#American C.I.A. agents

[uniquegalaxyfox]

[verylead-flavored-candy33]

Probably for the manga volume cover.

[flamingdragonfly-whispers]

[dutifullybitchyblaze]

Girls with guns

[ljones41]

"NOBLE HOUSE" (1988) Review

"NOBLE HOUSE" (1988) Review

Between 1962 and 1993, author James Clavell wrote and published a series of novels centered on Europeans living in Asia. Some of the novels featured a family founded by a Scottish-born sailor named Dirk Struan, who became a trader in early 19th century China. And one of those novels was "Noble House", published in 1981.

Clavell's novel centered around one of Struan's descendants, Ian Dunross, who struggled to save the family company from a precarious financial position left by the previous CEO or "tai-pan" in the British colony, Hong Kong. Dunross sought a partnership with an American billionaire named Linc Barlett of Par-Con Industries, in the hopes of rescuing Struan's from financial ruin and a possible takeover by his family's long-time rival, Quinlan Gornt of Rothwell-Gornt. However, matters grew worse for Dunross and the company when the oldest son of Struan's comprador, Philip Chen, sold both company secrets and "coin debt" in the form of one of four half-coins that was given to Dirk Struan 146 years ago, to Barlett. This enabled Barlett to seek a partnership with Gornt in the hopes of making a raid on Struan's. When Philip's son, John Chen, ended up kidnapped by a local street gang, the value of the "coin debt", which ended up in the hands of wealthy smuggler named Four Fingers Wu. And this left Dunross and Struan's vulnerable to another threat.

I first read "Noble House" in my early twenties. Looking back on it, I now realize it was a good thing I had read previously read Clavell's 1966 novel, "Tai-Pan" and saw the 1986 movie adaptation. If not, I would have found myself confused over the family feud that served as a backdrop to the Dunross-Gornt feud and the history of the "coin debt". This involved four half-coins given to Dirk Struan by a Chinese trader named Jinqua in "Tai-Pan", as repayment for the loan of silver. Any CEO or "tai-pan" of Struan's must fulfill the request, whether legal or illegal, to anyone who presents one of the half coins that Jinqua originally kept. I ended up enjoying the 1981 novel very much. But I had some issues with it. Issues that had thankfully failed to materialized in "NOBLE HOUSE", the 1988 miniseries.

One of the issues centered around secret intelligence documents that Dunross found himself in possession of, thanks to his MI-6 contact. These documents ended up being sought by various intelligence agencies, including the MI-6, the C.I.A. and the K.G.B. However, this story arc had nothing to do with Dunross's efforts to save Struan's, so screenwriter Eric Bercovici ditched it. He also removed another story arc featuring an entourage of visiting members of Parliament - which included Dunross' Labor brother-in-law. Again, this arc had very little to do with the main one involving Dunross's business situation.

The miniseries had also removed several characters, including K.G.B. agent Captain Suslev, a visiting author and former Royal Air Force veteran named Peter Marlowe (from the 1962 novel, "King Rat"), Dunross's wife and children (he is a childless widower in the miniseries), Dunross's brother-in-law Robin Grey (also from "King Rat") and especially Dunross's wife Penelope and their three children. In the miniseries, Dunross is a childless widower, enabling him to have a romance with Par-Con executive Casey Tcholok. The biggest change proved to be the story's timeline. Bercovici updated the story's setting from August 1963 to November 1987, allowing it to be a modern tale. This enabled several characters like Linc Barlett and Casey Tcholok to mention Great Britain's future 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China.

I do have some minor complaints regarding "NOBLE HOUSE". One, I found Paul Chihara's score for the miniseries unmemorable and almost pedantic. And speaking of the score, I really disliked the cheesy aspect of the theme Chihara had created for the Orlanda Ramos character. It almost sounded like something for a soft-porn movie. Very insulting for a character like Orlanda, who proved to be more complicated. I also had a problem with some of the dialogue featured in "NOBLE HOUSE". This especially seemed to be the case in scenes featuring dialogue between European and Chinese characters or simply between Chinese characters. I found the dialogue rather awkward, exaggerated and very stylized. I realize the screenwriter was simply copying some of James Clavell's dialogue from the novel. But I really wish he had not.

Despite my complaints, I really enjoyed "NOBLE HOUSE". Every time I watch it, I am always surprised at how epic it seemed by the end of the last episode. And mind you, this story had very little to do with history. It was simply a mixture of the usual melodrama involving sex, romance, financial dealings and family conflicts. Even one of the story arcs, which featured Cold War espionage, managed to have an impact on the narrative's main arc regarding Ian Dunross's financial situation. Most people would be disappointed that this television adaptation was not completely faithful to Clavell's novel. Frankly, I am relieved. Bercovici managed to cut some of the superfluous story arcs and prevent the miniseries from becoming bloated. Yet, he still managed to retain Clavell's epic feel for the narrative. And he achieved this with the help of director Gary Nelson, who provided an overall steady pace in scenes that range from dramatic and action moments. Nelson's handling of the floating restaurant fire and the landslide that destroyed an apartment complex in the final episode really impressed me.

"NOBLE HOUSE" proved to be one of those productions that featured an international cast. Aside from a handful of performances, most struck me as being pretty solid. I must admit that I found those from the likes of Burt Kwok, Lim Kay Tong, Gordon Jackson, Denholm Elliott, Lisa Lu, Michael Siberry, Tia Carrere, John Houseman, Brian Fong, Ric Young, John van Dreelen, Nancy Kwan, Damien Thomas, Galen Yuen, George Innes and Dudley Sutton rather memorable. But there were certain performances that I truly enjoyed.

One of those performances came from the always memorable Khigh Dhiegh, who struck me as very colorful as one of Hong Kong's premiere smugglers, Four Fingers Wu. Ben Masters' take on the Lincoln "Linc" Bartlett characters seemed less boyish and more mature that Clavell's literary version. And to be honest, Masters' interpretation struck me as a lot more plausible as the witty and ruthless corporate CEO. I am more familiar with actor Ping Wu, thanks to his frequent appearances on NBC's "SEINFELD". But I really enjoyed his performance as Four Fingers Wu's youngest son, the intelligent and frustrated Paul Choy, who seemed incapable of impressing his father with his more modern outlook on how to profit outside of smuggling. Julia Nickson gave a very poignant performance as Orlanda Ramos, a local Eurasian television journalist and former mistress of Quillan Gornt. Thanks to Nickson's skillful performance, Orlanda evaded the superficial trope of a one-dimensional, walking sex toy; who became an intelligent, yet emotional woman who desired to be more than someone's bed warmer.

I might as well confess. Despite James Clavell's efforts, the character of Quillan Gornt never became a favorite of mine. His role as Dunross's main rival had nothing to do with my attitude. But I cannot deny that John Rhys-Davies gave one hell of a performance as the ruthless CEO who seemed to radiate wit, presence and a penchant for petty behavior. Casey Tcholok seemed like a difficult character to portray. Actress Deborah Raffin could have easily portray her as this ideal, "Mary Sue" type. Fortunately, James Clavell never portrayed Casey in that manner and neither did Raffin. Although the latter's take on the character seemed a bit more mature than her literary counterpart, Raffin expertly conveyed many of Casey's nuances - her razor-sharp intelligence, impatience, her talent for observation, her fears of being overlooked as a more than competent business person and her wit. However, Raffin's Casey struck me as a bit more sardonic than Clavell's literary version. Pierce Brosnan looked nothing like the literary Ian Dunross. Although both are tall, the latter possessed slightly wavy blond hair and the actor is definitely a brunette. The literary Dunross was in his early 40s, whereas Brosnan was only 34 years-old when he shot "NOBLE HOUSE". And yet . . . the Irish-born actor more than lived up to the role of Struan's CEO with a commanding performance without trying to hard. Brosnan wore the role very well - tight on the inside and relaxed on the outside. He not only portrayed Dunross's intelligence and ruthlessness with great skill, but also conveyed the CEO's growing concerns over losing the company and desperate attempts to save it without resorting to any kind of histrionic acting. By the time the miniseries ended, Brosnan had embedded into the role so well that I had completely forgotten that he was the wrong age to portray Dunross and possessed the wrong hair color.

"NOBLE HOUSE" never really acquired the acclaim that both television versions of James Clavell's 1975 novel, Shōgun or the movie version of the author's 1962 novel, "King Rat" had. But thankfully, it was no "TAI-PAN". Not that I care. I am not claiming that "NOBLE HOUSE" was mediocre. On the contrary, I thought it was a skillful and excellent adaptation of the 1981 novel. The latter is my favorite Clavell novel and I was more than happy that NBC had did more than simply justice to it, thanks to Gary Nelson's well-paced direction, Eric Bercovici's tight screenplay and performances from a first-rate cast led by Pierce Brosnan and Deborah Raffin. It has been years since I first saw it and to this day, I have yet to grown tired of it.

[kudosmyhero]

Batman: Shadow of the Bat #6: The Ugly American

Read Date: August 21, 2023 Cover Date: November 1992 ● Writer: Alan Grant ● Penciler: Dan Jurgens ● Inker: Dick Giordano ● Colorist: Adrienne Roy ● Letterer: Todd Klein ● Editor: Dick Giordano ●

**HERE BE SPOILERS: Skip ahead to the fan art/podcast to avoid spoilers (👏=didn't like it, 👏👏=it was ok, 👏👏👏=I liked it, 👏👏👏👏=I really liked it!, 👏👏👏👏👏=I loved it!)

Reactions As I Read: ● “Toyola” ^_^ I love the not-quite-name-brand names they come up with ● Batman just lurkin’

● 👏👏

Synopsis: Jon Kennedy Payne drives a car full of young kids off a bridge because they're driving a foreign-made vehicle. He goes to Sam's Place, a bar, looking for his daughter, Tina. He resorts to violence against the bartender to learn her whereabouts. Batman travels to the bridge where Commissioner Gordon listens to eyewitness testimony about the car crash. Three C.I.A. agents arrive trying to get through the police barricade. After threats don't work, Dr. Woolf pleads that their case is life or death and Gordon lets them pass. Batman follows in the Batmobile. Payne goes to Kim's Mini-Mart and finds his daughter there. When she introduces her husband, an oriental man, he gets violent accusing her of marrying the enemy. The C.I.A. agents go to Sam's Place where they learn that Payne had been there and find out where he's heading next. They leave and encounter Batman snooping around their car. They blow him off and head to Kim's Mini-Mart. Batman, however, has swiped Payne's file from the vehicle. From it, he learns that Payne's father died in the Korean War and, 20 years later during another war, Payne snaps at the sight of flag-burners. He was sent to prison for life leaving his wife and his 2-year old daughter behind. In prison, Payne underwent experimentation in exchange for a pardon. The experiments amplified his patriotism/prejudices as well as his fighting skills. When he went over the top, they resorted to keeping him in prison. He managed to escape.

Batman makes it to Kim's before the C.I.A. and manages to subdue Payne after a fight. When the C.I.A. arrive, they immediately kill Payne. Batman lashes out at the agents and threatens to take Payne's file to the press. Instead, he leaves the file with an anonymous note, with Payne's daughter. In the note he includes the name of a lawyer who specializes in anti-government lawsuits.

(https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Batman:_Shadow_of_the_Bat_Vol_1_6)

Fan Art: DC Comics Batman watches over Gotham by Bruski12345

Accompanying Podcast: ● Quarter Bin Podcast - episode 32

[fox10927]

American Dad!

Only 7 more months before American Dad! changes in late fall of 2024 as the is about to be rewritten on November 10th 2024, not a reboot but a continuation of the show. American Dad! seasons 1–19 and beyond will be focusing on friends and family.

11 main Characters of American Dad!

Stan Smith: He is the main protagonist of the show and works for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Stan is a patriotic, conservative, and overly zealous American who often goes to extreme lengths to protect his country and family.

Francine Smith: Francine is Stan's wife and the mother of Steve and Hayley. She is a loving and caring wife and mother but often gets caught up in Stan's wild adventures. Francine is more laid-back and open-minded compared to Stan's strict ideology.

Steve Smith: Steve is the teenage son of Stan and Francine. He is an awkward and socially inept teenager who is often seen struggling with adolescence. Steve is obsessed with girls, pop culture, and his nerdy interests.

Hayley Smith: Hayley is the liberal and rebellious daughter of Stan and Francine. She is known for her strong political views and activism. Hayley often clashes with her father's conservative beliefs and frequently challenges his authority.

Klaus Heissler: Klaus is a goldfish who was once a human. Due to a CIA experiment gone wrong, his brain was transferred into the body of a fish. Klaus often longs to be human again and frequently engages in fish-related activities. He has an infatuation with Francine.

Roger Smith: Roger is a gray alien who lives with the Smith family. He crash-landed on Earth and has been hiding in the Smiths' attic ever since. Roger is a mischievous and unpredictable character who often disguises himself and takes on different personalities to interact with the outside world.

Jeff Fischer: Jeff is Hayley's on-again, off-again boyfriend. He is portrayed as a laid-back, stoner-type character who often finds himself in bizarre situations.

Debbie Hyman: Debbie is Steve's girlfriend, who is depicted as an overweight teenager. She is often portrayed as insecure due to her weight but is shown to be a caring and supportive partner to Steve.

Snot Lonstein: Snot is Steve's best friend. He is a socially awkward and nerdy teenager who is often seen by Steve's side. Snot and Steve share a close bond and often engage in various misadventures together.

Toshi Yoshida: Toshi is another one of Steve's friends. He is of Japanese descent and speaks mostly in Japanese, with his dialogue often being translated through subtitles. Toshi is known for his martial arts skills and his reserved and mysterious personality.

Barry Robinson: Barry is a classmate of Steve and a frequent target of bullying. He is depicted as overweight, socially awkward, and desperate for attention. Barry often provides comic relief with his eccentric behavior and attempts to fit in.

5 recurring characters include

Principal Lewis

Lisa Silver

Avery Bullock

Greg

Terry

The Main Plot is the escapades of Stan Smith, a conservative C.I.A. Agent dealing with family life, and keeping America safe.

Stan Smith - Stan works for the CIA, and is constantly on the look-out for terrorists. He loves his family and will do anything to protect them, and his country. Francine Smith - Stan's wife, she has had a past life of drugs, but she has carefully hidden her party-girl personality for the sake of the conservative man she loves. She met Stan after college. Hayley Smith - The teenage daughter of the family, currently attending community college. Despite her father's best efforts she has turned out to be a left-wing liberal. Stan loves his daughter, but that doesn't necessarily mean he trusts her. Steve Smith - The dorky son, he tries to act cool, but fails. Steve is on the verge of puberty - but he just can't quite make it. His low social status sometimes leads him to taking drastic action - but no matter what he does, he's just a dork. Steve is in love with Debbie vows to marry her. Roger - A sarcastic alien rescued by Stan from Area 51. He resents not being allowed to leave the house, so has resorted to drinking wine and smoking cigarettes. Klaus - A German-talking goldfish, he was a CIA experiment that went horribly wrong when they tried transplanting a German man's brain into a goldfish. Klaus lusts after Francine, and will take any opportunity that comes his way. Debbie Hyman - An overweight and often self-conscious teenager, she is portrayed as insecure and struggles with her body image but still maintains a close bond with Steve. She and Steve married later. Jeff Fischer - He’s Hayley's on-again, off-again boyfriend and eventual husband. He is portrayed as a laid-back, stoner-type character who often finds himself in bizarre situations.

Stan, Francine, Hayley, Steve, Roger, Klaus, Debbie, Jeff and Director Bullock are outcasts, family, hero and main characters of the show.

The 11 characters go on crazy adventures.

Debbie lives with her father Greg Corbin Hyman a news Anchor. Greg often rivals with Terry Bates Silver.

Steve and Debbie marries in season 6.

Hayley and Jeff marries in season 9.

Stan spends more time with his wife Francine, goes on missions and spends more time with his family.

Steve and Debbie keeps Snot, Toshi and Barry out trouble.

Stan, Debbie and Steve’s devoted efforts to keep Hayley and Roger out of trouble.

Stan Smith, Francine Smith, Hayley Smith, Steve Smith, Roger Smith, Klaus, Debbie Hyman and Jeff Fischer will enjoy family dinners at the smith house in 20 seasons.

American Dad is a feel good show.

The animated sitcom is about friends and family working together and never giving up.

[tahitiwoke]

[ THE FOLLOWING IS A CONTINUATION OF PREVIOUS TESTIMONY. ]

TESTIMONY OF PHILLIP J. COULSON AND NATASHA ROMANOVA BEFORE THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE REGARDING AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE INFILTRATION BY THE ORGANISATION KNOWN AS 'HYDRA'.

DATED 24TH NOVEMBER 2015. THIS TRANSCRIPT CONTAINS EDITS FOR REDACTED INFORMATION & FOR BREVITY. SEE ANNEXES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

CHAIRMAN: SENATOR CATHERINE DURANT

VICE CHAIRMAN: SENATOR MICHAEL KERN

EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR: SENATOR WALTER RUSSELL

KERN: This is a pretty damning report, Director. You disobeyed direct orders, against intervention policy and you got an American asset killed, with no real discernible results as to our own humint interests. Is it fair to say this was a failed mission? COULSON: Depends on your definition of failure. KERN: What's your definition, then? COULSON: Our orders would have left fifteen innocent children to burn to death. We went back to save them and we did. I'd say that was a success. KERN: At the loss of a highly cooperative, highly important American asset. COULSON: In my professional opinion at the time, it was a drop in the bucket in comparison to what we already had gathered during our time in [REDACTED]. KERN: In your professional opinion? Or someone else's? COULSON: What's that supposed to mean? KERN: Have you considered the possibility Agent Romanova was running a honeytrap? COULSON: That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say and I watch a lot of C-SPAN. DURANT: The Director is reminded he is under oath and that this is a Senate hearing, you are to behave with better conduct or you will be held. KERN: Director, has it occurred to you that having an infamous Russian spy working with top level security clearance at, arguably, one of the least regulated branches of American Intelligence might look bad when you are under investigation for being compromised from the inside? COULSON: At the advice of my attorney, I invoke the fifth amendment. KERN: How are we to trust the decisions you have made during your time as a handler and as the Director of SHIELD if you won't give us a straight answer regarding your involvement with foreign agents. COULSON: She's not a foreign agent, she's an Avenger. She's put herself on the line day in and day out to save not just my life, not just the lives of the American people, but your life too. If it weren't for her, there would be a lot more flags folded on mantlepieces. So, let's just keep that in mind before you go Yosemite fuckin' Sam. KERN: Director you will watch your tone in this court. [ EXCERPT CONTINUES AT 02HRS 08MINS. ] DURANT: At what point would recruitment become a counterintelligence threat to our country? COULSON: Senator, that's difficult to answer in the abstract. When a foreign power is using coercion or some sort of pressure to try and co-opt an American, especially a government official, to act on its behalf, that’s a serious concern regardless of who is on what side of the aisle. DURANT: So any document detailing specific claims against an individual or individuals regarding their involvement in this matter would have to be verified independently, is that correct? COULSON: Yes. If it's a credible allegation, we would be in contact with the C.I.A. or the the Department of Homeland Security. DURANT: How often have you had to do that? COULSON: Never. DURANT: You have never had a single concern raised regarding the involvement of an agent in counter intelligence recruitment? COULSON: Not independently checked by an outside organisation, no. DURANT: What about Sharon Carter? COULSON: Agent Carter was never co-opted or coerced by a foreign power. That's the basis of an investigation. DURANT: Have you ever had an intimate relationship with Agent Carter? COULSON: I invoke the fifth amendment. DURANT: Phil, I'm starting to see a pattern. You've got an Air Force Colonel who you left to rot in a gulag. You've got a Russian Black Widow on one shoulder and ex-communicated black ops specialist on the other who is now on the run after being accused of treason. You're at the helm of a ship overrun by Neo-Nazi's and the most you have to say is that you invoke the fifth. COULSON: I have served this country - DURANT: And we thank you for that service, but it does not make you immune to reproach or questioning. [OFF MIKE.] DURANT: Alright, we'll take a break there. This committee will reconvene with the Director at 09:30 hours. [ TESTIMONY CONTINUES AT ANNEX B. ]

[kapitaali]

The CIA’s Secret Quest For Mind Control: Torture, LSD And A ‘Poisoner In Chief’

CIA Papers Link Harvard To Mind-Control Project

80 Institutions Used In C.I.A Mind Studies

Cia Exploited Incarcerated Black Americans In Race For “Mind-Control” Agent

Memorandum For The Secretary Of Defense

Project Mkultra, The Cia’s Program Of Research In Behavioral Modification

The Secret Program Of Us. Mind Control Weapons: Isit Developing In Latin America?

Lengthy Mind-Control Research by CIA Is Detailed

Cia Artichoke Files

[ivankahasbeentreatedsounfairly]

Tulsi Gabbard’s remarks have made her a darling of the Kremlin’s vast state media apparatus — and, more recently, of President-elect Donald J. Trump.

By Steven Lee MyersJim Rutenberg and Julian E. Barnes

In 2017, when she was still a Democratic member of Congress, Tulsi Gabbard traveled to Syria and met the country’s authoritarian president, Bashar al-Assad. She also accused the United States of supporting terrorists there.

The day after Vladimir V. Putin began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ms. Gabbard blamed the United States and NATO for provoking the war by ignoring Russia’s security concerns.

She has since suggested that the United States covertly worked with Ukraine on dangerous biological pathogens and was culpable for the bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Germany in September 2022. European prosecutors and U.S. officials say that sabotage was carried out by Ukrainian operatives.

Ms. Gabbard’s comments have earned her sharp rebukes from officials across the political spectrum in Washington, who have accused her of parroting the anti-American propaganda of the country’s adversaries. Her remarks have also made her a darling of the Kremlin’s vast state media apparatus — and, more recently, of President-elect Donald J. Trump, who this week picked her to oversee the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies and departments.

Her selection to be the director of national intelligence has raised alarms among national security officials, not only because of her lack of experience in intelligence but also because she has embraced a worldview that mirrors disinformation straight out of the Kremlin’s playbook.

No evidence has emerged that she has ever collaborated in any way with Russia’s intelligence agencies. Instead, according to analysts and former officials, Ms. Gabbard seems to simply share the Kremlin’s geopolitical views, especially when it comes to the exercise of American military power.

In Russia, the reaction to her potential appointment has been gleeful, even if Mr. Putin’s government remains wary of American policies, even under a second Trump administration.

“The C.I.A. and the F.B.I. are trembling,” Komsomolskaya Pravda, a Russian newspaper, wrote on Friday in a glowing profile of Ms. Gabbard, noting, positively, that Ukrainians consider her “an agent of the Russian state.” Rossiya-1, a state television channel, called her a Russian “comrade” in Mr. Trump’s emerging cabinet.

Russian media has emphasized Ms. Gabbard’s desire to improve relations with Moscow, according to FilterLabs, a firm that analyzes social media, state-run news organizations and other internet postings to track public sentiment in Russia.

“Gabbard fits an overall pattern of Trump breaking with much of the post-Cold War consensus,” said Jonathan Teubner, the chief executive of FilterLabs. “She is, for Russia, the one that perhaps most perfectly embodies the changes they were hoping for from the U.S.”

Mr. Trump’s critics called the choice a dangerous one that would undermine national security and that signaled a deference to Mr. Putin’s worldview.

“Nominating Gabbard for director of national intelligence is the way to Putin’s heart, and it tells the world that America under Trump will be the Kremlin’s ally rather than an adversary,” Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a professor of history at New York University and the author of “Strongmen,” a 2020 book about authoritarian leaders, wrote on Friday. “And so we would have a national security official who would potentially compromise our national security.”

Asked for comment on Ms. Gabbard’s pro-Russia stances and her amplification of Moscow’s messaging, Trump transition officials sent a copy of the president-elect’s comments when he announced his pick: “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our intelligence community.”

If confirmed, she would have responsibility to oversee the very agency that monitored and called out Russian disinformation and influence efforts throughout the 2024 campaign.

She faces an uphill battle for confirmation in the Senate.

Among members from both parties, her tacit support of Russia’s war aims in Ukraine and her repetition of Kremlin disinformation have raised doubts about whether she should be given oversight of the intelligence agencies, including the responsibility of preparing the highly classified daily intelligence briefings for the returning president.

In choosing her, Mr. Trump signaled his deep distrust of those agencies. During his first administration, he publicly rebuked senior intelligence officers when their assessments differed from his own. Ms. Gabbard’s iconoclastic views over the years suggest that she shares that distrust, especially when it comes to Russia and the war in Ukraine.

In several public appearances and in social media posts, she has outlined a policy not different from the views of Vice President-elect JD Vance, who has also emerged as a critic of American support for Ukraine.

If confirmed, Ms. Gabbard would not be the only voice on intelligence matters. John Ratcliffe, Mr. Trump’s final director of national intelligence in his first administration, has been chosen to be C.I.A. director. Ms. Gabbard would, however, still be influential in determining what intelligence Mr. Trump and other top officials see in the daily intelligence briefing, and would be in a position to highlight intelligence that reinforces Mr. Trump’s views.

For Ms. Gabbard, the invitation to join Mr. Trump’s administration represents a stunning political evolution. Only four years ago, she sought the Democratic presidential nomination, albeit as an anti-establishment candidate, and endorsed President Biden when he won the nod.

Since then, however, she has broken with the Democratic Party and drifted toward a conspiratorial view of the world and American power in it.

“This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia’s legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine’s becoming a member of NATO, which would mean US/NATO forces right on Russia’s border,” she wrote on Twitter, now known as X, when the war began in February 2022.

A month later, she posted a video on the platform saying the United States was operating 25 to 30 biological research labs in Ukraine. She accused the Biden administration of covering them up and said they could release dangerous pathogens, though she stopped short of claiming the labs were making biological weapons, as Russia has falsely claimed.

Ms. Gabbard’s remarks were quickly called out by Republican members of Congress, including Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Senator Mitt Romney of Utah.

Her willingness to criticize the Biden administration has made her, like other prominent critics of the government, a favorite source of anti-American content on Russia’s state television networks.

Vladimir Solovyov, a popular talk show host, called her “our girlfriend” in a segment in 2022. The program included an interview Ms. Gabbard did with Tucker Carlson in which she claimed that Mr. Biden’s goal was to end Mr. Putin’s control of the Russian government, according to Julia Davis, the creator of the Russian Media Monitor, which tracks Kremlin propaganda.

In fact, Ms. Gabbard honed her pro-Russia views on Mr. Carlson’s show on Fox News before his program was canceled. She became a regular guest and occasionally filled in as host when Mr. Carlson was away.

Clips from her appearances on Mr. Carlson’s show that repeated Kremlin talking points were quickly picked up by Russian state media.

In some cases, she echoed story lines that Russia’s propagandists created, which the Russians then recycled on their own media as evidence that the conspiracy theories they had manufactured were true. For the Kremlin, it was a virtuous cycle.

The frequency of her citations on Russian state television prompted sharp criticism and attention inside the U.S. government. Hillary Clinton, the former first lady, secretary of state and Democratic presidential nominee in 2016, once called her a “Russian asset.”

Ms. Gabbard, 43, has an eclectic political background, often occupying a space where the left and right overlap — such as in their opposition to foreign military intervention and a more sympathetic view of Russia.

She began in state politics in Hawaii at 21 and emerged as a talented, charismatic young Democrat, though one who often espoused the culture-war views of today’s right, taking early positions against abortion and same-sex marriage, for instance.

At the time, she was closely aligned with her father, Mike Gabbard, a leader of Hawaii’s movement against same-sex marriage. At one point, she inveighed against “homosexual activists” who were, she said, forcing “their values down the throats of the children in our schools.” (The statement came during her mother’s run for the state school board in 2000.) By the time she ran for Congress in 2012, she had expressed support for abortion rights and for same-sex marriage, later stating in a video apology that her earlier views on gay issues had been shaped by her father.

In 2003, she joined the Hawaii Army National Guard and served in Iraq in 2004 and 2005 as a specialist with a medical unit of the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. After attending officer training in Alabama, she served a second tour in the region as a military police officer in Kuwait. She left the guard in 2020 to join the Army Reserve, where she continues to serve with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

In interviews, she has cited her military service as a factor in her political views about the exercise of American military might.

In 2013, she opposed President Barack Obama’s ultimately aborted plans for airstrikes against Syria. She later criticized the administration for failing to properly call out “Islamist extremists.” She also questioned evidence showing that Syrian forces used chemical weapons in an attack that killed dozens.

In 2016 she opposed the favorite for the Democrats’ presidential nomination, Mrs. Clinton, becoming an ardent supporter of her chief Democratic rival that year, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Her willingness to challenge the Democratic establishment earned her an invitation to visit Mr. Trump at Trump Tower during the 2016 presidential transition period.

It also made her an appealing figure for conservative news bookers, particularly those for Mr. Carlson’s Fox News show. On one show, the two agreed that U.S. support for Syrian rebels seeking to topple Mr. Assad was aiding terrorists — an interview that came as Russia bombed U.S.-backed rebels in the name of combating terrorism.

Ms. Gabbard ultimately became a paid Fox News contributor, as Mr. Carlson was emerging as an ardently anti-interventionist, and increasingly pro-Putin, figure in the MAGA movement.

As Russian forces gathered before their invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ms. Gabbard joined Mr. Carlson to speak out against Mr. Biden’s move to impose new sanctions against Russia, even as she said she opposed Russia’s military operation. “The reality is that these sanctions don’t work whether they were put in before or now or later,” she said. “What we do know is that they will increase suffering and hardship for the American people, and this is the whole problem with the Biden administration.”

Her appearances were regularly picked up by Russia’s state media, including the international network RT, which promoted her critiques and lauded her with headlines such as “Tulsi Gabbard dares to challenge Washington’s war machine” and “Biden wants regime change in Russia — ex-congresswoman.”

By this year, Ms. Gabbard’s politics converged with Mr. Trump’s. In October, she joined the Republican Party and hit the campaign trail on his behalf, extolling him as a peacemaker.

“A vote for Donald Trump is a vote for a man who wants to end wars, not start them,” she said at Mr. Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden shortly before Election Day, “and who has demonstrated already that he has the courage and strength to stand up and fight for peace.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/18/us/politics/tulsi-gabbard-trump-russia.html

[mi4012ayodyarajakaruna]

Christopher Nolan

The famous British director Christopher Nolan was born in London, England, on July 30, 1970. He is well known for his unusual narrative methods and unusual visual style, which is defined by a gloomy and enigmatic mood. Among his most renowned productions are the surreal thriller "Inception" (2010), the space opera "Interstellar" (2014), the riveting war drama "Dunkirk" (2017), and several Batman films. Oscar Award for Best Director (2024) for Nolan's masterwork "Oppenheimer" (2023), which also won the esteemed Best Picture award, recognised his extraordinary brilliance.

His early life

Nolan was raised in Chicago and London, with an American mother and a British father. He attended the boarding school Haileybury, which is close to London, as a young boy. From an early age, Nolan would use his father's Super-8 camera to make short films, which sparked his enthusiasm for filmmaking. The immersive dystopian films of Ridley Scott and George Lucas's Star Wars trilogy served as sources of inspiration for him.

After completing his English literature studies at University College London, Nolan went on to work as a corporate and industrial training video director. Simultaneously, he devoted himself to his first feature film, Following (1998), about a writer's dangerous search for inspiration. It took Nolan fourteen months of unyielding dedication to get this project through to completion. After the movie's success at festivals, Nolan moved to Hollywood with his producer wife, Emma Thomas.

His work

The film Inception (2010), directed by Christopher Nolan, was the finished product of a project he began eleven years earlier. The movie, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a corporate spy with the capacity to enter dreams, centres on his character's attempt to transcend technological constraints and implant a concept in a person's head. With the critical and commercial success of Inception, Christopher Nolan was nominated for a second Academy Award for best original screenplay. Furthermore, Nolan contributed to the development of the narrative for the 2013 Man of Steel, a Superman reboot.

After that, Nolan directed the science fiction drama Interstellar (2014), which he co-wrote with his brother. The movie follows a group of scientists who want to use wormhole technology to transport humans from a war-torn and starving Earth to another planet. Subsequently, he wrote and directed the 2017 war picture Dunkirk, which is about the evacuation of Allied forces from France in World War II. Widespread praise and several Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture, were bestowed upon this compelling drama. Furthermore, Nolan was nominated for an Oscar for his outstanding directing. He developed and directed the action-packed thriller Tenet in 2020, which centres on a C.I.A. agent's quest to avert a world war and features time travel.

The 2023 film Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan, depicts the role played by American theoretical scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the development of the atomic bomb as well as the security hearing that followed because of his alleged ties to communism. The filmmaker decided to cast Cillian Murphy, who had worked with Nolan on other movies, as the main role. The movie won a lot of awards, including best picture and best director for Christopher Nolan. Oppenheimer won the best film drama award, while director Christopher Nolan received a Golden Globe for his work.

His cinematography

Famous for his distinctive filmmaking techniques and cinematography, Christopher Nolan's artistic approach has come to embody these attributes. The following are some essential elements that define his methodology:

Non-Linear Storytelling: To get the viewer to participate in piecing together the plot, Nolan frequently uses non-linear narratives, delivering stories out of chronological order.

Practical Effects: He feels that actual, on-set effects add to the realism of the cinematic experience, hence he favours them over computer-generated imagery.

In-Camera Techniques: Nolan's films are more realistic since he is renowned for creating visual effects in-camera rather than through post-production.

IMAX and Film: Because of IMAX's better resolution and texture, he strongly supports the use of premium, larger-format film stock.

Style of Documentary Lighting & Hand-Held Camera Work: Nolan frequently uses hand-held camera work and natural lighting to give his films a grounded, realistic vibe. Sound & Music: Working with composers such as Hans Zimmer, Christopher Nolan's films are renowned for their potent soundtracks that complement the visual story telling.

[uniquegalaxyfox]

[verylead-flavored-candy33]

[committee-anomaly-identification]

Hello there.

This is the main blog of the Committee for Identification of Anomalies

We encourage readers of the blog to send inquiries and reblog with text

Expand post for additional information

Clarification. (AkA: hi, its me, the owner of the blog. Allow me to explain "in charachter" what are you looking at)

this is an arg-like blog that doesnt use unreality tags

All image credit (whenever the image isnt made by the blog creator) is in the first comment or at the top of the post

Object PO-80X is the ask tag.

@preservationofnormalcy is one of the many other blogs that take care of things. They are very good at their job.

The SCP Foundation (and any other funny groups from the wikidot site) dont exist. The actual foundation does appear sometimes thru multidimensional travel but uuuuh they dont do much actually

These are the following types of entity (who have the appropiate tag)

Anomaly: generic term

Object: usually a physical "something" that sometimes is useful for C.I.A. operatives. Sometimes its just a "cursed something"

Phenomenon: unexplained phenomenons who have happened only once.

Entity: usually they are unidentified creatures that display some degree of sentience or "life"

There is a Management.

There are 13 Ranks

List of roles (will update every once in a while)

Agent: standard member, Jack of all trades, maybe you get a customizable gun, it can be any pistol and it can also be either concealed or in a holster.

Researcher: most of the time people dont want to shoot at either the anomalies or the people that want them. Sometimes people just want to study what the anomalies *ARE* rather than Glorified Target Practice

Representatives: rare and difficult job to get, but thats because they're the face of C.A.I. across the globe (even though 90% of operations are in american soil), and are effectively the only way the general public can interact with us.

Coverts: sometimes we gotta do psyops or something "hush-hush" and... well... lets just say training is extremely hard for a reason.

We dont interact much with other groups. Whatever.

[dutifullybitchyblaze]

20th Anniversary of Black Lagoon.

[partisan-by-default]

From 1901 on, the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (renamed the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in 1931), a British oil company, enjoyed a monopoly on sale and production of Iranian oil. It was the most profitable British business in the world.[57] Most Iranians lived in poverty while the wealth generated from Iranian oil played a decisive role in maintaining Britain at the top of the world. In 1951, Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh pledged to throw the company out of Iran, reclaim the petroleum reserves and free Iran from foreign powers.

In 1952, Mosaddegh nationalized the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and became a national hero. The British, however, were outraged and accused him of stealing. The British unsuccessfully sought punishment from the World Court and the United Nations, sent warships to the Persian Gulf, and finally imposed a crushing embargo. Mosaddegh was unmoved by Britain's campaign against him. One European newspaper, the Frankfurter Neue Presse, reported that Mosaddegh "would rather be fried in Persian oil than make the slightest concession to the British." The British considered an armed invasion, but UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill decided on a coup after being refused American military support by U.S. President Harry S. Truman, who sympathized with nationalist movements like Mosaddegh's and had nothing but contempt for old-style imperialists like those who ran the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. Mosaddegh, however, learned of Churchill's plans and ordered the British embassy to be closed in October 1952, forcing all British diplomats and agents to leave the country.

Although the British were initially turned down in their request for American support by President Truman, the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower as U.S. president in November 1952 changed the American stance toward the conflict. On 20 January 1953, U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and his brother, C.I.A. Director Allen Dulles, told their British counterparts that they were ready to move against Mosaddegh. In their eyes, any country not decisively allied with the United States was a potential enemy. Iran had immense oil wealth, a long border with the Soviet Union, and a nationalist prime minister. The prospect of a fall into communism and a "second China" (after Mao Zedong won the Chinese Civil War) terrified the Dulles brothers. Operation Ajax was born, in which the only democratic government Iran ever had was deposed.[58]

On This Day In History

August 19th, 1953: The CIA and MI6 overthrow the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh of Iran and instated Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a monarchist who returned the Iranian oil reserves to partial Western control.