#And my mum was a chartered accountant

[the-busy-ghost]

Heard a Full-Grown Adult who was sitting behind me on the train tonight genuinely say “I don’t know why people are worrying about the cost of living” and honestly even if he was joking, I’m amazed his girlfriend didn’t dump him on the spot

[niall-is-my-dream]

Something Beautiful - Part Five

So I'm not 100% happy with this but here it is anyway.

Sorry I've been such a shit with updating this, lockdown has meant no time for myself. Let me know what you think!

catch up below

https://niall-is-my-dream.tumblr.com/post/615170836129808384/something-beautiful-masterlist

2815 words

Summer had passed in a blur of pure contentment. However Niall was in L.A. again and you were missing him. Since he began writing his second album, he had been bouncing between London and L.A. All the main writing had happened for it but he still needed to do a lot of work. He had been trying to do as much of it in London so that he could see family and friends more frequently especially over the summer, but it wasn't always possible.

Work at the publishing company had been busy and you'd had a lot of deadlines to adhere to. This was what was keeping you busy and stopping you from thinking about Niall too much. You hated the fact that you felt a little lost without him. You had spent a lot of time together in London and in that time you'd met his family and he yours, you'd had dinners together, late afternoon walks with Monty. And it was on one of those walks that you had been spotted together for the first time.

It had happened quite unexpectedly on a cool August evening, Niall had been walking around Wandsworth Common with you and Monty. Because of the heat you'd taken Monty out in the evening when it was cooler and still light. You'd been trying to avoid the lake in case Monty chased the ducks again, when a couple of girls aged around eighteen approached him. He had spotted them early on as soon as you had crossed over the bridge, it was like he had a weird ability to sense when he was being watched by someone, you guessed it came with experience.

The first you realised it was when they were right in front of you, although it did explain why Niall had distanced himself from you. You hadn't given it a second thought when he had moved his arm from around your shoulders. But it was because he knew someone was watching him and it was his way of protecting you from whoever that person was.

They eyed you up as they approached him, Monty came running over and dropped his ball at Niall's feet as if taking ownership of him. You loved the fact that Monty even as a young pup could show his protective side. The girls cooed over Monty as well as Niall and you found yourself being incredibly jealous.

Niall was such a sweetheart to the girls, they asked for a photo each and took interest in how his album was coming along. After initially scoping you out they paid no attention to you and you were thankful for it.

It was later that evening that Niall saw the initial speculation about who you were. Twitter had erupted with "who is the girl with the cute dog?" That phrase was fine by you, it could've been worse. There wasn't really any bad comments from what you could both see.

But the girls had managed to catch a sneaky picture of Niall with his arm around your shoulders. One where he was pulling you close to him and kissing your temple. It definitely looked a bit more than just friends apparently to his army of fans.

Luckily you didn't have your own Twitter or even Facebook. You did have an Instagram account but that was private and Niall didn't follow you anyway. Hopefully you could remain anonymous for as long as possible.

And now with Niall being back in L.A. the speculation about who you were was dying down. Niall had been monitoring it via Tara his PA, she was his eyes and ears when it came to gossip about him. She would make sure that if he was being talked about somewhere online then she was in the loop about it.

The beginning of September remained warm and you'd got the patio doors of your flat open to the garden. Monty was chilling out of the grass with a toy, your music blaring through your old record player. You were in the kitchen area prepping some dinner when a FaceTime call from Niall came through.

Upon hearing Nialls voice, Monty came bounding into the kitchen and jumped up at you.

"Woah Monty, wait your turn!" You said smiling.

Monty was circling your legs and wanting to be a part of whatever was going on, you knew he had heard Niall and was obviously missing him.

"Monty!" Niall called and Monty let out a little bark.

You slowly turned the phone around to face Monty, he nudged his face at the screen as Niall talked to him.

"You being good for your Mum?" He asked him.

You laughed a little at his conversation and at Monty who was staring at Niall with fascination.

"Right Monty, it's my turn. You go chill in your bed. Go on." You said and Monty wandered off to his bed that was by the end of the sofa. He sat in it but didn't take his eyes off you or your phone.

"I swear he loves you more than me." You muttered.

"He only loves me because I give him lots of treats."

"I'm aware!" You replied. "He's due his check up next week at the Vets so they will weigh him. He better not be piling on the pounds Horan!"

"Sorry." Niall replied laughing.

It was then that you saw he was sprawled out in bed, the crisp white sheets barely covering his torso.

"Did you just wake up?" You said seeing the clock said 6:45pm meaning it was 10:45am in L.A.

"Yeah, was at the studio till late. Just trying to decide what to do today, need to go to the gym at some point."

"I've only just finished work so am grabbing some dinner before I take Monty for a walk. It's been warm again today."

"Work busy?"

"Mmm have finally finished the edit that I've been working on for like three weeks. More assignments coming my way tomorrow."

"Any chance you could take some holiday or maybe work from a different location?"

"Possibly why?"

"I know I said I was probably coming back next week but I've got some interviews and stuff booked in now and they want to bring the single release forward by two weeks."

"That's amazing that they want to bring it forward and have got so much promo booked in for you. But won't that mean you'll be busy, why are talking about holiday time?"

"Because I wondered if you wanted to come over here for a bit?"

He wanted you to stay at his place in L.A?

Your mind was running a million miles an hour at how this would work. Would your boss allow you holiday or to work in a different time zone? Did you have any UK meetings booked in soon? What would you do with Monty?

"Niall...." You said carefully.

"I'm sorry I know it's a big ask. I just don't want to be apart anymore, I'll be here for at least another month."

"I would love to come and stay with you but.... "

"But?" He said looking slightly heartbroken.

"I can't leave Monty here, I have no one to have him for that amount of time. I can't ask Charlotte and Luke, they have a lot on with the wedding and everything."

"Alex, I meant Monty to."

You looked at him then as the realisation of what he was saying set in.

"I can't put him in a hold on the plane, I'm sorry." You said reluctantly. You knew animals were well cared for on flights but you couldn't even bare to think about leaving him alone like that in a strange place. He might have been two years old but he was still your baby.

"You won't need to. Tara is coming out in 10 days time and I can arrange a private plane for you, her and Monty. Rules aren't the same on a private chartered flight, he can sit with you for the entire time. Just need to get a letter from the Vets to confirm he's had all relevant vaccinations and is in good health."

"He could?"

"Yeah, look I know it's incredibly selfish of me to ask you to travel like that. I know your work and stuff is important to you.... I just miss you both so much. Can you have a think about it for a day or two and let me know?"

"It's so expensive to hire a plane...."

"Its not that bad."

"Small change for you hey?!" You smirked.

"Shut up, you make me sound like a right flash bastard." He smirked back.

There was silence for a moment while you took in the view in front of you, a topless Niall lying in bed. You missed him like crazy and you were sure you were due some holiday. You'd worked the last three months non stop. Would Monty be ok on the plane? He would probably love it and when he saw Niall straight after and he would know why he had taken the journey.

"Email me the details and I'll speak to my boss."

And that was how you found yourself sitting on a private plane with Niall's Assistant Tara and Monty on the way to L.A.

You hadn't had to organise anything for the journey apart from Monty's documents from the vets. Your boss has been so pleased with your work that she had said yes to some holiday straight away. Agreeing to take a week off work two weeks via L.A. And then have another week off before you returned home. She hasn't asked why you were going to L.A, and you hadn't disclosed it. Keeping this private was what you'd agreed to when Niall and you had decided to make things official, and you were fine with that. 

*****

The sunrise across Hollywood was beautiful, you could see why Niall chose to split some of his time here and London. Since arriving in L.A. a week ago you'd begun taking Monty out in the mornings.

You and Niall had dragged your bums out of bed early to avoid walking Monty later in the heat of the day. Monty needed walking early today not only because of the weather but because Niall had planned a bbq at his with some of his friends for you to meet. This was a big deal to you, as you really wanted them to like and accept you.

So here you were watching the sunrise with Monty sitting at your feet and Nialls arms wrapped around you. His face snuggled into your neck and the tender kisses he was giving you were giving you all sorts of feels. You didn't think anything to swipe that smile off your face, that was until Niall tensed behind you.

"You ok?" You whispered gently.

"Mmmm, just feel like we are being watched." He replied as he lowered his arms, he had been right the last time he had felt like that.

You turned to face him as he casually looked around the area where you had chosen to stop.

"For fucks sake." He mumbled.

Turning himself back to you, his body was flush with yours but his arms didn't wrap themselves back around you.

"Is someone watching us then?" You asked quietly.

"Yep, bloke with a fucking massive camera sitting in his car across the road. What the fuck is he doing out this bloody early?"

"Don't worry about it." You said reaching to stroke his arm to calm him. You may not be able to see his face but his body against yours was still tense.

"Come on, let's head home." He said as he turned and took your hand in his.

"Should we be holding hands?" You whispered.

"I feel like he's been watching us long enough, no point hiding it now." Niall replied sounding deflated.

You walked back to Niall's making small talk, but you could tell that the photographer seeing you both had rattled him. He had mentioned about wanting to keep things private, you had no intention on posting photos of him on your social media which actually only consisted of Instagram. And even then you really only posted pictures of your trips away and of Monty being cute. You couldn't imagine any of his fans remotely finding that interesting or using it to find a reason to hate you. Monty was cute.

Back in the safety of Niall's house, he let Monty off his lead and he scurried off towards the other end of the house where Mully's room was.

"Off to sleep at the end of Uncle Mully's bed again I see?!" Niall commented as Monty went out of sight.

"I know I feel slightly offended that he prefers Mully and you to me at the moment."

"What can I say Man is a dog's best friend!" He smirked back.

"Yeah whatever!" You smirked back.

"Well since we are all alone now, how about we go shower and I make you feel good?" He said as he pulled you close to his body. You loved it when he snuggled into your neck, his breath sending chills down your body.

"Do we have time?" You said, aware that his friends were coming over in a few hours and you both still needed to go to the supermarket and get some things sorted.

"We always have time for nakedness love." He whispered before whisking you upstairs.

*********

Monty was passed out at your feet while you chopped some salad for lunch, seems he did love his Mum still. He might have been an outgoing and lively dog, but he did get shy around lots of new people all at once. You were joined in the kitchen by Courtney who was a friend of Niall's, she was really sweet and had asked about your job and stuff. She got married a few months ago and so you talked about that and Charlotte and Luke's wedding that was happening in the next few month's.

"Hey Monty, what's up with you boy?" Niall asked as he came in from the terrace into the kitchen and crouched beside you.

"Think he's a little tired from messing around earlier with Mully in the garden and probably a bit shy from all the new people. No offense Courtney!" You replied.

"None taken." She said smiling genuinely.

"You want to come and sit in the shade with your Da?" Niall asked him and you paused, looking across at Courtney who's eyes were wide like yours. "I'll take him outside." Niall said to you. "I'm in the shade by the BBQ getting it warmed up."

You nodded a reply and carried on chopping the tomatoes, knowing that Courtney was going to say something as soon as Niall was out of earshot.

Niall reached down and beckoned Monty to follow him which he did and he walked happily with Niall back out onto the terrace.

"So....." Courtney said looking at you with a massive smile on your face.

"Sooo?!" You replied.

"You two are the sweetest! Did he really just refer to himself as Monty's Dad?! I love that! I have never seen him this happy." She said and she gave your arm a tender squeeze.

"He's never said it before, he always calls him his boy and stuff." You replied blushing.

"I tell you my heart right now is racing at how much I love this!"

"Do you think it's moving too fast? We've only known each other since January."

"Have you met each other's parents?"

"Yes."

"Has he told you he loves you?"

"Yes." You replied trusting her with the information you were giving her.

"Have you talked about moving in together?"

"No."

"I think you're fine. I knew after about four months of dating Sam that I was going to marry him. Everything is just exciting but comfortable and relaxed at the same time."

"Yeah that's exactly it." You said, amazed that she had read your situation so easily.

"Niall and I have spoken about you a bit while he's been here. Nothing personal! " She added quickly when she saw a look of horror on your face. "Just that he thinks things are so easy with you, in a good way. You seem to know when you both need your own time but also that when you're together it's fun, exciting and you're so normal it's refreshing. Honestly his last girlfriend was hard work!"

You laughed then.

"Thanks for saying that, I really hope everyone likes me today."

"I think everyone already does, we've never seen him this happy. Thank You for giving him back his spark."

You felt choked up at her words, the enormity of your relationship and how much he meant to you was really hitting home. And what made you feel the shivers right down to your toes was that you weren't scared of it.

Tag list

@ihearthemcallingforyou​

@mariamorris913​

[ginnyzero]

Ginny O’s Method of Character Development

There is a lot of advice out there on how to create and develop a good character. There are no doubt entire chapters in writing books and I know I’ve run across blog posts on every type of social media account imaginable. And of course, a lot of it is no doubt contradictory. The best thing about advice is you don’t have to use it all or any of it. It’s simply advice, not a set guideline of how things have to be done. Find what methods of writing and development work for you.

As long as you have a character or set of characters that can carry through the story as you want to tell it. Then that’s all you need. (The same can be said of world building, plots, whatever, as long as you have enough to get through the story you want to tell and it’s not self-contradictory, then really, you’re golden.)

I am a character driven writer. Not to say that some of my plots aren’t action focused, but I love writing interactions between varying personalities and putting those personalities in ridiculous situations just to see what they’d do. Thus, for me, one of the first things I do after I come up with a concept for a story is to try to come up with some characters that I can really sink my teeth into. Some characters are going to end up being more developed than others. And that’s okay! There are main characters. There are secondary characters. There are those characters that reveal themselves over time. And there are characters who blind side you by coming out of nowhere.

I’ll use Heaven’s Heathens as an example. My idea, that squeaky of DOOM, was to take the Expendables, expand on the motorcycle club concept by adding Sons of Anarchy and add the supernatural (Twilight). But remember, vampires are/were passé. And I’d had that love of werewolf bikers kicking around my brain for a while. Here was a chance to use it!

The great thing about this concept was I could make a list of character positions that I’d need to fill up both the motorcycle club and a mercenary unit. As an eagle:beaver:koala/dolphin:otter personality, I love lists (and I love having fun, go figure.) I needed the four officers of the Club. I needed the old lady character in charge of social events, the Gemma character. Did these officers have wives? I needed a mechanic, a demolitions specialist, a sniper, a hand to hand person, a small arms marksman, a supply/procurement person, a medic or doctor. Then I asked the question. Did some of these roles double with the officers?

At this point, no one had names. No one even had gender. The first two people to get gender were Savannah and Gideon. They were also two of the first characters to get names. This happened because of the first story I wanted to tell and the way I wanted to portray the relationship of the main couple in my series. (Because I like writing couple stories. I like a bit of romance.) I wanted to write an adult couple in an adult relationship with adult problems that are slightly amplified by the physics of the world building. (I still want to use that story line, so pardon me if I stay mum.) Coming up with this story allowed me to assign both of them some roles in the story. What were their occupations and place in the Club hierarchy?

So, in the context of building my world and story, I’d created a list of roles in the story. I decided on two characters I wanted to focus on (at that moment.) I’d given them gender, names and then assigned them a role or a part.

Sometimes, this is where I get distracted and start trying to decide what they look like. Maybe I’ll hunt down an actor or actress that I like who I think could play the part. Or I look up hair styles and think about the clothes they’ll wear. This can give me more ideas on the type of character I’m making. Or just be a major distraction that I’ll need to come back to later in the process.

The next questions I wanted to answer were, what were their relationships to the other roles in the story, why were they in those roles and thus, where did they come from, what was their history?

Creating the Heathens was a very organic process. A lot of the characters development depended on other characters development. Some of the characters on my list were little more than “Hand to hand specialist,” or “bodyguard to other character, likes steampunk,” or the cryptic “Sniper.” Sometimes it came down to “what types of characters do I want to see in stories?”

Frankie is a good example of this. I had Savannah, whose role was pretty defined. She was the Vice President and heir apparent to the Club. She had a man, Gideon, who was originally an outsider, not born to the Club and its ways. Savannah, of all people in this universe, needed a best friend. And I really, really wanted to see a non-crazy River type character who ended somehow being slammed into Pinkie Pie. (I honestly cannot remember for the life of me how that exactly happened.) So, Frankie became Savannah’s best friend, the hand to hand combat specialist. Who, for some reason, guarded the sniper on Savannah’s mercenary team. Why was she guarding this sniper? Oh, the sniper was her older sister and has a lot of kids. Frankie is protecting her family.

At the same time, I was thinking about the Secretary of the Club. I wanted someone who looked relatively stupid but used big words at unexpected times. And as Secretary he had the responsibility to not only keep the Club’s books but also collect on debts. I thought it’d be interesting to be the type of guy who can’t really control himself in a fight or when violence gets involved and ends up shooting the hostages or putting the delinquent in the back of a car and doing donuts until the delinquent or informant or whatever was ready to talk. And wouldn’t be funny if this person was the father of Frankie and the sniper?

Yes, a lot of the time, my character list and development of relationships ended up being “That’s hysterical, yes, must include.”

For a while, the President of the Club was labelled Matriarch/Patriarch in my documents. I was developing a lot of the world building and researching wolves at the same time I was building my characters. I knew that it didn’t really matter wolf wise what gender ran the Club. I knew it was more important Motorcycle Club wise, especially Outlaw Club types that they are a ‘men only’ club. But I was throwing this into the hypothetical post World War 3 future, so why stick with typical gender roles. Especially, when I was trying use more real wolf science of wolves in the wild versus how humans think and act.

So, Brand didn’t really become Brand until I answered the questions of WHY was Savannah, someone who was very young by werewolf terms Vice President of the Club and what happened to make her Vice President. In order to answer these questions, I had to ask myself who the President was, was this President a parent or a grandparent? If a grandparent, where were Savannah’s parents? Why was Savannah willingly taking this responsibility? Answering these questions revealed a lot about Savannah’s past and her motivations and her moral character. (Read the books/short stories to find out why, I’m not going to tell you! YEESH.)

Making Brand male was a tough decision for me. I really hemmed and hawed over it. I wanted to show that females could lead Club charters, but at the same time, it might have taken away from Savannah’s story and her character plot line. She might be less important if Brand was say, Brandy. The story despite being set in the future still needs to have roots in the issues of our times. Females as elected national leaders, especially given the last couple of election cycles, is a huge issue of our day. The judgement based on appearance rather than record. The sexist attitudes that still pervade the media about what type of national leaders women would be despite people like Queen Elizabeth II or Margaret Thatcher.

Thus, Brand became male and the Gemma type character became female. Savannah’s past and Brand’s past were intertwined being that they were related. So, that revealed more of Brand’s character.

Usually, around this point is when I start giving the characters or noticing the characters have one or two personality traits. For instance with Brand, I’d been calling him the Patriarch for quite some time. This really helped define his role and his personality. Brand is the congenial nepotistic dictator that you don’t want to disappoint. He may be your dad like figure. He may want what’s best for you. He’s also the one ultimately in charge of the house and don’t forget it. He will protect the House from all threats and do his best to support it. In return, he demands your loyalty, respect and that you follow the rules of his house.

One of the best questions I think that a writer can answer when developing a character is, “When push comes to shove, how does the character react?” A character’s response to a stressful situation, reveals a lot about that character and where they are at in their personal lives. This is about the time I ask this question. Because, it helps a lot with the next bit.

It’s only after I assign a role, a name, a gender and a few personality types that I personally start digging into personality archetypes. Personality archetypes cover a broad range of different systems from different cultures. The most well-known personality types are the Western and Eastern Zodiac, and the Myers Briggs test. Depending on how important the character is, the more of these systems I’ll use to try and nail down a person rather than a stereotype.

Whether we like it or not as writers, readers like archetypes. Readers enjoy the comfort of the familiar in their characters. There is a reason why Star Wars is such a huge franchise. The archetypes of Star Wars are painted in huge brush strokes on the big screen and the plot is based upon the Heroes Journey, something that is older than dirt as it can be found in Ancient Greek plots!

Just because readers like archetypes, doesn’t mean our characters have to be stereotypes of these archetypes. A lot of the time I’ve noticed, especially when zodiac signs are turned into stereotypes, that the negative of the stereotype is emphasized rather than the positive. A Libra doesn’t have to be an indecisive shallow twit obsessed with the latest fashion trends. Libras are also excellent diplomats and mediators who make good companions and use their heads when taking action. (My little Encyclopedia of the zodiac has 16 good Libra traits listed versus 7 bad traits and I swear, every petty villain or unsympathetic main character becomes all 7 bad Libra traits.)

Feel free to use several different archetypes at once. Browse TvTropes and cherry pick traits you’d like to see together in one character. Mix DnD or World of Darkness character building with character blood type personalities. Pick a birthday and use Bad Birthdays or the Zodiac Guide to Birthdays. (I’m a Darkside Zodiac fan, so I like bad birthdays better.) Use playing cards, the tarot, or find spirit animals. Use the Elements of Harmony personality types! (Savannah is Twilight Sparkle/Applejack, Frankie is Pinkie Pie/Rarity.)

The most important thing I think I learned while developing these characters is that once I’ve developed them enough to get the story up and off the ground, the characters will develop more as I write. They’ll change. They’ll grow. As I write the story, I’ll learn more about them and their abilities and facets that can take the story places that I couldn’t even imagine back when I made a list of roles.

So, let me sum up. When I have an idea for a story, a concept, I sit down and I create a list of parts. (Sometimes this is easier than others.) Parts could be anything from occupation to ‘next door neighbor.’ Usually, the story idea will give me an indication of which casted roles are the most important. I’ll give the character gender and usually a name. I may try to figure out what they look like and how they dress to give me more ideas about where I’m taking the character. Then I try to build relationships with other characters on the list. These relationships can help me develop a character’s past, their motivations and emotional behaviors. I can start giving them or noting down specific traits that characters have, like they’re easy going or very organized or upbeat and bubbly.

From there, I can start researching different archetype systems, fleshing them out with the zodiac, Myers-Briggs types and others. From there I can start assigning them hobbies or quirks or personal preferences and fears. But those may not come out until I’m writing, delving into the story and trying to get inside the character’s head and making them more than a list of traits in a word file.

My method is just my way of doing things. Sometimes it works out and I get a fully developed idea out of it. Other times, it doesn’t and that’s just what happens. Use what works best for you.

[iano-me]

rangers in women

0 to macleay valley rangers in women (2) Her mum was working away on a farm at the time. Really it an ideal solution.. You just put them in the bag and move on to the next one.". We've got a wide mix of top notch single and multiplayer games you can really sink your teeth into and wash down with lovingly crafted coffee. But, also the toothbrushes themselves are unique where the 5000 comes with a 'flossing type brush' (which isn't to replace flossing') but offers you a pretty intense clean.. Van Duzen. The Marine Corps, with its large concentration of people in North Carolina, could be especially affected. Draper and Elmere Wright were local baseball standouts. This study explores the different motivating factors experienced by coach outlet online teachers, both Primary and Secondary, in the 21st Century. Peter German to review (anti money laundering) practices in the industry are looking forward to the outcome of his report.". There's a universe in which Penn State has one loss heading into the Nov. As someone who grew up in Guangzhou and discovered the relative freedoms of Hong Kong through TV broadcasts from the region and then Taiwan, she has some experience in that area. But these days, the affable host is interested in more than just sharing advice on where to find the best pizza in Italy. Make each other better. Bradley throw to no one went into the dugout, allowing two runners to score.. The last is a major player, with a membership of 16,500 in 90 countries. It is interesting how this primal urge to achieve a target continues to inspire achievement in many modern occupations. (If you didn know, the M rating is the video game equivalent for a rated R flick.). This is a huge game, there's no doubt. Many of us in this room I, included have degrees from the UW, and in my case, I also started the academic leadership portion of my career there.. Moore's class is in session Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 4 pm to 6 pm (6 am to 8 am in Vietnam). Also, it is hoped that fans will enjoy an improved sense of safety."If you do not have a clear plastic bag when you arrive at the stadium, complimentary clear gallon sized freezer bags will be available at the guest services locations outside of each corner spiral of the stadium (Gates 5, 21, 31, 45). Brianna Ingram, a 6 foot sophomore, contributed five kills and two blocks for the Ravens.. For a meal, sandwich, or a quart of homemade chicken corn or ham and bean soup. The Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, WHO Life Chart and Global Assessment of Functioning were used to assess clinical, social and service use outcomes. ET, FoxPoint spread: NO 8 Matchup quality: 76.4 (of 100). National disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho dismissed concerns that the volcano's eruption could affect planes transporting aid and supplies to the quake disaster areas. Got holidays booked in but no plans? How about these adventures to fill your time or at least to keep dreaming about? Australia's longest running regional food festival, Orange FOOD Week, has provenance and sustainability at its core for 2019. More coverage Alleged wife killer denies poison pen letter affairs claims 'Hitman' denies telling pack of lies at murder trial 'Hitman's' vital phone evidence 'lost' before murder trial 'Hitman' tells court of 20,000 plot to murder wife Brother of first wife denies involvement in death Son found stepmother's body after school, murder trial hears Neighbour found murder accused cradling wife's lifeless body Wolverhampton murder victim told friend of 'loving' family Wife murder trial hears mystery accomplice could be woman Wolverhampton wife murder trial shown images of ransacked house Husband 'murdered second wife and offered employee 20k to kill first' Asked by Mr David Mason, QC, prosecuting, whether he wanted justice for himself or his wife, Singh said: "For myself and my wife. For that fleeting few hours, Fairbanks experienced civil twilight, when the sun bobbed less than 6 degrees below the northern horizon. The adjustable crossbody strap gives you comfortable and hands free carrying convenience great for everything from running errands to traveling. Wilson West Lawn There was also a decent sampling of local teams Allen, Bethlehem Catholic, Central Catholic, Parkland, Northampton, Palmerton and tournament runners up Executive Academy Charter among them.The other tournament, which intentionally had a different vibe to it, featured primarily public school teams, several of whom didn't want any part of playing in the same event as Executive.You can debate whether that was a legitimate reason to run a different tournament, but from all accounts the organizers of the Lehigh Valley Summer Jam, primarily Freedom coach Joe Stellato and Dieruff coach Joe Jarjous, were pleased with the results of their first effort and plan to build a bigger field.Those who thought all local public schools would have been in the coach outlet clearance Summer Jam might have been surprised, but those coaches either preferred playing outside competition, and outside, leaving their kids decide where they wanted to be.. I mentioned the need to do something with your hands when you're socialising.

[boundlesslysearching]

Searching for- Adulthood

As a little kid, the ultimate defining things that set you apart as a big kid or an adult were having a Facebook account, dying your hair, piercings, and getting to walk home from school by yourself. See, when I was in fifth grade, these things seemed so big to me. At the beginning of the school year, I lived in California, literally in the middle of no where, and attended this tiny charter school, which was also in the middle of no where. The school didn’t have more that a hundred kids in it, and the only ids who got to walk to the school was a boy in my grade and his little brother, because they lived directly across the street from the school. We used to get visits from his families chickens and goats when they would escape their pens in the afternoon. I remember one friend I had, a girl named Brianna who I considered my best friend, who had her ears pierced, and had a Facebook and had beached her hair blonde with her mum’s help. I remember being so jealous because I thought that meant she was more mature than I was. Looking back, she was. I was that weird kid that liked to run around and pretend she was an animal.

After noticing that, I began noticing other girls in our class had dyed their hair, had their ears pierced, and most of them also had phones and Facebook as well. I would beg and beg my mum trying to convince her to let me color my hair, or pierce my ears, or to let me start my own Facebook. I was always met with the same responses. “ You can’t pierce your ears til you’re twelve.” “ You can’t have a Facebook til your fourteen.” “ You can’t dye your hair til you’re eighteen. I didn’t color my hair til I was twenty three.”  It used to make me so mad. I used to complain and bitch about how unfair my mum was all of the time anytime she didn’t give me my way too. I’d go to school and shit talk about her. I was pretty rude of eleven year old me. But soon change came to my family. My dad, who works for a branch of the government, got a job position he’d been trying to get a hold of for years and we packed up all of our things and moved up to Oregon just before Thanksgiving of that years. With that move came me starting a new adventure at a new school, where I found more girls that had colored hair, piercings, social media, phones, and on top of that, most of them were also allowed to walk around town with out their parents supervision. I felt like a baby and was so desperate to be seen as mature as those kids were.

It just seems so trivial now. I’m now a graduate, fresh out of high school and waiting to hear back from colleges for the fall. At the beginning of my senior year, I was a nervous wreak worrying about getting a job and just wanting to be done with the school year. The end approached quickly, and after submitting it, I sat and started at my final assignment. It felt so surreal that i had managed to finish high school. My graduation ceremony was even crazier. As I sat, stood, and walked around, moving as we had practiced, I felt sort of numb and as soon as I grabbed my diploma and shook my principles’ hand the overwhelming sound of people cheering for me and calling my name found me, as if someone unmuted a TV.

Feeling like you have no purpose is a pretty weird and scary feeling. I feel like I don’t know what comes next, but I have a gasp on what I think might. I’ll work through the summer and go to college in the fall. Maybe I’ll get my drives licence, meet someone special and hit it off,  spend time with my family and friends, just to spice up the fee time I have in between. If there’s anything I’ve learn so far it’s to take the time to slow down and enjoy what’s in front of you. It sounds cheesy, I know, but when I was told the same thing and took the time to try it, to take time for myself, I was amazed at how peaceful life can be. Just try and find those quiet seconds that pass by to relax in. Sure run and try to get to adulthood as fast as possible, but always take a few seconds for yourself to reflect on you, to breath and enjoy all the little things.

[itsrattysworld]

Without Prejudice Rebecca Lawrence Of CPS Proves That Ratna Khanam, Tammie Tebboth, Nikki Babb, Holly Sweeney, Nikki Wright, Justice Simler, Samantha Jones Share The Same Mask Of Sanity Like LEYF CEO June O'Sullivan Who Sanction Discrimination After Mum's Death Label Me UURICA-LE l

Without Prejudice Rebecca Lawrence Of CPS Proves That Ratna Khanam, Tammie Tebboth, Nikki Babb, Holly Sweeney, Nikki Wright, Justice Simler, Samantha Jones Share The Same Mask Of Sanity Like LEYF CEO June O’Sullivan Who Sanction Discrimination After Mum’s Death Label Me UURICA-LE l

I was #advised at Lambeth College 1997-1999 to use my #assignments for my first BOOK https://www.lambethcollege.ac.uk is my #reference as an Expert Authority on Subjects Cradle to Grave When I get a my computer I will write a detailed account in line with Charter Of Rights http://ww.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19434472.2015.1108352 have 9 preventive mechanisms that the…

[terrypearrson]

Pupil barrister opens up about racism in emotional Twitter thread

Lola-Rose Avery speaks out after the death of African-American George Floyd

Lola-Rose Avery

A pupil barrister has opened up about her personal experiences with racism in an emotional Twitter thread.

Lola-Rose Avery, a family pupil barrister at Guildford Chambers, recalled her experiences with racism as a child growing up to her time in law school, in a thread which has received 2,500 retweets and 7,000 likes on Twitter.

Avery’s revelation comes after the death of African-American George Floyd in US police custody, which has sparked protests in the US and beyond. She begins the thread by expressing her disappointment in the “resounding silence from ‘Legal Twitter'”, adding: “It didn’t feel right to not speak up more.”

She begins to recall her earliest memories of racism, starting at nursery.

3/ I remember my mum seeing it when she came to pick me up one day and asked me if this always happens. I told her it does and I remember her going silent and trying not to cry in front of me. I remember these things because they were traumatic for that little girl.

— lola (@legally_lola) May 31, 2020

She then moves on to her time at primary school, where she recalls being subject to racist name-calling.

5/ I hid on the playground at break and lunch times because when I was found I was punched, kicked and called “Lola the black Cola” by boys and “Medusa” by everyone because of my plaits (which are both quite inventive to be fair).

— lola (@legally_lola) May 31, 2020

It appears that Avery’s early encounters with racism also occurred out of school. In the thread she reveals that she experienced physical abuse and racist name-calling from older kids near her council estate.

7/ I am living on a council estate and scared of going to the shop alone because a group of older kids would punch, kick and spit on me while calling me the ‘N word’- girls and boys. Sometimes they wouldn’t let me go until I sang a song, “Lolo, sing a solo” they chanted.

— lola (@legally_lola) May 31, 2020

The racism continues as Avery begins university. A fall-out with some former friends leads to a “hate” page being created about her on Facebook.

9/ Continued references to me as a horse on social media. I start to wonder if maybe I do look like a horse. I believe I do. Present day: Dominic Cummings’ father in law calls his horse ‘Barack’ (Obama) because it’s half black & half white.

— lola (@legally_lola) May 31, 2020

Avery then goes on to take the Bar Professional Training Course, and recalls being described as “aggressive” by a classmate during a negotiations exercise.

10/ I am at law school now. My tutor asks my white and very middle class, classmate who already has pupillage how she found negotiations with me after an exercise. Her response, “I found Lola aggressive”.

— lola (@legally_lola) May 31, 2020

It was at this point that Avery’s tutor lent her support.

11/ In my head, I’m thinking “this is it. This is always going to be my career and life”. My tutor, I am grateful, stands up for me and says “I heard it. Lola wasn’t aggressive at all actually. She speaks assertively, that’s just her voice”. (Thank you @seeyouatthebar)

— lola (@legally_lola) May 31, 2020

Secure your place: The UK Virtual Law Fair Series 2020

In another instance during her time in bar school, Avery remembers being called “ghetto” by another student when they got into a disagreement.

12/ I get into a disagreement with a student from a different class and he calls me ‘ghetto’. Needless to say, I’m not at all, it was just a tired racial slur. Not that it’s relevant, but he failed the course.

— lola (@legally_lola) May 31, 2020

Now working in the legal profession, Avery, a former chartered accountant, describes her experience as a black woman in law.

14/ When they look at me skeptically, as I have seen some do, I don’t know if it’s just because I’m young (and look younger) or it’s what I fear that it is. My white contemporaries never, ever have to consider or worry about this.

— lola (@legally_lola) May 31, 2020

Avery stresses that the Twitter thread is only a snapshot of her encounters with racism and observes that her experience isn’t unique.

15/ This is a snapshot, not even close to detailing all the instances of racism, violent and otherwise that I’ve experienced throughout my entire life and all the things I have to think about just existing as a black person. And clearly… I’ve had it lightly compared to others.

— lola (@legally_lola) May 31, 2020

Avery’s candid thread has received extensive praise on Twitter, with prominent legal voices thanking the pupil barrister for sharing her story.

Incredible thread. Thank you for writing it. It deserves the widest possible audience.

— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) May 31, 2020

Thank you for writing this, it's devastating to hear about what you have been through but valuable to hear for others, so thank you. I hope that the Bar is a better environment though I realise it can be tough in lots of ways. Please do message or email if you ever need anything

— Adam Wagner (@AdamWagner1) May 31, 2020

Great thread. Keep saying it because it needs to be heard again and again until it sinks in

— CrimeGirl (@CrimeGirI) May 31, 2020

In response to the praise her Twitter thread has received, Avery tells Legal Cheek:

“I am encouraged by the many positive responses. Many people, including a significant number of legal professionals, have addressed me both publicly and privately. These people are saying that my comments challenged them and they are confronting their own actions and inactions in order to change for the better and do more to be actively anti-racist. I hope this continues.”

Avery appeared on BBC News yesterday evening to give her take on the Black Lives Matter movement in response to Floyd’s death. She explored how we can tackle systemic racism:

“Racism isn’t just such overt acts, as we’ve seen in America with George Floyd — saying racist things, telling racist jokes. We here in the UK, as well as in the US, have systemic racism. It’s a kind of racism that permeates pretty much every conceivable aspect of our society and life. And the only way to challenge that is for people to be very honest with themselves about how they’re perpetuating racial bias and about how they are calling it out when they are seeing it. So, it’s not just simple as being quietly non-racist, it requires being actively anti-racist.”

Also appearing on the Beebs, but this time on BBC Breakfast, was Paul Olubayo, a Keele University law graduate who has just finished his masters in human rights law and international justice at the University of Minnesota. Speaking from the US this morning on how we can challenge systemic racism, Olubayo said:

“It starts on the interpersonal level. When we see these issues of racism, discrimination, are we speaking up about them? Are we holding our close friends, our family members, to account or are we allowing that to fester, are we allowing it to be something that someone exhibits in their teenage years and by the time they hit 60 or 70 we’re saying, ‘well that’s just who he is, he’s stuck in his ways’. We can’t allow that to continue.”

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The post Pupil barrister opens up about racism in emotional Twitter thread appeared first on Legal Cheek.

source https://www.legalcheek.com/2020/06/pupil-barrister-opens-up-about-racism-in-emotional-twitter-thread/

[uk-news-talking-politics]

Jamaica deportation: The govt is trying to bully those who stood up for justice

By Bella Sankey Last week, my organisation, Detention Action, held the government to account and required it to comply with the law. In a high profile case, the Court of Appeal ordered the home secretary not to deport any individual who had been denied access to a working mobile phone for five working days prior to a deportation flight to Jamaica. The government initially sought to deport at least 50 people, but as a result of the court order, removed only 17.

The court required the Home Office to comply with its own written policy on removals and upheld the ancient English right of access to justice. We produced evidence that there had been no O2 phone signal in the Heathrow detention centres for weeks leading up to our challenge. We know from the material the government was forced to disclose that despite being aware of this problem since mid-January, no action was taken to offer alternative sim cards until we filed our case. Even then only a handful of them were handed out and many booked onto the Jamaica flight were not offered them.

Following the judgment, the government briefed its "molten fury" to the press. It sought to distract from its failure to uphold its own policy by returning to the tired old theme of wanting to curb judicial review. Dominic Cummings' shaky grasp on the constitution was in evidence. He was reported as saying that the case was "the perfect symbol of the state's dysfunction". Quite the reverse. The state's inability to provide basic phone signal for people detained for forcible removal is an example of state dysfunction. Judicial review is its democractic antidote.

Access to legal advice is a cornerstone of our democracy. Upheld by our courts throughout centuries, it sets Britain apart from despotic regimes around the world. Everyone in Britain, no matter their politics, should therefore be deeply alarmed by government threats to narrow the ambit of the rule of law. Make no mistake, this was always the government's intention, a bully boy tactic intended to intimate and silence those who stand up for justice.

None of this is academic. We know from the people we support in detention just how vital effective legal advice can be. For some it is quite literally a lifeline, such as those facing a real risk of death if removed or those who were so young when brought to the UK they have no connection with their birth country. One client, Tayjay Thomson, who was originally scheduled to be on the flight, did have working phone signal. He accessed crucial advice and was able to put evidence of his situation before a high court judge, successfully arguing that he had a meritorious claim to remain in the UK.

The attention our case has attracted and the campaigning of grassroots organisations around the Jamaica charter flight has sparked a welcome and important national debate about our detention and deportation policies.

As a result of a knee-jerk law passed in 2007, the Home Office automatically pursues deportation for anyone who is not formally a British citizen who receives a criminal sentence of more than 12 months. In practice this means thousands are marked for deportation each year.They include many who have been in the UK since childhood,  people with no connection to the country they are due to be returned to, those with many children and other caring responsibilities, those with relatively minor or one-off offences, and those who are completely rehabilitated. In the case of last week's Jamaica flight, the dragnet also included victims of modern day slavery, trafficking and other criminal activity.

The government's response to the public debate has been repeated claims that all those on the flight are the most serious offenders, smearing them as murderers and rapists. This not only places those removed in grave danger, it's a woefully simplistic and inadequate response to a complex situation and misleads the public as to how our laws work.

There are a small minority of individuals who have committed heinous or persistent offences and may pose an ongoing risk to the public. No-one questions that deportation should remain a discretionary option for these most serious of offenders. Public protection must be paramount. But here too government has questions to answer. If someone has been in the UK since early childhood and is considered a public safety risk, is it ethically defensible to return them to a country which has neither the infrastructure nor monitoring mechanisms to ensure they do not reoffend?

In reality, the vast majority scheduled on the flight weren't persistent serious criminals. The stories vary, but the trend is ultimately the same. Young people make mistakes. Some caved to pressure, some were groomed into infamous county lines operations, and some made poor decisions that they deeply regret and have sought to put right. No-one is condoning criminal activity. But when a serving senior Cabinet minister admits to having regularly taken Class A drugs, why must those who have already served a prison sentence for supplying someone like him with those drugs be forever banished from their home and ripped from their children's lives? This is double punishment and a further punishment for the innocent British kids forcibly separated from a parent.

Last Wednesday, many British children woke up to a world in which they may never see their mum or dad again. Some reports suggest that teenage children are already experiencing suicidal thoughts due to losing a parent and we have heard from the partners of those still detained about their children's changed behaviour, including trauma, bed-wetting and night tremors. How can this be right, proportionate or British?

This is only the second charter flight to the Caribbean since the Windrush scandal broke in 2018. The government alleges that this issue is entirely separate to Windrush. But a leaked version of the as-yet-unpublished Windrush report recommends that deportation should become an exception not a norm.

This issue cannot be divorced from Windrush. Those targeted for deportation are the grandchildren and wider descendents of the Windrush Generation. They are in the UK because the British government invited our wider Commonwealth to come and help rebuild a post-war Britain, with the promise they could make it their home. But how can a place be home if you live in fear of immigration officers taking your son to immigration detention? Or if your grandchild is deported after committing a crime that would have landed a British citizen with a brief stay in prison - or even a glittering political career?

They're rarely championed by governments, but human rights and access to justice are our bedrock. These principles are powerful, universal and timeless. They were ours long before the Johnson government took office and they will outlive this administration. But we must be prepared to fight for them. And to fight for the rights of all those on our shores, whether they have a pink or blue passport or one of another colour entirely.

[labourpress]

Angela Rayner speech to Labour Party Conference

Angela Rayner MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Education, speaking at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton today, said:

 ***CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY***

 Conference, last year I said it was a surprise, but a great privilege, to stand before you as Shadow Secretary of State for Education.  And what a year it has been.

 Theresa May started it by warning of a coalition of chaos. Now she leads it. And her education ministers have spent the last few months ripping up their own Manifesto page by page.

 They wanted to open new grammar schools. But they can’t. They said they’d build 140 free schools. They couldn’t. They pledged the healthy pupils fund would not fall below £400 million. Now it will. They promised they’d provide free school breakfasts. But they won’t.

 When we beat them on tuition fees, they refused to accept it. Instead they will just stop turning up for votes. They’ve gone from running the place to running away from the place.

 In fact, I went through their Manifesto line by line. There are more education policies that they are reviewing or abandoning than they are actually implementing.

They’re binning their Manifesto; we are building on ours.

 The next Labour Government will create a National Education Service, a cradle-to-grave system supporting everyone throughout their lives. It would start in the early years, where we know it has the most impact in changing people’s lives – just like my life was changed by a Labour Government.

 When I became pregnant at sixteen, it was easy to think that the direction of my life, and that of my young son, was already set. My mum had a difficult life, and so did I, and it looked like my son would simply have the same.

 Instead, the last Labour Government, through support of my local Sure Start centre, transformed my son’s childhood, and made sure that his life would not have to be as hard as mine had been. So when I say that politics changes lives, I say it as someone whose own life was changed.

 Yet those services are being lost across the country. We revealed today that since 2012, £437 million pounds has been cut from Sure Start – nearly half of their funding.  That means more children and families with less control over their lives.

So I am proud to say that we will give £500 million a year directly to Sure Start, reversing those cuts in full. Because to give every child a fair chance to succeed, we need to give them the best possible start in life.

 For far too many that simply isn't happening.  The Tories promised free childcare to the children of working parents. They promised over 600,000 places. But they created less than a quarter of them. The most disadvantaged aren’t even eligible and costs are rising more than twice as fast as wages.

 Today, we are publishing a report setting out the alternative. Free, high-quality early education, universally available for every 2-4 year old, and extra affordable care for every family, saving them thousands of pounds a year. So our children will be ready for school. And when children arrive, they won’t be let down for a lack of resources there either.

 The Government’s latest U-turn was on their so-called fair funding formula two weeks ago. Thanks to our pressure, and the great campaign run by parents and teachers, they have abandoned cash cuts to schools.

 But the truth is, there is no new money – every penny has been found by cutting other education spending.  And they still won’t meet their promise that funding will go up in real terms over five years. This means the continuation of real terms funding cuts to 88% of schools, hitting the most disadvantaged areas hard.

 A Labour Government would meet that promise instead: a fairer funding formula, but genuinely fair and properly funded.  And we will remember the most important resource: people.

 Learning needs teaching. Teachers would be at the heart of the National Education Service. And we will pay them properly to do it. That is why we will bring an end to the public sector pay cap.  And teaching assistants  and support staff too. Many have lost so much that they are on the minimum wage. We will bring back national standards for them too. They look after our children. We should look after them.

 As well as giving our schools the resources they need, we must ensure that they give every child the support they need. Because all our pupils deserve a good quality of life. So, I am proud to say that as your Secretary of State, I will allocate £10m from our departmental budget to end the scandal of period poverty in our schools.

 Councils are required to find a school for every child. We will give them the resources to meet that responsibility. Unlike the Tories, we will help successful state schools expand and ensure that every child gets a school place. So we will invest £8bn pounds in new school buildings, where they are needed. And we won’t neglect existing schools to do it.      

We will provide the full £13bn pounds needed for the existing school estate. Instead of wasting millions of pounds on an inefficient free schools programme, we will provide funding to ensure our schools are safe – that flammable cladding can be removed, sprinklers installed and asbestos cleared.

 And the National Education Service won’t stop at eighteen, or sixteen.  Further education isn't just for those who 'didn't get the chance' to go to university; it serves the majority of young people. They too deserve a world-class education.

 Instead, the Tories are happy to manage decline. I will only be happy when we manage success. So we will invest a billion pounds into a further education service to deliver T-levels that are a true gold standard.

 The Tories keep talking about how they want to help young people. Reducing fees.

Capping interest rates. Raising repayment thresholds. I’ve got a suggestion for them. Stop talking about it, and get on with it.

 But our National Education Service is not just for young people either. That is personal to me too. At sixteen I was out of school and looking for work, but without qualifications to offer. I supported myself and my son as a care worker, looking after the elderly and disabled in their homes. Low qualifications meant low wages. No skills meant no security.

 As a trade unionist with Unison, I could change that. Not just for myself, but for the carers I worked with, and the people we cared for. Workplace education meant we had the chance to learn more and earn more. Other people need that chance. So, our National Education Service will be lifelong, providing for people at every stage of their life.

 That is our National Education Service. Not just another structure. Not another new sign on the school gate.

 A promise, from a Labour Government, to the British people and British businesses.

That we believe in all of them, in their talent and their potential, in all they give to our country, and that we will never limit their aspiration or their ability to succeed.  It will set out the education that people can expect throughout their lives. The contribution that society makes to them and that they can make to society.

 Today, we outline the principles of that National Education Service in a draft charter, starting a conversation on how we continue to build it moving forward. And I look forward to that conversation, to visiting schools, colleges, and universities, to talking to pupils, parents, teachers, and businesses, so we can truly build a National Education Service for the many, and not just the few.

 Conference, Education informs. It inspires. And it empowers. Because knowledge is power. I know that from my own life. We must ensure that power becomes the right of every person, whatever the circumstances of their birth.

 That means giving opportunity to all, with a guarantee of lifelong learning, whenever they need it. It means giving power back to our communities, ensuring that every school in receipt of public money is genuinely, democratically accountable to the people it serves.

 The Labour Party was founded to ensure that the workers earned the full fruit of their labour.  Well, the sum of human knowledge is the fruit of thousands of years of human labour. The discoveries of maths and science; the great works of literature and art; the arc of human and natural history itself; and so much more that there is to learn. All of it should be our common inheritance. Because knowledge belongs to the many, not the few.

 This is our historic purpose as a movement. Not just to be a voice for the voiceless.

But to give them a voice of their own. That is the challenge we face. And it is what we will do, together. 

 We have got the Government running. Now let’s get running the Government.

 Thank you.

[ngatipreneur]

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