#Epic Military Exercise

[tomorrowusa]

There is a lot of emphasis in the news media on Biden's age while almost nothing about Trump's fitness. This needs to change and we should be more active about holding news organizations to account.

In a four day period in September, the cable news stations mentioned Biden’s age 193 times while Trump’s age was mentioned just 56 times. (MediaMatters.org on September 29, 2023.) After this one sided coverage, these same media outlets then polled the voters about Biden’s age and found (surprise!) that voters are more concerned about Biden’s age than Trump’s age. It’s garbage in and garbage out.

There's just a 3.5 year difference between Biden and Trump. But Trump is not the fitter of the two. Being an epic blowhard and blabbermouth is not a measure of fitness.

After Biden concluded his debt ceiling deal with McCarthy in June, the extremist so-called House “Freedom” Caucus members complained that Biden “outsmarted” McCarthy in the negotiations. The House GOP’s most extreme members hate Biden and have zero incentive to tell the truth about Biden’s good state of health.

So even the most extreme Republicans had to admit that they were outfoxed by Biden.

On October 2, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) took to the floor of the House to denounce the deal that funded the government for forty five days Gaetz said: “It is going to be difficult for my Republican friends to keep calling President Biden feeble while he continues to take Speaker McCarthy’s lunch money in every negotiation.”

As for Trump's health, mental health in particular, the evidence of his debility is on full display.

Meanwhile, the mainstream press has largely ignored and downplayed Trump’s declining mental condition and increasing tendency to threaten violence. Probably the only mainstream media piece that accurately described the respective health of Biden and Trump was in the New York Times on June 4, 2023. The pertinent excerpts are as follows: “While in office, Mr. Trump generated concerns about his mental acuity and physical condition. He did not exercise, his diet leaned heavily on cheeseburgers and steak and he officially tipped the scales at 244 pounds, a weight formally deemed obese for his height. After complaining that he was overscheduled with morning meetings, Mr. Trump stopped showing up at the Oval Office until 11 or 11:30 a.m. each day, staying in the residence to watch television, make phone calls or send out incendiary tweets. During an appearance at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he had trouble lifting a glass of water and seemed to have trouble making his way down a modest ramp. Most striking was Mr. Trump’s cognitive performance. He was erratic and tended to ramble; experts have found that he had grown less articulate and that his vocabulary had shrunk since his younger days. Aides said privately that Mr. Trump had trouble processing information and distinguishing fact from fiction. His second chief of staff, John F. Kelly, bought a book analyzing Mr. Trump’s psychological health to understand him better, and several cabinet secretaries concerned that he might be mentally unfit discussed invoking the 25th Amendment to remove him.”

He's gotten worse rather than better since leaving office.

These aren’t isolated statements. The highlights (or lowlights) of Trump’s deteriorating condition are as follows. Trump forgot who is currently president, and claimed “the Obama administration” recorded the length of his “border wall.” He even claimed **Jeb Bush** invaded Afghanistan and Iraq! Trump appeared confused when he said Jeb Bush was president during the Iraq War. “You know he was a mili — he got us into the, uh, he got us into the Middle East … Right?” In September, Trump mixed up Biden and Obama, and claimed Biden might start World War TWO. Trump even said you need a government photo ID to buy a loaf of bread. At the same time, Trump’s remarks have taken a dark turn and he has repeatedly threatened violence. Trump suggested that General Mark Milley should be executed. If anybody else had said that, they would be getting a visit from the FBI. The fact that this isn’t being treated as major front-page news is astonishing to me.

Trump makes threats to media moguls and they go easy on reporting his delirium.

The run away front runner for the GOP presidential nomination said Comcast, the owner of NBC and MSNBC, “should be investigated for its ‘Country Threatening Treason’” and promised to do so should he be re-elected president next year. Why does the press continue to cover up Trump’s poor health when he has promised to go after them? How can they be so stupid? It’s pretty wild that, of the two leading presidential candidates, the guy found liable for rape and who is facing ninety one criminal indictments isn’t the one who is facing calls to step aside for someone else to run. The mainstream media has lost all sense of scale and proportion. The media fixation with Biden as opposed to this clearly impaired guy is journalistic malpractice.

Psychologist Mary Trump, Donald's niece, called her uncle a "dangerous presence" on Australia's ABC earlier this year. She also said he was essentially "an insecure little boy who seeks attention".

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Ask your news providers why they are seldom mentioning Trump's mental health in their coverage. They should not be normalizing his threats against people and his bizarre erratic comments.

[criticallyacclaimedstranger]

For the kiss ask, I will exercise some self control and ask for only one, even if I want to ask for like twenty 😅

For the pairing, I'm thinking Frankie and Bonnie (which oddly enough, the last time you did a prompt ask, I requested the same pair) and #27 "Kisses exchanged while one person sits on the other's lap". Please and thank you 😄

Thanks very much for the ask! Oh, Frankie and Bonnie, how I've missed them! I'm happy you decided to go with those two.

Pairing: Frankie x chubby!reader (aka Bonnie). For more of this pair, go to my Forever Starts With You masterlist.

Warnings: reader is self conscious in a swimsuit but everything is fine because Frankie is perfect, and then there's kissing.

Summary: You and Frankie go to a pool party.

Okay so that gif is not by a pool but whatever

You have no idea how Frankie got you to agree to this. This is literally your nightmare.

The sun is shining, the audio system is pumping out something upbeat, people are talking and laughing – and everyone is in swimwear, or something tiny and summery. And no one is fat, of course, no one except you.

One of Frankie’s military buddies invited the two of you to a pool party and it’s really not your scene, least of all because of your size. You fretted for weeks before the party, went to the most expensive lingerie store in town and bought a disgustingly expensive swimsuit that looks amazing on you – but you are still overweight. Your skin still turns lobster red in the sun. You spent even more money on a kaftan dress that you probably won’t wear again, and only then did Frankie realize that you were dreading the party.

”We don’t have to go,” he told you, but you shook your head.

”You want to go.”

Frankie loves the sun and summer. You don’t mind it but you burn easily and with your weight and body, everything is sweaty and slippery and uncomfortable in the summer. And to put your body on display like that.

”You don’t have to wear a swimsuit,” Frankie tried.

”Then everyone will know exactly how uncomfortable I am,” you pointed out. ”It’s a pool party, of course I have to wear a swimsuit!”

So here you are, in your expensive outfit, with sparkly sandals on your feet and a straw hat on your head, your flickering gaze hidden behind dark sunglasses.

”You look amazing,” Frankie assures you in a warm whisper at your ear. ”I’m proud as hell to have you by my side.”

His arm is around you, and you feel more confident as he kisses your cheek, before steering you to wards the host couple. You are introduced, your kaftan is admired, you’re handed drinks, you make small talk until the next guest arrives, and you can retire to the side. You wave at Benny, who’s in the pool with someone in a triangle bikini on his shoulders. She shrieks when he tosses her into the water.

”You wanna go swimming?” Frankie asks, but you shake your head.

”Absolutely not.” You sip the margarita, and make a little noise.

”Christ, this margarita is good.”

”Lemme have a taste.” Frankie’s holding a beer, but you hand him your drink, and he sips it, licking his lips as he hands it back to you.

”That thing’s deadly. Enough of those, and I’ll get you to not only come swimming with me, but also perform a whole musical, Bonnie.”

You scoff at the nickname his friends once gave you after a particularly wet night during which you performed Total Eclipse of the Heart.

”I learned my lesson that night,” you shudder. The hangover you suffered from the following day was epic and you have no wish to repeat it, ever.

You mingle, talking to people, getting another drink and some snacks. You relax as you realize what you already knew deep inside: nobody cares about your size and what you’re wearing, all everyone wants is to have a good time.

You stay later than expected, and when the sun has set and the pool area is lit up by string lights, you finally go swimming. The pool water is a little warmer than you prefer after a day of sunny weather, but that just makes it nicer to get out of the water, into the cooling night. You walk around the pool, heading for Frankie in a chaise lounge, and you smile widely when you see that he is ogling you, a new beer in hand. When you reach him, he reluctantly hands you a towel, like he doesn’t want you to cover up just yet.

”Good swim?” he asks you in a low voice that vibrates along the length of your spine. You have to lick your lips before you can answer.

”It was okay. The water was too warm.”

He makes a sympathetic grimace but says nothing more. Instead, you can see how he caresses the curves of your body with his eyes. You give him a little shove.

”Hey, stop eye-fucking me.”

”Never.”

He smirks at you, and you grin back.

”I don’t think this is the right place for that, baby.”

”Anywhere is the right place with you looking like that.”

You roll your eyes to let him know just what you think of him being so simple about a woman in a swimsuit. Frankie takes your hand and gives it a light tug.

”Come on, sit.” He pats his thighs with his other hand.

Normally, you would hesitate. Sitting on his lap, even in the privacy of your home, isn’t something you enjoy much, because of your weight. But you’ve had a great day, you’re crazy in love with him, and you’re buzzing from several margaritas over the course of the afternoon, so you yield. Sitting down, you carefully try to distribute your weight, but Frankie doesn’t care as he slips his arms around you, happily staring into your cleavage that is, conveniently enough, right in front of him.

”Perfect,” he sighs happily, and you have to giggle.

”You are such a man.”

”Totally am.” His finger traces a feathery line along your spine, making you shiver. ”And you don’t mind at all, do you?”

You have to admit that it boosts your self esteem to have him look at you like that.

”I mind that I’m sitting here all hot and pretty, and you haven’t kissed me once yet,” you tell him off, and Frankie laughs before leaning in to brush his lips against yours.

”You could have asked, querida.”

”I thought you were clever enough to understand what was expected of you,” you retort, your tongue flicking out at his lips.

”Clearly not...” His mouth closes over yours in a soft kiss before opening, moving a little, then closing again. You cup his cheek with one hand, the other losing itself in the curls at the nape of his neck. Frankie rests one hand on your wet thigh, innocent-looking enough, but his fingertips are digging a little into the soft flesh, reminding you of how he can grip you when his face is buries in the apex of your thighs. His other hand is on your lower back, making slow little circles on your wet skin as you kiss.

”Maybe it’s time we go home?” you suggest in a soft sigh against his lips. He smiles, and shakes his head.

”Not yet. I want to show you off a little longer. Okay?”

You smile back, cheeks feeling warm.

”Okay.”

[reasoningdaily]

The Black Seminoles: History of a Freedom-Seeking People

The Black Seminoles: History of a Freedom-Seeking People

“A powerful and stirring story.”—San Antonio Express-News “An epic tale of desperate, unwitting fugitives who would—without exaggeration—defeat armed forces both white and Indian, make possible settlement of the West, earn the country's highest military honors, and have nothing to show for it.”—Miami Herald

“This fascinating story chronicles the lives of fugitive slaves who aligned themselves with Seminole Indians in Florida beginning in the early 1800s, fought with them in the Second Seminole War, and were removed, along with them to Indian Territory, where they struggled to remain free. To prevent reenslavement, their remarkable leader, John Horse, led much of the group to Mexico. . . . Recommended.”—

Library Journal “Porter spoke directly with Chief Horse's descendants and with older black Seminoles who either knew him or had heard first-hand stories about him. . . .

A gripping account of a people's struggle both for identity and freedom.”—Naples Daily News “This book's sweep is broad, its story is provocative, and the human saga it evokes is compelling.

No exercise in political correctness, this is a detailed, factual account of a remarkable people's struggle for survival over multiple generations and in the face of calamitous challenges. This history will surprise, while it intrigues. Kenneth Porter has made an enduring contribution, for which we are indebted to him.”—Tampa Tribune

[kosher-martian]

Napoleon & Josephine

Spoiler warning for Napoleon.

So this weekend I had an opportunity to see Ridley Scott's Napoleon. It was weird.

The movie has some problems. I'm not going to mention the historical accuracy of the film (it takes the same liberties all other historical dramas do) nor am I going to talk about the dialogue / delivery (though I will gladly let "You think you're so great because you have boats!" live rent-free in my head for the rest of forever). I think the movie had too much material it wanted to cover in one film, but tried to cover it anyway (the exact opposite of the YA movie "Divided for Adaptation" trope that swept Hollywood ages ago). Before some (likely extensive) edits the final film was probably close to 3.5 hours long, so they cut an hour's worth of scenes from the final product resulting in the choppy mess with massive pacing issues that have divided audiences and critics alike.

Scenes play at breakneck pace one after the other, each in a different location, with different characters, and occurring at different points in history, but there was either no attempt at linking the scenes together or the majority of those bridging scenes hit the cutting room floor. As a consequence, the movie just comes across as a feature-length recap of the previous season of some prestige historical drama show. If this were a pre-existing show the scenes make sense. You vaguely remember last season and you are only watching to jog your memory before jumping into the next season. But if you are going into this without familiarity of the subject matter (or only mild interest) and expect the film to tell you a narrative about the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, it's just a cluster of confusion. I had a similar experience with the Saoirse Ronan / Margot Robbie Mary Queen of Scots film. It had almost the exact same "not a film, just a series of scenes" issues. Unlike with Napoleon, I was less familiar with the historical events surrounding Mary I of Scotland and Elizabeth I of England. I ended up disliking the film and only ever watched it the one time.

So now I want to pivot to the reason I'm making this post at all. I want to posit a ludicrous and patently untrue conspiracy theory: They made two movies and then spliced them together!

To be clear, I don't actually believe this happened, this "conspiracy theory" will be more my wishful thinking than anything else.

Contrary to all evidence, I want to believe that Hollywood had planned Barbenheimer from the very beginning. Warner Bros, Universal Pictures, and other major studios saw the collapse of "cinematic universe" films on the horizon and wanted to create a new fad that would be both cheaper to produce and more easily controlled: Pick two films with markedly different audiences, market them as being in competition with each other, and use polarizing social media pushes to drive people into two constituency groups. With this model, studios could take two films that would otherwise have middling performance and turn them into blockbuster hits of then summer with marketing alone. People would go running back into the theaters to ensure their constituency's film "won" the battle. Hollywood solicited ideas for film pairings from a variety of sources. Ridley Scott got wind of this secret operation and decided he would condense the idea into an even easier exercise: Make the same movie twice for two different audiences.

Scott would direct two films with the exact same cast. One film (the "boy" film) would be an epic film covering the military triumphs of Napoleon Bonaparte, his tragic fall from power, his unlikely return, and his final defeat. This film, titled Napoleon, would feature fantastic set-piece battle scenes, tons of meme-able lines ("You think you're so great because you have boats!"), and gorgeous special effects. The "girl" film, Josephine, would depict the contentious and all-too-captivating private life of Napoleon and Josephine. It would be a more cerebral and emotional work, showing the complexities of their relationship. It would place the competing demands of Napoleon's ambition and longing for true love at center stage. Josephine might have made Empress Josephine our focal character or it may have continued to use Napoleon as entry way into the rich interior lives of the Emperor and Empress of France, but in either case the film's overall story would have been those moments when they were alone with one another or totally alone. Napoleon's story is the story that shaped the modern world, so it was more than enough to support both films. Audiences could choose which movie to support or might have found the format of "two films, one story" just too enticing to pass up seeing both.

But then something - and I'm not sure exactly what - happened. Instead of creating both films and releasing them separately, the decision was made to condense the two films down to one. Both films had nearly finished production. Two interpretations of Napoleon, one the legend and one the man, now needed to be brought together. Left with tonally dissonant films, the choice was made to just try to make the editing "choppier" and more "modern" (code for "we know flashy cuts and transitions won't save this colossal mistake, but we've got sunk cost fallacy now"). Scenes were lifted wholesale from both films and spliced together seemingly without regard for the final product. It's possible the final dirty work was handed to a trailer house, as evidenced by the trailers release earlier this year that paired action sequences from the film with modern music that not only didn't fit the film's aesthetics, but also didn't fit the scenes used.

Did this happen? No. As stated previously, Napoleon's story is too big to be contained in one film. The only film to pull it off was the 1927 silent film, which runs anywhere from 4 to 9.5 hours long depending on the cut. That's why other films focus on extensive portrayals of discrete battles (Waterloo), specific parts of his life (Eagle in a Cage) or his romantic life (Desiree, though it does show other aspects of Napoleon's life). Some artists have tried to do a broad retelling of his life, but those are always multi-part miniseries.

But go watch the movie yourself and tell me there's not a Josephine movie lurking on a hard drive somewhere in Hollywood. I know it doesn't exist, but also there's no way it doesn't exist, right? Too many scenes fit perfectly into another movie for it not to exist. Napoleon is not a cohesive film, it's a compilation of scenes from two separate movies featuring the same actors.

[starset21]

Sincerely, Yours

Standard disclaimer: I only own my original characters, I've done some research but there will likely be Navy/military inaccuracies, and I do not consent to the posting, translating, or publishing of my work to any 3rd party site, the only place it may be found is on tumblr and Wattpad under @.itswildflower Warnings: N/A Summary: Time for some good old dogfight football Looking for previous chapters? Sincerely, Yours Masterlist  

Chapter 5:

Monday morning Ria woke to the sound of her phone buzzing on the table. She didn’t even look at it. The phone buzzed a few more times and she groaned before rolling over and grabbing her phone from the nightstand. Morning Tempest, meeting on the beach outside of the Hard Deck at 1 for training. Wear clothes you can move in. Ria blinked a few times before processing that it was a message from Maverick. She looked at the clock, seeing she had 5 hours until she needed to be anywhere, and didn’t reply. She threw her phone to the end of the bed and laid back down with a groan. She laid there for half an hour before she actually got up, put some music on, and made herself some tea. She got ready, ate some lunch and soon enough Elliot was knocking at her door. “I’m driving,” he said swinging his car keys around as soon as she opened her door. Ria hung her truck keys back up before making sure she had her house keys in her small bag and then locked the door behind her. “Nadia called last night, Vi’s getting so big,” he told her climbing into the car he affectionately named Bumblebee. Yes, his yellow Camaro is modeled and named after the transformer, complete with the Autobot insignia badges on the outside and in the interior. “I bet,” Ria replied, sliding her sunglasses on. His wife and 4-year-old daughter were waiting for him at home back in Colorado. “Why do you think Maverick is having us meet on the beach?” Elliot asks her. “Who knows?” she shrugged, staring out the side window as they pulled out of her driveway. 

The aviators all stood in a semi-circle around Maverick and Hondo, both men holding footballs. “What are we doing here Maverick?” Payback asks. “A little bit of a team building exercise. Dogfight football,” Maverick said tossing the ball he was holding up in the air. “Two balls, offense, and defense simultaneously,” Maverick explained as he caught it. The teams were determined. Both quarterbacks snap at the same time. Both teams scramble. In an instant, it is chaos. Maverick is a quarterback on one team, Bradley on the other. Bradley manages to make a pass. Maverick is sacked. In fact, the opposition seems to care more about sacking the teacher than they do about scoring. Yet, in the midst of the hard hits, it’s clear to see something they haven’t seen before, the camaraderie between all of them. Hondo made an epic attempt at a touchdown despite half the class clinging to him. Jake looks down at a prone Maverick, relishing a kill. Bradley walks past, stops, and grudgingly helps him up. It is the first remotely friendly moment they’ve shared since the start of the detachment. Maverick, a little sore, tenderly heads off the field, waving Bob in as his replacement as he sits in one of two low lawn chairs, watching the chaos, mildly amused. He helps himself to a beer from a cooler as he watches the team. He chuckles as he watched Ria manage to trip Bradley and steal the ball before running for the goal. Ria, Callie, and Natasha cheered and came together for a high-five when she scored. Jake helped Bradley off the ground. Another truce of sorts. The aviators have split into two huddles once again, strategizing, and working together. They break for the next play. Both balls snap and the entire class clashes. Anarchy. Mav feels almost at peace. 

A shadow falls over Maverick causing him to look up. “Sir.” Cyclone is standing just beside Maverick, sunglasses hiding his eyes. He stares at the game, perplexed. “What is this?” he asked. “Dog fight football. Offense and defense at the same time,” Mav told him. “And who’s winning?” Cyclone asked watching as Javy and Jake jumped and chest-bumped after scoring. “Oh, I think they stopped keeping score a long time ago,” Maverick chuckled. “This detachment has training to do, Captain. Every available minute counts,” Cyclone said simply. “Yes, sir,” Maverick replied. “So why are we out here playing games?” Cyclone asked. “You said to create a team, sir. There’s your team,” Maverick said, gesturing toward the aviators. Cyclone looks again. Bob had caught the ball thrown by Bradley and the entire group ran to him, chanting his name as Bradley hoisted him up on his shoulders. “The mission has been moved up one week. The last phase of training starts tomorrow.” Maverick looks back at the class as Cyclone walks away, Bradley’s team is rallying around him.

He gets up and begins walking up the beach behind the pilots, keeping the news to himself, they’d find out tomorrow anyway. “You’re good with them.” He turns and sees Penny standing by the back door of the Hard Deck, having just walked out after retrieving a water bottle. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re taking to this job. Maybe even enjoying it,” she told him. “I’ve always liked football,” Mav told her with a lopsided grin. “That’s not what I mean and you know it. If you’re not careful you could find yourself getting used to this,” Penny told him. Mav considers this and nods, a little uncomfortable with the thought. “You okay?” Penny asks him. “I’m okay, it’s just... Time, you know? There’s never enough,” he told her watching as Jake threw Ria over his shoulder, causing her to demand to be put down. Jake laughed while dropping her into the cold California waters where Ria cursed and splashed him repeatedly. They were soon joined by the rest of them. “That’s for sure,” Penny replied empathetically, following his gaze to the scene. 

The sun was almost down when Ria and the rest of the aviators decided to settle down and start a bonfire. Penny had left with Maverick, leaving the bar open and in the capable hands of Mike, the older gentleman who bartended whenever Penny was out, and Tessa, who picked up serving and bartending as a side job. Elliot and Ria had taken the task of getting the alcohol while the others set up chairs and got the fire started. “You doing ok with everything?” he asks her while they wait for Mike to come back from getting their order from the back fridge for them. “Yeah, you?” she asked. “Yeah, I am, I know you’ve got my back,” he tells her. Ria smiled and squeezed his hand, “Just as I know you have mine.” Mike came back and set the 2 cases of beer and case of hard lemonade and one of regular lemonade on the counter. “Here ya go, all good to go, Penny said you paid ahead,” he told them and they nodded. Ria left a $20 tip before they each took two of the cases and headed back out to the beach. The fire was going really good when they walked up, the aviators spread out in chairs and on logs, laughing and talking. Someone had gone and got snacks and a table so there was a variety of chips and other snacks on it. Ria and Elliot placed the alcohol and lemonade on the end of the table before each grabbing a drink of choice and joining the others. Bradley saw her sit down and moved from where he was talking with Nat and Bob to sit down beside her. “I’m sorry.” Ria raised a brow but didn’t turn to him, keeping her gaze on the flickering flames. “I’m sorry for what I said the other day to Hangman. I shouldn’t have brought Rhett up like that,” he told her and she finally looked at him. “You’re right. You shouldn’t have brought it up in retaliation, this is the second time in a week. You had no right,” she told him. “Whatever stupid rivalry you have with Jake needs to end before one of you gets seriously hurt. I care about you Bradley but I also care about him.” A moment of tense silence passed between them. “I apologized to Seresin, we’re working on it,” he told her. “Good. You’re forgiven.” 

[amypihcs]

Sherlock Holmes (ofc!) aaand elrond for the ask game please!

SURE! And thank you for having asked!

On Holmes first, then!

First impression -> I started with the italian translation of the hound fo the Baskervilles so, sorry Holmes, a total bitch but SOOO gay for Watson

Impression now -> Chemist blorbo. Best boy. I will defend him with my life. Still totally gay for Watson. Kidding aside, Holmes is an incredibly complex character that i truly love now that i know him better

Favorite moment -> When he tells Gibson he SHOULD HAVE KEPTIT IN HIS PANTS around miss Dumbar. And generally when he's a snarky bitchy man to rich asshole clients

Idea for a story -> One that i'm plotting and trying to write, i'll manage at some point, Holmes having a case from a former professor he used to hate. I feel like there's so much potential here

Unpopular opinion -> dunno if it's unpopular, but i believe that when he and Watson retire, Holmes is alone for few months to organize the cottage and so on while Watson is setting their affairs in London. Holmes writes the lion's mane here in a letter to Watson (maybe to make him a bit jealous and make him hurry?)

Favorite relationship -> With Watson. The way they evolve, the way they're made for each other. I believe they retire together in 1904 and STAY together. That Watson is not sent to France and they spend the war in London with Holmes helping mycroft and the secret services and Watson serving in military hospitals home

Favorite headcanon -> he has a sweet tooth. Put him in front of sweets when he's in the mood and he'll absolutely polish them off. Also from the stories i believe that Watson is bullshitting us totally when he says that holmes doesn't exercise. Man boxes and exercises. Together with Watson, in my headcanons they often spar together!

Damn, i tend to rant a lot, i'm sorry. Now to Elrond!

First impression -> Hugo Weaving Elrond. On a 16-something years old girl who thinks she's het. Well, you can imagine. i fell for him. HARD.

Impression now -> He's my favourite LOTR character together with Theoden, what are we talking about, lol. He's a person who suffered incredibly and still chose kindness. I admire him deeply, he could have sailed with celebrian, or after elros' death. he didn't. he stayed and kept fighting on. I admire that Half-Elf crazily.

Favorite moment -> In the books, when he goes 'I i remember the old times' when he says that he saw the hosts of the last alliance and all the princes united and how they yet were not as many or as splendid as they were when Thangorodrim was destroyed. That's Top Elrond Time. From the movies the moment when he's talking to Theoden waiting for Aragorn to show up is super funny and then the epic scene when he hands Aragorn Anduril. Another incredibly good moment is from the book when he doesn't want to let pippin go with the fellowship. That's so good.

Idea for a story -> Elrond goes to Valinor and on the shore meets ALL OF HIS FAMILY. The finweans. The doriathrim. The human side is missing but HEY. The Vanya part of the fam too! Man can be king of everyone! Let me see them having a dinner together!

Unpopular opinion -> okay, man could've let SOMEONE OF HIS HOUSE still accompany the fellowship. just to be sure. maybe not Glorfindel, some other first age warrior, maybe one of his feanorion followers who would've slit the balrog's throat with their teeth (and put the fear of Feanor into Thauron once more)

Favorite relationship -> a though one. Torn between his relationship with Elros (distilled angst), with Celebrian (slurp, also a bit of romance) or with MAGLOR.

Favorite headcanon -> KIDNAP FAM. And Maglor now is in Imladris. And Erestor is a feanorion follower (Maybe he's Erestor Morifinwion). Elrond collects kinslayers, toh

And i ranted a lot for him too! Hope you like the answers!

[aman-acan-andacityplan]

Windaria: A Review

Today, I want to ramble about a film I enjoyed and, once again, I am treading into familiar territory for myself and this blog. Windaria is an anime fantasy epic released in 1986. Its a genre and period of time I enjoy, but if anyone ends up reading this essay, I hope this doesn’t come off as a shallow exercise in nostalgia. For one thing, I did not discover this film till a few years back and I think it has held up enough after repeat viewings to warrant some further discussion and analysis.

The story starts with what seems to be a trivial detail: the arrival of what the film labels the Ghost Ship. In the lore of the world, the Ghost Ship is just that: a literal air ship harboring the souls of the dead and transporting them to the afterlife. It is also established around 30 minutes into the film that mortal men do fly the ghost ship, but it comes with a cost as pilots must commit to the tasks for many, many years and forego any contact with the living world. The Ghost Ship’s presence is key to what transpires later in the film and it serves as an important physical link between the spiritual world and the living world.  

The story is centered around two rival kingdoms, Paro and Itha. While little is known about the backstory of these two kingdoms and why they have become rival factions, we know enough about the two places to drive the plot along. Basically relations are souring and the shadows of war are on the horizon.

For the sake of brevity, I want to focus on want I consider to be the meat of the story is the evolution of our main character Izu. As a protagonist, Izu is sympathetic, but his flaws become evident early on. Like many men of his age he is hot-headed, eager to demonstrate his mettle and worth in life. Early on in the film we get the impression that his life is fulfilling, but somewhat dull and mundane as he sells the fruits of his labor in the kingdom of Itha with his girlfriend Marin. However, when a spy from Paro threatens to drown the city by sabotaging the floodwall, Izu puts his body and life on the line to save the city. This heroic and selfless act results in a commendation from the leadership of Itha, but Izu yearns for more. He desires glory and status, and when a brand new motorbike arrives at his home courtesy of the kingdom of Paro he becomes motivated to join them and their military force.

His arrival to Paro has many ominous overtones, which sets the stage for the tragedy which is about to occur. Things that are obvious to the viewer go right over the head of Izu. When a panic breaks out among the populace, the motorbike is run over by a tank. Later in the film he is harassed by a street gang and when he attempts to inform some Paro soldiers of his mission he is treated with smug indifference and shot at for sport. The land surrounding Paro is rocky and harsh and has given rise to harsh people. The primary source of entertainment in the kingdom’s capital appears to be the many brothels. While on the surface Paro appears to be the more technologically advanced of the two kingdoms, it is a thoroughly decadent and debased place. If Izu still had his wits about him he would have left after his bike was destroyed, but at this point he is too hungry for glory to see the obvious.

Eventually though Izu does meet with Paro military advisers and he becomes a spy for the kingdom. Its after this point that we come to the climax of the film: Izu’s act of betrayal and Itha’s destruction and downfall. Now I can’t mention this part of the movie without going on a brief tangent about the music. While this is not my favorite soundtrack, the music here does what a good soundtrack does: amplify the emotions of the moment.

There are three main themes, which I think are very important to the story. The first is the opening title theme. It is a simple and peaceful theme, although there is a hint of melancholy to the tune, which serves as foreshadowing for what is about to transpire. The land surrounding the great tree of Windaria is fertile and green. Life may be a tad bucolic, but it is a good life and one that is in harmony with the natural world. The second theme is the music for the first flood. Again, the music is simple and to the point and is clearly meant to invoke the sound of rushing water. The music crescendos as the water grows more out of control and it only slows down when Izu closes the floodgates.

The last theme is the one that plays during Izu’s act of betrayal. I’m not a musicologist, but this theme is very similar to the second one, but I think it is played in a different key. Again the floodgates are opened, but this time the music tells us that there is no saving the city. As the floodwaters completely lose control and it is apparent there is no stopping the disaster, we hear the Windaria theme layered over the theme for the floodwaters as the civilians trapped in the city can only look on helplessly and wait for the inevitable. Whatever faults one might ascribe to the rest of the film, I think this scene is brilliant as it underscores both the personal downfall of Izu, who we believed to be the hero, and the downfall of the kingdom.

After sealing Paro’s victory, Izu appears to gain the glory he so desperately fought for. He is given a handsome reward from the kingdom and regularly holds lavish parties befitting his newly acquired stature. His lavish parties draw the ire of the kingdom’s leaders though. His pride and hubris is seen as an annoyance, a garish insult to the lives lost in the war, so the leaders decide to kill him in order to rid themselves of an annoying distraction. He barely escapes the assassination attempt and frantically flees, leaving all his wealth in Paro behind.    

After the assassination attempt, Izu escapes the kingdom and fate conspires to bring him back to the site of his old life. His old life is dead though, as is his former lover. Another casualty of the war, which he so eagerly took up arms to join. He can only watch helplessly as she becomes another soul to be claimed by the Ghost Ship. In many stories, this would be where he would give his life, sacrifice himself out of the loss of his one true love, comparable to Romeo and Juliet. The character of Izu persists though, waiting for the moment he can pilot the ghost ship, where he can collect the souls lost in this senseless war and spend presumably the rest of his life atoning for the weight of his sin.

As a story, Windaria resonates with me because it is a story about atonement. Death would be the easy way out, yet Izu persists in living in order to make amends. In Izu, we have a character who embodies the sum total of humanity’s best and worst traits. Its both a compelling portrayal of the best we can hope to be and how easy it is to fall, to succumb to ego and pride and destroy all that we have made for ourselves in the process.

Overall, Windaria is a simple story, but simple shouldn’t be construed as bad. The story of tragic misunderstandings provoking needless bloodshed and violence is an old one, so it isn’t necessary to have a lot of world building lore, so long as we have a basic understanding of what motivates the two factions and our primary characters. This absence of deep world building is more than compensated by a lot of character depth and the soundtrack does a great deal to emphasize the weight of individual decisions and underscore the depth of the tragedy. To date, this movie has not seen a proper Blu-Ray release, but hopefully Diskotek or some other anime distributor picks this one up so a new audience can discover this little gem.   

[mariacallous]

More than a decade ago, the German government made the deliberate decision to kill the ability of the Bundeswehr, Germany’s military, to fight a conventional land war in Europe and strip it of the equipment, manpower, and resources to do so. In 1990, as the Cold War was ending, the then-West German Bundeswehr alone was still able to field 215 combat battalions in a high state of readiness. Today, Germany has around 34 battalions, and the word “combat” is a bit of a misnomer. They are at such a low state of military readiness that when the 10th Tank Division conducted an exercise late last year, its entire deployed fleet of 18 Puma infantry fighting vehicles broke down.

The decrepit state of the Bundeswehr now stands in the way of the German government’s stated intention to play a greater role in European security and deterrence against future Russian aggression. Berlin’s offer last month to permanently deploy a full combat brigade in Lithuania may reflect the beginnings of a shift in German strategic culture, but it is unclear whether the Bundeswehr can pull even this task off. It took the German military two years of preparation for one such brigade just to be ready for exercises in Norway in 2019, when Germany led NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, the alliance’s first responder to any military crisis. Germany’s pledge in 2022 to be able to deploy an entire division, or up to 30,000 soldiers, for NATO’s territorial defense by 2025 also remains doubtful. Even stripping other Bundeswehr units of equipment will likely be insufficient to adequately outfit an entire division.

There is, however, one bit of good news that might help Germany overcome this epic security debacle. While Germany just about killed the Bundeswehr, it did not kill the German defense industry. One of the world’s largest and most technologically advanced, Germany’s defense sector would have the products, technology, and manufacturing know-how to meet many of the Bundeswehr’s modernization demands over the coming decades. But to realize the modernization of the Bundeswehr through the German defense industry would require Berlin to have tenacious political will, a strong commitment to long-term financing plans, and a willingness to slash bureaucratic red tape in order to expedite and professionalize procurement processes.

With 135,000 workers inside Germany alone and some $30 billion in annual revenues, German defense companies are already among the world’s most important producers—and could indeed close many of the Bundeswehr’s existing capability gaps. The German defense sector’s key products include air defense systems (mobile, short-range, and medium-range); ground-based electronic warfare systems; loitering munitions; precision-guided munitions of all ranges and advanced artillery rounds; artillery systems, main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, and next-generation armored vehicles; diesel-electric submarines (and perhaps large uncrewed underwater vehicles in the not-so-distant future); digitally encrypted communications; and networking and cloud capabilities for modern battle management. All these are systems the Bundeswehr desperately needs.

Rheinmetall, for example, is not only one of Europe’s largest makers of munitions, capable of producing up to 450,000 rounds of heavy artillery shells per year—a crucial capability even in a 21st-century war, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine war has shown. The company has also developed a host of high-tech systems needed in a future high-intensity war. This includes the mobile Skyranger air defense system fitted onto a Boxer armored fighting vehicle, as well as a new main battle tank, the Panther KF51, which the company wants to sell to and even manufacture in Ukraine. Rheinmetall has also developed a whole family of autonomous ground vehicles that can be armed under its Mission Master program. A Rheinmetall subsidiary has also developed a precision loitering munition system, the HERO, which the Bundeswehr has not yet ordered.

When it comes to enhancing the Bundeswehr’s ability to conduct precision strikes, two German defense contractors are currently working with the German subsidiary of MBDA, the French-British-Italian missile-maker, on ground-based cruise missile and support systems. Their Joint Fire Support Missile will have a range of around 300 kilometers (about 186 miles) and may be procured by the Bundeswehr, but no contract has been signed.

Although the German defense bureaucracy has been slow, some modernization efforts are already going on. Rohde & Schwarz, an electronics group, is in the process of equipping the Bundeswehr with digitally encrypted communications, while Blackned is providing the technology for ground forces to link multiple platforms and weapons systems into battle networks. German artificial intelligence defense company Helsing has been working with the Bundeswehr to integrate existing platforms, such as armored vehicles, into AI-enabled battle networks to enhance their combat capabilities.

Furthermore, the Bundeswehr is also in the process of procuring a number of U.S.- and European-made systems, such as drones, fighter jets, transport planes, maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters, and anti-ship and land attack missiles, to meet its modernization demands. German companies are important component suppliers in all of these products. The Bundeswehr also funds a number of joint European research and development programs, including the Main Ground Combat System and the Future Combat Air System, both of which involve leading German defense companies.

If the potential to harness Germany’s world-class defense industry is there, Berlin is not exploiting it to the extent it could. There are four main obstacles holding back the German government and Bundeswehr.

The first obstacle remains money. Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Germany’s political leadership has been eager to signal to allies and partners that it plans to take defense more seriously. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised to make the Bundeswehr the “best-equipped force in Europe” and meet NATO’s defense spending target of 2 percent of GDP. Germany’s land forces are currently using a special fund of 100 billion euros (about $107 billion) to procure new military hardware, including 35 F-35A fifth-generation combat aircraft. But given almost three decades of systematically starving the Bundeswehr, the fund will not suffice. To close capability gaps faster, the regular defense budget would need to be increased by about 20 percent to reach 60 billion euros annually, according to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. Yet current budget proposals cap German defense spending at 50.1 billion euros for the coming years—in essence, a shrinking budget given the currently strong impact of inflation.

Second, German defense companies have a capacity problem. They cannot sustain a fast scale-up of production. In part, this is because they often specialize in complex, multipurpose platforms whose production is not so easy to ramp up. There are supply chain challenges as well, including in semiconductors and some raw materials. Most importantly, however, Berlin has kept German defense companies on a tight leash. It has been excruciatingly slow to issue multiyear contracts, insists on repeated renegotiations, and now seems to expect that German companies prefinance the expansion of production lines without firm orders in place. The companies, understandably, have balked.

Third, there is a massive issue with red tape. The German government in general, but particularly the agency in charge of military procurement—the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support—is where defense programs usually go to die a slow, bureaucratic death. Bizarre examples are legion: German pilots have been waiting for a decade for new helmets, and the ground forces have been trying to replace faulty rifles since 2015. Procuring these items should not be rocket science.

Germany’s dysfunctional procurement bureaucracy also delayed signing a new contract for a much-needed mobile short-range air defense system. Obstacles include overly extensive specifications set by the Bundeswehr for individual systems and platforms, strict European Union rules on tenders, and political capriciousness where a change in government can overthrow procurement plans and cancel programs. Tenders also get canceled and reissued, leading to paralyzing legal battles. Reforms are currently underway. Last year, the government approved a new, simplified procurement procedure, and Pistorius replaced the procurement agency’s head to underline that he means business. The jury is still out on whether any of this will bring real change.

Fourth, a cultural shift needs to happen if Germany wants a modernized and combat-capable Bundeswehr. At the core of it has to be a new societal consensus that military force can be used for good in the world and to advance legitimate German national interests. This may prove difficult given the common perception among the German elite that war is a dirty business far beneath the Germans’ superior stage of moral and intellectual development—and better left to others. Indeed, the German political elite gets especially queasy about many of the modern battlefield technologies that are already defining the future of war, including uncrewed platforms such as combat drones and loitering munitions. Advances in AI will, at some point, make these platforms capable of relatively autonomous operations. If they want to live up to their promises of turning the Bundeswehr into a 21st-century fighting force, German policymakers will have to learn to be comfortable procuring and deploying armed, remotely piloted platforms and loitering munitions today—and embrace developments in battlefield autonomy. Right now, much of the public debate does not even distinguish between uncrewed and autonomous, conflating the two into one bucket of unpalatable technology.

For now, AI projects for the Bundeswehr are primarily related to so-called C4 (command, control, communications, and computers) or ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance). What is most urgently needed, however, is long-term financing of projects to team up humans and machines, which will be key to future military effectiveness. Autonomous ground vehicles, especially, could be a major new field for the German defense industry, which is traditionally strong in vehicle technology and production. There are some German defense firms already doing work in this area, but the lack of a clear German industrial policy on defense AI, as well as the country’s reluctance to embrace autonomy, is a major impediment.

This cultural reluctance could have concrete consequences for platforms already under development. For example, the platforms that will eventually emerge from Europe’s Main Ground Combat System and Future Combat Air System programs would likely be deployed by the Bundeswehr without their full technical potential for autonomy. This could endanger the lives of German soldiers, who will have to take over dangerous missions that other militaries might delegate to uncrewed vehicles. Disagreement over defense AI and lethal autonomy on the future battlefield also complicates German defense industry cooperation with other countries. Indeed, contractors such as France’s Thales and Britain’s BAE Systems could take advantage of Germany’s self-imposed constraints and gain market share in autonomous aerial and naval systems or autonomous/semi-autonomous precision-guided munitions. Germans will find it extremely challenging to overcome their reluctance to embrace platform autonomy and other aspects of defense AI, but failing to do so could have severe long-term consequences for the Bundeswehr’s ability to fight a high-intensity war in the coming decade.

As these challenges illustrate, it is not enough for a country like Germany to have the technological know-how and industrial base to deliver cutting-edge weapons if there are restrictions on how a military can profit from these capabilities. Of course, bureaucratic inertia, capacity problems, and financing issues are not unique to Germany. But a cultural aversion to military power is, and it continues to undermine the industry’s potential and future standing. Germany’s defense industry not only has the potential to play a larger role in modernizing the Bundeswehr, but it can play a similar role for other European militaries. It could, together with France, Britain, and other defense industrial powers, become Europe’s arsenal of democracy. For this to happen, however, the Zeitenwende announced by Scholz has to be more than just an intention for Germany to do more on defense. A real Zeitenwende in the minds of Germany’s leaders, opinion-makers, and society would need to occur.

[fromtheothersideby]

🚨 LIVE SHOW 88 – Invasion or Illusion: The Day the Earth Stopped Still 🚨

Streaming TONIGHT from a cooler Minsk, Belarus! 🛰🌍 Join us on Rumble and YouTube this Wednesday, October 16th, 2024, for an action-packed episode at 8 PM Minsk, 6 PM London, 1 PM New York, 1 AM Beijing, and 4 AM Sydney.

https://rumble.com/v5iw8ll-live-show-88-invasion-or-illusion-the-day-the-earth-stood-still.html

Here’s what’s coming up: 👽 Are we on the edge of an alien invasion? Could it be a false flag to trigger a one-world government? UAPs buzzing US military sites! 🧠 Elon Musk’s new robot and his warning about AI and robots causing mass unemployment. 📱 Phone hacking by the authorities. 🇦🇺 The Australian PM’s "I don’t care" moment. 🎥 Ukraine propaganda and NATO exercises. 🌍 China flexing its military muscle and ongoing genocidal attacks in the Middle East. 🗳 US election updates and accusations against Tim Walz. 🎤 A Diddy update! And wrapping it up—our fan-favorite segment, You Don’t See That in Belarus!

Don’t miss this epic show—Live Show 88 is about to start! 🎙

#LiveShow88 #Aliens #FalseFlag #AI #Ukraine #China #DiddyUpdate #Belarus

[musicinstrumentsins]

Career Paths for Bassoon Instrument Players

The bassoon might not be the first instrument that comes to mind when you think of a soloist. Right? It is pretty obvious! However, do not let its unpretentious appearance deceive you. This unique woodwind, with its deep, rich sound, is a vital part of the orchestral world. From the grandest symphony halls to the most intimate chamber music settings, the bassoon plays a crucial role. It is a journey that demands technical skill, artistic flair, and a deep love for music. Did you know there are a variety of satisfying career paths for dedicated bassoonists? Yes! Let's read on!

Orchestral Life is probably the most common option for bassoonists. Imagine being part of a massive musical family, playing your part in bringing epic symphonies, ballets, or operas to life. It is a world of grandeur and teamwork. Isn't it? Chamber Music is where the magic happens in smaller groups. You get to dive deep into the music, connect with your fellow musicians, and explore a whole different side of your gear. It is like having intimate conversations through music - the best and sweetest language ever! Soloists might sound like a dream, and it can be! But it takes incredible talent and dedication. If you have the chops, you can win competitions, play recitals, and even record your music. It is a spotlight all to yourself.

Teaching is another rewarding way to share your passion. Whether you are inspiring young minds in a school, guiding college students, or working one-on-one with private students, you are helping shape the future of music. Freelancing is for the adventurous spirits. You are your boss, jumping from orchestras to chamber groups, teaching, and maybe even recording sessions. It is a rollercoaster of projects and challenges, but it offers incredible flexibility. Military or college bands provide a steady gig with opportunities to perform and often teach as well. It is a structured path with a sense of community.

However, no matter which career path you follow, protect your gear with a comprehensive bassoon insurance plan in the first place.

Auditions: The Musician's Everest

Auditions can feel like climbing Mount Everest in a tux. It is tough, it could be scary, but with the right prep, you can conquer it for sure. Mark the words. First, know your stuff inside and out. Do not just play the notes. Try to feel the music. Every little squiggle on the page tells a story. Second, make sure your fingers can do what your brain wants. Practice those scales and tricky bits until they are second nature. But it is not just about being perfect. You have got to bring the music to life. Let your personality shine through.

And remember, your body is your instrument. Take care of it with good posture, breathing exercises, and maybe even a little workout. Performance anxiety? Well, many of us have come across the same. Learn to calm your nerves with visualization, meditation, or just taking some deep breaths. And do not forget to practice under audition conditions. It is like a dress rehearsal before a gala performance. Lastly, get some feedback. A fresh pair of ears can spot things you might miss. Your teacher or a trusted musician can be a lifesaver. However, before you get started purchase a dedicated bassoon insurance policy - one solution for many problems.

Building a Freelance Career

Being a freelance bassoonist is like running your music startup. It is exciting, but it is also a lot of work. First, you need to make friends in high places. Network with conductors, music directors, and other musicians. Go to concerts, parties, and industry events. It is all about building connections. Then, you need to sell yourself. Create a website that screams "hire me!" and use social media to show off your skills. Let people know what you can do. Understand contracts, taxes, and how to manage your money. It might not be as fun as playing, but it is essential.

[capitalism-is-parasitism]

Necropolitics

What does getting used to it look like? It looks like accepting that there are certain groups of people who can be killed. That it is, in fact, reasonable and necessary that they should die in order to maintain a political system that is built on the inequality of human life. This is what the philosopher Achille Mbembe calls “necropolitics” – the exercising of power to dictate how some people live and how others must die.

Necropolitics creates “deathworlds” where there are “new and unique forms of social existence in which vast populations are subjected to living conditions that confer upon them the status of the living dead.” In those deathworlds the killing of others, and the destruction of their habitat through epic military capabilities whose impact is never experienced by the citizens of the countries responsible, confer even more value on the humanity of those in the “civilised” west. They are exempt because they are "good,", not because they are strong. Palestinians die because they are "bad," not because they are weak.

[back-and-totheleft]

"I don't assume I have any power"

Robert Downey Jnr, no stranger to nocturnal excess, once observed how an evening out with Oliver Stone was 'like pagan Rome, 26AD'. When I meet the director at lunchtime in a hotel room in Edinburgh he looks very much as if he is regretting just such a night-before. His eyes seem wary of the light; his big gap-toothed grin could equally be a wince; he reaches with some fervour for coffee.

In fact, Stone's fatigue is innocently explained. He has, he says, flown in the previous night from Bangkok where he has been scouting locations for his life of Alexander the Great, starring Colin Farrell, which goes into production next month. (Stone is not a man to shy away from the big subject: having made his obsessive epics on JFK and Nixon, there are not that many ways to up the stakes, but Alexander is possibly one.)

'We're doing the stage work in England,' he says, 'a lot of other stuff in Thailand and Morocco. It's a fast shoot. We have to do the whole thing in a hundred days. So it's going to be like an old-fashioned military machine.'

In the past year, Stone has had a good deal of first-hand experience of how just such an operation might work. He is in Edinburgh to launch the documentary film he has made about Castro's Cuba, Comandante, the result of an unprecedented three days of interviews with the dictator. The film was scheduled to be shown by the HBO network in America in May. 'But unfortunately,' Stone explains, apparently surprised, 'it got politicised by the Cuban American lobby in Miami. Millions of emails were sent to HBO. They really pounded it. And, of course,' he adds, 'Castro gave them some juice by arresting these dissidents in April.' HBO pulled the film.

The irony of this is, Stone suggests, straightfaced, that he was not at all trying to make anything 'political'. 'I mean, I ask him a few questions. But it was a broad picture of a strong man, a comandante. I wanted to ask him his feelings about life and death, about the future, about globalisation, philosophy rather than politics…'

The best moments of their encounter offer little human insights, as Stone's neurotic camera dwells on the detail of Castro's life: the dictator's boots with a Nike logo, the exercise regime he undergoes in his office, keeping in shape, at 75, for his people; his coy admission of having enjoyed Titanic and Gladiator and how Sophia Loren was his pin-up. Sometimes, too, Stone's bluff line of questioning works. 'Everyone seems to like you, Fidel. Why don't you hold an election?'

Often though, Stone's film threatens to take its place alongside the key sycophantic interviews of our times, Clive James on Barbra Streisand, say, or Tony Benn on Saddam Hussein. In part this seems a technical fault. The intimacy Stone is afforded by the use of digital cameras does not sit well with his love of bold gesture and grand emotion; he struggles with subtlety and contradiction and wit. Damien Hirst, oddly, once said that 'Oliver Stone had no irony, and I applaud him for that'. That lack is very much to the fore in Comandante.

Stone the interviewer is predictably anxious to be a co-star, sporting a dictator's moustache, and stranded somewhere between acolyte and best buddy. Much of the fascination of Comandante thus comes from his increasingly clumsy efforts to establish a kind of locker-room banter with Castro.

At one point Stone, with a leery grin, offers to break the American blockade by smuggling Castro some Viagra (as if, we are invited to understand, either man would ever require it?). In a limo, Stone becomes Ruby Wax and starts rummaging through the stuff on the back seat. Inevitably, he comes up with a gun. 'Do you still know how to use it, Fidel?' he wonders, his arm around the older man's shoulder. Just for a moment Castro looks tempted to remind himself.

Despite appearances, the pair had met only once before, in 1989 at the Havana film festival, which featured Salvador, Stone's first film. 'I thought he was a charming man,' he recalls, 'and a movie star, no question about it. The hard part of Comandante was cutting. We could have used almost anything from the 30 hours of film. I was amazed at his inner strength. His morality. He really believes in a dream. It's like Don Quixote.'

And is he as naive as Quixote at times, too?

'No, he reads voluminously. He reads the internet, he reads books, he loves writers, he's friends with [Gabriel García] Márquez. He's an introspective man. He talks about the terrible effects of global warming…'

And he also would have sanctioned a nuclear war…

'He had a good life, but he chose a hard path, and he has stuck with it. Stayed in power. The truth is, it seems to me, the people like him.'

In conversation, as in his work, Stone is not inclined to shades of grey. In the film he happily lets Castro get away with his assertion that Cuba is the 'most democratic country on earth' and explain how he has furthered the cause of gay liberation (Castro expelled many gays, along with 'other scum' in 1980, and they are not allowed to join his party). I wonder whether Stone decided not to press him on these issues because he thought it important simply to give Castro a platform?

'Whether he is in denial or not, my job is not to judge the veracity of his answers,' Stone says. 'My job is to try to open him up, really like a movie director tries to open up an actor. If you see deception, it is up to you. If you see him lying about torture or about gays, then that is up to you. I did not see it, but I present it for you to judge.'

He suggests there are some freedoms in Cuba that are not enjoyed in America, the freedom to see his film for a start. Could he work there, live there, do a Hemingway?

'No,' he says, with slightly belligerent illogic, 'because I was raised in the North, in North America. But if I grew up in Cuba I would grow up healthy, with an education, no doubt a foreign language, whereas if I grew up in Honduras or Guatemala I would probably get sick, likely die before I was three. I'd be scared shitless of government troops coming through and taking my mom and dad out and saying, "Who did you vote for in the last election?"'

But Castro has been in a position to create proper democracy?

'The people in these places do not care about elections,' Stone says. 'They care about good water and healthcare. The things of life. The things that Iraq for example needs now. No one there is wondering about voting, they want electric ity and sanitation. That's what matters.'

It would be fair to say that Stone, the Vietnam veteran, has never run away from a controversy. (Rather, he's prepared to fly half way around the world to promote one.) Comandante, of course, offers him another chance to expose some raw nerves at home, and for good measure he has just completed a similar film about Yasser Arafat. These are the latest chapters in a career in which he has spent Oscar night with Mexico's Zapatista guerrillas and been sued for responsibility in the murders committed in America by a young pair of teenage lovers who had stayed up all night watching his film Natural Born Killers. (The case was thrown out, but the film, a glamorously violent 'attack' on glamorised violence, struggled to recover.)

Though he is reluctant to say so, Stone's element is this kind of scandal. It allows him to indulge his maverick self-image. In some respects he proves, according to Michael Douglas (who won an Oscar in his film Wall Street) 'that in Hollywood you can be an artist and a capitalist at the same time', though Stone's critics would dispute the first description and he would take exception to the latter.

For a while, at least, he seemed to have understood the trick of making powerful issue-led films (Salvador, Born on the Fourth of July) that also appealed to the box office. (Platoon, his 'anti-establishment' Vietnam film, made $160 million.) He says he sees all of his films as coming out of the same place. 'I work from a need to dramatise what I see in the world around me,' he says, a vision that typically involves an element of megalomania, a dose of paranoia, and a liberated relationship with historical fact.

Are his insights about Castro feeding into his idea of Alexander the Great?

'Being with a world leader, seeing him work, has given me more insight into power, certainly. It is interesting to feel it, that power. The thing about these people, be it JFK or Nixon or Castro, is that the things that they are dealing with are the things we all deal with except on a much grander scale. I mean Nixon's government, it seemed to me, was a result of his childhood demons. Castro had a very happy childhood. And that seems to be the root of his sense of morality. He has married just one time; he may have many other children, but he has stayed true to that idea of marriage.'

In this (arguable) propriety, Stone has suggested, Castro reminded him of his late father, Louis. If he were making a film of his own life - and perhaps all his films are that to a degree - you are left in little doubt that his father would figure centrally in it. Louis was a successful Wall Street broker; the family had Jewish roots, a fact which Oliver was told to deny because of his father's fears of persecution. Pointedly, Stone dedicated both Nixon , his study in paranoia, and Wall Street , his morality play on greed, to his father (whose evening Scotch Oliver once laced with LSD); the films could be seen, in turn, as a working through of his own demons.

Despite his apparent obsession with powerful men, though, Stone does not believe that he is in thrall to power himself, still less trying to force the world to fit his idea of it. 'I don't for one second assume I have any power,' he says. 'I can make a movie that has an effect on the world, like JFK say. But real power is something you build on, can hold on to. In movies you start over every fucking time. I am concerned about power, but I have no power.'

I quote to him something his wife once said - 'I don't think Oliver could make a movie without being completely in love with the main character' - and wonder if that applied to Castro?

'To a degree,' he says. 'But that does not mean that I would be in love with a dictator if I did not admire him. I mean I'm not going to fall for Saddam Hussein. But I would try to humanise him. Nixon was the greatest liar of all. But I tried to humanise him. We should not get into the Hollywood thing of always having a sympathetic hero, because it undermines drama. Can we really say we like Oedipus? Or Lear? But they make great drama. America sentimentalises drama.'

There must, given his engagement in the here and now, be a temptation to bring his own American vision up to date? Has he thought about doing an Iraq film, or an al-Qaeda film?

'Well, I think a terrorist film would be an important thing to do,' he says, 'but you know even Comandante can't get on the air in America. The British are much more independent-minded: you see that in this inquiry that is going on. In America it is much more easy to float a stupid idea - you know, Iraq is the source of the 9/11 attacks - and people in the main will buy into that without questioning it too much.'

The great challenge for someone like him, in this environment is, he says, to stay true to himself. He hopes that, in 20 years' time, at 75, he will still stand for something, like Castro. 'It is very hard to maintain a vision and a voice. Nobody wants singular statements.'

Stone is pessimistic about his prospects of getting his own singular statements financed because he believes these attitudes are hardening. 'There's a danger,' he says, 'that we are turning into a giant lynch mob, you know, that mentality. The greatest film to be made at the moment would be a version of The Ox-Bow Incident, that Henry Fonda movie. A movie about hanging three people in a cowboy town. That blind vigilantism is what you see everywhere in America now, in the media, in the people. America wants to see Schwarzenegger wiping up the baddies. They wanted vengeance for 9/11. They wanted to kill Arabs. That was why Bush got away with it. It was a lie, that war, and as Goebbels I think said, the bigger the lie, the more they will believe it.'

However much you think that phrase could happily sum up the director's career, Stone is one of the few Americans prepared, eager, to say that the reaction to 11 September was 'disproportionate and hysterical'. What we need, he says, is a Costa-Gavras to come along and make a big film about terrorism and imperialism. Part of him certainly wishes he could do it but he believes there 'would be so much pre-judgment of it, no one would want to go near it'.

Instead, Stone is looking forward to finding some contemporary resonance in Alexander the Great's imperial progress. Baz Luhrmann is making a film about Alexander too (with Leonardo DiCaprio as the lead) and you imagine the pair will offer, if nothing else, a compelling contrast in style: Stone's polemical realism against Luhrmann's insistent light-footedness.

Stone says, of course, that there is no element of competition, though it is hard to imagine him not relishing it. The only thing he admits to be racing against is the script. 'You could tell any number of stories about Alexander because he is such a powerful character. But we are going to make an attempt at one. It's a big-budget movie, but of course,' he says, grinning, 'I will be shooting it like a guerrilla, I guess.' He likes that idea. 'No rest for one hundred days!' For a moment, the prospect seems to wake him up.

-Tim Adams, "Oliver's One Man Army," The Observer, Aug 31 2003

[sqinsights]

Target Drones: Flying High in Military Training or Just Another Buzz in the Sky?

In a world where military training meets the cutting edge of technology, enter the realm of target drones — unmanned aerial vehicles designed to make military exercises as real as binge-watching a suspenseful TV series. But hold on, before you start imagining a swarm of flying robots taking over the skies, let’s dive into the not-so-robotic details of the Global Target Drone Market.

Bulls-Eye Numbers: The Market at a Glance

So, what’s the buzz in the drone world? The Global Target Drone Market, valued at a cool USD 4.50 billion in 2022, is gearing up for a thrilling rollercoaster ride, set to reach a jaw-dropping USD 8.56 billion by 2031. Now, that’s what we call a financial takeoff at a 7.4% CAGR. Someone’s definitely aiming for the stars, or in this case, the military skies.

Who’s Ruling the Drone Dominion?

Picture this: Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Northrop Grumman Corporation, QinetiQ Group plc, and Airbus SE strutting their stuff in the drone market catwalk. These key players aren’t just winging it; they’re flexing their expertise in UAV technology, making sure our military is on top of its game. Because, let’s face it, when it comes to military training, there’s no room for half-baked maneuvers.

Target Drones: More than Just a High-Flying Spectacle

Why the drone drama, you ask? Military forces worldwide are on a mission — a mission for realistic and cost-effective training exercises. Target drones, also known as thespians in the training theater, simulate enemy aircraft or missiles, turning military training into a blockbuster performance. It’s like Top Gun, but without Tom Cruise — and with a remote control.

Taking Flight: The Market Dynamics

As we navigate through the drone-filled skies, it’s clear that military modernization, UAV technology advancements, and a hunger for enhanced military training capabilities are propelling the target drone market forward. But, and there’s always a but, airspace restrictions, regulatory constraints, and the rise of virtual reality simulations are like storm clouds threatening the drone parade.

For More Information: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/target-drone-market

Drone Variety Show: Subsonic, Supersonic, and Hypersonic

In the drone world, it’s not just about looking cool; it’s about how fast you can go. Subsonic target drones are stealing the spotlight, dominating the market with their versatility and cost-effectiveness. However, don’t blink — the hypersonic drones are the rising stars, emulating complex threat scenarios at breakneck speeds. It’s like choosing between a slow waltz and a high-speed tango in the military dance floor.

Military Training Takes Center Stage

What’s the key to military success? Realistic training, of course! Military training and simulation steal the spotlight, creating a blockbuster performance in the target drone market. Picture this: military personnel engaging in aerial combat maneuvers, missile engagements, and anti-aircraft defense tactics — all from the comfort of a controlled environment. It’s like a high-stakes video game, but with real consequences.

Region Wars: North America vs. Europe vs. Asia Pacific

In the epic battle for drone supremacy, North America takes the lead, thanks to its defense manufacturing prowess and hefty investments in the defense sector. Europe, not to be outdone, follows closely, with nations like the UK, Germany, and France adding their firepower to the drone arsenal. Meanwhile, Asia Pacific is rising through the ranks, showing that the drone drama is truly a global affair.

Plot Twist: The Competitive Landscape

In the grand finale, enter the top players: Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, AeroTargets International, Northrop Grumman, QinetiQ Group, Airbus, Boeing, and a cast of other drone enthusiasts. It’s not just about flying; it’s about staying ahead in the drone game. These companies are pushing the boundaries with innovations, product development, and collaborations, ensuring they don’t fall out of the sky in this fast-paced market.

Recent Developments: Drones in the News

And now, a sneak peek into the latest episodes of the drone soap opera. QinetiQ swoops in with a contract from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions bags a sweet USD 20 million deal, and we witness the drone market unfold its wings in the international arena.

Conclusion: The Sky’s the Limit, but Watch Out for Turbulence

As the curtain falls on the target drone market spectacle, one thing is clear — the skies are buzzing with excitement. Military forces worldwide are embracing the drone revolution for realistic training, weapons testing, surveillance, and research and development. It’s a high-flying drama with its fair share of challenges, but the show must go on. So, fasten your seatbelts, and let the drone drama unfold in the military training skies!

About Us-

SkyQuest Technology Group is a Global Market Intelligence, Innovation Management & Commercialization organization that connects innovation to new markets, networks & collaborators for achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

Contact Us-

SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

1 Apache Way,

Westford,

Massachusetts 01886

USA (+1) 617–230–0741

Email- info@skyquestt.com

Website: https://www.skyquestt.com

[market-spy]

Target Drones: Flying High in Military Training or Just Another Buzz in the Sky?

In a world where military training meets the cutting edge of technology, enter the realm of target drones — unmanned aerial vehicles designed to make military exercises as real as binge-watching a suspenseful TV series. But hold on, before you start imagining a swarm of flying robots taking over the skies, let’s dive into the not-so-robotic details of the Global Target Drone Market.

Bulls-Eye Numbers: The Market at a Glance

So, what’s the buzz in the drone world? The Global Target Drone Market, valued at a cool USD 4.50 billion in 2022, is gearing up for a thrilling rollercoaster ride, set to reach a jaw-dropping USD 8.56 billion by 2031. Now, that’s what we call a financial takeoff at a 7.4% CAGR. Someone’s definitely aiming for the stars, or in this case, the military skies.

Who’s Ruling the Drone Dominion?

Picture this: Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Northrop Grumman Corporation, QinetiQ Group plc, and Airbus SE strutting their stuff in the drone market catwalk. These key players aren’t just winging it; they’re flexing their expertise in UAV technology, making sure our military is on top of its game. Because, let’s face it, when it comes to military training, there’s no room for half-baked maneuvers.

Target Drones: More than Just a High-Flying Spectacle

Why the drone drama, you ask? Military forces worldwide are on a mission — a mission for realistic and cost-effective training exercises. Target drones, also known as thespians in the training theater, simulate enemy aircraft or missiles, turning military training into a blockbuster performance. It’s like Top Gun, but without Tom Cruise — and with a remote control.

Taking Flight: The Market Dynamics

As we navigate through the drone-filled skies, it’s clear that military modernization, UAV technology advancements, and a hunger for enhanced military training capabilities are propelling the target drone market forward. But, and there’s always a but, airspace restrictions, regulatory constraints, and the rise of virtual reality simulations are like storm clouds threatening the drone parade.

For More Information: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/target-drone-market

Drone Variety Show: Subsonic, Supersonic, and Hypersonic

In the drone world, it’s not just about looking cool; it’s about how fast you can go. Subsonic target drones are stealing the spotlight, dominating the market with their versatility and cost-effectiveness. However, don’t blink — the hypersonic drones are the rising stars, emulating complex threat scenarios at breakneck speeds. It’s like choosing between a slow waltz and a high-speed tango in the military dance floor.

Military Training Takes Center Stage

What’s the key to military success? Realistic training, of course! Military training and simulation steal the spotlight, creating a blockbuster performance in the target drone market. Picture this: military personnel engaging in aerial combat maneuvers, missile engagements, and anti-aircraft defense tactics — all from the comfort of a controlled environment. It’s like a high-stakes video game, but with real consequences.

Region Wars: North America vs. Europe vs. Asia Pacific

In the epic battle for drone supremacy, North America takes the lead, thanks to its defense manufacturing prowess and hefty investments in the defense sector. Europe, not to be outdone, follows closely, with nations like the UK, Germany, and France adding their firepower to the drone arsenal. Meanwhile, Asia Pacific is rising through the ranks, showing that the drone drama is truly a global affair.

Plot Twist: The Competitive Landscape

In the grand finale, enter the top players: Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, AeroTargets International, Northrop Grumman, QinetiQ Group, Airbus, Boeing, and a cast of other drone enthusiasts. It’s not just about flying; it’s about staying ahead in the drone game. These companies are pushing the boundaries with innovations, product development, and collaborations, ensuring they don’t fall out of the sky in this fast-paced market.

Recent Developments: Drones in the News

And now, a sneak peek into the latest episodes of the drone soap opera. QinetiQ swoops in with a contract from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions bags a sweet USD 20 million deal, and we witness the drone market unfold its wings in the international arena.

Conclusion: The Sky’s the Limit, but Watch Out for Turbulence

As the curtain falls on the target drone market spectacle, one thing is clear — the skies are buzzing with excitement. Military forces worldwide are embracing the drone revolution for realistic training, weapons testing, surveillance, and research and development. It’s a high-flying drama with its fair share of challenges, but the show must go on. So, fasten your seatbelts, and let the drone drama unfold in the military training skies!

About Us-

SkyQuest Technology Group is a Global Market Intelligence, Innovation Management & Commercialization organization that connects innovation to new markets, networks & collaborators for achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

Contact Us-

SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

1 Apache Way,

Westford,

Massachusetts 01886

USA (+1) 617–230–0741

Email- info@skyquestt.com

Website: https://www.skyquestt.com