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oconist · 4 months

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I posted a note saying how bad I feel for Esteban but how glad I am he's leaving Alpine (meaning to say that I hope he goes to a good team) and a good friend of mine replied with "yeah I don't like him, bad driver, agreed" and I have no idea how to respond to that... I'm a new F1 fan so no stats ready but I DO know he's not a bad driver but all I can talk about is his background growing up but IDK I need help responding pls?

hi!! same sentiment here, hope he has a contract but glad he left that toxic team.

he's not a bad driver, despite what people say. if u check his stats in feeder series like f3 n gp3 he was a consistent driver that was usually in the podium. if you check his early f1 stats, he had good first full year in force india (points in every race except a retirement and a p12) and was usually close to checo in the standings (if he wasn't being disqualified or had retirements) or his other teammates (last year with 6 retirements vs gasly's 2 and like a 4? 6? point difference)

the year with the biggest position difference is 2020, covid year, in which esteban had not raced in an f1 car for a year against dric who had already a year on the team.

most people think he's a bad driver because of the collisions he has been in, specially with his teammates, but only two of them have been fully his fault (a collision with perez and now in monaco with gasly). the problem is the people he gets in collisions with, and the reason why most people are quick to blame him. drivers that, as usual, blame the other before checking the on-board after the race (which is normal behaviour btw and totally expected, it's weirder if a driver doesn't defend themselves) but ocon never really defends himself, and his biggest/most memorable crashes are with drivers like checo, alonso and verstappen that have big diehard fanbases.

it's true that his style is agressive, but he has also proven he is a team player when needed (defended gasly in australia 2023 after the crash, does follow team orders on the radio, not to mention that he has never talked badly about any team nor teammate he has had and is always cheering the team up on the radio [radio this year after alpine sucked, he was the first to open the radio and cheer the team up, while gasly said the car sucked (true)]). people forget that your teammate is your first rival, but ocon doesn't and unless he is told otherwise, he races them as if they were any other driver. and he normally is on par with his teammate, so of course there are going to be fights between them.

most of the time he does deliver with his overtakes and defense. he is good at managing tyres (record for longest stint in c3 tyres in baku, turkey 2021 where he didn't change tyres, alpine relying on him to manage tyres for all their one pit stop strategies all these years) and good at qualifying.

also, he has never been in a good car, either backmarkers (now and his first half year in f1) or midfield cars and yet he has a win, a 2nd place and a 3rd place. he is consistently in the points if the car allows it, has been praised by prost and is a good test driver and at giving feedback.

i hope the reason why he left alpine is because of the disrespect he has been put through and i really hope that he has a contract for next year. i have never seen a driver been more attacked by his own team (rossi, bruno, otmar) than ocon in the recent years.

#azda.asks #in between tests so its not researched extensively sadly #but yeah most of his crashes are either not his fault or not fully his fault like most people assume #f1 #esteban ocon

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silicacid · 10 months

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Dirty secret of Israel’s weapons exports: They’re tested on Palestinians

Weapons tested in each war Israel wages see a spike in global demand. The current Gaza war is the latest laboratory for its arms industry.

India – Israel’s largest military buyer, which operates more than 100 Israeli-made UAVs – purchased 34 Heron drones in this period, followed by France (24), Brazil (14) and Australia (10), according to a 2014 report by Drone Wars UK.

Colombia is one of an estimated 130 countries that have bought weapons, drones and cyberspying technology from Israel, the world’s 10th-largest weapons exporter.

A report from Amnesty International in 2019 noted that the whole process by which Israel sells arms is shrouded in secrecy “with no documentation of sales, one cannot know when [these arms] were sold, by which company, how many and so on”.

Amnesty found that “Israeli companies exported weapons which reached their destination after a series of transactions, thereby skirting international monitoring”.

Israel has not ratified the Arms Trade Treaty, which prohibits the sale of weapons at risk of being used in genocide and crimes against humanity. As such, its weapons exports have influenced the course of history for several nations, many led by controversial regimes.

#palestine #india #france #brazil #australia #colombia

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mariacallous · 9 months

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From Taiwan and Finland in January to Croatia and Ghana in December, one of the largest combined electorates in history will vote for new governments in 2024. This should be a cause of celebration and a vindication of the power of the ballot box. Yet this coming year is likely to see one of the starkest erosions of liberal democracy since the end of the Cold War. At their worst, the overall results could end up as a bloodbath or, marginally less bleakly, as a series of setbacks.

At first glance, the stats are impressive. Forty national elections will take place, representing 41 percent of the world’s population and 42 percent of its gross domestic product. Some will be more consequential than others. Some will be more unpredictable than others. (You can strike Russia and Belarus from that list.) One or two may produce uplifting results.

However, in the United States and Europe, the two regions that are the cradles of democracy—or at least, that used to project themselves as such—the year ahead is set to be bracing.

It is no exaggeration to say that the structures established after World War II, and which have underpinned the Western world for eight decades, will be under threat if former U.S. President Donald Trump wins a second term in November. Whereas his first period in the White House might be regarded as a psychodrama, culminating in the paramilitary assault on Congress shortly after his defeat, this time around, his menace will be far more professional and penetrating.

European diplomats in Washington fear a multiplicity of threats—the imposition of blanket tariffs, also known as a trade war; the sacking of thousands of public officials and their replacement with politicized loyalists; and the withdrawal of remaining support for Ukraine and the undermining of NATO. For Russian President Vladimir Putin, the return of Trump would be manna from heaven. Expect some form of provocation from the Kremlin in the Baltic states or another state bordering Russia to test the strength of Article 5, the mutual defense clause of the Western alliance.

More broadly, a Trump victory would arguably mark the final dismantling of the credibility of Western liberal democracies. From India to South Africa and from Brazil to Indonesia, countries variously called middle powers, pivot countries, multi-aligned states—or, now less fashionably, the global south—will continue the trend of picking and choosing their alliances, seeing moral equivalence in the competitive bids on offer.

The greatest effect that a Trump return could have would be on Europe, accelerating the onward march of the alt right or far right across the continent. Yet that trend will have gained momentum long before Americans go to the polls. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are looking over their shoulders as the second wave of populism affects the conduct of government.

The wedge issue that is threatening all moderate parties is immigration, just as it did in 2015, when former German Chancellor Angela Merkel allowed in more than 1 million refugees from the Middle East in what is now seen as the first wave of Europe’s immigration crisis. This time around, the arguments propagated by the AfD (the far-right Alternative for Germany party), Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France, and similar groups across the continent have permeated the political mainstream.

The past 12 months have seen European Union decision-making constantly undermined by Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Hungary, particularly further support for Ukraine. For the moment, he stands alone, but he is likely to be joined by others, starting with the newly returned Prime Minister Robert Fico in Slovakia. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has struck a tacit deal with Brussels, remaining loyal on supporting Ukraine (against her instincts and previous statements) in return for effectively being given carte blanche in Italy’s domestic politics.

In September, Austria seems almost certain to vote in a coalition of the far right and the conservatives. A country that has (ever since the withdrawal of Soviet forces in 1955) prized its neutrality and been keen to ingratiate itself with Moscow has already been uncomfortable giving full-scale support to Kyiv. We can expect that support to soon be scaled back.

One of the few countries with a center-left administration, Portugal, will see it join the pack of the right and far right when snap elections are held in March. The previous incumbent, the Socialist Party’s outgoing Prime Minister Antonio Costa, was forced to quit amid a corruption investigation.

The most explosive moment is likely to occur in June, with the elections to the European Parliament. This reshuffling of the Euro-pack, which happens once every four years, was always seen in the United Kingdom as an opportunity to behave even more frivolously than usual. In 2014, the British electorate, in its inestimable wisdom, put Nigel Farage and his U.K. Independence Party in first place, setting in train a series of events that, two years later, led to the referendum to leave the EU.

Having seen the damage wrought by Brexit, voters in the remaining 27 EU member states are not angling for their countries to go it alone. However, many will use the opportunity to express their antipathy to mainstream politics by opting for a populist alternative. Some might see it as a low-risk option, believing that the European parliament does not count for much.

In so doing, they would be deluding themselves. It is entirely possible that the various forces of the far right could emerge as the single biggest bloc. This might not lead to a change in the composition of the European Commission (the diminished mainstream groupings would still collectively hold a majority), but any such extremist upsurge will change the overall dynamics across Europe.

Far-right parties in charge of governments will see themselves emboldened to pursue ever more radical nativist policies. In countries in where they are junior members of ruling coalitions (such as in Sweden), they will apply further pressure on their more mainstream conservative partners to move in their direction.

Conversely, countries that saw a surprising resurgence of the mainstream in national elections this year are unlikely to see that trend maintained. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s success in staving off the right was achieved only by cutting a deal with Catalan separatists. This led to protests by Spanish nationalists and a situation that is anything but stable.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s victory in Poland was at least as remarkable because the far-right Law and Justice party (PiS) government had used its years in government to try to skew the media and the courts in its direction. Expect PiS gains in June.

The most alarming result of 2023 was the return to prominence, and the verge of power, of Geert Wilders. The Dutch elections provide a how-not-to guide for mainstream politicians. The willingness of the center-right party of the outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte to contemplate a coalition with Wilders’s Party for Freedom emboldened many voters who had assumed their vote would be disregarded.

In Europe’s biggest economy, Germany, the so-called firewall established by the main parties to refuse to govern with the AfD is beginning to fray. Already, the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is working with them in small municipalities. Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader, has dropped hints that such an option might not be out of the question at the regional level.

If the AfD gains the largest number of seats in the June European Parliament elections (opinion polls currently put it only marginally behind the CDU and ahead of all three parties in Scholz’s so-called traffic light coalition), then the momentum will change rapidly. It could go on to win three of the states in the former communist east—Thuringia, Saxony, and Brandenburg—next autumn. Germany would enter unchartered territory.

These dire predictions could end up being overblown. Mainstream parties in several countries may defy the doom merchants and emerge less badly than forecast. Given recent trends, however, optimism is thin on the ground.

There is one election, however, due to take place in the latter part of 2024 that could produce not just a centrist outcome, but one with a strong majority in its parliament. Britain, the country that left the heart of Europe, the island that until recently was run by a clown, could emerge as the lodestar for modern social democracy. The irony would be lost on no one.

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ronika-writes-stuff · 4 months

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Thoughts on Ishan :

(and ict in general)

1. When he opted out of India's test squad before our series with S. Africa....I knew... I KNEW it will be a long time before we'll get to see him playing for India again.

And then few weeks later Rahul Dravid said in a press conference... He can come back... Just play domestic.... My heart sank.

Here's the thing, I don't blame him at all for taking a break due to mental fatigue.

I fully support his decision as well. He prioritised himself and that's good.

But my dude... If I was your friend, if I was there with you... I wouldn't have let you go.

I would have grabbed his trousers and refused to let go. This is team India. You take one step back and 10 other people are standing right behind you ready to take your place.

Shubhman gill was hyped up so much... Remember his 126 in 63 balls against New Zealand?

But he faltered.

And Today he's in reserve.

Jaiswal is going to be our new opener in all 3 formats very soon. And there's nothing wrong with that. The guy earned it.

Ishan left the South Africa Series and a month later during the india Vs England test Series Jurel was picked and he did an excellent job.

Now imagine... Imagine if Ishan was there instead... If ishan had scored those 90 runs.....he would have made his place permanent.

I'll repeat myself.... I don't blame him for leaving... But he should have thought this through. Especially when a guy like Rahul Dravid is your coach.

(he's the same guy who gave declaration during a test match when Sachin Tendulkar was about to score a century. He's not as innocent as he looks.)

Another thing which really hurts me is how so many people complain about him being benched and then dropped but Yaar....there are tons of players who have gone through this.

Even Ashwin was benched. He said in an interview that when his team would win he wouldn't even feel like going in the ground to congratulate them coz of how hurt he felt.

It happens.

Anyways My overall opinion on this drama is :

1. I support him for leaving.

2. But I hate that he left.

3. A block of ice would be a better coach than Rahul Dravid.

Anyways... Jo hogaya so hogaya.

What I want now is for him to focus on his future.

And He can start by leaving Mumbai Indians.

MI was the team who would pick young players, groom and invest in them and make them capable enough for team India.

The MI we have seen this year is no longer that team. It doesn't matter how many reels their insta page puts out, the atmosphere of that team is tense, awkward and a hot mess.

If Mumbai really cared about a future captain as they claimed.... They should have made Ishan their new captain...like how csk and gt did with ruturaj and gill.

But oh well.

Right now... The best he can do is keep himself fit, play domestic and leave MI at THE EARLIEST.

That team, it's atmosphere, the mismanagement and inner conflicts (believe me, they exist) will not help him at all.

Imo, he doesn't need a team to grow. He has developed a good skill set. What he needs now is a stage.

A team like Kkr, RR or Gt will be great for that because these teams don't drop Their players after 1 or 2 matches... Have good coaches, stable environment and a good atmosphere overall.

Ishan is an excellent wicket keeper + batsman and the type of cricket he plays is best suited for t20 format (one day and test also but especially t20).

Whether we win or lose this t20 world cup... This one is the last one for our senior players.

After that, our youngsters will take charge (at least they should).

Yashasvi and Abhishek should be our openers.

Gill, rutu and Riyan would perfect be for middle order.

Ishan, with his explosive batting style, would be the perfect finisher.

Also... This dumb culture of batters not learning bowling (encouraged by this stupid impact rule) that has developed in the Indian team needs to STOP.

Look at Australia and New Zealand's t20 squad. Look at how many all rounders they have.

Look at ours. We won the 2007 cup because of all rounders as well.

Also... We cage our players. We hold them back. A player like Travis head is playing with such ferocity because his style and mindset is supported by his captain, his team and his media.

Meanwhile... If an Indian player attempts to do the same and doesn't make a big score in 2 -3 matches... He'll be benched instantly.

Another thing... If we look up the stats of our players in this year's t20 wc squad...

Except virat, Bumrah and maybe kuldeep ...everyone else is on ram bharose.

When players like n. reddy, ishan, rutu, gill, Riyan, natrajan... will be groomed and given enough opportunities....their aggressive style will be supported instead of criticized.... that's when we will win trophies.

@fangirlingintellectual @roseromeroredranger @snowcloudsss

@ishuess @bimesskaira

#desiblr #indian cricket team #cricket #ict #ishan kishan #ipl2024 #ishman #shubhman gill #shubman x ishan #shubish #rohitsharma #virat kohli #world cup #t20worldcup

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elysianightsss · 11 months

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Baker!Techno x reader

Wont ever stop plum.

Warning: beware of the honeycomb, PTSD, hinted drugging, mention of gunshots.

Your eyes blink open taking in the sight of the white sheer curtains flowing softly in the warm breeze, the feel of the gentle cotton sheets against your body did nothing to pull you out of your hazy sleep.

Things you don’t remember, places you’ve never been, a true dream if you’ve ever had one full of fiction and mistrustful information. It could never be true so you don’t dwell on the fragments of you in the desert that are fracturing your already fragile state of mind.

Your delicious baker always tells you not to think too much, with everything you’ve been through all you should be doing is relaxing.

But what had you been through is the real question.

You breathe deeply taking in the breath taking smell of cinnamon sweet buns downstairs, ears twitching at what you think is the radio playing in the background. Someone muttering something about India, hotel alpha victor echo, hotel echo Romeo, you don’t know not paying attention to such frivolous matters.

Instead you roll over onto your side eyes going to the French doors that are open giving you a full view of the blue sky, sun shining but not high enough for it to be midday. You recon it’s nine, possibly ten. The smell of fresh cut grass tells you that Techno had been up since about six am to do all the chores before you could even offer.

He was very passionate about you finishing the last two books of your favourite series and you can’t do that if you’re distracting yourself with silly things like chores. His words, not yours.

Breathing deeply once more not wanting to spike your heart rate, somehow your man always knows. It’s rather strange but it’s another thing on the list of things you shouldn’t dwell on. Catching a wiff of rain in the air, you can tell that the vineyard, you have as your beautiful back garden, got the drink it desperately needed last night.

Finally thinking you’ve given your baker enough time to ice those sweet buns you pull yourself from the sheets however groggy, you manage to slip on a silk robe and stagger your way through your home.

Your kitchen was Techno’s pride and joy, besides you of course, he designed it and got some friends of his to help build it. It is the definition of a baker’s dream, equipped with a state of the art pizza oven and four electric ovens for his exquisite bakery dishes adding a crisp texture, to delightful cookies and puffs.

Your tired eyes scan the kitchen quickly latching onto the sight of sixteen sweet buns waiting for you. You pad over ready to reach for one of the freshly iced cinnamon buns only to be stopped by your baker.

“Ah ah ah, this first.” A smooth piece of golden honeycomb appears in front of your face instantly making you salivate. You take it putting it to your lips, taking small licks before sucking on an edge missing the way Techno groans under his breath.

“Take such good care of me.” You mumble mouth a little full, eyes fluttering shut with a soft hum.

“Won’t ever stop plum.” His lips skim your forehead. He’s so sweet and so sincere. He’s genuine and loving. Everything he is always is. Not even a hint of darkness swirling in his eyes. Not even a spec.

Gunshots and the smell of dusty sand echo through his senses as his darkening orbs dart around your face while you suck on the sweet honeycomb.

“How’d you sleep plum?” He asks an arm curling around your waist pulling you against his warm body. With no shirt covering his hairy chest and a bit of pudge from all the taste testing. Wearing a simple pair of basketball shorts you whimper at the feel of him pressed up against you.

You nod eyes still closed, taking more of the honeycomb into your mouth to suckle on laying your head on his chest too. “Maybe you could use a bit more of it hm?” He hums in your ear before sucking your earlobe into his mouth, raking his teeth over it. “I think that’s a good idea, why don’t we cuddle for a while hmm?”

You nod, feeling disoriented letting Techno guide you to the bed you’d just left. His thick fingers stroking your head gently as he slips in behind you, holding you tight. “Let it happen plum.” He whispers, and you do eyes fluttering shut. All memories of that desert that had started to form in your head, gone.

#squishycheekanon #squishycheekanonanswer #asks are appreciated #beefy!techno #squishtalks #squishysneekpeaks #squishyreblogs #baker!techno x plum #baker!techno x reader #baker!techno #military!techno

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rockislandadultreads · 8 months

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Warm Up with a Good Book!

Need a book to spark your interest & keep you warm? Check out one of these fiery recommendations! Make sure to also log whatever you read for our upcoming "Snow Many Books" Winter Reading Challenge, which begins this Friday, January 12th!

Where There Was Fire by John Manuel Arias

Costa Rica, 1968: When a lethal fire erupts at the American Fruit Company’s most lucrative banana plantation burning all evidence of a massive cover-up, and her husband disappears, the future of Teresa’s family is changed forever.

Now, twenty-seven years later, Teresa and her daughter Lyra are picking up the pieces. Lyra wants nothing to do with Teresa, but is desperate to find out what happened to her family that fateful night. Teresa, haunted by a missing husband and the bitter ghost of her mother, Amarga, is unable to reconcile the past. What unfolds is a story of a mother and daughter trying to forgive what they do not yet understand, and the mystery at the heart of one family’s rupture.

Dance Among the Flames by Tori Eldridge

Passion. Horror. Betrayal.

Across forty years, three continents, and a past incident in 1560 France, Serafina Olegario tests the boundaries of love, power, and corruption as she fights to escape her life of poverty and abuse. Serafina's quest begins in Brazil when she's possessed by the warrior goddess Yansã, who emboldens her to fight yet threatens to consume her spirit. Fueled by power and enticed by Exú, an immortal trickster and intermediary to the gods, Serafina turns to the seductive magic of Quimbanda. It's dangerous to dance in the fire. But when you come from nothing, you have nothing to lose.

Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao

Poornima and Savitha have three strikes against them: they are poor, they are ambitious, and they are girls. After her mother’s death, Poornima has very little kindness in her life. She is left to care for her siblings until her father can find her a suitable match. So when Savitha enters their household, Poornima is intrigued by the joyful, independent-minded girl. Suddenly their Indian village doesn't feel quite so claustrophobic, and Poornima begins to imagine a life beyond arranged marriage.

But when a devastating act of cruelty drives Savitha away, Poornima leaves behind everything she has ever known to find her friend. Her journey takes her into the darkest corners of India's underworld, on a harrowing cross-continental journey, and eventually to an apartment complex in Seattle.

The Archive of the Forgotten by A.J. Hackwith

The Library of the Unwritten in Hell was saved from total devastation, but hundreds of potential books were destroyed. Former librarian Claire and Brevity the muse feel the loss of those stories, and are trying to adjust to their new roles within the Arcane Wing and Library, respectively. But when the remains of those books begin to leak a strange ink, Claire realizes that the Library has kept secrets from Hell - and from its own librarians.

Claire and Brevity are immediately at odds in their approach to the ink, and the potential power that it represents has not gone unnoticed. When a representative from the Muses Corps arrives at the Library to advise Brevity, the angel Rami and the erstwhile Hero hunt for answers in other realms. The true nature of the ink could fundamentally alter the afterlife for good or ill, but it entirely depends on who is left to hold the pen.

This is the second volume of the "Hell's Library" series.

#fiction #book covers #reading challenge #reading recommendations #reading recs #book recommendations #book recs #tbr #tbr pile #to read #library books #booklr #book tumblr #book blog #library blog #readers advisory

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stoookes · 3 months

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OMG OMG digging real deep into VK's career here, and it turns out that in late 2008, Australia toured India. So you know how before the actual matches in the series happen, there's a few tour/warm-up matches happen? like playing against a county team, or something like that. so anyways in 2008 there was an unofficial tour match between australia and the Indian board president's XI. So basically the Indian team featured mostly fresh faces. Both Rohit and Virat played that test, and both of them scored 105. What makes their innings so remarkable is that all the Australian stars/regulars were playing too. The bowling lineup consisted of Brett Lee, Mitch Johnson, Stuart Clark and Peter Siddle. Also other Aussie stalwarts like Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Matthew Hayden, Brad Haddin, etc. played that match. There aren't any records of any altercations happening during this match, but can't you just see it being bad-tempered in Omegaverse? The Aussies being pissed off that a 19 y/o omega did well against them. VK would have copped it from the Aus players, and he would have given it back as good as he got. Also Rohit was there! And put up a mammoth partnership with VK! Which means Rohit would have defended/backed up VK when the sledging got worse!

Oh Rohit so goes to Vk's defense only to have VK chirp, 'I can handle these slow bowlers,' xD but I do love this

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mermaidsirennikita · 1 year

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In your opinion what are the best and worst novels by your favorite historical romance authors and why?

Hmmm, I've read the full backlist of only a few authors, but ones I've read a lot of....

To get her outta the way, for Kleypas--

Best: Dreaming of You. Defined an romance hero archetype and one she would draw from for some of her other well-done heroes (McKenna, Simon Hunt, Winterborne, the self-made man is her wonderland and Derek Craven didn't do it first but he did do it best).

Worst: I haven't read any of her books set in the South and I suspect those are much worse, but Stranger in My Arms is my least favorite. Does the Sommersby Plot better than Sommersby because the ending is better and they aren't Confederates, but there is some Exotic India Stuff and I felt like the hero and heroine didn't have amazing chemistry. I think that in making the hero a good contrast to the bad husband, he became boring.

Hoyt--

Best: Thief of Shadows. Duke of Midnight is probably a close second, and Scandalous Desires is right up there too. The Ghost of St. Giles arc is the best Maiden Lane arc, Winter and Isabel are amazing characters, that scene where he laughs into her pussy and is like I don't know what I'm doing but I'm gonna find out, the scene where he pulls the pins from her hair and she's overwhelmed, the scene where he tells her would've loved to have babies with her but that's not what it's about, all the Zorro vibes.

Worst: tbh I don't think I've read a book of hers that is dull or bad, but her Four Soldiers series hasn't aged the best because the heroes are veterans who fought in the American territories, and a lot of their traumatic backstories involve this like... prolonged POW torture executed by indigenous people against the British soldiers.... And like honestly, I've read some accounts of this kind of incident and I don't think it was a binary issue morally. And I don't even think Hoyt necessarily thinks that; but I don't think it was executed well, and it is very, very disturbing to read about. Especially in To Seduce a Sinner, which would honestly otherwise be a solid, entertaining book.

Lorraine Heath--

Best: Waking Up with the Duke, because it's the greatest angstfest, and Jayne making Ainsley feel the baby kick and him freezing and being like "it's not MINE, it CANNOT be mine" and having a full emotional break in a garden with dozens of people nearby is glorious, and their goodbye in the middle of the book never fails to make me cry.

Worst: I mean it's gonna be one of her Texas books because as good as they are otherwise, two of the three heroes are actually! Former Confederates! And like, yes, they were teenagers (at least one of them was a minor) when this happened, but it doesn't super matter to me. And one of them calls the Civil War the WAR OF NORTHERN AGGRESSION!!! Which sucks, because otherwise, Dallas is a great hero with a great love story, but I can't look past that. I think Texas Destiny has a heroine whose backstory is that her plantation was attacked by Union soldiers and terrible things happened. But idk, as a Southern woman who's descended from Confederates, I'm a bit "then perish" about precious Confederate Womanhood. Don't know that she'd write that today, though.

Joanna Shupe--

Best: It's a close one between this and Prince of Broadway, but I do think The Duke Gets Even is my favorite because it's enhanced by the leadup and the scene where Lockwood bites Nellie all over her tits HARD and says "I'm going to cover you in bite marks, darling". That was good for my spirit. I also love when Lockwood is like "THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE, ELEANOR (it's a big deal when a hero is the only man to call a bitch Eleanor, btw) DON'T COME CRYING FOR ME" and leaves with great dignity but inwardly is like sobbing.

Worst: I have not ready a Shupe I really dislike, but The Gangster's Prize is probably the weakest; I think she was testing her Mila Finelli style in a historical setting. And I liked it, and I LOVE the Mila books, but the Mila tone doesn't quite fit historicals.

Sarah MacLean--

Best: A Rogue By Any Other Name. The angst, the backstory, Bourne eating Penelope up and going "well you have to marry me now MUAHAHAHAHA" directly after, the scene where her dad is like, screaming at him on the ground and Bourne leans out the window like, "OH WHAT'S THAT??? IT'S YOUR DAUGHTER'S PUSSY. WHICH WAS ALL I HAD FOR DINNER LAST NIGHT OLD MAN." What an asshole. I'd have several babies for him.

Worst: Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing A Lord. It's not bad, I just feel like Nick is not the kind of hero I have come to associate with MacLean. He's too lovely. I think that Christmas novella she wrote about Ebeneezer Scrooge if he fuuuucked is much more her.

Monica McCarty--

Best: The Recruit, because I love a good "man finds out he got a woman pregnant and she tries to hide it but then he feels her baby bump and is like EXCUSE???" And then I thought he was gonna be one of those guys who's like "I can't fuck you while you're pregnant, what if the baby feels it". But nah, he's like a " babies can't feel shit, bend over" kind of guy.

Worst: The Saint, because I was so excited for the Illicit Affairs energy, and instead there's just a lot of waiting.. for them to fuck... There is an excellent scene where it's dark and he thinks she's someone else and he fingers her from behind and then is like "SHITFUCK".

#romance novel blogging #book recs

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cricket183235 · 1 year

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The Gentleman's Game: A Deep Dive into the World of Cricket

Cricket, often referred to as the "gentleman's game," holds a special place in the hearts of millions around the world. From the iconic sound of leather against willow to the electrifying atmosphere of a stadium filled with passionate fans, cricket is much more than just a sport; it's a cultural phenomenon that transcends boundaries and unites people. In this blog post, we'll explore the history, the thrill, and the global impact of cricket.

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The Historical Tapestry: Origins and Evolution

Cricket's origins date back to the 16th century, with the first recorded match taking place in the 17th century. What began as a quaint English pastime soon evolved into an international sensation. The establishment of international cricketing bodies like the International Cricket Council (ICC) further solidified the sport's reach.

The Formats that Define Cricket's Diversity

Cricket offers a variety of formats, each with its own unique charm. Test matches, known for their strategic depth and endurance, challenge players' skills over five days. One-day internationals (ODIs) condense the game into a single day, adding a sense of urgency. Twenty20 (T20) cricket, with its fast-paced action, has revolutionized the sport, introducing a whole new audience to its magic.

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Cricket Heroes and Legends

Throughout its history, cricket has been graced by legendary players who etched their names in the annals of the game. From Sir Donald Bradman's unmatched prowess to Sachin Tendulkar's unmatched records, these players have inspired generations with their skill, dedication, and sportsmanship.

Cricket and Culture: A Global Affair

Cricket isn't just a sport; it's a cultural phenomenon. In India, it's practically a religion, with streets emptying during matches and fans passionately discussing players' performances. In the Caribbean, cricket is a source of national pride, and in Australia and England, the Ashes series is a historic battle that captivates the cricketing world.

Cricket Diplomacy and Global Unity

Cricket has often been used as a diplomatic tool to foster relations between nations. Matches between historically tense rivals, such as India and Pakistan, are anticipated not just for their cricketing excellence, but for the potential to bring people closer despite political differences.

Cricket's Journey into the Future

As the world changes, cricket evolves with it. Technological innovations, such as Decision Review System (DRS) and data analytics, have added a new layer of analysis to the game. Leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL) have brought cricket into a new era of entertainment and commercial success.

Conclusion: More Than Just a Game

Cricket is more than just a sport; it's a celebration of skill, camaraderie, and the human spirit's competitive drive. Its ability to transcend cultural, linguistic, and geographical boundaries highlights the universal appeal of sports. Whether it's the anticipation of a well-timed cover drive or the thrill of a last-ball finish, cricket continues to capture hearts, making it a timeless and cherished part of our global culture.

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jandarpan · 2 years

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रोहित शर्मा के बाद जडेजा और पटेल ने भारत को एक ने दिखाया दम नागपुर टेस्ट ।

भारत और आस्ट्रेलिया के बीच खेले जा रहे पहले टेस्ट मैच में भारत की स्तिथि कभी अच्छी लग रही हैं । भारत के कप्तान रोहित शर्मा के शानदार शतक के बाद टेस्ट टीम में बहुत दीनो के बाद वापसी कर रहे रविंद्र जडेजा ने दिखाया कैसी वापसी की जाती हैं । बोलिंग में 5 विकेट झटकने के बाद बल्लेबाज़ी में भी अर्धशतक बना कर नाबाद हैं । रविंद्र जडेजा नागपुर में खेले जा रहे पहले टेस्ट मैच के दूसरे दिन भारत ने…

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hitting-for-six · 1 year

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Curious squad announcements

England squad for ODI series against New Zealand: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.

I mean, it’s incredibly similar to the squad of four years ago that won and won dramatically, which is mainly good. I mean, they absolutely won on a wing and a prayer, but the same team will have the same wings and prayers, so. I’m curious if S Curran will be in the starting XI. Probably - hopefully - and it seems to me that he’s the one projected to take on the Ben Stokes, batting-six-and-there-at-the-end role, and he doesn’t seem ready for that now so I guess the inclusion of Stokes is good. Just, you know, it’s better if everyone arrives in India with the Captain able to move.

I’m a bit surprised by the inclusion of Jason Roy. He hasn’t done much for a while. I guess I’m pleased in the sense that I like loyalty to players, but I was expecting Jacks, Crawley and Foakes and they have all contributed more to recent matches (although admittedly in different formats). But I’m also pleased because I have loyalty to players and if J-Roy can find some form with Jonny, England will stand in incredible stead.

Leaving out Harry Brook though.

Chuffed for David Willey.

England squad for T20 series against New Zealand: Jos Buttler (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue, John Turner, Luke Wood.

Yay, Will Jacks! I think he might be the crucial test player of the future so it’s nice to see him beginning to be included. Also great to see more Rehan Ahmed.

I wondered about Crawley, but the red ball and white ball teams seem to be pulling away from each other to some degree, so I’m not that surprised.

No Dan Lawrence in either format, which is a shame.

I don’t recall Gus Atkinson when Surrey have played Middlesex but I guess he must be something. Surrey are certainly an extremely strong side - the white ball team isn’t a million miles from a Surrey 1st XI. Which brings me to…

Seriously. Has Foakes set fire to a pavilion? Murdered a groundskeeper? Chained himself to The Oval and refused to leave?

#cricket #ODI World Cup 2023 #ODI v NZ 2023 #T20 v NZ 2023 #selection #Ben Stokes #Sam Curran #Harry Brook #Jason Roy #David Willey #Will Jacks #Rehan Ahmed #Zac Crawley #Dan Lawrence #Gus Atkinson #Ben Foakes #WHY HAVE THEY FORSAKEN FOAKES

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daddyscore · 1 year

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Former India Cricket Player Aakash Chopra's statement on Hardik Pandya

After winning the test series against the West Indies cricket team under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, Team India is now heading toward the ODI series, and this time they are going to face the Shai Hope-led WI team. On Thursday, July 27, both teams will be facing each other for the first ODI.

With the series, India will start their preparation for the ODI World Cup 2023 and will also look forward to making their combinations right before the mega event. Before the first ODI match at Kensington Oval, Experts Abhinav Mukund, Aakash Chopra, and Saba Karim analysed the role of Hardik Pandya in the team India setup.

Aakash Chopra, while analysing Hardik, said that I am viewing him as someone who can give you 5 or 6 overs but not consistently give you 10 overs. Well, we will also find out in 3 ODIs whether he is actually bowling or not, and if he is bowling, then how many overs captain Rohit Sharma gave him to bowl.

#sports #hardikpandya #entertainment #cricket news #indvswi

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pct-zindabad · 2 years

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THE WRATH OF KHAN

Imran Khan is indisputably Pakistan’s greatest cricketer. As an all-rounder, he bears comparison with the best there have ever been, a skillful fast bowler and resourceful batsman with a solid defense. But all of them he was a great leader that he really stood out. If you see the history of Pakistan cricket, it shows that Pakistan is a notoriously difficult team to captain.

But he had the massive charisma and stature to unify them and drive them to play above themselves, and that is quite a talent. His finest hour was undoubtedly guiding Pakistan to their first World Cup triumph in 1992, top-scoring with 72 in the final against England at MCG in front of 87k spectators. Although, Imran’s famously imploring his team earlier in the tournament when their hopes hung by a thread to fight ‘like cornered tigers’.

But he has to his name several other outstanding achievements. Imran Khan-led Pakistan to their first Test series wins in both India 1986-87 – obviously a huge thing in his country – and England in 1987. He also led Pakistan to three drawn series in a row against West Indies when West Indies were at the height of their powers. Pakistan, in fact, were the first side to seriously challenge West Indian supremacy.

When they won Test Match at Guyana in 1988, then it was the first time in ten years that West Indies had lost a home Test. The major contribution of Imran Khan when he took 11 wickets in the game. In his career, Imran claimed 80 wickets at 21.18 apiece against West Indies, an incredible record given how strong they were at the time.

He scored some important runs against them too, notably in his final series against West Indies in 1990– 91 when he averaged 50.33 (his overall average against West Indies was 27.67). Imran, who led Pakistan on and off for ten years from 1982 to 1992, mentored some fine players during that period, notably fast bowlers Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Aaqib Javed.

Especially two w’s who swung the ball at pace even greater distances than he did. Imran had the bearing of a leader and for the most part, the players followed. Captaincy elevated his game to a striking degree, averaging 50.55 with the bat and 19.90 with the ball. He turned himself into a considerable bowler with an astonishing record inside Pakistan where visiting fast bowlers tended to find life desperately hard.

Imran himself took 163 wickets at 19.20 apiece there, a better record than he had elsewhere (his overall record was a hugely impressive 362 wickets in 88 Tests at 22.81 each; no one had taken more for Pakistan at the time he retired). Some of the famous players never faced him in Pakistan as he was nursing a stress fracture that prevented him from bowling for the best part of two years when toured therein 1983–84.

England encountered him in 1982 and 1987 and he was a major force both times. In three Tests in 1982, when we were perhaps a little fortunate to win the series 2–1, he scored 212 runs and took 21 wickets. However, he came to England with a passion to beat England in England in 1987. And he led the Pakistan side to do the first time.

In that series, he again took 21 wickets and was the match-winner with the ball in the one game that had a positive outcome at Headingly Leeds. Imran Khan bowling immaculately to take seven for 40 in the second innings. Imran, who was at Oxford in the early 1970s and from there joined Worcestershire, started out as a brisk medium-pacer but through determination and intelligence turned himself into a genuine fast bowler of quality. His two cousins Majid Khan and Javed Burki also led the Pakistan cricket team in the 1960s and 1970s.

Many cricketers remember facing him in one of their earliest games for Leicestershire at around the time he was stepping up his pace. It was the day after David Gower took an early exit from university and we were playing a Benson & Hedges Cup quarter-final at Worcester on a good old New Road pitch with pace and bounce. Gower was caught at slip off him and the ball carried a long way behind me, always a good measure of someone’s speed.

At the age of 18, he made a test debut against England at Edgbaston in 1971 but did not take a permanent place due to below-par performance. Hence, he continued to focus on his education and cricket in England and come back to the side in 1974 on the tour of England.

In county cricket in the period from the mid-1970s to mid-1980s, Imran would have been up there with Mike Procter and Malcolm Marshall as among the best at swinging the ball at pace. Perhaps the thing that completed his education was joining World Series, from which he emerged a far better bowler, learning from watching and working with so many other fine fast bowlers recruited by Kerry Packer. Imran Khan’s charismatic personality and athletic talent made him a popular celebrity all over the world.

In 1976, Imran took 6 for 63 and 6 for 102, for a match figure of 12 wickets to lead his country to 8 wickets win in the 3rdTest at Sydney. This spell surprises the whole Australian team and Pakistani dressing room. Before that match, he was having 9 test matches experience with 25 wickets under his belt with a heavy average of 43.52. Pakistan was trailing 0-1 in the tough series, but Imran’s hostile bowling spell makes Pakistan a marked ascent in the world of cricket.

In 1980, Imran Khan scored 123 runs in the first Test century against the powerful bowling attack of West Indies at Lahore. The years in which he played from 1980 to 1986, on either side of his lay-off for the stress fracture, he was taking his Test wickets at a very cheap cost. In 1982 he returned what remains the best match figures for Pakistan in Tests of 14 for 114 against Sri Lanka in Lahore. The following winter he took an incredible 40 wickets at 13.95 in six Tests against India.

What the Pakistan bowlers, led by Imran and Sarfraz Nawaz, seemed to understand better than everyone else was the mysterious art of swinging the old ball. Therefore, for a batsman, coping with anyone who could move the ball – whether old or new – both ways were always a challenge. You worked hard to get your runs.

The early 1980s was a great era for all-rounders with Imran Khan, Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, and Kapil Dev all doing great things and rivaling each other for the status of top dog. In the 1987 Cricket World Cup, Khan decided to quit international cricket. But later, the Pakistan public and Zia-ul-Haq the Prime Minister requested him to take back his retirement. He could not reject the public appeal and return to international cricket until 1992.

In terms of bowling, Imran was perhaps consistently the quickest of them. Botham had times where he bowled with the same sort of pace, Hadlee could bowl a sharp delivery if needed but in comparison was slightly down on pace overall, and Kapil was brisker medium than brisk. But they all moved the ball in the air or hit the seam or both, and that was really what made them so difficult to face.

In July 1987, Imran became the first Pakistani bowler to take 300 wickets milestone during the 3rd Test vs England at Lords. If you see the stats, then Imran and Hadlee stood well out in front, averaging around 22 while Botham and Kapil took their wickets at a cost in the high 20s, a reflection really that they were unable to maintain their early brilliance into older age.

Ian Botham probably ranked first as a batsman but Imran, who began his career down the order, developed into a seriously good top-order player and accordingly ended up with six Test hundreds to his name (Botham made 14, Kapil eight, and Hadlee two). Imran kept on improving and became a world-class batsman in all forms.

Indeed, towards the end of his career, he was playing more as a batsman who bowled than a bowler who batted, and when he scored those runs in the 1992 World Cup final, he was batting at number 3. His Test record with the bat was highly respectable, an average of 37.69 comparing well to Botham’s 33.54, Kapil’s 31.05, and Hadlee’s 27.16.

Imran retired from all forms of cricket after winning the 1992 world cup. What gives Imran preeminence in this all-rounder fest is his stature as a leader of a national side that had previously lacked any direction. Since Imran, Pakistan cricket has rarely been stable. Talented players continue to be produced in extraordinary numbers given the absence of a coherent domestic structure.

But it has been engulfed in more than one corruption scandal, while a terrorist attack on a touring Sri Lanka team in 2009 has forced them since to set up a new home in the Middle East. Imran himself has entered politics in the ambitious hope of addressing his country’s many problems. After retirement, he entered politics and outspoken critic of government corruption in Pakistan.

Imran Khan laid the foundation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in 1996. Imran Khan started a new journey into Pakistan politics and continued their efforts after badly failing in the 2002, and 2007 elections. Eventually, his efforts bring some happiness to his party becoming a strong candidate for the 2013 elections.

Even in one accident he badly injured his neck and back to falling from a platform at an election campaign rally. Therefore, his braveness in fighting against corruption & poverty won a plurality of seats in the July 2018 elections. Then he became the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan. The first cricketer to be knighted a prime minister of any country.

Imran Khan remains a philanthropist in the public eye. He has a great passion to build a cancer hospital after his mother died of those diseases in 1985. His wish was fulfilled by completing Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore in 1994 named after Khan’s mother.

#📰🗞️

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