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freakingoutthesquares · 1 year

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Pulp Pop Facts

DiscoVery, Volume 1, October 1992

Source: Acrylic Afternoons

"These questionnaires were completed on 31 May 1992 at an M1 service station (I think maybe Leicester Forest East). The questions are specially constructed to give you a deep insight into the Pulp personalities."

Favourite sweets?

Jarvis: Coconut tobacco (currently unavailable) Steve: Parma Violets Nick: Pear Drops (as opposed to chox) Russell: Mint cracknel (deceased) Candida: Refreshers

Favourite drink?

JARVIS: Cresta (discontinued) STEVE: Bloody Mary NICK: Chocolate milk, lager, tea RUSSELL: Champagne CANDIDA: Irish Baileys Original Cream / Earl Grey tea

Favourite fruit?

JARVIS: Cherries (Hard to get this time of year) STEVE: Banana NICK: Don't do fruit, nor veg if poss. RUSSELL: Passion CANDIDA: Peach Favourite food?

JARVIS: Boil in the bag cod in butter sauce STEVE: Broccoli NICK: Anything in a pastry or crust. And chips RUSSELL: Italian CANDIDA: Vegetarian

Favourite planet?

JARVIS: Earth (all others are lifeless) STEVE: Rock NICK: Uranus - silly name RUSSELL: Earth CANDIDA: Earth Favourite toy when you were a child?

JARVIS: Major Matt Mason STEVE: Evel Knieval NICK: Action Man - the one with the beard and skimmed hairdo. RUSSELL: Scalextric CANDIDA: Billy Favourite fairground ride?

JARVIS: Log flume STEVE: Bouncy castle NICK: Umbrellas, revolving type RUSSELL: Ghost train CANDIDA: Ghost train Favourite TV show ever?

JARVIS: "It's Garry Shandling's Show" STEVE: American Gladiators NICK: Top of the Pops + Pans People, Legs & Co etc... RUSSELL: Pogles' Wood CANDIDA: 'Shine on Harvey Moon' 1st series What would you like for your birthday?

JARVIS: An Austin Allegro estate STEVE: Be with my friends NICK: It's on 28th July. I want a Tetris Nintendo or Blockmaster RUSSELL: Lots of money CANDIDA: One of those glass globes that have electricity beams inside (ultra violet) that hit the place your hands touch. Bad explanation I know, but if you want to buy me one I'll detail you more. What did you get?

JARVIS: Brut gift set STEVE: They all stopped returning my calls NICK: Some crap jeans RUSSELL: A bag of marbles CANDIDA: Not my birthday yet, you'll have 'til 20 August

Where is heaven on earth?

JARVIS: Conisbrough STEVE: Catcliffe NICK: The moment you wake up at 8am and can turn round and enjoy another 4hrs in bed. Bliss. RUSSELL: It's a nightclub in London CANDIDA: Right here What is the worst thing that could happen?

JARVIS: Run out of things to say STEVE: Nick Banks solo album NICK: Having to get a proper job RUSSELL: Death CANDIDA: I could be sick or Pulp could never make it What would you be for a day?

JARVIS: You STEVE: David Icke NICK: Michael Caine, Elvis, Ginsters taster RUSSELL: Nick Banks CANDIDA: Me Best thing about Sheffield?

JARVIS: Henderson's Relish STEVE: Steel NICK: Great TV reception RUSSELL: Cheap steel CANDIDA: Sheffield Best thing about being in a pop group?

JARVIS: Carrying large items of musical equipment STEVE: Riches & fame (I've heard) NICK: It's a good excuse to act like a tit 24hrs a day RUSSELL: Travelling to exotic places, meeting interesting people and killing them CANDIDA: Getting free records, free concerts + meeting popstars, maybe even becoming one!! When will you give up?

JARVIS: 24th October 1994 STEVE: When tomorrow comes NICK: When I lose both arms in a car smash RUSSELL: When we can't afford it anymore CANDIDA: Never. I'll fight 'till I die Who is your dream date?

JARVIS: Jan Francis (circa 'Just Good Friends') STEVE: Young Diane Keaton NICK: Any decent chick with long hair and a thirst! RUSSELL: Virginia Bottomley CANDIDA: I'm not telling What would you say to Elvis?

JARVIS: "My name's nearly the same as yours." STEVE: "Where can I get a white suit like yours?" NICK: "How did you get out that fucking coffin?" RUSSELL: "I thought you were dead." CANDIDA: "Fucking hell!" What was the last thing you found?

JARVIS: Pair of high-waisters in a skip STEVE: Love & happiness NICK: Marmite sachet RUSSELL: A keyhole in the road CANDIDA: A vegetable money box to put underwear in when washed. A nice lime green colour

Your worst habit?

JARVIS: Prevarication STEVE: Smoking NICK: Nail biting / arse scratching / nose picking / belching / forgetting RUSSELL: Picking nose CANDIDA: Being lazy

Your best attribute?

JARVIS: General aceness STEVE: Kind, generous & patience at all times NICK: Top guy RUSSELL: Funnyness Know a lot about glass CANDIDA: Ooh, being patient What do you wear in bed?

JARVIS: Depends who else is there STEVE: Black leather thong NICK: The duvet RUSSELL: A condom CANDIDA: T-shirt or nowt What is in your pocket?

JARVIS: Fluff STEVE: See above NICK: Marmite sachet, 69p, contact lens case BBC visitor pass, drum key. RUSSELL: A modcon CANDIDA: No pocket, but a purse, change + mascara, keys would be Who would you be stuck in a lift with?

JARVIS: A qualified engineer STEVE: Jason King NICK: Marcel Marceau RUSSELL: An electrician CANDIDA: Oh my God, someone in a worse state than me Why?

JARVIS: For ease of escape STEVE: Discuss his wardrobe & girl technique NICK: Twat the cunt if he says owt! RUSSELL: - CANDIDA: Because it'd calm me down calming them down What do you collect?

JARVIS: Anything going STEVE: Memories... (sic) NICK: Ginsters wrappers (bag offer only) RUSSELL: Glass CANDIDA: Coloured plastic. Beads, sequins, not crap tho

Your worst moment?

JARVIS: Applying pile ointment in BBC lavatories STEVE: Early mornings NICK: Watching helplessly as Jarvis crashes my mini clubman RUSSELL: Vomiting on stage CANDIDA: Plenty. Off hand I'd say not getting to see Arthur Lee or Madonna live Your best moment?

JARVIS: Boating expedition down River Don STEVE: Late nights NICK: Twatting him after (lie) RUSSELL: Vomiting on stage on Nick Banks CANDIDA: Plenty again. Meeting Julian Clary, looking through good kaleidoscopes + mainly good nights out Is thar Owl or is thar Blade?

JARVIS: Owl STEVE: Owl NICK: Definitely Owl RUSSELL: Don't understand CANDIDA: Fuck off thee, Wednesday. Most dangerous thing you ever did?

JARVIS: Ate a yoghurt 3 days after sell by date STEVE: Wheelie on a Tomahawk with eyes closed (ended up in a hospital) NICK: Went to see Wednesday v Millwall - ended up on Millwall Rd. Stoke Newington. RUSSELL: Joined Pulp CANDIDA: Gave my brother razor blades to play with Favourite item of clothing?

JARVIS: Black velvet suit STEVE: Tank tops and stripey jumpers NICK: New corduroy trousers, brown levis, £12.95 RUSSELL: Pendant CANDIDA: Silver skinny rib top, psychedelic shoes, Lycra tights Most impressive party trick?

JARVIS: "Sick-up-on-the-host" STEVE: Climbing back up off the floor NICK: Projectile vomiting RUSSELL: Making silver paper burn your hand CANDIDA: Pete's one legged trick Lifelong ambition?

JARVIS: Personal hot-air balloon STEVE: To find God NICK: Helicopter ride, own flash motor (old), hot air balloon, jetfighter ride, visit Japan plus USA RUSSELL: Play violin in tune CANDIDA: To be a famousish popstar Most treasured possession?

JARVIS: Chunky silver ring - (1st finger right hand) STEVE: In my pocket NICK: Kettle, teabags, pint pot, sugar, milk, etc. RUSSELL: Car (For sale if anyone wants it) CANDIDA: Cats Who would play you in the film of your life?

JARVIS: An actor who looks like me STEVE: Lewis Collins NICK: Michael Caine, Roger Moore, Dudley Moore, any sad get... RUSSELL: Him out of sparks CANDIDA: Some daft head in the clouds girl

#russell senior #jarvis cocker #candida doyle #steve mackey #nick banks #pulp #printed article #interview

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mister-gear-box · 1 year

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Conduct detailed inspection with the services of Land Rover Automatic gearbox repair in Sheffield from Mister Gearbox

Whether you are running a new or an old car, a detailed inspection of the gearbox is quite beneficial. Repairing the gearbox includes its inspection through which you can check its condition. Having Land Rover Automatic gearbox repair in Sheffieldfrom Mister Gearbox ensures that the equipment of the car has been returned to the specifications of the factory. So, if you want to get this benefit, don’t waste time and avail the repair services.

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adsthumbsblog · 2 years

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How to Use Facts and Benefits in Classified Ads?

Looking at some free classified ads just gives you headache. There are so many boring facts listed about the item for sale and sometimes you do not even know what those facts are.

So a question was born in my head, is it really necessary to have so much detailed information about a product listed in an online classified ad?

I have found the answer to this question to be a little tricky and depending on what you are selling or buying in your online advertisement. For some ads you will not need to list every little detail while for other classified ads you will need to write down most of the facts and benefits in order to sell your item.

Listing facts & benefits in your classified ad?

The general rule of thumb is that the more expensive the product or service is the more you will need to justify the price by facts and benefits.

How about benefits in my ad?

Lets image you are selling a luxury car, now in order to get as many interested buyers as possible you will need to sell them the benefits of having this luxury used car you are advertising for.

Some of the benefits with a luxury car can be that it is a status symbol and riding it makes you feel good and important. You will need to list or write those types of benefits to take out a high price for the luxury used car.

Cheap items for sale

Now on the other hand let us image you are selling a cheep used book through a free classified ad. You will not in this case need to list as much facts and benefits. In fact it might even piss off readers if you start listing how broad and deep the books dimensions are in your classified ad. On the contrary you can list some chapter headings just to give an overview of what the buyer can expect from reading the book you are selling.

Read classified ads before writing your own

It is a good practice to read other peoples classified ads for the same product or service before writing your own. Look for mistakes made by other writers and do not repeat them. Also look for how much facts and benefits are being used to sell the product and decide how much you feel is enough.

I hope this article has provided you some value and guidelines for using facts and benefits in your online classifieds.

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exceldetailingsupplies · 3 years

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What to expect from a car detailing service in Sheffield?

Detailing services in Sheffield may entail different procedures depending on what the purpose of the services is. You can choose between a maintenance detail, a protection detail, an enhancement detail, or a new car protection detail. Each detail is done with a few basic actions and then activities are added to fulfill different purposes.

#Detailing services Sheffield #car detailing services in Sheffield #PPF Sheffield

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koreaunderground · 3 years

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(2021/04/16) CIA Assassination Plot Targeted Cuba's Raul Castro

[nsarchive.gwu.edu][1]

[1]: <https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/cuba/2021-04-16/documents-cia-assassination-plot-targeted-raul-castro>

# CIA Assassination Plot Targeted Cuba's Raul Castro

10-13 minutes

* * *

As Castro Retires on 60th Anniversary of the Bay of Pigs, National Security Archive Posts Declassified Top Secret CIA Cables, Reports from 1960

Agency Officials Willing to Pay Over $10,000 For ‘Fatal Accident’

Another Assassination Plot against Fidel Castro Was Part of Bay of Pigs Invasion Strategy

**Washington D.C., April 16, 2021 –** In the earliest known CIA assassination plot against leaders of the Cuban revolution, high agency officials offered the pilot of a plane carrying Raul Castro from Prague to Havana “payment after successful completion of ten thousand dollars” to “incur risks in arranging accident” during the flight, according to formally TOP SECRET documents posted today by the National Security Archive. The pilot, who the CIA had earlier recruited as an intelligence asset in Cuba, “asked for assurance that in event of his [own] death the U.S. would see that his two sons were given a college education.” “This assurance was given,” his CIA handler in Havana, William J. Murray, reported.

According to TOP SECRET cables between the CIA headquarters and the CIA Havana station, and debriefings Murray later provided on "questionable activities," the plot quickly evolved after the Cuban pilot, Jose Raul Martinez, advised Murray that he had been selected to fly a chartered Cubana Airlines plane to Prague to pick up Raul Castro and other high-ranking Cuban leaders on July 21, 1960. When Murray informed his superiors at Langley headquarters, as he later told the Rockefeller Commission on the CIA, “headquarters cabled back that it was considering the possibility of a fatal accident and asked whether the pilot would be interested.”

The cable, classified “TOP SECRET RYBAT OPERATIONAL IMMEDIATE” and signed by CIA Deputy Director of Plans Tracy Barnes, and J.C. King, the head of the CIA’s Western Hemisphere Division, informed Murray that “possible removal of top three leaders is receiving serious consideration at HQS” and asked if the pilot had “motivation sufficient to incur risks of arranging accident during return trip” from Prague. To provide sufficient motivation, Barnes and King offered $10,000, or “a reasonable demand in excess of that” as well as to arrange rescue facilities for the pilot after the “accident” took place.

Murray discussed the proposal with Martinez in a car as the pilot drove to the Havana airport to fly to Prague. “Subj willing to take calculated risk but limited to foll[owing] possibilities which can pass as accidental: A. engine burnout on take off to delay or harass trip. B. Vague possibility water ditching approx. 3 hours out from Cuba,” Murray reported to Langley after the meeting. “Subj rules out engine failure in flight due [to] imminent danger [of] fire and lack of opportunity to save any passengers or crew … Doubts ability perform real accident without endangering lives of all on board.”

After Martinez left for Prague, the Havana station received a second cable, signed by Tracy Barnes, that rescinded the assassination plot. “Do not pursue,” it stated. “Would like to drop matter.” By then, however, there was no way to reach the pilot. When he returned, Martinez reported to Murray that “he had no opportunity to arrange an accident such as we had discussed.”

This “accident plot” was obliquely described in the special Senate Committee report on _Alleged Assassination Plots Involving Foreign Leaders_ , published 1976 after an investigation into CIA covert actions led by Senator Frank Church. The Church Committee report identified the plot as “the first action against the life of a Cuban leader sponsored by the CIA of which the Committee is aware” but withheld—or perhaps was denied—key details, including that the would-be assassin was a pilot and the “accident” would involve a civilian airliner. Nor did the Committee publish any of the documents on which its description was based.

The TOP SECRET documents were later declassified as part of the JFK Assassination Records Act and obtained by National Security Archive senior analyst John Prados for the Archive’s digital collection, _CIA Covert Operations II: The Year of Intelligence, 1975._

### The Bay of Pigs Assassination Plot

The Bay of Pigs operation also involved a complex CIA plot to assassinate Fidel Castro, launched only a few weeks after the short-lived effort to kill his brother. In August 1960, the CIA’s director of covert operations, Richard Bissell, authorized what one SECRET EYES ONLY CIA memo described as “a sensitive mission requiring gangster-type action.” The mission “was the liquidation of Fidel Castro.” As the top CIA official in charge of the Bay of Pigs operation, Bissell’s intention was to assassinate Castro and enhance the chances of success for CIA’s counterrevolutionary program to overthrow his regime.

In a filmed interview Kornbluh conducted with Jacob Esterline, the CIA manager of the paramilitary invasion, Esterline said that he had been asked to divert over $150,000 from his budget for unspecified reasons but had refused to do so until he was briefed by Bissel’s chief of security, Sheffield Edwards. After he learned the funds were designated to pay the mafia to arrange Castro’s assassination—using poisoned pills created by the agency’s Technical Services Division—Esterline protested to the head of the Western Hemisphere Division, J.C. King. “I said, ‘J.C. do you realize that this is going to make people take this whole thing less seriously if somebody thinks there’s an easy way out with Castro being killed?’”

“I thought it was absolutely amoral that we involve ourselves for the record in anything of this sort,” Esterline told Kornbluh. “Number one, I was just having trouble coming to grips with that. But number two, I thought it would also be the most self-defeating thing for the operation which was going to be [difficult] at best.” (Peter Kornbluh, [_Bay of Pigs Declassified_][2], pp. 264, 265)

[2]: <https://www.amazon.com/Bay-Pigs-Declassified-Invasion-Documents/dp/1565844947>

The Archive is publishing these records as the Castro era in Cuba comes to a formal end. As the Cuban Communist Party convenes its 8th party congress on the 60th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion, Raul Castro is stepping down from his powerful position as party leader. “Just as the defeat of the CIA-led invaders at the Bay of Pigs marked a historic turning point for the young revolution,” according to Peter Kornbluh who directs the Archive’s Cuba project, “the official beginning of the post- Castro era marks a major turning point for Cuba’s future.”

## READ THE DOCUMENTS

[![document thumbnail][3]][4]

[3]: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20616617/pages/1-p1-thumbnail.gif [4]: <https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/dc.html?doc=20616617-1>

1975-01-17

After the scandal about CIA efforts to assassinate foreign leaders such as Fidel Castro breaks in the media in early 1975, a former agent in the Havana station, William J. Murray, files a report to the agency’s inspector general on the earliest known plot in Cuba to kill a leader of the revolution—Raul Castro. Murray recounts how one of his recruited Cuban intelligence assets, a pilot, informed him on July 18, 1960, that he had been assigned to fly to Prague to pick up Raul Castro and other Cuban officials. After he informed CIA headquarters, Murray received an urgent, highly classified cable instructing him to offer the pilot $10,000 or more to motivate him to “cooperate in arranging an accident during the return trip from Prague.” The pilot agreed to “take a calculated risk but limited the possibilities which could pass as an accident.” In the end, no attempt was undertaken, and CIA officials rescinded the assassination instructions.

[![document thumbnail][5]][6]

[5]: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20616618/pages/2-p1-thumbnail.gif [6]: <https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/dc.html?doc=20616618-2>

1960-07-21

Top officials in the CIA’s covert operations division sent this urgent telegram to their agent in Havana, William Murray, instructing him to encourage a pilot who is going to be flying Raul Castro from Prague to Havana “to incur risks in arranging accident during return trip.” The CIA would offer $10,000 and meet “a reasonable demand in excess of that” once the accident had been completed. The cable begins by stating that “possible removal top three leaders is receiving serious consideration at HQS.”

[![document thumbnail][7]][8]

[7]: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20616619/pages/3-p1-thumbnail.gif [8]: <https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/dc.html?doc=20616619-3>

1960-07-22

After conferring with the pilot just before he leaves for Prague, Murray reports back that “subj willing to take calculated risk” but limited to “possibilities which can pass as accidental.” The two discussed puncturing the tire of the plane to cause an accident, and even a real crash of some sort by causing engine failure which the pilot rules out because of “lack of opportunity to save any passengers or crew.” Among the options the pilot will consider is “vague possibility water ditching approx. 3 hours out from Cuba.”

[![document thumbnail][9]][10]

[9]: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20616614/pages/4-p1-thumbnail.gif [10]: <https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/dc.html?doc=20616614-4>

1960-07-21

After the pilot has left for Prague, CIA headquarters sends a second, short, two-sentence cable shutting down the operation. “Do not pursue ref[erence cable],” it states. “Would like to drop matter.” The cable arrives too late to alert the pilot that the CIA no longer wants to advance the assassination plot.

[![document thumbnail][11]][12]

[11]: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20616615/pages/5-p1-thumbnail.gif [12]: <https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/dc.html?doc=20616615-5>

1975-06-11

The official Rockefeller Commission appointed by President Gerald Ford to investigate CIA misconduct, debriefs William Murray on the 1960 plot against Raul Castro, as well as a more general discussion of the CIA’s role in encouraging efforts to overthrow Castro in the early 1960s. The memcon of the meeting records Murray as pointing out that “in many Latin American countries assassination is historically not an unusual form of changing government.”

[![document thumbnail][13]][14]

[13]: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20616616/pages/6-p1-thumbnail.gif [14]: <https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/dc.html?doc=20616616-6>

1966-06-24

The CIA’s director of security, Howard J. Osborn, sends a detailed summary to the deputy director on the CIA-Mafia collaboration to assassinate Castro before the Bay of Pigs invasion. The history starts with the authorization from the deputy director for plans, Richard Bissell, for “a sensitive mission requiring gangster-type action. The mission target was the liquidation of Fidel Castro.” The report describes how Robert Maheu was used as a CIA “cutout” to approach mobsters Johnny Roselli and Sam Gold. It also describes how the CIA’s Technical Services Division “developed a pill that had the elements of rapid solubility, high lethal content, and little or no traceability” as an assassination device. Six pills were produced and passed initially to a Cuban official with mafia ties, Juan Orta. When he got “cold feet,” the pills were passed to a member of the Cuba Exile Junta, Anthony Verona, to pass to operatives in Havana. But, the report states, “Verona’s potential was never fully exploited as the project was cancelled shortly after the Bay of Pigs episode.”

#cia

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nagyattila7763 · 3 years

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bastillewolf · 4 years

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The Grand Tranquility Hotel (I)

Pairing: Alex Turner/Reader

Summary: An eccentric hotel owner and an inquisitive writer find solace in each other when they both seemed to be at the edge of rock bottom.

Notes: Though I have a lot of unfinished fanfictions out there, I’ve been purely obsessing over Arctic Monkeys lately and I need to throw it somewhere. Also, there aren’t enough Alex fanfics so enjoy.

Tell me if you’d like to be added to the tag list! Slow updates, none scheduled. Likes, reblogs and especially comments are very welcomed.

Chapter I - The Grand Tranquility Hotel

As she tried to drown out the screaming of the baby in the arms of the woman sitting across from her, she scolded herself yet again for forgetting to bring her earplugs. The train ride wasn’t all that long and would arrive at her destination in a few minutes, yet she already felt a migraine coming up. It was something she had since suffered from early on in her life. The doctors were never able to find what suggested there was anything physically wrong with her, so they recommended wearing earplugs as a precautionary measure.

She just hadn’t thought she would be needing them at the Grand Tranquility Hotel.

She had heard of its great reputation and only recently of its sudden financial problems. It had been in every newspaper in the country, read in a bold font ‘TRANQUILITY HOTEL BANKRUPT?! Owner remains silent’. Though the Hotel had always been in a very secluded area, a lot of influential people seemed to be regular customers. Even Miles Kane, the mayor of the city, appeared to be fond of the hotel and rumour had it, of the owner as well. It was still a wild guess to the public as to why the hotel was at its sudden demise.

Which is why she was now suffering through this awful train ride. Her desperation for inspiration to start a new story, perhaps even a new book if she was lucky, had led her to book a room at the residence. And the fact that her friends wouldn’t stop nagging at her to take a break.

Losing her job as a high ranked editor, her book deal being cancelled, and the sudden death of her mother had made sure that the year was possibly the worst of her entire life. And like with all emotional things she couldn’t handle; she tried to find a distraction.

As she was about to glance down at her grandmother’s watch, the train finally slowed to a stop. Grabbing her suitcase and coat, she stepped onto the old yellow brick flooring of the station. It wasn’t as chilly for an October afternoon, something she was rather grateful for. She hadn’t exactly packed enough layers to withstand a lot of cold wind and clammy rain.

She managed to find what seemed to be the only guard at the station, an old man who looked like he was about to fall over if he even so much as thought about running after someone. He kindly directed her towards the front of the building where a cab would be waiting for her, sent by the Grand Tranquility Hotel itself. He had explained to her that the city was rather small, and the only real other public transportation was by bus, so the hotel often sent out chauffeurs of their own to pick up their guests.

After thanking him she was able to make her way from the lonesome guard to the apparent lonesome car in the middle of the vacant square outside of the building. The entire block looked rather quaint, and the black classic Cadillac stood out against the various shades of yellow of the old-fashioned English architecture. The driver had been casually leaning against the door while having a smoke up until the moment his eyes greeted hers. He then proceeded to throw said cigarette on the floor and open the back door for her.

She thanked him with an amused smile, and he replied with, “at your service, ma’am.” His thick accent betraying a Sheffield background. Her keen eyes scanned around the chic leather interior and the flyer tucked into one of the backseat pockets that read: “The Grand Tranquility Hotel; take it easy for a little while. Come and stay with us!” It made her scoff.

The drive was silent for the most part, up until she blatantly caught him looking at her through the rear view mirror a few times and she in return started staring back. He gave her a small smirk and introduced himself as Matthew Helders, but told her that she could call him Matt. She raised her eyebrows but gave her name in return anyway. No reason to be rude, just yet. “If you ever need me to drive you anywhere, I’m your man. For other stuff, too.” When she crossed her arms and he started sputtering and getting flustered, she had to calm him down and tell him it was fine, because he nearly drove them off the road.

At least she now knew she had at least one person that would amuse her on this trip. A ‘smooth’ gentleman who she could have a laugh with (or laugh at). “I suppose you don’t really have much else to do, since the holiday season is over and all,” she said, almost suggestively.

“Oh no, it’s a pleasure ma’am, really,” he replied sincerely. “And it’s not like we had much to do during the holiday season.” It took her some effort to make out the sentence he had grumbled, and she almost thought she had misheard him until she saw the bitter look he was wearing. So, the staff has been dealing with their own share of the impending bankruptcy. It didn’t surprise her.

The tires cracked the gravel underneath them as they finally approached the looming building that was the Grand Tranquility Hotel. In other circumstances she probably wouldn’t have described it as ‘looming’, but with the silence surrounding it and most of the blinds shut, she didn’t know what else to call it. Matt lead her to the front door where he held the it open for her.

Inside, she was met again with a wave of silence. It was as if she had stepped into a museum and she was the only one there. With Matt, of course. In a way, it was a true museum, with grand paintings of great battles and beautiful women adorning the walls, up to the massive chandelier hanging from the towering ceiling above her. The baroque detailing was incredibly well maintained and nowhere was even the faintest hint of dust to be found. It was breath-taking, and she would have stood there with her mouth gaping wide open if it hadn’t been for the person behind the counter clearing their throat.

He was almost the complete opposite of Matt in appearance. While Matt had a square jaw, short styled hair and seemed to be a rather imposing figure, the clerk had a more rounded face, long curly locks and wore a suit that didn’t manage to hide his slim body. He also looked as if he hadn’t had a proper night’s rest in weeks, yet the smile he wore on his face was very welcoming.

He introduced himself as Nicholas O’Malley, and much like Matt, he told her she could call him what all his friends called him; Nick. “Here’s your key, ma’am. Dinner will be served around 7, and if you need anything else, don’t be hesitant to ask.” His accent was just the same.

Her room number was 521, which was on the second story of the building. “Great. I just need to take my suitcase from the-“ Her sentence was cut short when she noticed Matt picking up said suitcase from the floor with a wink. “If you’ll follow me.”

He proceeded to give her a small tour of the Grand Hotel, not missing the way she would walk a tad slower around rooms with a lot of art. “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to wander around afterwards, but now I must hurry you along the tour, because this suitcase is getting pretty heavy.” She gave him an innocent smirk as she stopped walking, taking her sweet time to inspect a painting of a small girl picking up a teddy bear, and Matt groaned.

When they finally made it to room 521, Matt momentarily glanced at the other end of the hallway, before turning back to her with a serious expression on his face. “It’s best if you don’t wander towards any of the other rooms. Some people get cross if you disturb them.”

“There are other people staying here? During this season?” She questioned, her curious writer side getting the better of her. He smiled briefly, but she noted it was more in a way of saying goodbye.

After she had left him to unpack her suitcase, Matt’s eyes glanced one last time at the gleaming golden numbers of room 505, where he had sworn he’d seen the slit opening of the door shut right when he looked at it.

#Arctic Monkeys #Alex Turner #Matt Helders #Nick O'Malley #Jamie Cook #TBHC #Miles Kane #Alex Turner x reader #fanfiction #505 #Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino #AM #Romance #Reader Insert

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ycarbuyingservice · 3 years

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#We buy any car valuation

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scifigeneration · 6 years

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Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker excels and inspires as the BBC's Time Lord

by Matt Hills

BBC Images

SPOILER ALERT: this review assumes you’ve seen the first episode of the Doctor Who series starring Jodie Whittaker, and includes detailed plot and character information from the outset.

The 13th Doctor Who, played by Jodie Whittaker, falls into this story in the middle of the action, crash landing on a train where her new companions are trapped.

In case you’ve been hiding on Mars (or Gallifrey), her first appearance is given a pulse of the famous theme music for identification purposes – not that anyone in the massive earthbound audience will need much persuading that Whittaker is the Doctor.

She plays an absolute blinder throughout, ranging from quietly amusing moments such as asking to have a police car’s “lights and siren on”, through to smelting her own sonic screwdriver. There’s also some convincing stunt action on show – and a moving account of long-lost family thrown in for good measure.

But the classic BBC series’ new showrunner, Chris Chibnall (the writer of smash-hit drama series Broadchurch), is preoccupied with overturning expectations in “The Woman Who Fell To Earth”. The episode begins with 19-year-old warehouse worker Ryan (Tosin Cole) vlogging about the “greatest woman” he’s ever met – but just who is she? Before long, Ryan’s grandmother Grace (Sharon D Clarke), her second husband Graham (Bradley Walsh) and a former schoolmate of Ryan’s, police officer Yasmin Khan (Mandip Gill), are united on a train that’s under attack near the city of Sheffield, England.

Ryan assumes that an unknown entity moving through the train carriages has killed someone. A classic Doctor Who set-up, you might think, only for the Doctor to counsel that, no, this death was more likely from shock – while linked to the alien incursion, it wasn’t intended or executed by a traditional monster. The expected storyline is quickly overturned.

Later, the Doctor comes up with an “Alien vs Predator”-style explanation of events, only to accept that unusually she too has got things wrong – this isn’t one alien against another, instead it’s a hunt for human trophies. And Chibnall wrong-foots viewers by depicting the character of Karl Wright, another passenger caught up in the train attack, as classic monster fodder – only to make him rather more “randomly” central to the narrative than standard conventions might dictate.

Shock of the new

“New can be scary”, the Doctor cautions her latest friends – while reflecting on the fact that – post-regeneration – she’s temporarily become “a stranger to myself”. And there’s a mission statement of sorts put front-and-centre, as she hails “Tim Shaw” – her name for the alien warrior chasing around Sheffield – with an inspirational account of transformative self-identity: “We’re all capable of the most incredible change. We can evolve, while still staying true to who we are. We can honour who we’ve been and choose who we want to be next.”

“The Woman Who Fell To Earth” is preoccupied with gender – but probably not the one you were expecting. It is sometimes less about the Doctor’s newfound femininity (which gets some great one-liners) and more about wayward masculinity, represented by both Karl and “Tim Shaw”. The former is obsessed with inspirational quotes (“I am brave”, “I am confident”, “I am special”) while lacking many of these positive qualities, and the latter is an intergalactic cheat, insecure about his ability to become a leader.

There is, also, a stronger sense of male vulnerability in this tale than ever before: we have the story of Ryan’s dyspraxia to follow in coming episodes and it seems unlikely that Graham O'Brien’s cancer remission will be mentioned just this once (Graham is Ryan’s step-grandad as well as Grace’s partner, and is superbly played by Walsh).

Who are you? Grace, Yasmin, the Doctor, Ryan and Graham. BBC Pictures

Indeed, the decision to include these real-world problems – the energetic Grace having been Graham’s chemo nurse when they first met – strikes me as a genuinely brave move for a family entertainment show, and one to be applauded. This is a grounded, challenging view of Doctor Who – one which displays its humanity not via reassuring neoliberal tales of self-celebration, but instead through a (public service) sense of needing to “work through” difficulties.

However, given recent debates around “fridging” – the trope where a female figure (often a girlfriend) has to be killed in order to motivate a male character’s angst-filled storyline – the demise of courageous Grace feels like a misstep. Her loss leaves a symbolic gap for the Doctor to fill, perhaps – as well as a reason for Ryan and Graham to become time travellers rather than wanting to return to Sheffield, 2018. But she’s the one character who instantly feels as if she should have been a “companion” to this Doctor.

Brave new Who-niverse

“The Woman Who Fell to Earth” is sharply directed by Jamie Childs (His Dark Materials) and benefits from some impressive incidental music from Segun Akinola (Dear Mr Shakespeare: Shakespeare Lives). Whittaker doesn’t put a foot wrong and – with a convincing group of new friends, a brilliant cliffhanger and a showrunner unafraid to incorporate mentions of cancer, chemo and dyspraxia – this looks to be a show in safe hands.

Male heroics will no doubt earn an ongoing place in the new “Who-niverse” – if Ryan and Graham can be shaped, inspired and remade by the transformational zest of Whittaker’s Doctor. In time, they will have an opportunity to properly learn the lessons of human rather than Time Lord regeneration, and how “we’re all capable of the most incredible change”.

This is a strong opening to a new phase in Doctor Who’s history: it is accessible, bravely grounded and inspiring in its own right. The Doctor is in.

About The Author:

Matt Hills is a Professor of Media and Film at the University of Huddersfield

This article is republished from our content partners, The Conversation, under a Creative Commons license.

#science fiction #doctor who #science fiction and fantasy #tv reviews #13th doctor #timelord #featured

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cafeology · 6 years

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Cafeology & The University of Sheffield - Cauca Visit 2018.

The following blog explains my trip with the University of Sheffield who we arranged a direct souring agreement with a coffee producer in the south of Colombia. This producer, Cencoic consists of indigenous farmers based in the southern region of Cauca. The intention of this trip is to forge strong and sustainable relationships with our producer as well as see how the University of Sheffield can engage with potential projects over and above coffee sourcing to assist the growers association.

I was joined by Gavin Brown, Head of Commercial Services, Peter Anstess, General Manager of Retail Operations, Meg McGrath, Development Officer, University of Sheffield Students Union and Daniela Orrego Payan, a Colombian National who is studying at the University of Sheffield. Also joining us on the trip was Greg Morgan from Social Sciences at the University of Sheffield. Greg had been attending the Worldwide Universities Network AGM in Perth, Australia and came back via Bogota on his return journey. Sadly we were also due to be joined by Professor Duncan Cameron, who is an expert on Plant and Soil Biology. Sadly Duncan’s father had a heart attack 2 days before the trip resulting in him being unable to make it. I wish Mr Cameron Senior a speedy recovery and thoughts are with Duncan and his family. 27 May 2018

It was an early start for a Bank Holiday weekend as the flight was via Madrid at 06.20. I decided to stay at Heathrow the evening before which hopefully assisted the tiredness although it didn’t feel like it when the alarm went off at 03.50.

Everything went to time and the connection for Bogota, despite leaving behind schedule, still arrived on time into Colombia’s capital. Unfortunately my pick up was no where to be seen as there had been a mix up but our exporter Mariano was on hand to arrange another driver who took me to the hotel so all in all a very smooth journey.

Once checked into the hotel, Mariano had made arrangements to meet for dinner with his colleague Pablo. I have travelled in the Huila region with Pablo who originates from Uruguay but has worked in the Bogota office for a while now. It was good to catch up with them both and I appreciated them giving up family time on a Sunday night to join me. The hotel is in a fantastic location called Zona T, in the heart of the shopping district close to all the bars and restaurants, a recommendation from Duncan! I was very much looking forward to my first cold Club Colombia beer and was devastated to find out that my trip had clashed with the elections in Colombia. There is a total country wide ban on alcohol sales on Election Day..... so it was diet cokes all round with dinner. It was probably for the best as I was getting a little tired so I headed back to the hotel to get some much needed rest.

Monday 28 May

As always, travelling west resulted in the natural alarm clock going off way too early! Thankfully I knew there was going to be a lot of coffee consumed and the excitement about being back in this fantastic country was once again getting the better of me. After breakfast, I went for a walk around the local area, bustling with peeping horns, and a vibrancy which Colombia is famous for - it was good to be back in Bogota. At 2640m above sea level, the air is thinner here and the temperatures normally a steady 19 degrees. You will almost see rain every day and this day was certainly no different. Mariano had arranged a pick up to the office around 12.45 and met me on arrival at ECTP. Unfortunately I needed ID to get into the offices and I had everything safely tucked away in the safe back at the hotel. I eventually managed to retrieve an old photo of my passport on my phone from a trip to NYC a couple of years ago which, after much negotiation, the security accepted and I was finally in the building. ECTP stands for Engelhart Commodities Trading Partners (formerly BTG Pactual) is a global commodity merchant and assists in the sourcing and exporting of all of our Colombian coffee. I met up with Pablo and Marco and discussed in detail with Mariano our vision for the next 5 years in Colombia, also what we would like to achieve on this trip. It also gave me the opportunity to discuss the exciting plans with our new Roastery and give them an update on current challenges faced at our point in the supply chain. After the meeting, I had chance to discover more of this amazing city whilst on foot touring many of the coffee bars including Tostao, a relatively new concept offering coffee and pastries at fantastically low prices. They are popping up everywhere. I was very much looking forward to the evening to be reunited with Francisco (Pacho) and Norma from Asoapia as they had made the difficult journey from Risaralda especially to meet me. We arranged to meet at my hotel at 7pm along with Mariano and headed out for drinks. There is a great bond between us and it was fantastic to catch up. It may have been quite an informal location (La Cerveceria), a bar round the corner, but Pacho armed with notepad got straight down to business. We discussed many things including microlots and also purchasing Organic from the farm whilst I managed to give him an update on the Roastery which he was delighted to hear about. Thankfully the ban on alcohol had been and gone and we were enjoying the Club Colombia Roja as we waited for Greg Morgan to arrive from Perth via Santiago who would be joining us for Dinner. Greg is the Head of International Partnerships at the University of Sheffield and had planned to join us on his way back from the Worldwide Universities Network AGM in Perth, Australia. Greg has spent considerable time in Colombia (not to mention many other conflict areas in the world) so it was good to catch up out here in Bogota. After introductions, we moved on for dinner. Pacho was very tired and after the fantastic meal, Pacho, Norma and Mariano left. Greg and I weren’t far behind them. Food in Colombia can be quite rich but from my experience it is always very good. The levels of hygiene in Colombia are extremely high and if you enjoy meat, you won’t go far wrong in Colombia.

29 May

My guests from the University of Sheffield were on the red eye flight direct from London which meant they landed in Bogota at 4am. I had arranged a pick up for them and due to the early hours they were checked in at the hotel by 5am. Thankfully their rooms were ready which allowed them the chance for a couple of hours rest. We met down at breakfast at 8am and it was good to see them here in Bogota after nearly 9 months of planning. Making the trip was Gavin Brown, Director of Commercial Services, Peter Anstess, General Manager, Retail Operations, Megan McGrath, Development Officer, Students Union and Daniela Payan A post grad student studying Management and Entrepreneurship. Daniela only learnt of the trip on 24 hours before departure following the very sad news regarding Duncan’s father. After the introductions and a brief by me of the itinerary, we headed off to the offices again of ECTP, all armed with ID! We were met once again by Mariano. Pacho and Norma were already on site. After the introductions, we discussed many areas of how the University of Sheffield may be able to assist the cooperative through different programs which Greg was interested to investigate further. We also discussed current pricing and the opportunity of securing micro lots on the next container. This will give total traceability to our customers whilst offering exclusivity for customers wishing to have a unique coffee. This also gave us the opportunity to present the brand new Roastology packaging specifically with its own unique label for Pacho and Asoapia. Not only were Pacho and Norma impressed but Peter and Gavin expressed interest for some of the retail packs to be sold across some of the retail outlets. It is always great to catch up with Pacho and I thought it was a good time to invite him over to the UK next year to celebrate 10 years of this fantastic direct trade partnership. Time was now cracking on as Pacho and Norma were heading off to Pereira so we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. In the afternoon we planned a trip up to Monserrate, a stunning Monastery at the highest point in Bogota which gives the most amazing views of this huge city. Situated at 3152m above sea level, you reach the summit via a cable car or funicular. As Bogota is built on a plane with very little hills, you get an incredible scale of the size and sprawl of the area. We travelled up by cable car although I think Gavin and Peter were contemplating the steep walk, thankfully the cable car won. Once at the top it was photo time - and lots of them as it was clear (for the time being), then the weather closed in at incredible speed and the rain came down. Time was cracking on so we decided to head back down as we had a meeting scheduled at The Los Andes Universidad organised by Greg with a little help from our in house Colombian, Daniela. We were hosted by Yadira Mongollón - Head of Mobility Office International Affairs and Camilo Villa Moreno - Head of Cooperation for Research & Networks, Office of International Affairs and given a tour of the University including faculty of engineering and of course all the coffee and food outlets with Gavin and Peter taking notes. The university is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year which despite being relatively new is one of the leading Universities in Colombia. It is relatively small with only 19000 students, 15,000 undergraduates and only 450 doctorates. There are many foreign students attending the University including UK representation from Loughborough,Essex and Bristol, two of which I proudly added that we work with. Yadira gifted us with some coffee as she advised that the farmer is an Alumni of the University. A really nice touch and once again it shows how wide spread the coffee industry is throughout this magnificent country.. Following the tour, it was time to say our goodbyes and we ordered a cab just as the heavens opened. With that, totalled with Bogota rush hour traffic, it was going to be a long journey back. It took 90 minutes to do the 9 mile trip - welcome to Bogotá’s shocking traffic problem! It was a quick change at the hotel as we were guests of Tiffany Kohl, a good friend of mine at the biggest event in Bogota on a Tuesday night, Gringo Tuesdays. Tiffany is the founder of this amazing concept wishing to connect people visiting Bogota from all over the globe. The event now attracts over a thousand people every Tuesday and has won national acclaim as the place to be. We weren’t disappointed, it was an amazing party with a very friendly and welcoming feel. I do however think we may have been the only true Gringo’s in the place...... Unfortunately due to the timings, those who had only arrived that morning were beginning to flag so we didn’t test it to the full but still managed to have a fantastic night - thanks Tiffany! Daniela and Meg left a short time before us and we headed for a steak around the corner before retiring back to the hotel. Even Greg and I were ready for some sleep but fair play to Peter, he had managed 46 hours without bed although I think he was gutted not to do the extra couple of hours!

30 May

This morning allowed us all to have a leisurely breakfast before heading to the airport which I think was welcomed by all. Despite this the majority of us were awake at the crack of dawn. The morning allowed me to clear some emails and arrange transportation as well as sorting out the bills for the guests as it was all on one booking. Thankfully it was Daniela to the rescue, this Gringo from Sheffield was struggling to string two words together in Spanish. I had booked a minibus allowing us plenty of time for the Bogota traffic to get us to the airport. Today and Thursday were going to be the main event so my stress level was beginning to get a hold on me as the cab was running late. We only had this window to get to Cauca as there are only two flights a day with the other one in the evening which would have resulted in missing the afternoons visit to the parchment mill. The cab eventually arrived 40 mins late due to...traffic! It was a nervous journey through the city but luckily the traffic was being kind to us. Thankfully we arrived and met Mariano at the airport and our flight to Popayán left on time as the turbo prob steered through the rather threatening gathering clouds. The flight was just over an hour passing over some dramatic scenery, common with virtually anywhere in Colombia. The airport at Popayán is tiny and the bags were off loaded rather promptly and then the carousel stopped with both Peter and Gavin still waiting for their bags. Sadly they were still in Bogotá. They were both pretty cool about it but it was a little concerning as Peter had packed a drone that he had recently purchased and wanted to get some footage at the farm. Thankfully Avianca had located both bags and sent them with the evenings flight and they were delivered to the hotel so issue averted. We then bundled ourselves into taxis and headed to the hotel Dann Monasterio in the town. The hotel was superb, 16th century monastery, it was very traditional. We checked in and headed for lunch. We were greeted with an almighty storm, but the temperature was mild allowing us lunch on the covered patio. After lunch we were due to head off to the Cencoic parchment mill which is the other side of Popayán. Although my room was fabulous it backed on to the main road and if you’ve ever travelled in Colombia, you’ll realise that blasting horns, many with multi tones appears to be a very popular pastime country wide! I decided to relocate, which the hotel staff couldn’t be more obliging. Little did I realise it was going to turn into the most stressful 45 minutes of the whole trip. I moved everything out of the room and into the new, quiet room and began to unpack the small amount of items. At this point I realised I couldn’t locate my passport - cue brain racking followed by melt down. I checked the old room, new room, reception desk and nowhere to be seen. Everyone was now waiting in reception including the taxi drivers, how embarrassing! Mariano and one of the staff came up to the first room I checked into and were really helpful. I checked the safe one more time and it had got wedged upright behind the door - what a feeling. I rejoined the group and offered my sincere apologies to all with many offering a chuckle knowing panic was over. We then headed the short drive to the mill and met with Recardo, who manages the Parchment Mill. Ricardo is a very passionate gent and very accommodating and showed us around the facility allowing many photos to be taken as well as another delicious coffee. Ricardo also has his own coffee farm and grows coffee for Cencoic. We were then taken to the offices of Cencoic where I was reunited with Elisabeth Meneses Sandoval who I met in Seattle at the SCA in April 2017. Elisabeth is the Export Manager and was involved in the very first talks about the vision we had for the exclusive direct trade for the University of Sheffield. It was lovely to see her again and meet the team. We were then given a presentation (and more fabulous coffee) by Hernan Vincente Castellanos who is the Coordinator in the Coffee Department. This was extremely informative and helped the University gain a greater insight into the set up and challenges faced by this indigenous group as well as their vision for the future. Following the presentation, we were invited downstairs for a cupping session of 14 different coffees. It was great to see how the University embraced it and the guys hosting it were very accommodating and light hearted which led to a fun hour. Both Greg and I choose #4 which also matched that of the staff and Mariano so we have a secret cupper in the Social Sciences department at the University of Sheffield. We found out later that the winning coffee was actually from Ricardo’s farm, the chap who runs the Parchment warehouse. Following the cupping, we left the offices all together around 9pm and headed off for a ‘couple’ of beers and some food with Elisabeth and the team - it is just so wonderful how inclusive the group is with staff regardless of their position. During the meal we discussed the World of Coffee event in Amsterdam which was a fortnight away. I was delighted to learn that Elisabeth would be attending the event and explained that we will be showcasing our new roaster there. We agreed to meet on Friday 22 June at the expo. We also discussed the possibility of the General Manager, Juan Carlos visiting the University of Sheffield after the event. This will be quite tight to achieve but it would be amazing to show Juan Carlos how the Cencoic coffee is being showcased at the University. Daniela was very excited as her parents happened to be in the town that evening. Her father was giving a talk at the Hotel we were actually staying in - what an unbelievable coincidence. Naturally Daniela spent a brief time with her Mum & Dad which was lovely to see. We had a great evening but perhaps a little later than anticipated as our hosts showed they too are fans of Club Colombia.

31 May

It was an early start with lots of anticipation in the team as we were heading to the farms and for Gavin, Peter and Meg, this would be their first time seeing coffee growing -always a magical experience. We were met by Elisabeth and Hernan with three cars ready for the trip out to Caldono. I encouraged both Peter and Gavin to travel in the front seats to get phots of the journey, something later which Gavin didn’t thank me for given the standard of driving out in the countryside..... We travelled for around 90 minutes before reaching the drying farm and parchment station run by Cecilia, a lady who Toni and I had met at the first meeting in Seattle which was lovely to now see her operation. The facility was immaculate, clearly lots of pride taken here. Cicilia showed us how each of the certifications have their own designated rooms and in the region they are growing certified and non certified coffees. Out the back of the mill was a covered raised African Drying Beds. This is a patio which is elevated to to allow air to circulate the beans as they lay on wire mesh. There are several different methods of drying but this allows you to maximise space as and allow the moisture to drain generally resulting in better quality. We were made so welcome and personally I was very impressed at the cleanliness of the area and the quality of the parchment. Gavin, Peter and Meg then passed gifts to some of the staff which was a lovely touch and very well received. Peter and I were then given a bag, made in the town which was a lovely touch. Time was creeping on so we had to leave but it was great to see Cicilia again and proved a fabulous insight for team Sheffield. We then made the short (and steady) trip to the farm, poor Greg was in a Suzuki car which probably isn’t the best when travelling off road and rolling close behind, it did appear to take a few hits on the route - At one stage they were reconstructing the road and they flattened part of the road to allow Greg’s car through - something which typifies this fantastic country and the amazing people. We visited two farms, El Eden and La Esmeralda which allowed the guys to see the full process. This included seeing the washing station, the Pulping Machine and of course the drying bed - once again using covered African beds. The terrain here was extremely steep but what made it worse was the recent rain which made it very difficult to keep upright. We all thought we were well prepared but clearly the locals had greater experience of such challenges. Elisabeth led us down to the farm with me constantly asking her to slow down. Behind me was Daniela who slipping over more time than me on skis. When we reached the farm we were now missing Gavin and Peter, two of the finest athletes in the Commercial Services. Finally we heard them approaching with Peter in hysterics and a rather muddy Gavin following on. Gavin had taken an almighty tumble and had now written off most of his clothing. We were informed that Peter had sympathetically rushed to get his camera out prior to assisting Gavin back to his feet. The question is, would Gavin have done the same .... We were greeted by Floresmino at El Eden farm along with his wife and daughter. The farms here are all run by indigenous people so the language barrier is quite a challenge as it is quite far removed from Latin American Spanish. Despite Mariano being fluent in English and Spanish, words such as ‘university’ are difficult for the people to understand. Floresmino’s family as long as he’s aware, which is several generations have been involved in the production of coffee and of course it is his wish that this continues with his children. Floresmino has run El Eden farm for 5 years. The farm is situated at 1726m with the main arabica varietals of Cattura and Catuai. They have a primary and secondary harvest here and they were just coming to the end of the second harvest. Life is very tough here and the farmers face many challenges but the help and support given from Cencoic really does make a huge difference. After seeking permission from Floresmino, it was time for Peter to take to the skies (well his drone at least). Could this be the moment for Gavins payback as his drone would disappear towards the equator or end in a horrendous nose dive into the wilderness... This was not to be as The take off was smoother than that of a Avianca ATR Turbo Prop. With such concentration (and lots of pressure) the drone was off, flying high over the area. It was attracting unwanted attention from the Vultures circling high above us but after a few minutes, the Peter brought it back down with an equally smooth landing - Peter you smashed it! Personally I can’t wait to see the footage provided he pressed the record button.... We then visited the pulping station and saw the compost area where the cherries are turned into fertiliser to assist the soil when planting new trees. It was then time to head back up the hill and meet Antonio at La Esmeralda farm. We travelled deep into the plantations and saw lots of stunning coffee growing all at different stages from green through to red. Antonia picked oranges fresh from the tree which went down an absolute treat - I think Megan wanted to take a sack full home! I showed the guys how sweet the coffee cherry is as they chewed the fruit around the bean being careful not to bite on the cherry. It has a beautiful sweet flavour and sticky mucilage surrounding the bean. Whilst Meg and Daniela were getting tucked into the oranges, Peter went for a wonder with Gavin, once again, what was going to happen. This time it was payback for Gavin as Peter almost disappeared as he descended down a hole at great speed. Thankfully both incidents only resulted in a increase in cleaning bills and nothing else. As we returned to the farm, Gavin decided to see how long it would take for him to pick 41 cherries (the approximate amount used in a single shot of espresso). This was a great exercise to show this part of the long process to get the coffee to your cup. It took a total of 51 seconds which highlights once again the skill and effort required to pick coffee on a grand scale. All our coffee at Cafeology is hand picked. Once we returned to the farm we were given freshly squeezed Pineapple juice by Antonia’s wife and more fresh orange. The guys from the University then distributed more gifts to the workers at La Esmeralda farm before departing for the journey back. We were at an altitude of just under 1800m which did feel very high. It does however make you realise the height of Bogota which is considerably higher at 2640m making it one of the worlds highest capital cities. The journey back was fairly uneventful as we headed back to Popayan in plenty of time for our flight back to Bogota. We said our goodbyes at the Hotel Dann Monasterio, something which I always find slightly emotional but happy to know we would be meeting again in Amsterdam very soon. I handed out some gifts including our ‘Made in Sheffield’ cupping spoons before Elisabeth and the team departed. We had just enough time for a late lunch at the hotel before heading to the airport for the short journey back to Bogota. Once again we left to time and arrived into Bogota slightly early. Thankfully all the cases arrived with us and we were met at the airport and taken back to the hotel. Time was now ticking on so we checked in briefly and headed out to the restaurant/bar next door called Andres and recapped on what a magical experience the visit to Cencoic was. I believe this unique partnership with Cencoic and the University of Sheffield can be something which benefits the producer greatly. In addition to forming long and sustainable relationships, I believe my client can bring areas of expertise and help to the producer over and above that of paying a fair price for coffee.

Working with such departments as Plant and Social Sciences brings a whole new dimension to coffee sourcing and something I feel can offer huge benefits to our producers as we look at ways of assisting this magnificent process.

#cafeology #theuniversityofsheffield #cencoic #roastology #colombia #cauca #coffee #partnerships #sustainability

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