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Keys to the Golden City

27-07-2010 11:22

Keys to the Golden City is a performance by musician Vicki Burke – an evening of harp, song and journeys – on Friday 30th July at 7pm. It takes place at the Pierian Centre – and is an extraordinary mix of music and personal exploration.
Keys to the Golden City takes the form of a Musical Journey around the Cosmos – an evening in which Vicki probes the links between our journey around the seasonal year, journeys in our life and our lifetime journey. Creating cycles within cycles Vicki weaves them, with song, into the idea that our mind, body and soul, as a map of the cosmos, holds the key to a greater understanding of ourselves.

Vicki Burke is a musician, music teacher and music healer. She has played clarinet since the age of seven, and she plays saxophone with bands like Flash Harry and Up, Bustle & Out – but she now concentrates on the harp. Keith Warmington reviewed her recent CD Sutura on Radio Bristol. “It's no mean feat to move from sax to harp,” he said, “but Vicki Burke pulls it off beautifully! The music from Sutura stayed with me long after the CD had finished.”

The performance brings together two sides of Vicki’s work. “Keys to the Golden City is the culmination of 11 years of working with healing and sound,” she says, “but it’s also the result of discoveries I’ve made more recently in some inspiring workshops – discoveries about the links between the astrological and chakra journeys. I’ve learned to listen to the music and wisdom we carry inside us, giving each of us access to the keys to our own golden city – a place to reconnect with the oneness of everything.”

Keys to the Golden City takes place at the Pierian Centre, 27 Portland Square, St Pauls, Bristol BS2 8SA. The performance is at 7pm on Friday 30th July – and costs £5 and £2.50 concessions. For bookings contact the Pierian Centre on 0117 924 4512 or info@pieriancentre.com. For more information about Keys to the Golden City contact 01761 452284 or keystothegoldencity@yahoo.co.uk

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Ethical Living?

27-07-2010 11:00

Contact us if you would like to write for our alternative blog

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Dedication of Honorary doctorate to the people of Iran

27-07-2010 10:43

Peter Tatchell gave an inspirational speech to students at Sussex University, dedicating his doctorate to the people of Iran struggling against a theocratic regime, fighting for democracy and freedom. He dedicated his doctorate to Mansour Osanloo, the jailed Iranian trade union leader, and Sakineh Ashtiani, who has been sentenced to be stoned to death, along with more than 20 other Iranians.

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Landlords and Deposits: Know Your Rights [1]

27-07-2010 10:22

Around this time of year many students are leaving, or have just left, their private rented accommodation. Aside from the frantic cleaning and figuring out how on earth they are going to move the junk collected through three years of university back home; one topic bothers pretty much all of them. How to get their deposits back.
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P.A. writes Around this time of year many students are leaving, or have just left, their private rented accommodation. Aside from the frantic cleaning and figuring out how on earth they are going to move the junk collected through three years of university back home; one topic bothers pretty much all of them. How to get their deposits back.

A deposit for a student house is often a lot of money and it is not uncommon for students never to see a penny of it. Many others lose large chunks; £50 to mow the lawn, £150 to professionally clean the carpets, £75 to repaint that wall with all posters sellotaped to. It mounts up.

The frustrating thing about this is that landlords are very often seriously in breach of the law in making these claims. The Housing Act 2004, in force since 6th April 2007, requires the landlord to pay the deposit into one of three tenancy deposit schemes (Deposit Protection Scheme, Tenancy Deposit Scheme or mydeposits). They are then required to notify the tenants of which scheme is being used. If you are currently in a dispute with your landlord over deposits, get in touch with the three schemes listed above. If none of them have your deposit, your landlord is in big trouble.

Under s.214 of the Housing Act 2004, failure to pay the money into a scheme within the required period (14 days after recieving it) can result in a court order requiring the landlord to pay the tenants a fine equal to three times the amount of the deposit. Suddenly the boot is on the other foot.

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Even though court cases are expensive and complicated (the landlord may appeal, you may be required to hire bailiffs to enforce the claim), it’s still worth knowing your rights. All landlords will know about the provisions of the Housing Act 2004, they just try and dodge them because they think students are too naive to know any better. Once you mention s.214, I would be willing to bet the long battles over the deposit evaporate. The landlord will be anxious to keep you happy and keep you out of court. And that means getting the carpets professionally cleaned at your expense quickly becomes much less important. The most likely result is that they’ll give you your money back and hope to never have to see you again.

And if your money is in a scheme, rely on their alternative dispute resolution system. This is cheaper and easier than going to court, and often results in a satisfactory ruling for the tenant. Again, you may find the threat of it encourages your landlord to give the money back much more promptly.

For those moving into a new property, now would be a good time to contact the landlord and ask them about the scheme they paid your deposit into. It could save a lot of hassle later on. It’s also a good idea to photograph the property when you move in, so you have evidence of the state it was in. If it looked a tip when you moved in, its less likely you’ll be held to account for the state of it when you move out.

All in all, remember your rights and don’t let your landlord take you for a ride. If we can prove we aren’t as naive as we sometimes appear, we may have a much easier time dealing with landlords in the future.

These are all general points, specific cases may require specific advice, and you should contact a solicitor before taking further action.

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FB-AUCPB statement

27-07-2010 09:49

Regarding another provocative military-political fuss and saber-rattling by the U.S. near the borders of the DPRK

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Foreign Intervention will Harm Iran's Democratic Movement

27-07-2010 08:09

As the British Parliament gets ready to break up for the summer an emergency meeting in the Palace of Westminster hears the views of experts and analysts on how to resolve the current standoff with Iran.

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The Sherrod Affair and Etta Rosales

27-07-2010 03:47

CALIFORNIA, United States—By now, Shirley Sherrod’s fascinating story is well known.

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EDL Members Arrested Over Suspected Mosque Bomb Plot

26-07-2010 23:48

Detained: Ablitt and several others were hauled in by Dorset Serious Crime Unit
Several English Defence League members were sensationally arrested last week by police investigating an apparent pot to bomb a British mosque.

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Afghanistan casualty rate highest of war

26-07-2010 23:24

Eight months after the Obama administration announced a “surge” of 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan to crush the Taliban-led insurgency, the rate of US and allied casualties has soared to the highest level of the nearly nine-year war and is beginning to match the bloodiest stages of the occupation of Iraq.

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Fri 30th July: 100 days of Gulf of Mexico oil spill

26-07-2010 23:23

Along with BP, Transocean, the world’s largest offshore drilling contractor, is also responsible for the Gulf of Mexico disaster.
Transocean also built the wellheads for the Shell Corrib gas project in Mayo, Ireland where the community campaign is now in it's 10th year of struggle, see www.shelltosea.com

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International Call-Out for Oakland Support and Solidarity

26-07-2010 22:08

flyer
Greetings from California, Comrades!

As many have heard, a relentless anti-police movement has grown from the tragedy of Oscar Grant's murder on January 1, 2009 by former officer Johannes Mehserle.* Recently, Mehserle was convicted of the deplorable charge of involuntary manslaughter, a weak charge which carries a sentence of probation to four years in prison.

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Afghan War Leaks Expose Costly Folly

26-07-2010 21:48

The brutality and fecklessness of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan have been laid bare in an indisputable way just days before the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on whether to throw $33.5 billion more into the Afghan quagmire, when that money is badly needed at home.

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Iraqi government forcibly closes trade union offices, prohibits union activity

26-07-2010 21:47

Reposted from Libcom

Brendan Barber wrote to William Hague 22 July 2010 stating the following story. The story has not appeared in the mainstream media and could be a hoax. It may also be that repression in Iraq has caused the union to be unable to publish news and this may have contributed to news corporations not picking the story up...

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Wigs and silver dresses demo at EDO

26-07-2010 17:37

Come to EDO MBM/ITT to celebrate the decommissioners victory...

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International Sakine Day against Stoning - no more stonings!

26-07-2010 17:37

This is a campaign to bring an end to stoning. Stoning is a barbaric act that belongs in Medieval times, not the 21st Century. Sakine's case represents all that is bad with a Sharia based system of law, that lets the state decide who one is allowed to have sexual relations with whom. On the 24 July 2010, thousands of campaigners from all over the world came together to say: Not to Stonings, no to Executions in Iran, no to State interference in private lives of citizens.

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Palestine Today 07 26 2010

26-07-2010 16:25

Audio
Welcome to Palestine Today a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org for Monday, July 26, 2010

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All Star cast at heavily polluted ex Bayer site, Hauxton Cambs

26-07-2010 16:05

Hows does a area that is known to be contaminated with highly toxic chemicals, some of them now banned, become a prime site for property speculation ??
well for a start you need an all star cast, including the Secretary of State for Health / local MP
with the local authorities and environmental protection agencies all on board.
Plus a few of ritains most caring (about quick profits) corporations and it's Bingo 2 da bank

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Corporate Watch: Decommissioners Victorious

26-07-2010 16:02

As the zionist press angrily whip up media smoke screen around the real meanings of the decommissioners acquittals Corporate Watch take an in-depth look at the trial...

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The internet springs a leak. Inspiring news and a short message from G Joe

26-07-2010 14:25

"White House National Security Advisor James Jones issued a statement calling the leaks "irresponsible," saying they not only put the lives of Americans and their partners at risk, but also threaten national security."