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Thursday, March 17, 2016
Resolution condemns 'stealthy implementation' of divorce fee hike
Commenting on today's revelations that the MoJ are to hike divorce court fees on Monday, Jo Edwards Chair of Resolution, said:
"The stealthy implementation of the hike in divorce fees, from £410 to £550 (after an increase only 2 years ago) is scandalous and not backed up by a proper impact assessment. As a result of the steep increase, many people currently in the process of separating will have received incorrect information as to the charge for lodging a divorce petition and, in reality, won't have time to get their petition in before the fee increase takes effect.
"Divorce is not a 'choice to litigate' - it's a necessary part of the legal process to bring a relationship to an end. Whether people mediate, negotiate their own outcome or go to court, they have to pay the divorce petition fee. The actual cost of the administrative process has been shown to be £270, meaning that at new rates the MoJ is making a profit of more than 100% - in effect, levying a divorce tax.
"The 34% increase may lead to people unable to afford the fee remaining legally and financially tied to their former partner long after the relationship has ended. Increasing fees will disproportionately impact women, who constitute two-thirds of those initiating divorce proceedings. The extent of the rise could, as the judiciary and others have warned, lead to women being trapped in unhappy or violent marriages.
"The Government should have waited until the Justice Select Committee, who are currently holding an inquiry into court fees, had published their findings. Instead, the way in which this has been gone about, with no formal consultation or announcement, demonstrates a shocking lack of transparency from government. The manner in which they're implementing this increase, by calling courts today and instructing them to charge more from Monday, is not how a responsible government department should act.
"This will lead to confusion, hardship, and avoidable additional pain for separating couples."
Posted by John Bolch at 2:31 pm
Labels: Divorce, Press Releases, Resolution
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Magpie's GACHA ~ At The Jewelry Fair
I'm very pleased to offer these vibrant rings in my Jewelry Fair Gacha! The Gacha is 30L per play, with 50% going to charity. Rings are transferable, so you can trade or gift them!
Visit Mapgie@ The Jewelry Fair [Fire Sim]
/me takes a deep breath
You can see bigger versions of this photo on my Flickr stream~
I have had a rough two weeks! No trauma … just the sustained pressure of busy-ness as summer ends, and we slowly shift around to the fall season. I have looked forward to drawing a breath this weekend, and blogging again! This look has been kicking around in my inventory for quite some time now. No real newness to feature here, but I enjoyed how the photo came out — very evocative for me.
As many of you may know — I've been working diligently on clearing out my inventory a bit. One of the things I did when taking this picture was to retire all my ETD hair. I wear one of my favorite styles here as a tribute. I couldn't bring myself to actually delete them, but I did pack them away — reducing my inventory count by… uhm… approximately 850 items. ETD has been my staple hair since I started in SL. Here I found the first prim hair I could love, its copper texture and color became part of my avatar's identity for me. So, I was just a little sad to put it away… but times changes, designers move on, and so do we.
A couple of other things I want to highlight here. The cute, white engineer boots are from Sakka's Studio. Would you believe that I bought these at LAST year's Shoe Fair? I love having an engineer boot in this color– something different than grungy and worn. And, as luck would have it … you can still get these at this year's Shoe Fair 🙂 The wings from Material Squirrel are absolutely fantastic — I love the texture on them, and the delicate color. And the lovely fairy-ish dress is from one of my favorite fantasy clothing stores, Angelwing. This was a freebie, and I'm not sure its currently available. But — Angelwing always has some great freebies, MM boards, hunts and gift… if you enjoy Gorean and fantasy wear, or just something out of the ordinary, be sure to check it out. By the way — my ability to stack the legbands over these terrific fishnets from Vextra Messing is a tribute to being able to wear multiple items on the same clothing layer in the latest viewer! Yay — I love that 🙂 I'm not going to say much about this skin — its been analyzed to death. I loved it as soon as I saw it… and I felt an emotional response to it in this picture. It spoke to me about manifesting things that usually go unseen. That's all 🙂
Hair: ETD ~ Maxine
Skin: Pink Fuel ~ Elly ~ Honey ~ Broken Hearts Bleed
Dress (inc. arm and leg bands): Angelwing
Fishnets: Vextra Messing
Necklace: Artilleri
Wings: Material Squirrel
Boots: Sakka's Studio
Tattoos: Garden of Ku
Eyes: Shine ~ Silent Lucidity ~ Gasoline
Poses: ImpEle
Lots of Good Stuff: Out of the Closet
Bigger is better! see a larger, hi-res picture here~
[warning: skip to the next paragraph if you are just interested in the fabulous clothes and accessories!] Most of us know how very easy it is to accumulate larger and larger and LARGER inventories over time. The disciplined ones among us (yeah — I'm looking at you, Chic) somehow manage to edit objectively and regularly and keep things organized and streamlined. The rest of us still have freebies from our noob days (which we wouldn't be caught dead in, but still haven't thrown out), hunt gifts from Christmas three years ago that we haven't opened, and thousands of just-in-case fun stuff. OK — maybe its just me, but here I am hovering dangerously close to 50K in inventory [there — I said it!], and find myself in a closet crisis! I wouldn't worry so much about it if it didn't impede my ability to blog well, or even to get dressed for a date. So here in front of God and everyone, I am committing myself to a clean-out of huge proportions — and yes, Peter — I really mean it this time. All this to say you will likely see me dragging out some old stuff, to mix in with new stuff, to enjoy my clothes again 🙂
I started this look with the shoes — the fabulous latest release from one of my all-time favorite shoe cobblers — Shiny Things. Some of my first freebie shoes (that I was willing to wear) were from Shiny Things, and my first purchased shoes were from Shiny Things … and we've had a love affair going on every since. I was so thrilled to see Fallingwater back, and am loving these stylish flats. I couldn't resist the black and white ones, as that is one of my favorite color schemes — and I built the whole look around that.
It is also my pleasure to show you one of the dramatic makeups from Tuli's newest skin, Jade, to be released on Friday. I know you've seen it all over the feeds already … and I will just chime in to say it is a lovely, soft skin with all the well-made qualities we've come to expect from Tuli. I will say that as I've perused the various posts that have already come out, I've noticed that this skin seems very adaptable to different shapes — likely due to the "softness" factor. I love skins like that because it means you can really take a popular skin and make it your own with your shape — and in SL, that is a really good thing! I'm also wearing Tuli's new eyes — and these are just gorgeous … and I'm fairly picky about my eyes. This version is called "glow", and is a lovely other-worldly color.
One last little note before this turns into a novella — I acquire tons of cheap/free skyboxes with an eye towards using them as photo sets… but actually rarely get out of my photosphere. However, this one came along at just the right time — a black/grey/white skybox with a lot of atmosphere … and completely free at Tweedle.
Skin: Tuli ~ Jade [not yet released]
Eyes: Tuli ~ Jude ~ glow [not yet released]
Hair: fri.day ~ Neva
Shirt: Whippet & Buck
Pants: Zaara
Necklace: Miel
Earrings: Persona
Shoes: Shiny Things~ Zimmy Flats
Handbag: ETD
Poses: handbag AO by Torridwear
skybox: free anniversary gift from Tweedle
Immerschoen & Gos
Bigger is Better ~ Click here for a high resolution enlargement of this picture
Today's outfit started out with this terrific outfit from Immerschoen. Immerschoen is a store I've only recently discovered for myself, but I know its been around for awhile. The store has a large inventory of what I would consider casual wear and club wear … with lots of separates that are great for mixing and matching. I've been quite impressed by the quality of the items I've purchased, and prices are extremely reasonable …. so definitely check it out when you get a chance!
The other big news for this post are these stupendous boots from Gos! Not exactly new … but stunning nonetheless. Beautifully made, and six color change options in one boot. AND — currently on sale for half-price. I have no idea how long this sale might last — so hurry if you've had your eye on these!
Leather Top and Mini Skirt: Immerschoen
Boots: Gos ~ Burlesque
Stockings: Vextra Messing
Velvet Necktie: Sn@tch
Gloves: Fleur (now 5th & Oxford)
Tattoo: Avatar Tattoo
Earrings: Persona
Hair and Hat: ETD ~Charley
Skin: Belleza ~ Elle ~group gift
Eyes: Shine ~ Silent Lucidity ~Gasoline
Poses: Reel Expression
Fantasy Faire 2010 : Final Weekend
This is the final weekend at the Fantasy Faire, and I've had such a fantastic time blogging some of the pieces for you. I have also met some really terrific creators, and have enjoyed working with them. One of the wonderful things about a fair of any kind is making a discovery of something completely new to you. It has been my great pleasure to discover the fantasy art of real life artist J. Matthew Root, and to meet his SL counterpart, artist and creator, Marcus Inkpen. I ran across Marcus in his booth during the blogger preview, where he patiently talked to me even though he was trying to finish up things for the launch of the faire — thank you for your kindness, Markus 🙂
Markus is the artist of the painting in the picture, titled Discovery. I couldn't resist the redhead 🙂 But — I don't think there was a single painting of Markus' that I didn't love and put on my shopping list. Incidentally — you can get RL prints of many/most of these paintings from the website linked below. I know a lot of people enjoy having a such a piece in both their real and virtual lives 🙂
Markus is ALSO the creator of those wonderful "Alien Buds" that I've used for landscaping in the photo. These are fantastic pieces for any fantasy landscape — the colors are rich, and the pattern is just perfect. These will definitely find a permanent place in my home. These pieces were done for Deeper Muse, and you can purchase them individually or in a five-pack with a variety of color combinations. I might mention that Markus and his partner were responsible for the build on the SciFi sector, and it is truly beautifully done — definitely worth a visit.
** it came to my attention today that the Alien Buds are a little hard to find, and I can see it is a tad confusing. The store you are looking for is right by the landing point for the SciFi Sector. The store has a sign for Deeper Muse, but it isn't terribly obvious. The most obvious signage right above the door reads "Pandora Valley". If you have any trouble finding it, let me know and I'll give you a pinpoint landmark 🙂
Visit the SciFi Sector at the Fantasy Faire
Visit The World of J. Matthew Root on the internet
Painting: The Art of J. Matthew Root ~ Discovery
Alien Buds: Deeper Muse
Garden Stones: Trompe L'oeil
Garden Wall: Nissa Nightfire (personal collection)
Hair: Calico Ingmann Creations ~ Mackenzie
Skin: Tuli ~ Eva
Eyes: Shine ~ Silent Lucidity Gasoline
Outfit: Wings: Bare Rose ~ Forest Druidess
Shoes: +DV8+ Steam Vixen Shoes
Bracelet, Earrings: Bliensen + MaiTai
Poses: Long Awkward Pose
The Princess and Her Prince
Its Friday, it has been a crazy week … and I find that I feel like blogging! A just-for-fun kind of post. I've been trying to get out and about a little more in SL, and kick up my heels every once in a while. Last night, my dear friend Riley Renfew and I went to a costume event at ::Infatuated::. I snapped this photo before we went … and as it turns out, we won the evening's prize! I hadn't really planned this for a blog post, so I'm giving you the credits off the top of my head — please forgive any errors or lapses, but don't hesitate to correct me!
Special note on this adorable pose — it is from Reel Expression, and is the hunt gift for the ProPoser hunt — which is open until Aug. 30 — so you still have a little time to pick it up.
The Princess wears:
Dress: Second Wave Apparel
Jewelry: Violet Voltaire
Skin: Exodi
Hair: Truth
The Prince wears:
Outfit, including boots: SF Design (parts sold separately)
Hair: Bryce
Glasses: PrimOptic
Poses: Reel Expression — from the ProPoser Hunt
Dress Me Up Challenge #1 – Achariya
Okay –yes, I know I'm late getting started! I've been having so much fun shopping and exploring some of the areas folks have recommended to me! I'm already counting this challenge a huge success 🙂 By the way, shopping in response to a challenge doesn't count against your monthly budget, does it? Anyway — I'm doing my part to support the SL economy!
My first dress-up was suggested by Achariya: how about a range of Japanese items, like something from TheCloset or any of the little shops on the Island of Tranquility? DP**yumyum has cute sweater and scarf sets right now, and amerie's Naughty has fluffy leg coverings and tiny colorful skirts.
Of course, this suggestion could yield tons of different looks. I took this opportunity to explore Amerie's Naughty. I've been very attracted to the playful and colorful styles there. I started by strolling casually around the store — until I saw these adorable leggings and skirts. Then I sprinted over to get a closer look, bought a set, and raced home to put them on. I'm a complete sucker for these vibrant colors.
Thanks for the suggestions, Ach. I expect you'll be seeing some more selections from the Isle of Tranquility in the future 🙂
Jacket, Skirt, Leggings: Amerie's Naughty
Tshirt: Magpie
Necklace: Ki2 Candy Party Beads
Bracelets: Fresh Baked Goods ~ Bright Pastile Hearts
Shoes: UBU ~Pornstar Hightops
Skin: RockBerry Willow E Light
Hair: ETD ~Eglantine ~copper
Eyes: Miriel ~shallow end
Poses: Long Awkward Pose

subset: commoncrawl


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Each week I have the absolute honour of introducing you to another incredible woman who is lighting up the world, and each and every week, I could not be more excited! It's a giant love fest over here, and today? I've got mad love for Stephanie Lisa Kelly.
Stephanie is a Retreat Leader, Facilitator & Coach who helps women live more embodied, empowered and delicious lives - through re-connecting women with their wholeness, wildness, playfulness, and wildness.
Openness. Authenticity. Transparency. Wholeness. Elegant, eloquent truth. Passionate, purpose-soaked words. An undeniable desire to seek and evolve. Sounds utterly divine, doesn't it?
That's what Stephanie's all about - alongside a deep belief in a quiet revolution, and in her own words, it's a revolution that is arising and emerging from individual impulses to do things differently, to find different ways of being in and with the world.
Yep, I'm damn thrilled to have her here on the blog today! Dig in and be inspired...
Tell us more about you: who are you and what are you all about? (Your story, your truth)
I'm a Retreat Leader, Facilitator and Coach and currently I focus on helping women live more embodied, empowered and delicious lives. I took the leap into being a full time solopreneur last October, ran my first retreat two weeks later and haven't looked back since. Before that I was an on and off corporate girl (international headhunting interspersed with months of travel) for many years, after my initial impulse to study Gestalt therapy after my BSc. in Psychology deserted me at the crucial moment.
A whole lot of soul-searching, travel and training later, everything began to fall into place. Yes, obviously I was meant to be helping people deepen their connection to themselves and to the divine (insert whatever word you're comfortable with there; God/Spirit/Universe/Big picture all work). Clearly the contact with nature and adventure are part of the process. And the underlying desire to shift culture into a more healthy, balanced system in which the feminine has as much say in the conversation as the masculine - that also didn't come as a surprise.
So now I coach women and help them step into ever bolder self-expression, facilitate at emergent corporate and lifestyle events, and host residential and adventure retreats that foster deep connection to Self, the sacred, each other and nature (currently only for women but stay tuned for mixed events coming in 2017!).
Basically I want to live in a world where everyone has a sparkle in their eye, where our global culture is ecocentric rather than egocentric and exists in a synergetic collaboration with our environment, and where all decisions are taken with a seven-generational perspective of potential impact.
I care about awkward things like environmental degradation due to corporate interests, animal rights, politics with integrity (I know), and feminism. I care about helping nurture our society to evolve from its current adolescent stage of development into full maturity; to have inclusive, self-sustaining communities; to rekindle the inherent awe, wonder and majesty of existence and make space for honouring the fact that we are, inherently, a spiritual species.
I believe in the importance of fun, irreverence and humour, great red wine (few things make me happier), dancing madly, eating outside (it just tastes better!), spontaneity, playfulness and beauty.
I also believe H.H. the Dalai Lama was right when he said he thinks he world will be saved by the western woman. Bring on the revolution of the feminine!
What does living life on your own terms mean to you?
When I was 11 I decided I wanted an interesting life filled with adventure, and promised myself I wouldn't let my fears hold me back. From then on I developed the habit of pushing myself out of my comfort zone on a consistent basis.
To me, living life on my own terms means freedom - internal freedom as well as external. We can create external freedom but unless we feel free, we're not. I've spent my entire life working on becoming more free - free to act in spite of my fear, free to express myself in every context, free to love unconditionally, free to follow the directives of my soul, and most recently, free to live wherever I want (I'm location independent since April 1st!).
Share with us a personal challenge that you've had to overcome and what limiting beliefs you had to break down along the way.
I've always had an anxious nature - I overthink, I'm highly sensitive and I've been in a perpetual existential crisis since I was 10 - and had suffered repeated bouts of depression during my twenties, but in 2010 after a life-shattering breakup, living in a country I didn't feel good in and doing a job that provided me with no meaning whatsoever I cracked. Recurrent panic attacks, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and extreme mental distress finally brought me to the emergency room where I got drugged up and sent to a therapist.
Faced with the fact that I couldn't (physically) go on the way I had been, I quit my job (the panic attacks stopped immediately), packed up my stuff, and (just before Christmas and happily dodging the snowstorms), drove home to Belgium. The immense peace of not being in an intensely unhappy situation anymore was overwhelming and heaven-sent, and over the next few months I travelled round Europe visiting friends and family and opening up again to life.
The process that I'd been struggling with so much back in Switzerland - letting go all the dreams I'd had with my ex and not knowing what I wanted to do with my life, and believing that I couldn't be happy until I had everything figured out - melted gently into complete surrender.
Meditating, doing yoga and running in the forest every day, reading ACIM and accepting (finally) my longing to give myself to my spiritual yearning, and spending time with old friends and family (and my cats:)) healed me and set me free.
That Autumn I got the word "Gratitude" tattooed on my left forearm; it serves to remind me of that time, of how grateful I am to have come through it, and to slow down and be grateful for every moment.
When life gets hectic and overwhelming, what do you do to feel more grounded and balanced?
I breathe. Intentionally and possibly kneeling on the floor with my forehead on the ground (best. position. ever). Then I start creating space - cutting things out of my agenda that aren't completely crucial (this might mean canceling events, and "letting people down"; my well being comes first. Always). The space I create is then available for me to do things that help me slow down and feel connected again; I spend some time every day in nature (more distress —> more medicine; silent morning coffees under the trees and long evening walks).
If there's a strong emotional aspect I make space for being with that; I create (daily, usually in the morning) a sacred space with candles, crystals and sage, breathe with whatever is there and allow the emotion to surface and move through me.
"I am my most important resource" is my mantra in these situations, so I try to catch stress and overwhelm the second it begins to accumulate and take corrective measures. Another thing I do if I notice I'm not taking full breaths is to set a desktop timer to go off every hour (my favourite is Howler Timer), at which point I'll close my eyes, check in with my body and breath, and hold the intention to relax and breathe slowly for a minute or two.
When it comes to creating change in your life, what does putting it into action look like for you? (And how do you handle when/ if resistance pops up?)
I begin by using intention to get things rolling - I often create a small piece of art with the prompt for the desired change on it or just write it on some paper, and stick that somewhere I'll see it repeatedly. I believe in easeful rather than forceful change (where possible!), and I've found that simply by holding the intention, things begin to shift at a deep level.
If it's something that relates to something external I will make a deadline/set a date as soon as possible and share my commitment with a friend (I have several accountability buddies on call :)). I can be quite radical and once I've made a decision I often take action immediately without giving more space for deliberation (my decisions - all of them nowadays - come from my gut and I trust them implicitly and wholeheartedly).
When resistance shows up it usually comes in the form of procrastination, but has become so sneaky that it can sometimes fool me for a while before I see what's actually going on. Then it's a question of getting still and probing for the fear behind the resistance. Once I've identified it I take time to be with it, acknowledge it fully, thank it, and hold it in my heart.
Often I'll do a reframing exercise where I take stock of my entire state of being (in the fear mindset) and do a full 180 take on alternative (energized and joyful) alternative states. This helps to shift me back into my power and places the focus on joy and desire and away from fear and contraction.
What are the top two nuggets of wisdom or advice you would give to someone?
Consistently place your attention on feeling good and loving yourself. Everything else will unfold perfectly when your system is relaxed, your mind peaceful and your heart full.
Live with devotion. Honour and worship every day, every minute, every moment. From deep presence comes love, wisdom and clarity.
What is one quote that really resonates with you, or that you choose to live life by?
This has been my favourite for years; it still gives me goosebumps!
"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."
― William Hutchison Murray
I can't go a day without…being in contact with nature in some way (even if it's just sniffing flowers and admiring the trees in the neighborhood!).
Following the trail of my curiosities means…being open to the unexpected! It means always keeping one ear listening within…and then following the impulses.
When I feel fear…I breathe. Long and slow, until I come into steady contact with the ever-present stillness in myself. And then I connect to the desire behind the fear.
I feel joyful when…When I'm totally present.
I'm most grateful for…my family and friends *heartburstsalittle*
Want to know more?
Steph will be co-hosting the Wild Radiance Retreat in Tuscany this June, a deep dive into bold self-expression, sensuality and freedom, as well as Into The Wild, a hiking adventure for women in the form of a quest about Self and meaning, womanhood and sisterhood, and the vast possibility of our lives. Email her to find out more!
{Creds: Psychologist + Certified Coach, Facilitator & Way of Council Practitioner + Flower Essence Therapist}
Stephanie Lisa Kelly is a Retreat Leader, Facilitator & Coach who helps women live more embodied, empowered and delicious lives. She's also a restless creative, passionate instigator, bold adventurer, wild-hearted dreamer, free spirit, urban shaman, tribe weaver and international vagabond. She hosts workshops and retreats on self-expression, power and freedom, and facilitates transformational containers at meetings, conferences and other events. She believes that the world will be saved by women who dare to become powerful agents of change, that surrender leads to magic (always), that goofiness is medicine, and that campfires and mountain tops are sacred.


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Castleford's Super league top-four hopes faded with a fourth successive home league defeat on Thursday night.
Winger Paddy Flynn's hat-trick of tries were in vain against his parent club Widnes Vikings as the Tigers were made to pay for a mistake-ridden display at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle.
Widnes survived a late Castleford fighback to come out on top 38-28 after they led 38-12 with 12 minutes left.
Tigers coach Daryl Powell said: "We were poor. We showed a fair bit of energy at the back end but where was that for a big chunk of the game so it was really disappointing.
"Credit to Widnes, they picked us apart a little bit in some areas tonight and we didn't handle it too well."
The Tigers struggled to put the game together against a Vikings side who had won only one of their last 10 league games and had not won at Castleford since 2007.
Tigers missed an early chance when Flynn failed to take full-back Denny Solomona's low pass with the try line wide open.
Widnes half-back Kevin Brown had an effort ruled out by the video referee for a knock on before the Vikings took an eighth minute lead when Junior Moors fumbled Brown's kick and Macgraff Leuluai pounced for a try that Rhys Hanbury goaled,
Patrick Ah Van's 19th minute try put the visitors 10-0 ahead as the Tigers made far too many errors.
Castleford lacked composure when they got near the Widnes line and looked as though they were trying to score off every play.
They eventually hit back in the 32nd minute when Solomona put in on-loan winger Flynn for his first.
Gale added the conversion but the Tigers then fell further behind shortly before half-time when Flynn failed to deal with Joe Mellor's kick to the corner and Chris Bridge scooped up a loose ball to score.
Flynn grabbed his second try eight minutes into the second-half after Gale and Adam Milner made the opening.
Gale added the goal to put the home side only two points behind but the Vikings then took a firm grip with four tries in 10 minutes, all converted by Hanbury.
Ah Van grabbed his second, Lloyd White went over twice and Mellor also crossed to put the Vikings 38-12 up.
Castleford rallied in the last 12 minutes.
Larne Patrick celebrated signing a three-year Tigers contract with a try, Solomona sent Gale racing over and Flynn completed his treble six minutes from time.
Gale surprisingly failed to convert Patrick's try but goaled the other two to give Tigers a glimmer of hope but time ran out.
Castleford Tigers: Solomona; Monaghan, Crooks, Webster, Flynn; McShane, Gale; Jewitt, Milner, Patrick, Moors, McMeeken, Massey. Subs: Millington, Springer, Tickle, Cook.
Widnes Vikings: Hanbury; Thompson, Runciman, Bridge, Ah Van; Mellor, Brown; Cahill, White, Buchanan, Whitley, Dean, Leuluai. Subs: Chapelhow, Manoukafoa, Walker, Heremaia.
Referee: Jack Smith.


text: A consummate professional Rob Hotchkiss · July 19, 2016 I have worked alongside Emma at several major events and she always conducts herself - and all aspects of the event - in a first class manner. From rehearsals to close of programme she is a consummate professional, thinking on her feet and feeling the pace of proceedings, constantly assessing what's required throughout the event. Nothing phases her and she makes it look effortless. That's usually because she has "done her homework" - gets to know the client and what they want ahead of time. She has every base covered. A lot of award audiences can occasionally grow noisy if proceedings are lengthy, but she always handles them in just the right way and controls events perfectly. Clients seem consistently pleased with her efforts. She is a generous presenter to be working alongside and I do hope we'll be on-stage together again soon! — Brian Harvey FCT ALAM Toastmaster, Master of Ceremonies


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Tanika Charles
Soul Run
Record Kicks
Buy via Official Store, Amazon or iTunes | Stream Below
Based in Toronto and sporting an impressive set of vocal chops, Tanika Charles has long been a star feature of the soul scene in her hometown. But the release of her debut album Soul Run sees her attempting to extend her reach to the wider, global world of music lovers.
This effort to reach the soul loving public should reap the whirlwind for her, as her album is a shining example of a modern refit of the classic soul of the '60s and '70s. Produced by an assortment of soundsmiths including Slakah the Beatchild, Daniel Lee, Emdee and 2nd Son, Christopher Sandes, and Big Tweeze, it manages to lend a contemporary edge to those archetypal soul sounds, allied to some empowered feminine lyrics to produce an album capable of crossing over to the mainstream.
Album opener and title track "Soul Run" is a case in point. Like a lone Thelma or Louise, she sings of heartbreak, escape and rebirth, with a feistiness that echoes great female artists of the past, to the accompaniment of handclaps, a driving backbeat and a scratchy funk lick.
"Two Steps" carries the lyrical thread of empowerment further, berating an over eager suitor with a swift metaphorical kick to the balls: "Quit calling me on the phone / I done told you that I'm not at home / A girl just needs to be alone / Don't need no man to walk me home." Its lilting verse and driving, foot-to-the-floor chorus dwell in the same realm as Leon Bridges' heralded 2015 debut album Coming Home. Rooted in '60s soul, it's an affectionate emulation of a classic sound, updated sympathetically and it deserves a similar chance to be heard as widely as Bridges' songs.
The rumbling, bumper-car bass of "Sweet Memories" offers further evidence of an unabashed female voice with its "I just want you in my bed" line and also manages to score extra points for the use of "tinctures" in the lyric. Yet, as ever, we are all merely standing on the "shoulders of giants" and Charles is no different. The obvious soul touchstones of yore are here, but it is a more contemporary artist who she most closely resembles lyrically. "More Than a Man" is the most obvious example of this connection, as its gentle jazzy, R&B vibe waltzes into view to the accompaniment of a deliciously foul-mouthed, coruscating lyric. "You just don't know when to fuck off" is as pure a reflection of Amy Winehouse as you'll hear, yet it still retains a sense of Charles' own personality to make it a winning hand.
And so the album treads its way through the lexicon of '60s soul moves. "Money" is a perky, sparky bit of sass. "Love Fool" stomps powerfully. "Heavy" shares DNA with James Brown's "It's a Man's World." "Endless Chain" is a veritable ray of soulshine on a murky day and the Stevie Wonder inspired lyrics (As) of "Waiting" even survive a brush with Trumpian alt-facts ("I'll stay with you 'til a lie is the truth").
Album closer "Darkness and the Dawn" hints at a future direction for Charles, revealing a desire to move away from the 3-minute song template of the '60s to a more expansive '70s soul blueprint. Containing light and shade that offers a glimpse into what may yet be, it's a suitably winning end to an album bursting with promise and relatable, down to earth lyrics of love, life and liberation.
Notable Tracks: "Darkness and the Dawn" | "More Than a Man" | "Soul Run"
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INDONESIA ORGANISED its second ever international airshow at the end of June. This time Soekarno-Hatta International Airport provided the venue for the Indonesian Air Show 1996 (IAS'96).
The first airshow, ten years ago, took place at the old Jakarta airport, Kamayoran. Just as it had been then, the latest technology available in Indonesia was put on display, but this show also set out to demonstrate a willingness to co-operate and expand capabilities.
It is well known that the region enjoys considerable economic growth and this has enabled many countries to purchase or manufacture sophisticated aircraft. Naturally, there was particular emphasis
Continue reading Indonesian Air Show 1996 — June 22-30


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Client: Malaysian Institute of Baking (MIB)
Genre: A Taste of Love Short Movies
Title: Episode 2: Memories
Jack relives back his memories studying at the Malaysian Institute of Baking and how he fondly remembers Jenny, the girl he likes most. Jenny's best friend, Alia is currently in love with Sunny, so does her arch rival Kim. Brian is also in love with Kim.
Find out how their story ends by following "A Taste of Love", a 12-episode short movie acted by the students of Malaysian Institute of Baking and recorded by PictureAsia.
Nicholas Tan
Melissa Lien
Diyanah Jasmin
Charis Ho
Beon Leow
Brandon Lim
Bryan Tan
Jeff Lam
About our client:
We've been around since 1987 as the English Hotbreads School of Baking. Today we are an institute, the Malaysian Institute of Baking, giving out not just certificates but also diplomas. That is the level of education and training we now provide. For more information, please visit mib.edu.my.


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The Real Failure is when...
One of my favorite lines of The Matrix (which is unbelievably 16 years old) is when Morpheus says to Neo: "I can only show you the door. You're the one that has to walk through it".
I believe this profound statement is the difference between people who succeed and those who always look at success from the sidelines. I believe that opportunity presents itself as an open door all the time but we're too afraid to walk through it.
Going through doors means taking risks. Taking risks means that there's a chance of failure. I think we need to stop being afraid of failure—at least as it is traditionally defined. Failure only happens if we let it. Instead, if we mess up and keep trying, then I don't consider that failure at all. I consider that learning.
As children we "fail" constantly. Imagine the process of learning to walk—kids really struggle with it, and often walk around like small drunks—constantly falling over, stumbling, leaning against things to steady themselves. Children (unlike drunks) just keep pushing until their body & brain perfect the process. They do it until no longer even a thing they think about.
Why do we lose that magic as we grow older? I know I'm guilty of this line of thinking but I'm working to stop. For example, I want to start practicing yoga, but I'm intimidated by the first couple of times I'd go to a studio. I worry that others will judge me for having bad form, struggling to hold every position, or even wearing the wrong clothes. This is silly—in fact, this is the real failure: The failure of not even trying to do it.
Opportunities in business and in life are available all the time. The people that succeed and really change the world are those that walk through the door that opens because they have that child-like view of the world. They are willing to take the risk, fall down a lot, but get back up knowing that the reward is great.
Startups that disrupt industries or old processes do it because their founders believed in a world that was totally different than how it exists today. They not only imagined it, they took all the steps necessary to make it a reality. That's ridiculously awesome... and a truly magical thing.
Don't be your own worst enemy. Don't be afraid of walking through open doors. You never know what amazing things lie on the other side.