#the question is does Jimmy know it's temp??

[miz-orque]

It's a continuation of this.

More dumb convos with @dracally3 regarding their oc Crow, Monsoon and Jimmy's new tatt. 😂😂😂

[skufdaddyswansea]

I’m genuinely curious what you would do if you were in Curly’s shoes for the week leading up to the accident. This isn’t a malicious question, I’m just obsessing over his inaction because genuinely considering the circumstances, what could Curly have done to prevent the tragedy? They’re a few months in of a year long expedition— too late to turn back, too early to try and make it to the finish line— and your estranged best friend has done something unforgivable. There’s no temp jail on the ship either. You’re all being fired after this. There’s no way for Anya to get any sort of pregnancy care or an abortion procedure on the ship, and she may well give birth during the trip. It’s like… genuinely, what do you do?

It's hard to say when you're on the outside looking in. When you're looking at someone else failing to do something, and knowing the consequences, it's easy to say "Well, I would have done this differently." But obviously I'm not actually under the same pressure, with a clock ticking over my head or anything, yknow? So all I can say is what I hope I would do.

Ideally, I'd like to think I'd strip Jimmy of his rank. No access to the cockpit, to be accompanied at all times (or at least as much is reasonable. But then I don't know how successfully you can rope Swansea and Daisuke into going along with that.) I can't say how that would turn out for the long term, 8 months is a long time. Especially with everything else going on. So plenty of time for someone to slip up somewhere.

I'd also tell Anya she was welcome to sleep in medical room since it can lock. If I'm being honest she might even be able to convince me to give her the gun under the right circumstances, but I don't really think that's a good thing, that could just as easily become a disaster.

As for the pregnancy that's... much more difficult. There really isn't anything Curly could have realistically done about that by the time he found out. Especially because Anya herself is the nurse. Swansea could potentially have the experience to give her support there but tbh I get the feeling he wasn't particularly involved in that process with his kids either. (...Does Curly have kids?? This is making me realize we don't really know what his family life is like. I get the feeling he's a bachelor though, it probably would have come up if he had a family to worry about. Anyway.) I guess the only thing to do would be to make sure to actually check in on her and give what ever support is possible.

And again, who knows if any of that would have worked out for the better, or if I'd be able to stick to it. No matter what you do it's going to be a bad time.

I guess in the truly ideal situation he'd have spotted the red flags in Jimmy's behaviour and done something about it long before it reached that point, but there's no way he could have known how bad things were going to get that far in advance.

So I get what you mean, I don't envy his position at all lol. Thinking about this did make me realize that I think the way I've been framing my Curly analysis has been a little overly judgemental. I just kind of assumed most people went into the game with the idea that Curly was totally innocent like I did, and then over-corrected to make a point. I still stand by my overall interpretation, but I probably should have been a little more balanced. After all, one of Mouthwashing's strengths is being able to put you in the shoes of someone who does awful things, and showing that they're still just a human with flaws, while not glossing over the ramifications of their actions.

[synesindri]

Bestie I want to hear your thoughts today about adamnick

hehehehe yey <3 i'm about to talk too much

What made you ship it?

i just really fucking like the concept of vessels. i think it's so neat. i want to know so much about everybody who ever said yes and why they did that and what kind of experience they had and how they feel about it afterwards if they survived. i think they should be weird, i think they should feel barely human and have a hard time relating to people except each other anymore. nick is such a cornerstone for my understanding of vessels and angel-vessel dynamics and adam is such an interesting guy who has had so many things happen to him, and i was rotating them in my mind separately for a long time before eventually going "what if i rotated them in my mind together?" and now here we are.

i think i landed on them instead of nick/jimmy or whatever other options for a few reasons, one being that lucifer and michael are weird about each other so their temp vessels might as well also be weird about each other (albeit differently), another being that neither of them has living ties to the world anymore whereas jimmy does, and another being that the hints of their personalities seem compatible to me? like obviously we don't know a ton about either of them from canon (esp only s5 canon) but nick uses his two seconds of screen time to be DEEPLY sincere but also kind of an even-tempered sarcastic bitch, and adam uses his to be skeptical and cunty but also strongly motivated by a desire to be with the people who deserve his love and to do Right. those are similar enough that it made me feel like there could be some chemistry there that would manifest in, well, the dynamic i ended up giving them lol

as usual i'm on the fence about whether i ship them or if i don't ship them and just write about them fucking sometimes lol but i think what got me started on feeling like it is legitimately a ship to me (and not just two shells of guys who need to reconnect with their own bodies somehow) is that adam is dead but not anymore, and sarah is dead, and that's complicated. the mental image of adam lying in bed next to nick having a quiet flashback to being killed bloody in a way that is in some ways similar to how nick's wife was killed bloody did something to me. there is a lot of tension for adam about whether nick has room in his head to care about adam anymore after having loved and lost so spectacularly at least twice, and inevitably that becomes a question about "am i wife stand-in" — and my answer to that is generally, no, but kind of. and that's a bit ugly, but it's also hard not to think of it as shippy, when i consider it that way. What are your favorite things about the ship?

(this hinges on the fact that they are an extreme rarepair made up of characters i like a lot who have very little screen time who never met each other in canon so i can kind of do whatever i want 😂) i have an inexhaustible need to play with situations that are simultaneously grim, mundane, and gentle, and holy shit are they the perfect set of dudes to enact that. they're SO not the main characters; they get to make it up as they go or they can decide to just sit down on the ground and rot; it's all up to them; there's no pressure and they have no real reason to care about anything anymore, and yet.

(i also just. personally get a lot out of writing them. idk it's like...it's good for me to think about them as two facets of one being, not really understanding each other in a way that can always be put in words but that coordinate well, who hold each other up and help each other find little nice things to hold onto in a life that might feel aimless. good for my relationship with age as well, how people are different and the same at different ages) Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

i think my most unpopular opinion about them is that they are shippable 😂

[ambertea]

clever

Read on AO3

She’s six years old and she’s just won a certificate for Maths.

Her mum’s sitting at the back of the assembly, exchanging whispers to the single dad sitting next to her. Rose keeps looking back, trying to catch her eye, but instead watches her mother’s hand sneaking up a strange man’s thigh.

The headmaster smiles at her strangely, in a way she will later define as ‘condescending’ but in the moment she can’t wrap her head around.

“Well done, you clever girl.” He says, and Rose hates it. His clammy hand engulfs hers and Rose just blinks as he shakes it up and down.

The school claps dutifully and her mum is still not looking at her.

She’s eleven years old and she hates everyone in her class. They tease her in the playground, mock her in the classroom and the only safe haven is the tiny library. The librarian is old and odd, and she strokes Rose’s hair like she’s nothing more than a tiny doll.

“Don’t try so hard to be clever,” she tells her. “They’ll leave you alone.”

Rose leaves the library and never comes back.

She’s fifteen years old and GCSEs are utter bullocks. Mickey has already failed them all, already told her they don’t matter in the real world. She stays behind after school to sit in empty classrooms to figure out algebra and tells her mum she still does gymnastics.

She gets her results in a thick brown envelope and takes a quick glance at a long list of A’s before she chucks it in the bin.

“Pure shit.” She tells her mum. “Didn’t even try, anyway. I’m just not clever enough.”

Her mum throws her a party regardless, and Rose ignores the ache in her chest.

She’s seventeen and he’s fucking hot.

She’s told her mum she’s doing A-levels because she hasn’t figured out if she wants to do hairdressing or childcare. Instead, she doodles equations on the back of English papers whilst she waits for everyone else to finish.

She meets Jimmy outside the school gates and he’s smoking cigarettes and the smell gets right into the back of her throat. She tells him that it’s bad for him, and he tells her he could be bad for her. He’s right.

She drops out of school and her mother approves because it was giving her airs and graces. What her mother does not approve of is the filthy bedsit she moves into, where she cries as her boyfriend screams at her.

“You think you’re clever, do you?” he yells, and she shakes her head and whispers no, no, never.

She’s nineteen, fucking shop window dummies are after her, and a strange man is standing with her in the lift.

“’Cos to get that many people dressed up and being silly, they got to be students.”

“Good point. Well done.”

She’s wrong, but the praise bounces around her brain.

She runs off with him because apparently, that’s just what she does. Runs off with charismatic men, leaves her mother worried sick, because she is Rose, and Rose is not clever.

This man, however, is no Jimmy. He’s smart – so smart, any small attempts at intelligence still leave her feeling dumb. This is a comfort. She argues with him, thinks around him, and starts to feel a bit better about herself.

He’s sweet as well, and kind, and doesn't care when she asks too many questions. He shows her how to strip wires and repair parts of his precious ship, and they tinker away together in comfortable silences. Now and then, she properly impresses him, and he ignores the beauties of the universe and beams at her instead. It’s strange and wonderful and she tries her best not to disappoint him.

Then she is sent away, he is trapped, and it’s time for her to use her bloody brains only she’s not sure they even work anymore. He is dying, far in the future, but still dying, and she is watching her mum scoff down chips. She doesn’t want to go back to her old life, doesn’t want to play stupid anymore.

“Why, because you’re better than us?”

No, because she has learned what life is like when she tries, and she is not yet ready to stop.

She makes it back, using her brain and a fucking massive truck, and it is worth it if just for the way he is looking at her. He tells her she is fantastic and then explodes into a whole new man, with a lankier frame and wilder hair. He takes a long nap, and she is left to be useless once more.

She stands up in front of actual, breathing monsters and tries to copy words she’s heard, but her voice shakes, and her hands are trembling. They laugh at her, and she is eleven again, being teased by the nasty girls in her class.

He saves the day, because that’s just what he does, and she runs off with him again because his smile is still kind and their hands fit nicely. Cassandra sits inside her brain and hums with curiosity, poking around her mind like it’s a mildly interesting boutique.

“Not as thick as you seem, are you?” She whispers into Rose’s mind.

She’s inside some sort of spaceship and he is gushing over the accomplishments of Reinette de Pompadour. She already knows all this, knows who she is, but he is enjoying the sound of his own voice, so she keeps quiet.

She watches him carefully, notices the lipstick marks around his face and the ridiculous angle of his collar, and stamps down the familiar feelings of jealousy rising within her chest.

It had felt like they were growing closer. Their hugs had been lingering, hands held tightly at any available moment. She had thought something was growing, something small and precious and good. Clearly, she was wrong.

Reinette dies, and Rose isn’t glad, not really, but she watches him carefully afterward and wonders. Wonders why he keeps her around if he even wants her there. She tries to ask, but the words die on her tongue.

She has almost let the feeling go when she meets her father, a man who does not know her and apparently does not care to. She calls him dad and he runs, leaving her crying and shaking and so very vulnerable. She wonders, afterward, why. Why no one has ever wanted her properly, why it feels like no one has even met her in the first place. She sobs into her mum’s shoulder and wishes she had told her about the GCSE results.

Maybe it’s a good thing, she thinks later, that she’s alone. She has no real connections that make her want to stay at home, no real relationships that don’t leave her mentally exhausted. He is her grounding point, her focus, and he doesn’t think she’s stupid, not really, but he doesn’t think she’s clever either.

She knows she loves him; knows she will spend the rest of her life pining for him. It aches, having so much unspent emotion coursing under her skin. Feels like she could explode and implode simultaneously. But his eyes are so soft, and he is so worth it.

“We’ll always be alright, me and you.” She tells him. He just stares into the sky glumly.

“There’s a storm approaching.”

She hopes for a bit of rain but instead gets a fucking earthquake.

She’s twenty-one, she’s in a different universe, and she’s absolutely fine.

“How are you doing?”

“Are you okay?”

“Speak to me, Rose, please.”

She doesn’t speak to anyone. Doesn’t even look in the mirror.

It’s hard to assign blame on a talking pepper pot, so instead, she blames herself. If she’d been stronger. Tried harder. Been cleverer.

She tells her mum this over a bottle of wine, and she just laughs.

“People like us aren’t clever, Rose. We’re survivors.”

She doesn’t want to be a survivor anymore.

She starts working at Torchwood. Starts sleeping at Torchwood as well. Pete gives her the job out of pity but is quickly astonished by the scale of the work she’s doing.

“You’re brilliant.” He tells her one night. Jackie scoffs.

“Brilliant? Hark at her.”

Rose ignores her. It doesn’t matter.

She sits through A-levels, and then university lectures, and then physics conventions with groups of boring boys who follow her like a bizarre squadron. She has a brother now, a tiny boy with eyes just like hers, and when she tucks him into bed, she whispers stories of the stars.

She creates a dimension cannon and brings it home to show Pete. He marvels over it whilst Jackie sniffs like she’s got a nasty cold.

“Just glorified jewelry. Face it, sweetheart. You’re stuck here with the rest of us. It’s time to get used to it.”

“Shut up,” Rose says, and she can feel her pulse banging away in her ears like a marching parade.

Jackie is spluttering, Pete’s eyes are wide, and Rose isn’t quite sure what she’s doing but she’s doing it anyway.

“I can do this. I am going to do this. So just shut up.”

She does do it. She flits around universes like students backpack around Europe, and it’s strangely healing to spend so much time by herself.

She meets tiny aliens made of glass who kiss through the refractions of light and hugs ginormous bear-like creatures who are surprisingly friendly and incredibly soft.

She searches for him, and it hurts and it’s hard but it’s also fantastic.

She gets through finally to a universe that should be right but is oh so very wrong. A red-haired woman screams at her, and Rose is finding it difficult to breathe.

“I'm nothing special. I'm a temp. I'm not even that. I'm nothing.”

“Donna Noble, you are the most important woman in the whole of creation!”

“Oh, don't. Just don't.”

She tells her mum about her GCSE results because she can’t stop thinking about it. Her mum stares at her for a long while and then looks down at her hands. Rose has never seen her mum speechless before, doesn’t like it, so she just nods and leaves.

She finds him, and the feeling rushes right from her toes to the top of her head. She has done it. After all the effort and pain, she has found him, and the uncurling pride is like nothing she’s ever felt before.

He gets shot and utterly ruins it, but the feeling lingers.

Her mum shows up at the worst possible time, but she is there, and she is looking at Rose so fiercely. When the situation calms down and they are safe, she pulls Rose into a tight hug and rubs her hands in circles across the small of her back.

“I’m so proud of you, sweetheart.” She whispers, and Rose quickly wipes her eyes on her shoulders.

She is dumped on the same beach she has had nightmares about for the last five years. She is left again, but this time she is left with a familiar man who whispers promises into her ear and holds her like she is something important.

He is looking at her like he’s hoping she might lead the way, and she knows how to do this now, knows how to think and plan and strategize. She kisses him on the cheek, watches the blush that spreads across his cheek, takes his hand, and leads him back to England.

She doesn’t take him straight back to the mansion, hates the idea of speech and silence in equal measure. Instead, she takes him to her lab, and he stares at her designs through startled eyes and stolen glasses. She fidgets in the corner of the room, and wraps her arms around her waist, waiting for his verdict.

He turns to her, whips the glasses off of his face and a look of quiet wonder spreads across his face.

“You’re brilliant.”

She squirms under his gaze, picks off an invisible bit of fluff from her jacket. He is still looking at her, and she tries her best to smile.

“Thanks.”

“No, seriously. These are so impressive.”

She’s still not sure what to do with the praise, but it warms her and fills all the cracked pieces of her soul with new and growing tissue. She kisses him, both because she’s not sure what else to do, and because she can, and he smiles against her lips. They break apart and he runs his fingers over her work, his eyes soft and curious.

“How did you do this?” He whispers, and something tender and precious burns gently in her chest.

“I guess I’m just clever.”

[just-a-girl-and-her-ships]

Slibbs Writers-Christopher Waild

(Note: while doing this, I realized....he's kinda the "implied Slibbs" writer. Like, we don't actually see a lot of outright Slibbs scenes, but what happens in his eps, implies a deeper connection than what the scene gives us. Does that make sense?)

Season 15

Double Down (15x10) dir. Alrick Riley

At the beginning of the episode, Jack and Nick are escorting a Senator in Afghanistan. Gibbs calls Jack and after Jack is telling him how it is going he says, "not a social call". Umm, do they do that? Call each other just to chat?

We also get the first glimpse of backstory about the Wingos and hints of what happened to Jack. At the end, we are probably cheated out of a Slibbs hug, when they show up at Gibbs' place after coming home.

Death From Above (15x18) dir. Rocky Carroll

NCIS is put on lockdown and Jack is stuck in MTAC with Vance and McGee. Maybe not a great setup but when they are finally able to get out.....the worry she has for Gibbs.....well, this is the episode right after One Man's Trash. They've just had their first steak night and he's shared a part of his dad's past with her. Make no mistake. She cares for him.

Fallout (15x23)

Cowritten with David North (they did the teleplay together. Story by Waild.)

Directed by Terrence O'Hara

Kasie is back as a temp to get the team moving again after Abby leaves. This is the first episode involving Gibbs friend, Phil Brooks. Jack has a nice scene with McGee about his books (she's read them) and asks him why he became an agent. But there's a nice shot at the end. Slibbs enter the lab together. Where have they been?

Season 16

Third Wheel (16x04) dir. James Whitmore Jr.

Gibbs and Jack are separated the entire time but the episode does not disappoint. Phil is back and he has crashed Gibbs' cabin time. Then Fornell shows up and is all "I'm sorry who are you? Gibbs' best friend? Who knew Gibbs had more than one friend?" Oh and as if that wasn't enough.....hello Izzy!

Ellie to Jack: She would be fun on karaoke night.

I'm sorry. Karaoke??????? We need to see THAT scene. Now.

Toil and Trouble (16x11) dir. Leslie Libman

Slibbs interrogating that scientist. (Remember, he coughs and Jack is all "oh god") At first, we don't see a lot of them actually working together but we know they are by the texts to Vance. When we do see it, they play off each other very well.

Judge Jury... (16x21) dir. James Whitmore Jr.

The case with the poisoned candy. Jack takes the stand as an expert witness and Gibbs shows a hint of pride while watching her.

...and Executioner (16x22)

Cowritten with David J. North

Directed by Terrence O'Hara

First, while Jack is talking to Leon about Mallory: The heart wants what the heart wants. 😍 Then.....

Great scene between Sliibbs in Observation. Leon is about to question Mallory, after she has turned herself in for shooting Gibbs' truck at the diner.

Jack: After everything that's happened with Leon, Clark,..........you (she reaches out for his hand out of camera range)....this woman turns herself in? Why?

Gibbs: Hopin' to find out.

Jack: Do you think it's wise to send a jilted lover in there alone?

Gibbs: It's not my call.

Season 17

Someone Else's Shoes (17x04) dir. Michael Zinberg

Slibbs try to solve a case involving homeless vets while also trying to help a marine who is more focused on learning the stories other vets have to tell.

At one point, Jack could use a second pair of eyes and enlists Gibbs help in looking at Barney's file. So they go to her office where she let's him use her glasses. 😍😍😍

They later stay overnight at the bus depot where the homeless live, taking watch. And then work together to bring down the murderer.

IRL (17x09) dir. Terrence O'Hara

Gibbs is concerned that he isn't helping Phineas. He goes to Jack for help.

"I think you won first place in the science fair."

"You're a good man, Gibbs."

She later gets all wifey on Gibbs when she finds out that Phineas' mom said "no screens" so he gave the kid the biggest screen at NCIS. 🥰

Ephemera (17x16) dir. Diana Valentine

Not a hugely Slibbsy episode. Heck, Jimmy gets a hug out of Gibbs, not Jack. "So warm."

In the flashbacks where they assume the identities of the people involved in their case, Slibbs assume the lives of a brother and sister. Seriously? But the scene at the end with Arturo is beautiful to watch. Maria Bello is amazing.

[sketzocase]

Okay y’all- brace yourselves. It’s a 2 AM random fandom question time!

You ever just had a thought and can’t explain it?

Like geeky/fandom wise?

Mine currently? (and spoiler alert- it’s ALOT)

-I would like to see how Uruk kias were made up close. I would also like to know how Saurmon got his fucking hair that straight. Like bruh- that’s Beyoncé level flawless.

-I know the Ents ‘lost’ their females or whatever, but I am obsessed with how exactly an Ent would go about mating. Also would like to point out that if a lady ent were to turn on her guy ent when they arise in the morning- she would technically be giving him morning wood.

-If Harry Potter can fix shit- why doesn’t he fix his glasses?

-Why the fuck would the ‘chosen one’ only use like... five spells? Come on Harry- get your shit together.

-I don’t think Dementors are inherently evil. I think they’ve been used that way but by being put to use via wizards- they really don’t get to decide- right? Aren’t they technically magical creatures? In which case, can we really not make a case that in using them in Azkaban, the wizards essentially made a kind of house-elf situation?

-Why the hell didn’t Bucky tell any of his friends what he’d done to them in his past upon meeting them? If I had worked with an asshole who killed a loved one and he knew it and never said anything to me fifty-something years late? Fuck yea- I’m pissed.

-Why the fuck does Azazel have a shit ton of kids but somehow only four survived? Like okay- in The Draco we could say that Nils is probably the youngest. And we can assume that Kiwi Black appears to be older than Kurt- who I guess if I was pressed we would say would be late 20’s early 30’s? This means there is a great few years where Azazel is either actively impregnating one woman after or another- or a time when he is a fuck hiatus only to come out a few years later and start actively impregnating women.

-OH- and Impregnating women can be hard! It can take YEARS! Does he just have a magic dick? Like... does something in his powers just make him a sex wizard? Can he get STDS? Can he heal himself if he does? How can he be sure that every single one of his offspring will be mutants? He had so many kids to open a portal- but the had to have some sort of teleporty power. How can he just see a kid pop out and be like ‘yup. It’s a mutant’.

-Why do all of Logan’s kid’s come out looking better than him?

-How does Daken have a tattoo when in ultimate x-men Logan gets tattoos of girlfriends to impress them, knowing it will heal.

-Daken’s tattoo pattern doesn’t really change much. Did he design it himself? When he loses that arm- b/c it’s ALWAYS that arm- does he get like super annoyed because he’s going to have retat himself up?

-How do Daken and Laura not have Logan’s ‘hairy motherfucker��� genes when both Raze and Jimmy Hudson seem to have got it??

-Does Laura have to double shave legs/armpits? Would she even think too?

-Is childbirth easier on Mystique because she can shape her body far more easily than a human? Don’t pregnant women’s like hips or something move or whatever? Can’t Mystique make it easier on herself?

-Are Johnny Storm’s bodily fluids hotter than most? If so, can he burn a partner by coming in them? Does he have to have like special insurance for his person/partner’s/items?

-Can Reed Richards assume whatever size dick Sue wants/needs at the time?

-Professor X makes a future kid with Mystique, does that mean his junk still works?

-Why the everloving FUCK did Remus wait so long to kill Romulus? Or try? Like he’s her twin- right? Can’t a sibling usually tell how sucky or evil a sibling is going to be pretty early on? Like my sisters a little evil- I’ve known it since she was three. Was there not a moment in their childhood where Remus just went ‘wow my brother is really fucked up. I should do something about that before he hurts someone!”

-Why the FUCK did she get Logan to try to kill her brother? Like bitch- you let it get this bad. Go handle your own shit!

-Theoretically, If Rogue wears something from head to two only leaving her lower bits exposed and Gambit wears a condom- can they have sex?

-Does Scott see different shades of red through his visor or is it all the same color?

-Is Colossus’s dick able to go full metal as well as his skin? Like- come on, what’s he packing under those pants?

-How does Sabertooth do day to day things if he can’t retract his claws- ever? Like does all of his shit just get scratched all to hell?

-How do heightened senses peeps function in normal society with all the extra smells/sounds? Is their taste enhanced? Can they do things like listen to headphones safely?

-How the fuck does Scarlet Witch work? Just like in general- I have a lot of questions.

-Why doesn’t Bucky seem to be aging really?

-how old ARE the x-men?

-Am I to believe that Bobby Drake is older than Cannonball? Nah. I don’t buy it.

-What happened to the Guthrie brood? Wasn’t there like... three mutant siblings?

-How the fuck did that one pairing (speaking on Guthrie) have sex IN THE AIR?

-How is angel ever able to do like... anything? Is it a pain to take showers if he has to get his wings all wet (assuming their feathers).

-Movie part here- in Dark Phenoix why the fuck didn't anyone tell Kurt- ‘oh yea, by the way? That’s your mom. Annnnd she’s dead.’ He was made an orphan AGAIN. Furthermore, why didn’t any of the original x-men who were on the beach react when he picked up a fucking knife and used real similar moves to his daddy?

-why didn't they explore that relationship more?

-Does Iceman have a ice dick? Like- he’s been pretty naked before. Where is his dick? Where does it go? If it is there does it react to chilly temps like other dudes?

-Can venom technically contaminate his host's partners if he is somehow involved in sexual relations WITH his host at the time?

-Why do so many aliens talk English?

-How do the x-men understand Doop?

-How do some of them understand Lockheed?

-How many top brains will be introduced only to be topped by someone else?

-How smart is Reed Richards?

-How long can Norman Osborn be the goblin? Are there any other personalities that he’s formed over the years?

-Why the fuck don’t the x-men permanently partner up with Legion? Like ... get on that.

-Why the fuck don’t they just shut the entire hellfire club down? That NEVER ends well and it’s got a lot of the same members over and over again- shut it down, keep it down.

Annnnnd... yea. Those are all my questions/thoughts.

[the--blackdahlia]

Newsroom Chapter 3

Title: Newsroom Chapter 3

Summary:  Sam and Dean travel to Indianapolis, Indiana to investigate a haunting at a news station. But things take a turn when the boys become part of the TV personalities.

Warnings: None really

AN: So, I’m from Indiana and I still had to research some of this stuff. I hope this is still turning out ok.

“So basically, we’re going to be their bitches.” Dean said as he drove on I-74 towards Indianapolis.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Sam confirmed, stretching as much as he could in the confines of the car. “And Garth hasn’t texted me telling me they’ve called asking questions, so they must have accepted our story.” Sam typed through things. “So I found a 3-star hotel about fifteen minutes away that has rooms starting at $48.”

“That seems a little sketchy, even for us.” Dean said. “But, cheap is cheap. And I’ve gotten a taste for the finer things in life.”

“Dean, you refused to buy Miller Lite because it went up by like ten cents.” Sam said. Dean shrugged.

“It’s the principal of the matter.” Dean told him. Sam sighed and went back to what he was reading. Dean drove them closer to the city and Sam gave him directions towards the hotel when they got closer.

“This looks...nice?” Sam said, looking around at the neighborhood as they made their way.

“Does the rest of the city look this pleasant?” Dean asked, pulling over to the side as four police cars went past. “Sam, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore...”

“We’re just used to doing hunts in small towns where the sheriff probably is probably married to the mayor,” Sam said. Dean found the place and pulled into the parking lot. It didn’t look bad, but the rest of the neighborhood left room to be desired.

“So, here we are.” Sam said as they got out. They checked in and found their room. It was actually pretty pleasant. Not what Dean would think a 3-star should look like, but not bad. They got situated and their defenses set up.

“So, what station is it again?” Dean asked. “So I can familiarise myself with their work.”

“That’s actually what I was thinking. We could watch stuff on Youtube so we’re not total idiots.” Sam looked through the file of stuff he had. “It seems it’s the NBC station.” Dean was on his own laptop, Youtube up and ready.

“I need call numbers man.” Dean said.

“Go with WTHR.” Sam told him. Dean nodded and typed it in, a little surprised when he saw a very young David Letterman popping up on the screen. “Well, that’s something that’s nice to know.”

“Dude, that’s David Letterman!” Dean said. “I remember staying up late and watching him because it was the only channel we could get in sometimes.”

“He’s not that funny.” Sam said with a shrug as they watch some clips of old news broadcasts to familiarize themselves. If they were going to be interns, they were going to be the best damn interns that WTHR had ever seen. Dean turned and gave Sam a dirty look.

“You watch your mouth. He is hilarious.” Dean said.

“Jimmy Fallon is hilarious. Letterman, not so much.” Sam said. Dean shook his head.

“It’s like I don’t even know you.” He mumbled. Sam rolled his eyes. He made notes, details, everything. He had worked for the paper at Stanford for awhile. If the law thing didn’t work out, being Clark Kent wouldn’t be bad. But neither of them worked out and now he was one half of Mulder and Scully, it was just debatable who was who.

“Okay Sammy, what do you say? Beers before bed then we hit the studio bright and early?” Dean asked.

“Nah man. I’m just going to research some more. I want to be prepared.” Sam said. Dean rolled his eyes.

“God, you are such a nerd.” He grabbed his jacket and wallet. “There is a bar downstairs and I am going to check it out. See what there is to be seen.”

“You do that.” Sam said, typing away to read and watch some more stuff.

****

The alarm on Sam’s phone went off bright and early the next morning. With it being their first day, they didn’t have to be there until about 8 or so, but after that it was up in the air. Sam got up, looking over at Dean’s bed to see him passed out and snoring. Sam smacked his arm.

“Get up.” He demanded. “Won’t look good on us if we’re late.”

“We don’t even have to be there until 8.” Dean groaned, wrapping himself up in his blankets.

“Dean. Up. Now.” Sam made his way to the bathroom to relieve himself, shave, and shower. By the time he came out, Dean was at least sitting up in bed.

“Man, it’s only 5:30.” Dean groaned. “Why are we up so early?”

“Gotta be used to it if we have to go in earlier.” Sam said. “And we need to prepare ourselves for the day.” Dean got up to use the bathroom next, copying Sam’s routine. As Dean showered, Sam dressed himself in some of his business casual clothes. He was adjusting his tie as Dean came out with his hair plastered to his head from the shower.

“I always look weird in these clothes.” Dean said, holding up his shirt for the day. “God, I hope this case doesn’t take too long.”

“It might be fun.” Sam told him, letting him get ready for the day. “We’ll snag some breakfast before we go. I bet it’s going to be a long day.”

They found themselves having breakfast at the hotel, which killed some time and they were off towards the studio not long after. It was coming up on 8 when they pulled into the parking lot. Dean was complaining the entire time.

“Traffic here sucks. If it’s not potholes, it’s construction. They’re lucky the Indianaians haven’t revolted.” Dean grumbled.

“Hoosiers.” Sam corrected. Dean looked at him. “People of Indiana are called Hoosiers.”

“Dude, you are so a damn nerd.” Dean sighed. They made their way inside to the receptionist, who look like she had just settled in for the day. Dean leaned against the counter and gave her a smile. She looked up at them.

“Can I help you?” She asked. The boys could tell that she didn’t want to be there this early either.

“Uh, we’re new interns from…” Sam started.

“Names?” She asked, bringing up something on her computer.

“Sam Murrow and Dean Jennings.” Dean said. The slid a clipboard over to them.

“Sign here.” She said as she grabbed a label maker and made up some badges for them. “These are your temp badges. You’ll get your real ones later on.” Dean and Sam took them and put them on their shirts. “You’ll go down the hall and to the left. There, you’ll be with a couple other interns and they’re going to assign you two to your departments.” She answered her phone then, cutting off any chance of Sam or Dean asking anymore questions.

“I guess this is the hallway.” Sam said. They made their way down and took a left, and sure enough, there were two other interns sitting in a longue. The other two did not seem to be in the mood to talk, so Dean and Sam sat on the opposite side of the room from them.

“What have you gotten us into?” Dean whispered.

“This was the only way we could get in and investigate.” Sam hissed. Dean shook his head. That’s when a young woman walked in, her hair up and a clipboard in hand.

“Hello. Welcome to Indianapolis.” She said with a smile. “My name is Vanessa Bertin. I have your assignments. Terri Harding, you will be working with Katrina Greystone with traffic. Luke Michaels, you will be with Dusty Lisson with sports. Sam Murrow, you’re with Ben Roshia. Good luck. And Dean Jennings, you’re with me.”

“Why did she tell me good luck?” Sam asked, a little worried. Everyone stood and followed Vanessa as she gave them a brief tour of the building and a little overview of everything. She dropped Terri and Luke off at their departments.

“Okay Sam, here’s Ben’s office.” She offered him a smile before knocking to tell him who was waiting and then taking Dean with her back to her office. Sam stood in front of the door as it opened.

“So, you’re the new intern?” Ben asked. Sam nodded. “Fantastic. Start by taking this to the dry cleaners for me.” He handed him a couple suits. “And make it snappy. I don’t have all day.”

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[junker-town]

Our experts preview the top 25 men’s college basketball teams

This is everything you need to know about the top 25 teams in men’s college basketball.

The 2020-21 men’s basketball season gets underway on Wednesday, November 25, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage on nationwide. The COVID-19 shutdowns began in March of this year as all postseason basketball — and then the rest of NCAA sports — were canceled en masse.

Well, we’re back, baby!

Kind of. There are already myriad teams that have paused their seasons due to outbreaks within their programs — including No. 2 Baylor, No. 12 Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Florida — causing some reshuffling of multi-team events or canceling season openers.

But we will have some men’s college basketball action starting, so we’re here to prepare you for the season. We reached out to the experts across our NCAA team communities to get the low-down on the 25 teams that are ranked in the 2020-21 preseason AP Poll.

Let’s get to it!

25. Michigan

Projected lineup: G Mike Smith, G Eli Brooks, F Franz Wagner, F Isaiah Livers, C Austin Davis

This should be a deeper team with an influx of young talent in the form of Juwan Howard’s first recruiting class (No. 1 in Big Ten, No. 15 nationally) and Chaundee Brown and Mike Smith entering the fold as immediately-eligible transfers. Smith and Eli Brooks will handle primary ballhandling duties, while fifth-year senior Austin Davis is expected to have an expanded role as freshman Hunter Dickinson comes along. What this team does still have is one of the best one-two punches in the Big Ten with Isaiah Livers and a still-ascending Franz Wagner, who was arguably Michigan’s best player at the tail end of last season. — Anthony Broome, Maize n Brew

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

24. Rutgers

Projected lineup: G Geo Baker, G Jacob Young, G Montez Mathis, F Ron Harper Jr., F Myles Johnson

Great expectations have arrived for the Scarlet Knights. After winning 20 regular season games for the first time in 37 years and producing a winning record in Big Ten play for the first time since joining the league, they have the potential to be even better this season. They are ranked in the preseason for the first time in 42 years. Six of the top eight contributors from last season return and they’ve added a top 40 recruiting class that includes 4-star big man Cliff Omoruyi, as well as 3-star wings Mawot Mag and Oskar Palmquist.

After finishing 6th nationally in defensive efficiency last season, their increased size and versatility give hope they may be even better on that end of the floor. The ceiling for this season will likely be determined by how much they improve offensively, particularly from the free throw line and three-point range. However, Baker is one of the best closing playmakers in the country and Harper Jr. is poised to become a star, giving the program the potential to have its best season since the Final Four run 44 years ago. — Aaron Breitman, On the Banks

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

23. Ohio State

Projected lineup: G CJ Walker, G Duane Washington Jr., F E.J. Liddell, F Kyle Young, F Justice Sueing

Having trouble keeping up with who currently plays basketball for Ohio State? Us too. The Buckeyes saw three players leave via transfer during the offseason and three others graduate, leaving a whopping five scholarships open for the taking. Chris Holtmann pulled in combo guard Jimmy Sotos from Bucknell and former Ivy League Player of the Year Seth Towns from Harvard, in addition to the freshman class of Zed Key, Eugene Brown, and Meechie Johnson. While there are still a few holdovers from last year’s team, it may take a little time for fans to get familiar with the new faces.

The main question for Ohio State this season will be the health of key contributors such as Towns, Kyle Young, and Justice Sueing. The Buckeyes have four players who are recovering from various surgeries (yikes), so how they hold up over the course of a full season will largely dictate OSU’s success in the Big Ten conference this season.

— Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land

Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images

22. UCLA

Projected lineup: G Tyger Campbell, G Johnny Juzang, G Chris Smith, F Jaime Jaquez, F Jalen Hill

Everyone’s back for UCLA, PLUS they receive the services of Johnny Juzang who received clearance to play immediately this season from the NCAA. The backcourt should be nearly impossible to defend against as such with Campbell who can penetrate on any defense in the country, Juzang who is probably the best pure shooter on the team and Smith, who spurned the NBA for another run at it with UCLA. Smith is a true guard who just so happens to stand 6’9 and averaged 13 points while making nearly 50% of his shots. Jaime Jaquez is a star-in-the-making and Jalen Hill may very well be the Pac-12’s best offensive rebounder. Add in the fact that Mick Cronin’s crew was the hottest team in basketball when the season was canceled last year, the fact that there’s 14 starts from last year sitting on the bench with David Singleton and also a top 75 recruit in Jaylen Clark waiting in the wings, and this team is afraid of no one, but everyone should be afraid of it.

— Cam Mellor, Bruins Nation

Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images

21. Florida State

Projected lineup: G Scottie Barnes, G MJ Walker, G RayQuan Evans, F Malik Osborne, F Balsa Koprivika

Sure, the defending ACC champions are the only team in the country forced to replace multiple lottery picks. And yes, they must also replace Trent Forrest, who left FSU having played in more wins (104) than any other player in school history.

But the ‘Noles still return seven guys who played at least 20 percent of the total possible minutes during last year’s 26-5 campaign, including 3 starters. Oh and FSU just happened to add a 5 star point guard (Scottie Barnes) and one of the top JUCO recruits in the country (Sardaar Calhoun). Leonard Hamilton’s squad is long, deep, athletic, and play with a chip on their shoulder—overlook them at your own risk.

— Matt Minnick, Tomahawk Nation

Photo by Cody Glenn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

20. Oregon

Projected lineup: G Will Richardson, G Chris Duarte, G Eric Williams Jr., F Eugene Omoruyi, C N’Faly Dante

Payton Pritchard may have graduated, but don’t expect the Ducks to drop off a lot from the squad that went 24-7 last season. Guards Will Richardson and Chris Duarte will be crucial for Dana Altman’s squad, and the Ducks bring four-star recruit Jalen Terry into the mix. KenPom expects the Oregon defense to improve (they finished the season No. 76 last season) but the offense to slip just a tad.

The Ducks are an extremely experienced team with nine players listed as upperclassmen on the roster. That said, Pritchard played 35.5 minutes per game (88.8% of available minutes) and Oregon will need someone to step up as the leader in the backcourt.

— Caroline Darney, SB Nation

Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

19. Texas

Projected lineup: G Matt Coleman, G Courtney Ramey, G Andrew Jones, F Greg Brown III, F Jericho Sims

After inheriting an experienced team from Rick Barnes in 2015-16, Shaka Smart has spent the ensuing seasons building an experienced roster. Now Texas has a senior point guard, returned every player from last year’s team, and added Brown, a high-flying top-10 prospect. Not only is this team Smart’s most experienced in years, it’s also his deepest and most talented group, which could finally mean a return to the pressing, fast-paced Havoc style that Smart used to make a Final Four appearance at VCU.

— Wescott Eberts, Burnt Orange Nation

Photo by Larry Placido/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

18. Arizona State

Projected lineup: G Remy Martin, G Alonzo Verge Jr., G Joshua Christopher, F Marcus Bagley, F Jalen Graham

This team is by far Bobby Hurley’s most talented since his arrival in Tempe. Associated Press preseason All-American Remy Martin decided to return for his senior season. He is joined by Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year Alonzo Verge as well as the highly touted freshmen Joshua Christopher and Marcus Bagley. Martin, Verge and Christopher certainly have the talent to make Arizona State “Guard U” again.

There’s a ton of depth on this team as well. Jalen Graham came on strong late last season. Taeshon Cherry and Jaelen House are both guys that contribute from the three-point line and on defense. Kimani Lawrence, Ohio State transfer Luther Muhammad, Portland State transfer Holland Woods all bring in a veteran presence too. Then there’s Pavlo Dziuba, a european freshman who as a pure athlete might be the most dynamic. There’s been a lot of buzz about the Sun Devils, and for good reason.

— Brady Vernon, House of Sparky

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

17. Houston

Projected lineup: G DeJon Jarreau, G Marcus Sasser, G Caleb Mills, G Quentin Grimes, F Justin Gorham

Houston returns all of the major players from a Cougars squad that went 23-8 last season. Redshirt sophomore Caleb Mills is a player to watch this season after leading his team with 13.2 points per game last year en route to being named to the AAC All-Freshman team. Fellow double-digit scorer Quentin Grimes (12.1 points per game) returns for Kelvin Sampson’s squad, and the Cougars add four-star recruit Tramon Mark to the mix.

Expect a high-flying offense that can make up for any deficiencies on the defensive end of the court.

— Caroline Darney, SB Nation

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

16. North Carolina

Projected lineup: G Caleb Love, G RJ Davis, G Leaky Black, F Garrison Brooks, F Day’Ron Sharpe

After an extremely disappointing 2019-2020 campaign, Roy Williams has reloaded his roster with a number of talented freshmen in hopes of returning things back to normal. The engine of this team is preseason ACC Player of the Year Garrison Brooks, and he will be surrounded with a lot more talent than last year in Caleb Love, RJ Davis, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Walker Kessler. The big question will be whether or not this team will be able to gel together well enough to return to the NCAA tournament, but the odds of that happening look pretty good. Roy Williams certainly hasn’t let them forget what happened last season, and that may be more than enough motivation for this team to make a deep tournament run.

— Brandon Anderson, Tar Heel Blog

Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images

15. West Virginia

Projected lineup: G Deuce McBride, G Taz Sherman, F Emmitt Matthews, F Derek Culver, C Oscar Tshiebwe

The Mountaineers enter the 2020 season with an exceptional combination of talent, size, depth, and experience, losing just one meaningful contributor from last year’s 21-10 squad and adding a trio of freshmen who are all expected to contribute right away. They feature arguably the best front court tandem in America in Derek Culver and Oscar Tshiebwe, a rising star in guard Deuce McBride, and an abundance of length and depth on the wing.

The metrics like West Virginia, as well - the Mountaineers are currently No. 8 in KenPom, with the No. 12 adjusted offense and No. 7 adjusted defense. Considering everything they bring back they should again be among the nation’s best at rebounding (1st nationally in OREB in 2019, 5th in rebounding margin) and defending (15th in PPG allowed), and if the 3-point shooting improves as expected, this will be a battle-hardened unit that has everything needed to make a deep tournament run come March.

— Jordan Pinto, The Smoking Musket

Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images

14. Texas Tech

Projected lineup: G Mac McClung, G Kyler Edwards, G Nimari Burnett, F Terrence Shannon Jr., F Marcus Santos-Silva

This is by far the deepest and most talented roster Chris Beard has coached in his five years at Texas Tech. The lineup mixes established veterans with highly touted freshmen and capable role players, not to mention one of the most dynamic backcourts in the country. It’ll take some time for the team to come together as a unit, and enduring the gauntlet that is the Big 12 Conference regular season schedule will test the Red Raiders on a weekly basis. But, with a top-5 coach in the country on the bench, this team has every tool it needs to make another deep postseason run.

— Zach Mason, Viva the Matadors

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

13. Michigan State

Projected lineup: G Rocket Watts, G Joshua Langford, G/F Aaron Henry, F Joey Hauser, F Marcus Bingham Jr.

Michigan State loses the Big Ten’s all-time leader in assists in Cassius Winston and versatile big man/defensive lockdown specialist Xavier Tillman, which hurts, but still returns a lot of talent. Joshua Langford makes his return after missing the past year-and-a-half due to a foot injury, and Joey Hauser finally gets his chance to play, after having to sit out a season following his transfer from Marquette. Aaron Henry will step into a leadership role with fellow captains Langford and Foster Loyer. MSU has a deep bench, with players like Malik Hall and Gabe Brown able to provide scoring and a spark in a hurry. The Spartans also bring in two true freshmen who could earn immediate playing time in guard AJ Hoggard and center Mady Sissoko.

The question marks come at point guard — will Rocket Watts — much more of a self shot creator than a facilitator — be able to transition to the point guard spot, or will he stick to the two-guard? And at center, the starting spot is up for grabs. Marcus Bingham Jr. likely has the first shot at it, with Sissoko challenging him, and Thomas Kithier and Julius Marble factoring into the rotation somewhere. While there isn’t quite as much hype for Tom Izzo’s squad this year, this Michigan State team is deep, talented, and will challenge for its fourth consecutive Big Ten title.

— Ryan O’Bleness, The Only Colors

Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

12. Tennessee

Projected lineup: G Santiago Vescovi, G Keon Johnson, G Josiah-Jordan James, F Yves Pons, F John Fulkerson

Rick Barnes is ready for another run at an SEC title, now armed with a roster full of experience and elite prospects. Following breakout seasons, Fulkerson and Pons return to the post as seniors. Guards Vescovi and Josiah-Jordan James enter year two after taking their lumps as freshmen last season. The real excitement here comes with the addition of five-star guards Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer. Oh, the Volunteers also have veteran point guard Victor Bailey Jr. eligible for depth and will add senior grad-transfer E.J. Anosike to the post for some added toughness. This team is deep and brings legitimate NBA talent to the table, the only question is how quickly those freshmen guards come along.

— Terry Lambert, Rocky Top Talk

Photo by Porter Binks/Getty Images

11. Creighton

Projected lineup: G Marcus Zegarowski, G Mitchell Ballock, G Antwann Jones, F Damien Jefferson, F Christian Bishop

If there’s a team that’s going to challenge the Villanova Wildcats for Big East supremacy this season, it’s the Creighton Blue Jays. They return most of their major players from a team that finished 24-7 last season, led by point guard Marcus Zegarowski. The Blue Jays shot nearly 40% as a team from three last year and are projected as the No. 6 offense per KenPom.

Defensively there may be some questions to answer, but we should get a good glimpse at who Creighton is when they play Kansas on December 8.

— Caroline Darney, SB Nation

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

10. Kentucky

Projected lineup: G Devin Askew, G Brandon Boston, G Terrence Clarke, F Keion Brooks Jr., C Olivier Sarr

This Kentucky team has a little bit of everything, but one area they’ll stand out more than maybe anyone in college hoops is their ridiculous size and length. They have nine scholarship players at 6-foot-6+ and nine with a 6-foot-11+ wingspan. And they have the athleticism to go with it, so this has the potential to be one of John Calipari’s best rebounding and shot-blocking teams ever.

There will be the usual growing pains with only two scholarship players returning and nine newcomers, but they have all the tools to become a Final Four-caliber team come March. The key to becoming a team capable of winning it all is how good prized freshmen Terrence Clarke and Brandon Boston are come tourney time. That’s the usual big ‘if’ with Cal-coached teams. He always has elite freshmen in Lexington, though they don’t always hit their stride before being drafted into the NBA.

Clarke and Boston both have the potential to be All-Americans and top-10 NBA Draft picks in 2021. If they reach their potential this season, good luck stopping two 6-7 guards capable of scoring at all three levels with an all-conference big man in Olivier Sarr roaming the paint.

— Jason Marcum, A Sea of Blue

Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

9. Duke

Projected lineup: G Jordan Goldwire, G Jeremy Roach, G Wendell Moore Jr., F Jalen Johnson, F Mathew Hurt

The 2020-21 edition of the Duke Blue Devils is a good mix of experience and new blood. They return players like Jordan Goldwire (Sr.), Joey Baker (Jr.), Matthew Hurt (So.), and Wendell Moore Jr. (So.) and add the No. 3 incoming class. Coach Krzyzewski brings four five-star recruits into the program in Jalen Johnson, Jeremy Roach, DJ Steward, and Mark Williams and two four-star players in Jaemyn Brakefield and Henry Coleman.

Expect the Blue Devils to have a top-10 defense on KenPom and compete for both the ACC and National Championships.

— Caroline Darney, SB Nation

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

8. Illinois

Projected lineup: G Trent Frazier, G Ayo Dosunmu, G Adam Miller, G Da’Monte Williams, C Kofi Cockburn

Simply put, Ayo and Kofi are back. That’s why the Illini are ranked the highest they’ve been in over a decade. Dosunmu averaged 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists as a sophomore last year, and he’s already been named a preseason All-American for 2020-21. He’s the best closer in college basketball, and he’ll be the catalyst to Illinois’ success this year. Cockburn returns for his sophomore campaign after testing the NBA Draft waters as well this offseason. The Illini’s man in the middle was the difference maker down low that Brad Underwood’s program needed. All the 7-footer did last year was smash program records and average 13.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game en route to being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Surround those two with veteran role players (Frazier, Williams, Giorgi Bezhanishvili), a couple talented freshmen (Miller, Andre Curbelo) and some promising transfers (Austin Hutcherson, Jacob Grandison), and you have all the makings for what should be an exciting tournament run.

— Tristen Kissack, The Champaign Room

Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

7. Wisconsin

Projected lineup: G D’Mitrik Trice, G Brad Davison, F Aleem Ford, F Nate Reuvers, F Micah Potter

If you enjoyed last season’s Wisconsin Badgers basketball team I’ve got some good news for you! They, except for Brevin Pritzl, are all back and ready to make another run at a Big Ten title. The all-senior starting lineup is not something you see very often in modern college basketball, but the Badgers have one and even feature a senior as the first guard off the bench. This should be a fierce defensive team that has size down low and grit on the perimeter. The offense will be efficient and anyone in the starting five could be the leading scorer on any given night. In an ultra-competitive Big Ten, the Badgers should be in contention all season.

— Drew Hamm, Bucky’s 5th Quarter

Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images

6. Kansas

Projected lineup: G Marcus Garrett, G Bryce Thompson, G Ochai Agbaji, F Christian Braun, C David McCormack

The Jayhawks, along with Dayton and Florida State, are one of the squads you have to feel absolutely gutted for over losing the postseason this past spring. Kansas finished 28-3 on the season and hadn’t lost a game since January 11 before the rug was pulled out from underneath everyone. Big time names like Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike are gone, but Bill Self returns Ochai Agbaji and Marcus Garrett and adds five-star freshman Bryce Thompson.

This season, there shouldn’t be a huge drop off. They are preseason No. 5 on KenPom and will get two big tests early in the season with No. 1 Gonzaga on Thanksgiving and No. 10 Kentucky on December 1.

— Caroline Darney, SB Nation

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

5. Iowa

Projected lineup: G Connor McCaffery, G Jordan Bohannon, G CJ Fredrick, G Joe Wieskamp, C Luka Garza

The Iowa Hawkeyes will boast one of the best offenses in the country with a four-, sometimes five-, out lineup built around reigning consensus All-American Luka Garza. Bohannon returns after recovering from surgery in his hip to a group which has seven players (Joe Toussaint and Jack Nunge) with starting experience. The questions are two-fold for Iowa: 1) can the Hawks make strides on the defensive end with a deeper group in 2020-21 and 2) will it matter if everyone struggles to keep pace with this high-octane bunch?

— Harrison Starr, Black Heart Gold Pants

Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images

4. Virginia

Projected lineup: G Kihei Clark, G Casey Morsell, G Tomas Woldetensae, F Sam Hauser, F Jay Huff

The Virginia Cavaliers are still the reigning champions after no team was crowned in 2020. Bad news for everyone else: the Hoos are going to be good again. After a masterful coaching job that took a team with the No. 234 offense to a 23-7 record and second place finish in the ACC, Tony Bennett is getting some reinforcements on offense. Marquette transfer Sam Hauser is finally eligible and is an immediate scoring threat from anywhere on the court. Once you add in the steady hand of point guard Kihei Clark, the three-point shooting of Tomas Woldetensae, and the versatility of big man Jay Huff, you have something cooking.

Virginia will also have some new faces with Jabri Abdur-Rahim, Reece Beekman, and Carson McCorkle joining the fray. The 2020 incoming class — ranked No. 18 nationally per 247 — is Bennett’s best since the class that featured Kyle Guy, De’Andre Hunter, and Ty Jerome. Because I’m legally obligated to talk about the defense in a Virginia basketball post, just know that they should be very good once again. KenPom has them at No. 1 to start the season, but we’ll see if they’re a little rusty after the wacky offseason.

— Caroline Darney, Streaking the Lawn

Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images

3. Villanova

Projected lineup: G Collin Gillespie, G Justin Moore, G Bryan Antoine, F Jermaine Samuels, C Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

The big reason for the excitement? Villanova enters the season as a legitimate national title contender, eyeing its 3rd in five seasons. This team looks more like the 2016 champs (tough and deep across the board) than the 2018 champs (truly elite at the top-end). After only losing Saddiq Bey (admittedly a big loss) to the NBA, the ‘Cats are loaded with plenty of knowns - Collin Gillespie, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Justin Moore - who are All-Big East talents and will push for national honors. On top of that, throw in the exciting unknowns; Former 5-star guard Bryan Antoine is healthy and the redshirts are off guard Caleb Daniels and forward Eric Dixon. Daniels and Dixon have drawn rave reviews from the coaching staff, making this ‘Nova squad as deep as it is talented.

Even in a COVID-shortened season, the ‘Cats will test their title aspirations early and often with a schedule built for the fans. They could face fellow contender Baylor in the second game of the season and get another Top-25 test at Texas 10 days later. And that’s before the annual gauntlet of the Big East. After peaking right as last season was canceled, this team will have their eyes on the ultimate prize this Spring.

— Chris Lane, VU Hoops

Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

2. Baylor

Projected lineup: G Davion Mitchell, G Jared Butler, G MaCio Teague, F Mark Vital, F Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua

Get ready for the 2020-2021 Bears: Baylor opens the campaign ranked No. 1 on KenPom and the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Bears return four starters from last season’s likely No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Jared Butler is the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, and Adam Flagler should slide in well to form the nation’s best backcourt. With Mitchell and Vital back—two finalists for the national defensive player of the year award—the Bears figure to be a monster to score against. You can make an argument for Gonzaga or Villanova, but the Bears should be the national title favorites.

— Kendall Kaut, Our Daily Bears

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

1. Gonzaga

Projected lineup: G Jalen Suggs, G Joel Ayayi, F Corey Kispert, F Anton Watson, C Drew Timme

By now you are probably aware that the AP preseason No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs are the most overrated preseason No. 1 in school history. If you can put aside your existing biases against the Zags, it is important to note that this is essentially the same team that finished the season last year ranked No. 2. Sure, losing Filip Petrusev hurts, but it doesn’t hurt at all when you can slot in future star Drew Timme and welcome the highest-rated recruiting class in school history, headlined by five-star PG Jalen Suggs. Oh yeah, Corey Kispert is also a preseason All-American. The Zags are loaded at every single position. If there was ever a year to bet on Mark Few finally getting that first national championship, this is it.

— Peter Woodburn, The Slipper Still Fits

[a-thought-n-time-blog]

Adversity for the Patriots...Really???

In Boston, the temp outside isn't the only thing that's plummeting this cold Sunday morning. As Brady finishes up with his recent media marathon, word of Matt Patricia and the Lions is heading down the pike. Josh McDaniels with a barrage of interviews as the week winds down is looking to also be leaving the fold.

In truth, the only people for the Pats who aren't getting any offers are the ball boys, but alas, the week is still young!

So what in the world is happening in New England? The same thing that's been happening for the last decade... they're winning and now they have their old friend adversity to help guide them down the home stretch! One take away from the Big Three this week is that adversity drives not only Tom Brady but Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick to win championships! Did anyone catch that game last year where New England came back to beat the Falcons? Well it was a helluva game!!! So, with that in mind, guess they have nothing else to prove. Time to move on. Nowhere left to go but down. Right?

Think The Beatles. I mean it's all about ego and talent, right? Nobody could possibly be selfless and cohesive in this situation...Until They Are.

Now think Def Leppard...marred by adversity yet coming back time and time again year after year to prove they still have what it takes to make magic!

So, what does it all mean concerning the Pats...Brady said something really interesting this weekend. He earnestly spoke about people he cared about, talented and seasoned veterans of and in the game. The people who surround him...who make him a better man and a better player. He spoke of family and friendships, comraderie, and the adversity that binds men together...not just for a season but for all time - through defeat, success, trials, suffering, triumph and back again - Relationships.He said that in football moving on is often part of the game and as a professional you have to understand that part of the game.

So, let's ask some hard questions

Was Belichick told he had to get rid of Garoppolo?

Is Belichick leaving for the Giants?

Why would ESPN report it if it weren't so?

Belichick, the GOAT coach, is definitely being bullied. That's for sure. It's been going on for years. He lets Kraft and Brady dictate his players and coaching decisions. He's certainly gotten all that he needs as far as trophies and achievements. Just look at him on the sideline...hoodie cloaked, cold, tired and done! He would be estatic if only the Giants would call to give him a chance to coach somewhere where there aren't any winners. No more bullying. A class act organization that treats aging coaches with reverence and dignity...somewhere sunny and warm all year long!

Belichick would also just love to follow his beloved winning quarterback Jimmy G to San Francisco. Maybe they will call. If only they didn't have a coach! God knows he could never draft another winner...that's a once in a lifetime quarterback he gave to SF... A sure fire HOF'er with loads of experience! Alas, if only poor Belichick had been the man in charge in New England, he could have kept Garoppolo and stayed in New England!

ESPN has to be on the right track with all of this...God knows they have an impeccable reputation! (ESPN has been going through a bit of controversy of their own.) Maybe the NFL is going through yet another change. Maybe the omniscient and omnipresent NFL is just like other monopolies in that the information leaked and reported is not always for the greater good...Especially when it comes to the media and information leaks. It usually takes very little for dissension to arise. So ask yourself who is ESPN? They are for all intents and purposes football, the NFL! So do you think that if two coordinators are leaving a team for head coaching positions that the NFL news outlets would venture to speculate on the entire team? Of course they would speculate, especially with the caliber of quarterback, coach, and owner associated with that team. Throw in some New England vs the world vs Roger Goodell vs the NFL drama and you've got yourself a 24/7 news cycle...Sounds much better than another ESPN analyst accused of sexual harassment.

1-13-18

Just A Thought

from

tammy norton mcarthur

[kristablogs]

How a 19-year-old lion fathered 35 cubs in 18 months

Lion tamer at work. Though no evidence is available, the mustachioed man is unlikely to have survived this scene. (Library of Congress, 1873/)

Popular Science’s WILD LIVES is a monthly video series that dives like an Emperor penguin into the life and times of history’s noteworthy animals. With every episode debut on Youtube, we’ll be publishing a story about the featured beasts, plus a lot more fascinating facts about the natural world. Click here to subscribe.

Feature Creature: Frasier the Sensuous Lion

Have you ever wondered about the number of lions at your zoo? You probably don’t think about lion reproduction too much. Well, consider this:

If one female lion in captivity has a litter of cubs and they all survive and breed—for reference: zoo lions can start breeding before their third birthday—and then those offspring all survive and breed, and then the next generation the same, and so on, it would take about 37 years until that one family tree of descendants from that one lioness needed to eat the entire population of Los Angeles every day just to survive.

Dr. Craig Packer, Professor and Head of the Lion Center at the University of Minnesota, originally came up with this thought experiment. He used it as a way to answer a question on if lions have any difficulty breeding in captivity or the wild. Clearly, no panda bear-type pornos are needed to stimulate mating here. This lion factoid came up during a conversation about a lion that actually did take over L.A. That prolific Panthera leo was named Frasier. In the video above, we tell his story.

Let us now praise other famous animals

Below, a collection of fast facts about famous critters.

Question: why does this Peruvian military helicopter emblem have a tiger on it—its tail around a missile—when there are no tigers anywhere in South America? (Tom McNamara/)

Magicians Siegfried and <a href="https://ift.tt/2yKi50i" target=_blank>Roy</a> got their start in 1957 in Germany when Roy, who apparently took care of a <b>cheetah</b> at a local zoo, <i>borrowed</i> the animal and used it as part of the duo’s show. Nearly half a century later, their act came to an end when Roy was attacked by a <b>tiger</b> named Montecore onstage at the Mirage hotel and casino in Las Vegas.

In 2015, <b>Cecil the Lion</b> was killed by American dentist Walter Palmer. The <a href="https://ift.tt/2YVVIPJ" target=_blank>13-year-old lion</a> was a popular attraction at Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, known for his striking black mane and comfort with tourist vehicles. His fate drew intense news coverage, a flurry of celebrity tweets, and an impassioned monologue from Jimmy Kimmel. <a href="https://ift.tt/2YVVIPJ" target=_blank>Read more. >></a>

In a recent book, <a href="https://amzn.to/2E4SQ8P" target=_blank><i>No Beast So Fierce: The Terrifying True Story of the Champawat Tiger, the Deadliest Animal in History</i></a>, author Dane Hucklebridge details the surprisingly methodical and incredibly blood machinations of a single <b>Bengal tigress</b>. Between 1900 to 1907, the Champawat man-eater stalked humans living in the villages of southern Nepal and, because tigers know no borders, eventually northern India. Along her route, she killed 435 people, making her perhaps the most murderous non-human animal in recorded history. <a href="https://ift.tt/2D4Kuk7" target=_blank>Read more. >></a>

<b>El Jefe the Jaguar</b> is the last known of his species to be seen in the United States. The <i>Panthera onca</i> was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTC8XdViC5s" target=_blank>spotted in the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson, Arizona</a>, between 2011 and 2017.

In 2014, I accompanied a scientific expedition to a previously unexplored part of the Peruvian Amazon. When I boarded a military helicopter to get there, I noticed the design on the door pictured above. Why a tiger? There are no tigers anywhere in Amazonia. Well, first, there are no tigers or lions in Detroit, but that doesn’t stop the city from having those animals as their mascots. A member of the expedition clued me in, though, saying that across South America the <b>Amazon Jaguar</b> is often called “tigre” or tiger. And, let’s be honest, the tail around the missile is a nice touch.

Popular Science’s Encyclopedia of Big Cat Facts

The math of tiger stripes:

How’d the tiger get its stripes? MATH! (Pond5/)

Math might be able to predict the tiger’s stripes. Or, more accurately, mathematical rules likely work with biological processes to determine patterns on animals—the leopard’s spots, the horse’s dapples, and, yes, those beautiful black stripes that contour and bend around the tiger’s orange fur.

Famed World War Two codebreaker and British mathematician Alan Turing first theorized in the 1950s that spontaneous patterns emerge when “chemicals [react] together and [defuse] through tissue,” writes Ian Stewart in his 2017 book, The Beauty of Numbers in Nature. These chemicals are also known by another name: morphogens, a term Turning coined. We should think of them as shape creators.

Over half a century later, scientists found support for these theoretical models in the real world. A 2015 study published in Cell Systems used them to take Turing’s theories a step further to explain pattern orientation. Think about it, if math can predict an animal’s spots and stripes, why couldn’t it also tell us why a tiger’s stripes are vertical and an okapi’s stripes are horizontal? The most abstract level of mathematics can play out in the day-to-day lives of the biological world. Read more about the study, this way. >>

The Saber-toothed cat

Los Angeles looked a lot different 10,000 years ago. Teratornis birds, saber-toothed cats, and an extinct species of horse all roamed around the La Brea Tar Pools. Fall in and you’ll be preserved forever! (Field Museum/Charles R. Knight, 1921./)

How long did it take for Smilodon fatalis—the saber-toothed cat—to grow their 7-inch long mouth swords? Well, the extinct feline’s fearsome canine teeth grew at an incredibly quick 6 mm per month, almost twice as fast as human fingernails.

(Oh, and that picture is by way of famed early 20th Century natural history painter Charles R. Knight, who was legally blind. Some of his paintings are hidden like Easter eggs on random walls at The Field Museum in Chicago and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.)

How climate is changing animals

Snow Leopard, <i>Panthera unica</i>. (Joel Sartore/Getty Images/)

This spotted and thick-coated Snow Leopard thrives in a Goldilocks zone between 9,800 to 17,800 feet in altitude across the Tibetan Plateau, a frigid, rocky region that offers wild goats and sheep as prey. But rising temperatures are pushing the zone higher, forcing leopards and their quarry up the slopes, fragmenting their habitats into isolated summits. Rising temps also pull in competing predators like common leopards, which previously avoided the chilly heights in favor of forested hunting grounds at lower elevations. Humans are moving in as well to graze their ­domesticated goats and sheep, which sometimes requires killing cats who get too curious about the flocks. Read more about animals reacting to climate change, this way. >>

Calls of the Wild

East African Cheetah, <i>Acinonyx jubatus jubatus</i>. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. (Tom McNamara/)

If you had to guess, what sound does a cheetah make? Lions roar. Tigers bellow and growl. And cheetahs…chirp? Yup. They also purr, hiss, bark, and even meow. It turns out, their chirp can mean a lot of things. Females, who are more solitary compared to males, chirp to attract mates. Yet both sexes also chirp when they’re distressed. Males do it if they get split up from their pack—and they chirp in celebration when the crew gets back together again. Same goes for mothers and their cubs. According to the National Zoo, “cheetahs may even be able to identify each other by the sound of their chirps.”

Denzil Mackrory · Cheetah Chirp

And, finally, rabbit holes I went down while researching this video

What’s the lion equivalent of a rabbit hole? “Daniel in the Lions' Den” is a 1614–1616 painting by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens, now in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. (National Gallery of Art/)

Did you know in the 1970s. actor Tippi Hedren (probably most famous for her role in the Hitchcock classic, <i>The Birds</i>), her husband Noel Marshall, and their whole family lived with 150 untrained wild animals? And filmed it? <i>Roar</i>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi3fz5Dbn6k" target=_blank>released in 1981</a>, became known as “the most dangerous movie ever made”—mostly because 70 members of the cast and crew were injured in its creation. Someone even got their scalp sliced clean off. <i>New Yorker </i><a href="https://ift.tt/2RW2X6o" target=_blank>remembers the film</a> here. The movie is somehow worse than you’re imagining.

This headline from <a href="https://ift.tt/2hV7IhF" target=_blank><i>The Washington Post</i> in 2017</a> says it all: “The strange and deadly saga of 15 circus cats’ final week in America.” Also, this <a href="https://ift.tt/2FZXjx3" target=_blank>history of the Indian circus from Quartz India</a> is fascinating.

Ever wonder what it’d be like to be a lion tamer? OK. Probably not. But one-third of Errol Morris’ 1997 documentary <a href="https://ift.tt/3lqtu9l" target=_blank><i>Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control</i></a> will make you glad you found out about lion tamer Dave Hoover. The other two-thirds of the movie are pretty weird in a good way, too.

After watching the PopSci <a href="https://youtu.be/eK_zmYWHxxo" target=_blank>video short about Frasier the Sensuous Lion</a>, you might start having questions about if it’s ethical to keep wild animals in captivity or not. This <a href="https://ift.tt/3gymgfQ" target=_blank>2007 Radiolab episode</a> about zoos is a must-listen, especially the first segment.

PopSci found out if <a href="https://ift.tt/2EBUq54" target=_blank>a lion could live on veggie burgers</a>. Also, did you know that <a href="https://ift.tt/31AkExU" target=_blank>mountain lions are so scared of humans that the sound of talk radio sends them running</a>?

And, if you can stomach it, you can meet the deadliest cat in the world via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl8o9PsJPAQ" target=_blank>a PBS Nature clip</a>. It’s intense. Seriously. Turn back now. OK, you’ve been warned.

Subscribe to WILD LIVES on YouTube for more wild stories about animals like Frasier the Sensuous Lion.

[scootoaster]

How a 19-year-old lion fathered 35 cubs in 18 months

Lion tamer at work. Though no evidence is available, the mustachioed man is unlikely to have survived this scene. (Library of Congress, 1873/)

Popular Science’s WILD LIVES is a monthly video series that dives like an Emperor penguin into the life and times of history’s noteworthy animals. With every episode debut on Youtube, we’ll be publishing a story about the featured beasts, plus a lot more fascinating facts about the natural world. Click here to subscribe.

Feature Creature: Frasier the Sensuous Lion

Have you ever wondered about the number of lions at your zoo? You probably don’t think about lion reproduction too much. Well, consider this:

If one female lion in captivity has a litter of cubs and they all survive and breed—for reference: zoo lions can start breeding before their third birthday—and then those offspring all survive and breed, and then the next generation the same, and so on, it would take about 37 years until that one family tree of descendants from that one lioness needed to eat the entire population of Los Angeles every day just to survive.

Dr. Craig Packer, Professor and Head of the Lion Center at the University of Minnesota, originally came up with this thought experiment. He used it as a way to answer a question on if lions have any difficulty breeding in captivity or the wild. Clearly, no panda bear-type pornos are needed to stimulate mating here. This lion factoid came up during a conversation about a lion that actually did take over L.A. That prolific Panthera leo was named Frasier. This is his story.

Let us now praise other famous animals

Below, a collection of fast facts about famous critters.

Question: why does this Peruvian military helicopter emblem have a tiger on it—its tail around a missile—when there are no tigers anywhere in South America? (Tom McNamara/)

Magicians Siegfried and <a href="https://ift.tt/2yKi50i" target=_blank>Roy</a> got their start in 1957 in Germany when Roy, who apparently took care of a <b>cheetah</b> at a local zoo, <i>borrowed</i> the animal and used it as part of the duo’s show. Nearly half a century later, their act came to an end when Roy was attacked by a <b>tiger</b> named Montecore onstage at the Mirage hotel and casino in Las Vegas.

In 2015, <b>Cecil the Lion</b> was killed by American dentist Walter Palmer. The <a href="https://ift.tt/2YVVIPJ" target=_blank>13-year-old lion</a> was a popular attraction at Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, known for his striking black mane and comfort with tourist vehicles. His fate drew intense news coverage, a flurry of celebrity tweets, and an impassioned monologue from Jimmy Kimmel. <a href="https://ift.tt/2YVVIPJ" target=_blank>Read more. >></a>

In a recent book, <a href="https://amzn.to/2E4SQ8P" target=_blank><i>No Beast So Fierce: The Terrifying True Story of the Champawat Tiger, the Deadliest Animal in History</i></a>, author Dane Hucklebridge details the surprisingly methodical and incredibly blood machinations of a single <b>Bengal tigress</b>. Between 1900 to 1907, the Champawat man-eater stalked humans living in the villages of southern Nepal and, because tigers know no borders, eventually northern India. Along her route, she killed 435 people, making her perhaps the most murderous non-human animal in recorded history. <a href="https://ift.tt/2D4Kuk7" target=_blank>Read more. >></a>

<b>El Jefe the Jaguar</b> is the last known of his species to be seen in the United States. The <i>Panthera onca</i> was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTC8XdViC5s" target=_blank>spotted in the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson, Arizona</a>, between 2011 and 2017.

In 2014, I accompanied a scientific expedition to a previously unexplored part of the Peruvian Amazon. When I boarded a military helicopter to get there, I noticed the design on the door pictured above. Why a tiger? There are no tigers anywhere in Amazonia. Well, first, there are no tigers or lions in Detroit, but that doesn’t stop the city from having those animals as their mascots. A member of the expedition clued me in, though, saying that across South America the <b>Amazon Jaguar</b> is often called “tigre” or tiger. And, let’s be honest, the tail around the missile is a nice touch.

Popular Science’s Encyclopedia of Big Cat Facts

The math of tiger stripes:

How’d the tiger get its stripes? MATH! (Pond5/)

Math might be able to predict the tiger’s stripes. Or, more accurately, mathematical rules likely work with biological processes to determine patterns on animals—the leopard’s spots, the horse’s dapples, and, yes, those beautiful black stripes that contour and bend around the tiger’s orange fur.

Famed World War Two codebreaker and British mathematician Alan Turing first theorized in the 1950s that spontaneous patterns emerge when “chemicals [react] together and [defuse] through tissue,” writes Ian Stewart in his 2017 book, The Beauty of Numbers in Nature. These chemicals are also known by another name: morphogens, a term Turning coined. We should think of them as shape creators.

Over half a century later, scientists found support for these theoretical models in the real world. A 2015 study published in Cell Systems used them to take Turing’s theories a step further to explain pattern orientation. Think about it, if math can predict an animal’s spots and stripes, why couldn’t it also tell us why a tiger’s stripes are vertical and an okapi’s stripes are horizontal? The most abstract level of mathematics can play out in the day-to-day lives of the biological world. Read more about the study, this way. >>

The Saber-toothed cat

Los Angeles looked a lot different 10,000 years ago. Teratornis birds, saber-toothed cats, and an extinct species of horse all roamed around the La Brea Tar Pools. Fall in and you’ll be preserved forever! (Field Museum/Charles R. Knight, 1921./)

How long did it take for Smilodon fatalis—the saber-toothed cat—to grow their 7-inch long mouth swords? Well, the extinct feline’s fearsome canine teeth grew at an incredibly quick 6 mm per month, almost twice as fast as human fingernails.

(Oh, and that picture is by way of famed early 20th Century natural history painter Charles R. Knight, who was legally blind. Some of his paintings are hidden like Easter eggs on random walls at The Field Museum in Chicago and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.)

How climate is changing animals

Snow Leopard, <i>Panthera unica</i>. (Joel Sartore/Getty Images/)

This spotted and thick-coated Snow Leopard thrives in a Goldilocks zone between 9,800 to 17,800 feet in altitude across the Tibetan Plateau, a frigid, rocky region that offers wild goats and sheep as prey. But rising temperatures are pushing the zone higher, forcing leopards and their quarry up the slopes, fragmenting their habitats into isolated summits. Rising temps also pull in competing predators like common leopards, which previously avoided the chilly heights in favor of forested hunting grounds at lower elevations. Humans are moving in as well to graze their ­domesticated goats and sheep, which sometimes requires killing cats who get too curious about the flocks. Read more about animals reacting to climate change, this way. >>

Calls of the Wild

East African Cheetah, <i>Acinonyx jubatus jubatus</i>. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. (Tom McNamara/)

If you had to guess, what sound does a cheetah make? Lions roar. Tigers bellow and growl. And cheetahs…chirp? Yup. They also purr, hiss, bark, and even meow. It turns out, their chirp can mean a lot of things. Females, who are more solitary compared to males, chirp to attract mates. Yet both sexes also chirp when they’re distressed. Males do it if they get split up from their pack—and they chirp in celebration when the crew gets back together again. Same goes for mothers and their cubs. According to the National Zoo, “cheetahs may even be able to identify each other by the sound of their chirps.”

Denzil Mackrory · Cheetah Chirp

And, finally, rabbit holes I went down while researching this video

What’s the lion equivalent of a rabbit hole? “Daniel in the Lions' Den” is a 1614–1616 painting by the Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens, now in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. (National Gallery of Art/)

Did you know in the 1970s. actor Tippi Hedren (probably most famous for her role in the Hitchcock classic, <i>The Birds</i>), her husband Noel Marshall, and their whole family lived with 150 untrained wild animals? And filmed it? <i>Roar</i>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi3fz5Dbn6k" target=_blank>released in 1981</a>, became known as “the most dangerous movie ever made”—mostly because 70 members of the cast and crew were injured in its creation. Someone even got their scalp sliced clean off. <i>New Yorker </i><a href="https://ift.tt/2RW2X6o" target=_blank>remembers the film</a> here. The movie is somehow worse than you’re imagining.

This headline from <a href="https://ift.tt/2hV7IhF" target=_blank><i>The Washington Post</i> in 2017</a> says it all: “The strange and deadly saga of 15 circus cats’ final week in America.” Also, this <a href="https://ift.tt/2FZXjx3" target=_blank>history of the Indian circus from Quartz India</a> is fascinating.

Ever wonder what it’d be like to be a lion tamer? OK. Probably not. But one-third of Errol Morris’ 1997 documentary <a href="https://ift.tt/3lqtu9l" target=_blank><i>Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control</i></a> will make you glad you found out about lion tamer Dave Hoover. The other two-thirds of the movie are pretty weird in a good way, too.

After watching the PopSci <a href="https://youtu.be/eK_zmYWHxxo" target=_blank>video short about Frasier the Sensuous Lion</a>, you might start having questions about if it’s ethical to keep wild animals in captivity or not. This <a href="https://ift.tt/3gymgfQ" target=_blank>2007 Radiolab episode</a> about zoos is a must-listen, especially the first segment.

PopSci found out if <a href="https://ift.tt/2EBUq54" target=_blank>a lion could live on veggie burgers</a>. Also, did you know that <a href="https://ift.tt/31AkExU" target=_blank>mountain lions are so scared of humans that the sound of talk radio sends them running</a>?

And, if you can stomach it, you can meet the deadliest cat in the world via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl8o9PsJPAQ" target=_blank>a PBS Nature clip</a>. It’s intense. Seriously. Turn back now. OK, you’ve been warned.

Subscribe to WILD LIVES on YouTube for more wild stories about animals like Frasier the Sensuous Lion.

[sotrafaculajazzclub]

McCoy Tyner

Introduction :

J'ai cette superstition un peu conne de choisir précieusement mon premier morceau écouté de l'année.

L'année passée c'etait Dominoes de Donald Byrd. '' We'll stand our problems all in a row,Watch them fall, like dominoes'' c'était le mood de 2019. 

Cette année c'était Wise One du légendaire quartet de John Coltrane, composé de John Coltrane himself, McCoy Tyner au piano, Jimmy Garrison a la contrebasse et Elvis Jones a la batterie. L'objectif de cette année c'était de faire que des choses réfléchies, des choix qui ont du sens.

                                    Wise one - John Coltrane Quartet

Le 6 mars dernier McCoy Tyner, de son vrai nom Suliemon Saud nous a quitté. 

C'était le dernier membre en vie du légendaire quartet de Coltrane des années 60, a qui l'on doit des albums comme Crescent ou A Love Supreme.

Je me suis rendu compte qu'il était souvent le dénominateur commun de beaucoup d'album de jazz que j'adore, ça va de Lee Morgan a Curtis Fuller, en passant par cet album avec Coltrane et Johnny Hartman que je conseille aux néophytes du genre. Je voulais lui rendre hommage parce que sa musique me touche, et que je trouve qu'on a pas parlé suffisamment de cette légende.

  John Coltrane a gauche, Johnny Hartman au centre et McCoy Tyner au piano 

Quand on parle de McCoy Tyner on pense a son jeu percussif de sa main gauche de ses accords compliqués et de sa technique. Ici on parle même de 15-fingers technique. ce a quoi il répond ''wow, lots of fingers '' avec beaucoup d'humour et d'humilité.

Pourtant, quand il parle de sa musique, il reste très abstrait,parle très peu de technique, mais plus de sensibilité, de spontanéité. Spontanéité qu'on peut trouver sur A love supreme, qui a été composé avec très peu de préparation, ou tout simplement quand mccoy decide de monter sur scene pour un concert. Il est l'un des rares pianistes a jouer directement.(Source : cet article d’une conversation http://www.laurentdewilde.com/article/mccoy-tyner.html )

Mon pianiste actuel, McCoy Tyner, assure les harmonies d'une façon qui me permet de les oublier. Il est en quelque sorte celui qui me donne des ailes et me permet de décoller de temps en temps.

Quote de John Coltrane dans une interview du New York times.

Derrière sa voix douce se cachait un leader, un compositeur aussi

Fact : il a même écrit pour les french horn et la trompette sur l'album africa/brass, Il a même pas eu les crédits sur la composition de ceux-ci et comme si ça suffisait pas il a été cité en temps que Mccoy Turner a la place de McCoy Tyner en temps que pianiste sur cet album.

Je trouvais que son histoire était aussi intéressante pour soulever la question de l'importance des médias quant a la carrière d'un artiste. Et ce que je trouve beau avec McCoy c'est qu'il a l'air d'en avoir rien a faire. Il est toujours resté concentré sur l’objectif de faire de la musique.

'' I don’t know. In my mind, the press does what it wants to do. Magazines focus on who they want to promote. I don’t pay much attention to that."

McCoy a propos des médias.

Il y a un très bon document qui traite de ce sujet, du traitement des média sur McCoy Tyner avec pas mal de sources, notamment des critiques dans les journaux, qui sont pas mal injustifiées et qui expliquent aussi pourquoi McCoy Tyner a eu une période de galère pendant 4 ans après avoir quitté le quartet de Coltrane. Il a même songé a faire taxi a un moment donné.

( le document en question : https://ethaniverson.com/mccoy-tyners-revolution/ ) 

Malgré tout ça, il continuera a s'investir dans la musique, avec des super album en solo ou en groupe, ou il laissera s'exprimer justement ses talents de leader. Il aime le fait que les musiciens aient chacun un peu de liberté, mais une règle importante est aussi de savoir s'écouter les un les autres.

J’ai donc pioché dans ses albums un peu au hasard, Il me reste beaucoup de choses a écouter,McCoy ayant une carrière bien remplie sur le plan productif, entre ses albums solo, et ses albums en groupe, et je compte pas les albums ou il apparait en temps que pianiste. Voici une petite liste des albums que j'ai adoré, j'ai essayé de varier un maximum les sons !

1 : Trident - Land of the lonely 

Ici McCoyTyner joue entre autres au Celesta, on a un son cristallin qui rend super cool !

2: Fly with the wind - Beyond the sun 

Alors pour la fun fact on lui a posé la question : si vous aviez la possibilité d'envoyer un son de votre répertoire aux aliens, lequel choisiriez vous ? Il a répondu fly with the wind de l'album du même nom !

3. Horizon - Horizon 

Je trouve qu'on ressent bien la puissance du jeu de McCoy dans ce titre !

4. Lonnie's lament - Soliloquy 

Album solo de McCoy ! Obligé de mettre cette reprise parce que j'adore l'originale et que je trouve que la version solo au piano est grandiose aussi..

“He isn’t playing the way he was,” they’ll say. “I don’t understand what he is doing.” But the roots are actually still there, and when the flower blooms the people may not accept it, though it’s all part of the same thing. Then their acceptance will depend on their getting more familiarity.''

McCoy Tyner a propos de la musique et de son évolution.

Je suis tombé sur cette question dans une de ces interviews et je voulais finir la dessus parce que je trouvais que c’était la meilleure conclusion que je puisse avoir dans cet '' article '' ( qui n'en est pas un btw.. j'aime juste parler de musique j'suis pas un journaliste ) 

Quand on lui pose la question de la mortalité, il quote Martin Luther King Jr :

I think we would all like to be immortal and be around as long as we can. But as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “It’s not about how long you’re here, but the quality of what you do while you’re here that’s important.” And that’s what I try to do. I have a lot of work to do, a lot of writing to do. There’s just so much to do.

Voilà, au dela de sa musique, je trouve que c’est quelqu'un de très inspirant, de gentil, qui n'a jamais perdu son objectif de vue malgré les critiques.

Repose en paix McCoy Tyner et merci pour ta musique et ta sagesse !

Hommage a McCoy Tyner de Takao Fujioka (allez voir son site il est supercool http://www.jazgra.com/ )

Clément.

[junker-town]

NASCAR at Texas recap: Once again, Jimmie Johnson rises to the occasion

Jimmie Johnson overcame dehydration and a challenging track to snap an early season slump and get his first win of the year.

Jimmie Johnson was off to the worst start of his extraordinary career. Texas Motor Speedway, the track he long ruled, had undergone a radical makeover creating uncertainty whether his dominance would continue. And on a hot Sunday afternoon, the fluid system within Johnson’s car stopped functioning.

None of it mattered. It never does with Johnson, whose laser focus and ability to tune out distractions has been the hallmark of career that’s seen him build a résumé as one of NASCAR’s all-time greats.

And as just as he’s done so many times previously, Johnson not only persevered Sunday, he broke through to score his first victory of 2017, winning the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500. Because that’s who he is and what he does.

“I guess I remembered how to drive; and I guess this team remembered how to do it,” Johnsons said. “I’m just real proud of this team. What a tough track and tough conditions.”

Entering the weekend, Johnson’s best result in six races on the season was ninth -- the longest stretch he’s ever gone to start a year without a top-five finish. Naturally questions arose if the No. 48 team led by crew chief Chad Knaus was experiencing a championship hangover following Johnson capturing his record-tying seventh title a year ago, or if there was some deeper issue within Hendrick Motorsports.

The truth was Johnson’s middling start was more about perception than reality. Although the results hadn’t been there, the speed had. He was third in the season-opening Daytona before an errant tap from Jamie McMurray sent Johnson crashing. He was also a contender in races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway only to be undone by a lack of execution and inopportune caution flags.

It seemed only a matter of when, not if, Johnson would showcase his usual form. After all, if anyone deserved the benefit of the doubt it was the man who shares the championship record with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr., and who ranks seventh on the all-time wins list.

Normally Texas would represent the ideal place for Johnson to breakthrough, as before Sunday he had won five of the past nine races on the 1.5-mile oval. But the Texas track the No. 48 team regularly flexed its muscle on had vastly changed, having been resurfaced and reconfigured since hosting a playoff race last fall.

The differences upped the ante on what was already a difficult track. Four drivers were involved in separate accidents during opening practice on Friday. Even Johnson wasn’t immune. Later that same afternoon, he spun out after completing his qualifying lap, meaning he would have to start at the rear of the 40-car field.

Come Sunday, Johnson had no such problems. Despite a largely one groove surface that made passing dicey, he deftly worked his way to the front. Others such as Ryan Blaney, who led a race-high 148 laps, and Kyle Larson, who twice charged from the back, may have been faster but it Johnson who was better when it mattered most.

He passed Joey Logano for the lead with 16 laps remaining and never looked back. It was the epitome of how Johnson and Knaus had won 81 races together -- put yourself in position, execute flawlessly, let the competition try and keep pace.

“There's a little bit of vintage 48 in that,” Knaus said. “It seems as though we have in times of turmoil and distress managed to get some pretty solid finishes with the 48 car, and I think that's a true testament to Jimmie and his ability to not waver. Like, he doesn't get spooked. He doesn't get too crazy. He keeps his calm. He's very calm in nature as we all know.

“We love a challenge. Sometimes we do it to ourselves, but, you know, starting last is not what we wanted to do, but it definitely showed up okay.”

The lone hiccup being Johnson’s fluid system stopped working early on, problematic on a day when the ambient temperature hovered in the mid-80s with the in-car temp significantly higher. Needing three bags of intravenous fluids post-race to combat the serious cramping he began experiencing in the waning lap as he chased down Logano was the only thing that didn’t go to plan.

“I was so happy the car was running good and we weren't making mistakes, I kind of overlooked it all,” Johnson said. “I knew it was hot. I knew it was an aggressive race. I knew my heart rate was high, all those things. But I didn't think I was in any trouble until I cramped and it was pretty close to the end of the race.”