text:
Tomie dePaola's Icons
by Sally Thomas 4 . 14 . 20
Real artists don't copy." Tomie dePaola, the children's author and illustrator who died last week at age eighty-five, once recalled this counsel given him as a child of four or five. "I had these twin cousins who . . . were in art school. They had told me . . . 'Real artists don't copy.'" When dePaola began school, his cousins' advice sparked a small rebellion. In the first art class of the year, the children were directed to draw Pilgrim figures—man, woman, turkey—which the teacher had done in chalks for them to imitate. DePaola refused.
At first glance, such an anecdote might read as a self-flattering retread of the myth of artistic originality: the little prodigy too talented to learn from a teacher. But dePaola's recollection points to something more subtly true of the relationship between the "individual talent," to borrow T. S. Eliot's phrase, and tradition—that past and present reality that exists outside the self, and into which the "real artist" learns to enter on whatever terms are his. In the end dePaola's art teacher, the real heroine of the story, made a deal with the resistant child: If he drew what everyone else was drawing, he could draw whatever he liked when he finished. He chose to draw the teacher herself. She, a particular living person with a face and a name—Mrs. Bowers—interests his eye and imagination in a way the static, nameless Pilgrim figures could not. The child's early instinct, then, was not simply to not copy, but to copy something real, to translate life into drawing.
This anecdote provides an illuminating backdrop to what would become dePaola's life's work. It illustrates, of course, the imaginative time-travel that is the province of all good writers for children. To write well for children requires an intimate and ongoing acquaintance with one's own childhood, and a measure of respect for one's own personhood as a child. To write well for children, one must acknowledge that a child's experiences are real experiences. Furthermore, in this early story is the seed of another hallmark of dePaola's writing and visual art for children: sympathy not only for the child, but for the childlike adult, whose eyes are open to surprise and miracle. Finally, there is the epiphany that while the "real artist" perhaps does not copy, he is always in conversation with things outside himself. His transformative work is to translate real subjects into something wholly new and wholly his.
Certainly Tomie dePaola's visual art is distinctively his own. Scan the displays in the children's section of a bookstore: Even if his name were omitted, the covers of his books would announce him. His stylized human figures, with their almond eyes and austere, often inscrutable faces, recall iconography—if icons were friendlier and more like folk art. His Saint Francis resembles Saint Christopher; Saint Patrick might just as easily be Saint Juan Diego. His children, like Tommy of Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs, though they wear shorts and sneakers and striped shirts, look as though they might grow up to be Saint Francis or Saint Juan Diego. His grandmother figures—Nana Downstairs, or the magical Strega Nona with her pasta pot—stand up stiffly like icon figures. The effect is paradoxical. The hand which has drawn them could be no one else's, and the characters are strikingly themselves. At the same time, however, there is something self-effacing in dePaola's illustrations—as if, like an icon, they were meant to be looked both at and through, to the reality of the story they tell. In dePaola's beautiful The Clown of God, a retelling of a French legend, the ardent, loving soul of the juggler Giovanni is suggested in restrained line drawings and pale watercolor washes; it is this visual reticence that lends the story, as dePaola narrates it, its emotional impact. What the "real artist" understands here is that children do not, any more than anyone else, need to be manipulated into appropriate responses. The dignity and restraint of dePaola's illustrations comes from his deep sympathy for children's capacity to feel, apprehend, reflect upon, and understand a story's meaning.
To my mind, dePaola's most shining gift is as an interpreter of legend and folk tale, biblical narrative and saint's life. While his original stories—often based on his own childhood experiences—are charming, it is his engagement with and renewal of stories springing from religious and cultural tradition that make his visual art into something more than mere illustration. In his retellings—The Lady of Guadalupe, Francis, The Poor Man of Assisi, Christopher, The Holy Giant, The Legend of the Poinsettia—the icon-like quality of his drawing serves the story as a kind of visual translation, animating the familiar narrative without drowning it in the artist's own personality.
My own favorite, I think, is The Night of Las Posadas. In this book, dePaola manages to elevate a contemporary story of a New Mexican community attempting to observe the tradition of Las Posadas—in which Mary and Joseph travel about the town knocking at doors to seek refuge—to the level of a miracle tale. When the young couple who are to play Mary and Joseph are waylaid by a snowstorm, an unknown man and woman appear out of nowhere to take their places in the town's pageant. At the end, they vanish before anyone can thank them. When, later, the elderly Sister Angie goes to the church to pray, she discovers wet footprints leading to the statue of Mary and Joseph. The graven faces look, at least to the reader, strangely familiar. This story, with its animating atmosphere of holy mystery, is of a piece with dePaola's illustrations—simple, personal, and intimate, but hinting at realities beyond themselves. It is this quality, I think, which marks dePaola's "individual talent" as that of the "real artist," who does not copy, but transfigures.
Sally Thomas is the author of a poetry collection, Brief Light. Her poems and essays have appeared in the New Yorker, the New Republic, and other periodicals.
More on: Religion, Books, children, Literature
Articles by Sally Thomas


On Monday afternoon, approximately 1700+ identified servers and sites were affected by the Heartbleed vulnerability and as of this afternoon, we've worked to mitigate the risk down to around 130 unconfirmed as patched and/or SSL certificates re-issued. We began quarantining anything that hasn't been patched starting today. The IT community does not have a consensus on whether to advise when passwords should be change. While the core underlying Identity Management Shibboleth system was not susceptible to this, any website URL beginning with https:// may not be as secure as previously thought. The danger with this virus is that is extracts anything that is stored in memory, which could including passwords and certificates.
As of last night, Duke Student Government voted to approve the ePrint resolution that was developed by our students for sustainability.
What it is: North Carolina Next Generation Network (NCNGN) is a consortium of 4 universities and 6 communities working together to encourage the private sector to deliver affordable, gigabit speed broadband to their communities. This presentation will provide a brief update on the project and discuss how NCNGN efforts fit with other recent announcements about potential gigabit speed network deployments in the Triangle or other parts of North Carolina.
Why it's relevant: Affordable, gigabit speed broadband connections can allow Duke faculty and students engaged in data-intensive projects to work more seamlessly between the classroom, office, lab, and home.
NCNGN is in advanced discussions with AT&T; meaning a uniform master agreement that outlines the terms of their proposal our steering committee recommends the municipalities take to their government boards for approval. While on paper, the agreement is on par or better than anything similar, comparable contracts are not along the same lines and the terms in this one are more visionary. For example, AT&T will build to provide Gigabit service to residents and businesses based on demand in the six communities. AT&T has agreed to connect 100 community centers, public and non-profit, and provide those sites with free Gigabit service for a period of 7 years from the time the sites are connected; connect up to 10 low-income multi-dwelling apartment buildings with 3 Mbps service for a period of 5 years.
Q: Is that unique to the areas? That is overall, with an expectation of connecting up to 3000 units across the communities. AT&T has also agreed to connect 100 multi-tenant office buildings, even with no customer orders to reduce connecting costs for small, medium and large businesses. While there is potential for public Wi-Fi hotspots, those services will need further negotiation. Municipalities are seeking approval from each of their boards and contracts will be signed with the individual communities.
Q: Are the politicians fully on board with the idea? In Durham, there is no reason to believe there will be opposition from them.
What it is: Duke Digital Initiative (DDI) is a collaborative program that identifies and investigates new and emerging technologies that might have an impact on teaching and learning at Duke.
Why it's relevant: During this presentation we will describe current DDI programs and will briefly suggest possible direction for future explorations.
2005 – The DDI was born from the iPod Experiment and is a collaboration between OIT and CIT and other areas in Trinity.
Other projects that have not grown and were sustained are Web conferencing. While it is being used now, at the time it was presented, the target audience s. Another project was Voice Thread and did not grow because it was unable to integrate with the Shibboleth.
The challenge is determining whether it is possible to enable faculty to provide video learning utilizing existing resources.
Lightboard product developed by a guy at Northwestern University – Supports video production where the presenter can stand in front of a lighted piece of glass and through the magic of cameras and mirrors, allows students to see what is written on the screen. Steve Toback's team is working on possible scalable prototypes. Comment – This technology may be quite useful for assisting the hearing impaired as the professor's back is not to the class. Is there a structure in place to solicit feedback from the student body? We are designing the website now and one of its features will be a suggestion box that anyone can use.
Are there any ideas for helping make faculty aware of resources/projects?
What it is: The Student Advising Network is a student-centered representation of Duke's mentoring designed for first-year students.
Why it's relevant: The Advising Network serves as an easy reference tool for students to learn about and contact those mentors who are actively engaged with a student at any moment. We will demo the tool that illustrates the use of the network from both the student and the mentor perspective.
Q: What is the percentage of custom photo uploads?
Q: Is there a way to integrate this with other applications?
Are major updates made in real time? The system hasn't been up long enough for students to complete the process.
Next steps: Phase 2: Allow students to create self-management networking circles/groups. Phase 3: Integrate with a student-centered e-portfolio, allowing them to organize representations of learning and engagement in groupings outside of the classroom walls.
Q: Are there plans to integrate existing mentors for students (FAC, Incoming RA, etc.)? We have discussed the possibility to pre-populate this information.
What it is: A follow-up from the Network Roadmap and upgrades that was presented at ITAC a year ago.
Why it's relevant: We will provide a status of the project, including the remaining tasks to be completed.
We have a new core standing in parallel with the existing core. We moved the ATC this past Saturday. We have IPS (Intrusion Protection Services) monitoring the network. The plan is to migrate the Science buildings.
What it is: OpNet is a network tool used for monitoring and troubleshooting network traffic. This tool allows the network team to monitor all traffic, measure volume and usage and plan for additional network capacity.
Why it's relevant: We will provide an update on how this tool is being used today by our staff to better provision and troubleshoot network traffic and server performance.


text:
NEET PG counselling: Doctors protest at LHMC, MAMC; seek withdrawal of police cases
Several resident doctors gathered on the premises of Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) and chanted slogans as their stir, led by Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), entered into 14th day.
Resident doctors intensified their agitation which entered into the 14th day. PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore
2021-12-31T10:16:53+05:30 NEET PG counselling: Doctors protest at LHMC, MAMC; seek withdrawal of police cases
Published: 31 Dec 2021, Updated: 31 Dec 2021 4:32 pm
Patient care remained affected at several major hospitals in Delhi on Thursday as resident doctors protesting over the delay in NEET PG counselling for nearly two weeks, intensified their agitation, and also sought the withdrawal of police cases lodged against some of their colleagues.
Meanwhile, a new set of office-bearers took charge of the resident doctors' association of Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), which comes under the Delhi government, and three facilities, including LNJP Hospital attached to it.
The MAMC RDA and FORDA, both have demanded the withdrawal of police cases lodged against some of the protesting doctors after a face-off between the protesters and police personnel in the streets on Monday. After much deliberations and in light of events that have surfaced since last evening, the resident doctors of MAMC, and the three attached hospitals, "have unanimously decided to elect new representatives to the RDA," MAMC RDA said in a statement on Thursday.
"We along with national/state representatives from other RDAs have been protesting against the delay in NEET-PG counselling since one month. After the police brutality against doctors' peaceful protest on 27/12/21, individual FIRs were filed against resident doctors along with COVID-19 challans for breach of COVID-19 protocols," it said.
The Delhi Police has rejected these charges from resident doctors. MAMC RDA said, it stood "united with the decision to continue the protest by complete withdrawal of all essential and non-essential services w.e.f. 9 am from December 31, 202, until our demands are met and Delhi Police issues an apology to doctors and all the FIRs and cases lodged against them are taken back unconditionally".
"If any of the participants are forcibly asked to do duties and disciplinary action is taken against them in due course, we will be forced to continue the protest in support of our colleagues along with the ongoing strike," it added.
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital's consultant doctors, residents doctors and DNB students on Thursday took out a protest march in the campus against the delay in NEET-PG counselling. This was also to show solidarity with other doctors protesting all over India, according to an official statement. Without making the patient's services suffer, about 200 students took out symbolic protest march with placards, and many also wore black bands.
Resident doctors association of Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital (RGSSH) on Wednesday morning had issued a statement that its members were "withdrawing services" to protest the alleged police action during a face-off between them and medics on Monday, and demanded expediting of the NEET PG counselling process.
Members of the RDAs at Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya and Northern Railway Central Hospital, one of the busiest facilities in Delhi, also protested and boycotted services. FORDA president Dr Manish on Thursday said, "The strike was still on."
As the stir, led by FORDA, stretched to nearly two weeks, patient care remained affected at three Centre-run facilities -- Safdarjung, RML and Lady Hardinge hospitals -- and some of the Delhi government-run facilities as well. On Tuesday, FORDA had decided to continue the stir, as a meeting between their federation's delegation and the Union health minister failed to make any headway.
Mumbai cops on alert after intel inputs of possible terror attack by Khalistani elements; weekly offs of staff cancelled
CMS Info Systems Makes Tepid Market Debut, Opens At Premium Of 2%
Outlook Web Desk New Delhi Doctors' Strike National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) Delhi Police National

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package rabbitmq

import (
	"fmt"
	"log"
	"os"
	"testing"

	"github.com/hashicorp/vault/helper/jsonutil"
	"github.com/hashicorp/vault/logical"
	logicaltest "github.com/hashicorp/vault/logical/testing"
	"github.com/michaelklishin/rabbit-hole"
	"github.com/mitchellh/mapstructure"
)

// Set the following env vars for the below test case to work.
//
// RABBITMQ_CONNECTION_URI
// RABBITMQ_USERNAME
// RABBITMQ_PASSWORD
func TestBackend_basic(t *testing.T) {
	if os.Getenv(logicaltest.TestEnvVar) == "" {
		t.Skip(fmt.Sprintf("Acceptance tests skipped unless env '%s' set", logicaltest.TestEnvVar))
		return
	}
	b, _ := Factory(logical.TestBackendConfig())

	logicaltest.Test(t, logicaltest.TestCase{
		PreCheck: func() { testAccPreCheck(t) },
		Backend:  b,
		Steps: []logicaltest.TestStep{
			testAccStepConfig(t),
			testAccStepRole(t),
			testAccStepReadCreds(t, b, "web"),
		},
	})

}

func TestBackend_roleCrud(t *testing.T) {
	if os.Getenv(logicaltest.TestEnvVar) == "" {
		t.Skip(fmt.Sprintf("Acceptance tests skipped unless env '%s' set", logicaltest.TestEnvVar))
		return
	}
	b, _ := Factory(logical.TestBackendConfig())

	logicaltest.Test(t, logicaltest.TestCase{
		Backend: b,
		Steps: []logicaltest.TestStep{
			testAccStepConfig(t),
			testAccStepRole(t),
			testAccStepReadRole(t, "web", "administrator", `{"/": {"configure": ".*", "write": ".*", "read": ".*"}}`),
			testAccStepDeleteRole(t, "web"),
			testAccStepReadRole(t, "web", "", ""),
		},
	})
}

const (
	envRabbitMQConnectionURI = "RABBITMQ_CONNECTION_URI"
	envRabbitMQUsername      = "RABBITMQ_USERNAME"
	envRabbitMQPassword      = "RABBITMQ_PASSWORD"
)

func testAccPreCheck(t *testing.T) {
	if uri := os.Getenv(envRabbitMQConnectionURI); uri == "" {
		t.Fatalf(fmt.Sprintf("%s must be set for acceptance tests", envRabbitMQConnectionURI))
	}
	if username := os.Getenv(envRabbitMQUsername); username == "" {
		t.Fatalf(fmt.Sprintf("%s must be set for acceptance tests", envRabbitMQUsername))
	}
	if password := os.Getenv(envRabbitMQPassword); password == "" {
		t.Fatalf(fmt.Sprintf("%s must be set for acceptance tests", envRabbitMQPassword))
	}
}

func testAccStepConfig(t *testing.T) logicaltest.TestStep {
	return logicaltest.TestStep{
		Operation: logical.UpdateOperation,
		Path:      "config/connection",
		Data: map[string]interface{}{
			"connection_uri": os.Getenv(envRabbitMQConnectionURI),
			"username":       os.Getenv(envRabbitMQUsername),
			"password":       os.Getenv(envRabbitMQPassword),
		},
	}
}

func testAccStepRole(t *testing.T) logicaltest.TestStep {
	return logicaltest.TestStep{
		Operation: logical.UpdateOperation,
		Path:      "roles/web",
		Data: map[string]interface{}{
			"tags":   "administrator",
			"vhosts": `{"/": {"configure": ".*", "write": ".*", "read": ".*"}}`,
		},
	}
}

func testAccStepDeleteRole(t *testing.T, n string) logicaltest.TestStep {
	return logicaltest.TestStep{
		Operation: logical.DeleteOperation,
		Path:      "roles/" + n,
	}
}

func testAccStepReadCreds(t *testing.T, b logical.Backend, name string) logicaltest.TestStep {
	return logicaltest.TestStep{
		Operation: logical.ReadOperation,
		Path:      "creds/" + name,
		Check: func(resp *logical.Response) error {
			var d struct {
				Username string `mapstructure:"username"`
				Password string `mapstructure:"password"`
			}
			if err := mapstructure.Decode(resp.Data, &d); err != nil {
				return err
			}
			log.Printf("[WARN] Generated credentials: %v", d)

			uri := os.Getenv(envRabbitMQConnectionURI)

			client, err := rabbithole.NewClient(uri, d.Username, d.Password)
			if err != nil {
				t.Fatal(err)
			}

			_, err = client.ListVhosts()
			if err != nil {
				t.Fatalf("unable to list vhosts with generated credentials: %s", err)
			}

			resp, err = b.HandleRequest(&logical.Request{
				Operation: logical.RevokeOperation,
				Secret: &logical.Secret{
					InternalData: map[string]interface{}{
						"secret_type": "creds",
						"username":    d.Username,
					},
				},
			})
			if err != nil {
				return err
			}
			if resp != nil {
				if resp.IsError() {
					return fmt.Errorf("Error on resp: %#v", *resp)
				}
			}

			client, err = rabbithole.NewClient(uri, d.Username, d.Password)
			if err != nil {
				t.Fatal(err)
			}

			_, err = client.ListVhosts()
			if err == nil {
				t.Fatalf("expected to fail listing vhosts: %s", err)
			}

			return nil
		},
	}
}

func testAccStepReadRole(t *testing.T, name, tags, rawVHosts string) logicaltest.TestStep {
	return logicaltest.TestStep{
		Operation: logical.ReadOperation,
		Path:      "roles/" + name,
		Check: func(resp *logical.Response) error {
			if resp == nil {
				if tags == "" && rawVHosts == "" {
					return nil
				}

				return fmt.Errorf("bad: %#v", resp)
			}

			var d struct {
				Tags   string                     `mapstructure:"tags"`
				VHosts map[string]vhostPermission `mapstructure:"vhosts"`
			}
			if err := mapstructure.Decode(resp.Data, &d); err != nil {
				return err
			}

			if d.Tags != tags {
				return fmt.Errorf("bad: %#v", resp)
			}

			var vhosts map[string]vhostPermission
			if err := jsonutil.DecodeJSON([]byte(rawVHosts), &vhosts); err != nil {
				return fmt.Errorf("bad expected vhosts %#v: %s", vhosts, err)
			}

			for host, permission := range vhosts {
				actualPermission, ok := d.VHosts[host]
				if !ok {
					return fmt.Errorf("expected vhost: %s", host)
				}

				if actualPermission.Configure != permission.Configure {
					return fmt.Errorf("expected permission %s to be %s, got %s", "configure", permission.Configure, actualPermission.Configure)
				}

				if actualPermission.Write != permission.Write {
					return fmt.Errorf("expected permission %s to be %s, got %s", "write", permission.Write, actualPermission.Write)
				}

				if actualPermission.Read != permission.Read {
					return fmt.Errorf("expected permission %s to be %s, got %s", "read", permission.Read, actualPermission.Read)
				}
			}

			return nil
		},
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


We moved to Lummi Island in the late seventies and Dad built a house – just in time for us to start elementary school at Beach School. Back then the school grounds had no fencing. No special zoning seemed to separate it from anything else around it. Beach School has been in operation since 1919. I attended Beach School for six years, and played on the rest of the Island that runs up to its lawn. Every part of this Island then as well as now is a different part of a rounded community; kids, young adults, parents, artisans, farmers, fisherman, builders and retirees. People of every political stripe and income level all living in the same community. All accessible for a kid with a bicycle…even accessible for a kid without a bicycle. I spent nine years in Seattle working in motion picture film production, post production and exhibition. Then I moved back home to Lummi Island for the community I left after graduating high school. Now I work on our ferry boat. Having a school on the Island is crucial; the community and the Island environment are why parents are willing to live with the added personal financial and time burdens of commuting to work off-island. My commitment to maintaining an on Island school is why I volunteer my time for the Lummi Island Foundation for Education.
We moved to Lummi Island in 1968. My mother worked as Head Teacher at Beach School and remained for 20-plus years. I attended Beach School, 1st through 6th grade. After living and working all over the world, I chose to return to Lummi Island to raise a family because of the incredible communal spirit of this place and because of our unique and beautiful school. I am dedicated to pursuing the highest level of academic achievement for our community's children and beyond. Currently I serve as librarian at Lummi Nation School and am enrolled at Central Washington University in the Library Media Specialist program. I am also employed by Whatcom County Library Systems. I earned a M.S. in Special Ed & General Ed from Portland State University after attending Western Washington University and receiving a B.S. in Law & Mediation from Fairhaven College.
My family moved to Lummi Island from Colorado the summer I turned five. We moved into a house right up the road from Beach School, so I started walking to school by myself in Kindergarten. Every day I would chat with our neighbor at the halfway point of my little trek, who was out each morning like clockwork to "check the mail." It took me years to realize that his mail wasn't delivered at 7:45 in the morning; he was checking on me, not his mailbox. This was the quintessence of my childhood on the island. Beach School gifts its students with not only an exemplary education, but also a strong web of inter-generational relationships, a precedent of care for the well-being of others, and respect for the beautiful place we share. As a student, it instilled in me a deep appreciation for community that remained central to my identity even after I moved away to attend university and pursue a career elsewhere. Beyond its doors, I see a world that so desperately needs what Beach School cultivates in its students. I consider it a privilege to support what is truly an unparalleled educational experience here on Lummi Island.
(joined Board in 2018) Bio coming soon!
Gabel Bredy has been a partial resident of Lummi Island for 15 years, much of that time was spent residing in locations around the globe as his parents are American International School Educators. Gabel has lived full time on the island for the past 7 years while attending Western Washington University in order to attain a degree in History and Elementary Education with a minor in Music. Since graduation Gabel has sought more connection with the community in which he lives, including membership on the Lummi Island Fire Department, a position on The Whatcom Chief, and involvement with the LIFE Council. With a history in education, and a current teaching credential, Gabel looks forward to being a proactive voice for the shaping of the future of education on Lummi Island.
My family and I moved to Lummi Island in September of 2017. We came to the Pacific Northwest unsure of where we were going to permanently locate, but immediately fell in love with the island upon our arrival. The land, the close-knit community, the incredible opportunity for our children to learn and thrive at Beach School, and the dedicated parents and community members we met inspired us to purchase a home and become permanent residents. In the time we have lived here I have continued to be inspired by Beach School staff, programs, and parents. I am honored to serve on the LIFE board as I am committed to the goal of preserving what I see as a truly remarkable and unique learning experience and environment for children.
I moved to Lummi Island the summer of 1992 to teach at Beach School. After a stint as head teacher, I went back to school for Library Science and served as the librarian at Beach. Most recently, I taught Spanish at Beach from 2016-2018, enjoying the children of some of my original students from the 90s. My two sons are proud Beach School Graduates, 2007 and 2012 respectively. My work with LIFE is a labor of love and a debt of gratitude for all that our Island community has given my family. Currently I teach at Wade King Elementary as a Library Media Specialist.
I initially moved to Lummi Island in 1983. Several years later we moved back to Bellingham and returned again to Lummi Island in 2005. We wanted our son to attend this beautiful small island school. I enjoyed two years as President of the Beach School PTO while my son attended Beach Elementary 3-6th grades.Volunteering for LIFE is my dedication to help keep Beach School alive, well and offering the best educational experience for children on this island as well as keeping the "heart" of this community thriving. I am a licensed Massage Practitioner since 1983 and a 30 year co-owner of Cascade Health Center in Bellingham, Washington.
In 2017 LIFE created the Emeritus board member title. This is an honorary title conveyed by the board upon (up to) three (3) former members of this institution to recognize exemplary service and in order that the LIFE board never lose the original intent and history of the organization. The Emeritus members are not subject to any attendance policy or counted in determining if a quorum is present, entitled to hold office, or entitled to vote at any board meeting. The Emeritus members receive all board communications and meeting minutes, may attend any meeting and may address the board on any subject. LIFE is so very grateful to Jennifer Bernard and Julie Hunter for their continued guidance.


In my view RE is the most important and the most interesting subject in the curriculum. Of course I am not in the least prejudiced in holding this view!
In my defence I will share an anecdote which supports this perspective.
This anecdote dates back to the early 2000s when I was teaching in London. That was years before I attended an RE workshop given by the great Lat Blaylock. Since that time I have always consciously included something he said in my planning. He said that good RE should have three strands; it should be rigorous, relevant and spiritual. Reflecting on this incident, I think it does include all three of these elements. The rigor came from my input into the discussion, the relevance came in the way I reacted to what was happening at the back of the class – and by the way that I led the discussion to touch on issues that I knew were important in the lives of my students – and the spiritual came from my exploration of the subject of soul and conscience – and by offering the class an opportunity to reflect in silence on the issues that the incident and subsequent discussion had raised.
Or not moving at all.
I was teaching at a troubled school where many of the pupils were disaffected and had a poor attitude towards religious education. I had only been working there for a short time when this incident occurred.
Sorry, this is your RE lesson. So put the maths away and get on with the work you need to be doing now.
But Miss. I will do the RE next lesson - I promise - but my exam is tomorrow. Please let me revise the maths. Maths is more important than RE.
What makes you think that maths is more important than RE?
Well, you know. We all get judged on maths. And so do schools. They are ranked on their maths English and science results – so obviously these are the most important subjects. Schools don't get judged on how well you do in RE. RE doesn't count for much. But maths does.
True, but religion is a real force in our world and in our lives. Good RE helps you to understand the forces of religion in your own life and in the world around us.
But I'm an atheist I don't even believe in God. Why should I have to study RE?
Religion includes everyone. Religion is like a jigsaw with countless pieces. Each person is a piece in the picture of religion – and without you, the picture of religion would be incomplete. In RE everyone's views ideas and beliefs are important. When you say you are atheist you are saying something about your own way of looking at the world. That is part of your religious identity. In RE we do not tell you what to think. We teach you how to think more deeply. There is no proof for or against the existence of God. It's fine to say you are atheist but what do you mean by that?
Well I just don't believe in God.
OK – that's very nice and I'm sure there is a time for it – but not now. Now I need to do my maths. I need a good maths result. When you want a job they always ask if you have maths GCSE. They don't ask if you have a GCSE in RE.
OK, you want a good job and you think maths will help you get it. Why is it important to get a good job?
Well everyone needs to get a good job. You have to get a good job so you can buy things… to have a good standard of living… to support your family.
Why is it so important to buy lots of material things? Why do you want to have a family and support your family?
Well, society judges you by the things you buy – and having a family is part of being a human being.
Society judges us, true. If you meet its expectations then you may feel successful. But there are other kinds of judgement. What do you think makes someone a good or a bad human being? Is it enough to go to work and support your family? How would you explain what makes one person good and one person bad?
OH MISS. Now you are getting into religion again – I know - God's judgement and Heaven and Hell. But I don't believe in that either. When we die, that's it.
Good argument. But I wasn't thinking of life after death although it is an important subject to think about. For now, just think of two people one good and one bad. Whether or not they have good jobs and money to buy things – whether or not they have a family and support their family – what is it about them that makes you judge one to be a good man – and the other to be bad?
I suppose it's what they do.
Yes. Choices and actions. If you explore any subject deeply enough you will always come back to religion. Religion is about life, the choices we make. The actions we take – and their consequences in this life as well as the hereafter. All the great religions give their followers guidance in how to live a good life. And if you look into all the religions you find a remarkable agreement on what is right and wrong. Injustice is wrong. Selfishness and greed are wrong. Jealousy is wrong. Getting things by force (and that includes bullying and a lot of the violence we see in the world) is wrong. Love, compassion, sharing and forgiving are right… Of course there is more to it than that but you will find all these good and bad qualities illustrated in the teachings of the great religions.
But you don't have to follow a religion to lead a good life. Some of the worst people are religious. And you can be a good person without believing in God or following a religion.
Great! We are getting into serious RE discussion now – right away from maths and into what matters at the heart of our lives. Religion is about real people and how they choose to live. Of course there are good and bad people within any religion. Hypocrisy is also wrong – and it is hard to live a good life. Some people just want to look good. And the religions do not have a monopoly of truth. You can indeed be a good person without believing in God – but you are still shaped by the world you grow up in and religious teaching has a huge influence in that world. Nobody grows up in a vacuum. But set the religious teaching to one side for now. What forces influence you when you are deciding what to do? Where do you find guidance? What influences you when you make choices – is it friends or relatives, a character in a film perhaps? And when you make a choice, can you tell which choices are good or bad? Was it good or bad to be doing maths in my RE lesson?
I think it was right. I just do what I think is right. I don't need other people or a book to tell me what's right and wrong. My exam is tomorrow so for me that is the most urgent thing.
OK. Most people agree that we have a conscience, that we do indeed have our own inner wisdom. Many religious traditions speak of the divine part of us, the Real in us that does not die when the body dies - the Soul. Some Jewish teachers describe this as a 'spark of God'. Islam speaks of God being closer to us than our jugular vein. The goal of Hinduism is 'Self-Realisation' - which is also described as 'God Realisation' because Hindu philosophy teaches that our true nature is divine. When we get all our thoughts, choices and actions right then we will be absorbed in the divine all the time – but that cannot be done in one lifetime. Hindus believe in reincarnation – believing that this is not our first life or our last because God-Realisation takes thousands of years. Perhaps you are an advanced soul and have had many incarnations as a human being so you are able to find reliable guidance from your own conscience – to hear the voice of your soul directly, but you just interpret the experience as 'Self' rather than 'God' which makes your philosophy atheist.
By this time all the class was listening in on our conversation. There was some light banter and laughter; other people came into the conversation at this point. There were examples of sources of guidance, good and bad choices and their consequences – and the power of peer-pressure.
Whatever we do has consequences. The choices we make at each moment shape our future. Your choice to revise maths has had the consequence of redirecting this lesson for a start. But I am happy because it is serious RE. You can finish the question paper for homework.
Time was passing, so I drew the discussion to a close.
Are you always able to judge what is right and what is wrong?
If you are confused, where might you go to find guidance?
Even if we know what is right and what is wrong, do we always choose the right action?
Think of examples in your own life – and what the consequences were.
This is a critical time in your life. You are building the foundations of your future. What kind of adult do you want to grow into?
Together we create the world.
I believe that with good RE the world you help to create might be better than the painful one we are living in today. Do you agree?
determine whether you hear the voice of your conscience - and have the courage to listen to it.
Socrates was one of the greatest thinkers of all time. He didn't say that if you don't do well in Maths your life will not be worth living. He said you need to examine life. That is what we do in RE.
This experience helped me to deepen my relationship with the class and they all worked more seriously in subsequent lessons. I tried to conclude the set work 15 minutes before the end of the lesson and sometimes invited written, anonymous questions to start the conversation. We had some great discussions and reflections in that concluding time. I was only in that school for one term but I have never forgotten our conversation that day.
Sometimes I am greeted by an ex-pupil in the street or a shop. They are always thrilled to see me and remember my teaching in a very positive way. What they seem to remember most fondly is the way I made subjects come alive – using drama and class discussions. I met a lad just a couple of weeks ago – now in his 20's and an award-winning social worker. He ran up the street and called out to me as I was about to catch a bus. I was only at his school for a year and didn't even remember him. We went to a café together and talked for a long time. He said that the way I was comfortable and confident in my own identity (I think of myself as white Asian and wear a Sari most of the time) and the way I shared my views in discussions – not because I was wanting them to agree with me but to encourage them to think about their own views, gave him the confidence to be true to and proud of his views and helped him discover his own identity. I had no idea that he had overcome so many difficulties in his childhood. I had no idea that I had helped him find his feet and become the great and good man that he is today.
Experiences like this make me feel humble as well as proud. It has been said many times – teachers really can make a difference to the lives of our pupils – and so, in a small way, to the world we live in.
I am inspired to begin each of my blogs here with a poem by Sri Chinmoy - a spiritual Teacher who I knew personally for many years. He died in 2007 but like all genuine spiritual masters his words are timeless and you may like to use them (along with other inspiring and illumining writings from other sources) as Class Starters – or to stimulate discussion.


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Korean star Song Joong Ki divorced Song Hye Kyo
Thursday, June 27, 2019 Thursday, June 27, 2019 Thursday, June 27, 2019 Korean star Song Joong Ki divorced Song Hye Kyo - just over a year after marriage, Song Joong-ki filed for divorce against his wife, star S...
Korean star Song Joong Ki divorced Song Hye Kyo - just over a year after marriage, Song Joong-ki filed for divorce against his wife, star Song Hye-Kyo. That was confirmed by both agencies.
Yonhap reported, a lawyer assigned to represent Song Joong-ki on Wednesday (26/6) submitted a court mediation for the actor's divorce with actress Song Hye-Kyo through the Seoul Family Court.
Song Joong Ki, through a letter brought by his attorney, apologized to all parties who were disappointed with this divorce claim.
"First of all, I want to convey my apologies to many of you who love and respect me, for this sad news," Song Joong-ki said.
"I have decided to continue my life in a divorce with Song Hye-Kyo. Instead of extending the process by considering each other's mistakes and reproaching each other, I hope to resolve this peacefully," he continued.
Launching the Soompi page, on Thursday, June 27, 2019, when Korea, lawyer Song Joong Ki Park Jae Hyun officially announced his client's divorce lawsuit to the public.
Joong Ki's divorce suit was carried out the day before on Wednesday (06/26/2019)
"Our law firm filed for divorce in the name of Song Joong Ki in the Seoul Family Court on June 26. In addition, we want to convey Song Joong Ki's official statement."
In his statement, Song Joong Ki apologized to his fans and explained that he hoped divorce would still be fine.
Previously the news of this divorce had spread. But many fans both denied the news.
Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo's spouses commit their loyalty on October 31, 2017, in South Korea. At that time they held a closed ceremony in a traditional Korean garden at The Shilla Hotel, Seoul.
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4 day ago - Nice Movie.
6 day ago - Massive, epic movie. I'm so happy that Marvel is stepping up their game with their villains. For too long, MCU villains have been too bland and generic. But lately, the villains have improved with Michael Keaton's Vulture, Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger, and now James Brolin's Thanos. Thanos has appeared in several other MCU films, but he seemed rather flat in those movies. Here, he's allowed to be fully developed as a character. Especially touching is his relationship with his adoptive daughter, Gamora. It's actually surprisingly tender and moving. Thanos is the actual main focus of the film, and if he failed as a character, the entire movie wouldn't have worked. So bravo, Marvel!
2 day ago - It's the epitome of superhero trash and the franchise of manchildren. The ultimate smashing your toys together to battle only this time it's for the world to see.


text:
InModuleScope Watchmen {

    describe 'FromSource' {

        Mock -CommandName Assert-InWatchmen -MockWith {}

        it 'Creates a [FromSource] entry in the Watchmen variable' {
            $script:watchmen = @{
                ThisTest = @{
                    Source = $null
                }
            }
            FromSource 'PSGallery'
            $script:watchmen.ThisTest.Source | should be 'PSGallery'
        }
    }
}


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