#over 270 hours and still going strong
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#thief: the dark project#well technically its a thief 2 fm but who give a shit#the fm is godbreaker for anyone who cares#im not kidding these games are the reason i havent made a finished painting in months#over 270 hours and still going strong
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Top Streaming Service Stocks: Choosing the Right Picks for Your Portfolio
Over the last decade, how people watch TV shows, movies, and videos has transformed significantly. Streaming services like Netflix and YouTube have become the go-to choices for many, surpassing traditional media. This change opens up investment opportunities for those who can pinpoint which streaming platforms can draw in viewers and make money.
Top of Form
Top streaming stocks
1. Netflix (NFLX)
2. Alphabet (GOOG and GOOGL)
3. Amazon (AMZN)
4. Disney (DIS)
5. Apple (AAPL)
6. Comcast (CMCSA)
7. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)
8. Paramount Global (PARA)
1. Netflix (NFLX)
Netflix has become a big name in streaming, changing how we watch shows and movies. With around 270 million subscribers worldwide, it's one of the few streaming services that makes a lot of money. Experts like Morningstar analyst Matthew Dolgin say Netflix is the best in global streaming and will likely stay that way for years.
Netflix's success comes from its huge audience and the many shows and movies it offers. They keep growing and making new stuff, which keeps people interested. So, if you're thinking about investing, Netflix might be a good bet because it's expected to keep leading the streaming world for a long time.
2. Alphabet (GOOG and GOOGL)
You might not think of Google's parent company Alphabet as a big player in streaming, but YouTube, which they own, is huge. People around the world watch over 1 billion hours of YouTube on their TVs every day. They also have a service called YouTubeTV, kind of like regular cable but streamed online, and it has over 8 million subscribers.
3. Amazon (AMZN)
Amazon, known for its online shopping, also has a streaming service called Amazon Prime Video. It's become a big deal, especially for people who subscribe to Amazon Prime. The CEO, Andy Jassy, told shareholders that they believe Prime Video can be a big and profitable business by itself.
Lately, Amazon has been adding ads to Prime Video, which has more than 200 million viewers each month. They've also started showing live sports like Thursday Night Football NFL games. This shows that Amazon is serious about growing its streaming business and making it even more attractive for Prime subscribers.
4. Disney (DIS)
Disney is changing the way it does business by focusing more on streaming. Their main service, Disney+, now has about 118 million subscribers who pay around $7 to $8 per month. Disney also owns other popular channels like ESPN for sports, ABC for news and shows, and the Disney channel for kids' entertainment.
Even though Disney has these great assets, it's facing some challenges as the industry shifts. Morningstar's Dolgin says that while Disney has advantages, the new way of doing things might not be as profitable as before. Still, Disney is adapting and finding ways to stay strong in the ever-changing media world.
5. Apple (AAPL)
While Apple is famous for creating iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers, it's also made a big streaming service called Apple TV+. They don't share a lot of details about it, but it's believed that around 25 million people pay for it, and more might get it through special deals.
Popular shows like Ted Lasso have attracted viewers to Apple TV+, and they've even started showing live sports like Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer. So, even though Apple is mainly known for its devices, it's also making a name for itself in the streaming world.
6. Comcast (CMCSA)
Comcast, a well-known media company, is shifting towards streaming with its service called Peacock. It owns big brands like NBC, Telemundo, Universal, and Sky. By the end of 2023, Peacock had around 31 million people paying for it, but it also faced a loss of about $2.7 billion.
To attract more subscribers, Comcast is focusing on adding live sports to Peacock. They've already streamed an NFL playoff game in early 2024, and they also show college basketball and football games. This move shows that Comcast is serious about competing in the streaming world by offering popular sports content.
7. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)
Warner Bros. Discovery is a big company that owns a bunch of popular media brands like HBO, CNN, Discovery Channel, HGTV, and more. They also have famous franchises like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and The Lord of the Rings.
At the end of 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery said they had nearly 98 million subscribers for their various services, which include HBO Max, legacy HBO, and Discovery+. This company came together in 2022 when Discovery merged with AT&T's media business, showing that they're a major player in the entertainment industry.
8. Paramount Global (PARA)
Paramount Global owns lots of popular media channels like CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, and Comedy Central. Their streaming service, Paramount+, had over 71 million subscribers by March 2024.
Right now, Paramount is thinking about merging with another company, but it's not certain if it will happen. They've been talking with Skydance Media, and they also got an offer from Sony and a private equity firm called Apollo, who want to buy Paramount with cash. These talks show that Paramount is exploring options to grow and strengthen its business.
Netflix started offering streaming services in 2007 and has become the biggest player in the industry. They have around 270 million subscribers worldwide as of March 2024 and made a profit of $5.4 billion in 2023.
Seeing Netflix's success, other companies jumped into streaming, but most haven't done as well. Big names like Disney and Comcast tried with services like Disney+, but they mostly lost money. Tech giants like Apple and Amazon also joined in, with varying levels of success.
Recently, Disney said Disney+ gained over 6 million new subscribers, and its losses in streaming got smaller. But the stock still dropped about 10% because they don't expect more growth this quarter and costs will hurt profits. Paramount Global, struggling to make money from streaming, is considering takeover offers. Sony and a private equity firm called Apollo offered $26 billion in cash in early May.
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Early on October 22, significant cryptocurrencies were trading a little favorable, with the international crypto market cap at $918 billion, up less than 1% from the previous day. The whole cryptocurrency market volume in the last 24 hours was $53 billion, a 21% boost. Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency, is combining near $19,145, up less than 1% throughout the Asian session. BTC has actually formed a tweezers' leading pattern, followed by an uptrend; usually, it shows the possibilities of a bearish pattern. Similarly, Ethereum has actually stayed steady under a strong resistance level of $1,300, increasing by less than 1%. On the other hand, market danger belief stays risk-off in the middle of expectations of a Fed rate walking. Top Altcoin Gainers and Losers The leading entertainers in the Asian session were Klaytn (KLAY), Chiliz (CHZ), and Casper (CSPR) The Klaytn (KLAY) acquired 8% to $0.14, while the cost of CHZ has actually increased by over 6% to $0.18 The CSPR cost increased over 5% to $0.045 Cryptocurrency Market Heatmap|Source: Coin360 The Chain (XCN) rate has actually fallen by more than 7% in the last 24 hours to $0.06 The rate of Elrond has actually dropped more than 5% to around $54 Fear & & Greed Index Signals Extreme Fear The market stays risk-averse, with financiers selecting safe-haven possessions such as gold and the United States dollar The worry and greed index in the market suggests " Extreme Fear," which might be among the factors for the general cryptocurrency market downturn. Fear & & Greed Index - Source: alternative.me Investors believe "Extreme Fear" is an excellent minute to enter the marketplace due to the fact that lots of cryptocurrencies are presently oversold, making it a possibly successful chance to go long on an oversold coin. Bitcoin Price Prediction & & Technical Outlook The present Bitcoin cost is $19,154, and the 24- hour trading volume is $31 billion. Bitcoin has actually increased by less than 0.50% in the last 24 hours. CoinMarketCap presently ranks initially, with a live market cap of $367 billion. Bitcoin Price & & Tokenomics - Source: Coinmarketcap Expert Panel Says BTC Could Reach $270 K by 2030 Bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency, and its cost has actually been forecasted to reach $270,000 by 2030, according to a group of 55 cryptocurrency professionals. This year's quotes still expect the rate of Bitcoin increasing. The panel of specialists surveyed by Finder, a cost contrast site, approximated that Bitcoin would trade for approximately $21,000 by the end of the year, below their earlier forecast of $25,400 Bitcoin rate forecasts: Source: Finder This website's specialist panel forecasted in April 2022 that the flagship crypto would end up the year at around $65,000 per coin. Although the panel anticipated that BTC would be trading at $420,000 by 2030 in April of this year, its brand-new forecast of $270,000 is substantially lower. In spite of a considerable sell-off in the cryptocurrency market up until now this year, the panel's forecasts have actually stayed positive. Bitcoin Technical Outlook On the technical front, Bitcoin is anticipated to experience instant resistance near the $19,300 level, which is accompanied by a balanced triangle pattern. Alongside this, the 50- day moving average (MA) keeps the BTC bearish under $19,250 On the advantage, a bullish breakout of the $19,300 level might expose BTC to the next resistance location of $19,650 or $19,950 Bitcoin Price Chart - Source: Tradingview On the other hand, a break listed below $18,920 assistance might press BTC towards $18,600 or $18,400 levels. Ethereum Prediction & & Technical Outlook The existing rate of Ethereum is $1,298, with a 24- hour trading volume of $9.9 billion. In the previous 24 hours, Ethereum has actually gotten over 0.50%. CoinMarketCap now ranks # 2, with a live market cap of $158 billion. Ethereum rate forecasts - Source: Coinmarketcap On the technical front, the ETH/USD set
has actually formed a rising triangle pattern, which offers instant assistance near $1,292 The mental level of $1,300 is acting as instant resistance. Furthermore, ETH's bullish predisposition is supported by the 50- day moving average. On the plus side, the significant resistance levels for Ethereum stay at $1,325 and $1,341 Ethereum Price Chart - Source: Tradingview Leading technical signs such as the RSI and MACD are now diverging, with the RSI showing a selling pattern and the MACD showing a purchasing pattern. The 50- day moving average, on the other hand, suggests a selling pattern in Ethereum. On the other hand, a bearish breakdown of the $1,292 level might bring ETH to $1,270 or $1,240 Casper Price Storms 27% Despite a downturn in the crypto market, Casper has actually increased by more than 27% in the last 7 days to trade at $0.046 As an outcome of its scalability, Casper (CSPR) can process a big volume of deals with ease. Energy effectiveness and scalability make Casper an amazing cryptocurrency to see. Casper Price Chart - Source: Tradingview Casper (CSPR) is an ingenious cryptocurrency that uses the proof-of-stake agreement algorithm. Casper (CSPR) utilizes less power than Bitcoin and comparable proof-of-work currencies since of this. The bulk of the optimism originates from the anticipation of the upcoming Casper 2.0 upgrade. There is presently work being done on Casper 2.0, and it will be offered to the general public quickly. An enhanced user experience is a top priority for the Casper group, so they're upgrading the software application with brand-new functions. Future enhancements consist of: A more robust agreement system. Unified journals and agreements. A dispersed network of validators. The brand-new upgrade is arranged for the very first quarter of 2023. Cardano's Hoskinson on CSPR The popular blockchain designer and creator of Cardano, Charles Hoskinson, just recently tweeted about the favorable element of the existing bearish market. According to Charles, this is the peak of Charles's Derangement Syndrome. Hoskinson utilizes the "not liking something or somebody for no factor" syndrome to interest his critics; this is an especially perverse method. Because of this, financiers are bullish on Casper for the foreseeable future. New Altcoin News Dash 2 Trade is an Ethereum-based platform that will supply real-time market information, insights, and analysis to cryptocurrency traders. The Dash 2 Trade presale began 2 days back and rapidly reached substantial turning points, going beyond $800,000 It's now over $859,633 and on track to reach a couple of more substantial turning points in the coming hours. While anticipating the future is challenging, provided its strong principles, D2T appears to have an extremely intense future. Visit Dash 2 Trade now Find The Best Price to Buy/Sell Cryptocurrency: Cryptocurrency Price Tracker - Source: Cryptonews Read More
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Still taking asks? What's siorc society like and how do they interact with humans? Also are their actual merpeople, like with human upper bodies and fish tails?
i am ABSOLUTELY taking asks anon!! i always am 👀
as for siorc! lets go this will be LONG bc ive been thinking about this, for such a long time
modern human relations
siorc are rumoured to be-and really, factually ARE-the most dangerous hanghenfil to humans.
while they're not as physically strong as some other hanghenfil like shifters-they have the unique advantage of incredible coordination in a group, and are the only hanghenfil known to have organised armies.
(basically imagine how organised a shoal of fish moves, then give those fish humanoid form and intelligence and weapons, and theres like 60 of them and theyre all climbing up the sides of ur ship at superhuman speed)
were they not restricted to living by big bodies of water, or the obvious issue that technology doesn't work in the fuckin ocean-they'd probably have given humans an incredible run for their money at being the Top Species
thats why in Present Day humans have an (if somewhat shaky) peace agreement with siorc. siorc and humans trade whatever their main export is (the kingdom faldurs family rules sits on a hefty undersea deposit of gold) and humans don't fish in siorc territory, in return for...not being attacked.
disclaimer to above rule is if humans DO fish (or sail in a way they don't like, honestly) in siorc territory, siorc are within their rights to do whatever they want to them. it's free food bro
old timey human relations
it's not so prevalent anymore, but back when ships were a prevalent form of transport, sailors-or often entire ships- would often go missing in siorc territory
accounts are few and far between, but most have a consistent theme of siorc calls being eerily similar to human singing and chanting. it's still not known if this is coincidental, or intentional mimicry evolved to target humans specifically.
some theorise that the song itself has an entrancing effect on humans due to some kind of magic, but it's unconfirmed.
the sailors lucky enough to escape siorc encounters often described them as ethereally beautiful, and those not attacked by entire shoals of siorc describe individuals as targeting lone sailors, often singing to and holding their face before they're dragged underwater.
this is where rumours of mermaids originate-sailors captivated by the singing but lucky enough to escape alive, would never see the legs of the creatures...what else is gonna be there but a fish tail right
perhaps as a comfort to soothe those who lost loved ones to siorc, a very common rumour is that the kiss of a siorc allows a human to breathe underwater for a period of time.
siorc biology
while their anatomy and biology is mostly unknown to humans, a small amount has been discovered.
their body temperature is naturally lower than humans...cold to touch :(
they get BIG...average height for a siorc is probably around 6 and a half-7 feet. they also live longer than humans and most hanghenfil, averaging out at around 160-200 years. they mature at age 18, but continue to age much slower than humans.
few studies have been done on how well siorc survive outside of water, though it is known that they need to submerge their gills and fins in water at least once every 48 hours or risk a slow and painful suffocation. over 24 hours of dryness and they get unbearably itchy...
there are different subtypes of siorc! they change markings and colour based on biome/water temperature, though the boundaries between types is not as well defined as it once was, with siorc travelling longer distances and mingling with other kingdoms.
royals (bottom row) also look different to common types! they're generally larger, stronger and live up to 270-350 years.
though there are no confirmed live sightings, fossils have confirmed that all types of siorc evolved from a deep sea variant. they were generally larger, stockier, and missing certain features of modern siorc-such as the vocal chords to express advanced speech or full dexterity in their hands
some siorc retain characteristics from their deep sea days, however, like bioluminescence, multiple rows of teeth or...horrifying unhingeable jaws, perhaps
siorc society
siorc all, obviously, live by/in the sea ! (or rarely a large body of freshwater..) some live fully underwater but the Preferred Setup is within access to isolated land. islands are fine but archipelagos are the favourite setup!
they carve out large cave systems underwater and often build structures on islands-these used to be purely for show to lay claim to the land as a status symbol, but are now where necessary technology (generally medical equipment and not much else) or items such as books or paper currency are stored
most (though not all!) live in kingdoms run by a royal bloodline-though if the reigning monarch is challenged, and the fight is won, the royal family is either exiled or executed-depending on the preference. this is a huge rarity, however.
due to royal siorc living so long, royals tend not to take the throne until they are a century old. the heir will usually take this time to train, and to choose their own heir (always a family member, typically their own child though not always!) and train them.
the training of a siorc heir is brutal and rigorous-physically and mentally-starting from age 13 and potentially running for decades. it's common for heirs to drop out of training, and for the trainer to run through multiple heirs in the decades before they take the throne.
siorc are a SUPER proud species, and do not take anything lightly. challenges will always be followed up on, broken agreements or rules will be punished, and should you slight a siorc, revenge is a certainty.
a small silver lining, however-on the rare occasion a siorc asks for help, they will grant a favour of whoever helped them, no matter how big or small, as long as it is within possibility.
#fredmusings#worldbuilding#siorc#long post#SORRY THIS GOT SO LONG i have many thots on it...#feel free 2 ask abt anythin u wanna know more about!!! i luv doin this stuff so much#fred draws
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tianshan chapters
once upon a time i started to make a list of all tianshan chapters to help me - and anyone else who needed it - to navigate them when i wanted to find something again quickly, then stuff happened, but now im back and i thought why not making an updated new and improved list? so here it is. i bolded the chapters where he tian and guan shan interact directly, while the others are ones where only one of them is present but that are still very important for their storyline, or they are both there but they make a very brief appearance. i also added a very short summary to help find what you need (they are not the best, but i tried). all the links should work, but let me know if i messed up any of them!!
chapter 116 - first meeting
chapter 117 - she li’s first appearance
chapter 119 - meeting in the school hallway
chapter 125 - guan shan and zheng xi’s fight pt.1
chapter 126 - guan shan and zheng xi’s fight pt.2
chapter 127 - guan shan and zheng xi’s fight pt.3
chapter 130 - meeting again
chapter 133 - bring me an umbrella
chapter 138 - you better cook something nice for me
chapter 144 - first time at he tian’s apartment
chapter 149 - twisting his balls
chapter 150 - you’ll answer to me from now on
chapter 154 - first mention of guan shan’s dad
chapter 155 - help me do something
chapter 160 - the note
chapter 166 - he tian rushing to jian yi’s place
chapter 168 - brothers
chapter 170 - following he tian
chapter 172 - boys being boys
chapter 173 - mo guan shan
chapter 174 - the kiss pt.1
chapter 175 - the kiss pt.2
chapter 177 - back home
chapter 178 - the deal with she li
chapter 179 - jian yi to the rescue!
chapter 180 - talking about helping guan shan
chapter 182 - the situation is more serious than they thought
chapter 183 - if you want to rescue others you have to become strong
chapter 184 - his business is my business
chapter 185 - he tian’s hurt hand
chapter 186 - all together at he tian’s apartment
chapter 187 - sometimes you can’t help but want to pull closer
chapter 188 - don’t shoulder everything by yourself
chapter 190 - he tian is the kind of person that sends dick pics
chapter 197 - brief appearance
chapter 199 - at guan shan’s place
chapter 200 - earring, for you
chapter 201 - quick! act natural!
chapter 202 - just a moment would be fine
chapter 203 - brief appearance
chapter 204 - teaming up to punish jian yi
chapter 205 - basketball match
chapter 210 - a hard working little red ball of fluff
chapter 211 - eating from the same fork
chapter 214 - in the elevator
chapter 216 - wanna try being a model?
chapter 217 - the restaurant
chapter 218 - the ride home
chapter 221 - brief appearance
chapter 222 - you... aren’t in love, are you?
chapter 223 - puppy pile
chapter 225 - 4 people under 1 umbrella
chapter 226 - dick peek
chapter 228 - he tian’s nightmare
chapter 229 - sick he tian
chapter 231 - why didn’t he tian come to school today?
chapter 233 - he tian! i don’t actually hate you that much!
chapter 234 - tomato sauce
chapter 236 - you are pressing on me down there
chapter 237 - i’ll pay you ten times the price
chapter 239 - that dog kind looks like he tian...
chapter 240 - father and son (guan shan's side)
chapter 241 - my puppy ran off
chapter 242 - alley fight
chapter 243 - together or not at all
chapter 244 - i won't let anything happen to you
chapter 245 - i've waited hours for you to wake up
chapter 246 - where's he tian?
chapter 248 - hospital visits
chapter 249 - butt injection
chapter 250 - dreaming of you
chapter 251 - father and son (he tian's side)
chapter 252 - he cheng
chapter 253 - friends coming over
chapter 254 - you came back
chapter 255 - he tian falling asleep on top of guan shan
chapter 256 - squeezed balls
chapter 259 - nightmare pt. 1
chapter 260 - nightmare pt. 2
chapter 261 - 'brother mo'
chapter 263 - let me borrow your jacket
chapter 264 - being last together
chapter 265 - the soda can incident
chapter 266 - call him 'brother'
chapter 267 - threatening she li
chapter 268 - cleaning the gym
chapter 269 - neck kiss
chapter 270 - *pinch pinch*
chapter 272 - working at the grocery store
chapter 273 - aquarium date
chapter 274 - pictures of you
chapter 277 - frolicking in the river
chapter 280 - he said that you're secretly in love with me
chapter 281 - i drew something for you
chapter 282 - when did you get your ear pierced
chapter 283 - give me a pair of pure black studs
chapter 284 - im not scared
chapter 285 - picking earrings together
chapter 287 - let's go see sharks
chapter 288 - don't be frisky
chapter 289 - eating from the same meat skewer
chapter 290 - food fight
chapter 291 - sleeping next to you
chapter 292 - pet my head
chapter 293 - you'll be more handsome if you relax your brows
chapter 294 - she li confronting he tian
#19 days#tianshan#this took me........ way too long........................#sometimes i have the worst ideas.................#special chapters and official arts will be on another post#tianshan chapters
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&&. cauldron above, ( Leyla Somers ) was just spotted in the fae lands — word has it ( she ) is affiliated with ( the Night Court ). ( she ) is a(n) ( 270 / appears 28 ) year old ( high fae ). it’s been said that ( she ) resembles ( esra bilgic ). ( she ) has been said to be ( strong willed & practical ) but also quite ( critical & selfish ). ( she ) is currently serving as ( healer / owner of somers apothecary ).
BASICS
FULL NAME: Leyla Somers
AGE: 270 years old, appears 28
BIRTHDAY:
ALLEGIANCE: The Night court
SPECIES: High Fae
OCCUPATION: Healer / Owner of Somers Apothecary
SEXUALITY: Bisexual
FAMILY
FATHER: Alptekin Somers
MOTHER: Finley Somers
SIBLINGS: Gemma Somers (full), countless other half and adopted siblings
PERSONALITY
POSITIVE TRAITS: organised, responsible, independent, brave
NEGATIVE TRAITS: stubborn, jealous, cruel, insecure
HISTORY
Growing up as the daughter of a minor lord who was motivated by money as his source of happiness it was ironic that they barely had any. There was never a quiet moment in the Somers household, people coming in and going at any hour of the day. Their father bringing new siblings to their doorstep constantly, the Somers family grew and their run-down manor became a playground to the children. Whilst Leyla got to live her youth, Gemma looked after her and anyone else that their father brought into their life. They lived off scraps but they were happy, or Leyla was happy because she did not have any of the responsibilities that her sister did. There were details that Leyla noticed about Gemma as she grew older, things that seemed normal to her as a child but as she grew older, she realised that it was far from that. Gemma had been her protector from the horrors of the world, she had taken on the role of mother, sister and father for all of her siblings, making sacrifices that Leyla could never dream of making. Leyla had a childhood filled with love and laughter, the creator of that little bubble of fantasy was Gemma and Leyla would never be able to repay her sister for everything that she had done.
The first time Leyla witnessed her sister do something truly for herself was when Gemma made the decision to not gamble her life by marrying the man their father had picked for her. The conversation was still vivid despite the years, it was the point in her life which changed everything. Gemma came into Leyla’s room and told her she was leaving to join the guard. Leyla was shocked initially, she was angry for a moment that Gemma was abandoning her, but that was washed over instantly. Her sister was putting herself first after years, she was saving her own life but whilst doing that she was still trying to save Leyla by telling her to leave too unless she wanted her life to be written by the bad choices their father made.
Although Gemma was only leaving their home, the conversation with her sister made Leyla realise that she needed to escape Autumn altogether. Packing her bags and leaving under the moonlight to the Court of Nightmares, she did not look back once at the life she had left behind. The name Leyla meant night, it felt like the only natural place to find herself a new home in. That and her heart belonged to someone within the court. Her life until this point had become a series of temporaries, but now she wanted to be in control of how the cards in her life unfolded. She was not willing to let anything happen by chance anymore. Leyla was tired of not having control and was determined to no longer allow anyone to determine her actions. For the first time, she felt independent but also more vulnerable than she ever had. Without Gemma by her side to shield her, she was left to depend on herself and become independent.
Leyla fell into step with her life instantly, throwing herself completely into her work as the assistant of a healer for the Night Court. She had one aim, to prove herself worthy of a spot in the Court. If Leyla was good at one thing, that was working hard and showing that she was irreplaceable no matter how small the role in the court was. She would work herself to the bone to progress and that was exactly what she did. After a few years and earning enough money Leyla opened her own little apothecary in the Jeweled City whilst still learning everything she can as an assistant healer. Having one career was not enough, she was too critical of herself to give up on anything she started, so whilst maintaining her apothecary, Leyla completed her training as a healer and qualified. Now, she balances both careers through her apothecary shop in the City’s centre.
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* * * *
LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN
January 15, 2021
Heather Cox Richardson
Two stories jump out at me tonight.
The first is the question of why Trump seems so desperate to stay in a job he clearly has no interest in doing. Today, reporters caught sight of Michael J. Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow, going into the White House. Lindell has been strong advocate of the idea that the 2020 election, which Democrat Joe Biden won by more than 7 million votes and by a vote of 306 to 232 in the Electoral College, was fraudulent. Washington Post photographer Jabin Botsford snapped an image of the papers Lindell was carrying with him, and the words on it seem to offer a plan for Trump to invoke martial law through the Insurrection Act.
Lindell later told reporters his meeting with Trump had been brief and unproductive, but the very fact he got a hearing testifies to Trump’s desperation.
That desperation suggests that Trump knows he is facing something bad the minute he is out of the presidency. It is reasonable to assume that trouble will come from the fact his immunity from prosecution under the 1973 Department of Justice memo saying that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted will end at noon on January 20, 2021. It also seems likely that the American people are going to learn that some of the actions of the Trump administration cannot bear scrutiny.
Signs that there might be damaging information about the January 6 attack on the Capitol showed today. Stories of the fighting inside the building continued to emerge today, and the stories reveal armed insurgents who attacked with the belief that they were doing Trump’s bidding. Officers were badly outnumbered, and beaten with their own batons, American flags, and the “thin blue line” flag that those who fly it have insisted represents support for the police. Officer Christina Laury told NBC’s Jackie Bensen, ““I remember people swinging metal poles at us,” she said. “They were pushing and shoving. They were spraying us with bear mace and pepper spray.”
The assistant director of the FBI Washington Field Office, Steven M. D’Antuono, today told reporters that the department, working together with the Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney’s Office, has identified more than 270 suspects involved in criminal activity around the Capitol on January 6, and law enforcement officers have more than 100 of them in custody. He noted that the FBI had received more than 140,000 photos and videos from the public, and warned perpetrators: “To those of you who took part in the violence, here’s something you should know: Every FBI field office in the country is looking for you.” He told reporters that the investigation was still in its earliest stages.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced today that she has asked retired Lieutenant Russel Honore to lead a review of the security arrangements for last week, and warned that if lawmakers are found to have aided the insurgents, they will face consequences in Congress and also in court. While several agencies are investigating what led to last week’s crisis and why the Capitol Police were left unsupported for hours, Pelosi’s public statement was the first to acknowledge the swirling rumors that the insurgents might have had inside help.
News broke today that prosecutors in Georgia appear to be considering a criminal investigation against Trump for his efforts to bully election officials in the state into changing the results of the election. Michael J. Moore, the former United States attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, told New York Times reporters Richard Fausset and Danny Hakim: “If you took the fact out that he is the president of the United States and look at the conduct of the call, it tracks the communication you might see in any drug case or organized crime case. It’s full of threatening undertone and strong-arm tactics.”
We also learned today that New York prosecutors met yesterday with Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen to ask about Trump’s finances, especially his relationship with Deutsche Bank, which continued to lend to him even after other sources of financing dried up.
And yet another story emerged today that reflects badly on the administration. Its vaccination rollout is far behind where officials had promised it would be by now, and three days ago, on January 12, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar announced the government would no longer hold back second doses of the vaccine, expecting that pharmaceutical companies could keep pace and produce enough vaccines for the second dose as it was needed. The popular understanding was that they had held back half the available doses for that second necessary shot.
But today we learned that when Azar made that announcement, there was no reserve; the available vaccines had already been distributed. State health officials are outraged that vaccines they had counted on are not available, another sign of just how chaotic the vaccine rollout has been. Chicago Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady told Washington Post reporters Isaac Stanley-Becker and Lena H. Sun, “I have stopped paying a whole lot of attention to what is being said verbally at the federal level right now.”
Tonight, Azar handed his resignation to Trump, effective at noon on January 20, the minute Trump leaves office. His resignation letter touts the administration’s “remarkable response to the pandemic” and insists that “our early, aggressive, and comprehensive efforts saved hundreds of thousands or even millions of American lives.” It goes on to list what he considers the many triumphs of the administration in health care. Azar appears to suggest that he is resigning because of “the actions and rhetoric following the election,” although he never identifies Trump as being behind those actions and rhetoric.
In light of all that has happened in the past two weeks, it seems noteworthy that Trump’s appointees in the Pentagon stopped sharing information with Biden’s team in mid-December. Trump appointees also refused to share information with Biden’s people about their plan for the coronavirus vaccine. When they finally did, Biden expressed concern at what seemed to him a lack of a detailed plan. Azar dismissed Biden’s concerns as “nonsense.”
If Trump’s eagerness to cling to the presidency and cover up his actions is one of today’s stories, the other is that President-Elect Joe Biden is stepping into the space the current president has abandoned. He is taking on the coronavirus crisis with the seriousness it deserves. The pandemic has reached appalling levels, with well over 3000 deaths and more than 200,000 infections every day. Almost 390,000 of us have died of Covid-19 to date, and a far more contagious version of the disease is spreading.
In a speech today, Biden announced he will use the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Guard to build clinics to distribute the coronavirus vaccine, and that he will make sure doses are available at local pharmacies. He promised to invoke the Defense Production Act—a law that lets the government tell a company what to make and then guarantees a market for all of that item it produces-- to guarantee there are enough supplies of vials, syringes, needles, and so on, to move the vaccine and get it into people’s arms.
“This will be one of the most challenging operation efforts ever undertaken by our country, but you have my word,” Biden said. “We will manage the hell out of this operation.”
—-
LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN
HEATHER COX RICHARDSON
#Letters From An American#Heather Cox Richardson#political#January 6 2020#insurrection#sedition#corrupt GOP#criminal GOP
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For Your Eyes Only-- bodyguard!ashton [Chapter Seven]
Summary: Ashton Irwin is the head of security for Princess Alouette who is a kind, gentle young woman. Secretly pining for one another, those feelings will soon come to light as an occurrence will change Alouette’s life forever, and Ashton’s.
Word count: 4,820
Warnings: smut
Author’s note: So sorry for the long wait but here’s chapter seven! thank you so much for your patience and feedback is always welcome! :)
Masterlist
Chap. 1 || Chap. 2 || Chap. 3 || Chap. 4 || Chap. 5 || Chap. 6
“I want to go to the lake house,” Alouette says while she and Ashton are eating their breakfast. It’s been two weeks since she made her address to the nation.
It’s a wonderful spread with all of her favorites, english muffins, fruit, pancakes, pure maple syrup and warm banana bread.
She’s graduated from eating in her room to the dining room. Her dogs are lying by her feet in hopes of something falling and to mainly stay by her side, much like Ashton has.
Ashton purses his lips after he takes a drink of his coffee. Her lake house was only an hour and a half away, he obviously knows the security measures there are top notch. He’d make sure the guys are with him and there’s extra security surrounding the lake just in case. It’s doable but he wonders if it’s too soon for her to be away from home.
“Are you sure you’re up for the travel?” he peers over the white ceramic brim.
The last of her stitches were just taken out on Friday by Dr. Hunt, Ashton held her hand the whole time and talked to her soothingly when she winced at the tug and pull.
“Yes,” she nods, “I need to be there, Ashton. You know it’s my safe space. I don’t. . . I don’t feel like myself yet.”
“I know. Do you want to invite Neva and the other girls?”
“No, I want it to just be you and me . . .” she says softly twiddling a blueberry with her fork.
Ashton’s heart skips a beat. She wants to be alone with him in her lake house and not as her bodyguard? The idea excites him as it equally terrifies him. It’s obvious their bodyguard/Princess relationship is no longer. They’ve become closer than ever in the short weeks since he’s rescued her.
The bleeding on her back has stopped and her stitches worked marvellously on her wounds. She’d still complain of aches and pains but refused to take her pain medication anymore for fear of becoming dependent on them.
Ashton admired her for that steadfastness but it also pained him to know she’s still enduring that pain and that he can’t do anything to help it.
He’s never left her side still sleeping beside her in case she wakes up from another nightmare which occurs every other night. She tosses and thrashes under the covers and Ashton has to wake her up gently then holds her in his arms until she’s calmed down.
It always takes her a moment to come back to him, for her nightmarish visions to disappear.
He’d kiss her tears away then talks with her until she falls back asleep. When she first got home she’d wake up about four times, now it’s reduced to two.
During many of their private times, Ashton has tried to ask her what happened and she goes silent or changes the subject as if she didn’t hear him.
“Do you not want to?” her voice falls flat.
“No, that sounds great, angel. I’ll call Calum and set everything up,” he nods.
The smile she gives him makes his heart soar.
•••••
When Michael parks in front of the house the four of them sit in silence, no one gets out. Luke and Michael awkwardly look at each other then turn to look at Ashton who’s in the backseat with Alouette. Calum is in the second SUV with all their luggage, he pulls up behind them.
“What?” Ashton asks.
“Aren’t you going to get out and scope the place?” Michael asks.
“Yeah, your 270 second thing?” Luke asks glancing at Alouette who smiles at the number.
She looks to Ashton and nods.
“I’ll be okay. I know you’re never late on time,” she assures squeezing his shoulder lightly.
“Don’t get out until I’m back,” he warns the guys then kisses her knuckles quickly before exiting the vehicle. Calum joins him and they disappear to do their check.
Alouette counts in her head, her leg bounces anxiously as she waits for him. She has to remind herself that he’ll come back and soon they’ll be in her house, alone and together doing whatever they want. She wishes he’ll kiss her, but this time on her lips. She loves when he kisses her cheeks or forehead but it’s not where she craves him.
“Where we at?” Luke asks looking at her through the side mirror.
“Should be twenty more seconds,” she answers quietly.
Sure enough, twenty seconds go by and both Ashton and Calum emerge from the front of the house, smiles on their faces. Alouette struggles to open the door before she scrambles out to join him. He takes her hand rubbing her skin with his thumb. Michael and Luke follow behind but gather all of the bags.
“What do you want to do first?” Ashton asks walking inside.
“I need a nap, then we can go on the boat,” she yawns.
“All right, I’ll get the bags unpacked,” he smiles.
When they enter her room she falls onto the large bed, the cotton blue duvet puffs up around her and she pulls up the soft blanket around her. Ashton takes his bags from Michael then goes out the door.
“Where are you going?” she sits up.
“To put my things away.”
“Where?”
“In the guest bed.”
“Oh, you don’t want to stay here?” she bites her lip.
“I didn’t think you’d want me to, I don’t want to suffocate you.”
“Why would you think that?”
He opens his mouth but then closes it, swallowing down his thoughts.
“Do you want me to stay here with you?”
“Yes please,” she says twiddling her fingers together.
He smiles then sets his bags down by the door and makes his way to her on the bed. He brushes her hair back before kissing her forehead.
“I’ll let you nap then I’ll unpack, yeah?”
“Okay,” she whispers pressing her lips to the inside of his hand.
Ashton’s eyes widen slightly, it’s usually him who gives her kisses. She’s never initiated anything before and it makes his stomach flip. He sighs at the longing ache he has for her. Yes, he’s been with her for the past month while she’s been recovering, but this is all still new to him.
“I’ll let you rest. Me and the guys will look around for food or send someone to get some for dinner later.”
“You won’t go, right?”
“Nope, I’ll be right down the hall, angel,” he smiles.
•••••
After her nap Alouette and the boys had lunch then lazed around watching TV. She was too tired to go on the boat now.
Ashton brought some chicken to grill so once they finished eating he made a campfire which Alouette insisted on making smores.
One by one the boys left to go to their posts or get some rest so it was just Alouette and Ashton. Before Calum was the last to leave he was talking about security detail with Ashton and Alouette scoots closer to him on the bench nestling into his accommodating arm.
She loved smelling his cologne and the smell of Ashton in general. She loved being in the safety of his arms and his presence alone.
“You’ll be fine, I’ve already triple checked everything and everyone is at their posts,” Ashton tells Calum and rubs Alouette’s shoulder.
“All right. Goodnight, Princess,” Calum bows slightly with a playful grin on his face.
“Goodnight, Cal,” she smiles sweetly up at him and he leaves.
The crackle of the fire and the chirps of crickets surround Ashton and Alouette now. She sighed, wishing that he would kiss her for real. They came so close in Paris, their lips touched but before it could be more their moment was halted by Luke.
That all seems so long ago.
“Getting sleepy?” he asks.
“No,” she sighs again, “just thinking.”
“Penny for your thoughts?”
“And a dollar for your insights,” she smiles easily up at him and he laughs.
“I’ll share what I’m thinking after you, my lady.”
“I’m thinking . . . how warm you are right now. Share your insights, mister,” she pokes his chest.
“My insight is how beautiful you are,” he sighs, “and . . . .”
“And?” she persists sitting up a little straighter.
“And how terrified I am to kiss you.” His throat works as he gazes at her. Their almost-but-not-quite-kiss in Paris is on his mind as well.
“I—what? Why?”
“I don’t want it to ruin things. I’ve . . . I’ve been in love with you for so long I don’t want to ruin it,” he confesses stroking his long finger across her cheek. She trembles from his touch.
“You have?” her heart is beating so rapidly she thinks it’s going to fly out.
“Yes, you’re the best woman I’ve ever known, Alouette. You have the kindest heart, everything about you is gentle and sweet and yet you’re so strong. So brave after what you went through.”
Her eyes searched his that are illuminated in the orange glow from the fire. Ashton is the epitome of warmth and sunshine and she’s finally getting to be close to him after years and years of yearning.
“Kiss me,” she whispers, heart pounding loudly.
He moves slowly, cautiously, as if this is some sort of fever dream and any sudden movements will cause him to wake. He uses his fingers to tilt her chin up, the last thing he sees before he closes his eyes is Alouette closing hers. Her long lashes cast long shadows over her cheeks and he presses his lips to hers oh so softly.
It’s electrifying. A spark courses through them both and she gasps giving him the opportunity to slip his tongue in her mouth. He brings his other hand upon her cheek, his fingers get caught in her hair and Alouette brings her hands to his biceps.
Their lips move in perfect sync until they’re gasping for air. Ashton pulls away first letting his fingers skim over her cheeks, his thumb traces the shape of her lips. He watches her intently, her eyes are still closed, so he continues to trace her lips that are glistening in the firelight from his kiss.
When she finally opens her eyes, he smiles happily.
“Hi,” he greets softly brushing his fingers onto her cheeks.
“Hi,” she smiles lazily back.
He’s filled with such elation he knocks his forehead against hers, their noses bump together and he nuzzles into it.
“I’m trying so hard to be a gentleman and not kiss you again,” he confesses.
To his surprise Alouette brings her hand to his sideburns, her nails scratch at the stubble and combs through his dark hair. It feels heavenly and he closes his eyes at the sensation.
“I appreciate the sentiment, but I want you to kiss me whenever you want to,” she tells him then pushes her mouth on his. “I’ve been waiting long enough.”
They stay outside kissing softly into the night until the fire has gone out. It isn’t until he felt her shiver against him that he pulls away and suggests they go inside. The moon is high in the sky with stars scattered all over and the two have never been happier.
••••
The next morning Ashton awakes to Alouette snoring softly by his ear, memories of last night come flooding in like a tidal wave and he’s smiling instantly. He shifts in the bed so he’s on his right side. With careful fingers he brushes her honey gold hair away from her face then strokes her cheek before leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her temple.
She stirs beneath him and he continues to kiss her face until she makes a disgruntled noise. Her eyes are heavy as she opens them staring blearily up at him.
“Good morning, angel,” he greets then clears his throat of leftover sleep.
“Morning,” she whispers followed by a tired smile.
“How’d you sleep?”
“Great. I had a dream you kissed me all night, was that real?” her eyes are playful.
Ashton scoots lower in the bed so he’s face to face with her and he has his hand on her lower back. He tilts his neck forward so he can give her a proper good morning kiss, sucking on her lip to gently wake her.
“It was very real,” he mumbles moving in to kiss her again. She retracts and covers her mouth.
“I have morning breath,” she muffled.
“Don’t care,” he hums with a shake of his head removing her hand so he can kiss her again.
Alouette smiles into the kiss putting her hand onto his neck to keep him close, she hooks her leg around his hip as well. Ashton rolls onto his back bringing her with him so she’s on top of him, he holds onto her waist while their lips get reacquainted again. His hands rub up her back,
She lets out a noise of discomfort then pulls away to move his hands back down on her waist. He releases her immediately so she’s just on top of him with no support of his hold, he thinks he’s done something wrong or moved too fast.
“I’m sorry, I’ll stop,” he apologizes immediately.
“No, no, it’s just . . . some of the scars on my back aren’t healed all the way. You pressed on one,” she explains with a small grimace.
His heart falls then quickly switches to anger at the men who caused her this pain in the first place. The anger comes back around to himself for making a bonehead mistake in leaving her alone which resulted in her being taken in the first place.
“Hey, it’s okay,” she assures painting her fingers over the anger lines in his face. She smiles gently at him. “You didn’t know, it only hurt a little bit.”
“It shouldn’t hurt at all,” he mutters grabbing hold of her arm and kisses the inside of her wrist. He can feel the pulse of her heart.
“Ashton, please, don’t blame yourself anymore. What’s done is done, all right?” she stretches up to kiss him but he pushes her back gently.
“Let’s get some breakfast, angel,” he sighs, “then maybe we can go out on the boat.”
He slips from underneath her easily and moves to the closet to get changed. Alouette is left alone, cold and kiss-less wondering if he’ll ever kiss her again.
After a quiet breakfast is interrupted with the other guys barging in, she heads upstairs to change into her suit. She still has some faint bruising all over her body and is nervous about them seeing her. She can’t possibly wear a two-piece.
She’s especially worried about Ashton and how he’ll react to them so she opts for a one piece suit that covers her back at least.
That’s where the worst scars and burn marks are. The front of the suit is low cut with a hole opened on her stomach. She pulls on her shorts and t-shirt and heads back out into the kitchen where the guys are waiting.
“All set, Alou?” Michael asks happily.
“Yeah, let’s go,” she forces a smile and tries not to let Ashton looking her over get to her.
He’s not scrutinizing her, he’s looking for any form of discomfort that’s all.
Once they’re all on the boat, Ashton is in charge of driving and Alouette sits way up front so the spray of the water and the sun are on her face. For only being 9:30 in the morning it was already 80 degrees out and the spray of the lake water feels amazing.
“So, you and Ashton finally kissed, huh Alou?” Michael asks who is suddenly sitting next to her.
She opens her eyes to look at her longest friend. His features are soft and full of excitement for her, she glances back at Ashton who averts his gaze from her. She knows he’s brooding over what’s happened.
“Yeah, I don’t think it will happen again.”
“What? Why?”
“He pressed on one of my wounds that isn’t exactly healed yet and now he’s thinking about what happened again, how it’s his fault but it isn’t,” she sighs playing with the seam of the boat seat. “I’m self-conscious of you all to see my bruises.”
“I can try talking to him, no one is blaming him but himself. He’ll get over it, and as for the bruises and scars, we won’t say anything. We never would. It hurts us to see them on you but don’t be self-conscious, all right?” Michael touches her shoulder and squeezes gently.
Ashton remains on the boat while everyone else jumps into the lake, Alouette hangs back and positions herself on his lap. He welcomes her willingly but she notices his hands are barely touching her, like she’s a china doll about to fracture at the slightest touch.
With a huff she pulls off his sunglasses so she can look at his eyes, even then he won’t meet her gaze.
“Will you look at me?” she says with a little bit of bitterness in her voice.
He’s never heard her speak like that, to him or to anyone, so he looks at her in shock. His hazel eyes searched her face for the anger but he still sees softness.
“Are you never going to kiss me again?”
He sighs then shakes his head. “No, of course I will,” he cups her cheek then hesitantly wraps his arm around her waist. He keeps his hold light. “I don’t want to hurt you, that’s all.”
“You’ve never hurt me and you never will. I know you’re thinking about everything that happened but I’m telling you to stop. I’m going to use my Royalty Privileges as your Princess and I command you to stop thinking those thoughts in the name of me,” she scolds squeezing his shoulder slightly. Her eyes are fierce.
His eyes crinkle as he laughs at her command. He has no choice but to listen to her now.
“Yes, my lady,” he chuckles some more and presses his lips to hers.
“Good, now come in the water with us. I’m sweating off a layer of skin.”
She pops up from his lap and begins to undress before him. He makes it a point not to look at the bruises and scars he can see and follows her actions in undressing.
“Alouette,” he calls and she turns around. His throat tightens when he sees the light purples, greens and yellows discoloring the skin of her belly. “If anything hurts, let me know and we’ll go back to the house.”
“I will,” she nods, “but the water will help. Come on,” she holds out her hand for him to take.
Shirtless and in his swim trunks now, he takes her hand and they jump into the lake together. Michael, Luke and Calum hoot and holler at them for finally joining in on the fun. The four guards and Princess float in the water until she becomes hungry and they head back to the house.
Alouette is more at ease now and sits freely in her suit while the sun dries her as they boat back to the house. For the rest of the day is spent with relaxation.
She lays in the hammock or feeds the fish at the end of the dock. All the while Ashton is with her and he flashes her a smile each time she looks at him. She’ll lean over and kiss his cheek.
•••••
A few nights later, Ashton is sitting on her bed with his legs propped up, his elbows on his knees as he watches her head into the closet to change into her pajamas.
“Alouette,” he calls gently just before the door closes.
“Yes?” she cracks the door open wider.
He swallows the lump that has now formed in his throat from what he’s about to ask her. He scoots to the edge of the bed letting his legs hang off, feet touching the floor.
“Can . . . can I see the scars and bruises that still need to heal on your back?” he asks in a rush and swallows again.
Alouette licks her lips then nods coming back out in front of him. His eyes look up to her as she yanked off her t-shirt, her bra is purple and lacy with the lace hugging her breasts perfectly. His throat dries at the sight of her before him and then she turns around sitting on the edge of the bed in between his legs. She brushes her hair to the front and Ashton’s mouth gapes open at her back.
Beneath the straps of her bra and all over, really, are still small fresh scabs from what happened to her nearly a month ago. In the center and on her lower back are burn marks that have yet to scab over. A majority of her large three wounds are healed but her back is almost a Jackson Pollock painting with all the colors and lines.
Without hesitation, Ashton inclines forward and presses his lips to a jagged scar on her right shoulder. Alouette gasps at the unexpected sensation.
He kisses the whole length of the scar that reaches to the clasp of her bra. Ashton brings his fingers to the clasp then asks her quietly, “Can I?”
“Y-yes,” she clears her throat.
With careful fingers he unhooks it, kissing her spine as it opens then gently moves the straps off her body. He continues kissing each and every mark on her back, snaking his arms onto her stomach to pull her close to his warmth. She shivers as his large hands rubbed over her belly, his fingers dancing dangerously close to her breasts.
“Are you cold?” he asks on her skin which feels warm to him.
“No,” she answers with conviction then twists her body so she’s facing him and gives him a gentle kiss.
Alouette adjusts herself so her legs are leaning against the bed but Ashton hooks her thighs around his waist. His fingers tangled in her hair to keep her lips pressed against his. Her own fingers are scratching against the stubble on his jaw while their tongues massage against one another’s.
Alouette slips her other hand down his chest to the hem of his black t-shirt, her fingers dance along the hem until he understands what she wants. The kiss breaks so he can pull the garment off, before he kisses her again he stares at her face. He’s giving her this moment to say no, to tell him what she wants or doesn’t want to do.
“I’ve always been yours, Ashton,” she tells him softly as if reading his thoughts, “have me.”
With an excited huff he kisses her hungrily, giving her all of him that he’s always wanted to give. He stands easily with her pressed against him so he can turn around and lay her on the bed properly. Moments after both of their clothes are strewn about the room and wandering hands explore new territory.
She’s dreamed of what his muscles would feel like under her fingertips and the real thing is better than anything she could have dreamed. He’s strong and soft in all the perfect areas. When she scrapes her fingernails on the sides of his waist it causes him to shiver.
While her hands explore the expanse of his back Ashton’s lips travel along her neck and into the valley of her clavicle bone. She smells of the sweetest rose, and tastes even sweeter. He makes sure his kisses are soft because he sees fading bruises still on her skin.
After longer moments of searching and getting to know each other’s bodies, their eyes never falter as they connect for the first time. Alouette arches her back slightly, a gentle moan coaxes through her lips and Ashton caresses her face while the other holds tight to her fingers.
They’re connected as intimately as they can be.
Waves upon waves of pleasure radiate through their bodies, she pulls when he pushes in perfect tandem. Stars explode and new galaxies are formed behind their eyelids as the twisted heat in her belly is finally unfurled. She exhales his name as he inhales hers and yet the moment isn’t quite over yet.
The yearning they’ve had for each other has been ongoing for so long, all that pent up love and adoration is taking its sweet time to pour out but neither one of them is complaining. Her fingers curl in his hair as another explosion hits, her nails scratch up and down his back as the desire keeps coming in pulses of pleasure.
With one final push to the edge Ashton loses his willpower and mumbles her name through moans and grunts in her ear. She coaxes him through it with sweet praises and then he collapses on top of her, their bodies sticky with sweat. Heavy breaths fill the air while she combs her fingers through his hair and he pecks her shoulder multiple times.
With his heart still racing, Ashton lifts his head to gaze at his Princess, his lady, his Alouette. Her eyes are glazed over with love and exhaustion and he can’t help himself when he ghosts his lips over hers. It’s a lazy kiss but filled with so much love.
“I love you,” he murmurs.
“I love you,” she smiles bumping her nose with his then lets out a tired sigh.
She excuses herself to use the bathroom then when she returns Ashton is waiting with open arms which she gladly slides into. They hold each other naked--there are no secrets now-- their voices soft as they talk well into the night and until Alouette falls asleep against him. He continues to pull his fingers through her soft curls until he drifts off into a peaceful sleep, in his dream he’s surrounded by rose petals.
•••••
For the rest of the week, Ashton and Alouette don’t hold back on their affections anymore. Calum, Luke and Michael knew better than to comment on it because they knew how testy Ashton could get, especially when it came to Alouette.
Which is why, unknown to the Princess, the three of them are still trying to find answers as to why she was captured and who the mastermind behind it all was. Ashton is making sure to keep tabs on whoever was involved, including keeping their original felon under custody. Ashton will find out why this happened if it takes all his life.
Today, rain is in the forecast for the whole day and after a morning of soft lovemaking, Ashton and Alouette decided to stay in bed all day. It’s filled with easy conversation and tender touches but there’s a burning question on the tip of Ashton’s tongue.
“Are you all right?” Alouette asks when she returns from making tea for the both of them. She sits next to him on the bed, handing him his tea.
“Mm, yeah,” he nods clearing his throat before taking a sip of his tea.
“Ashton,” Alouette places her hand over his holding onto the mug. His honey green tea eyes blink up at her, she frowns. “What’s wrong?”
Ashton sighs switching his mug into his other hand then laces his fingers between hers. He’s concentrating hard on what he wants to say and also on the softness of her skin.
“What happened when . . .” he inhales deeply before continuing, “when you were in that room?”
After a long moment of silence he risks looking at her, and she’s staring at him. Her blue eyes vacant as she stares, but he can see her pulse racing in her neck. She squeezes his hand.
“What?” she croaks.
Thunder rumbles in the distance and the rain pelts the roof, beyond the windows the storm is creating white caps on the lake. But as Ashton stares into her ocean eyes, there’s a storm equally as strong in them.
“I just . . . I want to know what happened to you. You haven’t told anyone and I . . . I want to help. If I can,” he confesses.
“I don’t--” she shakes her head pulling away from him. She’s withdrawing into herself and Ashton can feel the panic. “I can’t. Not yet. Please, Ash, I just---I can’t.”
“Okay, okay,” he hushes reaching forward to cup her cheek in his other hand. “I’m sorry angel, I didn’t mean to upset you. I want to help that’s all, if you’re not ready I won’t make you talk about it. Okay? I’m sorry.”
She nods stiffly, a silent tear escapes the corner of her eye that Ashton catches with his thumb. She falls into him, wrapping her arms around him as he does the same and kisses the top of her head.
“Thank you,” she says quietly into his shirt.
The only sound is the steady fall of the rain, the rolling thunder and their beating hearts.
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Jonathan Groff sticks close to Lancaster roots while branching out in film, stage and TV
Conestoga Valley grad will move from off-Broadway musical to new 'Matrix' sequel on film.
When he is on stage at the 270-seat Westside Theatre in New York, Jonathan Groff says he often thinks about the Ephrata Performing Arts Center.
He is playing Seymour in an off-Broadway production of “Little Shop of Horrors,” which is being directed by Michael Mayer, of “Spring Awakening” fame, with Broadway veterans Christian Borle and Tammy Blanchard at Westside.
“Everyone is doing this for the fun of it,” Groff says. “It reminds me of EPAC. Nobody is trying to gain anything from it. There are no ulterior motives.”
The show is largely sold out, and reviews have been strong. Ben Brantley, of the New York Times, wrote that Groff “is generating major nerd charisma.”
For Groff, 34, being onstage is his “ultimate existence.” “That’s when I’m happiest,” he says. “ ‘Honk’ and ‘Bat Boy’ (shows he performed in at EPAC), it doesn’t get much better than that. And that’s how I feel with ‘Little Shop.’ ”
Hometown plans
Home is never far from Groff’s mind. He returns to Lancaster frequently, though sometimes just for a day.
“He was here for less than 24 hours on Thanksgiving,” says his mother, Julie Groff.
And he recently purchased a house and property next to his father’s farm in Christiana. It’s a place to live when he’s home, but also, Groff has plans for it.
“I want to turn the barns into creative spaces — a recording studio, an editing suite, a place to write, or a place to have small workshops,” Groff says. “I want it to be inspiring, quiet and peaceful.”
It’s in the future — Groff says it is a 10-year plan — but he is excited about the possibilities. He got the idea while he was playing Melchior Gabor in the cast of “Spring Awakening,” which he did off and then on Broadway from 2006 to 2008.
“Gideon Glick (who played Ernst and will be replacing Groff next month in ‘Little Shop’) was the first to leave the show, and my mother got a school bus and brought everyone in the cast to Lancaster,” he recalls.
“We hung out in the barn and had a bonfire outside. Gideon said how rejuvenating and inspiring it felt, and that got me thinking. It’s close to New York. Someone could come and spend a couple days here. My dad (Jim Groff) loves the idea, and I love the farm,” Groff says. “So as the years go by, we’ll make it a creative place.”
“When I bought the horse farm in 1987, the Realtor bought the frontage (of the property) and built eight houses. Jonathan bought one of those houses,” says Jim Groff, who is a horse trainer and a jockey. “The view out back is, well, you can’t beat it.”
Both Groffs note that their son won’t be tearing any of the barns down and won’t be changing the house much. As a creative spot, it will not have concerts or performances, but will be a quiet place.
“He wants to keep it all natural,” Julie Groff says. “It’s going to look sharp.”
Big movies
Groff’s career is going at hyperspeed these days.
He had to take time away from the “Little Shop” run for an intense press junket for “Frozen II,” the animated musical film that was released last month and is turning into another massive hit for Disney.
And it was announced recently that Groff will be appearing in “Matrix 4,” a film sequel scheduled for theatrical release in May 2021.
“He’s working with a personal trainer. The ‘Matrix’ people are getting him in shape,” says Jim Groff. “He’s working out every day, and he’s on a really strict diet. What gets me is he had to take a picture of everything he ate for a while.”
“He basically barely has enough time to eat,” says Julie Groff. “He is loving this, but I am sure it will catch up with him.”
There is no rest for the weary. Groff is set to leave “Little Shop” on Jan. 19.
The next day, he starts working on “Matrix 4,” which is being filmed partially in Chicago.
“He’s always wanted to appear in a big action movie,” Julie Groff says. “But he’s really a Disney fan. He always wanted to be in a Disney movie, and that turned out well.”
Indeed. “Frozen,” in which Groff voices mountain man Kristoff, was a global phenomenon and the largest-grossing animated film in history. The sequel is breaking records, too.
“I find it so easy to talk about ‘Frozen II,’” Groff says. “It’s so good, and the relationships with the directors and the the cast have been so positive.
“A lot of my interviews have been with Josh Gad (who voices Olaf the snowman),” he says. “We had such good time. It’s almost like a vacation.”
Groff says that when the first “Frozen” film came out in 2013, nobody expected it to be as huge as it was.
“We had all scattered after the film and didn’t really have a chance to do a lot of publicity,” he says. “So this was like a celebration for us.”
Anybody with children of a certain age will tell you how powerful “Frozen” was for their kids, particularly their daughters. Groff thinks part of the success of the movie was how it empowered the female characters.
“Kristoff is an evolved mountain man,” he says. “I love that he is there to serve the women — a man letting women take the spotlight. That flips convention.”
For a few weeks, Groff was all over TV, appearing on just about every talk show out there, from Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight Show” to Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show.”
During his most recent appearance with Colbert, Julie Andrews was another guest.
“Can you believe I met Julie Andrews!” Groff says.
On the show, Groff showed footage of his 3-year-old self dressed as Mary Poppins for Halloween, and noted that his older brother, David, was dressed as The Entertainer, complete with top hat and cane. In the family video, David Groff says of his brother, “He has lipstick on — oooooh!”
“He was trying to upstage me,” Groff says, laughing.
“You’ve got a great mom (to let you do that),” Colbert said.
“I do have a great mom,” Groff replied.
“ ‘Mary Poppins’ was Jonathan’s first real movie. He watched it every single day,” says Julie Groff. “It was my two-and-a-half hours to get things done. He became obsessed with the movie and acted out all the parts.”
His father says that he has always studied movies and other actors onstage.
“When he did stuff at the Fulton or at EPAC, smaller stuff, he would sneak around the corner and watch them every night — watch the changes the actors made,” Jim Groff says.
“Even today he does that,” Julie Groff says. “He never stops learning.”
“I like to call him up and give him my notes after I see a show,” Jim Groff says. “We get a laugh out of that.”
Not easily recognized
You’d think Groff would get stopped by people all the time, especially because of appearances on Fox’s “Glee,” HBO’s “Looking” and the Netflix series “Mindhunter,” in which he plays FBI agent Holden Ford. (Groff says the show is on hiatus at the moment.) But he says he rarely gets recognized.
“I look like a generic white person,” he says. “And I’m mainly on my bike because that’s how I get around New York. I sign autographs if people ask.”
“He said he walked down the street in his King (George) outfit from ‘Hamilton’ once and nobody paid any attention to him,” says Jim Groff with a hearty laugh. “In New York, people don’t bother you much.”
“Things may change with ‘Matrix 4,’ though I hope not,” Julie Groff says.
But Groff hasn’t changed. He still visits with friends from home backstage during a show. He is still accessible and friendly to everyone he meets.
“With Jonathan, what you see is how he has always been,” Julie Groff says.
Right now, Groff says, life is very full. His career is going great, he’s in a relationship with New Zealand-born choreographer Corey Baker, who lives in London, and he’s closer than ever with his family.
“This is a sweet moment in time,” he says.
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🎉9th September 2020🎉
DRUMROLL PLEASE....
I MET MY UGW! 45 KILOGRAMS!
As you may have seen me yelling about earlier... this is kind of a big deal. I’ve been working towards this for more than a year that it feels insane to finally reach it.
This is the first day of my maintence plan! I guess this is some form of recovery!
As it is week 1: I will be adding yesterday’s dinner to today’s intake to try to equal 800
Limit: 800 - 334 (yesterday’s dinner) = 466
Intake excluding dinner: 405
Breakfast
Crumpet - 86
Vegimite - 14
Lunch
Half Granny Smith apple - 70
Various spices - idk about 6
Snacks
Cocoa powder - 20
Like half a glass of almond milk so much - 18
Chocolate ice cream of my DREAMS - 191
Dinner: 390 (leaves 410 for tomorrow)
Half a cup of rice - 169
Some curry - 196
Tzatziki - 25
Calories out: 270
It’s been a lot harder to meet my calories than I thought it would be. I’m still terrified of anything high cal which makes things a little... difficult. I am so tired of being sick and would really quite like my hair to stop falling out. I made an actual hot chocolate and just... couldn’t bring myself to drink it. I’m so proud of my ice cream, I just don’t hope it becomes a habit. Oh well!
Let me know if you think I’m underestimating my calories by the way - I’m always so scared that I’m actually eating thousands over what I log
Overall today was a success! I’m pretty sure I’m at least going to gain food weight which is terrifying. If I lose any more actual weight I have a plan:
I would ignore dinner. Simply cut it out of my daily calorie limit (still log it but hey). I would then enforce a minimum calories as well as a maximum. I feel like this would help me “recover” my relationship with food, but I’m worried it would cause me to significantly gain.
Things I’m grateful for:
I spent the afternoon drawing and playing animal crossing! This was so absolutely incredible! I also made some pretty cute earrings! Thank you universe for the opportunity to have a restful afternoon
Energy!!!!! I wasn’t as grumpy as I normally was and it was so nice to be able to focus in school for once. I even went on a long walk in the forest without feeling (too much) like I was about to pass out
Good food. For lunch I had an “apple pie in a mug” and I absolutely adored every second of it. I have been too scared to eat apples for a while and it’s literally insane how sweet they are it makes my face hurt. With the cinnamon it’s so apple pie-y and so warm and so sweet and it made me so so beyond happy
One weird thing I’ve noticed: I’m hungry????
My hunger while doing omad usually went more:
9am: unsettling gurgling 11 am: stabbing stomach pain 2 pm: tiredness and inability to focus 6pm: crying grumpy and reluctant to stand up
But overall it was pretty tame and predictable. But now I am eating food? I’m hungry like two hours after I eat??? Like I had a crumpet at 7 and I thought that would be ok until like 1 but no?? So much more hungry than usual :/
I am in control of my eating. I am strong. I am motivated. I am full of energy. I am focused. I am thin.
Have my costar for today because it seems relevant!
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1825 June, Sat. 11
5 55/60
11 1/2
Gave Hotspur oatcake. Cut my toe nails. Sat down at my writing desk, and from 7 40/60 to 10 1/4 wrote the latter 1/2 page 3, the ends, and crossed all the 3 pages and finished my letter, began this day week, to Miss McL– [MacLean] congratulating her on her brother’s intended marriage . . . . .
“I feel as if you did not know me thoroughly, not exactly enough to be aware whether a garret share with such an one, would be shared in happiness or not – I shall certainly have mine with someone in those dreary days, when I am left ‘alone, like a sparrow on the house-top’ – But we will talk over these matters when we meet – Should you survive your father, as I hope and trust you will, still you have your sister Breadalbane – For my own part I often think how often you have reminded me of our slight personal acquaintance with each other – Your good opinion I flatter myself, I shall desire to retrieve – Your regard may possibly alter – may possibly be diminished – without your doing me injustice ��� But no more – ‘Sufficient till the day’ etc. etc. you will know, is 1 of my favorite maxims, – My usual sedative of anxiety by anticipation” –
Say I do not think her fortune so small, “it is as much as have the younger children of many of your county families” –
After dating this morning, say I had waited to be alone to fix my plans with some certainty – Cannot leave home till July 18, and my aunt is now ordered to Bath, and we set off on the 18th July – Can only stay with her till she is settled – Then return to my uncle – Despair of seeing my friend this year, but still live in hope of doing it another time –
“Can only hope, for charity’s sake, that your disappointment will not equal one-tenth part of my own” – Will take the first opportunity of going to her, for till we have been domesticated for a few weeks she will never feel to know me with certainty –
“Trust me I shall not allow you, for one moment longer than can be avoided, to run the risk of too strongly confirming your regard to one who may not deserve it so much as you anticipate – You certainly are not thoroughly enough acquainted with my character to know whether a garret shared by such an one would be a blessing, or the contrary –
The more I reflect upon myself, the more I am constrained to acknowledge a singularity of sentiment for which I am not quite able to account – I think I could make anyone comfortable who made me so – But say, what would give me comfort, or, – from that is not enough, – what would give me happiness? I wonder if it be possible for you to know me well enough to answer this question at all according to my own ideas on the subject" . . . . .
speaking of Mrs. Grieves,
“I am quite sure she is not the one who ought to share my garret – There is indescribably something wanting, without much nor she, nor any other human being could make me happy – I should not have made this observation, had you not told me your friend would suit me better than you would – You were quite wrong, Sibbella; but to know why you were wrong, would argue a deeper knowledge of me, then I think you possess – Mrs. G– [Grieves] is, surely, a person of strong feeling; but that feeling is not like yours” –––––
Wrote all the above of this morning which took me till 10 50/60 – Then enclosed the amethyst seal I got cut for my friend by Mellerio (rue de la paix, Paris), a violet flower among a tuft of grass – Motto, “Il faut me chercher” – Sealed and sent my letter directed to “Miss MacLean of Coll, 5 South Saint David Street Edinburgh”, and went down to breakfast at 11 10/60.
Letter from Miss Marsh (York) 3 pages and the ends – She has taken some medicine prescribed by Mr. Duffin, and is better – With respect to her eyes she says,
“the use of strong vinegar and water and using them as little as possible has done wonders, and I trust my sight may be preserved as long as life is granted to me – Mr. Lloyd the widower of poor Marian MacLean was married to Miss Serjeanton (of Camphill near Ripon) Tuesday last – Sir John Johnstone is to be married to Miss Vernon next week” –
Some indifferent verses on the beauty of her niece Miss Sophia Greenup, made on her 1st appearance in the Nisi prius court of Assize at the castle, on which Marsh observed “tho’ very complimentary, she demands better verses” –
At 12 10/60 went out to the workmen, and did not get home again till 6 50/60 – For 1 10/60 while the men were at dinner, sat and stood over the brook in the large sycamore overhanging the water – At last, in spite of the heat of the day, felt my situation as if likely to give me cold – Stood over the men till they gave up at 6 5/60, and then 3/4 hour sauntering home by Charles Howarth’s, reading volume 2 Rousseau Confessions – Now and while the men were at dinner read from page 54 to page 88 –
Speaking to Jackman about the expense of a garden wall, the outside dressed stone, the inside brick, like George Robinsons (just built–not yet finished) Jackman said bricks were 30 /. [shillings] a thousand and 60 bricks would wall (that is would wall the inside full) a yard; suppose then for per rood bricks 16 /. [shillings] stones, and leading, and hewing, 15 /. [shillings] capings and mortar, and footing, and labor of building about 14 /. [shillings] and we calculated that such a wall would cost 45 /. [shillings] a rood, so that to enclose an acre of garden ground with such a wall 3 yards high above the ground might cost about (under) ￡300 – Take the side of the square at 70 yards then 70 x 4 = 280 ÷ 7 (the number of yards in a rood) = 40 x 3 (the number of yards high) = 120 ∴ [therefore] 120 roods at 45 /. [shillings] a rood would cost ￡270. –
Charles Howarth put up this afternoon the notices respecting our stopping the footpath thro’ our courtyard, and that from Godley to Charles Howarth’s – Dinner at 7 – In the evening my father and Marian came – Afterwards wrote the last 11 1/2 lines – Very fine day – Very hot – Barometer 3 1/4 degrees above changeable, Fahrenheit 65º at 10 p.m., at which hour came up to bed E [two dots, treating venereal complaint] O [two dots, marking discharge] – Read from page 88 to 95 volume 2 Rousseau Confessions which took me till 11 –
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Top Streaming Service Stocks: Choosing the Right Picks for Your Portfolio
Over the last decade, how people watch TV shows, movies, and videos has transformed significantly. Streaming services like Netflix and YouTube have become the go-to choices for many, surpassing traditional media. This change opens up investment opportunities for those who can pinpoint which streaming platforms can draw in viewers and make money.
Top streaming stocks
1. Netflix (NFLX)
2. Alphabet (GOOG and GOOGL)
3. Amazon (AMZN)
4. Disney (DIS)
5. Apple (AAPL)
6. Comcast (CMCSA)
7. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)
8. Paramount Global (PARA)
1. Netflix (NFLX)
Netflix has become a big name in streaming, changing how we watch shows and movies. With around 270 million subscribers worldwide, it's one of the few streaming services that makes a lot of money. Experts like Morningstar analyst Matthew Dolgin say Netflix is the best in global streaming and will likely stay that way for years.
Netflix's success comes from its huge audience and the many shows and movies it offers. They keep growing and making new stuff, which keeps people interested. So, if you're thinking about investing, Netflix might be a good bet because it's expected to keep leading the streaming world for a long time.
2. Alphabet (GOOG and GOOGL)
You might not think of Google's parent company Alphabet as a big player in streaming, but YouTube, which they own, is huge. People around the world watch over 1 billion hours of YouTube on their TVs every day. They also have a service called YouTubeTV, kind of like regular cable but streamed online, and it has over 8 million subscribers.
3. Amazon (AMZN)
Amazon, known for its online shopping, also has a streaming service called Amazon Prime Video. It's become a big deal, especially for people who subscribe to Amazon Prime. The CEO, Andy Jassy, told shareholders that they believe Prime Video can be a big and profitable business by itself.
Lately, Amazon has been adding ads to Prime Video, which has more than 200 million viewers each month. They've also started showing live sports like Thursday Night Football NFL games. This shows that Amazon is serious about growing its streaming business and making it even more attractive for Prime subscribers.
4. Disney (DIS)
Disney is changing the way it does business by focusing more on streaming. Their main service, Disney+, now has about 118 million subscribers who pay around $7 to $8 per month. Disney also owns other popular channels like ESPN for sports, ABC for news and shows, and the Disney channel for kids' entertainment.
Even though Disney has these great assets, it's facing some challenges as the industry shifts. Morningstar's Dolgin says that while Disney has advantages, the new way of doing things might not be as profitable as before. Still, Disney is adapting and finding ways to stay strong in the ever-changing media world.
5. Apple (AAPL)
While Apple is famous for creating iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers, it's also made a big streaming service called Apple TV+. They don't share a lot of details about it, but it's believed that around 25 million people pay for it, and more might get it through special deals.
Popular shows like Ted Lasso have attracted viewers to Apple TV+, and they've even started showing live sports like Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer. So, even though Apple is mainly known for its devices, it's also making a name for itself in the streaming world.
6. Comcast (CMCSA)
Comcast, a well-known media company, is shifting towards streaming with its service called Peacock. It owns big brands like NBC, Telemundo, Universal, and Sky. By the end of 2023, Peacock had around 31 million people paying for it, but it also faced a loss of about $2.7 billion.
To attract more subscribers, Comcast is focusing on adding live sports to Peacock. They've already streamed an NFL playoff game in early 2024, and they also show college basketball and football games. This move shows that Comcast is serious about competing in the streaming world by offering popular sports content.
7. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)
Warner Bros. Discovery is a big company that owns a bunch of popular media brands like HBO, CNN, Discovery Channel, HGTV, and more. They also have famous franchises like Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and The Lord of the Rings.
At the end of 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery said they had nearly 98 million subscribers for their various services, which include HBO Max, legacy HBO, and Discovery+. This company came together in 2022 when Discovery merged with AT&T's media business, showing that they're a major player in the entertainment industry.
8. Paramount Global (PARA)
Paramount Global owns lots of popular media channels like CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, and Comedy Central. Their streaming service, Paramount+, had over 71 million subscribers by March 2024.
Right now, Paramount is thinking about merging with another company, but it's not certain if it will happen. They've been talking with Skydance Media, and they also got an offer from Sony and a private equity firm called Apollo, who want to buy Paramount with cash. These talks show that Paramount is exploring options to grow and strengthen its business.
#stockxpo#stock market#stock#stockmarket#stockpicks#crypto#best stocks for swing trading#stock market news#investment
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CARNIVAL DAY recaps [11/13]
Today’s recap: Dokuson’s lonely youth, a message from Meiru, and how to make your own Billion Killer.
[tw: suicide]
--
FIFTY-TWO
02 Aug 1997 — 08 Aug 1997
TOWER OF BABEL
--
[This is the last chapter, but it has around 270 pages and we still have A LOT to go through.]
(...Below is BOKU’s testimony. [Originally in first person.])
Dokuson and BOKU learned about the attack on Tsukumo Juku in the afternoon of February 7th. They rushed to the hospital at once. Inugami Yasha told them what had happened and that Gensoukan, Yasha’s black cat, and an old servant of the Inugami family had all disappeared.
Dokuson looked like he was intensely thinking about something he didn’t want to say out loud.
Thanks to quick surgical treatment, it looked like Juku was on his way to recovery; the doctors stated he had already pulled through the worst of it. Relieved, Dokuson and BOKU returned to the JDC headquarters. But then, around midnight, they got the news that Juku’s condition had suddenly worsened, and he passed away before they managed to get back to the hospital.
The same night, the Crystal Nightmare killed Desert Colosseum, and later in the day Ronely Queen died in the Statue of Liberty case. Three dead S-detectives in one day. That last case also claimed the life of Ushiwaka Gigolo.
BOKU remembers that tragic day well. Even Dokuson let grief show on his face, especially when told about Ushiwaka. After a few seconds of deep silence he told BOKU that Kirika would be taking over the representative duties that day, because Dokuson himself would spend the day secluded in the meeting room number six, mourning the dead. Only for one day, though, as humanity would suffer if someone as great as him rested any longer.
Seeing BOKU’s shock (the guy they call a Demon Lord showing feelings?!), Dokuson stated that it’s perfectly natural for him to grieve. A man who couldn’t even mourn the woman who was especially important to him could never become the world’s greatest genius, now could he.
Dokuson said that Ushiwaka had once been his ideal partner both at work and in private. The only condition he wanted a potential partner to fulfill was that they should understand him; Ushiwaka was the first woman he met who understood. (BOKU wasn’t sure how two people with such strong personalities could work as a couple—it’d be like mashing the same poles of two magnets together—but apparently they did.)
But that was many years ago. Dokuson was still young, just an immature boy with barely the glimpse of his current perfection, his heart filled with bright hopes for the future.
Dokuson stressed that what had attracted him to Ushiwaka was not her beauty or genius; the real value and beauty of a person was their soul and heart, their personality. Dokuson, as the self-aware narcissist, knew he possessed a dazzling heart and was because of it the world’s most beautiful person. The world’s second most beautiful person would therefore be someone who could understand and love him the most in the world.
As Dokuson had already explained once, all humans had a narcissistic part to them; without any degree of self-love, people would simply drop dead. Loving others more than yourself was extremely hard. Even the most dramatic declamations of self-sacrifice could be just empty words. People would say things like “I would die for you”, but from Dokuson’s point of view, someone who really understood and loved him should strive to outlive him; he wouldn’t stand for anyone sacrificing themselves for his sake. As far as Dokuson was concerned, those who looked at him and felt even just a little love were the true possessors of beautiful clear souls.
Once upon a time, young Dokuson had no hope whatsoever for being loved by other people. Who could ever love and understand him more than he loved and understood himself? But then came Ushiwaka. She was the first person who loved Yuiga Dokuson more than Yuiga Dokuson loved himself.
...but you could say that it was her love—and the frustration and regrets it led to—that in the end caused Dokuson to fully blossom into his narcissistic self.
Though they were young, Ushiwaka had already found her unique style of reasoning, which relied on falling in love with someone. Tragically, her feelings would disappear once she solved a case—this happened with their relationship too. It’s not that Ushiwaka had only pretended to love Dokuson all this time; she explained at length that she had genuinely been in love with him, but her feelings came to a sudden end along with a case.
Back then, Dokuson found this explanation hard to accept. He wanted to know more about Ushiwaka’s reasoning method and investigated on his own, full of immaturity and confusion about feelings.
And then, though he never meant to kill anyone, he pestered Ushiwaka’s new boyfriend with questions and cornered him psychologically so badly that the man committed suicide.
Ever since Dokuson was a small boy, he had a mysterious power of tragically manipulating others using words. When he was five and a police officer tried to reprimand him, he started lecturing the officer in turn, making the man completely break apart mentally and commit suicide soon afterwards. It seemed like just a tragic coincidence at the time.
Dokuson would only realize what he’d done much later in life, after his words had already taken the lives of many other people. The death of Ushiwaka’s boyfriend was the turning point. Now aware of the powers of his words, fully understanding his guilt, he consciously limited and softened his speech. No one else fell victim to his words since that time ten years ago. He decided to never use his power again unless it would be absolutely necessary.
The power to kill others with words wasn’t something unique to Dokuson; he was just an extreme case, but every person had the potential to wound others deeply. He would bet that even BOKU had unwittingly said something that indirectly led to someone’s death.
Dokuson didn’t intend on running away from his faults, and specifically because he was so deeply aware of them, he could keep growing. People learned by making mistakes. Even Dokuson, this shining beacon of the human race, had accumulated many horrible deeds throughout his life. After all, those called the great men of history were often “wrongdoers” who logically strode away from the common path, often seen as heretics or eccentrics by their contemporaries. Those who only followed what others did would never become great. If someone had to dirty their hands for the sake of erasing evil, then wouldn’t that role be perfect for Dokuson, the one with the power of a hundred million people? He was enough; he wouldn’t want to create a second or third “Dokuson”—for the sake of the world and humanity, and (most importantly!) so that his name would stay special and unique.
(...Dokuson was doing his confusing philosophical rambling again, but BOKU kind of understood what he was trying to say. Dokuson felt like a rehabilitated prisoner who would see young criminals that reminded him of past himself and want to guide them to a better way of living. He detested the past himself who killed Ushiwaka’s boyfriend, and took care not to create “another himself” with his actions.)
Dokuson had many enemies, but the one who truly hated him the most was himself. No one could possibly hate themselves more than Dokuson, maybe except for people about to commit suicide. In order not to be devoured from the inside by this burning self-hatred, Dokuson had to always maintain his narcissism on the highest level—if he didn’t, his state of mind could lead to another tragedy like with Ushiwaka’s boyfriend. In this way, Dokuson became the world’s greatest narcissist to atone for the past.
Another part of his atonement was the kunoichi detective Sarutobi Shinobu. A long time ago, Sarutobi, Ushiwaka, and Dokuson had decided to fight the evils of this world in remembrance of Ushiwaka’s tragic boyfriend. Sarutobi Shinobu, real name Sado Nawa, was the dead man’s sister.
The four Sado siblings were Hifumi, Shigorou (the one who died), Nawa (Sarutobi), and Kutou (involved in the Three Monkeys Killer case). The D-name “Ushiwaka Gigolo” came partially from Shigorou’s name. How Sarutobi came to work for Dokuson was too complicated of a story to be told now.
Dokuson said that love never lasted in the same shape forever, and it was impossible to continue loving someone for eternity. The Dokuson who talked to BOKU at the moment and the Dokuson who was once loved by Ushiwaka were two different people. However, all the memories still remained within him, and he would want to take some time to remember the golden past.
After saying all that, Dokuson closed himself in an empty meeting room.
--
Twenty-four hours later BOKU opened the door to the meeting room and found Dokuson in a strange pose: sitting motionless at the table with his eyes closed, holding a red rose between his teeth like a tango dancer. It seemed to be the same rose he always wore in his chest pocket.
Dokuson didn’t look angry at the intrusion, but BOKU still had a feeling like he’d just walked in on something no one was supposed to see.
Dokuson put the rose back in its proper place and said that he’d been meditating in order to rest his mind and body, “just like you all sleep at night”.
(That was… a strange way to phrase it. But now that BOKU thought about it, in all his days and sometimes nights at JDC he’d never once seen Dokuson nap, despite his job being so exhausting. He also never saw him eat or go to the bathroom. Not even once. Did Dokuson intentionally ignore all his needs until he was alone late at night or what? At least now BOKU could understand a bit where Dokuson’s atmosphere of a superhuman came from; things like eating or sleeping were necessary for people to seem human, but were absent from the concept of “Yuiga Dokuson”. That nickname of Demon Lord sure fit.
A lot of people perceived Tsukumo Juku in a similar way. Someone had even joked once that the God of Detectives was removed from the concept of mundane actions like eating or sleeping. But no matter how supernatural of an atmosphere a person had, they couldn’t just completely get rid of all their bodily needs… though they could probably limit them to as low as humanly possible. Probably one of the reasons why they both seemed so otherworldly?)
But back to the topic, Dokuson explained his rose meditation. He had been plagued by debilitating insomnia as a child, and even now couldn’t sleep like others did. When tired, he would just perform his rose meditation, which would clear his head as well as sleeping. And no, it wasn’t just a convoluted way of napping, as Dokuson stayed conscious of his surroundings the entire time, even though it could take him some time to come out of the meditation and respond to stimuli. (...that still sounded like napping to BOKU.)
As for why a rose or another long slim object was needed, holding it in one’s mouth would force the facial muscles into the same position as during a smile. Even a forced smile caused the brain to release chemicals acting like antidepressants and helping boost the immune system. And so, Dokuson would switch into “relax mode” and for a short time sleep while staying awake. He just had to remember to often swap the rose for a new one to hide the teeth marks.
So he did just nap after all… That’d be it for this mystery. Though it was still weird that Dokuson allegedly only meditated four times a day, one hour of sleep in total. His day was technically much longer than BOKU’s. Dokuson had said once that things that would take BOKU half a day could be done in his fifteen minutes, so maybe it’s that relative difference in day length he meant? BOKU made some calculations out of curiosity. He was twenty-one and Dokuson was twenty-six, and his half a day of work was equal to Dokuson’s fifteen minutes… then going by proportions, BOKU’s entire life work could be achieved in Dokuson’s four months... and going in the opposite direction, BOKU would need like a few thousands of years to achieve the same as Dokuson did in his entire life… Huh. Maybe that’s why Dokuson claimed he had a mental age of three thousand years and tended to talk like an old man.
Dokuson said that even though he was so “old”, the “generation gap” between him and other people could be crossed with enough understanding. This attempt to understand another person was the most important thing everyone should strive for, otherwise society would collapse. Dokuson personally treated everyone around him like great teachers (as even after he had become the best in the world, all those teachers would show him what not to do). From the point of view of Dokuson—the oldest person on Earth—everyone was his junior; it didn’t mean he looked down on them, but that he didn’t feel inferior to them and was glad they still had space to grow (as the perfection that was himself couldn’t grow anymore). He felt like an old champion of life looking at young trainees.
Dokuson stated it’d be good if BOKU also became the best in the world, which would simply require him to believe he was the best. As Dokuson knew for sure he himself was actually the greatest, he wouldn’t care if BOKU had a similar conviction.
(...so what Dokuson was trying to say here... was that it was fine for BOKU to just be himself. This actually made him feel a lot better.)
Asked about how he grew up (to be like this), Dokuson said that it could be summed up the easiest by invoking the feeling of loneliness tied to insomnia. Ever since childhood, his life had been full of endless futile hours spent alone in darkness, comparable to prolonged psychological torture. If sleep made people forget all the bad things in life, maybe that’s why sleepless Dokuson was so quick to grow up; he couldn’t just relax and move on at the end of the day. Endless monotony of the night, lying alone with just his thoughts, all of it was maddening—people naturally yearned for variety.
Staying awake for a few days had an interesting influence on one’s mind, and after a certain point allowed for better concentration and drawing on the body’s hidden power, similarly to how during an accident people can see events in slow motion or use amazing strength. As Dokuson couldn’t sleep, this tension of a crisis never had a chance to dissipate. Even at that tender age he had to deal with hell on earth, trying to adapt to the loneliness of the night without going insane. And so, with his abilities constantly pushed to the limit, with survival instincts taking lead, Dokuson managed to survive hell—and that’s how he came to be like this.
(BOKU didn’t know whether or not this tale was true or not. All that mattered was that Dokuson seemed to believe his own words, and that they allowed BOKU to get a better understanding of what kind of a person he was.)
--
A week after the Crystal Nightmare, on February 15th, Firannu Meirunesia died in the Billion Killer case in Venice. Meiru’s usual partner Somedaring Amagoi wasn’t there at the time, as she had gone missing shortly after the much earlier Tower of Pisa incident.
Right before the Venice case, Meiru had called Dokuson from St Mark’s Clocktower. They said that they may have just figured out something about the Billion Killer trick, and that Amagoi had been kidnapped by someone. If Meiru would survive the day, it would mean their reasoning was off, and if they died soon, it would mean they were correct. Meiru didn’t want to tell Dokuson everything, but gave him three clues. First, Amagoi was dead. Second, it wasn’t impossible for them to solve the Billion Killer if they were ready to put their life in danger. Third, the Billion Killer incidents consisted of thirteen unprecedented tricks mixed together.
Those three clues together implied that Amagoi’s kidnapping (death?) had something to do with the Billion Killer. But how would Meiru know that Amagoi was dead? Who killed her and how? Dokuson thought it interesting that Meiru hadn’t said anything about Amagoi being killed, just that she was dead.
Asked about why he hadn’t stopped Meiru from putting themselves in danger, Dokuson said it would be a disservice to an S-detective like them. You never stop an S-detective gambling with their life, just like you don’t stop magicians or stuntmen from dangerous shows of skill.
But how could Meiru get to the truth faster than the greatest genius that was Dokuson? Well, Dokuson had already told BOKU once [way back in Carnival] that no one could solve a case without the necessary data, which no one had yet… except for the members of the villainous group.
Just like Meiru had played out a persona during investigations, they also played out the role of being an S-detective; in fact, maybe that double-role reasoning method originated from having to work on both sides of the conflict. They had to be involved either with RISE or another organization that allowed them to get secret data.
Lemuria Sullivan had already shown that even S-detectives had less than perfect sides to them. Amagoi’s real kidnapper was probably Meiru. But even then, an important part of Meiru’s personality was being a splendid S-detective, so maybe they felt compelled to solve even their own crimes by giving Dokuson hints. Perhaps they were more afraid of losing their detective reputation (and thus a part of their identity “dying”) than of actual death.
What did Meiru mean by “thirteen unprecedented tricks”? Way more than thirteen Billion Killer incidents had already occured (twenty-eight at the time of this conversation), so those thirteen tricks would have to repeat, but then they wouldn’t exactly be “unprecedented”. Perhaps the word meant something else? Dokuson suspected they wouldn’t be able to solve the Billion Killer just yet, and Meiru could have been just taunting them.
--
Dokuson always seemed to think highly of Tsukumo Juku. He said he was able to pin down Tsukumo Jaki’s identity (Yakuma Suzume) with help from Juku and Sarutobi, and that Juku would be needed to end the Crime Olympics. Unfortunately, Juku was murdered before they could achieve that goal.
BOKU learned a few interesting things talking with Dokuson and Inugami Yasha (who had been working as the vice-representative of JDC ever since the Crystal Nightmare).
Juku had theorized that the Billion Killer tricks were the thirteen Miraculous Illusions of his father Saimon Ryuusui. Jaki / Yakuma could know them, as he was probably Endou Masato, whose father Naomasa (already dead) had once been Ryuusui’s thirteenth disciple. Naomasa coincidentally (?) was also a university teacher of Tousen Yomiko, a private detective that had been lifelong trusted friends with Juku. Yomiko was permitted to use the Endou family’s mountain house called Gensoukan, and it was on her recommendation that Juku and Yasha came to live there. Yomiko disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle shortly after telling Juku about Gensoukan.
Naomasa’s sons Naoto and Masato had both disappeared a few years earlier. It was more than possible that Masato disguised himself as Yakuma, manipulated his mother into giving Yomiko the keys to Gensoukan, and made Yomiko disappear to cover his tracks. It was unknown what relation Masato / Yakuma / Jaki had with Tamei Madoka, the writer who had assassinated Juku and died from Alive.
As for how Masato would be able to make himself look exactly like Yakuma, both brothers had once been known as genius surgeons.
The thirteen Miraculous Illusions had apparently been invented by Saimon Ryuusui, but were still unfinished by the time he showed them to young Juku. Dokuson had no doubt that Endou Masato had learned about the Illusions from Naomasa, stole their secrets, and eventually perfected them into the Billion Killer tricks. (It couldn’t have been Naomasa who stole and perfected them first, because then they wouldn’t be “unprecedented” like Meiru said; the word implied only one person had used the perfected illusions so far.)
It’s likely that Juku had been killed due to him being the only person who had seen the Miraculous Illusions in person. Many people close to him had also died or disappeared.
--
Whenever BOKU listened to Yasha and Dokuson discussing things, he always got a strange feeling that they were treating Juku’s death lighter than they should. Like they were too quick to stop mourning. It’s true that in the era of the Crime Olympics death became more commonplace, but still... it almost felt like Juku’s death had never happened at all.
BOKU had been there in the morgue when the white sheet was pulled back and he, Dokuson and Yasha were shown Juku’s dead face. It was quite striking how his face, although still extremely handsome, had become just beautiful in a normal, comprehensible, flawed way after his death. BOKU instantly thought that the body could have been switched, but both Dokuson and Yasha stated without hesitation that this was not the case and the body definitely belonged to Tsukumo Juku.
Even so, BOKU still had a strange feeling (was just deluding himself?) that perhaps Juku was still alive somewhere.
They had no idea how Gensoukan had disappeared. Endou Naomasa’s wife insisted that while the family let Yomiko access their grounds, there never had been any Gensoukan built there. Just like BOKU felt that Juku’s death had never happened, Yasha was starting to feel strangely like his memories about his time at Gensoukan, and even Kanaihidetaka and Sayo had all been just illusions.
Dokuson thought that Gensoukan had been removed somehow after the assassination, maybe by lifting and moving the entire blocky construction. If Tsukumo Jaki had been able to pull off the blooming sakura trick, he should have no problems organizing Gensoukan’s “disappearance”.
--
One day, Dokuson told BOKU and Yasha that he would no longer be JDC’s leader. Not because he was trying to escape responsibilities. On the contrary, this action would allow him to save humanity. He had had another plan once, but that one was rendered impossible by Juku’s death, so there was only one thing Dokuson could do now—become the Billion Killer. That is, become the one everyone thought was the Billion Killer, a comprehensible bad guy figure needed to allay some of humanity’s confusion.
That had been the plan even earlier—Dokuson would pretend to have been the Billion Killer, and Juku would pretend to expose his crimes to the world. Juku hated the idea of tarnishing Dokuson’s name, but in the end agreed to the plan seeing the other’s burning determination.
Now that Juku was gone, Yasha would have to take over the Heroic Detective role in the plan. Yasha wasn’t as known and beloved as Juku, but popular enough that people would believe him and the (carefully faked) proof he presented; he would become the hero who forced the Billion Killer to run away in fear and no longer manipulate JDC (which was except for “the Billion Killer” wholly innocent, of course). They didn’t have to worry about Dokuson—the world’s greatest genius would be able to hide even if everyone on Earth was looking for him.
And so, Dokuson left a recorded confession and fled on June 6th. Sarutobi Shinobu disappeared the same day. Manji Tawawa also left JDC, claiming she would pursue Dokuson on her own.
Yasha became the leader of JDC and presented their fake scenario as real to the world, claiming that he had infiltrated JDC as an undercover private detective to investigate and expose Dokuson. Just like planned, people seemed to completely believe him.
BOKU honestly wondered if Dokuson’s actual goal in all this wasn’t to get everyone on Earth to remember his name, with saving humanity as just a bonus perk.
When the Billion Killer cases stopped following Dokuson’s escape, BOKU and Yasha realized that maybe Dokuson actually was the real Billion Killer, and had only revealed his identity because he had wanted to stop the cases anyway.
Then again, no more cases didn’t have to mean the real Billion Killer was finished; it could only look like the cases stopped. The only undeniable proof that something was a Billion Killer’s incident was a skull left on the scene by the men in black. If Dokuson managed to hide the skulls or stop the men in black, then even though the cases still happened, the Billion Killer disappeared in the eyes of the public.
Well, whether or not Dokuson was the actual Billion Killer (and he always vehemently denied being a part of RISE), he certainly had suspicious knowledge of the scheduled cases.
Dokuson also hadn’t looked surprised at all when Kakuusan Kanke told them about what had happened in the Earth House—she ran into Nemu, Hyouma, and someone who looked like Unomaru. From what Nemu and Hyouma told her, Otohime was also held in RISE’s underwater fortress called the Sanctuary, and there would be seven “guests” in total (the three plus Yaiba, Christmas, Diana Hosey, and the Hantos that counted as one). Kanke also learned that apparently the higher-ups of RISE were six out of the seven S-detectives.
--
No Billion Killer case (or at least a confirmed case) occurred for a month after Dokuson had disappeared, but many horrible events still happened.
In the chaos before the Carnival Wave would come, three men in black showed up and led BOKU and Yasha to a nearby hotel, where to their absolute surprise they met Ajiro Souji. A lot of confusing explanations followed. Ajiro said the tsunami wouldn’t touch Kyoto, so they didn’t have to worry about survival.
RISE had changed their plans a little and now wanted to add Yasha, BOKU, Kanke, the writer detective Nakamoto Hiroya, and the editor detective Outa Katsushi to their final guest list. Yasha and BOKU should go with the men in black now, while Ajiro would return to JDC.
Yasha wondered whether Ajiro would be able to take care of JDC without them, but Ajiro assured them that wouldn’t be a problem—because as much as it pained him, he was going to suspend JDC’s functioning completely until August 10th. JDC as an organization couldn’t stop the Cosmic Bomb, so maybe at least the people could spend their last month in peace, without having to worry about work. If humanity would survive after all, suspending JDC now would allow for less people to die needlessly, so that everyone would be ready for re-mobilization after August 10th.
And so Ajiro stayed behind, while Yasha and BOKU were taken to the Sanctuary and learned many strange things...
--
[>>>NEXT PART>>>]
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Excerpts and Analysis From 2 Impeachment Inquiry Transcripts https://nyti.ms/2WRfgCB
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Excerpts and Analysis From 2 Impeachment Inquiry Transcripts
House Democrats released the first two transcripts of their closed-door impeachment testimonies.
Published Nov. 4, 2019 Updated 4:43 PM ET | New York Times | Posted November 4, 2019 |
WASHINGTON — The House committees leading the impeachment inquiry on Monday moved to open their proceedings to the public, releasing the first two transcripts of hours of testimony they have taken behind closed doors.
The transcripts were the leading edge of a series of expected releases this week, and include witness testimony from two diplomats — Marie L. Yovanovitch, the former United States ambassador to Ukraine, and Michael McKinley, a former top adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. New York Times reporters combed through the transcripts, identified key excerpts and added context and analysis.
THE INQUIRY
Read the transcript of Michael McKinley’s interview and of Marie L. Yovanovitch’s interview, or read the latest from Capitol Hill.
The president’s private lawyer tried to meddle in State Department consular affairs to advance his shadow campaign.
Yovanovitch transcript, Page 264: “And the next thing we knew, Mayor Giuliani was calling the White House as well as the assistant secretary for consular affairs, saying that I was blocking the visa for Mr. Shokin, and that Mr. Shokin was coming to meet him and provide information about corruption at the embassy, including my corruption.”
Much has been reported about the efforts of the president’s private lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani — both public and behind the scenes — to court Ukrainian officials who would help in his bid to ultimately damage the reputations of Mr. Trump’s political opponents. Ms. Yovanovitch’s account of Mr. Giuliani’s attempts to interfere in the State Department decision provides additional details about just how open he was about his campaign to enlist Ukraine to help Mr. Trump win re-election.
Viktor Shokin, the former top prosecutor in Ukraine who was ousted in March 2016, applied to the State Department in early 2019 for a visa, stating that he wanted to travel to the United States to visit family. Following longstanding policy, an American consular officer denied the visa application because of Mr. Shokin’s corrupt dealings.
When Mr. Giuliani pushed to get Mr. Shokin’s visa application approved, he said the purpose of the trip was for a meeting, creating a new reason for the State Department to deny Mr. Shokin a visa — he lied on his application.
— Eileen Sullivan
As Yovanovitch fought for her job, allies turned to two Trump standbys: Hannity and Twitter.
Yovanovitch transcript, Page 117: “The secretary or perhaps somebody around him was going to place a call to Mr. Hannity on Fox News to say, ‘You know, what is going on? I mean, do you have proof of these kinds of allegations or not? And if you have proof, you know, tell me, and if not, stop.’”
Ms. Yovanovitch testified that she was pushed out of her post after Mr. Giuliani and others waged a smear campaign against her. She said that near the end of March, she was told Mr. Pompeo or someone close to him would be calling Sean Hannity, the conservative Fox News host, to complain about the allegations he had been broadcasting against her.
Ms. Yovanovitch said she did not know what was said on that call. A spokeswoman for Mr. Hannity did not respond to a request for comment.
Ms. Yovanovitch said that while the State Department was mostly silent in the face of the public attacks on her, she received one piece of advice from Gordon D. Sondland, the ambassador to the European Union and a key loyalist to Mr. Trump: Tweet something nice about the president.
Asked why she didn’t take the advice, she noted that the State Department had been largely silent about the criticism of her: “I just didn’t see that there would be any advantage to publicly taking on a fight with those who were criticizing me in the United States.”
— Michael D. Shear
State Department officials knew about Giuliani’s activities in Ukraine but did not feel they could do anything about it.
Yovanovitch transcript, Page 270: “It’s not like I sent in a formal cable outlining everything. It felt very, very — very sensitive and very political.”
Impeachment investigators have been hammering witnesses on what they knew about Mr. Giuliani’s and Mr. Trump’s dealings with Ukraine and what they did about it. According to Ms. Yovanovitch, their activities were widely known in Ukraine foreign policy circles, and many believed it was not typical, appropriate government conduct. But it was the politically-sensitive nature of what was going on that worried officials about formally raising concerns.
— Eileen Sullivan
Yovanovitch learned in late 2018 from Ukrainian officials that Giuliani and a Ukrainian ally were targeting her.
Yovanovitch transcript, Page 27: “Basically, it was people in the Ukrainian government who said that Mr. Lutsenko, the former prosecutor general, was in communication with Mayor Giuliani, and that they had plans, and that they were going to, you know, do things, including to me.”
As she recounts it, the story of Ms. Yovanovitch’s removal from her posting in Kiev began as abruptly as it ended. In November or December 2018, Ms. Yovanovitch learned from Ukrainian government officials, not Americans, that the president’s personal lawyer was working with Yuriy Lutsenko, the prosecutor general in Ukraine, in some shadowy way as both men sought to investigate the Bidens and other issues connected to Democrats.
It would become clearer over time that their goal was to remove her, she said. Democratic investigators do not view this chain of events as a side show. They are preparing to present the two men and others as working to oust Ms. Yovanovitch, who was championing anticorruption initiatives in Ukraine, to clear the decks for investigations that would benefit Mr. Trump politically. Whatever their intention, they succeeded months later, when Mr. Trump recalled Ms. Yovanovitch.
— Nicholas Fandos
McKinley resigned because he felt the president was using the State Department for political gain.
McKinley transcript, Page 112: “In 37 years in the Foreign Service and different parts of the globe and working on many controversial issues, working 10 years back in Washington, I had never seen that.”
Mr. McKinley told investigators that his resignation was prompted by his belief that the State Department was being used to dig up dirt on the president’s political opponent, something he characterized as unprecedented.
— Michael D. Shear
A State Department official described internal bullying to prevent people from speaking out.
Mr. McKinley recounted a conversation he had with George P. Kent, a deputy assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia, who described internal bullying by State Department officials who were trying to mute his concerns. Mr. Kent also worried that the State Department had given inaccurate information to Congress, Mr. McKinley said.
McKinley transcript, Page 110: “THE CHAIRMAN [Representative Adam B. Schiff of California]: But let me ask you about this because you mentioned that he was concerned about bullying. One of the representations apparently made in that letter from the State Department was that State Department witnesses like Mr. Kent or perhaps yourself or others were being bullied, not by the State Department but by Congress. But what Mr. Kent was raising with you was his concern that he was being bullied by the State Department. Is that correct?
MR. MCKINLEY: That’s correct.
THE CHAIRMAN: And he felt that what the State Department had represented to Congress included something that he thought was a lie.
MR. MCKINLEY: ‘Inaccurate’ is the term I’ll use because, again, without looking back at the memo word for word, I do want to be, on a subject like that, as accurate as possible. He did question the way it was being presented, absolutely.
THE CHAIRMAN: And I think you said he conveyed to you that he thought that the State Department lawyer, perhaps among others, was trying to shut him up. Is that right?
MR. MCKINLEY: He did, and he focused specifically on the lawyer.”
— Lara Jakes
Yovanovitch was shocked to see that Trump brought her up in a conversation with the president of Ukraine.
Yovanovitch transcript, Page 193: “I was very surprised that President Trump would — first of all, that I would feature repeatedly in a presidential phone call — but secondly, that the president would speak about me or any ambassador in that way to a foreign counterpart.”
During his conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, Mr. Trump raised Ms. Yovanovitch’s ouster and said she was “bad news.” He also stated, “Well, she’s going to go through some things.”
To many who read the transcript released by the White House, including Ms. Yovanovitch, it sounded like an ominous threat. At the time of her testimony, she still did not know what the president meant by it.
— Eileen Sullivan
McKinley said he had pushed for the department to issue a statement of support for Yovanovitch.
McKinley transcript, Page 38: “My reaction was, well, there’s a simple solution for this. We think she’s a strong, professional career diplomat who’s still on the rolls, who’s still a full-time department employee. It shouldn’t be difficult to put out a short statement that’s not political, stating clearly that we respect the professionalism, the tenure of Ambassador Yovanovitch in the Ukraine.”
Mr. McKinley said that he pressed Mr. Pompeo three times to come to the defense of Ms. Yovanovitch and received no response, after it was revealed publicly that Mr. Trump had disparaged her during his July 25 call with the president of Ukraine. Mr. McKinley said his third attempt to do so came as he tendered his resignation. “I was pretty direct. I said, you know, this situation isn’t acceptable,” Mr. McKinley told House investigators.
— Michael D. Shear
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House Impeachment Investigators Release Transcripts of Closed-Door Testimony
The release came as the White House’s top national security lawyer declined to appear for a scheduled deposition.
By Nicholas Fandos and Michael S. Schmidt | Published Nov. 4, 2019 Updated 4:53 PM ET | New York Times | Posted November 4, 2019 |
WASHINGTON — The former United States ambassador to Ukraine told impeachment investigators last month that she felt “threatened” by President Trump after it emerged that he told the Ukrainian president she would “go through some things,” adding that she is concerned to this day that she will be retaliated against based on a smear campaign against her by Mr. Trump’s allies.
The details from testimony by Marie L. Yovanovitch, who was abruptly recalled in May, emerged on Monday as House committees began making public witness interviews, releasing transcripts of private questioning taken last month with both her and a top diplomat who advised Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Ms. Yovanovitch told Democrats and Republicans during her deposition last month that she believed she was the victim of a conservative smear campaign that sought, incorrectly, to portray her as disloyal to President Trump and prompted him to remove her. The transcript shows that she also detailed what she knew of attempts by Mr. Trump’s private lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani and his allies to work with the former Ukrainian prosecutor general to “do things, including to me.”
The diplomat, Michael McKinley, described to investigators how he pressed top State Department officials to publicly support Ms. Yovanovitch as she was dragged through the news. According to the transcript, Mr. McKinley spoke directly with Mr. Pompeo and other senior officials this fall about issuing a public statement about Ms. Yovanovitch’s professionalism, but was eventually told by a department representative that they did not want to “draw undue attention” to Ms. Yovanovitch.
THE INQUIRY
Read key excerpts from the depositions or read the full transcripts of Michael McKinley’s interview and of Marie L. Yovanovitch’s interview.
The House voted on a resolution last week that directed the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight and Reform Committees to release the transcripts with necessary redactions and begin to move other findings into public view. Democrats are expected to publicize transcripts of additional depositions, including with witnesses more central to their case, this week. They could begin public hearings with some of the witnesses as soon as next week.
“As we move toward this new public phase of the impeachment inquiry, the American public will begin to see for themselves the evidence that the committees have collected,” the three Democratic committee leaders involved in the inquiry said in a statement accompanying the transcripts. “With each new interview, we learn more about the president’s attempt to manipulate the levers of power to his personal political benefit.”
Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, the Intelligence Committee chairman who is leading the inquiry, told reporters Monday afternoon that the committee would release two more transcripts on Tuesday of interviews with two key figures in the inquiry. Those figures are Kurt D. Volker, who served as special envoy to Ukraine, and Gordon D. Sondland, the ambassador to the European Union.
Republicans involved in the inquiry did not immediately comment. Mr. Trump sought to undermine the transcripts before they were released by charging, without evidence, that Mr. Schiff would “change the words that were said to suit the Dems purposes.” The transcripts were reviewed by Republicans in the House and by the witnesses themselves, and there is no independent reason to believe they are not faithful accounts of the Democratic and Republican questioning that occurred behind closed doors.
The transcript release came as a new batch of witnesses were refusing on Monday to sit with investigators. The White House’s top national security lawyer declined to appear for a scheduled deposition Monday morning, saying he would wait until a federal judge rules on whether Mr. Trump’s closest advisers have to answer questions from congressional investigators.
The lawyer, John A. Eisenberg, played a central role in dealing with the fallout at the White House from a July call between Mr. Trump and the Ukrainian president, in which Mr. Trump asked the Ukrainians to conduct investigations that could benefit him politically.
The committee subpoenaed Mr. Eisenberg to appear for questioning, but the White House informed Mr. Eisenberg’s lawyer on Sunday that Mr. Trump was directing him not to testify. The White House invoked absolute immunity, a sweeping and contested form of executive privilege that holds the president’s closest advisers are not obligated to cooperate with Congress.
“Under these circumstances, Mr. Eisenberg has no other option that is consistent with his legal and ethical obligations except to follow the direction of his client and employer, the president of the United States,” William A. Burck, a lawyer for Mr. Eisenberg, wrote to House leaders Monday morning. “Accordingly, Mr. Eisenberg will not be appearing for a deposition at this time.”
Mr. Eisenberg was not the only witness defying House investigators on Monday. Robert Blair, the national security adviser to the acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney; Michael Ellis, Mr. Eisenberg’s deputy; and Brian McCormack, the former chief of staff to the energy secretary, Rick Perry, were all expected to skip scheduled depositions, despite receiving subpoenas.
The objections were not unexpected, but nonetheless showed the limits House Democrats face as their fact finding tries to edge closer into Mr. Trump’s inner circle. Additional witnesses scheduled to testify this week are likely to follow suit, either out of loyalty to Mr. Trump or because of complicated legal issues posed by their proximity to the president.
With their inquiry moving at a rapid pace, Democrats have made clear they do not intend to wait around for the courts to settle the legal issues raised by Mr. Eisenberg and others to secure their testimony. Investigators are trying to complete most private witness depositions this week, before beginning to make the case in public next week that Mr. Trump used the levers of his office to pressure Ukraine into investigating Democratic rivals for his own political gain.
“We are not going to delay our work,” Mr. Schiff said. “That would merely allow these witnesses and the White House to succeed in their goals, which are delay, deny and obstruct.”
Mr. Schiff indicated he was cataloging defiance of subpoenas as further evidence of Mr. Trump obstructing Congress, an offense they view as potentially impeachable itself. And they plan to assume that any witness the White House blocks would have confirmed details of the emerging case against Mr. Trump.
Mr. Eisenberg’s decision heightens the importance of an unusual lawsuit filed by Mr. Trump’s former deputy national security adviser, Charles M. Kupperman, who faced the same situation as Mr. Eisenberg: a subpoena from the House and an instruction from Mr. Trump not to comply with it. Last month, Mr. Kupperman sued, asking a judge to determine whether he had to testify. Oral arguments could be heard in that case on Dec. 10.
The suit will have implications that go beyond Mr. Kupperman and Mr. Eisenberg. Mr. Kupperman’s lawyer, Charles J. Cooper, also represents another highly sought-after witness, the former national security adviser, John R. Bolton. If House investigators subpoena Mr. Bolton, Mr. Cooper is likely to also ask a judge to determine whether he has to testify.
Mr. Blair, who listened in on the July 25 call, is likely to have been privy to key details about the president’s direction to Mr. Mulvaney to freeze $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine this summer. His lawyer indicated over the weekend he would not cooperate.
Mr. Ellis could offer a direct account of the decision to lock down a reconstructed transcript��of the call, and possibly of how the White House legal team handled reports made by national security officials alarmed by what they saw transpiring with Ukraine. A lawyer for Mr. Ellis said Monday morning that he had been directed by the White House not to cooperate and would not appear for an afternoon deposition.
And as Mr. Perry’s chief of staff, Mr. McCormack is said to have been involved in key events under scrutiny. He is now working at the Office of Management and Budget. An administration official indicated on Monday that neither he, nor other White House budget office appointees, would speak with investigators this week.
The White House did not appear to try to assert that any of the three, who are further removed from Mr. Trump, were absolutely immune from testimony. But correspondence released by the House Intelligence Committee indicated that Mr. Blair and Mr. Ellis had been directed not to appear because investigators would not allow a Trump administration lawyer to participate in the depositions in the hearing room.
Other witnesses have ignored or defied similar instructions. Democrats told lawyers for Mr. Blair and Mr. Ellis that they viewed it as just one of several “baseless procedural challenges” to the House by the White House. They pointed out that when Republicans were in charge, the House had set identical rules.
Charlie Savage contributed reporting.
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In impeachment testimony, U.S. diplomat says she was told to tweet support for Trump
By Susan Cornwell, Patricia Zengerle, Arshad Mohammed | Published November 4, 2019, 12:03 PM ET | Reuters | Posted November 4, 2019 |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two U.S. diplomats told lawmakers the State Department was being used for domestic political purposes under President Donald Trump and warned that would hurt American interests, according to transcripts released on Monday from Congress’ impeachment investigation.
Michael McKinley, a former top adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, told U.S. House of Representatives committees that injecting domestic politics weakened diplomacy.
“I feel that this is not the way we maintain the integrity of the work we do beyond our borders. We’re meant to project nonpartisanship overseas,” he said.
The transcripts were the first released by the closed-door inquiry by the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight panels. They painted a detailed picture of the distress felt by top U.S. diplomats as Trump allies tried to pressure Ukraine to launch investigations into the Republican president’s political rivals.
McKinley said he quit his post after the State Department opted not to defend then-U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch from attacks by Trump and his political allies.
He also cited his concern over “what appears to be the utilization of our ambassadors overseas to advance domestic political objectives,” McKinley told lawmakers.
Yovanovitch was abruptly recalled as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine after a smear campaign by Trump allies. In her testimony, also released on Monday, she said the State Department was being “attacked and hollowed out from within” and that not rebuilding it would harm the United States.
“The harm will come when private interests circumvent professional diplomats for their own gain,” she said. “The harm will come when bad actors and countries beyond Ukraine see how easy it is to use fiction and innuendo to manipulate our system.”
The Democratic-led House investigation is focused on a July 25 phone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading Democratic rival as Trump seeks re-election in November 2020.
The committees began releasing interview transcripts as they prepare for public hearings this month.
Republicans have complained that the inquiry is insufficiently transparent, one of the main arguments of Trump’s backers. Democrats say they are following House rules on investigations.
Yovanovitch, who was abruptly removed as ambassador in May, testified on Oct. 11 that she felt threatened by Trump telling Zelenskiy on the call that she was going to “go through some things.”
“I didn’t know what it meant. I was very concerned,” she said. “I still am.”
She said she was shocked she would be repeatedly featured in a presidential phone call and that Trump would speak about her “or any ambassador in that way to a foreign counterpart.”
Trump has denied wrongdoing and accused Democrats of unfairly targeting him to reverse his surprise election victory in 2016.
GIULIANI CONNECTIONS
Showing that concerns about the administration’s Ukraine activities arose long before the July call, Yovanovitch said she first learned in late 2018 that Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, had been involved with Ukraine when Ukrainian officials alerted her to the former New York mayor’s communications with a former Ukrainian prosecutor general.
Yovanovitch also said Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, had urged her to use Twitter to express support for Trump in order to save her job. “He said, you know, you need to go big or go home. You need to, you know, tweet out there that you support the president,” she said.
Several witnesses have said Sondland played a major role in Ukraine policy, despite the country not being part of the European Union. Sondland also testified in the House probe, and his transcript is expected on Tuesday.
Four U.S. officials called to testify by Democrats did not show up as requested on Monday, lawmakers said, and the president pressed his demand for a whistleblower to appear.
Some Democrats say Trump, who has ordered administration officials not to cooperate with the impeachment inquiry, should face an obstruction of Congress charge among the counts they plan to consider.
The testimony of the four witnesses - from the White House budget office and National Security Council - would have been important to determining whether Trump used foreign aid to Ukraine as leverage to secure a political favor.
Lawmakers were especially interested in questioning the lawyer, John Eisenberg, who took the unusual step of moving a transcript of the call into the White House’s most classified computer system, according to a person familiar with last week’s testimony by Army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, an NSC official who listened in on the call.
“There is no reason to call witnesses to analyze my words and meaning,” Trump tweeted on Monday.
If the House votes to approve articles of impeachment, the Republican-controlled Senate would then hold a trial on whether to remove the president from office.
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Reporting by Arshad Mohammed and Patricia Zengerle; additional reporting by Susan Cornwall, Mark Hosenball; David Morgan; Jonathan Landay, Steve Holland, Jan Wolfe and Susan Heavey in Washington, and Karen Freifeld in New York; Writing by Grant McCool; Editing by Alistair Bell and Peter Cooney
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Exclusive: Giuliani associate now willing to comply with Trump impeachment inquiry - lawyer
By Aram Roston | Published November 4, 2019, 5:03 PM ET | Reuters | Posted November 4, 2019 |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lev Parnas, an indicted Ukrainian-American businessman who has ties to President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, is now prepared to comply with requests for records and testimony from congressional impeachment investigators, his lawyer told Reuters on Monday.
Parnas, who helped Giuliani look for dirt on Trump’s political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, is a key figure in the impeachment inquiry that is examining whether Trump abused his office for personal political gain.
His apparent decision to now work with the congressional committees represents a change of heart. Parnas rebuffed a request from three House of Representatives committees last month to provide documents and testimony.
“We will honor and not avoid the committee’s requests to the extent they are legally proper, while scrupulously protecting Mr Parnas’ privileges including that of the Fifth Amendment,” said the lawyer, Joseph Bondy, referring to his client’s constitutional right to avoid self-incrimination.
His previous lawyer, John Dowd, wrote to the committees in early October complaining that their requests for documents were “overly broad and unduly burdensome.”
Parnas pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court last month to being part of a scheme that used a shell company to donate money to a pro-Trump election committee and illegally raise money for a former congressman as part of an effort to have the president remove the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
The indictment does not address the issues involved in the impeachment inquiry.
Parnas would be a crucial witness if he were to cooperate. He has said he played a key role in connecting Giuliani to Ukrainian officials during Giuliani’s investigation into Biden and his son Hunter.
Trump’s request to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a July 25 phone call to investigate the Bidens was at the heart of a whistleblower complaint by an intelligence officer that sparked the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry on Sept. 24.
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#trump administration#trumpism#president donald trump#trump scandals#trump2020#president trump#trump#trumptrain#impeach trump#impeachment inquiry now#impeachtrump#impeachthemf#trump news#news today trump#world news today#trump ukraine whistle blower complaint and impeachment inquiry#ukrainegate#ukraine#politics and government#us politics#politics#house intelligence committee#national intelligence agency#intelligence agency#state department#rudy giuliani
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Will Smith
Willard Carroll "Will" Smith Jr. (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, producer, rapper, comedian, and songwriter. In April 2007, Newsweek called him "the most powerful actor in Hollywood". Smith has been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards, and has won four Grammy Awards.
In the late 1980s, Smith achieved modest fame as a rapper under the name The Fresh Prince. In 1990, his popularity increased dramatically when he starred in the popular NBC television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which ran for six seasons until 1996. After the series ended, Smith transitioned from television to film, and has gone on to star in numerous blockbuster films. He is the only actor to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in the domestic box office, eleven consecutive films gross over $150 million internationally, and eight consecutive films in which he starred, open at the number one spot in the domestic box office tally.
Smith has been ranked as the most bankable star worldwide by Forbes. As of 2014, 17 of the 21 films in which he has had leading roles have accumulated worldwide gross earnings of over $100 million each, five taking in over $500 million each in global box office receipts. As of 2016, his films have grossed $7.5 billion at the global box office. For his performances as boxer Muhammad Ali in Ali (2001) and stockbroker Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), Smith received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Family and early life
Willard Carroll Smith Jr. was born on September 25, 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Caroline (Bright), a Philadelphia school board administrator, and Willard Carroll Smith, Sr. (died 2016), a refrigeration engineer. He grew up in West Philadelphia's Wynnefield neighborhood, and was raised Baptist. He has three siblings, sister Pamela, who is four years older, and twins Harry and Ellen, who are three years younger. Smith attended Our Lady of Lourdes, a private Catholic elementary school in Philadelphia. His parents separated when he was 13, but did not actually divorce until around 2000.
Smith attended Overbrook High School. Though widely reported, it is untrue that Smith turned down a scholarship to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); he never applied to college because he "wanted to rap." Smith says he was admitted to a "pre-engineering [summer] program" at MIT for high school students, but he did not attend. According to Smith, "My mother, who worked for the School Board of Philadelphia, had a friend who was the admissions officer at MIT. I had pretty high SAT scores and they needed black kids, so I probably could have gotten in. But I had no intention of going to college."
Recording and acting career
1985–1992: The Fresh Prince
Smith started as the MC of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, with his childhood friend Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes as turntablist and producer. Jeff Townes and Will Smith were introduced to each other by chance in 1985. One night, Townes was performing at a house party only a few doors down from Smith's residence, and he was missing his hype man. Smith decided to fill in. They both felt strong chemistry, and Townes was upset when his hype man finally made it to the party.
Soon after, the two decided to join forces. Smith enlisted a friend to join as the beatboxer of the group, Clarence Holmes (Ready Rock C), making them a trio. Philadelphia-based Word Up Records released their first single in late 1985 to 1986 when A&R man Paul Oakenfold introduced them to Word Up with their single "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble," a tale of funny misadventures that landed Smith and his former DJ and rap partner Mark Forrest (Lord Supreme) in trouble. The song sampled the theme song of "I Dream of Jeannie." Smith became known for light-hearted story-telling raps and capable, though profanity-free, "battle" rhymes. The single became a hit a month before Smith graduated from high school.
Based on this success, the duo were brought to the attention of Jive Records and Russell Simmons. The duo's first album, Rock the House, which was first released on Word Up in 1986 debuted on Jive in March of 1987. The group received the first Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989 for "Parents Just Don't Understand" (1988), though their most successful single was "Summertime" (1991), which earned the group their second Grammy and peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Will Smith and Jeff Townes are still friends and claim that they never split up, having made songs under Smith's solo performer credit.
Smith spent money freely around 1988 and 1989 and underpaid his income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service eventually assessed a $2.8 million tax debt against Smith, took many of his possessions, and garnished his income. Smith was nearly bankrupt in 1990, when the NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, around him. The show was successful and began his acting career. Will Smith set for himself the goal of becoming "the biggest movie star in the world", studying box office successes' common characteristics.
1993–2002: Solo music and film beginnings
Smith's first major roles were in the drama Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and the action film Bad Boys (1995) in which he starred opposite Martin Lawrence. The latter film was commercially successful, grossing $141,407,024 worldwide — $65,807,024 in North America and $75,600,000 overseas. However, critical reception was generally mixed. In 1996, Smith starred as part of an ensemble cast in Roland Emmerich's Independence Day. The film was a massive blockbuster, becoming the second highest-grossing film in history at the time and establishing Smith as a prime box office draw.
In the summer of 1997 he starred alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the summer hit Men in Black playing Agent J. The film was released on July 2, 1997, by Columbia Pictures, and grossed over $589.3 million worldwide against a $90 million budget, becoming the year's third highest-grossing film, with an estimated 54,616,700 tickets sold in the US. It received worldwide acclaim, with critics highly praising its witty, sophisticated humor, Jones and Smith's performances.
During the summer of 1997, Smith also began his solo career with the release of "Men in Black", the theme song for the film of the same name, which topped singles charts in several regions across the world, including the UK. "Men in Black" (and second single "Just Cruisin'") was later included on Smith's debut solo album Big Willie Style, which reached the top ten of the US Billboard 200 and was certified nine times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The third single from the album, "Gettin' Jiggy wit It", became Smith's first Billboard Hot 100 number one when it was released in 1998.
In 1998, Smith starred with Gene Hackman in Enemy of the State. The following year he turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix in favor of Wild Wild West (1999). Despite the disappointment of Wild Wild West, Smith has said that he harbors no regrets about his decision, asserting that Keanu Reeves's performance as Neo was superior to what Smith himself would have achieved, although in interviews subsequent to the release of Wild Wild West he stated that he "made a mistake on Wild Wild West. That could have been better."
Smith's second album was again supported by the release of a film theme song as the lead single: "Wild Wild West", featuring Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee, topped the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA. The album in question, Willennium, reached number five on the Billboard 200 and was certified double platinum by the RIAA. "Will 2K", the second single from the album, reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. Before the end of 1999, a video album was released featuring Smith's seven music videos released to date, which reached number 25 on the UK Music Video Chart. The same year, the rapper was also featured on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air co-star Tatyana Ali's single "Boy You Knock Me Out", which reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and topped the UK R&B Singles Chart.
Smith portrayed heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali in the 2001 biopic Ali. For his performance he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. In 2002, following a four year musical hiatus, Smith returned with his third album Born to Reign, which reached number 13 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA. The album's lead single was Men in Black II theme song "Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head)", which reached number three on the UK Singles Chart. Later in the year, Smith's first compilation album Greatest Hits was released, featuring songs from his three solo albums as well as those produced with DJ Jazzy Jeff. Smith's latest album Lost and Found was released in 2005, peaking at number six on the Billboard200. Lead single "Switch" reached the top ten of both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart.
Career successes and acting
2005 saw Smith return for Bad Boys II, the sequel to the 1995 film Bad Boys and the second installment in the Bad Boys series, the film follows detectives Burnett and Lowrey investigating the flow of ecstasy into Miami. Despite receiving generally negative reviews, the film was a box office success, grossing $270 million worldwide. In 2005, Smith was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for attending three premieres in a 24-hour time span.
Smith and his son Jaden played father and son in two productions: the 2006 biographical drama The Pursuit of Happyness, and the science fiction film After Earth, which was released on May 31, 2013. In The Pursuit of Happyness, Smith portrayed Chris Gardner. Smith said he first became interested in making a film about Gardner after seeing him on 20/20 and connected with him during production. The film, along with Smith's performance, received praise.
On December 10, 2007, Smith was honored at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Smith left an imprint of his hands and feet outside the world-renowned theater in front of many fans. Later that month, Smith starred in the film I Am Legend, released December 14, 2007. Despite marginally positive reviews, its opening was the largest ever for a film released in the United States during December. Smith himself has said that he considers the film to be "aggressively unique". A reviewer said that the film's commercial success "cemented [Smith's] standing as the number one box office draw in Hollywood." On December 1, 2008, TV Guide reported that Smith was selected as one of America's top ten most fascinating people of 2008 for a Barbara Walters ABC special that aired on December 4, 2008.
In 2008 Smith was reported to be developing a film entitled The Last Pharaoh, in which he would be starring as Taharqa. It was in 2008 that Smith starred in the superhero movie Hancock. Hancock has grossed $227,946,274 in the United States and Canada and $396,440,472 in other territories for a worldwide total of $624,386,746.
On August 19, 2011, it was announced that Smith had returned to the studio with producer La Mar Edwards to work on his fifth studio album.
Men in Black III opened on May 25, 2012 with Smith again reprising his role as Agent J. This was his first major starring role in four years. Smith worked with Barry Sonnenfeld during the film's helming who commented that Smith was an exception in being an actor who was successful not for the size of his head, but that his "ego" compensated for it. After the release of Men in Black III, Smith was content with ending his work with the franchise: "I think three is enough for me. Three of anything is enough for me. We'll look at it and we'll consider it, but it feels like that it might be time to let someone else do that." Men in Black 3 was released ten years after release of Men in Black II (2002), and grossed over $624 million worldwide. Unadjusted for inflation, it is the highest-grossing film in the series.
Recent work
Smith starred opposite Margot Robbie in the romance drama Focus. He played Nicky Spurgeon, a veteran con artist who takes a young, attractive woman under his wing. Focus was released on February 27, 2015. Smith was set to star in the sci-fi thriller Brilliance, an adaptation of Marcus Sakey's novel of the same name scripted by Jurassic Park writer David Koepp, but later left the project.
Smith played Dr. Bennet Omalu of the Brain Injury Research Institute in the sports-drama Concussion, who became the first person to discover chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Smith's involvement was due to his departure from the science fiction film Brilliance. He had doubts about the film early in production, saying, "Some of my happiest memories are of watching my son catch and throw a football. I didn’t want to be the guy who did a movie saying football could be dangerous." These views subsided upon his meeting with Omalu, whose words about American ideals resonated with Smith.
In 2016, Smith played Deadshot in the supervillain team-up action film Suicide Squad. Smith's inclusion in Suicide Squad meant choosing it over Independence Day: Resurgence, which he turned down due to seeing his involvement in the sequel as "clinging and clawing backwards." Later that year, Smith starred in director David Frankel's drama Collateral Beauty, playing a New York advertising executive who succumbs to a deep depression after a personal tragedy. Weeks after signing Smith onto the film, his father was diagnosed with cancer, from which he died in 2016. As part of his role required him to read about religion and the afterlife, he was brought closer to the elder Smith, calling the experience "a beautiful way to prepare for a movie and an even more majestic way to say goodbye to my father."
Upcoming projects
Smith will portray The Genie (originally played by Robin Williams in the 1992 animated film) in a live-action film adaptation of Disney's Aladdin directed by Guy Ritchie which is scheduled to be released on May 24, 2019.
Personal life
Smith married Sheree Zampino in 1992. They had one son, Trey Smith, born on November 11, 1992, and divorced in 1995. Trey appeared in his father's music video for the 1998 single "Just the Two of Us". He also acted in two episodes of the sitcom All of Us, and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and on the David Blaine: Real or Magic TV special.
Smith married actress Jada Koren Pinkett in 1997. Together they have two children: Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (born 1998), his co-star in The Pursuit of Happyness and After Earth, and Willow Camille Reign Smith (born 2000), who appeared as his daughter in I Am Legend. Smith and his brother Harry own Treyball Development Inc., a Beverly Hills-based company named after Trey. Smith and his family reside in Los Angeles, California.
Public image
Smith was raised in a Baptist household and went to a Catholic school, but he no longer identifies himself as religious. Though he is not a Scientologist and has denied rumors claiming him as a member of the Church of Scientology, he has spoken favorably about it, saying "I just think a lot of the ideas in Scientology are brilliant and revolutionary and non-religious."
Smith gave $1.3 million to charities in 2007, of which $450,000 went to two Christian ministries, and $122,500 went to three Scientology organizations; the remaining beneficiaries included "a Los Angeles mosque, other Christian-based schools and churches, and [.....] the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Center in Israel." Smith and his wife have also founded a private elementary school in Calabasas, California, the New Village Leadership Academy. Federal tax filing showed that Will Smith donated $1.2 million to the school in 2010.
Smith donated $4,600 to the 2008 presidential campaign of Democrat Barack Obama. On December 11, 2009, Smith and his wife hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway to celebrate Obama's winning of the prize. In 2012, Smith stated he supports legalizing same-sex marriage.
http://wikipedia.thetimetube.com/?q=Will+Smith&lang=en
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The Tides: Riding the Ups and Downs on the Oregon Coast Trail
By Henley Phillips
I’m in a Safeway parking lot in Lincoln City trying to set a new supported fastest known time on the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT). I didn’t plan to quit when I sat down, but the combination of chair and lapful of Dairy Queen is drawing me down into a comfortable state that I haven’t felt in 139 miles. I do some quick math for the next section - 4 mile wrong turn earlier in the day, 270 miles left to go, 18 miles still left for the day, it’s 5PM, I’ve eaten all the chicken strips, no way I can do this. ** **
Am I quitting?
So far I‘ve covered the miles out of pure excitement and adrenaline, but now I feel well out of my league. I decided to do this just 6 weeks ago. My longest run was only 32 miles; the biggest week a mere 42. This was just to get a taste of what this FKT world is all about. I get it. It’s hard. I don’t want hard. I want a relaxed summer with my wife on the Oregon coast. 139 miles is pretty damn good.
Am I quitting? I think so.
When you attempt something like a fastest known time, your mind is constantly calculating the gains and losses of the experience to regulate and preserve your physical well-being. In fact our brains work in this mode every day with almost every task. It’s basic survival wherein your mind and body work to maintain a safe equilibrium of pleasure and pain. I think it’s fair to say for most of us, myself included, we do a good job of making sure the scales tip to the side of pleasure more often than not.
On my first day of the trail I ran in a state of almost pure bliss for 14 hours. The northern terminus of the OCT was windy and cold that morning, the ocean and sky a blur of blue and gray with waves crashing somewhere unseen. The trail had it all that first day - serene beach running all to myself, road miles through Seaside with its tourist trinket shops, enchanting singletrack over Tillamook Head and Cape Falcon, and then the quiet miles of a sleepy highway 101 at the end of the day. That night we stealth camped at the baseball fields in Nehalem. My wife made beef stir fry for dinner. I inhaled it, scrubbed my legs in a community faucet and went to bed like nothing happened, 52 miles later. Pure pleasure.
Day two. Katie asks how I feel first thing.
“Everything... feels intact.” I do a stupid dance to show it’s true.
The OCT is unique for two reasons - towns and trails. It’s less of a wilderness route like the word trail conjures up, so towns and resupply come easy. You also have to time the beach hiking just right or else you’ll be caught in high tide with no route off the beach or left with an unexpected road walk. Today the goal is to hit one of the main estuaries at low tide to avoid a 4-5 mile road detour.
Near the end of the day, trudging up Cape Lookout and nearing a cumulative 100 miles, my mind begins that gain vs. loss calculation - pain developing in my feet and knees, hips tight, stomach still good but then there’s the hamstring. I topped the climb as the sun was setting, and the thrill of making the estuary crossing at night took over. Headlamp, food, layers and a towel in case I had to swim the crossing. I dropped down to Sand Beach and covered the 4 miles to the estuary outlet under a sliver of moon and the beach to myself.
I sensed the outlet before I could confirm it. In the pitch black of 10:30PM, my headlamp beam was simply swallowed up by the ocean to my right and the now empty space of the estuary void to my left. No low-lying beach topography to bounce light or give perspective. Deep black on either side and moving water underfoot.
The water quickly rose to my chest on the first try, and I half-panicked and almost threw myself into the flow to swim across, dry clothes be damned. Luckily I took a quick glance across and saw a high, steep bank on the other side, which meant deep water and no easy way up. Trying again further up the estuary, there was no steep bank; in fact, there was nothing at all, which I chanced to mean shallow water rather than endless water.
The water is cold, up to my chest halfway across, but I feel in control, safe. Without thinking, however, I start chanting ‘please’ out loud. Please don’t let me have to backtrack now. Please don’t sweep me out into the dark ocean. Please let there be a safe way out of this channel. Finally my foot hits the bottom a little sooner, the water drops to my stomach, and I spot a level bank to exit the current. I let out an animal sound of satisfaction and relief but immediately realize I’ve crossed too high. Now I have a stagnant tidal lagoon to cross, the remnants of the estuary not carried out at low tide.
My phone battery is very low, so I forgo using Gaia to navigate and instead head towards where I think the beach should be, which is the other side of this lagoon. Compared to the relatively clear water of the first crossing, this stuff is a muck of seagrass and shoe-sucking sludge. I can’t see the bottom and have no way of judging depth. As I whip my headlamp around in all directions, tens of little fish jump silver streaks out of the water. Then I notice palm-sized crabs floating in the tops of the seagrass, right at chest level. Do crabs bite humans?
Twenty minutes later I’m back on the beach and running the last two miles to where Katie is waiting. The adrenaline quickly fades. I’m ice cold, and all the pain starts welling up after a day of 58 miles.
In anticipation of the building fatigue and inevitable pain, I quit on day three at the Lincoln City Safeway after a measly 28 miles. The third day was going to be tough, I knew, but my mental focus had already shifted from enjoying the Oregon coast to desperately calculating my next rest and meetup with Katie. I ended the tracking on my inReach and sent a message to my family letting them know I had quit, and to my surprise, I felt a choking, welling tightness in my chest and throat.
“I think I’m crying about this,” I told Katie.
Sleep came quickly that night, and I went to bed without dinner. We drove further south down the coast to where I was supposed to have ended my day on foot, tucked the van into a side road, and that was the end of my FKT.
In the morning I woke feeling better than expected. I stretched and jogged a little and figured I should be feeling a lot worse if I’m going to quit. We had a leisurely morning together drinking coffee with a quintessential Oregon coast view. Turns out the record was still doable, and my one-woman crew was still down to keep going.
I devoured miles for the next five days - 44, 52, 50, 50, 53 and then a casual 20 on the last day into Crissy Field and the California border. 408 miles in 8 days 5 hours 2 minutes.
I had assumed the most critical moments of a fastest known time attempt would be the cumulative minutes lost or gained during breaks, or, specifically for the Oregon Coast Trail, hitting the river outlets and tides at just the right time. Turns out the key decision for me was quitting on the third day when I thought that I’d had enough.
The important thing about quitting is that it immediately calls into question your tenacity. The moments directly after you pull the plug on something can be so illuminating and provide deep-gut feedback on the decision. In the past several years the concept of vulnerability has become quite popular, at times creating a culture and mindset of easy outs. Quitting has been flipped and is now strong, follow-through less important and rephrased as stubbornness. What’s worrisome to me about quitting is that the immediacy of relief can sometimes overshadow those moments of truer clarity directly after. Surely there are moments when quitting is the prudent, safe decision, but how often is this truly the case? Or is it more likely that your resilience, grit and ruggedness are simply being called into question?
Don’t hit the damn button. Keep going.
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