#jeopardy! australia

[weaversweek]

It's always 4 o'clock in Australia

Three of ITV's 4pm shows have turned up in Australia.

Deal or No Deal has Grant Denyer as host, and is cut to half an hour. Perhaps a little too short for its own good, but they do get the right amount of drama and silliness in there.

Tipping Point is filmed in Bristol, with Todd Woodbridge as host. Slightly more miserly than our version, all to tip the odds for a "Jackpot Temptation" finale.

From the Dock Ten Studios in sunny* Salford, Jeopardy! Australia is hosted by Stephen Fry. It's a carbon copy of the ITV version, right down to the questions, right down to the credits font.

Plus! The 1% Club tells a little family drama: The Clever Sister and The Other Sister (Who Didn't Win Any Money But Learned A Lot).

All this and more in the Week: you can throw it away as much as you want, but it'll come back like a boomerang.

[f0point5]

Lando Norris x reader Masterlist

Only rumours ‘bout my hips and thighs - News of Y/N and Lando’s budding “relationship” hits F1 news

It’s blue, the feeling I’ve got - Rumours about Lando and Y/N heat up. Meanwhile, Y/N is skeptical about Lando’s friendly overtures

You will take the long way - Y/N discusses her secret, and Lando lets out his frustrations with Max

At least I’m trying - Y/N catches up on the new season of Drive to Survive, while Lando makes another effort to befriend her

Gain the weight of you - Y/N ties up loose ends as the stage is set for the relationship to go public

You told your family for a reason - Y/N arrives in Bahrain, and the deception deepens

The jury’s out - Y/N meets more people in Lando’s life with mixed reception, and attends her first race

(They) find something to wrap (their) noose around - Lando is subject to some controversy, which means Y/N has to step in, whole fighting to stay in her comfort zone

You don’t know how nice that is…but I do - Y/N attends the race where she makes an immediate connection with Oscar, and Lando makes an ill-advised move to impress her

You don’t feel pretty, you just feel used - Y/N finds herself in high demand, much to her dismay, as she heads to Australia for the next race

I’m feeling like I don’t know you - Lando’s feelings about how Y/N is spending her time in Australia bubble over

New to town with a made up name - Y/N does a Q&A

Every time you shine, I’ll shine for you - Lando secures an amazing result at the Australian Grand Prix, while neitzens discuss his new relationship.

That old familiar body ache - Y/N is forced to get back to work, which includes seeing Lando

The rust that grew between telephones - Y/N’s campaign debuts while she and Lando are in Japan. Lando searches for answers for what happened in Monaco

It’s hard to be at a party when I feel like an open wound - Y/N skips the Japanese Grand Prix and puts her job in jeopardy

Did you see the photos? No, I didn’t but thanks though - Y/N is forced to defend Lando from gossip, while her position as his girlfriend remains precarious

They say what doesn’t kill you makes you aware - Max F weighs in on Lando’s troubles, while Lando finds he and Y/N have a common interest

Lights, camera, bitch smile - Y/N puts on an impressive show at the Grand Prix. Lando’s jealousy gets the better of him, leading to a frank conversation

Don’t you worry your pretty little mind - Y/N reaches out to Lando when he is the subject of online trolling to offer support

I did my best to lay to rest - Y/N and Lando get closer in Miami, but the increased publicity may lead to things being unearthed that Y/N would like to stay buried

I was grinning like (he’s) winning - Y/N watches Lando become a Grand Prix winner

You can’t talk to me when I’m like this - Lando wins the Miami Grand Prix, but a misstep means Y/N is not part of the celebration

I never grew up, it’s getting so old - Oscar steps in to help when Y/N and Lando aren’t speaking

Can (he) see right through me? (I) see right through me - Y/N takes Oscar’s advice and opens up to Lando

Our secret moments, in a crowded room - Y/N and Lando spend time together while Monaco hosts the Historic Grand Prix

They’ll be chasing their tails trying to track us down - Fans speculate when Y/N and Lando are not seen together and she misses the Imola Grand Prix

It’s nice to have a friend - Y/N has a busy week in the South of France, and Lando tries to be supportive as the two plan to keep the rouse going when his family comes to town

I spy with my tired little eye - Y/N attends the Monaco Grand Prix

We might just get away with it - Y/N remains in Monaco with Lando to keep up pretences

Telling me to punish you for things you never did - Lando arrives alone in Canada while the internet finds out Y/N has been spending time with Freddie…and so does Lando.

Love’s a show, but I would die for you in secret - Father’s Day brings Y/N closer to understanding Lando, and letting Lando understand her

Braced myself for the goodbye, (…) but you took me by surprise - Y/N attends the Spanish Grand Prix. After a disappointment, Lando receives some tough love

But God, I love the English - Y/N accompanies Lando to the UK, and he supports her as the quadrant collaboration goes live

[idkwhatimdoinghere1655]

Ok! Thanks.

Could you write a story where you and Charles are dating but nobody knows about it because you're a F1 journalist and are afraid to lose your job. On one race, Ferrari fucks him up and you have to interview him after it. You thought he would be mad but instead you saw a sad and disappointed Charles and his eyes and body movement were kinda begging for a kiss and a hug but you knew you couldn't do anything at that moment and your heart couldn't handle seeing him like that. But when you get to the hotel you are all his.

Just Hold Me - Charles Leclerc

<word count - 1824>

A/N - This is Austin minus the DSQ because I could not handle that OK enjoy!

The media room wasn't fun at the best of times, let alone at the beginning of a race while you waited for the five red lights to go out. But, that didn't matter, since you adored your job. You got to live your dream, whilst travelling all over the world and to the most beautiful countries.

You travelled more in a year than some people did in their entire lives, and that was a privilege that you were unbelievably grateful to have. Whether it be the sunkissed sands of Australia, the glittering Monaco Marina, or the festival feel of Mexico, you were always in a beautiful part of the world. 

It truly was your dream, and you were able to share it with the most unlikely of people. Athletes and celebrities alike didn't tend to like the press or interviewers. Journalists like you were paid to poke into their lives and ask pressing questions on air. 

But, Charles Leclerc had unexpectedly taken quite a liking to the one Sky Sports F1 interviewer who he talked to after every race. Throughout the whole of the 2022 season, he looked forward to those post-race interviews. Yes, last season had been going a lot better than this season, and there were many more positive things to talk about, but he still enjoyed the few moments spent with you. 

During the summer break, Charles had reached out to you after you had run into him in Monaco one day. He offered to do an interview about what he was getting up to over the weeks off, and your journalistic heart couldn't say no. 

The pair of you had met up at a cafe, but no interview was conducted. You spent your time talking and getting to know each other better. You had talked to him numerous times, but only ever for those 5 minutes or less after a race.

He had disguised your next meet up a few days later as another opportunity to actually get your interview done, but it never came into fruition. You saw right through him, but never said anything. You quickly fell head over heels for the dashing driver just like he had for you, but you had agreed to keep your relationship secret. 

It could have put your job in jeopardy, since your boss might think you would ask more favourable questions to Charles, or relinquish honesty in your articles in an effort to make him look good. There was also the added pressure of possibly being asked to write about his personal life, or what he's like behind the scenes just for a few extra clicks on those web articles. 

As you were thinking about him, Charles just so happened to pop up on the screen as they showed him, sat in his car, on pole position. Charles' statistics in regards to him being on pole were less than flattering, but you had every faith in him.

It was times like these, as you watched him in his shining scarlet car, that you wished you could have been sat in the Ferrari garage, just like he had asked you to so many times. 'Just tell them it's for one of your articles or something' Charles would say whenever you declined. 

If you sat in Ferrari one day, you would have to sit in every other garage. Also, there were people out there who would jump to accuse you of dishonest journalism, and that was something you prided yourself on avoiding. Being indicted of being bribed by Ferrari for information was the last thing you needed.

As the race progressed, it was looking more and more dismal. They had tried to put Charles on a one stop, but he was the only one who stuck to it when everyone else had abandoned the spur of the moment idea for longevity on track.

It didn't help that he had been jumped at the start by Lando, but he could have pulled it back if his tyres weren't dying a slow, painful death. He sounded less than impressed when they asked him to let Carlos by, and it wasn't a good sign when he said they should 'Talk after the race'.

To pin the nail in the coffin, they asked him to come in to change the tyres. You couldn't show any emotion, or cheer him on from where you were sitting. You just had to remain silently seething. You couldn't help but chuckle as he yelled that that would 'fuck up his race' and he just wanted to try. 

That was something you admired about Charles. He always tried, even when things were tough like they were right now. When he crossed the line in fifth, you couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Fifth wasn't bad by any means, but he was hoping for a podium, and so was everyone. 

You had to go and get into position, ready with your microphone in the media pen. Drivers rolled around, one by one, and your heart dropped when you saw Charles walking over. You thought he'd be angry, you thought he'd have that scowl of annoyance on his face. 

But, he just looked downright dejected. He could barely look you in the eyes as he stood there, really not in the mood to answer your questions. "Charles, you had a tough race out there. How were you initially feeling about the one-stop strategy?" You asked as he listened to your voice. 

It was soothing to him in some regards, hearing your voice could lull him into calmness for a short while. However, he wished you weren't asking those goddamn questions right now. "It sounded like a good plan, since George and Lando were on it, but we should have changed when everyone else did," he said, clearly not wanting to elaborate more than necessary. 

"How do you feel about the race as a whole?" You asked, this time he was actually making eye contact with you. As he answered, he just had that glint in his eye that was begging for a hug and a kiss, just any form of comfort that he could get. 

He didn't care that there were people everywhere, he didn't care who saw. He just wanted to fall into your embrace in search of solace. Just getting to touch you would put him at ease somewhat, but he knew it could cost you your job. Resisting the temptation was more difficult than he could have imagined, though. 

You were struggling too. The urge to wrap your arms around him and make the pain go away was becoming unbearable.  He needed you right now, but you weren't able to be there for him like you so desperately wanted to. 

While he answered your final question before George came through, your job didn't seem all that important anymore. If getting to sit in the Ferrari garage every week, and getting to be with him in public meant you lost your job, then so be it. 

Your heart ached for him, and you were struggling to remain a neutral interviewer. It was like it was being ripped out of your chest as you questioned him. Before you could break the facade and embrace him, Charles thanked you and moved on, probably going to have that aforementioned talk with Xavi. 

Later on, you arrived back at the hotel before he did and got changed into more comfortable clothes as you waited for him. After what felt like hours, the door quietly clicked open, and Charles trudged through the room.

Neither of you said a word as you stood from where you were sat on the bed, and walked up to him. He fell into your arms, clasping onto you for dear life. You ran your fingers up and down his spine as you kissed the top of his head, glad to have him with you. 

Charles was just glad to have your arms wrapped around his weary figure, feeling some of his worries melt away slightly. He had you now, and it made the stress and disappointment he felt somewhat bearable. You made a stormy day sunny for him, and his was pleased that he had found someone who could bring him that consolation.  All he wanted to do after that absolute shitbox of a race was crawl into bed, and cuddle with you. "Do you want to order room service for dinner?" You broke the silence, pulling away from him so you could look at his face. 

His cheeks were flushed, but his eyes were looking drowsy. They didn't have that usual brightess about them, the glowing joy being replaced by a tired dullness. "I'm not hungry," he mumbled, pressing his face back into the crook of your neck. You weren't too hungry either, so you decided you'd just deal with it. Charles needed you, and nothing was going to take you away from him. "How about you go and have a shower, and then we can just go to bed?" you suggested, as he nodded and hummed in confirmation. 

He reluctantly detached himself from you, walking over to the bathroom and closing the door behind him. It was time to play the waiting game one more time, but not for as long. It wasn't often you saw him this melancholy and dismal, but even then he was usually more talkative. 

Then again, he didn't need to talk to tell you how he was feeling. You could read his face and body language like a book, and it was clear he was very upset. The shower turned off, and a few moments later, the bathroom door opened and Charles emerged. 

He clambered into bed beside you, immediately wrapping his arms around your waist and resting his head on your chest. He breathed heavily as he held himself as close to you as he possibly could. 

You hated seeing him like this, and you wished you could unfuck the fuck ups that had happened. Anything to make the pain go away. "It's OK, baby, you did amazing. There was nothing else you could have done," you reassured him, but he didn't respond. 

He simply hid his face from you, holding onto you even tighter. "You can talk to me, you know," you prompted, hoping he would open up. It might have made him feel better. "Tomorrow," he said, and you could just about see his eyes closing. 

"OK, sweetheart, I'm here if you need me. Do you want a water or anything?" You asked, looking down at him. "No, I just want you to stay here," he said, and you were happy to fulfill his request. Having to wait that long to hold him was agonizing, but you were glad to have him in your arms now. 

Maybe one day you'd be able to embrace him in the paddock, or after an interview, but that time wasn't now. Now, Charles needed you, and you would always be there for him.

A/N - Another request ticked off the list! Requests will be probably be taking a bit of time, since I will be writing the two Halloween Specials, but still feel free to drop them! I haven't gotten any Lando or Max ones... So they might be appreciated if you catch my drift. Have a wonderful day/night, and I love you 💖

|masterlist|

[wileys-russo]

cheeky little angst to fluff blurb for leah??

leah didn't do her acl in this because i said so insensitive II l.williamson

"-so i'll rest again for a bit in bed, go to breakfast and then i think we have our team walk in a couple hours? oh! then a few of the girls are gonna go for breakfast and to the beach tomorrow before our flights since they're later at night. the beaches here are literally insane babe the water is so blue, i'll make sure to send you some photos. i'm keen for one last taste of summer before returning to the bleak dead cold of the uk." you joked with a smile, your girlfriend humming tiredly in response.

"i'm sorry baby i'm talking too much. are you sure you're okay? you played brilliantly leah really, i was so proud of you." you softly assured, as you had been for the majority of this phone call which was really annoying the blonde more than helping her to feel better as you intended.

both of you away with your respective national teams for international break you'd both been on the phone much as you could, forever attached at the hip you missed the older english girl who held your heart terribly.

however it would appear that your break was going a whole lot better than leah's, australia coming away with an 8-0 win a few days ago and england having just lost 3-2.

your chances of qualifying were looking up whilst hers seemed in a jeopardy she'd not predicted experiencing.

"i'm fine." if you would have picked up on the hidden sharpness of her words you might have caught on and changed topics, however still half asleep you missed it, having been up very early to watch your girlfriends match.

"losses happen lee it doesn't mean you girls have any less chance of qualifying, you've come back from worse yeah? heads held high and leave it in the past, same thing you tell us all each week in red babe." you tried to comfort her only your words had the opposite affect.

with the loss playing heavily on her mind and leah attributing a large portion of the blame toward herself in defence, she felt a bitter bubble of jealousy and frustration begin to build up in her throat. and before she could think any better of it, it came out suddenly like a toxic word vomit.

"yeah well some of us have actual challenges to face to qualify. we can't all get the easy draw and piss poor low ranking teams to smash 8-0, scoring hat tricks against players with half your professional experience and no funding into their programs, can we? the entire olympics qualification system is a fucking joke!" leah snapped, a few of her team mates heads swiveling toward her with a mix of frowns and surprise at her harsh tone.

silence was all that she was met with after her little outburst, you opening and closing your mouth in somewhat a state of shock at the venomous tone from your usually calm mannered and always supportive girlfriend.

"you must be tired and your flights soon. i'll call you later before warm ups?" you asked hopefully, heart hammering in your chest. "no, i'm going into the training centre soon as i get back." leah replied bluntly, clearly not intending to watch your match as you felt your cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"right. well i hope you get some rest on your flight then." and with that the line beeped signaling you ended the call, leah shoving her phone into her pocket and resting her chin on the handle of her suitcase she was currently sat on.

"leah mate...that was painful to listen to." georgia winced from beside her, keira humming in agreement. "what? she's being insensative! if she knew me she'd know i fucking hate being coddled and thats all she was doing, as well as flaunting her stupid win." leah muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"is that seriously what you think?" keira questioned, eyebrows knitted together as leah only gave a small shrug. "leah." the younger girl sighed, shaking her head.

"she barely mentioned the win to you when it happened, she spoke about her hat trick maybe once on facetime that night? she stayed in to call you like normal instead of being out for dinner celebrating with her team." keira began to lecture the blonde beside her.

"do ya know what time it is in western australia right now leah?" georgia continued on, eyes wide looking at her phone as again leah only shrugged, though a hint of guilt was just starting to creep in.

"it was 3:30 in the morning there when we kicked off and she watched the entire match and then stayed up for a few hours afterwards to call you, so that she could comfort you and try to make ya feel better." georgia lectured, leahs stern gaze beginning to crack at her words.

"then you just dismissed all of the graft she put in last match and her entire teams hard work down to something they have no control over. doesn't matter who they play leah, they deserved each win." keira continued, leah taking her bottom lip in between her teeth as she sat up and rubbed her face with her hands.

"then she gets up at 3:30 to watch your game and you tell her you aren't bothered to watch hers when its at a more than reasonable time, because you're busy feeling sorry for yourself." georgia added on, yet another blow of guilt for her to swallow.

"did you think it was insensitive when we beat them in the semi final of their home world cup, and you celebrated with your team afterwards?" keira asked with a raised eyebrow.

"nah that was different! i went right to her first to make sure she was okay and tell her how proud of her i was, and she told me to go out afterwards and went out with her own team." leah defended suddenly, shut down by the looks from her best friends either side of her.

"exactly leah, so then how is that any different than her trying to console you after this loss? and then you had to go and open your stupid hot headed mouth, stick your foot in it and probably make her feel like shit before her final international match of the break, which you all but said you wouldn't be watching. how is that fair?" keira delivered the final punch as leah crumpled, head hung in her hands with a small groan.

"yeah alright alright i get it, i've royally fucked up here." leah sighed, standing suddenly and walking off with her phone held to her ear, calling you over and over as each time the phone would ring out only affirming to her that she had really stepped in it this time.

trying you for a fifth time, urged to hurry up from her team mates as their flight was boarding leah's phone vibrated with a message as again you didn't answer.

from; lover girl i need some space please, i'll call you once i land back in london x

with a frustrated sigh leah heart reacted the message not wanting to overstep, locking her phone and hurrying over to keira who was impatiently waiting to board.

she had some serious groveling to do.

~

you opened and scanned through the multiple messages from leah she'd sent while obviously watching the game, withholding the urge to smile at her running commentary and complimentary words about how you and the team played.

still quite frustrated with her and still wanting space you opted not to reply, locking your phone and tucking it under your leg as you rummaged around in your backpack for your airpods.

"you're not gonna call leah?" steph asked with a look of surprise as you settled in beside her on the bus back to the hotel, where as normally you'd sit by yourself to call your girlfriend after each match like clockwork.

"nope." you answered simply, shaking your head and tucking one knee up to your chest. "what's happened?" the older girl sighed knowingly, draping an arm over the back of you as your head came to rest on her shoulder.

through the four seasons you'd played together at arsenal the two of you alongside caitlin and now kyra had become like a family, relishing in the familiar comfort of having your fellow aussies around living in a foreign country where you hardly saw your actual loved ones.

"i think we had an argument? but we didn't exactly argue." you replied, still a little in the dark yourself on what had caused leah's outburst. steph only gave you a confused stare and nodded for you to explain further as you did so, recounting your conversation with the blonde captain this morning.

"ahhh, i see." steph nodded now caught up as you hummed tiredly, the time now nearing eleven at night. "you know she loves you very much. but we both know she hardly has a filter on what she says sometimes, and she's quite potentially the most patriotic person i know both for club and country." steph chuckled, patting your shoulder.

"norf london foreva." you mocked her accent quietly with a small smile, admittedly missing it even more now you knew you'd not be speaking to her for a couple of days while you flew.

"but thats not to dismiss how harsh she was and how that would have made you feel. i think some space is a good idea, gives her some time to reflect on why you're upset and why what she said was wrong. you gonna be okay?" the brunette asked softly as the bus pulled in outside your hotel.

"yeah, i'll be fine. it's been nice being back home and seeing all the girls again, and we're going for brunch and to the beach tomorrow. i'm just focusing on that and the horrendous jetlag we're due for once we touch back down." you groaned, steph agreeing as the two of you filed off the bus.

~

"kyra i promise you, if you so much as breathe near me for the next twenty four hours i am going to murder you." you spoke calmly, stopping to take a deep breath as the younger girl purposefully stepped on the back of your trainer again.

you loved her dearly but it was like having your own child as she'd wound you up for hours now, giving you a brief moment of rest when she'd finally passed out on the plane. but now fully awake and in her usual tiresomely hyperactive mood she'd been kicking the back of your knees out and stepping on the back of your shoes from the moment you stepped off the plane.

"leave her be! honestly mate you're so annoying." caitlin groaned on your behalf, wrangling the girl into a tight headlock and dragging her away from you as the four of you headed out of baggage collection.

"i see your personal chauffeur has arrived." you looked up in confusion as steph elbowed you, spotting leah a hundred or so metres away. "ooo she's off to kiss her little girlfr-" kyra's sarcastic kisses and teasing words were cut short as caitlin suddenly swept her feet out from under her, sending her tumbling to the ground on her ass.

"oi!" with that the two took off chasing one another around the terminal, steph kissing your cheek and telling you to call her if you needed her as she hurried off to sort your friends out, the three of them set to take an uber together.

you watched leah nervously shift her weight from one foot to another as you slowly made your way over, her face partially hidden by the hood drawn over her head. a hoodie which you quickly recognized as one of yours, a faded black australian national team hoodie from years ago.

you also noticed she had a bunch of flowers in one hand which she immediately held out to you. "hi." leah breathed out quietly once you arrived in front of her and had taken the flowers with a mumbled thank you.

"hi." you echoed back, adjusting your bag on your shoulder and shaking your head as she offered to take it from you, the two of you wordlessly making your way out of the airport and to the car park.

you dumped your bag in the boot which she opened and closed for you, sliding into the passenger seat with a tired sigh and carefully placing the flowers on the floor between your feet as leah sat beside you, starting up the car and pulling away.

"can we talk? or do you want some time to like actually sleep and rest, you must be insanely jetlagged. i can stay at beth and viv's place tonight? give you some space." leah offered, the two of you having been living together for well over a year now.

"no it's fine, we can talk." you confirmed, adjusting your position as your head slumped against the window, eyes struggling to stay open which didn't go unnoticed by the blonde beside you.

"are you sure? you look exhausted we can-" "leah i'm sure, we need to talk."

you hadn't mean to come across as bluntly as you did given your jetlag, as you saw surprise flicker across your girlfriends face for a moment before she nodded and you mumbled a quiet apology, rubbing your eyes.

"well i'll start. firstly; i am so incredibly unbelievably sincerely sorry for what i said to you love. i was tired and frustrated with my own performance not that thats any excuse, and selfishly a little jealous of your big win when we lost. which was completely unfair because i am so so proud of you in everything that you do. i promise!" leah started, glancing over at you as she stopped at a red light and you gave her a small smile, nodding for her to continue.

"you put so many hours of extra training in to prepare for the world cup and of course thats payed off and you're finally seeing the benefits. I was bitter and selfish and i lashed out at you when you were just trying to make me feel better, like always, and i am really really sorry baby." leah continued, falling silent after as you assumed she'd finished talking.

"well firstly; you were an asshole." leah winced at that but nodded, understanding her actions were to blame here.

"but i understand you were feeling poorly after a loss, i just wish you'd communicated that with me a little better and i would have left you be with your own thoughts rather than talking your ear off and probably worsening your mood." you sighed, the blonde quick to assure she normally loved you talking her ear off.

"i just felt like i didn't understand what i'd done to cause you to be upset with me, and then you snapped about the qualifying process and you weren't entirely wrong but-"

"i was! i was wrong about that. its been the way they're done for years now and its not anything you or i are ever going to have the influence to change single handedly, and i should have never dismissed the shift you and the girls put in for that win." leah was quick to clarify before apologizing for interrupting you.

"thank you. next time please just communicate with me how you're feeling and what you need lee." you smiled tiredly, your girlfriend reaching for your hand and smiling in relief when you allowed her to take it, the blonde bringing it to her mouth and placing a few tender kisses on your knuckles as she glanced toward you.

"eyes on the road thanks charmer." you smiled tiredly, leah not letting go of your hand but dropping it to rest on the middle console, her other hand expertly maneuvering the steering wheel.

the rest of the ride home was filled with a much more comfortable silence, leah thanking her lucky stars you'd been so forgiving and remanding herself over and over for ever wronging you, smiling softly at you asleep in the seat beside her.

parking in the driveway she flicked the car off, carefully getting out and softly closing her door. she grabbed your bags out of the back and hurried them inside, dropping them in your shared bedroom and rushing back to the car, leaving the front door open.

gently opening your door she caught your body as it slid out having been leant against the door, your eyes shooting open as you inhaled sharply and sat up. "we're home baby." leah advised, affectionately rubbing your flushed cheek with her thumb as she pressed a kiss to your temple.

with a tired nod you allowed her to pull you up and out of the car, walking yourself to the front door and rubbing your eyes. you stretched as you crossed the threshold of your home, squealing as leahs hands poked at the sliver of skin which popped out as your top rode up.

"hello." you latched yourself onto her the moment she closed the front door and turned, your cheek smooshed into her shoulder as her hoodie clad arms wound tightly around you. "i really really missed you." leah sighed, swaying the two of you back and forth as you relished in the familiar warmth of her embrace.

"so i can see, you've become an honorary tillie." you teased, tugging on the sides of the hoodie as your chin moved to rest against her sternum, looking up at her in amusement. "for you my girl? anything." leah promised with a soft smitten smile, leaning down to kiss you.

"leah what is that?" you spotted a piece of cardboard on the kitchen counter over her shoulder, pulling away from her right before her lips met yours causing her to frown.

"welcome home from prison!" you read out the sign with a scoff, leahs arms folding around you from behind as her chin rested on your shoulder and you felt her body vibrate with a quiet laughter.

"thought it might be a bit too soon for the joke to land right without an apology first." leah admitted, pressing a few light kisses to the side of your neck.

"mm yeah good choice. dick!" you shoved her playfully as she continued to cling onto you, spinning you around. "may i have a proper kiss now please?" the blonde pouted, puckering her lips as you smiled, shaking your head.

"well i am all for charity and since you asked so nicely." she pinched your side for the comment, pressing her lips to yours before you could say another word.

the way her lips slotted perfectly with yours would forever make your head spin, sending you into a love drunk haze of dizziness at the euphoric feeling of kissing her. the way her bottom lip would part slightly as her hand flew to the back of your neck, her tongue slipping into your mouth as her thumb rubbed gentle circles just below your ear.

her lips always soft and welcoming, her kisses calculated and thought out, making sure that with every fleeting second you could feel how deeply she cared for you. this kiss in particular was two weeks in the making, the blonde pouring into it every inch of her adoration for you with each slight adjustment and touch, her other hand resting on your waist to draw your body even closer into hers, trapping the two of you in a cocoon of warmth and love and safety.

"welcome home." she pulled away with a light smack, pressing a few softer kisses to your swollen lips before pressing her forehead against yours, closing her eyes and hugging you tightly, anchoring you in her arms like a lost ship coming ashore.

the sea of your relationship wouldn't always be smooth, but with leah at the helm and you loyal by her side the two of you could get through pretty much anything.

"it's two now baby. do you want to sleep for a few hours and then up for dinner? and we can stay up till around maybe ten to try and reset your schedule?" your girlfriend offered sweetly, warm lips pressing against the crown of your temple with each word.

"so long as you're with me i don't mind." you sighed, head falling to her chest as you squeezed her tightly, melting the older girls heart who hugged you back just as firmly.

"well you can't sleep standing up." with that she'd bent down to grab the back of your thighs, hoisting you up. "bed or lounge baby?" the defender asked with a raised eyebrow. "not the first time you've asked me that while i'm off the ground in your arms." you smirked, kissing her nose and grinning as she scrunched it slightly.

"even half asleep with jet lag you remain a cheeky cheeky girl." leah tutted with a shake of her head and carrying you with her over to the sofa, turning around and sitting down as she pulled you to sit between her legs which stretched down its length.

"can you put the golf on please?" you mumbled tiredly, shuffling so your head was resting on leah's chest, hearing her heartbeat beneath your ear as leah smiled happily in surprise at your request. "really?"

"yeah, always sends me to sleep." you continued, closing your eyes as leah rolled hers, carding a hand through your hair but doing as you asked, nails scratching at your scalp and the english captain chuckled seeing within a few short minutes you'd fallen right back to sleep.

desite the fact she actually enjoyed watching the golf much to your horror, a few holes in, she was ashamed to admit she joined you, eyes drifting closed.

[ncisfranchise-source]

Paramount and the revived Republic Pictures are betting on indie films to complement their tentpole movies like Mission Impossible and Gladiator II.

The studio’s chief content licensing officer Dan Cohen spoke at a MIPCOM Media Mastermind Keynote Session in Cannes Tuesday afternoon, confirming the U.S. and Canadian rights to their “Coen brothers-esque” noir film Adulthood, directed by Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure Star Alex Winter, has been picked up by Republic Pictures.

“You get an announcement today,” Cohen, also president of Republic Pictures, told World Screen’s Anna Carugati, who was moderating. “We have a film coming called Adulthood. It’s a bit of a Coen brothers-esque [story]. It stars Josh Gad and Kaya Scodelario. It’s a really fun movie. We also have a film called Bad Apples coming from Saoirse Ronan, a four-time Oscar nominee and I think a good actor working today.”

He continued: “So we’re trying to do interesting, indie films to complement the huge tentpole movies [like] Mission Impossible, Gladiator II at Christmas, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 at Christmas.”

The session was dominated by the buzz around NCIS spinoff NCIS: Tony & Ziva, created by John McNamara and starring returning actors Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, who also serve as executive producers on the program. “Their episodes are just magic. Their chemistry is undeniable. They are absolute fan favorites,” Cohen said, before a short teaser trailer for the upcoming series that showed the characters rekindling the flame while raising their young daughter.

Cohen continued: “Yes, they’ve done a few cameos, but they have not been together on air for 12 years, and this is the story fans asked about the most.”

Pablo said of the show, expected in 2025: “I think the fans have always wanted to see what happened between [Tony and Ziva]… We find them in Europe raising their child, who’s almost a teenager, fantastic little Tali, and they are trying to make their relationship work.”

Weatherly emphasized the global appeal of NCIS that has bolstered the energy behind this spinoff. “I had the opportunity, with NCIS, to travel to Australia, Italy and Germany and England and France, and it became this very clear, international show. It’s that global impact… It’s about a family in jeopardy, in peril, trying to find a way to do the right thing, inhaling circumstances, two people trying to communicate, two people trying to love each other.”

[brighter-by-the-daly]

Rachel Daly x Millie Bright x Reader

Part Nine - Our Girl

The incident in Barcelona became less prominent in your mind as the days that followed passed, your bruises had started to fade and you were starting to settle back into your life with Rachel. Millie had popped by every day to check on you and the entire incident had made the news, programmes like This Morning had approached to tell your story but you didn’t feel ready yet. It was still too raw to talk about with your girlfriend let alone the entire world! Nevertheless you knew it would be a good opportunity to shine a light onto the treatment of women - nothing that women already didn’t know but it helps to keep the conversation at the forefront of people’s minds. You said you’d contact them when you’re ready but for now you’re just trying to transition back into your normal life. With your blessing, Millie had partaken in interviews discussing what happened in the bar and was revelling in the praise being given that she so rightly deserved. You’d give her every award that existed if you could, without her you don’t know what would have happened. The house was covered in flowers and you had eaten your weight in chocolate that had been sent from people who wanted to show their support; mostly teammates of Rach and Mills but your family and friends had also visited once you returned home. You know what happened to you isn’t the worse thing to ever happen to a woman and felt a bit guilty of all the attention being throw your way when there’s people out there who have dealt with so much worse who don’t receive half the attention that your story has. It’s only because patrons in the bar shared their videos online and the incident involved England’s captain that it had reached media outlets. Rachel reminded you every day that you’re allowed to feel cared for too, you don’t have to be silent just because someone has it worse than you. Millie came over most evenings to wind down with you both, sometimes not going back to her own house and staying the night. Her visits had become a lot more subdued and often consisted of you all just sitting on the sofa watching films; you three didn’t need words to make you feel at peace, just each other’s company was enough.

Your bruises that had faded to yellow were a few days from disappearing completely, with every day you were starting to feel more like yourself again without the constant black and blue reminder of that night on your arm. Every evening when you were snuggled up the girls would stroke it and pepper your skin with silent kisses believing the more love they gave you the quicker it would disappear. They smothered you with their love, reminding you every second of every day that they care so deeply about you. As soon as you made a move to get up they would ask what you wanted and would get it for you, not once did you make the teas during the week after your return, even when you bathed they tenderly washed your hair.

You still went to Rachel’s games and Millie would often be seen in the stands with you rather than at Chelsea ones. You argued that Millie needed looking after too, at least your injury didn’t put World Cup dreams in jeopardy! She should be the one being looked after, not you! The World Cup was approaching fast and in a few months they’ll both be off to Australia, Millie still wasn’t fit enough to play and you were growing more and more concerned with every passing week. The defender put on a positive face, believing with every bone in her body that she’d be better in time. You however, was a bit more realistic.

“Millie sit down, I’ll do this!” you rushed into the kitchen so you could boil the kettle, reaching for three mugs out of the cupboard before she could. “I’m fine!” she expressed, rolling her eyes and batting you away with a limp hand. “No, you’re not! I’m not leaving you here alone, you’re the captain now they need you to get better!” Wrapping your arms around her waist you tried your hardest to pick her up but failed, Millie ‘Brick Wall’ Bright could not be moved! “Rach, tell her!” you shouted over to your girlfriend who was tapping away on her laptop at the table. Looking over the top of the reading glasses to see her girls both stood with their hands on their hips willing her to be on their side. She took her glasses off to get her facial expression to appear more stern “best friend, I can’t go to Australia without you now do what she says!” Rachel was desperately trying to complete her level 2 coaching certificate so she could start her own youth team - not like she didn’t already have enough to do! She’d recently partaken in a youth group programme and her new goal was to create her own.

Turning to face Millie with a confident pout of satisfaction from winning, her eyebrow raised unamused with the decision. “If I’m so unfit, could I do this?” standing her ground as she suddenly picked you up off the floor. “Oh my god Mills put me down! Stop!”wriggling and slapping her back in frustration of not being listened to. Perching you onto the kitchen side and slotting herself between your legs, “better?” she asked sarcastically causing you to roll your eyes. Her move was sexy yet irritating at the same time, folding your arms reluctant to let her disobey you. “I don’t remember you complaining on holiday” her voice turned cocky which finally drew Rachel’s eyes away from the computer to join you both in the kitchen. “I’ve been waiting for the right time to ask this actually, what did happen on holiday?” sensually stroking up your leg as Millie copied on the other. “Is anyone gonna make the tea around here?” desperately trying to change the subject as you reached over to the kettle. Millie blocked your attempt “no” she said shaking her head with that cocky smile of hers. Having them both batting their eyelashes at you and still tickling your legs it was becoming extremely hard to think about anything else apart from throwing yourself at them. “Nah, I wanna know exactly what happened. I’ve waited long enough” Rachel said slowly as she swiped your hand from reaching the kettle switch again. “Millie’s not well enough for this, she shouldn’t even be standing!” you tried to divert their attention but actively not making any attempt to flee their advances. “I remember picking you up last week and you didn’t argue” she stroked the hair that dangled in front of your face away from your eyes, willing you to drop it. “I was drunk, I wasn’t thinking about your knee I was thinking about-” you shouted exhausted before being cut off by Rachel, “what.. what were you thinking about my love? Tell me” she encouraged. With them both looking up at you with their big blue eyes you caved “getting fucked! Happy now?” “fucked by who baby?” Rach continued asking with her sickly sweet tone as their finger tips continued sliding up and down your legs. “Millie!” your eyes rolled knowing there was no way you were getting out of this, not that you wanted to and you knew exactly where it was going. Rachel slipped her arms under your legs and lifting you off of the kitchen side, throwing you over her shoulder as she headed for the stairs. “Come on Mills, let’s go fuck our girl” Those words turning you on instantly with anticipation of what was about to happen.

Reaching the bedroom, your lips quickly found Rachel‘s neck, holding your hand out for Millie to take and be included too. “No no no” Rachel stopped you as she pulled her face away from yours. “I want you both to tell me exactly what happened that night, play-by-play” placing you softly onto the bed and ready to listen intently.

As Millie led Rachel through what she had done to you that night, Rachel re-enacted the moment precisely. You’d missed the sexual touch of your girlfriend as Millie watched her go down on you. Next, you told Rachel what you did to Millie and watched as she recreated the sequences on her best friend. The night continued well into the morning with you three fumbling around in the bedsheets together for hours.

[bayareabadboy]

On this day in 1981, The Greg Kihn Band single “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em)” debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at #88 (May 23)

It was the first hit for The Greg Kihn Band, and their biggest until they scored with "Jeopardy" in 1983.

The song from the album “RocKihnRoll” peaked at #14 in Australia and #15 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The Greg Kihn Band are still playing to this day, 23 albums later, and he’s right......they don’t write like that anymore....

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from the New York Times:

Australia has also become a case study in what happens when people push biodiversity to the brink. Habitat degradation, invasive species, infectious diseases and climate change have put many native animals in jeopardy and given Australia one of the worst rates of species loss in the world.

In some cases, scientists say, the threats are so intractable that the only way to protect Australia’s unique animals is to change them. Using a variety of techniques, including crossbreeding and gene editing, scientists are altering the genomes of vulnerable animals, hoping to arm them with the traits they need to survive.

“We’re looking at how we can assist evolution,” said Anthony Waddle, a conservation biologist at Macquarie University in Sydney.

It is an audacious concept, one that challenges a fundamental conservation impulse to preserve wild creatures as they are. But in this human-dominated age — in which Australia is simply at the leading edge of a global biodiversity crisis — the traditional conservation playbook may no longer be enough, some scientists said.

“We’re searching for solutions in an altered world,” said Dan Harley, a senior ecologist at Zoos Victoria. “We need to take risks. We need to be bolder.”

Still, no matter how sophisticated the technology becomes, organisms and ecosystems will remain complex. Genetic interventions are “likely to have some unintended impacts,” said Tiffany Kosch, a conservation geneticist at the University of Melbourne who is also hoping to create chytrid-resistant frogs. A genetic variant that helps frogs survive chytrid might make them more susceptible to another health problem, she said.

There are plenty of cautionary tales, efforts to re-engineer nature that have backfired spectacularly. The toxic cane toads, in fact, were set loose in Australia deliberately, in what would turn out to be a deeply misguided attempt to control pest beetles.

But some environmental groups and experts are uneasy about genetic approaches for other reasons, too. “Focusing on intensive intervention in specific species can be a distraction,” said Cam Walker, a spokesman for Friends of the Earth Australia. Staving off the extinction crisis will require broader, landscape-level solutions such as halting habitat loss, he said.

[blamemma]

been thinking a lot about what you said about the schedule being terrible for getting people invested like. imola being the second race and a super long european leg in 2021 helped to the hype bc you had all of the flyaways at the end and people were already invested!!!!!

it's so obviously a v european centric opinion from me i know. but i've struggled with it a lil bit this year. bahrain and jeddah great, normal race times and v much accessible to watch and get involved with. but having 3 long haul fly away races back to back which predominantly for the most part aren't at good times for european or american audiences....it's gunna be hard to find the momentum to get into the sport next year....i'm v much not going to want to wake up 3 races in a row v v early in the year i'm not gunna lie. they're obviously making strides to improve the flow and environmentalism of the sport (lol) but i think they will see low viewership figures for those first few races because there will be no jeopardy or interest from 'normal fans' as of yet ? ? brrrake (idk the exact number of r's in his name) on twitter who used to be a red bull mechanic was talking about this last week and how the momentum's been weird this year and its the first thing that got me thinking about. i didnt watch australia this year cause it was far to early even though it was my fav drivers home race, i fell asleep 10 laps into japan and we'll see what happens with china this year but yeah thats just my own personal opinion!

[laresearchette]

Thursday, November 09, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS (City TV +) MYSTERY ON MISTLETOE LANE (W Network) 8:00pm RAP SH!T (Crave) 10:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT: THE CROODS: FAMILY TREE (Premiering on November 11 on YTV at 10:30am) MOUNTAIN MEN (TBD - History Channel Canada) MURDER RUNS IN THE FAMILY (TBD - Lifetime Canada)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA BTS: YET TO COME TO CINEMAS COMEDY ISLAND (Season 1)

CBC GEM BLACKBERRY (all three episodes streaming)

CRAVE TV RAP SH!T (Season 2, Episodes 1-2)

NETFLIX CANADA AKUMA KUN (JP) TEMPLE OF FILM: 100 YEARS OF THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE

BILLIE JEAN KING CUP (SN1) 10:00am: Canada vs. Poland

GRAND SLAM OF CURLING (SN) 11:00am: National - Draw 10 (SN) 3:00pm: National - Draw 11 (SN1) 7:00pm: National - Draw 12

NHL HOCKEY (SN) 7:00pm: Islanders vs. Bruins (SNPacific/TSN5) 7:00pm: Canucks vs. Sens (TSN2) 7:00pm: Habs vs. Red Wings (TSN3) 8:00pm: Predators vs. Jets (SN/SN1) 10:30pm: Penguins vs. Kings (SNWest) 10:30pm: Oilers vs. Sharks

DRAGONS' DEN (CBC) 8:00pm

NFL FOOTBALL (TSN/TSN4) 8:15pm: Panthers vs. Bears

BLACKBERRY: THE LIMITED SERIES (CBC) 9:00pm (PREMIERE): Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin pitch their idea of combining a computer with a cellphone to Jim Balsillie; Jim comes on board, and they try to sell their idea.

AUSSIE GOLD HUNTERS (Discovery Canada) 9:00pm: In flooded Victoria, the Poseidon Crew are forced back onto an old lease; Shane and Kate call in some vintage help in Western Australia; Jacqui and Andrew get separated at night in far north Queensland.

KILLING IT (Showcase) 9:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Craig and Jillian prepare for the farm's first shipment of saw palmetto berries, but a series of unexpected visitors puts everything they've worked for in jeopardy; a new employee is a thorn in their side. In Episode Two, the Boones make their demands; Craig tries to reconnect with Isaiah; Jillian must decide whether to sacrifice her prized possession to save the farm.

HEARTLAND DOCS, DVM (Nat Geo Canada) 10:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): The Schroeders reel in an unexpected catch during a family boating trip.

OUTBACK OPAL HUNTERS (Discovery Canada) 10:00pm: The Bushmen find a hidden shaft by falling into it and the Blacklighters brand-new investment is dead in the water; a busted jackhammer forces JC and the Young Guns to make emergency repairs halfway down the mine shaft.

CANADIAN REFLECTIONS (CBC) 11:30pm: Play It Again; Hall of Mirrors

[bloodbank4050]

2020 look back: a musical compilation of events

(Each number is a significant event in the year!):

Prologue-

“Lead into Demise” Kingdom of Sorrow

“Jackboot Jump” Hozier

January –

“Disco Inferno (Australia Version)” The Trammps [OR “You Cunt” Once Human]

“I Quit” Hepburn

"(Kill Me) Ce Soir" Golden Earring [OR “WW3 Blues” Bob Dylan]

"Impeach the President" The Honey Drippers [OR “Die” Badflower]

"Sportstar" Alex G

February –

“The New Plague” Gwar

“A Woman In a Man’s World” Chaka Khan

March –

“It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)” R.E.M

"Don't Stand So Close to Me" The Police

"Stock Market Blues" Hank Williams Jr.

April –

"Unemployed" Tierra Whack [OR "Young, Dumb, and Broke" Khalid OR “I Can’t Hug My Mama” Beth Hatchett Norwood OR “Rx (Medicate)” Theory of a Deadman]

“Another One Bites the Dust” Queen

“I saw Elvis in a U.F.O” Ray Stevens

“Locust” Machine Head

May –

"Party in the U.S.A." Miley Cyrus [OR “American Idiot” Greenday OR “Another brick in the Wall part 2” Pink Floyd OR “Disaster Party” Magic Giant]

"Lord of the Hornets" Robert Calvert

“We Didn’t Start the Fire” Billy Joel [OR “Breathless” The Corrs]

“Mr. Spaceman” The Byrds

‘Tutti Fruitti” Little Richard

June –

“Disco Inferno (USA Version)" The Trammps [OR “I Predict a Riot” Kaiser Chiefs]

"Take Me to Church" Hozier [OR “Sympathy For The Devil” The Rolling Stones]

July-

“Killing in the Name Of" Rage Against the Machine [OR “God Save Us All (Death to POP)” Sum 41 OR “Fuck Tha Police” N.W.A. OR “Bat Out of Hell” Meat Loaf]

"Mothers of the Disappeared " U2

"Rocket Man" Elton John

“Nowhere Man” The Beatles [OR “This is America” Childish Gambino]

“Hamilton” Lin Manuel Maranda

“Please Mr. Postman” The Marvelettes

“Robot Man” Connie Francis

“For What It’s Worth (1967)” Buffalo Springfield

August-

“eXplosion” Anitta, Black Eyed Peas

"Wildfire" DeTrek

"Ramblin’ Man" The Allman Brothers Band

"Zombie Zoo" Tom Petty

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" Nirvana [OR “California Love Remix” 2Pac ft. Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman OR “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” Paul Simon]

“Rock You Like a Hurricane” (x2) Scorpions

“7 Shots” Volbeat

“Wakanda Forever” Heiakim

September-

“Notorious B.I.G.” Biggy Smalls

“Superbug” King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard

“Sinking Ship” Cake

“I’m Going to Venus” Adam Brand

“1 Sided Love” BlackBear

“Down with the Sickness” Disturbed

“1040 Blues” Robert Cray

October-

“You give me Fever" Peggy Lee

“Runnin’ With the Devil” Van Halen

“Fly on the Wall” Bobby V

“Somthin’ Bad” Miranda Lampert

“The Hopeless Housewife” Bad Religion

“Masturbation Blues” David Allen Cole

“Live and Let Die” Paul McCartney & Wings

“Blue Moon of Kentucky” Elvis Presley

November-

“Wires” The Neighborhood” [OR “Impeach God” Dethklok]

“Four Seasons” Vivaldi

“Here Are Many Wild Animals” A Camp

“I Lost on Jeopardy” Dr. Demento/ Weird Al

“Vaccine” George Lynch [OR “Uncivilization” Biohazard]

December-

"Telescope” Arti Manchinii

[ncisfranchise-source]

NCIS spinoff, NCIS: TONY & ZIVA, will premiere next year, and there’s a lot for fans to get excited for.

“Their episodes are just magic. Their chemistry is undeniable. They are absolute fan favorites,” Paramount’s chief content licensing office Dan Cohen said of the NCIS couple. “Yes, they’ve done a few cameos, but they have not been together on air for 12 years, and this is the story fans asked about the most.”

Ziva, played by Cote de Pablo, last appeared in Season 17 of the flagship show, and Season 21 was the last time fans saw Tony, played by Michael Weatherly.

“…the upcoming spinoff’s main events will take place in modern times but with a caveat per a new report from Deadline…NCIS: TONY & ZIVA will pick up after Ziva’s supposed death and Tony’s departure from MCRT,” Screen Rant reported. “It will then tackle subsequent events until Tony’s security firm in Paris is attacked. De Pablo says that it’s part of giving viewers answers about the characters’ fates after they left the main show.”

“I think the fans have always wanted to see what happened between [Tony and Ziva]…We find them in Europe raising their child, who’s almost a teenager, fantastic little Tali, and they are trying to make their relationship work,” de Pablo commented.

Weatherly added, “I had the opportunity, with NCIS, to travel to Australia, Italy and Germany and England and France, and it became this very clear, international show. It’s that global impact… It’s about a family in jeopardy, in peril, trying to find a way to do the right thing, inhaling circumstances, two people trying to communicate, two people trying to love each other.”

“In the original series, which premiered in 2003, Ziva and Tony finally got together in Season 10. The two evidently slept together only for Ziva to decide to stay in Israel as Tony returned to the United States,” TODAY reported. “Nearly two years later, in the Season 13 finale, Tony is informed that Ziva died in an explosion at her Tel Aviv home and left behind a daughter — their daughter — named Tali. He then leaves NCIS to go raise their child.” READ MORE: EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT NCIS: TONY & ZIVA

NCIS: TONY & ZIVA is expected to make its streaming debut on Paramount+ in 2025.

[darkmaga-returns]

The uber-technocratic, Trilateral-packed Atlantic Council is wigging out over the possibility that the US might ban CBDCs. If this happens, the future of CBDCs for the rest of the world is in total jeopardy. The vast majority of US citizens are against CDBCs, so there is political pressure. This could deal a fatal blow to globalization. ⁃ Patrick Wood, Editor.

Canada and Australia shelve plans for retail CBDCs while the US could soon become the first country to explicitly ban the central bank from issuing a CBDC.

As we warned in May 2022, a financial revolution is quietly sweeping the world (or at least trying to) that has the potential to reconfigure the very nature of money, making it programmable, far more surveillable and centrally controlled. To quote Washington DC-based blogger and analyst NS Lyons, “if not deliberately and carefully constrained in advance by law,… CBDCs have the potential to become even more than a technocratic central planner’s dream. They could represent the single greatest expansion of totalitarian power in history.”

At the time of writing that post, around 90 countries and currency unions were in the process of exploring a CBDC, according to the Atlantic Council’s CBDC tracker. Today, just two and a half years later, that number has increased to 134, representing 98% of global GDP. Around 66 of those countries are in the advanced stage of exploration—development, pilot, or launch.

But they do not include the United States. In fact, the US is not just trailing most countries on CBDC development; it could soon become the first country to explicitly ban the central bank from issuing a CBDC, to the undisguised horror of certain think tanks.

“CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act.”

In May, the US House of Representatives passed HR 5403, also known as the “CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act.” The bill, first introduced in September 2023 and sponsored by US Senator Ted Cruz, proposes amendments to the Federal Reserve Act to prohibit the US Federal Reserve from issuing CBDCs. It also seeks to protect the right to financial privacy and prevent the U.S. government from “weaponizing their financial system against their own citizens.”

If passed, HR 5403 will prevent the Fed from:

Offering products or services directly to individuals.

Maintaining accounts on behalf of individuals.

Issuing a central bank digital currency or any digital asset that is substantially similar under any other name or label directly to an individual.

To become law, the bill still needs to clear the Senate, which is by not means guaranteed. But it is likely to receive added impetus from a new Trump administration, assuming Trump wins the election and isn’t assassinated before taking office or thwarted by a colour revolution, as Lambert posited yesterday. In January, Trump announced, to thunderous applause, at a New Hampshire that as president, he would “never allow the creation of a central bank digital currency.” Such a currency, he said, “would give a federal government, our federal government, absolute control over your money.”

Even a Kamala Harris administration is unlikely to fast-track a digital dollar, with progress set to continue to lag other jurisdictions, according to an article in The Banker. US voters — particularly Republican ones — are increasingly aware — and wary — of the threat posed by CBDCs, as demonstrated by the crowd’s reaction to Trump’s announcement. This, if nothing else, stands as testament to the power of social and independent media, and goes a long way to explaining why governments across the West are trying desperately to muzzle them.

[limbobilbo]

They show forged in fire before jeopardy over here in australia and my family watch it semi ironically.

My god that show is so homoerotic. Like maybe you haven’t noticed but they call each other sir all the time and they focus so much on the strength and beauty of the blade. I genuinely think if you showed forged in fire to a spartan he would nut.

I’m watching this reality show with my brother that’s like a blacksmithing competition and some of these people look exactly like you’d expect blacksmiths to look and others look like the person in movies that blacksmiths would kick out of the tavern.

[ana-moon]

4 mun on munday

:)

pecan: shuffle your playlist, what's the first song that comes up?

amethyst: do you collect anything?

cherry: YouTubers you enjoy watching?

porcelain: an tv show you used to love

coconut: a subject you enjoy learning about

mauve: any unpopular opinions?

erin: what was/is your best school subject?

emerald: if you had the option, would you choose to move and live in another country? which one?

ebony: would you ever want to play a game on television? (jeopardy, family fued, etc)

cream: any piercings or tattoos? do you want any?

copper: gold or silver jewelry?

rose: favourite scent on a person? 

charcoal: have you ever been camping?

claret: do you play an instrument? do you want to learn to play any?

coral: an animal you wish hadn't gone extinct

grey: how many languages do you speak? do you want to learn any more?

turquoise: favorite sea animal?

fuchsia: favorite land animal?

green: do you have a favourite flower?

blue: preferred type of weather?

red: describe your favorite shirt

pecan: shuffle your playlist, what's the first song that comes up?

Staying Alive by the Bee Gees

amethyst: do you collect anything?

Not anymore. I used to love collecting rocks and gems as a kid

cherry: YouTubers you enjoy watching?

IGP and CJU, that's it really

porcelain: an tv show you used to love

I loved Time Team, Merlin, Primevil, Top Gear with Clarkson, Hammond and May and probably a few more I can't remember the name of

coconut: a subject you enjoy learning about

Jack the Ripper was interesting in our history club and the great plague

mauve: any unpopular opinions?

Yes but they'll remain unsaid 😅

erin: what was/is your best school subject?

Probably English

emerald: if you had the option, would you choose to move and live in another country? which one?

No, would love Australia but I can't with the spiders

ebony: would you ever want to play a game on television? (jeopardy, family fued, etc)

I think I'd be amazing at Total Wipeout or Takeshi castle but I know I'd be awful

cream: any piercings or tattoos? do you want any?

No and maybe

copper: gold or silver jewelry?

I don't know, I don't wear any and I can't at work anyway

rose: favourite scent on a person?

Not sure, I don't really pay attention, again, working in a kitchen, we can't have any strong scented stuff around.

charcoal: have you ever been camping?

Yes, many times as a kid, I fondly remember waking up to the sound of rain on the tent and family voices

claret: do you play an instrument? do you want to learn to play any?

I used to play the piano but I can't anymore, not had practice in years

coral: an animal you wish hadn't gone extinct

Too many to list and most would kill humanity

grey: how many languages do you speak? do you want to learn any more?

Just English and I don't think I'd be able to learn any others properly

turquoise: favorite sea animal?

Thresher Shark

fuchsia: favorite land animal?

Wolves

green: do you have a favourite flower?

Orchids are nice

blue: preferred type of weather?

Clouded, stormy and cool

red: describe your favorite shirt

Currently it's the Japanese poster to the original 1954 Godzilla