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South Korea's new president, Moon Jae In, visited the White House today to seek President Trump's support for his North Korea policies, following visits from Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in February and China's President Xi Jinping in April. Which side of Moon Jae In will he display in dealing with the United States? Will it be the sober politician who now seems to recognize the severity of the threat from North Korea? Or will it be the career leftist who appointed some of Korea's leading anti-American activists and appeasers of the Pyongyang regime to his cabinet?
President Moon's most widely quoted comments have emphasized solidarity with the United States. During a ceremony commemorating the first summit between the two Koreas, Moon answered Pyongyang's call for Seoul to honor the North's interpretation of the summit agreement by noting that Pyongyang says "one thing and [is] doing another, as seen in its continued development of nuclear weapons and missiles." Moon also stated that "North Korea's nuclear and missile development has become a serious concern that threatens peace and stability in the region and the international community."
Moon himself was the closest confidant and campaign manager of former President Roh, whom former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates called "anti-American" and "a little crazy." Roh rode to power on a wave of anti-American sentiment that inspired a rash of fire bombings of U.S. military and consular facilities and assaults against U.S. soldiers. Moon and Roh did not encourage this violence, but they did not discourage it, either. As Roh asked at the time, "What's wrong with being anti-American?"
Moon recently called for reopening the Kaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea, a Roh-era scheme that traded North Korean forced labor for South Korean cash. Moon's predecessor closed Kaesong after Pyongyang's January 2016 nuclear test, claiming that Pyongyang used Kaesong revenue to fund its nuclear program. Reopening Kaesong under its pre-2016 terms would violate U.N. sanctions absent approval by a U.N. committee — approval that the U.S. can and should block. Moon now insists that he will find some way to reopen Kaesong without breaking U.N. sanctions, but even so, returning South Korean managers to Kaesong risks a hostage crisis that could draw U.S. forces into a conflict.
To reassure both Washington and his anxious voters at home, President Moon sent Professor Moon Chung In, a close advisor who advocates immediate and unconditional negotiations with Pyongyang, to explain the new government's views to American audiences. The visit backfired. Professor Moon called for delaying the deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) missile system, which the Pentagon sees as necessary to protect both South Korean cities and U.S. forces from North Korean nuclear weapons, for "a full seasonal cycle" pending an environmental review, adding that "American forces can't be above South Korean law.
Professor Moon Chung In suggested suspending annual exercises that maintain the readiness of U.S and South Korean forces. Instead of reassuring Washington, Professor Moon's comments smacked of unilateral disarmament and exacerbated concerns that the interests of Washington and Seoul are diverging.
Kim Jong Un will also get a vote on how events will proceed. Kim ordered missile launches during the Abe and Xi summits to exploit policy differences between these leaders. Despite Trump's questionable suggestion that he would meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, his administration has since opted for a policy of maximum pressure and engagement. Moon may push Trump to moderate pressure on Pyongyang while expanding engagement, and may even seek to revive Seoul's Sunshine Policy, which gave Pyongyang 20 years and billions of dollars to build nuclear weapons, but which produced no beneficial change in North Korea.
Although Trump's reaction to Moon's push is difficult to predict, Congress will be skeptical. Last year, tough North Korea sanctions legislation passed the House by a vote of 418 to 2 and the Senate by a vote of 96 to 0. Even Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersHarry Reid: 'Decriminalizing border crossings is not something that should be at the top of the list' The exhaustion of Democrats' anti-Trump delusions Warren offers plan to repeal 1994 crime law authored by Biden MORE (I-Vt.) issued a statement from the campaign trail in New Hampshire to express support for the legislation. A follow-on sanctions bill sponsored by Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), called the Korean Interdiction and Modernization of Sanctions Act, recently passed the House by 419 to 1. The death of Otto Warmbier will only harden Congress's attitude.
Moon's most contentious differences with Trump will likely be his ambivalent views on the enforcement of U.N. sanctions and the THAAD missile defense system. Beijing fiercely opposes THAAD to defend South Korean cities and U.S. forces against North Korean missiles made in part with Chinese technology, with parts procured from or smuggled through China, and that ride on carriers made by Chinese state-owned enterprises.
Despite its opposition to "unilateral" sanctions against Pyongyang, Beijing answered the deployment of THAAD with unilateral and punitive trade restrictions against South Korean businesses. Beijing is trying to bully Seoul into reversing the deployment of THAAD, even as it tries to repair its relations with Pyongyang. This is an opportunity for Washington to show its value to Seoul as an ally.
What should President Trump tell President Moon? First, that the U.S. will support South Korea at the World Trade Organization in the face of China's economic bullying, will assist South Korean firms impacted by China's unilateral sanctions, and if necessary, will recruit a coalition of China's trading partners, including Japan, to target Chinese industries with retaliatory sanctions. Second, that Trump will compromise with Moon by supporting harmless forms of engagement with North Korea, such as athletic and cultural exchanges or carefully monitored in-kind humanitarian aid, provided no cash changes hands.
Third, that Moon must stop fanning public controversy about THAAD and quickly conclude the environmental review that has halted its deployment. Fourth, that South Korea must enforce U.N. sanctions strictly, including on Kaesong, until Pyongyang disarms completely. Finally, as North Korea poses a growing threat to the United States, President Trump should reserve the right to restructure U.S. forces in South Korea if Moon willfully undermines U.S. policy.
Neither Kim Jong Un's threats nor ill-advised support for his regime should be allowed to drive a wedge between the United States and South Korea. The summit between President Trump and President Moon is an opportunity to chart a prudent course that holds Pyongyang responsible for its actions and strengthens the alliance.
Anthony Ruggiero is a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. He was the nonproliferation advisor to the U.S. delegation to the 2005 rounds of the Six Party Talks and spent more than 17 years in the U.S. government.
Joshua Stanton is an attorney in Washington, D.C. and a writer at One Free Korea. He was a fellow with the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has assisted the committee with the drafting of North Korea-related legislation since 2013. The views expressed are his own and are not the views of the committee.
The views expressed by contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.


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Project Description
Villa Albinoni, Benehavis
Price 5.750.000€ : ref. 7510
Price 5.750.000€ : ref. 7510
- Comforts of a large family estate in a prestigious address.
- Perfect for luxurious family living and entertaining important guests.
- Spacious open plan living with plentiful natural light provided by floor to ceiling windows
- Spacious areas for all the toys in the basement.
- Privacy and sea views.
- Low running costs due to high levels of insulation and sustainable designs.
- Plot: 2,024 m2
- Total built area including basement: 976 m2
- Terraces and roof terrace: 202.5 m2
- Total built area: 1,401 m2
Execution: set to begin at the end of 2018 and finished in 16 month
As this is a project under construction, the information provided here may be subject to modifications imposed by the competent authority, as well as those that are motivated by technical or legal requirements made manifest during its execution. (RD 515/89)
- Spectacular 3 story cylindrical entrance hallway which features a glass bridge, a suspended curved walkway in mid air, and helicoidal staircase.
- Natural stone clad exterior wall details with backlighting.
- Master bedroom suite of 140 m2 offering 2 walk in closets and independent his / hers master bathrooms.
- 5/6 bedroom suites, staff apartment.
- Elevator.
- 10 car garage.
- Illuminated pool and landscaped garden with sea views.
- Natural stone floors.
- Luxury finishes throughout.
- High speed internet access in every room.
- 2 vehicular accesses to the property.
- Indoor lap pool.
- Spa / Gym.
- Wireless fully integrated home automation systems
- State of the art security and home protection systems.
- Audio/Video in main rooms.
- Personalized finishing.
- Complete home decoration.
- Property maintenance service.
- 222.5 m2 Solarium with lift access, WC and Jacuzzi.
Villa Albinoni : Ref. 7510
Contact us: Tel: +34 669 09 1785

subset: commoncrawl


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Lifting starts at 10:00 am
Click here for a detailed schedule of lift times.
Women - 48, 53, 58, 63, 69, 75, 90, 90+
Men – 56, 62, 69, 77, 85, 94, 105, 105+
Snatch, Clean and Jerk. All weights used in kilograms. Weightlifting singlet and shoes required
1st, 2nd, 3rd place medals in each weight class. Awards for top three men and women in Youth and Junior divisions on Sinclair bodyweight formula. Awards for top three men and women in Masters division based on combined Sinclair bodyweight formula times Malone-Meltzer age correction formula. Best overall Men's and Women's best lifter in open division based on Sinclair bodyweight formula.
You must provide picture I.D. and provide proof that you are currently registered with USA Weightlifting. Register at usaweightlifting.org before completing If you are under 18 years of age, you must have a parent or guardian complete your registration waiver.


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Ulefone is one of the leading manufacturers specialized in smart phones. Our models are well designed with unique and premium appearance. It will be a great pleasure to show you the latest design at the exhibition. We expect to establish long-term partnership with your company in the near future.
If you are interested in cooperation with us or have any question, feel free to ask our sales manager Jerry Xu (Mobile: +86 13827435163 or +86 15602931210; Email: email@example.com )
Address: Asia Wrold-Expo, Hong Kong 72SM
Booth Number: 5E01
Time: April 18 to 21, 2016
Best Regards
Ulefone Technology Co., Ltd.
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|Wed & Thur - 0830 - 1530;
|Fri - 0830 - 1500;
|Sat & Sun - 1030 - 1600
Alex is most definitely the hostess with the mostest. Having started her coffee journey as a pretty nifty barista at a properly thirsty law firm, she eventually took the plunge and decided to build her first café at Two's Company (proudly sporting a handmade bean bar, hand-decorated walls and lovingly curated fixtures and fittings, it truly was pieced together from the ground up).
A couple of years and many hundreds of happy customers later, Alex's plunge reflex has kicked in again... and she's surfaced for air in an esoteric oasis of Bristolian creativity: the disarmingly lovely and refreshingly off-radar Dockyard Studios.
For anyone yet to visit Alex Does Coffee @ Dockyard Studios, you're in for a real treat. Tucked away beneath an art studio, this beautiful cafe is a real needle in a haystack to locate. A hint: it's next to one of Bristol's most famous street art pieces, Banksy's 'Girl with a Pierced Eardrum'. If you fancy a brisk walk around the harbour-side, Alex Does Coffee @ Dockyard Studios is a perfectly poised pit stop for a pick-me-up – warm your cockles on a bowl of homemade veggie soup and thick cut, crusty bread from the Loaf bakery. Inside, you'll encounter a bright, white, clean aesthetic, with enormous French windows looking out across the water to the beautiful coloured houses of Hotwells. Inside, it's a veritable hive of activity; there's an abundance of greenery and pot plants within, and crowds of intense artists working away upstairs. Culinarily speaking, expect a bountiful counter that's overflowing with sweet treats, pastries, flapjacks, cakes and more.
Alex Does Coffee @ Dockyard is a true hidden gem, far from the madding crowds and off the beaten track, but well worth the voyage of discovery. You're welcome!
The lady that served me was very friendly.
Lovely atmosphere, relaxed, and friendly.
Lovely staff lovely coffee
Delicious coffee in great relaxed venue.
This place is a hidden gem. Their coffee is fantastic!
Great venue, lovely coffee and cake, great service, cool place tucked away on harbour side


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Obituary: Peter Hall
Peter Hall, who founded the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1960 and moved the National Theatre into its new South Bank premises in 1975, is arguably the dominant figure in the post-war British theatre, and certainly the architect and greatest impresario in the modern era of state-subsidised theatrical endeavour.
He directed the British premiere of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, the first truly modern play, as well as the major plays of Harold Pinter, notably The Homecoming, Old Times, No Man's Land and Betrayal. His Wars of the Roses sequence at the RSC was the major Shakespearean event of our day: he established new principles of relating Shakespeare to the modern world, of verse-speaking and set design, and of a resident ensemble in the European style.
"Other people had dreamt of these things; Hall drove them through," said Irving Wardle, former drama critic for the Times. In the face of concerted opposition from West End producers, Hall established a London home for the RSC at the Aldwych. And when the National's board clumsily dismissed Laurence Olivier in his favour, he had to combat first professional resentment, then a series of industrial disputes climaxing in the strike of stage technicians (after a plumber had been sacked) during the three-day week nightmare of 1979.
As a result, his distinction as a director was often subsumed by the grander status his job demanded. This pre-eminence – and this being Britain, where the argument for subsidising the arts has never been convincingly, or resoundingly, concluded – was always beset by a sense of frustration and indeed incipient failure. But Hall, who thrived in adversity, despite suffering from depression, fuelled his mission to succeed with an unshakeable personal ambition and boundless energy. And his appetite was, in every sense, insatiable.
Everything he did seemed a fulfilment of his own destiny. The only child of a Suffolk station-master and a somewhat critical mother (whose own father had been a rat-catcher) in Bury St Edmunds, he decided, on a school trip to Stratford-upon-Avon in 1946, aged 15, where he saw Peter Brook's famous Watteau-esque Love's Labour's Lost, that he would run the place himself one day.
In his last year as a scholarship boy at the Perse School in Cambridge he played Hamlet and won a place at St Catharine's College in that city's university. In his first week there, he booked the ADC Theatre for the first week of his final year. Two weeks after graduating in 1953, and having directed more than 20 student productions, many of them for the Marlowe Society, he made his professional debut at the Theatre Royal, Windsor in 1953, directing Somerset Maugham's The Letter.
At the Oxford Playhouse, where he directed two seasons in 1954/5 alongside Peter Wood, he accompanied Maggie Smith at the piano as she sang The Boy I Love Is Up in the Gallery. But once at the Arts in London, where he was appointed 'producer-in-chief' in 1955, Hall changed his tune, directing The Lesson, the first play of Ionesco's to be staged in Britain. This was followed by Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra and then Waiting for Godot.
The latter play's notoriety secured his own reputation – assisted with reviews by Harold Hobson and Kenneth Tynan – and Hall soon heard from Harold Pinter (although Peter Wood directed The Birthday Party in 1958) and Tennessee Williams, directing the latter's British premieres of Camino Real and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He was first invited to Stratford-upon-Avon in 1957 and directed Peggy Ashcroft in Cymbeline, followed by Olivier in Coriolanus and Charles Laughton as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Hall was the new heir apparent, succeeding Anthony Quayle and Glen Byam Shaw at the Stratford helm, and persuading his chairman, Edward Fordham Flower, to change the name of the theatre (from the Memorial to the Royal Shakespeare), rebrand the company as the Royal Shakespeare Company, drop anchor at the Aldwych and hire a company of actors on three-year contracts.
The National Theatre was still three years away, and that lobby bristled with annoyance at what seemed like Hall's pre-emptive strike. But his momentum was unstoppable, bolstered by Ashcroft's support and that of fellow directors Brook and Michel Saint-Denis, as well as his old Cambridge friend John Barton.
Hall directed an extraordinary production of Schoenberg's Moses Und Aaron at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1965, the same year as he cast David Warner as a definitive, highly original and critically reviled RSC Hamlet. In a production in which Glenda Jackson was the first sexually psychotic Ophelia, Warner was a genuinely disaffected student prince three years before the Paris evenements.
Trevor Nunn succeeded Hall as the strain took its toll on his health in 1968, and he concentrated on opera before succeeding Olivier at the National.
There was brief talk of Hall and Nunn amalgamating the two monoliths, then of Nunn becoming Hall's deputy at the National. Instead, Hall ploughed on with renewed vigour for the next 15 years, creating various companies within the NT itself – led by the likes of Ian McKellen, Michael Bogdanov, Bill Bryden and Alan Ayckbourn – and directing Pinter's No Man's Land (1975) with Gielgud and Richardson, Albert Finney as both Hamlet and Tamburlaine, Peter Shaffer's Amadeus (1979) with Paul Scofield and Simon Callow, Tony Harrison's version of The Oresteia (1981) performed in masks, and McKellen's Coriolanus.
In 1985, when the Arts Council's increase on its subsidy registered at least 5% below what Hall reckoned was needed to maintain productivity, he closed the Cottesloe in a famous 'coffee table' speech (he stood on such a table). But he battled through, as always, seeing off both the general media hostility that never abated until Richard Eyre succeeded him in 1987, and the rancorous opposition of the old Olivier guard, so dramatically charted in Michael Blakemore's National Theatre memoir, Stage Blood.
Hall was stigmatised as 'Genghis Khan' or 'Dr Fu Manchu', but his apparent greed and power lust were symptomatic of how he functioned as both director and executive. He was accused of moonlighting when he disappeared to Glyndebourne or the television studios (where he presented an arts programme, Aquarius). He even loaned his name to an advertising campaign for wallpaper: "Very Peter Hall, very Sanderson." Very embarrassing.
On leaving the National, he formed the Peter Hall Company – again setting a sort of precedent for people such as Michael Grandage and Jamie Lloyd – which operated in conjunction with a series of West End managements, notably Triumph and then Bill Kenwright, interspersed with seasons of classics and new plays at the Old Vic (with Dominic Dromgoole) and the Theatre Royal Bath (from 2003) and finally the new Rose Theatre at Kingston, which he opened in 2008 with a worthy, unexceptional Uncle Vanya.
He was now the eminence grise, his final two decades of activity marked, in the early Peter Hall Company period, with some outstanding work, including Vanessa Redgrave in Williams' Orpheus Descending and Dustin Hoffman in The Merchant of Venice, as well as some that was frankly routine, bordering on the bad, such as the American co-production of Barton's long-simmering Tantalus project in 2000 and the damp squib Twelfth Night at the NT in 2011 with his daughter Rebecca as Viola.
Hall was a greater encourager and developer of young talent. Speaking to The Stage when he received The Stage Award for outstanding contribution to British theatre in 2011, he declared himself optimistic about the state of young performers, declaring them "much more hard-working, more technically interested and they are – God save them – less keen on their billing, more modest". However, he did express concerns about verse-speaking, especially of Shakespeare.
"There are about 50 or 60 actors in this country who can really stand up on stage and speak Shakespeare. There are 100 who would like to have a try. I think one can encourage a young actor into Shakespeare in two days, if he's the right actor. Some small percentage just can't deal with it."
For someone so brilliant in the opera house, and so musically gifted – his Glyndebourne A Midsummer Night's Dream by Britten in the old house is one of my desert island productions – his forays into musical theatre, always adventurous, were invariably flops, ranging from Galt MacDermot's Via Galactica (1972) on Broadway to Marvin Hamlisch's Jean Seberg (1983) at the National and, most excruciating of all, Born Again (1990), a musical version of Ionesco's Rhinoceros designed by Gerald Scarfe, at Chichester.
He never tired of returning to his favourite works – The Marriage of Figaro, Waiting for Godot, Twelfth Night – and he never tired of supporting and defending his colleagues in the theatrical network he had largely created himself, nor of railing against bureaucracy – although he himself was a brilliantly manipulative committee man. He had the rare knack, too, of making whoever he was talking to feel as though he or she was the only person in the room who mattered. He was a titan, a rare visionary, a sensual charmer. David Hare described him fondly as "Rabelaisian".
In his early days, Hall was a genuine celebrity and that of course also contributed to the outbreak of tall poppy syndrome that accompanied his every move. But he was sustained in his rich and colourful personal life by the love of four successive wives – film star Leslie Caron (mother of Christopher and Jennifer), Jacqueline Taylor (mother of Lucy and Edward, the director), opera singer Maria Ewing (mother of Rebecca, the actor) and Nicki Frei (mother of Emma) – six children and many grandchildren.
He was made CBE in 1963 and knighted in 1977. He was a member of the Garrick Club – but never went there – and published two remarkable and essential books: Peter Hall's Diaries (1983), covering his tumultuous first decade at the National, edited by John Goodwin; and a compelling autobiography, Making an Exhibition of Myself (1993), a title suggested by one of his mother's accusatory sideswipes at his meteoric success story.
Peter Reginald Frederick Hall was born in Bury St Edmunds on November 22, 1930 and died, at the age of 86, on September 11 at University College Hospital in London, having been diagnosed with dementia in 2011.
Peter Hall timeline
1955 Directs London premiere of Waiting for Godot at the Arts Theatre and causes a sensation, though Beckett himself never liked the production
1957 Directs Coriolanus at Stratford with Laurence Olivier in the lead and Albert Finney his understudy
1960 Founds RSC on principle of homes in Stratford and London and establishes a permanent company in both Stratford and London. An acclaimed Twelfth Night with Dorothy Tutin.
1964 First ever complete Wars of the Roses cycle at Stratford for Shakespeare's quatercentenary. Directed with John Barton and Clifford Williams, this establishes the RSC as a European ensemble
1965 Directs Pinter's The Homecoming in a monumental set by John Bury. Ian Holm's Lenny is a counterpart to the actor's Richard III, embodying policy of Shakespeare and contemporary work on a similar scale and ambition
1971 Co-director, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
1973 Director, National Theatre, directing Gielgud and Richardson in Pinter's No Man's Land (1975) at the Old Vic and West End
1976 New NT home opened by the Queen on the South Bank, where Hall directs Finney in Hamlet and Tamburlaine the Great and, in 1981, a great production of Tony Harrison's version of The Oresteia of Aeschylus, in masks
1984 Director, Glyndebourne Opera
1988 Forms the Peter Hall Company, with seasons at the Old Vic and the Theatre Royal Bath
1999 Olivier special award for lifetime achievement
2008 Opens the Rose Theatre, Kingston, to a mixed reception, the space proving hostile to successful – intimate or epic – versions of the classics and new work, an ironic coda to RSC glory days
2011 Receives The Stage Award for outstanding contribution to British theatre
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Achieve More Than Just Faster Software Delivery
Offering services, products, and solutions that are indispensable to DevOps implementation within IT and other business teams
Facing problems with multiple teams, multiple tools, and an array of unorganized data? Rapid, self-service integration technology or solution is a reality today. We can help you switch to a more scalable integration platform so your enterprise functions as a cohesive unit.
ConnectALL Integration Platform seamlessly unifies various DevOps systems so your teams can use the tools of their choice and still work together. It's easy to deploy and upgrade, comes with hundreds of adapters, supports an array of applications for various functions, enables bi-directional, real-time synchronization, and improves collaboration and productivity.
In the current digital business world, organizations are responsible to produce secure and compliant code while developing new applications and services using DevOps practices. In the attempt to build a 100% secure and zero vulnerability application, security testing becomes a liability to high-speed digital business. The solution is to integrate security seamlessly into DevOps so that developers are constantly in the CI/CD toolchain environment.
DevSecOps embeds security controls and processes in every part of the DevOps workflow, trying to automate core security tasks and open source governance to reduce risk and accelerate software innovation. Secure your DevOps efforts with identity and access management, fire-walling, vulnerability scanning, and more for your open source components.
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This beautiful 3 bedroom 3 bathroom home located in Summerlin is a must see! Hardwood flooring downstairs allow easy upkeep, stainless steel appliances and an open concept that makes this home perfect for entertaining. The spacious patio area is finished with desert landscaping for low maintenance year round. 3 large fully carpeted bedrooms, including the master bedroom, which features a walk-in closet, large bathtub and stand alone shower.
Listing courtesy of Monticello Realty LLC. Selling Office: .


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Table of Contents
Construction History
Custom built, the Revelation represents a unique example of collaboration between the New Republic and New Jedi Order. Designed to operate as an adaptable, fast cruiser with substantial firepower, the Revelation concept was shopped to several major Starship Manufacturers. In the end, Corellian Engineering Corporation won the rights to the contract for the New Republic. The more expensive, and less adaptable Mon Calamari variant was scrapped until 322 ABY when Jedi High Master Tabris Longuine commissioned the aquatic shipyards to build a single, advanced concept of their original design. It was christened the Revelation and placed under the command of Tabris Longuine's Padawan-learner. It was rechristened the Redemption following the addition of two Marauder-Class Corvettes to his freshly formed Task Force. Drake Rylan hand-selected his crew.
—"She's prettier than I expected.." - Drake Rylan to Tabris Longuine. —
The Redemption's design features a four-deck configuration. The decks are arranged according to need and the interior colors are specifically chosen to help crew members remain oriented within the ship during combat. The fourth deck, or Command Deck, features the Bridge and Three Personal Quarters. The first is Drake Rylan's, the second is Captain Scott Clark's, and the final is a guest quarter. The second deck, or Gunnery Deck, is arranged to organize the majority of the Frigate's arms. This deck has been strategically cleared of access materials. The third deck, or Crew's Deck, holds the living stations and mess units, as well as the Quartermaster's Hold and the Active Hold. The final deck, the Engineering Deck, holds the engine compartments and servicing chambers, the hanger bay, and the primary cargo holds.
Modular components were used to ensure speedy repairs and modifications. This also serves to break the ship's decks into compartments that are individually armored in order to prevent critical internal damage and increase the ship's stability under fire. Special Titan-Alloy was designed and implemented, forming a dense solid-armor skin around the ship's exterior. Critical compartments were double, or tripled plated in order to ensure maximum protection.
The Redemption also boasts some of the most complex and innovative shielding and attack suites in the Galaxy. Rather than one large shield generator, the Redemption boasts dozens of smaller units working in unison in order to maintain fast recharge times and higher overall energy output. It's laser cannons and ion cannons were the most compact and powerful in the galaxy, fed off individual power supplies that are slaved in a bank, rather than simply constructed in a bank. This keeps damage to control links from inhibiting all the cannons from working.
|Mon-Calamari Shipyards
|War Frigate
|Technical Specifications
|405 meters
|Max Speed
|700 kmh (atmosphere) 65 MGLT (space)
|Engine Units
|4 Mon Calamari mc330z Ion Drives
|Hyperdrive Rating
|Class 10 - Backup Class 10
|Hyperdrive System
|Mon Calamari HM-5 Hyperdrive Motivator
|Shielding Units
|20 - Mon Calamari X-330a Shield Generators
|Specialized Titan-Alloy Armored Hull Construction
|Sensor Suite
|Qel-Fan QuarMon passive sensor antenna, Sienar Fleet Systems active sensor pulse generator, Fabritech sensor array controller/interpreter, Fabritech ANc-90 active sensor transciever, Stellar mk III navigation sensory array
|Navigation System
|Mon Calamari m19 imodular navigation array
|Arms and Countermeasures
|20 - Taim and Bak MC11.4 Heavy Turbolaser Batteries, 30 - Arakyd CS1-R Heavy Turbolaser Cannons, 30 - Borstel ap-115 Ion Cannons, 10 - Krayt MM-9 All-Purpose (Designated Proton) Torpedo batteries, and 2 - MS-1 Mine Sweeper/layers
|Sensor Jamming Suite, False Identification Transponder, Deployable Sensor Decoys for scan 'cloaking', Carbanti 29L electromagnetic countermeasures package, Carbanti signal-augmented sensor jammer
|Crew and Compliments
|Skeleton Crew
|41 men
|Up to 100
|Cargo Capacity
|330 Metric Tons
|8 months
|Up to 8 Starfighters with the Rogue's Dawn
|Signature Systems
|HoloNet Transceiver, Slave circuits, Force-operated hatch release, KapriCorp acceleration compensator, Geileg 20m-cp strobe/continuous-beam high-intensity floodlaps, Ion-flux stabalizer with alluvial dampers, Gravity-flux compensators, Chedak frequency-agile subspace radio, Imperial coded IFF Transponder, Corellstand C-8 life support system


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Following Jesus
For a few weeks in January and February, I explored five meanings of the gospel of Jesus: humanization, worldview reorientation, community building, shalom spreading, and present/future hope. These hold enormous implications for the status quo, but their impact is only really felt once people decide to embrace Jesus' gospel as their own and follow him wherever he may lead. If we desire a world where every human being's value is expressed and treasured, a world ordered around and comprehended through the radically loving example Jesus, a world where the violence and inequities dividing our relationships--with God, self, others and creation--are restored, a world of peace and justice, a world that is transformed for the common good before our eyes even as we await the day when all will be made new...if we desire this kind of world it will require people who are will to follow Jesus as his disciples.
If there is one major stumbling block in the Christian tradition that trips up our journey into discipleship, it is the baggage around the words 'faith' and 'works.' Somehow through the reformation's struggle to undo abuses in the Church of the time, we reduced both of these terms to opposite methods for acquiring eternal salvation. In that process, their fundamentally inseparable natures became divorced from one another and from the everyday life of people trying to be Jesus' disciples. The result is that we have a wide conceptual gap between 'having faith' and 'being faithful.'
"Following" brings these ideas back together in embodied practice. The choice to follow Jesus is based on some fundamental beliefs about who he is. For the original disciples, following emerged from their faith that he was a Rabbi with a new authoritative teaching of hope (Mark 1:27), that he came to enact the long awaited Jubilee--liberation for the oppressed (Luke 4:18-21), and eventually the convictions that he was the chosen Messiah (Mark 8:29), Lord (Phil 2) and God himself (John 1). To focus on "following" also frees us from believing we ever have Jesus figured out--that we have the right and comprehensive faith vs those other people. Just as the disciples set out after Jesus even though they would not comprehend who he was until after his death, our belief in Jesus is always a journey of ongoing discovery. Jesus continues to surprise us day after day!
Following Jesus meant that the disciples had to drop their nets and embark on a new life modeled after Jesus. To drop the nets was to relinquish a way of life, with its securities and familiarities. Whatever our beliefs are, they form the bedrock for how we live our lives. Believing that Jesus is the stuff listed above (among other things) initiates a holistic transformation of ourselves that does not stop with a shift in eternal destination.
One of the best explanations I have read that reconnects the two sides of belief and action comes from a non-Christian named Paulo Freire, a Brazilian educator and activist, who wrote the following on the true meaning of knowledge:
Knowing, whatever its level, is not the act by which a subject transformed into an object docilely and passively accepts the contents others give or impose on him or her. Knowledge, on the contrary, necessitates the curious presence of subjects confronted with the world. It requires their transforming action on reality. It demands a constant searching. It implies invention and reinvention...In the learning process the only person who really learns is s/he who appropriates what is learned, who apprehends and thereby re-invents that learning; s/he who is able to apply the appropriate learning to concrete existential situations. On the other hand, the person who is filled by another with 'contents' whose meaning s/he is not aware of, which contradict his or her way of being in the world, cannot learn because s/he is not challenged. (Education for Critical Consciousness)
Unfortunately, there are many self-described Christians who function more like receptacles for information. Though they profess Christian sounding doctrines, they have never genuinely encountered these beliefs as a challenge to their "way of being in the world." Such people claim a faith which has never been allowed to actually transform them. But true knowledge--in the sense that Freire describes--of Jesus as one's Lord and Savior is inherently transformative. It necessitates that a person reformulate their point of view and way of life. It is like learning that the building you are in is on fire, or that the person you have secretly been in love with loves you back. Such knowledge simply has to be acted on by its very nature.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer provides a famous account of the Christian life of belief and obedience:
But since he is the Christ, he must make it clear from the start that his word is not an abstract doctrine, but the re-creation of the whole life of man. The only right and proper way is quite literally to go with Jesus. The call to follow implies that there is only one way of believing on Jesus Christ, and that is by leaving all and going with the incarnate Son of God...only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes. (The Cost of Discipleship)
Jill Shook provides an example that hits close to home for many of us:
Luke's gospel emphasizes God's passion for justice for the poor. But that passion involves love for the rich as well. The involvement of the rich with those on the margins of society will be part of their own salvation, not a salvation of works, but of repentance, conversion, and forgiveness that results in justice for the poor. Wealth often stands between us and God. We who are privileged--and that includes almost all of [the readers of this blog]--may think we are knowledgeable and free, but we don't realize how we are blinded by greed and imprisoned in our affluent lifestyle, as in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. (Making Housing Happen: Faith-Based Affordable Housing Models)
In the first weeks of this blog, I spent a lot of time talking about contextual awareness. Why? Because we are so deeply enmeshed in our culture that we often cannot figure out where it diverges from the way of Jesus. We assume that because we listen to Christian music, do not say curse words and are opposed to abortion, we are swimming upstream from the culture. But it is almost never that simple. As Shook points out, this is particularly difficult for those in the majority (often called the "dominant") culture. The culture works for us. It is what has provided us with such an enjoyable lifestyle, so to critique it can be excruciating.
There is no faith and works tension. For Christians, there is only following Jesus which automatically implies both. The first Christians saw this clearly. They recognized that to follow Jesus was to testify to truths which had immediate implications for their lifestyle. This is why in the same breath we read in Acts that "those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need" (Acts 2:41-45). To believe was to inter into a worshipful lifestyle. It was to live in community with the body of Christ. And, often overlooked, the Jubilee Jesus preached about immediately became the socioeconomic lifestyle of the new Christian community as soon as their worldview was transformed through belief in him.
It is true, we will act in accordance with whatever our deepest commitments are. This is why we are reminded that cannot serve two masters. We cannot follow both Jesus and whatever career path will provide the greatest financial stability. We cannot follow both Jesus and the American Dream. We cannot follow both Jesus and a particular political party. We cannot follow both Jesus and whatever it takes to find true love. We cannot follow both Jesus and follow whatever our culture tells us is good. These agendas are not always contrary to one another, but anytime we have a "Jesus + ____" approach to life, the ____ inevitably leads us astray. As a disciple of Jesus, nothing can supersede our allegiance to the true King, there can be no complimentary motivation and no secondary pursuits. We must be willing to follow Jesus alone and trust that that is enough.
Does that sound scary? It's ok. Jesus knew it would as soon as he said it. That's why he offered us encouragement:
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither so nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how the grow, they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ...will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?...But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (6:25-33ish)
Do we believe that these are the words of God? Then "fear not, for behold, [it is] good new of great joy that will be for all the people!" (Luke 2:1)


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Barber County real estate transactions
November 7, 2018
Real Estate Transfers
Book 143 page 534: Heath M. Landwehr, a single man, grantor, conveys unto WWR Land & Cattle LLC, grantee. The south half of the southwest quarter of section 14, township 30 south, range 13 west of 6th PM. The northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 23, township 30 south, range 13 West of the 6th PM The northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 22, township 30 south, range 13 West of 6th PM. Warranty deed.
Book 143 page 356: Teresa J. Clarkson and Dogulas L. Clarkson, her husband, grantors, convey unto Nathan Honas, grantee. Commencing at a poi...
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Mental Health Awareness Week
There has been plenty of information in the news and social media about how this week is Mental Health Awareness Week and it is wonderful that we have such an open opportunity to discuss the importance of our mental health
Storal Learning Manager Away Day 2019
At the end of April, our Nursery Managers and team from Central Support gathered in Birmingham for our very first Manager Away Day. After rapidly growing from 6 to 16 nurseries in the last 12 months, these 2 days were
When babies are born, they have billions of brain cells! These cells are not yet connected into the networks required for thinking, playing and interacting and so their relationship with their main caregiver/parent is key in helping to develop these
Little Parts, Big Adventures!
The theory of Loose Parts has been exciting us as early years practitioners for many years. You may well have noticed the amount of loose parts we have been introducing into the nursery over recent months (if not years!) –
Celebrating Me
With the start of a new year, there is plenty in the media about a "new year, new you"! Maybe, though, it is more about "new year, more you" and having more confidence in who you already are and being


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Wow, ok so last time I checked in here I had such high hopes of being able to blog while being away with work, however you can see that that was a huge fail! I was staying in hotels, one of which you had to pay for wifi (rude! haha) and the other one just didn't have it, so there was no chance of any blogging happening! I do have to say though that it was quite nice to only have snippets of 3G, enough to stay in touch with friends and family but not enough to really get sucked in to scroll holes 😉
For those of you who don't know, I work as a costume assistant for lots of different things, including film, Tv and theatre. For the past two and a half weeks I have been working down in Cornwall.
Anyway, being freelance, these jobs usually become all consuming and tend to take over your life if you're not careful, I have also found in the past that this is also when my ethics and morals towards being sustainable really come under pressure, and I think for most people who have busy jobs and lives this is a really common problem.
With this in mind, I thought it might be an idea to take a look at my time away and have a look at where I failed or succeeded at living sustainably and ethically and where and how It could be improved.
But first, Cornwall!
So dreamy!
Prepping and Packing is where I probably succeeded the most, due to having the luxury of time to plan ahead.
- I knew I would need a good quality all weather coat and managed to purchase a second hand North Face a few weeks in advance.
- I also needed new walking boots as my 10 year old ones finally gave up the ghost. This is where I maybe failed a little as I left it too late to properly do research in to brands. I ended up opting for CAT who are known for being good quality so would be sustainable in that sense. I then also went for something more 'stylish' than practical as again I knew I would ultimately get a lot more use out of them.
- I packed tea bags, a small cafetiere and some ground coffee so I would be able to make myself nice coffee instead of having to buy it daily.
- I also packed a tin water bottle to use everyday and also invested in a new flask. This one (Drink pod) by Pioneer and OMG I couldn't recommend it enough. It kept my drink warm for hours, has a proper seal so I didn't have to worry about just chucking it in my bag if I needed to rush off, but being a cup shape with a handle just felt much nicer than a flask shape. Having both of these items meant I saved using and disposing of anywhere between 3-6 paper cups a day!
- Breakfast and lunch was always provided, in the mornings I would always have porridge that would come in a paper bowl, not as good as china but better than plastic. However there never seemed to be any stainless steel spoons! Only plastic. This is where people probably thought I was a bit weird as I just decided to use a fork instead of wasting a plastic spoon every day.
- Again Lunch would always come in a paper box but with only the option of plastic cutlery so I had to succumb – this might be a thought for the future though to take my own cutlery.
- Dinner is where I failed the most. I ate out a few nights but as that gets expensive fast and living in a hotel with no fridge or cooking implements it gets very difficult. I resorted to pre-made salads a lot of nights which of course come in plastic, so I was not sustainable there in the slightest. Again if I had planned more ahead I may have been able to find better options.
Over all also I just have to mention that I love how this production was actually trying to be more sustainable, as mentioned before, food served in paper not plastic, large water sources provided over individual bottles, and SO many of the crew were wearing Finisterre, there was a Finisterre beanie in every colour 😉 (I think you get them free when you spend over a certain amount) love it!
Anyway I would love other if anyone else has any tips or tricks for staying sustainable while travelling with work?? I feel it's a lot harder as you don't have the luxury of time like you do if you are traveling for leisure!


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Where to Purchase Aniracetam in Canada? Is it Legal?
Aniracetam is a smart drug from the racetam family of cognitive enhancing drugs. Similar to the original racetam, Piracetam, Aniracetam is several times more powerful and has a slightly different mechanism of action. This is why many people like using the two drugs together to create synergy between their effects and their mechanisms. Click here to buy Aniracetam online.
In Canada, obtaining these drugs usually requires ordering them online and having them shipped. Aniracetam is legal in Canada, but restrictions on its sale make it unavailable in most supplement stores.
Aniracetam in Canada
Aniracetam is a cognitive enhancing drug that works to heighten the ability of the user to absorb and assimilate information as well as improving the ability to recall the information later. It works on both short and long term memory by influencing the neurotransmitters acetylcholine and glutamate, chemicals in the brain that govern the formation, storage and recall of memory. Aniracetam's most often reported side effect is headaches, which is thought to be a result of an increased demand of the neurotransmitter in the brain.
Headaches are usually easily treated by adding a good choline supplement. Aniracetam has also shown promise as an anxiety reducer in some users. Other studies indicate that Aniracetam may hold promise for the treatment of cognitive decline due to Alzheimer's disease and other age-related conditions. Read User Reviews of Aniracetam here.
Uses of Aniracetam Capsules
Aniracetam was developed in the 1970s by a pharmaceutical company in Belgium and has been used and studied since its arrival on the market in 1979. It is generally considered safe and non-toxic, with a low incidence of side effects that are generally mild and temporary. It has been tested in both animals and humans experiencing short-term mental impairments as well as longer-term impairments, including patients with Alzheimer's. On the European market, it is sold under the names Memodrin, Draganon, Sarpul, Referan, and Ampamet.
Along with its benefits to memory retention and recall, learning capacity and anxiety, some users report heightened senses, mental energy, motivation, and mood. A few people even reported that their reflexes seemed to be faster and more accurate.
Is Aniracetam Legal in Canada?
In Canada, all prescription drugs are assigned a Drug Identification Number (DIN). All drugs with DIN's are available only with a doctor's prescription. Drugs with DINs pass through government agencies that approve them for use in treating or preventing specific conditions.
Supplements and medications not approved by the appropriate government agency for specific medical uses come under a grey zone in the law. They do not have DINs and do not require a prescription. Aniracetam falls into this category in Canadian law. As with any supplement, it is always a good idea to consult with a doctor, but with many nootropics it is not legally required. Check out our complete guide on the best way to take Aniracetam.
Recommendations for Buying it Online
It is legal to import limited amounts of Aniracetam into Canada for personal use, but residents of Canada who would like to buy Aniracetam typically do so from a reputable online distributor. Customs delays do occasionally occur, but small amounts, enough for a couple of months, do not usually encounter any problems. Users should know that Canadian law prohibits importing the drug for sale or distribution.
Because shipping cost and shipping time are both factors in the cost-effectiveness of Aniracetam, it is generally best to order the supplement from a company in the US. You are strongly advised to check independent websites and read user reviews for purity, fast delivery and overall experience from the companies to ensure that you are dealing with a reputable company.
Many users get the best results taking Aniracetam with food, as it is fat soluble. It is recommended that new users start with a low dose, between 500 and 750 mg per day, split over two to three doses. If Aniracetam is being stacked with one or more other nootropics, the combination will be more powerful and even lower doses are recommended to start, as it will take less of the drugs to achieve the desired result. Aniracetam is available in bulk powder or capsules. Powder is usually less expensive, but having an accurate scale capable of weighing in milligrams is highly recommended.
Final Thoughts: Canadian Aniracetam Laws
Aniracetam is a powerful cognitive enhancing drug that offers the users a number of potential benefits in the areas of memory, learning, recall, focus, motivation, anxiety and depression. Some users experience improved verbal or linguistic fluency, such as those required for writing or public speaking.
It has also been studied as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's and other causes of age-related cognitive decline and has been found to be safe in animal studies. Possible side effects are typically mild, with headache being the most common. Adding a good choline supplement to the nootropic routine can reduce or stop headaches, which can occur with any member of the racetam family, as they increase the brain's demand for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
Canada law allows small amounts of Aniracetam to be imported for personal use without a prescription, but prohibits sale or distribution of the drug. Online companies located in the US are the easiest, fastest and most cost-effective sources of the drug.
Aniracetam – Nootriment
Aniracetam – Nootrico


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What are Orthotics?
Orthoses can help improve the way the foot contacts the ground, by helping align and support the body. They can offload pressure from painful areas, they can help restore your ability to walk, run, and do every day activities with greater comfort. Orthoses can also help:
- Stabilise unstable joints and help prevent falls
- Provide better arch support
- Ease back, hip, knee, heel and big toe pain
- Alleviate foot conditions, such as plantar fasciitis and achilles problems
There is a wide range of insoles to choose from at different price ranges. From simple ready-made pairs, to custom-made pairs that require scans of your feet for the perfect fit.
What options can I choose from?
Custom insoles
We will carefully evaluate your requirements taking into account your particular needs such as the shoes you wear, foot problems you may have, the activities you do etc. We then scan your feet obtaining an accurate 3D surface scan of each foot to produce custom orthotics . The scans along with the completed prescription form is emailed to the manufacturer in Ireland. It can take up to 10 working days to produce and fit a custom orthotic.
Custom orthoses £250 plus £45 appointment fee.
Foot Balance insoles
Custom-moulded Foot Balance insoles can be made whilst you wait in 10-15 minutes. Each insole comes flat and is then heated and custom moulded for each foot to ensure perfect fit and support – no matter your arch type, foot shape or differences between the left and right foot. These full length insoles are ideal for sports shoes, trainers, walking boots, or shoes where the existing insole can be removed and replaced by FootBalance insoles.
Foot Balance insoles can sometimes offer the benefits of custom orthotics at a more affordable price, although they have a much shorter life span than casted. They are not suitable for every foot problem that requires custom orthotics and won't fit all types of footwear.
FootBalance £45 plus £45 appointment fee.
Non customised insoles
Non-customised ready-made insoles may also provide you with an ideal solution. These are ready-made for a general range of shoe sizes. These cost less and might be a good place to start trying to alleviate your foot problems. There can be a great difference between quality and effectiveness. Mass-produced, "one-size-fits-all" orthotics cost less, but do not always properly correct the problem, and in some instances may even cause more problems.
Prices from £22 plus £45 appointment fee.


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It takes a little warming up
Following up to Lance's post, I was struck with the idea of just how many marriages out there just seem to be doing okay. I mean "okay"? Seriously, is that all that you want from life is okay? Are you okay with being mediocre in marriage? Are you okay with being just a mediocre Christian? Are you okay with just okay? Surely God wants more from you. Don't you want more out of life then just okay?
Have you ever heard of the expression of "greasing the wheels?" How about the expression "priming the pump?" Marriage is a lot like that in the sense that you, as spiritual leader have to do more in the marriage then just mediocrity. If you are good at sports, then at some point you had to practice to be better. If you are good at something it is usually not just because you were granted that gift from God that made you great. Even the best of us continually practice and practice until they can practice no more and they still believe that they can make it better.
What if we say that about our wives? What if we decided here and now that our wives will get 2nd Best behind us serving and committing our life to Christ. What if right here and now we said, "Dear Lord, please be Lord over my entire life and I will trust and obey your every precept and desire for my life?", do you think that God will bless a man that said that prayer and repented of his sinful ways. What if we committed in our lives right now that from here on out, that God would be number one, our wives would be number two, our kids (if you have them) will be number three and then our jobs and community would be behind that along with our hobbies and other desires. Imagine with me, just for a moment, what that would look like.
So where do you begin? Any step of leadership you take toward submitting (trusting and obeying) God would be questionable, at best, to your wives. And especially any act of kindness or sincerity toward your wife may be suspect if you have always been disingenuous before in the past. She would probably just think that you are trying to make "nice nice" so you can lure her into your bed. Don't go that route. Instead, just decide here and now that you are going to be a new man in Christ. Ask him each morning to direct your path and to guide your footsteps and to lead you in the way that will bless your marriage, your family and especially your relationship with him.
If you take this step, then we promise that with daily reading of the Word and daily prayers (daily = throughout the day) then you will reap the reward of a great (not an okay) but a great marriage.
Dare to dream, dream to dare and make those dreams a reality by trusting and obeying the very word of God.


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Your wheelbarrow is currently empty.
Jersey is a beautiful place to come and see. With these Royals, we can bring a little bit of Jersey to you. Act fast though because these potatoes come with a very high demand and there is limited stock!
These Jersey Royal New Potatoes are hand planted, grown and picked especially for our customers. They can be roasted or boiled once they arrive - remember to wash off all the dirt, you don't even have to peel the potatoes! Please note that these are fresh potatoes, not to be mistaken for our seed potato varieties.
Mrs W Cheshire: My begonias arrived and I'm absolutely delighted with them! I was very pleased with the packaging and the condition of the plants was excellent!'
Mrs P Belfast: Your packaging is first class and your plants always give me great satisfaction and are admired by many'
Reviews from Spring 2019
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Copyright Gardening Direct
Registered Office: 1st Floor Nelson House, David Place, St Helier, Jersey, JE2 4TD


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Susan shares her respect and love for the aloha Spirit by combining it with crystal therapy to create lei inspired crystal necklaces. Herstory of trauma, anxiety, depression she said hell yes to the unconditional love and support from crystals; our friends rooted in ancient wisdom and strength. These crystal leis are imbued with divine feminine love of protection, inspiration, and divine self-conviction. She wishes we feel our divine power and fulfill our true wishes come true. She is honored and grateful to be of service at the San Francisco Psychic Fair fam. Come visit her and the gang!
Susan Coral Lee enjoys being student, educator, writer, dancer, and friend. Her support style includes self-actualization support with body care, and divination education/cheerleading! She is certified colon hydrotherapist, lymphatic drainage facilitator, and soon to be detoxification specialist. She loves animals and earth.
"In Hawaiian tradition, these garlands (leis) were worn by ancient Hawaiians to beautify themselves and distinguish themselves from others. Among other sacred uses, it was used to signify a peace agreement between opposing Chiefs. A lei should be a welcomed celebration of one persons affection to another. Anyone can wear one anytime – there need not be an occasion. It is perfectly fine for one to purchase or make a lei for themselves"


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Please fill out the form below and we will be in touch to arrange a visit.
The role of a prefect is incredibly important to the working life of the whole school and the selection process is rigorous. All prefects have their own individual roles which range from being a Charities Prefect to a Head of House or Head of Year. These roles include leading various different groups, organising whole school events and ensuring that students are motivated and involved. As the Heads of School, we lead the prefect team, provide feedback to the Headmaster and Head of Sixth Form weekly and play an active role in whole school events.
The responsibility of being a prefect enables you to develop and improve upon a multitude of core skills. These include having the confidence to stand up and lead a team, the ability to speak in public and the enthusiasm to motivate other students. The role of a prefect is highly demanding yet incredibly rewarding and something that we would urge all students to aim for in their forthcoming years at Silcoates.
Abbey Crowther and Liam Webb, Heads of School 2018-19


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Google Center of Excellence
Our Google specialists help you in developing the right skills and knowledge within every part of the organization. We provide a solid training program for different levels of skills and for different roles. From inspirational workshops to a full in-house digital academy to build a future-proof marketing organization.
We offer training and workshops in the following systems:
- Google Marketing Platform
- Display & Video 360
- Campaign Manager
- Search Ads 360
- Creative Studio
- Google Tag Manager 360
- Google Analytics 360
- Optimize 360
- Data Studio 360
- Data Transfer Files
- BigQuery
Read more on Google Marketing Platform about how we can aid in building on all opportunities Google Marketing Platform offers.


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"Jet 2, play Jess Glynne one more time - I dare you"
Airline Jet2 have responded after an increased number of complaints from passengers with regards to the repeated plays of 'Hold My Hand' by Jess Glynne on their flights.
The company have been using the hit single from her massive-selling 2015 album 'I Cry When I Laugh' extensively during recent advertising campaigns, and on their flights too.
However, a great many have taken to social media to complain about hearing it so frequently during flights.
"That Jess Glynne song on Jet 2 planes makes me wanna smash my head against the window," wrote one passenger. Another added: "The worst thing about flying with Jet 2 is having to hear jess Glynne about six times."
See just a few of the many complaints on Twitter below.
In response, a Jet2 spokesperson told NME: "Our 'Hold My Hand' concept is very popular with customers, and we receive a huge amount of positive feedback about both the advert and the song."
Following on her 2015 3xPlatinum-selling debut album 'I Cry When I Laugh', the Clean Bandit collaborator will drop her anticipated second album 'Always In Between' on September 21 – ahead of a massive UK and Ireland arena tour.
Glynne's upcoming tour dates are below. Tickets are available here.
Saturday August 4 – BEDFORD Bedford Park
Thursday November 15 – GLASGOW SSE Hydro
Saturday November 17 – MANCHESTER Arena
Sunday November 18 – BIRMINGHAM Genting Arena
Tuesday November 20 – LONDON O2
Wednesday November 21 – BRIGHTON Centre
Saturday November 24 – NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Metro Radio Arena
Sunday November 25 – LEEDS first direct Arena
Tuesday November 27 – DUBLIN 3Arena
Thursday November 29 – CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
Friday November 30 – NOTTINGHAM Motorpoint Arena


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Jim Filippi Joins RE/MAX Gold
October 24, 2018
This just in: another outstanding agent has joined RE/MAX Gold to be a part of the #1 independently owned real estate company in California! Please help us welcome Jim Filippi to our Vacaville office!
"I joined RE/MAX Gold because I wanted to be a part of the #1 brand in real estate!"—Jim Filippi
Previously with Lionsgate Real Estate Group, Jim joins RE/MAX Gold with 14 years of experience in the real estate world. He enjoys working with first-time home buyers, as well as those looking to move up. Jim has also earned an SFR designation, giving him the knowledge to provide excellent support on short sales and foreclosures.
In addition to his seasoned career in real estate, Jim has quite the resume when it comes to academia; he has a Bachelor's degree in both Business Administration and Law, and is currently completing his final year of law school to earn a juris doctor degree.
Jim is a very active member within his Vacaville community. He is an Honorary Commander at Travis Air Force Base, in addition to serving as a Law Enforcement Liason to the Nor Cal Concerns of Police Survivors.
Contact Jim Filippi directly at (707) 880-2555 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
RE/MAX Gold sells more homes each year than any other independently owned real estate brokerage in California, with 62 offices in 19 counties to serve you.


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Taapsee Pannu, who is a nondrinker, in actuality, has turned down an offer to embrace an alcohol brand. She says she declined to be connected with the brand as she wouldn't like to proliferate utilization of liquor. The Baby on-screen character included that she is fastidious about brand supports as she feels they are an augmentation of her identity.
I have dependably been mindful of the brands and items I underwrite in light of the fact that I think it assists my gathering of people with forming a picture of how I am in genuine. I just embrace items I utilize or have faith in. What's more, this alcohol mark certainly doesn't include in that rundown and I was really astonished that it came to me at the lead position. It's without a doubt not an item I would ever support in light of the fact that I am a nondrinker, as well as in light of the fact that I would prefer not to spread the utilization of the item.
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Why I'm getting married "so young"
I love this question. I think it's so funny. My favorite thing about it is the group of people who ask it. You know the ones, the older generation who complains about the younger generation that spends the entirety of their lives in their phones. Yep, it's just always made me laugh. When it's asked, my response is simple. "Why not?" It's more or less a response I guess you could say. But, it poses the better question. Why shouldn't I get married at my age? I also usually follow it up with a "How old were you when you got married?" They'll usually tell me they were 18 or so but "times were different." Or, it's the people your own age asking you very skeptically, and typically following it up with "don't you want to experience life, date people, go on adventures, find yourself?" My answer to that in the most generic sense: "No." I'd rather go on adventures with my husband, and I already know myself. (That phrase "Finding yourself" has always annoyed me, but that's a different story.) Well, here's my breakdown and my response as to why I'm getting (why I got) married so young.
1. The Foundation
Every relationship is unique. You're putting together two completely different humans with completely different upbringing and backgrounds together to form a bond. I see so much that can go wrong with relationships given all those factors. What truly makes a relationship different is it's foundation. We built our foundation on God. I'm super grateful that Carson and I grew up pretty similar with the values and morals we were taught to uphold, so for us, it was simple. I think it's very important to begin any relationship with aligning those things that are important to you. Such as convictions, morals, beliefs, etc. Lay it all out on the table. Figure it out before you dive in. I believe that with the Lord at the center of your relationship is really the key ingredient for success. Success doesn't mean butterflies and roses throughout the relationship, but it means strength and growth, and a bond that only grows mightier as we both pursue him together. (Which makes going through the dips and pot holes of life a lot easier.) So, in short, we've built our relationship on mutual understanding and respect and love of the Lord.
2. I Found My Best Friend
Oh my gosh, I'm so cliche' aren't I? Meh, maybe but it's just true. Carson is just that. He's my best friend. Who doesn't want to hang out with their best friend forever? I know i'm not the only one. Carson and I just have a way of understanding each other, and enjoying all of the moments. The dull ones, the silent ones, the loud ones, the exciting ones, they're all significantly more meaningful when you spend them with the one person you adore and love most. Before I met Carson, I remember this moment one time I was in California on the beach. I was standing there just staring out at the horizon as the waves covered my toes. The question posed "Who are you thinking of when you stare at the ocean." in that moment of me answering my own question, I was perplexed and a little sad because I knew I didn't know him yet. But now, everytime I look at the ocean, you know who I'm thinking of.
3. My Life's Purpose
I always grew up wanting a family. And to my knowledge, I thought that's what everyone wanted. As I get a little older, I realize that's not everyone's plan, but it's always remained mine. I had an amazing example of marriage growing up and I just always knew I wanted that. I loved the relationship between my siblings and I, and I love how much support and love and encouragement was cultivated inside our home. I want to replicate that in our life for our kids. As excited as I am for our family to grow, that's just one purpose of my life. I believe that God blesses every person with some sort of talent, or gift so that we may use it for his glory! Carson and I being married so young is so special to me because it allows us to pursue and learn about each other's gifts together and ultimately encourage each other to use them and grow in them. for the short while we've been married, I've grown more in love with him and his gifts and passions, and I get so excited at the thought of the amazing things that we're capable of doing together. So, in summary- I believe my life purpose is to find my talents, use them, grow a family to love Christ and to continue building a strong, passionate marriage. That purpose encompasses so much, and I'm so grateful I get to do it next to my husband, my best friend.


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Salon Media Group, publisher of online magazine Salon.com, Thursday said it will get $2.5 million in private funding, including cash from the retired chief exec of Adobe Systems and the chief exec of WR Hambrecht.
Company also announced cost-reduction moves, including layoffs of 14 employees. Salon has been hit hard by the souring online advertising economy. In May, it disclosed that it had only $3 million in cash and cash equivalents as of March 31. Salon shares closed Thursday at 44¢, down 97% from a record $15 high in July 1999.


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Give us a call now @ 614-763-6382 For a FREE quote or to set up a FREE Color Consultation! So long as the Property is within our great state of OHIO, we will come to you! Or fill out our instant quote form on the right. We thank you for your business and we look forward to working with you.


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For every couple preparing to say "I do," where those vows are exchanged should be just as memorable and magical as the wedding date itself. Couples looking for a rustic, beautiful, year-round locale for their wedding ceremony need look no further than Gordon County, Ga.
Just 45 minutes from Chattanooga, Tenn., an hour from Atlanta, and located along Interstate 75, Gordon County is a convenient, classically Southern community teeming with natural beauty, modern amenities and small town charm.
"From beautiful buildings offering all-inclusive packages to gorgeous landscapes with scenic views, Gordon County boasts an array of wedding venues for intimate and large groups," said Sarah Husser, director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau for the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce. "Traditional or outside the box, we can accommodate your needs."
From the city of Calhoun to the banks of the Coosawattee River and the southernmost reaches of the Appalachians, Gordon County has something for every couple.
Here is a selection of places to say "I do" in and around Gordon County:
2400 On the River
One of the newest and most popular places to get married in Gordon County is 2400 On the River, a sprawling 28-acre property that opened in 2011.
"It is a beautiful atmosphere on the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains," Husser said.
The venue features an 8,700 square foot barn equipped with a cowboy saloon-style bar, a player piano, doors and windows dating to the 1800s, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, a barn side porch and an open air timber-framed pavilion overlooking the Coosawattee River. There is seating space for 270 and standing room for 299 inside the barn, with seating for 300 and standing room for 395 in the pavilion.
The property at large features several gazebos overlooking a 5-acre lake and the Coosawattee, an antique bronze fountain with horses at the center, a thousand daffodils and more than 200 trees that breathe life to any event.
Other locations similar to 2400 On the River to consider include Yarborough Mill, home to an 1885 Victorian house built in Queen Anne style overlooking a gristmill, and Copper Creek Farm, which has props for photographs including a 1940 John Deere Tractor, old whiskey barrels, an Amish wagon and a bridge that spans the width of the creek.
Cedar Hill
Located on Nelson Lake, Cedar Hill is a waterfront venue hidden within 200 acres of private land. Wedding ceremonies may be held on the lake peninsula, with dockside cocktails and the reception held in a lakeside wedding tent. Cedar Hill offers both all-inclusive wedding packages and venue-only reservations with 'a la carte' add-ons.
The Velo Vineyard
Also in downtown Calhoun, the Velo Vineyard can play host to weddings and other events with around 100 guests. The Velo Vineyard features an in-house caterer and DJ, both of whom may be hired independently for ceremonies at other locations.
More to do and see in Gordon County
For any bride, groom or wedding party member looking to stretch his or her legs during a Northwest Georgia wedding weekend, Gordon County offers plenty of destinations to enrich the experience. From the Calhoun outlets to boutiques and antiques in downtown Calhoun, to the Harris Arts Center, there is ample shopping in the area. History-loving visitors may visit the battlefield historic site where the Battle of Resaca was fought during the Civil War, plus the nearby Resaca Confederate Cemetery and the Fort Wayne historic site. Calhoun is also home to the New Echota Historic Site, a Georgia State Park museum that memorializes the Cherokee nation and tells the story of the Trail of Tears.
Learn more about Gordon County, Ga., and discover other wedding venues by visiting the Gordon County Convention and Visitors Bureau online.


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Michael Reyes is a lifelong Chicagoan with a larger than life personality that is highlighted by his passion for real estate. He is recognized for his integrity, perseverance and the exemplary service he provides his clients. With 18 years in the Money Service Business, Michael adds a distinct expertise and extensive knowledge of financial, contractual, and customer service experience. He gently walks clients through the entire process, is a strong advocate for them, and ensures that the client is fully confident in their decision. Along with his hard work, drive and determination, Michael proves to be an unsurpassed choice for anyone ready to buy or sell a home. When working with Michael, you are getting more than a real estatte agent, you are getting a Realtor who cares. Michael immediately puts his clients at ease and alleviates much of the home buying/selling stress with his honest and friendly approach.
"It is an honor to write a review for the man that helped my dream of becoming a homeowner true! He took the time necessary to really listen to me and assess my needs and worked hard to ensure I got just what I was looking for! He was caring, considerate, knowledgeable, loyal, in-tune, great listener, balanced, wise, skillful, timely, always reachable, great communicator and dedicated to helping me find the home of my dreams. He helped me focus in on what I really wanted while challenging me to think outside of the box. Always was available to answer any questions I had no matter how silly it was and that definitely made this a smooth and easy process (not scary as I thought it would be). He instilled a new confidence in me as a homeowner and investor and I look forward to working with him again soon as I plan to continue investing in property (cause I really actually miss working with him-he made it a very enjoyable experience and I learned a lot)! Michael's definitely a valued mentor, friend and part of the family now!" - Ilianna (buyer)
"I spoke with Michael months before actively searching for our home and he set me up with a MLS search in the areas I was interested in so I could start to get a feel for what was out there. He kept me up to date so that it would be an easy transition for me once I was ready to actively look. Once I was actively searching and visiting homes he was there with me every step of the way, working diligently with my budget and time constraints. Michael was able to calm all my fears and concerns while walking me through each step of the process. I fell in love with many homes throughout the search but within a month Michael helped us find the perfect home for our family." - Laura (buyer)
"Michael Reyes was my listing agent for the recent sell of my loft. He walked me through the process and explained in detail, especially things I didn't 'get'. Friendly, helpful and always had my best interest in mind from beginning to end. He makes the process easier and more fun. I will recommend him and will use him again when I need to purchase or sell a home." - Carol (seller)
"The service and customer service that Michael offers are unparalleled. He is an awesome guy and I HIGHLY recommend him to anyone searching for a place to live in the Chicagoland Area." - Lindsey (buyer)
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What if you could get great web page hosting that gave you all kinds of flexibility, and saved you money at the same time? The longer your website is available online, the more profits you'll be able to make, so choosing a web host which is reliable is key. Higher cost with more features is often better than a low cost site with very few benefits.
Frequent Outages
Avoid web hosts that have a great deal of down time. Companies that have frequent outages, even if they can explain them away, are not good choices because they should have made changes to resolve underlying outage causes. Frequent outages are an indicator of an unprofessional service you should not commit to.
As soon as you find something about a host that you don't like, start looking for a replacement. If your first choice turns out to be problematic, you'll be able to move quickly without having to start your search from scratch.
When you choose a hosting company, select one that resides in the specific country of the audience you are targeting. For example, if your targeted traffic consists of people who reside in Europe, you should try to obtain your hosting service through a company that has servers located throughout Europe.
Service charges from hosting providers can be related to the amount of traffic that is coming to your website. Ask your host how your bill will be computed. You may find that you are going to be billed a flat rate or based on the traffic that your site experiences.
It's common for your web host to recommend that you back up your data. It's important to do this, because you need to ensure your data is safe for compliance and strategic reasons. You will still have your website if anything were to totally crash.
Does the web host offer your money back guaranteed? Canceling your service should be your right if you aren't satisfied with what you signed up for within 30 days. Many web hosts seem good but don't live up to the hype.
Remember that you often get what you pay for with free hosting sites. Most free hosts require your site to carry ads. Moreover, you usually don't have any input on the types of advertisements that show up. Also, random advertisements on your site can make it look more unprofessional.
Be cautious of scammers and hidden fees. They may have low prices, but then they add on fee after fee. Make sure you take the time to find out exactly what the hosting plan would include, and be aware of what features you need for your own personal site to run. Pick the plan which offers you exactly what you need for a price you can afford.
Linux and Windows are both popular platforms, and each is used individually by many web hosts. This means you will have access to different features and have to get used to them. Linux hosting is typically much cheaper than Windows-based services, and might result in a cheaper monthly hosting bill for your web site.
Before purchasing a hosting plan, take a look at their site and examine it carefully. You can recognize a good website by the resources available on different features. Do your research and discover what benefits you will receive as a client, including additional resources and tutorials.
Choose a website hosting service that has redundancy, or multiple ways to connect to the Internet. If your web host only has one connection to the Internet, this can be risky due to the fact that if it goes offline, your website will also go offline. You must be certain that there is enough available bandwidth and adequate connections to ensure the best performance.
Don't make a hosting decision without checking customer reviews of the companies you are considering. People who have previously used the service or who still use it make much better references than the company itself and will provide you with a more trustworthy review.
For many websites, the add-on features offered by different website hosting providers are unnecessary. For example, most blogs and small businesses do not need unlimited storage. Opting in for that feature merely adds expense without increasing value. For many people, these additional features only give the hosting company additional profits and really are not needed.
Hosting Company
Check for hidden fees for events such as cancellation in your contract. You might find that your website hosting company's service isn't up to your standards a few weeks into using it. You might come across steep cancellation fees if you attempt to cancel services with a web hosting company. This is very common, especially if you used a lower priced hosting company. Make sure you know what the consequences will be of ending a contract early.
You now have the basic tools required to separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to website hosting. Choosing the right provider will take some research and comparison. Use the tips above to expedite your search and find the hosting service that can take your business to the next level.


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Alaura & Josh // Elegant March Wedding
When I first had coffee with Alaura discussing her wedding plans, I could already tell that her wedding day was going to be something so special and filled with sentiment. Then I met Josh at the beginning of their engagement session; seeing Alaura and Josh together was so precious, that I knew this would be one of the most genuine and heart-felt weddings I will go to. Sure enough, it was.
Alaura and Josh got married at a beautiful church in Plymouth - seriously, I'm obsessed with the front of the church! Waiting to see each other until Josh's bride walked down the aisle made all eyes teary inside the sanctuary. The party continued at the Brooklyn Park Activity Center. Speeches, a conga-line, one of the funniest garter dances, and a rockin' dance party all made for a great time!
I hope you all enjoy the preview of Alaura & Josh's wedding day!
the WEDDING team :
Bride's & Bridesmaids Dresses: The Wedding Shoppe
Ceremony Location: Plymouth Apostolic Lutheran Church
Dessert Source: Cupcakes -- Tales of a Two AM Baker & Wedding Cake -- Taste of Love Bakery
DJ: Midwest Sound
Hairstylist: Abbey Lantz
Makeup Artist: Olivia O'Neill
Reception Location: Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center
Floral: Florals by Claire
Groom & Groomsmen attire: Savvi Formalwear


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Sometimes trying to come up with new ideas (or even just trying to piece a few ideas into a coherent thought) can be REALLY overwhelming. When I decided that I was ready to start getting my stuff "out there," I had NO CLUE where to start! I have been VERY fortunate to have met some REALLY awesome people AND make some REALLY good friends along my journey as a blogging mom. Of these moms, there is one that has really helped support me and motivate me to keep on pushing when I feel like there is no point. Spending hours on the phone, texting, and emailing has really helped build our business relationship, as well as our friendship and we BOTH REALLY look forward to teaming up to bring you guys some AWESOME stuff in the future, BEYOND IBW!!
Who, you may ask, am I referring to? None other than my friend Ms. Lindsay Mac from TONED AFTER TWINS.
"What started as a personal blog to motivate myself to get back into shape after having twins, turned into an awesomely supportive community of individuals on their own health and fitness journey! This page isn't just for new moms looking to get their body back after baby- but for any and every one who wants to live a healthier lifestyle! Together, we can inspire, motivate and hold each other accountable on our way to reaching our goals!"
What makes Lindsay such a special addition to the team??? Well SHE JUST HAD A BABY!!! Sweet Emme Lain joined us August 25, 2014 at 11:15 am. Lindsay shares her AMAZING birth story HERE about her successful VBAC and experiences with both the twins AND Emme.
Lindsay reached out to me a while back wanting to know about wearing her baby, and now not only is she finding the same love for it as I have with my girls, she taking it a step farther! Be sure to stay tuned for IBW 2014 (10/5-11) and see what we are up to!
Welcome Lindsay! I knew we would wreck havoc together one day!!!!! <3
(I really do owe this momma more thanks then I can give her!)


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Literature for Life: The Empathetic Writings of Mark Haddon
On this month's Literature for Mind we look at Mark Haddon who became popular with his bestselling novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. We will see what curious 19th century Romance novel influenced his most popular book and the important lesson he learned from writing children's books. In this week's recommendation section, we will look at four personal, humorous, non-fiction books that tries to expand how we think about culture.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was many people's first introduction to Mark Haddon. The 2003 novel, self-described by the main character as being about, "a mathematician with behavioral difficulties", has become a seminal novel for many about children with Asperger's. But, that description has troubled many in the Asperger's community and even Haddon himself.
Haddon has never been interested in realistic portrayals, no matter how much weight is put on his first "adult" novel. Empathy is what Haddon places the most importance of. One influential writer that has played a key role in Haddon's literary career has been Jane Austen, whose Pride and Prejudice was considered a major influence for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. In a piece written by Haddon in The Guardian, he wrote, "Jane Austen writes about these humdrum lives with such empathy that they seem endlessly fascinating." It is empathy that has served as the through line throughout his career.
Mark Haddon was born in 1962 in Northampton, England. His introduction to the literary world weren't writing novels but for children's literature. Haddon's first published work was the picture book Gilbert's Gobstopper because he knew he could self-illustrate and thought that children's books would be easier to do than a full on novel. In the children's literature, Haddon became most known for a series of comical books called Agent Z. These books describe a collective of teens who create an alter-ego to combat teenage boredom.
The difficulty of children's literature has served as important lessons that Haddon has taken to his other works. "It's not about you. No one wants to know how clever you are." He has taken that same philosophy into his writing for adults. The only difference for Haddon between picture books and adult novels is that he has to figure out a way to condense 50,000 words into a tidy, digestible 500, which is harder than it may sound.
In 2003, Haddon's first novel became a best-selling sensation. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time fell into the sweet spot as being as appealing and beloved by teens as it was for adults. The novel takes a first-person narrative of a teenager with Asperger's-like symptoms as he tries to solves a mystery of a dog that was murdered. The book's simple precise language to simulate the thoughts of that character. The book came about as a challenge Haddon had wanted to place upon himself. At the time, he had already written many unpublished novels. For this particular one, he just began writing a story that entertained himself without the crutch of writing a straight genre piece his children's literature has been.
The book went on to win many literary awards including the Whitebread Book of the Year and many end-of-the-year best of lists. The book has gone on to become a play on Broadway, winning the Tony Award for Best New Play in 2013 and has been tapped by Brad Pitt's film production company to be made into a film by Harry Potter screenwriter Steve Kloves. The novel has even begun appearing in school's English curriculum.
The novel's appeal to all ages because it means different things for different people. For children, it presented a worldview of a character that is recognizable and relatable. The lead character, Christopher J. Boone, is a teenager who has the world's pressures on his shoulders without ever recognizing it; whether it is pushed upon him by adults or his own disabilities. For adults, the novel speaks to the difficulty of communicating with a character who cannot lie. Yet, despite Boone being the one with the social disorder, it is everyone else who if only they were honest there would be no book.
It could have been easy for Haddon to ride the wave of success to write books that are thematically similar to The Curious Incident, but Haddon decided to follow up his massive best seller with a book of poetry. The Talking Horse and the Sad Girl and the Village Under the Sea was a collection of poems that continued Haddon's streak of unwieldly long titles. The collection of poems garnered negative reviews. A Spot of Bother, released in 2006, was follow up novel about a hypochondriac also had mixed reviews upon its release. His most recent novel The Red House also did not see the same success both commercially and critically as his first novel. His take on the English country-side novel was described by the New York Times as, "Alan Bennett as rendered by Pixar."
It seems as if Haddon's most successful work in recent years has been his short stories. He has been regularly appearing in print and online in The New Yorker magazine, joining a league of a canonical authors such as JD Salinger and David Foster Wallace. His last published work, released earlier this year, is a collection of short stories called Pier Falls has received the best reviews of his work since The Curious Incident.
Haddon's popularity has to be attributed to the way he is able to connect with his readers. Many critics has pointed towards Haddon's empathy in his novels as if it is a bad thing but Haddon is a writer with no pretension. He comes from the philosophy that books are not about insights from the author but to help facilitate insights within the reader.
In reference to the best books, Haddon writes, "Reading is a conversation. All books talk. But a good book listens as well."
But What if We're Wrong; Thinking About the Past as if it Were the Present by Chuck Klosterman
Chuck Klosterman is the premiere pop culture essayist working today. He has written everywhere from Grantland to The New York Times Magazine. His latest collection of essay is focused around the topic of looking at the present in the context of history. Too often people think about the present as the pinnacle but that can often be too short sighted. Klosterman uses his uniquely personal style of writing mixed in with interviews from intellectuals such as Junot Diaz and Neil DeGrasse Tyson to pontificate on modern day culture and what would survive 500 years from now. The book is extremely funny and reads like the best bar conversation you can have with your smartest friends.
Modern Romance: An Investigation by Aziz Ansari
Usually humor books by prominent comedians follow the same format. It is a collection of comical musings on life and maybe a brief memoir, here and there. Aziz Ansari, actor/comedian of note in shows such as Parks and Recreation and Master of None, has written a Masters Level thesis paper on the modern dating scene in the style of the typical humor book written by a comedian. Ansari teamed up with an NYU sociology professor, Eric Klinenberg to figure out how dating has changed from a generation ago until now with the onset of internet culture. This book is a holistic, non-judgmental take on what it takes to make it in the Tinder dating scene and what people are looking for. I have already recommended this book to several of my single friends.
Your Favorite Band is Killing Me by Steven Hyden
This is the second Grantland writer on the list (I miss that site). Steven Hyden, a music critic who has written for the aforementioned Grantland and the A.V. Club, attempts to use prominent music rivalries in the past 50 years as way to look at what it means for culture. He takes a holistic approach to pop culture to critique the bigger questions that manifests from it. This is a smartly written collection of essays that shows that pop culture is not as insular as people make it seems. It draws on the importance of conversations such as The Beatles or the Rolling Stones as saying something about the people who often engage themselves in those conversations.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates is not simply a writer. He is a thinker. He is a poet. In this book written as a letter to his son trying to explain the world of race and being an African American male in the modern age. Very quickly, this book has joined the pantheon of African American writings along with the works of Richard Wright and James Baldwin. This book was not written to be an explanation of race to people who do not experience it (despite all those who have used it as such). Instead, it is a deeply personal book without filter that is imbued in anger, frustration and fear that despite the long struggle there is still a long way to go. Between the World and Me is going to be a book that is talked about for years to come.