#Metal Airplane Hangar

[coastalsteelstructures]

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[justsescape]

Can a cow be too fat?

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOURP!!"

Nyx had become a proverbial mountain of fat; her body filled the capacity of an airplane hangar. Rolling waves of skin resembled the dimples and folds of raw pancake batter as they piled themselves atop the concrete. Breasts -- each large enough to rival entire biplanes -- lurched themselves over the only thing bigger than them: her gut. Its rumbling was like thunder. Perhaps she had buried a couple of buildings underneath its weight.

"BWOOOOOOUUUURRRRRRRP-HYIUCK!" Nyx's head emerged from her body the same way someone's would if they were buried in sand at the beach. Every gaseous expulsion left the flabby flesh surrounding it rippling like a pond. "HIC! HIC-URP-HIC!"

Lips, dripping with drool, opened and closed rhythmically almost as if she was chewing gum -- not that she was chewing anything at all. At least, not yet. Her dull, hazy gaze craned upward toward a distant feeding tube connected to the ceiling. Unable to lift her tree-trunk arms, all Nyx could do to vocalize her appetite was belch, hiccup, or moo. Sometimes, all three at once.

"MoooOOUHOUROKUOOOOORP!!!"

The call was heard. The pipe descended. Nyx's gaping mouth wrapped thoughtlessly around it. Gulp... gulp... gulp... Drooping nipples lazily produced milk that ran like little streams down the folds of her lard-laden body. Her fat had long since found its way into her lactation: it wasn't so much milk that she was making as much as it was heavy cream. It clumped up in the countless crevices that wrapped around her entire gluttonous frame.

From Nyx's limited perspective, the world was but a pale, endless horizon of lard below, and a cold, metal ceiling above. The feeding tube delivered euphoric sensations. It was her escape. The bigger she grew, the more she pressed into the walls. The more she pressed into the walls, the less they could do to confine her. The less confined she was, the more she could grow. The cycle repeated. Fat was freedom.

Nyx swelled like a balloon connected to a garden hose.

[soulgazingwithbucky]

protect, ch. 2 (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x F!Reader

Summary: You've spent your life protecting your younger brother, until an invitation from Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes turns everything on its head.

Warnings: mentions of parent death, reader feeling traumatized, some violence

Word count: 5.8k

A/N: wanted to share my inspo for this fic! i was inspired by mcu phase 4, and wondered what it would look like for bucky to pass the mantle. obviously this fic took a different turn and doesnt rly focus on that, but nonetheless wanted to share :) hope you enjoy. divider credits to @lesbiacebian!!

Masterlist: {one} | {two} | {three}

And so you find yourself grumpy and groggy in the passenger seat, scolding Tomas.

“The next time they want you to train at this hour, tell them to eat shit,” you groan, arms crossed over your chest.

Tomas glances at you. For a second, you look like a smaller version of Bucky, moping about a situation you put yourself in. He names his observation, and you slowly drop your arms and release your scowl.

Sam and Bucky have grown to be close confidants in the past few months, checking in on you nearly as much as they spend time with your brother. Sam’s counseling sessions are on your only day off; when he picks up Tomas for their appointments, Bucky stays behind, helping you with errands or otherwise keeping you company. He seems more than happy to accompany you on grocery trips, help you with minor projects around the apartment, or just enjoy a film with you. You didn’t realize that during these weekly visits, you unconsciously picked up on some of his mannerisms.

Tomas stops short of a chain link fence. He presses some buttons on his phone, triggering a mechanism that slides the gate open. You squint at the spacious area; it’s nearly bare, save for the low lights illuminating the tarmac and the tall, metal building that looms to your right. Tomas delicately presses the gas pedal, and the car lurches forward at an agonizing pace. When the car just barely passes the gate, Tomas shuts off the car and switches off the headlights. You stare at your brother, who looks solemnly ahead–he has never done anything carefully in his life.

In all honesty, you thought Tomas would be meeting a date. After all, he told you about a last-minute “mysterious training” that happened to be in the middle of the night? You weren’t stupid. Under normal circumstances, you would wave him off and tell him to bring back the car in tip top shape. But in case that it was some corrupt alien monster trying to lure him out, you insisted on accompanying him. You figured you would make sure he was safe before taking off. He fought against this, only fueling your theory that he was indeed rendezvousing with some pretty thing. You had let him think he won, until you threw yourself into the passenger seat right when he was about to leave.

Rookie mistake, thinking you would ever let him win an argument.

But now, with Tomas’s knuckles paling with his grip on the wheel, his gaze steely and his body trembling in expectation, you wonder what you’ve walked into. Tomas holds his breath and the car now falls into complete silence as you both watch a small aircraft exit the hangar. Two figures follow, towing what looks like weapons and manila folders.

“Tomas, what’s–”

“Stealth exercise. Bye, sis,” he says quickly. Before you know it, his speedy ass is out of the car, making his way over to Sam and Bucky.

And he expects you to believe that? You quickly leave your seat, following after Tomas.

“What is going on?” you hiss, much to Tomas’s horror. He turns around, silently waving you off with an aggressive gesture of his hand.

“Oh, I know you did not just–”

Obviously, at this point, you have earned the attention of the heroes, who have stopped at the top of the airplane stairs. Startled recognition paints Sam and Bucky’s faces, and the latter points an accusing finger in Tomas’s direction.

“You got some fuckin’ nerve, kid,” Bucky growls. The light from the hangar illuminates his burning stare and tense snarl.

“I thought we made it perfectly clear–,” Sam begins.

“I know, but I can help you guys. I’m ready,” Tomas insists as he attempts to close the distance between himself and the two men.

“Aht!” Sam says, holding his hand out to stop your brother from ascending any further.

“Ready for what?!” you say from the bottom step.

Over the comms system, their pilot confirms they are ready for takeoff.

“You need to leave, now,” Sam instructs gravely.

“Both of you,” Bucky emphasizes.

“Great, have a good night,” you say. You’re donning well-loved pajamas, and the thin fleece does nothing to protect you from the evening chill. You grab Tomas’s sleeve, turning around and tugging him along. He shakes you off, keeping his eyes locked on his mentors.

“No way,” he tells them. “I’m coming. You guys have been talking about this forever, and it’s about time I get some field experience–”

“That’s not for you to decide!” Bucky says, exasperation dripping in his voice.

“I concur,” you add. Bucky gestures towards you, as if to say, See?! Can you listen to your sister?!

Through their earpieces, their pilot asks them what the hold up is. As Dr. Banner remotely tracks their mark’s location, he urges, “It’s now or never, guys.”

Sam glances at the airplane, then at the both of you. He looks at the stairs you’re all standing on, knowing that the aircraft can’t take off unless the area is clear and, most importantly, he and Bucky are on this damn plane.

After a few years of working as partners, Bucky can practically read the man’s mind.

“Sam, no–”

“I know, I know.” Sam turns to both of you, anger painting his features. “Get in, now.”

Tomas tries to mask his smile, knowing full well he is in trouble with the three most important people in his life. But he got away with it, didn’t he? He pieced together that Sam and Bucky were leaving for an assignment from the hushed conversations between training sessions. When he saw a text on Bucky’s phone naming a crime organization that had Tomas on their short list, he had to find a way in. So he could tell those bastards thanks, but no fucking thanks before breaking all of their noses.

“Fix your face,” you tell him discontentedly.

“As soon as we land, our pilot’s taking you back,” Sam grunts. “We’ll find our own way back. Banner, did you copy that?”

“I’m already here! You might as well make use of me,” Tomas argues.

“For what?!” you say, still in the dark about all of this.

Bucky addresses you, though his darkened eyes are still fixed on your brother.

“Organization called The Snakeroot Clan,” he says. He tears his eyes away from Tomas to face you. “They’re based in Japan, but we got word that some of their members are here on business.”

“The goal was to apprehend Harry Kenkoy and Feruze. But now it’s to make sure you two get home safely,” Sam picks up.

Tomas exhales loudly, earning a glare from both you and Bucky.

“They are dangerous,” Bucky says through gritted teeth. He feels the frustration bubbling and he suddenly rises from his seat to the back of the cabin, facing away from everyone in an effort to calm down. How stupid could this kid be to put himself in danger? And to put his human sister in danger right alongside him?

“Crazy dangerous,” Sam confirms. “They’re not just criminals–some of them are also mystics. They’ll fuck you up, kid, in more ways than one.”

“And that’s exactly why you took me to Kamar-Taj,” is Tomas’s rebuttal.

“That is not why we took you to Kamar-Taj!” Bucky yells, slamming his fist along the adjacent wall. In a split second, he’s in front of Tomas, leaning over him. Your heart stutters, and you’re ready to pull the hero back, but Tomas doesn’t back down, leaning forward until their noses are practically touching.

“You’re on a suicide mission, kid; you made a stupid plan like it’s your duty to put yourself in the line of fire when there are other people perfectly capable of doing it without–”

“Can’t help it,” Tomas spits. “Growing up, I drooled over my fucking history books, learning all about a man that no one believed in with a dumb plan to help save the world.”

Bucky is stunned, and Tomas breaks their staredown, hard eyes absorbing the night clouds you’re flying through.

“I heard he had someone by his side who stuck by him and believed in him,” Tomas spits. “But sis, you were right. Never meet your heroes.”

Sam and Bucky glance at you before sharing a look. You can only open your mouth, only to shut it. It was what you had told him when Steve Rogers was invited to read a book based off of him at Tomas’s former elementary school. Tomas had begged you to pick him up early from school so you could try to get even a glimpse of his hero. You agreed, but by the time you arrived, he was long gone, whisked away by something more important.

Sam stops thumbing his shield, standing up to use the lavatory. He claps his hand on Tomas’s shoulder.

“If it helps any, he was a hardass on Steve, too,” Sam whispers with a small smile before disappearing into the bathroom.

“I heard that,” Bucky grumbles. “And that punk deserved it, too.”

While the plane roars around you, you and Tomas are having a silent exchange. He can see the anger, understanding, upset, confusion, and sympathy in your eyes.

I had to, sis, his eyes are telling you.

I know, is the message your expression is sending back. But you’re gonna wish the evil sorcerers got to you first when I’m through with you.

He smiles, shifting his gaze to the airplane window once again.

“Look, I’m sorry, kid,” Bucky speaks up from across the aisle.

Tomas huffs. “I tried to come without her. I knew you would react like this if she came.”

“What does that mean?” you say. Much to Bucky’s relief, Sam’s exit from the bathroom is perfectly timed.

“He can take us to the entrance, Sam,” Bucky decides. “And then he gets his ass back to the plane. Immediately.”

His partner cocks his head at the idea, but has no rebuttal. Through their earpieces, Dr. Banner announces that the pilot has started their descent.

While Sam is handing Tomas a gun, Bucky takes his earpiece and places it in your hand.

“‘Cause I know you’re gonna be freaking out in here,” he explains. You manage a smile.

“Tomas comes back in one piece, you hear me?”

He nods solemnly, knowing your humorous tone is only a mask.

“You all come back in one piece.”

“And you stay put,” he responds. You nod, placing the communication device in your ear. He places a reassuring hand on the side of your head, smiling when you unconsciously lean into his touch. This time, it’s Sam and Tomas’s turn to exchange a look.

“We gotta go, Bucky,” Sam says, before turning his attention to the young man beside him. He points at his chest, emphasizing, “Entrance and back.”

“Entrance and back,” Tomas repeats with a grin. He meets your concerned eyes with a nod before disappearing into the night with Sam and Bucky.

For the first few minutes, your legs feel like jelly. Your nerves glue you to your seat, and you can only manage to buckle and unbuckle your seatbelt numerous times. You stare out of the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of your brother or the heroes, but can only see darkness.

The next few minutes after that, you’re pacing the cabin’s length, suddenly restless. You wipe your clammy hands on your pants, looking around for something to make yourself useful. Sitting around doing nothing was never your thing; Bucky’s simple request to stay put in the cabin was not a simple request for you. You decide your goal is to find a weapon, in case a mystic or two find the plane and need their asses handed to them.

While you search the aircraft, you hear Sam’s voice over comms, informing Dr. Banner that they’re about to meet the target.

“You sure you don’t want to do this instead, Banner?” Bucky muses.

“Covert is in your wheelhouse, not the big guy’s,” Bruce responds. “Be careful.”

You give up trying to get into the weapons locker, and instead decide on the aircraft’s fire extinguisher as your weapon of choice. You nearly invite yourself into the cockpit to confer with the pilot in case you were attacked, but you decide that the best plan would be to leave them alone so they could do their job.

You sit back in your seat, gripping the extinguisher. The red metal chills your lap through the fabric of your pajama pants. You fight every urge to run out into the darkness, to follow after your brother, knowing your role tonight was to practice patience and trust.

After a few agonizing minutes of silence, you sigh in relief at your brother’s hushed voice through the communication device in your ear: “They’re in the building, heading back now.”

“Roger. Watch your six, kid,” Bruce responds.

“Name’s Tomas,” your brother responds, and you can practically hear the goofy grin spreading across his face.

You peer out of the window, waiting to see your brother’s lanky figure appear through the darkness. One minute turns to five, which turns to ten, and you feel your stomach tying itself in knots.

“Bruce, come in,” you speak up.

“Go for Bruce.”

The plane door swings open, and you jump, nearly knocking the extinguisher to the floor. You quickly get to your feet, extinguisher aimed, but quickly drop it to hug your brother.

“Oh my god,” you breathe, pulling back and smoothing his windswept hair.

He gives you a lopsided smile.

“They told me to update our pilot, let her know everything’s on track. Means we’ll be leaving at the expected time,” Tomas says. You nod, but pull him into your arms one last time before he disappears into the cockpit.

Bruce’s voice comes over the communications system, and you slap your forehead. You had completely forgotten that you reached out to him.

“Bruce, I’m so sorry, everything’s good–”

He cuts you off, his voice low with a slight tremble. “You need to leave.”

The urgency in his tone is everything you need to know. “Wait, let me get Tomas.”

“No, you need to leave.” He is speaking quickly. “Operations logistics, including communication with the pilot, is strictly done remotely. By the mission lead. Me. Agents on the ground are there to focus on their job.”

You freeze, right outside of the cockpit. “What are you saying, Bruce?”

“Sam and Bucky would never tell your brother–”

You hear a strangled scream on the other side that causes the hair on your arms to rise. But the scream cuts off, the unnatural silence sending another round of chills through your body. The door swings open, and you swear your brother’s eyes flash purple as he fixes his gaze on you.

“Sorry,” he chuckles. “I wanted to do that a lot more subtly.” He has a blade in his hand, and he’s wiping the crimson residue on the wrist of his jacket. He’s slowly moving towards you; with every step forward, you take one step back. Your eyes flash to the extinguisher on the ground, the door on your left, the bloody knife in Tomas’s hand.

“You…never had a knife.” Your hands are reaching around behind you, trying to keep your balance as you continue to create distance between yourself and your sibling.

Tomas looks at the knife, then at you. He taps his temple with the blade, as if to say silly me. The gesture leaves a ruby dot on the side of his head.

“Duh. Sorry,” he says. He sheaths the knife; in the same instant, he pulls out the gun from Sam, pointing it at your head. “Is this better?”

“RUN!” Bruce yells through your earpiece, and you push past your brother, reaching for the aircraft door. You make quick acquaintances with the floor when Tomas grips your ankle, twisting you and dragging you back towards him. Your vision becomes a jumble of white stars and ceiling panels. Still, your legs kick as hard as they can, trying to release you from your brother’s painful grip.

Tomas appears to be talking to himself as he pulls you to the back of the plane. “I like this body. Real strong, real fast.”

This man looks and sounds like your brother, but the glint in his eyes and the inflection in his tone tells you that, right now, this is not the person you’ve been raising the past few years.

“Tomas! TOMAS!” you scream, clawing at his hands, hoping to trigger your brother back to reality. Were it not for the adrenaline, you might feel the tears flowing down your cheeks, the rhythmic throbbing in your head, the pain in your ankle as the bones threatened to snap under the superhuman grip.

You try to pull your head away from the barrel of the gun, but you’re pinned–there’s nowhere for you to go. Tomas presses the barrel right between your eyebrows.

“They say we need you,” Tomas huffs. He grits his teeth before moving the gun away from you, as if it puts him in physical pain to not put a bullet in your head.

You hear the door swing open once again, followed by heavy footsteps. Tomas’s eyes follow the intrusion. You act quickly, reaching out until your fingers find the extinguisher. You swing as hard as you can, hearing the metallic clank as the object collides with your brother’s head. As he reels from the impact, you propel yourself backwards on your heels until you feel arms hooking underneath you and lifting you to your feet. Bucky spins you until you’re facing him, giving you a quick assessment before stepping in front of you.

Sam moves forward, launching his shield at Tomas. The younger man ducks behind a seat, and the weapon ricochets off of the back wall. Bucky captures the shield in his right hand and leaves Tomas no time to prepare as he throws it in his direction again.

“Snap out of it, kid!” he urges as Tomas dives out of the way. The shield returns to Bucky, and he moves as though he’s about to throw it again. Tomas readies himself, but doesn’t notice Sam sneaking to his side, his fist connecting with your brother’s jaw. Tomas crumples to the ground, and you instinctively move forward, stopped only by Bucky’s left arm across your decolletage.

Bucky lifts the shield and Sam raises his fists.

“Sis?” Tomas’s voice cracks as he calls for you. He lifts his head, and your stomach turns again.

“Tomas,” you gasp in recognition. There’s the familiarity in his eyes, the voice that you’ve known for the past nineteen years. You push past Bucky, going to comfort your bruised and fearful sibling.

Tomas sits himself up against the wall, groaning as he feels the injuries on his body. He winces and grasps his side. You check over him with worried eyes as Sam tells Bruce to call for backup. Bucky is unloading an extensive first aid kit next to you.

“Tell Doc Strange,” Tomas groans as Bucky flashes a light into his eyes, “I need a re-up on that protection spell.”

“Idiot,” you and Bucky tell him. Your eyes meet at the shared utterance, and for a moment, the world melts away in the ocean blue. You find your mouth turning upward in an amused smile, one you were sure you couldn’t manage just a moment ago.

“They know I’m still here, right?” Tomas asks Sam, who rolls his eyes and shrugs.

And so you watch Captain America settle down across from you, taking a grateful sip of the fresh coffee. Bucky had just left with Tomas a couple minutes prior, telling Sam that he would never be able to keep up at the track with a super soldier and an enhanced being. Sam had waved him off with a yeah, yeah, but you know their jests were a kind attempt to make you feel better about the true purpose of the day.

The days since your brother invited himself to the Avengers’ mission have been…rough, to say the least. After the adrenaline finished coursing through your bodies, you and Tomas were left with the brutal reality that he nearly murdered you.

On his way back to the plane, he was accosted by several members of the Snakeroot Clan. Just as Sam warned, they fucked his shit up. Bad. Bucky relayed the information from Dr. Strange: the spell was basic, but sufficient. A mystic was able to take over Tomas’s mind, but the enchantment was limited in proximity. The further Tomas traveled to return to the plane, the weaker it became; several knocks on the head were sufficient to loosen the spell’s grip on your brother.

All the while, Sam and Bucky found themselves ambushed. Comms were down within the facility’s walls, and they could only hear the occasional crackle of Bruce’s voice. Bucky had seen red, knowing that if they managed to trap him and Sam, you and Tomas were faring worse. The thought was nearly unbearable, and Bucky had most of the clan slumped to the ground before kicking the sealed door open. Sam had stared at his shield, wondering if his presence was even necessary, before following Bucky back to the plane.

You and Tomas were in limbo. He apologized profusely, and you forgave profusely. He was a jumble of I’m sorry, I should’ve paid more attention at Kamar-Taj, I never should’ve put us in that situation. You were the choked responses of it’s okay, I’m just glad you’re okay, let’s check on that knot on your head. You were afraid to be around each other, but also afraid to be without each other. You wanted to hug your brother, ruffle his hair, lovingly call him a piece of shit, but you couldn’t get the image of him almost killing you out of your head.

Bucky had disappeared for a couple days, too; his rage rendered him unable to remember anything between getting to the facility and bandaging Tomas up, and it terrified him.

“It’s normal,” Sam tells you. You shift uncomfortably in the dining seat. “I hope you know that.”

You’re not sure what’s normal about being afraid every time you open a door or turn a corner, terrified that your own brother is waiting, gun in hand.

Sam sees this, continuing in a tone that is the perfect mix of gentle and firm: “It’s not gonna go away by itself.”

Your jaw clenches.

“What do you do to take care of yourself?”

Take care of yourself? You don’t know, eat, sleep, maybe put on a TV show every once in a while? Though now that you think about it, you’ve been working through your lunch breaks, avoiding moments of rest that were just filled with terrifying flashbacks. And sleep wasn’t exactly sleep–more like tossing and turning until sleep happened to overtake you for a few minutes, then you would wake up and start the restless cycle all over again. Oh, and the TV show was mostly background noise while you researched mind control–

Sam calls out your name. You blink yourself back to reality, realizing you haven’t said a word since you’ve sat down at your kitchen table.

“When my dad wasn’t running the restaurant, he was in church.”

You look up at him, recalling stories about the Wilson family that Bucky learned on his visits to Delacroix. You see Bucky’s bright eyes and big smile as he told you about Cass and AJ, about Louisianian cuisine, about Sam and Sarah’s bickering.

“And my mom was there for every one of his sermons, in the third pew.” He looks down at his mug with a chuckle. “Never the first, because Titi Nisa had a hearing problem and Mrs. Roberts was too short to sit anywhere else.”

You smile, imagining a woman with Sam’s friendly grin helping other church-goers into the rows in front of her.

“And never in the second pew, no, that was for newcomers. Families that had just moved in, visitors from out of town…They deserved the second row, not the pastor’s wife.

“But when my dad was killed, she started sitting in the back row.

“And when my mom got shot, that’s when I started going.”

He lets out a mirthless huff, a sharp and emotionless exhale through his nose.

“I was so mad. My dad stood in front of the congregation every week, talking about seeing the good in people, about our duty to do things to make the world better. I mean, shit, I dunno, I wouldn’t know, I wasn’t there.

“But I hated myself. When I went to bed, I had dreams that they were still alive, that I was getting ready for church with them. I feel like I replayed every waking moment. What if I tackled the dude before he pulled the knife out on my dad? What if instead of going to that birthday party in the second grade, I stayed and hung out with my mom? And when I wasn’t torturing myself, I was putting on a tough face so Sarah would be able to look at her big brother and know that everything was okay.”

Your eyes prickled with tears and your nose stung, hearing an all-too-familiar story. You had seen Sam in many different lights at this point: the hero of great skill, the coach of short patience, the joker of quick retorts. Bucky filled in the gaps of your Sam Wilson knowledge bank, painting a picture of a magnificent uncle, a more-than-capable partner, a trusted and beloved friend. But never had you expected to see him in this light.

“I was in college,” you say, trying to keep your voice steady, “when Mom died. Um, heart attack. We had no way of knowing. I was at a lecture, Tomas was in class. I got in my car and I drove. I, um, drove for hours. My university was out-of-state.

“When I got there, um, she was–she was gone. Tomas got to say goodbye, but I didn’t. He told her we loved her. That we would be okay.”

You quickly wipe the tears before they trace down your cheek.

“Sam, I don’t feel okay.”

He nods. His eyebrows twitch as if they want to furrow in sympathy, but he stops himself.

“The one and only time I was on campus after that was to withdraw. I got a job at the restaurant around the corner, I picked up extra shifts, I started working at this store in the mall–to make sure we were okay–”

“Yeah,” Sam cuts in. He sees how your chest heaves, how your breathing is turning erratic. “Yeah, I know.

“So let me ask you this. If you close your eyes and picture yourself calm, and happy, what do you see?”

You take a deep breath, trying to clear your mind as your eyes close and Sam disappears behind a curtain of darkness. You reach into your memory, pulling out moments of joy.

“Um, watching Tomas win competitions. Watching our favorite shows, especially the ones we liked as kids–”

“I’m gonna stop you there,” Sam says, and your eyes open. “What about…something without Tomas?”

“Without?”

“Yeah. Um, listen, we know how you love him, but a lot of your life revolves around your brother. And that’s great, you know, but I think…sometimes, you’re as dependent on him as he is on you.”

Your first instinct is to immediately shoot down the notion. But you realize how quickly you want to deny the sentiment, and you wonder why that is. You press your lips together.

You close your eyes again.

“A couple months ago, I drew a bath, lit some candles, watched this cheesy movie. Um, I saw some friends from high school a year ago–we saw a comedy show, then grabbed dinner.”

You smile as your words summon the memories to your mind. But a different picture paints itself over the recollections. You’re sitting at the edge of the couch, looking over at your favorite part of the film, smiling proudly as Bucky laughs, right on cue. You’re shoving leftovers into your fridge as Bucky returns your dining table to its original spot, making easy work of the furniture pieces. You see his cropped dark hair, his soft blues, his bright smile.

Your eyes are wide when they open, and you pray Sam doesn’t notice as your face floods with heat. His face, even the subtle smile, betray nothing.

The oven clock informs you that your time with the captain is up.

“You’re good, Wilson,” you say. “You’re good.”

He gives a dismissive shrug as you both rise.

“That’s why they pay me the big bucks, right?”

“They pay you the big bucks?”

“Nah.”

You and Sam stop in front of the front door.

“Thanks, Sam,” you say earnestly. “You didn’t have to do all that, and–no, stop, you really didn’t. You were a counselor for war vets, for heroes. Not for people like me. You’re a good friend.”

“What makes you think you’re not a hero?” he says. “Your brother thinks the world of you, you know.”

You give him a lopsided smile.

“And that bionic staring machine looks up to you, too.

“Not me, though. I think you kinda suck.”

He shoves his shoulder into you jokingly as you laugh at the sharp turn of his words. You open the door, ready to quip about kicking him out. On the other side, your brother waits with his keys in hand, Bucky standing expectantly beside him.

“Mile time is down to two minutes and thirty-four seconds, sis,” Tomas announces with a grin, shooting you a thumbs up. You find yourself looking closely at his eyes, making sure there’s no hint of a purple hue.

“Got a great view of the back of my head the whole time,” Bucky adds.

Tomas deflates, crossing his arms over his chest. “Yeah, and your knees haven’t stopped cracking since,” he grumbles, earning a laugh from Sam.

At the training facility, the four of you look over Tomas’s lab tests.

“Everything looks good,” Bucky confirms, meeting your eyes and nodding.

“But it’s just as we suspected,” Sam said. “Your cells regenerate at regular levels, meaning you don’t heal like an enhanced. Can’t jump out of planes with no regard like this idiot here.”

Bucky is about to retort, before realizing Redwing’s footage somewhere in the ether. He settles for a displeased grunt.

“You’re up, Cap,” he tells his partner.

You and Bucky prop yourself up against the boxing ring’s ropes, getting a clear view of Sam and Tomas at the rock climbing wall. Sam is having him scale the wall incrementally, gauging at what height Tomas would need equipment for a safe landing. Bucky knows he wouldn’t be the most qualified for this session, because…

“I kinda just…throw myself at things,” he says, scratching his neck. “There’s really no better way to put it.”

You laugh with a shake of your head. “You’re a super soldier, not a boomerang, Barnes.”

He shrugs. “Don’t underestimate me.” He has his phone in his hand, flipping it around absentmindedly. You watch his nimble fingers for a few seconds.

“Hey,” you say, a lightbulb going off. “You should train me.”

He raises an eyebrow at you. “In what, exactly?”

You shrug, nervously wiggling your foot, feeling a phantom hand wrapping around your ankle. Despite the passage of time, your bruises remain, serving as a torturous reminder.

“Self-defense, I guess. Maybe some cool moves to impress the ladies, or whatever it is you do.”

He smiles, stepping backwards off of the ring’s ledge. It’s not a bad idea, and he wonders why he didn’t think to offer it first.

“So you’re saying I impress you,” is his takeaway. His eyes scan the pegboard in front of him, running his fingers over the selection of weapons. He selects two training knives before making his way back to the ring, swinging himself over the ropes.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, now, Barnes,” you tease as you take his hand. He helps you climb over the ropes, his hand finding the small of your back as you lower yourself into the ring.

Bucky takes you through some basic techniques. He shows you several grips, pairing them with the best flicks, slashes, and thrusts. You’re surprised at how much you have to focus on your footwork. Bucky moves your hips, even guides your knees and crouches down by your feet. When you yelp as his hand gently prods your ankle forward, Bucky reels.

“No, it’s not you,” you say, propping your right foot on your toes to alleviate the pain. “Just…still sore.”

While he’s still bent low to the ground, Bucky silently offers you his hand. Questioningly, you gingerly place your hand in his, and he guides you down beside him. One hand forms a loose circle right above your ankle, the other grips your shoe. He draws slow circles with your foot, earning a hiss from you.

“HYDRA sent me to the Philippines for a few months,” he tells you. “First, for an assassination, but I was ordered to stay. Train with one of their contacts, who was an expert in a local form of knife fighting. Some of the most impressive knife skills in the world. Breathe, doll, breathe.”

You force an exhale as Bucky rotates your foot in the other direction. “Knives are really more the…Soldier’s thing. I stopped using them a long time ago.”

“I had no idea,” you said. “Maybe we shouldn’t–”

“We definitely should. Use HYDRA’s training for something good, right? Someone good. That feel okay?”

“Yeah,” you breathe. “Thanks.” You look up at him, trying to relax the pained scrunch of your brows. He smiles, tells you anytime. With his eyes meeting yours, his skilled fingers coaxing the pain out of your body, you feel your heart nearly beating out of your chest. Bucky moves forward, reaching further up to press circles into your calf.

“You’re tense,” he comments, but you swear he’s speaking to your lips and not to you.

“Not for the reasons you think, Bucky,” you say, finding your own eyes tracing down his face. His oceanic eyes, the curve of his nose, the slight part of his lips…

Bucky’s hand moves further up, finding the top of your thigh. He’s closer than ever, his free hand finding yours, pulling the knife out of your grasp and guiding your fingers between his.

The gym lights flicker on and off, startling you. Bucky hangs his head for a brief second; when he peers upward, he smiles, pushing himself backwards.

“The facility will be closing in five minutes,” an announcement comes over the speaker system. “If you have any items in the lockers, please get them now.”

As Bucky is helping you up and out of the ring, Sam tells Tomas to gather his things. When the teen is out of earshot, he presses a name on his phone.

“Sarah? Hey, you’re gonna love this…”

Masterlist: {one} | {two} | {three}

Taglist: @vicmc624 @zizzlekwum @monique2281 @d3m0n8ch1ld @just-a-stan Feel free to leave a reply/ask if you want to be added!

[usafphantom2]

Just some Records held by the SR-71

Altitude in Horizontal Flight: 85,068.997 feet

Speed Over a Straight Course – Average Speed: 2,193.167 mph

Speed Over a Recognized Course: New York to London: 1 hour, 54 minutes, 56.4 seconds

The SR-71’s speed was not limited by the power of its engines. It was limited by the heat its structure could withstand.

Titanium makes up 93% of the SR-71s structure. A material that had never been truly utilized to its full potential until the SR-71 came along.

Each SR 71 was handmade. That means everyone of the Blackbirds were ever so slightly different. The men that flew the SR’s had their favorites and then there were the hangar queens that no one liked to fly..

The reason why titanium was so expensive was the process to make it usable.

The first reliable process to produce chemically pure titanium was developed in the 1940s. This process made the SR-71 possible. It begins by first converting the titanium dioxide to titanium chloride.

How do we convert the Titanium?

To do this titanium dioxide is mixed with chlorine and pure carbon and heated. Any oxygen or nitrogen leaking in will ruin the process, so this has to be done in relatively small batches in a sealed vessel. Once this process is complete, we have Titanium Chloride.

We then need to purify the Titanium Chloride from any impurities in the titanium ore through distillation. Where we heat the product and separate titanium chloride using its lower boiling point.

This Titanium Chloride vapor is fed into a stainless steel vessel containing molten magnesium at 1300 kelvin. Titanium is highly reactive with oxygen at high temperatures, so the vessel also needs to be sealed and filled with argon. Here the Titanium Chloride reacts with the magnesium, which itself is an expensive metal, to form titanium and magnesium chloride.

At times the engineers were perplexed as to what was causing problems, but thankfully they documented and cataloged everything, which helped find trends in their failures.

They discovered that spot welded parts made in the summer were failing very early in their life, but those welded in winter were fine. They eventually tracked the problem to the fact that the Burbank water treatment facility was adding chlorine to the water they used to clean the parts to prevent algae blooms in summer, but took it out in winter. Chlorine as we saw earlier reacts with titanium, so they began using distilled water from this point on.

They discovered that their cadmium plated tools were leaving trace amounts of cadmium on bolts, which would cause galvanic corrosion and cause the bolts to fail. This discovery led to all cadmium tools to be removed from the workshop.

Converting Titanium for the SR-71 is really slow

This reduction reaction is extremely slow, between 2 and 4 days. It’s pretty clear that titanium is expensive and extremely difficult to work with. But without Titanium and the SR-71, we wouldn’t be where we are today, talking about the fastest, air, breathing airplane in the world. You can read the full article here. Linda Sheffield.

wisconsinmetaltech.com/titanium-and-t…

@Habubrats71 via X

[aviatrix-ash]

The bottom drawer of my toolbox is an ispy book of chaos rn bc it's my least used stuff currently, not a lot of sheet metal to do in a hangar with mostly composite airplanes.

But I have recenyly acquired many nice ingots for bucking solid rivets into shape. Some are steel, some are yummy tungsten <3

My friend from the plane museum gave me most of these. He used these to build & repair all sorts of jets from L1011s, 727s, 717s, 757s, and many many others over the last 5 decades.

[nawtponchoesquire]

Oh god, this manga is about me: Dead Dead Demon's Dedede Destruction

On December 2nd, 2022, a YouTube livestream broadcasted the rollout of Northrop Grumman’s latest technological marvel to thousands of people. Countless hours of R&D, cutting edge engineering, and assembly all lead to this moment. Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden spoke from a podium about “the next generation of capability” and “defining what this nation is capable of when we work together” while the livestream chat gawked and called her Mommy.

After Warden’s speech, the hangar door behind her slowly opened. Blue stage lights cast a powerful aura over a hulking monolith draped in a white cloth. Cinematic orchestra music blared and the lights pulsed with the music. The chat screamed “TRUMP 2024”, “METAL GEAR”, and “MOMMY” still, if you can believe it. The music reached its explosive crescendo, and the curtains dropped: the B21 stealth bomber was introduced to the world in all its glory.

Admiral Christopher W. Grady called it an “Airborne Extended Deterrent”. In his speech after the reveal, Grady waffled a bit about national security, and about how this plane REALLY matters and was, like, TOTALLY worth the tax dollars, guys. “This isn’t just another airplane. It’s not just another acquisition. It’s a symbol and a source of the fighting spirit that President Reagan spoke of” he said.

Livestreams and marketing of this nature aren’t uncommon in today’s late capitalist dystopia. Gun manufacturer Heckler and Koch shows off flashy trailers of their submachine guns, edited with a slow-mo Booj and the musical timing of a Battlefield trailer. At the time of writing, there’s even an extremely late sale on their website for “MARCH MAG-NESS”, with a toggle at the top for civilian and law enforcement of course.

When looking at these pieces as part of my research for this post, I’m left with a sinking feeling that’s hard to describe. I feel swallowed by a culture and a system so determined to casualize warfare, to justify violence against a perceived, sometimes invisible threat. As the planet warms, the rich elude responsibility, and I whittle away my days at an office job, precisely one thought bounces around in my brain: “I can't wait to go home and play videogames”.

This exact feeling is captured in amber by Inio Asano’s latest finished work, Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction! (henceforth referred to as Dead Dead Demon’s). Set 3 years after a UFO appeared above Tokyo, Dead Dead Demon’s follows two high school grads just living their life while the literal and figurative “end of the world” looms overhead. What starts off as an unassuming pre-apocalyptic slice-of-life unravels into a deeply fascinating vivisection of our current geopolitical climate and how its effects trickle down to the youngest generations like countless streams of Ronald Reagan’s piss.

It’s impossible not to see the political implications of Dead Dead Demon’s. After the giant UFO suddenly appeared above Tokyo, The Japanese military panicked. They shot down the countless smaller UFO’s that poured out of the main craft, raining debris down on Tokyo’s denizens. Thousands were killed, including Kadode Koyama’s father. Kadode’s mother, left traumatized and paranoid after this tragedy, becomes the manga’s version of a conspiracy truther. 3 years after 8/31, Kadode’s mother leaves Tokyo and her daughter behind to live in a commune with her new boyfriend.

In the midst of her high school graduation and early college career, Kadode is left alone. Or, she would be, if not for Ouran Nakagawa, her childhood best friend. Ouran is Kadode’s rock-solid foundation. As the manga comes back to time and time again, they are absolute; an unwavering, unconditional love connects the two in a way that’s rarely portrayed in manga. A running theme throughout the manga is that the people you love can pull you through anything, not through fixing your problems, but simply by being by your side. Or at least, it would be. More on that later.

The duality of Kadode and Ouran is explored throughout the manga in such a way that it builds the two protagonists to be distinct but codependent. Kadode, a victim of bullying in elementary school, developed a discomfort with how easily society labels its ingroups and outgroups. Her only respite from relentless bullying was Isobeyan, an ongoing gag manga that her father worked on.

The titular Isobeyan and his incredible technological gadgets allow a neurotic teenage girl named Debeko to find wacky solutions to her problems. Debeko, unable to escape her own cycles of narcissism and self-loathing, constantly relies on Isobeyan’s gadgets to get her way. Kadode sees her own destructive tendencies in Debeko, and fantasizes about using Isobeyan’s gadgets to fix her own life; it’s a potent fantasy to give someone who is marginalized. Full-color snippets of the fictional manga bookend each volume of Dead Dead Demon’s, serving as a clear visual and structural metaphor for the invaders and how their advanced technology would seem to be able to fix anything.

While Kadode Koyama is cynical but reserved, Ouran Nakagawa is a firehose of sparkly anticapitalist rage. She’s brash and completely unfiltered, swinging from scathing cynicism about the future of Japan to raucous joy about the latest patch for her favorite FPS within literal seconds. Ouran is the candle that burns twice as bright and twice as long, loudly proclaiming herself to exist in equal parts joyous laugh and viscous battle cry.

However, that’s not the whole story. Beneath the mask is a deeply empathetic high school girl who really just loves the people she surrounds herself with. She may tease her friends after a bad date, but she’s there to hug them while they cry. Although she talks a lot of shit, she clings to her friends like they are the most important people in the universe to her. Ouran embodies both the hopeless circle-jerk of being at the bottom rung of late-stage capitalism and the boundless love that powers us through the worst of times within that system. And yet, further beneath that, something stirs within her. More on that later.

The alien invasion is a clear allegory for (INSERT HOT-BUTTON GEOPOLITICAL TOPIC HERE). It’s equal parts climate change, refugee crisis, and 9/11. The so-called invaders don’t exactly live up to their name, being about the height of a grade-schooler and waddling around with cute old-fashioned submarine helmets on. They are about as unassuming as an extraterrestrial threat could possibly be, and we even get some chapters with the invaders from their perspective as they try to survive in Tokyo’s quarantine zones. To them, Earth is a hellscape they did not intend to die on. And oh my god, do they die.

This is the part of Dead Dead Demon’s that pulls on some horrible discomfort deep within me. The genocide of the invaders is sponsored by tech industry giants like Samsung and Google, literally mowing down crowds of child-sized invaders with machine guns, while Kadode and Koyama go about their daily lives just a few blocks away. The dissonance between high school antics and the screams of what look like dying children hits close to home. It’s impossible not to see the parallels between how we, as consumers in a post-industrial society, often live willfully ignorant to the cruelties our lifestyles enable.

I’ve grappled with the question, “what is Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction about?” ever since I first sat down and read it. After a third re-read, I’m not sure that I could boil it down to one specific, sexy thematic clause, and that seems intentional. Inio Asano, the manga’s author, is notorious for creating stories that revel in complexity. Dead Dead Demon’s welcomes, interrogates, and explores a whole host of questions about life in the modern era. And then… the big reveal happens at the midway point; the truth of what this story was really, always about.

Spoilers from here on out, folks. The manga takes a pretty significant turn, one that I actually really like, but it will give you whiplash if you aren’t ready for it.

Okay. So. Time Travel.

The Ouran we’ve seen throughout the first half of the story is without a doubt eccentric. The glimpses of her that we see in flashbacks, however, look like a totally different person. As a child, Ouran is shy and quiet and rolls with the punches. She even stands idly by as Kadode is bullied by her awful classmates. For lack of a better term, she’s perfectly normal. Somewhere along the way, something seriously changed for her.

When Ouran and Kadode were young, they barely spoke. The story goes that they grew close over a summer cram school stuck together, but the secret that brought them together builds out the world and history of Dead Dead Demon’s in a pretty surprising way: Kadode and Ouran found an invader 8 years before the invasion of Tokyo.

Kadode and Ouran go full ET mode and keep the invader disguised in Ouran’s bedroom. After some debate on what to do, the invader finally speaks up for themselves using a small alien device as a translation tool. The invader’s purpose for coming to earth is clear; they are a scout sent by “the home country” to see if Earth is a good place to finally come and colonize.

The interaction here between the scout and these two schoolchildren is fascinating. The scout speaks in vague terms, but they make it clear that humanity exists on earth to create a breathable atmosphere for the invaders, much like how trees create a breathable atmosphere for us. Invaders are beings that aren’t so strongly tethered to a body or physical form; compared to humans, the invaders are actually much more spiritual and transitory. Their child-like bodies only exist as a vessel through which they interact with the world around them.

Kadode and Ouran are bestowed with an impossible burden. They believe that they must prove themselves, and by extension humanity, as welcoming and friendly to this alien civilization. The scout is content to watch this with scientific, unobtrusive collectedness. If they can get a clear read on humanity and its potential threat to the home country anyways, the scout might as well entertain these two girls’ efforts.

Through actively volunteering to do good, the girls feel like they are painting a good picture of humanity for the invader to see. However, it soon becomes clear that the system they are a part of is too big for two small girls to change. Kadode and Ouran can’t do anything about the scandalized politicians, con artists, and criminals. Kadode, fully grasping the situation and its implications, decides that she can do more. No, she needs to do more.

Kadode manages to steal a few powerful tools from the Invader. A small device that sends a devastating force out from its tip, enough to send a car tumbling sideways. An invisible cloak that perfectly obscures its wearer. A device worn on the head that allows one to fly. When these technological marvels are put together, Kadode goes from being an unassuming grade schooler to something else entirely: a vigilante dead-set on purging the horrible people from this world.

Before long, news started to break of a train wreck, and of a politician turning up dead after a hospital stay for a minor medical issue ended with a bullet-shaped wound. Ouran’s favorite pop band member quit, and suddenly the concert was canceled thanks to a technical accident. Over the course of a few days, Kadode has been tracking down horrible people, nearly killing them, and asking them one simple question, “Tell me the worst person you know.”

Ouran finds out that Kadode has been doing this vigilante work, and for the first and only time in the manga, they fight. Kadode, grappling with the sheer weight of trying to fix our world, is left cold, distant, and apathetic. Ouran finds this new side of Kadode to be frightening and alien, like she doesn’t even know who she is talking to. After an argument and a brief physical confrontation, Ouran is left alone for the first time. She is devastated.

Kadode doesn’t show up to class for a few weeks. Then she moves away. In one last ditch effort, Ouran goes to Kadode’s new home and asks to speak with her. Kadode is disheveled, but seems somewhat happy to see Ouran. Therapy has convinced her that Kadode hallucinated or dreamed up her vigilante spree, but talking to Ouran reminds her all too well that what she did was real. The people she killed, the burden of proving humanity to be good, and the destruction of her relationship with her best friend, all push her beyond her limits. She can’t do this anymore.

In the middle of their brief conversation, Kadode jumps from the fourth story of her apartment building.

This series of events, observed by the invader, force them to come to one conclusion: Earth cannot be trusted and should not be visited by the Home Country. Hopeless and devastated, Ouran asks the invader if there’s anything they can do to bring Kadode back. While the invader can’t bring back Kadode, he can do something else: transplant Ouran’s consciousness to a different timeline. This would come with all sorts of risks, such as mental deterioration, but it would allow Ouran to relive her summer school cram days to do things right. Ouran could direct the timeline so that the two never encounter the invader all those years ago. Ouran ultimately accepts the invader’s offer.

I’m kind of obsessed with this decision because it underscores the tragedy and beauty of Ouran as a character. The crazy, chaotic Ouran we’ve been with for the entire story is actually a time traveler from another timeline. Since she never met with the invader, the Home Country was not notified that Earth was dangerous, and thus they appeared above Tokyo, killing Kadode’s father among thousands of other people as collateral damage. When given the choice between inadvertently destroying humanity and losing the one person that gives her life meaning, Ouran chose for herself. I really can’t blame her for that. What good is humanity anyway?

There’s more to this story, entire twists and plotlines I’ve glossed over and cut out of this post, but this moment speaks to the core of what this manga is about. Dead Dead Demon’s is about aliens, time travel, and corporate espionage, but it’s also about the people that need to live beneath those exact colossal forces battling overhead. When the system is this fundamentally broken, filled with flashy ads for the newest line of submachine guns, giant alien-destroying mechs sponsored by pop stars, and live streams where the CEO of a death machine company is called Mommy, it’s impossible not to feel weighed down by it all. The sheer scope of capitalism has never been more visible and more damaging to its denizens.

I often feel like my life is a rollercoaster. Right now, I feel like I’m at the part of the rollercoaster after the big buildup, where an amazing view beckons to me. I’m at the top, but I can feel gravity subtly pulling me down. In our current moment, the system is buckling under the weight of problems created generations prior. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and basic hopes like owning a house or even a new car are well out of reach for many, many people. Without sweeping change, we’re fucked.

I can’t wait to go home and play videogames.

[elwenyere]

WIP Poll Results, Part II

Hello, fam: I am back with more snips from the top choices in this WIP poll game. Last Wednesday was the Icemav second place snip, and today I bring you an excerpt from the third place Sambucky WIP, a follow-up for my Edge of Tomorrow AU, "Look Alive."

I first wrote this AU for Samtember, and I always hoped I would have a chance to come back and give it a Sambucky second half someday. Here are some next steps in that direction!

CW: references to temporary character deaths

.....

Finding the Winter Soldier turned out to be more complicated than Sam had expected.

Not quite “storm a beach that’s writhing with the murderous tentacles of a thousand pissed-off aliens” complicated, sure - but a tricky enough variation on the pattern that Sam still blew three resets trying to give Phillips and H-Squad the slip: locked up in solitary for ten hours before getting deployed to die again on the beach, shot for desertion by an overeager sergeant as he darted across the air strip, pulled under the wheels of a transport truck he tried to use for cover.

By the time he finally made it to the hangar where Barnes was training - standing in the middle of a spacious airplane bay the army had apparently refitted as a firing range for their favorite poster boy - Sam was feeling a little testy about the situation.

“You couldn’t have at least told me where to find you?” he called out.

Barnes finished firing off the final rounds from his rifle, catching three of the range’s whirling metal targets directly in their centers, and then he turned to look at Sam.

“Who the hell are you, and what the fuck are you doing here?”

“Following your vague-ass directions,” Sam shot back. “We meet, tomorrow, on the beach. You told me to come find you. You said I should say that it’s happening to me now, and that you shouldn’t blow another chance.”

Barnes’ eyes searched his face, his fingers flexing around the barrel of his rifle.

“The attack tomorrow,” he said. “It’s a trap?”

Sam felt his lips press together, his ears ringing with the zip and whir of Mimic arms in motion, the helpless rattle of machine-gun fire, the low thud of the missile hitting Barnes in the lower back, once, twice, a dozen times.

“It’s a massacre,” Sam confirmed.

Barnes swore, taking a slow breath before he slung his rifle over his back.

“Come with me.”

[justforbooks]

Three years after it was declared “The Worst Restaurant In NYC Right Now,” Salt Bae’s Manhattan burger joint has closed.

Salt Bae, of course, is the social media tag for the New York celebrity chef and butcher Nusret Gökçe, who became famous for bouncing flakes of salt off his forearm and on to just about anything edible, giving customers varying degrees of salt-shock.

He opened Salt Bae Burger in a city obsessed with finding the best burger possible, and the outlet on Park Avenue had undergone a bumpy ride ever since. It opened in late February 2020 – just before the city went into Covid-19 lockdowns – to accusations of sexism because it had offered a free, appetizer-sized veggie “ladies burger” in pink buns to women only.

“We wanted to compliment the ladies,” its general manager, Al Avci, told Eater, who explained the stunt had gone down well in Dubai. “We weren’t thinking it would be sexist.”

But Salt Bae Burger also drew consternation as the home of the $99, gold-flecked milkshake and the $100 Gold Burger, which was encased in gold foil. Meanwhile, in terms of ambience, Eater critic Robert Sietsema wrote, “it had all the charm of an airplane hangar.”

Scott Lynch, a reviewer for Gothamist, said he’d “had the unfortunate opportunity a few weeks ago to eat several sad servings of hospital food, and everything I had at Salt Bae was worse”. The menu, he wrote, was framed in metal like a tombstone “apparently marking the death of everything pleasurable about eating”.

The inexpensive Wet Burger, he added, was “actually just a meager disc of meat sitting within a soggy, unpleasantly sweet bun. It’s also tiny, but you can’t eat more than a single bite anyway.” Lynch called Salt Bae Burger the city’s worst restaurant.

Gökçe, who would cook in aviator sunglasses and tight white T-shirts, had seen success before. The Turkish restaurant impresario became famous three years earlier, in 2017, when – through his “salt crystals bouncing off arm bent in a swan-like formation” technique – he earned more than 52 million followers on Instagram via a chain of Nusr-Et steakhouses with more than 20 locations worldwide.

But the salting technique also attracted unwanted attention. When Gökçe donned gloves to perform the salting, some wondered if that might be because the technique could otherwise violate health codes.

Also, before Salt Bae Burger opened, the company behind the Nusr-Et restaurants was slapped with legal claims ranging from sexual harassment to wage theft. Gökçe raised eyebrows after bragging about feeding the Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, US conservative darling Donald Trump Jr and Leonardo DiCaprio, who is known for his dating life as much as his critically acclaimed film roles.

And the reviews weren’t great, either.

The New York Post called it “Public Rip-off No 1” that cost $521.45 for dinner for two and left the diners “craving a snack”. A $25 salad was composed of “days-old iceberg lettuce and mystery greens with tasteless goat cheese and a few walnuts, raisins, and pomegranate seeds”.

The New York Times critic Pete Wells said he’d experienced more than the theatrical application of salt to his order. “I had a pair of trousers that Salt Bae had seasoned like a steak,” he wrote.

He added: “Mr Gokce has only one move, but he performs it with total confidence, and as anybody who’s ever been on a dance floor knows, that’s enough.”

Still, Gökçe’s fame has been real enough.

“Americans and New Yorkers love me very much,” he told the New York Times. He described how he served most of the meat to customers, saying: “After I cut it, I do the move.

“I go to the same table, sometimes three times. I don’t see myself as a butcher or just a restaurant owner. I view my job as an art because I make art out of meat and the move is like a final touch on this art. It came from within me.”

Nonetheless, Salt Bae Burger closed last month, and the title of New York’s best – and worst – burger is up for grabs.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

[teamchasez]

JC Chasez Unveils Meow Mix Campaign, Discusses the Power of ’90s Nostalgia and New Music: Exclusive

And just try to resist the sheer adorableness of the *NSYNC member’s feline costar, Tyler Snuggles

Cervanté Pope

February 16, 2023 | 3:15pm ET

They just don’t make boy bands like they used to. The same can be said for commercial jingles, for that matter. Catchy, ear-grabbing melodies don’t seem to hypnotically hit their way into your psyche in the same way anymore, but one of the catchiest of them all is changing that with another comeback.

Over the years, Meow Mix, the cat food cats ask for by name, has repurposed its advertising tune into many different forms since the original in 1980. There’s been a little something for everyone in a categorical sense, from metal, R&B and country being only a few of the genres the brand’s ReMix campaigns have taken on. The newest one is doing it even bigger by including a little help from a familiar face with a proven track record for creating catchy ditties himself: JC Chasez of the forever loved and adored *NSYNC.

“I grew up with a cat, so this was a no brainer,” Chasez tells Consequence about deciding to take on the project in the first place. “I think a lot of people tend to do obvious things, and I liked the fact that this wasn’t an obvious thing that people would see coming for me.”

Fun, silly and completely unobvious pretty accurately describe the upcoming commercial focusing on the Tabby 5, a cat version of the ‘90s boy bands we all had plastered on our walls back in the day. Consider Chasez — a certified cat person himself — the boy band consultant to the kitty group. He guides the cats through all of the classic, golden era of pop band tropes, from coordinated dance routines on their hind legs to singing in the rain in the most random locations like airplane hangars and basketball courts.

It’s the best of both worlds, marrying the collective love for cats with the collective need to return to a simpler time, all for the sake of kitty cat wet food. Yum.

But even if you aren’t a cat person OR an *NSYNC person (and seriously, how could you not be?), there’s still an immense amount of joy to get from this nostalgic homage. The Ulf Johansson-directed ad is set to begin airing in March, but be careful — if you thought the original tune lived rent free in your head, this one isn’t paying rent or utilities, and it’s eating up all your (cat) food. In a good way, of course.

Below, check out the full Q&A and get a first look at photos from the cat-astrophically adorable campaign with JC and Tyler Snuggles.

Consequence: Take us through the premise of the commercial for Meow Mix.

JC: They’re putting together a campaign that’s based around a cat boy band called the Tabby 5. I’m stepping in and helping out with a little bit of expertise and showing them the ropes because they’re doing a ‘90s nostalgia-based kind of remix in this whole cat world that we’re living in. I met one of the members today, which was a lot of fun. I spent some time with a cat, Tyler, and he’s one of the lead singers in the Tabby 5. I actually got to hang out with a cat on set today that’s a member of the band and which was, again, a wild world to be a part of but super fun, actually.

Oh, yeah. I mean, that sounds like such a perk for work — just going and hanging out with cats.

JC: It’s not a bad gig. It’s a-meowzing to be a part of this. This literally came out of out of nowhere, it came out of left field, and it’s been super fun.

Why did you decide to partner with Meow Mix? Are you a cat person?

JC: There’s actually a lot of layers to this. Yes. I grew up with a cat. Yes, I like cats. The fact that when they were reaching out to me they said they’re doing a boy band, and I was like, “Okay, this is a no-brainer.” I like to do things that are interesting… I think a lot of people tend to do obvious things, and I liked the fact that this wasn’t an obvious thing that people would see coming for me. So yeah, I actually loved the idea of coming from left of center, doing something a bit different and fun and a bit silly, you know?

Do you have anything else in the pipeline that you can tease?

JC: I’m always in the studio working on stuff. I’ve actually written two musicals during COVID. They’ll take forever to get made but I’ve written two so we’ll see what happens with them. There’s always something bubbling under, but right now I’m literally in London today, having fun. I hung out with a cat all day today. I said meow about 10,000 times while doing it so that’s where I’m at. That’s… that’s life.

Your life sounds awesome right now.

JC: It’s kind of hilarious and wonderful, yeah.

[prefabconstructioncompany]

Prefab Steel Buildings and also Custom-made Construction

Prefab steel buildings are preferred options in business construction due to the fact that they decrease, though possibly not remove, specific frustrations that commonly crop up. Prefab steel buildings could even be more effective for personalized tasks despite there being no noticeable economic situation of range. Nonetheless, it takes prudence, strong funding, and effective procedure to take the fullest benefit of this strategy.

Steel buildings are normally prefab when the style provides the specialist with significant challenges, such as the broad and high spaciousness required for aircraft hangars and comparable frameworks. Hence, assistance beam of lights frequently need to be eliminated lest they disrupt ordinary procedures, and tolerances are normally tighter, demanding persistance and also accuracy. Specialists that possess the devices and workers in their look for managing the awareness of such tough layouts are thus offered with an internal benefit.

Not all projects making use of metal framing are appropriate for prefabrication or pre-engineering, as well as good specialists need to be experienced at making such analyses. For example, the layout may not be advanced enough to justify the additional costs of accuracy developing as well as carrying finished framing to the website. Occupant improvement projects or any type of circumstances including modification of existing facilities (possibly while remaining to be occupied) are not suitable to be prospects for prefabrication strategies.

Also for garages or similar frameworks where the prefab approach appears noticeable, there is an option about just how to finest approach their building and construction, as well as one requires to carry out a cost/benefit evaluation. We have already described what is involved in pre-engineering the framework, building it in a shop, and after that carrying the constructed frameworks to the last site. The other choice is to carry out all jobs onsite, going back to square one and sticking to the specs laid out in the plans.

There are a lot of aspects to be considered for the option to be scampered the cuff. One of the most essential aspect is the general nature of the project, as ramifications after that tend to form. We devote the remainder of this post on examining job kinds that fit to use metal buildings effectively.

Possibly the most familiar type, one we currently discussed, is the airplane hangar with its requirement to accommodate both a high ceiling and also a huge open location. The implication is that messages as well as beam of lights are lacking, which in turn suggests that the structure needs adequate toughness and also honesty in and of itself to conquer the stress and anxieties put on it from wind shear and various other pressures. Comparable framework needs are additionally required in other transportation applications, and also prefabrication is therefore a big favorite.

Open areas are common in several industrial and commercial applications; some likewise need high ceilings to suit things like cranes, whereas others do not have this requirement. Recycling facilities, food handling plants, as well as producing assembly lines are examples of this type. Prefab steel is not always the best means to go here, yet may be.

An intriguing circumstance develops for warehouse and storehouses, which have huge open spaces and also thus are typically developed from steel. Application-specific equipment can use up a lot of this space, and also a resolution may need to be made as to whether the framework or devices obtains positioned initially. This in turn points to whether offsite prefab is also possible or whether framing needs to be erected around the equipment.

For owners of big rented out structures, such as shopping malls, the essential question is generally what needs to happen when renters alter. New residents often tend to desire enhancements and may expect the proprietor to accommodate them. Right here, steel framework, prefab or not, gives the owner with much more adaptability.

What we have actually been reviewing locations high demands on both proprietor and also professional, mostly due to the fact that it is custom-made job. Choice of product as well as choices relating to strategy need to be straightened out well beforehand. In the end, there is a clear relationship in between prefab steel buildings and also customized building and construction.

www.facilitybuilders.com

[bengordon01]

How to Build a Post Frame Airplane Hangar

Building a post frame airplane hangar is the most efficient aircraft storage solution and is very cost-effective. Airplane hangar builders can provide the sturdiest and roomiest buildings as shelters from all elements, at the same time giving ample scope to carry out maintenance and even maneuver.

First and foremost, it should sit in a good location that would be able to cover enough space for hangars and be accessible to planes. The foundation should be strong and level to hold up the structure. Then, choose durable poles, trusses, and siding in order to last for an extended period of time. Metal roofing is preferably to be used, for it is more weather-resistant and less hassle to maintain.

Personalization is key-teaming with airplane hangar to add some of the following features: large sliding doors, insulation for temperature control, maintenance lighting, and ventilation and drainage to prevent buildup of moisture. Plan for future expansions if your needs require it. With such planning, a post-frame hangar can be very reliable for years to come.

[coastalsteelstructures]

Pre Engineered Aircraft Hangars | Metal Hangar Building | Steel Airplane Hangars - Coastal Steel Structures     

Discover the superiority of Coastal Steel Structures' top-notch, pre-engineered metal farm and agricultural steel buildings, constructed with high-grade steel for quality and finesse. Contact us to learn more about our Aircraft Hangar and Airplane Hangar Building solutions, ensuring precision engineering and durability for unmatched performance and reliability.

[armstrongsteelbuildings]

Building for the Sky: The Versatility of Aircraft Hangar Kits

Whether it's a personal jet or a commercial plane, your aircraft deserves the best protection from the elements. Armstrong Steel specializes in designing and fabricating custom metal airplane hangars tailored to your specific needs. You can count on our steel aircraft hangar kits to shield your investment from harsh weather conditions so that it can stay safe and secure while minimizing depreciation.

No matter what type or size of aircraft you own, we will prefabricate and engineer a high-quality and durable structure. We have worked closely with private owners and businesses and delivered functional and aesthetically pleasing hangars with clear spans up to 300 feet wide — designed to house any airplane, even commercial aircraft. These structures are also perfect for storing the tools and workshop equipment you use for maintaining your airplanes.

What makes our aircraft hangar kits versatile?

Featuring clear-span framing systems, our steel aircraft hangar kits have no interior columns, ensuring uninterrupted interior space. The result is a completely unobstructed interior space that is ideal for storing airplanes or helicopters without any limitations. We pre-engineer your aircraft hangar kit in any size to meet your length, height, or width requirements.

As your fleet of aircraft grows, so should your hangar. It’s easier to expand your facility when it’s made of steel because the modular framing allows endless length and width extensions. If you still have enough space on your property, all you have to do is order more kits to expand your existing metal hangar instead of building a whole new structure.

Designed your way

Our team of seasoned building consultants will help you customize a steel aircraft hangar that meets your specific requirements.

We understand that a hangar can be an excellent marketing tool if you’re an aviation company, so it should effectively reflect your brand. That’s why we never do generic cookie-cutter designs. When you choose us to design and fabricate your metal hangar kit, you can expect a one-of-a-kind solution tailored to your needs both in terms of utility and aesthetics.

We’re not like other manufacturers that rely on a limited number of standard designs and keep reusing them. Each project is special to us, so we work closely with our clients to customize the hangar according to your unique needs. Whether it’s for a commercial plane or a helicopter, we guarantee stylish and durable designs that meet your aesthetic requirements.

Customizing your aircraft hangar kit

Do you have a specific vision in mind? Our design team here at Armstrong Steel can bring it to life. While other steel building fabricators can only offer stock options, we can completely customize your hangar exactly how you want it. If you don’t want it to look too industrial, we can design it to work with other wall and roof styles, including CMU, stucco, and brick. Our steel buildings can even be customized in any interior and exterior finish.

Our design and engineering team can design the hangar to accommodate your specific aircraft type with the right dimensions and door style. Do you want to incorporate features like living quarters or lounge areas to provide a comfortable workspace for your staff? We can do that, too. Our steel building kits are highly adaptable, so you can easily modify your hangar to meet your changing needs over time.

Enough room for your needs

Your aircraft hangar kit needs to be designed according to industry standards, or you risk violating building regulations and facing legal issues. That is why we closely follow your local building codes and take your load-bearing needs into consideration here at Armstrong Steel. Our goal is to fabricate a hangar that meets your space requirements and intended use.

Do you plan to use your hangar for commercial aircraft? Then, it needs enough room for the planes, a warehouse, building utilities, and offices. Some facilities also require specialty areas or shops. We will work with you to determine these requirements so we can provide a properly sized steel building kit that can meet all of them.

A hangar for every application

Do you need a multi-aircraft hangar? Armstrong Steel can design one for you. We can customize our pre-engineered metal building kits for storing commercial or military aircraft fleets. These structures are versatile for airport operations, personal fleets, and other applications. With customizable large door openings and different framing systems, our designs will meet your specific requirements for any application.

Crafting reliable and durable hangars

Choosing an Armstrong Steel aircraft hangar kit means investing in a durable building that will last a lifetime. We design these kits to ensure reliable protection and storage for any aircraft while meeting the building codes in your area. Steel hangars are strong enough to survive heavy snowfall and high winds. Earthquakes will also be the least of your worries when your planes are stored in an Armstrong Steel prefabricated metal hangar. And because steel buildings are non-combustible, they are unlikely to burn down completely in case of a fire.

Ready to build a steel hangar?

Whether it’s your first time building a steel hangar or looking to add to your existing facilities, you can trust us to deliver. Price your aircraft hangar kit here by filling out the quotation form. You may also speak with one of our building experts by calling 1-800-345-4610.

[metalbuildingser]

Metal Building Contractor

The Building Erector Who Motivates Count On and Confidence

The term "building erector" recommends somebody that is involved in big industrial projects, and thus is used to taking care of a relatively high degree of danger. The good building erector prepares very carefully, funds his job wisely, and carries out procedures efficiently to make the most of the likelihood of success. Proprietors that need to employ professionals in this area are naturally wanting to of discovering prospects that display these crucial top qualities, since the stakes are high and they are being hired to determine somebody with whom they can put confidence and trust.

Evaluating a building erector thus ends up being a vital preliminary step in the direction of deciding, and is possibly fraught with pitfalls. To make the procedure as unbiased as possible, we recommend very first establishing a list of requirements that the proprietors determine are one of the most essential. Most likely first on everyone's list need to be the professional's well-known experience, both with commercial-grade and large-scale building and construction in general and with the framework types (steel or concrete, e.g.) being considered; obtaining evaluations from former customers could additionally confirm vital.

One could likewise wish to analyze just how varied the specialist's experience is. As an example, taking care of building and construction from scratch to finish, refurbishing an existing center while inhabited, and making lessee renovations for brand-new passengers are all usual project kinds that establish and/or hire different collections of abilities. Rank the relevance to you of specific skills such as good interaction with customers and owners, capability to reassess swiftly, or breadth of network contacts.

Also take into consideration the candidate's experience with various sorts of customers. There's a pretty sharp difference between the private sector and federal government (public) customers. Concentration in one location stays clear of spreading oneself too thin, whereas direct exposure to diverse customer types could reinforce relational skills.

If your project involves metal framing, consider the service provider's technique. One way is to build every little thing onsite, carrying out the design from scratch straight from the strategies. Another way is to take advantage of pre-engineering and advanced tools by putting together frame sections in the shop, and afterwards transferring them to the website for last assembly.

Neither approach has an integral benefit over the other, but by evaluating numerous variables one can determine the much better selection in a specific instance. This can be illustrated by exploring a range of metal building erection kinds.

Take into consideration the airplane hangar, usually made from steel, which offers the high tensile stamina required for large, open spaces. The hangar layout is pretty standard; so, pre-engineering and onsite erection are similarly reliable. In various other transportation sectors the needs are comparable, with metal being the product of option and both framing methods being equally viable.

Some companies might require open space though not always the elevation demands of hangars, such as reusing, making, and food processing. Others (e.g., warehousing and distribution centers) may require elevation and big room, but not so open that one can not make use of assistance frameworks. Below, the intricacies of the framing style and/or the specified resistances may point to one method over the other.

After experience, there may be numerous second requirements on your listing for selecting a contractor, maybe finest phrased as questions. Do you want a person who can handle both the layout and building stages of the job? Or, perhaps somebody that can provide services past the building elements, such as license handling, lien launch, or funding? buildings erectors

The take-away from this write-up is that diligence and comprehensive homework will certainly result in a high level of confidence in your option. Don't rush, and discuss the search with as many other people you can. Our guidelines give an excellent beginning point towards finding the building erector that motivates trust fund and self-confidence.

[usafphantom2]

Russia begins to paint silhouettes of its aircraft on the runways

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/01/2023 - 20:55 in Military, War Zones

At Russian military airfields, painted silhouettes of Tu-95MS strategic bombers appeared on the ground. The Russian military uses this technique as a countermeasure to deceive Ukrainian drones.

Satellite images of Engels military airport in the Russian region of Saratov, where the Tu-95MS bombers are stationed, caught the attention of several observers.

The experts who analyzed these images assumed that the Russian military began to use instrumental baits. They paint silhouettes of bombers on the runway of their air base.

Paintings of airplane silhouettes were pointed out as examples, with a photo showing the white contour of an airplane clearly displayed on the ground. It is speculated, however, that these are unfinished baits. Additional details, such as shadows, can be incorporated to increase realism, making the representation look remarkably genuine.

Satellite image of Engels Air Base. (Photo: Planet Labs)

Images from Planet Labs satellites reveal two-dimensional baits on the Engels track. These baits closely mimic the distinct shape of the definitive four-engine bomber, up to the cabin area painted black. A second unfinished bait painting was found near an already completed one.

It is worth mentioning that they can be discreet fabrics / screens or other form of bait. But considering the minimum vertical dimension, it is highly likely that paint has been used for these illusions.

Experts emphasize, however, that such tactics are unlikely to deceive space satellites with their superior tracking capabilities. Drones, on the other hand, have a good chance of being deceived.

The new defense strategy of the Russian military includes the use of car tires to protect planes. These tires, placed on the fuselage and wings, provide an additional layer of protection against attacks by Ukrainian drones.

The use of tires as a defense mechanism debuted in August, after which satellite images further verified this new counter-strategy.

The latest images highlight the new Russian hangars built to protect aircraft from possible drone attacks. Shared on the social network Telegram, the photos suggest a provisional method or a solution currently under test. Aircraft nested in these improvised hangars are usually models of Russian fighters or deactivated planes.

Rows of metal columns run along the wingspan of the planes, with additional columns reinforced with a 45-degree inclination. An infusion of metal beams strengthens these columns, which cross each side of the hangar at a 45-degree angle.

The hangars are crowned by a cross mesh, which provides the aircraft's primary shield against kamikaze drone attacks. This tactic seems inspired by the first war practices of involving heavy ground combat vehicles with protective metal grids or homemade cages.

Due to the incursions of Ukrainian drones, the Russian command had to retreat strategic aircraft to the interior of the country, well out of reach of drones launched from Ukrainian territory. However, the potential threat of missile attacks elucidates why no defensive measure is considered surplus.

Tags: Military AviationRFSAF - Russian Federation Aerospace Force/Russian Aerospace ForceTu-95 BearWar Zones - Russia/Ukraine

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

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

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[custombuildingfabrication]

Make Super Strong Building with Precast Panels with Assistance from Best Companies

Steel is used in the building of many contemporary industrial structures because of its exceptional physical properties. Precast panels are utilised in the building of retail spaces, commercial spaces, unit complexes, shops and offices, etc. Industrial shed builders provide steel frame structures for constructing airplane hangars, carports, and other structures. Well-known companies offer specialised industrial structure building services that include project design, production, and installation by experts including engineers and drafters. Leading manufacturers are skilled in producing steel structures as well as designing steel construction projects.

One must make sure the companies that one works with have a lot of expertise in the industry while looking online for metal new farm sheds. Prominent companies provide robust and reasonable shed kit prices and that these sheds are perfect for shielding agricultural goods from bad weather. Depending on the needs of the customer, the leading suppliers of steel structures can offer carports for one or more vehicle parking. Carports improve the building's aesthetic appeal in addition to keeping the vehicle secure.

Let's Talk About the Products and Services Provided by Steel Structure Producers

Precast concrete panels are a precondition for building construction and are typically required for storefronts, retail spaces, commercial complexes, etc. Professionals are experts in steel design and fabrication and with advanced engineering knowledge the best and robust structures can be built.

Planning & Design: When building a steel construction, specialists and knowledgeable technicians are needed. Well-known businesses take care to put best practices into action to make sure the design meets the specifications.

Project Management: Clients can choose comprehensive project management services from builders for large-scale projects like commercial buildings, which guarantees that the building is delivered in a fully functional state. Reputable businesses may handle the wiring, plumbing, and painting before handing over the building to the client.

American Barns: The leading brands offer the best structures made from C/Z Purlin or RHS frame and the spans and heights can be adjusted as per the needs of the project.

Verify that the builder you select is able to finish the job and offer the necessary technical assistance. To acquire a thorough cost estimate for the steel construction project, get in touch with reliable steel builders.

Source: https://precastpanels.blogspot.com/2024/06/make-super-strong-building-with-precast.html