#I relate to ralph unfortunately

[flight-freedom]

Kinda wanna surreptitiously put this sticker on the bumper of a police car.

[sassy-radio-hazbin-queen]

This is my version of Loonatics unleashed. I decided to do my own version. So some major differences are.

1- The Loonatics take place in 2017 which makes it's a bit more relatable to us. I love the designs of the future but I have to admit I found it weird with all the new technology the phones still look very early 2000s 😂.

2- The looney tunes are there Great Grandparents not 300th Great grandparent.

3- Duck and Rev are Girls. I wonder how come there was only one girl in the team. There supposed to be descendants not carbon copies 😒. I mean we're they saying girls can't be descendants from boys.

4- Ace and Lexi are Fraternal twins. Guys I'm sorry I just can't seem to ship them. They are descendants of Lola and Bugs bunny who are in a canonical relationship. It's a cute ship don't get me wrong. But for me it's just weird.

5- The Loonatics are young adults. Wikipedia says there teenagers but these guys are in universitys?? There ages are. Slam and Tech 22, Ace and Lexi 20 , Rev and Danger 18.

6- Zadalvia is NICE to Danger.

7- There backstories. Starting with Slam Tasmanian.

First off he can Talk. I never understood why they gave Wiles and Roadrunner descendants talking abilities but not him.

He lived in Tasmania and has an Australian accent kinda like Hugh Jackman. Some humans said they were going to take there home unless Slam comes up with 100,000,000,000,000,000 dollars. ( Which is impossible) so he signs up for American wrestling. He goes to America but finds out it's not what he thought. However a meteor changes his life forever. He has a younger kid sister who is his biggest supporter and lived with his mom after there father walked out on the family. Loves to cook. His birthday is May 4th and yes the others do joke and say May the 4th be with you much to his annoyance. Zodiac is Taurus ♉

Next up Tech e Coyote

His backstory is kinda complicated. He was diagnosed with Asperger's when he was 4 and was often bullied to the point where he is TERRIFIED of public speaking. He has lots of stim toys and sometimes didn't feel like talking. During college he befriended a shy bullied girl names Mallory and eventually fell in love with her. Unfortunately there was an accident he caused by mistake and she ended up becoming the Mastermind. He tried with inventing again but after several accidents he was kicked out of the university. However a meteor changes his life forever. Birthday Dec 30. Zodiac Capricorn ♑.

Next up Ace and Lexi

I decided to do these two together since there twins so they basically lived the same lives. Ace is the older twin and is a daredevil who got in trouble with his parents alot. As for Lexi she was a very sweet girl who everyone liked. She was definitely the angel to aces devil personality. However this came at the cost of her getting bullied and Ace getting detention alot in high school. ( Because no one messes with a guy's younger sister especially if she is your twin) at college though he seemed to mature a bit and Lexi learned how to deal with bullies with her one passion Dancing. She loves Ballet. And Ace wanted to be a Actor like his Great Grandpa Bugs bunny. Unfortunately try outs didn't go well for either. But a Meteor changes there lives forever. There birthday is Oct. 13 making them Libras ♎

And now for everyone favorite talkative roadrunner Rev Runner.

Ok so like I said Rev is a girl runner. She had a pretty standard life. However her parents never believed she had ADHD just thinking she was faster than normal or not paying attention to them. Her younger brother Rip is 10 in this world and as far as she is concerned. She is more his mother than there own. Harriet and Ralph are pretty rich and practically use there kids to help make money. Rev being the oldest was put under a lot of pressure growing up. Ralph often would push Rev to her limits. To make things worse he was Willing to Marry her to some Creep to get more money. Luckily she got away. Unfortunately she couldn't take her brother with her. Something that still crushes her. She started work at a diner as a waitress. She was miserable until a certain meteor struck earth changing her life forever. Her birthday is Feb 1. Her Zodiac is Aquarius ♒

For the Final loonatic. My personal favorite Danger Duck

( this is the only gif of him are you kidding me 😂)

Anyway like Rev she is a Girl. And the youngest of the team. Her life wasn't exactly easy at all. Her parents were murdered in front of her by psycho clowns at age 5. Then she went through several foster homes with all of them sending her back cause she was a ' problem child'. None of them realized she was lashing out in grief. She practically grew up in the system. She had only one friend. Pinkster Pig. However when he got adopted he started changing and bullied her throughout high school. When she hit 18 she was kicked out of the orphanage and was homeless taking off jobs just so she can sleep somewhere. Her latest job and place was at a pool place. After a hard day of work. A meteor changes her life forever. Her birthday is July 25. Her Zodiac is Leo ♌

As for Zadalvia. Since she is an alien I decided to make her more like avatar. She has a striped tail. And is green skin. Her outfit is Blue. And she has Orange hair. She is 35 years old. Her backstory is pretty much the same. Except I decided to have Optimus ( I dont know how to spell his name) is possessed by the robo stuff he wears. There parents died when she was young and he became an adult. After years of ruling freleng he found a robot costume and put it on. Unfortunately it possessed him. He imprisoned his sister but she escaped with the help of a rocket. Resulting in the meteor. Her birthday is September 3. Her Zodiac is Virgo ♍.

And that's basically my version of the Loonatics hope you like them 😊

[loz-furbies]

Din

Design

I like Din's design from the shoulders up; I think she has a cuter face than Nayru and the hairstyle is fun and memorable. I also like that she appears to be a bit more muscular than the average anime pretty girl.

However the rest of her look is kind of a mess. What exactly is that outfit anyway? For starters I just can't help thinking how impractical that hyper tight jumpsuit is for using the bathroom. Also I really don't think hot pink goes well with the purple decorations, or especially with her bright red hair, and I'm not a fan of the flame sashes being the exact same colour as her hair either. The triangle pattern is a struggle to draw too since the references are inconsistent on which side of the outfit they are, or if it's symmetric.

And then there's the bangles, they are just so huge and the rest of the design doesn't exactly match them. You'd need a lot more magical super form goddess tier design for anti-gravity bracelets this big not to look awkward and Din here is just too casual for that. When I recently drew Din with her arms on Nayru and Farore's shoulders I debated if I should just leave them out but decided to include them in the end, which was a mistake because they just look so stupid...

I guess the frills do make me think of a flamenco dancer so at least the outfit checks out as a dancer outfit. And Nayru has similar frills in her design so they contrast each other quite nicely, with Din's design being the more active one to Nayru's more prim and proper look.

She has noticeably darker skin in the full colour GBC art (below), but apparently that didn't make it to the sprite. I'm guessing that's a hardware limitation?

Character

Din has a fun and playful personality, and at the beginning of the game she invites Link to dance with her and later says she had fun. The other NPCs also state that she is kind, as she was the one who took care of Link when he was out cold for a bit. And that's about all there is to Din honestly since she gets kidnapped right after.

She does have a bit of magic pixie dream girl element to her, like pretty much the only character-based thing she gets to do in the whole game is to drag the mc-kun she just met to join her fun. But I still prefer her to Nayru since at least she uses the little space she has to make an impact well. So she's above the early franchise damsels in that at least she has a distinct and likable personality, which makes it more motivating to save her than if she was just some random girl.

Din's role as the Oracle of Seasons is pretty superficial, at least you get the time travel harp from Nayru's house and also teaches you some songs for it, and obviously the villain took over her body specifically to use her powers to travel to the past, but Din doesn't really get to do anything worthwhile with her powers.

Role in the story

I played Ages first, and Nayru being surprisingly present in the story raised the expectations for Din as well. Which means it was especially disappointing when she's barely in the game; You meet her for a few minutes in the beginning, she gets kidnapped, and won't be around until the very end when you finally save her to do some cutscene magic. Nayru at least was kept relevant in various ways (her possessed body shows up, there's an NPC who talks about her at every opportunity and she is rescued partway through the game) but Din just falls off the earth. Honestly I really like Din but I'm sorry in the game she just sucks.

I do like that Din is somewhat associated with the Triforce of Power at least; the Triforce is supposed to be a neutral force but the Power triangle is always with Ganon, so it's nice to have a good guy related to it for once.

Relationships

Unfortunately nothing to talk about. I really wish Din had a character like Ralph around her for example from her dance troupe, but that is not the case.

[ladespeinada]

having finished watching the bear in the early hours of the morning, i have some thoughts rattling around in my head that i need to jot down because they keep distracting me from work, lmao. spoilers under the cut 

→ i had fun! it was emotional! it was stressful! i was entertained and then i had to suppress the feelings of familial relatability brought up in ep. 6!  → MARCUS!!! TINA!!! NAT!!! EBRA!!! RICHIEEEEEEE!!!!! All going through their own shit, changing, emotional, relentless, scared, nervous. I especially loved Richie this season and he had a speech in ep. 1 that broke my heart ("I'm 45, I've been here a long time, you feel me? I mean, you know what the fuck you're doing, you know. You love all this shit. It's fun for you. I don't have that. I'm afraid imma wake up and you guys are all just gonna cut—just drop this ass.")

→ Sydney, light of my life. Her fierce ambition, so obvious and strong in S1, got tempered by doubt and distrust in her partner, by the gradual recognition that she is doing so much, too much, by herself. I don’t think it bodes well that the last shots we get of her, she’s ralphing after opening night service—after an intense kitchen set-up that tests her limits and shows who she can and cannot trust. (Giving Carmy in NY, throwing up before service vibes). And honestly? I wouldn't be mad if she really, really starts doubting her partnership with Carmy and just dips. 

→ Anyway, I came back to add that Sydney, despite her doubts and not-unfounded fears, is such a positive source for those around her. We saw it in S1, when she gave Marcus a confidence boost, when Tina sought her approval after initially being very hesitant about her. And that faith in others just increased in this season, and god, to be around someone like that, who lifts others up no matter what, is so rare. I love her so much. (And her carrying around that book the whole season! Just holding onto courage and confidence, letting it shape her leadership.) 

→ I'm so happy Natalie wasn’t relegated to glimpses this time around. She's present and focused and involved in dismantling her family’s trauma and history, and I love that for her. I also love her and Syd's relationship (them almost being synchronised in saying Carmy Problem) and her interactions with Fak, lmao. 

→ Tina at culinary school! Tina with reservations about her place but thriving and finding inspiration. There's a moment where some of the people in her class all go out, and they invite her, and when she meets them at the bar, they've all got a nasty judgemental face (it's def an age thing) but then she EATS THEM UP at karaoke with a beautiful song in English & Spanish, TINA TE ADORO. 

→ I immediately re-watched Marcus's episode and I want a spin-off series where he stages at different world-renowned bakeries and lives his best patissier life. 

→ That Variety piece that said Carmy was the least interesting character in this show was RIGHT ("It’s no coincidence that these weaker points tend to involve Carmy, a character perfectly rendered by White who’s still the least interesting part of his own show.") 

→ Speaking of: the romance between Carmy and Claire (which we all unfortunately saw happening after the trailer, and is fucking annoying, and yes part of it is because I love Syd & Carmy together, but also because the showrunners pledged no romance in the show which would have been fine, too) is BORING. So boring. I know Claire is going to get a lot of hate and honestly, it's barely fair because she's just not developed as a character at all. Beyond being someone Carmy knew in his past, and who is now stealing his time and energy away from the restaurant, there's not much to her. She's written with so little dimension, and exists purely to be Carmy's lil girlfriend and it's disappointing. She could have at least been fucking interesting. 

→ Carmy's so angry around the time of the opening, and he projects it onto everyone else, and it's really his own fault that he's not aware of what's happening in the restaurant.  → Okay so another thing—Sydney talks about how much she wants a Michelin star, how it’ll make The Bear a true destination spot. And rudely, Carmy goes, “you really want one of these bullshit stars?” to which Syd says yes, I really do, and this fucking dickhead tells her: “you’re gonna to have to care about everything, more than anything” AND HE STILL LET HER DOWN!!!!!!!! The more I think about it, the more upset I get. 

→ Also, Michael doesn't haunt the narrative the way he did last season—his presence is so faint. There's moments, of course, but it just feels like something is missing or off. I had expected some sort of sentiment to come to the surface towards the end of the season at least, some sense of acknowledgement that maybe he would have loved The Bear, or hated it, or something, from literally anyone—Carmy, Nat, Richie, someone—but nope, nothing besides the cannoli.

→ Episode 6, man. Episode fucking six. Natalie Berzatto, you deserve peace. 

→ Anyway, overall there’s a sort of bite missing in this season. The looming threat of Cicero has been softened a lot and yes, obviously internal workings at The Bear are the new obstacles but it doesn’t feel quite the same. Maybe it's a lack of tension, or a lack of anxiety? I don't know how else to explain it.

[eurovision-revisited]

Eurovision 2005 - Number 41 - Gracia - "Run & Hide"

Well, this is a pickle.

I don't even know where to begin here, so lets start with Gracia herself. Gracia Baur had been pushing for a music career since the early 2000s. She'd made it to the televised rounds of Popstars, but forgot the words to the song she was singing and got eliminated. In 2003, she did better in Deutschland sucht den Superstar (the German Pop Idol) and managed to get to fifth place. After this, her first album was released. There was also a charity single released with fellow talent show stars.

2004 is where is starts to go wrong. Her boyfriend was the song-writer of this song, David Brandes. He was a long time fixture of the German music scene. He'd worked with many big names, especially EDM acts such as E-Rotic. He'd even worked with Dschinghis Khan. His Discogs profile lists 846 non-performance credits, mostly song-writing, but also over 200 production credits. He wanted Gracia to go to Eurovision, the only problem was that she hadn't been selected by NDR to go onto their national final, Germany 12 Points!

No problem. David was a long time player in the music biz and he immediately started buying up thousands of copies of the single to get it into the top 40 - and it duly made it in. At this point NDR had a scheme where by new acts deemed successful enough in the German music charts could get wild cards into the national final and, possibly with some more encouragement, Gracia made it to the national final.

Where somehow she won.

Nothing untoward has ever been reported regarding the televote for this national final, and maybe it's due to more regular radio play because of its chart appearance earlier in the year that made it more popular, however Gracia scraped into the super-final in second-place of the televote by 3% over third. In that super-final, she overcame the deficit to the winner and won on a 53/47 vote. Gracia was heading to Eurovision.

Then it all came out. Her competitors in the national final, the German media, other prominent figures in the music biz all called for Brandes chart-rigging tactics to be punished and for Gracia to be replaced as Germany's representatives at Eurovision. NDR wasn't listening and they stuck by her. Gracia stuck by David as well - even though his name was now tarred with impropriety.

Run & Hide is a synth drenched blast of pop pomp about a dodgy bloke who's messed around with Gracia once before and is now back for another try. Gracia is having none of it and seem intent in getting medieval on his ass. The lyrics are by longtime Ralph Siegel collaborator John O'Flynn (aka Bernd Meinunger/Gunter Johansen). The instrumental is manic, with a sawing synth waveform suggesting aggression and anger overlying a more relaxed, sorrowful vibe. If it sounds like the Vanilla Ninja entry from this year, that's because David Brandes in collaboration with Jane Tempest (aka Petra Brändle) wrote that too.

What is it with all the pseudonyms in the German music industry? Is it tax related?

Unfortunately Gracia's voice can't quite carry this manic energy with the power necessary and it limps home a little at the end, nevertheless it's still a potent track.

It finished last in the final. Gracia wasn't fussed - someone's got to come last, she said. The scandal surrounding the song's selection was widely-known at this point, but whether that would affect a televote outside German speaking nations I doubt. It's rockier, downbeat vibe may have run a little too contrary to some of the feel-good upbeat, sexier songs it was competing against.

After this ignominious ending to national scandal, Gracia released one more album and largely disappeared. She did release a couple more songs under other names in collaboration with other musicians, but that was it. She did some reality TV for a while, then became an HR manager before training as a nurse. She's still together with David Brandes.

All the songs associated with David Brandes were removed from the German charts for three months, including Vanilla Ninja's Eurovision entry, and several of the acts that he managed or associated with distanced themselves from him - again including Vanilla Ninja. He is far too established in the music industry however, and after a short time waiting for the furore to pass, he's returned to writing and producing.

He hasn't tried to write any more Eurovision songs though.

[msfbgraves]

I've been in the CK fandom for a long time, since season 1, but I've really seen Silverusso become rather popular starting in season 4. I think this is due to Terry being re-introduced, Johnny's character unfortunately declining in writing, and just the strangeness of KK3 in general.

Seriously, I never watched the KK movies until I watched CK--when I went back and watched them, I was absolutely blown away by the Daniel and Terry dynamic more than any other dynamic in the movies (except Miyagi and Daniel, for platonic and parental reasons <3). Even in CK, it's Terry and Daniel who hold the main appeal for me even now, more than any other pair. By far. (Though I do like Terry and Kreese's now-toxic-comrade-in-arms dynamic even if I don't ship them, and really like all of Daniel and Sam's scenes!)

Anyway, there's something about Silverusso that makes it this almost Wolf/Little Red thing. They constantly have this going on despite Daniel being a grown man in CK (I think Macchio's wide-eyed perky sweetness and TIG's sophistication adds to this Big Time). It just never really goes away. Also the strange sensual undertones in every interaction they have. It feels almost Bronte-like to me. Like a gothic romance that wouldn't be out of place in Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre or something. Passionate and dark and deep and barely restrained.

And yet, on a lighter note, perhaps in an AU--I think Terry and Daniel would get along fabulously well if you took away Terry's darker angels. They have a lot in common despite their differences, and there's a strangely magnetic draw between them. Also, I think they can be quite humourous together.

On a more shallow note, they look good together, being the absolute opposites on the male spectrum of good looks. Daniel is eternally youthful, doe-eyed and pretty, and Terry's just really handsome in a traditionally masculine way; tall, dark and charming.

In your opinion, what makes Silverusso so appealing? Are there any other pairings they remind you of?

Could you please write an essay on why you find Silverusso so appealing? Why yes indeed, I could, Nonnie! Thank you!

A lot of things you have already mentioned, the Brontë-like dark romanticism between them is certainly a draw for me, the... primalness of it all.

Here goes!

Now, I think that primal attraction is there in all Daniel's 'rivalries', ahem, but these were all boys who, in truly toxic masculine way, have no other outlet for deep, overwhelming feelings than helpless, angry violence.

Terry is much more dangerous, but also much more attractive: his violence, his power, is calculated.

Now before I go on I have to say that I have a thing for strong men, OK. And by strong I do not mean beefcakes. Daniel LaRusso is a strong boy who has grown into a very strong man. Loving, reliable, responsible, sweet, funny, he does chores, he flirts, he dances, and he will sock anyone who harasses you in the nose. The strange thing about Daniel is that he often is at the receiving end of harassment, too, sexual even, and so many women will relate. He's a bit fluid with women: 100% protective mode with Kumiko, though both Amanda and Ali are not the type - they will fuck people up when they look wrong at Daniel and Daniel likes that, too. Poor boy - because he is an eternal boy - really needs backups, and his father figures keep dying on him (though he had decades with Mr. Miyagi; still, that abandonment wound with Mr. LaRusso had already cut him, and deep).

I forever headcanon Daniel's father as Robert De Niro, because Ralph has played De Niro's son on stage and Joe Pesci's cousin in My Cousin Vinny, so I imagine his father to be a strong, working class Italian-American man, like the father in A Bronx Tale-loving, loyal, firm too, hardworking, the type a small boy would idolise as invincible- and then he gets sick. And that rock of a man wastes away before Daniel's eyes. And he tells him to take care of his Mama and Daniel, all but 8, does. Because he has to be a man but he still is a man like Daniel. Much different from those Soprano types, because he is strong enough to be his soft, sensitive self. That takes guts.

Oh, and - some spice with all the sugar: he would 100% kill a man. "Why didn't you kill [Kreese]?" "I wish you would have killed him."

And now you mix that with Terry.

Now Terry Silver is a strong man. And not because he could kill you with his pinkie - although he could probably kill you with his pinkie. But the man gives zero fucks, while having the brain and brawn to back it up. It takes dedication not only to become a Tae Kwon Do master, but stay one until his 70's! He's from money, but he flaunts those rules; he's camp af, surrounds himself with pretty young boys and his best friend is John Kreese: his parents would not approve. But he's still cultured, well traveled, smart with his money, extremely smart about people. He has a moral code about loyalty but God knows what it actually is. He both cares for people and throws them under the bus when they least expect it and to his credit as a person, he's really tried to temper those destructive impulses. For all we know he has spent the last 30 years trying to conduct his own power, madness, maybe even genius into something socially acceptable and who prompted that?

Daniel LaRusso and his honest sweetness, loyalty, and latently murderous impulses.

What a cocktail.

What an intense fascination Terry must have felt for him. He knew right away: "You like that, Mr. LaRusso?"

"Yeah. I like that."

What did he do after meeting Daniel LaRusso and failing to procure and defeat him?

Go on a massive bender and turn his life around.

And then of course, to mention something that may not be everyone's cup of tea: the power exchange between the two.

Daniel's a sweet boy, but he's also a bit of a brat. Sometimes he really wants to be put in his place (possibly in the calm, firm way I imagine his father used to do, but again, those are simply my headcanons). He needles Johnny a few times until he snaps but if you see how Daniel reacts to being manhandled it's quite atypical. Sometimes he fights but when the other is clearly stronger, he turns to putty in their hands. Also, if he really didn't want to be told off by Mr. Miyagi after angrily snapping at him in the first film, he could have actually gone home when he said he would, got on his bike and cycled away. He didn't. He wanted attention.

Terry literally says he likes that attitude on him. He loves the bickering, and he loves putting Daniel in his place too. Most people would probably not want a relationship with somebody if you're constantly circling the edge of violence. But Daniel loves it, seeks it out, and when it happens, goes completely gorgeous, doe-eyed and soft! And other than with Johnny and Chozen, who, as boys, don't have enough countrol not to let the spats with Daniel become very, very dangerous (they both almost killed him) Terry has great control. Terry would never accidently kill him. Terry hardly so much as touches him in tkk3 and even when he fights him, he does it in a calculated way (that armgrip in the fight in "Extreme Measures" was very painful, but as a sensei pointed out - a little lower and he would have pulverised Daniel's elbow. He didn't, because he didn't want to). So if you want to fight, Terry is actually the safer one to do it with (unless he wants to kill you. Which he doesn't, acutally? He didn't kill Chozen or Johnny when he had all the chance in the world).

I also find it very telling Daniel didn't go back for Kumiko - which honestly I think was a mistake - but married Amanda, who in looks and demeanor might as well have been Terry's sister.

So the innocent sweet boy with a dark edge meets the big bad wolf with a chance of redemption, there is passion, there's yin and yang, they're both hot, they both(?) like women too, they're well acted, Ralph and Thomas are interesting artists and fun in interviews... there's just a lot there. It's not a juvenile story, but when they started it they were both in their late twenties and now both men are in their sixties. It can be a little adult and a little complicated. They can handle it.

[jazzyinspace]

⌚️

🤝

🔫

⭐️

Thank you! 🥰❤️

(You definitely asked me the toughest questions, which I know you did on purpose 🥹✨️)

⌚️ How old were they when they entered the vault? Were they born in there? Or alternatively, are they from Vault 76 at all? (if not, where are they from and how did they end up in West Virginia?)

Jeff is not from Vault 76, nor is he a vault dweller whatsoever. He was born in West Virginia to parents who were a part of the Appalachian Free States. However, he did experience life underground when he was around 8 years old. 

🤝 Do they have any other CAMP allies? (either in-game or added via headcanon)

Brian 🦩

Jeff met Brian at one of the lowest moments of his life. He was still trying to make sense of everything following his disastrous new beginning, all while trying to stay alive. 

Rather than choosing to live a somewhat peaceful life on the cliffs between Slocum's Joe and Arktos Pharma, Jeff left the safe haven that he built for himself and continued on his adventure.

Wilson Brother's Auto Repair became his temporary home base while on the road. And all was going well enough until the night when scorched hordes surrounded the building. 

Panicked, Jeff grabbed the rifle that he picked up in Berkeley Springs and commanded a lone plastic flamingo to keep an eye on the garage. In the same moment, he gave the flamingo a name: Brian.

Together, Jeff and Brian managed to fight off the scorched and save the garage; but, Jeff wasn't ready to face another horde at this point. So, the pair packed up everything and left, searching for another place to call home. 

Today, Jeff and his best friend Brian are constantly building/rebuilding, helping others, and going on adventures together. Their recent trip to Nuka-World on Tour (pictured below) was so much fun! 

Brian would tell you that along with being Jeff's most powerful ally, he is also the CEO and acting secretary of the Jeff Stone Complaint Department™️

Ralph 👽

One day, Jeff heard a crash from outside his C.A.M.P. and when he looked out the front door, he saw [REDACTED].

[REDACTED]

[REDACTED]

[Jeff is just as clueless, believe me]

Jeff has been on many adventures past and present thanks to his neighbor and good pal, Ralph 💫

🔫 What's their preferred weapon type? Is there a specific weapon they mainly use?

With the exception of his Fixer and Flame-ingo, Jeff is a melee specialist. Chances are, if it's one-handed or two, Jeff has brought it along with him on missions or otherwise. 

💙 Redd-Upper–most used 

💙 Shishkebab–most used in [REDACTED]

💙 Plasma Cutter 

💙 Samurai Machete 

💙 Blue Ridge Branding Iron–uses this during Riding Shotgun + Friendly Fire perk. (Kieran voice: Guard the Brahmin.)

💙 Sheepsquatch Staff 

💙 ProSnap Deluxe Camera–he gets startled sometimes! 

⭐️ The Free States?

Jeff was just a child amidst the growing tension between his extended family and most everyone. He would hear whispers of treachery and scandal and notice the accusatory stares coming from his neighbors. Much of this was beyond him at the time, yet still managed to upset him. 

With said tension and the threat of war becoming more of a reality with each passing day, the Free States sheltered underground. They remained there until it was finally safe to re-emerge and rebuild again. 

Post-war, Jeff was able to experience something that could resemble normalcy. The Free States made their home in Harpers Ferry and offered assistance to other survivors and their factions. Unfortunately, all of their efforts would come to an end with the emergence of scorchbeasts and the plague that ultimately spread throughout The Mire and beyond.

Jeff lost his mother and father, his extended family and friends. He was among few survivors of the scorched attacks and felt tremendous guilt because of it. 

(Not so much related to the Free States, but the following is for you, @jonnyonearth ❤️)

Jeff carried his guilt with him as he traveled across the map in search of folks like himself and safety. It was a difficult journey, but he was able to eventually find both of those things in the Forest–and yet his new beginning almost ended before it even started. 

A vault dweller turned wasteland nurse, Emily, found an unresponsive Jeff next to one of the saddest C.A.M.P. creations she had ever laid eyes on. She saved his life that day as her and another wastelander, a preacher, brought Jeff down to her clinic. Even in the present day, Emily still teases Jeff about the whole ordeal, especially the moment when Jeff realized he was sporting some strange gadget on his wrist. 

Jeff started to understand the Free States through holotapes, notes, and hushed stories shared over drinks. Among his personal belongings are Free States items that he has collected over the years. 💙

[trulyinspiringmovies]

The Menu

“The Menu” looked to be another gimmicky horror movie, but actually had some profound things to say and explore.

Margot Mills has been invited by Tyler to join him at an extremely exclusive restaurant. They have to take a boat to a private island where they will be fed by the famous Chef Julian Slowik. Everyone there seems dedicated to their culinary craft, but the guests quickly realize that the staff might be a little too dedicated.

When the trailers first came out for this film, I kind of scoffed to myself a little. There are so many horror movies that bank on a single gimmick that feels like the bare minimum for filmmakers to make something original. The only thing that really interested me was the cast. Anya Taylor-Joy has been great in everything I’ve seen her in. She’s really become a superstar with movies like “Split” and “Last Night In Soho”. Nicolas Hoult is my definitive Beast from his X-Men appearances, along with a great performance in “The Favourite”. Ralph Fiennes is a man I respect immensely for his portrayal of M in the later James Bond movies and, of course, as Lord Voldemort himself. Needless to say, there was enough star power for me to be interested enough to check it out. I’m glad I did. This movie isn’t just horror for the sake of horror. It is a message movie, my favorite kind of horror movie. Chef Julian Slowik is an artist first and foremost. His on-screen bitterness from a dead passion felt real and genuine. Ralph Fiennes plays an artist worn down by ignorant aesthetes perfectly. I’m someone who enjoys movies more than the average person, so seeing people completely miss the artist’s intentions tore a hole in my heart. Whenever I show movies to friends and they talk in the middle of important scenes or check their phones during scenes that build to a climax, it disheartens me to even show the movies I’m passionate about. The feeling must be amplified for someone like Chef Julian Slowik, who actually makes the art himself. He’s telling a story through his food, but everyone is too busy or ignorant to see his vision. You have people who don’t know anything about the art, but use it as a status symbol. You have people who think they know what they’re talking about, but fold when challenged. You have people who treat art as something mundane. You have people who criticize the art without knowing fully understanding the art. At a certain point, I was sympathizing with Chef Julian Slowik. He becomes the antagonist by taking his hatred to the extreme of murder. He’s also fostered an almost cult-like group of chefs who will do anything for him, even die. He’s a despicable villain, but his motivations are understandable and even relatable. Plus, he has great comedic timing to break the tension. Another thing I really loved about this movie was how unpredictable it was. Usually, when a movie is unpredictable, it loses me because I have nothing to latch onto. In this film, I was enjoying it because I wanted to see how it ended. Unfortunately, the ending was a bit lackluster for me. It seemed to send a message that I didn’t think it was intended to. But, I learned my lesson and decided not to say something as definitive unless I know exactly what the artist was intending. This is a great film with real thought put into it. Definitely check it out if you have the chance. Just don’t go in hungry because the food actually looks amazing.

★★★★

Watched on November 25th, 2022

[csharpdestroyer]

introducing... alex!

➜ Ⅰ. about

hey hi hello! welcome to my little tumblr island. you can call me alexios, alex, mars, or brailie. i prefer the first three. i use they/he/she pronouns. i prefer the first two, especially he/him. i am sixteen years old, in my junior year of high school. im transmasc, nonbinary and aroace. please only use masculine and neutral terms on me! im neurodivergent (adhd, autism and tourettes). my birthday is february 28th, born in the year 2006!

➜ Ⅱ. content

im an oc and fan artist. i usually draw lord of the flies content using my designs for the kids! i also reblog lotf, madoka magica, and hadesgame fanart, as well as general posts i find funny/informative. i don't have commissions set up just yet but i hope to take them in the future. i accept art trades (they're always open) so if you want to do one just send me an ask or message me! i especially like art trades where we draw each other's designs for a specific lotf character so feel free to hmu about those too

➜ Ⅲ. lotf

my main hyperfixation right now is lord of the flies. that is almost exclusively the type of art you'll see on my page. here's some stuff related to my lotf content!

relationships:

ralph x jack (romantic)

simon x roger (romantic)

maurice x sam (romantic)

piggy x bill (queer platonic)

ralph and piggy (best friends)

jack and roger (best friends)

percival and max (best friends)

simon and wilfred (friends)

simon and maurice (friends)

ralph, piggy, and simon (trio)

jack, roger, and maurice (trio)

piggy and jack (rivals)

aus:

lord of the disambiguation - often called disambiguation for short. an extended version of lotf that picks up right after jack splits off from ralph's group. no one dies. the two groups just have to find a way to live and work together to survive

lord of the high school - a semi-modern au that follows the kids as they try to navigate british private school life. the name is a misnomer since they're actually in middle school, not high school (i didn't change the ages) but it's too late to change it now

lord of the epilogue - picks up right at the end of the book. just a continuation of the story. features the crew of the naval ship, who happen to be led by ralph's father. unfortunate events happen

related:

land of tall faith - also called forgiveness of a god unknown. a story based on my prediction for what lotf would be about before i read it. follows a european girl entering a foreign society and experiencing their culture. after connecting with their god, proving her loyalty, and being sacrificed multiple times, she eventually decides to stay with them instead of returning to her society. characters' appearances are based on lotf characters

woodingham manor - a criticism of lotf, which seeks to show the flaws in the book's message. presents the story of a detective group investigating a cold case that visits an old manor to find clues, but find themselves locked in. things happen, people die, and truth finally sets them free. the plot and characters need reworking, please bare with me. all characters are based on lotf characters

links:

lord of the headcanons

lord of the epilogue

woodingham manor

➜ Ⅳ. asks

there is an ask tab on my profile that you can use to send me things! you can send me drawing requests or just things you want to tell/ask me. for drawing requests, ill draw any lotf character (no other fandoms please). i will draw my design for them if not specified. if you want me to draw yours or someone else's lotf designs please attach an image! if you want me to draw your oc, please attach an image! no promises that ill draw them but if i have time i will

➜ Ⅴ. ocs

though i mainly post about lotf on here, i do have ocs which i love and cherish! here's links to information about some of my oc projects. you can also check out my toyhouse (linked at the bottom) for character references if you want to draw them! i will love you forever if you gift me oc art

braithology

romeo and julian

inequality syndrome

cybergod

heaven is hiring

the periodic end

orchestra simulator (shared project with @fire-down-the-vine)

➜ Ⅵ. socials

here's where you can find me on other sites! if you want/need to message me id prefer you didnt do so on here as my messages seem to be broken, im available on twitter, instagram and discord pretty much all the time! feel free to message me about lotf related stuff if you want, ill be up to talk

socials are listed in order of how active i am on them

carrd

twitter

instagram

discord

toyhouse

ao3

end scene!

[90363462]

Jimmy Kimmel Nearly Ruined Quinta Brunson’s Emmy Win If It Wasn’t For This One Thing

Mark MillienSeptember 15, 2022

The 2022 Emmy Awards will most likely be remembered for leaning into a firmly musical aesthetic, an incredible pair of speeches from Lizzo and Sheryl Lee Ralph, and perhaps most, unfortunately, a pivotal moment in Black history achieved by Quinta Brunson that Jimmy Kimmel unfortunately hijacked. 

RELATED: Sacheen Littlefeather Was ‘Shocked’ by Her Oscars Apology – Her Response Was More Surprising

Awards shows are prone to memorable mishaps due to their extravagant nature, hyperfocused scrutiny, and live televised ceremonies. While this year’s Emmy Awards weren’t nearly as dramatic as the Oscar’s and Will Smith’s slap, it still had its own groundbreaking highlights and lowlights, both including the massively talented actress, writer, and comedian Quinta Brunson. 

Who Is Quinta Brunson?

Quinta Brunson is the youngest of five children (hence the name) and a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She studied at Temple University before eventually moving to Los Angeles to pursue her artistic and professional aspirations. Within a year she had begun to make a name for herself with her micro-series The Girl Who’s Never Been on a Nice Date. Due to its phenomenal success, she was able to parlay her skillset into a production deal with Buzzfeed .

RELATED: Keke Palmer’s Response to Zendaya Comparisons Is a Powerful Lesson in Self-Belief

After producing original digital content for the big tent publisher that garnered millions of views, she began to gain traction as an actress in projects she didn’t helm (iZombie, Lazor Wulf) as well as recognition for the content she continued to spearhead (Quinta vs. Everything, Quinta & Jermaine). 

In 2019 she began writing and co-starring on HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show and two years later she published She Memes Well, a collection of essays reflecting on her journey as a talented Black woman mastering her craft. 

What Happened With Jimmy Kimmel During Quinta Brunson’s Acceptance Speech?

After 35 nominations and three wins, Jimmy Kimmel’s immensely popular late-night television show has yet to win Outstanding Variety Talk Series Award. Tuesday evening was the site of yet another loss and during his award presentation with Will Arnett, the two decided to play up the most recent defeat in dramatic fashion. 

Arnett hauled a non-responsive Kimmel by the ankles across the stage until unceremoniously letting him lie prone in front of the microphone. Their gig was that Kimmel sought solace in the comfort that could only come from binging “skinny margaritas” in the back room. Arnett then proceeded to recover the list of nominees from Kimmel’s ‘unconscious’ form to announce the nominees. 

After a lengthy pause, Arnett announced Brunson as the winner for Outstanding Writing For a Comedy Series. The multi-talented actress alighted onto the stage, navigating the heap of Kimmel’s limbs, and set about to accept her place in history. 

As Kimmel was on the floor, Brunson said, “I won, Jimmy.” Kimmel gave only a thumbs up sign to this.

RELATED: Why Brendan Fraser’s New Film Got Such a Shocking Reaction – And Left Him in Tears

For context, Brunson is the first Black woman to have ever won the award without a writing partner and she did so in the name of a show, Abbott Elementary, that she created, stars in, and serves as showrunner. 

The critical consensus surrounding the show’s excellence is remarkable. At the time of writing, the sitcom has a 98% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 90% audience score. Since its very first episode, the reviews have been laudatory, with an emphasis on the chemistry of its cast and the genius of its dialogue. 

Many viewers took offense with Kimmel’s dedication to the skit considering the weight of the moment. Instead of accepting Brunson’s invitation to get up as she awkwardly managed her footing around him, he offered only a thumbs up in response. 

In the spirit of the comedy improv edicts that demand a performer take as true anything supplied by their scene partner, Brunson asked Kimmel to hold her phone and proceeded with her speech. 

Considering the rising tension in the room manifested, if she had opted to do otherwise highlights how she deftly sidestepped a host of poor outcomes. 

Jimmy Kimmel and Quinta Brunson’s Response After the Fact

Brunson was well within her rights to demand that she be allowed to occupy the space of her accomplishments without any undue distractions, especially since the anchor in question was designed specifically to amplify one artist’s failure in the wake of another’s success. 

There are also those who can fairly criticize the complexion of race in the face of this perhaps unintended slight. Kimmel’s credentials as a progressive-minded advocate for equality do not necessarily insulate him from criticism that the specificity of these circumstances should have outweighed any perceived comedic obligations. An unawareness of that imbalance did not absolve him of seeing beyond the myopic crawlspace of his own creation. 

RELATED: How Jessica Chastain Found Calm At Oscars After Will Smith Slap

If Brunson had done so however, there is a good chance that the conversation she has earned around her incredible accomplishment would only be further overshadowed. In that moment she was forced to make a decision to either ignore a potential irritant or provide it with more energy and in choosing the former she allowed others to narrate their perspective of the experience while leaving her undisturbed on her island of excellence. The option to give grace to an uncomfortable situation can be difficult and unfair, especially if it is not self-imposed but in reaction to the insensitivity of others. 

One such immediately accessible alternative in handling a similar situation is imbued in the collective pop culture consciousness forever. When Will Smith ascended the stage at the Oscars earlier this year and opted to right a perceived grievance by slapping Chris Rock, the hosts of the venerable awards show described it as “traumatizing” amid the months-long public autopsy of what transpired that night. 

No one from the Emmys was ever in any real danger of a physical confrontation but it isn’t hard to imagine someone with less patience erring on the side of righteous indignation as opposed to humorous resignation. 

How Quinta Brunson Didn’t Let Anyone Steal Her Moment

Brunson’s success did not come overnight. She began as a storyteller on social media whose clever quips and relatable characters garnered a sizeable loyal audience. She later parlayed that devoted fanship to other projects and even credits Kimmel with giving her one of her first considerable opportunities in a crowded late-night landscape, bolstered by the work she had done up to that point. He was one of the first people on the planet to ever see the pilot of the show that led to this controversial moment. 

RELATED: These Celebrities Have a ‘Weird’ Approach to Social Media – And It Might Save Your Life

Her response after the show mirrored her balance of equanimity and comedic instincts on display during the broadcast. 

“Tomorrow maybe I’ll be mad at him. I’m going to be on his show on Wednesday, so I might punch him in the face.” 

Magnanimously, Brunson has reserved the right to be upset about what occurred at a later date and has simply refused to be baited into dimming the radiance of her triumph with the ill-timed use of Kimmel’s brand of pouting. 

Conversations of white privilege and the late-night host’s blindspots are frankly irrelevant to the deserved discourse. As far as privilege is concerned, it seems reasonable to assume Kimmel’s response would have been the same no matter who won the award. Of the twelve people who were eligible to win the award, only Bruson and Stefani Robinson were Black, but there were other nominees of color. 

There is no good-faith reason to assume Kimmel would have abandoned the routine for a white winner, but again this is all beside the point. Discussing it in those terms shifts the onus of coverage from Brunson’s laurels and grace to his questionable exploits and she has earned her time in the sun devoid of any manufactured shadows. 

Kimmel did offer this to say, “I’m sorry I did do that, actually. And also, the last thing I would ever want to do was upset you because I think so much of you. And I think you know that — I hope you know that.”

KEEP READING: 

Will Smith’s New Apology Video and What Chris Rock Teaches Us About NOT Being a Victim

[sunkern-plus]

hey kof and snk (NOT ATTACK ON TITAN, THE INFERIOR SNK) mutuals: which character can you see with my body shape, body size, gender (pangenderfluid genderdox (as in gender paradox, all genders and none) vaguely transmasc transxenine epicene gender creative gender expansive butch) and sexuality (bisexual+ pansexual gray aro)

you know what i'm gonna make people vote: which kof + snk (fatal fury, garou: mark of the wolves, art of fighting, other various snk properties) can you see being my gender, sexuality, and body shape + size in a perfect world (you KNOW i'm putting yuri sakazaki and king because she has my dream hairstyle on the poll)

(i'm sorry for adding fio to the poll because she's a fat transfem icon but i relate so hard to fio)

[pterrorgrine]

in search of a purgatorial bangsian fantasy webfic about interpretation of a certain garfield comic, titled "mondays"

so i've been trying to hunt down an original short story i read on a website a bit ago, but when i post it to reddit's /r/tipofmytongue it gets deleted for being nsfw. i swear i'm not a garfield fucker. oh god. maybe i should just copy my first attempt at a tomt post:

so for context there's this infamous garfield strip wherein jon arbuckle, maybe, drinks a cup of dog jizz. i swear this is relevant.

i read this piece of web original fiction titled "mondays", which was a bangsian fantasy (i.e. set in the afterlife) about the interpretation arguments surrounding this comic. the premise is that people who die go to one of seven afterlives based on which day of the week they died. those who died on a monday go to an extremely large (but finite) field with a grid of towers at regular intervals. there is some kind of oracle or something to provide exposition on what they need to do to escape. everyone in this afterlife must vote on the question of whether or not jon actually drinks dog cum in the comic. there is a correct answer. if everyone unanimously votes correctly, they go on to the next stage of the afterlife, an actual paradise. however, if they vote unanimously but incorrectly, their memories are wiped and they have to start all over again, not remembering what discussions they'd had on the matter or how they voted last time. obviously there is much existential despair, and the story is more about how people react to the situation than the actual question. it's sort of a sociological survey of the different groups of reactions -- the die-hard supporters of each side, the people who despair that they'll never escape, the people who want to ignore the whole thing and just hang out, etc. i think it ends with the narrator coming to the conclusion that the "game" is "fair" but they will never escape anyway because they'll never agree or if they do they'll be wrong.

unfortunately, despite all the details i remember, i'm having trouble finding a google search that actually gets results; everything is swamped in more popular irrelevancies, like mainstream articles about the debate around the comic, or web fiction groups that post on monday, or whatever. i do remember that it wasn't on reddit, and i don't think was on a major site, but instead the author's blog or something. (however, it's possible it was on AO3, but searching there doesn't help either. possibly a tumblr with a custom theme?) i do think i was linked there from reddit, probably /r/curatedtumblr (where i'm at a lot), but it could have been tumblr itself, or anywhere. (metafilter?!?) obviously it was published in the last few years, as the comic arose in prominence as an interpretive debate along the lines of "when ralph wiggum says he's a viking, does that mean…", but that doesn't help turn it up because all the other content about the comic is also from that timeframe.

anyway that's the TOMT post , it got deleted for discussing dog jizz but when i edited it it still got deleted for linking to discussion of dog jizz. so now i've given up on TOMT and am posting it here so i can post it to /r/curatedtumblr on self-post sunday, and accessorarily associate myself with the concept of dog jizz. dammit. i swear i have non-dog-jizz-related reasons for being obsessed with finding this story again but that little detail keeps tripping everything up.

[kingdom-uk]

God's Water Carrier

God's Water Carrier the book which explains Inspirational; touching; relationship with God was written by Susannah Ralph. BUY ON AMAZON ORDER YOUR E-BOOK I felt the Lord said, ' it was for ordinary people with open and willing hearts,' to know Him and how He can use them for His Glory and a relationship with Him It was written from my journals from all the times God would send me out to pray for different people at different times, it's my personal walk with God over a 10 yrs. Span. It's an honour to work with Him and watch Him at work. This book relating to the which explains Inspirational; touching; relationship with God. Author : Susannah Ralph Susannah is a person who loves God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. She is a prayer warrior and intercessor. She doesn't see herself as qualified but called to write this book as led by the Lord and Holy Spirit. She has been married to Ian for 51years and they have 2 daughters together, unfortunately losing their older daughter at the age of 17yrs old. Living is South Africa for 26yrs was sent back to the U.K. in 2010 to work and minister at Ellel Ministries in Frensham   Table of contents 1. Encountering God 2. Start of my journey 3. Meeting the Holy Spirit 4. Healing touches 5. New seasons 6. Going to the U.K. for Christmas 7. The Fast 8. New Direction 9. Birth Days 10. What's next Lord 11. New season ---New Year 12. Spending time with Jesus 13. My Testimony 14. First Fruits Fast 15. Being ready to hear and do 16. The crossing over 17. Celebration for the Nations 18. A Jubilee Year 19. Behold I will do a new thing 20. The Gatekeeper 21. Butterflies and Transformation 22. A New Season 23. Yom Kippur 24. Hiddenness and Manifestation 25. A Year of Progress and Acceleration 26. Praying for open Doors 27. When God gives a New Name 28. The Battle is the Lord's 29. Times and Seasons 30. All Change 31. This is your year a Year of knocking on doors 32. In the Witing room Read the full article

[cyarskaren52]

Trayvon Martin.

The Paul young man in Kansas City.

Trauma we relive way too often.

Thinking about Sandra Bland too. The policing of Black bodies is overwhelming.

Ron desatanist this is the Florida you want and don’t you dare say otherwise!

HOMELATESTCULTUREENTERTAINMENTBEAUTY/STYLEAWARDS SEASON 2023

RACE MATTERS

Woman in Fla Was Fatally Shot by Her Neighbor, But the Shooter Walked Free. Why?

This will anger you: Ajike “AJ” Owens was shot and killed by her neighbor who was allegedly yelling racial slurs at her and threatened her children.

By

Kalyn Womack

Published3 hours ago

Comments (17)

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How does a woman get shot and killed and her shooter is still on the loose? Residents of Ocala, Florida are asking the same question in the killing of a Black woman who was gunned down by her neighbor Friday. According to NBC News, the incident was the result of an ongoing feud.

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Ajike “AJ” Owens’ children were playing in a fieldnear an apartment complex when suddenly, a white woman came from the area and began yelling racial slurs at them, according to an account from attorney Benjamin Crump. One of the children accidentally left behind their iPad which the woman seized. When the child went to retrieve it, the woman allegedly threw the device both hitting the boy and cracking the screen. The woman also allegedly threw a pair of roller skates at the children as well. 

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Naturally, the children went back home to tell their mother what happened. Owens then walked over to the neighbor’s door to speak to her about the incident but things took a fatal turn.

“She knocked on the door, and at that point, the woman allegedly shot through the door, hitting AJ, who later died from her injuries,” Crump said in the statement.

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Read more from NBC News:

At a news conference Monday, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods did not confirm or reject Crump’s account, telling reporters he was not “going to stand here and tell you what they’re putting out there is inaccurate. It’s just I don’t know yet.” Here’s what the sheriff said he does know: - There had been a long-standing “neighborhood feud” between the shooter and Owens about her children. - The children may have been hit by an unspecified object. “Was something thrown at them? Yes, but not directly at them of what we’re being told now,” Woods said. “It just unfortunately may have hit them.” He added: “The children are a big part of answering a lot our questions.” - When Owens came to the shooter’s door, there was a heated exchange. Owens was shot through the door. - At least two of Owens’ four children may have witnessed the shooting, which occurred about 9 p.m.

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Because Florida is a good ol’ “stand your ground” state, law enforcement must determine whether Owens posed an imminent threat or was simply acting as a mother trying to get to the bottom of an attack on her children. While they dilly dally on that decision, they are not authorized to make an arrest, the Sheriff Woods said. 

Well... they made an arrest when Andrew Lester shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl from behind his front door - the same manner Owens was shot - despite Lester’s self-defense claim that he was frightened by the teen. 

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“A closed, locked door. The door never opened. My daughter, my grandchildren’s mother, was shot and killed with her 9-year-old son standing next to her. She had no weapon. She posed no imminent threat to anyone,” Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, said via NBC. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0221GBwwquPMbu6X7jpLb1TBsK8dyzwxzempQ4thD1EMkKSwkpXspW6GDJ87tdeRzGl&id=26423400230&mibextid=ncKXMA

Sent from my iPhone

[hellsitesonlybookclub]

Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

CHAPTER XXXVI. IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG’S NAME IS ONCE MORE AT A PREMIUM ON ’CHANGE

It is time to relate what a change took place in English public opinion when it transpired that the real bankrobber, a certain James Strand, had been arrested, on the 17th day of December, at Edinburgh. Three days before, Phileas Fogg had been a criminal, who was being desperately followed up by the police; now he was an honourable gentleman, mathematically pursuing his eccentric journey round the world.

The papers resumed their discussion about the wager; all those who had laid bets, for or against him, revived their interest, as if by magic; the “Phileas Fogg bonds” again became negotiable, and many new wagers were made. Phileas Fogg’s name was once more at a premium on ’Change.

His five friends of the Reform Club passed these three days in a state of feverish suspense. Would Phileas Fogg, whom they had forgotten, reappear before their eyes! Where was he at this moment? The 17th of December, the day of James Strand’s arrest, was the seventy-sixth since Phileas Fogg’s departure, and no news of him had been received. Was he dead? Had he abandoned the effort, or was he continuing his journey along the route agreed upon? And would he appear on Saturday, the 21st of December, at a quarter before nine in the evening, on the threshold of the Reform Club saloon?

The anxiety in which, for three days, London society existed, cannot be described. Telegrams were sent to America and Asia for news of Phileas Fogg. Messengers were dispatched to the house in Saville Row morning and evening. No news. The police were ignorant what had become of the detective, Fix, who had so unfortunately followed up a false scent. Bets increased, nevertheless, in number and value. Phileas Fogg, like a racehorse, was drawing near his last turning-point. The bonds were quoted, no longer at a hundred below par, but at twenty, at ten, and at five; and paralytic old Lord Albemarle bet even in his favour.

A great crowd was collected in Pall Mall and the neighbouring streets on Saturday evening; it seemed like a multitude of brokers permanently established around the Reform Club. Circulation was impeded, and everywhere disputes, discussions, and financial transactions were going on. The police had great difficulty in keeping back the crowd, and as the hour when Phileas Fogg was due approached, the excitement rose to its highest pitch.

The five antagonists of Phileas Fogg had met in the great saloon of the club. John Sullivan and Samuel Fallentin, the bankers, Andrew Stuart, the engineer, Gauthier Ralph, the director of the Bank of England, and Thomas Flanagan, the brewer, one and all waited anxiously.

When the clock indicated twenty minutes past eight, Andrew Stuart got up, saying, “Gentlemen, in twenty minutes the time agreed upon between Mr. Fogg and ourselves will have expired.”

“What time did the last train arrive from Liverpool?” asked Thomas Flanagan.

“At twenty-three minutes past seven,” replied Gauthier Ralph; “and the next does not arrive till ten minutes after twelve.”

“Well, gentlemen,” resumed Andrew Stuart, “if Phileas Fogg had come in the 7:23 train, he would have got here by this time. We can, therefore, regard the bet as won.”

“Wait; don’t let us be too hasty,” replied Samuel Fallentin. “You know that Mr. Fogg is very eccentric. His punctuality is well known; he never arrives too soon, or too late; and I should not be surprised if he appeared before us at the last minute.”

“Why,” said Andrew Stuart nervously, “if I should see him, I should not believe it was he.”

“The fact is,” resumed Thomas Flanagan, “Mr. Fogg’s project was absurdly foolish. Whatever his punctuality, he could not prevent the delays which were certain to occur; and a delay of only two or three days would be fatal to his tour.”

“Observe, too,” added John Sullivan, “that we have received no intelligence from him, though there are telegraphic lines all along his route.”

“He has lost, gentleman,” said Andrew Stuart, “he has a hundred times lost! You know, besides, that the ‘China’—the only steamer he could have taken from New York to get here in time arrived yesterday. I have seen a list of the passengers, and the name of Phileas Fogg is not among them. Even if we admit that fortune has favoured him, he can scarcely have reached America. I think he will be at least twenty days behind-hand, and that Lord Albemarle will lose a cool five thousand.”

“It is clear,” replied Gauthier Ralph; “and we have nothing to do but to present Mr. Fogg’s cheque at Barings to-morrow.”

At this moment, the hands of the club clock pointed to twenty minutes to nine.

“Five minutes more,” said Andrew Stuart.

The five gentlemen looked at each other. Their anxiety was becoming intense; but, not wishing to betray it, they readily assented to Mr. Fallentin’s proposal of a rubber.

“I wouldn’t give up my four thousand of the bet,” said Andrew Stuart, as he took his seat, “for three thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine.”

The clock indicated eighteen minutes to nine.

The players took up their cards, but could not keep their eyes off the clock. Certainly, however secure they felt, minutes had never seemed so long to them!

“Seventeen minutes to nine,” said Thomas Flanagan, as he cut the cards which Ralph handed to him.

Then there was a moment of silence. The great saloon was perfectly quiet; but the murmurs of the crowd outside were heard, with now and then a shrill cry. The pendulum beat the seconds, which each player eagerly counted, as he listened, with mathematical regularity.

“Sixteen minutes to nine!” said John Sullivan, in a voice which betrayed his emotion.

One minute more, and the wager would be won. Andrew Stuart and his partners suspended their game. They left their cards, and counted the seconds.

At the fortieth second, nothing. At the fiftieth, still nothing.

At the fifty-fifth, a loud cry was heard in the street, followed by applause, hurrahs, and some fierce growls.

The players rose from their seats.

At the fifty-seventh second the door of the saloon opened; and the pendulum had not beat the sixtieth second when Phileas Fogg appeared, followed by an excited crowd who had forced their way through the club doors, and in his calm voice, said, “Here I am, gentlemen!”

CHAPTER XXXVII. IN WHICH IT IS SHOWN THAT PHILEAS FOGG GAINED NOTHING BY HIS TOUR AROUND THE WORLD, UNLESS IT WERE HAPPINESS

Yes; Phileas Fogg in person.

The reader will remember that at five minutes past eight in the evening—about five and twenty hours after the arrival of the travellers in London—Passepartout had been sent by his master to engage the services of the Reverend Samuel Wilson in a certain marriage ceremony, which was to take place the next day.

Passepartout went on his errand enchanted. He soon reached the clergyman’s house, but found him not at home. Passepartout waited a good twenty minutes, and when he left the reverend gentleman, it was thirty-five minutes past eight. But in what a state he was! With his hair in disorder, and without his hat, he ran along the street as never man was seen to run before, overturning passers-by, rushing over the sidewalk like a waterspout.

In three minutes he was in Saville Row again, and staggered back into Mr. Fogg’s room.

He could not speak.

“What is the matter?” asked Mr. Fogg.

“My master!” gasped Passepartout—“marriage—impossible—”

“Impossible?”

“Impossible—for to-morrow.”

“Why so?”

“Because to-morrow—is Sunday!”

“Monday,” replied Mr. Fogg.

“No—to-day is Saturday.”

“Saturday? Impossible!”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes!” cried Passepartout. “You have made a mistake of one day! We arrived twenty-four hours ahead of time; but there are only ten minutes left!”

Passepartout had seized his master by the collar, and was dragging him along with irresistible force.

Phileas Fogg, thus kidnapped, without having time to think, left his house, jumped into a cab, promised a hundred pounds to the cabman, and, having run over two dogs and overturned five carriages, reached the Reform Club.

The clock indicated a quarter before nine when he appeared in the great saloon.

Phileas Fogg had accomplished the journey round the world in eighty days!

Phileas Fogg had won his wager of twenty thousand pounds!

How was it that a man so exact and fastidious could have made this error of a day? How came he to think that he had arrived in London on Saturday, the twenty-first day of December, when it was really Friday, the twentieth, the seventy-ninth day only from his departure?

The cause of the error is very simple.

Phileas Fogg had, without suspecting it, gained one day on his journey, and this merely because he had travelled constantly eastward; he would, on the contrary, have lost a day had he gone in the opposite direction, that is, westward.

In journeying eastward he had gone towards the sun, and the days therefore diminished for him as many times four minutes as he crossed degrees in this direction. There are three hundred and sixty degrees on the circumference of the earth; and these three hundred and sixty degrees, multiplied by four minutes, gives precisely twenty-four hours—that is, the day unconsciously gained. In other words, while Phileas Fogg, going eastward, saw the sun pass the meridian eighty times, his friends in London only saw it pass the meridian seventy-nine times. This is why they awaited him at the Reform Club on Saturday, and not Sunday, as Mr. Fogg thought.

And Passepartout’s famous family watch, which had always kept London time, would have betrayed this fact, if it had marked the days as well as the hours and the minutes!

Phileas Fogg, then, had won the twenty thousand pounds; but, as he had spent nearly nineteen thousand on the way, the pecuniary gain was small. His object was, however, to be victorious, and not to win money. He divided the one thousand pounds that remained between Passepartout and the unfortunate Fix, against whom he cherished no grudge. He deducted, however, from Passepartout’s share the cost of the gas which had burned in his room for nineteen hundred and twenty hours, for the sake of regularity.

That evening, Mr. Fogg, as tranquil and phlegmatic as ever, said to Aouda: “Is our marriage still agreeable to you?”

“Mr. Fogg,” replied she, “it is for me to ask that question. You were ruined, but now you are rich again.”

“Pardon me, madam; my fortune belongs to you. If you had not suggested our marriage, my servant would not have gone to the Reverend Samuel Wilson’s, I should not have been apprised of my error, and—”

“Dear Mr. Fogg!” said the young woman.

“Dear Aouda!” replied Phileas Fogg.

It need not be said that the marriage took place forty-eight hours after, and that Passepartout, glowing and dazzling, gave the bride away. Had he not saved her, and was he not entitled to this honour?

The next day, as soon as it was light, Passepartout rapped vigorously at his master’s door. Mr. Fogg opened it, and asked, “What’s the matter, Passepartout?”

“What is it, sir? Why, I’ve just this instant found out—”

“What?”

“That we might have made the tour of the world in only seventy-eight days.”

“No doubt,” returned Mr. Fogg, “by not crossing India. But if I had not crossed India, I should not have saved Aouda; she would not have been my wife, and—”

Mr. Fogg quietly shut the door.

Phileas Fogg had won his wager, and had made his journey around the world in eighty days. To do this he had employed every means of conveyance—steamers, railways, carriages, yachts, trading-vessels, sledges, elephants. The eccentric gentleman had throughout displayed all his marvellous qualities of coolness and exactitude. But what then? What had he really gained by all this trouble? What had he brought back from this long and weary journey?

Nothing, say you? Perhaps so; nothing but a charming woman, who, strange as it may appear, made him the happiest of men!

Truly, would you not for less than that make the tour around the world?

[brookston]

Holidays 11.21

Holidays

Agriculture Day (Australia)

Air Assault Forces Day (Ukraine)

Armed Forces Day (Bangladesh, Greece)

Community Day

Dignity and Freedom Day (Ukraine)

False Confession Day

Furniture Memory Day

General Framework Agreement Day (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska)

Gerard d’Aboville Day

Good Thigh Day (Japan)

International Day of the Bible

Marie Tharp Day

Mayflower Compact Day

National Ask Her To Stand Day (UK)

National Dennis Day

National Red Mitten Day (Canada)

National Tree Day (Italy)

National UTI Awareness Day

No Music Day

Nostalgia For the Future Day

René Magritte Day

Tweety Bird Day

World Day of Cloistered Life

World Day of the Dress

World Fisheries Day

World Hello Day

World Male Day

World Television Day (UN)

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Gingerbread Cookie Day

National Stuffing Day

Pumpkin Pie Day (also 12.25)

Ritz Crackers Day

3rd Tuesday in November

Harassment Day [Tuesday before Thanksgiving]

National Entrepreneurs Day [3rd Tuesday]

National Grief & Bereavement Day (Canada) [3rd Tuesday]

National Working Daughters Day [3rd Tuesday]

Parents Day [3rd Tuesday]

Prematurity Awareness Day [3rd Tuesday]

Presidential Turkey Pardon Day [Tuesday before Thanksgiving]

School Pride Day [Tuesday of American Education Week]

School Related Professional Recognition Day [3rd Tuesday]

Independence Days

General Framework Agreement Day (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

North Carolina Statehood Day (#12; 1789)

Feast Days

Amelberga of Susteren (Christian; Saint)

Ashi Vanguhi (Holy Blessing; Ancient Persia, Zoroastrian)

Clone Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Columban (Christian; Saint)

Digain (Christian; Saint)

Dimpley Fraggle (Muppetism)

Maurus of Parentium (Christian; Saint)

Franciszka Siedliska (Christian; Saint)

Gelasius I, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Mazarin (Positivist; Saint)

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Christian)

Quetzalcoatl’s Day (Pagan)

Register a Complaint Day (Pastafarian)

René Magritte (Artology)

Rufus of Rome (Christian; Saint)

William Byrd, John Merbecke and Thomas Tallis (Episcopal Church (USA))

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 54 of 60)

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [55 of 57]

Premieres

An American Tail (Animated Film; 1986)

Anastasia (Animated Film; 1997)

Anthology I, by The Beatles (Compilation Album; 1995)

Anything Goes, by Cole Porter (Broadway Musical; 1934)

The Bank Busters or The Great Vaults (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 127; 1961)

Beautiful Trauma, by Pink (Song; 2017)

The Best Years of Our Lives (Film; 1946)

Black & Blue, by the Backstreet Boys (Album; 2000)

Bolt (Animated Film; 2008)

The Broken Ear, by Hergé (Graphic Novel; 1932) [Tintin #6]

Enchanted (Film; 2007)

Fanny Hill, by John Cleland (Novel; 1748)

Frankenstein (Film; 1931)

Gaucho, by Steely Dan (Album; 1980)

The Ghost of Tom Joad, by Bruce Springsteen (Album; 1995)

Girls! Girls! Girls! (Film; 1962) [Elvis Presley #11]

Golden Years, by David Bowie (Song; 1975)

Happy, by Pharrell Williams (Song; 2013)

Hell’s Bells (Disney Cartoon; 1929)

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 (Film; 2014)

I’m Beginning to See the Light, recorded by Harry James (Song; 1944)

Life of Pi (Film; 2012)

A Night At the Opera, by Queen (Album; 1975)

Pluto’s Christmas Tree (Disney Cartoon; 1952)

Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 (Animated Film; 2018)

Rise of the Guardians (Animated Film; 2012)

Robin Hood (Film; 2018)

Rocky (Film; 1976)

Runaways (TV Series; 2017)

Shadow of the Thin Man (Film; 1941)

Spy Game (Film; 2001)

The String of Pearls: A Domestic Romance, by James Malcolm Ryder and/or Thomas Beckett Prest (Short Story; 1846)

Supergirl (Film; 1984)

Sweet Violence or The Yegg and I (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S3, Ep. 128; 1961)

Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, by Dmitri Shostakovich (Symphony; 1937)

Talk Dirty to Me (Adult Film; 1980)

The Thanksgiving Song, by Adam Sandler (Song; 1992)

They Died with Their Boots On (Film; 1941)

Tokyo Mater (Pixar Cartoon; 2008)

Twilight (Film; 2008)

Urkel Saves Santa: The Movie! (WB Animated Film; 2023)

Warlock, by Oakley Hall (Novel; 1958)

Today’s Name Days

Amalie (Austria)

Marija, Mavro, Valentina, Zdravka, Zdravko (Croatia)

Albert (Czech Republic)

Maria (Denmark)

Pilve, Pilvi (Estonia)

Hilma (Finland)

Maur (France)

Amalie, Amelia, Edmund, Rufus (Germany)

Despoina, Maria, Mary, Soultana, Virginia (Greece)

Olivér (Hungary)

Maria (Italy)

Andis, Jonass, Zeltīte (Latvia)

Alberta, Eibartė, Gomantas, Honorijus (Lithuania)

Mariann, Marianne (Norway)

Albert, Alberta, Albertyna, Janusz, Konrad, Konrada, Maria, Piotr, Regina, Rena, Rufus, Twardosław, Wiesław (Poland)

Elvíra (Slovakia)

Celso, Demetrio, María, Presentación (Spain)

Helga, Olga (Sweden)

Cade, Cadence, Cadell, Caden, Caiden, Cayden, Kade, Kaden, Kadence, Kadin, Kadyn, Kaiden, Kayden, Kaydence, Valda, Velda (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 325 of 2024; 40 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 47 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ngetal (Reed) [Day 22 of 28]

Chinese: Month 10 (Gui-Hai), Day 9 (Gui-Wei)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 8 Kislev 5784

Islamic: 8 Jumada I 1445

J Cal: 25 Mir; Foursday [25 of 30]

Julian: 8 November 2023

Moon: 64%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 17 Frederic (12th Month) [Mazarin]

Runic Half Month: Nyd (Necessity) [Day 11 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 59 of 89)

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 29 of 29)