MY HOMETOWN OF PORTSMOUTH, RHODE ISLAND, USA ON BBC AMERICA

My town just voted to not give the money to have year around music and art in the elementary public schools.

To Fund Or Not To Fund

...that was the question

There was a 30% voter turn out

Not to Fund
Option 1
2,198

To Fund
Option 2
1,690

The difference: 508 voters

Final Tally

Thanks to David D Croston

Precinct 2701 (Prudence Island Fire Station) — Option 1: 51; Option 2: 6

Precincts 2702 and 2703 (Portsmouth Multi Purpose Senior Center) — Option 1: 373; Option 2: 270

Precincts 2704 and 2705 (Common Fence Point Community Hall) — Option 1: 352; Option 2: 197

Precincts 2706, 2707 and 2708 (Portsmouth Town Hall) — Option 1: 604; Option 2: 514

Precincts 2709, 2710 and 2712 (Aquidneck Island Christian Academy) — Option 1: 818; Option 2: 703

This is the letter that arrived in the mail, the day before the vote. It has falsely stated opinions in it. Who wouldn't have voted "no" to funding the schools, if you believed this letter to be true?
Click the letter image to enlarge.

Commentary: Divided We Fall

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On the facebook page to Save the Arts and Sports in Portsmouth, RI, a person wrote that we need new leadership in the volunteer group who tried to save the arts and sports programs in our town's public schools.

I wrote this in response on that page:

I think it is not time for new leadership. The leadership was outstanding and I am grateful for it. It is simple to put down leadership. It is not simple to lead. When anyone criticizes leadership or says we need to have new leadership, I wonder why that very person isn't the one to be the next leader. Possible reasons are that it is time-consuming, thankless and very difficult.

Even good leadership needs people who are interested. Caring about the community's responsibility to provide funding for education is a touchy subject because for many people it will always come down to how one feels about teachers getting paid via the local tax dollars. And those who didn't vote who have children in the schools - have children in schools now that are offering a half year of what has always been offered the whole year long. There is a great divide and if those who have children in the schools, and those like myself who don't and are in our sixties, but still care about the education of "our" community's students, don't vote when voting is our way to say what our priorities are, then those who are motivated get their way. It takes more than leaders, it takes the rest of us to get involved.

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Portsmouth, Rhode Island, Portsmouth Public Schools and Portsmouth family on BBC America

Thursday, 30 September 2010

Portsmouth, Rhode Island on BBC
BBC News - World News America - Economic woes hit the next generation

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Uploaded by mariacallass

MONTH TEN, DAY TEN, YEAR 2010 - ONE DAY ON EARTH

If you haven't heard of the One Day on Earth project, it's time you did. On October 10th (10.10.10), people in every nation of the world will be documenting a topic that matters most to them over a one day period to contribute to a unique film and archive. Participants that contribute one minute or more will receive the film for free and access to the non-commercial downloadable archive. Subscribe to the Vimeo channel and sign up to participate one day on earth

Founded in 2008, ONE DAY ON EARTH is creating an online community, shared archive, and film. Together, we will showcase the amazing diversity, conflict, tragedy, and triumph that occur in one day. They invite you to join our international community of thousands of filmmakers, hundreds of schools, and dozens of non-profits, and contribute to this unique global mosaic. Through the One Day on Earth platform, we will establish a community that not only watches, but participates.

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One Day on Earth Participant Trailer from One Day On Earth on Vimeo.

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THE NORMAN CONQUESTS - ROUND AND ROUND THE GARDEN

I JUST UPLOADED THE ENTIRE SECOND ACT OF ROUND AND ROUND THE GARDEN FROM THE NORMAN CONQUESTS

I played the role of Ruth in this production. The video quality is poor. It started out as a VHS video cassette, then I transferred it to a dvd, then I transferred it to iMovie which turns it into a Quick Time movie, then to Youtube where it lost a bit of quality. It was slightly clearer in iMovie and Quick Time than Youtube. I posted Act 2, Scene 1, Part 2 March 17, 2009 - it is the second video on this post. And have been surprised with the number of views it has received. Even some have favorited it and a couple gave it five stars. That just made my day when I saw that this week. I have a total of 9 youtube videos posted of the second act. The videos are no clearer at Vimeo. And most of the videos are over the 500 MB limit for a Vimeo free account, which is what I have there. So if you are interested in viewing them, I suggest, using the black arrow (which turns red when the mouse is hovering over it) at the upper right of the video to see them in a different window. It is slightly an improvement. To have access to the red arrow, you need to go to youtube. Double click any embedded youtube here and you will be taken to the youtube page of that video.

If you have a youtube account, you may know that you can see what people are coming from to see your videos, what sites, links, embeds and what countries and states. New Jersey leads viewers in the USA.

The Norman Conquests
by Alan Ayckbourn

The Third Play is
Round and Round the Garden
A British Trilogy
A comedy

Here I have posted embeds for
Act Two, Scene One
Four youtube videos

The Norman Conquests was playing in New York
April 23, - July 26, 2009
The play was playing at the Old Vic Theatre in London

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Act 2, Scene 1, Part 1
Uploaded by ilovemylifesblog

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Round and Round the Garden
Act 2, Scene 1, Part 2
Uploaded by ilovemylifesblog

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Act 2, Scene 2, Part 3
Uploaded by ilovemylifesblog

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Act 2, Scene 2, Part 4
Uploaded by ilovemylifesblog

If you want to see the Act 2, Scene 2 that I posted on youtube, I will embed them here eventually.

Here are the links to them:
Act 2, Scene 2, Part 1
Featuring Patti Corriveau (Stage Manager)

Act 2, Scene 2, Part 2

Act 2, Scene 2, Part 3

Act 2, Scene 2, Part 4

Or you may go here www.youtube.com/user/ilovemylifesblog
They are numbered in order.

Some reviews:

Providence Journal
Try clicking on the article and hopefully it will enlarge to be able to read it.

A paper called The Eagle

"Round & Round the Garden"
of
"The Norman Conquests"
British Comedy Trilogy

"Table Manners"
"Living Together"
"Round and Round the Garden"

Production by TIFOBET ~ The Incredibly Far Off Broadway Ensemble Theatre
Swanhurst Theatre at Bellevue Avenue and Webster Street
Newport, Rhode Island
April 1983

The video was originally shot by an early VHS video camera, therefore the poor quality. I apologize.

Cast
Sarah..........Lori Brainerd
Tom............John Chatty
Norman......Jim Ernest
Ruth...........Sandra K. Hammel
Reg............Paul Ruggeri
Annie.........Linda J. Vars
Featuring Patti Corriveau (Stage Manager)

Eventually, I plan to post the other two plays, Table Manners, and Living Together

I notice I am fidgeting a lot in these videos . . . scratching although nothing needed to be scratched. And the voice needed to be lowered. But upstage it was hard to be heard because there was a dead spot back there. So, there, I have a reason. Otherwise, the direction was barely there, so I pretty much directed myself. It would have been nice to be told to lower my voice, but I have to live with the high pitched voice....a bit annnoying.