YouTube – DamienCrippsBand: Challenge Stadium

YouTube – DamienCrippsBand: Challenge Stadium.

Thanks to Lisa Marie & Candice 🙂 XOXOXO

VARAS – Volunteers for Amelioration of Rural Areas – Ghana, Africa

VARAS – Volunteers for Amelioration of Rural Areas – Ghana, Africa.

Currently, funding is required for the…

Building Of Schools In Deprived Rural Communities In Ghana

Education holds the key to sustainable development, preventing of diseases, wars, reduction of poverty in any area.

But in Ghana, especially the rural areas, children of school going age don’t attend school. This is not their wish, but because of lack of support (poverty). Also rural areas lack basic educational infrastructures such as classrooms ,exercise books, library, pens, pencils, IT centers, chalk board.

More harmfully, the absence of classroom blocks constrain children to study under trees, putting them hence at the mercy of the weather. Classes close therefore any time it rains. The future of the children in the rural communities will be jeopardized if nothing is done to provide them with quality education.

Hence, to provide a conducive environment for teaching and learning and make it effective and efficient, our organization: Volunteers for Amelioration of Rural Area (VARAS) has initiated school building projects in these deprived communities. Classroom blocks will be build to provide a decent place for effective teaching and learning.

You are therefore called upon to donate towards the realization of the projects.

AMOUNT NEEDED: $15,000 US Dollars

Percentage of funds raised to date = 15%

This is the break down of amount needed:

Cement, Soil, Iron Rod, Nails : $8,000 Dollars

Roofing Sheet : $4,300 Dollars

Wood, Paint : $2,700 Dollars

WHERE IS THE PROJECT LOCATED?

The name of the community is Adaklu Anyigbe. It is located in Volta Region of Ghana (West Africa).

Please lets show some love to these kids of the rural communities by making available a decent place for learning. Donate towards the realization of the construction of the classroom blocks project.

You can also send the needed building materials (Iron rod, paints, nails) as well as getting involved physically by coming to Ghana to volunteer on the construction project.

This School construction project will start in December 2009! Please donate and help us make it a success!

PLEASE DONATE TO HELP Volunteers in Ghana, Africa

Lee Red Oak Johnson – Red Path Publications – perhaps some things should be left unsaid

Lee Red Oak Johnson – umm apparently someone’s lost it! Excerpt from a blog post after I received a surprising and really dodgy email from his wife on Wednesday…..

http://redoaksponderings.blogspot.com/

7:59 AM – Interesting morning. Apparently Donnette Davis who has set herself up as a literary agent has been talking behind my back and being rather unprofessional by saying that I am not trustworthy and my authors will not be able to sell internationally or get their books on Lulu.com. Very interesting indeed as I can take orders and post from South Africa, but have chosen to add the books to Lulu.com in order to reduce postage costs from SA for the international buyers – http://stores.lulu.com/rppublications which is specifically for my authors (I still have my own Lulu store for my own works which was started before Red Path Publications came into being – http://stores.lulu.com/the_red_path ). Apart from anything, Lulu is not all that important, it is merely a means to an end. So, Donnette Davis, who seems to have a hoard of time on her hands to play multiple Facebook applications, get your facts straight.

Oh my!!!!! Do I need to actually rebutt this crap? Aside from the fact that he has opened himself – AND HIS CLIENT – up to ridicule, I have had absolutely NO contact with Lee, his wife or the “client” for the last 5-6 months. Smacks of desperation actually! Oh *sigh* I really have better things to do with my time Lee (like watering my Facebook Fairy Garden) you are not so important in my life that I monitor what you do or who you do it to…. here we go then….. in reply to Lee Johnson:

I find this blogpost incredibly unprofessional, factually incorrect and actually beyond pathetic.

Firstly, I am NOT and have NEVER purported to be a literary agent. I have absolutely NO idea where you get that information. I am under contract to a US Publishing House/Literary Agent – something of which you are well aware since we asked you for quotations previously. (Biting the hands that feed you huh?)

Secondly, I have had little or no contact with you, your wife or anyone associated with you for the last 5-6 months or so.

Just to put YOU in the picture before this blows up in your face, one of YOUR associates/clients/whatever you want to call her approached ME many months ago requesting information about YOU. expressing reservations about YOU. This particular person had much to say about YOU and the manner in which you have dealt with her. I recommended that if she were unhappy or uncomfortable that she approach another person who has similar interests. This is a problem for you?

Now I would suggest you retract your derogatory comments and bear in mind that the internet is a small place, and you can ill afford to make statements such as this when I am in such a position to rebutt them with information from YOUR client.

I have no interest in you, your business, your clients or anything to do with you apart from the occasions I have passed work on to you, and particulalry with one of MY clients, we were more than happy with the results you produced.

Rather than behave like spoiled child who cannot take constructive criticism from your OWN client, you should perhaps try to establish why – oh WHY would your client, after having had NO contact with me for the last 4-6 months or however long it is, suddenly start to say things that are, in effect, completely untrue and serve to illustrate that perhaps that is the person with the difficulty.

I can assure you Lee that I have no time in my life for petty scandal, I have no time for your insecurities and ridiculous ramblings. In fact I have not given you or your activities a second thought since our last contact. My business interests and activities are of absoutely no concern to you and you would do well to refrain from making statements that I will, if necessary, rebutt publicly – getting egg on your face, your wife’s face and your “loyal client’s” face. From what your client told me, this is NOT something you want me to do so please don’t put me in the position that I have to do it.

US embassy in South Africa stays shut after ‘credible’ threat

channelnewsasia.com – US embassy in South Africa remains stays shut after ‘credible’ threat.

US embassy in South Africa stays shut after ‘credible’ threat
Posted: 23 September 2009 1644 hrs

	Photos 1 of 1 A policeman and vehicle outside the US Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa.

JOHANNESBURG – US government facilities in South Africa remained closed for a second day Wednesday, after the State Department said it had received a “credible” threat against the embassy.

The US embassy in Pretoria, consulates in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, as well as aid and development offices have been closed since Tuesday due to the threat, which neither the embassy nor South African officials will discuss.

US facilities will stay closed at least until Friday, due to a public holiday on Thursday in South Africa.

In a Washington press briefing, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the closure was a precaution.

“The embassy received information about a possible threat against the embassy, and so as a precaution the State Department decided to close US Government facilities in South Africa,” he said.

“We’ve notified the American community in South Africa to remain vigilant when they’re… in the vicinity of US government facilities,” he said.

“The embassy will reopen as soon as we’ve completed our assessment of the security posture.”

Kelly would not be drawn on what the specific threat was, but said US officials were in close contact with South African authorities on the matter.

The closure highlighted the broader concerns about security in South Africa, ahead of the 2010 football World Cup, less than nine months away.

South Africa’s national police chief said Tuesday the situation was “under control.”

On August 7, 1998, suicide bombers targeted the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in one of the most devastating attacks carried out by Al-Qaeda prior to the September 11, 2001, attacks.

A total of 213 people, including 12 Americans and 34 local embassy staff, died in the Nairobi bombing. Another 11 died in the Tanzania blast.

The blasts sparked an enormous effort to bolster security at US embassies around the world, and particularly across Africa.

– AFP/ir

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Politicsweb – PARTY – Full investigation needed in SABC – DA

Politicsweb – PARTY – Full investigation needed in SABC – DA.

The report of the Auditor-General’s office into allegations of financial irregularities and tender-rigging at the SABC – which was tabled before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Communications this morning – has revealed alarmingly high levels of organisational rot within the public broadcaster’s management and staff complement, which have contributed to the SABC’s current financial crisis.

The report has revealed supply chain mismanagement, and massive fruitless and wasteful expenditure committed by executive committee members and other senior management at the SABC.

Supply chain management irregularities include:

• Deviations from complying with tender procedures in the awarding of contracts worth R24.8-million;
• Further deviation from proper tender procedures in the awarding of a contract for R17-million;
• A material agreement entered into by the former GCEO and former Head of Legal and Business Advisory Service for R326 million without proper authority;
• 8 consultants appointed without following proper procurement policies;
• Bid adjudication team set up for a R7.5million tender without approval of GCEO.

Fruitless, wasteful and irregular expenditure include:

• R111.46 million paid for the acquisition of international programme content -“…double payments, overpayments, material paid for but not received, programme titles acquired more than once from the same supplier during the same license period.” No corrective action taken by the former GCEO, despite his knowledge thereof;
• R11.3 million paid to a private travel company for travel arrangements in contravention of the SABC’s own Travel Policy, which states that arrangements must be made using the corporation’s in-house travel office;
• Excessive use of petrol cards by some employees and top and senior management levels

Moreover, the A-G’s findings have also confirmed the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) contention that the former SABC Board was not solely responsible for the problems at the corporation, and that the blame for the financial crisis at the SABC was laid at the previous Board’s feet solely in order to justify the ANC’s political purge.

The Auditor-General was requested by Parliament’s Communications Committee to conduct this investigation, following the dissolution of the previous Board, in order to diagnose the problems at the SABC, bring those responsible for engaging in criminal and/or unlawful conduct to book, and to help the new SABC Board begin the process of turning around this crucial public asset. The investigation was conducted on the basis of allegations submitted to the Committee by, amongst others, former SABC Board members and labour unions representing ordinary workers at the broadcaster.

The DA is, however, concerned that the time constraints associated with ensuring that the A-G’s report was tabled before the end of this parliamentary term have made it impossible for him to complete the investigation, and as it stands, the report includes a long list of allegations received by his office but not covered in this investigation.

These include allegations of:

• Extravagant and irresponsible wastage of money for conferences, entertainment, catering and gift
  • R1.3million for a financial strategy meeting (waiters, food, chairs, etc)
  • Gift sets to the value of R265 342
  • A conference held in Zanzibar to the value of R79 221
• Payments made to consultants/service providers that provided services outside the business scope of the SABC to the tune of R212 million.
• Duplication payments for the implementation of business software which cost the SABC an amount in excess of R200 million
• Two different companies paid to supply ANC conference t-shirts

Over 10-million paid to consultants without legal contracts being in place

The SABC lost the rights to soccer, boxing and cricket. The Executive Manager is not being held responsible for causing this significant financial loss.

The A-G’s report has identified the symptoms of the problems at the SABC, but the investigation must continue in order to ensure that the broadcaster is also cured of its current malady. One of the crucial requirements for turning around the SABC is to restore staff morale within the corporation, as well as revive public confidence in the broadcaster. This can not be achieved as long as a cloud of suspicion still hangs over the heads of some staff and senior management members, who have been implicated in fraudulent activity and other financial irregularities.

The DA therefore calls on the Interim Board and the incoming SABC Board to institute a full forensic investigation into all the allegations not covered in the Auditor-General’s report, so as to ensure that the public broadcaster is able fully to recover from this dark episode in its recent history.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) commends the Auditor-General, Terence Nombembe, and his team for their swift and thorough investigation, and for reporting back to Parliament and the Interim Board of the SABC within the requested timeframes, so as to enable the Board and the majority shareholder – the Minister of Communications – to take the necessary corrective action to remedy the organisational rot which has set in at the public broadcaster.

Statement issued by Lindiwe Mazibuko MP, Democratic Alliance deputy shadow minister of communications, September 22 2009

2008/09 South African crime statistics release by the Minister of Police

2008/09 crime statistics release by the Minister of Police Nkosinathi Mthethwa | For Africa.

According to reports

The power of a touch…

I got this in the mail today… thought it was so beautiful I have to share it……… thank you Yvonne xx

Just for you .I think you live like this Donnette… xox

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7th, 2009

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” – Leo F. Buscaglia-

ADDITIONAL INFO…

Biography…

Felice Leonardo “Leo” Buscaglia, Ph.D. (31 March 1924 – 11 June 1998) was an author and motivational speaker, and a professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Southern California. He was a graduate of Theodore Roosevelt High School (Los Angeles). After Navy service in World War II, Buscaglia entered the University of Southern California, where he earned three degrees before joining the faculty. Upon retirement, Buscaglia was named Professor at Large, one of only two such designations on campus at that time. More…

Leo Buscaglia and Felice Foundation official site

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16 New Free Webcast Courses from UC-Berkeley

Free Resource It’s a new school year at the University of California-Berkeley, and for audio learning lovers that means a bunch of new courses to listen to. Webcast.berkeley has been podcasting courses for a number of years now and they now feature in their archive 130 unique courses to download. This semester they’re featuring what looks like some of the best courses to date with over 16 new course! Here’s what’s new this semester: Aims and Limits of the Criminal Law Podcast Calculus Podcast Dynamics of Romantic Core Values in East Asian Premodern Literature and Contemporary Film Podcast Europe and the World: Wars, Empires, Nations 1648-1914 Podcast Game Theory in the Social Sciences Podcast Human Happiness Podcast Introduction to Computer Programming for Scientists and Engineers Podcast Introduction to Digital Electronics Podcast Introduction to Environmental Economics and Policy Podcast Introductory Topics in Religious Studies: Faith, Religion and Religious Experience Podcast Molecular Biology: Macromolecular Synthesis and Cellular Function Podcast Nuclear Reactions and Radiation Podcast Philosophy of Society Podcast Psychology of Dreams Podcast Public Health Preparedness & Emergency Response Podcast Theory of Meaning Podcast Note: These new podcasts are in .m4a format and may require iTunes or Quicktime to play. Enjoy these free lecture courses from the great University of California-Berkeley! Check out all UC-Berkeley college courses here: All webcast.berkeley Podcasted Courses To Date If You Like This Title You Might Also Like… Political Theory: The Classic Texts and Their Continuing Relevance This exciting course introduces vital works of political theory from history’s greatest minds. The theorists we will study wanted very badly to reach their readers, to make them think about their world differently. As you learn about luminaries such as Plato, Thucydides, and Hobbes, you may see connections between their times and our own. Professor Kaplan’s goal is to make these works accessible without distorting or oversimplifying them. As you will see, the study of political theory is an enjoyable, gratifying, and challenging subject that will reward the effort you put into thinking about it many times over. Political theory helps us to think about who we are, where we are coming from, and where we are going. At the same time, theory does not tell us what to do, but can help us to act with purpose and vision. It helps us to step back and get perspective on our problems and on who we really are. Here, you’ll investigate how the language of political theory conveys its meaning. This course is not a substitute for reading the texts, but it can help you to overcome some of the obstacles that these texts present. It is not easy to pick up a book by Aristotle or Hobbes and figure it out on your own. We all need some help in understanding the world, and that is the starting point for political theory itself. As you embark on this adventure, you are taking part in a community that comes from specific times and places, but transcends them. These great works can speak to us today, wherever we are. Political theory does this better than many other subjects, in part because the theorist wants us to look around and think about the specifics of the world around us, but also to lift our heads and see farther than we normally do. By the conclusion of this course, you will see a dramatic difference in your ability to understand what you read or watch in the news. Available on MP3 Download. Political Theory: The Classic Texts and Their Continuing Relevance Modern Scholar Audio Courses Featured Provider It’s back-to-school time and a great time to learn about something new with audio courses from Modern Scholar! Download over 100 courses on audio from the Modern Scholar series featuring great university professors teaching college-level courses on a variety of subjects: Browse Over 100 Audio Courses from the Modern Scholar Series You can browse audio courses by subject by clicking the following links featuring philosophy courses, history courses, literature courses, politics courses, business courses, religion courses, science courses & more. To help introduce you to the magnificent Modern Scholar audio courses, we’re offering these ten free course lectures to download from ten of their best audio courses. These recorded lectures are taught by eminent university professors. Here are the 10 lectures you can download right now on MP3: Ten Free Lectures on LearnOutLoud.com Ten More Free Lectures on LearnOutLoud.com Elsewhere on LOL: Back to School Special LearnOutLoud.com’s Back to School Special! LearnOutLoud.com has created a bunch of “101” introductions for a variety of subjects to get you started learning. Go back to school with resources of audiobooks, podcasts, lectures, and free audio & video covering the basics of major educational disciplines. Here are all our subjects: AMERICAN LITERATURE 101 ART HISTORY 101 ASTRONOMY 101 BUSINESS 101 CREATIVE WRITING 101 ECONOMICS 101 ENGLISH LITERATURE 101 FRENCH 101 HISTORY 101 ITALIAN 101 LAW 101 MEDICAL 101 MUSIC APPRECIATION 101 MYTHOLOGY 101 PHILOSOPHY 101 PHYSICS 101 POLITICAL SCIENCE 101 PSYCHOLOGY 101 SOCIOLOGY 101 SPANISH 101 U.S. HISTORY 101 WORLD RELIGIONS 101 Go to LearnOutLoud.com’s Back to School Special Contact Information email: emagazine@learnoutloud.com phone: 1-800-550-6070 web: http://www.learnoutloud.com Visit our blog at: www.BlogOutLoud.com. Follow us on: Twitter. Become our fan on: Facebook. For the latest audiobook news, become a friend of: www.facebook.com/audiobooks.

YouTube – Out and About in Africa with Dzagbe 2009

YouTube – Out & About in Africa with Dzagbe 2009.

Wonderful Memories created in our Beautiful Continent….. World Renowned Author Dzagbe Cudjoe, The “Gem of Ghana”, Member of the International Healing Federation, working with Children throughout the world…