#kerr's bay i think

[hirocimacruiser]

First version of the GReddyVI-AZ-1. This is the red version. This was later rebuilt as the white version. Pics from my book by Amemiya san. Translated text below by google with some corrections by myself.

Dream Mine Another dream machine! The compact monster is also my starting point!

GReddyVI-AZ-1 1996 Tokyo Auto Salon Domestic Complete Car Category Excellence Award

The GReddy series so far has been based on FC and FD but the body size is wider

It has turned into a monster.

However, this year, as I entered my last year in my 40s, I looked back on my tuning life up to that point, returned to my roots, and wanted to take on a new challenge. .

My starting point is a machine with tremendous power hidden in a compact body, and I wish I could tear apart a Porsche or Ferrari class hyper sports car from the outside! I wanted to revive the pleasure I experienced with Chante and Cervo.

The original gullwing used in the GReddy7-IIi, IV, and V is of course satisfactory in terms of construction and design, but it is still

PIC CAPTIONS (first pic)

A body that has originality in each part and incorporates every possible idea that is unique to the street and not found in racing cars.

2ND PAGE

The quality of the gullwings made by Kerr is high in terms of their high degree of perfection and durability. As expected, I have no choice but to say. Therefore, as I am particular about gullwings, I chose the AZ-1 as the base car, which I had been eyeing since it was first released. Sera's Gullwing was also a candidate, but I chose the AZ-1 because the shape of the windshield matched the image.

Although it is based on the AZ-1, only the door structure, roof, windshield, and some interior parts remain. Of course, the engine was replaced with a rotary one, and production began by making everything completely complete, from the body to the frame and suspension structure!

Since it's a K-sized car, I wanted to keep it as compact as possible by keeping it within the same size as the 80 Supra, with 20cms wider on each side, making the body as compact as possible but to allow Air to the 3 rotors loaded in the mid position.

PIC CAPTIONS

It is also my passion to not attach wings and to make it an integral part of the body. The rear of the bumper has a mesh pattern to vent air.

3RD PAGE

When it came to the body design, things like introduction, securing downforce, etc., ideas kept coming to me, and it was difficult but fun to turn them into reality.

The chassis and suspension took a lot of time and the know-how gained from participating in races. It is also meant to strengthen the body in order to obtain official approval, and it is stretched to the point where it can be called a pipe frame specification. The suspension has also been set up with an emphasis on handling so that it can ride smoothly around the bay. The locking arm type double wishbone has a stroke of 50mm compared to the standard 140mm. Well, as for ``how about actually driving it?'', it's a pity that I haven't been able to test it out since it hasn't been officially approved yet.

The important engine is a 3-rotor side port specification that uses the eccentric shaft and rotor housing for 20B, and connects three rotors for 13B.

PIC CAPTIONS

The mid-mounted engine is a 3-rotor using a 13B rotor. We also considered the weight balance and carefully determined the positioning.

4TH PAGE

The turbine is T78-33D, and it squeezes out about 500ps with a boost of 1.1k. However, this is also not set to the highest speed, but rather to focus on acceleration up to 300km/h by improving mid- to low-speed response. At first, I thought about having an NA like the GT, but since it's a mid-engine car, the sound would get really noisy, so after thinking about it a lot, I decided on a turbo version.

Actually, this car. I won the Excellence Award, but I missed out on the Grand Prix. Why? I heard from Dai-chan and other judges that it was because we were late for the delivery time! If the item is not delivered within the specified time, it will not be subject to inspection. However, I'm grateful that they decided to at least give me the Excellence Award because it's so amazing. I didn't create it just to win an award, but when I think about how it could have won the Grand Prix, I was a little disappointed. I was just so disgusted.

SPECIFICATION

Base vehicle: AZ-1/13B modified 20B

Engine & Turbine system: T78-33 D/Trust wastegate type R/Trust 3-layer inner fin type intercooler for GT-R + 90 piping/one-off radiator

other

Exhaust system Original stainless steel/other Suspension & drive system Bilstein Porsche racing suspension/Porsche C car hub/Porsche 962C transmission/Brembo 355 monoblock brake caliper (front)/Brembo F40 brake (rear) other

Tires & wheels: Yokohama A-008 P front 255/35-18/rear 295/ 35-18 / AW-7

Others: Carrozzeria, car navigation system, etc.

PIC CAPTIONS

The shift lever is set to the right of the driver's seat, and the racing car-inspired meters are made by Stack.

I won the Excellence Award, but I missed out on the Grand Prix!

[wosocharleeeeess]

In my opinion Sam is definitely going to re-sign an extension deal with Chelsea. But If Miss girl ever decides to move back to the NWSL this is my predictions for the teams. It’ll probably be teams from the West Coast.  But I don’t think Angel city at all even though they can afford her  they’re like the richest team in the NWSL  and they also have a star player already in Press, but she hasn’t played in forever. but I personally was like if Sam returns to the NWSL , it’ll probably be San Diego why San Diego kinda reminds me of Australia is literally a beach city and van Egmond is already there and it’s really ☀️ but there’s one factor SD already has a star player Alex Morgan I don’t think San Diego can afford having a Morgan and Kerr in the same team. If Sam goes to San Diego, it Has to be when Alex retires. But there’s one other new West Coast team that doesn’t have a star player and they can build the entire team around Sam and that SF Bay FC lol but who knows ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ this has been my random predictions 

fully agreed!!! i think sam could sign with an expansion team potentially, however, she did say she wanted to win trophies in the end WSL, so she could also sign with a predominant club in the league that are winners :)

[thatndginger]

12 Days of Writer Self Love - 01/12

I decided to hop on this little event because, being completely honest, I haven't written anything in 2 months and I need both motivation and a bit of a boost. So in the interest of just having fun and writing something, here we go ^.^ Thanks to @writeblrfantasy for creating this event!

Day 1 - Hug

A short scene from part of Shapeshifter's main trio's - Kerr, Jay, and Warrick - past. I had a lot of fun with this because any time I get to write banter between these idiots is always a fun time for me. Especially the younger, (possibly) dumber version of them.

Jay swallowed heavily as the front door opened, and glanced at Kerr for reassurance. He was propped against the table, arms crossed, as unconcerned as always. She tried to relax, turn the way she lent against the couch into something more natural, more casual. 

Warrick appeared through the entryway. Jay felt herself freeze. At least Warrick did too, his gaze darting between her and Kerr as his steps fumbled to a halt. Jay’s glance dipped to his chest - bare, the gaudy floral-print shirt unbuttoned and loose around his shoulders and leaving very little to the imagination.

“Hey,” Warrick said, confusion coating the word.

“Hey,” Kerr mirrored. “You get my cigs?”

“Shit, no. I forgot. I can go back out-”

“It’s fine,” Jay said, her voice too loud and stiff to her own ears. “We wanted to talk to you about something, if you’ve got time?”

“...Sure.”

Before she could talk herself out of it, she threw herself into the words she’d been practicing for the last twenty minutes. “Listen: we’re all really happy that you’re happy. It’s awesome to see you being confident in yourself and wanting to show off and everything, but-” Jay cringed. She was talking too much. She knew she was talking too much. The wary confusion was setting deeper into Warrick’s expression with every syllable. “-but it’s starting to make some of the older folks… uncomfortable.”

Warrick was shrinking further back into himself; arms crossed over his bare chest, shoulders tucked up close to his ears.“What does that mean?”

“It just means that-”

“It means you need to start wearing fucking clothes again,” Kerr said, cutting in. Jay closed her mouth, a relieved glance slid Kerr’s way. He flashed half a smile back.

“What?”

Kerr sighed, a long and exaggerated thing. “Just ‘cause you look good with your shirt off now doesn’t mean you can go around scandalizing all the old geezers in the neighborhood, alright? Half of ‘em think you’ve gone bonkers.”

“So, it’s… not because of the, y’know, scars and all?” Warrick’s shoulders had receded from his ears, but his arms remained steadfastly over his chest.  His expression had stuck somewhere between relief and apprehension.

Jay bit the inside of her cheek to keep the guilt at bay. She’d started it all wrong and worried him. Her apology came in the form of arms wrapped around Warrick’s waist, her cheek pressed against his shoulder. “Of course not.”

Warrick’s response rode on a long, slow breath. “Okay.”

Another arm - Kerr’s - slid over Warrick’s shoulder, forcing him to hunch or topple over. Kerr’s other hand disappeared into Warrick’s thick hair, ruffling it harshly. “No one gives a shit what you used to be, alright? We just don’t want to deal with your whiny ass if you get sick from runnin’ around with no clothes.”

“I am not whiny!”

“Eh… Yeah, you are.”

Jay tightened her grip against Warrick’s squirming as he tried - ineffectually - to dislodge Kerr. After a few moments he appeared to accept defeat and sunk into their combined embrace.

“You guys really suck at this,” he said. “But thanks.”

Jay tucked her smile away, let her arms drop from Warrick’s waist, and did her best to feel serious and mature. It helped that every time she looked at Warrick she still saw the scrawny sixteen-year-old she’d met two years ago. “New ground rules, ‘kay?”

Both Warrick and Kerr turned quizzical looks at her.

“It doesn’t matter what you want to wear around here as-”

“I demand pants at all times.”

“As long-” Jay raised an eyebrow at Kerr “-there are pants involved. But outside; no shirt, no shoes applies.”

Kerr tightened his arm around Warrick’s neck before adding, “and mesh doesn’t count towards a shirt.”

“Alright! Alright, I got it.” Warrick’s tone was sulky, but he was smiling as he hooked a leg around Kerr’s and they both went crashing to the ground.

[thepermanentrainpress]

CONCERT REVIEW: HOTEL MIRA W/ DUST CWAINE AT HOLLYWOOD THEATRE - JUNE 24, 2023

We are big fans of Hotel Mira here at The Permanent Rain Press. From the Sharkweek EP to Perfectionism, the band’s sound has consistently developed over the years, surviving new members and name changes. A stunning punk-rock essence is maintained, and an emphasis on live performances has cultivated a loyal fan following.

The audience was first treated to a riveting cabaret performance by the established drag icon Shanda Leer. He belted out the beautiful “That’s the Way It Is” by Celine Dion and had the audience laughing about the bisexual lighting in the venue.

Up next was Dust Cwaine, a non-binary singer-songwriter and drag artist. Bringing along the River Children band for support, they put on a humorous, bubbly, and nuanced show. Touching upon important topics such as fatphobia, body positivity, and queer identity, Dust Cwaine quickly created a safe and inclusive atmosphere.

They played through 90’s punk-pop influenced tracks including the spiritual “Hearts in Atlantis,” and the dejected “To Be Okay.” Acoustic notes accompanied sturdy vocals and earnest lyrics: “Tell me what it feels like to be okay / tell me what it feels like to love your body.” Dust Cwaine captured the pain of heartbreak with “Seventeen.” They healed and reclaimed inner peace with steady strings and catchy lyrics: “Am I too old to stop believing in destiny / I wasn’t enough but I gave you the best of me.”

Hotel Mira kicked off their setlist with the intense and electrifying “Everything Once.” A song written about the loss of a friend. Charlie Kerr’s voice showcased its unique animation. The band played through recent releases, including the beachy, on edge “Fever Pitch,” the racing, romantic “Eventually,” and the adrenaline-inducing, metallic “Dancing With the Moonlight.” The latter was partly produced at Bays’ Tugboat PI. facility in New Westminster. Clark Grieve’s guitar hooks are razor sharp, and the song gives off a gritty, ELO-esque vibe. Lyrics of discomfort and self-doubt document the inner struggles of chasing your dreams in the Mecca of entertainment: “I’m thinking of changing my name / A private life that I would trade / For blinding lights and an early grave.”

Perfectionism songs featured heavily on the setlist. “Jungle,” a lively and bold tune, benefitted from Cole George’s dynamic drumming. The audience loudly sung its iconic lyrics: “I can’t wait to lose it ‘cause everyone cool is a head case / My mind got polluted by rock stars and suits and a new wave.” Hotel Mira also played sweet and cheery “The Eyes On You,” the epic and cathartic “This Could Be It For Me,” and the reflective, downcast “Speaking Off The Record.” Mike Noble’s reliable, rich bass reinforced raw words: “15 of my closest friends / Walked me right up to the ledge / ‘Everyone loves you,” they said / So why do they leave me for dead.”

Kerr had a beaming stage presence, alternating between snappy movements and gracefully dancing across the stage. He whipped around the mic, tore off his tank top, held the hand of an audience member, and jumped into the crowd on the floor. His genuine interest in building a rapport with the crowd stood out. Kerr asked the audience who experienced a breakup and got everyone to curse the ex-lover out. F*ck you, James!

Older releases played included the fiery and frantic “Ginger Ale,” voltaic “Circulation,” and urgent and passionate “Southern Comforting.” These fan favourites evoked a storied local history.

Fun, playful and authentic, Hotel Mira’s live concert flew by. Seductive synths and punk-rock unleashed vibrant melodies. Charlie Kerr’s stage persona is wildly entertaining–something not to be missed. The night ended with nurtured bonds and musical satisfaction, as anticipation grows for Hotel Mira’s sophomore album.

Written by: Jenna Keeble

[hillzhqs]

(—) ★  SPOTTED!! four new stars being added to hollywood’s walk of fame! congratulations to lydia kennedy, jasper desai, nicolas moreau and carmen molina! you have twenty four hours to send in your account !!

(—) ★ spotted!! LYDIA KENNEDY on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 39 year old looks like MIRANDA KERR, but i don’t really see it. while  the FILM DIRECTOR / REALITY STAR is known for being DILIGENT my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be INFLEXIBLE i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song TOP DOG BY MAGDALENA BAY  {she/her / ciswoman} - penned by elle, 24, ciswoman, she/her (johnny kennedy’s older sister #2 connection)

(—) ★ spotted!! JASPER ‘JAZZ’ DESAI on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 30 year old looks like AVAN JOGIA, but i don’t really see it. while  the PRODUCER / GUITARIST is known for being OBSERVANT my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be PESSIMISTIC i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song MIRRORBALL BY TAYLOR SWIFT  {he/him / cisman} - penned by elle, 24, ciswoman, she/her

(—) ★ spotted!! NICOLÁS 'NIC’ MOREAU on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 26 year old looks like TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET, but i don’t really see it. while  the MODEL is known for being ARTICULATE my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be CARELESS i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song WORST CASE KID BY TOMMY LEFROY  {he/him / cisman} - penned by elle, 24, ciswoman, she/her

(—) ★ spotted!! CARMEN MOLINA on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 30 year old looks like SELENA GOMEZ, but i don’t really see it. while  the REAL ESTATE AGENT / ACTRESS is known for being HUMBLE my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be QUIXOTIC i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song LITTLE FREAK BY HARRY STYLES  {she/her / ciswoman} - penned by elle, 24, ciswoman, she/her

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"...THEN STUDS, SPIKES AND G.B.H. BEGAN TO HEAVILY INFLUENCE US. IT WAS SO ENGLISH, A SYMBOL THAT PROCLAIMED YOU WERE PUNK."

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on the mighty Sothira Pheng, Cambodian-American (entered the country as a political refugee) vocalist/songwriter of the rockin' Bay Area anarcho/hardcore punk band CRUCIFIX, c. 1983-'84.

"By the summer of 1980, the band were coming off the BLACK FLAG California-punk tail. “[BLACK FLAG] hold a spot in my memory as being kings,” Pheng says. “Then studs, spikes and G.B.H. began to heavily influence us. It was so English, a symbol that proclaimed you were punk.”

Tim Kerr of the BIG BOYS recounts, “They were some of the first kids with the G.B.H. liberty spikes and strong hairspray smell. There definitely were bands taking political stances during that time in the U.S., but CRUCIFIX had the British CRASS punks look, so they stood out from the others.”

They weren’t initially well-received. CRUCIFIX would get shit from bands they looked up to, including BLACK FLAG, who once called them EXPLOITED clones. “As kids, you don’t take that lightly,” Pheng says.

“The shows back then were mainly kids between 15 and 22 years old in T-shirts, Vans and Levi’s,” says punk photographer Edward Colver, whose photo of CRUCIFIX is featured in Hardcore California. “CRUCIFIX looked like English street punks. I think that was their initial problem in California. People were like, "What’s up with that?’ "Cause people weren’t doing that at all.""

-- MEDIUM, "Members of Legendary Bay Area Band CRUCIFIX Flash Back With 1984," by Naheed Simjee, June 13, 2014

Dis nightmare still @$*#!&% continues!!

Sources: Flickr, CVLT Nation, Pinterest, Twitter, & https://medium.com/@naheedsimjee/members-of-legendary-bay-area-band-crucifix-flash-back-with-1984-cc863a3f87b3.

[college-girl199328]

Andrew Wiggins missed his sixth straight game for the Warriors on Thursday against the Clippers.

The 28-year-old forward who broke out last season en route to being named an All-Star starter has not suited up for the Warriors since February 13 against the Wizards. Per the Warriors' most recent injury report released on Thursday, Wiggins remains out.

Although their wing stopper is missing, the Warriors are slowly rounding into shape as they eagerly await the returns of several key players.

Draymond Green returned to the lineup on Tuesday against the Trail Blazers after missing two games with a knee contusion. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday that Stephen Curry is targeting a return next week as he continues to work his way back from a lower leg injury. Curry, who scrimmaged earlier this week with the Warriors' G-League team, has not played since early February. Along with Gary Payton II and Andre Iguodala, the Warriors have been playing long stretches without roughly half of their projected playoff rotation.

After playing a starring role in Golden State's run to the 2022 NBA title—Wiggins was arguably the team's second-best player behind Curry—the former No. 1 overall pick has had an up-and-down season.

Before this most recent absence, Wiggins had shuffled in and out of the lineup, missing 20 of the team's first 49 games to start the season. In addition to missing 15 games in December with an adductor strain, he's also missed time for a nagging foot injury and a non-COVID illness.

He's played well when available, averaging 17.1 points per game, playing lockdown defence, and shooting a career-best 39.6 percent from beyond the arc. If the Warriors are going to make a serious run at defending their title, they'll surely need Wiggins.

Wiggins remains away from the team and out of the lineup due to an ongoing personal family matter.

The Warriors initially listed Andrew Wiggins out for the February 14 game against the Clippers, citing personal reasons. Though Steve Kerr confirmed that they expected him back for their first game after the All-Star break on February 23 against the Lakers, Wiggins missed that game and remains away from the team.

Neither the Warriors nor Wiggins provided further specifics about his personal family matter. The Warriors included Wiggins on their injury report on Thursday, listing him out against the Clippers for personal reasons. As reported earlier in the week by The Athletic's Anthony Slater, Wiggins remains away from the team.

Warriors GM Bob Myers joined Bay Area radio on 95.7 The Game on Thursday to shed some light on when he might be back. And while no return is imminent, Myers doesn't expect Wiggins to miss the rest of the season.

"I don't think that's what anybody is planning for; we'll leave that in its own place as the expectation, but what you're asking is: could he remain out for a long, long time? I don't think that's happening. I'm going to leave that alone. Hopefully when he gets back, whatever words he would like to say on it, which I don't think will be much — it's his private life — he will do."

Without Wiggins, Curry, Iguodala (hip), and Payton II (abdomen), the Warriors have managed to stay afloat in a jam-packed Western Conference. They are 33-30 and now in 5th place after moving up two spots following the huge win over the Clippers at home, where they are 26-7. The four-game winning streak has opened up a little breathing room, as they now sit two games clear in the loss column heading into the dreaded play-in game.

The Warriors have a tough slate in March. The next month's schedule includes games against the Clippers (2 times), Bucks, Suns, Mavericks, and Grizzlies (2 times). Following their fourth straight win on Thursday against the Clippers, the Warriors return to action on Friday against the Pelicans in the second game of a back-to-back.

Fans in the U.S. can watch the biggest games of the 2022-23 NBA season on Sling TV, which is now offering HALF OFF your first month! Stream Sling Orange for $20 in your first month to catch all regular-season games on TNT, ESPN, and ABC. For games on NBA TV, subscribe to Sling Orange and Sports Extra for $27.50 in your first month. Local and regional blackout restrictions apply.

Wiggins' return will play a vital factor in whether or not the Warriors can avoid the play-in and potentially secure home court in the first round.

[mixtapes]

Lisa McGill, Rathmullan.

[possiblyimbiassed]

Ships and Cars - The Sign of Code

There have been lots of discussions about code in BBC Sherlock, and the possible metaphorical meaning of different things that appear frequently in the show, such as coffee/tea, water/fire, dogs/cats and many more. This show indeed seems filled with ciphers, code and secret messages. In this meta (X) I tried to decipher the encrypted name of the fishing boat that Sherlock and John hijacked in TFP, when it was called upon from Sherrinford: “Golf-Whisky-X-ray”. 

The Ship coding

At first I thought this was referring to the international spelling alphabet for wireless communication (X, X) where there’s a word for each letter. “GWX” didn’t make much sense to me, though, until I stumbled upon something deeper: ‘Golf’, ‘Whisky’ and ‘X-ray’ are also part of the marine Code of Signals (X) that was established in Britain around 1850. It’s still used by water vessels to communicate important messages regarding safety of navigation and such, and the signals can be sent by, for example, flaghoist, signal lamp or flag semaphore. Conan Doyle worked on a ship at least in 1880 and 1881, so the signals could totally have been known to him already in Victorian times. And since Sherlock and John are on board a boat in TFP, 

I think it’s reasonable to assume that the marine code is the relevant one here. In this signal code, the flags for “Golf”, Whisky” and “Xray” mean the following:

Golf = “I require a pilot.” 

Whiskey = “I require medical assistance.”

”Xray = “Stop carrying out your intentions and watch for my signals.”

Which in other words could be read as:

I need a pilot (a maritime pilot to help me navigate)

I need a doctor

Pay attention to code

But is this use of marine signals something that only appears in BBC Sherlock? Is it Mofftiss’ own idea to use them, or could there possibly be any canon references to them? In the discussion that followed my meta (X)  @frailtyofgenius​ pointed out to me that ACD’s canon actually does mention “Naval signals” in His Last Bow (LAST), which I think might be very significant. And the one who uses the naval signals is Holmes himself.

Continued under the cut, because this is reeeally a long ‘transport’... ;)

So I took to read LAST and realized that there are several ’naval’ references (my bolding) in this story by Conan Doyle. In the beginning, as a romantic landscape framework, we’re told about the surroundings of the German spy Von Bork’s house:

Above, the stars were shining brightly, and below, the lights of the shipping glimmered in the bay.

LAST takes place on the English east cost, near the port of Harwich. The spy Von Bork is chatting with Baron Von Herling, a German diplomat, bragging about the intelligence he’s gathered for his country, and then he shows the Baron the contents of his safe:

And all in four years, Baron. Not such a bad show for the hard-drinking, hard-riding country squire. But the gem of my collection is coming and there is the setting all ready for it.” He pointed to a space over which “Naval Signals” was printed.

But apparently the naval authorities have changed the code: 

“But you have a good dossier there already.” “Out of date and waste paper. The Admiralty in some way got the alarm and every code has been changed.”

So Holmes, posing as the Irish-American spy Altamont, is supposed to bring new ones. I think the real ‘feature of interest’ in this story, however, is the coding that Holmes/Altamont uses in his telegram to the German spy:

“Will come without fail to-night and bring new sparking plugs. ALTAMONT.”

And the conversation between Van Bork and the Baron continues:

“Sparking plugs, eh?” “You see he poses as a motor expert and I keep a full garage. In our code everything likely to come up is named after some spare part. If he talks of a radiator it is a battleship, of an oil pump a cruiser, and so on. Sparking plugs are naval signals.”

So here in ACD canon we’re explicitly told that the spark plugs, the ignition of the car’s engine (which generates an explosion in the engine’s combustion chamber) actually represents code - marine code. And other car references, according to Van Bork, are also marine code. I can’t help wondering if water was actually meant to represent emotions already in canon? ACD canon is packed with references to water: sea, coast, lakes, ponds, rivers and waterfalls but also ships, steamers, boats, submarines and such. Some of the criminals in canon are seamen and the navy is mentioned in some cases. And in two stories (NAVA and BRUC) the ‘naval’ issues contain secrets of national importance. 

I’d love to try to analyse all the water and boat references in ACD canon and see if/how they tie into emotions, but that’s for another meta. :) But what if something similar is done in BBC Sherlock; what if Mofftiss have used not only canon’s water metaphors for emotions but also the same general secret cipher as Holmes used in LAST? But maybe Mofftiss also took the cipher one step further, interpreting anything car-related not as general metaphors for emotions, but specifically as code for sexuality.

In TFP there’s a great explosion at 221B, and next thing we know, Sherlock and John are aboard a fishing boat, which is called upon with naval signals. But there’s actually very few ships in BBC Sherlock (while canon, as mentioned, is full of them); the fishing boat in TFP is one of very few boats in the show. As for seamen, there’s also very few in the show. Except for the fishing father and son in TFP, there’a also Sherlock’s deductions about the unemployed fisherman and his mother in THoB. @sagestreet​ has written an excellent meta suggesting a significant symbolic meaning of ‘fishing’ in this case (X).

In this self-censored post on John’s blog, however, there’s a cruiser mentioned in the title: Tilly Briggs Cruise of Terror. But we never get to know anything about this case; the post is taken down entirely since, according to John, “the ship’s owners are launching an appeal”. 

Why is this post even there, if no one is allowed to read it? Every other blog post from John has some kind of content in it - at least since he met Sherlock. But this one only has a title (and a teaser in the post before: “I'm going to tell you about a couple of the smaller cases we've been involved in. What really happened on the Tilly Briggs pleasure cruise.” (X))  

So the supposed ‘pleasure cruise’ was turned into a ‘cruise of terror’ and then deleted. Maybe it’s just me, but I strongly suspect this is a clue from the show makers telling us that a certain ‘ship’ is not allowed in BBC Sherlock, for ‘legal’ reasons having to do with the ‘owners of the ship’ (ACD Estate). 

Actually, there’s more info than this about the ship even in ACD canon, although it’s scarce. In The Sussex Vampire (SUSS) “Matilda Briggs” is mentioned in a letter to Holmes from the company Morrison, Morrison, and Dodd: 

“As our firm specializes entirely upon the assessment of machinery the matter hardly comes within our purview, and we have therefore recommended Mr. Ferguson to call upon you and lay the matter before you. We have not forgotten your successful action in the case of Matilda Briggs.” 

After Watson has read it, Holmes explains to him (my bolding): 

“Matilda Briggs was not the name of a young woman, Watson,” said Holmes in a reminiscent voice. “It was a ship which is associated with the giant rat of Sumatra, a story for which the world is not yet prepared.” 

If this is an allusion to a possible relationship between Holmes and Watson, indeed the world would not have been ‘prepared’ in Victorian times, since homophobia was prevalent and same-sex couples illegal. 

Source: (X)

Directly after this, while perusing his lexicon for ‘Vampires’ (the actual topic of the letter), Holmes also mentions another ship that was associated with Victor Trevor’s father’s secret past as a mutinous convict:

“Voyage of the Gloria Scott,” he read. “That was a bad business. I have some recollection that you made a record of it, Watson, though I was unable to congratulate you upon the result.”

Indeed this voyage in GLOR was a ‘bad business’; it ended in mutiny and disaster. The ship Gloria Scott exploded and sunk in the Atlantic, and most of the crew and passengers died.

So, not many ships appear in BBC Sherlock. But instead, there’s plenty of cars in the show. What if all these car references actually somehow actually refer to a ship - a very particular ‘shipping’? ;)

The Cars

So, might these cars code for some hidden secrets? And/or is it possible to tie the car references to ’naval code’, as Holmes claims to do in LAST, assuming that naval = water = emotions but also sexuality? 

Returning to canon, please note that Holmes and Watson (both in disguise) arrive in a car to the scene of this story in LAST. This is one of the very few cars that appear in canon, since they weren’t yet very commonly in use by those times. Holmes’ and Watson’s car is modestly described as “a small car” and “a little Ford” (as opposed to Baron Von Herling’s car, which is a huge limo). But at the end of the story, Holmes says about the little Ford: “Start her up, Watson, for it’s time that we were on our way.” And there they go, happily together, with the criminal tied up in the back seat, heading for Scotland Yard. Sweet, isn’t it? :) This is the very last we see of Holmes and Watson in canon. (Unfortunately, I can’t find any illustration of it).

BBC Sherlock, however, is full of cars. So, if we apply this analogy to BBC Sherlock, what car references can we find that could be translated into marine (= emotional) terms? Well, the first thing that comes to mind is the cab, the taxi, which is Sherlock’s preferred means of transport. 

A taxi has a driver, which is the word that the little girl on the plane in TFP uses instead of ‘pilot’. But we don’t see any taxi boats in the show, do we? In the Unaired Pilot, however, the cabbie drives Sherlock home to Baker Street (not to Roland Kerr’s), and there he tries to ‘kill’ him. One could even assume he makes a kind of sexual innuendo when Sherlock is sprawled face-down on the floor and the cabbie says “I could do anything I wanted to you right now, Mr ’olmes.” 

As I explained in my other meta about marine code (X), a marine pilot is someone who leads a ship through dangerous waters. Mofftiss haven’t included any marine pilots in their show, but they do use aircraft pilots, even if they’re not labelled as such: 

But if ‘driver’ should be read as ‘pilot’, then Jeff Hope - a John mirror - in the Unaired Pilot, the ‘driver’ of the show, guides Sherlock home emotionally and sexually, doesn’t he? ;) 

But there’s more about the signals in LAST. This is what the counter-agent Sherlock ‘Altamont’ Holmes says when he arrives at Von Bork’s place:

“You can give me the glad hand to-night, mister,” he cried. “I’m bringing home the bacon at last.” “The signals?” “Same as I said in my cable. Every last one of them, semaphore, lamp code, Marconi – a copy, mind you, not the original. That was too dangerous.”

This seems very similar to Wikipedia’s explanation of the Marine Code of Signals, as I quoted above: apart from flag hoist, the signals can also be transmitted by, for example, flag semaphores, radio communication or signal lamps. We do have radio communication in TFP, when Sherrinford receives the message from the boat ‘golf-whisky-x-ray’. But are there any signal lamps in BBC Sherlock? Yes, in fact there are - and they’re tied to a car! 

A blinking, grinning Peugeot, no less, in THoB. And it’s definitely connected to sex, because that’s what’s happening inside. ;) Even if we’re lead to believe that this isn’t actually code, John does try (unsuccessfully) to decipher the blinking lights from this car as Morse signals and gets “U M Q R A”.

Apparently this code is not referring to the Marine Code of Signals. But @bug-catcher-in-viridian-forest​ has written an excellent meta (X) deciphering the possible code “UMQRA” as meaning “TORCH”, using the Ceasar cipher, which Sherlock refers to on his website (X) in combination with another cipher. In my opinion this does make a lot of sense. John does indeed use a torch to try to decipher this message, and there are also lots of other possible metaphorical meanings of ‘torch’ in the show. 

So I think it would still be wise to pay attention to code, wouldn’t it?

As for Holmes’ quote from LAST above, “a copy, mind you, not the original”, I’d interpret this at Holmes pointing out that these signals can be copied (’mirrored’?) and also that they can vary in type (I imagine that ‘Marconi’ stands for radio transmission (X)). All in all, these naval signals are of national importance in canon, just like the Bruce Partington Plans and the Naval Treaty. And these are all military top-secrets clearly connected to the British navy. At some point in LAST, believing he has won the spy game, the Baron says:“There may be other lights within the week, and the English coast a less tranquil place!” Seems like the East Wind is coming. ;)

But back to the marine codes and cars: in canon (LAST) the car references hide secrets of national importance, connected to Britain’s naval defense, and some of those secrets, in turn, are encrypted with naval signals. That’s double coding, right? Also: the navy defend British waters and water = emotions.

As for cars, there’s a lot more of them in the show, while canon has very few; cars weren’t in use during most of Holmes’ career. I think LAST is the first time that cars appear in ACD canon? And the spare parts that Holmes/Altamont talks about as code in LAST never actually appear in the story, only the Baron’s limo and Holmes’ little Ford, where Watson is the driver.

But in the modern show there’s plenty of cars, of course; they’re literally everywhere. Many people have long ago pointed out that cars represent transport metaphorically, which is how Sherlock views his bodily needs in the unaired Pilot. Which ties in well with the assumption above that cars also represents sexuality, which is related to emotions even if it’s not the same thing.

But let’s also try to decipher the car references with Holmes’s code in LAST in mind, shall we? Where can we find water and/or possible hints about emotions and/or sexuality?

Apart from the taxis, which run like a red thread through the episodes (ASiP, TBB, TGG, ASiB, TRF, HLV, TST), and the abundance of police cars and ambulances, I can think of the following:

Mycroft’s black governmental car which is used to kidnap John in ASiP (and other episodes).

If Mycroft represents Sherlock’s brain, this might be about Sherlock trying to examine and test John with his intellect, to get an idea of who John is and what to expect from him. But this task is driven by his car - bodily needs - and behind them there’s still emotions, if we apply Sherlock’s code in LAST.

The first hostage’s car in TGG, where she is wrapped up in semtex.

This woman is literally trapped inside her car and metaphorically trapped inside her bodily needs, which are threatening to explode (remember Holmes’ ’sparking plugs’ in LAST?) if Sherlock doesn’t solve the puzzle about Carl Powers. And in this screen cap she is literally juxtaposed to Sherlock:

So it seems like Sherlock is now trapped inside his ‘transport’, yes? Still driven by emotions rather than intellect. And he probably sees this as very dangerous.

The finding of The ’dead’ man’s car with (fake) blood in TGG.

This ill-treated transport device (John calls it ”an abandoned sports car” on his blog X) leeds to more cars - Janus cars - and it turns out that the driver - Ian Monkford - isn’t dead; he’s just on ’vacation’ in Colombia (with the real purpose of cashing in his life insurance money). Sherlock figures this puzzle out and the poor fellow wrapped in semtex can breathe out; he’s not going to explode, either physically or emotionally. And no-one is dead in this case, but the driver faked his own death to avoid exposure and get his ‘security’.

The car with a dead body in the boot in ASiB

Licence plate: PYO3 HYN. The dead man in this car was destined for Germany according to his tickets - another ‘vacation’? But he never reached there; his plane crashed but he wasn’t in it, because he was already dead - trapped in his transport a car. Now, this case seems intimately connected with Sherlock in the boot of Mrs Hudson’s Aston Martin in TLD (see below). Except that Sherlock was being transported alive in that boot, but this guy is dead.

The client’s back-firing old SAAB in ASiB

The client stops near a wetland area and a stream because of problems with his engine. The driver - a John mirror? - tries to fix his ‘engine’, but the old car just won’t start. Sherlock analyses this case in his (drugged) Mind Palace together with his libido Irene Adler.

People have pointed out long ago (sorry for not remembering who - was it LSiT?) that the back-firing SAAB engine in the hiker case in ASiB might represent John’s dysfunctional sexlife with women; Sarah in specific and probably their trip to New Zeeland after TGG. (Maybe this is also why Sherlock in TSoT, when John has just been married to Mary, deduces that one of the wedding guests - a doctor - has ‘erectile dysfunction’?)

Irene’s black car in ASiB

Licence plate: SKO8 ZYL. This black car, which has a private driver, is used to transport John to the Battersea station on New Year’s Eve in ASiB. In spite of being in midwinter, Battersea seems to be flooded with water. And this is the place where Irene exposes John’s sexual relationship with (or at least interest in) Sherlock while Sherlock is listening to the conversation from another room, but John declares that “I’m not actually gay”. This car is so similar to Mycroft’s black car (see above) that John thinks this is Mycroft who kidnaps him again. If Irene represents Sherlock’s libido, what does her black car stand for?

Sherlock’s and John’s hired Land Rover in THoB

Licence plate: OEI0 HFK. The Land Rover is a British car, known for its four-wheel drive and vast off-road capacity. Sherlock drives this car to “deepest, darkest Devon” with John in the passenger seat, so it seems like they were prepared for a ‘bumpy ride’. And this car actually has a visible spare part; an extra wheel in case of emergency:

And their journey really became ‘bumpy’ - at least on an emotional level, since they were both dosed with a fear-inducing gas, had a quarrel, and the gay couple who were running the Inn where they were staying took for granted that they were indeed a couple too.

John’s and Mary’s car in HLV and in TST

Licence plate: SP56 LJY, black Audi. Mary is the driver in HLV. (By the way, why has this car the steering wheel to the left, in a country with left-hand traffic?). Here we’re presented with the interesting idea from the billboard that “Information is the power to change 1895″. In HLV we actually do see something like a spare part for this car; John’s tyre lever. ;) (which looks more like some sort of pipe key, if you ask me, but whatever; it’s still a spare part - or at least a ‘tool’ - associated with John’s transport car):

So this would be consistent with Holmes’ cipher in LAST. And this spare part is treated with very sexual overtones in HLV, so I think the influence of Sentiment and Sex is pretty clear here.

Mrs Hudson’s red Aston Martin in TLD

License plate: APIS CXJ. Now, this is a really interesting and beautiful car I think, and it shows its capacity when it goes speeding in TLD. Mrs Hudson has more resources than some people might believe. But John is only allowed to use her sports car - the ultimate symbol of male virility - when he’s off to rescue Sherlock. ;) 

The license plate reads APIS, which I’m sure is a reference to bees and bee keeping, because Apis mellifera is the scientific name of the honey bee. Holmes’ main occupation as retired in ACD canon is bee keeping, which is shown in LAST, where his secret ‘sparking plugs’ turn out to be the Practical Handbook of Bee Culture. ;)) So Holmes stood by his words in his telegram to Van Bork; he did “come without fail to-night” (he came together with Watson) and he did “bring new sparking plugs”. It’s just that the ‘spark’ wasn’t maybe of the sort that Van Bork had expected... 

Anyway, in this scene in TLD, Sherlock is being kidnapped and handcuffed by Mrs Hudson and transported in the boot of that sports car; he’s literally trapped inside the rear end of his transport, which has John as its direct destination. 

Sadly for all of us, however, John refuses to ‘examine this body’, and this is instead done by the John mirror Molly (inside an ambulance), who tells Sherlock that he’s dying and that “it’s not a game”. 

The next time we see this red sports car, however, John is the driver, and he’s using its great capacity as it should be used: to come to Sherlock’s rescue. ;)

Come to think of it, there’s actually at least one more car spare part mentioned in the show, even if it might not be meant as this specific part:

This car has a steering wheel nevertheless, and Sherlock is sitting in the car while saying this. And yes; this show is indeed repetitive when it comes to certain topics. Like ‘transport’, emotions and bodily needs. But I do hope we’ll finally see some new turns on this topic in the next series. ;)

Thanks for your patience in following this marathon meta to its end! Tagging some people who might be interested (please alert me if you don’t want to be tagged):

@raggedyblue​ @ebaeschnbliah​ @gosherlocked​ @sarahthecoat​ @lukessense​ @therealsaintscully​ @thewatsonbeekeepers​ @sagestreet​ @tjlcisthenewsexy​ @thepersianslipper​ @loveismyrevolution​ @shylockgnomes​ @frailtyofgenius​

Screencaps in this meta are in some cases borrowed from this site (X). 

[cadopan]

You know, I really couldn't care less about what Kerr does with her shirt or not. Let's not go round accusing Arsenal twitter of being misogynists for not liking it, though they were being a bit over the top with their disdain. Like, I definitely rolled my eyes when I saw it because I wanted a draw (not just for Arsenal's benefit but because i think Villa deserved it!) but her celebrations have always been loud and dramatic like the ridiculous backflips, whether we like it or not. It's just her football personality 🤷🏽‍♀️

Focusing back on Arsenal, overall, what are your thoughts on how we've been doing?

Right now of course, Chelsea are in the drivers seat to overtake us and win it by a point, and there is nothing we can do about it. They have to make mistakes that we have no control over. We just have to win all our upcoming games and hopefully, we can do so decisively and in good form.

Personally I feel that at the end of the day, even if we lose by that one point, I still see us as having done very well this season. I think we have grown by leaps and bounds in terms of mentality, we've seen players like Beth blossom in confidence and consistency, players like Lia and Cait who started off shakier but upon finding their rhythm or being played in position, doing really well. I think that this season, Viv's an even better player than she always has been because she's a freer player, and I believe the club has made very wise transfers. The quality of the WSL has improved tremendously over the last one or two years so the fact that we are still riding high says something. It's also been a few years since we've been so comfortably certain about UCWL qualification.

The first season with a new manager, major changes in players coming in and out, different playing positions for some, and still we are at number 1? I feel like this is shaping up to be a positive omen for the coming years, and if we can keep injuries at bay, it think we can do even better next season.

PS: what would be an improvement next year is if January 2023 is not shit. Our Januarys are always shit. 🤪

Heylo!

I mean yeah, I'm pretty much the same as you that her shirtless celly doesn't bother me, she can do whatever she wants. I said I was doubtful about the shade towards her having misogynistic undertones (cause I think it was largely just frustration from watching Chelsea rescue themselves), however, the tweet that anon pointed out kinda made sense if you think about it...

I actually think I would love her celebrations if I were a Chelsea/Matildas/Kerr fan, but I can also see how it's extra off-putting if you're none those 😂

Back to us, at the rate we’re going (and how the team seems to be finding their groove more and more each week), I’m feeling confident that we can go and win all our games till the end of season. But like you said, it’s all down to Chelsea up till the point that they make a mistake and if they even do so. 

A mutual pointed out that Chelsea have already dropped as many points as they did all of last season, and doesn’t think they’ll go straight wins in all remaining nine games 👀 While that was news to me, I’m still a little weary... True that many will see Chelsea struggling against Villa as a sign that more unexpected teams can take points off them, but for me it’s down to how long Harder/Kirby/Eriksson are out for. Cause once they’re back, Chelsea look exponentially dangerous again, and it’s the hope that kills you 💀

I definitely agree with your whole paragraph about the massive step-up we’ve had in terms of quality of play and players looking like renewed versions of themselves!! I feel like everyone, including the team, would love to clinch the title within a single season after the revamp (and would be just as bummed if we don’t), but all things considered — I would call it a successful season already. Again as you mentioned, the transfer policy was immaculate from the beginning of the season and it looks like we now have a great group of players that can reach another dimension if given the time to gel and push one another 👍 Personally, the jury is still out on Jonas bc he was completely intolerable when we were self-combusting and the midfield was choking over itself, but he’s seemed to have gotten the players alive and clicking again. I’ll give credit to him for the influence he’s had in training etc (which players mentioned often too) but less so for what I’ve seen of his management during actual matches bc those haven’t particularly impressed so far. 

Oh, and I can’t state enough how much I agree that the WSL is improving by leaps and bounds! The quality of teams (particularly those outside the usual top 4 suspects) have been on a completely different level this year; it actually shocks me how much change a single season can make, because I was nowhere near this impressed whenever I watched these lower-ranked teams last season. And I hate to compliment them but even Spurs, a complete 180 from what they were like last season! They were playing the most dour football and struggling to stay afloat while now they’re challenging for a UWCL spot 👏 Super credit to the investments made in these clubs and the managers for doing respectable jobs. 

p.s. you were mentioning the Januarys, but don’t forget the Decembers. The final month of last year was pretty terrible too 😮‍💨

[thatndginger]

I’m still struggling hard right now trying to do anything with Shapeshifter’s draft, so I’m giving myself a break to write something that is just... fun and silly. Which means I find any reason to write about Shapeshifter’s main trio and the years’ of shenanigans they’ve gotten up to

May I present a moment from ‘That One Time Jay and Kerr Staged an Intervention to get Warrick to Wear Shirts Again’

“It just means that-”

“It means you need to start wearing fucking clothes again,” Kerr said, cutting in. Jay closed her mouth, a relieved glance slid Kerr’s way. He flashed half a smile back.

“What?”

Kerr sighed, a long and exaggerated thing. “Just ‘cause you look good with your shirt off now doesn’t mean you can go around scandalizing all the old geezers in the neighborhood, alright? Half of ‘em think you’ve gone bonkers.”

“So, it’s… not because of the, y’know, scars and all?” Warrick’s shoulders had receded from his ears, but his arms remained steadfastly over his chest.  His expression had stuck somewhere between relief and apprehension.

Jay bit the inside of her cheek to keep the guilt at bay. She’d started it all wrong and worried him. Her apology come in the form of an arm wrapped around Warrick’s waist, her cheek pressed against his shoulder. “Of course not.”

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/2020-nfl-trade-deadline-tracker-kwon-alexander-sent-to-saints-desmond-king-goes-to-titans/

2020 NFL Trade Deadline Tracker: Kwon Alexander sent to Saints, Desmond King goes to Titans

The 2020 NFL trade deadline (Tuesday, Nov. 3) is almost here. The league has already seen a few trade offers accepted, but more are on the horizon. CBS Sports is tracking all of the news and rumors and providing a one-stop shop for readers. The most recent updates are at the top. 

Chargers send DB Desmond King to Titans

Los Angeles is sending Pro Bowl defensive back/kick returner Desmond King to the Titans in exchange for a sixth-round pick, according to NFL Media and ESPN. King, who is in the final year of his deal, has recorded 24 tackles and one sack in six games this season. 

Saints acquire former Pro Bowler Kwon Alexander from 49ers

The New Orleans Saints are sending a conditional fifth-round pick and linebacker Kiko Alonso to San Francisco in exchange for Alexander, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The two teams play each other in Week 10. The Saints are attempting to win at all costs, while 49ers general manager John Lynch was eager to get a big contract off the books. 

These two teams are still in the hunt for their respective divisions. 

CBS Sports insider Jason La Canfora notes that Marvin Jones is the receiver that has been made available by Detroit but questions if Golladay might also be had at the right price. 

“Things have been tense between him and the organization for quite some time; he’s been brooding over not getting a new deal, and that came to a head on Saturday when I’m told he was not at the facility when he should have been,” La Canfora wrote.

Golladay, 26, is in the final year of his rookie contract. He has recorded 20 receptions for 338 yards and two touchdowns while missing two games with an injury. 

Reserve linebacker Robert Spillane has played well post-injury to Bush but Pittsburgh has seen a past without solid linebacker play and it was not pretty. They bolstered their Super Bowl contending roster in the form of veteran LB Avery Williamson. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday night that the AFC team acquired Williamson and a 2020 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick. Williamson goes from the NFL‘s lone win-less team to the lone undefeated team; a reversal of fortunes overnight. 

Williamson has 59 tackles and one interception this season. 

Saints steadfast in claim that Michael Thomas is unavailable

The potential availability of New Orleans wide receiver Michael Thomas is a rumor that has gained steam in recent weeks for whatever reason. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport says that the team has no intention of moving the star wide receiver despite punching a teammate in practice leading up to a Week 5 contest against Chargers. 

A trade of Thomas would leave New Orleans with a dead cap hit of $27 million in 2020. The number dips down to $14 million following the 2022 season. 

Bengals’ Carlos Dunlap sent to Seattle

The Seahawks acquired disgruntled edge rusher Carlos Dunlap from Cincinnati Wednesday in exchange for offensive lineman B.J. Finney and a 2021 seventh-round draft pick, according to SI.com’s Albert Breer. Dunlap has vocalized his unhappiness by posting the team’s defensive rotations and promoting the sale of his home on Twitter and more. Dunlap has 18 tackles, one sack and two pass deflections this season. 

The Bengals may not be done at the deadline. There are a few other veterans that could be on the move. There is more on that story below. ESPN’s Adam Caplan also notes that the Seahawks may not be done acquiring pass rush help. 

Ten trades that can aid contenders in a Super Bowl run 

CBS Sports’ Patrik Walker mocked up ten trades that could help contenders make a Super Bowl run. Is it possible that the Patriots could be buyers and sellers ahead of the Nov. 3 deadline? Walker has the Patriots moving a big-time player while also adding a brand name wide receiver. 

Not every team is a contender though and the deadline could still be interesting for lower-tier teams. CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin explored one trade that each team should make in the coming days. 

Everson Griffen dealt to Lions in exchange for pick

It did not take long for Dallas to find a viable suitor for edge rusher Everson Griffen. On Tuesday, it was learned that Detroit was acquiring the former Viking in exchange for a conditional 2021 sixth-round draft pick. He is due to receive roughly half of his $6 million salary from the Lions. League COVID-19 protocols prevent Griffen from playing this weekend so his first action with his new team will come Nov. 8 against … Minnesota. 

Miami has turned the keys to the castle over to rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa but that does not mean the AFC East contender is prepared to give up on their season nor recently demoted second string quarterback. Head coach Brian Flores states that the team has no intention of trading Ryan Fitzpatrick. 

The veteran led the Dolphins to a 3-3 record and second place within the division. 

Shopping list for three NFL teams

The CBS Sports team has been compiling needs for multiple teams across the NFL. Rather than reading a generic list of players available, indulge in a more team-centric approach:

Cleveland Browns Las Vegas Raiders New England Patriots New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles Washington Football Team

Players that could be available at the deadline

CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin constructed a position-by-position list of 75 players that could be on the move ahead of the Nov. 3 trade deadline. Some of the notable names include Saints quarterback Jameis Winston, Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, Texans edge rusher J.J. Watt and Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore. For the full list, check out CBSSports.com. 

Cowboys make DE Everson Griffen, DT Dontari Poe available

CBS Sports’ Patrik Walker confirmed that Griffen and Poe have been made available to other teams in a potential trade scenario. Griffen signed a one-year, $6 million deal with Dallas prior to the season and would be owed roughly half. CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan notes that the 32-year-old has played 56.43% of Dallas’ defensive snaps and totaled 20 tackles, six quarterback hits, and 2.5 sacks. CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin laid out five potential destinations for Griffen with Seattle being the most likely. 

Poe signed a two-year deal worth $8.5 million, but there is a reasonable out in the contract after this season. It is less likely that he is moved at the deadline. 

Ten trades that should happen before the Nov. 3 deadline

CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin proposed ten trades that would be win-win situations for both teams involved. What would A.J. Green look like on the Packers? It may not cost as much as you might think. Read the explanation behind that trade:

“At this point, why shouldn’t Green Bay take a swing, even if it eventually means losing Green in 2021 free agency and hoping for a compensatory pick? Aaron Rodgers has done very well operating with just Davante Adams and/or Allen Lazard, but with the latter hurt and No. 12 clearly positioned to take the Packers on another run, he deserves the gamble,” Benjamin wrote.

Romeo Crennel attempts to assure Texans they won’t be traded

The Texans are off to an unexpected 1-6 start to the season. Bill O’Brien has been fired in favor of veteran coach Romeo Crennel. Crennel, who likely has little authority over personnel decisions as an interim head coach, attempted to reassure his players that they will not be traded. 

“So, with this situation the way it is, I think that it might be more on their mind this year than it would be any other year. I’ve talked to them and tried to reassure them that I’m not looking to trade guys, but human nature is human nature.”

CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora believes it is time for a fire sale in Houston. The team has struggled with the likes of edge rusher Whitney Mercilus, J.J. Watt and others. If the team is going to be bad anyway, they might as well re-coup some of the picks flushed down the drain by O’Brien. 

Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap attempts to sell house on Twitter

There has been no mincing of words in regard to Dunlap’s frustration. He has posted the team’s edge rush rotations on social media and is now attempting to sell his house on Twitter. The message is clear: trade me. CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr wrote about the veteran’s frustration upon being demoted. 

In addition to Dunlap, defensive tackle Geno Atkins, wide receiver A.J. Green, wide receiver John Ross and cornerback William Jackson could also be on the move. CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin explored potential destinations for each of the disgruntled AFC North talents. The Bills were a staple. 

Atlanta has already pressed the reset button on their leadership structure with head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff being shown the door. The mindset will not trickle down to the players, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who notes that the team has no intention of trading Ryan or Jones. 

The Falcons have gone 25-30 since that fateful 28-3 collapse against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI. 

Patriots searching for receiver help again

New England drafted N’Keal Harry in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and traded a second round pick for Mohamed Sanu. Neither has been the answer that the team had hoped. The Patriots are still alive within the AFC East but the outlook grows more bleak with each passing week. The team’s upcoming game against Buffalo could determine whether they are buyers or sellers by Nov. 3. As it stands, Bill Belichick is exploring options on the wide receiver trade market, according to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. Two of the team’s top five receptions leaders are running backs. Draft tight ends Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene have a combined one reception. 

Texans expected to trade at least one receiver, other veterans

CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora has reported that the Texans are a popular team in trade conversations. The organization’s sluggish start and obvious eyes to the future have potential playoff contenders scouring their roster. La Canfora states rival executives believe Houston will trade at least one receiver, Will Fuller, Brandin Cooks and Kenny Stills, by the deadline. They are also gauging the market on edge rusher Whitney Mercilus, who has three years left on a four-year, $54 million deal signed in May of 2015. 

Running back Duke Johnson and tight end Darren Fells are other names that have drawn consideration. 

Vikings looking to shed cap space, rival GMs aren’t eager 

Minnesota has made a series of poor salary cap decisions leading up to the ultimate errors: re-signing Anthony Barr after he attempted to leave for New York and doubling down on Kirk Cousins. Now, they find themselves in a position to discard players because their season has not gone as expected and they are up against the salary cap wall. 

The team has already traded edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue but more moves could be on the way. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora had the following to say about the team’s activity: “Multiple executives who have been in contact with the Vikings believe the team is eager to move several more high-priced veterans who likely do not fit into the team’s long-term plans.”

The names most often mentioned are safety Harrison Smith, left tackle Riley Reiff, safety Anthony Harris, tight end Kyle Rudolph and wide receiver Adam Thielen. 

Bengals more engaged in trade talks than the previous year

Defensive tackle Geno Atkins, cornerback William Jackson, wide receiver A.J. Green, wide receiver John Ross and edge rusher Carlos Dunlap have all made it clear that they are open to a change of scenery, according to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. The Bengals were very unwilling to trade veterans last season — an absolute mistake, says the writer continually beating a dead horse — but La Canfora notes that NFL executives are “detecting a vibe that is not quite as trade-averse” in Cincinnati.   

Giants trade Markus Golden to Arizona in exchange for draft pick

On Oct. 23, the Giants agreed to trade outside linebacker Markus Golden to the Cardinals in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick. Golden, who actually began his career in Arizona, had just 1.5 sacks in seven games with the Giants this season. It was a priority to bolster the pass rush following the loss of Chandler Jones for the season. 

Philadelphia and Julie Ertz’s husband have been at odds over his contract for some time. The matters were only exacerbated by new deals for Travis Kelce and George Kittle this offseason. Ertz was recently placed on injured reserve, which means that he can not be traded. SI’s Albert Breer reported that the team attempted to trade the player before placing him on said IR. Prior to the injury, he had recorded 24 receptions for 178 yards and one touchdown. 

Breer added that wide receiver Alshon Jeffery is also on the trade block, but it is difficult to fathom anyone would want to take on that contract in relation to his limited production. 

Minnesota trades Yannick Ngakoue to Baltimore for draft picks

Less than two months after acquiring the pass rusher from Jacksonville, Minnesota shipped Yannick Ngakoue to the east coast in exchange for a package of draft picks less than they initially traded to the Jaguars. The Maryland native, who has recorded five sacks this season, is headed home in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 fifth-round pick. 

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta hinted that the Ravens may not be done making moves. The acquisition of Ngakoue is clearly a move to slow down Patrick Mahomes, who is sometimes flustered by heavy pass rush, and the Chiefs offense. CBS Sports’ Patrik Walker graded the trade acknowledging that Baltimore fleeced their trade partner. 

New York traded Willis and a 2021 seventh-round pick to the 49ers in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick. The capital gain is marginal at best but general manager Joe Douglas is cleaning house in the Big Apple. I explored some of the other Jets players that could find interest in their services at the trade deadline. 

New York trades Steve McLendon to Tampa Bay 

The Jets sent the defensive tackle and a 2023 seventh-round pick to the Buccaneers in exchange for a 2022 sixth-round pick. Tampa Bay had recently lost Vita Vea to an injury for the season.

It was later revealed that McLendon played for the Jets after finding out about his trade to the Buccaneers. A car was waiting for him after the game and he immediately drove to Tampa. 

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[iluxia]

I think it was @starthistle who asked this question a few days ago & I was trying to answer but the damn connection in the morgue was abysmal and now I lost the ask in the tunnels of Tumblr somewhere, so here, I'll just make a post! :D

It's hard to say what exactly inspired Catalysis as a whole; only, my co-creators and I are "let's do what hasn't been done before!" type of writers, and at the time nobody had attempted something like Catalysis' premise (Trisha lives) that we knew of (and we read quite a lot). We also love AUs (if that wasn't already evident) and always itch to address issues we have with canon when we can, so Catalysis' conception was fairly organic. The overarching plot was actually drafted out in something like 74hrs (minimal sleep), I think. This was back when we were in undergrad and didn't have to work so hard for good grades. (Ah, the good ol' days...)

As far as smaller, thematic inspirations, Catalysis draws from a lot. The music we listen to (jazz, classical), the places we visit (Europe), the things we study (neuroscience, law, politics, history), and the books we read all weigh heavily into the fic. A few titles, if you're interested:

48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

Man in the High Castle by Philip Dick

Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

A Little History of the World by EH Gombrich

Empress by Shan Sa

A Philosophical Investigation by Philip Kerr

The Age of Orphans by Laleh Khadivi

The Philosophical Detective by Bruce Hartman

I can only think of two scenes in Catalysis that are based on real life experiences: Ed's automail attachment scenes at the beginning and Elysia's birth. I've of course assisted with live births before, although always in the hospital's controlled environment; Elysia's birth circumstances are (to me) absolutely terrifying. All the things that could go wrong! And then Ed's automail scene is roughly based on that time I had to do an emergent fasciotomy on a patient suffering severe compartment syndrome (Google it) on their leg which was at risk for limb loss. It was a trauma case that took forever to get to us & I couldn't wait for the anesthetics/sedation to kick in; his screams shook the whole trauma bay. An approximation, but the closest I could think of.

I hope that answers your questions, I'm more than happy to answer more so ask away! :)

[right-where-the-lines-overlap]

Hey guys,

So I went at all 14 parishes, for the first time in 2019. Most of my touring was for work, I worked with a research lab for a while. However, I did go touristing for fun.  Here’s a recap:

St. Thomas

I went to St.Thomas several times in 2019 primarily for the beach.

St.Thomas

St. Thomas actually has a nice beach that isn’t too popular and it’s pretty easy to get to. Besides the last time I went, the water was beautiful. To get to the beach, I’d have to take a Morant Bay coaster from Downtown for $250 then take a Lysson taxi from Morant Bay town centre to Lysson’s beach for $100. To get into the beach it’s $300, it was $250 earlier this year and if you’re a UWI student it’s free but you’d have to get the pass from SAS before going there. Read more about that here: 5 Things You Can Do With Your UWI ID. 

This is a beach in St.Thomas. It cost $700 JMD from downtown to get there and go back.

You’re allowed to carry food on the beach and that’s usually what I opt for but there is a cookshop directly beside it you can opt for. For a reasonable $2000 or less I could pay for transportation, access to the beach and food.

Me at Lysson Beach in September.

Portland

Portland is my all-time favourite parish, I hope I can live here in the future. I went twice in 2019 for different reasons.

The first time was for work. I was working side by side with the vector control team for one day for research purposes. Since I was working, I didn’t really get to explore but I did go to a new place which was Snow Hill. I bought lunch from a roadside shack selling Jerk Chicken and festival. It cost under $500 and it was really good.

Port Antonio

I asked some school girls to take my picture after a long day of work.

The second time, I went on a road trip with some friends. I did way more exploring here because, well, I had the time to. I spent maybe around $2500 on transportation, access to the beaches and food. My first stop was the Folly Ruins.

Posing in front of graffiti at Folly Ruins

This was free to explore. You can read more about the story behind the Folly Ruins here.

The next place I went to was Blue Lagoon, this was also a free option. I’m not that great of a swimmer so I didn’t venture off into the approximately 200ft lagoon.

Blue Lagoon, Portland Photo by: K.S

  After Blue Lagoon we went to Winnifred beach, it was my first time there and I absolutely loved it. The water was literally transparent. There was somewhere to buy food but I was saving my money for Boston jerk pork. There was also no cover charge but they asked that you contribute any amount. I did, maybe about $200.

Winnifred Beach

After Winnifred Beach we went to Boston Beach. It was my second time there. This time I decided to try the jerk pork and I fell in love. I don’t remember how much I paid for it, maybe around $600 for the quarter and I paid for some festivals. They gave and charged me for an extra one I didn’t ask for but I can’t get mad in Portland. It wasn’t enough pork but I got what I paid for, next time I’ll stop being cheap and buy more. While I’m not 100 per cent sure of the cost for everything, I know for a fact I spent less than $1000 though. To get into Boston beach, I believe was $200 JMD.

Boston beach

  St Mary

I never stopped and did anything in St.Mary in 2019 except drive through but I was there so it counts. In 2018 I went to Hamilton Mountain and the surrounding environs to help with vector control activities and lab work.

St.Ann

I went to St.Ann once in 2019 for work. I was helping with training at Shaw Park. Food and transportation was covered by the company of course so I only paid my regular fare to go home from work after we got back to Kingston. I did charter a taxi to get to the lab at 6am though but that wasn’t from my pockets either. Everything would have totalled $900.

Little photoshoot at the end of the day

I drove through St.Ann another time but that was also for work.

Trelawny

I went here for the first time. We stopped at a gas station right across the road from the sea. Really excited to come back here and find hidden gems. No one really speaks about Trelawny and what it has to offer but I’ll be figuring that out in 2020.

St. James

2019 was also the first time I went to St. James. I went maybe three times, all for work. It was also the first time I went to Montego Bay and as a Kingstonian, I think Mobay looks much better than Kingston.

Only picture I took in St.James

Transportation was covered by the company, I spent maybe $500 on some food when I was in Mobay.

Hanover 

I spent a whole lot of time in Hanover, okay I spent maybe 3 days but it was a lot of time to me. It was the first time going to Hanover and yes guys, it’s real and it’s beautiful. Hanover reminds me so much of Portland with its beauty. I went here for work and so transportation was paid for.

some interesting plants i found on the job

I wish I was able to explore the parish more but I only went from the hospital in Lucea to Cacoon Castle to help with vector control and gather things for research.

This was the view from the hospital and no this photo was not edited

We stopped for gas so I ran across the road to take a photo with the sea.

Westmoreland

I also spent a lot of time in Westmoreland for work. I mostly stayed in Negril but went to a couple other more rural places to collect data. When it rains over in the west, it pours. I learnt how to walk on steep surfaces in the pouring rain and not slide on swampy lands. Of course, transportation was paid for but I did spend some money on a box food and Popeyes in Savanna La Mar. All of that would have been maybe $1000 total.

We stayed in a quaint little resort across the road from the beach.

Pure Garden Resorts where I stayed. They’re very reasonable.

After work, I’d go over there for dinner. They’re not cheap, I bought some fried chicken strips and fries for maybe $700. I liked it so I got it the next time I was there and drank water. I save a lot of money just drinking water. The company would have helped with some of the cost of food on these trips though.

Burbon Beach

I liked Bourbon beach, not just because there was no entry free but the sunset was beautiful.

St. Elizabeth

I went to St.Elizabeth both for work and fun. While we mostly drove through St.Elizabeth I did get stranded outside Santa Cruz. Driving through St. Elizabeth to get to the rest of the west for work was always the most tiring part of the journey. It felt never ending.

A very blurry picture of me outside the “Welcome to St. Elizabeth” sign

Right at the border of Westmoreland and St.Elizabeth, you can get seafood or you can go up the road to Middle Quarter for shrimp. You’d spend no more than $1000. I spent nothing because I brought snacks and protected my pocket, even though I was travelling that time for work.

I also went to St. Elizabeth for a wedding. It was right outside Treasure Beach. I was tagging along with my mom so of course, I didn’t have to worry about transportation.

Treasure beach

It was a wedding so food and drink were covered of course.

Manchester

I spent quite a bit of time in Manchester, primarily Mandeville and Porus. This was again for work and so transportation and food was primarily taken care of. I had fun walking up the steep hills and steps in Porus and Mandeville, it was a good work out.

Clarendon

Clarendon was mostly a drive through parish for me this year but I did stop at the Juici Patties in Toll Gates a couple times for a cheese patty.

St. Catherine 

St. Catherine was another drive through parish for me. Hopefully I can explore this parish more this year.

St. Andrew

This is where I spent most of my time. I attended workshops, award ceremonies, movies, anything. You can read about it here:

I Went Out For Restaurant Week Alone and This is What Happened

A Review of Pizza Please’s Jerk Pork Alfredo Pasta

Back on the Rack Review

Review of the Healthy Hair and Beauty Expo

My Experience Attending She Speaks; A Necessary Safe Space for Women’s Voices

Review of the “Securing the Bag” Millennial Mixer

I did touristy things too like go to Devon House and explore Gordon Town for the first time.

When it comes to St.Andrew, I get most of my fun from exploring restaurants. I went to South Avenue Grill for the first time 2019 for my solo birthday dinner.

Always looking for new experiences and restaurants in this parish. St. Andrew touring isn’t really considered travelling per say so I’ll leave the budget out of this one. I should mention that I got a free movie pass from work, entry to some workshops for free and free food so I still saved money.

Kingston

Ironically, Kingston was parish 14 even though I’m so near to it. I did a couple things in Kingston like boarding the coaster to go to another parish, attending an art festival, attend workshops like

 What You Need to Know About Investment from the Adulting 101 Conference

Takeaways from the Adulting 101 Conference

What You Need to Know About IPOs

Fare to go to Kingston and get home is capped at $200 and I didn’t pay for any of the events I went to.

My favourite thing about Kingston 2019 was seeing Waterfront and the Art festival. I sampled all sorts of wine from ackee wine, to sorrel wine and passion fruit wine.

Posing with Melisa Kerr’s art Downtown

Well, there you have it, a brief synopsis of what I did in all 14 parishes this year. I didn’t spend much out of pocket which was primarily because of the nature of my job. There are ways to cheaply tour Jamaica, the places I did go for fun didn’t break the bank either. I find that carrying food cuts down on the cost. You just have to do some planning. You can check out: How to Travel in Jamaica on a Budget

How I Toured the Island in 2019 Without Breaking the Bank Hey guys, So I went at all 14 parishes, for the first time in 2019. Most of my touring was for work, I worked with a research lab for a while.

[xhxhxhx]

Herman Khan, The Emerging Japanese Superstate (1970):

[The] Japanese are something between the West, with its general Faustian attitudes and concept of "dominion over land and animal," and China, India, and many primitive cultures, which usually try to fit man into the environment in a natural, noncoercive, and nondisturbing manner. The Japanese are somewhat willing to make changes in the environment and to assert their will and fulfill their objectives, but they tend to do so less grossly, less starkly, and with greater moderation, care, and even love for the environment than is characteristic of the root-and- branch restructuring common in Western tradition.

Alex Kerr, Dogs and Demons (2001):

Writers on Japan today mostly concern themselves with its banks and export manufacturing. But in the greater scheme of things, for a wealthy nation does it really matter so much if its GNP drops a few percentage points or the banks falter for a few years? The Tang dynasty poet Du Fu wrote, “Though the nation perishes, the mountains and rivers remain.” Long before Japan had banks, there existed a green archipelago of a thousand islands, where clear mountain springs tumbled over mossy stones and waves crashed along coves and peninsulas lined with fantastic rocks. Such were the themes treasured in haiku, bonsai and flower arrangements, screen paintings, tea ceremony, and Zen – that is, everything that defined Japan's traditional culture. Reverence for the land lies at the very core of Shintoism, the native religion, which holds that Japan's mountains, rivers, and trees are sacred, the dwelling place of gods. So in taking stock of where Japan is today, it is good to set economics aside for a moment and take a look at the land itself.

When we do, we see this: Japan has become arguably the world's ugliest country. To readers who know Japan from tourist brochures that feature Kyoto's temples and Mount Fuji, that may seem a surprising, even preposterous assertion. But those who live or travel here see the reality: the native forest cover has been clear-cut and replaced by industrial cedar, rivers are dammed and the seashore lined with cement, hills have been leveled to provide gravel fill for bays and harbors, mountains are honeycombed with destructive and useless roads, and rural villages have been submerged in a sea of industrial waste.

Similar observations can be made about many other modern nations, of course. But what is happening in Japan far surpasses anything attempted in the rest of the world. We are seeing something genuinely different here. The nation prospers, but the mountains and rivers are in mortal danger, and in their fate lies a story-one that heretofore has been almost entirely passed over by the foreign media.

H. P. Lovecraft, describing a creepy New England hamlet doomed to be the setting for one of his horror stories, would say, “On viewing such a scene, who can resist an unutterable thrill of ghastliness?” For a modern traveler seeking something of that Lovecraftian thrill, nothing would do better than a trip to Japan's countryside.

During the past fifty-five years of its great economic growth, Japan has drastically altered its natural environment in ways that are almost unimaginable to someone who has not traveled here. In the spring of 1996, the Japan Society invited Robert MacNeil, the retired co-anchor of The MacNeil/Lehrer News-Hour, for a month's stay in Japan. Later, in a speech presented at the Japan Society in New York, MacNeil said that he was “confused” about what he saw, “dismayed by the unrelieved banality of the [800-kilometer] stretch from Hiroshima to Tokyo, the formless, brutal, utilitarian jumble, unplanned, with tunnels easier on the eyes.”

Across the nation, men and women are at work reshaping the landscape. Work crews transform tiny streams just a meter across into deep chutes slicing through slabs of concrete ten meters wide and more. Builders of small mountain roads dynamite entire hillsides. Civil engineers channel rivers into U-shaped concrete casings that do away not only with the rivers' banks but with their beds. The River Bureau has dammed or diverted all but three of Japan's 113 major rivers. The contrast with other advanced industrial nations is stark. Aware of the high environmental cost, the United States has decided in principle not to build any more dams, and has even started removing many that the Army Corps of Engineers constructed years ago. Since 1990 more than 70 major dams have fallen across America, and dozens more are scheduled to be dismantled. Meanwhile, Japan's Construction Ministry plans to add 500 new dams to the more than 2,800 that have already been built.

To see at close hand how the construction frenzy affects one small mountain village, let us take a short journey to Iya Valley, a picturesque fastness of canyons and peaks in the center of the southern island of Shikoku. When I bought an old thatch-roofed farmhouse in Iya in 1971, people considered this region so remote that they called it the Tibet of Japan. Villagers subsisted on crops such as buckwheat and tobacco, as well as forestry.

Over the next twenty-five years, young people fled Iya for the prosperous cities, and local agriculture collapsed. With its dramatic landscape and a romantic history going back to the civil wars of the twelfth century, Iya had a golden opportunity to revive its local economy with tourism and resorts in the 1980s. Yet in a pattern that repeats itself in countless regions across Japan, Iya failed to develop this potential. The reason was that the village suddenly found itself awash with cash: money that flowed from building dams and roads, paid for by a national policy to prop up rural economies by subsidizing civil-engineering works. Beginning in the 1960s, a tidal wave of construction money crashed over Iya, sweeping away every other industry. By 1997, my neighbors had all become construction workers.

Most foreigners and even many Japanese harbor a pleasing fantasy of life in the Japanese village. While driving past quaint farmhouses or perusing lovely photographs of rice paddies, it's tempting to imagine what bucolic country life must be: oneness with the seasons, the yearly round of planting and harvesting, and so forth. However, when you actually live in the countryside you soon learn that the uniform of the Japanese farmer is no longer a straw raincoat and a hoe but a hard hat and a cement shovel. In 1972, for example, my neighbor Mrs. Оto farmed tea, potatoes, corn, cucumbers, and mulberry for silkworms. In 2000, her fields lie fallow as she dons her hard hat every day to commute by van to construction sites, where her job is to scrape aluminum molds for concrete used to build retaining walls. In Iya Valley, it makes no sense to ask someone, “What line of work are you in?” Everyone lives off doboku, “construction.”

More than 90 percent of all the money flowing into Iya now comes from road- and dam-building projects funded by the Construction, Transport, and Agriculture ministries. This means that no environmental initiative can possibly make headway, for Iya has become addicted to dams and roads. Stop building them, and Mrs. Оtо and most of the other villagers are out of work. Without the daily pouring of concrete, the village dies.

The most remarkable paradox is that Iya doesn't need these roads and dams; it builds them only because it must spend the construction subsidies or lose the money. After decades of building to no particular purpose, the legacy is visible everywhere, with hardly a single hillside standing free of giant slabs of cement built to prevent “landslide damage,” even though many of these are located miles from any human habitation. Forestry roads honeycomb the mountains, though the forestry industry collapsed thirty years ago. Concrete embankments line Iya River and most of its tributaries, whose beds run dry a large part of the year because of the numerous dams siphoning water to electric power plants. The future? Although traffic is so sparse in Iya that in some places spiderwebs grow across the roads, the prefectural government devoted the 1990s to blasting a highway right through the cliffs lining the upper half of the valley, concreting over the few scenic corners that are left.

If this is what happened to the ���Tibet of Japan,” one can well imagine the fate that has befallen more accessible rural areas. To support the construction industry, the government annually pours hundreds of billions of dollars into civil-engineering projects-dams, seashore- and river-erosion control, flood control, road building, and the like. Dozens of government agencies owe their existence solely to thinking up new ways of sculpting the earth. Planned spending on public works for the decade 1995-2005 will come to an astronomical ¥630 trillion (about $6.2 trillion), three to four times more than what the United States, with twenty times the land area and more than double the population, will spend on public construction in the same period. In this respect, Japan has become a huge social-welfare state, channeling hundreds of billions of dollars through public works to low-skilled workers every year.

It is not only the rivers and valleys that have suffered. The seaside reveals the greatest tragedy: by 1993, 55 percent of the entire coast of Japan had been lined with cement slabs and giant concrete tetrapods. An article in a December 1994 issue of the popular weekly Shukan Post illustrated a ravaged coastline in Okinawa, commenting, “The seashore has hardened into concrete, and the scenery of unending gray tetrapods piled on top of one another is what you can see everywhere in Japan. It has changed into something irritating and ordinary. When you look at this seashore, you can't tell whether it is the coast of Shonan, the coast of Chiba, or the coast of Okinawa.”

Tetrapods may be an unfamiliar word to readers who have not visited Japan and seen them lined up by the hundreds along bays and beaches. They look like oversize jacks with four concrete legs, some weighing as much as fifty tons. Tetrapods, which are supposed to retard beach erosion, are big business. So profitable are they to bureaucrats that three different ministries – of Transport, of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, and of Construction – annually spend ¥500 billion each, sprinkling tetrapods along the coast, like three giants throwing jacks, with the shore as their playing board. These projects are mostly unnecessary or worse than unnecessary. It turns out that wave action on tetrapods wears the sand away faster and causes greater erosion than would be the case if the beaches had been left alone.

It took some decades for this lesson to sink in, but in the 1980s American states, beginning with Maine, began one by one to prohibit the hard stabilization of the shoreline; in 1988, South Carolina mandated not only a halt to new construction but removal of all existing armoring within forty years. In Japan, however, armoring of the seacoasts is increasing. It's a dynamic we shall observe in many different fields: destructive policies put in motion in the 1950s and 1960s are like unstoppable tanks, moving forward regardless of expense, damage, or need. By the end of the century, the 55 percent of shoreline that had been encased in concrete had risen to 60 percent or more. That means hundreds of miles more of shoreline destroyed. Nobody in their right mind can honestly believe that Japan's seacoasts began eroding so fast and so suddenly that the government needed to cement over 60 percent of them. Obviously, something has gone wrong.

[bongaboi]

Toronto Raptors: 2018-19 NBA Champions

Raptors capture first NBA title, beat Warriors in Game 6 By JANIE McCAULEY | AP Sports Writer

Jun. 14, 2019 1:11 AM ET

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Kawhi Leonard raised his arms high in triumph and celebrated Canada's first NBA championship.

''We the North!'' is now ''We the Champs!''

Leonard and the Toronto Raptors captured the country's first major title in 26 years with their most remarkable road win yet in the franchise's NBA Finals debut, outlasting the battered and depleted two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors 114-110 on Thursday night in a Game 6 for the ages.

''I wanted to make history here. That's what I did,'' a soaking wet Leonard said, ski goggles perched on his forehead and sporting a fresh black champions hat.

Stephen Curry missed a contested 3-pointer in the waning moments before Golden State called a timeout it didn't have, giving Leonard a technical free throw with 0.9 seconds left to seal it. Leonard, the NBA Finals MVP for a second time, then got behind Andre Iguodala for a layup as the buzzer sounded, but it went to review and the basket was called off before Leonard's two free throws. That only delayed the celebration for a moment.

When it actually ended, the typically stoic Leonard could let it all out. A Canadian team - and we're not talking hockey here - stood on top of one of the traditional major sports leagues for the first time since the Toronto Blue Jays won the 1993 World Series.

Serge Ibaka pulled his head up through the hoop by the Golden State bench as the crowd chanted ''Warriors! Warriors!'' after a sensational send-off at Oracle Arena.

Curry walked away slowly, hands on his head on a night Splash Brother Klay Thompson suffered a left knee injury and departed with 30 points.

Fred VanVleet rescued the Raptors down the stretch with his dazzling shooting from deep to score 22 points with five 3s off the bench, while Leonard wound up with 22 points. Kyle Lowry scored the game's first eight points and finished with 26 in all to go with 10 assists and seven rebounds.

Fans poured into the streets in Toronto, screaming and honking horns after the Raptors pulled off a third straight win on Golden State's home floor that said goodbye to NBA basketball after 47 seasons. And the Raptors did it with the very kind of depth that helped define Golden State's transformation into a dynasty the past five seasons.

This time, the Warriors were wounded.

Golden State already was down two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant, who had surgery Wednesday for a ruptured right Achilles tendon. Then, the Warriors lost Thompson - and they couldn't overcome just one more heartbreaking injury.

''A lot of bad breaks in the finals, to be honest,'' Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. ''Like us, they kept on playing. We just had to keep on playing no matter who was out there. And I think they were super intense high-level games and both teams desperately trying to win.''

This thrilling back-and-forth game featured 18 lead changes, nine ties and neither team going ahead by more than nine points.

Curry scored 21 points but shot just 6 for 17 and went 3 of 11 on 3s. Iguodala added 22 for his biggest game this postseason as the Warriors did everything until the very last moment to leave a lasting legacy at Oracle.

Thompson provided his own dramatic memory. He injured his knee when fouled by Danny Green on a drive at the 2:22 mark of the third, was helped off the court and walked partially down a tunnel toward the locker room, then - shockingly - re-emerged to shoot his free throws before going out again at 2:19. He didn't return and left the arena on crutches.

''More than the what-ifs is just feeling bad for the players involved. Injuries are always part of the NBA season - any professional sport, injuries play a huge role,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. ''It's just the nature of these injuries, the severity of these injuries. And we'll know more about Klay. But we can sit here and say, well, if this hadn't happened or that hadn't happened, that doesn't matter. What matters is Kevin Durant is going to miss next season with an Achilles tear and Klay suffered a knee injury.''

In their best Bay Area version of Jurassic Park - Toronto's jam-packed gathering spot to cheer the Raptors - hundreds of red-clad fans stayed long after the game ended to watch the Larry O'Brien trophy ceremony. They waved the Maple Leaf and sang ''O Canada'' just as they did here after winning previously this series.

Lowry's hot start was almost fitting. It was the Toronto guard who got shoved on the sideline in Game 3 by Warriors minority owner Mark Stevens, now banned by the league and team for a year.

The Raptors, in their 24th season of existence, rallied from two games down to beat the Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals then took down the mighty Warriors on their home floor to deny Golden State a three-peat.

The Raptors went 8 for 32 on 3s in a 106-105 Game 5 defeat as the Warriors staved off elimination Monday in Toronto. They started 5 of 6 from long range in this one and finished 13 of 33 and converted 23 of 29 free throws.

Curry and these Warriors never, ever count themselves out. Yet down 3-1 in their fifth straight NBA Finals, they didn't have the health it took to win the past two titles and three of the past four against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

''This five-year run's been awesome but I definitely don't think it's over,'' Curry said.

TIP-INS

Raptors: Leonard scored 732 points this postseason and on Thursday passed Allen Iverson (723) for fourth place and Hakeem Olajuwon (725) for third on the NBA's single-postseason scoring list. James is second with 748 accomplished last year behind Michael Jordan's 759 points in 1992. ... Toronto 9-16 all-time at Oracle Arena but 4-0 overall this season.

Warriors: Thompson's 374 career postseason 3s passed James (370) for third place on the career playoff list, trailing only Curry (470) and Ray Allen (385). ... Thompson notched his second 30-point performance this postseason, 13th of his career and fourth in a finals game despite not playing the entire fourth quarter.

FOR OAKLAND

A gold rally towel read FOR OAK on one line and LAND on the next with the K and D lined up in white - a clever way to also pay tribute to Durant with his initials ''KD.''

Kerr narrated a pregame tribute to Oracle's legacy on the big screen.

In the 2,070th game at Oracle, the Warriors sold out their 343rd consecutive game and said farewell at last to the place they called home nearly five decades. Now, Golden State will move its games, practices and day-to-day operations to new Chase Center in San Francisco beginning next season.