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clcwedking · 4 years

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It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s DAKEN AKIHIRO/DAKEN, a VILLAIN from MARVEL! HE is SEVENTY THREE years old and look an awful lot like IAN ANTHONY DALE. I hear that they work as a MENACE TO LOGAN’S LIFE. Rumor has it they were AGAINST the Accords and ARE NOT registered under the new laws. I wonder what they’ll find with their new beginning! (luna, she/her, 27, aest)

This is so long i’m so sorry

KEY TO KNOW - THIS DAKEN IS FROM ANOTHER UNIVERSE

THIS UNIVERSE’S DAKEN ;;

(For anyone who has read What If? Wolverine: Father you will know this story - if not, read on)

The boy had the same origin - his mother was assassinated in an attempt to get to Logan. The key difference here: when Logan discovered Itsu’s body, he heard the baby’s heartbeat and was able to save him

Logan took the baby to a monastery in Japan to raise him in hopes that the discipline would raise him to be a better man

He named the baby John

John grew up and learned the ways of the monks at the monastery, but his nature - Logan’s nature - couldn’t be denied. He grew more violent, more angry, more disgruntled and unsettled as he got older

One day when he was around 12, Logan left for a few days to handle a few things. While he was gone, Sabertooth picked up on John’s scent, recognising it as being that of Logan and wanting to track him down. After killing a girl John had feelings for he threatened John’s life, holding him over the edge of a cliff while telling him the truth about his father

The emotion, anger, and fear in the moment kick started John’s mutation and his bone claws came out, stabbing straight into Sabertooth’s neck - of course his healing factor made this irrelevant, and he threw John off a cliff to punish Logan, and to test if he had the same healing factor as the rest of the family

John healed from the fall and returned to the monastery, and in his anger and rage he killed all the monks to leave Logan a message, before disappearing

He went to Tokyo and, as a result of his skill and instincts, he joined the Yakuza, quickly moving up the ranks, renaming himself Daken - meaning mongrel

By the time he reached the top he wanted more, wanted control of everything, and killed the head of the Yakuza, taking over himself at 22 years old

Then, Logan found him. They fought, Daken with his claws, Logan with his Muramasa blade, and Logan won. As a result of the blade used he couldn’t heal, and Logan was left to watch his son die.

Logan doesn’t remember any of this - because he’s lost his memories of his past he has no idea this happened. As a result, unless your character was alive and around in Japan from like 1960-1968 when he would’ve been in the Yakuza, they won’t know him either.

I am 100% up for characters feeling some kind of like multiverse weird vibe of maybe kind of knowing but not really knowing who this guy is!

THIS DAKEN’S HISTORY ;;

daken has a very tragic life i hope you’re ready. this is all taken from 616 Daken - unless your character is from that universe too, anyone mentioned here is from another verse!

Daken is the son of Logan and Itsu - a woman Logan fell in love with when he lived in Japan

Unfortunately that happy life he was hoping for was never meant to be - Itsu was heavily pregnant when she was killed, shot by the Winter Soldier in an attempt to draw Logan out

Logan returned to find her dead and, upon not being able to hear any heartbeats, assumed his baby was dead along with the woman he loved

Romulus appeared when Logan had left and removed the baby from Itsu’s womb - the baby had inherited Logan’s regenerative healing and had somehow survived the ordeal

Romulus left the baby with a wealthy Japanese couple who believed at the time that they could not conceive, and were happy to raise him as their own

Unfortunately his heritage was clear and, despite being given the name Akihiro by his adoptive parents, many in their village would use the slur “Daken”, meaning bastard dog

With so many treating him so poorly because of his heritage he grew up with a cold nature towards all but his father.

Unbeknownst to him at this point in his life, his pheromone control was beginning to kick in and was well outside of his control, largely focused on his mother and making her feel negatively towards him. With no idea what was causing it, Daken assumed his mother didn’t love him - something that only escalated when they were able to conceive, and Daken overheard her telling his father that she didn’t love Daken, and that they would soon be having their own child

When the baby was born Daken, wildly jealous, killed the baby and confronted his mother. His father was furious and disowned him, and his mother tried to kill him with a bayonet - this kicked off the rest of his mutant abilities and while trying to wave her away his bone claws came out and he killed her by accident

Unable to cope with the death of his wife and child, and unable to kill Daken, his adoptive father killed himself, leaving Daken alone

It was then that Romulus appeared and took him to the training camp in Canada Logan had been at decades earlier, to be cruelly trained by Silas Burr

He trained there for two years before being egged on by Romulus to attempt to kill his teacher, and in the process began learning to control his pheromone control

At this point Romulus began feeding Daken lies, telling him that Logan killed his mother and abandoned him, and as a result Daken grew with a need for vengeance on his father, wanting nothing more than to kill Logan for what he’d supposedly done to Itsu

He grew up adopting the nickname he’d hated as a child - Daken, over Akihiro - and began moving into a life of crime, stealing and murdering and doing his best to take over whatever criminal underworld he could

When he was given a tip as to where his father could be found he confronted him, resulting in a bloody fight where it was obvious Daken’s fighting abilities and prowess was very similar to Logan’s

The fight was interrupted by a hell of a lot of horrible stuff including more fighting and torture

He was later confronted by Logan and shot in the head by a carbonadium bullet - ironically by the Winter Soldier - to temporarily disable his healing factor so Logan could speak with him and tell him the truth

Lots more awful stuff happened in the mean time, Daken lost his memories for a bit and then got them back with some trauma added

Eventually he was recruited to join Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers and agreed to join in hopes that he could lure out Cyclops and gain the Muramasa blade he had

He worked with the team for a time but he was never really loyal to Norman, always operating with ulterior motives

During this time he also made friends with Johnny Storm - by shooting him in the leg with an arrow in an attempt to frame Bullseye and lure the F4 in to work with him. He helped them break into Avengers Tower to steal info about Norman’s less than savoury ways but the plan failed thanks to Bullseye - evidence of Daken’s true nature was leaked online instead

Norman tried to push to improve Daken’s image which failed miserably, and when the Dark Avengers were later captured and arrested during the Siege of Asgard, he was the only one who escaped

Further fights with Logan ensued over time, not to mention he returned to his life of crime and working alone

He faked his death at some point and appeared in the F4 tower to ask Reed for help - his healing factor was having issues and he needed their help to fashion a claw-like weapon for himself before going off to work more in the criminal underworld

During this stint he met Laura who he thought of as nothing more than a clone of the man he’s hated his whole life - though they did end up working together

He then shifted to LA to try and take over the criminal underworld there, only to fail thanks to the effects of a drug called Heat which disabled his healing factor again, and LA ended disasterously

He then set his sights on Logan again, heading for NYC and planting bombs in Avengers Tower, the F4 tower, and the Jean Grey School before finding Logan and asking him to forgive him before blowing himself up. His goal had been to leave Logan with nothing.

Eventually he returned to life and formed a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, targeting Logan via Evan, wanting to turn him into Apocalypse. The ensuing mess resulted in Daken’s death at his father’s hands

He was brought back again by the Apocalypse twins as one of the Horsemen of Death

When Logan died he struggled to come to terms with the loss and how to deal with it, not having gotten his own revenge and struggling to reconcile the feelings of loss for a man he’d hated for so many decades. During this time he and Laura got closer, eventually developing more of a familiar relationship of a brother and sister

His life has swing between questionably noble for selfish reasons, and downright selfish and criminal depending on what suited him. He’s also died a couple more times, and has lost his left arm twice

Good to know/TLDR ;;

Daken absolutely hates Logan, believing that he was responsible for Itsu’s death and Daken’s horrific life full of torture and misery

Even so he has a propensity for the negative - his natural instincts are to be selfish and self preserving, something he’ll only ever ignore for a few select people like Laura and Gabby and Johnny

For someone who’s so selfish and will usually attempt to go for self-preservation, he’s really not good at being kind to himself. A life of torture and misery and confusion has made it hard to really bother taking care of himself

His healing factor seems to be linked to his mental and emotional state - his unsettled nature when Logan was killed made it hard for him to heal, especially to regenerate his arm when lost both times. Meditation to come to terms with his emotional state helped him recover

As much as he has a propensity for going back to criminal behaviour, he has expressed a desire to try and aim for better - unfortunately a life that’s been lived largely alone sees him return to more harmful and negative ways and leads back to a criminal life, or he’s pulled that way by his need for vengeance against Logan

He is very intelligent and strategically minded

Most recently Daken died again, but was only accompanied by Sabertooth and lady Deathstrike so there was no way for anyone to know what happened to him. when he was revived he was somehow brought back in this universe

Daken has the capacity to be good. He wants to, and has wanted to at numerous times in his life. At the very least he’s wanted to be better - but being in a universe where all anyone’s known him as is a bad guy, a violent man who does nothing but crime and murder and wreak havoc. Being in a whole new universe where no one knows him, what he is, what he’s done, definitely offers and opportunity to start with a completely clean slate, but Daken finds it difficult to ignore his natural instinct for bloodlust and violence so there’s a chance for him to be influenced either way!

Main Powers/Abilities ;;

Regenerative healing - the same as all other Wolverines, he has the ability to heal from injuries and loss of limbs

Superhuman factors - strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, senses, and reflexes

Longevity

Weather adaption

Retractable bone claws - two from his knuckles and one from his wrist, pure bone rather than adamantium

Pheromone control - Daken has the ability to control people’s pheromones and emotional reactions as a result. He has demonstrated the ability to manipulate his pheromones for the purpose of suppressing his own scent to such a degree that even Wolverine's senses are unable to detect him. He can also use his pheromones to manipulate the emotional state and sensory perceptions of other beings. He has been known to use this power to instil intense fear, happiness, depression, sexual arousal, and a false sense of security to other beings. This allows him to seemingly appear where enemies can't see him, enabling him to inflect damage before an opponent realises it.

#beginagainintro #death tw #torture tw #suicide tw #drug use tw #bombs tw #guns tw #he's worse than noah lmao #if you read all of this you deserve a medal

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kingscourtphotographer · 4 years

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Lucky 13

August 31, 2019

Thirteen is not usually considered a lucky number, unless you are an aviation buff, and you are attending the 13th annual Battle Lake Gathering of Airplanes (BLGA) at the Battle Lake Airport, in Battle Lake, Minnesota (Identifier 00MN) also known as the Tribute to Gerry Beck.

I’ve attended and photographed many fly-in’s and airshows, and this is both of those, but it takes place at a small grass airstrip in the lake’s country of western central Minnesota and has grown into a pretty spectacular event. The BLGA is held every Labor Day weekend on Saturday from 10AM until 2 PM to commemorate the renowned warbird rebuilder, Gerald “Gerry” Beck, known to most of his friends and even his wife Cindy, and daughter Whitney as “Beck”.

This was my second year attending and photographing this event and it was an amazing experience once again.

The 2019 Fly-in was the largest of the 13 yearly events so far, according to Patricia “Pat” Kostelecky the coordinator of the event. There were 82 aircraft and at least 500 people, attended including many who are heavily involved with war bird rebuilding and restoration, such as Casey Odegaard of Odegaard Aviation and the Fargo Air Museum, Warren Pietsch of the Dakota Territories Air Museum in Minot, ND, Ron Fagen of Fagen Fighters Museum in Granite Falls, MN, all must see locations if you like old war birds.

The initial Battle Lake Gathering of Airplanes, 14 years ago, had 10 people and 3 airplanes. The Fly-in was planned to gather support to try and save the Battle Lake Airport. The local community was contemplating closing it due the operating cost, not seeing the benefit of the small strip and hangers to the area. Gerry Beck and friends were trying to show how much revenue it generated for the town and surrounding areas and to raise funds to keep it open. The Becks had purchased a local lake home mainly due to the closeness and convenience of the Battle Lake Airport. Even though it was a small grass airstrip, with just a few hangers, it allowed he and many other pilots who spend their summers at lake homes and cottages in the area, to fly in for the weekend from Minneapolis and other parts of Minnesota, North and South Dakota and even farther away.

So, Gerry Beck, a renowned warbird restorer and founding member of the Fargo Air Museum, was a key supporter involved in the planning of this initial event. It just so happens that he was sick the day of the event, and couldn’t attend, then by the time the 2nd year of the event was planned, he had been killed in an accident in the 2007 EAA Air Venture in Oshkosh Wisconsin. From then on, the yearly event was also a memorial airshow to Gerry as well as the gathering of vintage and modern aircraft. It remains a gathering of friends and a fund raiser for the airport as well.

Gerry was well known for his vintage plane restoration business in Wahpeton, called Tri-State Aviation, which grew out of a crop-spraying operation. Gerry completed several of his own full restorations and participated on many others. These restorations of Warbirds included P51 Mustangs, an F4U Corsair, a TBM Avenger, a Hawker Sea Fury, and a Mitsubishi Zero. The rebuilding and restoring of planes led them on many “Family Vacations” looking for just the right parts for these historic planes.

Gerry Beck was born in 1949 in Guelph, North Dakota. From the Tri-State Aviation’s Gerry Beck Memorial Page: Beck discovered a love for aviation after becoming involved in skydiving during his college years at the University of North Dakota. He graduated from UND with an Industrial Arts Degree, and while teaching high school in Grand Forks, North Dakota, he continued his path in aviation by obtaining a private pilot’s license and rebuilding his first airplane.

In 1974, he founded Tri-State Aviation, Inc. (TSA), an aerial spraying and aircraft maintenance firm located in Wahpeton, North Dakota. During his agricultural aviation career, Beck developed, or contributed to the development of, numerous items that enhanced pilot and aircraft safety and efficiency within the agricultural aviation industry.

Before becoming interested in, and specializing in warplane building, Beck developed several crop-spraying innovations that are widely used today. These innovations include a special spraying boom incorporating an airfoil shape instead of round tubes.

Beck’s funeral at the Fargo Air Museum had hundreds in attendance, and the large turnout for the funeral was a testament to Beck's abilities as a warplane restorer and advocate, and the closeness of the community of enthusiasts.

The first thing to strike you about the Battle Lake Gathering of Airplanes, and to make it such an amazing event, is the camaraderie of those in attendance. The next is the wide variety of aircraft and being able to walk among them up close and personal.

It’s rare to see one Beechcraft Stagger wing at a small-town fly in, but there were 2 of them this year’s BLGA. One, the yellow N985SW, is owned by Warren Peitsch, mentioned earlier, who was a very good friend of Beck. According to Whitney Beck, it was a surprise arrival since the plane was Warren’s latest project. Several people said he had finished just a week before the event and was making its maiden long flight after restoration. The plane was in like new condition and a highlight of the show.

Some other notable airplanes, among the many rare and vintage aircraft and the number of war birds in attendance, were; several T-6 Texans or Harvard’s as they are known abroad, the ‘310C’ Vought F4 U Corsair owned by Cindy and Whitney Beck, rebuilt by Gerry Beck and flown by John Sinclair, the TBM Avenger T83, flown by Brad Deckert, the P51 Mustang, Boomer, flown by Tim McPherson, several Boeing PT17 Stearman Trainer aircraft and a Marine Corps T34 Mentor. Also notable among the rare aircraft were 2 Belanca’s, a 1972 and a 1973 model 17-30 and 31, a 1950 Piper PA18, several models and years of Van’s RV aircraft including Gerry Beck’s own RV4 that Whitney and Cindy Beck both confirmed as Beck’s favorite airplane to fly. Whitney even said, “That when asked, her father would pick the RV over all the warbirds and other aircraft he had flown as his favorite to fly due to its nimble handling and ability to get to the small airport at Battle Lake in 15 minutes from Wahpeton’s Harry Stern Airport, the home base of Tri-State Aviation.” She said that he loved being able to pull it out of the hanger by hand even with his bad knees.

Other interesting aircraft were a 1959 Downer Belanca, a 1980 Rupp Roger Starduster biplane, a 1961 DeHavilland Beaver complete with floats, and a 1946 Fairchild 24W46 Argus.

With 82 planes at the event there were too many to name, but there were also many Cessna and Piper Variants as well as a Carbon Cub and Aviat Husky to name a few.

The Legacy of Gerry Beck – From the Tri-State Aviation Gerry Beck Memorial Page.

Beck openly shared his knowledge and his passion for aviation. He encouraged and assisted others, willingly spent time with people of all ages who exhibited an interest in his endeavors, participated in airshows and aviation events, and was instrumental in the formation of the Fargo Air Museum. Gerry’s vision was to build a second wing on the museum, to house restoration projects complete with rivet stations, audio WWII vignettes, welding and aviation basics.

Beyond aviation, his philanthropy was evident in every aspect of his life as he gave tirelessly of his time, talents and dreams. He was a visionary, a thinker with an undaunted, steadfast, positive outlook. Beck’s legacy will be the indelible mark he left on the many lives he touched worldwide.

Many antique aircraft perform at today’s airshows and races worldwide were directly touched by Gerry Beck or Tri-State Aviation. ‘The Restorers’, is an hour-long documentary film about warbird and vintage aircraft restorers and the planes they resurrect from the graves of history… In the snows of North Dakota, we find two of the best warbird builders in the world in Gerry Beck and Bob Odegaard, builders of Mustangs and a rare Super Corsair respectively. ‘The Restorers’, is available to view at https://www.hemlockfilms.com/the-restorers-season-1,

If interested in finding out more about Gerry, there is also a great article with photos of the builds in Warbird News by Matthew Mc Daniel, written in 2016, about his projects including his P51’s, F4U Corsair, Zero, and Hell Diver Rebuilds. http://warbirdsnews.com/tag/gerry-beck

Gerry was also involved in the making of the movie “Thunder over Reno” which featured Bob Odegaard’s Super Corsair.

I knew Gerry in passing due to being a volunteer at the Fargo Air Museum for a time, and having a passion for vintage aircraft and warbirds. I am also an avid aircraft photographer, and this event is unique in that you can see, and be among, all these wonderfully restored aircraft from a very close distance. All the planes are marshalled on the ground, but you often have to be aware of taxiing airplanes when moving around the parked aircraft to look at them.

To say this is a close-knit community of aviators is an understatement. It’s more like a family gathering where the public is invited to partake these beautiful flying machines. Many of the participants have been attending since the first annual event.

So, if you decide to go to the 14th annual event on Labor Day weekend 2020, check Facebook for the event “Battle Lake Gathering of Airplanes” on the Midwest Airshow, Fly-in and Flight Club group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/MNFlightClub/. Make sure to bring $5 for the Raffle fund raiser for the airport and a few dollars for lunch, fly-in or drive in, but make sure to get their early to get a spot and ensure they don’t run out of food (2019). There might be 1000 people there next year and over 100 aircraft on a small grass strip in western central Minnesota. Enjoy the view on landing as you will be coming into this airport over the lake and watch the wind, it can shift on you. Hope to see you there.

The information for this article was gathered from interviewing Cindy and Whitney Beck, Pat Kostelecky, Kreg Anderson and Todd Weber a former employee of Odegaard Aviation as well as several articles in local newspapers, one written by Robin Huebner and published in the Grand Forks Herald. Also, with information by Gary Renier, and from attending the event, as well as the Tri-State Aviation website.

Thanks to Gary Renier, a friend of Beck’s and a Battle Lake area summer resident who led an aviation photography event at my first show in 2018 for the Fargo Camera Club. Gary, a former Optometrist in Fargo, ND, is also heavily involved with Aircraft photography being a volunteer at the Commemorative Airforce Museum in Arizona, and former Fargo Camera Club President.

It is my very distinct pleasure to write this article and get to know these wonderful people a little better.

Gordon Court

Owner,

Kings Court Creative Photography.

#Kingscourtcreativephoto aviationphotography isap_aviationphoto isap_aviationphotography gerrybeckmemorialflyin kaydet boeing b75n Stearman i

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survivorsuriname · 6 years

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Jury Speeches and Answers

Kenjie

WELL GUYS CONGRATS TO THE BOTH OF YOU. Heres what im going to say! No question who is my vote and this person is way far deserving to the person next to him or her ! So congrats.

Quincy

Hi everyone remember me? Well, I don’t remember you that well so tell me your greatest memory you had with me

Xenia

I feel both Blakey and Vi's social game sucked. I congratulate both for surviving in spite of that because that is what the game is about eventually. The winning part of it is about Jury management. How do they both feel they were better than the other t Jury Management? My vote is based on that. Good Luck!

Elizabeth

Congrats on making the F2!

Vi - I'm not sure what your game was from your speech so could you just sum it up in your answer ?

Questions for both of you:

- Why does the other finalist deserve to win over you? - If you could change one thing about your game, what would it be and why?

Jake

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y5xImBUylB7s1uPN_vZKiK1U54W-wOzkJYuk8cFPlYs/edit

Sean

congrats to you both! i enjoyed playing with y'all and my vote is still up in the air, i'm gonna see how you guys answer the questions from myself and my fellow jurors to determine who gets my vote. blake: jake has been saying that you are taking credit for things that he and elizabeth did, what do you think you did that separates yourself from them in this game as your own player? vi: i think you're a great person, but i also didn't really see much of you throughout the game. were you still doing things behind the scenes that impacted the game, and if so, what?

BLAKE

Jake

Okay, first off, I will apologise wholeheartedly for the arrogance in my speech. You probably know me better than anyone as an emotional hothead who doesn’t think about things before he says them, so if I came off as arrogant- which obviously I did- that wasn’t my intention whatsoever.

I’m gonna respond to all your stuff: - Firstly yes, the idol guess thing was not accurate, because I didn’t actually want to go find an idol, but I felt at this point you had told me that I was a goat so were more invested in me staying for your benefit

- Decreased activity actually did win me an ORG. That time, it wasn’t a strategy. This time, it was. Yes, I was busy hosting Twisted, and yes, I was busy doing other things, but it was a conscious effort not to log in/strategise unless I needed to. In my last ORG, it got my ally so complacent they gave me their idol and I idol’d them out with it. I didn’t need to play until Final 9 by which point everyone left in the cast assumed I didn’t care, so I avoided vote after vote, so knowing that decreased activity had won me an ORG, I made the decision not to check unless I desperately needed to, and this did diminish my threat status. In so many ORGs, I make a move too early, or I make myself too big a target by talking to everyone, strategizing too hard, etc. etc. but with decreased activity, I won an ORG, so since then I decided to adopt that into a strategy to allow people to give me more information which would allow me to assess who was easy to beat and who wasn’t, but picking up social games so my allies would be voted out over me and I’d still have room to move. I know you don’t believe it is a strategy, but when it did win me the ORG the first time (when it wasn’t a strategy) I adopted the same approach in hopes of winning this one.

- When I talked about agreeing on Quincy, I was talking about my conversation with Sean. At that point one of my key alliances/social connections was with Sean as I made my secret final two deal with him. You guys did decide on Quincy (which I was happy with), but in this instance I was talking about my chat with Sean.

- Our friendship outside the game helped significantly in that but I do believe I had some control over you. You’d assumed that I didn’t care and was playing for third, and I knew then that I could make moves I wanted because the first part of my strategy had worked. I believed that you never saw me as a threat and honestly would have gone along with things I wanted to do.

- You talk about Vi taking me because she didn’t want the easy win. I do believe that my connection with her was a significant part in getting me here because I approached her at F8, and she told me that she would vote with me for the rest of the game. Even though Vi probably isn’t playing for the win, I do believe that doesn’t mean my connection with her should be underestimated.

Again, I’m sorry for the arrogance in my speech. It was never my intention and if I could change my speech now I would do it significantly. As you know me pretty well outside the game you’d know that I don’t really think about things before I say them. This has gotten me in trouble before, it’s gotten me in trouble now, and it will continue to get me in trouble in the future. I’m really sorry, Jake.

Elizabeth

Hey Liz! Thanks for the questions.

1. If Vi were to be given the win over me it would be for my arrogance at FTC. Truthfully, I think the thing that separates Vi and I is that I played for the win and she didn’t. Jake said it in his speech; Vi asked me to vote her out at F4 and I believe she would have at F3 as well if I’d won. She said “dammit” when she won the F5 immunity. A lot of the things she did in the game indicated that she didn’t care much, or that she was happy to be fourth/third whatever, while I played my ass off from F9 onwards. Even in my horribly misguided FTC speech, I was still playing for the win. To answer your question, I believe that if Vi deserves the win over me it would be solely based on my arrogance in FTC. 2. Hands down the thing I would change about my game is my FTC speech. As I mentioned in my reply to Jake, and as a lot of people who know me both in and outside the game know, I’m a massive hothead who really doesn’t think about the things I say and the way they’ll come across. If I could go back, I would tone down the arrogance in my FTC speech and come off as a lot more humble. If that loses me the game I will kick myself forever because I believe I did play strongly and to blow it here would be devastating.

Quincy

Hey Quincy! First off something funny, I went back in our Skype conversation because I thought of something cool that we’d talked about and I actually confused you with Sassy! LMAO RIP MY LIFE. Probably our only memory was you going to this concert thing and showing me a pic of it? And during the tribal phase when we had that luck challenge, we messaged each other saying how we didn’t understand it, but that’s about as far as we got because we unfortunately ended up on opposite sides after that.

Xenia

Hey Xenia! First, I won’t deny that my social game did lack big at times. I swore at Kenjie a couple of times and did act arrogant at times because I didn’t think about what I said before I said it and honestly that’s been a big lesson of mine in this ORG. As for my Jury management, I think I was better than Vi for the following reasons: - When I stuck with you, I stuck with you: I found the people who were loyal to me, and in previous ORG’s I’d learned that flipping constantly didn’t win respect from the Jury. When Jake went home, I maintained my loyalty to Liz, I fought my ass off with the intention of saving both of us. With Sean, I stuck with him constantly until the end where there were no other options. With Emily, I made a very strong, genuine friendship with her from the F7 onwards, and we made a deal and I never would have broken that. - Even when people were on the other side, I maintained good relationships with them. This is mainly with Geri, who unfortunately isn’t on the jury, but he and I had a massive mutual respect for each other, and when it finally came time that I won immunity, we maintained that respect. Although I lost my cool at you and Kenjie sometimes, I still maintained respect for the other side as I, with Kenjie particularly, believed a game is a game and friends are friends, and we kept that between us despite the fact we ended up on opposite sides and I eventually voted him out.

I hope that answer is satisfying for you!

Sean

Hey Sean! Okay, so, I’m assuming here that you’re talking about the game while Jake was still in it, so the things that separated me from them were:

- My initial relationship with Kenjie, on Julianatop, I formed entirely on my own. There was no direction from Jake, in fact, I suggested to Kenjie that Jake be brought in as the third to our alliance. I wanted to balance the thing with Jake with the relationship I was fast forming with Kenjie and that’s how I did it. - My entire deal with you: making the F2 with you, pledging to go to the end, and us voting together, was the first breakout thing I did after Jake told me that he thought I was happy to be the third place goat to he and Liz at the end. Therefore, mirroring what I did in the org that I won, I scoped the remaining people on the other side for someone I thought had a low threat status like me and would be happy to make a duo, and was someone I could beat. That turned out to be you, so I worked on forging an alliance between us. That was a big move of mine that I did entirely without Jake, and with our alliance I would have planned on getting him out at F7 had he not been eliminated at F9.

I did stick with Jake and Liz until the F9 because, having won an ORG previously, I knew I was in a solid position, they thought I didn’t care, I wouldn’t be the one in our three to take the heat, and I was able to work behind the scenes, so there was no need for me to do anything too extravagant that would risk me getting voted out earlier, but I knew I needed to separate myself from him, which is why I jumped on making the deal with you. That deal with you ended up being the basis for giving me the confidence to move at F8. So I really hope this proves that I was my own player and I hope I’ve satisfied you!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O0rzENmX1dZojlwi_j-8y-bxyKMnDWGlGYy6pY8xYMo/edit

I am now accepting votes

#announcement #tribal #stoprapping

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softgrungeprophet · 4 years

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i am going to extrapolate on my “flash and peter as attempted rivals” assessment which i know i posted about recently but that was in shorter terms and this... is not.

i’m partially copy-pasting from a thread i made on my locked twitter but also adding a lot.

flash in his original appearances in high school were like not really all that different from johnny in terms of his relationship with peter. they bickered a lot, they were dumb teenagers, but he was never this horrible, awful, abusive bully.

he was a dick, and peter was a dick right back to him. sometimes more.

...like, people wanna pretend peter is a pure innocent baby but dude was making jabs at people about their sexuality, weight, age, etc at 16 cause he was an asshole teenager (not that he didn’t keep doing it when he got older)

adding a non-tweet note here--I don’t think it’s just “because of the times,” genuinely I think it’s just that’s how Peter is and was. Flash didn’t make those kinds of jabs, in the same series. No one on the Fantastic Four was the same kind of rude as Peter though there obviously WERE things of the times there--outdated takes on how women “ought to be” popped up, things like “wives should be seen and not heard” even when there were a lot of solid female characters with agency and distinct personalities. Racist stereotypes etc. You see that with Jen and Wyatt a LOT in the 80s and 90s F4 and She-Hulk comics, some worse than others (coughjohnbyrnecough)

But I do think the particular digs Peter made are because he’s Peter, not because the comics were published in the 60s or 70s or whatever.

ANYWAY

so peter was just as much of an asshole in high school as flash

not to mention being kind of a shit to girls but like, in a dumb suave way.

flash on the other hand was just a dumbass who disliked peter, not like... that malicious? i’m not saying he was nice, but retcons made him into a horrible schoolwide bully and i find it frustrating to read those because I don’t feel it really suits the narrative of their relationship particularly well?

like, there’s no sweeping “retcons good” or “retcons bad” here cause it really depends. the retcon that MJ knew peter was spider-man the whole fucking time? fantastic. the retcon that... gwen and peter’s babies were actually gwen and norman’s babies....? not handled super well.

anyway back to my tweets and flash being turned into a turbo-jerk

i think it's partially cause the jackass nerds in the 80s and 90s were like, let's take the dumb jock who doesn't like peter and make him BAD--even though at that point flash and peter had been good friends for like, 10 years of comics but it's the only explanation i can think of?? like... why else? either that or like, How To Make Comics Edgy

but the EdgyTM retcons for like, flash's abusive dad (and mj's too) work (imo) in a way that the bullying actually doesn't for me because flash's dad's appearances were too brief to be meaningful... but flash and peter's relationship had evolved in a way that like.....

saying "peter was actually terrified of flash in high school" just doesn't... really make sense to me, for the way their relationship evolved? and i firmly stand by my "attempted rivals" read on the earlier stuff where flash is essentially peter's rival but peter is above his lvl

like maybe that’s just me being “no, must woobify” but i’m not all that interested in the super terrible bully approach even informed by his abuse.

like yeah, lashing out happens--i try to work with that myself, i try to balance WHY flash acts the way he does while also noting that he’s not like..... viciously torturing peter or anyone else but being an obnoxious teenager which. like. god. have you listened to thirteen year old friends talk to each other? they’re mean as fuck, i don’t know how--like, were we like that in high school? maybe? it sounds exhausting but it fits exactly in with the way flash and peter behave around each other. if friends act like that, then two kids who don’t like each other all that much snapping the way they do... fits.

and it’s funny cause even among it all... they hang out constantly? flash is like a really needy puppy dog, always trying to get peter’s attention, and peter is just annoyed and stressed all the time, and they bicker from that.

anyway the ACTUAL point at hand is not about flash’s bullying or not-bullying.

attempted rivalry

Like I said:

Flash is essentially Peter’s rival, but Peter is above his level.

Comparison: Spider-man and the Human Torch, actually rivals in high school, more or less (also college for a bit)

peter and johnny are successfully rivals--they are the same age and they both have super powers, though johnny lacks like, super strength and peter's intelligence, but he has money and resources. their different strengths and weaknesses put them on pretty equal footing despite the huge class difference AND to be fair--johnny was not wealthy growing up*, either, so it’s not a born class difference even if it still makes.... a difference.

*okay he kind of was in retrospect (2023)

flash and peter on the other hand... flash wants to be peter's rival but peter outclasses him. not in CLASS terms itself--they're both working class, grew up without a lot of money, in the same neighborhood in Queens. but peter is stronger, faster, has more stamina, better reflexes, all of his other powers, and on top of it is smarter than flash.

they clash like rivals but flash can never be peter's rival--he’s just a nuisance.

like a bug.

(ha)

I really love that, personally. they have everything that a great tense rivalry (which later evolves into friendship and deep closeness) requires, down to growing up in the same neighborhood... but flash just cannot reach peter's level and he doesn’t even realize it, which is even more evidence as to why he can’t reach that level. and to ME that's way more interesting than flash being a one-note bully. I just think it makes things more interesting when the power dynamics are what they were, and when flash is... cluelessly stuck on peter while peter just thinks he’s a hassle. it’s great.

and like i mentioned--flash doesn’t even realize why. he doesn't know who he is. to be FAIR johnny also didn't know who spider-man was until he was an adult but i think flash not knowing pete is spider-man is a little different from johnny not knowing spider-man is peter (marginally), and adds another layer to the un-rivalry between them...

it certainly adds to the humor. secret identities can be so fun. i love every time flash is like, "how'd you do that?!" when they’re older and peter jokes "I'm spider-man!" OUTRIGHT and flash still has no idea

it's great, it's so funny

anyway like i said

I just think it’s interesting!

and making flash somehow a valid threat makes that a lot less interesting to me, and makes the evolution of their friendship feel.... a lot less believable.

....so yeah anyway that’s why i take the approach i do to fic and their past instead of the generally accepted Canon. like. whatever, I’ll use canon how I want. I’ll use old canon. I’ll use the retcons I like. I’ll make a weird quilt out of canon to do what I want. Make new canon. New timelines (shit’s fun)

I mean, everyone else is allowed to totally ignore canon in order to make Peter act wildly out of character and that’s treated as such a valid approach that the goddamn comics themselves try to do it. So you know. I’ll do the same with Flash.

I think I’m allowed.

i mean of course i’m allowed because: it’s fanfiction and i do what I want

but also

i am entitled to fanon compensation by my own hand

#this post is way too long i'm sorry #this isn't...... i mean it IS and it is not comic analysus #wow i spelled that wrong #it's more... my reasoning behind how i characterize flash (and peter) in the few fics that peek into their youth?#so like. i'm really not looking for a debate i'm explaining my own thought process #i say this because i've had people try to counterpoint things i've said without realizing they are just saying the same thing #lmfao #nadia reads comics

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kristannafever · 7 years

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lol

This is a semi-long story, but it was my day, and it was amusing to say the least (well to me anyway...) And I’m laughing about it...

Woke up to slightly bigger puddle of water in the basement (started Friday) that seems to be seeping in from the foundation since it’s been raining a lot, and shook my head like... ok, I’ll keep an eye on this and make sure I don't have to somehow lug the shopvac downstairs by myself (hubs is away all weekend... OF COURSE). It’s an undeveloped basement so water on concrete is no biggie, except we have a pool table down there and of course I don’t want the water to get to the wood legs of it, but right now it isn’t touching anything... Anywhoo.....

Fast forward to after lunch. I’m doing dishes and realize, hey!, we have no hot water. Of course this happened the last time my husband was out of town, (luckily he was able to describe to me over the phone how to fix it, and I did), so I think, I got this. Did the same thing as last time and, of course, it doesn’t work this time. Try it again, and nothing.

So I call hubs not expecting an answer (and of course he didn’t), but lucky me he called back 10 min later. So I head down there again and I ask him what to do, and he says to reset the boiler system so I try it, and it seems to be working, that is until the error code comes on again. Try it three more times and get the same result. F4 error.

Now here is the irony of the situation: Hubs is a plumber by trade, and I kid you not, this shit always seems to happen when he is out of town (happened in our old house and now seems to be continuing in the new one, because of course right?) So he’s trying to call his younger brothers (also both plumbers I should mention - and so is his dad but he doesn't live here... but I digress), and his bro’s are neck deep in their own shit-to-do this weekend, and they aren’t overly familiar with this particular system, so the one bro gets a guy he works with who knows boilers, to come out and look at this stupid system (and I’m surprised because he’s very YOUNG - I am literally wondering how someone at least 10 years my junior knows more about boilers than my ‘closer-in-age’ brother’s in law), and he goes downstairs. This is now dinner-time, and all my plans to catch up on fic’s all afternoon because I am too tired to write, are dashed, because I am periodically trying things to fix it and talk to hubs. So I am feeding the kids, while the young (very blond dude I might mention) is downstairs, and I hear water gushing and very faint swearing and I know that he fucked up somewhere...

So I text hubs and tell him this as I’m trying to feed the kids, and he’s like fuck!... but the young man came up about 10 min after said cussing, and said he fixed the issue, but he’s sorry he pulled a wrong valve, and of course he’s soaking wet, so of course I offered him a towel, but he’s like “nah, this isn’t the first time this happened to me today. I was at a customers house earlier and when I was in my truck, they turned the main water shut off back on, and I didn’t know, and soaked myself.” Then he preceded to tell me that his first call of the day was outside work, so he has basically been soaked all day.

I thank the young fellow many, many times and send him on his way and eventually head downstairs to check on that damn puddle again and HOLY SHIT! It’s twice as big and touching the legs of the pool table now (and not from the valve mishap at all). So I look over and there’s a shop vac. So naturally I’m thinking... silly husband doesn’t know that it was down here already. So I start vacuuming and BAM! Stops a few minutes in.

So, I call Hubs and explain. He say’s “the one in the garage is empty” (apparently the one in the basement was half-full of all the clean up junk when we moved in - and why we even have two? I have no fucking idea - that man has tools and shit up the wazoo - one of them might have been someone else’s I have no idea because every dude in my life is in a trade). ANYWAY, he says take out the filter (and my Dad was in construction so I sort of know my way around a shop vac), so I get the lid off and the filter is clogged solid with cat hair (they sleep on the stupid couch down there and, well, yeah). So I strip off the filter and finally get at the puddle again, and the stupid thing stops about 10 min in because apparently there is THAT much water on the floor, and the vac is full.

Now I am at the point where this is all I can do. I have a five-and-a-half-year old, and a one-and-a-half-year old year old, doing God knows what upstairs on their own, while I am trying to clean up the water as quick as I can, and there is still a big puddle. So basically I reach the ‘Fuck-It’ stage. I know there is another shop vac in the garage somewhere, but it's still raining like a motherfucker and I know it isn't going to help much. My earlier attempt at least got the water away from the pool table and the rest is just in a bare spot on the floor so... *shrugs shoulders*

So here I am, watching the rain continue to fall relentlessly, getting the kids prepped for bed, and so excited to crack a beer when they are all tucked in and spend an hour or two watching the Jays play. Fuckin A.

#cee says stupid stuff

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bharatiyamedia-blog · 5 years

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Nonnative pear bushes are displaying up in US forests

http://tinyurl.com/y6qjlchk A well-liked imported tree that turned a neighborhood favourite within the 1990s now threatens to crowd out native bushes in some Japanese forests. College of Cincinnati biologist Theresa Culley warns that for some components of Ohio, it is perhaps too late to cease the unfold of the Callery pear. However she is urging different states to be vigilant earlier than the invasive bushes start taking on their forests, too. Culley offered her findings to botanists from all over the world throughout the Society of Financial Botany convention this 12 months hosted at UC’s McMicken Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Like a number of invasive species, the Callery pear, also called the Bradford pear, was an issue of our personal making, she mentioned. Named for China historian Joseph-Marie Callery, who despatched samples again to Europe within the 1800s, the tree captured the curiosity of American botanists a century later. “At one level it was named city avenue tree of the 12 months,” she mentioned. “Within the mid-1990s they began to indicate up within the wild. Now individuals have acknowledged they’re beginning to unfold and it is an issue.” The unique pressure of pear tree was “self-incompatible,” incapable of reproducing with different bushes of its sort. They turned a best-seller as a result of they grew shortly, no matter local weather or soil situations. The bushes bloom fairly white flowers within the spring and have leaves that flip a vibrant purple within the autumn. For years, the pears have been a welcome addition to tree-lined streets. “I name them the lollipop tree as a result of they’ve this excellent form,” Culley mentioned. However householders quickly realized the mature bushes had weak trunks that break up simply and toppled in heavy snow or robust winds. “The Bradford pear was a stupendous tree with a service lifetime of about 15 years,” mentioned David Listerman, an Ohio landscaping dealer and guide. “However the cover would get so heavy that in a windstorm, it might break in half.” The answer for growers was to introduce sturdier varieties. However in addition to their sturdy trunks, the alternative bushes had one thing else: genetic variety. All of a sudden, the previous pear bushes may now cross-pollinate with the brand new varieties. Their fertilized flowers started producing fruit that birds carried off into the forest. A monster was born. Right now, Listerman says the wild newcomers symbolize an existential risk to native bushes. Their fallen leaves leach chemical substances into the bottom that may kill native rivals. “Most invasives are likely to have benefits over native vegetation. The Callery pear holds its leaves late into the autumn — proper as much as Christmas. It grows one other month to 2 months longer, outcompeting native species that go dormant in October,” he mentioned. “They encroach alongside interstates the place they should have visible clearance. So freeway departments wind up having to do extra mowing or treating.” And whereas some birds will eat their fruit, pear bushes do not present as a lot profit to wildlife as many native species, he mentioned. Listerman serves with UC’s Culley on the Ohio Invasive Crops Council, which helps the Ohio Division of Agriculture establish doubtlessly dangerous invasive species. Listerman mentioned pear bushes aren’t simply popping up alongside roadsides. Forest surveys are discovering them in surprising locations removed from the closest subdivision. The wild pears develop in thick stands with disagreeable spur-like thorns. On a current discipline journey, Culley picked her approach by the woods on the Harris Benedict Nature Protect to indicate how resilient pear bushes have turn out to be. UC owns the forested protect about 15 miles north of the Uptown campus and makes use of it for a few of its organic sciences applications and analysis. It is adjoining to the Johnson Protect in Montgomery, Ohio. The path is lined with a number of memorials to victims of a 1999 F4 twister that killed 4 individuals and destroyed almost 130 close by houses and companies. The storm minimize a 10-mile lengthy swath of destruction that toppled lots of of bushes throughout two counties. The place lots of the stately older bushes fell throughout the storm, Callery pears now thrive. Culley stopped below the cover of their leafy, inexperienced foliage. The understory was coated in Amur honeysuckle, one other invasive plant from Asia that has exploded in Japanese forests. UC conducts plant surveys within the protect each three years. The continuing examine suggests the pear bushes could also be changing lots of the ash bushes that have been killed by emerald ash borers, one other invasive species. “Up to now, pears can be discovered alongside forest edges like alongside highways. We’re now seeing pears invading the middle of forests,” Culley mentioned. “As soon as they’re established, it is actually troublesome to take away them. Their roots are deep so it’s important to minimize them and spray them with glyphosate. Numerous land managers merely cannot afford to do away with them.” Invasive species are an enormous downside all over the world. America spends greater than $260 million combating aquatic invaders alone, in keeping with the Authorities Accountability Workplace. Practically 1 in three species protected below the federal Endangered Species Act are in danger to invasive species, in keeping with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Competitors and predation from invasives is a number one explanation for species extinction. “Numerous states are involved about shedding the financial good thing about the Callery pear,” Culley mentioned. “So how can we reconcile the financial worth of the Callery pear and its expense as an invasive?” Ohio’s Division of Agriculture is working with nursery growers to part out the Callery pear within the Buckeye State. Ohio lawmakers in 2018 handed a invoice banning the sale or distribution of Callery pears by 2023 to offer growers an opportunity to plant alternate options. Ohio grower Kyle Natorp of Natorp’s Nursery in Mason mentioned householders have many alternate options to the pear. Fewer prospects are asking for pear bushes as of late, he mentioned. “There are dogwoods, crabapples and cherry bushes. As a enterprise, we attempt to develop what the shopper needs moderately than attempt to construct a market from scratch,” Natorp mentioned. His nursery encourages planting a variety of bushes as an alternative of the identical sort, which some builders favor for consistency. “They’re all the identical form and coloration and flower. It appears to be like good however it’s not a great horticultural follow,” he mentioned. “One illness can take all of them out.” Culley mentioned foresters ought to be vigilant in regards to the proliferation of pear bushes earlier than they turn out to be established. “We’re warning individuals within the northern a part of the state that they are spreading,” she mentioned. “These bushes have been launched with the most effective of intentions. They’ve type of gone loopy now and we have to cope with it and be taught from our errors.” ### Source link

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torentialtribute · 5 years

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Norris and Russell: Two young talents aiming to emulate Lewis Hamilton

In 2018, even as Lewis Hamilton raced away for his fifth Formula One world drivers championship, it felt as though there was an absence of great British racing talent.

Hamilton was the only British driver in the field, and as the Stevenage-born great enters his 30s, there were concerns about where the next major talent was coming from.

Those concerns have been alleviated by the arrival of two young talents in the F1 field for 2019 – Lando Norris at McLaren, and George Russell with Williams; not to mention British-born Thai racer Alexander Albon for Toro Rosso.

Dedicated racing fans will know all about Norris and Russell already – but for those of you needing a catch-up ahead of the coming campaign, here is Sportmail's lowdown on F1's bright young things …

Two young British racing talents – Lando Norris (pictured) and George Russell – are in the F1 field for 2019

Norris has a 2019 seat at McLaren, and Russell is racing with Williams this campaign

Lando Norris

If Toro Rosso had it their way, the wider sporting world would have been introduced to the prodigious talents of Norris a few months earlier.

The Red Bull feeder team had a bid for the 18-year-old driver, then reserve at McLaren, rejected – they wanted to loan the Glastonbury-born racer ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix for the rest of the 2018 season, with a possible long-term deal afterwards.

McLaren – with doubts about the futures of both Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne – jealously protected what has been one of the few bright lights in a dark period for one of the sport's giants, amid poor results and horrendously unreliable cars. Now they have him in a race seat, ready to be unleashed.

Norris is the most exciting product of their young driver program since Hamilton burst into F1 in 2007.

After starting his racing career in karting at the age of seven, he became the youngest world champion ever at 14.

Norris has signed with McLaren after Toro Rosso has rejected a bid for the Brit last season

He was signed up to Formula 3 for the 2016 season and promptly won the championship in his debut campaign. Hamilton finished fifth in his first F3 championship.

Norris served as McLaren's lead test driver last season, but it was his appearance in F1 mid-season testing in 2017 that really made the racing world sit up and take notice.

Norris set the second fastest lap on the second day in a McLaren that was regularly either a back marker on the grid or sat smoking in a gravel staircase. Suddenly, he was the real deal.

As a person, Norris may be more reserved than Hamilton, but there is a sharp white and forthrightness of opinion.

There is something enjoyably unrefined about Norris 'social media output too, especially compared to the Hamilton sheen corporate.

When Alonso announced his F1 retirement last season, Norris posted a GIF or Batman stroking his chin, saying "Hmm, interesting" – a charming show of confidence, and an early hint he was the next in line.

Norris is more reserved than Lewis Hamilton, but there is a white and forthrightness of opinion

When Sportsmail profiled British driving talents to watch at the start of 2018, we spoke to Norris at McLaren's Bond villain-esque headquarters near Woking, where he offered some forthright opinions on the state of F1.

Norris – who admitted being more interested in MotoGP growing up – said: 'The racing is quite boring, sometimes . It's hard to see how it pulls in fans. The races compared to other categories are sometimes a lot worse, they should always be better.

'I don't really know how to fix it; maybe have a load of power and no down force, but I'm sure they will have a way. It's better than it was, but not where it should be as the top form of racing. "

Perhaps adding the talents of a teenage sensation to the mix, for one of F1's grandest teams, could do the trick.

Norris has risen quickly through the junior ranks to earn an F1 race seat at the age of 18

George Russell

As far as 21st birthdays go, Russell's was not ideal. He spent it waiting in Williams' paddock home in Catalunya, eating lunch, waiting for his car to be ready.

Williams missed the first two days of pre-season testing because of technical problems with the FW42 drive. Testing started on Monday; the car did not arrive in Barcelona until the early hours of Wednesday morning.

It was hardly the dream start to F1 for Russell, who had earned his race seat at Williams thanks to a magnificent 2018 season which saw him crowned F2 champion – generally accepted as the main F1 feeder series – ahead of the likes of Norris and Albon.

Like Norris, Russell also started his career in karting, following in the footsteps of older brother Benji. He won a string of British championships before moving into single seater racing in 2014, winning the F4 title.

Russell graduated to F3 the following year, and like Norris raced for Carlin. In 2017 he moved to GPS with ART, and won the title in his rookie season.

Russell impressed in pre-season testing for Williams – once the team had his car ready

ART moved Russell up to F2 for the 2018 campaign, where yet again he won the championship in his only season at that level. He served as Mercedes test and reserve driver at the same time, allowing him close access to Hamilton to learn from the best – but as he told Sportsmail in 2018, he does not want to just copy the champion's style.

He said: 'Any British driver in junior series is trying to follow Lewis, his career has been so incredible so that is 100 per cent my aim, but I just have to keep on performing. This year, new goals, new targets, and if I don't succeed, then last year is forgotten about. You're as good as your last race. "

As is plainly evident, Russell is a born winner behind the wheel and has all the raw talent needed to compete in F1. Whether Williams can give him the tools needed is another matter.

Russell the man is a grounded, quiet but determined character – he lives in a one-bedroom flat in Oxford, with the Williams factory in Grove a 20-

When he was named in Williams' team for 2019 after last year's Russian Grand Prix, he celebrated with his family, girlfriend, his mother's home-made chicken pie and a glass of champagne.

Russell the man is a grounded, quiet but determined character, who lives in Oxford

Alexander Albon

Born in London and schooled in Ipswich, Albon has driven under the Thai flag – the nationality of his mother – during his racing career so far.

He started karting at the age of eight, before graduating through the junior single-seat racing series into F2 for the 2017 season. The finished 10th in his first campaign – won by Charles Leclerc, now Sebastian Vettel's team mate at Ferrari – and third last year, with Russell and Norris as the racers ahead of him.

Albon's winter elevation into F1 was something or a surprise. He was signed by Nissan for the 2018-19 Formula E season, but in November – a month before the electric racing series was due to start – Toro Rosso swooped, choosing the 22-year-old to partner the returning Daniil Kvyat, preferring him to 2018 campaigner Brendon Hartley.

Albon will be the second Thai driver to race in F1, 65 years after Prince Bira competed at the 1954 Spanish Grand Prix.

Less is expected of Albon than the other two British-born rookies, and the races for a team with a much shorter, less prestigious F1 history. However, he has his own in pre-season testing – on the final day of the first session in Catalunya, the put in 130 laps with the second quickest time overall. One to keep an eye on.

Alexander Albon has signed for Toro Rosso, having looked set for Formula E this season

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#Norris and Russell: Two young talents aiming to emulate Lewis Hamilton"

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zydrateacademy · 6 years

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Review - Monster Hunter World (PC)

This review contains spoilers. The benefit of playing a port months after the game initially hits consoles is that there are a host of guides available, which I recommend if you want to take this game moderately seriously (bit of an oxymoron there but bear with me). I don’t typically like games that require you to have extra study material to understand but to its credit, all I had to do was watch one video guide about the mechanics of my favored weapon, the Light Bowgun. After which I was probably fifty percent better every hunt after that. So I certainly recommend looking into that.

The story begins with your highly customize-able character on a ship to a ‘new world’, previously undiscovered in other games of the franchise. Your ship gets waylaid by a mountainous “Elder Dragon” who came up from sea. His back is full of magma and volcanic spouts and you climb his back in order to escape. Once you’re in safety, you find out he’s one of many that have migrated to this place for mysterious reasons. Typically one every few hundred years, now it’s one every decade and that has caused some turmoil in the ecosystem. Your job is essentially research. Kill monsters, stabilize the ecosystem, and arm yourself while doing so.

Eventually there is an extended epilogue. Once you discover that Elder’s goal and what it might mean, you enter a “High rank” hunt mechanic because the ecosystem has changed and you react accordingly. Monsters in these quests are tougher and more aggressive, and you continually work your way up.

This review may maintain some comparisons to Dauntless. As I mentioned in that very review, my only experience with MH as a franchise was during a brief road trip with my friend back in the PSP days. I have little memory of it and I doubt I was any good or understand any of the minutiae of mechanics. As such, a majority of my experience in this genre comes from Dauntless, the free-to-play variant with more dumbed down mechanics than you couldn’t shake a stick at. Veterans of MH are calling World dumbed down, ha. If only they knew how far that could actually go. My immediate first impression of MHW was actually quite positive. There’s something I can do here that I never really could at Dauntless; actually solo monsters. Dauntless was fairly unforgiving, only giving you five (count them: five) potions per hunt. You burn through those without burning the monster down properly, and you were done. Mercifully here, you not only get dozens of varying degrees of usefulness, you can also craft more on the fly or withdraw some from your loot in various camps set up around the impressively large zones. While some monsters give me more trouble than others (most flying types can do a one-two knockout by rushing me, putting me in a twelve hour stun animation, then merely swipe at me for an instant death), I’ve been in awe at what I’ve actually been able to accomplish on my own. ...And unfortunately, I am forced to do a handful of things on my own. Let me tap into some of the problems I have before diving back into the meat and mechanics of the game. Steam reviews are mixed for a couple of reasons. Bad controls and connectivity issues. The bad controls are a remnant of the fact that it was originally a PS4 game and the menus really show that. The UI itself is very controller friendly while the M/K is barely given a second thought. I had to rebind my weapon draw to left click like it is with melee because I’d find myself engaged in too many fights, frantically clicking only to find out I was actually just using my slinger and tossing useless rocks at the monster. In addition, the radial menu might as well not exist, as it is bound to your various F1-F4 keys. It’s very clunky and not at all the “quick” menu that it’s supposed to be. Frankly, I’m tired of hearing “just get a controller” from my friends. I don’t think I’ve touched a controller since 2008. Next is a problem that Capcom and Steam are already looking into. While I’ve been able to progress, just last night I lost out on three high ranked hunts because it kept dropping me from the group. From what I’ve read, the monster’s hitpoints balance towards groups (instantly doubling when a second person joins your hunt) but doesn’t at all go back down if anyone leaves. At the time I was replaying what was basically the main story’s ending, fighting the last boss over and over. Thankfully his mission doesn’t have a lot of open combat and is mostly just firing cannons and ballistae at him over and over. Still, it dropped me three times and had little to show for it overall.

There’s no direct party system, just player listings and hubs. You have to find a convoluted “Session ID” in the menus for your friends to copy and eventually join together. Someone posts a quest and everyone joins it. You won’t physically see anyone outside of a hunt unless you visit the gathering hub on top of the main town. The whole Session ID is just a pointless extra step that the likes of Capcom just love throwing in there. I am reminded of Black Desert Online. Despite being a different country, it still has the same idea behind its mechanics. One does not simply just craft or buy potions. First you have to press thirteen buttons just to get a stack of them. Then they might be put in your storage box, not personal pouch so you have to remember to take them out before your hunt. Then there’s the canteen mechanic, where you’re encourages you to eat to gain decent buffs before every hunt. Why not make that a single item you can use midhunt? Like Dauntless, pretty much every important thing in town is far apart and forces you into miniature loading screens. After every hunt you’re plopped on the bottom level but you still have to run up to the Blacksmith to fetch some upgrades. One does not simply make armor, too. In the higher levels you have to micromanage “decorations” to socket into your arms and armor to increase various passive skills. Why not just make those skills up-gradable like the armor itself? Indeed, one does not simply upgrade their armor! You have to collect “spheres” that you get from bounties and hunts in order to do so. Everything just has a pointless extra step, but I admit these are all nitpicks in what I do believe is a pretty damn good game. I have adjusted to the controls (even though it takes twelve clicks to get anywhere in the menu, but the combat is fine) and I can stomach the connectivity problems... for a time. Everything else is just a niggling annoyance that I have to deal with before I get to the real heart of the game: Expeditions and hunts. To its credit there’s a lot to do. Expeditions are the closest thing this game has to an “open world” setting. You will keep everything you acquire, gather materials and hunt the local monsters at your own leisure (though once you attack, they enter a sort of timer where they will flee the area if you fool around too much, but the mode itself will never kick you out). You can pick up quests on-site and continually remain in the zone you’ve chosen. Admittedly I haven’t explored expedition mode to a severe degree, as doing the various optional quests and bounties give me more than enough gameplay on their own. I never really need to piddle around the same zone for that long.

I mentioned earlier that I was happy that I can actually solo a handful of monsters in this game as opposed to Dauntless. There’s a lot more to that, the “simplest of MH’s” claim be damned, I embrace convenience if it comes hand in hand with actual fun. You can farm the same monster a few times but I found that the game offers you a handful of armor sets that can be crafted from bones and minerals alone. You can pick up bones from piles around every map and mine at little alcoves and continually gain materials to sets that will be perfectly passable for a time. I wore the basic “bone” armor for a while before getting into the more specialized stuff. Revered is the Anjarath, the game’s T-Rex who has a fire breath attack that will absolutely one-shot you and serves as the game’s first difficulty wall. His armor, however, gives fire resistance so if you can stomach fighting him a couple times (ideally in multiplayer), then you can likely build yourself up to handle him properly. Fun fact; I’ve yet to solo him myself. Other monsters have given players trouble that have instead given me more fun. The Radobaan for example, a sort of mid-game encounter in a zone called the Rotten Vale. It is a place where many monsters go to die and their essence feeds the Coral Highlands above it. The Radobaan covers itself in the bones of dead creatures and is thus highly armored, and you must burn through that in order to do some raw damage. I know of players who find this armor annoying but his movements are highly telegraphed and he’s a fan of stumbling himself which gives me a lot of free shots at him. So far he’s honestly been one of my favorite monsters to fight.

I did not realize this was the franchise’s first foray into big name consoles and even PC, the rest were evidently all handheld games. The intro into this hardware allows for a lot more powerful mechanics to come into play. New to the franchise, as far as I’m aware, is animal behavior. I can’t speak for the other games but I noticed a few things. There’s a turf war mechanic where two big bad monsters will encounter each other and start their own duel regardless of your presence. Each monster has its own “rating”, and I doubt a Great Jagras (the first and easiest monster) ever wins any of those.

In addition to that, I’ve found that docile animal mechanics can occasionally tip me off. You see it in a cutscene a time or two but even before my scoutflies (the game’s justification for a “go this way” mechanic) start tracking the monster, I’d be going down a path and find herbivores running the opposite direction. Sure enough, down that path was a large monster. Part of the hunt or no, animals do react accordingly. Sometimes they’ll take defensive positions as you initiate combat, or sometimes they’ll fly down and knock you over in a moment of monster camaraderie that I wish they hadn’t bothered with. Still, its moments like this that help the world feel like an actual world, appropriate for the game’s namesake. I know I droned on a bit about the problems the game had but some of them (the controls) can be mitigated. I’m enjoying myself, spending a good majority of my time responding to SOS flares or pushing myself in the high rank hunts to see what exactly I might be able to handle. I rarely push myself to see what exactly I’m capable of in gaming, but MHW pays that off so well. Maybe I can’t handle that flying Rathian on my own, but managing to take down a tunnel dwelling Diablos was a thing of beauty. The hunts can be long and exhausting but finally watching a beast get taken down after a couple of deaths can be very exciting. The genre may not be for everyone. If you’re story driven, you’ll find the one here is short and weak and mostly just serves as a framework for the gameplay. If you like content, then there’s plenty to do that should be varied enough to keep you around, and I’m sure they’ll update more monsters in as time goes on. Even after I get my fill, I’m sure I’ll keep an eye on this one.

#Monster Hunter World #Monster Hunter #MHW #Capcom #Gaming #PC Gaming

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hydtrash-blog · 6 years

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Meteor Garden 2018 Episode 1 Recap

As promised, here I am, recapping Meteor Garden 2018 (arriving ever so slightly late to the game…by 25 episodes).

Since I’m starting halfway through the drama’s run, I’ll try to churn these late recaps out as quickly as possible, and then peter off if/when we catch up to the current episodes. This is the plan… I’ll try my best to stick to it.

I mentioned before that, in an ideal world, I would have recapped both Hana Yori Dango (Japan, 2005) and Meteor Garden (Taiwan, 2001) first, in order to contextualize the story, particularly the changes that have been made to the premise. However, since the story seems not to deviate too much from the source material once we’re out of the gates, this is probably not necessary. Suffice to say that the story has been updated for a new generation, but is largely untouched once we get into the thick of it.

I’ll be referring to this drama as Meteor Garden 2018 in order to differentiate it from the earlier Taiwanese drama. Please also note that any quotes are being taken from subtitles, as I do not speak Mandarin! If anything is incorrect, please let me know, and I’ll be sure to make it right!

And with all those notes out of the way…onward, to the recap!

Episode 1

A black screen. A narrator asks the audience, “Have you ever wondered what will happen to you in the future?”

Fade in on a freeze frame: a girl, launched fully in the air, legs outstretched, foot making contact with a boy full on in the face. We’re treated to an extended 360 degree shot of the scene, taking in the boy’s horrified face, the bystanders behind the girl, and the floating debris from their bags, including a transparent Joker card.

The narration continues: “At least the 18-year-old me never thought something like this would happen in real life.”

The narrator is Dong Shancai, who introduces herself as an ordinary 18 year old girl. We backtrack a little in order to properly meet Shancai and her family. Mrs. Dong runs her own catering business, making specialty meals at home, while Mr. Dong is a logistics manager at a company. They are a close, loving family who scold and support each other. Awww.

It’s because of her mother’s catering business that Shancai has decided to get into the Nutrition Department at Ming De University, a prestigious school. She works all summer at a tea shop with her high school best friend Xiaoyou, and they adorably check each other’s college entrance exams results, cheering that they both got into their chosen schools and departments. Shancai is indeed off to Ming De, and Xiaoyou goes to another university to study tea culture.

Soon enough it’s Shancai’s first day at school, and we get beautiful shots of the campus, and of Shancai walking around, taking it all in. She’s soon joined by Chen Qing He, another classmate of hers from high school. Qing He expresses his excitement at being able to attend the same university as Shancai, saying it’s better than winning the lottery. Oooh, boy’s got it bad for Shancai, but she remains blissfully unaware, saying she’s happy to be his classmate once more as well.

Someone calls her name, and a girl runs up to the pair. Shancai identifies her as Li Zhen, another one of their high school classmates, although she was in a different classroom from them. They’re all studying nutrition together, and Li Zhen tells Shancai she’s grateful to know someone in her class. The three agree that they’ll all be best friends for the next four years.

It’s all off to a perfect start, and Shancai tells us in voiceover that she’s now ready to start this new chapter in her life. The next shot is of her, running across campus dressed in a formal skirt and blouse to attend a special lecture. She makes it to the classroom just in time, tripping into Qing He. Two girls snark at her to sit down quickly just as the lecture begins. The guest lecturer, a professor from the University of Pennsylvania, takes the stage. Apparently he’s quite well-known, and after the lecture, Shancai shows Li Zhen and Qing He the photos she took of him. Li Zhen requests that Shancai send her one of them so she can make birthday emojis. The other two are quick to wish her a happy birthday, but Li Zhen corrects them: her birthday is two days from now.

As they walk away from the lecture, still looking through Shancai’s photos, cries of admiration can be heard down the hall, and other students rush past them, their own phones withdrawn to snap some pictures. But it’s not the guest lecturer that they’re running to see. Instead, the students flock around a group of four boys, who stride down the halls, bringing their entourage of squealing fangirls with them. As the group collides with Shancai and her friends, her phone flies out of her hand and lands amongst the clamouring admirers. She drops on hand and knee, crawling after her phone as it’s kicked about the mass of students. She pops up, trying to get a better vantage point to see where her phone’s gone, and one of the girls from the lecture grabs her arm, squealing that “It’s F4!” She shoves past Shancai, who dives back down and crawls towards her phone. There’s a break in the swarm of legs, and Shancai spots her chance, reaching her hand out to grab ahold of her phone…

Which is when an expensive green man’s shoe comes stomping down on the poor phone, leaving the screen cracked.

The group passes, and Shancai swipes up her damaged phone, which now won’t turn back on. Outraged, she follows the group down the escalator and out of the building, determined to confront the owner of the green shoes. She finally catches up to the group, shoving her way to the centre. But the arm she grabs is that of the guest lecturer, and she is immediately pulled off of him by his security detail, who twist her arm and pin her to the ground. Realizing her mistake, Shancai glances around, only to see the expensive green shoes standing right behind her.

Cut to: Shancai being dismissed from an office, having been told to go home and think about what she’s done. She goes to gather her things from her locker; around her, students are whispering about how she tried to assault the special lecturer. Li Zhen and Qing He run up, asking if she’s okay and why she attacked the lecturer. Shancai explains that she didn’t mean to attack him, but that she was trying to find the owner of the green shoes, one of those F4 boys. Li Zhen asks, “Who’s F4?”, and Qing He notes that they seemed very popular.

A voice behind them pipes up, “The F4 members are very popular seniors.” Another student, Guo Caijie, a junior journalism student, approaches them, identifying them as new students. Shancai asks her about F4, and Caijie is only too happy to give them the rundown.

F4 is made up of four senior students, all incredibly handsome, talented, and among the best in their respective fields. They are Daoming Si; Huaze Lei; Fang Meizuo; and Yan Ximen. Lei is a music student, and the other three all study business administration. They have been close friends since childhood, and are so close knit that others have a hard time getting close to them, so they are also something of a mystery at Ming De. Basically, all the girls want them, and all the boys want to be them… or prove that they’re better than them. As a result, F4 issues challenges to prove that they are the top dogs ‘round these parts.

Shancai asks what the challenge is, and Caijie answers simply, “Bridge.” As in, the card game.

In fact, F4 are world-renowned bridge players, and founded the Bridge Club on campus…made up entirely of F4 members, and no one else. So far, no one has beat them. Caijie explains that they each have strengths that they use to their advantage.

Meizuo, for example, is artistic and good at design. He has a good sense of humour that he uses to lower the guard of his opponent, so that they take the game less seriously. He also has an incredible memory for which cards have been played.

Ximen is described as “subtle and cautious”, and comes from tea-loving family. His strength is strategy; he’s good at mind games to distract his opponents, and has earned the nickname “Battle God.”

Lei is a musical genius, with perfect pitch and a mastery of several instruments. He is described as being poised and calm, with a fantastic poker face and the ability to see through other’s attempts at trickery.

And finally, Daoming Si, the leader of F4. He’s primary interest is finance, and is said to have made a million yuan by trading on the stock market. He’s an aggressive bridge player, intimidating his opponents into making mistakes.

(He also has the wildest hair of the bunch, twisted and spiky... and maybe culturally appropriative? It’s meant to be an homage to Domyouji’s curly hair, but jeez… it’s kind of a lot.)

The four of them have won many awards for Bridge, and are a source of pride for the school as a result. But Shancai points out that they still ought to apologize for having broken her phone, regardless of how popular and talented they are. Qing He quickly agrees, and says they ought to go challenge them to a game of bridge right here and now, if they won’t apologize. But Caijie cuts in that it’s not as simple as all that to challenge F4; you have to be issued a Joker card first. It’s their official invitation; due to a large volume of challenges they receive, F4 only issues a Joker card to those they deem qualified enough to play against. They also require a wager to be set prior to the game.

Caijie explains that there are many rumours about what is wagered at the card table: having to clean up the school campus for an entire semester; squatting in the school fountain for half a day; spending a night in the biology lab; and, most ridiculous of all, being made to eat a pair of slippers. “So? Do you still want to challenge them?” Caijie asks, coming to a stop in front of F4’s club room. Shancai, Li Zhen, and Qing He all look on in shock at the story they’ve just heard. With that, Caijie leaves them standing outside of the classroom.

Shancai is not cowed for long; she tells the other two that the guy with the green shoes is in the wrong, and that she’s not afraid. So they march up to the door, and Shancai begins calling for F4 to come out and buy her a new phone. Qing He, her loyal hype man, repeats her demands loudly. Li Zhen looks on, slightly horrified.

There’s no answer, and Li Zhen stutters that they’re probably not in. Qing He suggests that they go off to find them; they shouldn’t be that difficult to find, if they’re surrounded by fangirls, right? “That’s right. If we see some long-legged arrogantly handsome boys, that should be them, right?” Shancai says. Qing He cringes as he catches sight of something over Shancai’s shoulder. “Is that them?” he asks. “I think so. I can feel their presence,” Li Zhen whispers. They turn to find F4 striding towards them, in all their arrogantly handsome glory.

Shancai, for one, does not look impressed, and she steps out in front of Daoming Si, who she sees is the owner of the expensive green shoes. “Hey. Green shoe guy.” She holds up her phone. “What’s this?”

“A broken phone,” he says, unfazed. The other F4 members snicker.

“Do you know why it’s broken?” Shancai asks.

Daoming Si replies that it’s none of his business, to which Shancai responds that actually, yeah it is, as he’s the one that broke it. She explains that he stepped on it when he was swarmed by his fangirls after the lecture.

There’s silence for a moment, in which Li Zhen looks embarrassed, Ximen and Meizuo look amused, and Daoming Si looks bored. Then, without a word, he steps forward and brushes past her, shouldering her on the way by. Shancai goes to storm after them, and is barely held back by Qing He.

The three freshmen head to their first lecture, where the professor warns the class that most of them won’t pass, and he won’t go easy on them. He then asks them to form groups of four. Shancai and Li Zhen join up with the two snotty girls from the special lecture earlier, while Qing He gets stuck in a group with three other guys. Poor boy.

At home, Shancai bakes a cake for Li Zhen’s birthday the next day. When she presents it to Li Zhen the next morning, her friend is touched, and suggests that they take a picture with the cake. They determine that the area they’re in is too crowded, so they head up an outdoor stairwell to take the picture in peace. They snap a selfie together, and then Shancai offers to take a picture of Li Zhen holding the cake. Li Zhen goes to stand by the stairs, but steps back to far and almost slips. The cake flies from her hands as Shancai rushes forward to save her friend. And just their luck: the cake explodes spectacularly over the curley, twisty head of none other than Daoming Si.

The two girls turn to see Si glaring at them. He recognizes them immediately, and grits out a furious, “You!”

Li Zhen immediately apologizes, but Si spits back, “If apologies worked, we wouldn’t need the police!” Ahh, that famous line. Li Zhen attempts to wipe some of the cake off of him, but he shoves her away, and she lands on the ground.

Shancai picks her friend up, and then immediately gets in Si’s face, telling him it was an accident, that Li Zhen apologized, so why does he have to be so mean?

She continues:

You’re an arrogant, green-shoe wearing pineapple head. You think you’re popular at school so you can do whatever you want. You didn’t apologize for breaking my phone. You’re just a jerk!

Si reaches out and pulls her in close, eyes blazing. Quietly, he tells her, “You. You’ve got guts.” And just like that, he pushes away from her again and walks away. Meizuo and Ximen follow without a word. Lei, however, bends to pick up the card that Shancai had written for Li Zhen, and silently hands it to her, before he also follows the rest of F4.

Later that day, Shancai opens her locker to find a Joker card, curtesy of F4. Qing He and Li Zhen are both worried, but Shancai quickly recovers, saying that she doesn’t have time to play card games. She slams the locker door shut and storms away, ending up on a rooftop. Once there, she unleashes a cry of frustration, and then immediately launches into a rant about F4.

Those stupid people. All I want to do is study! I didn’t want a Joker card! They broke my phone and embarrassed me in front of everyone! F4. You’re all jerks. I hope that from tomorrow, your phone signals will be blocked by aliens. No calls, no texts, no games, no internet! No phone in your life. You’ll step on your own foot and fall. You’ll dream of zombies that eat your faces. Your nostril hair will grow until it penetrates your head and becomes your hair!

And just as she finishes her rant, a quiet voice pipes up from behind her, “And then?”

She turns to find Huaze Lei sitting on a bench behind her, having heard her entire rant. He comes up to her and repeats the question: what happens to them next? Will she be happy then?

Shancai asks if he’s also trying to bully her, but Lei asks why he would do that. Isn’t he a member of F4? Shancai replies. Lei confirms that he is, but says that he isn’t interested in other people’s business. And with that, he turns and walks away, leaving Shancai staring after him.

On a basketball court, Daoming Si plays with some other boys, dominating the game. Girls cheer from the sidelines. One of the mean girls from Shancai’s class spots her walking across the court and calls her over. Pointing out Si, she confides in Shancai that he’s the boy that she likes, and asks Shancai to film her giving him a drink. Shancai demures, but her classmate insists, so she reluctantly takes the phone and begins filming as the other girl approaches her crush.

Except that Si notices Shancai first, and he walks by the girl, grabbing the drink without sparing her a glance as he walks right up to Shancai. He asks if she’s filming him, and then takes the phone away from her, not caring (or realizing) that it’s her classmate’s phone. Whoops.

We jump to a new day. Shancai is studying at home when her mother asks her to make a food delivery. Loading up her bike, she sets out to the address given. But when she arrives with an armload of food, she encounters one very familiar hairstyle. Daoming Si turns around, surprising Shancai: he orders takeout? He smirks and says that she should be grateful that he’s supporting her family by giving them the business.

Shancai is already sick of his shit, so she tells him to enjoy the food and makes to leave. Unfortunately, Si isn’t having it. He tells her to wait while he checks over the delivery to make sure the order is right. When he opens up one of the takeout boxes, he sniffs disparagingly at the food inside. This is what her family serves to their customers?

But Shancai merely tells him not to eat it then, and snatches the box out of his hands, offering to take it back. He grabs the box back, saying that he’s paid for the order, so he’ll do what he pleases with them. This irks Shancai. She tells him that she knows he’s trying to bully her, but that he shouldn’t be wasting food, and adding that her mother spent a great deal of time preparing the order.

But that’s not Si’s problem, he retorts, and admonishes her for being rude to her customers. Shancai replies that she’s nice to customers who are nice to her; he doesn’t deserve it. She continues that she understands that only elite students get into Ming De, but looking at him, she feels ashamed for him. He doesn’t understand how hard other people work, and finishes by calling him a parasite on society.

That does it for Si. He yells at her to shut up and swings the takeout box at her. It explodes over her, staining her clothes and flying all over the place. Shancai stumbles back a step, and looks up at him with anger and hurt.

For his part, Si has the grace to look ashamed of himself. Unable to meet her eyes, he looks away and tells her that it’s what she deserves for insulting him. Without a word, Shancai turns and runs out of the building; Si turns to watch her go, his expression regretful.

Shancai pushes her bike up to an outdoor tap and begins to try and wash away the food that still clings to her clothes. As she washes herself off, two boys approach her from behind, crowding her and preventing her from fleeing. Shancai is already pretty shaken up, and she tries to push them off, but they latch on, refusing to leave her alone.

Then, a voice offscreen asks, “What are you doing?” All three turn to see Huaze Lei standing there, watching the whole thing. He tells the boys to get lost, and the scram, leaving Shancai shaken and close to tears. She sits for a while and tries to hold back tears while Lei stands nearby, a silent presence. Tearfully, Shancai asks why Si acted the way he did, but Lei has no answer. Instead, he holds out a handkerchief, instructing her gently to use it to clean herself up a bit. And then, without warning, he goes into handstand against a wall. He tells her that when she’s sad, she should do a handstand so that her tears won’t fall down. They stay that way for a while, without speaking again.

That night, Shancai dreams of F4 telling her to eat slippers, and she wakes up gasping. At breakfast, she is quiet and contemplative, thinking over her encounters with F4, and Daoming Si in particular, over the last few days. With every memory, every bite, she becomes more enraged, more focused, more determined. Slamming down her empty bowl, she stands up from the table and announces that she’s going to fight back. She dresses with purpose and strides to campus, passing Qing He without a word, laser focused on only one person: Daoming Si. She calls his name, and he looks up. Their eyes lock.

Tossing her bag over her shoulder, Shancai takes off running right at him at full speed. She leaps into the air, leg outstretched, and her sole connects with his cheek. And with that, we find ourselves back where we started, in a freeze-frame of Shancai kicking Daoming Si right in his perfect face.

We watch the culmination of the scene in slow-motion: Si flies through the air with the force of the kick, past the rest of F4 (who watch the scene unfold with shock) and lands facedown on the ground, out cold. Shancai comes to stand over him. The rest of F4 look back at her, a definite note of fear in their eyes.

Brandishing the Joker card, Shancai says, “Who wants to play cards with you? I, Dong Shancai, won’t be bullied by anyone.” And she tosses the card down beside Si’s prone figure, before turning around and striding away without a single glance backwards.

What a badass.

After Thoughts:

For a 40 minute episode, we managed to fit a lot in, both plot-wise and character-wise. There’s a great sense of energy in this episode: the plot moves along briskly, and though there is a fair bit of exposition, it doesn’t feel like it bogs the story down (maybe because all of the F4 expo is paired with shots of four rather pretty boys showing off card shuffling. I dunno. It kept my attention).

The premise, as mentioned before, is a pretty big departure from the original HYD story. We’ve dropped the red card game in favour of the bridge competitions, which I think is a smart move: it keeps F4 generally inaccessible to the rest of the student body without making them into complete monsters. Daoming Si is still a jerk, obviously, but at least he’s not a psychopathic jerk.

I also like that Shancai and F4 are given more to do school-wise. The Makino character has never been a particularly studious character, and is pretty aimless throughout her education, at least for the first bit. I love that Shancai has a tangible goal that’s connected to her reason for choosing an elite school, instead of just going to the school because it’s an elite one. Similarly, I like that F4, and in particular, Daoming Si, are being set up as hardworking and intelligent students. It’s not to say that other adaptations of F4 have been unintelligent, per se, but rather that their futures are secured by their families, so it never seems like they particularly care about their education. I’m sure that this will still be the case in this version, but I like that school matters to them. The fact that Daoming Si isn’t being portrayed as a complete idiot who mixes up idioms is refreshing as well. They’re all still fundamentally the same characters, but this added layer makes them more interesting to me.

I’d like to end all of my reviews with three final thoughts: who I think was the shining star of the episode (or the episode MVP); who I thought was the absolute worst in this episode (or LVP — least valuable player, natch); and which scene I rewatched over and over. There’s always one.

Episode MVP:

Without a doubt, Shancai. I have a feeling that I’ll probably say Shancai a lot, because I love her. She’s spunky, fearless, and loyal. Her willingness to walk up to F4 and challenge Si to replace her phone, even after she’s heard that she might end up eating slippers, is fantastic. This character is a huge reason for why I continue to be a fan of this story, and can really make or break the adaptation in question. I’m rooting for her to achieve all her dreams and win all the boys’ hearts. You go girl!

Episode LVP:

If you thought I was gonna say Daoming Si, you’d be wrong. He’s a jerk, obviously, but I’ll save him for another day (I’m sure). Out of the gate, it’s hard to pick an LVP, but I’m gonna have to choose Qing He, if only because he’s not terribly interesting to me. His loyalty to Shancai is admirable, but I know that I would personally find his clinginess overbearing if he were my friend. That being said, I’m looking forward to watching him grow up a little and gain a bit of independence. Hopefully.

Most Rewatched Scene:

In an episode of introductions and set-ups, it’s hard to pick a scene that I want to keep watching over and over again. In future episodes, this spot will likely be reserved for super cute moments, but since we’re not there yet, I’ll go for the next best thing: Shancai and Si’s encounter on the stairwell with the cake. I love this moment for so many reasons, but mostly Shancai standing up for her friend and telling Si exactly what she thinks of him. I like that they’ve already had one encounter prior to this (unlike other versions, where the Makino character has watched F4 from afar and seethed, but never spoken to them directly). We also get the first mention of “pineapple head”, which holds a special place in my heart (even though I’m pretty sure that Si’s hairstyle is culturally appropriative…but that’s another gripe for another time).

#meteor garden 2018 #episode recap #cdramas #asian dramas #dong shancai #daoming si #hyd adaptation #hana yori dango adaptation #hydtrash

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everettwilkinson · 6 years

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BUCKLE UP: A crazy December is ahead — WH wants 44B more in disaster aid — TRUMP on ‘Frankenstien’: ‘Where do his hands go in pictures 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 while she sleeps?’ — MATT BRAVO to S-3 – B’DAY: Jarrod Agen

BET YOU’LL HEAR ABOUT THIS TODAY — BULLETIN at 5:06 a.m.: “BAGHDAD (AP) – Ministry of Defense says Iraqi forces backed by U.S.-led coalition liberate last Iraqi town held by Islamic State group.”

Good Friday morning. YES, THAT WAS A BIG WIN YESTERDAY FOR HOUSE REPUBLICANS. But don’t get too comfy. DECEMBER is going to be really, really, really brutal. Spending caps deal. Government funding. Potential legislation to deal with the expiration of DACA. Action to prop up the health care law. And now, we hear that THE DEBT CEILING could be part of the mix in the final month of the year, as well. Treasury says Congress has until January to lift the debt limit, but some say if Congress is going to slap together a big package, the debt limit might as well be included. No one really wants to raise the debt limit in an election year, anyway. But the negotiations have to be going really well for the debt limit to be included. It’s not a must-pass at the end of the year, and it could just as easily slip to 2018. In other words, Republicans tell us they won’t let the debt limit be a bargaining chip for Democrats who are trying to get a DACA deal.

Story Continued Below

WE ALSO HEAR Congress will pass a short-term government funding bill in time for the Dec. 8 deadline, kicking the deadline toward the end of the month in time for a large spending deal. OH YEAH — THE WHITE HOUSE has made it clear they want tax reform done in December as well. Whoever wins the Alabama Senate race will join the chamber toward the end of December, too. THIS COULD EASILY BE the most consequential legislative month in years.

BASICALLY, what we’re trying to tell you is don’t make plans you absolutely can’t cancel.

**SUBSCRIBE to Playbook: http://politi.co/2lQswbh

THE TAX REFORM TIMELINE — PROGRESS FOR THE GOP — The Senate Finance Committee approved its overhaul of the tax code last night along party lines 14-12. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to put the bill on the floor after the Thanksgiving break.

— COINCIDENTALLY, last night was TAX PROM — an annual get together of all the tax policy wonks in town. Vice President Mike Pence attended.

MORE DISASTER FUNDING NEEDED — “White House seeks at least $44 billion in third disaster request,” by John Bresnahan, Seung Min Kim and Sarah Ferris: “The White House will ask Congress on Friday to approve at least $44 billion to help storm-ravaged communities in Texas, Puerto Rico and Florida, according to three sources privy to the request. It would mark the third aid installment in three months. Congress has already approved $52 billion in response to the spate of hurricanes that killed 260 people and caused hundreds of billions of dollars in damage.

“The latest request falls short of what local officials had sought for their recovery, though the White House is expected to send additional aid proposals in the coming months. Texas had asked for $61 billion for reconstruction, and Puerto Rico has sought $96 billion.” http://politi.co/2zPri3G

NEXT POLICY MOVE AFTER TAX REFORM, per Nancy Cook … The White House “is overhauling the welfare system through an executive order. The Deputy Director of the White House’s Domestic Policy Council, Paul Winfree, laid out the argument for this idea during a panel at the Heritage Foundation on Thursday morning. Winfree said that tweaking the welfare system very much excited President Trump. Already Winfree and another member of the Domestic Policy Council had drafted the order, which would give states more flexibility in structuring their welfare programs and direct federal agencies to make regulatory changes.

‘The president wants to lead on this,’ Winfree told the audience. ‘We are devoting lots of resources to it.’ POLITICO’s Andrew Restuccia wrote back in October that the White House was considering an executive order that would instruct federal agencies to review low-income assistance programs.”

— PER STEVEN OVERLY: “AT&T has hired attorney Daniel Petrocelli, who once represented President Donald Trump, in preparation for a potential legal battle with the DOJ over the company’s mega-merger with Time Warner, an AT&T spokesman confirmed to POLITICO. Based in Los Angeles, Petrocelli currently leads the trial practice at O’Melveny and Myers. He defended the president in the lawsuits over the Trump University real estate seminar program.”

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP on SEN. AL FRANKEN (D-MINN.) — @realDonaldTrump at 10:06 p.m.: “The Al Frankenstien picture is really bad, speaks a thousand words. Where do his hands go in pictures 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 while she sleeps? …..” … at 10:15 p.m.: “.And to think that just last week he was lecturing anyone who would listen about sexual harassment and respect for women. Lesley Stahl tape?”

— Lesley Stahl? WaPo: “The ‘Lesley Stahl tape’ Trump mentioned in his second tweet refers to a [1995] New York Magazine story about a ‘Saturday Night Live’ writers discussion where Franken suggests a joke about raping Lesley Stahl, a ‘60 Minutes’ correspondent.

“Franken is quoted in New York Magazine as saying: ‘And, “I give the pills to Lesley Stahl. Then, when Lesley’s passed out, I take her to the closet and rape her.” Or, “That’s why you never see Lesley until February.” Or, ‘When she passes out, I put her in various positions and take pictures of her.’” http://wapo.st/2j3Mfjh … The NYMag story http://nym.ag/2hxUrIj

— TRUMP still has not weighed in on the allegations against Roy Moore. (By the way: “Poll: Moore trails Jones in Alabama Senate race,” by Steven Shepard. http://politi.co/2zPkJhs)

THE NEW WORLD ORDER — “Capitol Hill consumed by sexual harassment issue,” by Elana Schor, Seung Min Kim and Kevin Robillard: “The national conversation about sexual harassment has hit the clubby halls of the Capitol with a vengeance. Democrats faced their own internal reckoning on Thursday when Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) apologized to a radio anchor who said he forcibly kissed and groped her in 2006. Once a potential presidential hopeful, Franken quickly submitted to an ethics committee investigation.

“The Franken bombshell came amid a deluge of news coverage in recent days of Alabama Senate Roy Moore, accused of harassing or sexually assaulting multiple young women. Earlier Thursday, the chief of staff to a House lawmaker leading the charge against sexual harassment in Congress resigned in the face of sexual misconduct allegations by former aides. And earlier this week, a pair of female lawmakers said there are several current members of Congress who have sexually harassed women.

“On a day when the House passed the most far-reaching tax bill in decades, and when jurors in New Jersey deadlocked in a corruption trial involving a sitting senator, Robert Menendez, Capitol Hill was consumed instead by the issue of sexual harassment. And it prompted a rare bout of soul-searching in an institution not exactly known for that. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a leading advocate for Congress’ recent shift from voluntary to mandatory sexual harassment training, said it was depressing that such a move was even necessary. ‘That’s a sad commentary, you know, that you have to do it,’ Grassley told reporters.” http://politi.co/2hE6sQ7

— “Gillibrand Says Bill Clinton Should Have Resigned Over Lewinsky Affair,” by NYT’s Jennifer Steinhauer: “Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat of New York, who holds Hillary Clinton’s former seat, said on Thursday that Bill Clinton should have resigned the presidency after his inappropriate relationship with an intern came to light nearly 20 years ago. Asked directly if she believed Mr. Clinton should have stepped down at the time, Ms. Gillibrand took a long pause and said, ‘Yes, I think that is the appropriate response.’ But she also appeared to signal that what is currently considered a fireable offense may have been more often overlooked during the Clinton era.” http://nyti.ms/2AOfjTb

— MATT DIXON and MARC CAPUTO in Tallahassee: “Six former Florida Democratic Party staffers and consultants say that current party chairman Stephen Bittel has created an unprofessional workplace environment for women that includes persistent inappropriate comments, leering at young women and even inviting them on his private jet. The women, who were reached independently by POLITICO Florida and insisted on anonymity out of fear for their jobs, said Bittel never inappropriately touched or threatened them.

“But he made them feel so uneasy that they didn’t want to be alone with him due to his body language, suggestive remarks and even the breast-shaped stress squeeze-ball he has been known to keep on his desk. Depending on the circumstance and the person discussing Bittel, they said he would make references about women cooking dinner, showing their breasts, their age, whether they wanted to ride on his plane, come to his hotel room or if they thought he was attractive. ‘There was a lot of boob stuff in his office,’ said a woman who was a fundraiser years ago and had to interact with him. ‘I was told by other women not to go into his bathroom. I was warned.’” http://politi.co/2iqwHXt

HILLARY CLINTON talks sexual harassment with NowThis http://bit.ly/2hxEmCm

****** A message from Chevron: When an endangered butterfly was found near a Chevron refinery, we protected the habitat and still plant the only thing they eat—buckwheat. Watch the video: http://politi.co/2ArIBXv ******

JOSH DAWSEY in TRENTON: “Regrets? Chris Christie Has a Few”: “Chris Christie had some thoughts on how I should write this article. ‘You should break out of leading with ‘the most unpopular governor in galactic history’ and all this other shit that everybody hits F2, F3, F4 [on and] bang, bang, bang, the paragraphs flip in,’ the outgoing New Jersey governor said on a recent afternoon, tapping his conference room table like a keyboard. ‘You should do something different.’ …

“In the longest interview Christie has given in years, as he dropped oyster crackers into a large vat of chili, he said the story of his rise and fall had not been told accurately. He was never as good as depicted—nor as bad. ‘I never felt 78, and I don’t feel the 22,’ he said of his approval ratings. ‘What I hope at the end of the day is that this really is about my eight years, and the bridge stuff is part of that, and the Trump stuff is part of that, but it’s only a part.’” http://politi.co/2zJixuf

— FUN: “Christie’s generous interpretation of Trump’s treatment of him even extends to his own ouster. Two days after Trump’s surprise win, Steve Bannon and Christie were seen arguing for several hours in a glass office in the transition headquarters in New York. Bannon was firing him as chair of the transition, and Christie wasn’t taking the news well. He wanted to know who was behind it, and he suspected Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, whose father he had prosecuted as U.S. attorney.

“‘Oh, I asked,’ Christie said, referring to Bannon. ‘He didn’t answer. But [based on] subsequent conversations I’ve had with the president, I just don’t believe this was the president’s decision.’ Aides later threw his transition materials in wastebaskets.

“Christie … insists he holds no grudges. He said the president had made a smart decision to get rid of some aides — he named Bannon and Reince Priebus — and said others would be soon to go. Chief of staff John Kelly, he said, was doing much better. He declined to take a shot at Kushner when asked about the Trump son-in-law’s diminished White House role. ‘I would never underestimate Jared’s ability to be involved in whatever he wants to do be involved in,’ Christie said.”

JOHN BRESNAHAN — “Menendez faces Senate ethics probe after mistrial”: “The Senate Ethics Committee will resume its investigation into Sen. Bob Menendez, a move that came just hours after a mistrial was announced in the New Jersey Democrat’s bribery and corruption case. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had called for an ethics probe of Menendez as soon as a mistrial was declared by U.S. District Judge William Walls. The deadlock in the criminal proceedings was a huge legal victory for Menendez, who grew emotional as he spoke about the case with reporters.

“With incoming New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and other top state officials pledging their loyalty to him — and Menendez suddenly looking like an incumbent ready to announce his reelection rather than a criminal defendant trying to avoid prison — the ethics probe means Menendez will still have this case still hanging over him well into 2018.” http://politi.co/2j1yxxh

RUSSIA WATCH — “Special Counsel Mueller Issued Subpoena for Russia-Related Documents From Trump Campaign Officials,” by WSJ’s Rebecca Ballhaus and Peter Nicholas: “Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team in mid-October issued a subpoena to President Donald Trump’s campaign requesting Russia-related documents from more than a dozen top officials, according to a person familiar with the matter. The subpoena, which requested documents and emails from the listed campaign officials that reference a set of Russia-related keywords, marked Mr. Mueller’s first official order for information from the campaign … The subpoena caught the campaign by surprise.” http://on.wsj.com/2zHZQHw

— “Does cooperating witness have info on Flynn tie to Turkey?” by NBC News’ Tom Winter and Julia Ainsley: “A gold trader who is close to Turkish President Recep Erdogan is now cooperating with federal prosecutors in a money-laundering case, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter, and legal experts say prosecutors may be seeking information about any ties between the Turkish government and former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn. Reza Zarrab, a dual Turkish-Iranian national … is now out of jail and speaking to prosecutors — a move President Erdogan had been desperately hoping to avoid.” http://nbcnews.to/2j0Gov2

HMM … — “Papadopoulos claimed Trump phone call and larger campaign role,” by Josh Meyer: “George Papadopoulos claimed last year that Donald Trump telephoned him to discuss his new position as a foreign policy adviser to his presidential campaign and that the two had at least one personal introductory meeting that the White House has not acknowledged. Papadopoulos also claimed that he’d been given a ‘blank check’ to choose a senior Trump administration job and authorized to represent the candidate in overseas meetings with foreign leaders, and at a campaign event in New York.” http://politi.co/2hBj2fb

TELL US MORE! — “Russian ambassador says he won’t name all the Trump officials he’s met with because ‘the list is so long,’” by CNBC’s Tucker Higgins: “Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak said on Wednesday that it would take him more than 20 minutes to name all of the Trump officials he’s met with or spoken to on the phone. ‘First, I’m never going to do that,’ he said. ‘And second, the list is so long that I’m not going to be able to go through it in 20 minutes.’ Kislyak made the remarks in a sprawling interview with Russia-1, a popular state-owned Russian television channel.” http://cnb.cx/2zPkSl0

GREAT REPORTING — “The Questionable Math Behind Manafort’s Extravagant Home Renovations,” by Bloomberg’s Polly Mosendz, Patrick Clark and Michael Smith: “The federal indictment of Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, accuses him of laundering millions in foreign payments to pursue a ‘lavish lifestyle’ in the U.S., especially in the Hamptons, where he has a house. What it doesn’t explain — or highlight — are the stratospheric payments he made to home improvement companies when his renovation work was estimated at far less.

“Special Counsel Robert Mueller, in his indictment, says that a Hamptons firm got $5.4 million in wire transfers from Cyprus over 71 payments. But building permits over the same period examined by Bloomberg show that renovations by Manafort’s Hamptons’ contractor were estimated to cost $1.2 million. That’s less than a quarter of what was ultimately sent — an apparent discrepancy that could draw scrutiny from investigators.” https://bloom.bg/2hyXShM

JARED UPDATE — “Kushner got emails about WikiLeaks, Russia in 2016, lawmakers say,” by Kyle Cheney: “Jared Kushner received emails in September 2016 about WikiLeaks and about a ‘Russian backdoor overture and dinner invite’ and forwarded them to another campaign official, according to a letter to his attorney from the bipartisan leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said Kushner failed to turn over the relevant documents when they asked for them last month.

“‘We appreciate your voluntary cooperation with the Committee’s investigation, but the production appears to have been incomplete,’ the pair wrote in a letter dated Thursday to Kushner’s attorney, Abbe Lowell. … In a section of the letter titled ‘Missing documents,’ Grassley and Feinstein said Kushner had handed over some materials but omitted communications that mentioned some of the people connected to the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.” http://politi.co/2AWOsFF

–“Kushner still waiting on permanent security clearance,” by Josh Dawsey: “Jared Kushner is still working with an interim security clearance 10 months into President Donald Trump’s administration, according to White House officials and others with knowledge of the matter. The top adviser and Trump son-in-law, who joined Trump for part of his Asia tour this month, has continued to work on sensitive foreign policy issues and other matters while his application for a permanent clearance remains under review.” http://politi.co/2j1krMt … The letter http://bit.ly/2mz6fPR

FOR YOUR RADAR — “Keystone pipeline leaks 210K gallons of oil in South Dakota” – AP/Amherst, S.D.: “TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone pipeline leaked an estimated 210,000 gallons of oil onto agricultural land in northeastern South Dakota, the company and state regulators said Thursday, but state officials don’t believe the leak polluted any surface water bodies or drinking water systems. … Discovery of the leak comes just days before Nebraska regulators are scheduled to announce their decision Monday whether to approve the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline.” http://bit.ly/2iqHcdv

TRUMP’S FRIDAY — Trump will host NCAA national championship teams. He is having lunch with VP Mike Pence and will meet with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

THE JUICE …

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: MATT BRAVO, floor director to House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), is joining S-3 Group. He will start working at the firm in 2018. “Matt Bravo has been a critical part of our Whip Office team from the start, and as floor director he has helped bring about many hard-earned legislative victories to the benefit of the American people,” Scalise said in a statement. “In more than a decade working on Capitol Hill, Matt has developed strong relationships with members of Congress and staff on both sides of the aisle, and while his counsel and friendship will be missed, I know Matt’s experience and expertise will serve him well in the next phase of his career.”

Bravo has worked in floor operations for more than a decade serving as coalitions director for Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) while he was chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee and as a floor assistant to then-House Majority Leader and Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.).

— UPDATE: KIMBERLEY FRITTS is starting her own lobbying firm. Via Theo Meyer: “Tony Podesta stepped down as the Podesta Group’s chairman last month and tapped Fritts as his successor. But negotiations with Podesta to turn over control of the firm broke down, and Fritts quit last week, saying she’d start a new firm instead. Many of the Podesta Group’s top lobbyists are following Fritts to the new firm, Cogent Strategies, along with at least 15 clients, according to a person familiar with the firm’s plans. Fritts is still looking for office space for the firm.” http://politi.co/2A5Kr4q

HOLIDAY PARTY SCOOPLET — FIFTH HARMONY, the multi-platinum-winning girl group, is headlining the annual holiday charity benefit Dec. 12 at the 9:30 Club co-hosted by MUSICIANS ON CALL, RIAA and SPOTIFY. Chicago-based DJ JERZY will be the opening act.

TV TONIGHT — PBS’ “WASHINGTON WEEK” — Jackie Calmes, Nancy Cordes, Jeremy Peters and Ed O’Keefe.

PHOTO DU JOUR: Sen. Bob Menendez fights tears as he speaks to reporters outside the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Courthouse in Newark, N.J. after U.S. District Judge William Walls declared a mistrial in Menendez’s federal corruption trial on Nov. 16. | Julio Cortez/AP Photo

IMPORTANT — “FCC Relaxes Media Ownership Rules in Contentious Vote,” by Variety’s Ted Johnson: “Broadcasters will be allowed to combine with a newspaper in the same market, and could be allowed to own two of the top four stations in a city, as the FCC on Thursday relaxed a series of long-standing media ownership regulations. The new rules, passed in a 3-2 vote, may be challenged in court, but if they survive, they will mark the most significant changes to media ownership regulations in a generation. They could lead to further consolidation and mergers among broadcasters, who have long argued that they need greater scale to compete with cable and internet companies for local ad dollars.” http://bit.ly/2zO9gyH

FROM MARK PRESTON — Museum of the Bible President Cary Summers joins CNN senior political analyst Mark Preston on his SiriusXM show, “Full Stop with Mark Preston” this weekend to talk about the opening of Washington new half-a-billion-dollar, 430,000 sq. ft. museum dedicated to the Bible. The show airs Saturday at noon and Sunday at 5 p.m. on SiriusXM POTUS 124. CLIPS FOR PLAYBOOKERS: Historical accuracy http://bit.ly/2inKq15 … Hobby Lobby’s affiliation http://bit.ly/2jwNrQc … President’s Bibles http://bit.ly/2mxOUXv

K-FILE STRIKES AGAIN — “Homeland Security’s head of community outreach resigns over past controversial comments on black community, Islam,” by CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski: “Rev. Jamie Johnson resigned Thursday as the head of faith-based and neighborhood partnerships at [DHS] after a CNN KFile report revealed inflammatory past comments he made about the black community and Islam. In past radio appearances, Johnson had said the black community was responsible for turning major US cities into ‘slums’ and argued that Islam’s only contribution to society was ‘oil and dead bodies.’” http://cnn.it/2A75m7g

THE CABINET — “Watchdog says Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke failed to properly document travel,” by WaPo’s Lisa Rein and Drew Harwell: “Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has failed to keep complete records — and in some cases, kept none at all — of his travel since taking office, the agency’s watchdog told department officials this week, saying that management of Zinke’s travel was ‘deficient’ and lacked oversight. A rare alert Deputy Inspector General Mary Kendall sent to the secretary’s office Wednesday, obtained by The Washington Post, said her investigation into allegations of improper travel practices by Zinke has been stymied by ‘absent or incomplete documentation for several pertinent trips.’ Interior lawyers and ethics officials also have not shown evidence to investigators that they have been able to ‘distinguish between personal, political and official travel’ or cost-analysis documents to justify his choice of military or charter flights, Kendall wrote.” http://wapo.st/2AXBQ0S

****** A message from Chevron: This is a story about DOERS, butterflies, and buckwheat. In ’75, the endangered El Segundo Blue butterfly was found near a Chevron refinery. We protected the habitat and planted the only thing they eat—buckwheat. We’re still planting and keeping an eye on our littlest neighbor. Watch the video: http://politi.co/2ArIBXv ******

NYT MAGAZINE COVER STORY – “The Uncounted,” by Azmat Khan and Anand Gopal (print headline: “The U.S.-Led Battle Against ISIS is Killing Far More Iraqi Civilians Than the Coalition Has Acknowledged”): “Our own reporting, conducted over 18 months, shows that the air war has been significantly less precise than the coalition claims. Between April 2016 and June 2017, we visited the sites of nearly 150 airstrikes across northern Iraq, not long after ISIS was evicted from them. We toured the wreckage; we interviewed hundreds of witnesses, survivors, family members, intelligence informants and local officials; we photographed bomb fragments, scoured local news sources, identified ISIS targets in the vicinity and mapped the destruction through satellite imagery.

“We also visited the American air base in Qatar where the coalition directs the air campaign. There, we were given access to the main operations floor and interviewed senior commanders, intelligence officials, legal advisers and civilian-casualty assessment experts. We provided their analysts with the coordinates and date ranges of every airstrike — 103 in all — in three ISIS-controlled areas and examined their responses. The result is the first systematic, ground-based sample of airstrikes in Iraq since this latest military action began in 2014. We found that one in five of the coalition strikes we identified resulted in civilian death, a rate more than 31 times that acknowledged by the coalition.” http://nyti.ms/2zOYwjJ … The cover http://politi.co/2jx4Yrp

HOLLYWOODLAND — “Comcast Has Approached 21st Century Fox About an Acquisition,” by WSJ’s Dana Mattioli, Keach Hagey and Ryan Knutson: “New suitors are circling 21st Century Fox Inc., affirming that the media empire built by Rupert Murdoch is now in play. Comcast Corp. has approached the media company to express interest in buying a substantial piece of it, according to people familiar with the situation. Verizon Communications Inc. is also kicking the tires on Fox assets … And Sony Corp.’s entertainment unit has also informally approached Fox … The takeover interest in 21st Century Fox gained steam after news last week that Walt Disney Co. recently held talks with the company but failed to reach a deal.” http://on.wsj.com/2A6Pstp

MEDIAWATCH — “BuzzFeed Set to Miss Revenue Target, Signaling Turbulence in Media: Prospects for a 2018 initial public offering by the high-profile publisher now appear remote,” by WSJ’s Amol Sharma and Lukas I. Alpert: “Digital publisher BuzzFeed is on track to miss its revenue target this year by a significant amount, the latest sign that troubles in the online-ad business are making it tough for new-media upstarts to live up to lofty expectations. BuzzFeed, one of several digital-media outfits that have grown quickly in recent years, had been targeting revenue of around $350 million in 2017 but is expected to fall short of that figure by about 15% to 20%.” http://on.wsj.com/2zLbD7K

— ELIZABETH DREW is joining The New Republic as a contributing editor. Drew wrote for The New Yorker for 19 years and in 2014, she reissued her book “Washington Journal: Reporting Watergate and Richard Nixon’s Downfall.” … BENNY JOHNSON is joining the Daily Caller as a reporter at large. He was most recently at IJR.

SPOTTED: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in first class on a three-and-a-half hour delayed Virgin America flight from DCA to SFO. The plane landed at SFO at midnight in California. … Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas) last night at Marx Cafe listening to local band “Dan Smith Trio” … Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) at DCA yesterday.

OUT AND ABOUT — The Federalist Society last night held their second annual Antonin Scalia memorial dinner at Union Station. Josh Gerstein’s write-up — “Gorsuch takes victory lap at Federalist dinner” http://politi.co/2j0VrVR

SPOTTED: Justice Neil Gorsuch, Justice Sam Alito, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Luther Strange (R-Ala.), Kellyanne Conway, Don McGahn, George Will, Maureen Scalia, Reverend Paul Scalia, David McIntosh, Don Willett, Leonard Leo, James Taranto, Josh Hawley, Ken Paxton, Lee Dunn, Suhail Khan, Lexi and Kian Hudson, Erin DeLullo, Greg Mueller, Keith Appell, Garrett Ventry and Travis Burk.

— STEVE CLEMONS and EMILY LENZNER of The Atlantic hosted a night of hot chocolate, mulled wine, s’mores and ice skating on top of the Watergate hotel at Mel’s Rink, named after Melanie Kohn — the late ice hockey-loving daughter of Marc Kohn. SPOTTED: Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Hogan Gidley, Rakel and Jacques Cohen, Jordan Amb. Dina Kawar, Shawn Turner, Mike Castellano, Jane Mayer, Bill Hamilton, Michael Schmidt, Ben Chang, Orson Porter, Matt Wuerker, Adrienne LaFrance, Andrew Trueblood, Josh Eastright, Christina Sevilla, Kevin Baron, Jeff Dufour, Kara Ross, Patrick Mellody, Marissa Mitrovich, Fabrice Houdart, Tara McKelvey, Guneev Sharma, Meghan Dubyak, Gloria Dittus, Javier Palomarez, Robb Harleston and Lyndsay Polloway.

— ADFERO hosted a party last night to celebrate the opening of its new office. SPOTTED: Jeff Mascott, Gary Nuzzi, Greg Crist, Christin Baker, Katie McBreen, Jon Tripp, Kristen Smith, Jeff Solsby, Matt Wright, Margaret Zeigler, John Brandt, Megan Whittemore.

SUNDAY SO FAR – CBS’ “Face the Nation”: Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) … Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.). Political panel: David French, Jen Jacobs, Ruth Marcus, and Ed O’Keefe

–ABC’s “This Week”: Panel: Matthew Dowd, Lanhee Chen, Stephanie Cutter, and Megan Murphy

— NBC’s “Meet the Press”: Panel: Bob Costa, Rich Lowry, Joy Reid and Amy Walter.

–CNN’s “State of the Union”: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) … Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)

–“Fox News Sunday”: Panel: Jason Chaffetz, Jessica Tarlov, Jason Riley, Juan Williams. Power Player: Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.)

WEDDING — EMILY POMERANZ, the associate director of major gifts and special events at NARAL Pro-Choice America and an OFA, DNC and DSCC alum, married ROB KEITH, who works at the Wilderness Society, in a candlelit service at Christ Church in Alexandria Nov. 11. “The ceremony included a bagpiper and a reading of an excerpt from Justice Kennedy’s opinion in the 2015 marriage equality decision.”

BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Madalene Milano, partner at GMMB

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Brian Jones, partner at Black Rock Group. A book he’s been reading recently: “I recently finished ‘Season of the Witch: Enchantment, Terror and Deliverance in the City of Love,’ by David Talbot. The book chronicles how San Francisco was transformed from a scrappy immigrant town to one of the great cities of the country (and arguably the world) during a period of cultural turmoil in the 1960s, 70s and early 80s. As someone who lived in San Francisco for four years, the book shed some serious light on the city I came to know in the mid 1990s and also illustrates how a prolonged period of societal upheaval and angst can be overcome and ultimately lead to a better era.” Read his Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2mxjWil (hat tip: Michael Meehan)

BIRTHDAYS: Jarrod Agen is 40. He celebrated with coworkers last night at Old Ebbitt, with a “long overdue” date night with his wife tonight and then having some friends over for bowling at Truman Bowling Alley in the EEOB on Saturday … former House Speaker John Boehner is 68 … Charmaine Yoest, assistant secretary of public affairs at HHS … NBC News president Noah Oppenheim … Amb. Susan Rice, former Obama National Security Adviser, is 53 … Lorne Michaels is 73 … Fox News’ Chris Stirewalt … Paul Lindsay … Arielle Mueller, press aide to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), is 2-5 (h/t Megan McKinley) … Anna Karl … Howard Dean is 69 … Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) is 83 … Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) is 56 … U.S. Amb. to China Terry Branstad is 71 (h/t Blake Waggoner) … Quartz’s Chase Purdy … Halie Soifer … Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is 69 … Denver Peacock … HuffPost global editorial director Howard Fineman … Rick Dunham is 61 … Mike Ricci, communications director for Speaker Paul Ryan, celebrating tax reform passage in the House with Ty Ricci (h/t Ryan comms team) … Politico’s Helena Bottemiller Evich …

… Isaac Baker, partner at AKPD … Linda Moore, president and CEO of TechNet, Clinton WH staffer for all eight years, and original DLC field director. She’s celebrating at the #Clinton25 reunion in Little Rock (h/t Kiki McLean) … Diana Aviv, CEO of Feeding America (h/t Jon Haber) … Christy Osler … Harry Jaffe (h/t Cathy Merrill Williams) … NAM alum Lea Anne Foster … WSJ’s Felicia Schwartz is 26 … Ralph Posner, EVP at JDA Frontline … Chris Sloan … Kellie Boyle… Lucas Fleischer, alum of 270 Strategies … Gordon Whiting … Laurie Norton Moffatt … Pew’s Erika Compart … Marty Reiser … Russ Grote, managing director at Hamilton Place Strategies … Johnny VandeHei … Michele Tasoff, supervising talent producer of Chelsea Handler on Netflix … Edelman’s Elisa Vitalo … journalist Martin Fackler … Alex Gallo … Greg Croft of ABC News … Carly Montoya … Owen Baynard … TPM managing editor David Kurtz … Andrew Hinkebein … Mike Defilippis … Ada Waelder … Michael Maloof … Allison Hayward … Michael Ostrolenk is 47 … Gary Duff (h/t Teresa Vilmain)

SUBSCRIBE to the Playbook family: POLITICO Playbook http://politi.co/2lQswbh … Playbook Power Briefing http://politi.co/2xuOiqh … New York Playbook http://politi.co/1ON8bqW … Florida Playbook http://politi.co/1OypFe9 … New Jersey Playbook http://politi.co/1HLKltF … Massachusetts Playbook http://politi.co/1Nhtq5v … Illinois Playbook http://politi.co/1N7u5sb … California Playbook http://politi.co/2bLvcPl … London Playbook http://politi.co/2xfDPuK … Brussels Playbook http://politi.co/1FZeLcw … All our political and policy tipsheets http://politi.co/1M75UbX

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survivorcordillerablanca · 7 years

Text

Episode 6 Confessionals

I mean I didn't make the idol play. But um #LUKEDIDTHAT. Love he did that. But Lexi self voting??? Ruining Luke's plan of getting someone out? ICONIC!! Poor Lexi is prob going to go home lol. But I'm happy the idol I found did something but sad that its now gone and a new one? might be able to be found for those 4 remaining.

One more fake swap / fake merge and I'm going to vote myself off this island.

So iconically, Luke idolled, which i'm happy about. I'm NOT happy about Ryan being voted out considering I was kind of wanting to play a game with him. It also doesn't make sense considering... he's tried in every challenge, and has helped out the tribe greatly imo, but then again - we don't know the social dynamics and tribe outlook on their tribe. Carson told me he found an idol, and i'm superbly excited. Will he use it on me? Likely not. But it's still good to know we have it in OUR possession, and i'm not planning on leaking a word. The fact that he told me is satisfying though, and I do truly feel as if he's my #1 in the game right now. The challenge? Pass. It's something... logic puzzles are... awful (yet a little fun at times, sure). The cup thing... whomst... and the counting? I'm fairly triggered. I'm going to likely sit out because i'm busy today and I just couldn't care or want to do ANY of that. also why is there no SWAP!

Last tribal was fun with my idol play but Lexi made it less iconic with the self vote but that was completely understandable since she has a lot going on personally and I hope she's okay <3 It worked well in the sense that Jordan and Jay can still convince Lexi that they just had to do what they had to do with the tie and they saved her over Ryan. I compleTELY FUCKED UP THE COUNTING PART OF THE CHALLENGE WHICH I WAS ALREADY EH ABOUT DOING SINCE IT'S THE WORST BUT EUUURGH I MESSED UP. I'm hoping that we can win but if we don't then I hope I can trust Jay and Jordan enough to keep our 3 alliance strong and just vote our Lexi unanimously providing she doesn't have an idol or anything like that. I'll make an update after results...

Can you believe we win again? If we merge, it's gonna be 7-3. What a time to be alive!!!

WHEWWWW i searched Mancos for the idol bc of my idol clue i got and i fucking found the idol and wow... i decided to tell Zach because I definitiely wanna nurture a relationship with him (love him so much) and we're a dynamic duo for sure!! i only talk to hi9m though and i def gotta fix that. playing this game AND another game at once is just a bit much but im still doing my best.

OKAY IM SCREAMING HOW DID I EVEN GET ANOTHER REWARD?? Idk how many rewards there have been in total bc I forgot but I've gotten 3 and didn't do 1 bc it was too risky but like what the heck how is this even happening?? I'm shook

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5g0x_0uPJo

WE WON IMMUNITY YESSS!!! going into the final 10 7-3 is definitiely amazing and im assuming luke goes on the other tribe. im fine with that bc it seems like everyone on my tribe is close to luke, so theyll be closer to me if hes gone!! im definitiely enjoying this tribe but like.. where does everyone stand?? who knows. we havent gone to a tribal since eric combusted and i dont know where i stand. i trust zach and i kinda trust bryce even if we dont talk strategy but idk where everyone else stands. katie truists me i think, but idk if i talk to her enough for it to be a FULL trust between us?? shes probably the one i trust the most after the other 2. charlotte is... whew?? she hates zach im pretty sure so like... idk about that personally. shes a good player and also like... idk i just dont talk to her as much as the other returnees. willow is cool and shes super nice but we NEVER talk strategy and also she like gave tons of info to eric allegedly then voted him out so idk if i can trust that rlly but like thats a bit hypocritical bc i kinda used him too. i need to try talking more strategy with her. and chris... we talk and they're pleasant conversations but like willow, i dont talk strategy enough with him. plus hes a good game player from what ive seen in this game?? i know hes busy so i just gotta start getting a bit more out of him. my social game has def been slipping and if i dont get it up, im looking at a merge boot status bc tbh? i think im a pretty big threat. ideally, jordan pines is merge boot, then we can use lexi/jay to possibly get out some of our tribe, maybe charlotte?? on second thought i could use jordan for that too but like.. i dont trust jordan lmao. IDEALLY, id like a boot order of... f10: jordan f9: charlotte f8: lexi f7: willow f6: chris f5: jay f4: bryce f3: katie/zach, depends on who i think i can win easier against?? then ideally a final 2 of me winning. but survivor is always changing, so nothing is for sure. thats just how id LIKE it to happen, but nothing is gonna happen exactly so ill just pray!!

We lost immunity...again...shocker! Jay approached me earlier to potentially blindside Jordan and get him out since he's a huge threat at the upcoming merge but ultimately decided that using his connection with Katie and his reputation as a meat shield would be to our advantage since we're both winners and that is enough to get people to target us. It feels weird working this closely with Jay. If we merge next then plan to get Katie using Jordan, Carson using Jay and Zach using myself and then add Charlotte into the group and we should have a strong group. I also want to find out who gave me the immunity idol so I can first of all thank them, second of all ask them why and third if all work with them. I just hope I'm not being screwed by Jay the same way he was trying to screw Pines.

Confessional #1 this round: Fuck ulta, i hate this tribe, i want to leave, ryan palmer let me go home

I accidently self voted last round and it tied between me and ryan because luke used an idol. so they voted ry out and i cried alittle. thats about all.

Confessional #2- Rip Lexi, this is wrong, how the fuck are we gonna be at 3 players, after this wtf they have an entire tribe waiting to fight us

Im so happy we won again to be able to go into a merge with 7-3 majority maybe and a 4 person group into the 10 person game! Things are going well

Wish I can find the idol and hope luke doesnt go out either here

bye lexi! honestly like... idk. all newbies on their tribe are gone, it's so funny. im anticipating merge! or a swap.. or something. its 7v3 for crying out loud! im not sure what my move is going forward, but i think im confident. just kidding, i'm likely leaving. this is a bs conf but i may make one tomorrow hehe

haha I beat Jay

wow can't believe I'm this seasons challenge beast

We're really that tribe that's completely decimating everything.

I've been out all day and I see that they voted out Lexi. Every tribal that Jordan pines makes it through makes me even more nervous about getting to a merge with him around. We didn't have a good history in our last game but I'm hoping that there are more people around with bad blood with him so I can kinda just get by without getting any shots fired at me. I just want to go into a merge already. None of this potential "tribe swap" to make things even for one more round. I usually get fucked in a swap and I'd rather not have history repeat itself.

Over the course of the past week or so, i've been attempting to mend things with Charlotte. She's the only person that I feel like would be dead set on getting rid of me, so to weaken that desire would be sufficient. I also want to work on Katie and Chris a bit more so that the newbies (since i'm already decent with Willow, I believe) would be more loyal to me. I need opportunities! As for the pending upcoming merge or swap, i'm not ready. I would hope the 7 Ulta stay together for a BIT or something, like vote out Jordan. I'm semi-close with Jay and Luke, so would I want to vote them out right away? Well, in the wise words of Jay - absolutely not. But I would if I had to. I'd be more lenient with voting Jay since i'm now developing a friendship with Luke (because of another ORG) and I really like him, he's a cool kid. Him and I have NEVER worked together in past ORGs so if we manage to survive and make it on a tribe together, it'll be something refreshing. Carson's still my favourite though. He's a social god and it's scary. The kid has school from like 7-3pm and still finds more time to message me somehow or someway. It's... wildt. I trust him to an extent and him and I both have agreed that like we'll go far but obviously we are bale to betray one another if essential to our own game. I likely won't make it that far though RIP. I told him i'd be his lapdog, despite the tag of the season o.O Bryce. I didn't mention him yet. He's cool, him and I rarely talk but I think he's overall a great person. I'd like to talk to him more but our last conversation felt dull and I can't force a convo (not his fault, communication is indeed a two way street.) Nonetheless, it's something I may have to work on for my game. Also lowkey it's so funny because two tribals ago, you provoked the question regarding returnees and newbies, and here are some facts: - Ryan asked you to stop shoving it down his throat. He got voted out consequently. Iconic, right? - All newbies on their side are eliminated - All the boots in the game in general are newbies (with the exception of my Bahamas representative Willa...RIP good soul. The good die young!) So basically a returnee will win this game. It might be slightly worrying to Katie/Willow/Chris and they may want to extend and form bonds with OG Copa so that they have backup, because obviously there's a trend with voting out the newbies. Anyway, this is my third confessional this round... more than expected hehe hope you enjoy! P.S look at this rude ass message: On 2017-09-14, at 6:36 PM, carson wrote: > Use the Golden Rope to hang urself please HSDGNISDGNDS It was so funny I choked bye now

I seriously thought I was being screwed this round because I didn't think Jay would flip on Lexi but he did and I'm still here! 5 votes against me and I'm still here which is great!! There are only 3 of us left on Copa and we're an alliance so if we don't swap/merge and lose immunity then....it's going to suck. I think maybe I'd be in the middle? But equally Jordan and Jay have known each other a lot longer than they've known me so they might see me as disposable and get rid of me which I hope isn't the case. I really wanna merge and go work with Zach, Charlotte and Carson who I know and think I could work well with. Also Bryce, a newbie from last season, someone who I'd be interested in hooking up with in this game and working with!

So I got another advantage which is lit, I guess all these advantages are making up for kvaloya, anyway who knows how I'm gonna be able to explain the randomized vote?

Okay so like I just realized I'm in another game with Eric. And I kinda led the charge to get him voted out so I'm trying to win immunity otherwise he is totally killing me so sorry this is a terrible confessional but I'm STRESSING.

If we don't merge I'm so incredibly fucked

#NotAGameForLapdogs

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hos17armageddon · 7 years

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Tate’s Answers & Closing Statement

Jenna:

I wish I had talked more about our Final 2 deal, but it was mostly a pre-jury alliance and I wanted to keep that section of my speech fairly short. While I did briefly mention that you and I bonded fairly early into the game, I'll take this opportunity to expand on our final 2. Our "Macaroni and Cheese" alliance that was created week 1 was instrumental in getting me to the jury phase. You had key bonds in the house that I didn't have, and being aligned with you kept me somewhat safe. You were able to tell me how the house was voting which allowed me to continue my UTR game play. We shared information too. I realize that Agustin and you were friends in this game, but I do hope you know that I loved our conversations and I think we really worked well together. I knew I was never going to be able to beat you in the end, and you were such a strong player. One of my best moves was aligning with you for the first half of the game because it set me up in a position where I had all the information I needed to turn the game around and take control during the trail nominations. P.S. I think I'm pretty cute too wtf :P

Alex:

Hey dude! From day 1 to the day you were voted out, you were my number 1. Before you were evicted I did want to go to the final 2 with you. You became one of my bestfriends in this game. This may be harsh but at the time I thought that if I kept playing the way that I was, I would beat you in a final 2 scenario anyway. I was never going to turn my back on you. I had many final 2s in this game because I honestly just liked so many people in this cast. I saw benefits to working with almost everyone and these f2 deals worked out for me immensely. Once you were gone, I had to create new final 2s in Keegan and Lauren to keep me safe and in the know.

Zach:

Hi Zach! I honestly believe that my game was vastly superior for multiple reasons. Firstly, I made gamechanging moves (trail nominations, secret idol play with Keegan) and I made subtle moves (Multiple final 2s, throwing comps to minimize my target). Both of these types of moves allowed me to play a PROACTIVE game. I was always setting myself up to not only be safe for the current week, but for future weeks too. Compared to Agustin who could only hope for REACTIVE moves that weren't even always made by him. I never needed people to use a veto on me, because I was never really nominated. I believe I was never nominated because I made sure that I was always important to the people that had power. Even when you were HoH, I wasn't nominated. I was voted "most likely to win" in Touchy Subjects. In my time playing ORGs, that is usually a death sentence. I was able to overcome that stigma by making sure I was a important piece to other people's game, all while making sure my targets went home. Also, a simple explanation of whose game was better can be broken down to me having 2 comp wins compared to Agustin's 0. I was nominated 2 times compared to Agustin's 6. I beat Agustin in basically every "stat" there is. That plays into why I took him over Ryan. Ryan played a game very similar to mine. I truly think Ryan played a better game than Agustin. I believe that even if you and some other jurors were closer to Agustin in game, you are all fans of the game who will vote for who played the better game. And it is undeniable that my game outclasses Agustin's in almost every category.

My biggest regret in this game was that I didn't talk to you or Agustin more. I think we could have done lot's of things together in this game. But at the same time, I needed some sort of "enemies" to keep my allies thinking I was not against them. You were evicted because we saw you as somebody who had the power to sway people. You are such a likable person that it's hard to go against you. People are drawn to you naturally. That was something that really scared me. James and I never had an official f2, but we had an agreement of the sorts of "you don't put me up, I won't put you up". James hadn't turned his back on me yet, so that's another reason I voted to evict you. I had already nominated you, and you had just taken out my best friend in the house. I just didn't see you in my plans moving forward, and I don't think I was in your either. So I had to strike before you got me.

Adrian :

Thank you Adrian! I really am glad I had the chance to get to know you better because of HoS, and I cna really see why people say you are a dangerous player now!

1- I thought it was a good time to use it because in a double eviction, lots of things can go wrong. I decided to use it before the veto because I had a date the next night while the veto was being played, so if it was a twist that would shake up the house, I needed to do it before then. I didn't want to use it before because as you know, my early game is all about being UTR and playing all sides. I didn't' want to force my hand so early.

2- It's hard to say because that week was so early into the game. I think there was a good chance of me going home that week. Obviously nothing is certain but I would say the chances of me getting evicted were probably 50/50. We don't know how the veto would have played out if the noms stayed the same so it really is a crapshoot. If I went out then, the whole season would have been different!

3- Well Jenna and Alex were my f2s in the first half, up until their evictions. I think I would have naturally gravitated towards Keegan/Lauren earlier than I did if Alex/Jenna weren't around in the early game. But I was also working with Elsa/Ryan early but no real f2 deal was ever made.

4- I wouldn't have led Lauren on during f5. I could and should have just been more upfront with her about my plans. She deserved that respect, but I did her a little dirty. I felt like a dick even if I knew it was best for game. I don't like seeing anybody get hurt, especially if I'm the cause. I think she wouldn't have been so hurt if I had just been more honest with her.

5- Yup! I've got lot's of regrets, not so much gamewise, but how I treated people. The Lauren backdoor at f5, I should have been more honest with her. I should have taken the time to get to know people a little more, like more than just as a player in this game (mainly Zach and Agustin) because I really do like everyone here.

Keegan:

Love you bae! Thanks for the kind words.

Lauren:

Your eviction was the hardest decision I had to make all game. Even harder than F3. Obviously it worked out because I'm here, but even without being results oriented, I think it was the best decision. I thought that if I was on the block in F4, James or Agustin would vote to save me. I was the biggest threat at F4, and I wasn't super good at comps. I was a real easy vote out at final 3. Meaning either Agustin or James (whoever was in final 3) were guaranteed a spot at final 2 if I was saved. Your eviction set up that scenario for me. I'm also was never 100% sure if you would take me to f2 or not, but even if you did I thought I would lose against you.

Lauren you were one of my fave people I met in this game, and I hope we can stay connected after it's all done. I loved being you partner in ios and I really wish I had the chance to redeem myself with you.

Ryan:

Jenna - Jenna is such a fun person! She is a true defender of pineapple on pizza so I will always be a stan. My fave thing about my talks with Jenna was hearing all her stories about her and her boyfriend. They are honestly goals. I would love to go out with them if I'm ever back in Toronto.

Alex - My talks with Alex were mainly talking about other orgs that we were hosting or playing in, and the struggles of being in those roles. Alex and I talked a lot of game, but I found it really fun to discuss strategy with him. I learned a lot about Alex and who he is as a person through our strategy talks, like how he likes to find his number 1. Which I think applies to both irl and in game.

Zach - Admittedly, I didn't have much of a relationship with Zach. What I did learn about him in our few talks is that he is such a personable guy. I think in most season's we would have aligned together because we both view the game in very similar ways.

Elsa - I hope Elsa is having a great summer back at home, and she isn't too worried about starting school again! Elsa is such a kind and open minded human being. I can't think of anypoint Elsa saying anything negative about anything. I think Elsa and I would be great friends irl.

Adrian - I've known Adrian prior to HoS17, but Adrian and I had little bit of a rocky host/player relationship going into this game (mostly my fault, sorry for being an ass in Quebec lol). I honestly ADORED being able to talk to him as equals and really getting to know him this season. We talked a lot about work, and I know how hard he was working during this season. His kids week program meant a lot to him so I was happy to see that go well.

Keegan - Keegan and I bonded over a mutual friend. We also talked a lot about work, and our futures outside of work. He sent me so many dog pics I think my compute memory is all used up. Similar to Alex, later in the game, Keegan and I mainly talked about the game because we honestly were having so much fun talking about it. From finding the idol, to planning how we wanted the game to go, Keegan was always a blast to talk to.

Lauren - Lauren would rather carry me wedding style than piggyback me :P. Lauren and I became closer and closer as the game went on. Her dog is honestly the cutest.

James - We didn't talk much but we were ALWAYS on the same page gamewise. I see James' personality almost identical to his game (to me at least). He is just a honest straight up guy.

Ryan - I remember our first discussion was about fucking Degrassi LOL. You and me are probably the most similar people in this house imo. We take orgs seriously, but not too seriously. We both are chill dudes that just want to smoke a bowl and see some drama.

I'll be the first to admit I could have done more to get to know everyone. I think getting to know someone is only part of having a good social game. The other part is getting that person to trust you. I think I was in almost every juror's (minus Zach) top 3 for most trustworthy at some point in the game. So in that regard, my social game wasn't terrible.

Closing statement:

So I think I've said everyting I've wanted to say about my game. I just want to highlight the fact that when all this is over, I'm going to look back at HoS17 and say I was able to not only survive the armageddon, I thrived in it. I never played anyone else's game but my own. I applied for this game because my friend Brett (season 16 winner) sent me the application and told me that this game would suit me well. I just wanted to give him a shoutout and say thank you to him, because he was right! I honestly adore everyone involved with this season. I've had such a great time pulling off #bigmovez and somehow escaping unharmed. I think if you look at mine and Agustin's game, you can easily tell who really took this game and ran with it. I thought I was a goner once I was voted "most likely to win", but here I am at the end.

Love you all. Tatertots out <3

#hos17

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survivorsentinelislands · 7 years

Text

EPISODE 13: I DON’T REALLY BELIEVE IN BRINGING GOATS TO THE END ~Sam

Tribal went great! Well, for me anyways. DAISY was voted out, much to her surprise and anger. Honestly though, if you ask someone you've barely talked to all game to vote out their closest ally, don't be surprised when they don't vote with you.

Immediately after tribal, Josh messaged me and gave me a speech as to why I should vote with him moving forward. It's an interesting thing to consider.

Are Sam and Ned truly the threats people are making them out to be? I don't know. Am I willing to risk it? Maybe. Maybe not. We'll see how things turn out going forward

Ned won immunity. I would have definitely preferred to win it myself but oh well.

Josh has given me some pretty good reasoning to flip over to him, and with Carsons help, vote out Sam.

This decision breaks my heart because I love Sam. She's just awesome and I've had so much fun playing this game with her. But she's also a huge threat. Josh and Carson aren't threats and would not be able to win, unless the jury was super bitter.

I don't know if I'll vote Sam, I have a lot to think about.

I kept meaning to do a confessional before last tribal but I forgot. I did however take the hosts on a roller coaster ride in my host chat so I'm gunna paste all of that here!

So earlier this week I was literally thinking to myself about how tame I've been during this game, like I haven't gone cracked super crazy bitch in my host chat or anything but I think I jinxed myself because now it's all coming at once and I am getting so paranoid and it's 2 in the morning and I can't sleep so obviously my mind is wandering and I have nothing better going on so I can't stop thinking about this game, but like I'm really hoping that Daisy and Ned aren't thinking about flipping on me, if anyone wanted to make a move against me they would need to run it by Ned or Daisy, I mean I guess they could pull Josh in for a tie but I'm pretty sure that Josh would tell Daisy so tomorrow I'm putting operation "save my ass even if I'm just a paranoid bitch and it's not really on the line" into effect, so I'm gunna talk to Daisy and she strikes me as the emotional player so I'm gunna pull on her heart strings and play up the whole "Logan brought us together they'd be so proud to see we all made it to the end together" blah blah blah, and I'm gunna try to talk to Carson a little more, and hope that Keegan will have responded to me by the time I wake up then I'll just keep reinforcing the whole Ned and I going to the end together thing. I'm really hoping that I'm just getting paranoid because frankly if I were in any of their positions I would totally take me out but I don't know maybe they won't, but let's be real I am the 6th place queen of one series why not start that trend in another?

Tomorrow I just need to be a social butterfly but not too social and make sure that no one wants to cut me right now because I would be so upset and I would let everyone who drafted me down But if I do get a hint of anything shady I still have the idol and I can play it and put everyone at risk

[2/27/2017 12:35:17 PM] Keegan: So, Daisy came to me last night saying she wanted to vote you out

THAT

SNAKE

I KNEW IT

I FUCKING KNEW IT

[2/27/2017 12:49:59 PM] Drewbert: Before you sits a magic lamp on a table. You rub the lamp and a genie comes out and holds its hands out to you, silently telling you to pick one. Which would you like?

[2/27/2017 12:52:02 PM] Sam: left

WHY DIDN'T I PICK RIGHT FUCK!!!!

but I'm happy Ned found the idol because Ned having it is like me having it

[2/27/2017 12:55:00 PM] Keegan: Alright, so I didn't actually plan on telling anyone this until I used it, but I have an advantage that gives me an extra vote

KEEGAN MY FUCKING HERO

So during all of this Ned, Keegan, and I made a new alliance chat and decided that we would take out Daisy with Keegan's extra vote. It turns out that we didn't even need the extra vote though because like damn Daisy didn't think her plan through. She decided that Josh, Keegan, and her would all vote for me, Ned and I would vote for Carson and she would leave Carson out and vote for Josh. Even if she got Josh and Keegan to vote for me, Ned and I were probably going to try to flip the vote on Josh anyways so like oops we would have tied probably. But she was already acting sketchy like oops saw right through her. The vote did work out in our favorite but Carson was left out of the vote again fhsdlfkjsd I need to work on my relationship with him because honestly I think I'm going to need it. I think next time I'm really going to need to win immunity because if Carson and Keegan talk Ned and I may be in trouble. And I know that Ned could probably beat anyone left in the game in a challenge but like I really want to win the immunity because that would be better for him if it goes to firemaking.

I'm really hoping that Ned passes me his idol for me to play on myself instead of him playing it on me because that could be bad for us at F4 if people think we're an obvious F2. We're most likely voting out Josh tonight and then Ned wants Keegan next. I love Keegan and I really don't want him to go but Ned thinks that we need to bring Carson as a goat. I don't really believe in bringing goats to the end. It's unfair to all of the people who actually played hard and the fact that we have 2 in the final 5 is just sad. But at the same time I'm the one who took out all of these good players ahflksfd oops. But I really think that I could win against Keegan because I really have played a great game. I really DID THAT this whole game. Plus I think that Keegan would be so mad if he literally saved me and then I just got rid of him right before the finals. Because I am just assuming it's going to be a final 3. No one has speculated anything else besides Drew who has mentioned "how many seats will there be?" but I also know that Drew has said before about seasons that if the hosts are the one hyping up the possibility of a final 2 and trying to cause paranoia it's probably because it's going to be a final 3 and they just wanna see what drama they can start. So that could really be it. I guess we'll see after tonight. If it's a final 3 then we'll get ROP tonight so I really hope we do. But also I'm going away this weekend and I'm really afraid that I'm not gunna have time to do the FIC. I really really need to win that because I've done too much this season to risk losing it all at firemaking. Especially if firemaking is an endurance challenge and I have to go up against Keegan.

So i may hav e just saved my ass tbh like i may have convinced keegan to vote out sam so wooooohooo go me! i hope this somewhat proves i can stand on my own two feet

Oh yeah, I found an idol. I'm going to give it to Sam and she'll play it on herself, and I'm already immune, so we're guaranteed to get through this round. We're voting out Josh because he's got Daisy's vote in the end, and we think we may be able to work with Carson if we new to.

I'm a snake and an awful person and I don't deserve to win.

I'm sorry Sam.

why are the people here so crazy?

like.... i have no idea where i stand the fuck

[8:17:45 PM] Drewbert: (*) NED HAS GIVEN YOU A HIDDEN IMMUNITY IDOL (*)

WOOOOO I LOVE NED!! I've been so paranoid all of a sudden! I feel like something is happening tonight but I don't know what and I'm so glad that I have this idol for this protection! I know owe my life to both Keegan AND Ned so like whew we'll see how this goes! I don't know exactly what is going to happen tonight but I know that it won't be me and it won't be Ned and that's all I really care about.

#fatdipofthatguac

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