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Peacemaker Reviews - "A Walk Among the Tombstones"
JJ Mortimer
I expected a little more from writer/director Scott Frank. Given that this was a story based on one of many books from writer Lawrence Block, I harbor a bit of confusion as to the choice of material that was mined to make a motion picture out of, despite another good performance from the domineering presence of Liam Neeson as private detective Matthew Cudder.
The main problem I had with this movie was character motivation. After a pivotal scene where Neeson has a phone confrontation with a bad guy, he gives the quintessential "tough guy" speech and warns that the man had better comply with his demands or he will have to "look over his shoulder for the rest of [his] life." Immediately I thought back along the story line of the film, and there was absolutely no reason for him to even believe his own threat, let alone our reason to believe he has any investment in the situation that is going on.
Never once does the film acknowledge anything from Neeson's past of significance that actually relates to his reason for being so dedicated to this one case. Sure, an earlier scene shows a mishap he committed while in the line of duty years before, but the circumstances have no relation to the events taking place during the course of the movie. On paper it would make sense (as would the context in novel form, in which fans of the book would argue that I'm incorrect in my assessment), but given the fact that I never read the book and am basing my conclusion on what was presented on film, Neeson's character isn't given the depth needed for us to feel his pain and internal dilemma.
The movie opens with a bang and promising gun battle, but the story bogs down with a few uninteresting character interactions, and a seemingly out-of-place sidekick in a homeless kid. A lot of the film feels as though it was condensed from a much larger medium that had a plethora of depth and character discovery, but fell victim in the translation from page to digital frame.
The movie is shot pretty well in the dark, foreboding drab of New York City (circa 1999), but after having just recently watched more powerful films of similar mood and theme (last year's Prisoners, being one), I felt A Walk Among the Tombstone sold itself a bit short in the visual medium.
On another note, I can do without another detective/P.I./cop/ex-cop/former law enforcement officer story where the main character is an alcoholic (or recovering alcoholic). Making characters have this weakness has become a weakness in device; a cliche of sorts that has lately separated me from any connection I may have had to the main character. Many writers give their characters these weaknesses in hopes of making them feel "down to earth" for an average audience member (or reader, for that matter) to understand their pains and interpersonal turmoils - essentially making a fictional character feel "more realistic". Funny, given that I felt more connection and understanding from Marvel's depiction of Steve Rogers/Captain America than I did with Liam Neeson's Matthew Cudder, which is a crime given that Neeson does his best to give one of his naturally-strong, a-typical "tough guy" performances.


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Ever planned a badly-timed break? Spent your Round The World Trip visiting every destination in the wrong season? If you are thinking of a last-minute getaway this month, you'll do well to avoid the following locations!
Dubai, UAE
In June in Dubai it is really really hot, and really really humid, which makes really really hot feel like a bath in a volcano. Basically the seasonal high of 40°C combined with 58% humidity makes it feel like a searing 59°C! That is hotter than the hottest place on earth! If you must go, stick to indoor activities – thankfully quite easy due to the many luxury shopping malls and the world's largest aquarium.
The Everglades, Florida
June marks the start of several seasons in the Everglades – The Wet Season, The Hurricane Season and the Mosquito Season, not the most sought after combination on anyone's travel itinerary! Plus the thunderstorms at this time of year can last for hours, so you'll find yourself hiding for cover most of the time. FYI, the best months to visit are December to April.
Havana, Cuba
Hot, wet and very very windy. June in Havana marks the start of the Hurricane Season, and the stats say it will rain on average for half the month. We all know that wind and rain are the number one enemies of enjoying a Cuban cigar, so save your trip for another time, ideally between December and May.
Death Valley National Park, California
This destination holds the impressive Highest Recorded Temperature In The World title, and guess when it was recorded? Yup, June – a whopping 56.7°C! The previous record of 58°Crecorded atEl Azizia, Libya, and held for around 90 years, was deemed to be inaccurate by as much as 7°C because the measurement was taken over tarmac, not a true representation of the desert terrain.
Don't forget your travel insurance! A well-chosen policy can help you out when Mother Nature decides to scupper your travel plans. Bad weather can mean cancelled flights, long delays, and in extreme cases the need for replaced belongings and even repatriation! Speak to our travel insurance advisors to make sure you've got the cover you reallyneed for your next break!

subset: commoncrawl


text: The third battlefront Christians face is the devil. We are told to resist him and he will flee from us. If we remember that He who is within us is greater than he who is in the world, and if we put on the full armor of God, we will be ready to fight.


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NEW! Visual Expressions Art Class
This course provides the framework of knowledge and skills in which to communicate visual ideas. You will learn to see and think like an artist and explore a variety of tools, materials, and techniques. You'll build confidence in visual expression through a variety of compositional tools like organizing shape and space, exploring emotion and color theory. Skill level: All Ages: 18+
Thursdays from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Visual Arts Studio
Cost: $116 for the 6-week class
Register by calling the Heritage Center Reception Desk at (913) 327.8044.


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Karin Slater, 2008, 86'
South Africa
In De Light / Durga Shakti Films
A filmmaker couple investigates the meaning of marriage with humour and sensitivity, by meeting couples that have been together for 50 years all over the world: how can we make love last so long?
Palesa Nomanzi Shongwe, 2010, 9'
South Africa
Big Fish School of Digital Filmmaking
Dance, imagery, poetry and music are used as metaphors for the history of a country and its heritage through a fascinating kaleidoscope that blends archive images and contemporary performance.
Teboho Edkins, 2015, 63'
South Africa / Germany
STEPS / dffb
In the impressive mountainous landscapes of Lesotho, the director follows four teenagers for two years during the delicate and intense transition to adulthood. Doors open onto a new stage of life.
Trailer >
Andy Spitz, 2004, 48'
South Africa
Left-Eye Productions
Ivy's beauty salon becomes a venue for intimate discussion in which she tackles all kinds of subjects with her clients, from sexuality to questions of power: confidences shared between a manicure and a waxing.
Arya Lalloo, Shannon Walsh, 2013, 87'
South Africa / Canada
Urucu Media / Parabola Films
The fate and dreams of five inhabitants of Jeppestown, a working-class district of Johannesburg, filmed on a Friday. A window onto the sense of identity and community felt in an African metropolis today.
Rehad Desai, 2014, 86'
South Africa
Uhuru Productions (PTY) Ltd.
A dive into the Marikana massacre in South Africa in 2012: following the miners' strike for better wage conditions, the police killed 34 innocent workers claiming self-defence.
Simon Wood, 2014, 21'
South Africa
SaltPeter Productions
A refined observation of the effects of the consumer society in Umlazi, the largest township in South Africa, located near Durban, the largest port in Africa. Two contrasting but inevitably linked realities.
François Verster, 2009, 93'
South Africa
Undercurrent Film & Television CC / Luna Films / Lucinda Englehart
The Cape. On the edge of the Ocean, the Sea Point public swimming pools are a unique space in which people of all ages, religion and origins mix. An observation of an exceptional place and a reflection on the possible future.
Delphine de Blic, EAT MY DUST team, 2011, 13'
South Africa
EAT MY DUST Project
A project created with the inhabitants of Kliptown, one of the districts of Soweto. Budding young filmmakers discover cinema and bring their creations to life by re-appropriating classic films with panache and audacity.
Qondiswa James, Namisa Mdlalose, Puleng Stewart, Jessie Zinn, 2015, 5'
South Africa
Red Coat Films
Three young women reflect on their freedom today in an experimental essay that stands at the crossroads of performance. Their questions echo those of an entire generation.
Nadine Angel Cloete, 2016, 90'
South Africa
Ma'engere Film Productions
Ashley Kriel, an anti-apartheid activist killed by the police at the age of 20, is a symbol of South African resistance. The film draws a passionate portrait of the man they used to call the Cape Flats Che Guevara.
Simon Gush, 2014, 14'
South Africa
Simon Gush
An observation in precise and ironic black and white: the filmmaker reflects on the work and influence of Calvin in Geneva and South Africa. A surprising and intelligent contemporary parable.
Zandile Tisani, 2014, 11'
South Africa
Goodcop / Close Encounters Lab
A fascinating personal perspective of Johannesburg, a contemporary megalopolis shaped by its human and political history. Much like a mirror, its inhabitants and districts reflect the paradoxes of modernity.
Annalet Steenkamp, 2013, 94'
South Africa
Go Trolley Films
For nine years, the director filmed the daily life of her family of Afrikaner farmers. Through this powerful saga, she grasps the complexity of a country undergoing profound change, its wounds and its fears.
Khalo Matabane, 2013, 86'
South Africa / Nigeria / India / UK / France / USA / South Sudan / Germany
Born Free Media / Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion
An open letter from the director to the great South African icon: his questions are those of the entire post-apartheid generation reflecting on the heritage left to a country in which inequalities still reign.
Felix Seuffert, 2012, 23'
South Africa
Butterfly Films
After the glorious era marked by diamond fever, the small town of Port Nolloth disappears inexorably into oblivion: take a tour of a ghost village and its survivors, inhabited by the dreams of the past.
Rob de Mezieres, Adam Rist, 2003, 72'
South Africa
Dark Continent Pictures / Videovision Entertainment
A real oddball becoming cult: Shooting Bokkie blurs the boundaries between documentary and fiction to plunge us into the dangerous yet also extraordinary life of the gangs in the ghettos of the Cape Town region.
Riaan Hendricks, 2013, 82'
South Africa
Fireworx Media / a Season of Film
The harsh reality of the gangs in the disadvantaged Cape Flats region recounted by Braaim, who is attempting to live a double life as a family man and a gangster. An intimate and rare portrait in a merciless reality.
Aryan Kaganof, 2001, 32'
Netherlands / South Africa / Namibia
Mandala Films
A voyage through space and time via a truck driver's journey from Johannesburg to Namibia. The flow of images and sounds evokes painful traces of German colonisation.


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Two sisters began God's ongoing work at Hephzibah Children's Home
Prayer. Records reveal it was prayer that sustained Bettie Tyler, her sister Mollie, and the small orphanage they established in Middle Georgia in 1900 — the orphanage that came to be known as Hephzibah Orphanage.
In the book, "Touching Tomorrow: The Story of Hephzibah Children's Home," Alberta Metz writes of a time not long after the sisters began taking in children that Bettie Tyler found herself in a common position: on her knees.
Metz writes: "As the months passed, Bettie felt the anguish of the lean times when faith was tested. Hearing the children cry for food and seeing the workers weak with hunger, she was driven to her knees, humbling herself before God with heartsearching and earnest prayers. Then help would come in a way that proved unmistakably that God had heard and answered."
In 1904, the women and children were on their farmhouse-orphanage's front porch shelling peas when they saw a tornado's funnel cloud approaching. Hurriedly, they took shelter inside and in prayer. When the storm passed, they and the farmhouse were safe though smaller houses being built nearby for workers were destroyed.
"Those sisters plus prayer and God's faithfulness are at the heart of Hephzibah's story," said Peter Bagley, executive director of what's now Hephzibah Ministries. What was Hephzibah Orphanage is now Hephzibah Children's Home. Hephzibah Ministries also operates other services such as Hephzibah Behavioral Services, a counseling center offering outpatient services like behavioral, mental health and substance abuse counseling to the wider community.
"Bettie and Mollie Tyler were spinster ladies of the late-1800s into the 1900s who were left with four boys to take care of following a relative's death," Bagley said. "They started their orphanage in a 500 to 600 square foot farmhouse they'd inherited in Bolingbroke. They just didn't have the heart to turn children away. God kept bringing children and they ended up with a slew of kids, even children of various races."
Bagley said though Hephzibah has changed how it operates through its 117-year history, its purpose and reliance on God and prayer remain unchanged. In fact, he said at the start of the new year friends and partners will engage in 40 days of prayer and fasting concerning challenges and opportunities in the ministry's future.
"God has proven faithful," he said. "Time and time again he's proven faithful. A key instance was in 1903 when they were out of resources and wondering if God was done with the orphanage. They were at the point of having nothing to feed the children and prayed — then they did what we usually tell people not to do: they let their Bible flop open to a verse for direction. What they got was Isaiah 62:4. In the King James Bible is says, 'Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.'
"Hephzibah means my delight is in her and they knew the verse promised provision and protection from God. And right away, God miraculously provided food for them as he has ever since."
Hephzibah's story continues with the two women moving in bold faith to larger and larger facilities in Macon. Today, the ministry is located on 210 acres west of Interstate 475 on Zebulon Road.
Shirley Duncan arrived at Hephzibah as a resident in 1971 as a 13-year-old from a highly dysfunctional family. She tells her story in the book, "I Will Go On." Duncan lived at Hephzibah, graduated Central High School, went to college, married and in 1989 began work with Hephzibah telling her story and assisting with public and church relations.
"It's interesting talking about this now," she said. "I've been thinking how I was 13 and it was my first Christmas at Hephzibah, and I'd never received a baby doll before. I also wanted a baseball glove and a guitar. I got my baby doll, guitar and a ball glove that even had my name on it. Quite an exciting day and such a different experience for me as a child. I got my first bicycle for Christmas at Hephzibah, too, the first one I could ever keep anyway. I remember as a child somehow getting a purple bicycle but also remember my alcoholic stepfather taking me and it down a trail to a creek and throwing it in. I don't know why, but he was drunk. I remember it in the water. I wanted to go after it but I couldn't."
More joyfully, Duncan remembers caroling in Macon with Hephzibah children and taking treats to doctors, dentists and others who helped them throughout the year. She remembers being particularly thrilled seeing a giant Christmas tree that was always decorated on Vineville Avenue.
And she said she remember hearing about — and being part of — answers to prayer at Hephzibah.
"Right after I came I was in a room waiting for a physical while staff were over in another room praying," she said. "I remember the director pulling out his handkerchief, wiping his eyes and saying, "We don't have enough food to last the week." That caught my attention. Then a phone near me rang and I answered it and got the director. People from Piggly Wiggly were calling and told our director their freezers had gone out overnight and they wanted to know if we could take the food before it spoiled. Can you imagine the impression that made on me?"
Bagley said he feels the impact of such a heritage.
"We still pray earnestly day to day ourselves, but I believe we're still living and serving children out of the investment of all those prayers through the years," he said. "That's a crucial part of our heritage."
He said added to prayer is the ministry's simple desire to serve children in the best way possible in the time in which they live.
"We're a Christian ministry and never ashamed of the gospel," he said. "We and our partners — donors who give $2 and others who can give much more — are continually looking to God and seeing him multiply what we can do. Times have changed from Hephzibah's early days, but God is the same and continues to give us ways to care for children in need."
Part of the change is reflected in Hephzibah's name change from orphanage to children's home and the rise of terms like "true orphan" and "child needing services." Bagley said with federal and state governments, regulations and agencies playing the predominant role in children, family and social services, most true orphans, those actually without parents, are in foster care. He said children needing services describes an array of kids needed help such as living arrangements and behavioral, mental health or other specific care. These children may come from the foster care system, court orders or direct placement. Bagley said in Georgia, children under 12 are not allowed in congregate care or group homes such as at Hephzibah so children there are primarily 12-18.
Hephzibah itself is an auxiliary ministry of the Wesleyan Church International and governed by a volunteer board of directors who elect a chief executive officer. Bagley said there are currently 34 at Hephzibah Children's Home but that more than 100 have been in residential care throughout the year. Some return to families, which is always a goal, others have transferred and others have become too old to remain.
Bagley said in the eight years he's been at Hephzibah there's not been a time when there hasn't been at least one child receiving care after having been involved in child sex trafficking.
Hephzibah also operates a young mother's home where there are currently 12 residents.
"We're pleased to honor young mothers and help in their choice not to have an abortion," he said. "We care for them and work with them to develop personal, life and parenting skills. Some come having been raped, even raped by a family member. Others have been trafficked, even trafficked by a family member. Some have been kicked out of homes — they really come for all different reasons. Some here are expecting and others are with their babies. There are three newborns here right now. That helped it feel a lot like Christmas around here."
However it happens, staff at Hephzibah are in place to continue the work started by the two sisters. Through prayer and through the best methods of care, Bagley said they remain committed to serving children through Christ's love.
"However we provide care, whatever services we give, a lot of those we care for are just children who if they weren't here, they'd be falling through the cracks and not getting the services, the love and the care they need," he said. "I'm grateful to have staff and volunteers that see the importance of loving these kids as part of providing them services. Some kids may not have suffered intentional neglect or abuse, but may just have been in homes where there weren't the skills or the resources to look after them physically or emotionally. Sometimes their struggles are insurmountable and there's no family or friends to help. But we're here. God has put us here to help them."
Contact writer Michael W. Pannell at email@example.com.
Hephzibah Ministries-Hephzibah Children's Home
Address: 6601 Zebulon Rd., Macon, Ga. 31220
Phone: 478-477-3383
Leadership: Peter Bagley, executive director
Website: www.hephzibah.org


text: posted by Rebecca Bunce on Friday, October 06, 2017 in Office Equipment Blog Congratulations! You just sealed the deal with your customer on new office equipment. You recommended the right product and they agreed to the monthly payment amount and term. Your next step is determining where to send the application for financing… and you have options. Now, you're a savvy business person who knows that business grows by word of mouth and repeat customers are crucial to you and your firm's continued growth and success. Not just any old rate will do, you've got to plan and invest now for your future.Back to your financing options; you have rate cards from two finance companies. One rate seems 'too good to be true' and the other rate is a little higher. You might find yourself wondering… what's the difference? Imagine you're holding a balloon. The balloon is a lease and you're holding the front-end; this is the rate and funding side of the lease. The other end is the back-end; everything associated with the lease after commencement through the end of the lease term. Now, give the balloon a squeeze. Notice what happens to the other side, the back-end of the lease. It gets bigger as the air flows to the other side and the balloon expands. Now picture that you're holding an actual lease. You squeeze the front end, driving the rate lower and lower and what happens? Funds are draining from the front-end and expanding on the back-end. You may get more funding upfront in this scenario, but you and your customer will likely end up paying for it down the road. You may notice all sorts of additional expenses start to pop up, like: Property tax processing fees Non-depreciating property tax charges Invoicing fees Inflated purchase options Restocking fees Collection fees UCC filing fees Cost Per Image fees per asset Customer service fees Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. Most finance companies are not in the business of charitable financing. These companies exist to perform a service while generating a profit. If a finance company squeezes too much on the front end of the agreement, it makes sense that they they will make up for the reduced financial spread another way. If they aren't making it up in fees, they make look to their operating expenses and try to make reductions there by dropping wages, reducing staff, or not investing or maintaining their systems. This can lead to poor customer service, longer than comfortable wait times, and poor quality tools and information. All in all—not a great experience for you or your new customer.Remember that sale you were so excited to make earlier? What happens if you choose the lowest rate provider? Will that provider do everything they can to help you be successful and help you keep your customer for life? Chances are they will try any way they can to make this deal profitable, since it didn't start out that way for them. This can spell trouble for your customer and ultimately you, when your customer becomes dissatisfied at the end of term.Who is your customer going to call when things go awry with the leasing company? If it's you, you're facing an uncomfortable conversation or they bypass you and head to your competitor down the street.So the next time you're faced with a choice to take the low-rate bait, remember, you and or your customer will end up paying for it in the end.Your customer is your most important asset. Make sure your finance company is able to put their promise to you about how they'll treat your customers in writing. < Back to Blog List financingmonthly paymentsales


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Hydronic heating has a reputation for not being cheap to install, and generally that's the case. But as with anything else you get what you pay for. Here's a few reasons why hydronic heating is still good value for money. You're heating the whole house In most Australian homes, we[…] READ MORE
While the winters in Sydney and other cities don't compare to the extreme winters of Europe and other countries, hydronic heating has year round benefits that go beyond warming your home. It can be the source of hot water for your entire house and it can even heat your swimming[…] READ MORE
If you're used to ordinary electric heaters from K-Mart, you might be confused about the idea of a dedicated heating system built into your house. With your K-Mart heater, you get up and switch it on when you're feeling cold, and you switch it off when you're feeling too warm.[…] READ MORE
It's winter, and your house is freezing. You've got a heater plugged into every room in your house, trying to keep the rooms warm. You've even got a fan heater in the hallway so you don't freeze when you nip to the bathroom! Surely there's a better way to live?[…] READ MORE
When you're designing a multi-zone heating system you need to make a decision about how to supply heating water to the different zones. There's two basic choices. Either we have a single primary circulating pump, and a motorised isolating valve the opens or closes the flow to each zone and[…] READ MORE
Have you bought a new home recently, or been living in your family home for a while? Do you need a new heating system installed before next winter? Retrofitting a central heating system into an existing home is entirely possible. Depending on how your home is built, there are different[…] READ MORE
Has your designer specified a break tank or buffer tank between your heat pump and the heating system? Here's why it's necessary. Firstly, let's consider a boiler supply an underfloor heating system. There will be any number of thermostats controlling heating to the different zones. When any of the thermostats[…] READ MORE
You've just stepped out of the shower. You reach for a towel, only to find that it's already wet. Not exactly how you imagined life in your dream home, is it? Most modern houses are fitted with electric towel rails to keep your towels dry. The main drawback with heated[…] READ MORE
The first step in designing a heating system for your home is to calculate the required heating load. Here's how we do it. The first thing we do is choose the indoor temperatures we want to heat the house to. As a general rule, we heat living areas to 21°C[…] READ MORE
Wondering why you need an expansion vessel? The reasoning behind it is simple. Your central heating system contains a closed pipework filled with water. The boiler heats the water and pumps it through your radiators. All substances, including water, expand when they're heated. So as the water in your system[…] READ MORE


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New York, NY, January 13, 2014: The ASCAP Foundation President, Paul Williams, is pleased to announce that Matthew Peterson has been named recipient of the 34th annual ASCAP Foundation Rudolf Nissim Prize. The Prize was awarded for Hyperborea, an 11-minute work for orchestra. Selected from nearly 270 entries, the Nissim Prize honors the memory of Dr. Rudolf Nissim and his dedication to ASCAP's Concert Composers by hosting this annual competition, for which a panel of conductors awards a prize of $5,000 to the best score submitted.
Dr. Rudolf Nissim, former head of ASCAP's International Department and a devoted friend of composers, established this annual prize through a bequest to The ASCAP Foundation. The Prize is presented annually to an ASCAP concert composer for a work requiring a conductor that has not been performed professionally. A jury of conductors selects the winning score.
Official press release HERE


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|Jan '83
|Hot 100
The one, the one,
The one that really matters,
The one that really cares,
The one, when your whole world is shattered,
Snap your fingers and I'll be there.
There's someone new,
He's your brand new toy,
You could break that poor boy in two,
If that's your style,
I should have known from the start,
This heart wants no part of you,
But if you're still the same girl I knew,
All in good time,
You're gonna follow your heart,
And you're gonna find I'm still...
[repeat CHORUS]
Log on to hide ad.
Log on to hide ad.


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Monday Cuppa--Something Fun Is Coming
Happy Monday, friends!
I hope you've enjoyed your morning cuppa. If not, sit back, take a nice long sip and spend a few minutes with me. I'm SO excited to share two new things:
You might notice my updated logo
What's changed is my tag line. Thanks to you all and your wonderful reviews, I realized what you all enjoy most in my stories is the page-turning suspense aspect, so I've updated my tagline to Up All Night Suspense. I hope you love it as much as I do. You can see the new logo below:
Over the next month, you'll continue to see updates as I switch things over to Up All Night Suspense, which brings me to a question for you. I'm trying to decide what to call my newsletter now and I'd love YOUR opinion. You can leave your choice in the comment section below.
For my newsletter, which title do you like the most:
A) Up All Night Suspense Newsletter
B) In Suspense Newsletter
C) Nail-biting Newsletter
D) Keep it Armchair Adventures
Thanks, friends, for your opinion!
Now on to the BIG news.
Starting next week I'll be launching a fun new blog series on Monday Cuppa entitled Alphabet For The Soul.
What is Alphabet For The Soul?
Each week, beginning next Monday, July 3rd, you'll get a beautiful, printable coloring page of a letter, starting with A and eventually ending with Z.
Not only will you get a free coloring page printable that you can enjoy coloring in, but each page also has a key word that letter brought to mind for me. For example, A is for Adversity, so next week I'll be chatting about adversity--how it affects our lives, how we can overcome it, and what God's Word says about it.
You'll also receive a key quote I've complied, and an accompanying Bible verse I based the quote off of. By the last Monday of the year (Christmas day!), you'll have everything you need to compile your completed Alphabet For The Soul coloring book, complete with full color cover and corresponding back page, both of which you can download now by clicking on this link to get you started:
Download the Alphabet for the Soul Cover
Download the Alphabet for the Soul Back Cover
I'm so excited to chat about an alphabet full of topics that affect all our lives at some point, and how we can grow closer to God through them.
I hope you'll join me for this fun adventure!
To get started, remember to download and print out your front and back cover. Next week, I'll share a number of creative ways you can bind your pages together throughout the project or at the end.
I can't wait to get started!
I'd love if you'd share your favorite letter, if you have one, or the first letter of your favorite word. And, why it's your favorite? My favorite word is Grace so I'd say G. Because Gracie is my nickname and special to me, but, more importantly, God's grace is the reason for my hope in Christ and His sacrifice.
Excited to start a new adventure with you,


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Our Membership Manager will contact you via email to confirm and validate your membership.
This information will only be used for our team to communicate with you and respond to your enquiry. Please check our Privacy Policy to see how we protect and manage your submitted data.


text: Moving forward, regular modern and standard tournament will now award a pack for each round win instead of the typical top half. For any tournament that has 8 or more participants this will mean a larger prize pool than before since we will run 4 rounds. Now ending the night with a 2-2 record won't mean you leave empty handed because your opponents didn't have as good of a record as someone else that went 2-2. You win 2 rounds, you win 2 packs!


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Thursday, 13 November 2014 04:49 PM
Justice Clarence Thomas is suggesting that the Supreme Court was divided over whether to hear the gay marriage cases the justices rejected last month without comment.
Thomas made reference to the same-sex marriage cases Thursday in a statement he attached to a high court order in an unrelated immigration case from Arizona.
He said he doesn't understand why the court did not hear appeals from five states that sought to preserve their bans on same-sex weddings.
The court often reviews decisions striking down state laws. But Thomas said it has been inconsistent about that recently "for reasons that escape me."
Justice Antonin Scalia signed onto the statement.
It takes four justices to grant review of a lower court decision.
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Electric Rotary Torque System
Help With This Product
Reliable torque measurements for rigs that use electric motor-driven rotary tables
Engineered to provide years of accurate, reliable measurement of rotary torque on electric rigs, the Forum Electric Rotary Torque System delivers precision performance. Each system includes a Current Transducer and a Signal Conditioner. Other available system components include an Amp Meter and an E/P Transducer.
Simple design with no moving parts reduces maintenance
requirements and protects your equipment investment.
- Meter can indicate torque in amps, foot pounds, or metric units of measurement.
- Current Transducer attaches to DC power cable; no electrical connections are required.
- Signal Conditioner delivers output to meters, E/P Transducer, drilling recorder, and other data acquisition devices.
To order specify:
- Meter capacity, in amps
- Meter measurement: amps, or amps vs foot pounds (or metric equivalent)
- Classification of installation area


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Beach Polo 2019 - TJB HAC Veterans Vs HCR/
The TJB HAC Veterans were victorious against the Household Cavalry Regiment at the Beach Polo 2019Read More
Read the latest news, match reports and information on upcoming events in the HAC Polo calendar.
The TJB HAC Veterans were victorious against the Household Cavalry Regiment at the Beach Polo 2019Read More
The TJB HAC Arras Team line up after a hard fought victory against the HCR.Read More
HAC Polo players relax between lessons in the South African sun. (Photo has been processed to protect identities.)Read More
Saturday 2nd of September was blessed with glorious sunshine with only a smattering of cloud in the sky over Ham Polo Club as the military, ponies and public assembled for the seventh annual TJB HAC 105 Polo Invitational. The day is designed to give military polo a public outlet and to give members of the public an opportunity to see some low goal yet high spirited matches – as such four matches with various military connections and flavours were on the cards.
With many enthusiastic members arriving early to pitch their slot – Col Bob Shedden was seen wrestling with his Gazebo at 09:30 with a gates open timing of 11:00 –
TJB 105 Cup
The first of the matches was the title match of the Day – The TJB 105 Polo Cup. The Welsh Guards returned with the 105 suitably polished after their victory last year with every intent of returning it to their Regimental Headquarters after the day. Against them was the TJB HAC Regimental Team.
1. CSgt Phil Derren (-2)
2. Lt.Col. Llewelyn-Usher (-2)
3. Capt. Alex Major (-2)
4. Capt. James Marsden (-2)
TJB HAC – Regiment
1. LSgt Michael Greville (-2)
2. Sgt Alasdair Grant (-2)
3. Lt. Nic Clark-Majerus (-2)
4. Lt. GP O'Connor (-1)
With the HAC at a slight handicap advantage the guardsmen started the game with a half a goal on the board. The game started at a pace and it was clear both sides were determined to gain an early advantage. Let Clark lost his head in the early moments of the first chukka but we are glad to report it was the one on his mallet no this shoulders! The HAC were fortunate to win a Penalty 3 (40 yard) and Lt O'Connor duly converted to put the HAC into the lead.
The second chukka saw the HAC widen its advantage with LSgt Grant carry an attack to goal which Lt O'Connor sealed with a neck shot from 40 yards. But not to be outdone the guardsman quickly counter attacked from a period of open play and Capt Marsden closed the gap back to half a goal. And still they kept coming with the guardsmen taking the lead with a break from a melee 60 yards from the HAC's goal.
The third chukka became fast and open and was like a different match. LSgt Greville made a break from half way line and with just 2 clean hits send the ball neatly through the goals clinching the lead back from the guardsman. Arguably the goal of the match with compliments showering on him from both teams. And to prove the point you can never relax the guardsmen made a break from another throw in and despite efforts of Lt O'Connor to clear a swift hook from Capt Major and a deft tap put the Welsh went back in the lead. The Welsh threatened again with Lt.Col Llewelyn –Usher unleashing a flying shot towards goal but could not press home the break as his kneepad got caught in LSgt Grants reigns and he was promptly dismounted. It seemed for a moment like dismounting was starting to become a fashion as CSgt Derren also had a fortuitous dismount as Lt Clark broke free and headed for the goal. After some quick medical treatment – apparently children's paracetamol – he was right as rain and back on his pony. The HAC despite the pressure were able to move the ball down the Welsh end of the pitch and melee induced pop towards goal was tapped home by Lt O'Connor. The HAC nudged ahead.
A threatening attack by the Welsh was turned by the combined work of Lt Clark and Lt O'Connor, a pass to Sgt Grant saw it carried to the half way line where a pass to Lt O'Connor saw it whizz towards goal. With Lt Col Llewelyn-Usher in hot pursuit exclaiming "hooking" as the HAC approached goal Lt O'Connor sealed the shot from 60 yards and with great relief saw the ball sail through the goal. Such was the elation from play that both teams were surprised by the final whistle, eager as they were to play on. It was with telling relief that the HAC shook hands with the Welsh Guards players but smiles were awash the exhausted faces on both sides. The 105 Cup was on its way back to the HAC for the first time since 2011.
The Merchant's Heart Cup
With the champagne Reception finished and the guests sat down for lunch the second of the days matches got under way. The TJB HAC Saddle Club team played the Royal Artillery. And while the handicap differential may have implied a walk over by the HAC Saddle Club the Royal Artillery were determined to bring all the firepower they could muster to bear.
The TJB HAC Saddle Club fielded a -2 team against the Royal Artillery's -6 meaning 3 1/2 goals on the scoreboard to the RA before the game had started to even out the SC handicap advantage.
1. Sophie Morrison (-1)
2. Alex Powell (-1)
3. Louise Brown (0)
4. Jason McCreight (0)
1. 2Lt. Matt Ryder (-2)
2. Capt. Luke Wadman (-2)
3. Capt. Scarlett Geering
4. Col. Dickie Winchester (-1)
The 1st chukka for TJB HAC SC was all about gaining back the goal advantage, and the 1st goal was scored fairly quickly by their no 4, Jason McCreight. However the RA weren't rattled and fought back hard… although not scoring any goals in the 1st chukka they managed to keep the pressure on so as to prevent HACSC from scoring more goals within the first seven and a half minutes.
Determined to close the advantage, TJB HAC SC came back strong in the 2nd chukka with two more goals - one off a penalty - to almost even the scoreboard. As the final minutes of the second chukka ticked away RA took advantage of a small mistake from TJB HAC SC to score a lovely goal giving them back their clear advantage.
The Second half of the match and the third chukka started with a goal to the TJB HAC SC right out of the line up by no 3 Alex Powell, taking them back to within half a goal. The RA starting to feel the pressure made an error of judgement and crossed TJB HAC SC's No 3. - Louise Brown's - line as she headed towards goal, team mate Jason McCreight successfully converted the penalty to a goal, for the first time HACSC were winning on the scoreboard. Regaining their cool the RA came back to score another goal once again putting them ahead with 5: 51/2 on the board. Wanting to regain their advantage TJB HAC SC fought back, the pressure showing slightly as they had 3-4 attempts at goal going wide. Regaining composure though they finally got the ball through the goal posts taking them back up 6 : 5 ½ and back into the lead.
As the final chukka commenced, it was still anyone's game. Fully focussed TJB HAC SC worked closely as a team backing each other up, making the RA work hard to gain possession. As Jason McCreight seemed to make another escape for goal, the RA upped their defensive skills and rode him off. However team mate and TJB HAC SC no1 was close behind picking up the ball and taking it to goal giving the Saddle Club a clear advance on the scoreboard for the 1st time, soon after a final goal was scored by Louise Brown to help consolidate the win to TJB HAC SC and a 8 : 5 1/2 finish.
The Hendricks - Sadler – Cup
As afternoon approached on a scorching summers day in the beautiful grounds of Ham Polo Club, the sound of popping champagne corks and cheers from the clubhouse were joyfully heard alongside the noise of thundering hooves as the TJB HAC Veterans and Hackett Army teams locked horns in the third match of this year's TJB HAC 105 tournament. Like the other games on the day…. it went to the wire!
TJB HAC Veterans:
1. Capt (Rtd) Ben Loxton-Edwards (-1)
2. Capt (Rtd) Cy Lloyd Jones (-2)
3. CSgt (Rtd) Tim Johnson (0)
4. LCpl (Rtd) Julian Bickerton (0)
Hackett Army:
1. Major John Morgan (-1)
2. Capt Dan Von Barloewen (-1)
3. Maj Janet Johnston (-1)
4. Lt Rishi Ahluwalia (0)
On paper this was always going to be close. All players were known to play slightly above their handicap and had faced each other before at some stage, but never as these teams and so it was going to be an interesting battle. Before the first ball was thrown in, the bright red Hackett Army team gave ½ goal to the maroons of the TJB HAC Vets on handicap difference.
The first chukka set the tone for the match…. fast, close marking and surprisingly disciplined. Both teams were testing each other out and making runs and despite the team's general discipline, two uncharacteristic errors saw both teams giving away 30 yard penalties each. Both penalties were confidently seen away by their team captains, Lt Rishi Ahluwalia the first and Tim Johnson the second, making it 1 goal apiece, resulting in the scoreboard showing 1 ½ : 1 in favour of the HAC Vets.
The second chukka saw both teams marking closely, Maj Johnston making good work of pinning down Johnson and frustrating his play. Despite many breaks, the opposing teams were quick to close things down in defence. It ended a goal less chukka and both teams giving pep talks on how to break down the other as the crowd trod in and enjoyed the sunshine.
Again the third chukka saw both teams have many good runs in an extremely open game but this time with more accuracy, closer to the goals which resulted in a number of close calls. The Hackett Army had a few near misses just wide of the posts and were unlucky not to have scored. The TJB HAC Vets had their own fair share of runs, none being quite as close to the goal posts. Lloyd Jones and Loxton-Edwards were ferociously marking Maj Johnston and Lt Ahluwalia in defence and Johnson and Bickerton were trying to exploit it accordingly, but the Hackett Army themselves were not relenting in defence either. Lloyd Jones managed to take on a run smartly hit up from Bickerton and was heading toward the goal when Maj Johnston bravely intercepted late, but too late and fully collided, giving away another 30 yard penalty. Johnson and Bickerton debated who'd take it and Bickerton kindly offered the glory to Johnson who struck the ball softly but effectively… enough to see it go over the line. There was relief by the team and the captain… they all count! The TJB HAC Vets finished the chukka 2 ½ to the Army's 1.
So all the TJB HAC Vets had to do was maintain discipline and mark closely in defence in the fourth chukka. Loxton-Edwards and Lloyd-Jones struggled at the start of the chukka with their ponies in defending against runs by Lt Ahluwalia. Bickerton took grip of the situation and singlehandedly rode Lt Ahluwalia into the boards, preventing a likely goal. Lloyd Jones and Loxton-Edwards then managed to stay glued to Maj Johnston and Lt Ahluwalia, but both Maj Morgan and Capt Von Barloewen (both good strikers of the ball) were given space and between them had a great run that resulted in an easy goal nicely struck by Maj Morgan. The Army were now just ½ point adrift. With just a minute on the clock the Hackett Army team had a great run and despite close marking by the HAC Vets, it resulted in a beautifully drilled shot by Lt Ahluwalia which ricocheted off Loxton-Edwards… The TJB HAC Vets were hoping this deflection would push the ball wide but it sailed through the centre of the goal posts. This gave the Army team the lead. A late charge by both Bickerton and Johnson saw a last chance at clawing the chukka back for the TJB HAC Vets, but the damage was done and time had run out. The final score was 2 ½ : 3 in favour of the Hackett Army.
The Hackett Army team were ultimately better disciplined, more consistent and better structured as a team and probably deserved the narrow win. The TJB HAC Vets had moments of flare but didn't keep a consistent structure in defence and a weak 4th chukka which cost them the match. Loxton-Edwards had a few good runs but overall an uncharacteristically quiet game, perhaps lacking a bit of pony power. Johnson led from the front, scoring on penalties and directing the team and at one stage in what can only be described as showboating, tapped the ball 3 times in the air mid play! Bickerton showed moments of brilliance both in attack and defence but sadly couldn't convert it into goals. Maj Morgan and Capt von Barloewen were both consistently hitting and riding off and gave great depth to the Hackett Army team, meaning no player could be left alone. Maj Johnston was brilliant at harassing Johnson but player of the match had to go to Lt Ahluwalia who had an all-round great game and scored a blinder in the decisive winning goal.
With the military matches over final match saw The Royal Horse Guards play Kowloon in a Hong Kong Society related match.
Prizes were awarded thanks to the generous support of Hendricks Gin and the after party brisquely got under way.
Today we share some tips on packing the perfect picnic for polo. With this year's TJB HAC 105 Invitational polo day fast-approaching, start planning yours today!Read More
With this year's Captains and Subalterns falling on a HAC regimental training weekend our Active Unit players found themselves changing between their MTP and their polo whites to cover off two military commitments.Read More
In scorching temperatures, suitable only for mad dogs and Englishmen, last weekend saw both in action when the TJB HAC Veterans Polo team played the Grenadier Guards Veterans in their sixth annual encounter at Carlito's Polo club, Berkshire.
The HAC team comprised Cy Lloyd Jones, Marcos Vivian, Tim Johnson and Julian Bickerton making his Veterans debut. The Guards team comprised Howard Flood, Robert Adams and two debutants Martin Young and Dominic Cunningham.
The match started with gusto as each side took the measure of their opponents and the HAC took an early lead through Julian Bickerton. The Guards fought back and nearly equalised but for outstanding bravery from Cy Lloyds who heroically did not get out the way of a penalty shot in time and was struck a nasty blow on the hand. Despite suffering a broken hand, he stoically carried on regardless for the rest of the match.
The second chukka saw a fight back from the Guards who struck twice to take the lead 2-1 at half time. Cy Lloyd Jones hand had swelled to an impressive size and to add insult to injury the HAC supporters realised they had been drinking non-alcoholic gin with their Merchant Heart tonics.
Resilience in adversity is the mark of the HAC who rallied in the third chukka with Tim Johnson stepping up to the mark with some thrusting play and the HAC supporters back on the proper stuff. Great playmaking by Marcos Vivian allowed both Tim Johnson and Julian Bickerton to score and the HAC ended the third chukka ahead 3-2.
The final chukka was a battle against the heat with all the players digging deep to give nothing away. The Guards mounted repeated attacks and only a couple of near misses and valiant defending allowed the HAC to end victorious 3-2.
A fantastic prize giving and asado followed the match for both players and supporters who relaxed in the summer weather with the calm occasionally punctuated by HAC and Guards dogs having a fight with each other.
Match Report - Royal Artillery Cup 29th May 2017 at Tidworth Polo Club
Over the Bank Holiday weekend the HAC Regimental Polo team - TJB HAC Arras - traveled to Tidworth Polo Club to take part in the Royal Artillery Cup. As the first tournament of the season it was always going to have that extra trepidation. Nerves weren't helped by a last minute "promotion" from Division III (which we were defending the title of) to Division II. And so we arrived expecting an even tougher set of opposition than originally expected. Division II, apart from the HAC, included The Royal Lancers, The Welsh Guards and RAF Brize Norton team.
We drew the RAF in the first match on an overcast Tattoo ground. Since our last encounter, the RAF had unfortunately lost their stalwart and playmaker, Flt Lt Dave Black to an injury during the week. Their misfortune was to be our good fortune. The HAC took control of the game early on and despite the valiant efforts of the RAF, the HAC were always ahead. They pressed hard and were able to draw a number of penalties from the play. Mention must go to Tpr Merlin Stewart who with guile and determination defended a spot penalty a mere 6 foot from the goal and denied the RAF a conciliatory score.
Having won against the RAF we went through to the final against the Royal Lancers. The Royal Lancers were the clear favourites having shown great form in their earlier match against the Welsh Guards. The power and consistency of their No 4, Capt Hugh Richardson was of particular concern.
The cavalrymen were, as ever, strong in attack with Captain Arthur Purbeck taking particular joy from the energetic ride offs. The Lancers were often seen forging ahead with great dash and seemed to always have a man in support. The HAC defended with steadfastness and thus the Lancers struggled to convert these early attacking charges. Furthermore, they were taken aback when a back hand and swift HAC counter produced the first goal. HAC were ahead 1.5 to 0 at half time.
The second half was tense. The Lancers kept the pressure up and one of their high speed attacks was eventually successful as Capt Hugh Richardson played a neck shot from 40 yards and scored a remarkable goal which went in with hairs breadth but a perfectly stolen goal. The HAC - after some authoritative coaching advice from HAC Polo President Col Geoffrey Godbold OBE TD DL who had to manger his palpitations from the sideline - maintained composure, fought back and started to show increasing consistency in both attack and defence. Of note was some sterling marking by Lt Nick Clark-Majerus who was determined not to let a Lancer charge go unchallenged and unharassed. Lt Gearoid O'Connor had a strong game and backed up particularly well. It seems his repeated trips to play Polo in KwaZulu-Natal have finally borne fruit. This backing up in the mid field provided the HAC with a second goal and provided a memorable 2.5 to 1 win.
Upon collecting the Trophy for Division II - a 1932 solid silver affair with some notable names of distinction - we had no regrets at having been bumped up. Ironically it was to be Col. Godbold himself who handed us our prize. The matches were enjoyed by all teams and all sides played with good spirits.
We would like to thank the team at Tidworth Polo Club and Colonel Simon Ledger for making us so welcome and for putting on such a splendid tournament. The TJB HAC team was also fortunate to be exceptionally well mounted by Dorset Polo Club and not a single player had anything but praise to say of the ponies and the grooms. Our sincerest thanks!
Onwards to further glory.... Our next scheduled tournament is the Captains & Subalterns after the HAC Regiment returns from Exercise VAMBRACE SABER in the United States.
The sixth HAC 105 Polo Invitational is fast approaching, the event is set to be bigger than ever with an action-packed day of polo matches with a blend of military music and displays suitable for all the family. This year will also see a high goal match between a 12 goal Team drawn from India Sherdils (Lionheart) and a 12 Goal Team Swordpoint. So high goal polo will be a treat for all.
Now in its sixth year, the event is set to be bigger than ever with an action-packed day of polo matches with a blend of military music and displays suitable for all the family. This year our legendary after-party will be held on-site in the club house till the small hours!
Adults: £10 (online), £15 (on the day) Children: £5 (under 5's go free) Car pass: £20 (online), £25 (on the day) After-party: £20 (online), £25 (on the day - subject to availability)
VIP Entry to ground, clubhouse and 5 course lunch and after party: £150 per person (online price). Please note the maximum capacity for the VIP lunch is 144 people.
Sales of VIP with lunch close on Wednesday 7th September at midday!
11:00 Gates Open to public 11:30 Match 1 – HAC B Vs WELSH GUARDS 12:00 HAC Lunch (Clubhouse) 12:40 HAC Band (Marching display) 13:00 Match 2 - HAC A Vs KINGS ROYAL HUSSARS 14:00 HAC Light Cavalry Display & Tent Pegging 14:30 Match 3 - Saragarhi Cup – Lionheart (Sherdils) Vs Swordpoint (24 goals combined) 16:00 A Tent Pegging display & Bhangra dancing 16:00 Afternoon Tea (Saragarhi) Upper Decking 17:00 Prize Giving 17:15 Close of Polo event 17:30 Onsite after party with DJ's and bars 00:00 Carriages
TRANSPORT The Nearest Tube and Train Station to Ham Polo Club is Richmond. To get to the club from there by Taxi takes 5 minutes, alternatively the Number 65 bus stops outside the club gates. Walking along the river from Richmond takes 25 minutes.
Smart Casual NO SHORTS - Male or Female allowed, designer or otherwise. Smart jeans permitted.
No dress code.
In a solid return to the 2016 season the HAC Regimental team win their division today at the Royal Artillery Cup defeating AGC (6-0) and Welsh Guards in the final (6-1). First event of the season. A good way to start it. The Royal Artillery Cup continues to be a seminal event in the military polo season and has grown in stature and reputation over the last few years.
The team consisted of:
The HAC Polo Committee is pleased to announce that the 2014 HAC Polo Scholarship has been awarded to Tpr John Small. Tpr Small took up polo in 2013 having passed the HAC recruits course. He has gone on to play in the HAC team at competitions such as RAF Cranwell in May 2014 and the AGC Cup in August 2014. The HAC Polo Scholarship
In 2012 the then departing Regimental Surgeon Major of the Honourable Artillery Company - Capt Ben Loxton-Edwards - offered to sponsor an annual polo scholarship.
I was fortunate to start playing Polo at the HAC and loved every minute of it. I set up this small scholarship to encourage young players. - Capt Loxton-Edwards
The Scholarship of £400 is provided to a member of the active unit who has shown dedication and selfless commitment to learning and improving their standard of play in the sport of polo. The funding is to help subsidise training to improve the players game. While players must ultimately pay to play HAC regimental players are fortunate enough to have their competitive play supported and subsidised by the generous support of the Commanding Officer.
It is through such support that polo continues to flourish at the HAC.
Previous Scholarship recipients
2013: Tpr Hayward-Hughes
2012: LCpl Langan
On the 6th of July 2014 The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst played host to three matches – the first was The HAC Saddle Club vs RMAS [1], the second was The HAC Saddle Club vs RMAS [2] and the final match was The HAC Regiment vs Fleet Air Arm. Consummate commentary on the day was provided by Lt Colonel Simon Ledger, Director of Army Polo.
Having been narrowly beaten out the previous week by the mighty Army Polo Team at Dallas Burston Polo Club, the HAC were fired up and determined to get this win on the board. The excitement was palpable and the weather couldn't have been better – bright sunshine and a gentle breeze.
1 Tpr Cain Hayward-Hughes -2 2 L/Cpl Dale Langan -2 3 C/Sgt Tim Johnson 0 4 Capt Cy Lloyd-Jones -2
1 Lt Tom Burrows -2 2 Lt Bob Santrian -1 3 Surg Cdr Mike Bowen -1 4 L/Cpl Max Kamper 0
The HAC commenced the match a goal and a half ahead on account of the Fleet Air Arm fielding a -4 goal team. Not allowing the handicap to breed complacency the HAC fought hard and secured an early goal. The team pulled together as a unit and executed some solid set pieces. The Fleet Air Arm team battled back and marked their men closely, when one HAC pony moved a Fleet Air Arm pony was right on its tail.
C/Sgt Tim Johnson took charge and led the attack smashing a cracking back-hander to open the first chukka. This allowed Capt Cy Lloyd-Jones to knock up for L/Cpl Dale Langan to further press the ball home for C/Sgt Tim Johnson to make a courageous play – alas just wide of the mark. The next play was better with an early goal to the HAC. With only seconds remaining the Fleet mounted a fierce last ditch press for glory – a goal and the first chukka was over.
The second chukka started at pace with a foul given to The HAC. Narrowly missing the goal, play quickly moved on with the Fleet Air Arm playing some hard ride-offs to bring the fight back against the HAC. Tpr Hayward-Hughes dismounting in a robust ride-off against Lt Tom Burrows provided tense excitement for the crowd. Bruised but not broken he was quickly back on and back in the game. Capt Cy Lloyd-Jones flicked a wide tail shot and reversed the chukka into the favour of The HAC and lay-up for a quick drive towards the goal… a foul from the HAC switched the advantage and the Fleet Air Arm took the uncontested shot at the HAC goal mouth - it looked to be going wide – a mistaken tap by C/Sgt Tim Johnson ensured it was not.
Earlier delays in pony transport meant there was no time for Pimms and it was straight into the third chukka. The partnership of Lt Bob Santrian and L/Cpl Max Kamper made for formidable opposition but Capt Cy Lloyd-Jones and L/Cpl Dale Langan were up for the challenge. L/Cpl Dale Langan broke away with clean hits to goal to put another point on the board. FC/Sgt Tim Johnson took the ball long and Tpr Cain Hayward-Hughes closed down Lt Tom Burrows. Another goal to the HAC.
Moving into the final chukka with everything still to play for, the anticipation, excitement and hunger for victory was etched in to each and every players face. The HAC took an early goal and settled into its rhythm playing a more defensive game. Shouts of 'Come on HAC!' spurred the team forward with some solid marking, riding off the Fleet Air Arm at every opportunity. The Fleet Air Arm responded in kind and breaking away, they galloped clear and went straight for goal to bring the score to 5.5 - 3
With the bell signalling game over, the final score was HAC 6 1/2 - Fleet Air Arm 3
Come and visit the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), see what we do and have a great evening. The event will see units from across all three services present so if you want to meet units in the Army, Navy or RAF then get along.
When: 17:30-20:00 Tuesday 13 May 2014.
• Meet both regular and reserve units from across the British military • Climb aboard a Chinook helicopter • Parachute drop into the Artillery Garden by the RAF Falcons • Apache helicopter simulator
• Display by the HAC Pikemen and Musketeers • Displays by the HAC Light Cavalry • Displays by the HAC Band and Corps of Drums • See inside the historic Armoury House including the acclaimed museum • Music, bars and FREE BBQ
See how many enjoy the challenge of military life alongside their civilian career.
The Honourable Artillery Company is a regiment of 400+ men and women who volunteer to use some of their spare time from their civilian lives to train as part of the Army Reserve.
Soldiers from the HAC frequently deploy on operations such as the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan in support of the Regular Army. The Regiment also has a unique ceremonial role providing Guards of Honour at the Guildhall and Gun Salutes at the Tower of London.
To find out more visit HERE or watch Here
HAC Polo is pleased to announce that the Commanding Officer of the Honourable Artillery Company - Lt.Col Doherty - has approved the date for the 2014 HAC polo flagship event - better known as "The 105". This years event will be held at Ham Polo Club, Richmond on Saturday 6th September. 2013 was the biggest and best yet with 1700 people in attendance with many staying on to enjoy the Raffles After-party with DJ Seb Fontain. 2014 plans are already underway and it promises to be the best yet.
So make sure you mark your diary early and start to gather your friends and family.
Bank Holiday Monday. Sun soaked Tidworth Polo Club. Four brave men of The Honourable Artillery Company. The stage was set… The sixth annual AGC Polo Cup was held in the beautiful grounds of Tidworth Polo Club and saw #4 Sgt Tim Johnson (0), #3 Capt Ben Loxton Edwards (-2), #2 Cpl Dale Langan (-2) and #1 Tpr Cain Hayward-Hughes (-2) take to the field.
Having been narrowly beaten out the previous year by the mighty Royal Navy Team, the HAC were positively charged with the glory of keeping their season's undefeated winning streak alive. The excitement was palpable.
The weather couldn't have been better – bright sunshine and a gentle breeze. With three big games to play the HAC were first pitched against The Royal Air Force.
The HAC started a goal behind on account of Sgt Johnson being so darn good at polo. They fought hard and secured an early lead. The team pulled together as a unit and executed some spectacular set pieces. The RAF team battled back and marked their men closely, when one HAC horse moved an RAF horse was right on its tail. Cpt Loxton Edwards smashed a cracking back-hander to further press home the HAC advantage and with only seconds remaining the RAF mounted a fierce last ditch press for glory - alas the gods were not in their favour with a number of their shots sliding narrowly wide and the HAC came out the victors.
A quick debrief, team talk, squirt of water and pony change – the HAC were again mounted and back on the field.
Facing the Royal Logistics Corps the HAC had no time to warm up their ponies. For one Tpr this was a problem. The game started quickly with Sgt Johnson scoring two quick goals. The RLC pieced together some hard ride-offs to bring the fight against the HAC. Tpr Hayward-Hughes struggled to control his pony coming out of a gallop and found himself staring up at the hind-legs. Bruised but not broken he was quickly back on and back in the game. Capt Loxton Edwards headed a high ball to keep the line and lay-up for a quick drive towards the goal.
The minutes flew by and the HAC were again victorious. A hard won game indeed. We were in the final.
Glad of a three chukka respite the HAC team loaded up on scones, ginger beer and hearty back slaps. The clock seemed to tick at a record pace and the team was again mounted. The HAC were to face The Royal Artillery in a two chukka showdown.
An experienced team the RA boasted a Col, two Capt and a 2Lt. A -7 team. This would be close. Sgt Johnson rallied his troops at the line-up. HAC supporters cheered on at the sides. Dogs chased errant polo balls.
The anticipation, excitement and hunger for victory was etched in to each and every players face.
A quick ball in from the umpire and the game took off at break neck speed. Sgt Johnson gaining the advantage over his opposite Capt, Cpl Langan riding off the 2Lt, Cpt Loxton Edwards marking his Cpt and Tpr Hayward-Hughes bringing up the rear knee-to-knee with the Col. The opening gambit was intense.
The HAC took an early goal and settled into its rhythm. Shouts of 'Come on HAC!' spurred the team forward. Moving as one the HAC drew out the RA and rode them off at every opportunity. The RA responded in kind. Breaking away, they galloped clear and went straight for goal.
The powerful combination of Capt Loxton Edwards and Cpl Langan saw the line of play reverse. The HAC were pressing for the lead. A lay-up to Sgt Johnson. A chance of goal. Just wide.
Undeterred the HAC gathered themselves. The dying minutes of the first chukka of the final. Everything to play for. A sprint from Sgt. Johnson. A goal!
A whistle. The final chukka. Victory was firmly in our sights.
The RA gave no quarter. No man left unflanked. The riding was hard. The ball quick. The HAC gunning for silverware. The 7 ½ minutes went in the blink of an eye. Ponies charging up and down the length of the field. Long plays, set pieces, lay-ups. Everything was thrown in to the mix. Both teams fought valiantly.
A lone bell rang out across the grass and it was game over: Final score HAC 3 - RA 0.5
To the victors – the spoils. A Cup and an undefeated winning season. The 105 Cup now looms large on the horizon...
With special thanks to Capt Janet Johnson and Capt Mariane Van Straaten for organizing a brilliant day and tournament.
The 2013 polo training camp saw the HAC return once more to Rugby Polo Club in Northamptonshire. Phil Baker re-established Rugby Polo Club in 2000 and was our coach for the weekend; he had previously played Pony Club polo with Tpr Luke Hartley, although there was some confusion over this fact due to the more advanced hair style that Tpr Hartley has taken to wearing of late. For three members of the team the day started on the nose of 1000 on Monday morning; regrettably, the talismanic figure of Sgt Tim Johnson was absent for much of the first session after being held up between his house in Clapham and the M1 motorway by the unexpected presence of London. Not one to be put off easily he pushed on, arriving midway through the first stick and ball of the day. While Phil admired some of the more idiosyncratic elements of the HAC style he felt that a focus on timing and smooth strokes would be beneficial, and after working us through a number of exercises we were all hitting the ball with improved fluency. LCpl Gearoid O'Connor was particularly impressive that afternoon, consuming twice the number of lunches that anyone else managed over the course of the day. Phil very kindly invited us to join club members at the leaving BBQ for Katie, a Rugby Polo Club groom who has looked after the HAC during a number of matches in the past. After some excellent food and a few drinks we retired back to the Toft House bed and breakfast so as to be well rested for the following day's play.
Fortunately the weather held and we were greeted once more with brilliant sunshine. Sgt Tim Johnson surprised everyone at breakfast by espousing his theories on the socio-economic benefits associated with increased Romanian immigration. After digesting this information the team mounted up to focus on tactical match play and positioning, both during open play and in set pieces. This developed into a practise match in which we attempted to execute everything we had been taught over the previous two days, no easy feat given the depth of content that Phil had covered.
A huge thanks to Rugby Polo Club and to Phil Baker for an excellent two days of polo. We all thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to coming back to Rugby Polo Club again soon.
It was a sweltering day with the mercury hitting 32 degrees as these two familiar teams lined up at Fifield Polo Club, Windsor. The crowd sought shelter under gazebos armed with iced Pimms ready to watch battle commence. Starting as underdogs with a half point handicap, IG HAC quickly gained possession and charged down the Royal Artillery team's goal. A 30 yard penalty followed which LCpl Ben De Rivaz slotted home with his usual calm finishing. Back to the centre and this time it was the RA's turn. A quick pick up and long shot up the pitch left the HAC team in their wake as the RA knocked home their response within one minute. The game found its pace now as some excellent paired marking went end-to-end. Finally a long shot up the pitch from Tpr Luke Hartley found LCpl O'Connor who smoothly picked it up from 60 yards out and drove it through the centre of the goal with a delightful lofted finish to close the chukka at 2.5 goals to 1.
The HAC had their tails up now and the second chukka started with a 60 yard penalty. Again De Rivaz calmly wound up to put it in to make the score 3.5 goals to 1. The RA were far from beaten though as they responded aggressively. Some excellent riding off left two of the HAC standing as they closed the gap to 3.5 to 2. A cheeky pass to the centre from Tpr Clark on his HAC debut found O'Connor and with some frantic goal mouth chipping he kept his head well and completed to give the HAC a comfortable 4.5 to 2 lead going into half-time. The pause was a welcome relief as iced drinks were quaffed and ponies sprayed down in the sweltering heat.
The HAC seemed to lose a little form in the third chukka with the Royal Artillery team punishing them as wave after wave of attacks on the goal were seen off by the relentless backhands of Hartley and De Rivaz. Eventually a chink in the armour was found and well deserved goal from the RA put them within striking distance for the final chukka. 4.5 goals to 3.
Weary ponies and players rode out and soon found their final push as some nail biting end-to-end plays unfolded in flat a gallop. Both teams threw everything they had at it with a skilfully finished goal for De Rivaz completing his hat-trick for the day, followed shortly with a response from the RA. As the final chukka bell rang out, IG HAC rode in victorious as holders of the Sabre Cup for 2013.
Final score: IG HAC 5.5 - Royal Artillery 4
HAC Polo is delighted to announce that Grant's Whisky have agreed to be HAC Polo's Gold sponsor for the 2013 season. The deal which had been agreed in principal in March was approved by the HAC Court of Assistants on the 25th of June 2013. It involves a significant four figure sum plus product. The main facets of the deal will see the shirts carry the new Grant's Whisky logo on all regimental squad shirts and jackets. It also involves product for the use as prizes at HAC Polo hosted events as well as presence on promotional material such as the match program for the IG HAC Polo Cup on Saturday 31 August 2013.
HAC Polo would like to thank Grant's Whisky for their confidence and support and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship. We would also like to thank Col Simon Ledger, Col Simon Goldstein and Maj Goodinson for their assistance in ensuring this agreement was signed.
The inaugural IG HAC Veterans v Royal Artillery Polo match took place at Kirtlington Park Polo Club on Saturday 22nd June. The -5 HAC line-up was as follows: 1) Ben Loxton-Edwards 2) Justin Roberts/Stuart Atkinson 3) Marcus Vivian de La Pendrosa 4) Mark Selway
On arrival the Gunners were a little surprised to see Selway's (ex 1SQN) limousine parked next to the Club house.
For a moment, they wondered if they had stumbled across the Serbian mafia. They were reassured by the realisation that limos are standard issue at the HAC.
The exuberant and partisan crowd delighted in the opening salvos as IG HAC V got off to a flying start. Selway weaved through the hapless Gunners to score within the first 30 seconds.
Two more goals followed in quick succession. IG HAC V were on the rampage and seemingly unstoppable. By the close of the 1st chukka HAC V were leading 3 goals to 0.
A valiant fight back by the unfazed and experienced RA team saw them claw back two goals in the 2nd chukka. HAC V responded and then it was neck and neck through the 3rd chukka.
Marcos Vivian de La Pendrosa (ex HQ) stayed on his horse for the whole of the 3rd chukka. He even displayed some of the old panache with a brilliant individual effort. Unfortunately his final shot missed the goal by an inch.
As the match drew to a close the RA started to show more consistency and their attacks gathered momentum. For a brief and horrifying moment the RA went ahead 5 goals to 4.
A penalty saw HAC V equalise at 5:5 and the final whistle went.
A fierce match had been fought leaving honours even.
We would like to thank Pete Fewster and Jen Liggins from KPPC who supported us in hosting the match.
The annual match for the prestigious William IV Cup was the HAC's first visit to the wonderful facilities at Dallas Burston near Leamington Spa. This was an exhibition match as part of a Ladies Day Charity fundraising event in aid of cancer. As ever the HAC took on their great rivals the Grenadier Guards in what has historically been one of the most eagerly awaited confrontations in the army polo calendar. To face a rather formidable looking Grenadier team on paper the HAC brought out its big guns, Sgt Tim Johnson (0) and the slightly smaller but no less effective Cpl Ben de Rivaz (0) and joined by the reliable duo of Cpl Gearoid O'Connor (-2) and LSgt Alasdair Grant (-2). The HAC started with a 1.5 goal handicap lead and fought ferociously to keep ahead. Ben de Rivaz seemed to have more luck with his penalties than the Grenadiers who seemed to have some trouble aiming between the posts perhaps the forceful Westerly blowing was a factor. In fact Ben's only missed penalty was an incredible goal saved from fellow teammate Alasdair Grant. Solid play from Maj Ben Marshall and Lt. Col Howard Flood helped and break a number of HAC attacks. With initial dominance going towards the HAC team the Grenadiers soon settled into the game and clawed back to within a half goal margin. This put the HAC under some pressure and fouls were conceded but thankfully none too near the goal mouth to punish teh HAC too dearly.
This was very much a fight to the death with no shortage of incidents including; stirrups coming off, broken mallets (Both Sgt Johnson and Captain Kuku managed to decapitated their mallets during play) and Captain Kuku's incredible rugby tackle of his own goal post was a manouevre not often seen. However after yet another goal by young de Rivaz, LSgt Grant decided there was time for a short lie down in the middle of the pitch to catch a breath before the final push. With most of the HAC team oblivious to how close the match really was due to some interesting scoreboard antics, they managed to hold onto the lead to the end for a great HAC victory 4.5 goals to 4!


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The tech industry is mostly white and male, and so is the cast of "Silicon Valley." Yet, the cast and crew often find themselves in the crosshairs of people concerned that it's setting a terrible standard.
In an interview with Business Insider, Martin Starr (who plays Gilfoyle) and Zach Woods (who plays Jared) talk about their changing impressions of Silicon Valley, the big gender question, and what apps they're obsessed with right now.
The following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Biz Carson: Now that you've been in the satire world and the real thing for two years, how has your perception of Silicon Valley changed?
Zach Woods: One thing I think that has been borne out by my experience of Silicon Valley — it's something that exists on the show — it seems to be a mix of people that are creating things and genuinely interested in the work they're doing, and then sometimes you'll also meet people who are somewhat grandiose or…
Martin Starr: Slimy.
Woods: Yeah. Which is definitely true of our industry as well. I don't think that's unique to Silicon Valley.
Carson: So do you have a more positive or a more negative view of startups now that you've been satirizing them for years now?
Woods: I think to me what was most interesting was that the process of making a television show is not dissimilar to a startup in that it's like you make a pilot, then you hope that people like it and it gets picked up. Then it gets picked up and you hope that people like it and that it gets good reviews and you get to keep doing it. There's a series of tests and moments of self-evaluation and anxiety and teamwork in the face of that.
And once you have success, trying to preserve the parts of the initial endeavor are more meaningful to you.
I realized as we were making the first season that the journey that Pied Piper is going on is not that different from the journey that we as actors are going on in the experience of making the show. So I find it more relatable now. It's essentially the same thing. And once you have success, trying to preserve the parts of the initial endeavor are more meaningful to you.
Carson: What's some of the weirdest encounters you've had with the Silicon Valley types here? Do people angry when they see you? Are they excited? Do they pitch you their startups?
Starr: Nobody gets really angry, but you get a whole cast of characters. The ones that stand out are like the Russ Hanneman like people because those interactions are just kind of memorable.
Woods: In the way that trauma is memorable.
Carson: So you meet a lot of Russ Hanneman types?
Woods: You'd be surprised!
Starr: You meet some interesting people who make a point to come up and be at an event that's happening for the show just to like tell you what you're doing wrong or tell you how you're not totally representing this whole business, industry in a way that they see is valuable or accurate.
Woods: I mean, by and large, people are lovely. Most people come up and are like "oh it feels like my work." It's really validating that the community we're depicting seems to have embraced it, which is really nice. But once in awhile when you meet those guys, it really leaves an impression on you because they're so funny and so weird. When you meet like an aggro-Silicon Valley person, it's so interesting because most tech people aren't that confrontational. But once in awhile you'll meet these type A guys.
Starr: It's the ones that have the most success! They tend to be driven in a different way than like the coders. But by-and-large, the reaction that I've heard from coders who come up to me specifically is that they've worked with someone who is a lot like Gilfoyle, which makes me feel like I'm doing something right. But I feel like in general, we create a pretty accurate atmosphere. Whenever we end up as a group somewhere and a coder comes up to us, they always are talking about how much it feels real to them, that this group of guys really could be coders and they've worked with a lot of people just like us.
Woods: Which is nice for us and sad for them.
Carson: So how do you learn to be that business person character type in Silicon Valley?
Woods: To me, I don't think of [Jared] predominantly in terms of business. I think of him in terms of all these emotional relationships to the different guys. So in my head, I always think that Jared when he was working at Hooli was Pinocchio and like he met Richard and became a real boy and is just totally enamored with Richard and the other guys. I think of his total devotion and adoration of all of the other people more than I think of his relationship to business. Business, I think, is the language Jared uses to express his love for the other guys.
Carson: But Gilfoyle is a more technical character. Do you shadow hardware engineers or watch hacker films?
Starr: I wanted to before the second season. The first season I think Zach and I have similar approaches which are human and emotional. Like, I read some of Anton LaVey's Satanic bible.
Woods: Really? That's cool.
Starr: It's dense, but it's intriguing. I can kind of understand the path, the left-hand path. My approach was more in the underlying direction of him as a human being as opposed to coding. Because Kumail had six months of coding experience, so I knew I could always fall back on him telling me how to do things right. [Laughs] No, we have actual experts, and I think Kumeil maybe has done a little.
Woods: But I don't think anyone is tuning into the show being like I can't wait to see what they're going to code.
Carson: Now that you've been in this world, are you more interested in tech on a personal level? Zach, I saw at SXSW that you've been super into this massage on-demand app.
Woods: Soothe! Shout-out to Soothe baby!
Starr: I just found an app that I really liked… My girlfriend turned me onto this app. I have trouble keeping my train of thought sometimes, I'm so easily distracted, even in my own head here talking to you. ... So you start typing and you set a timer for 5, 15, 30 minutes and once you stop typing if you stop for more than five seconds it starts to evaporate. So then you're encouraged to keep typing and keep this train of thought going and you're really freeforming ideas and allowing yourself to be as creative as possible without judging yourself or controlling yourself, you're just flowing. Oh! I think that's what it's called. Flowstate. So I found that to be really valuable. I mean, clearly really smart people are coming up with ideas all the time so it's finding something that connects with you.
Woods: And as an actor, you have a platform that you can advocate for changes in the world that you want to see and you have to take that responsibility really seriously. So the cause I want to put my whatever amount of influence I have and the thing I think that's probably most important right now is to get Waze to stop telling me to make dangerous left turns. No I'm just kidding that's not my cause.
Carson: Although I completely relate to that. In San Francisco it loves recommending left turns.
Woods: That would be so obnoxious if my cause was like Waze. Some people have Unicef, some people have potable water in underdeveloped regions.
Starr: I thought you were going to go back to killing koalas.
Woods: But seriously, if there's anyone listening from Waze. You guys have done a phenomenal job, but stop making people make dangerous left turns across four lanes of traffic. I beg you, you geniuses.
Carson: Following up with a real cause, there's a lot of interest in gender problems in tech. Do you think the show needs to be that platform to advocate?
Starr: I think we get heat and there's a lot of attention put on the show for somehow encouraging it. When really, the satire means we have to show it for what it is otherwise we're not doing a good job. This isn't me taking responsibility for [producers] Mike and Alec's job who make these kinds of decisions. But overall, I think we'd be doing a bigger disservice if we represented a culture that was heavier with female influence and there was more female coders because it's inaccurate and people wouldn't be able to really analyze this environment for the way it is. And nobody here is really advocating for the way things are.
We're not trying to represent it because we think it's right, but if we're not honest about it, it certainly wouldn't give it an opportunity to put it under a microscope and allow the conversation to be opened to a much larger audience.
Woods: I think Mike and Alec have been conscious about putting more women because Silicon Valley is not totally bereft of women. There are women who do coding, there are women in positions of power, and I think they've been conscious especially in the last two seasons about depicting those and including those in the portrait of the world. But as Martin says, the job of satire is not to, who am I to be proclaiming what the job of satire is, but satire is supposed to draw attention to problems and satirize them as opposed to correct them in a fictional world when you're kind of air-brushing an endemic sexism in the industry. So it's tricky because you want to depict the reality, which is sexist and there's certainly exclusion and the lack of encouragement for women to go into coding and have those opportunities. So you want to satirize that and depict it, but you also don't want to have a show that's entirely male. The creators are aware of it and we're certainly aware of it.
Carson: I love that scene with Jared where you're hiring a women coder and you're trying not to point out that she's a woman but it's also important.
Starr: I think initially the intention was to have her become a bigger part of the show and then I think their train of thought, it's so fluid and natural the way that their story lines move, it just didn't end working out in that scenario. And certainly their intention is to represent the world how it is, and there are female coders so no one is trying to say otherwise. But it does feel like there's a lot of "you guys aren't doing this right!" and I think we're really trying to as accurately depict this world as we can.


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Big thank you to Eleanor over at Twenty by Twenty Five for nominating me for this award. Her blog is honestly wonderful, and I highly recommend you all go and check her out by clicking here.
⋘The Rules⋙
1. Thank the giver and link their blog to your post.
2. Answer the 3 original questions and then the 3 new questions from your nominator given to you.
3. Nominate your 6 favorite bloggers! In your nominees I would like for you to think at the light emanating from the stars the ones that truly touch your soul with their work, the ones that are the light for you a true STARLIGHT Blogger.
4. Please pass the award on to 6 or more other Bloggers of your choice and let them know that they have been nominated by you.
5. Include the logo of the award in a post or on your Blog, please never alter the logo, never change the 3 original questions answer that first then answer the 3 new questions from your nominator and never change the Award rules.
6. Please don't delete this note:
The design for the STARLIGHT Bloggers Award has been created from YesterdayAfter. It is a Copyright image, you cannot alter or change it in any way just pass it to others that deserve this award.
Copyright 2015 © YesterdayAfter.com – Design by Carolina Russo"
⋘The Original Questions⋙
1. If you could meet anyone from throughout history, who and why?
This is a really tough question! Frankly, I'd love to meet any of my favourite authors, like Cassandra Clare. But then again, I'd love to meet the authors that essentially created literature as we know it today, like Charles Dickens, or Jane Austen. However, then there are a lot of people who I look up to who are famous, or a YouTuber, like Emma Watson, or Connor Franta. I'd also love to meet the people who structured the world we know today: people who stood up for their rights, like Rosa Parks; people who revolutionised worldwide freedom and independence, like Gandhi; people who finally stood up for women's rights, like Emmeline Pankhurst, and women's body image, like Marilyn Monroe. Mostly, though, I'd like to meet a biblical figure, namely Jesus, or John the Baptist. Admittedly, I'm not the most religious person, and I say this not for religious reasons, but the stories depicted in the Bible are some of the most interesting, and I'd love to see the extent of their truth. Also, I'd love to know who died for my sins, who sacrificed his life so I could live mine with minimal repercussions, and who was the original sufferer of prejudice and ridicule simply because of who he stated his father was. I don't know, the whole Bible scene really interests me.
2. What is your favourite book and why?
Another tough as hell question! Here is a selection of books on my favourites shelf on Goodreads:
As well as being my favourites, these are the 8 books I'd definitely recommend to people. There's a mixture of genres/writing styles/themes as well, so if you're looking for something to read, look no further!
3. Who is your favourite fiction character from any medium and why?
I am a big believer in Isabelle Lightwood from The Mortal Instruments series. Not only is she a badass female role model, but she is the strongest female character I've ever come across, without it being overdone. She is not the main character, and so the story isn't structured around her, but nor should it be, for having her staying strong in the background despite her dire circumstances is a good structure for the book series, to an extent. Also, she isn't strong simply in the Shadowhunter world, but it is Isabelle's character that deals with some of the toughest themes in the book that are present in the real world, including LGBT ideas, insecurities, and relationship issues.
⋘Eleanor's Questions⋙
1. Who is the most important person to you, and why?
How cheesy of me to say, granted, but my mum. She is my inspiration to keep powering forward no matter what, and no matter how tough times get. She has always been there with me through thick and thin, and acts as my rock in the scariest and toughest times. I love her deeply, and wouldn't change her for the world.
2. If you could give a lump some of money to any one charity, which would it be, and why?
I would definitely give my money to the Alzheimer's Society. This charity is really close to my heart, and is actually coming into public attention more frequently recently, which is really uplifting, for this cause deserves a lot of attention. Everyone is at risk of developing alzheimer's disease, it being the 5th leading cause for male death in the UK, the 1st leading cause of death for females in the UK, and the 6th leading cause of death in the USA, killing more people each year than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. This charity is really important for all of our futures, for we are all at risk.
3. If you could have any one job in the world, which would it be and why?
Easy! World famous author. New York Times #1 bestseller. Nobel Prize winner for literature – I don't ask for much!
⋘The Nominees⋙
As is stated in the rules, the following bloggers are the real starlight in my life:
Rosemary @ Rosemary's Inkpot
Emily @ The Little Book Affair
Annalise @ Annalise Books
Liz @ Lemony Matters
Felicia @ Felicia Sue Lynn Reviews
Kerrie @ Comfy Reading
⋘My Questions⋙
- If you could visit any place in time or space, where would you go?
- What was the last movie you watched? Was it good? Better or worse than expected?
- Which book are you absolutely dying to read?
Thanks for reading! Olivia x


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Fall Clearance Sale starting early! Over 100 items 50% off! Look for "Clearance Items" under Specials in the left menu or click here! Why a Clearance Sale? Read the news here!
Dreams, Forgiveness, Spiritual Knowing
Primary Chakras: Heart
Astrological signs: Libra, Virgo More Info... Online Catalog
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I didn't write down my light position or settings on said lights so the chance I can do this exactly the same is slim to nil. I dod pretty well interacting with my model so I got the face a definition of torso that I wanted. I was happy with my photoshop retouching after not doing it for close to three months.
I have picked out equipment I need not because It would be cool but because of a specific result I would like to accomplish.
This took me two hours of shooting and an hour in retouching. 9997 hours left to master this skill.
Work Hard Be Nice


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Directors of AmeriGas Propane, Inc., general partner of AmeriGas Partners, L.P. (NYSE: APU), have declared a partnership distribution of $0.705 cents per limited partnership unit, payable May 18, 2010 to unitholders of record May 10, 2010. The increase in the regular quarterly distribution to $0.705 represents a 5% increase. The annualized distribution rate including this increase will be $2.82 per limited partnership unit. AmeriGas Partners is the nation's largest retail propane marketer. UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI) through subsidiaries owns 44% of the partnership and individual unitholders own the remaining 56%. Comprehensive information about AmeriGas is available on the Internet at http://www.amerigas.com. Nominees are hereby notified that they are responsible for withholding 35% of this distribution from foreign investors as required under Section 1446 of the Internal Revenue Code.
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Back to basics.
It's been awhile, I realize, and for however many of you actually reading this, my humblest apologies. Between the extreme heat that didn't dissipate at the beginning of the month and the relentless news cycle, I haven't had much time to write.
I haven't even had that much time for fun food—until recently.
To get back in the game, let's keep things simple on this Monday afternoon: this post is only about fries and…rosé. (Sorry, no bubbles this time.) While finishing up some stories at the office over the weekend, I popped down to Beaubourg, the waterfront restaurant at Le District (a French-themed food hall), on Saturday afternoon. I wasn't terribly hungry, but I wanted something…so you know what that means: FRIES.Read More