#diffley

[iridescentalchemyst]

Creating Holistic Goals Modules 1-4 + Workbook

Learn more about the course I have been writing! With links for view-only files on Canva for Creating Holistic Goals modules 1-4 + workbooks!

Creating Holistic Goals Course © 2023 by Ashley Marie-Iridescent Alchemystis licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ I wrote this course and handpicked every one of the following exercises to help YOU! Working without interruptions or distractions will help it go…

[dailystraitsdotcom]

Optus Unveils New Partnership

Optus introduces Managed Threat Monitoring Service powered by Devo, enhancing cybersecurity.

By June Ramli Sydney, Aug 12: Optus has unveiled its latest innovation in cybersecurity at the TechLeaders Conference in Hunter Valley, introducing a Managed Threat Monitoring Service powered by Devo. Chris Diffley, Senior Director of Client Security at Optus, shared that this new service is a significant advancement in protecting large enterprises, including those in the financial services,…

[lenbryant]

Murrieta Valley board defies California, will keep policy to tell parents about LGBTQ+ transitioning

-Even in California???-

By Howard BlumeStaff Writer  

People at a Murrieta Valley school board meeting in August cheer after the board voted 3 to 2 to approve a parent-notification policy on student gender identification. 

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Murrieta Valley Board of Education has defied a state order — and countermanded its own staff — by reaffirming a policy that requires parents to be notified when students change their gender identity on campus, putting the district at the center of a raging culture-war battle over how best to protect the interests of both students and parents.

The board voted 3 to 2 on Thursday night to keep its parent-notification policy, which requires administrators, teachers and counselors to notify parents or guardians in writing within three days after any district employee has learned that a student is requesting to be “identified or treated as a gender other than the student’s biological sex or gender listed on the student’s birth certificate or any other official records.”

An investigation by the California Department of Education concluded that the notification rules were discriminatory and therefore illegal. Its April 10 report ordered the Riverside County school system of 22,000 students to rescind the policy. The school board’s defiant reaction signals that conservative local officials are willing to challenge the state’s interpretation of the law as well as the state’s overall authority to intervene in local matters of this sort. 

“We have a right as a board to defy a dictatorial governor and bureaucracy — or whatever — that tries to take away our rights as parents and as citizens — as a duly elected board,” said board member Nick Pardue. “We have legal standing and we should absolutely stand up for our rights against dictators.”

The Department of Education had no immediate response Friday.

A clear majority of more than 100 parents, community members and activists who packed the board room applauded. They cheered again when board President Paul Diffley, without comment, hesitated, then broke a 2-2 tie.

In a later interview, Diffley said he hesitated only because he was recalling public comments at an earlier meeting from a young adult who’d had gender reassignment surgery and then regretted it. 

“A parent has the right till a child is 18 to know everything that is critical,” he added.

The vast majority of speakers supported the parent-notification policy, including Wes Schaeffer, a local father of seven who held his first baby grandchild as he challenged the idea that teachers should be tasked with keeping a secret.

“I think maybe the government is overstepping its boundaries,” he added.

Speakers against the policy included the board’s student member, Isabella Dadalt.

Cheers from the audience over the announcement of Dadalt’s acceptance to UCLA became uncomfortable silence and murmurs as Dadalt began a long list of her reasons for opposing the policy.

“I do not believe that their students would ever withhold information from their parents unless they were genuinely forced to,” she said. “So if you’re a parent, and you feel threatened by the fact that your student is going to a teacher instead of you, I think you need to rethink your parenting.” 

Parent-notification policies that target gender identity have spread to a relatively small number of the state’s 1,000 school systems — most commonly in inland, rural or strongly conservative enclaves. 

Supporters believe parents have a fundamental right to be involved in all aspects of their children’s lives, especially on matters as consequential as gender identification. And they assert that state and federal law gives local school boards the latitude they need to approve such policies — and parents the right to demand them.

Opponents say parental-notification policies are being used to violate student privacy and civil rights enshrined in state law and the education code — and that the near-universal outing of transgender students to parents would put some children at serious risk. They say that transgender and other nonconforming students are being singled out as convenient targets for political gain.

This issue is playing out in litigation up and down California.

In this instance, on April 10, the state Department of Education ordered the Murrieta district, within five days, to provide written notice to all employees and students that the notification policy is “inconsistent” with state education code and will “not be implemented.”

Two days later, in an effort to follow those instructions, the district administration sent out an unsigned notice, from the “Murrieta Valley USD Administrative Team,” that appears to comply with the state directive. 

In deference to the state order, district administrators had placed on Thursday’s agenda an action to rescind the parent-notification policy entirely, while leaving open the door to revisit the issue later. 

By that point, however, the board majority had run out of patience with its own staff as well as the state — especially after listening to a procession of parents expressing outrage that the policy, approved in August, had yet to go into effect. They had learned of the delay only when the district sent out its notice about ending the policy.

Board member Julie Vandegrift proposed an amendment that affirmed the policy and called for it to take effect as soon as possible. And that was the version that passed.

Board members Linda Lunn and Nancy Young voted no.

In a later interview, Lunn said the effort to create and defend a divisive policy — in a district that already carefully protects the interests of parents and students — continues to consume district time and resources.

“This is weaponizing Murrieta Valley Unified to play politics with Sacramento, and they’re using taxpayer money to do it,” Lunn said.

“I believe in following the law and the Education Code,” Young said. “They don’t all seem to understand that [the Education] Code is the law.”

The state investigation was prompted when two teachers filed a complaint. While the state has kept their identities confidential, both have come forward publicly. One of the instructors, Karen Poznanski, who teaches sixth- and seventh-graders at Dorothy McElhinney Middle School, is also a district parent with a child who is nonbinary. 

“This policy, whether enforced or not, hindered our LGBTQ+ students from living authentically,” Poznanski said in an email. “Moreover, it not only compromised their privacy and dignity, but also perpetuated harm and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals and their families. ... This is discrimination and an abuse of power in its most blatant form.” 

Board member Pardue, a history teacher in another school system, cited state and constitutional provisions as supporting the board’s action. 

State Atty. General Rob Bonta strongly disagrees and has sued Chino Valley Unified, one of several districts that approved a version of parent notification that shared a common template. The matter is the subject of several ongoing lawsuits.

Pardue noted a preliminary ruling has allowed the policy to remain in force in nearby Temecula Valley Unified School District.

A different judge reached a different conclusion with Chino Valley Unified, with a preliminary ruling that the parent-notification policy was discriminatory and, therefore, illegal. The analysis by the California Department of Education, or CDE, as laid out in its report to the Murrieta district, aligns closely with that of the judge in the Chino Valley case. 

“The CDE finds the District’s policy ... on its face singles out and is directed exclusively toward one group of students based on that group’s legally protected characteristics of identifying with or expressing a gender other than that identified at birth,” the state letter says. “And the application of that policy adversely impacts those students.” Moreover, the Murrieta policy “does not expressly or implicitly provide any educational or school administrative purpose justifying ... discrimination.”

The report says that districts that fail to comply can face a court order and could ultimately lose funding.

The Chino Valley school system recently revised its policy in hopes that it will survive legal challenges while still accomplishing the original intent. 

Chino Valley school board President Sonja Shaw said parents in Murrieta and Chino Valley have expressed frustration over the state’s position and urged her to press on. 

“We will continue to stand strong, linked arms all over California, to ensure the government does not infringe on parental rights — period,” Shaw said.

For those opposing the policy, the success of the teachers’ complaint with state officials could suggest a roadmap for elsewhere, said Amanda Mangaser Savage, who is representing teachers and parents trying to overturn the Temecula policy they define as forced outing.

“What we’re likely to see,” Mangaser Savage said, “is other educators submitting CDE complaints, which CDE would then handle similarly.”

Hey, school systems: Don't let a trans kid's family be their first bully!

[christinamac1]

France will help Brazil develop nuclear-powered submarines, Macron says

President Emmanuel Macron and counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday celebrated the launch of Brazil’s third French-designed submarine, which will help secure the country’s immense coastline, dubbed the “Blue Amazon.” France 24 By:NEWS WIRES|: Video by:Angela DIFFLEY  27/03/2024  The two men highlighted the importance of their countries’ defense partnership during a time of major…

[bimonmedia]

‘Cheese In The Trap’ and The Fast Fashion’s Dilemma

Sapo: Fashion brands would never tell you the truth that the only way to be sustainable is to buy fewer clothes.

1. Digital Citizenship

In response to the pervasive influence of social media in daily life, new citizen norms and identities have emerged, prioritizing personalization and sharing over traditional political affiliations. This phenomenon has spurred the development of digital citizenship (Vromen 2017).

The slow fashion movement's long-term success relies heavily on digital citizenship. As people evolve more aware of their online presence and social responsibilities, they use digital channels to promote ethical fashion practices. Social media networks are important tools for spreading information and mobilizing support for sustainable fashion businesses. Individuals use digital activism and community building to put pressure on the fashion industry to prioritize ethical production processes and worker rights. Digital citizens are influencing the discourse surrounding slow fashion by leveraging their online power, encouraging a more sustainable future in the industry (Alison Gwilt et al. 2012).

2. Green-washing problem 

The line between authentic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and greenwashing is often blurred, leading consumers to believe they are making ethical choices when purchasing from fast fashion companies. The perpetuation of mass consumerism by the fashion industry exacerbates environmental degradation and labor exploitation. Social media platforms serve as potent tools for the fashion industry to promote consumerism through influencer marketing and targeted advertising. Brands like H&M, ZARA, and Uniqlo have faced criticism for lacking transparency in their CSR campaigns, highlighting a contentious issue in the apparel industry. This dilemma underscores the challenges faced by brands in addressing environmental and social concerns raised by activists and stakeholders.

3. The role of social media influencers in the slow fashion movement

Social media has become a main source of information (Alalwan et al., 2017; Park & Cho, 2012), allowing customers to make more informed decisions (Diffley et al., 2011). Social media is one of the top information sources respondents rely on about environmental and social aspects of the garment supply chain. Influencers have been found to have a considerable impact on consumer decisions, notably purchasing, indicating an opportunity for them to encourage sustainable behavior (Bognar et al., 2019). While influencers may favorably affect circular selling behaviors, they may have a detrimental impact on circular purchasing behaviors, which are critical to the slow fashion movement. However, when firms prioritize growing sales, the impact of social media influencers on customer buy intentions in the fashion industry is reduced. Nonetheless, the slow fashion movement has been effective in boosting consumer awareness and encouraging a change towards more sustainable purchase habits. If consumers believe that their choices contribute to environmental protection, they are more likely to support slow fashion products (Chi et al. 2021), indicating a crucial stage in this long-term transformation.

References list

Bertilsson, E & van Alphen, L 2020, ‘From Fast to Slow: Can influencers make us shop more sustainably?’, Thesis, DIVA, School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University, viewed 1 March 2024, <https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1436642&dswid=2014>. 

Chi, T, Gerard, J, Yu, Y & Wang, Y 2021, ‘A study of U.S. consumers’ intention to purchase slow fashion apparel: understanding the key determinants’, International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 101–112.

Domingos, M, Vale, VT & Faria, S 2022, ‘Slow Fashion Consumer Behavior: a Literature Review’, Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 5, p. 2860.

Kaner, G 2021, ‘Greenwashing: How Difficult It Is to Be Transparent to the Consumer—H&M Case Study’, Green Marketing in Emerging Markets, pp. 203–226.

Scully, G 2021, ‘Changing Fashion: An Analysis of Social Media Activism Targeting the Fashion Industry’, Thesis, vol. 828, University of Connecticut, viewed 1 March 2024, <https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1828&context=srhonors_theses>. 

[mystlnewsonline]

Small Business Jobs Index Dips in June

Small Business Jobs Index Dips in June, Rate of Wage Growth Continues to Moderate. The leisure and hospitality sector struggles to hire back to pre-pandemic levels. Rochester, NY (STL.News) The rate of small business hiring slowed modestly in June as the hourly earnings growth across the U.S. decelerated to 4.02% from 4.24% in May, according to the Paychex | IHS Markit Small Business Employment Watch.  The National Small Business Jobs Index — which measures the rate of small business job growth in the U.S. — registered 99.21 in June, virtually unchanged so far in 2023. “Hourly earnings gains slowed to 4.02%, in line with a gradually slowing rate of inflation,” said James Diffley, chief regional economist, S&P Global Market Intelligence. “Our June data suggests small business employment trends are following greater economic patterns, with slowing hourly wage gains aligning with continued declining inflation – a positive sign for businesses,” said John Gibson, Paychex president and CEO.  “A moderation in job growth signals that the competitive hiring environment continues.  This is especially true in leisure and hospitality, as these employers appear to once again be struggling to find people to fill open positions.  Now more than ever, it is important for businesses to improve their operational efficiency and offer competitive employee benefits.” In further detail, the June report showed: - At 99.21, the national jobs index decreased by 0.24% in June.  Overall, employment growth slowed by 0.51% during the second quarter of 2023 after increasing in the first three months of 2023.  The index remains a full point higher than the year leading up to the pandemic (March 2019-February 2020). - Hourly earnings growth moderated further to 4.02%, while one-month annualized hourly earnings growth is now below three percent (2.99%) for the first time since 2020. - The South continues to lead small business employment growth among regions for the 15th consecutive month at 100.12, down 0.35%.  The South also leads hourly earnings growth by a small margin. - Texas (4.91%) continues to report the strongest hourly earnings growth among the 20 largest states, though growth is decelerating. - At 101.89, Houston ranks first among metros for small business employment growth for the eighth consecutive month. - At 4.81%, leisure and hospitality is again first among sectors for hourly earnings growth and is the only sector to report an increase in hourly earnings growth from May to June. Paychex solutions reach 1 in 12 American private-sector employees, making the Small Business Employment Watch an industry benchmark.  Drawing from the payroll data of approximately 350,000 Paychex clients with fewer than 50 employees, the monthly report offers an analysis of national employment and wage trends, as well as examines regional, state, metro, and industry sector activity. National Jobs Index At 99.21, the national index is down 0.24% in June and 1.58% from a year ago. The pace of small business employment growth slowed by 0.51% during the second quarter of 2023, following a 0.35% increase during the first quarter of 2023. National Wage Report - Hourly earnings growth decelerated further to 4.02% in June. - One-month annualized hourly earnings growth is below three percent (2.99%) for the first time since 2020. - At 4.00%, weekly earnings growth is unchanged from last month as weekly hours worked growth levels off (-0.09%). Regional Jobs Index - Despite slowing 0.35% in June, the South (100.12) continues a 15-month streak leading small business employment growth among regions. - Every region’s index decreased in June.  The Northeast (98.68) fell to the lowest rank among regions.  At 98.73, the West declined just 0.13%, leaving last place for the first time since October 2022. Regional Wage Report - The South (4.15%) leads hourly earnings growth among regions, though all other regions trail closely behind. - Weekly earnings growth is just above four percent for all four regions in June. - The Midwest (0.13%) ranks first among regions for weekly hours worked growth. State Jobs Index - Despite leading the pace of small business job growth among states for the past year, North Carolina’s index (100.96) is below 101 for the first time in two years as the state’s rapid gains are decelerating in 2023. - At 98.28, New York is last among the 20 largest states for small business job growth in June.  Neighboring New Jersey is not far behind, ranked 19th at 98.37. - With the strongest one-month (0.36%) and 12-month (1.37%) change rates among states, Tennessee has improved to third among states at 100.50 in June. State Wage Report - At 4.91%, Texas continues to report the strongest hourly earnings growth among states, though growth is decelerating.  The state’s hourly earnings growth ended 2022 above six percent (6.22%) but quickly dropped below five percent (4.91%) in the first half of 2023. - Wisconsin (4.77%) and Florida (4.48%) trail Texas (4.91%) for the top three-ranked states for hourly earnings growth. - Georgia ranks in the bottom two among states for both earnings and hours worked growth.  At 2.83%, Georgia is the only state with weekly earnings growth below three percent. Metropolitan Jobs Index - At 101.89, Houston ranks first among metros for the eighth consecutive month. - Baltimore’s index is up 0.59% to 100.13, its highest level since 2018.  Up 0.35% from a year ago, Baltimore is the only metro with a positive 12-month change rate. - Miami’s index gains 0.31% in June to 100.98, second among metros. Metropolitan Wage Report - Riverside (4.92%) is now the top-ranked metro for hourly earnings growth, overtaking Texas metros Dallas (4.82%) and Houston (4.81%). - At 2.87%, San Francisco ranks last among metros for hourly earnings growth and is the only metro with growth below three percent. - Baltimore has the strongest weekly hours worked growth rate among metros (0.56%). Industry Jobs Index - At 99.63, leisure and hospitality is down 0.89% in June and 3.63% from last year.  The leisure and hospitality index industry’s index is below 100 for the first time in two years. - The education and health services index remains strong (100.69), reporting the best 12-month change rate (0.29%) among industries. Industry Wage Report - At 4.81%, leisure and hospitality is again the top-ranked sector for hourly earnings growth.  Leisure and hospitality is also the only sector to report an increase in hourly earnings growth from May to June. - Construction remains the top-ranked sector in weekly earnings growth (4.84%) and weekly hours worked growth (0.44%). - Other services (except public administration) rank last among sectors in hourly earnings (3.35%), weekly earnings (2.97%), and weekly hours worked growth (-0.45%). SOURCE: Paychex Read the full article

[horrorpaingoredeath]

#shippingmanagersunite #passingthetorch #offeatherandbone #featherboyz #ofshippingandbone #diffley #diff #diffdiffley #raymond #letemknow #OuterHeaven #relapse25 (at Relapse Records Inc)

[blackswaneuroparedux]

The Irish Lion: The legend of Paddy Mayne and the SAS

The first crop of Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers were a motley crew of bar-room brawlers, public school hell-raisers, eccentrics and misfits but they all embodied the tenets of courage, honour and ingenuity.

Hatched in the desert and borne out of the necessity of World War Two, the SAS or known as ‘the regiment’ was started by the 6’5” ‘Phantom Major’ David Stirling nicknamed him The Giant Sloth for his chronic laziness and fondness for slipping out of camp for nights of carousing. He hated marching, military discipline and disdained authority. By all accounts a terrible soldier but he was brave and cunning.

The principle behind the SAS was simple: To use small bands of irregular elite soldiers who could operate by stealth behind enemy lines, destroying aircraft, supplies and hopefully also enemy morale as a by-product of causing vast mayhem. One perception of the unit at this stage is as a motley band of scruffy and rebellious commandoes striking out of the darkness at the Nazis. The latter part of that is true, the former needs qualifying – all the men were disciplined operators drawn from commando units. They sometimes grew out unkempt beards because they were in the desert and away from camp for long stretches. It, of course, helps glamourise things more that Stirling himself was captured and eventually transferred to the infamous Colditz Castle after multiple escape attempts.

In his absence, responsibility for the SAS passed to his second in command, the larger-than-life Irishman Robert Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne.

Known to be a terrific soldier with tremendous battlefield intuition, Mayne was allegedly recommended to Stirling by his friend Eoin McGonigal. He was brave, unconventional and a force to be reckoned with – the perfect man for the nascent SAS. There was just one problem: He was languishing in prison for striking his superior officer Geoffrey Keyes (or perhaps it was for threatening him with a bayonet?). Curiosity sparked, Stirling went to meet Mayne in his jail cell.

An account of their initial meeting appears in Alan Hoe’s biography of the SAS founder.  At first, Mayne was reluctant to join Stirling’s unit, known at that point as ‘L Detachment’: “’I can’t see any prospects of real fighting in this scheme of yours’. There was undisguised scepticism on his face. “’There isn’t any. Except against the enemy’. It was the right reply because Mayne began to laugh. “’All right. If you can get me out of here I’ll come along’. He extended his huge hand. “’There’s one more thing’, Stirling said, ignoring the hand. ‘This is one commanding officer you never hit and I want your promise on that’. He reached out for the hand.

It wasn’t just the partnership that became legendary. On the heels of his stunning military successes, a number of stories about Mayne sprang up that added to the legend.

The son of William Mayne and Margaret Boyle Vance. Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne was born on 11th January 1915. He was born into a wealthy Presbyterian family and the sixth of seven children, four boys and three girls. He grew up on the 41-acre grounds of the Mount Pleasant estate overlooking the town of Newtownards, County Down in Northern Ireland. Educated at Regent House School, he played cricket, rugby and golf, excelling in each while also demonstrating an aptitude as a marksman in the rifle club.

While at Queen’s in Belfast studying law to eventually qualify as a solicitor (lawyer), he took up boxing and within a matter of months won the Irish Universities Heavyweight title in August 1936. He made his Ireland rugby debut against Wales at Ravenhill in 1937 and the last of six appearances two years later, coincidentally against the same opposition in Belfast. His talent was recognised in selection for 1938 Lions tour to South Africa, where he made quite an impression on and off the pitch. Mayne could tolerate any physical challenge but was unable to cope with boredom and when of a mind to do something expected full compliance from acolytes, willing or reluctant. Breaking hotel furniture during drunken stupors were not uncommon.

His drunken off-pitch exploits couldn’t camouflage his innate ability as a gifted rugby player. Mayne lined out in 17 of the 20 provincial games and all three tests against the Springboks; having lost the first two he was singularly influential in securing a victory for the Lions in the third test.

The late Sean Diffley, rugby correspondent and author, wrote of the talented rugby second-row: “Mayne was a Viking, a throwback to the ancient days of towering warriors, gentle and charming when in repose, but fierce and dangerous when aroused, and a ‘hyphenated’ nuisance when he had a couple of jars. His fierce dark physical outbursts may well have been the stuff of legend, but they were not always fun to those immediately concerned, and they were a great cause of worry to his friends. There was the case of the Irish player for instance, who in 1939, was thrown out of the window of the Swansea hotel by Mayne during the post-match celebrations. Witnesses were thankful that it was a ground floor window and that the player came to no harm, but it was not simply high jinx either that caused the incident, but the result of Mayne brooding darkly on something that is now long forgotten.”

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Mayne received a commission in the 5th Anti-Aircraft Battery, in April 1940 joined the Royal Ulster Rifles and following Dunkirk volunteered for the 11 (Scottish) Commando.

He was mentioned in dispatches for the impressive manner in which he commanded his troop in the Litani River Raid in Lebanon and recruited by David Stirling for his newly formed SAS unit.

There are tales of Mayne shooting the floor around the feet of a bar owner who overcharged and was rude to him, and the 2004 documentary ‘SAS Warrior: The Life of Paddy Mayne’ reports that an intoxicated Mayne once unloaded his pistol into a drinking companion.

The murder is said to have been covered up.

But many of these stories are untrue, or at the very least they require contextual explanation.

Take for instance the story that Mayne was in prison and awaiting a court-martial for striking his commanding officer, Geoffrey Keyes, later posthumously awarded a Victoria Cross, but whom the Irishman considered an upper-class twit. That Mayne had no time for the privileged caste is part of Mayne’s myth making.

Many historians now dispute the veracity of the story. There is no record of Mayne’s arrest and David Stirling, as author Gavin Mortimer and other writers of the SAS Regiment have written, was prone to exaggerate to mischievously feed the legend. 

Indeed the story that Mayne was imprisoned for striking his superior officer, Geoffrey Keyes because he wasn’t selected for a raid to kidnap or kill Erwin Rommel makes no sense. The SAS were drawn from Nos 7, 8 and 11 Commandos, operating around the Mediterranean in 1941. (Commando were units containing around 500 well-trained troops). Keyes and Mayne were both in 11 Commando, which was decimated in a mission in Syria earlier that year. By the time it was reconstituted and the Rommel Raid conceived, Mayne had already left the unit. In any case, it’s just as well Mayne did not participate – the mission failed (because Rommel wasn’t there) and Keyes, along with many others, didn’t make it back.

Instead, Mayne, would meet Stirling in North Africa months before, and not in a prison cell either.

It was he who, in fact, recommended his friend Eoin McGonigal to Stirling, not the other way around.

Stirling was not looking for a modern-day incarnation of a Viking berserker. On the contrary, the founding philosophy of the SAS (then known as L-Detachment) indicates a need for extreme heroism but also extreme professionalism: “An undisciplined TOUGH is no good, however tough he may be. Most of ‘L’ Detachment’s work is night work and all of it demands courage, fitness and determination of the highest degree and also, and just as important, discipline, skill and intelligence and training.”

The odd thing is that life in the SAS during World War 2 was perfectly exciting enough. There simply wasn’t any need to make up tall tales. Mayne himself said as much in a letter: “(T)here is no use writing this stuff, people think you are shooting a line – the most fantastic things happen every time we go out.”

A perfect example of this occurred around the time Mayne wrote this. He and Stirling had decided to drive a truck with five comrades right up to an enemy encampment in the desert.

They had a German speaker with them and used him to bluff their way in. When the man was asked for the password, Mayne, who didn’t speak much German, related later what he understood the general direction of the conversation to have been:

“How the – do we know what the – password is, and don’t ask for our – identity cards either. They’re lost and we’ve been fighting for the past seventy hours against these – Tommies. Our car was destroyed and we were lucky to capture this British truck and get back at all. Some fool put us on the wrong road. We’ve been driving for the past two hours and then you so and sos, sitting here on your arses in Benghazi, in a nice safe job, stop us. So hurry up, get that – gate open.”

It wouldn’t be a nice safe job much longer. Mayne, who had a pistol resting on his lap, waited as one of the guards stepped closer to inspect them. Luckily the bluff worked because Mayne realised at the last minute he’d forgotten to cock it.

Once the gate was open, they proceeded to blast the hell out of the trucks and tents that they found within the camp, before also blowing up their own truck (by mistake) and hot-footing it out of there.

By this point, of course, they’d found their stride, but it had been a difficult learning curve. L-Detachment’s first mission called for dropping 60 men by parachute behind enemy lines. But wind conditions were awful and they were scattered hopelessly wide, isolated in the desert and miles from their targets. Most were either killed or captured (one of the dead was Mayne’s friend Eoin McGonigal). Fortunately, there was a solution right under David Stirling’s nose.

The Long Range Desert Group were themselves a kind of special operations unit conducting reconnaissance and the occasional raid of their own. A portion of their men and vehicles were next allocated to assist L-Detachment, and from that point forward Stirling’s force would be conveyed to their targets by their comrades in the LRDG. Gavin Mortimer’s book ‘Stirling’s Desert Triumph: The SAS Egyptian Airfield Raids 1942’ features an exchange between Mayne and one of his subordinates during a mission rehearsal in one of the 30cwt Chevrolet trucks they’d be using:

“’What direction are we driving in?’ (Mayne) suddenly said, turning to the front gunner. “The man stared at the stars, trying to figure out which star was which. At length he replied: “’North-east, I should say, sir’. “’Ha!’ exclaimed Mayne. ‘You wouldn’t get far if you had to walk back.’ “Changing gear, Mayne cast a sideways glance at his gunner and said quietly: ‘Mind you’re certain of your direction by tomorrow night’.”

At first, Stirling’s men were dropped off some distance from their targets and then approached on foot. The favoured method for destroying German planes in airfields – the main objective – was to attach and then detonate Lewes bombs. These had been created by one of their comrades, Lieutenant Jock Lewes.

But then a new method of operation was stumbled upon. During a raid on Bagoush airfield, in the Quattara Depression, Mayne had put bombs on 40 aircraft but only 22 of them went off. After examining some charges left over, he found that the primers had been inserted into their plastic sleeves too early – they’d been in there too long and had become damp.

From this problem came a series of solutions: They should just drive the LRDG vehicles right up to the target from now on to save time; they should, therefore, make sure the vehicles had machine guns mounted for protection; in fact, why not just drive the vehicles into the airfields and use the machine guns to destroy the planes instead?

This all came together in the raid on Sidi Haneish airfield on July 26/27, 1942. Two columns of nine jeeps each burst out of the night and whipped around the rows of Luftwaffe planes, riddling them with bullets before high tailing it back out into the darkness. 30 aircraft were left in ruins.

But the history of the SAS and Paddy Mayne wasn’t all spectacular desert raids.

Following the capture of Stirling and the migration of the war to Sicily and Italy, the nature of the fighting changed.

So too did Paddy.

L-Detachment had been re-designated as 1 SAS Regiment on September 28, 1942, and now Mayne, promoted to Major himself, was its standard bearer in Stirling’s absence. Contrary to his reputation as a stereotypical action hero, Ross says that Mayne’s side as solicitor now emerged as he came to be, in Ross’ view, probably a better administrator than Stirling. To be sure, an authoritarian side also emerged, but this too seems indicative of his care and commitment to professionalism, training and mission prep. He seems to have cared very deeply about men killed under this command and worked extraordinarily hard to prevent their deaths.

The SAS’ next incarnation as ‘the Special Raiding Squadron’ (SRS) was certainly very successful, as it worked its way over defensive positions in Sicily and then up the western side of the Italian peninsula. These actions are noteworthy for two things: Difficult objectives achieved and relatively low casualty rates, a testament to Mayne’s careful stewardship.

Augmented by the American landing in the east at Salerno on September 9, 1943, one of these actions took place at the Biferno river, behind which the Germans were making a stand. The SRS, along with Nos 3 and 40 Commandos were dispatched to Termoli to outflank them. No 3 Commando would establish a beachhead allowing No 40 Commando to capture the town and its harbour whilst the SRS continued on to take bridges. The subsequent fighting would be the stuff of Hollywood Second World War movies, featuring trucks set ablaze and Germans spilling out in alarm, along with encounters with hardened German paratroopers and skirmishes around farm buildings.

Despite the stiff and professional resistance, the Special Raiding Squadron lost only one killed, three wounded and 23 as MIAs. In return they inflicted casualties of 23 killed, 17 wounded and 39 captured, as well as taking ground north of the Biferno.

Next up was France. Here the SRS would be upgraded to 1 SAS proper, a battalion-sized force of about 1,000 men, as it served in the Special Air Service Brigade alongside 2 SAS (led by Bill Stirling, David’s brother) and two French parachute battalions and an independent Belgian parachute company (about 200 men). Just as Mediterranean operations had required the SAS to work under different circumstances and terrain, so too would a return to parachuting and work behind enemy lines in France test the unit. Gone (were the days) when teams of four men with water bottles and a handful of dates, lightly armed – a few grenades in their pouches and Lewes bombs in a haversack – set out to stalk an enemy airfield. They would need more equipment - not only more of what they’d had before, but more equipment than those used to logistical planning for the airborne troops seemed to realise.

Resupply by the RAF was thought about, as were jeeps – better for getting men around but harder to conceal. Men on foot might prove more stealthy in the new rubber-soled boots, but these left distinctive footprints that could be tracked and, in any case, problems had shown up in training (the uppers were known to separate from the soles). Training patterns also needed adjusting. Early on Mayne had fought to prevent the SAS from being turned back into a regular Commando unit.

Now he was fighting amalgamation with the PARAs. Maroon caps were issued and his men instructed to wear them instead of their sand-coloured berets– Mayne told his men to hid the SAS berets in their packs until they could don them later out of sight of officials. On a more practical level too the SAS was butting up against what, by that point, had become conventional methods of training paratroopers. The latter had to learn to land in large groups during the daytime in open country, ready and able to engage in battle immediately. SAS parachutists needed to land in small teams, quietly and at night.

Mayne himself was involved in some of the war’s latter action. Most memorably on 10th April 1945, the push towards Berlin was underway. Near the village of Borgerwald, an SAS unit was ambushed and their commanding officer killed. Mayne took over the Jeep, manning the guns and some say he single-handedly rescued every wounded man by lifting them one by one from a ditch and into his jeep before destroying the enemy gunners in a nearby farmhouse. For this daring feat, he was recommended for the Victoria Cross. The citation was signed off by Field Marshal Montgomery himself but the award would elude Colonel Paddy. He received a 3rd bar on his Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and his name would be remembered as the stuff of legends.

Paddy Mayne’s service with the SAS would end as it began, with his commander Major-General Bob Laycock – who had been the one to recommend him to David Stirling – writing to congratulate him on his DSO:

“My Dear Paddy, “I feel that I must drop you a line just to tell you how very deeply I appreciate the great honour of being able to address, as my friend, an officer who has succeeded in accomplishing the practically unprecedented task of collecting no less than four DSOs. (I am informed that there is another such superman in the Royal Air Force). You deserve all the more, and in my opinion, the appropriate authorities do not really know their job. If they did they would have given you a VC as well. Please do not dream of answering this letter, which brings with it my sincerest admiration a deep sense of honour in having, at one time, been associated with you. Yours ever, Bob Laycock.”

Looking back at his legacy, many have wondered why he didn’t get the Victoria Cross. George VI publicly expressed surprise that Mayne had not been awarded a Victoria Cross. Some say it was because hot-headed Mayne, who’d become Lieutenant Colonel by the end of the war, had punched the second in command in his battalion during one heated exchange. Others say it was down to a technicality - because the raid in question was multiple acts of bravery, not a single act. The official SAS historian Ben Macintyre suggests that Blair Mayne was denied the Victoria Cross either because of his brawling, his anti-Establishment streak or his alleged homosexuality (rumours rather than factually proven it must be stressed). Blair Mayne mistakenly thought Churchill had personally blocked him because of his history of brawling against military superiors and drunken behaviour that perhaps offended Churchill’s purist views of being an officer. The truth seems to be that Churchill was said to have been saddened and shocked by the omission.

In 2005, 50 years after Mayne’s death, an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons supported by 100 MPs, proposed that, “the Government mark these anniversaries by instructing the appropriate authorities to act without delay to reinstate the Victoria Cross given for exceptional personal courage and leadership of the highest order and to acknowledge that Mayne’s actions on that day saved the lives of many men and greatly helped the allied advance on Berlin.” It was defeated.

Perhaps there was no conspiracy though. Some historians of the SAS Regiment have laid out a common-sense case for precisely why one would expect Mayne not to have won the VC: Because doing so required independent witness testimonies of a recipient’s brave deeds from high-ranking officers. Special forces work, by its very nature, made reaching this bar highly unlikely. Heroism would have been commonplace, but, for the most part, it was clandestine and often independent of senior officers.

Mike Sadler, now close to 100 years old, is the last surviving member of the original SAS. His feats of bravery during the war read like a movie script. He was decorated with the French Légion d’honneur at 98 Years old in 2018 . Mike Sadler joined the Long Range Desert Group in 1941 and was based in the North African desert.  Lieutenant David Stirling brought the SAS (Special Air Service) into service, and Mike Sadler was transferred to the new unit when they began launching raids in Libya. He became their top navigator as he had a unique talent for being able to navigate vast expanses of desert, without the aid of maps, to guide the raiding parties to their targets. He also served under Paddy Mayne from 1941 until the end of the war.

I have had the privilege to have met Mike on one or two occasions through both my older brother and father with whom they share a common friendship through military veteran circles (but belonging to different eras). Over a few lunches and dinners over the years, I was hooked on his anecdotes and was full admiration for his exploits.

Most memorably Mike recounted the time that while sitting in a restaurant in Paris surrounded by seven or eight soldiers Paddy Mayne took out a grenade, pulled the pin and placed it on the table. Several dived for cover but Sadler reckoned that Mayne wasn’t about to kill himself. He was right; Paddy had previously removed the detonator.

This atypical story added to the Olympian myth of Paddy Mayne. And yet the grenade incident in the busy café wasn’t the random act of recklessness it sounds like. There was method in the madness. Mayne was making an important point. Whilst responsible for French troops who were part of the Special Air Service Brigade in 1944, he’d been horrified by reports of improper handling of grenades. The French troops simply hadn’t been as familiar with infantry training as they should have been. So Mayne used the incident in the café to show it was possible to completely control a grenade if one knew what they were doing.

Sadler explained that like him all the men who served with Mayne had a huge respect and admiration, drawing from his comforting presence on missions. But for all that Paddy Mayne had no close friends, other than Eoin McGonigal, who helped persuade him to join the SAS and who was killed in the Benghazi raid, the very first SAS operation in 1941.

The sad truth is that Paddy Mayne cut a solitary figure, often to be found reading the darker poetry of AE Housman. Mayne was socially awkward with no idea how to talk to women even though they were attracted to this very big, athletic Irishman. He revered his mother and put women on a pedestal, refusing to tolerate swearing in their presence. He was shy until drink initially loosened his inhibitions but then transported him to far darker places. But for all that he wasn’t reckless with the lives of his men. He weighed up situations, was intuitively brilliant in terms of the guerrilla tactics he employed when orchestrating his night-time raids in customised jeeps deep behind enemy lines initially in Egypt and Libya.

Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne was a fighting legend, and a pitiless killer in war. Even his comrades thought him cold-blooded and overly ruthless. Stirling thought Mayne had gone too far on occasions in killing the enemy. And yet Mayne typified the SAS recruitment policy, whose finds were the “sweepings of prisons and public schools”. In countless missions behind enemy lines, Major Paddy Mayne destroyed more aircraft than any fighter pilot on either side during the course of the war between Britain and Germany. He was to go on and become one of the most decorated British soldiers during the war.

Ben Macintyre, author of ‘Rogue Heroes: an authorised history of the SAS’ wrote: “It is not a story of unalloyed British bulldog heroism. These people were tough as tungsten but they were also human and frail and huge mistakes were made.”

Such men of war are not made for peace time.

Mayne sought further adventure in an Antarctic expedition but had to return home prematurely with a debilitating back condition, the origins of which came from his war service.

He took up a position as secretary to the Law Society of Northern Ireland until, returning from a night’s socialising on December 14th, 1955, he clipped an unlit parked lorry, and crashed into a telegraph pole on the Scrabo road, a few hundred metres from his house. Paddy Mayne died at 40 years old. He is buried in Movilla Abbey graveyard.

Hundreds attended Mayne’s funeral. His life was and continues to be commemorated in books, film. A statue in his native Newtownards stands in his honour. The town’s western bypass is also named after him.

A remarkable and complex character, he crammed a great deal into a life largely spent in the service of others, some of whom would have regarded him as a hero, although he, himself, would not.

King George VI asked Paddy Mayne how it was that he had not received the Victoria Cross, and he answered in a manner that sums up this courageous and remarkable man:

“I served to my best my Lord, my King and my Queen, and none can take that honour away from me.”

[uk-news-talking-politics]

The road to independence: How Covid and Brexit pushed Scotland from the Union

By Chaminda Jayanetti

At least they've noticed. Boris Johnson's flying visit to Scotland late last month wasn't much of a response to rising support for Scottish independence - but it was, at least, a response.

Johnson's desperation not to be the prime minister who 'lost the union' might be the only thing motivating him to try and hold it together, given that, like David Cameron, he instinctively sucks at electoral teat of English nationalism, casually alienating Scottish voters with the insouciance of a man for whom everything in his life has been cleaned up after him.

The recent turn in the polls towards independence is much more dangerous for unionists than the Yes campaign surge in 2014. During the referendum campaign, the surge in support for independence came from undecided voters rather than supporters of the union. But 2019 and 2020 have seen a much more direct shift of opinion from No to Yes.

The shift has had two big drivers - the first of which is Brexit.

"If you go back to the 2014 referendum, there was no relationship at that referendum between people's attitudes towards Europe, and whether or not they voted Yes or No," says polling expert John Curtice.

The Brexit vote then sparked a movement of pro-union Remain voters towards Yes, but one that was balanced out by pro-independence Leave voters shifting towards No - initially at least.

"Last year it became clear that the group of people who were moving from No to Yes because they voted Remain was now larger than the group moving in the other direction," says Curtice. "So by the end of 2019 and by the time Boris Johnson gets his majority, it's very clear that the pursuit of Brexit is beginning to undermine support for the Union, such that we were getting close to but were not quite at the 50-50 mark."

And then came the coronavirus.

"When the pandemic started, I briefly thought 'well, this could be curtains [for independence], at least for a good few years'," says James Kelly of pro-independence website Scot Goes Pop! "The fact that it's gone completely the other way demonstrates how catastrophic Westminster's handling of the crisis has been."

Critics of the SNP argue the Scottish government has overstated the extent to which it has deviated from the decision-making at Westminster in handling the pandemic, and Scotland has endured many of the same problems as the rest of the UK, most notably with outbreaks in care homes.

"It is really interesting that at a point where two governments are following a similar path in policy terms to a crisis, they are getting very different responses from the public for what is essentially a very similar response," says Edinburgh-based political consultant Mark Diffley.

First minister Nicola Sturgeon has enjoyed sky-high popularity in Scotland during the pandemic - the complete reverse of Johnson's subterranean personal ratings. And this support is not limited to SNP voters.

"The really striking thing was that the cohort of 2014 No voters, which of course would include lots of Leave voters as well, rate the first minister's handling of the crisis more positively than the prime minister's handling," says Diffley.

"Which is quite something when you sit and think about it - a Conservative prime minister against an SNP first minister coming off worse amongst unionists."

While survey data has long shown Scottish voters have more trust in the devolved government than in Westminster, Sturgeon's style - and her visibility fronting most of the ongoing daily press conferences - contrasts with that of the prime minister.

"There's been a sense in which basically she's just levelled with people," says Curtice, "and she's kind of said, 'this is difficult, I'm probably going to worry about some of these decisions I've made for the rest of my life'. There is no promise of 'sunny uplands'."

Her focus on enabling people to reunite with loved ones when easing lockdown, in contrast to Johnson's focus on reopening the economy, also gives her leadership a more empathetic tone than the prime minister's, while steering away from the tub-thumping partisanship of the Tory leader.

"It's certainly possible to construct a case that would argue that perhaps Nicola Sturgeon has got the tone correct and given the impression that she knows what she's doing," says Curtice.

By contrast, Johnson is a "liability" for the unionist cause, says Kelly.

Scotland is now pursuing a 'zero Covid' strategy, with no deaths from one day to the next, whereas the Tories appear ready to tolerate an ongoing level of communal infection as they try and reopen the economy.

"The feeling is that things were going badly when Scotland was following Westminster's lead, and then improved markedly when Nicola Sturgeon went her own way," says Kelly. "It's not that what happened in care homes is directly Westminster's fault, but Scotland at that point had locked itself into a Westminster-led 'four nations' strategy that was hopelessly misconceived."

Diffley points to a basic communications problem for the UK government: "Stuff that goes wrong - UK's fault. Stuff that goes right - plaudits to the Scottish government."

All this feeds through to the independence debate. Just as Brexit proved that Scotland's wishes could be overruled by the UK government, many Scots increasingly feel the pandemic shows they are better off governing themselves.

But with rising support for independence among Leave voters since the pandemic started, does that make an explicitly pro-EU Yes campaign risky in a second referendum?

"Insofar as Brexit becomes an essential part of the story, Yes support will fall further among Leave voters," says Curtice. "But it doesn't have to gain at the same rate amongst Remain voters in order to for it to match its losses."

Instead, the big challenge Brexit poses to the Yes campaign is the wearily familiar issue of the border. If Yes promises to pave the way for Scotland to rejoin the EU, we could see a repeat of the wrangling over the Northern Irish border after the 2016 Brexit vote - although that would also leave the UK government adopting the very same logic to argue against independence that it previously rejected in arguing for a hard Brexit.

The independence debate still has years left to run. But Kelly is confident that Brexit and the pandemic mean that voters will no longer see the union as the safe option.

"My guess is the pandemic may have shifted opinion to the point where that's less likely to happen.  There's a feeling now that we're being run by a bunch of clowns in London, and that things won't get any better, and will probably keep getting worse, unless we do something about that."

[twincitiesgeek]

Every year since 2015, we at Twin Cities Geek have organized our Holiday Toy & Book Drive to support the families served by the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center and the individuals served by the Women’s Prison Book Project.

The Twin Cities geek community came together once again to make the holidays brighter for so many Twin Cities families. The 2019 Twin Cities Geek Holiday Toy & Book Drive drive collected 1,497 toys and gifts and 2,805 books, graphic novels, manga, and comics for a combined grand total of:

4,302 donations!

All of these items were supplemented by generous cash donations of $500 from Nelson Cosplay’s Holiday Market and $135 through community donations on Facebook for a total of $635!

This effort was made possible by a team of over 20 volunteers who made deliveries, sorted donations, and helped with content creation over a period of almost two months. This massive project would not be possible without geeks in our community going the extra mile.

Each and every one of you who volunteered, donated, or helped spread the word about this year’s Holiday Toy & Book Drive helped make a difference in someone’s life this holiday season. You all are amazing!

Donated books await new readers

Just one pile of donated toys

Alisha poses in front of donations while volunteering

Mary shows off a donated toy

Donations for Families in Need

The donated toys, gifts, and children’s and young-adult books were distributed to children and their families in the Summit-University neighborhood in St. Paul through Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. As in past years, we especially asked you to donate items that would make good gifts for teens, and you came through again, giving all manner of tabletop games, video games, graphic novels, collectibles, YA books, DVDs, and more. This is important, as toy-drive initiatives like Toys for Tots so often focus on gifts for younger children—tots—but we geeks are well aware how much it can mean as a teenager to receive a great gift that reflects our interests, and the income level of our family does not change that simple fact.

So, on behalf of all the young adults whose lives you have touched, Twin Cities Geek would like to extend another extra thank-you for being awesome!

Books for the Women’s Prison Book Project

Of the total donations, we also collected 483 paperback books to donate to the Women’s Prison Book Project in Minneapolis! We delivered these to Boneshaker Books, who will distribute them to women and gender-diverse people currently serving time in prison.

Donations delivered to the Women’s Prison Book Project.

Again, thank you to everyone who donated paperbacks. You have helped people you will probably never meet but for whom something as simple as a book can mean so much. And that is a feeling a lot of us geeks can relate to, regardless of our circumstances.

Special Thanks to Local Business and Organizations

Of course, the 2019 Twin Cities Geek Holiday Toy & Book Drive would not have been possible without the generous support of local geek-friendly businesses and organizations throughout the metro who agreed to host donation boxes for us. Many of them have been participating for multiple years, and we were so happy to have them back again—and we were also thrilled to have even more new locations joining us this year for the first time! Many stores also donated to the drive themselves in addition to hosting boxes.

This is a special thank-you to all of them, and we would like to encourage the community to check out these wonderful businesses and organizations throughout the year.

Minneapolis

All Systems Go Games and Movies 158 13th Ave. NE Minneapolis, MN 55413 (612) 331-0028 Map Link

Bingley’s Teas 118 E. 26th St., Suite 208 Minneapolis, MN 55404 (612) 845-1707 Map Link

Brickmania 1618 Central Ave., Suite 110 Minneapolis, MN 55413 (612) 584-3627 Map Link

Comic Book College 4632 Nicollet Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55419 (612) 822-2309 Map Link

Dreamers Vault Games 4701 Hiawatha Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55406 (612) 724-4543 Map Link

Electric Fetus 2000 4th Ave. S Minneapolis, MN 55404 (612) 870-9300 Map Link

Fifth Element 2411 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55405 (612) 377-0044 Map Link

Geek Partnership Society 1121 NE Jackson St. #106 Minneapolis, MN 55413 (612) 424-2477 Map Link

GLITCH 1829 Riverside Ave. #200 Minneapolis, MN 55454 (320) 321-9361 Map Link

Heroic Goods and Games 3456 Minnehaha Ave. Minneapolis MN 55406 (612) 200-9354 Map Link

Knit & Bolt 2833 Johnson St. NE Minneapolis, MN 55418 (612) 788-1180 Map Link

Level Up Games (Mead Hall) 1425 LaSalle Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403 (612) 315-3945 Map Link

Moon Palace Books and Geek Love Cafe 3032 Minnehaha Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55406 (612) 454-0455 Map Link

Steamship Coffee & Games 711 W Lake St. Minneapolis, MN 55408 (612) 844-1011 Map Link

Tower Games 3920 Nicollet Ave. #150 Minneapolis, MN 55409 (612) 823-4477 Map Link

St. Paul

The Gaming Goat 1326 Grand Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105 (651) 690-4628 Map Link

Mischief Toy Store 818 Grand Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105 (651) 493-3307 Map Link

Source Comics and Games 2057 Snelling Ave. N Roseville, MN 55113 (651) 645-0386 Map Link

Wet Paint 1684 Grand Ave. St. Paul, MN 55105 (651) 698-6431 Map Link

North Metro

Blue Sun Soda Shop 1625 County Hwy. 10, Suite D Spring Lake Park, MN 55432 (763) 432-0704 Map Link

Dreamers Vault Games 11591 Theatre Dr. N Champlin, MN 55316 (763) 506-0303 Map Link

Fantasy Flight Games Center 1975 County Rd. B2 W Roseville, MN 55113 (651) 379-3801 Map Link

The Gamers Den 140 Buchanan St. N #142 Cambridge, MN 55008 (763) 689-5370 Map Link

Games by James 327 Rosedale Center #652 Roseville, MN 55113 (651) 636-0701 Map Link

Games N Go 1595 Hwy. 36 W #190 Roseville, MN 55113 (651) 636-6099 Map Link

Hub Hobby 82 Minnesota Ave. Little Canada, MN 55117 (651) 490-1675 Map Link

Punch-Out Gaming 828 Lake St. S Forest Lake, MN 55025 (651) 464-9820 Map Link

South Metro

Dreamers Vault Games 14332 Burnhaven Dr. Burnsville, MN 55306 (952) 895-1989 Map Link

Gamerheadz 10 Southdale Center Edina, MN 55435 (952) 926-3155 Map Link

Games by James 1032 Burnsville Center Burnsville, MN 55306 (952) 892-1004 Map Link

Games by James Mall of America 358 East Broadway Bloomington, MN 55425 (952) 854-4747 Map Link

Games by James 2510 Southdale Center Edina, MN 55435 (952) 925-9656 Map Link

The Gaming Goat 1095 Diffley Rd., Suite F Eagan, MN 55123 (651) 797-2670 Map Link

Hot Comics & Collectibles 224 Broadway St. S Jordan, MN 55352 (952) 492-7870 Map Link

Hot Comics & Collectibles 26 West 66th St. Richfield, MN 55423 (612) 798-3936 Map Link

Hub Hobby 6410 Penn Ave. S Richfield, MN 55423 (612) 866-9575 Map Link

Issues Needed Comics 15465 Cedar Ave. S #160 Apple Valley, MN 55124 (952) 683-9339 Map Link

Mind’s Eye Comics 200 E Travelers Trail, Suite 105 Burnsville, MN 55337 (952) 492-9350 Map Link

Tomodachi Mall of America 384 North Garden Bloomington, MN 55425 (952) 582-1739 Map Link

East Metro

Level Up Games 120 2nd St. E Hastings, MN 55033 (651) 346-1631 Map Link

West Metro

Dreamers Vault Games 3015 Utah Ave. S St. Louis Park, MN 55426 (952) 938-8163 Map Link

Games by James Ridgedale Center 12529 Wayzata Blvd. Minnetonka, MN 55305 (952) 545-6616 Map Link

Hot Comics & Collectibles 3524 Winnetka Ave. N New Hope, MN 55427 (763) 593-1223 Map Link

Lodestone Coffee and Games 10982 Cedar Lake Rd. Minnetonka, MN 55305 (952) 657-5226 Map Link

Finally, we would also like to acknowledge RFA Engineering in Eden Prairie, which organized an impressive employee donation effort this year, and Wild Rumpus Books in Minneapolis, which donated several boxes of children’s and YA books.

In closing, one more enormous thank-you to our toy-drive volunteers and everyone in the Twin Cities geek community who participated in the drive this holiday season!

Our fifth annual #GiveTCG Twin Cities Geek Holiday Toy & Book Drive closed out 2019 with geeks helping those in need once again! Every year since 2015, we at Twin Cities Geek have organized our Holiday Toy & Book Drive to support the families served by the…

[thebestify]

'Nosferatu,' La Doña turns 1, CBD sampling: 45 free things to do this weekend - City Pages

"Volta Photo" at the Weinstein Hammons Gallery Sanle Sory FRIDAY: Volta Photo In 1960, Sanlé Sory opened a photography studio in Bobo-Dioulasso, the trendy/artistic city in Burkina Faso. That same year, the nation had received full independence from France. As the country entered a new post-colonial era, Sory photographed the vibrant youth culture that emerged. Spanning 20-some years, his collection of portraits features lovers kissing, smiling friends with a boombox, and style so fly it could belong in a high-fashion magazine from any era. The artist, who still lives and works in the area, began touring exhibitions of his work in the late ’90s. This show at the Weinstein Hammons Gallery is a rare chance to see these still-youthful images in person. There will be an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, October 18. Free. Weinstein Hammons Gallery, 908 W. 46th St., Minneapolis; 612-822-1722. –Jessica ArmbrusterAndy Ulseth With Brian Just Band and Picked to Click seventh place winner Prim Woes. 10 p.m. Oct. 18. Free. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis; 612-331-1746.Lungs (Album Release Show) With Hive, Witchden, and Nothingness. 9 p.m. Oct. 18. Free. Hexagon Bar, 2600 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-722-3454.The Jason Dixon Line 8:30 p.m. Oct. 18. Free. Schooner Tavern, 2901 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-729-4365.Versions With happy hour during musical performances. 9-11 p.m. Oct. 18. Free. Apoy, 4301 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis; 612-824-4719.

"Creativity in Everyday Life" at Goldstein Museum of Design Creativity in Everyday Life Design is everywhere in our daily lives, including the cars we drive, the homes we live in, the utensils we use, and the clothes we wear. In this show, the Goldstein moves from big-picture design (design thinking as a mode of problem solving) to the granular (i.e. specific everyday objects). The exhibition is also participatory, with visitors invited to weigh in with their opinions the most innovation and creative aspects of the show. Opening reception 5:30-7:30 p.m. Fri., Oct. 18, featuring a silent auction to benefit GMD. Daily from Oct. 18-Jan. 5. Free. Goldstein Museum of Design, 1985 Buford Ave., 346 McNeal Hall, St. Paul; 612-624-7801. --Camille LeFevreWildflyer Coffee Launch Party Fundraiser for a new coffee shop, featuring live music from the Immaculate Beings, Lavender Daughter, Mpls Drew, and Audiyo Element. 6 p.m. Oct. 18. Free. 56 Brewing, 3055 NE Columbia Ave., Minneapolis; 612-404-0056.#MeToo in Minnesota History Exhibitions examining issues of sexual assault and violence through the stories of several Minnesota women, past and present. Oct. 15-April 5. Free. Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; 651-259-3000.As, Not For: Dethroning Our Absolutes Group show curated by Jerome Harris. Oct. 18-Nov. 10. Free. MCAD Gallery, 2501 Stevens Ave., Minneapolis; 612-874-3700.

'Nosferatu' Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror Released in 1922, Nosferatu is just a few years shy of its 100th anniversary, and somehow still manages to be creepy. Part of that effect may come from its on-location sets and beautifully framed shots, and Max Schreck’s performance as the titular monster certainly factors into its legacy. Yet another spooky aspect is the film’s soundtrack, which has been adapted and reimagined over the years. This Halloween, guests can head to the Music Box Theatre for a screening set to a live soundtrack from the Curse of the Vampire Orchestra, by Minneapolis composer Philip Shorey. The score features a local symphony and choral musicians mixed with modern electronica and industrial percussion. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18-19; 3:30 p.m. Oct. 19. Free; RSVP required. Music Box Theatre, 1407 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-871-1414. --Jessica ArmbrusterLeslie Jamison Author presents her new book, 'Make It Scream, Make it Burn: Essays.' 7 p.m. Oct. 18. Free. Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul; 651-225-8989.R. Zamora Linmark Author presents his new book, 'The Importance of Being Wilde At Heart.' At the Asian Pacific Resource Center in Room 311. 12-1:30 p.m. Oct. 18. Free. Appleby Hall - University of Minnesota, 128 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis; 612-625-5000.Fall Flower Show Sunken garden in full bloom with hundreds of chrysanthemums of many different cultivars. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily from Oct. 5-Dec. 1. Free. Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park, 1225 Estabrook  Drive, St. Paul; 651-487-8200.

Jimmy Reagan Jimmy Reagan Exhibit Expressionist paintings. Opening reception 7-10 p.m. Fri., Oct. 18, with a meet and greet with the artist, music, and drinks. Free; RSVP required for opening reception. Le Meridien Chambers Minneapolis, 901 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-767-6900.Tappy Hour Group tap dance lessons. 4-6 p.m. every Fri. Free. Can Can Wonderland, 755 Prior Ave. N., Ste. 4, St. Paul; 651-925-2261.Can Can Wonderland Karaoke Hosted by Silly Miss Tilly. All ages. 5:30-8:30 p.m. every Fri. Free. Can Can Wonderland, 755 Prior Ave. N., Ste. 4, St. Paul; 651-925-2261.Erin Schwab and Jay Fuchs 8:30-11:30 p.m. every Fri. Free. Birch's Lowertown, 289 Fifth St. E., St. Paul; 651-432-4677.

La Dona Cerveceria Image courtesy event organizers SATURDAY: First Anniversary Party La Doña Cervecería is turning one this weekend. To celebrate, they’re busting out Ocelotl, a Mezcal barley wine that has been aging in barrels since January (and offers a whopping 10% ABV). Order it on tap and, if you like, take it home in bottle form. The party starts at noon, with the Indigo DJ Crew spinning tunes at 4 p.m., followed by salsa band K-Libre24 from 9 p.m. till close. Festivities will also include games, special merchandise, and food trucks Flagsmash and Que Tal. 12 p.m.-2 a.m. Oct. 19. Free. La Doña Cervecería, 241 Fremont Ave N, Minneapolis. –Loren GreenPiss On Your Dad With Sam Hell, Huff, and Psychic DNA. 9 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Hexagon Bar, 2600 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-722-3454.First Annual Legacy CBD Cup Competition for the state's best hemp and cannabidiol products, with presentations, samples, and products for sale. 5-10 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Warehouse Winery, 6415 Cambridge St., St. Louis Park; 763-232-3707.Ian Valor & The Vendettas (Album Release Show) With Little Man and Elour. 10 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis; 612-331-1746.MPLS LTD XX Afternoon at Eclipse Celebrating 20 years of the local record label, with performances by Birds of Virginia (reunion show), Pussytoes, the Starfolk, and John Roeser Avenue. All ages. 12-4 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Eclipse Records, 381 Wabasha Street N., Saint Paul; 651-224-2500.Biggest in the World Party Celebration of Brit's being the pub selling the most Olde Speckled Hen in the world. Festivities include $4 Olde Speckled Hen 20 oz pints, the Beatles’ Abbey Road album performed in its entirety by the Summerbabies at 8 p.m., and glassware and other giveaways. Saturday, 6-11 p.m. Brit's Pub, 1110 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-332-3908.

The Twisted Pumpkin and Valhalla Skulls October Gallery Night: The Twisted Pumpkin and Valhalla Skulls An evening celebrating the work of artists Mandy Koepp and Joelle Skjei, with treats by Atuvava and tarot readings by Sage Tarot. 5-8 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Darling Amalgamated Retail Emporium, 4549 Bloomington Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-454-5456.Tangletown Gardens Annual Pumpkin Fest Featuring a wide selection of pumpkins, with a photo booth, pumpkin painting, farmers market, and family activities. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Tangletown Gardens, 5353 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-4769.Powderhorn Culinary Arts Show Juried outdoor food and beverage competition for professional and junior culinary artists from across the country, with a beer garden, pumpkin patch pop-up, garden shop, and kitchen gadget pop-up. 12-5 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Powderhorn Park, 3400 15th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-823-1141.

"Randomland" Vance Diamond, 'Tidal Wave,' 2019 Randomland Group show collaboratively curated by artists with disabilities and without, presented by Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts. Public reception 3-6 p.m. Sat., Oct. 19, featuring artist remarks and a Q&A. Free. The White Page, 3400 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; 413-478-0455.Kater's 4th Annual Katerween Pop-up gallery show featuring new work for sale from the graffiti artist. 5-9 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Maharaja's, 205 W. 7th St., St. Paul; 651-292-1623.Leaf Fest Featuring a giant leaf pile, fall treats, pumpkin hunt, art workshop, scavenger hunt, and a community art project. 12-4 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Caponi Art Park, 1220 Diffley Road, Eagan; 651-454-9412. 'McDuff Moves In' Story Time with Gryphon Press and Underdog Rescue Family story time, with adoptable dogs from Underdog Rescue on hand. 3 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-822-4611.Brunch Show at Mortimer's Featuring Trash Catties, Ringout, and Leslie. All ages. 12-3 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Mortimer's, 2001 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-871-5591.Halloween Viewing Party for 'The Loud House' Featuring screenings of Halloween-themed episodes of 'The Loud House,' hosted by the voices of Lucy and Rita Loud, hosted by Jessica DiCicco and Jill Talley, with character meet and greets, and storyboard animator appearances. 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Mall of America Best Buy Rotunda, 365 N. Garden, Bloomington; 952-883-8800.

"And When the Sun Rises" And When the Sun Rises: Mara Duvra / Today, we become: Prerna 6-9 p.m. Saturday. Soo Visual Arts Center, 2909 Bryant Ave. S., Minneapolis. New Editions 2019 A pop-up shop of chapbooks, zines, broadsides, artist books, and more. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Minnesota Center for Book Arts, 1011 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis. Have You Seen This Man?: The Castro Poems of Karl Tierney Celebration of the release of posthumously published selection of poems by Karl Tierney, edited by Jim Cory. 7 p.m. Oct. 19. Free. Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul; 651-225-8989.Midtown Farmers Market Featuring farm products, prepared and cottage foods, and ready-to-eat local cuisine, local artwork, and live entertainment. More info at midtownfarmersmarket.org. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. every Sat. from May 18-Oct. 26; 3-7 p.m. every Tue. from May 18-Oct. 29. Free. Midtown Farmers Market, 3032 Minnehaha Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-724-7457.Mill City Farmers Market Long running market in the shadow of Mill Ruins Park, featuring local, sustainable, and organic groceries and produce, with weekly cooking clinics and live entertainment. More info at www.millcityfarmersmarket.org. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. every Sat. from May 4-Oct. 26. Free. Mill City Museum, 704 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis; 612-341-7555.

Howl-O-Ween at Bent Brewstillery Getty Images SUNDAY: Howl-O-Ween Cap off your weekend by hanging out with dogs in costumes. This Sunday, Bent Brewstillery will be getting into the holiday spirit with a daylong Halloween party open to humans and pups. People are welcome to dress in costume, and doggos are especially encouraged to. Locally made pet items from crafters and artisans will be for sale, and games and prizes will be hosted by Sidewalk Dog. Have a glamour shot taken with your four-legged buddy, bob for treats, and carve a pumpkin. Be sure to wash it all down with a pint. All ages. 12-6 p.m. Oct. 20. Free. Bent Brewstillery, 1744 Terrace Drive, Roseville; 844-879-2368. –Jessica Armbruster Fall Makers Market Featuring over 20 local makers and curators both inside and out of the building. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 3147 NE California St., Minneapolis.  Atlas Obscura Trivia with Dylan Thuras and Magers & Quinn Featuring questions about travel and places all over the world, with prizes and copies of 'Atlas Obscura: 2nd Edition' available for purchase. 6 p.m. Oct. 20. Free. LynLake Brewery, 2934 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-224-9682.Panel Discussion: Is Local News Dying? Featuring Jamie Stockwell, Richard Fausset, Rebecca Colden, and Suki Dardarian. 1 p.m. Oct. 20. Free. Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; 612-375-7600.

MN Toy Posse Image courtesy event organizers MN Toy Posse Halloween Bash 3 What happens when you combine 70 toy sellers from all over the Midwest, hundreds of toy fans of all ages, and thousands of rare and unique toys and collectables? You get one giant posse. This weekend, the Minnesota Toy Posse will host its third-annual Halloween Bash toy swap. Posse founder Mark Seekamp started the group a little over three years ago on Facebook as a way to help connect people looking to buy, sell, or trade their favorite toys. He hadn’t planned on just how many people would want to join his gang. “We have more than 2,200 members, and it’s a really active group,” he says. And it’s not just about toys, either. “We’ve become friends and talk about our lives. People will post pictures when they have a baby, or we’ll just use it to meet up and go see a movie. It’s about creating relationships beyond just looking for toys.” For Seekamp, the best part of the day is how toys can bring people together. “The coolest part is being able to see someone who is going to be really excited about a toy that you have that you’re ready to part with.” 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 20. Free. Knights Of Columbus Bloomington, 1114 W. 79th St., Bloomington; 952-888-1492. –Patrick StraitOpen Jam 8 p.m. every Sun. Free. Schooner Tavern, 2901 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-729-4365.Saint Paul Civic Symphony: Night and Day 1 p.m. Oct. 20. Free. Landmark Center, 75 W. 5th St., St. Paul; 651-292-3293. Read the full article

[goalhofer]

2019-20 Greenville Swamp Rabbits Roster

Wingers

#3 Zach Franco (Winnipeg, Manitoba)

#8 Roman Ammirato (Williamstown, New Jersey)

#12 John May (Mahtomedi, Minnesota)

#14 Travis Howe (Hull, Massachusetts)

#20 Cedric Lacroix (Shefford, Quebec)

#21 Patrick Bajkov (Nanaimo, British Columbia)

#23 Michael Pelech (Toronto, Ontario)

#25 Shaquille Merasty (Minnedosa, Manitoba)

#28 Liam Pecararo (Canton, Massachusetts)

Centers

#9 Mason Baptista (North York, Ontario)

#18 Nathan Perkovich (Canton, Michigan)

#22 Cliff Pu (Richmond Hill, Ontario)

#27 Thomas Ebbing (Troy, Michigan)

Defensemen

#2 Brett Beauvais (Summerside, Prince Edward Island)

#4 Chad Duchesne (Inverary, Ontario)

#5 Dylan McPherson (Redcliff, Alberta)

#7 Adam Larkin (Clarkston, Michigan)

#10 Luke Ripley (Kitimat, British Columbia)

#15 John-Claude Brassard (Scituate, Massachusetts)

#17 Will Lochead (London, Ontario)

#19 Jake Bolton (Ellington, Connecticut)

#26 Brien Diffley (Burlington, Massachusetts)

Goalies

#1 Chris Nell (Green Bay, Wisconsin)

#30 Callum Booth (Montreal, Quebec)

#35 Ryan Bednard (Macomb Township, Michigan)

[fromthe-point]

ECHL Transactions - Mar.29

Adirondack Thunder: Desmond Bergin, D || returned on loan to Binghamton (AHL)

Brampton Beast: Jackson Leef, F || activated from injured reserve

Cincinnati Cyclones: Arvin Atwal, D || recalled by Rochester (AHL)

Florida Everblades: Callum Booth, G || placed on injured reserve (effective 3.28) Philippe Hudon, F || activated from reserve Mitch Vandergunst, F || placed on reserve Even Weninger, G || signed ATO, added to active roster

Fort Wayne Komets: Chase Stewart, D || placed on injured reserve (effective 3.17) Gage Torrel, F || placed on injured reserve (effective 3.24)

Indy Fuel: Anthony Collins, F || placed on injured reserve (effective 3.24) Woody Hudson, F || placed on reserve Chase Marchand, G || activated from reserve Josh McArdle, D || assigned by Rockford (AHL) Dmitri Osipov, D || returned from loan to Rockford (AHL) Samuel Thibault, D || placed on reserve Spencer Watson, F || assigned from Rockford (AHL) by Chicago (NHL) Brett Welychka, F || activated from injured reserve

Jacksonville IceMen: Shane Walsh, F || claimed off waivers from Wichita

Kansas City Mavericks: Jordan Ernst, F || placed on reserve Denver Pierce, F || activated from reserve

Maine Mariners: Zeb Knutson, F || added to active roster (claimed from Indy)

Manchester Monarchs: Chris Carlisle, D || recalled by Belleville (AHL) Brien Diffley, D || activated from reserve

Newfoundland Growlers: Cory Dunn, D || placed on reserve Ryan Moore, F || placed on injured reserve (effective 3.18) Zach O’Brien, F || activated from reserve Scott Pooley, F || assigned by Toronto (AHL) Matthew Whittaker, F || placed on reserve

Norfolk Admirals: J.R. Wojciechowski, D || signed ATO, added to active roster

Orlando Solar Bears: Olivier Archambault, F || placed on injured reserve (effective 3.18) Alexander Kuqali, D || activated from injured reserve Shaquille Merasty, F || placed on reserve

Rapid City Rush: Blake Heinrich, D || activated from reserve Zach Todd, D || placed on reserve

Toledo Walleye: Felix Chamberland, F || placed on reserve Marcus Crawford, D || recalled by Grand Rapids (AHL) Justin Kea, F || activated from reserve David Pope, F || assigned from Grand Rapids (AHL) by Detroit (NHL) Jordan Topping, F || placed on reserve

Tulsa Oilers: Brad Best, G || released as EBUG Tanner Katy, F || signed contract, added to active roster

Utah Grizzlies: Ryan Galt, F || signed contract, released from ATO Duggie Lagrone, D || released from ATO

Wichita Thunder: Pierre-Cedric Labrie, F || loaned to Bakersfield (AHL) Colin Larkin, F || activated from reserve

Worcester Railers: Ivan Chukarov, D || placed on reserve Mike Cornell, D || assigned by Bridgeport (AHL)

[9roundeagan]

....or both! #9Round #Confidence #Eagan #FitFam #FitLife #fitmom #Fitness #FitnessAddict #FitnessGoals #FitnessMotivation #HealthyLife #Motivation #Woodbury #Workout #HealthyLifestyle #Confidence #Workout #FeelingGood #FeelTheBURN #WomanPower& (at 9Round Fitness Eagan Diffley) https://www.instagram.com/p/Brab2oBBVn0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1gnrg7n5yqzkf

[horrorpaingoredeath]

#alienator #coldheaven #fallen #thegame #bluray #scifi #drama #thriller #drama #supernatural #supernaturalthriller #fredolenray #janmichaelvincent #diffley #nicholasroeg #theresarussell #markharmon #jamesrusso #denzelwashington #johngoodman #donaldsutherland #philly #philadelphia #davidfincher #michaeldouglas #seanpenn #screamfactory #scorpionreleasing #criterioncollection (at Horror Pain Gore Death Productions HQ) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEXiT6qJVOJ/?igshid=1lfv1d50x1p7

[piecesofimpact-blog]

#pieceofimpact by Karen Diffley

#pieceofimpact by Karen Diffley: Whether you believe in The Law of Attraction or not, I promise you it is always in effect. Learn to use it to live your best life possible. Choose your thoughts wisely! • Who is Karen Diffley? “An inspirer using social media to impact people by sharing daily quotes and helping you think differently.” Instagram: @th.inkdifferent • Question for you: Do you believe in The Law of Attraction? Share your answer in the comments.