text:
The side effect of great writers is that, whether you like it or not, they usually get you thinking about something. What you're reading now was supposed to be a review of Action Comics #9, which had me thinking "how did this get printed," until David Brothers planted another notion in my mind.
I dropped about 700 words on the latest issue of Action that boiled down to "this is what Grant Morrison writing Superman should be" and "how the hell did DC fire Chris Roberson over his legitimate criticism of their business practices and then publish a very thinly veiled allegory for their treatment of Siegel and Shuster?"
It's a damn fine comic, one that you really ought to give a read (the review would've been a solid 5/5). The backup by Cully Hamner and Sholly Fisch was a beautiful encore and the perfect example of what a backup should be. It was a comic I was happy to spend $4 on.
Out of those 700 words, a few of them were "Gene" and "Ha," with maybe a dozen or so others pertaining to the work he did on the page. It was easily less than ten percent of what I was writing.
And that's why you're reading this right now instead of a review.
I read a fair bit of comics journalism, or whatever you'd like to call the stuff that's written about comics, and it's depressing to realize just how little of it discusses art for more than a paragraph. Brothers called out CBR, but it seems like a trend that's prevalent across most comics discussion, whether it's on the Internet, at the conventions, or among friends at the local comic shop.
Part of the problem can be that writing and talking about art isn't always particularly easy, especially in comparison to writing about writing, a skill beaten into me throughout the bulk of my education; writing about the writing just comes naturally now, to the point that I sometimes find myself tripping over words and using almost worthless adjectives like "pretty" when describing art unless I try incredibly hard to articulate what it is I'm feeling.
It's still not the greatest excuse though, and it's one that I'll be trying very hard to ditch. Brothers hands out some useful advice that I'll be doing my best to follow; even if you don't write about comics, take this to heart when reading about them:
"Listen, here's a challenge to everyone who writes reviews, especially if you do this lazy words-first thing. Find a comic you like. Write a review that's predominately about the art, and leave one short paragraph toward the end for the writing. Talking about art isn't hard. You look at it, you examine how it makes you feel and how it portrays the action on the page. Take a close look and find something you like, and then talk about why you like it.
This is simple, and if you're writing about comics, you should be able to do this. You don't have to be fluent at art. You just have to be conversational. Comics is a visual medium. There are words, yes, but when you open a page, the first thing you see is the pictures. So how about you pay attention and talk about the pictures in something more than a perfunctory manner?"
So, why am I making such a big deal about this? Mostly because it's been rubbing me the wrong way for a while now. Not just the comics journalism, though, that's merely a symptom of the bigger problem: the industry's devaluing the role of the comic book artist further and further. For all the claims of comics being a collaborative medium, folks seem to think anymore that that means a writer writes the story and an artist illustrates what's been written.
I'm not going to be naïve here; there are almost certainly some artist/writer relationships that work exactly that way. However, some of the best, most famous comics come from a partnership, rather than being birthed out of this dictatorial relationship: Gibbons/Moore, Kirby/Lee, Quitely/Morrison, and many, many more.
I think many fans know this, at least on some level. They're aware of the Marvel Method, for instance, but they don't really seem to think about it all that much when they talk about or purchase comics.
Fans cry out in favor of or opposition to Alan Moore regarding Before Watchmen, yet don't really seem to care much about what Dave Gibbons thinks. It's something in the language we use, and it really ought to stop. It's not as simple as changing "Morrison's We3" to "Quitely and Morrison's We3," though that's certainly a start.
Did you notice that I've been listing the artist first in all of the collaborations? Did you ever notice before that they seem to always be credited second?
Even Jack "The King" Kirby takes second billing to Stan Lee (take your pick of the popular Lee/Kirby or Stan & Jack).
Hell, I can't think of a single time that a collaborative work has been referred to as having the team of Artist/Writer instead of Writer/Artist. The first name you see, the name you attribute that book to, is that of the writer, despite the necessity of art to the medium. And if you think that the order doesn't matter, look back to the controversy when Paul McCartney credited some songs that had once been Lennon/McCartney as McCartney/Lennon.
Up to this point, I've focused mostly on language and how we treat artists in our discussion of comics, because it's something that is at the forefront of what we do here at the Bulletin. We try pretty hard to make sure that every review credits everyone
responsible for making the comic. Additionally, while it can be difficult, language is also something that we, comics writers, fans, and professionals, can actually have a hand in changing.
I suppose this does relate back to Action Comics #9 and Grant Morrison's philosophy on the power of words influencing ideas and the world.
The language we use isn't the only problem though.
Daredevil shipped twelve issues in a mere eight months, a frequency that even the swiftest artist would have trouble keeping up with. The count jumps to fifteen issues in the same amount of time if you include the direct tie-ins in three other titles. Someone at Marvel seems to have said "why are we only releasing this book once a month," throwing consistency out the window. And the fans have eaten it all up.
Don't think I'm judging you either; I'm one of those fans. Waid's writing has been at the top of his game with Marcos Martin, Paolo Rivera, Kano, Khoi Pham, Marco Checchetto, and Chris Samnee bringing their best work, too. Daredevil is easily one of the best comics being produced by Marvel or DC and it would look beautiful and uniform if Rivera and Martin were kept on as the main art team. That's not to discredit the remaining artists who have worked on the book, either, but it's pretty obvious that the only motivation behind switching the artists was churning out more issues, more quickly.
Now, Daredevil editor Stephen Wacker defended the artist swapping amongst not really getting the point of the criticism, indicating that Marcos Martin was moving on to different things, but that doesn't explain how we've gone from Rivera and Martin to Kano to Pham to Checchetto to Samnee. As far as I can tell, there's not a particularly good thematic reason for the changes.
It happened with Uncanny X-Force and Hickman's arcs on Fantastic Four and Future Foundation too, as well as some Marvel titles I've not been reading. DC's guilty of it too, though theirs seems to be mostly in the goal of shipping monthly books or dealing with delays, which at least seems a little bit less sinister than double-shipping comics and switching artists to accommodate this.
The worst part, though, is that one of DC's most critically acclaimed series of the last decade, All-Star Superman shipped four issues a year to accommodate Frank Quitely's schedule. There is evidence that great things can come out of a wonderful collaboration, but it's at the cost of delayed profits.
It was Brothers who brought this to my attention and he also gave the perfect example of a rotating art team done right: Prophet. While Brandon Graham is writing the stories, the series is set to have at least four different artists in its first year (Simon Roy, Farel Dalrymple, Graham himself and Giannis Milonogiannis), with each one depicting very different perspectives of the universe that Prophet takes place in; perspectives that suit their individual art and storytelling styles.
What's more, on Graham and Roy's second issue, Roy's got a writer credit too, because they collaborated on the story.
Do you see the difference? How one of these processes treats the artist as an easily replaceable cog in a machine and the other looks at them as a unique aspect of the comics that we all know and love? That's not to say that Image and other creator-owned books are without sin; a quick glance at the Tony Moore/Robert Kirkman lawsuit is enough to see that even the independent comics scene has issues with how they treat their artists, but they certainly seem to have their heads on much straighter than the folks at Marvel and DC.
The treatment of artists in the comics industry, from the unintentional slights by readers and journalists to the way they are regarded as commodities by the corporations that publish their comics, can be pretty depressing. Brothers gave up on the Big Two for reasons that I completely understand and sympathize with. I don't see myself quitting corporate comics anytime soon, though. I'm not about to tell you to quit buying the comics you love, but do give some thought to the artists.
I also feel it would be incredibly hypocritical of me not to mention the stellar effect that the right inkers, colorists and letterers can have on a comic. It feels pretty wrong to have this just as a footnote too. The best inkers can turn mediocre art into brilliance, the best colorists can turn simple illustrations into beautiful art and the portfolio of John Workman should be enough to show you that the right letterer can give a story a vastly different feel than just typing everything in Comic Sans.
David Fairbanks doesn't get many things right the first time. He studied physics in college, loves science, music, comics, poetry, movies, books, and education pertaining to all of the above. He will talk your ear off about Grant Morrison and Ben Folds, has an indie bookshelf larger than his Marvel, DC and Vertigo ones combined and if he ever actually grows up, more than anything else, he wants to still be happy as an "adult," whatever that is.
Mostly self-indulgent ramblings can be found at @bairfanx and untilsomethingbreaks.blogspot.com.


text:
In all the games save for Pokémon Gold and Silver, and their respective remakes, as well as Pokémon Crystal, talking to player's mother heals injured Pokémon as would a Pokémon Center. In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, as well as Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the player's mother will take a percentage of your income from defeating trainers and save it. Occasionally, she will spend some of the saved up money on decorations, berries, or other items she finds. At the beginning of Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, the player's mother draws your attention to the television downstairs, informing you that they're showing the gym of the players father, Norman. Unfortunately, by the time your character has made their way to the TV, you've missed seeing your father.
At the end of Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, after you've defeated the Elite Four and are standing in the Hall of Fame, there will be a television report of one of two Pokémon roaming the world, either Latios (Ruby) or Latias (Sapphire). In Pokémon Emerald, the news report will not distinguish between which of the two it is. When the player talk to the player's mother, she will ask you if the report was about a red creature or a blue creature, and whichever you pick, Latios being the blue creature and Latias being the red, will determine which of the two will be roaming in your world.
The mother in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum is the first game that the player's mother to have an actual name in the game, that being Johanna. She takes on a much more active lifestyle then the player's mother's from past games, often competing in contests. When the player meets up with Johanna, their Mother, at the Super Contest Hall in Hearthome City, she gives the player either a tuxedo or a dress depending on the players gender. She also supplies the player with a journal at the beginning of their journey.
In Pokémon Black and White, the player's mother was once a Pokémon trainer herself, where she met her husband, and in turn the player's father, while he was on his own adventure. She and her husband settled down and had a child, which later becomes the player's character. At the beginning of the game, after the player selects their starting Pokémon, she gives you an Xtransceiver (or Live Caster from the direct Japanese translation) which can be used like the PokéGear phone from Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver to contact, or more specifically be contacted, by Professor Juniper, the mother, and others. When a call is made with the Xtransceiver, it acts like a video call, bringing up an image of your character and whomever your character may be calling or receiving a call from. In it's sequels, the mother was a Pokémon Center receptionist, meaning she was or worked with a Nurse Joy.
In Pokémon X and Y, this is the second game that the player's mother is also named, Calem/Serena's mother name is Grace, and she was a famous Rhydon rider.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I read a Raymond Carver book recently. Here are three thoughts and an explanation.
The Second-Most-Interesting Character
'Collectors:' An unemployed man is visited by a vacuum cleaner salesman. It's a weird little story and not among his best work. At the end the salesman rather inscrutably takes a letter addressed to the narrator. Carver doesn't give us much to do with this, and in a workshop you'd expect harsh words about endings you haven't prepared your reader to comprehend—firing a raygun in the third act after bringing a water pistol onstage in the first.
What the story does do well—and this isn't unique to Carver (cf Gatsby)—is narrate from the second-most-interesting (sometimes least-interesting) character's perspective. Carver's narrator doesn't have much going on. At the beginning of the story he's unemployed and afraid of bill collectors; later he's anxious that the salesman will expect him to buy a vacuum. The salesman, on the other hand, is an incredible character, and you sense it's in him that the story began. He talks his way into the house, seeming feverish—then hands the man a blank card and through his sales pitch makes quiet, embarrassed allusions to Rilke and Voltaire. It's excellent writing, kind of. You come away with a very rich sense of the salesman's frustrating internal literary life—the man knows Rilke, hocks vacuums to the unemployed—but again it's not tied to any meaningful element of the story's conclusion.
In later, better work Carver abandons the literary subtext but keeps the really effective thing—the narration by the second-most-interesting (or the least interesting) character. In Carver, if a man finds a corpse on a hunting trip, we'll hear about it from his wife. If Mel McGinniss is a prick, we'll hear about it judgment-free from his friend in Albuquerque. If a deaf-mute kills himself after his salmon pond is washed out in a flood, we'll hear about it from one of his coworkers' sons.
Writing, like everything else, is about finding chances to do what you're good at. If you're Raymond Carver, you're good at dully vicious conversations between people who are sleeping with each other, and the gravy of cliches these conversations sit in. If he wrote 'I' for the most interesting characters, he'd be pulled away from this—he'd have to at least consider writing about people's internal lives. He might have to find language for epiphanies, for mind-changing, for dynamic characters. [Errand, the bizarre last story in the current collection and what looks to me like a touching failure to imitate Kundera, is ample evidence that this simply doesn't work for him.] The second-most-interesting perspective lets Carver stay in his comfort zone–he just keeps writing his narration and allows the interesting people to express themselves with dialogue and action.
"This is no picnic, this nuthouse"
In another Carver short, 'One More Thing,' a man named L.D. leaves his wife and daughter. In trademark Carver fashion—his rule seems to be 'let the reader do the work,'—the strength of his feelings is more obvious than their source. As he's deciding to leave the best he can do is "Believe me, this is no picnic, this nuthouse," and in the last line of the story his parting shot begins with "I just want to say one more thing," but he can't think of what thing. The language is barren. Why?
A lot of writing is deciding how gently to enter into the stream of readers' consciousness. Your revolutionaries try to whack that consciousness into a different shape—Kerouac, Joyce, Foster Wallace, etc., but not Flaubert who was a revolutionary gentle-enterer. [The quote probably ought to have been 'Madame Bovary, c'est nous' but even for a novelist that would've been pretty self-important.] Carver follows the Flaubert path. He narrates from the perspective of drab people interacting with others who are often drab and sometimes interesting. While none of us are Raymond Carver characters full time, I don't think it's too controversial to suggest that most people are drab more often than they're interesting.
Carver's protagonists, in general, have the same relationship to readers that Barthes' scriptors have to writers. They process without attributing meaning. Even when it's their own lives at issue they're far more likely to wander around the living room, or think about the weather, than to think actively about their lives. They're practically translucent: we read through them, more often than not, assessing actions rather than the personalities. This has a few good effects—we see ourselves more readily in them and can assess their lives by our own principles.
It also means that Carver can't afford to let his protagonists develop too much in the way of specific personalities. You won't hear a Carver narrator or main character obsessing over his stamp collection, or reflecting on their childhoods, or using metaphorical language in the course of everyday life. If they're to become translucent—as translucent as Mario or the smiley face—they have to use language and express sentiments that everyone's at least heard before. The implications for the prose style are vast. Carver's narration—so connected to the characters—has to follow in these well-worn footsteps as well. For this reason, reading Carver can often feel like reading a quilt of particularly moving clichés. He never uses a fresh metaphor when a dead one will do, never a sharp word when he has a dull one. [He does seem to give himself a little more freedom in about the last fifty words of each story.] Much of his style reads as the result of a purposeful effort to remove any thoughts or expressions that might remind the reader of the difference between him/herself and the story taking place.
This is probably one reason why Carver is so often recommended to writers who are 'learning the craft.' The thing he does well is pretty far outside of the standard bildungsroman I'm-the-next-so-and-so revolutionary-writer dream that on anecdotal evidence gets most people into writing—that thing comes from wanting attention to be paid, from a sense of injured merit and of personal creative potential. To write like Carver, one presumes, would require a thorough sublimation of those urges, a decision against stardom, against the writer-as-hero. This isn't for everyone—but it's hard to imagine a writer who'd be better off without at least understanding this.
What We Talk About When We Talk About Carver
Carver's characters: they're men and women, mostly white, from service and clerical professions: mailmen, salesmen, secretaries, waitresses, corporate anonymity. There's a writer in an early story but the trend doesn't last. And the stories told about these characters are bleak. They're emotionally barren, morally exhausted, and—though critical of their partners—relentlessly incapable of self-criticism.
Why would we read this? Why adore it? Who are we? Certainly Carver's audience, at least today, does not consist of exhausted janitors and their neglected girlfriends. Instead, it's people like me—younger, probably as white, but more professional and (in our own heads) far more intelligent than his characters. Writers, frequently, or readers of literary fiction at the very least. People who pride themselves on self-awareness, on emotional subtlety and moral energy.
Say that all art contains somewhere a consolation—a hidden message for our hearts, one that relieves some of our discomfort with the world. For us, reading Carver, the consolation is a dirty and perhaps a condescending one. We interact with characters who are very far away from us. Their lives are no picnic. And it is very easy live in New York, as I do, and wear shirts from Banana Republic, as I do, and read of the rural underemployed, who leave their children with their mothers and move to find a job, and think of how much better one's own life is, and how awful it would be to fight and not know why, and how glad one is to be a different kind of person, one who reads books and is patient with one's lovers.
Yet if we found nothing in common with Carver we could barely read it: and the truth is that we, readers, are not so wonderful as we might imagine. There is more of us in Carver's desperate nights, and more of Carver's desperate nights in us, that we might prefer admitting. We recognize Mel McGinnis telling Laura to shut up—the urge is ours if not the act. We recognize, in 'Where I'm Calling From' the young couple once in love and now together only to be drinking. Yet this only makes the consolation more complete: it allows us to identify those pieces of ourselves we like the least, and call them something from a lower class. What does Carver's fiction do? On one reading, it allows us to look down on poorer, dumber people, and to feel better about our own lives.
It's hard to pass a very thorough judgment on the writer himself: Carver is a technician and a good one. But as for us, his readers, it would be very easy to be uncharitable. It would be very easy to read his short fiction, in his readers' imagination, as a terrifying fantasy of otherness—as a Protocols of the Elders of Peoria, an artifact of the primitive class-orientalism we readers pretend ourselves above, but are not. I include myself.
*Origin, briefly: I'm making an active effort to read more but it seems like you have to also make an active effort to read actively. Picked up Carver because he represented something to me about MFA and American Realism. Read a book of shorts which I actually really enjoyed. Miglior fabbro and all that. Wanted to think more coherently about what made him him though, wanted to steal some things. Started writing a short in and around his style but it ran into some difficulties—wanted to both use his style and actively discuss his legacy in a particular character's brain. Turns out interiority is like really hard when you're using Carver's tools. Feels like the guys who play video games and try not to kill anything—it's just not what it's there for. Anyways, felt I had some relevant thoughts on the guy and felt writing them down would be good.
As for the structure of this piece: after writing two nonfiction pieces recently that sort of miraculously assembled themselves, I began thinking I could handle these extremely complicated fugue-type-things which would weave in a thing, the implications of that thing, prior iterations of the thing, some extrinsic event I thought was related, and ultimately a big thesis about futures. I've tried three and they've all collapsed under their own weight. Here, instead, I decided to just succinctly say the things I thought about Carver and not try to weave it into any revelation about twitter or the hunger games. It feels good! But it's also a bit less formal. If I was feeling more pretentious I'd call this (and what I'm hoping will be similar pieces on other writers) Cahiers: Raymond Carver. But I'm not, so: three thoughts.


text:
What it is
Trilogy Age Proof Replenishing Night Cream is an easily absorbed and deeply penetrating night cream that offers a unique blend of nourishing bio-actives to assist the skin natural process of cell regeneration and to restore its elasticity and suppleness while smoothing fine lines and wrinkles.
- An easily absorbed night cream to deeply nourish
- Assists cell regeneration and smoothes fine lines and winkles
- Plumps and rejuvenates the skin
- Upon waking, your skin will be soft, smooth, replenished and hydrated
Key Ingredients
- Avocado, Certified Organic Rosehip and Marula oils are packed with essential fatty acids Omegas 3 and 6 to assist skin cell renewal and repair. These essential fatty acids help to restore the skin's elasticity
- Hylauronic Acid, nature's 'moisture magnet', plumps and improves the skin moisture levels
- Formulated with Trilogy's latest innovation Glycablend™, a blend pomegranate seed oil, blueberry seed oil, strawberry seed oil and chia seed oil.
Skin Types
For all skin types aged 30+.
How to Use
Warm Trilogy Age Proof Night Cream between your fingers before applying to cleansed skin on face and neck. For best results, use after Trilogy Nutrient Plus Firming Serum.
UK Standard: £3.95
FREE for orders over £25
Fully tracked with SMS/email updates. Usually 2 - 4 working days to any UK address including Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Allow up to 7 working days for delivery.
UK Next Day: £6.95
Fully tracked with 2 hour ETA and SMS/email updates. Delivery the following working day for orders placed before 1pm any working day. UK Islands, Highlands and remote areas may require 2 working days.
Europe: £3.95
FREE for orders over £25
Fully tracked for orders over £100. Usually 4-9 working days. Allow up to 14 working days for delivery.
International: £3.95
FREE for orders over £25
Standard delivery only. Usually 7-14 working days. Allow up to 21 working days for delivery. Customs duties and local sales taxes are the sole responsibility of the customer.
Every effort is made to provide you with accurate ingredients however, the product manufacturer may change ingredients without our knowledge. Always read the ingredient label on the actual package before using this product. If you have severe sensitivities or allergies, always contact the manufacturer directly to confirm the latest ingredients. We cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of ingredient or nutritional information we provide nor liable for any adverse reactions caused by the products we sell. We are constantly in the process of updating ingredient information. If you have any queries relating to any ingredients, please Contact Us and we'll be happy to help.
Aqua (water), Coco-Caprylate, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate (and) Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Salvia hispanica (chia) seed oil, Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, Vaccinium myrtillus (blueberry) seed oil, Fragaria vesca (strawberry) seed oil, Punica granatum (pomegranate) seed oil, Ubiquinone (co enzyme Q10), Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root extract, Morus alba (mulberry) root extract, Cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit extract, Chamomilla recutita matricaria (chamomile) flower extract, Oenothera biennis (evening primrose) seed oil, Sodium Hyaluronate (hyaluronic acid), Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E), Sclerocarya birrea (marula) seed oil, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, Persea gratissima (avocado) oil, Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf extract, Calendula officinalis flower extract (and), Glycine soja (soybean) oil, Camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid (and) Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Benzyl alcohol*, Citronellol*, Limonene*, Eugenol*, Farnesol*, Geraniol*, Linalool*.
* Components of natural essential oils.
Trilogy Age Proof Replenishing Night Cream:
- Formula: Vegan. Free from parabens, PEG, phthalates, perfumes and synthetic colours.
- Certifications: Certified organic by BioGro NZ Ltd and Natural Cosmetic Certified by NATRUE.
- Origin: Made in New Zealand.
- Packaging: Recyclable glass jar in cardboard box.
- Shelf Life: Use within 6 months from opening.
- Animal Rights: Not tested on animals. Cruelty free.
Trilogy - Discover the Brand »
Trilogy believes the most powerful ingredients for your skin come from nature. Designed around the trilogy of simplicity, purity and vitality, award winning Trilogy skincare and Trilogy Rosehip Oils are powered by nature to deliver real results you'll love. Trilogy's mission is to create high performance natural skincare that not only performs better and delivers healthy, beautiful skin but is better ethically and environmentally.
We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse, we understand that you accept their use. Click here for more information on our Cookies Policy.
© 2002-2020 Naturisimo | Organic Cosmetics | Organic Skin Care | Organic Make Up | Organic Beauty Products.


text:
Date: 10th May, 2018
A Bournemouth firefighter is in training for a massive cycling challenge, where she hopes to raise as much money as possible for the Fire Fighters Charity.
Sarah Bascombe, who is stationed at Springbourne fire station, has signed up for the Paris to Geneva event in September.
After a period of injury, Sarah only got back on her bike in March and is now training hard for the challenge.
She said: "Back in 2012, I cycled from London to Paris, raising over £2,200 for the Fire Fighters Charity, so I'm hopeful to raise at least that much again. I am covering the trip costs myself, so every penny donated will go directly to the Charity. I will be covering around 330 miles over four days, with lots of mountainous climbs, including some of the famous Tour de France climbs, reaching the peak of the 1,323m Col de la Faucille midway on the final day. I know this ride will be challenging, but I'm determined to complete it."
She added: "Many of my colleagues and I have used the Fire Fighters Charity at some point. It is reassuring to know that help and support is available should we need it. The Charity is almost entirely funded through donations from the fire community and the public, therefore it is important that we do what we can to fundraise and support them too."
As part of Sarah's fundraising, a charity car wash will be held at Springbourne fire station on Saturday 19 May between 12noon and 4pm. Halfords in Bournemouth has generously donated car wash essentials.
To support Sarah, please visit www.justgiving.com/firefightersarah


text:
WBGames continues its Mortal Kombat drip feed by releasing a teaser trailer that tells us what we already knew - Scorpion was killed by Sub Zero, then mysteriously re-animated to hunt and kill his icy nemesis. Why, I bet he'll stop at nothing to get his revenge!
Above: You'll learn more about Scorpion by listening to this awesome song by the Immortals
All snarkiness aside, the new MK doeslook and playa lot like the classic trilogy we used to love so dearly. The characters, moves and fatalities are all reminiscent of the series' better days, and the fan reaction during PAX was quite strong, so there's a solid chance this wayward franchise could get back on track. You know what might help facilitate this comeback? Videos that celebrate each character and show their growth and change throughout the franchise instead of one-minute "huh derp, Scorpion" trailers that say nothing. Just a suggestion!
October 18, 2010


text: Baton Rouge Chiropractic Benefits Ehlers Danlos07/25/2017Not exactly a spine condition, but Ehlers Danlos is a body condition that may affect the spine and musculoskeletal system and be assisted by gentle Baton Rouge chiropractic treatment. Chiropractic back pain specialists like your Baton Rouge chiropractor at Spine & Sports Rehab Center naturally approach conditions like Ehlers Danlos conservatively and gently. Chiropractors also are eager to share care of these patients with any other medical healthcare providers and their treatment plans for the good of the patient. Spine & Sports Rehab Center welcomes these types of opportunities to help Baton Rouge Ehlers Danlos patients like this. Ehlers Danlos hypermobility type presents as a number of issues that can be categorized as: pain (muscular, articular, neuropathic, back pain, neck pain, abdominal pain, pelvic pain, and headache) and fatigue (muscle weakness, unrefreshing sleep, depression, anxiety, etc.). (1) Spine & Sports Rehab Center recognizes Ehlers Danlos by such symptomatology. Ehlers Danlos cared for with chiropractic responds positively. One patient case Spine & Sports Rehab Center read in a peer-reviewed journal describes a young Ehlers Danlos female with chronic neck pain and low back pain who also experiences headaches and hand pain and stiffness. As is seen in Ehlers Danlos, she too faces weekly or daily joint dislocations and upper and lower extremity joint hypermobility. Baton Rouge Ehlers Danlos hypermobility type patients know what this is like and appreciate relief. In this case, her treatment plan included gentle low force chiropractic manipulation with some soft tissue therapy. Several patient outcome scales document decreases in disability, headache and spine pain for her. (2) Another case of Ehlers Danlos - with some of the characteristically recorded issues had formerly been diagnosed inadequately with fibromyalgia and degenerative arthritis before the more appropriate Ehlers Danlos diagnosis – depicts how she feels relief of back pain with gentle Cox Technic flexion distraction, diet change, and exercise care. (3) Spine & Sports Rehab Center shares gentle Baton Rouge chiropractic care for this type of relief. If you or a Baton Rouge family member or friend has Ehlers Danlos and experiences back pain or neck pain or other musculoskeletal pain connected with Ehlers Danlos that Baton Rouge chiropractic handles, schedule a Baton Rouge chiropractic appointment today. Spine & Sports Rehab Center is prepared to help. « View All Featured Articles"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page."


text:
Although I have a few thoughts of my own...I am VERY interested in getting your input.
If you know me, you are very aware that architectural pieces are a focal point in my home.
If you are a new friend, you will quickly learn that I LOVE doors, columns, frames, windows, arches, gates...no limit...I love it all! And they often become the inspiration piece I work from. I really have created my home, my business, my art and my design around architectural pieces.
If you have purchased a cabinet that is similar to this inspiration piece....how did you use it? What room is it in, how does it function for you?
Now, for "alternative" thinkers out there...how would you use it if it were in your home? I have several ideas (I promise to share), but am really excited to hear yours first. Let me know, would love to see a photo of your inspiration piece! If you can't post here, shoot it to my email: email@example.com.
May Book Club: Free Country (Final Week)
2 months ago


text:
Witnesses say they saw a man flee the scene of a violent crash with a small child in tow.
Investigators say the man was driving a black vehicle when he somehow lost control and struck a parked Silver Lexus head-on at Tabor Road and Landis Street in the Crescentville section of Philadelphia.
The impact caused a domino-effect crash leaving at least two other parked vehicles damaged, according to investigators.
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
The property damage was nothing compared to the possibility of the child inside the car being hurt, according to investigators.
Police say the driver of the black car fled on foot while holding a young child.
"Our first priority is regarding this child -- who is said to be about 3 or 4 years of age -- who was in the car and was carried away by the dirver of the vehicle who left the scene," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
Investigators suspect the child was not properly restrained because there was no child seat inside the black vehicle.
Officials have not yet revealed the man's identity, his relationship with the child or if anyone was injured. It wasn't clear why he ran from the scene.


text:
Local History Collection
The library maintains a small collection of materials for in-library use only. These include Preble County obituary indexes, Preble County and Lewisburg history, and a limited number of donated Lewisburg High School and Elementary year books for Lewisburg-Union, Twin Valley North, and Tri-County North Schools.
Lewisburg Leader Newspaper
In 2016, the library completed a digitization project of the Lewisburg Leader from 1897 through 1982. Details on accessibility can be found on the Home Page.


text:
African-Native American Research Forum Archive
Reference Book~Who Was Who Among The Southern Indi
The following book entiltled "Who Was Who Among The Southern Indians 1698-1907 A Genealogical Biographical Notebook" by Don Martini (FINAL EDITION) Price $25.00 inc.P/H
I have had the good fortune to receive copies of an earlier version of the book and found it quite useful in detemining who among the so called "Five Civilized Tribes" owned slaves where there property was deeded and other bits of information that is useful for the researcher of the Five Tribes. This is my "biased" opinion and you would do well to get a copy for your reference library. The following is excerpted from the announcement I received the other day concerning the sale of this material.
This completely revised edition of SOUTHEASTERN INDIAN NOTEBOOK (1993) is fully annotated and contains much new information including:
*all European names from the 1831 Choctaw Armstrong Roll with location of hme and description of family members.
*deed records for Chickasaw land sales in northeastern Mississippi and northwestern Alabama
*Chickasaw Reserve Choctaw Reserve Chickasaw Emigration and Choctaw Emigration records from the National Archives
*Chickasaw and Choctaw Applications for Enrollment before the Dawes Commission 1897-1906
*information from the 1878 1890 and 1896 Chickasaw censuses and payrolls
*much new information on Chickasaw Choctaw Cherokee Creek and Seminole citizens and non-citizen residents both before and after emigration
*hundreds of new entries thousands of new facts.
*maps and bibliography
This is my final effort to place in one book as much genealogicl information as possible on the thousands of people whose notable deeds were recorded in the east and in the Indian Territory. Many new families particularly Choctaw and Chickasaw are included and the Cherokee and Creek entries are expanded. Those covered include Indians agents missionaries settlers enemies and others. In addition to hundreds of books and articles the information comes from numerous census records: the 1835 1848 1851 1852 1867 1880 1883 and 1895 Cherokee; the 1818 1837 1839 1847 1848 1890 and 1896 Chickasaw; the 1831 and 1855 Choctaw; the 1832 1857 1867 and the 1882 Creek. Dawes Enrollment Cards were also consulted.
A special thanks to those who responded to my notice last summer and sent along information on their families. That information has been included in this volume.
Order now! As usual a limited number will be printed. The books should be shipped within 14 days of your order.
[10 Jun 1999]
Messages In This Thread


text:
Redback Australia | Buy Redback Shoes & Work Boots Online
Redback UBOK Soft Toe Work Boot$139.99
Redback Foot Bed$19.99
Australia's Reputable Redback Boots Stockists
Whether you're a tradie working on a job site or you love going outside and getting your hands dirty in the yard, you need the correct footwear. Aussie Disposals is here to provide you with Redback work boots that come in either soft toe or steel toe depending on your needs. So whatever the environment you'll be wearing them in, we've got you covered.
Why choose Redback boots?
Sure, there are quite a few different brands out there when it comes to work boots. But few (if any) can boast the huge amount of comfort that the Redback brand is synonymous with. Additionally, they deliver the support required to keep you safe when you're working, allowing you to focus on the task at hand and not the safety of your toes or ankles.
To top it all off, they're all incredibly well-priced, and offer an amazing value for money. You'll be impressed by their durability and comfort from the moment you pull them on. So come into your local store and we'll fit you with just the right size.
The leading stockists of boots and so much more
Further to the collection of Redback footwear, you'll find so much more here at Aussie Disposals. Included in our comprehensive outdoor product range is a selection of quality fishing gear as well as a number of different pocket knives and everything in between. Check out our full list of items and take advantage of our competitive prices.
Interested in learning more?
If you'd like some further information about our Redback work boots or anything else you find on our website, get in touch with us by calling (03) 9799 5777 to chat with us directly. Alternatively, use our contact form online to send us a message and we'll get back to you shortly.


text:
Red potatoes with horseradish & crème fraîche
Prep: 10 mins Cook: 15 mins
An ideal side for ham, this salad gets added kick from the horseradish and vinegar
Nutrition and extra info
- Vegetarian
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal274
- fat18g
- saturates11g
- carbs27g
- sugars4g
- fibre2g
- protein4g
- salt0.21g
- 1.8kg baby red or new potato
New potatoesn-ew po-tate-oes
New potatoes have thin, wispy skins and a crisp, waxy texture. They are young potatoes and…
- 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
- bunch spring onions, thinly sliced
Spring onionsp-ring un-yun
Also known as scallions or green onions, spring onions are in fact very young onions, harvested…
- 5 tbsp creamed horseradish
Horseradishhors rad-ish
Horseradish root is larger than an ordinary radish, and has a hot, peppery flavour.
- 500g crème fraîche
- zest 1 lemon
Oval in shape with a pronouced bulge on one end, lemons are one of the most versatile…
- bunch chives, chopped
Cook the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender. Drain, then place back in the warm pan to dry out a little.
Pour the vinegar over the potatoes and add a few pinches of salt. Let sit for 10 mins to cool, then add the remaining ingredients and toss gently. Taste and add a little more salt if necessary, then pour into a serving dish.
Recipe Tip
TipBe sure to add the vinegar when the potatoes are hot – it will make them much more punchy and full of depth.


text:
Author and ex-Marxist David Horowitz was interviewed on Alex Jones' show a month ago. This interview Horowitz discusses his Marxist past, the Left-Islamist alliance he revealed in his book Unholy Alliance and why the riots and violence conducted against political opponents, like Milo Yiannopoulos, have surged since Donald Trump was elected President.
What it comes down to, the Left (especially the environmentalist movement) is a religious movement and the US is in the midst of a civil war. The Left no longer needs free speech because they have the colleges and universities locked up. The owner of this website does not endorse Alex Jones, but this is a good interview.


text:
Earning an Enhanced Diploma is an achievement for which any student can be proud. Enhanced diplomas are earned in five different areas: Academic, Service, Departmental, Activity, and Attendance. Each area requires consistent effort and dedication for a period of three years. The following students have earned Enhanced Diploma awards in not just one area but all five areas.
Jack Markham (spotlighted in the February Howler) possibly playing professional baseball and getting a degree to become a Psychologist.
Jeff Arens maintains a 3.8 GPA and has been on the honor roll every quarter in high school. He earned the Academic Enhancement diploma by successfully completing numerous rigorous courses in core subject areas such as AP Calculus and AP Language and Composition. Evidence of effective time management for Jeff is his ability to juggle academic work with extracurricular activities. Jeff is a two sport athlete. He has been on the basketball and baseball teams at Riverton High and has lettered in these sports. He enjoys playing guitar and piano and serving others. His future plans include going on a mission for the LDS church, attending Utah Valley University on a baseball scholarship,
Sierra Spencer is a 4.0 GPA student. She has completed fourteen honors and advanced placement classes here at Riverton High. She has received a scholarship to BYU and is exploring careers in math or science. Sierra has been involved in the Interact Club, Red Cross Club, National Honor Society, MESA Club, Spanish Club, and the Science Olympiad. She is the vice-president of the Science Olympiad. She won first place in the state MESA competition where she earned a gold medal. She has been involved in service through herchurch and community by serving in the Soup Kitchen and Make-a-Wish Foundation. Her hobbies include playing the piano, reading, water and snow skiing.
Caitlin Stock has been involved in many activities at Riverton High and has been highly successful both academically and socially. She maintains a 3.9 GPA while being enrolled in mostly honors and advanced placement courses. She has been on the honor roll every quarter of high school, has received an academic letter and was named the ELKS Foundation most valuable student. She is a member of National Honor Society, and several other clubs: Symphonic Orchestra, Bell Choir, Red Cross Club, and FCCLA. She has served as a chapter and state officer for the FCCLA. She plays piano and harp and says "she loves to go on adventures with her friends." She has served church and community in many ways. She is part of the No Kid Hungry hunger relief program and Lead 2 Feed disaster relief program. She has been award a full-tuition Leadership Scholarship to Salt Lake Community College where she will finish her general education requirements then she will transfer to the University of Utah to major in Political Science. Her goal is to be a Foreign Service Officer. She loves to travel and plans on participating in a study-abroad program in Israel.


text:
Have you seen Flea Market Style magazine? I knew I would love it when their first ever issue (just a year or so ago) featured a map of the USA with all the best huge flea market/vintage sales in the country. I just wanted to jump in the Suburban and ...Read More
Chartreuse & co – Fresh every day!
I just knew you'd all love what we created this month! The crowd and the reaction was all we'd hoped, and more. We've been busy today bringing fresh things in, and we'll all be starting off our morning bright and early tomorrow, bringing truckloads of fabulous new items into the ...Read More
The Latest at Chartreuse & co!
I'm blown away by how spectacular everything looks in the barn tonight! Everyone's been in, adding fresh flowers, pillows, all those final touches you put on a space before company comes. So here's a slide show (it takes a moment to load because there are so many pictures in it!) ...Read More
A Bride's Room a la Chartreuse & co
I love decorating. So when Kristen Tydings of Visitation Academy asked me to decorate a small suite of rooms for brides and their bridesmaids (Visitation provides a spectacular locale for weddings in it's early 19th century building and gardens located on 5 walled acres in downtown Frederick) I was intrigued. ...Read More
Fabulous Wall Treatments, part 1
While I've been preoccupied by my bedroom redo, the creative crew at the barn have been totally rethinking how beautiful their spaces can be. Here's a slide show of what The Robin's Nest is up to: (followed by a brief how-to) [slideshow] Robin's gone all-out-glam. Hard to believe this is ...Read More
Cool stuff in the barn right now
Here's what's in the barn right now. There's more to come as everyone transforms their spaces into shops within a shop! So cool. I'll post more soon. Enjoy. VirginiaRead More


text:
Digger came to us in February 2011 as a 7 month old puppy who was already having difficulties in coping with the world around him. He was brought up in a busy home with young children and was a very nervous youngster who needed time and space to help him to build up his confidence in a quiet, stable environment.
Digger is a bit of a 'special needs' dog and we have made the decision to keep him with us as a permanent foster dog, as we worry that elsewhere he may be put in a situation which he is unable to cope with and may get himself into trouble (particularly because of the negative associations that many people have of his breed).
He enjoys mooching around the stable yard and has learned to play ball – he is a bit 'over the top' with other dogs but is very enthusiastic about life and has a permanent smile on his face. Digger is a popular dog with friends and visitors alike, enjoying nothing more than a cuddles and fuss.
An official welcome to the family Digger, who I guess now, at 4 years old is a 'grown up' (don't tell him that!) If you want to support us, in supporting dogs like Digger, please consider sponsoring one of our long term residents!


text:
In the world of memes, now is apparently never too soonto instigate some laughs at the expense of someone's death. Shortly after Kim Jong-il's death was announced Sunday, the web swung into action, dishing out not only the usual news stories and tweets but also an odd second-generation meme.
A Tumblr blog called Kim Jong-un Looking at Things immediately popped up, and it features pictures of the North Korean leader's son and "Great Successor," Kim Jong-un, staring at you, mountains, industrial equipment and other objects. The thumbnail of this post (above) shows Kim Jong-un looking at "the rhythm" of his clapping.
The single-topic blog follows in the footsteps of Kim Jong-il Looking at Things, which launched in 2010 to showcase the dictator gazing at things such as sweaters, army cadets and sausages. Containing only six photographs so far, the new blog should fill up as Kim Jong-un makes more public appearances in his role as North Korea's head honcho. Someone also has created a nearly identical blog on Posterous.
The original Looking at Things blog first caught mainstream attention in December 2010 after a thread on Reddit racked up more than 2,000 up votes, says Know Your Meme's entry about the blog. The Washington Post, NPR, Funny or Die and Laughing Squid were among the major media outlets and humor blogs to share the blog with the world, Know Your Meme reports.
Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack Saturday, according to North Korean state television, which also said Kim Jong-un is heir to the throne.


text:
The following describes the steps required to connect Komiko to Dynamics CRM:
1. Connect your Mailbox
Navigate to Komiko's registration page https://www.getkomiko.com/account/register
For Gmail
Click the Google Account and get the Google pop-up window request to allow access to your mailbox.
Click <Allow>
For Microsoft Exchange
Fill in your work email address and password.
Click <Connect to Exchange>
2. Install Komiko for Dynamics
Navigate to Komiko's https://www.getkomiko.com
2.2 Click on the Dynamics icon (top right corner) to add a Dynamics CRM as a data source.
2.3 Click on the added <data source> e.g. DynamicsCRM1.
2.4 Fill in the forms fields and click <Save>.
2.5 Now you'll be asked to allow Komiko's access to Salesforce.
2.6 Choose either the <Default settings> or <Advanced settings>.
<Default settings> – extends existing layouts including accounts, contacts, opportunities and leads.
<Advanced settings> – for Salesforce admins – creates Komiko's specific layouts that allow reuse and assign to certain profiles.
<Profile settings> – for Salesforce admins – Assign Komiko's specific layouts to selected profiles.
Click <Install Komiko> – Komiko's fields, custom objects and views are deployed. Data is not yet pushed to Salesforce. It is easy to <uninstall>, if needed.
3. Set the synchronization rules
There are three main synchronization options that you need to select from.
3.1 Accounts & Contacts (statistics only) – No Activities
Komiko will enrich the accounts and contacts with information like: Last inbound and outbound email date and sender, Last and next meeting and organizer, K-score and trend for last 30, 90 and 365 days, best connect and best connection, and more. In this option Komiko will not create activities based on emails and meetings. The next option to the right [Accounts, Contacts, Activities] will do it.
In all options you need to define the historical time period that you'd like Komiko to scan in order to determine the enrichment information. So if Komiko only scans 3 months of historical data you'll not get information about emails and meeting that tool place before that e.g. 4 months ago.
Please add the list of mailboxes that are used to update Salesforce.
You can also add a list of domains that you'd like Komiko to ignore (skip) and not update Salesforce.
Now click <Save & Done>.
3.2 Accounts, Contacts and Activities
It's similar as the previous one (3.1 Accounts & Contacts), but in this case activities (emails, meetings) will also be updated.
You need to answer few more questions regarding the way that you'd like your activities to be updated.
3.3 Accounts, Contacts, Activities and Opportunities
It's similar as the previous one (3.2 Accounts, Contacts and Activities), but in this case Opportunities will also be updated.
You need to define which opportunity stages are considered <open> and which are <closed>. Komiko is using these definitions to determine the right opportunity that needs to keep new activities and contacts.
Congratulations! The meta data have been deployed. Any new email received by the list of monitored mailboxes will be evaluated for synchronization relevancy. When relevant, it'll update Salesforce immediately.
For support please email [email protected] and we'll get back to immediately.


text:
Our vision is to create motorcyclists an experience that is beyond riding.
Moto8ight would like to take you on a journey and share in the experience of learning, building, and riding a motorcycle that doesn't require you to be an expert. Whether you are a new rider or motorcycle enthusiast, you will appreciate the experience of doing something you may never have done before.


text:
School, homework, holidays, shorter daylight hours, and an ever-increasing pile of essential cold-weather gear become a nearly insurmountable obstacle in the way of staying active during the winter. Adults and children alike often experience a decrease in physical activity as the cold sets in, especially before snow accumulation allows for outdoor activities like sledding, snowshoeing, and skiing. However, there are options for every lifestyle for bringing exercise inside during the school year.
One of the biggest hurdles for families with busy schedules is finding the time to make sure everyone is getting enough exercise. According to the Centers for Disease Control, children and adolescents should do at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day to ensure the development of healthy bodies and motor skills. However, that hour doesn't need to be achieved all at once, according to Dr. Saori Braun of UW-Eau Claire's kinesiology department. Parents can find 15 or 20 minutes at a time to inspire their kids to move around, and the time adds up quickly.
Working It In
The next step is to work physical activity into a family's lifestyle. It can be as easy as inviting children to help out with age-appropriate housework, or as involved as signing them up for classes at one (or more) of the various indoor recreation centers in the Chippewa Valley.
Helping keep the house tidy is a great way for children to stay moving inside, according to Braun. Laundry, for example, requires children to squat and lift clothing, which is a resistance exercise, and carry it to and from the washer and dryer. Taking the laundry up and down stairs is an aerobic activity that gets the heart pumping and works the respiratory system.
Once the chores are done, turn on some music and dance! Dancing is something families can enjoy together, and when parents engage with their children through dance they show them that physical activity is fun and fulfilling.
Parental involvement is very important to instilling a love of activity in young people, Braun said. Studies show that when children have active caretakers, they are more likely to be active themselves. "It's a behavior change that has to happen in adults, so they can be role models for kids," Braun said of developing exercise habits.
Getting out
If you need to take the show on the road, look for ways to get the family active while you're out. Mayo Clinic Health System sponsors a play area for small children in Oakwood Mall that has safe equipment for children to climb and play on. If your child is old enough, when you're at the grocery store allow him or her to walk instead of riding in the cart.
The Chippewa Valley has a multitude of options for indoor fitness in the form of events, activities, classes and leagues. Plan a weekly family outing to Hobbs Ice Arena for open skating, go bowling or rollerblading, or visit a trampoline park.
For more structured activity, parents can enroll their children in any of the multitude of classes offered in the area. The Eau Claire YMCA and its L.E. Phillips YMCA Indoor Sports Center offer sports leagues and lessons for youths and adults.
Braun admits that as a former gymnast she might be biased, but she recommends gymnastics as an excellent choice for young people. Even beginner classes for toddlers encourage healthy bone, muscle, and respiratory development through running, jumping, and climbing.
"Play is so much more important for kids than making them exercise," Braun said. When movement is fun, children make positive associations with being active and are more likely to pursue physical activity later in life.
Classes and group activities allow children to play with others, which helps develop social skills alongside physical ones. "When kids play together with other kids, there's a sense of unity," Braun said. This feeling, along with working together with others, develops a child's self-confidence.
Get the Blood Pumping
Exercise is helpful to academic and intellectual improvement as well. When children are active, the blood flow to their brains is increased, aiding in brain development. Additionally, children who get enough physical playtime are better able to focus in more sedentary situations such as class, improving behavior and retention.
As children grow into adolescents, their playtime can become more structured with classes and organized sports. Basketball and volleyball are great for continuing bone development: Specifically, jumping causes good stress on bones, which induces structural improvement.
For families with children who have cognitive, physical, or sensory disabilities, the UWEC kinesiology department offers a specialized recreation program weekly at the McPhee Physical Education building on campus. Founded by Dr. Marquell Johnson, an associate professor at UWEC, Physical Activity and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities in the Eau Claire Area (PRIDE) is suited to children 5-16 years old with varying ability levels.
"Taking care of kids, that in itself is a lot of physical activity," Braun said. But it's worthwhile. Maintaining an active family lifestyle helps ensure that children grow up healthy and strong and teaches them to love moving.


text:
Report Roundup
Workforce Preparation
In about 20 years, California will not have enough college-educated workers to meet its projected economic needs, concludes a study by the San Francisco-based Public Policy Institute of California.
In 2025, according to the report, two out of every five California jobs--41 percent--will require a college degree, but only 32 percent of adults will be college-educated. If current trends continue, out-of-state workers are unlikely to close the gap, and the arrival rate of skilled immigrants would have to double to meet economic demands. The study encourages officials to prevent the projected labor shortage by raising college-entrance and graduation rates.
Web Only


text:
Get get Au!
I loved their wedding hashtag #getgetau that I just had to use it as the title! 😉 I first met Au just a few weeks before their wedding, everything before that happened via email which is how we first connected. They lived all the way in Melbourne, Australia and planned their wedding here in Manila. […]Read More


text:
I had what anyone else would see as a very disturbed childhood. Luckily, my family was always there for me. There were lies against me and my family from when I was a young child to when I was a teenager. I loved it. The thrill of the battle was something I learned from a very, very young age. I can't write any more because of anonymity and libel laws, but even if it wasn't for that I still couldn't write everything. You'd never believe me and besides it'd take up an entire book. I've seen things you wouldn't believe. Nithing physical or sexual, but probably even more unbelievable because there isn't the simple motive behind the behaviour. But there was another thing, and this thing I think damaged me; I'd punish myself for accidentally annoying people or for saying something wrong. You see, as a kid I hardly ever did anything wrong – I had the rules worked out when I was about five. But I said things wrong.
So, growing up in this situation I saw the world as dangerous and life as a game. I was much more confident than my peers and very afraid of criticism; I saw the aim of life as being to challenge bad people. (And I still do.) I was distrustful and revengeful, and interested in the way I could influence people and events. I learned how to lie from those who bullied me and lied about me. I studied their tactics with admiration and a fierce desire to become as skilled as them. Meanwhile I was constantly being emotionally abused, so I would be either very happy and confident or suddenly plunged into feeling empty and worthless. I'd hate myself at times.
I wished to be loved unconditionally, though now I'm afraid of love.
I believed that this unhappy part of me was not real and I only became 'integrated' through talking about this with Kane, a polyamorous Dom I met on a fetish site. He wanted me to go to America to be with him, then dumped me because I wasn't looking for stability shortly after the creation of this blog. (I blogged about it at the time.) Him dumping me did not upset me at all because I was not emotionally invested in him, and at the time I never had more than lust for anyone. Talk of an emotional side to sex or of sex being somehow 'meaningful' always baffled me. I could understand sex as an art form or a means to an end or even an experiment, but I couldn't understand it in those terms. I was not to have a serious crush on anyone until Lynne several months later.
Anyway, I realised that I no longer have the either really happy or really sad thing. I'm much more balanced now and I haven't felt anxious (by which I mean a non-specific anxiety or paranoia over anonymity) for months now. I'm not the happiest that I've been in months, but I'm definitely the most emotionally healthy that I've been ever. And it's great.
Oh, and here's something you might enjoy: The lies against me were mostly about me having learning disabilities, no social skills and autism but included lies that I had an "immoral lifestyle" and inappropriate sexual boundaries/sexualised behaviour. Well, I'm showing them how Kalika does an immoral lifestyle! I don't know what exactly they meant by all that, but one thing I do know is that they could never have imagined I would sell my virginity.
The truth is often stranger than fiction.


text:
|Timepiece Archive, Categories
|Archive: Watch Movements
|Timepiece Market
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
|Aurore-Villeret 128
manual wind
sweep second
6.75 x 8''', Dm= 15.3 x 17.95mm
Do= 15.3 x 18.2mm
F= 0.8mm
T= 1.7mm
17 jewels
f = 18000 A/h
power reserve 40h
Balance staff U1236
Stem W1027
Mainspring / battery
Zf1013, 1.40 x 7.5 x 0.08 x 250mm
1.10 x 0.60 x 0.18mm
Comments about the data
like 127, but sweep second
Aurore-Villeret 120, Bulova 6AH, FHF 120 and the many variants of these calibres are quite equivalent. Exchangability data are contradictionary in the various movement registers. Therefore here only calibres are listed which are mentioned in several registers as derivatives of these base calibres, or which could be checked for equivalence.
The Bulova calibres have design details which are not present in the FHF calibres. So the ebauches came probably from Aurore-Villeret.
differences not known between 123, 126, 128
Example, year: signature; shock device
1943: X (1943), BXW, Bulova Watch Co, 6AH, Swiss, 17 Jewels
(Bulova 6AH, no second)
Not for Sale!
The movements presented in this caliber finder are not for sale. This is only a data sheet for identification and evaluation of the movement calibre, as well as for approximate dating.
|bidfun-db 21.3 © 02-08-15, mtr-Ranfft
...the alternative - free of charge!


text:
Sometimes they appear; sometimes they don't. I've given up hope that they will magically appear and with all my projects going on I just end up wearing the same ones that are in need of replacement. I have one sturdy antique one that gets worn occasionaly but I'd rather make my own. One year when we drove to Palm Desert to use up a week of our timeshare we were going to lose if we didn't, I used that time by bringing my sewing machine with me and cut out and sewed two chemises on my "Assembly Line", while hubby was golfing. Hmm, methinks we need another week to burn up, don't we dear?
I just got Jennifer Rosbrugh's Historical Sewing newsletter this morning and it reminded me that yes I did need new ones. Especially after my more recent ones were shredded in front by my new corset after they got caught in the front hooks. Granted, I had used a very very thin cotton; what was I thinking? But that's how you learn, by your mistakes.
And what did I do on the first day of the New Year? I started cutting out two new 1830s dresses. No chemises on the cutting table.
Hmmm, now that I'm reading it, she's announcing a Victorian undergarment online class in a few weeks. She's on Facebook too. https://www.facebook.com/HistoricalSewing
For the most part I haven't had any problem wearing the various ones I have for any time period as long as the neckline didn't show above the dress I was wearing. But in the last couple years I've made a lot of square neck dresses that those don't really work for, except my 1770s one. Even the ones that can be pulled down on the shoulders still show above that low square neckline.
In the past I've made ones from Kanicks Korner for my 1770s dresses, and they have a very wide open neckline that can be pulled in tighter with a ribbon, although that ribbon always seems to get lost inside its channel.


text:
Licence To Ceilidh
Scottish Ceilidh band for hire.
Licence To Ceilidh are the perfect Band for any wedding ceilidh, Scottish ceilidh, corporate event, team-building day, Birthday party, private function or festival.
...you wont find a more professional and friendly band if you tried! Thank you so much L2C for really making our event...Michael Huyton, Event Manager, Amnesty International UK
...Thank you for the fantastic ceilidh at our wedding on Saturday night, we had so many great comments from our guests and everyone loved it...Louise & Craig, Wedding
Listen to Licence To Ceilidh
Licence To Ceilidh's Bio
Licence To Ceilidh are the perfect Band for any wedding ceilidh, Scottish ceilidh, corporate event, team-building day, Birthday party, private function or festival.
Licence To Ceilidh specialise in Scottish ceilidh, but regularly play Irish and English as well. Established in 2000, they have many years of experience in teaching party guests how to dance the steps, and their unique mix of traditional tunes with a funky rhythm section gives the excitement of a function band with the inclusiveness of a Scottish ceilidh.
No previous country dancing experience is necessary to take part and everyone can get involved whatever their age, musical taste or talents on the dancefloor. From the word go, it's easy and a lot of fun. Their range of dances is very diverse, with influences from all over the UK, Ireland and North America. Their caller usually starts with the Gay Gordons or another simple dance like the Circassian Circle, and makes sure as many guests who are capable of standing get involved. After this initial icebreaker, it's often difficult to get even the most reluctant punters to sit down again!
Other dances include the famous Strip the Willow, a raucous affair with lines of people stretching all the way down the room, the Virginia Reel for four to five couples in a set, the Pat-A-Cake-Polka for those who like to slap the thighs of other guests as well as their own, the OXO Reel, the Cumberland Square Eight, Flying Scotsman, Canadian Barndance, Eightsome Reels and many more. A favourite with the gentlemen is the Dashing White Sergeant, in which a guy can dance with two ladies at once. And if you have a dance that you are particularly fond of, you can always request it in advance.
License To Ceilidh bring their own high quality P.A. and LED band lighting. All equipment is regularly PAT tested.
Past Clients Include: Sting (twice!) : BBC 2 – Great British Menu : BBC Three : Channel 4 – Gok Wan's Fashion Fix : Orange : Vodafone : RAF : Gareth Malone (BBC 2's "The Choir") : National Geographic Society : Hermes : Royal Academy of Music : Royal College of Music : Trinity College of Music : MOD : NHS : CBI : ICI : Pearson Education : Herbert Smith LLP : Mencap : Amnesty International : Royal Canin : London Scottish : Serco : South Bank Centre : Al Ain Hilton, United Arab Emirates : Brunel University : Kings College Cambridge : Vinopolis : Hammersmith Irish Centre and many more…
They are also recommended suppliers for: Bijou Weddings : Visit Scotland : South Farm : Ramster : Cowdray Park : London Ceilidh Club
Alyssa is Licence to Ceilidh's main caller.
Being from Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands, Alyssa grew up surrounded by ceilidhs and Scottish music.
She studied dance and theatre arts from a young age and trained at the prestigious Dance School of Scotland in Glasgow from the age of 16, gaining an A.T.C.L diploma in Musical Theatre from the Trinity College London. Alyssa was invited to audition for the first ever Andrew Lloyd Webber scholarship back in 2007 winning a place at the famous Arts Educational School in London, which she graduated from in 2010 with a BA Hons in Musical Theatre.
Since graduating Alyssa has performed in a range of musical theatre shows both on and off West End, including: Liesl in "The Sound of Music" UK Tour & Jordan 2010 – 2011, Jordan Tour 2013 and International Tour 2015, Romemary in "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" London 2014, "Betwixt!" Trafalgar Studios 2011 and more…
Alyssa brings great fun and energy to the ceilidhs she calls as well as clear instruction. In addition to this she is also a fantastic vocalist singing with our pop Covers band option, as well as performing as a dancer with Licence to Ceilidh on corporate and party bookings!
"Licence to Ceilidh played at one of our Amnesty International flagship events in November and created a wonderful all inclusive atmopshere that each of our 250 guests thoroughly enjoyed. Ali and the band were an absolute dream to work with, from the initial enquries to the on-site performance. Their relaxed, friendly and calm attitude coupled with their traditional yet contemporary and truly epic sound became the highlight to the three day event and we recieved countless amounts of amazing feedback from our delegates. I thoroughly recommend them for any event you are planning, you wont find a more professional and friendly band if you tried! Thank you so much L2C for really making our event."
– Michael Huyton, Event Manager, Amnesty International UK, November 2011
"We would just like to thank all the band members of Licence to Ceilidh for playing at our wedding yesterday. We had the most perfect day and the ceilidh just rounded it off perfectly. It was great fun. Many of our friends and family were still raving about it the next day. Thank you for doing such a great job. Your professionalism was brilliant. I am sure at times that you must have thought it would be easier to herd cats than to get our friends to listen and concentrate! Thank you again."
– Jane & Grant, Cowdray Park, Midhurst
"You guys were fantastic. The quartet was wonderful and really provided the perfect atmosphere for the reception. We were very happy with your decision to play in the garden, which made a lovely start to the evening. Music is important to both our families and we are really pleased we got that right!"
– Robin & Tryphena
"We were fortunate enough to have Licence to Ceilidh playing at our wedding. I found the whole evening fantastic and danced all night. The guests clearly had an amazing time too and still speak about the ceilidh two months after the event. The advantage of having a ceilidh is that everyone is able to join in the dancing; my grandmother was on the dance floor as often as my friends. Some of the teenagers were quite sceptical as they had never been to a ceilidh before, but they also had a great time and seemed surprised at how enjoyable the dances were. Licence to Ceilidh are all excellent musicians with a clear, professional caller. I would not hesitate in recommending them."
– Kate Butler
"Having Licence to Ceilidh at our wedding was a wonderful experience. Right from the outset the calm, unfussy way in which the band rigged and set up made us confident we were working with professionals. Their relaxed manner and experience in judging when was the right time to start the dances was invaluable – guests don't like to be rushed! In the meantime I was amazed and delighted to see the band allowing the children to touch and try the instruments – we had a veritable education workshop going! It's not often you see that kind of genuine, enthusiastic rapport, but all the performers were absolute stars with the young 'uns. The instructions and calling were top rate – not patronising, not too fast, not too complex but not too easy. There was a real sense of satisfaction (with the exception perhaps of the drunk old ladies who had fallen flat on their arses) at the end of each dance. The music was energetic yet refined, and there were plenty of recognisable tunes 'dropped in' to the catches and reels to entertain the more classically oriented. All in all everyone had a great evening. Thank you Licence to Ceilidh for an unforgettable experience!"
– Alex Osiatynski
"I am writing to thank you for Licence to Ceilidh's wonderful performance in this year's Windsor Festival.
I was such a pity that I was unable to hear you all perform but I have heard wonderful reports of the concert from my colleagues and we have had much positive feedback. Please pass on my thanks to the other members of the group."
– Fiona Murphy, Events Director, Windsor Festival
"Thank you very much to you and to the band for a fantastic party to celebrate our wedding on Saturday in Sudeley Castle. I hope that you enjoyed the evening as much as we did! The choice of dances was excellent, and the calling done with good humour and enthusiasm. Everyone I have spoken to enjoyed the dancing, from old Scottish country dancing hands to newbie sassenachs. Hope to catch License to Ceilidh again soon!"
– Mark : Wedding, Sudeley Castle, July 2011
"Thank you for the fantastic ceilidh at our wedding on Saturday night, we had so many great comments from our guests and everyone loved it!"
– Louise & Craig : Wedding, Wasing Park, August 2011
"I just wanted to say thanks very much for playing at our wedding, you guys were great. We've had many comments back from our guests on how good you guys were – especially from the 1st time ceilidh go-ers. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend your Ceilidh band for hire
Many thanks"
– Iain & Anna : Wedding, Northbrook Park, August 2011
"Just a quick note to say thank you to you and to the guys who performed on Friday night with professionalism, gusto and fun.
You were easy and efficient to deal with and the band were excellent on Friday night… we loved them as did our guests.
There were always people dancing with huge smiles on their faces and sweat on their brows, right until the end of the evening.
(PS The staff at the Lensbury told us that the band was great because they were young and energetic..not like other ceilidh bands they had experienced !!!)
Definitely highly recommended and I am racking my brains for another excuse to party!"
– Lyn & Glen : Wedding, Lensbury, Teddington, September 2011
"We had a wonderful time at our wedding and the guests are still talking about the ceilidh. You managed to get everyone dancing (except the girl with the broken leg!). Thanks so much for incorporating some of our choices – your 'Hava Nagila'-ceilidh-style-mashup was particularly memorable. Great musicianship and professionalism. Your PA and lights were great too and thanks for helping with the bestman's video presentation!"
– Gareth Malone, 'The Choir' BBC2
"You've got to smile at that kind of music, haven't you?"
– Verity Sharp, BBC Radio 3
"Just to say a big thanks for playing at our wedding, everyone had a great time and the Ceilidh really made the night!"
– Susan Leiper
"Everyone had a great time at the wedding and I thought you all did a brilliant job providing the music. I would definitely recommend you to anyone else looking for a ceilidh band. Many thanks for all your hard work!"
– Ian Turner : Wedding : Lains Barn, Oxfordshire
"Also, just wanted to say what an amazing job you guys did on Saturday.
The reputation that lead us to choose you guys is definitely deserved. Everyone had a fantastic time and a lot of people made a point of telling me how impressed they were with you lot, brilliant choice of dances and your caller did an extremely good job."
– Ewan Beck : Wedding : RSA House, London
"The party was a hit from start to finish. The organisation was impeccable and the calling professional and concise.
To have such young and incredibly talented, thoroughly glossy musicians hosting the evening was a real treat!
A party run by such a group couldn't fail to be a roaring good evening!"
– Jeremy Heal, Tax Lawyer Partner Howes Percival and Chairman Eastern Opera
"Although initially we hesitated before booking Licence to Ceilidh as they seemed rather more expensive than other ceilidh bands around, in hindsight, what a fantastic choice we made.
My wife and I (Both Scottish born and bred) have been going to ceilidhs on and off for the past 30 years, the majority in Scotland rather than down south. We'd been going to the various clubs in London that regularly hold public ceilidhs since moving to London in August 2006. We had an idea that for my 50th Birthday that was rapidly approaching, we wanted to find the "perfect" ceilidh band, if such a thing existed; an experienced caller who, could not only deal with friends of mine who have never partaken in a single dance and visibly shudder at the idea, but also the more seasoned ceilidh dancers who like the more complicated longer dances.
We considered quite a few different groups and saw most of them play, some eight bands in total! Licence to Ceilidh won our vote by quite a considerable margin. Not only did they tick my mental boxes of the caller, a well organised outfit etc, the players themselves were really quite something. I had read on the website that they were classically trained at music colleges, but we really hadn't heard playing of that standard coming from a ceilidh band, where the most important factor is the dancing itself.
Needless to say, our event went with a swing and it still comes up in conversation regularly…and yes, I've spoken to the band and booked them again for another do next summer!"
– H.B. Peters
"Thank you!! The ceilidh was brilliant, everyone had a fantastic night – someone even told me it was the best night they had ever had at Herbert Smith, which must be a good sign! Will be in touch for next year!"
– Louise Ferrell, Associate, Herbert Smith LLP
"Just a quick note to say that the team you sent to do our wedding at the National Liberal Club on 28th June did an excellent job and made the wedding party go with gusto! They were very easy and flexible to work with and we were grateful that they accomodated Frank Hamilton by sharing their equipment.
It was such a great success that we would like to do a family Ceilidh on another occasion – we shall certainly check in with you if we do.
With many thanks to your musicians
best wishes"
– Sarah and Fran Galashan
"Phenomenal New 'Trad' Band… Licence to Ceilidh features five absolutely phenomenal musicians, all classically trained, but totally dedicated to Irish traditional music. Recently featured on BBC Radio 3, they blasted the airwaves with their fast and furious driving rhythms and invigorating foot stomping tunes.
A great night of musical entertainment is guaranteed!"
– Hammersmith Irish Centre
"Just wanted to write you a note to say thanks so much! We've had so many positive comments about the band and the dancing was FANTASTIC. Below are some photos which we think really show what a great time everyone had. Facebook went mad the next day! We've raised over £13,000 for Kirsten's charity which is amazing and will make all the difference. We are hoping to do it again next year and I will be in touch when the dust has settled. Kindest regards, Daisy"
– Charity Fundraiser, Battersea Arts Centre, February 2012
"…everything went like clock work. Including all things "Licence to Ceilidh". Thank you very much. The music was just great"
– Burns Night Event, Dover College, January 2012
"Thank you very much for your all your help on the 27th making our wedding a very memorable occasion.
I really enjoyed your music and felt that it appealed to more ages than any other tribute band would have done. We all, but perhaps especially the children loved the dancing. Thanks for putting up with us very inexperienced ceilidhers! Please pass on my thanks to everyone in the band who played for us that night. You even managed to get Bill dancing which is very, very unusual!!"
– Alex & Bill, Wedding, Poole, December 2011
"Many thanks again for the 23rd – everyone had an absolute blast."
– Jack Cutmore-Scott, Party, Botleys Mansion, December 2011
"Just a quick note to thank the band for the fantastic playing on Thursday. Yet again, we had a large number of compliments about the music: the guys really made the occasion very special. A Ceilidh is such a great way of getting people of all ages onto the dance floor. Our children and their teenage friends were as keen as the more mature members of the party! Now that we have had a couple of Ceilidhs, we seem to have started a tradition and so I am sure we will be back in touch for a third visit before too long. All the best to you for 2012."
– Philip & Rhuann, Party, Oxfordshire, December 2011
"Thank you so much for a great session at the Old Chapel Centre last Saturday. Everyone said how much they enjoyed the music and it couldn't have been better. The perfect thing for a 60th Birthday. I am sure we will start a new trend for Ceilidh's in the village…Hope to see you performing again soon…Many Thanks for making it such a memorable day"
– Caroline, 60th Birthday, Alfriston, December 2011
"The ceilidh was really excellent – you guys did a great job…..great feedback from all the guests – so thanks again for playing a massive part in making the evening so memorable!"
– Rob & Kawitha, London, December 2011
"I would like to thank you and the band for the wonderful music that you provided on Saturday. The Ceilidh was a great success and we had great feedback, particularly from the Scottish contingent!"
– Hannah & Stephen, South Farm, December 2011
"Just wanted to say thanks very much for Thursday night – we've had a lot of great feedback about the Ceilidh and everyone really enjoyed themselves."
– London Scottish, December 2011
"Hi Ali, Sorry for not being in touch sooner but we have been away from technology. We just wanted to say many thanks to Philippe and Lee and also many thanks for a great ceilidh – everyone seems to have enjoyed it and it certainly made for a good party. Thanks again"
– Toby and Becca, Lewes, December 2011
"Licence to Ceilidh were fantastic. They had all our guests of all ages up dancing all evening and everyone commented on how lively and fun the band and music were. Thank you! We will definitely be recommending you to friends and family."
– Sarah and Ian, Wedding, London, November 2011
"Just to say a huge thank you; last night was great. Well done for getting everyone up and dancing – I know you're old hands at it but it makes such a difference when everyone gets up and has a go. So so many compliments about 'the band' – everyone had a great time.
Thanks so much – and hope we'll see you again sometime, With best wishes to you all."
– Alison: 40th Birthday Party, Lains Barn, November 2011
"Just a note to say thank-you so much for playing at our wedding. We had such a fantastic night and so many people have said how much they enjoyed the music and the dancing. The band were great and the caller was really good fun. We appreciated the correpondance from Ali and all her help answering our questions before the day. Thanks for making our wedding even more special and memorable."
– Laura & Rob, South Farm, Cambridgeshire, October 2011
"Thank you so much for piping, playing the flute and providing the superb music for our ceilidh at our wedding. The music worked perfectly and many of our guests have commented how much they enjoyed the ceilidh. You impressed a delegation of hard core scottish ceilidh dancers – well done!. Please pass on our gratitude to Ali and the others in the band. We are enclosing some photos – a snapshot of our happy memories. Hope to catch up with Licence to Ceilidh in the not too distant future."
– Simon & Rosie, Fabrika, Brighton, September 2011
"The ceilidh really was a real highlight of our wedding – unforgettable! Thank you so much."
– Steven & Allison: Wedding, Oxford, August 2011
"Please could you pass on our thanks to the band and DJs who kept the party going all night. The Ceilidh band were fantastic and we had so many comments from our guests saying how much they enjoyed the music and the dancing (many of them Ceilidh virgins!). Also, a huge thank you to the two DJs – they played a brilliant mix of music and managed to incorporate many of our requests into the setlist. We had an amazing night (as did our guests) so thank you very much!"
– Michael & Rebecca: Wedding, RAC Club, August 2011
"I just wanted to write and say a massive massive thank you for performing at our wedding on 5 August. Everyone absolutely loved the evening – it is the talking point of the wedding. The music was phenominal and we had an awesome time. With kind regards and many thanks"
– Julia & Jon: Wedding, Cowdray Park, August 2011
"Thank you to License to Ceilidh for such great music at our party.
I had a ball and everybody commented on the fantastic music and Ceilidh.
The bodhran was a great idea and worked very well.
I hope we can host another Ceilidh soon."
– Pauline and Sam : Party, Wimbledon, June 2011
Just to say thank you for an amazing ceilidh and disco last night for our big day! Everybody had a great time! We thoroughly enjoyed it. I was sorry that we lost some time to the start of the ceilidh but I think there speaches were worth the wait in the end! We were thrilled! Everyone commented on how great the ceilidh was, great calling, great fiddle player….it was all absolutely brilliant. Thank you again
– Amy and Malcolm : Wedding, Kent
"I just wanted to drop you a line to say how pleased we were with the band that played for us last Saturday. They were absolutely marvellous and we, and our guests, had a fabulous evening. The caller…was professional and friendly and explained everything beautifully. Please pass on our thanks to him."
– Julie Binysh : 50th Birthday Party
"I didn't hear it myself, but my sister informs me Jim said it was one of the best dressed barn dances he had been to so we are very proud of that accolade!!
I'm sorry I wasn't a better hostess (too busy enjoying myself) and hope that you guys helped yourselves to food and drinks??! Thanks again – we all really had a fabulous night."
– Josie Judge : Albury Village Hall
"Just wanted to say a huge thank you to you and your band for playing at our Rock and Reel event on 19th February. Our guests had a great time and really enjoyed reeling to your dances!"
– Mencap Event: Battersea Arts Centre, Feb 2011
"This is an excellent band of dedicated young musicians. They have great energy and commitment to their music. They provide great atmosphere, direction and music for dancing, or just listening."
It seemed a natural choice to have a ceilidh for our wedding, as all the best wedding receptions we have been to involve much swirling around the dance floor to the sound of fiddles and flutes. We were keen to find a band who were modern and who could be adaptable to our 'crowd', as although a number of guests were Scottish, we didn't think we could necessarily rely on everyone knowing the dances. We booked Licence to Ceilidh directly after hearing them play at the foyer of the Royal Festival Hall. Their music was fantastic and when some members of the audience spontaneously got to their feet to dance we were convinced.
The band played an enormous part in making our wedding the truly memorable day it was. Thanks to such patient and clear calling the dance floor remained full throughout the evening. In fact, it was so full for the first round of the Gay Gordons that nobody noticed when the bride and groom were forced to abandon the floor and retreat to the bar! Strip the Willow was repeated a couple of times due to popular demand, and although on our video it was hard to tell who exactly was spinning around at 100 mph, it was clear that everybody was grinning a lot! It was also a lovely surprise to have Auld Lang Syne played at the end of the evening, when everyone joined in and then encouraged us to take the floor, causing a few sentimental souls to shed a tear or two.
"We would certainly highly recommend Licence to Ceilidh. In fact, we're trying to think how we can justify hiring them for another event as we had such fun. Definitely the best ceilidh band we've danced with so far."
– Joanna and Gordon Hutchinson
"We just wanted to say a huge thank you for the wonderful ceilidh at our wedding at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst on 6 September. Everyone commented on how good you all were, you motivated everyone onto the dance floor and in all our photographs, everyone is laughing and smiling even if the dancing leaves a lot to be desired. Your caller had a huge amount of patience and her instructions were incredibly good as even the drunkest of people managed to find their way in the right direction eventually.
You really topped our wedding off with a truly happy and memorable night. Thank you once again and we wish you all the best. Please could you pass this message to the other band members."
– N.Hall
We thoroughly recommend Licence to Ceilidh for your wedding reception. After checking them out at the monthly Ceilidh Club at Cecil Sharp House we knew they would be perfect for our wedding and they more than delivered the goods on the day.
The band set up in a professional and unassuming way and also helped us with our post-band disco so that the whole evening went smoothly. Their set was upbeat and inclusive and soon had all guests – both young and old – joining in. The calling was great and more than sympathetic to the fact that most guests (bride and groom included) were not accomplished Ceilidh dancers. It did not take long for everybody to relax and join in. The band were a key part to a memorable wedding day.
Many thanks
– Glenn Palmer & Nina Guy
"Exhilarating. This band of talented and energetic young musicians drove visitors at the Hampton Court Palace FlowerShow to exhaustion. They had toddlers and grandparents cavorting about with a delightful mix of music and expertly called dances. It was impossible to remain seated. Handsome and humorous, they are the best generation gap busters in the country."
– Stephen Bennett, Shows Director, Royal Horticultural Society


text:
Antenna Toolbox
Design, analyze, and visualize antenna elements and antenna arrays
Antenna Toolbox™ provides functions and apps for the design, analysis, and visualization of antenna elements and arrays. You can design standalone antennas and build arrays of antennas using either predefined elements with parameterized geometry or arbitrary planar elements.
Antenna Toolbox uses the method of moments (MoM) to compute port properties such as impedance, surface properties such as current and charge distribution, and field properties such as the near-field and far-field radiation pattern. You can visualize antenna geometry and analysis results in 2D and 3D.
You can integrate antennas and arrays into wireless systems and use impedance analysis to design matching networks. Antenna Toolbox provides radiation patterns for simulating beam forming and beam steering algorithms. Gerber files can be generated from your design for manufacturing printed circuit board (PCB) antennas. You can install the antennas on large platforms such as cars or airplanes and analyze the effects of the structure on antenna performance. A site viewer enables you to visualize antenna coverage on a 3D terrain map using a variety of propagation models.
Get Started:
Antenna Catalog
Design and visualize antennas using a catalog of parameterized elements including different types of dipole, monopole, patch, spiral, fractal, and horn antennas, among others. Add backing structures such as reflectors or cavities and specify dielectric substrates.
Antenna Designer App
Rapidly choose and design an antenna that fulfills your specifications. Refine, analyze, and visualize the antenna's performance in a few steps, and iterate until the results match your requirements.
Array Catalog
Design antenna arrays by choosing antennas from the catalog or defining custom elements. Use multiple instances of the same antenna element or define a heterogenous array.
Mutual Coupling
Determine the correlation matrix between antennas in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, study the effect of closely spaced antennas on the radiation pattern of phased array systems, and evaluate electrical coupling via multiport S-parameters matrices.
Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Antennas
Design arbitrary planar (2D and 2.5D) antennas and arrays. Combine geometric shapes to define the boundary of the antenna, add multiple dielectric layers, insert vias to connect metal layers, and specify probe or inset feed points.
Gerber File Generation
Generate and visualize Gerber files for PCB antenna fabrication. Select the connectors and choose the manufacturing service to rapidly prototype your PCB antenna.
Large Structures
Approximate large arrays with an infinite number of elements. Analyze infinite arrays over a range of scan angles and calculate scan element patterns. Approximate large installation platforms and backing structures with an infinite ground plane.
Antenna Installation on Platforms
Install antennas and antenna arrays on platforms such as cars, airplanes, or ships. Analyze the effect of the large structure on the antenna performance using physical optics in conjunction with the method of moments.
Evaluate antenna sites for transmitters and receivers, plot communication links, and visualize coverage and signal strength. Use 3D interactive geographical maps to analyze different scenarios for radar and base station positioning.
RF Propagation Models
Compute coverage and communication link properties using propagation models for free space and weather effects. Account for earth diffraction and reflection using Longley-Rice or TIREM™ (Terrain Integrated Rough Earth Model) propagation models.
Import and Visualize Custom Patterns
Import radiation patterns from MSI Planet antenna files (.MSI or .PLN). Visualize far-field and near-field data using 3D or polar plots. Interactively inspect the data and compute antenna metrics.
Method of Moments
Analyze antenna elements and arrays using the full-wave 3D MoM. Compute port properties such as impedance and S-parameters, current and charge distribution, and near- and far-field radiation patterns.
Antenna Optimization
Use local and global optimization methods for multiple design variables to improve the performance of your antenna. Speed up the optimization by using parallel computing and machine learning techniques such as surrogate models.
Benchmarking and Verification
Use Antenna Toolbox to compare analysis results with antenna measurements or with state-of-the-art scientific articles.
Tuning and Matching Antennas
Tune the resonance frequency and bandwidth of your antenna by inserting lumped elements on its surface. Use the impedance and S-parameters of antennas and antenna arrays in the design of matching networks using RF Toolbox™.
MIMO System Simulation
Develop beam forming and beam steering algorithms using the complex radiation patterns of antenna elements embedded within an array. Estimate coupling between antenna elements, account for edge effects, and simulate channel performance while accounting for antenna correlation.
SADEA Optimization in Antenna Designer and Array Designer
Optimize antennas and arrays using surrogate models
customAntennaStl Object
Import STL file to create a custom 3D antenna
Wire Solver
Analyze and solve dipole like antenna catalog elements
Corrugated Horn, Antipodal Vivaldi, Monocone, Elliptical Patch, Fractal Snowflake and More
Design, visualize, and analyze ten new antennas using parametrized geometry
Ray Tracing Propagation Model
New propagation model using ray tracing method of images with material reflection loss
Using a Photo for Full-Wave Antenna Analysis
This article on building an antenna from a photo covers segmenting an image, finding geometric boundaries, calibrating antenna size, and analyzing the antenna using full-wave Methods of Moments.