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iknowsescapingjourneys · 2 years ago

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(A/N: I have literally never written a fan fiction in my life so this is going to be an adventure. I have an eighteen chapter series planned for this if things go well. I am a white girl that grew up in the middle of nowhere, USA, so if I get any British slang wrong or accidentally mess up something when it comes to his culture, please correct me! I am completely open to concrit.

Other than that, there’s not many triggers in this chapter. Kinda new to Tumblr, I was an embarrassing teenager the last time, pls don’t look at my posts, so I don’t know what needs to be tagged. There’s some fighting, but nothing graphic or gory. Mentions of theft. That’s about it. I am going off of the interview with the directors that say that he is an adult, and there will be smut in later chapters.

Please let me know what you think! I will also do requests for one-shots if anyone has anything in particular they’d like to see.)

Reckless Driving

Hobie Brown x Fem! Reader

Chapter 1

The crunch of glass beneath the PVC of Doc Martins seems to become an increasingly familiar sound. The stretch and curl of fingers in her gloves causes the sound of metal claws scraping together to echo through the showroom of the commercial jewelry store, barely audible as an alarm blares heavily above her head. The night vision equipped in her helmet makes it easy to see the glass case she’s peering down at, and with a slam of a gloved, clawed fist, the barrier shatters into a hundred sharp, sparkling pieces that fall to the floor and the display below. Claws curl easily around necklaces and rings, dropping them into the cargo pockets of her pants.

She knows how long it takes the police to show up, and she knows that she has three minutes left, if she’s lucky. She’s been here longer than she usually prefers to be, having had a difficult time busting the first display open. The police scanner in her ear chatters away, reports of her misconduct and theft a hot topic. She scoots to her left, repeating her earlier process, and zipping up the pocket when it feels heavy against her thigh.

She turns on her heel to dash to the employee exit in the back, but finds herself colliding with something, a mix of blue and red and black. She stumbles back, eyes widening beneath her masked helmet. Her first instinct is Spiderman, who she is more than well acquainted with, and not in any way that could be deemed positive. Her fist flies through the air without thought, stopped short when it’s grabbed mid trajectory and used to push her back into the broken display case. Her back arches to avoid sharp shrapnel, and she kicks a leg up, outsole colliding with a denim clad knee.

Denim? She pauses her onslaught long enough to get a good look at who exactly has wandered into her crime scene. An eyebrow raises beneath the LEDs of her helmet as she takes him in. This, this was not Spiderman. What looked to be heavy liner circled the mask’s eyes, dripping down below the eye holes. The suit was covered in spikes, both built into it and adorned with bracelets, and belts, and even protruding from the leather jacket that hung loosely on his frame. A guitar was strapped across his back, strings messily sprouting from string trees.

She was pulled from her analysis when a heavy boot made contact with her chest, sending her flying back into the cash register of the jewelry store. She could hear sirens approaching over the sound of the alarm screaming, and she knew flashing lights were only moments away. Her eyes flickered back up to the man encroaching on her space like a predator stalking its prey.

“Man, look at the time,” She spouts, notes of sarcasm and nervousness sprinkled throughout her otherwise surprisingly even tone. “Guess I should probably head out.” She continues, throwing her upper body to the side to avoid another well aimed kick. This time she notices the yellow and blue of ladder laced cords.

“Blue laces, huh? Seems like an odd color for someone working with the cops.” She taunts, managing to pull herself over the counter of the cash register, shoving open the door to the back room with her own boot as she backs herself up.

The man seems to pause for a moment, running his eyes over her figure with a look of confused conflict. “Y’know lace code?” He asks, and she can’t help the laugh that bubbles from her throat.

His accent is thick, and it’s immediately apparent to her that he is not from around here, though New York was known to have a melting pot of people. His voice is deep, but not intimidatingly so, and she finds she actually quite likes it, even from the small sampling she’s heard so far. Her eyes glance down to her own laces, strung up in a similar fashion. One side yellow, the other side purple.

“I might,” She finally answers with a grin, knowing that the duration between the question and her answer was probably long enough that he knows she was taken aback by his accent.

She turns the lock to the back exit with clawed fingers, being as delicate and quiet as possible as she continues to attempt to distract him long enough to get herself out the door.

The heel of her palm presses against the metal lever of the doorknob, her eyes locking on a shelving unit just a leg’s distance away.

“I like the pin,” She mentions, gesturing with her head towards the large A of the anarchy symbol adorned on his jacket. When he glances down in an effort to see which one her eyes have locked on, she kicks her leg out, sending the shelf crashing between them, creating a makeshift barrier.

She knows if he’s anything like the Spiderman she’s used to, he’ll make quick work of throwing it to the side, but it’s a divider long enough for her to slam her hand down and barrel out of the metal door keeping her from her motorcycle.

The pads of her non-gloved fingers press down hard on a button strapped to her thigh and the bike roars to life in a brilliant light show, greens and purples illuminating the dark alley. She throws a leg over the seat, straddling across the leather as her foot slams into the gas, lurching forward as the metal door flies open again to reveal the lanky frame of the man she’d fought with moments prior.

By that point though, she was practically a bat out of hell, motorcycle weaving through alleys so fast that she wasn’t much more than a blur. To be fair, she’s well aware that he could probably catch up to her if he wanted to, using the webs to leap from building to building. Track her down, wrap her up, deliver her to the police.

For some reason, it doesn’t surprise her when he doesn’t.

______________________________

He couldn’t be arsed to chase after you, if he was being honest. First of all, this was a chain, and the markups on the shit they sold was enough to make his anarchist blood boil. Combined with the fact that the cops were out to get her, (and he would rather die than be seen working in collaboration with pigs), it seemed less than important to go swinging through a city he wasn’t entirely familiar with to repossess some cliché engagement rings and some overly gaudy necklaces.

So he knew it wasn’t guilt about letting her get away that rattled around in his head a day later. That conclusion lead him to where he was now: staring down at his boots as they moved him through the night, barely cognizant of what was going on around him as he shifted through thoughts that seemed to pop up faster than he could shoo them away, akin to pop-ups on a shady website.

His tongue ran back and forth over the metal of his lip ring, feeling the shift of piercing to flesh with each passing movement. A stem he often found himself utilizing when he was overwhelmed with his own mind.

He’s only pulled from his thoughts when a familiar sound erupts through the silent air from across the park he’s meandering through. His head snaps in the direction of the noise, pierced brows furrowing slightly. The rumble of a bass guitar, clearly played by someone with experienced fingers, because the tune sounded incredible.

Through the light foliage, definitely planted by a city council in order to make the area look more ‘organic’, he was just capable of making out a feminine frame propped on the black plastic playground border. He couldn’t say he recognized the song, but it definitely had an edge to it. A bite. He liked it.

She didn’t seem to notice him as he made his way over, eyes locked on the way her fingers caressed four thick strings, and the way they reverberated as she pulled away from each one, the timbre of each note filling the air.

“A little late to be putting on a show, innit?”

He can’t choke back the laugh that climbs from his chest when her head swings up to make eye contact with him, her fingers stuttering on strings that release a roar upon her mis-strum. He makes note of the way her eyes widen, akin to a deer stuck in the headlights of a car. Clearly she wasn’t used to people stumbling upon her little solo jams.

“Not much of a show.”

The woman in front of him mumbles, her eyes downcast once again in embarrassment, though he was just capable of making out the dusting of blush that adorned the apples of her cheeks. He settled himself on the plastic divider next to her, brushing off a piece of mulch that threatened to fall to the grass outside of its designated area.

“Not sure about that, princess. Can’t say I wasn’t enjoying it.”

He watches her blink a few times, face twisting in confusion a little as she glances up at him. He takes the chance to let his eyes wander the details of her complexion: the little laugh lines on the corners of her lips and nose, the way her eyes shimmer in the dim light of the lamp post, the gloss applied to her lips.

“Princess?”

She asks, and he realizes that she thinks he’s some prat trying to harass her in the middle of the night. He gives an apologetic smile, his lip ring reflecting the lighting and enunciating the gesture.

“Seems like I’m about to make a total cock-up of this whole situation.”

He laughs, rubbing the back of his hand against his forehead, warm flesh brushing cold metal bumps of thick metal captive beads.

“Promise I’m not tryna chat you up. It’s just a ‘abit.”

He watches her frame deflate from the bristled posture it held moments prior, and he relaxes slightly as well, leaning back as palms dig into rough wood shavings. His eyes wander her before he gets to her shirt and the back of his large, ringed hand hits her shoulder.

“You like R&B?”

He asks, fingers gripping on the hem of the black material and pulling it slightly to flatten the material so he can get a better look at it. Her lips twitch in discomfort for a moment, an action he doesn’t miss, and he pulls his hands away, not embarrassed but feeling a little bad for what definitely seemed like harassing this girl now.

“Erykah Badu is the background track to just about every trip I’ve been on.”

She says softly after an extended silence, and the little grin that climbs the corner of her lips is not lost on him. Maybe she wasn’t completely under the impression he’d lost the plot. He pulls his phone from his pocket, glancing at the time.

Then he glances at it again, eyes widening. How had he managed to fuck around until two in the morning? If people weren’t pissed because they were looking for him, they’d be pissed the next morning when he couldn’t drag his arse out of bed.

He was honestly a little disheartened by the fact that he’d managed to absolutely flounder the entire conversation, just to pick himself up right as he had to leave.

“Really should get going. I’m absolutely gutted I couldn’t ‘ear you play more of that bass.”

He says with a grin, long legs pulling to a stand as he tried to remember what direction he’d come from and how to get back. His spidey-senses tingle right before his hand wraps around his wrist, and he yanks it away at the last second out of instinct. She seems dissuaded by the rejection, and he does his best to soothe the burn with a grin.

“Sorry, doll. Just not used to being touched.”

He apologizes, raising horizontally pierced brows as an invitation for her to speak her mind. It’s the least he could do for harassing her and then fucking off right as they started to actually have a conversation.

“Do you think I could have your number?”

He’s no stranger to being hit on. He’s no stranger to being the one to hit on others, either. And he can’t deny that she’s a very beautiful woman. Still, he knows better. This isn’t his universe, and he’s not here to make friends, and especially not here to shag around whatever version of New York this was.

“I’m flattered, really. Can’t say I think that’s the brightest idea though. I could be mad, y’know?”

The woman’s shoulders drop slightly at being pied off, and he reaches out to set a hand on the pewter gray of the shoulder of her shirt.

“Don’t take it personal though, princess. I’ve just got a lot on my shoulders at the moment.”

He reassures, letting his hand drop back down to his side and turning on his heel before he stared at her too long and changed his mind. The last thing he needed to do was find himself attached to a civilian, especially one that he’d have to dimension hop for. The cons far outweighed the pros.

Hobie Brown was a rebel, but he wasn’t daft.

#hobie brown #hobie x reader #hobie brown x you #hobie brown x reader #spider punk #spider punk x reader #hobie brown x fem!reader

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xtruss · 1 year ago

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A southern black widow, Latrodectus mactans, is seen at the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans, Louisiana. It's one of five black widow species found throughout North America. Photograph By Joel Sartore, National Geographic, Photo Ark

Which One of These Spiders is a Black Widow?

The world of bugs is filled with lookalike species. Why?

— By Liz Langley | July 13, 2023

This will get your spidey sense tingling: There’s a type of spider that looks like a black widow—but packs a much less potent bite.

False widow spiders resemble their infamous cousins, black widow spiders, with spindly legs and globe-shaped bodies. Like black widows, these species have markings on their abdomen, though not as bright red or as distinctive as the black widow’s classic hourglass shape.

The black widow possesses venom 15 times as powerful as that of a rattlesnake. Though that sounds scary, human deaths following a bite are exceedingly rare, with none reported in the U.S. since 1983. (Get a mesmerizing look at nature’s eight-legged wonders.)

The false widow is just one example of how nature has evolved lookalikes that can make it tough for people to tell one bug apart from another.

“A lot of times these insects are trying to trick us and others around them on purpose. There’s all sorts of different types of mimicry” among Earth’s 900,000 known insect species, says Julie Peterson, an entomologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Hoverflies, for instance, have only one line of defense: By looking just like bees, with black-and-orange markings, they hoodwink predators into not attacking them.

A composite image shows Steatoda nobilis (left), the noble false widow; S. paykulliana (center), the Mediterranean false widow; and a black widow female (right). Many false widows have abdomen shapes and markings that resemble those of black widow spiders. Photographs Via Getty Images, Left: Danut Vieru Center: Stephanie Phillips, Right: Olimbek Shrinov

That’s Probably Not a 'Murder Hornet'

In 2020, an invasive insect called the northern giant hornet arrived in Washington State. Thanks to a quick-acting campaign to eradicate their nests, none of the hornets have been seen since 2022. Even still, a two-inch-long venomous insect nicknamed the “murder hornet” (after its aggressive way of attacking bees) has kept it top of mind for many.

“We get numerous emails and calls in the spring and summer,” says George Hamilton, an entomologist at Rutgers University in New Jersey, clear on the other side of the country.

People “confuse the [invasive] European hornet and cicada killers for northern giant hornets all the time,” he says via email. (Fun fact: The U.S. has no native hornets.)

The native cicada killer is a wasp that resembles the northern giant hornet. However, the cicada killer—which rarely stings humans—has a black body with somewhat irregular yellow stripes.

Northern giant hornets are more golden in color, with consistent stripes and pointy antennae, as opposed to clubbed ones, says Chris Looney, an entomologist at the Washington State Department of Agriculture, via email.

Since northern giant hornets were never found outside of Washington or British Columbia, it’s likely that’s something else you see buzzing by, he adds.

Top: The European Hornet, introduced to the U.S. in the 1800s, is the only true hornet living in North America. Photograph By Colin Varndell/Nature Picture Library Bottom: The Northern Giant Hornet, native to East Asia, has a painful bite. Photograph By Mark Thiessen, National Geographic Image Collection

Sussing Out Invaders

Sometimes, native insects look just like non-native insects, which can make controlling the invading species even more challenging.

Take the emerald ash borer, originally from East Asia, whose brilliant metallic green exoskeleton makes it look more like a Christmas ornament. After mother borers lay their eggs under the bark of ash trees, larvae hatch and devour the tree from the inside—a phenomenon that has destroyed millions of trees since the bug was first spotted in Michigan in 2002.

The emerald ash borer’s erstwhile twin is the six-spotted tiger beetle, also coated in shiny green, but with a wider body and longer legs. It’s a much speedier critter, too, catching and eating a variety of insects including ants, grasshoppers, and caterpillars.

The Japanese beetle has a metallic green head, copper body, and six poofs of white hair on each side, like frosting swirls on a cake. It’s also a defoliator of plants in the eastern U.S., Midwest, and some parts of the West. The invader is partial to some 300 species of plants and trees, including cherry, peach, and apple.

Their innocuous doppelgängers, ground beetles, have longer bodies than Japanese beetles, and they eat lots of agricultural pests, including slugs, aphids, and ants.

Recluse or Not?

Brown recluse spiders, native to the central and southern U.S., are one of only three types of venomous spiders in the U.S. Although bites are rare, they can cause painful wounds. Being brown in color, people often get them mixed up with other spiders, particularly wolf and grass spiders, says Catherine Scott, a postdoctoral researcher in entomology at McGill University in Montreal.

Scott helps manage the Twitter page “Recluse or not?”, which encourages people to send in an unidentified spider photo and get a trustworthy answer from an expert.

A good rule of thumb: Wolf and grass spiders are much larger than the brown recluse, which is light brown and barely an inch long. Wolf spiders also have two distinct dark stripes down both segments of their bodies, and grass spiders are darker in color.

Know Your Ladybugs

As well as mistaken identities, Peterson has also encountered a recognition gap between ladybug, or ladybeetle, generations that leads to indiscriminate killing of the helpful insects.

Most people know the colorful, spotted adult ladybug, found in many countries, which eats garden pests such as aphids. But fewer recognize ladybug eggs, larvae, and pupae.

Ladybug eggs look a bit like gel vitamin capsules, golden and oval-shaped, bunched together on a leaf. Larvae “look like a spiky alligator with long legs,” which can be black, yellow, and orange in color, Peterson says, while pupae resemble an orange spotted grub.

Many gardeners and others often squash these eggs, pupae, and larvae, thinking something is wrong with their plant or that the young ladybugs are some unknown pest—when the exact opposite is true, she says.

There are about 5,000 ladybug species worldwide, including this Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis. Photograph By Joel Sartore, National Geographic, Photo Ark

“The larvae of ladybeetles focus on eating aphids and other kind of soft-bodied insects, whereas the adults can be a little bit more generalists,” she says, including pollen and nectar in their diets.

Having more knowledge about our tiny neighbors makes it easier to co-exist with them, Peterson says. And be kind. Bugs have the same goal as us—just trying to make it to another day.

#National Geographic #Audubon Nature Institute #Spiders #Black Widows #Danut Vieru #Stephanie Phillips #Olimbek Shrinov #Hornet 🐝#Washington State Department of Agriculture #European Hornet 🐝#Northern Giant Hornet 🐝#East Asia #Catherine Scott #McGill University in Montreal #Canada 🇨🇦

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resolviendolaincognita · 1 year ago

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The original penguin lived in the north.

At the end of the 16th century, the word penguin appears together with the Dutch pinguïn, which originated the French word pingouin. The original meaning is preserved in the latter, as pingouin is an auk, while manchot is a penguin, although the influence of modern English is changing this. Despite Antarctica had not yet been discovered, Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama may have seen them in southern Africa, as did Juan Sebastián Elcano. However, the word did not really refer to the friendly birds of the South Pole, but to the giant auks (Pinguinus impennis) of the Arctic.

Penguins from the northern hemisphere

The northern penguin was a bird that reached the breeding grounds on the European and North American rocky coasts in May, nesting even in Gibraltar and Florida. Although it is not known how they timed their travel, they reached their destination without forming large flocks. They tended to arrive emaciated, but regained their stocky figure by feeding on fish, diving headfirst off cliffs. Unlike the common auk (Alca torda), they could not fly with their wings, but were excellent swimmers. However, on land, where they remained with their torso upright, they were rather clumsy. Because of this and their black and white plumage, explorers believed that the birds in the southern hemisphere were also penguins.

Known since antiquity

Apart from the name penguin, the Basque sailors knew it as harpoonaz, the French explorer Jacques Cartier called them apponatz and the Norse called them geirfugl. All these names referred to its beak, which penetrated the water like a harpoon. Possibly, this bird was known to the Greek explorer Pytheas, who reached Iceland in 330 BC. The same must have happened in the gold rush of 1570, when 600 Dutch, German and French ships headed for Baffin Island only to find mica instead of the golden metal. By then, they were extinct in most of Europe. Long gone was the 10th century A.D., when their feathers were used to stuff mattresses. So in England and America they decided to travel north to get them, plucking them and leaving the birds to die miserably.

Capture and extinction

Because they were easy to capture and had a considerable size, when they came ashore to spawn they were captured by the dozens. Their eggs were also collected, but the fact that each pair laid only one was their undoing. In addition, the hunters knew that not all birds laid eggs on the same day, so those that were saved in a first expedition were lost in the following ones. In this way, due to human action and other predators, such as polar bears, the giant auks were retreating northward.

By the beginning of the 19th century, they had disappeared from Newfoundland. Just two decades later, many believed them to be a legend, although the occasional pair could be found in the more remote British Isles. Many of these specimens ended up stuffed in museums. Until then, Geirfuglasker Island was their last bastion. Due to currents and cliffs, it was inaccessible to humans, but not to these birds. Unfortunately, a volcanic explosion destroyed it in 1830 and they had to retreat to Eldey. On June 3, 1844, Sigurdr Islefsson, Jon Brandsson and Ketil Ketilsson arrived on the island of Eldey, near Iceland, and killed the last two giant auks, whose size made them easily visible among the other birds. Although subsequent sightings were reported and there were rewards for decades for obtaining new specimens, it is believed that these were the last of the auks.

#penguins #extinct animals #extinct birds #extinct species #extinction #animals #fauna

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brn1029 · 2 years ago

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Time for your Rock Report

The Black Crowes have announced a new live album, Shake Your Money Maker Live, in celebration of their 2021-22 reunion tour. The Black Crowes: Shake Your Money Maker Live will commemorate the band's reunion and their two-year tour with over 100 shows worldwide. The live album will feature the band's best performances during the trek. The record will also include two bonus tracks of the band covering "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)" by the Rolling Stones and "Rock & Roll" by the Velvet Underground.

The Bangles' frontwoman Susanna Hoffs recently shared her cover of Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb," which is featured on her upcoming album, The Deep End. The album of covers, produced by Peter Asher, is set for release on April 7. "I love the Rolling Stones," Hoffs said about the selection of "Under My Thumb." "I've listened to that song on repeat since it came out in the mid-'60s."

Thrash metal legends Megadeth have announced plans to embark on a tour of Canada with special guests Bullet For My Valentine and ONI. The 13-city tour kicks off in Everett, Washington, on April 26, with the Canadian leg kicking off April 28 in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and wrapping up on May 15 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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mercurial-madhouse · 4 years ago

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@oldbay-on-apples asked, I wish you would write a fic where characters of your choice are spies and trying to escape a facility with the blueprints they need!

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

See my point of view (As someone staring back at you)

“We’re in, Haz.”

Louis’s voice transmits through his earpiece. The tech relies on sound vibrations, picking up the resonance of Louis’s vocal cords so that, even though they can all hear him clearly, on Louis’s end his words are below a whisper.

“Surprisingly, I can see that.” Harry scans the multiple video feeds on the screen before him. Louis, Picklock, top left; Niall, Ammunition, bottom left; Liam, Data Encryption, bottom right.

Top right: blank. Where his feed should be.

Louis’s face pops into Liam’s camera long enough for him to wiggle his eyebrows. All black looks so damn good on him. “How’m I supposed to know you weren’t mid-kip, old man?”

Harry tears his gaze away from Louis before his attention is compromised. Louis’s only two years older than he is and he’s been arse over tit for the footie player-turned-spy since they met years ago. But feelings cloud judgement, a potentially fatal threat too dangerous to dare in their line of work. He eyes the silver-tipped black cane leaning against the table next to him.

Current mobility status: severely limited.

“Promised Payno he wouldn’t have to babysit you alone,” he mutters without missing a beat.

Louis screws his features up then disappears from Liam’s screen, clearly shoved aside. Light glints off the camera implanted in the thin film of the eye-contact he’s wearing that’s allowing Harry to see their views. The nanotech Liam used to create it and their earpieces is too valuable to risk discovery by foreign governments. Any indication of compromise they must destroy the only lifeline Harry has to them.

Frustration tenses his muscles and tweaks the bulging disc between vertebrae L4 and L5. A lance of pain shoots up his spine. He raps a button on the keyboard. A fourth feed appears, the hijacked surveillance camera on the front gate with views of the Russian security guard manning the video booth.

Niall’s already detached from the other two. He oversees the perimeter. In complete silence he’s setting up remote-controlled explosives, the failsafe to create chaos should the other two need help during the extraction. Liam and Louis are silent. Harry watches like a video game without a controller as they scale the rear wall and infiltrate the building through the massive heating duct.

As rogue operatives, their only link back to MI6 is a non-existent papertrail: an agent simply known as Z (probably because Q was already taken). The most dangerous jobs go to them, the ones MI6 can’t chance having connected back to the British government if the four of them are compromised on a mission.

If the window of opportunity to sneak into the Kremlin for a specific set of blueprints only known as TMH-11 weren’t closing fast, they might have waited for Harry to heal. All it’d taken was an unfortunate twist on their last mission in Bulgaria and he’d slipped a disc. He’s certain a gunshot to the back would be less painful. Louis had barely kept him on his feet to get to safety.

The silver world surrounding Louis and Liam steadies. For a few seconds Harry can see them both as they look at each other.

Liam glances at his watch. He’s spent months logging the patrols for the building and knows the timing by memory.

“Six minutes, Tommo. No more.”

Louis nods. A breath, then they lift the ceiling grate aside. Liam finds leverage, planting his feet, gloved hands tight around the rope as Louis hovers towards the ground. The red laser lines criss-crossing the entire area as thin as trip-wires.

Harry releases a breath when Louis’s feet touch down soundlessly, just before the tiny metal boxes all stacked like mailroom slots at a post office. The grid’s so small Louis’s got to keep his knees locked together. Even then, barely a centimetre separates him from discovery.

He works efficiently on the lock for box TMH-11, tools so tiny they make his slim fingers look even more slender. The miniscule flame of the blowtorch matches the alarm lasers in width.

“Two minutes, eight seconds,” Liam says, tone even.

Plenty of time.

Louis is silent. He doesn’t answer when he’s concentrating. All of them know he’s heard.

The flame flares once. Louis cuts it off, pocketing the tools. He eases the door open, peering inside.

Motion on the screen catches Harry’s attention. The security guard’s feet have landed flat, squinting at the video monitor in front of him. His hand hovers over a call button, lips moving.

“Possible indeterminate error,” Harry warns. “Lou, get out now.”

Louis slides a cylinder from the box. At least a metre long, he slips it up to Liam.

“I’ve got movement,” Niall reports.

“Tommo, now,” Liam hisses.

Louis clicks the box closed. There’s no time to get the lock back into place. Footsteps fuzz through Liam and Louis’s earpieces. Pain surges through Harry’s back as he lurches forward, staring at Louis’s feed. Louis’s gaze whips over his shoulder towards the closed door of the vault.

“Lou, get out!”

Liam appears on Louis’s screen. Louis’s silent, but whatever he says to Liam with a look has Liam shaking his head.

Harry’s seen this too many times in his nightmares. They know their orders. They know what’s most important. “Lou, you still have time. Go.”

“Get that cache to Niall,” Louis whispers. He detaches the line from his back.

“Lou!” Harry shouts, in time with Liam. “Niall, code one. On my command.”

“Copy this.”

“Payno, go.” In Louis’s feed, Liam looks too far away. It’s not the distance that’s the enemy, it’s getting Louis through the grid without tripping the alarm. It’s precision that can’t be done quickly. The moment they trip the alarm the whole building goes on lockdown, cutting Liam off too.

Liam curses. Louis’s face vanishes in his screen, replaced by the cord Liam’s hauling up, then the descent of darkness as he closes the vent.

Heart racing, Harry splits his attention between Liam and Louis, anxiously tracking Liam’s progress back through the building. Louis doesn’t move except to press his forehead against the wall of metal, completely still. He can’t risk alerting the guards or sounding the alarm before Liam’s far enough out.

“Lou, he’s on the roof.” Harry doesn’t need to whisper, but his voice comes out soft anyway. “It’s only four metres to the door.”

If anyone can get out, it’s Louis. He’s as expert at slipping through tight spaces as he is at picking every lock. Harry refuses to believe he can’t find a way through these.

Louis pushes out a slow breath, loud enough for Harry to hear through the wire. “I won’t make it, Haz. You know I can’t risk it.”

Fuck. Fuck. This possibility isn’t a surprise. They’ve got hundreds of contingency plans and this one is no different. Once Liam successfully drops the cache with Niall, he’ll go back for Louis.

“Payno, report.”

“Three minutes.”

Three minutes to get to Niall and back. A dangerous gamble.

“Think you could go a mite faster there, Payno?” Louis mutters, voice light despite the tightness.

Another man has joined the security guard. They’re pointing at one of the feeds. Harry’s heart thuds as dread washes over him, pulse pumping in his jugular.

“Damnit, I should be—”

“Right where the fuck you are,” Louis cuts him off, an edge to his words. They soften. Something indescribable leaks into his tone and slicks Harry’s palms with sweat. “Right where you need to be, Haz.”

“I need to be with you.” The words are out before Harry can stop them, but it’s the truth. If Harry were there this wouldn’t be an issue. He should be getting Louis out while Liam runs the line. They operate in pairs for a reason.

Louis hasn’t moved at all. His control is impressive. Off the clock he’s all manic energy. On a job every move he makes is precise and carefully thought out. None of them could possibly fill his role.

“One minute,” Liam reports. He’s scaling to the roof.

Footsteps echo through the corridor behind Louis. Russian voices, too far for the mic to pick up, so the internal translator won’t work. They stop outside the door. The bleeps of a keypad.

A torpedo of terror surges into Harry’s chest and ruptures.

“Hazza—”

“Niall, now! Liam, go!”

“Haz, I’m sorry... I’m in love with you.”

Niall’s explosives detonate. Louis’s feed goes dark. Harry’s heart gets caught in the blast.

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

(Ok, I tried so hard to make this a drabble of 500 words. Then 1k. It wasn’t meant to be. This is the story the characters told me. I hope it fits the bill, love! I do enjoy me some spy AUs even though this is my first to write! Love my action and adventure!)

Have something else you’d like to see me write? Go wild! Pairing, situation, feeling… Send me an ask (anon or not) completing the sentence ‘I wish you’d write a fic where…’

Superpowers Drabble

Invisible Drabble

Only one bed (H-POV)

Only one bed (L-POV)

ABO new-omega!Louis drabble that became a fic on AO3.

#trackinghome #hlcreators #hljournal #1dsource #yourlarrysource #tracksintheam #larry drabble #larry fanfiction #spy au

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mythos-writes · 4 years ago

Text

I saw Myself in You

Loki x reader

Plot: You had been working with the Avengers for a couple of years. When Thor brought Loki back to Earth to work with them, many of the Avengers were very skeptical. But you. When you start to get closer, feelings start to grow.

Word Count: 2992

Warnings: Fluff, angst, flashbacks, longer than the normal Fic I write,

*************************************

(Y/N) had just gotten back to the compound after a month away in Wakanda, as an ambassador of the Avengers and helping T’Challa with some other diplomatic issues, and Suri helped her with her prosthetic arm. She was just looking forward to some R&R around the compound before the next mission. But luck wasn’t on her side.

It was late and just wanted to go to her room and sleep off the nasty jet lag, but as soon as she had walked into the lounge room of the compound, she was greeted by Tony, Steve, Nat, Bruce, Wanda, Clint, Bucky, Sam, Vision and Peter standing around Thor and Loki, who was in shackles.

“Um, what is going on here?” she questions while getting closer to the circle of heroes. Steve turns to greet her before saying,

“Thor had just informed us that Odin had sentenced Loki down to Earth to work with us, as part of his punishment for destroying New York.”

(Y/N) looked at the raven-haired god and noticed that he wouldn’t meet her gaze and kept his towards the ground.

“Ok, now where will he be staying?” she questions. Before Steve could get a word in, Tony jumped in.

“He will be staying in the same cell he was in when he first came to New York.” (Y/N) looked at Tony, completely shocked at his words.

“What?”

“There is no changing my mind (Y/N). He destroyed almost all of New York City and had done many wrong things up in Asgard too,” Tony says.

“So, just because he had something wrong in his past, that gives you the reason to put them in a cell?” she questions.

“(Y/N/N), you are going to have to calm down,” Steve tries.

“No, cause this isn’t fair to him. Do you remember when Fury came to you Tony to show you my file, and how did I arrive at the compound?” she says while looking at them.

“That isn’t the same,” Natasha tries to defuse the situation.

“Oh but it is. Just because I don’t have god-like powers, doesn’t mean that I can’t cause that same amount of damage,” she says before walking off.

(Y/N) walks right to her room and just collapses onto her bed. Flashbacks to that day were coming back vividly…

~Flashback~

(Y/N) was sitting in a chair in just a pair of pants and a sports bra. (Y/N) couldn’t remember what day it was, let alone what year it was. Hydra soldiers stood guard around her and doctors were strapping her to a chair and attaching electrodes to her body. Someone walks up to her and sits down in front of her.

“Mission report.”

(Y/N) stayed quiet. This earns her a backhand. When she brings her head back around and looks into the man's eyes.

“Mission report,” he repeats.

“Mission successful,” was all she said. The man nods before standing up.

“Wip her.”

They pushed her back into the chair and then placed a mouthguard in her mouth, which was almost worn through.

~End of Flashback~

(Y/N) felt herself being shaken awake. She jets up and is greeted by a worried Steve and Bucky. Bucky sits down beside her and places his arm around her shoulder.

“Are you alright? We were on our way to check up on you and heard some commotion coming from inside” Steve says.

“ Yeah, just some flashbacks, that's all.”

The two super soldiers look at each other then back at her.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Bucky asks.

(Y/N) quickly shakes her head no. They knew that they couldn’t push her too much or she wouldn’t tell them anything for months on end.

“Ok, we also wanted to let you know that Tony made an in-between decision for where Loki will be living,” Bucky informs her.

“And that is?”

“For sleeping, he will be in the cell, while during the day, one of us will have to be with him,” Steve says.

“At least that is better than staying in the cell,” she says. Steve gives her a nod before kissing her forehead.

“It's late and you are jet-lagged. It is time for you to get some sleep,” Steve says.

“Do you need one of us to stay here tonight?” Bucky questions.

(Y/N) shakes her head before answering, “No, I should be ok. I will come to get you if anything does happen.”

They both nod before kissing her cheek and forehead and making their way to their respected rooms.

The next morning (Y/N) woke up, still groggy from the little sleep that she ended up getting. She walks into the kitchen area and sees Tony, Bucky and Wanda sitting there.

“Good morning,” (Y/N) says while stretching.

She walked over to the coffee machine and started to make her coffee.

“(Y/N) are you ready for your first day?” Tony asks.

She turns and gives him a confused look.

“First day of what?”

“The first day of being Loki’s personal security guard of course,” Tony replies.

(Y/N) almost drops her coffee before looking over to Tony.

“What? I was under the impression that we were going to take turns.”

“Nope, you will be his personal security until further notice,” Tony replies while sipping his coffee.

“If this is for standing up for him, you are an asshole,” she states.

Before anyone could get another word in, Thor walked in with Loki following behind. Thor gave a cheery good morning, but (Y/N) put her focus on Loki. He still looked very closed off from the rest of the world. It was clear that he wanted to be anywhere but on Earth.

“Ok, so I am flying out with Pepper for a business meeting, Thor has to return to Asgard, and the rest have to go on a mission. See yeah larger,” Tony says before running out of the room.

(Y/N) sighs before turning to the gods.

“Thor, when do you have to leave?” she questions.

“Right now I am afraid. Please take care of my brother and yourself lady (Y/N),” Thor says before stepping outside and the rainbow light comes and takes Thor away.

(Y/N) sighs before looking at the god.

“Are you going to be ok?” Bucky asks.

(Y/N) gives a small nod before Bucky leaves to get ready for the mission.

“Ok Loki, what do you want to do today?” (Y/N) questions the god.

Loki just looks at her before looking back out the window. She sighs continuing to make her breakfast.

“Do you want anything to eat?” she asks the god.

She looks back up and sees that Loki is looking at her. He walks away from the window and over to her. He looks her straight into her eyes and just stares at her, like trying to see through a lie.

“What do you want?” This question breaks the staring contest.

“What do you mean?”

“You defended me when I first arrived here? Why?”

(Y/N) was silent for a moment or two before looking at the god again.

“Because it isn’t fair to judge someone for their past when you don’t know what they will do in the future,” was all she said before leaving the god sitting there.

(Y/N) marched to the training room, just to get her morning started. Her ‘normal’ has now changed and she was going to make the best out of it. As she enters she goes to one of the sandbags with her metal arm and it got thrown back to the wall. Sand leaking out from several different places.

“Very impressive,” the British voice breaks her panting.

She turns to see Loki standing there. She sighs before resetting her arm.

He watches her with his deceiving eyes.

“What?” she asks while going over to the other punching bags.

“Well if I remember correctly, the man of iron said you would be my bodyguard during my stay here,” he says very snarkily.

She sighs before walking back over to him.

“Ok reindeer games, what do you want to do? As your bodyguard, I will have to follow you around,” she says, with a stern look.

“Do not call me that,” he says calmly.

“Alright then, how about we go to the bookstore that is not too far from here. I can drive,” (Y/N) suggests.

“How do you know that I like books?” he questions.

“Thor had mentioned it several times when talking about you,” she says while walking past him. “Now come on, oh and, you might want to change out of your Asgardian clothes, you don’t want people to stare at you do you?” she questions sarcastically.

Loki looks to see that he was still in his green, black, and gold clothes when he arrived with Thor. He used what little magic that he could use to quickly change into an all-black suit.

“Does this look better?” he questions.

(Y/N) felt her face heat up while admiring the more modern clothes that he had chosen. She tries to hide her reaction by hiding behind her hair that had fallen from behind her ear.

“Um, yeah you look good, now let’s go,” she says before walking out, with Loki following not too far behind.

They walk to the car and they go to a 1967 black Ford Mustang. She gets into the driver seat, while Loki sits in the passenger seat. As (Y/N) starts up the car and zooms out of the garage, towards the bookstore. She feels his eyes on her prosthetic arm, while she is stopped at a red light she looks at him.

“I had an accident. Hydra found me and took me into their soldier program and then I had spent the last 50 or so years on missions before SHIELD got a hold of me.”

“So you and the other one…”

“Came from the same program.”

The car came to a stop when they had pulled up to the store. Loki looks out his window to see the mid-size storefront with some books on display. (Y/N) walks out and opens his door for him.

“Sire,” she jokingly says.

He glares at her before walking towards the shop's door. (Y/N) quickly catches up to the tall Asgardian and follows him in. Loki stopped and took in his new surroundings. (Y/N) could tell that he was a little nervous being in here.

“Hey, it’s ok, do you want me to stay nearby or will you be ok?”

He looks down at her before looking back through the store.

“I will be ok.”

“Ok, I trust you,” she says while walking towards the section where her favourite authors' books are kept.

She walks around, getting some books that she had been wanting to read. As she turns the corner of one of the rows, she sees Loki with a few and looking at another. She walks up to him and tries to read over his shoulder, well his elbow.

“Found anything that you like?” She questions, making Loki jump a little.

She looked up at him with an innocent smile but knew full well she would have scared him.

“Well actually, I had found some of, what most midgardians call them, the classics. Which looks very interesting and different from the library back in Asgard,” he informs her.

“Well that good, now let's go and pay for these and head back to the compound.”

They then made their way to the front and paid for the books, got back to the car, and started making their way back to the car. As they were coming up to the compound Loki looked back over to her.

“So what happened to keep you looking young if you had been around for 50 years?” he questions.

(Y/N) went deep in her thoughts, before she had to pump the brakes and almost run the gate. She parks the car and then quickly turns to look at the guard.

“That story will make you wished that you had never asked,” she says sternly.

“Darling, I had lived through millennia in both Asgard and some down on Midgard. So whatever you are about to tell me, it couldn’t be as bad as what I experienced,” he states.

(Y/N) looks away from Loki and out the windshield. Her thoughts were running wild with what to say. She jolts out of her thoughts when his hand is placed on her shoulder. She turns and looks into his icy blue. His eyes looked into her broken soul. She sighs before leaning back into the seat and then looks over to him. “ I was hit by a bomb. I was just walking down the street when a bomb decided to go off. It was an instant feeling of it not being there. Hydra quickly saw that I wasn’t dead and from then on I was theirs.” Loki just sat there and looked at her. She sighs before pressing the button that opens the gate to go in. As they started to move, Loki had gotten his thoughts together. “I am sorry for my quietness, but I am so shocked that you had been through so much trauma and you don’t have any scars from it, besides your arm of course,” he says as the car comes to a stop in the parking spot.”

She looks at Loki and just holds anger in her (Y/E/C) eyes. “Who says I don’t have trauma? You will be surprised how many times I have woken up the compound with my screams cause the nightmares that plague me. If you hear them in your stay here, then they will plague you for the rest of your godly life,” she says while getting out of the car and making her way into the building. Loki quickly followed her actions but was a few steps behind. “(Y/N), please let me fix this. You are the only one that has tried to be nice to me, besides Thor. I always try to push them away, but for you, I don’t want you to leave but it is just my natural reaction,” he says, making her stop in her tracks.

She slowly turns to face him before taking a deep breath. Loki moves closer to her and slowly places his soft, yet firm, hand on her shoulder. “How about we just start over?” (Y/N) suggests. Loki watches her, before moving his hand from her shoulder to in front of her. “I am Loki, Son of Odin and the God of Mischief,” he says while kissing her hand.

A blush creeps across her face before replying.

“I am (Y/N) (Y/L/N) and I will be your bodyguard for your stay at the Avengers. Now let’s go get these books inside.”

********************************

Loki and (Y/N) were sitting together out on the balcony, looking over the grounds and reading the books that they had gotten. They may have had to go back for more as he had read through all of the ones that he had picked out the first time. She was wearing a (Y/F/C) tank top, which shows off her silver and (Y/F/C) arm.

“(Y/N)?” Loki asks. She hums and looks towards the raven-haired god.

“If you don’t mind me asking when we first met, what did you mean by how they were treating me was different than what you dealt with?” he asks.

(Y/N) sighs and turns away from him to collect her thoughts.

“When I looked at you when you first came back to Earth with Thor, all I saw was myself when I was first introduced to Tony. S.H.I.E.L.D had just ‘rescued’ me from Hydra and had me shackled and gagged with the strongest metal known to them. They took my arm off and transported it with me. But they never put me in another cell, they gave me a bedroom and let me take my time. I didn’t want you to have to deal with that when I did some very disturbing things and was treated as a human being.”

He lets a small smile grace his lips, before looking down to his lap.

“But I did do some unspeakable things that I am not very proud of,” he says, his gaze never moving.

(Y/N) moves so that she is sitting in front of the god. She places her hand on his cheek before moving his head so his eyes met hers.

“What I did in Hydra wasn’t a flower picking contest, what makes you think otherwise?”

He gives her a real smile, not a smirk but a smile, as he brings his hands to her cheek.

“For someone who claims to be as broken as I am, you are the sweetest thing I have ever met, and not bad for a Midgardian,” he says with now a snarky smile.

She laughs at his comment before meeting his icy blue eyes. They get closer together before he brings her into a kiss. She wraps her arms around his neck and deepens the kiss. (Y/N) feels his hands placed on her waist and started to move her hips into his. A muffled moan leaves her lips and falls into his.

They break apart and Loki’s eyes are blown for lust. He brushes her hair out of her face and behind her ear. He brushes her hair out of her face and behind her ear.

“You are so beautiful,” he says before bringing her back into a kiss.

“Loki it is time to go back into th-” the voice cuts when it is clear that they had seen them together.

They quickly broke apart and saw Thor standing there. But he didn’t look shocked at all but has a happy gleam in his eyes for his brother.

“(Y/N), I will let you do that, ” Thor says before leaving.

The two look at each other before giggling. She then lays against his chest, enjoying the sun.

“WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE! REINDEER GAME AND-”

“TONY I SWEAR TO GOD,” (Y/N) quickly got up and started to chase Tony, leaving a laughing Loki behind.

**********************

Sorry for the long wait, just finishing my final year at college has kept me busy but I am back and hoping to get more fun stuff out :)

#loki fandom #loki x reader #loki x you #thor #marvel #thor x reader #ironman #tony stark #asgard #loki laufeyson #mcu loki #avengers #tom hiddelson #loki image #loki x y/n #loki fanfiction #loki x female reader

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storiesforallfandoms · 5 years ago

Text

silence ~ lucifer morningstar;lucifer

word count: 2873

request?: no

description: when a new intern at the lapd with a special power meets the devil himself, they both find that their powers are useless against one another

pairing: lucifer morningstar x female!reader

warnings: swearing

masterlist

this is my 666th post, so i thought it was fitting

In retrospect, becoming an intern at the LAPD seemed like a good idea in my head. I thought it might be like those movies where someone with a power like mine proved herself to be useful in police investigations and rose the ranks quickly until she was like a junior detective or something, going around on cases with the cops and helping to figure them out. It seemed like the right way to use my gift instead of just sitting on it and trying to pretend it didn’t exist.

But boy, was I ever wrong.

First, I was never allowed into the interrogation room to face the criminals being brought in, so I couldn’t even use my gift. The one time that I did use it, I had managed to get into the viewing room while an interrogation was happening to bring something to the police chief. One of the detectives was interrogating a suspect and, even through the one way glass, I was able to hear his thoughts. He had no idea what she was talking about, that he hadn’t been anywhere near the crime scene, he wasn’t even in town, when it happened, but the cops weren’t believing his alibi. I thought this was my chance to finally prove myself.

“He’s innocent,” I said, drawing the attention of the police chief and the other detective in the room with me. “He wasn’t even in town. He has out of town alibis, you should call them, they’ll check out.”

I expected the police chief to ask me how I knew, or to even be impressed that I knew so much. I was so proud of myself, until I looked up at the police chief’s face to see he was glowering at me.

“Go back to getting coffee, intern. This isn’t any of your business.”

Of course, I was right. His alibis checked out and he was sent home that evening. Did the police chief tell me that I was right? Did he apologize for brushing me off and ask me how I could possibly know that the suspect was innocent just from a brief glance? No, of course not. Instead, he barked at me to go get him some file on a different active case.

I was debating on quitting. I had never even wanted to be a police officer, far from it actually. I had no reason to stay if no one was going to take me seriously. I even had my noticed written and ready to give to the chief, I just had to work up the courage to face him first.

I was bringing some case files to Detective Decker when I heard an unfamiliar British voice speaking.

“I’m telling you, it was the pimp. He doesn’t have an alibi to confirm his whereabouts the night of the murder, and the dead hooker’s fiancé said that she told him all sorts of stories about the pimp being violent. He’s basically a textbook killer.”

I came around the corner to find a tall, handsome man stood in front of Chloe’s desk. She was rolling her eyes at him as I approached.

“The pimp has no motive, Lucifer, there’s no reason that he’d kill her,” she told him.

Lucifer? I thought. Like the Devil?

“Of course there is! Besides the fact that he’s a violent pimp, the girl was getting married. She wanted to stop working for him, to get a real job so that she could have a real family, that would make any pimp pissed off.”

Chloe looked past Lucifer and smiled at me. “Hey (Y/N). You got those files for me?”

I nodded and handed them to her. As I did so, a smirk appeared on Lucifer’s face. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?”

“Lucifer, this is the precinct’s intern, (Y/N). (Y/N), this is my partner, Lucifer,” Chloe introduced us. She shot Lucifer a lot upon seeing him looking me up and down. “Please do not scare her away, I like her a lot.”

I smiled brightly at Chloe.

“I’m not going to scare her away,” Lucifer insisted. “I just wanted to get to know her. You’ve been keeping the pretty intern a secret from me, you naughty girl.”

I could hear Chloe’s internal groan as she rolled her eyes yet again. Lucifer put a hand on my shoulder and turned me to face him. He looked deeply into my eyes and I could feel my heart racing.

“Now, little intern (Y/N), you don’t want to just be an intern here, do you?” I shook my head. What kind of question was that? I don’t think anyone wanted to be an intern anywhere. It was just where you started until you could climb the ranks. “No, of course not. There’s something more you want in life, something juicier than bringing coffee to lazy cops. Now, tell me...what is it that you truly desire?”

I looked into Lucifer’s eyes and I could see that he was expecting something from me. I eyed Chloe in confusion. “Is this a joke or something?”

Chloe let out a laugh as Lucifer’s face twisted in confusion.

“Looks like we’ve found someone else who’s immune to your charms, Lucifer,” Chloe laughed.

I broke free from Lucifer’s hold and turned to Chloe. “I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I heard you talking about the murder you two are looking into. Are you still questioning the pimp?”

“We have him in the interrogation room, but he’s not talking,” Chloe sighed. “He keeps saying he was home that night, but he lives alone so no one there can confirm if he was, and his neighbours say they didn’t see him that night but he could possibly have been home.”

“Which he wasn’t, he was out murdering our dead hooker,” Lucifer commented. Chloe glared at him as he spoke.

“If you’re going to talk to him again do you think I could...come with you?” I asked. “I think I could be helpful.”

“Of course!” Chloe said. “You’d be more helpful than Lucifer, that’s for sure.”

In her head, I could see the previous interrogation of their prime suspect; in which Lucifer spent most the time accusing the suspect of being the murderer until the pimp finally said he didn’t want to speak with Chloe anymore unless it was just the two of them.

Chloe nodded for me to join her as she walked towards the interrogation room. I nearly skipped with excitement as I followed her into the room. Sitting on one side of the metal table was a young looking guy, probably in his early 20s, wearing jeans that were at least two sizes too big and a wife beater tank top. When the door to the interrogation room opened, he looked up. His eyes immediately landed on me and a gross smirk spread across his face.

“You brought me some eye candy,” he mused as he looked me up and down. “Hey sweetness, if you ever get tired of being good you should come find me.”

I tried not to gag as Chloe said, “That’s enough. We’re not here for you to stare at us, we’re here to get to the bottom of Destiny’s murder.”

“I told you and your crazy ass partner that I didn’t kill her!” he snapped. “Just because no one saw me at home doesn’t mean I was the one who killed her.”

“I know that,” Chloe said, “and we’re not accusing you of anything. It’s just our jobs, when there’s no alibis to confirm your story we can’t just let you go. Especially not when Destiny has reported you for violence in the past.”

“That’s bullshit!” the pimp snapped. “I have never hit any of my girls! I love them like they was my family. If I ever hit Destiny, it was in self defence. The bitch was crazy!”

I looked into his head to see he was thinking of the last time he saw Destiny. It was when she told him about her engagement, and she was telling him she wanted to quit the prostitution business so she could have a real family. He got angry, lashed out and hit her. It was one punch, but he gave her a black eye. She began to cry and he hit her again, this time a slap, and called her a whore. It took another many restraining him to get him to finally back off of her.

“He’s lying,” I said, causing both Chloe and the pimp to look at me in shock. “The last time he saw Destiny he gave her a black eye.”

“That’s not true,” the pimp said, although the look on his face and the uncertainty in his voice said otherwise.

“Actually, that matches with a report the police got from Destiny just a few days before she died,” Chloe said, pulling a sheet of paper from the file. “It says here that she called the police on you to report an assault. You also claimed self defense then.”

“It was self defense!”

“Then where are the marks that Destiny left on you?” I asked.

He went silent then. Chloe and I smirked, we had him right where we wanted him.

“Now that we’ve gotten that out of you,” Chloe said, “let's try this again; where were you on the night of Destiny’s murder?”

“I was home,” he insisted, although now the cocky tone of his voice was gone. “I worked until like 2am, making sure any of the girls that were out got back and paid what they owed, then I went home. I crashed almost immediately, didn’t wake up until 12pm the next day.”

To my disappointment, the scene playing out in his head showed he was telling the truth. I saw him collecting money from his other call girls, then returning home for the night. The clock on his bedside table read “2:50am” before it went blank and he fell asleep. I looked over at the file on Destiny’s death to see that they placed her murder around 3am.

“He’s telling the truth,” I sighed. “He was at his home at 2:50am, just ten minutes before Destiny was murdered.”

Chloe looked at me in shock again. “How do you know that?”

I gave her a small smile and shrugged a little. “I have a gift.”

I dismissed myself, feeling as though I had nothing else to offer. I was walking with my head a little higher and feeling a little prouder knowing I had finally put my gift to some use, when I felt someone grab me and pull me into a nearby empty office. I was slammed against a wall, knocking the air out of me. I wasn’t ready for a fight, but luckily for me there wasn’t going to be one, as the perpetrator was none other than Lucifer.

“What are you?” he asked.

“Dizzy,” I responded, blinking to try and get my head straight.

“No, I mean what are you? How did you know those things about the pimp?”

I pushed Lucifer off of me, straightening my clothes and finally able to compose myself. “Not that you’d believe me, but I’m able to read minds. I have been ever since I was young. I wanted to put that to good use so I applied to work here to try and help with the investigations, but unfortunately detectives don’t take interns too seriously.”

Lucifer circled me like a shark circling his prey, looking at me with confusion. I felt him beginning to pull up my shirt and I quickly batted his hand away. “What the hell man! Back off!”

“I just wanted to see if you had wings!” he responded.

“What? Why would I have wings?”

“Because no mortal human should be able to do what you do. The gift you have has only ever been held by an angel.”

I rolled my eyes and turned my back to him, pulling up my shirt just enough that he could see my bare lower back. “Well, sorry to disappoint, but I am just a mortal human. No angel wings here.”

As I began to tuck my shirt back into my pants, I realized that the room was silent. Like, actually silent. I couldn’t hear Lucifer thinking, which was strange. No one ever had just a blank mind, everyone was always constantly thinking, whether it was about their friends, family, what they were going to eat later, things stressing them out, relationships or lack thereof. People were always thinking, so there was always a dim hum in my mind of the voices of those around me speaking.

But not Lucifer. I couldn’t hear what he was thinking of me as he eyed my back again in confusion.

“I can’t hear you,” I breathed.

“I’m not speaking,” he told me.

“No, I know you’re not speaking, but I can’t...I can’t hear your thoughts.” I looked at him, curiously. “What are you?”

“The Devil,” he responded, plainly, as if it should be obvious. And maybe it should have, his name was Lucifer after all.

“Wait, like...like the Devil? Satan himself?”

“Oh, don't use that nickname, it’s my least favourite.” He paused a moment before adding, “Wait, do you actually believe me?”

“Of course,” I responded with a shrug. “I mean, I’m a mind reader. Who am I to say that angels and demons don’t exist?”

Lucifer let out a slight laugh, one which I mirrored. I leaned against the wall behind me while Lucifer leaned against the desk. We were both watching each other, intently.

“You’re the first person to believe that I’m actually the Devil,” he told me.

“You can’t blame others for not believing, most people think all that stuff is made up, or it’s impossible for angels and demons to walk among us, even the religious people,” I said. “You’re the first person to believe me without having to get proof.”

“Well, to be fair, I did just watch you interrogating a pimp and cause him to deflate quicker than a popped balloon,” he pointed out. “Have you ever had trouble reading minds before?”

I shook my head. “Never. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been able to hear people’s thoughts. It’s kind of refreshing to just be in the silence right now, honestly.”

“I can imagine. How many dates were ruined with that little gift of yours?”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that thought. There was definitely more than a few dates ruined because the guy would show up and either think She looks nothing like I thought she would, or, halfway through the date, would stay picturing what I looked like naked and how nice it would be to hear me moan their name.

“Let’s just say I’ve never had a stable relationship,” I responded. “The last guy I managed to be with for longer than a few dates thought about breaking up with me on numerous occasions, but never did. I decided to see how long he would go thinking about how unhappy he was in the relationship until he finally broke up with me. Turns out, as long as it took to sleep with his best girl friend that he always told me not to worry about.”

Lucifer winced. “That’s rough.”

I shook my head. “It was actually satisfying to see the colour drain from his face when I told him I knew every unhappy thought he had, and that I knew he had cheated. I warned him I could read minds, but he never believed me. He did after that.”

The two of us stood in silence for some time. I wondered what you were supposed to say when you found out you had met the actual Devil, if there was anything to say. Had Lucifer told anyone else? Did anyone actually believe that he was the Devil? Judging by his earlier comment, probably not, but there had to be at least one.

I sighed and stood straight again. “I gotta go back to work. If I’m not at the police chief’s every beck and call he loses his mind.”

I rolled my eyes for dramatic effect, then started to leave the office. Before I could, Lucifer quickly stood and reached a hand out to grab my arm.

“Wait! Before you go, I actually own a club, it’s called Lux. You might’ve heard of it.” I nodded because of course I had, who hadn’t heard of Lux? It was like the biggest club in town. “Well, if you don’t have plans tonight, maybe you could stop by. We could get to know each other a bit better. You could tell me the dirty secrets of all my patrons.”

I chuckled. “The Devil doesn’t know the dirty secrets of everyone in the world?”

“Of course not, that’s far too much information for one Devil to handle.”

I smiled and considered his offer. Why not? It could be fun, right? Partying with the Devil for a night? Who could say they had done that, and actually meant it.

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll see you tonight, 9:00 work for you?”

Lucifer smiled. “That sounds lovely to me.”

#lucifer #lucifer imagine #lucifer x reader #tom ellis #tom ellis imagine #tom ellis x reader #netflix #lucifer on netflix #one shot #imagine

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crowdvscritic · 3 years ago

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best picture project // THE ‘40s: WARTIME + PRESTIGE

In the immortal words of Don McLean, a long, long time ago, I can still remember how I wrote about the 1930s for my Best Picture Project. (Don’t fact check those lyrics to “American Pie.”) I titled that overview of the decade “Chaos + Influence” in that order—chaos led the Academy’s way through the Great Depression. In the 1940s, though, the motion picture community embraced the organization, and in many cases, it was because they realized how helpful it could be to their own reputations and pocketbooks.

At the ceremony honoring 1940, Jimmy Stewart was the only Best Actor nominee to show up, and Katharine Hepburn said on losing for her work in The Philadelphia Story, “Prizes are nothing. My prize is my work.” By 1943, the Golden Globes launched as a copycat show, and by 1945, Joan Crawford was campaigning to win for Mildred Pierce. Henry Rogers, who ran her campaign, said, “You know as well as I do that members of the Academy vote emotionally…I’m confident that people in our business can be influenced by what they read and what they hear.” He’s on record calling acting awards “more of a popularity contest than a talent contest” with “emotional and sometimes practical considerations, none of which have to do with the quality of the performance.” Studios began taking out ads for nominees they had under contract (even if they were nominated for pictures from other studios), and formal betting began in Las Vegas on odds-on favorites.

When Joan Fontaine defeated her sister Olivia de Havilland for Best Actress 1941, her salary didn’t see a change, but her studio, Selznick International, did. The fee for other studios to borrow her talents bumped from $25,000 to $100,000 after her 1940 nomination and to $200,000 after her 1941 win. Never mind that Fontaine had mixed feelings after her win. “Winning an Academy Award is undoubtedly a great accolade, supreme praise from one’s peers, a recognition to be accepted gratefully and graciously,” she said. “It can also damage irreparably one’s relations with family, friends, co-workers, the press…It was a fishbowl existence until the next year’s awards, when a new winner would occupy the throne. Naturally, there was many a doubter, many a detractor, many an ill-wisher. It’s an uneasy head that wears the crown.”

Still, success wasn’t a given for the industry during wartime, and the Oscars had to pivot like the rest of world. Statues were made of plaster for a time to prevent stealing metal from war efforts, and the 1942 ceremony was almost cancelled because of the U.S. had just jumped into World War II and Carole Lombard had just died in a plane crash while selling war bonds. But the show must go on, so the Academy pared the evening down, hosting a “dinner” instead of a “banquet” and discouraging fancy dress. The format of the show changed several times through the decade, eventually nixing the meal and moving to a theater for good. The Academy might invite soldiers for a variety-style evening, President Roosevelt might make an address, or Jack Benny might host a radio broadcast for soldiers abroad. Special awards were handed out for war-related service, including to Noel Coward for his war film In Which We Serve, the British Ministry of Information “for its vivid and dramatic presentation of the heroism of the RAF” in a documentary, and to Harold Russell “for bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans” in The Best Years of Our Lives. (Russell also won Best Supporting Actor, making him the only person with two acting Oscars for the same film.) Also of note, Winston Churchill praised Best Picture winner Mrs. Miniver as “propaganda worth a hundred battleships,” an unusual but powerful endorsement of the voting body’s picks.

Wartime adjustments weren’t the only new features. The Academy saw more than one big first:

ABC began broadcasting the show on the radio

New categories were introduced, including for documentaries, foreign language films, and costume design

Ernst Lubitsch won the first Lifetime Achievement Oscar

The Academy started keeping winners secret until announced on stage

Barry Fitzgerald earned noms both for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in Going My Way—oops! A new rule was added to prevent that from happening again

Hamlet became the first non-American Best Picture win, overcoming attitudes like that of one studio exec who said noms for foreign films were “an act of treason.” (Heaven forbid we learn what that guy would think of Parasite!) The Academy had tried to prevent this with special awards for international films, but basically Laurence Olivier would not be denied (to oversimplify it)

And a few moments qualified as blink-and-you-might-miss-this-didn’t-happen-yesterday:

Fortune reported The Best Years of Our Lives and Gentleman’s Agreement made $2 million more at the box office than they would have if they had not won Best Picture

When How Green Was My Valley won Best Picture, some speculated it was due to recency bias as the last nominee to be released. Today that film is best remembered as the one that somehow won over Citizen Kane, so, um, its reputation has not aged any better

At least two winners, Michael Curtiz and Greer Garson, acknowledged they didn’t have speeches prepared. Garson’s 5½-minute speech pushed the party past 1 a.m., which Jack Black and Will Ferrell would have something to say about

Bottom line: The Academy started as a body with middling influence and transformed into a prestigious organization, not just strong enough to withstand a world war but perhaps even bolstered by it.

Photos:

1950: The Pantage Theater outside the Academy Awards honoring the films of 1949.

1942: Burgess Meredith watches Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine in a happier (maybe?) moment the night Fontaine bested her sister for Best Actress. When de Havilland passed away last year, you might have seen stories about their rivalry resurface.

1947: Samuel Goldwyn, Harold Russell and William Wyler celebrate eight awards for The Best Years of Our Lives.

1942: Bob Hope hosts for his third time. He hosted or co-hosted the event 19 times between 1940 and 1978.

Resources:

Behind the Oscar: The Secret History of the Academy Awards by Anthony Holden (1993)

Oscars.org (including all photos)

“Oscar Hosts: Performers Who Have Hosted the Academy Awards,” GoldDerby.com (2020)

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echo-three-one · 4 years ago

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Whatever It Takes

A sequel to "A Forgotten Memory"

Alex is once again tasked to continue his mission in pursuing the threat that had caused hundreds of missing persons turn up dazed the next day. But now he isn't alone, join him along with the elite Task Force 141 as they hunt down Nero, discover the secrets behind his plans and put an end to this memory erasing nightmare.

Chapter 1 to another story made by Ray (echo-three-one) Comments and Reviews appreciated! I hope you enjoy! Love you all ❤️

"Resurgence"

"Alex"

CIA Warcom

Boracay Island, Philippines

Alex basked himself on the warm sandy beaches of the Philippines. He wasn't able to enjoy his vacation after the Nero mission, because he was sent immediately to Urzikstan and Verdansk immediately followed. And now that all of those were over, he now laid down on a beach chair and let the ocean breeze blow on his relaxed state.

Philippines was a nice country, the people were hospitable, the food was delicious and unique and the scenery was beyond amazing. Despite his metal leg, people still looked up at him the way they look at tourists and he was all of the hospitality and attention from his fellow Americans who are also on vacation to locals who were just amazed on how the leg works.

It's been a lot of months ever since Samantha forgot him, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they'll meet again, that's why no matter many women try to show interest in him, he shrugs them off politely by pretending he has a girlfriend. A simple lie that he built for himself in hopes of a miracle of meeting her again.

He always brought her letter with him, some edges of it got burnt from the time he manually detonated a C4 explosive to destroy a gas factory, It was almost torn and faded, but he couldn't leave it somewhere safe. He wanted it to be with him wherever he goes.

'Don't you dare forget about me'

His phone rang. He quickly fished it from a small pouch he bought that the locals made and immediately answered.

"This is Alex speaking." he chimed.

"I'm sorry to bother you at this time of day Alex, but I have a feeling you'd want to jump in on this." a British accent so familiar informed him over the other side of the line, It was none other than Captain John Price or Bravo Six, a comrade he once fought with back in Urzikstan.

"I'm all ears." he said, sitting up straight and letting his metal leg sink in the sand.

"Looks like your boy Nero is back on the grid. That Sneaky bastard kidnapped the Daughter of the Head of Defense, again." Price relayed.

Alex's heart thumped faster, his breathing became quick. He wished to meet her again but not like this. Not her being in harm's way all over again.

"Shit. Count me in. But.." he hesitated. He wanted to help but remembered he disobeyed CIA orders back in Urzikstan, making him unable to provide support.

"I've talked to Laswell. She's creating a special assignment for you."

"What does that mean?"

"It means welcome to the 141, Alex." Price said as he cut off the call, followed by a message regarding his departure to their base.

Alex can't help but worry about Samantha's condition. They've played with her memories multiple times and he thought that it would all be over after she decided to alter everything about them. Guess the enemy didn't know and they're still after her.

The soldier leaned on to the small circular glass pane as he looked at the clouds pass by. His hands were fidgeting each other while his non-metal foot bounced up and down at a fast rate. His seatmate, who happens to be a teenager, noticed his distracting leg movement but ignored it as rock music blasted from his ears. He was a completely different Alex right now and he believed that he'll be back to normal as soon as he sees Samantha safe and within his grasp.

When you have a heavy metal stick as a leg, customs is going to be the most annoying place in the world. Everyone looked at Alex as soon as he passes the metal detector and everyone else's eyes were on him. Of course with a few more safety checks and a whole lot of explaining, Alex was good to go.

"So, you're the one they call Alex" the heavily British accented driver mused, breaking the silence of their ride to the 141 base. He was looking at him via the rearview mirror, chewing on what Alex hoped to be gum.

"Yep. That's me." he replied, turning to the view of the British streets which confused him a lot as it was the opposite of American or even Global streets.

"Heard they thought you were dead back there. In Georgia." he added. He was quite the chatterbox but CIA Agents are all about the information.

"Yeah. Tried to manually detonate the C4. After that… I just ran for my life." Alex answered, his head was realizing why he did it. What pushed him to think that he could make it out alive. Was it because it's for the greater good? The idea of freeing Farah's country from the harm of the gas? The idea of a chance to meet Samantha all over again? Or something he couldn't explain.

"Well, we're glad to have you back, Alex. But it's a shame it's no longer in the CIA." the driver waved as Alex opened the door and unloaded his stuff.

"As long as it's still about saving the world." he replied, making the driver smile.

"That's what we do, right?" he agreed as he entered in his car leaving Alex in front a quiet gray building, the Task Force 141 Base, his new home.

Alex pushed the heavy doors open revealing a large hall, multiple round sofas were embedded to the ground and a huge staircase that split left and right greeted him. Multiple heads turned as he opened the said door and slowly walked his way to the nearest person who happened to be panting from exhaustion by the sofa. His metal leg clanked on his every step as the soldiers begin to recognize him. They smiled as soon as Alex's eyes met theirs and some even waved, Alex met them from several missions from the past, some were from the Demon Dogs and his previous designations, Delta Force.

"Where's the briefing room in this huge building?" he asked the soldier in a black t shirt drenched in sweat as he spun his towel trying to keep up with his breathing. He didn't speak but he nodded in acknowledgement and pointed to the hallway on the left. Alex left him a thanks and he walked his way to the direction where he pointed.

Just a few steps after the beginning of the hallway, the people from the main hall cheered and laughed, this made Alex turn around and he saw a young blonde man with spiky hair dash across him, he looked like he's on his way to your destination as well.

"Excuse me! Sir!" he yelled and Alex immediately halted. The young man panted in front of him and took a few seconds to breathe before he countinued his words.

"I'm Gary Sanderson, and I was supposed to guide you to the briefing room. You must be Alex." he reached out a hand and Alex shook it, quietly making your way to the room.

The huge door slid open and they found themselves in a dimly lit room, a huge screen loomed just by the wall and chairs were placed around a long circular table. Alex could spot a few familiar faces, faces he once saw and fought alongside with in Verdansk. There was the balaclava boy, Ghost, the Mohawk Man, Soap, their Captain, John Price and a few big heads from the United States. There were also new faces like Gary, who was now discussing something with another new soldier, a female soldier who sat by Price and a few new more who were already sitting on the chairs. There's also someone missing, Kyle Garrick, he pondered where he was.

The former CIA quickly saw Gary rush to Price's seat and whispered something causing him to lean on his chair, stand up and walk to his side.

"Glad to see you back in the fight, Alex." he muttered, patting Alex's shoulder.

"I won't skip out on this mission, this one's close to home." he replied, patting his back in return.

"Yeah, heard this was your last mission before the Russian Gas."

"Yeah. It's a loose end on my side." Alex nodded, crossing his arms.

"Good thing Shepherd had some sense in him. Not unlike your CIA heads, huh?"

Alex nodded. He remembered he did an illegal thing against the CIA, and that was siding with Farah's forces, who were reclassified as global terror groups at that time. He silently thanked he could still step back in the fight along with the good guys even after that event.

"Yeah. I might have to thank him soon enough." Alex murmured and Price guided him to the briefing which was about to start in a few minutes.

"Before we start our mission briefing, I'd like to welcome each and everyone of you to the 141. A group of the most elite warriors from around the world tasked to eliminate terrorist threats lurking in the shadows. One of which, goes by the name Nero…" General Shepherd's voice was deep and serious, while the screen showed a photo of the guy they're after. His face looked punchable, as manifested by the way Alex clenched his fists while he stared at his soulless eyes.

"… whose goal is still unknown. He poses a threat as he has been out in American soil, which we believe is the one behind the multiple missing and reappearing person cases across the country." he continued, eyeing Alex. He knew a little bit about the case, maybe because he read his report.

"Since he poses no evidence of terrorist activity as of now, we are assigned to rescue and locate the daughter of Richard Coleman, America's Head of National Defense. We don't know why she was kidnapped but we believed it is or ransom or threatening purposes." The general explained, pacing back and forth, his shadow covered the screen.

Alex wanted to say something. Something about the details surrounding the case. It was written on his report. But then again, maybe the general already knew about the alteration, and since Samantha doesn't remember any IP Address, it was no longer worth noting.

Samantha's face was projected on the screen. Alex's heart began to beat faster, she looked different now, a little chubbier, longer hair and her smile felt happier. It was heartbreaking that she got caught in the crossfire again. After all those efforts of making her life normal.

'If our paths would cross again, I hope you'll remember me the way I remembered you before I take this operation, A good memory that's supposed to last forever. '

'Don't you dare forget about me.'

Her words echoed in his mind, using the same voice she had when they were together.

"I will save you again if I had to.." he promised to her mentally, as he tightened the clench he was already doing.

"Our intel reports that twelve hours ago, local informants spotted an unknown flying vehicle just by the Georgian Border, local authorities confirmed that this wasn't one of their aircraft and we believe it could be the getaway vehicle of Samantha Coleman and her captors… We are still looking on to this so for the meantime I want each and one of you to be fully alert and ready for deployment."

Everyone else fell silent. It meant they agreed at what the high ranking official said. A few more words were exchanged such as new additions to the team, aside from Alex. He didn't seem to focus much on the second part of the brief as his mind worried a lot about Samantha. If his instincts were right, she's probably sedated once again, taking a trip down her own memory lane.

Chapter 2 : F.N.G.

#horRAYfic #codmw #codmwfic #Alex x OC #HAUL ASS PRETTY BOY #cheers for chapter 1!!!

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sleepysera · 3 years ago

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2.23.22 Headlines

WORLD NEWS

Ukraine: Tells citizens to leave Russia (BBC)

“As we've been reporting, Ukraine has urged its citizens in Russia to leave the country immediately, as it braces for a possible invasion. So how many people could be affected? A lot. When Russia conducted its 2010 census, there were around two million Ukrainians living there as Russian nationals and permanent residents, plus a further 1.6 million economic migrants.”

Climate Crisis: UN says wildfires getting worse globally, governments unprepared (AP)

“A warming planet and changes to land use patterns mean more wildfires will scorch large parts of the globe in coming decades, causing spikes in unhealthy smoke pollution and other problems that governments are ill prepared to confront, according to a U.N. report released Wednesday. The Western U.S., northern Siberia, central India, and eastern Australia already are seeing more blazes, and the likelihood of catastrophic wildfires globally could increase by a third by 2050 and more than 50% by the turn of the century, according to the report from the United Nations Environment Program.”

Holland: Hostage taken in Amsterdam Apple store praised for ending Dutch drama (BBC)

“Dutch police have overpowered a hostage-taker by knocking him down with a police vehicle as he ran out of an Apple store in Amsterdam. What began as an armed robbery evolved into a five-hour hostage drama, reportedly involving a 44-year-old British man held at gunpoint. When the gunman asked for water, the hostage seized his chance and escaped. As the hostage was chased out of the shop, the gunman was deliberately run over by a police car.”

US NEWS

Benjamin Smith: Suspect in deadly Portland shooting faces several charges (CNN)

“The suspect in a weekend shooting that left one woman dead and four people wounded during a protest in Portland, Oregon, faces several charges, including murder, prosecutors said Tuesday. The shooting unfolded Saturday night after Benjamin Smith, described by police as an homeowner, allegedly confronted a group of demonstrators who were protesting the killing of Amir Locke by Minneapolis police, authorities said. Locke, a 22-year-old Black man, was killed on February 2 by police conducting a no-knock warrant on a residence. The killing had sparked protests in Minneapolis along with calls for an end to no-knock warrants by police.”

Covid: Pregnancy-related deaths climbed in pandemic’s first year (AP)

“Pregnancy-related deaths for U.S. mothers climbed higher in the pandemic’s first year, continuing a decades-long trend that disproportionately affects Black people, according to a government report released Wednesday. Overall in 2020, there were almost 24 deaths per 100,000 births, or 861 deaths total — numbers that reflect mothers dying during pregnancy, childbirth or the year after. The rate was 20 per 100,000 in 2019. Among Black people, there were 55 maternal deaths per 100,000 births — almost triple the rate for whites.”

Pollution: Vets worry polluted base made them ill (AP)

“Recruits tossed live grenades into the canyons of “Mortar Alley,” sprayed soapy chemicals on burn pits of scrap metal and solvents, poured toxic substances down drains and into leaky tanks they buried underground. When it rained, poisons percolated into aquifers from which they drew drinking water. Through the years, soldiers and civilians who lived at the U.S. Army base didn’t question whether their tap water was safe to drink.”

#current events #news #ukraine #russia #climate crisis #united nations #global warming #wildfire #holland #netherlands

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scienceetfiction · 5 years ago

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2019 in Science

from Wikipedia

Some highlights:

3 January - China's National Space Administration (CNSA) achieves the first soft landing on the far side of the Moon with its Chang'e 4 mission.

Scientists report the engineering of crops with a photorespiratory "shortcut" to boost plant growth by 40% in real-world agronomic conditions.

4 January - Researchers at Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) report a way to control properties of excitons and change the polarisation of light they generate, which could lead to transistors that undergo less energy loss and heat dissipation.

Researchers design an inhalable form of messenger RNA aerosol that could be administered directly to the lungs to help treat diseases such as cystic fibrosis

8 January - IBM unveils IBM Q System One, its first integrated quantum computing system for commercial use.

9 January- Astronomers at the University of Warwick present the first direct evidence of white dwarf stars solidifying into crystals.

11 January – Researchers at the University of Michigan demonstrate a new approach to 3D printing, based on the lifting of shapes from a vat of liquid, which is up to 100 times faster than conventional processes.

14 January – A study in the journal PNAS finds that Antarctica experienced a sixfold increase in yearly ice mass loss between 1979 and 2017.

22 January – Alphabet's Waymo subsidiary announces that it will later in 2019 begin construction in the US State of Michigan on the World's first factory for mass-producing autonomous vehicles.

24 January - NASA scientists report the discovery of the oldest known Earth rock – on the Moon. Apollo 14 astronauts returned several rocks from the Moon and later, scientists determined that a fragment from one of the rocks contained "a bit of Earth from about 4 billion years ago." The rock fragment contained quartz, feldspar, and zircon, all common on the Earth, but highly uncommon on the Moon.

29 January – Researchers at Purdue University's College of Engineering release a paper in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering detailing a new process to turn plastic waste in hydrocarbon fuels.

3 February: Medical scientists announce that iridium attached to albumin produces a photosensitized molecule able to penetrate and, via photodynamic therapy, destroy cancer cells.

6 February - NASA and NOAA confirm that 2018 was the fourth hottest year on record globally, at 0.83 degrees Celsius (1.5 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 1951 to 1980 mean.

7 February - Medical scientists working with Sangamo Therapeutics, headquartered in Richmond, California, announce the first ever "in body" human gene editing therapy to permanently alter DNA in a patient with Hunter Syndrome.Clinical trials by Sangamo involving gene editing using Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN) are ongoing.

18 February - A British woman becomes the first person in the world to have gene therapy for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Scientists use gene therapy to restore hearing in an adult mouse model of DFNB9 deafness.

19 February - Researchers at Oxford Martin School publish evidence that, in the longer term, some forms of cultured meat could be worse for the environment than traditional farmed meat.

21 February - Scientists announce a new form of DNA, named Hachimoji DNA, composed of four natural, and four unnatural nucleobases. Benefits of such an eight-base DNA system may include an enhanced ability to store digital data, as well as insights into what may be possible in the search for extraterrestrial life.

26 February – Researchers at RMIT University demonstrate a method of using a liquid metal catalyst to turn carbon dioxide gas back into coal, potentially offering a new way to store carbon in solid form.

28 February - Scientists report the first ever evidence of a former planet-wide groundwater system on the planet Mars.

Scientists report the creation of mice with infrared vision, using nanoparticles injected into their eyes.

11 March: Scientists report that cell nuclei from woolly mammoth remains showed biological activity when transplanted into mouse cells.

4 March – Scientists report that asteroids may be much more difficult to destroy than thought earlier. In addition, an asteroid may reassemble itself due to gravity after being disrupted.

7 March – Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) demonstrate a new optical imaging system that could enable the discovery of tiny tumours, as small as 200 cells, deep within the body.[

8 March – Astronomers report that the mass of the Milky Way galaxy is 1.5 trillion solar masses within a radius of about 129,000 light-years, over twice as much as was determined in earlier studies, and suggesting that about 90% of the mass of the galaxy is dark matter.

13 March – The laser of ELI-NP in Măgurele, part of the European ELI Project, becomes the most powerful laser system ever made, reaching a peak power of 10 Petawatts.

15 March – NASA reports that latent viruses in humans may be activated during space missions, adding possibly more risk to astronauts in future deep-space missions.

20 March: First fossil bird, named Avimaia schweitzerae, found with an unlaid egg,

18 March - Researchers provide supporting evidence, based on genetic studies, that modern Homo sapiens, arose first in South Africa more than 300,000 years ago, traveled to East Africa, and from there, about 60,000 years ago, traveled out of Africa to the rest of the world.

Physicist Adrian Bejan presents an explanation of why time seems shorter as we get older, which can be attributed to "the ever-slowing speed at which images are obtained and processed by the human brain as the body ages."

27 March - Scientists report that life-forms from Earth survived 18 months living in outer space outside the International Space Station (ISS), as part of the BIOMEX studies related to the EXPOSE-R2 mission, suggesting that life could survive, theoretically, on the planet Mars.

Chinese scientists report inserting the human brain-related MCPH1 gene into laboratory rhesus monkeys, resulting in the transgenic monkeys performing better and answering faster on "short-term memory tests involving matching colors and shapes", compared to control non-transgenic monkeys, according to the researchers.[

29 March – Paleontologists describe a site called Tanis, in North Dakota's Hell Creek Formation, containing animal and plant fossils dated to 65.76 million years BCE. These remains are embedded with tiny rock and glass fragments that fell from the sky in the minutes and hours following the Chicxulub impact. The deposits also show evidence of having been swamped with water, caused by thesubsequent megatsunamis.

1 April - Scientists at ETH Zurich report the creation of the world's first bacterial genome, named Caulobacter ethensis-2.0, made entirely by a computer, although a related viable form of C. ethensis-2.0 does not yet exist.

10 April – Scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope project announce the first-ever image of a black hole, located 54 million light years away in the centre of the M87 galaxy.

10 April - Scientists find a way to view reactions in "dark states" of molecules, i.e. those states that are normally inaccessible.

12 April – NASA reports medical results, from an Astronaut Twin Study, where one astronaut twin spent a year in space on the International Space Station, while the other twin spent the year on Earth, which demonstrated several long-lasting changes, including those related to alterations in DNA and cognition, when one twin was compared with the other.

16 April – Scientists report, for the first time, the use of the CRISPR technology to edit human genes to treat cancer patients with whom standard treatments were not successful.

17 April – After a long search, astronomers report the detection of helium hydride, a primordial molecule thought to have been formed about 100,000 years after the Big Bang, for the first time in outer space in NGC 7027.

23 April – NASA reports that the Mars InSight lander detected its first Marsquake on the planet Mars.

25 April – Astronomers report further substantial discrepancies, depending on the measurement method used, in determining the Hubble constant, suggesting a realm of physics currently not well understood in explaining the workings of the universe.

29 April – Scientists, working with the Hubble Space Telescope, confirmed the detection of the large and complex ionized molecules of buckminsterfullerene (C60) (also known as "buckyballs") in the interstellar medium spaces between the stars.

30 April – Biologists report that the very large medusavirus, or a relative, may have been responsible, at least in part, for the evolutionary emergence of complex eukaryotic cells from simpler prokaroytic cells

3 May – The UK's National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) and University of Leicester report the first generation of usable electricity from americium, which could lead to the development of "space batteries" that power missions for up to 400 years.

6 May - In its first report since 2005, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) warns that biodiversity loss is "accelerating", with over a million species now threatened with extinction; the decline of the natural living world is "unprecedented" and largely a result of human actions.

Researchers at Columbia University report a new desalination method for hypersaline brines, known as "temperature swing solvent extraction (TSSE)", which is low-cost and efficient.

8 May – A British teenager, Isabelle Holdaway, 17, is reported to be the first patient to receive a genetically modified phage therapy to treat a drug-resistant infection.

11 May – Atmospheric CO2, as measured by the Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, reaches 415 parts per million (ppm), the highest level for 2.5 million years.] During the late Pliocene, sea levels were up to 20 m higher, and the global climate was 3 °C hotter.

14 May - Researchers at Macquarie University report that plastic pollution is harming the growth, photosynthesis and oxygen production of Prochlorococcus, the ocean's most abundant photosynthetic bacteria, responsible for 10% of oxygen breathed by humans.

15 May - Researchers, in a milestone effort, report the creation of a new synthetic (possibly artificial) form of viable life, a variant of the bacteria Escherichia coli, by reducing the natural number of 64 codons in the bacterial genome to 59 codons instead, in order to encode 20 amino acids

21 May – Researchers at McMaster University report the discovery of a new and more efficient method of storing vaccines in temperatures of up to 40 °C for weeks at a time.

22 May - Scientists report the discovery of a fossilized fungus, named Ourasphaira giraldae, in the Canadian Arctic, that may have grown on land a billion years ago, well before plants were living on land.

27 May – The last male Sumatran rhinoceros in Malaysia is reported to have died, leaving only one female in the country.

3 June – Researchers report that the purportedly first-ever germline genetically edited humans, the twin babies Lulu and Nana, by Chinese scientist He Jiankui, may have been mutated in a way that shortens life expectancy.

10 June - A study by researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, identifies nearly 600 plants that have disappeared since the Industrial Revolution – more than twice the number of birds, mammals and amphibians combined – with extinctions now occurring 500 times faster than the natural background rate

11 June - Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder demonstrate "nanobio-hybrid" organisms capable of using airborne carbon dioxide and nitrogen to produce a variety of eco-friendly plastics and fuels.

12 June - The discovery of cold quasars is announced at the 234th meeting of the American Astronomical Society.

19 June – Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University demonstrate the first noninvasive mind-controlled robotic arm

20 June – Researchers at Lancaster University describe a new electronic memory device that combines the properties of both DRAM and flash, while recording or deleting data using hundreds of times less energy.

21 June – Scientists release the video appearance, for the second time, and for the very first time in waters of the United States, of a giant squid in its deepwater habitat.

28 June - Astronomers report the detection of a star, named HD 139139 (EPIC 249706694), that dims in brightness in an apparent random, and currently unexplainable, way.

29 June – Scientists report that all 16 GB of Wikipedia have been encoded into synthetic DNA.

3 July - Researchers identify more than a 1 million square kilometres (0.39 million square miles) of lost tropical rainforest across the Americas, Africa and Southeast Asia, with a high potential for restoration.

10 July – Anthropologists report the discovery of 210,000 year old remains of a Homo sapiens and 170,000 year old remains of a Neanderthal in Apidima Cave in southern Greece, over 150,000 years older than previous H. sapiens finds in Europe.

11 July - Carnegie Mellon University reports an artificial intelligence program, developed in collaboration with Facebook AI, which is able to defeat leading professionals in six-player no-limit Texas hold'em poker.

12 July – Physicists report, for the first time, capturing an image of quantum entanglement.

15 July - Astronomers report that non-repeating Fast Radio Bursts (FRB)s may not be one-off events, but actually FRB repeaters with repeat events that have gone undetected and, further, that FRBs may be formed by events that have not yet been seen or considered.

A paper is released in the journal Nature Astronomy in which researchers from Harvard University, the University of Edinburgh and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) detail how silica aerogel could be used to block radiation, obtain water and permit photosynthesis to occur to make Mars more hospitable for human survival.

22 July - Biochemists and geochemist from Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), Tokyo and the National University of Malaysia, Bangi report the discovery of simple organic molecules (hydroxy acids) that can assemble themselves into possible protocells under conditions similar to those of the early Earth.

5 August - Scientists report that a capsule containing tardigrades in cryptobiotic state (as well as a laser-etched copy of Wikipedia in glass) may have survived the April 2019 crash landing on the Moon of Beresheet, a failed Israeli lunar lander.

Engineers at the University of Buffalo reveal a new device able to cool parts of buildings by up to 11 °C (20 °F), without consuming electricity. The system uses an inexpensive polymer/aluminum film at the bottom of a solar "shelter", which absorbs heat from the air inside the box and transmits that energy back into outer space.

6 August – Scientists at the University of Leeds create a new form of gold just two atoms thick, measured at 0.47 nanometres. In addition to being the thinnest unsupported gold ever produced, it functions 10 times more efficiently as a catalytic substrate than larger gold nanoparticles.

7 August – Biologists report the discovery of the fossil remains of a first-of-its-kind extinct giant parrot named The Hercules parrot (or Heracles inexpectatus) in New Zealand. The parrot is thought to have stood up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall and weighed approximately 7 kg (15 lb).

8 August - Researchers at Harvard report the creation of "cyborg organoids", which consist of 3D organoids grown from stem cells, with embedded sensors to measure activity in the developmental process.

9 August - Scientists report the isolation and culture of Lokiarchaea, a microorganism that may help explain the emergence of complex eukarotic (nucleated) cells from simpler bacteria-like cells

15 August - Chemists report the formation, for the first time, of an 18-atom cyclocarbon of pure carbon; such chemical structures may be useful as molecular-sized electronic components.

19 August - The first computer chip to exceed one trillion transistors, known as the Wafer Scale Engine, is announced by Cerebras Systems in collaboration with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

23 August - Austrian and Chinese scientists report the first teleportation of three-dimensional quantum states, or "qutrits", which are more complex than two-dimensional qubits.

26 August – Astronomers report that newly discovered long-term pattern of absorbance and albedo changes in the atmosphere of the planet Venus are caused by "unknown absorbers", which may be microorganisms high up in the atmosphere of the planet.

Scientists report the discovery of a new distinctive light wave, named a Dyakonov-Voigt wave, that results from a particular manipulation of crystals, that was first suggested in equations developed by physicist James Clerk Maxwell in the middle 1800s

30 August - Scientists in China report a way of regrowing the complex structure of tooth enamel, using calcium phosphate ion clusters as a precursor layer.

2 September – Insilico Medicine reports the creation, via artificial intelligence, of six novel inhibitors of the DDR1 gene, a kinase target implicated in fibrosis and other diseases. The system, known as Generative Tensorial Reinforcement Learning (GENTRL), designed the new compounds in 21 days, with a lead candidate tested and showing positive results in mice.

6 September - Mathematicians report, after a 65-year search (since 1954), the solution to the last integer left below 100 (i.e., "42") expressed as the sum of three cubes.

A team of physicists report that the supposed discrepancy in the proton radius between electronic and muonic hydrogen does not exist, settling the proton radius puzzle.

10 September – Scientists report the computerized determination, based on 260 CT scans, of a virtual skull shape of the last common human ancestor to modern humans, and suggests that the human ancestor arose through a merging of populations in East and South Africa, between 260,000 and 350,000 years ago.

11 September - Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology demonstrate the first artificial hand for amputees that merges user and robotic control, a concept in neuroprosthetics known as shared control.

Google reports the creation of a deep learning system, trained on 50,000 different diagnoses, able to detect 26 skin conditions as accurately as dermatologists.

16 September: The most massive neutron star ever discovered, with 2.17 solar masses placing it on the boundary of the theoretical maximum.

16 September - Biochemists report that "RNA-DNA chimeras" (complex mixtures of RNA molecules and DNA molecules) may be a more effective way of producing precursor life biochemicals, than the more linear approaches (with pure RNA and pure DNA molecules) used earlier

Scientists at the Mayo Clinic report the first successful use of senolytics, a new class of drug with potential anti-aging benefits, to remove senescent cells from human patients with a kidney disease.

In a study published in PNAS, researchers at MIT detail a new emission free method of cement production, a major contributor to climate change.

17 September – A small clinical trial, announced by U.S. company NeuroEM Therapeutics, shows reversal of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease patients after just two months of treatment using a wearable head device. Electromagnetic waves emitted by the device appear to penetrate the brain to break up amyloid-beta and tau deposits.

25 September - The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releases its Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. This includes a revised projection for sea level rise, upwards by 10 cm to 1.1 metres by 2100.

The Amery Ice Shelf in Antarctica produces its largest iceberg in more than 50 years, with a chunk called D28 being calved off that is 1,636 sq km in area and weighs an estimated 315 billion tonnes.

30 September – By combining doses of lithium, trametinib and rapamycin into a single treatment, researchers extend the lifespan of fruit flies (Drosophila) by 48%.

8 October: Researchers find human cartilage repair mechanism which may allow entire limbs to regenerate.

1 October - Scientists at the University of California, San Diego describe how a protein named Dsup (Damage suppression protein) binds to chromatin, which protects the cells of tardigrades and may explain the animals' tremendous resilience.

Physicists report a way of determining the state of Schrödinger's cat before observing it.

15 October – OpenAI demonstrates a pair of neural networks trained to solve a Rubik's Cube with a highly dexterous, human-like robotic hand.

16 October – Researchers at Harvard Medical School identify a link between neural activity and human longevity. Neural excitation is linked to shorter life, while suppression of overactivity appears to extend lifespan.

22 October – Scientists report further evidence supporting the Younger Dryas impact hypothesis that the extinction of ice-age animals may have been caused by a disintegrating asteroid or comet impact and/or airburst about 12,800 years ago.

23 October – Google announces that its 53-qubit 'Sycamore' processor has achieved quantum supremacy, performing a specific task in 200 seconds that would take the world's best supercomputers 10,000 years to complete. However, the claim is disputed by some IBM researchers.

25 October – A new carbon capture system is described by MIT, which can work on the gas at almost any concentration, using electrodes combined with carbon nanotubes.

28 October - A study published in Nature identifies Botswana as the birthplace of anatomically modern humans, based on genetic studies, around 200,000 BCE.

30 October – A large-scale study by researchers in Germany finds that insect populations declined by one-third between 2008 and 2017.

31 October – Researchers at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, develop a new film that is applied to solar cells, which combines nanocrystals and microlenses to capture infrared light. This can increase the solar energy conversion efficiency by 10 percent or more.

1 November – Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute demonstrate a way to 3D print living skin, complete with blood vessels, which could be used for more natural and accurate grafts.

4 November – Scientists confirm that, on 5 November 2018, the Voyager 2 probe had officially reached the interstellar medium (ISM), a region of outer space beyond the influence of the Solar System, and has now joined the Voyager 1 probe which had reached the ISM earlier in 2012.

6 November – Scientists at the University of Rochester demonstrate a new technique for creating superhydrophobic metals that float on water, using femtosecond laser bursts to "etch" the surfaces and trap air.

8 November - Computer experts at Kaspersky Lab report the detection of a very advanced and insidious backdoor malware APT named Titanium, that was developed by PLATINUM, a cybercrime collective.

13 November - Researchers report that astronauts experienced serious blood flow and clot problems while onboard the International Space Station, based on a six month study of 11 healthy astronauts. The results may influence long-term spaceflight, including a mission to the planet Mars, according to the researchers.

Scientists in Japan use single-cell RNA analysis to find that supercentenarians have an excess of cytotoxic CD4 T-cells, a type of immune cell.

15 November – The discovery and interpretation of 143 new Nazca geoglyphs is announced by researchers from Yamagata University.

Scientists report detecting, for the first time, sugar molecules, including ribose, in meteorites, suggesting that chemical processes on asteroids can produce some fundamentally essential bio-ingredients important to life, and supporting the notion of an RNA world prior to a DNA-based origin of life on Earth, and possibly, as well, the notion of panspermia.

Researchers at the University of Notre Dame develop a new method for lifelong learning in artificial neural networks, which entails the use of a ferroelectric ternary content-addressable memory component. Their study, featured in Nature Electronics, aims to replicate the human brain's ability to learn from only a few examples, adapting to new tasks based on past experiences.

23 November – The last known Sumatran rhinoceros in Malaysia passes on.

25 November - IPv4 address exhaustion: The RIPE NCC, which is the official regional Internet registry (RIR) for Europe, officially announces that it has run out of IPv4 Addresses.

The World Meteorological Organization reports that levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached another new record high of 407.8 parts per million in 2018,[453] with "no sign of a slowdown, let alone a decline."

26 November - Researchers report, based on an international study of 27 countries, that caring for families is the main motivator for people worldwide

27 November - Researchers report the discovery of Caveasphaera. a multicellular organism found in 609-million-year-old rocks, that is not easily defined as an animal or non-animal, which may be related to one of the earliest instances of animal evolution.

2 December - Researchers from Tel Aviv University describe how a molecule known as PJ34 triggers the self-destruction of pancreatic cancer cells, which were reduced by up to 90% in mouse models.

3 December – Researchers from the University of Bath report the creation of artificial neurons that reproduce the electrical properties of biological neurons onto semiconductor chips.

4 December – Astronomers publish the first evidence of a giant planet orbiting a white dwarf, WDJ0914+1914, suggesting that planets in our own Solar System may survive the death of our Sun in the distant future

5 December – Researchers at the California Academy of Sciences report the discovery of 71 new plant and animal species, which includes 17 fish, 15 geckos, 8 flower plants, 6 sea slugs, 5 arachnids, 4 eels, 3 ants, 3 skinks, 2 skates, 2 wasps, 2 mosses, 2 corals and 2 lizards.

9 December - Scientists in China create pigs with monkey DNA; thus creating an animal hybrid with genetic material from two different species.

Intel reveals a first-of-its-kind cryogenic control chip – code-named "Horse Ridge" – for control of multiple quantum bits (qubits) and scaling of larger quantum computer systems.

10 December - Ford, in a joint research project with Microsoft, reveals a "quantum-inspired" algorithm able to cut traffic by 73% and shorten commuting times by 8% in a simulation of 5,000 cars.

11 December – Scientists report the discovery of cave art in central Indonesia that is estimated to be at least 43,900 years old, and noted that the finding was “the oldest pictorial record of storytelling and the earliest figurative artwork in the world”.

18 December - Scientists report that Homo erectus, a species of extinct archaic humans, may have survived to nearly 100,000 years ago, much longer than thought previously.

30 December – Chinese authorities announce that He Jiankui, the scientist who claimed to have created the world's first genetically edited human babies, had been sentenced to three years in prison and fined 3 million yuan (US$430,000) for his genetic research efforts

and more on wikipedia

#2019 #science #physics #biology #computer #astronomy #technology

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newstfionline · 4 years ago

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Saturday, June 26, 2021

Florida Keys faces stark reality as seas rise (The Guardian) Long famed for its spectacular fishing, sprawling coral reefs and literary residents such as Ernest Hemingway, the Florida Keys is now acknowledging a previously unthinkable reality: it faces being overwhelmed by the rising seas and not every home can be saved. Following a grueling seven-hour public meeting on Monday, held in the appropriately named city of Marathon, officials agreed to push ahead with a plan to elevate streets throughout the Keys to keep them from perpetual flooding, while admitting they do not have the money to do so. If the funding isn’t found, the Keys will become one of the first places in the US—and certainly not the last—to inform residents that certain areas will have to be surrendered to the oncoming tides. “The water is coming and we can’t stop it,” said Michelle Coldiron, mayor of Monroe county, which encompasses the Keys. “Some homes will have to be elevated, some will have to be bought out. It’s very difficult to have these conversations with homeowners, because this is where they live. It can get very emotional.” The islands’ porous limestone allows the rising seawater to bubble up from below, meaning it just takes high tides on sunny days to turn roads into ponds, while global heating is also spurring fiercer hurricanes that can occasionally crunch into the archipelago.

Death toll in Florida collapse rises to 4; 159 still missing (AP) With nearly 160 people unaccounted for and at least four dead after a seaside condominium tower collapsed into a smoldering heap of twisted metal and concrete, rescuers used both heavy equipment and their own hands to comb through the wreckage on Friday in an increasingly desperate search for survivors. As scores of firefighters in Surfside, just north of Miami, toiled to locate and reach anyone still alive in the remains of the 12-story Champlain Towers South, hopes rested on how quickly crews using dogs and microphones could complete their grim, yet delicate task.

Study: 29% of tourists are looking forward to enjoying Mexico City’s beaches (Worldcrunch) A quick look at a map of Mexico will tell you that its capital, Mexico City, lies pretty much smack dab in the middle of the country. With the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico a five-hour drive in either direction, Mexico City is as landlocked as they come. Unlike many other major cities, it doesn’t even have a river. So this may come as a bit of a surprise that a study on tourism in the Mexican capital, conducted by the city’s business association COPARMEX, found that almost 30% of potential foreign visitors to the bustling megalopolis said they were particularly looking forward to enjoying "its beaches." As daily Publimetro reports, most respondents to the study, hailing from 17 different countries, even named names—citing "Cancún and Acapulco" (respectively 1,600 and 400 km away) as the beaches they couldn’t wait to go to. Alberto de la Fuente, the head of Moratti Strategic Business which compiled this “Macro Study on Reactivating the Tourist Economy” study, said the results showed the "potential" of tourists who know very little about Mexico but could be attracted with the right advertising campaigns.

Helicopter carrying Colombia’s president attacked; all safe (AP) Colombian President Iván Duque said Friday that a helicopter carrying him and several senior officials came under fire in the southern Catatumbo region bordering Venezuela, in a rare instance of a direct attack on a presidential aircraft. Duque said everyone on board the helicopter was safe, including himself, Defense Minister Diego Molano, Interior Minister Daniel Palacios and the governor of Norte de Santander state, Silvano Serrano. A video released by the presidency showed several bullet holes in the Colombian air force helicopter. Duque did not provide the time of the attack or say who he believed carried it out, but several armed groups are known to operate in the area.

3 dead, hundreds injured by rare tornado in Czech Republic (AP) A rare tornado tore through southeastern Czech Republic, killing at least three people and injuring hundreds, rescue services said on Friday. The tornado formed late Thursday as strong thunderstorms hit the entire country. Seven towns and villages have been badly damaged, with entire buildings turned into ruins and cars overturned. Over 120,000 households were without electricity.

Russia’s northern passage (WSJ) Melting ice in the Arctic Ocean is bringing a centuries-old dream closer to reality for Russia: a shipping passage through its northern waters that could put it at the center of a new global trade shipping route. After one of the warmest years on record, the Kremlin is near to realizing its controversial plans for a global shipping route in its high north—plans that have put Moscow at odds with the U.S. and could create friction with China, two countries that also have designs on the Arctic. Warming in the Arctic is happening twice as fast as the rest of the planet. Last year, ice coverage reached some of the lowest levels ever recorded, and it is only expected to shrink further in 2021. That is pushing Moscow to build infrastructure along the route, which can cut the distance of trips between Europe and Asia by a third compared with shipping through the politically fraught South China Sea or congested Malacca Straits currently used for cargo.

Russia vs. U.K. in the Black Sea (Foreign Policy) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said his country would respond aggressively to any attempts by other countries to enter waters off Crimea that it deems Russian territory. Referring to Russia’s allegation of measures it took to deter the HMS Defender, a British ship that sailed close to Crimea on Wednesday, he said Russian forces “may drop bombs and not just in the path but right on target.” Speaking to the BBC, the Defender’s captain, Vince Owen, said the vessel’s path was deliberately taken to uphold its right to navigation in an area it deems part of Ukraine’s territory. Ukraine and the United Kingdom deepened naval ties on Wednesday, when the two countries signed an agreement to boost Ukraine’s naval capabilities and create new naval bases in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.

Russia mandates vaccinations for some as virus cases surge (AP) They tried grocery giveaways and lotteries for new cars and apartments. But an ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June still has fallen short by a third. So now, many regional governments across the vast country are obligating some workers to get vaccinated and requiring the shots to enter certain businesses, like restaurants. At east 14 Russian regions—from Moscow and St. Petersburg to the remote far-eastern region of Sakhalin—made vaccinations mandatory this month for employees in certain sectors, such as government offices, retail, health care, education, restaurants, fitness centers, beauty parlors and other service industries. Moscow authorities said companies should suspend without pay employees unwilling to get vaccinated. As of Monday, all Moscow restaurants, cafes and bars will admit only customers who have been vaccinated, have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months, or can provide a negative coronavirus test from the previous 72 hours.

Myanmar fighting since coup has displaced 230,000 people, UN says (Reuters) An estimated 230,000 people have been displaced by fighting in Myanmar and need assistance, the United Nations said on Thursday, as a major armed ethnic group expressed concern about military force, civilian deaths and a widening of the conflict. Myanmar has been in crisis since a February 1 coup ousted an elected government, prompting nationwide anger that has led to protests, killings and bombings, and battles on several fronts between troops and newly formed civilian armies. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said relief operations were ongoing but were being hindered by armed clashes, violence and insecurity in the country.

Parts of Sydney going into lockdown as virus outbreak grows (AP) Parts of Sydney will go into lockdown late Friday as a coronavirus outbreak in Australia’s largest city continued to grow. Health authorities reported an additional 22 locally transmitted cases and imposed a weeklong lockdown in four areas, saying people could leave their homes only for essential purposes. “If you live or work in those local government areas, you need to stay at home unless absolutely necessary,” said Gladys Berejiklian, the premier of New South Wales state.

WHO warns of ‘humanitarian disaster’ in Syria if no cross-border aid renewal (Reuters) Failure to renew a cross-border aid operation into Syria which expires next month could result in a new “humanitarian disaster” for the country’s rebel-held region in the northwest, a World Health Organization spokesman said on Friday.

Child soldiers carried out attack that killed at least 138 people in Burkina Faso, officials say (Washington Post) The deadliest massacre that Burkina Faso has suffered since extremists invaded the West African nation was perpetrated by mostly children, officials said, injecting fresh tragedy into the six-year conflict that has killed thousands. A group of young boys helped carry out the early June attack that claimed at least 138 lives in the northeastern village of Solhan, government spokesman Ousseni Tamboura said. “The attackers were mostly children between the ages of 12 and 14,” he told reporters this week in the capital, Ouagadougou. The announcement comes as 10 percent of Burkina Faso’s schools have shuttered due to rising insecurity.

The art of Belgian zen (The Economist) Allowing a soldier to go AWOL is a misfortune. Allowing a soldier to go AWOL armed with stolen machineguns, four rocket-launchers and a pledge to “join the resistance” and kill Belgium’s top virologist looks like carelessness. The tale of Jurgen Conings, a 46-year-old army sharpshooter, who disappeared in May, has diverted Belgium. A month-long manhunt featuring special forces from five countries, drones and sniffer dogs turned up nothing. Instead, Mr Conings’ body was found on June 20th by a local mayor. He was mountain-biking nearby and noticed a smell. Stuff happens in Belgium. From the outside, it is a grey country famous for fries, Magritte, chocolate and as the home of the EU—a project whose entire ethos is making European history one of dull process rather than bloody war. From the inside, it is chaos, to the point that a tooled-up anti-lockdown terrorist nicknamed “Belgian Rambo” roaming the woods seems par for the course. This is, after all, a country where someone sabotaged a nuclear-power station in 2014, without causing too much of a stir. Sometimes the disorder is merely amusing—trains being delayed because of a fire at a waffle factory, for example. Or when officials blamed the destruction of blueprints for Brussels’s tunnel system on hungry (and undiscerning) mice. Surviving Belgium requires a certain state of mind. Call it Belgian zen: an ability to cope with a way of life that is sometimes disturbing, sometimes wonderful, but always weird. The country has survived happily without a federal government for up to two years at a time. It is the world’s most successful failed state. Belgians are almost as rich as Germans and better off than Britons or the French. Their health care is excellent. Property is cheap; wages are high. A Belgian life is, on average, long and prosperous. In such circumstances, a heavily armed soldier roaming the woods can be brushed off with dark jokes. As long as Belgium avoids true tragedy, nothing will disturb Belgian zen.

#headlines #news

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augustineabbot · 3 years ago

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Emotional abuse refers to acts or omissions that harm a child's sense of self in a way that causes, or could cause, behavioural, cognitive and emotional disorders.

Emotional abuse refers to acts or omissions that harm a child's sense of self in a way that causes, or could cause, behavioural, cognitive and emotional disorders. Physical neglect may involve inadequate food, clothing, shelter, cleanliness, medical care and protection from harm. Emotional neglect occurs when a child's need to feel loved, wanted, safe and worthy is not met.. But the 'beef' with Hamilton wardrobe seems to be that he avoids standard, sombre hued legjobb kutyaruha esőkabát suiting and embraces colour, print and decoration.This year Elle Style Awards saw him eschew a classic suit by opting for one in a rich paprika colour by Marni good on him, I saw. He a youthful looking guy and there plenty of time for a classic grey pinstripe.With Naomi Campbell at a GQ event in 2007 (Photo: AP)Likewise his fondness for an eyecatching floral bomber jacket or two by Oliver Spencer; the guy attending a fashion show where he be papped and sat alongside the international style press an eye catching, vivid statement piece is par for the course.A quiet moment at the British Grand Prix 2015 (Photo: Getty)Which isn to say he a style icon; he'd do well to consider dialling things down a notch to focus on one particularly splashy piece instead of pairing it, for example, with distressed, ripped, zip riddled denim and a stonking pair of studded high tops.But we all have a style progression and David Beckham, now firmly part of the Best Dressed firmament, experimented with left of centre fashion as a young sportsman who just nike delta force ár come in to money and was being smučarski kombinezon hlače beseeched by designer brands.Hopefully, as Hamilton's style evolves, so too will the curious cockatiel haircut. 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I actually longed for some of that attire but the closest I came was a Hunt Club polo shirt from JCPenney (not nearly as nice as a real Ralph Lauren polo shirt, oh well) and a pair of Dexter deck shoes. Then parachute pants became popular and I wanted a pair of those too. She has also written features on topics including tourism on Catalina Island, a helicopter pilot school at John Wayne and nobody's favorite subject: taxes. Although we do not pre screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.. "These brief company reports contain information that can benefit expert and novice investors who want to stay ahead of the market."All stocks and options shown are examples only ghete de schi not recommendations to buy or sell. Our picks do not cizme vara cu toc represent a positive or negative outlook on any security. Potential returns do not take into account your trade size, brokerage commissions or taxes expenses that will affect actual investment returns. Spy shots and exclusive images of the new Audi A8 saloon plus details on its weight saving tech, 3 autonomy and hybrid engines The next Audi A8 will hit back at the Mercedes S Class and BMW 7 Series on the technology and efficiency fronts.The German brand's flagship A8 saloon has a history of lightweight construction but engineers admit that responding to customer demands is likely to bring a small gain in kerbweight for the new version. The car's bare metal construction is around 50kg heavier than the structure of the existing A8.Three key factors are said to have caused the new Audi A8's increase in mass. The first is the requirement for a full length panoramic sunroof, because this demands extra bracing to avoid chassis flex. I think mustang női ikea molnig csillár cipő árgép a lot of people were quite moved, by their faces. Obviously, it nike black tn 001 means quite a lot to them. Said she was honoured to be in the show.. After adventure came culture. The next section, entitled American Painting Now, contained an exhibit of 23 huge paintings by well known artists of the 1960s, commissioned for the pavilion by head curator Alan Solomon. The list of artists read like a Who's Who of modern art, and included James Rosenquist, Claes Oldenburg, Andy Warhol, Jaspter Johns, Jim Dine, Ellsworth Kelly, Barnett Newman, Robert Rauschenberg and Roy Lichtenstein. A change management inbox was also created to receive the ongoing communications and it was accessible to everyone. Training sessions were held with supervisors and staff by our Senior Advisor, Change Management. There were two modules that were introduced: Communicating to Drive Change and Coaching to Drive Change. I baby nike trainers truly think Huff hates hitting at AT but would never go public. Occassionally when the Giants need a basic normal base hit to LF Huff has it within his repetoire to his swing approach and that way The other 99% of the time he unfortuantely is a hitter who makes up his mind and starts his swing (almost) without reading pitch/location. Last year Huff guessed correctly most of the time especially since he was a new hitter in the National League. The developer wanted the location for a lot of reasons. It is right off the freeway, in between Salt Lake and Provo, and next to Cabelas. The variety of businesses and prime location should attract male and female consumers, especially with the new mall bringing many stores to Utah for the first time..

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mishinashen · 4 years ago

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Home Again by James Collinson, 1856

Home Again was painted in the final year of the Crimean War. The British Public had followed the two-year conflict between Britain and Russia in the popular press; with this painting Collinson satisfied the demand for staged homecomings.A weary soldier wearing the uniform of the Coldstream Guards is returning home to his rural cottage. When it was first exhibited a quotation beside the painting explained that the soldier had been discharged because of an accident leading to blindness. As a consequence, the family now faced a bleak future.

'Home Again' was exhibited in 1857 just one year after the Crimean War had finished and viewers who saw the picture then would immediately have grasped the full meaning of Collinson's work. However, much of the force of Collinson's narrative, relying as it does on details and allusions which were undoubtedly familiar to mid-nineteenth-century eyes, is lost on present day gallery-goers.

In March 1854 Britain had declared war on Russia over what she considered Russia's unprovoked aggression against her ally Turkey and which had its roots in a dispute over who should have the guardianship of Christian shrines in Palestine. In July 1853 Russia had invaded Moldavia and Wallachia, two provinces of the Ottoman Empire, and then in the following November had sunk the Turkish fleet. She thereby made plain that her ambition was to eventually gain control of the Bosphorus and the Dardenelles so that her navy could have unhindered access to the Mediterranean from the Black Sea. Britain saw the Russian navy as a threat to her supremacy in the Mediterranean, but it was the Russian refusal to move out of Moldavia and Wallachia, even in the face of a British and French naval threat in the Black Sea, which led to the formal alliance of Britain and France (with, later, Turkey) followed by the outbreak of hostilities with Russia.

By the time peace was proclaimed in April 1856 the British public had been exposed to some of the realities of a foreign war in a way that had never before happened in the country's history. Two important factors contributed to this state of affairs: the presence of a reporter - William Russell from The Times - in the field meant that there were frequent accounts in the daily press of both the appalling conditions endured by the soldiers in the extremes of the Crimean summer and winter and also just how badly the war was being managed by the Government back home; and then the existence of the weekly paper The Illustrated London News ensured that images of the landscape, the battles and the military commanders were easily accessible to the public for more or less the entire duration of the conflict. The public thirst for news and impressions of the war was also satisfied by a number of exhibitions and panoramas (for example, those at the Gallery of Illustration in Regent Street and Burford's Panorama in Leicester Square in which the displays showing the progress of the allied armies were periodically updated).

The war was dominated by the allies' year long siege of the Russian naval base at Sebastopol which lasted from September 1854 until September 1855 - a period which embraced victories at the Battles of the Alma and of Balaklava. An idea of just how much impact the war made on the home public at the time can perhaps be gauged by the extent to which there are still reminders of it surviving to this day. For example, the Balaklava helmet - a woollen covering for the head and neck worn by soldiers camped out on the plain near the village of that name; William Russell's description, in a dispatch in The Times of 25 October 1854, of the 93rd Regiment in action at Balaklava as a 'thin red streak tipped with a line of steel' is perpetrated in the 'thin red line' commonly used when pinpointing a battle front on a map; the modern profession of nursing was created by Florence Nightingale in her hospital for soldiers at Scutari; the order for valour, the Victoria Cross, was instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856, and until 1942 its bronze cross was made from the metal of guns captured at Sebastopol; and the Battle of Alma is commemorated in the names of streets, terraces and public houses in London and elsewhere in England. The most famous piece of literature inspired by the war is, of course, Alfred Tennyson's 'The Charge of the Light Brigade', published a few weeks after the occasion on which the Brigade had been all but wiped out at Balaklava. Rather less well known is the debt owed by Charles Dickens's extraordinary creation of the Circumlocution Office in Little Dorrit (published from 1855) to the revelations about the inefficient workings of the War Office brought to light by an official commission of enquiry into the conduct of the war.

Engaging as it did the full attention of a patriotic public the Crimean campaign presented a wealth of opportunities - for artists to exploit - from the production of portraits of the leading politicians and officers involved in the conflict to the rendering of battlefield topography. Some, for example William Simpson (1823-99) and E.A. Goodall (1819-1908), actually received commissions early on to travel to the Crimea so they could send back drawings to London - in Simpson s case for the dealer Colnaghi who published prints after his work and in Goodall's case for The Illustrated London News. In February 1855, in a collaboration between the dealer Agnew and the Government, the photographer Roger Fenton (1819-69) who had trained as a history painter, left for the Crimea in order to provide a record of the war which would - so the authorities hoped - counterbalance Russell's pessimistic account of affairs. Some of his prints formed the basis of engravings in The Illustrated London News but towards the end of 1855, after Fenton had come back, Agnew's started selling them to the public - more than three hundred images being made available in this way. The great revelations provided by Fenton's photographs (though he was only one of a number of war photographers) were, firstly, the vast scale of the destruction wrought by modern military bombardments and, secondly, the fact that the conventional view of battles purveyed by history painters - where perfectly kitted-out armies charged in ordered lines - was false. Nevertheless,. Edward Armitage (1817-96), an established history painter, was to be commissioned by the dealer Gambart to visit the battlefields at Balaklava and Inkerman in order that he might recreate on canvas appropriately heroic views of the British actions there. They were duly put on public display to some acclaim, along with other Crimean views by Simpson, at Gambart's Gallery in Pall Mall in March 1856 (Critic, 15 March 1856, p.156 and Jeremy Maas, Gambart, Prince of the Victorian Art World, 1975, p.79).

Predictably enough, not only because it was the largest of the London picture shows, but also because historically its role was one of promoting a national school of history painting, the Royal Academy exhibitions during the war years provide an accurate barometer of how strongly artists responded to the challenge presented by the war. And so, in 1855, there were seventeen painters and sculptors who dealt with the subject, in 1856, thirteen and then, in 1857, only seven. Collinson's 'Home Again' has to be set within the context of work exhibited here and elsewhere, and also alongside other pictures which had the war as their inspiration.

First to be considered - because they formed the earliest graphic commentary on the war - must be the cartoons which started appearing in the weekly journal Punch from early 1854 onwards. Frequently comparable in their bite to Dickens's satire in Little Dorrit, their subject - just as in 'Home Again' - was often the lot of the simple soldier: John Leech's picture of two raggedly clad privates camped out in a snowswept plain and their conversation - '"Well, Jack! Here's good news from Home. We're to have a Medal". | "That's very kind. Maybe one of these days we'll have a coat to stick it on"' - was a pithy comment on the plight of the expeditionary force (Punch, 17 Feb. 1855, p.64). Other Punch drawings by Leech, 'Britannia Taking Care of the Soldiers' Children' (4 March 1854, p.85) and 'For the Soldiers' Children' (6 May 1854, p.184), or by other artists, 'The Soldier's Dream' (5 April 1854, p.130), 'Sebastopol - A Prayer for the Brave' (30 Sept. 1854, p. 127) and 'Britannia Takes the Widows and Orphans of the Brave under her Protection' (21 Oct. 1854, p.161), represent a potent distillation of a national as well as a private sense of grief about the effects of war and underline the fact that more substantial images on the same theme, such as C.W. Cope's 'Consolation' (RA 1855, no.69, oil on canvas, 700 x 590, 17 x 20, Christie's 1 Nov. 1985, lot 72, repr.) and F.G. Stephens's similar but unexhibited 'Mother and Child' of about the same date (Tate Gallery, N04634) are not to be dismissed as mere products of Victorian sentimentality.

For those easel painters who, like Collinson, Cope and Stephens, remained at home, two of the most obvious war subjects available to them were those which touched upon the themes of what might be broadly termed 'news from the front' and 'the returning soldier'. Not surprisingly, given their early hopes that their combined aims of absolute truth to nature and utter sincerity of purpose would imbue their treatment of modern life subjects with the power of 'turning the minds of men to good reflections' (J.E. Millais to Mrs Combe, 28 May 1851, quoted in J.G. Millais, The Life and Letters of Sir John Everett Millais, 1899, I, p.103), some of the members of the by then dispersed Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, one of whom, of course, was Collinson (another being F.G. Stephens), as well as others from their immediate circle who sympathized with their aims, were quick to test the potential of Crimean subject matter in precisely these two areas.

Among the very earliest and most notable of those pictures in the first category was Ford Madox Brown's 'An English Fireside in the Winter of 1854-5' which was first exhibited in Paris in 1855 and then again at the Liverpool Academy in 1856 (270). This shows an officer's wife, her sleeping child lying across her lap, pausing as she sews, engrossed in thoughts of her husband (whose portrait lies on the table beside her) at Sebastopol (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, oil on panel 310 x 200, 12 x 8; repr. Art Journal, 1909, p.251). It was an idea which Brown had developed in the spring of 1855, just as the final assault on Sebastopol was beginning to gain momentum, out of an earlier, similar, composition (see Mary Bennett, Ford Madox Brown, 1821-1893, exh. cat., Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool 1964, p.18 no.24). What elevates Brown's small picture above any other work inspired by the war is its successful projection of the idea of uncertainty. By contrast, the two pictures by Cope and Stephens already referred to, which might be regarded as sequels to the episode depicted by Brown, are inevitably less satisfactory because they show that moment after the news of a husband's and father's death has arrived: the tension has snapped because grief in all its fullness is displayed.

One artist in the Pre-Raphaelite circle, Arthur Hughes (1832-1915), felt sufficiently strongly about the effects of the war at this time to not only treat the subject but also to contribute his painting to the Patriotic Fund Exhibition in time for its opening in March 1855 - where it was to be sold for the benefit of orphans and widows of soldiers and sailors. The picture, now lost, but described as a small oil sketch, showed a soldier coming back to his wife and child, and apparently resembled Millais's 'The Order of Release' (Tate Galley, N01657) in its composition (Spectator, 31 March 1855 p.344). With the siege of Sebastopol over in the following September and the war officially finished in April 1856, the same subject acquired a new significance because the entire Crimean army was soon on its way back to England. The first painting in the genre (in which Hughes might perhaps be regarded as a pioneer in this instance) to actually catch the eyes of the critics was by yet another artist who sympathized with the Pre-Raphaelites, Joseph Noel Paton (1821-1901), who exhibited 'Home' at the Royal Academy in 1856 (35; untraced). This showed a corporal in the Guards who has just returned to his cottage; he has lost his left arm and, exhausted by his journey, has slumped onto a chair to be embraced by his kneeling wife while his mother weeps upon his shoulder. Described by John Ruskin as a 'most pathetic and precious picture' ('Academy Notes, 1856', E.T. Cook and A. Wedderburn, eds, The Works of John Ruskin, XIV, 1904, p.150), a print after it appeared in the following November (mezzotint by H.T. Ryall; An Alphabetical List of Engravings Declared at the Office of the Printsellers' Association, London 1847-1891, 1892, p.171, records that it appeared in an edition of 1,775 impressions) and Queen Victoria commissioned a replica (Oliver Millar, The Queen's Pictures, 1977, p.184, pl.219). Within a few weeks of the appearance of Paton's picture, Ford Madox Brown was considering a more pathetic variation on the theme though, in the end, it was never worked up into a finished picture: '... three figures, to be called "How it was", a youth quite a boy home from the Crimea with one arm, narrating to a poor young widow "how it was", a young girl, his sister, hugging him' (Virginia Surtees, ed., The Diary of Ford Madox Brown, New Haven and London, 1981, p.178, entry for 19 July 1856).

One final, initially very different, view of the returning soldier but one which in its changed state acquired the greatest popularity in its day must be mentioned here. John Millais, perhaps owing some debt to the satire of his great friend Leech, set out to deal with the privileges enjoyed by the officer class. He found a good subject in the scandal surrounding those who had excused themselves from further active service in the Crimea on the grounds of having 'urgent private affairs' to attend to back home. The contrasting total lack of similar rights for the humble private was illuminated by Punch in its cartoon 'The New Game of Follow my Leader' in which the infantryman is shown asking his general 'May me and these other chaps have leave to go home on urgent private affairs' (24 Nov. 1855 p.209). Millais showed 'a young officer ... being caressed by his wife and their infant children were themselves the laurels which he ought to be gathering'. However, with the coming of peace and the satire thus misplaced, Millais had to revise the composition: the officer was instead shown weakened by the effects of a wound, reading, with his wife, the news of the cessation of hostilities as printed in The Times, and the composition was entitled 'Peace Concluded' when exhibited at the 1856 Academy (no.200; now Minneapolis Institute of Art; repr. Geoffroy Millais, Sir John Everett Millais, 1979, p.56; see also, W. Holman Hunt, Pre-Raphaelitism and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, 1905, II, p.105 and Virginia Surtees, op.cit., p.169, entry for 11 April 1856). Extravagantly praised by Ruskin, the work was one of the pictures of the year at the Academy and Millais's name has helped ensure that it is the only image from the war years to have achieved any sort of lasting fame.

At the opposite extreme, in subject matter, in the depth of feeling which seems to underly its conception, and in the critical reception accorded to it, is Collinson's 'Home Again'. Dated 1856 but not exhibited until the Spring of 1857 it must be numbered among the last of those paintings which owed their inspiration directly to the spirit of the times - and which, no doubt, the artist hoped would help sell his picture. But 'Home Again', far from being an isolated response to the war on Collinson's part, actually seems to represent the culmination of his efforts to produce a substantial image incorporating his thoughts about the war. In the spring of 1856 he had exhibited a picture entitled 'A Man Who Has Been with Death' at the National Institution of Fine Arts (349, untraced). It must have been a small work since it was only priced at fifteen guineas and it is quite conceivable that a painting Collinson exhibited at the Liverpool Academy later that year, 'A Crimean Hero' (790, untraced), for sale at twelve guineas was the same work under a different title. Whether or not this was the case, there can be little doubt that in the latter instance at least, the artist's subject must have been a soldier back from the war - the central theme, of course, of T04105. Alongside this, another work by Collinson which has survived should be considered for it too has a direct bearing on 'Home Again'. Once again a small work, in oil on panel, 270 x 215, 10 3/8 x 8 1/2, it is signed and dated 1856 and is prominently inscribed 'Siege of Sebastopol | by an eye witness' (Christopher Forbes and Andrea Rose, The Art and Mind of Victorian England, exh. cat., University of Minnesota Art Gallery 1974, pp.31-2, repr., and also Sotheby's Belgravia, 9 April 1980, lot 18, repr. in col.). It depicts two young boys playing: one, on top of a mangle, attempts to repel the other who, grasping its handle, is about to set the mangle in motion and so topple his opponent off his perch. On the wall behind them is a print, the subject of which - a guardsman bayonetting his enemy - sombrely echoes the boys' horseplay; the print bears the word 'ALMA' and then a sign just above this print notes, in words which both pinpoint the actual domestic circumstances in which the boys live and at the same time act as an incisive commentary on the separate images of conflict which Collinson has shown, 'MANGLING | DONE HERE'. The irony employed here suggests that the picture could well have been the work exhibited by Collinson at the Liverpool Academy, also in 1856, under the title of 'Children at Play' (774, price £36.15.0).

Clearly, the 'Sebastopol' painting is a first idea, and is used virtually unaltered, for the left-hand group in 'Home Again', but this time the boy on top of the mangle holds aloft the Royal Standard, out of reach of his assailant, the print on the wall beyond shows a more clearly defined, though unidentified, battle scene and the 'mangling' notice has gone. Below them, sitting on the floor and leaning against a tub in which two toy warships float, is a third child who, nursing a grazed knee, has also been involved in this childish scrap.

The motif of children acting out more serious adult preoccupations in their play is a device which Victorian painters frequently used to provide a commentary on the abiding weaknesses and irresponsibilities of humanity in general. An obvious parallel with 'Home Again in this respect is found in William Mulready's 'The Convalescent from Waterloo' of 1822, where a wounded soldier is faced by the sight of two boys scrapping (Victoria and Albert Museum; see Marcia Pointon, Mulready, exh. cat., Victoria and Albert Museum 1986, p.128 no.108, pl.XXVII). In T04105 the universal truth expressed, so far as the inevitability and folly of war is concerned, is given further weight by the reminders - in the Royal Standard, the royal crest on the stoneware jug next to the tub and the model of the British Lion on the mantelpiece - that patriotism too, plays a part in the shaping of men's ambitions.

Collinson's audience would have had little difficulty in picking up these points and even if there is still the whiff of the studio about the picture (for example, the lantern and the tartan rug slung over a washing line are props used by the artist in 'The Writing Lesson', RA 1855, no.321; Christie's 24 June 1983, lot 13, repr.) the meticulous attention to detail as well as overall concern for authenticity in those areas where the artist's public would quickly identify any solecism do demand our attention. The returning soldier is tanned and bearded - a characteristic of the Crimean veterans which was commented upon by the press at the time. His red coatee, with its dark blue collar and cuff facings, pewter buttons in pairs and white epaulette with its loose tassels and the dark blue field service cap with its white piping (known as the 'Albert Bonnet' after Prince Albert, its designer) single him out as a private in the Coldstream Guards. In a touch that is intended to add further pathos to the scene Collinson has indicated on the soldier's right sleeve four chevrons for good conduct; and pinned to his left breast is a silver medal on a crimson ribbon which is the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Army) instituted in 1830 and awarded to soldiers who, in the case of the infantry, had served for twenty-one years (the compiler is indebted to Mrs Daphne Willcox of the National Army Museum for kindly supplying this information).

Collinson's hero would have been in the 1st Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, one of the three Guards battalions (the others being the Grenadiers and the Scots Fusiliers) which served in the Crimea. The first draft left London, before hostilities began, on 14 February 1854 and the arrival of the sixth and last draft in the Crimea on 1 March 1856 brought the total number of Coldstreams who served in the war to two thousand and sixty. According to a survey of the occupations held by the men at the time of enlistment, of the total about seventy-five per cent were agricultural labourers and Collinson accurately reflects this by setting his scene in what is obviously a rural cottage. The Battalion finally embarked from the Crimea on board HMS Agamemnon on 4 June 1856, arriving at Spithead twenty-four days later and then travelled by train to their camp at Aldershot. The triumphal entry into London of all the Guards who had seen war service took place on 5 July when they marched from Nine Elms Station over Vauxhall Bridge, along Pall Mall and then via Buckingham Palace to Hyde Park, led by the Grenadiers marching to the tune of 'See the Conquering Hero Comes'. The seven Guards Battalions mustered in Hyde Park where the salute was taken by Prince Albert and where they were mobbed and cheered by the proud and patriotic citizens of London. Overshadowing the thrilling spectacle was the grim fact that three hundred and ninety officers and more than twenty thousand non-commissioned officers had not returned and nearly fifteen thousand men had been invalided during the course of the war. Of the Coldstream Guards, the central figure in 'Home Again', who is apparently blind, would have been one of the one hundred and eleven men discharged from the army on account of their disabilities (information from Col. Ross of Bladensburg, CB, The Coldstream Guards in the Crimea, 1897). None of these men would have been in the victory parade and although the guardsman here, with his long service medal, would have received a pension, his prospects were indeed bleak: he would be excluded from any further useful employment unlike those veterans who suffered the commonest disability inflicted by the war - loss of limbs, through cannon shot. 'Many of these men', pointed out an earlier writer, 'although unfit for military service, are quite capable of duties where steady habits of discipline, trustworthiness and obedience are required ... they are well suited to act as watchmen, gatekeepers, porters or warehouse keepers, and as porters in attendance upon passengers at railways would be highly useful ... We are glad to learn that every opportunity of employing them in the Royal Parks will not be forgotten' (Illustrated London News, 10 March 1859, p.238).

Few critics noticed 'Home Again' when it was exhibited: the Society of British Artists rarely attracted any sustained attention from the press and the subject was by now, anyway, rather too familiar. The Spectator thought it a work 'containing a good deal of matter, clearly if not strongly presented' (28 March 1857, p.343) while the Art Journal described it as 'full of appropriate material very minutely executed' (vol.3, May 1857, p.144). The most extended and adverse comment appeared in the Literary Gazette. It was, the critic wrote,

a picture which has manifestly cost the author much patient and careful thought, and the amount of success accomplished is by no means inconsiderable. The subject is trite to weariness ... nor is the treatment of a character to redeem the picture from the usually homely type. Here are the stock members of the family group which have figured in every similar scene from Wilkie's [Blind] Fiddler downwards; and it is only upon another version of this oft told tale that the ingenuity of the composer has been employed. For the careful, painstaking and modest manner, however, in which the attempt has been carried out, much praise is due to the artist. (4 April 1857, p.330)

'Home Again' was at one time owned by a prominent Liverpool businessman, Samuel Stitt (1816-98) who made his fortune as an iron merchant and shipowner. Very probably Stitt acquired the picture directly from the artist (it was for sale for £150 at the SBA) though the earliest indication of it having been in his collection is found in an advertisement for the sale of the contents of his house in the Liverpool Daily Post for 19 September 1898 (p.4). As a religious and benevolent man and also as a politician of a radical persuasion (he had been an active member of the Anti-Corn Law League) he may well have viewed the Crimean war with particular distaste and so the moral behind Collinson's picture would have appealed to him. In addition, in 1857, Stitt moved into a new house, The Grange, at Claughton which he had built for himself and it would have been quite natural for him to acquire new pictures at that time (see B. Guiness Orchard, Liverpool's Legion of Honour, Liverpool 1893, pp.655-6; the compiler is indebted to Edward Morris for supplying this reference). His collection also included works by other British artists including F.W. Hulme, Patrick Nasmyth and T.L. Rowbotham. In 1885 he presented a bust of W.E. Gladstone by Albert Joy (1842-1924) to the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and under the terms of his will an oil painting by John Smart (1838-99), 'The Pass of the Cateran', was also bequeathed to the same gallery (Walker Art Gallery: Illustrated Catalogue of the Permanent Collection, Liverpool 1927, pp.105,174).

#art #pre-raphaelite #crimean war

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