Interesting Times!

Friday 19 October 2007

My colleague Hannah Lamplugh is Participation Officer in the Health Initiatives Team here at Education Leeds. Hannah contacted me about Local Democracy Week...

"Dear Chris, I thought you might find it useful to know what preparations we have made in order to take part in this year's Local Democracy Week which runs from 15th October - 21st October. The national theme is "Take part, take power" and once more, we are running the successful 'Mayor for a Day' initiative which has proved to be a high profile event.
This year the schools who have come forward to take part are Allerton Grange, Boston Spa, Cardinal Heenan and City Of Leeds schools

Candidates for 'Mayor for the Day' have submitted a manifesto based upon the theme of "If I were running Leeds for the day I would..." which will be focussed on such issues as: Environmental Issues; Caring for Vulnerable People; Leisure Activities for Young People.
All manifestos will appear, along with photos of the 'candidates' in the Yorkshire Evening Post today and will appear on the LCC web site for the duration of Local Democracy Week.
Please visit the website to see the manifestos at http://www.leeds.gov.uk.

Members of the public being invited to vote during Local Democracy Week and a dedicated email address has been set up specifically for the vote mayorforaday@leeds.gov.uk. So please register your vote! The eventual winner will be invited to take tea with the Lord Mayor, wear mayoral robes and help switch on the Leeds Christmas Lights. As last year, the winner will also have the opportunity of presenting their ideas in the form of a delegation to full Council in January 2008."

This is a great initiative and I hope that colleagues will read the manifestos and vote.
Chris

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Brilliant Quotes!

“I must accept life unconditionally. Most people ask for happiness on condition. Happiness can only be felt if you don't set any condition.”
Margaret Lee Runbeck

“Happiness is not in our circumstances but in ourselves. It is not something we see, like a rainbow, or feel, like the heat of a fire. Happiness is something we are.”
John B. Sheerin

“Most true happiness comes from one's inner life, from the disposition of the mind and soul. Admittedly, a good inner life is difficult to achieve, especially in these trying times. It takes reflection and contemplation and self-discipline.”
William L Shirer

“The pursuit of happiness is a most ridiculous phrase: If you pursue happiness you'll never find it.”
C.P. Snow

“Doubly rich is the man still boyish enough to play, laugh and sing as he carries and emanates sunshine along a friendly road.”
Charles R. Wiers

"Faith is not a shelter against difficulties, but belief in the face of all contradictions."
Paul Tournier

"Convictions are the mainsprings of action, the driving powers of life. What a man lives are his convictions."
Francis C. Kelley

"To do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger; but jump in, and scramble through as well as we can."
Sydney Smith

"It is often just as sacred to laugh as it is to pray"
Charles R. Swindoll

"Things never go so well that one should have no fear; and never so ill that one should have no hope"
Turkish proverb

"Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself"
Chinese proverb

"Don't bother to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."
William Faulkner

"In times of change, learners will inherit the earth,while the learned will find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists"
Eric Hoffer

"Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans."
John Lennon

"Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation."
Robert F. Kennedy

"The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems."
Mahatma Gandhi

"Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way."
Abraham Lincoln

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Martin Luther King Jr.

"There is nothing in life so difficult that it cannot be overcome. This faith can move mountains. It can change people. It can change the world."
Norman Vincent Peale

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

"Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take but the moments that take our breath away."
Anonymous

"Patience and perseverence have a magical affect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."
John Quincy Adams

"Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and woman to win them."
Ralph Waldo Emerson