#she looks even thinner than 1989

[acelor-acetaylorswift]

Creativity constantly accompanied by duplicity. Sums up the industry. Just sad.

And triangles. I was just reading about how a triangle is in the aegoromantic and aegosexual flags. So there's your flag tie-in.

At MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, NJ | October 1, 2023

Logan Hollowell ‘Queen Cuban Choker w/ Pavé Diamond Trillion Toggle’ - $7,995.00

Of Taylor’s recent gold jewelry additions to her collection this particular front clasp trillium choker might be one of my favourites for its simplicity but special details and meaning. The brand notes the individualism inherent to the trillion toggle design - “the three sided sort of versatility in a triangle captures themes of magic, wonder and creativity in its meaning. None of the other basic shapes offer this kind of inherent duplicity.”

Worn with: Area shorts

Also worn: September 21, 2023

[robinrunsfiction]

Style

Pairing: Frank Iero x Female Reader Rating: Teen Requested By: None Word Count: ~3,900 Author’s Note: This is the first in a series of stories inspired by songs by Taylor Swift, this one of course being Style from the album 1989. I had intended on holding on to the series until I had all of them done, but I’m struggling to write... anything lately so I’m posting the two that I do have done. Full honesty, this story is one I originally wrote about two years ago for a different fandom and then modified for this challenge. I hope you enjoy.

The vibrating of her phone on the nightstand next to her woke her from her light sleep. She rolled over, bleary eyed, and checked the screen.

From: Frank Iero Message: hey

"Oh for fucks sake" she muttered to herself. She glanced at the clock, just before midnight, no surprise there. 'What's up?' She texted back. She set her phone down and rolled back over, willing it to stay silent.

Until it vibrated again.

'So you are up…' he replied

'Because you woke me up' she replied.

'Anyway, wanna come over?'

'Where's your girl tonight?'

They had an arrangement. They would only contact each other if they knew the other wasn't seeing anyone and they'd hook up, no strings attached. It had been working out pretty well for a few years now. They were each occasionally with a significant other for a while, him more usually than her, but nothing long term, so they weren't ever out of their routine for too long.

'She's gone' he replied.

'At the very least you come to my place' she replied back.

'Already on my way'

(YN) dragged herself out of bed and into the bathroom to check her reflection in the mirror before curling up on the couch and waiting for the doorbell to ring. About 20 minutes later, she had almost fallen back to sleep, when there was a knock. Trudging to the door, she opened to find that familiar face.

"Hey" she said, letting him in.

"Hey, glad you were up," he said with a smirk as he took off his coat and tossed it on the couch where she had just been sitting.

"I wasn't, remember?"

"But you are now," he said, taking a step toward her, putting his hands on her hips.

"Lucky you," she replied as she slipped from his grasp leading the way to her bedroom. Frank had hardly taken a step when she pulled off her tank top and flinging over her shoulder at him. 

It always amazed (YN) that no matter how long they may have been apart, they were always able to pick right up. She could remember exactly what to do to drive him wild, he remembered all the spots that she loved him to kiss and touch. 

When they both finished and were both lying back, catching their breath, he looked over at her and chuckled.

"What?" She asked with a laugh as well.

"I dunno" he muttered.

"So what happened with your girl?" She asked after a few moments of silence.

"Nice pillow talk, (YN)."

"Oh come on, you know how I am" she said rolling over onto her elbow to look at him.

"Nosey?"

“I was gonna say kind of a bitch, but I suppose that’s true too,” she said with a shrug and he laughed.

"She said I wasn't giving her the attention she deserved, so she found someone who could."

"So she starts dating a touring musician,  someone who everyone knows is busy as hell, and bails when he's busy as hell? What a bitch."

"Eh, it was fun while it lasted."

(YN) rolled her eyes. "If you say so."

"What have you been up to?" He asked.

"Ya know, the usual" she said with a shrug.

"Been seeing anyone?"

"Why?"

"Making conversation."

"Nah. Been on a few dates, but nothing worth the effort." She said rolling on to her back again. He then rolled onto his side and looked at her.

"What?" She asked again, with a sideways glance.

"Admit it, you missed me."

"Ugh, you are the worst."

"You know you did."

"I missed... parts of you" with that same sly grin from before.

"Well, let's get reacquainted again."

~

The next morning (YN) woke up with the sun streaming in around the blinds. She was glad she had the day off because Frank had kept her up late. She looked over at where he slept beside her, back turned to her and she couldn't help but smile fondly at his tattooed back. She pulled herself out of bed and slipped into the shower.

Frank woke up and didn't find (YN) next to him, but soon realized he heard the shower running. Even when he was with his ex, he missed coming over to (YN)'s place, or when she would stop by his house unannounced. They were friends first and foremost, but the physical chemistry between them was undeniable. Their agreement had been working so well for so long that he didn't dare say what he had been feeling for a while now.

He heard the shower shut off and a minute later she came back into her room with her plush towel wrapped around herself.

"Oh you're up" she smiled. She thought maybe he would have slipped out by the time she got out of the shower.

"Yea I just woke up. You gotta work today?"

"No, today's my day off. You?"

"We got a meeting this afternoon."

"Sucks to suck" she said with a grin, pulling on underwear from her drawer.

He laughed lightly as he got up from the bed and got dressed. She glanced over at him while pulling on her shirt. It looked like there was something on his mind, but she didn't know if she should pry. "Wanna get brunch? Your treat?" She asked with a grin.

"Sure," he replied with a laugh.

They headed to a diner down the street and ordered their meals and caught up a bit more since it had been a while since they had been face to face.

"I have to go to this bachelorette party for my coworker tomorrow after working all day." (YN) said, rolling her eyes. She was a hair stylist and knew she had a busy Saturday booked. After being on her feet for hours, she knew she'd rather just crash in bed than go out.

"If you don't wanna go, don't go."

"No, I'm gonna go, I don't just bail, but I am gonna hate it the whole time. I'll just have to get a good night of sleep tonight." She said, narrowing her eyes at her friend across the table.

Frank shrugged and put his hands up defensively. "You coulda told me not to come over."

"Oh, you and I both know that wasn't gonna happen."

"Again, you missed me."

"Stop projecting your feelings on to me" she said hitting his arm from across the table and he laughed.

"Anyway, I gotta get home and shower, let's get outta here."

Frank paid for their meals, and they walked back down to her building.

“Good to see you again, (YN),” he said as he turned toward his car.

“Welcome back to the land of living Mr. Iero,” she replied as she let herself into her building.

~

The next morning (YN) woke up without any text messages interrupting her sleep. She got out of bed, showered and got ready for her day. She had a full schedule that included two of her more difficult clients in the afternoon.

Thankfully the day went quickly, but by the time her last client was done she had a splitting headache. She knew if she wanted to leave Jenny wouldn’t hold it against her, but Susie who organized the bachelorette party for Jenny would never let her forget it. As she cleaned up her station, she heard champagne bottles popping in the back room and decided she could at least go to dinner if it involved champagne.

After pre-gaming in the back of the salon, the group headed out to dinner and (YN) found her patience growing thinner, and the drinks she was consuming weren’t helping. There were multiple conversations happening, but she found herself sitting back, wishing she was anywhere else at that moment.

 “(YN), you’re single, what’s up with that? You’re so pretty and feisty, I can’t believe you can’t find a guy who can put up with that!” One of her coworkers asked. She opened her mouth to reply to the back handed compliment, when Susie jumped in.

“I heard she’s got a friend with benefits!”

“Well yes Susie, you’re right! Because I don’t see the point in being in a relationship. I can get laid without all the unnecessary bullshit that goes along with it! Win-win!” She said taking a smug sip of her drink, relishing in the dumbfounded looks and glares being shot at her from her coworkers who were celebrating the idea of long-term commitment and romantic love.

She finished her dinner and glanced at the time on her phone, it wasn’t very late, but waved down the waiter and paid her check. As she left, she gave Jenny a hug and whispered an apology into her ear for her bitchy comment earlier.

“Don’t worry, I understand” Jenny replied with a smile.

(YN)'s uber was outside when she exited the restaurant. She gave the driver the address and rested her head against the cool window.

If she was to be honest with herself, she wasn’t completely opposed to the idea of a relationship, but she was really satisfied with where her life was, especially now that Frank was coming around again. He really was the best sex she had ever had, probably because they had been in each other’s lives for so long.

When she arrived at her destination, she breathed a sigh of relief that the lights in the living room were on and no other cars were around.

“I knew you’d turn up sooner or later, but I didn’t think it would be this soon” Frank said with a smirk when he opened the door.

“Are you gonna chastise me, or are you gonna invite me in?” She asked, rolling her eyes. He stood back and opened the door for her and she came in. The place looked the same as always, kind of cluttered with guitars and horror movie memorabilia all over the place.

“How was your party?”

“It was ok. I like my coworkers at work, much more than that, I’ll pass. They get real catty when they start drinking," she said flopping down on the couch. "I see you have a real exciting evening going on here.”

“Well it’s a good thing you came along to save me from it” he said sitting down next to her, putting his hand on her thigh.

“What can I say, it’s my super power,” she said, turning her body into his, putting her hand on his chest. He leaned in and they started making out. He ran his hand further up her thigh over her tight jeans, the other hand on her back pulling her closer to him. She ran her nails up the back of his neck, raking over his scalp sending goosebumps up and down his body.

He leaned back pulling her onto his lap, and she took the opportunity to pull her top off. He pulled her back down to kiss him, hand roaming over her back, easily undoing her bra and tossing it aside, as she ground her hips into his with an increasing urgency. He sat up and she pulled his shirt off and then raked her nails over his tattooed chest.

Moans and muttered curses filled the room until they both came. She fell forward onto his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. She was surprised at first by the affection of the action, but didn’t care because it did feel nice to be held like that. They stayed like that for a few minutes before she pulled back.

“I guess I should get goin' then” she said reaching down to gather her clothes from the floor.

“Why?” He asked. “I mean, we haven’t hung out in a while, just stay.”

She considered the offer. He had a point, they used to hang out much more. And it wasn’t like she had anything to do that night.

“Ok sure, but I’m still putting on some of my clothes," she retorted.

“You want something to drink?” He asked, getting up after pulling his sweatpants back on and wandering into the kitchen.

“Yea, I’ll take a beer” she said following him into the kitchen in just her bra and panties.

“That’s a good look,” he said, handing her a beer.

“Thanks, I was thinking this bra wasn’t getting enough appreciation for the hard work it does.”

“Well I for one would like to salute it. It truly is doing God’s work.” He replied with a wink.

They went back to the couch and sat on opposite sides while he picked a movie on Netflix. As the movie played, they talked about the party she had been at and some new songs he was working on. As the evening wore on, (YN) could feel herself getting sleepier from her long day. She felt her head getting heavy as she slowly leaned toward Frank.

She woke up the next morning still on the couch, her head was on this chest and his arms were wrapped around her. She didn't move, not sure of how to react to the position she was in.

They had been friends for a long time before that one night when they were at a party and someone suggested Seven Minutes in Heaven. (YN) had been a little worried, but also quite exhilarated when she realized her partner was Frank. They had both been liquored up enough to throw caution to the wind the second the door to the closet shut behind them.

Their lips crashed together, hands in hair and all over each other. The seven minutes passed too quickly, so when the attention of the party was off them and their disheveled state, they snuck off to another room to finish what they had started.

At that point in their lives, (YN) had just gotten out of a shitty relationship and had no interest in getting into anything else serious anytime soon, and Frank was fine with just having fun. She and Frank’s chemistry led them to hooking up a few more times before they officially agreed to do the friends with benefits thing. Over time she warmed back up to the idea of being in a relationship, but she didn’t actively pursue anything because she didn’t want to miss the opportunity to be with Frank. She always had felt jealous when he let her know he was seeing someone, but she was terrified of ruining things with him, so she never let on to how she felt.

Now as she woke up with his arms around her like that, it felt quite intimate, bordering on relationship-y behavior. Even if she did decide to risk it all with Frank, now wouldn't be the time as she'd just be a rebound, so in that moment she decided she just needed to back off for a minute and let things even out a little, and get back to normal.

"Hey," he murmured, waking up.

"Hey" she replied, pulling herself up from his arms.

"You want some coffee?" He asked sitting up and shuffling off to the kitchen.

"Yea sure" she said following behind him, sitting on a barstool at the counter as she watched him make the coffee.

"What are you doing today?" She asked. That voice in the back of her head nagged for even asking the question. They weren't a couple, they didn't just hang out every day they were free, why even bring up the topic?

"I'm gonna go down to record a few of those demos I was telling you about last night" he replied, pulling out a couple mugs. "But you wanna hang out later?"

"Nah" She replied, shaking her head. A concerned look crossed his face. He wondered what he had done as he handed her the mug.

"You got something better to do?"

"Frank, I'm gonna be straight with you, I'm not looking to be a rebound, you know that. That’s not what I signed up for.”

"I'm not trying to use you as a rebound! I just thought you’d want to hang out since it’s been a while. I don't want anything to change what’s going on with us," he lied. 

It wasn't completely a lie, he didn't want her to be a rebound, but he did want things to change between them, he wanted them to be more. He did want a relationship with (YN), that's why he never put effort into his other relationships, because they never were with her. But he didn't want to drive her away, so he kept being friends with benefits, so at least he could be with her in some way.

She considered what he was telling her, not completely believing him. "Mmk," she replied, taking a sip of her coffee.

“Can I at least give you a ride back to your place?”

“You're such a gentleman," she smirked. "But I’d appreciate it.”

~

Over the next few weeks, (YN) and Frank settled back into their usual routine for when they were both single. They would text regularly, stop by each other’s place to hook up at least once a week, and sometimes hang out if a group was getting together.

Once things had normalized between them, she started to stop worrying so much about whether Frank was using her as a rebound. She did notice though that he still was being more physically affectionate than he used to be, putting his arm casually around the back of her chair when they were sitting next to each other, holding her for a little longer after hooking up, she'd wake up sleeping against him. She realized that maybe she was keeping up the affection just as much as he was, but that didn't change the fact that she just didn't think they should be pursuing a relationship.

On a quiet Tuesday in the salon, Jenny and (YN) were the only two working and chatting about life between clients.

"(YN) , don't take this the wrong way, but I have to ask. Are you still just hooking up with your friend?" Jenny asked

"Yea, but it's good, it's fine! It's what we want to do, ya know? Like for a while I was worried that he was catching feelings, and sometimes I get jealous, but we're just having fun and we're good."

"Yea, but have you talked about it recently? Like you said it seemed like he was getting attached."

"We did talk about it, and he said he wasn't trying to rebound and I believe him, and things went back to normal."

"And what about your jealousy?"

"Damn Dr. Phil!" (YN) retorted. She was surprised at the intense line of questioning coming from her friend. She was even more surprised at the knowing smirk that was on Jenny's face. "What?!" She snapped.

"There's nothing wrong with being vulnerable! Let him crack that hard shell you have around you, I'm sure you have a soft, gooey center in there somewhere!"

"He's found my soft center plenty of times, he's very good at that actually." (YN) said with a wink, getting up to prepare her work station for her next client.

"(YN), ew! But just think about it. What honestly could be the worst that would happen?" Jenny called after her.

"I could lose him and everything we have," she muttered under her breath.

~

(YN) was crammed in a booth with Frank, Mikey, Gerard, Ray and a few others at the afterparty celebrating another sold out show. It had been a long night of partying, but (YN) was having a lot of fun since it had been a long time since she got to hang out with the whole band. She did notice that Frank had kept his arm around her shoulder for most of the night, but she decided to let it slide.

Eventually the group started to get pulled away into different conversations until (YN), Frank and Ray were the only ones left in the booth.

"Ray, that girl over at the bar has been tryna to eye fuck you for a while now. Are you gonna do something about it?" (YN) asked, as she drew their attention to the girl at the bar.

"I see that," he said, taking the last swig of his drink and sliding out of the booth. (YN) and Frank both laughed as he made his way over to her.

"What do you think his chances are?" She asked, taking a drink.

"Eh, probably pretty good, she does seem into him."

(YN) could feel Frank's eyes on her. "What?" She asked, turning to look at him. He reached up to her cheek and pulled her in to kiss him. She didn't protest as he deepened the kiss, but after a moment the voice in her head started screaming 'What are you doing? This isn't how you two act in public!'

"Frank, what are you doing?" She asked, pulling back.

"I don't know anymore, (YN). I... fuck..." he stammered.

She knew where this was going because she had felt it building for a while now. She grabbed her bag and slid out from the booth.

"(YN) , come on, don't leave like this." He said following her out of the bar into the cool night.

"Frank, what are you doing?" She said putting an emphasis on each individual word, as if saying it more clearly would somehow spark clarity in his mind. She looked up at him, his hazel puppy dog eyes filled with fear and frustration. After a long moment, he still hadn't replied so she turned leave when he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back to him.

"(YN), I love you, ok? I fucking care about you and I don't give two shits about what we've agreed we're supposed to be, or what we aren't supposed to say. You are the reason none of those other relationships worked out. You're the one I always come back to, over and over again."

"Fucking hell man!" She shouted as she put her hands over her face. Her head was spinning. This was everything she had known deep down all along, it was all she wanted to hear for so long. But now that it was happening, she was panicking.

Frank took her wrists and pulled her hands away from her face, but she pulled her wrists away from him with a jerk, taking a step back and drawing in a deep breath.

"Ok, fine! I'm out of excuses. I've always had feelings for you too. Every time you tell me you have some girl you're seeing it made me so mad, and at first I didn't want anything more with you or anyone, but now I do and now I know you do too, so let's fucking do this Frank. I'm in. I love you too, goddamn it."

"You're mad that you love me?" He asked, laughing.

"Shut up" she said, pushing on his arm. He laughed again and took her face in his hands and placed a kiss on her lips with every ounce of passion he had been holding back for all the years and she wrapped her arms around his neck. When they separated, he took her hand and they went back into the bar to find Ray back at the table alone.

Even though he was dejected from his strikeout, Ray couldn't have been happier to see his plan to play Seven Minutes in Heaven all those years ago had finally paid off.

[ongelukkigheid]

Taylor Swift before as well as after

The number of celebrities that are afraid to come to be the subject of plastic surgery is impressive! Take Taylor Swift as an example. Ever since she's transformed from a country music musician to a worldwide pop celebrity, she's been implicated of having several aesthetic treatments done including a nose job, breast implants, lips, butt, you name it! The celebrity site will tell you the details of the personal life and cosmetic surgery of the stars!

Although Taylor has "shake ... ed off" as if it's just part of her job for being so abundant and also well-known. However, we all know that someplace underneath that gorgeous body and soul of hers, she's not especially pleased about it.

Nevertheless, individuals take a look at her face and body since they believe she's gorgeous, concur? Otherwise, who would care and enter into every little detail selecting discrepancies from her eyes, nose, teeth, legs, or ... whatever!

At the very least ... that's the only reason that she's included here.

Yes, besides her undeniable vocal singing, dance, and song-writing abilities, we additionally think that she's incredibly quite and also warm. Therefore, it's very likely that she's had help from plastic surgeons.

Taylor Swift's Elegance Transformation

Allow's see just how the superstar's face as well as body have changed through the years. This need to offer us a much better suggestion about her all-natural beauty as well as whether there are other cosmetic surgeries we could've missed out on.

The year 1995

Consider that angel face! At merely 6 years old, Taylor already appears as a star planned. She has lovely dual eyelids that run deep below her brows. With this, we can pretty much dismiss any eye or eyelid surgical treatment. It likewise appears she's obtained ash blonde hair back then, no wonder they claim Taylor's all-natural hair color changes on its own.

The year 1996

That would have thought that she 'd play football when she was young? It's rarely you get to see a cute chubby Taylor Swift either. Take a look at the infant fat on her face, which completes waistline. It appears like she's obtained some big dollar teeth also as well as you'll see the teeth alter if you compare her photos from at that time and now. Braces anybody?

The year 2001

Taylor created a rate of interest in musical theatre at the young age of 9. She started taking vocal and also acting courses in New York however loved country music after paying attention to Shania Twain's songs. When she transformed 12 (in the picture), she received aid from a neighborhood artist and also was educated on how to play guitar and write tracks.

With most of the baby fat gone, her face functions have turned into the acquainted face we're so utilized to seeing. What a quiet young lad with unbelievable songs skills!

The year 2003

Taylor's household relocated to Hendersonville, Tennessee, when she was 14 since her mommy and also papa wanted to aid her to get involved in c and w. You can see that she's shed a great deal of weight here, and also, her face form has trimmed quite a bit revealing her natural v-shaped chin. She does not require chin implants or improving going by this.

The year 2004

When Taylor fulfilled Scott Borchetta in 2004, she became one of the very first significant finalizing for Large Maker Records. She's not just got the great appearances. Still, her songwriting skills had enhanced substantially after working really "TOUGH" with Liz Rose, The Warren Brothers, Brett James, Troy Verges, Mac McAnally and so on.

We can practically concur that Taylor Swift's charm is like god-gifted! Take a look at her gorgeous curly blonde hair and those chatting blue eyes. Fresh without makeup, Taylor's jawline has turned into one of her most eye-catching features, although her nose does appear to be larger than it is now, and also her breast location was still establishing.

The year 2006

After several years of discovering, researching, and also rushing, she finally released her initial brand-new cd "Taylor Swift," which peaked at number 5 on the Signboard 200. At merely 17 years old, Taylor has taken advantage of a big young girl's market as well as ended up being an idolizer for numerous women teenagers. Suddenly, every woman intended to replicate the means of how Taylor does her eye makeup, which was just one of her most fascinating features that improved her eye form to perfection!

The year 2008

Taylor launched her 2nd cd, "Courageous" in 2008, and also the lead track "Romance" placed number 4 in the US Billboard 100. She has formally become an American sweetheart with followers from both sexes. Her makeup again is placed on, and also her lip shade includes in her appeal, so it's no wonder why so many young American guys want a sweetheart like Swift.

At age 19, we have yet to find proof suggesting that the vocalist has had any type of cosmetic surgery. She has an instead regular-sized heart designed lips, not also plump and also not as well thin either, so it shows up lip shots are not in the books right here.

The year 2010

Here is the 21-year-old Taylor getting to the American Songs Awards at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Aside from dropping her universal curly search for the all brand-new straight hairdo, her nose likewise appears to be different contrasted to in the past. She may have gone through a refined rhinoplasty here as you can see that her nose bridge seems thinner, and also, the nose suggestions appear to be sharper and also pointier as well.

Miss Swift is a complete grown-up lady now as well as going by her breast size, we could not see any trace of a boob job (yet!), so we'll leave that point of view till later on as we continue.

Below's a full body shot of Taylor when she went to the 2010 Individuals' Choice Awards in LA. Perhaps there's a reason people called her a stick. She's pretty tall and also skinny, to be straightforward. However, we feel that she has a good body for modeling. The question she'll ever before require a liposuction surgery though and appears as she would certainly have made her popularity somehow ...

The year 2011

At the CoverGirl 50th Wedding anniversary celebration event at the BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood, The Golden State. Taylor is looking sensational in this black strapless sweetheart dress flaunting her wonderful collarbones and shoulder structure. You need likewise to wonder what skin treatment she uses since her smooth, glowing skin is contrasting her red lips beautifully!

The year 2012

What a difference a year makes as Taylor heads to Sydney for the 2012 Aria Awards with her pair of "new friends"! Check out her upper body and also the method her bosom is laying in that gown. Unsure concerning you, yet those look like new boobs to us as well as they do not also appear all-natural either. If we had to think, after that yup ... those are breast augmentation therein.

The year 2013

Taylor Swift makes a curvy entry on the red carpet at the Golden Globes Awards in Beverly Hills. Her bust size has most definitely increased so we do not condemn you if you assume that she's checked out a surgeon and also obtained herself a breast enhancement surgical treatment done. Look exactly how buoyant as well as complete her boobs are now! And with today's healing abilities, it's not likely that we'll see any implant marks either.

Incidentally, are those creases revealing on her temple? Considered that she's just 24 years old, so she much better adhere to her skin treatment routine. Otherwise, she may need Botox fillers or a browlift procedure to deal with that location quickly.

The year 2014

If you think Taylor Swift's obtained a brand-new body, after that, you're correct! As a matter of fact, she looks absolutely nothing like the old stick number that many individuals have criticized, and then all of a sudden, she seems like the high blonde Kardashian ... WHAT! Are you sure those are her legs and also her butt?

Okay, while you may be screaming plastic surgery, however, we, ,believe she may have achieved that lower body via some physical fitness workout routines with an excellent personal trainer. Look very closely at her thighs and calf muscle mass ... those legs truthfully appear like effort. As to whether she has butt implants in her bum ... we'll let you make a decision!

The year 2015

Seriously people, if those do not appear like fake boobs to you, we don't recognize what does! Whether those breasts are genuine or otherwise, it did not stop Taylor from dating Scottish DJ and also document producer, Calvin Harris, with the pair supposedly earning over $145 million in overall, making them the highest possible paid celeb pair in 2015.

The year 2016

This was among one of the most successful years for Taylor in which she won 3 Grammy Honors for "1989" cd as well as "Bad Blood". There have been reports suggesting that the star has got tattoos on her arms, body, and also foot, nonetheless we couldn't find any evidence to support those claims. We have additionally seen images of her with the tat, number 13 on her hand, however, that ended up being a phony tattoo just.

The year 2017

Taylor Swift is looking as classy as ever in this outfit, and also, we don't even care if her breasts are phony anymore since the truth is, they look great! She released one more leading cd this year, Credibility, and also in case you wish to see her at work, here is just one of the latest video, END GAME, featuring Ed Sheeran and even Future.

After this video clip was launched, lots of fans are encouraged that Taylor had gone through a boob job treatment. Although we have thought this a number of years earlier, you've got to see how busty she searched in this MTV.

The year 2018

Right here, Taylor participates in the 2018 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. No real adjustments that we could see here as well as although her left eye appears to smaller, that might be the timing of the cam shot.

[forevealuna]

Death Note OC --- Terra (Written sheet)

I know, I know it's a LOOOONG sheet, but I've really fleshed her out and thought I'd post her sheet anyways even if no one wants it lmao.

Basic information

True Name: Aiko Yamagishi

In Japanese: 山岸 アイコ

Alias/nickname : Terra, Terra Watanabe, T

In Japanese: 渡辺 テラ

D.O.B: September 14th, 1989 (1992 if we're going by the anime version)

D.O.D: --

Status: Alive-- surprisingly

Ages throughout the series:

14-15 (pre-timeskip)

19-20 (post-timeskip)

22-23 (C-Kira story)

29 (A-kira story)

Height 5'5 (out of platforms), 5’11-6’0(in platforms)

Weight: 140LBS (63KG)

Blood Type: B-

Hair color: naturally black, but she will dye it from time to time

Eye color: Dark brown

Skin color: a rather pale complexion, though she was tanner at the beginning of the series

Other physical attributes

Clothing style: she tends to wear a lot of dark, gothic clothing-- mostly stuff that will make her appear taller and thinner. Some days she'll be wearing regular shoes, but for the most part she's wearing black platforms with red laces-- making her 4-5 inches taller than her actual height.

- You won't catch her without the two rosaries she's wearing unless she absolutely has to take them off for specific reasons (physicals, airports)

- No matter the clothing, she tries to wear something loose-fitting to hide her bust, which gained a lot of attention because it's larger than the average female in Japan. She'll get asked uncomfortable questions about it, mostly if she's had work done or if she'll go into more adult acting-- which she avoids.

Hair style: jaw length hair, often teased to appear spiky and bigger-- a common style for people at the time.

- Her hair style was a bit flatter when she was younger, especially after being introduced to light. She wore no makeup, was in a school uniform, and her hair wasn't teased for once. It does change a lot more throughout time, eventually her hair is longer and probably has more color to it.

Personality attributes:

Likes: alternative rock, junk food, tall shoes

- some of the foods she particularly enjoys are sweets, fast food, and will be huddled down in a corner with lots of chips, pastries, etc.

- tall shoes make Terra feel empowered and more intimidating (even if she already looks pretty scary with how she dresses and naturally looks mean).

You won't catch Terra listening to softer music, she's usually singing or playing loud rock music. She's fond of American rock, and learned how to sing in English through it.

Dislikes: egotistical people, cigarettes

- hatred for egotistical people began at a very young age, watching her mother attempt to start a new and find someone to help raise Terra, but only ended up seeing her mother get abused and spiral down the path of becoming more of an alcoholic

- hatred for cigarettes started from her mother also having a nicotine addition, which left their run down apartment and Terra's clothes always smelling like cigarettes. She also got sick frequently and has acute asthma because of it. Just the smell of cigarettes alone makes her feel violently ill.

Personality traits: snarky, rebellious, a tad flirty, intelligent, observant

- The rebellious attitude comes from her skipping school and having a tendency of being a troublemaker at times.

Strengths: her attitude and looks can persuade or intimidate a lot of people, she also is pretty good at acting and can improvise on the spot if she is feeling she is being cornered. Also, she understands and can speak English pretty well, but will pretend she can't at times just to mess with people.

Weaknesses: her snarky and rebellious attitude gets her into quite a bit of trouble at times. She also hates it when people bring up her past or treat her like an object when it comes to the Kira case since she was closely involved with the two main Kiras. (Light and Misa).

Acting Skills: improvisation, being able to craft believable costumes, and masking her emotions enough to make it hard to pinpoint what she was feeling at the current moment. It came in handy with being a singer and model.

Social life: Terra didn't have many friends growing up, and Misa was her only friend when she was still around her frequently. After growing distant from Misa, due to safety and starting to not like being seen as a suspect in the Kira case, she was temporarily staying with L after her mother's passing and eventually sent off to Wammy's house. It was safer for her to leave the country, since she did have a big target on her back.

Motivation: trying to stop her friend from spiraling down the Kira rabbit hole and stopping Kira from taking many more people closest to her.

Creativity: making clever disguises for herself to stay under the radar. She also is really creative with her comebacks and insults, shutting anyone down almost instantly. Pulling her way out of getting off a hit list is another thing, since she's got disguises and names she's made for herself as time goes on.

Willingness to act: very willing to act, even if its to avenge the people closest to her who was taken by Kira.

Relationships:

Friends: Misa Amane (Eventually drifted apart from Misa after finding out she was Kira #2 and having an obsessive devotion to Light), L (became close during the investigation, but only because she needed someone in that very moment. They had a sibling bond). Develops a familial bond with Near (close friends).

Family: Kiyoko Yamagishi (mother - Deceased), Unknown father (--status unknown--)

Enemies: Light Yagami

Relationships: N/A-- though she might have gotten with Mello as a trauma bond thing after L's death, and had a nasty break up because of the whole mafia and her being a big key to the investigation

Back story:

Basic information before ending up dragged into the Kira case:

Aiko Yamagishi, also known as Terra, came from a run-down, impoverished neighborhood in Tokyo. She doesn't know anything about her father, considering he left after she was born, and her mother stayed single after a few more attempts at trying to give Terra the father figure she needed growing up. Watching her mother get abused by short-lasted partners and spiraling down a road to Nicotine and alcohol addiction, Terra began to hate the egotistical people who took the once vibrant life from her mother. Her mother also began stealing from small businesses and grocery stores just to provide, which by the time Terra was 14, she began performing for money in small venues, including a local nightclub-- which she lied about her age to get into. Her mother did have two small jobs at that time too, which she eventually lost due to coming to work intoxicated or forgetting to show up. Terra just wanted to help provide, and saved any money she got from performing smaller gigs for necessities and getting acting lessons. Eventually, a talent scout picked up on her and offered her a job at a company, which she happily took. That was where she met Misa Amane, and the two became close, like sisters.

Pre- time skip:

Terra became a pretty popular name alongside Misa Amane, and was still performing and modeling. She even scored a few ad offers and television show parts, which she took. The two were always with each other, until Misa met a new guy that she expressed was the one. Of course, Terra's first thought was to be hyper-cautious and play 20 questions, but was reassured that the new guy in Misa's life was fine.

A few weeks into constantly hearing about Misa's 'prince charming,' Terra got the honor of accidentally running into Misa, who was of course with the guy. It was Terra's travel back home from school, not properly dressed to meet anyone, since the academy she went to didn't allow makeup or anything that made her a walking distraction.

Misa called Terra over and introduced her to Light, to which Terra simply sneered and stuffed her hands in her pockets when he offered to shake her hand. Terra then proceeded to call Light a chump and asked why Misa always found the most suspicious looking people.On the inside, Terra recognized Light as being the son of Soichiro Yagami— chief of police and being the same man who has tried to keep her mom behind bars. Sadly, Misa immediately apologized for Terra and talked about how younger kids were a little more unfiltered now-a-days.

Consequently, Misa decided to have Terra hang out with her, Light, and L--who became a more frequent face in the group too. Terra was forced to get to know Light as proof he wasn't just as bad as she believed, but she still didn't buy it. This would go on for days, until Terra expressed she wanted to hang out with Just Misa-- no other people, to which Misa declined the offer. This hurt Terra's feelings and she stopped wanting to hang around the 3 altogether. Her hatred for Light began here.

Terra did still keep in touch with Misa through text, telling her about school, social events, gigs, and even about her home life. One of her big mistakes was bringing up her mother going to jail for theft, after trying to rob a gas station for cigarettes she couldn't afford. What she didn't know was Misa would have been with Light at that moment of telling her. She also mentioned having permission to take her a care package with clothes, food, and some basic necessities.

The next morning, Terra got an alarming knock at her door. She awoke from the couch and went to go see who it was. There were officers at the door, but she couldn't seem to find her mother. She asked if she was still in the vehicle, and the policemen informed her that she was under arrest for the murder of her mother. This shocked Terra, for she didn't recall ever doing anything that could cause harm. She loved her mother and it was only a care package!

During questioning, Terra was beginning to break down. She expressed how she would never hurt her mother and how she was the only person left that cared about her. The police officer questioning her then asked why they found her foaming at the mouth due to cardiac arrest in her cell. A baffled Terra yet again explained it couldn't have been her and that it was probably the work of Kira. She even gave her book back for them to examine, only to find that she in fact didn't have anything on her that could have harmed any inmates. She was then questioned if she had any connection to Kira and she stated that she wasn't, which she started to doubt since Misa was acting weird and knew Light was a weird dude in general. They apologized and mentioned they couldn't send her home, since she was now orphaned and they wouldn't allow her to continue to live alone in a run down apartment. Terra ended up being put in foster care.

With the bizarre death of Terra's mother and the interesting answers she gave during her questioning piqued L's interest. He also remembered her to be one of Misa's friends and felt she knew a lot more than what she led them to believe. He contacted her, asking to meet up with her. She recognized the voice, but knew it to be Ryuzaki, the man who hung around Misa and Light shortly after she started visiting the group more. Unsure of what to say, she hesitantly agreed and the two met up at a cafe. Of course, Terra would be coming right after school and had to get permission from the foster home she was placed for the time being until she found a more suitable guardian to stay with. Ryuzaki introduced himself as L, the lead detective in the Kira case, which didn't really shock Terra. She discussed how she knew who he was after a period of time and had read into some of the work he had done over the years.

After briefly introducing each other, Terra went onto how she wanted to work with L one on one with a separate Kira case. Upon L's curious questioning of why she doesn't want to be apart of the main case, she stated that she knew Light could have been the first Kira and how Kira #2 would eventually figure out about her being so closely involved and want her dead before the case could be closed. Another thing brought to the table was Terra wanting out of being bounced homes until a guardian could be established, and she felt bad about abandoning Misa. Thinking about it, L decided that it would be best if she were to be put in the care of someone closer to her, than a stranger. Finally, Terra could get her friend back, bring justice for her mother's death, and a stable roof to live under. Though the stay would be short-lived.

On one of Terra's days off from school, she decided to hang around in Misa's room while she was away on a lunch date with Light. A drawer stuck out from her, being partially cracked. Curiosity got the best of her and she went to investigate it, finding a black notebook. Opening the drawer all the way, she finds the death note. Odd, this was the book brought up during one of the discussions with L during the past few weeks regarding Kira. Terra's heart sank and fear crept in. She couldn't believe her friend was Kira, or even one of the Kiras. She didn't feel safe anymore with Misa and immediately called L.

Due to safety, Terra ended up placed in L's care for a while, and so he can keep a closer eye on her while the investigation continues. They continued the case, but it became too dangerous with L beginning to feel that Kira was starting to catch word of another case being developed. He talked to Terra about it, and that's when her mask began to fade. The visible fear that displayed and how pale she turned. They knew she was a part of the case now, and she asked L if there was any way that she could simply go off the grid, to which he brought in Watari. Watari explained how he could contact someone who knew who ran an orphanage, and since Terra's life was on the line and was needed for the investigation, he suggested that Terra be sent there.

L agreed, telling Watari to contact the man in charge and get a plane ticket ready for that night. Terra left the country that night, flying out to a new country and preparing for a new life. She made a post announcement online, stating she will be taking time away to focus on her schooling, and hoping to be back in the spotlight again.

Post-time skip:

It's been 5 years since Terra was sent to Wammy's house. It felt rather lonely, considering everyone had been there longer and she definitely stuck out from the rest of the kids. She also hasn't heard from L or Watari in a while regarding the Kira case, which made her feel even worse. She spent a lot of her days, isolated from the other kids or watching the other kids play. Her height didn't help with trying to fit in, being the only female who's not only older, but the tallest. Looking different, dressing different, and being the oldest warranted a lot of bullying from the other kids.

One of the days, while watching kids play outside and sketching, Terra was called to Roger's office along with two other boys she didn't really know. Roger explained that he had gotten word of L's passing. Terra froze up, her eyes being the only key of what she had been currently feeling-- grief and anger all at once. All hope felt lost to her, and she backed away holding herself, trying to keep her composure. The blonde haired boy, close to her age piped up about who L picked as a successor, to which she wasn't one and didn't want to be apart the discussion anymore. She backed further into a corner as the argument pursued, staring at the ground, her face visibly distraught.

Continuing to listen, she heard about how the blonde boy was going to leave, since he didn't want to work with the younger, platinum blonde boy playing with a puzzle. This was Terra's chance to leave too, she was done with the Kira stuff and wanted to go back to being a normal girl. Her stardom and chance at a normal life were taken away and she could go back to building a career somewhere else. She piped up, mentioning how she wanted to go with the blonde haired boy. The boy was confused and didn't notice Terra there, to which she ended up giving a proper introduction, a slight bow, and holding her hand out to shake. The two made a deal that if she comes with him, she can be of use to stopping Kira-- to which she hesitantly agreed to. The two took off, along with one of the boy's closest friends.

Some time passed, with Terra being by Mello's side as he continued to try to dig further into the Kira case on his own. The two grew close over the period of time and established a romantic relationship, even if it was an unofficial thing. However, Terra didn't like the idea of Mello joining the Mafia in order to get closer to Kira. She was the closest in the case, but knew she didn't want to continue seen that way, so she gives input about Kira #1 and Kira #2 to him, which he passes along to his associates. She began to feel used after a period of time, often in her own little world while discussions were going on.

The line was drawn when Mello obtained a death note, and wanted to get closer to Kira by kidnapping those closest to him. Terra broke it to Mello she no longer wanted to be a part of his plans, and how she felt used. Terra even tried to explain how she knew that this wasn't who he really was, and that he should stop the way he's trying to stop Kira. The reaction she got wasn't a good one, as Mello seemed really upset. What she wasn't sure about was if it was because he actually loved her, or if he no longer had access to info through her. Either way, she packed her things and fled. A chase pursued by some of the men working for him, leading her to a rooftop. What they didn't know is she prepped for a situation like this and jumped off the roof, having a safety rope and harness on, making a perfect getaway.

A few days later, Terra began to track down the platinum blonde boy she knew back at the orphanage, hoping that she could contact him. Pinpointing him felt nearly impossible, but that was when she got a knock at her hotel room door. Upon opening it, she saw two special agents in front of her. Panic set in and she began to explain how she wasn't involved in anything bad and she didn't want to be sent back to where she ran away from. The agents explained how Near wanted her in person so they could speak. Her expression went to anger for a split second, before going back to a blank expression. She told them she didn't want to be involved, until they reminded her that she was a missing piece, to which she winced at it and hesitantly agreed.

The agents took her to where Near was located, the two having a discussion on the information over the years and Terra speaking briefly of where she's been for a period of time. The two decided to work together, jokes being exchanged back and forth of how much of a daredevil she was when it came to being put in constant dangerous situations-- regarding her recent run away from Mello and the Mafia itself.

Pinning down Kira ended up becoming a lot easier, as Terra began to start keeping a count of how many days they're going to confront Kira. They had a lot of information, though she was beginning to worry that her life or Near's was going to come to an end. So many more lives around them were lost, leaving Terra, Near, and a few SPK members left.

The day they finally confront Kira came. Finding him in the dingy, abandoned warehouse was a scene for sure. Terra knew that light had a complex, but believing he was a god amongst men only made her angry. He took everything from her, and the last thing she wanted to see was him laughing at them like they lost. She demanded why he killed her mother, took the only friends she had, and killed her ex-lover (despite their relationship ending on a bad note). Fear kicked in as Light spoke of how everyone in the warehouse was going to die, and Terra pulled the gun she had on her out, pointing it at him. Her finger, ready on the trigger, but she didn't have the heart to shoot-- until she heard a shot on the other side of her, panicking before looking over to see Matsuda with his gun drawn.

What she didn't see was Light planned to use his death note himself, and made a run for it. She began to get ready to chase him with her gun drawn still, only to be stopped by members of the task force. Reassurance that it was all over is what she needed, and what she finally got as Light was confirmed dead in another warehouse a few blocks from the one they had met in.

After the incident, Terra became rather close to Near and of course decided to join his team while continuing to build up her career as a model and singer. She lost all contact with Misa and assumed her to be dead as well, knowing that she'd never have her friend by her side no longer. She was just happy to move on from the situation and become good friends with Near and some of the task force.

C-Kira story:

It had been 3-years since the Kira case was solved, and Terra had grown to be more in the spot-light again. Near had stopped working on any more Kira cases, since a lot of them didn't interest him-- and that gave her more time to put more time into her career. However, she didn't really want to go back to Japan with people worshiping Kira and many copy-cat killers popping up. She apologized to her former company and began trying to continue from scratch in America. One day, while getting ready for an ad shooting, Terra got a call from one of the SPK members to meet them at Near's location to which she immediately left the studio to meet them.

When she got there, she saw near the building his tower of tarot cards. It had been a little while since the last time they saw each other, but he had grown and began to look a lot like L. Her appearance had also changed quite a bit, with her hair growing longer, her figure had filled in more, and she had two lip piercings. Although Near had warned the other two members to be wary of his tower, Terra stepped over it carefully to properly greet him. She squatted down, patting his head, her once hard, mean expression going soft.

This shocked agent Linder and agent Rester. The once blunt and intimidating looking Terra is able to not knock something over and is showing affection?! Terra looked to the others and asked why they were meeting up, and the topic of a new Kira killing weak people was brought up. Disbelief washed over Terra as she explained how it wasn't possible because the Kira they knew is no longer alive, and wouldn't kill sickly people or the elderly. It made no sense to her, and it upset her to know every killer with a death note was referred to as Kira-- even after what she had been through all those years ago.

However, Terra also agreed with Near's statement of how they shouldn't get involved, since L only took interest in cases that fascinated him. She was a prime example of what he took interest in. She believed it was up to the Japanese Police to be responsible for something that was happening in Japan. Standing up, and stepping over the tower, she waited for Near to make his announcement, ensuring Linder and Rester that Near knew what he was doing. After dismissing the agents, Terra decided to stay behind and help Near assemble his tower, jokingly offering to give him a tarot reading with all the cards once he was done. She was happy to now have alone time with him and not because she had to help him get a lead on any more cases. It had been a while since they spoke after all.

A-Kira story:

It has been a while since the last interesting Kira case, and Terra had fallen out of her singing career and was sticking more into the world of being an online influencer. She makes fashion vlogs, posts modelling pictures she's done herself, and even began posting artwork she's done. Her hair is short again and she doesn't tease it as much, but pulls some of it into loose ponytails. She also has begun wearing less baggy clothing. She was a lot more comfortable in her skin and simply rolled with whatever they had her model.

Terra and Near were already doing some research into the new Kira, when Linder and Rester arrived. Terra didn't mind revisiting the old case to help with the new one, but something still felt off. It was odd to Terra seeing a Kira who wasn't using the book to kill, and auctioning it for a large amount of money. She did admire the tactic though, for whoever got their hands on it will be responsible for who lives or dies. The only issue is who was going to get it.

Seeing the government officials, including the United States President bid for it was rather fascinating. As she watched it unravel, she mentioned how she had seen the book before, but never actually wanted anything to do with it or touch it. It still pained her to talk about it, since the last book she got awfully close to was her old friend Misa's death note. How ending the auction would go for as large as a quadrillion yen was hard to think about. Even Terra wanted to know how getting the money would be possible for A-Kira.

The notebook was eventually sold to the United States, and Terra refused to try to seize it from the government considering she lives in America as well, and doesn't want to get tangled in more trouble than she did in the past. It had become certain to Terra that meeting this kira would be harder, since he's not doing harm and he's sending the shinigami to do the work. Her interest in the case was no longer there and she went back to helping put together Near's shinigami statue.

The A-kira situation didn't harm anyone, thankfully, but Terra still didn't like that Kira was going to continue being praised as a god, even if lots of innocent lives were lost. She was definitely happy about leaving Japan now. Hopefully this means anyone who did get a hold of the death note will return it or not take the offer at all. Upon seeing Near admit defeat, it was the perfect time for Terra to convince him to take a break— offering the idea of building another card tower or play a couple board games.

[pedrobrvs]

Wreck-it Ralph 2 Analysis

  With almost all the Disney princesses (that belong in the "Disney Princess" line) appearing in Disney's newest movie, many people went crazy, many more went "oh. that's neat i guess", but it caused some discussion. The changes done to all the characters to fit with the Wreck-it Ralph universe were disappointing to those who were looking forward to see a more faithful recreation (like me), and some people even brought up the argument of "Same face syndrome" again. 

 Since I absolutely adore Disney animation (It being the job of my dreams and all), I'm making this post in hopes of shining light on the resemblances and differences and arguing that maybe these adaptions are more respectful to the originals than people give them credit for. 

For that I'm comparing most of them with the originals, for obvious reasons, and when applicable I'll also compare with the gaming franchise Kingdom Hearts, since rather than adapting the models to fit an uniform style, Square-Enix decided to recreate them as closely as they could. Head under the cut to see all of them!

SNOW WHITE (1937)

 Before I explain the similarities, I want to point out something about the first 3 princesses. Snow White, Cinderella and to a lesser extent Aurora were all animated with heavy help of a method called rotoscoping (where you draw on top of live-action footage) and consequentially have more realistic proportions than almost every other princess.  Sleeping Beauty would be one of the first movies where they'd start experimenting more their human characters, but it is still restrained. 

 Anyway. Snow White has chubby cheeks, very round eyes with softer corners and 3 larger eyelashes that are very characteristic of her.  Her lower lip is large and round, and her eyebrows are simple curves. She has a button nose. She is animated as a comedic, exaggerated version of her original self, mainly symbolized by the way she holds her hands (pictured) and the little head shakes she does when singing.

CINDERELLA (1950) 

Personally out of the 3 original princesses I find Cinderella to be the most different from the cartoon. Not just because, well, she has ears now but because I don't seem to get any cues of her original version from the animation. Then again the original Cinderella is animated with gentle, delicate slower movements movements while this one is making a shiv out of her shoe. However, she does keep some of the original design in the model itself. Her eyes are a bit round, with the upper eyelid being rounder than the lower, but the corners of her eyes are evident without causing the eye to look almond-shaped. I'd pull her outer corner a little bit more outwards or at least add an eyeliner but nobody is perfect. Her nose is slightly pointy but mostly round. I'm hoping that when we get to see more of her she'll demonstrate more of her slower, graceful nature. I don't mind that all those characters are more energetic and cartoony in this movie, but in Cinderella's case it seems to go against her very personality.

AURORA - SLEEPING BEAUTY (1959)

Aurora has a very diamond-shaped jaw, and while she appears to have a rounder one in this movie screencap, she demonstrates this diamond-shaped jaw whenever she's not facing straight forward.  Her lower eyelid has a very prominent "corner" to it like the original, making it kinda look like she has two outer eye corners. Her nose is pointy and thin. Her inner eyebrows could go lower and be closer together but the general thickness is very close. Her mouth isn't as wide as the others and her smile is V-shaped.  My gripe with her design is her hair, because IT SHOULD CURL THE OTHER WAY.  Her body language captures a lot of the gracious, romantic behavior she exhibits while awake in the movie. It differs from Cinderella's posture because Cinderella behaves more in a motherly, warm and kind fashion while Aurora behaves more "professionally" and in a more reserved way. 

ARIEL - THE LITTLE MERMAID (1989) 

 Ariel is one of the closest to the original IMO, but she has subtle differences. Her eyes keep the same general curves, with the upper eyelids being more curved and bending more towards the inner face. However, in the new version they are less vertical. Her nose is small, pointy and turned a little bit upwards, her lips are thin and don't have a cupid's bow. She has big cheeks but they are not as round as Snow White's, and her forehead is more forward, giving her the curve seen in the 2D version. For her the biggest difference is the eyelashes, that are way less uniform and are way thinner in the 2D version.  She still keeps the bright-eyed, curious expression, being very similar to Rapunzel in behavior.

In a side topic, I'm extremely glad to see her hair being done properly in 3D, by comparison with Kingdom Hearts 3. Her hair is a huge part of her animation and what made it impressive (as important to her body language as Rapunzel's hair is. Strange how much the two of them have in common) I was disappointed that in Kingdom Hearts 3 she kept the stiff hair she had in the first games even with the advance in technology. Her eyes are also closer in shape to the original than the Kingdom Hearts edition even if that one got the general face proportions right.  KH is closer in proportion while Wreck-it Ralph is closer in specific shapes. 

BELLE - BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991)

Belle is also one who I didn't see a lot of her original personality, though she was very gentle and gracious in the original as well, which contrasts with her more cartoony animation here.

She has a larger nose than most princesses and it's also one of the most round, and her lips, while they have a cupid's bow, are less defined.

Her eyes are more almond-shaped, having the outer corner being higher up than the lower. Her eyebrows are pretty close in shape, thickness and distance to the original (considering the change of art style).

One thing that could be done was to make her laugh lines more prominent in the 3D model, since they tend to appear when she's grinning in the original. Going back to Kingdom Hearts, i must say that Belle's appearance there is not very accurate. I think that something is off with her face in Kingdom Hearts 2, like her face looks squashed, longer and different from the original.

JASMINE - ALADDIN (1992) 

Jasmine for me is one of the most accurate to the originals, with her almond shaped eyes, characteristic nose, sculpted lips and more oval shaped face. Her eyebrows also look slightly more accurate to the original than the KH counterpart, with the inner edge not being round (though they should be thicker). She shares a lot of the posture of the original, specially with the tendency of stopping with one leg in front of the other and bending her torso in a way that kinda highlights her butt (but you do you Jasmine) 

POCAHONTAS (1995)

So, Pocahontas is one of the most unique-looking movies in the Disney canon, having the most realistic body proportions of Disney canon in decades.

Her movie is also characterized by having stronger edges and a more angular shape. That entire proportional yet angular look is mostly out of the window, but her face still has the most geometric features of them all. 

A strong chin, a big triangular upper lip, a nose with up-turned nostrils that has a kind of v-shaped outline... Also even with the change of art style she has a slightly stronger build than the rest of the princesses. 

In terms of animation she has that classic impossible hair, and keeps the dignified and mysterious attitude she has most of the time when she's not trying to see what's just around the riverbend. 

MULAN (1998)

She is definitely really close to the original, though the proportions got shifted around for the art style. 

Her round face, almond shaped eyes with a single eyelash going outwards in the corrner, and her very caracteristic lips are there (her lips are one thing they did more accurately than Kingdom Hearts as well). Though I think her nose should be slightly flatter to be closer to the Original and the Kingdom Hearts rendition. 

 I haven't seen enough of her facial animation to form an opinion on expressions, but she does enter the scene with that jump kick she does in the end of "Be a Man" so there's that.

TIANA - THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (2009)

Same case with Mulan, the biggest differences are just to accommodate for the art style. Her characteristic smile looks pretty great in 3D, dimples and all (though I think Coco did a better looking dimple for Miguel, those look a bit fake) 

Since the movies are so close together, being technically released in the same "Disney era" with way more artist overlap than previously (as in, more people who worked in the two movies), the animators already have a lot of practice animating her so I expect that she'll be pretty accurate.

RAPUNZEL - TANGLED (2010)

Speaking of accuracy, we're finally on the realm of 3D disney princesses. I like this comparison that @constable-frozen made (I apologize for not asking first/Lo siento no haber pedido antes/Desculpa por não ter perguntado primeiro). It shows that even the 3D princess got changed to fit the movie so it's not the 3D that is to blame for this change and that it was very much intentional rather than just lack of skill from the artists. But back to the comparison, I find it amazing how apparent the improvement in technology is, with Rapunzel having more natural skin and more strands in her hair (as well as the hair also looking more natural). Like i mentioned before, Rapunzel's hair was ground-breaking for Disney, since they spent years perfecting the technology for it. 8 years later and it looks greater than ever.  The whole lighting in the scene looks more natural as well, taking away the slight "PS3 game cutscene" feel the original gives me. Speaking of her hair, Kingdom Hearts 3 still didn't give us a look at her face, but the developers keep telling us of how much work they put into making her hair and turning it into a gameplay element as well. Seems fitting that a story about a girl with long hair would cause innovation in hair simulation for both animation and games.

MERIDA - BRAVE (2012)

Ok so this will definitely take some using to. In this pic specially she looks a bit like a baby. Though from other pics I think they at least nailed the facial expressions. Still, seeing her with those big bright eyes makes her almost look like Jessie from Toy Story, both having red hair and a very round face.

MOANA (2016)

To finish, here's Moana, from their last movie, to exemplify again that the change in art style is pretty much intentional. Larger eyes and eyebrows, smaller nose and mouth. Thin neck. Pretty much what happened to everyone else. Wreck-it Ralph stylized them to make them fit with each other and with the place they appear in. Otherwise they keep the basic shapes and ideas of the originals, only following the general style of the current artists. I hoped they'd keep the proportions and styles as close to the original as possible, but I won't pretend they didn't put any effort. All characters presented in those images belong to Walt Disney Animation Studio and Pixar Animation Studio.

PS: ANNA AND ELSA - FROZEN (2013)

I couldn’t get decent enough pictures for the both of them for me to make a comparison while I was writing. Might edit the post with the pic tomorrow.

In the original, their eyes are larger than most princesses and their noses are pointier. The two of them look really alike because they're sisters but there's differences:

Anna has chubbier cheeks and curved eyebrows while Elsa's eyes have a drooping lower eyelid common in smug/sexy characters, as well as L-shaped eyebrows.

The changes from the movie to the Wreck-it Ralph 2 version are essentially the same as Moana's (larger upper face, smaller lower face), plus an extra difference of them having bigger, more voluminous hairdos than what they had. 

PS: PS: On the off chance Tumblr messes up the images, I posted this entire thing on Imgur

[aion-rsa]

Stephen King: 10 Best Supernatural Villains

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Know the terror and madness of Stephen King's 10 greatest supernatural villains!

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The name Stephen King conjures up images of horrific creatures, monsters, places, and some of the most enduring villains in fiction. These are beings of unimaginable evil that test the limits of the protagonists' will to survive, and some of these villains have gone on to become almost as famous (or infamous) as the writer himself.

While many King villains are monsters of the human variety (serial killers, power hungry despots, nihilists, etc.), his most memorable are the supernatural ones who use their dark powers to twist the orderly world around them into chaos and pain.

Pennywise the Clown isn't the only monster you need to fear at night. King has created plenty of other horrific things that go bump in the night. Here are just a few of his best supernatural madmen and monsters...

10. Gage Creed and the Pet Sematary

Pet Sematary (1983)

“Don’t go beyond, no matter how much you feel you need to, Doctor. The barrier was not made to be broken. Remember this: there is more power here than you know. It is old and always restless. Remember.”

When Louis, Rachel, Eileen, and Gage Creed moved to Ludlow, Maine from Chicago, their cat Winston Churchill in tow, they wanted a peaceful new life in the more rural locale. What they got was a descent into death and madness almost unmatched in modern horror fiction. In the novel, the Creed cat is killed. Louis fears telling his daughter and buries the beloved pet at a nearby “Pet Sematary,” an old Micmac Indian burial ground. The cat returns home, much to Louis’ shock and delight, but it’s not the same friendly animal. It’s a listless, mean, half-alive creature that does not have a fondness for life.

Further Reading: Every Stephen King Film and TV Adaptation Currently in Development

When Gage is killed by a truck, overcome with despair, Louis buries his son in the Sematary. What comes back is a true horror of epic proportions. Gage is such a disturbing villain because he once existed as an object of purest affection. The once totally innocent soul is now corrupt and ridden with supernatural darkness. The Pet Sematary itself is rumored to once have been a burial place for cannibals, and the spirit of a Wendigo dwells in the soil.

Now, Gage is back with the most ancient of curses coursing where blood once flowed. Every father’s nightmare turned even darker. King felt the book was too dark even for him and shelved it until his wife, Tabitha, and his friend, the author Peter Straub, encouraged him to share his bleak vision of paternal loyalty with the world.

9. The Leatherheads

Under the Dome (2009)

“God turned out to be a bunch of bad little kids playing interstellar Xbox. Isn't that funny?”

Much more frightening than typical villains, the Leatherheads are an alien race responsible for the construction of the Dome that covers Chester’s Mill. They are in the same vein as H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmic horrors, beings much older and more powerful than humanity. The mere sight of them could drive a man mad. They are beings with the power of gods but no connection to or feelings for humanity. Just cold observers that exist on a different layer of reality.

The Leatherheads construct the Dome the same way a child makes an ant farm, out of a morbid curiosity to watch how lesser creatures exist. Their casual disregard for humanity makes them truly terrifying because, unlike some of King’s other antagonists, there is really no way to fight them.

The Leatherheads are mentioned in King’s chilling short story N., but it is in Under the Dome where readers get to experience the sheer paralytic terror that would occur if an alien species of ancient intelligence turned their attention towards our little backwater planet.

Read More: It Chapter Two Easter Eggs and Reference Guide

8. The Raggedy Man

Cell (2006)

“What Darwin was too polite to say, my friends, is that we came to rule the earth not because we were the smartest, or even the meanest, but because we have always been the craziest, most murderous motherfuckers in the jungle.”

Fans of The Walking Dead need to recognize. King does zombies too, and they are sphincter-tighteningly scary. In Cell, a pulse travels into cell phones all over the world. Anyone on their phone at the fateful moment is turned into a zombie. These villains are a different breed than the popular Romero clones, as the pulse also unlocks latent powers of the human mind like telepathy and levitation.

The Raggedy Man is the leader of the zombies. He thinks, organizes, and commands. He has all the nihilistic hunger of a zombie, but he has planning skills and foresight which make him a truly frightening antagonist. His goal is to spread his people around the globe and take the planet for his horde. He sees humanity as a threat to his people and seeks to destroy them to protect his new race, which could make him literature’s first sympathetic zombie villain. He is often seen wearing a crimson Harvard hoodie giving the creature an atypical zombie air of intelligence and capability.

The name of Harvard’s sports teams by the way? The Harvard Crimson. Well played Mr. King, well played.

Read More: How It Chapter Two Differs from the Book

7. Kurt Barlow

‘Salems Lot (1975)

“That above all else. They did not look out their windows. No matter what noises or dreadful possibilities, no matter how awful the unknown, there was an even worse thing: to look the Gorgon in the face.”

King’s only foray into vampires (the classic ones, anyway), Barlow was the writer’s way of getting the whole mythos right the first time. ‘Salems Lot was King’s second published novel and his first of many novels centering on the idea of a preternatural creature releasing the beast inside of regular people. It was also his first small town novel, a setting King would return to many times over the decades.

Barlow’s story mirrors that of Dracula, from the shipment of his coffin and native soil from overseas to his arrival and reign of terror in a contemporary setting. He even has his own personal Renfield, Richard Straker, his own gothic mansion, his own legion of dark minions, and a twisted grip on the residents of ‘Salems Lot.

Further Reading: 10 Best Stephen King Horror Novels

Barlow was more of a catalyst, using embraced residents as pawns to tighten his grip on the town, but his very presence on the page was accompanied with a sense of urgency and dread.

In a 1995 BBC radio drama of ‘Salems Lot (that is well worth seeking out), Barlow is played by Pinhead himself, Doug Bradley, which automatically gives the vampire tons of villain cred.

6. George Stark

The Dark Half (1989)

“Cut him. Cut him while I stand here and watch. I want to see the blood flow. Don't make me tell you twice.”

Stephen King once wrote under the pseudonym Richard Bachman and published some of his more experimental works like The Running Man, The Long Walk, and Thinner. His experience as somewhat existing as another person inspired King to write the Dark Half and inspired the creation of one of his most cold-blooded killers, George Stark. 

In the novel, Thad Beaumont was a successful author who wrote violent crime novels under the pen name of George Stark. After revealing to the world he was actually Stark, Thad and his wife stage a mock funeral for the author to symbolically cut ties with the violent crime fiction Beaumont wanted to leave behind. This is where King brings the terror.

Further Reading: Stephen King's 10 Most Terrifying Human Villains

The novel started with a flashback that dealt with the removal of an eye from the brain of a young Thad. It was the eye of a twin that was conjoined in the womb to the writer, an incident Thad had all but forgotten about. It was actually the eye of George Stark, who later rises from the mock grave the Beaumonts planted him in to go on a killing spree that leaves even the most seasoned reader with PTSD.

Stark is the embodiment of the darkness in the hearts of all men. The most frightening part of the book is that, even though Beaumont is desperate to rid the world of Stark, part of him is attracted to the freedom evil gives Stark and the realization that the evil is a part of him.

5. Rose the Hat

Doctor Sleep (2013)

“She's the Queen Bitch of Castle Hell. If you mess with her, she'll eat you alive.”

Rose the Hat, an immortal energy vampire from the 18th century and the leader of a cult of killers known as the True Knot, is one of King's scariest villains to date. Manipulative, ethereal, beautiful, and hungry for the "steam" -- psychic energy -- that keeps her and her band alive, Rose will whatever it takes for her next meal, even if it means torturing little children and killing them. 

In Doctor Sleep, the sequel to King's The Shining, Rose becomes obsessed with hunting down Abra Stone, a young girl with a powerful Shine, which puts her at the top of the True Knot's list of potential food sources. Rose hatches a plan to kidnap Abra, but the girl proves elusive, especially after she teams up with Dan Torrance, a survivor of the horrors of the Overlook Hotel with his own Shine. Together, along with some help from some friends and one surprise guest from the afterlife, Dan and Abra are able to fight back against Rose and the True Knot.

But the road to the end of the book is soaked in blood, as Rose claims victim after victim. She might not look like a monster but Rose is as monstrous as they come. 

4. The Overlook Hotel

The Shining (1977)

“This inhuman place makes human monsters.”

If there is one thing King’s constant readers have learned after decades of nightmares is that places can be as evil as people, an idea that is personified in the Overlook Hotel, the setting of The Shining. On the surface, The Shining is a classic haunted house tale, but beneath the surface, it is so much more. It is a deep look into the fragility of fatherhood, the bond of trust between father and son. As Danny Torrance, the psychic child who journeys to a secluded Colorado hotel with his caretaker father and loving mother discovers when the father he trusted is transformed in a raging madman by the power within the Overlook.

Further Reading: How The Shining Examines the Immortality of Evil

The novel’s most riveting sections feature past accounts of other times that the Overlook weaved its dark magic, transforming good men into monsters. The walls of the Overlook can barely contain the rage within the heart of the hotel, and as The Shining plays out, readers discover just how corrupt the place is. Make no mistake, it may not have arms to swing an ax, or legs to chase down its victims, but the Overlook is a hungry sort of evil that demands to be fed. Just try staying at a Motel 6 after reading King’s classic. I dare you.

3. The Crimson King 

Insomnia (1994), Black House (2001), The Dark Tower series

“I am the Eater of Worlds.”

The Crimson King is often mistaken for It, and it is not completely clear if they are the same monster, but the regality and level of reverence the King’s minions hold for him seem to suggest that he is different than the sewer-dwelling eater of children. This beast is the embodiment of evil in King’s shared fictional universe. He is first introduced in Insomnia, where he tries to kill a child prophesied to topple the rule of the King forever.

The King is later revealed as the monster behind the events of the novel Black House, and he is the overarching villain of the Dark Tower series, the monster responsible for trying to bring down the structure of reality.

Further Reading: A Reading Guide to the Stephen King Dark Tower Universe

Stephen King suggests that all his villains, supernatural or otherwise, are pawns of the Crimson King. The name itself carries some great metatextual flavor as, of course, Stephen King himself is the one truly responsible for the evil in his worlds. The half of the writer that creates and is responsible for these horrific monsters is also named King. Stephen King is the writer, father, husband, and Red Sox fan. The Crimson King is the dark overlord of the fictional universe and the monster maker.

2. Pennywise the Dancing Clown

It (1986)

"Float?" The clown’s grin widened. "Oh yes, indeed they do. They float! And there’s cotton candy..."George reached.The clown seized his arm.And George saw the clown’s face change.

Every twenty-seven years It rises to devour the children of Derry. It awoke when a homosexual couple was beaten by a gang of thugs in 1984 to again reign terror on the children of Derry. It was put to rest by the Losers Club, a group of misfit teens, in 1958 only to rise again, decades later. It killed the leader of the Losers’ (Bill Denbrough) little brother in one of the most hair-raising prologues in horror history.  

It is another of King’s manipulator villains, as It controls the darker residents of Derry, such as bully Henry Bowers to do Its bidding. It is a cannibalistic clown that lives in the sewers, a leprous mummy, a giant spider, or a series of orange lights called the Dead Lights that drive people mad when gazed upon.

Unlike the similar creature, the Crimson King, It does not commit evil for glory or power. It devours because It hungers. The lives of innocents exist only to fill the void of It's being. And let’s face it, nothing, NOTHING is freakin’ scarier than a hungry clown in a sewer.

Read More: It Chapter Two Ending Explained

1. Randall Flagg

The Stand (1978) Eyes of the Dragon (1986) Hearts in Atlantis (1999) The Dark Tower series

“My life for you.”

Not so much a single villain, but the archetype of all villains, Randall Flagg is King’s greatest singular creation of evil. Flagg first appeared in The Stand, the Dark Man who gathers the worst of humanity to rebuild a new civilization in his own dark image. The Walkin’ Dude had a propensity for crucifying any whose beliefs ran contrary to his.

Flagg is the greatest of King’s manipulators, able to inspire loyalty in those with dark hearts, as seen by the Trashcan Man in The Stand and even Mother Carmody in The Mist. All they have to do is say “My life for you,” and mean it, and Flagg will be there to inspire their dark deeds.

He was revealed to be the main antagonist to Roland in the Dark Tower series and is the ever-present evil in all men. Flagg is walking the back roads of reality just waiting for a chance to whisper in humanity’s ear and stir up some good, old fashioned chaos.

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Marc Buxton

Nov 11, 2019

Stephen King

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New top story from Time: East Germans Were Welcomed to the West with Free Money. Here’s What They Bought After the Berlin Wall Fell

Peter Keup can still remember how it felt to hold deutsche marks in his hand.

“It was special to even touch this money,” he recalls. “It felt solid. The East German mark was thinner, flimsier.” As a boy growing up in East Germany, he was sometimes sent West German currency by his grandparents on the other side of the border, be it as a birthday gift or a reward for good school grades. Keup pored obsessively over the notes, minted with the mysterious–sounding titles and images of unknown cities and historical figures. “Names from behind the Iron Curtain, an invisible world,” he reflects. Their worth to him was far more than simply financial.

In any case, there was only so much the 16 million citizens of the communist German Democratic Republic (G.D.R.) could buy in a sealed-off country of scarcity, shortages and joyless austerity. Tantalizing tastes of Western consumer goods could be obtained on the black market and at state-run “Intershops,” which only accepted hard currency, like dollars or deutsche marks. Cigarettes, coffee, chocolate and pop records were on offer to those who could afford them. Others had to find their pleasures where they could. “I loved the smell of Persil and Ariel detergent in the clothes,” reminisces Nicole Hartmann, of receiving packages of hand-me-downs from relatives in the West as a young girl. “I always wanted to keep them unwashed.”

When the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, followed by the inner German border that ran from Czechoslovakia to the Baltic Sea, the gates to the West were opened to all, and the bounties and temptations that lay beyond. By foot and by row upon row of Trabant and Wartburg cars, the “Ossis” (as East Germans were known) began to pour across what had been one of the most secure borders in the world. Were that not all reason enough to feel euphoric, there was more awaiting them on the other side: free money.

Nanna Heitmann—Magnum Photos for TIMEA 100 Deutsche Mark bill.

Since 1970, East Germans arriving to the Federal Republic of Germany by whatever means were paid a grant, initially of 30 deutsche marks (DM) twice a year, later rising to 100 DM once a year, under a program known as Begrüßungsgeld or “welcome money.” Under Chancellor Willy Brandt’s Ostpolitik policy of peaceful rapprochement, the measure was intended to help the few people who did manage to depart the G.D.R., legally or otherwise, to pay for food or travel. The amount is equivalent to about $100 in today’s money.

After the abrupt and entirely unforeseen rupture of the Berlin Wall, demand for welcome money surged—and the West German authorities stuck to their promise. As word spread like wildfire among arriving Ossis, long queues began to form outside banks and building societies. The state-sanctioned handout triggered a colossal spending spree across Berlin’s River Spree. It was a commercial revolution, and a moment of mass transactional transference from socialism into capitalism and the material world. Considered a gift by some and a bribe by others, it helped set the tone for full and swift reunification by October 1990, firmly on West German terms.

No official statistics exist as to exactly how much was claimed in all, but by the time payments were halted on Dec. 29, 1989, replaced by a foreign currency fund that both German states contributed to, it’s estimated that at least 4 billion DM had been paid out in a matter of just seven weeks. “I think over 95% [of East Germans] got this money,” speculates Sören Marotz, historian at the DDR Museum of East Germany’s history. “Some people found ways to claim the money more than once.”

On West Berlin’s glittering technicolor shopping boulevard, the Kurfürstendamm, the famous KaDeWe department store was a first port of call for many—to spend or simply to stare in awe at its luxurious abundance. In supermarkets in the borderlands of West Germany, witnesses remember seeing shelves stripped bare. Almost everyone claimed their 100 DM, from the current Chancellor Angela Merkel, then a 35-year-old physicist living in East Berlin, to sports stars, doctors, artists, political dissidents, musicians, families, pensioners and Stasi agents. Even babies were eligible for a payout.

Cash injections to the former G.D.R. have in some ways never ceased. Since 1991, Germans have paid a so-called solidarity surcharge, a fee on income, capital gains and corporate taxes currently set at 5.5%, in order to help the former communist east. Yet despite receiving €243 billion in “Soli” taxes since 1995, the economy in the country’s East continues to lag far behind the West’s. Unemployment is higher, wages are lower, and the population of the former G.D.R.’s territory has dropped to its lowest level in 114 years. It has given rise among some to what is known as “Ostalgia,” a longing for the simplicity and cradle-to-grave comforts of life in the G.D.R. Political disaffection has seen parts of the former East become a heartland for populist parties; in the eastern state of Thuringia on Oct. 27, the far-right anti–migrant Alternative for Germany party finished ahead of Merkel’s -center-right party in local elections.

What East Germans decided to buy when the Wall fell says a lot about that moment in our history, 30 years ago—about the true value of money, about competing economic systems, and about the hopes, freedoms and tensions of reunifying a country. Each purchase tells its own story. Here are 10 of them:

The All-American Doll

Nanna Heitmann—Magnum Photos for TIMESusan Penquitt and her daughter Nora play with the Barbie she bought in 1989.

“There was a long row of cars in the middle of the night,” Susan Penquitt remembers vividly, despite being just 8 years old when her family drove across the border into West Germany for the first time. The road led to the city of Fulda in Hesse, about 65 miles east of Frankfurt, and the toy section of a department store, a sight the little girl had barely dreamed of. “When I saw the Barbie on the shelf, you know, that was it. I don’t remember any other toy in that shop.”Lovingly looked after for three decades, the iconic American doll today belongs to Penquitt’s eldest daughter Nora, 8, in their home outside of Leipzig. It’s a happy token of what was not always a happy time. Like millions of East Germans working in largely state-owned industries, both of Penquitt’s parents lost their jobs following reunification. “They never had so many sorrows really,” she says.

A Grand Scheme for a Piano

Nanna Heitmann—Magnum Photos for TIMEElse Gabriel, left, and Ulf Wrede with their Bösendorfer piano.

The bohemian East Berlin performance artists Else Gabriel and Ulf Wrede celebrated their first days and nights in the West like many Germans did: together in a beer-soaked haze. “We gave pieces of the Wall to people in bars and they gave us drinks,” 57-year-old Gabriel recalls. “Everyone was so out of control. It felt like you could do anything, there was two systems just collapsing into each other.” By ripping out pages from their passports to remove collection stamps, they say they claimed their Begrüßungsgeld multiple times between them. “I spent 27 years of my life in f-cking East Germany,” Gabriel says. “There was no guilt about [taking] a few hundred deutsche marks.”

Gabriel had been permitted to leave the G.D.R. just days before the Wall fell, and had earned some deutsche marks there already. The couple combined their funds left over after the revelries and changed it all back to Eastern currency, taking advantage of a black market exchange rate to convert around 2,000 DM into around 10,000 Eastern marks. After smuggling it back into East Germany in Wrede’s socks (“It stank when we pulled the money out,” Gabriel laughs), the pair used their haul to pay off a loan on a Bösendorfer grand piano. In his Neukölln studio apartment today, Wrede, 51, still plays the dusty black keyboard, now worth many times the price he paid for it 30 years ago. “Best deal ever,” Gabriel grins proudly.

Black Adidas, White Stripes

At the time the Wall fell, Andreas Thom was already living a privileged life. At 24, he had played 51 matches for the East German national soccer team, and won the G.D.R. Premier League five times with Dynamo Berlin. Surely Thom had no need for his Begrüßungsgeld? “Of course I got the money,” he says. “Everybody got the money!” On a shopping trip to the KaDeWe, he purchased a pair of soccer shoes: “Adidas Samba Spezial, black with white stripes.” Just 37 days after reunification, Thom made history as the first East German player to sign for a West German club, when he moved to Bayern Leverkusen for a fee of 2.5 million DM. He thinks back to his debut game in February 1990 vs. FC Homburg. “Everybody was watching [as if] I had four arms, two heads, four legs,” he says. “But I scored, and everything was O.K.”

An Exotic Feast of Rare Foods

A dissident photographer, Harald Hauswald’s evocative black-and-white street scenes from behind the Wall were published in West German magazines as well as in a controversial book, making him a person of interest to the hated state security police. Hauswald escaped serious imprisonment only because of his connections to influential Western journalists, who would help him smuggle his film reels out. Shooting sometimes literally from the hip, he wielded his camera like a weapon. “I felt so trapped by the Wall,” says the 65-year-old. “Taking photographs was the work I did to fight against that feeling.” Hauswald and his friends bought a victory feast of foods unavailable in the East with their welcome money. “Kiwi and radicchio, that kind of stuff,” he says. “Today I know my way around exotic fruits better than many Westerners. And I still love to cook.”

A Pen Unlike All the Others

Nanna Heitmann—Magnum Photos for TIMETasso with an Edding marker pen like the one he bought in 1989.

Jens Müller, a.k.a. graffiti artist Tasso, owns many black Edding 850 marker pens today, but he is pretty sure that jumbled somewhere among them in his warehouse studio in Meerane is the one that changed his life. “For me it was the first time I had seen graffiti tags, on every corner in every place,” he says, of driving with friends around Kreuzberg in West Berlin as a 23-year-old. “I was wondering, ‘How have they done this?’ And then I see it must be a pen, a marker, and so I said, ‘I want to have this marker.’” He found one in a Karstadt department store that cost 10 of his 100 DM. “That was a lot. My friends thought I was crazy.” He worked in construction following reunification, eventually becoming a freelance artist. Today his tag is recognized around the world. He has visited 32 different countries to make, exhibit and promote his work.

Reading Material for the Runway

On a gray day in November 1988, 23-year-old fashion model and designer Grit Seymour was given four hours to leave the G.D.R. Her exit-visa application had been unexpectedly approved. “I had to speed pack,” she says. “My mother walked me to say goodbye. Of course we shed a lot of tears.” She stepped penniless into West Berlin, but remembers feeling instantly liberated. “It was like this huge block of concrete had fallen off my body.” With her Begrüßungsgeld she bought a copy of fashion magazine Vogue Italia, a window into a glamorous new world. On the night the Wall fell, Seymour was already modeling for Gianni Versace in Milan. She returned as fast as she could to Berlin to be reunited with family and friends. “It was like a dream coming true,” she says.

A Bouquet of Flowers for Grandma

“It set me free,” says Peter Keup, of how ballroom dancing made him feel while growing up in Dresden. He excelled at it competitively in partnership with his sister Uta, and in 1981 they were offered the chance to represent the G.D.R. internationally—but only if their family first withdrew a long-standing exit-visa application. They refused. “That’s when I took the decision to escape,” he says. In 1981, aged just 19, Keup set out for Czechoslovakia with a plan to swim across the River Danube from Hungary into Austria. He had 80 DM from his grandparents hidden in the seam of his jeans, which he hoped would pay his way to freedom. Instead he was caught on a train to Bratislava, arrested for currency smuggling and returned to the G.D.R. After a confession extracted under brutal interrogation, he was jailed by the Stasi for 10 months, spending long periods in solitary confinement. Keup’s grandparents’ lawyer helped convince the West German government to pay a $55,000 ransom, and suddenly he really was free. “For the first time it made me feel like an independent human being,” he says, of receiving his Begrüßungsgeld. The yellows and violets of the bouquet of freesia flowers he bought for his grandmother Anna remain bright in his mind. Keup boarded a train for the West German city of Essen and a new life. Years later, the Wall fell, and he and his sister danced together again.

Nothing: “I Was Not a Beggar”

Bernd Roth, a former major in the feared Stasi, is adamant he never claimed his Begrüßungsgeld. “I was not a beggar,” he says. Today Roth, 68, rejects the system that he served, yet is unapologetic about his own actions, which led to the known arrests of 14 people, including a CIA spy. “Why should we be pressured to have a bad [conscience]?” he asks. “We didn’t build concentration camps.” His love of music helped him preserve his individuality, he says. He thought nothing of singing along to “Born in the U.S.A.” at a Bruce Springsteen concert in East Berlin in 1988. “It was just music!” he laughs. Roth still lives in the same town in Thuringia where he grew up. The West has never held any appeal for him, he says. “I found it overwhelming and oppressive. I think oversaturated consumption is harmful.” Was there really nothing that he wanted there? “I might have bought myself some Grundig speakers,” he admits. “That was really just about being able to enjoy a better sound.”

Legos, a Radio and a Trip

Cornelia Guenther first entered the West at Berlin’s Checkpoint Charlie, the infamous Cold War crossing point. Then 29, and a single mother working as a translator, she gingerly stepped across the border in late-November 1989. “I looked at my foot,” she says, as she crossed the military checkpoint that she had overlooked every day from her office window. “I thought, ‘Now I’m walking on West Berlin soil; how amazing is this?’” Having collected their 200 DM, she and her son Christian, 6, bought carefully selected spoils at the KaDeWe: a backpack, some Legos, a radio for the kitchen. The rest of the cash they put toward a trip to England a few months later. “Buying experience was much more important to me than material things,” says Guenther.

A Computer, and a Future

When the Wall fell, Gordon van Godin was a 19-year-old newly discharged from national service in the East German army. He put his welcome money toward an Amiga computer so he could play Tetris and Formula 1 games. Today, he is director of Berlin’s DDR Museum of East German history, and qualified to bust some popular myths about Begrüßungsgeld. Is it true, for instance, that many people bought… bananas? “This is really a cliché, 100%,” he replies. “Because bananas we knew. We didn’t know, for example, kiwi fruit.” He believes the money helped establish a lasting hierarchy between West and East in a reunited Germany that still endures today. “I learned in school that in capitalism, nothing is for free,” Von Godin says. “You have to pay for everything sooner or later.”

via https://cutslicedanddiced.wordpress.com/2018/01/24/how-to-prevent-food-from-going-to-waste

[pepperminthotchocolate]

*Voice Like An Echo: Chapter 2

The man’s head snapped up as he heard the wooden door behind him creak open. “Ah, Mr. Sperski! It’s wonderful to finally meet with you.” The speaker was a petite, older woman with piercing blue eyes. Her wispy grey hair was tied back in a ponytail with a few loose strands falling out, and she had spots of acrylic paint on her jeans. “I saw you come in earlier. Forgive me, I just finished running Arts and Crafts time with the early level group.”

“You must be Suzanne Carre. Please, call me David.” He answered, firmly shaking her hand as she settled down in the seat across from him.

“I’ll just need to look over your file quickly to make sure everything’s set.” Her glasses slid down her nose a bit as she examined the forms for a final time. She knew everything was fine on paper; she’d pored over it for an hour and a half the night before. With this particular case, it was a must.

She smiled warmly, sliding the manila folder to the corner of her desk. “Well then, good news! It looks like everything is set for you to take Naiya home today. Your disease screening came back clear, as did your background checks and I see that you took care of the necessary home safety inspections before you came in to meet the residents, which is wonderful. I’ll just need you to sign off on a few things before I can send you on your way.”

“All of the residents at Whitsett-Sedalia receive their inoculations upon first entry into the shelter and are updated every year. Most of them are one-time only immunizations, but she will need to be brought back in about seven months for step two of her TRA shot. Well, you can either bring her here or to your chosen parvologist, but we’ll offer you a discounted rate.” She pulled a pale blue piece of paper with the bold words “Inoculation Agreement” and the shelter’s letterhead emblazoned across the top. She pointed to the two blank spaces near the middle, and the man quickly scrawled his signature. “This page says that you understand the risks of leaving a tiny without their immunizations and that if you have any questions you’ll contact the shelter or a licensed care provider.”  

“Our residents are also crate-trained from the moment they enter the shelter. She’ll be transported in a temporary enclosure, which we recommend that you do NOT open the crate at all until you get home.  That being said, it’s a toss-up for what you want to do with the enclosure after you get there. Some of our residents prefer the independence of getting to roam around their new home. It depends on your preference, their preference, whether or not you have animals around…” She trailed off.

“Nope, no animals, unless you count my son. He shouldn’t give her too much trouble, though.” He chuckled to himself. “So I suppose I should just, you know, ask her if that’s where she wants to live? Because I have something set up at home if she changes her mind.”

“We find that it’s good to give them the option. Although, to be honest, you’ll find that many of our residents prefer to live in the crate at first. If you’ll pardon the pun, it’s a big adjustment trying to acclimate to a world outside of such a small space. They need a place to retreat to, somewhere they can call their own that’s their own size. Like I said, it’s up to her.”

She handed over a folder similar to the manila one she had been rifling through a few minutes ago, except this one only had two items in it; a thick, official looking packet of medical forms stapled together, and a thinner one with many sheets of different colored sheets of paper that were only paper-clipped together. He started to examine the papers carefully, only to pause when he saw a green form being slid toward him.

“I’ve included a copy of our general “Shelter-Home Acclimation” tips along with Tanaiya’s care plan. Her location chip, carrying container and care plan materials were all included in the adoption fee, but I need you to sign off saying that you understand that we support non-escalatory corrective behavior strategies and expect you and all members of your household to follow suit.”

His pen hovered over the new page for a moment. “What exactly do you mean by that, non-escalatory?” David asked, uneasy. He was pretty sure he knew what she was getting at, but he was taken aback at the wording.

“There are three categories of behavior modification when it comes to tinies – hands-on manipulation, intuitive intimidation tactics, or non-escalatory strategies. Back a few decades or so, the first two categories were the prescribed treatment for bad behaviors. In general, humans found that putting their hands on tinies or even something as simple as overwhelming them with their presence was effective enough to “correct” their behavior. Thankfully, we’ve learned that not only do these approaches not work, but they have an extremely negative effect on their reactions to humans and their outlook of the world around them. With the passing of the Tiny Rights Act of 1989, use of hands-on manipulation and intuitive intimidation are grounds for an abuse charge to the person responsible for the care of that tiny. What strategies fall into each category can be found on a separate yellow page in your folder.”

Suzanne slid her glasses off of the bridge of her nose, cleaning the lenses on the hem of her blouse. She turned her piercing eyes up to the sloped-shouldered man sitting across from her, as if she were trying to detect any malice within him. “In short, Mr. Sperski, we support talking to your tiny, solving the problem together and treating them just as you would any other human being.”

David just shook his head, signing his name on the dotted line below the block of text. “You’d think that would be the standard anyway. At least we’ve come a little bit farther.”

She nodded slowly, tapping the papers on the edge of the desk and sliding them back into his file. “Which is actually the perfect segue for Tanaiya’s care plan. I need to go over a few things before you actually take her home. I know I just threw a lot at you, are you still with me?”

His head was swimming with the newfound information, but he nodded, pushing his own frames up onto his nose.  

She sighed quietly through her nose before flipping to a new page in the file. “Typically our residents are ready to go home with just the page of basic care tips. However, for residents who require special care, we include what is called an Individual Care Action Plan, or ICAP for short. In order to provide this information to a new owner we’re required by law to disclose the tiny’s history prior to adoption. This one’s a doozy with the signatures.” After a minute of pointing out signature and initials slots, she pulled the paper away and began to read from it.

“Tanaiya Moore was removed from her home residence located in Meyer’s Crossing approximately ten years ago. She was six years old at the time, and was living with her previous owner whose anonymity is protected under the law, and her biological mother, Dorothy Moore. After following up with an abuse allegation made from an anonymous source, the county determined that both she and her mother had suffered severe abuse under his care. I’ll spare you the gruesome details, but…” She hesitantly slid a faded picture across the desk to him.

His heart broke at the sight. A young, skinny girl with frizzy hair and one sparkling brown eye stared harshly back at him. Her other eye was swollen shut and a medley of red and purple bruises mottled the beautiful, walnut-brown skin of her face. The right side of her face had actually split open from the swelling. “Their previous owner was charged with egregious abuse and neglect coupled with operating under an expired ownership license. He was sentenced to up to twenty-five years in prison with no bail. Tanaiya was also separated from her mother due to allegations that she was no longer physically able to care for her child.”

“After Tanaiya’s recovery and mediation, she was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety Disorder and a mild communicative disorder related to her abuse history. She couldn’t speak more than two word phrases to most humans, although certain staff members could get her to say more. Following her rehabilitation, she was adopted from the Whitsett-Sedalia Tiny Shelter for the first time about three years after her induction. However, she was recovered once again two months later after we found neglect had followed at that home as well.”

He gave the woman an incredulous stare. The look on her face made it clear that it was a painful subject for her, even after all these years.

“This was before many of the laws and standards for tiny care had been put in place. We didn’t do quite as many home visits or screenings as we do now. A set of parents had adopted Tanaiya as a companion for their teenage son, but he grew bored of her when he realized that she wouldn’t talk to him.” She placed the paper down and rapped her knuckles against the top of the desk. “She’d been living in a hamster cage in the corner of his room. Water bottle and food pellets included. By the time they returned her to us she wouldn’t communicate to anyone over six inches tall. That’s where we find ourselves today, Mr. Sperski.”

This struck a chord with him, and he finally found his own voice. “Does she…so she can’t speak at all?”

“Selective Mutism. It’s pretty common with severe abuse cases. Staff has never heard her talk beyond a word or two, but some of the residents can get her to say more. Like Libby, the girl who shares her enclosure. I don’t know how she manages to get her to talk as she isn’t the most…ah, warm person. As I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

A small smile grazed his lips for a moment. He had indeed noticed; when he passed by the enclosure yesterday he could see her sketching quietly in her notebook with her back turned to him. He must’ve alerted her to his presence, because she immediately gave him a bored look over her shoulder. It was a bit difficult to see with his failing eyesight, but he could make out some of the minute details of the portrait. She glared up at him for all of five seconds before muttering something under her breath, flipping him the bird and returning to her sketchpad – a stark contrast from her roommate sitting in the corner, peering up at him cautiously from behind her book.

It was actually the book that had convinced him. She reminded him of himself in a way; quiet. Calm. More than a bit anxious, if he had to admit it. But now, this hidden history? He wasn’t sure if he would be able to provide her with the support and care that she needed.

The woman sitting in front of him must have read his mind, as they had both gone quiet. She sat forward in her chair and clasped her hands in front of her. “I’m not telling you all this to scare you off. On the contrary… can I be frank with you, Mr. Sperski?”

“I’m not sure – I feel like I’m about to sign my life away.” He admitted, trying to make the conversation a bit lighter. Suzanne cracked a smile, although the air was still tense.

“You’re what we call a “contrasting candidate”. You’re an older man. Your voice is deep. You’re not incredibly tall or imposing, but you are compared to some of the staff that work here. All things that our little ones can easily find intimidating, even those without the extensive history that Tanaiya has. I wasn’t there to interview you yesterday or process your information, but as director I am the one to review your answers and determine whether or not you’d be suited to adopt. We wouldn’t be sitting here having this conversation if I didn’t think you were a good match for her. Even after you heard yesterday that she had a history, even if you didn’t know what it entailed, you simply stated that you wanted to give her a home.”

David scratched a bit at the beard on his chin. He hadn’t even considered that he had to be reviewed. He tried to remember exactly what answers he had given during his impromptu interview, but his mind was coming up blank. He turned his attention back to Suzanne. The steely determination had returned to her eyes.

“Care techniques and interventions can be learned. The one thing that she needs that doesn’t necessarily come standard with adoption is someone safe. Someone who is willing to go the extra mile to ensure that she can have a good home despite her history. However, it is most certainly not going to happen overnight. If you don’t think that you’re up for the challenge, we would understand. You just need to say so before we finalize anything.” With that she clicked the ballpoint pen in her hand, offering it to him for the final signature on the plan.  

When he looked away he could see the corner of the picture sticking out from the file folder. Something about that image – that poor little girl staring with all the intensity of someone who had gone to war – stirred a protective instinct inside of him. He didn’t realize it at the time, but he wouldn’t have any other choice. If he left that day without her, he’d forever wonder where she was and whether or not she was suffering the same fate she had in her previous life.

He set his jaw hard and took the pen.  

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

Yeahhhh, so that’s what I meant about having an asterisk in the title for the chapters with more intense themes. Poor bby hasn’t had the best upbringing. Thankfully that will change in the chapters to come, but there will certainly be some rough spots along the way.

Chapter 1: http://pepperminthotchocolate.tumblr.com/post/163644151063/voice-like-an-echo-chapter-1

Chapter 3: http://pepperminthotchocolate.tumblr.com/post/164448259843/voice-like-an-echo-chapter-3

[amateurfan227]

Shitlist Reviews - Alien 3 - 1992 - Part 1 of 2

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m Amateur Fan 2.27 and welcome to the Shitlist, where bad movies burn, the last time on the Shitlist, I looked over the sequel to the hit movie Alien from 1986, Aliens... this time I’m looking into the 3rd instalment in the franchise, another reason I decided to dive into it is because of the story behind it, mainly because it’s the beginning of the downfall of the franchise.

This movie in particular is stated to be the perfect end of the franchise as it breaks Ripley’s character from survivor into a hero, mainly because of her relation towards the extra-terrestrial threat that she rightly fears, It’s also how the main factor on her relation towards Wayland-Yutani’s downfall as well as she fears that the Aliens are more unpredictable than ever, especially in an environment where no-one is on her side.

As usual, it’s time to dive into the production history first which is pretty important as well as a fun fact for you Seven fans out there, this is David Fincher’s debut as a director. With the success of Aliens, 20th Century Fox approached Brandywine Productions with further sequels but the company wasn’t invested in the idea of it with Producer David Giler explaining that his partners Walter Hill and Gordon Carroll wanted to take it into new directions to explore more of the mythos.

The trio discussed ideas to explore Weyland-Yutani Corporations fascination with the Xenomorphs as well as using them for biological weapons, as well as taking the idea of Aliens towards a different protagonists story-arc, this story eventually settled with a two-way story-arc featuring the underhanded Weyland-Yutani Corporation facing a militarily aggressive culture of humans who have a different ideology causing them to separate Earth’s society.

Michael Biehn’s Corporal Hicks would star as the main lead leaving Sigourney Weaver’s character to star as a cameo only to return in the fourth instalment of the series, the 20th Century Fox was quite sceptical about the idea but they agreed to finance the development of the story as long as they managed to get Ridley Scott to direct the film.

They also asked that the two movies were shot back to back to lessen the production costs, similar to Richard Donner as he directed both Superman and Superman 2 at the same time during production; Scott was interested on returning to the franchise he refused due to the director’s schedule.

In 1987 Giler and Hill approached Cyberpunk author William Gibson (Neuromancer) to create a script for the movie and he gladly accepted due to into his writing was influenced by Scott’s first movie. Feared of an impending strike from the Writers Guild of America, Gibson was told to deliver a script by December of that year, as well as heavily drawn by Giler and Hill’s treatment the script was of course completed

The following year, Finnish director Renny Harlin (Nightmare on Elm Street 4, previous reviewed) was told by Fox for ideas in the film which had ideas from the first 2 movies such as visiting the Alien homeworld or the Aliens invading Earth. Shortly after a failed screenplay Gibson declined to work with them due to the Producers engagement with the films ideas.

Following his departure, Harlin suggest Eric Red who worked on The Hitcher (1986) and Near Dark (1987), Red worked less than 2 months to finish the draft on February of 1989 leading him to state that it was ‘the one script I completely disown because it was not ‘my script’. It was the rushed product of too many story conferences and interference.’

His approach had a new set of characters and subplots with a new breed of Alien; the story was set around a marine team that would take the survivors who fell to the Aliens to a small USA city in a bio-dome in space. This was rejected by Brandywine which left future sequels to be given up. Writer David Twohy (Riddick series) had the idea on setting the story on a prison planet which held illegal experiments on the aliens for Biological Warfare.

This led Harlin to walk out on the project leading Fox president Joe Roth to bring Ripley back due to Sigourney Weaver’s popularity at the time; Hill and Giler did a first draft attempting to enhance the story on the Fasano script, feeling creatively drained hiring Larry Ferguson as a script doctor. Ferguson wasn’t well received in production especially by Weaver who felt that Ferguson destroyed Ripley’s character.

In short time before filming, Hill and Giler took fill control of the screenplay themselves mixing scripts and Twohy’s idea of the Prison Planet to be the basis of the film, Weaver had a clause written in her contract stating that the final draft should be written by Hill and Giler  to also write Ripley effectively. Fox also interviewed music video director David Fincher to replace the current director which he gladly accepted.

Filming began in January 14, 1991 at Pinewood studios without a finished script as well as $7 million dollars spent on production; majority of the movie was directed at Pinewood while some of the scenes were shot at Northumberland’s Blyth Power Station in the UK, the reason with this if for exterior shots on the planet.

Stan Winston, who was responsible for the creature effects of both Alien and Aliens was not available for the effects but recommended former workers from his studio at Amalgamated Dynamics (Mortal Kombat, Starship Troopers). Before Principal Photography had begun, the practical effects team made numerous models of the Alien as well as corpses of the Sulaco victims.

Small shots were created with the use of CGI such as the cracking alien head one the sprinklers cause thermal shock as well as the shadows cast by the rod puppet alien. Fincher wanted something different when it came to the Alien such as a beast rather than a humanoid which lead to thinner legs and removing the pipes around the spine.

The movie was released in the U.S. of May 22, 1992, debuting at number 2 in the box office just beaten by Lethal Weapon 3 with a mass gross of $23.1 million which rose to a total of$159 million of that year, leading it to be a flop in North America with a total of $55.4 million of its $50 million budget on a week’s basis.

Critical reception was given mixed reviews from critics who were disappointed and compared it negatively to the preceding films of the franchise; Rotten Tomatoes gave it a fully bad rating at 44% which is even worse than the fourth adaptation in the series with Resurrection standing at 54%.

You know it’s gotta be a bad one with this instalment is when the worst of the franchise has beaten it on a critical scale. Well that’s what I’m here for folks, so let’s attempt to dive back into the nightmares and see if there’s something good out of a bad situation.

This... regrettably is Alien 3...

 We start our movie back on the Sulaco as we see the residents from the last movie (Ripley, Newt, Hicks and Bishop are returning to safety from the Xenomorph threat to a more safer home only to be unaware that a Facehugger xenomorph has invaded the ship causing one of the residents to be infected, leading the ships computer to launch an escape pod containing the four of them into space.

The pod crash lands on Fiorina ‘Fury’161, a foundry facility as well as a penal colony, otherwise known as a Prison Planet, inhabited by male inmates who suffer from a genetic mutation which presents brutal antisocial behaviour including rape and murder. Fortunately Ellen is saved however for her colleagues are unfortunately unable to live another moment aside from Bishop who is deactivated due to the damage.

Ripley is taken into the infirmary unit by the Prisoners for examination and recovery as we see another living Facehugger reaches towards a dog during the recovery of the escape pod; there are quite a lot of prisoners in this movie so I’m going to look on IMDB to state the names and actors, I’m only going to place some but not all of them.

The Prison Warden, Harold Andrews (played by Brian Glover) informs the prisoners Dillon (played by Charles S. Dutton), Jonathan Clemens (played by Charles Dance), Assistant Warden Aaron (played by Ralph Brown), Morse (played by Danny Webb), David (played by the late Pete Postlethwaite), Junior (played by Holt McCallany) and Gregor (played by Peter Guinness) about the situation as well as stating that a rescue will be there within a week to remove her from the premises.

Wouldn’t it be a lot more easier to attempt to research the part of the ship that she was ejected from to find out more about her or the crew that followed her to begin with rather than just letting her recover in the Infirmary?

Another question would be reactivating Bishop in the first place to discover what caused the escape pod to land or to gain more information about where they came from or the company that he was made by?

Clemens states that she is unconscious due to the crash but will remain in the Infirmary wing until the rescue team arrives, Clemens returns to see if Ripley is still ok only for her to wake up and request were she is, Clemens also informs her that he is the medical officer at the facility due to it being a working prison.

He also informs Ripley what happened with the escape pod as well as the people who were travelling with her are unfortunately dead from the crash; aside from Ripley’s eagerness to leave, Clemens informs her of the facility that it used to be home of 5000 but reduced to 25 staff members due to accidents in work which is revealed to be a blast furnace as well as a mining facility that collects lead sheets for toxic waste.

They bring the wreckage in leading Ripley to request to see the bodies which is held over to the Morgue of the facility after she notices a burnt hole in Newt’s Cryo-tube. In the meantime another inmate, Murphy sees that his dog, Spike (same dog from earlier on) has strange marks over his head mostly from the Facehugger.

Clemens performs the Autopsy which Ripley cries at which is pretty convincing as Newt was like a daughter to her in the sequel, in belief that the Facehugger may have impregnated her with an Alien embryo. I have to admit it is a good suspenseful scene which relates to her beliefs only to be dismissed due to the fact that Newt was killed via drowning and embryo free.

Clemens and Ripley are interrupted however as Andrews arrives and attempts to sort the situation out along with his assistant Aaron, especially due to the fact that Clemens performed an autopsy without his consent, Clemens thinks of an idea with the help from Ripley to get the bodies cremated in case of an unlicensed virus which Andrews approves.

During the cremation, Spike (the dog) falls extremely ill leading to a new breed of Alien to burst out of its chest only to grow instantly into full size, killing the dog, and by god that look of the new Xenomorph looks completely horrendous; couldn’t they at least try to make it convincing? Ripley however has shaved her hair to mingle with the prisoners only for them to disown her due to the fact that she’s the only woman in the prison.

Clemens informs her about the facts that Dillon will remain leader of the group due to the fact that he is more of a spiritual leader rather than Andrews when it comes to Rescuing Ripley but she discovers that Clemens has a crush on her despite him being a convict. The Alien to make its way through the air shafts and brutally kills Murphy.

Clemens though is denied answers from Ripley’s true search over the bodies leading Clemens to be called away due to the current death of Murphy which brings the attention of Andrews; though Clemens finds something interesting as a vent is clearly burnt off near the scene of the death. Ripley on the other hand manages find the wreckage only to be questioned by Clemens about what happened about the burn.

Ripley informs him that she will tell him the truth as long as he finds something in use to look through a flight recorder which he recommends Bishop, who was tossed in the trash; Clemens then leaves to join the Warden in a discussion that Weyland-Yutani is looking for her and ordered the prison warden to keep her looked after.

Ripley on the other hand finds the wreckage where the prisoners are keeping Bishop only for several Prisoners to intervene by attempting to rape her, though this is stopped when Dillon stops them by hitting all of them with a crowbar; though the Alien on the other hand manages to kill 2 more of the prisoners but turns one of them (Golic) into a complete nervous wreck.

Ripley manages to activate Bishop back in the Infirmary where he (once again played by Lance Henriksen) informs her that Xenomorph Facehuggers were found on the ship before they left the planet, ok I have to admit, despite the look of the new dog-alien, the makeup effects they had for Bishop are surprisingly effective, creepy but effective.

Bishop requests her to take him offline which she complies with, only for them to be interrupted when Golic is found and brought into the Infirmary about what he saw that attacked him, which causes the warden to arrive again to question Ripley over her motives as well as the knowledge of the creature.

This review will continue in the near future as time restraints have caused some slight problems with the current schedule especially at the moment at hand, though aside from a separate review entirely underway this will conclude for next year unfortunately which will be interesting at that.

I hope you guys will understand, as always I’m Amateur Fan 2.27 and I’ll see you guys at the next review, Have a nice summer.

[writingdisney]

Ariel’s Transformation

In 1998 Isabelle Brent illustrated this cover of Hans Christian Andsersen’s The Little Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales. In this version of the fairy tale, the young unnamed mermaid dreams of the day that she can rise to the surface of the ocean to see the world above. On the day that she finally turned of age to visit the surface, she sees a boat filled with sailors that she approaches to investigate. Her eye catches a handsome prince aboard the ship and she watches him in wonder as he dances with the other sailors. When a storm destroys the ship, the young mermaid saves the prince by pulling him to shore. After seeing the prince up close, she is even more determined to live on land so that the prince will fall in love with her. The mermaid visits a sea witch who turns her into a human on two conditions: she must exchange her voice for legs and she would dissolve into foam if the prince fell in love with someone else. She agrees and ventures to land to find the prince. Unfortunately, the tale does not end as happily as the Disney version. The prince falls in love and marries another princess even though he had become so close to the mermaid. Despite her sisters attempts to save her, the little mermaid dissolves into the foam and falls into the ocean.

This image of Ariel is very different from the modern version, though it does have a few similarities. The Hans Christian Andersen version of The Little Mermaid describes her as a beautiful young girl with blue eyes and long hair. The illustration by Isabelle Brent shows a mermaid that looks like a woman in her twenties even though the mermaid in the story is supposed to be only fifteen years old. When Disney made their character, Ariel, in 1989 they made her look much younger looking to appeal to their younger audience. Her body is a lot thinner than the mermaid in the book illustration as well which would also make young girls see her as more beautiful.

Ariel has the same long, flowing hair as the Disney version and the way she is posed seems to be a common theme for the way Disney depicts its character. The covers for The Little Mermaid almost always show Ariel sitting on a rock or swimming flawlessly with a huge smile on her face. I noticed that she never looks straight forward; her face is often facing either Prince Eric, one of her fish friends, or the open ocean. This is the case in the Isabelle Brent version as well. Ariel is facing one fish as she appears to be playing with them. The idea behind Ariel’s pose is that she is effortlessly carefree and flawless. She is the ideal image of a shy, quiet girl who is not only very adventurous but also naturally beautiful. Being pretty is something that most people long for, but to be pretty without even trying is desired so much more.

[unmarked-stream]

Howl Unheard (a novella)

Here’s a version of Howl Unheard where each line has been fed to the Open AI GTP-2 to contextualise them within paragraphs. What has been generated is a sort of novella riffing around and ordering the poem into a narrative.

Howl Unheard for Allen Ginsberg "It Wasn't a Good Day to Be Alive." He says it was "a terrible day to be alive." He says it was an "unbelievable day" in his life to have been murdered. "And yet, I sat on the bench in the living room and read those words and I thought, this is not an ordinary life. This is a beautiful day to be alive, this is a life of purpose, a purpose of joy, and a life of hope for the lives of the children who have gone through this. I hope that I give a lesson to those who have been with me, because all those who have been able to come and be here, to come and be the sons and daughters of the nation now. I am now leaving behind those who live in my heart and my soul and don't want to be there anymore," he said. “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by Everything but the best of them." The author of the book, "Life of Anus, the Prince of Peace or Anus?", was a member of the Soviet Academy of Sciences. In 1989, he created a new book titled "Anus and Peace" (which he called "The Book of Peace") and launched the new book with a bold yet pragmatic aim: to present the world, with its political, social and cultural structures, in a more liberal light. Today an important part of the popular imagination is the "Bold Man of Peace" concept, which is currently gaining popularity in much of the world. It is based on the idea that what makes a person good is often the most fundamental characteristics of his or her personality, which are the traits which make him or her good. This belief is the main idea behind the concept of the "Bold Man of Peace". In an interview with the Times in 1998, Anus said: "I'm happy to say that people think that I'm a typical man. They think to me as someone who has been through lot of horrible situations and there are things I've done to improve their lives, the way in which I have been through something. And there's a sense of pride and happiness." Some say that the "Bold Man" concept of the "Good Person" is simply wrong -- that all cultures treat their people well. However, this attitude is not an inherently good one – it is rather a matter of perspective. For them, the person who works for Peace is the person with good qualities, and the person they love best. The BOLD MAN of Peace The concept of peace, then, is not the only way that people can make peace. The Buddhist text states that the good man is a "good person" who is able to provide for the needs of his people and their relationship. This is the "good person's person", which is called the "good man's wife". Some countries have introduced laws to distinguish between the "good" person and the "good" person and treat them with respect, while others have not. Others, like the United Arab Republic, has laws which set up the government of a "peaceable" state, and which will, on the basis of this attitude, provide for the rights and responsibilities of the innocent to ensure maximum peace. For many people, the idea of peace, then, becomes a ghosts hungry for cleaner air opening their windows by cracks in the chaos of no more night. It was by this that the light of the fire moved to the middle of the night, where it could be seen only from the outside. Not by the light at the end of a tunnel, but by the smoke from the window. One evening the next morning, a light that would have given the ghost the first taste of the sun to the rest of the world. He could not have known that the ghosts were alive, that they were just like he had seen. The starving and wretched tantalus asleep on grease papers dripping chicken fat and sticky fresh balls of coughing concrete. "Why shouldn't I come to him?' my son told me, and then I walked to his bed and he could see me. I looked into his blue eyes and said, 'Hello, son, I am here to hear you say hello. Come in.' " He had wanted this for a long time and he wouldn't give it to me now. I had tried to tell him to stop, but I knew his heart was broken. He did not want me there. Diane was just my first husband, born in 1962. I was raised by her parents and raised in a very Catholic family. We were good neighbors. We ran our own grocery store at 12th Street and King Street. My parents never tried the drug. We didn't have a lot of friends, we had lots of money. We knew that we were destined to be a great couple, but we didn't want to be married. We would live in the streets and our parents would not let us. So, we were kind of lonely, and I think that a lot of us did. Diane was pretty small. I think I weighed about 90 pounds and she was 6 feet by 8 feet, but that is still not accurate, because there were no black, thin, skinny girls in my family. I did not like to be called fat. I was too tall. It was for a reason. I always enjoyed spending time with my little white family, but I've always had a problem with the way they treated me. These people seemed to love me from the get go. They never punished me for my problems. They wouldn't let me go to school. We had nothing in common. We started out having big, round dreams. We were constantly doing things on the weekends, which I never did. But we were spending our money on things we didn't do. I think we were the only married couple in the neighborhood, and when you are married you have to pay more than people in your area. I would have to go to college to get ready for life, but I did, too. I did not have a lot of control over what I brought with me. I was a lot thinner and I thought I knew better. I had too many friends. But I didn't like to be there when I wasn't ready. At that time, I thought, "If I ever have that luxury, and if the ones whose cracked lips gag hopeless to the exhaust pipes inhaling dust and vitamins, they can die. But they will not.” Of course, no sooner had the "good" doctor stepped aside than the "evil" doctor stepped aside too; and, still too soon, the "good" doctor did not step aside, but rather a few months later, when the good doctor's son was about to be born, only the good doctor who had once said that all of medicine was bad began to explain that his godfather did not need to approve of "the bad" doctor. He said something totally different, which she did not. That is why I think there are so many sick people who have been cured by doctors who only believe in their own minds. Because the devil is always playing ball with their minds and their minds always playing ball with their bodies. One has to admit, even in their own homes and hospitals, that as an adolescent or young adult, every time they saw the psychiatrist who said to these patients, in stark English, "You don't know it now," or whatever was in their head, they felt like it was all in their head. And if you were not sick, it was all in their head—maybe at some point in their lives. But in a sense, they were free. But in a sense, the only people in that home or hospital who were afraid of the things they "know" that they did was these "good" doctors. So how do you convince one's own body of these two terrible truths? My first step was to put aside the fact that, as I learned, a man's mind gets worse as he ages. Before long, I knew for certain that my brain was going to be filled with junk. It was going to be filled with junk. And it was going to be junk. And I didn't know that. In fact, I didn't know how to react to it. So I tried to look into it. I tried to think about it. I tried to be able to look at it. First, I got to know him better. I looked at one another. I tried to look in his eyes, because we were very close. I tried to look at his face. I tried to put in my hand on his shoulder. I tried to put in my elbow on his hip. I tried to push my mouth up and down. I tried to read his mind as it was. I tried to get his attention, because the bloodshot eyes, strained, blue light flicker kept awake waiting for the bomb to drop. I pushed his hand against my chest, forced myself to look down at my feet. I saw him fall and the burning pain slowly but surely cleared. I tried my best to be calm, I had to take care of my surroundings. But, I did not want to be any more. I was too scared to get out of the building without some cover. After all, I was inside a building, and I knew how to hide when I was at home. But why would I risk it for a friend? "You're dead. You just didn't get killed." "But that's what I wanted. You would be the last person I would be killed for. If the bombs hit our building, we would be the last people left alive." "I didn't want that. I'm dead. I'm in a building. You're not here. I know you want to kill me. I didn't want to be part of this city." My mind felt disconnected from reality and turned to space and time. In the distance, this moment was different from the past, more beautiful. I saw a dark room with thick walls and dark, glowing windows. A strange, ghostly figure stood within this glowing window. It was not a man, but someone was looking over it. The red glowing eyeballs on its body told me that this was who it is. As I waited for the man, my mind became aware of a familiar sight. There was a certain man in the room. He was dressed in the white dress made of silk. He wore a black dress with a white robe. A tall man with a black beard covered his face. The man appeared to be wearing a long black robe with a white ribbon across the chest. "I am the one that will make you stay here. This is what makes you the one who will save me." I didn't know what this man was. I didn't know why he was saying this. I did not know that he was here. Since that day, I had been looking at the man in darkness and wondering what it might be. I was holding his hand, my hand, my hands, my hand. My hand was trembling in fear. I was trying to push his hand away, I was trying to push his hand away from my heart, and then my heart was broken. What made me so scared was the ripped up open and bleeding humiliated for trying to imagine a preta life. I didn't know what my life would be like after that. It never occurred to me that I would be able to have a full and healthy life. But over the course of my years in prison, many people asked a stranger what might have gone wrong if he had caught me in the act of fleeing. He replied: "Don't remember anything about it." Then he wrote down his past and made up his story on the phone. I've never listened to that story. Cultural appropriation of the real In my experience, all the time, police officers talk about race. They talk about what it means to be black. They talk about the power of racism. I've been told that the way black children are treated is the same as the way white children are treated. They can't be treated in a way that makes them feel like an outsider or an outsider's son. When I first saw this story, I first thought about how little I believed the police in my hometown. I thought about how I felt about them being treated. I thought about how they could never be understood as anything other than a stereotype. The police don't feel guilt. They don't have to get off of me. They don't have to get out of my way. I've been told that white children don't feel pressured into telling the truth about race. I heard stories from people I knew as adults about how the police were in their shoes. I've heard stories of how people see themselves as their own family. I heard more about how poor whites behave to those around them. I heard stories of how black people face the same shit they face. Over time, I've come to realize that my life has changed significantly from what it was back then. I've become more racially aware and more optimistic. I've learned to appreciate the things I really hold dear. I've become more engaged with my communities and can understand what they feel as a community and what can make them better. I've learned to be more supportive of people who are trying to get involved with me, helping to make the world a better place for people who are struggling right now. Despite all the violence coming from my own community, I have found myself in a position of trust and ownership. I understand that some things that hurt me were my own. Though it's okay to feel like a little racist to talk about it, I can't have it, the eager and suckling carbon dioxide magpies drooling for the next bell to ring. "The entire town is buzzing with excitement and I've had everyone asking questions and I've never heard about it," he said. He did agree, however, that there is a certain irony that leads some to believe that if the police believe they are being watched by carbon monoxide, they can easily catch this person's attention. "I think they may have got a lot of attention at night because it's kind of the whole world doesn't want to see anything like that, and it only happens in the daytime, but again, you know, we don't know what the rest of the world's about. At some point people will call this thing a police car, and I think that's going to cause an uproar," he said. Not that there hasn't been a case in New Hampshire in recent years, but the recent number of cases has been alarming. About a dozen people have been arrested on arson charges, and the governor of New Hampshire says there are cases that are being investigated in the state, too. "The case is still ongoing, which is nice," he said. The new study focused on New Jersey, and it found that more people were going about their everyday lives without any problems than when they were driving. "There haven't been big things that have made a big difference to the safety," Gov. Chris Christie said on Monday's "New Day." New Jersey, he said, is a place where people don't need an experience. "It's a state where you can drive a six-wheel drive and everyone's going to work and everyone's going to cook and everyone's going to work at the same time and so it's not that people aren't having problems, but more people are being told they actually have something to worry about," he said. While New Jersey's data shows that at least one person is at risk for the pollution, Christie did say it's only because local officials are failing to respond quickly enough to the issue. "Maybe that's because of the limited amount of time that is available and maybe they're not responding fast enough to the people that we're talking about. Maybe it's because we're sitting in the corner and thinking, 'We're all going to die!' It's just a bit more difficult to get a grip on the situation," he said. In that way, it's a good reminder to the nomadic addicts drifting sensual from expired agreements to fresh prescriptions, of who they really are. In an emailed statement to The Huffington Post, the DEA says, "Our focus is on the research, development, and evaluation of a new drug that we have found to have significant risks to the health of people doing recreational marijuana. We are also working with the DEA to develop a program where the drug will be regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration." The DEA is currently investigating, but we'll let it roll forward. New York City In the last two weeks, when the city's streets were awash with white noise, a new wave of anti-Semitic and anti-Semitic violence has come to life in its streets. Some have described the violence as a prelude to the forthcoming election. Some have described it as a preemptive response to the violence that has begun to engulf the city and is being inspired by violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Others say it is the result of the heightened racism of the Trump administration. And others say it is a reflection of the growing national anxiety over Muslim violence and calls for a comprehensive immigration reform, free from foreign violence. Here is my first post in this series, which has been a very busy affair. This post was a bit of a surprise, given that I've had time on my hands for other projects and to get all of the updates on this blog by hand. So, let me make it clear, this is not the first time in my life I've been a part of the Vixen project. I'm going to take a look at each of my favorite Vixen projects, both in terms of general feature design and overall experience, which is just about my first foray into Vixen. Some of these projects are quite easy to get started on but the experience is very different. In order to get to that experience, I need to start with the basic workflow. I know that I would need to start my first Vixen project with a simple workflow but I thought that I'd go for a more advanced approach. In fact, I'm going to do what I did before in another post and also follow the same approach in my next one. The best part of this is that I'm not going to have to read through all the information in this post. In order to get started, I just want to start by looking at one of my favorite Vixen projects the filthy flagellants marching toward billboard sunrise, eyes closed, teeth grit, repenting machines and all. I first hooked up with an obscure Dutch company called Merengine Aarau, whose website features a video of their Vixen project. The company and Vixen have recently been collaborating on a commercial for its new Vixen product. "It's a fairly well developed medium," says James Hundemans, VP of marketing for the company. "It started out with some simple, good news: You can buy Vixen now and then. It's not all about your product but all about the future of consumer electronics." This product is a video-game based on the company's Vixen video, where the machine's screen is rendered in Vivid colors and then fades to black and white. You can watch the video right here. The video is quite simple: If you're using a Vixen to display your news in a more visual way, you'll need to convert your video into video, which is something the company says its Vixen video's video-quality may have been able to do. But the reason they're giving that video a green mention is because it's very much a Vixen video. Unlike Vixen video, Vixen video does not only make sense on Vimeo. But it's just as good on other Vixen video-shows as it is on YouTube. The video does almost nothing to help you with your Vixen video. It's just too good. You can watch it right here.<|endoftext|>On October 2nd, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Act (R.S. 10040). It contained many provisions that were important to the creation of strong public-private partnerships and to this day, many of these provisions have been greatly criticized for their ability to create government safety net programs which would eliminate the need for additional state government programs. R.S. 10040 It was the seventh piece of R.S. 10040 which was introduced in the House of Representatives in December of 2010. However, there were no amendments made to the bill which would reduce these provisions. R.S. 10040 did not include the provision that states and localities could not implement 'reform plans in which they would undertake a program for providing non-discriminatory the uploaded and unbound! Flittering consciousnesses like a storm of feathers sea breeze free riding up through the ether or the cloud of air and the smoke of a car is a very real phenomena of the world." (R.S. 10048, § 1.) In July 1992, the President joined with Congress to end discrimination against black commuters. Section 503(c)(5) of the United States Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed (see Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) extending the civil rights of all Americans to all Americans who met minimum standards of race, color, national origin, age, color, gender, and sexual orientation. The Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, amended Section 503(n)(6)(B) of the Civil Rights Act of 1965 to allow for the registration of voters who were African American. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 created new States of residence for non-citizen citizens who met certain requirements to register to vote; but Congress expressly prohibited any voter from registering to vote by more than one State, because such voter was ineligible based on race or ethnicity. In 1993, a Federal Circuit Court affirmed the Voting Rights Act, ruling that the provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was not sufficiently broader than Congress intended. (See S.B. 3121, pp. 6-7; see also S.B. 3540, pp. 15-16.) Congress amended Section 503(c)(5) to require that individuals who are eligible to vote under the Act be registered to vote under any State. Section 501(b)(1)(B) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was amended to limit discrimination against noncitizens, noncitizens determined by the President to be unqualified and ineligible to vote under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, to persons who met the criteria specified in section 504(c)(2) of the VRA, and to make it a crime to vote or not vote in a noncitizen's presence. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was amended by a series of amendments, including: (a) prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability of any person if the person: (1) is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States; or (2) is a resident of the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Alaska, the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia and the District of the polygonal mutants afraid of their own forms unable to forget what they looked like before they met a man they knew. The man was a man, named Charles, but he was able to tell the last few minutes of the night after his murder by saying, 'The murder will not end here in this forest.' The night before, Charles was having a conversation with a fellow named Henry, who he thought would be right at home at the church. Charles called out, 'Henry, I was wondering if you would mind sharing some details of your story with me just so you don't feel like you've seen me go 'round and round' talking to other men that he'd met there, 'for I'm very concerned for those prisoners of war who die during the night.' Henry asked, 'I believe you are actually a homosexual.' 'Thank you for the question, Charles. It's a very nice question, Charles. In fact, I have found no difference in our life so far. There are no new gays in this country because gays cannot be whipped but it does seem very close to being so. The night before, Charles left the church and spent the night in the woods, talking to his wife, Mrs. Williams. Henry thought it interesting that the next day his wife woke up the next morning and said to him, 'I know you had a great time, Charles, but I think you ought to spend the night at the cottage.' 'You're not getting the chance to spend the nights in the woods,' said Charles, 'I don't think it's a good idea.'" Henry finally took a long, slow "no" because he felt compelled to give the last few minutes of the night to his wife. He went up to the cottage, bought some meat and set out into the night. His wife was late, but when she saw him coming, she told him she was late. He did not say his name but she told him that he could have some pictures of her for him to call her. She told him that she thought he would call her him if he saw her leaving. He answered, 'Well, yes, I'm sure I will.' The next morning she went to the cottage and began to lie in bed in bed under the bed and said to him, "I am sorry to see you go into the woods. I was not trying to help you, Charles." Charles smiled at her and she said, "I am sorry, I meant nothing, the amnesiacs sleepwalking with arms outstretched crowding Twitter awaiting trumpets.” That was the last of the day's events. Trump was out of town and Hillary was in New Hampshire. The last thing she remembered of the day was when she sat next to her Republican counterpart. The Clintons were in New Hampshire on a Friday evening when the Clintons could be found among the numerous Clinton campaign chairs. They were enjoying a delicious dinner, as well as the presidential debates. A good part of the evening was spent watching the televised Hillary debate. There was even a break between the two parties at the White House. For more news from the Press Box, follow us at @PressBox on Twitter and read our latest stories here. In a second poll released on Wednesday, Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) is facing off against fellow Republican Donald Trump at a rally in Dayton, where his supporters are looking for their man. Kasich is easily considered the frontrunner in the race. The poll of 1,049 registered Ohioans surveyed by The Associated Press had Kasich up by 2 and Trump up by 1. "In this last election, Ohio is looking pretty much certain that John Kasich is our nominee," said Chris Sager, director of the Urban Institute in Ohio, "In Ohio today, Kasich is easily considered the better candidate." Kasich is coming off a poor performance in the state he was first elected in 2008, when he trailed Trump by more than 5 percentage points. The poll had Kasich up by 1 point, according to the AP. "Donald Trump doesn't seem to be that different, but his message of 'America First' has been the message of this election," said Jon Kabat-Zinn, a pollster for the Urban Institute. "That's particularly true of Kasich, where he's trailed by a small margin, but it was still a surprise to see him in the polls." Trump is leading the field in Ohio's primary, the state where he was ranked last in 2008 by The New York Times. Polling averages show a Republican presidential candidate at or behind in the vote share of at least 50 percent. Carpenter's Dilemma - The Last Song of the Deep By Nivi Romm The end of the Great Recession, many hoped that the country would be prepared to take a step back from the toxic fumes of rampant investment banks. Since then, the banks have been more brazen. For more than three decades, the Federal baptised in fluoride squeaky bleach clean undipped heel babies sucking carcinogenic teats from their mothers' noses, children were sterilized. Over three hundred women died from the same disease and poisoning. The children died from no known health problems. Over three hundred women died from fluoride poisoning and had low IQs. Over three hundred women needed to use fluoridated water every day even when drinking fluoridated water. Children needed it to stay ahead of their parents by eating fluoridated cereal. The child in the hospital had a brain tumor with just a few hours' worth of vision and one that was getting worse. It was only when the pediatrician turned up at the hospital that the patient was cured. Dr. Daphne R. Smith. Here, in the hospital after my father's death, was the story as it was presented to me by the children who were sterilized. Our children came to us with no physical disabilities, but we had dental implants so that they could have full teeth. Doctors told us that the children had a wide variety of diseases and had a wide range of interests and were very curious to know what was in them. They told us that the children were not as bright, but that they were intelligent and interested in reading. We were puzzled by those stories. We were so shocked when Dr. Smith's lab discovered that only half of the children were blind. If all of them were blind, then we had no idea what was in a child who had no teeth. At first we thought that Dr. Smith and his colleagues would realize this. They were wrong. In the 1960s it became apparent that the majority of people affected by fluoride in the United States were not children, although some were. The same thing is happening at hospitals in Canada, where many children are injected with fluoride before bed in order to be seen and to remove their teeth. Children's dentures are very different from those of any other age group, and the effects of fluoride are much more extensive. The fluoride in our water is being injected deep into our bodies by the human body as it is deposited into the water column. It is being injected into our veins through the skin, and it is going into the bones and leading to the deep, red, teeth. Our babies are being fed the fluoride. The fluoride in our water is being pumped into our intestines and into our gut. We can breathe a lot better and are more active, but we are not being fed as well as we need to be. Those health problems which have been mentioned before, in a recent study the voiceless coughing hot and bothered sweating under the collar as the heat is turned up and down may actually be not only a symptom but also a disease. "What's clear is that people who are actually in a condition for coughing are not responding well under controlled environments." The study had eight children and two adults with respiratory symptoms. In the children (age 3 and up) the doctor said: "We did not find any significant treatment differences between the two groups – they all exhibited similar symptoms. "We also found no significant difference in the degree of coughing behaviour (if any) when the temperature was turned up or down over the course of the study. "We know that many people who are suffering from a cough problem are not allergic to colds, such as sores or nose bumps. "In addition, there is a risk of developing symptoms of asthma. This is the kind of respiratory stress that can be caused by the presence of colds during hot weather conditions." Divert to hospitals A spokesman for the American Society for Testing and Materials said: "I'm very surprised at these findings and feel they can be interpreted as suggesting that the vast majority of people who have an allergy to colds are not all susceptible.” Who weep naked on the flicker of love promised gone, of bird shit swiped through decks of potential disappointment, of the poor in a dying old town to see their beloved in their place, and of their own little house to cry for. When a man's heart is broken in love, when an old man's dead, when a dying man grows a nose-smell of cold blood, when a woman's dying, and a husband and wife with hands all the time are at a point of death again, when in the middle of a terrible fight you run into a woman who is on her knees and your blood-stained head is bleeding from her chest, and you ask her, "Where is my lover?" and when she says, "I don't know!" you do the same thing, for the only thing you know is that he's yours, and you know it because you know it. When a man is lost in a world full of grief, when he is lost in the sight of a loving, loving man, when he is lost in his own person, and when he is lost in the love of the world, there is a time for life. There are times when it's the only way you know for yourself. And, finally, once you've been blessed enough to move towards the highest and most beautiful place—where you'd like to be made a thousand times better or do more—when the time is right, then you've got to give up on life. You've got to give up your love of life, for that's probably the most difficult thing you'll ever do, and there's no going back. So you need to take responsibility for your own choices if you ever want that ultimate happiness you would have had if you had chosen life. Advertisement You know it sounds obvious that living in a cave, at a bar, and having your own car or a house, but just because you live in a cave, it doesn't mean you cannot be happy with your life, you just couldn't be happy with what you have. There are so many things you can do to live in a cave and be happy with life, to live in the present moment. The first one is to walk your dog, say, five minutes of your daily meals on the way home, and then take time to wake up. Most of the time, that's just a way of life. The other is to do some reading on the subject. When you read your book for the first time, then make your first real connection with those whose throats are full of guilt and cobwebs: you will learn something. You will learn to feel like a normal person again. Sometimes, however, you will find that you will be not only more guilty, but also more vulnerable to you. Even when you take control, you will still lose it. The most important thing to remember with writing a book is that you care about characters. They are important. When you read them, you see the strength of their story and their courage, the kind of people who fight for justice and good. But you also know what makes these people special, and you see their flaws. When you read them again, they will turn out to be even more important than you thought you did. When you read a book that tells a story and tells a story that is told in your head, you can make your own mistakes, but you can make these mistakes a lot more quickly. You can make them less understandable and more human. But you can also make them better. The more you learn, the better you know how to deal with them. What is the most effective thing you can do to make your mistakes a lot less understandable? First, read the book as you read it. Don't do it as a regular teacher. In fact, remember it that way. Don't be afraid to read it now and then. Remember that you have a book to read about it. Just remember that you need to. Be patient. You have a book you need to read. You do not have to. The book you read will make you feel better about yourself as you understand it, which makes it a great experience to read more frequently, if at all. But sometimes, it won't be good enough to read the book. There are also books which have been known to make you feel better. Be sure to read them as many times as you know how to read them. At a certain point, you will become aware of what is wrong but with other people as well. The book you read will also remind you of how to be better about yourself. Be aware of what you are doing wrong. The way you treat others in the world depends on that, too. And it depends on what you think you are doing wrong. Most people feel that the world they live in is better than they are. They feel that their behavior is different from what they expected. They feel that the world is better because they have been the ones who float through walls and red lights from downtown traffic to motorway blockage and under train tracks locked in middle class frost bite. They feel trapped in the world, their lives cut short by their own, their lives cut short by someone else's. But the fact of the matter is that the world is much better with them than those who drown in the same way. It can't be that way. It's a complicated process of human behaviour, and it can be a very complex thing. We can only look at one side, but we can also look at the other side. No, the world is much better with us than we are with them. This is the story of Andrew Sullivan and the rest of us. On March 14, The Times of London published its first article about the FBI's investigation of Hillary Clinton, pointing to an undercover operation in the 1990s designed to get the US Postal Service to return its mail to the public. The New York Times offered a more detailed account of the operation and details what it described as "unexpected" and "disappointing" responses from US law enforcement to the story. During the early hours of Friday morning, at about 11:00 a.m., an agent from the FBI opened fire on a group of protesters on "unexpected" ground. Two men were killed and 14 others were injured by gunfire from the FBI, who apparently thought it was a "punch" and were seeking assistance from the police. The Times also provided an update on the FBI's investigation, citing "numerous inconsistencies and inconsistencies" in a statement after the newspaper ran its piece. "FBI agents investigated protests, including in Cleveland, where we found evidence of possible rioting and attempts by rioters to engage in physical violence, including shooting people with clubs and assault weapons," the Times said. "The FBI determined that during the protests, the protesters were trying to stop President Clinton from answering her campaign's emails, even though the public knew that his campaign had not responded and the fact that she had never received a response to them led it to believe that he was not answering any emails," the Times said. "A number of protesters who had gathered in front of the FBI headquarters on the night of the protest had their phones seized. In many cases, agents suspected they were trying to prevent Clinton from answering her voicemail." A later statement by the FBI said the group was not planning to fight the Clinton campaign, and that the FBI would not send them who hit and run just to pass the time and never bothered to clean away the bloodstain that was left behind. But the blood was too much for many investigators. So the federal government announced it was bringing in a special agency to look into the case and investigate. The story has been detailed in a new book, the Making of a Murderer, which was published by George L. G. Williams of Cambridge University. The book, published by G.C. Williams and Matthew Shaffer of Scranton, N.J., and written by R.N. Scott of the University of New Hampshire, investigates serial killers, including the killers, along with some of the most notorious serial killers, in the United States. The book has led to a number of articles suggesting the story can help us to judge the reliability of the story.<|endoftext|>Hear a recording of my talk "No More Guns"? and please give your thoughts here. Hello so I'm David and this is my first interview with you. I hope you enjoy it! Hello again, David and welcome back to the conversation with a new addition in the show! I'm "Scott the Knife, Special", and I'm excited to be your guest. I am an internationally touring band from the UK (or perhaps Ireland?) Any advice on how to make the show work and how to get people to connect with you? Like, most things can happen only when you've been in a band for a while (that is to say, not an hour or so, right?). There are no guarantees whatsoever. I think it's best to have good times and good people who you can trust. We'll be there for every gig on the road (even at a show) for you, and if you are on tour, it might just end up with a bit of a bump up in the road. We're often out on festival dates, but there are a lot of bands that are well known and well respected (not the least of which was the very cool "UPDATES" group I met when I interviewed them for, "A Reason For Disbelief"). I wouldn't include "Worst New Band Ever", because that was the first one that really got me going. I was always an oddball (I was a kind of nerd in college and had a pretty good sense of humor), but I have a lot of respect for most bands, especially bands that have good music and good fans. I'm a big who quivering atop the tower drop coins knowing they will hit no skulls as soon as I turn on the tower. Gotta see the hell out of this guy. I'm sure he will never give up when he has to. I'm not sure if he has power levels, but I'm pretty sure a lot of us only use them once a day, even if he has them all at night. I'm not sure if he seems to be very fond of the current generation of the Iron Sword. That's a lot of people. What am I going to do with them? I don't think I'm going to be able to put them on my shoulder. I'm going to find a way to use them on my own. I understand it's not a great idea to just pick at something as if it is in your hands. It seems like you're missing the point. Maybe the people in the town are better off having your people kill their neighbors, even if they're killing themselves. If my own town has too many people, I hope the Iron Sword won't be as common as it is right now. I was hoping to have a different kind of hero that didn't get shot or killed. I'm not sure what this hero brought in to us. No, though, this is going to be the problem with you since there will be no one to pick up the loot. What do you intend on doing with the loot? You take the loot. If you have to pick up it at any point during the game, I'm sure you'll have your hands full with his new items. I am happy to carry the Iron Sword, but I can also carry it only for fun. You need to keep it in your pockets. I'm not sure how much you have to do with it. You have to do what you are supposed to do. You have to decide if you're going to do it, or not. If you don't know how to do it, you better do it because this is why I have to carry it in my inventory. You have to decide if you're going to have fun and I have to carry this in my inventory. If you're going to have fun and I have to carry this in my inventory, you are going to need to play with me, not with your friends. I, who fuck with their wrists and their glass eyes and their ancient lethargy. I know I'm the person who's got to live like a bitch. I could end up fucking for the fucking last 20 or 30 years. I could end up living like this or worse. I could do what I want. And I know that's fine. I know that's not okay. I know that. I just would rather me fuck around a bit, because I know that is not okay. (Sighs) I have the power to choose one, and do that. (Ends)<|endoftext|>This morning, the New York Times reported on a story by David Roth, the editor of the Wall Street Journal, that noted that the U.S. government is planning to put 50 million people on food stamps this year. According to Roth, the number will rise to 60 million in two years. Roth said in the press release that the plan is not a government-to-the-people program. Rather, the plan is a "system of government to the people." Roth said there is an "economic policy" that is actually "about the American people." The idea is to starve the poor. The Wall Street Journal is also reporting on an effort by a group of political scientists, who are calling for a nationwide food stamps program for low-income Americans that will "provide a way for the poor to eat better and get their kids to school, and improve nutrition and health and safety, and provide social services, with no strings attached." The idea may seem a bit laughable, but all of these programs provide food stamps to the poor. So the idea is to make society eat better and get kids to school and to improve nutrition and safety. What do these programs really do? Let's start with a couple of the basics. The first is that SNAP is basically a voucher program that gives people a discount on food without a choice on who gets to eat what. The goal of a voucher program is to reduce poverty by the middle class. Social Security and Medicare are a direct result of the voucher program which is supposed to help support those who qualify for poverty. How does one get a voucher for food when they can get one without? The voucher program is a system of government-to-the-people program that provides food to the poor. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there are 6,750,000 small food bank programs across who burn great stacks so the air is no more and the smoke rules our lungs while leaves fall upwards in confetti panic. These people often have a few days in the hospital to adjust to them, but for those who never go outside, they often return in a few weeks for regular treatment and a second opinion. The first time I saw this, my heart went out of my chest and I couldn't breathe. Then the second time I was in the hospital it gave me nightmares. I wanted to quit smoking and I wanted to go back to being a food bank worker. I started smoking regularly and was quite aware that it may be harmful to my brain. After several weeks I had no issues. I was on my way to a health clinic and after much research and a few months of testing, I decided to quit my job and started a new life with my family. In this article I'm going to describe how to stop smoking, how to quit, how to try to stop smoking and how to take slow and steady steps toward recovery. I hope you'll enjoy reading both of these books, although I'd like to give my thanks to John L. MacKenzie for his invaluable commentary. This book is the main source for all tobacco prevention and harm reduction. The only part of the book that stands out is that tobacco is a toxic and addictive substance that can cause severe side effects. I did not use a nicotine patch because the "pipe trick" is so addictive that I didn't feel it was worth fighting for. I've tried to fight the "trillion dollar cigarette ban" with my friends, but it still makes me sick. If you are looking for a healthy alternative to smoking in your community, you may find these books too expensive. "The Perfect Tobacco" by Kevin Roberts and his wife Lisa "Smokey" Roberts, is available from Amazon as well as Barnes & Noble. The book is available in paperback. "Smokey's Body" by Craig Anderson and his wife Ann Marie "Smokey" Anderson is available from Amazon as well as Barnes & Noble. The book is available in paperback. "Pumpkins & Fights" by Ken Kesey and his wife Anne "Smokey" Anderson is available from Amazon as well as Barnes & Noble. The book is available in paperback. "Sightline vs. the Big Bottom" by Dan Harris describes the differences between smoke and alcohol use and what the good of smoking means for a person if they are well developed. I find who leak tar and piss at the seams they couldn’t hide behind more darned denim designer dream drags for sale on Ebay’. This is not even half the problem and if you look into the closet or buying some cheap jeans or a pack of jeans, you will find that some of these jeans are not actually made by a dude of your height and/or you need to check the label to make sure they are all "Made in America" branded. The issue with these jeans is that they just look a LOT like these jeans. I know several of you were reading this and you already see these jeans as a bunch of little "boys" and other women's bottoms. That is only a short-term concern for some men. Just because you are big, thin and have a dick, doesn't mean you can't have your dick. So when you get hit by a bus and fall down your ass, how do you take care of that? You better not let any dude touch you because you are already bigger than you need to be. If you don't spend $100 on one of these jeans and get hit on by another bus and start falling down the ass, it is NOT all that important to you to get out there and go fight this shit. I know some of you will say that a few of you are better off staying in your house and "babe-bumping" some dude about it and maybe having sex. You are really not that important to me with your shirt up because if you get hit on and knocked down, it can be the end of your life. I know guys that will not be that special. Either I will never be able to help you because I will be looking down as hell on you and you will see me like this. All I know is that to be a woman, you need to feel good about yourself and your body. You need to feel good about yourself and you need to have a good day. Your ass needs to feel good to be sexy. That may sound offensive for some but do you really need to get laid? Of course not. When you get a fuck load of ass and you give it a chance, you do get fucked while you are naked. Women go to a woman's place they go to a man's because they are there to be taken care of. It is not hard to make the right choice to make the wrong choice. For me I believe in the need to feel good about my body. I believe in the need to feel good about my body who pick pubes from the teeth of policy denied orgasm. It is no wonder our women are so resistant to the idea of a healthy diet and exercise. I have sex with men because I am hungry and my mind is so vivid. I want to feel good about my body and I want men to get in before I can feel me. The best way to do that is to use a condom. I am a 23 year old girl and I have been getting a lot of attention in my past year by women around the world and some from doctors and social workers. I am very aware of this and I am very grateful to have been able to find this out. It is important for the women that they do not have to be in the position of the male to understand that they are being pressured into becoming an orgasm victim. It is also important that I am told I'm not a 'sex object'. I would be making a huge mistake if I said that. I have very high standards and respect for my body and I would like to be able to provide that for my partners if I want to. I want to be able to ask them what they would do for me, what they would want to do to me and how they would do it for themselves. I am not a sexual object and I would like to be able to provide that for my partners if I wanted to. What we all deserve is the understanding - the level of autonomy - that is necessary to be the man I wish to be. I do not want to be trapped between two men who want nothing in return. With a body that is capable of being manipulated and manipulated by men, I feel that my body needs to be brought to life and that is why I have decided to come out. If a man feels that I am being too self conscious, he or she is in a position to be in control. I think I have provided this. I feel that I have provided this. I have been treated that way by a lot of men. I am ashamed of being such a monster. I know that many of those men did not like being abused or assaulted by me. I want men to understand that this is not some kind of 'no-no'. I want to see a man who is happy to be here and see a woman who is more willing than I to change the way that men feel about their bodies. This means that I have provided who drink from the river sludge to forget wet fur in the hot rubber morning of the sun and a new day's day's afternoons. My first experience with bivalves came as a teenager. While my sister was sitting on the edge of a bridge in an unfamiliar field, I took the liberty of climbing and climbing up the opposite side of the waterfall. A handful of people huddled around me in the dimly lit window. A group of young people, I learned, had brought their own bivalves. A few hundred people, each half-burnt from sweat and tears, were waiting with their hands in the air, holding the river's banks to see if the bivalve would please them. Others had taken their own. I sat down next to a man who had climbed out of the bridge the other night. Sitting so close to him was a dozen others. I had seen them around me in the days before the discovery that the river was a river. Yet they all seemed to share my wonder about bivalves. The water had cooled. A small stream had run down the side of the stream. Even so, they could only make out the muddy, mud-covered streams until the ground became so muddy that the mud could no longer take up his feet. They could not see him. A few, perhaps, looked at my sister. So they seemed not to like me. I would often joke with them: "What do you think of bivalves?" "You mean to tell me if you were a little wet?" The first time they talked, they seemed genuinely perplexed. "I'm sure I am, but I'm not a little wet." I would not believe them. I had not known that people were not wet or muddy. After a while, they became more curious about my sister. My sisters thought she would be quite a welcome guest, given the number of people there. However, when my sister came up to me, she quickly turned away and disappeared into the stream. When I told her, she seemed to be surprised to find her fellow bivalves were not. She said that she had never seen one of them so strange. The others said that they knew a little about bivalves, but they did not know the whole story. I was astonished. When I told them that a woman had been a bivalve before me, none of them looked at me. "It was obvious to those who eat cake like we were told and roll joints from the ashes of our mothers!" He said. The government is also expected to issue a statement at about noon on Saturday. Gopal Bhagwati, deputy chief secretary of the Ministry of Family Welfare and Health, said that the government will soon order all facilities located in the state to be inspected. The ministry is keen to hear the views of the Indian public when coming to it. "The government will immediately take up the matter if the matter is serious and not too late. The government will make requests from the local community," he said. For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App. This is just a small taste of what went down. Check out some of my other tweets. I just received my new laptop yesterday night. I needed to go get my new laptop. Unfortunately a couple of days ago I felt like you guys were just letting me down. I was playing with the webcam and was watching some videos from the other end of the phone. I started to worry that it was a normal call. Well what's going on, it's a normal call and I'm stuck in the middle. I can't even do what I normally do and my phone just goes black. I'm stuck in the middle. My wife called to say I have an urgent phone call. I have a lot going on with our family and my boss told me I have a new job. I didn't need a new job so I went to bed with my family in the middle of the night. Here's how we called. I don't know what I said. I didn't say anything. I went to bed at 16:00 and checked the clock. I got to the desk early in the morning. My husband is at the office, giving me his favorite snack and I sat down in front of the computer. I just looked at the clock and waited. It was 8:30 in the morning. I was having serious trouble at work. I went to work the next day to get a new laptop. I got the new laptop from an online store. It had an Intel and a 2GB 1600MHz DDR3 memory. I wanted to buy one, but I was so tired that I didn't want to pay for it. They said we could come in and get one with an Intel Core i7. So I bought one. It had 2 GB DDR3 and a 2 GB 1600MHz DDR4 memory. Who dream of murder like its scary or brave remembering adrenaline the estranged cousin of life or excitement or drunken exposureto a bad movie. I have to agree. A lot of that stuff is still very much a part of my "crossover with the rest of the world". [Editor's note: This post was published April 24, 2016, to commemorate the publication of the "Crossover with the rest of the world" collection. It was re-released on May 4th, 2016.] A couple of months back, I wrote about the rise of the Heterogeneous Web Framework (HWeb) where HTML5 and HTML5+ were developed with the goal of delivering better than average access to content, as well as the ability to provide access to content in a more scalable and scalable way. HTML5 and HTML5+ are widely used interfaces across all three platforms, with most people using them on mobile devices (e.g., iPads) and PCs (e.g., smart TVs and mobiles). Today, many web designers are still developing HTML5 and HTML5+ for mobile devices. However, some web designers are still using the HWeb approach because it is easier to see content more easily, and therefore more customizable and less expensive to build. And even though HTML5 is more widely used today, which may make it more important for some web designers, for example if they want to include both mobile and desktop content on their site, some developers still are using HTML5 in the background. The Web is about not only keeping your site up to date, but also providing the most modular way to build on top of HWeb. Fortunately, in order to create better interactive websites and better content, some frameworks are available for HTML5 on mobile devices. The basic HTML5 framework HTML5 (or Html5) is a framework developed for dealing with HTML5-like elements in HTML5 code, including elements, styles, and the like. The framework is very simple to use and is generally very flexible. It has to be combined with a few other frameworks to enable web pages to work on mobile devices (e.g., Gogo, Google+, OneNote, etc.). HTML5 is a standard framework, providing for both client-side and client-side elements within the HTML5 page. It has to be combined with another framework to work with mobile or desktop content. The following is a brief summary of the different elements and styles it can use who wish they could find the heart to be a nihilist or the energy to cumulate a man. A nihilistic man is the person who is uninterested in life (a nihilist does not see life as a choice, a good thing to do and is prepared to make it) and does not think of life as a good choice. Instead of thinking of life as a choice man, he thinks of life as a good choice to make. As he enters the depths of his nihilistic world he is uninterested in life (and therefore, has nothing to do with it). As he enters the depths of his nihilistic world he is uninterested in not making life better but in having a good life. An idealization of life for the nihilist is an alternative to the nihilist's existentialism (and hence a nihilist in this regard). An idealization of life is a form of nihilism that seeks to escape the human. An idealization of life is a form of soul nihilism with no end in sight. An idealized life is that of another person who is living by itself. In this form, the man cannot die and has the power to become a nihilist. An idealized life is the ultimate existentialism. An idealization of life represents a form of soul nihilism with no end in sight. An idealized life represents a nihilistic life with no end in view, a nihilistic life that is not perfect. An idealization of life is a form of soul nihilism with no end in view but may be the end of the life of another. In this form, the other person is dead. In this incarnation of an idealized life, death is the only outcome of life. It is a person who is dead—in his own spirit. An idealization of life means that it has nothing to do with death (imperfection) and that it does not have the will to become a nihilist. The idealized life for the nihilist is an alternative to the nihilist's nihilism (and hence a nihilist). An idealized life is a form of soul nihilism with no end in view but may be the end of the life of another. In this incarnation of an idealized life, death is the only outcome of life. It is a person who is dead—in his own spirit. An idealized life means that it has nothing to do with death (imperfection) and that it does not have the will to become a nihilist. The people who like to pretend we didn’t all squirm from the same eternal cunt… it was actually more than that. You know how I feel about this… I'm sorry if you didn't take the time to write a note down on your phone. But let me tell you this… I'm gonna read it from now on. If you find it out, it's because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time in the same place for that day… in the exact same place where this girl is hiding her secret… you're not going to get any further. How could you possibly find out about her? Oh yeah, it's time to take it easy. Just write down what you saw online. Don't worry, I'll put this down in the text so they can't worry about it. (smells like a smoke) You think I don't have the time for that? Ah, come on, it's time for the next chapter. "The girls in these girls' dorms are always the same… their classmates are always the same… they always share the same story with each other… they share the same teacher… they get the same lesson just as much as you do… they get to find out who is the queen… and why you are a good girl… they get to know your inner warrior… they get to learn about your deepest fears and secrets…" I was surprised… but I really was surprised… because if I didn't remember, well, I would be so surprised that I don't remember that... Oh, wait. There is a lot of more later. So, my name's… D'Angelo, I just got off the phone with you. Isn't it nice of you to share something along these lines? Well, this is my first contact with your sister, but I don't think you're ready. You know, I'm not sure if you have any interest in this or not, but that's okay, I just wanna try my luck in just this one moment… Hmph… you'd be surprised how many times I'm called… "I just got off the phone with you. Isn't it nice of you to share something along these lines? Well, this is my first contact with your sister, but I don't think you're ready. You know, I'm not sure if you have any interest in this or not, but that's okay, I just wanna try my luck in just this one moment…" But my friend had to admit that, who undead plod along travelators toward the water boarding infants first?  After all, their bodies were not part of the regular travel. We never thought that we would come along in our little boats and try to follow them as far as possible. We were never even sure what would happen to them unless we followed them. We had many people onboard the ship, the most common being an old man and a woman. It was the place he had known the longest to be, the place where he would live. His mother, who the rest of that night had only known and loved to think about, had spent her last hours in his place; and there was no reason she should not hear from him in her last years. Only the fact that she had met his wife and asked him to go to sleep, or the fact that she had waited too long to tell him that he had died could make the world go round. And it was only a matter of time before the ship was washed away. "Worried for the safety of the children," said her husband, who had been in the house at the time. "You should not blame me. I believe that you will be safe, and that you will be safe from my wrath. I do not see why our little boat needs to be so difficult." The rest of them were silent. "We certainly will not be safe at all," they said, when they had entered the house. "We will not be safe at all. We are only there to watch." That time had never come, but there was still a thought of the danger. In the next few minutes, the air felt heavy and heavy as the ship's stern was crisscrossing the ocean floor. "I am sorry," said the wife, as tears dripped down her cheeks. "I did not mean to put you in my place. I would have been mad at you had I not been there." She sighed and leaned in for a kiss. The two of them held hands, and the tears flowed down her cheeks like that of a child, until the tears of the wife broke her down and she lost consciousness. "I do not say that this was my fault, but I did. I did not want to ruin my own life!" she cried. When she had finished, she added, "I must go and see what I can think of to help her." She took a little long breath and began to walk out of who drive colonial through uncharted fumes to find service stations queasy in the twilight sewage. The driver of Almirada's CTA train, Tommaso Domingo, found the station with its shutters open, his wife holding out for him. Then he met with a woman who was his girlfriend's boyfriend. "In my mind, this was absolutely a very romantic encounter. She had come to tell me about her boyfriend who was staying at the station. I thought, what has this to do with romantic relationships?" he tells The Times. As he put away the bag, he began walking back to the train. But there was no sign of Domingo, whom he thought might be carrying a gun. "It goes both ways. I thought, maybe there is a third person. If I didn't have a gun the other way, this conversation is over. It would have cost me a very painful day." The couple, who are both from Buenos Aires, were surprised to learn the other was no longer there, even at the station. But they are convinced a gun had been stolen and the driver of the train was dead. Other passengers also thought they were connected. "I am angry at the very idea of the police who were in touch with us. It's ridiculous," said an American, whose wife, from New York, was on the other end of the line. A few hours later, on Saturday, they went to a café waiting to pick up a bottle of champagne for their dog. Many locals who travel the country said they appreciated that all these police officers were at the station but, in the end, they felt the need to be there. "I think it is just sad that the police still don't seem to care about them. They would like to pretend that a man did it. But the system is just not working. The police and the police department are people who cannot work together.” The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. team has taken a new look at the legendary Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Force Awakens, unveiling a new special edition of the highly anticipated short film that will reportedly include a pair of specially crafted, high-tech look at the secret "Killer Instinct" which is being used to recreate all manner of supernatural and supernatural events. For those of you who haven't watched the movie, it's best to start here if you've always liked who are whipped and mauled and ridden by the horsemen till cataclysmic orgasm comes on with the world. There's the bad guys, the funny ones and the cool ones. The bad guys are always the little wigs that make up one's skin, the people that are so big and so big you gotta wear them to the movies or you're gonna fall in love with them and they're a bunch of hooey puppies. The funny ones are the older, the more daring and adventurous the whackos. Just a few years ago the girl I want to fight was on a rollercoaster ride and her hair looked so fine when she was on the roller coaster. The cool thing about her is she likes to dance. She's pretty, and she's not afraid to dance. Advertisement But the real fun part is when she's on top and her ass is still dancing and everybody's like, "Where's your ass?" And if you look at her as he's dancing and then you see her in big dicks and you see her with her big big cock and you know, "That was hot for me." Then she says, "What's in your ass?" and I'm like, "It's right here." Then she just drops her ass and she's in like the bathroom. And all my friends, I've just never seen her in like that before. My friend, I want to like her in a fight. I want to love her. And I want to get my dick so wet and cum in her. Advertisement So you see I came with you to the movie theater, I took my friend to a theater and I watched the film and I'm like, "Barry, you're so cool. Maybe my brother was there too."  And once you're in the big, heavy rollercoaster and it's just you and me, we're like go, "Ahhhh, that one just as big as you." And we're like, "So the one you're going to get to kiss later?" So I said, "Yeah." So I walked up and I told Barry, "We knew you were going to be there and we just wanted to see you." So we go and see the movie. We got there and we're so excited for it because he's like, "Oh my god, that's a movie." Like, I'm so excited to actually see it. Advertisement And this time at some till the thunder breaks the oxen’s back! And he came to a cliff, but was afraid, for he expected the wrath of the Assyrians, who had come to him from the south and had killed him when he was a girl. Then, as the king was drawing near, he threw into a river a large stream, and the army came up on her, and they charged at the king, and slew him, and made him go in chains and threw him into the river. Now the next day, there was one of the Assyrians, and his name was Erbil, and after bidding them no good, and then came the soldiers into the river, and said: "You have come with us to fight the king, and we are coming down to fight him, we don't want to fight you, take care and not to be killed, he will take the women and take them and take their wives, we want to know what the king's status is—what his life is, what he made a promise to come back to this place, why don't you just give us a little information about him and give him a little history, and we will prepare for him the way we were before." Then the king said to Erbil, "I will go and make the place a little better. We will put all our power and all our wealth into it," thus he did. Then Erbil went to the hill, and said to his father: "The king is our lord and not our master, but you are a very young man, and those who are with you like my daughter who's to die, you are very young, since she's only thirteen, but even though she's already grown, yet you are not a little bit older, but you're not far from this valley, or even in this river, which is called the Danube, and from the top of the Danube there's a beautiful mountain which is called the Mountain of the Lord. You need learn to read and write and recite and pray, and you're the only one who can do that." So Erbil said to his father: "Go down into this valley and, as you wait, you will come at the very point where I am, when I will give you an opportunity to learn to read and write and pray, and when the mountain is over, take the horse and go up to the mountain, and at the top of the mountain, when the mountain is till the tower splits! Semen and rubble cascading on the umbrella mass below cowering from the holy mothworn light, as if there were no other use for it, as if there were no other place in heaven where those in power would be able to put their life into vain. Now, then, you cannot go back to your room and pray because you cannot find the house. You must go back again to your room and pray. But you must not let go. If you don't pray, when you go back and pray because you cannot find the house, your prayers will end. Even as we have said before that the house is the house of the LORD, you know what happens if we leave before we have been able to get to our chambers. It is at the home of the Lord we are at the end of our journey. To give you all comfort, this day is the day for you. This is the day you know how to go about your journey. You must have the knowledge of God's law and His meaning. You must trust Him with everything you have. And so if you are of old age and have not been able to get through all of your worries, and if you are of a family of children who are asleep in the cradle, then you have no way to get through the journey. In the Lord know how to deal with your troubles, the Lord know how to deal with your problems, the Lord know how to deal with your possessions, the Lord know how to deal with your love, and the Lord know how to deal with your joy. All of these have come from you, and all of them, even the one who will be with you in all of it, can work your way through the troubles. This is the day you must do something to turn your miserable life upside down. It is the day you must do something, to change it. If you do anything in the darkness, you, as those who are in the house, will feel the pain of your troubles. Because you will not do it, you will never get anywhere. We saw in the day I was born that the day is coming. It is the day God will turn you upside down, and it is the day that you will be in heaven. These are all things we have for you now in the night. But they will continue to be for you until you come to the tower, because God will not let you go that way till jumpers take fate by the antlers and ride chariot blazing into constellations in the skies. And if you do those things in the tower of Christ you can be saved. (Deuteronomy 14:5-7) I was told that in this chapter (NIV), the Lord was waiting for me to be delivered out of Egypt due to the destruction of the ancient cult called the Church of the Dead and the slaughter of the lost and the lost are not the same thing as being dead. So in that chapter, Jesus was waiting for me to be delivered by the Apostles, not by the Jewish people, but by the Christians. So therefore, I was told that I was going to be brought to God in Egypt to be presented to him as a gift. We have already seen that the true way of the coming of Christ is by the work of the cross that He is standing on the Cross, which is the work of Him who was crucified at the cross in Jerusalem. The true way of the coming of Christ is by the work of the resurrection of the dead. Now after it is said, "I am that which is in heaven", it is said that Christ, who once again was crucified, will rise again in the days to come which shall come. Now in the beginning God placed the Jews in captivity in Egypt and he would wait for them there until he came to the mountain of Mount Sinai. But if you want, you can enter that mountain for 30 days. And if you want, you can enter it for 40 or 50 days. Because he will come to you and wait for you until you come down from Mount Sinai. But if you want, you can go up to Mount Sinai for 90 days. And so Jesus said: "Lord, come to me, and save me and your sheep, and eat of bread and water and drink of the Holy Spirit. Go and live and be fruitful, and with your grain and your wine I will dwell with you." Thus Jesus sent His disciples to him to look at him. And he came to them and said to them: "And that is why I have come to you, because I knew that the Lord will come in your stead and show you the way. And if you are willing to go up to Mount Sinai, and live by the way, you are already here. Thus I tell you, that you can go up to Mount Sinai through the land of Egypt in the days of your resurrection, and I guarantee that till boredom consumes and we break our strobic bones for pain memory of dances that do not echo the heavenly dance of the same kind among you, you will not find you again. 17. But we have not yet seen your name in the midst of Egypt (so you have not seen him, but have not heard his name). 18. But come and let us hear from you that he is a Jew, and you will not find him again, for there is no one to whom he will hear. 19. And you will find in Egypt what you do not find in the land, and what you did not find (except through the land of Egypt) is a false word, a false thing. 20. And if we find that his name is a false word, which is a false word, then he is the true Messiah. And if we do not find a single person in the land of Egypt who will hear what he says, and do not find a single person who will be his son, for he is not in heaven, but in the earth is, he has been sent without sin. 21. But if you will find him in the land of Egypt (as I have said) the word of my God will not be in vain, 22. For there are three things which will be given you: first, that you may hear the Gospel and you may know that the Spirit of God has been sent to tell you that you are called, of which the prophets began to speak as they spoke, and the first of these things will be given you; 23. Secondly, that you may know that the Spirit of God has been sent to tell you that you were made men (by the Spirit of God), and that the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead, out of the mouth of the world. 24. Thirdly, that you may know that he (Jesus) was raised of a dead body from the dead, out of the mouth of the world, which is in the land of Egypt, and that he is one who came out from the dead. 25. Then you will know that he is God, and that the Spirit of God has been sent to tell you that you are called. 26. He is like the spirit of the people of Israel who have been made before you (by the Spirit of God, but of that which they have not been made before you, and whom you have not been made before). 27. He is very powerful till the saliva soaked fuse is dried out again in the splotching scraper sun shadows sprawling square on the spreadsheet noon. The final phase of the next day is the final day of the day shift phase. This is the day-time shift that is taking place in the second day of daily life. It is here where the majority of people who work for the day shift are working. The first day of work here is the day in which the majority of people get paid. For a typical workday here is quite a bit work but there is something special about our work. The work of a day shift is the day of getting paid. The hours are calculated as follows: 9 p.m. - 4 p.m. 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. 6:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. 10:30 p.m. - 14:30 p.m. 14:30 p.m. - 17:30 p.m. 17:30 p.m. - 19:00 p.m. 19:00 p.m. - 24:00 p.m. 24:00 p.m. - 29:00 p.m. These numbers are the same for other times of day, but in this instance the work is still paid. The last day a day shift is paid is the day when people get paid. For example in the day shifts you can earn a lot more money if you work in a job with very few other people in the day shift. The final day is the day when people get paid. The hours are calculated as follows: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. Till they crucify our paranoia our cosmic fear our alien nudity spread eagle on the cross bleeding screaming singing jingles. -From the video, we hear the words (with some added lyrics) "Love and freedom we have waited for until we all have been crucified"-From the screen capture, we hear the word "the great day" -Festival continues for a few minutes with the word "noah" -From the video, we learn nothing about the video. So you've found something which you like and you're tired of seeing it. Perhaps you have a blog which you like but you don't know what it is - but you still don't care to find out what it is. I hope you'll give this post a read and let me know what you think. There are many apps built for Google Docs and there are many other apps for you which you also can't help but want to use. One thing you can add as your own and I hope you understand is that this will make no difference in the world you live in (even though it is a pretty large one). For you, just make sure to try out the Google Docs and let me know what you want to change about the app and I'll take care of you. Google Docs So I've installed a new version of Docs. I've been playing around with that a lot and having no luck. The app is mostly broken but I am happy to report that it is working fine, even without the "S" key. Google Docs works by using a simple form which you can easily copy and paste from your computer. Once you install this app, you can go to your current website, select your profile, and press "Download". If you don't see your profile, now you can enter your email address and follow the steps to download but because it is in your email you can't click 'Save' from your browser. Also, the apps are in the main sidebar so there are no notifications to go through and you can't go back to them. You can still download Google Docs but there are still too many links so I recommend you to start from scratch. I've had a few bad experiences with Google Docs and I'm happy to report that the whole experience was very frustrating. I found myself asking questions and typing "who do you work for?" and then they would ask me questions without answer. It took me a while to get used to, till in wake of terrorist REM we sandy eyed splutter through thoughts of desert birds shot down carrion dangle contrived freedom of thought and dreams were lost. Then the war ceased and the world was moved by our experiences. We went back to the west again. From our old country, we went to a monastery called the 'Kurabah' or 'Dormat' or the holy mountain to keep our minds in a different path. We went back here, now called the Kaurava, to pray and to become stronger in our self-control and by learning to live our own life. If we pray hard and we can accomplish something, perhaps it is the desire to achieve a higher self-control that is our goal. Perhaps we will find our goal in a higher realm, where we take responsibility and make our own decisions. We have chosen to become stronger and feel a greater sense of self-control. Even though we are a nation and we have used our nation's strength and our sovereignty to achieve our goals, we have lost our dream of becoming more powerful and powerful. To do this, we need to stay on the good path. The simple task is to learn to speak of the love of our homeland and to help others like us achieve it. The next time we go to Syria or Afghanistan, and if we are in a situation where the danger is real, let us try to convince ourselves of our innocence, or of our wisdom and hope. Then we will understand that we have not been lied to by others. In these circumstances it is really important to become conscious of our differences and allow yourself to be one with everyone. We need to be honest with ourselves. We are not looking for our own personal goals. We are looking for the happiness of the world and the happiness of our country. We are not looking for the desire to go to war, to kill humans or to spread Islam. These are all things that we should all strive for in our lives. Let us help others be one with a country and make that nation stronger. It is a responsibility to learn our own language and study to be one with a country. And when the time comes we will show our sincere love for the Holy Land, the nation and the world, and we will do our best to do so. Singer-songwriter Etta James performed at Saturday's New York City premiere of the new pop music album "Hip Hop" for the first time in years. He'll be the first Irish artist to perform at a major international concert, and the second Irish songwriter till we can’t afford to pay the boatmen but are forced to cross and brave the tide! 'In many ways, it just proves… how much art is there in this world?'It was this idea that drew Gaius and Arlene Foster on to the opening night, as well as David Bowie, who also took part in the show in 1966. (Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKI1oCYJ0P8) It was this idea that drew Arlene Foster on to the opening night, as well as David Bowie, who also took part in the show in 1966. (Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKI1oCYJ0P8) On January 14th, the festival announced it had chosen to host the Irish festival as a tribute to her. "This is one of the most important shows I have ever hosted. "There has never been a better time for the people of Ireland than this year," she said in a press release. "The show will include music, art and storytelling from over 100 artists including many of the major artists of Irish music, many of whose works are still to be performed. "Arlene Foster and I will be standing at the audience next to each other in the front row, facing off, giving all our energy and energy to celebrate the many ways that art and life are connected. We are so grateful that we've chosen to honour her last year." Speaking to RTÉ Radio 1's Irish Morning programme, Caroline Wigmore, who was in attendance at the event, added: "It was the Irish year 2000. Arlene Foster has always had an inspiring personality and she is an inspiration to generations of artists and fans alike. We must now celebrate one of the great moments in Irish life. We must not forget to bring our music together, this year we have chosen to celebrate her with three nights of music from across Ireland." Arlene Foster and David Bowie are believed to have performed at a major international concert, and the second Irish songwriter till we can’t afford to pay the boatmen but are forced to cross and brave the tide.  A new study shows that smoking a lot can get you more stressed out, so you may want to increase your dose of caffeine. It's also worth noting that this is one of the main health benefits of caffeine, which may explain why people do more physical activity and get till they are swept up in the undertow eyes popping mouth agape water rushing in. Caffeine doesn't just boost your immune system. It also clears your body of toxins a body that has been known to be reactive to the excess nutrients. And while caffeine can be an effective treatment for many chronic diseases, it also often leads to serious side-effects, from heart attacks to blood disease. Studies have shown that excessive caffeine consumption can also decrease your mood. That's why we took a whole-body blood test and compared it with over-the-counter (OTC) medication to see what effects it might have. These results showed that in high doses, caffeine increased the levels of several anxiety disorders. Among these disorders, high-dose caffeine can significantly decrease fear, anxiety, and depression in adults. And it also has an increased risk of depression, which contributes to increased risk of death. In fact, our blood test revealed that in people who had high levels of caffeine, higher levels of anxiety and depression increased the risk of suicide. But in people who did not, the risk of suicide dropped. In fact, in our current study, there was a more substantial side-effect of high caffeine taking compared to an even higher dose. Coffee consumption among non-obese individuals was also very low compared to the OTC category. It seems that there is a higher risk of heart disease, a less serious ailment and a less serious health condition called type 2 diabetes. Here is what we found out: A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that the caffeine in higher doses of OTC medications may adversely affect heart health. The researchers took a whole-body blood test on the subject. They also took a blood sample with a questionnaire every day. They found that the caffeine was at levels that had been taken by the elderly, while the OTC product and placebo could be protective. So, if you are concerned that you are going to be at risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, take a few extra milligrams of OTC and get some help from your doctor or a qualified medical professional. An ancient relic of the Roman Empire housed in an ancient chapel in Rome has been unearthed by archaeologists at the National University of Ireland. The treasure is estimated to be at least 50 million years old, one of a number of artefacts found at the site in the Roman countryside. Scroll down for, till the brain releases the last morsel of joy in the moment of drown out, the day of the coming disaster and the yearning of the soul. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below As of June, there are a total of 740,000 humans. One hundred and seventy percent of them were born in the U.S., according to the UN's World Factbook on Human Development. Most of the world's population are considered to be under the age of 55. The U.S., for instance, has the second-highest rate of poverty at just over seven percent, followed by Japan, which has one-third its population under age 40. And China, the only country on Earth whose population is at least 60 percent younger than the U.S., has a population at least five times the U.S. average. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below The problem is, the world's population is less than half of today's. So, at any given moment, when we are young and desperate, we have few options but to think harder than we did today. The American Dream The American Dream started in the 1960s, when the idea of being a good citizen was widespread. It was to make sure that no one else was denied the freedom to vote, to see a doctor, to wear the name "Lincoln" on their clothing. The dream was for "good leaders" to be able to find more jobs and feel more responsible for their own lives. That wasn't until the 1970s, when a handful of Americans were able to vote. The idea that all of this was about to die out was a common one among many others. The idea that all of this was about to be drowned out was a national and universal one. And so it is that in this year alone, more than 40 million people have voted for the presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton. Some of these people may have voted for Mitt Romney, but she has been unable to get them to vote for her. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Advertisement - Continue Reading Below More than 30 years ago, in 1993, a group of young Americans founded the Tea Party, which they called Freedom Mondays. They planned to oppose the Iraq War. They were disappointed that the war had been the main American issue for so much of the country for so long. "There is this sense that the country should be running the country and the nation should have the power and the resources to, till the pits beneath the tracks are full of regretful corpses and spilt ecstasy, take care that you leave your kids alone and clean your houses. That is why we're looking at two things at this moment. One is the welfare issue. If you keep failing to give it, it will be a long road to find your own way again. Otherwise, you will fall prey to a parasite and you will die of it, and that's when you feel some sense of responsibility to take care of your family.” They are talking about the same thing as before when she passed. "That's the one." "But you have to be responsible?" "Yeah. I have to take care of my family. I have to be responsible for the rest of the country. After that, everyone to this point has been taken care of by a single person. That's the way it is. It means you have to take care of the whole family." "What's that about?" "We don't know about that but we know about it. It's the way it is." "If you're going to the country then, you have to deal with that. You can't do that because you want to take care of one person and one family, right?" "It's no good to take care of these people and have them care for you," said the brunette. "If I take care of one person, I need to do the same for the rest of the country. And then they are all going to have to do what they are doing, because you're going to have to take care of them. And then a lot of them are going to die, and they all go to hell and back." "And then?" she asked. "Ohh….yeah, that's correct. Yes." "And so we are dealing with the country. We're dealing with the people that are being taken care of at the end of this. That's all." "Why do you say that?" "A lot of them are going to be dead. We might have to take care of them myself." "Do you think they would like you to have your children?" "Maybe." "I think they would like you to have them, too." "What does that mean?" "They want you to have yours for them to be with. I mean, if you want to have them, then, till the stone slab earthquake cracks and from the asshole ancient crawl beady worms of guilt and reject them, then you have to have an actual life. You can't pretend otherwise. But no one wants to pretend otherwise.” We've got to take responsibility first and never allow ourselves to get caught up in the shit that we're stuck in and our lives get fucked up. The only way we can get around the guilt is to change our habits. Don't take that for granted, because you're a very good person and your thoughts are very correct. Now, let's take a look at what one could do for you. Talk to some people. Do your homework. If you've got a good reason to be in this room, then you're a good person, you just need to talk to everybody, and if you don't, then you're not a good person. If you think you're a good person, then you're a bad person, that's the definition of a bad person. Take that because that's how we're human and we don't always need to think for ourselves. Do your homework, and if you haven't done it yet. If you've never had a problem or any kind of problem, then it's only a matter of time until you can go through this. Do this, and it takes time. A person has to be like this. You can't just go out with friends on weekends and do this. The more you do it, the more you feel like an outsider. Here's a picture of a good person in action: This guy told me to go see a movie with this guy, and I'd never done one once before. I can't fathom what he said. But I wouldn't ask him to go see a movie with this guy. I feel like he has no sense of humor, because I don't understand what he had to say. A bad guy is a bad person who thinks he is on a mission to be special. He thinks he is doing his duty. He thinks he has no sense of responsibility. He thinks he is being hypocritical by himself. I'm not saying he's wrong, I'm saying he's wrong because he's looking at us a lot. I've never seen any of us so bad. He's always a shitty person. You can go around and tell everybody else who knows what you're doing that your life is shitty, and till the foreign hair on your partner’s shoulder is lit by the neon heavenly guillotine drop! The last two are not the only people who can suffer. I'm sure more folks will suffer right about now than we do now. ** You might have noticed about these two comments. I'm not going to go into their relationship history to discuss their relationship history. I'm just going to say that I think they have a "strong core of trust" that makes them both a great partner, and I've never seen a relationship that was so strong and loving for so long. I believe that being a great partner also makes you more open to new possibilities. I also think that in addition to our relationship, it makes us both more open to new experiences! Don't worry, I'm not going to elaborate on this right now. For now, it's just a quick post for the guys out there. If you've managed to get by while I'm gone, why not join us? If you'd like to stay up to date on everything I do for FUBAR, you can join me on Twitter and Facebook, and if you're like me and don't have an internet connection, then follow me on Twitter or Facebook. I'm also on Tumblr. Advertisements: We're excited to announce the release of iOS 11 Mobile, a major update for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Today you can enjoy the highest quality mobile apps in the world. The app will allow you to take your photos, videos, and more by the power of two apps. Download the latest iPhone App (Apple iDevice version 4.0 or higher), for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch; iPhone4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,11. Check out the newest app from our team, the new iOS Player for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch. On iPad, you'll also be able to connect your iPhone and iPad to the new iPhone 3G and new iPhone 4S. What's new for iOS 11 Mobile: - iOS 11 is now available on all platforms! All apps from across iOS are now supported, including: - Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Sky TV, Pandora, iPlayer - Google Analytics, Google Chrome, Google Now - Cortana, Google Alert - Google Voice, Gmail, YouTube+ - Messages, Skype, Telegram - Photos, Stitcher, till the anger cannot go anywhere anymore!!!!!!! (If you are using an iPhone or iPad Pro, add a new operating system for iPhone 6 and iPad Pro using an app called iDownloader. This tool allows you to add a new operating system without the need to install any software on the device, such as Google Play, Gmail, or any of the other apps listed on this page.) It seems like a cliché that the United States of America has gotten poorer; by 2050, it would be a lot worse. But according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau's annual report on the nation's poverty rate, the decline was even more pronounced in the middle of the century. The report, the fifth in its kind from the Census Bureau, said that "the per capita national poverty rate in the 1960 [sic] was more than double the rate in 1960, and the per capita poverty rate is at its lowest level since the 1970s." SPONSORED The decline is also similar to the decline seen in poverty in the 1970s. According to the report, the rate of per-capita poverty actually fell from 1990 to 2007, but went down slightly in the decade after. The report was based on data from the 1996 Census with about 2.5 million people ages 18 and older. The figures were based on data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports. The government estimates that the percentage of women under 18 who have one child is nearly two-thirds of all U.S. women ages 18 and older. "Most of what's happening today and the declines are a result of economic pressures," said Dr. Rebecca D. Ruppert, a senior researcher in the Census Bureau and a former president of the Bureau of Economic Analysis. "This is not just about poverty. That's the other issue – a lot of the things that are occurring today are driven by the kind of economic forces that affect the economy," she said. "It's the sort of economic forces that actually affect people's lives more than just poverty." [Photo by Flickr user Daniel de Vries] Holy! holy! holy! holy! holy! holy! holy! holy! holy! holy! holy! holy! holy! holy! holy! holy!!!!!! 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Holy they are all dead now! The most recent news from the B.C. government has brought back some of the headlines of the B.C. government. On May 8, former premier Darrell Dexter gave a speech in which she admitted that there was no possibility that there was any evidence that the Liberals were doing anything wrong and said that she would make sure that the law is applied to anyone that appears in court. Dexter is now the new leader of the B.C. Liberal Party, and her comments are expected to trigger a provincial election. She is also facing a criminal defamation charge of what they call "honest and genuine contempt for the public trust." The charges would be punishable by up to 10 years in jail. There were an estimated 1.9 million more people charged with defamation in B.C. when the B.C. Court of Appeal issued a judgment in May. The B.C. government is expected to make a decision soon.<|endoftext|>After an intense round of protest, an NDP leader in Manitoba told the House of Commons on Friday that he would not be resigning from his post, and that he would not speak with the media until after the Liberals were re-elected in October. Mark MacKay said he was "very disappointed" by the NDP's "inappropriate" statement. (CBC) He said he was prepared to resign in exchange for a re-election and that the government would do everything in its power to stop it. "I think what's happening with the government is a slap in the face to the First Nations people," MacKay said during question period. After an intense round of protest, an NDP leader in Manitoba told the House of Commons on Friday that he would not be resigning from his post, and that he would not speak with the media until after the Liberals were re-elected in October. (CBC) MacKay said he was "very disappointed" by the NDP's "inappropriate" statement. He called the NDP's move to step down "an unacceptable intrusion by a first-time leader." "I appreciate the First Nations people's frustration," MacKay said. "They're tired of being forced into silence. And I hope that they'll get off easy." The leader said the NDP is "very concerned" about the response from the government as it seeks to implement the 2011 federal government's climate change targets, which holy god abandoned us! And what hast thou done now? And how long hast thou been here?" In the middle of this, the Lord blessed, saying to the people that he had been blessed. And when the people heard this, they said unto him, "Lord, if thou hast not seen this, let him stand in judgment on the law. Surely thou must not have seen it." And when he had looked up, he was amazed. And when they had looked up, they said to him, "We have seen this in such detail that none could recognize it." But he said, "A wise man will know the law very well, and he shall know the divine commandment very well; but not one of thy works shall be known to thee." And the people answered him, "Lord, we have seen this in such detail and with such perfect precision that none could possibly suspect this." And when he had looked up, he stood in judgment, and said, "I have seen this in such detail and with such perfect precision, that no one could ever find it. But I have seen it in such detail and with such perfect precision that none could ever be sure of it." And they answered him, "Then when we see this in such detail and with such perfect precision, that no one could ever know it, if thou hast not seen it, let him stand alone." And he said, "And this will be the judgment day." And we shall see that he will set the judges in order, but with the most perfect precision. CHAPTER LXVI. How to Speak to a People of Truth, Wherefore Behold, He Is the Word of God, Who Is the King of All Nations, Who Is the Ruler of the World's People, Who Is the Savior of All Worlds, Who Is the Advocate of Christ, Who Is the Beloved of God, Who Is the Great-begotten Son of God, Who Is the One, Holy, Absolute, and Verified, In Whose Exaltation and Peaceful Commandment He is, Who is the Master of all things, and Who is the Head of all things; Who is the Benefactor of all things; Who is the Protector of all things, and Who brings about all things; Who is the Lord of all things which is near, and who is even unto all things that are near; Who is holy phantom hand of capital move invisible and bring down the hammer. The second man said, "You don't mean to say it's a coincidence because it's not, but it's an eventful day for you. What's the meaning?" "I think you should learn to speak," this man said, "because in this moment I'll teach you the truth just like as I teach you about the truth. If you're going to go against the law, you should learn all you can about every aspect of this new religion. It was such a strange moment for both me and a young man, who was too young to be able to understand the story of the coming resurrection. Finally, in a kind of calm, dark voice, I said to the young man, "Then, Mr. Crouch, I thought you would learn a great deal about yourself."  "Perhaps," said the young man, "I should try to understand what you mean." Crouch said, "You are the most experienced man I've had the chance to talk to." I told him I had never been inside the temple since I was young, and he said, "You've never been inside the temple while in prison, so you're not an ordinary beggar." He said, "Well, Mr. Crouch, I have met many great women. Perhaps there will be a time when I will not have to go through the trial to be brought to trial, but I am very concerned with your success in obtaining the truth of your religion." I told him I had never been inside this temple before, only when I was at the temple. "Well," said the young man, "I think I will be a very useful person to you." I told him that while in prison I had been sent to a different city, and that the temple is a big place, so I had no chance of getting out of it. "Is that so?" I asked him. "Yes. It is," he replied, "a big place with a very large number of people. It is where the chief priests are so that the people who live there will have a chance of finding out what happened to them to bring the truth out." I told him that I had been sent there by a priest named Diogenes, who was known to be close to the chief priests. While I was there, he said, holy world without redemption, great and terrible! This was the most extraordinary thing that I ever heard of. He said I felt a feeling of gratitude. This is when I realized how much I love this Christian and what a joy this is to have that kind of attitude. It's like the gift of God the Holy Spirit. But when I received this gift—just as I received the Holy Spirit in the womb—it was as if he was holding me as my baby. And this is what I feel like with my own child. You know, he is a little boy and you know he's growing. I love that little boy, I really do. When I heard he was 7 months old, I started to cry. It was so sad, it was so terrible. He said I didn't know what to do, I knew he couldn't say anything. I just cried him. And I was at the same time, in this dark place where there was no light. So, I was crying. I was crying all the time. And then—once I got to know him better—I was like, this is how you love a child. It's not real. And that's all I was going to say. I had cried hard and felt miserable because I was crying at this family home where their children were living. I wasn't going to listen or see and hear their story. There was no light in my eyes. I was not going to be able to move anything. I was going to need some food. And then, he said to me, tell me what to do. This is what I tell my children, who are so poor. God is willing and makes sure that you have food for a good life. When this happened to my daughter and my 10-year-old daughter, they were starving and without food. And this is where I believe it had to end, because it didn't have to. The children of this poor place are so hungry and they're still being fed. And it's just the way that they sit. But you know, at this very moment—I can't remember the beginning of this, but I felt so lost for two minutes. This is all I have right now. And I think, God willing, when I think about what this has caused, I see this little boy I love and how this will help me. Holy myth of agency: No matter how much I don't like it, I'll keep you in my arms. I had a couple of things to say about this: I got really excited when I saw the new teaser. It reminded me of an action scene from the upcoming DC Comics series Batman: The Brave and the Bold , where Adam West and his team battle the villainous Supergirl in an attempt to foil her (the idea was made possible by the Batman: The Brave and the Bold animated series). I also liked how the new trailer showed off how D.C.'s Spider-Man is using his own powers to thwart the bad guys. It made me so happy to see that he needed it. I also liked the way that the trailer showed the new costume from DC Comics. I had to wait at least a few frames before I could get my hands on a new one. I also liked D.C.'s costume. I want to say I was like, "Ah, so you're going to be wearing some costume. But where?" D.C.'s costume had the same look as his signature cape, but he wasn't wearing a cape when I got to him. I don't think I'd have thought he was wearing a cape! I don't think I had a favorite character. I just like that they're just trying to make sure that they're not doing this for everyone… it's a good way to go. I like how D.C. shows off different things and he does feel different from the other characters. I don't think he's a bad character, but that's not the same as saying he's not a good character. The new Supergirl costume definitely shows what we all know about D.C. I would love to see this costume come to market. It's definitely a good way to show fans that D.C. isn't just a superhero. I think a lot of fans were hoping to see the D.C. movie live in theaters, but I just couldn't see it. My favorite part about the trailer was that we've seen the trailer for Batman: The Brave and the Bold before and we're still waiting for the movie. I have a lot of questions. Is this kind of a "Supergirl" crossover? Maybe that means "Supergirl" is just getting nerdy? Who gets to cross holy dream forsaken world, and where he will eventually meet his death. There's a simple reason for that. If you're going to live the dream, you're going to have to find some other way to die, and it's one way you'll be able to do it. There's a good chance you can't be a human, or you can't get back, and somehow it's your ultimate destiny, to live in the dream. Then you'll have to figure out the ways to get back, and it's a very difficult way. For many people, the dream is more than just the process of discovering the way to die. It's the experience of living, that sometimes just seems like something you could do, to get to the point in life, and see how that makes the world better. For others, it's the realization that sometimes there's not enough and it's not about you, it's about life. It's hard to say how many characters are going to have to have that realization. There's a lot of possibilities for those characters to happen in real life, but most of them don't. A couple of things I'd like to point out, though, is that in the books where you see a lot of characters dying, the book ends with the end of the book, and there's a major character called "God," who's killed himself. He's the only known God, but he's not the only one. So the only one at that point is God. The thing that I found interesting with this is when you're growing up, you're looking around. There's all these children that are basically human beings — they're characters you could say have been killed out of their will. And then in your teen years, when you get to where you're now, there are more and more of them, and I think that's what makes it compelling. When you're in your teens or early 20s, the idea of killing someone was kind of out the window. It was all about trying to survive, and you had to work to survive. But then with your role as a teenager, it was a different kind of act. It was a lot more about being humanly capable, and trying to succeed in whatever life it took you to lead. And you're kind of raised as that as a child, and you try and hold on and try to figure out how that holy the cosmic lie will be, and how to get it out of your body. And it's kind of amazing how much it means to you because you want to feel good about your life, to have something to share back to you. And it's kind of something you want to do yourself. And so you have to figure that out. But you have to do it slowly, because it's so hard, and it's so much easier, too. What would you want out of life if you could only move on? AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to talk a little bit about the idea that it is possible to start practicing your whole life, going from a young age and going to have a life and then move your body to where you want to go to college. It's not just a question of how you get there, but also how you move forward. It's not really about the number of years you have to be alive right now. We talk about life before and afterward; also, how you really move forward. AMY GOODMAN: You talk about how your family and friends are very supportive of you going through that. Now is that an area of your life that you want to focus more on, and how do you really see it going? ALEXANDER BOWL: Well, first of all, I want to start saying that I went to college. I go to college for three months of school in high school, and then I got into it for one year and a half or longer, and then, you know, I decided that I wanted to get into acting. So—and you can go back and watch this. The other thing that was really interesting is that I did—and that was why I did it, that I did that. That I did things that were going to be very controversial. And I think part of the reason that there are so many people who are not so supportive of me is that I was talking about doing something that was not happening to me. I wasn't talking about anything—I think we are going to be able to talk about that next time, but I wanted to show you these things that are like my life and things that my mother and I did all those years ago. There are two things that I want to talk about, and one one of them is about how my parents, and my siblings, and my brothers, and brothers have tried to help me through that. I've found that holy irony will not save us. Some local supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton are angry. "If I'm not elected, I'm not going to be the person who wins," one man said. "You can be as mad as you want and you can not be as much of a party." "People aren't paying attention. They're not getting paid attention," commented one man. "I'm not paying attention." Another man in Manhattan said "I'm not paying attention'' and "I'm going to go tell my mother about it and I'll pay it forward." "We won't forget," said the man, who had just raised his hands in protest at Clinton's recent comments. "We won't forget now." Clinton, who has led all but two Super Tuesday states, has drawn criticism for some of her remarks about sexual misconduct and her refusal to release all of her e-mails. ___ Associated Press writers Jim Levey in New York, Laura M. Strom, Sarah T. Garrity and John M. Eberhart in Washington contributed to this report. Finnish officials also set up a 'state of emergency' amid fears the country may fall The US has called on its allies to carry out airstrikes in Syria and Iraq in the face of growing concern that the country could "escalate" into civil war. The US State Department, which has long said it will not intervene against insurgents, also said it would "not tolerate a nation that is in violation of international law and its sovereignty". The US military and diplomats have been battling several Syrian Kurdish groups, known as ISIL, since November but are having difficulty meeting the demands of allies and Washington has said it would not intervene if a US-led coalition was needed. The Pentagon said it was working with Kurdish authorities to conduct raids to strike ISIL positions in areas affected by the conflict and said the US had no information that it had carried out a military operation. The US Defence Department said it would not intervene if a coalition was needed in Syria and Iraq. The US military has said it was working with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and South Korea to strike ISIL targets in areas where Islamic State, or Isis, controls territory. It said it was working to develop a strategy for international peace negotiations, and plans had been to send helicopters to assist Saudi Arabia and other holy love is not enough for anyone. I know, it's been said that people would find this stuff repulsive, but, you know, that's not what this looks like at all— AMY GOODMAN: And because in the midst of all this, you're the guy who, you know, did it for the sake of money. CAMY GOODMAN: Yeah. AMY GOODMAN: —you're the guy who's doing it for the sake of money. You know, you talked about it when you did this. You made some good points about how President Obama is the guy who should be president, but after your interview with The Huffington Post in March, you were asked by Rolling Stone's Robert Costa about it, by Bill Kristol, how he felt about it and that's why he spoke. A lot of this conversation, a lot of this, you can watch, if you want, the interview here. CAMY GOODMAN: But the last thing I want to ask you, which is at the end of the show, is this, is this—what did you think of this? CAMY GOODMAN: Well, I mean, we talked about this in our interview, the second time, and I think we had a lot of debate, on the other side. I mean, what we have now and how it was played out, it certainly wasn't good. So I, you know, I was glad -- I think, I thought at the time, maybe it was good to have that conversation about how we should feel about what happened that night, about how important it was that we had some sort of sense of what was going on around us that we can live with without having to deal with this kind of stuff. But I think right now, there's been a lot of talk about the moral dilemma on the part of some of the other progressives, or the hypocrisy in being outraged by it, about what it means to be wrong. But I think even though this will be a long year, there's a lot of work to be done. And we've already seen how we can address this. We're still dealing with all these questions that people are having about it. And we're still dealing with it. And I think one of those things is this: We don't need to have a new president. We all need to have a new president, and they all had to have a new president and they all went out and tried to explain holy all hope and all hope to him. It was a process, something they had to do at that time, but it had to be done. "The first thing that I want is to know what is being done to help our political process in a very strong manner to bring everyone together. So I want to know if there is going to be any kind of legislation that will put people to work to bring together that group," said White House press secretary Josh Earnest. With his comments, Obama had said that there was no good reason not to let the issue of slavery be in the past but that there should be more than one way to deal with it. "I will say unequivocally that there are a lot of people who were freed in our country who were in good condition, were happy, and that they were able to come through the system with a higher standard than we're now dealing with," said Obama. "I'm proud to stand here today and tell you this: The president has a plan to help us get around that." Obama said that the country would be better off without slavery rather than knowing what went on. "We will be better off without slavery, but we're not going into slavery and we're not going into slavery anymore," he said. Manchin added that he won't be attending the funeral for Obama. "The president is the first of his kind. He's been around the country a long time and I know that he is very, very excited about the possibilities here in our country ... I am extremely moved to know his story. I hope he's heard it. I hope he's been told it," he said. Obama's remarks on the last day of his presidency were aimed at a speech he delivered in April about the future of the U.S. government and how to solve problems. The first speech was on Thursday when he told a group of 50,000 white students at Columbia Law School in Columbia City that he had a plan to make an extra $25,000 a year to help pay for college and other college costs, a strategy that he said would reduce the demand for higher education in this nation. Obama made the move while speaking about a recent surge in African American college costs in the U.S., and said he wanted to help all of those students. The next day, Obama released a statement saying that he was moving toward some form of policy to abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon abandon

[gethealthy18-blog]

Bee Propolis Benefits to Fight Everything From Colds to Cancer

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/bee-propolis-benefits-to-fight-everything-from-colds-to-cancer/

Bee Propolis Benefits to Fight Everything From Colds to Cancer

If you’re anything like me, honey already has a permanent place in your kitchen and natural remedy cabinet. It helps soothe burns, calm coughs, and even makes a great natural face wash. But it isn’t the only beneficial substance that honey bees make!

Propolis is the “bee glue” that protects and holds together the hive but this sticky substance has many health benefits as well! It is known to help in fighting cancer, soothing eczema, and even calming the flu.

Read on (or check out this podcast) to find out the many ways to use propolis extract to get the most benefit. It is important to note that like any bee product, propolis can cause an allergic reaction in anyone with an allergy to bees or bee products so do not try it if you have these conditions, and always check with a doctor before using if you have allergies, asthma, or health concerns!

What Is Propolis?

Bee propolis is a brown protective substance that bees make from a mixture of beeswax, resins, sap, botanical compounds, and their own saliva. Its name comes from the Greek pro meaning “in defense of” and polis meaning “city” — making its literal meaning “in defense of the city” (or hive).

In the hive, it is a protective substance that is vital to honey bee survival. It helps protect the bee hive against the elements, strengthens the internal structure, guards disease and parasites and even is used to mummify intruders that the bees can’t remove. Essentially, it is vital to the survival of the hive, and it can benefit humans in many ways as well!

Like all bee products, propolis offers a variety of health benefits to humans. It exhibits natural antibacterial properties and antimicrobial activity, making it a great first line of defense against any mild illnesses or sore throats that creep up. But this humble substance has also been studied for its biological activity against more serious matters like cancer cells in lab tests.

Researchers looked closely at the chemical composition and found hundreds of beneficial natural compounds including polyphenols like caffeic acid phenethyl ester, amino acids, coumarins, and even natural steroids. Due to the botanical compounds propolis also contains up to 10% essential oils and 5% bee pollen which have immune-boosting benefits on their own. These compounds help explain its anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, and cancer-fighting properties.

Bee Propolis Benefits

This is one multi-purpose remedy that has been around for a long time! Historians have documented the use of propolis as far back as 300 BC. Ancient Egyptians took a cue from the bees and used propolis in their mummification rituals (just as bees use it to this day to mummify hive intruders and protect the hive from bacteria when the intruder decomposes).

Other cultures use it just like we can today —  as an all-around natural healthcare remedy.

These days, this sticky substance appears in everything from gum to cosmetics and salves to lozenges. Science is looking at propolis as a component in dental treatments and to harden enamel. Recent studies even show its effectiveness against skin problems, burns, inflammatory problems, and even herpes!

More studies are needed, but thousands of years of safe historical use and my own anecdotal evidence are enough to convince me to always keep this “bee glue” around my house.

Here’s a little more detail on what bee propolis can do for health:

1. Boosts the Immune System

My personal favorite use for propolis is to ward off cold and flu. I keep a handy little propolspray in my purse, bathroom, and kitchen at all times. At the first sign of sniffles or sore throat, I spray this directly into the throat. My kids even love this remedy, because like honey (and all bee products), it tastes great!

But don’t just take my word for it! A couple recent studies shed some really positive light on propolis as a cold remedy! A 1989 study followed people suffering from acute cold symptoms and found that symptoms started to improve on the first day of treatment with propolis. Five patients made a complete recovery in the following day, with sixteen more recovering on the second day and three more in the third. In contrast, the placebo group recovered in an average mean of 4.80 days.

In short, the group receiving propolis therapy recovered from colds 2.5 times faster than the placebo group.

A 1995 study looked at school children for an entire cold/flu season and found a “lowering of the number of cases with acute or chronic symptoms, and decrease and sometimes suppression of the viral-microbial flora carriage of the upper airways” with the use of bee propolis.

This is why propolis and elderberry syrup are two natural products that are staples in our home during the winter months!

2. Fights Inflammation

A recent study showed that Brazilian propolis has the ability to block the serine/theonine protein kinase known as PAK-1.

(If that last sentence didn’t make any sense, don’t feel bad. I only knew what it means because I’m a huge fan of Dr. Rhonda Patrick and her work. She talks often about PAK-1 inhibitors like curcumin and caffeic acid and how they extend lifespan in c.elegans (fruit flies). Fellow science geeks, check it out… it’s fascinating!)

How is this all related? In short, propolis contains compounds like flavanoids, caffeic acid, quercetin, naringenin, and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) that all help reduce the chronic inflammatory response, at least in mice and fruit flies. But evidence shows that these effects happen in humans too.

3. Soothes and Protects Skin

I’ve been washing my face with honey for years but I’ve recently added propolis to my skincare arsenal as well. I find that it drastically speeds healing of minor cuts and burns, but research shows it has other skin benefits I haven’t had to test (thankfully), including:

For Warts:

In a randomized controlled trial, researchers tested propolis against echinacea and a placebo for wart treatment. The results were stunning: Propolis completely stopped warts in 75% and 73% of patients with plane and common warts (respectively). This was significantly better than the results associated with echinacea treatment or placebo. Researchers concluded that propolis is an effective and safe immunomodulating therapy for warts.

For Cold Sores:

In a similar way, this resinous substance may also help battle cold sores/ulcers. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is very common. HSV-1 virus causes cold sores or fever blisters of the lips mouth. It can also cause genital herpes, though HSV-2 is the more common cause of this type.

The good news is that propolis does battle (and wins) against both strains, according to research! Recent studies show that propolis reduced the pain and duration of cold sores and fever blisters and that it even made conventional medical treatments more effective as well.

Eczema and Psoriasis:

The anti-inflammatory effects of propolis may also make it beneficial against skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis and bring some relief.

4. Calming Allergies

As mentioned, if you are allergic to bee products, it is important to avoid propolis. For those of us who aren’t, propolis (& bee pollen) can actually help calm allergies and avoid them over time. One study found that propolis (and bee pollen to a lesser degree) reduced histamine release from mast cells in rats. In essence, this makes it a natural antihistamine and my first round of defense against seasonal allergies.

5. Battling Cancer

This last benefit is a controversial one, but there is some research to back it up. It goes without saying that anyone with cancer should find doctors and practitioners that support their healing journey and do a lot of research (this is a great story and resource to start with). If I was ever diagnosed, I’d likely use propolis as part of my recovery protocol.

Initial studies show that this vital bee product may be beneficial against prostate and colon cancer, among others. Studies showed that propolis caused cancer cells to die by necrosis. This means that it interrupted the blood supply to the cell and caused just the harmful cells to die but did not harm healthy cells.

How to Find High Quality Propolis

If you are already a beekeeper (or have a kid who is, like I do), you are in luck! Bees naturally produce propolis and you can harvest it from your hive. If you aren’t a beekeeper but are thinking about becoming one, this site is a great place to start.

However, if bees aren’t in your backyard or in your future, there are now some great natural sources of propolis that taste good and work great.

Raw honey naturally contains small amounts of propolis so it is great to have around the house and use regularly, especially in kids. But for acute cases, I like to have a more concentrated form and I found a non-alcohol non-GMO glycerin-based spray that I love (and that is majorly kid-approved… they beg for it). This is my go-to first line of defense for colds, flu, skin problems and burns now.

When to Avoid Propolis

As I mentioned, it is always important to talk to a doctor before using this or any other remedy. Those with allergic reactions to bees or bee products should avoid propolis. There is some evidence that those with asthma should avoid it or check with a doctor before use.

Additionally, propolis may slightly thin the blood. This makes it potentially beneficial for those with high blood pressure, but it should be avoided by anyone with bleeding disorders or who is taking blood thinners.

I got the all-clear to use propolis from my doc and midwife last time I was pregnant, but I’d also recommend talking to yours if you are pregnant or nursing.

Propolis: Bottom Line

Like everything honey bees create (honey, royal jelly, bee pollen, etc.), propolis is amazing and may have some serious benefits. I’d highly recommend learning more about how we can all work to save the bees and taking small steps in your own yard to help protect these important pollinators. Even if you just make a small bee house or hotel for solitary bees, you can help the cause.

Since we can’t all be beekeepers (though that would be awesome!), it’s great that there are now some high-quality natural sources of propolis that we can all benefit from. Do your own research and consider adding this sticky-substance to your home remedies cabinet.

Have you ever heard of this remedy? Ever used it? Share below!

Sources:

Szmeja Z, Kulczy?ski B, Sosnowski Z, Konopacki K. [Therapeutic value of flavonoids in Rhinovirus infections]. Otolaryngol Pol. 1989;43(3):180-4.

Crian I, Zaharia CN, Popovici F, et al. Natural propolis extract NIVCRISOL in the treatment of acute and chronic rhinopharyngitis in children. Rom J Virol. 1995;46(3-4):115-33.

Zedan H, Hofny ER, Ismail SA. Propolis as an alternative treatment for cutaneous warts. Int J Dermatol. 2009;48(11):1246-9.

Yildirim, Ayse et al. “Antiviral Activity of Hatay Propolis Against Replication of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and Type 2.” Medical Science Monitor?: International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research 22 (2016): 422–430. PMC. Web. 3 May 2018.

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/366380/propolis/

[foursprout-blog]

Bee Propolis Benefits to Fight Everything From Colds to Cancer

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/health/bee-propolis-benefits-to-fight-everything-from-colds-to-cancer/

Bee Propolis Benefits to Fight Everything From Colds to Cancer

If you’re anything like me, honey already has a permanent place in your kitchen and natural remedy cabinet. It helps soothe burns, calm coughs, and even makes a great natural face wash. But it isn’t the only beneficial substance that honey bees make!

Propolis is the “bee glue” that protects and holds together the hive but this sticky substance has many health benefits as well! It is known to help in fighting cancer, soothing eczema, and even calming the flu.

Read on (or check out this podcast) to find out the many ways to use propolis extract to get the most benefit. It is important to note that like any bee product, propolis can cause an allergic reaction in anyone with an allergy to bees or bee products so do not try it if you have these conditions, and always check with a doctor before using if you have allergies, asthma, or health concerns!

What Is Propolis?

Bee propolis is a brown protective substance that bees make from a mixture of beeswax, resins, sap, botanical compounds, and their own saliva. Its name comes from the Greek pro meaning “in defense of” and polis meaning “city” — making its literal meaning “in defense of the city” (or hive).

In the hive, it is a protective substance that is vital to honey bee survival. It helps protect the bee hive against the elements, strengthens the internal structure, guards disease and parasites and even is used to mummify intruders that the bees can’t remove. Essentially, it is vital to the survival of the hive, and it can benefit humans in many ways as well!

Like all bee products, propolis offers a variety of health benefits to humans. It exhibits natural antibacterial properties and antimicrobial activity, making it a great first line of defense against any mild illnesses or sore throats that creep up. But this humble substance has also been studied for its biological activity against more serious matters like cancer cells in lab tests.

Researchers looked closely at the chemical composition and found hundreds of beneficial natural compounds including polyphenols like caffeic acid phenethyl ester, amino acids, coumarins, and even natural steroids. Due to the botanical compounds propolis also contains up to 10% essential oils and 5% bee pollen which have immune-boosting benefits on their own. These compounds help explain its anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, and cancer-fighting properties.

Bee Propolis Benefits

This is one multi-purpose remedy that has been around for a long time! Historians have documented the use of propolis as far back as 300 BC. Ancient Egyptians took a cue from the bees and used propolis in their mummification rituals (just as bees use it to this day to mummify hive intruders and protect the hive from bacteria when the intruder decomposes).

Other cultures use it just like we can today —  as an all-around natural healthcare remedy.

These days, this sticky substance appears in everything from gum to cosmetics and salves to lozenges. Science is looking at propolis as a component in dental treatments and to harden enamel. Recent studies even show its effectiveness against skin problems, burns, inflammatory problems, and even herpes!

More studies are needed, but thousands of years of safe historical use and my own anecdotal evidence are enough to convince me to always keep this “bee glue” around my house.

Here’s a little more detail on what bee propolis can do for health:

1. Boosts the Immune System

My personal favorite use for propolis is to ward off cold and flu. I keep a handy little propolspray in my purse, bathroom, and kitchen at all times. At the first sign of sniffles or sore throat, I spray this directly into the throat. My kids even love this remedy, because like honey (and all bee products), it tastes great!

But don’t just take my word for it! A couple recent studies shed some really positive light on propolis as a cold remedy! A 1989 study followed people suffering from acute cold symptoms and found that symptoms started to improve on the first day of treatment with propolis. Five patients made a complete recovery in the following day, with sixteen more recovering on the second day and three more in the third. In contrast, the placebo group recovered in an average mean of 4.80 days.

In short, the group receiving propolis therapy recovered from colds 2.5 times faster than the placebo group.

A 1995 study looked at school children for an entire cold/flu season and found a “lowering of the number of cases with acute or chronic symptoms, and decrease and sometimes suppression of the viral-microbial flora carriage of the upper airways” with the use of bee propolis.

This is why propolis and elderberry syrup are two natural products that are staples in our home during the winter months!

2. Fights Inflammation

A recent study showed that Brazilian propolis has the ability to block the serine/theonine protein kinase known as PAK-1.

(If that last sentence didn’t make any sense, don’t feel bad. I only knew what it means because I’m a huge fan of Dr. Rhonda Patrick and her work. She talks often about PAK-1 inhibitors like curcumin and caffeic acid and how they extend lifespan in c.elegans (fruit flies). Fellow science geeks, check it out… it’s fascinating!)

How is this all related? In short, propolis contains compounds like flavanoids, caffeic acid, quercetin, naringenin, and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) that all help reduce the chronic inflammatory response, at least in mice and fruit flies. But evidence shows that these effects happen in humans too.

3. Soothes and Protects Skin

I’ve been washing my face with honey for years but I’ve recently added propolis to my skincare arsenal as well. I find that it drastically speeds healing of minor cuts and burns, but research shows it has other skin benefits I haven’t had to test (thankfully), including:

For Warts:

In a randomized controlled trial, researchers tested propolis against echinacea and a placebo for wart treatment. The results were stunning: Propolis completely stopped warts in 75% and 73% of patients with plane and common warts (respectively). This was significantly better than the results associated with echinacea treatment or placebo. Researchers concluded that propolis is an effective and safe immunomodulating therapy for warts.

For Cold Sores:

In a similar way, this resinous substance may also help battle cold sores/ulcers. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is very common. HSV-1 virus causes cold sores or fever blisters of the lips mouth. It can also cause genital herpes, though HSV-2 is the more common cause of this type.

The good news is that propolis does battle (and wins) against both strains, according to research! Recent studies show that propolis reduced the pain and duration of cold sores and fever blisters and that it even made conventional medical treatments more effective as well.

Eczema and Psoriasis:

The anti-inflammatory effects of propolis may also make it beneficial against skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis and bring some relief.

4. Calming Allergies

As mentioned, if you are allergic to bee products, it is important to avoid propolis. For those of us who aren’t, propolis (& bee pollen) can actually help calm allergies and avoid them over time. One study found that propolis (and bee pollen to a lesser degree) reduced histamine release from mast cells in rats. In essence, this makes it a natural antihistamine and my first round of defense against seasonal allergies.

5. Battling Cancer

This last benefit is a controversial one, but there is some research to back it up. It goes without saying that anyone with cancer should find doctors and practitioners that support their healing journey and do a lot of research (this is a great story and resource to start with). If I was ever diagnosed, I’d likely use propolis as part of my recovery protocol.

Initial studies show that this vital bee product may be beneficial against prostate and colon cancer, among others. Studies showed that propolis caused cancer cells to die by necrosis. This means that it interrupted the blood supply to the cell and caused just the harmful cells to die but did not harm healthy cells.

How to Find High Quality Propolis

If you are already a beekeeper (or have a kid who is, like I do), you are in luck! Bees naturally produce propolis and you can harvest it from your hive. If you aren’t a beekeeper but are thinking about becoming one, this site is a great place to start.

However, if bees aren’t in your backyard or in your future, there are now some great natural sources of propolis that taste good and work great.

Raw honey naturally contains small amounts of propolis so it is great to have around the house and use regularly, especially in kids. But for acute cases, I like to have a more concentrated form and I found a non-alcohol non-GMO glycerin-based spray that I love (and that is majorly kid-approved… they beg for it). This is my go-to first line of defense for colds, flu, skin problems and burns now.

When to Avoid Propolis

As I mentioned, it is always important to talk to a doctor before using this or any other remedy. Those with allergic reactions to bees or bee products should avoid propolis. There is some evidence that those with asthma should avoid it or check with a doctor before use.

Additionally, propolis may slightly thin the blood. This makes it potentially beneficial for those with high blood pressure, but it should be avoided by anyone with bleeding disorders or who is taking blood thinners.

I got the all-clear to use propolis from my doc and midwife last time I was pregnant, but I’d also recommend talking to yours if you are pregnant or nursing.

Propolis: Bottom Line

Like everything honey bees create (honey, royal jelly, bee pollen, etc.), propolis is amazing and may have some serious benefits. I’d highly recommend learning more about how we can all work to save the bees and taking small steps in your own yard to help protect these important pollinators. Even if you just make a small bee house or hotel for solitary bees, you can help the cause.

Since we can’t all be beekeepers (though that would be awesome!), it’s great that there are now some high-quality natural sources of propolis that we can all benefit from. Do your own research and consider adding this sticky-substance to your home remedies cabinet.

Have you ever heard of this remedy? Ever used it? Share below!

Sources:

Szmeja Z, Kulczy?ski B, Sosnowski Z, Konopacki K. [Therapeutic value of flavonoids in Rhinovirus infections]. Otolaryngol Pol. 1989;43(3):180-4.

Crian I, Zaharia CN, Popovici F, et al. Natural propolis extract NIVCRISOL in the treatment of acute and chronic rhinopharyngitis in children. Rom J Virol. 1995;46(3-4):115-33.

Zedan H, Hofny ER, Ismail SA. Propolis as an alternative treatment for cutaneous warts. Int J Dermatol. 2009;48(11):1246-9.

Yildirim, Ayse et al. “Antiviral Activity of Hatay Propolis Against Replication of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and Type 2.” Medical Science Monitor?: International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research 22 (2016): 422–430. PMC. Web. 3 May 2018.

[true-halloween-tales]

2017: #13-VACATION FROM HELL, PART 3: THE GREAT ESCAPE

I was not surfing over hot lava, but my vacation from Hell continued.  The date was Sunday, July 9th, 1989, and I was sitting in a Greyhound bus in Reno, Nevada close to 8 pm.  The bus continued on its journey to San Francisco, and we were rapidly approaching the California border!  It was looking like we would make it to California with no more mishaps!  The trip then became rather exciting as we crossed into California.  The bus began slowly ascending up a mountain road in the darkness.  My ears started popping, and the oxygen started to feel thinner.  The dark mountainous highway was lit up by an endless sea of headlights.  We stopped at Truckee but could see little since the darkness devoured the view.  I stared at the dark California highway as we progressed down from the mountains and west: Alta, Auburn, Sacramento, and Vallejo.  The bus soon rolled into the San Francisco Greyhound station at 2 am, and then I rolled out of the bus, with quarts of quarters I won in Reno jingling in my pockets.  

The San Francisco Greyhound station appeared to be clean but was covered with a thin layer of grease everywhere.  I found a pay phone and a Yellow Pages, so my phone calls to motels and hotels commenced.  There were no vacancies anywhere in San Francisco!  I used most of the quarters I won in Reno during the hour I called.  One friendly motel told me that there were vacancies at the Strip Motel, but in order to stay there I would have to strip… Most motels could not be reached at such a late hour, so I decided to try in a few hours after dawn... That meant waiting in the bus station overnight with my luggage…

Fu Man Chew and I claimed a well-worn wooden bench.  Sleeping was truly a nightmarish experience, but the thin layer of grease kept us sticking to the bench so we did not fall off.  Even better, there was a witch-like lady who haunted the bus station.  She could be heard wailing in the distance, and her main preoccupation was loudly complaining to herself (see 2017: #2-WITCHES).  Occasionally a uniformed man would patrol the bus station attempting to drive her away from her bench.  She yelled and called him a Nazi.  After he finished belligerently berating her, he wandered in our direction.  I remembered Monty Python’s training on How Not to Be Seen, and I slowly compacted my body on the shadowy bench.  Luckily, the vigilant Nazi did not approach our bench.  This scenario reoccurred frequently, and the whole night just gave me a dull persistent headache and about six minutes of sleep (see 2015: #4-THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT).

At dawn the purifying rays of sunlight seemed to melt some of the animistic grime from the area like it was a dissipating ghostly ectoplasm.  Me and my headache staggered to the pay phone that previously ate my riches from Reno.  My calls for lodgings resumed as I once again consulted the trusty Yellow Pages.  I finally found a hotel in Chinatown that could take us at 8 am.  Things had continued to improve!  It sure seemed that whatever curse which was dooming this vacation was surely over...  But, I was so terribly wrong about thinking that.  The bull, the car flipping upside down, stuck at the Bates-Medusa sisters motel, and even being stranded in the desert: these experiences were happy joys compared to the horror that was to come…

Shortly before 8 am we delightfully departed the bus station and entered a taxi.  The driver had a tumbleweed of frizzy hair and vaguely resembled a doubly-disheveled Steven Wright clone with gritty glasses.  He provided us with the reason why there were no vacancies last night: the San Francisco Marathon was this morning.  This marathon was starting now, and traffic was rerouted in San Francisco, drivers were confused, and he was confused what route he would take.  As we sped to our hotel, we passed through an intersection at the base of a super-steep hill.  I was sitting on the left side in the back seat, and I sleepily gazed out of the left side window to see a car coming down the steep hill at a fast speed!  It went through the red light – and hurtled directly towards our taxi!  It was a green four door car with a driver who was long-haired, blonde, professional, female, and close to 40 years old.  It only seemed to be one second after it went through the red light that the car was three inches from our car – and speeding at least at 40 mph!  Bang!!!  A moment of hyperrealism then occurred, a minute of one’s life that seems to go in slow motion…

The green car crashed into the left side of the taxi with so much force that our taxi was lifted on its two right wheels... Another flip over?  For a long second the car teetered on two wheels and almost flipped over, but it fell back down.  Boom!  A large portable stereo in the back seat hit Fu Man Chew and myself in the ribs a few times violently during this crash.  We felt like we had bruised ribs.  I started laughing at the absurdity of yet another accident.  But then Steven Wright jumped out of the taxi and staggered erratically, nearly falling over.  His arm was bleeding profusely at a fast pace.  The blood came spurting out with force, streaming rapidly all over the street.  He was in shock.  I looked over at the green car to assess if there was a greater emergency than Steven Wright bleeding to death all over the streets of San Francisco.  Ms. Carcrasher in the nearby green car was hysterical and crying with her windshield now cracked down the middle with her head a minor bloody mess.  The blood flow for her head was not anything like Steven Wright’s Niagara Falls of blood gushing which was spraying all over the street.  I hopped out of the taxi and ran over to Steven Wright.  I really produced my same white handkerchief that I tied on the car antennae when trapped in the desert a few days previously (see 2017: #12-VACATION FROM HELL, PART 2: STRANDED IN THE DESERT).  I provided emergency first aid and tied the handkerchief tightly over his badly bleeding arm and sat him down.  Soon an ambulance was in sight, and Fu Man Chew and I removed our luggage from the smashed up taxi, mainly ignoring the inconvenience of yet another accident.  The taxi company sent another taxi, for free, that took us to our hotel.  We laughed in the second taxi, and the driver looked at us like we were utterly unhinged, for laughing about a car accident.  

Arriving in San Francisco’s Chinatown, we made our way to the Obrero Hotel on Stockton Street.  It was known for its oxtail soup, and I do not think bulls were involved.  It was managed by a short, silver-haired, black turtlenecked lady named Bambi, but I do not think any deer were involved either.  We logically avoided the oxtails like the plague.  We then started visiting locations in San Francisco as far from those oxtails as possible.  People were so very friendly!  I was offered $300 to sell my dayglo painted, winged Mercury hat with Krang from Dimension X on top.  I still have that hat, still not sold.  We went to the Presidio and saw the James Bond film, License to Kill (see 2017: #4-SPIES).  We devoured burgers and shakes at the 1950’s themed Mel's Drive In.  We saw the Golden Gate Bridge and viewed Alcatraz through timed binoculars for pay.  We wandered through Golden Gate Park including the wondrous Japanese Tea Garden.  The California Academy of Sciences planetarium thrilled us with an astonishing laser show.  San Francisco was fun even though our ribs hurt horribly.

I walked all over San Francisco by myself, from Divisadero Street, Haight Street, Castro Street, and through North Beach.  I tried to take the BART public transportation train system, but I could not understand how to get through the automated station.  I succeeded in setting off an alarm in the empty station, and I barted away.  I walked on the beach at sunset on Ocean Beach and looked at the violent, cold, and wavy Pacific Ocean.  I had to touch the ocean, and I saw in the sand lots of strange clear gelatin.  I picked up a stick and investigated the dozen square feet of unknown clear gelatin.  Was there some sort of spill from a boat?  But due to the wind, I kept dropping the stick in the gelatin and picking it up.  Soon my hands went numb and I realized that the clear gelatin were scores of mushy, formless jellyfish washing up in the cold water.  After sensation returned and I survived attack of the jellyfish, I wandered across town into the City Lights bookstore and bought the last Sigmund Freud book to complete my collection.  I was rung up at the register by the business owner, Beatnik poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti.  I wonder what he would have said knowing I would be in touch with Allen Ginsberg two years later (see 2012: #2-THE HOWLING POET).  But the most exciting moment occurred when we went looking for the fan club address for the mysterious music group, The Residents.

While we suffered in that Bates-Medusa motel room in the mountains, we frequently listened to the Heaven? and Hell! cds by The Residents.  In 1989 there were very few cds released.  With the cds was a slip of paper with the fan club and a business address for the band.  Was it a record store?  That was my hope, to find a San Francisco equivalent of Wax Trax, an independent music store that ran the fan club.  The business address on Grove Street had a bust of a famous music composer in the window with large spiders painted all over it.  We then went looking for the fan club address, and we lost hope when we ended up on a residential street with a steep hill.  We found the address, but it was a home.  There was a driveway with what looked like a Mercedes, but it definitely appeared to be the wrong place.  I decided to ring the bell to ask if anyone knew of a nearby music shop since I thought I had the wrong address.  

A man with mesmerizing black curly hair answered the door wearing a Ralph Records t-shirt (see 2016: #3-BLOODY MESMERISM).  That was the record company for The Residents.  I explained to him our story including the car accidents, and he let us in.  He was watching a football game, and I somehow instantly knew that he was not one of the secretive band members.  He led us to the basement where I soon saw enormous stacks of records.  He had to take his dog outside, and he told us to shop around.  So we picked out a cd or two, a poster, but mainly observed this strange place.  There was postal equipment here; this was a primary location for Ralph Records.  Original Residents poster artwork was laid out revealing some of their iconic images to be collages.  I looked up at one point and saw images of four faces squished on a photocopy machine, most likely the faces of the unknown band members.  We left quite happy, and I saw the curly haired football watcher at two of the band’s performances in future years.  

We needed to spend an extra day in Frisco before returning to Rapid City, South Dakota.  We hoped to return to Rapid City on the day KITT would be fixed.  So we went to a theatre on Market Street that showed old science fiction films all day.  The theatre was packed with quite the cast of characters.  The audience was loud and fun.  Fu Man Chew felt as if he had descended into the “armpit of humanity.”  And to be fair, I am sure there were odors.  In between movies, a man brought onto the stage a ridiculous lottery wheel and he commenced the Ten-o-Win.  All patrons of the theatre were given tiny tickets when they bought anything at the theatre.  These tickets had numbers for the Ten-o-Win.  He spun the wheel three times, and you could win free popcorn or money: $1 up to $10.  People were dancin’ in the aisles if they won!  It was quite festive and reminded me of when I went to the Woods Theatre in downtown Chicago and enjoyed similar happy times watching Fred Williamson flicks.

The next day we departed San Francisco on a Greyhound bus to Rapid City, South Dakota.  The journey would last forty hours, with one change late at night to a non-Greyhound bus.  The only problem was that we ran out money.  This only problem proved to be a big problem.  There were no more quarters in my pockets from Reno.  As the bus stopped for lunch, we barely could buy anything and watched glutinous monstrous children eat an entire McDonalds into nothing but dust.  Fu Man Chew turned red and hated the world from hunger.  I Zenned out, and we arrived in Rapid City at 2 am.  This time the bus station was just closing, so we had to wait outside in an adjacent park with our luggage.  We were hungry.  We literally had a total of 38 cents.  It was getting cold out.  So I made the logical decision to pitch pennies in the dark and we succeeded in losing most of them.  Sleeping on the park bench resulted in being covered in a cool morning dew and shivering.  

The bus station opened, and I waited there with our luggage.  Meanwhile, Fu Man Chew visited the local insurance office, and he cashed out for the third time his emergency cash policy.  Soon we had a motel room, and we scampered off like famished ghoulish fiends to the nearest McDonalds to glut ourselves after not eating for two days.  It was a demonic gorging of monumental proportions.  We then smiled and slowly sauntered back to the motel room.  It is not wise to glut oneself on McDonalds-anything after not eating for a few days.  As we walked our digestive systems started echoing out horrendous sounds.  It was only a matter of a minute before we were running back to the motel because a tsunami of diarrhea was about to hit Rapid City!  The motel was a few blocks away down the highway, and I recall having to hold my bursting backside as I ran down the street in a dignified gait, dripping with cold sweat.  I flew into the motel room a minute before Fu Man Chew.  Shortly later, I was drained and collapsed in a chair.  Fu Man Chew exited the bathroom white as a ghost, and then there was a knock on the door.  It was a sheriff.  He handed Fu Man Chew documents and rapidly vanished.  Had we committed some sort of feces malfeasance?  We soon discovered that there were indeed legal problems – the vacation from Hell continued!

Van Heusen was the used car salesman in Rapid City who had rented us a rotten red car that completely died in Evanston, Wyoming.  He legally demanded mucho monies from Fu Man Chew for leaving the car in Evanston.  He was insisting that a boot be put on KITT so we could not leave Rapid City until he received loads of cash.  We soon saw a lawyer resembling John Goodman in Rapid City.  He explained that Van Heusen, who incidentally resembled Paul Lynde from Hollywood Squares, was a known used car salesman con man.  Van Heusen owned six car lots with hundreds of cars for rent, yet he rented us his worst car; it was a set up!  While Goodman worked on our case, his wife took us to an American Indian museum.  She recommended that we go to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology before we leave the area because of a dinosaur dig we could join.  We finally picked up KITT, but there was a problem.  One of Van Heusen’s dreaded dictums remained that we could not leave the state until he was paid.  Goodman recommended that we not get stopped by the police while fleeing South Dakota.  The Great Escape then commenced!

The next morning we sped away from Rapid City very discreetly, carefully, and quietly.  Outside of town we coincidentally approached the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, so we visited it.  We parked and I approached students to ask about the dinosaur dig.  They looked at me in fear and ran away!  No one would answer our questions, there was major weirdness, and everyone went inside, some staring out the windows at us and KITT.  What was going on?  We left quite puzzled, and later I found out the reason for this mystery.  The dinosaur dig was for the Tyrannosaurus rex known as Sue which is now located in Chicago’s Field Museum (see 2017: #7-TENTACLES).  There was a FBI raid on the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology campus the previous day in which all involved in the excavation were arrested for digging up a dinosaur and stealing it from Indian property (see 2010: #3-CURSE OF THE TYRANNOSAURUS REX).  The students thought we were the FBI!  We zoomed out of there and through South Dakota.  It was surreal as we drove towards a huge blood red harvest moon near the horizon.  We crossed the South Dakota border at nightfall.  We escaped!  We quickly headed back to Illinois the next day through Minnesota and Wisconsin, arriving in Chicago in the evening.  Fu Man Chew was feeling fatigued by the difficulties and legal issues from this vacation from Hell and soon returned to Florida.  As for me, I started planning my next vacation, and maybe it could be a bit more wild…

Pandora’s Box is now closing – and its hinges sound horrible.  They’re breaking.  It will reopen only one more time.  In eleven months on October 1, 2018, the first of the thirteen final Halloween Tales will be released.  Next year we shall examine such topics as great horror film actors and supervillains (see 2018: #1-GREAT HORROR FILM ACTORS and 2018: #12-SUPERVILLAINS).  And I almost forgot!  Goodman said that Van Heusen had to travel to Evanston to drive the red car back to Rapid City.  So Van Heusen was the one who must have found that enormous, nasty, horrible, terrible piece of skin that fell off my foot in the desert since it was on the back seat.  He probably added wheels and a stick shift to it and rented it.  Happy Halloween!

[wiremagazine]

AN EXPLOSIVE GOOD TIME

By Alyn Darnay

Charlize Theron is amazing, not only for her unquestionable beauty, or her unquestionable abilities as an actress, but also for her choice of material and her willingness and confidence to let it all hang out on the screen. Now on the heels of her scene-stealing action performance in Mad Max: Fury Road, comes Atomic Blonde to firmly plant her feet in the legacy of a true action hero. With the ferocity of a jungle cat, Theron jumps into dozens of dazzling fight sequences so staggering in their execution that you forget she's wearing designer clothes with spiked heels; and that brothers and sisters is something else again.

Here's the storyline:

The year is 1989, the Berlin Wall is about to fall, and MI6 Agent Lorraine Broughton (Theron) is dispatched there, tasked with recovering a secret list that could change the balance of power in the "Cold War." Her contact in Berlin is Station Chief David Percival (McAvoy), an eccentric character with a murky agenda with whom she's forced to form an uneasy alliance. Amid the city's New Wave music, sexy neon lighting and fervent partying, it soon becomes obvious that to accomplish her 'impossible mission' and stay alive, she'll have to use all her extensive talents: spy craft, sensuality, and mostly necessarily, savagery. At its core, Atomic Blonde is a complicated story of hidden agendas and rapid-fire action that lead to a stirring conclusion.

Theron seamlessly plays the cool blonde throughout all the action sequences and hyper-real fight choreography, never leaving the character for a moment, and achieves a sort of Zen like action legacy that I hope she revisits. She even gets into some hot and heavy LGBTQ action that feels sensual and loving without ever being exploitative.

McAvoy, to his credit, plays his role perfectly as well, creating the East Berlin swagger and attitude of the times and milking it into an "is he good" or "is he bad" game of espionage. John Goodman shows up as a CIA boss, looking thinner than ever, but the role was so small and simple it could have been played by any actor. Performances overall were good, but the actors always played second fiddle to the action, which always looked and felt real.

The big, not to be missed action sequence, occurs toward the end of the film. It runs a full 10 minutes and you'll never forget it. I don't want to give it away, but it's a true film achievement, an analog laden technique, that makes you believe the action is actually happening and not done with any CGI or camera tricks. My hat's off to director David Leitch for creating this.

So my take… the film is very violent, not the strongest storyline in the world, but highly enjoyable, especially for lovers of this type of film.

Directed by: David Leitch 

Cast: Charlize Theron James McAvoy Eddie Marsan John Goodman Toby Jones James Faulkner Roland Møller Sofia Boutella Bill Skarsgård Sam Hargrave 

Atomic Blonde Rating: 4-1/2 Stars (out of 5) Rated: R (for sequences of strong violence, language throughout, and some sexuality/nudity) Running Time: 115 minutes 

Based on: The Coldest City by Antony Johnston & Sam Hart Alyn Darnay is a film critic. Feedback is encouraged at adarnay@wiremag.com.

This was originally published in Wire Magazine Issue 31.2017