MP's were permitted to claim up to £15 a day for food and drink in the House of Commons restaurants and cafeterias- but only when the business of the House extends past 7.30pm. This happens frequently.
The reason for this allowance is because MP's have to stay very near the Chamber to vote within 8 minutes of the Division Bell ringing. This means MPs cannot easily leave the Estate and buy food elsewhere as they could miss important votes! This is why many MPs use the restaurant facilities in Parliament.
I have never claimed a single penny for any meal, food or drinks at any time since my election in 2010. Also whenever I bought myself or a constituent a drink, coffee or food I always paid for it from my own salary.
I decided not to claim anything back when I stay late to work on behalf of my constituents.


text:
Ukrainian Catholic bishops in U.S. appeal for priest candidates
Leaders of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States have appealed to seminarians to identify candidates for the priesthood…
Beauty of being Catholic comes with missionary call: AB Smith
New Oblate leader seeks 'better sense of how God is calling us'
Rev. Ken Thorson has taken on a key leadership role with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a missionary order that…
Toronto Raptors' forward took a shot at priesthood training, now he's in the NBA finals
When Pascal Siakam was in his young teens attending a minor seminary in Cameroon - and mostly playing soccer in his…
McCarrick removed from priesthood after being found guilty of abuse
Pope Francis has confirmed the removal from the priesthood of Theodore E. McCarrick, the 88-year-old former cardinal and archbishop of…
Regina deacon won't let mountain biking accident hold him back from priesthood
"It was a sea of calm that came over me and an overwhelming feeling of God's presence when the Archbishop…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
HomePosts tagged 'grief'
September 1, 2021 September 5, 2021 Sophie Rosen friendship, grief, historical fiction, school stories, young adult fictionrief
Summer holidays are coming to an end and a new term is about to begin. Get ready by reading a historical novel set in a boarding school.
Schmidt, Gary D. Just Like That. Boston: Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021.
Meryl Lee is sent to a posh boarding school in Maine where wealthy students are clearly considered superior. Unfortunately, she is not wealthy. Meanwhile, Matt has run away – with a pillowcase full of money – from a criminal gang and is hiding in a seaside shack. The two teenagers meet and begin a fragile friendship. Set in 1968 during the Vietnam war, this young adult novel addresses political issues, religious beliefs, and social justice. Highly recommended for readers 12 years old and up. (P.S. All stories written by award-winning Gary D. Schmidt are worth reading.)
More stories of faith
More stories of runaways
Addy's Cup of Sugar
August 20, 2021 July 30, 2021 Sophie Rosen cats, compassion, death, grief
Muth, Jon J. Addy's Cup of Sugar: Based on a Buddhist Story of Healing. New York: Scholastic Press, 2020.
How do we carry on after a loved one has died? That is the question in another picture book about grief. Similar to The Boy and the Gorilla, this story depicts a helper. Stillwater, a giant panda who has appeared in previous books by Jon Muth, teaches Addy how to recover from grief after her beloved kitten is hit by a car. She is sent to borrow a cup of sugar from someone who has never experienced loss. By the end of the day, she realizes that everyone has suffered the desolation of losing loved ones. She is not alone in her pain. And she still has a heart full of loving memories. This story, with its full-page watercolour and pencil illustrations, will appeal to readers of all ages and all faiths. Highly recommended.
More stories of grief
The Boy and the Gorilla
August 12, 2021 July 29, 2021 Sophie Rosen death, grief
Kramer, Jackie. Azúa. The Boy and the Gorilla. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2020.
A young boy, missing his mother, converses with an imaginary gorilla. Where do loved ones go when they die? How do we remember those no longer with us? How do we learn to go on with life? Softly illustrated by Cindy Derby, this short gentle story will prompt reader's own conversations about death and grief. Recommended for children 5 to 8 years old.
P.S. Always take the time to look at a picture book by Candlewick Press.
A Map Into the World
July 30, 2021 July 29, 2021 Sophie Rosen friendship, grief, immigrants
Yang, Kao Kalia. A Map Into the World. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Carolrhoda Books, 2019.
How do you find your way in a new world? A little girl settles into a new home with her parents and grandmother in this quietly hopeful picture book by an award-winning Hmong American writer living in Minnesota. As the seasons pass, Paj Ntaub welcomes her twin brothers into the world, befriends a grieving neighbour, and enjoys the beauties of nature in her neighbourhood. Softly coloured, full-page illustrations by Seo Kim help tell this story recommended for readers 7 to 11 years old.
More stories of immigrants
Finding Langston
May 6, 2019 April 30, 2019 Sophie Rosen African Americans, books and reading, bullying, grief, historical fiction, poetry
Have you ever felt alone? Have you ever felt misunderstood by those who love you? Have you ever found hope in unexpected places? Then you know how the main character feels in this outstanding novel for readers 9 years old and up. Told in present tense from the first person point of view, the sentences come alive with the cadence of the main character's Southern speech. If you like stories by Patricia MacLachlan, you will love this 104-page novel.
Cline-Ransome, Lesa. Finding Langston. New York: Holiday House, 2018.
After the death of his mother in 1946, eleven-year-old Langston moves with his father from Alabama to Chicago. Living in a lonely apartment building and bullied at school, Langston finds refuge in the school library where he discovers the magical poetry of Langston Hughes.
More stories of moving
More stories about bullying
More stories set in the past
More stories about people of African heritage
Poetry by Langston Hughes
A post about the power of poetry
Ms. R.
My Father's Words
March 12, 2019 February 13, 2019 Sophie Rosen basketball, death, dogs, fathers, grief
You said that you are looking for more novels about serious topics written at an easy reading level. You already know that Patricia MacLachlan's novels are poetry written as prose. You already know that her stories heal invisible wounds. And you know she addresses life's biggest questions. So, here is another novel for you:
MacLachlan, Patricia. My Father's Words. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2018.
Fiona and Finn love their father. Declan sang songs as he played basketball with them. He patiently offered words of wisdom when life was difficult. But now he is gone, killed in a car accident. Their mother buries herself in studies for a degree. Finn stops speaking. Fiona, the narrator of the story, struggles to help them all. Luke, a friend, suggests volunteering at an animal shelter. Talking to the dogs, reading to them, singing to them, and taking them on walks slowly eases their grief. Slowly, comfort comes as they remember their father's words.
The large font, wide margins, and wide spaces between the lines of print will enable you to read the 134 pages within a few days. When you're finished, come tell me the words of wisdom you will keep in your memory.
wishing you a thoughtful day,
Links to Youtube performances of Declan's favourite song: Grant Us Peace and Dona Nobis Pacem
"Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak whispers the o'er-fraught heart and bids it break."
More easy-to-read novels
July 25, 2018 July 13, 2018 Sophie Rosen friendship, grief, individuality, nature, schools, sisters
Stevens, April. The Heart and Mind of Frances Pauley. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2018.
Figrotten loves nature. And she loves spending time outdoors on a big rock on a hill behind her house. She feels safe up there. Like she can truly be herself when she is there alone. But over the course of her eleventh year, she starts to see life differently. Maybe she can find friends at school, after all. Maybe her sister doesn't hate her, after all. Maybe she can find a balance between being along and being with people.
This 196-page novel is beautifully written. Like poetry in prose. Highly recommended for thoughtful readers 10 to 13 years old.
"The things that make me different are the things that make me." A.A Milne
More stories of individuality
More stories of strong female characters


Digital Marketing, Latest News, Payments, research, social media management, Web Design, YOU!
Featured, Latest News, Launch, Payments, YOU!
Foreign Markets, Latest News, Payments, YOU!
eSeller Guides, Foreign Markets, Logistics, Payments, YOU!
Are you ready for Bitcoin?


As part of our on-going collaboration with the London Wildlife Trust at Walthamstow Wetlands (http://www.walthamstow-wetlands.org.uk/) the Hydrocitizenship team helped out at their Volunteer Roadshow (12th March 2016).
It was a really positive day of learning and sharing ideas with the morning involving working with members of the existing community engagement volunteer team to run our interactive research training session. In the afternoon we ran a participatory cultural mapping stall to capture the views of the many prospective volunteers that came along to find out about the project and how they could get involved.
Understanding why current and potential visitors use and value the site is really important to a project like Walthamstow Wetlands and the volunteers will be key to collating that data. Part of that research process involves the volunteers developing a set of basic research skills around the purpose, approach, ethics, good practice and logistics of visitor surveying. To help build these skills our training session involved a range of interactive exercises including research simulation through role-play. The team got the chance to test out their new skills on Sunday when following a guided walk of the wetlands we worked as a combined research team to survey the visitors. Rachel Smith, Walthamstow Wetlands Engagement Officer, had lovely things to say about our contribution! 'It is a pleasure to work with the Hydrocitizenship team who contributed hugely to the days' success through research technique training and cultural mapping with the volunteers'.
Hydrocitizenship interactive research training session with LWT community engagement officer and volunteers.


With outstanding portability, Viamo sv7 enables you to provide immediate and comprehensive imaging to your patients at the point of care. With a battery offering up to 3 hours of imaging capability and 256 GB memory capacity, Viamo sv7 is always ready to perform in any situation.
Viamo sv7 offers highly intuitive operation and workflow. Imaging is made easy with a comprehensive range of clinical presets and workflow automation tools, especially useful in hectic point of care situations. Simple touch screen controls ensure that the system is easy to use from the very start.
Viamo sv7 provides instant imaging capability in critical care situations, in the OR or interventional suite.
Viamo sv7 brings ultrasound imaging directly to your patient's bedside or any other location on- or off-site.
With its wide range of dedicated presets and transducers, Viamo sv7 can be shared throughout the entire department.
As a fully mobile system Viamo sv7 easily travels with you to satellite locations to provide high-quality, reliable imaging.
Ultrasound-guided vascular access can help prevent perioperative complications at the point of care.
Viamo sv7 is equipped with a comprehensive patient and image management system, wireless DICOM and extensive export functions. Data can be easily merged into departmental servers no matter where the exam is performed.
A complete solution – from daily routine through to complex clinical needs Viamo sv7 delivers much more than just guiding a procedure or quick confirmation scans. As a fully featured ultrasound system Viamo sv7 delivers powerful imaging capability and a seamless integration into your departmental workflow when portability and space are at a premium.
The protocol assist function provides a reliable method to ensure exams are done consistently and with ease. Once activated, a clear, easy-to-read menu will guide you step by step through a given exam.
To further enhance ease of use, the system's built-in camera can be used to visually document in-situ findings, to scan barcodes for patient registration, or simply to substitute body marks.


text:
American troops are en route to Lebanon to take their place in an unlikely alliance with terror group Hezbollah and the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad in a development that one prominent rabbi and a noted expert on Middle Eastern politics agree could be the final stage preceding the War of Gog and Magog.
On Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon acknowledged that, following a request from Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri to President Donald Trump, US special forces would be providing training and support to the Lebanese Armed Forces.
The only problem: Lebanon has recently begun coordinating its military efforts with Hezbollah and Syrian troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al Assad in order to fight the Islamic State (ISIS) and its allies.
As political experts struggle to understand this bizarre situation, some have come to spiritual conclusions that this unholy alliance may indeed be the precursor to the prophesied Biblical war of Gog and Magog – a war which is characterized by unprecedented and all-encompassing confusion, explained Rabbi Yosef Berger, the rabbi of King David's Tomb on Mount Zion.
President Donald Trump and Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, July 25, 2017. (Screenshot)
"The prophets wrote that the War of Gog and Magog will be entirely inexplicable," Rabbi Berger told Breaking Israel News. "Since it is a war that is the result of Divine intervention, it will not make political sense, historical sense, or follow the laws of nature."
The story began to unfold last week when Lebanon's Prime Minister Hariri met with President Trump and requested American support in fighting the ISIS-affiliated Al Nusra network threatening his northern border with Syria, political analysis site Debka reported. As part of the fight against terror, Trump agreed.
Lebanon has cooperated with Hezbollah and the Syrian army, led by American enemy Assad, in its battle against ISIS. As a result, by fighting alongside Lebanese troops, American forces will also be fighting in an alliance that includes terrorist organization Hezbollah and the Syrian regime.
Rabbi Yosef Berger pointed out that the unnatural alliances now happening in the Middle East unmistakably mirror the necessary chaotic aspect of the final battle of Gog and Magog.
"This is precisely what we are seeing here, with sworn enemies making unexpected alliances," the rabbi said. "Gog and Magog will be identical. In the final battle, it will be impossible to differentiate the combatants or which side the are fighting on. In this type of battle, the person with the strongest army is not necessarily the one who will win."
Dr. Eado Hecht, a specialist in military doctrine at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA) at Bar-Ilan University, explained how this unexpected and bewildering reality developed in the current conflict, recognizing in it the potential for a Gog and Magog showdown.
"The situation in Syria and Lebanon is not a simple two-sided conflict like most wars," Dr. Hecht told Breaking Israel News, comparing it to the popular TV series Game of Thrones. "The conflict is international but it is really divided up into many small groups, divided up regionally and even tribally, each with its own temporary interests.
"This leads to alliances that change in unexpected ways. Even the names of the groups change. Some of these developments can seem quite bizarre, even ironic."
Despite his academic perspective, Dr. Hecht acknowledged that prophetic descriptions of Gog and Magog were not entirely out of place in understanding the situation.
"We aren't yet involved in a war on the scale of Gog and Magog, but with forces as large as America and Russia involved, this could certainly change," Dr. Hecht warned. "I believe the leaders are aware of this. Though they may not refer to it in religious terms, the concept of an all-encompassing war in the Middle East that is entirely out of control is certainly a consideration.
Dr. Hecht added that because of the confusion and volatility, Russia and America have set clear red lines to prevent escalation that might lead to a direct confrontation between the superpowers.
As disconcerting as the situation is, Rabbi Berger sees an underlying purpose to the pre-Messianic confusion. The explanation comes from the Book of Ezekiel, which describes confusion being replaced by knowledge.
I will make My holy name known among My people Yisrael, and never again will I let My holy name be profaned. And the nations shall know that I Hashem am holy in Yisrael. Ezekiel 39:7
"The opposite of this confusion is 'one'," Rabbi Berger said. "Everything will be in doubt and the nations will be mixed up, so that in the end, everyone can come together believing in God."
The post Gog and Magog 'Chaos' Appearing Now in Unholy US-Hezbollah-Assad Alliance: Rabbi appeared first on Breaking Israel News | Latest News. Biblical Perspective..
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz on August 8, 2017 / Israel in the News


The iMac (Mid 2007) computer has two Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory (SDRAM) slots in the bottom of the computer. It comes with at least 1 GB Double Data Rate (DDR2) SDRAM installed in a single slot. The maximum amount of random-access memory (RAM) you can install in the machine is 4 GB: 2 GB Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module (SO-DIMM) in each slot.
For more information about upgrading the memory in your iMac (Mid 2007), see this article.


text:
The Entirely Independent and Completely Impartial United Kingdom Electoral Commission
By David Nairn
So the Westminster Parliament has chosen to grant the Government of Scotland a 'Section 30 order' legally entitling it to hold a referendum on Scotland's constitutional future – a referendum that was, of course, a core policy of the Scottish National Party, elected by a landslide in this country's election in 2011.
In the end the decision to bestow this entitlement on the Government of Scotland was passed unanimously, although not before two 'debates' in both the elected and unelected chambers of the Westminster Parliament that were, even by the shabby standards of that institution, a disgraceful affront to democracy – reaching their nadir with the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, Anas Sarwar, describing Scotland's Parliament (democratically elected on a proportional basis) as "not a democratic place", in fact "a dictatorship".
The vilification heaped on the Scottish Parliament, the Government of Scotland, the Scottish National Party and, above all, the First Minister of Scotland during these travesties of debates, was in telling contrast to the approach taken towards another institution: the United Kingdom's Electoral Commission.
Unionist MPs and noble Lords were firmly united in their resolve that this – as they would have it – august, independent and impartial authority in all things electoral should have the pre-eminent role in determining key aspects of Scotland's independence referendum.
The recent 'report' from the laughably partisan Scottish Affairs Select Committee, chaired by the ever-more preposterous Labour MP Ian Davidson, took an identical line.
Conservative peer, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean, a man who has devoted his entire political career to the maintenance of Scotland's subordinate status in the United Kingdom (and been handsomely rewarded for doing so), has even threatened that should the Government of Scotland dare to disregard the 'advice' of the Electoral Commission then the matter could be taken to the United Kingdom's Supreme Court.
So what is this exalted body, about which the general public knows almost nothing? And how impartial as regards the key issue of Scotland's independence referendum can we expect the people who make decisions on its behalf to be?
The Electoral Commission reports directly to the UK Parliament – specifically to the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, which also provides its very generous funding. (For her services, the Commission Chair, Jenny Watson, receives £100,000 for a three-day week – pro rata more than double the salary of the First Minister of Scotland.)
The Speaker's Committee is constituted as follows:
The Speaker, Rt Hon John Bercow (elected as Conservative)
Mr Graham Allen MP (Labour), as Chair of the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee
Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP (Liberal Democrat), as Lord President of the Council
Mr Mark Prisk MP (Conservative) Minister of State for Housing and Local Government
Rt Hon Sir Gerald Kaufman MP (Labour)
Mr Gary Streeter MP (Conservative)
Mr Sam Gyimah MP (Conservative)
Mrs Naomi Long MP (Alliance)
Ms Bridget Phillipson MP (Labour)
These are the people who appoint the 10 commissioners who 'lead [the] strategy and set [the] priorities" of the Electoral Commission. Notice anything not completely unpartisan yet?
And the 10 unelected commissioners whom the Unionist MPs and unelected Lords are so keen to have the decisive say in key aspects of Scotland's referendum?
Well, the aforementioned Chair, Jenny Watson, has worked for a number of human rights organisations, is a board member of the charity Money Advice Trust and was the last Chair of the now-defunct Equal Opportunities Commission. She has nothing obvious in her CV that renders her any better equipped to pass judgment on election and referendum issues than, say, Lady Gaga, but on paper she looks like the kind of politically neutral, experienced committee person you might expect to be represented on a quango such as the Electoral Commission. And the Daily Mail doesn't like her, so she must have something going for her.
Then we have Max Caller, seemingly the only one of the 10 with any experience in the kind of areas you might expect a representative of the Electoral Commission to have. Caller was a returning officer and has served as an elections' observer abroad. He is also a Commander of the British Empire, which suggests a less than rigorously anti-Establishment outlook, but we'll let that go. Blair Jenkins, Chief Executive of Yes Scotland, has an OBE, after all.
Next up, however, and things take a sharp downturn. The Commission, which we are asked to believe will take a scrupulously impartial approach to Scotland's referendum on whether to end its Union with England, actually contains not one, not two, but three long-serving MPs for parties that support the Union:
John Horam, who represented, at different times, Labour, the SDP, and the Conservatives;
David Howarth, a Liberal Democrat;
and Roy Kennedy (Labour), now a life peer having been 'elevated' to the House of Lords in 2010.
The next two of the 10 commissioners, Anna Carragher and John McCormick, are former controllers for the UK state broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation, the self-proclaimed "glue that holds Britain together". In a previous role, Carragher was producer of such famously impartial political programmes as Newsnight, Question Time and Any Questions. True, Blair Jenkins was once Head of News and Current Affairs at BBC Scotland but there's nothing in the CV of either Carragher or McCormick that suggests any such irregularity.
Next up we have Ian Kelsall, who for almost three decades was Director of the Welsh division of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI Wales), an organisation that has consistently championed the cause of the Union in Scotland. Kelsall's Scottish counterpart, Iain McMillan of CBI Scotland, is a renowned rent-a-quote, shoring up a wide range of Unionist attacks on the Government of Scotland.
In a similar vein, there is Anthony Hugh Burton Hobman, an English banker, who resigned last year as Chief Executive of the Money Advice Service following damning criticism by the Financial Services Authority of his grossly inflated salary. While, unlike other commissioners, Hobman has nothing explicitly pro-Unionist in his CV, it is fair to say that fat-cat bankers are hardly renowned for their impartiality as regards the prospect of the dissolution of a United Kingdom that has rewarded and continues to reward them so handsomely.
Finally, just as Ian Davidson's Scottish Affairs Select Committee includes one token Scottish Nationalist MP (at least it did until said MP, Dr Eilidh Whiteford refused to attend after credible accusations that Davidson bullied and intimidated her), so the Electoral Commission contains George Reid, a former SNP MP and MSP.
These, then, are the 10 commissioners of the Electoral Commission: handpicked by, and reporting to a committee of Unionist party MPs at the UK Parliament, and containing three former Unionist MPs and a number of other pillars of the British Establishment with – to put it no stronger – apparent Unionist leanings.
As an independent arbiter in the matter of Scotland's referendum on its constitutional future the Commission has – or rather should have – not a shred of credibility.
Even on the more fundamental issue of basic effectiveness, the Electoral Commission's credibility is decidedly compromised. This is a quango whose stated aim is to 'instill integrity and public confidence in the democratic process.'
Set that against the May 2010 Westminster election when, in scenes reminiscent of a banana republic, queues developed outside some polling stations, preventing many voters from casting their votes.
Or the persuasive accusations of postal ballot fraud in the 2009 Glasgow North East bi-election, which Labour won following a stunning increase in postal votes, with almost 2,000 applications submitted less than three days before the registration deadline.
Or the similar accusations at the 2008 Glenrothes bi-election, which Labour again unexpectedly won after a fourfold increase in postal ballots and a marked official register (which shows whether individuals have voted or not) that went (and stayed) 'missing'.
Or the shambles of the election for the Scottish Parliament in 2007, where the counting process was plagued by delays and some 140,000 ballot papers were rejected…
Scant integrity, scant confidence, scant democracy.
The Unionists are, of course, propagandising for the Electoral Commission at every opportunity for one simple reason: it is the tool by which the UK state can potentially manipulate the rules of Scotland's referendum. And this goes beyond simply the wording of the question (which in this contributor's opinion should be rendered as: 'Do you agree that Scotland should become an independent country again?')
What the Unionists want above everything else is to leverage control over campaign funding.
The position of the Government of Scotland is that there should be a level playing field on campaign funding, with both Yes and No camps limited to the same amount. Unassailably fair, you might think. But the Unionists have already tried to portray this as stifling the debate – and argued for a central role for the Electoral Commission to resolve this 'shameless manipulation' on the part of the Government of Scotland.
Despite the media fiction of a huge pro-Independence war chest, the sums that the Unionists could amass from powerful vested interests would dwarf the funding that the Yes campaign could ever hope to raise. In pushing for a leading role for the Commission in the referendum, the ultimate goal of those noble Lords and Unionist MPs and their allies is to free the No campaign to decisively out-gun the opposition.
You might think that with all the mainstream media – most significantly the state broadcaster – enthusiastically signed up to the cause of prolonging the Union, plus a £50 million Great War centenary Brit Fest lined up for the eve of the referendum in 2014, that the Unionists might be relaxed about a referendum campaign in which both sides are evenly funded. But there is too much at stake to be relaxed. And, as the Section 30 'debates' illustrated, these are people with a huge sense of entitlement and profoundly undemocratic instincts.
The British Establishment has generations of experience of waiving the rules and fighting dirty to deny colonised peoples self-determination. The attempts to leverage the Electoral Commission into a position to determine the conditions for Scotland's referendum are just the latest manifestation of this.
All of which makes Blair Jenkins' remarks last weekend on the Electoral Commission seriously worrying. Lavishing praise on the Commission as 'an extremely expert and professional body', Jenkins argued that the Government of Scotland should not challenge whatever position the Commission takes on the referendum question or on campaign funding. Depending on what that position turns out to be, this could represent an absolutely fatal tactical blunder.
To date, the approach of the Government of Scotland towards the Electoral Commission – as with its approach to the BBC, and for similar reasons – has been to tread respectfully, understandably wary of the pitfalls of challenging a body presented by the British state, and widely if mistakenly perceived by the British public, as impartial and independent.
As regards the state broadcaster, there are signs that that softly-softly stance is subtly changing. Health Secretary Alex Neil's robust handling last week of the latest BBC scaremongering about NHS waiting lists was welcome and effective. The BBC is not going to change but what can shift, with the Government of Scotland taking a more assertive line that exposes the state broadcaster's Unionist bias and shoddy journalism, are public perceptions. The sooner this approach gets underway, the greater the opportunity to change public perceptions sufficiently in time.
The same approach needs to be taken with the Electoral Commission. Of course, a key plank of the Unionists' strategy of propagandising for the Commission is to enable the Unionists to paint the Government of Scotland as outrageously undemocratic should they refuse to accede to the Commission's 'advice': "They [the Government of Scotland] cannot overrule the independent and impartial Electoral Commission," a spokesperson for the pro-dependence Better Together campaign is reported in last week's Sunday Herald as saying. "The Scottish public would never forgive them if they did."
But should the rules for Scotland's referendum be determined by this unelected and skewed Westminster body, there is a clear possibility of a funding free-for-all being sanctioned, allowing a lavishly funded pro-dependence campaign to overwhelm that of Yes Scotland.
And that is something the Scottish public really would never forgive.
For more on the Electoral Commission:
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/about-us/how-we-are-run/the-commissioners
Previous articlePanelbase poll takes us back to 2011!
Next articleIndustrial action to hit BBC Scotland on Friday as NUJ hits back over job cuts claims


text:
Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport  is an airport in Wellcamp,  west from the CBD of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. It was known as Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport until November 2017.

The airport and an associated aviation and business park is the brainchild of the Wagner family, a business family prominent in the Toowoomba region. It is the first major greenfield public airport development in Australia since Melbourne Airport opened in 1970. It is also the first privately funded major airport in the country.

The airport is rated at Code E and with its  long by  wide runway can handle aircraft the size and weight of the Boeing 747-400 and Boeing 747-8. The airport is estimated to have a catchment area of 344,000 people and in 2017 handled 157,000 passengers (a 25.9% growth from the previous year), making it the 33rd busiest regional airport in Australia annually.

History

The Toowoomba region had not been serviced by a jet-capable airport at any time in the city's history. The extant Toowoomba City Aerodrome at Wilsonton in suburban residential Toowoomba has been historically restricted in development due to local council land development policy and poor local planning, although a runway extension in 2011 allowed for improved scheduled services with turboprop aircraft.

The Darling Downs and Surat Basin regions were subject to significant growth between 2005 and 2013, primarily due to coal mining and coal seam gas exploration. This industrial expansion coupled with the development of a transport hub and industrial estate at Charlton (10 km west of Toowoomba) provided the land corridor immediately west of Toowoomba with government-endorsed transport development opportunities.

Construction on the site, a former quarry owned by the Wagner family since 1994, began in April 2013, with an ambitious timeframe for completion by October 2014.

On 22 November 2013, a Beechcraft King Air owned and piloted by John Wagner became the first aircraft to land on the new runway. On 15 January 2014, the first concrete for the terminal building was poured. In June 2014, work began on sealing the runway and movement areas using EFC, a low-carbon cement-free concrete developed by Wagners, boosting the airport's green credentials.

On 3 September 2014, Qantas became the first airline to announce regular services from the airport. Regional services operated under contract to the Government of Queensland transferred from Toowoomba City Aerodrome to Wellcamp on 1 January 2015. On 17 November 2014, the first scheduled passenger service commenced, operating between Sydney Airport and Wellcamp airport.

On 23 November 2015, the first jumbo aircraft arrived from Sydney. The Cathay Pacific 747 freighter aircraft made a brief stop en route from Sydney Airport to Hong Kong to collect produce bound for China. The trial service uplifted 58 tonnes of fresh produce during the stop.

In March 2016, services to Cairns and Melbourne with Airnorth commenced, followed by Townsville in November.

In October 2016, Cathay Pacific announced the opening of weekly cargo services starting on 22 November 2016, from Wellcamp to Hong Kong using a 747 freighter aircraft. The service originates in Sydney and stops in Melbourne and Wellcamp before proceeding to Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific also announced that the first cargo export booking from Toowoomba was for a live crocodile.

On 22 October 2016, the first international passenger flight stopped at Wellcamp airport. This also marked the first Airbus A330 flight at the airport. The service was a charter originating in Sydney before stopping at Wellcamp to collect 250 people traveling to Shanghai, China for a trade conference.

On 11 November 2016, the airport was designated as an international airport and as a regional international gateway.

In July 2018, Airnorth announced the cancellation of the Wellcamp-Cairns route from October 2018.

In 2019, a one off flight to the airport was carried out by TNT, as well as DHL later that year. The airport also has a weekly Cathay Pacific Cargo flight with a Boeing 747 arriving via Sydney.

In February 2022, Bonza announced that the airport would become one of its 17 destinations with the airline planning to fly to Melbourne, Townsville and Proserpine from Toowoomba Wellcamp.

Controversy
The Wagner family submitted to the amalgamated Toowoomba Regional Council a plan for a large-scale airport and industrial development in 2012, utilising an extant planning code from the pre-amalgamated council statutes. The submission occurred on the last available day prior to post-amalgamation planning codes taking effect. This resulted in a diminished requirement for community consultation which was met with scepticism by some media and local residents.

The initial submission was also completed without consultation with local airspace owners, primarily the Department of Defence, which controls much of the local airspace via the Oakey and Amberley military restricted airspace zones. This has subsequently required considerable consultation, and has been complicated by effective endorsement of the privately funded public airport development at all governmental levels despite potential impacts on the Department of Defence. Changes to the military airspace around Oakey and Amberley were subsequently announced in November 2013 to allow the continuation of military flying activities at these bases and civilian operations from Wellcamp once it became operational.

Then Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Graham Quirk, expressed opposition to the use of the previous name "Brisbane West" for an airport  west of Brisbane, saying it would mislead visitors.

Transport hub

The new airport location is adjacent to the Toowoomba Bypass, section of the bypass between Charlton and Athol that passes by the airport is a single carriageway. The airport location is also near the planned Australian standard gauge inland rail corridor which would link Melbourne with Brisbane, thus providing a potential road-air-rail hub.

Aviation school
In December 2014 the airport announced the development of an aviation education precinct, a joint project with the Airline Academy of Australia and University of Southern Queensland, to train pilots and offer courses in aircraft maintenance, engineering and electronics. The first students commenced training in February 2015.

Qantas' first Pilot Training Academy will open at the Wellcamp Airport in 2020.

Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage
On 30 September 2020 it was announced that the aircraft storage facility operated by Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage at Alice Springs Airport was approaching capacity, and some additional aircraft would be stored at Wellcamp Airport.

Projected future
The airport is expected to act as a major air freight hub, including live livestock export via air. The terminal is projected to be 9,000 square metres on opening, and have the capacity to be developed to handle in excess of 500,000 passengers annually by 2019. Due to its proximity to Brisbane and long runway, it is expected that Toowoomba Wellcamp will become an alternative for diverted domestic and international flights when weather conditions prevent landing at Brisbane and Gold Coast Airports.

Manufacturing
A new facility called the Wellcamp Aerospace and Defence Precinct was announced on 21 September 2021. On the same date, Boeing Australia announced plans to build a drone manufacturing facility at Wellcamp for the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat project. This deal is worth up to $1 billion for Queensland's economy over 10 years.

Spaceport
In September 2022, Virgin Orbit signed an agreement with Wagner Corporation to base a Boeing 747-400 launch aircraft at Wellcamp with a demonstrator small satellite launch planned for 2024.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Cargo

Statistics

See also
 List of airports in Australia
 Toowoomba City Aerodrome

References

External links

Airports in Queensland
Transport in Toowoomba
Airports established in 2014
2014 establishments in Australia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


"Tory could not have made this daunting process easier! She promptly responded to various questions we had during the process of purchasing a new home and always gave us sound advice. Tory is clearly an expert in her field and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell their home! She is a valuable asset to have on your side!"
Suite / Bath / Walk-In Closet. Tory was amazing! We wouldn't have been able to do it without her.
know where to start with all these choices.
savings more than paid for the very reasonable cost for her services.
Tory is always a pleasure to work with, a positive burst of energy with whom we truly enjoyed working.
We strongly recommend her for any design and/or renovation projects you may have."
"I am thoroughly impressed with Victoria Keith's professionalism, knowledge and customer service. This was my first time buying a home, and she was patient and very easy to work with, providing superb guidance during every step of the process. I highly recommend her to others!"
"I heard about Tory from a friend of a friend, and I am so glad that I did. She was absolutely amazing! Purchasing a home is a daunting task and she was by my side the whole way. She responded quickly and knowledgeably to all of my questions, promptly coordinated many site visits, and worked through multiple proposals. I always felt like she had my back. I would definitely recommend Tory; I'm sure she'll have your back too!"
"Working with Tory was a pleasure, she was very professional,very knowledgeable and very responsive to my needs. I would definitely recommend her services to friends and family."
"Working with Tory was a pleasure! She really spent time listening to us and her knowledge of real estate, the local area, and home renovation/construction was invaluable. She was patient and knowledgable along the entire home search and purchase process!"
"Tory was amazing to work with. She answered all our questions and knew the area very well. We feel very confident that we have found the right house."
"Simply the most knowledgeable, friendly, helpful real estate agent ever. She talked us through all unforeseen issues, and was a calming, well informed presence. She would be the first real estate agent I would recommend to anyone looking to buy or sell a home. The best."
"What started out as a business relationship with a real estate agent has transitioned into a great friendship. We started our dealings with Ed over 10 years ago when our blended family was living in separate households. Ed has been with us now for (4) houses sold, and (3) houses purchased. What's been there since the beginning is the trust in Ed's judgment based on his experience with the housing market. It would be easy for Ed to be swayed by what the customer feels the selling and buying price points should be, but he tactfully presents a detailed market analysis and lets you come to a realistic figure without having to apply pressure. Ed's number one goal is to get the property sold or to help you find a house that's a fit for your lifestyle & budget. His temperament puts you at ease as you look at as many properties as necessary in search of the house of your dreams. With our track record of buying & selling we expect to continue using Ed for all of our future real estate needs!"
"Ed was invaluable to us! We would highly recommend him to anyone as both a buyer's agent and a seller's agent. He left no detail out and went out of his way many times to ensure the negotiations were progressing. It was a pleasure to work with him."
"Tory was great! As first time home buyers, we had no idea what to expect. Tory answered every question we had throughout the process and made us feel comfortable when we were out of our comfort zone. Our expectations were set accordingly and when we needed her most (during a holiday week no less) she was there taking care of business for us. We will look her way should we ever need help in the future."
"Victoria's knowledge and professionalism was impressive as she assisted me in locating the perfect home to relocate from 2000 miles away. I had only 1 week in the area to view and decide and the day before I had to fly home, she was instrumental in locating and submitting the winning bid in a very competitive market environment."
"Tory was a gem! She helped us secure a rental from states away when we first considered a move to MA, and then helped us secure a wonderful home to purchase a year later! What I find so special about Tory is how responsiveness she is to phone calls and emails, how knowledgeable she is of the market in many towns and of renovation costs, and how she stays calm (with a good sense of humor to boot)! We bid and lost 3 houses before securing our dream home, and were pretty dismayed by the competitive housing market here, and Tory stayed positive throughout that we would find a great house. I would recommend her without reservation and will use her again in the future!"
"Tory recently helped my family sell our house and purchase a new one. Our house sold within a week of listing for considerably over asking, all thanks so Tory's skill and knowledge of the market. At every stage of the sale and purchase of our new house, she gave us excellent advice. We had several challenges with our new house purchase, but Tory kept the process moving smoothly. She has also been a wonderful resource, recommending everything from a lawyer to aid in the purchase, to a kitchen cabinet company and a landscaper to help get our new house in shape. In every interaction we had with her, Tory was pleasant, positive and helpful. She was always willing to take extra time to explain something, or go out of her way to help us. She made the process much easier and smoother."
"Tory Keith was extremely helpful finding our first home, which also happened to be an income property. She was also kind enough to provide support with finding a tenant. Tory is very personable and knowledgeable creating a very fun, light-hearted, and informative first experience. We are very happy in our new home in Natick. I highly recommend her skills for any first time home buyer."
"Tory is the best, most attentive, responsive realtor. She is always professional, always on time and does everything with a smile on her face. I would and have recommended her to everyone I know."
"Tory is an excellent realtor! She was very knowledgeable of the area where my husband and I were looking to buy a home, and consistently sent us listings that she knew fit our criteria. She was always available to discuss any concerns we had (day or night), and to meet us at last minute open houses. During the negotiation process, she was a calming voice while we waited to see if our offer was accepted, and continued to brainstorm what our next step would be if it was not. I would highly recommend Tory to anyone looking for a home."
"Tory was great to work with! She listened to everything we wanted in a house and was quick to find us homes that matched what we were looking for. She was very helpful and was always in contact either by email text or calls. She made the home buying process fun and easy. I would recommend her to everyone. Very personable and easy to get along with. She gave us constant updates and much needed support through the prossess! She's great at what she does!!"
"Tory is a great realtor. She made the whole process go very smoothly for us. She understood what we were looking for in a home and helped us find the perfect home for us. She is knowledgeable in the real estate field and also in home construction and remodeling, which was helpful for us because we bought an older home that needed some work. She is personable, reliable and flexible, always making herself available when you need her. Thank you Tory!!"
"We worked with Ed in 5 transactions and not only did he go above and beyond to ensure that everything went smoothly but his knowledge of the market and use of every bit of technology available for marketing made buying and selling a joy."


Casio has launched its CTK-6250 workstation keyboard. It's a similar specification to the CTK-6200 and updates the CTK-6000.
It features a piano-style touch response 61-key keyboard (unusual in this keyboard size range), 16-track song sequencer, tone editor, rhythm editor, multiple digital effects, 32-channel mixer, performance registration memory, USB MIDI interface, SD card storage, pitch bend wheel, backlit display, music presets and 670 individual tones.
Unit size L x W x H: 37.2? x 14.9? x 5.2?
Boxed size L x W x H: 39.3? x 17.8? x 6.5?