text:
I am street photographer a beggar poet .. I shoot misery cavorting with hope I shoot original content. I am Shia Sufi Hindu all in One
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Tennis Under Coach Surendra Pawar
Played rigorous round of tennis with all the three instructors Rohan PawarDarshan Bendal and Mangesh Dhotre. All three go out of the way to teach me my strokes and technique .
After that I took a few rounds with Mr Sudesh Dubey Shakha Pramukh ShivSena Bandra .
Finally some shopping chores for wife mince .shoulder mutton and a buffalo tongue for my cousin who is our guest she will cook and roast it Lucknowi Style and Avadhi zaika.
My breakfast is bhindi ki bhaji and rotis next I have to rush to my mentor Mr Shyam Shroff s house one of the most dapper dressers and a tremendously beautiful human being ...a lover of photography ...too .
The Day in the Life of the Buffalo Butcher Bandra Bazar Road
Though we hardly ate beef those earlier days before the Beef Ban I have been very close to the Beef Butchers I bought beef for my Alsation Dogs early 80 s and those days the butchers from the Bandra Bazar would drop the same at the company flat where I stayed at 28 th road Bandra .
I used take about 2 kilos a day good beef not leftovers I got a good discount and paid them monthly .
Now I stay close to the Bazar after the Beef Ban I began shooting their pain their struggle interviewed Intezar Bhai and his son convent educated Imran .
Sadly the Beef butchers owners Kureishis like the mutton butchers fought a lone battle as there was hardly any support coming from the others ..the Bakra Kasab jamat were in sync with them gave them moral support but the protest was singularly fought against the government by the Beef butchers .
The buffalo meat of the water buffalo has hardly any takers the main beef eaters of steak etc the Christian s I was told are not as crazy about bufffalo as they were about beef ..the hotel guys too don't much care for buffalo meat and the Dalits now buy cheap chicken that the chicken butchers sell at a hefty discount ...there are several stalls in the evening selling all this here and at JJ colony too..Most of the Beef shops in Bandra closed down ..even in the slums near Slaughter House or Shastri Nagar there are a few shops you can count them on the fingers of your hand ..
I was speaking to a buffalo butcher at Slaughter House he said they were threatened by rogue right wingers and were worried about false cases if they did not give in to the extortionists .
He was planning to move out of this trade and was asking me if there was some job in Bollywood ..he looked like a tired defeated man.
I already told you about the butcher at the Bazar who sells tea..he moves around like a zombie but he has to do something .
So this is in brief the day in the life of a beef butcher ..caught in the grind of life remorse and despair .
Ruins at St Martin's Road
This ramshackled property in the green belt of Bandra has many unforgettable memories .
Late Mr Hendriques lived here was my good friend he had once crazy obsession he wanted to mate a white rat with a squirrel as he would explain to me that both were rodents .
He was a very close friend of Mr Marquis of Marquis pets and Marquis and I were very good friends in the 80 s Marquis made my 6 feet fish tanks a huge cage in iron for my Alstaian dogs but when the tide turned and I left this 3 bedroom company flat at Linking Road Bandra I gave my fishes tanks to a doctor an ex Mayor of Virar the cage and both my Alsations Sasha and Casper to Appa Sab Mr Hitendra Thakur brother of Bhai Thakur years later I met him to inquire about my dogs but he was truthful he had no memory of them he had sent them to his farm .
After several years I again tried to keep Flowrhorns two huge tanks but I was not lucky all of them died I have given away both the tanks decided to take a break from fishes and Kurla East ...now I only take care of Marziyas white and colored Java Sparrows .
I never kept dogs again though I had a few imported Persian cats in the 90 s this too I gave it to friends ..my eldest son was allergic to hair and I let them go .
So when I pass St Martin road I stand outside this crumbling edifice and remember all my talks my curiosity with late Mr Hendriques .
So photography as I see it is not just shooting pictures but a form of holistic catharsis earlier I was a juvenile I called it blogging but now I think.it is simply adding words to an existing form as original content and let it be 're read as a street story .
I shoot I simply shoot I have no method I shoot moments as fleeting memories and it is purely impulsive .
I also shoot what a part of my cosmic brain tells me not to shoot .
Most of my street images are shot on the mobile phone ..as is where is .
I miss shooting on film I miss my favorite Ilford Delta 100 ASA I miss Velvia 50 I miss shooting on expired rolls gifted by Mr Richard Kelep of Kodak I would push them or pull them advised by late Prof BW Jatkar he was the most instrumental of all my Gurus making prints at Bhai Humne Swastik Color lab ..going to Mazda coaxing Mr Onkar Plaha and to Color Art ..slides to Alvares at Mahim .
Mahindra Patil a brilliant genius did my BW processing once a disciple of Mr Jatkar .
Satyndra a Bohri guy called Bawaji and Mr Kishore Jothady were kind enough to encourage and do the BW prints I have a huge lot of my prints negatives slides I have kept them for many years now ..beneath my bed .
A journey that began and now it has ended I thought of buying an old FM10 for my 7 year old granddaughter Marziya to show her the crispiness of film but I gave it up...if she gets hooked wife will throw me out of the house ...
So a single isolated image shot without rhyme or reason can psychologically become a time machine for pent up thoughts buried deep under the sub consciousness .
Do you also feel this way I always thought poetry and madness are the two unique gifts of photography ..
Now I get ready to go kick my ass play some tennis .
Happy Morning from ramshackle mind of memories I mean mine of memories.
Bandra Bazar Road ...A Myth I try to Decode
The garbage dump close to this beggar poets abode ...garbage that disappears and than 're appears faster than auto mode ...when the dumper and the chicken trucks come face to face this notorious infamous Bazar Road gets closed ..adding to our woes ..politicians who took our votes empty promises our friendly foes...our dreams of progress and development in deathly throes ..this garbage dump is a blessing in disguise for goats dogs cats and fucked hungry crows ...on my timeline besides garbage nothing else to show ...now for a meeting to Pali Hill dude I have to go ...
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Evening With Coach Surendra Pawar
I had come to meet Mr Tushar Aphale he stays at Bandra Reclamation and heads the MNS Shakha at Bandra we have been friends for a very long time his erstwhile wife a educationist has played tennis under my Coach.
I came for some work and to inform him about the recent robbery of the tennis nets balls and other stuff from the room near the tennis courts by some unknown people ..ever since the grounds were taken over from the MET by the Municipality there is chaos as the Municipality is clueless about garden park management there are no security guards. Property is destroyed outsiders pass lewd remarks at women walkers open abuse by those who come to play football and cricket .
But the man who suffers the most is Coach Surendra Pawar on holidays ruffians enter the court break the tennis poles play football destroy the tennis ground .
I was there last evening and saw kids playing football in the next court ..Coach told me if you try to talk to them they use threatening gestures and use abusive language .
So for the safety of his instructors and tennis wards he keeps quiet ..he has spoken to Mr Sudesh Dubey Shaka Pramukh Shiv Sena and is waiting for some constructive help.
In the evenings Coach Surendra Pawar teaches kids as old as 2 and there are a few kids very talented who are poor Coach hardly charges them .
For the kids he supplies the racquets too.
For the kids he supplies the racquets too.
So when I asked a grandparent Mr Damji to take my picture with his talented grandson Drash ...but Drash ran away as he could not recognize me with my bald head ..
There are some great kids playing tennis here and joining them on the court were some mothers too.
I am thankful to my tennis coach for giving me a new lease on life ..I was never a sports person all these 60 years never played cricket football never flew a kite no hockey no nothing.
And now I play rigorous tennis with a permanently damaged right hand ..sometimes as I cannot grip the raquet it flies off my right hand .
My granddaughters have their exams or they too came to play tennis and Coach would let them play without taking a dime from me .
Last night I slept without taking my dinner I am suffering from acute diarrhea and waiting for my stool culture report to find out what ails me most probably my new diabetic medications under Dr Shashank
Joshi I think I take them three times a day .
Joshi I think I take them three times a day .
So with a blurred picture I give you the story of my blurred life .I was at Bandra Talao area yesterday had gone for some work but stayed away from the ear cleaners and the pigeons .
Happy Morning from Bandra .
The Tenniwalas of Coach Surendra Pawar
We are blessed to have a brilliant tennis coach and those who have been bitten by the tennis bug can be found here at the tennis courts Bandra Reclamation Municipal Grounds .
The early morning session has the hardcore veterans and seniors young Diyaan Chheda plays with the seniors .
The next batch at 7.45 am includes the incorrigible amateurs like me ..playing this end of the court is fun we get to learn every day as Coach Pawar takes over from the innstructors Darshan Bendal Rohan Pawar andMangesh Dhotre. All three leave no stone unturned to teach us .
I will be completing an year at the tennis court a year of great physical activity my life all these years was couch potato like and sedentary.
I will be completing an year at the tennis court a year of great physical activity my life all these years was couch potato like and sedentary.
There are some great people in my batch Manoj Ailani his friends the Bhatias ...there is young Aryan Bele best player and Arnab Daryani.
Mrs Manisha Narke Amma who brings us the best Kafi..coffee .Dr Tanmay he is an ace hardhitter ..Dr Rajani his wife and two daughters .Rima she is playing very well than there is my good friend Fabian Namory he plays on both sides of the court pro and amateur .
Besides these are the ball pickers doing a great job Praful Maneesh and Michael .
Sanket Kamble helps out on the other court with Razak Khan the most dynamic prolific player along with all rounder Ahmed Khan .
Sanket Kamble helps out on the other court with Razak Khan the most dynamic prolific player along with all rounder Ahmed Khan .
But I should not miss out Vish Sawant the tennis hero of our court who teaches the kids in the evenings with Coach Surendra Pawar .
The two senior who play like young studs are Jeet Chugani and Mr Shekhar .
Deepak Chheda and Naresh Gupta and Tiger Prakash H Gadiya are the others in the early morning group with Varun who make up the excitement level at our tennis court
There is Manishas husband Amit Narke .
Deepak Chheda and Naresh Gupta and Tiger Prakash H Gadiya are the others in the early morning group with Varun who make up the excitement level at our tennis court
There is Manishas husband Amit Narke .
There are many others mind you but this post is more about our Coach our team work and our super mornings .
Incase I missed out any name forgive me .
We certainly miss Rana Jaideep Rastogi the captain of our tennis ship .
There is an actor Anand who plays Sitas father in a Tele serial.
There is an actor Anand who plays Sitas father in a Tele serial.
So if any of you guys girls want to join our team don't hesitate I will connect you with Coach Surendra Pawar till you are learning he gives the racquets too his fees are the lowest but you have to pay for 3 months in advance fair enough .
So see you all on the tennis courts ..
Happy Morning Jai Maharashtra Amchi Tennis Amchi Mumbai.
If you want your kids grandkids to learn tennis there are a few batches in the evenings..
You can also contact his son Sahil Pawar a tennis dude ..cool dude .
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Rajan of Happy Book Stall Bandra Hill Road
I have known Rajan the owner of Happy Book Stall since the time I stayed at Bandra at De Monte Street ..to come to Hill Road I had to come via Chinchpokli Road that is right opposite his bookshop .
Most of us Bandraites book readers lovers spent hours at his shop and he never objected ..I bought my books from him and we have known each other since the 80 s .His shop is over 70 years old he has been handling it for over 40 years ..the picture of his father watches over this iconic shop full of memories .
But Rajan is disappointed the future on books is very bleak even Danai at Khar closed down ...this place is prime property Bandra Hill Road ..I too once had my workplace down this road the rentals here are very high and while I was chatting with him not a single footfall
He is giving discounts on certain genre of books is a very good conversationalist humble polite and it saddened me to hear him speak out his pain .
His son helps him out in the afternoon ...and whenever I pass this way I make it a point to wish him and talk to him .
He was surprised when I took his picture but I assured him people would love to see him and remember their days at his shop ..I told him I would be posting his pictures at Facebook ..
The words came later ...and even if you people have stopped reading books at least inculcate the love of books to your children your grandchildren ..books are expensive but the crispy touch of the pages and the feel of the book besides the content can add a dimension to the personality of your ward .
We are alive with the memories of the books we read ..they really made us what we are today ....the books I read Dickens Balzac Dostoevsky instilled a desire in me shooting pictures on the steets ..I shoot Dickensian characters in Mumbai I search for Mr Micawber and among the crotchety Muslim Beggars I eventually find Mr Uriah Heep ..I meet the East Indian lady unmarried waiting for her Prince Charming and I am reminded of Aunt Peggoty . And the overweight sweeper boy at Bandra bazaar reminds me of the Fat Boy from Pickwick Papers .I shoot storyboards of Balzacs Humaine Comedy on the streets I shoot the Prince I shoot the Idiot ..
This is my tribute to Rajan my dear friend caught in a time wrap at Happy Book Stall Bandra Hill Road .
The Magic of Bandra Bazar Road .
Before I came to Bazar Road I stayed in a company flat first at 28 Road Bandra but I came with my wife to shop in the Bazar ..I had Alsatians those days so I got beef from Intezar Bhai and I spent a fortune on my dogs ..I later gave away my dogs to Appa Sab brother of Mr Bhai Thakur of Virar .
From 29 Road I lived for a short while at Aradhana Linking Road Khar this too was a company flat ..
Thanks we finally bought a house in the fishing village of Danpada I began working for Prachins Of Producer Mr Nitin Manmohan ..but our house was doomed when the riots errupted in 93 we lost everything we were nomads we lived in safe houses at Chand Society Juhu thanks to my boss Nitinji from here to 11 Road Juhu next to Dannyji than to Link Road Vishaka Apts opp Lotus petrol pump ..the kids were all studying in Bandra the overhead s of their transport was high so we took a rented place at Ranwar and from Ranwar to Pali Naka and finally we came to live in our own house at De Monte Street and we became part of Bandra Bazar Road for many years
We again left this place took a house on rent next to Mehboob and came back to Bandra Bazar and reclamation cusp our present house and the Bazar is next door and I document shoot the garbage beggars wall art all in this unique peaceful locality where all communities live in peace and mutual coexistence .
I can go on shooting the Bazar I keep rediscovering it in the next frame that I will shoot and with Jesus at every corner what more could I ask for .. the caterers the fish market buffalo meat Market.
The East Indians .. their lost illusions their surviving ethos their pain I shoot the Bohra s ...all in a set at Flickr called Bandra Bazar Road .
The Church And Me
I started my schooling at Private European School near Usha Sadan and this was part of John The Baptist Methodist Church ..the Church was not as ornate as the Roman Catholic Church I was to get influenced later in life ..
The teachers who taught me were all English but never was there any reference to my being a Muslim in short there was no proselytizing ...here too I took up Bible studies for the few years I was part of this school .
Sunday's our Goan maid would dress us up and take us to St Francis Chapel opposite Miramar close to Hampton Court and my mother never objected to this at all..religion was not a hurdle at our house ....and a Shia house our Arabic teacher was a Sunni from the mosque at Colaba Bazar ..as far as I remember there were hardly any Shias at Wodehouse Road ..for our Shia feasts we had to go to Imamia at Bhendi Bazar .
After I left Private European School and joined Holy Name in 1963 it was my first Roman Catholic influence and it reached deep down into my psyche my friends my teachers were Christians and Paul my friend was an altar boy so was his father brother I got my first taste of wine too thanks to them .
My private thinking moments were spent at Holy Name Cathedral but at Jony Castle where we lived I was being bombarded brainwashed by reading Watch tower and the Bible of the Jheovahs Witness thanks to my childhood friend Keith Kangas grandma she hated all religion be it Hindu Catholics Buddhist or Parsi .
Rivers of milk and honey that is what she put in our heads ..and later while living at Keith's house during my SSC exam my parents were going through a lot of domestic problems mom ear sent to Lucknow with my other siblings Dad and one brother stayed at Mereweather Road on rent I lived with Keith Kanga it was here that I was conned taken to the sea off Badhwar Park to be baptized as a Jheovahs Witness but thanks to Allah it rained heavily and the baptism was kept for another day ...but my father took me away from Keith's house we got back our good days our mom returned and now only a memory remains .
So I was a whisker away from becoming a Christian ...if you can call the Jheovahs Witness Christian s ...as they considered every religion on earth besides their own as heretical.
So the Church has been my fascination I began shooting St Peter Church when I had my workplace at Baba Nagar .I spent most of my time here shooting Christmas Eve Mass New Year eve Mass Good Friday Easter Adoration Baptism Holy Communion births and deaths thanks to Fr Jaun Fr Lawrie I shoot the Loyola feast but the person who really connected me to Jesus and his backyard at Bandra was my dear friend Darryl Luke Loyola.
Without him I could have never shot St Peter Church and I shot St Theresa Church St Andrew Church Mount Mary St Anne Mount Carmel and Sacred Heart Khar .
Than I met Jo of the Cross began shooting Good Friday and 14 stations of the cross for many years .
Both my granddaughter s have been shooting St Peter's since they were 2 year old
St Peters Church has been my home in more ways than one poetically and cosmically .
And the Latin Mass I shoot every year ..here .
The World Of Muslim Beggars ...
I normally never use the tripod or monopd I have both of them Manfrotto that I bought a very long time back..
But on Easter Sunday as I wanted to shoot the Latin Mass I carried the monopod with me to St Peter Church..
I had taken permission from Fr Jaun the night before and I would have shot it from the doorway as I did last year but a kind person attending the mass invited me in so I shot it from the back of the chapel.. it is above the main church..
After I finished shooting the Mass I decided to walk home via the Bandra Bazar with my monopod and thus shot the market scenes ..and I caught this beggar candidly without him being aware that I had shot him..
These beggars are known as Bawas ,,they beg for a living blessing people that give them alms ,,this Muslim beggar hardly talks I have shot him earlier too.. most dont like being shot and can get very abusive but I shoot them somebody has to tell their story.. their trials tribulations .. and nothing can change their fate ... they will most probably die begging on the streets ,,
This beggar is very different from the two senior beggars Jaffar Bhai and Khwajah bhai.. they are humble polite and both have daughters in their hometown.. it might sound strange both save money for their daughters and grandchildren.
The other beggars in my lane are migrants from Malda West Bengal..my lane on Fridays has become an abode of crippled beggars , women beggars with kids and these women I have shot for over 6 years now .. I know their kids ,,,
The old beggars are reticent beg silently.. a lot of beggars come here but disappear soon after .
All these beggar blogs are part of storyboard at Flickr Muslim Beggars of India ,, I shot them for reasons unknown to me ,, and certainly not to make money,,, photography is purely a hobby the only medium that documents life as fine art too .
As I have begged with the Rafaees and my Naga Guru.. eaten left over food I think I know what the beggar psyche goes through and I did trample my ego insanely as I stretched out my hand from door to door along with the band of Naga Sadhus at Nasikh..
I shoot a few communities ,, and beggars is one of them but it is the Muslim beggar I shoot prolifically ,, among the Muslim beggars are also beggars from the lower caste non Muslims who wear hijabs or a skull cap beg and it does not matter necessity is the mother of invention.
The most fascinating specie of Muslim beggars I found at Ajmer during the Urus and at Taragadh ,.. most of the beggars are fund near Sufi Shrines ,,,Mosques and other religious places ,,, I shot Muslim beggars during Pitru Paksha at Banganga ..
But strangely I never shot Muslim beggars at the Kumbh ,.. but yes I did shoot a Muslim boy I shoot him every year at Ajmer he is badly deformed no legs just one tiny hand he was dressed as a Hindu with vermilion on his forehead he was a good actor he pretended he did not know me and I too was dressed as a Hindu with ash on my forehead at Ramkund .. Nasik Kumbh 2015 .
But strangely I never shot Muslim beggars at the Kumbh ,.. but yes I did shoot a Muslim boy I shoot him every year at Ajmer he is badly deformed no legs just one tiny hand he was dressed as a Hindu with vermilion on his forehead he was a good actor he pretended he did not know me and I too was dressed as a Hindu with ash on my forehead at Ramkund .. Nasik Kumbh 2015 .
Monday, March 28, 2016
Marziya Shakir ...Allah Ho Akbar The Muezzins Call
Every morning without fail come what may when my wife finishes her morning prayers she wakes up Marziya ..my wife is the Muezzin of my granddaughter ..
Marziya does not miss the morning namaz it's been a year now .
Nerjis and Zinnia are also learning the namaz from my wife and Marziya
They have their own prayer mats and the chadors from Karbala .
And both Nerjis and Marziya are crazy about street photography .
Tajuddin The Muslim Beggar Bandra Bazar Road .
Tajuddin the physically and mentally challenged beggar is a new entrant to the iconic band of beggars at Bazar Road my backyard .
Earlier when I went to take his shot his handler made a face but Tajuddin signalled to him to let me shoot him and he seemed to enjoy the attention and my presence I gave them money and bought him some snacks for breakfast .
While returning from Tennis I saw them Tajuddin lit up and I told him that Tajuddin Baba of Nagpur is a famous holy entity..
Here I must also thank these beggars that add to my humility and to my street stories and I complete an year at Facebook without deactivating my account ..I normally self exiled myself to de tox and de stress and returned to Facebook after a long hiatus. .I needed to get out of this rusty birds cage and 're learn to fly ..I never blogged at Facebook but I am doing it now all my new stories are posted at Facebook copied pasted from here to Flickr Blogspot and linked to Twitter .
It's easy for me to upload my street pictures from my phone to Facebook earlier my phone pictures were synced to my Flickr timeline ...
I have taken a sabbatical I see the garbage truck my conservancy friends I wave out to them without shooting any videos ..I have to yet upload the pictures and videos I shot on my DSLR of the Easter Sunday Latin Mass By Fr Jaun at St Peter's chapel above the main Church .
Shooting the Church from above has a beautiful vantage ..and perspective .
I paid a guy some money he eats Ekru and his Bhaiyya supplier gets the best stuff from Bhaucha Dhakka so this guy who lives in the transit camp will buy and keep it for me ..he has worked in the Gulf ate Hamooz here known as Ekru .
I have to ask him for the Arabic recipe for making Ekru .
For a long time since last Moharam I had stopped eating fish ..the Shia s don't eat fish for two month eight days of Moharam ..though the Bohra community starts the first day of Moharam with fish .
Fish is considered a festive dish among the Shia s and you will see it on old Lucknow arches doorways too ...
The Nahari my wife made recently for a relative who is staying at our place she is leaving for Karbala ziyrath..was buffalo meat we hardly eat it otherwise but Nahari tastes better ...and because of the beef ban it is tender buffalo meat without any fat ...no bones at all. The Kulches were from Lucknow .
Wife likes to cook and she cooks with a Lucknowi mijaz ..the masalas main ingredients are from Lucknow .
The dish loved by all my three granddaughters is Biryani ..
Mostly chicken biryani my granddaughter s don't eat fish at all.
So imagine a few frames of a Muslim Beggar are catharsis to empty the emotional pot of my restless angst . Shooting storyless pictures devoid of feelings devoid of passion or pathos according to me is certainly not photography the way I was taught by my Gurus..
A picture must make you talk even in silence evoke touch your strings within...
Photography made me a talker ...I talk but it is the picture that adds the colloquial expressions like the mystic art of the ventriloquist.
Happy Morning from Bandra Bazar .
The Life And Times Of A Lonely Doll
rise and fall
of bandras
sad forlorn
lonely doll
once the pride
of the neigbors
daughter .. for
help she calls
thrown out of
the doll house
deathly pall
her painful
silent cries
the weeping
walls ..
helpless once
upon a time those
good days she recalls
hugged by the pretty
child lovely new dresses
for this barbie doll ..
as she reminisces
her sudden downfall
Appu My Friend A Story Without End
Happy Morning From Bandra ,, and a sweet memory called Appu.
I first met Appu about 20 years back those crazy days I stalked Chor Bazar for old cameras , books and other memorabilia,,and I honed my craft as a street photographer shooting reluctant Muslim faces ,, I tried to shoot candid those ealy days of Film slides and BW and I was a Nikon user when I started out , I gave up Nikon completely in 2011 when my ex boss presented me the Canon EOS 7D ,
I was abused by Appus handlers for shooting him at Chor Bazar creating a nuisance and a large crowd close to Bori Mohalla ,, the handler lashed out at me saying we photographers shoot the beggars to sell the pictures to foreign Press ,, I was shocked at her knowledge and my moderation.
Appu saw I was hurt called me over and we became friends I shot Appu for many years as he kept moving away from Chor Bazar to Musafirkhana Crawford Market to Minara Masjid and on Wednesdays at Mahim Church lane .
My granddaughter Marziya met him when she was 2 year old and she has never forgotten him.. she is 8 now and she wants to shoot Appu too so I search for him when I pass his old haunts ,,I once gave him my visiting card too.. and never treated him as a beggar ..every time I met him I gave him Rs 100.. and tried to invite him to my house at Bandra .. but he would smile this migrant from Assam ..
The Tablikis of Mumbai forced a skull cap on him and he began to grow his beard .. begging in their areas was not easy.. their spirituality had to be adhered ,,, and he begged in the rains fully drenched at the Shia cemetery during Shia Shabbarat ,, I shot him there ..
Appu was one of the reasons I began to walk barefeet ,, to feel the earth and to walk with him.. he walks as a stump..no hands no feet .. and if I had money I would have got him a wheelchair those days but he would tell me he lived on the roads and the druggaddicts had stolen his money too,,so he had a handler later his mother uncle or even his sister ,, and the goats of Chor Bazar and the flies troubled him a lot ,, but Appu was always there smiling he lit up the moment he saw me with my camera ,,I really begin my tryst with photography shooting beggars ,, I paid them and they were the best role models ,,
It has been many years now I have not met Appu .. and this is my early morning tribute to his memory ,.
Appu is a set at my Flickr timeline ,,
Fr Jaun My Mentor Who Cosmically Connects Me With Christ
Many years back when I stayed at 21 De Monte Street Bandra I saw Fr Faun in my building he had come to bless the home of my neighbor Trevor Fuis ..
Fr Jaun knew me so I innocently asked him do priests bless only Catholic homes or do they bless other people's home ..Fr Jaun gave me a smile came to my house met my kids wife blessed my house and shared the hospitality of my wife's cup of tea
And from that day Fr Jaun and I have been connected firmly in faith and humanity .
Both my granddaughter s Marziya and Nerjis have been very close to Fr Jaun and every Easter they came to meet him at the Church ...but this year I did not bring Nerjis I was going to shoot the Easter Sunday Latin Mass using my Manfrotto monopod so I would not be able to handle her and good Fr Jaun asked me about them .
I am indebted deeply to the Christians for what I am my schooling my upbringing after my parents was their gift to me they got rid of my rough edges ..they made me understand the real meaning and essence of mutual coexistence and above all tolerance .
I met some great priest s in my childhood Late Fr Leslie Ratus and late Fr Stephan Nazareth both at Holy Name my Alma Mater .
And now 65 years of age it is Fr Jaun who has helped me groomed me into becoming a good human being .
A lady at the Latin Mass today was surprised when she came to know I was a Muslim .
I told her sincerely I was a good Muslim as my school my teachers my priests had helped me .
I did not tell her that in my early school years I opted for Catechism instead of Moral Science .
Thanks all my Christian friends all of you ..Happy Easter to all of you .
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Happy Easter To All My Friends
Friday, March 25, 2016
A Celluloid Dreamland Called Bollywood
if the picture breaks through
on friday at boxoffice jolly good
but before the public go to see
it .. written of by the paid critics
badly misunderstood thereby
spoiling the producers directors
actors mood to mr krk views
all are glued impartial to the
point not crass or crude ,,,
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Shooting The Hijras Of India
These are traffic signal beggar hijras I have shot them for many years now and this hijra lady was new she did not recognize me seeing my camera she hid her face ,, some hijras do not take kindly to being photographed ... but I shoot them nonetheless ..
I have shot over 50 shades of gray of the hijras moods ,,,I penetrated her inner angst.. and in all humility nobody has documented the Androgyne as I have paying tribute to the dichotomy of her androgynous gender ,,,her Ying and Yang .
My documentation of the hijra barring these few blogs has been locked up from public eyes completely including my poetry on the hijras..
God does not deny me the right to shoot the passion pathos and the poetry of the Indian Hijra ,, I dont stalk them but yes they get entrapped by the third eye of Shiva .. in my camera lens ..
Ardh Nari Nraeshwar
half man half woman
all male ..sometimes
tragically on a shelf on sale
her choking cries her wail
in her androgynous body
a trapped female ,,from this
mans body out in the open
a steep wall she tries to scale
she rises she falls she fails
her face devoid of happiness
her body frail.. the hijra on a quest
of a holy grail.. so many paths
leading towards a lost trail..
the hijras sad story the hijras tale
a mask within a mask surrealistic
veil imprisoned forever ever held
captive in a jail.. a rudderless boat
without oars without sails ,,,the hijra '
is only seen as a sexual commodity
to a bleeding cross nailed .. to be
or not to be that she wants to be but
cant be a complete woman..a plan
derailed ,,,access denied a god that
failed ,,,a beta woman or an alpha male
Bollywoods Most Wanted Mr Shakti Kapoor
Sunil Sikanderlal Kapoor (born 4 July 1953) is an Indian Bollywood actor. He is known for playing villains in Bollywood movies for more than three decades. He has also been applauded for playing comic roles in several movies. Through the eighties and nineties, Kapoor teamed up with actor Kader Khan as the comical or evil duo in over 100 films.
Early life[edit]
Shakti Kapoor was born in Delhi, India to a Punjabi family. His father ran a tailor shop in Connaught Place, New Delhi. When Mahesh Sanghavi offered him the role of a villain in the movie Rocky, he thought the name 'Sunil Kapoor' was too weak for a villain, so he renamed him as 'Shakti Kapoor'.
As a struggler in Bollywood, initially Shakti Kapoor did so many small inconsequential roles in movies, all the while looking out for a suitable role as a leading man. The years 1980–81 established Shakti Kapoor as an actor in Bollywood with two of his movies Qurbani and Rocky. In 1983, Kapoor had roles in Himmatwala and the Subhash Ghai directed movie Hero. Kapoor had played villain roles in both these movies. In the nineties, he often diversified to positive comic roles and performed them with equal finesse.[citation needed] He has been nominated for the Filmfare Award in the Best Comedian category and won once, for his performance as Nandu in David Dhawan's film, Raja Babu. Some of his comic roles have been as Inspector Bhinde in Insaaf, Prasad in Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri, Crime Master Gogo in Andaz Apna Apna, Tohfa, as Batuknath in ChaalBaaz and as Goonga in Bol Radha Bol.
Kapoor has been a reference for mimicry artistes who emulate his style and dialogues such as "Aaaooo Lolita" from the movie Tohfa, "Main Nanha sa Chotta sa Bachcha Hoon" from the movie Chaalbaaz and "Nandu sabka bandhu, samajhta nahi hai yaar" from the movie Raja Babu.[1][2] Since 2000, Kapoor is a regular fixture in Priyadarshan films like Hungama, Hulchul, Chup Chup Ke and Malamaal Weekly and most recently Malayalam remake Bhagam Bhag. He also acted in few Bengali films of Kolkata. In 2011, he was in the reality television show Bigg Boss (season 5) as one of the contestants. He has appeared in musical comedy Aasman Se Gire Khajoor Pe Atke [1],[2],[3] with his sister-in-law Padmini Kolhapure.
Personal life[edit]
Shakti Kapoor is married to Shivangi (Padmini Kolhapure's elder sister) and has two children, a son Siddhanth Kapoor and a daughter Shraddha Kapoor.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
The Banana Sellers Tale ,,,,
I met him recently a year back ever since I started coming to Bandra Reclamation to play tennis under Coach Surendra Pawar .
I liked him selling bananas and his humble disposition courteous manners endearing nature and than when his banana cart was confiscated by the Municipality and he was forced to sell the bananas on a stool I felt sorry for him he never complained he simply said Allah ki Marzi hai Its Gods Will.
And he never understood why I made him pose to shoot his pictures ..I told him I liked the humility of his face but to keep me happy he never refused me and soon became on of my iconic street models ,,
Last June he was to go to his hometown to get his only daughter married and his dreams got marred as the man his trusted friend who kept his earnings for safekeeping ,, left Mumbai without informing him.. and he was shattered as his friends phone was out of reach,, and he looked desperate I offered to help him with a contribution I told him he could pay me back once he got his savings back from his friend ,, but he politely refused ..
I think this was the only time I saw him really sad disillusioned though I told him he should have kept his savings in a bank.. he lives in the slums and is uneducated .. they trust friends more than banks ,,
However I found him smiling two weeks later his friend had contacted him he had left Mumbai as his son had met with a serious accident and was returning ,, he got his money he left to get his daughter married and I missed him though his brother a bearded guy who looks like him took his place selling bananas .. he had got a new cart too.
I shot his brother too.. and waited for my good friend to return , he returned recently after a long stay ..his daughter he told me was happily married and wished me for supporting her dad .. I than told him I had a daughter too I miss her a lot as she lives in Delhi and though we dont get along as much but we do love each other ,,
Most of my tennis mates buy bananas from him and I buy him a Bisleri bottle once in a while ,, he met my granddaughters Nerjis and Marziya and was astonished when they held my camera to shoot him..
I also shoot an old frail cobbler who sits in a box like cubicle ,, a Dalit cobbler and a Muslim banana seller ,,,both protagonists of my street stories both fodder for my camera and my street thoughts.. and all under the ambit of my down to earth street photography , my prolific Bandra Blogs ,
I taught the banana seller how to tie his scarf on his head to save him from the hot sun.. so now wears it this way ..adding more to his face and character .
Not everybody is as congenial cordial like him.. I mean the Muslim lobanwala beggar who abuses people could learn a thing or two from this kind banana seller of Bandra REclamation.
Happy morning from Bandra ,,I am too tired out to go for a walk and tennis courts are closed for us on Sundays .
Friday, March 18, 2016
A Mindless Thought ,, I Accidentally Caught When I Took This Shot
more than her
i was hot heat
humidity my
mind tied in
knots ..i dont
take pot ,,
a moment
that i bought
from my camera
on the dot ,,
a cosmic plot
my camera eye
reluctantly with
my beggars vision
fought ,,in the end
poetically this is
what i got ,,,
a posterior
in a parking lot
that unabashedly
told me dickhead
forget me not
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
They Also Serve Who Only Stand And Stare
her eyes embers
of burning coal
to steal her soul
in midflight was
my ultimate goal
first a little bit a
part than whole
of burning coal
to steal her soul
in midflight was
my ultimate goal
first a little bit a
part than whole
than a voice
is it only her
soul you stole
or her pain of
unliving untold
as it pierced my
camera vision
a story unfolds
is it only her
soul you stole
or her pain of
unliving untold
as it pierced my
camera vision
a story unfolds
i was in her power
in her hold ,, shivering
cold fragile and old
in her hold ,, shivering
cold fragile and old
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Friday, March 4, 2016
Searching For God On Fridays
Every Friday they sit down below my house in a lane begging .
I have been shooting them with their children for several years now .
I mean Friday for others is the Namaz but for these unfortunate women Friday is a day of Hope ..means to earn money ..an act sanctified as charity .
The Children were toddlers when I first shot them huddled in the folds of their mothers hijabs now they have grown older ..yet their lives remain unchanged the cycle of begging on Friday ...The day the miyas sanctimoniously proclaim on Facebook with GIFS as Juma Mubarak is a day of hard work for these Muslim mothers and their children .
I shoot Muslim Beggars I can never cosmically ever escape them and I shoot them with a divine passion penetrating the inner angst of their miserable souls ..I know them deeply and in a way they know me too...I try in my humble way to poeticize their pain of living ..their poetry of Life ...
And once a beggar thinking I was a monk asked me curiously whether he would have to beg once he died and he was not sure if there was a heaven of beggars ...he was living here in perpetual he'll he told me .
I had an urge to shoot their videos ..but I let it go ...some other place some other time .
These are stories etched...pencil sketches and all my stories are original content .
As long as I have a mobile phone or a camera they will be coming alive touching me and through me touching you all.
The Curve of Life ..
Both these women are known to me simply as mothers of children who beg ..and perhaps I have been shooting them since the time I came to live here at Bandra reclamation .
My grandchildren Marziya and Nerjis have shot them too....and shooting pictures is shooting pain emotions feelings even for a child .
My grandkids learnt to read the textbook of Life through the camera in a way I forced the camera on the innocence of my grandchildren to save them from future shocks .
They hardly shoot now but yes if I give them my camera they shoot with sheer passion and even Zinnia is very good without being trained like Marziya or Nerjis ..she is the youngest one .
I don't search for pictures at all but yes pictures do find me here in Bandra .
I shot all this while returning from my visit to Dr Shaskank R Joshi at Lilavati Hospital ..I was visiting him after almost 3 months to show him my new blood sugar report which his assistant told me was a good sign from 250 I had bought my blood sugar to fasting 92 and 122 PP.
By playing tennis strenous walking and control over my diet and blessings of all you friends and most of all blessings of these beggars too .
I miss my beggars bowl ..I ate food on it I begged with it but I gave it to a physically challenged beggar at Dhai Djinn Ka Jhopda Ajmer .
Yes I too am a beggar in more ways than one
I am Mad he said
Eyes burning orbs deep red
A crown of silver was his head
The hard pillow of the pavement
Fuck who needs a bed ..she who was the cause of his insanity the
Birch with his best friend had fled
It's true he drank brutally but she
Bit the hand that fed ..she tricked him used him abused him leaving him for dead he walks the streets of Dadar searching her in every nook and corner ..his thoughts his anger I cosmically read I had walked the same path of morbid drunkenness hallucinations that my mind and body had spread ..
Though I loved her my warrior queen of the mountains it was another man she wed ...leaving behind sad memories instead .
Crooked shadows haunt me follow me on her footprints I tread ..
I can only shoot what I was cosmically destined to shoot
The third eye of Shiva eloquently mute to the Ardh Nari Nareshwar pays humble tribute ..neither man nor complete woman held in ancestral gender dispute
Misplaced womanhood dancing bells on the feet ..
The power of Krishnas flute oh Lord Iravan wise and astute ...widowed the night after the nuptials broken bangles tears streaming down the cheeks one day at Koothandavar I shall go and shoot ...moments will give testimony androgynous souls I will rob and loot ...
Withered branches dying roots ..unable to bear fruits ...
In the eyes of the beholder I am a Hindu too
my cultural inheritance
on the soul of my poetry
grew ..my religion is my
personal fiefdom from
your congregational
collusion's i withdrew
but hey i am what i am
i d be fucked crazy to
be like you ,, no my
feet wont fit into your
shoes ..
how i pray
why i pray
i dont need
your excuse
i am a malang
on the loose ,
held to eternity
by a noose
lost illusions
lost memories
no more drugs
'no booze
no more substance
abuse ..innocent
guilty yet accused
Thursday, March 3, 2016
The Quintessential Street Barbers of Bandra
There are a few professional communities I shoot with a divine passion ..and barbers dabbawalas transgender beggars fakirs street performers are some of them the list is endless ..
I shoot street barbers close to my house at Lal Mitti Bandra reclamation and they are north Indians from Bihar and Jharkhand .
They sit close to the bus stop so I meet them if I am going to town or Dadar ...they give me a smile inquire about my health ..they look at me quizzically as I now wear slippers earlier I walked free bare feet .
They sit close to the bus stop so I meet them if I am going to town or Dadar ...they give me a smile inquire about my health ..they look at me quizzically as I now wear slippers earlier I walked free bare feet .
The other Bandra barbers are all my friends they hunt for customers on the streets but most have regular clientele ..The barbers undertake religious Tonsure and male circumcision ..
Now the barbers in this video sit across
Baba Nagar St Peter Road and after I had shot the Hill Road demolitions I took a detour to my house through this lane and began shooting their video.
He wanted to order tea I politely refused ..and St Peter Road is my earliest humble beginnings I had my first workspace here ..for a few years and it was the time I was incorrigiblly attached to my camera and shot the St Peter Church ..Thanks to Fr Lawrie who encouraged me I shot to learn ..I shot Jesus I shot the Holy Ghost the clergy and the parioshners and the silence of the sacristy I shot the golden glow of the Tabernacle .
Baba Nagar St Peter Road and after I had shot the Hill Road demolitions I took a detour to my house through this lane and began shooting their video.
He wanted to order tea I politely refused ..and St Peter Road is my earliest humble beginnings I had my first workspace here ..for a few years and it was the time I was incorrigiblly attached to my camera and shot the St Peter Church ..Thanks to Fr Lawrie who encouraged me I shot to learn ..I shot Jesus I shot the Holy Ghost the clergy and the parioshners and the silence of the sacristy I shot the golden glow of the Tabernacle .
I missed nothing I shot a few friends Christian weddings out of sartorial curiosity .I shot deaths holy communion Adoration Good Friday Lent Xmas New Year and feast of St Ignatius Loyola .
And all this helped me get the hang of the camera I shot kids Stanislites playing hockey football.
And all this helped me get the hang of the camera I shot kids Stanislites playing hockey football.
And outside the Church walls I passionately shot the street barbers ..I shot this lanes muted pain as everybody threw garbage ..they still do ..
I shot a lot of images of Baba Nagar and I have a huge collection of slides negative s classic BW prints all stored beneath my bed and my wife wants me to get rid of it.
But I can't destroy what I passionately created ...
But I can't destroy what I passionately created ...
This is a blog for those who swear by the blog and sadly most bloggers are caught in a vortex of inner confusion ..I moved away from analog photography camera clubs from blogging platform s I am no more a blogger I renounced blogging both as a means or and end ..
I now call myself a storyteller I demistify time and space in a nutshell as I try to bring you into the web of my fleeting thoughts shot as pictures ..that are stories of my inner angst my sporadic spiritual reminiscences ..in short every frame a poetry of Life .
I now call myself a storyteller I demistify time and space in a nutshell as I try to bring you into the web of my fleeting thoughts shot as pictures ..that are stories of my inner angst my sporadic spiritual reminiscences ..in short every frame a poetry of Life .
I shoot impulsively there is no method to my madness ..I shoot to 're discover the loneliness of a man's life on the streets with a scissors in his hand ..The furtive glance of the street barber ...
I guess this love for haircutting inherently came from my childhood friend Cory Walia he used my head my hair to experiment new styles at his house above Rasna at Churchgate .
When he moved to Khar my head moved too..ready to be teased and tortured mostly Cory made me look like his nephew Rahul Roy .
When he moved to Khar my head moved too..ready to be teased and tortured mostly Cory made me look like his nephew Rahul Roy .
I was very close to Micky Contractor those early 80 s we both worked for Akbar Khan he did the make up I did the clothes .
I was close to Pandri Dada as he did the make up for Mr Kabir Bed I did both the summer winter designs for the Vimal suiting campaign.
I was close to Pandri Dada as he did the make up for Mr Kabir Bed I did both the summer winter designs for the Vimal suiting campaign.
My earliest contact with hairdressing was in 1975 when I worked at Burlington s Taj and late Mr Hakim Sab would join us for lunch at Burlington s we got along very well as Madame Ponpadour watched us our laughter our mirth..Hakim sab never charged us a dime ...The Taj was a treasure trove of sweet memories .
DRD Madame Surmount JRD got their clothes done by our crazy Master Bulbule .
DRD Madame Surmount JRD got their clothes done by our crazy Master Bulbule .
Than came Rashid at the Taj Salon he stayed near my mother's house
When I shifted to Bandra it was Anand from Centaur Salon .
I lost track....and now as my tribute to my hairraising memories I shoot street barbers eloquently ...cosmically poetically .
Happy Morning From Bandra Bazar
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
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text:
On this 4th Sunday of Advent, Cy Lynch, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, reflects on Psalm 25 showing that grace is in God's plan for His people.
Pastor Cy focuses on God's love that lies at the very heart of Christmas, a gracious love that is Extravagant, Unconditional, Transformational and Never Ending.
Video/Photo credit
Abstract – 19725 video by Pixabay.com (royalty free)
Photo by Todd Diemer on Unsplash P
Photo by Manu Sanchez on Unsplash
Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash
Photo by Masaaki Komori on Unsplash


text:
High school soccer: OSSAA approves new soccer districts for 2019-20, 2020-21 seasons
The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association Board of Directors approved new soccer districts for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years Wednesday.
The biggest change is the addition of Class 3A for soccer, making four classifications from 6A to 3A for competition from only three in previous years.
Here is a look at the districts:
District 1: Deer Creek, Edmond Santa Fe, Midwest City, Norman, Norman North, Northwest Classen, Putnam City, Yukon
District 2: Choctaw, Edmond North, Lawton, Mustang, Putnam North, Southmoore, U.S. Grant, Westmoore
District 3: Bixby, Tulsa Washington, Broken Arrow, Edmond Memorial, Moore, Putnam West, Sand Springs, Tulsa Union
District 4: Bartlesville, Enid, Jenks, Muskogee, Owasso, Ponca City, Sapulpa, Stillwater
District 1: Capitol Hill, Del City, El Reno, Guthrie, Guymon, McGuinness, Noble, Southeast
District 2: Altus, Ardmore, Duncan, Lawton Eisenhower, Lawton MacArthur, Piedmont, Santa Fe South, Western Heights
District 3: Carl Albert, Durant, Tulsa Edison, Glenpool, McAlester, Shawnee, Tulsa Kelley, Tulsa Memorial
District 4: Claremore, Collinsville, Coweta, Tulsa Central, Tulsa Hale, Pryor, Tahlequah, Tulsa Rogers
District 1: Ada, Bethany, Bristow, Cleveland, Cushing, Harrah, Madill, Newcastle
District 2: Cache, Chickasha, Classen SAS, Clinton, Elgin, Elk City, Weatherford, Woodward
District 3: Holland Hall, Cascia Hall, Catoosa, Grove, Tulsa McLain, Miami, Oologah, Skiatook
District 4: Fort Gibson, Daniel Webster, Hilldale, Metro Christian, Poteau, Stilwell, Tulsa Central, Wagoner
District 1: Alva, Cordell, Crossings Christian, Dove Science (OKC), Heritage Hall, Kingfisher, Mount St. Mary, Oklahoma Christian School, Newkirk (Girls)
District 2: ASTEC, Atoka, Christian Heritage Academy, Community Christian, Crooked Oak, Harding Charter Prep, McLoud, Bridge Creek (Girls), Millwood (Girls), Star Spencer (Boys)
District 3: Commerce, Drumright, Rejoice Christian, Riverfield Country Day, Sequoyah-Claremore, Verdigris, Victory Christian, Mannford (Girls), Pawhuska (Girls)
District 4: Dove Science (Tulsa), Heavener, Locust Grove, Regent Prep, Summit Christian, Westville, Inola (Girls), Keys (Park Hill) (Girls), Porter Consolidated (Girls), Hugo (Boys)
Cameron Jourdan joined The Oklahoman in March 2019 to cover high school sports. He graduated from Oklahoma State University in May 2018. He had an internship with The Oklahoman and Stillwater News Press. During his time at OSU, Cameron served in a... Read more ›


text:
Dopis od UNESCO
Vážený pane velvyslaneče,
Původní znění a předpisy UNESCO
H. E. Mr Petr Drulak
Permanent Delegate of the Czech Republic to UNESCO
UNESCO House
Ref.: CLT/HER/WHC/EUR/17/10037 10 August 2017
Subject: State of conservation of the World Heritage property "Historic Centre of Prague"
Dear Ambassador,
As you may recall, in our previous letters of 5 April 2016 and 13 May 2016 , we kindly requested the Czech authorities to provide the World Heritage Centre with information concerning any development project activities, which include the construction of high buildings, and to continue informing the World Heritage Centre, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, about any envisaged developments, major restorations or rehabilitations on the Pankrac Plain, within the property "Historic Centre of Prague", its buffer zone and settings.
The Advisory Body of the World Heritage Committee, ICOMOS International reviewed the report submitted by the Czech authorities on 21 February 2017. In its technical report transmitted to your authorities on 22 February 2017, ICOMOS International concluded that the Rezidence Park Kavčí Hory project would add substantially to the harm caused by the existing tall buildings cluster, and set a precedent for yet more similar development on the city skyline.
In the letter of 16 June 2017, your authorities highlighted the decision of the Prague City Council's Department of Heritage Management concerning the Rezidence Park Kavčí Hory project, concluding that this proposed development project was not in conflict with the heritage preservation regulations for the given area.
I would like to inform you that the World Heritage Centre received a letter (enclosed) from the ICOMOS Czech National Committee concerning the state of conservation of the property, and in particular the Rezidence Park Kavčí Hory project.
We are sending this information to you in accordance with Paragraph 174 of the Operational Guidelines to enable us to verify, with your authorities concerned, the information that we have received.
Following the review of the report, the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies may decide if the report will be submitted for examination of the state of conservation of the property Historic Centre of Prague by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session in 2018.
May I take this opportunity to thank you for your support and cooperation in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.
Yours sincerely,
Mechtild Rossler
World Heritage Centre
IV.A Reactive Monitoring Definition of Reactive Monitoring
169. Reactive Monitoring is the reporting by the Secretariat, other sectors of UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies to the Committee on the state of conservation of specific World Heritage properties that are under threat. To this end, the States Parties shall submit specific reports and impact studies each time exceptional circumstances occur or work is undertaken which may have an impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property or its state of conservation. Reactive Monitoring is also foreseen in reference to properties inscribed, or to be inscribed, on the List of World Heritage in Danger as set out in paragraphs 177-191. Reactive Monitoring is also foreseen in the procedures for the eventual deletion of properties from the World Heritage List as set out in paragraphs 192-198. These reports shall be submitted to the World Heritage Committee through the Secretariat, using the standard format in Annex 13, in English or French: Decision 39 COM 11 38 Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention a) by 1 December of the year preceding the examination of the property by the Committee, for the properties inscribed on the World Heritage List, b) by 1 February of the year of examination of the property by the Committee, for the properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, and for specific cases of utmost urgency.
Objective of Reactive Monitoring
170. When adopting the process of Reactive Monitoring, the Committee was
particularly concerned that all possible measures should be taken to prevent
the deletion of any property from the List and was ready to offer technical
co-operation as far as possible to States Parties in this connection.
171. The Committee recommends that States Parties co-operate with the
Advisory Bodies which have been asked by the Committee to carry out
monitoring and reporting on its behalf on the progress of work undertaken
for the preservation of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List.
Information received from States Parties and/or other sources
172. The World Heritage Committee invites the States Parties to the Convention
to inform the Committee, through the Secretariat, of their intention to
undertake or to authorize in an area protected under the Convention major
restorations or new constructions which may affect the Outstanding
Universal Value of the property. Notice should be given as soon as possible
(for instance, before drafting basic documents for specific projects) and
before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse, so that the
Committee may assist in seeking appropriate solutions to ensure that the
Outstanding Universal Value of the property is fully preserved.
173. The World Heritage Committee requests that reports of missions to review
the state of conservation of the World Heritage properties include:
a) an indication of threats or significant improvement in the
conservation of the property since the last report to the World
Heritage Committee;
b) any follow-up to previous decisions of the World Heritage
Committee on the state of conservation of the property;
c) information on any threat or damage to or loss of Outstanding
Universal Value, integrity and/or authenticity for which the
property was inscribed on the World Heritage List.
174. When the Secretariat receives information that a property inscribed has
seriously deteriorated, or that the necessary corrective measures have not
been taken within the time proposed, from a source other than the State
Party concerned, it will, as far as possible, verify the source and the
contents of the information in consultation with the State Party concerned
and request its comments.


text:
Packed with a powerful 720p HD resolution display, great sound quality, over 3000 apps and more, the Nebula Capsule keeps entertainment on tap at all times.
Join Us on Telegram!
This awesome Android projector pushes the limits of portable play further than ever before with a fully-featured, app-and-assistant-ready mini entertainment system. And we do mean mini; it's the size of a soda can.
So very portable…
You can easily launch preferred streaming apps and gaming services with Capsule II, not to mention consoles, with proper support for 1080p resolution at 60fps.
A special purchase option even comes with a controller called the Nebula Gamepad. Coupled with solid auto-focus and keystone correction, this capsule will capture plenty of your time for sure.


text:
The TVP 16ers traveled to Spooky Nook Sports Complex in Pennsylvania for the Mid-Atlantic Boys Kickoff Classic on December 3-4, 2016. Sixteen teams from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York competed during the weekend, along with our DC/Maryland TVP 16 team. TVP kicked off its season with eight matches and a Gold Bracket 3rd place finish. Congrats to Coach Sani and the boys!
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John Hartranft
Like TVP's work? Buy the coaches a coffee to keep us running :-)
June 2019


text:
* Tell me a little about yourself?
I'm Fiona, a 31yr old wife to a great husband and mother to a 14yr old boy and 3yr old little girl. We live with our one eyed cat, Rupert, in a little village about 20mins from Glasgow.
* What is your shop name and what do you sell?
Chocolatecupcake. I sell cute handmade felt and button embellishments, paper flowers, felt flowers and more. You'll just need to stop by and see for yourself :)
* What inspires you to create?
Lots of things! Nice fabric, gorgeous scrapbook papers, vintage ephemera, cute buttons. I also think there is nothing better that a beautiful sunny day to make you feel good and inspre new creations!
* What is your favourite item from your shop?
Hmm, I think it has to be this pin cushion....
* How and where do you promote your shop?
I try and visit forums when I can but it can be diffuclt finding the time. I also have a Twitter account which I have neglected for a while but I have promised myself I must Tweet at least once a week. My link is http://twitter.com/stickytoffeepie.
* What do you find to be the biggest challenge of running your own shop?
Time! There never seems to be enough of it!! I have just over 2hrs every weekday morning to work on orders and new creations while my duaghter is at nursery. After that, any extra time I get is a bonus.
* What advice would you offer to new sellers?
Have confidence in what you do.
Be positive...a lull in sales is a great time to create new goodies!
Don't give up, opening a shop isn't going to make you millions straight away, you've got to work at it!
Fun Questions -
* Favourite Colour? Blue
* Favourite Book? Hmm, that's hard becuase I love so many books! Ok, my favourite recent book is Making Your Mind Up by Jill Mansell
* Favourite Music? I love Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra
* Favourite Season? Winter, it's an excuse to get cosy, watch a movie and eat junk.
* Favourite independant sellers? Booksbyjme, StrawberriesandCream and Mqsquare.
I am looking for sellers to be featured throughout the month of May! If you are interested in answering a few questions, please send me an email: titchables(at)gmail(dot)com!


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Wisdom Natural, Wisdom of the Ancients, Yerba Mate Plain, Unsweetened, Instant Tea, 2.82 oz (79.9 g)
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Wisdom Natural, Wisdom of the Ancients, Yerba Mate Plain, Unsweetened, Instant Tea, 2.82 oz (79.9 g)
- Expiration Date: November 2021
Shipping Weight:?0.16 kgSwitch to Imperial unitsShipping WeightThe Shipping Weight includes the product, protective packaging material and the actual shipping box. In addition, the Shipping Weight may be adjusted for the Dimensional Weight (e.g. length, width & height) of a package. It is important to note that certain types of products (e.g. glass containers, liquids, fragile, refrigerated or ice packed) will often require protective packaging material. As such, these products will reflect a higher Shipping Weight compared to the unprotected product.
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- Nature's Premier Energy Beverage
- 180 Servings
- Calorie Free
- Wisdom of the Ancients
- Nature's Premier Energy Beverage
- Wisdom Natural Brands
There is not better feeling than the comfort and well-being brought by family and friends. In South America, yerba mate is just like that. Interwoven into one's daily life, yerba mate is a nutritious souse of energy, mental alertness and good health. With less caffeine than coffee or black tea, yerba mate energizes with nutrition by providing 196 active compound, including vitamins, minerals and more antioxidants than green tea. This non-jittery boost of energy and nutrition makes yerba mate nature's premier energy beverage for body and mind. And, given a chance, it's sure to quickly enter your circle of family and friends.
Wisdom of the Ancients blend the traditions of native wisdom and the standard of modern science in our line of flavorful, health-promoting tea from around the world. Wisdom of the Ancients promises only the finest herbs that are wild-crafted, family farmed or estate grown. We have abided by fair trade and fair wage principles for more than 25 years.
Suggested Use
Add ¼ tsp. or more to 8 oz. hot or cold water (adjust for taste). Add lemon, mint or other flavors as desired.
Other Ingredients
Yerba mate (leaf)
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|Supplement Facts
|Serving Size: ¼ (About .44 g)
|Serving Per Container: 180
|Amount Per Serving
|%Daily Value*
|0 g
|0 mg
|Total Carbohydrates
|0 mg
|*Daily value not established.


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One recent Saturday evening my husband and I were driving home. As we passed the homes in our neighborhood I imagined those people getting ready for an evening out. Maybe getting ready to go to a downtown restaurant, or just drinks and appetizers at a bar or meeting up with friends. And all of a sudden I wished I was doing the same. Instead, I was headed home to cook dinner, fold clothes, mediate arguments between a two and three year old, and spend two hours trying to get them to bed.
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade my life for all of the nights out on the town in the world, but with two young children and a baby on the way, it does get harder and harder for my husband and I to carve out quality time together. Regular date nights are great, but paying for a sitter can get pricey, especially with the cost of the actual date. So how do my husband and I make sure we have time to reconnect and communicate in the midst of our busy lives without breaking the bank?
First off, in order to find any alone time together we have to be proactive about getting the kids to bed earlier. Sometimes this even means cutting their naps short to ensure they'll fall asleep more quickly at night.
Once the kids are in bed, we can attempt to have an in-home date night. We usually shoot for once a week, though in reality it doesn't always happen. During weeks where we're both exhausted we usually just snuggle up on the couch and watch an episode of the latest show we're into (most recently it's been Suits), and on Sunday nights we have the tradition of making pizza and watching football. While the time near each other is definitely relaxing and enjoyable, it isn't ideal either, as it doesn't give us much time to chat and share our hearts.
So, when we want true quality time, we get out some snacks and play board games together (our new favorite is Pandemic) or just sit on the couch and catch up. Sometimes we pull out the book, "If Questions for the Soul," which usually brings up unique and interesting conversations. Hopefully in the next few weeks, once our basement is complete, we'll finally be able to put together this puzzle Adam bought me a few years ago with the specific intention of it being a way to have more quality time together. (With little kids we've just never had the space to put it together before.)
And finally in the past year we've made it a priority to go out on a real date once a month. However, since we're living on one income, it can be difficult to swing. Instead, one thing we've done is set up a babysitting swap with another couple. Once a month they watch our kids so that we can go out and once a month we watch their kids so that they can go out. It has definitely made us look forward to going out more since we know it won't be as costly.
For us, reconnecting really needs to happen in the evenings, but we know other couples who get up early in the morning before the kids wake and chat over their cups of coffee. Really, it doesn't matter when or how a couple finds quality time, as long as it actually happens. Nurturing our relationships must be a priority if we want our love to grow and thrive, especially once there are children in the picture. Parents who love each other well is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children, not only because it gives them security, but also because it is through us that they will learn how to love their future spouses.
Flickr/kate hiscock
- When You're Jealous of Other People's Relationships Over the Holidays - December 19, 2017
- Signs He's Not Worth It - November 21, 2017
- What I Need in a Relationship Isn't Prince Charming - October 24, 2017


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New Creative You - Creativity Podcast
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New Creative You podcast is for all those who wish to expand their thinking and become more successful and creative thinkers. Whether you are a student, manager, entrepreneur or an emerging artist, you will find tons of practical advice about how to analyse and memorise things better, think strategically, become faster and more focused thinker and become able to think of new ideas literally whenever you need them – without relying on random bursts of inspiration. Scientists say that creative thinking is probably the most important skill for the future. The primary objective of the New Creative You project is to prepare you for your new and more creative future. www.newcreativeyou.com


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Tagged: Universal Credit
Leading Catholics Write To IDS Over Welfare Cuts
More than 70 leading Catholics have written to Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, who is Catholic, to tell him they fear the impact of his welfare reform policies.
In an open letter the group, led by the thinktanks Ekklesia and the Centre for Welfare Reform, calls on Duncan Smith to redraft his policies "in a way that is more compatible with Catholic and Christian values."
They highlight benefit sanctions, work capability assessments, the benefits cap and the scheme to incorporate all benefits in a single system of universal credit as policies that are worsening the situation of poor families up and down the country.
"We understand that your Catholic faith is important to you, and your approach is driven by a desire to improve the quality of individual lives," the letter says.
"However, we believe that [your policies] are in fact doing the reverse. We would urge you to rethink and to abandon further cuts which are likely to cause more damage."
Duncan Smith was the first Catholic leader of the Conservative party between 2001 and 2003. In 2010 he was named one of Britain's most influential Catholics. Since his appointment at the head of the Department for Work and Pensions that year, he has led a radical reorganisation of Britain's benefits system to ensure "work always pays more".
But he has faced criticism from campaigners who say that cuts to benefits have led to suicides, an increase in poverty and the social cleansing of wealthier areas, particularly in London and the south-east.
Full story : http://northstar.boards.net/thread/170/leading-catholics-write-over-welfare
Universal Credit Could Spark 'Substantial Increase' In Benefit Sanctions, Warns Think Tank
Iain Duncan Smith's flagship Universal Credit could spark a 'substantial increase' in the number of Britain's poorest people hammered by benefit sanctions, according to a leading think tank.
Punitive and spurious benefit sanctions have become common place over recent years, with the poorest in society being pushed ever-further into poverty rather than supported and helped into work.
More than 686,000 desperate people saw their benefits slashed or removed in 2014, including 37,000 sick and disabled people claiming Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
Around 50% of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) claimants referred for potential sanctioning in 2014 saw their benefit payments docked – an increase on previous years.
The 'sanction rate' in 2014 – the number of sanctions per month compared to the total number of claimants – stood at 5.1%, according to research from the New Policy Institute (NPI). This is a slight fall on 2013 levels, but still represents the second highest on record.
According to NPI's research, a fall in the number of sanctions between 2013 and 2014 was mainly due to a reduction in JSA claimants and not because of 'the system becoming less harsh'.
More than a quarter of sanctioned JSA claimants were disabled or lone parents, highlighting a lack of understanding and compassion for the 'hardest to help'.
Full story : http://northstar.boards.net/thread/101/spark-substantial-increase-benefit-sanctions
Government Must Learn From Welfare Reform Mistakes, Say Auditors
The Government must use the "hard lessons" it learnt from welfare reforms which caused "significant financial and human costs", says the National Audit Office (NAO).
In a new report published today, the NAO criticised the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) "important and high profile failings" in implementing an unprecedented number of welfare reforms and employment programmes.
The report says the Government "relied too heavily on uncertain and insufficiently challenged operating assumptions, and did not have a sufficient understanding of its portfolio of programmes or overall capacity."
It adds that the DWP has a "high-level vision but needs to think more strategically when considering how reforms will work in practice."
"The Department has thought too late about the management information and the leading indicators it needs to understand progress and performance", says the NAO. "This meant the Department took several weeks to identify backlogs in Personal Independence Payment claims."
Auditors credited the Government for responding well "to uncertainty", but added that it "should be able to set out plans with specific timetables, costs and impacts and reflect where flexibility is needed."
"They should also have clear processes for revising plans against changing circumstances or expectations", says the NAO.
The NAO criticised the DWP's initial handling of the Universal Credit. The NAO says the department "held too rigidly to fixed deadlines and now has adopted a more flexible approach. It will need to reconcile this approach with the requirement to monitor progress against milestones."
In implementing a significant welfare reform programme, the DWP "relied too heavily on reacting to problems and has not been able to anticipate possible failings or establish the principal ways in which performance and progress can be measured".
The NAO called on the Government to "plan more openly for the possibility of failure, and build an integrated view of portfolio risks and capacity".
Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, said:
"Any large portfolio of reforms will run into problems. The Department has shown a resolute approach to dealing with them. However, we think it has relied too much on dealing with difficulties as they emerge rather than anticipating what might go wrong.
"As a result it has had to learn some hard lessons with significant financial and human costs. It is important that the Department use these hard lessons to improve how it manages change and anticipates risk."
Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said the Government must learn from the mistakes of previous changes to welfare.
Citizens Advice has found that delays and problems with the delivery of reforms such as Employment and Support Allowance increased hardship and anxiety for many people. Last year we helped people with almost two million benefit issues, more than any other type of problem.
"As Ministers look to make further savings from the welfare budget it is important they fully understand the impact proposed reforms have on people's lives.
The Government must be certain that further cuts won't just shift costs away from the welfare budget and into other areas such as health and social care.
Changes to benefits can have a far-ranging impact on people's lives, so any reforms need to delivered at a safe and steady pace."
Source – Welfare Weekly, 29 May 2015
Iain Duncan Smith Gets More Time To Rescue The Loathed Universal Credit
The collective groan that went up when Iain Duncan Smith was reappointed to the Department for Work and Pensions over the weekend could probably be heard from space.
For housing workers, it's five more years of the same: no change in direction, just straight ahead with the pressing business of welfare reform. However, the return of IDS also provides an opportunity for pragmatism in the delicate relationship between the new Conservative government and social landlords.
From the bedroom tax to the social cleansing of London as families hit by the benefits cap are shunted outside the capital, there was a lot for housing experts to criticise during the term of the coalition government – and criticise they did.
Much of that was tied up in an understandable moral objection to the changes being implemented. After all, if you've dedicated your career to alleviating housing need, it can be hard to work within the constraints of policies which you observe to be undermining a life's work.
The practical objections, however, have been far more quietly stated, in part because some of them are so complex that they do not resonate with the wider public. In short, their comments don't make great headlines.
Universal credit is one such example. The policy sounds laudable when described as a simple way of helping benefit recipients transition into employment by handing over full financial responsibility for all their outgoings including rent (previously paid directly to the landlord).
But as all housing providers knew, it will be much more complicated than this. Government has never been good at managing large IT projects or handling lots of data. The reality of working life for many low-paid staff can be weeks of employment and unemployment hard up against one another, with no time for state bureaucracy in between. And most frontline jobs are paid weekly or fortnightly, not monthly like universal credit.
For housing associations, the policy introduces a huge financial variable. How can large organisations with loans negotiated on the basis of a reliable income cope with hard-pressed tenants who do not pay up? The housing regulator is now stress-testing accommodation providers to see how they would cope with situations like this. The result is, inevitably, a downgrading in their ratings.
It's important to remember that universal credit is derided by private and social landlords alike. Both fear for their revenue. The difference between the two is that, while private landlords can refuse to house people on benefits, social landlords will need to make compromises to stay afloat. That's why, though he is so widely disliked, Duncan Smith's reappointment should actually be welcomed.
Cameron told MPs at a meeting of the 1922 Conservative parliamentary committee on Monday that their "re-election starts now". Absolutely. This government can no longer blame the mistakes of the previous incarnation, and nowhere is this more significant than for housing.
After five years of thwarted pilots, up to £663m of IT costs being written off by the Treasury and more stumbling blocks than an army fitness assault course, it's time for a pragmatic approach to the introduction of universal credit. The Conservative government is unlikely to walk away from the policy, and Duncan Smith cannot claim ignorance of its failings so far. He cannot hide behind excuses or inexperience in the way a new minister to the brief could be tempted.
To survive their new future, social landlords will need to adapt. They will need to have diverse income streams: development will now always be for the private sector alongside the social to make ends meet. So for every social home that is built, a home for sale, shared ownership or private rent must also be built to help social landlords stay afloat.
Yet, also, there's never been a better time to challenge a minister head on and demand some certainty. The minister will have little choice but to capitulate.
Source – The Guardian, 15 May 2015
Botched Universal Credit Roll Out Set To Continue Under The Tories
The botched roll out of Universal Credit is set to continue under the Conservatives, it has been announced today.
Universal Credit is replacing six existing benefits including Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credits and Housing Benefit, with one single monthly payment.
Described as a "welfare revolution" by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, Universal Credit will be made available to new single claimants in Richmond, Kirkwall, Lerwick and Stornoway, from today (11 May 2015).
According to the Department for Work and Pensions, all Jobcentres in the country will be offering Universal Credit to some groups of claimants by spring 2016.
Iain Duncan Smith MP, said:
"Universal Credit is bringing welfare into the 21st Century by restoring fairness to the system and making work pay in a modern labour market.
"We've already seen remarkable successes with Universal Credit claimants moving into work faster and staying in work longer.
"As part of our long-term economic plan, today sees the next stage of this welfare revolution with the continual roll out of Universal Credit."
The new benefit is currently available in one-in-three Jobcentres (260). The government initially targeted the roll out of Universal Credit at the 'easiest to help' claimants, such as single people without children. For example, only 96 Jobcentres are currently offering Universal Credit to couples, families and lone parents.
DWP figures show that more than 64,000 people have made a claim. However, this is far short of the one million originally promised by Mr Duncan Smith to be in receipt of Universal Credit by April 2014.
Universal Credit has been dogged with delays and IT problems. DWP officials have already been forced to write off millions of pounds in failed IT software.
HM Treasury officials admitted last year that a potential £633 million could be written off by the time Universal Credit is completely rolled-out across the country and to all groups of claimants.
Children's charity Gingerbread warned in October 2013 that working single parents will be worse off under Universal Credit. Researchers found that there will be little financial incentive for single parents to increase their hours beyond 'mini-jobs'.
The charity also found that non-working single parents' income will be on average lower under universal credit than it is now.
Commenting on the findings, Gingerbread chief executive Fiona Weir said at the time:
"Government claims that universal credit will make work pay, but in fact working single parents will be the biggest losers under the new system.
"The simple fact is that universal credit won't deliver on its promise to make work pay. Single parents on low wages will be under considerable pressure to extend their hours under universal credit, but our research shows that financially, extra hours often won't stack up."
However, the DWP claims that Universal Credit will leave three million families better off and provide a £7 billion boost to the economy.
The department also claims that Fraud and Error will be reduced under Universal Credit, with officials having access to real-time HMRC earnings data.
Universal Credit will enable benefit payments to be calculated more accurately, says the DWP, 'including topping up claimants earnings when they are on a low income'.
Source – Welfare Weekly, 11 May 2015
How The Tories Dehumanise Low-Paid Families – Or Should I Say 'Benefit Units'
Do you ever miss the era when you didn't know what a benefit sanction was?
That innocent time, before the Department for Work and Pensions renamed a family a "benefit unit"?
One of the great luxuries of no longer having a Conservative-led government would be not having to learn any more about their intricately boring, functionally brutal social security innovations.
Look, I'm no Pollyanna. There are clearly question marks over a possible Labour/SNP coalition: how is it going to work, for a start, now that Labour has explicitly promised not to talk to the SNP? Prime minister's questions would look like a cocktail party with two exes blanking each other. We'll know they're in love, but they'll be too angry to see it.
And what, exactly, is Ed Miliband's rent capping idea?
The beginning of a new courage, as he sets his face to the blizzard of the rentier economy?
Or a canny bid for the votes of people who don't think any politicians are capable of anything?
These are battles for the future, and I would have them 1,000 times rather than watch unfold the nightmare of "in-work conditionality".
As part of the universal credit pilot, last week saw the beginning of new requirements on the number of hours worked: under these regulations, anyone earning less than the equivalent of 35 hours on the minimum wage would be subject to pressure which could end in a sanction.
The second parent in the "benefit unit" would be required to work a minimum of 16 hours, taking the working week for the family up to 51 hours, before the threat of sanctions would be lifted.
Over the coming year, 15,000 families will be placed on this regime, to varying degrees of stringency: some will just be nudged with a fortnightly phone call, others will have to attend regular interviews which, as we've seen with the regular social security picture, comes with the ever-present risk of having your benefits removed and being left with nothing.
Labour's Baroness Sherlock asked some searching questions in the Lords in January about the ethics of doing a randomised control trial in which one of the groups suffered a real risk to their wellbeing.
Lord Freud waved the problem off, but this is the man, remember, who thinks people use food banks because there is an "infinite demand for a free good". He probably thinks these families only had children in the first place because they presented no immediate unit cost.
It may sound as though there is no moral dishevelment more profound than deliberately leaving parents without the money to feed their children (the cost of the trial, incidentally, is £15m, which I am prepared to bet real money is more than the scheme will ever save). But there are two other aspects, one cultural and one democratic, to consider.
First, as Lindsay Judge, who conducted research on the pilot for the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) to be released on Monday, points out:
"If you focus on hours, you individualise the problem of low pay. It allows employers to take their eye off pay, and it allows the state to take their eye off benefits."
To be on low wages under this regime is to be at the mercy of many different pressures: employers who think you're expendable and are less likely to make accommodations for you, whether that means flexibility or extra hours; government agencies who will focus on increasing your hours, regardless of what that does to your family; and an inbuilt discrimination in the fact that people on the minimum wage are expected to work more in the first place (since the "conditionality" element of universal credit is based on family income, not hours worked).
But if you were to take this policy, and the demands it makes of parents, and lay it over other debates – education, where the worthy parent is at the school gates and all over the homework; or health, where good parenting involves a lot of home baking – you can see that to be on the minimum wage is, by steady increments, becoming incompatible with "respectable" parenting. This is even starker for single parents, who are of course often judged as deficient in the first place.
The democratic deficit emerges from the CPAG's research, in which it asked two groups, one high income and one low income, how much other parents should be expected to work. Judge describes "parents being shocked at the sharpness of the state in other parents' lives. You come up against these sharp edges all the time when you're a low-income family and they're really unpleasant. People who don't have that interaction with the state are really surprised."
CPAG found that people tended to approach the issue as parents first and taxpayers second, concluding overwhelmingly that it has to be a question of individual choice; parents must decide for themselves how many hours they work.
"Everyone said, people should be able to make the same choices about work-life balance across the income spectrum. Policies that bear down in a coercive manner are not acceptable – and that response was found in the higher- as well as the lower-income group."
So many benefit reforms are justified on the basis that the country is sick of a something-for-nothing culture. But when you ask in-depth questions about what other people's lives should be like, and what kind of dignity a state should respect and uphold, a much more generous, human picture emerges.
The genius of so many of these reforms has been in the naming – "spare-room subsidies" and "work-related activity groups" – they sound like technicalities rather than financial traumas. I don't know what the in-work conditionality would have to be called for parents to stand together against it: I'd sooner not find out.
Source – The Guardian, 26 Apr 2015
New changes to Universal Credit roll out.
Today I learnt of some new developments in the universal credit roll out. These changes are devastating and they left me lost for words. I'll explain now but please share.
When universal credit first came out you could not apply for it if you were already claiming housing benefit. There was a glitch in the system and the computer said no. They've sorted this so here goes.
They are now transferring people onto universal credit from JSA. There's no option to say no, they are simply changing their claim. Their existing claim will be shut down, as will their claim for housing benefit. The claimant will also have to go to the local council offices to sort out the council tax payments, if not they will be left with a massive bill.
Why am I so worried? If you are already in debt with your rent due to the bedroom…
View original post 298 more words
SNP manifesto not afraid of supporting claimants
The SNP manifesto, published yesterday, proposes a number of pro-claimant policies that set it apart from any of the main parties at Westminster.
The SNP's benefits pledges include:
- increases of at least the cost of living in welfare benefits
- halting the roll out of both Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Universal Credit
- reversing the replacement of Disability Living Allowance with PIP
- people already supported by the Independent Living Fund will continue to be supported.
- an urgent review of the system of assessments for disability benefits.
- increasing the universal credit work allowance, to boost to the incomes of people moving into work
- overhauling the Work Capability Assessment.
- urgently reviewing the conditionality and sanctions regime, taking particular account of the needs of people with mental health issues. and recognising that the removal of cash benefits should be a last, rather than a first, resort.
- Increasing Carers' Allowance so that it matches Jobseekers' Allowance.
- not supporting attempts to restrict housing benefit for 18 to 21 year olds
- stop war disablement pension being treated as income in the assessment of entitlement to other benefits.
It seems likely that there will be many sick and disabled claimants south of the border who will read these policies and regret that they don't have the opportunity to vote SNP.
You can download the SNP manifesto from this link.
Source – Benefits & Work, 21 Apr 2015
Labour manifesto holds little comfort for sick and disabled claimants
As expected, the Labour party manifesto holds little comfort for sick and disabled claimants. There are commitments to abolish the bedroom tax, 'reform' the work capability assessment and pause and review universal credit. However, the household benefit cap will stay and there was no mention of ending the current sanctions regime, pausing the roll out of personal independence payment or saving the Independent Living Fund (ILF).
Labour say they will:
- Reform the WCA, focusing it on the support disabled people need to get into work
- Abolish the bedroom tax
- Set up an independent scrutiny group of disabled people to monitor the WCA
- Set up a specialist support programme to provide tailored help to disabled people who can work.
- Pause and review the universal credit programme
- Keep the household benefit cap and investigate whether it should actually be lower in some regions
- Not cut tax credits
- Introduce Maths, English and IT skills tests within six weeks of claiming JSA and make training compulsory where it would improve employability
- Introduce a guaranteed paid job for young people out of work for a year and over 25s out of work for two years
- Introduce a higher rate of JSA for those who have paid NI contributions for longer, paid for by extending the period you need to have paid contributions before you qualify
Whilst abolishing the bedroom tax remains very welcome, 'reform' of the WCA is a virtually meaningless commitment as is the setting up of a 'scrutiny group'. The lack of any mention of the sanctions regime or the ILF will also disappoint many disabled activists.
A Labour led government still appears to be a considerably better bet for claimants than a Conservative one. But it's clear that Labour remain only a less awful option, rather than a positively good one.
Source – Benefits & Work, 13 Apr 2015