#Award in Fire Safety for Managers

[nando161mando]

Babe wake up, new slur for management just dropped

[safetycourses2022]

[aspiringtrashpanda]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SATAN! I love you, you finnicky feline bastard. A friend of mine recently shared this great video essay with me, and I knew I had to substitute today's prompt to do something involving CATS. Find the prompt list HERE.

── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──

DAY 20 Prompt: Hot Cider Halloween Costumes Featuring Cats: The Musical, chaos reigning in the House of Lamentation, and Satan's secret past revealed... This is 2.6k but I swear it's worth it

“Alright,” You were already reaching for the popcorn piled around Beelzebub. You didn’t miss his sharp side-eye, but Belphegor muttered reassurance that they could make more if Beel felt he hadn’t eaten his fill. “Are we all ready?”

A chorus of hummed affirmation was only interrupted by Beel’s concerned, “Satan isn’t here.”

Levi’s already tense frame managed to stiffen further, Beel’s realization prompting him to peer over his shoulder into the dark shadows of your bedroom, encroaching the circle of safety lit by the glow of the television screen. “Hey, where is he?”

“Oh…” Hesitating, you mumbled a swift, “I didn’t invite him. So anyway, shall we?”

It was Asmo that started that accusing melody reminiscent of when you’d been sent to the principal’s office as a child. “Oooo, is Satan in trouble?”

Mammon nearly choked on his cola. “Hey! What’s that mean?!” 

“Nothing!” You knew it was best to stop a Mammon Jealousy Spiral™ before it spun out of control. With five pairs of eyes waiting for the big reveal, you let them down gently, “It’s just… Trust me, you don’t want to watch this with him.”

“Why?” Beel asked in between crunches of unpopped kernels. 

“Yes.” The voice managed to freeze the blood of all those in the room, the spite spilling in a low song. “Why?”

Six pairs of eyes snapped to the door, panic rearing within your chest when you made out a familiar silhouette lounging in the doorway. Shit.

Satan’s vibrant green fingernails curled around the door knob, shut the panel with more force than necessary. His voice oozed contempt, anger, and for a moment, you wondered if you were his villain origin story. “Did you really think you could watch Cats without me?”

He marched into the room without another word, settling down beside Belphie and positioning himself closer than anyone else to the screen. Asmo instantly protested that he would damage his eye sight, and in response, Satan slipped on his reading glasses.

“Brain build. +2 observation and +3 intellect,” Levi muttered to himself, nodding in approval. Mammon shot him a look of disgust. 

When you had still failed to press play, to start the movie, Satan fixed you with an impatient frown. “Well? Are we watching the movie or not? 

“Satan,” You winced, “You’ve read the reviews.”

You thought you had been able to protect him.

“I need to experience it with my own two eyes.” Satan steeled his resolve, rolling his shoulders. 

How were you supposed to protect him from himself? 

So, you prayed to the Celestial Realm above and tossed the remote to Mammon. Though all he did we toggle the button to start the movie, your conscience felt as though the action alleviated some guilt. 

Alas, about ten minutes into the movie, Satan’s rage moved from near to downright palpable. It was sour on your tongue. So sour that not even the extra buttery popcorn could rid the taste from your mouth. The whole point of watching Tom Hooper’s 2019 film adaptation of Cats, the Tony award winning musical, was to revel in the warmth of the dumpster fire, to laugh and jeer and jab at the uncanny CGI cat-people-things. All the fun of a Cats watch party was dampened by the vibrating bomb a little too close to the television.

“You don’t understand,” Satan cried, “This…This…This trainwreck of a film completely obliterates all that is Cats!”

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Asmo argued, his eyes lighting up as Jennyanydots’ exterior fur was unzipped in a truly terrifying manner to reveal a snazzy little magenta number underneath. “Oh, a skin suit! How fresh~!” 

Levi and Beel exchanged a very concerned glance, popcorn falling from Mammon’s mouth as his jaw hit the floor. Belphie simply snickered, eyes already shut. It wouldn’t be long before he tapped out of this plane of existence for the remainder of the night. 

Though, Satan failed to falter. No, he carried on, “See, Cats is all about the whimsy, the theater, the rotating cast of characters that are not meant to represent anything larger than themselves! Why is Victoria suddenly the protagonist? Why remove the three-part harmony from the Gumby Cat number? These are entirely illogical choices!” 

You stifled a sigh. It was going to be a long night. 

Beel and Belphie bailed first, sometime after Satan paused the movie to explain the importance of the choreography in Grizabella’s Memory, how the director had completely fumbled the ball by allowing Victoria to touch the former Jellicle cat before the climactic lyrics pleading just that. Mammon was next, too unnerved by the dancers on all fours, lapping milk from a saucer. Satan was quick to explain that esteemed choreographer Gillian Lynne’s original moves aimed to be evocative of cats, unlike the movie monstrosity’s literal interpretation of feline behavior. Mammon didn’t stick around to hear the last of the critique. 

Asmo hung around for a while, genuinely entertained by the uncomfortably horny touches and svelte frames of the dancers. Though, whenever he commented on Macavity’s physique, Satan would launch into a rant regarding Macavity’s enlarged role and how it only served to allow the mediocre A-Listers on the bill to show up to set for three days, and then bail for the rest of production. It got old after a while.

It surprised you that Levi lasted the longest, more intrigued by the lore hidden in the Cats original production than the film adaptation. He found it particularly fascinating that a plot had been shoe-horned into a show that was simply meant to showcase all different sorts of cats. He likened it to a slice-of-life anime introducing a shonen-esque training arc, when there was never a goal from the beginning. 

Satan had nothing to say to that. You thought he was simply trying to keep his wrath in check, by that point. 

It was well past midnight by the time your room had emptied out in its entirety, and the sheer oddity of the Old Deutoronomy number that closed out the movie had left you exhausted. As you drifted off to dreams that you were certain would seem less feverish than the film you had just seen, you couldn’t help but wonder: Why was Satan so invested in Cats? You managed to make note of your query in your D.D.D., as you figured it would come up again later.

Later just so happened to fall on October 20th–Satan’s birthday. 

It would be an average morning to Satan, you were positive. As he typically followed a relaxed Sunday schedule of wake up, read in bed, shower, eat, read in the library, eat, read in bed, and then sleep, you knew that your plan would be flawlessly executed as long as it remained completely out of his orbit of interaction. 

You sent out the messages the moment your alarm went off, bright (well, as bright as it could get in the Devildom) and early. Everyone swung by Asmo’s room at their assigned times, Raphael on hand with his sewing kit. As Simeon, Luke, and Barbatos prepared a lunch large enough to feed three Beelzebubs, Levi ran over the game plan with those who had been absent from the very important movie night. 

When the messages–all faked and sent from the same room–entered the aether, you were positive that Satan would regard them as any regular chat. 

11:31am - Lucifer in House of Lamentation (New) I expect everyone to be in the dining room for noon, sharp. 

11:32am - Asmodeus in House of Lamentation (New) Okey dokey, Lucifer♡

11:32am - Mammon in House of Lamentation (New) How much is my presence worth to ya?

11:33am - Leviathan in House of Lamentation (New) 💀

11:33am - Lucifer in House of Lamentation (New) We’ve been over this. Raphael is coming by to tailor your Halloween costumes. Don’t be late.

11:34am - Satan in House of Lamentation (New) When did we decide on costumes? I have not been informed of the theme.

11:45am - Satan in House of Lamentation (New) Lucifer?

His footsteps sounded down the hall moments after the residents of the House of Lamentation and their guests had taken their positions around the dining room table. You beamed, glancing around at your assembled soldiers. There had been no hiccups. You had prepared the perfect surprise.

Or should you say, the purrfect surprise? For when Satan entered the room, Thirteen set off her traps, showering him in confetti and blinding him with flashing lights, the gathered demons, angels, and humans shouting, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SATAN!” 

According to the plan, Satan blinked, disoriented from the assault of the reaper’s ingenious tech, and took a moment to rub his eyes, chuckling, “Oh, thank you, but…”

And bam! His vision clear, his jaw dropped as he finally managed to register the scene before him. 

It was a normal Sunday afternoon, and a normal birthday lunch. A massive banner stretched above the hearth, marking the day of his creation, and Beel was already reaching for the cake in the midst of the plates laid out upon the tablecloth. All of Satan’s housemates grazed upon the spread, laughing, smiling, bickering and shouting. 

Only they were dressed as cats. And not any cats, but full-blown replicas of costumes from Broadway’s production of Cats. 

Ears and whiskers blended into faux fur and expert makeup, thick tails dragging on the ground and sticking out from the backs of chairs. Belphie was using his black and white mottled tail as a pillow, Beel using the fake claws to skewer Luke’s macarons a few plates over. Even Diavolo sported a thick crimson mane, Barbatos brushing it with a tool you knew Satan recognized from his own stash of grooming supplies. 

Thirteen, wedged between yourself and Mephistopheles, was making a show of handling her fork and knife, regardless of the costume nails that clinked against the utensils with every minute movement. Simeon and Solomon, meanwhile, were attempting to teach Luke how to purr.

Part of you wished you could be in Satan’s shoes, could see the madness from his perspective. He had a better view of Levi snapping at Mammon when the latter tripped over his tail. 

“What is this?!” Satan gawked, watching as Lucifer took a slow sip from his coffee, a concerned gleam to his dark eyes that had your insides twitching with the effort of restraining your laughter.

Lucifer responded as if it was the most obvious answer in the universe, his whiskers bouncing with the words. “We’ve gathered today to witness Old Diavonomy’s choice for the Jellicle Ball.”

Diavolo laughed that deep, joyful laugh, stepping away from Barbatos’s careful care (and if they had control over the fake ears, you were certain Barbatos’s would be plastered to his skull) to gesture towards the table with swinging arms. “Welcome, dear Satanshanks the Railway cat. You will sing for me, won’t you?”

“You’re joking,” Satan balked, and you could spot the gears turning in his head all the way from your seat. He clenched his hands into a fist, unfurled them. Opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. 

Asmo was leaning over the table, whispering to Raphael, “I bet he’s going to choose the Magical Mr. Mephistofelees. I mean, look how handsome he is! ♡” 

Mephistopheles hissed in return and you held back a snort. You had to give him points for staying in character. Thirteen swiped at his ear–the cat one, not the real one–with her lip curled in irritation. You had a feeling he had accidentally spat in her food. 

“No,” Raphael shook his head, ashy tabby fur glued to his cheeks stiff and unnatural. “It’s going to be Mammovity or Belphefur Jones.”

You glanced at Belphie, whiskers fully immersed in a bowl of pudding, tail still tucked beneath his head. You supposed that was better than Mammon, who you could tell was actively researching how much he could get for auctioning off these costumes. 

“LOL you’re kidding, right?” Levi piped up, cyan claws clicking as he gestured to Beel, now on his sixth serving of food. “Grizabeela is the right choice.”

And Satan stood there, the confusion clearing in his eyes, that slightly delayed comprehension melting the tension in his shoulders to resigned acceptance. He sighed, threw his hands up in surrender. “Aright. Cut the theatrics. Who found it?”

“Found what?” You asked, coyly batting your eyelashes as you rested your chin on the padded knuckles of your cat costume.

“The tape.” Despite the conflicted emotions in Satan’s sea green eyes, he surveyed the paw-print cookies and noodle bowls with wonton cat ears with unrestrained curiosity. You waved him over, beckoning to him like a kitten hiding in an alley. The suspicion returned to his gaze.

“Leviathan.” Luke wasted no time throwing Levi under the bus. You supposed it wasn’t personal. The young angel never liked lying. 

“HEY! Asmo helped!” 

Unlike Levi, hiding under the table in fear of Satan’s wrath, Asmo only grabbed his own tail, waved it towards Satan with a playful wink. Satan grimaced. 

“Satan,” Solomon smirked, silver spotted ears matching his hair perfectly. “Why didn’t you tell me you were a Broadway star? I would have loved to have seen your debut.” 

Satan groaned, burying his face in his hands to hide the faint blush beginning to curl over the shell of his ears. 

“Satan,” Simeon’s smile was leagues from kind, though you weren’t entirely sure if it was his intended expression, or the way the makeup morphed his features into something far more angular, far more intimidating. “I didn’t realize you could dance so well. Would a cat costume have helped the Lord of Masks with his choreography in the TSL musical?”

“Aw, don’t tease him!” Thirteen crowed, the glint in her eyes anything but protective, “His fur will get all matted.”

Bristling, Satan finally approached the table, accepting the proffered mug of coffee from Solomon with a clipped, “Thank you.” It made your chest swell with affection, how he feigned such annoyance when really, he wanted nothing more than to join the feline fiesta. You knew Satan would never lose control when cats were involved. 

“Here!” Mammon passed a carton Satan’s way, “We got ya some premium milk for your birthday.”

“A lot of cats are actually lactose intolerant!” Luke protested, turning to Raphael for back up. The other angel simply stared at him, entirely indifferent. 

“That’s quite alright,” Barbatos soothed, and a glass of creamy white liquid was placed before the guest of honor. “I brought some cursed cashew milk for our feline friend.” 

“Very thoughtful, Barboria,” Lucifer approved, already uncorking a bottle of vintage demonus regardless of the day’s hour. 

“I need all of you to fuck off, right now.” But contrary to his words, Satan was laughing, and the more he laughed, the more his shoulders shook with mirth, tossing the tension from his frame in a matter of seconds. When he looked at you, you beamed with all your teeth–including the prosthetics Asmo had applied to sharpen your canines. 

“Alright, alright,” Diavolo chuckled, “Satanshanks is the birthday boy, after all. His word is law.”

He paused, drawing everyone’s attention to the Demon Prince at the head of the table. He stood, puffed out his chest and flexed his artificial cat claws. When he spoke, he did so with a bravado that demanded respect. “And if there’s anything important that we’ve learned today, it is not that Satan performed in the original Broadway production of cats, but that…”

Before Satan could catch on, the table burst into song, howling the climax of the final act in Cats in all sorts of different keys. 

“A cat is not… A dog!”  

And though Satan scowled, poured himself anothing mug of steaming hell coffee and threw it back like a shot of tequila, you knew this birthday would become another beloved memory. A memory, far from alone in the moonlight, and instead surrounded by all those he loved.

“Hey Asmo,” Satan spoke after a long swig of cursed cashew milk, “Can you do my makeup, too?”

── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──

OBEY ME! MONTH MASTERLIST

[multicolour-ink]

Mario x Anastasia AU

(no references to the real life Anastasia! Just the movie)

- Mario and Luigi are princes of a kingdom. When they are young, they are each gifted small music boxes - a sun and a moon respectively.

- One day, Bowser attacks their kingdom to conquer, and take its power for himself.

- King Pio stays behind to fend his forces off, and is killed in the attack. Meanwhile, Mia manages to get the twins as far away as possible, before she too is killed by Bowser's forces.

- The twin princes rush to a train that will take them to safety. Mario pushes Luigi on first, but is unable to hold onto Luigi's hand, and he falls, hitting his head and falling unconscious. Luigi screams as the train carries him away from his brother.

- Years later, Mario (now 18 and going by the name "Maurice") grows up in an orphanage, with only one thing that is his own - a small box in the shape of a sun, that plays the most beautiful music. He doesn't remember who he is, other than this box is very important to him, and he feels like he has been missing something...

- Determined to find out who he is, "Maurice" sets off on a journey, with only the music box and an anonymous message inscribed on the back of it: "Nothing can hurt us,"

- On his journey, "Maurice" comes across two con artists, Toad and DK, who are looking to pass off an unsuspecting young man as the Prince, and claim the award from Prince Luigi.

- Along the way though, "Maurice" ends up growing closer to Toad and DK, and both con artists start to being to rethink their scheme...

- Meanwhile, Prince Luigi has grown up in the safety of the Mushroom Kingdom (where the train took him) and has been living with his uncles who had already took up residence there long before. His friend, Princess Peach and the ruler of said kingdom, offers support, but he is far from consolable...

- Every year, on the anniversary of his brother's disappearance, Luigi looks up at the stars, and holds his moon shaped music box, praying that he will be united with his brother again one day.

* * *

*points below discuss the AU's ending. Some spoilers for the Anastasia movie*

- By the time the odd trio reach the Mushroom Kingdom, Toad, having by now had a change of heart, truly believes "Maurice" is actually the missing Prince Mario, and encourages him to see Prince Luigi.

- However, upon seeing "Maurice", Luigi flies into a rage. Having been tricked numerous times in the past by imposters claiming to be his brother, the Prince is at his breaking point. He comments that it is especially cruel that this imposter looks so much like his brother, and dismisses them.

- Shaken up by the disastrous reunion, "Maurice" realises that Toad and DK were just using him to con Prince Luigi and get the reward money. Furious, "Maurice" proclaims he never wants to see them ever again, and runs off in tears. More lonely and broken than ever...

- Toad seeks out Prince Luigi and "kidnaps" him in his kart, begging the Prince to listen and meet with "Maurice". Toad reveals he worked under their parents as a very young toad, and witnessed the two of them escaping with their mother. More hopeful, but still unsure, Luigi agrees to meet with "Maurice" in the fire flower field.

- Meanwhile, DK also corners "Maurice" and attempts to apologise for the way that they used him. DK reveals that he too is actually a Prince. After Bowser lost track of the missing Prince Mario, he sought to attack other kingdoms, in order to gain and build up an army once again. Even in his weakened state, Bowser still managed to do a lot of damage. This left the other kingdoms, including the Kong Kingdom, in a financial crisis. DK shamefully had to turn to being a con artist, as this proved to be the easiest way to make money to support his struggling kingdom.

- Hearing all of this, "Maurice" feels the need to forgive them.

- Toad unites with the pair and tells "Maurice" that Luigi is willing to talk to him. Shaking with fear and excitement, "Maurice" agrees to meet the Prince.

- The two beings, the Lonely Prince and the Lost Soul, meet in the fire flower field. "Maurice" reveals his music box, with the inscription on the back.

"Where did you get that?", asks Prince Luigi shakily.

"I've had it since as long as I can remember...", says "Maurice". "Please. Just tell me. Who am I?"

Luigi, with shaking hands, reveals his music box and an inscription on the back

"as long as we're together."

- And then in that moment, both men are overcome with emotion. They pull each other tight, hugging and crying, finally reunited after all this time.

- But soon after Bowser returns to claim both Princes, and Mario and Luigi have to team up together again to stop him! All is then at peace, and the brothers and their new friends continue to live peacefully 🙂

[namistrella]

Please pay close attention to the language used to talk about public service workers and civil servants in the coming days.

There is (understandably) a lot of anger and frustration felt by people who have been left behind, ignored, and swept aside by bureaucratic processes limiting access to benefits and aid. SSA has notoriously denied most first disability benefits applications, FEMA has left people without housing after disasters for far too long, there's red tape everywhere and it's harmful first and foremost to people without the time and resources (money, health) to navigate the systems. This is all true.

BUT. (And this is the important part of this post.) The new administration is, purposely, leveraging those feelings to get public support for gutting those systems and programs from the inside out. The truth is that we need these programs, and we need the everyday people who work to deliver them. We can't afford to vilify them.

Pay attention to the language in the new executive orders, such as:

"Return to Work" (as if everyday public servants have not been breaking their backs trying to get passports processed, job offers sent, and critical grants awarded, whether or not they do some of that work from home or in a too-small, poorly maintained office)

"Improving Accountability" (as if agency heads are all corrupt or something, rather than just being people who the new administration is afraid will choose to be accountable to their conscience rather than accountable to King Trump)

Yeah, yeah, every office will have some bad managers, some underperforming employees, and bad agency leadership once in a while. This is NORMAL. Literally look at ANY office, private sector or public sector or academia or whatever. Rank and file government employees are not inherently evil, or lazy, or entitled, any more than the rest of the workforce.

And in fact, government employee pay has fallen far behind inflation while the benefits have been slowly stripped away over the last decade or two (pensions cost more and pay less; healthcare options are expensive and don't cover as much as some other private plans; annual raises are a joke and barely even cover the rise in insurance premiums let alone housing).

By and large, the people working in those day to day public service positions care about the mission of their agency, and helping people, because you kind of have to at some level in order to sacrifice higher pay for literally the same work. The ONE concrete advantage of a government job over industry is the stability... But the Trump administration is fighting tooth and nail to get rid of that so they can fire large swathes of the workforce and shut down public service programs.

If they can't fire everyone, they'll start by getting as many as they possibly can to quit.

Stoking public anger at civil servants is one of the tactics they are using to put the pressure on and get people to leave. Many federal workers are already scared to talk about where they work because of fear of harassment. Republican leaders encourage this shit. Why would anyone want to stay in a job they're underpaid, underappreciated, and now being publicly vilified for? A few might, for the mission; others will decide their safety is more important, or that they can't sacrifice any more.

You might think, why do we care if a few gov employees quit when there's so many of them? Well, most government programs are ALREADY severely understaffed. We're ALREADY going to have an even harder time accessing services and programs when people inevitably quit and program funding gets shut down.

We need these workers to stay. We need them to be there busting their asses over the next months to get important things processed before the option is taken away. We need them to stand up to Trump's political cronies and hold the line and drag their feet when told to implement harmful policies. We need them to buy us time to vote in 2026 and save some of the programs that serve our most vulnerable populations. No, the programs aren't perfect, but that doesn't justify sitting back and letting Trump completely gut them!

Take some time to thank a public servant in the next weeks. We need them more than most of us realize, and we can't afford to let Trump's propaganda make us blame the people standing between his policies, and us.

[monasteryicons]

Father Emil Kapaun: The Saint in the Foxhole

Born of Czech immigrants in the small farming town of Pilsen, Kansas, in 1916, Emil Joseph Kapaun was ordained a priest in 1940 and served as an Army chaplain in Burma in World War II. During the Korean War, Captain Emil Kapaun was the Catholic chaplain assigned to the 3rd Battalion of the 8th Cavalry. On All Souls Day, November 2, 1950, this battalion of 3,000 soldiers was unexpectedly attacked by a force of more than 20,000 Chinese troops. The Americans, taken by surprise and fighting valiantly, never had a chance.

Father Kapaun ran from foxhole to foxhole, dragging out the wounded and giving last rites to the dying. Over the sound of gunfire and explosions he heard confessions. Feverishly working beyond the American lines in no-man’s-land, he actually stopped an execution and negotiated with the enemy for the safety of wounded Americans. No one knows how many young soldiers he carried to safety on his back. Going back again and again, he was finally taken prisoner as he tried to rescue another wounded soldier.

By daybreak the battle was over and hundreds of newly captured American POWs, including Father Kapaun, began a brutal forced 87-mile death march to a POW camp. Those wounded and unable to continue were shot dead. Father Kapaun picked up a wounded POW and began carrying him on his back, imploring others who were still in fair condition to do the same. Some followed his example and many managed to make it alive to the prison camp. Against the orders of his Chinese guards, Father Kapaun cared for the sick and wounded, built fires for warmth and cooking, searched for scraps of food, and even set up a makeshift system to purify drinking water.

To the great anger of his guards, Father Kapaun managed to gather the men together, officers and enlisted men, black men and white men, even atheists, agnostics and others, to join together in saying the Rosary.

Father Kapaun became an inspiration to the other POWs. The priest would preach openly to the men even though his captors ordered him not to do so. He would pray one-on-one with POWs, and some even embraced the faith and were baptized. Praying was banned, and when Father Kapaun ignored it and prayed with his men, his captors would strip him naked and make him stand on a block of ice for hours on end.

On Easter Sunday 1951, the bedraggled starving prisoners saw a silhouetted figure standing alone, illuminated by the morning sun. As the men approached, they realized it was Father Kapaun, wearing his priest’s stole and holding a missal. Somehow he had received permission to hold an Easter service. He could not celebrate Mass, but he read some Psalms and everyone recited out loud the prayers from Good Friday, including the Stations of the Cross. Survivors say that some men openly wept.

Worn down from the horrendous conditions and suffering from his own wounds and poor treatment, Father Kapaun died on May 23, 1951. He was credited with saving hundreds of lives through the loving care, compassion and spirituality he demonstrated to all his men.

In 1993, Captain Chaplain Emil Joseph Kapaun was declared a Servant of God by Pope John Paul II. The canonization process of this selfless priest is underway and there are two miracles under investigation at the present time. In 2013, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama, becoming one of only five chaplains to receive our nation’s highest award.

[btr-rewatch]

Big Time Rush Season 1, Episode 12: “Big Time Terror”

I've been looking forward to this one since I decided to start doing this rewatch. SHOT IN THE DARK!! Let's gooooo!!!! *tosses confetti into the air*

Highlights: Ghost hunting, ginormous bowls of oatmeal, and the best song ever written in the history of ever.

It's a beautiful night at the Palm Woods, and BTR and many of the Palm Woods residents are gathered around the fire, hanging out and having a grand ol' time. The guys are singing "Stuck," which is a song I'd probably rank among my favorites.

Their fun time is interrupted suddenly by a strange sound. As everyone turns to look, they see that a small table is moving along the patio all by itself. The boys look on in confusion and fear, with Carlos and Logan immediately gravitating toward Kendall for protection, which certainly gives me feelings. I love them. I love that the reaction is instinctual and says so much about who Kendall is and how the other guys see him. The Protector. The one who will shield them from harm. Kendall is a source of safety.

After returning to their apartment, Logan, ever the logical one, explains to Carlos that it wasn't a ghost but the air conditioner causing a backdraft that shut the doors. He doesn't have an explanation for the moving table, though. Carlos insists it was a ghost.

There's a knock on the door, which startles everyone but Kendall, and he explains to his scaredy-cat friends, "there is nothing terrifying behind this door." And who's behind the door? Gustavo! He tells the guys that his mansion is flooded, and he has to stay with them tonight.

They're not particularly thrilled about a sleepover with Gustavo, but Mama Knight tells the guys that they should let him stay the night because "Doing nice things for people who aren't so nice is nice."

We go to the lobby oh-so-briefly then to see Bitters and the Palm Woods residents all running frantically from something. We don't see a ghost, but there is mysterious wind and spooky green lights.

Up in 2J, everyone is seated around the table for dinner. It's Fish Stick Friday (with tots)! After some initial skepticism, Gustavo discovers the fish sticks aren't so bad, and he asks what else the guys do on Fridays, which leads into a montage of their evening. Gustavo has a blast. The guys...do not.

But the award for Not Having a Good Time goes to Logan, who gets SAT ON by Gustavo for HALF AN HOUR.

Cannot even begin to put together a theory on how this managed to happen.

The boys are all relieved when it's finally time for bed, but they quickly realize they aren't going to get much sleep with Gustavo's snoring practically shaking the whole apartment. Carlos has an idea for how to fix the problem, though.

Carlos's expression kills me. Look at him. Jaw set and that look of firm determination in his eyes. Carlos has a roll of duct tape, and he isn't afraid to use it. He will silence the big, snoring man. I don't know if we've ever seen him look so serious and angry before??

Also, I just have to point out that First Episode Kendall absolutely would've been on board with this plan. He probably would've grabbed the tape and done it himself. Maybe even gone a little further and taped Gustavo to the couch just for extra fun.

They trudge down to the lobby to sleep there but are scared off by the Palm Woods Ghost, who shuts off the lights, breaks a vase, stacks the furniture, and slams the doors. They run back to the apartment and are greeted by the image of Gustavo scratching his butt.

THE BOYS ARE HAVING THE WORST NIGHT EVER

The following morning, everyone wastes no time in handing Gustavo his stuff and all but kicking him out the door. They're all like:

But Gustavo isn't so eager to leave. Instead, he decides to join Kendall and James for a fun afternoon by the pool.

Listen. I love Gustavo, ok? Especially in these scenes, where he's just a loveable teddy bear of a guy wanting to hang out with his buddies. He is having SO MUCH FUN with them and is SO OBLIVIOUS that they're not having fun. No awareness at all.

Meanwhile, Logan and Carlos are having their own little adventure conducting paranormal research in the lobby. Carlos is convinced they're going to catch evidence of a ghost. Logan is convinced Carlos is just an idiot.

So far in the series, any time Logan and Carlos are paired together, all they do is bicker. But it makes sense, given that Logan is the smartest of the group and Carlos is...probably last in that particular ranking. Which is NOT to say that Carlos isn't intelligent in his own way, because he certainly is, but he doesn't have the same type of intelligence as Logan. Carlos is just innocent. Child-like. And we love him for it, but it sure does put him in a good position to clash with Logan over everything, doesn't it?

After setting up the camera and taking some time to smack each other around, Carlos, Logan, (and Bitters) catch sight of a ghostly green figure going through the lobby. They all take off running.

We skip ahead to the next day, where Gustavo's reign of terror over apartment 2J continues. He's not even trying to return to his mansion. In fact, he moves a lot of his things, including his bed, into 2J.

Also, everyone is eating the most ridiculously big bowls of oatmeal I've ever seen.

Look at James's bowl. That's like oatmeal for three or four people. And I know, I know, they needed to have a big bowl in order for Gustavo to be able to push James's face into it but come on. That's the most oatmeal I've ever seen in a single bowl.

After hearing that Gustavo will likely be staying several more days, Kendall pulls James out into the hallway to tell him that they need to handle this like men. Immediate cut to them begging and pleading to Kelly for help.

Kelly is confused because she had told Gustavo the previous night that he could return to his mansion. She reveals to the guys that Gustavo didn't really have a chance to live a typical childhood and play with other kids. Which is, um, really sad and something that should've been explored more!! She tells Kendall and James to figure everything out and flees the Palm Woods. Kelly wants no part in dealing with this lol.

The "Get Gustavo out of the Palm Woods" plot takes a backseat then as BTR focuses their energy on defeating the ghost. Armed with vacuum cleaners and goggles, they engage in a Scooby-Doo-style chase around the lobby.

Finally, they catch the ghost and reveal that it's not a real ghost at all. It's the new girl, Stephanie King!

She's making a horror movie and has been using the Palm Woods residents as her cast. She asks them not to tell on her, which Kendall agrees to under one condition.

We cut to 2J, where a peacefully sleeping Gustavo is woken up by Stephanie's ghost "floating" by his bed. Armed with a fan, projector light, fog machine, and a microphone, the guys manage to send Gustavo running from the apartment in terror.

The following scene is. The scene is—it's...

IT'S SHOT IN THE DARK!!! WOOOOO!!!

"Shot in the Dark" is by far my favorite BTR song, and I loved it so so much when I first heard it in this episode. You can imagine my yearning all these years to get an official version of it. Apparently, a full-ish demo version was released on youtube like...10 years ago?? I had no clue there was ANY full version until the guys released it in November. So, all this time, the only version of it I've known has been the one from this episode. Just about fainted when I checked Spotify and saw "Shot in the Dark" on there.

And I do have ✨thoughts✨about the song, but I might put them into a separate post. It's such a good song.

We end the episode at the pool, where everyone is once again sent running in fear from another moving table. This time, it's the work of Katie, who has discovered Fun With Fishing Line. The end.

Fantastic episode. This one would rank pretty high on my list of favorites. Both plots are great, and I like the way they merge at the end to wrap everything up. +46287593 bonus points for having "Shot in the Dark" in it. However, I do think there was a missed opportunity to include a heart-to-heart type scene between the boys and Gustavo. The guy had a lonely, isolated childhood and just wants a sense of connection with his dogs! He wants friends and to run around with reckless abandon playing "tag and seek" and an altered version of Marco Polo using dodgeballs! I wish the boys could have taken more time to acknowledge the whole situation and reached out in some way to Gustavo instead of scaring him away with a ghost. That would have been some nice relationship development.

[scotianostra]

Tragedy struck on May 4th 1949 when a fire at Grafton’s fashion store in Glasgow claimed the lives of fthirteen young women.

Two women jumped from the four-story building in the city's commercial district. Others were found huddled inside. The dead ranged in age from 15 to 23.

Other workers were rescued by firemen with ladders while a police officer "groped through the smoke to save five," according to an Associated Press dispatch. Two dozen people were injured, including patrons in a neighboring cinema. The fire was brought under control in two hours.

Flames were first discovered in an elevator shaft, according to a United Press dispatch in the Pittsburgh Press, another American newspaper. [May 5, 1949]

The blaze occurred on a Wednesday, at that time the busiest shopping day of the week in Glasgow. Recalling the blaze in 2010, Scotland's Evening Times said:

When fire crews arrived, there was so much smoke, they did not know which side of the street the fire was on.

When the fire broke out, crowds of cinema-goers from the next door Argyle picture house were evacuated, adding to the crowds and confusion in the street.

Hard lessons were learned from the blaze and as a result fire regulations were tightened up in shops and department stores across the city.

In August 1949, two employees received the George Medal for heroism a newspaper at the time reported that;

George Kamill Platt, a clerk, and Solomon Winetrobe, former para- trooper and now a manager, have each been awarded the George Medal for heroism in saving the lives of women in a Glasgow fashion store fire in May in which 13 died.

Winetrobe worked his way along a 5in.-wide ledge 55ft. above the street and persuaded five women trapped on the top floor to step on the ledge.

He supported them until they reached Platt, who helped them to ' the safety of a nearby cinema. A report to Parliament. said; The jury unanimously found that the fire broke out from an undiscovered cause in a small compartment underneath a wooden staircase and adjacent to the lift shaft; that it spread throughout the building within a few minutes; that owing to the inflammable nature of the stock and the extreme youth of many of the employees specific precautions, such as fire extinguishers and an adequate warning system, should have been taken against an outbreak of fire; that the fixture of a padlock on the escape door of the fourth floor delayed exit to the fire escape; and that the fire brigade functioned with efficiency.

[mariacallous]

A group of current and former OpenAI employees have issued a public letter warning that the company and its rivals are building artificial intelligence with undue risk, without sufficient oversight, and while muzzling employees who might witness irresponsible activities.

“These risks range from the further entrenchment of existing inequalities, to manipulation and misinformation, to the loss of control of autonomous AI systems potentially resulting in human extinction,” reads the letter published at righttowarn.ai. “So long as there is no effective government oversight of these corporations, current and former employees are among the few people who can hold them accountable.”

The letter calls for not just OpenAI but all AI companies to commit to not punishing employees who speak out about their activities. It also calls for companies to establish “verifiable” ways for workers to provide anonymous feedback on their activities. “Ordinary whistleblower protections are insufficient because they focus on illegal activity, whereas many of the risks we are concerned about are not yet regulated,” the letter reads. “Some of us reasonably fear various forms of retaliation, given the history of such cases across the industry.”

OpenAI came under criticism last month after a Vox article revealed that the company has threatened to claw back employees’ equity if they do not sign non-disparagement agreements that forbid them from criticizing the company or even mentioning the existence of such an agreement. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, said on X recently that he was unaware of such arrangements and the company had never clawed back anyone’s equity. Altman also said the clause would be removed, freeing employees to speak out.

OpenAI has also recently changed its approach to managing safety. Last month, an OpenAI research group responsible for assessing and countering the long-term risks posed by the company’s more powerful AI models was effectively dissolved after several prominent figures left and the remaining members of the team were absorbed into other groups. A few weeks later, the company announced that it had created a Safety and Security Committee, led by Altman and other board members.

Last November, Altman was fired by OpenAI’s board for allegedly failing to disclose information and deliberately misleading them. After a very public tussle, Altman returned to the company and most of the board was ousted.

“We’re proud of our track record providing the most capable and safest AI systems and believe in our scientific approach to addressing risk,” said OpenAI spokesperson Liz Bourgeois in a statement. “We agree that rigorous debate is crucial given the significance of this technology and we'll continue to engage with governments, civil society and other communities around the world.”

The letters’ signatories include people who worked on safety and governance at OpenAI, current employees who signed anonymously, and researchers who currently work at rival AI companies. It was also endorsed by several big-name AI researchers including Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio, who both won the Turing Award for pioneering AI research, and Stuart Russell, a leading expert on AI safety.

Former employees to have signed the letter include William Saunders, Carroll Wainwright, and Daniel Ziegler, all of whom worked on AI safety at OpenAI.

“The public at large is currently underestimating the pace at which this technology is developing,” says Jacob Hilton, a researcher who previously worked on reinforcement learning at OpenAI and who left the company more than a year ago to pursue a new research opportunity. Hilton says that although companies like OpenAI commit to building AI safely, there is little oversight to ensure that is the case. “The protections that we’re asking for, they’re intended to apply to all frontier AI companies, not just OpenAI,” he says.

“I left because I lost confidence that OpenAI would behave responsibly,” says Daniel Kokotajlo, a researcher who previously worked on AI governance at OpenAI. “There are things that happened that I think should have been disclosed to the public,” he adds, declining to provide specifics.

Kokotajlo says the letter’s proposal would provide greater transparency, and he believes there’s a good chance that OpenAI and others will reform their policies given the negative reaction to news of non-disparagement agreements. He also says that AI is advancing with worrying speed. “The stakes are going to get much, much, much higher in the next few years, he says, “at least so I believe.”

[the-umiran-amulet]

They managed to hire a boat to take them the short distance across the channel to Pirate’s Cove. They traveled north and further inland for a while, not stopping to make camp until several hours later than they usually would. No one really talked much in the wake of the twins’ breakdown, though Emmet was dying to know what it was about. Cary, for his part, remained on high alert, wanting to make sure they weren’t still being followed by that assassin, or anyone else for that matter.

“I think you two have a bit of explaining to do,” Vitruvius said calmly as they finally made camp for the night and gathered near the fire to eat. “Your reaction to that assassin’s revelation was unexpectedly strong. Far more than I think would be warranted, for someone so used to brushes with death such as yourselves.”

Cary glanced around at their faces. Even Benny seemed curious, despite knowing more than their other two companions. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, scratching at his head. Alastar gave him a faint nudge of permission. “This doesn’t leave this camp fire,” he growled. “Got it?” They nodded solemnly. “Alastar and King Sirius were lovers.” That earned a gasp from Emmet.

“That actually explains a lot,” Benny mused. “Why you knew him so well, how you got that expensive suit…”

Cary nodded. “We met him almost nine years ago. Alastar and I just happened to be in the area when the rebels assassinated King Arthur and Queen Magdalene. It was just… second nature to jump into the fight and protect the Prince. We managed to get him out of the chaos and back to safety. He was so impressed by our skill and quick thinking that he invited us to the palace, intending to give us some award or other. We got a medal, public acknowledgement. He and Alastar hit it off surprisingly well, got to be friends pretty quickly, and then more from there. They did a really good job of hiding it, no one ever suspected a thing. People just thought he had us around so much because he knew he could trust us. Asked me countless times if I had plans to leave the army and just become his bodyguard full time. I was giving it serious consideration.”

“And then Undar happened,” Vitruvius guessed.

“Yes. He worried, of course, knowing we’d be right on the front lines, but there were few other officers he trusted to get the job done, and done well. We got letters at first, and then one day they just stopped coming. Any visits to Bricksburg we were able to make, we never got an invitation to the palace. We’d both just thought he was preoccupied with the war, but then… Then Southlake Point happened. He never came to see us in the hospital, never even wrote to check up on us while we recovered. We got no help from him whatsoever during the trials. No word while we stewed at home with nothing to do. Even brushed us off completely after the treaty incident. Refused to engage when I tried to discuss how we should handle that fallout. And then to enforce drafts, threaten his own citizens, to want us dead…”

“It’s not Sirius,” Alastar finished. “Not anymore.”

Benny reached over to take his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Alastar held on as if for dear life. “We’ll avenge him,” the mage promised. “Somehow.”

Emmet’s eyes went wide. “You don’t mean like—killing him, do you?!” he yelped. “We could get into so much trouble for that!”

“We already have bounties on our heads,” Vitruvius pointed out.

“If he is truly under the Undaris’ sway, then everything he’s been doing this past year and a half has been with the aim of bringing Octan to ruin. We’re all that stands between Undar and the victory they seek. No one else has the military that we do,” Cary explained. “We’re not thrilled with this course of action either, but for the continued existence of Octan, it must be done.”

Emmet didn’t seem like he was going to accept that decision just yet. “But King Sirius doesn’t have any children, or even any named heirs. Who will keep things running if we—you know…”

Benny nodded, also curious to know. “We won’t have the remaining nobility making a mad dash and fighting for the throne, will we?”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Cary sighed. “Someone from among the nobility will end up getting picked eventually, but in the meantime… Velma’s been his administrative assistant since he was crowned king, and Richard’s been a pretty good advisor. They’re not a permanent solution, but between the two of them, they’ll be able to keep this country afloat until we can find a new king. That’s a problem we can tackle after we get our wealthy benefactor on board, though.”

“Do you have a plan for getting into the palace to get to him?” Vitruvius asked.

“I’ve only just started trying to figure one out,” Cary admitted. “But we’ve got time yet. I’m sure I’ll have something ready by the time we get back to Bricksburg.”

They stopped in a town to load up on supplies the next morning. Most of the residents of Pirate’s Cove preferred to live along its coastline, so there would be no settlements to restock in until they reached Gotham. “There are only two trade routes in Pirate’s Cove,” Alastar told them. “One to Gotham, and one to Bludhaven. We probably won’t come anywhere close to those. There are also a number of smugglers’ routes though, and they change all the time, so there is a chance we might run into one of those. If we do, just mind your own business. There’ll be far more of them than there are of us, so we don’t want to be picking fights.”

“They won’t be smuggling… you know, people, will they?” Emmet asked.

“If you mean slaves, no,” Alastar answered. Emmet let out a sigh of relief. “Refugees, on the other hand… maybe. Usually they’re running illicit substances. Drugs, certain types of alcohol, stolen goods. Things like that. Ultimately, they’re not much of a concern.”

“That’s an interesting take, for one such as yourself,” Vitruvius teased. Alastar laughed.

“We’re soldiers, not cops. Our job is to protect our people from outside threats, like Undar. Not worry if the rum someone chooses to indulge in was sold through legal venues or under the table.”

“Oh, I… guess that makes sense, when you put it that way,” Emmet murmured.

“I hope you’re all ready for a long, hard hike through nothing but untamed wilderness. Gotham’s border takes nearly two weeks to reach on foot, from here.”

“Have you been there before?” Benny asked.

“Not us, no. But we’ve studied maps, and… listened to Sirius talk about trade routes, sometimes…” He cleared his throat. “Merchants are always complaining about shipping and import costs versus speed of delivery, I guess.”

“What do we trade with them?” Emmet genuinely seemed curious to know.

“They send us raw materials, mostly. Ores, gemstones, things like that. They’ve got the Radech mountain range along their east border, which have provided centuries of excellent mining. And in return we send them textiles, medicines and medical equipment, spices and other foods that don’t grow in their climate,” Alastar explained.

“They don’t have their own medicines??” Emmet seemed horrified by the concept.

“Octan and Cape Space are pretty ahead of the curve when it comes to the development of such things,” Benny supplied. “They do have their own medicines, but they might not always have enough to handle a nasty outbreak, or what they do have isn’t really working very well. Gotham has a pretty cold climate too, and Gotham City is packed with people. Circumstances like those tend to make infectious illnesses worse than they would normally be.”

“So what would be just a nasty bout of flu for us could have devastating results for them?” Emmet guessed.

“Exactly,” Cary confirmed. “So Octan sends aid to help keep things like flu season from having those devastating results.” Emmet hummed to himself as he mulled that over. “We’ve also sent some people up there to help them set up to start manufacturing their own equipment, but they’ll still be dependent on us for some medicines. There are a number of more potent medicinal plants that just won’t grow in their climate, even with the aid of conservatories.”

“It sounds like a pretty harsh place to live,” Emmet decided. “What made them decide to settle there?”

“The mining, mostly,” Benny said. “Though I’ve heard there’s some really good fishing in the waters around Gotham, too. A lot of people say there’s just no comparison for Gotham lobsters.” Emmet laughed. “But really, humans will settle just about anywhere there’s some space and enough natural resources to get by on.”

“I wonder how they feel, living that close to the Outlands…”

“You think all the ghost stories about the Outlands actually have some substance to them?” Cary questioned. He had never been one to believe them. They were just tales to scare little kids with—or to lure underprepared thrill seekers out to the middle of a hostile no man’s land—as far as he was concerned.

“Ghost stories usually do have some grain of truth to them,” Vitruvius cheerfully pointed out. “Oftentimes the stories we know are nothing like the original facts, but they had their start in reality somewhere. It’s true that most people looking to explore and map the Outlands never get very far, for any variety of reasons, but the ruins of Bath-El are there all the same.”

That got Emmet’s attention, and he was eager to hear more. “What do you know about them?”

“Bath-El was said to be the holiest of sites, where the Gods ruled from when they still dwelled on the mortal plane. A great temple city was built there, and even after the Four left to reside in the heavens instead, people from all over the world would make the pilgrimage to worship there, and to study. It was the greatest center of learning in the world, once. And then one day, it was just… gone. The people vanished, and the buildings aged and decayed as if more than a thousand years had passed, all in one night.”

“And how did the story of the ruins get out if all the people vanished?” Cary pointedly questioned.

“People were still in the process of making the pilgrimage, of course. When they arrived and found nothing but ruins, they left, and spread the word of what happened once they returned home.”

“Did anyone ever find out what happened?” Emmet asked.

Vitruvius shook his head. “There was no evidence left behind for them to even guess at what happened.”

“That’s so weird… and really creepy.”

“And how do you know all of this?” Cary huffed.

“Wizards get to know things most other mages and scholars don’t. The knowledge was passed to me by my mentor, and to him from his, and so on. Also, while my talents with the Second Sight mostly lie in the present and future, I have occasionally been able to catch glimpses of the past. Snippets and snatches and seconds of things that happened a long time ago. Even just that little bit usually takes a lot of meditation and focus, though, far more so than my clairvoyance or precognition.”

Emmet leaned in close, eager to hear more. “So if people used to go there all the time, why can’t anyone get there now?”

“In short, the Cataclasm. It caused the mountain ranges that now block the Outlands off from any neighboring countries, and caused all of its outer coasts to crumble and fall into the ocean, leaving sheer, unscalable cliffs behind. Not that any ships could get close enough to try anyway, they’d crash on all the rocks hidden just under the water. The bay that leads right into the heart of the Outlands is the only way to get in anymore.”

“Are there any surviving stories of what Bath-El was like in its heyday?”

Vitruvius hummed as he thought. “Let’s see, I think I do remember one story…”

Cary held back a sigh. Emmet was caught, hook, line, and sinker. He supposed he couldn’t fault the young man’s curiosity, though. At least Vitruvius’ stories would help the next two weeks go by faster. And with Alastar listening in, maybe it would give him something other than his grief to focus on.

[thewritingofspencerrose]

Freefall Masterlist

Ferrari's Defender

formula1news Charles Leclerc's girlfriend, having just recently escaped scandal after it was leaked that her relationship with said Ferrari driver was initially a PR set up, is under fire once more, the woman currently being heard yelling at the FIA stewards over their awarding of a 10 place penalty to Carlos Sainz. Thoughts?

"Ms.Earnhardt, this is incredibly inappropriate behavior. You are a guest at this event and we could very well-"

"Very well what? Throw me out? How is that going to look F1 if you throw the clearly distressed, sobbing girlfriend of il Predestinato out of the race? With many fans here due to my presence as the Princess of Nascar?" I glare, the steward flinching at my tone.

"This race has had nothing but bad PR. Your world champion Verstappen has been saying to everyone how he hates it here. The only positive media attention has been Hamilton's energy and the crossover event of my brother's, father, and I being here, representing Nascar."

And you can tell by their faces that they are aware that I am right. If they kick my family and I out now, they'll only face more backlash than they already are.

"What was your reason for being here?" Another steward asks, her voice gentler than the other, but whether that's for my benefit or hers I don't know.

"Carlos Sainz did not deserve that penalty."

"Ms.Earn-"

"No," I interrupt once more, the man from earlier quieting immediately. "Sainz only had to replace his power unit because of the FIA's negligence in ensuring that the track was safe for driving. You're truly lucky that he wasn't injured or worse given the state of the bottom of his car. This coupled with your clear disregard for driver safety-"

"We regard driver's safety very highly Ms.Earnhardt."

"Clearly that is not the case, given that you'd rather penalize him than apologize for the dangerous situation you put him in. You are aware that he was unable to feel his legs for a few moments right?"

They are. You can tell based on their expressions.

"And if you don't fix this, you know the negative publicity surrounding this race will increase ten-fold when the rest of the drivers comment on the injustice as well."

"They know better," The original steward disagrees.

"Do they?" I question, smirking at the oblivious man. "I already have Verstappen, Albon, Norris, Hamilton, and Piastri willing to speak on this. As well as my father, who I don't know if you remember, is Dale Earnhardt Jr., and would bring into question the validity of how penalties are given out in Formula 1," The explanation rolls off my tongue easily, smirk never leaving as their eyes grow wide.

Got 'em.

"What would you like to see happen to prevent you and the others from drawing attention?"

"Remove the penalty from Sainz. This was your fault, take responsibility like a big kid."

And its now that they pause, looking between themselves before the grouchy one nods, crossing his arms.

"We will notify the teams now and have the announcement released in the next hour."

"Good, thank you," I thank, smiling brightly. "I look forward to seeing the rest of the weekend," I assure, turning around and leaving the viewing platform to find both Ferrari boys, my brothers, and my dad outside the door.

"So? Did you hand them their asses?" Will asks, Alex elbowing his twin.

Looking to Carlos, I can see the concern and some of the emotion from earlier still in his eyes, making him look so much older.

"Carlos, they are notifying the teams now," I begin, Charles tugging me into his side. "Your penalty is being removed after further evaluation," I can't help but smile.

"Really?"

And I want to cry at how relieved he looks as I nod.

"Eres una diosa mi amiga, (you are a goddess my friend)" He says, and while I'm not sure what that means, he pulls me into a hug.

"How'd you manage this amore mio (my love)?" Charles asks, pulling me back in as Carlos releases me.

"I told them I would make the negative media attention even worse by speaking out, along with other drivers and my father, making this race even more of a mess than it already is," I explain, my Dad snickering.

"That's my little girl."

formula1news Sainz will move into the race Sunday with no penalty due to convincing by teammates girlfriend

carlossainz55 This is Lynnleigh. She supports not only my teammate, her boyfriend, but the entire team. And today she has gotten more hate for that than I have seen in the last month.

Lynnleigh stood up for the team when we were given an undeserved penalty, and made a case so strong that the FIA decided to reverse the penalty, putting us in a great position to do our best and stay there during Quali Saturday.

You, the tifosi, should be thanking her for making this happen. Not tearing her apart for being defensive about a friend.

Proud to call you a friend, Lynn.

Thank you for putting up with Charles and supporting the team.

Esta es Lynnleigh. Ella apoya no sólo a mi compañera de equipo, a su novio, sino a todo el equipo. Y hoy ha recibido más odio por eso que el que he visto en el último mes.

Lynnleigh defendió al equipo cuando nos impusieron una penalización inmerecida y presentó un caso tan sólido que la FIA decidió revertir la penalización, colocándonos en una excelente posición para dar lo mejor de nosotros y permanecer allí durante la clasificación del sábado.

Ustedes, los tifosi, deberían agradecerle por hacer que esto sucediera. No destrozarla por ponerse a la defensiva con un amigo.

Orgulloso de llamarte amiga, Lynn.

Gracias por aguantar a Charles y apoyar al equipo.

lynleigh03 anything for a friend Car ❤️ happy the stewards came to the right decision

[chocolaterunsmagazine]

Help Dalia and her family survive and reach safety

Hi, I'm Dalia

A human being above all else, a mechatronics engineer who holds a diploma in renewable energy and the owner of many pioneering projects and has won many awards, the most recent of which is the award for my latest invention, a device for charging batteries. My life was wonderful and very clear, as if it were a straight line. I had a small office in which I did my work and studies, and there were many flowers, especially chrysanthemums. I was preparing for a master’s degree in economics and management.

On the seventh of October, we woke up to the worst thing that could happen to a human being. We woke up to the sound of bombs and missiles. We were exposed to all types of internationally prohibited weapons, including white phosphorus, fire belts, and explosive barrels that were falling and destroying entire residential squares. We were escaping death at every moment, not knowing the meaning of sleep.

•

•

Suddenly, a bomb destroyed everything we owned, my beautiful warm white house, my office, my university, and with it all our dreams and ambitions and all the memories we had, as everything became rubble and ashes. They displaced us from our homes. We slept in the streets and roads. I remember how difficult winter was. The rain would pour down on us every night. The worst thing is that we lost my uncle and his beautiful little girls who became angels in heaven. Only one of them survives,she is just 4, has lost her parents and siblings and is in hospital fighting for her life. We need to support her in any way we can, as we continue to fight for our survival. Every day I wake up afraid and crying for what's going to happen next.

•

My family and I live a very bad life now, with polluted water, very little or no food, and sleeping on the ground, while the bombs continue to fall. Please help us get through this nightmare and evacuate to Egypt.

We must pay $5,000 for each adult and $2,500 for each child to get to Egypt. After that, you are in Egypt alone, without any home, shelter, or any means of living. Today I ask you to help me get out of this mire and live a decent life and complete my learning journey and live in peace. I just want to live in peace and sleep in safety. Thank you for reading my story.

https://www.instagram.com/help_daliagaza?igsh=MWdoMjMydjlkbWdtMw==

PLEASE REBLOG, DONATE IF POSSIBLE, SPREAD THE WORD! COMMENT SOME POSITIVE THINGS ON THE INSTAGRAM PROFILE! HELP BOOSTING THE PAGE!

[safetycourses2022]

[usafphantom2]

Slovakia officially receives the first two F-16 Block 70 fighters in the US

A single-seat model C and a two-seat model D were delivered to Slovakia.🇸🇰

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 03/01/2024 - 18:11in Military

At a ceremony today at Lockheed Martin's facilities in Greenville, South Carolina, the first two F-16 Block 70 fighters were officially delivered to Slovakia, a significant milestone in the fighter program.

A delegation of employees from the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Slovakia, led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Mr. Robert Kali? ák, participated in the Delivery Ceremony of the F-16 in the production facility. While there, the head of the Ministry of Defense of Slovakia was also updated on the progress made in the production of the remaining F-16s ordered by the United States.

Before arriving in Slovakia, both aircraft - a single-seat C model and a two-seat D model - will be used in the F-16 maintenance training program for Slovak technicians in the USA. This training is crucial as Slovak Air Force personnel take the necessary measures to ensure the harmonious integration and effective operation of the F-16 fleet.

The Minister of Defense Kali? ák and OJ Sanchez, Vice President and General Manager of Lockheed Martin's Integrated Fighter Group, agreed that the delivery of the aircraft marks the beginning of a new era of supersonic aviation for Slovakia. In addition, Slovakia is the first European country to receive and operate this newer and more capable version of the Fighting Falcon. Thanks to the F-16 Block 70 fighters, the Slovak Air Force will carry out Air Police missions and protect Slovak airspace with its own capabilities.

In your remarks, Robert Kali? ák said: "Without skilled and courageous men and women of the Armed Forces, we would not be able to guarantee the security of the Slovak Republic and its citizens. It is our duty to do everything in our power to ensure the highest level of protection to the personnel of the Armed Forces and thus minimize the potential loss of life. These advanced F-16 fighters are a guarantee of the highest quality standards and, therefore, to provide safety and protection to our military."

The F-16 Block 70 aircraft, with advanced 21st-century security capabilities, will bring the highest standards of airspace security to Slovakia in the coming decades. The first group of aircraft is scheduled to arrive in Slovakia in mid-2024.

Tags: Military AviationF-16 Block 70Lockheed MartinSAF - Slovak Air Force/Slovak Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

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

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National Library Lovers Month: Nonfiction

The Library: A Fragile History by Andrew Pettegree

Famed across the known world, jealously guarded by private collectors, built up over centuries, destroyed in a single day, ornamented with gold leaf and frescoes, or filled with bean bags and children's drawings--the history of the library is rich, varied, and stuffed full of incident. In The Library, historians Andrew Pettegree and Arthur der Weduwen introduce us to the antiquarians and philanthropists who shaped the world's great collections, trace the rise and fall of literary tastes, and reveal the high crimes and misdemeanors committed in pursuit of rare manuscripts. In doing so, they reveal that while collections themselves are fragile, often falling into ruin within a few decades, the idea of the library has been remarkably resilient as each generation makes - and remakes - the institution anew. Beautifully written and deeply researched, The Library is essential reading for booklovers, collectors, and anyone who has ever gotten blissfully lost in the stacks.

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu by Joshua Hammer

In the 1980s, a young adventurer and collector for a government library, Abdel Kader Haidara, journeyed across the Sahara Desert and along the Niger River, tracking down and salvaging tens of thousands of ancient Islamic and secular manuscripts that had fallen into obscurity. The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu tells the incredible story of how Haidara, a mild-mannered archivist and historian from the legendary city of Timbuktu, later became one of the world’s greatest and most brazen smugglers.

In 2012, thousands of Al Qaeda militants from northwest Africa seized control of most of Mali, including Timbuktu. They imposed Sharia law, chopped off the hands of accused thieves, stoned to death unmarried couples, and threatened to destroy the great manuscripts. As the militants tightened their control over Timbuktu, Haidara organized a dangerous operation to sneak all 350,000 volumes out of the city to the safety of southern Mali.

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

On the morning of April 29, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. As the moments passed, the patrons and staff who had been cleared out of the building realized this was not the usual fire alarm. As one fireman recounted, “Once that first stack got going, it was ‘Goodbye, Charlie.’” The fire was disastrous: it reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library - and if so, who?

Weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into an investigation of the fire, award-winning New Yorker reporter and New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean delivers a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before.

Library: An Unquiet History by Matthew Battles

Through the ages, libraries have not only accumulated and preserved but also shaped, inspired, and obliterated knowledge. Now they are in crisis. Former rare books librarian and Harvard metaLAB visionary Matthew Battles takes us from Boston to Baghdad, from classical scriptoria to medieval monasteries and on to the Information Age, to explore how libraries are built and how they are destroyed: from the scroll burnings in ancient China to the burning of libraries in Europe and Bosnia to the latest revolutionary upheavals of the digital age. A new afterword elucidates how knowledge is preserved amid the creative destruction of twenty-first-century technology.