#successful sportsman

[mariocki]

Horror icon Ingrid Pitt guest stars as enemy agent Elayna in The Adventurer: Double Exposure (1.20, ITC, 1973)

[lokideservesahug]

Can't Get My Mind Off Of You

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Pairing: Carlos Alcaraz x gn!reader

Warnings: Identity crisis, Carlos being a pining idiot but what's new? Y/A means your initial

Notes: This is for the nichest audience ever (less so because its gn ig). But as long as it makes someone happy (I'm looking at you @alcqraz )... And please give feedback on this because I'm very conscious that there are probably so many errors...

Summary: Carlos is smitten with you. He looks for you in every room, his thoughts are plagued by you. But he just can't seem to get a word out when he's around you...

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Your words wrap around him like a warm embrace. His native language rolling off of your tongue like it was made for you. The plosives formed just for your lips to take advantage of the air. The same air that Carlos swears down he is so lucky to breathe, the same as you. He watches as your arms flex. To most it looks likes he's watching you, seeing if the rising star makes any mistakes. Carlos' eyes scan your form as if looking for cracks in your form. But Carlos knows deep down that he's trying to map your figure. Paint a picture of the way your muscles ripple as you take another serve. He lets out a deep exhale. You're just such a good sportsman. That's what's luring him in...right?

He tries his hardest not to look at your competitor, fairly certain that his gaze would actualy burn holes into him. Carlos isn't quite sure if he's jealous that the man across the court is playing against you, as opposed to Carlos being on the other end of your hard (yet attractive) stare or that he's trying to beat you. Either way, the man on the other side of the net to you is underlying of your time or attention Carlos thinks.

Carlos watches as you finally turn towards him once again, face flushed. He tries to not let his minds slip to when else you'd be covered with the same sheen of sweat... He shakes his head. What has gotten into him recently? So lost in his own thoughts, Carlos fails to notice that you're back to practising but is broken from his thoughts by the sound of your grunts. The same sound that the Spaniard can't seem to get his mind off of recently...

☆-☆-☆-☆-☆

Carlos stares at his phone, scrolling mindlessly on Instagram. There isn't much substance to the social media but anything is better than being left alone in a quiet lift with his own thoughts; especially with how wild they've been raoming especially when it comes to matters of a certain Y/H/C tennis player. The subtle pat of trainers on the floor makes him glance up. Only to be met with the sight of your eyes. Carlos feels the breath become knocked out if him as you give him a small smile. You nod and turn away from him, leading Carlos to just stare at the back of your head.

And gosh, he didn't know lifts were so warm... Ah who's he kidding Carlos knows that the only reason his heart rate feels like it's beating out a samba is because of the close proximity of the two of you. He could just reach out and feel your- Carlos shakes his head as he feels his fingers twitch. Gosh what a perv-

He should should talk to you, like a normal, sane human being. He takes a deep breath in and looks up, only to be met with the sight of your retreating figure walking out of the lift doors. Damn-

☆-☆-☆-☆-☆

Gosh Carlos must be dreaming. Well not again. He cursed himself this morning when he was ripped away from the domestic image of the two of you this morning. The dream of the both of you wrapped up in warm embarces, chaste kisses and silk sheets runied by the sound of his alarm. But now, as he arrives to the tennis courts early, the Spaniard is sure that you two are a match made in heaven.

Even some of the most dedicated and successful tennis players Carlos has met throughout his career have given him strange looks when he mentioned waking up especially early on the daily to practice early. Something about "A goodnight sleep is really your best frie-" well Carlos didn't pay that much attention to what they were saying in all honesty.

But now, as he watches you bend down and collect the balls that you've clearly been hitting at the wall for the past few minutes, he's sure that you must be his soulmate. He doesn't even focus too much on the vision of you near folding in half as you pick up yet another tennis ball! But at least he can save the image for a rainy day (that knowing him would come sooner rather than later).

Suddenly, you turn around and your eyes meet Carlos'. You freeze for a moment and tilt your head, smile dancing across your lips. You furrow your brows for a moment but just walk towards the bench where your bag lies. You place the tennis balls down haphazardly on the bench and rummage around in your bag.

Carlos' gaze remains fixed on your figure. Gosh you make even the most mundane of things look attractive. And as you take a swig of your water bottle. Carlos, oddly enough has never wanted to be a droplet of water more. As he watches it run around the curve if your lips and drip down past your chin. He'd give anything if he could just be that small bit of water as it drops just above the neckline of your shirt. Carlos has to look away in embarrassment as his cheeks heat, looking at the mixture of your sweat and water glistening on the skin, peeking out of your shirt.

He doesn't notice you put the bottle down but he sure does notice you lift the bottom of your shirt to wipe the sweat from your brow. Carlos feels his mouth drop as his eyes scan across your muscles. Gosh he never knew why people were so wierd when admiring the human form... but now? Looking at you? He gets it. He understands every sonnet, every love song, every dedication in every book and every tear shed over the concept of loving a person so dearly.

Love. Carlos not long ago would have laughed at the word but now? He's sure that just looking at you brings meaning to the word. You meet his eyes and as is common practise these days, his gaze falls to your lips. You smirk and Carlos feels the breath get caught in his throat once more as you go to open your mouth, clearly with something to say.

"Y/L/N." Your eyes widen and if Carlos wasn't mistaken you almost looked sorry? Maybe it was just his imagination. He turns to looks at the intruder of your moment (that if it wa sup to Carlos would be a confession of love and a marriage proposal) and as the two of you greet in a small handshake, Carlos finds it the perfect opportunity to sneak away. Besides, he wasn't ready to speak to you. He'd probably have frozen up and looked like a fool again.

☆-☆-☆-☆-☆

As Carlos sits in the seats, waiting for one of the courts uou lean forward on the railings. Carlos looks up from his phone and is startled by the newcomer in such close proximity to him. All is forgiven however, when he realises its just you.

You smirk and look him up and down. "You're cute Alcaraz but gosh are you slow." He tilts his head and his eyes glisten with confusion. You hold back a giggle at him and his puppy look all but proving your point. You shake your head and give him a pat on the shoulder as you both hear a distant call of your name. You look behind your shoulder and then back into Carlos' eyes, carefree smile painted on your face that Carlos doesn't think he'll ever shake from his memory.

"Call me." You wink and skip of behind him. Carlos goes to call out after you but you're already too far away. "But you didnt-" He shakes his head. Once again, he'll have to wait until next time. But now, for once in his life, Carlos knows he feels a new sense of determination.

☆-☆-☆-☆-☆

The Spaniard walks up to his car and freezes. Carlos pats his back pockets for his car keys. He reaches into one of his jacket pocket only to pull out a pack of gum and a few notes. Carlos huffs as he tries the other one. However, his fingers instead feel an unfamiliar paper sensation. He grabs at the foreign object and unfolds the note.

-Call me, Alcaraz ;)

xxx-xxx-xxx-xx

-Y/A

And gosh, Carlos knows he made a vow to himself to tray and act less hopeless. But even the just the sight of your handwriting makes his heart flutter. He fumbles to reach into his back pocket to find his phone and save your number to his phone. And lets just say that there were many questions when Carlos arrived a out half an hour later, chattering teeth, complaining about the cold but still, somehow with his signature grin.

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!

As always, likes, reblogs and especially feedback is always welcome!

Taglist: @nikfigueiredo @mysoulispainted @leclercings @d3kstar @hiireadstuff @a-beaverhausen @nichmeddar @lozzamez3 @stinkyjax @marymustdie @littlesatanicassholebitch @mehrmonga @insanedeathwish @ems-alexandra @a-disturbing-self-reflection @cherry-piee @thatgirlmj

And special tags for: @yungbludz ofc and @alcqraz who inspired me two write with less of a female reader in mind (and sorry it's not male per se)

[astrodice]

What career suites you best based on destiny matrix? (part 2/3) part 1

To find out what career suits you best and what can you do to succeed, we have to look at the number under the dollar sign.

note: there are so many different career choices and the options I'm listing here are just general examples based. you're free to choose any career, and hopefully, you don't feel pressured by this post to suddenly become philosopher.

8 - Justice

People with justice energy are successful in any field related to the rights and law. They are good at collecting, processing and summarising information. Intuitively they find the right solution from a variety of options.

The most suitable career:

lawyer, judge

accountant

referee

jeweller

saper

Challenges that affect career:

being too straightforward

depending on other people's opinions

being overly responsible and idealistic

9 - Hermit

People with hermit energy work are responsible and curios, they are always driven to expand their knowledge. They also prefer to work alone and doing solo projects than working in a team.

The most suitable career:

small business owner

philosopher

scientist

mentor in spiritual practices

archeologist

art critic

Challenges that affect career:

being shy/scared to ask for better pay

rejecting team work

not using your knowledge in practice

lack of ambitions

10 - Wheel of Fortune

People with wheel of fortune energy generally very lucky when it comes to money and career. Bun to achieve something they still must put in the work, being passive won't make them any good. They do especially well in freelance and in a career that doesn't have strict schedules.

The most suitable career:

freelance

PR-manager

record producer

croupier

editor

Challenges that affect career:

being passive

gambling

refusing to communicate with people

relying too much on fate

11 - Strength

People with strength energy have great spiritual and physical strength. However, only good intentions can bring them financial abundance and successful career.

The most suitable career:

sportsman

personal trainer

animal trainer

policeman, firefighter

life coach

Challenges that affect career:

not being able to rest

habit of postponing

stubbornness

12 - Hanged Man

People with this energy have an ability to see thing from different point of view. Also, they are very persistent, empathic and creative. Very important note: take credit for your work and don't be afraid to ask for money for your work!

The most suitable career:

acting

artist

rescue worker

medical worker

Challenges that affect career:

negative thinking

trying to help everyone around (and forgetting to help yourself first)

feeling guilty for your work

not being able to say 'no'

taking more responsibility than you can handle

13 - Death

People with this energy are more likely to experience major changes in their career throughout their life. For example, they can have degree and experience in engineering and then suddenly quit to start working as a fitness instructor. And they go through this transformation flawlessly.

The most suitable career:

surgeon

funeral director

auctioneer

esotericist

Challenges that affect career:

resisting changes

rushed decisions

advice: you might be into taboo and risky business and that's why you need to be conscious and careful when it comes to your decisions and choices.

14 - Temperance

People with temperance energy need work-life balance like no-one else, because only then they will be able to become successful. They are creative, diplomatic, peaceful and usually they are against "hustle lifestyle".

The most suitable career:

pharmacist

diplomat

healer

HR

cook

Challenges that affect career:

overindulgence

chaotic approach in work

challenges in maintain emotional stability

15 - Devil

People with devil energy have all traits of a charismatic leader. They also make very good investors, because they just know what to do with their money.

The most suitable career:

show business, entertainment

investing

gold miner

investigator

currency trader

helping people overcome addictions

Challenges that affect career:

fraud

greed

lack of consistency

having addictions

[bethanydelleman]

I find Sir John and Lady Middleton very interesting:

Sir John was a sportsman, Lady Middleton a mother. He hunted and shot, and she humoured her children; and these were their only resources. Lady Middleton had the advantage of being able to spoil her children all the year round, while Sir John’s independent employments were in existence only half the time. Continual engagements at home and abroad, however, supplied all the deficiencies of nature and education; supported the good spirits of Sir John, and gave exercise to the good breeding of his wife.

This seems to be a rather happy, successful marriage. Sir John happily hunts, hangs out with his mother-in-law, and throws parties for all the young people within his reach. Lady Middleton hangs out with her children, is fancy, and serves good meals. Both of them seem pretty content in their lives despite having opposite personalities and being pretty incompatible.

And you know what, I respect them for it. I'm fed up with Mr. Bennet, who basically hides from his family and treats his wife terribly (by exposing her to the contempt of her own children). He might be more amusing, but he's also irresponsible and a massive jerk. I'll take Sir John and his good natured-teasing any-day over Mr. Bennet's cutting wit.

Even though the narrator sometimes jokes about Sir John's kindness (he only wanted girls in Barton Cottage so he wouldn't have to share his hunting), he has done a genuine good deed in bringing the Dashwoods to Barton. Yes, he benefits from it because he and his wife are incapable of being alone together, but I'm still giving him all the props. Sir John is one of the best characters in this book and one of the best husbands we see in Austen (main couples excluded, as they don't marry during the books).

[mydaddywiki]

Billy Nungesser

Physique: Husky Build Height: 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)

William Harold "Billy" Nungesser (born January 10, 1959) is an American politician serving as the 54th lieutenant governor of Louisiana since 2016. A member of the Republican Party, Nungesser is also the former president of the Plaquemines Parish Commission (2006-2014). Prior to serving in elected office, Nungesser was a successful small businessman whose innovative idea of converting used shipping containers into modular living quarters improved the living conditions of our state’s offshore oil drilling workers.

With his acute business acumen, big heart and ebullient character, as well as an ardent passion and colossal pride in his home state, he has managed to prove the naysayers wrong and continues to do so, now that he has made the admirable switch from business to politics and philanthropy.

Lets see, Billy is married of course (Fuck my luck), an active sportsman who raises elk and cattle on his ranch. Sounds like a real working man and the New York Times agrees, naming him the “hardest working man in Louisiana.” And if I was a pimp, I’d definitely put him to work. Selling that ass. Though he wouldn’t being making money as I’d being fucking him all the time. With those Donald Trump socks on. What? You know I have a thing for socks and shoes.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Ben Cohen

South African Jews reacted with outrage on Friday after the country’s governing body for the sport of cricket stripped the Jewish captain of the U-19 national team of his role, citing the “risk of conflict or even violence” as the reason.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced that David Teeger, who is Jewish, would no longer captain the side just one week before the opening of the U-19 Cricket World Cup, when teams from 16 nations will compete in South Africa for the sport’s top prize.

In a statement released on Friday, CSA said that its security team had advised “that protests related to the war in Gaza can be anticipated at the venues for the tournament.”

It added that such protests would likely focus on Teeger — an observant Jew and resident of Johannesburg who made his professional cricket debut in 2023, scoring an impressive 51 runs for the South Africa Emerging Players side against North Cape. Teeger was only appointed to the captaincy of the U-19 team last month.

The targeting of Teeger could result “in conflict or even violence between rival groups of protestors,” CSA said. Invoking its “duty to safeguard the interests and safety of all those involved in the World Cup,” it said that Teeger had been “relieved of the captaincy … in the best interests of the players, the U-19 team, and David himself.” Teeger would “remain an important and active member of the team and we wish him and the team every success in the tournament,” CSA concluded.

CSA’s decision — against the background of rising antisemitism in South Africa, widespread support for Hamas in the wake of its Oct. 7 pogrom in Israel, and the charge of “genocide” brought by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) — provoked fury in South Africa’s Jewish community.

Prof. Karen Milner, chair of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD), told The Algemeiner that CSA’s decision was “an outrageous act of antisemitism.”

“There is no basis for this decision, other than the fact that Teeger is Jewish,” Milner said. “It is shameful that CSA is embarking on a path that is dangerously reminiscent of Nazi Germany, when Jews were actively discriminated against, including among sporting clubs.” She stressed that the SAJBD “would do everything in its power to fight against this vicious prejudice.”

In a separate statement, the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) said it would be calling on the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s global governing body, “to investigate the CSA’s blatant act of discrimination.”

“The ANC [ruling African National Congress] government’s political hostility to Israel and its friendship with Hamas has created a climate in which it is entirely acceptable to target a sportsman because he is proudly Jewish,” the SAZF stated.

Among those expressing sympathy for Teeger on social media was three-time MLB All-Star Kevin Youkilis. “Heart goes out to this young Jewish man,” Youkilis posted on X/Twitter. “The ‘security risk’ excuse is bullshit.”

Former Boston Red Sox star Youkilis also referred to a speech that Teeger made just weeks after the Hamas pogrom, delivered after he received the “Rising Star” Award at a Jewish community ceremony. Teeger paid tribute to the Israeli military, saying, “Yes, I’ve been [given] this award, and yes, I’m now the Rising Star, but the true rising stars are the young soldiers in Israel.” He went on to dedicate the award to “the State of Israel and every single soldier fighting so that we can live and thrive in the diaspora.”

Teeger was being “punished for showing gratitude to the State of Israel,” Youkilis commented.

[astrology-by-sita]

LIONEL MESSI BIRTH CHART ANALYSIS

So this is Lionel Messi's chart from astro dot com. He is ruled by Saturn, and it's in the 11th house of fans, community and popularity. He has 3 planets in Cancer (Mars, Mercury and Sun) in the 6th house of daily routines and physical health.

Cancer rules family so he would like his workmates (who happen to be his team) to be like family to him, instead of having pure professional interactions. Mars, Mercury and Sun are all planets of movement so he is always physically moving,never lazy - essential for his profession.

His Mars is debilitated by sign. Actually I noticed many great football players who have a debilitated Mars. Diego Armando Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, and Kylian Mbappé are some examples. This is an interesting pattern to study, as Mars is about physical strength.

He has debilitated Mars in the 6th house of health, and as a child, when he was 10 years old, he easily diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency and needed a treatment. According to traditional astrology the 6h is the joy of Mars.

So despite his health issue he was able to excel and succeed as a sportsman and exert physical effort in the field.

Cancer stellium in 6h of work made him shy and reserved as Cancers can naturally be shy, he had difficulty in socializing at work with his team mates, they even believed that he was mute due to his quietness.

His Ascendant is in the bound of Mercury. And Mercury is in its own bound in Cancer in 6h. So this makes Mercury even stronger as an indicator of physical movement and activity. According to Vettius Valens, Mercury rules sports. He has a night chart so Venus is the best planet. It rules his 9h of foreign travel so he found luck and success abroad, in Spain.

[ralphlanyon]

This excerpt from "The Poisoned Bowl: Sex and the Public School" on British public school "legends" reminds me so much of Ralph Lanyon (and Frank Maddox, who is name-dropped as a fictional example):

"It may seem a mathematical absurdity which defies the laws of proportionality, but almost without exception each boarding school, whether it was large or small, produced every year exactly one boy of exceptional magnetism who became a legend. This hero was not, like many others, merely the jealously-guarded secret desire of one or two boys but rather a cult figure whom almost all boys adored. He was invariably of exceptional good looks and an outstanding sportsman. Sometimes he was also academically brilliant. More often he was academically average, but of greater import was his charm, his charisma, and his apparent indifference to success; a convincing combination of character traits that could win over even the most cynical of minds. ... The school hero had to be a great all-rounder and could never be seen to try too hard. He had to be the casual collector of trophies, someone who played any sport with a refrained but skilful grace....Most boys were glad just to have the privilege of observing such a legendary figure from a distance. Invariably his presence on a school team drew a crowd of onlookers more interested in the hero's performance than the outcome of the match. But despite being the focus of such enthusiastic attention the king of heroes always retained that essential composure that distinguished him from lesser gods. ... While it might sometimes be dangerous for a boy to confess a crush on some relatively obscure senior, or worse still junior, the hero worship of a school legend was something which was always shared. It was the one instance when school boy adulation invariably took on a public, almost ritualistic form."

[burningvelvet]

Lord Byron responds to criticism of his poem Don Juan:

“The air of this cursed Italy enervates—and disenfranchises the thoughts of a man after nearly four years of respiration—to say nothing of emission. As to ‘Don Juan’—confess—confess you dog and be candid that it is the sublime of that there sort of writing—it may be bawdy—but is it not good English? It may be profligate—but is it not life, is it not the thing? Could any man have written it—who has not lived in the world?—and fooled in a post-chaise? in a hackney coach? in a gondola? against a wall? in a court carriage? in a vis a vis? on a table?—and under it? I have written about a hundred stanzas of a third Canto—but it is a damned modest—the outcry has frightened me. I have such projects for the Don—but the Cant is so much stronger than the Cunt now a days, that the benefit of experience in a man who had well weighed the worth of both monosyllables must be lost to despairing posterity.” (Letter to Douglas Kinnaird, Venice, 26 October, 1819.)

Francis Cohen remarked: “Lord B. should have been grave & gay by turns; grave in one page & gay in the next; grave in one line, & gay in the next. And not grave & gay in the same page, or in the same stanza, or in the same line… we are never drenched & scorched at the same instant whilst standing in one spot.” (Letter to John Murray, 16 July, 1819).

Byron replied to the critique:

“I will answer [Cohen] who objects to the quick succession of fun and gravity—as if in that case the gravity did not (in intention at least) heighten the fun. His metaphor is that ‘we are never scorched and drenched at the same time!' Blessings on his experience! Ask him these questions about 'scorching and drenching’. Did he never play at Cricket or walk a mile in hot weather? Did he never spill a dish of tea over his testicles in handing the cup to his charmer to the great shame of his nankeen breeches? Did he never swim in the sea at Noonday with the Sun in his eyes and on his head--which all the foam of ocean could not cool? Did he never draw his foot out of a tub of too hot water damning his eyes & his valet's? Did he never inject for a Gonorrhea? Or make water through an ulcerated Urethra? Was he ever in a Turkish bath—that marble paradise of sherbet and sodomy? Was he ever in a cauldron of boiling oil like St. John? Or in the sulphureous waves of hell? (where he ought to be for his 'scorching and drenching at the same time') did he never tumble into a river or lake fishing—and sit in his wet clothes in the boat—or on the bank afterwards ‘scorched and drenched' like a true sportsman? ‘Oh for breath to utter' —but make him my compliments—he is a clever fellow for all that—a very clever fellow. You ask me for the plan of Donny Johnny—I have no plan—I had no plan—but I had, or have, materials.” (Letter to his publisher John Murray, Bologna, 12 August, 1819.)

Letter to Douglas Kinnaird, Genoa, 31 March, 1823:

“I care nothing for what may be the consequence critical or otherwise – all the bullies on earth shall not prevent me from writing what I like – & publishing what I write – “coute qui coute”*– if they had let me alone – I probably should not have continued beyond the five first – as it is – there shall be such a poem – as has not been since Ariosto – in length – in satire – in imagery – and in what I please.” *(“at any cost”)

[microcosme11]

Germaine de Staël is creeped out by General Bonaparte

I saw him for the first time at Paris. I could not find words to reply to him, when he came to me to say, that he had sought my father at Coppet, and that he regretted having passed into Switzerland without seeing him. But, when I was a little recovered from the confusion of admiration, a strongly marked sentiment of fear succeeded. Bonaparte, at that time, had no power; he was even believed to be not a little threatened by the captious suspicions of the Directory; so that the fear which he inspired was caused only by the singular effect of his person upon nearly all who approached him. I had seen men highly worthy of esteem; I had likewise seen monsters of ferocity: there was nothing in the effect which Bonaparte produced on me that could bring back to my recollection either the one or the other. I soon perceived, in the different opportunities which I had of meeting him during his stay in Paris, that his character could not be defined by the words which we commonly use; he was neither good, nor violent, nor gentle, nor cruel, after the manner of individuals of whom we have any knowledge. Such a being had no fellow, and therefore could neither feel nor excite sympathy: he was more or less than man. His cast of character, his understanding, his language, were stamped with the impress of an unknown nature;—an additional advantage, as we have elsewhere observed, for the subjugation of Frenchmen.

Far from recovering my confidence by seeing Bonaparte more frequently, he constantly intimidated me more and more. I had a confused feeling that no emotion of the heart could act upon him. He regards a human being as an action or a thing, not as a fellow creature. He does not hate more than he loves; for him nothing exists but himself; all other creatures are cyphers. The force of his will consists in the impossibility of disturbing the calculations of his egotism; he is an able chess-player, and the human race is the opponent to whom he proposes to give check mate. His successes depend as much on the qualities in which he is deficient as on the talents which he possesses. Neither pity, nor allurement, nor religion, nor attachment to any idea whatsoever, could turn him aside from his principal direction. He is for his self-interest what the just man should be for virtue; if the end were good, his perseverance would be noble.

Every time that I heard him speak, I was struck with his superiority; yet it had no similitude to that of men instructed and cultivated by study or society, such as those of whom France and England can furnish examples. But his discourse indicated a fine perception of circumstances, such as the sportsman has of the game which he pursues. Sometimes he related the political and military events of his life in a very interesting manner; he had even somewhat of Italian imagination in narratives which allowed of gaiety. Yet nothing could triumph over my invincible aversion for what I perceived in him. I felt in his soul a cold sharp-edged sword, which froze the wound that it inflicted; I perceived in his understanding a profound irony, from which nothing great or beautiful, not even his own glory could escape; for he despised the nation whose suffrages he wished, and no spark of enthusiasm was mingled with his desire of astonishing the human race.

It was in the interval between the return of Bonaparte and his departure for Egypt, that is to say, about the end of 1797, that I saw him several times at Paris; and never could I dissipate the difficulty of breathing which I experienced in his presence. I was one day at table between him and the Abbé Sieyès;—a singular situation, if I had been able to foresee what afterwards happened. I examined the figure of Bonaparte with attention; but whenever he discovered that my looks were fixed upon him, he had the art of taking away all expression from his eyes, as if they had been turned into marble. His countenance was then immovable, except a vague smile which his lip assumed at random, to mislead anyone who might wish to observe the external signs of what was passing within.

The Abbé Sieyès conversed during dinner unaffectedly and fluently, as suited a mind of his degree of strength. He expressed himself concerning my father with a sincere esteem. “He is the only man,” said he, “who has ever united the most perfect precision in the calculations of a great financier to the imagination of a poet.” This eulogium pleased me, because it characterized him. Bonaparte, who heard it, also said some obliging things concerning my father and me, but like a man who takes no interest in individuals whom he cannot make use of in the accomplishment of his own ends.

His figure, at that time thin and pale, was rather agreeable; he has since grown fat, which does not become him; for we can scarcely tolerate a character which inflicts so many sufferings on others, if we do not believe it to be a torment to the person himself. As his stature is short, and his waist very long, he appeared to much more advantage on horseback than on foot. In every respect it is war, and only war, which suits him. His manners in society are constrained, without timidity; he has an air of vulgarity when he is at his ease, and of disdain when he is not: disdain suits him best, and accordingly he indulges in it without scruple.

By a natural vocation to the regal office, he already addressed trifling questions to all who were presented to him. Are you married? was his question to one of the guests. How many children have you? he said to another. How long is it since you arrived? When do you set out? and other interrogations of a similar kind, which establish the superiority of him who puts them over those who submit to be thus questioned. He already took delight in the art of embarrassing, by saying disagreeable things; an art which he has since reduced into a system, as he has every other mode of subjugating men by degrading them. At this epoch, however, he had a desire to please, for he confined to his own thoughts the project of overturning the Directory, and substituting himself in its stead; but in spite of this desire, one would have said that, unlike the prophet, he cursed involuntarily, though he intended to bless.

Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité: Exploring the French Revolution (link)

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

I love all your analysis! Could I ask you to chime in, if you have the time and the inclination, on my pet theory?

Here it goes: Meghan found it harder than Catherine to be succeed in the Royal family because she's not athletic.

The Aristo crowd is sporty. It's a good marker of privilege - one you cannot fake - to be able to ski, play tennis, row, sail, ride, dive. All these things require lots of leisure time, and money, and the confident, cheerful ease of the amateur sportsman.

Catherine is a good minor athlete - her reaction to the 2007 breakup was to enter a rowing challenge with her girlfriends (she went clubbing with Pips too, sure, but she was out there most mornings in her wetsuit, being healthy and determined). It's hard to explain the mindset of the "amateur athlete in friendly competition" if you've never been one, but it gives you confidence, emotional regulation, and the bone deep knowledge that small constant steps are key to achieving progress and success.

Meghan just knows that "rich people go skiing", and she gets photographed on the slopes in an unsuitable coat, thinking it's the same thing. She looks for the shortcut - and she may fool some of the non-skiers, but it's just a house of cards. It works for an influencer who will quickly move on to the next thing, but the Royal family thinks in decades, and the persona their PR builds for you must have some consistency.

And there would have been nothing wrong with saying outright "you know what, I didn't grow up with that kind of money, I can't ski or row" - she would have got lots of sympathy.

Don't you love "training montages" in movies? She could have had years of upbeat training montage PR! Or she could have gone with an "outsider perspective" PR strategy, where she would have represented the slightly ironic common man faced with the BRF.

But Meghan the Narc can't stand to acknowledge she doesn't know something. She should have been herself, and instead she tried to be Catherine and failed.

It's a good theory, but i don't think it holds much weight when you really dig into it - for exactly what you pointed out: Meghan wasn't herself.

Kate was unabashedly and genuinely herself. Long before St. Andrews or William entered the picture, and she stayed that way after everything with William. The aristo crowd probably prefers that, and Kate doesn't strike me as someone who's impressed by all that. She probably cared more about their art collection than whether they were Duke So-and-So or Earl Whozitsandwhatsits, and that's impressive on its own. (I'm reminded now of the story with Cillian Murphy; he doesn't like it when people fawn all over him and he shuts down when that happens, so a seat-filler who sat next to him at one of the recent awards shows pretended she didn't know who he was and had the most incredible conversation wtih him.)

Whereas Meghan was always playing a role, and badly at that. So it was pretty easy for the aristo crowd to see right through her and know that she was bad news. Especially once she stop pretending to be aristo-like, with the cursing and demanding to sit next to Harry/switching place cards at the dinner parties, the screaming at staff, policing what everyone was saying and confronting them when it wasn't PC (according to her).

I think being sporty/athletic helped Kate, but the vibe I get from the aristo crowd isn't necessarily a sporty set. As a whole, they seem more outdoorsy to me with the skiing holidays, the shooting parties, the horse racing, the sailing. I think William's side of the aristo crowd (like his friends and Anne's family that he's closest to) is sporty because that's what they've connected over, and Kate fits in well with that crowd so it was easier for her to be accepted by them. But there's also the "city" side of the aristo crowd like the Yorkies and the Spencers where they're more known for their holidays, artsy/culture-type activities, and spectatoring sports.

Not to say that the two can't blend - they do, obviously, and everyone is probably really good at code-switching to navigate between the different segments of the aristo world (William and Kate especially as the future King and Queen, who have to be both representational and aspirational to all segments of the populartion, not just the aristos). And maybe the more culture set are sporty too (like how Diana danced and the Yorks skiied) but sport isn't how we think of those aristos. The latter crowd is what Meghan expected because that's the world Diana inhabited and as we all know, Meghan views royalty through Diana exclusively, so when she saw Kate in that sphere, she tried to emulate that side of Kate (the evening-gown wearing, gala attending, world-traveling, tennis-watching, polo-wifeing Kate) not knowing that it's just a small piece of who, and what, Kate actually is.

It's why the role she tried to play fell flat; Meghan didn't know the whole character, she just had the PR version of Kate to work with. Or, in acting parlance, Meghan had the character notes for Kate the Bit Player. She didn't get the character profile for Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, a main character.

Going back to what you originally said, that Meghan didn't integrate as easily as Kate did because of the athletics, I'd say it's bigger than that. It's because she didn't have any hobbies or interests. Everyone in the aristo set has hobbies and interests. Meghan didn't/doesn't have a single hobby and that made/makes it hard to connect with people on any level. She didn't need to have the same hobbies or interests as everyone else, she just had to have something. But she didn't. She had nothing.

All she had was Harry but Harry assumes the personality of whomever he's dating...which is the same thing Meghan does; she assumes the personality of whomever she's dating. So when there are two people being each other, they end up with nothing. Or they end up being his mother. Which isn't that much better either.

[astrogayatreevallabh]

You will be successful in the matters related to the house where Atmakaraka is placed:

Atmakaraka in Angular houses (1,4,7,10) & Trines (1,5,9) without malefic influence gives smooth life.

Atmakaraka in 6th, 8th, 12th houses gives lots of trouble in life if your career isn't connected with those houses significations.

Atmakaraka in the Ascendant is very good combination. It makes you intelligent. You will be successful either in intellectual field or in politics or in any field where cleverness is required.

Atmakaraka in the first house (Ascendant) gives you good leadership qualities.

Atmakaraka in the second house gives success in financial field. You can also be successful in the religious fields like studying Vedic literatures.

Atmakaraka in the 3rd house gives success in communication field, leadership, writing, and artistic or creative fields. This also makes you highly courageous, intelligent and curious.

Atmakaraka in the third house can also make you traveller or player (sportsman). This combination makes you adventurous.

Atmakaraka in third house is very good combination for online related job or business. You can also be good at higher order logic, software engineering etc.

Atmakaraka in the 4th house gives success in real estate, teaching, agriculture, horticulture, botanical field, construction field, industrial field etc.

Atmakaraka in 5th house makes you highly intelligent and creative. It gives you success in whatever field you choose. This is the most auspicious placement for Atmakaraka.

Atmakaraka in 5th house can also make you good writer. You can also be good at mantra sadhana. You can be able to manifest things through mantra chanting or meditation.

Atmakaraka in 6th house gives success in foreign land, or in healing or medical field, foreign trade etc. You can also be priest. You will face huge trouble in life if your career isn't connected with foreigners/foreigner or any other significations of 6th house.

Atmakaraka in 6th house can also make you successful in social service sector. Any connections with INGO's will be fruitful. Remember, you are servant to this world. So service oriented job or business will be good for you.

Atmakaraka in 7th house can make you good businessman or entrepreneur. You are good at dealing with strangers, mass, foreigners and clients.

Atmakaraka in 8th house can make you astrologer, healer, historian, geologist, archaeologist, psychologist, scientist, philosopher etc. You can acquire huge esoteric knowledge. You can be mystical to others.

Atmakaraka in 8th house can also make you successful in the foreign land. You can also be spy.

Atmakaraka in 8th house can also make you expert in anything related to ocean.

Atmakaraka in 9th house can make you good author, healer, preacher, philosopher, academician etc. It is good combination for success in any field.

Atmakaraka in 10th house can make you tantric, minister, CEO in reputed company, or you can be successful entrepreneur too. This combination gives success in any other fields too.

Atmakaraka in 11th house can make you successful in spiritual and occult field, astrology, social networking, or in any financial field. This placement is also auspicious for any other fields you choose.

Atmakaraka in the 12th house suggests you either to stay in the foreign land or to work in medical or healing field. This makes you spiritualist too. You can be a good healer. You may also go to uninhabited place for research. You can be employed in jail or in asylum.

Putrakaraka and Amatyakaraka in the 6th, 8th, 12th placement from Atmakaraka gives trouble in life.

Atmakaraka conjunct Putrakaraka or Amatyakaraka is considered Rajayoga or success giving combination.

[zoominsainz]

Sainz Sr has always rubbed me the wrong way, maybe not like Jos Verstappen levels of ick, but pretty up there… that mentality he taught Carlos from the young age that he has to toughen up if he wants to succeed, I can’t imagine saying to my kid that he can’t be himself and be successful at the same time. And sure, maybe this mentality is right for the sport, but it seems like it’s not right for Carlos as a person which in turn affects him as an athlete because he’s afraid to disappoint his father or embarrass their family name so he has to play up the ‘tough’ act. Idk. My perception is that he’s just different than his dad but he’s been molded into someone else his whole life so there’s a big conflict inside of him. His dad needs to step away from managing Carlos’ career me thinks, I feel like that would bring Carlos at least some peace

I wanna relate the ‘toughen up’ with the way he acts around people, he’s so constructed around patriarcal masculinity that being soft around people is weak and so he has to masc his affection by being rough (ie. his way of showing affection is physical touch but feminine! So I’ll hit and shove and throw you around bc I’m a man and I’m supposed to be rough)

It’s so obvious that senior is the most important member of the sainz family, he’s a renowned sportsman plus I’m guessing he’s the responsible one for the family’s wealth and political power so everyone looks up to him as the leader and so being named Carlos, after him is such a big honor and you’re the only boy! So you have to carry on the legacy of the successful sainz family, so you have to live up to be as great and efficient and be a leader, be a shark, a force to be reckoned with, that’s what you father tells you since you are 6, and all the family around you telling you “you got to be as great as your father”. In a family with such conservative and patriarcal values there’s no room to make a mistake or even be mid, it’s glory or failure, and they won’t hesitate throwing at his face everything they have given him and his only job being to be the person they boast around in gatherings and events.

But Carlos, he’s soft, he show he cares, he doesn’t like putting people down, he never boasts about winning bc he can see that the real fun part was the activity and not the result, ofc he likes winning, everyone does but like with lando, when asked who wins at golf and saying ‘oh in the end we didn’t keep score’ or with charles in the challenges, whenever charles gets too competitive he always offers to share the points instead or recognizing his efforts out loud.

I think he does feel immense pressure of living to his dads standards, show him he can be as good as his dad expects him to be, a carlos sainz as good as carlos sainz and the spanish media have a whole cultural background approach to carlos that he has to be perceived as a tough, emotionless guy, he always sounds snarky and very masculine coded when talking to dazn, very matter of fact. With his country also expecting him to succeed like the other spaniard in the grid with 2 wdc.

I agree with you, if his dad stopped managing him I think he would be able to relax and craft his approach to the sport that he loves in a more personal way and not with his dads expectations but also financial and political interests looming over him.

This was very rambly and messy and the anthropological pov discourse possessed me for a little bit there.

If you have any more thoughts I’ll be happy to read them.

[scotianostra]

On October 2nd 1931 Sir Thomas Lipton, grocer, tea merchant died.

Say the name Lipton, and most people nowadays think of tea, although some of usthat are a certain age will recall the supermarkets. But behind that brand lies the extraordinary story of a rags-to-riches tycoon, self-publicist, philanthropist and sportsman who was honoured as "the world's best loser".

While his father worked in a succession of poorly paid jobs, young Tommy Lipton’s siblings all died in infancy, leaving him as the family’s only son.

Tommy had to leave school aged 13, because his parents needed an extra income to make ends meet. He also attended night school at the Gorbals Youth School. In 1864, he signed up as a cabin boy on a steamer running between Glasgow and Belfast and seems to have been taken with crew-members’ stories about the United States, so in 1865, Thomas used his savings to pay for a passage to New York spending the next five years there travelling across the country.

During this time he held many different jobs, including work at a tobacco plantation in Virginia; as an accountant at a rice plantation in South Carolina; as a door-to-door salesman in New Orleans; as a farmhand in New Jersey; and as a grocery assistant in New York.

Thomas returned to Glasgow in 1870. After spending some time helping his parents at their shop, he established one of his own, Lipton’s Market, at 101 Stobcross Street in the Anderston area of the city. This proved highly successful and Lipton went on to establish a chain of shops, first in Glasgow and then across Scotland, before expanding to cover the whole of the UK over the next ten years.

Meanwhile, the demand for tea was increasing among the middle classes and in 1888, by which time Lipton had 300 stores, he set out to bypass the traditional lines of supply for tea by investing directly in tea plantations. The Lipton Tea brand he established offered good quality for low prices and proved hugely popular, expanding the market for tea to all parts of society and establishing it as the national drink of choice.

Lipton was a big fan of promotional stunts. When his first 20,000 tea chests arrived in Glasgow he put on a party, complete with a brass band and bagpipe parade. In 1893 Sir Thomas Lipton officially established the Thomas J Lipton Company, a tea packaging company based in Hoboken, New Jersey . He felt that tea should be a drink for everyone, not just the wealthy , so he strived to make packaging and shipping less expensive.

Instead of arriving in crates, Sir Thomas packaged his loose tea in multiple weight options. The tea was also standardised, so Lipton customers knew exactly what to expect.

Thomas Lipton developed a passion for yachting, between 1899 and 1930 Lipton challenged the American holders of the America’s Cup through the Royal Ulster Yacht Club five times with yachts he named Shamrock through Shamrock V. He never won the cup, but he was awarded a special trophy as “the best of all losers”. This may sound double-edged, but one effect of his efforts to win the cup was to make his name well known across the United States, and his tea very popular there.

Although Lipton, through his yachting, became a friend of royalty, as a self-made man he still had difficulty breaking into some corners of the highly stratified British society of the day. He was, for example, only accepted as a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron shortly before his death.

Lipton died at his home in north London in 1931. He left most of his wealth to his native city of Glasgow. His yachting trophies are now on display at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Sir Thomas Lipton was buried alongside his parents and siblings in Glasgow’s Southern Necropolis.

Liptons continues today as part of the multinational Unilever brands, their teas and other beverages still bear his name and are a world known brand, not bad for a young lad born in a Glasgow Tenement to Irish immigrants.

[best-wishes-gifts]

Elevate Your Gift Game: Stylish Gift Baskets for the Modern Man

Finding a good gift is sometimes very hard, especially if one is searching for an excellent and rather exclusive gift for the men. Among the most popular and, at the same time, universal, one can highlight a gift basket with the help of which it will be possible to meet the preferences of the intended recipient. It does not matter if a man is young or old, married or single, a successful businessman, a sportsman or even a Hollywood superstar – there is a grooming kit that should suit him. Now, it is time to take a closer look at why the gift baskets are best for men, and how to prepare the best baskets for various occasions.

Why Choose a Gift Basket?

1. Personalized Touch: A gift basket can therefore be thought out in terms of the kind of products which may be deemed relevant in the life of the concerned person. Whatever his passion is whether he is a gourmet, workout freak, or a drinkerm, you can personalise the items to his interests.

2. Stylish Presentation: Often, gift baskets are not put in plain wrappers like the conventional gifts but instead are carefully placed. A basket should be presented in good packaging and aesthetic, therein adding value to the gift by making them luxurious.

3. Versatility: Catering for all occasions has never been easier when it comes to gift baskets. This basket could well be a birthday gift, a Father’s Day basket, an anniversary gift, or simply a basket to say ‘thank you’.

4. Surprise Factor: A gift basket is more interesting than the provision of a single item because the receiver will not receive one item, but a number of items grouped together.

[justforbooks]

In the closing minutes of Wales’s Five Nations meeting with France at Cardiff Arms Park in March 1976, the home side were resisting an onslaught by the visitors when the French wing Jean-François Gourdon found some space on the touchline by the north stand. Gourdon was then hit by a shuddering shoulder charge from Wales’s full-back, JPR Williams, that all but sent him spinning into the crowd. Williams raised his fist in triumph and Wales held on to win 19-13 and complete a seventh grand slam.

In truth, Williams’s tackle was far from legal, but the incident remains an indelible image in the minds of Welsh rugby supporters – that and a photograph of the Bridgend No 15 with blood pouring from his face after being trampled by a visiting All Blacks boot. International rugby in the 1970s was not for the squeamish, and JPR survived by being not just supremely skilful, but as hard as nails.

Williams, who has died aged 74 from bacterial meningitis, would forever be known as JPR, the three most evocative initials in the sport. Only France’s Serge Blanco could rival him as the greatest full-back in history. When the law-makers of the international board prevented the ball from being kicked directly into touch in 1968 it gave the opportunity for Williams and others such as Scotland’s Andy Irvine to forge a template for how a modern attacking full-back should play.

The source of Williams’s famous hardness is surprising. Unusually for top-class players in Wales, he came from a comfortable middle-class home. Williams once told of how he turned up at a Wales Schoolboys’ trial in a Rolls Royce. His upbringing, he said served as an incentive “to prove to my mates that I was tough and one of them”.

John Peter Rhys was born in Bridgend to Peter and Margaret, both doctors. Margaret had been born in Rochdale, so young John could have played for England, but that was not a subject much discussed in the Williams household.

It was on the lawns of Wimbledon rather than the muddy fields of Cardiff Arms Park or Bridgend that Williams first made his mark as a sportsman of renown. As a 17-year-old, he won the 1966 British junior tennis title at Wimbledon, beating David Lloyd in the final.

He was gaining a reputation at rugby in Bridgend, where his father was the club president and doctor. By this time Williams had left Bridgend grammar school for Millfield school in Somerset, where future Wales scrum-half Gareth Edwards was a pupil.

From Millfield, Williams went to St Mary’s hospital in London and had a spell at the London Welsh club. He chose to continue playing the amateur sport rather than tennis and concentrate on his medical studies, his father having told him that he would not make a living as a professional sportsman.

He was still a teenager when he was called into a Wales squad to tour Argentina in the summer of 1968. There were great expectations of the new boy John Williams, as he was then known, when he made his full Wales debut against Scotland at Murray Field the following February.

Wales had a new coach, their former captain Clive Rowlands. Barry John at fly-half scored the final try in Wales’s 17-3 win. Something was brewing in Wales and the 70s were a golden age. Once Phil Bennett, alongside Edwards, established himself as Barry John’s natural heir and once JPR was joined by the wings JJ Williams and Gerald Davies, Wales became an unstoppable force in northern hemisphere rugby. At the heart of their team was JPR, instantly recognisable with his Elvis-Presley style sideburns, flowing hair and socks often pulled down to his ankles.

What set him apart was his success as an attacking player which, allied to that rock-solid defensive play, made him a permanent fixture in the Wales side between his 1969 debut and 1981, when he retired from international rugby. He burnished his reputation on the successful British Lions tours to New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa in 1974, playing in all four Tests on each. Williams had been on a Wales tour to New Zealand in 1969 when they were humbled by the All Blacks in two Tests so the 2-1 series win by the Lions two years later came as a big relief.

In Auckland he settled the series with a long-range drop-goal in the final Test. It came as a surprise to his team-mates, but England’s Bob Hiller, his full-back understudy on that tour, had apparently joked to him that he could not consider himself a proper international until he had dropped a goal.

In South Africa three years later, Williams was heroic again as Willie John McBride’s team prevailed in an often brutal series win over the Springboks. The Lions’ call of “99” often signalled all-out punch-ups, and the sight of Williams racing upfield to thump the much larger South African lock Moaner van Heerden was a memorable one, though, as Williams confessed later it was not something of which he was particularly proud.

Williams won 55 caps for Wales, five of them as captain in 1978-79; in 1977 he was appointed MBE. In between those Lions victories he scored the final try in the Barbarians’ famous victory over the All Blacks at the Arms Park in 1973, and after retiring from the international stage played club rugby for Tondu as a back-rower until 2003, when he was 54.

He met Scilla (Priscilla) Parkin at medical school, and they married in 1973. His principal post as a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon was at the Princess of Wales hospital, Bridgend (1986–2004). Williams rarely joined the ranks of retired players who became pundits, but he was always happy to talk about a stellar career, particularly the 11 games against England, in which he always ended on the winning side.

He is survived by Scilla and their children, Lauren, Annie, Fran and Peter.

🔔 John Peter Rhys Williams, rugby player and orthopaedic surgeon, born 2 March 1949; died 8 January 2024

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