#robert nimmo

[tenth-sentence]

Joss's 'inner circle' included Morschel, Pat Handley, David Morgan and credit chief Robert Nimmo.

"Westpac: The Bank That Broke the Bank" - Edna Carew

[thenotsodailywikipedia]

Robert Nimmo

Robert Nimmo (1893–1966) was a senior Australian Army officer and the chief military observer (CMO) of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) from 1950 until his death. Nimmo graduated early from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, to participate in World War I, serving with the Australian Light Horse. He remained in Australia in training and staff roles early in World War II. He then administered command of Northern Territory Force before commanding the logistics effort for the Bougainville campaign, and served as a senior staff officer on First Australian Army headquarters in New Guinea. He commanded a brigade of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, then returned to Australia to lead Northern Command. In 1950, he was made Commander of the British Empire, retired from the army, and was appointed as CMO of UNMOGIP, where he remained until he died on 4 January 1966. Nimmo was the first Australian to command a multinational peacekeeping force.

[letterboxd-loggd]

The Amorous Prawn (The Amorous Mr. Prawn) (1962) Anthony Kimmins

July 8th 2023

[book--brackets]

Valdemar: Heralds of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey (1987-1988)

Chosen by the Companion Rolan, a mystical horse-like being with powers beyond imagining, Talia, once a runaway, has now become a trainee Herald, destined to become one of the Queen's own elite guard. For Talia has certain awakening talents of the mind that only a Companion like Rolan can truly sense.But as Talia struggles to master her unique abilities, time is running out. For conspiracy is brewing in Valdemar, a deadly treason that could destroy Queen and kingdom. Opposed by unknown enemies capable of both diabolical magic and treacherous assassination, the Queen must turn to Talia and the Heralds for aid in protecting the realm and insuring the future of the Queen's heir, a child already in danger of becoming bespelled by the Queen's own foes.

The Memoirs of Lady Trent by Marie Brennan (2013-2019)

You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart--no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon's presence, even for the briefest of moments--even at the risk of one's life--is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten. . . .

All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world's preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day.

Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever.

Entwined by Heather Dixon Wallwork (2011)

Just when Azalea should feel that everything is before her—beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing—it's taken away. All of it. And Azalea is trapped. The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. So he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest, but there is a cost. The Keeper likes to keep things. Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (2011-2022)

Twelve-year-old Sunny lives in Nigeria, but she was born American. Her features are African, but she's albino. She's a terrific athlete, but can't go out into the sun to play soccer. There seems to be no place where she fits in. And then she discovers something amazing--she is a free agent with latent magical power. Soon she's part of a quartet of magic students, studying the visible and invisible, learning to change reality. But will it be enough to help them when they are asked to catch a career criminal who knows magic too?

Serafina by Robert Beatty (2015-2019)

Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of the Biltmore estate. There's plenty to explore in her grand home, although she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate's maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember.

But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore's corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of the Biltmore's owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak's true identity before all of the children vanish one by one.

Serafina's hunt leads her into the very forest that she has been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic, one that is bound to her own identity. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek the answers that will unlock the puzzle of her past.

The Children of the Red King by Jenny Nimmo (2002-2009)

The fabulous powers of the Red King were passed down through his descendants, after turning up quite unexpectedly, in someone who had no idea where they came from. This is what happened to Charlie Bone, and to some of the children he met behind the grim, gray walls of Bloor's Academy.

His scheming aunts decide to send him to Bloor Academy, a school for geniuses where he uses his gifts to discover the truth despite all the dangers that lie ahead.

Fairyland by Catherynne M. Valente (2011-2016)

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn't . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

World of the Five Gods by Lois McMaster Bujold (2001-2005)

Lord Cazaril has been in turn courier, courtier, castle-warder, and captain; now he is but a crippled ex-galley slave seeking nothing more than a menial job in the kitchens of the Dowager Provincara, the noble patroness of his youth. But Fortunes wheel continues to turn for Cazaril, and he finds himself promoted immediately to the exalted and dangerous position of secretary-tutor to the Iselle, the beautiful, fiery sister of the heir to Chalion’s throne.

Amidst the decaying splendour and poisonous intrigue of Chalion’s ancient capital, Cardegoss, Cazaril is forced to encounter both old enemies and surprising allies, as he seeks to lift the curse of misfortune that clings to the royal family of Chalion, and to all who come too close to them...

Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix (2003-2010)

Arthur Penhaligon's first days at his new school don't go too well, particularly when a fiendish Mister Monday appears, gives Arthur a magical clock hand, and then orders his gang of dog-faced goons to chase Arthur around and get it back. But when the confused and curious boy discovers that a mysterious virus is spreading through town, he decides to enter an otherworldly house to stop it. After meeting Suzy Blue and the first part of "the Will" (a frog-looking entity that knows everything about the House), Arthur learns that he's been selected as Rightful Heir to the House and must get the other part of the clock hand in order to defeat Monday. That means getting past Monday's henchmen and journeying to the Dayroom itself. Thankfully, Arthur is up to the challenge, but as he finds out, his fight seems to be only one-seventh over.

The Riyria Chronicles by Michael J. Sullivan (2013-present)

Hadrian Blackwater, a warrior with nothing to fight for, is paired with Royce Melborn, a thieving assassin with nothing to lose. Hired by an old wizard, they must steal a treasure that no one can reach. The Crown Tower is the impregnable remains of the grandest fortress ever built and home to the realm's most prized possessions. But it isn't gold or jewels that the wizard is after, and if he can just keep them from killing each other, they just might succeed.

[scotianostra]

John Bartholomew was born in Edinburgh on December 25th, 1831 in Edinburgh.

If, like my family, you enjoyed playing Scrabble, I think the majority of us had at hand a Bartholomew's dictionary at hand for checking spellings and some of us had one of their atlas's where we could look up exotic places far from Scottish shores that we could only dream of, the world since then has gotten a hell of a lot smaller thanks to the World Wide Web and the Internet.

He was still very young when he acquired the skills of map drawing and engraving directly from his father, John Senior.

He was then sent to London for more formal training as a geographical draughtsman and engraver. He spent two years with the noted German geographer Augustus Petermann. His love for maps and geographical work soon led him to make rapid progress as a cartographer.

Returning to Edinburgh, he continued his father’s business with great energy, and, in conjunction with Dr Petermann, he contributed most of the maps to Fullarton’s Royal Illustrated Atlas, and to the Philip’s Imperial Atlas, drawn and engraved in Edinburgh. Other important works followed including Black’s General Atlas of the World; a large topographical map of Scotland on a scale of four miles to an inch; and afterwards a companion map of England and Wales from the survey just then completed.

In 1859, John married Annie, the daughter of John McGregor, a smith of Greenock. Following his first wife’s death in 1874 he married Anne Cumming, the daughter of Primrose Nimmo, a master brass founder of Edinburgh, and his wife, Anne Philip, who was related to George Philip, the founder of the Liverpool map makers.

From his two marriages, John had two sons, and seven daughters

John was sought after as an engraver in Scotland for work outside his cartographic focus as well, including as illustrated here botanical drawings.

He is said to have had a reserved nature, which made him unwilling to enter fully into public life, but he took great interest in the reformation of the Scottish rights of way and Recreational Society and was elected a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 1857.

John travelled widely to obtain new work and introduced a programme of improvements, including the installation of lithographic printing, which brought considerable savings to the business from increased productivity.

His works attracted much public commendation, and received distinguished awards at different international exhibitions. About 1870, as the business gradually extended, several important atlases were undertaken for American and foreign publishers, the Handy General Atlas of the World being published simultaneously in England and America.

John Bartholomew Jr was also commissioned to engrave the map of Treasure Island for Robert L. Stevenson as seen in the pics

In 1888, he retired from active work, leaving the management of his business to his son, John George.

On a trip to London seeking special treatment, he died in March 1893 and was buried in Edinburgh.

[cultivating-wildflowers]

Potential April Reads

Currently Reading:

Recorder by Cathy McCrumb (reread, mixed print and audio) - My first reread since October (which I'm pretty sure was my Murderbot reread)! I'm about a third of the way through and enjoying it, which is a relief. The second time reading a book I really liked the first time around is kind of stressful, because I have to worry whether or not it'll live up to what I remember.

New reads:

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver - audio, 14.5 hours (I also have a printed copy of this one, somehow)

Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo - ebook, 401 pages

West With the Night by Beryl Markham - audio, 9.2 hours

Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein - ebook, 335 page

Yes, I'm giving Heinlein one more shot. Starship Troopers was on my TBR before I attempted and hated The Puppet Masters. I've heard much better things about this one, so I'm going to be optimistic, but I will probably run at the first sign of trouble.

As for anything beyond this, I'll pick up whatever strikes my fancy. Options include:

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini - it called out to me at the library so I brought it home

More Fullmetal Alchemist

DragonSpell? Finally??

Any number of rereads including The Queen of Attolia, Little Women, or Watership Down. Kenzie has my traveling book club copy of QoA, so if I go with that, it'll be audio.

Digging into one of the longer books on my TBR, such as Disorderly Knights

Most of my options are printed rather than audio, so it'll probably be another quiet reading month, which I'm really enjoying.

[snackpointcharlie]

New year, new music from elsewhere and beyond, and the same old host… well, two out of three ain’t bad. Expand your horizons with Snackpoint Charlie, the radio show that dares to ask “What the hell was that?” Every first & third Wedneaday from 10pm to midnight on WGXC, 90.7 FM and streaming at WGXC.org, and podcastificated for your pleasure NOW at the link below

Snackpoint Charlie - Transmission 130 - 2024.01.03 https://wavefarm.org/wf/archive/11q018 [ ^ click for download ^ ]

PLAYLIST

1) Cheryl E. Leonard - “Oceanus Meridiem” from ANTARCTICA: MUSIC FROM THE ICE https://cherylleonard.bandcamp.com/album/antarctica-music-from-the-ice

2) Jakson Ayovi - “Mamita” > Chloé Despax & Félix Blume - “Juegos En El Río” from AGUA LARGA: TRADITIONAL & IMAGINARY CIMARRON MUSIC https://akuphone.bandcamp.com/album/agua-larga-traditional-imaginary-cimarron-music

3) Youmna Saba - “Tareeq طريق” from [و​ِ​ش​ا​ح] https://rupturedthelabel.bandcamp.com/album/wishah

(Underbed:) Pinchas Gurevich - “Down and Up”

4) Asha Bhosle - “Abhi Tujhe Pyas Hai” from TYAAG https://www.discogs.com/release/9426389-S-D-Burman-Tyaag

5) Orkes Melayu Irama Seni Baru - “Jangan Kau Marah” from BUJANG DAN DARA https://madrotter-treasure-hunt.blogspot.com/2023/12/orkes-melayu-irama-seni-baru-bujang-dan.html

6) Kwanjit Sriprajan - “Panatibat Sin Kor” from SUPHANBURI SOUL : KWANJIT SRIPRAJAN - THE FIRST LADY OF LAE MUSIC https://zudrangmarecords.bandcamp.com/album/suphanburi-soul-kwanjit-sriprajan-the-first-lady-of-lae-music

7) El Rass & Munma - “Rissala” from FOR BEIRUT: RUPTURED SESSIONS VOL. 6 - LIVE AT RADIO LEBANON https://rupturedthelabel.bandcamp.com/album/for-beirut-ruptured-sessions-vol-6-live-at-radio-lebanon

8) Babsy Konate - “Alhaye Masaye” from TOUNGA https://babsykonate.bandcamp.com/album/tounga

9) Brion Gysin - “All Those Years” from JUNK https://www.wewantsounds.com/?lightbox=dataItem-lq0td805

10) Leonard Cohen - “Machines” from TEL AVIV 1972

11) Farid El Atrache [فريد الأطرش] - “Tisbah Ala Kheir Ya Habibi (Goodnight, My Love) [صبح على خير يا حبيبي]” from TISBAH ALA KHEIR YA HABIBI / YAM DALLAE YA HILOU [تصبح على خير يا حبيبي \ يا مدلغ يا حلو] https://www.discogs.com/release/7910959-%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B7%D8%B1%D8%B4-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A8%D8%AD-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%AE%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A8%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%BA-%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%88

12) Srei Sothear & Sinn Sisamouth - “Gentlemen Chill Out at Bar” from CAMBODIAN PSYCH-OUT https://defectiverecords.bandcamp.com/album/cambodian-psych-out

13) Nimmo - “May I Go Out Dancing” from CALIBRE 3 http://chocolatemonk.co.uk/available.html

14) Nino Gvilia - “Dirty is Just What has Boundaries” from OVERWHELMED BY THE UNEXPLAINED https://ninogvilia.bandcamp.com/album/nicole-overwhelmed-by-the-unexplained

15) Strapping Fieldhands - “Eggs in the Reservoir” from GOBS ON THE MIDWAY - SINGLES 1991-95 https://www.discogs.com/release/1732479-Strapping-Fieldhands-Gobs-On-The-Midway-Singles-1991-95

16) Blod - “Stjärnor Lyser Upp Min Väg” from ONDSKANS FRÖ https://discreetmusicgbg.bandcamp.com/album/ondskans-fr

17) Diepkloof United Voice - “Sipo” from HARMONIZING SOWETO: GOLDEN CITY GOSPEL & KASI SOUL FROM THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA https://ostinatorecords.bandcamp.com/album/harmonizing-soweto-golden-city-gospel-kasi-soul-from-the-new-south-africa

18) Stone Tapes - “Clown from Sixties” https://stonetapes.bandcamp.com

19) Robert Millis - “Side A” from HARMONY HOLLYWOOD http://chocolatemonk.co.uk/available.html

20) Grisha Shakhnes - “Stockholm variation #2.5 (excerpt)” from THE DISTANCE BETWEEN A WORD AND A DEED https://disappearingrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-distance-between-a-word-and-a-deed

21) Obie Feldi and M.C. Schmidt - “John of Dust A (excerpt)” from JOHN OF DUST https://matmos.bandcamp.com/album/john-of-dust

22) Aida Heston - “Mama Said (excerpt)” https://www.facebook.com/AIDA.singer.songwriter/

(Underbed:) Pinchas Gurevich - “Drained Sap”

[wurds-fur-nurds]

Oversimplified Robert Nimmo

Distinguished

[cool-in-walton-beach-fl]

Fort Walton Beach, FL, Cost Living

Fort Walton is a vibrant city with a standard cost of living slightly below the US national average. It offers a variety of modern rental and housing options, with most apartments and homes selling for $230,000 and up. The city is known for its diverse, kind, and neighborly community, welcoming all LGBT+ communities. Family-oriented amenities include great schools, public recreation, health and safety initiatives, and nearby shopping. The ethnic makeup of Fort Walton is rapidly changing due to the military presence and its sister city's relationship with Quezon City, Philippines. Most people pursue higher education, with median incomes within the $40,000 range. With this low cost of living, Fort Walton Beach is an excellent place to live. 

Apartments near Fort Walton Beach

Looking for a comfortable and modern place to live? The Cordelia Apartment is just what you need! The Cordelia is a residential apartment near Fort Walton Beach, offering two-bedroom apartments for rent. These apartments have everything you need for a great living experience, including two bedrooms, two beds, 1.5 baths, and 1,100 sqft of living space. If you can't find the floor plan you want, just give them a call at 850-662-6887, and they'll help you out. Inside the apartment, you'll find a fully equipped kitchen, washer and dryer connections, and even a patio or balcony. The floors are made of tile or plush carpet, depending on your preference. This is a great place to live, so check it out today!

Air Force Armament Museum

The Air Force Armament Museum in Florida features over 29 different aircraft on display, including the SR-71 Blackbird, B-17 Flying Fortress, and A-10 Thunderbolt II. The museum also houses a gun vault containing various weapons, including bombs, missiles, and guns. A missile display showcases the evolution of missiles from the early days of aviation to the present. A history exhibit tells the story of the development of air armament, while a kids' area offers interactive exhibits to teach children about air armament. The museum is open seven days a week from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, with admission prices ranging from $12 for adults to $8 for children aged 6-12. 

Three firefighters are welcomed in Fort Walton Beach

Fort Walton Beach Fire Department has welcomed three new firefighters, Caden Nimmo, Spencer Phillips, and Ethan Roberts-Fischer, who completed their "Rookie Week." Rookie Week is an intensive week of hands-on training and orientation for all firefighters before joining the department. The rookies familiarize themselves with the department's air packs, fire hydrants, and radio communications and then deploy ladders and make forcible entries through doors using a pry bar and axe. Capt. Matt Baxley emphasizes the importance of victim removal and deploying fire hoses inside and outside the structure. The week also includes real fire, with instructors burning hay in barrels and building a large fire in one room. Read more. 

Link to maps

Destiny Water Adventures 322 Miracle Strip Pkwy SW, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548, United States Continue to Miracle Strip Pkwy SW 1 min (0.2 mi) Take Memorial Pkwy SW and Beal Pkwy NW to Denton Blvd NW in Wright 11 min (4.5 mi) Turn left onto Denton Blvd NW 1 min (0.5 mi) The Cordelia 995 Denton Blvd NW, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547, United States

[mariocki]

The Small World of Sammy Lee (1963)

"Lou... I'm in a little spot of bother."

"What do you want, Sammy?"

"Believe me, Lou, you know I hate asking you, cos you've -"

"How much?"

"Three hundred."

"Three hundred?"

"I'm in terrible trouble, honest, Lou."

"I should hope so, for three hundred pounds!"

[matzerful]

180818 NYM@PHI | "wilmer is giving asdrubal cabrera a bear hug. it turns into a headlock. that's real love." — laura albanese. the mets reunite with cabrera in his first series against the mets as a philly

[heaveninawildflower]

Decorative cover of ‘Roses and Holly’. A gift-book for all the year.

Block cut by Robert Paterson. Made by William Hunter (bookbinder). Printed by Ballantyne. Published by William P Nimmo.      

© The Trustees of the British Museum.

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license.

[curiouscatalog]

Cover: Burns, Robert, 1759-1796. The complete poetical works of Robert Burns. Edinburgh : William P. Nimmo, 1865?

PR4300 1865 .E32

[scotianostra]

Happy Birthday Gregory Edward “Greg” Hemphill born 14th December 1969 in Glasgow.

I think the majority of us will know who Greg is, one half of the successful partnership with partner, Ford Kiernan that is Still Game.

The family left Scotland when Greg was twelve years old, and he spent much of his childhood in Montreal, Canada. Greg returned home to study at Glasgow University, in the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, graduating MA in 1992.

Greg made his acting debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1990. His work includes roles in God Plus Support in the Theatre and Only an Excuse. He is a regular on the comedy circuit. He also ventured into radio as the original presenter of football show, Off the Ball on BBC Radio Scotland and The Eddie Mair Show. As well as writing for Still Game and Chewin The Fat he has written for Channel 4 programme Space Cadets, BBC’s Pulp Video and The Ferguson Theory.

Still Game has transferred successfully onto the big stage and has sold out countless times at The Hydro. The third and final run of the shows Still Game: The Final Farewell was officially announced on 1st November 2018. The ninth and final series of Still Game was screened in 2019 The show won an ‘Outstanding Contribution’ TV award at Scottish Baftas that year.

Away from his work Greg is a bit of a card shark, he plays in competitions, he has won over thirty thousand dollars in competitions and was third in the Scottish Championships in 2002

Greg has been kind of quiet of late, but the good news is he returns to our screens on Hogmanay with a new sketch show. The show is set to bring up all the biggest talking points of this year – from COP26 to the wild swimming phenomenon. The show titled “Queen of the New Year” will star Greg and Robert Florence along with Barbara Rafferty, Clive Russell, Gayle Telfer Stevens, Louise McCarthy, John Gordon Sinclair and Juliet Cadzow, so some familiar faces from Still Game and Burnistoun.

Greg is married to Balamory star Julie Wilson Nimmo, 46, they announced they are to their own production company launch Blue Haven Productions Limited. The latest from Greg and Julie who live in the West End of Glasgow, is they will be teaming up who live in the West End, are appearing together in Olga da Polga, the first-ever television adaptation of Paddington creator Michael Bond’s beloved books. The new 13-part, live-action and animation series is produced by Glasgow-based production company Marakids, and it has been made with the full support of the Bond family.

Greg and Julie have been married since 1999, they met while both were working on the 90s sketch show Pulp Video. Greg says of them;

“We met on sketch shows, and we always laughed a lot. We still do. There are lots of laughs, lots of carry on when we work together.”

Greg and his Still Game sidekick Ford Kiernan launched a whisky, named after their characters Jack and Vioctor a few years back, and the knobs at Jack Daniels objected after the pair later applied to register the name as a trademark for whisky and other drink-related services. The matter ended up going to an arbitrator. The Tennessee-based company claimed the drink, named after Still Game’s two main characters, could confuse customers and make them think they were endorsing the Scotch blend.

The firm argued the name could allow the Scottish whisky to cash in on the recognition of the well-known brand.

Hemphill, who plays the character Victor, provided evidence during the dispute while managing director Justin Welch provided evidence for Jack Daniel’s.

Hemphill said Still Game was a popular show across the UK, particularly in Scotland, arguing that “Jack and Victor” has become synonymous with the BBC programme.

It was a great triumph for the small guy versus golliath, Jack Daniel’s was ordered to pay £3,200 to Jack and Victor Limited, the company used to market the whisky earlier this year.

Greg returned to our screens last spring in Dinosaur Scottish comedy drama television series set in Glasgow the series was nominated for four BAFTA Scotland awards, a second series is in the pipeline. Greg and Robert Florence's sketch show Queen Of The New Year is returning to BBC Scotland on 1st January for the fourth year running.

Looking for a perfect Scottish christama stocking filler, Still Game returns in comic book form titled "Still Game: He Who Hingith Aboot Getteth Hee Haw".

[collegeburnoutsuperstar]

Social Distancing Book Recs

I’ve been getting tons of book recommendations from friends and family to help get through social distancing/self-quarantine, so I thought I should share some of my favorite books with everybody!

Horror/Apocalyptic: *all books are ADULT*

- The Stand by Stephen King “This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death. And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides -- or are chosen” (Goodreads Summary).

- Inferno by Dan Brown “Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon awakens in an Italian hospital, disorientated and with no recollection of the past thirty-six hours, including the origin of the macabre object hidden in his belongings. With a relentless female assassin tailing them through Florence, he and his resourceful doctor, Sienna Brooks, are forced to flee. Embarking on a harrowing journey, they must unravel a series of codes, which are the work of a brilliant scientist whose obsession with the end of the world is matched only by his passion for one of the most influential masterpieces ever written, Dante Alighieri’s The Inferno” (Goodreads Summary).

- World War Z by Max Brooks “The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, form decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years” (Goodreads summary).

- It by Stephen King “It’s a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real... They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But none of them can withstand the force that has drawn them back to Derry to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name” (Goodreads summary).

- The Shining by Stephen King “Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic locations feels ever more remote... and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old” (Goodreads summary).

- House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski “[House of Leaves] focuses on a young family that moves into a small home on Ash Tree Lane where they discover something is terribly wrong: their house is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. Of course, neither Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Will Navidson nor his companion Karen Green was prepared to face the consequences of the impossibility, until the day their two little children wandered off and their voices eerily began to return another story -- of creature darkness, of an ever-growing abyss behind a closet door, and of the unholy growl which soon enough would tear through their walls and consume all their dreams” (Goodreads summary).

Comedy:

- Good Omens by Neil Gaimen and Terry Pratchett “People have been predicting the end of the world almost from its very beginning, so it’s only natural to be skeptical when a new date is set for Judgement Day. But what if, for once, the predictions are right, and the apocalypse really is due to arrive next Saturday, just after tea? You could spend the time left drowning your sorrows, giving away all your possessions in preparation for the rapture, or laughing it off as (hopefully) just another hoax. Or you could just try to do something about it. It’s a predicament that Aziraphale, a somewhat fussy angel, and Crowley, a fast-living demon now finds themselves in. They’ve been living amongst Earth’s mortals since The Beginning and, truth be told, have grown rather fond of the lifestyle and, in all honesty, are not actually looking forward to the coming Apocalypse. And then there’s the small matter that someone appears to have misplaced the Antichrist... “ (Goodreads summary).

- Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan *PG-13* Dad is Fat is a comedic memoir that details Jim Gaffigan’s life growing up in a large Catholic family to his experiences as a husband and father (specifically parenting his five young children while living in a tiny walk-up apartment in New York). I highly recommend the audiobook (which is narrated by Jim Gaffigan), my family and I always listen to it during road trips. It never stops being funny. 

- Bored of the Rings: A Parody of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings by The Harvard Lampoon *ADULT* “A quest, a war, a ring that would be grounds for calling any wedding off, a king without a kingdom, and a little, furry ‘hero’ named Frito, ready -- or maybe just forced by the wizard of Goodgulf-- to undertake the one mission which can save Lower Middle Earth from enslavement by the evil Sorhed… Luscious Elfmaidens, a roller-skating dragon, ugly plants that can soul-kiss the unwary to death-- these are just some of the ingredients in the wildest, wackiest, most irreverent excursion into fantasy realms that anyone has ever dared to undertake” (Goodreads summary).

Middle-Grade:

- Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan (book 1: The Lightning Thief) “Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends-- one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena-- Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods” (Goodreads summary).

- The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan (book 1: The Lost Hero) “Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper, and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for ‘bad kids.’ What id Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly? Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare about his being in trouble. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits during the school trip, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out. Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too-- like the curse everyone keeps talking about, and some camper who’s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them--including Leo-- is related to a god. Does this have anything to do with Jason’s amnesia, or the fact that Leo keeps seeing ghosts?” (Goodreads summary)

- The Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo (book 1: Midnight for Charlie Bone) “Charlie Bone has a special gift-- he can hear people in photographs talking! The fabulous powers of the Red King were passed down through his descendants, after turning up quite unexpectedly, in someone who had no idea where they came from. This is what happened to Charlie Bone, and to some of the children he met behind the grim, gray walls of Bloor’s Academy. His scheming aunts decide to send him to Bloor’s Academy, a school for geniuses where he uses his grifts to discover the truth despite all the dangers that lie ahead” (Goodreads summary).

- Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements “Bobby Phillips is an average fifteen-year-old boy. Until the morning he wakes up and can’t see himself in the mirror. Not blind, not dreaming. Bobby is just plain invisible... There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to Bobby’s new conditions; even his dad the physicist can’t figure it out. For Bobby that means no school, no friends, no life. He’s a missing person” (Goodreads summary).

Science Fiction:

- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick *Adult*  “It was January 2021, and Rick Deckard had a license to kill. Somewhere among the hordes of humans out there, lurked several rogue androids. Deckard’s assignment-- find them and then... ‘retire’ them. Trouble was, the androids all looked exactly like humans, and they didn’t want to be found!” (Goodreads summary).

- Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton * Suitable for Young Adults* “An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now humankind’s most thrilling fantasies have come true. Creatures extinct for eons roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them-- for a price. Until something goes wrong...” (Goodreads summary). 

Fantasy:

- The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman *ADULT* (book 1: The Magicians) “Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. A senior in high school, he’s still secretly preoccupied with a series of fantasy novels he read as a child, set in a magical land called Fillory. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very secret, very exclusive college of magic in upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the craft of modern sorcery. He also discovers all the other things people learn in college: friendship, love, sex, booze, and boredom. Something is missing, though. Magic doesn’t bring Quentin the happiness and adventure he dreamed it would. After graduation he and his friends make a stunning discovery: Fillory is real. But the land of Quentin’s fantasies turns out to be much darker and more dangerous than he could have imagined. His childhood dream becomes a nightmare with a shocking truth at its heart” (Goodreads summary).

- The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater *YA* (book 1: The Raven Boys) “What do you know about Welsh kings?” This incredibly atmospheric story centers on a seemingly random group of teens as they uncover the mysterious and magical secrets of their small Virginia town.

- A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab *Suitable for Young Adults* “Kell is one of the last Antari-- magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black. Kell was raised in Arnes-- Red London-- and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III  in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure. Now perilous magic is afoot, and treacher lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive” (Goodreads summary).

- The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien *Suitable for middle-grade through adult* “In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord. forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken form him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell by chance into the hands of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins. When Bilbo reached his eleventy-first birthday he disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom” (Goodreads summary).

- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss *Adult* “Told in Kvothe’s own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bit to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story” (Goodreads summary).

- The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch *Adult* “An orphan’s life is harsh-- and often short-- in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But youge Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Loke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game-- or die trying” (Goodreads summary).

Fiction:

- The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich *ADULT mystery-thrillers/romance* (book 1: One for the Money) “You’ve lost your job as a department store lingerie buyer, your car’s been repossessed, and most of your furniture and small appliances have been sold off to pay last month’s rent. Now the rent is due again. And you live in New Jersey. What do you do? If you’re Stephanie Plum, you become a bounty hunter. But not just a nickel-and-dime bounty hunter; you go after the big money. That means a cop gone bad. And not just any cop. She goes after Joe Morelli, a disgraced former vice cop who is also the man who took Stephanie’s virginity at age 16 and the wrote details on a bathroom wall. With pride and rent money on the line, Plum plunges headlong into her first case, one that pits her against ruthless adversaries - people who’d rather kill than lose” (Goodreads summary).

- The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown *Adult* “While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci-- clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter. Even more startling, the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion-- a secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Victory Hugo, and Da Vici-- and he guarded a breathtaking historical secret. Unless Landon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle-- while avoiding the faceless adversary who shadows their every move-- the explosive, ancient truth will be lost forever” (Goodreads summary).

- Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle *Adult* Sherlock Holmes stories are always fun when stuck at home.

- 11/22/63 by Stephen King *Adult* “Life can turn on a dime-- or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family, Jake is blown away... but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession-- to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the ear of Ike and Elvis, or big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke... Finding himself in warmhearted Jodie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten... and become heart-stoppingly suspenseful” (Goodreads summary).

Non-Fiction:

- The Men Who Stare at Goats by Jon Ronson *Adult* “In 1979 a secret unit was established by the most gifted minds within the U.S. Army. Defying all known accepted military practice-- and indeed, the laws of physics-- they believed that a soldier could adopt a cloak of invisibility, pass cleanly through walls, and, perhaps most chillingly, kill goats just by staring at them. Entrusted with defending America from all known adversaries, they were the First Earth Battalion. And they really weren’t joking. What’s more, they’re back and fighting the War on Terror. With firsthand access to the leading players in the story, Ronson traces the evolution of these bizarre activities over the past three decades and shows how they are alive today within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and in postwar Iraq. Why are they blasting Iraqi prisoners of war with the theme tune to Barney the Purple Dinosaur? Why have 100 debleated goats been secretly placed inside the Special Forces Command Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina? How was the U.S. military associated with the mysterious mass suicide of a strange cult form San Diego? The Men Who Stare at Goats answers these and many more questions” (Goodreads summary).

- Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert *Adult* (I recommend listening to the audiobook, which is narrated by Elizabeth Gilbert) “To recover from [an early midlife crisis, divorce, and depression], Gilbert took a radical step. In order to give herself the time and space to find out who she really was and what she really wanted, she got rid of her belongings, quit her job, and undertook a yearlong journey around the world-- all alone. Eat, Pray, Love is the absorbing chronicle of that year. Her aim was to visit three places where she could examine one aspect of her own nature set against the backdrop of a culture that has traditionally done that one thing very well. In Rome, she studied the art of pleasure, learning to speak Italian and gaining the twenty-three happiest pounds of her life. India was for the art of devotion, and with the help of a native guru and a surprisingly wise cowboy from Texas, she embarked on four uninterrupted months of spiritual exploration. In Bali, she studied the art of balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. She became the pupil of an elderly medicine man and also fell in love the best way-- unexpectedly” (Goodreads summary).

[goalhofer]

2021 New York Mets Roster

Pitchers

#0 Marcus Stroman (Brookhaven, New York)

#23 David Peterson (Aurora, Colorado)

#27 Jeurys Familia (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)

#32 Aaron Loup (Boutte, Louisiana)

#34 Noah Syndergaard (Mansfield, Texas)

#39 Edwin Díaz (Naguabo, Puerto Rico)

#40 Jacob Barnes (St. Petersburg, Florida)

#44 Robert Gsellman; Jr. (Culver City, California)

#47 Joey Lucchesi (Newark, California)

#48 Jacob DeGrom (DeLand, Florida)

#50 Miguel Castro (La Romana, Dominican Republic)

#59 Carlos Carrasco (Barquisimeto, Venezuela)

#62 Drew Smith (Crowley, Texas)

#65 Trevor May (Kelso, Washington)

#67 Jacob Lugo (Bossier City, Louisiana)

#68 Dellin Betances (New York, New York)

#99 Taijuan Walker (Yucaipa, California)

Catchers

#3 Tomás Nido (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico)

#33 James McCann (Goleta, California)

Infielders

#1 Jonathan Villar (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)

#6 Jeff McNeil (San Luis Obispo County, California)

#12 Francisco Lindor (Montverde, Florida)

#13 Luis Guillorme (Coral Springs, Florida)

#16 José Martínez (La Guaira, Venezuela)

#20 Pete Alonso III (Tampa, Florida)

#28 J.G. Davis (Elk Grove, California)

Outfielders

#2 Dominic Smith (Gardena, California)

#4 Reinaldo Almora; Jr. (Hialeah Gardens, Florida)

#9 Brandon Nimmo (Cheyenne, Wyoming)

#11 Kevin Pillar (Los Angeles, California)

#30 Michael Conforto (Redmond, Washington)

Coaches

Manager Luis Rojas (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)

Bench coach Dave Jauss (Chicago, Illinois)

1st base coach Tony Tarasco (Santa Monica, California)

3rd base/infield coach Gary DiSarcina (Billerica, Massachusetts)

Hitting coach Charles Davis (Los Angeles, California)

Assistant hitting coach Tom Slater (Richmond, Virginia)

Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner (Perkins, Oklahoma)

Assistant pitching coach Jeremy Accardo (Mesa, Arizona)

Assistant pitching coach Ricky Meinhold (Campbell, California)

Bullpen coach Ricky Bones (Salinas, Puerto Rico)

Bullpen catcher Rafael Fernandez (Tenares, Dominican Republic)

Bullpen catcher Eric Langill (Pointe-Claire, Quebec)

Bullpen catcher Dave Racaniello (Stamford, Connecticut)

Catching coach/field coordinator Brian Schneider (Northampton, Pennsylvania)