#van hire experts

[rentalsdirect4u]

Unlocking Mobility: Rentals Direct Ltd Leads the Way in Van and Trailer Sales in Norfolk

In the bustling heart of Norfolk, where the scenic landscapes meet the demands of a thriving community, Rentals Direct Ltd stands tall as the go-to destination for all your van and trailer needs. With a commitment to excellence and a reputation for reliability, Rentals Direct Ltd has become synonymous with quality service in the realm of van sales, trailer sales, local van hire, and being the true van hire experts in the region.

Van Sales Norfolk: Quality on Wheels

When it comes to finding the perfect van to meet your business or personal needs, Rentals Direct Ltd takes pride in offering an extensive selection of top-notch vans. Whether you're a small business owner looking to expand your fleet or an individual seeking a reliable vehicle for personal use, our van sales in Norfolk are tailored to cater to every requirement. Visit us for more information :- Van sales Norfolk

Our range of vans encompasses various sizes and models, ensuring that you find the perfect fit for your transportation needs. From compact vans for quick and nimble deliveries to spacious cargo vans capable of handling larger loads, Rentals Direct Ltd has it all. Our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction shines through in every vehicle we offer for sale.

Trailer Sales Norfolk: Towing Solutions for Every Journey

In addition to our impressive array of vans, Rentals Direct Ltd also takes pride in being the premier destination for trailer sales in Norfolk. Whether you're planning a weekend getaway or need a trailer for hauling goods, our diverse selection of trailers ensures that you find the ideal solution.

From enclosed trailers for added security to open trailers for convenient loading and unloading, Rentals Direct Ltd offers options to suit a variety of needs. Our trailers are built with durability and safety in mind, providing peace of mind for every journey. When you choose Rentals Direct Ltd for your trailer needs, you're investing in quality and reliability. Visit us for more information :- Trailer sales Norfolk

Local Van Hire: Your Convenient Mobility Partner

For those seeking the flexibility of short-term transportation solutions, Rentals Direct Ltd proudly offers local van hire services. Our fleet of well-maintained vans is available for rent at competitive rates, providing a convenient and cost-effective solution for individuals and businesses alike.

Whether you need a van for a day, a weekend, or an extended period, Rentals Direct Ltd ensures that your local van hire experience is smooth and hassle-free. Our user-friendly rental process, transparent pricing, and well-maintained vehicles make us the preferred choice for those seeking temporary mobility solutions in Norfolk.

Van Hire Experts: Your Partners in Transportation

Rentals Direct Ltd doesn't just provide vehicles; we offer expertise. Our team of van hire experts is dedicated to understanding your unique requirements and guiding you towards the most suitable solution. Whether you're uncertain about the size of the van you need or need advice on towing capacities for trailers, our experts are here to assist you every step of the way.

Our commitment to customer satisfaction extends beyond the point of sale or rental. At Rentals Direct Ltd, we believe in building lasting relationships with our clients, ensuring that they receive ongoing support and assistance whenever needed.

Rentals Direct Ltd: Your Trusted Mobility Solution in Norfolk

In the dynamic landscape of Norfolk, where mobility is key, Rentals Direct Ltd stands out as the trusted name for van and trailer sales, local van hire, and as van hire experts. Our commitment to quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction sets us apart, making us the preferred choice for individuals and businesses alike.

Unlock the door to seamless mobility with Rentals Direct Ltd. Visit our showroom today, explore our diverse range of vans and trailers, and experience the excellence that has made us the leaders in the industry. Your journey begins here, with Rentals Direct Ltd – where quality meets mobility.

[gay-disabled-characters-showdown]

LGBTQ+ Disabled Characters Showdown Round 2, Wave 2, Poll 11

A character being totally canon LGBTQ+ and disabled was not required to be in this competition. Please check qualifications and propaganda before asking why a character is included.

Check out the other polls in this wave and prior here.

Hermann Gottlieb-Pacific Rim

Qualifications/Propaganda:

He uses a cane and is commonly shipped with Newt Gieszler. One of the better parts of Pacific Rim. If drift compatible why not gay.

Wylan Van Eck-Six of Crows

Qualifications:

Wylan has dyslexia (heavily implied, but not outright said bc setting) and is gay,

Dyslexic and gay!

They are in a adorable m/m relationship, and also have severe dyslexia to the point that (when eight) he could not read or write despite formal education

Wylan is gay and dyslexic!

Propaganda:

Wylan and Jesper have the absolute cutest relationship. Also, Wylan has dyslexia. I don't think it was outright said, but that was heavily implied. It just couldn't be set out loud for the sake of maintaining the fantasy setting. He's such a good character, and is primarily known for his skill with explosives, not his struggles with reading and writing. The other protagonists also never judge him for it, and the only character who does is the kind of person 90% of readers want to kill by the end of the series.

His boyfriend Jesper helped him fake being able to read so they could beat Wylan's shitty dad.

- He's incredibly sweet - But can also be ok with murder sometimes, like when killing unconscious people wasn't good - so just wake them up. - He was thrown out of the house and his father tried to kill him, because of said dyslexia, but managed to survive. Then rebelled against his father and with the help of friends took down his empire - He is very talented at the flute. And can draw very well, along with being a great chemist and demolition experts (hired for making flash bombs and other cool shit-) - Helps break into a world-class prison, then blushes the entire time because the person he's pared with keeps flirting with him - Asks his (eventual boyfriend) if he's into guys. Then immediately gets flustered when Jesper picks it up - Is very rich heir (due to shenanigans) and there's a one-off line about this sweet bean kind of being a sugar daddy- (just gives his boyfriend money to do stocks with, to stop him from gambling) - Supports his boyfriend throughout his gambling addiction and tries to help him overcome it

Wylan is dyslexic and because of this written off as stupid by his father. However, he is actually a genius, especially with chemicals, and he uses his genius and his new band of misfit friends to take his father down and read him for filth in front of a whole bunch of important people. He is good at making things explode. He also nabs himself a hot boyfriend in the process so good for him!

The qualifications and propaganda paragraphs correspond, @wisheduponastar is the third submitter.

[androgynousblackbox]

Hellsing Appleradio AU

Lucifer Van Morningstar (24 years old)

The young Lord that is the face of the Morningstar family from a young age after the passing of his parents. He woke up Alastor after the house was attacked as a last resource at 18 and has been dealing with his annoying ass since then. Before the attack, Lucifer was already pretty efficient at fencing and some hand to hand combat, but after it, and the help of the new employees Alastor brought to the house, he learns to use guns and other ways of fighting.

Charlotte/Charlie Van Morningstar (3 years old)

The little sunshine of the castle that was the biggest joy of Lucifer after the sudden passing of his wife. She always gets into unexpected situations because Alastor has to obey her just the same as Lucifer. If the little lady wants to travel on his shoulders on his monster form and climb through the exterior of the castle, Alastor has to do it. If Charlie wants him to act out her favorite portions on her storybooks, Alastor will while dreading anyone else of the staff seeing him on a princess costume. Charlie always plays as the knight or the dragon.

Alastor/Radio Demon (At least 400 years old but who knows really)

Made a deal with the Morningstar family to serve them as long he could get a drop or more of their blood as payment from time to time. He was sealed in a chamber in the Morningstar castle by Lucifer's father shortly after Lucifer was born because they feared that he being awake could attract danger to their house. He loves violence and chaos, which is why it's so hard to him when Lucifer or Charlie have him doing mundane shit like going to get groceries or cooking cookies because Charlie wanted them to. Since he is the most powerful being there, he has the assumption that the Morningstar family belong to him and is the owner of the whole place. A impression that Lucifer very much does not care for. He fucking hated Lilith the moment Lucifer showed interest on her and told Lucifer that he wasn't "allowed" to marry her, which of course meant that Lucifer marry her faster. When she dies suddenly, he didn't separate from Lucifer's side and was the main motivator to get Lucifer to came out of his room at all. He tells everyone he only cares about the food and nothing else, but begrudgingly starts caring for the two tyrants that "ruined" his existence. Charlie calls him "Allie". After Lucifer woke him up, he quickly fires the entire staff on the castle, because obviously they suck at their fucking job, and hires a bunch of people especially selected by him.

Anthony/Angel (26 years old)

The butler/bodyguard of the Morningstar, packed with at least a dozen of hidden weapons at all times, and gun expert. Previously the son of a assasins's family that trained him since birth to be the perfect killing machine, recluted by Alastor after he managed to escape. Originally nicknamed "angel" because his killings were always quick and as painless as possible. He has no fucking clue about anything supernatural and does not care. Went to work and accepted the butler training because, frankly, he had nothing else better to do.

Husker (35 years old)

Chef of the Morningstar family, expert on the creation of almost any poison you can think of and also their cure. Used to work hidden in the black market selling his products for the highest bitter and then was found by Alastor just when he was about to be caught by the police. Accepted to work there for as long it keeps him jail free. Creates his own alcohol on his free time.

Niffty (31 years old)

The maid of the house. Nobody really knows a lot about her. The only thing Alastor bothered to tell people is that one day she snapped and killed her husband, but don't worry, besides that she is completely harmless. As long you weren't a rat or a intruder that came without invitation, that is. Don't trust her with scissors, though, because she will get them dull in no time.

Cherri Bomb (26 years old)

The driver of the Morningstar. She was a racer that was faster thatn everyone else, but when an rival sabotaged her car and almost had her killed in a explosion Alastor took her out and told her he knew a place where she could drive as fast as she wanted to. Lucifer doesn't really like when she goes full speed, but she never had a single accident and one could always count on her being there when the situation require her.

Sir Pentious (30 years old)

The expert on machinery and general repair man of the house. He made all the weapons that Anthony uses, the security system for the whole castle and even modified all the cars so they would be as safe as possible. Originally was brought after he failed to get investor for one of his inventions with the promise that he could work comfortably there and receive his pay, but soon really starts liking that Lucifer is a good boss that praises what he does. He also made a few toys for Charlie to play through out the years.

Alll the staff made a pact of blood with Alastor to swear to protect the Morningstar family.

Vox Populi (???)

A cyborg priest that was awaken up by the Church to deal with the presence of demons, exorcism and other supernatural causes as the leader of the Iscariote organization. Nobody has any clue why he was a cyborg at all or how it happened. He was send to sleep when he created a cult with himself as the leader where he was carrying out human sacrifices, but he "learned his lesson now" so he is a totally reformed priest again who toooootally is not stealing the charity money destined to orphanages and he is absolutely devoted to his work only, he totally swears it, for real. Part of the reason he was woken up was a preventive measure when they find out that Alastor have been awaken again, in case the Morninstars wanted an uprising. The Church fully believes he is the only non demonic being that could probably go up against Alastor. Probably.

Valentino (34 years)

Part of the Iscariote organization. He uses a nun outfit even thought he really shouldn't have to. Raised in multiple orphanages from where he managed to escape from and expelled of at least a dozen of religious schools for many reasons. The cause of more than one priest or nun abandoning their faith and lead to sin, which people especulate is the reason why he is allowed to keep working for the Church, but has calmed down significantly since working with Vox. Any excuse to kill with the blessing of the Church is a good one, doesn't matter if they are supernatural or not.

[littlejuicebox]

Plumber’s Crack(fic) / Leaky Pipes

I wrote this for an April Fool’s challenge. You can all thank @vixstarria for influencing me and for this monstrosity coming from that one single tag. AO3 link here.

This is written to be intentionally bad smut. Proceed if you want psychic damage.

Pairing: Astarion x Female Tav

Summary: In a Modern AU, Tav is looking for an expert escort roleplay experience. She gets far more than she expected.

Astarion sighs as he pulls up to a small, ranch style-house with a bunch of flamingo— no, goose… what the fuck?— garden ornaments. He glances at the number over the garage – 401 Pink Clam Street; yes, this is the right address. He pulls down the visor and watches himself in the mirror as he attaches the stupid fucking fake mustache he has to wear on these house calls. Mr. Szarr said no one trusts a plumber without facial hair… what the hell is he on, anyway?

He cannot wait until he is able to quit. This was supposed to be a temporary gig. But now it’s been years, he’s still stuck in this seemingly dead-end job, and truly, everything about it makes his skin crawl. Toilets, clumps of hair in the sink, sticking himself in small, confined spaces… gods, it’s all horrible. He sighs and climbs out of the work van. Time to just… get it over with.

*

When Tav hears the knock on the door, her eyebrows crinkle. She glances at the clock atop her vanity. It’s eleven in the morning – they’re two hours early. Well, perhaps they’re really in character… don’t plumbers normally come at any other time besides the time they actually say they will? She asked for realistic roleplay this time, unlike what she got from the last crap escort she hired. She’s getting what she’s paying for, at least.

She opens the door and is shocked to see a ridiculously handsome man standing at the entryway. She knew escorts were attractive but– well, she hadn’t exactly expected a greek god in a plumber’s uniform. Turns out, she’s definitely getting what she’s paying for this time around.

“Are you Ms. Tav…” Astarion pauses as he stares down at the word on the clipboard. He lifts an eyebrow. No, that can’t be right.

“Pusey? Yes, that’s me.”

“Can you spell that for me, ma’am?”

Tav blinks. This guy is… really taking the part seriously. “P-U-S-E-Y.”

Astarion nods as he stares down at the form in his hand. Mr. Szarr spelled it wrong on the form, of course. He’s going to have to fix it before she fills out the bottom half at the end. He glances back up to acknowledge the woman; she looks like she’s about to go pose for Playboy at any moment. She’s gorgeous, he has to admit. “I’m Astarion, the plumber. I’m told you need some assistance with your rim holes?”

Tav giggles. It’s time for her to play along. She puts on her best sultry face as she says, “Oh, yes. My rim holes are… definitely in need of your expertise. Please come inside.”

Astarion steps into the house. It’s small, but well-kept and well-decorated. It seems as if she lives entirely alone. “Where is your bathroom, ma’am?”

“I’ll show you,” Tav responds as she begins to head down the hallway. “I apologize, it’s very, very dirty.”

They walk into the bathroom and Astarion looks around. It isn’t dirty at all. Was she making a joke? He puts down his tools, opens the toilet lid, and begins to examine the commode.

“Is it true that… plumbers are good at laying pipe?”

Astarion glances up at the woman. She’s leaning against the doorframe, the picture of seduction. Her silk robe is slipping off her frame; she’s wearing a thin nightie underneath. She really does look like a Playboy centerfold. He swallows. “Yes, ma’am… it’s definitely an important part of the job. Perhaps the most important part. No one wants a plumber that can’t lay pipe.”

“Are you good at laying pipe, Astarion?”

He swallows again and stands. This was… not usually how these things went. “I would consider myself an expert, yes.”

“Then why don’t you show me how good you are at it?”

She’s got him by the coverall strap before he can protest, and her lips crash into his with reckless abandon. She smells wonderful, she’s gorgeous, and she seems to be very into him so it does not take long for Astarion to reciprocate. They’re caught in an embrace in the middle of the bathroom.

Tav breaks the kiss, and when she pulls away, she cannot help but giggle. Astarion’s fake mustache is dangling half off his face.

“Fuck this,” Astarion growls, and he rips the mustache off before eagerly wrapping his hands around the woman. He lifts her onto the bathroom counter and begins hiking up her nightie; he notices she isn’t wearing anything underneath. She’s unclipping his coveralls; they drop down around his ankles.

“Snake my leaky drain, Astarion,” Tav demands, her hands coming to pull his cock from his tighty whities.

He’s honestly surprised by her forwardness. But he does as she asks and quickly sinks himself inside her. He doesn’t last particularly long; he’s a bit embarrassed, but it’s not like he’s ever going to see this woman again. He isn’t so inconsiderate as to leave her without finishing, of course… it just… takes a while. A long while. His hand starts to cramp toward the end.

When the two of them are finished, Astarion runs a hand through his hair and looks around the bathroom. Tav is still on the counter, her hair a mess of tangled curls; one of her fake lashes is falling off. Well… at least they were both wearing fake body hair.

He glances at his wrist watch. Shit– he needs to complete the job and get out of here; he has another assignment later this afternoon. He coughs and tries his best to return to his professional role. “If you… give me a couple minutes to finish up here, I’ll be out of your way, ma’am.”

“Oh… of course.” Tav says and she slips from the counter and tugs her nightgown back down. “Take all the time you need, I’ll be out there with your payment when you’re ready.”

After a couple minutes, Astarion exits the restroom. It took him a bit longer than usual because he had to fill out a new form with the proper spelling of the client’s name. Tav is waiting for him in the kitchen with a smile. “I need a signature from you here, Ms. Pusey.”

Tav obliges and signs the piece of paper. Then she pulls out her wallet. “How much?”

“Five hundred.” Astarion murmurs as he tears off her receipt and hands it to her.

She nods and pulls out six bills. “There’s an extra hundred, for you, of course.”

“Oh. Thank you, ma’am.”

She pulls him into another kiss. “You’re one of the best plumbers I’ve had so far. I might be… contacting your company for your services again sometime.”

Astarion smiles and nods. He sticks the cash in his pocket. He’s not quite sure if he actually wants to be contacted by her or not after this… somewhat embarrassing situation, but he appreciates the sentiment all the same. “I’ll be on my way.”

Tav walks him to the front door. Then she quickly hops in the shower to clean off the evidence of their tryst. When she returns to the kitchen, she sees a text from her landlord.

Ms. Pusey, I forgot to mention this earlier. A plumber should be by this morning, around 11:00 to fix an issue with your toilet we noticed on our biannual walkthrough. His name is Astarion. Please pay him for his services; we will reimburse you once you provide the receipt. Apologies for any inconvenience.

She blinks at the text message. Wait a second…

The doorbell rings. She leaves her phone on the counter. She rips open the front door to reveal… a large, muscular man, dressed in a plumber's uniform.

The man roams his eyes over Tav and smirks mischievously before leaning his arm against the doorframe and staring down at her. His voice is low and suggestive as he speaks. “Hello, Ms. Pusey. My name is Hal Sin. I’m told you have some leaky pipes in need of immediate attention?”

[zinniajones]

These "expert" pediatricians were paid by a far-right legal group to come up with evidence to attack the WPATH transgender standards of care

What this is: Leaked documents show the anti-LGBT legal group Alliance Defending Freedom paying manufactured experts to attack WPATH’s transgender standards of care, asking them to find evidence for harmful anti-trans myths that they knew were baseless and unsubstantiated. This is an original finding and report by Zinnia Jones (she/her), a transgender Florida resident of 11 years whose access to HRT is now jeopardized by the enactment of state law and policy based on work from these same experts.

Detailed summary: From 2019 onward, states across the US have been faced with an intensely active wave of reused anti-trans experts, recurring characters who keep repeating the same spurious arguments against gender-affirming care in court cases, legislatures, and other policy bodies. Where did they come from, and why did this start happening?

Due to the Florida-based anti-LGBT hate group American College of Pediatricians choosing to set one of their Google Drive folders to be publicly viewable by anyone, files were released this month showing the contents of their staff’s communications and other working notes over several years.

These documents included records of the Alliance Defending Freedom - another hate group who are also responsible for bringing the mifepristone case with ACP as a plaintiff - approaching ACP's leaders in 2018 and 2019 to offer them a grant of $10,000 or more. The ADF wanted the pediatricians “to draft a white paper that refutes the WPATH Standards of Care”, “for use in litigation and should also benefit many other allies at State and Federal Level”.

ACP’s president Quentin Van Meter and executive director Michelle Cretella promptly got to work on this “Special Project”, and the ADF hosted expert witness workshops at ACP's conferences. ACP members including Van Meter went on to present anti-trans testimony in several ADF-litigated cases and ADF-involved trans youth care bans.

In May 2022, Van Meter authored a sham report for Florida Medicaid to justify their trans coverage exclusion, mostly drawing from previous ACP position statements; court filings later revealed Michelle Cretella was recommended by the Florida governor’s office, and she pointed the way to all the other anti-trans experts hired by Florida in 2022 to support the Medicaid exclusion of transition care.

One notable document found in the ACP’s drive contains “Transgender Research Requests”, with the ADF asking Cretella and other ACP leaders to “substantiate” now-commonplace anti-trans talking points. These included bizarre claims by the ADF such as “it is normal during adolescence for children to go through a phase when they identify (to some degree) with the opposite sex”, and “For those who have undergone hormone therapy and genital change surgery, a paper that says they are no happier (and perhaps worse off if the research supports it)”.

The ADF was asking this anti-trans group to come up with anything that could support the arguments they were already planning to make.

This appears to be one of the very sites where those baseless myths about suicide, social contagion and other supposed harms, now regularly repeated in court cases and testimony and uncritically accepted by the mainstream right wing, were conceived and gestated.

These same experts then substantially reused these work products in their reports for Florida Medicaid, a public health agency whose accepted standards determination process is supposed to be a transparent and open-ended evaluation of peer-reviewed medical evidence.

Altogether, these documents appear to demonstrate a paid smear by a hate group and right-wing law firm against a leading professional transgender healthcare organization following the best available evidence and medical practices, as well as misconduct on the part of ACP experts who reused this work in their reports for a Florida public health agency.

(asks are open)

[soon-palestine]

Oxfam experts, together with cocoa farmers, will be at the World Cocoa Conference in Brussels (21-24 April), taking place against a backdrop of unprecedented production shortfalls and skyrocketing cocoa prices, which topped $11,000 per metric ton for the first time.

Chocolate giants have already raised prices for consumers to offset rising cocoa costs and, despite years of soaring profits and massive payouts to shareholders, have consistently pushed back on anything that could reduce their profit margins. New Oxfam analysis has found: - Lindt, Mondelēz, and Nestlé together raked in nearly $4 billion in profits from chocolate sales in 2023. Hershey’s confectionary profits totaled $2 billion last year. - The four corporations paid out on average 97 percent of their total net profits to shareholders in 2023. - The collective fortunes of the Ferrero and Mars families, who own the two biggest private chocolate corporations, surged to $160.9 billion during the same period. This is more than the combined GDPs of Ghana and Ivory Coast, which supply most cocoa beans.

Decades of low prices have made farmers poorer and hampered their ability to hire workers or invest in their farms, limiting bean yield. Old cocoa trees are particularly vulnerable to disease and extreme weather. Many farmers are abandoning cocoa for other crops, or selling their land to illegal miners.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Oxfam’s Policy Advisor Bart Van Besien said: “It’s ironic —the cocoa price explosion could have been averted if corporations had paid farmers a fair price and helped them make their farms more resilient to extreme weather. And it’s hypocritical —chocolate giants are paying high prices now that the market demands it, but have pushed back every single time that cocoa farmers have. The only way forward is fairly rewarding farmers for their hard work.”

And Ismael Pomasi, Chairman of Ghana’s Cocoa Abrabopa Association, said: "Nothing is more demotivating —all my hard work on the farm barely pays off. Between battling pests and the drought that is killing my cocoa trees, I'm really struggling. I wish I could afford irrigation. If the multibillion-dollar chocolate industry paid fair prices for cocoa, I could actually tackle these problems and make a decent living."

Oxfam spokespersons and farmers available for interviews in Brussels:Nana Kwasi Barning Ackay, project officer at SEND Ghana and Coordinator of the Ghana Civil Society Cocoa Platform (GCCP) (English) Ismael Pomasi, Chairman of Ghana’s Cocoa Abrabopa Association (English) Anouk Franck, Policy Advisor on Business and Human Rights, Oxfam Novib (Dutch, English) Bart Van Besien, Policy Advisor, Oxfam Belgium (Dutch, English, French)

Key dates: Oxfam spokespersons and farmers will come together to hand out chocolate produced by Ghana’s Women in Cocoa Cooperative (Cocoa Mmaa), and will be available for interviews and photos. 7:30-9:00am CET on 22 April at Place d’Albertine, in front of the World Cocoa Conference.

[germanpostwarmodern]

Among the many noteworthy California modern architects Craig Ellwood (1922-92) surely was the most colorful character: born Jon Nelson Burke, the architect changed his name after WWII and proceeded a career as constructor and architect without ever having studied architecture or engineering. Nevertheless he quickly made a name for himself in Los Angeles and up until he closed his practice in 1977 designed some 100 buildings, most of them single-family homes. His authorship has often been doubted because of his lack of formal training or drawings skills and his particular ability to hire talented designers for his practice. But while the question of authorship and degree of involvement is unquestionably interesting the actual architecture of Craig Ellwood is of the same if not greater interest. Ellwood was a publicity expert who intensely followed and processed the architectural currents of his time (with a clear preference for Mies van der Rohe) and who keenly supervised the photographic representation of his buildings. This, among other aspects, is lucidly addressed by Alfonso Pérez-Méndez in his monograph „Craig Ellwood: In the Spirit of the Time“, published by Gustavo Gili in 2003: rather than Ellwood’s personality in Pérez-Méndez book his architecture takes the center stage and a great number of buildings from the late 1940s to the mid-1970s are thoroughly analyzed. Together with archival photographs, contemporary photographs and plans the author shows that Ellwood’s architecture very much reflected the status quo of modernist architecture in the US but with a Californian twist to it. Beyond that he also identifies the office’s organization as a predecessor of many oftoday’s practice where projects are a team effort rather than a stroke of genius. Ellwood’s mistake though was the omission of the names of the team members involved.

„In the Spirit of the Time“ is a wonderful yet somewhat small book about Craig Ellwood that offers a compelling analysis of his architectural development, well-written and well-illustrated and together with Neil Jackson’s publications a must-read in order to get the complete picture of Craig Ellwood.

[disrespectre]

18+ Adv lit - Novella RP server

SERVER CLOSED FOR THE TIME BEING

+†+ 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 +†+ 

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥

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Welcome back to the early 2000s, where Myspace was flourishing, the music scene was shifting, and trends were setting. In the midst of obnoxious pop and frosted tips, ghost hunting was also slowly gaining popularity by some of the more outcasted crowd. Ajax Larsen, and Romeo Pruitt were among some of these well known, sensationalized ghost hunters, having worked their wav up the "spectral ladder" as an independent hunter duo, DisreSpecter. Unfortunately, after some Tragic Life Events and a slow recovery since then, the pair have realized that they might need a little assistance with their popularly followed ghost hunting, resulting in an ad being posted on their blog of thousands of subscribers. They were in need of some "interns," to help them with all sorts of aspects to these hunts... urgently. The pair was on the lookout to hire unique individuals with an interest in all things haunted. The opportunity for anybody to join them as they hop from city to city, investigating eerie scenes they were called to, while crashing at hotels and seemingly living a carefree life, what's the worst that could happen? Sounds like a fun time! With multiple job listings posted within the ad, they've begun to sit and review these applications..

Will your OC live up to their resume?

⛧ New 18+ Adv Lit - Novella roleplay on Discord!

⛧ Active staff, and members.

⛧ we write lengthy responses with a no tolerance rule for single liners.

⛧ Friendly mod team ready to help!

⛧ Were a super fun, and welcoming group of writers who want to delve into an exciting story based RP, but also want to get to know our writers, so we have OOC channels to hang and chat in, as well as channels dedicated to your OCs, where you can ramble endlessly about personal Headcannons, and so forth.

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⛧ Create your own “Ghost Hunter'' oc, applying to work beside this team of experts. With a template formatted to look like a job application, and a list of different roles your oc can play in the team, the possibilities are vast and fun!

⛧A fixated plotline with freedom to branch off into individual threads - along with automatic connections, as everyone is on the same team! Every team member is allowed to grow in relationship with one another, in any way you see fit! Friends, enemies, maybe partners? It’s all up to you.

⛧You have freedom to make and submit an OC with any late 90s-early 2000s aesthetic. From Preps, to emos, to hippies and jocks, you have creative flexibility to make anyone you'd like to join this chaotic, ragtag team run by a grouchy goth and his sunshine, rocker partner.

⛧ In between the numerous intense Ghost Hunts, there will be lots of casual RP scenes as well. As the crew piles into the van and hops from city to city, there's plenty of new things to see and do. Late hotel night conversations, swims or parties will be had, in the midst of chaotic road trips and haunts, while the main story plot thickens.

⛧ The vibes are strictly 2000s, from the electronic communication to the music and stores- you won't find TikTok, but rather Myspace, with channels dedicated to this social media platform. Post statuses, send friend requests, private message your fellow teammates, or jump into the group chat, the possibilities of what could happen are endless. We have emojis for your Myspace interactions as well!

⛧ Multiple RP polls will take place for writers to vote on their next haunted trip- feel free to investigate the scene and uncover all the secrets hidden within the location to further track down entities! Just.. be careful. Poltergeists are no fun. 

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀

If you're having problems with the LINK, send me a message!

[fuckyeahvanhalen86-95]

Wolfgang Van Halen has responded to comments recently made by David Lee Roth, in which he claimed the Mammoth WVH leader displayed antisocial behavior and poor decision-making during Van Halen’s final tour.

Wolfgang was sounded out about the “uncomfortable topic” while in conversation with The Morning X With Barnes & Leslie. During the interview, one of the hosts pointedly asked, “What the hell is going on with the hatred from David Lee Roth?”

The question was related to some of Roth’s recent comments, which saw the band’s former vocalist (voice-acting as Jesus at the time, for some reason) backhandedly remark he “would have had this job even if my dad wasn’t God”.

It was a jibe from Roth, who was clearly taking a dig at the fact Wolfgang had been hired as the Van Halen bass guitar player to play alongside his father, the late Eddie Van Halen.

In another clip, Roth said of Wolfgang, “This fuckin' kid. He's complaining the entire tour like I'm not paying enough attention to him on stage. He's complaining to everybody around me – the business manager, the security guy, the clothing lady – 'Dave's not paying enough attention to me.’”

When quizzed over why Roth was calling him out “in such a vile fashion”, Wolfgang responded: “I guess I'm honored he even thinks about me as much as he seems to.”

In response to the unprovoked outburst, Wolfgang also drew attention to some of Roth’s previously misinformed and wholly outlandish comments regarding the Van Halen name, and said nothing he says can be taken at face value.

“I guess you have to take what he says with a grain of salt,” Wolfgang replied, “considering he also said that he wrote [Eddie's iconic instrumental] Eruption and came up with the Frankenstein stripes [the pattern that famously adorns Eddie's guitar].”

To that latter point, Roth was called out back in 2021 when he posted a seven-minute video in which he recalled the origin story behind the Frankenstein. In the video, he claimed he was the brains behind the iconic striped design.

However, his tale didn’t add up, and was later disputed by Chris Gill – Guitar World contributor, EVH guitar expert and co-author of Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen – who blasted his story as a “complete revisionist fabrication”.

“I guess that’s all I can say,” Wolfgang continued in his recent interview. “I seem to have been born into this Van Halen drama that has come way before me. I guess now that my dad isn't here to be a target, I guess he went to the next best thing.”

Wolfgang was also asked about the potential for a Van Halen reunion, or honorary tour – not with Roth – in the future. As he has done in the past, though, the EVH brand torchbearer shot down the possibility.

“It’s impossible to have a reunion,” he stated. “No way. No, I don’t want to play that music without my dad.”

As such, the closest thing we’ll probably get to an honorary Van Halen tribute is the upcoming Best Of All Worlds tour, which will see Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani and Michael Anthony share the stage for some Van Halen-filled setlists.

[pooltablemoversla]

Pool Table Movers Los Angeles County CA - Trusted Billiards

Understanding Pool Table Moving Services

Pool Table Movers Los Angeles offers a wide range of services that are essential to the safe and efficient movement of pool tables. Understanding pool table moving services will help you appreciate the complexity. The moving services are available for both residential and business needs, and ensure precision and quality in each task. Pool tables are heavy and require special handling, packaging, as well as unique transportation methods. Here is where Pool Table Movers Los' expertise comes into play. The van is specially designed with a rail box and slate box to ensure the safety of your pool table. They also cover a large service area including Ventura County and Santa Barbara County.

Pool Table Repair Professionals are Important

Professional repair services are essential to maintain the functionality and durability of pool tables. Repairs of pool tables are best performed by experts with many years of experience. This ensures that the tables maintain their performance and quality. Professional pool table repair services are essential for the proper disassembly and repair of pool tables that can weigh up to 1,200 lbs. Professionals who are trained to repair pool tables can prevent costly mistakes. This is especially true when refelting the table or relocating it. It is wise to hire professionals for pool table repairs in areas such as Orange County. This ensures the table's longevity, protecting the owner’s investment and providing countless hours of gaming for years to come.

The Closer Look at Refelting and Recovery

Refelting and recovery are two of the most important services in pool table maintenance. Pool table movers Los Angeles provide both tasks to maintain a high-quality, smooth playing surface. Pool table repair experts restore damaged billiard fabrics and recreate the ideal playing surface. They transform your game and improve gameplay. ServiceDescription Refelting Replaces worn out felt to restore smoothness and improve ball roll. Recovering This involves removing the old cloth and replacing with a new one to ensure optimal playing conditions.

Los Angeles pool table movers are experts in the field of pool table repair. This includes refelting, recovering and refinishing.

Service List: Pool Table Movers Los Angeles

Pool Table Movers Los Angeles offers a wide range of services, including installation, repair, and refelting. They offer a range of services to keep your pool table in top condition.

Moving Services They will disassemble your pool table and transport it to a new place, making sure that it is transported safely and then reinstalled.

Installation Services: They handle everything from uncrating slates to leveling tables.

Repair Services: Includes refelting and leveling as well as bumper replacement.

Free Quote Services: They offer free quotes on all services, as they understand the importance of budgeting.

You can choose Pool Table Movers Los Angeles to receive a professional and hassle-free service.

Residential vs Commercial Pool Tables

To better understand the skill and expertise needed to handle them, it is important to know the difference between residential and commercial tables. Residential tables are usually smaller and have decorative elements. They're ideal for use at home. Commercial pool tables, on the other hand, are designed to be used frequently in public places like bars or clubs. They're more durable and built for heavy use.

Let's look at the table below to illustrate: AspectResidential pool tablesCommercial Pool Tables Size Smaller Larger Construction Decorative and Customizable Sturdier and Durable Use Home Use Public Spaces

You can choose Pool Table Movers Los Angeles to meet all of your pool table requirements for a number of compelling reasons.

Experience and Expertise With more than 18 years of experience in the industry, we have mastered moving, installing, and repairing all types and sizes pool tables.

Safe and secure moves We use specialized equipment to move your pool tables and make sure the slate box is secured.

Comprehensive Service We offer not only moving and installing pool tables but also recovering, recushioning and repair services.

Wide coverage area: We provide services to customers throughout Southern California.

Our commitment to provide a high-quality and reliable service is demonstrated by these reasons for choosing our services.

Southern California Areas covered by Service

Pool Table Movers Los Angeles offers comprehensive moving services throughout Southern California. This includes Ventura County and Santa Barbara County. It also covers the West Side/South Bay area, San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley Antelope Valley Long Beach, Valencia, Pomona, Goleta, and Long Beach. They offer superior moving services to those living in San Bernardino County. Area Covered Availability Ventura County Moving, Installation and Repairs Yes, Santa Barbara County Setup, Moving, Reclussing Yes, San Bernardino County Recarpeting, Moving, and Storage Yes, Long Beach Installing, Moving and Setting Up Yes, San Gabriel Valley Moving, Recushioning and Repairs Yes,

We offer a level of service that is second to none.

FAQs

How much does it cost to move a billiard table?

The price of moving a pool table depends on several factors. These include the size and weight of the table, the distance to be covered, and the difficulty of disassembling and reassembling the table. The price may be affected by additional services like recushioning and re-carpeting. To compare costs, it's best to get quotes from several professional movers. Contacting the company directly is usually the best way to obtain a free or firm quote.

How much does it cost to have someone set up a pool table?

Costs for setting up a pooltable can vary depending on a number of factors. These include the type and size of the table, the location and any other services needed. This may include leveling the pool table, replacing felt or adjusting rails. To ensure proper installation, and to prevent damage, it's best to hire a professional. It's best that you contact a pool table professional for an accurate estimate.

Can you move a pool table without professionals?

It is possible to move a pool-table without the help of professionals, but it's not recommended. Pool tables are heavy, complex pieces of furniture which require expert handling. The wrong disassembly and reassembly of a pool table can cause damage or imbalance. Imagine moving a table weighing 1,200 pounds with delicate slate. The risk of damage would be high. Hiring professionals will ensure safe transport and proper setup so you can enjoy your pool table with no hassle.

Do you tip pool table movers?

Tipping pool table movers or other service providers is common and an excellent way to thank them for their work. Tipping can be varied, but the standard is 5-10% of total service costs or $20 to $40 per mover. You can consider tipping extra if you feel the movers did a great job. Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory.

[beardedmrbean]

The Belgian government is stepping up its fight against organised crime and the drug smuggling that goes with it by hiring more customs agents at the Port of Antwerp.

As Europe’s second largest port, millions of shipping containers pass through its gates every year, which is why it is often called the gateway to the continent, alongside the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

"For the last five years, we have been breaking (drugs) records here in Antwerp," Florence Angelici, spokesperson for the Belgian Federal Public Finance Service told Euronews. "Last year, there were 89 tonnes of cocaine seized here in Antwerp. It was a very big year, but still, we see the numbers rising."

"We are currently hiring 100 new customs agents and we are about to build new scanning devices directly inside the terminals and the aim is to scan 100% of the risk containers."

Some 41 tonnes were recovered by authorities in 2017, with the number rising year-on-year to reach 65.5 tonnes in 2020.

Seizures hit a peak in 2021, with 89 metric tonnes seized after investigators cracked the encrypted messaging service Sky ECC and intercepted a billion messages during a two-year investigation.

War on drugs is already lost

For Professor Letizia Paoli, an expert in organised crime at Catholic University Leuven, the war on drugs is already lost and Europe should start focusing instead on the damage caused.

"The war against [drug] trafficking cannot be won," she told Euronews. "And I think that police forces all over Europe should focus not so much on reducing the flows because in areas such as the European Union with open borders, it's really hard to stick to the use of laws.

"Instead they should, as much as possible, try to reduce the harms associated with drug trafficking itself, the harms of violence and the harms of corruption."

Paoli added that an EU-wide discussion on the legalisation of some narcotics should be explored.

"At the same time, (we should) start a debate on whether or not some drugs should be legalised in such a way as to reduce the revenues of organised criminals."

But as drug seizures have increased, so has violence linked to organised crime. 

Just last month, Belgium's Justice Minister, Vincent Van Quickenborne, was caught up in a foiled kidnapping plot linked to organised crime in the Netherlands.

He described it as “narco-terrorism” with others even calling Belgium a "narcostate". Paoli, however, said this definition is unjustified.

"There is no reason to define Belgium as a narcostate. There are huge differences with real narcostates, such as Mexico, for example," she explained. 

"In Belgium, in the Netherlands, the public administration has more integrity, so there are very few cases known of civil servants that have been corrupted by organised criminals."

Paoli added that the record cocaine recovered last year at the Port of Antwerp nearly matched the whole EU's yearly consumption and still prices across the continent did not increase.

In fact, she said the cost of cocaine even decreased in some cases, showing that supply is still readily flowing through Europe, despite police seizures.

[gay-disabled-characters-showdown]

LGBTQ+ Disabled Characters Showdown Round 3, Wave 2, Poll 9

A character being totally canon LGBTQ+ and disabled was not required to be in this competition. Please check qualifications and propaganda before asking why a character is included. 

Check out the other polls in this wave and prior here.

Lan Wangji-The Untamed / Mo Dao Zu Shi

Qualifications:

Canonically gay, pretty heavily coded as autistic (esp in the show)

Additional qualifications by @lovewanxian : I would like to add that Lan Wangji also has extremely extensive scarring on his back from getting whipped 33 times and spent an extended amount of time bedridden because of it

Propaganda:

He's an absolute badass - in a series full of morally ambiguous or outright immoral characters, he's one of the only people around to consistently show he's reliable, honorable and strong. Some examples include Lan Wangji defending Wei Wuxian, his love interest and eventual husband, against his own clan and other clans because WWX went against their rules and tried to save innocent people, or LWJ raising WWX's adopted son for years and being a great father and mentor to him. While LWJ isn't *technically* canonically autistic, (not that this word would exist in the setting), he has flat affect, fixates on rules and his difficulty in understanding people's emotions is explicitly brought up and a minor plot point.

Wylan Van Eck-Six of Crows

Qualifications:

Wylan has dyslexia (heavily implied, but not outright said bc setting) and is gay,

Dyslexic and gay!

They are in a adorable m/m relationship, and also have severe dyslexia to the point that (when eight) he could not read or write despite formal education

Wylan is gay and dyslexic!

Propaganda:

Wylan and Jesper have the absolute cutest relationship. Also, Wylan has dyslexia. I don't think it was outright said, but that was heavily implied. It just couldn't be set out loud for the sake of maintaining the fantasy setting. He's such a good character, and is primarily known for his skill with explosives, not his struggles with reading and writing. The other protagonists also never judge him for it, and the only character who does is the kind of person 90% of readers want to kill by the end of the series.

His boyfriend Jesper helped him fake being able to read so they could beat Wylan's shitty dad.

- He's incredibly sweet - But can also be ok with murder sometimes, like when killing unconscious people wasn't good - so just wake them up. - He was thrown out of the house and his father tried to kill him, because of said dyslexia, but managed to survive. Then rebelled against his father and with the help of friends took down his empire - He is very talented at the flute. And can draw very well, along with being a great chemist and demolition experts (hired for making flash bombs and other cool shit-) - Helps break into a world-class prison, then blushes the entire time because the person he's pared with keeps flirting with him - Asks his (eventual boyfriend) if he's into guys. Then immediately gets flustered when Jesper picks it up - Is very rich heir (due to shenanigans) and there's a one-off line about this sweet bean kind of being a sugar daddy- (just gives his boyfriend money to do stocks with, to stop him from gambling) - Supports his boyfriend throughout his gambling addiction and tries to help him overcome it

Wylan is dyslexic and because of this written off as stupid by his father. However, he is actually a genius, especially with chemicals, and he uses his genius and his new band of misfit friends to take his father down and read him for filth in front of a whole bunch of important people. He is good at making things explode. He also nabs himself a hot boyfriend in the process so good for him!

The qualifications and propaganda paragraphs correspond, @wisheduponastar is the third submitter.

[bess3714]

Gotham Knights Season One, Episode One: Pilot

Air date: March 14, 2023

I'm sorry, but Turner Hayes sounds like the name of a genderbent version of Taylor Swift.

(He's grumpy because I said that.)

Anyway, read on for my review of the first episode of Gotham Knights! Not that you're really missing much, but spoilers below the cut!

Synopsis

Harper, Cullen, and Duela break into Wayne Tower because they've been hired to steal something. They get there, realize they've been set up and Bruce Wayne has been murdered, pushed out a window, and revealed as Batman. Yikes. So they run and manage to escape. Harvey Dent tells Turner Hayes his adopted dad is dead, Turner is sad he's dead and mad Bruce didn't tell him he was Batman, yadda yadda. The cops go after Harper, Cullen, and Duela, arrest them, and question them. Turner wants to find out who hired them, so he gets Stephanie to use the Batcomputer to hack into the bank records to see who paid him. Turns out, the money came from his account! So about this time, the cops have figured that out and come arrest Turner and throw him into jail with Harper, Cullen, and Duela. The four get put in a transport van and head to prison, but before they get there, they escape. The cops who were moving them were dirty, though, and so they're about to kill the kids to clean up the whole Bruce-Wayne-murder mess when Robin swoops in to save them. Then they all head back to the Batcave where Duela tells them the creepy Court of Owls poem. Yay!

Characters

Turner Hayes: Dead parents (twice). Sad Bruce died, kinda

Stephanie Brown: Computer whiz. Has sex.

Harper Row: Will sacrifice herself for her brother.

Cullen Row: Is transgender. Can pick locks. Has successfully impersonated two (2) cops.

Duela: Hates her father. Hates authority. Is fluent in violence.

Carrie Kelly: Is Robin. Exists. That's about it.

Review

Now, I don't really know much about the comic versions of these characters, except for Stephanie and my knowledge of her is limited to her appearances in stories focused on other characters, so I'll be reviewing them completely divorced from their source material. (Except for Turner, because he doesn't have source material. He has been immaculately conceived specifically for this show.)

Okay, so maybe I would have cared about Turner Hayes a little more if we had actually gotten to see him interact at all with Bruce Wayne, but we only get to see Bruce when he's splattered on the pavement so, uh, there's no emotional pull at my heartstrings to feel bad for this kid. It's like he's trying to be a self-insert character and yet he's failing sooo miserably because he's kind of bland. I really hate criticizing an actor's performance, but I wasn't impressed by Oscar Morgan. His acting just felt really dull and restrained to me, but then this show felt kind of dull, so that might have just been the director? I don't know. I'm an expert in talking about things I know nothing about, not an expert in filmology or whatever. I'm hoping that it's just first episode woes and next episode we'll see better from him and his character.

What to say about Stephanie Brown? She's friends with Turner and she's an expert hacker. That's about it, to be honest. She does have slightly more personality than Turner, but she got less screen time. She's basically just a generic cutout copy of every other teen girl character that's on TV. She was trying to have sex on Turner's couch, so bold move her, I guess. I like her friendship with Turner, and as long as they don't try to turn it into an awkward "I'm a boy youre a girl let's kiss" kind of romantic situation, I think their friendship could be a strong point in this show.

I don't think Cullen actually did anything interesting the entire episode besides using walkie-talkies to send the cops to a different stairwell and telling Harvey Dent to shove it with his performative allyship (which was an absolutely correct thing to assume and good for Cullen for not falling for the good-cop routine).

Harper was kind of the leader of her, Duela, and Cullen. I say kind of because Duela pretty much does whatever she wants, but it seemed like when there was a decision to be made, Harper was the one making it. She was protective of Cullen but didn't seem to particularly care for Duela, which, understandable, since Duela was the one who got them the job that ended up framing them for Bruce Wayne's murder. I'm hoping we see Harper in more of a leadership position in the group because if Turner is the leader they're screwed.

Now, my favorite character was Duela, because she was the only one who was actually entertaining! She was by far the most violent of all the kids, consistently starting fights (and winning them), she was smart, as evidenced by her asking for a lawyer when she got arrested, and then talking Harvey and the cop guy in circles. She's noticeable, which was pretty important in this bland milquetoast show.

Carrie Kelly is Robin and she has trig with Turner and that's about it for her. I'm really hoping for more of her in the next episode. I'm really hoping for more of anything, at this point.

Last but not least, Harvey Dent! Misha Collins himself! He's kind of weak sauce! (Harvey, not Misha). He's upset because Bruce died. He says that he's basically Turner's uncle. He could have shown a little more emotion over Bruce's death if he was close enough to Bruce to basically call him his brother, but nope! There was no emotion there. I think this show might be allergic to emotion, honestly.

Somehow it felt like the episode was rushed yet nothing happened. Everything felt unimportant. Every plot point felt like a box that was being checked or an ingredient added that would hopefully add up to a very delicious cake. Unfortunately, the cake did not turn out well. The literal Batman died and the show was just like, oh well :)

Anyway, I'm gonna watch the next episode because I have a feeling this show is like an airplane crash on top of a train wreck and I just can't wait for what happens next! My standards are pretty low when it comes to shows; my most important criteria is Be Entertaining. If you can't hold my interest because watching paint dry would be a more fun way to spend my time, then I'm going to move on. I'm enough of a Batfam stan to keep watching, but it had better get a move on before I get bored and move on to something else (like the nine hundred other shows I have on my watchlist. And yes, I did have fun cutting out the images).

[eelifnazfirat]

I have read a lot of books and explored various kinds of genres but my favorite novels are divided into 3 groups based on their genres; Fantasy, dystopian, and the classics.

Fantasy started existing during the 18th century but it started getting recognized as a separate genre in the 19th century. Fantasy is a unique genre. It often consists of mythical creatures, superpowers, and improbable situations. It is sometimes known for being childlike but I believe that is not true. Reading fantasy novels feel like expanding our world and creating other alternative universes. If it is well written enough it gives the feeling of home and it often consists of the same tropes like good against evil, coming of age, and betrayal. It is often full of plot twists, unexpected events, and a little bit of reality and sorrow as most main characters usually go through hell and back. For example, one of my all-time favorite book series in fantasy is the Six of Crows duology written by Leigh Bardugo. The duology follows Kaz Brekker and his gang of anti-heroes, also called “The Crows”. The story is full of tension and mind-numbing plot twists until the end. There's also some magic, which is complemented by a darker atmosphere to make things even more interesting. Kaz Brekker, the infamous thief is promised a considerable amount of cash to kidnap Bo Yul-Bayur, a scientist. The Ice Court is the most heavily guarded location in Fjerda, and Kaz will not be able to enter it alone. He hires Inej Ghafa. Inej is well-known for her agility in climbing buildings and moving across impossible terrain. She is quiet but powerful. Next, Kaz hires Jesper Fahey, the crew's sharpshooter. He is careless, sarcastic, and enjoys gambling a little more than he should. The third member is Nina Zenik, who is a witch. She is confident, loud, and not afraid of who she is. She is also powerful as she can kill people from meters away, without even having to touch them. Matthias Helvar is a witch hunter who somehow ends up on the crew. He has a history with Nina and he only accepts to join the crew if he gets to kill Nina in the end. Lastly, Wylan Van Eck is the son of a rich merchant. He is very insecure because he is not able to read but he is the brain of the group. He is a demolition expert and an incredible engineer. He is the only ace in Kaz’s hand since Wylan’s father is the one who is paying them but soon they have to learn that Wylan’s relationship with his father is not like they have expected. The second novel follows the aftermath of the heist and has an intriguing storyline since politics get involved. The duology is full of diversity and everyone can find a piece of themselves in a character. I believe that it is one of the best examples of this genre because it consists of a fair level of magic, diversity, myths, and plot twists that leave a bittersweet feeling in your heart when you are done with it.

Moving on to Dystopian Literature, The word dystopia has greek roots and it means “bad place”. Dystopian literature began as a response to its polar opposite, utopian fiction where everything seems to be perfect. The history of dystopian literature traces back to the French Revolution in 1789 and it is first used to criticize dictatorship. Dystopian books are set in a different universe, where everything seems to be as bad as it can be. Its purpose is to make people uncomfortable, examine our values in society, and make comments on society’s flawed parts with making them stand out while using an unfamiliar setting. Every dystopian book is an echo of our society’s voice. Dystopian literature reaches its peak in the late ’90s and early ’00s. One of the most popular series written in this era is The Hunger Games by Susanne Collins. It is a trilogy and a perfect example of how corrupt governments can be and how far they can go, just to stay in power. It makes discrimination, selfishness, need for revenge and hunger for power stand out. In the books, there have been attempts to get rid of the corrupt government of Panem but none of them are successful. The government sets up a punishment called “The Hunger Games” where 2 kids from every district are chosen to fight in an arena until there is a survivor. The main heroine, Katniss Everdeen is a confident archer who hunts with his best friend Gale to keep her family well-fed. When she volunteers to go to the Hunger Games to replace her 12-year-old sister, she knows that she has to survive. The other tribute from the 12th district is Peeta Mellark. Peeta’s parents are sure that their son is not going to be able to make it out alive from the arena. During the games, Barbaric murders occur but somehow Katniss and Peeta are the last ones to remain alive. They both find a way to stay alive and it makes the president furious. They eventually lead an evolution when they get back home but realize that things are getting worse as they keep fighting for their freedom. It is a story of characters that eventually have to lose everything they ever had and Katniss needs to choose between Peeta and Gale. In the story, they are used for metaphors and two pathways Katniss could take while Gale symbolizes anger, war, and trouble; Peeta symbolizes light in the darkness, mercy, rebirth, and peace. What makes the story relatable is the parallels we can see in our daily lives. For instance, why does the public allow The Hunger Games? Because they do not believe their children will be picked. How many people believe that they will never be unsatisfied, separated, seriously ill, or harmed? People enjoy making decisions based on themselves. But wouldn't we be better off as a society if we ensured safety for everyone who is having a hard time? Also, The metaphor for Gale and Peeta is a parallel showing the two ways a person can take after traumatic events. Recovery or Rage. The story is like a wake-up call to everyone, making them find connections to their lives. This is why dystopian books are important for society. It teaches people what is wrong in the world they are living in. Hopefully, more people start reading dystopian again and it continues to exist as a reflection of our society.

Lastly, there is Classical Literature. Etymologically, the word classics comes from the Latin adjective “classicus” which means "belonging to the highest class of citizens". Classical literature originates from ancient Greece and Rome but the term classical is mostly used in every period when authors provide excellence and high quality in their work so it also includes parts of French, Russian, and English Literature. The middle to late 1700s was considered the Golden Period of Classicism. Some well-known authors that contributed to Classical literature are; John Milton, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, and Mark Twain. Every novel from this era is written with clearness and elegance and analyzes some timeless, unchangeable reality about how people behave so it can connect with readers both from our time and its time even if it is mostly based on themes about the time it was created and classic themes like love and mankind against nature. They still get passed from reader to reader and seem to be one of the most indispensable parts of literature. For example, The Lord of The Flies by William Golding was an award-winning and famous book in the past and its reputation still carries on. The book is based on the theme of morality and immorality as the story follows a group of teenage boys surviving a deadly plane crash and ending up on an uninhabited island. Two of the boys find a big shell on the island and decide to use it as a horn to make the other survivors know where they are. They choose one of the boys, Ralph as their leader and split up since some of them have to go and hunt. The boys first take advantage of their time without adults, playing games and splashing around in the pool. Ralph, though, says that they should be keeping the signal fire going and building shelter huts. The hunters' attempt to capture a wild pig is unsuccessful, but their leader Jack grows more and more obsessed with the act of hunting. The rivalry between Jack and Ralph is the main conflict in Lord of the Flies. A peaceful democracy, personified by Ralph, and a violent dictatorship, personified by Jack, are at battle in the conflict over control of the island. Although Jack first unwillingly accepts Ralph's leadership, both boys can lead the entire group. As the story continues, their rivalry increases and strengthens until it becomes a fight to the death. Boys who identify with Ralph, Jack, or either of them reflect many morals and aspects of human nature. Jack stands for aggression, harshness, duty, and protecting the weak, whereas Ralph stands for respect for the law, responsibility, and reason. The book, which is set against the background of a world war, is both a warning against the specific effects of nuclear weapons and a study of human nature and the unstable influence of man in nature. The novel gives the specific tale of a small group battling nature and one another a sense of inevitability and humanity by narrating the story through the experience of young boys isolated from the rest of civilization and making few references to the world outside. It is also an accurate example of how classic novels should be as it checks all the boxes about how a classic novel should be. Classics are like an old door that leads the way to nostalgia and a look at the old times. They should be protected and get passed on to the generation after us, making them have the same opportunity to take a look at the past, just like we did.

In conclusion, every genre is unique in its own way and important for society in different aspects. We should explore different genres and find the ones that fit our taste the most and try to learn some valuable lessons. Remember that everyone can be a reader if they find what they like, try to enjoy what you are reading, and discover your favorite books and genres. Maybe in the future, you can enjoy classifying your favorite books according to their genres too!

[ultratenaciouscyclecollector]

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BEST REMOVALS OFFER PROFESIONAL AND HIGH STANDARDS REMOVALS CARDIFF!

Best Re

movals Cardiff

have moved many thousands of customers all over the UK. You can count on our friendly and experienced men to make your move as easy as possible, we will take special care of all your belongings. Being a family business, we have built up a reputation for our well known personal service which takes all the stress out of your removal.

Contac

t

us

now if you need HOUSE AND OFFICES Removals Cardiff and to inquire about our man and van hire

services

. You can check

Reviews

on

Facebook

or

yell.com

 You can either call us        07442239068 on WhatsApp

or send us an email           Bestremovals1@gmail.com website.                            www.bestremovalshouses.co.uk

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/bestremovals/

https://twitter.com/BestRemovals1

https:/www.linkedin.com/feed/

https://www.yell.com/biz/best-removals-cardiff-8546270/

REMOVALS IN CARDIFF OFFER

HOUSE AND OFFICE REMOVALS CARDIFF

Why choose our office Removals Cardiff Service ? We will carry out the complete office move from start to finish, providing packaging materials, and packing services whilst coordinating the move itself. Having successfully completed a large number of office moves in wales we can provide valuable advice in the planning of the relocation, advising on the best methods for packing and unloading to minimise the operational downtime of your business

DELIVERY REMOVALS CARDIFF

Experienced Deliver Big Piece of Furniture help in your neighbourhood

People around the globe trust Taskers with home projects big and small Removals Cardiff

PIANO REMOVALS CARDIFF

Moving a piano can be a very stressful prospect, Best Removals Cardiff we will discuss with you how we plan to move your piano and we will take all the stress away, ensuring that the move runs smoothly.

When we move or deliver a piano to your home we take great care to leave your house as if we’d never been there, our team will always hoover and tidy up. All our crews carry blankets, padded covers, door and bannister covers to ensure everything isprotected.

CLEANING SERVICES CARDIFF

If you are selling your property & want to give potential buyers the best first impression it may be worth considering having the property professionally cleaned.End of Tenancy Cleaning package, all of our deep cleaning services include a comprehensive clean of the property from top to bottom, Guaranteed to show off the property to its full potential.

HOUSE CLEARANCE , REMOVALS CARDIFF

Removing absolutely everything from the property.

This includes carpets, curtains, wall & floor fixtures – whatever you require.

This service is very useful if you do not have the time to do the work yourself.

Disassembling/ Reassemblin

Packing

Unpacking Service / Packing Material

are available

Up-to four STRONG, EXPERIENCED men

per van load , depending upon your requirement

Fully Insured

.

Vehicles of different sizes are available

( We can allocate the best one, which suites your needs and move size)

For more details, please ring us 07442239068

Contact us

now if you need HOUSE AND OFFICES , Removals in Cardiff our man and van hire

services

.

You can check us Reviews on Facebook or yell.com

07442239068 WhatsApp

Bestremovals1@gmail.com

www.bestremovalshouses.co.uk

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