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Archive for the ‘Culture and Society’ Category

Health And Safety Training For The Next Generation

27 Jun.
Posted by sparta in Culture and Society | Comments Off

Have we really come to the point where health and safety training is needed before our children can enjoy a day at the park? It would seem the days of boys being boys and girls being tomboys are over. Those were the days, when I was younger, that we would go climb trees for fun, sometimes hang about in the play park swinging upside down from anything that looked suitably dangerous and generally push our physical boundaries, keeping ourselves fit and rarely, if ever, acquiring more than a bruise or a scratch.

Unfortunately today, children are being restricted to doing anything much other than sitting in front of a computer game where they get fatter and unhealthier but at least the most harm they are likely to come to is getting repetitive strain injury from all that gaming. Until, that is, they become adults and out of boredom or frustration, begin acting out all those vicious computer games that have been their sole source of entertainment for so long.

But what is influencing this trend for children to prefer the indoors sedentary life instead of the action that we preferred years ago? And, indeed, do they prefer it? Is it what they really want?

The problem stems from the health and safety experts who are restricting everybody’s movements for fear that something untoward will happen, such as a genuine accident, and someone will be held accountable for vast amounts of money. To this end, they have removed a ten foot children’s slide from a play park amid concerns that it could cause serious injury. What? Like too much fun? Laughing too hard causing a hernia?

If the parents, or the children of course, were to undergo health and safety training then maybe that would be acceptable. Officials do plan to put another slide in its place, with higher sides. Maybe they would like to enclose it all in bubble wrap and cover the ground in cotton wool just in case?

Opposition complaints suggest that children will never learn how to judge risks, or have fun, if they are never challenged.

Of course, no one wants to see an injured child but surely if playground equipment is judged too dangerous to use without health and safety training, then surely we should have high sided pavements to stop a child wandering into the road, or should they just be taught road safety?

And what about bunk beds? They may well have sides on them to stop the child from falling but children climb down from these ladders everyday without assistance. These steps are very often the height of a playground slide but who is going to take responsibility if there is a mis-hap? Maybe we will find children claiming compensation from their parents all over the place if they should fall from a bunk bed, or off a chair, or trip on a stray rug or slip on a wet kitchen floor.

Do we really want to teach our children that they do not have to take responsibility for their own actions? That accidents can and do happen? Do we want to be reduced to regular health and safety training sessions for our children before we can let them loose in their own home? The compensations culture of this country has certainly gone too far – maybe it’s time we put a stop to it.

Safety expert Catherine Harvey looks at the way our children may need health and safety training before they can go to the park. To find out more please visit http://www.complywise.co.uk/

Building an Opera House in Cyberspace

27 Jun.
Posted by mariafuchs in Art | Comments Off

Reaching out to new audiences is a challenge for all branches of the arts, but this challenge is all the greater when you’re an opera company trying to keep an eighteenth century art form alive and well in the twenty first century.

The music, voices, and dramatic stories based in strong unchanging human emotions- have stood the test of time, but in this media stuffed, fast-paced, screen-age of computer games, high-octane entertainment and attention deficiency can you inject new life into an ancient art form to make it relevant to a whole new audience?

Where is the right space for opera amongst the explosion of easily accessible entertainment? How can opera reinvent itself for the hip-hop generation? How do you tackle the stigma of ‘elitism’ and create truly popular venues for performance?

These are questions and familiar to all modern opera companies, and one to which there is no easy answer.

Some companies reach out through schools and youth groups engaging youngsters in devising new ways of performing work. They hope that once the youths have discovered for themselves the transcendental power of this timeless music, it will be a huge force for good in their lives.

Others have taken opera out of the theatres and have collaborated with television production companies to create truly popular programmes like the Channel 4’s ground breaking ‘Operatunity’ in 2004 or ITV’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’.

Their efforts have proven that, taken away from what is perceived by many in the UK as a rich man’s club, opera still has true widespread appeal.

Following on from these televisual excursions Lovlisetta Giubblis and her associate Fanny Batta, both with successful careers as sopranos behind them, have gone a step further.

In 2007 the two women, both Continental Europeans now based in the UK, set about the task of building a new opera house; one whose repertoire would attract a new kind of spectator. One that would banish forever the idea that opera is a stuffy, exclusive, pompous entertainment with no relevance in modern society.

Ms Giubblis explains: “We spoke to a lot of young people around the UK and it was depressing to realize that for them opera was just some fat white people singing in a foreign language to an audience of pretentious, rich coffin-dodgers”.

“We decided to do everything we could to change that perception.”

The enterprising pair started by looking at what interested the young people who would never normally be drawn to opera, in the hope of bringing some old-fashioned culture to the social housing projects and run-down urban areas.

“We wanted to grab the ‘ASBO generation’ and persuade them to put down their knives, stop texting, pull back their hoods, turn off Snoop Dogg and tune in to Puccini”, adds Mrs Batta.

“So We ran some focus groups based around some of the most accessible arias, and we realised pretty quickly that the answer lay in harnessing the power of the internet, and internet video, and of mobile phones. We needed to build our opera house in Cyberspace, then it would be in everybody’s neighbourhood.”

“Another thing we realized quite quickly was that no-one was going to watch a full blown opera on the small screen, so we needed to devise short versions of classic operas more suited to the medium. We wanted to keep the classic melodies, but we would have to create new stories more relevant to life in the ghetto.”

“Language was also a huge barrier. The kids wanted to understand the what was been sung about. We were looking around for a librettist who could write for a youth audience. Someone who could speak with their voice.”

The missing piece of the puzzle turned out to be Emiliano Fista, an Italian baritone, and librettist who had been working with young people from London’s infamous Craig David Estate for several years.

Emiliano suffers from Tourette’s Syndrome and had been forced to retire from singing, but he had thrown himself into writing. His work is multi-textured and manages to reach beyond traditional boundaries. His overt bigotry, profanity, deviant sexuality and obsession with chronic flatulence and are deeply offensive to almost all sections of society on many different levels. When he showed us his work we knew that it was dynamite. Emiliano also had the idea of calling the company ‘Pervarotti’.”

Thus was born the ‘Gran Teatro Pervarotti’, the World’s first virtual opera house. The first five featured arias are from Fista’s masterworks “Frigolletto” and “Don Gayovanni”. All are performed with great exuberance by the feline puppet soprano Isabella Strapponi.

Another innovation: all featured songs are in the form of timeless messages which can also be personalized and sent via email and to mobile phones.

Ms Giubbli is hopeful: “I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved. Basically young people love their phones and they really get a kick out teasing one another and flirting. This can go from poking gentle fun at each other to outright bullying. This usually involves a level of obscenity often accompanied by violence. Hopefully by sending these clips of opera to one another we will manage to reduce the incidence of violence and maybe increase the incidence of singing!”

The proof will be in the pudding, but the site has already come to the attention of one prominent member of the operatic establishment, Dr Jonathan Willer, who described it as being like “The sound of angels farting.”

You can decide for yourself by visiting their site – there is a seat ready for you and it’s the best one in the house. Although be warned the show does contain pretty strong language and so it’s not for those under 16!

Maria Fuchs-Alcox is an actress, singer, film-maker and shameless hagiographer. She is currently working as a presenter and reviewer for wiredvideo.net – London’s best video production company.

Visit the “Gran Teatro Pervarotti: The Home of Rude Puppet Opera”:

http://www.wiredvideo.net/pervarotti

Flame Resistant Liners: The Versatility Of Options

27 Jun.
Posted by uniformconnection in Consumer | Comments Off

When it comes time to get the level of protection you need for your lifestyle and/or career, you may choose to benefit from many manufacturer names such as Carhartt, Bulwark or Excel-FR. Bulwark provides more of the good stuff we all need to insure a safer workday. Thanks to the versatility offers by flame resistant liners, you may just discover your career or occupation is a lot safer than once expected. Another great concept about these flame resistant liners is that they are actually affordably priced providing you more of what you need in your pocketbook as well.

There are a multitude of choices. Whether you are choosing heavy duty or lightweight, you will discover your flame resistant liners will actually dictate a new, higher level of protection without the need to purchase a pricey new piece of apparel. You get to choose the level of fire protection you want or need for yourself, and then flame resistant fabrics promotes your well-being with the right level of protection in an easy to use lining.

With so many options, choosing the right one for you can be as easy as contacting your favorite flame resistant clothing manufacturer company. However, it is nice to know what you have at your fingertips. Take a look at these popular examples to experience firsthand the versatility.

There are few things as popular as brown duck. This makes brown duck vest jacket flame resistant liners perfect if you happen to have the appropriate style of vest. If you have the brown duck jacket, you need this for your own durability and reliability. This easily snaps into place and provides an additional 11.5 ounces of protection. Made from flame resistant fabric, you will love how easy this is to use and how durable you will find this.

You will not find any exposed metal inside or out, and there is even an inside chest pocket to hide those little tools or your own hidden treasures. These can be washed or laundered easily at home, or if you choose, trust this design to your industrial laundering process. These come in the appropriate sizes and the traditional brown duck color you have come to rely on for excellence.

Another great example if seen with the flame resistant fabric fleece sleeved flame resistant liners. These are perfect if you happen to have the flame resistant jackets. This is an easy snap method perfect for busy lives. You will enjoy the added bonus of hemmed sleeves and the added flame resistance of almost 8 ounces. This is going to provide you more of what you need without a lot of frills. This is definitely going to give you more versatility and reliability out of your favorite flame resistant jacket.

These are easy to launder at home. You will enjoy this navy blue lining available in the sizes you need to add to your own jacket.

When you need more of the good stuff, you can depend on flame resistant liners for your favorite jackets. These Bulwark linings give you the ability to perform at your maximum without being weighed down. When you are investing into your own future, you need what flame resistant liners have to offer.

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Flame Resistant Shirts: Choose Your Own Style

27 Jun.
Posted by uniformconnection in Consumer | Comments Off

When it comes to choosing your own style and fashion, you will find that even if you need something extra for your own protection, you are going to get more. When purchasing flame resistant shirts, you will find a mixture of high quality designers and fashionable apparel mixed with constructive and unique designs. When you need more, there are designers on the market today capable of providing you with more of the good stuff you need.

Thanks to fabric designers and clothing manufacturers, you will find that there are copious numbers of options available to you. There are stylish and fashionable designs that will make your day perfect. Getting home safe has never been so easy.

Take a look at these examples of high quality and reliable flame resistant shirts that will fit within any allotted budget.

Several manufacturers have a lightweight twill set of flame resistant shirts. These tops are great for the tradesman needing more. This handsome top is going to be available at 6 ounces of weight promising a medium level of protection that will simply look awesome. The long sleeves promote full torso protection, and the double pockets provide you with more of the great space you need in your apparel. The cuffs are completely adjustable thanks to the two buttons, and even the buttons are FR!

These are available in colors such as khaki or navy blue. In addition, find these flame resistant shirts available in sizes from small to 4XL. You choose your color and size and several manufacturers will just offer more of the good stuff you need.

Several manufacturers are going to offer you a lot of added bonuses thanks to its the most popular line of apparel. Comfort touch type of fabrics insure you get the maximum level of comfort with the protection you receive. The dress uniform flame resistant shirts are going to be available in a variety of weights such as 5 ounces, 6 ounces, or 7 ounces. You choose what you need, and the fabric provides you with the working apparel you need for your life with such bonuses as reinforced seams or hems and reinforced stress points.

These come in a multitude of popular colors such as khaki, orange, or even light denim! For the perfect fit you get to find sizes ranging from medium to 3XL and lengths such as regular or even extra long.

Finally, if you demand the added bonus of high visibility, these are hi-visibility flame resistant shirts you will appreciate. These have the long sleeves for added protection area, and having the bonus of a full 360 degree of flame resistance protection with visibility, no one can go wrong. The button front is easy to use, and there is even a popularly fashionable pencil stall in the wonderful pocket. You get so many benefits; you will forget that these are actually a super bright color offering you the protection you need.

Choosing these flame resistant shirts is easy thanks to colors such as yellow green from sizes ranging from small to 3XL.

When you choose flame resistant shirts, you will be getting that perfect protection without spending a large amount of money. These are designs built for your life.

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Flame Resistant Shirts: Exploring The Different Manufacturers

27 Jun.
Posted by uniformconnection in Consumer | Comments Off

Developing your own style incorporating flame resistant shirts is a good decision based on years of experience. When it comes to the flame resistant shirts you utilize in your busy life, you often find yourself turning your favorite manufacturer. These two designers excel at providing you with the perfect design and style necessary for your own styles. You choose the look you want from the numerous styles because you will be getting more of the protection you need in an easy to wear and easy to launder format.

When exploring what manufacturers have to offer, you will find it is easy to find the exceptional designs. Both are inherently flame resistant offering a unique opportunity to look your best while dressing according to your own preference. In addition, these designs meet regulatory standards for FR garments. Deciding which is right for you often comes down to the task at hand because while both provide exceptional designs and style, each specialized in a certain area.

Protective apparel promotes safety first and you will find numerous examples of such a promise. If you need hi-visibility flame resistant shirts, chances are good you will turn to several designers. If you need good looking and high levels of protection, you will find available several manufacturers provide a copious number of specialty designs.

Hi-visibility working garments have never been so easy to find. These tops provide the traditional yellow or green color with the reflective strips you need for your own needs. This is a great example of what flame resistant can provide in terms of heavy duty protection at cost effective prices.

Work uniforms provides a line of high quality and colorful choices. These are going to be perfect for industrial use, and the protection you get will be second to none. Whether you love the look and feel of twill or a more common design for your flame resistant shirts, you will find shirts have options you need for your lifestyle and budget.

Flame resistant shirts come in a multitude of designs. There are pocketless tops and twill tops with pocket flaps, and you will get to choose from a wide array of sizes ranging from small to 6XL. In addition, the majority of flame resistant shirts come in various lengths such as short, regular, or tall.

Choosing between different manufacturers is often a matter of personal preference. You get the same great look and the same level of protection. Developing your own wardrobe means getting the style you like while maintaining a high level of protection. Both designers promote your well-being and your lifestyle. Whether you need industrial styles or commercial styles, there are many choices for you to choose from when you choose between these two highly reliable and reputable designers.

Purchasing flame resistant shirts has never been so easy. Getting those preferred designs means you find an appropriate piece of apparel fitting your lifestyle as well as your allotted budget. Staying safe means you get to live your life on your terms, and thanks to the designers, you will find yourself enjoying life to its fullest.

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