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Happy New Year: I'm feeling '22
January 7, 2022 / chrishildrew / Leave a comment
The London fireworks to mark the start of 2022 were truly spectacular, but broadcast without the usual crowds lining the banks of the Thames. It felt to me like a very appropriate way to kick off this year: a determined attempt to put on the very best show possible, despite the challenging circumstances.
We have seen this throughout the pandemic, as the discussion of lateral flow tests, hospitalisation and death rates, and the relative transmissibility of variants has become morbidly routine. Over the first weekend of the holidays, I was queuing in a makeshift marquee at Bath Racecourse to receive my booster jab from a military medic in camouflage fatigues, drafted in as part of the battle against Omicron. A small artificial tree in the corner was an attempt at festive cheer, but I admit it felt like something out of science fiction. I was more encouraged by the incredible organisation mustered at such short notice, and the wonderful volunteers giving up their time to protect the nation. I was also delighted to finally get an "I've had my Covid Vaccination" sticker, having not been offered one at my first or second dose!
As the new year began, I was braced for the expected announcements about schools for the term ahead. A year ago, we were being told that schools would be open before a U-turn on the evening of 4th January closed them all. The vaccination programme means that this year, we are able to keep schools open. We are grateful for this: we know how to do remote learning really well, but there is no substitute for being in a classroom, with your teachers and your peers. Of course it isn't convenient to turn our gym into a testing centre or to stagger the start of term; it isn't comfortable to wear a face covering all lesson; it's a pain to have to swab your nostrils twice a week and then report the result to the NHS and to the Academy Google Form; nobody likes having an injection. But these are the things that mean we're in classrooms, together, this January, rather than locked down in our homes.
I'm not a big one for new year's resolutions, but as the clock ticked over to midnight on December 31st, I gave thanks for all the efforts everyone has made to get us here. We certainly have tough times ahead, but we're in better shape, now, than we were a year ago. Despite the challenges, we can still put on a good show. I don't know about you, but I'm feeling '22.
June 10, 2021 July 1, 2021 / chrishildrew / Leave a comment
Education hit the headlines over the half term break, when the government announced its education recovery plan. The announcement included an additional £1.4bn to be invested in education over the next three years. This is, by any stretch, a large amount of money – but it did not go down well. By the evening of the day of the big announcement, the government's own Education Recovery Commissioner, Sir Kevan Collins – the man appointed by the Prime Minister to oversee the education sector's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic – had resigned. His letter to Boris Johnson spelled out the reasons why he could not continue:
"I do not believe it will be possible to deliver a successful recovery without significantly greater support than the Government has, to date, indicated it intends to provide. I am concerned that the apparent savings offered by an incremental approach to recovery represent a false economy, as learning losses that are not addressed quickly are likely to compound."
Sir Kevan Collins, in his letter of resignation to the Prime Minister
The headlines which followed told the story:
So why was the announcement of £1.4bn of extra funding for education so poorly received and so controversial? The main reason is that it was well-known that the plans put forward by Sir Kevan Collins were actually costed at ten times as much as the Treasury actually released. Reports suggest his plan would have cost £15bn. The Secretary of State for Education is reported to have asked the Treasury for £14bn. And the Treasury actually released a tenth of that, with funding ring-fenced to support tutoring and teacher development rather than many of the more ambitious (and expensive) proposals put forward.
So why was everyone so upset?
The government – and especially the Prime Minister – had been talking for weeks about prioritising education, talking about "levelling up" and suggesting it had a real ambition to do something radical. There had been much discussion in the media about extending the school day by half an hour, not just so that children could access tutoring in English and Maths, but also to provide opportunities for enrichment as laid out in Sir Kevan Collins' letter:
"I believe our approach to recovery should also offer children opportunities to re-engage with sport, music, and the rich range of activities that define a great education. I proposed extending school time as a way to provide this breadth, as well as to ensure that additional academic support does not cause existing enrichment activities to be squeezed out."
Sir Kevan Collins, from his resignation letter
Extending the school day is a complex, difficult thing to do. There would be a myriad of issues to work out and a mountain of obstacles to overcome. But it showed real ambition, a real sense of purpose, and it offered a genuine solution to the problem. With more time, we could do more – more performing arts, more sport, more outdoor education, more creativity, and more of the basics – without squeezing the stuff we already do.
At what cost?
Why would this plan cost so much? Well, an additional half an hour a day doesn't sound like much – but there are over 24,000 schools in England. Additional time in each of those schools means additional staff would be needed in every single one. They would need to be heated, lit, powered and maintained for longer. Additional resources would be required for all those enrichment activities…in every school. The cost soon mounts up.
What Sir Kevan Collins showed the government was that a world class education system isn't cheap. Other countries have realised this. In the Netherlands, the government has announced additional funding to support post-pandemic education recovery at around £2500 per child. In the USA, additional funding is running at £1600 per head. The graphic above shows that the UK government's investment sits at just £50 per head, and even adding in previous education funding announcements only brings it up to £310 per head (as shown in the Financial Times.) As Geoff Barton said on Sky News: "what is it about those children in the Netherlands or the USA that makes them worth more?"
We know that the pandemic has cost the country countless billions already, not just in healthcare costs but lost earnings, furlough, collapsed businesses and welfare. There is no "magic money tree" and it is clear that the government cannot just make £15bn appear to invest in education on a whim. Money spent on education cannot be spent elsewhere – and there are many other worthy and important areas for the government to spending money on.
However, subsequent analysis showed that the education recovery funding set aside for England in the 2021-22 academic year amounts to £984 million – whereas the government spent £840 million on the "Eat Out to Help Out" scheme in a single month in August 2020. I am certainly in favour of supporting the hospitality industry, which has been crippled by the pandemic – our restaurants and pubs need and deserve our help. But can it possibly be right that an entire year's worth of funding to support our national education recovery is only slightly more than a month's worth of funding to support hospitality?
Unfortunately, investing in education is not politically effective. It doesn't fit neatly into the election cycle. When you spend money on education, you don't see the benefits for decades – usually long after the careers of most politicians have concluded. But not investing in education – as Sir Kevan pointed out – is a false economy. Investing in education is an investment in reducing social problems, increasing employability and earning potential, and improving social mobility for the future.
Of course, we will still do everything we can at Churchill to provide a world class education with what we have. We know that the work we do here will continue to have an impact, not just in the short term to resolve immediate issues, but in the long term as we continue to do all we can to inspire and enable young people to make a positive difference to themselves, to others, and to the society they will participate in. But, when I think about what we could be providing with additional funding…it feels like an opportunity missed.
May 14, 2021 / chrishildrew / Leave a comment
On Tuesday of this week, I watched the BRIT Awards 2021. I love the BRITs – there are always some amazing performances, and something unexpected or off-script always happens! But this year, it was really special just to see a crowd of people, without face masks, enjoying live music in a venue. It felt like a step back to pre-COVID normality.
I thought Olivia Rodrigo gave the performance of the night with Drivers License
Of course, the evening was topped off for me when Taylor Swift won the Global Icon award, and gave a fantastic speech.
"There might be times when you put your whole heart and soul into something and it is met with cynicism or scepticism. You cannot let that crush you: have to let it fuel you. Because we live in a world where anyone has the right to say anything that they want about you at any time. But just please remember that you have the right to prove them wrong."
Taylor Swift at the BRIT awards, May 2021
The previous night, I was tuned into the government's coronavirus briefing. This was also, for once, a positive experience. The data on the virus indicates that the reopening of schools on March 8th has not triggered a surge in cases. The vaccine rollout continues to go well. We need to keep an eye on new variants of COVID-19, some of which may be of concern – but at the moment, things are going in the right direction. And, as a result, we can continue with the gradual "unlocking" of the lockdown.
For schools, this means the end of face coverings for students in classrooms and social spaces. Our students have been unfazed by the government guidance from March 8th, and have worn their face coverings properly to protect staff and one another. Exemptions have been issued where necessary. They have got on with the job in hand.
From Monday 17th May, face coverings will only be required on home to school transport, or on public transport to and from school (unless exempt). Students will not be required to wear face coverings in school. However, if students wish to continue to wear one, they will be permitted to do so.
My Churchill face covering may not be needed in school for much longer!
Even though we recognised the public health imperative for mandatory face coverings in schools, there is no denying that it has been harder to teach and learn in a classroom full of covered faces. Education relies so much on relationships, which are based on good communication. So much communication is carried by facial expressions which are obscured by a face covering – not to mention the difficulty of making yourself heard through the cloth. Many staff have said how much they are looking forward to seeing their students' smiles again – and I agree.
However, as we saw last summer, this virus can surge. There are already concerns about variants on the rise in parts of England. If the public health situation worsens again, and face coverings have to return, we know that we can manage it well. But we also know that education is so much better when you can see the full face of the person you are talking to.
So, from Monday, school will feel a little bit more like normal. We will be able to visit one another's homes. Live music, cinema, and theatre are returning. Sport will have a live audience. We have worked so hard for one another over this past year. This "unlocking" feels like a release. We've earned it.
A year like no other
March 18, 2021 / chrishildrew / 1 Comment
I am writing this post on 18th March 2021. Exactly one year ago, the Secretary of State stood up in front of Parliament and announced that "after schools shut their gates on Friday afternoon, they will remain closed until further notice." I wrote about the events of that week, and the time immediately around it, in my post Closing for Coronavirus.
My hand-scrawled notes from the Secretary of State's speech on 18th March 2020
I remember well the febrile, fearful atmosphere of the country a year ago, as an unfamiliar threat advanced across the globe. I remember supermarket shelves emptied of toilet roll, pasta and flour; roads suddenly deserted; skies filled with birdsong instead of airliners.
The Academy has remained open to the children of critical workers and other eligible children throughout, including holiday periods at the height of the pandemic. But, in the 39 official school weeks that have passed, we have been delivering education remotely for 23, and fully open for 16. Through that time we have worked hard to keep our Academy community together and connected, adapting to new technology and new ways of working.
One thing this past year has taught me is how adaptable and resilient we are. We have adapted to circumstances that were unimaginable a year ago, when I had never used Zoom. I didn't know about social distancing. I didn't know the importance of a spike protein. I had never worn a face covering.
Socially distanced students during Exam Support, June 2020
Now, a year on, I know about using systems of controls to manage infections; I know about the importance of ventilation; I know the difference between a lateral flow device and a polyamerase chain reaction test. I can navigate Google Classroom smoothly and I have a mug which I can hold up to the webcam so I don't have to keep saying "you're on mute…"
My mug has proved very useful in online meetings
This year has also reinforced the importance and the value of education in our society. Expert scientists have delivered the vaccine in record time; highly trained doctors, nurses and carers have helped those most in need. Musicians, actors, dancers and performers have made new connections online. Journalists have kept us informed, seeking the truth and fighting back waves of misinformation and speculation. Never has learning and education been more important.
And this year has also reminded us that schools are more than just places of learning: they are communities which bring people together. Over the past year we have found ways to keep that community going when we cannot physically be in the same space, but there is no substitute for the real human connections that I see every day in the classrooms, studios, playgrounds, social areas and playing fields of the Academy.
Lancaster Lounge at lunchtime
Even in the midst of the global crisis, I can see real progress at Churchill. We have launched our fifth house, Lancaster, and pushed on with redeveloping the Academy site. Our student councils have started up and our student leadership programme is beginning to take root. We have redeveloped our curriculum, responding not just to the technological challenges but to issues of representation, pace and challenge, and links to careers and employment. And we have advanced our sustainability agenda, with increased planting around the site and a focus on the environmental impact of the Academy.
Despite the return of students to schools, the vaccine rollout, and the roadmap out of lockdown, we are not out of this crisis yet. When I sit down on 18th March 2022 to look back again, I wonder what new adaptations and changes we will have made? And I wonder what the world will be like two years on from that House of Commons announcement…
No matter what, I know that the staff and students at Churchill will be going strong. We have been tested this year – not just with lateral flow devices – and we have prevailed. As a society, we will be picking up the pieces from this past year for a long time to come. As an Academy, we are ready to do our bit to build back better out of this crisis, to emerge stronger, and to flourish in the future.
The five-house flag flies over Churchill, September 2020
We're back (again)
This week we have conducted over 1600 COVID tests and settled smoothly back into learning. Our students and staff are amazing!
March 5, 2021 / chrishildrew / 1 Comment
It's been a while, but we are ready to welcome students back. We can't wait!
See you next week.
February 25, 2021 / chrishildrew / 3 Comments
This has been quite the week for schools. We have had the re-opening announcement: all students to return. Seventy pages of guidance, from lateral flow tests to face coverings to ventilation to hygiene to "bubbles" to cleaning and beyond…with the health and wellbeing of our staff and students depending on its implementation.
Then we have had the decisions on how GCSE, AS and A level, vocational and technical qualification grades will be determined in summer 2021. 113 pages of guidance to digest and synthesise carefully, with the future prospects of our examination candidates depending on its implementation.
Is it easy?
Can we do it?
Yes we can.
When our students are faced with something difficult, they can sometimes feel overwhelmed, and want to give up. It's our job, as teachers, to pick them up and encourage them, to give them confidence, to reassure them that it can be done – and that it's worth it. As I contemplate my to-do list, I am thinking about our students. I can't wait to see them. So whatever needs to be done, will be done – because they are worth it.
If the NHS can vaccinate 18 million people in two months, I'm sure we can carry out 1600 lateral flow tests in five days.
If a team of scientists can drop a 1000kg wheeled robot onto the surface of Mars in a perfect touchdown, I'm sure we can design a robust system that ensures our students get the grades they deserve at the end of this challenging year.
Because, when we put our minds to it, we can accomplish anything.
Thank you: you've done an amazing job
To our staff
Working in a school at the moment is unlike anything we have ever known. I don't think I've ever seen any team work as hard as the Churchill staff since January: it has been awe-inspiring. Teachers have had to re-plan existing curriculum to deliver remotely, finding technological solutions to replace in-class interactions. Providing feedback has become labour-intensive: what would, in normal times, be a quick conversation with a student or working through a pile of exercise books or tests, now requires teachers to open each document individually, adding comments, marks and areas for improvement. Tutors are also phoning or emailing to check on progress, welfare and wellbeing – and this is on top of Frontline provision for children eligible to be in school.
Teachers and support staff are also on the front line as schools address a rise in domestic abuse and child protection issues, and try to support families medically or financially affected by the pandemic. Our staff have mobilised a lateral flow testing operation and implemented a raft of covid-safe procedures, all while keeping the financial, administrative and resource functions of the Academy operating remotely. And managing the ongoing building projects!
The pandemic has tested all of us, in all walks of life, in all lines of work: I am hugely proud of the way our staff have stepped up to the plate and, to extend my baseball metaphor, smashed it out of the park.
To our staff: thank you. You have done an amazing job.
To our families
We really appreciate how hard this year has been for families of students at the Academy. You have had to balance your own jobs and lives with the added challenge of your children being at home, needing the wi-fi and the laptop and lunch and snacks and motivation and encouragement and exercise and help with which year Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream" speech and what's the atomic number of carbon?
All this whilst you are trying to parent your young people through an international crisis which is causing all of us anxiety and uncertainty about our health, our economy, our friends, and our wider families. We can't go on holiday, we can't go out, and we can't socialise except through a screen. It has been tough – and it will be tough for a while yet. So, for all you have done to support and help our students through this time, whilst holding it together yourselves – give yourselves a pat on the back, and treat yourselves to glass of something good. You deserve it.
To our families: thank you. You have done an amazing job.
To our students
As I have said before, and will doubtless say again and again, it is our young people who are the beacon of light in this dark period of our history. From the chorus of "thank you"s at the end of each remote lesson, to the fantastic work that they are producing, to the kindness they are showing to others in helping them with technical problems, resources and understanding the work…our students have done themselves proud during this lockdown. They have been there, turning up for the Zooms and Google Meets, engaging in the chat, introducing us to their pets and earning an absolute mountain of house points (over 140,000 at last count). It has been tough being separated from friends and classmates, tough to maintain motivation in the face of uncertainty, but they have stayed strong and kept going throughout it all.
To our students: thank you. You have done an amazing job.
To all of you: enjoy your half term. You have earned it.
How to help your child through lockdown
February 4, 2021 / chrishildrew / 2 Comments
This lockdown, through the winter months, is a challenge for all of us. We continue to be impressed by the determination of our students to maintain their educational standards and their spirits through this difficult time – but it's hard! Here are some ways that families can help. They won't all work for all families and all children – but I hope you will find something of use.
Show an interest
It may seem obvious, but ask your children what they've been learning about. If it's something you don't know, ask them to explain it to you. Even if it's something you do know, ask them to explain it to you! Get them to show you how their Google Classrooms work, how they "hand in" work electronically, and how they can communicate with their teachers. Ask them how they're finding remote learning – and listen to the answers.
Celebrate struggle
Ask them what they found difficult, and celebrate it: if students find all the work easy, it probably means they can already do it, or they already know it. This can be useful to reinforce prior learning. But when students find it difficult, when they struggle – that's when real learning happens, because they're engaging with something new, something they don't already know or know how to do. This is when they have to dig in and persevere – and that's when your encouragement is more important than ever.
Encourage independence
As we detailed in our remote learning guidance: "We are trying to encourage our students to be proactive and independent in resolving any difficulties with online learning. Please encourage them to contact teachers and tutors directly to solve problems themselves – we do not expect parents and family members to be doing this for students (although we are grateful for your support!)."
This approach is designed to help our students feel ownership of their learning, and to give them agency in solving problems.
Give them a sense of purpose
Motivation is challenging for all of us – in or out of lockdown – but it can be especially difficult in the current circumstances. When struggling with motivation, it can be helpful to identify why working hard during this period of time will pay off in the longer term by keeping them on track for their goals – whether that be a massive haul of conduct points, keeping up with their peers, or as a step on a journey towards Sixth Form or a career.
It also helps to focus on the value of learning for its own sake – as a means to improving themselves, improving their prospects, and helping them to make their contribution to the world around them. Work is more rewarding when it has a purpose.
Show them you're proud of them
We all like praise – especially from people we respect and admire. A "well done" or "I'm proud of you" from a parent to a child makes a world of difference to motivation and self-esteem – even if they don't show it on the surface!
We know that praise works best when it's focused on what people have actually done to achieve something, rather than on their innate abilities of qualities. This is why "I'm really proud of you for the way you've focused on that task, even though I know it's not your favourite subject," is much more effective than "you're so clever!" Being specific about exactly what someone has done to deserve praise gives it value, and makes it more likely that we will repeat that activity to get the same results. Look for opportunities to show how proud you are of them, for the small things as well as their work over time.
Tell them to stop
We are setting five hours of remote learning per day for main school students. We do not expect them to be working beyond the five timetabled hours of lessons they have on a school day. Once the hour is up – we expect them to stop. Our mantra is:
Do as much as you can, with your best effort, in the time you have available. Do not spend any longer than the time allocated on your timetable. You will never be in trouble if your teachers can see you have tried your best with remote learning – even if you haven't finished everything.
If your child is working during breaks or lunchtimes, or after the end of the timetabled school day, to finish off work: they do not have to do this. It's not good for them. They need to stop – and you have my permission to tell them to.
Encourage exercise and activity
Teenagers spend long enough looking at screens in normal times – and this has been amplified through the remote learning environment we now find ourselves in. The technology we have at our disposal is wonderful, of course – but you can have too much of it! We are "mixing it up" as much as possible with non-screen-based activities and opportunities to be active. Please encourage physical activity – especially in breaks from learning and after the end of the school day. There's a reason why the NHS recommends physical activity as one of the best ways to boost well-being…
Build good sleep habits
Many people have reported difficulty sleeping during the pandemic. This is perhaps no surprise, given the heightened level of anxiety in society at large. There are things we can to to help build those good sleep habits: exercise during the day will certainly help.
My no-frills alarm clock, which enabled me to banish my phone, has saved me from bedtime and night-time scrolling and improved my sleep no end.
It's also important to have a regular, consistent bedtime, with a structured bedtime routine. Switching off screens well before bedtime is also shown to help with sleep, as the glow from the displays stops the body producing melatonin, the chemical which sends us to the land of nod. Most sleep experts recommend charging your phone downstairs, rather than having it by your bedside. I took this advice eighteen months ago, when I bought myself an alarm clock so I didn't have to have my phone by my bed to charge (I'd been using the phone alarm to wake me up). It has made the world of difference.
Be solution-focused
We are facing a world full of problems at the moment – some of them small, some of them massive. It's no good pretending that things aren't difficult when they self-evidently are. But fixating on the problems themselves, and their impact on us and our lives, won't change anything.
Instead, try to focus on what we can control. We can't make coronavirus stop, or speed up the vaccine roll-out – these things are beyond our control. But we can make sure we really focus on that Maths explanation that the teacher has recorded for us, to minimise the disruption to our learning. We can't see have our friends round to our house – but we can call them up, see them on screens, and laugh with them. We can't pretend that everything is going to be okay – but we can make as much okay as we can.
Be values-led
Our Academy values of kindness, curiosity and determination were carefully chosen to build balanced, well-rounded individuals. Kindness is a strength of the heart; curiosity is a strength of the mind; determination is a strength of the will. They form three sides of a strong triangle which supports our students to make a positive difference to themselves and to the world – and the people – around them.
Look for opportunities to praise your children when you see them demonstrating the Academy's values – and tell us about them! Tutors, teachers, Heads of Houses – even Headteachers! – love to hear about how our students have been making a difference, especially when we don't see them every day. They can also be modest, not wanting to blow their own trumpets – so please feel free to blow it on their behalf!
Thank you to all our Academy families for all you are doing to help learning continue through lockdown – we really appreciate it, and I know our students do too.
Green Shoots
January 28, 2021 / chrishildrew / 1 Comment
The first daffodil at Churchill this week
On duty this week, I saw the first daffodil of the spring flowering next to Mrs Bradley's office in the Hanover House garden, normally tended so carefully by HRMS. At the moment, the members of HRMS tutor group are mostly learning remotely, staying at home to protect the NHS and save lives. Only a few students are in school, accessing remote learning in Frontline. Following the weekend's snow, the daffodil was a reminder that spring always follows closely behind the bleak midwinter.
It has become too tempting recently to focus on the bleak and dark, and not on the fresh and green. Throughout this week, I have made myself look out for the positivity, and focus on the signs of recovery – which was why Mrs Wilson walked past me, crouched in the wet grass, getting up close and personal to a daffodil with my iPhone (yes, I know, phone out in school – I'll give myself the C1!)
Here are the green shoots I noticed this week:
50 students achieved their Headteacher's Commendations this week, for reaching 125 Conduct Points
Our first two Year 9 students achieved Trustees' Commendations, reaching 175 Conduct Points
We have a record number of applications for Churchill Sixth Form, including over 60 students from outside our Academy (also a record)
Our students from all years are engaged with their remote learning, producing fantastic results despite the difficult circumstances
All of the over 400 lateral flow tests carried out at the Academy so far have returned negative results
Local communities have donated food, toiletries and essentials to help families in need
Bristol airport, having closed their duty free, donated stock to the Churchill staff to keep us all going
Both my parents had appointments for their first vaccinations this week – two of the nearly eight million doses issued in the UK so far
The Prime Minister has given a timeline for schools re-opening
The rebuilding of the Lancaster House block is progressing well and is due to be ready before we welcome more students back to school
Contractors are on site repairing and replacing the fence around the Academy's perimeter – and this will also be complete before we fully re-open
The Academy Hall has a brand-new, shining floor
When I walked out to my car to come to work on Monday morning, although the sun hadn't risen, it was light. And, driving home, darkness had yet to fall.
There is darkness all around us in the world at the moment. Things are challenging for everyone. But, if you look, there is always light – if only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it.


지난 2주간 일빵빵 팟캐스트를 제대로 못들었다. 3월말에 이틀 휴가내고 돌아오니, 팀에 핵폭탄이 떨어져 있었다.아직 개발 준비단계인 모델을 갑자기 견본 및 3rd party에게 SDK를 제공하라는 긴급 언명이 떨어졌다. 우리는 2개월 일정을 목표로 4월초부터 본격적인 작업을 진행하려고 준비하고 있었으나...경쟁 업체에서 말도 안되는 일정을 제시하는 바람에 우리도 따라가야되는 상황이라 정말 정신 없이 달렸다. 타이트한 일정때문에 2주간 거의 막차를 타고 퇴근했지만 다행이 철야를 하지 않았다. -.-;; 어쨌든, 다시 일빵빵을 들으면서 받아쓰기 및 정리를 다시 하려고 한다.지난 2주간 팟캐스트 새로운 강의를 진행하지는 못하였지만, 출퇴근시 지난 강의를 계속 듣긴 하였다. 그리고 일주일 5강씩 듣고 주말은 주..
일빵빵 Scene15 : 회화표현공부 + 패턴 (I'm done with) Monica and their friends are talking in the Central Park. Joey : Of course. It was a line. Monica : Why...? why would anybody do something like that? I hate men, I hate men. Phoeby : Oh no, don't hate. You put that out into the universe. Monica : Is it me? Why me...? Phoeby : All right, Come on(C'mon), gimme(give me) your feet. Monica : I'm done with him..
일빵빵 Scene14 : 회화표현공부 + 패턴 (I'm telling you) Monica and Frannie are cooking in the restaurant. Frannie : Hey! Monica Monica : Hey Frannie Frannie : You had a date with Paul, right? Monica : How do you know that? You know Paul? Frannie : Oh... yeah, I know Paul. Monica : You mean, you know Paul like I know Paul? Frannie : Are you kidding? you know, before me, there was no dating for two years. Mon..
일빵빵 Scene13 : 회화표현공부 + 패턴 (I'm saying that) Rachel : Isn't this amazing? I mean, I've never made coffe before in my life. Chandler : I'm not saying this as a joke. That is amazing. Joey : Congratulation! Rachel : You know, I figure if I can make coffe, there isn't anything I can't do. Joey : Listen, if you feel like would you make me Westen omelet or something? Although, actually I'm really not ..
일빵빵 Scene12 : 회화표현공부 + 패턴 (I'm trying to) Rachel : You guys all have jobs? Monica : Yeah, we all have jobs. That's how buy stuff. So... how are you doing today? Did you sleep okay? I can't stop smiling. (to think of the man) Rachel : I can see that! You look like you slept with a hanger in your mouth. Monica : I know. Rachel : Want a wedding dress? hardly used. Monica : Thanks but I just gonna g..
일빵빵 Scene11 : 회화표현공부 + 패턴 (I'm calling to) Rachel : Barry, I'm calling to apologize for my fault. I'm sorry.. I'm so sorry. I know you probably think, This is all about what I said the other day about making love with your socks on. But it isn't, it isn't!. It's about me. I just... hi... machine cut me off again. Anyway, look... look... I know that some girl is going to be lucky to become Mrs Ba..
일빵빵 Scene10 : 회화표현공부 + 패턴 (I'm here to) Ross : I'm divorced. I'm only twenty six and I'm divorced. Joey : Shut up! Chandler : You must stop! Ross : What if there is only one woman for everybody? I mean, what if you get one woman and that's it. Unfortunately in my case, there is only one woman for her. Joey : What are you talking about? One woman? That's like saying there is only one flavor of ic..
일빵빵 Scene09 : 회화표현공부 + 패턴 (I'm just about to) Ross : Hu... This was Carol's favorite beer. She always drank it out of the can. I should have known then... Joey : Hey~~ hey~ hey, hey! if you're gonna start with that stuff. We're outta(out of) here. Chandler : Yes, please don't spoil all this fun. Ross : I'm just about to forget her! Joey : Ross, let me ask you a question? She got the furniture, t..
일빵빵 Scene08 : 회화표현공부 + 패턴 (I'm gonna) Paul : Ever since she walked out on me, I uh... Monica : What... what, what...? what do you wanna say? Paul : No it's... It's more of be a fifth date thing. Monica : Oh so, there is gonna fifth date? Paul : Isn't there? Monica : Yeah... yeah, I think there is. What were you gonna say? Paul : Well.. ever since she left me, um... I haven't been able to perform..
일빵빵 Scene07 : 회화표현공부 + 패턴 (What do you want me to) Ross : So, Rachel what are you up to tonight? Rachel : Well, I was kinda(kind of) supposed to be in Aruba on my henymon. So... nothing. Ross : Aruba? this time of year, big lizards. Anyway if you're free, could you help me? Rachel : Help you? What do you want me to do for you? Ross : Joey and Chandler are coming over to help me put together my n..


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I started the day thinking that I needed 8 miles…nope, that is tomorrow. Oh well. Angie and I met up for 5 miles and I grabbed the pup for one more mile. I thought I needed to cover 2 more miles today – so I packed a lunch run bag! I ran 3 miles over lunch – and then little man and I walked another mile in the evening. So…..10 miles for the day!
I used the morning to rest a little longer. I packed up my lunch bag with the thought that I might be able to get in a speed workout. My work day was a little dicey and I wasn't able to get out and run until nearly 3pm – the heat of this 65+ degree day! The wind and heat got to me in the final intervals, but I was happy with the effort I was able to put in early. Once home for the day, little man wanted to go for a walk – so we set out!
Now…I am back on track with my scheduled workout for the week. It only took how many days?! Oh well. A nice, cool/warm morning run to start the day!
I am halfway thinking about making my long run, or MOST of my long run tomorrow rather than Saturday…the weather is going to be a touch warm in the morning tomorrow…and cold on Saturday… Let's see what happens!
Nope…long run didn't happen. I woke up SUPER FREAKING EARLY and it was pouring down rain and hail and lightening. I didn't see that in the forecast…but I also didn't look very deeply into it. Better luck with that tomorrow!
As for today, I slept in (trying to give my sleep machine a reason to like me…) and packed a lunch run bag. It is going to be HOT again today, so hopefully I will get out before noon for my jaunt.
A super early start meant that I could get in all of my miles before the hubs leaves for work – this is how most Saturday's work. For today's 20 miler, this meant that my alarm went off at 2:30 am to get out of the house around 3 am. I am not a fast runner…so making sure that I leave with ample time to get in all the miles is important. I planned on running 1/2 the miles before the 5:30 am group run…which started 3ish miles from my house.
Well, I got out of the house just a little later than I wanted to, closer to 3:15 am or so. Because of this, I cut my solo miles back just a little so I wouldn't be late for the group run. Once at the meet-up location, we set out on the pre-planned route. One of the runners stayed back with me since my usual group run pal didn't come this morning. I tried to stay conservative with my pace, and he didn't push me to speed up. While we did run just a hair faster than my HR goal, I was happy with the "slow, long run effort"… Once the 6 mile loop was complete, I headed the 3 miles home!
Once home, I needed 0.6 miles to finish with 20 – so I grabbed the pup and we made our trip around the block to finish my miles and get some of her morning energy expended. A good start to the weekend and I was home before the time I thought I would be! Always a win in my book!
With a busy Saturday on my legs, the family and I lazied around most of the day. No one had any "plans" but I figured the hubs would go out and watch one of the games somewhere…at some point. After some meals and naps, it was time to head out for my miles. Little man tagged along for the first 4 and we dropped by home to grab the pup for the last mile. A fun outing!
I admire your dedication to start your long runs so early in the day to make sure that you finish in time. I am also a slower runner and always have to make sure I allow myself enough time to complete my long runs!
I'm amazed at how you fit in your miles throughout the day.
WOW look at you – total beast mode with your training plan! Nice work!
Wow, that is an early start time for your Saturday long run! I always get really confused when I change up my weekly workout schedule. Great job getting in all your runs this week!
Nice work and way to get it all in! I don't think I could get up at 2:30 to run, though. Altho last Sunday in Florida, I did wake up at 4:30 (3:30 my time) for that half. I'm paying for it now!
Holy smokes! A 2:30 alarm? ( I ditched my running group this week because it required a 5:00 alarm. LOL.) I do admit to waking up that early to get to an out of town race, though. Very impressive mileage this week! Thanks for linking!


A film shot over several years around Rockford, has a release date on Hulu, and a new trailer was just released. Here's everything you need to know.
Hulu announced last week that, Minding The Gap, will debut on August 17 on their streaming service. They made the announcement by releasing a brand new trailer.
The film was directed by Bing Liu who graduated from Rock Valley College. The film tells the story of Bing and his friends dealing with their struggles and how skateboarding helped them find relief from how difficult their lives were becoming. Since its release at the beginning of 2018, the documentary has received nothing but great reviews, including winning the Special jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival.
Minding The Gap will also be a part of the Mosaic World Film Festival at 6 p.m. on Aug. 24, at 2 p.m. on Aug. 25 and at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 26 in the Nordlof Center, 118 N. Main St. A Q&A with the cast and crew will follow each screening, according to rrstar.com.


text:
Family reunited with missing dad say he is 'grounded' for having a 'blast' while they went through 'nightmare'
Harry Harvey was missing for a few days - but said it was just wild camping for him
Charles Gray
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There was a contrast of emotions when an 80-year-old walker who had been considered missing for three nights in the Yorkshire Dales spoke about his enjoyment of going "wild camping" to his children.
Harry Harvey, 80, was speaking at the Tan Hill Inn earlier today (Tuesday), after he was found in Upper Swaledale by a wildlife photographer having been considered missing for two days.
Mr Harvey got separated from the group he was walking with on Saturday while they were walking in the Upper Dales and a full search and rescue operation was underway when the alarm was raised on Sunday afternoon which featured.
But while police said they were "extremely concerned" and ten separate groups of rescue teams - including the Royal Air Force - made up of volunteers, dogs and helicopters worked around the clock in a bid to find Mr Harvey, it transpired that he was in his element and was happy to be on his own with nature for the three days.
His two children, Naomi and Phil, weren't best pleased though, and told him he was "grounded" for not making more of an effort to get back to civilisation and putting the family through a "nightmare" of a few days.
Harry Harvey with son Phil and daughter Naomi (Image: Peter Harbour)
Mr Harvey, who spoke about his experience while sporting a bandage to his head after falling in a stream during his time away, said that he got separated from his group on Saturday after getting caught in a "heavy hailstorm".
He said: "By the time I got my kit on it was getting really dark. I missed what I would say is a turning so I switched to Plan B."
Mr Harvey, from Tynemouth, said he focused on "keeping warm" and kept heading east to his intended destination.
Mr Harvey said: "The biggest problem I had was getting back. I only had £21 in my pocket, otherwise I could've got on the train."
Harry Harvey sustained a minor head injury (Image: Peter Harbour)
Police and rescue teams were informed of Mr Harvey's disappearance on Sunday and a huge operation was carried out to try and locate him.
Asked what the experience was like while he was away for the three nights, he said: "I had three good nights of wild camping. I was never worried. I've got all the kit."
Asked what he felt about how worried his family and people were back home, he joked: "If I had known that I would not have come back."
Referring to the amount of media attention he was receiving, he said: "I would have avoided all of this. It's not my scene at all."
He did thank the rescue teams for their "brilliant organisation" and admitted that he saw helicopters and rescue people while he was camping but didn't realise they were for him.
Watch the emotional moment Harry Harvey is found after going missing in the Yorkshire Dales
Anorexic woman from York told she is 'not thin enough' for treatment
He said: "I could see two or three people that must have been in the search team but I thought they were Joe Public."
He said he got the cut to his head after falling over while trying to cross a stream while it was "really throwing it down" and banging his head.
He lost his glasses and his compass but managed to retrieve his glasses due to them being fluorescent orange.
Mr Harvey was found this morning by a wildlife photographer who had joined the rescue operation. She then contacted the mountain rescue team who brought him back to the Tan Hill Inn.
Asked how he felt about the whole ordeal, Mr Harvey said: "In hindsight I didn't want all this but I had three really good camping nights. I was on my own. I was only worried because I have a hell of an appetite and I was running out of food."
Harry Harvey's son Phil and Phil's wife Naomi (Image: Peter Harbour)
His children, Phil and Naomi, had sat holding each other's hands while Mr Harvey spoke and when asked about their take on the situation, Phil said solemnly: "We didn't experience it the same way he described it. It's been torture."
Naomi said: "You can't put it in to words. We know he's experienced in this sort of thing but three nights was taking it to the extreme."
Asked what it was like seeing him for the first time after so much worry, Naomi said: "It was like every Christmas and birthday and everything wrapped into one.
"It was sheer relief."
Naomi said that her dad was now "grounded" for putting the family through so much worry.
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She said: "He's had a blast while we've had a nightmare."
Mr Harvey's son Phil said: "You're going to have to have a compass to help find all your gear. I'm going to hide it all."
Asked what he would be doing now that he had been found safe and sound, Mr Harvey said: "I'm going to have to go home and face the music."
Naomi thanked the staff at the Tan Hill Inn for giving them a room and looking after the rescue teams while they looked for their father.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: AngularJS factory http returns empty I'm trying AngularJS for the first time. I'm getting JSON data from a http-get request using a factory, but the object is returned empty, before the ajax-request is done.
Factory:
myDemo.factory('photosFactory', function($http) {
    var photos = [];

    var factory = {};

    factory.getPhotos = function() {
        $http({
            url: 'content/test_data.json',
            method: 'GET'
        }).success(function(data, status, headers, config) {
            photos = data;
            return photos;
        });
    };
    return factory;
});

Controller:
controllers.AppCtrl = function($scope, $location, $http, photosFactory) {
    $scope.photos = [];
    init();
    function init() {
        $scope.photos = photosFactory.getPhotos();
    }
};

This is what I've come up with. When the controller set $scope.photos, the value is empty as if it returns the photos array before it get populated with the ajax response.

A: Using the $resource will let you achieve what you want, plus give you much more control compared to $http
(Do not forget to include ngResrouce as a dependency to your app.)
myDemo.factory('photosFactory', function($resource) {
    var factory = {};

    factory.getPhotos = $resource('content/test_data.json', {}, {
        'query': {method: 'GET', isArray: true}
    });
    return factory;
});

controllers.AppCtrl = function($scope, $location, $http, photosFactory) {
    $scope.photos = [];
    init();
    function init() {
        $scope.photos = photosFactory.getPhotos.query();
    }
};

A: You should modify your code to return a promise and use the value in controller pls see dummy modified code
myDemo.factory('photosFactory', function($http) {
 return{
    getPhotos : function() {
        return $http({
            url: 'content/test_data.json',
            method: 'GET'
        })
    }
 }
});

and controller -
controllers.AppCtrl = function($scope, $location, $http, photosFactory) {
    $scope.photos = [];
    photosFactory.getPhotos().success(function(data){
       $scope.photos=data;
   });
};

A: Using the q promise library means your success function can stay in your service:
app.factory('Data', function ($http, $q) {
    return {
        ajaxItems: function () {
            var deferred = $q.defer();
            $http({ method: "POST", url: "/Home/GetSearchResults" })
                .success(function (data, status, headers, config) {
                    deferred.resolve(data);
                }).error(function (data, status, headers, config) {
                    deferred.reject(status);
                });
            return deferred.promise;
        }
    }
});

app.controller('ResultsCtrl', ['$scope', 'Data', function ($scope, Data) {
    $scope.get = function () {
        $scope.items = Data.ajaxItems();
        //the model returns a promise and THEN items
        $scope.items.then(function (items) {
            $scope.items = items;
        }, function (status) {
            console.log(status);
        });
    };
}]);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Michael Joseph Piazza
Inducted to the Hall of Fame in: 2016
Primary team: New York Mets
Primary position: Catcher
As a baseball underdog, it doesn't get much more challenging than being a 62nd round draft choice. But in less than 30 years, Mike Piazza has gone from the 1,390th player chosen in the 1988 MLB Draft to a plaque in Cooperstown.
Along the way, Piazza firmly established himself as one of the greatest hitting catchers in the history of the game.
Born Sept. 4, 1968 in Norristown, Pa., Piazza had baseball connections from the start. His father, Vince, grew up in the same Norristown neighborhood as Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda. After attending the University of Miami and Miami-Dade Community College, Piazza was taken in the 62nd round by the Dodgers – on the recommendation of Lasorda – in 1988. A first baseman in college, Piazza moved to catcher with the Dodgers.
After a couple tough years in the minors – including a season in which he briefly quit the game – Piazza established himself as a top prospect by hitting 52 home runs combined during the 1991 and 1992 seasons. He was called up to the Dodgers at the end of the 1992 season, then exploded on the national scene in 1993 with 35 home runs, 112 RBI and a .318 batting average en route to a unanimous selection as the National League's Rookie of the Year.
Between 1993 and 1997, Piazza averaged better than 33 homers and 105 RBI per season – along with a .337 batting average – despite two shortened seasons due to the 1994-95 strike. In 1997, Piazza recorded 201 hits – the first player whose primary position was catcher to record 200 hits in a single season.
Defensively, Piazza proved to be one of the game's most durable backstops – leading the league in putouts four times and assists twice.
But after failing to come to agreement with the Dodgers on a long-term contract, Piazza was traded to the Florida Marlins with Todd Zeile on May 14, 1998 for five players, including Bobby Bonilla, Jim Eisenreich, Charles Johnson and Gary Sheffield.
Eight days later, the Marlins – in the midst of a team restructuring following their 1997 World Series title – traded Piazza to the New York Mets for prospects Geoff Goetz, Preston Wilson and Ed Yarnall.
Piazza finished that fractured season with 32 homers, 111 RBI and a .328 batting average, then led the Mets to playoff berths in both 1999 and 2000 – advancing to the World Series in the latter season. The Mets lost the World Series despite Piazza's two home runs and four RBI.
Piazza topped the 30-homer and 90-RBI marks in both 2001 and 2002 before the wear and tear of catching began to take its toll on his legs. He played three more seasons with the Mets and one apiece with the Padres and A's, retiring following the 2007 season with 427 home runs – including a major league record 396 as a catcher.
Piazza drove in 1,335 runs – fourth among catchers all-time behind Yogi Berra, Ted Simmons and Johnny Bench – and posted a .308 career batting average. He was named to 12 All-Star Games (winning the 1996 All-Star Game MVP), captured 10 Silver Slugger Awards at catcher and finished in the top five of the NL MVP voting four times, including back-to-back second-place finishes in 1996 and 1997.
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that in 1997, Mike Piazza became the first player to catch at least 100 games in a season where he recorded at least 200 hits?
"He's certainly the best hitting catcher of our era. And arguably the best hitting catcher of all time. "
Hall of Famer Tom Glavine
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ESSENTIAL STATS
See 1 more from 2016
See 1 more from New York Mets
Position Played: Catcher
See 18 more from this position
See 173 more right handed batters
See 236 more right handed throwers
Birth place: Norristown, Pennsylvania
See 24 more from Pennsylvania
See 4 more born this year
Played for:
Los Angeles Dodgers (1992-1998)
Miami Marlins (1998)
New York Mets (1998-2005)
San Diego Padres (2006)
Oakland Athletics (2007)
CAREER AT A GLANCE
GamesG
At BatsAB
RunsR
HitsH
Doubles2B
Triples3B
Home RunsHR
RBIRBI
Stolen BasesSB
WalksBB
Batting AverageBA
OPSOPS
On Base %OBP
Slugging %SLG
See more stats on baseball-reference.com
New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza, April 23, 2000. - BL-1552-2005 (Rich Pilling/National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)
Scouting report on Mike Piazza. - BL-1132-99 (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)
On May 5, 2004, Mets star Mike Piazza hit a solo home run with this bat for his 352nd home run as a catcher, breaking Carlton Fisk's major league record. - B-261-2004 (Milo Stewart, Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame)
Mike Piazza of the Los Angeles Dodgers catching during a game against the San Francisco Giants in 1996. (Brad Mangin / National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)
Mike Piazza on the cover of the 2001 All-Star Game program. BL-189.2012 (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)
Mike Piazza of the New York Mets. BL-4621-2000 (Photo File / National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)
Videos of interest
Mike Piazza - Hall of Fame biographies
Mike Piazza Hall of Fame interview
Griffey, Piazza honored by Hall election
Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza became the newest additions to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Jan. 6, 2016.
Piazza jersey from first game after 9/11 continues to inspire
Less than two weeks after the horrific events of Sept. 11, 2001, baseball helped bring the world together.
#CardCorner: 2002 Leaf Mike Piazza
A quest to find every baseball card that features Mike Piazza in a Marlins uniform.
Dawson, Lasorda, Piazza help welcome back baseball in 1995
After 257 days of silence, the sounds of baseball echoed though big league parks again on April 25, 1995.
Explore more Inductees


As a reliable method of detecting salmonella, Listeria and other pathogens of concern, why is environmental monitoring (EM) only now garnering serious consideration from many pet food manufacturers?
Although deemed by many to be the last line of defense against hidden and harmful pathogens, some pet food manufacturers had historically did not see the need for an environmental testing program. Now, with the introduction of the Food Modernization and Safety Act (FSMA), environmental monitoring (EM) has a raised profile. Although not FSMA-required, it is FSMA-recommended as a verification method for the preventive controls called for in the legislation.
In this blog, we will review the purpose of environmental monitoring, its place in the context of new legislation and the weight it bears in ensuring a comprehensive food safety system.
What is Environmental Monitoring (EM)?
The purpose of an EM program is to establish written monitoring procedures to evaluate the effectiveness of a plant's sanitation program and to establish corrective actions that will be implemented when environmental pathogens or indicator organisms are detected.
To accomplish this, manufacturers typically test microbiological samples of food contact surfaces for an indicator organism or nearby non-food contact surfaces/areas for the presence of a pathogen or indicator organism. Analysis can be conducted in-house or by an outside accredited laboratory.
Pathogens of concern vary depending on the processing environment and type of products manufactured in the plant. For example, the pathogen of concern in a dry plant (e.g., a plant that manufactures extruded dry dog or cat food) is Salmonella spp., whereas manufacturers would be on the lookout for Listeria monocytogenes in a wet/damp and cold environment (e.g., a plant that manufactures raw dog or cat food).
In addition, manufacturers often test for certain bacteria that may indicate product contamination. Enterobacteriaceae is a family of bacteria used by food processors as indicator organisms to assess the effectiveness of sanitation or processing.
Some safety-focused pet food manufacturers have incorporated environmental monitoring into their legacy food safety programs. But why is it that EM has earned newfound consideration among pet food manufacturers?
In summation, although EM is not explicitly required by FSMA, it is one of several activities qualified to verify that preventive controls are consistently implemented and effective. But its benefits don't stop there.
In the past, manufacturers who elected to conduct environmental monitoring ran the risk of inviting additional regulatory involvement in response to at-risk findings. However, in light of ramped-up regulatory oversight prompted by FSMA, today, EM should instead be viewed as a valuable preventive measure in mitigating contamination risk. In addition to validating the effectiveness of a food safety program – a required FSMA activity – EM can be leveraged to discover hotspots, identify trends and quickly indicate the sanitation of the lines. It opens manufacturers' eyes to early warning signs and allows them to address concerns through proactive corrective action – rather than post processing through product destruction, reprocessing or recall.
The scrutiny and accountability faced by pet food brands will only increase as FSMA's final deadlines are reached in the coming months. Pet food manufacturers are already being called upon to revisit their safety programs and make additional investments in preventive controls. Now is the time for manufacturers and pet food brands alike to reconsider if going without an environmental monitoring program is really worth the risk.


text:
Peru president survives impeachment vote amid virus turmoil
Martín Vizcarra easily survives an impeachment vote after opposition lawmakers failed to amass enough support to oust the Peruvian leader struggling with one of the world's worst coronavirus outbreaks.
Peru's President Martín Vizcarra attends the start of a house-to-house coronavirus testing drive and food distribution in Villa el Salvador, on the outskirts of Lima, Peru, Tuesday, September 15, 2020. | AP/Rodrigo Abd
Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra has easily survived an impeachment vote after opposition lawmakers failed to amass enough support to oust the leader as the country copes with one of the world's worst coronavirus outbreaks.
The decision came after long hours of debate in which legislators blasted Vizcarra but also questioned whether a rushed impeachment process would only create more turmoil in the middle of a health and economic crisis.
"It's not the moment to proceed with an impeachment which would add even more problems to the tragedy we are living," lawmaker Francisco Sagasti said.
In the end, only 32 lawmakers voted to remove the president, while 78 voted against and 15 abstained. A two-thirds majority was needed to oust Vizcarra.
The political feud was sparked by the release of several covertly recorded audios that Vizcarra's detractors contend show he tried to obstruct an influence-peddling probe. And despite the failed vote, that conflict was likely to continue, afflicting the president's ability to carry forward his anti-corruption agenda could be indefinitely stymied.
"In the overall scheme of things, Vizcarra has won this round, but winning is a very relative term," said Jo-Marie Burt, a senior fellow with the Washington Office on Latin America.
The political turmoil rocking Peru has briefly distracted attention from the pandemic, which has left hundreds of thousands sick in the South American nation with the highest per capita Covid-19 mortality rate around the globe.
At the centre of the ordeal is Vizcarra's relationship with a little-known musician known as Richard Swing and nearly US$50,000 in questionable contracts that the entertainer was given by the Culture Ministry for activities like motivational speaking.
A covert audio recording shared by Edgar Alarcón — a lawmaker himself charged with embezzlement — appears to show Vizcarra coordinating a defence strategy with two aides, trying to get their stories straight on how many times the musician had visited him.
In remarks before Congress on Friday, Vizcarra asked for forgiveness for the upheaval that the audios have generated but insisted he committed no crime. He called for a proper investigation and urged lawmakers not to aggravate Peru's already precarious situation by rushing through an impeachment proceeding.
"Let's not generate a new crisis, unnecessarily, that would primarily affect the most vulnerable," he said
During a long day of debate, many lawmakers expressed frustration with Vizcarra, denouncing his apology as a weak attempt to make amends and demanding a thorough investigation. But numerous legislators also said they couldn't support an impeachment that itself was rushed and full of flaws, held before an official probe reaches any conclusions.
"This doesn't mean we're handing over a blank cheque," one lawmaker warned.
Vizcarra became president in 2018 after Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigned the presidency under pressure by Congress after the discovery of about US$782,000 in undisclosed payments to his private consulting firm by Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, which is at the centre of a regionwide corruption scandal.
Odebrecht has admitted to paying some US$800 million in bribes to officials across Latin America, and nearly every living former Peruvian president has been implicated in the scandal.
Vizcarra, at the time a vice-president serving as Peru's ambassador to Canada, is an engineer by training and was considered an unknown political novice. But he has managed to become a highly popular president, recently getting a 57 percent approval rating in a poll despite Peru's severe economic fallout from the Covid-19 crisis and the high infection rate.
Many Peruvians see him as a frank-talking leader who has taken on corruption, dismissing Congress last year in a brash move cheered by citizens as a victory against a dishonest class of politicians and pushing through initiatives to reform how judges are chosen and bar politicians charged with crimes from running for office.
Argentine beach club manager shot dead by gunmen at Mexican Caribbean tourist resort
"He's the only president who — without a lot of power — has faced off against those shameless people," said Pedro Quispe, a retired teacher out selling face masks on a recent day.
Steve Levitsky, a Harvard University political scientist, said Vizcarra has made "some modest steps forward" when it comes to corruption.
"He hasn't been able to carry out all the political reform that he and his allies hope to," Levitsky said. "But corruption in middle-income countries is never eliminated in a single presidency."
Argentina drops 18 places in NGO's 2021 global corruption ranking
Vizcarra tried to halt the impeachment by filing a lawsuit with the Constitutional Tribunal, but magistrates ruled Thursday that the process could proceed, under the belief that lawmakers would not actually be able to oust him.
While analysts criticised the rushed procedure in which the impeachment proceeding was initiated within hours of the audio's release, many agreed the president owed Peruvians an explanation.
JPMorgan plans to hire 500 as it takes top spot in Latin America
Vizcarra didn't delve into details in his statement Friday, though he did point to inconsistencies in statements by a former aide who made the audios and said the only proven misconduct is having been illicitly recorded.
To what degree the scandal could taint the seven months he has left in office remains to be seen. The president has no majority in Congress, a pandemic still to deal with and an economic contraction that has thrown millions into poverty.
His presidency, it appears, will be book-ended by crises.
OECD opens accession talks with Argentina, Brazil and Peru
"He is very isolated, very alone," Burt said. "I really don't think anyone is winning in this situation."
by CHRISTINE ARMARIO & FRANKLIN BRICEÑO, Associated Press
personalities:
Jorge Rial hizo una publicación picante después del debut de Flor de la V en "Intrusos"
Así es el interior del nuevo Jeep Renegade 2022
Key EU states fear Mercosur pact may hurt Amazon
Latin America's cities bustle like Covid is gone – but it's not
Claver-Carone promises to unify region after winning IDB vote
Evo Morales' candidate rides high in polls ahead of Bolivia vote
Experts cite 'crimes against humanity' in Maduro's Venezuela


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Ontario law passes to let asthmatic kids carry inhalers in school | CBC News Loaded
Ontario law passes to let asthmatic kids carry inhalers in school
Ontario has made it illegal for schools to keep inhalers away from kids suffering from asthma with legislation crafted following the death of a 12-year-old boy.
Ryan Gibbons died of an asthma attack at school in 2012
The Canadian Press · Posted: Apr 30, 2015 11:34 AM EDT | Last Updated: May 1, 2015
Ryan Gibbons died in October 2012, following an asthma attack he suffered during recess. He was 12 years old. (CBC)
Ryan's Law is named for Ryan Gibbons, who died Oct. 9, 2012, after suffering an asthma attack during recess. His school in Straffordville, southeast of London, did not allow him to keep his puffer with him, despite repeated efforts by his mother and a doctor's note.
"You would give him an inhaler but then he would get caught with the inhaler and then it would be taken away," Sandra Gibbons said Thursday. "Then I'd get a phone call. So it was actually very frustrating. I didn't understand why. I didn't realize that the policy actually stated that the prescribed medication needed to be in the office."
Ontario mom urges schools to let asthmatic kids carry puffers
Asthma peaks at back-to-school time
Asthma likely to be a lifetime condition
Gibbons said her son was an energetic boy who loved motorbikes and hiking with her in the woods.
"There's so much I can say about him and it's just really hard because it's just — you miss him," she said through tears.
It seems like a matter of common sense that kids would have access to their life-saving medication, said Progressive Conservative MPP Jeff Yurek, who introduced the private member's bill passed unanimously Thursday.
Patchwork policies
School boards across the province had a patchwork of policies on inhalers and though some provinces have policies similar to Ryan's Law, the Asthma Society of Canada's president and CEO said he believes Ontario will be the first to enact a law.
"There are still school boards all across this country and schools within those boards that don't allow children to carry their puffers," said Rob Oliphant.
"It's usually part of a blanket understanding of medications, so they say medications are unsafe, they have that idea in their head, so they lock them up in the principal's office."
An asthma sufferer himself, Oliphant said it's stressful to not have his inhaler nearby.
"It is exactly the same with children," he said.
"Children need to have the confidence that their medication is near them, that if they have an exacerbation, if they're out running in a playground they have something with them. Not only do their triggers actually affect their lungs...but the stress of not having a puffer available can actually exacerbate it and make it a worse feeling."
1 in 5 Ontario kids have asthma
Once the bill receives royal assent every school in Ontario will be required to allow a student to carry asthma medication with the permission of their parent or guardian and doctor.
It will also require schools to develop ways to reduce exposure to asthma triggers and that every principal develop an individual plan for each student who has asthma with the child's doctor.
George Habib, president and CEO of the Ontario Lung Association, said about 570,000 children and teens in the province have asthma — about one in five.
"It's because asthma is so common, we can easily forget it's a very dangerous disease and it can be fatal," he said.
'Ryan's Law' would allow Ontario students to carry puffers


to help with this problem Sam's House is looking to start a VIP garden.
This garden will be grown from seeds recently purchased from top NON GMO seed companies.
Biodiesel fuel plus lots more including many medicinal food , fruits & herbs.


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Monte Bintuod es una montaña en la Sierra Madre, en la provincia de Nueva Vizcaya, en el país asiático de las Filipinas. Es probablemente el pico más alto de la cordillera más larga de Filipinas, con una primera medición basada en el GPS de 1.935 metros sobre el nivel del mar, de una expedición en abril de 2012. No hay registros sobre cuando se realizó la primera ascensión, pero la gente de tribus locales han establecido rutas para acceder al lugar.

Véase también
Geografía de Filipinas
Geografía de Asia

Referencias

Montañas de Filipinas

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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If there is one date we put in our diaries each year it has to be for the annual Apple Festival weekend at Clumber Park. Since 1990 various Apple Day events have been celebrated up and down the country and the Clumber Park event has now become one of the most famous.
It all takes place in one of my favourite and most visited parts of Clumber Park – the Walled Kitchen Garden. Before we set off on our apple trail I had a quick scout around of the garden to see what was left growing at this time of year. Adding a spot of colour was some purple broccoli.
The leeks are looking are good and I can think of so many recipes to use them in.
Getting ready for those Christmas dinner plates were the Brussels Sprouts. If you ever wondered what becomes of those long stalks they grow on my nan used to have a walking stick made from one of them. Our favourite way to eat Brussels Sprouts is to fry them with sweet chestnuts which we gathered on this weekend from the surrounding parkland.
The first apple activity we had a go at was eating an apple straight off the tree. It didn't take any persuading for the Junior JibberJabbers to scamper up the ladder to pick their apples. Another one to tick off on their 50 things to do before you're 11¾ list.
After that it was time for the competitive streak to kick in with the Bowl-a-rama. Do you go for broke and aim for the 10 or play it safe and stick to the 5s and 6s? Master JibberJabber's throws weren't as long as he hoped and so decided to trot up to the holes and throw the apples directly in!
If such precision wasn't your forte then there was also a chance to shine at the apple peeling. It took patience and concentration to use the mechanical peeler. How long a continuous apple peel could you have managed?
The nifty peeler also cored and cut the apples into one long slice!
In this kitchen garden there is no place for modern electric appliances. All the juicing was done using an old-fashioned press and brute force.
After some liquid refreshment it was time for some more apple tasting. In the Walled Kitchen Garden at Clumber Park they specialise in apples from Nottinghamshire and the neighbouring counties of Derbyshire and Yorkshire.
I'm always amazed at the number of different apple varieties there are. Each of the apple samples had a short history and tasting notes next to it. Do you prefer sweet or sharp apples?
Once we had done with all this eating and drinking it was time to see where the apples had come from in the kitchen garden. There are some fairly young trees. At Clumber they are always keen on preserving heritage varieties and reintroducing fruits and vegetables which are no longer available elsewhere.
In the old orchard there are the more established trees. There are local apples such as Bess Pool which was discovered in Nottinghamshire. It dates from the 1700s and was named after the daughter of a nearby innkeeper. In total Clumber has over 70 varieties of apples and has received National Plant Collection status. It is just one of five collections in the country that are conserving culinary apples.
Before we left I couldn't resist a look at the dahlias and it seems the bees couldn't help themselves as well. I just hope they will be back in the spring as without the bees there won't be so many apples.
Joining in with the gardening love with Annie at Manneskjur and How Does Your Garden Grow?
What a fab day! Love the final pic and hear, hear to the comment.
Love Apple Day events and this one looks extra special. I'm on the lookout for a local orchard to take my son to throughout the year - our local fruit farm closed when the owners retired. I'm going to buy some apple trees for my allotment plot too.
And now I fancy a nice hot cider!
Looks like a fun day and I'm mega impressed with the one giant slice of apple, don't think mine would have been anywhere near that long :) Bet the apple juice tasted fantastic! I need to keep my eyes peeled for an apple festival around here.
What a fab thing to do. Lovely to visit NT sites anyway, and then this looks fun!
This looks like a fab day out! I love apples so I wish there was something like this near me!
As one of the gardening team at the Walled Kitchen Garden at Clumber Park, it's fantastic to receive such positive feedback, and to know that all our passion and hard work is recognised. Thank you!
I love an apple day. We went to one last year and I'll be taking my girls to one next week. Lovely pictures!
this looks like such a happy fun event! and delicious!
This sounds like a great day out, especially the apple pressing and tasting.
this post just made me very hungry for apple anything. great pics!
Oh boy I love the look of this! Only don't let me try and peel an apple post-cider drinking or I'll likely lop off my arm!
Now I am totally hankering apple crumble, if only my kitchen hadn't just be ripped out - I am down to a 2 ring camping stove here for a fortnight - what is to become of me!?
Thanks for joining in again - and apologies to be so mate visiting, we got home on Friday only to have Kitty come down with a temperature and bad cough, likely only cold but she's got me signed up to cuddle duties which might not sound taxing but is a 'very important job', so she tells me !
An apple festival?! Wow, that looks amazing especially the curly wurly apple. Brilliant!
They do one of these locally and I really want to try it but we always seem to be away!
I would love to visit an apple festival. I love apples and tasting all the different types must be a great experience.


Lindsay Beyerstein defends Y Tu Mama Tambien from a detractor who implicates the movie's female lead Luisa as a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. What is a MPDG?
Onion AV writer Nathan Rabin coined the term to describe Kristen Dunst's character in a scathing review of Elizabethtown: The Manic Pixie Dream Girl exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is an all-or-nothing-proposition. Audiences either want to marry her instantly (despite The Manic Pixie Dream Girl being, you know, a fictional character) or they want to commit grievous bodily harm against them and their immediate family.
Natalie Portman is usually trotted out as Exhibit A in MPDG litigation.
I liked Y Tu Mama Tambien and endorse Beyerstein's defense against said charges. But I also enjoyed adding MPDG to my vocabulary.
A touching Roger Ebert story. No, not that one, though that is a great one that's gotten a lot of coverage recently, and deservedly so. In losing his voice, he found a new one in his online journal (his output has expanded into Twitter as well). I have my own Roger Ebert stories from having chatted with him a few times at Sundance, but I'll share those another day.
I DVR'd Ebert on Oprah today, but I'm not sure tonight is the night to watch. I must brace myself for the emotional impact.
It's a funny read, honest and not ironic. It evokes my sympathy when I read about her "frequent bouts of self-doubt and the occasional humiliation of being a celebrity past her prime" and I don't often feel sympathy for supermodels, the title granted her in her byline.
I link to it mostly because it reminded me that we live in an odd age when celebrities are writing at us in an unmediated fashion more than I can ever remember. Celebrity Twitter accounts, blogs, websites, and iPhone apps. I'm not sure what I should feel when a celebrity tweets from their high life: what other celebrity they just ran into, what it's like on the red carpet or on the movie set or the exclusive party they're at. It seems like vanity, or perhaps insecurity, or maybe they have nothing else to write about because their lives are really one long string of parties punctuated by an occasional gig that resembles work. I'm not sure how I feel about this other than it should be the subject of a Chuck Klosterman essay.
Shawn Blanc makes his plea for a good iPhone feed reader. I made a similar wish earlier this month.
I use three newsreaders on my iPhone today: Byline, Reeder, and NetNewsWire. Use might not be the right word. I bounce between them depending on my mood, but none of the three thrill or delight me yet.
I differ from Shawn a bit in my primary complaints about the three. Byline is the fastest of the three and allows offline reading which I love, but a few things about its UI irk me. One is that after loading its initial set of items, you have to click a link at the bottom to load more stories from your feed. But that link is placed right below a Mark All As Read link which I hit by mistake all the time. The second is the inability to select stories from an individual feed. Sometimes I don't want my full newsfeed, I just want the latest from one feed. I'd also love the option to save state the way Tweetie does so i can start browsing forward from the last article I was shown in my previous Byline session.
Reeder allows me to select individual feeds, but it doesn't save state. The worst problem is that it chokes on syncing all the stories from all my feeds. I spend a lot of time waiting for Reeder to register my screen gestures as it syncs; those long delays drive me crazy. I can't tell if my iPhone has frozen or if Reeder is just constipated (I have syncing turned on at startup so every time I launch the app I'm waiting around for something to happen). I've had to all but turn Reeder syncing off to use the app which is too bad because it has a lot of other features I appreciate.
As for NetNewsWire, on the iPhone it is essentially unusable for anyone with any healthy number of feeds. It feels as if my phone has just frozen.
My hope is that someone solves this on the iPad because that has the potential be a fantastic newsreader device, especially as the Kindle is not great in that area. An iPad with a great Google Reader app and access to browsing all the usual news websites through mobile Safari and a great ebook reader would be something I spend a lot of time with on the toilet. Did I say toilet? I meant "around the house."
Is this the same old woman who looks like a little girl from Orphan?


Deut. 29: 29- "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."
If this verse becomes a reality in our lives, then we can say that we live in that perfect peace and contentment the Lord has always desired for us. When we are content to know no more than what the Triune God has revealed to us, and not seek to know what He has wisely hidden from us, then happy are we indeed. Eve sinned because she allowed Satan to convince her that God was holding out on both Adam and herself. Satan told her that God was keeping both of them from reaching their true potential, that of becoming like God. Eve had in creation all evidence she needed to know of the true goodness of God and that God wanted the very best for Adam and herself. Yet she allowed herself to be convinced that God was being stingy, and so the trajectory of her life and all her seed took a tragic turn. Our suspicions of God have not changed. Every day God gives us evidence of His love for us, but we convince ourselves that He is stingy, that He gives us rules to hem us in, to prevent us from enjoying all that life has to offer. So we fall into all kinds of sin thinking we will find what God has been hiding from us. But if we could just see all the evidence of God's love for us, we could learn to trust Him implicitly. We could trust Him to keep us from knowledge and experiences that can only bring us sorrow, harm and death. And we could remain happy that all the things that pertain to life and happiness God has not hidden from us, but has revealed them to us. The evidence of this is available to us; the evidence is tangible and can be passed down through the generations. And with what has been revealed to us, we have been given the keys to understand how we are to obey God. We have a tangible heritage from God that can be carefully preserved throughout all the many days man has on this earth.


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Center Field: Pro-settlements, pro-peace and pro-Arabs in gov't
Who loves peace more? Someone who throws back the land saying, "here, take it, we stole it from you anyway" or someone who says, "yes, this land is ours."
By GIL TROY
Construction near Efrat in the West Bank
We know the script we're supposed to follow in this age of polarized politics: choose all or nothing, Right or Left. The first packaged deal: Applaud US President Donald Trump, cheer Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recognition of Israel's settlements as legal,
denounce any compromise with Palestinians and mock those who suggest Blue and White form a government with Arabs. We're going to hear Trump-worshipers saying, "you see, I told you he's a great president – he's Israel's best friend ever."
Or the second packaged deal: Denounce Trump, mock Pompeo's statement, mourn this new assault against peace and plead for Arab participation in the next Israeli government. We're also going to hear Trump-bashers saying, "you see, I told you he's the worst president – and he's anti-peace too."
Instead, I'm putting my feelings about Trump aside, and declaring: Yes the settlements are legal, yet I still seek a compromise with Palestinians and hope Benny Gantz and Blue and White welcome some of the Joint List into a post-Netanyahu, incitement-ending, stalemate-breaking government.
Here's my logic. First, the Trump question is irrelevant. No president is all right or all wrong on every policy question. I can condemn many Trump actions while thanking him for this one. Whether Trump quid-pro-quoed with Ukraine in 2019 has nothing to do with the Jewish people's 3,500-year-old ties to their homeland. Distinguish the policy from the policy-maker.
So, too, distinguish Jewish rights to establish settlements from the rightness of Israel's settlement policy. This week, Jews read "Chayei Sarah," the Torah portion beginning with Genesis 23. Last year, I addressed a mostly anti-Bibi, pro-two-state audience about this Torah portion, which describes Abraham buying Sarah's burial plot, the Cave of Machpelah, the Tomb of the Patriarchs, in Hebron.
It was at an elegant Friday night dinner with white linens. I asked, "Which napkin do I love more?" Sneering "who needs this, I stole it from you. Here," I threw a napkin at the closest diner. Stroking a second napkin, I purred: "I love this napkin – it came from my parents and my parents' parents and my parents' parents' parents. But here, let's share."
Then I asked: Who loves peace more? Someone who throws back the land saying, "here, take it, we stole it from you anyway" or someone who says, "yes, this land is ours, we have ancient bonds, we never relinquished our claim, and we won it fairly in a justified war of self-defense in 1967. Nevertheless, I'll share some of that land with our neighbors if they'll treat me peacefully – because my love of peace trumps my love of this land, although I'll never relinquish my rights or my historic love for that land"?
So, yes, I love the land enough to assert our historic and legal rights there. I thank Trump and Pompeo for affirming the obvious.
And yes, I wish a less toxic president had told this truth – but that doesn't change the truth.
Finally, to preempt counter-arguments – the dithering of various Israeli governments over whether the land was liberated or occupied is as irrelevant as UN resolutions and past State Department announcements – all of which were more political than legal (as is Pompeo's statement).
NEVERTHELESS, as a believer in liberal democracy, I still count heads – because people count more than land. History has happened since biblical times. When I count so many Palestinians living in this land, I consider our options. We could share power with them – but that violates common sense; it never works in the Arab world. We could impose a Jewish state on them without giving them any rights – but that violates my Jewish and democratic values. Or we could seek some compromise, trying to create two viable democratic entities – even if they are not contiguous – in this small space; maximizing both peoples' national aspirations and safety, while minimizing the disruption to as many people as possible.
Although my historical accounting starts 3,500 years ago, my demographic and democratic accounting emphasizes 2019. Using today's status quo as a baseline, let's compromise based on what is and what can be rather than what was, because everyone picks their favorite historical moment that justifies their maximum demands. Instead, learn the real historical lesson: populations moved, borders shifted, and nothing is unchangeable.
My craving for compromise explains why I want Arabs in the next government. If we can improve relations with the overwhelmingly pragmatic Israeli-Arabs, maybe that can start a process that ends in real peace. The despicable Arab-bashing that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unleashed should be repudiated, with a big loss.
What better message could democratic Israel send than tapping into Israeli Arabs' democratic power to reject Bibi's undemocratic demagoguery? Anyone who objects to having non-Zionists in government should remember how ultra-Orthodox anti-Zionists were happily welcomed for decades.
Unfortunately, Israeli-Arab Knesset members are often far more radical than their voters.
To be safe, Gantz should write into the coalition agreement behavioral guidelines demanding common courtesy and basic patriotism from every governing partner. That should include avoiding certain words and accusations. Anyone who bashes Arabs should be out – take that, Avigdor Liberman. Anyone who lies and calls Israel an apartheid or racist state should be out – take that, Ahmad Tibi.
But everyone who is ready to work together, think together and help Israelis heal together should be welcome – and ready to welcome a new Middle East, one shorn of lies about our history, but filled with hope for a peaceful future that everyone who lives in this small historic space deserves.
Recently designated one of Algemeiner's J-100 – one of the top 100 people "positively influencing Jewish life" – the writer is the author of the newly-released The Zionist Ideas, an update and expansion of Arthur Hertzberg's classic anthology The Zionist Idea, published by the Jewish Publication Society. A Distinguished Scholar of North American History at McGill University, he is the author of ten books on American History, including The Age of Clinton: America in the 1990s.
Tags West Bank Arab Israeli


I'm sure every train aficionado will relate.
In Australia, trains made an advent only in the mid-19th century. Today the country boasts some of the world's greatest journeys on wheels that are filled with luxury, heritage, scenic splendour, romanticism and even adventure.
The Ghan A national treasure, The Ghan has enthralled travellers since its inaugural journey in 1929. It continues to be a top choice for savvy travellers seeking authentic Australian adventure with all the comforts and luxury that come with travelling by rail. Covering a distance of nearly 3000 km, the trans-continental journey between Darwin and Adelaide in either direction weaves through the spectacular outback following the footsteps of pioneering Afghan cameleers. Guests travel in style with the choice of Platinum or Gold Class, both of which offer an all-inclusive package comprising of on-train accommodation in well decorated individual cabins with ensuite, premium lounge facilities, all meals and beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and immersive off-train excursions to showcase the very best the heart of the continent has to offer. This includes exploring the scenic Katherine Gorge, city of Alice Springs, opal mining settlement of Coober Pedy, and outback towns of Marla and Manguri, depending on direction of travel.
Indian Pacific Another Aussie icon, the Indian Pacific connects Sydney and Perth via Adelaide, each way covering a distance of 4352 km in 65 hours. Offering similar classes of all-inclusive travel packages like The Ghan, Indian Pacific guests explore the vast beauty of the spectacular coast-to-coast landscape between the Indian and Pacific Oceans in most impressive way. Off-train excursions include outback experiences at Rawlina and Cook, and exploration of cities like Kalgoorlie, Adelaide and Broken Hill, the birthplace of Australia's industry giant BHP which started its journey there as Broken Hill Proprietary Company. A memorable experience of the voyage is crossing the famous Nullarbor Plain, the name Nullarbor being Latin for 'no trees'. The 478-km stretch through a dry, desert-like, tree-less, rocky terrain features the world's longest length of straight railway track.
The Overland This bi-weekly 800-km journey in each direction provides a scenic way to travel between Melbourne and Adelaide, passing through picturesque Aussie townships of Murray Bridge, Bordertown, Nhill, Dimboola, Horsham, Stawell, Ararat and Geelong in 10.5 hours. As the journey is during the day, only seating options are available: the Red Premium category includes all meals and non-alcoholic beverages.
Spirit of Queensland Travelling 1681 km between Brisbane and Cairns in 24 hours, five times a week, the Spirit of Queensland, a pride of Queensland Rail, redefines the modern train travel experience with a comfortable and convenient way to access spectacular Aussie holiday destinations in sunny Queensland like the Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsundays, Townsville and Cairns and everywhere in between. All passengers enjoy the nostalgia of long-distance rail travel while unwinding in leather Premium Economy seats or indulging in the ample space of innovative RailBed – a conveniently spacious seat by day, lie-flat bed by night. RailBed guests can enjoy all-inclusive meals prepared using seasonal Queensland produce and served directly at the seats.
Puffing Billy Australia's premier preserved steam train, Puffing Billy takes holiday makers through the magnificent Dandenong Ranges, located only one hour east of Melbourne, the same way it did its original mountain track from Belgrave to Gembrook. Many visitors from around the world enjoy travelling aboard Puffing Billy as a stand-alone experience or sometimes as part of a Melbourne day tour to relax and breathe in the fresh air whilst the train makes its way through the temperate rainforest brushing past lush fern gullies and Mountain Ash trees.
West Coast Wilderness Railway Claimed as the world's steepest steam railway, this railway started its journey in 1896 as a lifeblood of a copper mine in remote Queenstown in Tasmania. Its construction in a rugged terrain was conquered by using an inventive rack and pinion track technique that's still in use. Unfortunately after 67 years of successful freight runs between the mine and foreshore at Strahan, located around 40 km away, miners abandoned its operation. The whistle toot was heard again in 2014, when the journey was resumed on the same route as West Coast Wilderness Railway, a touristy venture, to bring alive history and to offer guests a deep immersion into a unique cool-temperate nature, only accessible by this extraordinary rail odyssey.


Comparison/Contrast. Essay. School Curriculum Specialists, LLC. 1. In a comparison/contrast essay you are explaining the differences between two or more things, as well as explaining, or at least alluding to, what the two things have in common. The Literary. Essay. Literary Devices. Word Choice. Point of View. Theme.
COMPARE/CONTRAST. ESSAY. ❖Writing a compare and contrast essay involves finding similarities and differences in 2 subjects. Your subjects are. HUNGER GAMES and DIVERGENT (WHICHEVER IS. YOUR SELF-SELECTED DYSTOPIAN NOVEL).
AP Language and Composition, Keevy.
Struggling to create a winning conclusion for your compare and contrast paper? Then, read our article explaining the best writing strategies.