#united polaris chicago

[winchestergirl2]

July Reading Recs

To show some love and appreciation to all the amazing writers here on tumblr, here are all the fantastic fics I've read this month. 💖

Many of these fics and blogs are 18+ only, and NSFW please heed the author's individual fic warnings and requests regarding no minors. I am not responsible for your media consumption.

Reading Recs Masterlist

The Boys

Soldier Boy

G.B.A @impala-dreamer

Authors Summary: ~Spend the 4th with America's first and greatest superhero~

Fuck The Quiet Game @voxmortuus

Authors Summary: Prompt “there’s no one else here, be louder”

Every king needs a queen @thebiggerbear

Authors Summary: Homelander makes you an offer that you're all too happy to refuse.

Power Play @venus-haze

Authors Summary: So, you lost focus and had a consensual workplace relationship. It happens all the time. Maybe not quite like this.

Supernatural

Dean Winchester

Mine @hintsofhoney

Authors Summary: When Dean is forced to mark Y/N in order to not blow their cover on a case, it leads him to reveal a secret that he's been keeping since they met.

Lost & Found @luci-in-trenchcoats

Sam Winchester

Untitled drabble @supernaturalfreewill

Breathe @sams-sass

Authors Summary: What it would be like to wake up to Sam Winchester 

Too Hot @just-another-busy-fangirl

Authors Summary: A witch puts a spell on you, making your body temperature rise to dangerous degrees.  Can Sam save you?

Multi Fandom

Dean Winchester, Beau Arlen, Soldier Boy (Ben)

Headcanon: Wearing His Clothes @zepskies

Authors Summary: Headcanon: How Dean, Beau, and Soldier Boy (Ben) would react to you (getting caught) wearing his clothes.

Big Sky

Beau Arlen

S.I.N.G @zepskies

Authors Summary: Beau wishes you’d take this self-defense lesson a little more seriously.

Echoes @zepskies

Authors Summary: Beau has another rough night, but you help him face a harder truth. 

Polaris Chapter 2 @waynes-multiverse

Authors Series Summary: When Beau Arlen moved to Montana, he left behind a past he wasn’t proud of. But when a series of murders requires the FBI’s help, Sheriff Arlen‘s ghosts come back to haunt him one by one. With a wrong turn waiting at every crossroads, it’s hard to make the right choices and find his way back home – back to you.

Tracker

Russell Shaw

You're safe now. I'm here Part 1 @thebiggerbear

Authors Summary: You've been taken hostage and Russell is part of the unit sent in to retrieve you.

Colter Shaw

Bloodied Hands @marvelwitchergilmore

Authors Summary: When you get hurt on a case, Colter stays with you.

Chicago Fire

Matt Casey

It's just a headache @kitkatscabinet

Authors Summary: You wake up with a headache, you attempt to work through it. Prompt: “Sorry, I’m… I’m really dizzy.”

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 7.20 (after 1940)

1940 – Denmark leaves the League of Nations. 1940 – California opens its first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway. 1941 – Soviet leader Joseph Stalin consolidates the Commissariats of Home Affairs and National Security to form the NKVD and names Lavrentiy Beria its chief. 1944 – World War II: Adolf Hitler survives an assassination attempt led by German Army Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. 1950 – Cold War: In Philadelphia, Harry Gold pleads guilty to spying for the Soviet Union by passing secrets from atomic scientist Klaus Fuchs. 1950 – After a month-long campaign, the majority of North Korea's Air Force was destroyed by anti-communist forces. 1951 – King Abdullah I of Jordan is assassinated by a Palestinian while attending Friday prayers in Jerusalem. 1954 – Germany: Otto John, head of West Germany's secret service, defects to East Germany. 1960 – Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) elects Sirimavo Bandaranaike Prime Minister, the world's first elected female head of government. 1960 – The Polaris missile is successfully launched from a submarine, the USS George Washington, for the first time. 1961 – French military forces break the Tunisian siege of Bizerte. 1964 – Vietnam War: Viet Cong forces attack the capital of Định Tường Province, Cái Bè, killing 11 South Vietnamese military personnel and 40 civilians (30 of whom are children). 1968 – The first International Special Olympics Summer Games are held at Soldier Field in Chicago, with about 1,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities. 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 11's crew successfully makes the first human landing on the Moon in the Sea of Tranquility. Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first humans to walk on the Moon six and a half hours later. 1969 – A cease fire is announced between Honduras and El Salvador, six days after the beginning of the "Football War". 1974 – Turkish invasion of Cyprus: Forces from Turkey invade Cyprus after a coup d'état, organised by the dictator of Greece, against president Makarios. 1976 – The American Viking 1 lander successfully lands on Mars. 1977 – The Central Intelligence Agency releases documents under the Freedom of Information Act revealing it had engaged in mind-control experiments. 1977 – The Johnstown flood of 1977 kills 84 people and causes millions of dollars in damages. 1981 – Somali Airlines Flight 40 crashes in the Balad District of Somalia, killing 40 people. 1982 – Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings: The Provisional IRA detonates two bombs in Hyde Park and Regent's Park in central London, killing eight soldiers, wounding forty-seven people, and leading to the deaths of seven horses. 1985 – The government of Aruba passes legislation to secede from the Netherlands Antilles. 1989 – Burma's ruling junta puts opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest. 1992 – Václav Havel resigns as president of Czechoslovakia. 1992 – A Tupolev Tu-154 crashes during takeoff from Tbilisi International Airport, killing all 24 aboard and four more people on the ground. 1999 – The Chinese Communist Party begins a persecution campaign against Falun Gong, arresting thousands nationwide. 2005 – The Civil Marriage Act legalizes same-sex marriage in Canada. 2012 – James Holmes opened fire at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 and injuring 70 others. 2012 – Syrian civil war: The People's Protection Units (YPG) capture the cities of Amuda and Efrîn without resistance. 2013 – Seventeen government soldiers are killed in an attack by FARC revolutionaries in the Colombian department of Arauca. 2013 – Syrian civil war: The Battle of Ras al-Ayn ends with the expulsion of Islamist forces from the city by the People's Protection Units (YPG). 2015 – The United States and Cuba resume full diplomatic relations after five decades. 2017 – O. J. Simpson is granted parole to be released from prison after serving nine years of a 33-year sentence after being convicted of armed robbery in Las Vegas.

[albusparker2131]

What to Expect When Flying United Airlines from FLL

The George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is a major hub for millions of travelers each year, and one of its most significant assets is the United Airlines Terminal. United Airlines dominates IAH, offering a broad range of domestic and international flights. This terminal serves as a gateway not only to other regions of the United States but also to destinations across the globe, making it a critical point in aviation and customer experience.

In this detailed article, we will explore the features, services, and benefits of the United Terminal at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, providing a comprehensive look at what makes this terminal a crucial part of your travel experience.

Overview of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

Located in Houston, Texas, George Bush Intercontinental Airport is one of the busiest airports in the United States. Spread over a vast area of 11,000 acres, it offers five terminals: A, B, C, D, and E. The United Terminal is mainly housed in Terminals B, C, and E, where United Airlines handles both domestic and international flights.

United Fll Terminal is ranked as the second-largest passenger hub for United Airlines, facilitating more than 45 million passengers annually. This airport serves as a vital link to numerous international destinations, including Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The United Terminal is particularly important for passengers who are flying to or from key destinations such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Tokyo.

United Terminal Layout: A Smooth Experience for Travelers

Terminal B: Regional Flights and United Express

Terminal B at George Bush Intercontinental primarily handles United Express regional flights. The terminal is designed to cater to passengers who are traveling on short-haul flights within the United States. While this terminal may not handle international travel, it is essential for domestic connections to smaller cities and towns.

Travelers can enjoy spacious waiting areas, convenient check-in counters, and a variety of restaurants and shops. Terminal B also features United Club Lounges, where frequent flyers and business-class passengers can relax before their flights.

Terminal C: Domestic Operations Hub

Terminal C serves as the primary domestic operations hub for United Airlines at IAH. This terminal accommodates the bulk of United’s domestic routes, connecting Houston with major cities across the United States.

The terminal boasts modern amenities, including a wide range of dining and shopping options. Travelers can find everything from fast food outlets to high-end restaurants, ensuring that every palate is catered for. Additionally, Terminal C offers various retail shops, where passengers can purchase travel essentials, luxury goods, or last-minute gifts.

Terminal C also includes self-service kiosks and automated check-in systems to streamline the passenger experience. The terminal is designed for efficiency, with automated gates and self-boarding technology ensuring a smooth boarding process for travelers.

Terminal E: Gateway to International Travel

Terminal E is the crown jewel of the United Airlines operations at IAH, serving as the primary terminal for international flights. From Houston, passengers can board flights to a variety of destinations, including London, Frankfurt, Mexico City, and Beijing.

Designed with international travelers in mind, Terminal E offers a range of services that cater to the needs of long-haul passengers. From duty-free shopping to gourmet dining experiences, this terminal provides a world-class experience. Terminal E also features customs and immigration facilities, ensuring a seamless experience for passengers arriving from or departing for international destinations.

For those flying in business or first class, the United Polaris Lounge at Terminal E offers a luxurious environment with premium amenities, including private shower suites, a dedicated dining area, and quiet spaces for relaxation or work.

Dining, Shopping, and Amenities at the United Terminal

The United Terminal at George Bush Airport offers a variety of dining and shopping options to keep passengers entertained and satisfied during their layovers.

Dining Options

Whether you’re in a hurry or have time to sit down and enjoy a meal, the United Terminal provides options for every taste. Some notable dining spots include:

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen: Serving fresh, Gulf-inspired seafood dishes.

Cadillac Mexican Kitchen: Offering a range of Mexican dishes from tacos to enchiladas.

Starbucks: For travelers needing their caffeine fix, Starbucks locations are conveniently located throughout the terminals.

Shopping

Shopping is also a highlight at the United Terminal, with numerous stores offering everything from travel essentials to high-end products. Some must-visit shops include:

Brookstone: Great for picking up travel gadgets or gifts.

Duty-Free Stores: Perfect for international travelers looking to shop tax-free on luxury items like perfumes, liquor, and cosmetics.

Hugo Boss: A high-end option for fashion-conscious travelers.

United Club and Polaris Lounge: Exclusive Experiences

For frequent flyers and business travelers, the United Club and Polaris Lounge offer exceptional experiences. These lounges provide a quiet and relaxing environment, away from the busy crowds of the terminal.

United Club

The United Club lounges are spread across Terminal B, C, and E, offering a range of amenities such as:

Complimentary snacks and beverages

Wi-Fi access

Comfortable seating

Private workspaces for business travelers

Access to these lounges is available to United MileagePlus members, business class passengers, or those who purchase a day pass.

United Polaris Lounge

For those flying internationally in United Polaris Business Class, the Polaris Lounge in Terminal E provides a luxury experience. The lounge offers:

Premium dining options

Fully equipped showers and rest areas

Private seating pods for relaxation or work

Bespoke cocktails and a full-service bar

These lounges enhance the overall travel experience, providing a respite from the airport's hustle and bustle.

Transportation and Accessibility at George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Inter-Terminal Trains and Walkways

Getting around the United Terminal and other parts of the airport is easy, thanks to the Skyway and Subway systems that connect the terminals. The Skyway is an above-ground people-mover that allows passengers to travel between terminals quickly and efficiently. For those needing to access parking areas, the Subway system offers convenient underground transportation.

Parking and Rental Car Options

George Bush Airport offers a variety of parking options, including valet, economy, and terminal parking. For those renting a car, the airport features a consolidated Rental Car Center where major companies like Hertz, Enterprise, and Budget are available to serve passengers.

Conclusion

The United Terminal at George Bush Intercontinental Airport is an essential hub for domestic and international travel, offering passengers a seamless and comfortable experience. From its modern facilities to world-class lounges, this terminal provides everything travelers need for a smooth journey. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, the United Terminal ensures that your time at IAH is well spent.

[daggerzine]

Wishy- Triple Seven (WINSPEAR)

Welcome to the debut album of Wishy. Hot off the heels of two great EPs, high school friends Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites are the main songwriters out of Bloomington, Indiana. Been a fan of Kevin’s over the years, but Nina adds a nice touch of dream pop-inspired tunes. Dimitri Morris on guitar and vocals, Mitch Collins on bass, and Conner Host on drums fill in the rest of the band. The album was produced by Ben Lumsdaine (another Bloomington alum) and Kevin Krauter; mixed by Ben Lumsdaine; and mastered by Greg Orbis at another Midwest studio, Chicago Mastering. “Sick Sweet” kicks things off with a blast of guitars and synths. Kevin takes on the lead vocals here. Check out the video:

Nina takes over on the title track, “Triple Seven,” a swirl of sound that you just don’t want to end. Beautiful angelic backup vocals fade into this dream pop gem. Watch here:   

”Persuasion” is another slam of bombarding guitars. Beautiful vocals interplay between the two. Imagine New York’s Ivy on speed and you’ll get the idea. Next up, “Game,” is another distorted guitar blast with cool harmonic interplay between the two singers. “Love On The Outside” features Kevin singing again over a warped acoustic guitar sound until the rest of the band kicks in. Here’s the video:

“Little While” begins as a twittering orchestra and then settles into a dream pop beauty with Nina’s chilling vocals. Up next, “Busted,” is a straight-up indie rocker from Kevin with a mash-up of guitars. “Just Like Sunday” slows things down a bit, but with nice beats and jangle guitar. Catch the video:  

“Honey” brings things back up to speed with Kevin singing and power chords galore. The album ends with “Spit,” another song filled with harmonic bliss between the two, only this time it’s a sludge-filled blast of guitars and a pounding rhythm section. (And watch out for the guitar solos near the end.) Recorded the same time as the Paradise EP, (apparently, there are still a few more songs available), there’s no stopping Kevin and Nina’s Wishy. They’ve been popping up on many “bands to watch” lists and you need to join the hype. Very disappointed I missed them at the Logan Square Arts Festival in July. Luckily, there are some upcoming shows I hope to catch. Care to join me?   ERIC EGGLESON

TOUR DATES:

Sep 5 Thu Hopscotch Music Festival 2024 @ 12:00am

Raleigh, NC, United States

Sep 28 Sat Thalia Hall @ 8:00pm

w/American Football

Chicago, IL, United States

(Off to Europe)

Nov 18 Mon Club Cafe @ 8:00pm

Pittsburgh, PA, United States

Nov 20 Wed Baby's All Right @ 8:00pm

Brooklyn, NY, United States

Nov 21 Thu PhilaMOCA @ 8:00pm

Philadelphia, PA, United States

Nov 22 Fri Songbyrd Music House @ 8:00pm

Washington, DC, United States

Nov 23 Sat Purgatory at The Masquerade @ 8:00pm

Atlanta, GA, United States

Nov 25 Mon DRKMTTR @ 8:00pm

Nashville, TN, United States

Nov 26 Tue Hi-Fi @ 8:00pm

Indianapolis, IN, United States

Dec 5 Thu Schuba’s Tavern @ 8:00pm

Chicago, IL, United States

Dec 6 Fri X-Ray Arcade @ 8:00pm

West Milwaukee, WI, United States

Dec 10 Tue Barboza @ 8:00pm

Seattle, WA, United States

Dec 11 Wed Polaris Hall @ 8:00pm

Portland, OR, United States

Dec 13 Fri Bottom Of the Hill @ 8:00pm

San Francisco, CA, United States

Dec 14 Sat The Echo @ 8:00pm

Los Angeles, CA, United States

Dec 15 Sun Valley Bar @ 8:00pm

Phoenix, AZ, United States

Dec 17 Tue Mohawk (Indoors) @ 8:00pm

Austin, TX, United States

Dec 18 Wed Andy's Bar & Grill @ 8:00pm

Denton, TX, United States

(Photo: Alexa Viscius)

https://winspear.biz/

[dopetidalwavesong]

The Best Airlines for Domestic Flights

Book cheap flight tickets and hotels- https://trailtravelz.com/

When it comes to traveling within the United States, choosing the right airline can make a significant difference in your overall experience. From comfort and customer service to on-time performance and rewards programs, several factors contribute to determining the best airlines for domestic flights. In this article, we will explore the top airlines in the U.S. that consistently deliver exceptional service, ensuring a pleasant and hassle-free journey.

1. Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines is frequently praised for its top-notch service, extensive route network, and high customer satisfaction. Known for its reliability and punctuality, Delta has a strong presence in major hubs across the country, including Atlanta, Detroit, and Minneapolis. The airline offers a range of classes, from Main Cabin to Delta One, providing options for every budget. Additionally, Delta's SkyMiles loyalty program is highly regarded, offering frequent flyers numerous benefits and rewards.

2. Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines is renowned for its exceptional customer service and unique policies, such as free checked bags and no change fees. With a vast domestic network, Southwest is a favorite among travelers for its affordability and flexibility. The airline's open seating policy and friendly crew contribute to a relaxed and enjoyable flying experience. Rapid Rewards, Southwest's loyalty program, is one of the most straightforward and valuable programs, making it easy for passengers to earn and redeem points.

3. JetBlue Airways

JetBlue Airways stands out for its excellent in-flight entertainment, spacious seating, and complimentary amenities like snacks and Wi-Fi. The airline's commitment to passenger comfort is evident in its offering of the most legroom in coach. JetBlue's TrueBlue loyalty program is also attractive, with no blackout dates and the ability to earn points through various partners. The airline primarily operates out of major hubs such as New York's JFK and Boston's Logan Airport.

4. Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines consistently ranks high for its customer service, on-time performance, and extensive route network, especially on the West Coast. The airline's Mileage Plan is one of the most rewarding frequent flyer programs, with generous earning rates and a wide range of redemption options. Alaska Airlines also partners with several international carriers, allowing passengers to earn and use miles on a global scale. The airline's focus on sustainability and community engagement further enhances its appeal.

5. American Airlines

As one of the largest airlines in the world, American Airlines offers an extensive domestic route network, ensuring that passengers can reach virtually any destination within the U.S. The airline's Admirals Club lounges provide a comfortable space for travelers to relax before their flights. American's AAdvantage program is one of the oldest and most robust frequent flyer programs, offering numerous ways to earn and redeem miles. With a variety of fare classes and in-flight amenities, American Airlines caters to a diverse range of travelers.

6. United Airlines

United Airlines is a major player in the U.S. domestic market, with hubs in cities like Chicago, Denver, and San Francisco. Known for its comprehensive route network and frequent flights, United offers passengers flexibility and convenience. The airline's MileagePlus program is highly regarded, providing valuable rewards and benefits to loyal customers. United's Polaris business class is particularly noteworthy for its luxurious seating and enhanced in-flight services.

Conclusion

When selecting an airline for domestic travel, it's important to consider factors such as customer service, in-flight comfort, loyalty programs, and route networks. Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and United Airlines consistently stand out as the best options for domestic flights in the United States. Each of these airlines offers unique advantages, catering to different preferences and needs, ensuring that passengers can find the perfect fit for their travel plans.

[soutienshivam]

Flying with United Airlines: Your Guide to a Premier Travel Experience

When it comes to air travel, few names are as well-known and respected as United Airlines. As one of the largest airlines in the world, United offers an extensive network, top-notch services, and a commitment to customer satisfaction that makes it a preferred choice for millions of travelers. Whether you're a seasoned flyer or planning your first trip, here's why United Airlines should be at the top of your list.

A Legacy of Excellence

United Airlines traces its origins back to 1926, making it one of the oldest airlines still in operation today. Headquartered in Chicago, United is a founding member of the Star Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance. This gives passengers access to a vast network of destinations and seamless connections across the globe.

Extensive Route Network

United Airlines operates over 4,500 daily flights to more than 300 cities across five continents. Key hubs include:

Chicago O'Hare (ORD)

Denver (DEN)

Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH)

Los Angeles (LAX)

Newark Liberty (EWR)

San Francisco (SFO)

Washington Dulles (IAD)

From bustling metropolises like New York and Tokyo to exotic locales such as Tahiti and Cape Town, United connects you to a world of possibilities.

The United Experience

Classes of Service

United Airlines offers several classes of service to cater to different needs and preferences:

United Polaris: The airline's premium business class product, available on long-haul international flights. It features lie-flat seats, upscale dining, and access to exclusive Polaris lounges.

United First and United Business: Offered on domestic and short-haul international routes, these classes provide enhanced comfort with spacious seating, premium dining, and priority services.

Economy Plus: For those seeking extra legroom, Economy Plus offers more space and priority boarding.

United Economy: The standard class, offering a comfortable experience with complimentary snacks, beverages, and in-flight entertainment.

In-Flight Amenities

United Airlines ensures a pleasant journey with a range of in-flight amenities:

Entertainment: United's in-flight entertainment system, United Private Screening, offers a wide selection of movies, TV shows, music, and games. Passengers can also stream content to their personal devices using the United app.

Wi-Fi: Stay connected with in-flight Wi-Fi available on most flights.

Dining: Depending on the class of service and route, United offers a variety of meal options, including special dietary meals upon request.

United MileagePlus: The airline's frequent flyer program allows passengers to earn miles on flights and with various partners, redeemable for flights, upgrades, and other rewards.

Customer Service

United Airlines is dedicated to providing excellent customer service. From booking to baggage claim, United’s staff are trained to assist passengers with their needs and ensure a smooth travel experience. The airline also offers a 24/7 customer service hotline and an active social media presence to address any concerns.

Sustainability and Innovation

United Airlines is at the forefront of sustainability efforts in the aviation industry. The airline has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 100% by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsets. Initiatives include investing in sustainable aviation fuel, enhancing fuel efficiency, and supporting environmental conservation projects.

Additionally, United is known for its innovative approach to improving the passenger experience. The airline has implemented various tech-driven solutions, such as the United app, which offers features like flight booking, mobile boarding passes, and real-time updates.

Community and Global Impact

United Airlines is committed to making a positive impact on the communities it serves. The airline supports numerous charitable organizations and initiatives through its United Airlines Foundation. Key focus areas include:

Education: Supporting programs that provide educational opportunities for underserved communities.

Disaster Relief: Partnering with organizations to provide aid and support during natural disasters.

Diversity and Inclusion: Promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace and customer experience.

Final Thoughts

United Airlines stands out for its extensive route network, diverse service offerings, and commitment to innovation and sustainability. Whether you're flying for business, leisure, or a bit of both, United Airlines offers a travel experience that prioritizes comfort, convenience, and customer satisfaction. So next time you plan a trip, consider flying with United Airlines and discover why it's a preferred choice for travelers worldwide.

Happy travels! ✈️ #UnitedAirlines #Travel #Aviation #FlyUnited #Wanderlust #ExploreTheWorld

[marattsirelson]

United Gets in Holiday Spirit with Romantic Comedy

United Gets in Holiday Spirit with Romantic Comedy https://ift.tt/iCR4e06   United Airlines is surprising flyers with the launch of their own film, debuting online before the Thanksgiving holiday and aboard flights this year.   “Love In Plane Sight” Creates Connection in Denver The film was shot on location at Denver International Airport (DEN) and aboard a United 777-200 aircraft, featuring airline employees working at the carrier’s fastest growing hub. The short film comes with everything one would expect from a holiday romantic comedy: A chance encounter, misguided connections, and a romantic hook by the end so that everyone can live happily ever after.     “Ms. Elle Towe has it all: A dream job as an astronomer and a trip home for the holidays on United Polaris® business class,” the short film description reads. “All she’s missing is love. But a chance encounter in the airport and connection at 35,000 feet just might change everything in United’s own holiday rom-com short.”   Reviews from various critics have been mixed, at best. The Washington Post points out several points which would drive them crazy, from the over-talkative seat mate, to the excessive exercising that would make one change seats.   Writing for Insider, Alexandra Karplus notes: “The only scenario in which I could see myself devoting another six minutes of my life to this movie is if I happened to be on a United flight over the holidays, had a screaming baby next to me, and forgot to pack literally any other form of entertainment.”   FlyerTalkers have not yet given their opinions on whether the six-minute short should be “Certified Fresh.” The film will be available on all United in-flight entertainment options in December 2023.   The United production is the latest example of brands using holiday films to get travelers into the spirit. Hilton Hotels is teaming up with The Hallmark Channel to offer a group of holiday suites in New York, Chicago, and other major cities.   Share your thoughts about the film and all things United Airlines on the FlyerTalk Forums.  via FlyerTalk – The world's most popular frequent flyer community https://ift.tt/DJIt6du November 20, 2023 at 08:30PM

[sonyclasica]

ALEXANDRA STRÉLISKI

"UMBRA"

Hoy, XXIM Records/Sony Masterworks se complace en anunciar el lanzamiento de otro nuevo sencillo, 'Umbra', así como la versión ampliada de Néo-Romance, el disco aclamado por la crítica de la pianista francocanadiense y compositora ALEXANDRA STRÉLISKI.

Mira el vídeo AQUÍ

Consigue la versión ampliada del álbum AQUÍ

La pieza inédita viene acompañada de un videoclip rodado por Nick Helderman en La Marbrerie de Montreuil, Francia, con Julia Kotarba, Natalia Kotarba y Maxime Navert, miembros de la banda de gira de STRÉLISKI.

"Umbra" fue la última pieza que compuso para el proyecto y se terminó cuando ya se había grabado la mayor parte de Néo-Romance. "Umbra" hace referencia a la parte más oscura de la sombra, pero esta pieza se creó para intentar poner algo de luz en ella", dice STRÉLISKI. Convertida en el cierre habitual de sus conciertos, la pieza es ahora una de las favoritas de los fans, cosechando una calurosa acogida allá donde ha tocado.

"Es ahora una de mis piezas favoritas para tocar en directo", añade STRÉLISKI."Empezó siendo el final de mi espectáculo, con piano solo, y se convirtió en una celebración colectiva, basada en la improvisación. Me encanta interpretarla junto a mis maravillosas instrumentistas Julia y Natalia Kotarba, y con mi compañero de siempre Maxime Navert al sintetizador".

Un álbum centrado en la importancia del Romanticismo en el mundo moderno, y en lo que la relación de los románticos con la naturaleza puede enseñarnos en tiempos tan difíciles, Néo-Romance se ha convertido en un éxito comercial y de crítica. El disco alcanzó el nº 1 en la lista de álbumes de Québec -por delante de Taylor Swift- y ha sido nominado para el Premio Polaris de la Música 2023. STRÉLISKI estambién la artista femenina más nominada de este año en L'ADISQ - una ceremonia que recompensa la excelencia en la industria musical quebequense - con seis nominaciones en total.

Empezando con tres actuaciones en Múnich, Carouge y Zúrich, STRÉLISKI continuará su gira Néo-Romance con 30 nuevas fechas por Canadá, Estados Unidos y Europa durante el resto de 2023 y hasta 2024. A continuación, todas las fechas de la gira:

Ya se puede escuchar la versión ampliada de Néo-Romance aquí:

“NÉO-ROMANCE ON TOUR” 2023/2024:

  

2023

NOVIEMBRE

19/11 - MÚNICH (DE) - Milla

20/11 - CAROUGE (CH) - Le Chat Noir

21/11 - ZURICH (CH) - Kaufleuten

2024

ENERO

11/01 – QUÉBEC (CA) – Grand Théâtre de Québec

13/01 - TORONTO (CA) - Trinity-St. Paul's United Church and Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts

17/01 - MONTRÉAL (CA) - Salle Wilfrid Pelletier de la Place des Arts

18/01 - MONTRÉAL (CA) - Salle Wilfrid Pelletier de la Place des Arts

FEBRERO

23/02 - BERLÍN (DE) - Colosseum

25/02 - HAMBURGO (DE) - Resonanzraum (Acoustic show)

26/02 – PARIS (FR) – Église Saint-Eustache

MARZO

05/03 - LONDRES (UK) - The Elgar Room Brasserie at the Royal Albert Hall

07/03 - EINDHOVEN (NL) - Muziekgebouw Eindhoven

08/03 - ROTTERDAM (NL) - LantarenVenster

27/03 - SHERBROOKE (CA) - Salle Maurice O’Bready

28/03 - SHERBROOKE (CA) - Salle Maurice O’Bready

30/03 - BROSSARD (CA) - Théâtre Manuvie

31/03 - BROSSARD (CA) - Théâtre Manuvie

ABRIL

01/04 - BROSSARD (CA) - Théâtre Manuvie

05/04 - L'ASSOMPTION (CA) - Théatre Hector-Charland

06/04 - L'ASSOMPTION (CA) - Théatre Hector-Charland

13/04 - SHAWINIGAN (CA) - Centre des Arts de Shawinigan

14/04 - SHAWINIGAN (CA) - Centre des Arts de Shawinigan

18/04 - SAINTE-THÉRÈSE (CA) - Théatre Lionel-Groulx

19/04 - SAINTE-THÉRÈSE (CA) - Théatre Lionel-Groulx

20/04 - TERREBONNE (CA) - Théatre du Vieux-Terrebonne

21/04 - TERREBONNE (CA) - Théatre du Vieux-Terrebonne

26/04 - LAVAL (CA) - Salle André-Mathieu

27/04 - LAVAL (CA) - Salle André-Mathieu

MAYO

02/05 - VANCOUVER (CA) - St. James Community Square

07/05 – SEATTLE (USA) – Fremont Abbey Arts Center

08/05 – SAN FRANCISCO (USA) – The Chapel

11/05 – CHICAGO (USA) - Constellation

12/05 – NEW YORK (USA) – Le Poisson Rouge

24/05 - SALABERRY-DE-VALLEYFIELD (CA) - Valspec - Salle Albert-Dumouchel

25/05 - SALABERRY-DE-VALLEYFIELD (CA) - Valspec - Salle Albert-Dumouchel

27/05 - GATINEAU (CA) - Salle Odyssée

28/05 - GATINEAU (CA) - Salle Odyssée

30/05 - AMOS (CA) - Théâtre des Eskers

JUNIO

12/06 - SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU (CA) - Théâtre des Deux Rives

13/06 - SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU (CA) - Théâtre des Deux Rives

SEPTIEMBRE

12/09 - SAINT-HYACINTHE (CA) - Centre des arts Juliette-Lassonde

13/09 - SAINT-HYACINTHE (CA) – Centre des arts Juliette-Lassonde

SIGUE A ALEXANDRA STRÉLISKI

Página web: alexandrastreliski.com

Facebook: @alexstreliski

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[thedesignair]

United opens new Club lounge in Chicago

As the first in a series of United Club locations to open in 2023, United has officially opened its new United Club lounge in Chicago O’Hare’s Terminal 1, close to gate C10. Not to be confused with United’s Polaris lounges, the Club lounge is home to a range of new passenger experience additions designed to elevate the passenger experience. Most passengers will be pleased to announce that the…

[thecomicsnexus]

THE DARK PHOENIX SAGA UNCANNY X-MEN #129-138 JANUARY - OCTOBER 1980 BY CHRIS CLAREMONT, JOHN BYRNE, TERRY AUSTIN, BOB SHAREN AND GLYNIS WEIN

SYNOPSIS (FROM MARVEL DATABASE)

Following their battle against Proteus, the X-Men are getting ready to return to the United States from Muir Island. As they depart, Banshee decides to stay behind as he can no longer use his powers. When Cyclops offers Madrox, Havok and Polaris to join the X-Men, each respectfully refuses and the X-Men leave. As they jet through the air, they are unaware that not far behind them a private jet owned by the Hellfire Club, Jason Wyngard is once more using his powers to access the mind of Phoenix, in his continued bid to make her fall in love with him. Wyngarde makes Jean believe that she is reliving the life of her ancestor aboard a ship headed to America and that Wyngarde's ancestor is her lover. She snaps out of this supposed "time slip" when Scott asks her if she is okay. The two begin talking about their relationship and Cyclops assures her that his brief "romance" with Colleen Wing when he thought Jean was dead was only friendly. The two confess their love for each other and share a kiss.

As they approach the X-Mansion, they are alerted that security on has been breached. Storming their home, the X-Men are surprised to find that their mentor, Charles Xavier, has returned to Earth. Over the next few days, Scott and Jean spend a lot of time catching up. When Wolverine suddenly storms out of the Danger Room, Scott has to explain to the Professor that this team of X-Men operates differently than his original students. Before an argument can burst out, Cerebro detects two new mutants who's powers have manifested, one in Chicago and the other in New York. As the Professor mobilizes the X-Men to investigate the two new mutants, they are unaware that they are being spied on by the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club. The leaders of the Hellfire Club seek to obtain these mutants before the X-Men, and send their agent the White Queen to deal with the one in Chicago while Jason Wyngarde goes to deal with the one in New York.

In the suburb of Deerfield, young Katherine "Kitty" Pryde is returning home from her ballet practice, bothered by the series of headaches that she has been experiencing recently. When she arrives home she finds her parents discussing sending Kitty to a private school in Massachusetts with it's headmistress Ms. Emma Frost, the White Queen in her civilian guise. Kitty doesn't much like Miss Frost, and realizes that the fact that she is being sent off to private school means that her parents are serious about splitting up. As she goes up into her room to rest, another headache hits her and when she opens her eyes after the pain subsides, she finds herself strangely on the floor of the living room. She rushes back up to her room as her parents are seeing Ms. Frost out, and welcomes their next visitor: Charles Xavier, who seeks to get Kitty to come to his School for Gifted Youngsters. Kitty spies Xavier and his students, Logan, Peter and ororo and finds that they are much more interesting.

Kitty is asked to take Xavier's friends out, and she brings them to the local malt shop where Kitty makes instant friends with Ororo. Ororo reveals to her that they are really the mutant heroes known as the X-Men, much to Kitty's surprise. Just then, three men in armored suits jump through the storefront window and attack the three X-Men. As the X-Men battle the men, they find that they have been armed to combat their abilities. As the fight rages, Kitty is knocked aside and she is surprised when she phases right through the wall, but passes out when she lands in the alley. The X-Men realize that they can defeat their enemies if they switch opponents and easily trounce their attackers. Their victory is only brief as they are then struck by a massive mental attack by the white Queen who orders her minions to take the X-Men hostage. As they speed away she causes her downed minions armor to explode, killing them for their failure. As the white Queen has the X-Men stripped down out of their uniforms she tells her surviving troops she intends to experiment on them. When she is asked what she intends to do with Kitty, the White Queen dismisses her telling them that she can get her anytime. What the White Queen is unaware is that Kitty, having gotten the hang of her powers, has smuggled herself aboard the Hellfire Club's hovercraft, and wonders what she can do all by herself.

Cyclops, Phoenix, and Nightcrawler have come to a Manhattan dance club to seek out the mutant in the are detected by Cerebro. Cyclops orders Nightcrawler to stay outside and watch secretly from the shadows for trouble while he and Jean search the nightclub for the new mutant. They are unaware that they are being watched by minions of the Hellfire Club, who have been sent out to capture the new mutant as well. Entering the club, Scott and Jean find the patrons to be very decadent. As they begin to canvass around to try and find the mutant, Jean finds the sordid thoughts among the crowd somehow attractive.

While at the Hellfire Club's headquarters, Jason Wyngarde and the head of the Hellfire Club, Sebastian Shaw -- get a report from the soldiers surveying the night club. Jason tells Shaw that he will personally see to Jean Grey and leaves to meet up with her at the night club. Shaw then checks in with the White Queen in Chicago. Emma reports back showing that she has captured Wolverine, Storm, Professor X, and Colossus, however the young mutant named Kitty Pryde has escaped. Unknown to her, Kitty has manage to sneak herself into Emma's industrial complex. Approaching Storm, she finds that something about the cages has dulled her mind. This however, doesn't stop Storm from being able to rip her costume and prove Kitty with a phone number to call. Kitty is soon spotted by one of Emma's guards and manages to flee the scene with her phasing powers.

Back in New York, Jean continues to search through the crowd when she is confronted by Jason Wyngarde, and she finds herself seemingly living the past of her ancestor once more. She is at a burned out church in the middle of a wedding ceremony between her and Jason, with Sebastian Shaw acting as priest. When they exchange vows, Jean is unveiled as the Black Queen and she lustfully kisses Jason. The seeming "time slip" ends and Jean finds herself kissing the modern day Wyngarde right in front of Scott.

Before Jean can begin to explain things, the musical act of the night appears on stage. She is a disco singer known as Dazzler who turns out to be the mutant they are seeking when they see her convert the sound around her into light displays. While outside, the car phone within the X-Men's Royals Royce begins to ring and Nightcrawler answers it. It is Kitty Pride calling for help, but before Nightcrawler can learn anymore he is attacked by one of the Hellfire Club soldiers in a specially made suit of armor to combat his powers. Two more of these soldiers also smash through the skylight of the dance club and attack Scott and Jean. Jean uses her powers to change their street clothing into costumes, shocking Scott at her display of power. The two find that these men's suit of armor have also been specially fashioned to combat their mutant abilities as well. They don't count on Dazzler entering the fight and distracting them with her light powers. This allows Jean to free Cyclops and the two switch opponents, easily defeating them.

The last soldier and Nightcrawler crash through the skylight and he is easily defeated by Phoenix. Nightcrawler explains to Cyclops and Phoenix that the X-Men in Chicago were ambushed. Cyclops briefly explains to Dazzler that she is a mutant and that they need her help in saving their friends. Dazzler is surprised by all this, but agrees to help. As they leave in the Royals, the men inside the club explode, destroying all evidence of the battle. As Cyclops drives away, he spots Jason Wyngarde and wonders what he was doing kissing Jean. As his car passes by, the shadow that is reflected does not match Wyngarde's body. After the X-Men drive off, Wyngarde laughs over the progress he is making with Jean Grey.

Kitty Pryde is being chased through the streets of Chicago by minions of the Hellfire Club that are bent on capturing her. They are stopped telekinetically by Phoenix, however when the X-Men try to calm Kitty, she panics and runs at first until Jean can calm her down. After a round of explanations, and learning that the other X-Men have been captured by the White Queen, Jean probes one of the soldiers sent to capture Kitty and learns about the Hellfire Club. This troubles Jean, as the Hellfire Club is the organization that the man in her "time slips" is affiliated with.

Soon, she, Cyclops, Nightcrawler and Dazzler smuggle themselves onto the property owned by Frost Industries, thanks to Jean's telepathy making it appear that the Hellfire Club soldiers had captured them. This even fools the White Queen who goes back to painfully extracting information from Storm's mind. Kitty meanwhile phases into the room where the other X-Men are held captive and manages to free Wolverine by putting her hand through the lock in his cage. She is spotted and stunned by a guard, however Wolverine is already free and pops his claws to deal with the guard. Just then, Phoenix and the others make their presence felt and attack the complex. As Cyclops, Nightcrawler and Dazzler go to help the others, Phoenix confronts the White Queen before she can use her mental powers to wipe out Storm's mind.

As Kitty, Colossus and Wolverine join the others they fight their way out of the complex, while Jean and White Queen lock in telepathic battle. Storm is horrified by Jean's show of power when her Phoenix effect emerged and overpowers the White Queen. Outside the other X-Men are about to turn back for Jean and Ororo when the complex suddenly explodes. Their worst fears are allayed however when Phoenix and Storm emerge from the rubble unharmed. Having pulled himself aside to watch the battle, the Professor commends his X-Men for a job well done.

The next day outside of the Prude home, Charles offers Dazzler a place with the X-Men, but she refuses telling him that she was born to be a singer not a super hero and departs. Just then, Kitty's parents emerge from their home, Kitty's mother relieved that her daughter has been returned home safe and sound. When Kitty's father demands from Xavier, he suddenly changes his tone and the Scott is told by Jean that she used her powers to change his mind and make him agree to let Kitty study at Xavier's school. Alone with Storm, Scott expresses his fears that Jean is abusing her powers, a feeling that Ororo believes as well. As they walk away to rejoin the others, Storm vows that they must do something before the power of the Phoenix consumes Jean.

Following their near defeat at the hands of the Hellfire Club's White Queen, Cyclops has the X-Men seek refuge at Angel's aerie, feeling that the mansion is no longer safe for them at this time. Needing privacy, Cyclops is carried by Angel to a butte out in the middle of the New Mexico desert where they can talk privately, much to the chagrin of Professor X. There Cyclops explains the X-Men's most recent clash with the Hellfire Club. Warren finds this hard to believe as he and his girlfriend Candy are members of the Hellfire Club. Scott goes on to explain that he's worried about Jean's powers. Before he can explain any further, Jean arrives and interrupts them to have a private and impromptu picnic with Scott. When Warren leaves them alone, Jean takes off Scott's visor, and much to his surprise she is able to hold back his optic blast with her mental powers. The two embrace and make love on the butte as the sun sets.

A week later on a stormy night, the X-Men return to New York City to infiltrate the Hellfire Club and learn why they are targeting the X-Men. Wolverine and Nightcrawler travel through the sewers to sneak into the club from below. As they are passing through the rapidly flooding tunnels, Wolverine slices open some electrical wires pointing out that they could use a distraction later if things get hairy, a move that Nightcrawler finds very sneaker. Meanwhile, with invitations organized by Warren, Scott, Jean, Peter and Ororo prepare to enter a prestigious party with in the club. Before they go in, they radio back to the Professor and Angel in New Mexico to advise them of their plan so that they can carry on if they fail. As Scott and the others enter the party and try to blend in, they are noticed on the security monitors by the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle: the cyborg Donald Pierce, and mutants Sebastian Shaw and Henry Leland. Shaw tells Jason Wyngarde that this is his chance to prove that he has full control over Jean Grey and send him out into the party.

Sure enough, when Wyngarde goes downstairs he quickly sweeps Jean off into another one of his illusions. When Scott watches Wyngarde taking Jean upstairs he follows after him and is shocked when he reveals himself to be none other than the X-Men's old foe Mastermind. Following after them, he is blasted by Jean who, under Mastermind's full control, has transformed herself into the Black Queen. Hearing Scott's scream of pain over the crowd, Storm and Colossus change into costume and charge after their friend. Running upstairs they run into Sebastian Shaw, and Colossus learns the hard way that Shaw can absorb any attack directed at him and transform it into strength and invulnerability. Shaw easily defeats Colossus in battle, but Storm manages to escape by creating a thick fog to obscure his vision.

Down in the basement, Wolverine and Nightcrawler emerge from the sewers to be attacked by Pierce and Leland. While Wolverine manages to damage Pierce's cybernetic arm, Leland uses his mass increasing powers to increase Wolverine's weight until he breaks through the floor and lands into the rushing waters of the sewers below, he is swept away and presumed dead. While upstairs, Storm is tracked down by Sebastian Shaw who easily defeats her in hand to hand combat.

With the X-Men defeated and their prisoners, Sebastian Shaw notes Jason Wyngarde's cockiness and begins to suspect that he is going to vie to replace him as leader of the Hellfire Club. When the two quibble over how effective Mastermind would be without Jean as his slave. The argument is quashed by the others who propose a toast to the newest member of their club, the Black Queen. While down below in the sewers, Wolverine emerges from the waters alive and well. He is incredibly angry, having seen the Hellfire Club's "best shot" he is ready to show them his own.

The Hellfire Club's Inner Circle has sent some of their soldiers down into the basement of their prestigious club to find the body of Wolverine, whom they assume was killed in a fight with Henry Leland. Wolverine however is alive and well, and is hiding in the rafters. When they his wet body drips water on the soldiers below, they try to shoot him. They fail and Wolverine mortally wounds three of them before he seemingly takes some rifle rounds to the stomach and falls over in some boxes. However, he has been playing possum, having rolled with the shots he tags one more of the soldiers. With only one left on his feet, Wolverine freaks him out enough to get close enough to grab him. Threatening the man with his claws, Wolverine demands to know everything he knows about his employers in the Hellfire Club.

While upstairs, the other X-Men are a prisoner of the Hellfire Club, who are celebrating not only their victory over the X-Men, but the addition of Jean Grey as their new Black Queen. Cyclops, with a ruby quartz helmet on his head puzzles over the fact that somehow Mastermind was able to take control of Jean by making her believe that she is her ancestor, a decadent woman who was a member of the Hellfire Club, and that they are not her friends but captured thieves and slaves that have betrayed her. Realizing that he and Jean still have their psychic rapport, Scott tries to see if he still has access to it in a bid to try and free Jean from Wyngarde's control. Nightcrawler meanwhile asks Shaw what he wants from them, and Shaw explains that the capture of the X-Men will facilitate his goals of experimenting on mutants so that his club can custom make their own mutants.

Meanwhile, on Muir Island, Sean Cassidy finishes his job around the island and goes to check on his lover Moira MacTaggert. She is exhausted after extensive research into Jean's new powers and she fears that her near infinite power levels could threaten the entire world. While in New Mexico, Angel and Professor X wait for word from the X-Men and Charles expresses the difficulty that he has with Cyclops leading the X-Men without his direction.

Back at the Hellfire Club, Wolverine takes a dumbwaiter up to the main floor where a party is still going on. He is considering his options on how to slip by undetected when a guard manages to get the drop on him, putting a gun to his temple. While upstairs, Scott access the psychic rapport with Jean to get into her mind. To his dismay, he finds himself transformed into a Colonial era outfit and that Jason Wyngarde is in Jean's mind as well, despite the fact that Scott knows that Mastermind has no telepathic abilities. The two get into a sword fight, with Mastermind warning Scott that whoever dies here will likely die in the real world as well. Downstairs, Wolverine manages to get the better of the guard who has caught him and tosses him into the middle of the party. With this distraction, Wolverine storms through until he is confronted by the Club's security guards who pile onto him with their clubs swinging.

While upstairs, Scott's telepathic sword fight with Mastermind ends when Mastermind stabbing Scott through the chest with his sword. In the real world the X-Men watch in horror as Cyclops suddenly screams and keels over and as far as the X-Men can tell, their leader is dead.

Cyclops has nearly been killed in psychic combat with Mastermind inside Jean's telepathic report she shared with Cyclops. As the Hellfire Club gloats over this victory, Jean looks on in worry. Before the Hellfire Club can do anything else, Wolverine bursts through the door tossing off guards as he goes. Sebastian Shaw orders Jean to attack Wolverine, which she does, however, while the others are focusing on that she uses her telekinetic powers to unlock the ruby quartz helmet on Cyclops's head. Scott knocks out Donald Pierce before using his optic blast to free his fellow X-Men and blast Henry Leland.

Jean stops her fight and tells Wolverine to go join the others, Logan goes after Leland to get revenge for his earlier defeat. Cyclops defeats Shaw by blasting out the ground out from under him, and Donald Pierce manages to escape when Colossus foolishly tries to stop him in his human form. Witnessing the battle, Mastermind decides to use his illusion-based powers to hide out and see what happens. As Wolverine dives down to the lower level of the Hellfire Club to attack his foe, Leland makes the stupid mistake of using his mass increasing powers on Wolverine causing him to land heavily on Leland with his claws out. As Sebastian Shaw tries to flee through the club, he is attacked by Nightcrawler and Storm.

The disturbance at the Hellfire Club does not go unnoticed, as the authorities are called in an alert also goes in at nearby Avengers Mansion where the Beast is on monitor duty. Reading about how his former friends in the X-Men involved in the commotion, he erases the record of the emergency call and goes to help his old comrades.

Back at the club, Colossus catches up to Donald Pierce and gets in an arm wrestle with him. Colossus's strength proves better and he breaks Pierce's mechanical arm, however, Pierce shocks Colossus in the face with his severed appendage and flees the scene. While elsewhere in the club, Nightcrawler and Storm try their best to defeat Sebastian Shaw in battle, however, he escapes as well. Meeting up with Pierce in one of the clubs many secret tunnels, he tells his comrade that he will make the X-Men pay for this. Upstairs Cyclops tries to calm the party goers, however, Mastermind uses his powers to make them think that he is attacking them. Just then, the power cables that Wolverine slashed earlier in the night connect with the rising rainwater causing the power to go out in the club. Cyclops runs into Wolverine in the dark and tells him to gather the other X-Men while he goes looking for Jean.

Jean meanwhile, giving into the darkness in her soul tracks down Mastermind and pins him to the wall. She finds on him a device created by the White Queen that allowed him to beam his illusions directly into her mind. She is darkly amused but destroys the device and then gives Mastermind what he wanted: control of cosmic power. Opening up his mind to the vastness of the universe Jean causes Mastermind to enter a catatonic state and leaves him. She runs into Scott and although she feels strange she accompanies him and the other X-Men as they flee to their ship parked in Central Park. Watching them go from the window, Shaw vows to ruin the X-Men's public image and turn them into public enemy number one.

The X-Men load up into their plane and take off just as the authorities begin to arrive. Jean, finally unable to contain herself, gives in to her dark side. She changes her costume into a crimson version of her Phoenix outfit and announces that she is no longer the woman they knew, but rather power incarnate. Suddenly, the X-Men's ship explodes due to her "power incarnate".

Having escape from the Hellfire Club, Jean Grey finally gives into the dark side of her soul awakened by Mastermind, becoming the Dark Phoenix and destroying the X-Men's escape craft over Central Park. Miraculously, the X-Men survive the explosion and with quick thinking manage to make it safely to ground with only minor injuries. Their attempts to talk Jean out of attacking them fails and she easily trounces the team with her cosmic level abilities.

While not far away at the Hellfire Club, the authorities are investigating what patrons there believe was an attack by the X-Men. After seeing his colleague Henry Leland wheeled into an ambulance, Sebastian Shaw confronts US Sentator Robert Kelly, a guest at the party that night. He recommends to Kelly using his government connections to restart the Sentinel program so that they can hunt down dangerous mutants as part of his secret scheme to vilify and destroy the X-Men. Before the two men can discuss things further, Shaw is shocked to see a giant Phoenix effect fill the sky. Shaw is not the only one, as Dark Phoenix uses her powers to fly away from Earth her abilities are picked up by Mr. Fantastic's scientific equipment, Spider-Man's spider-sense, Dr. Strange's mystical senses, and the Silver Surfer's cosmic senses. As Jean departs, an Avengers Quinjet lands in Central Park containing the Beast who has come to the aid of his former comrades in the X-Men. He finds them beaten but alive and agrees to fly them back to the X-Mansion in Salem Center. While in New Mexico, Professor X has a video call with Moira MacTaggert on Muir Island where they both compare notes and realize that their greatest fear, that Jean has lost control of her new powers, has finally become a nightmarish reality.

While in space, Dark Phoenix loops around the sun and uses its gravity to sling shot her out to a warp gate not far outside of Earth's solar system. This sends her to the D'bari system, which is part of the Shi'ar empire. She then feasts on the solar system's star, causing it to go nova and obliterate all the living creautres on the planet D'bari. This is witnessed by a Shi'ar flagship that goes in to investigate. While on the Shi'ar throneworld, Empress Lilandra is awoken to the news of the destruction and witnesses the destruction of the flagship at Phoenix's hands. Lilandra grimly considers that they must deal with this threat no matter the cost.

On Earth, the X-Men have returned to their headquarters and wonder what they will do next. Scott, who still has his telepathic rapport with Jean witnesses the entire genocide through his minds eye and warns his fellow X-Men that Jean is returning to Earth, and she's hungry.

Following the Dark Phoenix destroying the D'Bari system, Empress Lilandra of the Shi'ar meets with a galactic council on the threat that the Phoenix poses to the universe. The decision is unanimous in light of the evidence: the Phoenix must be destroyed. While on Earth, the Phoenix's presence does not go unnoticed, and receiving a warning from Dr. Peter Corbeau, the President of the Untied States attempts to contact the Avengers to find that only their butler Edwin Jarvis is present. When Jarvis terminates the call with the President, he notes that it was the Beast's turn to stay behind on monitor duty and wonders where he could have went.

The Beast is with his old comrades the X-Men, preparing for the Dark Phoenix's return by building a synaptic scrambler device to prevent Jean from using her powers. As Cyclops struggles to come to terms with what's become of Jean, Storm tries to console him. While down below in the Danger Room, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Colossus attempt to blow off some steam in the Danger Room. They all come to agree that they must destroy Jean if they must, however their foremost duty will be to try and save her.

The Dark Phoenix meanwhile returns to her parents home at Annadale-On-Hudson and wakes up her parents and younger sister Sarah. Finding their thoughts impossible to keep out of her head, Jean attempts to keep her anger in check. However, she cannot and shows her family her powers by changing a houseplant into crystal. Noticing a fog outside Dark Phoenix realizes that the X-Men have found her and rushes out to meet them. Nightcrawler teleports behind her and places the synaptic scrambler on her head. Although this causes her great pain and limits her abilities, she is still able to hold her own against the X-Men's combined assault on her. When Wolverine gets close enough to her, she begs him to kill her with is claws, but Wolverine falters long enough for Phoenix's dark side to reassert control and blast him away. Having overheated the scrambler, Dark Phoenix removes it and locks the X-Men in stasis.

She begins to torture them mentally until she is confronted by Cyclops who tries to convince her to stop fighting and almost has her won over when Professor X arrives and attacks her mentally. This causes her to flip back to her evil persona and attack Charles directly. The two lock in mental combat and after a match of wits, Charles Xavier manages to use his mental powers to force the Dark Phoenix persona deep into Jean's mind restoring their sanity. Although the X-Men have a heartfelt moment now that Jean is back they all wonder how long her sanity will last. When John Grey and his family approaches Xavier to demand answers, they are shocked when the X-Men are all suddenly teleported away.

The Watcher has come to witness an event of cosmic significance: The fate of the Phoenix. Following the destruction of the D'bari system, the Shi'ar have teleported Phoenix, the X-Men, Angel and Beast aboard an imperial cruiser where Empress Lilandra has the unfortunate duty to tell her lover Charles Xavier that he galactic council has agreed the Phoenix must be destroyed. However, Xavier does not wish to put one of his students to death and calls for a duel of honor between the X-Men and the Imperial Guard for the fate of the Phoenix. After consulting this with the Kree and Skrull leaders, it is agreed that his will be allowable, and Lilandra agrees to the duel as well electing that the battle happen on the Moon's blue area. The Supreme Intelligence and R'Kill demand that their emissaries watch over the battle.

The X-Men leave to rest up for the fight with most of them wondering what the Professor has gotten them into. That night, Jean has an alien tailor create a replica of her old Marvel Girl costume for her to wear, Nightcrawler and Angel practice in a training room, Wolverine -- after considering that this time he will kill Jean if he has to -- meditates, Beast takes a bath and takes up some of the local hospitality, while Storm and Colossus rest up for the fight. Scott is on one of the decks looking out into space brooding over his lot that the love of his life might be killed just when they were truly falling in love. His thoughts are interrupted when Jean arrives and shows off her costume, the two then decide to spend what could possibly be their last night together.

The following morning, the X-Men all agree to fight for Jean and are teleported to the surface of the moon where they find their fliers cannot fly too high without breaching the protective atmosphere of the blue area. The group is attacked by Starbolt, Manta and Oracle, causing the X-Men to split up to divide the Imperial forces.

One group consisting of Beast, Colossus, Storm and Wolverine travel into the underground tunnels and clash with B'nee and his partner C'cll. When Wolverine and Storm are knocked down a shaft, they are attacked by Hossar and Earthquake. Wolverine is knocked into the Watcher's citadel while Storm is defeated by the two Imperials. While above as the battle rages on, Smasher tosses Angel down another shaft, prompting Nightcrawler to jump after him leaving Cyclops and Phoenix alone and out numbered. Inside the Watcher's citadel, Wolverine awakens to have the Watcher reveal that he's been watching the Earth for centuries before kicking Logan out of his home. When Wolverine is approached by what appears to be Storm, his enhanced senses detect that it's really the Skrull Raksor. Before he can deal with the shapeshifter, he is blasted by the Kree known as Bel-Dann. Disgusted at being saved by one of his mortal enemies, Raskor shape shifts into a bestial creature and attacks the Kree.

Meanwhile, down below, Nightcrawler finds no trace of Angel and attempts to get the drop on Manta, only to be blasted by her. Not far away, B'Nee incapacitates the Beast, while Gladiator goes toe-to-toe with Colossus and easily beats the X-Man into submission. Watching the battle from the Shi'ar flag ship, Xavier is upset witnessing his X-Men being beaten, and Lilandra mourns for her love. With the only X-Men left being Cyclops and Phoenix, the two agree to go out together and after a brief rest attack the remaining Imperials head on. However as the battle rages, Jean loses control of her dark side once more and begins to unleash the full power extent of her Phoenix powers once more. With no other choice, the X-Men begin to pick themselves up and change their focus to attacking Jean, despite the pain that it brings them to do so. When Colossus strikes a powerful blow to Jean strong enough to temporarily restore her sanity, she begs her fellow X-Men to end her life, however nobody can bring themselves to do it. 

Jean then runs into a tunnel with Scott hot on her tails. She traps him in a telekinetic shield and tells him that there is no other choice but for the Phoenix to die. Powerless to stop anything, Cyclops watches in horror as Jean triggers one of the long forgotten Kree traps on the Blue Area of the moon and has it blast her, incinerating her body. As the Phoenix dies, her final words are to scream out Scott's name. With Jean dead, Scott realizes how much he has lost that day breaks down in tears.

Witnessing this event are the Watcher and the Recorder. The Recorder finds this emotional tableau intrigued by the fact that they resisted the Phoenix's destruction. The Watcher points out that regardless of what happened, humans are emotional beings, and that despite the fact that the Dark Phoenix was regarded as a monster in the end, she died a human.

At the funeral of Jean Grey, Scott Summers listens over the eulogy and thinks back over the years of his relationship with Jean Grey:

He recalls the early day of the X-Men and how when Jean first joined the team they were all in love. He recalls the teams first battles with Magneto, Vanisher and the Blob; the formation of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and their subsequent clashes against them. Scott remembers how distant he felt with his teammates when Professor X briefly put him in charge of the school and how Warren began pursuing a relationship with Jean. He also remembers their encounter with Ka-Zar in the Savage Land, the Stranger that saw the defeat of their old enemies Magneto and Toad, their battle against the Juggernaut, and Mastermold and the Sentinels.

He recalls a succession of battles against the likes of Mimic, Count Nefaria, the Locust, Chulculcan, Banshee, the Super-Adaptoid, Warlock, and Cobalt Man. He remembers how Warrens eventual relationship with Candy Southern would give way for Scott and Jean to pursue their own relationship.

The threats would continue to come however, with the return of Juggernaut who they defeated with the aid of Dr. Strange, their battle with Tyrannus and the Mole Man, their first encounter with Spider-Man, Mekkano and their battle against Factor Three which ended with a graduation and the group getting unique costumes. He next remembers the day they battle Grotesk a battle that saw the seeming demise of Professor X. The menaces never stopped, like when they saved Lorna Dane from Mesmero and a Magneto robot, and when they rescued his brother Alex from the Living Monolith, and later stopped Larry Trask's Sentinel, and battled Sauron, Magneto and his Savage Land Mutates, the Japanese mutant Sunfire and how Professor X resurfaced to prevent an invasion from the alien Z'Nox and how Hank was mutated into a more furry form.

His mind then focuses on the formation of the new X-Men to save the old team from the mutant island Krakoa, and their first mission against Count Nefaria that ended in Thunderbird's death. He then recalls the capture of Jean and the X-Men by Stephen Lang's Sentinels that would lead to the rebirth of Jean as Phoenix. Battling the threats of Black Tom and Juggernaut, the return of Magneto, the arrival of Empress Lilandra and how Phoenix saved the universe from destruction by stabilizing the M'Kraan Crystal and after their battle with Weapon Alpha.

He recalls how their clash with Mesmero and Magneto would leave Scott and Jean to believe each other dead. Scott would go on to help save the Savage Land from Sauron and Garok, Japan from Moses Magnum and their clash with Alpha Flight in Canada. While Cyclops and the X-Men were battling Arcade, Scott recalls how Jean was being secretly seduced by their old foe Mastermind. He remembers their clash with Proteus. Howe the reunited team would learn of Kitty Pryde and attempt to recruit her into the X-Men only to be ambushed by the Hellfire Club and how they manipulated Jean into becoming their Black Queen ultimately unleashing her Dark Phoenix persona until she sacrificed her life.

With Scott's recollection complete, he offers his sympathies for Jean's parents. Lilandra offers them as well and gives the Grey's a gift, a holomatrix globe that would fill them with Jean's essence whenever they touched it. Meeting up with the Professor, Scott would tell him that he is quitting the X-Men. The Professor understands and wishes Scott the best of luck. With one X-Men leaving the ranks, a new one comes: A cab pulls up in front of Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and out comes Kitty Pride who sits on the steps waiting for the X-Men to come home from the funeral.

ABOUT DAZZLER

Dazzler was originally commissioned by Casablanca Records in 1978 as an animated special to be a multi-media cross-promotion with the character known as "The Disco Queen". Marvel Comics would develop a singing superhero, while Casablanca would produce a singer. Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter wrote a treatment for the animated special, who quickly turn into a live-action feature-length film project that would be produced by Filmworks. Shooter put together a small committee at Marvel to figure out the character's nature, background and personality. Writer Tom DeFalco was the lead writer behind her creation, while artist John Romita Jr. designed her. The character soon changed its name from The Disco Queen to Dazzler, thanks to a suggestion from writer Roger Stern. Due to financial concerns, Casablanca Records left the project, but the film was still in the works.

Romita, Jr. originally intended for the character to resemble model, actress, and singer Grace Jones, but representatives from Filmworks – wanting to promote model and actress Bo Derek – insisted on design changes to reflect Derek's features. The film project was ultimately canceled after Filmworks refused to let Bo Derek's husband, John Derek, direct the movie.

THE ORIGINAL ENDING

The ending of the story was a matter of intense controversy with the editorial staff. Jim Shooter's recollections are that the original intent of the Dark Phoenix storyline was to introduce Dark Phoenix as a cosmic nemesis for the X-Men. This was what had been discussed originally among the creative team and Shooter, and this was the story development that had been approved. When Uncanny X-Men issue 135 was in the final artwork stages, Shooter happened to look at the proofs for the issue and noticed that the story included the destruction of an inhabited solar system, with an explicit mention of billions of lives lost. Louise Simonson feels it was Shooter's outrage over this plot element which led to him taking editor Jim Salicrup off the series several issues earlier than he had been scheduled to.

Upon questioning Salicrup about where the plot went from there, he was told that issue 137 ended with Jean being permanently depowered by the Shi'ar and released into the custody of the X-Men. Shooter disagreed with this development both from a storytelling standpoint as well as, secondarily, a moral standpoint, likening the ending to "taking the German army away from Hitler and letting him go back to governing Germany," and finding it out of character for the X-Men to retain friendly relations with a being who had committed genocide. Byrne and Salicrup explained that they had no problem with this resolution because they had always thought of Dark Phoenix as a separate entity who had possessed Jean Grey, with Salicrup drawing an analogy to the film adaptation of The Exorcist: "In the movie there's this little girl who's taken over and several people get killed, but by the end, when the demon's gone no one thinks, 'Let's kill that murderous little girl.'" However, on reading the issues over they agreed with Shooter that from the reader's perspective, she did not seem to be possessed, and Claremont admitted that while writing the Dark Phoenix Saga he was never clear in his own mind whether Jean Grey was possessed or her actions as Dark Phoenix were her own.

Shooter, during a conversation with Claremont, suggested a scenario where Jean would be permanently imprisoned as a compromise, and Claremont responded that such a scenario was unfeasible since in his opinion, the X-Men would want to continually try to rescue Jean from imprisonment. According to Shooter, Claremont out of frustration suggested that they kill off Jean completely. Although Shooter suggests that the proposed plot point was a bluff by Claremont, playing on the unwritten rule that main characters were not to be killed permanently, he accepted it, even over later objections by both Claremont and Byrne. Ultimately, it was decided by Byrne and Claremont to have Jean commit suicide after her Dark Phoenix persona resurfaces at the climax of the fight against the Imperial Guard. Issue 137 was left largely unchanged, but the last five pages were completely rewritten and redrawn for the new ending, and Claremont also took the opportunity to write a second draft of his script. Because of this, comparison of the original and published versions of X-Men #137 reveals numerous differences in the script with no connection to the ending; for instance, in the original version of the day of rest, the individual X-Men are each thinking of their own personal issues, while the published version shows them reflecting on their decision to protect Jean.

The original ending ultimately saw print in 1984 in Phoenix: The Untold Story. Besides the original version of Uncanny X-Men #137, it featured a transcript of a round table discussion between Claremont, Byrne, Simonson, Salicrup, Shooter, and inker Terry Austin, discussing the story behind the original ending and why it was changed.

REVIEW

Reading the whole saga (including the Phoenix Saga), takes a lot of patience and time. Depending on your preferences in comics, this will be a joyful experience. But the ending of this story has been reprinted several times, and most of us read the ending before the actual build-up. For us the story is spoiled and feels that it lasted too long.

But to someone that was reading this at the time, it must have felt like nothing was sacred in comics anymore. Marvel Comics in particular had a very strict rule of “perception of change” where things move a lot, but never really stay changed. This was a problem to the Marvel Creators of the seventies that felt like they weren’t able to expand their stories properly. Shooter, however, was of the idea of killing of all the characters and replacing them with new versions. But that’s a whole different story.

This is the first major death for Marvel Comics, and the story itself made comic-book history and changed some careers.

It was so influential that it ended up being adapted to film and television more than once. Other tried to do the same, but death, as we already know, started having any meaning in comic-books. And part of the fault is on Marvel as well, as they felt they needed the original Jean Grey back. Again, another story.

This was also a big change for the X-Men, losing a founding member, and with their leader quitting. Kitty Pryde enters the stage, as well as the Sentinels are in the horizon thanks to Senator Kelly’s hate for mutants. We all know what this leads to... there is even a movie about it!

I couldn’t imagine the Dark Phoenix Saga by another artist but Byrne (especially Cockrum). Everything in this saga stays in your mind.

While the story is not for everyone (it has a lot of kinky stuff if you think about it), it is part of history now. At least for Pop culture.

I give this saga a score of 10

[ks-caster]

Starcrossed

Fandom(s): The Vampire Diaries, The 100

Characters: Caroline, Klaus, Murphy, the Delinquents

Premise: 100 years after the apocalypse, Klaus believes Caroline to have died in primefiya. Caroline, for her part, happened to be on a space station when the bombs went off, and has spent the last century on the Arc, not knowinf if any of her friends or family are alive - except for Klaus, because if he’d died, she would have died too (we’re just pretending the unsiring thingy never happened, okay?)

Chapters 1 and 2 and my outline are available under the cut.

Moonrise

“I thought I’d find you here.”

Caroline smiled without looking away from the window.

“It’s not exactly rocket science,” she laughed, taking a sip of her coffee.

“C’mon, Forbes,” Dr. Murphy laughed, sitting down beside her. “That joke hasn’t gotten old yet?”

“I’ve only been on Alpha for a month, Murph,” she reminded him, still gazing out into the vacuum of space. Behind the earth—a fantastic sight on its own from the Alpha Space Station—the moon was rising in a shimmering, silvery crescent. It had become one of Caroline’s favorite sights in the year and a half she’d spent in orbit. Polaris had been more enclosed; their largest window was smaller than the average ones on Alpha, but that was to be expected of a research station versus a strategic one. Polaris needed their environment controllable, while Alpha was structured for high visibility, with a combination of missile-proof windows and high-efficiency sensors. It had been years since Shenzhen had tried anything, but everyone knew that relations between America and China weren’t improving.

“You haven’t memorized what the moon looks like yet?” Dr. Murphy quipped.

“You haven’t memorized what Angelii Reyes looks like?” she shot back, quirking an eyebrow. Dr. Murphy opened his mouth to defend himself, then shut it. Everyone on the ship knew about the missile specialist’s massive crush on his coworker—and everyone had been warned when Caroline’s shuttle first docked that lying to a professional mediator wasn’t going to go particularly well.

“Didn’t know that matchmaker was part of your job description,” he grumbled.

“I’m multitasking,” she responded, finishing her coffee. When her contract with Polaris was up last month she’d been intending to return to Virginia, but Alpha had practically begged her to come aboard for a three month period and help resolve a communication crisis among their command team. She’d found herself jumping at the chance to stay away for just a little bit longer.

The year was 2050 when she’d first decided to take a temporary job in space. Her daughters were in their thirties, her school had four campuses, and she was on her third identity; it was a good time to vanish from view for a little while. 

At least, that were the reason she gave when people asked her. The truth was, there was one more thing she wanted the chance to get away from for a while; well, one more person. 

Once his daughter had begun attending her school, Klaus had become an unavoidable part of her life. At thirty, she’d been much warmer to the idea of him turning up on occasion than she had at nineteen when he’d sworn never to enter her life again. He’d toned the flirting farther down than she’d though him capable—an act of respect for her as a widow, and she’d appreciated it. For a while.

A few years passed, and things began to rekindle between them. It hadn’t been simple, it hadn’t been fast; he’d been mourning Camille and she’d been mourning Stefan. They’d had their issues and their steps back and their makeups and breakups. After a few decades of on-again, off-again, Caroline reached the conclusion that she needed to pick a lane—either pursue a real, healthy relationship with him, or set them both free to find greener pastures. But it was difficult to think straight when he was lying in bed next to her, tracing abstract patterns into her skin with his fingertips, or worse, when she was lying in her bed alone, hyperaware of the space he’d occupy if he was there. Most of the times that she’d traveled, he’d been there in some form or another, so there was nowhere in the world she could run to where she wasn’t reminded of him.

Nowhere on earth, anyway.

Over the years and identities, she’d earned several degrees. Turned out, having all sorts of contracts between her school and various colleges paid off; she could take a wide variety of online courses for virtually nothing, or take sabbaticals to attend various schools. Her current identity—Tasha Forbes, her own second cousin and godchild—had a masters in conflict mediation, and received an invitation to do a study on conflict resolution among the diverse scientific and military teams crewing the Polaris space station. An eighteen-month contract during which she would be entirely focused on work and uninterrupted by Klaus or anyone else from back home had struck her as the perfect opportunity to decide exactly what—and who—she wanted.

And it had worked—she knew it had worked when she hadn’t stopped missing Klaus, and had developed the habit of watching the moon rise from behind the earth because it reminded her of him in the most beautiful way. She made up her mind by the end of her third month that when she set foot on solid ground again, she was going to get into an interstate shuttle direct to Klaus’s current abode in California and tell him definitively that she wanted to be together, for real. She had a plan. She’d rehearsed the conversation. 

And then she had nine more months to over-analyze and second-guess herself—not her plan; she was confident that she wanted a relationship with Klaus—but her delivery. Suddenly a simple “I love you and I want to be with you” was the most complicated thing in human history to try to express.

All in all, the emergency summons to Alpha station had been a welcome relief from the pressure she placed on herself.

“If you’re that interested,” Dr. Murphy was saying, bringing Caroline back to the more immediate romantic conundrum, “do you think you could put in a good word for me? I was actually thinking of maybe asking her to dinner next week, when we dock with the Paradise to resupply.” He scratched his nose—an awkward habit he always did when he was nervous or stressed.

“Girls always know when their friends have been enlisted to improve a guy’s chances,” Caroline scolded. “What I can do is talk you through the process so that you can present the idea as appealingly as possible.”

Murphy stared out the window, a frown on his face, and Caroline laughed a little. God, he was shy in romance for someone so confident in actual, legitimate rocket science.

It was when he slowly rose to his feet and walked to the window, the color draining from his already pale face, that she realized something was wrong.

“Those are…” he whispered, and her eyes were drawn to what had distracted him. Six trails of golden fire were making their way across the blue background of the pacific ocean.

“Shuttlecraft?” Caroline suggested hesitantly, but she knew she was dead wrong before the words had left her mouth. They were traveling too fast for shuttlecraft—and much too close together to conform to safety regulations.

“Missiles,” Murphy breathed, and then took off towards the bridge, Caroline hot on his heels, cursing the fact that she had to run so slowly due to all the security cameras that could catch her vamp speed.

Command was in chaos—alarms blared, people were shouting orders while red lights flashed. Caroline vaguely remembered that as a civilian, she was supposed to return to her quarters during a red alert, but she doubted anyone was going to notice her.

“Status?” Murphy demanded, dashing to his post.

“Six 100-megaton nuclear warheads, heading from China towards the United States,” Angelii reported immediately. “Trajectories suggest Langley, Chicago, Atlanta, Austin, Denver and Portland are the targets.”

“An even spread,” Dr. Murphy murmured darkly. “ETA to detonation?”

“Thirty-two minutes,” an ensign whose name Caroline could never remember responded. Her heart stuttered. She couldn’t feel her feet. Someone was talking—murmuring to her in a low, calming voice… she wasn’t screaming, or crying, or doing anything to warrant a Low, Calming Voice™; actually it was her job to do that sort of thing, wasn’t it?

“Miss,” he was asking, possibly for the third time. “Miss, is there anyone you would like me to contact?” Caroline swallowed, the rush of sound from the last thirty seconds computing at vampire speed. Angelii was trying to break into the missiles’ targeting software to redirect them into space. The speed of her heartrate and the tone in her voice said she already knew she wouldn’t manage it in time.

“Girls,” Caroline finally go out. “I have two girls. One’s in Canada.” She struggled to meet his gaze. “Josie was in Portland. She… might still be there. I don’t remember how long she was staying.” There was no strength to her voice—it sounded thin and unnatural. Shouldn’t she remember her own daughter’s lecture tour itinerary? She stumbled to the communications console as the man with the infuriating calming voice punched in a code, and she dialed Josie’s number.

“Hi, this is Josephine Saltzman,” her voicemail announced cheerfully. “Please leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”

“Jose, it’s mom,” Caroline said, forcing the edge of panic out of her voice. “There’s a nuclear bomb headed for Portland in less than half an hour. If you’re still there…” she choked momentarily. “Honey, I love you—and you need to get out of the city, whatever you gotta do…” had the twins ever gotten the hang of the whole teleportation thing? They’d found the spell in some old grimoires Alaric had been researching a few years back, but it had been tricky, and the last she’d heard of it, they still hadn’t managed to travel more than a few hundred meters. “Call me,” she finally managed, then hung up, immediately dialing Elizabeth.

“Hey there, mama bear,” Lizzie’s husband greeted her as he always did.

“Carlisle, I need you to put Lizzie on the phone right now, it’s an emergency,” she demanded, all in a rush.

“Sure thing—what’s happening?” he asked. She heard him shuffle to his feet, then footsteps announced he was traveling through the house to find his wife.

“The world’s ending,” Caroline murmured numbly as, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw eight trails of fire heading the opposite direction. America was firing back while they still could, apparently. Hopefully no one would shoot anything towards Canada… everyone liked Canada, right?

“It’s your mother,” Carlisle announced, and then the sound quality changed, indicating that she was on speaker.

“China just fired nuclear bombs at the U.S.,” Caroline explained without preamble. “Have you heard from your sister lately—is she still in Oregon?”

“Oh my god,” Lizzie breathed, and even through the phone Caroline could faintly hear her heart speed up. “Last I heard, she was still there until the end of the month. I’ll try and send a message… hang on.” The sound of paper ripping and a pen scratching frantically against it ended with a quickly whispered spell and a ‘whoosh’ of flame.

“I don’t think anyone’s shooting far north enough for you guys to get hit. Yet,” she added as another few missiles appeared on the view screens. Russia had joined in the fight. What was the blast radius on a nuke of that size? There were different colored rings on a large, interactive map of the world. They encompassed a frighteningly huge area.

“Try her phone again,” Lizzie suggested. “I’ll let you know if she gets back to me, okay? I’m gonna call dad.”

“Okay,” Caroline whispered. “I love you both.”

Elena didn’t pick up the phone, but Steve, her ever-friendly middle child, answered on the first ring. 

Bonnie didn’t answer at first, but called back right away. She was in Arizona. Inside two of the threatening circles on the map. Caroline’s brain wouldn’t function right—wouldn’t figure out for her whether that meant instant death, slow horrible death, or just increased chances of cancer.

With two minutes left on the clock, she was dialing Klaus’s number. Could a nuclear blast kill an Original? Would Klaus even know? She swallowed as the line rang. The whole reason she was seeing all this from the aliens’-eye-view was because she didn’t know how to tell him how she felt about him. 

Now the world was ending beneath her feet, and she had less than 100 seconds to figure it out.

“Hello, love.” Klaus’s voice was warm and smooth and full of the particular joy that he seemed to reserve just for her. This, out of everything, brought tears to her eyes, and for a moment she couldn’t speak—couldn’t force a single sound past the agonizing pain in her throat, and the crippling ache in hear heart when she thought that this could be the last time she ever heard it.

“Klaus,” she sobbed faintly, clutching at the nearest console for support.

“What’s the matter, darling?” he asked. No, he demanded. His demeanor had changed instantly, and she imagined the way his eyes had gone hard, the way his spine straightened and his brow furrowed as he waited to hear who he needed to kill.

“Um, the nuclear arsenal of mankind is being launched,” she summarized. Numbly, she counted 48 total bombs being tracked. Around her, a few soldiers were still frantically working, but most were leaning into their personal comm links, exchanging last words with their loved ones below. No one was trying to stop them. Angelii sat back from the screen, shaking her head helplessly. 

“Where are you?” Klaus’s voice had a bit of a growl in it, and she recognized the fear for what it was, although anyone else would have thought it was hostility.

“I’m on a military base,” she whispered. “I’m watching the whole thing in real time… are you still in California?”

“Chicago,” he corrected immediately. “Where…”

“Chicago,” she echoed in muted horror. “There’s one right on top of you… oh my god…”

“Caroline, where are you—are you in danger?” his voice was impatient. She’d heard that particular tone before—it meant he was worried about her, terrified, even, and why on earth wasn’t her first priority saving herself?

“I’m fine, I’m…” but a sudden buzz of static cut her off. “Klaus? Klaus can you still hear me?” a quick glance around the room showed everyone else experiencing the same thing. Her eyes found Dr. Murphy’s.

“The warheads have started to detonate,” he explained quietly. “Most of the U.S’s electronics just shut off. I’m sorry,” he added. Caroline had heard him, and understood the words, but her fingers were in denial and she dialed first Josie’s number, then Lizzy’s. Neither of them rang.

Slowly, dream-like, Caroline made her way to the main window, abandoning the analysis screens in favor of looking directly down at the carnage. She watched as first the Chinese bombs and then the American ones, followed by sundry others, reached their targets and exploded in deceptively tiny eruptions of orange and red. Thick black smoke rose up and began to cover the sky, concealing the planet below in round patches. Within thirty minutes, the planet she knew so well looked like it had contracted some horrible disease.

World War III had taken less than 2 hours, from start to bloody finish.

Freefall

“So, what’re you in for?” 

Caroline glanced up from her meagre, bland food, critically evaluating the speaker. His pale skin, prominent forehead and sardonic smirk told him his name without a shadow of a doubt. This boy was unquestionably one of Dr. Murphy’s direct descendants. She wondered vaguely why they’d never met, but then, the Ark was a pretty big ship.

“Vandalism,” she responded simply, skewering an unappetizing piece of something and shoveling it into her mouth. “I set the art gallery on fire,” she elaborated through the edible substance filling her mouth. She’d worked hard to make her newest teenage persona as laid back as possible; someone of whom no one would have any particular expectations. With each generation and each new set of draconian laws, adulthood on the Ark had transitioned from irksome to deeply detestable. 

“Nice,” Murphy snorted in appreciation.

“Hey, what do you have against art galleries?” a boy with an honest, innocent face and a beanie over his shaggy hair demanded.

“I dunno,” she shrugged, leaning back in her seat. “Put me in a weird mood, I guess. Honestly though, I think maybe the moonshine might have been more at fault.”

“Cause you drank it or cause you used it as accelerant?” the boy checked with a grin.

“Both,” she admitted freely, to a general, appreciative snicker.

“Well, it’s a dumb crime, but as long as nobody got hurt you might have a shot at your review,” a girl she thought was called Monroe commented quietly from the next table over. 

“The last paintings in all of humanity,” Wells Jaha spoke up sadly, but fell silent when Monroe turned a frosty glare on him. He’d only been in the skybox for three days—the newest juvenile detainee besides herself. The way he carried himself, some of the things he said… Caroline got the impression they’d received the same information, and had the same idea. Of course, his motivation was fairly obvious; his massive crush on Clarke Griffin who’d been in solitary for the last six months had spurred him to ensure that when she was sent to the earth to be a human radiation canary, he’d be by her side.

‘Young love,’ she scoffed internally, then grimaced by how old she sounded. 157 was entirely too young to be so disparaging of youth or love.

Of course, she was on her way down because of love too—but as a vampire she at least had a significantly higher chance of survival than he did; the little human fool. 

“Back to your cells,” a guard shouted, hitting a button on the wall which sounded a nasty digital whistle that never failed to give Caroline a splitting headache. She stumbled to her feet, balance compromised until her head stopped echoing.

“Um, do you need help?” an unfamiliar voice asked hesitantly. She looked up blearily and met a completely new pair of brown eyes. She knew vaguely that she’d run across every single person on the Ark at one point or another—even Murphy, first name John she finally recalled—but this girl was entirely foreign to her.

“I’m good—thanks,” she finally responded, straightening up with a little difficulty. “Carrie Forbes,” she added, sticking a hand out. “I don’t think we’ve met.”

“O-Octavia,” she girl nearly squeaked, falteringly extending her hand but looking a bit confused by what she was supposed to do with it. Caroline shook it gently. “Octavia Blake.”

As it turned out, Octavia Blake was to be her roommate—at least, that was what was on the official docket. They’d barely made it into the room before two guards were following them, binders and syringes in hand. Caroline heard Octavia starting to hyperventilate, and as the men approached, demanding that they hold out their hands, she looked over at her.

“Octavia, they can’t kill you twice,” she reasoned quietly, not wanting to admit what she knew, but also wanting to help in some way. “Think about it—what more do you have to be afraid of?” the smaller girl looked her way, gulped, and squared her shoulders. 

“At the end of the day, no matter how this goes,” Caroline murmured as the men pulled the caps off the syringes, “you’ll be free.”

More so than she could possibly know.

Octavia passed out but Caroline was immune to whatever they were using and had to let herself go limp, eyes closed enough that the casual observer wouldn’t notice them cracked open, but still open enough that she could sort of see what was going on. They were carried along with the other drugged juvenile offenders down dark hallways by silent men, the whole operation a complete secret from the Ark’s residents.

She let them strap her into a seat, listened as they did the same to her neighbors, then as soon as the last guard departed, she opened her eyes, scanning the area. Every other passenger was still unconscious except for one—slightly older by the smell of him, with his heart pounding out a staccato sprint. A stowaway, apparently.

‘The plot thickens,’ was the only thing she had time to think before the clamps were releasing and the thrusters were firing and the rough movements had startled the other passengers into varying stages of wakefulness. A recording of Chancellor Jaha started to play on the view screens and Caroline cursed under her breath, wishing one of them had a picture of the planet they were now rapidly falling towards.

“Did you know this was going to happen?” Octavia whispered from beside her. Caroline glanced over and nodded subtly.

“Mm-hm,” she hummed quietly. “Like I said,” she breathed back with a hint of a smile, “one way or another—free.”

“Yeah, if we don’t burn to death from the radiation,” Octavia hissed back.

“We’ll see,” Caroline responded, remembering the Great Solar Radiation Debate 12 years ago, and the way neither side had been able to definitively prove themselves right. She’d always been rather in favor of the idea that space-born humans had a higher ability to metabolize radiation than their earth-dwelling ancestors, but she wasn’t a scientist, so she couldn’t really speak authoritatively on the subject.

Anyway, they were about to find out.

Notes:

Caroline and Klaus get back in touch a few years after she opens the school—what with Hope attending—and they become cordial, perhaps even flirtatious. However, Caroline is afraid to jump back in so quickly after becoming a widow. She feels like her immortal life is rushing into too much, too quickly. So she and Klaus don’t get serious, although when she takes a sabbatical every couple of years, sometimes he’ll meet her abroad. They have an on-again, off-again thing going on for a few decades, because she can’t commit and he won’t push her. 

In the year 2050, Caroline accepts a job to work on a space station for a few years, studying group psychology among the scientists working there. It seems like a fun adventure. 

While she’s up there, cut off from everyone she knows, she makes the decision to take The Plunge and tell Klaus when she gets back that she’s ready for a real relationship with him. Then ALIE launches the nuclear arsenal of mankind, and the world burns beneath her.

The Ark forms, and Caroline mourns. She mourns for her daughters, for Rick, and she believes for Klaus. (Remember, in TO Season 3, his sire line was cut off.) She thinks that he must’ve been destroyed—and if he lived, then he was burning in radiation and desiccating from the total lack of humans to feed on. She prefers to think he’s dead, when she imagines this.

97 years pass. It’s hard to reinvent yourself every decade or so, but compulsion is a wonderful thing, and there isn’t a scrap of vervain on the station, so no one can resist her. Unbeknownst to her, Aurora Blake had told stories about her old school friend Caroline, and then after she compelled everyone she knew on the ship, Bellamy Blake started to mention her as well, so Octavia, who she doesn’t know exists, thinks something seems a little off. 

Caroline always begins as young as she can get away with—usually 14 or 15—and she’s in Clarke’s class at school. Everyone thinks she’s extremely weird; honestly she lost the desire to get close to people after her a few generations of her friends died. The fact that there are no immortals left for her to get close to is a living nightmare, but she can’t turn anyone because she doesn’t have the means to make a daylight ring, and all the witches who ever lived are dead. 

She drinks or drugs herself into oblivion whenever she gets the opportunity; has been jailed and had to compel herself out of the death sentence three times so far. Everyone thinks she’s the weird, anti-social stoner kid. Aren’t junkies supposed to be loose and friendly? She realizes that the delinquents are going to be sent to the ground, so she sets fire to a priceless Earth painting so that she can join them. She figures that even if she burns up and dies, it might be worth it just to escape this lonely eternity.

The 100—including Caroline—land and survive. She keeps her secret under wraps, although it’s tricky as she has to dry out from everything she’s been on for the last century. She doesn’t reveal herself to anyone, and doesn’t interfere much in anyone’s affairs, but she does once single-handedly rescue someone from a horde of reapers.

She gets her neck broken during the final battle and is assumed dead, so the mountain men don’t take her.

Meanwhile, the Originals have survived the apocalypse; Hope and Freya had to go into a magical sleep for twenty years, but they got through it. The Originals rule a large portion of what was once the Western United States. Klaus is called the King of the West and is feared across the continent. He learns that a star fell to the east—bringing strange people with it. He sets out on a journey on a prayer that Caroline might have been on it.

When things start to go badly wrong, Caroline sneaks into the mountain, intending to help. However, the government was vaguely aware of vampires, and the residents have been consuming vervain in their water, for 100 years, so she can’t use compulsion. If she uses violence she could save everyone, but it would likely be at the cost of tons of collateral damage, and she’s pretty against harming children, especially after having lost a couple of her own.

When the King of the West arrives with soldiers and spears demanding to be taken to the Sky People immediately, at first everyone is afraid. But when he begins describing the woman he’s looking for, Octavia pipes up and says that’s Caroline he’s describing. Caroline had once drunkenly described Klaus to Octavia—including the detail of the moles on his neck, so she knows it’s the same guy. She says that Caroline was taken by the mountain men, and if he wants her back, he’ll have to go in and get her. Klaus offers (in a you-can’t-refuse sort of way) his aid to those attempting to get the prisoners out of the mountain.

Caroline has to come with a way that the children survive—it’s in her character to do so. When the prisoners come marching out, it’s not because the mountain releases them—it’s because she did something clever.

When Caroline sees Klaus, she immediately runs into his arms, bursts into tears and kisses him like—well, like she hadn’t seen him into a century. He absolutely doesn’t care that anyone’s watching and sweeps her off her feet, to everyone’s general shock.

[clotheshorse90]

Inflight dining with @united Polaris their new business class service.... food is quite good but I’ve had a few bad meals and I travel a lot and pay for flights etc.... I’m not a influencer so I expect a service especially as I’m paying on average 4 grand.... the service is and has got a little more refined because flying with the likes of virgin they look after premium customers no matter their background.... you don’t expect to hear other passengers in the same class been addressed as mr X for example and you are addressed as “hun” ..... with a side eye black look she the supervisor of business class soon came back correct . . I felt cheated with the new United Polaris service especially in the lounges is in London, Chicago and New York . They as in United need to do a little bit more and like virgin be live on social media and sort out the problem there and then.... you do not want me to get started on the departure lounges #notgood . #clotheshorsefoodandtravel# (at Atlantic Ocean) https://www.instagram.com/p/BeeGt9Ql58a/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xcpkr27gegtz

[faresflow]

How Do Boarding Groups Work on United Airlines

How to Boarding Groups Operate on United Airlines?

United Airlines is one of the most popular airlines in the U.S. and headquartered in Chicago. The boarding time and boarding groups at United Airlines helps you to catch your flight on time. The boarding groups help you eliminate all the obstacles you might face before even getting on the plane. United Airlines strives to provide a comfortable and smooth travel experience, introducing several boarding groups for travelers. With the group boarding process, passengers can board their flights and embark on a stress-free journey. This article will guide you about the United Airlines Group Boarding and its working process.

A Better Understanding of United Airlines and its Boarding Groups

United Airlines has successfully introduced six boarding groups- Pre Boarding and numbered groups 1-5. You will be assigned to a boarding group according to the membership you have chosen. There is a separate queue at the gate to board safely and without any hassle for each group. As per your eligibility, you are assigned to respective groups:

If you are a Premier Platinum member, Premier Gold member, Star Alliance™ Gold member, you are assigned to Group number 1

Also, if you are one of the premium cabin passengers- United First®,  United Polaris®, United Business®, you will be given to group number 1

If you are a Premier Silver member or a Star Alliance™ Silver member, you are most likely to get assigned to Group number 2

If you have purchased Premier Access® or Priority Boarding or have United℠ Explorer Card, United Club℠ Card, United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Card, or United MileagePlus® Awards Card, you are needed to report with Group number 2

Group number 3-5 are also one of the Boarding Groups Work on United Airlines to make your on boarding process easy and instantaneous

If you are an Economy Plus®, United Economy®, or a Basic Economy passenger, then you need to stay with the Group 3 to Group 5

The vital thing to note, if you are a basic economy passenger with elite status, Chase United credit card, or Star Alliance status, you have to board according to the regular group

How is Pre-Boarding Beneficial for Travelers?

Pre-boarding can be of extensive use if you wish to onboard with your flight without any trouble and rush. United Airlines Pre Boarding is very beneficial if you qualify any of the given criteria:

If you are minor and unaccompanied by anyone

If you have any disability

If you belong to the U.S. military uniformed members

If you are traveling with children aged between 0-2

If you are a United Global Services® member, and Premier® 1K® members

However, if you are facing any trouble in understanding the boarding group, contact the customer support group of United Airlines.

[naijastudio]

Kanye West Biography, Age And Net Worth

Kanye West is a Grammy Award-winning rapper, record producer, and fashion designer who is known for his outspokenness. Kanye West: Who Is He? Kanye West first rose to prominence in the music industry as a producer for well-known acts. With his 2004 debut, College Dropout, he demonstrated his rap ability, and albums like Late Registration (2005), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), Yeezus (2013), and Yeezus (2014) confirmed his spot atop the hip hop world (2018). West is a Grammy Award winner who is also noted for his awards show antics, excursions into fashion, and his marriage to Kim Kardashian. Kanye West Life Style And Birth Kanye Omari West was born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia. Ray, his father, was a photojournalist for the Atlanta Journal and a member of the Black Panther Party; he eventually became a Christian counselor. Donda West, West's mother, was a teacher who went on to become a professor of English at Chicago State University and then her son's manager before dying in 2007 at the age of 58 from heart illness following cosmetic surgery. Her death would have a huge impact on West's musical career as well as his personal life. When West was three, Ray and Donda split amicably. Following that, he was reared by his mother in Chicago's middle-class South Shore neighborhood and spent summers with his father. West traveled to China with Donda when he was ten years old, where she taught as part of a university exchange program; he was the only foreigner in his class. West was lured to the South Side's hip-hop scene after returning to Chicago, and he befriended DJ and producer No I.D., who became his mentor. West received a scholarship to study at Chicago's American Academy of Art after graduating from Polaris High School, but he dropped out to pursue music full-time, a move that would later inspire the title of his first solo album. Kanye West Net Worth Net Worth: $6.6 Billion Date of Birth: Jun 8, 1977 (44 years old) Gender: Male Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Profession: Record producer, Songwriter, Singer, Actor, Film Producer, Rapper, Businessperson, Screenwriter, Fashion designer, Music Video Director Nationality: United States of America Kanye West Music Career West created a trademark sound known as "chipmunk soul," which features sped-up soul samples, after spending time producing for local musicians. Following that, in 2001, he relocated to New York. He got his big break here, working on the production for Jay-song Z's "This Can't Be Life," which debuted on the album Dynasty: Roc La Familia in 2000. He reinforced his rising fame the following year by producing four songs on Jay Z's The Blueprint, widely regarded as one of the best rap albums of all time. West went on to create for other notable artists including as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Ludacris, as well as singers Alicia Keys and Beyoncé. West, on the other hand, was not content to be a sidekick. He aspired to be the main attraction, but found it difficult to be taken seriously as a rapper at first. He begged Roc-A-Fella Records to let him rap, but as co-founder Jay-Z told Time magazine later, "We were all raised as street kids who had to do whatever it took to get by. Then there's Kanye West, who, as far as I'm aware, has never worked a day in his life. I couldn't see how it could possibly work." Other labels reacted in a similar way to West. He said, "I'd leave meetings crying all the time." Damon Dash reluctantly signed West to Roc-A-Fella in 2002, but he did so only to keep him as a producer. West was injured in a head-on vehicle incident while driving home from a recording session in a California studio in October of that year, leaving him with a cracked jaw. With his jaw still wired shut after reconstructive surgery, he wrote and recorded "Through the Wire," a song about the experience.While recuperating in L.A., he wrote the most of the rest of his debut album. However, once the album was finished, it was leaked on the internet. West chose to improve it by revising and rewriting songs and fine-tuning the production, which included the addition of heavier drums, gospel choirs, and strings (he paid for orchestras out of his own pocket). Dropout from College The album was finally published in February 2004 and quickly became a hit, selling 2.6 million copies and propelling West to stardom. The College Dropout defied the gangsta-rap mold, including topics like as consumerism (of which he was critical at the time), racism, higher education, and his religious convictions. "They say you can rap about anything but Jesus," he rapped on the tune "Jesus Walks," "That means weapons, sex, lies, videotapes/But if I talk about God, my album won't get played." The College Dropout reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart, and West garnered ten Grammy nominations, winning three of them, including Best Rap Song and Best Rap Album for "Jesus Walks." West formed his record label, GOOD music — an acronym for Getting Out Our Dreams — with Sony BMG shortly after the album's release. He'd release songs by John Legend, Big Sean, Common, Pusha-T, and others. Registration after the deadline West spent a year and $2 million on his sophomore album, enlisting the help of an orchestra and composer Jon Brion, who had never worked with a rapper before. According to the New York Times, West, the restless bourgeois-creative, wanted to "see how far he might expand" hip hop. The results were outstanding, with Best Rap Album winning again, as well as Best Rap Song for "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" and Best Rap Solo Performance for "Gold Digger," and Best Rap Song for "Diamonds from Sierra Leone." Late Registration premiered at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200, a feat West would replicate with each solo album release after that. In Rolling Stone's five-star review of the album, Rob Sheffield stated, "On Late Registration, the Louis Vuitton Don doesn't just want to create pop music — he wants to be pop music." "As a result, he improves his lyrical game, displays his epic production skills, reaches higher, pushes harder, and declares the entire world of music to be hip hop turf." West appeared on an NBC program in September 2005, a month after the release of Late Registration, to collect donations for Hurricane Katrina victims. When he declared live on air that "George Bush doesn't care about Black people," echoing widespread criticism of the president for not visiting the damaged city of New Orleans straight away, he ignited a national media storm - his first, but by no means his last. West's remark enraged Bush, who subsequently described it as a "disgusting moment." Graduation West was motivated to create hip hop more anthemic, to be performed in stadiums and arenas, after traveling with U2 in 2005-2006. He began to incorporate elements of both rock & roll (the Stones, Led Zeppelin, and the Killers) into his music (which originated in his hometown of Chicago). Graduation, his third album, was released on September 11, 2007. It was released on the same day as 50 Cent's album Curtis, in a struggle for hip-soul hop's between the educated showman and the bullet-scarred street thug. But there could only be one winner with Graduation's breakthrough (for hip-hop) palette of layered electronic synthesizers and sloganeering wordplay — "I'm like the fly Malcolm X/Buy any jeans necessary," he sneered on "Good Morning" — West's album went straight to No. 1 after selling 957,000 copies in its first six days. With the music industry wringing its hands over the internet's impact on profit margins, West simply embraced the change with his video for the single "Can't Tell Me Nothing," in which he hired comedian Zach Galifianakis to lip-sync along to the lyrics on an alternate version, resulting in a YouTube viral sensation. The Death of Kanye West Mother West was on top of the world, acclaimed as the musician who had put gangster rap on the verge of extinction. Then catastrophe happened in November 2007. Donda, his adored mother, died of a heart attack after cosmetic surgery. He dedicated a performance of "Hey Mama" to her on his first show after the funeral. West split up with his fiancée, Alexis Phifer, a few months later. 808s & Heartbreak, his next album, was released 12 months after his mother died and was laced with grief, agony, and isolation. West even gave up rapping in favor of singing through an Auto-Tune vocal processor, which gave his voice a robotic tone – a technique that is now commonplace in hip hop. "Hip hop is done for me," he declared after describing the new album as "pop art" (not to be confused with the visual art movement). (It wasn't; he won Grammys for guest raps on Estelle's "American Boy" and TI's "Swagga Like Us" that year.) Kanye West Earnings By Year Follow Money Year Earnings 2007 $17,000,000 2008 $30,000,000 2009 $25,000,000 2010 $12,000,000 2011 $16,000,000 2012 $35,000,000 2013 $20,000,000 2014 $30,000,000 2015 $22,000,000 2016 $18,000,000 2017 $22,000,000 2018 $90,000,000 2019 $100,000,000 2020 $200,000,000 Total: $437,000,000 Taylor Swift's VMA Feud and Diss The fragility of West's mental health was brought into question the following year at the MTV Video Music Awards. He stormed the stage during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for the Best Female Video award (for "You Belong to Me") at Radio City Music Hall in New York to argue that Beyoncé should have won instead. The reverberations from that moment are still being felt. West apologized, then retracted his apology in a New York Times interview in 2013. By 2015 they had become friends and were even spotted at dinner together. Then in 2016 Kanye rapped on his song "Famous": "I feel like me and Taylor might still have s*x/Why? I made that b**** famous." Swift responded from the stage at the 2016 Grammy Awards, this time unapologetically, with the words: "To all the young women out there, I want to say something: There will be people who try to undermine your success or take credit for your successes along the way... Don't let those folks get in the way." Fashion West took a break from music after the Swift fiasco to focus on fashion. Since 2006, he'd been collaborating with limited-edition sneakers with brands including A Bathing Ape and Nike. To obtain experience, he reportedly interned at Gap in 2009 and later Fendi. In 2011, he debuted his first collection in Paris, however it was critically lambasted. Long Nguyen, style director of Flaunt magazine, sniffed, "You can't just dump some fox fur on a runway and call it luxury." At the show's after-party, West delivered a wounded-sounding address. "Please take it easy," he said. "Please give me the opportunity to mature." After a lackluster response to his second collection a year later, West stated that he would no longer be presenting in Paris. In 2013, he collaborated on a capsule collection with the French label APC, and in October 2015, he struck a $10 million agreement with Adidas, launching his first sportswear collection, Yeezy Season 1, with the brand. The label has received mixed reviews, while Anna Wintour praised his Season 5 collection in February 2017. She told the New York Post, "I really liked it." "A little more attention than we've seen from him before." My Dark Twisted Fantasy West returned to music in November 2010 with his fifth album, a bombastic and towering monument to self-aggrandizement that sounded "like an instant greatest hits," according to Pitchfork. It was a bombastic and towering monument to self-aggrandizement with paranoid celebrity and rampant consumption as the dominant themes: it was a bombastic and towering monument to self-aggrandizement that sounded "like an instant greatest hits" according to Pitchfork It was Kanye West's best and worst all bundled into one: a magnum work that bordered on the insane. It spawned four songs, including "Monster," on which West, Jay Z, and Rick Ross were famously beaten into second place by Nicki Minaj's furious guest verse. In 2011, West and his old sparring partner Jay Z released Watch the Throne, a joint album that delivered seven songs, including "Otis" and "Niggas in Paris," as well as three additional Grammy awards for West and Jay Z. Relationship In 2012, West released Cruel Summer, a compilation album including artists from his GOOD Music label. However, his romance with reality-TV star Kim Kardashian, which began in April, dominated the headlines that year. They married on May 24, 2014, in the medieval Fort di Belvedere in Italy, after West proposed at the AT&T baseball stadium in San Francisco on October 21, 2013. As Kardashian came down the aisle, Andrea Bocelli performed, The designer Rachel Roy, tennis champion Serena Williams, film director Steve McQueen, and music performers Legend, Q-Tip, Rick Rubin, Tyga, and Lana Del Rey were among the visitors. North (born June 15, 2013), Saint (born December 5, 2015), and another daughter are the couple's three children (born via surrogate January 15, 2018). Psalm, the couple's fourth child, was born via surrogate in May 2019. Yeezus West's sixth studio album, Yeezus, was released in June 2013 and had little evidence that the rapper was living a happy life. West had engaged producer Rick Rubin to make sweeping alterations just days before the album's release, thus the sound was aggressive, raw, and almost entirely melody-free. On "I Am a God," which featured the iconic phrase "Hurry up with my stupid croissants," West sounded neurotic and egocentric to the point of bathos. With the exception of the excellent glam-rock-inspired hit "Black Skinhead," West stated the album was a "attack against the commercial," and it certainly included nothing that was radio-friendly (the first of only two singles from the album). Yeezus is the only album by Kanye West to have sold less than one million copies in the United States. Nonetheless, it was highly welcomed by critics, including rock veteran Lou Reed, who told Rolling Stone that "It's as if you're crafting a movie with each tune... The guy is incredibly gifted." Beef on Jimmy Kimmel In September, West and Jimmy Kimmel had a Twitter dispute after the talk-show host ridiculed an interview West had given to the BBC in the United Kingdom. On his show, Jimmy Kimmel hired young actors to recite some of West's more bombastic remarks. West, on the other hand, was not amused. One of a series of outraged tweets said, "Jimmy Kimmel is out of line to try to mimic in any manner the first piece of honest media in years." During his next episode, Kimmel happily read out West's tweets, eliciting more ire from the rapper, who shared a link to a Slate piece headed "Kanye was right." West returned on Jimmy Kimmel Live the following month, and the conversation lasted the most of the broadcast, with multiple free-flowing Kanye monologues covering everything from his career to his thoughts on the paparazzi, Steve Jobs, and Jesus. "I don't know whether you're aware of this, but a lot of people believe you're a jerk," Kimmel said, before complimenting West's portrayal. West had been hurt by Kimmel's characterization of him, as it turned out, because the two had known each other before to the disagreement. "When I'm cooking up a comedic routine," Kimmel said, "regarding a celebrity's feelings is not something that comes to mind." They had cleared the air by the end of the show. More Public Outbursts, Collaboration with Paul McCartney, and Rihanna West made history as the first rapper to collaborate with Paul McCartney, releasing the tune "Four Five Seconds" alongside the Beatles icon and Rihanna at the start of 2015. But a month later, there was yet another award-show snarl, this time at the Grammys, when West protested to Beck winning Best Album. After the ceremony, West remarked, "Beck needs to respect artistry, and he should have presented his trophy to Beyoncé." In an interview with The Sunday Times newspaper in England a few months later, he withdrew his comments. "My image of a gentleman who plays 14 instruments not respecting craftsmanship was incorrect," he admitted. West, along with other artists such as Beyoncé, Jay Z, Rihanna, Madonna, Chris Martin, and Nicki Minaj, was introduced as a co-owner of the music-streaming service Tidal in March. Despite a petition with 135,000 signatures requesting for him to be removed from the lineup, he headlined the Glastonbury festival in the United Kingdom in June. The Life of Pablo Picasso In the lead-up to his seventh album, The Life of Pablo, there was even more controversy. West made headlines before the film's release on February 14, 2016, for a series of inflammatory tweets, including one declaring Bill Cosby, who is on trial for drugging and raping women, to be innocent. He began a feud with Wiz Khalifa, a musician he mistookly believed had ridiculed his wife, Kim Kardashian ("I am your OG and I will be respected as such," West tweeted.). He also expressed regret for appearing to disparage Michael Jordan in his lyrics. West then oddly advised his fans to lobby Facebook founder Mark Zuckerber the day after his album was released. He also expressed regret for appearing to disparage Michael Jordan in his lyrics. West then oddly pushed his fans to lobby Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to spend $1 billion in West's "ideas" the day after his album was released. He also claimed to be in debt for $53 million. Thealbum was yet another departure from the norm, as well as a triumph. It has a considerably broader sound than Yeezus, integrating a wide range of sounds, styles, and inspirations, ranging from trap to gospel to Auto-Tune crooning, avant-pop, vintage soul, and dancehall. Frank Ocean, Chance the Rapper, Rihanna, Desiigner, and Kid Cudi were among the guest vocalists. It was West's sixth solo album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 list in a row. Cancellation of the Tour and Return to the Spotlight West paused a show in Sacramento on November 20, 2016, while on his Saint Pablo Tour, to go on a rambling diatribe about radio playlists, MTV, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Beyoncé, and Jay Z ( "Call me, Jay Z... I know you've got killers. Please don't shoot them at me "(Imaginative+ paraphrase). He had ranted onstage and proclaimed support for Trump for the second time in a week, and this time it seemed like a public breakdown – he did not finish the act. He canceled the remaining 21 concerts of his tour the next day, citing tiredness, and spent the next eight days in the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Pusha T, the president of GOOD music, revealed in an interview in February 2017 that West was working on a new album. Rumors about the album's progress persisted, with some stories claiming that the Grammy winner had sought creative inspiration in the Rockies of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. With the announcement that he was authoring a philosophy-themed book, Break the Simulation, in April 2018, West re-entered the news cycle. Days later, he verified the rumors of new material in a rapid-fire sequence of tweets, announcing that he will release two albums in June, the second of which would feature longtime collaborator Kid Cudi. The artist then caused a sensation when his tweets turned to his admiration for President Donald Trump, referring to him as "my brother" and claiming that they shared "dragon energy," even sharing a selfie wearing Trump's "Make America Great Again" cap. West later clarified the situation by adding that he adored Hillary Clinton as well and that he didn't agree with everything the president stated. "I don't agree with anyone except myself 100 percent," he wrote. Read the full article

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 7.20

70 – Siege of Jerusalem: Titus, son of emperor Vespasian, storms the Fortress of Antonia north of the Temple Mount. The Roman army is drawn into street fights with the Zealots. 792 – Kardam of Bulgaria defeats Byzantine Emperor Constantine VI at the Battle of Marcellae. 911 – Rollo lays siege to Chartres. 1189 – Richard I of England officially invested as Duke of Normandy. 1225 – Treaty of San Germano is signed at San Germano between Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and Pope Gregory IX. A Dominican named Guala is responsible for the negotiations. 1398 – The Battle of Kellistown was fought on this day between the forces of the English led by Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March against the O'Byrnes and O'Tooles under the command of Art Óg mac Murchadha Caomhánach, the most powerful Chieftain in Leinster. 1402 – Ottoman-Timurid Wars: Battle of Ankara: Timur, ruler of Timurid Empire, defeats forces of the Ottoman Empire sultan Bayezid I. 1592 – During the first Japanese invasion of Korea, Japanese forces led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi captured Pyongyang, although they were ultimately unable to hold it. 1705 – A fire in Oulu almost completely destroyed the fourth district, which covered the southern part of the city and was by far the largest of the city districts. 1715 – Seventh Ottoman–Venetian War: The Ottoman Empire captures Nauplia, the capital of the Republic of Venice's "Kingdom of the Morea", thereby opening the way to the swift Ottoman reconquest of the Morea. 1738 – Canadian explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye reaches the western shore of Lake Michigan. 1799 – Tekle Giyorgis I begins his first of six reigns as Emperor of Ethiopia. 1807 – Nicéphore Niépce is awarded a patent by Napoleon for the Pyréolophore, the world's first internal combustion engine, after it successfully powered a boat upstream on the river Saône in France. 1810 – Citizens of Bogotá, New Granada declare independence from Spain. 1831 – Seneca and Shawnee people agree to relinquish their land in western Ohio for 60,000 acres west of the Mississippi River. 1848 – The first Women's Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, a two-day event, concludes. 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Peachtree Creek: Near Atlanta, Georgia, Confederate forces led by General John Bell Hood unsuccessfully attack Union troops under General William T. Sherman. 1866 – Austro-Prussian War: Battle of Lissa: The Austrian Navy, led by Admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff, defeats the Italian Navy near the island of Vis in the Adriatic Sea. 1871 – British Columbia joins the confederation of Canada. 1885 – The Football Association legalizes professionalism in association football under pressure from the British Football Association. 1903 – The Ford Motor Company ships its first automobile. 1906 – In Finland, a new electoral law was ratified, guaranteeing the country the first and equal right to vote in the world. Finnish women were the first in Europe to receive the right to vote. 1917 – World War I: The Corfu Declaration, which leads to the creation of the post-war Kingdom of Yugoslavia, is signed by the Yugoslav Committee and Kingdom of Serbia. 1920 – The Greek Army takes control of Silivri after Greece is awarded the city by the Paris Peace Conference; by 1923 Greece effectively lost control to the Turks. 1922 – The League of Nations awards mandates of Togoland to France and Tanganyika to the United Kingdom. 1932 – In the Preußenschlag, German President Hindenburg places Prussia directly under the rule of the national government. 1934 – Labor unrest in the U.S.: Police in Minneapolis fire upon striking truck drivers, during the Minneapolis Teamsters Strike of 1934, killing two and wounding sixty-seven. 1934 – West Coast waterfront strike: In Seattle, police fire tear gas on and club 2,000 striking longshoremen. The governor of Oregon calls out the National Guard to break a strike on the Portland docks. 1935 – Switzerland: A Royal Dutch Airlines plane en route from Milan to Frankfurt crashes into a Swiss mountain, killing thirteen. 1936 – The Montreux Convention is signed in Switzerland, authorizing Turkey to fortify the Dardanelles and Bosphorus but guaranteeing free passage to ships of all nations in peacetime. 1938 – The United States Department of Justice files suit in New York City against the motion picture industry charging violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act in regards to the studio system. The case would eventually result in a break-up of the industry in 1948. 1940 – Denmark leaves the League of Nations. 1940 – California opens its first freeway, the Arroyo Seco Parkway. 1941 – Soviet leader Joseph Stalin consolidates the Commissariats of Home Affairs and National Security to form the NKVD and names Lavrentiy Beria its chief. 1944 – World War II: Adolf Hitler survives an assassination attempt led by German Army Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. 1949 – The Israel–Syria Mixed Armistice Commission brokers the last of four ceasefire agreements to end the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. 1950 – Cold War: In Philadelphia, Harry Gold pleads guilty to spying for the Soviet Union by passing secrets from atomic scientist Klaus Fuchs. 1951 – King Abdullah I of Jordan is assassinated by a Palestinian while attending Friday prayers in Jerusalem. 1954 – Germany: Otto John, head of West Germany's secret service, defects to East Germany. 1960 – Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) elects Sirimavo Bandaranaike Prime Minister, the world's first elected female head of government. 1960 – The Polaris missile is successfully launched from a submarine, the USS George Washington, for the first time. 1961 – French military forces break the Tunisian siege of Bizerte. 1964 – Vietnam War: Viet Cong forces attack the capital of Định Tường Province, Cái Bè, killing 11 South Vietnamese military personnel and 40 civilians (30 of whom are children). 1968 – The first International Special Olympics Summer Games are held at Soldier Field in Chicago, with about 1,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities. 1969 – Apollo program: Apollo 11's crew successfully makes the first manned landing on the Moon in the Sea of Tranquility. Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first humans to walk on the Moon six and a half hours later. 1969 – A cease fire is announced between Honduras and El Salvador, six days after the beginning of the "Football War". 1974 – Turkish invasion of Cyprus: Forces from Turkey invade Cyprus after a coup d'état, organised by the dictator of Greece, against president Makarios. 1976 – The American Viking 1 lander successfully lands on Mars. 1977 – The Central Intelligence Agency releases documents under the Freedom of Information Act revealing it had engaged in mind-control experiments. 1977 – The Johnstown flood of 1977 kills 84 people and causes millions of dollars in damages. 1981 – Somali Airlines Flight 40 crashes in the Balad District of Somalia, killing 40 people. 1982 – Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings: The Provisional IRA detonates two bombs in Hyde Park and Regent's Park in central London, killing eight soldiers, wounding forty-seven people, and leading to the deaths of seven horses. 1985 – The government of Aruba passes legislation to secede from the Netherlands Antilles. 1989 – Burma's ruling junta puts opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest. 1992 – Václav Havel resigns as president of Czechoslovakia. 1997 – The fully restored USS Constitution (a.k.a. Old Ironsides) celebrates its 200th birthday by setting sail for the first time in 116 years. 1999 – The Chinese Communist Party begins a persecution campaign against Falun Gong, arresting thousands nationwide. 2005 – The Civil Marriage Act legalizes same-sex marriage in Canada. 2012 – James Holmes opened fire at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 and injuring 70 others. 2012 – Syrian civil war: The People's Protection Units (YPG) capture the cities of Amuda and Efrîn without resistance. 2013 – Seventeen government soldiers are killed in an attack by FARC revolutionaries in the Colombian department of Arauca. 2013 – Syrian civil war: The Battle of Ras al-Ayn ends with the expulsion of Islamist forces from the city by the People's Protection Units (YPG). 2015 – A huge explosion in the mostly Kurdish border town of Suruç, Turkey, targeting the Socialist Youth Associations Federation, kills at least 31 people and injures over 100. 2015 – The United States and Cuba resume full diplomatic relations after five decades. 2017 – O. J. Simpson is granted parole to be released from prison after serving nine years of a 33-year sentence after being convicted of armed robbery in Las Vegas.