#rb: real-life-england

[gimmick-dad]

That's right, champ!

INTRO

Hi! I'm the gimmick dad. You can call me any fatherly terms or if that's uncomfortable for you you can call me Vin :)

No NSFW on this blog, and please don't flirt with me (even jokingly).

FAQ:

Who's the guy in your icon? No idea, it's just a random stock photo I found (there were ones with watermarks of the same guy but this one. didn't? I'm not complaining tho)

Tags under the cut

@gimmick-chemist @gimmickverse-weekly @same-pic-rick-roll @real-life-england @duothelingo

@firefox-unofficial @subway-unofficial @mcdonalds-unnofficial @the-gimmick-prosecutor

@the-gimmick-detective @the-gimmick-scientist @the-gimmick-authority

[deadlydelicious]

ok not to be a fucking British history nerd on main but yall

Henry's royal house is 'Hanover-Stuart' - implying he comes from the House of Hanover

but the last Hanover monarch was Queen Victoria. Her children inherited their father (her cousin's) house- Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. After that the British line of Hanover effectively ended

So the persistence of the name then implies that in the Red White and Royal Blue universe, Queen Victoria - who we know exists as a Queen in universe because of the food fight joke- was either succeed by a much more distantly related Hanover- implying her children either didn't exist or were somehow removed from the line of succession (hello new fictional civil war of 1901), OR it implies that Queen Victoria somehow, in 1840- changed the entire system of patralineage into a matralineage so her children would inherit the Hanover title. This would then in turn imply that the female line would have to be acknowledged as the stronger claimant to the throne meaning the heir to Victoria's throne would NOT have been Edward VII, but instead Victoria's first born- a daughter also called Victoria (hereafter referred to as V2 for clarity).

But in real life V2 went on to become the empress of Germany and the mother of the last German Kaiser - you know the one who was CREEPILY almost incestuously obsessed with his mothers hands and who ALSO LARGELY CAUSED WW1 BY MAKING 1910s GERMANY AN EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE MILITARY POWER TO RESOLVE IS DADDY ISSUES?! But if in RW&RB V2 never became the German Empress, she never would have had Wilhelm II, and would instead have married a man of lower station and went on to continue the Hanover line in England, meaning there would be no Willhelm II - whos infamously erratic and hostile foreign policy led to the destabilization of Germany's position in Europe and was likely the main contributor to the reactionary foreign policies of other European powers that then caused the beginning of the conflict that became WW1.

SO IN RW&RB, IS THERE NO WW1?!

and that's not even getting into the Stuart of it all - a Royal line that ended IN 1714 AND WAS THE WHOLE SOURCE OF THE JACOBITE UPRISINGS. like if the Stuart line continued in the name, that implies that instead of it dying out with Anne, and the distant relatives of James II then forming the Jacobites to reclaim the throne, they somehow wove them back into the family tree?!

So were there no Jacobite Uprisings in RW&RB?

Is that why Henry is able to be styled as Prince of Wales, despite him not being the Crown Prince- because in this universe with the Stuarts still part of the royal family the Crown Prince's seat now becomes Prince of Scotland, also implying that Scotland has also now become a principality rather than a kingdom?! And how did the Stuart line stay in? Did Victoria NOT marry Albert, but instead marry a Stuart? But no, because the last Stuart was literally a fatherless priest who died 20 years before she was born, and the V&A still exists in universe, so Victoria still definitely married Albert. So did V2 get married off to some distant Stuart (most likely Francis V of Modena)? IS SCOTLAND A PRINCIPALITY NOW?! WHO CAUSED WW1?! WAS IT BECAUSE OF THE FICTIONAL BRITISH CIVIL WAR OF 1901?!

WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS AMAZON. YOUR SILLY LITTLE CHANGE TO AVOID PISSING OF PONCEY KING CHAZ IS GOING TO EAT HOLES IN MY BRAIN

pictured here: my mental state rn

[usafphantom2]

WHAT? No Ice Cream cone?

Before the U2 and the SR 71, the United States used the RB 47E and H. These brave men need to be appreciated for what they did. They risked their life over and over again.

Following its first flight on July 3, 1953, the RB-47E performed some of the most sensitive reconnaissance missions of the Cold War. During its service, at least two of these planes were lost flying missions over the Soviet Union. One incident involving an RB-47E occurred during a photographic mission over the Soviet Union. The plane was intercepted and fired upon by Soviet MiGs and sustained wing damage.

General Curtis LeMay, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, responded to the men telling him that the Soviets had attacked their airplane. ‘What do you do you expect them to do? Give you an ice cream cone🍦”

Fortunately, it could outrun them at altitude and return to base.

My father, Butch Sheffield, graduated from Cadets in 1955. He was selected to go to B-47 navigation bombardier school at Mather Air Force Base , CA. After graduating, he was assigned to Little Rock Air Force Base. Soon after, in January 1957, his squadron went to England to practice bomb runs. The next paragraph is from my father, Col. Richard “Butch” Sheffield's unpublish Book.

“My targets were in Russia and mostly air bases near large cities. I had to know the target so well that I could bomb it in my sleep. Every six months or so, we would change targets. I believe this was because more bombers and missiles were coming into the fleet, and the targets were reassigned to add them.

“We were briefed that if we had to bail out in Russia, we should dig a hole three feet deep, get in it, and wait till the war was over, then go to a safe area where we would be picked up U. S. Forces. This was hard for us to stomach, but we kept our mouths shut. My B-47 Aircraft Commander, Merle JeuDevine, was a real maverick. Our crew was selected by the SAC Inspector General (IG) to brief him on our war plan, and he asked us about how we would evade the enemy on the ground in Russia. He asked what we would do as soon as we arrived in Russia.

Merle told him that the first thing he would do was throw the cal. Thirty-eight handguns we carried as far as he could. The IG looked shocked. He said why? Merle said they would be looking for us with automatic weapons; we don’t stand a chance with that handgun. To my surprise, the General agreed.

Arming Mark 6-mode-6

The bomb we carried in the early part of the B-47 Program was the Mark-6, Mod. -6. It was a six hundred-kiloton weapon. It was like the weapons used on Japan in as much as it needed to be armed in flight by putting the critical mass, U-238 plutonium, into the bomb.

My job was to arm it while we refueled in-flight at fifteen thousand feet in the aircraft's bomb bay. This was hard to do because the aircraft was bouncing around as we refueled behind the KC-97. The critical mass was very heavy, and the threads on the mass were very fine. We were told to do it while wearing our parachute and to wear heavy gloves, neither of which we could do and accomplish the mission. When we landed, the IG would look into the bomb bay before we could taxi back to the park. It had to be done and had to be done right, or we flunked, so we did it.

--Special film of my target

In the late 1950’s, I was told to go to the Wing Plans Division. They took me into a vault, and I was told that I could not tell anyone what I was about to see, even my own crew.

They then showed me a radar film of my target in Leningrad, Russia. It looked like the same type of radar I had in my B-47. I believe it was from an RB-47.”

I asked my friend, Robert Hopkins. He said, “Your Dad was watching films of a bomb run over the USSR. They were movies of the radar track collected in 1956 when SAC flew 156 overflights of the USSR as part of operations HOME RUN crews use the movies taken by RB-47Es for target study.

Written by Linda Sheffield

@Habubrats71 via X

[godza]

opinions on fhjy. or my fav moments

BEAUTIFUL. MAJESTIC. BAM! riz was so badass during battle. murph knows the game so well he can game the system.

K2 FARTS AND SAYS BLIMEY. british kristen ruined brennans life. he loved her when she first appeared but wanted to kill her so bad. she disappears forever and goes to the real world bc england doesnt exist. also i dont know if you heard me. i said blimey. k2 my beloved. ally was so bad at the british accent which made it funnier

it was cute how zac took over the dm seat when brennan got so fed up with british kristen he packed up and tried to leave. he was so mad. two divine interventions.

mazey was so cute! it was rlly funny how fabian didnt want to die a virgin so bad he called for divine intervention.

there were so many emotional moments i loved but this was the funniest season. i laughed so hard. mary ann my beloved. also i really liked buddy surprisingly. he sucked ass but i like that. damn yall i worship a nameless god of rage. really loved the way he said bacarath.

more thoughts definitely but my brain is so overloaded i just want to rb posts. incoming fuck ton of spoilers

[the-taggerrr]

add @real-life-england they're insane and will totally rb and note spam

sorry for the delay! I’ll add them as soon as I can

[lilk4]

This is a cycle and it just keeps going,right now Jude is not scoring goals that everyone were so sure they won’t need with kylian and they’re acting like he can’t play football,but when the bubble will burst and Madrid fans and board along with Carlo will realize Mbappé is not in his 2022 form and they need to score goals and that playing players out of positions will not help anything and when they will be forced to play him in his position again and score goals suddenly everyone will be saying he’s the best itw,just like they did last year before everyone suddenly decided that he was a shitty player,after winning la liga,ucl,supercopa,Real Madrid and la liga player of the year and dragging England to the final,the treatment he got was insane,but Foden who was the”superstar” of the team didn’t get even a bit of the same shit they threw at Jude .This isn’t about how he plays currently because he’s not doing bad,sure he’s not playing his best and scoring goals but he’s playing RB but he’s absolutely not doing bad,so it’s very clear what’s this about.And it’s not only when black players or athletes in general are doing well,unfortunately it’s all the time,Lewis Hamilton for example that man is a SEVEN times champion and people were still racist to him,Simone biles also a very talented and hard working successful athlete and I still see people being racist to her,same with saka,vini,lamine.Just recently Fabrizio Romano posted a quote lamine said,but only a part of that quote and I do not know if that was intentional or not but still it made people find a way to be nasty to both lamine and vini.This just doesn’t stop,but when people call the racism out they get mocked and laughed at,and that applies to both people on the internet and in real life,people still like to pretend that it’s a normal thing to thing to be racist as if that isn’t a fucking crime.

They are doing Jude like how they do everyone black player (tbh person) who is doing well. Name one black people who was successful and then the press and public suddenly turned their backs on them. They want to humble him. This is why I don’t try to climb the ladder in white spaces. I won’t tap dance.

tell it! my handle is an example of this. people were calling beyoncé illuminati and a drug dealer's whore when i was little

[fullmetal-angelgrace]

hwllo sorry i dont really follow spn but i do follow you so i get glimpse of it when you rb but I'm curious now after reading your rb with the list of things and i was wondering why the jenmish panel disappointed fans djfksks idk why but that got me interested

OH BOY. OK.

so basically GISH is a charity event that misha collins hosts, you pay to participate in, and then you do creative challenges given in prompt form (i.e. make the queen of england dance to dancing queen, make ur fave character with melted crayons, etc.)

for this online GISH there was a zoom event with guest speakers, and eventually a short half hour panel was with jensen and misha was announced where they would "reminisce & discuss beard grooming" and then the GISH twitter said it would be "reunion conversation" and to "ask your questions"

absolutely nowhere in any of the promotional media of it was supernatural mentioned, despite it being a reunion for the first time since spn ended

yet,

many, many supernatural fans assumed they would be talking about destiel, the confession, and/or the finale, i remember seeing several posts about people thinking they would talk about destiel and/or jensen's real feelings about the finale (that he didn't like it, despite him changing his mind and suddenly deciding that he liked the finale after he 'needed some convincing')

the actual panel was for some reason 3 hours earlier than planned during the opening ceremony with no explanation of why and there wasn't time for a Q&A, and then during the actual scheduled panel time, there was no heads up or anything, they said jensen had filming scheduling conflicts and couldn't show (even though in the opening ceremony he literally said he was going to spend the rest of the day in bed ftsgjs)

they didn't talk about supernatural, they just talked about quarantine life and what they had been up to for the last few months

i find it hilarious that so many people were angry they didn't talk about destiel or the finale, and thought they were queerbaited (i shit you not) or tricked into buying a $15 ticket for a panel that didn't talk about the thing they made themselves believe the panel was going to talk about (i guess some people could have been misinformed about it being an spn panel, but idk)

i will admit the whole timing thing was a mess, but i think it was a genuine mistake, this was an experimental GISH format that they had never done before so idk, shit happens

tldr: fans hyped their expectations up WAY too high and got upset when jenmish didn't talk about what they never said they were going to talk about

[throughthewwods]

Such a wonderful weekend.. Friday we had our first mommy-daughter adventure since before Covid..

Saturday, after being together a year and a half, RB was finally able to introduce me to his family 💕

(Father, stepmother, sister, her husband, and their three children)

It was one of those things I mentioned in passing that suddenly came together quite quickly. As I dashed around the apartment trying to get ready, trying to throw together my best ‘I have my shit’, but not over-dressed, ‘meet the parents’ ensemble, I was laughing into the Whirlpool of my nervousness, “ Why did I do this to myself? I did not think this through. I just had to open my big mouth, didn’t I?”

I’m the first real girlfriend since the divorce and the only new female creature since to be invited to meet anyone. I was a bit afraid they would eat me alive like hyenas circle their prey.

😆

Everything went fine though. They had an assortment of tasty goodies. I nonchalantly consumed way too much coffee and sugar. It was all a casual, backyard brunch in the sun. A May breeze carries the lavender from a few of their trees that have been growing several decades.  They talk about transplanting some to RB’s sister’s home so their trees can live on generationally. Everyone was friendly and good-humored. RB’s dad even made some dark jokes about freezer care to keep bodies their freshest, which made me feel more at home than I expected. Oddly enough, they also have family from my home state. How serendipitous that my boyfriend’s folks are fellow East Coast transplants.  we reminisce about New England things like Dunkin’ Donuts and Friendly’s ice cream. The sister and I share post-Covid mom banter. I talk with his stepmom about appreciating the simple joys in life. His family made sure my kiddo felt welcomed and included.. Little things like when they gifted their grandchildren each a coloring book and pencil set they also had one for Kiddo, which was particularly thoughtful given how last minute this was. When RB’s stepmother handed me a gift bag of lavender scents I was glad I scooped up those truffles while I was exploring with Kiddo Friday. Kiddo was shy initially, but as people chatted with her she worked up the courage to be outgoing and the kids brought her into their games. soon she was darting through the yard with the best of them whopping a kickball with badminton rackets. as lunch came to a close everyone embraced goodbye and extended their hugs to me as well. The children were sad to go and ’ we should all do this again soon’ s were exchanged as if to say, “ you may bring her again” 😆

RB’s level of grace is almost saintly. 😆

RB did so much driving to make Saturday happen.. 40 minutes to grab us, about 2 hours to brunch, 2 hours to bring us home, another 40 to bring his son home, another 40 to get himself home, another 45 to come back to me, Plus he swung by a store to surprise me with roses and chocolate covered strawberries, then he took Kiddo out so she could pick her own Mother’s Day gift and they returned with Indian, so I wouldn’t have to cook dinner. When RB laid on the bed I felt as though he would fall asleep at any second before he even had a chance to tuck in under the blankets, but he stayed awake anyway in the event Kiddo might need his help again decorating something in the kitchen I was not allowed to see.

At no point did he grown even a little.. He’s pretty amazing.. I wish I could be more open with my friends about RB. It sucks when there’s no one in your life you can celebrate your joy with, specially since every other part of my life is so chronically stressful.

Being able to celebrate joy amplifies joy. Adulthood isn’t intrinsically monotone and miserable. People choose to stop celebrating their wins, little moments, events once someone stops orchestrating the festivities for them 🤷🏻‍♀️ then they bitch nostalgically. Part of being an adult is realizing that you are responsible for your own happiness and that mostly requires intention.

It’s a little annoying that I’m everybody else’s cheerleader, but nobody can be fully present when things are going well for me. Nevertheless, I know me gushing about my fantastic relationship would be rubbing salt into their wounds... So when they ask me how RB and I are doing i share a little, but keep it brief then we go back to their stuff.

Mother’s Day was also blissful, but I will have to write about that tomorrow. Can’t spent all morning journaling.



[audreyhheart]

book review: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Alright, let's talk about Red, White & Royal Blue, the most hyped book of the year that everyone and their cat is reading. In case you've been living under a rock, RW&RB is a new adult romcom about the son of the first female president of the United States who falls in love with the Prince of England. This book is basically a fanfic, a Tumblr post and an episode of West Wing all rolled into one. In other words, I loved it.  

What worked?

The banter, the emails, the texts. SWOON. The dialogue and correspondence is so funny and romantic I had the stupidest smile on my face the entire time I was reading it. Embarrassing.

The characters. Alex is a sassy bitch who can’t stop swearing and Henry is a cinnamon roll.

The chemistry. Will I ever stop loving the cocky American/stuffy Brit enemies-to-lovers trope? Apparently not. I hate myself.

I want to preface the rest of this review by saying that I'm not being critical because I hate this book. I'm being critical because I really love it and could have loved it so much more.

What didn't work?

Alex and Henry's sexuality is the central conflict. They are both closeted and have to keep their sexuality and their relationship a secret. In 2020. Like, I understand they're in the public eye but… Dick Cheney's daughter is an out lesbian and he was a Republican in office from 2001-2009. I know he wasn't at the top of the ticket but Alex's mother is a Democrat and the first female president running for a second term in a post-Obama world. Come on.  

Even the royals have changed so much since Diana's death. If anything William and Harry (and to some extent Charles) are desperately trying to reinvent the monarchy. A writer could have so much fun with that. It felt monumentally lazy and reductive to make them all bigots "for the sake of the crown." One of my favourite parts of the book comes toward the end during Alex and Henry's royal courtship, when they are getting their palace portraits taken. I was way more interested in seeing the monarchy try to adapt to current norms than seeing their prejudice unfold in a painfully predictable way, that I doubt would even be the case today.

While we're on the subject of royals, there was almost no understanding of the British monarchy in this book or how the order of succession works. Henry would likely never inherit the throne. Regardless, he does not have to produce an heir. And again, in 2020, nobody would care. Not even the queen. Painting Queen Mary (basically Elizabeth) as this monster makes no sense. We all know she just wants to chill with her corgis. Let her live! But if you're going to go the mean old British lady route (ugh) make it new. And do they all have to be awful? Henry's mother is weak and emotionally unavailable and his sister, maybe the only positive person in his life, has a drug problem. His brother Pip is predictably the main villain besides the queen, which would have been tolerable had Alex's American friends and his sister June not been perfectly progressive.  

Imagine a country that's elected TWO female PMs being depicted as backwards by an American author who said she wrote a fictional female president because her country couldn't elect a real one? Yikes…

That takes me to my main issue with this book, how self-congratulatory it is. I share the same politics as this author, but I really can't take the glibness of the American left. I understand that this is Trump era wish-fulfillment but it's insufferable. The lack of self-awareness, and the total unwillingness of these characters to look critically at their party even in a fun way? This book positions American Democrats as more progressive than their European counterparts, which is just totally baffling. The political subplot needed less West Wing and more Veep.

At first it seemed like Alex's friend, the senator Luna who joins the Republican campaign, would be a turncoat and betray his values for political gain. But turns out he did it for a noble reason, because he's a Democrat and therefore inherently good? Please.  

You know who does look critically at themselves with a dry sense of humour. THE BRITS! We see a little bit of this in Henry but we don't see it in any of the other British characters. Just because a character is unlikable doesn't mean they can't be funny and entertaining. McQuiston could have done so much more with the royals, but opted to make them caricatures in service of American smugness.      

I know this sounds like a negative review but it's not! I swear! It's just that so few mainstream lgbt titles are published that we want them to be everything to everybody and they can't be. I hope we get to a point where enough of this content is published that authors can start to explore stories outside the closeted/coming out trope and we get a romcom about a prince and a first son where the world doesn't hate them, they only hate each other (until they realize they're actually in love of course).    

[writingforjoy]

UnVeil, Part One

When your muse decides that you need to write an au for a story that’s not even finish 🙄😂😂 @givethispromptatry @rhikasa 

“So yeah, other than Grampa Tenney keeping us hidden in England for a few years, nothing exciting has happened for us-besides this obviously! Our life has been pretty lowkey.” Ten said looking at his plate.

“Your turn RB,” Auntie KJ poured more tea in my cup, then on to Bloom’s cup “tell us your story. And leave nothing out.”

“You want to know what has happened to me up ‘til now? All my life I only knew of two things for sure. To be fair, I had turned sixteen a few months ago, so it hasn’t been a long life yet. But the first one was the only ‘mother’ I ever had, and the other is the only home I ever lived in. I’ve never been  here, to the surface-to the living- world before now. She had always told me me that the world above was full of cruel and spiteful creatures called humans, and it was those very same creatures that had casted beings like us aside. So in short, my aunt and Hell are all I’ve ever known.”

Growing up, we lived in a cottage on the hillside, where everything was always in bloom. There were few rules, with the most important rules probably being the most simple rules. The first rule was to never go past the gold wicket fence. The second was to never-ever go into the room with the red door covered in golden insignias. When I was thirteen, I broke the first important rule. It started off simple and innocent enough: 

I was sitting on the floor of my room one day playing with my pet chimera, Viper, growing bored as the hours droned on. I’ve been wanting to go exploring beyond the fence for a while.  I dropped the ball beside me and made a small cherry bomb instead for Viper to catch. As Mama was coming in, Viper missed one of the bombs and hit her in the right eye.

“Mama!” I scrambled up from the floor and rushed over to her as she doubled over and groaned, “Mama, I’m sorry, are you okay?”

She held her free hand up to stop me in my tracks and looked at me with her good eye. “Yes...yes I’m fine sweetheart. Just stay back a minute.” I stepped closer to her and she shouted, “I said stay back RB!”

“B-but Mama…” Blood was dripping from her face as she looked towards the floor, “Mama, you’re bleeding.”

“No I’m not, look,” she stood up slowly and uncovered her eye for me to see her face clearly. Her right eye had a gloss over it, but the blood was gone. “See? Mama’s alright baby,” she said pulling me into a hug, “but you know better than to use your magic in the house like that.”

“I know, I’m sorry! I was just bored a-and I didn’t mean to hurt you! I’m sorry!” I lowered my head as tears welled up in my eyes and my throat tightened. 

“Hey, RB, look at me.” She lifted my chin so that our eyes could meet and gave me a gentle smile. “I told you that I’m fine. You don’t have anything to worry about, okay? Listen, Myotis and Blossom are coming over to see you in bit.”

I dried my eyes and looked away again. “You’re about to leave, aren’t you?” I mumbled. 

Her smiled disappeared as she began biting her lower lip. “Yeah. I’m about to go run a few errands.” She mumbled. “But I’ll be back soon, okay? And when I get back I’ll bring back something special for you.” She grinned. Her right eye looked normal now, her golden eyes shining bright in the sunlight that flooded my room. “And when I get back, we’ll eat some ice cream and watch some movies, doesn’t that sound fun?”

“Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun.” I answered flatly and hopped on my bed. Viper jumped into my lap and licked my face before resting his head on my knee. “I’ll just stay here and play with Viper and Blossom. It’s not like I can go anywhere else for fun.”

She sighed deeply and sat next to me. “RB, you know why I don’t want you to go outside the fence.” She frowned. “I don’t want you get-”

“-ting hurt, I know mama!” My braid started sparking as it grew shorter, so I took a deep breath to calm down. “I’ll be turning fourteen next year, and I have Viper by my side to protect me like you have Skyla. I think I can handle just one expedition outside the fence!”

“RB, I’m sorry but pet or no pet you’re not going!” She raised up off the bed and whistled for Skyla, who came quickly and stood at the door while Mama was walking out.

“But Mama, I-”

She whipped around and shouted, “Ashton Lee, I said no!” She stood in the door frame, her now red eyes glaring at me as we stared at each other for minutes. She was tapping her finger against the frame and my braid was growing shorter and shorter by the second. Then she looked away saying, “You’re not ready yet, RB.” mumbling something else as she left.

With just me and Viper in my room, I waited until I heard the front door shut before jumping out of bed with Viper and crawled under it searching for a bag to carry.

The front door slammed shut again and light footsteps ran through the house before stopping in the middle of the doorway. “Hi RB! What grand adventures should we go o-oh. RB? Where are you?” She giggled when Viper jumped on her and licked her face relentlessly. “Hey Viper! Down boy, get down!”

I crawled out from beneath the bed and saw a naked green girl with pink eyes and long, rose gold hair that hid her chest. “Hey Bloom. Here, catch this.” I tossed her the backpack and crawled over the bed.

She slipped the backpack on and asked, “Whatcha planning RB?” I ignored her question and pulled her along as I left the room. “Hey! RB!” she let out a soft gasp and touched the back of  my head. “RB, you got mad again, didn’t you?” She asked as we walked down the hallway. “You’re not planning on running away, are you?” Her grip tightened around my hand, and I looked back at her and saw a mixture of fear and sadness in her eyes. The flowerbud that grew on the left side of her head was starting to wilt. “Maybe we should just sit around and play games.”

“Don’t be stupid Bloom.” I mumbled. We made it into the kitchen and I started gathering things that we’d need for our journey. “Otherwise I’d grab two packs instead of one.” I said placing some water bottles on the counter. I glanced at her and noticed that her flowerbud was perking up and her cheeks turning red. I turned away quickly feeling my own cheeks starting to burn and grabbed the sandwich platter out the fridge.

“Good, cause I’d h-hate it if you’d-um, mmm...what are you doing anyway?” She blurted out finally.

I tossed Viper half a sandwich and looked at her again with a smile. “How about we go on a real adventure instead of an imaginary one?”

“WHAT?” Viper ran outside as she ran past me and looked out the window, where the cyclops could be seen working. “Are you serious RB? We’re not allowed to-”

“You and your dad walk here everyday, right?” I asked. “You would know your way around a lot better than I do.”

She looked back at me puzzled. “Wha-...I don’t know what you’re talking about RB.”

The smile left my lips when she looked away. “It’s a simple question, Bloom. Do you guys walk here or not.” she continued staring down at her bare feet twiddling her fingers. Her gardenia had started drooping again, a sure sign that she was feeling bad. My braid started sparking again as my patience wore thin. “C’mon and answer me, Bloom! Yes or no?”

“Yes, RB, yes! Please calm down,” she threw her arms around me, brushing my braid repeatedly to make it stop. “You know I hate it when you explode, so please stop.” she whimpered.

The scent from her flower had caught me off guard, making my mind go blank. I hadn’t noticed until I actually looked at her that she had been crying. Her small, soft body held me tight as her tears soaked through to my own skin. “Alright, alright Bloom, I’ll stop! Just stop crying, jeez!” I pushed her away in an attempt to keep her from seeing my own crimsoned cheeks. “I didn’t realize girls were so sensitive.” I plucked the backpack from her and started packing it with the sandwiches and water bottles. 

“Don’t be such a jerk, RB!” She smacked my arm with a bristled hand and stomped off towards the living room. I smiled to myself, relieved that she wasn’t crying anymore. “What are you smiling about in there?”

“Nothing. I have everything packed, are you going to be the guide this time or not?” Whenever we went on our ‘grand’ adventures, we’d always take turns being the ‘tour guide’.

“It’s actually your turn to lead, RB.” She huffed angrily.

“Yeah, but I don’t know what’s past the fence, in the woods, like you do.” I put my hand on her shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze. “I’d feel better following someone who knows the surroundings better than I do.”

She bobbed her head side to side, thinking it over. “Mmm...ok fine!” she grabbed my hands and looked me in the eye. “But when we get out there, you gotta promise you won’t get mad.”

“If I do explode, you know I’ll just reform.”

“I don’t care! You don’t-...just promise me okay?”

“Okay, only if you promise you won’t cry if I do. Cause like I said, I’ll reform. Like I always do.”

“RB, that’s not fair!” She whined.

“Fiine, I promise.” She frowned and gave me her ‘I mean it’ face. “Honest Bloom, I promise!”

“Okay.” Her eyes glazed over as she looked around and smiled and when they returned to normal. “Papa’s out back. If we hurry, he won’t be able to stop us from leaving. C’mon!”

She tugged my arm excitedly as we ran out the door. Looking back towards the house, it always amazed me how small the stone cottage was on the outside, but twice as big on the inside. Queen Anne’s Lace, daffodils,and white heather lavenders adorned each side of the pathway that lead to the gate. She placed her hand on the doorknob and urged quietly, “Remember your promise RB.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, what’s the worst that could happen once we get to the trees?”

“Oi! Blossom and Ashton, where’d you two think you’re goin’?” I looked back at Myotis wiping his face with a rag he swiped from his pocket. “You kids know not to go outside the gate. Especially you, Small Lady.” He scolded looking at Bloom. “You two c’mon round back and help with the Mistress’ garden.”

“Yes Papa.” Bloom shouted.

She turned us around and trudged toward Myotis where he waited with his arms folded, his one eye watching us carefully. Viper roared excitedly, running to and fro. I made a fistful of small bombs, tossed them at Myotis. “What the-!!” I made them explode in his face, creating a smokescreen.

“Viper, stay!” I shouted at Viper, who stopped in his tracks. “C’mon, Bloom!” We ran back to the gate and burst through the door, where suddenly everything grew darker with each step we took. I slowed down and studied the gloomy area. I looked behind me and the house that I had lived in for years was suddenly gone. “Bloom...where on Earth are we?” I asked trying to stay calm.

Nothing looked the same anymore. The woods that I saw inside the fence became nothing more than a few trees growing here and there in a deserted wasteland with ghosts and other creatures flying around. Multiple stairways were all around leading to different doors. Throughout the land there were lakes and a long, endless river. In the distance I could see Mama walking towards a tall castle. She wasn’t wearing the same clothes she had left in either, but instead a puffy red and black dress.

“That’s the thing.” She said slowly. “We’re not on Earth.” She began walking slowly towards the castle, pulling me along. “This is the Underworld, RB.”

“Wha...what do you mean ‘the Underworld’? What is that Bloom?” I yanked my hand from hers. “Is this some kind of joke?”

“No,” she answered bitterly “it’s the Underworld and no,” she pinched my arm and clutched my hand again “you’re not dreaming. Now c’mon before something comes and tries to get us.” She whined.

We walked side by side in silence for minutes. Then an enormous shadow came swooping over us, and landed in a nearby tree ahead of us. “Well, well, well, gaze upon at what we have here sisters.” Bloom seized my arm as they all turned to stare at us with dark eyes. “Invitees!” She cooed to the other four. They all looked like humans with wings, except their midsections were covered with feathers. She had feathers growing from her arms and had human hands, and talons for feet.

“A demon and a dryad taking a stroll down lovers lane, how sweet.” This one had wings on her back and talons for hands and feet.

“Are you are you lost little chickies?” Asked the third. “Come closer closer, we won’t bite.” She looked similar to the second one that spoke, a possible twin.

“Why are you two out in such a place young ones? Surely you know what dire consequences awaits you should you get caught.” The fourth one giggle. She looked to be the youngest of the bunch, her feathers growing out her arms like the first, but she had no talons at all.

Bloom clutched my arm tightly and shuddered as we walked closer to them. “Bloom, what are those things?”

“They’re harpies, RB. Papa told me that they’re mean, nasty birds that’ll hunt and and eat you if you’re not careful around them.” She whispered. When we got closer to the tree she said, “We’re s-sorry if we d-disturbed you, M-madame Harpies.” she stammered. “B-but we’re on our w-way to the castle.” She gasped and hid behind me as one of the harpies swooped down closer to us, landing in front of me.

“Sister, come here. This boy looks familiar.” The harpy’s twin joined her side and they both stared at me. The one on the left had feathers that faded from a sky blue to lavender.

The color of the other harpy feathers were just the same, but darker. “Why yes yes he does sister!” She said eagerly to the other harpy. “Sisters, come look look at this child!”

They surrounded us quickly, all asking “Boy, who are you?”

“Tell us your name. Please.” The blue one begged.

I watched them all as they looked at each other nervously and at me with excitement. I held Bloom tighter, taking a deep breath. “Well,” I pulled Bloom out from behind me and held her close to my side. “ first of all, this is my best friend Blossom, we call her Bloom. My name is Ashton Lee Cole, but you can call me RB.” 

Immediately they all started squawking with excitement. “It is him! The master’s son!” hands pinched my cheeks and talons raked through my hair. 

“You have grown so so much!” They tore me away from Bloom, covering me in kisses and taking turns hugging me.

“Stop it, that’s enough!” I wiggled my way out of their clutches and back to Bloom’s. “Who are you? And who are yall talking about ‘master’?”

“Young master, I am Phobos.” Said the first harpy twin. “These are my sisters. My twin Deimos, the darker one. Avery with the gold and red feathers, and Robin with the orange and yellow. She was the last to hatch.”

“Don’t you remember us?” Robin asked.

“Of course not, don’t be ignorant Robin!” Avery said rolling her eyes. “He was only a small chick-a newborn-when we met him.”

“And helped helped saved him from those nasty nasty sirens.” Deimos hissed looking in the opposite direction as if the sirens were nearby.

Phobos raised her arm in the air to silence the others. “Young master, it has been years since we last saw you and your family. You are extremely far from home, why are you here? Has something happened to Master?”

“What do you mean I’m ‘far from home’? My house is just a little further that way,” I said pointing behind me “and I’m following my mother to that castle over there.” I looked over towards the castle pointed her out. “See? She’s going through the gates now.”

“Your...mother? Her Highness?” whispered Avery.

“Our Lady? Can’t be. Sisters, explain!” Robin said looking at the older harpies.

“Impossible. Phobos tell him tell him.” Deimos demanded.

“Yes, I will tell him.” She gently placed her talons on my shoulder and squatted down to my level, her black eyes locked into mines. “Young master, your mother, our Lady, is not who she claim to be. She is of your blood, yes, but she is not-.”

“What is going on here?!” They all stopped and looked at the new creature, possibly a harpy, that had arrived. She had to be the oldest of the bunch, her feathers were all grey and ruffled, her legs like that of a hawk’s; she had no arms like the other harpies, just wings. “Who are these travelers? Move out the way so that I can see them!”

The old bird pushed them out the way with her ragged wings and approached us as if getting ready to charge. She stopped when Bloom made a short wall grow between her and us and eyed us angrily. “Elder Wendella,” She turned and watched Phobos approach her cautiously, “this is our young master and his friend.”

“‘Young master’? Like hell he is. Boy,” she said turning to me “What’s your business here?”

“We’re here to see Lady Persephone.” Bloom answered quickly as she tightened her grip around my arm. She hissed at Bloom while thorns grew on the wall that separated us and I made myself ready with a bomb.

Surprisingly, the other harpies came to our side and hissed back at the elder. She glared at us all. “What's the meaning of this?!” Robin stepped in front of us, joining her sisters against the elder. “Have you forgotten who raised you?  Who taught you how to preen your feathers and how to fly?”  She asked glaring at Phobos. “Or how to hunt and keep your talons nice and sharp?!” She bared her fangs at Robin who shivered. “And yet you dare take the side of  demon? He is NOT your master! Only King Hades and the young Prince are your true masters!”

“No, we haven't overlooked those facts Elder Wendella.”

“We know it was you who raised and taught us taught us those skills.”

“But we’re Harpies, not a Fury like you. We don't have contracts with your King and his son.”

“So our loyalty goes without question to our young master and those of his bloodline, Elder Fury Wendella.” Phobos stated boldly. “And we will NOT let you harm him or his friend!”

“Insolence!” Wendella sprang up into the air, her wings flapped furiously causing strong winds to pin us to the ground. “How dare you forsake me and our Lord! Your treachery will be dealt with by Lord Hades himself!!” With that she turned to leave after sending one last gust of wind at us.

Suddenly the tree limbs around us snapped to life as they tried to catch Wendella. Avery and Phobos leapt into the air to follow her as Deimos and Robin helped us to our feet. I glanced over at Bloom and saw her eyes glossed over, her arms imitating the tree limbs. I looked back towards the sky as someone shrieked. “Let me go you wretched dryad!” Wendella ordered. “Let me go or you'll have a worse fate than these unforgivable harpies!”

Bloom’s fist grew tighter and tighter as tree limbs engulfed Wendella, eventually squeezing the life out of her.

“Hey, Bloom, remind me to never make you mad. Like, never ever.” I mumbled to her.

“I'd never hurt you like that stupid.” She giggled.

Avery and Phobos cut the limbs down, letting Wendella’s lifeless body hit the ground. “Deimos, Robin, take them on to the castle. We will take care of Wendella.” Phobos directed them as she tore open the limbs caging Wendella and picked her up by the arms. “Make sure no one sees you, and be careful with Master RB and Miss Bloom.”

Avery picked up Wendella’s leg with her talons. “Deimos, be sure to instruct him on how to summon us as well.”

“Yes sisters, I'll teach him teach him how to do the summons.” Deimos rosed up off the ground and gently lifted me with her talons.

I looked down at Bloom as she crawled on Robin's back. “Hold on tight!”  Bloom squealed as Robin she took off into the air.

From the sky I could see everything more clearly, including the top of the hill where my home should've been. Had we walked it would’ve taken us at most fifteen, maybe 20 minutes to get from the tree to the castle, but with Deimos and Robin’s help it only took seconds. “Here we are young master master.” Deimos set me down softly, letting me get my footing first before letting me go completely.  Bloom slid from Robin’s back and stood by my side as the two harpies landed. “Now watch me closely closely, young master. If you ever need us need us for anything, you can summon us like this.”She squatted down and drew a pentagram in the dirt, followed by three separate spirals. “First, you must you must draw this wherever you like. Then, you must offer a drop a drop of blood. The blood allows us to find you find you and travel through like a portal.” She flapped her wings once and she was in the air. She and Robin swooped around me, kissing me on either side of my cheeks before flying away.

“Oh crap, Deimos! Robin! Waait, I need to ask-.”

“It’s too late RB, I don’t think they can hear you from up there.” Bloom said silently. “What’s wrong? What were you going to ask?”

I took a deep breath and said, “I was gonna ask them about their other master. I guess...I guess he’s my dad? Mama never talked about him, so I never really asked her.” I faced the gate and studied it closely.

“Well, once we get inside, you should probably ask her about all this” she said waving her arms towards the castle “too. It’s only fair, RB.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” I grabbed her hand and pushed open the gate. “Guess it’s time I start getting answers, huh?” I smiled at her and held her hand tightly in my own. “Thanks for being here with me, Bloom. ...You really are my best friend.”

She blushed and nodded her head in agreement as we walked through the open gate.

Once we were inside, we stood in amazement at how huge the castle was inside. After our initial shock we started exploring the first floor. The rooms were twice the size of my home and decorated just as beautiful. As if it was more than mere royalty, but gods that lived here instead. On the second floor, there were six different doors to choose from.

“RB, you said that you can smell her scent, right? Why don’t we just follow it now, or are there too many scents around?”

“No, I’m used to all the scents now. Give me a sec, okay?” I closed my eyes and tried to find the smell of grilled apples, the scent that Mama has. “Got it! This way Bloom.” We went through the doors on the left and I felt annoyed with the place already. “Seriously? It’s like a house within a house.” I said leading us through the living room.

“I kinda like it, RB. Maybe we should get a place like this when we’re older.” She smiled mockingly and hugged my arm.

“No way,” I said hiding my face from her “this would be-umph!”

“Oh, excuse m-Ashton, Small Lady? What are you two doing here?!” A woman with tanned olive skin, green eyes, and long ebony curled hair wearing a silver crown held Skyla in her arms and stared at us with mild shock and disappointment.

Bloom’s eyes grew wide with fear and she quickly bowed before the lady, dragging me down with her.. “L-lady Persephone! We can explain! We’re just-” A crashing noise and muffled shouting from the back could be heard.

I bolted up from the floor and followed the source of the noise. “RB, stop!” Footsteps followed close behind me, but I didn’t look back to see who it was. My heart started racing faster and my mind foggier with fear as Mama’s scent grew stronger with each closer step.

“...DAMN IF HE’S YOUR ONLY LIVING RELATIVE, YOU MAKE HIM IMMOR-”

Crash

“JUST BECAUSE YOU FORCED ME...GIVE IT! GIVE ME BACK THE GUN!” I started panicking at the sound of her voice and the mention of a gun and willed my legs to go faster, searching for her in each room I passed, but one door caught me off guard. It was the same exact door back home. I stopped and stared at it as the strong smell of coffee, paprika, apples, and an earthy scent filled my nose. A moment later Mama's scent filled the area and snapped my attention back, and I followed her scent once more. Soon I found her in the room of the last door, staring at a guy pointing a gun at her. “Then shoot. Me.” She hissed coldy.

“Mama!” I ran to her as fast as I could get to the other side.

She glimpsed at me from the corner of her eye at first, then fully looked at me with fear and anger in her eyes. “RB?! Natas stop pleASE,” she walked swiftly to me at first, then ran “NATAS-TEGO!”

A bright, fiery wall appeared in front of me, stopping me from going any further. “Ma-!”

BANG

I could hear Bloom screaming at the door the same time Mama hit the floor just a few steps in front of me, and the wall disappearing just as quick as it appeared. “...Mama?” I stared at her body on the floor, slowly a pool of blood formed around her. Then the tickling of my braid creeping closer to my scalp. “YOU KILLED HER!” I shouted at the man who was now closer to me.

“It was meant for you, you worthless sonuva-hey!” I grabbed him tightly around his waist, letting my magic build up and explode.

"The next time I had woken up, she was sitting there beside me, dressed in her normal clothes. We were back home, in my room. I sat up and she cradled me in her arms, bawling her eyes out, kissing me all over my face and scolding me all at the same time. I was confused and couldn’t remember what all that had happen. The only thing I remembered for sure was her being killed in front of me. Once I told her that, she told me what I had thought was everything. Where we were, why we had to be there, who-what-she truly was. She told me that I was the same, just an ordinary demon. Of course, none of that came without a price. Bloom and I were grounded for two months that time. She wasn’t allowed to come over at all whenever Myotis came around. Even after all this, I still wasn’t allowed out of the house without supervision, and I never went back to the castle either. At least, not without her and making sure he wasn’t there, that is. Most of my memories for that day gradually came back, like how to summon Phobos and her sisters.

 Some time after all of this, once Bloom was able to visit again, she made us swear that we would never break another rule again, and we did. That only lasted until we were sixteen.

[michaelh44posts-blog]

A Pathway into the First Team

A massive concern for supporters of the English game and clubs across England is the continuous decline in young players breaking into first team squads within the Barclays Premier League. The financial benefits to a club is the fundamental aim now for the owners and the chairmen of the clubs in England, which as a result is hurting the development and progression of players looking to break out of academy football to regular first team opportunities and cementing a place within the first team.

The percentage of the players playing in the top tier of English football that qualify to play for the England national team is declining further and further, in 2017 marca reported that 64% of players playing in the Premier League were not eligible for England, compare that to Spain where less than half of the players in the league are foreign, somewhere along the way the English clubs have lost that focus and the progression to get academy players into their first team squads. theguardian report that at the start of this season the figure for minutes that English players were involved has dropped even further, which understandably the National team manager Gareth Southgate has expressed his concerns over.

The fundamental values of the clubs must be the main contributor for the lack of talent progressing into the first teams. When we consider the investment that Manchester City and Sheikh Mansour have put into the youth team set-up from the bottom up, there has to be an issue when considering that the Man City squads in recent years has rarely featured any of these players, with the exception of the early rounds in the domestic cup. Chelsea would be the club that have invested a great deal of money and time with their youth set-up and gained their respective success at these levels, but have we seen any of these players emerge in the first team at Chelsea? The last player to make a success out of breaking into the Chelsea first team from the youth system was former captain and now Aston Villa assistant manager John Terry. We have seen a vast amount of these Chelsea youngsters sent out on loan either abroad or the lower divisions in England, and a progression into the first team looking almost impossible. Every club is guilty of this same procedure, trying to expose these prospects to first team football, but are they really ensuring that these players are exposed to first team football? Are they monitoring a players progress and thinking of how they can get these young stars into the first team plans? Why are the parent clubs not recalling players who are playing youth team football for the club that they are sent?

The English FA have invested money and resources into the National set-up, this could not have been any clearer than the recent semi-final defeat they suffered in the World Cup in Russia. With the personnel involved in the structure of the National Teams there is obviously a philosophy in place of how they want the teams to play, what they expect from the players when on international duty and the improvement that was made to St George’s park, when it comes to international duty. The success of the England International youth teams in 2017 showed just how far this has developed, with the Under 17 side winning the World Cup in India after there runners up position in the European Championships to the under 20 team winning the World Cup in South Korea, we have seen that the talent is available in England, and with the right nurturing and development they can be a huge success at whichever club they represent.

The issue starts with at the very bottom of the English game, and the lack of funding and money that Grassroots has invested. This is extremely concerning especially considering the high proportion of money now that English game does receive, which allows us to question why exactly these issues are not fully investigated. Why is 1 in 3 pitches in grassroots football deemed to be ‘inadequate’ reported by the telegraph,  and why is the former FA chairman David Bernstein claiming that grassroots football has been ‘neglected’ reported again by the telegraph. If the FA can not improve on this area, we will see more and more clubs in the Premier League look abroad even more to fill places within each respective academy, another trend which is significantly on the rise.

The emergence of Jadon Sancho this season at Borussia Dortmund has highlighted the issue that our clubs in England do not progress the youngsters into first team squads at an early age enough. Many could argue that Phil Foden is involved within the Manchester City team, but is he playing enough minutes? If he had made the move that Sancho made could he also now be representing the senior England team and making a real impact on the biggest stages? We see Foden in the less pressure games, or for 15-20 minutes with substitute appearances, this is a player who set alight the under 17 tournament for England, if he played for another team in England perhaps outside the top six with the exception of Tottenham, he would be a regular in their first eleven, despite his young age.

Ademola Lookman who spend the second half of last season on loan at RB Leipzig gained the benefit of first team football, in a foreign country, he looks a difference maker and with Everton fans calling for the exciting winger to start more games, we can expect to see Marco Silva include him within the first team, and not always from the bench. The whole transfer saga surrounding Callum Hudson-Odoi at Chelsea is one of great interest, the interest from Bayern Munich is strong and a move that would certainly benefit the exciting wide forward. Should he make the move to the Bundesliga you would have to think that surely these clubs would make a move to try and encourage the mangers to include players within the starting eleven more often, or could the FA step in and try and ensure that these highly promising and exciting players are not looking to leave England constantly to other European clubs in search for regualr first team football.

There are other examples of young English players leaving high profile academies in search of first team football, some successful and some who are still looking to make a breakthrough. One name who could be next to emerge is former Chelsea prodigy and England under 17 World Cup winner Jonathan Panzo. Having left for Ligue 1 in the summer for AS Monaco, the left back or left sided defender has made his first start for the Monaco first team in a cup game for Thierry Henry’s team. He is gaining experience through the clubs very high profile youth set-up and is expected to be a part of the first team squad at the Ligue 1 relegation threatened side.

What can be done to ensure that there is a pathway for these young players to gain regular first team football? The FA have introduced the cap on the amount of foreign players that can be included with the squad that is registered for the league, however this has still not encouraged managers more to include the young players on a regular basis. Could the FA move towards the Pep Guardiola philosophy of a higher level of competition for the under 23 team as reported by manchestereveningnews .

This would be a real plus if the FA and the clubs could make this work. Not replicating exactly the La Liga model of the B teams, but how about trying to emerge the B teams where they can qualify to competitive leagues? Could they even make this in a European competition for the clubs, this would almost certainly see a decline in these players getting loaned to other clubs for absolutely no gain to the player or the parent club.

Another possibility could be for the Premier League clubs to affiliate with other English clubs in the lower divisions, and not just other European and Worldwide clubs. This would be a benefit to both the lower league club and the parent club, financially especially for the feeder team and for the parent club they get the opportunity to monitor and see a player’s development at the feeder club. This would certainly have its questions as the players would be playing at a lower level, but when we consider players such as Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Harry Maguire and John Stones to name a few the benefits of playing at these levels can be extremely rewarding.

The Football Association need to invest money into the Grassroots football across England, ensuring top facilities, upgrading pitches and have the best available coaches on offer to ensure that we are getting the young footballers into academies and progressing them in life, there is a real need to investigate what is happening at this level of the pyramid in the English game, and the hope is that this is carried out.

[luxmentis]

“What is Rare Book School? Is that Hogwart’s for librarians?”

Normally confused by ‘library school’, most people don’t realize there is an additional resource for rare book professionals, librarians, and bibliophiles located at the University of Virginia. Yes, there is a school to learn about books, book history, and many other aspects about information management not necessarily available on the job or higher education routes. It is not a given.  I would say there a great privilege being able to attend RBS.  Many library staff, students, and trade / working professionals have limited budgets that does not allow for supplemental professional development, like myself.  There is a real desire for the specific training. I feel very indebted to the individuals who either donate money or are part of the development administration, so that I may attend, which is what I did, on scholarship.

As a continuation of my foundational training, I chose to take Rare Book Cataloging with Deborah J. Leslie, after mostly hearing positive things about the course, but I actually will *use* this material on a daily basis. I also want to mention that even though the course was geared toward DCRM-B (which for the non library catalogers or book trade) is a descriptive standard designed specifically for more in-depth and rigorous transcription and authoritative work for cataloging. Could this apply in the book trade? Of course! I have often found that while the level of cataloging in the book trade is generally subjective, I find it annoying when certain authorities are not supplied, especially for personal names, corporate names, and certain extent descriptions. I suppose as along as you are consistent, however, how impressive would your records look to a library cataloger if they adhered to DCRM-B/RDA?! With library quality transcription of early printed materials!

Same exercise goes for collation. I came back with an enlightened understanding of creating signature statements and the art of collation counting with a Buddhist methodology. It is very Zen counting pages. You hear the crinkle of 18th century chain lined paper, as you gingerly turn the pages. When I returned I wanted to dive right now. So I did! I’m currently working on an unnamed book on witchcraft and demonology from the 17th century. My working signature statement is looking something like this:

A4 B8-R8 chi1 Aa8-Ss8 [+Ss4.2, +Ss6.2] Tt8-Zz8 [-Zz8] Aaaa8 Note: (Ss4-7 blank)(Aaaa4-8 blank)

This is proving both challenging and exciting for the book, finding all sorts of opportunities for deeper notes and observations.  On the same level, I’ve discovered the copy is actually missing pages replaced with blanks, so geeky cataloging stuff, someone down the road would find interesting. In addition to, as a bibliographer and a bookseller these are critical and active nuances of printed materials that are hyper-important for collectors and undoubtedly, inventory illuminations.

The real veggie casserole dish (as opposed to meat and potatoes) for me was in addition to collegial nature of RBS was the opportunity to take some personal time out for independent research. Generally even on “vacation” [because you really never take a vacation as a bookseller], I tend to visit libraries, if just for the building sometimes. However, with purpose and a looming deadline for a presentation, I decided to spend some time in the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library at UVA.  I’m currently doing research for a paper I’m presenting in September on occult book plates, I’m affectionately calling “Hexlibris,” as opposed to “Sexlibris” which is another talk I could do on Satan and phalluses. #hexlibris #sexlibris [don’t steal, muggles] Anyway, I’m on the hunt for bookplates. Witchy, occulty, masonic, magical ones. I do know that UVA has a large collection of Cotton Mather books, rather “pamphlets” originally gathered by industrialist William Gwinn Mather and donated by Tracy W. McGregor. The books stayed in the family.

Cotton Mather’s bookplate is rather simple, a small white letterpress label with a simple decorative border, almost perfect for a Puritan. William G. Mather’s bookplate is illustrated with a drawing of the elder Richard Mather (Cotton Mather’s grandfather) engraved within a book looking rather John Dee-like. Above that image, an illustration of the Gwinn Mather estate.  The majority of the book contained the ex libris of William G. Mather or Tracy McGregor. Nothing especially metaphysical for my research, so I only looked at a few. There was one book, though, that piqued my interest more than the other I was familiar with titled: “Warnings From the Dead. Or Solemn Admonitions Unto All People; But Especially Unto Young Persons to Beware of Such Evils as Would Bring Them to the Dead” by Cotton Mather. ; In two discourses, occasioned by a sentence of death, executed on some unhappy malefactors. ; Together with the last confession, made by a young woman, who dyed on June 8. 1693. One of these malefactors …  I almost did not look at this book. 

The book was trimmed to fit the binding and was missing part of the title page, however there was enough information, including the publisher and subsequently the bookseller, to identify the correct copy.  So, as I started to leaf through the volume, (mind you the binding is glaringly tight, I propped the book gently with another foam the book cradle). I started with the flyleaves, endpapers, etc. I noticed on the front flyleaf an inscription: “Abigaill Faxson Her book” written in what appeared to be contemporary hand. This was noted in the record. When I turned the leaf, an autograph jumped out at me and I could not believe my eyes. Written in the same period handwriting was the name of “Abigaill Williams,” above that an inscription: “James Bradford is Read it out.” [see images] I returned to the print out of the record and did not see a note for the second set of inscriptions and autograph which baffled me.

Abigaill Faxson Her Book (sic) January

Title page

Abigaill Wiliams autograph and inscription

Why this might not mean much to most people, it sure as heck meant *a lot* to me. Partially as a cataloger, if I was doing DCRMB/RDA, I would certainly include the autographs and the inscription in the record, but more so as a researcher of early American witchcraft, c. 17th-18th century, this is huge.  Depending on your level of cataloging parameters, I think in this case, it might have been worth recording that information.

Basically, what this opens up for me is a research project on provenance. The questions I immediately want to know why the specific provenance and secondly, it is contemporary to the publication?  There is every indication that Cotton Mather given the subject matter of the sermon was adamant about saving the souls of damned youth guilty of crimes of lust and aberration. We know Mather had contact with Elizabeth Emerson, the young woman who murdered her newborn children in 1693 and was found guilty, executed, but we know Mather had an influence on her original non-guilty plea. He proselytized heavily on the salvation of young people’s souls.  Could Mather or “James Bradford” have read this sermon out to Abigaill?

Additionally, the front flyleaf provenance is also puzzling. “Faxson” is shown in a several genealogical records as a surname for the early part of the 18th century, but without further research, I’m not sure how far back. It is certainly not as common in the Boston/New England area as say, Bradford, Williams, Smith, etc. One clue would be to figure out who is this other Abigaill.

Note on spelling of Abigaill: I have seen so far colonial name spelling conventions for Abigaill spelled with two lls, however uncommon.

After 1693, Abigaill Williams was, for the most part, wiped from the obvious record of history. There are unsubstantiated claims she travelled to Boston and became a prostitute and died a few years later at the age of 17. While there is very little to go on about her life, at this point, this autograph in Mather’s sermon perhaps sheds light on a little more. Then again, the notations could prove very little and rather than piecing together something outlandish and speculated, I would let it rest. Yet, theory is what motivates research. Given my background and combined interests, this is an exciting springboard for me to continue searching for an explanation.  As a cataloger, I would hope that one day, notes will be added to the record reflecting a substantiated provenance. As a researcher, I would like to find Abigaill.

Best advice: Don’t be afraid to look on the “wrong” side of history.

-Kim Schwenk, Rare Book School 2018

Turning over a new leaf at Rare Book School, 2018 and the hunt for 'hex libris' "What is Rare Book School? Is that Hogwart's for librarians?" Normally confused by 'library school', most people don't realize there is an additional resource for rare book professionals, librarians, and bibliophiles located at the University of Virginia.

[shaneftranquillity]

Today's Fixtures - Football - Sporting Life

Any football matches tonight - Today's Football Fixtures | Football Fixtures For Today | The Sportsman

Werder Bremen RB Leipzig. Stuttgart Dortmund. Spezia Crotone. Parma AC Milan. Udinese Torino. Getafe 0 Cadiz 0. A Bilbao Alaves. Eibar Levante. Real Madrid Barcelona. Strasbourg PSG. Montpellier Marseille. Millwall 0 Swansea 0. AFC Bournemouth Coventry. Barnsley Middlesbrough. Birmingham Stoke. Bristol City Nottm Forest.

Cardiff Blackburn. Hnk Capljina. Igman Konjic. Nk Slaven Zivinice. Rudar Kakanj. North Macedonia Prva Liga.

Rabotnicki 53'. Czech Republic 1. Jablonec 9'. Pribram 8'. Karvina 8'. Banik Ostrava. Czech Republic Fnl. Mfk Chrudim 51'. Dukla Praha. Slavoj Vysehrad. Friendly Games Club Friendlies. Lahti HT'. Vancouver Whitecaps. Wales Premier League. Caernarfon Town. Cefn Druids. Flint Town United. Bala Town. Germany Oberliga Flens Sud. FC Dornbreite Luebeck. Union Neumunster. Brazil Matogrossense. Germany Regionalliga Southwest. Bayern Alzenau 8'. Eintracht Stadtallendorf 2'. FC 08 Homburg 6'.

FC Giessen 4'. Pirmasens 5'. Any football matches tonight Hessen Kassel. Any football matches tonight Ulm 7'. Elversberg footbsll. Schott Mainz 7'. Stuttgart II. Scotland Championship. Ayr United. Queen Of The South. Raith Rovers. Poland foorball. Blekitni Stargard 49'.

Skra Any football matches tonight 48'. Garbarnia Krakow. Hutnik Nowa Huta. Pogon Siedlce. Kks Kalisz. Olimpia Grudziadz. Albania Kategoria Visit here.

Today's Football Fixtures

Kastrioti 52'. Skenderbeu Korce 53'. Apolonia Fier. England Southern Premier Division Central. Banbury United. Bromsgrove Sporting FC. Hednesford Click. Kings Langley. Royston Town. Rushall Any football matches tonight. Romania Liga Iii Serie 7. Gilortul Targu Carbunesti. Minerul Costesti. Viitorul Daesti. Friendly Games Friendlies Women.

Lithuania w FT. Slovakia w 7'. South Africa w. Italy w. Germany w. Foootball w. Ecuador w. Brazil Goiano. Cote D Ivoire Ligue 1. Asi D Abengourou.

Football Scores & Fixtures

So de L Armee. Es Bafing. Chile Primera Division. Union Espanola. Audax Italiano. Jordan Premier League. Al aqaba. Sahab Sc. North Carolina Courage w. Brazil Paranaense. Argentina Federal A. Crucero Del Norte. Republic of Ireland Premier Division. Finn Harps. Longford Town FC. Sligo Rovers. Villarrubia Cf. Don Benito. Foolad FC. Unionistas de Salamanca. Atzeneta Ue.

Valencia Mestalla. Guatemala Liga Nacional Clausura. Coban Imperial. Argentina Primera Nacional. Ferro Carril Oeste. Defensores de Belgrano. Villa Dalmine. Estudiantes R. Belgrano Cordoba. Sampaio Correa. Santa Cruz. Ad Guanacasteca. Argentina Primera C Apertura. Atletico Atlas. Deportivo Espanol. General Lamadrid. Real Pilar. Sportivo Italiano. Central Cordoba Rosario.

Argentina Primera B Metropolitana Apertura. Argentino de Quilmes. Las Palmas LPA. Rayo Vallecano RAY v. Girona GIR. Ascoli ASC v. Monza Fiotball. Brescia BRE v. Cremonese CRE v. Pordenone Calcio PDC. Lecce LEC v. Virtus Toonight ENT v. Salernitana SAL. Frosinone Find more v. Cittadella CITT. St Pauli STP. Holstein Kiel HOL v. Troyes TRY. Sochaux SOC.

Chateauroux CHAT v. Dunkerque DUN. Grenoble GRE v. Caen CAN. Any football matches tonight NIO v. Pau PAU tonught. Valenciennes VAFC v. Hammarby HAM. Excelsior Maassluis EXM 0 - 0.

IJsselmeervogels IJS. Kozakken Boys KOZ 0 - 0. Rijnsburgse Boys RBB. Spakenburg SPK 0 - 0. Noordwijk NOO. De Treffers TRE. Quick Boys QBO 0 - 0. Stromsgodset STR v. Valerenga VAL. Hamrun Spartans HAM v. Any football matches tonight Wanderers SLI.

Hibernians HIBE v. Gzira United GZI. Matchez Corinthians ZEJ. Santa Lucia SLU v. Hapoel Haifa HAH. AZ v Matchds Rotterdam. Fortuna Sittard v FC Emmen. Scottish Championship Any football matches tonight United v Dunfermline Athletic. Dundee v Morton. Queen of the South v Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Raith Rovers v Arbroath. Scottish League One Cove Rangers v Dumbarton. Falkirk v Clyde. Forfar Athletic v East Fife. Montrose v Airdrieonians. Any football matches tonight v Partick Thistle.

Scottish League Two Annan Athletic v Stirling Albion. Brechin City v Albion Rovers. Cowdenbeath v Elgin City. Stenhousemuir v Tonght Park. Stranraer v Edinburgh Anyy. Welsh Premier League Caernarfon Town v Barry Town United. Cefn Druids v Haverfordwest County. Rot-Weiss Essen - Bor. FC Schalke 04 - Arminia Bielefeld resch. SC Paderborn 07 - Borussia Dortmund resch.

FC-Astoria Walldorf - 1. FSV Mainz 05 - 1. FC Kaiserslautern resch. FC Heidenheim - 1. KFB - Stokkseyri resch. Reynir Hellissandur - Afturelding resch. Hamrun Spartans - Sliema Wanderers resch. Raja Casablanca - RS Berkane resch. Gornik Zabrze 0 0 TBC. Slask Wroclaw 0 any football matches tonight Lechia Gdansk.

Ferencvaros 0 0 Puskas FC. Apollon Smyrnis 0 0 OFI. Atromitos Athens 0 0 Larissa FC. Ascoli 0 0 Monza. Brescia 0 0 Pescara. Foothall 0 0 Pordenone. Lecce 0 0 Spal. Virtus Entella 0 0 Salernitana. Frosinone 0 0 Mathes. Orebro 0 0 IFK Gothenburg. Odd Grenland Any football matches tonight P Valerenga.

[architectnews]

Ryder Architecture: Architects Office

Ryder Architecture, Architects UK, English Building Office, Photos, Newcastle Designs

Ryder Architecture : Architects

Contemporary British Architectural Practice, UK Design Office News

24 Mar 2021

Ryder Architecture News

Ryder Architecture News – latest additions to this page, arranged chronologically:

24 March 2021 Flagship Glasgow Residential Development Taking Shape Onsite image courtesy of Architects Holland Park Glasgow Construction work on Moda’s 34-storey Holland Park neighbourhood, which saw Ryder Architecture appointed following planning approval, is well underway. The £78m development replaces the Strathclyde Police Headquarters on Pitt Street in the city centre.

8 Jan 2020 Reckitt Benckiser Global Centre for Scientific Excellence, Hull, England, UK photo : Photos by Alex Wroe RB Global Centre for Scientific Excellence The purpose facility will take over as Reckitt Benckiser’s (RB) new £100m central hub for technical activities and creates a single location of expertise in formulation, analytical science and product innovation in Hull.

9 Apr 2019 PPWH – Pioneering Approach Brings Glasgow to Forefront of Modern Care image courtesy of Architects Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice Building Designed by international design practice Ryder Architecture, The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice is the first palliative care facility in the UK to follow the Sengetun model of healthcare design.

20 Mar 2019 Paddington Village masterplan, Liverpool, North West England, UK Design: Ryder Architecture image Courtesy architecture office Paddington Village Masterplan Liverpool A £30m office scheme is the third plot to be announced by the practice as well as coordinating the wider site regeneration.

27 Nov 2018 tombola Building, Wylam Wharf, Sunderland, Wearside, North East England, UK image courtesy of architecture office Tombola Campus Sunderland Building

22 Mar 2018 RIBA North East Awards Shortlist 2018

Ouseburn Road is one of twelve buildings shortlisted for RIBA North East Awards 2018 by Royal Institute of British Architects judges. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at The Museum Gardens, York on 24 May.

photo © Jill Tate

Urban Sciences Building, Newcastle University, is one of twelve buildings shortlisted for RIBA North East Awards 2018 by Royal Institute of British Architects judges. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at The Museum Gardens, York on 24 May.

Urban Sciences Building, Newcastle University by Hawkins\Brown with Ryder Architecture: photo © Kristen McCluskie

RIBA North East Awards 2018

1 Dec 2017 Northumbria and Ryder Architecture win award for most innovative collaboration

Northumbria University and Ryder have been recognised as the UK’s most innovative collaboration between a business and a university in the Times Higher Education Awards.

The University and Ryder began collaborating seven years ago to develop a specialist centre of excellence for digital engineering and transformation, forming BIM Academy, which provides consultancy, research and education activities on Building Information Modelling to global clients. This innovative approach has been recognised with the award for Most Innovative Contribution to Business-University Collaboration, sponsored by the National Centre for Universities and Business.

The award is presented to the business that demonstrates the most imaginative and effective ‘game-changing’ partnership with an institution which has led to significant long-term benefits to the business, the university and the economy.

Through BIM Academy, Northumbria academics and graduates work with Ryder to support the digital transformation of the construction industry through Building Information Modelling. BIM Academy provides independent research-based expertise combined with practical industry experience which helps clients transform their businesses through the intelligent application of smart processes and digital technologies.

Thanks to the success of the partnership, BIM Academy has been commissioned to work on high-profile development projects in Europe, the Middle and Far East and Australasia including the Sydney Opera House and Hong Kong’s M+ Museum. Most recently, it has been commissioned to provide BIM support to the Chinese creator of Forest City, a US$100 billion development off the coast of Malaysia, near Singapore. Described as the ‘Oscars of UK higher education’, the Times Higher Education Awards attract entries from universities that exemplify talent, dedication and innovation across all aspects of university life. Judges particularly praised the partnership for bringing vital competitive advantage to the UK construction industry.

Professor Glen McHale, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engineering and Environment at Northumbria University, said: “BIM Academy is one of our shining examples of truly innovative partnership working which has brought huge benefits to all involved. Our students and staff have benefitted from being able to apply their teaching and research into real-life contexts; our partners at Ryder have benefitted from the leading-edge research knowledge within the University, and of course, our clients have benefitted from this excellent combination of skills to transform their businesses. “We were shortlisted against some excellent collaborative partnerships and are delighted that the judges recognised how distinctive our work in this area has been over the past seven years.

Peter Barker, partner at Ryder and managing director of BIM Academy, said: “It is very rewarding to see that our team’s hard work has paid off in growing our joint venture to be an internationally successful commercial business, as well as a centre of academic research excellence for the digital construction sector.” Last month, BIM Academy was also recognised at the BT Dynamites17 awards, winning the international success award for its work in delivering building information modelling consultancy and research to clients across the world. For more information visit www.bimacademy.global

4 Aug 2017 Ryder Architecture Announces Five New Partners

The new partners have been appointed to continue to build on the growing expertise of Ryder across an increasingly diverse sector and geographic base.

Peter Barker, Gareth Callen, Andrew Costa, Richard Dorkin and Ronnie Graham have all been promoted and join senior partner Peter Buchan, managing partner Mark Thompson and current partners Ian Kennedy, Gordon Murray and Richard Wise as part of the leadership team who will take Ryder through the next phase of the practice’s evolution.

Peter Barker is the managing director of BIM Academy, a joint venture between Ryder and Northumbria University, operating as a centre of excellence for digital engineering and transformation and developing an international reputation in the real estate and infrastructure sectors through consultancy, research and education.

Gareth Callen leads the Liverpool team and is also responsible for Ryder’s science portfolio which includes Liverpool Science Park, Thames Valley Science Park, Science Central in Newcastle and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Andrew Costa, who leads the London team, has worked on complex urban regeneration projects, residential, commercial, hotel and mixed use schemes in London for over 25 years.

Since joining Ryder in 1991, Richard Dorkin has worked across many sectors including manufacturing, education and healthcare and now leads the team in Hong Kong.

Ronnie Graham has been with Ryder for over 17 years with design and management skills in the office, leisure, residential and education sectors and significant urban design experience.

Managing partner Mark Thompson said, “These promotions recognise the significant contribution to Ryder during their combined service of over 75 years including newcomer Andy who only joined in 2015. We are entering an exciting phase in the evolution of Ryder. These appointments bring further resilience building on the foundations established by the current leaders over the past 25 years to ensure a continued passionate, collaborative and pioneering approach for which Ryder is recognised.”

The practice which now employs 140 people across six locations in the UK, Hong Kong and Vancouver also celebrated promotions for Francesca Harrison and Paul Milner to senior architects, David McMahon and Grant Sellars to architectural directors, Martin Smith to associate and Helen Whitfield to communications director.

7 Jun 2017 Northern Arc – Hyperloop One Global Challenge, UK Design: Ryder Architecture / Arup image courtesy of architects Hyperloop One Global Challenge: Northern Arc

Ryder Architecture and Arup unveil the Northern Arc proposal in Hyperloop One Global Design Challenge

The Northern Arc proposal was revealed as one of nine shortlisted routes spanning the continent as part of Hyperloop One’s global challenge, at it’s Vision for Europe summit held at in Amsterdam.

23 Feb 2017 Ryder Architecture Celebrate Best Companies Success

The architecture practice was ranked tenth place in the Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For at the awards ceremony held at Battersea Evolution.

Andra Antone, Andy Costa, Helen Whitfield, David McMahon:

Best Companies received entries from over 400 small companies across the UK and over 4.5m employees were surveyed to gain scores across leadership, engagement, wellbeing and benefits.

Having maintained a three star status in the survey for the past five consecutive years, the business has rocketed from its previous highest placement in 43rd to tenth position through dedication and commitment from Ryder’s leadership team to engage, nurture and develop all their people.

Established in Newcastle in 1953, Ryder now has global connectivity with teams based in Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Hong Kong and Vancouver, employing 150 people. The practice has continued to invest in people and skills despite challenging market conditions with latest accounts for the business showing turnover has increased to over £11m with profit before tax increasing to £1.5m.

Helen Whitfield, communications leader at Ryder said, “The Best Companies award is a testimony to the passion of our leadership team to continuously develop and attract exceptional talent, providing our clients with the best possible service and design and making Ryder a great place to work.”

Alongside continued focus on delivering design excellence to clients across the UK, the business is strengthening its international credibility, celebrating the opening of an office in Vancouver in February and securing world leading expertise in Passivhaus design, with architects Adam James and Warren Schmidt, who will be disseminating their knowledge across the practice, simultaneously benefitting design in the UK and China.

Mark Thompson, managing partner at Ryder said, “The practice continues to be committed to all its established sectors while pursuing several overseas opportunities, including our first major project in Hong Kong. We have won some significant commissions in the UK offering collaborative project working to our clients.”

Ryder are leading the pioneering PlanBEE (Built Environment Education) programme and working alongside educational partners Gateshead College and Northumbria University to provide a unique apprenticeship offering a B.Eng in Architectural Engineering with guaranteed employment prospects with some of the north east’s leading construction businesses and ensuring the regional skills shortage demand is met.

Mark said, “We believe PlanBEE will inspire a new generation of bright, talented people to consider a rewarding career in construction. The blended learning approach aims to deliver work ready graduates with the creative, practical and entrepreneurial ambition the industry needs.”

6 Dec 2016 Motionspot and Ryder Architecture crowned winners of the prestigious Celia Thomas Prize

Held at the Palace of Westminster, the international competition to design an accessible hotel room of the future was run in association with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and Bespoke Hotels. The competition attracted entries from around the world including Germany, Russia, Hong Kong and Canada. Entrants competed across a range of categories, including Product and Service Design, as well as the Celia Thomas Prize, worth £20,000 – believed to be the largest cash prize in the UK for a design concept.

Specialist accessible design company, Motionspot and international design practice, Ryder Architecture’s collaborative winning entry – AllGo, is a unique, universal approach to hotel room design to ensure that all rooms are functional, flexible, accessible and beautiful in their design.

AllGo will deliver personalised, accessible hotel rooms across the world, removing the barriers to travel and creating truly inclusive environments for guests. Each room can be adapted to the needs of the user through integrated and flexible design features that can be modified before the arrival of the guest.

Motionspot and Ryder will now look to realise the design concepts and aim to roll out pilot rooms in the coming year. It is hoped this will act as a catalyst illustrating the potential of a hotel environment, delivering beautiful, functional and fully accessible rooms.

Ed Warner, founder of Motionspot said, “Accessible hotel room design can be a real headache for architects, hotel operators and users alike. In collaboration with Ryder, the competition gave us the opportunity to create a concept that redefines the design of hotel bedrooms and bathrooms so they deliver the individual access requirements of guests without compromising on the aesthetics of the environment.”

David McMahon, associate at Ryder said, “We are extremely proud of the concept we have developed. Our collaboration with Motionspot has allowed us to create aspirational and inclusive environments for all. We hope that this paves the way in accessible design illustrating that good design should meet the needs of all.”

The entries were judged by a panel which included Paralympic gold medallist Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Stirling Prize winning architect Alan Stanton, and Baroness Celia Thomas herself, gathered in the Autumn to assess the submissions.

AllGo

www.all-go.co.uk

About Motionspot

Ed Warner established Motionspot after co founder James Taylor was paralysed in a diving accident in 2005 and returned home to find his adapted flat full of white plastic grab rails, shower seats, vinyl flooring and other products that were so synonymous with ageing and disability. Motionspot provides an alternative and designs environments and supplies products that deliver the necessary access for users without compromising on design.

As well as supplying bathrooms to the residential market, Motionspot is a leading provider of accessible bathrooms and washrooms to hotel & leisure, retirement and care clients across the UK.

www.motionspot.co.uk

Ryder highest ranking architect in prestigious top 100

For the second year running Ryder Architecture has made The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For.

Newcastle City Library by Ryder Architecture: photo © Tim Crocker

4 Mar 2014 – This year Ryder is the highest placed UK architect in the prestigious best small companies list. Nearly 900 organisations entered the awards and the opinions of 250,000 employees were canvassed, making it the largest survey of workplace engagement in the UK. Key indicators include leadership, management, colleagues, pay, training, wellbeing and CSR.

Jon Humphreys, right, Ryder associate, collects the award:

Ryder managing partner Mark Thompson said “We are delighted with this accolade, particularly for all our people who put in so much hard work and who clearly gain so much from working at Ryder. To be recognised in the Sunday Times top 100 for the second year running shows consistency in our approach ‘Excellence in our people, service and architecture’. To be the highest placed architect is a great benchmark for us to measure continued improvement.”

With offices in Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Newcastle – where the company was founded in 1953 – the ethos of creating talented multi disciplinary teams fostered by the founders Gordon Ryder and Peter Yates clearly remains to this day. Now a 120 strong practice, Ryder has also been shortlisted for Building magazine’s Architectural Practice of the Year award. Its iconic £82m anti crime centre near Glasgow (Scottish Crime Campus) is nominated for a BCO award and it has recently been appointed for a major office project in Greater Manchester.

Police Scotland Building, Aberdeenshire, north east Scotland – 29 Jul 2013 Design: Ryder, Architects image from architect With the completion of the base of the building, the Ryder-designed £11.2m 4,518 sqm, new Police Scotland facility at Kitty Brewster is progressing towards its planned handover early in 2014. The facility, designed and built through the public and private partnership hub North Scotland, will comprise a state of the art 60 cell custody facility, a virtual court, an identity parade suite, a community policing team and supporting office accommodation.

Ryder Architecture powers up with S36 consent for Grangemouth biomass plant

picture from architects Grangemouth Energy Plant

19 June 2013 – Forth Energy have secured Section 36 consent for the largest biomass plant in Scotland. The design by Ryder Architecture “draws heavily on the Port of Grangemouth’s position as Scotland’s largest container terminal, using the size and shape of cargo container as the basic building block of the new plant”.

Ryder Architecture launches 60th birthday exhibition in London

10 June 2013 – Ryder Architecture continues to celebrate its 60th birthday year with the successful launch of a Ryder retrospective exhibition at the Building Centre. The launch event on 6th June was a relaxed and lively evening, attended by senior figures from all areas of the built environment industry.

Says Peter Buchan, Senior Partner at Ryder, “It’s a credit to all the people who have worked at Ryder in its 60 year history that we can put together an exhibition of such important projects across such a range of sectors.”

images from architect

The exhibition runs until the 27th June, and charts the challenges, developments and complimentary strands of architecture across the decades, mapping Ryder’s work and seeking to place it within the context of the times. The projects chosen for the exhibition particularly highlight Ryder’s long standing use of interdisciplinary collaborations to support flexible design teams that answer the increasingly complex demands of management, economics and technology within design in the built environment.

Peter continues, “Working together – multi-disciplinary working – has always been at the core of Ryder’s ethos, from the very beginning with Gordon Ryder and Peter Yates’ innovative partnership in 1953, up to the present day with the Ryder-led Future of Built Environment Education campaign to reform built environment education and entry to the industry professions.”

The exhibition started it tour at the Briggait in Glasgow, and will move on from London to Mann Island, Liverpool, in October and finish at the BALTIC Centre in Newcastle in November.

Ryder’s 60th anniversary year has already seen some prestigious successes, with the practice winning two categories in this year’s AJ100 Awards; New Member of the Year, and the Best Place to Work in the North East & Yorkshire. Ryder has also achieved Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For, 2013.

Ryder Architecture in Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For

13 Mar 2013 – Ryder Architecture managing partner, Mark Thompson, said “To be one of only two national architectural practices included is a great achievement and demonstrates continued improvement and progress despite challenging economic circumstances in recent years. It is fitting and very rewarding to get this recognition on our 60th anniversary.”

image from architect

“To see our development and training ethos impact so positively on staff is also particularly encouraging. It gives us a great platform to go forward with renewed confidence and energy, striving for further improvement.”

Mark Thompson: image from architect

Nearly 450 firms registered in the survey and the views of more than 28,000 individual employees were gathered, measuring success on key indicators including leadership, management, colleagues, pay, training, wellbeing and giving something back.

Ryder scored best out of the new entrants for personal growth, with a positive score of 86%, figuring in the top ten. Training also scored impressively and 84% of staff indicated it is of great personal benefit, while 92% said their job experience is of value to their future development. Employees also said the company makes a positive difference to the environment.

Manchester Central Library Redevelopment, North West England, UK image from architect Manchester Central Library Maggie Barlow, Ryder Architecture consultancy director, said: “The integration of new information technology has become a catalyst that has transformed the library into a more vital and critical intellectual centre of life in our cities, schools, colleges and universities. Where institutions have worked in partnership with architects, planners and stakeholders usage has in fact increased despite predictions.

Liverpool Science Park, Merseyside, North West England, UK image from Ryder Architecture Liverpool Science Park Ryder Architecture has won planning approval for the next phase of Liverpool Science Park on a site adjacent to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. Innovation Centre 3 – ic3 – will provide 3,750 sqm of fully serviced office and laboratory facilities over four floors with meeting rooms and a ground floor café.

Ryder, Architects – Key Projects

Major Buildings by Ryder Architecture, alphabetical:

55 Degrees North, Newcastle, northeast England, UK image © Adrian Welch 55 Degrees North This building is located in the centre of Newcastle, surrounded by a traffic circulatory on the north bank of the River Tyne.

Newcastle City Library, northeast England, UK Newcastle City Library Newcastle’s new City Library opens its doors to the public on 7 June 2009. One of the largest public libraries in the UK, the £24m building designed by Ryder Architecture, will offer 21st century facilities combined with inspirational places for reading, learning, researching, relaxing, meeting and working. The design vision of Ryder Architecture was to deliver an inviting, accessible and open library to inspire local, civic and regional pride.

More Ryder Architecture projects online soon

Location: Westgate Road, Newcastle, NE1 3NN, United Kingdom

Ryder Architects Practice Information

Ryder is a UK architectural practice with architects offices in Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Newcastle.

English Architects

The practice employs 140 people and is working on major commercial, education, healthcare and masterplanning projects across the country.

Ryder founding partners Gordon Ryder and Peter Yates, who worked with Le Corbusier and Lubetkin, established their architects practice in 1950.

Peter Buchan and Mark Thompson took over leadership of the firm in 1994.

Ryder Architecture Practice

Established in 1953, multi award winning practice Ryder Architecture operates from offices in Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Newcastle has an annual turnover of £7 million and employs 100 staff. Ryder has also achieved Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For, 2013.

2013 marks 60 years in practice – an important milestone in Ryder’s development. A series of events is planned which began with the launch of a retrospective which took place at RIBA HQ Portland Place in London in January. A diverse programme of research papers, debates and seminars will take place at various venues throughout the UK, focusing around a touring exhibition reviewing Ryder’s projects and looking forward to the hopes and challenges of the next 60 years.

At the book launch event, senior partner, Peter Buchan, commented: “To maintain consistency of output over 60 years of practice is a tough call. We have never tried to change; we have simply tried to improve the quality of our surroundings and in doing so, the quality of people’s lives.”

“The launch of this beautiful book is the first element in a whole year of events to mark our 60th birthday. We began the year on a positive note with a very productive meeting of the Ryder-led campaign to reform built environment education in the UK. Our other plans include a series of exhibitions – in Glasgow, Newcastle, London and Liverpool – combined with practice led research papers, seminars and debates.”

Ryder has established a number of key partnerships and collaborations to strengthen and focus its offer, including TFP|Ryder, the collaboration in China and Hong Kong with Farrell’s.

Ryder Architecture

Multi award winning practice Ryder Architecture operates from offices in Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Newcastle.

With an annual turnover of £7m and employing 120 staff, the practice was shortlisted for Architectural Practice of the Year, 2014 Building Awards. It also plays an important part in giving back to its local community groups, schools and charities.

Newcastle City Library by Ryder Architecture: photo © Tim Crocker

With an enviable portfolio of clients and projects, the practice operates globally across a wide range of sectors including education, healthcare, industrial, infrastructure, leisure, office, community, residential and science.

Ryder continues to pioneer the adoption of Building Information Modelling (BIM), having established BIM Academy, a unique collaboration between the private sector and academia which provides training, consultancy and research and development to the international construction sector.

Finalist – Building’s Architectural Practice of the Year 2014 Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For 2014

Ryder HKS : Practice

London Architecture

Ryder : London Architects

English Architecture

Architecture Studios

Comments / photos for the Ryder Architects page welcome

Website: www.ryderarchitecture.com

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[racingtoaredlight]

RTARL’s 2020 NFL Season Week 10 Extravapalooza

This week’s NFL slate features 5 early games and 6 late games, and allow me to add my voice to the chorus of those asking “Why can’t it be like this EVERY week?” Is it really THAT necessary to try to herd viewers to whatever game Romo or Aikman are calling? Honestly, I hope this is one of the first issues tackled by the incoming Biden administration. If nothing else, a more even game dispersal would make for a more visually symmetrical Extravapalooza, which is a good enough reason for change in and of itself, if you ask me.

My picks are in BOLD, and the lines come to us courtesy of our friends at Vegas Insider. I use the “VI Consensus” line, which is the line that occurs most frequently across Vegas Insider’s list of sportsbooks. Your sportsbook of choice may offer a different number, and if you’d like my opinion on said number A) you are insane, and B) leave a comment below and I’ll try to answer at some point before things kickoff today.

EARLY GAMES

Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns (-4)

Much like Cleveland’s last home game (a 16-6 Week 8 loss to the Raiders), this game is going to be played in extremely shitty conditions, with strong winds and rain expected. The Browns were TERRIBLE offensively in that Raiders game, but this week they’re getting both studly RB Nick Chubb and G Wyatt Teller back, which should be huge for their run game. Facing the Texans’ worst-in-the-league rush defense won’t hurt either. The wind is likely to rob us of the majesty provided by DeShaun Watson-to-Will Fuller bombs, which is a real bummer both for us as viewers and for the Texans as a football team attempting to win games.

Washington Football Team at Detroit Lions (-3)

The Football Team has a pretty good pass defense as it is, and this week they get a somewhat scuffling Matthew Stafford leading a Kenny Golladay-less Lions offense. If the Detroit braintrust were smart, they’d run the ball a bunch and D’Andre Swift would get the bulk of these carries. The Detroit braintrust is not smart. Alex Smith is starting this game for Washington and I hope he makes it through without getting his leg pulverized into ham salad.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Green Bay Packers (-13.5)

Here we have another game expected to impacted by high winds and precipitation. Fun! I’m putting my faith in Mother Nature and Jacksonville’s very decent run game conspiring to keep this one within 2 TDs. The fact that Green Bay’s best defensive player, CB Jaire Alexander, is unlikely to play certainly helps.

Philadelphia Eagles (-4) at New York Giants

The Eagles are getting RB Miles Sanders, DT Malik Jackson and LT Jason Peters back from injury for this one, and they might also get RT Lane Johnson back. This is after getting good-looking rookie WR Jalen Reagor and TE Dallas Goedert back recently. Philadelphia is getting healthy, and it really seems like they should pull away from their truly horrific division mates as the season winds down.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-6) at Carolina Panthers

Man, Tampa Bay got their asses WHOOPED by New Orleans last week. Does that mean they were extra motivated in practice this week and they’ll be super fired up to redeem themselves with a big win on Sunday, or was their performance an on-field manifestation of a locker room beset by strife and disharmony beginning a downward spiral that will last the rest of the season and cause everyone involved in the team’s various splashy roster moves to regret their choices? It’s probably the former, but the latter would be immensely entertaining for me, personally. 

LATE GAMES

Buffalo Bills at Arizona Cardinals (-2.5)

I don’t want to say that Arizona’s defense is good, because they really aren’t, BUT they do have a bunch of ball-hawking, risk-taking guys in their secondary that are likely salivating at the thought of snagging one of Josh Allen’s patented “Fuck it, I’m goin’ deep!” attempts. I’d like the Bills’ chances a whole lot more if their defense was playing anywhere near the level they were at the previous couple of seasons, but for whatever reason they’ve been thoroughly average at best here in 2020. This game has so many wildly entertaining ingredients that I can’t imagine it being a dud regardless of which way it goes.

Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders (-3.5)

The Broncos have been plagued by slow starts this season, and have found themselves down double-digits at halftime in 5 of their last 7 games. The Raiders are seemingly built explicitly to play with a lead, so if it happens here they should be able to grind the injury-riddled Denver defense into dust with RB Josh Jacobs as the game clock, as well as the life of anyone watching, dispassionately bleeds away.

Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams (-2.5)

The Rams are 5-3, but their wins have come against the 4 NFC East teams and the Bears. They are true bumslayers. On top of that, it genuinely appears that Jared Goff cannot make any decisions on the field without Sean McVay barking them into his helmet, which is truly hilarious. Fortunately for Goff, McVay, and the Rams, this week they get to run it up against a Seattle team missing the top 3 CBs from its already cataclysmically shitty defense. Russell Wilson, D.K, Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett are great, but the L.A. defense is no joke and I think they’ll be able to prevent Russ from cooking enough to feed everyone. That analogy doesn’t even make sense, let’s just move on.

Los Angeles Chargers at Miami Dolphins (-1.5)

Oh hell yeah, we’ve got ourselves quite the sexy young QB matchup here. The Fins are smoking hot right now, having won 4 in a row and 5 of their last 6, and it’s long past time for me to move them from  “Frisky” to “Actually Good” in my personal Power Rankings. The Chargers will have G Trai Turner on the field for the first time since Week 2, and T Bryan Bulaga appears to be good to go after leaving last week’s game with an injury. This will be very helpful for QB Justin Herbert, imo, especially against Miami’s 8th-ranked pass defense (according to Football Outsiders). Common sense says that Miami should be the pick, but my desire to see Herbert actually WIN one of the rollercoaster games his team constantly finds themselves in has commandeered this selection. This game will be a good place to park your eyeballs.

San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints (-9.5)

I’m trying not to overreact to a single game, but I can’t get past how thoroughly the Saints wrecked the Buccaneers last week. In particular, their defense was GREAT. If they’re gonna start locking teams up anywhere near that completely on a consistent basis, all of a sudden they’re firmly in the mix to win it all. I think they keep things rolling defensively against a Niners offense missing its top 2 RBs, its All-World TE, and its #1 WR, all with a backup QB at the helm.

Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers (-7)

I’m picking the Bengals based on nothing more than the Steelers’ insistence on keeping practically every game close. For as good as Pittsburgh is, the only blowout win they have this season is a 38-7 beatdown of the Browns. They’ve allowed teams like the Giants, Broncos, and most recently the Garrett Gilbert-led Cowboys to hang around for a full 60 minutes, so I don’t see why my man Joe Burrow can’t keep his squad in it til the end.

SNF: Baltimore Ravens (-7) at New England Patriots

I have visions of Baltimore racing out to a lead early and Cam Newton and the Pats offense trying to play catch-up against a good defense for the bulk of the game. It’s not a pleasant thing to think about and I don’t enjoy it. I think that’s what’s gonna happen, though. New England hilariously has 17 players listed as Questionable headed into this one. We might get N’Keal Harry back, though!!!

MNF: Minnesota Vikings (-3) at Chicago Bears

Man, this is a tough one. One one hand, inexplicably getting trounced by a team that’s lost 3 in a row and will be without its starting RB and possibly its #1 WR would be an extremely Vikings thing to do. On the other hand, the Bears are currently being quarterbacked by a man whose play drove Troy Aikman to the brink of homicidal insanity a week ago. I guess I’ll go with the team who can complete forward passes at a reasonable clip, but I don’t feel that great about it. A fun wrinkle to this game is that due to the aforementioned absence of Chicago’s primary ball-carrier, Cordarrelle Patterson is expected to get extended work out of the backfield as a runner. This may really only be exciting for myself and Soused, as we’re longtime Cordarrelle fanboys. WE WILL BE VINDICATED.

Last Week’s Record: 4-9 (Shit!)

Season Record: 58-63-4

[un-enfant-immature]

What your company can learn from the Bank of England’s resilience proposal

Kolton Andrus Contributor

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Kolton is co-founder and CEO of Gremlin, the chaos engineering company helping the world build a more reliable internet.

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A former chaos engineer offers 5 tips for handling online disasters remotely

The outages at RBS, TSB and Visa left millions of people unable to deposit their paychecks, pay their bills, acquire new loans and more. As a result, the House of Commons’ Treasury Select Committee (TSC) began an investigation of the U.K. finance industry and found the “current level of financial services IT failures is unacceptable.” Following this, the Bank of England (BoE), Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) decided to take action and set a standard for operational resiliency.

While policies can often feel burdensome and detached from reality, these guidelines are reasonable steps that any company across any industry can exercise to improve the resilience of their software systems.

The BoE standard breaks down to these five steps:

Identify critical business services based on those that end users rely on most.

Set a tolerance level for the amount of outage time during an incident that is acceptable for that service, based on what utility the service provides.

Test if the firm is able to stay within that acceptable period of time during real-life scenarios.

Involve management in the reporting and sign-off of these thresholds and tests.

Take action to improve resiliency against the different scenarios where feasible.

Following this process aligns with best practices in architecting resilient systems. Let’s break each of these steps down and discuss how chaos engineering can help.

Identify critical business services

The operational resilience framework recommends focusing on the services that serve external customers. While internal applications are important for productivity, this customer-first mentality is sound advice for determining a starting place for reliability efforts. While it’s ultimately up to the business to weigh the criticality of the different services they offer, the ones necessary to make payments, retrieve payments, investing or insuring against risks are all recommended priorities.