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“You come to this country looking for the American dream…now, I'm living it to the fullest."
Rockdale Musical Society is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. To kick off a special season of festivities and shows the society is presenting the magical musical The Wizard of Oz during March. This production of The Wizard of Oz is an enchanting adaptation of the all-time classic developed from the ever-popular MGM movie of the same name, ‘‘which ironically was released the same year as Rockdale Musical Society was formed’’ says RMS President Fran Appleyard. ‘‘This was one of the deciding facts for putting this show on,’’ Mrs Appleyard said. The stage version of the show contains the beloved Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg songs from the Oscar-winning movie score, along with all the favorite characters and iconic moments that make The Wizard of Oz a favorite for the young and young at heart. Portraying the role of Dorothy, made famous by Judy Garland, is 16-year-old Georgia Herbert. Georgia is a year 12 student of Wollongong High School Of The Performing Arts. Although she has been involved with musical theatre for some time this is her first lead role - but she is enjoying the challenge. ‘‘Playing Dorothy is very rewarding, I’m enjoying every minute of it,’’ Georgia said/ Rockdale Musical Society veteran Paul Miller will star as Professor Marvel/The Wizard. The role of the Wicked Witch of the West will be played by Nicole Butler who was last seen on the Rockdale Town Hall stage as Aerial in RMS’s The Little Mermaid. Also starring in the production is Dan Schneider as Lion, Brad Gavin as Tin Man, Tim Wotherspoon as Scarecrow and Laura Garrick as Glinda. Toto will be played by a real dog not unfamiliar to the stage, Bruiser, has been seen in shows such as Legally Blonde and Little Shop Of Horrors. Being the first show in the Society’s 80th year no expense has been spared to make this a memorable production, using technology that will bring the show into the standard of the staging up to that of what you’d expect to see in a professional show in the city. ‘‘We are going all out, keeping the show looking and feeling like the show everyone knows, but moving ahead with flying sets and special effects on a scale we have only ever dabbled in before’’ says the shows Director Carina Herbert. Click your heels together as you rediscover the story of Oz in this fantastic musical treat for the whole family. The Wizard Of Oz opens at the Rockdale Town Hall on March 8 for 10 performances only. Tickets can be booked by visiting rockdalemusicalsociety.com or calling the box office on 0423 566 393.
Rockdale Musical Society is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.
To kick off a special season of festivities and shows the society is presenting the magical musical The Wizard of Oz during March.
This production of The Wizard of Oz is an enchanting adaptation of the all-time classic developed from the ever-popular MGM movie of the same name, ‘‘which ironically was released the same year as Rockdale Musical Society was formed’’ says RMS President Fran Appleyard.
‘‘This was one of the deciding facts for putting this show on,’’ Mrs Appleyard said.
The stage version of the show contains the beloved Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg songs from the Oscar-winning movie score, along with all the favorite characters and iconic moments that make The Wizard of Oz a favorite for the young and young at heart.
Portraying the role of Dorothy, made famous by Judy Garland, is 16-year-old Georgia Herbert.
Georgia is a year 12 student of Wollongong High School Of The Performing Arts.
Although she has been involved with musical theatre for some time this is her first lead role - but she is enjoying the challenge.
Rockdale Musical Society veteran Paul Miller will star as Professor Marvel/The Wizard.
The role of the Wicked Witch of the West will be played by Nicole Butler who was last seen on the Rockdale Town Hall stage as Aerial in RMS’s The Little Mermaid.
Also starring in the production is Dan Schneider as Lion, Brad Gavin as Tin Man, Tim Wotherspoon as Scarecrow and Laura Garrick as Glinda.
Toto will be played by a real dog not unfamiliar to the stage, Bruiser, has been seen in shows such as Legally Blonde and Little Shop Of Horrors.
Being the first show in the Society’s 80th year no expense has been spared to make this a memorable production, using technology that will bring the show into the standard of the staging up to that of what you’d expect to see in a professional show in the city.
‘‘We are going all out, keeping the show looking and feeling like the show everyone knows, but moving ahead with flying sets and special effects on a scale we have only ever dabbled in before’’ says the shows Director Carina Herbert.
Click your heels together as you rediscover the story of Oz in this fantastic musical treat for the whole family.
The Wizard Of Oz opens at the Rockdale Town Hall on March 8 for 10 performances only.
Tickets can be booked by visiting rockdalemusicalsociety.com or calling the box office on 0423 566 393.
Housing prices could drop by up to 30% over 6 to 12 months after demonetisation, says T S Ramakrishnan.
After demonetisation, a prominent economist tweeted that 19% of India's employment share contributed by the real estate sector will be jeopardised.
It was also reported in late November that housing prices could drop by up to 30% over 6 to 12 months after demonetisation, wiping out over Rs 8 lakh crore of the market value of residential properties sold and unsold by developers since 2008.
Such tweets and news items create at least two wrong inferences on the impact of demonetisation on the real estate sector.
The first inference is that employment opportunities will shrink in the sector.
The second is that wealth already created in the sector is being eroded.
How far are these inferences true?
The real estate sector has been in the grip of a slump for some time now, because of distorted prices, which make it impossible for even high-income groups to buy a house unless they have unaccounted money.
Indian professionals earning well -- let alone average Indians -- are nowhere near being able to buy a house with a super built-up area of, say, 1,000 sq ft in a city at the prime of their lives.
Mumbai leads other cities in price of property, which varies between Rs 1.3 crore (Rs 13 million) and Rs 2.9 crore (Rs 29 million).
The price in other cities varies between Rs 30 lakhs (Rs 3 million) and Rs 60 lakh (Rs 6 million).
On the basis of per capita income, it may take 30 to 60 years for a Mumbaikar to own a flat.
For residents of other cities, it may take 12 to 24 years.
Since housing loans are provided in such a way that the EMI does not exceed 47% of monthly incomes, the EMIs may last for 60 to 120 years for Mumbaikars and 24 to 48 years for those in other cities.
Advisory firms on housing even prescribe that those who don't earn at least Rs 25 lakh (Rs 2.5 million) a year should not seek to buy a house in Mumbai.
In other cities, the minimum threshold is in the Rs 12 lakh to Rs 20 lakh (Rs 1.2 million to Rs 2 million) range, and those earning less are advised to rent a house.
Even to generate the amount required for the down payment and stamp duty, an average Indian has to work for a decade or two.
In this backdrop, people conclude that a rented house is a better option than buying a house.
As a result, the inventory period of newly built houses went up from 23 months to 83 months in these cities.
Despite such unsustainable inventory periods, builders did not reduce prices, taking new loans from banks and using them to pay back old loans.
The business model followed by a sizable segment of the real estate sector is unsustainable, as the cash component of transactions is typically not less than 30% to 40%.
With unaccounted money flushed out of the system, builders cannot expect buyers to buy houses at pre-demonetisation prices.
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016, which has already been passed by Parliament and awaits enforcement by state governments, is like the Sword of Damocles for the real estate sector.
Some of its features -- such as prices based on carpet area instead of super built-up area, and avoiding delays as 70% of money paid by the buyer should be in the respective project account -- make real estate projects more transparent and accountable.
The saving grace for the developer in this act is that it is applicable only to new projects.
In this context, builders have two options left.
The first is to realise that this new normal cannot be changed, and to sell inventory at the earliest at a discounted price and pay back the loans that were raised from banks, thereby at least saving on interest payments.
The second option is to wait for black money to accumulate afresh, so that property may be sold at pre-demonetisation prices or more.
Given the huge inventory of houses and the intentions of the government in bringing all big transactions under electronic mode, the second option may remain a chimera.
Either way, builders will lose part of the money they have extracted from buyers in the last two decades.
The impact on those who bought houses in the last few years also needs to be analysed. Although such buyers will also take a hit, it also depends on the purpose of their purchase.
If they have bought a house for self-occupancy, the depreciation in the value of the house, post-demonetisation, will not matter to them.
Even selling the existing house and buying a new one cannot make much difference, as prices have come down across the board.
However, those who have invested in a second house for capital gains in the short term will take a hit.
However, this is the collateral damage that cannot be avoided, when huge disruptions like demonetisation, the digital economy and regulation comes into force.
Any sector that is mired in corruption, black money and distorted pricing can hardly be reformed without a big external push.
Demonetisation has paved the way for the real estate sector to clean up its act and start life anew.
It is no exaggeration to say that it is a blessing in disguise for the sector, which must start on a clean slate and implement a sustainable business model.
T S Ramakrishnan teaches at the T A Pai Management Institute, Manipal.
1 million UPI transactions a day!
As the birthday of President Lincoln falls on Saturday, it is fitting and proper to pause and reflect upon some of his most important lessons. “Father Abraham,” as the troops he commanded affectionately called him, still has much wisdom to share with us.
Keep an open mind. Though firm in his convictions, Lincoln felt it important that he always listen to divergent opinions. To that end, the president filled his cabinet with some of his greatest Republican rivals for the 1860 nomination, including the interminably bitter Salmon Chase as Treasury Secretary and William Seward (of Seward’s folly) as Secretary of State. Originally, Lincoln planned to suffocate slavery by not allowing it to spread west; he would leave the institution alone where it already existed. And should all slaves be free, Lincoln thought it reasonable that they be sent back to Africa, as he could not imagine whites and blacks living together as equals.
But as the war drew to a close, he was speaking triumphantly of black suffrage from the window of the White House, causing John Wilkes Booth, who was in the crowd, to turn to his friend and retort: “I’ll put him through.” Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, penned by the man himself, was the product of hours upon hours spent in tortuous thought. (He was the last of our presidents to write all his own speeches, as well.) Before he signed it, Lincoln took a few minutes to steady his hand. He wanted to be sure that posterity knew he meant every word.
Keep an eye on the long term. Lincoln insisted on investing in America’s future, even as the nation was marred by war. He demanded construction of the Capitol Building continue. He secured congressional funds for bridges and great interstate railroads that helped foster economic growth and competition. And he ensured that regular elections were held, even as some suggested they be called off because of the ongoing violence. Government of the people, by the people was too enduring a concern of Lincoln’s for him to sacrifice it for power’s sake. That said, Lincoln was a shrewd politician, and he managed his own reelection landslide over his adversary and former general, McClellan.
Yet Lincoln felt that despite all the hardships, there was still much to be thankful for: friends, family, and the arts especially. After long days prodding his generals into action, he stayed up late talking with his new friend Seward, though, unlike Seward, Lincoln never drank nor smoked. Lincoln went to the theatre almost every night to gain some respite from the war. His favorite play was Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and he loved to quote it from memory to whoever would listen. Lincoln would tell so many jokes sometimes that critics called him an incompetent, while friends and allies took solace in their president’s great humor. Most importantly, Lincoln understood that when times are hard, hard work is called for, but we ought never lose sight of the good fortune with which we here on earth are blessed. Amen.
Week six starts right where week 5 left off, beginning with Ali and the Ranch Team in the elimination room before Larialmy has even left campus. The Unknowns join them so Ali can announce that the Ranch and the Unknowns are now becoming the Red and the Black teams, with Ranch as black and the Unknowns as red. There is no time wasted because as soon as the teams put on their respective colors, they are led to a temptation challenge. Temptation Challenge: Power of Love?
As much as I love delving into the meat of a story, I can always appreciate the non-relevant conversations that eventually segue into the problem at hand. Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Sheldon (Jim Parsons), Howard (Simon Helberg) and Raj (Kunal Nayyar) are in the midst of discussing how vampires shave if they don’t have reflections, when they’re informed by the president of the university that they must attend a fundraising dinner for their research.
Today (Sunday, January 21) is expected to be a mostly cold day, according to the Met Office, with some bright spells in the east.
However, cloud will increase through the morning bringing persistent rain eastwards from mid-morning onwards.
The maximum temperature is expected to be 10°C.
Tonight it will be mild with spells of rain clearing eastwards during the evening.
According to the Met Office it will be mostly dry with light winds and a few clouds.
Tonight’s minimum temperature is expected to be 5°C.
Tomorrow (Monday, January 22). it is expected to be a milder day with drier conditions with a chance of brighter spells.
The maximum temperature is expected to be 8°C, the Met Office said.
The outlook for Tuesday (January 23) to Thursday (January 25) is expected to be breezy with rain on Tuesday and feeling milder than it has been of late.
It is expected to become windy on Tuesday night with rain on Wednesday (January 24), with some of it expected to be heavy.
The Met Office said Thursday should see a mixture of sunshine and showers.
Mobile Gaming doesn't get much better than Monument Valley. It's one of Kotaku's Best iPad Games, and today it's free on Android from Amazon.
Check out all of today's app deals in our Apps Post, lots of iPhone games on sale today.
Playstation TV, Sony's non-portable entry point to the Vita library/box for streaming your PS4 to another TV/other things is $20 off today, for the first time ever. The DualShock 3 Bundle is also $20 off.
We recommend the Amazon Visa in our prep guide, and it's also Lifehacker's favorite rewards credit card.
The Roku Streaming Stick has some healthy competition in the form of the Chromecast and Amazon's Fire TV Stick, but if you're tempted by Roku's simple on-screen interface and 1800+ app ecosystem (including Google Play!), you're in luck today.
If you, or anyone on your holiday shopping list wants a new Kindle, Kindle Fire, or Fire TV, here's a rare chance to save $40 on almost model, directly from Amazon.
All you have to do is sign up for Amazon Prime, and add (almost) any Kindle e-reader, Kindle Fire tablet, or Fire TV to your cart in the same transaction. If you already have Prime (and you should), this deal also works when buying a 1-year gift subscription, which you can just give to yourself to add another year onto your plan.
If you're planning on renewing or ordering Prime anyway for the holiday shopping season, this is basically $40 of free money. The discount brings the new entry-level Kindle down to an absurdly cheap $39, and the expensive-but-amazing new Kindle Voyage down to $159, both all-time lows.
Filmmakers upcoming slate includes Pinocchio, The Haunted Mansion, a television show and a horror film.
In an interview posted last night, The Late Show executive producer Rob Burnett revealed how all parties worked together to keep the ad a secret from the press.
Amazing to think that it took an Oprah intervention to get another season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show released on DVD.
Android music application doubleTwist has been updated with a new feature set to take on Pandora radio streaming. Dubbed Magic Radio, the $4 (£2.70) a month service offers 13 million songs that can be mixed by several categories.
Before Google Play Music hit the scene, doubleTwist was once a necessary application for playing back music on Android. But doubleTwist does offer some features that Google Play Music doesn't - such as easy access to a user's iTunes library through a separate desktop application.
Now the Magic Radio feature is built into the application, it is one of the first things a user will see when launching doubleTwist for the first time. A seven-week free trial is offered which, once over, will switch to Google Play subscriptions to continue. Once you're signed up for the service, it is placed on the homepage of doubleTwist.
There are five radios offered initially: Music You Love, Music You Discover, Hot Artists, Relax Mood and Coachella. From there you can build your own radios by playlists from your own music, genre, mood or specific song or artist you're currently into.
There are several genres offered, including big band, afrobeat, Australian hip-hop, freak beat and about 100 more - doubleTwist doesn't seem to miss anything, no matter what part of the world a listener is in (though this is US only).
To test Magic Radio, we built a station off Kendrick Lamar. Once the station was created, it worked like we'd expect, playing relevant songs and offering unlimited skips throughout, because of course, we're paying for it.
As far as specific functionality, there doesn't seem to be anything here that Pandora doesn't offer, except there are just way more songs available. According to doubleTwist, the 13 million songs it offers is more than 12 times what Pandora brings. Will you notice any big titles not available on Pandora? We doubt it.
Given doubleTwist's aim to offer an iTunes-like music experience on Android, the radio feature offers a useful advantage. It offers similar functionality to what we've seen elsewhere and at $4 a month, it's also pretty cheap for having unlimited streaming.
But this is unlike Spotify in that you're unable to download the songs for later streaming - you're stuck with a pure radio like Pandora - and with Spotify costing only $6 more and offering a radio feature as well, you have to make a judgement call on whether this, Pandora, or Spotify suits your situation best. Pandora also offers a free, limited mobile stream, on top of a $36 a year unlimited stream across all platforms.
It's worth noting that doubleTwist has partnered with Qualcomm for the release of MagicPlay later this year, which is set offer an open-source media-streaming platform to take on Apple's AirPlay. As we saw at CES 2013, you will be able to stream music directly from your phone to an AllJoyn-enabled speaker. That could potentially be a compelling reason to purchase Magic Radio, not to mention that there's also Apple TV and Xbox 360 streaming already present.
If you find yourself using doubleTwist as your main music player, this may just be your radio solution. If not - there may be a cheaper and more feature-filled solution out there.
The company hasn't provided any information on UK or other device availability.