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be11atrixthestrange · 4 years ago

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The Underground

Harry Potter orders Kreacher to do the impossible: have some fun.

Written for the International Wizarding School Competition Theme and Prompts: -Write about an oppressed character or group creating something that is theirs as an act of independence from their oppressors [Song]- Used To The Darkness by Des Rocs [Object]- Button

~The Underground~ ----------------------------------

-12 Grimmauld Place-

"Kreacher? Can you come into the drawing-room?"

Kreacher was startled by the voice that echoed into the kitchen. Even though he hadn't served the Black Family in years, he still resided in their home, and Harry Potter's voice simply felt out of place.

Master's calling, but Kreacher doesn't want to talk to him. Kreacher might not have to. Master didn't give an order. Maybe Kreacher can say he's busy...

Even though Harry Potter's question wasn't technically a command, Kreacher still felt a tug of obligation toward the drawing-room, from where his rightful master had called.

Kreacher must remember he serves the Potter boy. Even though the Potter boy doesn't ever give clear orders.

He dropped the cleaning supplies onto the kitchen counter and dragged himself away into the other room.

"Hi," said Harry brightly. He was standing at an open desk drawer, pointing inside. "What's this?"

Kreacher shuffled toward the drawer and peered inside. There were old shards of parchment, old quills, inkwells, and other miscellaneous junk, but notably to Kreacher, there was a button.

Master won't notice it. He won't think it's peculiar.

"This is a junk drawer," Kreacher stated.

Except for the button.

"Even the button?"

Master was not supposed to find out about the button.

Because he couldn't lie even if he wanted to, Kreacher reluctantly shook his head. "No. The button is not junk."

"So it's yours?"

Kreacher nodded.

"Did someone give you clothes?" Harry lifted his eyebrows imploringly and added "Was it Hermione? Did she try again?"

Kreacher couldn't shake his head fast enough. Kreacher would never accept a gift of clothes, he thought.

"Tell me how you got it. And while you're at it, tell me why it's burning hot," said Harry. "That's the only way I noticed it."

As Kreacher could not detect any available loopholes in Harry's command, he was compelled to tell the truth. So he told Harry what he wanted to know.

The button was a gift from another house-elf. They chose a button because it was small, compact, and easy to hide. House-elves weren't supposed to own things, so possessing a button, something of inherently little value wouldn't raise flags. It was also a common enough household object that it could be thrown into a junk drawer and remain undetected by a wizard.

The button happened to be enchanted with a Protean Charm. House-elves used it as a communication device, and when it burned hot, it meant it was time to gather.

"Gather?" asked Harry, once Kreacher had finished. "Where do you gather?"

The subtlety of the button was supposed to prevent questions like these. Masters generally overlooked the cleverness of their servants, but not Harry Potter.

Kreacher answered him as vaguely as he could. "Underground."

There was a hint of pride in Harry's eyes. He smiled. "You know, we used this same charm back in school to enchant galleons to communicate the time of Dumbledore's Army meetings…," he trailed off, reminiscing.

"Kreacher won't go," he croaked. "Kreacher doesn't want to go to The Underground."

"Why not?" said Harry. "You've been summoned. I think they're expecting you."

Kreacher doesn't enjoy the Underground.

"Kreacher won't. Kreacher doesn't like it."

"Go have fun, Kreacher," said Harry, as he tossed the flaming hot button into Kreacher's hand. "That's an order."

Kreacher, who could see no way around following his master's command, grasped the button, frowned at Harry, and vanished to The Underground.

-The Underground-

If a Muggle stumbled upon Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, all they would see is a run-down ruin and a sign alerting them to potential danger. It would be unlikely for a Muggle to even get close enough to see anything, because repelling charms kept them far enough away and filled them with a sense of foreboding when crossed. The Underground repelled Wizards with a similar set of enchantments.

For a Wizard, crossing the barrier of the wards felt like walking into a curtain of negativity. First, they could no longer see their clothes, and became convinced that they were naked. Unlike House-elves, Wizards weren't used to feeling so self-conscious and humiliated.

The second effect was regret. They would feel it the minute they walked through. Any questionable morality of their most recent decisions swam to the forefront of their minds and demanded repentance. House-elves were accustomed to the constant urge to self-punish, but Wizards were not.

Lastly, the wards rendered their wands as useless and invisible as their clothes. They still had wands, of course, but they could no longer see, feel or use them. Most Wizards scrambled into their pockets the moment they became convinced that they were naked, and when they couldn't find their wands, they panicked. House-elves remained unaffected, since their magic didn't require wands.

There were also physical barriers designed to filter Wizards that managed to move past the wards. The Underground had no visible doors, and the only way to enter was through Apparition. The same enchanted button that alerted the elves to a gathering acted as an apparition-induced portkey. Without it, they'd have nowhere to go, no direction.

In order for a Wizard to enter The Underground, they had to find an enchanted button, resist the crippling negativity of the wards, and try to apparate wandlessly once inside the protective barrier.

It was safe to say that Wizards didn't come around too often.

*******

Kreacher reappeared in a large empty field on the Welsh coast. It was dark out, he could smell salt in the air, and the crashing waves muffled the reverberating bass from the underground speakeasy nestled under the cliffs.

He stepped inside the wards— or at least he thought he did. The wards did not affect Kreacher, so he wouldn't truly know if he was within their boundaries until he clasped the button in one hand and snapped the other's fingers…

And there he was. Kreacher materialized inside the uneven walls of The Underground where the smell of elf-made wine was strong enough to make him dizzy, and the wailing of a fellow elf's off-key attempt at karaoke assaulted his ears relentlessly.

Kreacher doesn't want to be at The Underground. Kreacher doesn't approve.

The room was decorated with balloons and sparkling gold streamers that reflected beams directly into Kreacher's eyes. Kreacher, who was used to darkness, winced at the light.

Harry Potter ordered Kreacher to come here. Harry Potter sent Kreacher to have fun.

Kreacher dragged himself past an open closet bursting with colorful scarves, socks, and jewelry. He scowled at a pair of elves who were taking turns adorning themselves with as many flamboyant accessories that they could fit on their small frames.

He shuddered at the thought of putting on clothes and the punishment it would earn him if he were still serving the Blacks. He watched the elves for a few moments, before his eyes settled on a box that overflowed with vibrantly hued knit hats.

Kreacher could try one. Kreacher serves Harry Potter now, and master Harry wouldn't mind.

Just the thought paralyzed the elf with guilt. Even though his current master would never punish him for it, for some odd reason he still felt chained to the expectations of those he served before Harry. With a shudder, he tore his gaze away from the tempting box of clothes and continued his exploration of the bar.

Kreacher stumbled across the room, eventually happening upon a table of rowdy elves. They were carelessly holding drinks that sloshed around their glasses and spilled down their hands when they threw their heads back in laughter. He shuffled past the table to see the source of their amusement— an elf that stood on her chair, mimicking the words of her master.

"And then she tried to throw the hot soup at Velga's face but," the House-elf named Velga paused, possibly for dramatic effect, while the other elves leaned in to listen more intently, "she dropped the bowl on her own foot!"

The elves burst into another round of laughter and leaned back on the legs of their chairs, splashing the contents of their glasses around. Velga remained standing and adjusted the position of the oversized sunglasses and scarf she had likely taken from the front closet. She waited patiently for the laughter to settle before she spoke again.

"Then," she continued, commanding everyone's attention back. "She tried to run toward Velga, but the floor was slippery with soup, so she fell down instead and hit her head!"

There was another chorus of guffaws around the table, and one elf laughed so hard he choked on his wine, showering mead across the table from his long, hooked nose. None of the other elves seemed to care, but Kreacher trembled at the distant memory of a time he had been so uninhibited, only to earn a beating from the Black family matriarch.

He wanted to join in the laughter, and he tried. He served Harry now, and technically could laugh at a Witch or Wiizard's expense without repercussions. But for some reason, the laughter got stuck in his throat. It no longer came naturally after so many years of repression.

Kreacher can't.

Kreacher turned away from Velga and her raucous audience and shuffled over to the stage, where another huddle of elves stood clapping and cheering. The elf onstage held a microphone to his lips and was belting the lyrics to a song Kreacher had never heard before.

I'm too damn young to give up on the light

I'm used to the darkness. I'm used to the darkness…

The song had a strong beat and a heavy bass, and Kreacher felt his foot start to tap along. It didn't help that Dezzy— whose name Kreacher guessed by the supportive chants of the dancing elves below the stage— was quite a performer. Like Velga, Dezzy was dressed flamboyantly from head to toe, clearly having raided the same closet at the bar's entrance. The sequined bomber jacket he wore was plastered with glitter that reflected light like a disco ball. A pair of aviator glasses rested on his nose to keep the beams out of his eyes, and every stomp of his tap-shoe-clad feet added another heart-pumping beat.

Kreacher noticed the involuntary tap of his toes and froze in fear. He put all of his willpower into steadying his foot. For a moment, he wondered if this is what Harry Potter meant when he ordered him to 'have fun', but it couldn't be— at this point in Kreacher's long life, doing something so unproductive as dancing only induced more guilt.

Kreacher shouldn't dance.

Kreacher knew that he'd eventually be unable to resist the dance floor's allure if he stayed, so he turned around and stumbled to the bar instead. As he took a seat, he squinted up at the menu to read the drink options, but the words were obscured by large scrawling letters that revealed the reason for the evening's gathering.

Tonight We Honor Dobby, A Free Elf

Dobby disobeyed his masters. Dobby didn't follow all orders.

Kreacher had thought those words many times, but this time the thought came with notably less judgment than it used to.

"Pleased to see you Kreacher," said a voice behind the bar. "Winky didn't expect Kreacher to answer her call."

Kreacher narrowed his eyes at Winky. "Kreacher didn't want to answer. Kreacher doesn't like coming here."

Winky poured Kreacher a glass of magenta-tinted wine and slid it across the bar into his hand. "Then why is Kreacher here?"

Kreacher picked up his wine glass and sniffed it, as if he was testing for poison. He didn't like to drink things he hadn't poured himself, especially underneath caverns by the sea. "Master Potter found the button and ordered Kreacher to come. He ordered Kreacher to have fun."

Winky nodded. "Most masters would punish their elves upon finding the button. Kreacher is lucky."

Kreacher shook his head and stared intently at his wine, still unsure if he should drink it.

"Is Kreacher following his master's orders?" continued Winky.

The older elf grunted. "Kreacher is here," he said, gingerly raising the glass to his lips. He took a small sip, and was quite pleased with the taste. "But Kreacher is not having fun," he added, before taking a larger gulp of wine.

"Has Kreacher tried on clothes?"

"Kreacher won't," he said, thinking of Velga, and Dezzy, and the other foolish-looking elves piling on clothes at the entry closet.

Winky nodded. "Has Kreacher tried singing?"

Kreacher looked over to the stage where Dezzy was now bowing as his audience applauded. He passed the microphone to another elf who then began rumbling the first few lyrics of a vaguely familiar Weird Sisters song— something about Hippogriffs. Kreacher shook his head. He had no desire to listen.

"Kreacher doesn't sing."

"Well, if Kreacher thinks it would be fun," said Winky, as she motioned toward the round table that was crowded with laughing elves. Velga was back at it with another anecdote of her master. "Kreacher can make fun of Harry Potter."

Kreacher didn't even know what he would say. Harry Potter was nice to him, and would never throw hot soup in his face. Harry Potter usually gave him reasonable orders, with the exception of this one— having fun.

"Kreacher can't make fun of his master."

"That's where you're wrong," said Winky. "Here at The Underground, Kreacher can if he wants to. That's why Winky built it. Winky knows Dobby would have loved it here," she added sadly.

Kreacher took another long sip of wine. "Kreacher doesn't want to make fun of Harry Potter."

Want. Kreacher was still uncomfortable speaking in terms of wants, rather than needs— or more accurately— duties. Maybe it would get easier someday.

"Very well then, Kreacher. No one, not even Harry Potter, can force Kreacher to have fun."

Kreacher sighed— the stress of carrying out Harry Potter's order was growing on him, but the wine was helping. Winky seemed to understand, because she refilled his glass before scurrying along the bar, where another elf was waving her down.

Kreacher continued sipping his wine, staring solemnly into the glass, and tried to repress the rising guilt that came with leaving Harry Potter's orders unfulfilled. Maybe someday Kreacher will have fun at The Underground.

#hp fanfic #hp ficlet #hp fandom #harry potter

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meganhvisualskills · 4 years ago

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Visual Skills:

Reportage Task 1: ‘The dice man cometh’

Tuesday 29th September.

After spending our first Monday completing a few quick and fun warm up tasks, observing and drawing our own hands and classmates, Tuesday we faced our first Visual Skills task: ‘The dice man cometh’.

A task which resulted in us randomly placing ourselves in different parts of Cardiff in small groups of three.

Through a digital dice app, we randomly assigned ourselves: a destination and the time in which we had to draw our surroundings.

The task was beneficial and in a short three hours, developed my contour line drawing skills that little bit more, all the while having a fun and relaxing time doing it.

We started our journey at the university (The University of South Wales). Of course deciding to draw the university itself as it was a clear way to show exactly how the day started.

I started my drawing landscape soon learning the concertina book would look much smoother if it all were complicated portrait. So this first contour line drawing ended up consisting of both portrait and landscape and I think it came out interesting this way, so I don’t label it a mistake because I don’t regret starting at this angle.

The first dice results took us north, we ended up in a very interesting alleyway with a ruin mid construction and the modern buildings in back, showing an interesting comparison of old and new.

I found this second destination quite difficult as it’s hard to show all the rubble and mess through only contour lines. I decided to focus on the main aspects in my surrounds which were the metal scaffolding as it allowed me to show the state of the building without having to draw all the cracks and rubble as well.

With more time, I would have added much more of the detail in my surroundings as I didn’t get half the amount of the interesting aspects visible to me.

The dice took us north again, taking us to a busy road (area name unknown) with the most intricate and most interesting aspect to me being the church.

It was a difficult and probably the most difficult building in the area to draw but I took the challenge up wanting to keep my concertina interesting throughout.

I got in the main features of the church, like the details of the windows and then got in the overall shapes so it didn’t look too unfinished.

I’m overall pretty happy with this piece, though like most pieces here, with more time I would add other features that were in my surroundings into the piece or add detail to the existing pieces.

This is one of my least favourite sections in the concertina as it’s way too simple. I think I could have added more contour lines if given more time. It’s also very hard to make out.

Next we had the option to take ourselves where ever we liked. We chose just outside of the Saint David’s Centre.

I straight away spotted a man and his dog leaning on the wall. With one minute I got down the main outlines, not fitting in much detail but I’m really happy with this one despite the lack of detail. It’s clean and easy to see.

Having the same option again, going where liked, we stopped in the market and I quickly got down the windows and part of the Welsh flag.

This is another one of my favourite sections in the concertina. By this point I was about 3 quarters in and was realising I should focus on key aspects in my surroundings rather than drawing large aspects.

So here you can see a clear example of that, on the left is a singer who was sat right in the centre of the street. For the time the dice gave us, I think I did really well. It’s clear and the proportion is well done. Even with more time, I don’t think I would’ve given him more detail, I may have to the surrounding shops though.

On the right is a statue in Kingsway. I focused on the bottom half knowing I wouldn’t have time for the structured shape of the face. I like the way both thee came out.

I really struggled drawing the Arcade. I can’t place my finger on why exactly but I believe it was the overal perspective. It was a difficult shaped arcade to draw with it having a slight turn.

Though I struggled with this contour peace I think it’s clear and easy to make out like most of my other peace’s that near the end of the concertina, this shows I began to improve.

This was the last and final destination, St Mary Street. I had to draw the flags with it being a main aspect in St Mary’s street, I also captured a few of the many people walking amongst it to show character and life.

With more time I would have added more figures to really show how lively the area was at the time.

On the way to The Castle, I passed a wall full of street art, last minute deciding to place a peace I particle liked in a free space below the previous destination.

This is one of my favourite contour line pieces from the whole concertina.

I was happy and content by the time I’d reached the end of my concertina, looking at it and seeing a slight improvement gradually throughout. Though it was challenging at certain points, it was nice to see it was worth it.

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tessatechaitea · 4 years ago

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Cerebus #5 (1978)

It seems improbable that this comic book would run for 300 issues.

The United Kingdom has way too much history for such a small island. And being American, I know about 3% of it. I know there were some kings and queens, some named Elizabeth and others named George and then some guy named Oliver who fit in there somehow despite not being a king or queen. I know there are four nationalities that make up the country: Scottish, Irish, Welsh, and the boring one. I know there's a dragon on the Welsh flag and their language has too many consonants, probably because they spent so much time in mines. I know the Scottish only eat deep fried Mars bars. I know the Irish had some troubles because some of the Irish aren't British or something. And I know all the stupid political crap the American Republican party are going to do because they simply follow the Tory playbook a few months to a year after the Tories have pulled some racist bullshit. And it's not just the Tories! Seeing what the centrist Labour party members did to sabotage their own party is simply a window into what our centrist Democrats would love to do to the Leftists (and may have done! But they just haven't been exposed yet like the jerks in the Labour party). Also, and this might not seem like British History so much as a personal experience, I once fist bumped Jimmy Carr after he made a joke about me fucking pigeons. That was only one of the many times he took the piss out of me at the show. But I knew what I was getting into when I purchased front row tickets for Jimmy Carr. All that being said (terribly summed up and horribly accounted), I knew even less when I first read this story at 21. I didn't know the "Pigts" were a pun on "Picts." I just thought it was a stupid name for a loin cloth wearing tribe of people named after breakfast foods. That was good enough for me! But maybe this issue will be even funnier if I read the Wikipedia entry on Picts! Or scan the entry, at least. Or, at the very least and the most probable option, click on the link, read a few sentences, and realize I don't really care that much. I should probably read more non-fiction so that I actually know things about the world rather than reading another Lando Calrissian book until I know all the rules to Sabacc. In "A Note from the Publisher," Deni Loubert explains how this issue of Cerebus caused a lot of stress between the publisher and the artist due to money concerns. But in the end, Deni put in a lot of her money and solved the problem. I guess one of the few things Dave found possible to believe before breakfast was that his spouse would support him both financially and emotionally while he pursued his dreams. Dave's Swords of Cerebus essay went on for more than one page in its original printing and whoever reprinted it here forgot that there were a few extra paragraphs. So it's reprinted incomplete. That's okay because the bulk of it is about all the shortcuts he takes in drawing rain and shadows and how it's evident, as you progress through the story, how much sloppier and lazier his art becomes. But at the end, Dave Sim supplies a Gil Kane quote which made him think long and hard about how he was developing the story of Cerebus. I'd like to scan the quote but it's cut off halfway through because, as I said, somebody forgot the second page of the essay. Luckily I just happen to own the second volume of Swords of Cerebus, so I'll just type it out in a block quote.

"The difference between a comic book and a novel is not labor, not effort, it's the values. In other words, there are no meaningful values in a comic book. The people in comic books are two dimensional people going through the most elementary kind of situations, not enough to sustain anybody's interest beyond an adolescent. A novel has characterization, it has suspense, it has a structured situation full of substantial values that will hold the interest of an intelligent person. That's what I mean. Those values, if they're properly translated — Harvey Kurtzman translated them into comics. His comics were literate, they were intelligent, they were humane, they were interesting, they were funny, they were everything."

There's a second paragraph to the quote but it just brings up more inaccurate things that can be debated ad nauseam. I could argue with a lot of what Gil Kane says but he sort of argues my point at the end anyway with his discussion of Harvey Kurtzman. Basically, it depends on the author and what the author wants to bring to the comic book. Sure, characterization of a character that isn't really supposed to change much because the fans want what the fans have been getting (Batman, for instance) can be tough to pull off. But Gil Kane gets at my main problem with comic book fans who follow characters, buying any story their favorite is a part of: the characterization and story are entirely dependent on the current writer. And some writers just don't fucking care about anything except shitting out another script so they get paid. You'll find a lot of good examples of those kinds of writers in the beginning years of DC's The New 52 as they pretty much hired all of the worst writers from Marvel to launch some of their New 52 titles. Comic books make it easy for writers to write two dimensional characters and be satisfied with the garbage they produce. Fans just want another Batman story. Just stick Harley Quinn in there and it'll sell fifty thousand copies easy. Who cares who writes it as long as they always make their deadline. But that's not a flaw of the medium of comic books! That's a flaw of the writers and/or fans! The main takeaway with the Gil Kane quote is that it was nice that Dave Sim read it and thought about it and applied it to Cerebus. Maybe, at later points, he applies it too much! But if it got Dave to thinking about a larger story and a greater world chock full of characters with different ideologies and beliefs and motivations, I'll allow it to exist without being too hard on it. That's a lot of words. I need to shove a picture in here already.

This is what Page One of a Cerebus comic book looked like before Gerhard. "Pretty fucking awesome," you curse like a sailor. Later, by page four when the horizon has disappeared and the rain is simply ruler-straight vertical lines, you'll be thinking, "When the fuck does Dave hire Gerhard?"

Cerebus has found himself in the Red Marches where he's about to learn a little something about Cerebus from a bunch of long haired shirtless dudes. It's almost like when I was 17 at my first Iron Maiden show surrounded by sweaty shirtless men while I listened to Iron Maiden sing "Sun and Steel" and I thought, "Is this history?" Then later they sang "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and I was all, "I am learning!" I'm so glad I'm writing on the Internet so I don't have to hear anybody say, "What are you talking about? How are those two things alike, you moron?!" Besides, I said it was "almost" like, imaginary jerkos! The nearly naked men convince Cerebus to follow them back to their underground kingdom so he can meet Bran Mak Mufin, the greatest military leader in all of Estarcion. Plus he has an aardvark fetish so he's really going to want to meet Cerebus, no matter how badly Cerebus smells. See, the joke in this issue (which Dave mentions at the beginning of the essay I didn't scan) is that Cerebus' fur smells terrible when it gets wet. It's pretty funny if you think about how bad that could be! Like, really bad! Ha ha!

If he's so fucking great, why is he only the penultimate swordsman? My guess is because of Cerebus!

Look at that rain! That's the rain of an artist who doesn't fucking give a shit! When the fuck does Dave hire Gerhard? Bran Mak Mufin takes one look at Cerebus and has the kind of orgasm you have when you realize the prophecy has finally been fulfilled. Man, those are the best orgasms.

We could use a few good Pigts these days.

I'd forgotten this aspect of the Pigts. One thing I do remember is that Bran Mak Mufin was my favorite member of Cerebus's cabinet as Prime Minister. Wasn't he the only one to ever try to do the right thing? And doesn't he eventually walk away because of how terrible they're all acting? Or does he only finally leave when he believes they're going to be defeated, thus exposing the weakness of his own faith? Bran mentions the Black Tower Empire which, I'm assuming, is an empire which first caused the Black Tower to ascend, something Cerebus will manage later. We learn Cerebus is 26 which probably made me feel good when I first read this in that way you feel youthfully immortal when the protagonist of the story is older than you. Now I'm twenty years older than that and I can tell you the feeling is best described as enervating. Bran Mak Mufin offers to let Cerebus rest so they can talk refreshed in the morning. While trying to sleep, Cerebus hears some strange noises and heads off to investigate.

Notice the Cerebus-shaped heads on the walls. The Chosen One is about to discover he's the protagonist of this story.

I know there's a shot of a huge aadvark statue coming up that I could have scanned instead. I'm working my way up to that revelation! Cerebus spies on a large gathering of Pigts (no more than fifty since that's the size of Bran's army) to learn that he's the reincarnation of some ancient God-King worshiped by the Pigts. The prophecy even says that he will come to them in his 26th year! Holy smokes! You couldn't write this kind of prophecy! For a moment, Cerebus is tempted to assume the role of the Pigts' Redeemer God. I guess this is his "last temptation" moment. But his narcissism wins out over his greed. He would rather be Cerebus the Unique than Cerebus the Guy Who's Just Another Version of that Other Long Dead Guy. He smashes the statue that I forgot to mention and flees the Pigts' nonsense, heading towards Iest. Nothing to say about Aardvark Comment. Just some aardvark lovers getting their aardvark love on. It was embarrassing. Cerebus #5 Rating: B+. This issue is the first to give an inkling of something bigger happening across a longer story. It's still before Dave Sim decided he was going for 300 issues dedicated to the growth of the titular beast. But any time you can make the scope of the protagonist's world bigger, it makes for a more compelling story. I'm definitely more compelled after this issue!

#Dave Sim #Cerebus

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nationalssquash · 5 years ago

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Semis Briefs

Emily out, Jazz through again ...

Emily Whitlock (on her birthday, no less) suffered a foot injury this morning and went to hospital for a check - the X-ray revealed no fracture but she was advised not to play, so Jasmine Hutton got a walkover for the second day in a row (dare we call her ‘Jammy Jazz’ ??)

Makin keeps Welsh flag flying

[1] Joel Makin (Wal) 3-1 [3/4] Adrian Waller (Eng) 11-7, 10-12, 11-7, 11-2 (62m)

Top seed Joel Makin avenged his World Teams defeat against Adrian Waller as the Welshman won in four games to give Wales a finalist for the third year in a row - albeit in different draws!

Makin was well on top in the first, but Waller steadied, saved a game ball and levelled 12-10. In Joel’s own words he needed to up the pace after that,which did the trick as he took the third 11-7 and with Waller fading, the fourth 11-2.

“He came in with a lot of confidence. He had a clear idea of what he was going to do – slow me down and use the height, try and get down the middle of the court and attack me.

“It was effective for a time, he was slowing me down, so I knew that I had to play a little bit faster and take my chances a bit more.

“I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. James has got through the draw unbelievably well early on.

“You only have to give him a little chance and he puts the ball away. I played him a couple of weeks ago and it was a tough game.

“He knows how to win these tournaments all through his career so I’m excited to see how I get on against him.”

Great effort George, but ...

[2] James Willstrop (Eng) 3-1 George Parker (Eng) 11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7 (48m)

James Willstrop reached his tenth Nationals final - a record he now shares with Nick Matthew - as he overcame a spirited, gritty and skilful performance form George Parker, four games that had the crown at the David Ross Sports Village enthralled and probably hoping for a fifth!

The first was close up to six-all then James quickly wrapped it up, and an early lead in the second enabled him to double his advantage. The third was close all the way, and in an at times frantic ending, George pulled one back.

James was on top in the fourth, and soon enough that eleventh final appearance was booked.

George was very good. He’s a class player and he kept his head and cool today. He played great squash and we had a great match. He’s a class act. I’ve known that for a long time and I knew how good he was so that’s why I gave him respect and needed to play very well to beat him. It was anything but easy.

You just have to do all the things you’ve been doing for years. If he’s putting the pressure on you just have to say it’s okay and not panic, let’s just do the things that I do in practice every day. You just have to have faith in that. If it doesn’t happen then you’ve given your best and you’ve lost, if it does happen then you win. You just have to bring it down to the simplest things, concentrate and try and work through it.

That’s the great thing about squash. You have phases where one player is stronger than the other and the other player has to react. It’s a constant battle of psychology.

I’m an Englishman. I know Adrian more than Joel but they’re both good guys. Joel will be tough to beat at this tournament no question. He’s the form player that’s here but Adrian played really well at the World Team Championships. I rate him really highly and on a glass court he’s very attacking and has a lot of options, so he’ll make it very hard for Joel. I’ve got no preference but… Adrian.

Perry in five again

[1] Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng) 3-2 [3/4] Millie Tomlinson (Eng) 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 6-11,11-7 (60m)

Top seed Sarah-Jane Perry made it through to her third Nationals final, but as yesterday she needed all five games to see off the challenge of first time semi-finalist Millie Tomlinson.

Each game followed a similar pattern - one player would get an early lead of two or three points, and went on to take the game with the other player unable to close the gap - needs checking, but the lead may never have changed hands.

So, SJ took the first and third, Millie levelled twice, but it was SJ who controlled the fifth.

It was very up and down. I thought Millie played really well. In patches I thought I played some good stuff but then sometimes I just lost my focus a bit and she took full advantage of that. I’m really happy to be through and relieved at the end. I finished strongly but I’ve just got to keep trying and keep going.

Millie’s really fit and strong so you know physically she’s going to stay in there and get stuck in, get a lot of balls back. She’s going to use that to her advantage and that’s clever play from her. I had to use my physicality in the right way and try and nullify hers. I did a little bit, but not as much as I would’ve liked but I’m not feeling too bad after that physically. A bit of recovery and we should be good for tomorrow.

It’s a really prestigious event and something I look forward to every year and actually I’ve had extra build up because I didn’t get to play last year because I was still injured so I haven’t played it for a couple of years. It’s something where you want to look back on your career and be able to say I won a few National titles. I’ve been stuck on one for quite a few years now so I’ll be gunning for whoever I’ve got to play. It’ll be someone new for me in Nationals so that will be interesting.

#2020 #today #featured

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bucketpage · 5 years ago

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With the BBC broadcasting its lies to every household in the UK including children, I see it as a more direct threat as the BBC are actively trying change and form the nation’s views in every programme from Attenborough’s climate lies right down to indoctrination on CBeebies. Deforestation and child abuse etc are important but have their own charities and activists like Greenpeace and Childline. I have a work colleague and friend who loves the BBC and says he cannot see any left wing , Brexit or climate bias at all. He could not see it as he is a Corbynite, a Remainer and a ‘no borders’ globalist who also hates his own flag , so everything he watches on the BBC he agrees with. What we are looking at with the BBC is the embodiment of the political divide in the nation and the BBC are heavily on one side. They are the side that champions the EU, mass migration, man made climate change, globalism, identity politics and cultural Marxism. By doing this the BBC, our state broadcaster, paid for by us is in breach of its remit and this insidious indoctrination needs to be highlighted and revealed to as many people as possible. Will the BBC live to see its hundredth birthday in 2022? As Director-General Tony Hall steps down, the corporation’s reputation for impartiality is in tatters. It faces huge compensation payments to women broadcasters after illegally underpaying them while foolishly overpaying the likes of Gary Lineker, who is not in the same league as his sublime predecessor Des Lynam. It has welshed on its deal for viewers over the age of 75, who actually watch the telly, as it desperately pursues young people who don’t. It must deal with a landslide Conservative government, which is likely to be in power until the BBC Charter comes up for renewal in 2027. Unfortunately, of its 22,401 staff, only one is believed to have voted for Boris – Brian, who works in Archives in Perivale, but he’s coming up for retirement.The BBC has a metropolitan, globalist point of view which prevents it from tuning into the national mood. In December, a YouGov poll found that less than half (44 per cent) of Britons trusted BBC journalists to tell the truth, a fall of seven percentage points since October. Most dangerously of all, it has a Prime Minister who wonders aloud why, with so many excellent subscription channels, the British people should go on paying a compulsory tax for a public-service broadcaster which doesn’t seem to much like the public or their views.Twenty years ago, when I was employed as a TV critic, there was very little criticism of the BBC. In fact, there was widespread affection for Auntie, and rightly so. Documentaries (of which there were plenty) were generally of a high standard, and drama series did not exist to ram a multicultural agenda down the audience’s throat. For instance, it was not mandatory for every police detective to have an ethnic-minority spouse regardless of how accurately that reflected the real world.The BBC of 2020 is obsessed with promoting what Lord Hall calls “our values”. The fact that those values so seldom coincide with the values of the majority of people who pay their wages seems to be a matter of supreme unconcern. The BBC is only able to show such disdain for its customers because they have paid their money before entering the shop.That complacency may well prove fatal. Now that they have a choice, customers are choosing to go into another store. (I am surprised how many friends say they now listen to LBC instead of Radio 4, but then I switched recently to ITN’s News at Ten.) The number of people giving up their TV licences has soared, with more than 860,000 licences cancelled in 2017-18 compared to 798,000 a year earlier. Admittedly, that’s a small proportion of the 25.8 million licences currently held, but it’s still 2,300 cancellations a day. Coverage of Brexit alone must have seen hundreds of thousands of viewers switch off. BBC bias was embarrassingly evident with panels of six people featuring only one Leaver, studio audiences packed with choleric Corbynists and editors drip-feeding viewers a daily diet of Project Fear.One morning, a Telegraph colleague found herself waiting in a BBC newsroom before she went into the studio where Anna Soubry was screeching one of her mad, Lucia de Lammermoor anti-Brexit arias. When Soubry finished, staff broke into applause, my astonished colleague reported. I wonder, do you think they will get Huw Edwards to wear a black tie on Brexit Day? Nothing would surprise us anymore.Nowadays, if I start watching a BBC period drama I am always braced for the ahistorical nonsense with which producers chastise the past for being insufficiently politically correct. (The kids say Doctor Who has become unwatchable, that sprightly intergalactic voyager now weighed down by the lentil-bake concerns of a vegan cafe in Tufnell Park.) I adore the defiantly truthful and gutsily Northern Happy Valley, but otherwise prefer sophisticated US and French dramas which don’t insult the viewer as BBC productions do with their childish diversity-by-numbers. There is certainly diversity in Spiral, my favourite French detective series, but it occurs perfectly naturally and no one gives a damn if the villains turn out to be immigrants. C’est la vie, eh?Will a new Director-General be able to restore public trust in the BBC? There’s a chance if they choose someone from outside the metropolitan bubble who wants to reflect the nation back to itself, not lecture it. Oh, and commissioning one comedy show that doesn’t use the word “Tory” as an expletive might be nice.My fear is that institutional smuggery runs too deep at Broadcasting House to admit that change is urgently needed. Old Tories like Wogan and Brucie are gone, and in their place are the Guardianistas who have just been roundly rejected by the country. If you look at an electoral map of Britain, amid a vast sea of Tory blue, there are a few small islets of Labour red. Those islets are where BBC staff live and from which they draw their ideas.Once, not that long ago, it would have been impossible to imagine a Britain without the BBC. It’s still hard. We have so much shared history, Auntie and I, all the way back to Andy Pandy (I cried every time they shut him and Teddy in that wicker basket). But the Beeb can no longer count on public affection in the way it used to. Viewers are irritated, angry even. Many would welcome the Government decriminalising the licence fee, which would be the beginning of the end. To justify demanding a TV tax from every household, you have to truly speak for the nation, not an elite corner of London. The new DG would do well to ponder what was said about Charles Dickens, our most successful and beloved national entertainer. “Dickens didn’t just give the people what they wanted. He wanted what the people wanted.”

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eurotickets20 · 5 years ago

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Wales football team Fixit ready to trade Euro Cup 2020

Some players went off to a Cardiff nightspot to savor the moment. Joe Allen and Sam Vokes were spotted in Caroline Street, aka Chippy Alley, singing the 'Wales Golf Madrid' Gareth Bale song with fans in the early hours. The community who love their favorite team they are booking Wales Euro Cup Tickets.

Bale himself had to return to Spain to face the music after the celebration of his flag. Giggs, the radiant smile on his face for 24 hours, had a quiet meeting with his loved ones.

As for Mark Evans, FAW International Affairs Officer, he did something quite innovative: he launched his campaign to become a member of the next general election!

There are many candidates among the 650 seats in Westminster who have fascinating stories to tell, but Evans's is certainly one of the most interesting.

Certainly here in Wales, considering his involvement with the national team over the decades, where he worked closely with a plethora of stars and managers, including Giggs, Chris Coleman, Gary Speed, John Toshack, Mark Hughes, Bobby Gould, and Terry Yorath.

There were briefly a few others, Brian Flynn and Mike Smith.

But although the players have gone one after the other and the turnover of players has gone from Neville Southall to Ian Rush, through Vinnie Jones, Craig Bellamy, Gareth Bale, and Dan James, Evans has remained a constant in the country of Wales, seen the ups and downs.

He was the team, Mr. Fixit. More of that role in a moment. Those who don’t want to miss the entertainment have already bought their Euro Cup Quarter Finals Tickets.

Yet, while Giggs' aces have qualified for the euros and the precious memories of France 2016 are still present in the memories as we look to next summer, Evans is ready to give up when he presents himself in front of Parliament as Plaid Cymru's candidate in his riding of Merthyr and Rhymney.

"Although, if I were fortunate enough to win, I would still like to be involved with Wales as a consultant at the Euros," says Evans, whose vast experience and know-how of the big stage would be nigh-on impossible to replace.

However, sometimes you have to move on and he points out, "Although I'm considered a safe pair of hands, there are bright young people at the FAW these days who are just nailing.

"It will be 30 years that I will be there next week. It would be very difficult to leave, especially since we have just qualified, but become a member of parliament, get into politics, really passionate not happen this time, there would be Senedd elections to hold eventually in 2021.

"But we do not yet know what will happen, wait and see."

He smiled: "This week was a little surreal. One evening, I was celebrating our efforts to reach the euros, the next day I launched my campaign with the leader of the Plaid group, Adam Price, who was very welcoming and who gave a speech that pouted, the back of my neck is rising.

"But I still have a Euro 2020 planning meeting next week as we expect what will be best for us in the final, and I'll be in the official draw with Ryan and other officials. FAW in Bucharest next Saturday There is still a lot of work to be done and, do not worry, I'll be here to do it. "

In his role as FAW, Evans became the trusted man of the players and management of Wales. He takes responsibility for virtually everything that happens off the field - from the organization of the flight and the hotels of the team to visiting the stadiums abroad and organizing the individual movements of the players.

He also regularly deals with matters relating to UEFA and FIFA, as appropriate in Wales. For live-action, you can buy Euro Cup Semi-Finals Tickets online.

Evans and his colleagues in the department practically involved everything in the day, apart from training or crossing the white line.

As such, he has naturally developed close ties with the biggest names in Welsh sport over the decades.

So what are the current Giggs players doing with the sudden career change?

"They're very supportive, wishing me the best of luck," says Evans."

There have been some jokes, you know what a football dressing room looks like. Comments such as "Why are you doing this when you could be with us?" One or two are a bit puzzled, but it has been very positive in general.

"James Chester is another player that I chatted a lot with, Danny Ward too, and when you get to know the players and go beyond football, they like to talk about a lot of things, including politics for some."

The beard, it seems, is another topic of debate behind the scenes. Those who don’t want to miss the entertainment have already bought their Euro Cup Final Tickets.

Evans became recognizable by the dugout before and after the matches because of the hairiness of his face becoming larger because it is considered a lucky charm of Wales.

It started with a little stubble, but the players did not let it shave until they lost. While Wales won so many games, Evans felt he could not endure anybody's anger, kept a beard and much of his money that would otherwise have been spent in razor blades.

"The first three were me, Joe Ledley and goalkeeper Boaz Myhill," he recalls. "You know what people are saying about drinking after Christmas." Well, instead of not drinking beer in January, we decided to wear a beard!

"It had become a kind of superstition, I could not reduce it until we had lost, and as we continued to win we kept a beard.

"To this day, Joe Allen jumps on me every time we find ourselves in the camp and pulls fun on his beard.

"To be honest, Ledley and Myhill have also kept theirs, but Boaz's is definitely more elegant than mine!"

So back to what could become the new day job. Evans hopes that Plaid will be able to break into a Merthyr fortress, owned by Labor for more than a century.

"In any other election, I agree that it is a Labor stronghold, but in this one, I just do not know why people are going to vote, I appreciate and accept that there is a little fatigue in Brexit for some, "he says.

"I do not doubt the enormous task ahead, but maybe it's time to change after 119 years.

"Listen, because of my work in Wales, I've traveled all over Europe in the last 20 years and the change I've seen has been spectacular, and I see how much the auto industry is in Estonia, and I think yes, Wales should also be more interested in it. Euro 2020 Tickets can be book online which makes you suitable to link the Euro Cup 2020.

"This is a very important election that will have an effect for many years and I want to fight to make things better for the people of Merthyr and Rhymney, and Wales in general.

"If I had the chance to win the seat, it would be a big tear to leave the FAW, especially considering what we just achieved with Ryan.

"But whatever happens, Welsh football is in very good hands, what we are witnessing is hard work that is paying off with some amazing players and coaches coming from the system. go backstage a little while, but it's there for everyone to see in the last euros and this time.

"And this team, because the players are so young, will just get better and better."

We are offering Euro 2020 Tickets so; Football fans can get Euro Cup Tickets through our trusted online ticketing market place. EuroTickets2020.com is the most reliable source to book Euro Cup 2020 tickets.

#EuroCupTickets #Euro2020Tickets #WalesEuroCupTicket #EuroCupHospitality

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bluesdoodles · 7 years ago

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Steelhouse 2017 Simply Marvellous Mud Music and Mates

Steelhouse family came together on a Welsh Mountain united by rain, sun and MUD! The glue binding us was live music and the super glue the brilliance of Bernie Marsden not once, not twice but all three days on the stage entertaining. We had dragon magic gracing the festival that you climb up slowly to the top driving up a rough track to the top of a Welsh Mountain above Aberbeeg. The weather may at times be trying, we all know the welcome and cwtch from the Steelhouse volunteers will be full of warmth. So many memories for the music memory box, friends, brilliant bands Planet Rock DJs and the array of stalls to kept us fed and watered, the endless cuppa’s from Motley Brew hot and refreshing the gallons of Trooper consumed and the selection of cocktails. The festival is for everyone young and old, family friendly with a play area, camping, glamping and merchandise. We may only be in each other’s company for a few days but the friendships forged last forever.

Bluesdoodles, Liz Aiken could not make Friday night, rain, parking and other issues conspired against her. Nothing though was going to deter us from getting to the festival on Saturday that started warm and sunny with the weather for now set fair. We missed Free Friday, but those who got here in time were entertained with Revival, the awesome Hand of Dimes joined by Bernie Marsden already a festival favourite and Trucker Diablo.

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The two bands that open the show were local bands, Saturday, Florence Black & Texas Flood on the final day all setting the bar high rocking the show for the first notes always a challenging slot and they got our attention. Then the new line-up from Tequila Mockingbyrd who flew the flag for women and rock Steelhouse know how to weave the line-up reflecting styles of rock and peoples different tastes.

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So many thoughts whirl around as I edit the photographs, the excitement that the festival has left spilling over to Monday, continue to be motivated as the work continues listening to the music that fuelled the weekend, Steelhouse 2017 delivered the best line-up ever and it was a triumph. Music for all tastes across rock. There are always bands and for everyone the list will vary for us at Bluesdoodles it was Rival Sons, Last In Line, Monster Truck, Stone Broken, Broken Witt Rebels, Jared James Nichols, Wayward Sons, Saxon and the hero of the hour Bernie Marsden across the festival Friday, Saturday and the unplanned return on Sunday. The list is a mix of styles, ages and experience the common link was quality, performances.

Stone Broken bought a vitality, energy and love of performance to the stage, heating up the atmosphere. The set was played out with every note played and song sung confirming the meteoric rise from a self-funded album to the band they are today. The journey has just begun they will soon be headliners wherever they play, why the crowds will demand it the Broken Army will not be silenced. With a follow-up album to debut All In Time tantilisingly close live performance will keep us entertained until the release date early 2018. Every fan is waiting in anticipation which will just build and build, with every performance and radio play. Stone Broken play the music rock fans want to hear. Every time they play live they grow in stature tighter, more confident. Everyone’s day is brightened by Robyn’s infectious smile and drumming. Rich leading from the front energised with vocals that demand to be listened to. Chris & Kieran, guitar and bass creating the sting in the tail with the strings ensuring there is nothing broken about Stone Broken. They nailed it at Steelhouse 2017.

Monster Truck, were monstrously good, the guitar sound is loud and we are pulled into the hot atmosphere they create. It was so hot it was as if the rain vapourised before it hit the ground! Awesome sums up the performance lifting the crowd’s mood into the stratosphere. The set included all the numbers you want to hear live from Sittin’ Heavy as we heard staggering vocals, hard rhythm and licks that curl around the stage and cascade across the field in melodic delights. There will be other bands but for now it doesn’t get better than this performance or will I eat my words?

Having never heard Last in Line live, this was a band I was looking forward to having listened to Heavy Crown, loud and often since reviewing early in 2016. The band named after Dio’s second album carried the torch shining high and burning bright with a set that was full of Dio classics. The two orginal members of Dio’s band Vinny Appice on Drums and guitarist Vivian Campbell are joined by vocalist Andrew Freeman, Phil Soussan on Bass an keys from Erik Norlander. They delivered adrenalin fuelled rock that pounded the mud and the sound that was Dio. Andrew’s vocals were reminiscent of Ronnie James Dio. The rain did not wash away the sound and atmosphere of a festival that was now rocking as the skies darkened on the Saturday.

Sunday dawned bright and clear with blues skies and warm sunshine we all knew the music was going to be hot. The Sunday came alive as Broken Witt Rebels may have opened with Low from Georgia Pines but the music took us to new highs. Danny Core’s vocals are outstanding they pierce with a depth of emotion. The feel of the guitar sound tinged with blue, heated by southern rock from James Tranters lead guitar. The sound builds with tambourine and rhythm added by Danny and a rhythm section that burns the groove as Luke Davis and James Dudley join forces. This is a young band who are growing in stature as with every performance the layers of polish are burnished, the beat tightens and the sound gets bigger, bolder as the Broken Witt Rebels blow the mist away through Georgia Pines, what a number. They were quickly followed by the guitar-led blues-rocking power trio of Jared James Nichols. The talent of the guitarist who is making a name for himself as he flashes his prowess with the six-strings, this set was the most guitar-dominated set of the weekend. Another young performer who never fails to deliver, always improving developing the Nichols tone and sound. Building on his album and the last EP Highway Man.

A new band, Wayward Sons that has every one talking. Why? It is a Toby Jepson band this, the bands third gig and first festival appearance, did not disappoint. The opening was intriguing as we entered the Twilight Zone before the opening line of Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas and then the band stepped on stage. With a debut album out in August, Ghosts Of Yet To Come the sound we heard was grittier this is a rocky sound that sets quivers of an earthquake erupting through the audience on top of a mountain. As to be expected Toby’s vocal shone through the rain drops With the Little Angels – Young Gods – song dedicated to Alan Nimmo, who to many people’s disappointment was not swirling his kilt with King King on a mountain. The whole Steelhouse family wish Alan a speedy recovery.

Rival Sons, well worth the wait in the mud and rain they delivered with music that sears the heart and soul. Jay Buchanan’s voice is always stunning as he strode down the stage in rolled down wellies he captivated – what a band. The only slide guitar of the weekend cascading notes swirled across the mountain courtesy of the slide of Scott Holiday. The rhythm and structure added a depth of tone thanks to David Beste and Michael Miley. There is nothing hollow in the bones of the rock they deliver every track has something to say with sweet licks, righteous riffs and lyrics that draw you deep into the heart of the music Rival Sons are simply electric.

Closing the festival with lights, pyrotechnics and a metal eagle Saxon left their mark on the mountain once again. A band that the fans wanted to see many so excited seeing a band that was one of the first bands they had seen back at Steelhouse once again. The rain did not deter Biff as he strode down the runway kneeling on a towel and rising again hands aloft uniting with the fans as he sang in the rain. The festival went wild as Biff sung to them Battering Ram soared out across the mountain quickly joined by many classics Princess Of The Night & 747 Strangers In The Night. By now there were no strangers in the crowd, we were united by music, mud and Steelhouse friendship.

Cometh the hour cometh the man. Steelhouse 2017 it had to be the one and only Bernie Marsden. Scheduled to play with Hand of Dimes of Friday and the acoustic set on Saturday that was a delight. With King King having to pull out there was a yawning gap. Hand of Dimes stepped in with Bernie on electric guitar that was exciting but this was the Steelhouse Band with two special Planet Rock guests. Hand of Dimes always popular and they know how to please as they add keys and harmonica to Nev’s special brand of rock. Nev was back on stage with Bernie Marsden joining after a couple of Hand of Dimes numbers to massive cheers of Bernie, Bernie!! Hand of Dimes has a new album out Raise so we heard Guilty and Pin-Stripped Arrogance, what a band. Then we had the change as Ian Danter took control of the drums and Darren Redick on Bass for a couple of numbers this is what festival magic is all about memories never to be repeated. The ‘cover’ of Whitesnake classic Here I Go Again was superb vocals from Neville McDonald took the roof of if there was one! Bottom of Form

The heroic Steelhouse Band created a great atmosphere what fun a pleasure for everyone listening to Hand of Dimes and friends over the Bernie weekend.

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Then if I could only pick a band it would be a toss-up between Rival Sons and Broken Witt Rebels both were superb the vocals stunning, out I have made the rule only one band so it will be Rival sons, why? Soul made me cry as I was absorbed by the music an even stopped photographing during Electric Man.

Steelhouse 2017 raised the bar in terms of music and fun we are counting down the days until Steelhouse 2018. Thanks once again to the band of volunteers and Mickey & Mark who make sure we all have a wonderful Mountain top festival.

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Steelhouse 2018 the clock is ticking ! show your interest and keep to-date on Facebook Event

July 27th – July 29th 2018

Steelhouse 2017 Simply Marvellous Mud Music and Mates Steelhouse 2017 Simply Marvellous Mud Music and Mates Steelhouse family came together on a Welsh Mountain united by rain, sun and MUD!

#Bernie Marsden #British Lions #Broken Witt Rebels #Darren Redick #Hand of Dimes #Ian Danter #Jared James Nichols #Last In Line #MONSTER TRUCK #Planet Rock #Rival Sons #Saxon #Steelhouse 2017 #Steelhouse 2018 #Steelhouse Festival #Stone Broken #Tequila Mockingbyrd #Texas Flood #Wayward Sons

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atticusblog2016-blog · 8 years ago

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New Post has been published on Atticusblog

New Post has been published on https://atticusblog.com/commissioners-hold-future-of-wales-education-talks/

Commissioners hold future of Wales education talks

It is the primary time Wales’ commissioners for kids, older people, destiny generations and Welsh language will appear on a level together, at Metropolis Hall. They will discuss how the schooling system in Wales can play a component in shaping the state’s destiny. It’s miles the second professional speaking occasion the schooling Team of workers Council has held with the Open College.

Commissioner For Oaths Fees

Many individuals and organizations have a demand for a Commissioner for Oaths to witness the signing and swearing of files. Often Commissioner for Oaths is incorrectly known as a Commissioner of Oaths. But the 2 key issues when the use of a Commissioner for Oaths are common, what’s a Commissioner for Oaths and what’s maybe the Commissioner for Oath’s expenses? The Oxford English dictionary describes a Commissioner for Oaths as “a solicitor legal to administer an oath to someone making a sworn statement.”

What does a commissioner do

However this definition within reason deceptive as it suggests that handiest solicitors are Commissioners for Oaths. This isn’t the case, with the following professions capable of performing the capabilities of a Commissioner for Oaths:

* Notary Public

* London Notary

* Solicitor

* Barrister

* Legal Govt

* Certified Conveyancer

The prices charged via a Commissioner for Oaths is determined by statute. the following charges are prescribed by means of the Commissioners for Oaths (expenses) Order 1993/2297.

* For taking an affidavit, assertion or affirmation, for everybody £five.00 making the identical.

* And similarly, for every showcase therein cited and required to be £2.00 marked or for each timetable required to be marked.police commissioner chicago.

The Commissioner for Oaths charges is which includes value brought tax where payable. But a Notary Public, London Notary or solicitor may additionally rate expenses which are more than the statutory amounts and consequently it’s far critical to are trying to find a fee quote earlier. Also determine how the Notary Public will be assumed to be paid, as some Notaries will ask for fee earlier and Frequently in coins.commissioner synonym.

The Pros And Cons Of Online And Traditional Education

Nowadays, online schooling has emerged as greater than a cheaper and much less time-ingesting opportunity to study room or conventional education. online boot camps these days offer students with programming and design competencies so that it will take less time to get as opposed to the usual college placing. However, in case you are presently on the verge of selecting between taking an online course or a conventional one, consider finding out a number of their pros and cons.

Online schooling

Financial savings – Prices for online guides and education applications are getting less expensive. Also, there are unfastened tutorials being supplied already. In fact, there are folks who controlled to construct their careers with loose resources by myself.

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Flexibility and Convenience – Even when you are hired or looking after an own family at home, boosting your cutting-edge expertise and talent can nevertheless be feasible. There are online courses in an effort to most effective require around 10-20 hours in keeping with a week. The mere alternative of working from home will make it loads easier in order to fit this into your demanding timetable.

Marketable capabilities and Task Recognition – As hostile to standard schooling, online guides, will Attention tons greater on teaching hard and particular talents that will help you get the Task you need. Boot camps, as an instance, are designed to prepare you for layout and programming jobs. As opposed to gaining knowledge of standard important questioning and evaluation skills, you will be practicing for duties you may be doing within the personnel.

Disruptors in education

Digital capabilities – There are sure talents born online like the way to use social media websites and learn content material advertising and marketing. Hence, it is simplest natural that it will likely be the easiest to analyze them through online schooling.

Maintains abilities Updated – This shape of training is certainly the nice way of retaining your competencies Up to date, maximum mainly in terms of programming. Endure in thoughts that the sector of online courses is swiftly adapting to the days and new traits.

As for its cons, it has restricted profession alternatives. Which means via this route, you can not be an attorney or health practitioner. You may not Also have the standard college enjoy. That is handiest encouraged for those who are self-directed and motivated.

Traditional schooling

Enjoy – This is really what you’re paying whilst you visit a college. You will revel in living in a dormitory, attend communal sports and events, and be a part of a group or a membership. In truth, the real schooling is simply secondary for a few college students.

Community – It’s going to in reality be a massive advantage if you are in close physical proximity to people who will assist you get a Job. They’ll Also help you get internships that regularly cause jobs.

Identified Diploma – Even though a bachelor’s Degree does no longer guarantee you to get a Task, humans are as a minimum confident that That is a legitimate shape of schooling. it’s far and evidence which you spent years analyzing and earned passing grades.forbes education rankings.

Facilities – There are publications requiring positive pieces of device and Centers. traditional training provides such so you can gain revel in these regions.

Is Talking About His Coworker All the Time a Sign of a Cheating Husband Or Boyfriend?

I am getting a number of emails from other halves or girlfriends who’re involved about their husband’s or boyfriend’s girl coworkers. Frequently, the girl will be aware that her man spends on the awful lot of time talking about this different woman from work so it would be affordable to suspect that he also spends lots of time considering her too.face talk chat rooms.

Often, ladies have an undeniable intuition that something is incorrect here.

Once in a while, he additionally talks approximately or mentions other coworkers without you having any response in any respect, but the point out of her just feels off to you. There’s something extraordinary approximately the way he talks about her and approximately the way he looks whilst he is doing it. He will become greater animated or concerned and also you can not assist however marvel simply what is at play here. In brief, alarm bells start to ring and you surprise in case you’re just being paranoid or insecure or if his speak approximately this coworker as a whole lot as he does can be a warning signal that he is having an affair with her. I will cope with this within the following article.

Talk face to face online

You are Proper To Be worried, Most people Cheat At work: Before I go into the signs to look for, I have to tell you it is it is reasonable to be involved. You could well be paranoid or insecure, however, it’s a reality that maximum dishonest and affairs show up with human beings met at paintings. This makes ideal feel because apart from home, work is where Most of the people spend their time.

It’s tough to be with humans over eight hours per day and to no longer bond with them. people are endorsed to work together carefully in their jobs and this Frequently results in human beings crossing the line, even when they do not intend to. Upload this to the truth that he can not appear to prevent himself from happening and on about her, and that I understand why you are involved.

Is His talking approximately Her All of the Time The Only Element That you Are Noticing Or Is There more dishonest warning signs?

To be truthful, it may be that your guy thinks of this woman as part of his crew or one of the boys so he’s just no longer censored when the contemplates her. That is Every so often the case. but, in case you’re seeing and hearing him talk about her continuously and different matters seem off, then the percentages are greater that something is simply happening.

It is mainly real in case you notice changes in the manner he acts around or responds to you.

Is the distant or vital? Cold or not affectionate? Does he all at once have bizarre excuses for why he can’t be with you as a whole lot as he supposedly would love? Do you note changes in sexual intimacy or frequency? See, his talking about her in and of itself may additionally mean nothing, however, when brought up with a group of different pink flags, it is able to identical the sum of something that factors to cheating.face to face chat room

You don’t Need To Be The only To Bring Her Up First: Many people will question me need to they just ask their man if something goes on with the coworker. I don’t suggest this for a few motives. First, extremely few guys are going to pipe up and say “Adequate, you stuck me. Yes, I definitely am having an affair.” That is just no longer the way that it works. They will deny it until they’re stuck or till they can’t deny it anymore. Plus, you don’t Want to draw attention to her or show That you assume There’s something remotely special about her.

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abolishcis-blog · 8 years ago

Text

ABOLISH CIS

“Please include a 150 word description of yourself as the author of your article;”

Sioni fenyw. Welsh prole. femme. White. Abled. Aggy/angsty. Tumblrless. [Well..]

_________

olwyn o dân___

*This is a call for the not-cis against the cis.

*Cis is cis-normative or else it is nothing at all.

___It is normative in both senses.

______As norm, the cis pre-dominates, making us the minority [qualitatively as much as quantitatively]. As the normative, it is the coercive cis-morality imposed upon us, making us other, lesser, abject, false.

*To be against the cis-normative is to be against that which [re]produces the cis.

___Cis isn't simply [dis]embodied in individuals – it's a dynamic, a relationship of domination.

______Against its system of birth designations. Against its violent socialisation and policing of these cis-binary gender roles. Against the legal and extra-legal apparatus of state and capital which identifies and records. Against the transphobia, transmisogyny and queer bashing: against cis-domination.

[non]terms of attack___

*Cis [and so not-cis] is a western term used here by a white westerner to locate a western domination. Western cis-normativity is colonially imposed on to non-western, non-white and Indigenous peoples, as others have attacked. Cis-normativity cannot be attacked through imposing western non-cis identities, such as "trans", on to non-westerners. [1]

*In naming the cis [and ourselves as non-cis] we do not [re]produce it: rather, we mark it as a target to be destroyed. Cis-normativity is a social relation, and will be destroyed in [anti]social struggle.

*That isn't to say that its name is totalising [even in a “western context”] or that its articulation is necessary for its destruction. Whilst cis-normativity is a subsuming social relationship, naming it as such is limited to a few "conscious" radicals. Many struggle against the cis, struggle as non-cis, without ever using these terms. The use of these terms here is not a denigration of their struggle.

___Likewise, this [appropriated?] academic language is used begrudgingly.

______Abolishing the cis doesn't need specialised theorists, but for each/all to live [un]spoken poetry.

_________Ac er mai enwau'r Sais sy fa nyn, ma'r gorthrwm a'r brwydr yn annwyl Walia 'fyd.

*As such, not-cis is used here: for all of us beyond the pale of cis. It is not the equivalent of "trans". Trans is both less and more than not-cis. Less in that not everyone who is not-cis identifies/is identified as trans, and more in that trans as an identity amounts to more than just being not-cis.

___If cis is to identify with the gender assigned at your birth, not-cis as an "identity" is a non- identification.

cis abolition is not those gender abolitionists___

*To be sure, there's lots of gender abolitionists. Not-cis erasing communizations [2], anti-feminist cis-manarchists [3], misgenderers using the "they" pronoun for everyone, transphobic TERFs and even TERFy/“truscum” transwomen [4]. In short, shitbags.

*But then the gender abolitionists [or gender nihilists] from a non-cis position, whose rants resonate with anti-assimilation. It's these that are worth talking about here.

assimilation and gender___

*The nihilists put it well. Outside, there's “the” trans flag in front of a cop-shop, hate crime initiatives, homonationalisms' Trans British army captains. Inside, essentialist policing of authenticity, by ourselves [or] of each other, finishing what the law started.

*But assimilation has no clearly bounded subject or agent, and no outside/in. It's a moebius strip drawing tighter. A relationship between the cis and the not-cis. An asymmetric, dominating one, but where the cis pulls us in closer and puts itself inside of us, only making us more distant from ourselves and each other.

___Like madness in the 19th century, the cis in “Britain” at least is more and more like those Quaker reformists, wanting [some of] us to take a seat at its familial table, to sit politely as if we were one of them, carefully watched [and still beaten elsewhere].

______We are talking about more than co-option. It feeds off of us [and spits us out elsewhere]. Not just through simple capitalist accumulation [exploiting our waged and unwaged labour, cis-tourism, commercialising our desires, careerism, spectacle...] but also immediately in moments of struggle [cis-ally saviours, transphobic anti-transphobes...].

*Gender's [/non-gender's] relationship to this doesn't simply fit, even with regard to cis-patriarchy as a whole. Gender in both its narrowest, and widest senses, non-binary/fluid/woman/ man/indeterminate, masculine/femme/butch/camp. Gwisgo lasys sidan ac ymbincio. How these slot [or don't] into cis-normatvity, let alone cis-patriarchy isn't simple, despite the desires of TERFs.

*Maybe our gender nihilists still have more to show, or we have more to show them. [5]

___For sure, we can't say where smashing the cis will take us or our genders [if it will take them]. Masculinity without cis-men or patriarchy, femininity without TERFs or transmisogyny, non- binary without an assigned cis-binary, fluidity without prescribed subjects. "All that's solid melts into air".

______But despite this, and despite all the assimilationist desires, there's still some aggy bite in raging: "if I can't be [trans!]femme, it's not my revolution!".

tactics___

*Maybe a difference in tactics. Tactics because there is still resonance - because whether it's a question of this abolishing gender or abolishing the cis, we're on the same side of the barricades.

___But also because there are some tactics that aren't that lost. Sure [conscious] identities are never totalising or essential or final. But where we have them/where they have us, let's escalate, use them till they brake [or brake them], make them again, re-appropriate, take, sabotage, visible then hidden, against the record or silent or all across their walls. Are our non-cis genders themselves a reproductive labour - can they be a revolutionary care? Weaponise them before we throw them away, before the assimilationist amnesty or hard-repression rears its head.

*Our nihilists leave so much unsaid, the what and the how - for and against whom. So does this text. But it's adamant all the same: through and/or from and/or towards gender, it's tactics which us non-cis accomplices need.

cis-abolition as a tactic____

*So why talk about cis abolition? Because, targeting the cis [especially its concrete content] rather than targeting gender [as an abstract form] seems to resonate with much more rage. It is explosive, against that we hate, rather than seeming to attack those struggling with us. For sure, gender abolition has proved amongst ourselves a tense provocation and opened divides. But the divides it gives rise to aren't between those who are against assimilation from those who are not, between the desires to abolish cis-patriarchy and the desires to live it again and again.

*But attacking the cis, and that which reproduces the cis, might do differently. And they might articulate much more nicely, for what it might be worth. Less ambiguity, for ourselves or for TERFs.

some problematics___

*Targeting cis-domination without reifying its power and without authenticity policing the non-cis?

___Arising from a targeting thats separated from attacking?

*Cisness as [dis]embodied in individuals, but also as a relationship of power?

___Accomplice cis bodies against the cis? Transphobia from trans people? Non-cisness as a process?

______Separate organising? Non-cising spaces?

*Perthynas y Gymraeg i gyffredinoliad negyddol yn Saesneg megis "non-cis"?

*The above with regards to the boundaries or [in]between of the cis and non-cis?

*Escalating anti-assimilation beyond being not-assimilated [we want it all [gone]!]?

tactical clarity___

*Abolish the cis.

*Tân yn “ein” rhywedd...

notes___

[1] Other than this the relations of cis/not-cis to colonialism and race are left empty here, because attempting to articulate from my position might only of left it emptier. For similar reasons, these relations to intersex struggles are also left unsaid, as is so, so much else. As an attack on the cis, and not a positive affirmation or program, I hope that emptiness isn't erasing.

Likewise, the focus here on cis-domination isn't done because transphobia can be abstracted from other dominations. Rather, where [increasingly everywhere] the cis dominates other dominations can't be abstracted from it. We need to talk strategically about attacking cis-normativity.

[2] “Endnotes: The Logic of Gender” https://endnotes.org.uk/en/endnotes-the-logic-of-gender. Not TERFy, but the total silence concerning cis/not-cis is a hardworked accomplishment.

“Communization and the abolition of gender” https://libcom.org/library/communization-abolition-gender#footnote6_tpqs0u5 give the slightest nod in a footnote.

[Sure, if these articles were talking from a cis position and didn't want to speak “for us”, but if so at least articulate that, don't erase the non-cis when talking about something that is directly about the non-cis.]

For an articulation of communization and gender that doesn't erase non-cis struggle, see “LIES Volume I: Identity, Abolition, Communization” http://www.liesjournal.net/.

[3] See for example, “AGAINST THE LOGIC OF SUBMISSION: Beyond Feminism, Beyond Gender” http://www.reocities.com/kk_abacus/vb/wd8fem.html.

[4] See for example, “New Narratives 2014” https://newnarratives2014.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/how-is-gender-harmful-and-what-does-the-idea-of-gender-abolition-mean-to-trans-women/.

[5] Cis abolition is not essentially gender abolitionist, or essentially not. It doesn't see gender as essentially oppressive, or as essential otherwise. See, even if essentialisms don't tie us down in one place, we always dance with or against them [at least in this way of talking]. Nihilists just dance with them in the negative ["the real movement to abolish the present state of things", "against the existent" etc.]. Here it is cis which must be cleared aside.

#gender nihilism #trans #cymraeg #abolish cis

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