The Brick Castle: Bricktastic - The Manchester Central LEGO Show - Ticket Giveaway!
Bricktastic - The Manchester Central LEGO Show - Ticket Giveaway!
On 2nd and 3rd July a very special event is coming to Manchester Central. Bricktastic is one of the UK's biggest LEGO events and promises to be pretty awesome! See, Play And Learn With LEGO - and by buying a ticket or spending at the event you'll support Fairy Bricks, providing LEGO for children in hospital in the Northwest UK.
SEE - Over 50 of the UK's top LEGO builders will be displaying their builds, including Bright Bricks, the UK's only certified LEGO Professional, who will be there with some of the models from their touring show 'Bricks In Motion'.
LEARN - What can you make with LEGO? Find out what other people are making, including some amazing mechanical and motor driven LEGO robots, get hints and tips from some of the best, find out what's new in the world of LEGO, and put those skills into action.
There will also be plenty of chances for spending your pocket money, with specialist shops and sellers on site, selling everything LEGO related. Not only can you buy new and current sets, but there will be practically any LEGO you can think of, from custom minifigures and personalised gifts, to discontinued LEGO sets.
I've been reliably informed there will also be extra opportunities to help raise money for Fairy Bricks with a tombola - that's got to be better than any other tombola I've ever bought tickets for!
Bricktastic gave me 4 tickets to give away to one of my readers. That giveaway ended at midnight Wednesday 29th June and the winner was Rachel VF. We reviewed Bricktastic and shared photos of some of the amazing LEGO creations on display in my Bricktastic LEGO Show Review.
a giant santa with his sleigh & reindeer would be awesome!
Would have to be Peppa pig, my daughter is obsessed with her, my son is obsessed with Lego. So its something they would both appreciate.
Probably done before but an extra large Marshmallow man from Ghostbusters!
The Manchester Skyline would be great!


Founder, Crawford Denim and Vintage Co.
Discover what tools Crawford Denim and Vintage Co. is using!
Discover what books Susie recommends!
Hey … I'm Susie Shaughnessy, owner and designer of Crawford Denim and Vintage Co. The small-batch denim brand is a mix of New + Vintage apparel for Men + Women, rooted in classic Americana style. The new designs are influenced by the vintage collection but made to fit modern silhouettes. Each piece is crafted in California from deadstock or USA made goods.
I've been teaming up with some great friends to collaborate on designs in order to increase the reach of the brand. Selling the vintage collection monthly at Long Beach Flea Market has also helped introduce Crawford Denim to a much larger audience. These steps have incrementally increased traffic to the site and sales.
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area as the middle child in a large family. Our Dad was a long time high school football coach and our Mom managed the teams while raising the family.
Every student was welcome in our home, making our house a constant hub of activity, sports and art. We learned early in life how rewarding working in service to others is and how to work well as a team. One person's success is a reflection of the team's hard work.
Having an alternate source of income will help minimize any lows in sales. It's the insurance of making rent that allows you to focus on the brand or business that you are trying to grow.
I started my design career at Levi's, working at some of the last US factories and learned from the true craftsmen how to build the iconic jeans. After years of designing for other American denim brands manufacturing overseas, I wanted to return to producing in the states. I did not want to lose the artform that had generated in California. Working with other small businesses + craftsmen, we can each benefit and help sustain our local economy.
I was looking at the Slow Food Movement at the time of shaping my plan for Crawford Denim. Their movement to eat local foods in support of small, sustainable farms to reduce waste and eliminate pesticides were practices I wanted to employ in the apparel industry. Working locally reduces the need for gas for overseas shipping and using deadstock + vintage fabrics keeps them from landfills. These fabrics not only have great character, but were often created from cotton grown without pesticides or GMOs.
While the head Designer at Old Navy, I started a small jewelry + crafts line with my sisters. It was a good introduction on how to set up an online business and sell in person. I was able to work on my skills without a huge investment for product inventory and develop best practices knowing eventually I would launch Crawford Denim.
After designing several denim blocks, testing both deadstock and USA made denim; I made 1st samples with a small, local manufacturer who had been referred by my patternmaker. They are unique in that they sew nearly every type of product, sample in house and have low minimums.
Creating the visual story for the brand was the biggest goal. Without a big budget, I asked friends to model and photograph for me.
Having developed a good relationship with them over the years have allowed us to grow together. They still remain devoted to small businesses; keeping their costs reasonable, while still paying fair, livable wages. Using deadstock fabrics utilizes great vintage cottons and rayons that had been shelved, and keeps them out of landfills.
The Men's product did well immediately. The raw denim for the Straight Selvage and Skinny Jeans are still the most popular styles. There were some production issues with sizing for the Women's denim, so we tried to solve the problems. After a couple of years of getting to know our female customer better - I've changed the denim silhouettes all together. Using a different fit model, we've modified the shape of the jeans and created more unique denim styles, evolving beyond the basic five pocket.
Creating the visual story for the brand was the biggest goal. Without a big budget, I asked friends to model and photograph for me. We went to the Crawford family ranch with motorcycles + ripped around the area, capturing what was meaningful to me: friends, family, quality goods and the quintessential California lifestyle.
Working in trade also allowed my friends to be able to wear the jeans + tops and give me feedback on the fit and fabrics. I was able to make some adjustments before adding the styles online. I created the site through Shopify which is an easy platform that's highly customizable with secure payment options. Mostly friends were the 1st to purchase online as a show of support. I was fortunate to partner with Seaweed + Gravel, a motorcycle and apparel store in Leucadia, CA. My customer base grew immediately as they are able to try on the product in person. Because of that experience, I offer free return + exchange shipping so buying online is a little easier.
I put a lot of thought into the packaging of the product. Receiving a well packaged + thoughtful piece changes a consumer's opinion immediately for a brand. The styles come in logo'd muslin bags with postcard from the lookbook along with the order receipt, tied together with denim selvage tape. Whether it is a gift for someone or for yourself, each of the boxes I ship are packaged like a present.
I spent a year developing the styles and working on ensuring all permits were filed properly. I couldn't afford a lawyer or accountant to file all the necessary forms, so I taught myself how to. Now I'm able to assist other small businesses on how to set up their companies in California.
Before the algorithm of Instagram changed, I was making a sale with nearly every 100 new followers. Now, it is much harder to attract new followers, stay in the feeds of followers and convert to sales.
Instagram has a few key tools that are useful to businesses. Connecting the account with Facebook allowed me to track the analytics of my followers: when they are scrolling, what types of photos or products resonate with them, even to what days and times of the week are best for maximum penetration of a post. I try to track this information weekly so to better present the brand to my current followers and attract more.
Fortunately, I've been able to continue to team with events, friends + shops who help promote the brand. I now work with a group of female makers + designers to try to beat the algorithm. I wanted to focus on developing my female audience and have them understand my products + the value investing in a quality denim jean.
The pod group has worked in helping to grow the female demographic without depleting the male consumer. We each like + comment on one another's posts within the hour that they are live. This helps override the algorithm + moves your post higher in the queue of the current followers. With more likes, Instagram will even push it to more non-followers as a recommended brand to follow. I will be launching the new women's denim styles shortly, so I hope to increase the conversion of buyers utilizing this pod group + a friend who is an Instagram influencer.
Promoting the brand through social media is a new method for leveling the playing field with much larger brands. Most followers are attracted to the idea of discovering a company, having insider knowledge and peaks behind the scenes. I have been resistant to share much of this information, because I want folks to be attracted to the product rather than a personality. But I am learning that by utilizing the Stories Feature on Instagram, I can share more about the inner workings and small batch craft that goes into the designs without the longevity of a post. The story is just a quick snapshot to entice followers without overwhelming the consumer.
Participating in shows, pop ups and fleas has really grown the audience; building the number of consumer's eyes on the product. Because denim generally sells more in the fall and winter, I try to keep folks involved in the brand with new shirts, tees and vintage during the spring and summer months.
Two major shows I participate in are Desert + Denim in Joshua Tree, CA and the Tennessee Motorcycle and Music Revival, hosted by the Loretta Lynn Family in Hurricane Mills, TN. These two events promote small, USA made vendors and makers. Having built the jeans with motorcycle riders in mind, allows them to try on the jeans and hop on their bike at the shows; illustrating how the gap at the waistband is minimized and the knees are comfortable even bent over long periods of riding.
Becoming a regular vendor at Long Beach Flea Market has also increased the number of local folks being introduced to the brand. The Crawford Denim and Vintage Co. booth is curated to the trends of the month, like a mini store - complete with a dressing room.
I scaled back last year, trying to manage the changes in the country with fewer people buying high end product at small, local boutiques.
Some of those businesses are no longer in operation or have moved away from USA made product. A percentage of those store's customers continue to shop my product online. I only make the styles I can afford to. The goal is to keep incrementally growing the customer base and maintain steady, positive sales online + in select shops with more unique and limited edition product.
After years of perfecting the fit of the jeans, I'd like to introduce the brand to more established boutiques with great online businesses in addition to their brick and mortars. Working with fewer but more strategic locations will help establish the brand name and product.
I continue to sew the women's smallest batches of styles and the customized product, which takes a lot of time. I gratefully have an intern to help during the busiest of times. Over the long term, I'd like to employ another full time person to help with all aspects of the business; design and sewing, customer service + fulfillment, photo shoots and website maintenance. Currently my sister Maggie steps into help, who's assistance is invaluable!
Since I also work with and consult for other small brands, my time is very limited. I am still trying to balance each work obligation + my personal time, maintaining a healthy lifestyle while meeting deadlines. My goal in having another employee that can share my role will enable us both to accomplish it all.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful advantageous?
Kindness gets you far. Being a brand that works to partner + help other businesses really helps to showcase each one of us all together. We can have our own individual voice within a community, unifying us as makers. We have all pitched in to help one another. One brand or boutique's success is a reflection of all of our efforts.
Anything that could go wrong, did.
I worked with a larger company within the first year of business, that wanted to promote small California makers. I was nervous about overextending my budget and over taxing my small audience in the hopes of growing my business. Anything that could go wrong, did.
Even though my product was well received, I did not have control over how the larger company displayed it online. The company's marketing team decided that they didn't like the project and very purposefully minimized it online. Trying to deal with multiple divisions within their organization as a one-woman brand was unevenly pitted and unrealistic.
I luckily took some precautions within my contract to avoid major financial losses, but I am still trying to recover from those losses. It was a great lesson to listen to my instincts. It was also good to know not to overextend my customer's or my own bandwidth. Just because they were willing to buy one piece, does not ensure they will buy all of your product month after month.
I use Shopify for the website, Square for selling in person and Paypal + Venmo to invoice personal sales.
I rely mostly on USPS … and have become great friends with my local post office. Shipping online through USPS is super easy and less expensive than any other carrier.
I am just starting to use MailChimp to reach a broad audience of newsletter readers. I try to send out a monthly message, so not to bombard customers but also let them know where we are going to be popping up.
Tumblr is a great vehicle in addition to Instagram for my showcasing the brand's product through photography and inspirational images. I can tell a full story of what's developing behind the scenes and influencing my designs. My Tumblr feed has been named one of the top denim trend blogs.
I listen religiously to How I Built This. I am a big fan of the Ted Radio Hour, but How I Built This directly relates to all of the ups and downs of being a business owner. It's a great reminder that being a small business owner takes a lot of time and endurance for all the ups and downs. Being hard working and ready for everything really is the everlasting message in each of their stories. Luck is what you make of it.
Having an alternate source of income will help minimize any lows in sales. It's the insurance of making rent that allows you to focus on the brand or business that you are trying to grow. It's not easy, but every entrepreneur has had some source of steady income that can get them through the tough months.
I built the brand around the brand, not around myself. It helps eliminate the personal emotions that can get tied to product … meaning that if folks don't all love a photo on Instagram, it's the style or the photo, not how you look in the product.
I hardly ever show my own photo on Instagram or Tumblr. I focus instead on the product + showcase the folks and friends who embody the California lifestyle of the brand. The stories we can tell together through these visuals are most important in articulating the message of Crawford Denim and Vintage Co.
Susie Shaughnessy, Founder of Crawford Denim and Vintage Co.


on the district's budget challenges for the 2013-14 school year.
have the chance to offer input on their priorities for cuts and added revenue.
reduction in force; selling property; and student fee increases.
Free childcare and Spanish/Russian/Vietnamese interpretation available at all meetings.


NEWARK – The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs has proposed amendments to the education standards for forensic nurse – certified sexual assault (FN-CSA). The proposal would delete provisions that set forth specific areas for education programs and clinical education for FN-CSAs and would replace them with requirements that programs conform to International Association of Forensic Nurses requirements.
The proposed repeal, and information on how to submit a comment by August 5, 2016, can be viewed here.


text:
Q: Reputation score in homepage view is too overwhelming Just noticed a change in the homepage view, making the reputation of the users both black and bold:

I find it too distracting. Can it please be changed? If the purpose is to make the score stick out, just having it black and not bold is enough:

Can this please be changed?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This charts the history of traditional windows over the centuries.
Detailed technical advice is then provided on their maintenance, repair and thermal upgrading.
This document explains ways of repairing and draught proofing existing doors and windows of a historic building for improved energy efficiency.
To quote from the document: "Draught-proofing is one of the most cost effective and least intrusive ways of improving the comfort of occupants and reducing energy used for heating with little or no change to a building's appearance."
This is a short summary of the practical steps you can take to make sash windows energy efficient.
It includes a link to a Historic England video, which explains how you can make significant energy savings by having your windows professionally repaired and draught proofed, in combination with simple measures such as thickly lined curtains and blinds.
This document discusses the use of secondary glazing, including energy efficiency comparisons with double glazing and draught proofing.
This document discusses the benefits of draught proofing sash windows and how you can apply layers of blinds and curtains to further reduce heat loss.
This interesting document talks about our approaches to preservation and repair of windows and what can be done to maintain them.


Some great reflections from an early morning sail into the Bay of Kotor short movie shot with a Kodac Zi8 mini HD camera I an not sure if I can embed a movie here link will open new window.
We don't allow embedded Flash, bu the link worked perfectly. It's Awesome.
and sailing must be great as one doesn't that eternal rumble of the engines.
That was lovely to watch - but where IS the Bay of Kotor - Montenegro ... Croatia??
it's in Crna Gora, of course!
ok, montenegro - which i used to think was in africa.
Last edited by pilvikki on 06 Jan 2011, 22:41, edited 1 time in total.
a beautiful - just beautiful country!


2nd Floor - 3 bedrooms and full bath.
1st Floor - Den, Living room, Dining room, Kitchen.
Basement - Private entrance, finished with Family room, bedroom, kitchen, washer & dryer, and 1/2 bath with shower.
Yard - Driveway, Garage w/storage, backyard.


Happy December! The best time of the year is finally (yet already) here. To celebrate, I created a glittery desktop wallpaper because if you saw this post, you know I'm slightly obsessed with all the rose gold things, and that is also true during the Holiday season.
Download it here and make your computer festive!
You're so welcome doll :) Let me know if you have any special requests!


The Boston University men's soccer season came to a close Tuesday in the Patriot League quarterfinals match against the United States Military Academy with a score of 0-0 after two overtime periods forced a tie-breaker.
It became the third consecutive year that BU's (5-10-4, 4-4-1 Patriot League) final loss came in during a penalty shoot-out in their first postseason match.
This season, the team was hindered by injury — junior forward and co-captain Matt McDonnell, whose 12 points still led the Terriers by the end of the season, played only five games to start the season.
Despite the challenges, BU head coach Neil Roberts spoke highly on the team's effort.
The fourth-seeded Terriers hosted fifth-seeded Army (8-9-2, 4-5 Patriot League) at Nickerson Field for the conference quarterfinals.
Last time the Black Knights set foot on BU campus Oct. 24, the Terriers claimed a 1-0 victory off of an early goal from freshman midfielder Kari Petursson.
All four of Army's on-goal shots came in the first half but were fended off by senior goalkeeper Mike Bernardi.
Neither team found the net in regular game time.
Petursson recorded the only shot for either team in overtime, and despite cries from the home crowd, the ball rolled harmlessly down the side of the net.
The game went to penalty kicks. Bernardi took the first attempt against Black Knight goalkeeper Justin Stoll — a miss.
Four BU players went on to solve Stoll, but a missed opportunity allowed Army defender Ibrahim Seye to solidify the 5-4 penalty kick decision.
Black Knight head coach Russell Payne said that the two teams' first match had been decided by an error and that his team was more solid in the quarterfinals.
Friday, Army upset the top-seeded University of Maryland Loyola and advanced to the Patriot League championship game for the first time in 22 years, where the team will face off against the reigning conference champion Colgate University.
The Terrier loss concluded the collegiate career of seven of the team's seniors: Bernardi, defenders Josh Barkoff, David Riccio and Ben Valek, and midfielders T.J. Butzke, Troy Phoa and Adam Wright.
Barkoff and Bernardi were both acknowledged with All-Conference honors, while Riccio was named to the Academic All-Patriot League Team.
Roberts also noted contributions from the team's younger players, including freshmen forward John Siracuse, defender Nate Cole and Petursson.
Siracuse started in every game after Oct. 3, a match against the College of the Holy Cross during which Siracuse scored his first collegiate goal, while Cole joined the starting line-up in his fourth career match.
With McDonnell sidelined, Petursson became the team's leading active scorer, ending the season with 11 points.


This is a placeholder page for Glenda Deaton, which means this person is not currently on this site. We do suggest using the tools below to find Glenda Deaton.
You are visiting the placeholder page for Glenda Deaton. This page is here because someone used our placeholder utility to look for Glenda Deaton. We created this page automatically in hopes Glenda Deaton would find it. If you are not Glenda Deaton, but are an alumni of Oskaloosa High School, register on this site for free now.


Charming two level townhome in a great, centrally located Greensboro community! This light and bright three bedroom, three and a half bath, unfurnished townhome has soft neutral colors throughout and overlooks a tranquil pond in back. Located in The Reserve at Park Place, this convenient yet quiet neighborhood also offers tennis courts and a beautiful pool for resident use. Enjoy this cheerful townhome in a great setting and within minutes to all the Greensboro has to offer including the Lake, golf, shopping and dining. Located in Greene County so qualifies for Lake Oconee Academy entry.


Festivals, markets and movie screenings – 14 handpicked events of the month proving that December is not just all about New Year's.
When: every weekend starting December 1, 1 p.m. – 9 p.m.
So much loved by locals Pesochnica is opening for the winter season: great market with handmade souvenirs and gifts and entertainment that suits any taste: grill area, photo zone, ice figures, prize drawing and giveaway, snow tubing rides, Dj's music, snowboard show, etc.
When: December 1, 5.20 and 9 p.m.; December 12, 8 p.m.
You can watch the restored version of the famous John Lennon and Yoko Ono film "Imagine". The new version contains exclusive bonus material that will be a real gift for all The Beatles fans and connoisseurs of classic rock. "John Lennon and Yoko Ono: Imagine" is an exciting film collage of color, sound, dream and reality.
When: December 1, 7 p.m.
Anacondaz returns to Minsk: Astrakhan pauzern rappers drag into Minsk their sixth album, stuffed with juicy riffs and biting couplets. If you want to get really wet in a slam and pillage your favorite tracks – come and enjoy.
When: December 1, 11 p.m. – 7 a.m.
A techno party project that relies mostly on local musicians is celebrating their 3rd birthday. During this period the project grew from a small chamber format party to a great rave with thousands of people.
When: December 2, 7 p.m.
Headliners of the Belarusian ethno-electronic scene invite you to a concert dedicated to heartfelt affairs: together with Papa Bo Selektah, Rutvica and I/dex, Shuma will play a music session dedicated to love. Also, the duo will present a clip for the song "Khmarki".
Another awesome freak-show by Kassiopeia – what can be better to start your winter in the right way? If you still have not seen or heard of Kassiopeia, check this out to get ready.
When: December 4, 11; 9 p.m.
We're watching The Postman Always Rings Twice on the 4th and They Live by Night on the 11th. All movies are in English.
When: December 7, 7 p.m.
The British group is returning to Belarus with their golden hits. With the years of experience, the authors of the immortal hits "Easy Livin '" and "July Morning", the legendary Uriah Heep continue to delight their fans with incredible live performances and their favorite hits. The band will show itself in all its musical power and will play both its most famous hits and new songs.
The Winter's Tale is Shakespeare's great play of the irrational and inexplicable. The play's uncontrollable emotions – rage, love, grief and forgiveness – range across gender, country, class and age. Its universe is full of monsters, gods and natural disasters, and its colossal sweep takes us from stifling courts to unbuttoned festivals.
Minsk residents and guests of the capital will be able to see not only the strongest documentaries on human rights, but also to talk with film directors and other guests of the festival, as well as make a comic rating of the most thoughtless decisions of officials over the past year. There are 15 films in the festival program, which will be shown in the Mir cinema and on the OK16 venues.
GDG DevFest Belarus is a community conference dedicated to web & mobile trends, as well as some other IT technologies. The speakers are true professionals and the real leaders in the area (Google, Booking, EPAM etc).
When: December 20, 7 p.m.
One of the brightest performers of the year, appeared out of nowhere and quickly gained popularity thanks to simple songs with a guitar and rethinking the hit from the nineties. Her hard guitar reef is accompanied by bass and drums. Her cover of the song "Love me love" got into the rotation of radio stations.
When: December 28, 7 p.m.
For the first time, Algiers will come to Minsk. Is an American quartet, which charmed the intellectual listener with a marvelous cocktail of dark industrial, post-punk and gospel. According to music critic Artemy Troitsky, the most interesting thing in the history of Algiers is "the fact that this is the rarest case in modern music, when musicians came up with something really new." And most importantly – this new could shoot into the heart.
When: December 29, 7 p.m.
Lyapis-98 gives its fans a new opportunity to meet in the New Year's atmosphere. On the New Year's eve, you can break into the concert of Siarhei Mikhalok and Co: space circus outsiders orchestra Lyapis-98 will play a ton of hits, vibes and nostalgia on the audience. There are only a few tickets left, so do not put off and grab yours.


Stories live or die on their pacing. Great characters and concepts are the heartbeat of good fiction, but even the greatest can struggle to keep readers' attention if the pacing is off.
Pacing is a lot like tone. It varies depending on the type of story you're telling, and it's instrumental in informing readers what to expect from this story—both in terms of content and the speed at which it unspools. Stories with purposely leisurely pacing instruct readers to settle in. Writers like Lois McMaster Bujold and Susanna Kearsley draw patient readers in with a slow burn of detail and foreshadowing. Others like Brent Weeks and Steven Gould race readers through fast-paced action-oriented stories. These approaches create completely different reading experiences (even within the same same genre), but all signal competent authors who know how to use pacing to serve story.
A discussion of foundational pacing techniques will start and end with tips for controlling how "fast" or "slow" your narrative is, as well as for identifying when to utilize which technique. Since I've discussed all of that in previous posts, today, I want to take advantage of Part 21 of our ongoing series The Do's and Don'ts of Storytelling According to Marvel to talk about some smart tricks you can employ to tweak your pacing and keep readers reading (or watching).
I have to admit I wasn't just dying to see Captain Marvel. The trailers didn't wow me; Carol Danvers seemed to come across somewhere between boring and annoying. Plus, I just haven't been in the mood for a theater movie lately. However, mostly because some of you guys were already asking me about this post, I made it happen.
All of this is to say I went into the theater in a slightly grumpy "make me like you" kind of mood. And… two hours later, I left with a big smile on my face. (I love it so much when that happens that it almost tempts me to get grumpy before every movie.) Captain Marvel was one of the best Marvel experiences I've had since probably Ragnarok. Like Ragnarok, it felt less workmanlike than the other (mostly) solid entries we've been seeing lately. It wasn't wildly original by any means, but it felt different enough from the series' other origin stories to keep my attention.
A lot of that had to do with the story's solid pacing. Unlike, say, Ant-Man and the Wasp (in which I have to confess I was pretty bored), Captain Marvel used several important pacing tricks to gel the story and keep the plot tight and progressive. We're going to look at four of those tricks in a second, but first let's talk about all the other goodies.
Gorgeous visuals. I loved the look of this thing. The visualization of Carol's suit (yay for not putting her in heels!), her powers (I'm calling it "rainbow disco"), and her comet-tail mohawk when in the helmet (not to mention zero helmet hair) were all fun to watch.
Gorgeous score. Loved the '90s playlist, but especially the unobtrusive uniqueness of the instrumental score. This is probably my favorite Marvel score since Tyler Bates's beautiful take on Guardians, Vol. 2.
Goose. I've been seriously contemplating getting a new dog. Goose is starting to sway me toward considering a flerkin instead.
The girl herself. As mentioned, I really didn't think I was going to like Carol. But I did. What seemed like bland smugness in the trailers worked as wry humor in actual context.
Ben Mendelsohn. I was psyched to see him end up as a sympathetic character. It was a great bait and switch that had me rooting for the character long before the truth about him was made known.
Fury (and Coulson). I'm a sucker for '90s nostalgia right now, so throwing all that in there from the younger perspective of some of our favorite characters was a joy.
The wooden dish brush. Yeah, I know, while everyone else was impressed with Sam Jackson's singing chops, my sustainable-living obsession had me mostly geeking out about the fact that Carol's friend Maria had a wooden dish brush (and dish drainer). Go girl.
There wasn't a whole lot I outright disliked about the movie. Jude Law's turn as the inevitable traitor was a little yawnable (as someone said to me, "Of course, he betrayed her. He had his bad-guy face on for the whole movie!"). When I see it again, I'll probably be more nitpicky, but for now I'm just enjoying the afterglow of the first good popcorn flick of the year (and I'm now officially dying for Endgame).
Most advice about pacing has to do with adjusting the "speed" of the story. The most common techniques have to do with either using short sentences, paragraphs, and scenes to speed things up—or lengthening everything to slow things down. Today, however, I want to use Captain Marvel to point out four pacing tricks that aren't always obvious as pacing tricks. When used appropriately, they go a long way toward grabbing an audience's attention and keeping it.
Aside from the sentence by sentence choice of word flow, no pacing decision will have greater effect on readers than your placement of structural beats. A long slog of a First Act usually signals that the Inciting Event and First Plot Point are either slow in coming or aren't strong enough to create a true turn in the plot.
Same for your Second Act: "saggy middles" are almost always the result of a story that either lacks a solid Midpoint/Moment of Truth and/or fails to frame that Midpoint with solid Pinch Points on either side.
And if your Third Act fizzles? Very likely, it's because the Third Plot Point is weak and the Climax is more of an anti-climax.
Solid structural timing won't guarantee your story will keep reader attention (just hark back to the structural problems in Iron Man 3—which had nothing to do with timing or pacing). However, solid structural timing that features a coherent spine of truly plot-changing beats—that is a structure with the ability to shuttle readers from one plot event to the next without ever losing their attention.
With a few exceptions, most of the Marvel movies do pretty good in the structural department. As a comparatively short medium, movies in general must adhere to accurate timing, and Marvel is no exception. In a two-hour movie, such as Captain Marvel, viewers should experience a big event about every fifteen minutes (which translates to every eighth of the story).
It's important to note that not just any "big" event will cut it. Randomly deciding to blow something up around the next eighth mark in your story won't be enough to keep your audience happy. Fireworks aren't nearly as important as change. With every major structural moment in your story, something should change. The character must be captured and mind-probed by the enemy. Or get marooned on a technologically-challenged planet. Or team up with a new partner. Or learn she's from said technologically-challenged planet.
With every structural beat, the character must be faced with decisions. What will she do next that will lead her to the next plot beat?
Although the technique of in medias res (or starting your story "in the middle of things") has enjoyed a certain misty popularity for quite a while, in some circles it is also frequently met with increasing resistance. Mostly, this is because when executed poorly or without proper understanding of the First Act's structural requirements, in medias res is just an annoying mess.
When done well, however, in medias res can kickstart your pacing right off the starting line. In a nutshell, a proper use of in medias res should fulfill Elmore Leonard's famous writing resolution of leaving out "the part readers tend to skip." In short, get to the point.
2. A reason to be intrigued by this character.
3. A problem in progress.
The "problem in progress" part is where in medias res becomes handy. Instead of beginning the story when everything is hunky-dory, choose an opening that places your character already in the middle of an ongoing problem. Usually, this will allow you to cut the throat-clearing and start right off with the bits readers are eager for.
Captain Marvel opens with the protagonist as a Kree warrior in the middle of a campaign. That in itself isn't necessarily enough to make viewers care about her or invest their interest in her plot goals. But throw in the strange dreams that have clearly been haunting her for a while, and suddenly we have a mystery. She's not just a soldier in a war; she's a person with personal problems, who also happens to be fighting a war. Much more interesting.
This movie could conceivably have begun all the way back when Carol was still in the Air Force. For that matter, it could have opened with scenes from her childhood when she looked up at the sky and dreamed of being a pilot. But both of these choices (particularly the latter, which smells of an unnecessary prologue if I ever I smelled one) would have failed to properly telegraph to viewers the point of the story. The story would have had to roll through a ton of scenes before it could get down to the actual point of Carol's journey.
Instead, the film did an admirable job of identifying that oft-mythologized "last possible moment" at which the story could start and still make sense to the audience.
Why use a flashback at all? Simple—because you don't want to take the time to tell the entire story chronologically. Maybe that event from your protagonist's childhood is really important. But everything else that happens in between her thirteenth birthday and the retirement party that starts the main story? Not so much. Instead of creating a bunch of useless filler, you choose instead to open your story at that "last possible minute" and insert the important backstory info as a flashback at the appropriate time.
As useful as a flashback may be for shortening the timeline, it is always an interruption to the main story. This means flashbacks should be kept in the box marked "Emergency Only." This does not mean you should never use flashbacks. Most stories will require a flashback here and there. But it does mean you should think twice—and maybe a third time—before quick-drawing your flashback. If the flashback isn't crucial to the progression of the plot (i.e., it moves the plot), and if the flashback isn't every bit as entertaining as the main plot—then leave it lay.
Because Captain Marvel began so late in its protagonist's personal story, it required a relatively hefty use of flashbacks. Often, this is annoying even when necessary, but most of the flashbacks in this film worked well.
Particularly admirable is the Inciting Event scene in which Carol is captured by the Skrull and mind-probed. The scene could have just info-dumped the necessary information in one of those overly-familiar "dreamlike haze" scenes as Carol emerged from unconsciousness. Instead, it created a clever and amusing sequence in which the Skrull commander Talos repeatedly "rewound" her memories, forcing her to visualize details she had previously forgotten. Both the audience and Carol received important information that turned (and, indeed, launched) the plot, but in a way we enjoyed.
Because Captain Marvel is really a mystery story about solving the protagonist's amnesia, the flashbacks are given a solid reason to be present. They don't exist merely for self-indulgent or convenient reasons; rather, they are the entire point of the story, which leads us to….
Perhaps the single greatest pacing trick any writer can master is that of luring readers ever deeper into the story, via a breadcrumb trail of revelations. The careful dance between foreshadowing and revealing a plot turn is the secret power of master writers.
Of course, the first step in creating this fascinating chain of cause and effect is ensuring your story has something worth revealing. Make a list of the most interesting things your characters will learn over the course of the story.
The second step is to resist, at every turn, the impulse to simply dump this information at your readers' feet. They don't want that. They want to be made to sweat and suffer. They want to earn the reveal.
What that means, of course, is that the third step is all about setting up those revelations. Foreshadow them. Make your characters ask questions. Make those questions deep and burning and primal. Only provide the answers at the moment when the information is so crucial it will impact the plot with all the power of a photon blast.
Stories are, with few exceptions, mysteries. The most obvious approach to this is, of course, the whodunit. But even quiet internal stories of character growth are ultimately a search for something the character starts out not knowing. An artful writer understands this and starts scattering clues right from Page One.
If we look beyond the rubber-suited trappings of the superhero genre, what we find in Captain Marvel is a buddy-cop movie in which the amusing interaction between mismatched detective partners entertains us as they travel around in search of a resolution to a central mystery. As such, this story is an obvious example of how a solid string of revelations can be used to keep the audience's attention.
Almost all of the information Carol learns in this movie could have been info-dumped. Instead, both she and viewers (and poor "not Nick" Fury) have to earn those revelations. This means that when she recognizes herself in a picture of a dead pilot, the moment is more than just information. It's a Moment of Truth that turns both the plot and the her arc.
If pacing is about keeping readers entertained, then entertainment is about good pacing. Figure out ways to apply all four of these pacing tricks to your story, and you will be that much closer to creating the kind of adventure that will leave readers smiling big.
Stay Tuned: In June (personal reasons will keep me from being able to post until then), we'll conclude our series with an examination of the long-awaited Avengers: Endgame.
Wordplayers, tell me your opinions! What are some of your favorite pacing tricks? Tell me in the comments!
The post 4 Pacing Tricks to Keep Readers' Attention appeared first on Helping Writers Become Authors.
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The China Railways JF2 (解放2, Jiěfàng, "liberation") class steam locomotive was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives for goods trains operated by the China Railway. They were originally built for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu) by several American and Japanese manufacturers, as well as by Mantetsu's Shahekou Works, between 1924 and 1932.

History

To fill the need for powerful locomotives to haul heavy goods trains from the Fushun Coal Mines and Dalian, Mantetsu ordered the first five Mikani class locomotives from the American Locomotive Company of Schenectady, New York in 1924. After completion of the superheated three-cylinder locomotives, extensive performance tests were conducted, the results of which attracted considerable attention from the railway industry; despite a wheel diameter of only , they reached a maximum speed of . They were immediately successful, and production of copies began at Mantetsu's Shahekou Works in 1926. They were the first Mantetsu locomotives to weigh over , as well as the first to be built with automatic stokers. Although their performance was excellent, the complexity of the three-cylinder arrangement led to consideration of a superheated 2-10-2 tender locomotive design as a replacement. However, this plan was abandoned, and more Mikanis were built instead. After a number of incidents involving broken crankshafts, the Mikashi class was designed as the successor to the class in 1933.

Postwar

At the end of the Pacific War, the 41 Mikani class locomotives were divided between the Dalian (35) and the Fengtian (6) depots, and all were taken over by the Republic of China Railway. Following the establishment of the People's Republic and the subsequent creation of the current China Railway, they became class ㄇㄎ貳 (MK2) in 1951, and class 解放2 (JF2, jiěfàng, "liberation") in 1959. Numbered in the 2501–2550 range, they were assigned to the Wafangdian locomotive depot in Dalian and used primarily on heavy goods trains. JF2 2525 is preserved at the Shenyang Steam Locomotive Museum.

References

2-8-2 locomotives
ALCO locomotives
Shahekou Works locomotives
Kawasaki locomotives
Kisha Seizo locomotives
Railway locomotives introduced in 1924
Steam locomotives of China
Standard gauge locomotives of China
Rolling stock of Manchukuo
Freight locomotives

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Don't be caught with a bottle of wine and no opener. This Konzelmann branded product features a matte finish metal body with stainless steel inserts. Easy to use, this durable bottle opener will get the job done every time—add pressure and twist to insert, then pull firmly and the bottle will be uncorked.
Its hand-sized shape with soft rubber handle edges provides a comfortable, sturdy grip.
Sorry, Corkscrew (Accessories) is only available to Club members.


Want to work for Traffic Jam Media in the Digital Marketing sector?
Digital marketing is an exciting and fast-moving industry, with constant opportunities to hone your marketing skills and develop your on-line expertise. The present doesn't exist in the on-line, digital world. Keep up or miss out.
Interested yet? We present a fantastic opportunity to join a small and friendly team within a young and ambitious company. We have big plans for future growth, so we're always on the lookout for technical whizzes, hungry sales people and anyone that's keen to learn and start their career in digital marketing.
Our current digital team is composed of people from diverse backgrounds, cultures and nationalities. Sales, content, PPC and SEO are the things we love and know. We value passion at Traffic Jam Media. The right-minded person delivers the right results.
If you think you'd be a great fit for our team then please get in touch for the chance to join us on our on-line adventure.
To be considered, just pop a copy of your CV over to hello@trafficjammedia.co.


Tessi Documents Services assists Chief Digital Officers in the strategy for adding value through new technologies.
Marketing Departments or new Digital Departments are tasked with implementing new services to facilitate digital uses. Tessi Documents Services helps them to innovate and orchestrate the transformation of processes with the business departments, in order to highlight the value of the new tools, facilitate their adoption and demonstrate the ROI for the company.


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Boğaziçi University students face Turkish court for attending peaceful protest
As 14 Boğaziçi University students, two who have been in custody for over three months, faced court today on multiple charges, the prosecutor is seeking prison sentences from six to 32 years.
People have gathered in front of the main courthouse in Istanbul on Friday in an act of solidarity with university students who were about to face court on multiple charges.
Two of the students, Ersin Berke Gök and Caner Perit Özen who have been in custody for more than three months plus 12 others are accused of violating regulations on mass demonstrations, depriving some individuals of freedom, obstructing public service by resisting public servants and seizing public transport vehicles.
The students were detained by police 5 October 2021 on the campus of the Boğaziçi University as they were peacefully making a public statement in front of the rector's building. Gök and Özen were detained later while the others were released on bail.
The mother of Caner Perit Özen made a statement in front of the courthouse.
"They have been deprived of their right to an education and their freedoms because they exercised their right to protest," Canseli Özen said. "And why? Because they demanded administrational autonomy and academic liberty. We will continue to support the just stance of our children and stand by their peaceful protests so full of creative ideas."
A group of students and academy members from the Boğaziçi University were present in the gathering outside the court. A teacher spoke, noting that hundreds of students within the last year had been detained and faced court.
"The prosecutor is asking for prison sentences from six to thirty two years for the students," he said. "This is not the first time we, the academic members of the Boğaziçi University, came to the Çağlayan Courthouse since a rector was appointed by the president 2 January 2021. Hundreds of students have been arrested, faced court, deprived of their scholarships simply for having exercised their constitutional rights. Or their applications for post graduate studies have been actively obstructed by bans on foreign visits."
As the hearing session was still in progress, it has been reported on Twitter that Caner Perit Özen said in his statement to the court:
"We are not only intelligent and good-mannered students. We also have an ongoing just struggle. We don't have a master like the appointed trustees from who we get orders and before whom we bow down to. I reject the accusations and demand my acquittal."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A "food retail" store could open in a small portion of the huge white elephant supermarket at Middlehaven.
The 80,000 sq ft store was set to become a flagship Sainsbury's store, but it's stood empty for almost four years.
The supermarket chain pulled out of a move in August 2015 - but not before it "pushed through" permission to split the cavernous shop into three units.
An application earlier this year, to sub-divide the store into five retail units and a gym, was rejected by Middlesbrough Council, who raised concerns about how that scale of potential development could harm Middlesbrough town centre.
The firm had hoped to move a B&M garden centre, an Argos, an Iceland concept store called the Food Warehouse, and the Gym Group onto the site - with space for more.
But after that move was blocked, Sainsbury's has made a different type of application to the council - a Certificate of Lawfulness of Proposed Use or Development.
A covering letter states that as the planning permission already exists from 2015 for three units in the supermarket, it can make changes to provide a food retail store that will only take up a fraction of the overall floor space.
As it would only be internal work being done to set up the store, Sainsbury's says, it would not need any further planning.
However, the name of the brand that could move in is as yet a mystery.
A Sainsbury's spokesman said: "We're working hard to bring the site into operation, which will create new jobs and expand the services available in Middlehaven."
A floorplan, showing the layout of the proposed new store, reveals that the proposed shop would be accessed through the existing main door.
Two further empty retail units are shown on the plan, alongside what appears to be large swathes of unused space.
The covering letter submitted by Sainsbury's says the food store would 1,328 sq m - roughly a fifth of the total floorspace available.


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English Light Novels
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A superhero/light novel community
Yu-Gi-Oh! Creator Apologizes for Getting Political with His Characters
Vic July 17, 2019 0 comments
By news+feed@crunchyroll.com
Yesterday we posted about an illustration by Yu-Gi-Oh! creator Kazuki Takahashi that urged readers to vote while expressing frustration with Japan's current government. With an election right around the corner on July 21, Takahashi likely thought he had his heart in the right place, but fans felt he crossed a line when using his popular characters to make such an overt political statement.
While fans acknowledged Takahashi's right to freedom of speech, many of them didn't take too kindly to phrases like "selling out the country" and "dictatorship" being put in the mouths of Yugi and the Dark Magicians. Thus, Takahashi has since issued an apology.
Here's what he said in response:
"It seems I've caused some trouble. After taking various points of view into account, I would like to offer a deep apology to all fans for having the characters make political proclamations."
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Rehabilitation of Historic Minnesota Bridge
Phelps Mill Bridge is a key component to the locally treasured and nationally historic Phelps Mill Park. KLJ was tasked with inspecting and implementing a rehabilitation strategy to improve the safety of the bridge without compromising its historical integrity. Through close coordination with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Cultural Resources staff and local historic groups, KLJ developed an award-winning rehabilitation project to preserve the bridge for many years to come.
Nestled in Phelps Mill Park lies the only remaining steel truss bridge in Otter Tail County, MN. Phelps Mill Bridge was constructed in 1907 as part of the Main Township road system and designed to better serve Phelps Mill, a flour mill constructed in the late 1800s. The bridge spans 123 feet and was used for vehicular traffic connecting Phelps Mill Road to County State Aid Highway 45, as well as pedestrian traffic.
The bridge was initially utilized to support both vehicular and pedestrian traffic to the mill and surrounding areas, including Phelps Mill which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. In 1984 the Phelps Mill Historic District was established which only enhanced the bridge's significance and the importance of preserving the structure. In 2001, Maine Township requested Otter Tail County take over ownership as the bridge began to show increasing signs of safety concerns involving the truss system and bridge pier. Otter Tail County considered the bridge's condition, location, and traffic, along with the importance of the structure and decided to move forward with a project to restore the structure for pedestrian use.
KLJ's bridge experts worked closely with MnDOT and Otter Tail County to develop an innovative project to restore the bridge while still maintaining the historic integrity. To correct the deficiencies, the timber deck was removed and replaced with new timber. The pins, lower chord truss members and lower chord bracing members were replaced with new steel members detailed to physically resemble the original members as closely as possible. The deteriorated steel stringers were replaced with new steel beams similar to the original members. The center pier, which had displaced vertically and laterally, was replaced in-kind to retain the appearance of the original bridge. KLJ also provided project memorandum, public input coordination, environmental coordination, and construction administration.
Today, the bridge is open and provides pedestrians a safe connection across the Otter Tail River in Phelps Mill Park and provides a spectacular view of the scenic Phelps Mill building and park. In 2014, the Phelps Mill Bridge received an Honorary Minnesota American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC/MN) award which was rated on uniqueness and/or innovative applications, future value to the engineering profession and perception by the public, social, economic, and sustainable development considerations, complexity, and successful fulfillment of client/owner's needs.
Four Bears Casino and Event Center Expansion
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Design of New Lewis and Clark Bridge


Under the suffocating shadow of economic austerity, homelessness in Britain is increasing, poverty and inequality deepening. Since the Conservative party came to power via a coalition government in 2010, then as a minority government in 2015, homelessness has risen exponentially.
Whilst it is impossible to collect precise statistics on homelessness, these widely available figures, which exclude the 'hidden homeless', paint a stark picture of the growing crisis: In 2010 1,768 people were recorded as sleeping rough, whilst 48,000 households were living in temporary accommodation. By December 2017, according to A Public Accounts Committee report, there were almost 9,000 rough sleepers, and, The Guardian states, "nearly 76,000 households were living in emergency temporary accommodation such as bed and breakfasts, of which 60,000 were families with children or pregnant mothers" – an increase of 58% on the 2010 figures.
Whilst someone rough sleeping in a doorway is a loud and painful declaration of homelessness, a person is also regarded as homeless if they are staying with family or friends or 'sofa surfing' (the 'hidden homeless'), as well those living in temporary accommodation provided by a local authority. Councils have a legal duty to house certain people – such as pregnant women, parents with dependent children and people considered vulnerable (single people rarely qualify). If, after investigating a case, the council concludes they do not have a legal duty to provide housing, nothing permanent is offered and the temporary accommodation is withdrawn. The only option then is to find somewhere in the private sector, which is becoming increasingly difficult in many parts of the country, including rural towns as well as London and other major cities. Rents (and deposits) are high and landlords are more and more demanding, refusing to rent to people on state benefits, often asking for a guarantor and only offering Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST).
The Thatcher government introduced AST's as part of the Housing Act of 1988, prior to which fair rents (as opposed to market rents) and protected tenancies existed, providing a high level of security of tenure. The Thatcher legislation changed all that; AST's (usually six months) provide virtually no security to the tenant and, in line with the maxim of the market, set no limit on the level of the rent. Consequentially most landlords charge as much as they can get, many do not properly maintain the property, and are within their rights to raise rents and take possession of the property whenever they feel like it. The ending of an AST is now one of the most common causes of homelessness.
The cap on HB is one aspect of the government's austere economic programme. Through the implementation of economic austerity the Conservative government is waging a violent assault on the poorest members of British society and ripping the heart out of the community. The justification for such brutality is the need to 'balance the books', however, the national debt is greater now that is was in 2010, The Office for National Statistics states that "UK government gross debt as of December 2017 was £1.7 trillion – equivalent to 87.7% of gross domestic product (GDP)," – compared to 60% of GDP in 2010. Austerity is an ideological choice not an economic necessity. Financial cuts have been applied in the most severe manner; budgets to local authorities, schools, the NHS (National Health Service), the Police and to the benefit system, among other areas. The consequences are homelessness and widespread economic hardship.
Nationwide food-banks run by the Trussell Trust provided 1.3 million food parcels last year, up 13% on 2016 – before the financial crash in 2008/9 the concept of "food banks" was virtually unknown in Britain. Shelter estimates that more than 130,000 homeless children will be living in temporary accommodation over Christmas, almost 10,000 of who will be in hostels or hotels "where in many cases their family will have been put up in a single room, sharing bathrooms and kitchens with other residents. Overall, 50,000 more children in England, Wales and Scotland are homeless compared with five years ago, a rise of 59%." The government is doing nothing to alleviate the homeless crisis, on the contrary their policies are fuelling it; Labour MP Meg Hillier, who chairs the Public Accounts Committee, says the government's approach to tackling the problem of homelessness has been an "abject failure".
Rough sleepers and people begging for money are routinely ignored and treated with disdain, police are instructed to move beggars on and so erase images of social hardship from the gentrified streets – it's bad for the cities image – and hostile architecture makes even rough sleeping difficult. Shelter relate that the three main reasons for becoming homeless are: "parents, friends or relatives unwilling or unable to continue to accommodate them; relationship breakdown, including domestic violence and loss of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy." These are causes that anyone could be the victim of, they should not result in homelessness, indeed within a healthy, compassionately organized socio-economic order, homelessness would not exist at all.
Housing, like education and health care, should be safeguarded from the Madness of the Market; limits should be placed on the rents that private landlords can charge, and a nationwide building program of social housing initiated under the stewardship of local councils, not housing associations. At the same time tenancies need to be lengthened, tenants' rights strengthened, and fair rents re-introduced.
A house or flat is a home, and a home is a basic human right – enshrined as such within that triumph of humanity, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: it is not and should not be regarded as a financial investment. At the root of the 'housing crisis' in Britain and elsewhere is the poison of commodification; whether it be a house or a forest, a school playground, library building or a public park, all are regarded in monetary terms, how much is it 'worth' – meaning how much is anyone willing to pay for it. The result is the commercialization of all areas of life including housing, and the promotion of an ugly way of life rooted in material greed and financial profit, no matter the impact on people or the natural environment.
This ideologically rooted approach to life is at the heart of many if not all of our problems, including the most pressing issue of the time, the environmental catastrophe. Government policies consistently add fuel to the fires, politicians lack vision and imagination, but it is the socio-economic ideology that underlies and fashions policy that is the problem; the system and the values it promotes need to be fundamentally changed, and a new order introduced that cultivates social justice, cooperation and tolerance.


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Small Business Development ›
Aliesha Porcena
26 Court Street, 7th Floor
Director of Small Business
Aliesha J. Porcena is the Director of Small Business for the City of Boston. She oversees direct services and programming that support over 40,000+ small businesses. In partnership with Boston's small business community, Aliesha helps build an inclusive, equitable, and accessible economy that works for all residents.
Throughout her professional career, she has worked globally, nationally, and locally- addressing inequalities to ensure communities have the necessary resources to achieve prosperous futures. She began her career in public service working in constituent services for then-City Councilor Ayanna Pressley (now Congresswomen-MA 07), and working at a poverty hotline doing intake for low-income communities. Since then, Aliesha has led donor relations for Partners in Health in Haiti where she developed and coordinated fundraising strategies to support over three million patients including women and children, all while supporting program development.
Most recently, Aliesha served as Director of Growth, Equity, and Impact at Interise, a Boston-based economic development nonprofit, focused on closing the racial wealth gap through small business growth. She directed the organization's growth strategy with the U.S. Small Business Administration and programming for its 52 cities across the country. Aliesha has built innovative programs and developed partnerships that leverage community capacity. Yet, at the core of her work, it has always centered people. A true public servant, Aliesha is an innovator, convener, and community builder focused on empowering local communities, and those that are underserved and unresourced communities.
Aliesha holds a Masters of Arts in Public Policy from Tufts University, and was a Neighborhood Fellow. She graduated cum laude from Northeastern University with a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and International Affairs. The proud daughter of Haitian immigrants, Aliesha is a Boston native, and currently resides in Dorchester.


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Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam rock.

Early glam metal evolved directly from the glam rock movement of the 1970s, as visual elements taken from acts such as T. Rex, the New York Dolls, and David Bowie (and to a lesser extent, the punk and new wave movements taking place concurrently in New York City) were fused with the decidedly more heavy metal leaning and theatrical acts such as Alice Cooper and Kiss. The first examples of this fusion began appearing in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene. Early glam metal bands include Mötley Crüe, Hanoi Rocks, Ratt, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi, and Dokken. Glam metal achieved significant commercial success from approximately 1983 to 1992, bringing to prominence bands such as Poison, Skid Row, Cinderella and Warrant. From a strictly visual perspective, glam metal is defined by flashy and tight-fitting clothing, makeup, and an overall androgynous aesthetic in which the traditional "denim & leather" aspect of heavy metal culture is replaced by spandex, lace, and usually heavy use of bright colours.

Glam metal suffered a decline in popularity in the early-mid 1990s, as the grunge and alternative phenomena revolutionized hard rock, and fans' tastes moved toward a more natural and stripped-down aesthetic and a rejection of the glam metal visual style. During this period, many of the most successful acts of the genre's 1980s pinnacle suddenly found themselves facing disbandment as their audiences moved in another direction. Glam metal has experienced a resurgence since the late 1990s, with successful reunion tours of many popular acts from the genre's 1980s heyday, as well as the emergence of new, predominantly European bands, including the Darkness, Crashdiet, Reckless Love, and American band Steel Panther.

Characteristics, fashion, and terminology
Musically, glam metal combines a traditional heavy metal sound with elements of hard rock and punk rock, adding pop-influenced catchy hooks and guitar riffs. Like other heavy metal songs of the 1980s (most notably thrash metal songs), they often feature shred guitar solos. They also include extensive use of harmonies, particularly in the characteristic power balladsslow, emotional songs that gradually build to a strong finale. These were among the most commercially successful singles in the genre and opened it up to a wider audience that would otherwise not have been attracted to traditional heavy metal. Lyrical themes often deal with love and lust, with songs often directed at a particular woman.

Aesthetically glam metal draws heavily on the glam rock or glitter rock of the 1970s, often with very long backcombed hair, use of hair spray, use of make-up, gaudy clothing and accessories (chiefly consisting of tight denim or leather jeans, spandex, and headbands). The visual aspects of glam metal appealed to music television producers, particularly MTV, whose establishment coincided with the rise of the genre. Glam metal performers became infamous for their debauched lifestyles of drugs, strippers and late-night parties, which were widely covered in the tabloid press.

Sociologist Deena Weinstein points to the large number of terms used to describe more commercial forms of heavy metal, which she groups together as lite metal. These include, beside glam metal: melodic metal, false metal, poodle bands, nerf metal, pop metal or metal pop, the last of which was coined by critic Philip Bashe in 1983 to describe bands such as Van Halen and Def Leppard. AllMusic employs the umbrella term "pop metal", which refers to the whole pop-tinted hard rock and heavy metal scene of the 1980s (including Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Europe), and locates hair metal as a late-1980s variation of pop metal characterized by flashy clothing and heavy makeup influenced by glam rock (as embodied by Poison and Mötley Crüe). Use of the derogatory term "hair metal" started in the early 1990s, as grunge gained popularity at the expense of 1980s metal. In the "definitive metal family tree" of his documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, anthropologist Sam Dunn differentiates pop metal, which includes bands like Def Leppard, Europe, and Whitesnake, from glam metal bands such as Mötley Crüe and Poison.

History

Predecessors

Music journalist Stephen Davis claims the influences of the style can be traced back to acts like Kiss, Boston, Cheap Trick, and the New York Dolls. Kiss, and to a lesser extent Alice Cooper, were major influences on the genre. Finnish band Hanoi Rocks, heavily influenced themselves by the New York Dolls, have been credited with setting a blueprint for the look of hair metal.

Van Halen has been seen as highly influential on the movement, emerging in 1978 from the Los Angeles music scene on Sunset Strip, with a sound based around the lead guitar skills of Eddie Van Halen. He popularized a playing technique of two-handed hammer-ons and pull-offs called tapping, showcased on the song "Eruption" from the album Van Halen. This sound, and lead singer David Lee Roth's stage antics, would be highly influential on glam metal, although Van Halen would never fully adopt a glam aesthetic. Def Leppard, often categorized with the New Wave of British heavy metal, released their second album High 'n' Dry in 1981, mixing glam rock with heavy metal, and helping to define the sound of hard rock for the decade.

Mainstream success (1981–1991)

First wave (1981–1986)
In the early 1980s, bands from across the United States began to move towards what would become the glam metal sound. In 1981, Mötley Crüe (from Los Angeles) released their first album Too Fast for Love, Dokken (also from Los Angeles) released their first album Breaking the Chains, and Kix (from western Maryland) released their first album Kix. In 1982, Night Ranger (from San Francisco) released their initial album Dawn Patrol which reached the top 40 in the United States.

1983 was the breakout year for heavy metal: Quiet Riot's Metal Health was the first heavy metal album to reach number one in the Billboard charts. Quiet Riot success paved the way for many heavy metal acts, glam and otherwise, as the decade progressed. That same year saw a larger wave of heavy metal albums achieve previously unheard of commercial success, with Mötley Crüe releasing its second album Shout at the Devil, Def Leppard releasing its third album Pyromania, and Kiss releasing Lick It Up.

Def Leppard's Pyromania, later certified 10× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), reached number two on the Billboard 200. The singles "Foolin'", "Photograph", and "Rock of Ages", helped by the emergence of MTV, reached the Top 40. Pyromanias style was widely emulated, particularly by the emerging Californian scene. However, remarked Leppard's Joe Elliott, "I don't know how anybody could confuse us with that lot. We weren't even around when all those so-called glam bands came up. We were in fuckin' Holland making Hysteria. While they were out banging chicks or whatever, we were looking at windmills and playing pool on a table without any pockets. We were as far away from LA as any band could be."

The most active glam metal scene was starting to appear in clubs on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, including The Trip, the Whisky a Go Go, and the Starwood. These clubs began to avoid booking punk rock bands because of fears of violence and began booking many metal bands, usually on a "pay to play" basis, thus creating a vibrant scene for hard rock music. An increasing number of metal bands were able to produce debut albums in 1984, including Ratt (from Los Angeles) with its breakthrough album Out of the Cellar, Bon Jovi (from New Jersey) with its debut Bon Jovi, Great White with Great White, Black 'n Blue (from Portland, Oregon) with Black 'n Blue, Autograph with its first album Sign In Please, and W.A.S.P. with its self-titled debut album.

All these bands played a part in developing the overall look and sound of glam metal during the early 1980s. In 1985, many more commercially successful glam metal albums began to appear. Mötley Crüe released Theatre of Pain, Ratt's second album Invasion of Your Privacy, Dokken's third album Under Lock and Key, Stryper's first release Soldiers Under Command, Bon Jovi's second release 7800° Fahrenheit, and Autograph's second album That's The Stuff. Los Angeles continued to foster the most important scene around the Sunset Strip, with groups like London, which had originally formed as a glam rock band in the 1970s, and had seen future members of Mötley Crüe, Cinderella and Guns N' Roses pass through its ranks, finally releasing their début album Non Stop Rock in 1985 as well.

Second wave (1986–1991)
By the mid-late 1980s, glam metal had begun to become a major mainstream success in America with many of these bands' music videos appearing on heavy rotation on MTV often at the top of MTV's daily dial countdown, and some of the bands appeared on the channel's shows such as Headbangers Ball, which became one of the most popular programs with over 1.3 million views a week. The groups also received heavy rotation on radio stations such as KNAC in Los Angeles.

1986 was a significant year for glam metal music as one of the most commercially significant releases of the era was put out by Bon Jovi with Slippery When Wet which mixed metal with a pop sensibility, and spent a total of eight weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 album chart, selling over 12 million copies in the United States. It became the first hard rock album to spawn three top ten singles, two of which reached number one. The album has been credited with widening the audience for the genre, particularly by appealing to women as well as the traditional male dominated audience, and opening the door to MTV and commercial success for other bands at the end of the decade.

The Swedish band Europe released the anthemic album The Final Countdown which reached the top ten in several countries, including the U.S. and while the title single reached number one in 26 countries. Stryper made their mainstream breakthrough in 1986 with the release of their platinum album To Hell with the Devil and brought Christian lyrics to their hard rock music style and glam metal looks. Two Pennsylvania bands, with Harrisburg's Poison and Philadelphia's Cinderella released multi-platinum début albums, respectively Look What the Cat Dragged In and Night Songs in 1986. Van Halen released 5150 their first album with Sammy Hagar on lead vocals, which was number one in the U.S. for three weeks and sold over six million copies. Additionally, some established hard rock and heavy metal bands of the era such as Scorpions, Whitesnake, Dio, Aerosmith, Kiss, Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Saxon and Accept began incorporating hair metal elements into their sounds and images, as the genre's popularity skyrocketed in 1985–1986.

Glam metal bands continued their run of commercial success in 1987 with Mötley Crüe releasing Girls, Girls, Girls, White Lion releasing Pride, and Def Leppard releasing Hysteria producing a hard rock record of seven hit singles. Another of the greatest successes of the era was Guns N' Roses, originally formed from a fusion of bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose, who released the best-selling début of all time, Appetite for Destruction. With a "grittier" and "rawer" sound than most glam metal, incorporating elements punk and blues, Appetite For Destruction produced three top 10 hits, including the number one "Sweet Child O' Mine". Such was the dominance of the style that Californian hardcore punk band T.S.O.L. moved towards a glam metal sound in this period.

In the last years of the decade the most notable successes were New Jersey (1988) by Bon Jovi, OU812 (1988) by Van Halen, while Open Up and Say... Ahh! (1988) by Poison, spawned number one hit single "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", and eventually sold eight million copies worldwide. Britny Fox from Philadelphia and Winger from New York released their eponymous débuts in 1988. In 1989 Mötley Crüe produced their most commercially successful album, the multi-platinum number one Dr. Feelgood. In the same year eponymous débuts included Danger Danger from New York, Dangerous Toys from Austin, Texas, who provided more of a Southern rock tone to the genre, Enuff Z'Nuff from Chicago who provided an element of psychedelia to their sound and visual style, and Tora Tora from Memphis, Tennessee, who incorporated elements of blues rock into their music. L.A. débuts included Warrant with Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich (1989), and Skid Row with their eponymous album (1989), which reached number six in the Billboard 200, but they were to be one of the last major bands that emerged in the glam metal era.

Glam metal entered the 1990s as one of the major commercial genres of popular music, but such success would not continue for long; in 1990, débuts for Slaughter, from Las Vegas with Stick It to Ya and FireHouse, from North Carolina, with their eponymous album reached number 18 and number 21 on the Billboard 200 respectively, but it would be the peak of their commercial achievement. Y&T released their last album "Ten" before the band on went on hiatus a few years.

Decline (1991–1997)
The 1988 film The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years captured the Los Angeles scene of successful and aspiring bands. It also highlighted the excesses of glam metal, particularly the scene in which W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes was interviewed while drinking vodka on a floating chair in a swimming pool as his mother watched. As a result, it has been seen as helping to create a backlash against the genre. In the early 1990s glam metal's popularity rapidly declined after nearly a decade of success. Successful bands lost members that were key to their songwriting and/or live performances, such as Mötley Crue's frontman Vince Neil, Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille, Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark and Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin. Several music writers and musicians began to deride glam metal acts as "hair farmers", hinting at the soon-to-be-popularized term "hair metal". Another reason for the decline in popularity of the style may have been the declining popularity of the power ballad. While its use, especially after a hard-rocking anthem, was initially a successful formula, in the early 1990s audiences lost interest in this approach.

One significant factor in the decline was the rise of grunge music from Seattle, with bands including Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. This was particularly obvious after the success of Nirvana's Nevermind (1991), which combined elements of hardcore punk and heavy metal into a dirty sound that made use of heavy guitar distortion, fuzz and feedback, along with darker lyrical themes, a stripped-down aesthetic and a complete rejection of the glam metal visual style and performance. Many major labels felt they had been caught off-guard by the surprise success of grunge and began turning over their personnel in favor of younger staffers more versed in the new scene. As MTV shifted its attention to the new style, glam metal bands found themselves relegated increasingly to late night airplay, and Headbangers Ball was cancelled at the end of 1994, while KNAC went over to Spanish programming. Given glam metal's lack of a major format presence on radio, bands were left without a clear way to reach their audience. Other (earlier Hollywood) alternative rock bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction also helped supplant the popularity of the genre.

Some artists tried to alter their sound, while others struggled on with their original format. In 1995, Van Halen released Balance, a multi-platinum seller that would be the band's last with Sammy Hagar on vocals. In 1996, David Lee Roth returned briefly and his replacement, former Extreme singer Gary Cherone, left the band soon after the release of the commercially unsuccessful 1998 album Van Halen III. Van Halen would not tour or record again until 2004. Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers' 1992 debut album Generation Terrorists featured a glam metal sound. The album reached No. 1 in the UK Rock Chart, but failed to chart in the United States.

Meanwhile, Guns N' Roses' classic-lineup was whittled away throughout the decade. Drummer Steven Adler was fired in 1990, guitarist Izzy Stradlin left in late 1991 after recording Use Your Illusion I and II with the band. Tensions between the other band members and lead singer Axl Rose continued after the release of the 1993 punk rock covers album "The Spaghetti Incident?". Guitarist Slash left in 1996, followed by bassist Duff McKagan in 1998. Axl Rose, the only remaining member from the classic lineup at that point, worked with several lineups of the band to record Chinese Democracy – an album that would take over ten years to complete.

Revivals and nostalgia festivals (1997–present)

During the late 1990s and 2000s, glam metal began to have a revival. Some established acts who had managed to weather the storm enjoyed renewed popularity, others reformed and new bands emerged to emulate the glam metal style. Bon Jovi were still able to achieve a commercial hit with "It's My Life" (2000). They branched into country music with a version of their 2005 song "Who Says You Can't Go Home", which reached No. 1 on the Hot Country Singles chart in 2006 and the rock/country album Lost Highway which reached No. 1 in 2007. In 2009, Bon Jovi released The Circle, which marked a return to their hard rock sound and reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Mötley Crüe reunited with Vince Neil to record the 1997 album Generation Swine and Poison reunited with guitarist C.C. DeVille in 1999, producing the mostly live Power to the People (2000); both bands began to tour extensively. There were reunions and subsequent tours from Van Halen (with Hagar in 2004 and then Roth in 2007). The long-awaited Guns N' Roses album Chinese Democracy was finally released in 2008, but only went platinum in the US, produced no hit singles, and failed to come close to the success of the band's late 1980s and early 1990s material. Europe's "Final Countdown" enjoyed a new lease of popularity as the millennium drew to a close and the band reformed. Other acts to reform included Ratt, Britny Fox, Stryper (annually), and Skid Row.

Beginning in 1999, Monster Ballads, a series of compilation albums that feature popular power ballads, usually from the glam metal genre, capitalized on the nostalgia, with the first volume going platinum. The VH1 sponsored Rock Never Stops Tour, beginning in 1998, has seen many glam metal bands take to the stage again, including on the inaugural tour: Warrant, Slaughter, Quiet Riot, FireHouse, and L.A. Guns. Slaughter also took part in the 1999 version with Ted Nugent, Night Ranger, and Quiet Riot. Poison and Cinderella toured together in 2000 and 2002, and in 2005 Cinderella headlined the Rock Never Stops Tour, with support from Ratt, Quiet Riot, and FireHouse. In 2007 the four-day-long Rocklahoma festival held in Oklahoma included glam metal bands Poison, Ratt and Twisted Sister. Warrant and Cinderella co-headlined the festival in 2008. Nostalgia for the genre was evidenced in the production of the glam metal themed musical Rock of Ages, which ran in Los Angeles in 2006 and in New York in 2008. It was made into a film released in 2012.

Glam metal experienced a partial resurgence around the turn of the century, due in part to increased interest on the Internet, with the successful Glam Slam Metal Jam music festival taking place in the summer of 2000. By the early 2000s, a handful of new bands began to revive glam metal in one form or another. The Darkness's Permission to Land (2003), described as an "eerily realistic simulation of '80s metal and '70s glam", topped the UK charts, going quintuple platinum. One Way Ticket to Hell... and Back (2005) reached number 11. The band broke up in 2006, but reunited in 2011, releasing the album Hot Cakes the following year. Los Angeles band Steel Panther managed to gain a following by playing 1980s style glam metal. In Sweden the "sleaze metal" movement attempted to revive the genre, with bands including Vains of Jenna, Crashdïet and H.E.A.T, as well as the Finnish band Reckless Love. Other new acts included Beautiful Creatures and Buckcherry. The latter's breakthrough album 15 (2006) went platinum in the U.S. and spawned the single "Sorry" (2007), which made the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. In France, the band BlackRain also managed to get some coverage, thanks to their work with legendary producer Jack Douglas. Bands known for their metalcore background such as Black Veil Brides and Blessed by a Broken Heart have changed their style to be glam metal inspired, both musically and visually, with Black Veil Brides adding a gothic spin to the traditional glam image.

See also
List of glam metal albums and songs
List of glam metal bands and artists

Citations

Works cited

General bibliography
 Auslander, P., Performing Glam Rock: Gender and Theatricality in Popular Music (Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2006), .
 Batchelor, R.,  and Stoddart, S., The 1980s (London: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007), .
 Bogdanov, V., Woodstra, C., and Erlewine, S. T., All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul (Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books, 3rd edn., 2002), .
 Bukszpan, D., The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal (London: Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2003), .
 Chapman, A., and Silber, L., Rock to Riches: Build Your Business the Rock & Roll Way (Capital Books, 2008), .
 Danville, E., and Mott, C., The Official Heavy Metal Book of Lists (Fayetteville, AR: University of Arkansas Press, 2009), .
 Davis, S., Watch You Bleed: The Saga of Guns N' Roses (New York: Gotham Books, 2008), .
 Hurd, M. G., Women Directors and their Films (London: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007), .
 Macdonald, B., Harrington, J.,  and Dimery, R., Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (London: Quintet, 2006), .
 Moore, R., Sells Like Teen Spirit: Music, Youth Culture, and Social Crisis (New York: New York University Press, 2009), .
 Nicholls, D., The Cambridge History of American Music (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), .
 Smith, C., 101 Albums that Changed Popular Music (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009), .
 Walser, R., Running with the Devil: Power, Gender, and Madness in Heavy Metal Music (Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1993), .
 Weinstein, D., Heavy Metal: The Music and Its Culture (Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2000), .
 Weinstein, D., "Rock critics need bad music", in C. Washburne and M. Derno, eds, Bad Music: the Music we Love to Hate (London: Routledge, 2004), .
 Yfantis, V., "Power Ballads And The Stories Behind", (Athens: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2021), .

1980s fads and trends
1980s in music
1990s in music
20th-century music genres
Heavy metal genres
Fusion music genres


text:
John Mitchell's Jail Journal
John Mitchel was born near Dungiven, County Derry in 1815. He became a leading member of both the 'Young Irelander' and the 'Irish Confederation' movements. He was a solicitor, an Irish nationalist activist and a political journalist. He was an outspoken critic of British rule in Ireland, in particular the government's lack of reaction to the Irish famine. Ireland simmered and was angry and ready for rebellion in the 1840's and Britain was fearful that the rousing Mitchel could be the spark to light a revolutionary fire. London's Punch magazine emphasised his international standing by portraying him as an Irish monkey, challenging the Great British Lion. While the Times thundered against him which only seved to raise his profile further. When Mitchel produced his own republican newspaper, the United Irishman, it sold out immediately and readers hung on every word. In order to silence Mitchel, to rob him of his heroic status and his possible martyrdom, the British government passed the 1848 Treason Felony Act, which sought to treat treason as a common crime. Mitchel was arrested and tried.
In 1848 he was the first person to be convicted of sedition under the 'Treason Felony Act', a sentence created with him in mind. He was sentenced to fourteen years transportation and at the time Bermuda in the Caribbean was one of the main destinations. Following his conviction in Dublin on the 27th of May 1848, Mitchel was transferred under military escort to Spike Island on H.M.S Scourge, where he was incarcerated for three days. During his journey from Dublin he began to write his famous 'Jail Journal; or Five Years in British Prisons', his diary of his experiences from Dublin until his arrival in New York on the 29th of November 1853. This included the story of his time on Spike Island.
His journal was first published in book form in New York in 1854. The book was highly influential at the time as many readers were shocked to hear of the 'dark age' conditions in which some prisoners were still being held on Spike Island, despite some efforts at reform in other prisons within the Victorian penal system. There was a loud call for reform which started right here on Spike Island and would be exported to the world, called the 'Spike Island system'. But the books biggest impact came in its contribution to the cause of Irish nationlism. The style of Mitchel's prose was well received by the influential higher classes and it prompted many to reconsider their stance on the impact of Empire and the just cause of national sovereignty and freedom. The Jail Journal has been described by the Oxford Dictionary of Biography as one of the 'classics of Irish revolutionary writing' and by others as 'the manual of Irish nationalist philosophy'. Though it was many decades later that Ireland finallly won its freedom, several members of the 1916 generation cited Mitchel as their inspiration.
Patrick Pearse declared the Jail Journal to be 'the last of the four gospels of the new testament of Irish nationality, the last and the fieriest and the most sublime'. Eamon De Valera revered Mitchel and in 1943 when he imagined Ireland as 'the home of a people who valued mat-erial wealth only as a basis for right living, of a people who, satisfied with frugal comfort, devoted their leisure to the things of the spirit', he too was delving into Mitchel's Jail Journal for his inspiration.
Mitchel returned to Ireland for the first time on the 17th February 1875 to contest the Tipperary by election to become a Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons. He won the election however he was not allowed take his seat as he was a convicted felon. The election was rerun on the 12th March and he won again by an even greater majority, yet he was deprived of his seat.
He died on the 20th March 1875 in Newry at the age of sixty. The fort on Spike Island was renamed from Fort Westmoreland to Fort Mitchel in his honour in 1951, and some GAA clubs In Ireland and sites in America bear his name.
It has righly been pointed out by modern historians that Mitchel besmirched his name by being an adovcate of the slave trade in America's sourthern states. He supported the Confederates in the American civil war and two of his sons died fighting against the union. His support was at odds with his ardent belief in the right of Irish people to assert their freedoms and shows the often complicated status of historical figures. While abhorring his support of the confederate states his contribution to the cause of eventual Irish freedom is well established.
The copy you will see of john Mitchels diary on display in the John Mitchel room on Spike Island is a rare first edition of 'Jail Journal', while a commisioned video tells the story of his fascinating life.