U Ch@
m m o C
Nity
FEATZ
Magazine
WARNING:
Dangerous New Games Are Your Kids Safe?
Once in a
Blue Moon Sustainable
Weight Loss www.featzpublishing.com
March 2018
FEATZ
Community & Conversation in Pretoria www.featzpublishing.com
Editor’s Message Welcome to the month of March. Looking back in time this month is rich in history. On the 15th of March 44 BC Julius Caesar was assassinated and twice in 1943 Germany army officers tried and failed to kill Hitler. The Salvation Army was founded in the United Sates on the 10th of March 1880 and John F Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961 on the 1st of March. British parliament abolished the slave trade on the 25th of March in 1807, and in 1994 the Church of England ordained 32 women as the first female priests. Moon gazers will be happy to hear that after having no full moon in February, March this year will bring a Blue Moon, the second Blue Moon of 2018. Sadly, the next Blue Moon will only occur again in October 2020. In this issue we will be reminding you of the March equinox, World Meteorological Day and World Water Day. Naturally, we cannot forget about St. Patrick’s day on the 17th and a special event this month is the Wet Nose Sleepathon on the 3rd and 4th please try to support them. With that said, you can see that we have a busy month ahead and lots of interesting content for you to look through. So I won’t keep you from enjoying this month’s issue any further.
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Until next month, happy reading!
Published by Featz Publishing (Pty) Ltd and distributed via email. No responsibility is accepted by Featz Publishing (Pty) Ltd for claims, errors or omissions made in advertisements appearing in this issue. All our advertisers are accepted in good faith and we are not responsible for views expressed by contributors or other sources. Reproduction of the content of this magazine is not permitted without the prior consent of the publisher.
Community Ch@ - March 2018
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What’s inside... 6
Modern St. Patrick’s Day
11
Play and ASD
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How Sensible Nutrician can Fight Osteoporosis
20
The importance of Strength Training
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A Mind-set for Sustainable Weight Loss
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Protect Your Community, Protect Your Child
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Grace - Part 25
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March Gardening
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Once in a Blue Moon
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Do Children have Rights?
Community Ch@ - March 2018
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March Facts
W
elcome to the third month of the year – or, if you were born before 150 B.C., the first. According to the oldest Roman calendars, one year was ten months long, beginning with March and ending in December. It may sound crazy, but you can still see traces of this old system in our modern calendar; because December was the tenth month, it was named for the number ten in Latin (decem), just like September was named for seven (septem). So, what about January and February? They were just two nameless months called “winter”, proving that winter is literally so awful it doesn’t even deserve a spot on the calendar. So, if so many months were named for their numbers, why wasn’t March called… unumber? Firstly, because that sounds ridiculous, and secondly, because the Gods had dibs on it. March was actually named for the Latin Martius – aka Mars, the Roman God of war and mythical ancestor of the Roman people via his wolfsuckling sons. With the winter frost melting and the ground becoming fertile for harvest again in the Northern hemisphere, March was historically the perfect month for both farmers to resume farming, and warriors to resume warring.
March fell on March 15th. This day was supposed to correlate with the first full moon of the year (remember, winter didn’t count then) and marked by religious ceremonies, but thanks to Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar we know it for another reason. Supposedly, in 44 BC, a seer told Julius Caesar that his downfall would come no later than the Ides of March. Caesar ignored him, and when the fated day rolled around he joked with the seer, “The Ides of March have come.” The seer replied: “ aye, Caesar, but not gone.” Caesar continued on to a senate meeting at the Theatre of Pompey, and was murdered by as many as 60 conspirators. Ironically, the spot where Caesar was assassinated is protected in todays Rome as a no-kill cat sanctuary. Did you know that March is the only month with three consecutive consonants in its name in English? The expression “mad as a March hare” dates back to 1529, it refers to the wild behaviour of male hares during the mating season in March. The birthstone for March is aquamarine and the flowers are daffodils or violet and lastly, more 20th century UK Prime Ministers has birthdays in March than any other month.
Incidentally the Pentagon still seem to agree with this Roman tradition: with the exception of the War on Afghanistan, almost all major US-NATO military operations since the invasion of Vietnam have begun in the month of March.
We hope you have a Mad March this year.
We’ve all heard it uttered, but what does “beware the Ides of March” actually mean? On the Roman calendar, the midpoint of every month was known as the Ides. The Ides of Community Ch@ - March 2018
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T
he modern St. Patrick’s Day celebration will likely be characterised by commercial lucky charms and green beer – all of which has very little to do with the historical figure of the saint. As it turns out, it took centuries for the holiday to accrue the elements that now seem crucial to its celebration. The March 17th celebration started in 1631 when the Church established a Feast Day honouring St. Patrick. He had been Patron Saint of Ireland who had died around the fifth century – a whooping 12 centuries before the modern version of the holiday was first observed. But very little is known about who he actually was. We know that he was a Roman citizen, because Britain was Roman then, and then he was enslaved and taken to Ireland, where he escaped and then became a priest and went back to Ireland, where he had a lot of
luck converting the Druid culture into Christians. Legend says St. Patrick was actually born Maewyn Succat, but that he changed his name to Patricius (or Patrick), which derives from the Latin term for “father figure,” after he became a priest. That supposed luck of his is the root of all the themed merchandise for modern St. Patrick’s Day. It wasn’t until the early 18th century that many of today’s traditions were kicked into high gear. Since the holiday falls during Lent, it provides Christians a day off from the prescriptions of abstinence leading up to Easter, and around the 1720s, the Church found it “got kind of out of control”. It was to remind celebrants what the holiday actually stood for that the Church first associated a botanical item – customary for all saints – with St. Patrick, assigning him the symbol of the likewise lucky shamrock.
Modern day celebrations and themes continued to take shape during the rest of the 1700s. In 1762, the first New York City parade took place. It wasn’t until 1798, the year of the Irish Rebellion, the colour green became officially associated with the day. Up until the rebellion, the colour associated with St. Patrick was blue, as it was featured both in the royal courts and on ancient Irish flags. But as the British wore red, the Irish chose to wear green, and they sang the song “The Wearing of the Green” during the rebellion, cementing the colours relevance in Irish
history. As for the green beer, that’s an even later addition. In fact, it wasn’t until the late 20th century that Ireland repealed a law that initially kept everything – pubs included – shut down for the day. Since then, thanks to a marketing push from Budweiser in the 1980s, downing beer has become a common way to celebrate, regardless of how closely it’s tied to the actual meaning of St. Patrick himself.
March Equinox – March 20
th
An equinox is the exact instant when the Sun is directly overhead the Equator and the Earth’s rotational axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the Sun. In technical terms this means that at the instant of the equinox, the Earth’s celestial equator, which is the equator’s imaginary projection into space, intersects with the centre of the Sun. In any given calendar year, this happens twice, first around March 20th (March Equinox) and then again around September 22 (September Equinox) Many people around the world celebrate the whole day, usually March 21st, as the March Equinox. In reality, however, it occurs at a specific moment in time and its date at any given location is determined by the exact instant when the Sun is overhead the Equator. Depending on location, the equinox can happen on the 19th, 20th or 21st of March. This year, the March Equinox is expected at 18H15 of the 20th of March! See you at the Equinox! Community Ch@ - March 2018
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Collie T
he Collie dog breed is a native of Scotland, mostly of the Highland region but also bred in the Scottish Lowlands and Northern England, where she was used primarily as a herding dog. She is a sensitive and intelligent dog, known for her undying loyalty and amazing ability to foresee her owner’s needs. She is a great family companion, and is still a capable herding dog. The well-bred Collie is sweet, friendly, and gentle. She is a family dog and enjoys being part of all household activities. Especially fond of kids, she enjoys playing with them and protectively watching over them. If those qualities weren’t positive enough, the Collie tops them with her intelligence and loyalty. This dog is smart and learns
quickly. And her devotion? She would probably swim through shark-infested waters to save her owner (just like Lassie). Temperament is affected by a number of factors, including heredity, training, and socialization. Puppies with nice temperaments are curious and playful, willing to approach people and be held by them. Choose the middle-of-the-road
puppy, not the one who’s beating up his littermates or the one who’s hiding in the corner. Always meet at least one of the parents — usually the mother is the one who’s available — to ensure that they have nice temperaments that you’re comfortable with. Meeting siblings or other relatives of the parents is also helpful for evaluating what a puppy will be like when he grows up. Like every dog, the Collie needs early socialization — exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences — when they’re young. Socialization helps ensure that your Collie puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog. Enrolling him in a puppy kindergarten class is a great start. Inviting visitors over regularly, and taking him to busy parks, stores that allow dogs, and on leisurely strolls to meet neighbours will also help him polish his social skills.
Vital Stats: Height: 55 – 66cm tall at the shoulder Weight: 22 – 32 Kg Life span: 10 – 14 years
As for fame, who doesn’t know Lassie? The original Lassie was not a female as the films would have us believe, but rather a male Rough Collie, named Pal. In fact, Pal was initially rejected for the title role in the original 1943 Lassie film, “Lassie Come Home,” due to his gender. He was taken on as a stunt dog instead, while a female Collie was hired for the main part. Pal, however, reportedly impressed the filmmakers so much during production that they ended up releasing the female Collie from her contract and using him instead. After “Lassie Come Home,” Pal starred in six other MGM Lassie films from the mid1940s to the early 1950s, as well as the two pilots for the “Lassie” television series filmed in 1954. For the original film, Pal earned a salary more than twice as large as his costar, Elizabeth Taylor. Pal died in June 1958 at the age of 18, after suffering from deafness and blindness during the last year of his life. Pal’s trainer, Rudd Weatherwax, reportedly slipped in and out of depression for years after his beloved dog’s passing.
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Play and ASD
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hen was the last time you played with your child? Did you get down onto the floor? What type of language did you use? Was your child interested in what you were trying to play? Children are so often under pressure to do well at school, and often don’t get enough time to play. Children with autism are no exception! We put our children under pressure to sit still, to talk, to use appropriate behaviour, and we forget to teach them to play. So why should we be using play to teach children on the spectrum? Play is how all children learn. It’s the basis
for developing our social skills, it is also how we begin to develop our self-identity, we start to understand that others have different opinions through play – and we begin to learn things like cooperation, empathy, respect, turn taking and even waiting. Children generally go through different stages of play. These are: Unoccupied play
•
o Movements made with no clear purpose (infancy) • Solitary play
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o Play on their own – don’t notice others around them • Onlooker play o Children watch others play – may ask questions. o No effort to join in • Parallel Play o Side-by-side play without interacting • Associative Play o Start asking each other questions o Similar goals – no set rules • Social Play o Sharing ideas and toys o Established rules and guidelines But, what about autism? What happens when our children find play difficult? Autism often presents with deficits that may inhibit the development of play naturally. This does not mean that a child with autism will never learn or can never learn to play. With the right techniques, often children on the spectrum can learn to play. So, how are you going to play with your
child? Step 1: What is your child interested in? Think creatively here! Don’t worry if they are interested in unusual objects – use those unusual objects to encourage and teach them to play and to motivate them. Step 2: Which level do you think your child is at in terms of their play? Looking at the above, where do you think your child currently is? Step 3: Create a game Using your child’s interest and their level of play, create a game that you and your family can play together. Examples 1. Using recyclables to make games a. Egg boxes b. Beer boxes c. Toilet roll holders d. Ice cream sticks e. Balls f. Stones g. Newspapers h. Magazines
Facebook: Autism South Africa www.autismsouthafrica.org
The Egyptian Goose
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Alopochen aegyptiacus
he beauty of the Egyptian goose is sometimes taken for granted, thanks to its proliferation all over South Africa, and stretching right up to the North of the African continent. It is endemic to the Nile Valley and the entire area South of the Sahara Desert.
a collar), on a portion of the wings, and under the otherwise black tail. In stark contrast, there are crisp white markings on the wings, complemented by an intense emerald on the secondary feathers of the males. There is also a well-defined brown patch right in the centre of the chest.
The Egyptian Goose is related to the shelduck, and is a cross between a duck and a goose. A shelduck is defined as being semi-terrestrial, and they are found in areas that have an abundant water supply as well as dry, safe places in which to feed, breed and nest. The Egyptian goose has vivid markings that are striking and impressive. In fact, they were considered to be holy by the Egyptians, who often included them in works of art due to their undeniable beauty.
The female of the species is slightly smaller than her male counterparts. Apart from this, there are few to no clear differences between the sexes.
This bird is pale brown and grey, with rich brown or chestnut markings around the eyes, around the neck (resembling
Size Range mass: 1.1 – 3.5kg Range length: 63cm – 73cm Range wing span: 134cm – 154cm. The Egyptian goose favours a habitat that offers plenty of water, as well as some dry spots. So, they can usually be found in inland regions (even open plains) that have wetlands, lagoons or lakes nearby. They are also partial to ornamental water
features (like ponds). They enjoy perching in trees and exploring long grasses for food.
tends to be quieter and hoarser, sounding more like a quack. The female, on the other hand, emits a loud squawk that can continue incessantly, particularly when caring for her young. When trying to attract his mate, the male will use honking, together with a feather display to impress the female.
These birds are endemic to Africa, South of the Sahara Desert. In South Africa, they can be found almost everywhere, with the exception of desert or arid places. It can also be found in the Southern part of Israel and in limited areas through the United Once the Egyptian goose has found a States of America. mate, it generally pairs for life. They make their nests in a wide variety of spots, using As they walk, the Egyptian geese pick the grasses and leaves of the plants in up and eat a range of seeds and grasses. their local habitat. They line the nest with They are also known to eat the grain that soft feathers to ensure that the tiny chicks has spilled from crops (such as wheat, are warm and comfortable. The male and maize and barley). Since they favour wet the female both take turns in incubating conditions, a fair portion of their diet the eggs (generally ranging from five to comprises aquatic plants and the grasses eight eggs), and then in caring for the that can be found on the banks of a dam chicks once they have hatched. Although or river. But, their diet is not limited to they will usually choose spring in which to vegetation. They will eat earthworms, breed, these geese are known to lay their moths, termites, ants, and beetles; if eggs all year round. they happen to come across these. This is especially the case with the juvenile Incubation: 28 to 30 days. geese. This bird is known for its loud, honking call, which it uses to attract its mate. They feed both day and night, sticking to a small flock (also known as a family group) for most of the year. However, during breeding season, both males and females become particularly aggressive; both with members of their own species and with other types of birds. They have even been known to kill the chicks of fellow Egyptian geese to ensure that their own chicks have the best living conditions possible. Because of the noisy nature of their aggression, these birds are often unpopular amongst their human neighbours. The voice of the Egyptian goose is recognised as being loud and course to those who share their habitat. The male
Life Expectancy: Between 20 and 25 years. Once the chicks are hatched, they will be cared for by both of their parents. They learn to fly at around 11 weeks of age, but continue to stick close to their parents for a few months. Due to the intrusive nature and loud noise of these birds, as well as their feeding on crops, they continue to face some threat by the humans in whose vicinity they intrude. In addition, they face some challenges in terms of the loss of suitable habitat, thanks to pollution and urbanisation. However, they are not endangered in any way, and there remain massive numbers of Egyptian geese all over the continent.
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How Sensible Nutrition
Can Fight Osteoporosis by: Lucy Wyndham
O
steoporosis is a challenge that authorities are facing in both South Africa and around the globe. Typically, and wrongly so, considered a dominantly female condition, Western Cape Authorities have noted that worldwide 25% of 50+ males experience osteoporotic fractures in comparison to 33% of women. With the challenges posed being so acute and serious, prevention and treatment are essential. Whilst there is a multitude of clinical treatments for osteoporosis that have impressive benefits for the diagnosis, those with the condition can improve their health even further by integrating the correct sort of nutrition.
and vitamins in your diet is key. Vitamin D is one such crucial component. A 2012 study by MDPI Nutrients found that poor Vitamin D bioavailability impacted bone strength, even in adolescents. So, how do you go about increasing your D intake? First off, remember that the best way to increase Vitamin D levels The Importance of Vitamins is naturally through moderate exposure to the sun’s rays. In countries with low sunlight hours, like in Northern Europe, For both prevention and mitigation of this poses a healthcare risk. Secondly, Osteoporosis, focus on key nutrients many foods have a good supply. The
popular African dishes such as Cape Breyani and Bobotie, which hails from South Africa, have excellent Vitamin D rich ingredients like eggs and milk.
Calcium Bones are constructed mainly from Calcium and thus it is crucial in maintaining their health. People suffering from Osteoporosis should, therefore, see to it that their Calcium intake is sufficient; also very important after a fracture when the nutrients are required to assist repair. Dairy products are the best sources of protein and calcium and low fat and skimmed milk products contain as much and a little more calcium than full fat products. Other sources of calcium are found in green leafy vegetables and certain nuts.
kidney problems originating from the exhaustion of your organs that allows bacteria to flourish. However, as dangerous as too much Protein can be, having enough Protein in your diet is crucial in building muscle strength and fighting infection. When we strengthen our muscles, less weight needs to be carried by our bones. Protein also has anti-inflammatory qualities to benefit your joints. Some of the highest protein foods aren’t expensive and will benefit your diet massively. The unfortunate reality of the situation is that Osteoporosis is a challenge a large set of people will face in their lives. Through careful medication and therapy, it can be managed – or prevented – but you can benefit yourself even more by implementing nutritional changes.
Protein Finally, a word on Protein. Too much Protein can be problematic and cause
NOFSA (National Osteoporosis Foundation South Africa) NOFSA is the only non-profit, voluntary health organisation dedicated to promoting lifelong bone health. We focus on reducing the widespread prevalence of osteoporosis while working to find a cure for the disease, and by supporting research and developing programmes of education and advocacy. Find out more about our work at: www.osteoporosis.org.za Community Ch@ - March 2018
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Italian Potato Wedge Nachos Loaded potato nachos get the Italian treatment with ripe tomato, a mozzarella cheese blend and fresh basil.
Ingredients: • 1 kg packet frozen oven fries • 1 sliced zucchini • 3 slices chopped bacon • 2 (250g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning • Salt and black pepper • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 ½ cup grated Italian five-cheese blend • 1 packet cherry tomatoes, halved • 1 chopped garlic clove • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar • 1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves • Fresh rosemary
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 220oC. Bake oven fries, zucchini and bacon sprinkled with rosemary in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet, stirring once, 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, season the chicken breasts with Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Cook in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pan over medium – high heat until cooked through, 5 – 6 minutes per side; chop. Push potatoes to the middle of the baking sheet and top with chopped chicken and Italian cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 3 – 4 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, toss together tomatoes, garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper. Spoon tomato mixture and basil over potatoes. Serve immediately.
World Water Day, on 22 March every year, is about focussing attention on the importance of water. The theme for World Water nd
Day 2018 is “Nature for Water” – exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21st century.
Damaged ecosystems affect the quantity and quality of water available for human consumption. Today, 2.1 billion people live without safe drinking water at home, affecting their health, education and livelihoods. Sustainable Development Goal 6 commits the world to ensuring that everyone has access to safe water by 2030, and includes targets on protecting the natural environment and reducing pollution. Water is the essential building block of life. But it is more than just essential to quench thirst or protect health; water is vital for creating jobs and supporting economic, social and human development. Today, there are over 663 million people living without a safe water supply close to home, spending countless hours queuing or trekking to distant sources, and coping with the health impacts of using contaminated water. Facts: • Globally, over 80% of the wastewater generated by society flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused. (Sato et al, 2013) • 1.8 billion People use a source of drinking water contaminated by faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio. Unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene cause around 842,000 deaths each year. (WHO/UNICEF 2014/WHO 2014) • The opportunities for exploiting wastewater as a resource are enormous. Safely managed wastewater is an affordable and sustainable source of water, energy, nutrients and other recoverable materials.
The importance of strength training
by Adele Sharman
Have you ever heard someone say “lifting weights will make you bulky!”? Well, nothing could be further from the truth! I have met many women who were too nervous to even lift 3kg dumbbells due to the fear of becoming ‘bulky’ and looking ‘manly’. Furthermore, we are constantly surrounded by social media posts that are filled with captions such as “thigh gaps” and “skinny life”, seemingly encouraging young women to look thin and weak. Strength training does the complete opposite –it tones your whole body, strengthens your muscles, boosts your confidence and leaves you feeling energetic and looking lean. Before I became a trainer, I would spend hours on the treadmill and the elliptical trainer trying to lose weight and tone my whole body. It became quite monotonous and I never felt like I was being challenged. I never lifted any weights because I was too scared to enter the weight section where all the big gym guys were, especially when I had no knowledge of what I had to use. One day I decided to join a Bootcamp class, where I was introduced to squats, push ups, lunges, burpees (ouch) and plank. I couldn’t
move my legs or sit down properly for a whole week after that class, but it was one of the best feelings I had ever felt! I noticed that I started getting stronger, my arms started to tone, my back pain was reduced and my confidence was boosted after every session. Strength training made me feel more powerful as a woman. It was rewarding to see muscles developing (which I never knew I had) and to witness what my body was capable of achieving. I started to appreciate the small facets of my body even more and enjoyed feeling stronger. The benefits of strength training One of the aspects that made me love strength training was seeing how much could be
accomplished short space of Every week co different and 2a week of 30 m strength trainin more than eno
The incredible about incorpor strength trainin your exercise r that you can pe exercises such a ups, squats, lung crunches and tri dips all in the co of your own hom bring up your he in less than 2 mi
The benefits of training include:
-Protection of bo health and musc
-Prevention of b
-Increased meta
-Improvement in balance & co-or
-Reduction of st
-Improvement o performance
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As people grow and become sub to stationary pos in their careers; bones and ligam start to weaken lose muscle mas bone density. In
in a time. ould be 2-3 days minutes ng was ough.
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studies have shown that one percent of one’s muscle strength is lost every year after the age of 35! Reduced muscle mass naturally results in reduced overall strength, slowed metabolism and problems with mobility. A reduction in bone density leaves one susceptible to breaking bones, poor posture and back pain.
your muscles through a variety of movements such as lifting weights. (www.everydayhealth. com) Both of these types of training are vital to improving and strengthening one’s bone health. Strength training and lower back pain
I work with a number of people who struggle So how do we fix this? with lower back pain. Answer: incorporate strength training into our Since they have started exercising, their cores exercise regimes. have strengthened and Weight bearing exercise their lower back pain has been reduced. has been proven to Lower back pain is prevent and negate common amongst those the effects of ageing who sit in a stationary on bone density and position for an extended muscle mass (to a period of time during certain extent). the day (this includes There are two types those who drive long of strength training: distances). isometric resistance It has been amazing and isotonic strength to see how strength training. Isometric training has reduced my training involves clients’ lower back pain. tightening your muscles against a nonThe first client I ever moving object (such trained (in 2013) suffered as performing a push from severe back ache up), whereas isotonic caused by sitting in front training is contracting
of her laptop all day, and needed to strengthen her muscles. I can say with confidence that after 3 months of committed training her back pain disappeared, she became stronger and fitter, and loved seeing the results of toning on her muscles. Strength training exercises such as squats, push ups and planking are essential in strengthening the core and reducing lower back pain. Other benefits of strength training Performing strength training exercises has been proven time and time again to assist in one’s balance and coordination. Exercises such as the side plank strengthen your core and improve balance. The squat exercise has been shown to strengthen the glutes (bum muscles) and hamstrings (back of the thighs),
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which are vital to maintaining good posture and preventing back pain. I encourage my clients to use their core daily (for example, when they stand up from sitting on a chair or pick up their child from the floor), because these simple movements are where balance and core strength is tested.
strengthening the muscles used. I was once approached by a friend, who’s a runner, for advice on improving her performance.
I encouraged her to start performing squats and lunges to strengthen her quads (thighs) and glutes. She could not believe the difference in her endurance Another thing I love about strength during her races and she was able to training is witnessing how it inspires handle running hills/on an incline much couples to get stronger and feel more in better. Her knees were also strengthened control of their bodies. For example- my and supported by the stronger female client loves how lifting weights has surrounding muscles. toned her glutes, and her husband feels more sturdy and tough. Lifting weights has also been shown to lower stress and Lifting weights has shown me how much enhance one’s self-image. stronger I can be. It has boosted my confidence, made me look leaner and Improving performance in other areas taught me that our bodies are capable of using strength training accomplishing more than we think. Strength training has a positive So go squat- you will not regret it! effect on the performance of aerobic exercises such as running or cycling, by
Olinia V
trunk is often fluted and gnarled. The bark is thin, greyish and smooth on young trees, but as the tree begins to age, it becomes very rough and scaly with an ochre to reddish tinge.
T
The leaves are ovate to elliptic, glossy dark green above and pale green below, margin entire, occurring in opposite pairs. Young twigs display a distinctive fourangled pattern. Crushed leaves, twigs, bark and freshly cut wood all smell strongly of almonds.
his beautiful tree makes a striking impression in spring when it is in full flower and is a good choice for a shade tree or focal point in a garden with sufficient space. Olinia ventosa is an evergreen forest tree of between 10-20 m in height. In optimal conditions it is found as a large, shapely, many branched, leafy tree with a spreading crown, but when growing on an exposed hillside it is a medium-sized tree or large shrub. In older trees the
The tiny white to pale pink flowers are borne in dense axillary Common names:Â clusters of up to 60 mm lo Hard Pear (Eng.) scented. The tree Hardepeer (Afr.) flower, as the flow against the glossy flowers appear in October.
Ventosa
ong and are faintly sweetis very attractive when in wers stand out very well y dark green leaves. The spring, from August to
The berry-like fruits are coral pink to bright red when ripe with a distinctive, round scar at the tip; about 10 mm in diameter. The fruits have a hard, woody centre containing several small seeds. According to Palmer & Pitman (1961), Olinia ventosa does not bear fruit regularly, sometimes only once every 5-7 years. Olinia ventosa is not a threatened species, but nevertheless is a very important component of any forest system where it occurs. Olinia ventosa is found in forests and forest margins, as well as coastal scrub and rocky hillsides, usually at low altitudes. It mainly occurs along the Southern and Eastern coastal regions of South Africa, from the Cape Peninsula to just above the borders of the Transkei into Southern KwaZulu-Natal. The early colonists called this tree the hard pear/ hardepeer, and also extended this vernacular name to other species of the genus, namely Olinia acuminata, O. radiata and O . emarginata, also to Pleurostylia capensis and Canthium inerme. The Xhosa name umngenalahla means, tree that is without embers or charcoal, i.e. a tree that does not make good firewood. The nectar in the flowers attracts various insects and birds that act as pollinators. The fruits are eaten by fruit-eating birds such as louries, bush doves and mousebirds and this aids in seed dispersal. The wood of Olinia ventosa is hard, heavy and strong and was used for fencing posts, telegraph poles, wagon building and even musical instruments in the past. Today it is mainly used for fine furniture-making, as it has a beautiful yellow brown finish, comparable to walnut.
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by: Elzette Struwig
A mind-set for sustainable weigh A new year, new resolutions and new challenges. As January kicks off we are always full of hope and expectations for the year ahead, especially when it comes to our weight and our aspirations to follow a healthier diet plan and as a bonus lose some weight. It is a great trait to be optimistic, but let’s be realistic, by the time work and school starts, all our good ambitions have collapsed. Maybe I can help with a few tips on how to maintain these dietary goals we set for ourselves and by this time next year it is not just a dream, but a dream come true. As a registered dietitian, I often see the common mistakes that are made when setting health and weight loss goals for one’s self. I would like to give you some insight on what the ideal mindset is to set you up for success and not failure. The first question I ask a patient on their first consultation is (in a very polite manner of course) ‘why are you here today?’ Which basically means, what is your goal and what drives this goal? Is your goal to see yourself in a specific bikini that did not fit you for the past 5 years, or do you see yourself running around with grandchildren without excess weight? Whatever the goal might be, it is important to visualize that and keep that in mind as the bullseye, to keep you going strong during challenging times. As the well-known saying goes, ‘keep your eyes on the prize’. The drive behind the goal is just as important as the goal itself, unfortunately, in most of the cases, we tend to be people-pleasers and set goals to impress others, rather than focus on our own health and happiness. The first challenge is to discover what your goal is and what drives you?
lo sh yo or tim go
It yo some people do not believe th see it in the numbers on the s your guideline! There are a lo can influence the number on t of which is the loss of fat mass muscle mass. This often caus lose motivation and give up, th get onto the scale on a daily b weekly basis for that matter. M results by the centimetres you finally fit into that dress you ne to. You will feel on top of the w more inspired to keep it up. H tracking your progress?
Once you have set a realistic g towards, in my opinion, the fou we do wrong is the lack of a p Yes, we want to lose fat mass, will we do it and how will we m it. A quick fad diet to aid in los Once you are able to visualize yourself reaching your goal the extra weight picked up ove and have the drive to do so, your weight loss goal should December might help, but this be reachable and realistic. We all know that goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and can result in the weight (or mo time-limited), we have heard it a million times. But in basic being gained back as fast as it was lost. When I talk about a terms, make sure your weight loss goal is achievable. Be plan, I mean a proper eating a realistic, if you have three kids between the ages of 1 and exercise plan that is sustainab 10 years, for example, it might be more challenging (or take a while longer) to reach your goals, compared to your feasible. I would recommend, if needed, the advice of an exp neighbour who has no kids and is a housewife and can spend hours in the gym. A very important question to ask, the field such as a dietitian, nu is, ‘how long did it take you to gain the weight you want to life coach, personal trainer etc
ht loss
ose?’. With that in mind, you hould be prepared to lose our excess weight over more r less the same period of me. Determine whether your oal is achievable?
is obvious to one’s self when ou start losing weight, but he progress if they don’t scale. That should not be ot of factors that the scale one s and gain of ses people to herefore don’t basis or even a Measure your u have lost, to ever were able world and even How are you
help to determine your individual needs, because, keep in mind, all humans are different and live different lifestyles and will therefore, require a plan that fits in with their specific lifestyles and not the other way around. Do you have a structured plan? Life happens but having a plan is important to keep you on track to follow your well-planned low-carbohydrate, highfat meal plan. Therefore, plan in advance. If you know you are going to have a busy week, why not do all the grocery shopping over the weekend and better yet prepare food for Monday, therefore, Monday you can prepare food for Tuesday, and so on and so forth, this will allow you to always be a day in advance. Just think about it, working in advance allows you to come home to a ready homecooked meal. Plan, plan, plan?
Do you have a structured plan?
Now that you have your plan stuck to the fridge, you are ready for this life-changing experience. Be prepared and aware, that some days may be more challenging than
goal to work urth thing that proper plan. , but how maintain sing er s ore) t
and ble and , that pert in utritionist, c. they can Community Ch@ - March 2018
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others. If a day comes crashing down on your perfectly calculated plan, please don’t abandon your dreams, just carry on where you left off. Remember we are aiming for a lifestyle change and not a quick fix. One slip up does not mean that the entire plan should go to waste. It is all part of the journey. Ensure to have a contingency plan in place for days where you planned to make an oven roasted lemon butter chicken with Al Dente mixed veggies, but one of the kids got sick, the car broke etc. etc. Remember a quick salad with a tin of tuna is just as suitable and nowadays that roasted chicken and ready-made veggies, at your local grocery store is a lifesaver. If you skipped meals or had something that does not fit in with
your plan, it is not the end of the world, just carry on as planned. Do you have a contingency plan? With various fad diets popping up all over the internet, I can understand that it can become challenging to find your feet when it comes to what is healthy and what not. We all want to see results within a day or two, but we know, deep down that, it is not the solution. Believe in yourself and commit to something that can change your life for the good. Even though it is March, it is not too late to stick to your resolutions, just do it and turn your life around. Great things can happen if you believe in yourself and give yourself the credit you deserve.
Compiled by: Police Social Work Services: Lt Col Gerber
PROTECT YOUR COMMUNITY, PROTECT YOUR CHILD
“The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign challenged South Africans to declare a truce on violence against women and children…” BUT what if we need to protect children against themselves? Creating a safe and secure environment for all starts at home, there where the violence is born, experienced, lived out or causing tragic sorrow. Heartbreaking sadness and pain because children injure and kill themselves playing games… The “choking game” phenomena and the new upcoming threat, the “blue whale game” are costing children’s lives - children possibly from your community, your friend and family cluster
and your workplace colleagues. Knowledge is power in stopping these threats to the safety of our children. The choking game: also known as the fainting game, refers to intentionally cutting off oxygen to the brain through strangulation or hyperventilation, with the goal of inducing temporary loss of consciousness and euphoria. Children play this game because of: • •
•
Peer pressure, a challenge or dare. Curiosity in experiencing a different state of consciousness, or an imagined approximation to a near-death experience. Getting a high without taking drugs or financial cost.
Parents and caretakers should familiarize themselves with the signs of the game:
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Discussion of the game; Bloodshot eyes; Marks on the neck; Severe headaches; Disorientation after spending time alone; Ropes, scarves, and belts tied to bedroom furniture or doorknobs or found knotted on the floor; and Unexplained presence of things like dog leashes, choke collars and bungee cords. The blue whale game: a mindprogramming game, working over 50 days / assignments to get teenagers through food and sleep deprivation and messaging in movies and music to kill themselves. The horrific tasks include self-harm, watching horror movies and waking up at unusual hours, gradually becoming more extreme. The big danger behind the game is that it targets vulnerable teenagers. Once in the game, there’s little hope to get out. Being a player gives the administrator full access to your entire data online. This data is the control they have to blackmail and cyber bullying anyone who wants to back out into completing all tasks. They threaten to hurt their family or reveal all personal data online.
Signs to look out for: • A recent tendency in the child to stay distant. • Any changes in diet or sleep pattern of the child. • Any cuts or wounds on the body. • Staying up at night or waking
around 4:20 am. • The children who may be more prone to Blue Whale challenge are those who may talk about running away from home or about death in general.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO? • Maintain effective communication with children – let them talk! • Acknowledge their worries: dismissing their feelings will only shut down the conversation and make them reluctant to talk about what’s bothering them. • Give them space enough to let them explain their feelings without restraint. • As the world is getting digitized, it is extremely important for you to bridge that gap by staying updated of their digital activity. Keep an eye on what they do on the internet. • Help them practice ways of saying no: Rehearsing with them ways to stand up to peer pressure and coming up with alternatives for them will build their confidence.
ADVOCATE NO VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN!
By Johan Jordaan
GRACE
You are Part 25
and soul and at ot bod case does whic to. T it is beca thre our trea whe sanctification.
This month we take a closer look at holiness. This is such a misunderstood topic that causes many of God’s children to live in a constant condition of striving to become ‘better Christians’. And there are texts in the Bible that can make it look like we are to achieve holiness – we must make it happen. Case in point: 1Pet 1:16 Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy. (KJV) Most modern translations like the NET, AMP and others put it as a promise rather than a command. Suffice to say that due to translator interpretation it looks like a command while in most likelihood it was originally intended more as a promise! This is a direct quote from Lev 19:2 where even the King James has it as “You shall be holy”. My biggest problem though with the accepted interpretation of this verse is that, that puts it in direct conflict to other teachings in the Bible – especially that of Paul, who repeatedly points out that sanctification is not our responsibility, as we’ll see. Another aspect of holiness that we do not understand is that holiness does not only mean ‘to be without sin’. God promises the Israelites that they ‘shall be holy’ but when in their history were they ever without sin? Often they are called a holy nation. You can say a lot of things about them but never that they lived sinless. The temple was also holy as was all the artefacts inside the temple. How can these objects sin? Therefore holiness can be defined apart from sin. God was also holy long before sin existed. From the above we can see that holiness is not to be defined in terms of sin alone. So how must we define holiness? If you look up the word in a dictionary you will
find that it is defined in terms of sanctification which means that something is set apart for special service. When you see it like this you understand how the Israelites could be called a holy nation and the temple could be holy – they were set aside for God’s special purposes. Before we start looking at some scriptures that deal with this topic I must explain a principle that we need to come to terms with: we were created in God’s image and God is a triune being; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Therefore we were also created as triune beings namely spirit, soul and body. This is significant because when Paul speaks about holiness, he sometimes addresses our spirits
The first thing to r sanctification is th we are already ho holy and we are b If this is a bit conf in mind what I sai are spirit, soul and our spirits have be when we were reb 6) – through circu 2:29) – our souls a to go through a pr sanctified.
Let’s examine som relevant scripture We are Holy.
1Cor 3:17 If someone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, which is what you are. (NET) Paul clearly declares that we (our spirit-man in this case) are holy. Note that as shown above this does not mean that we are without sin.
e Holy
sometimes our ls (will, mind emotions) and ther times our dies. In most es though he s not indicate ch he is referring The reason why significant is ause these ee parts of beings are ated differently en it comes to
realise about he fact that oly. Yes, we are becoming holy. fusing, keep id above: we d body. While een perfected born (John 3:3umcision (Rom and bodies have rocess to be
me of the es:
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (KJV) The new man that you are, were created perfect and holy. This new man has been created in God’s image, no wonder that he is righteous and holy! But Paul tells us to ‘put it on’ like a cloak. This makes me think that he is talking about our spirit. You live in your spirit like a cloak. It is around us. In fact it is us! Col 1:2 to the saints, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ, at Colossae. Grace and peace to you from God our Father! (NET) Yes, we are the saints! We are the holy ones of God.
again used several scriptures to illustrate the point because I do not think that one can ‘prove’ a point by referring to a single verse. In his book Sanctification by Grace Ryan Rufus explains these principles in detail. Please download and read this excellent book if you struggle to come to terms with the truths explained above. You must realise that it is difficult to explain something as new and unfamiliar as this in a few paragraphs so do not take my word for it, look in your Bible and read Ryan’s book. Watchman Nee has also written some excellent books about the spirit-man. When we accept Jesus, we are reborn – a spiritual process. This process issues us with a perfect and holy spirit – the new man. From this moment we are saints. We become alive. But we are not completely perfect yet – our souls still need to be renewed and that is a process which is the topic of next month’s teaching.
There are many, many more such scriptures, but I think these make it clear enough Write to me, engage me that we are holy and that and I will try to answer any we became holy when we questions that you might have. became a new creation – My contact details are: at the moment of rebirth. Also that this refers to featzmags@gmail.com our spirit-man because subject: Grace our souls and bodies still have a long way to go. I have Community Ch@ - March 2018
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Scottish Fold
There is not his folded e people, par
After his ears, the f will notice about a is his habit of posin positions—flat out like a little frog, sitt all the world as if h meerkat on a natu or lying on his bac the air. And althou assume that his ea mobile than those such is not the cas them to communic effectively, adding in a quiet, chirpy v necessary.
This is a smart, moderately active Scottish Fold enjoy toys that test his a puzzle toys that ch his intelligence. Hi activity is anything human interaction
Life Span: 11 to 14 years
There is nothing a Fold likes better th with his people, pa whatever they are sweet cat who enj The last thing he w left alone for hours
thing a Scottish Fold — named for ears — likes better than to be with his rticipating in whatever they are doing.
first thing you a Scottish Fold ng in odd on the floor ting up—for he were a ure program— ck, paws up in ugh you might ars are less of other cats, se. He uses cate quite comments voice when
he’s not the best choice unless someone is home during the day or you can give him the company of another cat. Rest assured, however, that he will expect you to play with him when you get home from work or school or at least sit down so he can get in a little lap time or curl up next to you while you watch television.
out at the world with a sweet expression. The medium-size body is also rounded, completed by a medium to long tail that sometimes ends in a rounded tip.
A shorthaired Fold has a dense, plush coat with a soft texture. The longhaired variety has medium-long to long fur with britches (longer fur on the upper thighs), toe tufts, a plumed tail, and tufts of fur on the ears. He may also With the way his small ears have a ruff around the neck. fit like a cap over his rounded The Scottish Fold comes head, the Scottish Fold is often in a number of colours and described as resembling an owl. patterns, including solid, tabby, The ears range in appearance tabby and white, bicolour and from a single fold, bent forward particular. Eye colour depends cat. The about halfway up the ear, to a on coat colour. For instance, ys teaser double fold, somewhat tighter, white and bicolour cats can agility and and the triple fold, lying tight have blue eyes or odd eyes. hallenge to the head, which is desirable is favourite for show cats. g that involves Kittens are n. born with straight ears, which may or Scottish may not fold han to be articipating in when they doing. He is a are about 3 joys attention. weeks old. wants is to be Wide open eyes gaze s on end, so Community Ch@ - March 2018
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Life is a Garden
What to do in the Garden th It’s not really autumn yet, it’s simply late summer with a ‘day-old beard growth’ - a lovely time of year when there is much to do and to plant in the garden... May the forest be with you! A new trend is called “forest bathing”, and on March 21, (also Human Rights Day in our country), it’s International Day of the Forests too. ‘Forest bathing’ does not entail a tiring hike through a huge plantation, and nor does it mean standing naked under a tree when it is raining, to save shower water... It means a little bit of quiet “me-time” in the company of green giants, to appreciate their huge value to our planet, and our mental health in general - being in the shade and protection of trees does seem to soothe anxiety! It is therefore important that we do not allow trees to be chopped down right, left, and centre. It’s equally important that we take time to choose the appropriate tree for different situations, (your
local GCA garden centre will know!) and to support all tree-planting initiatives in our communities. Trees are the green lungs of our urban areas and planting them is a symbol of love for future generations to come. Smart planting - “The golden age” You may have seen that metallic colours like rose gold and copper are still on-trend. Metallic décor and plants with golden foliage or bright variegation is still very ‘in’ – and they create lightness and bright accents in pots or in a garden. Plant lots of dwarf Coprosma hybrids with their glowing foliage which will start intensifying as soon as it’s a little cooler. The foliage of a star jasmine called ‘Summer Sunset’ is coppery and gold, and the beautiful new cordyline varieties like ‘Electric Pink’ and ‘Electric Star’ are very ‘in’
Leucadendron All of these are plants!
Bedding besti
March is too ea traditional wint but a perfect ti the hardy and verbenas, lobe dianthus and p (albeit only in s rainfall areas). enjoy the last h summer, as we weather when arrives.
Hot tip: Visit G centres on Frid Saturdays for t widest choice as they usually fresh stock jus weekend.
Rose care - pr abundant leaf
Build healthy le fertilising with specific fertilis
With lots of leaves, the process of photosynthesis remains in full swing, strengthening the plants’ stems for fast spring sprouting, and also to enable it to flower magnificently on new stems well into winter.
his Month too. Another glowing specimen to plant, is home grown
The cute factor
It is trendy to go for smart, large containers filled with pretty fruit trees like a calamondin orange, lemon tree, lime tree, or kumquat. ies Potted citrus trees can arly for the give you a harvest of fruit ter annuals, throughout winter. Finish off ime to plant your potted fruit tree orchard adaptable with pretty companion elias, alyssums, plants like curled parsley, petunias nasturtiums and dwarf summer marigolds. They will Green lawn in winter heat of ell as cooler If you want a lawn that stays autumn really green for 365 days of the year, think out of the box – a box of lawn seed! Choose GCA garden a cold-hardy lawn variety, days or which tolerates sun to light the best and shade, or one which will of seedlings cover bald spots in deep y receive shade. st before the
n ‘Red Devil’. e great hardy
romote f growth
eaves by a rose ser this month.
These lawn seeds are not only handy to start a new lawn, but can also be used to overseed old, motley lawns that go dormant. The two grass types are compatible and blend Community Ch@ - March 2018
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seamlessly into each other. Germination is as speedy as between 5–10 days, and if all goes according to plan, you can achieve reasonable coverage within 8 weeks, provided there is no foot traffic over it. Seed your grass today! Trending: The social networking of plants The idea behind this trend for 2018 is communities of plants which ‘network’ together, so natural prairie gardens with swathes of ornamental grasses and floriferous perennials are hot news! If you are still planting ‘one of a kind’, leaving large areas of soil unplanted, you will be creating a lot of maintenance for yourself. Rather pick a limited palette of adaptable plants, and send them to ground in numbers! Recommended grasses: Fabulous fountain grasses include Pennisetum ‘Fireworks’, ‘Rubrum’ and ‘Vertigo’, pink muhly grass, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ (Zebra grass), Carex ‘Frosted Curls’, Coman’s ‘Khaki’, Festuca ‘Silver Eye catch’ and also the pretty indigenous restios like Elegia tectorum (Cape thatching reed).
Perennials, especially those that flower well into autumn, are worth every cent. They supply lots of flowers for long periods without fuss and can be left to their own devices once planted. Do try some of these troublefree perennials for all conditions and tastes: Long-flowering; acanthus, campanula, centranthus, diascia, gaura, Japanese anemone, kangaroo paw, nepeta, rudbeckia and echinacea. Drought resistant; armeria, artemisia, bergenia, felicia, eryngium, salvia and penstemon. Evergreen; ajuga, dierama, hellebore, heuchera, kniphofia, liriope and ophiopogon. Windy and coastal gardens; indigenous forget-me-not, geranium, stachys, limonium, lychnis, pelargonium, agapanthus, centaurea, crocosmia, dietes, and salvias. Note: Most of these will grow everywhere and in any region. If you have any concerns or need some advice, ask your local GCA garden centre. Bug watch ● Italian cypress
aphid - start treating conifers against this pest with a systemic insecticide as a spray or soil drench. ● Ants - spray with contact insecticide for up to 3 months’ protection, or apply granular ant bait to eradicate the nest (the bait will be carried to the nest). ● Termites - apply a systemic insecticide to control wood destroying termites or use a granular bait for harvester termites. Cool season herbs to plant ● Chives and garlic chives – grow in sun or partial shade. They also grow well in window boxes indoors, provided there is enough light. ● Coriander – grows in light shade or indoors on a window sill. ● Calendula – healing herb with pretty, edible flowers. Grow in full sun. ● Rocket – the peppery leaves are rich in iron, chlorophyll and various vitamins.
Grow outside in a sunny spot and even try it indoors on a sunny window sill. Products to shop for now ● Be an early bird and start buying spring-flowering bulbs which are available in variety now, before they sell out. It’s still too early to plant them as the soil temperature needs to cool down some more. ● Buy a specialised micro-element mixture to treat azaleas and gardenias that may be turning yellow and which need a pep up. ● Stock up on acidic fertiliser and acidic mulch (bark nuggets or chips) to feed azaleas, camellias, brunfelsias and gardenias before winter. ● Sow sweet peas, poppies, primula, foxgloves, hollyhocks and larkspur. Follow the instructions on the seed packet closely. ● Dig and prepare planting holes for new deciduous fruit trees – fresh stock will be available in nurseries soon. ● If you notice that water is simply running off the surface, leaving the soil beneath bone dry, you need to add a soil conditioner – enquire at your nearest GCA nursery. These products help change the structure of the soil to allow water to soak in. Sandy or compacted soil is particularly vulnerable. Follow up by improving the soil further with layers of organic matter laid on top. ● Feed all shrubs and the lawn
with a potassium-rich fertiliser to strengthen the cells and stems before winter comes. ● If your summer veggie patch has not produced well, and you can use enough water to irrigate regularly for a short while, dig up spent veggies and sow green manure crops in beds which will be left empty in winter, like mustard, buckwheat, clover, linseed, lupines, lucerne and borage. When flowering (they are pretty!), dig them into the soil. They improve the soil structure (for better water retention) and increase the fertility of it for the next round of summer crops. ● Before the cold sets in and the job becomes uncomfortable, clean out your water features. Check that your pump is clean and in good condition.
For more information on bringing Life to your Garden, visit our website www.lifeisagarden.co.za or join the conversation on our Facebook page: www.facebook. com/lifeisagardensa.
Once in a For those who don’t know, a Blue Moon has nothing to do with the colour of the moon but rather the appearance of an additional full moon in a calendar month.
Owing to the rarity of a blue moon, the term “blue moon” is used to refer to a rare event, as in the phrase “once in a blue moon”
One Lunation (an average lunar cycle) is 29.53 days. There are about 365.24 days in a tropical year. Therefore, about 12.37 lunations (365.24 days divided by 29.53 days) occur in a tropical year. In the widely used Gregorian calendar, there are 12 months (the word month is derived from moon) in a year, and normally there is one full moon each month. Each calendar year contains roughly 11 days more than the number of days in 12 lunar cycles. The extra days accumulate, so every two or three years (seven times in the 19-year Metonic cycle), there is an extra full moon. The extra full moon necessarily falls in one of the four seasons, giving that season four full moons instead of the usual three, and, hence, a blue moon.
On ex Th sa an for Su br wh to ca the mo
Blue Moon!
n the 31st of January 2018 we xperienced a Super Blue Blood Moon. his event combined 3 phenomena at the ame time: A Blue Moon, a Supermoon nd a Total Lunar Eclipse. This appeared r the first time in 150 years. The upermoon was 14% bigger and 30% righter than usual. A Supermoon occurs hen the moon is at its closest approach earth. The Total Lunar Eclipse is also alled a Blood Moon. This occurs when e earth sits between the sun and the oon. The atmosphere filters out most
of the blue-coloured light leaving and orange/red coloured light. Due to the fact that February only has 28 days this year, full moon will appear on the 2nd of March and once again on the 31st of March – giving us the second Blue Moon of the year! The next double monthly Blue Moon will be in January and March of 2037! Normally a Blue Moon only occurs about every 2-3 years. Our next Blue Moon will be in October of 2020.
For those who missed the Super Blue Blood Moon – you have a long while to wait before we will be lucky enough to see that phenomena again! Community Ch@ - March 2018
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Remembering... Edwin Land Scientist, Inventor, Physicist (1909–1991)
Edwin Land is best known as the inventor of the Polaroid camera and film, and as the co-founder of the Polaroid Corporation. Scientist and inventor Edwin Land was born on May 7, 1909, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Land attended Harvard University briefly before establishing his own laboratory to study light polarization. The lab became the Polaroid Corporation in 1937, and publicly introduced its groundbreaking instant camera and selfdeveloping film in 1947. Land died in Cambridge, Massachusetts on March 1st, 1991.
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PRETORIA HIGH
St Albans Visit for Va
St Alban’s College serenaded Valentine’s day with 3 delightf efforts were recognised with m
Eq Gr
Valentine’s Dance In order to raise money for Child Welfare, the Grade 11s held a Valentine’s Dance on 16 February. Learners set about decorating tables and jazzing up the venue for this much-anticipated event after school. The evening was memorable and the young ladies and their partners dressed beautifully for the occasion.
PH ye of PH ten
Sim in Sa in Ro the in
SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
alentines
the ladies at PHSG for ful songs. The young men’s much applause and cheer.
questrian Off to a reat Start
HSG’s equestrians started the ear off well. The first qualifier 2018 saw several of the HSG riders come in the top n in their individual classes.
mone Syman finished 7th Show Jumping, 80cm; avanna Thomson finished 5th Pirx Caprilli test; Courtney obberson rode for PHSG for e first time and placed 3rd both Working Hunting and
Show Jumping 100cm Accumulator; Franscesca Bithrey finished 4th in Performance Riding and Emma van Schie took first place in both Dressage Test and Performance Riding. Congratulations on these outstanding results!
OPEN WATER SWIMMING RESULTS Stephanie Houtman participated in the Platinum Mile event on Sunday 4 February. This event is the official Gauteng Schools Open Water Championships event and Stephanie placed second in the Mile event and third in the 3km event. PHSG is very proud of Stephanie’s achievements in Open Water swimming. She was selected as a member of the Swimming South Africa squad where she joined SA top Open Water swimmers at a camp in Nelspruit in early January. At this camp she finished her first 10km swim and qualified for SA Open Water Nationals in March in Jeffrey’s Bay. Community Ch@ - March 2018
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Do Children have Rights?
by: Caren Malherbe - Social Worker
The 21st of March is commemorated as Human Rights’ Day in South Africa. This day is a celebration of the right to human dignity, equality and freedom of all citizens in our country, including children. Section 28 of South Africa’s Constitution is devoted to children and outlines the rights they are entitled to. South Africa has an extended children’s rights milieu. Since 1994, the government has
introduced a variety of policies aimed at human rights issues. The South African Constitution has been adopted in 1996 and is one of the best constitutions in the world. The Bill of Rights of the Constitution contains a specific section that defines the rights of children in South Africa to education,
shelter, health an from maltreatme informed by the Convention on th the Child (UNCR accepted by the government in 19 African Charter o and Welfare of th African Charter) in 2000. Several to children’s righ
passed; amongs comprehensive C Act (2005) and a Children’s Amen (2006). These ac on a pledge to fu of children and e protection.
Various other law the rights and w of children (Prev Family Violence the Schools Act bans corporal pu Domestic Violen and the Child Justice Act (2010) designed to protect
nd freedom ent. The Bill is United Nations he Rights of RO), which was e South African 995. The on the Rights he Child (the ) was ratified laws relating hts have been
st them the Children’s an associated ndment Bill cts are based ulfil the rights ensuring their
children within the justice and correctional systems. Apart from the extensive legislation to protect children, there are also a number of initiatives by civil society calling attention to the rights and protection of children. Despite these efforts, the number of cases of violence against children in South Africa remains disturbingly high and have a negative impact on the health, social and psychological well-being of large numbers of children in South Africa.
The 2016 Optimus Study on child abuse, violence and neglect in South Africa ws also address estimates that 35.4% of South wellbeing African children experienced vention of some form of sexual violence; Act (1993), 34,8% physical violence; 26.1% (1996) which emotional abuse and 15.1% unishment, the neglect. The study determined nce Act (1998) that 42% of children had
experienced some form of violence (Mathews and Gould, 2017:61). Violence against children kills – the child homicide rate is more than double the global average. Children younger than five years are at risk of fatal child abuse by people close to them. Gould (2014:1) states that 827 children were murdered in South Africa between 2012 and 2013, more than two children a day. During the same period another 21 575 children were assaulted, of which half of the assaults were serious. According to the Medical Research Council (MRC) three children are murdered daily in South Africa. It is critical for children to live in a safe and secure environment. Their safety can be influenced by various causes such as individual factors, living
conditions, peer group, school and the community. Children living in disorganised families are experiencing high levels of stress and are more at risk of becoming victims. Communities that experience high levels of crime, violence, unemployment and substance abuse are likely to have a negative impact in the safekeeping of children. In the light of these statistics the question can be asked who is responsible to uphold the Rights of children in South Africa? Are we diligently working towards a safer environment for our children? Government, Civil society and the NGO sector need to be serious about developing programmes to support susceptible families to reduce the probability of abuse and neglect. The creation of safe communities is paramount to reduce assault and abuse (Richter and Dawes, 2008: 90). It is imperative to prevent child abuse by the early identification of risk factors associated with abuse and neglect
and more importantly, prompt reaction by social services and the immediate protection of abused children. The quick reaction to the report of a child abuse case must be succeeded by efficient knowledge of the handling of such cases. The United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF) 2006 formulated eight components for a protective environment: • Governmental commitment to fulfil protection rights (Protective legislation and enforcement). • Ensuring protective attitudes, traditions, customs, behaviour and practices. • Open discussion and engagement with child protection issues, ensuring that children are free to speak up, and there is media attention and civil society involvement in the issues. • Improved capacity to protect children, especially amongst families, health and social workers, teachers, police and
others. • Children’s life skills, knowledge and participation need to be improved. • Monitoring and reporting, participatory systems that are locally based. • Services for recovery and reintegration. The Department of Social Development, together with the relevant stakeholders, should make communities aware of child abuse and neglect as well as the possible outcomes of these horrendous deeds. Awareness programmes such as campaigns during Child Protection Week or the 16 days of Activism against Women and Child abuse could also be useful in combating child abuse and promoting children’s rights. The media can be used to highlight and emphasise the importance of community involvement in reporting cases of child abuse and prevention child homicide. In many of the cases, while child abuse was suspected, very little was done to prevent the abuse and ensure the child’s safety. Suspected abuse
requires decisive action on the part of the authorities. Non-governmental organisations and community workers should be trained to identify risk factors and report it to the relevant agencies in an effective and prompt manner. If you need a social worker to brief your team about the rights of children, please contact Child Welfare Tshwane on 012-4609236 or pr@childwelfare.co.za.
Child Welfare Tshwane is celebrating 100 years of service to the community of Tshwane in 2018. We work with the most vulnerable members of society, namely children.
BOOKS
Peter Rabbit Based on the Major New Movie
Frederick Warne A story based on the major new movie, Peter Rabbit, hopping into cinemas on 30 March 2018. Peter Rabbit is always breaking into Old Mr McGregor’s garden and stealing his vegetables. And it’s always getting him into trouble! But everything is about to change… Will Peter finally be able to take control of the vegetable patch, or will someone stand in his way? Relive all the best moments of the movie in this action-packed chapter book. Publisher: Penguin Random House
Treasure Hunters 05: Quest for the City of Gold
James Patterson When Bick and Beck Kidd find a hidden trove of pirate treasure, it includes a map with clues to an even bigger score: the lost Incan city of Paititi. But treasure hunting is never easy – and when the map is stolen, the Kidds must rely on Storm’s picture-perfect memory to navigate the dangerous Amazon jungle. Watch out for that nest of poisonous snakes! To save the Amazon rainforest and stop a Peruvian tribe from losing their home, the Kidds must unlock the secrets to the missing map and find the fabled city of Paititi... before the bad guys find it first. The race is on! Publisher: Penguin Random House
Movie Movier Traile
PETER RABBIT
PETER RABBIT, the mischievous and adventurous hero who has captivated generations of readers, now takes on the starring role of his own irreverent, contemporary comedy with attitude. In the film, Peter”s feud with Mr. McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson) escalates to greater heights than ever before as they rival for the affections of the warm-hearted animal lover who lives next door (Rose Byrne). Opening Date: Friday, 30 March 2018
Gardening Project
Reuse and recycle your old t-shirts Everyone has old t-shirts lying around that are too far gone to be donated and it seems such a shame to simply throw them out. With this fun hanging planter DIY project, you’ll never need to throw out old t-shirts again. Re-purposing your old t-shirts into a simple, yet trendy plant hanger is a great way to display indoor plants and add a splash of colour to a room. This is an awesome DIY project for teens to do themselves, to create funky decor for their rooms, or even to give as gifts. What you will need: - Some old t-shirts (that you don’t mind cutting up) - A pair of scissors - A ruler - A pen - Small-ish ceramic or metal pots - A variety of small plants to plant in the pots
Community Ch@ - March 2018
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Let’s get creative: 1.
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from the second knot. Do this until all the pairs have been knotted, bringing the last pair to the front.
The first step is to take your t-shirt and fold it in half, lengthways. Next, use your ruler and pen to make a marking just below the sleeves and cut that section off - you won’t be needing it. Keeping your t-shirt folded, measure eight equal strips along the side. Once they have all been measured, cut these strips. After you have cut all the strips, unfold the t-shirt and cut one hemmed side of each strip. This will make eight long strips of fabric. Gather all your strips and knot them together at one end to create the bottom of your plant hanger. Lay your strips flat on the table and split them into four pairs. Make a knot in each pair near the top where the first knot is. Take care with the positioning of each knot to ensure they are all on the same level when hanging. Again, lay the material flat on the table and spread out the knotted pairs. Take one strip from one pair and another strip from another pair and knot them together, a bit lower down
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Repeat step seven until you have sufficient material left at the bottom to tie into one big knot - this is the knot you will hang your planter from.
Now that your plant hanger is complete, the final step is to place your plant into a pot and position it into your planter. Your planter is now ready to hang anywhere you wish.
For more information on bringing Life to your Garden, visit our website www.lifeisagarden.co.za or join the conversation on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ lifeisagardensa.
READY PLAYER ONE
THE 15:17 TO PARIS
In the near future, gamers compete inside a massive video game universe to find an “Easter egg” hidden by the network’s recently deceased creator which promises real life riches. Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) becomes the first player to successfully navigate the first level of the test, sparking a high-stakes international race to crack the game’s code. Steven Spielberg directs this dystopian adventure based off the 2011 sc-fi novel by Ernest Cline.
In the face of fear, ordinary people can do the extraordinary. In the early evening of August 21, 2015, the world watched in stunned silence as the media reported a thwarted terrorist attack on Thalys train #9364 bound for Paris—an attempt prevented by three courageous young Americans travelling through Europe. The friends’ lives, from the struggles of childhood through finding their footing in life, to the series of unlikely events leading up to the attack, are chronicled here. Throughout the harrowing ordeal, their friendship never wavers, making it their greatest asset—allowing them to save the lives of the more than 500 passengers.
Opening Date: Friday, 30 March 2018
LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared.
Watch the Trailer Click on the image!
Escape with a good Book...
Ready Player One (Film Tie-In)
The Hazel Wood
A Wrinkle in Time
Ernest Cline
Melissa Albert
Madeleine L’Engle
Soon to be a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg. It’s the year 2044, and the real world has become an ugly place. We’re out of oil. We’ve wrecked the climate. Famine, poverty, and disease are widespread. Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes this depressing reality by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be, where you can live and play and fall in love on any one of 10 thousand planets. And like most of humanity, Wade is obsessed by the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this alternate reality: OASIS founder James Halliday, who dies with no heir, has promised that control of the OASIS – and his massive fortune – will go to the person who can solve the riddles he has left scattered throughout his creation. For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that the riddles are based in the culture of the late twentieth century. And then Wade stumbles onto the key to the first puzzle. Suddenly, he finds himself pitted against thousands of competitors in a desperate race to claim the ultimate prize, a chase that soon takes on terrifying realworld dimensions – and that will leave both Wade and his world profoundly changed.
Seventeen-year-old Alice and her mother have spent most of Alice’s life on the road, always a step ahead of the strange bad luck biting at their heels. But when Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate – the Hazel Wood – Alice learns how bad her luck can really get. Her mother is stolen away – by a figure who claims to come from the cruel supernatural world where her grandmother’s stories are set. Alice’s only lead is the message her mother left behind: STAY AWAY FROM THE HAZEL WOOD. To retrieve her mother, Alice must venture first to the Hazel Wood, then into the world where her grandmother’s tales began…
Meg always felt she was different and when she and her little brother, Charles Murry, go searching for their lost father they find themselves travelling on a dangerous journey through a ‘wrinkle in time’. As the cosmic evil forces of darkness threaten to swallow the universe, Meg must overcome her insecurities and channel all her inner strengths – her stubbornness, anger and ultimately her love – to save her family. An exciting mixture of fantasy and science fiction, which all the way through is dominated by the funny and mysterious trio of guardian angels known as Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who and Mrs Which, A Wrinkle in Time is an empowering story about the battle between good and evil and the power of love.
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Publisher: Penguin Random House
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only one.”
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Community Ch@ - March 2018
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Sudoku 5
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Need help? visit: www.featzpublishing.com
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World Meteorological Day is celebrated
every year on the 23rd of March to commemorate the entry into force in 1950 of the convention that created the World Meteorological Organisation. The day also highlights the huge contribution that National Meteorological and Hydrological Services make to the safety and well-being of society. 23 March is a day to highlight the enormous importance of clouds for weather climate and water. It also provides an opportunity to celebrate the inherent beauty and aesthetic appeal of clouds, which has inspired artists, poets, musicians, photographers and countless other enthusiasts throughout history.
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Book Reviews
Ba Chloe E Look For Me Lisa Gardner Detective DD Warren and Flora Dane are in a race against time to save a young girl’s life - or bring her to justice. A family home has become a crime scene. Five people are involved: four of them have been savagely murdered; one – a sixteen-year-old girl – is missing. Was she lucky to have escaped? Or is her absence evidence of something sinister? Detective D. D. Warren is on the case, as is survivor-turnedavenger Flora Dane. Seeking different types of justice, they must make sense of the clues left behind by a young woman who, as victim or suspect, is silently pleading, Look for me. Publisher: Penguin Random House
Stealing her sister the beginning. Alv Everything is Lies forced to flee Sicil so-playful sibling Helen Callaghan in murder. Beautif Sophia’s parents have lead quiet, Beth may be out o unremarkable lives. At least that is now Alvie’s discov what she’s always believed. happens when yo twin’s identity… B Until the day she arrives at her Beth’s body has b childhood home to find her mother hanging from a tree in the the police aren’t th Alvie has to worry garden. Her father lying in a pool boyfriend has van of his own blood, near to death. every penny of the The police are convinced it’s an Alvie’s not one to attempted murder-suicide. But challenge: pursuin Sophia is sure that the woman to Rome is just the who brought her up isn’t a killer. To clear her mother’s name Sophia a deadly game of Hell hath no fury l needs to delve deep into her scorned – but can family’s past – a past full of dark secrets she never suspected were revenge before he up with her? there… Publisher: Penguin Random House
Publisher: Pengui House
ad Esposito
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The Rising Sea Clive Cussler A global threat: The world’s sea levels are rising at an alarming rate, too quickly to be caused by glacier melt. A risk so big it sends Kurt Austin, Zoe Zavala and the NUMA team rocketing around the world in search for answers. A desperate mission Their hunt takes them from the shark-filled waters of Asia to the high-tech streets of Tokyo to a forbidden secret island, but it’s in the East China Sea that a mysterious underwater mining operation is discovered. A devastating endgame Kurt uncovers a plot more dangerous than they could have imagined: a plan to upset the Pacific balance of power, threatening the lives of millions. It falls to the NUMA team to risk everything to stop it and save the world from the coming catastrophe. Publisher: Penguin Random House Community Ch@ - March 2018
Home Gardner Series: Small Gardens David Squire In a compact garden, vertical and overhead spaces take on a different role. Trellises, pergolas, hanging baskets, window boxes, as well as all manner of tubs and containers, create opportunities that are often overlooked in more expansive gardens. Small Gardens offers ideas for space-saving designs as well as suggestions for suitable plant combinations for patios, terraces, courtyards and other small areas. Do you want trees, shrubs, seasonal colour, and a space to relax and enjoy it all? This book will show you how to transform almost any small space into a garden of delight. Publisher: Penguin Random House
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Birthdays in March
Here are some interesting facts you might not have known about the celebs born in March. The special even included some musical numbers. While many thought that would never be replicated, an album came out called Christmas in the Stars, and for some strange reason a song was included on that album called “R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” That song was Jon Bon Jovi’s first ever professional recording, as he sang the lead vocals.
March 2nd Daniel Craig Craig - at 5’ 10” - is the shortest actor to ever play the role of James Bond. When it comes to Craig’s drink of choice, it is, unfortunately, not a martini; he loves a good glass of wine
March 12
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March 5th Eva Mendes Eva’s arachnophobia is so bad, some people have used plastic, toy spiders on sets of movies just to see her jump up and run away screaming. No, but seriously, who doesn’t?
Jon Bon Jovi One of the biggest jokes in the entertainment industry revolves around the 1978 TV special release of the Star Wars Holiday Special, an event that was one of the most embarrassing productions in TV history.
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gort’s biggest talents? morized the movie “Billy om beginning to end. e. Line.
March 17th Rob Lowe He is deaf in his right ear, the result of a virus during infancy. He’s an active campaigner for cancer research because his mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were all diagnosed with breast cancer. He once turned down an invitation to dance with Madonna.
March 18th Lily Collins
SHE’S A BIG JANE AUSTEN FAN. Lily has said that she loves reading Jane Austen novels. One of her favourite characters is Elizabeth Bennet from the book Pride and Prejudice. Community Ch@ - March 2018
March 22nd Reese Witherspoon She Loves To Read. Reese Witherspoon is a big book nerd! Not only does the actress option the rights to books through her production company and turn them into movies, but fans have also come to rely on her Instagram book picks when they need a new recommendation. To check out her latest favorite books, you can scroll through #RWBookClub on Instagram .
March 22nd James Patterson James is the current Guinness World Record holder for having written the most #1 New York Times bestsellers. And, he has sold a staggering 350 million books worldwide.
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the Russian ice skater, but her mother misspelt the name when she went to get it registered. She was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of six and Keira got a belly button piercing at the age of 13.
March 30th
March 25th Sarah Jessica Parker Parker wore black for her wedding to Matthew Broderick in 1997. Parker has an unorthodox approach to a common beauty woe. For starters, she doesn’t wear concealer because, well, she feels “like a fraud” and instead swipes on Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick “every day of her life.
March 26th Keira Knightley She was meant to be named ‘Kiera’ after Kira Ivanova,
Eric Clapton
March 28th Lady Gaga Lady Gaga owes her stage name to her friends. In the mid-2000s, Gaga was performing under her given name, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, and started the Stefani Germanotta Band (SGBand). The singer told Vogue. com: “My friends on the Lower East Side called me Gaga after I decided I like the name Lady Gaga, after the Queen song [‘Radio Ga Ga’]. I thought it accurately depicted both sides of me.”
He’s the only artist who’s been inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times: Clapton is a threetime Hall of Famer, with three inductions in less than 10 years. The rock legend was first inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992 for his work in the 1960s rock group The Yardbirds and again the following year for his role in the power trio Cream. In 2000, Clapton was recognized for his work as a solo artist on the first year that he was eligible.
Notice Board
MARGUERITE VAN ZYL B. Domestic Science (U.S), NQF 4, PDE 4
Global House East
298 Glenwood Road Lynnwood Park Tel: 012 348 0123 Fax: 012 365 1182 www.appleproperty.co.za mvz@appleproperty.co.za
083 460 7337
Days of interest in March For more information on these rather peculiar days, follow us on Facebook. March 1st – Peanut Butter Lover’s Day March 2nd – Old Stuff Day March 3rd – If Pets had Thumbs Day March 5th – Multiple Personality Day March 6th – Frozen Food Day March 8th – Popcorn Lover’s Day March 10th – Middle Name Pride Day March 11th – Worship Tools Day March 12th – Plant a Flower Day March 14th – Learn About Butterflies Day March 18th – Supreme Sacrifice Day March 21st – Fragrance Day March 23rd – Puppy Day March 25th – International Waffle Day March 28th – Weed Appreciation Day March 30th – Take a walk in the Park Day March 31st – World Backup Day
March 2018 Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
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5
Multiple Personality Day
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Frozen Food Day
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Friday
2
Peanut Butter Lover's Day
Old Stuff Day
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Popcorn Lover's Day
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Plant a Flower Day
Learn About Butterflies Day
Equinox
Human Rights Day
World Water Day
Saturday
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If Pets had Thumbs Day
Sunday
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Middle Name Pride Day
Worship Tools Day
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St. Patrick's Day
Supreme Sacrafice Day
World Meteorological Day
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Fragrance Day
Puppy Day
Waffle Day
Good Friday
26 27 28 29 30 31 Schools Break-up Day
Walk in the Park Day
World Backup Day
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Contact us: 0861 938 667 wetnose@absamail.co.za www.wetnose.org.za