Somedays I feel like an ancient in the guise of a young man. Then I do some of the impossibly daft things I am wont to and I realise that nah, I'm your average bloke, the nameless face you walk by on the street.
I live in Malawi. I didn't grow up here but I have always been from here and have now returned and settled in.
It is a place of remarkable contrasts in some ways and mind-numbing sameness in others but it's home and that has come to mean so much more in light of the events of the past week.
There is a saying that aptly describes what has happened; The worm has turned.
As the entry for it on xomba explains, it is a common idiom used in reference to a situation in which a downtrodden individual or group turns on it's oppressor. The metaphor originated in the sixteenth century and is best known for its appearance in a Shakespeare play: "The smallest worm will turn, being trodden on."
A quick snapshot of life in Malawi in 2011 is required. Fuel shortages that make life harder (and more expensive) for just about everyone; the other day I could barely find a bus back to Lilongwe from my hometown Mzuzu because they all ran out of diesel. Forex shortages that exacerbate the fact that we are a net importer. Electricity outages that affect industry and more personally are an inconvenience I would much rather do without. A parliament that passes bills without due scrutiny and with superficial consultation. Laws that infringe the very rights they are meant to uphold. A political landscape that is increasingly more fractured, where even the colour of your clothes will determine how you are treated. A disregard for diplomatic norms and international opinions that ultimately only disenfranchises the very poorest of the poor. Media outlets that are either lauded for spouting drivel or experience punitive measures for reporting objectively. Drug shortages, faltering markets. A crushing sense of loss at opportunity missed .
How quickly the euphoria of a landslide election victory and the optimism that a new and strong government with a mandate to implement its promises has turned into disillusionment and mistrust, disgust even. All the more so when the day before planned peaceful demonstrations youth from the ruling party took to the streets of Blantyre in party vehicles and colours brandishing machetes and spewing vitriol.
So I boldly got up on the 20th of July 2011, donned my red regalia and set out to add my voice to the rumble of the disgruntled masses. As I arrived at the bus depot I found a troubling situation. The very same police force that had only the evening before announced they would not hinder the peoples' right to peacefully demonstrate were arresting them and beating them if they resisted! As the reality of the fact that we would NOT in fact be allowed to march settled in, pent up frustration started to manifest with roadblocks of burning tyres being set up to hinder the police vehicles that were careening around with officers armed to the teeth and in camouflage as if embarking on a military campaign. The situation deteriorated quickly where I was and as the reports came in of similar unrest in Mzuzu, what had merely been spats turned into running battles.
Having been in similar situations in other countries before I decided to get while the getting was good. An injunction to stop the demonstrations had been granted to a misinformed individual the night before and was the cause all the current fracas. This was being battled in court and would soon be lifted. With no guarantee and the first indications of looting beginning I retreated to the safety of my home with the full intention of returning to march when the go-ahead came.
Yet as I listened to the radio my spirit sank. Full riots were breaking out and as is the nature of riots the destruction of property had taken the forefront. Forceful retaliation with live ammunition had already resulted in some deaths. Chaos reigned. A close personal friend of Asian descent called me in tears having just watched his investment vanish before his eyes.
Suddenly radio silence. A quick foray onto the Internet yielded results. Private media had been issued a gagging order by the regulatory authority. Meanwhile on the national broadcaster a public lecture had begun. In a stroke of pure poetic justice the power cut out at the State House from where the events were being broadcast. It was restored in short order and I watched in disbelief as the lecture continued as if all present were oblivious to what unfolding nationwide.
Night swiftly came and went, reports of more violence came in, targeted destruction of property, even whispers of xenophobia as Asian and Burundian businesses bore the brunt of the looting.
Curfews were imposed and calm gradually restored but even now there remains an underlying tension that is palpable in its intensity. As the press statements fly and speeches are made the worry becomes how long it will be until the worm once again turns?
The year that was, 2010 and nary a post on my blog in bleak testament to procrastination's encompassing power.
Not that it was an uneventful year, perhaps even more so as a result. Too much going on, no time to pause and reflect. I forgot to smell the flowers.
As I look back though a lot of things went right and I therefore have a lot to be thankful for. Some things went wrong too and those lessons need to be learned and retained.
The weave of wonder through it all, like a single faerie gossamer string threading it's beauty and lending lustre to all around it was the development of a child. The leaps and bounds as we communicated, and I started to realise how little I knew of how much he understood all along, breathtaking. This perhaps being the essence of all things. Continuity. Seeing a young mind ravenously acquiring and processing new information. To nurture such is an all-consuming yet infinitely rewarding task whether or not it be acknowledged.
Time marches on, 2011 now. All sorts of plans, hopes, dreams. At least I got a post in.
I was talking to a friend who is now a well-seasoned bachelor and in the majority of opinion WELL overdue for the African way of spawning a brat, settling down and tying the knot and YES in that order, it's a new world so welcome to the new Africa!
However, almost as if by rote we one-by-one started to slow down, start behaving rationally and now as if by magic have turned into responsible family-men and are on-course to becoming that most dreaded of things, accomplished adults.
So from my now seemingly lofty perch (yes, said bachelor is still tripping the light fantastic), I decided to wax benevolent with wisdom and counsel my misguided buddy into more sober ways.
The analogy I struck upon was that of a 5-speed gearbox. Therefore when we first start working we're in gear one. Then we get used to earning a regular income and invest in creature comforts (the acquisition stage), move house, buy clothes, furniture, electronics, music, movies, basically whatever our heart desires and our pocket can afford. That's gear two. Now we have confidence and acquire a swagger because we know we got it goin' on, smooth sailing, cruising... Gear three. Time to look up and around and start making new friends of a similar bent, discovering new escapades together, road-trips are wonderful and new, house-parties galore, drinking sprees, general bonding. Gear four.
Now comes gear five. ALL.OUT.MADNESS. We are now brothers-in-arms, comrades to the end, "We Die Together!!!" is an oft-heard chant, right up alongside "ALUTA CONTINUA!!!"
As must all things incendiary, the fire flares out and starts to sputter. Not so many nights or road trips. Terrible Hangovers. Aches and pains after dancing. Hello gear four.
Then home starts being a really cool place to hang out and catch some movies. Afternoon barbecues and quiet drinks with the guys over a football game with just the one night out a week now seems to be the norm. Gear three.
It's still not enough. The guys conversation seems somewhat shallow of a sudden, their company not that fulfilling. What can this mean? This yearning for softness, this weakness? Now you start violating the 'dispatch' rule. No sleepovers for females? A thing of the past. Strange things are afoot. Females are interesing for more than just their bodies. You clandestinely go on a couple of lunch-dates (the horror). Gear two.
You go public with your affinity for women beyond just the usual graphical physical descriptions and acts. Some of your buddies are understandably shocked but even MORE shocking, some can relate! Emboldened by your frankness they too disclose this newfound consummate creature, WOMAN. Howdy, gear one.
The multiple attachments have coalesced into one and you are now officially hooked. On the occasional boys' night out or escapade you feebly proclaim '..aluta continua' to your mates not even managing to convince yourself.
She or you have moved in and the more quality time you're spending with what you now reaise is your better half suddenly and mysteriously bears fruit (yeah right, you both know you stopped using condoms WAY back). You are pregnant. Unto us a child is born, gear two!
You must address all the ruckus your unlicensed union is producing, parents up in arms but secretly rejoicing, friends in now abject shock, yourselves (yep, plural now) thoroughly confused but making do. You manage to pull a rabbit out of a hat, the families meet, you arrange and hold a ceremony, you are a married man mate! Gear three.
Which is where I am at the moment and where the analogy must pause for now. Watch this space.
Yonks since I last published to my blog, been forever.
So many reasons behind this but most prominent of all has to be facebook. Finding myself forced to cram what I'm feeling, thinking, seeing into a one-liner witty status update I have become accustomed to even thinking that way. Picking out natty phrases from posters I see and books I read to store away for future updates is now second nature.
Now it dawns on me that this is in reality blinkering my creativity, stifling my expression.
So I must relearn the art of posting random thoughts. A non-themed blog that does it's best to replicate the mish-mash of my life experience. Perhaps one day these postings will serve as nifty markers for my memory of these times.
Thus do I announce my attempt to return to the blogosphere, to break the yoke of the one-line status update, to once again liberate my writing!
Which makes the title of this post a double entendre!
In what is a major first for our fledgling association, the ICT Association of Malawi (ICTAM), we will host the 6th International Conference on Open Access (IOAC2008).
This not only speaks volumes for the amount of recognition we are beginning to receive beyond our borders but also of the tireless efforts of some selfless individuals in promoting our agenda.
Honourable mention here goes to our president, Boster Sibande and the chairman of the organising committee for the IOAC2008, Charles Govati.
The theme of the conference is "Open Access to ICT for Social Economic Growth" and we will be hosting it in collaboration with The Royal Swedish Institute of Technology (KTH) and The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA).
Open Access in the context of Communication (Open Communication) means that anyone, on equal conditions with a transparent relation between cost and pricing, can get access to and share communication resources on one level to provide value added services and on another level in a layered communication system architecture. There is currently a high momentum in the deployment of infrastructure such as optic fiber, wireless technologies and the like.
It is also the advancement in the use of ICT in general such as through mobile phones and multipurpose telecentres. If used wisely, we believe these developments can facilitate the provision of relatively inexpensive, easily accessible, diversified and expandable ICT services. The objective of this workshop is to identify and share experiences on affordable and cost effective ICT technologies around the globe. Based on Open Access principles, the workshop intends to address ICT as a tool that will bring developmental change to the society at large.
The call for papers is now out and we're encouraging the participation of academicians, professionals, researchers, planners, political leaders, innovators and the private sector.
It will be hosted at the Crossroads Hotel, Lilongwe, Malawi from the 12th to the 14th of November 2008.
More details can be found by clicking on the link in the this post's title.
If you can make it, please attend, we look forward to hosting you in the warm heart of Africa!
In this day and age of skyrocketing fuel-prices (4$ on Brent crude this week alone! And the week isn't even over yet.), World-economies playing the rope-a-dope trying to bear the brunt of punishing fiscal blows and food shortages galore, with Governments at wits end on how to maintain a semblance of normalcy, we begin to reap the bitter harvest of capitalistic avarice.
No one is angrier than the rich whose stockpile of money dwindles in value day by day.
Conversely, the poor wake up to just another dreary day, same old struggles, taking pleasure in the simplest of things, a warm meal, somewhere sheltered to sleep, health. Maybe harder than the day before, but in hardship monotony is the order of the day.
Those whose lofty dreams of success suddenly seem to be vanishing at a steady clip beyond the horizon start to despair and seek contentment in their statuses quo.
The World ticks over, life goes on, time marches on.
The panaceas for these woes are myriad, solace is sought in many different ways. Different strokes for different folks.
I find myself adrift not really wanting to settle one way or the other. Into despondency or into complacency. Into Pollyanna optimism or prospective euphoria.
Maybe some sage philosopher has already catalogued this sensation and all that remains is for me to chance upon their writings and find myself bedazzled by the glowing relevance of it all.
Still I press on, hardly engaging yet not letting go completely.
I wish I was smart. Really smart. So super-smart I could think up a functional solution to the maladies that ail African politics. The superbugs, XDR strains that are our inheritance from the liberation struggles of the 20th Century.
As a continent even the most-promising, the most developed, the richest countries have these people lurking around their corridors of power, barnacles even a crowbar couldn't dislodge.
Sapping the very lifeblood of the common man they posture and preen, lobby and plot, so intricately involved in their mad powerplays that they cannot smell the dawn of a new age. So rapt in their controversies they can no longer see the havoc they wreak. So lost in their faded dreams they have forgotten the ideals of their youth. No verve left in them these winded bagpipes creak out their dying notes tenaciously clinging on for the sheer sake of it, not even knowing why.
It's gotten so bad that none of the young intellectuals and visionaries want to go anywhere near politics. The image is tarnished and we live in perpetual fear of becoming like these frightsome spectres who attract sympathy at best and rancid loathing otherwise.
Free from the colonial influences that bound us (are we?) we find ourselves clogged in the muck of internecine and narcissistic ambitions.
Kenya, Zimbabwe, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, Malawi... Politics, Politicians, pitiful people.
Is it all a game one wonders? A dream perhaps? Shall I wake up and find functional governments, working assemblies, responsible leaders allowed to rule in peace? Can I hope?


You just graduated college. You are going to Kansas City, MO to teach children in underprivileged areas. You are a poised young lady and will accomplish dreams bigger than you could have ever imagined now. You believed in yourself. Everyone is proud of us. And we are humbled. And we are grateful.


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Hanoi Old Quarter is situated right in the center of Amsterdam, on the historic Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal.
Our restaurant seats around 36 and offers Phở's – delicious and healthy Vietnamese soup - as well as Bún nem , Bún chả , Bánh cuốn. We are open six days a week, dine in, takeaway, or home delivered.
Owner Feng Doan was born in Hanoi Vietnam and moved to The Netherlands in 2000. Her ambition is to bring the exciting flavours of Hanoi to her adopted home country.
Hanoi Old Quarter is within walking distance from Dam Square, the Royal Palace, Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam Museum and the former Post Office now known as Magna Plaza.


Ona Moja Tavern is a favorite place of all modern bohemians. It is situated at the heart of Vračar, at 31a Vojvode Šupljikca and, for the third year running, it has been a preferable tavern of all those who wish to paint the town in red or to celebrate some important days as well as a shelter to those who needed someone to comfort them.
Live music played by our bands will make dance the night away while our raspberry fruit brandy is capable of healing all your wounds. Ona Moja Tavern is the right place for you.
We leave the door open for you seven days a week, from 10 PM till 3 AM.
If you wish to organize private parties though, we offer you a capacity of 100 seated places.


text:
Boy Scouts of America: Denounce President Trump's Jamboree Speech
Davis Hermann started this petition to Boy Scouts Of America Boy Scouts of America and 5 others
We are calling on The Boy Scouts of America to publicly denounce President Trump's speech and to apologize for its handling of the 2017 National Jamboree.
Founded in 1910, The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) mission is to "prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law." More than 110 million Americans, including several United States Presidents, have participated in Scouting.
The BSA community reflects the diversity of America. Today, there are Troops in tens of thousands of communities across the country. As a matter of policy, the BSA does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, political views, or sexual orientation. In January 2017, the BSA opened enrollment to transgender boys.
Since 1937, Presidents have been invited to give speeches at the National Scout Jamboree. Each and every President has diligently avoided partisan politics, focusing instead on Scouting's widely-held values, like being a good citizen, serving others, and fostering community.
On Monday, July 24, President Trump stood in front of 35,000 Scouts in West Virginia and bucked this longstanding custom. His Jamboree speech was deeply partisan, politically charged, and included attacks on former Presidents, political opponents, and on current government officials. Unlike his predecessors, President Trump did not use the occasion to inspire, instruct, or otherwise provide value to the Scouts in the audience.
I was an active member of Troop 298 in Atlanta, Georgia throughout my childhood. In 2006, I attained the rank of Eagle Scout. Like any member of a community, I see Scouting's virtues and I also see its flaws. Going forward, I want to see the BSA grow and improve.
That is why I am deeply concerned by the impact of President Trump's partisan and self-serving speech. Current and former Scouts are expressing outrage, shame, and disappointment. Parents are publicly stating that they cannot, in good conscience, allow their children to participate in Scouting. President Trump's words, along with the BSA's poor judgement, have severely damaged the organization's reputation.
As of now, the BSA has not publicly denounced the President's speech. It is not too late for the BSA to do the right thing and live up to its stated values.
If you have a personal connection to Scouting, please consider including a message along with your signature.
Today: Davis is counting on you
Davis Hermann needs your help with "Boy Scouts of America: Denounce President Trump's Jamboree Speech". Join Davis and 4,973 supporters today.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


James Van Der Beek has finalised the terms of his divorce from his wife of nearly seven years, court records show.
The former Dawson's Creek star's divorce from actress Heather McComb will be official on June 3.
The pair went through mediation to resolve the terms of the break-up.
Van Der Beek will pay McComb spousal support through 2012.
The couple were married in July 2003 and have no children.
The 33-year-old actor filed for divorce in November but stated in court filings they had separated months earlier.


Drama Seeds - FASA Games, Inc.
Following the great success of the Sample Fiefs Thread, I thought we might want to try something new. I am a strong believer in the maxim that an RPG is only as successful as the number of people playing it, and my personal conviction is that nothing stimulates play as much as offering up stories for the GMs to use. I would therefore like to suggest a new collaboration to collect drama seeds for fans to use as they please. As with the sample fiefs, if we manage to pull this off we might edit these into a pretty freebie pdf and have the official stamp of approval on it. What do you say, people? Is this a good idea?
Setup: How to plant seeds for this drama in previous stories or during character generation, etc.
Showcase: Themes and game facets that fits with this drama.
Then end with a series of questions that complicate things and suggest deeper truths.
This isn't primarily for fully fledged 20,000 words scenarios, but rather short and inspiring ideas and problems. I'll do one to kick it off (more will follow).
Setup: This drama revolves around the family of a central noble character in the cadre, or more specifically the character's notorious grand-aunt. Mentioning the grand-aunt in preceding dramas, and have Game Master characters judge the character on account of his/her grand-aunt, would be a great way to setup A Case of Dishonor.
Fortunes rose and fell during the Emperor Wars. Some veterans returned home as celebrated heroes, while others returned in disgraced and were shunned by kin and neighbors alike. Arguably, some of these fates were deserved, while most of them were not… probably.
The central character grew up hearing hushed whispers and embarrassed mumbles about grand-aunt Maryana the traitor. A renowned warrior during the Emperor Wars, she fought for her house in several engagements, earning much praise and glory before it all turned sour. One day a missive arrived at the family estate with information that Maryana had been branded a traitor following her actions during the Battle of Deathly Honors, and she would henceforth be an outcast of the noble house. Maryana never returned home, although she did send letters confirming she had disgraced herself and her relatives in some unspecified manner. Furthermore, she informed her family that she had decided not to return, and asked that they forget about her since she was dying from radiation poisoning anyway. (A Geiger counter confirmed the letters had been exposed to radiation). Afterwards, grand-aunt Maryana's name was only mentioned in hushed voiced behind closed doors, and it became a punishable offence for children to speak her name. Even though no one knew the specifics about Maryana's betrayal of her house and family, everyone agreed that she was a blemish best ignored… until now that is.
Recently, a dispatch arrived at the family court, addressed to grand-aunt Maryana. The letter was sent by a Sir Roth of an allied noble house, another veteran warrior of the Emperor Wars who fought with Maryana in the Battle of Deathly honors. From his writing it is apparent that Sir Roth is unware of Maryana's bad reputation and he has nothing but praise for the central character's grand-aunt. He recalls how valiantly she executed her challenging orders in battle, and led a charge that saved Sir Roth's unit from certain destruction. Now Sir Roth summons all comrades in arms who received the Wreath of Loyalty medal on the field in that battle, to a celebration at his court on the anniversary of the battle – the invitation includes Lady Maryana.
Seeing a chance to polish their rising star, the central character's family is keen to restore Maryana's honor and remove her stain upon the family name. The head of the family asks the central character and his/her friends to look into the matter and, if possible, recover Maryana's Wreath of Loyalty medal. In addition, if Maryana's remains can be found Maryana, they should be returned home for a decent burial in the family mausoleum (although they should beware any lingering radioactivity in her bones).
Something is clearly going on behind the scenes. Why did Lady Maryana claim in the letters that she was disgraced? Family and military records collaborate the damning of Lady Maryana, and enemies have used her reputation against the family on more than one occasion. What was the nature of her secret orders, and why has all information on the Battle of Deathly Honors been classified? Is Sir Roth who he claims to be? And in any case, what are his motives? And what about that unmarked spy who was shot dead in the family library by household guards some weeks hence?
Setup: The drama revolves around a central priestly character asked by an old seminary teacher to help recover a stolen relic. Involving this Game Master character in earlier stories, as a patron or helper, would allow the players to get to know her. Any storyline involving the extinct House Alecto would help foreshadow the issues of Troublesome Relic.
The central character is contacted by a former teacher and seminary patroness, Matre Sotera, who needs the character's help. Matre Sotera has been charged by her (arch)bishop with recovering a potent relic plundered from her parish temple in an enemy raid during the Emperor Wars. New evidence has recently been uncovered, but since Matre Sotera is old and frail, she wonders whether her favorite student and adventurer-pastor might perhaps be willing to perform the mission on her behalf. Her agent will of course have a share in any praise and other rewards.
It has been discovered that the mercenary unit raiding Matre Sotera's parish temple under the Emperor Wars was a group called Madox' Pack, one of several armed forces that terrorized the region at the time. In an ironic twist, Madox' Pack was hired after the Emperor Wars, to police and protect the region of its former enemy, a duty which the unit still perform.
The relic is a large signet finger-ring, made of pygmallium and electrum, engraved with the House Alecto emblem (a pair of crossed torches, one pointing up and one down). The signet ring used to belong to St. Palamedes Alecto – first Patriarch of the Universal Church – gifted to Matre Sotera's temple by a penitent noble in the early New Dark Ages, having previously disappeared from history in the late Diaspora era. The ring is attributed with the power to cancel psychism and non-Human religious rites, and is associated with St. Palamedes' defense of humanity against Ur-Ukar aggression during the Human-Ukari War (2855-2892). [Game Effect: All psychics and alien occultists within hearing or sight of the wearer, receive a penalty to all occult goals equal to the wearer's Faith]. Moreover, the signet ring is a potent symbol of prestige, as it could be used to strengthen a noble's claim on the privileges, land, and resources of the extinct House Alecto. 'Alecto' is arguably the most politically potent name in interstellar politics, for even though the house has been extinct for over four centuries, most noble families have intermarried over the last millennia, and no bloodline will therefore fully die out. A noble able to trace her ancestry back to both Palamedes and Vladimir Alecto, could possibly claim Alecto land as her birthright, particularly should the noble also possess other prestige items like Vladimir's crown or a lost Alecto voting scepter, throwing the Known World into turmoil anew.
Even as a minor house, a resurrected House Alecto would seriously unbalance interstellar politics. The Universal Church fears any legitimate rival claims to Palamedes' ancestry. Any noble house would covet the potential political power of claiming House Alecto prestige. The Phoenix Throne could use the imperial associations of the Alecto name (through Vladimir Alecto – the First Emperor) to strengthen Alexius' claim and establish a House Imperial to seize voting scepters for itself and partake in future imperial elections.
Just a fortnight ago, a Questing Knight retinue enquired about the lost relic in the parish. Meanwhile, Reeves lawyers have established an office in a nearby town, and Musters are advertising a discount for hired mercenaries. Li Halan scholars have recently dusted off debates around theocracy – as a purely intellectual exercise of course, while Hazat ambassadors are reaffirming their overtures for a joint Known World crusade against the Kurgan Caliphate. Rumors claim that several nobles – primarily from minor houses – have enjoyed private audiences with the leader of Madox' Pack, Captain Constantin Lavoie, who in turn has spent much wealth re-equipping his forces and updating his communications. Two nights ago, unknown agents broke into Matre Sotera's temple archives and stole all files on the relic. Can the cadre solve the (arch)bishop's mission before perilous ambitions casts the Known Worlds out into a new major turmoil?
I have so many ideas, but I need time and need to polish to make it more manageable.
Setup: A precious item (possibly something rare, expensive or just of sentimental value) belonging to one of the player characters is stolen, possibly very obviously and audaciously. But this is simply to get the cadre's attention. The thief is a Scraver and a talented rogue but they have fallen for a local noble. The Noble's House and family consider the Scraver to be beneath them, possibly even an outright enemy and so s/he can't get near his love. S/he promises to return the item if they will help him to get to his love.
The Scraver fell for his noble love the first time he say him/her after they engages his services to retrieve a rare item (possibly a lost family heirloom) and believes that they feel the same. S/he is an expert in "acquisitions" and uses their skill to try to blackmail the party into helping. If that fails, now that he has their attention he will offer his skills to them as payment(having proven himself in his eyes to them). S/he is a literal romantic rogue, swashbuckling, full of derring-do and an ego the size of a small moon.
The Scraver will want the players to a) contact his "love" and sound them out to see how they feel towards him b) once they have established their feelings (or not) he will want them to arrange an illicit meeting so that they can be together (and possibly run off into the sunset(s)) or so that he can try to convince them in person of his feelings.
Of course that won't be easy - the Scraver's paramour's House and family are well used to the Scraver's incessant and continual petitions, love tokens, sonnets, serenades and approaches. They are wary for any stranger or visitor who might be connected to him and this won't be the first time he has tried using third parties to contact his "lover". The subject of his affections is young (but of age) and relatively innocent but now constantly chaperoned and often under armed guard (I have the idea of a seemingly harmless, chubby, matronly nurse who is actually an experienced Brother battle bodyguard....but that's how my mind works; "Nursey" from Blackadder II but with kung fu....).
Also if the players take the Scraver's promise of working for them in exchange for helping him, what are they going to get him to do? (in fact this could be an interlude during an ongoing campaign when the players have reached an impasse and need an edge in order to get in somewhere, recover something or just acquire the next clue. The Scraver could be their means to move the overall game on again).
Since today, the ESA mission Rosetta, landed the Philae module on comet 67-P, I'll make this drama in it's honor and the idea it gave me!
Setup: Characters will need a ship, a charioteer (or able pilot), someone with archaeological skills and a priest.
Showcase: Space exploration, artifact hunting (Ur and 2nd Republic), demon lurking the shadows.
It has been 1398 years since comet 99A-67 went through the solar system. Its bearings unknown for millennia, but now under the lens of the telescope of an engineer, he seems to know more about that piece of "flying rock".
In his office, a lone engineer, finds an old report of a 2nd Republic survey team that traveled to the comet, landed, explored and vanished. As the comet left the solar system, no team was able or close enough to reach it and make a rescue attempt.
The engineer, Ben Johnson, and old friend to one of the party members, says that he believes the ship, fully equiped is still on the comet 99A-67, due to his calculations on the last position of the craft and the report he has. He'll give the coordinates and location of the comet. Tough he warns that the comet will only stay a limited time on the solar system, leaving beyond the gate in only a few days (I´d suggest something between 3 to 6 days, GM's discretion).
The comet on the edge of the solar system is quite big. Full of mountains, valleys and strange rock formations, the comet is a challenging place to find spot for landing. Surveying the comet, there is a spot with a faint distress beacon, in the bottom of a canyon. If they land there, a very old and dusted ship of the 2nd Republic is there, no crew inside or around it.
Old footprints lead to a lower section of the canyon, to a cave and then into a staircase that delves into the depths of the comet. Huge Ur statues hold the celling of the cave, light is dim and at the end, a door with many glyphs and by the side, six astronauts of the old. Now all bones inside their high-tech spacesuits. A small terraforming engine works, giving a thin atmosphere. A few tech items, dot the place, most of them without any charge.
A joint team of Scravers and Muster raided Ben's office and found the report of the survey team. They are on their way to the comet, as well as an Inquisition frigate, since no good might come something that was in the darkness beyond the stars.
But why is that one old astronaut with a spacesuit, if the portable terraforming engine was on-line? What is behind the huge door and what it markings say? Why is there gun fire all over the place? Seems to be another set of stairs that go deeper into the comet, but where do they go?
The Dark Slave demon and his husks from Dark Liner, or the Apparitions from The Ancestor's Tomb (both found in the Into The Dark book) might work very vell if reused here.


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Referee feedback is tracked and received by each referee to allow for bespoke training and support to be offered to each match official.
By being part of the Youth Referees' Academy, officials experience working as both a Referee and an Assistant Referee in order to give a more rounded development pathway to prepare them thoroughly for future matches.
As part of being an Academy Official, high-standards and expectations are placed on the referees.
This is to ensure that the quality of performance improves consistently throughout their time within the group. Officials are also expected to operate within the confines of Youth Football within Suffolk in matches appointed by Suffolk FA.
Can anyone join the Youth Referees' Academy?
Is there a cost involved to be part of the Youth Referees' Academy?
From what age can you be involved in the Youth Referees' Academy?


The U.S. Postal Service in Ada conducted the Letter Carriers Food Drive to help address the issue of hunger in our community. The proceeds of those donations went to various local organizations, including Asbury.
While I do not know the full amount of items donated during the food drive, Asbury did receive over 60 boxes of food. These cans, along with other food items that Asbury purchases from the Regional Food Bank, will enable us to provide nearly 3 months of local aid. We currently get requests for food by over 200 families a month..
Please let your Letter Carrier know what a difference their efforts make.
The Valley View Health and Wellness Foundation awarded the Asbury UMC Food Pantry a $5000 grant that will help us update our freezers and replace aging equipment. We received the grant through an application submitted with the help of Steve Gardner, Sharon Weirick, Whitney Clifton, and others that help with the pantry.
The VVHWF visited our operation in March and saw firsthand the number of people we assist on a bi-monthly bases. We impressed them with our efficiency and inclusion of the SOAR men when we sort and distribute the food. If you know anyone on the Foundation, be sure to express gratitude for their trust in our ministry.
For several years the Asbury Food Bank has helped to meet the needs of many hungry families in the area. The success in this program lies not in us simply providing a few boxes of food twice a month. The real strength comes from God's amazing ability to magnify a few dollars into several thousands of pounds of food (see John 6:1-13 for more details). The volunteers get to see firsthand how lives are touched by your faithfulness to this ministry. This week we provided the equivalent of $8500.00 of food, 3200 lbs, for only $255.00 which fed 149 people. Way to go Asbury!!!
We anticipate a large crowd on Thursday for the Food Pantry. The third Thursday of the month we see more families attend seeking assistance as they make their dollars stretch till the end of the month. Recent trends also indicate an upswing in requests by senior citizens. This means we will try our best to have enough sacks of groceries to meet the need. If you can help us on Wednesday morning and/or Thursday morning from 8:30 to 11:30 it would make the task go easier.
like to thank the men at SOAR and everyone for coming and helping distribute the food this week.
many hands to make the program run effectively each week.
Last week we served 40 families, 75 adults, 31 kids atotaling of 106 people. God's blessings were amazing as we had just enough food for those who sought assistance. Our next sacking day will be August 19th and we will distribute on August 20th at 9:00AM.
will be well worth your time.


text:
Q: Slow running web page i created web page with dropdownlist and two gridview and on selectedindex changed event i fill the both of these gridview but in the running the both of gridview take long time to be filled.
Note:one of this gridview i created its datasource by code.
here my code snippet:
    protected void _ddlPLCs_SelectedIndexChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    DataTable dtStatus = new DataTable();

    dtStatus = DBLayer.getMachineNameIPStatusPlCByName(_ddlPLCs.SelectedValue);
    dtStatus.Columns.Add("Status", typeof(String));
    foreach (DataRow row in dtStatus.Rows)
    {
        if (LogicLayer.checkmachineStatus(row["machineIP"].ToString()))
            row["Status"] = "Online";
        else
            row["Status"] = "offline";

    }

    GVStatus.DataSource = dtStatus;
    GVStatus.DataBind();
    if (_ddlPLCs.SelectedValue.Contains('-'))
    {
        _dsPLCs.SelectParameters.Clear();
        _dsPLCs.SelectParameters.Add("PLCID","0");
        _dsPLCs.DataBind();
    }
    else
    {
        _dsPLCs.SelectParameters.Clear();
        _dsPLCs.SelectParameters.Add("PLCID", DBLayer.getPlCIDByName(_ddlPLCs.SelectedValue).ToString());
        _dsPLCs.DataBind();
    }

}

pleas help me

A: Looking at the code, I think the problem is in this method:

LogicLayer.checkmachineStatus()

I have a hunch that this actually makes a network request to remote machines/devices to determine their status. This is going to be slow, especially if you have machines that might not be online and you have to wait for them to timeout.
If this is the culprit, what you want to do instead is build a service that runs on your server. The service should continually make these checks in the background and update a database table with the results. You probably want to include a timestamp for the last check in the table. It might even be worth inserting rather than updating, so that you have history of when status's were at different values. Your ASP.Net code should then just show the database table.

A: Profile! Get a trial version of RedGate ANTS and run it against your code.
If you choose line level timings, it will put a number next to each line in the code that will tell you exactly how long each line takes as a % or in milliseconds. Make sure to use wall clock time not cpu time or wait time from your datasource won't be counted properly.
I'd bet your datasource is slow.

A: You're doing a lot of work here...
A few random thoughts
Networks can be slow -- @Joel had a good point on that one.
One thing to check would be postback -- make sure you're only databinding on selected index changed.
Why aren't you using a 'handles' caluse in your function?  Might not be a problem, just curious.
If you change your "status" column header to "online", and then use checkboxes (checked = online, unchecked = off-line, or something like that, you'll just be updating a bool value for each row, instead of a string value.
Something looks odd about how you're re-binding your dropdownlist.  Because...  You're using the selected value as a parameter in the gridview.  Then you're subsequently re-binding the dropdown list, which potentially will result in a different selected value.  Which could be causing your gridview to be databound yet again in a circuit.  Not sure, as I can't see all of your code.
Anyway, FWIW.  Good luck.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I'm Sema, the owner of jazz-soft.net and the developer of Jazz-Plugin.
Lately, I've seen complains from my visitors that that Livid Editor does not work in new browsers.
As I have noticed, the website is using an outdated Jazz-Plugin API that is no longer supported in the latest Chrome and Firefox.
It is compatible with Jazz-Plugin, with native Web MIDI API, and with the web extensions for the latest Chrome and Firefox.
I believe the code changes will be minimal - just substitute the Jazz-Plugin function calls with the JZZ functions.
Yes, we provide a downloadable version that works with the new API.
However, when we try to the new version on our server, it seems that Jazz/ Web-MIDI looks for MIDI Ports on the server instead of on the Clients computer. For this reason, the old 'NPAPI' using online editor is still the version live on our web server.
If you have any input regarding that, let me know!
JZZ can work both on client side and server side. Make sure the script is included at the correct side.
Please contact me by email or at http://jazz-soft.org/ if you need help.
Safari used to work fine (and it does on my mac), but I can't use the editor at home. Am I doing something wrong?
Possibly. I tested in both of these browsers on Windows 7 and 10, Mac OS Sierra, and Ubuntu 16.04 last week.
So for the sake of this thread, we've fixed the server versions, and you can now run the app online again.
1. Make sure you have downloaded all of the current versions of the System Requirements for your browser as listed here.
- note you may have to click the icon at the left side of your address bar to enable the web-page to access MIDI Devices.
(Usually, this shows up as an automatic pop-up, but the pop-up may not display based on your browser settings).
If you continue to have troubles, send over a screenshot of what you see when you load the Online Editor, or further describe what is happening.
I was using the old editor.


This report covers developments in the Convergence, Pay TV and Digital Media Market of Latin America and the Caribbean The countries covered in this report include: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Venezuela, and the small Caribbean island nations.
Convergence offers promising prospects in Latin America and the Caribbean, a continent with about 577 million people, a soaring broadband sector, low teledensity, relatively high TV penetration, and a growing VoIP market.
Convergence, however, has created a number of challenges for regulators, forcing them to revisit outdated laws in view of technological advances. In some countries, the broadcast and telecom industries are regulated by entirely separate authorities that do not always see eye to eye when it comes to convergence. As pay TV operators seek to branch into high-speed Internet and cable telephony, and telecom operators seek to add pay TV to their broadband and telephony services, these previously separate regulatory authorities must cooperate or merge to create a transparent and logical regulatory framework.
One of the consequences of triple play is the start of competition between cable TV and telecom operators. This is, of course, beneficial for customers, who have a greater choice between service providers. But in many countries, issues of market balance and fear of losing market share to competition have led to lengthy regulatory battles, involving cable TV companies, telecom operators, and regulatory authorities.
Although the region's pay TV market is still small, the long-term outlook is positive, particularly in view of convergence opportunities, the gradual upgrading of cable networks from analogue to digital, and the efforts to reduce signal piracy.
Nevertheless, pay TV in Latin America is beginning to suffer from the global economic downturn; the setback, however, is expected to be temporary. A more serious threat for cable and satellite TV operators will come eventually from IPTV, although bandwidth shortage and the lack of FTTx infrastructure are likely to delay widespread IPTV take-up.
In terms of pay TV penetration, Argentina is a world leader, with more than one home out of two being subscribed to pay TV services, but media convergence suffers from regulatory battles involving the government, pay TV companies, and telecom operators. According to Argentinean law, a telecom company is not allowed to offer pay TV, and must ally with a CATV operator if it wants to offer converged services. Telcos have been urging the government to reform the Argentine telecoms law to facilitate media convergence. The Cable TV Operators' Association, on the other hand, has urged the government not to allow telcos into the pay TV sector – at least not until CATV companies have completed the digitisation of their networks. It claims that the telecom incumbents would take over the pay TV market and push CATV companies out of business.
In Brazil, delay in legislating on the matter of convergence has led to much confusion and conflict, involving pay TV companies, telecom operators, and regulatory authorities. Incumbent telcos have been forcing the issue by entering the pay TV market before receiving authorisation to do so. Although regulatory questions still await resolution, both pay TV and telephone companies have been active in developing convergence strategies, and several operators offer triple or quadruple play packages. The market leader is Net Serviços de Comunicação, controlled by Mexico's Telmex; in fact, Net is the largest multi-service cable TV provider in Latin America, with a bundled video, broadband, and voice service in 79 Brazilian cities. Brazil was the second country in Latin America to adopt a digital TV standard; digital terrestrial TV was launched in December 2007, but is experiencing slow uptake.
Mexico's main cable TV providers, Megacable, Cablemás, and Cablevisión, are active in the triple play market, with offerings of bundled cable TV, broadband, and telephony; as a result, their broadband subscriber base and in particular their VoIP subscriber numbers witnessed healthy growth during 2007 and 2008. Telmex has claimed to have lost over 50% of the voice market in areas where cable companies offer triple play services. In 2007, it requested to have its own licence modified to include pay TV services, but in late 2008, it entered into an agreement with the newly constituted Dish Mexico to distribute DTH satellite TV services. Mexico was the first country in Latin America to launch digital terrestrial TV; by early 2009 there were an estimated 38 digital channels.


text:
Articles tagged "north carolina weather"
Tropical Storm "Eta" brings deadly floods to Florida and North Carolina, U.S.
Tropical Storm "Eta" made its second landfall in Florida and overall fourth landfall at 09:20 UTC (04:20 LT) on Thursday morning, November 12, 2020, with winds of 85 km/h (50 mph), causing torn off trees and roofs, widespread flooding, at least one...
Intense wet microburst tears apart North Carolina school gym, injuring 3, U.S.
Severe storms spawned an intense wet microburst in North Carolina's Sampson County on Monday afternoon, January 13, 2020, which ripped off a school gym and injured three students. Powerful winds up to 137 km/h (85 mph) left a gaping hole in the roof and wall as...
Dorian makes landfall in North Carolina, heads toward Canada
Hurricane "Dorian" made landfall over the Cape Hatteras, North Carolina at 12:35 UTC (08:35 EDT) on September 6, 2019. With 3 over the Bahamas, this is its fourth landfall but not final as it continues moving toward Nova Scotia, Canada where it is expected...
Heavy rain floods North Carolina, states of emergency declared, U.S.
At least 3 people have been killed after a slow-moving storm dumped extremely heavy rain on parts of the southeastern United States over the past couple of days. On June 5, Wharton and Palacios, Texas, received massive 203.2 mm (8 inches) of rain in less than 12...
Severe thunderstorms, large hail hit North Carolina, U.S.
Severe thunderstorms hit North Carolina on Monday, March 13, 2019, downing trees and causing damage to homes, buildings and cars. Thunderstorms with hail from 42 to 66 mm (1.6 - 2.6 inches) hit north and east of Raleigh, NC, damaging homes, toppling down trees and...
Rare April snowfall in the Carolinas, 2nd time since 1915
Rare snow fell over parts of the Carolinas including Charlotte, NC on April 2, 2019, making it only the second time in over 100 years that snow fell there during the month of April. Snow came along the western edge of a rapidly deepening nor'easter moving up the...
Major winter storm hits US, leaving 700 000+ without power, 1 700+ flights canceled
The major winter storm that has been hammering the interior southeast United States and parts of the Mid-Atlantic over the past weekend is now moving offshore. The storm produced 30 to 60 cm (1 to 2 feet) of snow across northwest North Carolina and south-central...
Massive floods kill 3.4 million poultry and 5500 hogs, estimates on crop losses still not available, North Carolina
Massive flooding caused by days of extremely heavy rains produced by Hurricane "Florence" killed about 3.4 million chickens and turkeys and 5 500 hogs in North Carolina alone. While it's known the flooding has affected the top 6 agricultural counties...
"Unusual event" declared at Brunswick Nuclear Plant, North Carolina
An "unusual event" has been declared for Brunswick Nuclear Plant located just outside of Wilmington, North Carolina on September 17, 2018. This is the area where Hurricane "Florence" recently made landfall, causing 'historic and...
Center of Hurricane "Florence" makes landfall near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
NOAA Doppler weather radar data and surface observations indicate that the center of the eye of Hurricane "Florence" made landfall along the coast of North Carolina at 07:15 EDT (11:15 UTC) on September 14, 2018 near 34.2N 77.8W, which is near Wrightsville...
Hurricane "Florence" forecast to stall or move very slowly along the coast, produce prolonged period of very dangerous conditions
Hurricane "Florence" is approaching the United States today and is forecast to bring prolonged life-threatening impacts to the southeastern states through the weekend. The storm will bring life-threatening storm surge, flash flooding, and destructive winds...


Modern : Wood Arm Recliner Chair Industrial Lavender Living Room Set Wine Bars Chandler Yellow Leather Chair Printed Sofa Decorating Ideas Sofa Table Uk Felt. Italian Leather Double Recliners Sofa With Console Suppliers. White Sofa And Loveseat. Designer Modern Sofas. Large White Sofa.
By Adalheid Voigt. Modern. At Friday, January 25th 2019, 00:22:56 AM.
Tags : sectional sofa covers ikea. white sofa set. white furniture sale. office storagesoda white. red armchairs. red sofa literary agency. bed framesikea locations. red microfiber sofa from rooms-to-go. bunk & loft bedswallpaper to go with red sofa. white sofa slipcovers.
97 out of 100. Rated by 860 users.
Thoughts on Wood Arm Recliner Chair Industrial Lavender Living Room Set Wine Bars Chandler Yellow Leather Chair Printed Sofa Decorating Ideas Sofa Table Uk Felt?


text:
Bayern Munich Currently 1.40 To Qualify For Finals
Published on April 16th, 2016 4:55 pm EST
Most of the betting world expects that Bayern Munich will square off against Real Madrid in the Champions League finals this year.
Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, however, will be doing their best to spoil these plans. Atletico Madrid, fresh off of their upset over Barcelona in the quarter-finals, will be looking to knock off another favourite when they take on Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.
Bayern Munich is looking for revenge after a rash of injuries cut short their Champions League campaign last season. Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, has virtually nothing to prove at this point, which makes them extremely dangerous for the teams that they are facing.
The opening match between Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich will take place on April 27th, where the home side from Atletico Madrid is listed as the slight underdog. According to the bookmakers, the most likely outcome of this match is a 1-1 draw, which is currently listed at 6.50.
As mentioned, Bayern Munich is the favourite to move on to the next round - here are the odds as of this moment to qualify:
Bayern Munich, 1.40
Atletico Madrid, 2.75
As you can see, Bayern Munich is widely expected to win, though don't blame their fans if they are feeling a bit nervous heading into the end of the month, as Atletico Madrid has already gotten the label of being giant killers in this current Champions League tournament.
Can Bayern Munich make their ways to the finals, as expected, or is Atletico Madrid going to surprise again?
FIFA 19 + Champions League
Electronic Arts' most popular video game, FIFA, just got a lot more exciting as the company announce...
By ariel - June 11th, 2018 - 3:44pm EST
EPL on Amazon Prime
The online retail giant Amazon has purchased exclusive rights to broadcast two rounds of the English...
By ariel - June 8th, 2018 - 6:58pm EST
2018/19 UCL Revenue Distribution
The European football governing body, UEFA, has announced projected numbers for the upcoming 2018/19...


With the group stage of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 now done and dusted, we turn our attention towards the round of 16. Australia as contender this cup must be defend this title eventually.
The fifth knockout phase match of the tournament is between defending champions Australia and Uzbekistan. Here's how the two sides might line up tonight.
LIVE STREAMING UZBEKISTAN VS AUSTRALIA 21.1.2019.
An eventful Day 14 saw Vietnam, China PR, and IR Iran make it through to the Quarterfinals of the AFC Asian Cup. And now, six more teams will go up against each other today, January 21, in a bid to book their spot in the next round.
Two teams bidding for the same are Australia and Uzbekistan.
The Socceroos got off to a terrible start after they lost their opening match to surprise-package Jordan. However, they recovered in their subsequent matches, eventually making it to the knockout stages.
Meanwhile, one team which has put on some brilliant displays is Uzbekistan. The Central Asian giants got off to a good start by beating Oman 2-1, before thrashing Turkmenistan by four goals. However, a loss to Japan in their final match saw them finish second in the group.
Reigning champions Australia will face a tough challenge from Uzbekistan in the Round of 16 of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 at Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain on Monday.
Graham Arnold's Socceroos haven't been the most impressive sides in the tournament so far scraping through to the knockout stages after finishing second in their group behind Jordan. They will now face Uzbekistan who have looked one of the most exciting teams in the tournament so far.
But first, let's take a look at the five key facts around the game.
Australia and Uzbekistan have met once before in the Asian Cup.
But that meeting did not go down well for the Uzbeks.
After impressing to reach the semifinals of the Asian Cup 2011 in Qatar, the White Wolves came up against the Socceroos in the semifinals and lost 6-0!
It remains to be the biggest ever knockout stage win in the competition's history.


text:
Q: Fabric TextBox z-index not proper when document ready I have 2 images on canvas set when page loads and adding a fabric Textbox after it.
Textbox is added but at the back of the images. but same textbox when I'm adding on click of the button its added on top of every object on canvas.
below is my code
fabric.Object.prototype.transparentCorners = true;
fabric.Object.prototype.padding = 5;
var canvas = this.__canvas = new fabric.Canvas('canvas',{preserveObjectStacking: false});
canvas.controlsAboveOverlay = true;
canvas.setHeight(600);
canvas.setWidth(424);

//Code for adding first image
var cnt=0;
var imgObj = new Image();
imgObj.src = "blank.png";
var imgmain=imgObj.onload = function () {
var image = new fabric.Image(imgObj);
image.set({
    id:'changeimg',
    angle: 0,
    height:100,
    width:100,
    align: 'mid', //added
    originX: 'center', //added
    originY: 'center', //added
});
canvas.centerObject(image);
if(cnt==0){
    canvas.add(image);
}
}

//Code for adding second image
var temp_path=$("#hdnTemplate").val();
var imgObj1 = new Image();
imgObj1.src = temp_path;
var imgmain=imgObj1.onload = function () {
var image1 = new fabric.Image(imgObj1);
image1.set({
    id:'backgroundimg',
    angle: 0,
    width:canvas.getWidth(),
    height:canvas.getHeight(),
    evented:false,
    selectable:false,
    /*scaleX:1,
    scaleY:1,*/
});
 canvas.add(image1);
}

//Code for adding textbox
var text1=canvas.add(new fabric.Textbox('New Text', {
    left: 50,
    top: 50,
    fontFamily: 'comic sans ms',
    fill: '#FF0000',
    fontSize: 25
}));

The same code of adding textbox on canvas on button click adds the textbox above all layers

A: Image loading takes time and is asyncronous.
Your code is adding the textbox as first object and loading 2 images.
When loading is done, your code will add the images to the canvas.
If you can't control when images will finish loading, what you can do is to create 2 image object with empty images, and on the onload event use the 'setElement' or 'setSrc' to refresh your object


There are plenty of things to do in Rabac and its surrounding areas; bike, scuba dive, sail, fish, jet-ski, water-ski, parasail, swim or just relax enjoying a cocktail or watching fishing boats. Our destination offers numerous activities in arts, culture, nature, sports etc. If travelling with children and family, Rabac and Istria are perfect places for you. Choose between wellness, events, animal life, entertainment and even astronomy. After visiting these lovely towns, you will find that your soul has truly been uplifted.
Istria is famous for its rich and diverse tourist offer, so for hiking lovers it provides many opportunities of the most beautiful trails. Enjoy easy walks or more difficult trails along the beautiful landscape of Rabac and its surroundings. Numerous well-maintained walkways and organized walking tours through nature or by the sea will give you rest for body and soul and make your holiday an unforgettable experience.
Istria is famous for tennis: there are around 430 tennis clay courts available to play on throughout the year. The mild Istrian climate, fresh air and non-polluted sea enable athletes to practice nearly all events throughout the year, both indoors and outdoors. Many world famous athletes have recognized this advantage and have been coming to the Istrian coast to improve their sports technique when not competing.
Although easy in the beginning, in our region of eastern Istria the trails become more demanding requiring of course good physical condition. Your arrival to the coast will be rewarded by a splendid view of the magnificent landscape. There you can find small coves and completely isolated beaches that will grant you privacy. You can choose from numerous bike trails and enjoy a complete freedom in the untouched nature.
This unusual, malodorous subterranean fungus of an unattractive form is – the truffle. The rare and expensive tuber that grows in the fertile Istrian soil is the ultimate gastronomic delight. The Istrian white truffle is one of the most highly prized in the world today. The culinary chefs agree upon one thing only: the truffle should be placed at the very top of the gastronomic delicacies list.
Istria is known for its gastronomy and culinary experiences. Numerous restaurants and farmers markets offer fresh produces, meats and sea food. If you decide to stay at Casa M you can enjoy wine and olive oil tasting tours. There are numerous restaurants along the waterfront in Rabac and in the surrounding areas of Labin. If you are willing to prepare a meal on your own, visit a farmers market in the city of Labin (4km) which includes a Fish and Meat markets.
Venice is without a doubt one of the most glorified and romantic cities in the world and thus one of the most desired destinations. A pleasant boat or bus drive will take you to the magnificent town of Venice and make your vacation a spectacular experience. Visit Venice by hoping on a Venezia Lines Air Cushion catamarans which departs from the port of Rabac.
Hop over to Slovenia to view one of Europe's most photographed spots! Slovenia's Lake Bled is truly stunning, set in a pine forest with a mountain scenery backdrop, Lake Bled rightfully deserves its name as ''Pearl of the Alps''. You can climb into an engineless rowboat or gondola to glide over to the tiny island church.
This is a trip made for nature lovers. After a pleasant drive to Slovenia and a small town of Postojna, you can see one of the most famous and beautiful caves in Europe. The cave is 22km long. You can take an electric train ride to explore it and later walk for about 2km through its most beautiful parts. Take some long sleeves since you might feel very cold in the cave.
Not far from Casa M you can find a great wellness centar in hotel Valamar Sanfior. Free yourself from everyday stress in new wellness centre of this hotel which consists of Finnish and Turkish sauna, Relax room, Jacuzzi, indoor swimming pool with a seawiew, Wellness bar.
After an adventurous day, in the wellness center at the Hotel Mimosa in Rabac, awaits you relaxing moments, peace and harmony that will heal your body and soul. After the sauna or Turkish bath, Aromatherapy or a pleasant and regenerating dip in the tub with water massage is the ideal way to end your day.


text:
WA's housing department hunts for a new CIO
By Paris Cowan on Nov 12, 2014 11:50AM
Wants tech help to realise "ambitious vision".
Western Australia's Department of Housing has commenced the search for a new CIO and is offering a five year contract and up to $154,208 a year to tempt interested candidates. The Department says it is seeking "talented executives to help drive an ambitious vision" towards the ...
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cio governmentit housing job mobility recruitment training & development vacancy wa
By Paris Cowan
SA Police finds first new CIO in 20 years
DTA to appoint first-ever CIO
Education department finds new CIO at ABS
SA Police CIO to retire after 19 years


I don't write much poetry, but I thought I'd share this one here. If you like you can tell me what you think, or if it is good or godawful! I've written few poems in my adult life, and when I was a teenager my poems were called disgusting ad gross. I was told to never write again, and that was the first time, but not the last. So I share with a little bit of hesitation, because a lot of my work is not well received. Later, if I can find it, I will share a story that got me kicked out of one writer's group.
Unused soldiers waiting for their day.
Wide innocent eyes, waiting to be deployed.


There are people in our villages who would love to come to church or join a group, or who need or like company, or attend an event, go to the lunch club, etc, but who are unable to walk far or at all, or have no transport. Would you be prepared to join together with others to provide such people with lifts to and from?
COULD YOU VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME AND TALENTS?
to help us deal with a variety of jobs to keep our buildings & grounds in reasonable repair?
Join a Rota - we have a whole range of those including worship-related duties - the more people on a Rota, the less frequently you have to do it, and you can swap duties with others on the Rota to cover when you're unable to. Become part of the team.
For instance, we need to replace, repair or refit fixtures & fittings in each Church & the Church Centre, & exterior notice boards and other signs - could you donate your skills & time to do that? Or your time & energy to periodically fill the potholes in the Christ Church Car Park, for instance?
Maybe you have musical talents, and would like to join with our musicians in our worship?
The High Wycombe Branch of the Royal Artillery Association recently decided to help with the cost of maintaining the churchyard at Holy Trinity Church Penn Street which contains a memorial to a distinguished Royal Artillery soldier, Sir Frances Warde. He fought in the Crimean War, was present at Cadiz, helped Wellington defeat Napoleon at Waterloo, and was knighted in 1873.
Our photograph shows Mr Stuart Reid, Branch Chairman, presenting the cheque to Mrs Joan Wainman, Church Warden, Holy Trinity Church, Penn Street.
Curzon School, Penn Street, was assessed by an RE Quality Mark Inspector in early summer, and the schools regular RE lessons gained high praise as did the Christian distinctiveness on the institution.
Pupils demonstrated knowledge of a wide range of religions and through the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) enjoyed visits to a Mandhir, a Sikh Temple and a Jamia Masjid Mosque in Slough. This enabled strong links to be forged for the school.
gave our church an early Christmas present.
Pictures show the Branch Manager (Superman) and staff together with senior members of the COOP management team.
12:30 to 01:30 pm - at the Church Centre, Holmer Green, (HP15 6XQ).
a cup of tea or coffee, all for £2.00.
The friendly company comes free! Open to all.
Penn Street! More information later.
Sundays through until 1 September 2019 at Holy Trinity Church, Penn Street (HP7 0PX).
We need more Helpers for Cream Teas.
Please consider joining one of the teams on a Rota.
The more people on a Rota, the less frequently you have to do it, and you can swap duties with others on the Rota to cover when you're unable to. Please have a word with Judy Knight.
See our weekly Newsletter for a little bit more on these or other items.


text:
Maple Leafs swap their backups again: Hutchinson up for Kaskisuo
The goalie door is revolving again.
By KatyaKnappe Nov 25, 2019, 2:12pm EST
Share All sharing options for: Maple Leafs swap their backups again: Hutchinson up for Kaskisuo
Photo by Gerry Angus/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The @MapleLeafs have recalled goaltender Michael Hutchinson from the @TorontoMarlies (AHL).
Kasimir Kaskisuo has been loaned to the Marlies. pic.twitter.com/ULqSqYeXwM
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 25, 2019
Michael Hutchinson, who has started three games in the AHL this year with a great deal of success (.942 save %), has been recalled, and Kasimir Kaskisuo has been sent back to the AHL.
Kaskisuo was not on the roster long enough to require waivers to return to the AHL. He played in one game, the disastrous loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins where the team performed poorly (massive understatement), and his own contribution wasn't positive.
This comes after this interesting bit from today's practice:
One amendment to this - Andersen actually isn't out here with the #Leafs group. It's just Kaskisuo and a fill-in goalie. Andersen was out earlier working one-on-one with Steve Briere for about 30 minutes or so.
— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) November 25, 2019
This is an on-going choice by the Leafs to limit Frederik Andersen's work in practice. His workload in games has been very high, and previously we would have expected to see him start the next two games on the road, and the backup to play on Sunday's second half of a back to back. However, things have changed on the coaching front, but also that second half game is the home game this time. There's good arguments to flip the assignments and have Hutchinson play the Saturday game in Buffalo, if the goal is to maximize the chances of winning the home game with Andersen in net.
The option remains open, of course, to play Hutchinson against the Detroit Red Wings, while having the team (one hopes) play well in front of him to see if that can help sort out the situation.
We'll update you when we know the team's plans.


text:
HOME PROJECTS ABOUT ME RESUME
Growing Mental Health Wellness through Community-led Strategies
Client: Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability & Equity
Partners: NYC DOHMH, Hester Street
For more on the project visit here.
The 3-year project convened over 200+ local residents and over two dozen stakeholders and health care providers to review health data and developed the strategies for improving health in the community. The high rate of unmet mental health needs was chosen as a priority and RISE, in community consultations, developed a three-part strategy to raise awareness about existing resources and to combat mental health stigma. The strategy—Take Care Rockaway— included a community stakeholder group that convened regularly, community events aimed at normalizing mental health, and the publication of The Mental Health and Wellness Resource Guide for the Rockaways to help residents navigate existing resources. The project is part of a larger initiative, Take Care New York (TCNY) 2020—the city's blueprint to improve community health—aimed to confront the root causes of health inequity at the local level.
Images courtesy of RISE. Photos by Joshua Simpson.


If you want to get into the field of landscape designing, enrolling in a certificate program can be useful.These programs are available at the undergraduate and graduate level. A certificate in landscaping is a fast-track program towards launching a career in landscape designing. Those of you who are already in this field can look for advanced certificate programs that can help you stay updated with the latest trends and development in landscaping.
A certificate in landscaping can help students learn the concepts of landscape design, planning and maintenance. They will also learn about cost estimation, planting design and erosion control among other areas of study. These programs generally last for less than a year.
Students in the landscaping certificate courses get to chance to study in classroom settings and also participate in studio design and field-based experiences at construction sites and public spaces.
In addition to traditional schools, some distance learning institutes also offer landscaping certificate courses. To participate in the online programs, students need to have a computer with a high-speed internet connection and an email account.
Educational requirement to enroll in the landscaping certificate programs by vary by school and type of program. The ones who want to pursue an undergraduate course need to hold a high school diploma or the equivalent. They may also be required to submit SAT or ACT scores. Students interested in the graduate certificates in landscaping should possess a bachelor's degree. Some programs may require candidates to submit a portfolio of work or proof of related work experience.
Students in the landscaping certificate courses will get instruction in a variety of topics such as urban forestry, monuments interior planning and exterior lighting. Classes are also available in irrigation, interior planting and landscaper maintenance. Besides, students may also go through topics such as design essentials, landscape graphics, construction technology and project planning and design.
Going through this curriculum will help candidates get to know how to design open spaces in the inner city as well as the country side. They will also acquire knowledge and skills to design certain areas in shopping centers and coastlines and make them aesthetically pleasing and ecological.
Students with a certificate in landscaping may qualify to become landscape designers. These professionals are required to create and design various landscape projects, calculate costs and budgets and manage landscape projects.Existing landscape designers can enroll in the advanced certificate programs in this area of study and take their career to the next level. The advanced certificate help students stay updated on the field and polishes their skills further.
Some Landscape designers are self-employed while others work in the architectural, engineering, and related services industry. Opportunities are also available in landscaping services industry.
These professionals spend a considerable amount of time creating plans and designing and preparing scale models. They often have to visit clients and workers involved in designing a project. Landscape designers also need to work at jobsites to supervise projects.
Q:What core subjects are covered in a Certificate In Landscaping program?
A:A certificate in landscaping is a fast track course towards initiating a career a landscape designing. The certificate program entails many courses such as the following: landscape design, maintenance, landscape planning, planting design, visual analysis, cost estimation, erosion control, urban forestry, interior planning, monuments, exterior lighting, interior planting, and irrigation.
Q:Can you name a few registration boards that offer accredited Landscaping Certifications?
A:It is important to make sure that you are earning a degree or a certification that has been accredited by a recognized board. In the case of landscape architecture and design, the most popular accrediting agencies are: Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Board, and the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board. They offer certification and registration in over 46 states across the US.
Q:How quickly can I get landscape certifications?
A:Landscape Certifications can be completed in one year or less at the least. Students can get enrolled in the online program and complete the course at a pace of their own. This will allow them a great deal of flexibility in terms of class timings, schedule, course, and content. With online program you can take as much time as you want to complete the program.
Q:How to get landscape certification?
A:In order to get Landscape Certification, you need to get admission into a landscape certificate program. This is one of the least time consuming programs and allows applicants to have introductory level knowledge about landscaping within one year. Students wishing to complete the certification at a pace of their own can get enrolled in the online programs.
Q:Planting Design was mentioned when searching for landscaping certificate. What is included in this course?
A:Planting is an integral part of the landscaping certificate. This course trains students on the importance of living plants and how they contribute to the aesthetics. With the help of this course, students also learn about plant combinations and their importance in communities. This course can prove to be extremely beneficial for students who are looking to pursue a career in this lucrative industry.
Q:My search for landscaping certification got me thinking about the responsibilities. What is the job description for this profession?
A:It would be wise to gauge responsibilities before searching for landscaping certification. Professionals with this degree will be required to design open spaces in the country side, inner city, shopping centers and coastlines. These professionals are generally hired to make sure that the open spaces are aesthetically pleasing and suatainable. Good communication skills, computer knowledge, creativity and ability to find solutions to complex problems are some of the qualities these professionals are required to have.
Q:What are the job responsibilities of a landscape designer who has earned a certificate in landscape design?
A:A person who has earned a degree or a certIficate in landscape design can pursue a great career as a landscape designer. The main job responsibilities of a such a professional are: create and design various landscape projects, manage landscape projects in both rural and urban areas, calculate costs and budgets, be well informed of the risks and economic costs involved, determine affordability, make detailed descriptions, etc.
Q:Can you mention a few important topics studied in a landscape architect certification program?
A:A Landscape Architect Certification comprises of a number of courses, each course carries a determined number of credit hours and is essential for the completion of the program. Important topics include the following: design essentials, landscape graphics, urban open spaces, construction technology, social factors in environmental design, project planning and design, and cost benefit anaysis.
Q:I am thinking of earning landscaping certificate programs to improve my job performance. Are these programs useful?
A:Yes, certificate programs in landscaping can definitely help you take your career to the next level. This program will provide you with updated knowledge about the field and increase your understanding. On the other hand, you can also polish your skills through this program. With a certification in landscaping, many employers would want to hire you in their firm.


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looking for friendship and companionship I am a 55 year old white female, looking for male friendship and companionship. lived with Chipawa Indian for 11 years, but died 2 yrs ago of cancer. Would like to talk and have a friendship to start with.
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· Writing for AEI, Shane Tews talks about the rise of artificial intelligence products, how this technology is changing entire industries, and what needs to be done to continue to boost this trend.
· What has contributed to the rise of AI use? How is AI being used in companies? How is helping companies and individuals alike?
· Read more about artificial intelligence and the future of humans.
Read the full article about artificial intelligence by Shane Tews at AEI.
Giving Compass' Take: • Forbes interviews OpenInvest founder Joshua Levin, who wants to use technology to make it easier for people to invest with impact. • Could this be the economic version of Tinder? Levin describes the ease with which users can divest of funds they feel don't align with their values or match with those that do, although it's unclear on how this would work for truly large-scale investments. • Looking for more financial tech? Here are four opportunities in the US. The world is awash in complex financial products. The founder of OpenInvest wants to help us get back to first principles of finance: know what you own, take responsibility and call the shots. That and a twist — ensure all of it aligns with your values. That could mean investing in climate solutions or divesting from companies that support Trump, all with the swipe of your iPhone. Meet Joshua Levin, Cofounder and Chief Strategy Officer of the fast-growing OpenInvest. He's on a mission to transform our economy and democratize investing. FORBES: I've been excited about your work since we met, particularly the idea of democratizing impact investing. Give us a short overview of what is OpenInvest and why it matters. JOSHUA LEVIN (JL): OpenInvest is a public benefit corporation with the vision to use technology to make values-based investing. We make it easier for you to fully express the things you care about and take actions that start telling your companies what to do. FORBES: That's awesome, especially that action quality. So how do people get to tell companies what to do, what does that look like? JL: People can vote on shareholder resolutions with a swipe just like it's Tinder. For instance, if you don't want Coach bags using animal fur or if you want Proctor & Gamble to adopt an LGBTQ anti-discrimination policy. In the past very few people voted because it was difficult. Now, most of us know how to swipe right and swipe left. Read the full article about how tech helps democratize impact investing by Brendan Doherty at Forbes.
If you are interested in Tech for Good, please see these relevant Issue Funds, Charitable Organizations or Projects where you can get involved.


text:
Waiting for the War With the Shrine and Beb Soggy
J. Bennett
The Shrine, Courtesy of Big Hassle
The year was 1981. Vietnam was barely in the rearview. Somewhere in the monotonous hum of late-night French television, a riff explodes through the cathode rays. Part Motörhead, part Stooges, part Sonic's Rendezvous Band and ALL attitude, Soggy's "Waiting for the War" proceeds to tear channel FR3's Champagne-Ardenne studio — and the viewing audience in the city of Reims — a new one. Right there on the screen, a shirtless man with a Rob Tyner afro and massive sideburns unleashes a barely decipherable anti-war tirade and the best Iggy dance since the Stooges went tits up. His name is Beb Soggy, and the world would not hear his name again for over three decades, when Venice, Calif. skate punk rippers the Shrine recorded a cover of "Waiting for the War" and eventually performed it live with Beb in Paris just days after the November 2015 terror attacks that tore the city asunder.
Fast forward to August 2016: Beb Soggy is in Venice to record a new song that the members of the Shrine — Josh Landau (guitars/vocals), Jeff Murray (drums) and Court Murphy (bass) — have written specifically for him. It's his first time in the United States, much less California. He's joined by a French documentary crew led by Soggy's old manager, Francois Alvarez. In two days, Beb will perform "Waiting for the War" onstage — poolside, no less — with the Shrine at the Psycho Las Vegas festival at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. We sat down with all parties concerned in Landau's backyard just moments before Beb laid his vocal to one-inch tape in the Shrine's practice space.
How did you guys first hear "Waiting for the War"?
Josh Landau: A friend of mine named Ben Edge, a punk and vinyl nerd, sent me a link to the video of Soggy playing "Waiting for the War" on an old French TV show. The title of the email was, "My new hero, your new hero." I watched it and it blew my mind.
Jeff Murray: We actually all watched it in the van, and we ended up backing into a tree and breaking the back window out of the van. It was a startling experience, but in a very good way. That was in Texas maybe three or four years ago.
JL: Yeah, that was my fault. I was driving. We had to tape the back window up with duct tape. [Laughs] We had a trash bag over the window for the next couple days. But we loved the song so much and we listened to it all the time. We thought, "We have to cover it before someone else does!"
Beb, what did you think when you heard the Shrine's cover of your song?
Beb Soggy: Fantastic! [Laughs] Very cool. I was surprised when I saw that. The Shrine take "Waiting for the War"! And they made an LP in beautiful colors for collectors! So, I ordered the LP — two — but I receive one. So, I sent a mail to them and tell them I'm the singer.
Court Murphy: He emailed us a picture of himself holding the 12". We were like, "Holy shit! This guy's still alive and he's heard about the cover!"
What was the original inspiration for the song?
BS: It's about the politicians and the madness of men. Every generation is waiting for the war. I hope it will stop, but for the time being it's not very good. It's harder and harder.
JL: I tried many times to listen and learn the lyrics, but I couldn't understand most of them. [Laughs] So I made them up. But after Beb contacted us, I asked him what the real lyrics were. He sent them, and a lot of mine were really off. But I think I understood the idea. We live in a bubble here in L.A., where it might seem like it's nice and there's all kinds of fun stuff going on, but when you turn on the news, you realize the world is falling apart and it's really scary. A lot of people are really suffering. War keeps going on and on, whether it's in the Middle East or terrorist attacks. You're always being told to be scared about something, so the song seems like it could've been written today.
Beb joined you guys onstage in Paris to play "Waiting for the War" not long after the terror attacks …
JL: After I'd asked what the real lyrics were, we stayed in touch. We played Paris three days after the attacks, but we'd booked the tour maybe four months before that, and Beb said he was going to come to the show. I said, "Well, if you're gonna come to the show, why don't you sing the song with us?"
BS: I thought it was a joke. [Laughs] Impossible, you know?
How long had it been since you were last onstage?
BS: Thirty-five years. A long time ago. I stopped everything.
JM: But when he showed up at the club in Paris that day, it was like it never left him. The rock 'n' roll energy, the spirit of it all, was better than we could ever hope for, because the way the song carries on is exactly how Beb carries himself. It was inspirational to see. He was ripping his shirt off at soundcheck, making sure that we knew it was real. It was great.
JL: Right now, more than ever, we love old music. A lot of our heroes, the old rock 'n' rollers, are dying or dead. Or they're in bad shape. They can barely get onstage and play — they can't perform like they used to. It's really sad. [Speaking to Beb] We didn't even know if you were alive, so to have you show up and be yourself and be in such good spirits was a big surprise, and one of the most awesome things that we've ever seen.
JM: Especially because it was just a few days after the Paris attacks. A lot of tours were cancelling their Paris shows at that time, but we decided to carry on. Not only was it great for us, because Beb was there and we got to perform with one of our heroes, but he also had a message for the crowd. He let people know that going to a rock 'n' roll show and having a good time is the solution to some of these problems that we have in the world. You have to go out and enjoy your life regardless of other people's disregard for their own lives.
CM: A lot of people were very thankful that the show went on. They didn't want to be scared. It was pretty incredible, actually. It was a pretty packed show, despite what had happened. All the other shows in Paris and the surrounding area got cancelled for about two weeks after the attacks, but for some inexplicable reason, ours was allowed to go on.
JL: We thought the show was going to get cancelled and that we'd never get to meet him. [Laughs] Is he real? We thought we had just one chance, you know?
JM: [Speaking to Beb] Luckily, six or seven hundred people in Paris got to meet you.
Were you nervous?
BS: Oh, yes. Of course.
When Soggy first started, you guys were playing covers of Sabbath and the Stooges, which are two of the same bands that influenced the Shrine. Which songs did you guys play?
BS: "Symptom of the Universe." We try, but it's difficult.
JL: [Laughs] We're still trying to play that one also. I remember the first time we met, we talked about the MC5 and Sonic's Rendezvous …
BS: Ah, Sonic's Rendezvous, with [Stooges drummer] Scott Asheton on battery. Great! "City Slang" is very good song, a favorite since '79 / '80. The live album, Sweet Nothing, is also very great.
Which Stooges songs did you guys cover?
BS: "No Fun" and "I Wanna Be Your Dog," of course. [Laughs]
JL: I remember you saying that Soggy played mostly in France. Where else did you play?
Francois Alvarez: Belgium, Switzerland … and that's all.
You were supposed to open for Judas Priest once, but it didn't happen. What's the story there?
FA: One day a promoter called the office and asked if we could open for Judas Priest in Reims that day because they had no opening band. I said, "Yeah, great, but I don't know if I can catch the guys." Because at this time, in 1981, you don't have no cell phones — nothing, you know? I look for the guys, but don't find them.
You called your music "hard wave." How did you decide on that term?
FA: It was because at this time in Europe, they don't want to hear too much about hard rock. Hard rock was a little bit down, and it was the time of New Wave. So, we said, "No, we are not in the New Wave, but we are fans of hard rock, so we are 'hard wave.'"
JM: [Laughs] That's great. Too bad that didn't stick.
When Soggy split up, you became a professional gardener. Have you been doing that for the last 35 years?
BS: Yeah, yeah. Clipping the roses!
Can you tell us a little bit about what you're recording today?
JL: A lot of people have told us we should write a new song or a new record with Beb while he's still here and in such good condition. [Laughs] So, it's been in the back of our minds now for a couple of months. [Speaking to Beb] I had this idea ever since you told me you've been a gardener since Soggy broke up. You said, "I live dangerously. I clip the roses." I turned to Jeff and said, "Did you hear what he said?" I just thought that was so crazy and beautiful and awesome. So, I started writing down ideas for a song about this guy who can't be beaten, who survived, who clips the roses. We were soundchecking in Japan recently and came up with this riff that's kind of Motörhead meets Lust for Life meets Bo Diddley or something. I put some lyrics to it and it didn't come together until like yesterday, but I think the deadline and the pressure made me finish it. So, now we'll record it and see what happens.
What's the name of the song?
JL: "Clipping the Roses," of course.
Filed Under: Soggy, The Shrine


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Former Alameda Boys & Girls Club chief…
Former Alameda Boys & Girls Club chief enjoys retirement
By Nathan Donato-Weinstein |
ALAMEDA — Weekday summer afternoons are prime time at the Alameda Boys and Girls Club, and George Phillips is spending it doing what he's good at: playing tour guide while talking up the facility he spent more than half a decade working to build.
He shows a reporter the learning center, where tutors can help struggling students grasp a math problem; the teen room, where older kids can play foosball and hang out free from youngsters underfoot; and an enormous indoor basketball court that many high schools would envy.
Phillips is a well-oiled machine at this kind of show-and-tell, but when he enters the computer lab jammed with kids, he spots a kind of mixed blessing. The kids are having, perhaps, too much fun at the screens.
"Make sure you take 'em out to exercise," he suggests, just slightly out of earshot, to volunteer Bill Moore.
Phillips, 66, who stepped down from his longtime post as the club's executive director in June, is rightly associated with a bold effort to fund and construct the gleaming $10 million facility on the city's west side, which opened last year.
But those who have worked with him say his care for the club's young users is at the heart of everything he's done. The Alameda Boys and Girls Club counts roughly 1,200 enrolled children, who range from 6 to 18, and many come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
"He has a remarkable commitment to the kids' population, and a great ability to relate to them," said Alameda County Superior Court Judge Robert McGuiness, a club board member. "The other thing he brought is a quiet diligence to achieving the goal." Phillips' road to the club wasn't a straight shot. A former retailer, he gave up his own small chain of stores in San Francisco after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake affected his business and joined St. Joseph Elementary School as its first head of "development," or fundraising.
Fourteen years ago, he jumped to the Boys and Girls Club's top spot back when the facility was located on Lincoln Avenue. Phillips, who has four grown children, said the work with children just made sense.
"As a parent, you're used to the cacophony, and when they're not around, it leaves a little hole," he said.
"He always remembers their name, and remembers something about their family," said Kathleen Woulfe, a longtime friend who has been active for years with the club. "That's very special. He leads by example and is a great role model."
Still, Phillips faced a major challenge a couple years in. The club's facilities were aging. A necessary earthquake retrofit bid came in at $2 million. The city's demographics changed, too, with more low-income youth located on the west side.
So a six-year capital campaign for a new facility saw Phillips, with support from what he calls a "very successful board," hit up any potential donor who would listen.
One small example are those computers. Each one carries a small tag listing the name of a person or organization who sponsored it (to the tune of $500).
"He was a salesman — a retailer — and knew how to press the flesh," said former Alameda Police Chief Burny Matthews, a longtime club board member. "You have to have the gift of gab, and I think that's George's forte."
Despite the recession setting back the timeline, small and large donors and city bond funds eventually came through. A 99-year lease from the Alameda Unified School District made the land available essentially for free. Recently, a $2 million state grant was approved, providing final funding.
Community meeting rooms, a full kitchen, a dental clinic and a music room are just some of the new facility's bells and whistles.
Matthews said the place has been a game-changer for youth in the area.
"It provides a clean, safe, organized, and disciplined environment for them to use and be exactly what they are: kids," he said.
"Nine or 10 community groups come in here every day," added Diane Cunningham Rizzo, the club's interim executive director. "It's an entire community that's benefiting."
The finished project and a strong balance sheet convinced Phillips it was time to hang up his hat at the 63-year-old club. Exercise, family and cooking are just some of his priorities in his retirement.
Not that he's totally done at the club, mind you. Phillips will remain a paid consultant for a couple hours a week. Two goals remain: turning a patch of dirt that used to bear dilapidated school portables into a fruit-and-vegetable garden, and giving office space to local nonprofits with a spare community room and donated cubicles.
"The challenge now is to stay active and not vegetate," he said.
Bio box
WHO: George Phillips
HOME: Alameda
FAMILY: wife, Jean Wagner-Phillips; four children, ages 27-45
EDUCATION: Bachelor's in history from Cal State Long Beach; bachelor's in business management from St. Mary's College
Nathan Donato-Weinstein
They said it: Governor takes on homelessness