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As nations around the world unite to compete for the top spot in the Rio 2016 Olympics, we are celebrating Olympic athletes across Goldman Sachs in a new Q&A series. Seven employees will share their journeys, memories and stories from the games and how the experience has shaped their perspectives today. Keep visiting the careers blog for new profiles over the next few weeks.
Rob Williams works in the firm's Securities Division in London. He competed for Great Britain in Rowing at the 2012 Olympics (Men's Lightweight Four, Silver Medal). Here, Rob shares how he got involved in rowing, maintaining motivation while training and overcoming a serious back injury.
Q: How did you get involved in rowing?
Rob: I started when I was 14. It was just after [rower] Steve Redgrave won his fifth gold medal at the Sydney Olympics [in 2000]. With some friends we decided to get a bit healthier and we joined the local rowing club – it all kind of snowballed from there.
I rowed for a club for a couple of years and for university for a year and before joining London rowing club. I was 19 when I first rowed for Great Britain and managed to catastrophically injure myself that year and tore a disc in my back. I had to sit the year out and then slowly got back into rowing again.
Q: Describe the training and commitment that Olympic-level performance requires. What type of preparation and sacrifice did your training demand?
Rob: I was essentially a full-time athlete for six years – from 2007, just before the Beijing Olympics, all the way to 2012 and the London Olympics.
We trained in three-day cycles with either a light day or day off every Sunday. Within the cycle there would be two three-session days along with an intense two-session day. An example of a three-session day would be a 20-kilometer row, a weights session and an 18-kilometer ergo (an indoor rowing machine).
I was also doing full-time academia at the same time, [earning a PhD in x-ray crystallography]. A typical day would start early as I worked my way through the three training sessions, then, go into the lab, start an experiment…there were times when I'd start an experiment [and] go home, go to bed, get back up at midnight, go back in and finish off the experiment, go back home, go to bed and then get up at 6:00 a.m. for training.
Q: What motivated you to keep training that hard for something?
Rob: In my experience, for most of the people who go to the Olympics and medal – it's not that they love winning, they hate losing. You have to enjoy the journey, because if you don't, it's just too long and too hard of a thing to possibly embark on if you're only doing it for the hope of achieving a medal or winning at the end of it.
Q: What was it like coming off of the Olympics and that kind of regimen? Do you still feel a need to achieve something extraordinary?
Rob: One of the big reasons I went into the industry I did was obviously because I did a mathematical and quantitative PhD, but also because I needed to have that kind of stimulation in my life.
A lot of Olympic athletes get very depressed after the Olympics, [because] they suddenly lose structure in their day and life… For me, it was about transferring that energy into something else.
Q: Please share any setbacks or challenges you experienced on your path to the Olympics. How did these impact you and how did you manage them?
Rob: [After I tore a disc in my back at 19], I had to take a year off, but I've had it happen to me a couple of times. The first time around, we really didn't know what was wrong because it's a very unspecific injury and unless you're [familiar with it], people aren't as tailored to spot the injury. So I was at the stage where it took me 30 seconds to stand up, and when you're 19 years old, your back really shouldn't be in that state. I had surgery on it and then did a few months off, and then slowly got back into rowing again – I had surgery in the summer and the following summer. Nonetheless, at least it taught me how to protect my back a little bit better.
Q: Share a little bit about the experience of being part of a sports team that's performing at the highest level. Can you describe the team dynamic for your Olympic team? What similarities and differences do you see when you compare it to your Goldman Sachs teams?
Rob: There were four of us in the boat, and [at the 2012 London Olympics] we came in second by .08 of a second and we were .5 of a second ahead of third place. You so heavily and totally rely on each other for those moments. I think half the drive is the hatred of failure, and the other half is you definitely don't want to let anyone else down. It's one thing to let yourself down, but when you have a team, and everyone's completely relying on you, then it's very, very hard to let them down.
Being in a team made it far more enjoyable. You do three sessions a day together and essentially lived in each other's pockets for the better part of four years. I think that would have been an incredibly hard experience to do by yourself.
Q: What did you take from your Olympic experience that would be helpful for other people at Goldman Sachs to hear?
Rob: The best lesson I learnt was to do with using stress to improve your performance rather than hindering it. Everyone has had a different range of experiences in life and thus experienced stress to different degrees, by using high stress experiences to normalize your basal levels I found it helps give a sense of perspective and therefore clarity when faced with daily challenges.
Q: What is your favorite memory from participating in the Olympics?
Rob: The buzz of The final 500m. In 2012, it was a 2,000-meter race with 40,000 people predominantly spread over the last 500m they were all cheering and you couldn't hear anything. We were 50 meters from the crowd and even if you shouted at the top of your lungs, you couldn't hear the person next to you. Being British in the London Olympics, everyone was obviously cheering for us.
That memory, particularly as we were strongly in a medal position at that point – is my strongest memory of the Olympics by a mile. It's so firmly imprinted into my mind that It would be hard to forget.
Read more stories from Goldman Sachs Olympians


And now I' really should get kracking, eh? And what's up with the weather here? Thunder 'N Lightning after raining ALL day and mid-50's… Sheesh! You'd be hard pressed to believe it's almost summer here, eh?
Saw Sarah on The Daily Show last night and she was pretty damned funny! Good sense of humor and she looks better than she has in a long time.. unfair, but true! BTW, just found your blog and really like it. THANX!!
Tess Brelia preceeded Anna as an over-the-wall race crew member YEARS ago, in 2003 - Ryan Hunter-Rreay's crew of American Spirit Team Johansson. After that team folded, Tess moved to HVM.


Former track and field star and television personality Bruce Jenner has bought a house in Malibu in an off-market deal for $3.575 million.
The renovated 2010 contemporary sits on 11 acres with 360-degree canyon, mountain and ocean views. The mountaintop retreat has glass pocket doors that open to outdoor living space, indoor and outdoor fireplaces and radiant heated floors.
The 3,500 square feet of designer-done living space includes a bar, a garage apartment, four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Interiors were by James Hernandez Interior Design.
A swimming pool and spa take in views of the Pacific Ocean.
Jenner, 65, was a 1976 gold medalist in the Olympic Games in Montreal. He has appeared in recent years on the reality show "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" as well as the series' spinoffs. His divorce from costar Kris takes effect March 23.
The property previously sold in 2013 for $2.839 million and closed in January, public records now show.
Brant Didden of 4 Malibu Real Estate had listed the property last year.


Noemi Millman: Triopter: Category Archives for "Web Hosting"
One thing every freelance web developer needs is a good web host. But there are two sides to this requirement: one needs a reliable and speedy host for one's own web presence, and at the same time one needs a great deal of space and flexibility in order to set up staging environments for clients to review in-progress projects. I'd additionally like my development host to provide a centralized location for version control, as well as a few other functions. Since it's not easy to find an inexpensive host that covers all of these bases, I've decided to separate these two functions out.


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Q: how to change the language in swift for the users location Im trying to change the language in the users app like this:
    userDefaults.setObject(["en"], forKey: "AppleLanguages")
    userDefaults.synchronize()

NOTE: (iPhone language is set to french)
But I am running into some issues. Number one it only kicks in after the app restarts, and number two I can't get the current location in english even after the iPhone restarts. Heres the code I'm using for getting the users current location:
func displayLocationInfo (placemark: CLPlacemark) {

    self.locationManager.stopUpdatingLocation()

    // Find current location
    self.currentLocation = placemark.locality
    self.realCurrentLocation = placemark.locality

    // Find current state
    self.currentState = placemark.administrativeArea
    self.realCurrentState = placemark.administrativeArea

    // Find current country
    self.currentCountry = placemark.country
    self.realCurrentCountry = placemark.country

}

I keep getting Estas-Unis for the currentCountry and it should be United States because it is set in english?? Is there anyway around these issues without using NSLocalizedString!? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Climate package of the federal government: CO2 price should bring to 2023 almost 19 billion euros
TIME ONLINE | News, backgrounds and debates
Berlin (dpa) - The Federal Government expects from the planned CO2 price for transport and heating by 2023 revenue of 18.8 billion euros.
This was reported by the newspapers of the Funke-Mediengruppe and Handelsblatt, citing documents for the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. It is therefore about the financial impact of the climate change package on the budget for 2020 and subsequent years. According to reports, the government wants to launch a supplementary budget for the coming year to implement its climate plans.
According to the Funke report, Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz (SPD) emphasizes in the bill for the Cabinet that all proceeds from the carbon pricing should flow either in climate protection measures or in the relief of the citizens.
The climate protection package of the Federal Government provides for measures amounting to more than 54 billion euros by 2023. The goal is for Germany to meet its climate protection targets for 2030. The cornerstones of the package had the Federal Cabinet last week decided.
A CO2 price is intended to make climate-damaging fuels from oil, natural gas and coal more expensive - and thus create an incentive for the development and purchase of more climate-friendly cars and heaters. The black-and-red climate package envisages investing 10 euros per ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2021 in the areas of transport and heating - critics consider this price much too low. The price should rise to 35 euros by 2025 and be partly left to the market from 2026 in a trade in pollution rights, but initially capped at 60 euros.
In return for the CO2 price, among other things, the commuter tax allowance for long distances is to increase, and the EEG levy to promote green electricity from 2021 should also be reduced. The switch from old oil heating systems to more climate-friendly new models is to be promoted with an "exchange premium" of up to 40 percent of the costs. The coalition also wants to make rail travel cheaper and flights more expensive. The motor vehicle tax should be more geared towards CO2 emissions for new cars.
According to Handelsblatt, the main component of Scholz's supplementary budget is the economic plan for the so-called Energy and Climate Fund, which would finance most climate protection measures. Accordingly, the main sources of finance will be the billions in revenues from the CO2 price, revenues from certificates trading in the energy sector and a reserve of six billion euros.
According to Funke newspapers, Scholz assures with regard to the implementation of the climate protection package: "The debt rule enshrined in the Basic Law will continue to be respected." Through the climate policy measures, the Federal Government is "giving a strong boost to the economy" and supporting German industry in the necessary structural change. The Minister of Finance had previously made it clear that there should be no new debt to finance.
The President of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Marcel Fratzscher, called for further steps towards climate protection. "A clear statement would be, for example: starting in the year 2030, new cars with internal combustion engines will no longer be allowed, as other European countries do," he told the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung" (Tuesday). "That would be a framework that citizens and businesses could expect. The German government should rectify its climate program. "Opposition, environmentalists and business associations had sharply criticized the government's climate concept.
Source: zeit
Climate: Reports: CO2 price will bring nearly 19 billion euros by 2023 4 months
Climate: Report: CO2 price is expected to bring nearly 19 billion by 2023 4 months
Climate protection package: CO2 price can bring nearly 19 billion euros by 2023
Climate: Reports: CO2 price will bring nearly 19 billion euros by 2023
Climate protection: Federal Cabinet postpones deliberations on climate package
Climate: Report: CO2 price is expected to bring nearly 19 billion by 2023
Budget: CO2 price plus X - Federal Cabinet decides financing
Climate protection: Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer calls for a climate concept from the Greens
Climate: Scholz: climate package is a financial strength act
Organic chicken from mainland France sold for 51 euros in overseas France indignant - France 24
Exchanges: New records on Wall Street
Kigali presents two leaders of armed groups who have been transferred from the DRC - RFI
Greta appeals against global warming in Lausanne during the Youth Olympics
Ukraine, Zelensky: no premier resignation
Johnson & Johnson and Risperdal: judge reduces damages to 6.8 billion
Dubai Resume supports imprisonment of a driver who used to harass female students
Weather: Today's weather is clear
Schools confuse students with "dawn messages" during the rain
3686 families supported by the "Red Crescent" in Ajman, by 10.9 million dirhams
Abu Dhabi Police records cases of suffocation with "wood heaters"
10 programs implemented by "community development" to support family stability

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


baby doll house set up with doll bunk bed in the cute bedroom. American girl dolls dress up for their morning routine in the doll house. Pretend play for girls with doll furniture toys.
Play Toys channel creates kid friendly and fun videos for girls, for kids and small children with doll stories. Pretend play with Barbie, Chelsea, Skipper, Anna, Elsa, Anya, Elsia, Annabelle, American girl, Baby doll Nenuco, Baby Born, Baby Alive make great parody and funny stories for happy kids and family fun.


600 Westage Bus. Ctr. Dr.
On a scale from 0-10, how likely are you to recommend Mark Leondires to a friend?
On a scale from 0-10, how likely are you to recommend RMA of Connecticut to a friend?
Dr. Leondires is a very good communicator, he's approachable and always keen to answer questions. He's very knowledgeable about LGBTQ patients' specific needs and you feel supported in your desire to build a family without judgment. He went through it himself, he's a gay dad and I liked that. He's also quite conservative when talking about IVF (SET vs. twins etc.), and I relate to it.
How was your experience with Mark Leondires at RMA of Connecticut?
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Mark Leondires at RMA of Connecticut?
Ask all the questions, even the ones that sound stupid. He can sometimes get carried away and do all the talking. The clinic he's built seems up to high standards and that will prove very important when making quality embryos.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Mark Leondires at RMA of Connecticut?
Dr. Leondires has a warm bedside manner and, even if he's busy, always takes his time with his patients. I never felt rushed. He likes to talk and during my initial visit, spent over on hour getting to know my personal situation, my goals and explained every step that I would have to go through to achieve them. I felt I was in good hands with him, and that he was very knowledgeable about the process. He also called me personally to let me know about results when needed.
Describe the protocols Mark Leondires used in your cycles at RMA of Connecticut and their degree of success.
Going through egg donation and surrogacy, the process has been pretty straight forward: - I got tested for any STI's, got cleared, then gave my sperm specimen. It was analyzed then cryopreserved. - I chose a donor through the clinic bank. Attorneys (outside RMACT) drafted an agreement, which took about one month. - My egg donor followed her treatment for about 10 days then eggs were retrieved, fertilized, PGS testes, then cryopreserved. From 17 eggs retrieved, I ended up with 5 PGS tested high quality ones. (3 embryos didn't pass the genetic test). - I am now waiting to match with a surrogate to continue my journey.
Most of my communication with my assigned Nurse were through emails. Though I didn't feel a lot of compassion from her, I found her efficient, knowledgeable, and I was able to reach her through email easily. Getting in touch by phone wasn't as easy (which is the case with all the staff in this practice). When I visited RMACT, the nursing staff was very friendly, and I felt well cared after.
Describe your experience with RMA of Connecticut.
Strength: - The facility is modern, have good results and to me the lab has high standards, which was the most important for me when selecting a clinic. - They have a lof staff and you feel you're in good hands - LGBT friendly - Easy to reach for New-York residents - Good doctors! Weaknesses: - Might be more pricey than other clinics when considering inclusive plans (watch for additional fees for consults) - The billing department is the weakest part of that clinic. It seems communication could be improved within the clinic staff to avoid mistakes and misunderstanding regarding billing. They could be more friendly and more transparent. Getting itemized bills wasn't automatic and it's sometimes hard to know towards which procedure your money is going.
Describe the costs associated with your care under Mark Leondires at RMA of Connecticut.
Describe Mark Leondires's approach to eSET (elective single embryo transfer) vs. multiple embryo transfer at RMA of Connecticut.
Dr. Leondires is a strong advocate for eSET. I am not sure whether he would accept to transfer more than one embryo.
Ask this reviewer a question about their experience with Mark Leondires at RMA of Connecticut.
He [Dr. Leondires] is compassionate and kind and took his time with us. He once called me on his weekend off because the nurse told him I was upset. He made me feel like he had our best interests in mind. He was very up front about our chances of success... I believe he told us he would have moved on to IVF sooner, but our insurance covered 6 IUI cycles and no IVF so he wanted to exhaust the covered services before subjecting us to a fully self-pay service.
He is compassionate and kind and took his time with us. He once called me on his weekend off because the nurse told him I was upset. He made me feel like he had our best interests in mind. He was very up front about our chances of success.
His office is quite far from where we live and he does not usually have office hours closer.
In all communication with anyone in the office, I felt like they knew who I was and what my general and/or recent history was. Everyone including the receptionists, lab techs, nurses and practioners were friendly and helpful.
We did 6 IUI cycles - 2 with Clomid, 2 or 3 with combined Clomid and injectables and 1 or 2 with injectables alone. I believe he told us he would have moved on to IVF sooner, but our insurance covered 6 IUI cycles and no IVF so he wanted to exhaust the covered services before subjecting us to a fully self-pay service. We finally did one IVF cycle and transferred 2 of 14 embryos and froze 4 more. We had 1 full term singleton birth from the first IVF cycle. The remaining embryos were genetically tested but 3 of the 4 didn't survive the thaw. We later attempted 2 FET cycles with the last remaining embryo (delayed for more than a year due to complications, need for further testing and travel to a Zika zone). The first was cancelled before transfer for unfavorable uterine lining. The second resulted in an early miscarriage.
Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments at RMA of Connecticut.
What specific things went wrong at RMA of Connecticut?
Dr. L [Leondires] seemed nice enough at first....He originally diagnosed me with unexplained. Then after tests came back he said I had DOR. He was still confident we had a 66% chance of success and was confident that we would be parents. After my first retrieval I only had one viable egg to transfer. He changed the protocol for my 2nd attempt and I got 3 eggs but none were viable. After that he gave me the donor egg speech. I was totally shocked since he had shown me all these fancy charts that said I at first had and 85% chance and then 66% chance.
Dr. L seemed nice enough at first. This was my first fertility doctor and I didn't really know what to expect. He originally diagnosed me with unexplained. Then after tests came back he said I had DOR. He was still confident we had a 66% chance of success and was confident that we would be parents. After my first retrieval I only had one viable egg to transfer. He changed the protocol for my 2nd attempt and I got 3 eggs but none were viable. After that he gave me the donor egg speech. I was totally shocked since he had shown me all these fancy charts that said I at first had and 85% chance and then 66% chance. Then he just gave up so I left.
He kept wanting to call me by a different name (really makes you feel good).
My nurse was great except she was one vacation a lot during my cycles...which I wasn't aware of ahead of time. It made it quite difficult to get information while she was away.
I had insurance coverage so copay only.
Leondires is a very thoughtful doctor - willing to spend time explaining process and steps. He also is very knowledgeable about current research and comprehensively covered risks / benefits and our percentage chance of success.
Let him guide you but ask all the questions you want! He's always happy to answer.
super great staff- good at getting you in + out but also will take time to explain things if needed.
Strengths - - Team based medicine - Timely, organized, and efficient - Responsive via e-mail - Great financial back office team Weaknesses - You need to be OK with team based medicine, you are not always going to see your primary dr. - Sometimes they are a bit rushed, especially in the AM. This was always OK with me b/c I had to go to work but others might feel shortchanged. They are always willing to talk over e-mail or other.
Efficient well-oiled machine in the morning. Loved the way they did it.


Deanne Love shows you how to do 3 different step through variations with your hula hoop! This hoop tutorial is designed for both beginner and intermediate hoopers. The first one she teaches you is also called a Vertical Jump Through when utilizing a "jump" instead of a "step". The second step through is a reverse tunnel variation where you step horizontally through the backspin of the hoop. The third variation is just the second one repeated in a continuous fashion. Happy hooping everyone!
Do you own a small hoop business? Market it for FREE!


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The Comforters
by Muriel Spark
Part of the The Collected Muriel Spark Novels Series
Add to My Bookshelf
LoveReading View on The Comforters
'There are two plots in The Comforters. One is fanciful and improbable; the other imaginative and convincingly real. The first is charming; the second disturbing… There is evidence of what would come to be recognised as the characteristic Spark touch: the unreal plot is presented in realistic style… the real one engages with religious mysteries and flirts with the supernatural… Spark is a comic novelist… She is a mercurial, a slippery, writer. Now you see her, now you don't. You think you have grasped her meaning; then it eludes you… What an unusual, and unusually confident first novel this is… I was eighteen when I first read The Comforters. It delighted me then; it still delights me now, sixty years on…' From the introduction by Allan Massie
This is one novel in the absolutely glorious, must-have, complete collection of all 22 novels by Muriel Spark. This series is a wonderful way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Muriel Spark's birth. Edited by Alan Taylor, author of Appointment In Arezzo, A Friendship with Muriel Spark, each perfectly sized and beautiful hardback book is introduced by a leading writer. Each introduction, while individually touching on thoughts and feelings, mentions the originality, the wit and humour, the cleverness of the writing. Whether an existing fan, or new to her works, this collection from one of our greatest writers, beckons, and quite simply, just asks to be read and re-read. ~ Lovereading.co.uk
LoveReading
The Comforters Synopsis
In Muriel Spark's fantastic first novel, the only things that aren't ambiguous are her matchless originality and glittering wit. Caroline Rose is plagued by the tapping of typewriter keys and the strange, detached narration of her every thought and action. She has an unusual problem - she realises she is in a novel. Her fellow characters are also possibly deluded: Laurence, her former lover, finds diamonds in a loaf of bread - could his elderly grandmother really be a smuggler? And Baron Stock, her bookseller friend, believes he is on the trail of England's leading Satanist.
A comedy of errors, a crime novel, a book about books, Spark's debut remains as otherworldly and mischievous as it was when first published sixty years ago. The publishers acknowledge investment from Creative Scotland towards the publication of this book. Supported by the Muriel Spark Society.
The Comforters Press Reviews
Often referred to as 'the writer's writer', Spark's work has garnered acclaim around the globe:
"[Spark] has written some things that seem likely to go on being read as long as fiction in English is read at all." – New York Times Book Review
"The greatest Scottish novelist of modern times . . . my admiration for Spark's contribution to literature knows no bounds" – Ian Rankin
"Some of [Spark's] finest fictions are novellas rather than novels, short enough to be read in a single dizzying sitting." – David Lodge
"A master of malice and mayhem" Michiko Katutani, New York Times
"Brilliantly original and fascinating" Evelyn Waugh
If you loved this, you might like these...
All versions of this book
Publisher: Polygon An Imprint of Birlinn Limited an imprint of Birlinn General
Publication date: 2nd November 2017
Author: Muriel Spark
Pagination: 208 pages
Genres: Crime / Mystery, eBook Favourites, Literary Fiction, Modern and Contemporary Fiction,
Categories: Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945), Crime & mystery,
About Muriel Spark
Muriel Spark, DBE, C.Litt., was born in Edinburgh in 1918 and educated in Scotland. A poet and novelist, she also wrote children's books, radio plays, a comedy Doctors of Philosophy, (first performed in London in 1962 and published 1963) and biographies of nineteenth-century literary figures, including Mary Shelley and Emily Brontë. For her long career of literary achievement, which began in 1951, when she won a short-story competition in the Observer, Muriel Spark garnered international praise and many awards, which include the David Cohen Prize for Literature, the Ingersoll T.S. Eliot Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the ...
More About Muriel Spark
More Books By Muriel Spark
View All Books By Muriel Spark


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Business owners are always looking at ways to improve their bottom line and this may involve optimising their marketing channels, sales processes, and operations. Take advantage of the favourable business environment, processes, and international networks by setting up a company in Singapore and enjoy attractive financial benefits along the way.
Grab the opportunities to grow your business in Singapore with IASG!
Establish A Business Presence in a Globally Competitive Economy.
Seamlessly.
easiest location in the World to do Business
in Asia for Innovation
in World Competitiveness Ranking (1st in Asia)
to set up — 17x faster than regional average
S$ 1
minimum share capital to Register a Business
Total Live Registered Entitites
New Business Formations in 2022
Total Labour Force
US$ 1 B
Gross Domestic Product (2021)
GDP Growth 2022 (Q3)
Looking for a one-stop solution to incorporate or expand your business to Singapore? Look no further. Regardless if you are a seasoned business professional or a budding entrepreneur, IASG is at a position to best advice you on the various options available to establish a foothold for your business in Singapore.
Consistently ranked as one of the World's Most Competitive and easiest economies to do business, Singapore is the perfect gateway to Asia and the World. Setting up in Singapore is seamless and efficient for Small to Medium Enterprise owners as well as Large Corporate Multinationals.
Setting up a business, especially if you are a non-Singaporean, requires that you be familiar with the policies and systems in place. As such, it may be worthwhile to engage the services of a professional firm that has the relevant track record and expertise. After business incorporation, it is also critical that you continue to receive best-in-class immigration advisory. This ensures that your business complies with local immigration laws and policies and you are well positioned to operate optimally.
Singapore as a Business Hub
Why do Smart Businesses Choose Singapore?
As a gateway to ASEAN and Asia, many companies have settled on Singapore not only for their expansion, but also for their operational headquarters. This can be attributed to Singapore's attractiveness for:
Having a stable government and political climate
Supportive government policies (Taxation, Laws and Intellectual Property rights etc.)
Diverse talent pool with the right expertise
Access to fast growing markets in the region.
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Good quality of life
In a series of national ministerial broadcasts on Singapore's post-COVID-19 future, Singapore Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong reaffirmed how "Singapore is well placed to connect to the new channels and flows". Further, he added that the Singapore government will be "Digitising both private and public sectors, building R&D and innovation capabilities". They will be committed to "Retain and Attract talent, and making investments to contribute to the economy".
Singapore has what it takes for your business to thrive.
With its pro-business environment and laws, Singapore has established itself as a hotbed for innovation and entrepreneurship, attracting organizations both small and large as the choice destination to relocate. In 2020, with Covid-19 globally impacting the world, it was widely reported how Singapore has yet again proven its efficiency. Most recently in July 2022, Singapore ranked 3rd World's most competitive economy (1st in Asia) in the latest edition of the Institute for Management Development's (IMD) World Competitiveness Ranking.
Regardless of whether you are a corporate or individual investor, as one of the world's easiest places to do business, setting up in Singapore can be seamless and efficient when you work with the right partners.
Singapore Immigration Roadmap
Work Pass Holder, OR;
Non-Work Pass Holder, OR;
Singapore PR, OR;
Business Incorporation + Apply Relevant Work Pass (as employee or as Director)
Singapore PR + Social Integration
Singapore Citizenship + Social Integration
Key Steps to Setting up your Business in Singapore
Your business journey into Singapore starts here. The Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) acts as the Company Registrar and will regulate the entire Singapore company registration process in accordance to the Companies Act.
Business owners must fulfill all compliance requirements. Cut through the clutter by engaging IASG to help you get your operations up and running in the shortest possible time.
Step 1: Deciding which is the right business structure for you
There are several types of business structures that can be set up in Singapore. Whether you're running the business on your own or with partners, choose the structure that best suits you with short to middle term future plans in mind. In general, common company structures include:
Private Limited Company (Pte. Ltd.): A business form which is a legal entity separate and distinct from its shareholders and directors.
Sole Proprietorship: A business owned by one person
Limited Liability Partnership (LLP): A partnership where the individual partner's own liability is generally limite
The most common type in Singapore, especially for Foreigners, is the Private Limited Company.
Other options that may be relevant for Foreigners include :
Transfer of Registration / Re-Domiciliation: Transfer a foreign entity registration to Singapore (re-domiciliation). Foreign entity will become a Singapore company and is required to comply with the Companies Act.
Branch Office: A foreign company can choose to set up a branch in Singapore. Unlike a local entity with its own legal personality and liabilities, a branch is an extension of its head office incorporated overseas. Liabilities of the branch office will be extended to its parent company and the branch office is not eligible for tax incentives.
Representative Office: A temporary arrangement for conducting market research and feasibility studies. Businesses may use this option to assess Singapore's business environment before setting up permanently in Singapore. Such an entity cannot generate income or solicit usiness. Should the business decide to continue its presence, a legal business entity registration with ACRA is necessary.
Single Family Office (SFO): Conducts various activities to facilitate the day-to-day management of a family's assets that includes tax filing, management of the family's investments and consolidation of the family's accounts.
Click here to understand more about the different types of companies.
Step 2: Coming up with a Suitable Name for your Business
Shortlist 3 Names of your liking / relevant to your nature of business and IASG will assist to check its availability. The proposed company name cannot be identical to an existing business entity or contain prohibited and undesirable words.
You will have higher chances of getting the name you want by keeping the following things in mind:
Unique, meaningful, easy to read
Devoid of vulgar / obscene words
Does not infringe copyrights / trademarks
For inclusion of the 'Singapore' in the company name, it will have to be bracketed. Example : ABC (Singapore) Pte Ltd
Higher Approval required if name contains words like "Bank," "Finance," etc.
Step 3 : Preparing Documentation & Information for Business Registration
After the approval of the company name, the company registration ensues. If all your documents are in order, this process can be accomplished fairly quickly. You will need to prepare the following documentation in clear and sharp formats:
IASG Company Profile Form to determine your Financial Year End, Shareholding Structure & Share Capital etc
Foreigners – Copy of passport and residential address proof
Singapore Residents – Copy of the Singapore identity card (NRIC)
Particulars of shareholders
Particulars of directors
Step 4 : Opening a Corporate Bank Account
With the business successfully incorporated, opening a corporate bank account is a must for Companies however it is optional for Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships and Limited Partnerships. A corporate bank account keep your business expenses separate from personal savings and helps track business cash flows, for accountability and filing taxes.
For Foreign Directors, the next step is to secure a relevant Work Pass such as an Employment Pass (EP) to officially run the business physically from Singapore or to proceed with the necessary Recruitment.
How Does IASG Help?
IASG will front the entire business registration process so as to get your business operational in the shortest possible time. This includes :
Conducting an Initial profiling
Advisory on local laws and policies necessary for foreigners registering businesses in Singapore
Registration of company with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) of Singapore
Preparation of all necessary documentation
Opening of Corporate Singapore Bank Account
Work Pass Applications (Employment Pass , Personalised Employment Pass (PEP), Dependant's Pass)
The decision to migrate to another country (for career or personal) is a big one. It is a life-changing experience for the family you are leaving behind and the ones that come along. Depending on the destination, making hard changes in living environments and lifestyles are to be expected. Other factors to contend with include language differences, business environment, government policies, as well as social structure and acceptance.
For a country like Singapore — consistently awarded Most Competitive Economy in Asia to do Business and Safest to Raise a Family — the systems and infrastructure built over time comes at a cost. Sound policies and processes in place are the backbone of such efficiencies and as such, you will need all the help you can get to ensure a smooth transition. To ease the move, Immigration@SG (IASG) offers a full-suite of critical service solutions to navigate you pass the finish line:
Home Search & Rent/Purchase: Whether you are planning to rent or purchase, we can help you look for a property based on your requirements such as proximity to workplace and/or amenities, price range, and type of property. This can be done before you arrive in Singapore or shortly after.
School Search & Registration: If you are relocating with your family, we can assist in searching for schools for your children to enrol in and register them for the school year.
Packing & Moving: All of your belongings that you plan to move to Singapore will be handled with proper packing and moving from your origin country.
Storage Solutions: While you finalise your permanent home in Singapore, we can help move your belongings into a secure storage temporarily. We can also help if you need a more permanent storage as well.
Pet Relocation: Moving your pets requires some permission and documentation from the Singapore authorities. We can help move your beloved pets safely to Singapore with proper processes.
Enquire with us for any relocation services should you need it or if what you are looking for is not listed here. We will try our best to assist.
Read all Business News
Can a foreigner incorporate a company in Singapore?
Foreigners are allowed to register businesses in Singapore but it can be difficult to set up a new company in Singapore by themselves. Hiring a local business registration provider like IASG can ease up the process significantly. However, foreigners will eventually require a valid Singapore work visa or pass to run the newly incorporated business.
However, if all the partners or directors running the registered business do not reside in Singapore (either at the point of or after registration), at least 1 authorised representative or a Nominee Director must be appointed.
The Nominee Director must be:
A resident or Citizen of Singapore;
At least 18 years of age; and
Of full legal capacity
How do I incorporate my business in Singapore?
You can either incorporate your business on your own or save the hassle by engaging a local business registration provider like IASG. The steps to incorporate the business have already been simplified in the page above.
Why incorporate in Singapore?
There are many reasons to incorporate your business in Singapore. In short, business owners love Singapore because of its :
Ease of conducting business
Suitable business environment
Strong connections with the rest of Asia and global
Stable political and government environment
High quality of living and life
Can I run a business without registering in Singapore?
It is entirely legal for local residents (Singapore Citizens and PRs), however, it automatically elevates you to the status of a Sole Proprietor and your business activities are taken to be that of a sole proprietorship. This has legal and financial implications that might be disadvantageous. If you are a foreigner, it is illegal to run a business without registering in Singapore. Foreigners looking to earn an income in Singapore must hold on to a valid Work Pass such as an employee or a director of their own company.
Registering a business has several advantages as it offers your business activities legal protection, credibility, branding, as well as limiting your liability (depending on the business structure).
Where to register a company in Singapore?
Registration is done through ACRA (Accounting and Corporate Authority), the company registrar administrating and authorising all business registrations. Registration can be done in-person or online.
How long does it take to incorporate a company in Singapore?
Incorporation can be processed fairly quickly (as fast as 2 business days or average within 1-2 weeks) if all the documentation are in place and if the business directors, shareholders are of a generally clean background. Those that are politically exposed may require additional time to complete the required due diligence.
How much does it cost to incorporate a business in Singapore?
Cost ranges depending on the suite of services required, the level of strategic involvement, or on the complexity of the business. Incorporating a Family Office or a Venture Capital Company will cost more than a standard Private Limited Company.
Over the counter agencies cost less because the service will be transactional in nature. Those that seek customised and strategic approaches will find value working with more specialised firms such as IASG.
When should I incorporate my business?
You can incorporate your business at any time of the year. There are no disadvantages or preferences for a given particular window of time. It may however be beneficial to time the application in tandem with your business moves and plans or to take advantage of grants and incentives.
Can you start business before incorporating?
It is entirely legal for local residents (Singapore Citizens and PRs), however, it automatically elevates you to the status of a Sole Proprietor and your business activities are taken to be that of a sole proprietorship. If you are a foreigner, it is illegal to run a business without registering in Singapore. Foreigners looking to earn an income in Singapore must hold on to a valid Work Pass such as an employee or a director of their own company.
At most, you can only start your business in the form of conducting preliminary research or legwork leading up to the formal incorporation. Such work should not be revenue generating in nature.
Can an Indian incorporate a company in Singapore?
Any nationality can attempt to incorporate a company in Singapore, however if you are politically exposed or come from a sanctioned country, additional due diligence will be done prior. Should you fail the due diligence, depending on circumstances, appealing would be futile.
Can Malaysian register a company in Singapore?
Yes, Malaysians can register a company in Singapore. However if you are politically exposed, additional due diligence will be done prior. Should you fail the due diligence, depending on circumstances, appealing would be futile.
Why is it so easy to start a business in Singapore?
Singapore relies on its pro-business mentality. It is easy because there is a central authority governing and administrating the process (ACRA). Coupled with efficient online infrastructure and an adept workforce, processes in place are designed to assist business owners to start running their business in the quickest time possible.
Can a foreigner be a director of a Singapore company?
Yes, however the Singapore company must also appoint a local Nominee Director. A Nominee Director can be someone the Director knows personally or one can be appointed for the Director. A Nominee Director will not have any say in the running of the company however a Deed of Indemnity will have to be agreed on prior to incorporation to protect the rights of the Nominee Director.
How can I incorporate a private limited company in Singapore?
The process is the same as incorporating any company in Singapore via ACRA. You can either incorporate on your own or engage a local business registration provider like IASG.
Do foreign companies need to register in Singapore?
Yes, all companies that wish to conduct business physically in Singapore must register an entity with ACRA. Depending on the nature of your business, there are different types of companies that can be opened.
Can non-residents be company directors?
Yes however the Singapore company must also appoint a local Nominee Director. A Nominee Director can be someone the Director knows personally or one can be appointed for the Director. A Nominee Director will not have any say in the running of the company however a Deed of Indemnity will have to be agreed on prior to incorporation to protect the rights of the Nominee Director.
Non-residents can however be Shareholders of the company without holding on to a Director position.
How long does it take to incorporate a company?
Does a Singapore company need a local director?
Yes, the company will require at least one director who is either a Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident. If neither are readily available, a Nominee Director will be assigned for a fee.
Does Singapore issue a certificate of incorporation?
Yes, successfully registered businesses will be issued with the relevant registrations and certificates as proof of business registration. Such registrations can also be purchased via ACRA's website for a fee.
What is the process of incorporation?
The steps to incorporate the business have already been simplified in the page above.
Is Singapore good for startups?
Singapore has a thriving startup community thanks to progressive and supportive government policies and sound infrastructure. As at mid 2022, Singapore houses more than 9,300 start-ups and 12 unicorn companies (start-ups that have valuations of US$1 billion & above).
How easy is it to do business in Singapore?
Incorporating the business is fairly straightforward and simple and is often the first step. The success of the business ultimately depends on several factors including having a well-researched plan, a resilient business process, sound strategy and decision making, as well as the drive of its Directors and employees.
What are the documents required to incorporate a company?
The documents required are:
Set Up Your Business in Singapore via IASG!
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text:
OBE
Neeson at the 2012 Deauville American Film Festival
Liam John Neeson
(1952-06-07) 7 June 1952[1]
Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Natasha Richardson (m. 1994; d. 2009)
Tony Richardson
(father-in-law)
Vanessa Redgrave
(mother-in-law)
(sister-in-law)
Liam John Neeson, OBE (born 7 June 1952)[2] is an actor from Northern Ireland.[3] In 1976, he joined the Lyric Players' Theatre in Belfast for two years. He then acted in the Arthurian film, Excalibur (1981). Between 1982 and 1987, Neeson starred in five films; most notably alongside Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins in The Bounty (1984) and Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons in The Mission (1986). He landed a leading role alongside Patrick Swayze in Next of Kin (1989).
He rose to prominence when he starred in the title role in Steven Spielberg's 1993 Oscar winner Schindler's List. He has since starred in other successful films, including the title role in the historical biopic Michael Collins (1996), the film adaptation of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Misérables (1998), Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace as Qui-Gon Jinn (1999), the biographical drama Kinsey (2004), the superhero film Batman Begins as Ra's al Ghul (2005), the action thriller series Taken (2008–15), the fantasy adventure film Clash of the Titans (2010) as Zeus, the fantasy films in the The Chronicles of Narnia series (2005–10), and the thriller-survival film The Grey (2011).
He has been nominated for a number of awards, including an Academy Award for Best Actor, a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and three Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama. Empire magazine ranked Neeson among both the "100 Sexiest Stars in Film History" and "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time".[4]
Neeson was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, the son of Katherine "Kitty" Neeson (née Brown), a cook, and Bernard "Barney" Neeson, a caretaker at the Ballymena Boys All Saints Primary School.[5] He was raised as a Roman Catholic[6][7][8] and was named Liam after the local priest.[9] The third of four siblings, he has three sisters: Elizabeth, Bernadette, and Rosaleen.[10] At age nine, Neeson began boxing lessons at the All Saints Youth Club and later became Ulster's amateur senior boxing champion.[11]
Neeson first stepped on stage at age 11 after his English teacher offered him the lead role in a school play, which he accepted because the girl he was attracted to was starring in it.[12] From then on, he kept acting in school productions for the following years.[13]
His interest in acting and decision to become an actor was also influenced by minister Ian Paisley, into whose Free Presbyterian church Neeson would sneak. Neeson has said of Paisley: "He had a magnificent presence and it was incredible to watch him just Bible-thumping away... it was acting, but it was also great acting and stirring too".[14] In 1971, Neeson was enrolled as a physics and computer science student at Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, before leaving to work for the Guinness Brewery.[15] At Queen's, he discovered a talent for football and was spotted by Seán Thomas at Bohemian F.C. There was a club trial in Dublin and Neeson played one game as a substitute against Shamrock Rovers, but he was not offered a contract.[16]
Further information: Liam Neeson filmography
After leaving the university, Neeson returned to Ballymena where he worked in a variety of casual jobs, from a fork-lift operator at Guinness to a truck driver. He also attended teacher training college for two years in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, before again returning to his hometown. In 1976, Neeson joined the Lyric Players' Theatre in Belfast where he performed for two years. He got his first film experience in 1977, playing Jesus Christ and Evangelist in the religious film Pilgrim's Progress. Neeson moved to Dublin in 1978 after he was offered a part in Ron Hutchinson's Says I, Says He, a drama about The Troubles, at the Project Arts Centre. He acted in several other Project productions and joined the Abbey Theatre (the National Theatre of Ireland).
In 1980, filmmaker John Boorman saw him on stage as Lennie Small in Of Mice and Men and offered him the role of Sir Gawain in the Arthurian film, Excalibur. After Excalibur, Neeson moved to London, where he continued working on stage, in small budget films and in television. He lived with the actress Helen Mirren at this time, whom he met working on Excalibur.[17] Between 1982 and 1987, Neeson starred in five films; most notably alongside Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins in 1984's The Bounty and Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons in 1986's The Mission. Neeson guest-starred in the third season of the television series Miami Vice in 1986 and moved to Hollywood to star in more high-profile roles in the next year.[17] That year, he starred alongside Cher and Dennis Quaid in Suspect in a role that brought him critical acclaim. In 1988 he starred alongside Clint Eastwood in the fifth Dirty Harry film "The Dead Pool"[18] in the role of Peter Swan, a horror film director. In 1990, he followed this with a starring role in Sam Raimi's Darkman. Although the film was successful, Neeson's subsequent years would not bring him the same recognition. In 1993, he joined Ellis Island co-star and future wife Natasha Richardson in the Broadway play Anna Christie. They also worked together in Nell, released the following year.[19]
Director Steven Spielberg offered Neeson the role of Oskar Schindler in the film about the Holocaust, Schindler's List,[20] after seeing him in Anna Christie on Broadway. Even with Kevin Costner, Mel Gibson and Warren Beatty all expressing interest in portraying Schindler,[21][22] (the last auditioning),[21] Neeson was cast in December 1992 after formally auditioning for the role.[22] Neeson read the Keneally book and concluded that his character "enjoyed fookin' [sic] with the Nazis. In Keneally's book, it says he was regarded as a kind of a buffoon by them... if the Nazis were New Yorkers, he was from Arkansas. They don't quite take him seriously, and he used that to full effect."[23] His critically acclaimed performance earned him a nomination for a Best Actor Oscar, and helped the film earn Best Picture of 1993. However, the best actor award went to Tom Hanks for his performance in Philadelphia. Neeson also garnered BAFTA and Golden Globes nominations for his work as Oskar Schindler. Soon after these accolades, Neeson became an in-demand leading actor. He starred in the subsequent period pieces Rob Roy (1995) and Michael Collins (1996), the latter earning him a win for Best Starring Role at the Venice Film Festival and another Golden Globe nomination. He went on to star as Jean Valjean in the 1998 adaptation of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables and in The Haunting (1999) as Dr. David Marrow.[19]
In 1999, Neeson starred as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Director George Lucas cast Neeson in the role because he considered the actor to have great skills and presence, describing him as a "master actor, who the other actors will look up to, who has got the qualities of strength that the character demands."[24] As the first Star Wars film to be released in sixteen years, it was surrounded by a large amount of media anticipation. Neeson's connection to Star Wars started in the Crown Bar, Belfast. Neeson stated to Ricki Lake, "I probably wouldn't have taken the role if it wasn't for the advice of Peter King in the Crown during a Lyric reunion." Despite mixed reviews from critics and fans,[25] The Phantom Menace was an enormous box-office success and remained the most financially successful Star Wars film unadjusted for inflation, until Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).[26] Neeson's performance as Qui-Gon received several positive reviews,[27][28] and a Saturn Award nomination.[29] A stock recording of Neeson's voice from The Phantom Menace can be heard during a scene in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002).[30] Neeson was later reported to be making an appearance in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) portraying Qui-Gon again,[31] but ultimately did not. In the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–14), Neeson reprised the role of Qui-Gon once again by voicing the character in two episodes of the third season and one episode of the sixth season.[30]
Neeson narrated the 2001 documentaries Journey into Amazing Caves, a short film about two scientists who travel around the world to search for material for potential cures,[32] and The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Adventure. The latter won awards at a number of film festivals including Best Documentary from both the Chicago Film Critics Association and the National Board of Review.[33] After being nominated for a Tony Award for his role opposite Laura Linney in The Crucible, Neeson appeared with Harrison Ford in Kathryn Bigelow's 2002 submarine thriller K-19: The Widowmaker as Captain Mikhail Polenin. He was also on the cast of Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York with Leonardo DiCaprio, Brendan Gleeson, Cameron Diaz and Daniel Day-Lewis, and played a recently widowed writer in Richard Curtis' ensemble comedy Love Actually (2003).[34] His role as Alfred Kinsey in Kinsey again put the actor up for nomination for a Golden Globe Award but he lost to Leonardo DiCaprio for The Aviator.
Neeson talking to Ralph Fiennes at the Madison Square Garden U2 concert, 1 October 2005
In 2004, Neeson hosted an episode of the NBC sketch show Saturday Night Live. He starred as a redneck trucker, Marlon Weaver, in an "Appalachian Emergency Room" sketch and a hippie in a one-off sketch about two stoners (the other played by Amy Poehler) who attempt to borrow a police dog to find their lost stash of marijuana. Despite vowing not to play any Irish stereotypes, Neeson did play a stereotypically Irish man named Lorcan McArdle in the home makeover show parody "You Call This A House, Do Ya?"[35]
In 2005, Neeson played Godfrey of Ibelin in Ridley Scott's epic adventure Kingdom of Heaven, Ra's al Ghul, one of the main villains in Batman Begins, and Father Bernard in Neil Jordan's adaptation of Patrick McCabe's novel, Breakfast on Pluto. In The Simpsons episode "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star" (2005), he voiced the kindly priest who (briefly) converts Bart and Homer to Catholicism.[36] That same year, he gave his voice to the lion Aslan in the blockbuster fantasy film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.[37] In 2007, he starred in the American Civil War epic Seraphim Falls.
He also voiced the main character's father, James in the video game, Fallout 3.[38] Executive producer Todd Howard said, "This role was written with Liam in mind, and provides the dramatic tone for the entire game".[39] Fallout 3, the third game in the Fallout series, was extremely well received by critics and shipped 4.7 million copies by the end of 2008, the year it was released.[40]
In the director's commentary of the 2007 Transformers DVD, Michael Bay said that he had told the animators to seek inspiration from Neeson in creating Optimus Prime's body language. Neeson appeared as Alistair Little in the BBC Northern Ireland/Big Fish Films television drama Five Minutes of Heaven, which tells the true story of a young Protestant man convicted of murdering a Catholic boy during The Troubles.[41]
Neeson attending the TIFF premiere of The Other Man, on 7 September 2008.
Liam Neeson, Deauville Film festival 2012
He starred in the action film Taken in 2008, a French-produced film also starring Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace. Based on a script by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen and directed by Pierre Morel, the film stars Neeson as a retired CIA operative from their elite Special Activities Division who sets about tracking down his teenage daughter after she is kidnapped. Taken was a worldwide box office hit, grossing $223.9 million worldwide, making almost $200 million more than its production budget. Neeson has stated in interviews that he believed that Taken had put some people off the idea of actually travelling to Europe.[42]
Taken brought Neeson back into the center of the public eye and resulted in his being cast in many more big-budget Hollywood movies. That year he also narrated the documentary Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity and again lent his voice to Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008).[43] He also provided a voice for Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, which received an August 2009 release.[44]
In 2010, Neeson played Zeus in the remake of the 1981 film, Clash of the Titans. The film went on becoming a huge box office hit, grossing $475 million worldwide.[45] Neeson also starred in Atom Egoyan's erotic thriller Chloe, theatrically released by Sony Pictures Classics on 26 March 2010. Chloe had enjoyed commercial success and became the Canadian director's biggest money maker ever.[46] Later the same year, he played John "Hannibal" Smith in the spin-off movie from the television series The A-Team.[47][48]
In 2010, Neeson voiced the character Aslan again in the sequel The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. In 2011, Neeson starred in Unknown, a German-British-American co-production of a French book, it was filmed in Berlin in early 2010. It has been compared to Taken, which was set in Paris.
Neeson reunited with director Steven Spielberg with plans to star as Abraham Lincoln in the 2012 film Lincoln, based on the book Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin.[49] In preparation for the role, Neeson visited the District of Columbia and Springfield, Illinois, where Lincoln lived prior to being elected, and read Lincoln's personal letters.[50] Neeson eventually declined the role, claiming he was "past his sell date" and had grown too old to play Lincoln.[51] He was later replaced in the role by Daniel Day-Lewis.
It was announced in July 2010 that Neeson would guest-star on the new Showtime series The Big C.[52] In 2011, he played himself, in BBC2's series Life's Too Short. In late 2011, Neeson was cast to play the lead character, a journalist, in a new album recording and arena production of Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds. He replaced Richard Burton, who had posthumously appeared in the arena production through CGI animation. Neeson did not physically appear on the stage, instead playing the role through the use of 3D holography. In 2012, Neeson starred as John Ottway in Joe Carnahan's The Grey. The film received mostly positive reviews and Neeson's performance as Ottway received critical acclaim. He also starred in Taken 2, a successful sequel to his 2008 blockbuster.[53] That year, he once again played Ra's al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises, the third and final film in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy. He narrated the first trailer for the film.
On 31 January 2014, it was reported that Neeson would work with director Martin Scorsese again in an adaptation of the novel Silence.[54] Neeson had a supporting role as the henchman Bad Cop/Good Cop in the animated film The Lego Movie, which was a critical and commercial success. He later played Bill Marks in the action film Non-Stop. The film was released on 28 February 2014. He also appeared, uncredited, as God in the BBC2 series Rev.. Neeson stars in the 2014 film A Walk Among the Tombstones, an adaption of the best-selling novel of the same name, in which he plays former cop Matthew Scudder, a detective hired to hunt the killers of a drug dealer's wife.[19]
During Super Bowl XLIX, Supercell did a Clash of Clans commercial with him playing the game as "AngryNeeson52" and vowing revenge on his opponent "BigBuffetBoy85" while waiting for his scone at a bakery.[55] The appearance was a parody of his role in Taken.
In 2016 Neeson narrated the RTÉ One three-part documentary on the Easter Rising, 1916.[56] In 2016, he voiced the Monster in the Spanish film A Monster Calls.[57]
Political views
Neeson opposes the unrestricted right to own firearms in the US[58] and has made calls for gun control.[59] In January 2015, he repeated his views, calling US gun laws a "disgrace" in an interview with Dubai newspaper Gulf News when replying to a question about the Charlie Hebdo shootings in Paris earlier that month.[60] In response, US gun manufacturer Para USA, which provided the weapons used by Neeson in the Taken film series, expressed regret at working with him, saying: "We will no longer provide firearms for use in films starring Liam Neeson and ask that our friends and partners in Hollywood refrain from associating our brand and products with his projects."[60]
In 2014 he protested the anti-carriage horse campaign of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who said he would outlaw horse-drawn carriages in Central Park once he took office. Neeson wrote an opinion page published in The New York Times citing the carriage trade as a safe one for employees, horses and tourists and noted it was a livelihood for many immigrants.[61]
Neeson narrated a video for Amnesty International in favour of the legalization of abortion in Ireland, which was attacked by some for being "creepy" and "anti-Catholic."[62][63]
Neeson lived with actress Helen Mirren during the early 1980s. They had met while working on Excalibur (1981). Interviewed by James Lipton for Inside the Actors Studio, Neeson said Mirren was instrumental in him getting an agent.
Neeson met his future wife, actress Natasha Richardson, while performing in a revival of the play Anna Christie on Broadway in 1993.[64] They married on 3 July 1994.[65]
In August 2004, Neeson and his wife purchased an estate in Millbrook, New York.[66][67]
On 18 March 2009, Richardson died when she suffered a severe head injury in a skiing accident at the Mont Tremblant Resort, northwest of Montreal. Neeson donated her organs following her death.[68] She and Neeson had two sons together, Micheál Richard Antonio (born 22 June 1995, in Dublin)[69] and Daniel Jack (born 27 August 1996, in New York City).[70]
A heavy smoker earlier in his career, Neeson quit smoking in 2003, while working on Love Actually. When he took the role of Hannibal for the 2010 film adaptation of The A-Team, Neeson had reservations about smoking cigars (which is a signature trait of the character) in the film due to being an ex-smoker, but agreed to keep that personality trait of Hannibal intact for the film.[71] In August 2009, Neeson said that he had been naturalised as a United States citizen.[72] In March 2011, he was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.[73] Neeson is a patron of Belfast based charity and film festival CineMagic, which encourages and helps young people to get involved in the movie industry.[74]
In June 2012, Neeson's publicist denied reports that Neeson was converting to Islam. However, the actor has expressed an affection for the Adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, that he grew accustomed to while filming Taken 2 in Istanbul: "By the third week, it was like I couldn't live without it. It really became hypnotic and very moving for me in a very special way. Very beautiful."[75] He also expressed admiration for the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.[76]
In the year 2000, Neeson was offered the "Freedom of the Town of Ballymena" by the Ballymena Borough Council, but because of objections made by members of the Democratic Unionist Party regarding his comments that he had felt like a "second-class citizen" growing up as a Catholic in the town, he declined the award, citing tensions.[77] Following the controversy, Neeson wrote a letter to the council, stating; "I will always remain very proud of my upbringing in, and association with, the town and my country of birth, which I will continue to promote at every opportunity. Indeed I regard the enduring support over the years from all sections of the community in Ballymena as being more than sufficient recognition for any success which I may have achieved as an actor."[78] Subsequently, on 28 January 2013, Neeson received the Freedom of the Borough from Ballymena Borough Council at a ceremony in the town.[78]
Neeson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in her 2000 New Year Honours.[79] The American Ireland Fund honoured Neeson with their Performing Arts Award for the great distinction he has brought to Ireland at their 2008 Dinner Gala in New York City. In 2009, at a ceremony in New York, Neeson was awarded an honorary doctorate by Queen's University, Belfast.[80] On 9 April 2016, Neeson was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award by the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) at the Mansion House in Dublin. Uachtarán na hÉireann (Irish President) Michael D. Higgins presented Neeson with the award.
Main article: Liam Neeson filmography
1990 Saturn Awards Best Actor Darkman Nominated
1993 Academy Awards Best Actor Schindler's List Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Best Actor Won
London Film Critics' Circle Actor of the Year Nominated
BAFTA Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Actor Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Nominated
1996 Golden Globe Awards Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Michael Collins Nominated
Evening Standard British Film Awards Best Actor Won
Chicago Film Critics Association Best Actor Nominated
1999 Saturn Awards Best Actor Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Nominated
MTV Movie Awards Best Fight Nominated
2003 Phoenix Film Critics Society Award Best Actor Love Actually Nominated
2004 Golden Globe Awards Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Kinsey Nominated
Irish Film & Television Academy Best Actor Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Actor Won
Independent Spirit Awards Best Male Lead Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Actor – Motion Picture Nominated
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Best Actor Nominated
2005 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actor Batman Begins Nominated
2009 Irish Film & Television Academy Actor in a Lead Role Five Minutes of Heaven Nominated
↑ "Monitor". Entertainment Weekly (1209/1210). 8 June 2012. p. 35.
↑ Morales, Tatiana (15 December 2004). "Liam Neeson on Kinsey". CBS News. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
↑ "Liam Neeson promotes Northern Ireland tourism". BBC. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
↑ "Empire Magazine's Top 100 Movie Stars 1997". amiannoying.com. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
↑ "Liam Neeson Biography". Retrieved 18 April 2007.
↑ Blaney, Retta. "Acting Is a Form of Prayer". Beliefnet. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
↑ "Liam Neeson: Bloody Sunday made me learn my history". The Belfast Telegraph. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2010. : (Commentary;"Hollywood superstar Liam Neeson has told how he grew up in a religious Catholic background untouched by the Troubles.")
↑ Flynn, Gaynor (23 August 2008). "Always a Wanted man". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
↑ Mansfield, Stephanie (December 1993). "Liam Neeson Puts the Kettle On". GQ. Missing or empty |url= (help)
↑ "Liam Neeson". Retrieved 18 April 2007.
↑ "Star who shone in the boxing ring". BBC News. 13 December 2006. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
↑ Frankel, Martha (December 1990). "'Man' of the Year". American Film. Missing or empty |url= (help)
↑ Dewson, Lisa (June 1986). "A Man With a Mission". Photoplay (UK). Missing or empty |url= (help)
↑ "Neeson Reveals Paisley Influence". BBC News. 5 December 2007. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
↑ "Liam Neeson graduates 40 years on". BBC News. 7 May 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
↑ Keane, Trevor (2010). Gaffers : 50 years of Irish football managers. Cork: Mercier Press. ISBN 9781856356664.
1 2 McHugh, Fionnuala (September 1988). "Neeson Easy: Tall, Dark and Phantom". Elle (UK). Missing or empty |url= (help)
↑ "The Dead Pool (1988)". IMDb. 13 July 1988. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
1 2 3 Liam Neeson at the Internet Movie Database
↑ de Vries, Hilary (3 July 1993). "Liam Neeson". Newsday. Missing or empty |url= (help)
1 2 Royal, Susan. "An Interview with Steven Spielberg". Inside Film Magazine Online. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
1 2 Thompson, Anne (21 January 1994). "Making History". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
↑ "Oskar Winner". Entertainment Weekly. 21 January 1994. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
↑ "Star Wars Episode I: Production Notes". LucasFilm. 1 May 1999. Archived from the original on 23 October 2004. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
↑ "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
↑ "All Time Worldwide Box Office Grosses". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 12 March 2009.
↑ Gleiberman, Owen (21 May 1999). "Movie Review: Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
↑ Kennedy, Colin. "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace". Empire. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
↑ "Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films: Awards for 2000". IMDb. 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
1 2 "The Real Qui-Gon Jinn Returns!". Tor.com. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
↑ Keck, William (10 January 2005). "Movie-star night in Palm Springs". USA Today. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
↑ "Plot Summary for Journey into Amazing Caves".
↑ "Awards for The Endurance". IMDb.
↑ Lee, Alana. "BBC-Films-Interviews". BBC. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
↑ "SNL Transcripts: Liam Neeson: 13 November 2004: You Call This A House, Do Ya?". Snltranscripts.jt.org. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
↑ "Springfield Fever". Entertainment Weekly. 5 October 2004. Retrieved 18 April 2007.
↑ "Liam Neeson Will Voice Aslan". NarniaWeb. 15 July 2005. Retrieved 13 January 2007.
↑ Gaudiosi, John (8 May 2007). "'Fallout 3' recruits Neeson". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 10 May 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2007.
↑ Gibbon, David (9 May 2007). "Liam Neeson to lead 'Fallout 3'". DigitalSpy. Retrieved 9 May 2007.
↑ Thang, Jimmy. "Fallout 3 Expanding to More Markets". IGN. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
↑ Holmwood, Leigh (8 May 2008). "Nesbitt and Neeson set for Ulster drama". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
↑ "Kidnap epic Taken has put people off travelling to Europe, says Liam Neeson". evoke.ie. 30 December 2014.
↑ Martin, Paul (4 December 2006). "Exclusive Prince Caspian Updates with Douglas Gresham". NarniaFans. Retrieved 5 December 2006.
↑ Child, Ben (27 November 2008). "English-language cast announced for Miyazaki's Ponyo on the Cliff". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
↑ "Clash of the Titans (2010) (2010)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
↑ Pevere, Geoff (7 December 2010). "The Digital Revolution: Part 1". The Star. Toronto.
↑ Hewitt, Chris (9 June 2009). "Neeson And Cooper Are The A-Team". Empire. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
↑ "Cooper in A-Team film?". Archived from the original on 9 September 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
↑ Fleming, Michael (11 January 2005). "Lincoln logs in at DreamWorks: Spielberg, Neeson eye Abe pic". Variety. Retrieved 24 January 2007.
↑ Evry, Max (24 January 2007). "Liam Neeson Talks Lincoln". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2 May 2007.
↑ "Neeson quits Spielberg's Lincoln biopic". Digital Spy. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
↑ "Liam Neeson to Appear on The Big C". TV Guide.
↑ "Luc Besson's EuropaCorp Reports Strong Growth in Third Quarter Results". The Hollywood Reporter. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
↑ "Liam Neeson Set To Star In Martin Scorsese's 'Silence'". Deadline.com. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
↑ Frankel, Todd C. (2 February 2015). "With Kate Upton and Liam Neeson ads, mobile gaming has its Super Bowl moment". The Washington Post. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
↑ Brosnan, Seán (10 March 2016). "RTÉ secures multiple international deals for Liam Neeson narrated '1916' documentary". Irish Film & Television Network. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
↑ McClintock, Pamela (May 8, 2014). "Cannes: Liam Neeson Joins 'A Monster Calls'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
↑ Dinan, Stephen. "U.S. gun manufacturing soars as Americans worry about security". The Washington Times. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
↑ Pringle, Gill (12 September 2014). "Liam Neeson interview: Hard man actor on Bono, Ralph Fiennes and his fear of guns". The Independent.
1 2 "Liam Neeson under fire from Taken 3 gun makers". BBC News. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
↑ Neeson, Liam (14 April 2014). "Carriages Belong in Central Park". The New York Times. (subscription required (help)).
↑ Stanley, Tim (21 October 2015). "Amnesty International's pro-abortion campaign is shamelessly anti-Catholic". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
↑ Weatherbe, Steve (22 October 2015). "Film star Liam Neeson releases creepy anti-Catholic ad targeting Ireland's pro-life law". LifeSiteNews. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
↑ Huguenin, Patrick (17 March 2009). "Magical marriage takes a tragic turn". New York Daily News. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
↑ "Neeson, Liam". FilmReference.com. Archived from the original on 1 August 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
↑ Blaney, Retta. "Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson house profile – house pictures, rare facts and info about Natasha Richardson and Liam Neeson home in Millbrook, New York". BeliefNet.
↑ Chiatella, Tom (March 2011). "The hard luck and beautiful life of Liam Neeson [2011-02-15 interview]". Esquire. pp. 106–13. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
↑ "Liam Neeson has spoken openly about donating his late wife Natasha Richardson's organs following her death in a skiing accident five years ago.". evoke.ie. 21 February 2014.
↑ Lynn, Allison (10 July 1995). "Passages". People. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
↑ Helligar, Jeremy (9 September 1996). "Passages". People. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
↑ "The A Team". PTC Challenge. 1 June 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
↑ "Actor Neeson becomes US citizen". BBC News. 26 August 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
↑ Niles, Chris (29 March 2011). "Liam Neeson becomes UNICEF's newest Goodwill Ambassador". UNICEF. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
↑ "Festival Patrons". CineMagic. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
↑ "Is Liam Neeson converting to Islam?". UKScreen. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
↑ Blaney, Retta. "Acting Is a Form of Prayer". BeliefNet. Retrieved 16 July 2007.
↑ "Neeson refuses hometown honour". BBC News. 21 March 2000. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
1 2 "Liam Neeson arrives in Ballymena to receive award". BBC News. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
↑ Wilson, Jamie (31 December 1999). "Top billing at last for veteran entertainers; Showbusiness Awards for Elizabeth Taylor and Shirley Bassey". The Guardian. London. p. 4. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
↑ "Liam Neeson graduates 40 years on". BBC News. 7 May 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Liam Neeson.
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Liam Neeson at the Internet Movie Database
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Awards for Liam Neeson
Drama League's Distinguished Performance Award
Katharine Cornell (1935)
Helen Hayes (1936)
Maurice Evans (1937)
Cedric Hardwicke (1938)
Raymond Massey (1939)
Paul Muni (1940)
Paul Lukas (1941)
Judith Evelyn (1942)
Alfred Lunt (1943)
Lynn Fontanne (1944)
Mady Christians (1945)
Louis Calhern (1946)
Ingrid Bergman (1947)
Judith Anderson (1948)
Robert Morley (1949)
Grace George (1950)
Claude Rains (1951)
Julie Harris (1952)
Shirley Booth (1953)
Josephine Hull (1954)
Viveca Lindfors (1955)
David Wayne (1956)
Eli Wallach (1957)
Ralph Bellamy (1958)
Cyril Ritchard (1959)
Jessica Tandy (1960)
Hume Cronyn (1961)
Paul Scofield (1962)
Charles Boyer (1963)
Alec Guinness (1964)
John Gielgud (1965)
Richard Kiley (1966)
Rosemary Harris (1967)
Zoe Caldwell (1968)
Alec McCowen (1969)
James Stewart (1970)
Anthony Quayle (1971)
Eileen Atkins / Claire Bloom (1972)
Alan Bates (1973)
Christopher Plummer (1974)
John Wood (1975)
Eva Le Gallienne (1976)
Tom Courtenay (1977)
Frank Langella (1978)
Frances Sternhagen (1979)
Roy Scheider (1980)
Ian McKellen (1981)
Milo O'Shea (1982)
Edward Herrmann / Kate Nelligan (1983)
Jeremy Irons (1984)
Derek Jacobi (1985)
Bernadette Peters (1986)
James Earl Jones (1987)
John Lithgow (1988)
Pauline Collins (1989)
Robert Morse (1990)
Stockard Channing (1991)
Glenn Close (1992)
Stephen Rea (1993)
Sam Waterston (1994)
Cherry Jones (1995)
Uta Hagen (1996)
Charles Durning / Bebe Neuwirth (1997)
Brian Stokes Mitchell (1998)
Kathleen Chalfant (1999)
Eileen Heckart (2000)
Mary-Louise Parker / Gary Sinise (2001)
Liam Neeson (2002)
Harvey Fierstein (2003)
Hugh Jackman (2004)
Norbert Leo Butz (2005)
Christine Ebersole (2006)
Liev Schreiber (2007)
Patti LuPone (2008)
Geoffrey Rush (2009)
Alfred Molina (2010)
Mark Rylance (2011)
Audra McDonald (2012)
Nathan Lane (2013)
Neil Patrick Harris (2014)
Chita Rivera (2015)
Lin-Manuel Miranda (2016)
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor
Al Pacino (1975)
Robert De Niro (1976)
Richard Dreyfuss (1977)
Jon Voight (1978)
Dustin Hoffman (1979)
Burt Lancaster (1981)
Ben Kingsley (1982)
Robert Duvall (1983)
F. Murray Abraham / Albert Finney (1984)
William Hurt (1985)
Bob Hoskins (1986)
Jack Nicholson / Steve Martin (1987)
Tom Hanks (1988)
Daniel Day-Lewis (1989)
Nick Nolte (1991)
Clint Eastwood (1992)
Anthony Hopkins (1993)
John Travolta (1994)
Nicolas Cage (1995)
Russell Crowe (1999)
Michael Douglas (2000)
Denzel Washington (2001)
Daniel Day-Lewis / Jack Nicholson (2002)
Bill Murray (2003)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (2005)
Sacha Baron Cohen / Forest Whitaker (2006)
Sean Penn (2008)
Jeff Bridges (2009)
Colin Firth (2010)
Michael Fassbender (2011)
Joaquin Phoenix (2012)
Bruce Dern (2013)
Tom Hardy (2014)
Adam Driver (2016)
Volpi Cup for Best Actor
Wallace Beery (1934)
Pierre Blanchar (1935)
Emil Jannings (1937)
Leslie Howard (1938)
Ermete Zacconi (1941)
Fosco Giachetti (1942)
Pierre Fresnay (1947)
Ernst Deutsch (1948)
Joseph Cotten (1949)
Sam Jaffe (1950)
Jean Gabin (1951)
Fredric March (1952)
Henri Vilbert (1953)
Curd Jürgens/Kenneth More (1955)
Bourvil (1956)
Anthony Franciosa (1957)
John Mills (1960)
Toshiro Mifune (1961)
Albert Finney (1963)
Jacques Perrin (1966)
Ljubiša Samardžić (1967)
John Marley (1968)
Guy Boyd/George Dzundza/David Alan Grier/Mitchell Lichtenstein/Matthew Modine/Michael Wright (1983)
Naseeruddin Shah (1984)
Gérard Depardieu (1985)
Carlo Delle Piane (1986)
Hugh Grant/James Wilby (1987)
Don Ameche/Joe Mantegna (1988)
Marcello Mastroianni/Massimo Troisi (1989)
Oleg Borisov (1990)
River Phoenix (1991)
Jack Lemmon (1992)
Fabrizio Bentivoglio/Marcello Mastroianni (1993)
Xia Yu/Roberto Citran (1994)
Götz George/Ian Hart (1995)
Liam Neeson/Chris Penn (1996)
Wesley Snipes (1997)
Jim Broadbent (1999)
Javier Bardem (2000)
Luigi Lo Cascio (2001)
Stefano Accorsi (2002)
David Strathairn (2005)
Ben Affleck (2006)
Brad Pitt (2007)
Silvio Orlando (2008)
Vincent Gallo (2010)
Philip Seymour Hoffman/Joaquin Phoenix (2012)
Themis Panou (2013)
Fabrice Luchini (2015)
Oscar Martínez (2016)
MusicBrainz: 40b9df23-21eb-4a9d-8859-def8577edacb


Award-winning novelist and screenwriter, Alan Hines trained as an actor.
In this workshop, he shares some of the exercises that actors use to develop realistic, life-like characters and how the fiction writer can apply these techniques to shape a character on the page.
There will also be chance to discuss a character in your own work – and to ask plenty of questions.
The Penzance Lit Fest enjoys a reputation as one of the friendliest and most eclectic events in the booklover's calendar. With over 50 events (including author talks and writing workshops) taking place across venues in central Penzance, come prepared to be entertained, illuminated and inspired.
This year's programme celebrates words in their many different forms - printed, hand-drawn, spoken and sung - and spans genres as diverse as haiku, rap and classical music!
We'd like to think that in 2018, perhaps more than in any previous year, the Litfest offers something for everyone..
The hub of the Festival will be The Acorn Theatre, in the centre of Penzance, where many of the events will be held. Other venues nearby include The Morrab Library, St John's Hall and Penlee Coach House.
This is probably the friendliest and most inclusive literary festival in the country. Come and meet a galaxy of prize-winning and up-and-coming authors, poets and playwrights, from West Cornwall and 'up-country' too.
The Standard Daytime Event Price is £4.00.
A Concession price of £2.00 is available for Under18s, Students or Benefits. Sorry, but this does not automatically apply to Seniors.
Some events e.g. Writing Workshops, walking tours, musical performances, cost more than the standard price and may not be available at a concessionary rate. See individual events for details.
NB Advance Sales will close at 22.00hrs the night before an event.
and other CRBO local box offices through Cornwall.


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Sponsoring a project through the Foundation offers real benefits to corporations, organizations and individuals. Besides the publicity, promotions and exposure, it creates a sense of goodwill with customers, employees and the community. Please contact the Foundation to learn more about these special opportunities to make a contribution and become part of the dream.
Donations of building materials, program supplies, sporting equipment, and other non-monetary gifts are also gratefully accepted. Please contact the Foundation with questions.
In racing, an engine is only as good as the fuel that powers it.


Making a tea does not have to be difficult, but if you make a tea wrong, the taste of the tea can be anything but desirable. One of the reasons that some do not like tea, or some teas, is because they do not know how to prepare the tea. A green tea brewed too high temperature and for a long time produces an undrinkable tea.
Several Asian countries have developed ceremonies such as the famous Japanese tea ceremony, the Korean tea ceremony, or the Chinese Gong Fu ceremony with roots in Fujian province. The tea ceremonies function as a highlight of the taste of different types of teas, but they also fulfill a cultural and traditional part. The preparation of the tea is an important part of the experience and the taste. We want to share with you some tips and information about preparation of tea.
The preparations suggestions you find on the product information pages about each tea in our assortment is a pointer of how to prepare the tea and a measure to go for. Taste is individual and some prefer more or less strength.
Changing amount of tea or water requires other steeping times. The flavor can be changed by increasing the amount of tea and lowering the steeping time. The tea can then be steeped more times on the same tea leaves. In Asia, usually smaller teapots are used to prepare tea.
The water is a very important part of the preparation. In Sweden we are spoiled with a tasty water of relatively good quality, but making tea with other types of water means a completely different result. To brew a tasty cup, you also need tasty water. Do not let the water boil for long and do not boil the tea itself. Water that boil for a long time drains the water on oxygen and gives a flat taste to the water.
One of the most important factors when preparing your tea is that the water is soft. Water hardness is a measure of the number of minerals in the water and it is mainly Calcium that is reffered to. A soft water is water where the calcium and magnesium levels are low. In a large part of Sweden the water is soft, both in the groundwater and in the drinking water. Stockholm's drinking water is between 4-6 degrees DH. Information about the tap water hardness in your area is something your municipal waterworks can answer. If you only have hard water available, a Brita filter may be an option. The filter makes the water soft, but it also changes the taste of the water to a large extent and you have to try out what works best for yourself.
To prepare tea, a teapot is appropriate, but you can also use a Gaiwan (Chinese tea cup) or a glass that can withstand heat. There is a variety of materials used for the production of teapots. Porcelain, ceramics, glass, but also some type of metal in the form of a Tetsubin teapot. All metal is not good as it leaves taste in the tea. The material that the teapot is made of affects the taste of the tea. The thickness and material's heat properties affect how long the tea is warm. If the teapot is unglazed, the tea will taste of the teapot and the teapot will taste of the tea. Therefore, many tea enthusiasts use one tea pot for a tea variety, or a tea category. Ceramics have better heat insulating properties than glass and does not drop the heat as fast.
Yixing is the most famous production place for teapots in China, while Tokoname is the equivalent place in Japan. Yixing Teapots are famous in China and are usually produced from a natural clay with good qualities extracted in Yixing. The teapots from Yixing are usually unglazed and the tea takes the taste of the minerals from the clay and the teapot get taste from the tea. The most famous clay in the Yixing region is Zisha, purple clay, which is extracted in Yixing. The teapots insulate the heat incredibly well, and are very suitable for darker teas. Yixing Teapots is stoneware burned at high temperature.
Tokoname is one of Japan's most famous production sites. Here too, it has been traditionally extracted natural clay, called red clay, which has similar properties as clay from Yixing. The tradition is rarely maintained, and under the name red clay you will find mixed clay today.
Banko is a type of teapot that is produced in the Mie Prefecture in Japan. The teapots are produced by Japanese purple natural clay, which has very good qualities, but distinguishes itself from the purple clay in Yixing. The teapots are burned at very high temperatures.
Tea can look in all possible different ways. Tea leaves can for example be shaped into small beads, lightly rolled leaves, or flat elongated leaves. The variations are many. The variations of all teas make it difficult to assess the weight. Although a small deviation of the weight in our steeping suggestion does not always significantly change the taste, it often becomes larger deviations than you think when weighing on free hand. We recommend a digital wave for the purpose or training on preparation of Gong Fu.
For teaspoons where the leaves are rolled into small beads like many oolong teas, a tablespoon becomes about 5 grams. This also applies to the green tea Lung Ching, Long Jing. A stuffed tablespoon for a tea where the leaves are very small like Pu-erh Superior gives almost seven grams. For white tea like Bai Hao Yin Zhen, use about two well-stocked tablespoons to get about 4 grams of tea. For teas like the green tea Tai Ping Hou Kui, it is simply not possible to give an approximate indication.
Tea ball is a popular way to strain tea, and it can work well for flavored teas or for herbs, but do not use tea balls for natural premium teas with larger leaves. The tea ball encloses the tea leaves and does not allow the tea leaves to open. If you put rolled-leaf leaves in a tea ball, these will not unfold and the tea leaves will not emit flavor as intended.
Another popular way to strain tea is to use tea filters that you can bring to your workplace or miscellaneous. Here too, there is the problem of tea leaves that are contained and can not be unfolded freely.
Most of the teapots we are selling have built-in strainers of ceramics, glass or metal that are practical. The alternative is to strain through a sieve when pouring the tea from the teapot.
For natural teas we do not recommend using any kind of sweetener, nor milk. These are to be enjoyed in their original flavor. If you want sweet tea, we recommend looking for teas that naturally has a sweet taste.
In the case of flavored teas, sugar or honey can enhance the taste of the flavoring. In the end, it's what you like that counts and not our recommendations.
To prepare Japanese Sencha tea a teapot is used, suitable for the purpose is a Japanese teapot. They are available in different designs but they are well adapted for Japanese tea. Because the tea leaves are small, the design of specifically Japanese teapots suits well, the sieve is adapted to the small tea leaves that get stuck as a lump.
To a deciliter of water is normally used 2.5 grams of tea. It is always best to use a scale as teas differ in volume, but a heaped teaspoon is about 2.5 grams of Japanese tea. Japanese green tea is prepared at a low temperature and it is strict with the temperature. 70° C or 75° C degrees gives a completely different tea, and is suitable for different teas. Even if this is not always the case, try a lower temperature on exclusive tea.
Boil the water to 100° C, cool to 90° C, it goes very fast. Pour the water into the pitcher. From the spoon pour the water into the tea cups. From the tea cups pour back to the pitcher. You have by this preheated the tea cus and reduced the temperature of the water. The temperature of the water is now between 80° C - 70° C. The best way is to measure the water temperature, but you can also learn the temperature.
Generally, let the tea steep for a minute and pour out all the water to the last drop. Pour out the water into the tea pitcher and then in to the tea cups and the taste will be the same for everyone.
Remove the lid to the next pouring and let air flow. Next pouring, pour the hot water into the pitcher and you have a temperature of about 80° C a little depending on how long you have waited. The second steeping but pour out the from the teapot immediately, the third steeping pour off immediately or let it take about 10 seconds depending on the tea.