#yellow brics road

[illegally-blind-and-deaf]

The incessant ticking of the grandfather clock was about to drive Tintin mad. It wasn't even: the pendulum hadn't been set straight, causing the clock to tick like a heart beat. Just like Tintin's, but his was faster, about to break through his ribs. Pinpricks of tingling pain fired through his ankle, reminding him that his crouched position behind the broken drum was growing increasingly uncomfortable the longer he waited. He almost went to change his position when the tap of Italian leather on the old floor echoed through the room. He froze.

"Where are you hiding?"

A shiver ran down Tintin's spine as the leather shoes stopped inches from his face. "It's like looking in a rabbit's burrow in here. A maze."

Sakharine's deceptively soothing voice bounced around the endless bric-a-brac and it felt to Tintin as though he was surrounded. He didn't move, holding his breath as he watched the shoes move on.

"Come on out, little rabbit. I promise I won't shoot."

It was moments like these that made Tintin regret leaving his revolver at home. Even his faithful dog Milou was nowhere to be seen, trapped outside with the ferocious guard dog in the garden. All he wanted was his model ship, but now he was being hunted by a madman. Surprisingly not the most unusual moment of his career, but certainly blood-chilling.

A low whistle sounded and Tintin nearly jumped as Sakharine became whistling a tune. Soon the whistle turned into a hum and then into an innocent tune with words.

"On the farm, ev'ry Friday

On the farm, it's rabbit pie day

So ev'ry Friday that ever comes along

I get up early and sing this little song"

The yellow beam of Sakharine's torch flashed past him, vanishing quickly as the man moved on. Tintin leaned back slowly, praying that the darkness would cloak his movements. Sakharine's red-clad back could be seen in between the dusty globe and an old statue, moving as he continued singing.

"Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run

Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run."

Now was his chance. Praying desperately, Tintin shot out from his hiding spot and bolted between the rows of junk, glancing back at Sakharine's menacing smile. In the pale moonlight, his broad grin and wide eyes reminded Tintin of a cat.

Bang, bang.

Tintin yelped, cowering as the bullets whizzed past his ear. They sliced into the window, allowing Tintin to dive through the splintered glass and onto the overgrown lawn outside.

Bang.

He picked himself up, half-running half-falling to the crumbling brick fence.

Bang.

Tintin would never admit it out loud, but he felt like Peter Rabbit escaping Mr McGregor in that moment as he crawled through a hole in the brickwork, ignoring the dirt clinging to his skin. He ran, his legs pounding and lungs screaming. He would have sprinted all the way to the city if he could have, but after several minutes his legs gave out and he found himself sprawled on the road. Air fought its way into his tight lungs in heaving breaths. Tintin ran his hand through his hair, noticing the violent trembling that racked his body.

Milou.

In his state of sheer panic, he had forgotten about his best friend and trusty companion. "Milou!"

A flurry of white fur came bounding down the road, yapping in an almost accusatory manner at his master. Tintin could have cried with relief at the sight of his dog. Despite Milou's tiny stature, he felt safer being in his company. "Come on. Let's call a taxi and get home."

Mrs Finch's delicious apple pie could be smelt as Tintin stepped into the apartment building. He sighed, relishing the scent when he noticed the song playing on his landlady's radio.

"Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run

Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run

Bang, bang, bang, bang goes the farmer's gun

Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run, run"

No. With blood pounding in his ears, he sprinted up the stairs to his flat, slamming the door behind him. The clock clicked as he turned the key and he sighed, his knees shaking slightly. A breeze blew through the open window and he rushed to lock it, staring at the figure in the telephone box down the street. Is that... He shook his head, pulling the curtains firmly shut. He was still in a high state of anxiety, seeing things that weren't really there. Why would Sakharine follow him back home to use the telephone box? Tintin almost laughed at the idea.

The telephone rang. Tintin grew cold. Slowly, as though magnets were pulling at his every step, he moved towards the shrill ringing, his chest tightening as he picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"I've got you now, little rabbit."

#tintin #les adventures de tintin #the adventures of tintin #milou #writing #oneshot #sakharine #ivan ivanovitch sakharine

[alphaman99]

Lynn Chu

Looks like we're all going down the yellow BRIC road.

[giullyleao]

Some Dorothy and friends colored sketches ;)

#giully leao #giully leão #character design #wizard of oz character desgin #illustration #sketch #sketchbook #colored pencil #fun #cute #tin man #cowardly lion #scarecro #hunk #book #classic #ruby shoes #emrald city #yellow brics road #oz #the wizard of oz #the wizard of oz movie #art #artwork #traditional art #character exploration #drawing #gesture drawing #character gestur #expression

[rotzaprachim]

some things from the “carmen is niall’s daughter” ramble fic i didn’t really know how to finish or clean up

the carmen is niall’s daughter theory fic

When the king was very young, a woman who was not a called a witch but had the green world curling through her blood read open his palm. She didn’t like what she saw, so she read the dregs of his tea and then the shards of a glass he dropped on the kitchen floor. She didn’t like that either so she bundled them both in their coats and took him on a long walk. Night was falling and so was the curfew, but the woman who was not a witch feared what she saw in the shadowy twistings of the future more. Finally she found what they were looking for. Her sister had a dog who’d been put out for the night. The woman who was not a witch roused the dog from his sleep and slathered his nose with a concoction so he would not cry and wake the neighbors, which was the dog’s entire purpose. Then she took the dog and a kitchen knife and the young king out to the back garden, and read the future. This was the way to get the strongest reading.                                               

Blood could look blue in the night, if the moon was full enough. 

Afterwards, she whipped off her knives on a spare bit of kitchen towell. 

“You will have many children. You will kill your son, but his death will come from your daughter’s hand.” 

The king laughed, because the witch was not really a witch, just an old lady who made extra money making amulets and embroidering tea cozies, and what could she know of the future? Who was an oracle to the man he was planning on becoming? He wouldn’t have any kids at all, really, the money-sucking bastards they were, although if he was a king then the idea of a son, lone, singular, too endowed with this strange dark power of his, was an appealing one. Every king needed an heir. 

--- 

What the moderators didn’t understand was that  was what it was to be Carmen Farooq-Lane: to have an unpassable line between the person you had been and the person you were now. To never again be that person who was neat and precise and methodical, but who was good at friendships and smiling, and not only aquaintances and shaking hands. Who sometimes dyed her hair blue. Who had a lot of hair, and wore it down, curling around her face.  Who wore jean jackets, sometimes even with pins, and tights in unusual colours. Who listened to MIKA and the Cranberries and Janis Joplin and Joan Baez and let herself cry over girls who broke her heart in the dorm bathroom. Who bought candy-pink shower gell and Hollister body mists. Who broke girls’ hearts. Who kissed girls she didn’t know. Who went home with girls she didn’t know. Who came back across the city at five am with a matcha latte and a knish to bang out an economics essay by nine. Who did that and didn’t think the world was ending. 

She’d thought about shaving all her hair off, but that would be a prototypical sign of teenage rebellion, stereotypical and nigh par for the curse of being hormonal and rebellious. She thought about getting a tattoo, but what to put on it? She didn’t want to be seen. She wanted to disappear. She wanted the world to swallow her until she was nothing at all. She wanted to disappear.

---

The king gave each of his children land. 

To the oldest, the son of his youth, he gave land that had never been his. It had never been anyone’s at all, situated on the Kerry ley line as it was. But he had no writing of it, no record apart from his trips there, almost no one alive who knew of it, and they would not hurt his son. To his oldest he gave the knowledge of it- if things go south for us, men of our kind, run. And then the men with guns came knocking, run his oldest son did. Caomhan Browne was there, and he understood what had happened before Nathan said a word. He was always going to fuck himself over, living like that, Caomhan Browne said. But no one could find you here, all the magic in this place keeping out those without the dreamstuff, no one but one of your own blood. 

To the second, the son of his homeland, a blank DC townhouse. The king had used it mainly to store boxes of his stuff when he came into the city in business, and also to meet with women. Otherwise it was empty. After the king was found dead, his second son ran away from home forever and found something he could live within here, in the blankness, because it matched what he thought was his own. To the second son, the house in the city, the business in the city, the eye for women, the firm handshake. The second son, but the last of his children to whom he portioned his kingdom. 

To the third, the son of his dream, he gave his kingdom. 

To the fourth, the son that was not his son, he gave the empty plot of land in Armagh he’d bought mainly because he could. To show himself he was no longer the empty-pocketed Belfast scrounger but a man who had made himself a new name and pulled gold from a new lan, a man who could buy things and own things and let money run cold through his fingers. His family had not lived in Armagh for generations. For him it had been a story of a place more than a place itself. But still a local dairy farmer was happy to let him buy an empty plot awkwardly positioned between fields for a pittance, and the king liked the idea of owning the land more than the land itself. He never visited it. 

To his only daughter, the king gave the truth of himself. 

The king had not meant to. He had merely planned to give her the Chicago brownstown, more picturesque than her DC cousin, and hers as long she could pay her part of the mortgage. It had been spruced up by his wife with yellow curtains and vintage shop bric-a-brac and stylish modernist furniture she compulsively ordered out of a Restoration Hardware catalogue, but it was a strange place with both the kids gone, so they were planning on moving out to the suburbs. It was an easier place to get to and from, and keep things buried in the yard, and with the earnings of his work his wife could retire early and more fully devote herself to morning cooking shows and the homeowner’s association and the other trifles she had arranged into a life. In their absence the house would be his daughter’s, and he considered it a fair section of her birthright. And she had been happy to claim it as her own, until the day she came home and found grey-pink chunks of her mother’s brain on the entryway carpet. 

In the aftermath, she had gone through her father’s things. There were many many photos of the cousins he had told her about, Scott and Sean and some other kid, blonde. There were photos of her and Nathan too, and even her Mom, when she was young and Dad was young, and Dad still had awful hair, like an 80’s rocker. There were folded over stacks of money of five currencies, wrapped with rubber bands. 

There was the deed to a house. There was an address. The address was in Belfast. Carmen was not an expert on the Northern Irish housing market, but she had a mind for these kinds of things, financial dealings and stealings, where money could be hidden and how, and she found the address belonged to a narrow brick house in the north of Belfast. It had once been a council flat, but since had been auctioned off for cash, and her father had bought it, and kept the evidence of the dealings in a lockbox in his desk. And the keys, which were very cold to her touch. These Carmen slipped into her pocket. Her father had had many secrets, some still living even after he’d had his brains bashed out with a pair of sewing scissors. When he was alive it had been her purpose to hear the secrets, but now she was left only with the spaces where those secrets had beem which were very loud in their silence.

After the moderators killed Nathan, they burned the place down. Ramsay tossed a bunch of cans of petrol, peyitroooolll, he said in what was supposed to be an Irish accent and sounded more like a Bucca di Beppo ad, peyitrolll, and the other moderators laughed and jostled each other, like football jocks, like her brothers body wasn’t lying there cold, and she helped arrange things so the blaze would be controlled. Then she watched from the road with a gun in her hand, in case there was other damage that would need to be cleaned up. They were a long way from anywhere but if there was anything her time with the moderators had taught her, it was that people could poke their noses where they didn’t belong from anywhere on earth. Someone might even show up with a hose and some water, or call the fire department, in the interest of being neighborly. She took her boots off and plastic bagged them, and then stood on the sharp-pebbled dirt of the boreen in her sock feet with a loaded gun in her hands. The flames licked the sky.  No one drove by. 

Then they all made themselves scarce. Carmen was good at this. She was a financial planner on a week-long vacation, and had already purchased some Guinness Factor keychains to hand out to coworkers to shore up this fiction, but now it was time to make themselves scarce before the guards came and tried to work out if any of it was something stranger than a gas leak.

#my writing #carmen farooq-lane #niall lynch #just looking through drafts trying to remember how to put words into sentences again

[jeepeuphoria]

Follow the yellow bric... errr.... black tread marks! Most of the slickrock trails are very well marked like this. . #phoenix4x4 #finsandthings #moab #utah #jeep #jeeping #jeeps #hoodshot #jeephoodshot #scenic #view #jeepwrangler #wrangler (at Fins and Things-Off Road)

#jeeps #scenic #hoodshot #utah #finsandthings #jeepwrangler #moab #view #jeep #jeephoodshot #phoenix4x4 #jeeping #wrangler

[genglistore-blog]

In 2017, xiamen brics conference will impose temporary administration on some areas On September 3, 2017-5, 9 of the brics leaders meeting will be held in xiamen, China, now the distance opening meeting only less than a month of time, many people are concerned about during the meeting will have corresponding administrative controls in xiamen? Today's calendar brings you the authority of the municipal government of xiamen to publish the decision on the implementation of temporary administrative measures in parts of the city. On August 27 solstice September 6, the city imposed temporary administrative measures on some areas According to xiamen municipal people's government issued "on the urban area of the implementation of the decision of the temporary administrative measure", on September 6, August 27 solstice, zhuhai will conduct interim administrative measures of parts. (a) the public security organs will be in xiamen international conference and exhibition center, xiamen international conference center surrounding roads, south island road crossing to the island east road (Asia bay hotel Lv Ling crossing section), such as the locale police checkpoints, into the inhabitants of the area, the vehicle needs to authenticate and security checks, when necessary, the public security organs will be temporary closed measures in the regions. Please go out to carry good identification and make a detour. (2) the public security organ to Amoy area restored chaton garden, clearly sends the international new city, mediatek binhai, the channel of international community in four neighborhoods and communities of tower head limit access to parts of traffic management. The residents and staff of the above-mentioned areas enter after authentication and security check by the security checkpoint of the district (community). The vehicle is checked in and out with a pass mark. 1, for the convenience of residents of the masses, the public security organ according to the basic information of the big screen, has the Amoy area restored chaton garden, Ming international new city, mediatek seashore of the international community, channel four vehicles village residents made logo, residents will be distributed in the coming days to a friend. 2. The vehicles of residents' friends of the liss sea view hotel at 298 east road, east of tower to 433-2 can be parked in the large courtyard of the neighborhood committee of the yellow house community. (3) to visit relatives and friends in the above control areas, the interviewees may submit their information to the local police station by telephone in advance, and may enter after the examination and approval. 1. To the visitors of the four residents of xinjing haiyun park, mingfa international new town, lianfa binhai, and the international community of the straits, please dial the telephone number of the border police station: 502810 95028110. 2. Please call the binhai police station at 2560110,2561110. 3. For visitors who have not reported in advance, they may go directly to the police checkpoint of the community to review the identity certificate. A minor who has not dealt with the id card may be audited on the site of a registered permanent residence. 4. All visitors should not enter the restricted area, and they are advised to travel by public transport. Xiamen police said the authorities will minimize the inconvenience to residents' life and travel, and sincerely thank the residents for their support, understanding and cooperation. The decision of the people's government of xiamen on the implementation of temporary administrative measures in parts of the city (full text) In 2017 in order to ensure the smooth progress of the city's major international events, according to the relevant laws and regulations as well as in fujian province, xiamen municipal people's congress standing committee related authorization decision, is one of the measures to impose temporary administrative area of this city part of the management decision is as follows: Special administrative measures shall be implemented in the following areas (a) in xiamen international conference and exhibition center, xiamen international conference center surrounding roads, south island road crossing to the island east road (Asia bay hotel Lv Ling crossing section), such as the locale police checkpoints, to enter the area of personnel, vehicles for authentication and security checks, when necessary to adopt measures to temporarily closed the area. (2) restrict the traffic management in the areas of xinjing haiyun park, mingfa international new town, lianfa binhai residence, the four residential areas of the international community of the channel and part of the tower community. The residents and staff of the above-mentioned areas shall enter after the identification and security inspection of the post in the district (community) where they are located. The interviewees are invited to submit their reports to the district (community) substation before they are approved. The vehicle is checked in and out with a pass mark. Second, why to shelter under the white stone fort to hecuo dock beside battlefield coastline between (the lowest point to sea tide area) between the closed management, in addition to service the needs of the major international events, no personnel, vehicles and ships in and out. The relevant administrative law enforcement departments may, according to the requirements, temporarily disable, seal and seal the relevant facilities, equipment and sites in the above-mentioned administrative areas according to law. The public security organ or other relevant administrative law enforcement departments shall handle the violation of the provisions of this decision according to law. 5. This decision shall be implemented from August 27, 2017 and shall be implemented until 6 September 2017. Related links: xiamen municipal people's congress standing committee authorized brics city government can decide interim administrative measures In December 2016, the forty-fourth session of the standing committee of the municipal people's congress was closed. To meeting voting by the xiamen municipal people's congress standing committee on authorization 9 of xiamen municipal people's government to protect the brics leaders meeting preparation and hosting work regulations, the decision of the interim administrative measures ", specific as follows: The ninth brics summit will be held in xiamen in September 2017. In order to ensure the smooth progress of the brics leaders' meeting, we made the decision: In the brics leaders meeting during the preparation, hosting, and delay the deadline of the municipal people's government in view of the possible risk and influence, in the conventional management measures cannot satisfy safeguard the brics leaders meeting held a complete smoothly under the condition of the requirements, can according to need, moderate principle, through the form of rules or decisions in the public security, public security, transportation, production safety and environment optimization, and other fields stipulate interim administrative measures, and organize their implementation. This decision shall take effect from the date of promulgation and shall be implemented until October 31, 2017. You may also like: 2017 calendar year calendar 2017 xiamen brics conference on transport control measures Will the 2017 brics meeting be stopped The meeting of the leaders of the brics meeting in xiamen will be issued on August 19, 2017 # https://goo.gl/KaU6Q1

[akcampbellandsons]

What’s on in Kirkcaldy and further afield this week? (Tues 18th July 2017)

Hi there, and welcome to our weekly round up of things to do in and around Kirkcaldy, Fife and beyond this week.   We hope you get some ideas from it and are liking what we’re doing.  If you have anything to add, just leave us a comment below the post.   So, the same layout as usual, stuff to do with families, walkable pets, pubs, restaurants, gigs and things we just think look fun.   Enjoy and have a great week!!    

Families

  Kids Club - Outdoor Pizza Making

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  "Make pizza in our wood fired oven using fresh toppings from our garden at Ravenscraig Walled Garden.

Our Summer Kids Club is back ! We have a great programme of activities planned from den building, to outdoor cooking, exploring woods and more. You can bring your children to one or all of them if you like – each one is outdoors, active and full of fun!   Our Kids Club activities are suitable for children aged from 5-12. Children can be accompanied by a parent or guardian (max. 3 children) or dropped off. Please make sure children are dressed for the weather – rain or shine!   There is a small non - refundable charge for each session- £5 per child per session (£3 unwaged/low wage) and places must be booked. Please note - places can only be confirmed when we have received registration form and payment.   All sessions will run from 10am – 12pm.   We're finalising our programme for August and we'll let you know about these soon.   If you would like to book places on the Kids Clubs, please use the eventbrite link, contact us by calling 01592 858458, e-mail [email protected] or drop into our High Street Hub - it's open 10am - 4pm Wednesday to Saturday. We will send out meeting point information when bookings are confirmed."

  See more from original source here...

Thursday at 10 AM - 12 PM Ravenscraig Walled Gardens, Kirkcaldy, Fife

    Kinghorn RNLI Open Day

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  "Come along and join us for a day of fun. See the lifeboat, meet the crew, watch rescue demonstrations and find out more about the RNLI.   We will also have other emergency services on the day including Coastguard, Police, Fire and Ambulance. There will be Newfoundland rescue dogs, British Divers Marine Life Rescue demonstrations, and beach games to keep everyone entertained.   There will be all of the usual stalls including plants, bric-a-brac, tombola, face painting and much more.   It would be great to see as many of you there as possible to help us continue saving lives at sea."  

  Saturday at 12 PM - 4 PM Kinghorn RNLI Lifeboat 30 St James Place, KY3 9 Kinghorn, Fife   See more from original source here...    

Herb Day at Falkland Palace

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  "Falkland Palace & Garden’s unique Herb Day will provide a fantastic opportunity for visitors to learn more about how these versatile plants have been used through the ages – from creating perfumes and flavouring foods, to treating ailments and providing a staple ingredient for traditional crafts.   Take a guided tour of the Palace’s ‘Physic Garden’ to see herbs traditionally grown in the time of Mary, Queen of Scots and find out how they were used by the Royal Physician to heal the King’s and Queen’s ailments.   - Pick up growing tips from horticultural experts.

- Take part in arts and crafts activities for all the family.

- Children's palace and garden trails

- Purchase locally grown herbs and plants. - Enjoy the peaceful and tranquil arts and craft gardens by Percy Cane, the ancient orchard and the wildlife meadow.   Normal admission applies. National Trust for Scotland members free.   For more information on becoming a National Trust for Scotland Member follow this link: https://www.nts.org.uk/Membership/Monthly/

  Sunday at 12 PM - 5 PM Falkland Palace and Gardens, East Port, KY15 7BU Falkland, Fife   See more from original source here...    

Walk of the week

  Blairadam Forest - Kelty

  KY4 0JE, UK - Use map below to get directions from where you are...

  "There are three different routes for walks, all well signposted along the way: the blue trail is the smallest and is only half a mile long; the red trail is two miles long; and the yellow trail is the longest at two and a half miles long. We have walked all of them and the dogs have thoroughly enjoyed each of them.   We most commonly use the red trail, as there is a river that runs alongside the path for the entire walk. There is also a 'pool', which is generally deep enough for the dogs to swim in. A really nice place, which can be busy at times. Dogs can be off lead for the entire walk and there are plenty of interesting bits for them to explore and have fun. There is a field about half way round the red walk, which is grassy and never has livestock in it so is ideal for throwing a ball for the dogs."

  See more from original source here...    

Pub of the week

  Bogarts, Kirkcaldy for drinks before heading for something to eat...

  image credit

  "Bogarts is a small local pub on the fringe of Kirkcaldy. It is very much a 'local's local', with a pool table, and screens with satellite channels. The ambience is quiet and relaxed. Bogarts is an ideal pub for a quiet pint."

  199 Commercial St, Kirkcaldy KY1 2NS 01592 595659

  See more from original source here...

    Restaurant of the week

  The Steadings Kirkcaldy

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  "The Steadings is a newly refurbished bar and restaurant located on Bennochy Road in Kirkcaldy, Fife. A great place to eat, drink and socialise.   Whether you’re looking for a place to meet up with friends for a drink or somewhere to celebrate a special family occasion over lunch or dinner, our lively, friendly pub is the perfect place to come to.   We serve wholesome Scottish food made with fresh local ingredients. There’s an excellent choice of drinks on offer – wines, cocktails and draft beers including craft and cask beer."

  11am - 12am Sunday - Thursday 11am - 1am Friday - Saturday   93 Bennochy Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife KY2 5RB 01592 263102   See more from original source here...    

Gigs

  Open Mic Night - Cupcake Coffee Box - Kirkcaldy

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  Friday at 7 PM - 9:30 PM KIRKCALDY HIGH STREET, KY1 1JP Kirkcaldy, Fife

  See more from original source here...

    Silent Disco - Old Manor Hotel Lundin Links

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  "Our next (and only) Public Silent Disco event in July is an exciting Summer BBQ themed party at The Old Manor Hotel in Lundin Links on Friday 21st July, 7:30-12.   We will again be throwing a full nights entertainment. 3 channels of Silent Disco with music choices from the 60s,70s,80s,90s to present chart! And YOU can select from your headset which of the 3 channels you want to listen to... at any one time (for example) the choice could be Billy Ocean, TTF or Justin Bieber... which one would you choose?   Trust me everyone will be dancing and singing their hearts out all night long!   Please check out our videos of previous party footage to fully understand just how much fun and totally unique this night really is!!   ***The Old Manor are also giving away a bottle of wine for any group snapping up a tables worth of tickets guys (10), could you round up another 9 family or friends and claim a bottle?   Its a night guaranteed to be full of wild dance moves, heartfelt singing and a laugh a minute... try it & you'll Love it!!   Tickets are on Sale Now priced at £12 per ticket and also include Burger* and Chips shortly after arrival provided by the hotel. (*Beef, Chicken and Vegetarian options)   Please contact The Old Manor directly to purchase tickets, Call the hotel directly for tickets:   01333 320368   Please note there will be a £10 deposit required on arrival for your Silent Disco headset. This is refunded at the end of the night when headset is returned.

  Friday at 7:30 PM - 11:59 PM The Old Manor Hotel 55 Leven Road, KY8 6AJ Lundin Links   See original source for more info...    

Bel Airs at O'connells

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  "Blues, RnB, Soul, Rock, Funk   The Bel-Airs are an occasional pick up band comprised of Pro and Semi-Pro musicians:- Who's line include and have included:   Kim Seymour - Vocals Laura-May Gibson - Vocals Richard Young - Keys, Gtr, harp, Vocals Rod Philip - Guitar Charlie Jefferson - Bass Ian Holmes-Lewis - Percussion Pete Rabjohns - Drums Lovat "Dawg" Fraser - Bass, Slide Tony Duffy - Keys, guitar, slide, mandolin, blues Harp Mike Wallace - Drums"

  Friday at 9 PM 32 High Street, KY1 1LU Kirkcaldy, Fife   See more from original source here...    

No 1 Sun - at Truth in Leven

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  "Truth are delighted to be welcoming No1Sun to the stage! This fab 3 piece band play a variety of covers to suit all ages and music tastes and are sure to have the dance floor filled all night!!"

  Friday at 10 PM - 3 AM Truth 79 North Street, KY8 4LY Leven, Fife   Tickets and more from original source here...

    Some things fun

  W3L Wrestling Showdown - Fife Ice Arena, Kirkcaldy

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  "All the stars of the World Wide Wrestling League are set for an evening of W3L Wrestling Showdown Action! "

  Saturday at 2:30 PM - 5 PM Fife Ice Arena Rosslyn St, KY1 3 Kirkcaldy, Fife   More from original source here...    

Annie Sloan Essential Painting Workshop - £65 - at Love Restored Kirkcaldy

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  "We will demonstrate the different techniques that you can achieve with Annie Sloan chalk paint.   Our aim is to ultimately help build your confidence in using the paint and waxes, so that you can go home and have fun on your own projects.   The workshop will cover various techniques including a 2 toned colour paint effect with a base coat and top coat along with how to distress. We will also teach you how to create an aged textured look, a modern flat paint finish with chalk paint and how to use stencils.   Along with learning all about chalk paint we will teach you all about the wax application and experimenting with coloured waxes to enhance your painting techniques.   The workshop will last approximately 3 hours with refreshments provided.   Discount on Annie Sloan products are also included to get you started on your own projects at home.   Book in store, telephone or online 01592 328531

  Sunday at 12 PM - 3 PM Love Restored 292 High Street, KY1 1LB Kirkcaldy, Fife   More from original source here...    

World of Supercars - Knockhill Racing Circuit

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  "The Autoglym World of Supercars Show and track day is expected to be the biggest and best track day ever seen at Knockhill! An anticipated 200+ Hypercars and Supercars will be on display and be driving on the famous British Touring Car Circuit at Knockhill. Never before will there have been a gathering of such performance exotica in Scotland! In 2016 we had a La Ferrari, Bugatti Veyron, McLaren P1 together with a full range of Aston Martins, Lamborghinis, Bentleys, Porsches, Ferraris and McLarens – what more could any supercar fan want from a day!   What is the Autoglym World of Supercars Show?   The Autoglym World of Supercars Show is a car Trackday and show where we welcome over two hundred Sports, Super and Hypercars, to celebrate the most exotic machinery on the planet. The speed and sound of these cars will be seen and heard to the max as they roar around the circuit.   Is this event specifically for modern Supercars?   The era of the Supercar can date back to when the likes of the Jaguar E-Type first burst on to the unsuspecting public roads in the 1960’s. The Ferrari 308, Lamborghini Countach and Porsche 911 Turbo era then made them into poster cars, posters that adorned almost every teenager’s bedroom walls throughout Europe. An area for classic Supercars will complement the 21st Century line up of McLaren, Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini Supercars in the paddock and on track!   What will I see?   Off-track attractions will feature static displays of exotica from the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche, Maserati, Bentley, Aston Martin, Audi R8 and numerous others from the world’s finest performance manufacturers. The latest 2017 Supercars will be on display from dealerships from all over Scotland, to allow them to showcase their newest models. The Hyper Cars and special exhibits will be undercover in the show area within the pit lane garages for fans to see up close!   On the track, car owners will display the performance characteristics of their cars to the full in Supercar Trackday sessions, driven hard as they should be away from the restrictions of the road. Allowing fans to appreciate the noise and spectacle of the exotic machinery and capture exceptional photo opportunities.   If you would like to display or Track your Supercar at the World of Supercars Show and Trackday, then please send your enquiry to [email protected]

  Sunday at 10 AM - 6 PM Knockhill Racing Circuit By Dunfermline, KY129TF Dunfermline, Fife   See more from original source here...     There you have it for another week, we hope you find something interesting to do here and have a great week, here’s hoping for sunshine!   Disclaimer:  A K Campbell and Son are not affiliated with any event or outing we share here, it’s just stuff we think is fun and so, if you have any problems you have to go to the organisers of the event or whatever, not us.   Basically, we’re not being paid by anyone to post for them or making any money from any sales i.e tickets etc. And, if injured, it’s on your own head. You are legally responsible for yourselves!   What are you up to this weekend, got anything to add?  Comment below.   Hopefully see you in our jewellery shop on Kirkcaldy High Street soon.  Visit our website for some inspiration: https://www.akcampbell.co.uk/kirkcaldy

What’s on in Kirkcaldy and further afield this week? (Tues 18th July 2017) was originally published on https://www.akcampbell.co.uk/blog/

[silviajburke]

Political – Financial Road Map for 2017

This post Political – Financial Road Map for 2017 appeared first on Daily Reckoning.

This post was originally featured on nomiprins.com.

Happy New Year! May yours be peaceful, safe and impactful!

As tumultuous as last year was from a global political perspective on the back of a rocky start market-wise, 2017 will be much more so. The central bank subsidization of the financial system (especially in the US and Europe) that began with the Fed invoking zero interest rate policy in 2008, gave way to international distrust of the enabling status quo that unfolded in different ways across the planet. My prognosis is for more destabilization, financially and politically.

Over 2016, I circled the earth to gain insight and share my thoughts on this path from financial crisis to central bank market manipulation to geo-political fall out, while researching my new book, Artisans of Money. (I’m pressing to hand in my manuscript by February 28th – the book should emerge in the Fall.)

I traveled through countries Mexico, Brazil, China, Japan, England and Germany, nations epitomizing various elements of the artisanal money effect. I spoke with farmers, teachers and truck-drivers as well as politicians, private and central bankers. I explored that chasm between news and reality to investigate the ways in which elite power endlessly permeates the existence of regular people.

In last year’s roadmap, I wrote we were in a “transitional phase of geo-political-monetary power struggles, capital flow decisions, and fundamental economic choices. This remains a period of artisanal (central bank fabricated) money, high volatility, low growth, excessive wealth inequality, extreme speculation, and policies that preserve the appearance of big bank liquidity and concentration at the expense of long-term stability.”

That happened. Going forward, as always, there’s endless amount of information to process. The state of economies, citizens and governments remains more precarious than ever. Major areas on the upcoming docket include – central bank desperation, corporate defaults and related job losses, economic impact of political isolationism, conservatism and deregulation, South America’s woes, Europe’s EU voter rejections, and the ongoing power shift from the West to the East.

For now, I’d like to share with you some specific items – which are by no means exhaustive, that I’ll be analyzing in 2017.

1) Watching the Artisans of Money (Central Banks)

On December 16th, 2015, after equivocating for seven years, the Fed raised rates by 25 basis points. To hedge itself against its own decision, the Fed claimed that despite this move (that the financial press considered indicative of an actual policy shift) its “stance of monetary policy remains accommodative after this increase.” Sure enough, the Dow opened January, 2016 with a 10% drop. The US stock market exuded its worst 10-day start to a year since 1897. Other global markets fared worse.

Four hikes were initially predicted for 2016. We got just one. Another 25 basis points followed – nearly to the day, on December 14, 2016. The Fed has now forecast another three hikes, for 2017. If you do the math, consider the reasons behind the Fed’s wishy-washy language, and ignore economic rhetoric, that translates to one hike this year.

Last year, I noted that the Fed’s December 2015 rate move was “tepid, and it’s possible the Fed moves rates up another 25 or 50 basis points over 2016, but less likely more than that.” This happened. Given the tempestuous state of the world and over-optimism surrounding Trump’s ability or desire to follow through on certain campaign vows, I see no reason for a different rate pattern in 2017.

2) Volatility for Stock Markets

Following a volatile start to 2016, markets rebounded. Not because fundamental economic conditions of the world’s major countries improved instantly or geo-political tension declined. But as other major central banks took over the cheap money mantle.

The cavalry appeared. The Bank of Japan hit negative rate territory in January, 2016. The European Central Bank adopted negative rates in March, 2016.  As a result of these major central banks equalizing the cost of global money back to zero, the stock market bubble marched on.  And if that wasn’t enough to show that liquidity and crisis concerns still exist, both central banks introduced additional manifestations of quantitative easing during the year with the ECB extension in time and BOJ extension up their yield curve.

In November, Donald Trump’s victory further elevated stock markets, especially sectors most likely to be deregulated by the incoming billionaire club administration, like banks.

Yet, the idea that any President can control the economy with a tweet and a set of disparaging or aggrandizing comments is foolish.  Once the hype of a reality TV show president subsides into prevailing political and economic uncertainty, stock and bond markets will end the year crumbling in the dust of broken promises.

3) Rising Corporate Defaults and Oil Prices

Extending a disturbing trend, the number of large global corporations that defaulted in 2016 outpaced those in 2015 by 40 percent. The figure for 2016 hit 150, making 2016 the worst year for corporate defaults since the financial crisis.

If Trump wants to make America great again, he should start by examining the leverage in corporate America, where 2/3s of global corporate defaults occurred. Of those, 50 out of 63 globally, were in the oil and gas sector.  (Emerging markets accounted for 28 defaults and Europe for 12).  S&P expects the default rate to rise in 2017. And if Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, has anything to do with it, oil prices won’t move up much for 2017. This will mean more defaults in that sector. Based on his recent statements, his policies are cushioned in the ideology of pumping more oil, not less.

4) Turmoil in South America

Last year, given how scandal-plagued Brazil was, I thought no matter what happened regarding now-former Dilma Rousseff’s government, its markets would slip along with its economy. Yet, against all logic, interim President Michel Temer, even more plagued by scandal than his ejected predecessor, got a Hail Mary from the international investor community. Much of that had to do with Wall Street’s old friend Henrique Mereilles nabbing the minister of finance spot (having run Brazil’s Central Bank under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (a.k.a. “Lula”) from 2003 to 2010.)

I also said that Argentina wouldn’t be having a “walk in the park.” The new centrist government removed currency capital controls in order to attract foreign money, which had the side effect of crushing the Argentinean peso.  Unemployment and general angst increased. A group of protestors recently stoned the car of President Macri amidst growing resentment of his austerity measures.

Venezuela, a nation dependent on oil for 96% of its exports has erupted into total chaos. As perhaps the desperation move “currency controls” or restrictions were introduced in early December President Maduro announced  plans to withdraw the 100 bolivar note which makes up 77 percent of all currency in circulation and closed the borders to stop people holding Venezuelan currency outside of the country.  That caused mass panic and Depression like bank lines, looting and violence. The government chose to keep the 100-note in circulation until January 20. That’s a temporary measure.  So is a large year-end bond issue from the government forced on the state banks. Things will get uglier. Restricting currency circulation is a harbinger of the war on cash everywhere.  Contagion in South America is more likely to be acute this year.

5) First Half: Rising Dollar/ Sideways Gold, Second Half: Reverse and Cash

Last year, I said that despite other countries (and the IMF) seeking to battle the almighty Greenback, global malaise would “keep the dollar higher than it deserves to be.”

Then, I expected gold “to rise during the summer as a safe haven choice” which it did and to “end the year lower in US dollar terms” which it also did.   This year, it’s likely that the dollar will remain strong in the beginning given the recent Fed hike, expectations of more, and initial enthusiasm for Trump’s promises. This will keep a lid on gold.

Yet once it becomes clear that US economic conditions remain lackluster and inequality rampant, the dollar will weaken and gold will appreciate.  In the backdrop, though the US remains the world’s biggest gold holder, nations like China, India and Russia will continue to stockpile gold in a bid to diversify against the dollar.

In addition to watching the yellow metal, as I’ve urged over the past few years, routinely extracting cash from bank accounts remains a smart defensive play for 2017.  People have asked me where to keep it. The answers depend on individual financial situations, but paying down debt, buying necessary hard assets and staying liquid with the rest in physical reach (there’s a reason for the term, keeping it ‘under the mattress’ is practical.

6) Power Shift from West to East Through China and Japan

As it has done since cheap money became US economic and financial policy in the wake of the financial crisis, China continues to forge a US-independent path. It did so through inclusion of the Renminbi in the IMF’s SDR basket in October 2016. It also established a stronger relationship and side agreements with Russia, the BRICS community and increasingly with Europe and the United Kingdom post the Brexit vote. That was no accident, but part of a strategy to be distanced from the risk the US and its central and private banking system poses.  The New Development Bank (formerly referred to as the BRICS bank) headquartered in Shanghai, China, offers alternatives to old institutions like the IMF, and allows for a rise of eastern and emerging nations to succeed in a collective format.

The trajectory of this power shift from the US dollar and US policies will escalate. If Trump and his team go the isolationist, or bilateral trade agreement routes, it will only push China to increases its economic, military and diplomatic presence globally. While Trump (and the outgoing Obama administration) accuse China of currency devaluation, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has actually been selling US treasuries to bolster its currency – hit by capital outflows, not manipulation.  China sold $22 billion of US treasuries in July. Its US government debt holdings are at their lowest level in more than three years, and these sales, especially in the face of Trump’s scorn, will continue.

These accusations and geo-bullying will also push former adversaries, China and Japan closer together. The two nations are already negotiating some historic agreements.  We could be approaching a new era in which Sino-Japanese relations allow for diplomatic normalization and more economic partnerships, which would be mutually beneficial.

Over 2016, Japan entered greater cooperation with India and Russia.  The agreements it arranged will bolster Japan’s potential for 2017. The Yen should appreciate as a result. Even in the case of further economic turmoil in the US and around the world, the Yen will benefit, as it did during the financial crisis, from being a safe haven currency.

7) More Anti-EU Sentiment and Economic Hardship in Europe

In 2015, Mario Draghi, European Central Bank (ECB) head decided to extend Euro-QE into March 2017. At the start of last year, I said that, “The euro will continue to drop in value against the dollar” and “negative interest rates will prevail.” That happened. And despite no evidence of any economic benefit (and purely to help ailing banks) Draghi extended Euro-QE to December 2017, with a promise to do more if necessary.

Meanwhile, mega banks in Europe continue to buckle, economies continue to stagger and the uprising of populations increasingly apprehensive of the entire EU apparatus will be felt in votes this year. Already, much of Eastern Europe (with notable exceptions of Austria and Romania) has elected anti-EU politicians. With major elections approaching – in the Netherlands in March,  France in May and Germany likely in October, the only way for the sitting elite to retain power is to make the markets seem frothy. That means more QE manifestations from Draghi, a weaker euro, more bubbles in major European stock markets and greater presence from conservative, protectionist politicians.

In Europe, weaker countries are struggling more than ever. In Greece, more than one out of every three people now lives in poverty and 25% of Greeks are unemployed and receive no benefits. Even stronger countries like Norway and Switzerland will be at economic risk as they begin to negotiate trade agreements with the central EU.

8) Upside for Russia

Any way you look at it, Russia will be a key economic beneficiary for 2017. The ruble appreciated about 21% vs. the dollar in 2016, outperforming all other emerging market currencies for the year. This trend will continue. Russia’s MICEX stock market index rallied 24% for 2016. Russian bonds will maintain that path amid high interest rates (around 10%) and a positive geo-political outlook relative to the US.

Russia will enjoy warmer relationships with the US under the Trump administration and find and ally in Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State. It has strategically engaged in trade agreements with China to diversity against US ones.  Simultaneously it has furthered relations with many Eastern European countries that have been disillusioned with the EU.  As more pro-Russia officials are being voted into power, the positive impact on Russia’s economy will carry on.

These alignments could provide Russia more impetus militarily. Having stepped in to assuage the situation in Syria while the US remained relatively silent, it can also capitalize on its Middle East relationships.  Russia supplies nearly one-third of the EU’s natural gas, but  energy but, it has also begun clean energy initiatives through the BRICS development bank and other platforms, a strategic diversification. That’s why the ruble will outperform the euro and the pound sterling.

9) Angst in the United Kingdom

Before being picked as Trump’s Commerce Secretary, billionaire, Wilbur Ross called Brexit a “God-given opportunity” for UK rivals.  As commerce secretary, he can act upon that characterization – through negotiations of new US-UK trade agreements that favor the US. That would increase UK reliance on more optimal EU negotiations, by no means a given. The UK can also hope that China and the BRICS will offer better opportunities, which increases the West to East power shift.

The sterling fell 14% in 2016, due to Brexit and anxiety over what form it will eventually take.  Despite a year-end dead-cat bounce, uncertainty can only mount once negotiations truly begin.  As the Financial Times noted, the number of times the words “uncertain” and “uncertainty” appeared in the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting minutes in 2016 rose 78 per cent vs. 2015.  That doesn’t bode well for the sterling. But in the event of a Bank of England rate cut (to compensate for the Fed hike), there would be another temporary boost to the UK stock and bond market.

10) The Trump Effect Will Accentuate Unrest

Trump is assembling the richest cabinet in the world to conduct the business of the United States, from a political position.  The problem with that is several fold.

First, there is a woeful lack of public office experience amongst his administration. His supporters may think that means the Washington swamp has been drained to make room for less bureaucratic decisions.  But, the swamp has only been clogged. Instead of political elite, it continues business elite, equally ill-suited to put the needs of the everyday American before the needs of their private colleagues and portfolios.

Second, running the US is not like running a business. Other countries are free to do their business apart from the US.  If Trump’s doctrine slaps tariffs on imports for instance, it burdens US companies that would need to pay more for required products or materials, putting a strain on the US economy. Playing hard ball with other nations spurs them to engage more closely with each other. That would make the dollar less attractive. This will likely happen during the second half of the year, once it becomes clear the Fed isn’t on a rate hike rampage and Trump isn’t as adept at the economy as he is prevalent on Twitter.

Third, an overly aggressive Trump administration, combined with its ample conflicts of interest could render Trump’s and his cohorts’ businesses the target of more terrorism, and could unleash more violence and chaos globally.

Fourth, his doctrine is deregulatory, particularly for the banking sector. Consider that the biggest US banks remain bigger than before the financial crisis. Deregulating them by striking elements of the already tepid Dodd-Frank Act could fall hard on everyone.

When the system crashes, it doesn’t care about Republican or Democrat politics. The last time deregulation and protectionist businessmen filled the US presidential cabinet was in the 1920s. That led to the Crash of 1929 and Great Depression.

Today, the only thing keeping a lid on financial calamity is epic amounts of artisanal money. Deregulating an inherently corrupt and coddled banking industry, already floating on said capital assistance, would inevitably cause another crisis during Trump’s first term.

In closing, I share with you my yoga instructor’s New Year’s motto:

Don’t half-ass anything.

That means whatever you do – imbue it with passion, courage, attention and conviction.

Regards,

Nomi Prins, @nomiprins for The Daily Reckoning

The post Political – Financial Road Map for 2017 appeared first on Daily Reckoning.