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pencil-peach · 7 months

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GWitch Onscreen Text: Episode 8

Part 9 in my ongoing attempt to transcribe all the written text in G Witch, cause I'm just that cool ! We're currently on Episode 8: "Their Choice."

<<Click here to return to episode 8!

Let us begin!

Not text, but in the opening scene, Lilique is told by Aliya that she'll "have trouble with men" in the near future during their divination session. This is foretelling how Renee will destroy her MS in the Grassley duel because she rejected John Van Simmon's lunch invitation.

TEXT: GUND-ARM Inc.

During Miorine's impromptu enlisting of Earth House to help run GUND-ARM, we see the spray painted sign that Miorine and Suletta made beforehand leaning outside the door. Given that they definitely didn't make the sign at Earth House, I like to imagine that they made the sign, and Miorine was like:

"This is the worst. Suletta, help me carry this sign to Earth House."

S: "W-why, Miorine-san?"

M: "They're going to be working at the company so I'll just have them make a better sign."

S: "Oh, did you ask them?"

M: "Not yet."

S: ????????????????????????????

TEXT DUEL BETTING ODDS TYPE OF BETTING: SINGLE RANK | ID. No | NAME | ODDS

| KP003 | SHADDIQ ZENELLI | 1.3

| LP041 | SULETTA MERCURY | 1.9

| KP002 | ELAN CERES | 2.7

| KP001 | GUEL JETURK | 3.4

| KP014 | SABINA FARDIN | 6.9

| LP029 | OLTA SHUBACCA | 7.6

| KP013 | LAUDA NEILL | 9.1

| LP022 | JONAS MOUWEN | 9.8

| MP028 | RAGNAR OOLES | 11.4

| LP013 | RENEE COSTA | 13.3

During this scene where Martin and Ojelo are talking, we get a look into the betting program he and Nuno are always using, and we get to see the top 10 ranked duelists at Asticassia at the time of this episode.

Of special note: Shaddiq is currently at rank 1, and due to the gray up arrow next to his rank, we can see this is a recent change in his rank. But considering that he doesn't duel very often, (at this point he currently has 7 wins and 0 losses) we can probably assume this is because Suletta has knocked both Guel and Elan from the top spots, leaving him alone at the top. His Odds are at 1.3

Suletta is currently at Rank 2, and we can also see by the gray arrow that this is a recent promotion. She probably rose up after defeating Elan. Her odds are 1.9.

Elan is Rank 3, and the red down arrow means he's recently been demoted, presumably after losing to Suletta. His odds are 2.7

Guel, surprisingly, is still rank 4 with a 3.4. Because he's the only pilot at the school to have won a double digit number of duels, his Win - Loss ratio is still presumably one of the best, even with 2 official losses.

Sabina is rank 5, with a 6.9. She's not only the second highest ranked pilot in Grassley House, but is the 4th best among all the other members of the main 3 houses. Even at that, her rank is 6.9, 3.5 points below Guel's. It really goes to show the gulf between the best pilots and the VERY best pilots at Asticassia.

Lauda is rank 7, with a 9.1. Still top 10, but he's eclipsed by Guel even at his lowest. It's nice to see proof pre-Schwarzette that Lauda can hold his own, and it gives more context to his statement that "[With a Gundam's power], he's a match for his brother." He's probably never beaten Guel in a duel, and with the difference in their results, he's probably never come close, either. On some level, he probably resents him for that.

Renee is rank 10, with odds of 13.3. We don't learn much about Renee, but we know now that she's the 3rd highest ranked pilot within Grassley, underneath Sabina and Shaddiq, but the gulf is large.

I don't think there's any way in hell to figure out how the odds are calculated, (I've tried.) but we know that the lower the odds, the higher your rank.

Because the names are color coded, we can actually see how many members of each house are in the top ten. Grassley - Shaddiq, Sabina, Renee (3/10) - 30% Peil - Elan (1/10) - 10% Jeturk - Guel, Lauda, Ragnar (3/10) - 30% Earth - Suletta (1/10) - 10% Unknown House - Olta, Jonas (2/10) - 20% (These two names are color coded the same, so I'll assume they're in the same house, as 'unhoused' students have the standard blue color coding : e.g Miorine)

Okay, we're ALMOST done here, but, because Ojelo often says the odds of a duel out loud during it, we can actually track the odds of Guel, Elan, and Suletta up to this point. (Ojelo always says the odds in terms of Person he's betting on's odds - Opponent's odds.)

Guel: Episode 3 Odds: 1 Episode 5 Odds: 1.4 Episode 8 Odds: 3.4 1 - 1.4 - 3.4

Elan: Episode 5 Odds: 1 Episode 6 Odds: 1 Episode 8 Odds: 2.7 1 - 1 - 2.7

Suletta: Episode 3 Odds: 8.6 Episode 6 Odds: 2.7 Episode 8 Odds: 1.9 8.6 - 2.7 - 1.9

HUAHH okay, let us continue

This is the Recording System that opens when Prospera sends her all of Aerial's past data. The screen is similar to the one that appears when Eri is speaking to Lfrith, but other than that there's not much info that can be gleaned here.

Not text, but I really how during the scene where Suletta asks Prospera why she lied to her, and Prospera continues to lie to her about why, Suletta's face is drawn in a way that's uncomfortable to look at once she falls for her manipulation.

This scene is also where Prospera tells her outright that Gundams are safe, and for nearly the entire rest of the series, Suletta repeats this, even when faced with direct evidence to the contrary because she wholeheartedly believes her mother would never lie to her for no reason.

Okay okay FINAL non text thing I PROMMY, but this scene implies that at some point, Suletta spoke with Shaddiq about the situation with her mom for at least a little bit at some point. I wish we got to see that.

TEXT: NEXT > THE ASTICASSIA SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY WE WILL SHORTLY ARRIVE...

I wonder why Shaddiq was on this flight anyway. Probably to talk to Sarius or something.

TEXT: Preparing disclosure documents for investors Application for Registration of Incorporation (Benerit Group Student Business Startup Program) Articles of Incorporation to Benerit Group Legal Certification Division Business Plan for Benerit Group Internal Entrepreneurship Committee Business Plan for Student Business Startup Program Documents for Benerit Group Grant Review Committee Broadcast License for PR Video Documents to Open Corporate Account Application for Special R & D Financial Transaction Business Application for MSP Certified Factory Application for Establishment of Sustainable Enterprise

This is the list of all the various things and registrations the company needs to take care of

Not text (sorry i lied) but I think it's interesting that the video Miorine watches of her father's speech is a secondhand recording and not an actual recording of the event.

Some closer looks at the editing software used to create the PR video. The name of the raw video file is GUND-ARMInc.PV01, and the placeholder text for the GUND-ARM Inc. Logo is GUND-ARMInc.PV02.

Also all of the silly visual effects like the hearts and musical notes make sense when you realize they had Suletta edit the actual video.

We can actually see Till's rough sketch of the GUND-ARM logo on his tablet screen, complete with construction lines. That's why they have to use a placeholder in the editing software, it's not complete yet.

When Miorine chooses the data files to cast to the screen, the 3 video files are named GUND CARDO NABO MS

The files are dated by year, so all of these files were recorded in A.S. 101.

youtube

Here is all of the editing (blessings) in the GUND-ARM PR Video 1. When Suletta walks into frame, the video is covered in a filter that makes hearts and stars appear on the screen. When the video cuts the first time, the filter changes to one that makes various musical notes appear on the screen. Then when it cuts again the filter is gone. 2. Suletta walks into frame, and then tries to correct her position, and then it cuts back to a shot of her in the original spot she was standing in. 3. Aerial is horribly keyed into the shot, and you can see bits of the green screen behind it. Tiko also walks in front of it and they didn't know how to edit him out. 4. When they begin the dance, each step cuts to a later time of day and Suletta looks noticeably more exhausted, which means they kept having to re-record it. 5. They kept having to edit Aerial's arms to make the dance moves work.

They move them around

And they stretch them.

I like that Prospera laughs at the video, because for her, it's probably like watching her daughters having fun and playing together.

The food for the party that Suletta and Miorine are bringing are from ASTICASSIA FOODS.

TEXT: ASTICASSIA SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY STUDENT REGULATIONS

STUDENT REGULATIONS >> SUPPLEMENTAL STUDENT BUSINESS STARTUP REGULATIONS ARTICLE 53 PARAGRAPH 3 SAFETY VERIFICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY USED IN STUDENT BUSINESSES. EDIT APPLY

The part of the school regulations that Sabina edits for Shaddiq.

HOYAAAHHH!!! MISSION COMPLETE! This one was a DOOZY...but i've actually been wanting to talk about the betting program for a WHILE and I'm glad I finally got to..! My final gift...errmmm

In a way, I guess they did, in the end, huh?

Click here to go to Episode 9. >>

Click here to go to the Masterpost.

#g witch #gundam the witch from mercury #Youtube

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boredhufflepuff · 2 years

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laura dern and sam neill carried jurassic world dominion that is all

#jurassic world #jurassic world dominion #laura dern #sam neill #alan x ellie

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peaceoutofthepieces · 2 years

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hi!! i have an idea for a heartstopper fic if it's a prompt that you're interested in. I was thinking maybe Nick gets into a fight with his brother for homophobia reasons and he shows up at Charlie's place crying but Charlie is out with Tao or something so Nick gets comforted by Tori until Charlie gets home? :) if you're interested! no pressure if not

I literally started writing this as soon as I got the ask. I’m not sure it’ll be exactly what you were hoping for but I hope you like it!! :) ❤️

(edit: I’ve been informed nick is actually older than tori if you know how the uk school system works, so now this fic feels a bit redundant. sorry)

—

Nick only had one destination in mind when he stormed from his house and let the door slam behind him. It wasn’t even really something he thought about at all; he left with his heart still thumping, his nerves twisting and fraying, with an embarrassing, frustrating pressure building behind his eyes, and his feet carried him where he needed to go.

He faltered only briefly at the realisation he’d left Nellie behind, and she’d get antsy if she noticed, and he debated whether it was worth going back. He shook the idea away without even taking a full pause between steps. He wouldn’t be able to take Neille inside at the Spring household, anyway, and while usually he’d be very much down for a walk, he didn’t think he’d make it far, currently. More simply, it wasn’t what he wanted, or needed, right now. He wanted warmth, and kindness, and comfort, and the specific sort of safety that came from closing himself away with those very things.

He wanted Charlie.

This was the simplest truth. He hadn’t even had time to think about wanting to get away from David, or wanting to scream at him, or wanting to hit something, or wanting his mother to come home and be on his side and fix it, for all the while she could. He didn’t even think it was because of the precise way David’s words sliced into his chest, or the way his fingers had been curling in rage with the need to defend, take care, protect that had nothing to do with himself.

Charlie would probably consider that part of the problem, but, well. Nick would accept that gentle lecture from Charlie, once Charlie was holding him. That would be fine.

He was even more eager to collapse directly into his boyfriend’s arms when he finally reached Charlie’s house and found himself winded, not having realised how quickly he’d been trying to get there. At least it’s not raining, he thought, just a few houses away, right before he felt the first drops.

Jesus fucking Christ. It was fine. It would be fine. He’d done this before, plenty of times, and it was always worth it once he was with Charlie.

Only Charlie didn’t open the door. Tori did.

Nick swallowed down a frustrated whine and tried to control his heaving breaths. He was still enough out of sorts that his words came out quick and fractured. “Hi. Sorry, uhm, is Charlie here?”

Tori swept her gaze over him. “No. He’s gone round to Tao’s,” she said, oddly carefully. She apparently finished her examination and was unsatisfied with what she found. “What’s wrong with you?”

Reality swam in around Nick and drowned his hopes in the space of one sad blink. Charlie wasn’t here. Nick had only wanted Charlie. “Oh, it’s—I’m—that’s fine.” His voice cracked. More than once. His lips pinched at his own pathetic state, and he attempted to draw himself together some. It was difficult, when the thought of having to turn around and head back, alone, was making his chest tighten and stomach squirm. He swallowed again and looked up at Tori. He rarely got to do that, he thought, and usually this would have amused him. “Can you just—can you tell him to text me, when he gets back, or something?”

“You didn’t bother texting him first, then.” Tori raised a brow as Nick stared at her.

The truth was, he hadn’t even remembered to take his phone.

He closed his eyes, briefly, realising how stupid everything he was saying must have sounded, realising how utterly sad he must have looked, evidently having rushed through the rain with an emotional breakdown impending and now begging for his boyfriend. “I—Yeah. Right, no. I can…I’ll just text him, later.” He stepped back, twisting slightly, the next heave of his chest having nothing to do with exertion.

“Nick.” Tori sounded at once exasperated and serious enough that Nick immediately looked back up at her, pulling his lips between his teeth. She looked like she was already regretting what she was about to say. “Do you want a cup of tea?”

That…wasn’t what Nick was expecting. He blinked at her, then looked down the street. Back towards his house. Then he glanced upwards, at the sky which had grown darker and heavier and which was releasing steadily larger, colder drops of rain, as if the universe was sharing his feelings, crying its own tears in response to his misery. He thought it was unlikely the universe cared about him that much. He slicked his wet hair off his forehead and hesitantly returned Tori’s gaze. “You don’t have to.”

Tori just heaved a sigh and stepped back, pulling the door open so there was enough space for Nick to come through. Nick couldn’t help a slight smile as he did just that.

He toed his shoes off as Tori closed the door behind him, then turned around to find her watching him reprovingly. “I’ll go put the kettle on,” she said. “You go steal clothes from Charlie’s room. Half of them are probably yours, anyway.”

Nick wrapped his arms around himself, smiling sheepishly as his body threatened to shiver with the sudden temperature change. Tori only rolled her eyes at him on her way into the kitchen, and Nick sucked in a breath and plodded his way upstairs.

He did, in fact, easily manage to find a pair of his own sweatpants and many of his sweaters. He pulled one on then immediately paused, closing his eyes as he took in a slow breath. This one must have been snatched some time ago. It smelled more like Charlie than him. He wrapped his arms around himself for another moment and glanced longingly at the bed, debating if he could get away with tucking himself up in it until Charlie came back and, hopefully, joined him.

Without actually having to think on it for too long, he turned and padded back down the stairs to the kitchen instead.

He hesitated in the doorway, watching Tori where she was leaning forward watching the kettle, hands on the counter and a mug already sitting out. Sensing him, she looked over her shoulder, and this time seemed to approve of what she found. She nodded once to herself, then tipped her head in the direction of the table—where one of the chairs had already been pulled out, with a folded blanket laid pointedly on the seat.

“Sit,” Tori ordered.

Nick walked over to the chair, picked up the blanket, and sat. Still watching Tori, he hesitantly wrapped the fuzzy fleece around his shoulders, then tugged it tight when he realised she was paying him no heed.

When the kettle boiled and she was pouring water into the mug, Tori asked, “Did you text Charlie, then?”

“Oh. Uhm.” Nick hesitated, scratching his nose. “No. I, uh. I actually haven’t got my phone with me.”

Tori managed to look severely unimpressed even whilst dipping the teabag in the mug a few more times before tossing the remains. “Want to tell me why you were running about in the rain, then?”

Nick curled into his blanket. “It wasn’t raining when I left,” he muttered. He expected Tori to pass him the mug, but instead she went and got the milk from the fridge and poured that in for him, too. She gave it a few little swirls with a spoon, then finally set it on the table in front of him. Nick felt overly warm, but not in a way that made him want to discard his blanket. He smiled up at Tori and murmured a soft, “Thanks.”

She didn’t respond, but stood and looked at him for a moment. Occasionally, that would make Nick twitchy. He couldn’t tell what Tori thought of him, sometimes. He didn’t know what Tori thought of anything, really. But Tori always seemed like she knew what everyone else thought; yet she never demanded it be told to her. Nick knew through experience with Charlie that Tori was, quietly, all steady support and infinite patience, given the right motivation.

“David was being a prick,” Nick eventually mumbled.

Tori’s look went a little softer. “More so than usual?” she asked wryly.

Nick’s lips twitched, but he only shrugged, wrapping a hand around his mug and drawing it towards him. “Not really, I guess. I just—I’m used to it, when he’s insulting me, but it’s—it wasn’t just about me.” His voice quietened as he went along, until he was barely mumbling the last word and Tori’s expression was turning stormy.

“What did he say?” she demanded, tightly.

Nick offered her his own wry smile. “Does it matter? You don’t want to hear it and I don’t want to repeat it.” Then, quietly again, “I’m sure your imagination won’t be far off.”

Rather than pushing him, Tori shifted her dark look away to snatch the milk and return it to the fridge. Her movements had calmed considerably by the time she was closing the door again, now with a bottle of lemonade in hand.

“You’re not even having tea,” Nick realised, looking down at his own mug with faint distress. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I make tea for Charlie all the time,” Tori dismissed, although Nick didn’t think it quite equated. He didn’t bother pointing this out, though; just felt that warmth again and hid his smile by taking a sip.

He thought he was content leaving it at that, but as he watched Tori pouring her lemonade, he realised much of his tension had fallen away. He felt comfortable, and with that came the urge to spill. “He was just…being such a prick,” Nick repeated, blurting it out and making Tori look up at him in surprise. “And I’ve heard all of it before, every petty insult about being disgusting and pathetic and whatever else, childish crap just like Harry and his mates would have come out with.”

He held on tighter to his mug. “I just—I don’t understand how he can even say things like that, when you bring Charlie into it. Charlie’s the nicest person in the world,” Nick said, equally forceful and helpless, as he looked up at Tori. Her eyes had softened. “How can anyone say anything bad about that? Can’t they see it’s impossible not to love someone as lovely as that?”

“Well, I don’t know, because I agree with you,” Tori said, popping a straw in her glass and giving it a lazy swirl. “But I think Charlie would probably say the same about you.”

Nick—paused, the rest of his body going still as his hands, holding his mug, swayed by his chest. He leaned forward and rested his forearms on the table, doing his best not to shrug off his blanket as he set his tea down, feeling his cheeks warm along with his chest this time. “Yeah,” he said, barely audible. “Yeah, he would. He has, actually. Although, I’m—I’m not sure how many people would agree.”

“I think there would be plenty.”

Nick looked up in surprise, but Tori was only watching him with a raised brow; as unimpressed as ever, but for the slight upward curve of her lips.

Abashed, Nick looked back down and shifted in his seat, taking a hand from his mug to tug the blanket tighter around him again. The safest move seemed to be moving on, but Nick found he couldn’t entirely change the subject—that he didn’t want to. “Have you and Charlie just…always gotten along, then?”

“Well, we’re still siblings. We’ve had silly arguments and things like that. It would’ve been worse when we were younger. Mostly because Charlie was a brat.”

Nick snorted. “Right, yeah. Charlie.”

Tori gave him a blank, somehow-still-scathing look.

Nick took a hurried, innocent sip of his tea. At least they were back to normal.

“I think it helps that we’re closer in age,” Tori continued, skipping right over the interruption as she settled down across from Nick. “We’ve always sort of been doing everything at the same time. We’re on the same page.”

Nick looked down into his tea, drumming his fingers against the mug. “Even if you weren’t, though. I mean—even if you fought more. It wouldn’t really make a difference, would it? You just—you love him a lot.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

Nick nodded. He already knew that. He’d been with Charlie long enough to know exactly how he and Tori interacted, had seen firsthand the close relationship they had, the easy love between them. He knew that Tori had been through a lot, with Charlie, and that it wasn’t easy, but she had never blamed him for it. He knew she never would.

“Nick,” Tori said, and waited for him to look up at her. “It’s David’s own fault that he’s a prick. This is all him. Not you.”

This, again, wasn’t what Nick expected to hear. He knew that Tori was far from David’s biggest fan, and that she’d very quickly pick Nick if asked to take sides. But it was different, hearing it. Tori still didn’t have any reason to comfort him, and yet she was. It might not have seemed like much, but Nick knew Tori didn’t do feelings much in general, and he knew exactly what her comfort looked like. He’d been in close quarters to it occasionally, but never actually on the receiving end. They’d shared a sort of silent, supportive shoulder, sometimes, whilst both of them were offering all their outward support to Charlie. But this time it was solely about Nick, and that was different.

It was nice. Really, really nice.

“Yeah,” he said, eventually. “I guess, I just wish—like, if I had to have an older sibling, I wish they were more like you.”

Tori leaned back slightly, blinking at him.

“That was stupid,” he said quickly. “Gosh, sorry, I don’t—”

“Well, I will be, eventually,” Tori cut him off, all sudden nonchalance. When Nick stared at her blankly, she added, “When you and Charlie get married, obviously.”

Nick blushed, instantly. He blushed brightly, his cheeks absolutely flaming as he stammered, “I don’t—that’s not—God, shut up.”

Tori laughed at him. A quiet, but full-on belly chuckle that he didn’t think he’d ever heard from her. It made her look oddly joyous, and that made her look pretty. “You sounded just like him, then. You’re rubbing off on each other.” Her face quickly melted into a grimace. “Oh, no, wait, that’s not a mental image I wanted.”

“I take it back,” Nick said. “We’re literally the same age, so it doesn’t count anyway. I take it all back.”

“No, you don’t,” Tori said, light but confident. Nick supposed she had every right to be; she was right, and he didn’t. “And I am still older than you.”

“A few months do not count.”

“Years are made of months, Nicholas. That’s how time works. If I hadn’t been born until the third of September, I’d still be older than you.”

“Alright, but that’s not—you know my birthday?”

Tori blinked at him again, caught, then calmly said, “I know it’s after September third.”

It was September fourth, and she clearly knew it. Nick grinned, and hid it by taking another sip of his now-cool tea before Tori could go back to scowling at him. Although, he realised, he’d never really minded that, either.

“It’s okay.” He found himself admitting, “I know yours, too.”

This seemed to throw Tori, though she didn’t lose her composure long. “Well, it’s not that far off Charlie’s. And you’re obsessed with him, so it makes sense you know everything about everything around here.”

Nick grinned, unable to help it. He also couldn’t help thinking this was the kind of teasing meant to be had between siblings, a vaguely–insulting banter rather than anything truly mean. Rooted in care, rather than cruelty. It was something some part of Nick had always quietly known he wanted, with every barbed word that David threw at him, with every shouting match that sprouted between them. With every instance of watching Charlie turn to his older sister without an ounce of hesitation, and seeing Tori never once turn him away. It was something he wanted more than he ever let himself think about.

He thought he wasn’t far from having it, though.

That was also really, really nice.

“Yeah, I am,” he said easily, unashamedly, in a belated response to Tori’s teasing. She sipped her lemonade, in what Nick understood as an attempt not to smile at him. He could have been wrong, but after the past half an hour or so, he was feeling differently.

That was how Charlie found them a little while later, appearing in the kitchen doorway and focusing immediately on Nick. He beamed. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Nick returned, smiling just as idiotically back and feeling the last tendrils of tension let go of him.

But Charlie’s face had slipped into a frown, and he was over at Nick’s side in an instant, his hands landing on Nick’s covered shoulders. “What are you doing here? Are you alright? Sorry, I was at Tao’s, I would’ve let you know if I knew you’d wanted to come over. Why have you got a blanket?”

While Nick tried to process all the questions at once, Tori was already getting up to refill her lemonade and answering for him. “He was smartly escaping his idiot brother and stupidly getting caught in the rain.”

Charlie glanced at her while she spoke, then immediately went back to frowning down at Nick. “Did something happen with David?”

“Nothing unusual,” Nick assured. “Just more shouting. He was being a right prick, though. Mum was out.” He reached up and looped his arms around Charlie’s waist, tilting his head against Charlie’s stomach. It made his blanket slip, but Charlie caught it and got it adjusted, then left his arms there, close around Nick’s shoulders.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Charlie asked quietly.

Nick watched Tori, who had leaned back against the counter to watch them in return, and shook his head. “Maybe later. I’m okay now.”

Charlie passed a hand through Nick’s hair. “Okay.” After a moment, he noted, “I had that jumper.”

“You did,” Nick readily agreed. “That doesn’t mean it’s yours. Neither are these pants. When did you even manage to steal any of my sweatpants? There’s at least another pair up there.”

Charlie, prepared for the accusation, resolutely responded with, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Then, “Can I have that jumper back, though?”

“At least wait until we’re alone before asking me to strip, Charlie.”

It had the double-intended effect of making Charlie blush and Tori mock-hurl. Nick grinned, and felt Charlie’s reprimanding tug of his hair. It would have been more effective if Nick didn’t tilt into it. Charlie smiled down at him, cheeks still a little pink. “How long can you stay? Have you been here long?”

“A bit,” Nick shrugged. “I didn’t really know when you’d be back. I thought you might be late and wasn’t going to hang about, but Tori let me stay.” He smiled slightly, again, even as Tori just took another silent sip.

“Yeah, well. It’s almost dinner time, so…” Charlie trailed off with an awkward, uncomfortable little shrug, but Nick smiled at him.

Casually, lightly, he asked, “Having something nice?”

“Well, that depends on your appreciation of Tori’s cooking.” Charlie pulled a face at Nick before shooting his sister a teasing grin. Tori narrowed her eyes and sipped her lemonade, extremely unimpressed.

Nick pretended to think it over. “Nice, then.”

“If you think that’s going to get you an invite to join us,” Tori said, tipping her glass at him, “fine. You’ll be able to do all the dishes.”

It wasn’t entirely unexpected—especially after the day they’d already had—but it still sent that same, unfamiliar wave of warmth through Nick’s chest. It wasn’t like the warmth Charlie brought him, or the comfortable, cosy feeling that lay along the bottom of his heart for his mother. But Nick was surprised to find it held a similar weight.

His eager agreement was only delayed long enough to check with Charlie, who was able to confirm his permission with only a smile and a nod—he seemed slightly surprised, himself.

“Deal,” Nick told Tori, tipping his cup of tea back at her. She came forward to clink her glass against it, then gave him her devilish little smile and spun away to start cooking.

When Nick came to the Springs’ to see Charlie the next day, it was with a full bottle of Tori’s favourite lemonade under his arm. Charlie appeared baffled, but undeniably pleased as Tori accepted it with an incredulous, you’re-an-idiot look, then proceeded to pour herself and Nick a glass.

Charlie started to look downright concerned.

“I just wanted to thank you,” Nick told Tori awkwardly, scratching the back of his head with his free hand—the other holding his lemonade. “For yesterday. You didn’t have to let me stay, or make me tea, or talk with me like that. I…I appreciated it. I do appreciate it.”

Tori considered him for a moment, then finally gave him one of her small, genuine smiles. It reminded Nick of her laughter, yesterday, and how nice the hints of happiness looked on her. He wondered if it had anything to do with Michael Holden, if their odd friendship really was working for Tori as well as it looked to be from the outside, and then he wondered if it could just be because of him. He liked the idea of earning himself some of Tori Spring’s smiles.

“That’s what older sisters do,” she eventually said, breezy despite knowing the significance of what she was saying—of what it meant to Nick.

It was much easier to get him smiling, and he was doing so helplessly now, the warmth that had flickered into being in his chest yesterday spreading through him until he was coated in a happy glow. Tori rolled her eyes, but Nick thought she looked rather pleased with herself.

He liked the idea of Tori Spring wanting to earn some of his smiles, too.

#heartstopper #osemanverse #heartstopper fic #nick nelson #tori spring #charlie spring #nick x charlie #prompts #my fics #in my head tori has always been older #but well #there you go

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hallmark-movie-fanatics · 4 months

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Hallmark Original Series Spotlight

When Calls the Heart

Season 5, Episode 5 'My Heart Is Yours'

Directed by Neill Fearnley

Written by Richard Manning

Starring Erin Krakow, Lori Loughlin, Daniel Lissing, Jack Wagner, Pascale Hutton, Kavan Smith, Aren Buchholz, Eva Bourne, Martin Cummins, Andrea Brooks, Johanna Newmarch, Loretta Walsh, Mark Humphrey, Paul Greene, Max Lioyd-Jones, Charlotte Hegele, Garwin Sanford, Carter Stanton, Hrothgar Mathews, Ben Rosenbaun, Ava Grace Cooper, Jaiven Natt, and Imogen Tear.

Premiered March 18, 2018 on the Hallmark Channel.

Synopsis (via hallmark channel.com):

Jack and Elizabeth are counting the days down to their wedding. Abigail worries that with only three days left, there is still a lot of work to do, including finding a pastor to perform the ceremony. Abigail sent message to Frank in Cape Fullerton, where he's been volunteering, but she's gotten no reply. Elizabeth has with Frank will arrive for the ceremony but just in case, Abigail says being mayor also grants her the authority to perform the wedding ceremony.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth notices the her students are having a hard time paying attention in class. They all tell her that they are excited for her wedding and want to help decorate the church. Since it's a special occasion, Elizabeth agrees and gives the students a break from their studies so they can start decorating.

Later in the day, Jack gets a welcome surprise when his brother Tom arrives in a brand new car. Things have changed since the two last saw each other and Tom is now a traveling salesman for a tore company. As the two catch up, Tom Tells Jack that their mother can't make the wedding due to a back injury, but Jack is just still thrilled that's little brother will be there with him.

Earlier, Bill received word that the Mounties need Jack to escort an inmate to jail in Cape Fullerton. Instead of passing the message to Jack, Bill plans to do the job himself. Outside of town, Bill meets up with another Mountie who's watching over the prisoner, Joe Yancy, head of the Yancy Gang. While Bill prepares to escort Joe to Cape Fullerton, he spots two shadowy figures outside the secluded cabin. Just then, gun shots ring out and Bill throws Joe back into the cabin and barricades the doors.

Back in Hope Valley, a familiar face bursts into the café, surprising Abigail and Elizabeth. Elizabeth's sister Julie has arrived for the wedding, she passes along regrets that their mother can't make it. Mrs. Thatcher is on London helping Viola with her newborn baby, but Mr. Thatcher is on his way to Hope Valley for the wedding. Julie then heads to the church to help decorate for the big day.

Outside of town, gunfire continues to fly at the secluded cabin. Bill is pinned down with another Mountie and the wanted criminal Joe Yancy. Bill suddenly realizes that in his back pocket, he has Jack and Elizabeth's wedding rings and needs to get the rings -- and himself -- to Hope Valley in time for the wedding.

Back at the church, Julie is busy organizing the decorating effort. Suddenly, she turns around and is surprised to see none other than Tom Thorton standing in the church. The two exchange pleasantries before Julie finally asks Tom is he has a date for the big event. The reply is welcome and Julie does her best to hide the widening smile on her face.

At the café, Carson and Abigail are busy prepping the ingredients for the wedding dishes. As they talk and chop, the café door opens and Frank walks inside, carrying a bouquet of flowers. Frank tells Abigail that nothing would have kept him away from Jack and Elizabeth's wedding, and wraps her in his arms.

Night falls and Bill is planning his escape from the cabin. Bill slips outside through a root cellar and makes his way behind the gunman. One by one, Bill disarms the gunmen and ties them up. With the situation under control, Bill can proceed with the mission and escort Joe to prison.

Back at the church, the students are rehearsing their parts in the wedding. Cody attempts to light the candles but he trips, causing the lit candles to spill and setting the curtains on fire. In an instant, the flames expand and the entire church is engulfed. Jack and Elizabeth find Cody who tells them that Opal is still inside the church. Jack sprints into the burning church to find Opal, while the rest of the town rushes to the church with pails of water. Moments later, Jack runs out of the burning building with an unconscious Opal in his arms. He hands her too Carson who rushes her to the clinic. Jack then turns around and he and Lee return to the church to help put out the fire.

The next morning, some of the town gather at the church to assess the damage. Elizabeth arrives to let Jack know Opal will be fine and is still in Carson's care. Jack inform Elizabeth that there's been a lot of damage to the church. Rosemary delivers the devastating news that Elizabeth's wedding dress was also destroyed in the fire. Seeing her burned dress brings Elizabeth to tears. Unwilling to admit defeat, Abigail marshals everyone to rebuild the church and make a new Dres in the remaining day and night before the wedding. It will be a challenge but everyone agrees to give it their all and the entire community comes together to help.

Later in the day, Elizabeth's father William arrives. Elizabeth greets him as he steps off the coach and he can immediately tell something is wrong. Unwilling to see his daughters wedding ruined, William rolls up his sleeves and joins Jack and the other men as they work to repair the church. Meanwhile, the ladies get together to start drawing up sketches for a new wedding dress, and Dottie donates all the fabric to make it.

Lee and Jack find some alone time to talk about the big day. Jack admits he is nervous about the wedding but Lee tells him he had the same pre-wedding jitters before he married Rosemary. It happens to everybody.

Elizabeth shows her father her house and he wants to know how she is holding up. When she says she is nervous, William tells her she has no reason to be; she is marrying a good man who is devoted to her. He also presents her with a present from her mother: a delicate floral headband that Mrs. Thatcher wore on her wedding day. William gets misty-eyed as he recalls a young Elizabeth jumping into his arms. She reassures him that despite her getting married, she will always be his little girl.

The wedding day arrives and Rosemary and Abigail take a moment to to give Elizabeth advice for a successful marriage. Meanwhile, Jack puts on his Mountie uniform and prepares to head to the church. Tom tells his big brother that their father would be very proud of his son on this special day. Just as the two pack up to leave, Jack remembers he is missing the rings and Bill is still nowhere to be found.

Hope Valley begins to gather in the church for the wedding of the year, and Julie is busy with the children, getting them ready for the ceremony. Phillip approaches Julie and tells her that he doesn't have any rings to put on his ring bearer pillow. Just as panic begins to set in, Bill rushes through the door, wedding bands in hand.

Moments later, everyone takes their places and the wedding begins. All eyes turn to the bride, arm in arm with her father, as she walks down the aisle. Jack grabs her hands and Frank begins the ceremony. Jack and Elizabeth begin to say their vows, promising their love and commitment to one another forever. Frank pronounces the two husband and wife and they share in a passionate kiss as their family and friends gimme them a standing ovation.

The reception begins at Abigail's Café and the guests each take a turns congratulating the blissfully happy husband and wife. Julie takes a moment to tell Tom about her upcoming art show in Hamilton, inviting him to attend. Bill takes the stage to toast Jack and Elizabeth, Abigail follows with her one toast about love. Afterwards, Willim takes his daughter's hand for the father-dughter dance. As they dance, Jack taps William on the shoulder and asks if he can cut in. William agrees and Jack and Elizabeth take to the dance floor. Jack whispers to his new bride, "Finally," and the two share their first dance. The rest of the guests follow their lead and everyone joins on the dance floor.

#hallmark spotlight #hallmark series spotlight #when calls the heart #s5 e5 my heart is yours #hallmark channel #hallmark original series #photo preview #erin krakow #daniel lissing #pascale hutton #kavan smith #jack wagner #lori loughlin #season 5

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scotianostra · 1 year

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St. Columba is said to have been born in Donegal, Ireland on this day in 521AD.

Born into the royal Ui Neill (O’Neill) clan, Columba demonstrated scholarly and clerical ability early in life. Entering the monastic life, he was first received his training from Finnian of Moville and then from Finnian of Clonard. Even before his ordination to the presbyterate, he founded the monasteries of Derry (546) and Durrow, and probably Kells.

Twelve years after his ordination, he and a dozen companions left Ireland for Iona, a small island off the coast of what is now the southwest of Scotland. According to legend, Columba’s tiny coracle had washed ashore on the island, and the Irish king of Dal Riada, a Gaelic kingdom in the western isles and Highlands, made a gift of the island to him. Columba remained in this northwestern part of the island of the British Isles for the rest of his life, returning to Ireland only for occasional, though important, visits.

On Iona Columba founded the celebrated monastery which became the center for the conversion of the Picts, who were still largely pagan. He was kindly received on his missionary journeys among the Picts and the Irish of the Dal Riada and was allowed to preach, to convert, and to baptize. He converted Bruide, king of the Picts, and in 574 he consecrated Aidan, king of Dal Riada.

Columba founded two churches in Inverness and made long journeys throughout the Highlands, as far as Aberdeen. From Iona, his disciples also went out to found other monasteries, which in turn became centers of missionary activity.

The principal source for Columba’s history is the Life written by Adamnan, one of the most influential biographies of the early Middle Ages. Though disappointing as an historical document, this Life is a portrait of a charismatic personality and skillfully presents miracles, prophecies, and visions from the Iona tradition. From its pages Columba emerges as a tall, striking figure of powerful build and impressive demeanor, who combined the skills of scholar, poet, and overseer with a fearless commitment to God’s call.

For thirty years, Columba evangelized, studied, wrote, and governed his monastery at Iona. He supervised his monks in their work in the fields and workrooms, in their daily prayers and in their study and teaching. He imparted spiritual counsel to those who sought it, and he gave his counsel in solving the problems of neighboring rulers. Because he retained a sort of oversight of his monasteries in Ireland, he returned to there to attend synods of the Church, and thus established Iona as a link between Irish and Pictish Christians.

His skill as a scribe can be seen in the Cathach of Columba, a late sixth-century psalter which is the oldest surviving example of Irish majuscule writing. It was later enshrined in wood, and then in silver and bronze, sculptured with figures of the saints. The Cathach was venerated in churches, used at visitations, and carried into battle as a reminder of Columba’s authority and power. It’s a remarkable relic, the third pic shows the cover it was held in.

Four years before his death Columba’s strength began to fail. He spent much time in transcribing books, and he died peacefully while working on a copy of the Psalter. Adamnan relates that he had put down his pen, rested for a few hours, and at Matins was found dead before the altar, a smile upon his face. He is recorded as having said, “This day is called in the sacred Scriptures a day of rest, and truly to me it will be such, for it is the last of my life and I shall enter into rest after the fatigues of my labours.”

Columba’s memory lived on in his monasteries and more widely in Ireland, Scotland, and Northumbria. His traditions were upheld by his followers for about a century, not least in the Synod of Whitby and in the Irish monasteries on the continent of Europe. His feast is attested in the Calender of Willibrord, a book written in that saint’s own hand in the late seventh or early eighth century.

#Scotland #Ireland #irish #holy man #religious figure #religious history #iona #history

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msclaritea · 4 months

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‘Unequivocally False and Baseless’: Bishop T.D. Jakes Issues Statement Denouncing Explosive Allegations Linking Him to Sean 'Diddy' Combs

Unequivocally False and Baseless’: Bishop T.D. Jakes Issues Statement Denouncing Explosive Allegations Linking Him to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

Posted byBy Nicole Duncan-Smith | Published on: December 23, 2023 CommentsComments (0)

Bishop T.D. Jakes has finally responded after his name was dragged into recent allegations involving Sean “Diddy” Combs. A spokesperson for the popular televangelist has called the claims that have been circulating on social media “unequivocally false and baseless.”

Rumors surrounding the “Women Thou Art Loosed” author began circulating on Monday, Dec. 18, when a video surfaced, produced by a person titled Tuff News TV, implying that Jakes had been involved in various events hosted by Diddy, engaging in same-gender relationships, and allegedly participating in inappropriate sexual conduct with a minor.

‘Unequivocally False and Baseless’: Bishop T.D. Jakes Issues Statement Denouncing Explosive Allegations Linking Him to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for MegaFest 2017 / Prince Williams/Wireimage)

The video claimed that the federal government ascertained evidence from Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who settled a civil lawsuit allegedly for tens of millions after accusing the hip-hop mogul of abusing her during their relationship for nearly a decade. This claim has not been validated.

Various social media influencers, like TikTok user Jusnene, whose clip on the subject received close to 2 million views, have shared the video despite not having proof that the content is true. The clip went viral, and within minutes, Jakes became a trending topic across various social media platforms.

Jakes has been married to his wife Serita Jakes for 41 years and they share five adult children. Over the years, he’s become a well-known public figure in the religious community, inspiring many with his books, sermons, and philanthropic work.

In light of protecting his reputation, Jakes’ team released a statement shortly thereafter regarding the veracity of the allegations and defending the pastor’s honor.

“Recent claims circulating on pockets of social media about Bishop T.D. Jakes are unequivocally false and baseless,” Jordan A. Hora, executive director of public relations and communications for the T.D. Jakes Group, T.D. Jakes Ministries and The Potter’s House said via an exclusive statement to The Christian Post Thursday.

Adding, “What has always been true, in the words of the late Pastor Charles H. Spurgeon, ‘If you want the truth to go round the world, you must hire an express train to pull it, but if you want a lie to go round the world it will fly; it is as light as a feather, and a breath will carry it.'”

Also, the executive vice president of TD Jakes Entertainment, Derrick Williams, has spoken out about Jakes seemingly hanging out at one of Diddy’s birthday parties a few years ago, claiming that his attendance was not abnormal because of his close connection to entertainment.

“As a filmmaker, executive producer, and one of the pioneers of value-based movies, Bishop Jakes, in his role as CEO of T.D. Jakes Entertainment paid respect to the former Chairman of Revolt during the celebration of his birthday,” Williams said.

Adding, “Bishop Jakes was in LA for important business meetings, and we felt that a quick appearance at the former Chairman of Revolt’s birthday event was the respectful thing to do since Bishop Jakes’ sermons are aired on the Revolt Network.”

In 2021, Jakes and Diddy announced Jakes’ show, “Kingdom Culture with T.D. Jakes,” on Revolt, a network founded by the troubled rap producer.

The 66-year-old pastor, who leads one of the top 50 most prominent congregations in America, is a father, grandfather, and trusted member of the community who has expanded ministry for people of all ages for decades. Despite the philanthropic work he has done in the world at large, and specifically the Dallas area, many were quick to not only believe the bloggers’ stories but make the unsavory allegations the butt of many untasteful jokes.

The spokesperson said that it was “disheartening to witness” how fast the rumor spread through social media, how quickly people were able to create “deepfake” and distort his words, and the massive “sensationalized misrepresentations, encapsulating purported statements to falsely speculate and attack others, including Bishop Jakes.”

“There is much more important work to be done to create a better world,” she said. “The Bible teaches us the importance of compassion and care for others, especially those who may be marginalized or in need. Chairman Jakes undeterred by false, perverse, ignorant, and conspiratorial speculations will persevere in his continued dedication to create meaningful change for millions around the globe guided by the timeless principles of compassion, service, and ministry.”

However, not everyone believes the rumors. Popular comedian Lil Duval tweeted, “I can’t believe y’all believe that T.D. Jakes s—t.”

With the rise of this most recent rumor, another one resurfaces. Many online have speculated that the Bishop also owns and runs, The Shade Room. This, too, was denied by Jakes.

“I do not own it. I do not have stock in it. I do not have shares in it. I didn’t know that even existed until I heard it,” he said at the top of the year. “Like most rumors, the person that they’re talking about discovers the information when they read it. So I do not own The Shade Room.”

“I am a proud investor in a lot of businesses, a lot of companies,” the preacher continued. “And The Shade Room is not one of them.”

Diddy seemingly denied the allegations in Cassie’s lawsuit as well as the three others that were filed after her. However, he has yet to speak on these allegations involving Jakes."

#Unequivocally False and Baseless’: Bishop T.D. Jakes Issues Statement Denouncing Explosive Allegations Linking Him to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs #I believe it 100%#TD Jakes is with Tyler Perry and the rest of the boack len who sold their souls and ass to Hollywood in exchange for fucking over women #P Diddy #Marshala Ali #Donald Glover #The Wayans #David Alan Grier #Eddie Murphy #Way Way More #Hollywood is Filth #Black Women #Black Twitter

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world-of-wales · 2 years

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THE WALES DIARIES ♚

On 5 October 2022, The Prince and Princess of Wales spent their day carrying out a series of engagements in Northern Ireland.

They started their day out by the mental health charity PIPS (Public Initiative for Prevention of Suicide and Self Harm) charity.

They spoke to staff and counsellors about the life-saving work that they provide to service users and how the organisation has worked to remove all possible barriers to support those experiencing suicidal thoughts. They also met Erin Quinn, aged 24, who has been supported by the charity and learnt her story.

William and Catherine also joined a group of volunteer counsellors packing the charity’s "Little Boxes of Hope" which are given to children following their time with the charity to assist their ongoing recovery.

They then visited the Trademarket Outdoor Market in the city where William and Catherine tried their hands out in making cocktails in a little Cocktail-Off.

During their visit learnt about the measures put in place to ensure that the site remains ethically and environmentally sustainable, including the removal of single use plastics and a commitment to paying staff a real living wage.

They also met spoke to local entrepreneur, Will Neill, and heard about his aim to showcase new businesses while also increasing footfall in a less visited area of the city centre.

For their final stop of the day Will and Cat visited Carrick Connect, a youth charity based in Carrickfergus which offers support services to local young people experiencing social or emotional difficulties. During their visit they also helped prepare some 'no bake energy bites' for the charity.

In between engagements William and Catherine spent a considerable time meeting and greeting well-wishers who had gathered and also carried out a walkabout at Carrickfergus Castle.

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usafphantom2 · 1 year

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What really happens to military pilots who desert to U.S. allied countries

Many settle down to live a quiet life, enjoying their newly discovered freedom.

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 02/26/2023 - 15:34 in History, Military

Deserters to the U.S. and other West-oriented countries usually bring military equipment with them - especially pilots. The hardware, in addition to its detailed knowledge of the armed forces of potential opponents, means that deserters have a lot to negotiate.

One of the most memorable scenes in the 1990 movie "The Hunt for Red October" is when the first officer of the Red October submarine, played by Sam Neill, describes how he would like to live as a deserter. "I would like to live in Montana," says Captain Borodin, who then describes how he would like to get married, have a pickup truck, maybe a trailer and travel from one state to another... without having to carry travel documents with him.

In 1981, Lieutenant Adriano Bomba decided to desert to South Africa in his aged Mozambican Mig 17 (serial number 21) and was intercepted and escorted by two SAAF F1AZ Mirage fighters.

It turns out that this is how deserters really live when they arrive in the West. After a decades-long hiatus, the news that a Russian engineer who worked on the country's bomber program is seeking asylum in the U.S. has brought the issue of deserters back into the spotlight.

Belenko's MiG-25, after landing in Japan.

Historically, it is known that pilots and others from totalitarian countries - including North Korea, the Soviet Union and Cuba - fly to freedom in distressing circumstances, facing an uncertain reception, only to be considered heroes in their new land. And they, apparently, like to travel around America without papers.

“Kenneth Rowe”

Lieutenant No Kum-Sok of the North Korean Air Force was one of the first pilots to defect to the United States. No separated from a formation of 16 jets and piloted his MiG-15 from North Korea to the Kimpo airfield in South Korea in October 1953, three months after the armistice that silenced weapons on the Korean peninsula. However, No was not the first MiG-15 pilot to fly west: two Polish pilots flew their planes to Denmark in separate incidents in the spring of 1953, but No was the first from North Korea.

U.S. intelligence extensively questioned No and studied his plane for comparison with the main U.S. jet fighter of the time, the F-86 Sabre. He provided valuable information, according to his American advisor, including "air units, personnel strength, structure and number of aircraft assigned to the respective units". The No fighter received markings from the U.S. Air Force (see above) and was sent to the U.S. for analysis.

After considerable flight tests, the U.S. offered to return the plane to its "legitimate owners". The offer was ignored and, in November 1957, was transferred to the U.S. Air Force Museum for public display.

Pilot No's MiG-15 is now on display at the USAF Museum in Dayton.

In the then disappeared in the vastness of America, taking the name of Kenneth Rowe. He became an American citizen in 1962, graduated in mechanical engineering and began working in the defense industry. In his later years, he was a professor of engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. At one point, his daughter asked why he changed jobs and moved with his family, and he replied: "This is a big country and I want to get to know every part of it."

A pair of "Farmers"

Other North Korean pilots followed suit. In 1983, Captain Lee Ung-pyong flew his MiG-19 jet to South Korea and defected. In two years, Lee was a colonel working in South Korean military intelligence and a millionaire - all thanks to South Korea's generous rewards for deserters.

A MiG-19 fighter piloted by Captain Lee Ung-pyong of the North Korean People's Air Force when he defected to South Korea in 1983. Today, the fighter is parked in an open-air museum in Seoul.

In May 1996, Captain Lee Chul-su, a senior pilot in the 1st Aviation Division, also defected with his MiG-19, to which he promptly joined the South Korean Air Force. According to the Korean Times, Lee served in the "ROK Air Force combat development group and other pilot training organizations" and gave lectures "on various subjects, including North Korean flight skills and tactics".

Foxbat flight

One of the most famous deertions of all time occurred in September 1976. Lieutenant Viktor Ivanovich Belenko of the 513 Fighter Regiment, 11th Air Army of the Russian Air Force took off in his MiG-25 fighter jet, codenamed "Foxbat" by NATO, from Chuguyevka Air Base in the Soviet Union. He would never come back. Instead, Belenko flew his jet to Hakodate, Japan, where he delivered his jet and announced his intentions to defect.

Notebook that Belenko used attached to his knee.

Belenko was one of the biggest prizes of the Cold War. The MiG-25 was considered a superhunt, capable of flying Mach 3. The Foxbat was built to defend the USSR from the equally fast strategic bomber XB-70 Valkyrie. It was also known to have a powerful Smerch-A3 radar and carry up to four radar-directed R-40 air-to-air missiles. Unfortunately, after U.S. intelligence was able to study the aircraft in depth, the Japanese authorities decided to return the aircraft to the Soviet Union.

MiG-25 aircraft was returned by Japan to the Soviet Union.

After the desertion, Belenko moved to the United States, where former President Jimmy Carter personally approved his citizenship. He also became an aeronautical engineer and consultant. The CIA, which questioned him after his desertion, considers his pilot's knee brace one of his most famous artifacts of the Cold War era. A people location site shows that he has lived in all major regions of the U.S., including west, midwest, northeast and south.

The reason

Viktor Belenko, along with pilots from the Top Gun School in the USA, after a flight in the F-5 jet.

Pilots who desert often do so for ideological reasons, preferring freedom and democracy to the suffocating control of authoritarian regimes. At the climax of "The Hunt for Red October", Captain Borodin, dying of a shot, whispers: "I wish I had visited Montana". Although fictitious, Borodin's character expresses a desire apparently mirrored - and lived - by real-life deserters.

Source: Popular Mechanics

Tags: Military AviationKorean WarCold WarHISTORYWar Zones

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work throughout the world of aviation.

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norabrice1701 · 1 year

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Play with Matches sounds interesting.

My dear @frmagpieao3 - thank you so much for the ask! ❤😊 Always lovely to hear from you and I appreciate you taking the time!

Play With Matches is an idea that will likely manifest in a different fic than where it's starting... but the general plot and a rough-draft conversation have landed on paper. This is born of my inexcusable crush on Sam Neill in the Reilly, Ace of Spies show where he plays the real-life secret agent inspiration behind James Bond - this gent, Sidney Reilly:

[Warnings for below the cut: M/F sexual content, explicit language, talk of death]

Play with matches, and eventually… you get burned. Such is the challenge in the business of time travel.

You’ve risen through the ranks from Junior Observer to Senior Explorer in Time. You command a top historical research position, taking months to prepare for each journey in everything from language to culture to the subject of study. And one day, you're assigned the study of Sidney Reilly, the so-called greatest spy in history with a legacy shrouded in rumor and myth.

You first intercept him in 1905 during an undercover assignment in a German shipyard. Posing as a shop girl, you begin your observation and study - but despite your subtle, discrete actions, he still notices you. It sets off every alarm bell that you know about time travel - rule number one is never interact with the subject of study - so, you play your interest in him off as flirtatious attraction (how better to distract him and hide the the truth about your presence?). But the chemistry that sparks between you is surprising and undeniable - to the point that the charade spins beyond your control, and you're all too willing to let him ruck up your skirt, to moan in his ear, to wrap your leg around his backside as he fucks you in a quiet alley.

Of course, it breaks every rule you know - and as you continue to jump through the preset points of his life, your paths continue to intertwine, and you hate the fire he stirs in your blood, the affection he stirs in your chest. You've underestimated his cunning, his intelligence, his ability to manipulate and maneuver - and he finds you out. Rather, he catches you with technology that shouldn't exist in 1910, and you've already fucked up enough, so why not confess the incredible truth about your time traveling presence?

But now, there's nowhere to hide - and you don't know what repercussions are waiting for you in your own century - so, you write him a parting letter before making your final jump. You tell him to forget you and to never speak of anything he learned from you. And you mail it to reach him after you've already left, except....

The sharp knock on the door makes your blood run cold. Abandoning your trunk, your heartbeat quickens as you step towards the door. You hope against hope, already dreading who stands on the other side. Wetting your top lip, you draw a sharp breath. “Who is it?”

“Sidney.” His familiar voice comes clipped, tight with an undercurrent of restrained displeasure.

A traitorous flutter warms your chest even as your face falls. The letter you sent him is supposed to spare you this final meeting - you’ve already broken so many rules and each time you interact with him just… fuck.

How have you managed to royally fuck everything up this bad?

“Let me in.” His voice carries the command with deadly calm. “Please.”

You bristle with indignation as you sigh and square your shoulders. Reaching for the lock and key, the door opens on its silent hinges to reveal his smartly dressed figure. No matter how many times you see him in his tailored suits, starched collars, crisp ties and dashing hats - it’s a sight that you never tire of. In fact, you’re almost sad to return to the modern fashion of your own century, but there’s nothing for it.

You’ve already lingered too long. You’ve let yourself get too carried away. You’ve jeopardized everything.

His handsome face is disconcertingly neutral as he regards you for a moment before stepping through the open door. Your throat tightens as you close the door and your heart hammers against your ribs. “I misjudged the timing of my letter, it seems.”

“Quite.” He says as you turn to face him. “But that implies that you intended to leave without saying goodbye.”

“For fuck's sake, Sidney.” You don’t restrain an eye roll as you push away from the door and head back to the trunk in your bedroom. “The letter is my goodbye. We have nothing else to discuss.” A scoff of disbelief leaves your lips as you shake your head. “There never should have been anything for us to discuss in the first place.”

“You have no one to blame but yourself for that.” His voice follows you over the soft thud of his footsteps. “Or did you think that I would be fooled so easily?”

“It was never about fooling you.” You shake your head again as you open the bedside table drawer and pull out the leather case within. “It never has been.” Turning around, your gaze inadvertently meets his and sparks ignite in your blood.

His eyes pin you in place with fierce intensity, as if he can see straight through you to the very essence of your being. “But that is why you were sent here, is it not? To observe and record my movements… to spy -”

“I’m a historian,” you cut him off with a shrug. “And yes, I understand that this is your world - that this is your present. But this world, this year - this is my past. And it’s hardly spying when your story is already written in the public domain.” You sigh, turning your back on him and setting the case inside the trunk. “I know where you’re going to be next year, in the next two years… for the rest of your life, in fact - and none of it is confidential. So you tell me - how is that spying when I’m confirming what I already know?”

You can practically feel his eyes burning through your back and a thrill of victory runs through you. Without waiting for an answer, you walk over to the wardrobe, opening the door with a soft creak.

“Except you don’t know everything.” He says with a quiet, self-assured tone. “Otherwise, why waste your time when history is full of so many other mysteries? Furthermore, you owe me nothing yet you still took the time to send a letter." His words send a pang through your chest that you don't want to acknowledge. "So, it stands to reason that there’s something you want…”

You shake your head. “Trust me, there’s nothing that I want from you.”

Your fingers dug into the rough wool of his jacket as each thrust of his hips drove your back against the grimy brick wall. The smoke on his breath clouded your senses, and you whimpered in his ear as he struck the deepest parts of you. Fire burned in your veins, your mind abandoning your body in its desperation for everything it craved from him.

Warmth blooms in your cheeks and you hope that he can’t see the memory in your eyes. You never meant to get tangled up with him that evening, you never meant to take your flirtatious charade so far… but in the end, it was exactly what you wanted. Perhaps it’s you that could be fooled so easily… to fall for his handsome looks, his natural charm, his easy charisma. Even when posing undercover as a shipyard fireman in grubby clothes.

You continue pulling clothes from the hangers and draping them over your arm with a resigned sigh. “Just go, Sidney.” You say, working a hard swallow down your throat. “The longer you stay, the longer you -”

“Prevent you from turning up someplace else in my future?” His tone darkens with reproach. “Prevent you from continuing your deist campaign in the lives of your unsuspecting victims?”

Your brow furrows as your movements slow. “Deist…?” It takes you a minute to dust the term off in your brain, recalling what you remember about the 17th century rationalistic theology. “If you’re implying that I think myself some kind of god or… Supreme Being - to do what I do, then -”

“But by your own admission, is that not your charge? To observe the lives of others over time without interference? Much like the watchmaker who sits back and lets the watch spin unimpeded.”

“Except I didn’t make the watch.” You counter. “I’m not responsible for your life or your circumstances anymore than I am anyone else’s. I’m just… well, I'm just supposed to be an impartial witness until I complete my study and leave.”

His face darkens with disbelief. “And then you disappear, leaving the subject of your study to their fate. So, tell me,” he tilts his head as his eyes narrow. “How does that not make you responsible when you could alter the outcome of someone’s life?”

Your mouth nearly falls agape. “By remembering that ripples of change in the present grow to be tsunamis in the future.” You say with an incredulous shake of your head. “If I traveled through time, altering events here and there… that would have unspeakable outcomes in my world, possibly even-” your words choke off with a scoff. “Accidentally undoing my own existence or bringing about an early end to humanity -”

“So, without remorse, you just leave those people - people like me - to our death in the full knowledge that you could spare us?”

“Everyone dies.” You lock your gaze to his resolutely. “I will, too, just as surely as you will - and no person or force on Earth can stop that.” The details of his death swirl in the back of your mind, and your stomach clenches uneasily. You don’t dare tell him that he will be captured by the Russians and face a brutal interrogation before the firing squad even though your heart aches to spare him such a fate. He’s just far too clever, too intelligent, too… larger-than-life to be brought down so plainly.

He holds your gaze in the deafening silence, and you long to know what he’s thinking. To see beneath his carefully crafted layers, to find the man that he is beneath the master spy. An uncertain sigh leaves you as you break away to glance down at the clothes on your arm before closing the wardrobe door. “I don’t know what you’re hoping to gain by coming here, Sidney - Sigmund,” you amend with his real name, darting your gaze back to him. “But I’ve already fucked up enough in everything that I’ve done with you, and I’m not about to go making it worse.”

“You assume, of course,” he says pointedly as his gaze leaves you nowhere to hide. “That your further involvement implies a negative outcome, but how do you know that for certain?”

You force yourself to look away, dropping the clothes messily into your trunk with a fierce shake of your head. “No - no, you’re not going to manipulate me like that.” Your heart sticks in your throat, not helped as his footsteps echo on the wood behind you. “It’s the fundamental rule of time travel, the chaos theory. And you -” Your words stall as you turn your head to find him materialized at your side. His intoxicating scent of smoke and clove fills your nose, making you want to bury your nose against his chest. He holds you with such captivated interest and tender regard in his stormy-blue eyes, and your resolve threatens to crumble - but dammit. You know what this is, you know what he is… yet, still…

You draw his scent deep into your lungs as you find your voice. “You have things in your life that you still need to do, and you’ll do them without ever seeing me again.”

“And suppose I stage a protest by locking myself away in my apartment for the rest of my days? Or taking a vow of silence?”

You arch a teasing brow. “Perhaps that’s exactly how the rest of your life plays out, hmm?”

He searches your face for the truth, and you hate how easily he finds it. “You’re a poor liar.”

“You would know, of course… as a professional.”

“You’re hardly one to judge – as a historian, is history not just a set of lies agreed upon? Or is that one of your noble endeavors in coming here? To sort factual truth from fictional lies?” His eyes bore through you, making your heart race. “You preach study and observation, and you assume ignorance… but all you’ve done is condemn me to a life of uncertainty.”

Realization slowly creeps in as you continue to drown in his captivating, searching gaze. You draw a sharp breath as you blink back at him in disbelief. “I can’t… actually tell you what happens to you in the future. If you know how everything ends, then you jeopardize everything even beginning – and that is exactly how chaos unravels.”

His gaze falls away from yours as he blinks, ducking his head in a moment of resigned consideration. It makes you wonder – how many people have actually resisted him? How many have told him no and succeeded? Nothing about that thought should stir more heat in your blood, but it does all the same.

“Then, tell me again,” he says softly, returning his smoldering gaze to yours as he raises a hand to brush against your forearm with a gentle caress. “How you’re not an omniscient goddess sent here to torment me?”

His touch sends sparks through you even as you scoff incredulously. “Fucking hell, you’re an impossible bastard.” Your voice sounds more uneven than you want as your breathing quickens. “Have you ever once been honest – truly honest – with any woman in your life?”

His eyes narrow with mild, teasing reproach as he leans in and your head tilts on responsive instinct. “I’m never disingenuous with my affection, darling.”

“Do you have any idea how incredible you feel?” He groaned against your neck, breath searing your skin. “Like you were made just for me…”

A dizzying surge of arousal slammed through you as you held him tighter, burying your face in his shoulder. Everything about this moment was so wrong but you’ve never felt anything so right as you hitched your leg higher on his hip, feeling him push in deeper, completely heedless of anything else in the dark alley.

Your body burns with growing need as his scent surrounds you and his radiant body heat draws close… so close. “I’m not talking about that kind of affection,” you still manage to say even as the protests of your mind drown under the thundering of your heart. “Besides, you can still lie just as easily with your cock.”

His eyes blow dark and wide as the corner of his mouth lifts with raptured awe. “By God,” he breathes with a hunger that reverberates deep in your core. “You are fire…” His lips brush your neck with a feather-light kiss and every nerve-ending comes alive. Your breath catches as he dusts another madding, tantalizing kiss to your skin, and your head tips back without permission.

Liquid heat burns between your legs, and your fingers yearn to reach out and touch him as your body runs away from your mind. “And you’re horrible.”

“I’m a lot of things, darling.” His mouth curls to a wicked smirk against your skin as his fingers on your forearm ripple shivers through you. “And yet you still tremble at my touch…”

You burn hotter, unable to hide from his shameful truth. Unable – unwilling – to run away from him when everything you know about this moment to be forbidden. His lips dance along your jawline and the last of your resistance dissolves. Even from his first touch, you can’t explain the connection that arcs between you, the primal language only his body has ever spoken to yours. If you’re going to leave him forever, and if this is truly the last moment that you have with him... then, why should you deny such a visceral force?

Your eyes flutter closed as his breath fans your lips in the fleeting space between heartbeats. You hover on the edge of eternity as your blood races, and when his kiss meets yours, you surrender to reckless abandon.

... As for the rest - do you yield and tell him the future? Do you alter the course of his life and history? Or is there a way to do one and not the other...?

Are you ready for, ready for A perfect storm, perfect storm 'Cause once you're mine, once you're mine There's no going back

#sweet ask #many thanks dear friend!#frmagpieao3 #from the desk of nora #reilly ace of spies #sam neill x you #sam neill x reader #sam neill #wip stuff #lazy saturday for creativity

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nyuquizbowl · 2 years

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This was my attempt to explain Quiz Bowl to the rookies. -->

The first "Jump Scare" on film is often credited to the unmasking of the Phantom in the 1925 Phantom of the Opera, based on the novel by Gaston Leroux. So, if you happened to be in quiz bowl, and the toss up said "For Ten points, name this author of Le Fantôme de l'Opéra," you could buzz in and say "Gaston Leroux."

Another popular jump scare tactic is the "Lewton Bus Scare," first used in Cat People in 1942, when a tense atmosphere is abruptly disrupted by a loud but harmless bus. So, if you happened to be in quiz bowl and the tossup said, "Simone Simon plays a character in this film who believes they have inherited the ability to transform into a large cat if aroused," you could buzz in and say "Cat people."

One technique used in Carrie, Friday the 13th, and Halloweeen is the "Final jump scare right before the credits roll to show that maybe the nightmare isn't really over." My favorite use of this is at the end of Event Horizon, when one of the rescue team pulls off his helmet and, gasp! it's Sam Neill! So, if you happened to be in Quiz Bowl, and the bonus part and said "This object was used in the movie Event Horizon to poke a hole in a folded magazine to demonstrate how bending space time with a black hole can transport someone instantly from point A to point B," You could confer with your team, agree upon an answer, and say "Direct a Pen."

#quiz bowl #nyu #nyu quiz bowl #academic bowl #academic trivia

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theuntitledblog · 2 years

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Jurassic World: Dominion (2022) - REVIEW

SYNOPSIS

Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, dinosaurs now live and hunt alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history's most fearsome creatures.

youtube

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom effectively killed any enthusiasm I had for this series with an uninteresting story about ... actually I can't remember the story of Fallen Kingdom at all which says a lot. It is an understatement therefore for me to say that I was not expecting good things from Dominion. The synopsis I've posted above doesn't help things much either; it's a generic synopsis that you can find with a simple Google search and it's also rather dishonest. While the end of Fallen Kingdom does set up this premise, Dominion chooses to ignore it completely. For the most part, these continuing story threads from FK remain disinteresting and unengaging for me BUT, despite my lack of enthusiasm going in, there is an entertaining film stuffed inside Dominion that does its best to show itself.

This is a film that I enjoyed all the way through and got never bored with which is something worth saying considering how bored I got with Fallen Kingdom; but there are lot of caveats with that. This is not a perfect film by any means and for all the things it does right, it does a lot that frustrate even more. Where it doesn't disappoint is when it comes to the visual effects and scale because the Dinosaur effects in particular that look very convincing. The film also benefits from some outstanding dinosaur based action sequences (Bryce Dallas Howards encounter with a Therizinosaurus and the whole group trying to escape from a Giganotosaurus) which introduces some new dinosaurs but also brings back some familiar ones as well. Jurassic World: Dominion is at its best for me when it takes things back to basics with the characters stranded in Dinosaur infested territory trying to survive one confrontation to the next. As it is though, the film does feel over stuffed with two separate plot threads that involve too many characters who get out alive and thus reduce the sense of peril.

Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard have carried this series playing two characters who are solid but sadly rather forgettable in the grand scheme of things. Jurassic Park was successful as it was because it had the right balance of spectacle, plot based ethical discussions, action set pieces and compelling characters. The Jurassic World series lacks this elegant balance and try as it might, Jurassic World: Dominion also fails in this respect. It does compensate slightly however and is elevated the most by the return of Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum's Alan Grant, Ellie Satler and Ian Malcolm respectively. It is their scenes mixed with terrific set pieces and some musical notes that reference Jurassic Park that give Dominion flashes of brilliance.

VERDICT

Jurassic World: Dominion is superior to the most recent two films and is filled with some terrific set pieces and the return of classic characters. But it is still filled with the same issues that have plagued the previous films with an overly complicated plot and too many forgettable characters. If anything, Jurassic World: Dominion and the Jurassic World series as whole left me feeling an even greater appreciation for Jurassic Park.

3/5

#jurassic world #jurassic world dominion #colin trevorrow #dinosaur #action #action film #survival film #chris pratt #bryce dallas howard #sam neill #laura dern #jeff goldblum #2022 #film review #Youtube

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themosleyreview · 2 years

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The Mosley Review: Jurassic World: Dominion

Do you remember the first time you saw Jurassic Park? I do. It was full of wonderment, terror, adventure and morality. The many themes that were explored in that film was truly astounding and the reason why it stands the test of time. The dinosaurs were amazing to witness as the blend of practical and digital technology was state of the art and brought dinosaurs to back to life. It was about them and the people that would try and escape those creatures. Now fast forward past the sequels to 2015 where dinosaurs are back in another theme park. Jurassic World opened a new avenue that had so much potential and also really highlighted the stupidity of the smartest people in these films. It was a fun ride don't get me wrong, but if it had stopped there then I think this franchise would've been saved from the absolute travesty Fallen Kingdom was and the abysmal finale this film was. I loved seeing the dinosaurs again and hearing the warm Jurassic Park and Jurassic World themes return, but sadly this film forgot to include the one part of the story that everyone cares about: the dinosaurs. These films have always had an environmental protection and evolutionary plotline consistently carry through, but now it takes the forefront. The amount of retreading the same plotlines, lack of tension and straight up espionage was tiresome and downright boring. Character development is almost completely out the window and its sad to say because there are some actually great performances that are bogged down by this mess of a film.

Chris Pratt returns as Owen Grady and he is straight up a superhero at this point. He doesn't really go anywhere new as a character, but it was fun to watch him do almost all the action in the film. Bryce Dallas Howard was good in the film as Claire Dearing and her chemistry with Owen is still intact. They're a great pair and do well together, but they spend most of the film apart. Isabella Sermon returns as Maisie Lockwood and she does well portraying the rebellious teen. She does double duty in the film and really shows some of range as an up and coming actress. DeWanda Wise was awesome as the pilot Kayla Watts. She handled herself so well in all of her scenes and she even stole the spotlight from the main cast. BD Wong returns as Dr. Henry Wu and you truly see the sadness that he carries from the destructive nature of his work. I loved that he finally learned from his mistakes and was trying to make things right after 4 films. Campbell Scott portrays the returning character from Jurassic Park, Dr. Lewis Dodgson, CEO of Biosyn Genetics. He was good as always and I liked that the character was eccentric and awkward at times. He was definitely the weakest villain of the entire franchise though. Laura Dern returns as Dr. Ellie Sattler and she was as radiant and badass as you remember her to be. Sam Neill dawns the iconic fedora again as Dr. Allen Grant and he hasn't skipped a beat. He is still his grumpy self, but is always up for an adventure. The chemistry between Ellie and Allen was the standout of the film and I loved that there is a flame still burning between them. The loveable Jeff Goldblum is back in black as Dr. Ian Malcolm and he is still the chaos theory loving hero we know and love. Seeing the three of them together again was magical and they all get their moments to shine.

The score by Michael Giachinno is thunderous and pulse pounding in the best way as this was the most action heavy of all Jurassic films. He excelled in delivering new, tension filled and emotional themes when the film called for them. Like I said before, these films used to be about so much more than just cheesy dialogue and ridiculous action, but now this film showed that the main focus was completely lost after Jurassic Park. Jurassic World at least took the idea from Park and ran with it. There were globe trotting elements of the film that I liked and the action was sometimes cool, but it became a boring and predictable action film that didn't need the dinosaurs in the long run. I'm not really spoiling anything, but the last 30 minutes of the film is exactly the same as the first Jurassic World and sloppily done I might add. I'm just glad that this franchise is now what it should’ve been after the first Jurassic World, extinct. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

#jurassic world dominion #Chris Pratt #bryce dallas howard #bd wong #isabella sermon #Laura Dern #Sam Neill #jeff goldblum

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