Happy hashtag creates social media buzz

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/inspire-me/10584104/Happy-hashtag-creates-social-media-buzz

For Nelson Mail/Fairfax Media

A Nelson businesswoman is hashtagging her way to happiness, and wants others to jump on board.

Nelson leadership coach Suzi McAlpine aims to empower people when they feel blue by getting them to think of what makes you happy, draw it, and put it on the internet.

McAlpine is aiming for her #myhappything campaign to become a movement, to get people to realise the power they have in lifting their spirits.

McAlpine said she was recently "dealing with some disappointments with human nature" and realised while she was not the only person who experienced ups and down, she could control how she reacted to them.

"I realised there's always something in our power we can do to lift our spirits."

She was inspired by Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl's famous quote: "everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."

Meditating is her "happy thing". She spent her week asking people she met, clients, passengers on a plane or people on the street "what's one thing you do, which makes you feel happy, or lifts your spirits, when you do it?"

In getting people to think about what made them happy, she said it was a good experience in appreciation.

"There is enjoyment found in doing it, it's really fun, they have fun drawing the thing, in the process of doing it, they already feel happy."

So far, people had posted that they liked spending time with their family, hugs from their children, working out, and helping other people .

"I want people to connect with the message...there's always something you can do to feel better."

To take part in the campaign, write down your ‘happy thing' on a piece of paper - it can be a sketch, a few words, or whatever you feel helps to describe it, take a photo of you holding the sign, and Post it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #myhappything.

Court told farmer refused to feed starving stock

For Nelson Mail/Fairfax Media

A court has been told of council officers seeing dead and malnourished stock at a dairy farm near Murchison, and a farmer who allegedly refused to buy feed for them.

Dairy farmer Phillip Woolley is denying charges brought by Tasman District Council at the Nelson District Court, relating to effluent at his Matakitaki farm.

Yesterday was the first day of the trial, presided over by Judge Jeff Smith.

Woolley, from Tuamarina in Marlborough, farm manager Hendrik Jordaan and Awarua Farm are charged with multiple breaches of the Tasman Resource Management Plan (TRMP) and the Resource Management Act which allegedly saw ponding of effluent in breach of the TRMP, stored effluent solids on unsealed ground, also in breach of the TRMP, and grazing a herd in a manner that may have resulted in the discharge of effluent and sediment into a nearby watercourse.

The charges date back to November 2012.

Jordaan indicated through his counsel, Tony Bamford, that he would plead guilty to the charges and file for discharge without conviction.

Lawyer David Clark appeared for Awarua Farm and Woolley.

There were a total of 16 charges against the three defendants; 12 of those were against Woolley and the farm.

The TDC, represented by lawyer Antoinette Besier, said the farmer had long history of enforcement orders dating back to the council's first inspection in 2004.

The Environment Court had issued enforcement orders in 2006 with respect to the management of dairy farm effluent.

The prosecution's first witness, TDC compliance officer Kathryn Bunting, described the farm as "very large", developed over two old river terraces, with 880 cows. It had streams running through it, and it was estimated to be worth $9.5 million, with Woolley owning 99 per cent of the shares and his wife Suzanne the other 1 per cent.

Bunting said the farm's effluent discharge had to comply with the TRMP. Effluent had to be sealed to stop it contaminating water sources and it could not be pooled on a surface for more than an hour.

On November 1 2012 she saw "a number of compliance issues", with the storage of effluent in an unsealed area, pooling of it on a paddock and effluent being discharged into an unnamed stream as a result of intensive grazing.

She had also seen "many malnourished animals" while on the farm.

"It did stand out how much dead stock there was on the farm at that time."

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She said she spoke with a farmhand, who did not know about previous enforcement orders.

She saw farm workers trying to free stock caught in mud near the unnamed stream.

Former farm manager Hendrik Jordaan, who had worked at the farm from June 2012 to May 2013, was called as a prosecution witness. He described his time there as "stressful" and said Woolley did not give him any independence in funding for maintenance of the farm, even small items. Woolley was not often at the farm, and they communicated by phone and email.

He said he was concerned the cows did not have enough to eat. He asked Woolley for supplementary food for them on a number of occasions. He said Woolley was not interested in the the condition of his cows.

He said he decided to graze the "most under-fed and poorest condition" stock next to the stream for a day.

He said they were "desperate for feed".

"The feed was so scarce through the rest of the farm, Phil had not supplied feed for the cows."

He had told a farmhand to move the cows after one day of grazing near the unnamed stream but this was not done, and the TDC visited while Jordaan was on leave. The TDC saw two of the cows stuck in the mud, and sediments and effluent had gone into the stream.

Jordaan had suggested changes to the farm, but said Woolley did not act on them.

"Phil was well aware of issues of effluent ponding, but never did anything about it."

He wanted to buy concrete to ensure effluent was stored properly, but said Woolley would not give him permission.

He said he was in an "impossible position" at the farm as he did not have control over anything.

A former farm employee, Khyle Brookland, also described food shortages on the farm, and Woolley refusing to fix problems. He said Woolley told him to starve the stock.

The court also heard from TDC scientist Trevor James, who looked at the water quality in rivers and streams in the area, both up and downstream from the farm.

James said the TDC looked at water quality at several sites in the area, on an ongoing basis. Concentrations of the E coli bacteria (which came from animals) were higher after rain in the Matakitaki river. Levels were higher downstream than sample spots upstream from the farm.

He said the unnamed stream on the farm was an "unhealthy waterway system".

He said during rain contaminants ran off the farm and into the unnamed stream, which fed into the Matakitaki river. There was a risk to humans who used the river downstream from the farm as they could get ill from bacteria.

The hearing is to continue, with defence witnesses expected to be called today.

Cancer battler keeps smiling

http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/lifestyle-entertainment/weekend/9886465/Cancer-battler-keeps-smiling

Nelson Mail/Fairfax Media

Stacey Knott talks with Annette Taylor , named this week as Nelson's Most Wonderful Woman.

It's been a rough year for Annette Taylor, but she still has an easy laugh, and a strong air of optimism.

The Nelson College director of boarding and international students was diagnosed with melanoma in April last year. She has cancerous tumours on her liver and spleen.

This week she was named Nelson's Most Wonderful Woman, chosen by Mayor Rachel Reese for her positive attitude through her battle.

Annette worked at Nelson College for Girls at the deputy principal from 2001 until 2008.

A formidable force who demanded respect from her students, she then moved to Nelson College in 2009 where she took on the role of assistant principal, then added director of boarding to her portfolio.

In June 2012 she added director of international students to her list of school roles.

Ambitious and driven, she was meant to be a principal by now, but the cancer changed her plans.

Since she began at the school she has lived on site, in a house near the boarding houses.

Part of her role included travelling abroad on marketing trips, and it was after returning from Thailand in term one last year that she noticed something wasn't quite right. She wondered why she wasn't recovering from the jetlag.

Her skin was also a darker colour than she was used to.

She went to her doctor who ran extensive tests.

"Sadly, investigations were done and it was identified that I had metastatic melanoma in my liver and in my spleen."

This was the second time she'd been hit with cancer.

Back in June 2005, a melanoma was discovered on Annette's scalp while she was teaching at Girl's College. She had it checked out after her fortieth birthday. Her doctor referred her to a general surgeon who removed it.

It was a shock for her when results came back as a high grade melanoma. It was cut out and rigorous tests were done to ensure it had not spread.

"When I returned back to the role, everything was normal. I was keeping out of the sun, was wearing hats and lathering on the sunscreen."

She was tested rigorously for a spread of the cancer and did everything she was asked to do. And she was clear, until this time last year.

An ultrasound revealed Annette had tumours on her liver and spleen. The cancer was back.

"Those cancer cells from my head were sent to my body all those years ago, but were lying dormant."

The darkened, almost aubergine skin tone is melanosis, caused by a hyper pigmentation of the skin, which is a direct relation to the liver.

"I was devastated to find it had come back, but then relieved it wasn't anywhere else on my body. Melanoma is sneaky. Once it's inside you, it can transfer anywhere."

Annette was diagnosed on April 30 last year. On July 11 she was put on a drug trial, as one of 19 patients taking part in in New Zealand.

The trial sees her visit Wellington monthly for scans to see if the cancer is shrinking, or spreading.

At this stage, Annette is happy to report that the tumours are shrinking.

The drugs she is on are a pill form of chemotherapy. She takes two lots of tablets twice a day.

"So far the tumours are shrinking and there are no new tumours, which is good."

The trial will end in July this year, though if everything goes to plan, she understands she will stay on them.

If not, she will be put on intravenous chemotherapy.

"And that's it, really."

The drugs have similar side effects to intravenous chemotherapy, though she has not suffered hair loss.

She suffers fevers, sweats and a burning sensation in her feet.

Her tastes have changed as well. Coffee, which she once loved passionately, is out. So is yoghurt, and she eats minimal cheese and sweets.

She feels the cold, and her body struggles to regulate her temperature.

"For a while there the boys were walking around in singlets and I was wearing a sweatshirt because I felt the cold," she says with a smile.

"I have had a lot of side effects, but in saying that, the treatment outweighed those. You take each day as it comes and you decide ‘let's hope today is a good day'."

While there is no guarantees with the drug, it is currently working for her, and she takes comfort in the fact it may help others in the future.

She's frank about her condition and fairly pragmatic.

"I haven't been given any length on time, if this trial isn't successful then the next step is intravenous chemotherapy.

"I know it's serious because it's in my liver and spleen, I don't want it spreading, often melanoma spreads to your lungs or pancreas. It is serious - it's metastatic but these drugs are working. That's what you have to hold on to really."

By sharing her story, she urges anyone with a slight suspicion of skin cancer to get it checked out early on.

Her other piece of advice is protect your skin.

Growing up in New Zealand, summers by the water were normal for her.

From Ohakune, she would spend summer days at Lake Taupo.

"I was in my togs in the morning and out of my togs at night. As you got older, you wanted to be browned."

Now, she urges anyone who wants a tan to go fake.

"Tanned skin can lead to melanoma."

She also walks around Nelson College dishing out sunscreen.

It was coming back to work this year, after three terms off, that she needed both mentally and physically, she says.

Though it's exhausting, by the end of the day she feels supported by the school staff and students.

"Boarding became a passion for me, so have international students. They are very diverse and multicultural, every day is an interesting day," she says with an easy laugh.

The students have been kind and accepting of her altered appearance and illness.

In her first classes back, she addressed what was going on, right away.

She recalls telling them: ‘I am going to tell you about who I am now.

"Some days I am going to come in and drink copious amounts of water and I am going to have to teach sitting down. Other days I will be perspiring looking really bad but my skin is always going to be this colour.'

"They are incredibly respectful of difference."

Annette is unsure if her skin will return to its normal tone. Doctors had told her they had rarely seen the skin condition she has.

"It's hard to live with the stares I get, particularly in supermarkets or the bank. It doesn't always worry me but some comments I have snapped back at. I'm not usually like that but there's been a couple of times."

"It's people's natural curiosity. Some days I am darker than others it depends how tired I am. It depends on the colours I wear as well."

She avoids white and cream coloured clothing, she jokes.

"People ask me how I am, my usual response is: ‘As good as can be expected,' it's not a flippant answer."

When the cancer has gone, Annette plans on traipsing around France.

"I absolutely adore France. I have French connections with a wonderful family there, so that's what I would like to do."

By then, hopefully her tastebuds will be back to normal to enjoy the nation's brie and creme brulees.

Fast food and low wages

The Wireless - Radio New Zealand
Published 28th November 2013

http://thewireless.co.nz/themes/free/fast-food-and-low-wages

Jobs in the fast food industry are often a young person’s first taste of working life – from slinging burgers after school to delivering pizzas on the weekend. The hours are flexible, and while the pay is usually minimal, the social side of it can be fun.

But full- or part-time, young workers spoken to for The Wireless agree – theirs is a tough job. Physically and mentally, there’s a lot to deal with: overwhelming heat in kitchens; demanding, sometimes abusive customers; standing all day, and the monotony of doing the same thing, shift after shift.

It’s all go, and while the industry prides itself on creating career opportunities, moving through the ranks isn’t for everyone.

Of people spoken to both on and off the record about their experiences in fast food work, responses were almost equally divided between enjoying the work, and despising it. None were particularly interested in careers within the fast food industry.


See link for whole article

http://thewireless.co.nz/themes/free/fast-food-and-low-wages 

New laws needed to curb Cape Coast drownings.

For Atlantic FM - Cape Coast Ghana, broadcast on 14.3.2013

The high number of drownings along Cape Coast needs to be addressed at a government level a
local police officer has said.

Since March last year, there has been 16 drownings along the Cape Coast – the most recent was last
Sunday when a teenager drowned near Oasis Beach Resort.

Bakana police station officer ASP Edward Otumi told ATLM FM News that the government
needed to enforce laws to make resorts take responsibility for swimmers at popular spots, like
Oasis.

While some resorts along the coast have lifeguards and are designated safe swimming areas, he said
there should be a law to make all resorts and popular beach-side restaurants provide them.

“Spots like Castle Restaurant where we know people are there to drink and have fun, they will also
want to swim so you need to have lifesavers there, so we want the government to make sure (of
that).”

Mr Otumi had personally spoken with the Oasis management about hiring lifeguards after the recent
drowning, but said they did not feel it was their duty to do so.

Oasis manager Mirko Schumm told ATL FM News that the resort was currently trying to employ a
lifeguard for the area, but could not find anyone qualified enough.

He said they had hired a lifeguard in the past but the guard could not swim well enough for the
job. Mr Schumm said he has personally had to save a few people struggling in the ocean by
Oasis.

He said the water in the area could be dangerous with the currents, winds and high waves.

Mr Otumi urged swimmers to be aware of the risks in the Cape Coast oceans, especially over the
upcoming Easter celebrations where he feared there would be more drownings with people going to
the beach over the break. He said anyone wanting to swim should ask local fishermen which areas
were safer.

GOVERNMENT PLEDGES MUSIC SUPPORT

For Atlantic FM - Cape Coast Ghana, broadcast on 4.3.2013

The government has pledged its support to the Ghana music industry as it says it will help boost
employment in Ghana.

Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, was speaking at the
launch of the maiden Ghana Music Week in Accra yesterday, and told the audience of music
industry professionals that the government saw the creative arts as a wealth creator, as well as a way
to grow tourism.

She said the government would “continue to provide the needed support to bring the creative
industry on par with other sectors.”

She said President John Mahama's vision for this term – which was recently outlined in his
State of the Nation address, would see him “develop and strengthen the creative industry to enable
the county to actively engage in world trade for creative goods and services.”

As part of the vision, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare also said the government would facilitate acquiring funding
from the private sector to build a new much-needed arts venue in Ghana, which president of the
MUSIGA Bice Osei Kuffuor said was a “key necessity” to accommodate the growing Ghana music
industry.

Mr Osei Kuffuor said a new venue would be great “for the development of the music industry to
seat our numerous clients and fans who have outgrown all the entertainment venues in our country
now.”

The event organised by the Musicians Union of Ghana is taking place at the National Theatre
and will feature workshops, performances and competitions. It opened yesterday with traditional
performances from all areas in Ghana, including the Masquerade Dancers from the Central Region.

As part of the programme, on March 6 – Independence Day – 56 Ghanian artists will be performing
at the Accra Sports Stadium to celebrate 56 years of independence, and then on Saturday March 9
the week concludes with an industry awards ceremony.

Keep politics out of student leadership

For Atlantic FM - Cape Coast Ghana, broadcast on 25.2.2013

The University of Cape Coast's Student Representative Council (SRC) needs to keep the individuals and
their politics out of student leadership.

At a public lecture today as part of the UCC SRC 50th anniversary celebrations, UCC professor
George K.T. Oduro told the student audience it was important that their council remained non-
partisan in the face of pressure from political parties on campus.

The lecture, based on the impact of student leadership on tertiary education and social change, used
the UCC SRC as a case study.

Professor Oduro, who was the UCC SRC President from 1992- 1993 and then the president of the
National Union of Ghana Students emphasised the need to remain non-partisan as student leaders
and be inclusive of all faiths and ethnicities, as the student leaders were the mouthpiece of their
diverse student colleagues.

“One feature of the student movement is that it is a-political, it is a-political because membership
of the movement come from different political divides, they come from different religious divides,
they come from different ethnic divides so the movement does not adopt that notion or phenomena
of tribalism, partisan, imperialism and all the isms.”

Professor Oduro also spoke about student leadership's importance, from Ghana's independence to
the present day, saying it is student leaders who initiate social change and in doing so, shape the
image of the university.

“The fight against colonisation could not have been accelerated if the student moment, or for that
instance student leaders did not take the first steps.

“For instance our former first president Kwame Nkrumah was a member of the West Africa
Students Association and played a pivotal role in accelerating the decolonisation process.

“Students can never be taken out of the political history of our nation,” he said.