibilities of photography in the modern age.
Other Featured Galleries


text:
The FileMaker Platform is simply powerful software program for creating custom apps that work seamlessly throughout iPad, iPhone, Home windows, Mac, and the web. All the things is either extremely apparent or wizard-led, so that you're never left floundering or wondering what to do. In a matter of minutes you'll be able to create a site with a limiteless variety of pages, complete with free hosting, and there is even a library of free images and icons for you to work with.
We evaluated how easy it was to add metatags, keywords and titles for each article and web page and whether the web builder company submitted your web site to search engines like google and yahoo or in the event you had to submit it your self. Whereas this will require you to maintain two separate websites, the advantages of a mobile website will enormously increase your SEO.
I saw this submit a few month ago and gave all of the talked about websites a attempt again then but found all of them so sophisticated (I am not good with computers as you'll be able to inform, lol) At some point, one of my mates advised Micro Websites () to me and I signed up with as they provided 10 days free trial.
These website design software program require much less monetary commitment, and in some instances, they are free for you to use. We hope you now how the confidence in your choice of creating your personal website utilizing a website creator! In addition, we valued those website creators that gave us full rein to customise our site.
You need to preserve your firewall security on to get the maximum security benefits from Microsoft Safety Necessities antivirus software. Whether you prefer written instructions or need to see every step in a video, you can find free information on-line that will help you transfer forward with your design.
Web builder software program resembling Wix, Squarespace, Weebly or Jimdo are constructed to make website constructing doable for anybody, from youngsters to grandparents. In addition to evaluating the varied design tools, advertising features and internet hosting choices each utility promotes, we focused specifically on the usability of every web builder.


text:
Our ever-traveling writers offer some road-trip ideas.
In town, there are several must-sees.
Austin is a gateway city to the storied Texas Hill Country—home to German beer, Texas wines, barbecue and some excellent courses.
Chicago, known as the public golf capital of the U.S., offers an astonishing number of nationally recognized daily-fee courses.
No matter where you choose to play, you'll get the built-in pleasures of Florida golf — water, sand, birds, ocean breezes, palms.
Charleston is a great fit for golfing families, couples and buddies.
Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our Visitor Agreement (updated 1/1/2020) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice (updated 1/1/20). IF YOU ARE A CALIFORNIA RESIDENT AND WOULD LIKE TO EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO OPT-OUT OF THIRD-PARTY DATA SHARING, YOU MAY DO SO HERE: Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Golf Digest may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of DISCOVERY GOLF, INC.
©2020 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. All rights reserved


text:
To Blog or not to Blog, That is the question…..
Online marketing has gone "viral"! If you own a business and want to be successful, your marketing MUST encompass an online presence. "Online presence" no longer means simply owning a website, it literally includes a very intricate and thought out funnel system of social media applications that bring people TO your website. There a variety of ways to go about this. You can pay an advertising business to conduct all the necessary funnels which could be very effective yet extremely costly, or you could spend hours researching methods and conducting trial and error experiments to see what works best for your company. Due to money constraints, and starting my business on a very small budget, I chose the later. However, the knowledge I acquired along the way has been extremely beneficial to me, as the demand for such services are unmet, and highly regarded. I have been able to help people build their businesses and their funnels with this knowledge that I gained along the way.
It would be "virtually" impossible to teach you everything there is to know about online marketing in one "blog", as there is a tremendous amount of information regarding this topic. I will however go over what I have found to me of the most important, and what I have found others in the industry to be in agreeance with to prioritize.
First and foremost, I will begin with answering the above question….. "To Blog or Not to Blog?" Hmmm…….
My answer is a concrete YES. Blogging is now one of the TOP online marketing tools available. If you have, or want an online presence, you must know have current and active blogs on your site. Blogging is short essays of content usually between 300-700 words written specifically for online usage. It allows you to place fresh content on a regular basis on your website and to use keywords to optimize the article thru search engines. It also makes your website seem extremely active with many live links, which is smiled upon. You will not write about your company, you will write about topics relevant to your industry to show your target audience your knowledge about your market. For example, a spa owner would blog on the benefits of facials or why to use sunscreen. An energy management company may blog on the benefits of solar panels, or the newest technology transferring heat from your air conditioner to your water heater. Your goal is to capture attention through interesting content, not the net worth and great customer service of your company. Although this is important, unless you are in the direct market to purchase solar panels, an ad for a solar panel company will not catch your eye. However, and educational and informative blog written on the power saving benefits of solar panels just might make you stop and read!
Your blogs also can be shared thru a variety of social media funnels. You will want to put a small bio or "about me" at the end of each blog with links directing readers to your site. You may not be a talented or professional writer yourself, but there are many freelance writers who would be willing to write articles for you at reasonable rates. Many high school or college young adults might also be interested in writing for you as a side job.
You also have the option to incorporate affiliate marketing into your blogs for an additional income stream, but that is an entirely separate subject.
So, when considering "to Blog or not to Blog", remember, if you have or want a successful online presence, you will want to find a good, successful blogger. (click there for a good one!)
To Blog or Not to Blog?
Written by Angela Christu
For professional blogging services and a free consultation for your business please contact Angela


text: We've all been there. With so much crap going on in our daily lives, sometimes it feels like there is no time for a workout. WRONG! Where there's a will, there is a way. I get it though. It's stressful just to come up with exercises to do when life gets hectic. I got you.… Continue reading Quick and Dirty Workouts for Those in a Time Crunch


text: Ken Nordine not only hosted Incredible But True, he voiced countless commercials and created Word Jazz. Incredible, But True was a series that recreated urban legend type stories in radio drama form, complete with cast, organ music, and sound effects. The short radio dramas would tell of some sort of unexplained phenomena that was mysterious and yet, true (supposedly). The host /narrator was Ken Nordine (who later become famous narrating the surreal spoken word series


text:
Browse Opportunities
Recording Quality Accepted
Opportunity Type
Price Range
Final Decision Maker
Deal Structure
Potential Payout Range
Industry Pro. Response Time
Industry Pro. Community Rating
submission price: $6.00
Payout: $1,001 - $1,500
I'm Troy Beelen, the Executive A&R for Bentley Records based in New York City.
We are an international record label company serving many professional artists worldwide. For more information you can visit our website www.Bentley-Music.com
If you're interested in working with us please submit your best track(s) and include any social media links. We're ready to take your music career to the next level!
Best Regards,
Troy Beelen
Executive A&R
Bentley Records
submission price: $10.00
Payout: $1,001 - $1,500
Random EQ is currently seeking Rock, Hard/Heavy Rock, and Pop artists with great potential for Artist Development and Management. We have already had successes facilitating acts with licensing and publishing deals, assisting conferences and artists with sponsorship procurement and endorsement deals, etc. We also have distribution (physical and digital), marketing (radio and web), and web/graphic design teams that have worked for both indie and major labels.
Random EQ is a multifaceted independent music management and publishing company. We specialize in artist development, production, licensing and marketing for all genres. Random EQ Music Publishing is currently a licensed publishing company with ASCAP and we are expanding with help from several mainstream partnerships.
- Will D / Random EQ
Deal Type: Label / Management Signing
Decision Maker: I'm the final decision maker
Deal Structure: Non-Exclusive
Compensation: $1,000+
Song Quality: Rough Mixes, Fully mastered, Broadcast ready
submission price: $10.00
Payout: $1,001 - $1,500
Darryl Williams, former Vice President of A&R for Atlantic and Elektra Records is looking for the next Pop and R&B singing sensation to sign to a boutique record label. Submitting artists should have taken the time and developed their sound and have a good sense of who they are. I'm not looking for Chris Brown knock-offs. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration.
Darryl Williams discovered and was the executive producer of Brandy, Ray J and Amerie. He has also had gold and platinum albums with Beyonce, Destiny's Child, Jennifer Lopez, Silk and Kut Klose among others.
Our latest scheduled release is with Atlanta based Pop & R&B signer Scotty Cram.
- Darryl Williams / St. Marx Ent.
submission price: $10.00
Payout: $1,001 - $1,500
Audity Music is seeking the best songwriters and producers to work with our team. We have a global network of talented and successful songwriters who we represent as publishing clients, management clients, and simply song-plugging clients. We are always seeking high quality co-writes and collaborations as well as exceptional writers to join us for international writing camps with record label clients in multiple territories. Audity has uniquely special, value-added reach in Asian markets.
Please note that we submit music to major labels globally and can ONLY work with commercially-viable and competitive music. We are highly-selective but also very attentive. And, we will provide honest and thorough feedback.
Past placements include Girls Generation, Big Sean, Super Junior, Destiny's Child, BOA, EXO, Lady Gaga, and more.
Please submit ONLY your best to us and ONLY through this DropBox. Please do not email us directly.
submission price: $6.00
Payout: $1,001 - $1,500
We are seeking Urban, R&B, Soul, Gospel and Hip-hop/Rap songwriters and producers to add to our roster. We work directly with A&R's, managers, major artists, music supervisors and we are in need of you!
The type of people we are seeking should want to write and/or produce for major and indie writers along with TV/Film.
Requirements: Able to work with deadlines, must be ready to work, along with submission you must provide a link to more of your work (can be a dropbox link), no divas nor divos, must be consistent and able to send music on a regular basis ( not once or twice a month ).
- The Audio Plugz
submission price: $8.00
Payout: $1,001 - $1,500
We are searching for a talented producer for our first release in our new London based Record Label.
Searching for Deep House or Techno track with a really powerful and emotional flavour. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration.
Similar artists: Recondite, Stephan Bodzin, Tale of Us, Adriatique.
- Alvaro Garcia / Templum Records
submission price: $5.00
Payout: $1,001 - $1,500
Soultrade Records is looking for your productions for inclusion in two of its up & coming compilations: Soultrade House and Soultrade Breaks.
We are currently accepting submissions, therefore all styles of House will be considered for this opportunity as well as tracks within the Breakbeat genres. We love music that expresses both the happier and moodier aspects of life as long as it stays within some kind of resonance. So if your music is too dissonant we are probably not the label for you. To add to all that, we are looking for productions within the 124-130 BPM range.
Please follow the guidelines when submitting your music for consideration.
- Edward de la Rosa - Director - Soultrade Records
Deal Type: Label Signing/Compilation Release
Decision Maker: I'm the final decision maker
Deal Structure: Non-Exclusive
Compensation: Negotiable
Song Quality: Fully mastered
Similar Sounding Artists: Above & Beyond, Matan Caspi, Morttagua, Ed Flow,Meat Katie, D-Nox & Beckers, Daft Punk, Deep Dish, Underworld, Stanton Warriors, Shiloh, Derek Howell
submission price: $4.00
Payout: $1,001 - $1,500
Looking for EDM artists in the Scandinavian area. We are open to all genres of EDM. Please submit your best track(s) for consideration.
Aurora Studios is a Scandinavian company that runs both a record label and an artist management agency.
We offer a wide variety of contracts that let you choose how long you want to be a part of our company.
We would love to hear from you and hope that you will enjoy working with us.
Our platform allows your music to be listened to (worldwide) on popular music platforms such as iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, and many more.
- Hafsteinn Már Sigríðarson - CEO - Aurora Studios
Deal Type: Label Signing
Decision Maker: I'm the final decision maker
Deal Structure: Non-Exclusive
Compensation: Negotiable
Song Quality: Rough Mixes, Fully mastered, Broadcast ready
submission price: $6.00
Payout: $1,001 - $1,500
Bentley Records is an international record label founded in 2013. We're all about the quality of music and the quality of everything else we do. The artists who work with us are a prime example of this principle. Our roster includes well established, top industry artists, producers and songwriters. A well experienced team is behind the scenes making all the magic possible. Bentley Records is equipped with cutting edge technology & recently invested in a state of the art record label system, which gives unprecedented access to 280+ stores worldwide, as well as a radio pool consisting of more than 200 International FM Radio Stations. Currently Bentley Records has a growing music catalog of over 2000+ records. Our video content gets exclusive coverage through our partner TV station MIXZtv. We have also partnered with world class recording & video production facilities around the world in New York City, Hollywood-CA, London-UK, Cologne-Germany & Singapore. Part of our benefits go to the Luxo Group HOPE Foundation.
Mission - Create Legends who create Classics!
Clients/Partners - Warner Music Singapore, Sound Republica inc Korea, ReverbNation, MIXZtv, LuxoPreferred, Bentley Models New York, Afton Shows, Campbell Relations LLC.
Studios - Interface Studios(Germany), Miloco Studios(UK), Lounge Studios(NYC), SkyWave Studios(Hollywood), KRTV Studios(New Jersey), Sonic Studios(Singapore).
Experience - We work in partnership with many associates from the recording industry and have thus far helped lay the foundation to many successful careers in the industry.
- Troy Beelen - Executive A&R - Bentley Records


text:
Tesla's Elon Musk creates Neuralink brain electrode firm
foto: kyivpost.com
Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has launched Neuralink, a start-up which aims to develop technology that connects our brains to computers.
A report from the Wall Street Journal, later confirmed in a tweet by Mr Musk, said the company was in its very early stages and registered as a "medical research" firm.
The company will develop so-called "neural lace" technology which would implant tiny electrodes into the brain.
The technique could be used to improve memory or give humans added artificial intelligence.
Read more on BBC.


text:
MorCare makes every effort to ensure optimal use of our software solutions
Acquiring new systems and software can be a daunting process, especially if the changes correspond to adjustments in operational structure or workflow. MorCare offers collaborative implementation processes so that your organization can transition smoothly into using our enterprise software solutions.
We understand there is no one-size-fits-all product or implementation strategy for health systems and hospitals. Each solution we offer has its own flexible implementation framework.
Your organization's specific implementation process will depend on your setup and which MorCare solutions you purchase. MorCare makes every effort to ensure optimal use of the software and services from implementation through ongoing enhancements and customizations.
MorCare's software solutions
Implementation includes but is not limited to:
- •Providing a site-specific implementation plan
- •Providing support and consultation to customer implementation team from kickoff through go-live
- •Configuring the system to support standardized workflows
- •Delivering documentation to support standardized workflows
- •Providing on-site training and configuration assistance and remote go-live support
Your organization may choose to incorporate further support and training during your collaborative implementation planning with us.
Hardware and software hosting is a key factor in your organization's implementation. We offer two installation options: remote-hosted with Software as a Service+ (SaaS+) and client-hosted.
If you have questions about the implementation process, contact us at 844.344.3723.


text:
Sports Medicine
Sports Injury Prevention & Rehabilitation
+1-650-815-6552 / +33784264352
Voted Best Sports Therapy Clinic in the San Francisco Bay Area 2010-2019!
Main Navigation
About Athletic Edge
AE Therapist Bios
Common Injuries We Treat
Our Policies
Our Method
Biomechanics & Posture
Performance Coaching
Sleep Science
Sports Nutrition
Sports Therapy
Athletic Edge Services
Biomechanics & Posture
Performance Coaching
Sleep Science
Sports Nutrition
Sports Therapy
Structural Integration
Specials & Packages
Gift Certificates
Downtown Palo Alto
Monte Carlo Monaco
Contact Us
Book An Appointment
E-mail Athletic Edge
Find Us On Google+
Follow Us On Twitter!
Gift Certificates
Stretching Guide
Carpal Tunnel Stretches
Hip Stretches
Lower Back Stretches
Midback Stretches
Neck Stretches
Seated Posture
Sleeping Posture
Standing Posture
Stretch After Warm-Up
Stretches For Cyclists
Stretches For Engineers
Stretches For Golfers
Stretches For Runners
Sports Injuries
Achilles & Heel
Ankle Injuries
Buttock Injuries
Common Injuries We Treat
Elbow & Forearm Injuries
Foot Injuries
Hip & Groin Injuries
Knee Injuries
Lower Back Injuries
Lower Leg Injuries
Neck & Head Injuries
Shoulder Injuries
Thigh Injuries
Upper Back & Chest
Wrist & Hand Injuries
Sports Specific Injuries
Baseball Injuries
Basketball Injuries
Cheerleading Injuries
Cycling Injuries
Dance Injuries
Field Hockey Injuries
Figure Skating Injuries
Football Injuries
Golf Injuries
Gymnastics Injuries
Ice Hockey Injuries
Lacrosse Injuries
Martial Arts Injuries
Rowing Injuries
Rugby Injuries
Running Injuries
Skiing Injuries
Soccer Injuries
Softball Injuries
Swimming Injuries
Tennis Injuries
Volleyball Injuries
Wrestling Injuries
Cold Therapy
Electrical Stim - TENS
Heat Therapy
Heat Therapy Products
Hot Versus Cold Therapy
Interferential Stim
Kinesio Taping
Laser Therapy
Magnetic Field Therapy
Sports Massage Therapy
Ultrasound Therapy
Athletic Edge Blog
A Good Night's Sleep
After The Marathon
Athletes Get An Edge
Back Pain And Posture
Back Pain While Flying
Battling Stress
Chronic Headaches
Combating Aging
Kinesio Taping & Massage
Massage Benefits Sports
Massage For Your Health
Massage Therapy Info
Medial Knee Pain
Medical Massage Benefits
More Than Relaxation
Olympics Inspired
Plantar Fasciitis Pain
Prescription To Relax
Proper Use Of Backpacks
Relax, Rejuvenate...
Relieve a Migraine
Relieve TMJ Pain
Runner's Knee & IT Band
Sciatica & Low Back Pain
Self Massage For Athlete
Sprained Ankle Treatment
Stay Active!
Tension Headaches
To Stretch Or Not...
Walkers - Sports Massage
Health History Form
Minor Informed Consent
Massage Techniques
Online Store
Gift Certificates
Heat Therapy Products
Kinesio Taping
Massage Therapy For Tension Headaches
Massage Therapy for Tension Headaches
Do you suffer from regular tension headaches? Do you often wonder if there's a better solution than medications? Massage therapy may just be the answer you've been searching for!
Many people suffer from daily or near-daily headaches, and popping a pain-relieving pill sometimes can make the headache worse!
Chronic sufferers experience more than just a pain in the head! The pain can radiate into your neck and shoulders and disturb your ability to get a good, restorative night's rest. Constant pain raises stress levels and irritability. As simple as it may sound, a tension headache can interfere with your daily life, decreasing productivity and the overall quality of your life.
Causes of Tension Headaches
There are many things that may cause this pain. The most obvious being stress and poor posture. Do you sit at your desk with your shoulders slumped and your head jutting forward? Do you tense your shoulders up around your ears when the boss piles on the workload? Do you grind or clench your teeth?
Are you a weekend warrior, meaning most of your physical activity is on your down time from work? If so, do you warm up? Cool down? Do you do too much too fast? Do you play till you drop with fatigue?
And what about sleep? Do you sleep well? Do you get enough sleep? Do you pile the pillows under your head, causing your neck to rest in an abnormal position with your chin into your chest? Do you sleep on your belly?
The trick is to evaluate the reasons behind the headache and change the poor habits to decrease mental and physical stress. Massage is an excellent way to combat both forms of stress!
Massage can relax affected muscles by decreasing spasms and increasing range of motion. A well-trained massage therapist can assess the affected muscles just by your input and through touch.
For example, if your pain is located above the eye, around the ear and down the side of the neck like a question mark, your upper trapezius muscle may be the culprit. Your upper traps run from the base of your skull to your clavicle or collarbone. It is responsible for drawing your head back and to the side.
And if you experience pain around the eye, in your ear and across you forehead, it can be your sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle, which in turn can affect your scalene muscles. Your SCM is the cord-like muscle on the side of your neck running from the base of your skull laterally to your collarbone. It rotates and depresses your head. Your scalenes are deep muscles on the side of the neck from your neck vertebra (the bones of your spinal column) to the first or second rib. This muscle flexes your neck.
The use of massage therapy can relax and stretch muscles to relieve pain and stress. Massage can break the pain cycle plus eliminate the original source of pain. It can relieve tight muscles, improve range of motion and alter pain sensations - even stop the nerves that register pain from firing. It can also increase circulation, since muscle tightness or tension often leads to ischemia or reduced local circulation.
Massage can also reduce the mental aspects of stress, such as anxiety, anger, confusion and depression by decreasing the stress hormone cortisol. It can increase your alertness and concentration, thus improving your productivity.
In short, massage has a positive effect psychologically (mentally) and physiologically (body functions), all of which can affect pain and its perception. Stress and continued pain can exacerbate other medical conditions. The key is to identify the causes and take positive steps to correct them. Massage is a non-invasive way to get a gripe on the things getting in the way of a happy, pain-free life.
As strange as it may seem, any these things can cause or aggravate the pain of the tension headache. Taking steps to eliminate or reduce these poor habits and muscular imbalances can go a long way in your fight against chronic tension headaches.
Rid Yourself of the Pain!
Tension headaches can be frustrating - and debilitating! And taking an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol can be effective in relieving pain. But taken regularly, these medications can cause an increase in headaches in the form of a rebound headache, which is often worse than the original headache.
Occasionally, a headache can be a sign something is wrong. You should always consult with your physician before attempting any treatments, including over-the-counter medications and massage.
If a new headache appears, especially after the age of 50, it may be a sign of an underlying disease and should be evaluated promptly. If the headache comes with other symptoms, such as drowsiness, confusion, weakness, loss of muscle coordination, fever, nausea/vomiting, visual disturbances or muscle rigidity (like a stiff neck), contact your physician immediately. Also contact your medical practitioner if the pain steadily worsens over time or with exertion - or is accompanied with high blood pressure.
During a massage treatment while suffering with a tension headache, avoid vigorous or deep pressure techniques as these may result in kick-back pain. Kick-back pain is a recurrence of symptoms a few hours or days after treatment. This can occur when these more aggressive techniques are applied too quickly or deeply without proper follow up such as slow release, after-technique stretching and heat application to relieve over-work pain.
To avoid kick-back pain, make sure you visit a well-trained, qualified massage therapist, whether licensed or certified. Do not let your loved one try to work out the muscles, especially if you are experiencing tension headache pain.
Don't try to be a hero - if a certain technique is causing increased pain - speak up! Massage during a tension headache should be relaxing. There is time to really work those muscles once the pain in your head is under control!
So, why not try a massage?
Book your appointment now!
Who knows, with the right treatment, that nagging head pain may just become an unpleasant memory!
540 Bryant Street, Palo Alto, California 94301 | (650) 815-6552
Content copyright


text:
Posted on June 05, 2018The office will be closed from Monday 11 June until Friday 15 June. All orders received during this period will be sent on Monday 18th June. We're taking a short break from Monday 11 June until Friday 15 June.
by Bold Apps
There are no comments.
Comments have to be approved before they're published.
© 2014 The PMC Studio Ltd. All Right Reserved. Ecommerce Software by Shopify Privacy Policy | Refund Policy | Terms of Service / Delivery


text:
While the world celebrates nature, what is India doing? Encroaching over rivers, ponds, watershed, forest lands...
"I believe in God and I see it in the form of nature": Frank Wright Loyd
What is the legacy we are leaving for our children? Should a river be contained within channels? Is it Okay to build big dams? Interfering in natural order of the things in the name of development? Or chasing some mirage of development.
Can't we teach them to co-exist with nature, respect her, know her, feel proud of her, rather than always trying to fight and subjugate her.
Contrast these two documentaries. One where nature is celebrated with a view and a promise to keep it as it is for generations, versus India where there is always a race to mummify nature, milk natural resources to the hilt and complain how unfair the world is to us. It's not the world, it's our own thought process where a certain form of Selfie mentality has taken center stage with vested interests always trying to take advantage.
National Parks Adventure promoted in USA.


text:
In Muslim-majority Kyrgyzstan there is only one Kyrgyz-language Christian children's magazine – and it is made available through support from Barnabas Fund. Filled with pictures, poems, puzzles and stories, the magazine proves very popular, with copies being passed around and distributed in the streets. With our help it is also translated and circulated in Kazakhstan and Bulgaria.
Many persecuted Christians are also deprived of Christian resources that would help them grow in their faith. The production and distribution of suitable materials is often restricted or forbidden. Our literature and resources funds support the provision of Bibles and other Christian literature, DVDs and television and radio programmes.
These resources provide huge encouragement and strength to our suffering brothers and sisters. A young Kachin Christian in Burma (Myanmar) who received a Bible funded by Barnabas said, "I am getting peace from God through reading the Bible and by living a life devoted to God."


text:
Annual Trustees Report for 2015
St George of England Parish Church, Toddington
Aims and Purposes
St George's PCC has the responsibility of cooperating with the Incumbent, the Rev'd Anne Crawford, for the mission and outreach of the Church, in worship, pastoral care, spiritual nurture, evangelism, social action and in encouraging fellowship with other churches of other denominations in the Parish. Our vision is to be a vibrant, loving, worshipping community; a church rooted in God, eager to develop our faith, and build on tradition. We are part of a two parish benefice and share our Rector with All Saints Parish Church in Chalgrave, the PCCs working together to support, encourage and resource one another in ministry.
St George of England PCC has responsibility for the Wilkinson Church Hall, which is situated in the churchyard and used by the church and various community groups and associations.
Objectives and Activities
The PCC produces a Mission Action Plan (MAP) each year to enable Church to grow spiritually and numerically, to be effective in evangelism, mission and outreach, and to provide some benefit to the parish we are called to serve.
We work hard to encourage the people of our parish to live out their faith as part of our wider parish community; we strongly believe that the Church belongs to all parishioners regardless of church attendance. We do this by endeavouring to make worship accessible for all ages and stages; we offer traditional Anglican worship on Sundays and feast days, and provide opportunities for prayer, both public and private, keeping our church building open during daylight hours with resources freely available (ie bible, candles, written prayer resources etc). We offer learning opportunities throughout the year so that people can explore the Gospel come to a deeper understanding of who Jesus Christ is and the effect knowing him may have on their lives. The Rector offers spiritual guidance, quiet days and retreats to help deepen and refresh faith. Anne also serves as secretary of the Diocesan Worship and Liturgy Committee which provides training and support in worship provision for parish clergy, musicians and laity across the diocese. She also supervises our ordinand Ian Smith, currently in his second year of training on the Eastern Region Ministry Course.
Pastoral care is provided for all people who live in the villages, regardless of creed or culture, with a small team of volunteers assisting the Rector who also takes Holy Communion to the sick and housebound.
The Rector is a governor at St George of England C of E Academy, with other members of the church also serving on the governing body. She visits all the schools in Toddington and Chalton to lead worship and assemblies, teaches a meditation group at the church school and is part of a team which provides RE experiences for community schools in Leighton Buzzard. She regularly welcomes schools to St George's for worship, and for various RE and community visits. A small team of volunteers work with the Rector each Lent to provide an 'Experience Easter' week for school children of all ages. The Rector is also an Anglican representative member of Central Bedfordshire's SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for RE) and so is involved in the Church's work with schools in a wider context.
The PCC continues to support the local Foodbank, both financially and practically, and church members play an active role in supporting Toddington Helping Hands. Various groups provide social events for villagers, with a monthly Ploughman's Lunch being held in the Wilkinson Hall which is especially popular with the elderly members of our community.
For the third year running we have hosted a village Harvest Show which brings together the Church, schools and the local farming community to raise funds for the Bishop of St Albans Harvest Appeal, and this is growing in popularity. We hold monthly coffee mornings and other social events which raise money for the church's general fund as well as supporting various charities.
The Parish Church, being an ancient and historic building, is situated at the very heart of Toddington village, and is a visible sign of God's continuing presence in our community. Our church building, which is kept open during daylight hours, provides a sacred space which is much valued in the community, and, along with the church hall, offers the facilities necessary for worship, outreach and community support. Both buildings are valuable resources for enabling parish life and work to flourish and to grow and the PCC acknowledges the importance of maintaining the fabric of the Church and its Hall.
Mission Action Plan (MAP) for 2015
The PCC, together with the PCC of All Saints, Chalgrave, enjoyed a day away together in February 2015 at the Cathedral in St Albans. This was a great opportunity to develop friendship and fellowship between the two PCCs of the benefice, and to share the challenges and joys of ministry. We used the time away from the parishes to explore our individual churches' MAPs, and to re-adjust our goals for the coming year:
Looking at the parish of Toddington and our wider context in early 2015 we identified the following three key characteristics:
a) About the parish: There are small pockets of need, often hidden away. (We are actively addressing this through our continuing involvement in Dunstable foodbank). Young families lead busy lives with mum's often working full time, and many have no church background. The village offers a large variety of social activities, clubs and associations for all ages to belong to.
b) About our church: Our people resources are limited and pastoral care generates a heavy workload particularly for the Rector. We are good at fellowship with the older generation who come along to monthly ploughman's lunches and Saturday morning coffee mornings and our Messy Church is lively and welcoming to the younger generation and their families. We have very limited financial resources and have a large ancient Grade 1 listed building to care for. We have been unable to pay our full parish share for the last 6 years and are anxious about our future.
In our discerning we summarised our Vision, Priorities and Goals:
Our Vision is to be:
'a vibrant, loving, worshipping community; a church rooted in God,
eager to develop our faith, and build on tradition'.
Our key priorities
over the next 5 years we aim to address the three key themes of 'Living God's Love' by:
Developing our music and worship so that it helps to deepen our faith and support our discipleship.
Financial viability. We would like to increase our income so that we are in a healthier position, able to pay a realistic parish share in full, and resource mission locally.
Strengthen our learning , so that we can be more confident in our discipleship and effective in mission.
Our Goals
Our five key SMART goals for the next year or more:
(SMART = Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Resourced)
1 Create opportunities for learning and encourage attendance and commitment
2 Continue with the Stewardship Campaign begun at Harvest 2013, and build on its strengths.
3 To have effective churchwardens in post.
4 Encourage the building up of a choir and develop and broaden our musical repertoire to enhance worship.
5 Ensure our church building is a clean, safe, warm and inviting place in which to worship and welcome visitors.
This MAP is a working document, and progress has been monitored at every PCC meeting.
It was adopted by the PCC on 14th February 2015 with a review scheduled for February 2016.
Achievements and Performance
Reflecting on our MAP goals at the end of 2015
Goal 1 Learning: We offered two new Pilgrim Courses during 2015, and this provided very good material for the six adult confirmation candidates as well as those members of the congregations who were wanting to learn more, and deepen and refresh their faith and relationship with God. We continue to struggle in successfully attracting regular congregation members to attend any courses or quiet day, despite responding to feedback and suggestions. People seem reluctant to give up their evenings, especially in the winter, and parents with young families find it hard to give time to their own learning when children's sports and social activities take priority. In the coming year we, as a benefice, are proposing to join forces with a neighbouring parish, sharing resources and leadership so that we can provide a wider range of learning opportunties.
In January parishioners from both churches in the benefice joined an Evening Pilgrimage to St Albans Cathedral, and this was a wonderful event which people appreciated very much. The combination of historical visit and worship worked well and the cathedral were welcoming and generous hosts.
Monday Bible Study Group. St George's parishioners are part of an ecumenical Bible Study House Group which meets every Monday afternoon. They use a variety of course booklets to help in the study of scripture and begin each session with a time of prayer and praise.
Goal 2 Stewardship & Finances: Following promotion at work, our Stewardship Officer was unable to continue in his role and a replacement officer had to be found. A new Givings Officer, Karen Calder, came forward from All Saints Chalgrave's congregation, and she will work across the benefice, using the new diocesan giving scheme. This change has meant that there was little progress in financial stewardship in 2015, other than a continuous raising of awareness of the challenges we face, and to encourage more people to give regularly and generously. We suffered lead theft from the church porch in December, and with the ongoing need for major fabric repairs and a complete replacement of the electric system on the organ, the PCC feel overwhelmed by the pressure and responsibility to produce a quite significant level of income each year. There is a Friends of St George's group who raise money solely for fabric repairs and restoration and the PCC are able to apply for help in certain circumstances.
On a more positive note stewardship of our time and talents has provided more encouragement. People are beginning to be more confident in offering themselves for various ministries, most especially in assisting the Rector in pastoral visiting and taking communion to the housebound and sick. Members of the congregation are encouraged to contribute to our worshipping life by reading lessons, serving at the altar, helping in the important ministry of welcome and sharing some of the tasks at Messy Church, and everyone is invited to share in the responsibility of caring for the churchyard and in keeping church clean and tidy.
Goal 3 Churchwardens Connie Frost-Bryant was elected as a new churchwarden at the APCM in April 2015, and has done sterling work, especially in the care of the fabric and general admin. It has been very good to have a churchwarden in post after 6 years without and the Rector is especially grateful for all Connie's support and encouragement.
Goal 4 Choir and enhancing of worship Our organist moved on to pastures new just before Easter and so our goal has been to find and appoint a new organist and musical director. David Owen came to us in time for Christmas and has settled in well, providing the Musical Director's report for the Trustees:
'The state of the organ is still very much as contained in the very full report from organ builder Tarquin Wiggins in 2014. The organ is at present playable and able to fulfil its role in church worship, but given its condition, this role is quite limited and its full capacity is not utilised and will not be until full repairs have taken place, certain parts really are being held together by string, nicker elastic and drawing pins. It is my aim to build up a choir to enhance our worship and a fully working and stress free organ will certainly be an enormous help with this. The organ at Toddington is a wonderful instrument that is not being fully utilised, but the proposed electric refurb and the new console will enable recitals to be given. A friend has already agreed to come and give an 'opening' recital when all work has been done, and we can then hopefully encourage young organists in the area to use it for lessons and practice which could lead to an organ scholar being found which would be a great help when the choir is up and running'. David Owen, 22 March 2016
Goal 5 Church environment PCC member Lynne Sheriffs has taken on the responsibility for providing a cleaning rota, and this has worked well. Our churchyard had a makeover in the autumn with professional gardeners working to clear weeds, re-plant and re-shape beds, prune shrubs and clear paths. 200 snowdrops were donated by a kind parishioner and planted in the churchyard for everyone to enjoy in the early Spring. Many visitors comment on how welcoming the church looks and feels. Our plans for 2016 include an exploration of the way we heat the building so that we can provide more warmth and comfort for our congregations in the winter months.
Worship and Prayer
The PCC works with the Rector in providing accessible worship for people of all ages and stages. This year has seen completion of a revision of liturgy and a reprinting of service orders for all the Church's seasons, as well as an adjustment of the baptism service to take in to account the new alternative texts. People have appreciated more direction in the service orders, and the awkwardness of the building's layout for Eucharistic services (altar distant from nave, with impoverished sightlines) has been greatly reduced with the congregation now gathering in the chancel for the Liturgy of the Sacrament.
St George's continues to enjoy a lively and constantly evolving monthly Messy Church congregation. Families with young children find it difficult to come to church for worship on a Sunday (working parents and children's sporting commitments), and so coming to church on a Friday afternoon, after school, works well. The growing number of toddlers and babies at Messy Church prompted the launch of a new weekly toddler church called 'Jack-in-the-Box' in January 2016, and this is currently attracting 20 families with pre-school children.
Occassional Offices: 2015 saw a very encouraging number of people wishing to be baptised across the benefice. There were 16 infants and 4 adults christened at St George's, and 6 adults were prepared for confirmation at Easter. One family asked for a thanksgiving service for the birth of their new baby. We had 6 weddings at St George's plus several couples coming to church to celebrate wedding anniversaries or significant events with a service of thanksgiving and affirmation of vows. We held 14 funeral services in church, with another 7 funerals at the crematorium.
Our main Sunday morning worship is a sung Eucharist, using Common Worship Order One, with hymns and accompaniment on organ. Our average Sunday attendance at this service is 30 adults and 4 children. In addition to Common Worship we also celebrate communion twice a month using the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, with an average attendance of 6 adults. Our monthly Messy Church congregation averages 26 adults and 30 children.
We mark the Church's seasons with a variety of worship, both traditional and contemporary in style, making use of liturgy from Times & Seasons and New Patterns for Worship. Advent is marked by the journey of the Travelling Crib around the parish, with the Holy family finding lodging in all sorts of places including homes, schools, medical centre, library and shops. We celebrated Epiphany in 2015 with a Messy Christingle service raising money for the Children's Society. Lent and Holy Week was observed with special liturgies, including a Seder Meal on Maundy Thursday, followed by the eucharist with footwashing and stripping of the altar. In addition to the usual traditional worship on Easter Day, we gathered with the congregation at All Saints Chalgrave just before dawn for a Sunrise celebration of the resurrection in the beautiful Churchyard, followed by breakfast around the new fire. We joined with others from around the diocese on Easter Monday for the Pilgrimage Eucharist at the Cathedral, and those who stayed at home enjoyed a Messy Egg Hunt. We celebrated Harvest with our newly established annual Harvest Show, which includes baking, craft, fruit and veg competitions, and comes to a close with Harvest Songs of Praise. We held a traditional service for All Souls, reading out names of loved ones departed, lighting candles and planting Spring bulbs in the churchyard as a lasting memorial. At Christmas we celebrated with carol services for church, schools, and Scouts and with our ecumenical partners in Churches Together in Toddington & Chalgrave and accompanied by Toddington Town Band, we hosted an informal carol service in church. There are often opportunities to meet particular pastoral needs creatively and sensitively and the Rector provides liturgy and prayers for special family celebrations and for times of sadness and distress.
All of this ministry takes place with the support of a small army of volunteers. Special thanks must be given to Glenis Turner, sacristan and verger, for all that she does in preparation of worship and in all the day to day administration which supports the Rector in her priestly ministry; to June Barton who takes care of wedding administration and ensures that a wedding ceremony takes place smoothly and professionally; to David Owen our new musical director, to John Pask, server and bell ringer and all round maintenance man; to Lynne Sheriffs for her ministry, support and encouragement of young families at our new Jack-in-the-Box mini church, and to Glenis, Patricia Keymer, Sue Russell, and Helen Mindenhall for all that they do in support of Messy Church.
St George's church has been at the heart of the village for almost 900 years and we are fortunate in being able to leave it open during daylight hours. People find this a comfort and appreciate being able to come in to a still, sacred space for reflection. We provide a prayer corner in the Chancel, and prayers can be left in a dedicated prayer book with the promise that they will be included in the prayers offered by the Church at the end of each day. In the summer months we have people from all over the world visit church and explore our Christian heritage and sometimes research family history.
Pastoral Care
The Rector visits the sick in home, hospital and hospice. She takes holy communion to the sick and housebound. Good pastoral care often opens the way for people to return to church after a
long time away, or even to come to church for the first time, and we have seen a small increase in the number of people coming to church because supportive and welcoming relationships have developed. Anne is happy to visit anyone in need and people are very appreciative of her ministry. The congregation care for one another well and support each other prayerfully and practically.
Bell Ringing:
Peter Boon is Tower Captain and has provided the following report on the bell ringing activities at St George's during 2015:
'Over the year, the membership of our band has remained constant, and our learners (from Harlingtono) are continuing to make progress. On practice nights we still benefit from the assistance of visiting ringers. On Sunday mornings, owing to a shortage of bell ringers in Toddington, we still resort more often than not to the use of the mechanical chimes rather than carrying out proper bell ringing, but I believe we are now putting in a few more sessions of true ringing.
On the hardware front, I'm pleased to report we've experienced no major breakages, such as the fracturing of clappers, which have been a feature in recent years. However, some of the ropes are showing signs of wear and tear. Although we can 'mend and make do' for a limited time – thanks to the splicing expertise of John Pask – it won't be too long before we'll need to replace some or all of these items. [Current cost: about £100 a rope] Fortunately, we maintain a bell fund – a registered charity – which is there for the repair and improvement of St George's eight bells.'
Our thanks go to Peter and the band of ringers for their commitment in keeping the bells ringing, and for the part they play in parish life, calling people to worship on a Sunday, and in helping the village mark celebrations and special events in our nation's life.
Ecumenical relationships
St George's has hosted ecumenical services for Churches Together in Toddington and Chalgrave, and with the Bishop's permission we have offered our church building several times to the Roman Catholic Church in Toddington when St Elizabeth's has proved too small to accommodate large numbers of mourners at funerals. Hope Church have also used our church and hall for their carol service at Christmas. We work with the Methodist, Baptist and RC churches in Toddington in providing various events throughout the year, including a fun day for Father's Day, a carol service on the Village Green in December (which moves in to our church building if the weather is bad), and a Poverty Lunch on Ash Wed. We join with the other churches on Good Friday for a Walk of Witness through the village. Churches Together in Toddington and Chalgrave provide a bi-monthly magazine which gives news of each church's activities, and advertises worship, services and events. The ministers from each denomination take it in turn to write an article for each edition which reflects on aspects of faith and religion.
In 2015 the Rector worked with the Toddington branch of the British Legion to review the Act of Remembrance which is held at the War Memorial each year. A new order of service, used nationally and provided jointly by the British Legion and Churches Together in Britain and Ireland was accepted and used for the first time in November, with the British Legion taking a more active role alongside representatives from all the churches in the village.
Deanery Synod
Toddington parish is part of Dunstable Deanery, and St George's has two elected representatives on deanery synod: June Barton and Richard Woods, with Richard also serving as deanery treasurer. Rev'd Bernard Minton, team vicar of Linslade in the Ouzel Valley Team serves as Rural Dean. Deanery Synod met three times in 2015 and talks were given by visiting speakers from The Childrens' Society and The Alzheimers Society. Concerns were raised about increases in population due to the large urban extension north of Houghton Regis and the effect this may have on ministry in the deanery. We reviewed our Deanery MAP and received regular reports from General Synod.
Electoral Roll
As at 5th April 2016, we have 82 names on our current Electoral Roll, of whom 6 are non-residents of the Parish. Since the APCM in 2015, 5 names have been added to the Electoral Roll and 6 names have been removed. Lynne Sheriffs, Electoral Roll Officer, April 2016.
Wilkinson Church Hall
In 2015, with the help and commitment of PCC member Patricia Keymer, the hall has, for the first time since it was built 20 years ago, earned enough income to be self-supporting and has provided a small excess to support the Church's ministry. It is to Patricia's credit that she has managed the bookings and attracted new hall users so successfully. She is diligent in ensuring all bookings are invoiced and receipts given on payment, and she has gained a reputation for being helpful and efficient. The hall is in need of some decorating now, and in the coming months we hope to be able to replace rotting window frames, and make repairs to the floor. The electrician has reviewed the heating system, and replaced and repaired some of the lighting both inside and outside, and the fire extinguishers have been serviced. Helen Steadman continues to clean once a week during term time. The hall is a great resource for our mission and outreach as well as providing an income, and the PCC is committed to ensuring it is maintained to a high standard.
Financial Review
St George's struggles to meet its parish share payments and continues to owe a substantial amount of money to the diocese to meet the costs of ministry. This state of affairs is of great concern and anxiety to the PCC and to the congregations. There was a slight increase in income over the year, but a relative increase in expenses cancelled out any real benefit, and we received no significant bequests or donations this year. A gift aid refund of just over £4,000 was applied for and received, but not in time to appear in the end of year accounts. A new gift aid officer has been appointed and gift aid refunds will now be applied for regularly throughout the year. A £4000 refund was applied for in 2015, and is included in the end of year accounts.
It is PCC policy to carry in reserve enough money to pay the bills and expenses for one full year. With quinquennial repairs to be addressed in the coming year, plus urgent and expensive work needed to the organ electrics and the console, we feel it is important to have some cash in reserve to meet unexpected and unforeseen expenditure, especially as we are custodians of a Grade1 listed building which is almost 900 years old and requires constant maintenance. The Wilkinson Church Hall is now earning enough money to self-fund and pay for its own maintenance and running costs, and so is no longer a drain on church finances.
When planning our activities for the year the PCC have considered the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and in particular the specific guidance on charities working for the advancement of religion; this is our ethos: as Christians we are called to take the love of God out in to the world around us, to do good and to love our neighbours as ourselves, telling others about Jesus Christ through all that we do and say. The PCCs role is to enable the whole Church to engage in this ministry.
Nicola Brown has been the PCC's treasurer since July 2014, but is standing down at the APCM to devote more time to work and family. We thank Nicola for her contribution to the work of the PCC over the last two years.
Administrative Information
St George of England Parish Church is situated on Station Road, Toddington. Correspondence address is c/o The Rectory, 41, Leighton Road, Toddington. LU5 6AL. It is part of the Diocese of St Albans, and is a parish contained within the deanery of Dunstable. The PCC is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2006) and charity currently excepted from registering with the Charities Commission.
PCC members in 2015: Rev'd Anne Crawford (Chair)
Mrs Connie Frost-Bryant (Churchwarden and PCC secretary)
Mrs Nicola Brown (treasurer)
Mrs Lynne Sheriffs (electoral roll officer)
Mrs Patricia Keymer (Hall administrator)
Mrs June Barton (benefice wedding administrator and synod rep)
Mrs Glenis Turner (sacristan and verger)
Mr Richard Wood (synod rep and Christian Aid co-ordinator)
Mr Mark Williams (organist and website manager). Resigned April 2015
The PCC holds meetings in January, March, May, July, September and November with extra meetings convened as necessary. The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules.
PCC Secretary's Report for 2015
In 2015 the membership of the PCC remained fairly stable, with one member (Mark Williams) resigning. Again much of the business of the PCC has been taken up with church fabric issues as the organ electrics continue to fail, and the repairs to the south aisle identified by the quinquennial report become ever more pressing. It has been however pleasing to see that the north porch roof replacement is now complete following the faculty application process and that the south aisle works now have full funding committed from the Friends. The rest of the business has largely been taken up with ongoing issues relating to the lack of resources both 'people' (especially the lack of two fully committed churchwardens) and financial. The church still struggles to meet its parish share from congregational giving, but has now taken the positive step of setting up a monthly standing order payment to the diocese, meaning that a proportion of the share owed is paid on a regular basis. Connie Frost-Bryant April 2016
Churchwarden's Report for 2015
This has been my first year as Churchwarden and my first task was to set about filing and reorganising paperwork which had not been ordered in the absence of a Churchwarden. This was completed with the addition of new folders and plastic wallets to make finding documentation for the annual inspection a much easier task.
There were several annual maintenance tasks outstanding and these were completed thanks to the help of Glenis Turner who was on hand when the various contractors carried out their work.
The next challenges centred around the building repair works that were required to replace the stolen lead on the north porch roof with anodized steel and to progress the south aisle works identified as critical in Quinquennial Report prepared this year by our architect Michael Dales. Both needed faculty applications which I helped to prepare and while the roof was funded by the insurance, the south aisle works needed to be grant funded. In the summer, I and other PCC colleagues had a very productive meeting with 'The Friends of Toddington Parish Church' and it was agreed that they would fully fund the works and leave another portion of funding in reserve for the organ works, providing funds set aside for the south aisle works proved sufficient.
It has been particularly good to have David Owen the new organist in church this year. His excellent playing has really enhanced the Sunday services after a period where we lacked accompaniment for singing.
I would particularly like to thank the band of people who undertake many of the practical tasks that need doing e.g. washing the linen, counting the collection money, locking and unlocking church and general maintenance to keep the church running. Without them my limited administrative contribution as Churchwarden would not nearly be sufficient to keep the church running smoothly.
I would also like to thank our readers, intercessor, sidesmen and chalice assistants; without all these people our worship would not unfold as smoothly as it does. They are all equally important in their individual ways. Special thanks also go to Richard Wood for organising the reading and sidesman's rotas so everyone knows what their role is on any given week.
While we move into another church year with faith and hope, unfortunately I will be stepping down from the post of Churchwarden due to increasing work commitments. I feel proud that I have at least tried to help deliver some of the tasks of a churchwarden and am grateful that I have been able to work with people who are so generous with their time.
Connie Frost-Bryant April 2016
St George of England Parish Church, Church Square, Toddington, Bedfordshire, LU5 6BP.