#Boxing machine birmingham

[jumpandmove]

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[bluewinnerangel]

FITF Tour exit songs

- NA LEG - Uncasville: Tina Turner - The Best

Gilford: The Smiths - This Charming Man

Laval: Petula Clark - Downtown

Toronto: Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69

Cuyahoga Falls: The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony

Sterling Heights: Shed Seven - Chasing Rainbows

Cincinnati: The Killers - All These Things That I've Done

Columbus: R.E.M. - The One I Love

Indianapolis: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Maryland Heights (St. Louis): Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode

Kansas City: Van Morrison - Moondance

Milwaukee: Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now

Chicago: Earth, Wind & Fire - September

Minneapolis: Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Council Bluffs: Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)

Sioux Falls: Don McLean - American Pie

Seattle: The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Vancouver: The Police - King Of Pain

Troutdale: Elvis Presley - Always On My Mind

Berkeley: INXS - Never Tear Us Apart

Los Angeles: 2Pac - California Love

Las Vegas: The Killers - Human

Phoenix: Spear Of Destiny - Liberator

Irving: The Doors - Hello, I Love You

Austin: Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag

Houston The Woodlands: The Police - Walking On The Moon

St. Augustine: The Police - Every Breath You Take

Hollywood: Elton John - Your Song

Tampa: Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Atlanta: The Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want

Nashville: Duran Duran - Hold Back The Rain

Charlotte: Lou Reed - Perfect Day

Raleigh: Van Morrison - Moondance

Columbia: Commodores - Easy

Boston 1: Boston - More Than A Feeling

Boston 2: Pixies - Here Comes Your Man

Philadelphia: Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Asbury Park: Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark

New York: Queen - We Are The Champions (dj elf asked a fan to pick between this one and David Bowie - Heroes)

- EU & UK LEG - Hamburg: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Copenhagen: Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure

Oslo: Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends

Stockholm: The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army

Helsinki: Elvis Presley - Always On My Mind

Tallinn: Smash Mouth - All Star

Riga: AC/DC - Thunderstruck

Kaunas: Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling in Love

Krakow: Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

Łódź: Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop

Vienna: Oasis - Supersonic

Ljubljana: The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It

Budapest: Bloc Party - Helicopter

Bucharest: Foo Fighters - My Hero

Sofia: Rage Against The Machine - Bombtrack

Bilbao: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Lisbon: White Lies - Farewell to the Fairground

Madrid: Editors - Munich

Barcelona: At the Drive-In - One Armed Scissor

Turin: Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way

Bologna: Bloc Party - Helicopter

Luxembourg: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Antwerp: Queens Of The Stone Age - My God Is The Sun

Paris: Biffy Clyro - Bubbles

Amsterdam: Blur - Song 2

Cologne: The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

Prague: Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Berlin: The Cure - Friday I'm in Love

Munich: Fatboy Slim - Praise You

Zurich: The Strokes - Last Nite

Dublin: Inhaler - These Are The Days

Sheffield: The Killers - Mr. Brightside

Manchester: The Smiths - This Charming Man

Glasgow: The Snuts - Gloria

Brighton: Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated

Cardiff: T. Rex - 20th Century Boy

London: The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

Birmingham: Boyz II Men - End Of The Road

- ASIA & AUS LEG - Jakarta: Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

Melbourne: Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Brisbane: The Temper Trap - Fader

Sydney: Oasis - Rock 'N' Roll Star

- LATAM LEG - Panama: Hard-Fi - Living for the Weekend

San Juan: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Rio de Janeiro: Nirvana - Heart-Shaped Box

Like last time the plan is to keep editing this post as tour goes on - 2022 LTWT here

Apple music playlist here

[emotionalcadaver]

Part 10: Red Right Hand

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x Grace Burgess x OC

Summary: In the midst of trying to juggle a dozen developing situations at once, Tommy and Lucy separately encounter the new pretty barmaid.

Word Count: 2,971

Notes: Warnings for depictions of blood and violence.

Previous Chapter • Series • Fic • Next Chapter

Chapter 2: The Guns

“I’ll hang out here,” Lucy said, coming to a stop at the entrance of the church. He pulled off his hat, running a hand over his hair to smooth it.

“Thanks.”

“Mm,” she eyed the church warily. “Are you sure that you won’t burst into flames the second you step inside?”

He gave a fond nudge. “You’re not funny.”

Lucy snickered, nudging him back even as he smiled, beginning to climb the steps.

“This won’t take long.”

Huffing to herself, she crossed her arms, leaning against a wall and pulling a cigarette from her coat. It was likely that Polly had called Tommy to see her in the church because she had caught some inkling about the guns. Or maybe she just knew that Tommy wasn’t telling her everything. Which meant she wasn’t going to let it go until he did. 

She was annoying like that. 

The guns. The guns were a problem, but also an opportunity. She could still remember that night at the yard, a lantern clutched in Tommy’s hand while the rain pelted down on them. Charlie and Curly using a crowbar to wrench open the crate. Lucy had been beside Tommy, her hand tucked into the crook of his arm, pressed against his side to seek refuge from the chill that had come with the rain. It had taken all four of them to pull one of the large boxes from the crate. And the machine gun that greeted them when they unlatched the box and pulled it open had glimmered against the downpour. 

Twenty-five Lewis machine guns. Ten thousand rounds of ammunition. Fifty semi-automatic rifles. Two hundred pistols with shells.

It was like fucking Christmas. 

But with them had now come that copper from Belfast. Probably sent down to Birmingham with the sole mission of finding and recovering the stolen guns. That was no small problem. 

The door to the church creaked open and Polly stepped out, chin held high with a small huff when she spotted Lucy waiting. She walked past her without so much as a hello.

Screw you too, you old witch.

Lucy pushed the lump of bitterness at Polly’s constant rejection down. No point in getting upset over something that would never change. A moment later, Tommy came out of the church. 

“What did she say?”

“Well,” he cleared his throat. “I told her about the guns.”

“Let me guess: she thinks we should throw them in the cut.”

“Something along those lines, yes.”

“Are you?”

Tommy sighed. “I don’t know yet.”

Lucy looked at him shrewdly. Much as he may have pretended that he hadn’t made up his mind yet, she knew him better. Those guns weren’t going anywhere.

“I need to go take care of some boys who have been making trouble at the Marquis for the past couple of nights,” she informed him as they walked. “I’ll meet you back at the shop after?”

“You know, we have people who’ll do the brunt of the enforcing for us, these days,” Tommy said, eyebrow raised.

“Yes. But these boys are repeat offenders. Clearly they aren’t taking our men seriously.”

“Mm. Try not to get blood everywhere.”

“You know I never make any promises in that regard,” she grinned. Tommy snorted, stopping to give her a quick peck on the cheek.

“Be safe.”

“Always am. I’ll see you in a bit.”

∗ ∗ ∗

Peeling off her coat and removing her hat, Grace hung them both on the peg in the backroom, smoothing down her white shirt once before stepping out behind the bar. Harry was already busy wiping down a table. He smiled at her kindly.

“Still not too late to back out, you know,” he said. Grace smiled politely and shook her head. He shrugged. “All right. To work you get, then.”

He’d given her an impromptu training session right after she’d convinced him to hire her, so she already knew where everything was. They only had a few patrons at the moment, crowded around their tables and muttering quietly amongst themselves. A group in the corner were beginning to grow rather rowdy, laughing boisterously as they gulped down their drinks. Between pouring beer and whiskey she busied herself with tidying things behind the bar.   

The doors slammed open and a tiny woman strode in. She was dressed like a man, in dark trousers with a matching waistcoat over a white button down shirt, a gray hat identical to the ones that the Peaky Blinders wore pulled over her head, a black coat swishing around her legs. There was a gun clutched in her hand. At the sight of her all laughter and conversation suddenly ceased, the entire pub growing eerily silent.   

She strode to the bar and settled the arm holding the gun down across it. Shaking dark red, bouncy loose curls out of her face, she grinned at Grace.

“Hullo. You’re new,” her dark green eyes glittered with genuine warmth, looking Grace up and down.

“Um, hello,” Grace wasn’t quite sure what else to say. The woman tilted her head, the light catching slightly, illuminating the shape of her cheeks. There was a doll-like quality to her, only accentuated by her porcelain white skin and short stature. But the mischievous sparkle in her eyes could only be described as devilish.

“Whiskey, please. Irish.”

Grace hesitated. Harry had yet to tell her what the rules were in regards to serving women in the pub. The woman pressed still smiling lips together. There was a smudge of something red across her left cheek. Either it was blood, or the woman had been terribly off the mark when applying her lipstick.

“Miss. Winters,” Harry said, appearing from the backroom. He nodded to the gun still settled in her hand. “Do you mind?”

Winters looked down at the gun as if she’d forgotten that it was there, smile widening as she placed it in the holster inside her coat. “Sure,” she cocked her head to the side. “You’ve hired a new barmaid, Harry.”

“Yes.”

Glittering green eyes landed back on Grace. She fumbled awkwardly with the rag in her hands, hoping that Winters didn’t notice how flustered her constant, grinning gaze was making her.

“Hi. I’m Lucy Winters,” she thrust out a hand to Grace. Taking it carefully, she forced herself not to look away from those bright eyes as she shook her hand. 

“Grace Burgess.”

“Where are you from, Grace Burgess?”

“There’s no need for an interrogation, Miss. Winters,” Harry said. Lucy raised an eyebrow.

“It’s alright,” Grace said quickly, moving to pour Lucy the whiskey she’d asked for. “I’m from Galway,” she set the bottle back behind the bar and nudged the glass of amber toward the red head. 

Lucy’s eyes narrowed a very tiny fraction, as if assessing if she was telling the truth or not. She took a slow sip of her whiskey. Around them, the patrons had begun to return to their conversations, but in considerably more hushed tones than they were previously.

“You have, um…” Grace bit her lip, unsure how to say it. She instead just raised a hand to her own face, pointing at her cheek in the approximate spot where the splatter of red was smudged across Lucy’s face. Lucy’s brows furrowed, a hand wiping down the opposite cheek. “No. Um, here,” she reached into her pocket for her handkerchief, reaching across the bar, hand cupping Lucy’s chin to hold her face in place as she wiped the fabric across her cheek. Her skin was startling, almost alarmingly, cold to the touch. The red stained the pristine white of the handkerchief. Yes, it was definitely blood. But clearly not hers.

“Thanks,” Lucy’s eyes still danced with amusement, and Grace glanced away bashfully, refolding her handkerchief and tucking it away. 

“How did that happen?” she ventured, carefully. Lucy’s eyebrows rose, and she swallowed down the rest of her drink, tossing a few coins onto the bar.

“That’s a story for another time, love. Glad to see you got things all cleaned up, Harry,” she called to him from across the pub, then pushed away from the bar and headed towards the doors. “It was nice to meet you, Grace from Galway!” she called over her shoulder, the door swinging shut behind her.  

∗ ∗ ∗

“The coppers picked up Arthur,” she said, poking her head into her and Tommy’s office, where he was reading over some papers. His head snapped up.

“What?”

“He’s all bloodied up. Said something about a broken finger, too.”

He shot out of his chair, following her to the kitchen, where John had just hauled Arthur into a chair. He groaned deeply in pain.

“We need some booze for the cuts,” Lucy said, moving to riffle through the pantry. At no sight of any bottles of liquor, she straightened. “Okay, where the hell is everything?”

“Polly went on a cleaning frenzy a day or so ago,” Ada said apologetically.

“I’ll go get some rum from the Garrison,” Tommy huffed. At the mention of the pub Lucy’s head lifted, jogging to follow Tommy as he headed for the door.

“Hey, when you get there, check out the new barmaid that Harry hired,” she said softly to him. “She’s pretty.”

“Is that so?” he shot her an amused look.

“Mhm.”

“You’re a strange woman, you know that?”

“You like my strangeness.”

He touched her cheek lightly. “I do,” his eyes darted over her shoulder at another groan of pain from Arthur. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay,” she watched as the door clicked softly shut behind him, biting her lip to hide her smile.

∗ ∗ ∗

“Are you a whore?” 

The question, from the man who up until that moment had her half hypnotized by his beauty and deep voice, knocked her completely off balance, lips parting and eyes widening. In his eyes–the lightest pair of blue Grace had ever seen–something cold and suspicious looked back at her. 

“Because if you’re not, you’re in the wrong place,” he didn’t even wait to see her reaction to his words, turning on his heel with the bottle of rum he’d ordered and stalking from the pub. For a moment Grace could only stand there, jaw clenching with anger and humiliation while her cheeks flared pink. She grabbed the notes he’d set on the bar and slammed the doors to the snug closed with a little more force than necessary.

“He’s one of them you warned me about,” she said to Harry.

“Look, Grace, you’re a friendly girl but be careful. If I say something’s on the house, then say nothing to whoever you’re serving.”

She nodded. Harry looked down.

“If they decide that they want you, there’s nothing anybody could do about it,” he shot her an apologetic look. “Lucky for you, since he got back from France, Tommy doesn’t want anybody at all. Except…” he hesitated.

“What?”

Harry shook his head. “They’re just rumors. I shouldn’t say,” he glanced down. “Some people say he and his assistant, Lucy Winters, have…something going on.”

“The woman who was in here earlier, with the red hair?”

Harry nodded. “But,” he shrugged, “like I said, they’re just rumors,” he shuffled around her quickly, to attend to the other patrons and probably to avoid any more of her questioning. Grace remained standing there for a long while, just staring at the shelves of liquor before her, the sounds of the customers behind her little more than muffled noise. 

∗ ∗ ∗

Lucy sat sprawled out in a chair, her feet propped up on another as she watched Ada and Polly fuss over Arthur. All the while John pestered Ada from the sidelines.

Watching them all without Tommy, it was a miracle that they were able to survive a few hours without his constant supervision.

The door slammed open, the Devil, conjured seemingly by her thoughts of him, sweeping back into the room, a bottle of rum clutched in one hand.

“Let me see him,” Tommy walked around to face Arthur, opening the bottle and handing it to him, working quickly yet carefully as he dunked the cloth seeping in a steaming basin of water and rang it out while Arthur took a large swig of rum. “Give me that,” he took the bottle back, pouring a helping into the cloth and cupping Arthur’s chin in one hand. Arthur inhaled sharply as Tommy pressed the cloth to the cuts on his face. “You’re all right,” Tommy assured, wiping away the blood. Arthur grasped him by the arm. As he started to speak, giving a report of what Inspector Campbell had told him, Tommy stiffened and pulled away. 

When he was done speaking, he was met with silence. 

Tommy looked down and away, to the cigarette in his hand. Lucy suddenly became very interested in examining the toes of her oxfords.

“What’s wrong with you?” Arthur asked. “Lucy?” his eyes snapped to her. “What the fuck is going on, eh? What do you know?” she didn’t meet his gaze, instead choosing to focus on her rings, fiddling with them. Arthur let out a growl and turned to Polly. “What the fuck is wrong with him lately?”

Tommy straightened, jaw clenching. Lucy’s shoulders tensed.

“If I knew, I’d buy the cure from Compton’s chemists,” Polly said, and turned away. Lucy could feel the beginnings of a fight building in the air, leaving her teeth on edge, muscles tense.

“You tell her, but you won’t tell us?” Arthur hissed at Tommy through bloodied teeth. Lucy’s head lifted in surprise at his tone. Usually Arthur was the nicest towards her out of all the family members outside of Tommy. “Why? We’re family! She’s not–”

“Careful, Arthur,” Tommy’s voice had dropped dangerously. “Careful.”

Arthur retreated, eyes darting between them. Lucy thought she saw a flicker of regret there, before his gaze dropped to the floor.  

“Maybe we should talk about this at another time, when you aren’t so hard to look at, Arthur,” she suggested. “We have a meeting to get to,” standing, she gave Tommy a pointed look. He nodded, stiffly. She didn’t wait around to hear what he said to Arthur in farewell, heading straight for the door.

Her fingers twisted in her hair, running through her curls before yanking her cap on. Tommy’s hand was warm, even through the layers of fabric she was clothed in, when he rested it on her shoulder and turned her to face him.

“Arthur doesn’t mean it,” his voice was a soft rumble. With a half smile, she rocked her head from side to side.

“Yeah, I know.” But the others do, she added silently. Tommy looked at her sadly. He tried. He really did. But there was only so much that even he could do. It wasn’t like he could force them to like her. “I’m fine.” Taking the cigarette dangling from Tommy’s lips and pressing it to her own, she took a healthy drag before handing it back to him. “What do you want to do about…all of that?” she jerked her head towards the door. They began walking down the street, away from the betting shop.

“I don’t know yet,” he admitted with a tired sigh. For a brief moment, she let her hand rest comfortingly between his shoulder blades. He shot her a semi-alarmed look. “I don’t actually have meeting right now, do I?”

“Hm? Oh, no. That was a lie,” she shot a look over her shoulder at the house. “Figured we better get out of there before things got ugly.”

“Mm. Thanks.”

“Did you see the new barmaid?”

He shot her a look. “Yeah, I did.”

“And?”

He shrugged. “You were right.”

“You say that as though it’s surprising–hey!” she gaped at him in mock astonishment as he elbowed her playfully, his lips pressing together in that way they did when he was trying not to smile. “You’re a right bastard, you know that, Shelby.”

He chuckled, offering his arm to her so that she could loop her hand through it, palm resting over his bicep.

“So? Did you introduce yourself?”

“Not exactly.”

Something in his tone gave her pause. “Tommy…what did you say to her?”

“Nothing.”

“Tommy.”

“I just ordered the rum and left,” at her unconvinced look, he sighed. “I asked her if she was a whore.”

“You what!?”

“Alright, listen–”

“Tommy…” she half whined. 

“Oh, as if you weren’t wondering the same thing!”

“Yeah, but you can’t just ask someone that!”

He shrugged, unbothered. “Why not?”

“It’s…it’s rude!”

“Since when have you concerned yourself with manners?”

When she shot him a glare, it was to find him looking at her with a smirk, clearly taking quite a large amount of glee in teasing her. 

Bastard. He was lucky he was so pretty.

“She’s never gonna talk to us again,” she complained. Tommy chuckled, patting her arm.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, love.”

She nudged him lightly. “Cocky.”

He just chuckled again at her chastising, smiling to himself for a moment more before his expression turned more serious. “Ask around about her,” 

“Harry said she had references. I haven’t had time to properly verify them yet, though.”

“Pretty, highly qualified barmaids like that don’t just show up. Not here.”

Lucy chewed on her bottom lip. Much as she knew he was right, there was a not insignificant part of her that was tempted to just for once throw caution to the wind. Grace was so pretty. And she seemed so nice…

“Maybe she’s just down on her luck. Like I was.”

Tommy’s eyes were soft like the sky on a warm summer day. “No one’s like you, love.” 

Her heart fluttered, shooting him an affectionate look before stretching up to kiss his cheek, squeezing her arm around his as they walked in comfortable silence. 

Previous Chapter • Series • Fic • Next Chapter

Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a comment, reblog, or like. I always appreciate feedback and love getting the opportunity to interact with you and hear your thoughts!

[someone-always-cares]

chapter 5, page 48

first - previous - next

[image description: an sac webcomic page. "seems like a normal kitchen. coast's clear, but it's locked." jade says, off panel. theres a view of the kitchen from the outside. no acual kitchen appliances are shown, but there is a island counter, and a few shelves in the back with various items, notably camera equipment, cleaning supplies, and assorted boxes. "we'll have to break in here, everything else is boarded. you remember what i taught you about breaking glass?" she continues. "yeah. it'll be loud though" lewis replies. "we'll just have to take whoever hears us." jade states, the panel now showing jade hiding to the side of the window, looking at it out of the corner of her eye, while lewis has wandered off and is kneeled down to pick up something off the ground. "this glass seems sturdier than the wine glasses lewis practiced with... can he do it? i've never been able to get the frequency right, but surely any glass will break with a loud enough noise?" jade thinks to herself, looking through the window, still to the side of it, while frowning contemplatingly. she seems to be unaware of lewis behind her, raising the brick he just picked up like one would when preparing to pitch a baseball, and sticking his tongue out in concentration. end id]

yall are getting a treat with me drawing actual backgrounds the past few pages! my computer fucking hates it and has tried to crash my art program many times but im not losing to a fucking machine so the page is ready to go! and yeah i didnt think to google what a broken wire fence looks like until typing this

anyway some life updates. next page may be a little late, i have a convention this weekend (if anyone is headed to animeleague london anime and gaming festival this weekend feel free to say hi! its the one with the star fairy lights and like. my art in it? yeah. also for the same con in birmingham in a couple weeks)

also ended up getting those wooden pride cat pins! or the charms, i need to glue the actual pin bits in and that tomorrow's task!! and even more importantly, i've started the process of trying to make sac into an actual printed comic!! so far it seems like im just going to start with chapter 1, because with the printer im thinking of using, anything over 76?ish pages is automatically more expensive so currently only have the funds for chapter one (50ish pages inc bonus and prologue).

also because turns out theres more work than i thought. theres some things like getting the colours cmyk ready and fixing typos and other errors, there is some size problems (the first 6 pages in particular need to be redone entirely but not much of a loss. they look.... Not Great. maybe prologue too). also some "accidentally lost some files and the backups of said files in an external drive related incident a couple years ago" but i've got my best experts on the case (asking my dad for help). i also need to change the font since the old pages are using the old version of the font. also a front cover because i never made a cover for chapter 1. anyway. its a start

anyway this was long i really needed to sleep a few hours ago lol. its only 1am but its been a day

[pwlanier]

AN EARLY VICTORIAN SILVER AND MICROMOSAIC SNUFF BOX THE MICROMOSAIC PANEL ATTRIBUTED TO GIACOMO RAFFAELLI (1753-1836) the silver box of serpentine outline with a Rococo thumbpiece and engraved with scrolls and panels of differing machined decoration, the hinged lid with a circular micromosaic panel depicting the Doves of Pliny, with a bead outer border, the base with an inscription 'To S. Mc Culloch Esqr from Elizabeth Brown', the gilt lined interior with Birmingham hallmarks for 1851 and makers mark for Edward Smithbox.

Woolley and Wallis

[homocidemania]

5 Exciting Features of the X-Men '97 Reboot

Mutant Mania is set to bring back memories for people who loved X-Men: The Animated Series. With its unique animation and fresher design, the new show has been met with enthusiasm. Executive producer Brad Winderbaum says the show will give obscure characters such as Rogue and Gambit their due. According to the episode's title the show will accomplish exactly that. 1. X-Men '97 Reboot Hugh Jackman, and a new generation of Wolverine fans, were first introduced to the animated series between 1992 and 1997. In the present, X-Men '97 is back in a new 10-episode Disney+ show that is certain to delight those who loved the original. The characters are amazing, the animation is great and the action exciting. The boys also love the show too! They both immediately tore open the boxes and started playing. The toys are simple for them to connect and play with as they don't have to read instructions to understand what the pieces are meant to be. It's a toy that they'll use for years! Only downside is the sheer amount of pieces to keep track of. 2. The X-Men '97 cast X-Men '97 adds new characters alongside the classic characters like Magneto, Jubilee and Wolverine. The main antagonist of the series is Mister Sinister, a geneticist who is infused with superpowers and mutant traits and seeks to control them for his own purposes. The show will also feature X-Men: The Animated Series alumni Cathal J. Dodd as Wolverine and Matthew Waterson as Magneto, along with A.J. LoCascio as Gambit and Holly Chou as Jubilee. The series features new voices for Jean Grey, Scott Summers and Nightcrawler. Eric Bauza reprises the role of Sentinels - a robotic creation by BolivarTrask as well as Henry Peter Gyrich in order to track mutants. Gil Birmingham, a Native American who wears a robotic leg in place of his leg that is missing, and Gui Augustini, who plays Sunspot, are included in the cast. 3. The X-Men '97 Story It's not an easy task to make a franchise feel fresh. However, X-Men '97 seems to have achieved it, by bringing back old fans and making new ones on the way. The adaptation doesn't waste time on endless world-building and gets right into the action. It's also renowned for its insanely fast the pace of its action, which enables it to speed through legendary comic book storylines with ease. Cyclops is a firm leader, who stands up for Xavier's legacy in the wake of his death. Wolverine and Jean Grey return as do Magneto, Storm Rogue and Nightcrawler. A new character named Bishop is revealed (voiced Chris Britton). Bastion is a machine/human hybrid which wants to initiate 300 years of warfare, which will result in mutants being taken captive. 4. The X-Men '97 Trailer My children (ages 6 and 8) immediately tore into the toys and began playing with them. They were able to make them independently, and they loved the look of the characters. The kids were thrilled to look at all the action figures and were stunned by the booming stomping sounds that emanated from the speakers. The new animation is an exciting improvement that evokes the feeling of the original show without getting caught up in the trappings of nostalgia and cheesy line delivery which are common in animated kids' shows. The series is more adult in tone, but it appeals to younger viewers without being overly obnoxious. X-Men '97 accomplishes what many Disney+ and theatrical Marvel adaptations can't do by knowing its viewers. It is one of the best adaptations of superheroes to see. 5. The X-Men '97 Easter Eggs

This new version of the animated show will appeal to X-Men fans. Fans will love the lively Easter eggs, references and other elements of the new show. The series cleverly revisits major comics from the past such as Operation: Zero Tolerance, and Bastion's defeat of Genosha. The series teases us with the future of Cable, Gambit and Storm. X-Men '97 proves, too that big-scale stories about mutants aren't a problem on smaller screens. While the show does move quickly the show allows characters to evolve over time and gives them dynamic soap opera-like relationships. Enemies change into friends as well as romances blossom and fall. Video embeds anchors:

[blackknightgargiefoodtopia]

Toby Carvery

After a long day at Cadbury World, which is awesome-tastic, btw, we've finally settled for a late lunch at this place called Toby Carvery

Location: Birmingham, just a few miles away from Cadbury World

Setting: English pub/restaurant feel to it, though it seems that no restaurant is complete without a bar somehow

An awesome toy box machine where I tried my luck a few times, just to please my nephew and to use up all my coins, but no luck

Our seat

Le carvery buffet, sorta

We went for the buffet set meal in which you can have your fill of meat and unlimited buffet supply of side dishes and vegetables, but I don't get why it's the side dishes that is unlimited and not the meat. I mean, what's the point of having a buffet if you can't have the unlimited supply of meat as well? I dunno

Sheperd's pudding or some kind of bread, but this is got to be the hardest pudding I've ever eaten LOL

Your selection of beef, chicken, lamb and pork

The side dish section

Another drink of the day~!

The jumbo size order

The regular size order

Despite the odd limit to meat and not on the vegs, it was still a very satisfying meal. A very filling one too since obviously with all the free access to the side dish, you might not even have room to fill in anymore meat. And all this is worth about 5 pounds! It's quite a bargain!

Overall rating:

[gchrecycling6]

Sustainable Solutions: Plastic Recycling and More in Birmingham, Warwick, and Worcester

In our rapidly evolving world, the need for responsible environmental practices has never been more critical. One of the pressing challenges we face is the management of plastic waste. Fortunately, Birmingham, Warwick, and Worcester are taking significant strides in the direction of sustainability. Plastic Recycling In this article, we'll explore the avenues available for plastic recycling, polystyrene recycling, scrap plastic collection, and more in these vibrant cities.

Plastic Recycling: A Path to a Greener Future

Plastic recycling is a key component of the eco-conscious movement in Birmingham, Warwick, and Worcester. These cities are home to a variety of recycling facilities, drop-off centers, and initiatives aimed at diverting plastic waste from landfills and incineration. Whether you're a resident or a business owner, you can easily find plastic recycling solutions near you.

1. Local Drop-Off Centers: Many municipalities in these areas offer convenient drop-off centers where you can dispose of your plastic waste responsibly. Worcester Recycling These centers typically accept a wide range of plastics, from PET bottles to HDPE containers.

2. Curbside Recycling Programs: Birmingham, Warwick, and Worcester have developed curbside recycling programs to make it easy for residents to recycle plastic, cardboard, and other materials. These programs provide collection bins and schedules, ensuring that recycling is as effortless as throwing away trash.

3. Plastic Recycling Companies: Numerous recycling companies in these cities specialize in processing plastics. They collect plastic waste, sort it by type, and then send it to recycling plants where it's transformed into new products.

4. Plastics-to-Energy Facilities: Some regions have adopted innovative technologies that convert plastic waste into energy, reducing the environmental Worcester Recycling impact of plastic disposal.

Polystyrene Recycling: Turning the Tide on Foam Waste

Polystyrene, commonly known as foam, is notorious for its environmental impact. But in Birmingham, Warwick, and Worcester, you can find options for responsible polystyrene recycling.

1. Specialized Recycling Centers: Some recycling centers accept polystyrene foam, including packaging materials and food containers. Check for nearby locations that offer this service.

2. Foam Densification Machines: Innovative technologies have made it possible to densify polystyrene foam, reducing its volume and making it more cost-effective to recycle.

Scrap Plastic: Giving New Life to Old Materials

Scrap plastic, including plastic from manufacturing processes, is a valuable resource that can be repurposed rather than discarded.

1. Local Manufacturers and Businesses: Many manufacturers and businesses in these cities actively seek scrap plastic to incorporate into their production processes. This helps reduce waste and lowers the demand for virgin plastic.

2. Recycling Facilities: Recycling facilities are equipped to process various types of scrap plastic, ensuring that even industrial waste can be repurposed into new products.

Birmingham, Warwick, and Worcester Recycling Centers

These cities offer comprehensive recycling solutions for a wide range of materials beyond plastic and polystyrene. Among these, cardboard recycling is a standout service.

Cardboard Recycling: Boxes, packaging materials, and cardboard products are extensively Tyres Recycling recycled in these cities. Look for collection points and curbside programs to participate in the recycling effort.

Tyres Recycling: Paving the Way to a Sustainable Future

Tire recycling is another critical environmental concern in Birmingham, Warwick, and Worcester. Old, discarded tires can find new life in various ways:

1. Local Tire Collection Centers: These centers accept used tires for responsible disposal and recycling. Some facilities even repurpose old tires into various products, such as rubberized asphalt.

2. Rubber Recycling Plants: Specialized plants in the region transform old tires into crumb rubber, which can be used in road construction, sports fields, and more.

By actively engaging in plastic, polystyrene, cardboard, and tire recycling, Birmingham, Warwick, and Worcester residents and businesses are contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable future.

Join the movement today by recycling responsibly, reducing your environmental footprint, and supporting the recycling efforts in your community. By doing so, you can be a part of the solution and help protect our planet for generations to come.

[johncallaghan]

New song and video - Don't Get Around Much Any More

Lockdown was a strangely contented time for me. I returned to my family home in Birmingham so my mother and I could keep each other company. There was a sense of being removed from the world. I had my friends in a little box I could open up from time to time, and I knew that much of the rest of the world was in a similar situation. I even enjoyed the quizzes! It wasn't ideal, of course, and I had an easy ride compared to most people. Many people cited the resemblance to the premise of E. M. Forster's 'The Machine Stops', with everyone compartmentalised into individual boxes, communicating via screens.

Now my world seems to have woken up from a strange dream. Lockdown is just a memory. Everything's fine now, isn't it? Hmmm.

This made me think of Duke Ellington's song 'Don't Get Around Much Anymore'. I filmed the video on a train in January 2022 on my way back from a modelling job (hence having the sheet). I'm supposed to be a ghost, you see, and the sheet was supposed to be transparent. I couldn't get that to work well enough - hence the alternative treatment.

Then I shelved it as life returned to normal. Tonight I found myself in the unusual situation of having accomplished everything on my to-do list for the day, but still with the motivation to finish something. And so...

[jumpandmove]

Boxing Machine Rental

Rent a top-of-the-line boxing machine for your next event or party. Our Boxing machine rental service provides hours of entertainment for guests of all ages. With adjustable speed levels and a sturdy design, this machine is perfect for beginners and experienced boxers alike.

Visit us - https://www.jumpandmove.co.uk/category/arcade-games/14/boxing-machine

[stephspurs]

A Family Affair | Euro 2020 Football Fanfiction

BESTIES!! PART 10 IS A HOT ONE!! Enjoy reading it as much as I did while writing it (and re-reading it because its probs one of my fav parts of the whole series) Love Always, Steph xx

Part 10 | parte dieci

warnings; heavy-petting, almost-smut, and a hot jack grealish - read at your own risk ;) word count; 2469. writing tools; third person until dashed line, first person thereafter. next update; Monday 16/08 5pm AEST. Updates are three times/week (Monday, Wednesday & Friday)! tags (as requested by users); @footballffbarbiex @obsesseds-world @abysshaven link to fic masterlist here

Longing glances and shy smiles. That  was how Amelia and Ben both spent the next morning at Cobham together, prior to travelling to Stamford Bridge for the fourth match of the season against Aston Villa. The two had spent the rest of the evening relaxing on the couch; no additional kisses were shared between them as they had both agreed to keep things friendly, and no matter how hard Ben tried, Amelia had no intentions of going any further just yet. She had admitted to him something that she had never uttered out loud before: she still needed to work out how to exist without Fede.

While their situationship had been as unconventional as it was, it was still something that Amelia had grown to live with and love. Fede’s personality was unlike no other she had come across, perhaps closest to that of Jack Grealish. Friendly, flirtatious, charming, to the point where she found herself blushing sometimes - not many people had been able to make her shy enough to blush, but Fede had, and now Jack was too.

hot boy grealish

mornin mils, can’t wait to see ya today.

I’ll be the hot one with the good hair and even better ass.

hot gal mils

morning my dear jacky, looking forward to seeing you too.

Is Tyrone not playing?

His bum has always been my fav bum to stare at.

hot boy grealish

cut it out, you.

Banter-filled texts had been a constant stream of entertainment throughout the days leading up to the match. Jack has been preparing Amelia for the possibility of her losing, constantly picking on the girl for being an overachiever and saying that she needs to be brought down a few pegs, having been quite some time since her team had lost a match. Amelia however, with enough self-confidence to rival that of the villa boy, wouldn’t even let him finish his sentences. Far too superstitious for that to happen.

The girl believed in superstitions, and she was not about to tempt her fate. She even went so far as to have her family name and a small Italian flag embroidered onto the inside of her collar of every polo shirt she would wear for match days. She did it at Juventus and organised for it to be done to her new Chelsea uniform. It was a personal choice, something that happened to run in her family also, her father and brother also having the White family name stitched to the inside of their kit. It was a way of keeping them all tied together, no matter what side of the pitch they were on. The Italian flag was there to remind her of all that the country had given her: her grandparents and a chance to be brilliant at what she loves most.

Arriving at Stamford Bridge off of the team bus, Jorgi had insisted she sitwith him and they spoke exclusively in Italian for the 30-odd minute drive from Cobham. Despite Amelia purchasing a new car a few days prior, Jorgi insisted they continue to carpool. It worked out well because now Amelia wouldn’t have to catch the team bus back to the training ground after the match. She had spent the better part of an hour out on the pitch with some of the boys, running through the plays she had in mind before she ushered them back into the changeroom, allowing the Aston Villa men to have their time out on the grass.

______________________________________________________________

“I would know that bum anywhere.”

“Hello Jack, nice to see you too. I’ve been well thanks, so has my bum. I’ll let my face know you said hello, too,” I spoke as I stood up from my crouched position, where I had been tying my laces.

“Just kiddin love, actually no I'm not - I love your bum. But I am happy to see your beautiful face too!” Jack spoke, as he pulled me into a hug - wrapping both of his arms around my head, effectively pushing me further into his chest.

“You saw my face a couple days ago when we were on FaceTime!”

“I saw your bum a few days ago on FaceTimetoo, doesn’t mean I'm not happy to see it!”

“So that's why you like helping me do my laundry, so you can see my backside as I reach into the machine!”

“Now I’m not a religious man, but I have prayed to God a few times that you drop a sock or two riiiiiiight in front of the camera.” He laughed back at my shocked expression.

“Jack! You are ridiculous! Stop being such a perv! No wonder you don’t have a girlfriend” I play-shouted at him as I smacked him with my rolled up matchday program.

“I’m holding out for you, my love.”

“Always the joker, Jack. Get out there and prepare for the worst match of your season.”

“Dream on Mils, we’ve got this in the bag.”

“Sure thing Jacky, sure thing.”

I walked further up the tunnel towards the changeroom, getting ready to deliver my strategy talk to the boys.

“Stop looking at my ass, Grealish!” I shouted without turning around. The boisterous laugh that followed my exclamation was enough to know that I was correct. I didn’t need to turn around to be able to predict what the laddish lad was already doing.

60 minutes of football later.

Amelia was correct in saying that Chelsea were going to win the match, her quiet confidence only getting louder and louder as each premier league match went on. She was apprehensive at first to see if her tactics were going to work in the Prem, or if there was to be some compromise on skill due to the fast-paced nature of the game. So far, however, the Chelsea men were quick learners and even quicker to execute.

One thing she wasn’t prepared for, however, was the absolute worldie that Jack had scored just before half-time at the Bridge. There was an element of familiarity in his goal, recognising the play as one of her own. A small smile crossed  her face after he scored, running to celebrate with the away fans before jogging down past the bench and mouthing a quick “all you baby” at her as he moved back into position. She must have told him about it back when she was in Italy, knowing that there was no chance she would have exchanged her trade secrets to an enemy in the same league. It warmed her to know he paid enough attention to her to be able to practice that on his own with his team and execute it flawlessly in a live game.

What Amelia also wasn’t prepared for was for anyone else to recognise the play. Behind her on the bench sat an oddly-inquisitive Ben. He saw the tactic as it was playing out, recognising the run that Jack had to make to put himself in the box at the exact moment that John McGinn crossed the ball. Better yet, he saw Jack run down the sideline, nowhere near where he should have been, and mouth those words to Amelia. He wanted to know what was going on, was that why she wasn’t ready to commit to him?

Later that same evening.

After a hot shower, Amelia was curled up on the couch, ready to continue the docuseries she was watching the night before when she had an unexpected visitor pop round and confess his feelings to her. Thinking back on the night prior, she was happy that things ended up working out the way they did. Of course she wasn’t exactly thrilled with just how they happened but she could forgive the sweet boy. His intentions were pure and that's not something she was used to. It made her giddy to think about him, and about where things may go in the future.

A ring of her doorbell, almost to the exact hour that it had the night prior, made her get off her couch and walk down the small hall to the front door with a smirk on her face. Expecting to see the same brown-haired, blue-eyed boy that seemed to enjoy ringing her bell after hours. What she saw on the other side, however, was not what she was expecting.

“Jack, what on bloody God’s earth are you doing here?! You should be halfway back to Birmingham by now!”

“Are you gonna let me in love, it’s bloody cold out ‘ere tonight. Come on, shove over,” The slightly-less-than-6-foot-tall footballer commandeered her hallway, shutting the door behind him and locking it. This,  coupled with his overnight duffle bag hanging off his shoulder let Amelia know that he had no other plans but to stay with her.

“Sure, Jack, I suppose you can come in and spend the night crashing in my spare room.”

“Now now, don’t pretend that you’re not happy to see me, love. And a spare room? I believe you promised me a cuddle.”

Rolling her eyes, she couldn’t help but smile at the charming young man. Feeling the blush start to spread from her chest up her neck and across her cheeks, she quickly turned and walked into her kitchen, calling out over her shoulder to ask if he wanted a cup of tea. Feeling a sense of deja vu from the night before, she shook her head and reminded herself that this is nothing like the night before. How could it have been - there was no kissing involved.

“Was that a blush I saw? Do I make you nervous, Amelia?” Somehow, Jack had moved to be right behind the girl at her kitchen counter. Hands on her hips, chest to her back, lips to her ear. Amelia felt herself freeze, and then relax into his hands.

“Jack, please, I don’t think we should do this.”

“Why not, Mils? You can feel it, too. The tension through the screen’s enough to force me into a cold shower most nights.”

And just like the night before, the whistle of the kettle was the only piercing sound resonating around the townhouse. Whilst all she saw was truth behind Ben’s eyes, Jack's eyes were clouded with lust and affection. Just once, she could give in, right?

Leaning her head back to rest on his right shoulder, he attached his lips to the left side of her neck. Hands rolling from the side of her hips, to underneath her shirt, feeling the small navel piercing between his fingers and smirking.

“Didn’t take you for being the kind of girl to have a piercing, Mils,” He spoke into her collarbone, a small nip to the sensitive skin as the girl continued to focus on her breathing.

“Piercings, Jack. I have more than one” She breathlessly spoke, knowing exactly what she was doing now. The admission of having more than one piercing that he could not see was all of the consent Jack needed to continue his exploration of her body.

“Are you going to let me see them, darling?”

“If you’re lucky.”

“I’d say I'm the luckiest guy in the world right now, especially in this position.”

She was unsure how it had happened, but Jack had pressed her further into the countertop. With her back still to his chest, his waist was at the perfect height to press into the small of her back. His leg had settled between both of her own and his hands had found the bottom of her bralette and were gently caressing her rib cage, desperate to get closer to where he presumed her other piercing was.

“We shouldn’t be doing this Jack,” she breathed out into the air, hot air escaping her lungs to resemble what she felt brewing in the pit of her stomach. Desire.

“Why the bloody hell not?” he mumbled into her sweet spot, where her jaw met her neck.

“Because I've been here before. This is bad.” With her eyes shut, he continued his way down her neck. The fabric of her top shifted so he could slide one of her straps down her arm.

“If it's bad, why does it feel so good? '' Whilst his lips got to work on her collarbone, and his hand was busy toying with the elastic line of her bralette, his other hand began to fiddle with her fingers. Entwining them with his own, the kind of strength she needed to feel to make her next decisions.

Pushing back off of the counter, meaning her ass had pushed right into the part of his body where he wanted her most, Amelia turned around and faced Jack. The two stood there, slightly panting, staring at each other. Amelia being the kind of girl that she is, decided that she wanted to have a little slice of the dominance pie. Maintaining eye contact, she lifted the bottom of her t-shirt over her head and dropped in on the floor, that second piercing now very clearly visible through the sheer fabric of her bralette.

“Come on Jack, aren’t you an athlete? What’s got you so out of breath? I thought you’d be able to last a little longer than some heavy petting.” She taunted at the smirking man, wanting nothing more than to mess up his hair as he nestled himself between her thighs. That's exactly the position that they found themselves in not more than 5 minutes later, this time upstairs in her bedroom.

Throughout the multiple rounds of passion that the two so-called friends shared that night, not once had their lips touched. Of course, her lips had touched parts of him and he had definitely been all over a completely different set of lips a few times (and from a few different positions), but face to face, eye to eye, nose to nose - their lips had never met. That told Amelia enough to set her anxiety on fire. Had she just gotten involved with a carbon-copy of the man she left behind in Italy?

The regret seeped through her bones and settled into her heart by the time that the Villa boy had fallen asleep next to her. What had she done? This was not the girl Amelia wanted to be anymore. She was done being the girl that was loved only when the lights went out. She wanted love under the sun, she wanted breakfast by the river, double dates, family parties. She wanted the kind of love that you could never try and hide even if you wanted to. She knew that this wasn’t what Jack was able to offer her. She was grateful for their friendship, she truly was, he made her laugh more than most people but for the first time in a very long time, she was certain that that's all she wanted from him.

Part 11. | parte undicesima

[someone-always-cares]

chapter 5, page 50

first - previous - next

[image description: an sac webcomic page. "probably should have transformed before this, bit late now but- huh?" jade says, looking over at lewis who has his arm held out to catch her attention while looking down at somthing. "what is it?". more of the kitchen is shown, it's mostly bare still, aside from a now visible high shelf on the empty wall behind them, containing a few items, the most notable being a carboard box stained with blood. "ovens on. cheese sticks?" lewis replies, crouched down next to the oven, jade leaning over to see what he's looking at. "don't know word or spelling. pizza cheese" "you don't know how to spell mozzarella?" jade asks, eyebrow raised. "i may be a bit stupid" lewis replies, from off panel. the panel only shows jade's head, and the rest of the kitchen behind her, including the now open door and the shadowed figure in front of it. their body is mostly in shadow, all that can be seen is their lower half in boots, jeans, pinkish-purple shirt. the shillouette of their upper half implies pointed ears, and wavy hair, and mst notably, pink glowing eyes with slitted pupils peering out of the shadow. end id]

owo who's this?

anyway place your bets for what's up next

ooh "going to try and finish next weeks page early so there's no repeat because of this week's con!" yeah that didnt fucking happen. but here we are and heres a cliffhanger for your patience!

also as a change of pace from my recent "really want to make sac into a printed comic" rambles, i did actually make something else into a published work so i'm a published illustrator now! not just me- there were 6 of us and i specifically was one of 2 illustrators! a fun guide aimed at and created by young trans people

"A guide for trans, non-binary and gender queer people to help navigate through life and the systems around them as well as educating others on the experiences and truths of trans people. Whether you are questioning your gender identity or wondering what being trans even means, this book is for you! From accessing trans health care, being an ally exploring your identity and getting answers about who you are, this incredible guidebook will hold your hand through it all and show you the safest most accessible ways to being your true self (and supporting people in your life to do the same). In a world full of systems that can be a maze to navigate, especially as a marginalised person, we have got your back and are clearing the way for simple support."

so yeah you can get that here!!

anyway con ramble: con went better than expected at least! i mean i'm not going to that one again unless i get a dealers table, but i covered all of my costs so better than it was in birmingham febuary! i took a bunch of stuff from the hotel when i left to since i got a nicer room than i meant to which came with fancy coffee pods which i nicked and spent too long on sunday trying to give them away to people but nobody at the con had the right coffee machine if they had one

also i dont know what it is but no matter how much detail i try and put in the background it always feels too empty. i blame this mostly on my own bedroom where i am most of the time im at home. picture howls bedroom from howls moving castle but all the trinkets are all art prints, stickers, plushies, and assorted bullshit. thats where i live. also my art program keeps throwing a hissy fit if i add too many things

[wetsteve3]

From Bonhams 1924 CROFT-CAMERON 996CC SUPER EIGHT

'Look! Speedmen, Hard Riders, and all such Sportsmen. At last you have the Ideal of your dreams. The Croft Anzani "Super Eight".' – Croft Cameron. There is very little known about the short-lived Croft Cameron company, which was based in Coventry and existed for only a few years: 1923 to 1926. Pitching itself at the very top of the market, Croft Cameron effectively built only one model (with detail variations); this was the mighty 'Super Eight', a Vintage-era superbike powered by a 996cc overhead-valve v-twin made by British Anzani - 'The famous British Anzani, no further comment needed'.

The Croft Cameron Super Eight was available in eight-valve form at £140, or four-valve at £125; there was also the option of a slightly larger 'Plus Power' engine (£145 and £130 respectively). The standard gearbox was a three-speed Sturmey Archer unit with kick-starter, a Jardine four-speeder being optional. The silencer was placed behind and below the gearbox - a common practice today, adopted in the interests of 'mass centralisation' – which just goes to show that there really is nothing new under the sun when it comes to motorcycle engineering.

Its magnificent power unit aside, one of the Croft Cameron's most striking features was its advanced duplex loop frame that completely encircled the engine. Its manufacturer claimed that this frame was 'as rigid as a Pill Box', while Motor Cycling reckoned it made 'for great lateral rigidity and, consequently, for good steering'. The leaf-sprung front fork was by Montgomery, and contemporary photographs of the Croft Cameron show that it was built with various combinations of dummy belt rim and drum brakes, eventually ending up with the latter at both ends, as seen here. A (probably optimistic) weight of 300lbs was claimed.

With its bulbous, tapering saddle tank, Montgomery fork, and low swept-back handlebars, the Croft-Cameron Super Eight was undeniably handsome and a worthy rival for the Brough Superior, which it matched on price. The reasons why Croft Cameron failed while Brough prospered will, probably, never be known.

This rare survivor of a long-forgotten British make was purchased new from a Leicester showroom in 1924 by a Mr Bert Henson, a railway locomotive driver. Supplied in solo trim, the machine was attached to a sidecar in the 1930s. Mr Henson, who lived at 3 Sheffield Street, Leicester, moved to Feltwell in 1952 and shortly thereafter to Thetford. The Croft Cameron was a regular sight on Thetford's streets during the mid-1950s, still attached to the sidecar. By 1956, the Croft-Cameron had been taken off the road and stored in Burrell's old traction engine works in St Nicholas Street, Thetford. It was there that the machine was discovered and purchased in 1957 by the current vendor's father.

The machine was restored in 1962 (the modifications made to the lubrication system and exhaust were already present). Following its restoration, the Croft Cameron was a regular entrant in VMCC events such as the Banbury Run and Tour of Birmingham throughout the 1960s, and was displayed at the Motor Cycle Show in London. It also features in Damien Kimberley's book, 'Coventry's Motorcycle Heritage' (page 38). The machine was last run approximately five years ago and is described by the vendor as in generally good condition. Accompanying documentation consists of a number of old-style RF60 logbooks, including the original 

[uncannychange]

Seeking a cure for testosterone poisoning Dr. Babbitt Bernadette Badeaux turned to quantum flux engineering.

There she found success, hoping to perhaps turn down hyper-masculinity from 11 to somewhere around 7 or 8 she instead found that her experimenting was turning her subjects, mostly male grad students assigned to her as compensation for their chronic sexual harassment, completely into women.

This led her to be blacklisted from every University in the world.

But it didn't stop her from refining and creating the ultimate version of her discovery.

Obtaining financing from a shadowy organization it was not long before Dr. Babbitt's Girl Machines started to appear all over the place advertised on the internet as being for When You're Tired of the Whole Damn "Guy Thing". They showed up at fairs, street parties, trade shows, weddings, and other such venues and everyone was sure it was just some sort of joke item.

And joke item it did seem to the men who, after stepping into one, and paying the five dollars to activate it and were treated to an intense light and sound show while the thing let out a deep B Sharp tone that shook them to their bones but was kind of pleasant. Then it stopped, out they stepped and everything was the same.

Nothing for three days anyway, at which point the growing waves of quantum flux, at last, did their thing and as soon as the men who been in a Girl Machine were out of the sight of anyone (it's a quantum thing) there was a flash and a youthful female version of themselves, clothes and all, came into being.

Chaos then ensued, but no one listened to the crazy girls, I mean they didn't look much like their former male selves, even their fingerprints were changed.

Reactions to this varied. Also, much to the surprise of many Dr. Babbitt's Girl Machines then saw a spike in popularity.

Below are some of those reactions.

Dan Wright, Unionville, ON

“Now I can buy all of the stuff like this I've always wanted too!” thought Dan, happy as can be about what the Girl Machine had done for him.

Frank Reed, New Gloucester, ME

For most, the flash and change caused by the Girl Machines came as a complete surprise because they had already forgotten them without giving another thought to what they had thought were just novelty devices. This is what happened to Frank as he was on his morning run when suddenly he almost fell over when his running shoes turned into her new heels. Frank is still mystified about what happened.

Zachary Allen, Richardson, TX

Never out of his cowboy boots and stetson, Zach knew something was up with he felt his boots just “poof, go away” then on further exploration Ms. Allen found out his boots were not the only thing that had been replaced.

Chester Norris, Edmonton, AB

“Is this for real?” thought Chester “Is this mine?” Yes, Ms. Norris, it is.

Douglas Howard, Juneau, AK

Tired from overwork, shortly after his Girl Machine exposure suddenly felt a spring in his step, or rather her step. Fortunately along with all the other changes Dr. Babbitt's device also gave those changed a new burst of energy.

Timmy Winter, Milwaukee, WI

Knock Knock

Timmy: (opens door) “Yes?”

Agar Collection Agency “Is Timmy Winter here? We need to talk.”

Timmy (knowing he is in deep trouble) “Nope, haven't seen him for a week.”

Agar Agent: (sounding angry) “When you see him tell him to call us.”

Timmy: “Sure,” said Timmy Walker at first shocked and now relieved that he had somehow changed from a deeply in debt doughy 45-year-old man into the cutie he had turned into the week before. “Good luck finding him.” thought Tammy as she had already decided to call her new self

Jerry Wong, Pearl City, HA

For five generations the oldest son in the Wong family had joined the military, Jerry Wong didn't want to do that, but the tradition was tradition. Then he encountered a Girl Box and well the rule was the oldest son, not the oldest daughter so goodbye to that! Plus Jerry loved the new clothes.

Andre Phillips, Arlington, TX

In one of the oddest transformations caused by Dr. Babbitt's Girl Machines Mister Andre `Andy Boy,' Phillips found his change somehow influenced by his favorite movie Giant (1956)and much to his chagrin just as he was stepping on stage to address the Arlington Cattleman's Association, a good old boy organization he had been a part of for twenty years.

Meanwhile in Homewood, Alabama just outside of Birmingham, Praying Mantis kung fu instructor Mike Summers waits for his first class of the day to greet him in the proper manner. In stead they stare wide-eyed at the space where he had been standing. “Yeah, they’re in awe of my still” thought Mike not knowing that it was the new material of his new form, and her uniform, that they were struck by, not his kung fu form. 

[han-made-bookbinding]

Music: Miniature Board

“Music” Miniature Board Commissioned as part of a series on the same theme by Neale Albert, New York, USA. Measuring 3 inches square Made in 2020

This series of boards was inspired by a collection of full size boards which Neale Albert was shown during a trip to George Bayntuns in Bath in 2018. The boards he saw had all been made by members of Designer Bookbinders for a separate project on the theme of Architecture. This project gave Neale the idea for a new project: a series of miniature designer bound boards on the theme of music, three inches (7.62 centimetres) square in size. In early 2019 myself and a number of other binders were asked to participate in this project. Each binder was given total control of the design of their piece (as usual for Neale's commissions) the only common ground between them was to be the size and the musical theme.

Neale started collecting dolls house miniatures in the mid-1980's, which then progressed to commissioning miniature reproductions of his favourite things leading eventually to having entire miniature rooms made for him. But of course miniature rooms need miniature things to go into them, and naturally when Neale's second room project was going to be the library at Cliveden House in the UK he needed miniature books for the shelves! Initially these were blank books purchased at doll house shows until he discovered the world of real miniature books with real type and real illustrations. 

I believe that this was the start of Neale's passion for collecting miniature bindings, commissioning bookbinders from around the world to create miniature books for him. Over 250 of Neale's bindings are illustrated in the 2008 publication, “The Neale M. Albert Collection of Miniature Designer Bindings: A Catalogue of an Exhibition Held at the John Rylands Library 4 June – 18 October 2008”, and he has commissioned many more since then too.

When I considered the theme my thoughts naturally turned to cellos as I played the cello up until the age of 20. I made it all the way up to Grade 8 (which seems unbelievable to me now as I can barely remember how to read music anymore!) and was a member of both the orchestra at my secondary school as well as a local music centre. I started learning the cello when I was at primary school - here I am on the far right!

I was also part of a record breaking attempt in 1998 and made it into the local paper (below on the right!). Nearly 4000 young musicians got together at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham along with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the conductor Sir Simon Rattle to perform Sir Malcolm Arnold’s Suite No.2, along with school children from all over the country - we successfully broke the previous record of 2212 musicians! 

Sadly leaving home to go to university was the end of my cello playing as I decided I didn't want to take such a large instrument away with me. It sat in the cupboard at my parents house for many years however I am pleased to say that it has finally gone to a new owner and is being played again. 

As luck would have it a neighbour of mine is a luthier, based in Somerset and specialising in cellos. Kai-Thomas Roth was born in Germany. From the age of eight he knew he wanted to become a violinmaker and made his first instrument at the age of thirteen. After training as a cabinetmaker in Switzerland he came to England to study at the Newark School of Violin Making. Following work experience in the trade he established with his wife Caroline Crowley their business as makers of fine instruments of the violin family in 1990.

Below: Head of Baroque cello, No 103, after Guadagnini (Photo Credit: Kai-Thomas Roth Instgram account @kaithomasrothcellos)

Specialising exclusively in making bowed stringed instruments all experience and expertise gained since 1986 are concentrated on the manufacture of these intricate complex artefacts. For that reason Kai-Thomas neither has a shop nor employees and he does not deal in old instruments or undertake repairs. This puts him amongst the few makers who immerse themselves completely in creating instruments but amazingly he's never played the instrument he so lovingly creates!

I approached Kai to ask whether he had any technical drawings of cellos that I might borrow to base the design of my board on. What he lent me was a drawing of a “Violoncello Piccolo” made by Johann Christian Hoffmann in Leipzig in 1732. This instrument belongs to the Museum of Musical Instruments of Leipzig University and the maker was in Leipzig at the same time as Johann Sebastian Bach. This violoncello is a small cello that would be played braced against the shoulder rather than between the legs. This instrument is also a five-string version of the instrument, standard cellos have just four strings.

The inner board was made up as I would make up the board for a binding. Two 1mm think squares of Gemini board were glued together, with a piece of kraft paper glued on the inner side of the board and two layers of 145gsm water colour paper to the outside. Once dry the outside face of the board was bevelled using sandpaper.

The front of the board is covered in “Colvert” coloured bull skin from the Remy Carriat Tannerie in France, this was edge pared for the turn-ins using my Brockman paring machine and then further pared with a rounded scalpel blade. The bull skin is very stretchy and difficult to pare with a conventional paring knife so I have found through experimenting that I get the best result using a scalpel with a size 23 Swan Morton blade in it.

I traced the scroll section of the cello, including the top peg, onto some paper and transferred this onto the back of the leather I chose to use for the board. I then embroidered a series of individual short lines in a variety of colours of cotton thread to break up the uniform blue of the leather. These stitches were done around the outline of where the scroll was going to sit on the board.

The leather was then pasted to the board, turned in and left to dry. I then cut out the outline of the cello scroll (within the line of stitches) and peeled this away to leave a void. I used two varieties of veneer (Rosewood and Elm), which I backed onto card to give extra thickness and strength, cutting them out very carefully with a sharp scalpel so that they exactly matched the void that they needed to fill.

They were glued in place using PVA glue and held with small clips whilst the glue dried to ensure that they dried flat. Where the veneer met the edge of the board I bevelled the veneer to match the profile of the leather as it thinned towards the edges.

I forgot to take too many photos of how I built up the detail on the veneered sections of the board (I was enjoying this part too much and forgot!), but I drilled small holes right through the board using a fine drill bit in my Dremel and added outlines using thread sewn through these holes. I also added a thin wash of acrylic paint to some areas of the veneer to add an appearance of shading and depth to the surface, plus I also included some detail in gold leaf to jolly up the design!

Finally, I used thin gold wire that was also passed through more small holes drilled in the board to depict the cello string wound round the topmost peg. The wire was passed through the board and embedded into the reverse before being covered with the infill on the back of the board.

Once the back of the board had been infilled and built up it was time to work on the design for the back of the board. I cut a small piece of vellum to 3 inches square and traced another part of the cello technical drawing onto the reverse of it using a light box. This section included part of the F hole and the bridge that supports the strings. 

I was then able to use these lines as a guide for embroidering the design using the same colours of thread as used on the front of the board. 

I also used some gold leaf and small elements of the “Colvert” bull skin to match what I had used on the front of the board. 

The back of the board was built up with a couple of layers of Zerkall paper and sanded flat. Once the vellum was complete I stuck it down to the back of the board and left it to dry, making sure I rubbed it down all over to ensure it stuck down properly.

And so we had a completed board! All that was left to do was to add my signature and a small number annotation to the vellum back of the board then it was photographed and posted over to join the other boards in New York. This was a very pleasurable little project to work in in amongst other commissions and I was pleased to reminisce back to my more musical days!