#Can Football Increase Height

[trippinsorrows]

10 things + r. reigns

authors note: so, a lot of this stems from convos with the lovely @fearlesschimera where one tree hill was brought up. and i loved me some nathan and haley. plus, i'm loving everything about this otc era and needed to write something about it now vs having to wait with my other stories cause we ain't there yet lmao

might be a part two. idk if this even makes sense tbh

words: 3.1k

warnings: none, really? some language? kayfabe story.

There are exactly two sides to Roman Reigns.

The good side and the bad side. 

And Nova Reigns has experienced them both with an unfortunate increase in the latter versus the former. 

She can pinpoint exactly when it started, too. 

When things started to get difficult again.

2020. COVID. While the world was an absolute mess, chaos and death occurring globally every day, her husband of over ten years wasn’t much better. He’d decided to stay home, not wanting to risk bringing home anything that could put her pregnancy with their first daughter, Arabella, Bella as they affectionately called her, at risk. 

It was also so he could figure out just what the hell he was doing with his career. Roman was frustrated. Tired of going along with what was always told of him instead of doing it his way. And it’s why when he returned back to work that summer, he came back a completely changed man. Bigger, stronger, meaner.

This was a different Roman Reigns. The likes of which the WWE had never seen.

And it’s been a ride ever since.

Up and downs along the way. 

A lot of ups up until WrestleMania 40 where after 1,316 days as the undisputed universal champion and unable to let go of a betrayal from so many years ago, Roman lost. He lost his title and something so much deeper that night.

His sense of self.

Nova did the best she could in the months he’d been off to keep his spirits lifted, to support him, often encouraging Bella to ask her dad to do stuff with her even when Nova technically could. Asked him to care for their two year old daughter, Camillia, Cami, as she worked from home, something she’s done for almost the entirety of her post college career. 

But most importantly, Nova worked to help Roman repair the relationship with their oldest son, Roman Jr., RJ, as they’ve called him since the day he was born.

To say the relationship is awful would be an exaggeration. No, it’s just…..fragile.

A fragility that Nova has tried so hard over the past couple of years to strengthen to no avail. A large part of the issue being the fact that her twenty year old son is just as stubborn as his father. Twins, she often calls them. Similar heights, build, personalities, etc. 

Great when they want to be. A pain in the ass when they don’t need to be.

A painful situation all around though, especially when she thinks back to how this all started, to how someone like Nova ended up with someone like Roman.

And it’s a simple answer, really.

He was an idiot.

Well, when it came to English, that was.

Once upon a time ago, Roman wasn’t the massive WWE superstar that he is now. He was just Roman Reigns. The typical, popular jock of their high school. A football player with the stereotypical ego to match. And she was just Nova, the geeky underclassmen who always had a secret crush on the boy she never thought in a million years would look her way.

And truth be told, if not for the fact his coach threatened to bench him if he didn’t raise his English grade, he probably never would have. Hell, she’s certain the only reason he knew she existed was because she was the best and smartest kid in class, so of course their teacher would recommend her for a tutor. 

The answer was initially no. Not necessarily because she was opposed, but more because her crush on him was too big to not get distracted. Even though his jerkish tendencies should have done just that. 

But Roman has always been charismatic and persistent, and before she knew it, she’d agreed. And that agreement changed everything because it showed her for the first time the nice side of Roman, the side that secretly loved music and was surprisingly good at math. The side that struggled with feeling like he’d never be good enough or live up to his family’s athletic reputation both in football and wrestling.

It made her realize and see that Roman was just as human as everyone else. 

It made her fall in love with him.

And that was rocky, too. Navigating his constant struggle of wanting to admit his feelings for her while also being embarrassed about her and wanting to hide their relationship. It created a fair set of conflict, and Nova shed her fair share of tears.

Especially as she sat on the floor of her bathroom, plush, purple rug cushioning her bottom but not the blow that was the two lines on the pregnancy test in her hands. But, seven months later, with her mom on one side and Roman on the other, she shed a different set of tears. Different kinds of tears.

Happiness.

Happiness at welcoming her first child into the world, Roman Reigns Jr. 

RJ

Being teen parents, especially at the tender ages of 16 and 18 was most definitely nothing like it was depicted on the reality shows. It was rough, especially as Roman started college, opting to stay local to help her raise their child as she finished her senior year. They fought, they argued, they disagreed, but at the end of the day, they still loved.

And it was that love that carried them through the rocky years of Roman trying to figure out just what he wanted to do with his life as Nova worked a job and raised their son while pursuing her degree in software engineering. She also stayed local to benefit from the help of her family while chasing her dream. It was rough, it was hard, but they did it.

Even with having to be on food stamps and financial assistance at times to take care of their child, Nova struggling to enter the male dominated workforce of tech and Roman not always having consistent income, they did it. 

And they were happy.

They still are. Just….not like it used to be. 

Nova still loves her husband with all of her heart and soul. They’ve been through too much together for her to ever really leave him, but she’d be lying if she said it didn’t cross her mind from time to time. Especially over the past four years, watching him almost revert back to that bully from high school as he manipulated and mentally abused his family, his cousins, his lifetime best friends so much so that the Bloodline he worked so hard to create crumbled right before him.

And it’s only deteriorated since he lost the title to Cody Rhodes. Solo had turned on Roman, brutally kicked Jimmy out of the Bloodline and invited in non-family. Week after week, taking shot after shot at her husband, his cousin, his flesh and blood. 

Going so far as to take the sacred ula fala and declare himself the tribal chief. An honor that was bestowed upon Roman by the elders of his family. It finally reached a point where Roman had enough, making his grand return at SummerSlam and preventing his once enforcer from taking the very title Roman still believes is rightfully is. 

He’s made intermittent returns since then, each one proving just why Roman Reigns is being considered one of the greatest of all time, even while still in the middle of his career. His aura is unmatched. The sales don’t lie. The numbers don’t lie. 

The OTC is WWE. 

But, Roman has been a bit on edge since he was unexpectedly jumped by his other cousin, Jacob, Solo’s latest dangerous addition to the Bloodline.

Nova especially knows he was even more pissed because she’d taken the girls to his show that night, at his request.

He hates looking ‘weak’ in front of him, despite the fact that both were too consumed in kids' devices to pay attention. But, she was. And if anything, it was hard for her to see him be attacked like that, all alone. 

No one in his corner.

Jey’s moved to Raw.

Jimmy is still trying to figure out if he even wants to come back.

Solo has lost his damn mind. 

Sami…..no comment.

And Paul is still recovering from his brutal assault by the new Bloodline. 

The island of relevancy has a population of one. And while that one is formidable as all outdoors, he’s still just a man.

Granted, as much as it pains her to see Roman go at this alone, it’s hard for her to feel all the way bad for him. He did this. His actions drove his family away. 

Well, not all of them.

“Game!” Bella’s soft voice pulls Nova from reflecting on memory lane as she redirects her attention to where her son sits on the sofa in Roman’s locker room, Cami on his lap, grabbing his phone.

RJ chuckles, unlocking the iPhone and asking, “what you wanna play?”

Cami gasps and claps her hands. “Cookie!”

“Cookie Kingdom?” RJ asks, clicking around on his phone and handing it to her. “There ya go, lil’ bit.”

Nova’s smile is warm as she reflects on what feels like so long ago. “I remember when you were that little.”

RJ looks up at her, and it never ceases to amaze her how much he looks like his father. Complexion a little deeper, melanin he inherited from her, but outside of that, Roman could never deny paternity. 

He sucks his teeth. “Mama, don’t start that.”

“What?” Nova pouts, leaning back into the sofa, Bella tuned out of the conversation as she watches Bluey on her tablet. It’s always a bit funny to her how uninterested these kids just are when it comes to seeing Roman at work.

At least, not until he’s actually in their line of vision.

“You’ll always be my baby.” Because he will. Twenty and over 6ft tall or not, he’s her baby boy. “And speaking of baby, what’s going on with you and that girl you been dating?”

RJ rolls his eyes and adjusts Cami on his lap. He’s so good with his little sisters. “Nothing.”

Nova smirks knowingly, picking up on the faint hit of redness on his cheeks. “Sure don’t seem like nothing.”

“Mama, she’s just a friend.”

“So ya’ll aren’t sexually active?”

RJ turns up his nose, clearly disgusted. “Ma, how you just gon’ ask me that?”

“Because I’m your mama and not ready to be a grandma, and your daddy would kill you if you were to get a girl pregnant halfway through college.”

It’s not missed upon Nova how the mention of Roman seems to completely dampen his mood. RJ rolls his eyes. “Like he cares at all.”

His comment hurts her. Deeply. “RJ….”

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to upset you.”

She ignores that apology, wanting to focus on the initial comment that has her stomach knotting for all the wrong reasons. “Your dad loves you, Junior. You have to know that.”

There’s a slight delay in his answer, and that alone is enough to make Nova know she needs to talk to Roman again tonight about actually talking with his son. A below the surface level conversation. A heart to heart.

“I know that, mama. I do. It’s just….” RJ blows out a breath and shakes his head. “You know how he is.”

She does. Very well. “You can say it. He’s an ass sometimes.” She’s so grateful for the headphones on Bella’s ears and the deep infatuation Cami has with her brother’s phone.

“You said it. Not me.” Mother and son share a laugh, RJ admitting, “I know he means well.”

“He does,” she agrees. “But, that doesn’t mean he can’t do better. I’ll talk to him again.”

RJ immediately looks like he feels bad, which only makes Nova’s chest ache more. “You don’t have to—”

She lifts her finger to silence him. “You’re my son. He’s my husband. I love you both, and it kills me to see ya’ll like this. I’m gonna do what I can.” And that’s a vow. The three of them have been through too much shit over the years for her to just allow the relationship between the two most important men to fall apart. She won’t let that happen. 

She can’t.

And speaking of, the door to Roman’s locker room opens, her husband walking in looking every bit as strong, powerful, and determined as he looked when he interfered yet again with Solo’s match and especially as he closed the door of that cage and challenged Jacob. 

Nova shifts in her seat, the memory bringing up other kinds of feelings which are entirely inappropriate given the presence of her children.

Cami is the first girl to notice him, lifting up her little arms and reaching for him, nearly dropping RJ’s phone in the process if not for his quick reflexes.

He most definitely got that from Roman as well, because Nova has not an athletic bone in her body.

Roman walks over and takes her from RJ, kissing her cheek, gaze almost reluctantly falling on RJ. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

Nova starts to scold Roman for such a cold introduction to their son they haven’t seen since he left for his sophomore year of college over a month ago. “Mom asked me to.”

She’s good at reading between the lines, picking up on the fact that he’s essentially saying he’s only here because of Nova.

Not Roman.

Roman notices this, she’s sure. He’s a perceptive bastard. But, he says nothing. “How’s school?”

“Fine.” 

“RJ.” And her son can be a petty bastard. Like father, like son. She directs her statement to Roman, “I was thinking we could go to his game tomorrow—”

RJ, however, is quick to dismiss this. “You don’t have to.”

Nova’s gaze on Roman allows her to see the hurt that flashes in his eyes at the rejection. But as has been the case lately, he pushes it aside, replacing it with indifference. “You heard what he said. He doesn’t want us there, so we wo—”

“That’s not what I said.” RJ leans back against the chair and shrugs his shoulders, shaking his head, clearly frustrated. “You always do this. Always hear what you want to hear.” He scoffs, head turned, muttering, “I see why everybody left you.”

Nova gasps. “RJ!” She sees it, the hurt that’s just tripled and is about to be expressed in anger, leading to another big blowout between the two of them. Thankfully, this is the moment Bella finally becomes aware of Roman’s presence.

“Daddy!” She pulls off her headphones, climbs off the sofa and runs over to him, hugging his legs. 

Roman doesn’t hesitate to pick her up, both daughters in his arms as Nova leans over, running her hand through her fresh silk press. This. This is what she wanted to avoid. These are the kinds of situations that leave her in tears as she vents to her therapist about her ever growing stress levels, how torn she feels in what to do in moments like this. 

Roman is her husband, but RJ is her son. Neither is fully right, but neither is fully wrong either. How does one handle that?

Thankfully, it’s not long after that Roman is being called to prepare to get back out in the ring. This means a probably needed separation from the two titans in her life. Nova holds Cami this time, while Bella hangs onto RJ as they’re escorted ringside. 

It takes a bit of persuasion to get RJ to agree to come with her. She can see he’s ready to just leave.

But, reminding him of how big a help he is with the girls seems to win him over because while he’s certainly not in the best of places with his dad, RJ is a mama’s boy through and through. He loves him some Nova and would do anything to help her. 

Even if it means helping her with the two siblings that came as a complete shock to him.

It still makes Nova laugh a little as she recalls the horrified and almost disgusted expression on his face as she and Roman broke the pregnancy news to him.

“I didn’t even know ya’ll still did that.” And if his statement wasn’t bad enough, he just had to add insult to injury as the blunt almost 16 year-old he was at the time. “Ain’t ya’ll kinda old to still be freaking?”

No. 

Never that.

“Daddy!” This time it’s Cami who’s calling out to Roman, recognizing his new music before he even emerges from the back looking as badass as he always does. Nova is temporarily in a state of awe, overhearing Bella asking RJ to hold her so she can see better. 

Roman has come so far, done so well for himself, even with things with his family being a hot ass mess, there’s still no denying he is it. That he has it. It’s undeniable. She almost feels bad for Cody.

He’ll always be stuck in Roman’s shadow. 

The thought makes her suddenly curious about what could be one of the reasons behind the strife between her firstborn and husband. Nova tucks this in the back of her mind, planning to discuss it further in therapy.

As Roman moves into the ring, Nova stands on the sidelines, holding her baby girl on her hip, smiling back and forth between the two. She watches Roman move around the ring on their commercial break

And when his gaze falls on the set of them, her heart swells as he mouths ‘I love you’ before seamlessly transitioning back into that hardened, determined expression.

And this is why there’s two sides to Roman Reigns. The good side being the one that she sees in that brief, vulnerable exchange. The one that used to kiss her pregnant stomach as he confided in her his fears about not being a good dad, about feeling not ready, about worrying about failing in life. 

Failing her. 

Failing himself.

Failing their child.

The man who worked so hard and gave everything his all to prove he was someone, becoming that someone, yet somehow losing something in the process.

Nova knows it’s still in there though, knows that he is still the boy he fell in love with many moons ago. She knows that as frustrated as he makes her, as cold he can be, as disconnected he can seem, that love is still there and just as strong. 

And she’ll fight for it. 

For him. 

For their son.

For their family. 

She has to.

[magics-neptunes-things]

Motherhood (2)

Hi guys!

Another one with Alexia, but it's Alexia so I hope nobody would mind! This come from this request and I made it to be a second part of Motherhood.

I hope you will like it :)

TW : None, pur fluff

______________________________________________________________

Santana being now four years old, she understand well Alexia's job as a footballer. She's a dynamic, playful, smiling and curious little girl who needs to let her energy go out of her. Needless to say, she was registered with FC Barcelona even before her birth. Despite Alexia’s passion, you made her swear not to push Santana in the same path as her if it didn't please your daughter. It's clear that this is not the case and that Santana is the first to complain when she cannot attend Alexia's game. Seeing her running in the bleachers with the jersey and the number of your wife has always been one of your weak points. Not to mention that it increases even more the resemblance between the two.

However, you are now five and a half months pregnant and it's with barely masked relief that you see Mapi join you in the bleachers. She's slightly injured, nothing serious but she cannot play today. However, this doesn't prevent her from heckle with Santana between the seats, causing the girl to laugh out loud.

"Careful Mapi, continue and you will end up with one like this sooner that you think" you tease the blonde seeing Ingrid's tender look far away on the field.

Mapi looks away from Santana for a few moments, time to follow your eyes and smile gently before shrugging her shoulders. Your daughter doesn’t give her time to be thoughtful any longer, quickly demanding the attention of her godmother.

At the end of the game, Santana hurries to climb the barrier to sit on the edge, waiting for Alexia to pick her up to play on the field. You hold her by her t-shirt so that she doesn’t tumble a floor lower, Alexia finishing signing some jerseys and taking some pictures. It's finally Ona who arrives at your height first, talking to Santana with a big smile.

"You want to go down, Nena?"

Santana hurries to answer yes frantically, until the defender gently slides her to the ground. Santana doesn't lose a single second to rush into Alexia’s legs and hug them, taking Alexia by surprise. And this makes you smile tenderly.

"Thank you Ona" you say to the brunette, who answers you with a wink and a smile before returning to her signing session.

At first you were a little afraid to let Santana play on the pitch in this way, but you quickly realized that every single one of the players on the team was there to make sure nothing would happen to your little princess. Also, you allow yourself to observe the scene from afar, your arm leaning on the barrier and your face in your palm with a big smile displayed on the face.

"You’re drooling" Mapi gives you a little elbow push.

"Who can blame me? I have the two most beautiful women in the world at home."

"Mh. I prefer brunettes. Come on."

Mapi’s mocking smile makes you laugh and you follow her when she takes the stairs to join the players on the field. You can see Santana leaving Alexia to play with Mateo, Irene’s son, whom you greet with a wave of hand. Interrupted in your quest to join Alexia by Lucy, you find yourself caught in a conversation for a few minutes when you feel two hands resting on your hips.

"Here you are, Señora Putellas" Alexia whispers, putting her chin on your shoulder.

You smile softly and turn your head to put a kiss on her cheek, taking advantage of the position to let you go against her. Without really participating in the conversation, Alexia stays with you in this position for a few more minutes. Until she caught Cata putting her gloves on Santana’s hands.

"Catalina Coll you have two seconds to take off this gloves from my daughter!"

You laugh softly when you see the scene, Cata defending herself by explaining that it was Santana who asked her. Ingrid arrives at your side at this moment and you greet her too with a little hug.

"You look good" smiled the Norwegian woman affectionately.

"Thank you. I must admit that this pregnancy is going better than the first one, I didn't vomit once. If my belly didn’t grow, I’d really wonder if I was pregnant"

"Maybe because it’s a boy?" Lucy said thoughtfully

You can’t hold the big smile coming on your face. You learned the sex of the baby at the baby shower you organized last week. For Santana, you managed to keep the surprise until the end, but not this time. Curiosity eventually prevailed. You would obviously have been delighted to welcome a new girl, but Santana asking you before you were even pregnant to have a little brother, it was almost a relief.

"Maybe" you just answer with your smile.

In the distance, you can see that Santana was placed in front of the goal alongside Cata while Alexia and Ona take turns shooting the ball in her direction. Finally, the fact that Santana wanted to test the goalie spot didn't bother Alexia for a very long time. You cannot resist the temptation to immortalize this moment with photos and videos, eager to keep a memory of this moment.

As always, it was necessary to talk with Santana to agree to leave the field, negotiating a second story before sleeping tonight. Except that apparently she won’t need it since she seems to be dead asleep in her car seat in the back seat. You’d be surprised if she woke up when you pulled her out.

Alexia insisting on driving despite her game and training, you find yourself watching the landscape while singing the music on the radio.

"Can I ask you something?" Alexia gently does after a few minutes.

"Anything you want" you answer without hesitation, turning to look at her.

"Be careful, these types of answers can be dangerous"

You bow a brow amused by hearing her playing tone. Seeing her so relaxed and spontaneous with you causes you palpitations every time, despite the time that has already passed well since you met. You don’t need to add anything, a little laugh escapes from Alexia’s lips that you would kiss right now if you weren’t afraid to cause an accident.

"No, it’s pretty serious actually" adds your blonde, tickling your curiosity.

"Okay?"

"I was wondering" begins Alexia, swinging nervously in her seat "if you would agree to give my father’s name to the baby? Maybe not for his usual name but at least for his middle name?"

"Of course Ale"

You don’t have to hesitate for a second. You know perfectly well how difficult it is for Alexia not to have her father at her side every day. If you can honour him that way, why not? Plus, the smile on Alexia’s face is worth it. She’s bending over you this time, taking advantage of a red light to kiss you.

"I love you so much" she whispers against your lips.

"Not as much as I love you"

"Oh yes."

You smile again and steal her a kiss back before letting her back up, the light having gone green for a few seconds already. Fortunately, in your residential area, there are not many people on the road at this time. Alexia restarts the car and turns in your street, putting the car in your underground parking lot.

You let Alexia take Santana out of her car seat to go to bed, taking care of storing your wife’s bag and throwing a dirty laundry machine. Then, you are surprised in full snack in the kitchen by Alexia who returns to you.

"I thought we said no Nutella at home" Alexia whines as she looks at the sandwich you just made with envy.

"Sorry mi Amor. I don’t know how it ended up in my bag"

"Yeah, of course" laughs Alexia and you hurry to make amends by laying lot of kisses on her cheek.

After a few, Alexia turns her head in your direction to put a kiss on your lips.

"You taste like Nutella" she smiles softly. "Did you have a good night?"

"Yes and I think Santana too. Ready to see her become the greatest goalkeeper of all time?"

You tease Alexia who rolls her eyes without being able to hide her smile. There is a child goal in your backyard, but Alexia’s obvious goal was for Santana to want to shoot in it, not try to stop the balls that want to get in.

"Don’t pout, you can always make our son a great midfielder. Unless he wants to play basketball."

Alexia looks at you while squinting a few seconds while you keep your big smile, proud of your little joke. Until your wife grabs your sandwich and decides to run away into the living room, a devil little laugh escaping from her lips.

"Ale!"

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

How is William's reason of not going to the olympics acceptable when he was literally mingling with other people through his work and privately? I mean the walkabouts, attending footballs games, attending concert.

Does it mean every person he meets particularly on walkabouts is medically assessed before going?

Because attending an international event on a different continent that his team has no control over and which 9.5 million other people from around the world also attended at the height of the summer Covid surge is not the same thing as attending local events that his team has full control over.

The private football games? William sits in the back row so there was no one breathing on him from behind. The people he goes to the games probably aren’t screened, but those guys definitely know not to be around him if they’ve got the sniffles.

The Euro football games? William sits in the royal box and there’s definitely a protocol for who sits there. Maybe they’re not getting swabbed and temperature-checked, but the people with access to that box and all the dignitaries who sit there know better than to be sick and go to an event. Additionally, William usually (but not always) sits in the front row when he’s on duty at a football game, so there’s less people breathing on him there.

That concert? He was in a private box with a very restricted number of people around him.

Those walkabouts? I’m only aware of 2 and those were tens of people, not the usual hundreds that pack in to small spaces that see him.

At the Olympics, he’d have been around thousands of people. He’d have been sitting smack in the middle of a crowd, no priority seating next to controlled open spaces for him. And considering that there were 40 Olympians confirmed to have COVID during the games (including some of the Australian team), that means there were far higher numbers of unreported cases, undisclosed symptoms, and asymptomatic cases. Then consider how quickly the virus spreads, how you can be asymptomatic but quite contagious, and the risk increases exponentially. All it takes is one person.

And, I’ll bet you didn’t know this, but the Tour de France actually implemented COVID restrictions after a number of athletes tested positive. If the Tour de France is implementing COVID restrictions 2 weeks before the Olympics are kicking off, then yes, Olympic organizers and global health experts were absolutely concerned about the Olympics turning into a superspreader event for the COVID summer surge.

And yes, everyone William meets - planned or on an impromptu walkabout - does undergo a health screening to meet him. No, they’re not getting swabbed and tested and temperature-checked, but there’s definitely an aide around who’s asking the people likely to meet William “hey, have you had any symptoms in the last couple of weeks?” If there’s an aide who goes around collecting people’s consent to be photographed by the media, there’s an aide doing health screenings. It’s not a foolproof system and yes, people can lie if they really want to meet or see William, but the point is that his team is controlling everything to the best of their abilities to help him help Kate’s health because they were and are in charge of planning and coordinating the events. They wouldn’t have been able to do that in Paris at the Olympics because they weren’t the ones organizing the events and managing the crowds.

It was smart that William chose not to go to the Olympics to keep his immunocompromised wife as healthy as possible because he and his team didn’t have the same control in Paris that they do over appearances and events in Britain. That alone is all the justification anyone needs.

I’ll close with this soapbox: William is smart enough to conduct his own risk analyses of where he goes and what he does. Why can’t we trust his judgement that an international sporting event in another country that the whole globe attends was much too risky for him to attend than a local event in his own city? You don’t need my analysis breaking it all down; you just need to trust that William knows what’s best for himself and his family. After all, he’s the one with all the information and data about Kate’s health, her treatments, her recovery, etc., since all we know is that Kate had abdominal surgery, she was in the hospital for 2 or 3 weeks, there was cancer present, she underwent chemotherapy, and sometimes she has good days and sometimes she has bad days. We don’t know how bad the bad days are. We don’t know what her medications are or what side effects she may be experiencing. We don’t even know if William is undertaking additional medical precautions - for instance, is he changing clothes and washing up in the mud room before he goes into the house to see Kate? How often is he washing his hands? Does he self-isolate for a day or so at KP after he goes to these events to avoid bringing something home to Kate?

We just don’t know. But William knows. All we can do is trust his judgment, and he decided that it was far too risky and medically unsafe to go to an international event with millions of other people in another country than to go to sports at a local arena.

If you don’t trust William’s judgment, then that’s fine. But this isn’t the incident to accuse him of covid hypocrisy. Just call him out for not working. (But note that if anyone does say that to me, my response is going to be “then why aren’t you upset that Queen Camilla didn’t go to the Olympics?“)

[whostheweakersexnow]

The Evolution of Participation in Ballet and Football

The participation in ballet and football has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past few decades, reshaping traditional gender norms in these activities. Historically, ballet was considered a predominantly female domain, while football was almost exclusively male. However, shifting cultural attitudes, increased inclusivity, and changing perceptions of gender roles have reversed these trends. Today, boys dominate ballet, while girls excel in football, each redefining the roles historically associated with the other.

The Rise of Boys in Ballet

In the past, boys represented only a small fraction of participants in ballet classes. Social stigmas and stereotypes often deterred boys from pursuing ballet, despite its emphasis on strength, discipline, and athleticism.

Over time, efforts by educators and advocates to break these stereotypes—combined with popular media showcasing male ballet dancers as elite athletes—encouraged more boys to enroll in ballet.

As male participation increased, so did their prominence in the art form. Boys began taking on leading roles, excelling in technical aspects, and attracting more attention to the discipline. Eventually, the number of boys in ballet surpassed that of girls, creating a male-dominated space. Today, ballet is exclusively male, with boys playing all roles, including those traditionally assigned to girls.

New Roles in Ballet Recitals

With the shift in participation, boys now perform in costumes traditionally worn by female ballet dancers, including tights, leotards, and tutus in pink and pastel shades. These costumes reflect the roles they perform in classical pieces and maintain the aesthetic traditions of ballet. The transition has been met with mixed reactions but is largely celebrated as a testament to the adaptability and inclusivity of the art form.

The Explosion of Girls in Football

Simultaneously, girls' participation in football has soared. As societal attitudes shifted, more girls were encouraged to pursue sports previously considered "masculine." Programs promoting gender equality in sports, coupled with the success of female football teams at national and international levels, inspired a new generation of girls to take up the sport.

Today, girls dominate football, from school teams to professional leagues. Their success has not only challenged gender stereotypes but has also elevated the sport to new heights, attracting larger audiences and greater investment in women’s football.

Boys Transition to Cheerleading

As girls took over football, boys found new roles on the sidelines as cheerleaders. Leveraging the strength, flexibility, and performance skills gained from their ballet training, boys brought a unique flair to cheerleading. Their expertise in lifts, jumps, and choreography added a fresh dynamic to the activity, making it more athletic and visually impressive.

Conclusion

The evolution of participation in ballet and football highlights how societal perceptions of gender roles in activities can shift dramatically over time. Boys now dominate ballet, donning leotards and tutus for performances, while girls excel on the football field, redefining the sport. These changes underscore the fluidity of tradition and the power of cultural progress in breaking down barriers, allowing individuals to thrive in pursuits once limited by outdated stereotypes.

[tytarax2]

Invincible United whith a strong S/O

Who the heck are the invincible united trio? - That was the first question that came to my mind. I know it must be Skarra, Dooma and... who? Dingan?

So I'll write for both the first guys and someone please comment or something and please tell me so I can edit the post

Now about the physically strong S/O, my first thought:

I did some research about the guys weight, both their weight would likely be similar to that of real-life professional footballers, which can vary widely based on their height and all that.

On average, professional footballers can weigh anywhere from 63 to 90+ kilograms.

Skarra, being a defender, might be on the heavier side due to the physical demands of his position, while Dooma, as a midfielder, might have a slightly lighter build for speed and agility.

Anyway, back to the topic, when I was writing this I noticed that both scenarios are quite similar, so... 2x1

Hell they both like it

Your strength is genuinely impressive. They've not really met many people, none that they paid much attention to anyway, but you instantly catch their eyes.

Just like you could watch Skarra working out all day, he could do the exact same with you. Cut to Dooma hitting him on the back of the head, telling him to stop staring and get back to work.

I don't think they'll be comfortable with being picked up

Dooma loves your solid figure, gives the impression you're as imposing as him

You're probably the only one with the capacity to shut them up

The fact that he is a football player increases the possibility of accidents

So in those cases you are quite useful

If they fall, you can help them get up without difficulty

If they have to move from one room to another, you can carry them up.

Life is easier if you are there

And in both cases they are grateful for it, even if they don't show it.

But it's part of their private life that they don't want anyone to know about.

In case Vince starts telling them off, I 100% can see the meme (The one up there)

(As a young woman who can lift a lot of weight) They have to trust you a lot, for real, since being lifted up gives a view of vulnerability.

In any case, they really like you as you are.

Masterlist

[jonathantaylorthomas]

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Are 'All In' and He Plans to Visit Her on Eras International Tour (Exclusive)

The NFL star is planning to visit Swift on the international leg of her Eras Tour, a source tells ET.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift's romance is reaching new heights as the NFL star is planning to be by her side when she starts her international tour dates, scheduled to kick off in November.

A source tells ET the duo is fully committed to their relationship and the future.

"Travis and Taylor are all in. The two are very into each other and are enjoying their time together but are also planning for the future. Taylor starts her international tour in November, and Travis is planning to be there to spend time with her," the source says. "Travis and Taylor are very serious about their careers, and the two bond over that and want to show support for each other whenever they can."

During week 10 of the NFL season, Travis and the Kansas City Chiefs enjoy a bye week, providing him with a brief respite. Coincidentally, during this very week, Taylor is set to take the stage for three consecutive nights in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from Nov. 9 to 11, marking her debut international Era Tour performances. This fortunate scheduling overlap grants Travis the opportunity to be in attendance.

In the midst of their whirlwind romance, Travis is taking proactive measures to safeguard his privacy. ET has learned Travis recently purchased a new home, something he has been wanting to do for a long time. His current house was easily accessible to the public, which is no longer feasible given the onslaught of attention he's received.

This news comes after Jenna Bush Hager fueled rumors that the new couple might be buying a house together in Kansas City, Missouri, where the Chiefs tight end lives.

On Monday, the Today show host excitedly claimed in a viral clip that "a friend" shared that the couple might be "buying a house."

Hager was quick to caution viewers that the claim was merely a rumor and "not confirmed by NBC News." ET later learned that the rumor wasn't true -- however, it may have been fueled by Travis' solo house hunt.

Despite his increased privacy -- understandable, given that there were plenty of photos of his house and neighborhood published after Taylor met his family there before attending her first Chiefs game back in September -- Travis has said he's loving every second of his high-profile romance with the pop superstar.

"I embrace it," the Super Bowl-winning tight end said in an interview with Taylor Rooks prior to last week's Thursday Night Football broadcast. "I love the chaos. Knowing everybody is looking at the Kansas City Chiefs, and then you add in all the madness that's happening out here in the world, and it's a whole bunch of fun for me right now."

On this week's new episode of his New Heights podcast with brother Jason, Travis also addressed the viral videos of him helping Taylor from the car on a recent date night, admitting that he does feel "protective" of the singer when they're out together.

"I feel like whenever I'm on a date, I'm always having the sense that I'm a man in the situation," he shared. "I'm protective, yeah, for sure. You always have to have that feeling or self-awareness, I guess."

[yeoldehetalian]

💘 - What's the most obscure pairing you've got a soft spot for?

@hetalia-rarepairweek

Hetalia Rarepair Week 2023

Day 7 – Free day

Cameroon and Macau!

(the above is just a simple edit with canon art by Himaruya, the meat of the post is below:)

So, “Macaroon” eh? – more than just a dessert item, it could also be a delightfully obscure Hetalia rarepair! I've never seen anything with this pair before (maybe I just missed it), so I made them a bit of an introductory post.

There may be controversy over macaroons vs macarons, which word to use for which exact dessert, but here’s what shouldn’t be controversial – how good these two look together!   Aren't they just so handsome? 

But a ship should have more than just looks, right?  Of course! Let’s start off with some things they have in common:

-described as being like a “big brother”

-described as being easy to get along with/easy going

-both seem fairly relaxed, personality-wise

-despite the above, both have serious sides that can come out

-are tall

-wear glasses

-would be close to the same age

-both nations got their current English names via Portuguese traders/explorers in the 1400s-1500s

Other things I would like to bring to your attention:

Due to the Portugal connection, they may have been aware of each other for some time before they actually met in person. Maybe Porgutal introduced them to each other some how. Macau is much more closely tied to Portugal, though, I don’t think Cameroon has much of a tie except the history of his name – but I could be wrong.

I feel that these two would get along well even if they don’t share all the same interests. Some compelling contrasts here could be – Macau is expert at tourism with his economy almost solely dependent on it, and Cameroon is looking to increase tourism, so there could be some collaboration there.  Likewise, Cameroon has much more land, with a diversity of beautiful landscapes, lots of farming, animals, etc, something that Macau lacks (Macau is tiny, land-wise, despite his height!) so he might like to go visit there to relax in nature.

Cameroon seems like he is great with kids – he is seen playing football (soccer) with kids and seems to have a fun-loving side.  He also seems to be good with animals.  Macau was described as doing some toy manufacture (though in reality this seems to be declining) and being very hospitable, and he seems to get along pretty well with his neighboring nations/family. And both seem chill and easy going.  This all adds up to: potential to be a super domestic!  I mean, whatever you do, don’t envision Macau bringing out some delicious treats and drinks for Cameroon and all the random kids he was playing with outside all afternoon. It is just too adorable! Don’t think about Cameroon taking Macau out into his nature for a secluded picnic in the shade of a tree on a sunny day.  Surely you would not want to consider them just having the most chillax relationship ever simply because they are naturally so easy to get along with and have zero reason to interact in kind of antagonistic way as nations.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a huge amount of canon material for either of these two (You can find most of it by going to https://hetarchive.net/ and typing in a name in the search bar).  So I have a lot of unanswered questions, like what does Macau enjoy doing for fun/relaxation?  What are Cameroon’s interactions with his neighbor nations like?  What were they both like as young nations? Do either of them have “human” names?

That’s about all I have for you now, please give Macaroon some consideration!  Maybe you can add some headcanons in the tags.  Or send me some :D  Go for it!

[warningsine]

The funeral lament rang out across Majdal Shams, from the centre of the town, from balconies and from rooftops. Thousands of mourners packed the narrow streets and squares, carrying small coffins covered in white shrouds to their final resting place.

Men from the town in the occupied Golan Heights, some wearing traditional white hats topped with red, linked arms and sung a mourners’ chant. “The mother cries: ‘Where is my son? Don’t say he is among the victims,’” they intoned. “Oh, children, tears are pouring from the eyes of girls and young men.”

Less than a day earlier, the town of squat white-painted houses and fruit trees in the occupied Golan Heights became a flashpoint in an increasingly volatile regional conflict when a rocket struck the town in the late afternoon, killing 12 children who had gathered to play football.

“We heard the siren and the strike was immediate. Our house shook from the impact,” said Tawfiq Sayed Ahmed, an insurance agent in Majdal Shams.

Ahmed immediately thought of her three daughters, who loved to play at the football pitch, particularly on a warm weekend afternoon when it was packed with visitors. The children, she said, had split into teams for a match.

“I went to the stadium immediately and the scene I saw was indescribable; I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. The remains of children, dismembered. It was frightening, terrifying,” she said.

The town is populated by members of the Druze sect and lies in a part of the mountainous area that was militarily occupied and later annexed by Israel. The residents of Majdal Shams have grown familiar with grief: it is known for a remote hill that some used to shout to their family members in Syria on the other side of the valley.

Even so, Saturday’s strike, which Israeli and US officials blamed on the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, marked the gravest increase in tensions since the militia escalated rocket attacks last October in response to Israel’s assault on Gaza.

Hezbollah denies responsibility for the attack, and instead blamed a stray projectile from Israel’s Iron Dome missile system.

Alma Ayman Fakher Eldin, the daughter of one of Ahmed’s friends, was killed in the strike. Relatives of another child, Guevara Ibrahim, have been searching for him in local hospitals and surrounding areas after he went to the football field at the time of the strike.

“She was just playing there,” said Ahmed of 13-year Alma. “She was like an angel, beautiful as sunlight. What did this girl do to deserve this horrific death?”

The entire town of Majdal Shams, she said, was “in a state of extreme shock. No one can comprehend what has happened. We’ve never seen anything like this.”

Other residents took an opportunity to vent their anger at Israeli politicians who visited Majdal Shams, outraged at what they said was a lack of protection from the government against rocket attacks.

Some residents shouted at the far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who in the hours after the strike declared: “Lebanon as a whole has to pay the price.”

“[Itamar] Ben-Gvir and Smotrich are the culprits here,” they yelled, accusing the ultranationalist security minister and finance minister of stoking further tensions.

Other residents of the town told reporters they simply wanted space to grieve, fearful of further attacks that could be wrought by an escalation.

Ahmed said the town wanted an end to the suffering. “We don’t want tragedies like this to happen to children, not here in the north, in the south, in Gaza or anywhere else. We do not want a single child to be killed. Enough killing of children, enough wasting of blood.”

[forgot-how-catflap-works]

Meet the ghouls squabbling for power in the race to rule the Tories

Tory MPs are donning their robes and sharpening their sacrificial blades this week as they prepare to ritualistically cull a second candidate from the Conservative Party leadership race. 

Priti Patel was eliminated last week after securing just 11.9% of the vote, which already sounds quite embarrassing, then you do the maths and realise that’s a total of 14 votes. Considering the sheer number of controversies that litter her political career like dog shit in a play park, I’m amazed she didn’t perform better.  

(Formerly of the tobacco industry, Patel voted in favour of overturning the smoking ban because she recognises that mainly poor people use public spaces so, y’know, fuck ‘em.) 

Patel resigned as Home Secretary in 2017 after attending up to a dozen private, unsanctioned meetings with Israeli officials where departmental business was discussed while she was on holiday.

This gross breach of the ministerial code wasn’t enough to prevent her from being reinstated to the position under Boris Johnson’s government, where she dedicated herself to ruthlessly targeting asylum seekers, lobbying for pharmaceutical companies during the height of COVID, and bullying her staff. 

Next up on the chopping block appears to be Mel Stride MP who narrowly escaped elimination last round with a whopping 16 votes. 

(Launching his campaign, Stride said the Tories need to “build trust with the electorate again", presumably so they can get right back to abusing it.)  

Mr Stride served as Financial Secretary to the Treasury in Theresa May’s cabinet, when he spearheaded the controversial loan charge policy which – as of January 2024 – has been linked to ten suicides. He was then elected as chair of the Treasury select committee, effectively securing himself a position where he was the one responsible for scrutinising his own dastardly deeds and, unsurprisingly, finding nothing to be concerned about. 

Former Minister of State for Security Tom Tugendhat limped a single vote ahead of Stride in the first round. Tugendhat is notable only in how boring he is, and hasn’t even breached the ministerial code once (that we know of). Total amateur. His strategy appears to be to fly below the radar, presumably in the hope the other candidates will destroy each other and he can rule over the ashes. 

(Having already lost one leadership race to Liz Truss of all people, Tugendhat looks like a surefire bet to lose another.) 

A former soldier, Tugendhat holds some classically conservative positions like increased military spending, opposition to the European Court of Human Rights and wanting a cap on immigration but these days that’s a mild salsa. He appears moderate compared to the others, and lacks the brain rot and crypto-fascist brainworms that UK conservatives have been steadily importing from America over the last decade. The most interesting thing about him is that he had to change his campaign slogan because the acronym spelled TURD. 

Now we’re done with the dregs, let's take a look at the front runners starting with weed smoking, Warhammer playing, porn enjoyer James Cleverly. That makes him sound much more interesting than he is. Having previously filled both the Home and Foreign secretary positions, Cleverly has long had leadership aspirations.  

(Cleverly once had to apologise for an “ironic joke” about spiking his wife’s drink with rohypnol during a Westminster reception, apparently being both a weird creep and not understanding the definition of irony.) 

Another paint-by-numbers Tory, he stirred up a fuss a few years ago by saying that gay football fans should show "a little bit of flex and compromise" when visiting Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He added that it was "important when you're a visitor to a country that you respect the culture of your host nation." Cleverly it seems considers a seven year prison sentence for being gay little more than a cultural quirk rather than something queer football fans might have legitimate concerns over. Basically saying reign it in lads, no need to be homo in public. 

Landing in second place during the last vote is former Minister for Women and Equalities Kemi Badenoch who claimed in a speech last year that transgender people could transition “too easily”. This is supported by the fact that waiting times for an initial assessment are as high as seven years in some parts of the country, so that definitely tracks. Badenoch clearly knows what she is talking about. 

(Speaking on the Spectator podcast, Badenoch said the Tories need to “stop acting like Labour”. I can only assume she misinterpreted the narrowing ideological gap between Labour and Tories as a softening in her party’s ranks rather than a calcification of right wing leanings in Westminster.) 

Characterised as an “anti-woke” politician, she has also supported conversion therapy for trans people. Speaking like someone who has never actually heard themselves talk, she also claimed that providing gender affirming care for trans kids was a “form of conversion therapy” intended to turn gay kids trans. It’s ironclad reasoning and, as a trans dyke, I value above all else the perspective of a cisgender, hetrosexual woman in all matters relating to queer issues. If anyone is going to lay down the law on who gets to be gay and in what way, it should be her. 

Badenoch bravely announced during a recent campaign video that she was unafraid of fictional character Doctor Who. Furthermore, as a woman of colour, she believes that Britain is not institutionally racist, so we can all stop worrying about that now. What a relief, I was starting to get really concerned about it. You know, what with all the institutional racism that’s been going around. But turns out that was a false alarm, which is probably why she also said “I don’t care about colonialism”. 

Badenoch came out swinging on the subject, making claims broader than my fat ass in order to minimise the brutality of Britain's well-documented colonial history. 

"There was never any concept of 'rights', so [the] people who lost out were old elites not everyday people,” she said in some leaked WhatsApp messages. It’s a relief to know that the three million people who died in the 1943 Bengal Famine were all elites. 

Lego figure cosplayer Robert Jenrick is the current frontrunner, having secured 28 votes in the first round. Jenrick served as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government under Boris Johnson where he dedicated himself to pulling political favours for luxury property developer and Tory party donor Richard Desmond. The move allowed Desmond to avoid paying a community council levy of £40 million which could have been used to fund schools and health clinics. 

(Courting the far right voters who flocked to Reform in the last election, Jenick resigned from his position as immigration minister, saying the policy of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda didn’t go far enough.)

Grenfell United, the pressure group dedicated to securing justice for the victims of the Grenfell fire refused to meet with Jenrick in 2020, saying: "Your perceived focus on the interests of property developers over the needs of an impoverished local community has soured our opinion of you.” 

Jenrick also served as Minister of State for Immigration where he took aim at the greatest threat to our nation: unaccompanied asylum seeking children. During a visit to an intake centre in Kent last year he reportedly told staff to paint over a mural depicting cartoons and animals, saying it was a “law enforcement environment” and “not a welcome centre”. 

Finally, someone had the courage to put those kids in their place. If they wanted to experience even a single moment where they felt safe, or like they weren’t completely alone in this terrifying and hostile world, they shouldn’t have crossed the bloody channel should they? They need to learn that actions have consequences, unless of course you’re a Tory politician then you can basically just get away with whatever and certainly not have your political ambition stymied in the slightest. That would be unfair.  

With such political titans in the running, Labour should be quaking in its boots. This gaggle of ghouls is among the finest we could hope for, and the fact that they each crave power enough to run the highest office in the land should in no way concern anyone. As the old adage goes: Power corrupts, but only if you’re a little bitch. 

Which of these unscrupulous, foreigner hating, homophobes will proceed to the next round? Tory MPs will be casting their vote today in order to separate the wheat from the chaff, and trim the eligible candidates down to four. 

This three month slog is only just beginning, so buckle your pants because we have to put up with this fucking circus until November.

[hasankcskin]

 — it seems that [ hasan keskin ] has entered the scene ! he looks exactly like [ can yaman ]. this [ 35-year-old ] is the [ major shareholder ] of [ app-h inc. ]. it’s a small wonder since he is known for being [ ambitious & confident ] and [ arrogant & greedy ]. he has been involved with the company for [ 6 ] years. 

𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙨

name : hasan keskin age : thirty-five years old height : 188 cm / 6'2" gender : cis man, he/him sexual orientation : straight status : single children : two — 10 years old — 3 years old

𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙚

schooling: massachusetts institute of technology

born and raised in istanbul. older brother to feyza and their two younger siblings. during his childhood and teen years, his life revolved around football. his dream just like every young boy his age was to be a football player until one christmas he was gifted a psp. he became obsessed with video games and no longer as infatuated with football.

later his interest grew to fascination. how were these games created? what goes into making a gaming console? how long does it take to create something like this?

once finding out what it required to become a game developer, he started taking school more seriously. it was a great surprise to his parents to find him excelling in his studies even though it was due to his obsession with video games. they couldn't tell him to reduce his playing time solely due to the fact he was getting amazing grades.

after university, his career was flourishing, working under companies like ubisoft, and EA who have all created his favourite games. — but just as thing were getting good, in 2014 he gets his situationship pregnant and he had just blown most of his money on contributing to the ethereum crowdfund and bitcoin, which had horrible returns for the rest of the year. he kept his situation hidden from his family. they didn't need to know.

two years later when feyza had approached him to invest into app-h inc., he was reluctant. now that he's responsible for a child, he's convinced he needed to take less risks. it wasn't responsible living a lifestyle of big rewards or big losses. although photograpp-h is doing amazing, it didn't guarantee app-h inc., would do well.

he came clean about the child and how he would have immediately agreed if it wasn't for the child. he didn't express his other concerns since it didn't seem relevant and he didn't want to pessimistic considering he wasn't in the position to lecture or give advice to his sister who was doing better than him.

with bitcoin crashing even more significantly in 2018, he was desperate for fast cash. he was doing well for himself, but not enough to maintain the lifestyle he created for himself and the lifestyle he's grown accustomed to. he reached out to his sister and asked if the offer was still on the table. feyza suggested he buy shares now that they were more established and she would trust him in that position rather than some fancy investor in a suffocating suit.

without much of a thought, he agreed. if this went to shit, he would put everything into a high interest savings account and never invest anything until he earned the amount he desires.

in the next two years everything moved so fast. app-h inc., was turning over a high profit, catching up to comoedia and the bulletin — and bitcoin reached an all time high ending the year at around 20k per bitcoin. with the amount of money he had, he didn't need to work anymore.

he left america and moved to london to be closer with his siblings. his involvement with app-h inc. increased. his position is merely an advisory role and helps with day to day production while coming and going as he pleases.

[man-and-atom]

do you know?

Nuclear power uses as a fuel ‘uranium’ for which industry has little or no requirement.

About 14% of Britain’s electricity is produced by nuclear power.

Instead of the world’s dwindling supplies of coal, gas and oil being burnt as fuel for electricity generation, they can be used more efficiently in a wide range of industries, for example chemicals and transport.

In the advanced gas cooled reactors as much electricity can be made from one kilogram of enriched uranium fuel as from about 60 tons of coal.

Nuclear power is clean. No smoke, no soot.

The relative costs 1977/78 per kilowatt hour of producing electricity were: nuclear fuels — 0.76p; coal — 1.23p; oil — 1.42p.

On present forecasts only nuclear power can assure the energy supplies to meet our needs in 25 years’ time.

The ‘burning’ of plutonium in fast breeder reactors will give us at least a fifty-fold increase in uranium utilisation and the present stocks of used uranium which we have in the UK alone would provide us with as much energy as our entire coal reserves.

The general public is exposed to background radiation all the time. Any additional radiation exposure that the general public gets from nuclear power is less than 0.1% of the natural background radiation level.

All the “highly active” was produced so far from Britain’s nuclear power programme, if collected together, would occupy less volume than the average sized 4-bedroomed house.

A process is under development for converting radioactive waste into glass. In this form, all the highly active liquid wastes from our nuclear power programme up to the year 2,000 could be sored in a properly engineered and shielded are no larger than that of two football pitches.

There has been more research into nuclear power as an energy source and into quantifying its risks than for any other fuel.

Stringent safety and security precautions exist to protect employees and the general public against any possible hazard from nuclear power and the industry has an excellent safety record.

Comparative studies of the public and occupational health effects of various sources of power leave no doubt that electricity generation from uranium offers far less of a public health hazard than from coal or oil.

The statistical risk of a member of the public dying as the result of an accident at a nuclear power station is less than that of being struck by lightning.

Spent nuclear fuel is transported in massive thick walled steel containers. They are designed and built to withstand extreme accidents and must pass stringent tests, incluidng a drop from a height of nine metres and exposure to fire, without release of the contents.

All (sic). A 1979 one-sheet from Atomic Energy Establishment Winfrith, part of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

Oddly, although the Steam-Generating Heavy Water Reactor prototype powerplant (a primary reason for the existence of AEE Winfrith) is depicted, it isn’t mentioned in the text.

[magics-neptunes-things]

American Dream

Hi guys!

I hope you are well :)

A little story with Alessia, I had several requests in my private messages and I hope you like this one!

Enjoy reading and again my suggestion box is open :)

TW: None

As you drive to New York JFK Airport, you can’t contain your excitement. With catchy music on the radio, you zigzag easily between cars to get to your goal faster. Which makes no sense since it probably won’t make your girlfriend arrive faster, since she’s not the one driving the plane.

But in your defense, it’s been since the beginning of the Christmas holidays that you haven’t seen her and your daily Facetime don’t replace by far the smell of her or her hugs. Since you have only been a couple for a few months, you had organized your holiday parties separately. Alessia stayed in England to celebrate with her family while you flew to New York, from where you come, to celebrate with yours. You hope that next year you will manage to do things differently, but at least you will be able to spend a few days and New Year with Alessia before you take a return flight to London together.

The first time you met Alessia, you quickly found yourself having a crush for the pretty blonde. It was on a football pitch, of course. But when you signed your contract for Arsenal after finishing the one at Real Madrid, you fell in love with her. Her smile, her kindness, her blue eyes and every part of her being, finally.

By incredible luck, these feelings quickly turned out to be shared and it was a real thunderbolt that shook you both. Both singles, you didn’t wait long before asking Alessia for a date, who gladly agreed. You can’t count the moments you shared face to face with her, but you never get tired of it. You were afraid at first that your feelings would go away as quickly as they came, but now it’s been almost six months and they are only increasing.

Alessia’s brother set off on a world tour on 27 December, Alessia flew with her parents a few hours after his departure. However, her parents decided to rent a hotel, offering themselves a romantic stay. Besides, they will leave after Alessia and you.

While waiting for Alessia and her parents to arrive, you check your messages and smile as you see the photos that Beth and Viv sent you of your dog. They are the ones who keep him during your absence and you are happy to see that he seems to get along very well with Myle. The time to answer Viv and go around the waiting hall several times, you finally see a blonde head that you know well pass the last security doors.

Your hesitation to run to take her in your arms lasts a few seconds- she’s with her parents after all. But the smile she gives you when she sees you melts your heart and you hurry to reach her height.

"Hi Honey" sings Alessia making you spin around after you put your arms around her neck.

You laugh softly while letting her do it. You have only one centimeter of difference and it amuses you both to carry the other in this way every now and then. Head in the hollow of her neck, you lay some kisses and breath her before she releases you.

"Hi Princess" you answer back, gently taking her face in your hands so you can look at her.

Private but not secret, your relationship was never revealed. Well, there are very truthful speculations circulating on social networks, but you have never taken the time to deny or confirm all this. What happens between you two is up to you, it doesn’t deprive you of posting some stories or photos together.

However, between that and your in-laws watching you, you refrain from kissing her but not to kiss her cheek, before going to greet her parents. You all agreed that you will drop them off at their hotel and meet again tomorrow at noon for lunch, since the evening is already well advanced. With jet lag, they will probably have some sleep to catch up.

Giorgio’s world tour is the main topic of conversation during the trip to the hôtel, with New York roads being particularly clogged at this time of evening. You look with amusement at Alessia dozing against the window, while listening to what your in-laws tell you. It doesn’t surprise you from the blonde, she has always been unable to sleep during a plane ride. You still remember Ella teasing her about it, Alessia not having closed her eyes for a minute on the way to Australia for the World Cup.

Alessia wakes up to help you get her parents' suitcases out of the trunk and accompany them to the hotel reception, wishing to make sure everything is in order. After a last reminder of the place and time of appointment for tomorrow, you leave and find your car back.

"Ready?" you ask Alessia after finding your place behind the wheel.

"Mmh almost."

The answer makes you bow an eyebrow, but when the blonde leans in your direction, you quickly understand what’s behind her head. You smile against her lips when she kisses you, grabbing her chin to prolong the kiss for a few seconds.

"Now I’m ready."

A smile still stuck to your lips, you take the road to find your apartment. Located in the center of New York. It’s not very big, but since you almost never live there, it’s more than enough.

"Welcome home" you smile as you close the door to your apartment behind you.

Alessia’s luggage is dropped off near the entrance, letting her soak up the place for now. You take on you not to follow her everywhere, almost desperate at the idea of catching up with all the hugs and kisses you are late.

"It’s pretty" smiled Alessia gently, looking around her.

"It’s an original way of saying it’s terribly lacking in personality" you laugh as you approach her, laying a kiss on her cheek from behind, passing your arms around her waist.

You laugh again, feeling her blush, mumbling that it wasn’t what she meant. You know that this is not a very personalized apartment, again you don’t live here daily. Your souvenirs and photos are in your London apartment.

"Are you hungry?" you ask to change the subject and stop teasing her. You put kisses along her jaw instead.

"A little yes" confesses the blonde while putting her hands on your arms.

"I’ll take care of it. You want to take a shower in the meantime?"

"With pleasure"

Grabbing her hand, you drag her into the bathroom, taking the opportunity to show her your place. It’s quickly done since the ground floor contains the living room, kitchen and dining area and the bedroom is on the mezzanine. The bathroom is also on the ground floor.

After helping Alessia unpack her suitcase and taking out her shower kit, you grab your phone to order in the sushi restaurant located two blocks from your home. You know Alessia’s passion for this and you know they are excellent. You also take the opportunity to change into something more pleasant, leaving your jeans to put on a jogging.

A good half hour later, Alessia finally comes out of the bathroom and you smile at her, amused.

"I thought you drowned."

You laugh when you see her rolling her eyes, but you invite her to join you on the couch on which you are. To pass the time, you turned on the TV and some variety show went on. But the pretty blonde doesn’t pay any attention, choosing to come and sit on your lap. Sliding your hands behind her back, you smile tenderly.

"I missed you" she whispers softly.

"I missed you too. I’m so glad you’re here" you add, smiling, putting a lock of her wet hair back in place.

She smiles at you again and you take advantage of your proximity to put a new kiss on her lips. Both cut off from the world, you get lost in your exchange, finally enjoying your reunion together. More kisses are exchanged and somehow your hands find their way under her shirt, eager for the feeling of her skin. At least, until the doorbell of your apartment rang, startling you both.

"It looks like sushi has arrived" you sigh against her lips, disappointed to have to interrupt your moment.

"Sushi?"

You laugh when you see Alessia’s face light up, almost watching her run to answer the door. Having taken care of paying for the order online, you let her receive your meal and you are content to go get plates to arrange the food.

"Oh god I love you" Alessia mumble, opening the different boxes

"You only say that because I know your favorite command by heart" you say, pulling your tongue and turning back.

You didn’t expect Alessia to jump on you abruptly, making you both fall on the couch that slides a few inches on the floor.

"Lessi" you laugh, trying to get rid of her embrace.

"I forbid you to doubt my feelings like that!"

Her harsh fake air makes you laugh but you raise both hands as a sign of remission.

"Sorry Lessibaby, I won’t do it again"

"You better"

[corixosports]

Corixo Sports

Elevate Your Game: The Evolution of Soccer Uniforms

Introduction: Soccer, the beautiful game, transcends boundaries and unites people across the globe. Beyond skill and strategy, the aesthetics of soccer also play a crucial role in its allure. Central to this aesthetic appeal are the soccer uniforms – a symbol of team identity, tradition, and evolution. Let's delve into the fascinating journey of soccer uniforms, from humble beginnings to the high-tech designs of today.

Body:

1. The Origins: Soccer's origins can be traced back centuries, to informal matches played in open fields. Initially, there were no standardized uniforms. Players wore whatever they had, often in street clothes or simple jerseys. As the game formalized, rudimentary uniforms emerged, mainly comprising of cotton shirts and shorts in team colors.

2. Evolution of Design: With the sport's growing popularity, the design of soccer uniforms underwent significant evolution. In the early 20th century, the introduction of synthetic materials revolutionized soccer apparel. Polyester blends offered durability, moisture-wicking properties, and flexibility, enhancing players' comfort and performance.

3. Symbolism and Identity: Soccer uniforms serve as potent symbols of team identity and pride. Colors, badges, and emblems represent the heritage, culture, and values of clubs and nations. The iconic jerseys of teams like Brazil, Argentina, and Manchester United evoke strong emotions and allegiance among fans worldwide.

4. Technological Advancements: In recent decades, advancements in textile technology have propelled soccer uniform design to new heights. High-performance fabrics such as Nike's Dri-FIT and Adidas's ClimaCool are engineered to regulate temperature, manage moisture, and enhance ventilation, optimizing players' comfort and endurance on the field.

5. Fashion and Marketing: Beyond the pitch, soccer uniforms have become fashion statements and marketing tools. Collaborations between sportswear brands and fashion designers have resulted in stylish and trendsetting kits. Limited-edition releases and retro designs capitalize on nostalgia and collector's appeal, driving commercial success for clubs and manufacturers.

6. Sustainability and Innovation: In an era of increasing environmental awareness, sustainable practices are shaping the future of soccer uniform design. Eco-friendly materials, recycled fabrics, and water-saving dyeing techniques are gaining traction, reflecting a commitment to environmental responsibility and ethical production.

Conclusion: From humble beginnings to high-tech marvels, soccer uniforms embody the spirit of the sport – unity, tradition, and innovation. As technology continues to advance and cultural influences evolve, the evolution of soccer uniforms promises to remain a captivating journey, enriching the game's legacy for generations to come.

Postscript: Join the conversation and share your favorite soccer uniform moments and designs! Let's celebrate the artistry and innovation behind the jerseys that define the world's most beloved sport.

Keywords for SEO: Soccer uniforms, evolution of soccer uniforms, soccer apparel, soccer fashion, team identity, sportswear technology, football jerseys, soccer jersey designs, iconic soccer kits, sustainable sportswear.

[mimzy-writing-online]

I’d really like to work the height and weight of my cast out, because the story I’m writing is about quite a physically diverse little group, and it would be really fun and cool to work out the little differences in the ways they all interact with the world (for instance, in a kitchen how many of them can’t reach the top shelf, how many shelves is the shortest off by, does the tallest have to worry about the doorframe?) Plus every character sheet has height and weight to fill in for some reason, and it would be really satisfying to complete a full one for once.

People keep talking about BMI charts, but I’m either too stupid to be able to use it properly, or it’s only helpful if a character has an average build. Some of my characters have a lot of muscle, some of them are fat, some have a fair amount of both and others have neither. One of the cast’s a teenaged late bloomer, and another stopped growing when she was 15 due to malnourishment but’s a healthy weight now as an adult. I’m not sure how helpful this information is to you, but I thought it might help you to understand where I need advice.

Anyway, do you have any tips or advice or tips for working out my characters height and weight?

I like that you're looking to make diverse body types!

So some reasons people might want to know the height and weight of their characters-

to accurately describe physical interactions like hugs between different heights.

for comedic purposes like you described

romantic shipping purposes, depending on if you prefer the big height difference trope or the no-height difference trope (the latter for me personally).

to determine if an action is physically possible for a character. Can they jump this far or climb that fast or throw someone off balance if they rammed into them like a football player.

For height, I like to think about my friend's heights relative to me and each other. I also think back to any short jokes or tall jokes I remember being made that landed well.

You can also look up average heights for different races and different countries and let that guide you. No group is a monolith so lots of people fall outside of 'average' but it does help to consider.

I wouldn't worry about exact weights if I were you. The weight number is so subjective to height and muscle to fat ratio. I'm also personally of the belief that BMI is useless, and 'obese' is a term made up by the diet industry to perpetually generate profit.

Also just because a character is fat, doesn't mean they can't be incredible athletes. There are fat ballerinas, gymnasts, and weight lifters who are incredible at the their sport.

(also for anyone made uncomfortable by my word choice- fat isn't an insult if you view fatness as a positive and/or neutral thing. It's something that just is and weight makes no impact on someone's worth.)

I love body diversity. Beyond height, weight, and athletic ability, may I suggest considering characters with

mobility aids

general joint pain or pain specific to an old injury

hypermobility

scarring

patches of different colored skin.

Did you know Vitiligo isn't the only condition that causes skin to change its pigment? Addison's Disease is a serious chronic illness with a trademark symptom of skin pigmentation increasing in hot spots like the face and joints the same way Vitiligo does. Skin grafts also look red and inflamed during the healing process

I hope this helps

[projecthipster]

Franny and Zooey, by J.D. Salinger

“I don’t think it would have all got me quite so down if just once in a while—just once in a while—there was at least some polite little perfunctory implication that knowledge should lead to wisdom, and that if it doesn't, it's just a disgusting waste of time! But there never is! You never even hear any hints dropped on a campus that wisdom is supposed to be the goal of knowledge. You hardly ever even hear the word 'wisdom' mentioned!”

Everyone’s read J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, yeah? If not, I’ll review it in this series sooner or later. It’s great, it’s very hipster in its deep character breakdown, multiple layers of storytelling, and its analysis of cynical adolescent disillusionment. It’s one of the best-selling, best-reviewed, most-read books in all of literature. Sounds kinda mainstream, doesn’t it?

The discerning hipster, wanting all of Salinger’s great writing in a package that the mainstream sheep are less likely to know, and that subs adolescent disillusionment for young adult disillusionment, might instead turn to Franny and Zooey, his later and arguably only other novel. Franny and Zooey hit the scene in 1957, at the height of the Hipster-beloved beat era, though Salinger isn’t usually considered to be one of the beats, which is basically to say that I don't think he ever did drugs with Kerouac. Your hipness archivist read this book a couple of years after reading Catcher, mostly on a single slow day while working at a ski hill.

Some say it’s two short stories; truth, it’s more like a novella with a bonus opening chapter that could serve as a short story in isolation but works very well as a first chapter. That opening follows Franny Glass on a lunch date. She’s become obsessed with an obscure Russian religious text, but her boyfriend only wants to talk about his upcoming football game, leading Franny right into a panic attack about how much everyone is only in everything for the ego boost. That main theme is tempered a bit by Franny’s disdain for the dullness, the expectedness of everyone’s bragging topics. Certainly that’s something core to the hipster identity: the mundanity of the mainstream.  That’s part one, the shorter part, “Franny.”

The second part, “Zooey,” makes up most of the book. Smash cut to the Glass household. Franny’s brother Zooey is fighting with his mom. Franny is in the living room, a few days into a serious depressive funk, when Zooey is all but forced to talk her through it. That conversation, replete with italics to show just how emphatic and pointed everyone is, practically ranting, reveals the Glass family backstory, detailed as well in other Salinger stories that I haven’t read. Turns out, nothing about Franny’s identity crisis came on in isolation. The Glass children were child prodigies on a radio show, in the national spotlight until their voices changed and they suddenly dropped from America’s short attention span. That feeling of being puppets on a stage never really left any of them, and led eldest brother Seymour to commit suicide despite an outward appearance of success. Is it any wonder, then, that these siblings are a bit messed up, and see society as being a bit messed up? The conversation barrels on, Zooey trying to rescue Franny from her depression, until it reaches a surprisingly succinct and positive conclusion, which shows Salinger’s increasing interest in spirituality and alternative theological theory, and which I won’t spoil. Suffice to say, the final page has a lesson that you’ll remember if you’ve ever sat and wondered in light despair at why we all go on performing, and who for.

Reading this book will boost your hipster cred, because you can bring it up when people talk about The Catcher in the Rye. But more importantly, this book will raise interesting and impressively timeless dialogues about life and purpose in modern society by means of great writing and impressively concisely developed characters. 

I give this Hipster book five withering glances over an organic cigarette out of five.

Project Hipster is a futile and disorganized attempt to dive into the world of things that the internet has at some point claimed "are hipster," mostly through ListChallenges search results.

This review comes from the first list, Hipster Lit: If You Haven't Read 'em, Pretend You Have.

Stay deck.

[packernet]

New Post has been published on https://www.packernet.com/blog/2025/01/13/esports-and-the-nfl-does-madden-nfl-have-a-future-as-a-competitive-discipline/

Esports and the NFL: does Madden NFL have a future as a competitive discipline?

The esports industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors, constantly evolving with new games and genres. While the gaming industry began with arcade games and strategy titles, it is now filled with a wide variety of MOBA games, shooters, and even sports simulations. Speaking of sports simulations, EA Sports FC and NBA 2K have achieved the most popularity, though other titles also strive to compete with them.

For instance, Madden NFL, based on American football, has attempted to reach similar heights in the esports arena and has shown notable growth in recent years. As the NFL leverages technological advancements and collaborates with gaming platforms, the question remains: can Madden NFL solidify its position as a competitive discipline in the esports ecosystem? That’s precisely what we’ll explore in this text.

The Current State of Madden NFL in Esports

Madden NFL, developed by EA Sports and released since 1988, boasts a loyal player base and a strong connection to the NFL. The game offers a variety of engaging modes where players can compete against bots or one another, and it has even established itself as an esports discipline. However, due to its complexity and the comparatively lower popularity of American football compared to soccer or basketball, the game struggles to attract the same level of attention.

Tournament organizers, however, are working hard to draw more interest through advertising and high-quality broadcasts, and they’ve been fairly successful. Looking at recent statistics, Madden NFL tournaments have seen a steady increase in viewership, gradually approaching the numbers of valorant live, which consistently ranks among the top esports in terms of audience engagement. For instance, the Madden NFL 24 Ultimate Bowl reached over 100,000 peak viewers.

This indicates that the game is moving in the right direction, but for Madden NFL to continue thriving, certain aspects need improvement.

Barriers to Growth for Madden NFL Esports

Limited International Appeal

The main challenge for Madden NFL is the problematic dependence on the acceptance of American football. In contrast to global sports such as soccer or basketball, the audiences for American football continue to be largely located in North America. This constraint limits the scope of the game to build out its esports following outside the US.

Gameplay Complexity

Nevertheless, although it is an exact replica of the game of football, the gameplay of Madden NFL is quite a steep learning curve for novices. Unlike simpler types of assembly, which attract a general, wide audience, Madden’s calculations determine the competition outcome based on a very narrow, deep knowledge of everything to do with football, from rules, through tactical approaches, to plays. This, however, is a source of frustration for casual gamers, players who think it’s easy to learn games with fast-paced gameplay (e.g., Fortnite or Rocket League).

Competition with Established Genre Titles

At the moment, at the top of sports simulators are such eSports games as EA Sports FC, NBA 2k AND Rocket League and Madden NFL are quite difficult to compete with them. Their worldwide presence, exciting gameplay, and mature ecosystems somewhat mask the attempts of Madden NFL. But, if the programmers put in the work, streamline the gameplay, and look for new arrangement, then this game can definitely also rise to the top.

Opportunities for Madden NFL as an Esports Discipline

Despite its constraints, Madden NFL presents a number of possibilities for competition to expand. From the beginning, the coupling between the NFL and EA Sports offers an incentive, since EA Sports has shown a successful track record in esports video games. Furthermore, by combining the NFL marks, reality television football and player participation, the game might become more appealing.

If Madden NFL is to, in a sense, shift the audience and enhance the algorithms of search engines, it must hire foreign players and shoot special commercials. By running regional tournaments, creating local content, and interacting with international personalities, game popularity in the rest of the world may be boosted.

The most compelling point to expand Madden NFL’s user base would be to go beyond single platforms. If a mobile version of the game or even a multi-platform version is created, it would greatly increase the popularity of Madden NFL.

What Needs to Change?

To become a competitive discipline in Madden NFL, the following multi-pronged approach is needed:

Focus on Grassroots Development: Hosting local and amateur tournaments will help expand the player base and generate excitement around competitive Madden NFL.

Innovative Broadcasting: Better presentation of MCS events, in the form of improved storytelling, player profiles, and live commentary, has the potential to increase viewer attention.

Global Outreach Efforts: By partnering with the likes of international organizations to stage exhibition games, Madden NFL might be shown to new markets.

Engaging Younger Audiences: Working with schools  colleges to include Madden NFL in academic esports programs may also help raise a new generation of competitive players.

If these steps are implemented, the game will undoubtedly be able to compete with market giants like EA Sports FC and NBA 2K and might even reach the level of titles like LoL and Valorant.

Conclusion

Gathering all the facts, it becomes clear that Madden NFL’s development as a leading esports discipline is no easy task but has already shown some progress. Despite obstacles such as narrow market appeal and high competition, growing opportunities are still present. The success, though, will not be based solely on gameplay or mechanics but also on what the players feel about the game. As the developers can properly blend the realism of American football with the exciting needs of the worldwide esports public, Madden NFL is programmed to get better.