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coffee-n-bagels-comic-universe · 1 year ago

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Neutralised (1994) [3/?]: My Version of The Shared Universe

For those of you unfamiliar with 'Chicago Hope', it was actually set in a shared universe. Also, 'Suspiciously Similar' characters will be involved (Due to actors playing multiple roles). This is my take on that:

Shows:

Chicago Hope

Homicide: Life on the Street

Law & Order

Neutralised

Picket Fences

characters (I'm not listing anyone who was in 20 episodes or less) under the cut. Also technically these are not all the characters as I'm still writing stuff.

Chicago Hope - Characters (& Actors):

Doctor Aaron Shutt (Adam Arkin)

Doctor Phillip Watters (Hector Elizondo)

Doctor William 'Billy' Kronk (Peter Berg)

Doctor Dennis Hancock (Vlondie Curtis-Hall)

Doctor Diane Grad (Jayne Brook)

Doctor Keith Wilkes (Rocky Carroll)

Doctor Jack McNeil (Mark Harmon)

Doctor Daniel Nyland (Thomas Gibson)

Doctor Jeffrey Geiger (Mandy Patinkin)

Nurse Camille Shutt (Roxanne Hart)

Doctor Lisa Catera (Stacy Edwards)

Alan Birch (Peter MacNicol)

Doctor Joseph Cacaci (Bob Bancroft)

Doctor Robert Yeats (Eric Stoltz)

Doctor Gina Simon (Carla Gugino)

Doctor Jeremy Hanlon (Lauren Holly)

Doctor Francesca Alberghetti (Barbara Hershey)

Homicide: Life on the Street - Characters (& Actors)

Detective John Munch (Richard Belzer)

Detective Meldrick Lewis (Clark Johnson)

Lieutenant Alphonse Giardello (Yaphet Kotto)

Detective Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor)

Detective Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher)

Detective / Sergeant Kay Howard (Melissa Leo)

Detective Mike Kellerman (Reed Diamond)

Officer/Detective/Lieutenant Stuart Gharty (Peter Gerety)

Detective Paul Falsone (Jon Seda)

Lieutenant/Captain/Detective Megan Russert (Isabella Hofman)

Detective Laura Ballard (Callie Thorne)

Detective Terri Stivers (Toni Lewis)

Captain/Colonel George Barnfather (Clayton LeBouef)

ASA Ed Danvers (Željko Ivanek)

J.H.Brodie (Max Perlich)

Detective Beau Felton (Daniel Baldwin)

Detective Stanley Bolander (Ned Beatty)

Dr Julianna Cox (Michelle Forbes)

FBT Agent/Officer Mike Giardello (Giancario Esposito)

Detective Rene Sheppard (Michael Michele)

Dr. Alyssa Dyer (Harlee McBride)

Detective/Captain Roger Gaffney (Walt MacPherson)

Law & Order - Characters (& Actors)

Sergeant Maxwell Greevey (George Dzundza)

Junior Detective Michael Logan (Chris Noth)

Captain Donald Cragen (Dann Florek)

Exex ADA Benjamin Stone (Michael Moriarty)

ADA Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks)

DA Adam Schiff (Steven Hill)

Sergeant Philip Cerreta (Paul Sorvino)

Dr Elizabeth Olivet (Carolyn McCormic)

Senior Detective Leonard W Briscoe (Jerry Orbach)

Lieutenant Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson)

ADA Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy)

Exec ADA/DA John McCoy (Sam Waterston)

Junior Detective Reynaldo Curtis (Benjamin Bratt)

ADA Jamie Ross (Carey Lowell)

ADA Abigail Carmichael (Angie Harmon)

Junior/Senior Detective Edward Green (Jesse L. Martin)

Interim DA Nora Lewin (Dianne Wiest)

ADA Serena Southerlyn (Elisabeth Röhm)

DA Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson)

Neutralised - Characters (& Actors)

Abraham Machado (Alfred Molina)

Andreina Neri (Robin Wright)

Caleb Willow (Cary Elwes)

Dove Lewis (Alfre Woodard)

Esmé Verity (Janaeane Garofalo)

Faustus Sanchez (Hank Azaria)

Grayson Bryant (Harold Perrineau)

Hunter Kingsley (Chris Farley)

Ichabod Mortimer (Danny DeVito)

Jared Foster (Kirk Acevedo)

Kane Carter (Philip Seymour Hoffman)

Lance Carter (John Goodman)

Monday Duke (Patricia Arquette)

Noam Gold (Oliver Platt)

Omega Finch (Willem Dafoe)

Peyton Blythe (Regina King)

Russel Warszawski (Adam Sandler)

Sullivan Landon (Christopher Lloyd)

Tuesday Duke (Reese Witherspoon)

Victor Jamison (Mike Myers)

Winslow Warszawski (Brad Garrett)

Xavier Solomon (David Spade)

Yancy Haggard (Kiefer Sutherland)

Zoey Knight (Geena Davis)

OZ - Characters (& Actors)

Augustus Hill (Harold Perrineau)

Tobias Beecher (Lee Tergesen)

Ryan O'Reily (Dean Winters)

Kareem Saïd / Goodson Truman (Eamonn Walker)

Miguel Alvarez (Kirk Acevedo)

Vernon Schillinger (J.K. Simmons)

Simon Adebisi (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje)

Christopher Keller (Christopher Meloni)

Zahir Arif (Granville Adams)

Hamid Khan (Ernie Hudson Jr.)

Nacim Bismilla (Re Hanna)

Huseni Mershah / James Monroe Madison (Roger Guenvuer Smith)

Leroy Tidd / Salah Udeen (Jacues Smith)

Jefferson Keane (Leon)

Kenny Wangler (J.D. Williams)

Arnold 'Poet' Jackson (muMs the Schemer)

Paul Markstrom (O.L. Duke)

Junior Pierce (Malé-Lexington Alexander)

Malcolm 'Snake' Coyle (Treach)

Johnny Post (Tim McAdams)

James Robson (R.E. Rodgers)

Mark Mack (Leif Riddell)

Jaz Hoyt (Evan Seinfeld)

Scott Ross (Stephen Gevedon)

Andrew Schillinger (Frederick Koehler)

Nino Schibetta (Tony Schibetta)

Peter Schibetta (Eddie Malavarca)

Antonio Nappa (Mark Margolis)

Chucky Pancamo (Chuck Zito)

Dino Ortolani (Jon Seda)

Don Zanghi (John Palumbo)

Joey D'Angelo (Goodfella Mike G)

Mario Seggio (Todd Etelson)

Salvatore DeSanto (Phil Campanella)

Raoul 'El Cid' Hernandez (Luis Guzman)

Carmen 'Chico' Guerra (Otto Sanchez)

Carlos Martinez (Carlos Leon)

Carlo Ricardo (Juan Carlos Hernandez)

Cyril O'Reily (Scott William Winters)

Rev. Jeremiah Cloutier (Luke Perry)

Timmy Kirk (Sean Dugan)

Alonzo Torquemada (Bobby Cannavale)

Richie Hanlon (Jordan Lage)

Shirley Bellinger (Kathryn Erbe)

Bob Rebadow (George Morfogen)

Agamemnin Busmalis (Tom Mardirosian)

Donald Groves (Sean Whitesell)

Jackson Vahue (Rick Fox)

Desmond Mobay / John Basil (Lance Reddick)

Richard L'Italien (Eric Roberts)

Nikolai Stanislofsky (Phillip Casnoff)

William Giles (Austin Pendleton)

Henry Stanton (Thomas G. Waites)

Colonel Edward Galson (John Doman)

Eli Zabitz (David Johansen)

Kipekemie Jara (Zakes Mokae)

Dean Alvah Case (Charles S. Dutton)

Sean Murphy (Robert Clohessy)

Claire Howell (Kristin Rohde)

Diane Wittlesey (Edie Falco)

Clayton Hughes (Seth Gilliam)

Karl Metzger (Bill Fagerbakke)

Eddie Hunt (Murphy Guyer)

Lenny Burrano (Skipp Sudduth)

Father Ray Mukada (B.D Wong)

Doctor Gloria Nathan (Lauren Veldez)

Governor James Devlin (Željko Ivanek)

Martin Querns (Reg E. Cathey)

Doctor Frederick Garvey (Milo O'Shea)

Warden Leo Glynn (Ernie Hudson)

Tim McManus (Terry Kinney)

Sister Peter Marie Reimondo (Rita Moreno)

Picket Fences - Characters (& Actors)

Sheriff James 'Jimmy' Brock (Tom Skerritt)

Doctor Jill Brock (Kathy Baker)

Kimberly Brock (Holly Marie Combs)

Matthew Brock (Justin Shenkarow)

Zachary 'Zach' Brock (Adam Wylie)

Deputy Kenny Lacos (Costas Mandylor)

Deputy Maxine 'Max' Stewart (Lauren Holly)

Carter Pike (Kelly Connell)

Ginny Weedon (Zelda Rubinstein)

Douglas Wambaugh (Fyvush Finkel)

Judge Henry Bone (Ray Walston)

DA John Littleton (Don Cheadle)

DA Barnaby Wood (Peter Frechette)

ADA Petrovic (Jason Beghe)

Father Gary Barrett (Roy Dotrice)

Laurie Bey (Marlee Matlin)

Howard Buss (Robert Cornthwaite)

Doctor Joanna 'Joey' Diamond (Amy Aquino)

Lisa Fenn (Alexandra Lee)

Frank (David Proval)

Rachel Harris (Leigh Taylor-Young)

Ed Lawson (Richard Masur)

Peter Lebeck (Michael Jeter)

Milton Lebeck (Chris Owen)

Reverend Henry Novotny (Dabbs Greer)

Principal Michael Oslo (Roy Brocksmith)

Cynthia Parks (Elisabeth Moss)

Bill Pugen (Michael Keenan)

Lydia Brock (Cristine Rose)

Aiesha Campbell (Bruklin Harris)

Brian Latham (Gregory Vignolle)

Agent Donald Morrell (Sam Anderson)

#original character #original characters #original writing #original series #Neutralised #chicago hope #homicide life on the street #law & order #oz #hbo oz #picket fences #shared universe #very long post #alfred molina #tagging only alfred because i hope the molina girlies like bram

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jbuffyangel · 7 years ago

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Crossing Lines: Arrow 6x14 Review (Collision Course)

Am I supposed to agree with the Newbies at some point? Am I supposed to be more conflicted over this OTA versus Newbies Civil War? Cause I'm not.

Let's dig in...

Original Team Arrow versus Newbies

Someone pointed out to me, in the midst of all my snarky tweets about the newbies, I have a bias and it's disgusting. Horror of horrors.

Of course, I have a bias. This is an Olicity blog and I worship at the altar of John Diggle (re: see blog name). My bias is plastered everywhere. I'm not reporting fact based news. This is my opinion and it is framed by the things I like and don't like (re: see my pretty banner). I am super okay with my bias and hopefully everyone reading these reviews are too! If not, I'm sure there's someone out there who agrees with the newbies.

Somewhere. Moving on.

Cayden James is dead and Oliver thinks that's pretty shady because it is. There's no time to investigate because Star City is missing $70 million and Oliver would really like to pay the electric bill. Anyone else think it's a little odd Star City is on the verge of financial shut down because of $70 million? Isn't it supposed to be like Seattle or something? I'm not saying $70 million wouldn't put a hitch in Seattle's giddy up. I just feel like they should be able to absorb it better. Whatever. Government finance ain't my thing - other than giving them exorbitant amounts of our paychecks every week only to be charged MORE when we file our taxes.

I miss the days when Oliver was a billionaire. He could just cut Star City a check and bake cookies with Felicity and William. Yeah, that's right. FELICITY AND WILLIAM BAKED COOKIES.

Source: oliverfelicitygifs

This ranks high in the domesticated adorable scale. To be fair, I think William baked the cookies and Felicity did the science, math and physics part, but it was still cuter than all the cute in the world.

I love this gif. This man is stupid in love and is so happy to raise William with Felicity. Remember the days when Oliver thought he’d die alone? Now he’s all heart eyes over cookies.

Source: oliverxfelicity

Felicity rocks her hacker goddess skills and gets Oliver the Corto Maltese security video, which shows the person who stole the money:

Source: katie-mcgraths

Bl*ck S*ren. My kingdom for Arrow to burn that wig. I thought she had a bullet wound? When did she have time to go to Corto Maltese? You know what? Never mind. Best not to spend more time than necessary on her.

Of course, Dinah finds out Evil L*urel has all the money and we're off to the races. Oliver is adamant Dinah should not kill BS.

Remember when Oliver used to break people's necks? Six years later, plus extensive morality lessons from John Diggle, an intelligent, beautiful and light inspiring woman to go schmoopy for, and an impressionable son has turned Oliver Queen into a freaking Care Bear. Tender Heart if you want to be specific.

"I don't trust you to do the right thing."

To his credit, Oliver states he's the last person to lecture anyone about murder, but he's not going to dwell on the obvious. Oliver is the only one who can kill people. Everyone else is a hard nope. Is Oliver being a hypocrite? Yes and no. Yes, because his policy on killing is harder to nail down than Jell-O. (He only kills when necessary and only if the Big Bad is super evil. I think?)

No, because Oliver has killed and knows what it can do to a person.

In many ways, Oliver is the best person to speak about the consequences of murder.

Source: jamescarstairs

Settle down, honey. This isn't Quentin you are talking to. Oliver barely acknowledged L*urel when she was alive. He is certainly not blind with "the feels" over her evil doppelganger. Oliver just wants to pay the water bill.

Dinah: If you are going to threaten me Oliver, you better be damn sure you can deliver.

Honestly, it's like the noobs have amnesia because they act like they don't know Oliver Queen.

Of course he can deliver, but sure snowflake throw the gauntlet. Noobs versus Team Arrow, Round 349,834.

Source: gothsmoak

Apparently, it is Dinah's first day out of the academy because she leaves a bloody shoe print in the alley where BS was shot. You are a lieutenant Dinah. Didn't anyone teach you how to control a crime scene? Lord, this is like working with Barry Allen right now.

The footprint leads OTA to believe Dinah took BS. They break into the newbies bunker, and by break in I mean walk in with the lights shut off, which leads to the trading of words. Fightin' ones.

Dinah: Since when is our word not enough?

Part of this newbie amnesia thing means they forgot everything that's happened since 6x09. Everything from 6x09-6x14 is the reason why your word is not enough, Dinah. Can brain cells start to fire please? Be smarter noobs.

Rene throws Vincent's death in Oliver's face and Diggle rightfully points out if these impertinent toddlers listened to them in the first place Vincent might still be alive.

Source: herostairss

Curtis flips his shiznit over Felicity hacking their system to search for Bl*ck S*ren's heat signature. Is there anything that doesn't get Curtis' undies in a twizzle these days?

Oliver: She's tracked all of you because we needed to know if one of you broke our trust. One of you did.

Ya hear that amnesia boy? THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! REMEMBER? Suck it Rene. Oliver says all of this in his growly Arrow voice, which makes it so much better. Don't ask me why. Growly Arrow voice makes everything better.

Dinah: You have already punished Rene for that mistake.

Rene is still testifying right? Can we get some clarification on that, show? I maintain kicking Rene off Team Arrow hardly equates to Rene sending Oliver up the river for life without the parole.

Dinah: You know it's just too bad he doesn't look like L*urel L*nce because if he did you would probably forgive him for murder!

Solid burn Dinah. I got nothing.

Curtis starts shrieking about OTA breaking into their bunker and finally annoys Felicity enough to tell him to shut his trap. GLORIOUS.

One of the reasons it's hard to be interested in the remaining villains is because the noobs seem to be campaigning for Big Bad. Rene adopts a fairly nefarious tone and talks smack about William. Man, Damien Darhk wasn't even that low.

Rene: Oliver wants to fight because that's how he solves his problems. That doesn't make you a hero. It makes you a thug. It's a real shame because he's going to feel so betrayed when he figures it out. You know who I'm talking about don't you hoss? William.

It's a little difficult to stomach Rene lecturing Oliver about fighting and parenting. This is the same man who left his daughter in foster care, so he could kill people like Damien Darhk just like the Green Arrow. Alright, his reasons were slightly more noble, but that's the basic gist.

Rene getting up in Oliver's face is all a ruse to plant a bug on him, which is also hard to believe. Felicity needs to wear the red dress for that to happen.

The newbies over hear OTA's conversation with Quentin, Thea and BS.Oliver agrees to help Bl*ck S*ren get out of the country in exchange for the $70 million. The only thing I agree with the newbies on is Bl*ck S*ren will never give the money back.

OTA ditches the bug and this is where things really escalate. Curtis says he can track OTA to Bl*ck S*ren's location if he uses the chip in Diggle's arm.

It's going to hurt Diggle A LOT if he does.

Rene is almost gleeful when he says, "You act like that's a deal breaker hoss. That guy is the whole reason I got shot." It's difficult to determine if Rene knows Curtis is talking about physical pain. Rene immediately drew a comparison to his physical pain (i.e. bullet wound). However, Dinah tells Curtis not to worry about John's feelings. Dinah's reference implies Rene was merely speaking about emotional pain, but that could have been her misinterpretation. The waters are murky for sure.

What is not murky is Dinah's response when Curtis clarifies he's talking about physical pain. She doesn't hesitate, not even for a second, when she tells Curtis to find OTA. Perhaps, Dinah feels morally justified in her quest to kill Bl*ck S*ren. Perhaps, she even feels morally justified to hurt John physically because his lies about his injury put everyone on the team at risk. Rene was wounded after all.

However, John didn't make his choice with the intent to physically harm his fellow team members. He convinced himself that his presence as Green Arrow saved more lives than it cost. Rene's injury was a terrible consequence of John's poor choices, but it was not one he made deliberately.

The newbies are making a deliberate choice. They have full knowledge Diggle will be hurt, even severely. They know John will be unable to defend himself in the field. There are no questions. No what ifs, buts or maybes. The newbies know exactly what will happen.

Furthermore, their intent is clearly based on vengeance. Rene wants revenge for his gunshot wound. Dinah wants to kill Bl*ck S*ren as revenge for Vince. These are not noble pursuits filled with good intention. Rene is actually laughing about Diggle and gleefully congratulating Curtis on a job well done as they drive to the cabin, "I pity those fools now."

The juxtaposition between the two teams and their conversations prior to battle is quite telling. Dinah tells her team not to hold back. If they do then they will get hurt.

Source: gothsmoak

Whereas Diggle worries about the cost of OTA's plan. Bl*ck S*ren avoids capture and they end up hurting the people who used to be their friends. Oliver counters with his own philosophical question, "Would John be asking these questions if the people coming after them didn't look like Rene, Curtis and Dinah?" Of course not, but John also adds, "But I have to wonder would we be doing this if the person they were after didn't look like L*urel?"

It's really not about that for Oliver, which he will make clear in a minute, but what matters is Diggle is the only one arguing caution. And that's after the newbies deliberately hurt him. Diggle tells Oliver they may cross a line they can't take back. Dinah tells Rene and Curtis to cross the line and not look back. It's a stark contrast between the teams. It's also very difficult to side with the newbies when OTA are the only ones debating morality.

The decision is already made for Oliver. He agrees with John they are about to cross a line they can't take back, but the newbies crossed it first. They crossed it the minute they deliberately hurt John. You do not mess with Oliver Queen's first wife. He will defend bae no matter the cost.

However, I don't think Oliver is only speaking about John. Rene's betrayal cut to the core for Oliver. He brought Rene into the fold, trained and trusted him. The newbies may feel they were treated "differently," but Oliver made himself vulnerable to Rene, Curtis and Dinah. He trusted them with his biggest secret. Oliver put his life into their hands and not just out in the field. They each have the power to take Oliver from the people he loves (Felicity and William). This is exactly what Rene did. His betrayal is as much a threat to Oliver's life as the newbies messing with Diggle's chip.

Oliver even gave Rene a second chance and he still left him high and dry. Curtis and Dinah had their own reasons for leaving the team, but they also sided with Rene. Neither of them have told Rene what he did to Oliver was wrong. In fact, Curtis defended it. They are complicit in the betrayal in that sense. If Dinah and Curtis can morally square outing Oliver Queen as Green Arrow to a prosecutor then how does Oliver trust them again?

And no, the threat of losing his daughter does not justify taking Oliver from his son. There were other options Rene chose to ignore - like telling Oliver and asking for help. Even if it did justify it, Rene should respect a natural consequence of choosing Zoe is forfeiting Team Arrow. But he didn't. Instead, Rene believed his choice should be consequence free. He acts like a toddler whose favorite toy was taken away.

Of course, Dinah, Curtis and Rene have their own list of betrayals. Most of which I find inferior to the betrayal that kicked off this civil war. We have to remember how we got here, because it's important.

Source: oliverxfelicity

Felicity is furious Curtis hurt John and is ready to kick his ass. Oliver should have let her go. Mr. Terrific would have been on the ground in less than a minute. Unlike him, Felicity can throw a punch.

Curtis only lasts in the fight for as long as he did because of the T-spheres. The same T-spheres anyone can operate, which continues to bolster my why-do-we- need-Curtis-in-the-field argument.

Source: dmichellewrites

The T-spheres ultimately don't matter. Oliver puts him down hard. Next?

Oliver knocks Rene down and warns him to stay down. Rene refuses and picks up an AX. Yes, an ax.

Rene takes Dinah's instructions not to hold back to heart and swings at Oliver with all his might.

I ask everyone to consider the bodily harm Rene would have inflicted on Oliver if any one of those swings landed. The injury would be bloody, severe, awful and very likely life threatening.

Source: olivergifs

Oliver defends himself. Plain and simple. He kicks Rene hard in the chest and sends him flying into a tree. This unintentionally reopens Rene's wound and he's rushed to the hospital. Rene's injury is life threatening, which requires recuperating off screen for while. This is fine by me. I need a looooong Rene Ramirez break. Perhaps a permanent one.

Curtis convinces Dinah not to kill BS by waxing poetic about how they formed a new team to be better than Oliver Queen. ARE THE WRITERS REALLY EXPECTING US TO BUY THIS?

All the noobs have done is bitch about OTA, pitch hissy fits, act like hypocrites and try to kill BS. But sure kids, you are really living in the light.

Diggle and Felicity go to the hospital to check on Rene, while Oliver wisely stays behind. Oliver knows his presence will only create a more volatile scene. He does tell Diggle and Felicity to pass along his apologies.

Source: gothsmoak

Curtis and Dinah believe Diggle and Felicity have lost the right to ask about Rene. They are done with them FOREVER. Lord, if only it were true.

Let's run it down:

Rene was injured in a fight the newbies started with OTA.

Oliver warned Rene to stay down and he refused.

Rene escalated the fight to life and death by swinging an ax and Oliver defended himself.

Diggle and Felicity show concern for Rene and check on him, even though Curtis deliberately hurt Diggle's arm, Dinah hit an unarmed man with her staff, Rene almost shot Felicity and tried to kill Oliver.

The newbies tell Diggle and Curtis they don't have the right to ask how Rene is doing while Rene was gleeful over hurting John.

The newbies tell Diggle and Felicity, once again, this is all their fault despite Rene's betrayal being the catalyst for this entire conflict.

Oliver actually feels guilty about hurting Rene. He is sorry it came to that and Rene is in the hospital. I'm not hearing a lot of sorry from the newbies over hurting Diggle,

Source: gothsmoak

shooting at Felicity, Quentin and Thea

Source: gothsmoak

and swinging an ax at Oliver. And yes, I know Felicity jumped in front of Rene’s gun. By why did she do that? To stop Rene from shooting at an unarmed Thea and Quentin. This woman, who was paralyzed from a gun shot wound, threw herself in front of a bullet to protect her family. She has more courage, honor, loyalty and selflessness in her pinky finger than Rene does in his entire body.

Nor were the newbies debating the morality of crossing the line. They simply acted without remorse, believing the ends justified the means, and then blamed everyone else but themselves. It's getting difficult to tell the difference between the newbies and the villains.

Quentin Lance, Bl*ck S*ren and Thea Queen

Quentin has taken an extended vacation to Crazy Town, is keeping Evil L*urel in some cabin and is lying badly about it. Quentin used to be captain of the police department. That has to require some undercover work. You'd think he'd be better at lying, but nope! What's worse is Oliver's Spidey sense doesn't tingle. It says to me he's really preoccupied with this stolen money cutting into his son's tutoring time. This cuts into his sexy time with the wife by default. (Sure would be nice to actually SEE the sexy times.) Stick with me folks! I can always connect it back to Olicity sex.

Quentin pulls out the photo album (JUST PUT IT DOWN MAN AND STEP AWAY)

and blah blah blahs to Evil L*urel about redemption. Yawn. Quentin lays all of Bl*ck S*ren's evil firmly on the dead father trope. Not everything a woman does relates to a man issue, show. Sometimes we just do stuff because we want to and it has nothing to do with the presence or absence of a man in our life.

Quentin doubles down on the "It's Not Evil L*urel's Fault" psychoanalysis and states, "My guess is that it's been a long time since you had a chance to decide what you want your life to be."

Really? REALLY? I’m drunk-Scott-Moir-yelling-about-Canadian-hockey annoyed. It's called free will Quentin and Bl*ck S*ren had it since the day she was born. There are plenty of people who grow up without a father who don't turn into serial killers. Bl*ck S*ren has been CHOOSING her life for a long time now. Bad things happening to you is not a free pass to do bad things to others.

Thea's Spidey senses does tingle (she really needs to be Mayor) and she follows Quentin to this remote cabin he owns. She placates Quentin and all his crazy, which is just beyond irritating. Can someone please tell this man he has gone round the bend?

The only moderately enjoyable aspect of these cabin scenes was KC going all in with the camp. Her over the top villain reactions felt like a suitable balance to the lunacy of this Quentin Lance storyline.

Quentin offers to leave the country with Bl*ck S*ren. He's going to open up a little shop with her in Barbados, make straw hats together and save her soul. WHATEVER DUDE.

Seeing as how Quentin's character is in shambles, I am in favor of this plan. Ship both Quentin and Bl*ck S*ren off and we can get back to a Lance free show.

Oliver believes Bl*ck S*ren will keep the money and she will kill Quentin the moment she is out of the country. It's good to see our lead still has some sense. But Oliver chooses to go along with Bl*ck S*ren's plan because he believes in Quentin. I don't think Oliver believes Quentin's plan will work, but he wants to show Lance the trust and loyalty he deserves.

Oliver and Quentin's relationship has been rocky no doubt, but in the end they forged something based on mutual respect and dare I say love.

Quentin was prepared to go to prison for Oliver once. Oliver cannot take the little hope Quentin has left. No matter how ill advised. Is it a huge risk? YES, but Quentin eventually set aside all he knew about Oliver and chose to believe in him. Oliver is simply offering the same belief in return. He isn't choosing Bl*ck S*ren. Oliver is choosing Quentin Lance.

If you give Oliver loyalty and trust, then you will receive the same in return. Your problems are his problems. It's the piece of him the newbies never understood - particularly Rene.

The line of the episode, of course, has to be what Oliver says to Bl*ck S*ren:

Source: olivergifs

HAHAHA!!!!!!!! I cackled. I cackled in an evil way.

There is no love lost between Oliver and BS. He has his head screwed on straight. L*urel is dead and BS is not L*urel. Instead, BS is an annoyance Oliver wants out of his face. To be fair, this is how he used to treat L*urel when she was alive, but he's just more forceful about it with BS.

It's like the writers know exactly how we feel about BS and gift us with these scenes so we can abuse the gifs.

In all my days, I've never seen a show throw shade on a character they created more than Arrow does with LL/BS. Things that make you go hmmm.

Quentin admits how badly he screwed up. Thea reassures Quentin he loves BS in the only way it matters - through the eyes of a father. It's a clunky line, but she's not arguing BS is dead L*urel. Thea is simply saying what Quentin feels for BS is beyond reason

and biology. It's similar to the way Thea could never quite untangle herself from Malcolm Merlyn. Or how Malcolm Merlyn could rationalize every evil thing he did in the name of loving Thea. Or how Robert Queen loved Thea as his own even though he knew, biologically, she was not. Thea is over identifying a little too much, but since her days on Arrow are probably numbered I’m going allow her some wiggle room. At least she learned something about fathers and daughters in the midst of all her daddy drama over the years.

Love is often unexplainable and it certainly isn't bound by biology. It doesn't make Quentin's actions rationale, healthy or right. He is merely acting from gut instinct, a love printed into his DNA, for a woman who wears the face of his daughter but is absolutely nothing like his daughter. The thin connection of hot sour soup notwithstanding.

"I know how much we all wish she was like the L*urel that we lost. She's not."

This line from Oliver does feel like a final verdict (God willing) on Bl*ck S*ren's redemption.

Quentin believed in Bl*ck S*ren time and time again. Time and time again, Bl*ck S*ren chose evil. There comes a point when unconditional love meets free will. Quentin's love for Bl*ck S*ren, no matter how irrational or misguided, doesn't change the fact that she rejects it. I don't believe unconditional love requires we be okay with everything a person does. You can disagree and demand better from someone while still loving them. At a certain point, Quentin has to accept the choices Bl*ck S*ren makes. His love doesn't go away, but it doesn't change who BS is. Quentin is in the enabling BS. Hopefully, we move to tough love next.

Rather than redeem BS, Arrow doubles down on the evil and we end "Collison Course" with BS pretending to be dead LL.

Source: katie-mcgraths

Now THIS is a storyline I can get behind. This sounds fun.

I am not here for more "Let's redeem kuku-for-cocoa-puffs" and dragging Quentin & Thea down with her. Also, there's no better way to snap Quentin out of his "She's L*urel" delusions than to have BS mess with memory of his L*urel and try to steal her life.

In a way it's giving LL fans what they crave. They want BS to be redeemed and to assume dead L*urel's life. So, it's like LL didn't die at all. It's still wonky logic because the two women are different people, but whatever. Arrow is delivering on that wish fulfillment, but with a twist. It will be Bl*ck S*ren pretending to be dead LL, which will continue to highlight how different these women are and hijinks will ensue.

I believe "Collision Course" presents a cross in the road. A definitive point where BS could have gone right, but instead went left. She could have chosen to be good and return the money, but instead she becomes an imposter. Quentin very clearly offers a path in which BS can be redeemed, living somewhere tropical as father and daughter, but BS goes another way. Oliver's line to BS is foreshadowing, which why there's emphasis on the shot.

Source: olivergifs

What's the end goal here? I think there's one of three options. 1) Quentin dies and it's finally the trigger for Bl*ck S*ren’s redemption. She leaves town to lead a good life somewhere on a different Earth, but never to be heard from again (Oliver's wish). 2) Quentin and L*urel leave town together as planned in 6x14. 3) L*urel continues to be a villain and wreak havoc in a similar way Malcolm Merlyn did.

None of these options equate to BS becoming good L&urel, joining the team and being BC again. One, they have a Bl*ck C*nary on the team. Two, it lands Arrow back to square one with a character they exhausted and were done with. And three, a villain is the only way to make the character different. The minute BS chooses another path then I think she hits the road just like "Collision Course" laid out.

Stray Thoughts

They never treated you like equals Curtis because you weren't equals. Everything in your behavior now proves that.

Curtis' hologram image of BS was baaad. The show doesn't want to spend more money on this character than absolutely necessary.

I love Juliana Harkavy, but something about her performance was just off putting tonight. She needs to scale it back a little.

The fire department and the teacher's union were super snotty about the $70 mill. It's like they want to put out fires and teach children. Calm down folks.

Curtis taught Felicity to hack something? Give me a freaking break. Oliver's magical powers in Season 4 were easier to buy than that.

OTA was back in the van, which always gives me Season 2 nostalgia.

Dinah also doesn't know how to tail someone because she was 30 feet behind Diggle's bumper.

"I found something that can bury Queen." The new DA works for Dragon and what he has to bury Oliver is Roy. Roy confessed to being the Arrow and is supposed to be dead. If Roy is alive then it's all a lie and the new DA can convict Oliver of being both the Arrow and Green Arrow.

Is it ever up to the newbies to save the city? No. You serve a supporting role in saving the city at best. Get a grip.

Next week is Roooooooooy. Give me all the Theroy. I need to snuggle Colton Haynes.

Disclaimer: Any gifs on the blog are not mine. If you would like a gif removed from my reviews, please message me. 6x14 gifs credited.

#arrow #original team arrow #OTA #arrow 6x14 #arrow reviews #anti newbies #john diggle #felicity smoak #oliver queen #anti rene ramirez #anti dinah drake #anti curtis holt #anti black siren #anti quentin lance #anti laurel lance #arrow season 6 #season 6 episode reviews #season 6 episode review

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the-book-queen · 5 years ago

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ljones41 · 7 years ago

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"THOR: THE DARK WORLD" (2013) Review

"THOR: THE DARK WORLD" (2013) Review A few years ago, I had assumed that the release of the 2012 blockbuster, "THE AVENGERS" would signal the end of Marvel's multi-film saga about the group of comic book heroes and their government allies, S.H.I.E.L.D. But "IRON MAN 3" and the television series, "AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D." proved me wrong. So did the second movie about the God of Thunder, "THOR: THE DARK WORLD".

Like the 2011 movie, “THOR”, this latest film begins thousands of years ago. Back in day (or year); Bor, the father of Odin, clash with the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim and their leader Malekith, who seeks to destroy the universe using a weapon known as the Aether. After conquering Malekith's forces, Bor hides the Aether within a stone column. He was also unaware that Malekith, his lieutenant Algrim, and a handful of Dark Elves have managed to escape by going into suspended animation. Many years later, Thor and his fellow Asgardians (which include his friends Lady Sif, Fandral and Volstagg) help their comrade Hogun repel marauders on the latter's homeworld, Vanaheim. It proves to be the last battle in a war to pacify the Nine Realms, which had fallen into chaos following the destruction of the Bifröst. And in London, astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster is led by her intern Darcy Lewis and the latter's intern, Ian, to an abandoned factory where objects have begun to disobey the laws of physics by disappearing into thin air. Jane is teleported to another world, where she is infected by the Aether. Both the Asgardians and Jane's former mentor, Dr. Erik Selvig learn on separate occasions that the Convergence, a rare alignment of the Nine Realms, is imminent. While the event approaches, portals (one of which Jane had fallen into) linking the worlds appear at random. Heimdall alerts Thor of Jane's recent disappearance, leading the latter to search for her on Earth. When she inadvertently releases an unearthly force upon a group of London policemen, Thor takes her to Asgard. Unfortunately, the Asgardian healers do not know how to treat her. Odin, recognizing the Aether, warns Jane's infection will kill her given enough time, and that the Aether's return heralds a catastrophic prophecy. Unbeknownst to Odin, the re-emergence of the Aether also ends the Dark Elves' suspended animation and revives their determination to use the substance to darken the universe. "THOR: THE DARK WORLD" proved to be a major box office, following its release nearly four years ago. This is not surprising, considering the enormous success of Marvel's Avenger saga. "IRON MAN 3", set six months after the events of the 2012 film, also proved to be a big hit. Some people have claimed that the first film about Thor was superior. As much as I had enjoyed "THOR", I cannot say that I would agree. It reeked a bit too much of a superhero origin tale. Personally, I found the plot for "THOR: THE DARK WORLD" more satisfying. Mind you, this second God of Thunder movie did not strike me as perfect. It had a few flaws. Although I applaud director Alan Taylor and cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau's expansion of the Asgard setting beyond the royal palace and the Bifröst, the latter's photography for that particular setting seemed to lack Haris Zambarloukos' dazzling and colorful photography from the 2011 film. Instead, there seemed to be a slightly dull cast to Morgenthau's photography of Asgard. Thor's friends did not particularly project that same screen chemistry that I found so enjoyable in the first film. Aside from one major scene in which Thor plotted Jane's escape from Asgard, they rarely had any scenes together. And Tadanobu Asano's Hogun had even less scenes. I wonder if this was due to the actor's major role in the upcoming movie, "47 RONIN". Aside from these nitpicks, I enjoyed "THOR: THE DARK WORLD" very much. As I had earlier stated, I found it more enjoyable than the first film. Thanks to the screenplay written by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the movie provided a stronger narrative, beyond a simple origin tale. The three screenwriters explored the consequences of past events from both "THOR" and "THE AVENGERS" - Loki's actions in both movies; Thor's original destruction of the Bifröst, which led to chaos in the Nine Realms and his long separation from Jane Foster, the latter's inability to move on, and the impact upon Erik Selvig from being possessed by Loki. However, the movie also explored how a past event in the Asgardians' history - their conflict with the Dark Elves - managed to once again, have a negative impact upon Earth. For a movie that was juggling a good number of subplots, along with a major plot, I thought the writers and director Alan Taylor did a first-rate job in balancing it all in the end. Taylor had limited experience as a movie director when he made this film, but he also has a long history as a television direction. Despite his longer experience with television, I must admit that I found myself more than pleased with his direction of"THOR: THE DARK WORLD". And I was also very impressed. I was especially impressed by his handling of certain action scenes, like the Dark Elves' invasion of Asgard, the fight scene between Queen Frigga and Malekith, the escape from Asgard, and Thor and Loki's confrontation against Malekith and the Dark Elves. But the one action sequence that really impressed me turned out to be the “Battle of Greenwich’, in which Thor, Jane and their friends attempted to prevent Malekith's use of the Aether against Earth and the rest of the universe. It proved to be one of the most off-the-wall and entertaining action sequences I have seen on film. This sequence not only benefited from Taylor's direction, but also Dan Lebental and Wyatt Smith's editing. In fact, the movie's action sequences were nicely balanced by some of its dramatic and comedic scenes. I especially enjoyed Thor and Loki's quarrel over the latter's past actions, Thor's reunion with Jane, and Darcy and Ian's attempt to free Erik from a mental institution. One particular scene featured a quarrel between Thor and Odin over how to deal with the threat of the Dark Elves. It strongly reminded me of the two men's quarrel over the Frost Giants in the first film . . . but with an ironic twist. Instead of Odin being the mature and reasonable one, this time it is Thor. My only complaint about the movie's performances has to do with Tadanobu Asano. Due to his limited appearance in the film, he never really had a chance to give a memorable performance. I hope to see more of him in the next film. Both Jamie Alexander and Ray Stevenson gave competent performances as Thor's two other friends - Lady Sif and Volstagg. Instead of Josh Dallas, this movie featured Zachary Levi in the role of Thor's fourth friend, Fandral. Levi had been originally cast in the role for the 2011 film. But due to his commitments to NBC's "CHUCK", Dallas got the role. But the latter's commitment to ABC's "ONCE UPON A TIME" forced Marvel and Disney to give the role back to Levi. Aside from the initial shock of seeing him in a blond wig, I must admit that Levi made a very dashing Fandral. I was very happy to see Kat Dennings reprise her role of Jane's intern, Darcy Lewis. She was as funny as ever. She also had an extra straight man in the form of Jonathan Howard, who portrayed "her" intern, Ian Boothby. The movie also featured a very funny cameo by Chris Evans, who portrayed Loki disguised as Steve Rogers/Captain America. Christopher Eccleston may not have made the most witty or charismatic villain from the Marvel canon, but I found his portrayal of Malekith very scary . . . in an unrelenting way. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje struck me as equally impressive as Malekith's lieutenant, Algrim. It was a pity that I could barely make him out in his new appearance as the Kurse. Renee Russo's role as Queen Frigga was expanded in this second film and I am so thankful that it was. Not only did she have a marvelous dramatic scene with Tom Hiddleston's Loki, but watching her sword fight against Eccleston's Malekith reminded me of her role in the "LETHAL WEAPON" films. Idris Elba repeated his masterful portrayal of Asgard's gatekeeper, Heimdall. I especially enjoyed him in two scenes - Heimdall's efforts to prevent the Dark Elves' attack and his discussion with Thor about helping Jane leave Asgard against Odin's will. More importantly, audiences get to see him in even more scenes. Stellan Skarsgård was very hilarious in his portrayal of Dr. Erik Selvig in this film. I realize that one should not laugh at the idea of someone suffering from a mental trauma, but I could not help it. I do not think I have ever seen Skarsgård so entertaining in a Marvel film. Anthony Hopkins did a marvelous job in conveying Odin's increasing fragile rule over Asgard and control of his emotions. This was especially apparent in the scene featuring Odin and Thor's disagreement over the Dark Elves. For the first time in a Marvel film, Tom Hiddleston's Loki was not portrayed as an out-and-out villain, but a more morally complex character, thanks to his relationships with Asgard's royal family - especially Thor and Frigga. Hiddleston was as playful and witty as ever. And I especially enjoyed his interactions with Chris Hemsworth. In fact, I can say the same about Natalie Portman's portrayal of Thor's love, astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster. Personally, I found her funnier and her chemistry with Hemsworth a lot stronger in this second film. And I was especially happy to see her take a more active role in helping Thor defeat the main villain. As for Chris Hemsworth, he continued to roll with a great talent for both drama and comedy as the God of Thunder, Thor. He did a marvelous job in developing his character into more complex waters, especially in regard to his relationships with Jane, Loki and Odin. And one of my favorite scenes in the movie featured Thor's silent reaction to his discovery that Jane had a date with another man. I hope that one day, people will truly appreciate what a first-rate actor he is. "THOR: THE DARK WORLD" had a few flaws. What movie does not? But thanks to Alan Taylor's direction, an excellent cast led by a talented Chris Hemsworth and a very complex script written by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, it not only turned to be very entertaining, but also better than the previous film. At least for me.

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rolandfontana · 6 years ago

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The Ambiguous Reality of Police Integrity

In the wake of the 2014 police shooting in Ferguson, Mo., Americans demanded answers from police leaders across the U.S. to questions that have been simmering for decades.

Does racial bias influence police use of deadly force? What kind of training dictates the procedure for handling imminent harm?

With so much autonomy granted to law enforcement officers, the National Institute of Justice challenged researchers to delve deeper into a characteristic tied closely to ethical decision-making: officer integrity.

Dr. Daniel Blumberg

Daniel Blumberg, police psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Alliant International University in San Diego, pursued the questions at career entry by comparing integrity levels of cadets before and after completing the police academy.

In an interview on the Command Post podcast, Blumberg shared, “The results of the first leg of the study were just as I expected them to be. There was no significant change in integrity levels in academy recruits after they completed training.”

Continuing the research, he again approached the study participants after they spent one year actively involved in the profession.

“Once they were out on the streets, experiencing the realities of the job, their results changed,” Dr. Blumberg acknowledged. “Very bluntly, we found a significant drop in participants’ integrity scores. It sounds kind of shocking to me, but it appears that police work played a part in lowering participants’ commitment to ethical principles.”

Officers from across the country chimed in with their perspectives after hearing Blumberg share his research on the Command Post podcast. Each provided limited personal details, preferring to remain as anonymous as possible.

Lieutenant Aaron, who has 17 years’ experience in urban policing, appreciated that someone bothered to ask the question.

“For most of us, integrity is a huge part of who we are and one of the reasons we became cops in the first place,” he said. “When cops use bad judgment and violate our code, it reflects poorly on all of us.

“I may not like hearing that the job makes it hard to do the right thing all the time, but I’ve been doing this long enough to admit that’s true.”

What is the right thing? Using the definition of integrity from a scale created and validated by Barry Schlenker, a professor at the University of Florida.

Dr. Blumberg was able to quantify integrity with a measurable tool.

According to the scale, a person with high levels of integrity has a steadfast commitment to principles, despite temptations or costs or the willingness to rationalize unprincipled behavior.

Sergeant Ryan, a 19-year-veteran of patrol in a Midwestern city, finds no fault in the definition of integrity used. But he wonders if integrity – in strictest terms – is even possible in a profession riddled with situations like this, as he described it:

An officer responds to a domestic violence call. When he arrives, he finds a battered woman and her children living in squalor. It’s clear the kids are neglected – they haven’t been bathed in days and there’s no food in the house. He arrests the boyfriend, of course, but then turns to the children and has a difficult decision to make. The reality is, the victim – the woman – is a meth addict. She’s choosing to buy drugs instead of food, which also makes her the perpetrator.

The kids are the true victims and they need help. But, calling children’s services could mean that the kids end up in a dangerous foster care situation. They could be separated, which may psychologically harm them more than their current living situation. They could be exposed to any number of abuses, which would make their lives worse. What’s the black and white answer?

Officer integrity is an important quality to understand and, unfortunately there is evidence that some officers do not make principled choices. This is why Blumberg’s research is so important. It provides is a clear starting point for the journey into the moral dilemmas facing police officers.

“In many situations,” Sgt. Ryan added, “it’s not a balance between two choices with equally-good outcomes. It’s choosing which is the lesser of two evils and knowing in the back of your mind that the consequences of your decision could actually cause more harm.

“For cops who hold fast the belief, first do no harm, this reality is a painful moral dilemma.”

A detective from the Las Vegas police department also alluded to a much larger undertaking than measuring integrity.

“When I graduated from the academy, I expected to be able to make black and white decisions,” he said. “Right was always right and wrong was always wrong. But we’re not policing in that kind of world. We live and die in gray area.”

Looking at the results from a broader perspective leads to another question entirely. If police cadets enter the academy with high levels of integrity and they leave with similarly high levels, then what causes the drop merely one year later?

“Police work makes it almost impossible for cops to maintain a strict adherence to their often rigid moral code,” Blumberg explained. “This same moral code, coincidently, is trained in the academy.”

Another officer, new to a large Northwestern police department, believes that police academy training should more closely reflect the realities of the job.

“I don’t mind admitting that I was close to walking off the job with fewer than six months in. I’m not the type to quit anything,” he said. “In fact, I’m a veteran, so it’s not like I’m still an idealistic kid.

“But what I saw in training is nothing compared to what I see on the streets. I thought I knew what to expect, but I wasn’t ready to come face-to-face with the kind of evil I saw in those first days on the job. If you would’ve asked me then about my integrity, I probably wouldn’t have known how to answer.”

Often, research begets research. Blumberg, knowing very well the kind of moral struggle that police officers face, took the results of his integrity study and began to dive into the moral risks of policing.

“Efforts to eliminate all acts of police misconduct are misguided, because much of this behavior appears to be a natural byproduct of routine police practices,” he said.

In his latest work, Bruised Badges: The Moral Risks of Police Work and a Call for Officer Wellness, Blumberg presents integrity as a perishable skill that requires training, the same way that firearms training does.

To combat police misconduct, he recommends that law enforcement agencies institute training programs that focus on ethical decision-making. Rather than taking a ‘bad apple or bad barrel’ approach to officer discipline, he sees minor integrity violations as developmental opportunities to improve officer integrity and, by extension, wellness.

“Policing,” said Sergeant Ryan, “is a steady stream of situational ethics. After 19 years on the job, I still face situations that challenge my understanding of right and wrong. I wish it was easy to do this work, but I suspect if that was the case I wouldn’t like it nearly as much.”

Creating a culture of wellness should begin in the academy and continue at regular intervals along the career life cycle. Expecting cops to learn on the job leaves entirely too much to chance.

Renee D. Kosor

Rather than risking moral degradation, the research clearly supports an urgent need for administrators to take a renewed approach to promoting police integrity. To do so ensures that, when faced with the quandaries inherent in the profession, police officers have every tool they need to make good decisions in every situation.

Renee D. Kosor, Ph.D., an organizational psychologist with a specialty in resilience, is a former Navy journalist and current host of The Command Post podcast, a weekly program which brings researchers and first responders together to advocate for a thecommandpost.org culture of wellness. For more information, visit thecommandpost.org

The Ambiguous Reality of Police Integrity syndicated from https://immigrationattorneyto.wordpress.com/

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newstfionline · 7 years ago

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Ordinary Acts of Heroism in 2017

By Millie Tran and Daniel Victor, NY Times, Dec. 18, 2017

When there’s a terrorist attack, there are courageous emergency workers. Where there’s a mass shooting, there are selfless bystanders who shield strangers and tend to the wounded. When there’s a natural disaster, there’s someone checking in on a neighbor.

The media often declare them “heroes,” though in many cases they refuse the label. They insist that they were just doing their jobs, or doing what anyone would do in their situation.

Whatever you call them, they provided some of the year’s most uplifting stories. Violence and destruction have a way of draining hope, but acts of altruism and selflessness under duress offered a sliver of light when people most needed it.

They provided moments of uplift, often little noticed, in a year when stories of collective heroism were in the headlines.

Here are some of the less prominent acts of courage by ordinary individuals who lurked behind the news--women and men who risked their lives, ran toward danger, or otherwise inspired us in 2017.

Muslims raised money to help Jewish institutions that were attacked. After Jewish cemeteries in Philadelphia and near St. Louis were vandalized, and bomb threats were made at community centers and day schools, thousands of Muslims and others donated more than $136,000 for repairs.

A man threw himself at a gunman who had killed an Indian immigrant. The man, Ian Grillot, 24, was shot while intervening in a hate crime in Olathe, Kan. India House Houston, a nonprofit organization, later raised money for a reward, which Mr. Grillot used to buy a home.

A homeless man aided children wounded in a terrorist attack in England. “Just because I am homeless doesn’t mean I haven’t got a heart, or I’m not human still,” the man, Stephen Jones, 35, told ITV News. The attack in Manchester, Britain’s deadliest terrorist attack in more than a decade, killed 22 people and injured dozens of others.

Teenage girls in Nigeria, kidnapped by Boko Haram and strapped to suicide vests, managed to escape and tell their stories. “I didn’t want a situation where I’m the reason anyone dies,” one of them told us. The deployment of children has become so common that citizens are warned to be on the lookout for girl bombers.

An illustrator from Colombia jumped onto subway tracks in Manhattan to help a homeless man who had fallen. “If nobody does anything, he’s going to die,” David Capuzzo, 26, recalled thinking. A Times reporter witnessed the rescue at the Second Avenue station on the Lower East Side.

Female inmates in California signed up to fight wildfires, at times risking their lives. Around 250 women take part in the program. They are paid less than $2 an hour for hazardous and backbreaking work.

A French philosopher who praised risk-taking died while saving drowning children. “When there really is a danger that must be faced in order to survive,” Anne Dufourmantelle said in a 2015 interview, “there is a strong incentive for action, dedication and surpassing oneself.”

When the time came, she acted, plunging into the Mediterranean to save two children from drowning. She died, but they lived.

Three men intervened to stop a xenophobic attack; two of them died. Micah David-Cole Fletcher, a student and poet, was stabbed while intervening in a deadly xenophobic attack in Portland, Ore. He survived, but two other men who intervened--Taliesin Myrddin Namkai Meche, a recent college graduate, and Rick Best, an Army veteran--died.

A woman who overcame a tough childhood adopted and raised three foster children on her own. “To be a parent is to step into a great unknown, a magical universe where we choose to love over and over,” the mother, Rene Denfield, who grew up amid poverty, neglect and abuse, wrote in a Modern Love essay. “It is an act of courage no matter what.”

A ballet dancer jumped onto subway tracks to lift a man to safety. “People were screaming to get help,” the dancer, Gray Davis, said afterward. “But nobody jumped down. So I jumped down.”

Philippine Muslims sheltered Christians in basements to protect them from militants. In the besieged southern city of Marawi, Islamist militants went house to house searching for non-Muslims to kill. Brave residents sheltered Christian neighbors and colleagues, giving them canned goods and rice to subsist on.

Doctors and nurses calmly did their jobs after a gunman stormed the hospital where they work. The gunman entered Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, killing a doctor and shooting six other people. Despite their anguish, medical staff worked around the clock to treat the injured.

Moments of hope and inspiration rose above the chaos of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Emergency workers, journalists and neighbors waded through floodwaters to reach people in danger during Hurricane Harvey in Houston.

Less than two weeks after Harvey, Florida residents staged their own rescues during Hurricane Irma and offered much-needed moments of humanity.

A teacher subdued a gunman at her high school in Illinois. “Lives were saved by the quick response of a teacher here, and I think that’s what needs to be noted,” Jeff Branson, chief of the Mattoon Police Department, said in a news conference, hailing the efforts of the teacher, Angela McQueen.

An usher confronted a gunman who opened fire at a church in Tennessee. Robert Engle, 22, subdued a gunman who opened fire at the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ, near Nashville. Chief Steve Anderson of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said Mr. Engle’s actions helped end the shooting.

Las Vegas shooting, for all its horror, revealed humanity too. “We all became one that night,” said Dean McAuley, an off-duty firefighter from Seattle who helped victims. “I got to see one person at their worst, but I got to see and witness humanity at its best.”

Many concertgoers and bystanders went into rescue mode, combing the grounds for survivors and helping the injured get to safety. Strangers used belts as makeshift tourniquets to stanch bleeding, and others sped the wounded to hospitals in the back seats of cars and the beds of pickup trucks.

A policeman’s bear hug stopped a suicide bomber from killing even more people. Sayed Basam Pacha, an Afghan police lieutenant, died after putting a suicide bomber in a tight hold, limiting the toll from the blast.

And two reader favorites: Mali, a Belgian Malinois badly injured by shrapnel, was awarded the Dickin Medal, Britain’s highest award for animal bravery, for helping to sniff out Taliban militants and their booby traps.

Storm, a golden retriever, pulled a drowning deer to safety.

#heroism #altruism #selflessness

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the-record-obituaries · 7 years ago

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Nov. 8, 2017: Obituaries

Mary Ann Teaster, 51

Mary Ann Teaster, age 51, of Roaring River, passed away, Sunday, November 5, 2017 at her home. She was born July 21, 1966 in Richmond, Virginia to Robert Leslie Lamm and Patricia Kaye Herndon. Mrs. Teaster was preceded in death by her father; and abrother, David Griffin. Surviving are her husband, Greg Teaster; her children, Robert Timothy Keith McLamb, Daniel Joshua Lamm both of Raleigh, Tifanie Nicole Lamm, David Ryan Morlando both of Roaring River; step son, Cody Dylan Teaster of Roaring River; sister, Tina Dudley of Virginia; brothers, Jeff Lamm of Virginia, Brian Lamm of Thailand; and four grandchildren.

A private service will be held. Miller Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Ralph Edmiston, Jr. 65

Mr. Ralph Andrew "Andy" Edmiston, Jr. age 65 of North Wilkesboro, passed away

Saturday, November 4th, 2017 at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Memorial services with Military Honors by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1142 Honor

Guard, will be held 2:00 PM Saturday, November 11, 2017 at Beaver Creek Baptist Church with Rev. James Hall officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 Friday evening at Reins Sturdivant Funeral Home.

Mr. Edmiston was born August 28, 1952 in Mebane North Carolina to Ralph Andrew

Edmiston, Sr. and Velma Mae Eller Edmiston. He was Self Employed as a Logger.

He was preceded in death by his Father. Mr. Edmiston is survived by his wife; Susan Hall Edmiston of the home, his mother; Velma Mae Eller Edmiston, of North Wilkesboro, three sons; Bryan Edmiston and spouse; Felipe of Charlotte, Ryan Edmiston of Fleetwood and Joseph Edmiston and wife, Meagan of North Wilkesboro, a grandchild; Christopher Edmiston and two sisters; Sandy Caudill and husband, Randy of North Wilkesboro and Renee Harrison of Millers Creek.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to the Gideons South Camp, PO Box 323, Wilkesboro, NC 28697.

Ralph Pittman, 66

Ralph passed away on Saturday, November 4, 2017 at the age of

66.

Ralph was a lifelong servant, starting his career as a dispatcher at North Wilkesboro

Police Department at age 19 while still attending Wilkes Central High

School. He worked third shift and attended school during the day. When he turned 21, he was sworn in as a police officer with the department and continued to work third shift where he made several felony arrests for breaking and entering and larceny. He rotated to

different shifts until he left NWPD and enlisted in the US Army where he served approximately two years and returned to North Wilkesboro and the police department.

While in North Wilkesboro, Ralph was a member of the North Wilkesboro Fire

Department and Wilkes Rescue Squad. Ralph left the North Wilkesboro Police Department and was hired by Lenoir Police Department where he served

approximately 17 years as a shift lieutenant with that department. While at Lenoir, he was involved with two riots, armed robberies, murders, numerous suicides and two hostage situations. One of the hostage situations involved a standoff at a shelter home for abused and battered women with seven people being held against their will by and armed suspect. Ralph was instrumental in helping resolve the situation with no one injured. He was awarded a medal for his actions in this event. The suspect was awarded with 80 years in prison. Ralph left the Lenoir Police Department and became a North Carolina Probation/Parole Officer. Ralph left Probation and returned to North Wilkesboro after the death of mother, Elizabeth"Lib" Duncan Pittman. He once again went to work at the police department. After a short time as a patrol officer, he was selected as an investigator with the department. He was later promoted to Detective Captain under the direction of Mayor Steve Foster. Ralph served in that capacity until his retirement. During this time, he worked numerous child sex offense cases. He said after his retirement, this was one part of the job he was glad to walk away from. These cases are heart rendering and take a toll on you after a while. During this time, Ralph again became a member of the North Wilkesboro Fire Department where he was an interior firefighter and a medical responder. He served the department until he retired. Ralph was an active member of Boy Scout Troop 336, and was involved in scouting in one capacity or another since he was old enough to be a cub scout. Troop 336 is sponsored by the North Wilkesboro Presbyterian Church. While serving with Troop 336, Ralph was awarded

the Boy Scout Honor Medal with crossed palms (the highest ranking lifesaving medal awarded by BSA) for saving a fellow firefighter at a silo fire at the old American Drew furniture building. This was only the 131st honor medal with crossed palms awarded in the nation. Ralph reentered the burning silo to rescue fellow firefighter, Greg Fletcher and was credited with saving his life. Ralph was also a graduate of the BSA Wood Badge

course which is an adult leadership course concentrating on outdoor skills. He attended this course in Atlanta Georgia. While serving as a law enforcement officer, Ralph was involved with SWAT teams both in Lenoir and North Wilkesboro. He was the SWAT team leader at Lenoir at one time. He was the SWAT team leader of an interagency

SWAT team in North Wilkesboro under the administration of Chief David Pendry. Under

Pendry's and Pittman's direction numerous drug raids were carried out ridding the city and county of numerous drug houses. Armed robbery suspects and other felony

arrests were also carried out. After Pendry retired the SWATteam disbanded, but the county activated a Critical Response Team (CRT) under the administration of Sheriff Dane Mastin. Pittman became part of this group. While serving on these teams, Pittman held positions as a sniper/observer and an entry team member. The CRT team has taken down armed robbery, drug, mental commitment suspects and murder suspects. Pittman was proud of the fact that no shots were ever fired by SWAT members and no SWAT member was ever shot. Ralph was a graduate from TEES (a tactical explosive entry school) where he learned to use high explosives to breach doors and walls in order to gain

quick access to barricaded suspects and to recognize the Improvised Explosive Devices.

Ralph was a law enforcement instructor with Wilkes Community College where he taught law enforcement subjects for approximately thirty seven years. He taught in the Basic Law Enforcement Training courses teaching primarily Constitutional Law and elements of criminal offenses. He also taught in-service training courses. Ralph held an under graduate degree in Criminal Justice from Appalachian State University and a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice from Boston University. He held an Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate from Criminal Justice Training and Standards and an Advanced

Law Certificate from the Sheriff's Training and Standards. He was one of the few people in Wilkes to hold Advanced Certificates from both. Ralph was a charter member of the James B. Gordon Camp of Surviving Sons of the Confederacy. Ralph's great grandfather,

J.G. Duncan, was a private in the Confederate Army from Wilkes County in the war for

Southern Independence.

Ralph was a member of a cowboy action-shooting club, The Gunpowder Creek

Regulators, in Caldwell County. He got to dress up in period clothing, with two six guns, a lever action rifle and a double barrel shotgun and relive the adventures of the old west shooting on metal targets. He used to say "I'm not much fast, but I sure do enjoy the

re-enacting and shooting" About law enforcement, he said, "I never made much money doing my duty, but I cannot think of anything else, I would have rather done with my life than be a law enforcement officer." About his other "adventures" he said, "I have lived my childhood dreams. I always wanted to be a policeman, a firemen, a soldier and a "cowboy". I have done all these and so much more and I am happy. Who could ask for more?

Ralph was preceded in death by his mother; Elizabeth Duncan of North Wilkesboro.

Ralph is survived by his loving and devoted wife; Sherry Lynn Pittman of the home, whom Ralph loved dearly, a stepson; Josh Holt and his wife, Christy and four grandchildren; Kyrstan, Lexi, Jon and Gaje. The family wishes to especially thank his caregiver, Crystal Englebert.

Funeral services for Ralph were November 9, at Reins Sturdivant Chapel with Rev. Tim Henderson officiating.

Burial will be in Mountlawn Memorial Park.

Pallbearers will be Cam Finley, Darrell Miller, Dane Mastin, Derek Wiles, Joe Rankin,

Niki Hamby , Chris Holler's, Charles Hicks, Chris Shew, James Caldwell and Shannon Anderson.

Flowers will be accepted.

Nancy Spicer, 73

Mrs. Nancy Caroline Gryder Spicer, 73, of Boomer, passed away on Thursday November 2, 2017. Carol was born on February 26 1944 in Wilkes County to the late James

Bradshaw Gryder and Belle Shumate Gryder. Carol is preceded in

death by: her parents and two brothers. Carol is survived by: her husband Jerry Spicer; daughter,Shelia Soots, (Steve) of North Wilkesboro; Becky Parsons, of Boomer; Michelle Ozment, (Tommy) also of Boomer; sons, Barry Mark Bauguess of Millers Creek; Scott Bauguess (Angela) of North Wilkesboro; 1 sister; 1

brother; 6 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

No services are planned.

Chancy Kiser, 89

Mrs. Chancy Clay Eller Kiser, age 89 of North Wilkesboro passed away Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at Wilkes Senior Village. Funeral services were November 6, at Greater Vision Baptist Church with Rev. Shane Pardue and Rev. Tim Roten officiating.

Burial was in Mountlawn Memorial Park.

Mrs. Kiser was born June 25, 1928 in Wilkes County to McKinley and Mamie Yates Eller. She was a member of United Christian Fellowship Church. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband; June Kiser, two sisters; Mamie Cardwell and Clara Laws and one brother; Percy Eller.

She is survived by two sons; Garry Shephard and wife Brenda of Harmony, Dean Shephard and wife Tamera of Wilkesboro and stepson; Sammy Kiser and wife Shirley of Taylorsville, four granddaughters; Tracy Huffman, Jeannie Miller, Angelia Lewis and Tessa Austin, eight great grandchildren, one great great grandchild, one sister; Betty Andrews of Millers Creek and one brother; Buford Eller of Wilkesboro.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Wilkes Ministry of

H.O.P.E., 514 Elkin Highway, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659.

Charles Ferguson, 80

Mr. Charles "Jerry" Ferguson, age 80, of Ferguson passed away

Wednesday, November 1, 2017 at his home. A memorial service was November 5, at Beaver Creek Baptist Church with Rev.

James Hall officiating. Military Honors by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #1142 Honor Guard will be at Beaver Creek Baptist Church after the service.

Mr. Ferguson was born June 20, 1937 in Wilkes County to Charles Watson

Ferguson and Winifred Vivian Ferguson. He served in the United States Army and was a member of Beaver Creek Baptist Church. He was a Highway Engineer with the NC Department of Transportation. He was a founding member of Ferguson Volunteer Fire Department and was a registered land surveyor. He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by: his wife, Shirley Temple Holman Ferguson of the home, three daughters and sons-in-law; Andora and husband, Ricky Minton of Ferguson, Paula and husband, Brad Neher of Bridgewater, VA, Belinda and husband, Timmy Anderson of

Ferguson, one son; Edward Ferguson and husband, Mike Hagy of FernandinaBeach,

FL,nine grandchildren; Brittney and husband, Adam Hamby, Rachel Minton, Max and wife, Karman Anderson, Ben Neher, Elizabeth and husband, Josh Faw, Andie Neher, nine great-grandchildren; Olivia Sheets, Connor Mash, Jaxon Hamby, Kadance

Faw, Abby Faw, Bentley Faw, Samara Staton, Ivy Anderson, Raelynn Anderson,six sisters; Ann Gregory and Rose Rhodes both of Wilkesboro,Dr. Susan Barefoot

and husband, Howard of Liberty, SC, Joan Johnson and husband, Ray Johnson of Bethlehem, NC, Judy Wright of Boone and Margaret Ferguson of Ferguson and one brother; Harvey Ferguson of Ferguson.

Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home is in charge of the

services.

Warren Neudorff

Warren Neudorff, passed away at his residence in Rose Glen Manor in Wilkesboro,North Carolina on October 31, 2017 from congestive heart failure with his loving family at his side. Warren was born on February 29, 1944 in Marshalltown, Iowa, to Harold and Margaret Neudorff.

Through his early years his birthday resulted in him being a bit of a

local celebrity due to his leap year birthday. He lived in Marshalltown until moving to

Sioux Falls in 1958. He graduated from Washington High School in Sioux Falls in 1963. During high school he met his first wife Jean (Bennett), married, and celebrated

the birth of his oldest son, Rick, that same year and moved to Bethany Oklahoma in 1965. Their youngest son Troy was born in 1966.

Warren progressed through the ranks of a highly competitive IT career and as result the family moved multiple times. Warren divorced and moved to Gaithersburg,Maryland , where he met his second wife Carmen (Molini) in 1982. They soon moved to Kansas as Warren began a new career as Senior IT Director with the State of Kansas. During

his years in Kansas Warren and his wife Carmen began a lucrative side business of producing homemade salsa which was famous around the state as they sold the product at many farmer's markets on the weekends. Warren and Carmen moved to Winston-Salem North Carolina in 2001. Warren began retirement and maintained a handy man business for several years. Warren and Carmen divorced in 2015 andWarren lived with his son Rick and his daughter- in-law Kimberly in Winston- Salem. Early in 2017 Warren moved into assisted living at Rose Glen Manor in Wilkesboro. As his heart disease progressed he received wonderful professional care and attention from the nurses and staff at the facility. Warren Neudorff was preceded in death by both his parents and his sisters, Carole (Christersen) and Sharon (Elder). He is survived by his sister Margot (Schmid) of Omaha, NE; his son, Rick and his wife Kimberly of Wilkesboro, NC.; his son, Troy of Hot Springs AR; grandchildren, Robert and Elizabeth of Wilkesboro, NC.; great grandson, Jace (Neudorff) of Wilkesboro, NC. His cremation was handled by Miller Funeral Service in North Wilkesboro. No services were held. His family

will spread his ashes in accordance to his wishes in his birthplace of Marshalltown,Iowa in the spring of 2018.

Olin Walker, 83

Mr. Olin Russell "Ted" Walker, age 83, of Moravian Falls was welcomed into Heaven on

October 31, 2017. At the time of his death he was surrounded by his family at home.

Funeral services were held November 3, at Moravian Falls Baptist Church will Rev. Joe

Sturgill and Rev. Jay Johnson officiating. Burial was in the Moravian Falls Community

Cemetery.

Ted was born April 8, 1934 to the late Grover Wheeler and Hessie Handy Walker of North Wilkesboro; he was the oldest of three children. Ted attended NorthWilkesboro High School. After high school, Mr. Walker was employed by Holly Farms for some time. Later, he began his own company, Ted Walker Heating & Air Conditioning, which he operated for more than 30 years with his wife. Ted taught both his sons the trade; today they both own their own heating and air conditioning companies. He was also a member of the National Guard Reserve for 11 years.

In September 1982, Ted was ordained as a deacon at Moravian Falls Baptist Church. He enjoyed serving his church in many capacities, including being a Wednesday night van driver for many years. Ted was a member of the Good Neighbors Club at his church where he along with his wife organized trips. In April 2017 he was recognized for his loyal service to his church. He was the President of Wilkes County Babe Ruth for many years. Ted shared his love for baseball and softball with his sons, grandchildren, and many youth. He was recognized as Wilkes County Baseball Players Best Friend, and that he was.

Ted enjoyed eating breakfast at his favorite restaurant, The 50's, with his wife and friends Monday-Saturday, driving his golf cart around Moravian Falls, and fishing. His greatest joys were his family, traveling and just spending quality time together. In the last years of his life he enjoyed riding around the county with his wife and looking at old home places and scenery.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Gladys Elizabeth Walker Walker. Other survivors

include: Sons: Curtis Walker and wife Karen, and Craig Walker and wife Leia all of Moravian Falls. Grandchildren: Clay Walker and wife Jacquelyn, and Kelley Walker Griffin and husband Nathaniel all of Moravian Falls; Callie Walker of Wilkesboro; Caroline Walker and Addie Walker both of Moravian Falls. Great-grandchildren: Lillian

"Lilly" Greene of Wilkesboro; Carrigan and McKinley Walker and Gabriel "Gabe" Griffin all of Moravian Falls. Siblings: Sue Luther and husband Hubert; and Larry Rex "Butch" Walker all of North Wilkesboro. Sisters-in- Law: Kay Steele and husband Steve of Wilkesboro; Barbara Carlton and husband Bob of Moravian Falls. Ted will be remembered as a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather by his family. The community will remember his sweet spirit, loving smile, and his giving heart.

In lieu of flowers,memorials may be made to Hope Ministry Toy Store 514 Elkin Hwy. North Wilkesboro, NC 28659, Juvenile Arthritis Foundation PO Box 96280, Washington,

DC 20077, Gideons International of Wilkes South Camp, PO Box 323 Wilkesboro,NC 28697.

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