#Toronto-Dominion Center

[anthonygonsalves]

Explosive Fraud Allegations Rock Finance JD Euroway: Courtroom Drama Unfolds

The courtroom buzzed with tension as the scandal involving Finance JD Euroway Inc. and its CEO, Fritzgerald Zephir, took center stage. The high-profile case, marked by allegations of complex financial fraud and misrepresentation, has captivated investors and legal experts alike. This report, straight from the courtroom, delves into the intricate details of the case, the legal proceedings, and the potential implications for the financial industry. The court case number associated with this matter is CV-24-00720494-0000.

The Main Players In the spotlight is Finance JD Euroway Inc., a Quebec-based investment firm, and its embattled CEO, Fritzgerald Zephir. Known as Fritz, Zephir has faced similar accusations, adding a layer of intrigue and skepticism to the proceedings.

Allegations Unveiled The allegations against Finance JD Euroway Inc. are severe but remain unproven in court. The firm and Zephir are accused of defrauding investors through misrepresentations and false promises related to investment schemes involving Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs). These instruments, typically used to guarantee payments, were allegedly misrepresented to lure investors with promises of high returns.

Standby Letters of Credit Explained A Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC) is a guarantee of payment issued by a bank on behalf of a client. In this case, Zephir purportedly used SBLCs to convince investors to part with substantial sums of money, promising returns never realized. The plaintiffs claim these SBLCs were never legitimate and that the investments were part of a broader fraudulent scheme.

Inside the Courtroom: Legal Proceedings The legal drama unfolded when the plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Finance JD Euroway Inc. and Fritzgerald Zephir, seeking a Mareva injunction to freeze the defendants' assets and a Norwich order to compel banks to disclose information about the defendants' accounts. Justice John Callaghan of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice presided over the case. The judge granted the Mareva injunction and the Norwich order, citing a solid prima facie fraud case. The courtroom was filled with anticipation as Justice Callaghan outlined the detailed allegations of misrepresentation, fraudulent activity, and the dissipation of funds that were supposed to be held in escrow.

Detailed Timeline of Events

Summer 2023: Zephir, representing JD Euroway Inc., approaches investors with enticing investment opportunities involving SBLCs.

September 22, 2023: An investor transfers USD 1.2 million to JD Euroway's account, hoping for promised returns.

November 2023: Zephir reassures investors with promises of imminent returns, which fail to materialize.

March 14, 2024: Another investor deposits USD 10 million into JD Euroway's account, supposedly held in escrow.

May 2024: Plaintiffs discover the funds have been misused, leading to the lawsuit filing and the ensuing legal battle.

The Banks' Role In a pivotal moment, the court ordered significant banks, including the Bank of Montreal (BMO), Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), and Toronto Dominion Bank (TD Bank) to freeze accounts associated with the defendants. The banks were instructed to prevent the removal or transfer of funds and to disclose detailed account information, helping trace the misappropriated funds.

The Insurance Fraud Angle Central to the case is the alleged fraudulent insurance policy provided by Timber Creek Surety Inc. of Alabama. Investors were led to believe their investments were insured, but Timber Creek confirmed that the insurance certificate was a forgery. This revelation added a dramatic twist to the already convoluted case.

Impact on Investors The fraudulent activities devastated the plaintiffs, who lost millions of dollars. This case highlights the inherent risks associated with high-return investment schemes and underscores the importance of due diligence and verification.

Broader Implications for the Financial Industry The Finance JD Euroway scandal has far-reaching implications for the financial industry. It underscores the need for stricter regulatory oversight and robust mechanisms to protect investors from fraudulent schemes. The case also raises critical questions about banks' role in facilitating or preventing financial fraud.

Conclusion As the courtroom drama unfolds, the case against Finance JD Euroway Inc. is a stark reminder of the complexities and risks in high finance. Investors and financial professionals are watching closely, aware that the outcome could set important precedents for future cases of financial fraud. In the meantime, this case stands as a cautionary tale, urging investors to exercise caution and conduct thorough due diligence before engaging in high-stakes investment opportunities.

[fact-finder]

Finance JD Euroway CEO Fritzgerald Zephir Faces Explosive $10 Million Fraud Allegations

The scandal involving Finance JD Euroway Inc. and its CEO, Fritzgerald Zephir, has taken center stage in a courtroom charged with tension and anticipation. As a seasoned reporter at these proceedings, I have witnessed firsthand the intricate details of the case that have captivated the financial world. The court case number CV-24–00720494–0000 represents a legal battle that could significantly affect the financial industry and investor confidence.

Finance JD Euroway Inc., a Quebec-based investment firm, and its CEO, Fritzgerald Zephir, are at the heart of this scandal. Known in the financial community as Fritz, Zephir has faced similar accusations in the past, adding a layer of complexity to the current allegations. The courtroom has seen detailed testimonies and evidence that paint a picture of alleged financial misdeeds.

While the allegations remain unproven in court, they are severe. Finance JD Euroway and Fritz are claimed to have engaged in fraudulent activities involving Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs). These financial instruments were purportedly used to entice investors with promises of high returns. However, according to the plaintiffs, these SBLCs were not legitimate, and the investments were never intended to yield the promised returns.

Standby Letters of Credit (SBLCs) are guarantees banks provide to ensure payment in business transactions. In this case, Fritz is accused of using these instruments to create an illusion of security and high returns, thus convincing investors to commit substantial sums of money. The courtroom has heard how these promises turned out to be empty.

The plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Finance JD Euroway Inc. and Fitzgerald Zephir, seeking a Mareva injunction to freeze the defendants’ assets and a Norwich order to compel banks to disclose account details. The courtroom was tense as Justice John Callaghan of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice reviewed the evidence presented.

Justice Callaghan granted both the Mareva injunction and the Norwich order, indicating a solid prima facie fraud case. The court documents detailed extensive allegations of misrepresentation, fraudulent activity, and the misuse of funds that were supposed to be held in escrow.

The detailed account of events started in the summer of 2023 when Fritz approached investors with high-yield investment opportunities involving SBLCs. On September 22, 2023, an investor transferred $1.2 million to JD Euroway’s account. In November 2023, Fritz promised imminent returns, which failed to materialize. By March 14, 2024, another investor deposited USD 10 million into an escrow account controlled by JD Euroway. In May 2024, investors discovered the funds had been misused, prompting the lawsuit.

The court’s orders extended to major financial institutions, including the Bank of Montreal (BMO), Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), and Toronto Dominion Bank (TD Bank). These banks were instructed to freeze the defendants’ accounts and disclose comprehensive account details to trace the missing funds.

A pivotal aspect of the case is the alleged fraudulent insurance policy from Timber Creek Surety Inc. of Alabama. Investors were assured that their investments were insured, but Timber Creek later confirmed that the insurance certificate was a forgery. This added another layer of complexity and deceit to the fraud allegations.

The courtroom was filled with emotion as investors recounted their losses, which amounted to millions of dollars. The case highlights the significant risks in high-return investment schemes and underscores the need for rigorous due diligence.

The Finance JD Euroway scandal underscores the necessity for tighter regulatory oversight and more robust mechanisms to protect investors from fraud. It also raises critical questions about the role of banks in either facilitating or preventing financial fraud.

As the scandal involving Finance JD Euroway Inc. and Fritz unfolds, it is a stark reminder of the complexities and risks inherent in high finance. The legal proceedings closely watch the financial community, aware that the outcome could set important precedents for future fraud cases. Investors are urged to exercise caution and conduct thorough due diligence before engaging in high-stakes investment opportunities.

This detailed report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the case, highlighting the importance of transparency, accountability, and vigilance in the financial industry. As the court case progresses, the financial community remains on edge, awaiting the final verdict that could reshape the landscape of financial regulations and investor protections.

[bacony-cakes]

bratty catboy throws self against window in the toronto dominion center to prove how strong it is only for the window to pop out of its frame and for him to fall to his death

Bratty catboy eaten by wolves ?

[soumyapanda28]

The Leading Banks of Canada: A Stellar Lineup of Budgetary Educate

Canada’s managing an account segment is famous for its steadiness, advancement, and customer-centric approach. With a vigorous administrative system and a competitive scene, the nation brags a lineup of extraordinary banks that offer a wide extend of money related administrations to individuals and businesses alike. In this article, we are going investigate a few of the most excellent banks in Canada, highlighting their key qualities and commitments to the country’s budgetary scene. In an ever-evolving monetary scene, these banks have not as it were illustrated strength but also grasped mechanical progressions to improve client encounters. Their commitment to advancement and client fulfillment sets them separated as the leading banks in Canada.

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC): As the biggest bank in Canada, RBC has earned a stellar notoriety for its broad suite of money related items and administrations. With a tremendous arrange of branches and ATMs over the nation, RBC offers helpful get to to managing an account administrations for its clients. The bank exceeds expectations in retail keeping money, riches administration, venture keeping money, and protections. RBC’s commitment to innovative advancement is clear through its user-friendly online and portable managing an account stages, giving clients with consistent computerized managing an account encounters.

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD Bank): TD Bank has set its position as one of Canada’s chief money related educate through its remarkable client benefit and dedication to community inclusion. TD Bank’s broad nearness in Canada and the Joined together States permits clients to appreciate consistent keeping money on both sides of the border. The bank’s solid retail keeping money division, in conjunction with its accentuation on digital change, has made it a favorite among clients looking for helpful and inventive keeping money arrangements.

Bank of Montreal (BMO): BMO, established in 1817, holds the qualification of being Canada’s most seasoned bank. With a rich history and profound roots within the nation, BMO has built a notoriety for its commitment to client fulfillment. The bank offers a comprehensive extend of budgetary administrations, counting individual keeping money, commercial managing an account, and speculation administration. BMO’s commitment to corporate social obligation is clear through its back for different community activities and maintainable trade hones.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC): CIBC has situated itself as a driving bank in Canada, centering on personalized benefit and custom-made money related arrangements. The bank’s qualities lie in its retail and trade managing an account divisions, giving clients with a wide cluster of keeping money items and administrations to meet their different needs. CIBC’s devotion to computerized change is reflected in its progressed versatile and online keeping money stages, guaranteeing helpful get to to keeping money administrations anytime, anyplace.

Scotiabank: Scotiabank, too known as the Bank of Nova Scotia, has set up a solid nearness both locally and globally. With operations in over 50 nations, Scotiabank offers clients a worldwide viewpoint on keeping money and speculation openings. The bank’s comprehensive suite of money related administrations incorporates retail keeping money, riches administration, and universal managing an account. Scotiabank’s commitment to cultivatingdifferences and inclusion has been recognized through its activities pointed at engaging ladies business people and advancing monetary education.

Conclusion:

Canada’s managing an account segment is characterized by solidness, advancement, and customer-centricity, with a few exceptional teach driving the way. The Regal Bank of Canada, Toronto-Dominion Bank, Bank of Montreal, Canadian Majestic Bank of Commerce, and Scotiabank have reliably illustrated their commitment to excellence in giving comprehensive monetary solutions and exceptional client benefit. Whether it’s through cutting-edge advanced stages or community-focused activities, these banks proceed to shape Canada’s budgetary scene and contribute to the country’s financial development. With their immovable devotion to client fulfillment and a strong establishment of believe, these banks have legitimately earned their put as the best in Canada’s keeping money industry.

[gozdetemiz]

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe - Dominion Center, Toronto, 1967

[if68]

Toronto-Dominion Center, Toronto, Canada

Architectural photograph shows pavillion and two completed towers and one under construction of office buildings and bank designed by Mies van der Rohe.

Korab, Balthazar, photographer

1973

[joezworld]

📂

What in the HECK happened with Scotsman, Dominion, and Dwight during the Great Gathering?!

(Also, since Dutchess of Hamilton has also been to the US during the 1939 NY World’s Fair, did she get involved?)

Warning - extremely long post below

So, first of all, Duchess of Hamilton never went back to the UK.

Duchess of Hamilton (6229) and Coronation (6220) had their nameplates swapped by the LMS when an engine was sent over to the US. 6229, in the guise of 6220, went to the US.

Streamlined locomotives were all the rage at the time, and railroads practically fell over themselves to get Coronation (as she was now known) onto press trains. The B&O railroad in particular was so impressed with her capabilities that they extended a formal offer of employment to her for service on their streamlined Royal Blue service. The LMS were surprised to get an offer to "purchase" their locomotive, but accepted nonetheless, as it meant a welcome infusion of cash in the dark days during the beginning of WWII.

Coronation fit right in with the Americans, having only been about a year old when she was sent to New York. Following the end of steam traction on the Royal Blue in the late 40s, (the B&O were early adopters of diesels.) she and her B&O coworkers found good employment on the New York Central, where she still runs to this day.

Since then, she's fully "gone native", marrying a J3 Hudson, (yes one of the streamlined ones) adopting both an American accent and three children, and being fully repainted to NYC silver by 1956. Flying Scotsman met her in Albany in 1970, and neither one of them recognized the other.

Actually, most UK expats don't recognize her, to the point where a common interaction is for her to be held up as an example of "look at her, she's integrated well into the US", only for the British engines to say "that's preposterous, she isn't English".

When it's pointed out that she's still obviously an LMS Coronation, the next response is usually screaming.

All that being said, she has no interest to come back to the United Kingdom, and wasn’t asked by the NRM anyways. 

---------------

Second of all, the Great Gathering was... an event.

So, there are (officially) 6 preserved Gresley A4s.

Mallard - static, National Railway Museum (UK). Also an asshole.

Bittern - running, private owner, UK based

Sir Nigel Gresley - running, owned by a trust, UK based

Union of South Africa - running, private owner, UK based

Dwight D. Eisenhower - static (officially), National Railway Museum (USA)

Dominion of Canada - static (officially), Exporail (Montréal)

This is the official list, and for the first 4 engines, it's the truth.

However, things are a bit hazier on the other side of the Atlantic...

-----

So the thing that needs to be made clear right up front that in a sentient vehicle world, museums aren't like the NRM, where locomotives sit static for years on end, although obviously the English have museums like that because of course they do.

Rail museums in the rest of the world are much more like Colonial Williamsburg - a living history center staffed by volunteers who act out a prototypical setting from [insert decade here].

British Rail, being British Rail, didn’t know that and didn’t care.

-

4496, Dwight D. Eisenhower, having been named after the General-turned-President, had been earmarked for preservation by BR, and was summarily shipped off to the US National Railway Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

In an entirely unintentional move, this donation MONUMENTALLY snubbed the Smithsonian, who refused to have any dealings with BR for decades, even for archival purposes. This, combined with the fallout from Operation Smash Hit, and the fact that the Smithsonian is Petty AF, meant that there was virtually no official trans-Atlantic cooperation between British and US museums for decades.

Dwight hit the shores of the US in 1964 New York City and was greeted by a marching band, a ticker-tape parade, and Presidents Johnson and Eisenhower, who were on-hand to personally make the engine a US citizen.

Always keen to curry favor with the government, the Southern Pacific railroad had a job offer waiting for Dwight right alongside the Presidents and the parade, and when he accepted, he went off to Sunny Southern California - someplace so opposed to Britain the he fell in love with the place immediately and refused to leave!

The ladies may have also had something to do with it as well - while most engine classes fell into a typical 50-50 gender distribution, the SP GS-4 class was all female...

[Pictured above - one of 28 very good reasons to live in California if you're a single British steam engine.]

Dwight does not kiss and tell, but at his wedding in 1974, all 28 GS-4s showed up - and he was only marrying one of them!

Since the 70's, he's become a mainstay in California, having been repainted into Daylight Limited colors in 1969, and retiring from railroad duties in 1999. After that, he went into the movie business, and is currently the head of digital media development at Disney.

His wife Irene (SP 4437) is also an interesting figure as well - following in the wheelmarks of the great female locomotives before her, she had an eye for business and a Stanford education before she married her husband, and was an initial investor in multiple tech companies in Silicon Valley during the 70's and 80's, but stopped doing that after her investment in Apple proved very lucrative. In 1996, she was convinced by a few people in the Stanford Alumni association to invest in another tech startup, this one an "internet search engine" called Google.

So yeah, Dwight Eisenhower kept falling up and up and up all his life, and is now married to the richest woman in the world.

--

4489 Dominion of Canada was donated mostly by accident, having been forgotten in the back of Darlington sheds until 1966, when she was shipped off to the Canadian Railway Historical Society in Montreal.

As stated elsewhere, the Canadian Government considered any locomotive built in the UK to have UK citizenship, and therefore treated them as commonwealth citizens under existing Canadian law. (remember that Canada was still a colony at that time)

CN, the national rail carrier, was obligated to offer her a job under their charter, and she accepted, moving to Toronto to run intercity trains between Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.

Within two years she was displaced from those duties by the introduction of a new, shiny, jet turbine powered train, and was summarily demoted to local commuter runs in the Toronto suburbs.

Moving to suburbia did one thing more than anything else - expose her to the people who live there. They all had complaints, they all had problems, and they all had no idea on how to fix them.

Being a helpful sort, Dominion decided that she could help, and promptly ran for Toronto city council in 1974. She won, and has been a fixture in local Toronto politics ever since - she even got to be Chairwoman of Metro Toronto (the closest thing to being mayor because Toronto's governmental structure is weird) until 1998, when Toronto was merged with the surrounding area to create a massive new region.

Having then done everything there is to do in municipal Toronto government, Dominion went on to become the Chief Executive Officer of Metrolinx, the agency that controls almost all of the transit agencies in Ontario, because, as she puts it, "I'm still a commuter engine at heart".

She's now painted in the current GO Transit paint scheme, and still does commuter runs- which is really weird looking now that there are double deck commuter coaches in a push-pull configuration, with a Gresley A4 doing the pushing.

------

Now, I mentioned that those 6 were the only ones officially preserved - there were two unofficial preservations as well...

-

4486 Merlin was properly Shanghied - he was yanked off the docks in Southhampton by a cargo ship in August of 1965, and was spirited away to parts unknown.

Those unknown parts turned out to be South Korea. There, he was given citizenship by the US-aligned military dictatorship (Korean history is wild) and was employed by the State-run rail operator.

As the military government began a hardcore plan to increase their country's wealth and industrial output, rail lines were being built across the country, and Merlin was soon awarded a position on the fastest train in the network, the Seoul-Busan Saemaeul-ho.

Because of his experience in running high-speed express trains, Merlin not only became the public face of Korean high-speed rail, but also became an "honored elder" amongst the other Korean engines, a position he still holds to this day - as despite being over 70 years old, he still runs daily trains on the fast services, easily keeping time with the Korean schedules as well as training the new high speed trains, including the KTX sets. He's on his 24th boiler by now, and has more parts from Hyundai than Doncaster.

An additional fact - Merlin actually has had a linguistic effect on Korean railroading, as his strange amalgamation of an accent - a strong Yorkshire accent that tried to be Received Pronunciation for 30 years, mixed with almost 50 years of middle-to-upper-class Korean - has filtered down through the ranks of KoRail, because all of his students want to sound like him out of respect. Human British expats in Korea will occasionally hear a locomotive speaking in English, and the engine will sound like a Yorkshireman every time and the Brits cannot handle it.

---------

4495 Golden Fleece is the only A4 to preserve himself - he saw the writing on the wall in the early 60s, and hopped a car ferry to France at the end of 1962. From there, he bounced around Europe for a bit before making it to the United States in the late 70's.

Of the 8 surviving A4s, he's probably led the quietest life of all - he moved to Miami before it got nice, and basically got in on the ground floor of CSX when that merger happened in 1980. He's now the head of terminal operations for the Port of Miami, but he's generally kept a low profile - not even having a chance to meet Scotsman due to his time in Europe.

He's still in contact with Dwight and Dominion, and has no real bitterness over not being "famous" like they are - he likes the quiet, and still lives in a modest house in Boynton Beach with his long-term girlfriend.

----------------------

Soooo... the Great Gathering.

It was supposed to be a meeting of the 6 surviving A4s - a two year event held at the NRM in honor of the 75th anniversary of Mallard's record-setting run.

"Record setting" is a past-tense term here. While there have been no official runs, every single one of the Pennsylvania Railroad's T1 and S1 locomotives claim to have gone faster than 126 without meaning to, and numerous other locomotives on unofficial attempts done late at night on flat stretches of land across the country have hit 130+.

British Expats have also done better than 126 - Coronation claims to have hit at least 140 on a midnight mail train in 1980, and in Korea, Merlin claims to have hit 128 on a test train, although that was judged by timing mile markers as his speedometer wasn't functioning properly.

Problems arose before any of the engines had even reached the NRM, as Mallard's already sizeable ego had swelled to massive proportions, and several engines in the great hall were planning a justifiable homicide.

Then came the time restraints - none of the foreign locomotives were willing to uproot their lives and jobs for two years just to sit motionless in a shed. A two year exhibition was eventually negotiated down to a 6 month gala, much to the irritation and confusion of the NRM, who could not understand that the engines were still in service.

Then came the extra engines - Dwight and Dominion thought that the NRM knew about Fleece, and were quite insulted on his behalf when he wasn't invited - they threatened to not attend unless arrangements were made for Fleece to attend as well.

An utterly baffled NRM agreed, but also tore their record archives apart, as they knew that Fleece had been scrapped. The fact that his picture was plastered all over CSX's Florida Division website was all the more confusing as a result.

-

Meanwhile in Busan, nobody knew that Merlin had escaped the scrappers' torch and therefore did not invite him. He was only informed after K-Pop star Psy texted him from London to ask if he knew about the event, which was being advertised on television.

Merlin, having missed his friends from the LNER, decided that he would just crash the party, used some of his many vacation days, and took off for England on a cargo ship.

-

By sheer coincidence, all four foreign A4s hit the dock in Southhampton on the same day, and were delighted to see each other - especially Merlin, considering that everyone else had thought he'd died.

Meanwhile at the NRM, delight was not the word one would use. Befuddled, confused, shocked even, but not delighted. Their plans had revolved around 6 A4s, most of which wouldn’t be running - only to now discover that there were 7, all but one of which were functioning! (Mallard, the star of the show, was the odd one out, and it drove him crazy) 

Then they got a phone call from their man at the docks saying that another one had showed up, looking like he’d driven out of a K-pop album cover, and they just gave up and started screaming. 

-

Screaming is also what happened when the cavalcade of foreigners showed up in York - first of all, the quartet of new engines sounded nothing like they had when they left England. 

Dwight had willfully unlearned his Upper Crust British accent by 1971, and had fallen deep into a California accent (quite similar to what Scotsman sounds like - coincidence? No.)

Dominion and Fleece hadn’t tried to unlearn their accents, but 40+ years of living in North America can really dilute the Britishness. It doesn’t help that Dominion has developed most Canadian vocal tics eh?

As stated above, Merlin has a weird fuckin accent, and now he speaks English with a strong Yorkshire accent, but will occasionally and without warning drop into a Korean/Yorkshire hybrid accent.

The screaming also happened because the NRM had wanted to repaint the duo trio! quartet?! into LNER garter blue, and were promptly informed that “we’re painted like this for work! Don’t touch it!” (the sole exception was Dwight, who hadn’t pulled a real train in 14 years, but he liked his Daylight Limited paint), so instead of the new arrivals showing up in LNER colours, they showed up looking like THIS:

Having their long-lost siblings show up looking and sounding like THAT had quite an affect on the A4s and the other NRM engines: 

Bittern could not believe her eyes - to the point where she actually began making noise about seeing an optometrist

Union of South Africa almost backed through a wall

Sir Nigel Gresley was speechless for two days

Mallard was so angry that he actually chipped a tooth during one of his rants about “the impropriety of it all!!”

Evening Star laughed so hard that he managed to derail himself without moving

City of Truro almost cracked a piston from shock

Alycidon spent the entire gala coming up with more and more laser focused jabs at Mallard - who was so easy to fluster that the Deltic needn’t have bothered 

Oliver Cromwell and Green Arrow made fast friends with the new arrivals, and spent the entire time learning ‘Americanisms’ to annoy the other engines with.

But what about Flying Scotsman? Where was he in all of this? He was generally considered to be the “leader” of the NRM fleet (much to Mallard’s annoyance), and was usually who the other engines turned to when things started getting out of control. 

Did Scotsman calm things down? Like hell he did. The inmates were running the asylum from the moment that Scotsman saw the other A4s - more importantly saw Dwight - and immediately greeted them in flawless Californian. 

This actually set off the building’s security alarm, as Flying Scotsman saying “DUDES! Wassup?!” caused such an uproar that the noise broke several exterior windows. 

----

And all of this was in the first few days - there were six months left to go. 

--

There was one railtour attempt. It was supposed to feature Bittern and Sir Nigel running in tandem, but instead featured Dwight and Merlin, mainly because Bittern wanted to see what would happen. 

They exceeded the max speed limit for steam traction within 15 minutes, sparked a thorough investigation by the RAIB, and got all future steam powered railtours for the Gathering cancelled immediately. 

On the plus side, the two engines did prove that it was still possible for a steam train to hit 100 safely. 

--

One thing that baffled the other engines was the inordinately large number of people who turned up just to see Dominion, and the one person who kept turning up to see Fleece - it took a lot of explaining for them to understand that Dominion had been married three times, and had children (adopted) and grandchildren from all three marriages coming to see her. A similar amount of explaining was required to explain that Fleece’s girlfriend/partner wanted to see him too. 

The normally chatty Dwight and Scotsman would suddenly clam up whenever Dominion and Fleece teasingly tried to ask about their love lives, something which wasn’t unnoticed by the other engines, but got similarly nowhere. 

The answer to why they both shut the hell up was explained when a lot of shouting broke out in the yard of the NRM one day about a month into the exhibition:

Irene Eisenhower, not content to sit in California and count her billions, quickly grew bored without her husband, and decided to go to England and be with him. The fact that she definitely did not fit the UK loading gauge was never even a consideration, and so she just showed up in York on the back of a lorry, having informed no-one of her arrival, and content to just pay off the requisite people if a fuss occurred. 

A fuss did occur, and it was only ended when Scotsman managed to convince the museum’s curator (who at this point in his life was regretting ever thinking of this damned gathering) that Irene was a ‘temporary donation’ to the museum. 

[Scotsman, who definitely hid his Cali accent from museum staff the entire time, has one of the best poker faces in the world]

Dwight was overjoyed, and so was Scotsman, for initially unclear reasons. Then Irene managed to grab both her husband and Scotsman, dragged them behind a shed, and [THIS IS A PG13 HEADCANON] the both of [PG13]. Turns out that while Scotsman may have slept his way across the US a few times, he was actually ready to settle down with Dwight and Irene - they were a throuple way back in the 70s, and those passions haven’t faded. When Scotsman reluctantly left the US in 74, a lot of the reluctance was because of those two. 

This bombshell of a revelation went over interestingly at the NRM. Some engines (Green Arrow) were happy for them, some were incensed (Mallard - although it was for anti-American reasons, not homophobic ones), and some were intensely curious about what was going on in the outside world (Bittern). 

-

The ‘foreigners’ (as Mallard had taken to calling them), were deeply displeased at how their fellow engines were being treated - while a lot of them were ‘in steam’, some were not and might never be again, something they found abhorrent. Unable to do anything at that time, as the NRM was not a for-profit entity and therefore did not have anyone to bribe, (Irene’s solution to things is to throw money at the situation) the engines started talking about how life was different in the outside world - namely that engines were still working hard, even when they were over a century old and running on steam power. 

This was of great interest to engines like Evening Star and (6220) Duchess of Hamilton, neither of whom were likely to be steamed again, and Bittern, who was growing more and more curious with each passing day. Dissent began to slowly build against the NRM curators, and the culture of the United Kingdom in general.

-

One thing the foreigners did try do something about was Ellerman Lines. The poor bastard had been sectioned to show his inner workings, much to the jaw-dropped horror of the foreign A4s, who made such a stink about it that he was moved outside the museum by NRM staff, who must have thought that the engines lacked object permanence or something, because that didn’t make it better!

-

Irene Eisenhower, who was beginning to get really sick of the nonsense that the NRM called preservation, (Scotsman was not in running condition, and had been hastily reassembled mid-overhaul in order to be cosmetically ready for the event, and let’s not forget poor Ellerman Lines) elected to bring the event to a close on her own after only three months. She did this by eventually putting her immense wealth to good use, and called for a haulage service to rescue the engines from the NRM without the knowledge of the museum staff. Aside from the A4s, she also took Ellerman Lines, Scotsman, and Bittern (who had asked to go) with her, and only bothered to inform Ellerman and Bittern - she was not about risk Scotsman having another “think of England” moment and staying. 

The haulage firm was efficient and the cargo ship was waiting, so the engines were in international waters before the NRM opened the next morning. 

Much swearing occurred in England that day, and the NRM’s image has yet to fully recover from the PR story that they had sold Flying Scotsman (and Ellerman Lines) to a reclusive American billionaire. 

Privately though, the NRM does not care, as that story is a lot better than “Someone stole our engines and we’re not allowed to get them back because as it turns out we’re slaveowners, so no international court will help us.”

Also, despite their multimillion dollar “donation" from the I. Eisenhower Opportunity Fund, they still haven’t been able to fully pacify their engines, all of whom have somehow gotten the idea that they should be running in main line service like they live on Sodor or something...

--------

Dwight, Scotsman, and Irene all live happily together in the sprawling Eisenhower estate in Malibu. Irene is currently lobbying the California state government to legalize polygamy, with moderate success. 

-

Ellerman Lines, after a lot of therapy and a full rebuild, is now working on a short line in Wyoming. He likes the scenery.

-

Bittern followed Dwight, Irene, and Scotsman to Los Angeles, and used her ‘connections’ (Dwight) to get a supporting role in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Since then, she’s gotten several roles based on her own merits, including an Emmy nomination for Best Guest Appearance in a Comedy.

-

Merlin spent a few months in LA before he went back to Korea. He is very thankful that he was able to reconnect with his brothers and sisters, and that his homeland has good internet, as he video calls his family across the Pacific almost every day.

-

Golden Fleece still lives a quiet life in Florida, but finally decided to tie the knot, and married his girlfriend in 2017. The ceremony was supposed to be quiet, but Irene Eisenhower has no idea what that word means. 

-

Dominion of Canada continues to baffle non-local trainspotters when she runs commuter trains into Toronto. She is now a great-grandmother. 

-

7 years later, and the term “Great Gathering” is still a forbidden phrase in the back rooms of the NRM.

[myhauntedsalem]

Bizarre Deaths

Death is everywhere and can visit us at any time. This is no more evident than in these examples of death coming from the most unexpected of sources.

Death is the inevitable end to everyone’s story. We spend most of our lives avoiding it, hoping we will die well into old age without pain or suffering. Yet sometimes death has other, more unusual plans for us, providing strange but timely reminders of our own mortality.

There are lots of strange ways to die, but here are ten examples of really bizarre deaths that came from the most unexpected of sources.

1. DEATH BY BEARD

Having the world’s longest beard certainly comes with its complications. For Hans Steininger, these complications ended in his death. During a fire in town, Steininger hurriedly retreated and forgot to pick up his beard. The beard got tangled in his feet and he fell awkwardly, breaking his neck and killing him.

2. DEATH BY JURY DEMONSTRATION

A lawyer by the name of Clement Vallandingham was attempting to prove his client’s innocence during his trial in 1871. The client was on trial for murder, but Vallandingham believed that the victim had actually shot himself and was not murdered. In court, he showed the jury how he believed the victim killed himself, but apparently forgot to check the chamber. Vallandingham shot himself and ultimately died in front of the court.

3. DEATH BY NECKLACE BOMB

This has to be the story behind the film 30 Minutes or Less because it is remarkably similar; albeit much less funny and more deadly. Pizza deliveryman Brian Well was apprehended during a bank robbery but claimed that it wasn’t as it seemed. Police didn’t believe his story that he had been forced to rob a bank by a group of people he had delivered pizza to. He warned them that he had a bomb around his neck, but it seems they just wouldn’t listen. Wells was killed when the necklace exploded.

4. DEATH BY SWIMMING POOL DRAIN

Abigail Taylor died 9 months after several of her internal organs were partially sucked out of her lower body while she sat on an excessively powerful swimming pool drain. Surgeons replaced her intestines and pancreas with donor organs but unfortunately, the 6-year-old girl died from a rare transplant-related cancer.

5. DEATH BY SHEEP

Betty Stobbs was attempting to feed her sheep one afternoon when things went horribly wrong. She loaded a bale of hay onto her motorcycle and took it to where she kept her sheep. When she got there, the excited sheep ran after her and knocked her and her motorcycle into a canyon. The fall didn’t kill her, but the motorcycle landing on her head did. While the sheep were certainly culpable in the death, admittedly this may technically be more of a death by motorcycle situation.

6. DEATH BY HOARDING

Homer and Langley Collyer had a problem throwing things away. They were bonafide hoarders and their house was filled with junk. Eventually, the junk around their house took control and the two were found dead, buried beneath their pounds and pounds of junk.

7. DEATH BY ROBOTS

They’re coming! They already got one of us! Truth be told, this appears to be more of a negligence death rather than a sci-fi murderous robot. Robert Williams was working at a Ford casting plant when he stepped into the line of fire to remove a faulty part. One of the robotic arms activated and smashed him in the head, killing him.

8. DEATH BY ELEVATOR

Dr. Hitoshi Christopher Nikaidoh was decapitated as he stepped on to an elevator at Christus St. Joseph Hospital in Houston, Texas in 2003. According to witnesses, the elevator doors closed as Nikaidoh entered, trapping his head inside the elevator with the remainder of his body still outside. A subsequent investigation revealed that improper electrical wiring installed by a maintenance company several days earlier had effectively bypassed all of the elevator’s safeguards, enabling it to move under any circumstances.

9. DEATH BY ORANGE PEEL

Daredevil Bobby Leach stared death in the face many times. He was the second person history to ever survive his fall from Niagara Falls in a barrel. He probably assumed that he would die during one of his stunts, but his death came in a much less exciting manner. While walking down the street in New Zealand, Leach stepped on an orange peel his feet went out from underneath him. He broke his leg and was taken to the hospital, but later died due to complications.

10. DEATH BY CACTUS

David Grundman and his buddy were having a grand-old-time shooting cacti in a desert one evening in 1982. When the 26-foot-tall cactus was shot, it fell and crushed Grundman, avenging its fallen cactus brothers. ____________________________________

Take a look at some of Some more most bizarre deaths

1. Death By Turtle In 455 BC, the Greek author Aeschylus was supposedly killed when an eagle dropped a turtle on his skull. 2. Death By Beard In 1567, Hans Steininger was killed upon breaking his neck. The accident occurred after he tripped on his own beard, which was 4.5 ft long! 3. Death By Food In 1771, King Adolf Frederick of Sweden died after he consumed a massive meal. The meal consisted of lobster, caviar, sauerkraut, kippers, champagne and 14 servings of desert. 4. Death By Effective Defense Strategy In 1871, a defense attorney, Clement Vallendigham, from the great state of Ohio passed away after shooting himself. He did so whilst demonstrating that the victim in the trial could have shot himself, rather than being murdered by his client. The defendant was found innocent. 5. Death By Shaving In 1923, George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon (that’s in Wales), died after he cut open a mosquito bite while shaving. It became infected and killed him soon after from pneumonia. 6. Death By Acting In 1958, Gareth Jones, an actor, died on a heart attack in between scenes in a TV play. His character was supposed to die in the same way. 7. Death By Machine In 1979, Robert Williams, who worked in a Ford Motor Company factory, made history as the first person killed by a robot. He was struck in the head by one of the cranes. 8. Death By Window In 1993, A Toronto lawyer fell to his death after hurling himself at a window on the 24th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Center. He was trying to prove that the glass was unbreakable – and he was sort of right. The glass never broke but, rather, it popped out of place and fell to the ground with him. 9. Death By Wee In 2007, a woman by the name of Jennifer Strange fell victim to bladder failure and died during a promotional radio contest called, “Hold Your Wee For Wii,” in which contestants attempted to go the longest without peeing in order to win a Nintendo Wii. 10. Death By Nature In 2009, Canadian folk singer Taylor Mitchell became the only recorded adult person to be killed by coyotes after they attacked her in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. 11. Death By Choking In 2012, a man died after choking on a cockroach during a roach-eating contest. 12. Death By Selfie In 2014, Oscar Otero Aguilar, 21, died after shooting himself in the head while posing for a selfie with a loaded handgun.

[fatehbaz]

Ghosts in the Caribbean: Daytime. (Part 1: Night.)

In the liminal spaces teeming with supernatural beings of contemporary Caribbean ghost stories -- among them ... loup-garous, bacoos, duppies ... soucouyants -- [...] darkness [can be] a quintessential ghostly threshold, a terrain where the dark night has come to be associated with the horrors of colonialism, slavery, violence, and the plantation. [...] What happens to the Caribbean ghost tale when the spectres of history are forced into the light of day? [...] It allows for a ghost story that opens with the affirmation: “in the beginning, there was laughter”, as in Jamaican writer Marcia Douglas’s Madam Fate (1999).

-----

The relationship between ghosts or spirits and darkness in contemporary Caribbean fiction, however, has shifted partly as a result of profound changes in regional conditions -- political as well as infrastructural. Ever-present electrical lighting, for example, has transformed nocturnal Caribbean landscapes, particularly during the last three decades, altering the cultural tenets and meanings linked to light and darkness. [...] Complete darkness has become elusive, rarified, changing the context [...]. In places now flooded with electrical light, the uncanny has been freed from the darkness, emerging into the light, both expanding and transforming the realm of the ghost story.

Perhaps the best example of this transformation is [...] in “Teresa Irene” (1989) a short story by Dominican writer Angela Hernandez Nunez, from her collection Alotropos. [...] Hernandez offers a version of the story as a poetic tale of horror centered on the luring of a young girl into a river pool whose bed was “traversed by underwater currents forming treacherous whirlpools [...].” The first time she hears the call of the river and dives into the pool she is rescued [...]. Protected for years by her family from the allure of the pool, her eyes display the color of the rainbow [...]. When Teresa Irene finally disappears into the pool [...] and consecrated to the rainbow to mark her transformation, we learn it has been the thirsty light, which had gone to the pool for a drink of water “and resolved to remain dressed in the eyes of a girl called Teresa Iren [...].” In this story the transformation of light into the source of horror marks a new direction [...]. The space of horror, the luminous pool, is superficially Eden-like [...].

-----

Teresa Irene finds a strange counterpart in another child at the centre of a haunting tale: Margaret, the eavesdropping narrator of Denise Harris’s Web of Secrets (1996, Guyana). Set in Guyana in the 1960s, the novel explores the tangle of family secrets -- slavery ... physical and emotional abuse ... racism -- that young Margaret believes must come out in the open if the family is to survive. [...] Margaret’s tale is of interest in [this] context because [...] she seeks to improve the family’s precarious finances with the help of a baku or bacoo. A folkloric figure of West African provenance [...].

Bacoo are a common element in recent Guyanese fiction focusing on the supernatural, albeit through reinterpretations that move away from the quintessentially folkloric figures of Web of Secrets, linking it to the brutal history of Dutch planters and gold prospectors in Suriname and Guyana. In many of these tales the power of the bacoo-like spirits is linked to colonial violence, brutality [...]. Such is the case of Peter Hill’s The Bacoo (1998), where an entity released from an old rum bottle takes control of the body and spirit of the suburban Toronto housewife [...]. The impact of this possession is underscored by its setting in a modern suburban home in lovely summer weather, where the space of deepest darkness is the family’s car garage. The complex tale moves between the light and modernity of Toronto and the darkness of the Guyanese bush [...]. Hill’s interpretation of the bacoo resonates against similar “possessing” figure in Raywat Deonandan’s “Children of the Melange” (from his 1999 collection Sweet Like Saltwater), the story of a young boy who, uncorking a bottle found on the beach, is possessed by the ghost of an old Dutchman. (Bacoo bottles are often thrown into rivers or the ocean, and Guyanese folklore warns against uncorking bottles found in water). [...]

-----

The transformative power of light as it enters the Caribbean ghost story has led to sweeping reimaginings of the nature and significance of the ghostly and the terrifying in Caribbean literature. It allows for a ghost story that opens with the affirmation: “in the beginning, there was laughter”, as in Jamaican writer Marcia Douglas’s Madam Fate (1999). [...] Douglas’s approach to ghosts in her lyrical novel about women attuned to the voices of the surrounding spirits is deeply rooted in ways of confronting [...] trauma [...]. The confrontation involves a process of reinterpretation, or reimagining and recontextualizing. Listening in the darkness for the sound of a rolling calf -- the duppy of a person known for his wickedness when alive -- Ida envisages the quintessential sounds: “his chain dragging, dragging, dragging behind him all restless-like on the ground.” Her heart open to the anticipated noises, when the rolling calf finally materializes, it comes with a startling revelation: “The sound this chain making, dragging through the mango walk, did have a kind of sadness to it -- a loneliness, you know what I mean? And after I calm down and listen good, is as if something grab at my heart-ears and a feeling overtake me in the bed, and I knew this calf was not a wicked calf at all, not at all.”

The episode of the rolling calf sets the stage for the invention of a world in which Madame Fate lives in the light of her garden surrounded by duppies ensconed in calabashes [...]. The image closes a representational circle that began in the fluid darkness [...] and ends in a Jamaican garden in which the spirits find solace for loss and pain in the light of day, the light in which a rolling calf can be recognized for what it truly is -- an adolescent boy fleeing from violence and abuse. “There is laughter which comes from so far”, Douglas writes, and “only those ears sensitive to high frequency can hear it” once the threshold from darkness to light has been crossed and fear has no dominion.

---

Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert. “The Ghost and the Darkness: Creole Hauntings in Caribbean Literature.” (Proof version). 2017.

[rose-gold-romantic]

Whatever It Takes: Chapter Nine

A Loki x Reader based in the Tesseract fic universe! Avengers: Infinity War follow-up fic. Next in the Tesseract fic series. Links to Tesseract, Lokasenna, What Heroes Do, and Fidelity. Also to my AU Feel You.

I WOULD LOVE FEEDBACK! Want to be tagged in updates? Let me know!

@malignentmac @fandomsfanman @i-am-supermerwholoked221b @markusstrayya @sincereleygmg @pandaqua​ @person-born-winchester

Just a forewarning, this one has a major POV shift from the past entries, since Reader was Dusted at the end of Fidelity! Keeping with my recent trend in fic titles, it’s named after a track on the official soundtrack. I also constantly watch this Video, and recommend it to hype you up!

When we arrived back at the Avengers Compound, Tony was already hard at work assembling the Quantum Tunnel that we would need for our “Time Heist”. Bruce and Rocket quickly went to work helping, and its assembly did not take long after they had began.

Thor and I came to take a look at it, and Tony was dragging a cart full of material through the room to the Tunnel.

“Drifting left.” Tony warned, walking around Thor and I. “On the side there, Lebowski. How’s it going, Ratchet?”

“It’s Rocket.” The raccoon insisted as he tightened down some bolts. “Take it easy, you’re only a genius on Earth, pal.”

“Well we’re trying to test this sucker out today, so I want to finish.” Tony prodded in return. “You almost done?”

“Yeah.” Rocket sighed. “Woulda been done earlier if jolly green giant hadn’t ditched to go work on ant-guy’s suit.”

“I hope this works.” I mumbled, not intending anyone to hear me.

“Me too.” Tony agreed.

A few hours later, Barton walked onto the Tunnel’s platform in his Quantum Suit. Most of us had gathered around to watch, but Thor had chosen to remain uninvolved for the time being.

“Clint, now you’re gonna feel a little discombobulated from the chronoshift.” Bruce warned, prepping the tunnel to activate. “Don’t worry about it.”

Clint nodded, taking his place.

“Alright, Clint.” Bruce said, “We’re going in three… two… one!”

A helmet that resembled Scott’s popped into place on Clint’s head, and he promptly disappeared through the tunnel. In a matter of seconds, Clint rematerialized on the glass platform, breathing heavily and laying face down.

“Hey, hey, look at me.” Natasha said as she ran to him, assisting him in sitting up. “You okay?”

Barten held up a baseball glove with a small smile. “Yea, it worked. It worked.”

“Now all that’s left is to figure out where and when to get the stones.” Tony laughed.

“Let’s figure that out now.” Steve said, “Everyone, to the conference room.”

We all made our way to the conference room, my brother included. We all took our seats, and the screens above the table showed the images and information that they had about each of the infinity stones. Tony, Steve, and Bruce stood at the front of the table, taking the lead in organizing and planning.

“Okay, so the ‘how’ works. Now we gotta figure out the when and the where.” Steve said. “Almost all of us have had an encounter with at least one of the six infinity stones.”

“Well I’d substitute the word encounter for damn well near been killed by one of the six infinity stones.” Tony proposed sarcastically.

“I haven’t!” Scott pointed out, “I don’t even know what the hell you’re all talking about!”

“Regardless, we only have enough Pym Particles for one round trip each, and these stones have been in a lot of different places throughout history.” Bruce said, gesturing to the images of the stones.

“Our history.” Tony clarified. “So, not a lot of convenient spots to just drop in.”

“Which means we have to pick our targets.” Clint added.

“Correct.” Tony confirmed.

“Let’s start with the Aether.” Steve said. “Thor, Loki, what do you know?”

Thor did not rise from his spot in the corner, sunglasses shading his closed eyes.

“Is he asleep?” Natasha asked.

“No.” Rhodey said rolling his eyes. “I’m pretty sure he’s dead.”

I groaned, nudging Thor to wake him, and reminded him of what we had to do.

“Where to start? Umm... The Aether, first, is not a stone, someone called it a stone before. It's more of a... and angry sludge thing, so... someones gonna need to amend that. Here's an interesting story though, many years ago...My grandfather had to hide the stones from the Dark Elves…” Thor wiggled his hands around, and I audibly sighed, closing my eyes. “Wooooh, scary beings. So Jane,” He gestured to the screen as her photo appeared, “Oh, there she is. That's Jane... She's... an old flame of mine... She... she stuck her hand inside a rock this one time... and then the Aether stuck itself inside her... And, she became very, very sick. So I had to take her to Asgard, which is where I'm from. And we had to try and fix her. We were dating at the time, you see. I got to introduce her to my Mother... who's dead…” Thor trailed off, his broken emotions pushing their way through again, “and oh you know, Jane and I aren't even dating anymore, these things happen though you know, nothing last forever,” Tony and I attempted to direct him back to his chair, and he brushed us both off, insisting that he finish his ranting. “I'm not done yet, the only thing permanent in life is impermanence.”

Tony and I finally managed to stop Thor’s continued rambling, Tony suggesting some breakfast for him.

“Awesome.” Tony said, “Eggs?”

“No, I’d like a Bloody Mary, thank you.” Thor grinned, causing me to roll my eyes.

“What I believe my brother meant to say is that the Aether is a volatile stone. It is not always in stone form, as he sort of explained, and in 2013 during my captivity in Odin’s dungeons, his girlfriend Jane Foster became the Aether’s host body, similar to the way that (Y/N) and Danvers host the Space Stone’s power. Jane was kept in Asgard to help her during that time, so it would be best to retrieve the Aether from that time and place since Jane poses no great threat.”

“Perfect.” Tony said, “Thor, Rocket, you guys can get on that. What about the purple one?”

“Can we move into the lounge?” Thor mumbled, “These chairs aren’t very comfortable.”

“Quill said he stole the power stone from Morag.” Rocket said as we all moved to the sofas and chairs.

“Is that a person?” Scott asked, beginning to eat the take-out that Natasha had ordered.

“Morag’s a planet.” Rocket clarified. “Quill was a person.”

“A planet?” Scott asked, excited. “Like in outer space?”

“Oh, look. It’s like a little puppy, all happy and everything.” Rocket said, mocking Lang. “Do you wanna go to space? You wanna go to space, puppy? I’ll take you to space.”

After the meal had been finished, Natasha began writing down notes for our plan.

“Thanos found the Soul Stone on Vormir.” Nebula said.

“What is Vormir?” Natasha asked, writing on her notepad.

“A dominion of death, at the very center of Celestial existence.” Nebula continued. “It’s where… Thanos murdered my sister.”

Natasha wrote down what Nebula had said, and the room remained quiet for a moment.

“Not it.” Scott said, intimidated by Nebula’s description.

“What about the other three?” Steve asked. “When is the best point to grab those?”

“Are we even going to be able to get the Time stone?” Tony asked, “It took a lot to get Strange to give it up five years ago, and that was when people were being attacked right in front of him.”

“I’m not sure.” Steve trailed off.

One by one, people left to get some sleep. Eventually, only Tony, Natasha, Bruce, and myself remained to brainstorm.

“That Time Stone guy…” Natasha began.

“Doctor Strange.” Bruce answered.

“Yeah, what kind of doctor was he?” She asked.

“Neurostuff meets rabbit from a hat.” Tony replied. “Nice place in the village, though.”

“Yeah. Sullivan Street.” Bruce said, “Hmm… Bleeker.”

“Wait, Strange lived in New York?” I asked, sitting upright.

“No, he lived in Toronto.” Tony quipped.

“If we pick the right year, there are three stones in New York.” I said, “Two of them in my posession.”

“Shut the front door!” Bruce exclaimed, sitting up.

“But who goes to get which ones?” Tony asaked, “How do we divvy up the teams?”

“Bruce, you should get the time stone.” I said, “You’ll have the easiest time getting across New York during the battle. Tony and Scott should retrieve the Tesseract. Steve can grab the scepter from the shield agents, and I’ll help him with that if needed. If it turns out that he doesn’t need me, I’ll come assist you and Scott.”

“Do we really have it all planned out now?” Natasha asked, smiling. “We can do this in the morning?”

“It would appear so.” I said, allowing myself a smile.

“Rest up, guys.” Tony said, walking to his room in the Compound. “We’ve got a big day coming up.”

As I walked to my room that night, I couldn’t help smiling. We were so close, so ready to reach out and take what we had been working so hard to achieve. In the morning we would be able to rectify and resolve the past five years of struggle.

My dreams intensified my joy, for the first time in years they might be a possibility. Even in the five years since the snap, my mind had never lost a bit of (Y/N). I could envision her perfectly, from the way her hair fell in her face when she was reading, to the way she would smirk before giving a smart remark. I dreamed of reuniting with her, and for the first time in years, I slept soundly.

In the morning, we all gathered and prepared to complete our mission. We all dressed in our Quantum suits, walking up to the Tunnel platform.

“Alright. We have a plan. Six stones, three teams. One shot.” Steve said as Bruce finished prepping the Tunnel for our trip. “Five years ago, we lost. All of us. We lost friends… We lost family… We lost a part of ourselves. Today, we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the stones, get them back. One round trip each. No mistakes, no do-overs. Most of us are going somewhere we know, but it doesn't mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives. And we’re gonna win.”

Tony shot Steve a knowing look, smiling.

“Whatever it takes.” Steve continued. “Good luck.”

“He’s pretty good at that.” Rocket observed.

“Right?” Scott agreed, smiling.

“All right. You heard the man.” Tony said. “Stroke those keys, jolly green.”

“Tractors engaged.” Bruce said.

Rocket gestured to the shrunk Benatar that rested in Clint’s hand. “You promise to bring that back in one piece, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.” Clint nodded, “Ok. I’ll do my best.”

“As far as promises go, that was pretty lame.” Rocket grumbled.

Natasha smiled to each of us as we stood in our positions. “See you in a minute.”

The countdown began, and we were all sucked into the Quantum tunnel.

[stephaniemarlowftw]

RUSSIAN CIRCLES ASCEND TO THE PINNACLE OF “KOHOKIA” ON NEW SINGLE

Listen to the trio’s final reveal until the release of Blood Year on August 2nd.  // Catch Russian Circles on tour throughout North America this fall.

With the steady reveal of their forthcoming album Blood Year, Russian Circles continue to remind the world why they have reigned as one of post-rock’s most stalwart forces. Their latest single, “Kohokia,” finds the trio in one of their most exploratory modes, capturing Slint-esque negative space in one moment, and blizzards of ashen metal in the next.

Listen to Russian Circles’ blistering seven-minute track “Kohokia” today on Loudwire (or directly on YouTube).

“Kohokia” is the final glimpse into Russian Circles' forthcoming Blood Year, due out in just a few weeks. Serving as a reminder of their dominion over the metal and rock worlds, Blood Year retains the dexterity, technique, and drama that Russian Circles have become synonymous with, fully embracing the most forceful facets of the trio’s repertoire.

Capturing the lightning-in-a-bottle verve of their live storied shows, Blood Year thrives with its organic feel and rampant energy. Showcasing Brian Cook’s grinding bass lines, Mike Sullivan’s deep-diving guitar leads, and Dave Turncrantz’s pounding rack and floor toms, Blood Year finds Russian Circles in the midst of pushing past their already astronomical limits of timbre and volume. Completing the formula is Kurt Ballou’s engineering prowess and Steve Albini’s world-famous wonderland Electrical Audio.

Blood Year will be released via Sargent House on August 2 and Russian Circles will be on tour in North America this September, October and November in support of it. FACS and Windhand will appear on select dates — check out a full itinerary below.

Blood Year is available for pre-order here.  

Blood Year — Track Listing: 

1. Hunter Moon

2. Arluck

3. Milano

4. Kohokia

5. Ghost on High

6. Sinaia

7. Quartered

Russian Circles - On Tour:

September 11 Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon *

September 12 Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center *

September 14 Bozeman, MT @ Rialto Bozeman *

September 16 Seattle, WA @ Neumos *

September 17 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom *

September 19 San Francisco, CA @ August Hall *

September 20 Ventura, CA @ Discovery Ventura *

September 21 Los Angeles, CA @ The Teragram Ballroom *

September 23 Mesa, AZ @ The Nile *

September 24 Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf *

September 25 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater *

September 28 Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall *

October 18 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Pyramid Scheme +

October 19 Detroit, MI @ El Club +October 20 Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace +

October 21 Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount +

October 23 Portsmouth, NH @ 3S ArtSpace +

October 24 Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair +

October 26 Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw +

October 27 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer +

October 29 Washington, DC @ Union Stage +

October 30 Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry +

November 1 Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall +

November 2 Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre +

November 3 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade +

November 4 New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jack’s +

November 6 Houston, TX @ The Secret Group +

November 8 Austin, TX @ Levitation 

November 9 Dallas, TX @ Deep Ellum Art Company

 November 11 St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall + 

 w/ FACS *

w/ Windhand + 

[bauhaus-movement]

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (German-American, 1886-1969) | Toronto-Dominion Center | Toronto, Canada | 1967-1973 | April 14, 1966 after high-steel men secured the last beam on the 56th floor of the Commonwealth’s tallest building, the first tower of the Toronto-Dominion Centre, with a gold-plated bolt. Photo © John McNeill

[cleverhelp]

Toronto Projected Population

Toronto's diverse population reflects its current and historical role as a major destination for Canadian immigrants. Toronto is a racially diverse city with a healthy immigrant population. Toronto is the most populous city in Canada, with a population of over 2.7 million.

With a population of 2,731,571 in 2016, the city of Toronto has a population density of 4,334.4 people per km2. According to the 2016 census, when the population was 6,417,526, the population density in the Greater Toronto area was 849 people per km2. Toronto has a population of 2,731,571 according to the most recent comprehensive census, making it the largest city in Canada [and the fourth most populous municipality in North America.    

Toronto's population is expected to continue to grow over the next few years, with an estimated annual growth rate of just over 100,000 in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The GTA projected an increase in Toronto's population from 2.99 million in 2020 to 3.95 million in 2046, adding 966,000, the largest expected population growth by census department.

The GTA is Canada’s largest metropolitan area and the seventh largest metropolitan area in North America. This makes Toronto the largest city in Canada and the fourth largest city in North America. The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is projected to be the fastest growing region with a population growth of 2.9 million, or 40.9%, from 7.1 million in 2020 to nearly 10.0 million by 2046. GTA's multicultural population is projected to grow to 9 million by 2036.

Toronto has two airports: Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport. Toronto is the most populous city in Canada, located on the shore of Lake Ontario in Ontario. Toronto is the capital of Ontario, Canada's most populous city, multicultural city, financial and commercial center. It is Canada's most populous city, a multicultural city, and the country's financial and commercial center.    

Its location on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, which forms part of the border between Canada and the United States, and its access to Atlantic shipping via the St. Lawrence Seaway and to major US industrial centers across the Great Lakes have made Toronto a major international trade center. City Planning Toronto's skyrocketing population (almost fourfold, from 1.3 million in 1951 to over 5 million in 2006) and national economic growth have impacted the skyline of the city, dominated by the CN Tower (a spire for communication and observations at an altitude of 1815 feet). [553 meters]), as well as First Canadian Place (Bank of Montreal), Scotia Plaza, Canada Trust Tower, Manulife Center, Commerce Court, Toronto-Dominion Center and Bay Adelaide Center, each of which is over 50 stories high.

Since the 1990s, Ontario has been the most populous province. The population growth rate in Toronto is similar to that of many other major cities in Canada. However, this is only half of the growth rate of the population of some cities - for example, Edmonton increased by 14.82% over the same period, and Calgary grew by 12.99%. Looking back at the last 10 years of Toronto's population, one can see that the growth rate is very stable and high - from 0.77% to 1.15%, adding 20,980 to 30,920 people each year to the total population.    

From Vancouver, where the population increased by + 6.6%, to Montreal, where the figure was + 3.9%. This trend may be showing in Toronto, but this is just the tip of the iceberg, even with the expected net minimum of 30,000 people joining the city's population each year until 2046. Government officials predict that the city of Toronto itself, which currently has a population of nearly three million, will add roughly the same number of new residents by 2046 alone. If the Ontario Treasury Department's demographic projections turn out to be accurate and 2.27 million new residents are added to the province by 2031, researchers say there will be 911,347 more families.

[myhauntedsalem]

Take a look at some of the most bizarre deaths

1. Death By Turtle In 455 BC, the Greek author Aeschylus was supposedly killed when an eagle dropped a turtle on his skull. 2. Death By Beard In 1567, Hans Steininger was killed upon breaking his neck. The accident occurred after he tripped on his own beard, which was 4.5 ft long! 3. Death By Food In 1771, King Adolf Frederick of Sweden died after he consumed a massive meal. The meal consisted of lobster, caviar, sauerkraut, kippers, champagne and 14 servings of desert. 4. Death By Effective Defense Strategy In 1871, a defense attorney, Clement Vallendigham, from the great state of Ohio passed away after shooting himself. He did so whilst demonstrating that the victim in the trial could have shot himself, rather than being murdered by his client. The defendant was found innocent. 5. Death By Shaving In 1923, George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon (that’s in Wales), died after he cut open a mosquito bite while shaving. It became infected and killed him soon after from pneumonia. 6. Death By Acting In 1958, Gareth Jones, an actor, died on a heart attack in between scenes in a TV play. His character was supposed to die in the same way. 7. Death By Machine In 1979, Robert Williams, who worked in a Ford Motor Company factory, made history as the first person killed by a robot. He was struck in the head by one of the cranes. 8. Death By Window In 1993, A Toronto lawyer fell to his death after hurling himself at a window on the 24th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Center. He was trying to prove that the glass was unbreakable – and he was sort of right. The glass never broke but, rather, it popped out of place and fell to the ground with him. 9. Death By Wee In 2007, a woman by the name of Jennifer Strange fell victim to bladder failure and died during a promotional radio contest called, “Hold Your Wee For Wii,” in which contestants attempted to go the longest without peeing in order to win a Nintendo Wii. 10. Death By Nature In 2009, Canadian folk singer Taylor Mitchell became the only recorded adult person to be killed by coyotes after they attacked her in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. 11. Death By Choking In 2012, a man died after choking on a cockroach during a roach-eating contest. 12. Death By SelfieIn 2014, Oscar Otero Aguilar, 21, died after shooting himself in the head while posing for a selfie with a loaded handgun.

[its-zhangjiashuai-us]

place pour eurodisney pas cher

Les mineurs artisanaux sont tout autant les membres de cette industrie sont vos employés et collègues dans votre usine, votre bureau, votre atelier ou votre magasin de détail, dit-il. La compagnie a attribué cette baisse aux précipitations anormalement élevées en Zambie au cours du Disney Vêtements En Remise trimestre, ajoutant que les opérations à la mine restent robustes et qu'il est bien placé pour bénéficier d'une amélioration prévue des grades. CONTENU Gemfields émeraude, béryl enchère filets $ 36M En Février, Gemfields vente aux enchères de prédominance de qualité supérieure émeraude rugueuse et béryl à Lusaka, en Zambie a réalisé 36,5 millions $, un record de la société pour toute vente aux enchères. Annoncée Août dernier, Fast Track permet 10 pour cent des clients des pierres pour être classé et est retourné à eux dans les trois semaines, indépendamment de leur taille. Que pensez vous de charme Cruise exclusive de cette année vous jamais être tenté par la croisière Depuis l'édition limitée hotel à disneyland pas cher a fait ses débuts plus tôt ce mois ci, il y a eu un peu de confusion quant à exactement comment limiter le charme Club. Cela, cependant, est tout ce que je pense que je veux de ce collection. Pour plus de détails sur l'achat du charme, voir mon post here. Cependant, après avoir dit que, à l'intérieur du charme est magnifique. Ceci est très bien quand vous avez seulement quelques offre place disneyland, mais, quand vous commencez à remplir, il peut se sentir mal à l'aise. totalement ne brindille que l'arc sur ce charme est d'or. Javits Convention Disney Spider-Man Center, au même endroit que le spectacle.Have vous avez acheté ce clip, ou est il sur votre liste de souhaits Avez vous livré à toute la collection printemps 2016 Suite de la journée 2016 aperçu de ma mère hier, aujourd'hui Disney Ensemble De 6 Sachets Cadeaux Mickey Mouse de premier choix un aperçu complet de 2016 collection d'été avec quelques images de haute qualité des stocks. Cela comprendra deux des clips cosmiques clairs, le charme du cœur de la Mère et le fermoir baril argent vente privée passeport disney. Pourtant, se lever pour accélérer pour gérer l'augmentation du volume des communications prendra du temps, et la nouvelle façon dont le laboratoire exprime le temps de service vise à informer plus précisément Disney Cadeaux Pas Cher les clients quand ils peuvent espérer recevoir leurs pierres. Petra n'a pas fait de déclarations définitives sur la qualité des pierres, indiquant seulement qu'il faudrait une analyse plus approfondie pour évaluer Il est une valeur potentielle et l'itinéraire optimal sur le marché. Un engagement renouvelé à la divulgation et de la transparence fait également partie de la campagne, la marque a dit. Cette première représente la création d'un charme de dentelle ancienne. Toronto Pendant les spectacles de bijoux Las Vegas, Dominion boutique disney champs élysées Corp. www.officieldisney.com/disney-soldes-mode

[architectnews]

Managing Energy Use in Modern Buildings

Managing Energy Use in Modern Buildings Case Studies in Conservation Practice, Getty Conservation Institute Publication

Managing Energy Use in Modern Buildings: Case Studies in Conservation Practice

Jul 29, 2021

New Title Presents Case Studies on Improving Energy Consumption in Modern Buildings

Book is second volume in Getty Conservation Institute’s Conserving Modern Heritage Series

Book by The Getty Conservation Institute’s Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative

LOS ANGELES, CA–The Getty Conservation Institute’s Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative (CMAI) was created to advance the practice of conserving twentieth-century heritage through research into material conservation issues and the publishing of case studies that illuminate the recurring technical and material challenges specific to the conservation of modern heritage. Early on, CMAI identified the management of energy use in modern buildings as a key concern. This issue continues to grow more urgent as increasing awareness of climate change creates pressure to make buildings as energy efficient as possible.

Managing Energy Use in Modern Buildings: Case Studies in Conservation Practice, (Getty Conservation Institute, $59.95) the second volume in the Getty Conservation Institute’s Conserving Modern Heritage series, is a collection of ten case studies which describe projects undertaken on works of architecture built between 1928 and 1969, that are international in scope and diverse in their types, styles, and sizes. Showing ingenuity and sensitivity, these case studies consider improvements to such systems as heating, cooling, lighting, ventilation, and controls. They provide examples that demonstrate best practices in conservation and show ways to reduce carbon footprints, minimize impacts to historic materials and features, and introduce renewable green-building rating systems.

Written by architects, engineers, and allied professionals, these thorough case studies present research and practical solutions that will advance the field, demonstrating sound approaches to conserving modern buildings while also optimizing their energy and thermal comfort.

Bernard Flaman, FRAIC, is a conservation architect working for the Government of Canada and holds degrees in art history from the University of Saskatchewan and architecture from the University of Toronto. Over a thirty-five-year career, he has worked on multiple contemporary and conservation projects in both the private and public sectors. Current interests focus on the connection between conservation and sustainable design and an inclusive approach to heritage conservation.

Chandler McCoy received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Virginia School of Architecture and his Master of Architecture degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Preservation and Planning. He manages the Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative at the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles; whose mission is to advance the practice of conserving modern heritage.

Pre-publication endorsements:

“The conservation of buildings has always necessitated adaptation. Today, the need to adapt is magnified by two factors. First is the modern era’s frenetic race for innovation, which frequently outpaces habitability and durability concerns. Second, conservators must satisfy contemporary performance expectations that are ratcheted up by climate change. Both factors are insightfully and thoroughly addressed in Managing Energy Use in Modern Buildings: Case Studies in Conservation Practice. 

The range of modern buildings portrayed is noteworthy in itself, from iconic structures like Kahn’s Richards Medical Research Laboratories to gems like the Catalina American Baptist Church, from idiosyncratic wonders like the Geschwister-Scholl Grammar School to classics like the Toronto-Dominion Centre. Each case study underscores the importance of employing established best practices in conservation, creatively leveraging the inherent qualities of each unique building, and forging creative and compatible solutions.”—Carl Elefante, FAIA, FAPT, LEED AP

The challenge of developing appropriate conservation strategies that will preserve the character-defining construction and materials of modern historic places is a significant one. Managing Energy Use in Modern Buildingsfeatures case studies of conservation projects that implement minimal intervention strategies while maintaining the historic character of these buildings, such as enhancing their original features, systems, glazing, insulation, and air barriers.

The studies cover diverse climate zones and typologies and different types of interventions that could instigate further research and serve as inspiration for other conservation projects worldwide. The volume is well illustrated, and the terminology and glossary are excellent. As both a teacher and heritage expert engaged in educating emerging professionals on the energy retrofitting of historic buildings, I highly endorse this publication and its adoption as an educational resource.”—Dr. Mario Santana Quintero, Professor in Architectural Conservation and Sustainability Engineering, Carleton University and Secretary General of ICOMOS

Publication Information: 

Managing Energy Use in Modern Buildings: Case Studies in Conservation Practice 

Edited by Bernard Flaman, Chandler McCoy

Getty Conservation Institute

192 pages, 8½ x 10½ inches

138 color illustrations, 28 b&w illustrations; 4 tables

Paperback

ISBN 978-1-60606-697-3

US $59.95 / £45.00

Publication Date: 21 September 2021

About Getty Publications

Getty Publications produces award-winning titles that result from or complement the work of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Getty Conservation Institute, and Getty Research Institute. This wide variety of books covers the fields of art, photography, archaeology, architecture, conservation, and the humanities for both the general public and specialists. Publications include illustrated works on artists and art history, exhibition catalogues, works on cultural history, research on the conservation of materials and archaeological sites, scholarly monographs, critical editions of translated works, comprehensive studies of Getty’s collections, and educational books on art to interest children of all ages.

Getty Publications

1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 500

Los Angeles, CA 90049-1682

USA

getty.edu

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