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girltalkblog · 3 months

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#GirlTalk: Cowgirls on the Horizon

Discussing upcoming country albums from Beyoncé, Lana del Rey and Kacey Musgraves

(Photo Created by girltalkblog)

“I hate country music.” Yeah, so does the rest of the world. I cannot think of one person that listens to country music exclusively while also not acknowledging how corny it can come off as when done a certain way. There are a lot of artists who have done country right, like Dolly Parton or Chris Stapelton. If there is not already, there should be an unwritten rule that those people get left out of the “I hate country” sentiment. Then there are those artists who fit the stereotype of country that causes those extremely valid claims of despising music about beer, trucks and women all in that order. I will not give a list, but one musician that comes to mind immediately starts with “L” and ends with “uke Bryan.”

No one should be ostracized if they listen to country music; I sometimes partake in the occasional Bobby Bones radio station myself (sometimes being specifically when I am on a road trip anywhere south of St. Louis), and I do believe in giving unfamiliar things a chance. So, I ask you to bear with me while I introduce three new country albums from female artists coming out later this year or that have recently released that are gaining a lot of attention. Two of these women are not known for the country genre, which makes their coming projects even more buzz-worthy.

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has been in the music industry for over 30 years, starting out professionally in 1990 with the girl’s group Destiny’s Child. Since then, she has had an enormously successful solo career, with her latest album “Renaissance” released in 2022, preceding a world tour of the same name that grossed over $570 million. While being shown in the audience at Super Bowl LVII, she surprised the world with a new album announcement on Instagram: “Cowboy Carter” It will be released on March 29, 2024, conveniently rounding out Women’s History Month, I might add.

The album is the second installment of a three-part project, confirmed by the artist in a message to fans. Her wide audience, or the ‘Beyhive’ was also treated to two new songs off the album the same day that it was announced, “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em.” There has been a mixed reaction over Beyoncé releasing a country-genre album, especially since most of her previous work has been R&B, soul and pop-oriented. However, we must remember that Beyoncé is a Houston-native and has a lot of roots with southern culture and music. This is also not the first time she has ever released anything of the genre, with the song “Daddy Lessons” from her 2016 “Lemonade” album having a rather country twang to it. Although “Cowboy Carter” may come as a surprise to some, it is not an unapproached topic or genre to Beyoncé herself.

From waitressing at a random Waffle House to wearing a mall-bought dress to the 2020 Grammys to opting for a diamond-covered mesh mask during a global pandemic, Lana Del Rey has always been a predictably unpredictable figure in popular music. She is known for her dream-like and nostalgic sounding music inspired by other famous musicians like Amy Winehouse and Lou Reed. Her most popular songs include “Summertime Sadness” and “Young and Beautiful,” but it seems that every month TikTok picks a new song of hers to trend.

Del Rey’s fans expect rather odd behavior from the singer, so when she announced her upcoming country-genre album in late January, it was no big surprise. “Lasso” is set to release around September of 2024, but knowing how reliable Del Rey is with album releases, no one can really know for sure. A lot of her music involves sounds and topics related to Americana and a more vintage feel, so her newest album will most likely be right up her alley in terms of subject and sonic composition.

Less of a surprise due to genre, but still anticipated, country music singer Kacey Musgraves teased and announced her latest album “Deeper Well” in early February. Also releasing a song of the same title with a paired music video, the industry was excited for the singer’s fifth studio album, especially since she has not released a full project since 2021. The album was released on March 15, a welcome introduction to this year’s uptick in country music from female artists.

Musgraves’ 2021 album “Star-Crossed” was disqualified from the country category at the 2022 Grammy’s for being too pop, so the question surrounding “Deeper Well” is whether it will be accepted by the country community as true to the genre, or will it be labelled as pop music, just like her previous projects? So far the album has been a hit, receiving positive feedback in terms of genre and is seen a shift toward country-folk-soft rock. While the album could be seen as a step for the singer back towards the country music genre, it is important to recognize the unique elements she continues to implement to differentiate her style as an artist. Either way, Musgraves is one of a small group of recent country music stars that are redefining the genre and attracting a new audience as well.

Three new albums from some of the world’s most talked about female musicians are taking the world by storm this year, making for an interesting discussion over who is qualified to produce certain genres, and if artists typically associated with non-country genres will get the same recognition as solely country stars. So, while you enjoy “Deeper Well,” mark your calendars for March 29 and sometime in September (depending on how manic Lana is feeling in a few months) for a revolutionary year of country music. Revolutionary is a term I use with hope, out of the hope I have that their music will not traumatize me in the way that Jason Aldean’s “Try That In A Small Town” did.

☆ Originally Published March 20th, 2024

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distilinfo · 4 months

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Appeals Court Confirms Non-Compete Clause Valid in CVS Legal Battle

The Appeals Court has confirmed the enforcement of a non-compete agreement that blocks Amy Bricker, former head of Express Scripts, from joining CVS Health. This decision, backed by thorough legal analysis, highlights the significance of non-compete clauses in safeguarding trade secrets and maintaining competitive edges within the healthcare industry. The ruling not only supports Cigna's strategic interests but also sets a precedent for the enforceability of such agreements industry-wide. For a deeper dive into the implications of this landmark case, visit DistilINFO Healthplan.

Read more: https://distilinfo.com/healthplan/appeals-court-upholds-non-compete-cvs/

Discover the latest payers’ news updates with a single click. Follow DistilINFO HealthPlan and stay ahead with updates. Join our community today!

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frommymamaskitchen · 4 months

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#AmyNewmark ChickenSoupfortheSoul YoungAtHeart DynamicAging AgeIsJustANumber SeniorMoment GoldenYears FamilyRelationships Parents Grandparent

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ailtrahq · 1 year

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Ethereum developers have announced the launch of a new testnet for the Ethereum blockchain. The testnet is expected to be a superior version of the Goerli Testnet, one of Ethereum’s primary testnets, and take its place following its upcoming deprecation and shutdown. Ethereum Releases Holesky Testnet Ethereum, the world’s largest blockchain by TVL and the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization has marked a significant step in its evolution with the latest development in the crypto space. On Friday, September 15, developers announced the official deployment of a new testnet, Holesky on the Ethereum Mainnet. The Ambassador Manager of Kols Network, Amy Kols described the key features and details of the newly released Holesky testnet in an X (formerly Twitter) post on September 14. Kols explained that the reason for the deployment of the Holesky testnet was to take over the Goerli testnet which faced supply issues. She revealed that the Holesky network will be used for testing complex upgrades and infrastructure and will continue running and be supported by the network until 2028. The Holesky testnet provides a strong and secure platform for Ethereum developers and validators to test new features and upgrades. The newly released testnet is said to have a stronger ability to handle testing requirements than the Goerli testnet. Validators for the testnet will also be supplied with 1.6 billion Holesky Ether (HETH) to kickstart the testnet into operation. The number of HETH is a staggering sum and 10 times larger than the amount of Ether (ETH) present on the Ethereum mainnet and the Goerli testnet. Developers have stated that a large supply of HETH to validators will help the testnet have higher testing capabilities, allowing it to be more scalable, and have better staking capabilities, infrastructure, and protocol development. The launch of the Holesky testnet currently coincides with the anniversary of Ethereum’s Merge, when it transitioned from a Proof of Work (PoW) network to a Proof of Stake (PoS) network. Holesky Will Takeover Goerli Ethereum’s Goerli testnet was initially introduced in 2018 and was one of Ethereum’s prominent testnets. Between 2017 and 2022, the developers deployed multiple testnets, including the Sepolia testnet which is presently still active, as well as the Ropsten and Rinkeby testnets, both of which were deprecated and shut down on October 5, 2022. Reports have revealed that the Holesky testnet will replace Goerli after it is deprecated and set to shut down in 2024. The Holesky testnet has been developed to be more efficient than the Goerli testnet due to its higher HETH supply which overcomes Goerli’s failure to supply an adequate amount of Goerli ETH to handle testing demands. After Goerli has been deprecated, the Ethereum network will have only two active testnets, Holesky and Sepolia. Both testnets will be supported and used to improve developments and innovations in the ecosystem. ETH price still holding above $1,600 | Source: ETHUSD on Tradingview.com Source

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computingpostcom · 2 years

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How to install Packer on Ubuntu 22.04/20.04/18.04/16.04?. Packer is an open source tool for creating identical machine images for multiple platforms from a single source configuration. It is a cross-platform command-line and lightweight application capable of generating and highly machine images for multiple platforms in parallel. Check Packer use cases if you’re new to it and trying to figure out how you benefit from this tool. What is Packer Machine Image? A machine image is a single static unit that contains a pre-configured operating system and installed software which is used to quickly create new running machines. Machine image formats change for each platform. Some examples include AMIs for EC2, VMDK/VMX files for VMware, OVF exports for VirtualBox, etc. Install Packer on Ubuntu 22.04/20.04/18.04/16.04 Packer may be installed from a precompiled binary or from source. The easy and recommended method for all users is binary installation method. This is the one used in this article. First, check the latest release of Packer on the Downloads page. Then download the recent version for your platform. But for us we’ll perform installation from APT repository: Install basic dependencies: sudo apt update sudo apt -y install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common Import GPG key used in package signing: curl -fsSL https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/hashicorp.gpg Add Hashicorp APT repository to your Ubuntu system: sudo apt-add-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://apt.releases.hashicorp.com $(lsb_release -cs) main" Finally update package index and install packer: sudo apt update sudo apt install packer After installing Packer, verify the installation is working by checking that the packer is available: $ packer Usage: packer [--version] [--help] [] Available commands are: build build image(s) from template console creates a console for testing variable interpolation fix fixes templates from old versions of packer fmt Rewrites HCL2 config files to canonical format hcl2_upgrade transform a JSON template into an HCL2 configuration init Install missing plugins or upgrade plugins inspect see components of a template plugins Interact with Packer plugins and catalog validate check that a template is valid version Prints the Packer version To check software version run: $ packer --version 1.8.3 If you placed the packer bi in a different directory, the PATH variable should contain this directory. Using Packer on Ubuntu 22.04/20.04/18.04/16.04 Builders are used to generate images and create machines for various platforms from templates. You can see a full list of suppported builders. A template is a configuration file used to define what image is built and its format is JSON. In our example below, we will use VirtualBox Builder to create an Ubuntu Virtual Machine and export it in the OVA or OVF format. Let’s create our working directory. mkdir projects/packer/ cd projects/packer/ Create a file called build.json with below contents "variables": "hostname": "ubuntu", "domain": "local", "ssh_user": "packer", "ssh_pass": "p@ck3r" , "builders": [ "type": "virtualbox-iso", "guest_os_type": "Ubuntu_64", "vm_name": "ubuntu-18.04-vbox-template", "iso_url": "http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/18.04/release/ubuntu-18.04.6-server-amd64.iso", "iso_target_path": "/tmp/ubuntu-18.04.6-server-amd64.iso", "iso_checksum": "f5cbb8104348f0097a8e513b10173a07dbc6684595e331cb06f93f385d0aecf6", "memory": "1024", "cpus": "1", "disk_size": "20000", "format": "ova", "guest_additions_mode": "upload", "headless": "false", "http_directory": "http",

"ssh_username": "user `ssh_user`", "ssh_password": "user `ssh_pass`", "ssh_wait_timeout": "20m", "shutdown_command": "sudo /sbin/halt -p", "boot_command": [ "", "", "", "", "/install/vmlinuz", " auto", " console-setup/ask_detect=false", " console-setup/layoutcode=us", " console-setup/modelcode=pc105", " debconf/frontend=noninteractive", " debian-installer=en_US", " fb=false", " initrd=/install/initrd.gz", " kbd-chooser/method=us", " keyboard-configuration/layout=USA", " keyboard-configuration/variant=USA", " locale=en_US", " netcfg/get_domain=user `domain`", " netcfg/get_hostname=user `hostname`", " grub-installer/bootdev=/dev/sda", " noapic", " preseed/url=http:// .HTTPIP : .HTTPPort /preseed.cfg", " -- ", "" ] ], "provisioners": [ "type": "shell", "inline": [ "sleep 30", "sudo apt update", "sudo apt -y install bash-completion wget vim php php-fpm php-mysql" ] ] Change the settings to fit ypur deployment design. We also need a preseed file to automate installation of Ubuntu 18.04 on VirtualBox with Packer. Create a http directory as specified in JSON build file. mkdir http Then paste below to http/preseed.cfg file. # Language and Locale d-i debian-installer/language string en d-i debian-installer/locale string en_US.UTF-8 d-i localechooser/preferred-locale string en_US.UTF-8 d-i localechooser/supported-locales en_US.UTF-8 # Hostname / domain d-i netcfg/get_hostname string ubuntu d-i netcfg/get_domain string local # Keyboard d-i console-setup/ask_detect boolean false d-i keyboard-configuration/layout select USA d-i keyboard-configuration/variant select USA d-i keyboard-configuration/modelcode string pc105 # Timezone / Time d-i time/zone string UTC d-i clock-setup/utc-auto boolean true d-i clock-setup/utc boolean true # Server tasksel tasksel/first multiselect standard, ubuntu-server # No proxy d-i mirror/http/proxy string # Packages Policy d-i pkgsel/install-language-support boolean false d-i pkgsel/update-policy select none d-i pkgsel/upgrade select full-upgrade d-i pkgsel/include string openssh-server cryptsetup build-essential libssl-dev libreadline-dev zlib1g-dev # Partitioning d-i partman-auto/method string lvm d-i partman-auto-lvm/guided_size string max d-i partman-auto/choose_recipe select atomic d-i partman-auto/disk string /dev/sda d-i partman-lvm/confirm boolean true d-i partman-lvm/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true d-i partman-lvm/device_remove_lvm boolean true d-i partman/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true d-i partman/confirm boolean true d-i partman/confirm_write_new_label boolean true d-i partman/choose_partition select finish # Create packer user account. d-i passwd/user-fullname string packer d-i passwd/username string packer d-i passwd/user-password password p@ck3r d-i passwd/user-password-again password p@ck3r d-i user-setup/allow-password-weak boolean true d-i user-setup/encrypt-home boolean false d-i passwd/user-default-groups packer sudo If using this example, you’ll need to change username and password for user to be created in the preseed file. To build your image by running the following command. $ packer build build.json Since we had turned off installation in headless mode, you should be able to watch the installation on VirtualBox UI. I’ll cover the usage of other providers such as Docker, AWS, CloudStack, QEMU e.t.c in the following guides. Subscribe to our newsletter to get instant updates.

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gameguides · 2 years

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Sonic Speed Simulator Codes (2022 October)

Sonic Speed Simulator Codes offers the most up-to-date collection of OP codes that can be redeemed for free cosmetics and other in-game items. These codes can help you get a substantial advantage whether you're just getting started or have been playing Sonic Speed Simulator for a long time. #SonicSpeedSimulatorRoblox Updated on 10.09.2022

Sonic Speed Simulator Codes

If you want to show the world how fast you can go, you'll want to get some Sonic Speed Simulator codes before hitting the tracks. Featuring cool items, including super cool Sonic-themed skins, any Sonic fan will be thrilled!

Sonic Speed Simulator Codes We'll keep you informed about new codes as they become available. You should use them as quickly as possible because you never know when they'll run out! On the day that this post was published, these codes were put to the test. Sonic Speed Simulator Active Codes These are all the valid codes: - Hooray50k : 30 minute speed boost - thankyouchao : free Chao - 40kThankYou : free rewards - soniccentral : Amy Chao - thumbsup : Bloxian Chao - Amazing35: Redeem Code > super Boost (New) - 25k: Redeem Code > super Boost (New) - RIDERS: Redeem Code > reward Riders Sonic Skin (New) Sonic Speed Simulator ROBLOX Social Media Channels: - Discord: Sonic Top Fan Club - Twitter: @gamefamstudios - Youtube: ?? - Roblox Group: https://www.roblox.com/groups/13632331/A-TEAM#!/about Expired Codes These codes are no longer work: How to Redeem Roblox Code? These are the steps to redeem codes: - Open up Roblox Sonic Speed Simulator on your PC or Mobile device - Click on the Shop button at the bottom of the screen - Click on the Redeem Codes option in the Shop menu - Copy a code from our list - Paste it into the “Enter Code” text box - Hit the Redeem button to get your reward! About Sonic Speed Simulator This game was made by a super team of Sonic Roblox devs, some of us who have been making Sonic fan games on Roblox for years! We put SSS together in a furiously short amount of time but there will be so much more content being added over the coming weeks, months, and years! Thanks for playing and we can’t wait to hear what you think! The fastest game in Roblox history. - Get Fast by running to level up - Race against other players to earn rewards - Unlock New Worlds and go on an incredible adventure - Collect Chao to increase your stats and collection - Earn Sonic Character Skins to show off to your friends Why is my Sonic Speed Simulator code not working Developer Controls Code for Sonic Speed Simulator Roblox and determine how long they are active. Some codes may expire faster than others and some may not work with others. If a code isn't working for you, check if there's a typo, if the code isn't active yet, or if it's already expired. To resolve this issue, please bookmark this page and check back often to see if Sonic Speed Simulator have added new code or have expired. When will the Sonic Speed Simulator code come? New codes are usually shared when a new update comes to the game. New codes can also come on religious holidays and special days. You can reach the latest promo codes by following our site regularly. You can also follow the twitter profiles of the developers of the game. If you want to see constantly updated roblox codes, check here: - Roblox Gift Codes Full Actual List Read the full article

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modulationinstitute · 5 years

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Strike For AMIE Validation - Validity / Eligibility / Approval

#amie validation latest news #amie validation status #amie high court decision #amie latest news 2020 #amie details

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msommers · 2 years

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I would love more Maeve + Superstore thoughts, her friendship with Jonah sounds amazing

(i forgot about this in my drafts for too many days bc i’m a huge dummy don’t look at me here we go slamming post lmfao) oh boy, the tags were a 30 second long goof experiment but i'm always prepared to extend that for any scenario. let's make up some absolute nonsense for the lulz and cuteness.

literally do not ask me why posh brit accent maeve is working at a store in missouri because i don't have time for it and that's not part of the "everything here is for fun" theme.

one of her running gags is that she’s always talking about concepts for stories and tropes that she wants to explore/deconstruct, but anytime she’s asked about progress she’ll have some wild explanation for why she didn’t get very far into writing. there have been at least two rr martin comments made about how long it’s taken her to finish her first book. jonah, amy, sandra and cheyenne have all read some of her short stories/misc chapters of the first book because they’re here favorites full stop. final two seasons are for sure the “oh [bleep], maeve published her book and it’s really taking off” arc for her.

cheyenne is the little sister that she never had, they have matching nails and accessories all the time. maeve often does her hair for her because it’s fun to them and gives them chat time.

she did sandra’s hair and make-up for her wedding 🥰

was genuinely intimidated and putoff by dina for a good while but i cannot be talked out of believing that they wouldn’t have a c-plot in a later season episode of maeve making dina look as hot as can be and trying to teach her how to flirt without being so blunt. is she successful with that last bit?? not really, but she gets to dress dina up and also receive some good advice on not taking people’s shit along the way so that’s fantastic (garrett’s dying in the background and that’s all part of the plan tbh)

obligatory b-plot of maeve having to explain bisexuality and polamory to the breakroom clowns because most of them can’t understand her love life. probably came about as a result of another running gag where maeve talks about one of her dates and it doesn’t add up with her former comments much to the confusion of her coworkers, and then she has to whip out the lecture because she gets accused of straight up lying or fooling around on her partner.

once accidentally made people think she and amy were going on a date because she told justine they were "going out for dinner tonight" and it started an entire Discussion behind their backs (she does, in fact, put out the offer to amy before leaving work. gotta shoot that shot, maybe amy’s feeling a little curious that night who knows a girl can dream)

she and jonah instantly connected and became great friends. they share a specific optimistic outlook in the way that they can see the world for what it could be instead of what it currently is and it’s something that brought them together, then kept them close even through the rough times. she loves his commitment and dedication to any cause that he undertakes, his efforts are inspiring and keep her going whenever her own start to waver. she is absolutely obsessed with how he consistently finds a way to put his foot in his mouth during any conversation, the yin to her yang as maeve’s known for being able to spin a web as quickly and for as long as necessary. their shared need to be validated and praised goes a long way between them because they’re annoyingly nice to each other all the time. they’re those two at the breakroom table talking animatedly about their latest interest or topic they picked up from a podcast/news article/reddit post (toxic masculinity, current politics, feminism, some obscure piece of history or a cryptid of the week, etc). he’s endlessly patient with her and she’s beyond thankful for it. flipside is that she unironically loves listening to him go off on his Woke Rants and gets bullied about it but doesn’t care, she’s there for him through the relationship struggles and does her best to give advice while not stepping over the line (might toe it once or twice but. what can you do, she’s a drama lover). she might have been late because beauty routines but she was also there each step of the way for the union work, besties get it done. maeve sweet talks them and then jonah goes on a righteous rant it’s a win/win.

i think it’s entirely possible she and jonah dated because of how well they get along, but i don’t see it lasting a crazy long time. maybe two, three months at the most (perhaps it’s mostly bc i’m an amy/jonah hoe and they belong together forever but whatever, don’t perceive me). a scenario where they’d both decide it’s better they stay friends and they get away with it without much weirdness, aka maeve’s fine and jonah or the coworkers makes it awkward sometimes before it settles. i do in fact think he’d be the first love interest of maeve’s that i can see her using “baby” as the primary petname because like,,,it’s jonah. you get it. if they dated, she has a photo taken of them from one of their dates taped up in her breakroom locker and it stays up there until she leaves the job bc she adores it so much.

insert bit where maeve makes a threesome joke with her + jonah and amy, and there’s a pause Just long enough with everyone looking between each other that it appears genuine consideration is there but the camera cuts before anything else is said. the world may never know what happened after that

everyone keeps trying to make drama between her and amy because they’re both close to jonah, but i fully believe maeve would adore and respect her far too much to reach any level of rivalry. she’d be in awe of how strong of a woman amy is between raising her children and working her ass off so successfully, and i imagine a lot of their bonding would be maeve persuading her into taking time for herself or them having girls’ nights (whether by themselves or with some of the others).

put the tabby obligated “they have two hands” joke here about maeve/amy/jonah. i haven’t put any thought into if it’d work out or if the other two could be into that sort of relationship but i’m legally and morally obligated to bring it up on the principle that it’s My Thing.

#ch: maeve sommers #i don't know what else to tag this as so i simply won't #days later tabby here: i have vague memories of writing these things super late at night so that's prolly why it was forgotten #between that and dnd the day after lol #a whole load of rambles and y'know what that's tabby all over so i'm leaving it like this #we're not here for neatly organized or fancily worded thoughts #thank you for the ask!!! it was so fun n cute

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takaraphoenix · 3 years

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I don’t usually talk about Angel. But damn if s12 of Buffy didn’t leave me with something to say. They really fucked him over in the comics.

I mean, season 8 alone. Just. Holy shit. Making Angel - not Angelus - the main villain throughout the season. Pulling a half-hearted “he was being manipulated into it though :/”, which... I just... “here, you can have superpowers and you will get to bang Buffy” is not really... I don’t... I just...

In the confrontation between Angel and Buffy and the resulting banging, it’s really made clear that he made those choices. The ones that led to literally hundreds of dead people. He was presented with this weird premise by Twilight and he took it and he became Twilight. He chose that, that’s made clear when Twilight actually starts mind-controlling him - because that would not have been something necessary if Twilight had already been controlling his mind.

And then they set it up like Angel and Buffy are these epic actual soulmates, destined to be together by the universe itself. And you think. Okay. So we’re going with Bangel endgame then? And in such a large scale? Wow.

But lol nope mindcontrolled Angel kills Giles and will then be shipped off the series and Buffy will not be able to even look at him again until Giles is resurrected.

This bad boy can fit so much angst already. Was it... necessary to make him feel guilty for killing Giles too? I mean, yes, of course it was, because otherwise Whedon would have to make an actual choice on an endgame romance and he clearly is allergic to the very concept. And after making them soulmates, it had to be something huge and impactful to Buffy herself. So, let’s kill her father-figure in front of her eyes.

In the following continuity, everyone just... pretends that Angel was being controlled all along. And. I guess you have to because otherwise you’d have to hold Angel accountable for the hundreds of people he killed. And that’d be incredibly contradictive to the character, right?

Know what’d have solved that? Not making Angel kill hundreds of people so he can have a Buffy-paradise. It’s that easy. The choice to make Angel the guy who’d been killing Buffy’s Slayers all year long was... an objectively bad one? And let’s not dive into how ridiculous and stupid the whole “the universe wants you two to fuck to give birth to a new universe that will appear as a green lion on fire with wings”, that’s beside the point for this post. (Still had to bring it up though; seriously, just, go with an entirely different concept for s8? Save us from the ridiculousness and Angel from the character assassination. The military, Amy and Warren would have been enough villains to deal with. Didn’t need an “end of the universe” kind of stakes to begin with.)

At this point, I gotta admit I have not (yet) read the Angel & Faith comics. So I’m out of the loop on what they did for, or to, Angel. They helped him resurrect Giles, so yay on that.

This moment from season 10 really stood out for me. Because yeah. You keep setting him back. Angel finally gets his act together and falls in love with Buffy. He has sex with her for the first time and literally loses his soul. He gets sent to a hell dimension and has to crawl his way back to sanity and when he does. We. Uh. Break him and Buffy up for... honestly I don’t think there was even the most whimsical of excuses for that, but he packs it up and leaves for Los Angeles. He finally has a shot at happiness with Cordelia, he was really falling in love with her... whoops we killed her, she’s a higher being now, but also we bring her back so she can be an incubator and have sex with Angel’s son. Which also; we let him have a baby but then the baby gets stolen and raised into a dysfunctional teenager in a hell dimension. We make Angel and Buffy soulmates but we also make him kill Giles and then literally never bring up the possibility of them being a romantic couple again, even though there could have been an angle to work with there.

He’s still the same brooding, miserable sod he’s been a century ago. Because every time that the character gets even just a hint at happiness, it gets snuffed out, validating all of his fears and doubts that keep him in his brooding, sad state.

Season 12 sees him return then and... he’s... with... Illyria now? Can’t really judge how that relationship is since it happens off-screen from the BtVS comics, though I do have... doubts. What with Illyria having been Fred and... now... being Fred part-time due to magic shenannigans. Having a physical relationship with someone who looks like your old friend who died seems already questionable enough without that dead friend getting front-row seats.

Quite frankly, if anything, I was kind of expecting Angel/Faith to be the outcome of the Angel & Faith comics. What with Hollywood’s inability to have A Man and A Woman be paired up without them being paired up. Not to mention, their long history of second chances, starting when Angel quite literally chose Faith over Buffy, when Buffy was out for revenge and Angel protected her from Buffy. So while the BtVS comics were busy setting Spike/Buffy up as a happy relationship, I kind of thought that Angel/Faith would bring... a sense of happiness to Angel and be where that comic series was headed.

That he instead ended up with the ancient god that possesses one of his friends was, once again, a choice. But sure, if Illyria makes him happy. Oops, no, nevermind, season 12 sacrifices Illyria for the greater good and leaves Angel alone. Again.

And that’s it. That’s the absolute ending of things. Angel’s latest girlfriend gets banished to hell with no intel on whether or not she’ll be able to return.

I was already mad about Buffy being screwed over and denied a romantic happy ending in a separate post, but the fact that they gave Angel a romance that seems to make him happy and then banish his partner to hell before the show wraps for good is just... really messed up.

And it didn’t even happen for the sake of pulling a “whoops, Bangel endgame after all”, it’s all very vague and left in the open and everyone is Just FriendsTM and no romantic decisions are being made.

Which is usually something I find satisfying because I like to make the choices myself in the aftermath, but they’ve been taking every little bit of happiness away from Angel over and over and over again and quite frankly, I would have much rather seen him happy, smiling, in Illyria’s arms, than sitting alone brooding in the basement because Illyria got banished to hell.

I understand that the brooding seriousness is an important trademark trait of Angel’s. But... you’re allowed to let him be happy and he’d be allowed to grow emotionally. Or, at the very least, let him be happy in the very end.

#Angel #Angel BtVS #Buffy the Vampire Slayer #Buffy Comics

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eagles-translated · 3 years

Text

Answering questions about Eagles 4x03–4x04 (Part 2) 🏒

Thought I'd do another one of these so I can try to answer all the asks I've received about the two latest episodes before the new ones drop! If you've sent in a question about the latest episodes but it's not included here, it might've been included in part 1. I've also gotten a few more asks since posting that, so I'll try to answer them before tomorrow.

Same here @hanna-kin! So far I feel like they've done a pretty good job with depicting Elias's orthorexia.

I half-agree with you on the tough love thing. It definitely doesn't work with Elias because all it seems to do is make him close off from the rest of the world.

But at the same time, Amie is setting boundaries and I really commend her for being so mature about the situation. She really loves Elias but would rather see him be happy and healthy on his own than for them to be together and have Elias be overworking himself and have his mental health decline.

What you said about Leila is so true! I thought about this a lot while subtitling the scene where she and Mats are sitting in the living room after Felicia has gotten home from rehab. Leila just seemed so disconnected in that scene. Felicia says that she's tired and wants to go home to her apartment, and Mats (justifiably) expresses concern over the idea.

Felicia just got out of a treatment center and she hasn't really been on her own since the suicide attempt. It was kind of bizarre to see Leila not even show a little concern. I can definitely understand why Felicia probably didn't want to sleep over at the Kroon house because it reminded her of the huge fight she had with her family there when the article was released.

But Leila, being Felicia's mother and all, should've at least offered to sleep over at Felicia's apartment with her. Felicia is just a teenager who's straight out of rehab and Leila acted like they had simply picked Felicia up from the airport after she'd gone on vacation or something.

Leila seems really sweet at first glance and she has motherly qualities but they seem sort of superficial, if I can put it like that. She just never really butts in to ask what her children are doing or where they're going. In this scene, we also see Mats express obvious concern about Elias not eating and going out to party. Those are really valid concerns. And yet Leila just sits on the couch and honestly believes the interaction is only hockey-related. It comes across as so cold.

I used to like Leila. However, this scene (as well as the one in 3x07 where Leila barely reacts over the implication that Felicia was abused and forced to abort a child) has really soured the character for me. At this point it honestly feels like Mats is the better parent simply for worrying over his kids, and that also feels absurd to say considering how abusive Mats can be.

I feel really bad for Elias too. Both of the Kroon kids have had to deal with so much in their lives and it's really tragic that neither of them seem to have a true support system they can fall back on when things go awry. It's heartbreaking.

I wish Elias would just open up and talk to Felicia about his struggles. The talk they had in 3x09 after Felicia's suicide attempt seems like it never even happened, to be honest.

I interpreted the scene as Petra wanting to avoid any situation where either Amie or Elias would have to go through the same pain that she did.

I think she just wanted to be realistic with Elias, which is probably why she gave him the whole backstory of her and Mats so that Elias would understand where she was coming from. It's not like Petra just forbid Elias from seeing Amie again with no explanation. Petra was very gentle while telling Elias this, by saying that he seems like a sweet person and that it's nothing personal.

To us Elias and Amie fans it comes off as harsh, but when you view it from Petra's perspective you can kind of understand why she thinks this is the best option for them both.

I'm also happy we got to see Elias stand up for himself a little. He was respectful of Petra's opinion, but at the same time wanted her to know that he's a completely different person from Mats.

Could be. I'm really scared for how things will turn out for Elias if he decides to pressure himself even more when his current habits are already so dangerous. This could go so badly for Elias, and he's already on a clear downward trajectory. I'm worried about what's to come for him.

Klara's reaction to finding out about the relationship between Amie and Elias was sweet. I'm glad the writers didn't go for a dramatic storyline with Klara finding out, and simply had it be a positive surprise for her.

I agree. I've seen a lot of people get annoyed over the writers using the hug between Ludde and Klara as a miscommunication tool for Felicia. It feels like they've done this so many times before and it's just tiring at this point.

I'm not that interested in seeing Ludde and Felicia get back together, either. Not all high school sweethearts end up together and that's okay. It would be more realistic to see them go their separate ways.

I'm personally leaning towards them not ending up together. Mostly because of what was in Felicia's letter but also because of this interview with Alva and Adrian (the actors who play Felicia and Ludde). When asked about the ending they said that it would be bittersweet and not a happy "fairytale ending".

That might be a clue towards the Felicia/Ludde relationship not working out in the end. Elias and Amie are obviously staying together, so if Felicia and Ludde also stayed together it wouldn't really feel as bittersweet as Alva and Adrian claimed it would be. Or maybe they'll go for a long-distance thing between Felicia and Ludde. Who knows?

It's really hard to tell considering how popular Felicia and Ludde are among the Swedish fans. Their relationship has been such a focal point throughout the show with its ups and downs.

Yes, I'm pretty positive that the photo Amie found was from Mats! If it was supposed to be from Michael, I don't think they would've only written the M initial. Petra also seemed to get a little caught off-guard when Amie mentioned the photo to her.

I agree with you. The short time Petra had with Mats is clearly still very dear to her since it took so many years to get over the relationship for her. Mats is very much "the one that got away" for Petra. While we don't know a lot about Petra's love life after Mats and Michael, I'm assuming that nobody Petra met ever came close to the love she felt for Mats.

I agree with you! I can definitely understand why the director, Carl-Petter Montell, said it was one of his favorite episodes from season 4 (which he mentioned here).

I also loved that scene between Elias and Amie in episode 3. It was amazingly written.

This is kind of a special situation. Elias did claim that Mats was an idiot for doing what he did, but if Mats didn't leave for the US (or if Petra had come with him) it's likely that neither Elias nor Amie would've been born. It's such an interesting what-if to think about.

Elias still clearly believes that Mats made a stupid decision for letting go of what he had with Petra. I think that Elias wouldn't even come close to thinking about giving up what he has with Amie, even if we did have that scene in 4x03 where Elias said that coming over was a stupid idea. But my belief is that his rash behavior is due to all the stress and anxiety he's experiencing, so to me those things he said to Amie weren't his true thoughts.

I think they're going through a rough patch but aren't officially broken up. Amie really misses Elias and Elias went to her house after he got drunk, so it's obvious that they still want to be with each other.

They'll probably have a talk in one of the next episodes about their relationship (and maybe Elias will mention what Petra said to him).

Thank you so much @letthemdrinktea! And thank you for leaving me this ask as well.

Personally I think that a lot of Elias's teammates have noticed something's off, so in my mind it's not just one person that has spread this around.

Elias has been overworking himself so much that it would be strange if his teammates didn't pick up on it. In the Valentines episode, Elias voiced his disapproval of the chocolates that Omar was waving around and said that Omar should "think of his form" and that "the whole team is counting on you". It's fair to assume that Elias has said similar things to other people on the team, so that would probably cause rumors about Elias's eating habits to spread among his teammates.

Your theory about Amie telling Mats could also be accurate, though. Perhaps we'll see Amie tell someone in the Kroon family (maybe even Felicia?) about Elias having an eating disorder in an attempt to help him.

Anything could happen, really! SVT still hasn't released any episode descriptions for the next two episodes so we don't have much to go by.

Mats being extremely observant about the Elias situation is probably less likely considering how Mats is as a person, though.

#eagles svt #svt eagles #eaglesspoilers

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bobcatmoran · 5 years

Text

Super Tuesday voting info

Hello, Tumblr friends from *deep breath* Alabama and American Samoa and Arkansas and California and Colorado and Democrats Abroad and Maine and Massachusetts and Minnesota and North Carolina and Oklahoma and Tennessee and Texas and Utah and Vermont and Virginia!

Guess what?

It’s Super Tuesday on March 3! And your primary (or, in the case of American Samoa, caucus) is on that day! More info on how to vote in ALL those locations below the cut to save your dash, because boy howdy that’s so many.

Also! If you were planning on voting for Pete Buttigieg or Amy Klobuchar, they have dropped out of the race just within the last day, so go on to your second (or third) choice. Please don’t just not vote. That would make me very sad.

Alabama primary

You do not need to be a registered member of a political party in order to vote in that party’s primary. Both Republicans and Democrats are holding primaries today.

You need a photo ID to vote (State issued ID from any state, including an Alabama driver’s license or photo ID; US passport; Employee ID from Federal, State, or municipality in Alabama; student or employee ID from an Alabama college or university; military ID; or tribal ID). If you don’t have a valid photo ID, two election officials at the polling place will need to sign an affidavit affirming you’re on the voter rolls for that polling place, otherwise you’ll need to cast a provisional ballot.

You cannot register at the polls.

Polls are open 7 AM to 7 PM.

State law allows time off to vote, not to exceed one hour, if your working hours encompass the entirety of the hours the polls are open. This time off may or may not be paid, depending on your local town’s laws.

Find your polling place here.

American Samoa caucuses

You need to be registered with the American Samoa Democratic Party in order to caucus (note that this is different from being registered to vote in general elections! The caucus is run by the party, not the government.)

The caucus starts at 9 PM, SST.

This is only a caucus for Democrats. The Republicans are holding their caucus on March 24.

Honestly, I had a heck of a time finding anything about this one. Sorry, Samoan friends. The American Samoa Democratic Party’s webpage is at http://asdems.com/ for what that’s worth.

Arkansas primary

Both Republicans and Democrats are holding primaries. You do not need to be a registered member of a party to vote — just state which party’s ballot you want when you go to the polls.

You do NOT need a photo ID to vote unless you’re a first time voter who didn’t submit a copy of your required ID with your application.

You cannot register at the polls.

Polls are open 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM. If you are in line when the polls close, you can still vote.

State law says employers need to schedule “sufficient time” for employees to vote. Exactly what that means varies by location.

Find your polling place here.

California primary

Both Republicans and Democrats are holding primaries. You will have to be either a registered member of the party or registered as “no party preference” in order to vote in a party’s primary.

You do NOT need an ID to vote unless you’re a first-time voter who didn’t provide identification with their application. If you’re voting for the first time, it’s recommended by the California Secretary of State to bring an ID just in case. Check this link to see what the acceptable forms of ID are — note that you don’t necessarily need a photo ID!

You cannot register at the polls.

Polls are open 7 AM to 8 PM.

State law says that employers must give time off to vote unless an employee has two hours of nonworking time available to vote. You must notify your employer in advance that you plan to take time off to vote.

Find your polling place here.

Colorado primary

Both Republicans and Democrats are holding presidential primaries. You will have to be either a registered member of the party or registered as “unaffiliated” in order to vote in a party’s primary.

You will need an ID to vote in person (see here for acceptable forms of ID)

You cannot register at the polls.

If you’re voting in person, polls are open 7 AM to 7 PM. Mail-in ballots need to be received by the county clerk office by 7 PM on Election Day. They can be dropped off in person — see the polling place locator link below.

State law says employers must grant 2 hours of paid leave to vote, unless you have 3 hours before or after your shift where polls are open.

Find your polling place by looking up your county here.

Democrats Abroad primary

You can only vote in this primary if you’re a registered member of Democrats Abroad (register here).

The primary runs from March 3 to March 10 for in-person voting. See polling locations here.

Physical poll hours vary widely depending on location and in most cases will only be open one day during the primary. Note that all in-person voting in China, South Korea, and Milan, Italy is cancelled due to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Mail-in votes can also be downloaded here. They must be received via postal mail by March 11 or by email by midnight Pacific Time on March 10.

Maine primary

Both Republicans and Democrats are holding presidential primaries. You must be registered as a member of a party in order to vote in that party’s primary.

You do NOT need an ID to vote.

You CAN register to vote on election day at your town office or city hall — you will need proof of identity and residency. You cannot register at the polls themselves unless they happen to be at your local town office or city hall.

Polls open some time between 6 AM and 10 AM, depending on location. All polls close at 8 PM.

State law does not require employers to give time off to vote to their employees.

Find your polling place here.

Massachusetts primary

Both Republicans and Democrats are holding presidential primaries. You will have to be either a registered member of the party or registered as “unenrolled” or a member of a minor party (i.e. not Democrat, Republican, Green-Rainbow, or Libertarian) order to vote in a party’s primary.

You will need an ID if you are a new voter, voting for the first time in a federal election, you’re an “inactive” voter, or the poll worker has a “reasonable cause.” Bring one just in case because of that last one. ID needs to have your name and address where you’re registered to vote and can include a driver’s license, state-issued ID card, recent utility bill, or lease.

You cannot register on election day.

Polls open at 7 AM at the latest (they can open earlier) and close at 8 PM. If you are in line at 8 PM, you are entitled to vote.

Employees in “mechanical, manufacturing, or mercantile businesses” are allowed time off to vote in the first two hours after polls open if they submit an application for absence in advance.

Find your polling place here.

Minnesota primary

Both Republicans and the DFL (yes, the Dems are the “Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in MN) are holding presidential primaries, although Trump and a write-in slot are the only candidates on the Republican ballot. You can vote in which ever party’s primary you wish — just state which party’s ballot you want when you go to the polls.

You do NOT need an ID to vote unless you are registering at the polls or are a first time voter who registered by mail and your registration wasn’t verified.

You CAN register at the polls. You will need one of the proofs of residence listed here. Note that one of these possible proofs can be a registered voter who can confirm your address — each registered voter can vouch for up to eight voters, and you cannot vouch for others if someone vouched for you. Super useful for college voters!

Polls are generally open 7 AM to 8 PM. Towns with less than 500 registered voters don’t have to open polls until 10 AM, but most of them open at 7 AM anyway. If you are in line at 8 PM when the polls close, you are allowed to vote.

Employers are required to give you time off work to vote, but they do have the right to ask you to let them know when you will be gone. Employees are to take off only as much time needed to vote and then immediately return to work.

Find your polling place here.

North Carolina primary

You do NOT need a photo ID to vote per a federal order that passed on December 31, unless you’re a first time voter who registered by mail and didn’t provide proof of identification with your application.

You cannot register to vote on election day.

Polls are open 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM.

Employers are not required to give their employees time off to vote.

Find your polling place here.

Oklahoma primary

Both Republicans and Democrats are holding presidential primaries. You cannot vote in a party’s primary unless you’re registered as a member of that party.

You do need an ID to vote that has your name and a photo. The ID must expire after election day and issued by the US government, the state of Oklahoma, or a federally recognized tribal government.

You cannot register to vote on election day.

Polls are open 7 AM to 7 PM.

Employees can get two hours time off to vote if their shift starts less than 3 hours after polls open and ends less than 3 hours before polls close. You have to give notice the day before the election and provide proof of voting in order to get this time off. Your employer is allowed to set the time you can leave to vote.

Find your polling place here.

Tennessee primary

You do need a photo ID to vote. Go here for information on acceptable forms of ID and the very specific exceptions to this requirement.

You cannot register on election day.

Polling hours vary depending on county.

Employers must grant their employees time off to vote unless the polls are open 3 hours before or after the employee’s shift. Employees who want time off to vote must request this in advance and your employer can specify when you take time off to vote.

Find your polling place here.

Texas primary

Both Republicans and Democrats are holding primaries. You can vote for either party regardless of which party, if any, you’re registered with — just request which party’s ballot you want at the polling place.

You do need an ID to vote. IDs can be up to 4 years expired if you’re under 70; if you’re over 70, they can be expired for any length of time. Go here to find the acceptable forms of ID.

You cannot register on election day.

Polls are open 7 AM to 7 PM.

Employers must grant employees time off to vote unless the polls open 2 hours before or after the employee’s shift.

Find your polling place here.

Utah primary

Both Republicans and Democrats are holding primaries. Republicans require you to be affiliated with their party to vote in their primary. Democrats allow both affiliated Democrats and unaffiliated voters to vote in their primary.

You do need an ID to vote. Normally, I’d link to the state’s Secretary of State website for this, but Utah doesn’t have a Secretary of State, and their official elections website is nearly impossible to get any info out of if you don’t actually live in Utah. So. Go here to see what types of ID are allowed.

You cannot register on election day.

Polls are open 7 AM to 8 PM.

Employers must grant employees two hours paid leave to vote unless polls are open at least three hours outside your regular shift. Your employer can specify which hours you get off to vote.

Find your polling place here.

Vermont primary

Both Republicans and Democrats are holding primaries. You can vote for either party — just request which party’s ballot you want at the polling place.

You only need an ID to vote if you’re a first-time voter who registered by mail and didn’t provide ID verification or if you’re registering at the polls.

You can register at the polls.

Poll opening time varies between 5 AM and 10 AM, but all polls close at 7 PM.

Employers are not required to give employees time off to vote.

Find your polling place here.

Virginia Primary

There is no Republican presidential primary in Virginia this year.

You do need a photo ID to vote. Go here to see what types of ID are allowed.

You cannot register on election day.

Polls are open 6 AM to 7 PM.

Employers are not required to give employees time off to vote.

Find your polling place here.

#VOTE!

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tabloidtoc · 4 years

Text

OK, December 21

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Queen Elizabeth cancels Christmas

Page 1: Big Pic -- David Beckham in an ad for Haig Club

Page 2: Contents

Page 4: Bella and Olivia Jade Giannulli -- life on their own -- find out what Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli’s daughters have been up to while their famous parents sweat it out in prison -- Bella has been so stressed out and felt she deserved a trip with her buds so she went to a luxury resort in Santa Barbara over Thanksgiving weekend

Page 6: It’s been a little over a year since Felicity Huffman was released from prison after serving her time for role in the college admissions scandal but she is finally starting to get her life and career back on track -- initially she was nervous about working again given the controversy and everything that went down and she seriously wondered if there would be anything out there for her material-wise but she shouldn’t have worried as she landed a part in an upcoming pilot in which she’ll play a recently widowed owner of a Triple-A baseball team and she’s really excited about the show

Page 7: Kristin Cavallari is fed up with Carrie Underwood’s meddling in her divorce from Jay Cutler -- after Kristin called time on her seven-year marriage Carrie and her husband Mike Fisher who used to be Nashville couple-friends to both Kristin and Jay have taken Jay’s side and since then there’s been some snide stuff said that’s made it clear how Carrie really fills about Kristin -- while Jay spent Thanksgiving with Carrie and Mike, Kristin filmed a wine-fueled Instagram Live and Carrie finds this type of thirsty behavior on social media incredibly lame and she’s saying it’s obvious Kristin cares more about upping her profile than making any type of family peace

* After nearly 60 years in showbiz Cher has a different aspirations -- since traveling to Pakistan to help a mistreated elephant from a local zoo be relocated to an animal sanctuary she’s saying this is her new mission to help endangered species in third world countries and campaign for other good eco causes -- Cher spends much of her time cooped up and bored in her Malibu mansion and her trip made her realize there’s a world out there that needs her help

* Mark Harmon of NCIS is all work and no play these days and nearly two decades in the same TV gig as Leroy Gibbs has only made things worse as the responsibilities of the show seem to wear heavier on Mark by the year and even on a break you can’t get him to crack a smile or tell a joke; he’d rather go lie down in his trailer -- off set Mark and his wife of 33 years Pam Dawber get along because they’re such homebodies and Mark can usually be found working on his cars in the garage or relaxing in the yard and he cherishes his quiet time but people have stopped inviting him out because he’s known as Mr. Boring

Page 8: Dolly Parton is spreading Christmas cheer far and wide with a new TV special and album and Netflix movie but at her home in Tennessee the holiday spirit is decidedly lacking because Dolly is forgoing her favorite 40-year-running traditions which are filling her house with trees and driving her nieces and nephews and their kids around her farm in golf carts dressed as Santa and handing out presents because of her concern for her husband Carl Dean who has Alzheimer’s disease and he’s in a high-risk group for coronavirus so she’s restricted the property to just them and two staff members -- it breaks Dolly’s heart to have to cancel her big annual celebration and she’s still decorated her home to the nines but it’s a lonely feeling knowing the family won’t be there to see it

* Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton are proving themselves to be perfectly postmodern parents by raising their kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with firm rules for TV and electronic use -- Kate who recently revealed she’s fielded her share of temper tantrums actively attempts to stave off meltdowns with a strict rewards chart and the kids have to earn screen time -- Kate prefers to keep them busy with activities like board games and hikes and baking which the children enjoy anyway

* After spending the last several years living a relatively low-key life in his native England Russell Brand is desperate to have a bigger presence in Hollywood but his wife Laura insists he stay put -- Russell’s craving SoCal living and the copious acting jobs and event invites that came with it but Laura prefers their British life outside the spotlight with their young daughters -- while some work has come to him in England like the upcoming Death on the Nile if he had his way he’d make a more aggressive career push in L.A.

Page 10: Red Hot on the Red Carpet -- stars stand out in festive green dresses -- Carly Pearce, Angela Bassett, Zendaya

Page 11: Jodie Comer, Adriana Lima

Page 12: Who Wore It Better? Melissa Gorga vs. Jennifer Lahmers, Abigail Spencer vs. Hailey Bieber in Max Mara, Olivia Culpo vs. Aurora Culpo

Page 14: News in Photos -- Brooke Burke with Christmas ornaments that will be auctioned by non-profit Operation Smile

Page 16: Audrina Patridge brought along her daughter Kirra’s favorite toys for a picnic in Beverly Hills, Padma Lakshmi visits The Vitamin Shoppe in NYC, Brandy at the BET Soul Train Awards

Page 17: Kelly Rutherford felt the love from her dogs in L.A., Shawn Mendes out for a walk in Miami

Page 21: Robin Wright and husband Clement Giraudet held hands while riding their bikes in L.A., long-time friends Gabrielle Union and Snoop Dogg unpacked ingredients delivered by Shipt

Page 22: Josh Duhamel on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Karlie Kloss on her new Adidas collection

Page 24: Vanessa Hudgens snuggled up to her beloved pup Darla while at the park in L.A., Jay-Z taking a walk around the island in Hawaii

Page 25: Kimora Lee Simmons and her children handed out food to residents of a housing complex, Prince Jackson safely helped a community church distribute food to those in need

Page 26: Inside My Home -- Ariel Winter’s stylish setup

Page 28: Like most Garth Brooks and wife Trisha Yearwood have had a challenging 2020 but their 15-year marriage was put to the test this past summer when the country superstars’ daughter Allie tested positive for Covid-19 -- they were worried sick and had to go into quarantine themselves and not being able to hold Allie’s hand was terrible for both of them but fortunately Allie’s case was mild and Garth and Trisha’s tests came back negative

Page 30: Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott who have amicably coparented their daughter Stormi since their split last year and recently spent Thanksgiving together as a family are drawing up plans to have another baby together in 2021 because both of them want to give Stormi a sibling ASAP and neither can imagine going through this process with anyone else -- the exes are figuring out a contract to specify their family plans that will protect Kylie’s money and outline coparenting terms more formally and give them each an agreeable share of custody if things don’t stay as rosy down the line

* They’ve costarred in five films and have proclaimed they’re each other’s work wives and are finally single at the same time so pals of Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis are urging the longtime friends to give it a go romantically especially now that Jason has split from Olivia Wilde -- Jennifer always says Jason makes her laugh the way no one else can -- while Jason’s primarily focusing on coparenting his kids he’s long harbored warm and fuzzy feelings toward Jen and he would love to ask her out but the only thing holding him back is the potential to ruin their solid friendship

* Love Bites -- Johnny Galecki and Alaina Meyer split, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky dating, Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan engaged

Page 31: Matthew Perry’s loved ones are worried the Friends star has made a rash call by suddenly getting engaged to literary manager Molly Hurwitz -- the on-off two-year romance between Matthew and Molly has been dysfunctional from the get-go and Matthew’s way more into this than Molly who seems to love him more like a brother

* A rough year for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle including inter-family strife and a move across the pond and a devastating miscarriage has only strengthened their bond -- after Meghan revealed she and Harry had miscarried in July the two were quite overwhelmed by the outpouring of compassion and the response not only validated their decision to go public a thousand times over but it also helped them grow even closer -- they’re determined to put this behind them and try for another baby at the earliest opportunity but more than anything else it’s really underlined how they belong together as soulmates

Page 32: Cover Story -- Queen Elizabeth’s holiday shake-up -- inside the monarch’s heartbreaking decision to call off the family’s annual Christmas celebration -- the queen will celebrate the holidays at Windsor Castle in Berkshire for the first time in more than three decades -- while the queen is upset not to have the company of the younger royals this year she has to think about her and Prince Philip’s health

Page 36: Katie Holmes’ season of joy -- how Katie is spending the holidays with her new love Emilio Vitolo Jr.

Page 38: Mistaken Identity -- with these celeb look-alikes it’s deja vu all over again -- Carrie Underwood and Reese Witherspoon, Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Wood

Page 39: Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon, Amy Adams and Isla Fisher, Lucy Hale and Selena Gomez

Page 40: Interview -- Tommy Lee’s new beat -- the veteran rock star opens up about his latest solo album and his new fan base

Page 42: Gal Power -- how Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot gets into superhero shape

Page 43: Fight Club -- these buttkicking superheroines pushed themselves to new limits -- Brie Larson, Scarlett Johansson, Danai Gurira

Page 46: Style -- Zendaya for Lancome’s new mascara

Page 48: Sleek activewear from celeb-loved label Gigi C Bikinis makes it easy to look like a star when you work out

Page 49: 5 minutes with Adrienne Bailon

Page 54: Entertainment

Page 58: Buzz -- Disney Holiday Singalong featuring Ryan Seacrest, Katy Perry, Pink and daughter Willow, Ciara and her kids Future and Sienna

Page 60: Sound Bites -- Nelly on feeling disappointed with placing third on Dancing With the Stars, Kaley Cuoco on husband Karl Cook’s social media presence, Megan Fox on first meeting boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly

Page 61: Paul McCartney on why he doesn’t like taking pictures with fans, Cardi B joking about how her 2-year-old crashed her selfie video

Page 62: Horoscope -- Sagittarius Vanessa Hudgens turned 32 on December 14

Page 64: By the Numbers -- Dan Levy

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shemakesmusic-uk · 4 years

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This segment features artists who have submitted their tracks/videos to She Makes Music. If you would like to be featured here then please send an e-mail to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!

ROJAZ

ROJAZ is a Spanish flavoured artist currently based in London. She sees herself as a mix of artists like BANKS, Sabrina Claudio, and Rendez-Vous at Two. Soothing and sensual vocals paired with conversational lyrics, her new single ‘Gravitating’ is out now. "’Gravitating’ is about the push and pull dynamic of two people who don’t want to say goodbye, despite knowing they should”, she says. Strong synths and raw vocals create an impactful track, whilst layers of harmonies carefully guide you through the narrative. Listen below.

VERAH

VERAH is a 20 year old singer-songwriter from New York. Having sung and studied Jazz since she was 14, her music is heavily influenced by the smooth vocals of Nina Simone and the rhythmic genius of Herbie Hancock. Some of her current influences include Amy Winehouse, H.E.R. and Snoh Aalegra. Lastest single ‘Too Late (It's Not Easy)’ features the smooth R&B vocals of VERAH as she sings about love gone wrong over a deep, groovin' beat. Her sixth single to date, the song explores the duality of knowing you deserve better but hurting at the same time. Listen below.

Blakkheart

Blakkheart is a music producer, engineer and vocalist based in Cork. Everything you see and hear from the artist is done in its entirety by her (right down to the artwork) from her plant emporium home studio. After touring as a session musician and vocalist she began to hone her production skills. Luxuriously dreamy, electronic glitter disco, inspired by Prince and Kylie Minogue - ‘Not To Your Taste’ was composed on a Roland Juno DI hardware synthesizer in Blakkheart’s plant emporium/home studio. “Gave my life to you/ Pipe dreams can be cruel/ Was it hard to watch/ As I lost and lost” - a lament to the life you envisioned inside your head; and the unwelcome realization that this may never materialize,” says Blakkheart. Listen below.

BLAKKHEART · Not To Your Taste

MBG

MBG is an alt-rock artist and multi-instrumentalist based in Brampton, ON. Behind the scenes she writes, records and produces her own music but brings it out in its purest form on stage with her band of talented friends. She goes against the grain with her own loud, edgy and unique sound. She has this to say about her new single ‘This Time’: "In the chorus, my friends tell me it's not my fault, to stop blaming myself. I've recently gone through a relationship that was unfortunately cut short and has left me with the idea of what could've been and for someone with anxiety, always pondering on the what if is a very hard itch to scratch. In the heat of the moment, you look back and think "wow, I've done something wrong that ended this thing," but later come to understand that it's totally valid that they don't want to be with you, for whatever the reason is. Whether you're falling in love or losing someone in your life, there can be this sense that you're spiraling out of control. Every now and then, you kind of just have to let it hit you like a ton of bricks. So if you want to mosh to this song with your roommate, or have a good cry alone in your bedroom, that's okay." Listen below.

MBG · This Time

GLOCHELR

GLOCHELR is an R&B singer-songwriter from London, and her latest single ‘Closure’ wass perfect for Valentine’s Day. “The song focuses on the search for ‘closure’ and explores all the pain and uncertainty that comes with giving your all to someone who may not even want it,” she explains. “In all, sometimes the feelings go, but the trauma stays indefinitely and it’s up to you to deal with that.” Listen below.

Lemon Lord

Lemon Lord is a pop music artist based in Los Angeles. She released her first album Be Blonde in November last year. Her mantra, "To Infinity and Be Blonde," is a reminder to us all that we can do anything we dream of and we can be any version of ourselves that we choose along the way. This mantra is echoed in her song ‘Queen’ in the lyrics of the chorus, which say, "You just gotta live life like a Queen/ Ooh you can do it/ Baby it's done/ If you put your mind to it." Listen below.

Serena Sophia

Serena Sophia has been in the music, theatre, acting industry for a number of years. She studied music at the University of Glasgow and then went on to study a Masters in Musical Theatre at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She has always written lyrics and music, but it was throughout 2019 and 2020 she finally found her sound and discovered who she was an artist and was finally ready for her first release. 'Diary of Thoughts' is a song about heartbreak, loss, love and also strength. The lyrics were derived from sections of diary entries from 2018 which was an especially difficult year for Serena due to a toxic relationship and break up. “The song is so personal to me as it describes the emptiness, pain and heartbreak I felt throughout that time but also the moment I decided to finally take care of myself and control of my life and my own happiness,” she explains.

Serena Sophia · Serena Sophia - Diary Of Thoughts

imojen

imojen (she/they) is a 22 year old non-binary, feminist, singer-songwriter. Raised in Switzerland and now based in Brighton, UK, imojen has been musical for the most of their life. Inspired to write her first song after hearing Florence + the Machine’s ‘Shake It Out’, imojen’s lyrics seek to expose the awkward and spectacular details of a queer femme existence. Relationships, sex, the body and identity are all key themes in their music. Through rich vocal harmonies, strong melodies and captivating language, imojen weaves a truly unique sound and experience. ‘Angus’ is an open letter. An unapologetic, feminist ballad, that accuses men of passing down their misogyny to their sons. Inspired by artists such as Lucius and k.d. lang, imojen’s vocals and tangled harmonies are positioned as the focus of the piece as she depicts woodlands, country clubs, wildfires and graveyards in a haunting protest. Tracing a map of her emotional journey, imojen reveals cynicism, rage, malice and contempt, but shows no signs of weakness. Indulgent and imaginative, ‘Angus’ creates a space for fantastical vengeance, empowerment and escape. Listen below.

Amy Ellen

Amy Ellen is part of the emerging Irish indie-folk scene. Hailing from Dublin, her music is inspired indie-folk artists such as Laura Marling and Fleetwood Mac. Her new single 'This Life' is a coming of age pop-rock tune which conveys a sense of maturity and realisation that nothing good will last forever. In Amy's words: "The song is inspired by true-life events, it touches on losing and gaining people in your life and outlines that some moments become memories we cherish and reflect on. I feel that it's a subject that everyone can relate to, sometimes we fail to see the impact others have on us until they are no longer present and vice versa". Instrumentally, the song features punchy 90’s rock elements, a contrast from Amy’s latest acoustic driven songs. Listen below.

#submission saturday #rojaz #verah #blakkheart #mbg #glochelr #lemon lord #serena sophia #imojen #amy ellen

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ailtrahq · 1 year

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Magistrate Judge Faruqui has granted a ‘joint stipulation’ filed by Crypto exchange BinanceUS, a US-based subsidiary of Binance, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The joint stipulation came in response to the opposition to the motion for a protective order and motion to file confidential documents submitted by the U.S. SEC. Magistrate Judge Grants Joint Stipulation by BinanceUS And US SEC According to a filing with the court late September 5, Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui signed an order on a joint stipulation agreed upon by plaintiff U.S. SEC and defendants BAM Trading Services and BAM Management US Holdings (BinanceUS). A stipulation is a formal legal agreement between opposing parties before a pending hearing or trial. Both parties agreed that it’s in the best Interest of efficiency and judicial economy to allow Binance.US to submit a reply in a single filing. Magistrate Judge Faruqui ordered Binance.US to submit its response to opposition to the motion for a protective order and motion to compel and for other relief single memorandum on September 11. Biannce’s reply was actually due on September 5, but multiple exhibits and motions filed by the SEC on August 28 require more time for attorneys to prepare for a valid response. The U.S. SEC requested the court to file a sealed motion for documents under seal, which many speculated as bad News for Binance. Meanwhile, Judge Amy Jackson approved the appearance of attorney Andrew Rhys Davies for BinanceUS amid a secret filing by the US SEC. Secret Filing By US SEC Is A Motion to Compel The latest court filing also hints at the contents of the SEC’s motion to file ‘document under seal’ that had many to brace for looming bad News. The SEC filed an opposition to the motion for a protective order by Binance.US. Also, it includes a motion to compel and for other relief. A motion to compel asks the court to enforce a request for Information from an opposing party, generally in discovery disputes.

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lemonz-and-limez · 4 years

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The Breach Implosion Complication

A/N: Ok, to say I am nervous to post this is an understatement. I think it's safe to say I am downright terrified. This is the first time I will be posting a crossover and I just don't know what to expect. But I have really been enjoying writing this and I hope you all love reading it just as much!

Just for some timeline references, this is set after Big Bang Theory 9x09 and Flash 2x09. And, yes, we've got some major dubious science in here lol.

Sheldon stared at his whiteboard with disappointment. His work was suffering; he knew this, but, now that the university had him on a time crunch for some work that was substantial… he was starting to see the scope of his work's downgrade. But he couldn't help that he was distracted by personal matters, by the loss of his most important relationship. Sheldon wanted to blame Amy for his professional downfall, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. Despite everything, he still loved her and wanted her to be happy. It wasn't her fault that he was an inadequate boyfriend.

Glancing over at the clock on his desk, Sheldon sighed when he realized it was almost noon. He had wasted half the day staring at this godforsaken whiteboard and still coming up with nothing. He was running out of time. The university was going to pull his funding if he didn't come up with something soon.

Suddenly there was a knock on his office door, and Leonard peeked his head inside. "Hey, buddy, we're off to lunch. You coming?"

Sheldon shook his head in the negative. "No," he replied. "I can't afford to waste any more time. I need to come up with something."

"Sheldon," Leonard sighed and fully stepped into the room. "Maybe it will help if you get out of this room for a while. You're working yourself to death."

He wanted to yell, throw, lash out at his best friend still standing in the doorway. He was *not* working himself to death. After all, he hadn't come up with anything of value in months. If he was working himself to death, he would have made progress by now. "Leonard, really, I'm fine," he tried reassuring the shorter man. "I just need to focus."

Leonard held his hands up in surrender. "All right, suit yourself. But I heard something pretty cool happened in Central City a couple of days ago. I know how you love a good discussion about that."

Without further ado, Leonard left him alone. Sheldon sighed once again. He loved talking about the latest metahuman news with his friends. Two years ago, when the Flash made his first appearances as the Streak in Central City, Sheldon and his friends spent almost all their time reading about him. Consuming the limited information that there was on this mystery man in red. Like the vigilante of Starling City, or the Green Arrow as he would later be known, nobody knew who the Flash really was. It wasn't that he was hellbent on finding out who this new hero was, but it made for an interesting hobby. Even if Amy told him it was a tad creepy.

Sheldon deflated again the moment his ex's name came into his mind. He couldn't let that hinder him, though. He needed to focus. Friday… he just needed to get to Friday. Then he could talk to his friends about exciting topics. He would either still have a job or be fired by the end of the week, no matter what.

Sheldon was about to turn away from his board to sit down, but a sudden woosh and jolt stopped him. And before he could even process what was happening, Sheldon was in an entirely different room altogether.

He knew he had just moved insanely fast, but the sudden stop was the thing that was truly disorienting. He held his arms out in front of him as if to make sure he had his balance. Sheldon looked around the room almost frantically, taking in his new surroundings, trying to deduce where he was. There were screens everywhere, each displaying some kind of data or logo. But Sheldon was so out of sorts he couldn't comprehend what it was. There was a hole in the wall, almost like a closet, but it was empty. There was nothing in it.

When Sheldon turned around, he was met with three pairs of eyes. Two of which were standing behind a large console with even more screens with even more data. A man and a woman both look shell shocked to see him standing there. But they were not who interested Sheldon the most. No, that award went to the man who stood next to the long desk. Clad in all red leather, a white emblem with a lightning bolt on his chest.

"You-you're," Sheldon sputtered and pointed at the man. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off of him. "You're the Flash."

With a nod, Flash validated Sheldon's last statement. "I am. And you're Dr. Sheldon Cooper."

"You know who I am?" he asked, shocked to hear his name come from the person he had admired for so long.

"I do. Child progeny, who graduated at eleven, had his first Ph.D. by the time he was sixteen and now works at CalTech."

Sheldon looked at the other two people in the room, wondering how in the world these people knew this information. What else did they know? "How- how do you know all of that."

The Flash smiled under his cowl. "Your biography on your university's website is very detailed."

One of the other two people in the room finally spoke up. The man... who had long dark hair and some kind of graphic t-shirt. "We also kind of ran a background check on you."

"Cisco!" Both the woman and the Flash whispered harshly.

Cisco, apparently, held his hands up. "Excuse me, but he asked!" He defended himself before sitting in front of the console to work on one of the screens.

There was an awkward silence for a moment as the remaining two people and Sheldon stared at each other. "As amazing as it is to meet you," Sheldon said, gesturing to the man decked out in all red. "Why did you bring me here? Also, where is here?" He asked, gesturing at all the surroundings.

"You're at STAR Labs in Central City, and we brought you here because we need your help."

"Wow, ok, STAR Labs as in particle accelerator explosion STAR Labs?" Sheldon had heard of what had happened here over two years ago. It was tragic, really, how wrong the accelerator being turned on had gone. Its success could have meant leaps and bounds for the scientific community. But instead, it only seemed to have brought tragedy.

The Flash sighed. "The very one. Look, I know our reputation here is less than stellar, but we really could use your help."

Sheldon looked at the woman, who at this point had still said nothing, and saw that she was nodding in agreement. He really wanted to help, but he had a deadline he had to meet. A very hard deadline that could cost him his job. "Look, Flash, I would love to help, but I have a lot of work back home that I need to take care of."

The Flash made eye contact with Cisco, who took a renewed interest in the conversation. "Dr. Cooper," Cisco started, standing again. "We know your work has taken a hit recently; if you help us, we may be able to help you too."

Sheldon narrowed his eyes at the shorter man and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Do I want to know how you know that?"

"Probably not, no," Cisco rushed out, shaking his head. "But if we work together, I think we could be of great use to each other." Suddenly, he smirked. "And besides, I think you'll be more than happy to help us," he said, pointing at Sheldon's chest.

Looking down, confused, Sheldon was embarrassed when he remembered what shirt he had put on that morning. His signature red Flash shirt. Suddenly his cheeks were just as red as his clothing, and he kept his head down to hide that fact.

"Hey," Cisco called, bringing Sheldon's attention back to him. "It's alright, we of all people understand."

Sheldon shot the man a tight-lipped smile that was gone as quickly as it came. "I want to help, I really do. But I don't know how much help I'll be right now. I've been going through some stuff lately."

"Believe me when I say that everyone in this room has been through some stuff," The woman next to Cisco finally spoke. "Maybe a change of scenery will be good for you."

Looking back at the Flash, he saw that the scarlet speedster was questioning him with his eyes. "What do you say?"

"Alright," he nodded. "I'll help you. But I think it's only fair if I know why."

The Flash nodded. "I agree, Dr. Cooper. And it is only fair that you know who you're working with." He gestured over at his colleagues. "These are my friends," He spoke again, gesturing to the other two people in the room. "Cisco Ramon and Dr. Caitlin Snow."

Caitlin… or Dr. Snow… smiled genuinely at him. "It's nice to meet you, Dr. Cooper."

Sheldon nodded back at her. "So, what do you need me to do?"

Flash looked to his friends, and it was as if they were having a silent conversation simply through facial expressions. It was when Cisco and Caitlin both nodded that he turned back to Sheldon. "Maybe it would be easier if we showed you."

"Ok," he whispered, following all three people as they led the way.

STAR Labs was state of the art with all the latest technology, even though only half a dozen people were employed there. Sheldon had heard bits and pieces about what really happened here when the particle accelerator exploded. Still, like everything else that came out of this lab, it was a mystery. Maybe he would be able to get the full story before he went back home.

Flash led him and his friends through the winding halls and down an elevator. When they arrived at the heavy metal door, Sheldon went in ahead of them, cautiously curious. His eyes winded as soon as he saw it, though. A large mass of light that appeared to be stable but was whirling with energy.

"This," Sheldon pointed at the elephant in the room. "Is this a wormhole?"

"You could say that," Cisco said as he came to stand next to him. "We're calling them breaches."

Sheldon's brow furrowed in confusion. "Breeches? To what?"

It was the scarlet speedster who answered. "To another Earth."

"Another Earth?" Sheldon repeated. "The multiverse theory… it's true?"

"Definitely, and we have a giant problem to prove it." Cisco went further into the room to stand next to the breach.

"What's the problem?"

"He goes by the name Zoom," Cisco started, an edge to his voice that was telling of how serious the situation must be. "And he's from Earth-2. Zoom has an insane need for speed and will do anything to make sure he gets what he wants. He's already broken Flash's back once."

Sheldon's eyes shot to the man in question, who only nodded his confirmation. He remembered seeing that story on the news, how the Flash was nearly beaten to death by a new dangerous villain. "That was Zoom?"

Flash continued for Cisco. "Yes, and he won't hold back again if we let him, which is why we need your help. We need to close the breaches to the other Earth."

Cisco pulled up a map of Central City on one of the computer screens. He gestured for Sheldon to come over to him. "These are all the breaches that are scattered throughout the city. We need to close all of them except for this one," he said, pointing at the large wormhole in front of them.

"Exactly how many are there?"

"Including this one, there are fifty-two breaches in Central City," Cisco told him. Sheldon must have looked shocked because he quickly continued. "This is the largest one though, it's giving off the most transdimensional energy."

Sheldon studied the breach in front of him. He was fascinated with it. The way it flowed, to and fro, almost like water. But it wasn't a liquid, no, not at all. It was the gateway to a parallel universe. A door. He began nodding his head, understanding a little bit more of what they needed to do. Nothing was certain; he needed to write a formula, breakdown the math. But after months of getting nowhere with his research, he finally felt a renewed love for science.

"So, basically, we need to close the door from this side, ultimately locking anyone on the other side out. The event horizon on this side of the breach needs to collapse." Sheldon thought out loud, pacing back and forth. "Which means that the breach would need to be unstable…"

Flash and Cisco seemed to be catching on to what he was saying, and both of them came closer to the breach where Sheldon was now standing. With both men in close proximity to him and all three of them staring at the wonder in front of them, Sheldon continued. "It's going to take a lot of energy to do this, though."

Cisco snapped his fingers. "You'd need a detonation of some kind. Something that would destroy it but not create…" He sighed and paused heavily. "Not create a singularity."

The mood in the room suddenly turned somber, and Sheldon watched as the other three people simultaneously look down. He had a feeling he knew what this was about. "I take it you're referencing the mysterious singularity that happened here last year?"

All three people scoffed, but Flash was the one who ultimately spoke up. "Not mysterious, but yes, we don't want another repeat of that event."

Even though he was challenged with everyday social interaction, Sheldon knew better than to probe further on the subject. He had a feeling it was a sore spot for them, and as of late, he was also too familiar with sore spots. He wouldn't like them asking about Amy. Which was not outside the realm of possibility, seeing as how they knew a little too much about him. But regardless, he didn't want to cause any undue pain to people that he barely knew. Especially since one of these people was the Flash, a man who he'd admired for years.

A man who he now wanted to help.

"I'll need some time," Sheldon told the team. "But I think I can figure this out."

His entire academic career and Sheldon had never seen someone react with such gratitude for his assistance. Back in California, people only came to him begrudgingly. They knew he was the best for the job, but his lack of social graces gave him an infamous reputation. Sheldon always told himself that he didn't care, and maybe for years, he honestly didn't. But there was a strange feeling in his chest, looking at these people who didn't really know him and seeing them be thankful for his help—people who all seemed so genuine and caring and only wanted to do good in the world. Sheldon had to do this for them; he needed to do right by them.

Suddenly there was a beeping sound coming from one of the computers. The Flash looked at it for a moment. "I have to go," he informed them. "Look, Dr. Cooper, thank you for helping us."

Even if he was in a rush, Sheldon could tell that the man was genuinely grateful. He smiled slightly. "My pleasure."

And in the blink of an eye, the Flash sped off, leaving a gust of wind behind him. Papers flew off the tables, and his hair was messed up, but Sheldon was too mesmerized to care. So transfixed that he almost didn't hear Cisco when he said he would show Sheldon to a lab.

"So, why do you want to keep the breach downstairs open but not all the others?" Sheldon asked as he and Cisco walked the halls once again.

"One way in, one way out," Cisco stated simply. "Right now, Zoom could breach to almost anywhere in the city. But if he could only access this Earth one way, we could know he's coming and be prepared."

"You want to set up a trap," Sheldon affirmed. He had to admit, "That's smart."

They turned a corner and came to a stop in front of an open door. "It is, and get ready to meet the jerk who came up with that idea." Cisco's facial expression was somewhere between scared and annoyed.

And Sheldon was about to ask why he looked so apprehensive when a loud crash from inside the lab stopped him. And he could now add anger to the list of emotions so blatantly written across Cisco's face.

"Yo! Harry, what have I told you about throwing my stuff?!" The shorter man yelled as he stomped into the room. Sheldon cautiously followed behind him.

Inside there was another, taller, man dressed in all black. With hair sticking up in almost every direction, fingers through it, agitating it more. But when he angrily turned around to face Cisco, Sheldon had to take a step back. The man was older, late forties maybe even early fifties. But this man's face had been all over the news right after the particle accelerator exploded. And after his mysterious *death* which occurred last year. A death he was sure Team Flash knew more about than they were letting on.

Harrison Wells… the CEO of STAR Labs and the man who kept far too many secrets for the liking of the scientific community. But he was well respected, and he fascinated Sheldon anyway. Most of his research was leaps and bounds ahead of the times. Sheldon often read through his papers with interest instead of disdain like he did most other scientists. He had, honestly, hoped to meet the infamous Dr. Wells one day… but he died.

"Dr. Cooper?" Cisco questioned, pulling Sheldon out of his musings. "Are you ok?"

Sheldon couldn't look away from Dr. Wells… Harrison… whoever he was standing awkwardly in the back of the room. "You're dead," he stated outright, confusion seeping from his voice.

"On this Earth, yes," Dr. Wells answered, his voice rough.

Cisco explained it in layman's terms. "He's from Earth-2." He paused with a heavy sigh. "As for the Dr. Wells of this Earth, that's part of another really long story."

Well, that was one way to pique his curiosity, Sheldon thought. Obviously, there was more to the story of STAR Labs than the media was covering. And these new people that he had been introduced to obviously knew everything.

"Ramon," Dr. Wells whispered, the gruff in his voice stronger when his voice was quieter. "Who is this? And why is he here?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"This is Dr. Sheldon Cooper," Cisco beamed a stark contrast to the other man who only continued to frown. "He's going to help with our breach problem."

Dr. Well's brow furrowed with confusion. "How is a Geologist going to help close the breaches?"

Sheldon didn't think the other man could have hurt him more even if he physically punched him. He staggered back with a hand to his chest in offense. "Geologist- why would you? Who said I was a geologist?" He asked frantically, looking between Cisco and this hooligan who had the audacity to insinuate he was one of the 'dirt boys'.

"I take it you're not a geologist on this earth?" Dr. Wells' presumed.

"Wha- NO!" Sheldon shouted, and Cisco flinched but giggled beside him. Sheldon looked at him sharply, shooting fire at him with his eyes. How was this funny?

All the humor left the shorter man's face. "It's not funny," he said seriously.

"No, it's not!" Sheldon seethed. "Why would you think I'm a geologist?"

"On my Earth, you're a world-renowned geologist—best of the best. I pulled a lot of strings to get you to come work at STAR Labs with me," Dr. Wells explained.

Never in a million years did Sheldon think he was a rock monkey in any universe. He almost didn't want to believe it, just tell himself that Dr. Wells was just messing with him. That was until said scientist pulled up a picture on whatever fancy watch he was wearing and confirmed what he had told Sheldon.

Sheldon walked further into the room as a holographic picture of his doppelgänger standing with Dr. Wells appeared. It was a part of a news article from their world.

STAR Labs Revolutionizing the World of Geology!

The headline read. Sheldon didn't bother reading the article. After all, he wasn't this other Dr. Cooper. Sheldon didn't waste his time on rocks. He did, however, waste his time studying this picture from another Earth. Looking into the eyes of the man who was him but at the same time not. The man who stood by Dr. Wells' side, donning a wide grin. They were identical; of course, they would be genetically indistinguishable. But there was something lighter about the Sheldon Cooper of Earth-2; more at ease. Sheldon figured one would have to be if they decided to go into a field like geology.

But no, there was something else. Perhaps it was the fact that he was working in a multibillion-dollar facility with cutting edge tech and an excellent paycheck, no doubt. Or maybe it was that golden band on the fourth finger of his left hand—the gold glinting like a star in the night sky to the camera lens.

"He's married," Sheldon whispered in fascination, still examining the picture.

Would he look like that if he hadn't been so stupid? Would he have a dopey grin on his face if he had acted on their fifth anniversary instead of ruining it? Even though he was all the way in Central City, over fifteen-hundred miles away from Los Angeles, that wretched ring in his desk drawer was screaming at him like a banshee.

"He is married," Dr. Wells said, pulling him from his musings. He closed his watch with simultaneously made the picture disappear. "Quite the woman he found too. She's a force to be reckoned with."

Sheldon was too curious not to ask. "Who is she?"

With Dr. Wells poised to answer, Cisco's voice rang from the doorway of the lab. "Okay!" He yelled in a sing-song manner. Sheldon looked back at him incredulously. "Look, feel free to talk about your doppelgangers all you want, but I have some work I need to go take care of."

"Be my guest, Ramon," Dr. Wells snipped.

"I don't need your permission, Harry," Cisco snarked back. The tension between these two was insane, and Sheldon wasn't sure how he felt about it. "Listen, Dr. Cooper, everything you need should be in this room, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Oh! Before I forget," he reached into his pocket and handed him a flash drive of some kind. "This will give you access to a STAR Labs computer. Just plug it in, and you should be good to go."

Sheldon took the tiny device from his hand. Just an ordinary flash drive, it appeared. "Thank you," he told Cisco.

And with that, he was gone, but not before telling Dr. Wells… Harry… to behave himself.

Sheldon took a moment to really get used to his new surroundings. This had to be one of the smaller labs in the building, and yet, it was already more extensive than Leonard's. Tools everywhere, tech that any geek like himself would love to get their hands on. Their whiteboards weren't white; instead, they were like glass. You could see right through them. The white marker that was provided created enough of a contrast, though. Sheldon could tell by the plethora of calculations that Dr. Wells had on a couple of them.

As awkward as it was just standing in the room like an intruder while the man from Earth-2 got back to work on whatever it was he was working on, Sheldon found a spot and dove into the work he was brought in to do. A large table all to himself, almost twice the size of his desk back home. A board and white marker for him to brainstorm on. And a computer that sat idle with the STAR Labs logo.

When he plugged the drive into the monitor, a browser opened up and a long list of files. One of which was conveniently named, Breaches. Curiously he clicked on the folder and found that Cisco had complied all the information that they currently had on these portals to another dimension. In detail, it was explained to him how they stabilized a breach using quark matter. It was rather helpful, and Sheldon began to calculate on the "whiteboard".

He worked faster and more eager than he had in months. The formulas and equations flowed from him like blood did to the heart. That was until he hit a roadblock. Confused, he stepped back and observed his work, studying every last detail, every last decimal. Until he found the slight miscalculation that threw off most of his work. To say Sheldon was upset was an understatement. He couldn't even solve something he was inspired by, something he was excited about. His mind, once his most prized possession, was worthless now. In an uncharacteristic display of anger, he chucked the marker he held in his hand at the wall in an unbridled fit of rage.

Dr. Wells, who had barely made a sound since Cisco left well over an hour ago, looked up at him with wide eyes. His hands stilled over whatever piece of technology he was tinkering with and continued to stare at Sheldon with obvious shock.

Sheldon interlaced his fingers behind his head and took a few deep breaths. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I'm just frustrated."

Dr. Wells laughed slightly as he wiped his hands with a nearby cloth. "Don't worry about it, believe me, I understand." He twisted on his stool to face him fully. "I even know what that look on your face is about."

"What look?"

"The 'someone I love is gone, and now my work is suffering because of it' look," Dr. Wells asserted.

Sheldon sat back down on the stool of his own and scoffed. "She's not gone, she just…" he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

"She broke up with you," the other man supplied. "Yeah, I figured."

For what seemed like the millionth time that day, Sheldon looked confused. "How?"

"When I showed you the picture of your doppelgänger," Dr. Wells explained. "There was a glint in your eye when you realized he was married. Like a yearning almost."

Sheldon hadn't realized that his emotions were that obvious. Or maybe the other man was just smart enough to pick up on nonverbal cues like that. There was no point in trying to lie to Dr. Wells, though, because he was right. There was a yearning—jealousy.

"We've been broken up for almost six months," he started, letting down barriers that even his friends couldn't break down. But for some reason, he was trusting a complete stranger. "She's the only woman that I've ever loved like that, and now she's trying to move on, and I…" his voice began to break the more he spoke, but he shook his head. Even though he was willing to talk, he was not willing to break.

There was a rolling sound, and Sheldon looked up to see that Dr. Wells had moved closer. "Sheldon… can I call you Sheldon?"

He nodded.

"My wife died when my daughter was four. I had to learn very quickly and very suddenly how to raise a child on my own while simultaneously grieve for the woman that I loved. And, yes, for a while, I was not good at it. Because losing someone who is your whole world, who is essentially your other half, it's unnerving. Like a part of you has been yanked away, and you have to find a way to live with that. It's one of the hardest things to do, but only the toughest of people come out of it stronger than they did before. And if you're anything like the Sheldon Cooper on my Earth, I know you're capable."

Sheldon studied the man in front of him. He appreciated what he was trying to say, but Sheldon didn't feel like he deserved it. "How is this even comparable, though? Your wife died, my girlfriend just broke up with me."

"Pain is pain," Dr. Wells said. "There's no comparison because everyone feels it differently. I don't know your situation, and I am not going to assume anything either. But ignoring the problem won't get you anywhere. Believe me, I am speaking from experience."

Sheldon scoffed. "Well then, what am I supposed to do? Just be a brooding mess all the time?"

"No… don't let it control you, let it drive you." Dr. Wells smiled slightly as if he was thinking about something. Or someone, Sheldon couldn't be sure. "Who knows, you just might surprise yourself."

With that, Dr. Wells rolled back over to his own workstation and left Sheldon sitting in thought. The last time he had seen Amy was on thanksgiving, the day they went to the aquarium together. As friends. In the car, Amy had asked him if he was doing ok. Of course, Sheldon knew what she was asking him, but he didn't want to tell her the truth. He didn't want her to see him vulnerable and hurt. And later that night, when he laid in bed unable to sleep, he wished he had just opened up to her. Because everything inside of him was coming to a head, ready to explode. Maybe talking to Amy would have been freeing.

Perhaps he would do something about it when he got home. But first, he had a job to do, and he wasn't about to blow it for the Flash.

Just as he turned back to start working on the equations again, an alarm sounded throughout the building. The other scientist in the room leaped from his seat and moved around the room frantically.

"What is that?" he asked as Dr. Wells grabbed what looked like a futuristic rifle.

Dr. Wells slung the strap of the weapon over his shoulder. "That is a proximity alarm; we need to move," he informed Sheldon, taking him by the arm and leading him out of the room.

Sheldon ran alongside the other man down the long winding corridors of STAR Labs. "What is going on?" he asked. He struggled to breathe as they came to a stop in front of a random concrete panel.

With a quick survey of their surroundings, Dr. Wells said nothing as he raised his hand to the wall like he was pushing a button. Sheldon watched as a specific part of the wall split in the middle creating an opening to a hidden room. But it wasn't like a door, no, the two halves disappeared into the adjoining two panels of concrete.

"Get in," Dr. Wells nudged him.

Sheldon stubbled into the all-white room that was, for the most part, empty. Except for, what looked like, a plinth in the deepest part of the space. He ran his hand over the white tiles that had random bumps everywhere, like brail.

"What is this place?" Sheldon asked, turning back to Dr. Wells.

The mechanism that let them in, activated again, but this time closed the "door" instead. It was like it wasn't even there. There was a mechanical clicking noise that sounded like when Sheldon's father cocked a shotgun. Sure enough, that's almost exactly what it was. Dr. Wells was now standing with his gun aimed towards the closed door.

"This is the only place I could think of to hide," Dr. Wells spoke shakenly.

"Hide? From what?"

Dr. Wells looked him dead in the eye, and Sheldon could see the fear there. "From Zoom… he's in the building."

A/N: Thank you so much for reading :)

I have about two and half chapters written already and will try to update on Fridays.

#writing #fanfcition #shamy fanfic #eventually #I promise #Harrison Wells is amazing #and I love him

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