#up in the clouds 1965

[inmyworldblr]

Nirjan Saikate (1963) // Akash Kusum (1965) // film poster comparison

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Nirjan Saikate (The Desolate Beach) - dir, Tapan Sinha

Akash Kusum (Up in the Clouds) - dir. Mrinal Sen

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[m1ssunderstanding]

Can we talk about how fucking romantic "Tell Me What You See" is? So you're telling me John asks in 1964 "If I give my heart to you, I must be sure from the very start that you would love me more than her. If I trust in you oh please don't run and hide. If I love you too oh please don't hurt my pride." And in 1965 Paul answers, "if you let me take your heart, I will prove to you. We will never be apart if I'm part of you. Big and black the clouds may be. Time will pass away. If you put your trust in me, I'll make bright your day." I mean... If I'm John I'm giving it up to him that very second like. Take me now. Put a baby in me. Carry me bridal style over the threshold of this fancy hotel room.

[sleepyconfusedpotato]

I don't know if you ever received this ask or had this idea before but here goes nothing Since Ghost already met Jade's family, what if she meets his? ....angst material. Sorry not sorry.

Oh my God... Anon... You sparked something in me, and I cannot go to sleep now without posting this. Thank you so much for the idea.

(I think I'm gonna make a full on comic out of this, and I will make an art at some point for this fic, but let's use this lovely GIF of Ghost first)

She's The One

Jade meets Ghost's family.

Pairing : Simon “Ghost” Riley x Charlotte “Jade” Le Jardin (OC) Word Count : ~ 1.8k words Warning : Medium to heavy angst and mentions of death, but ends with a full on fluff because you know me mate I want Ghost to be happy ok.

Title and story inspired by the song 'She's The One' by Robbie Williams

"...How's your family, Simon?" 

Jade asked Ghost. They had been having a small outing, which included watching the cinema together and going around the streetside shops to find new wardrobes for Ghost to wear. He initially thought that it was unnecessary, but as Jade insisted, he went anyway – as long as he could spend his off-duty time with her.  

He'd met her parents, and though he was apprehensive about it at first, they turned out to be pleasant and strong people. It was such an unfamiliar feeling for him, to have a family to come home to, a supportive family and kind and can take care of their own. He's foreign to that concept.

Ghost just stayed silent to her question, his expression which was usually unreadable turned sorrowful, his eyes gazing down at the pavements they walked. She thought she should change the subject before Ghost muttered,

"You want to see them now?" 

Jade opened her eyes wide in surprise, not expecting him to say anything about meeting his family this fast, and the way he said 'now'...

The woman knew Ghost wouldn't ask her that question if he was adamant as he was a straightforward person. And so, she answered, "Of course, if you don't mind it." He then proceeded to enter his car that was parked not far from where they just watched a movie in a cinema, not forgetting to open the passenger door for Jade beforehand. 

They drove for a full 30 minutes of silence, save for the sound soft songs on the radio. As Ghost drove, Jade looked out the window and understood that they were going to a familiar place that she had passed by a few times in her life. He drove to the nearest available parking area, parking his car flawlessly before stopping the car engine, leaving the both of them in complete silence. 

Jade felt the atmosphere around him grow heavy, his hands still on the steering wheel as if he was still pondering whether or not he wanted to get out of the car. He let out a soft sigh, took his keys and got out of the car. Jade got out of her own and looked at the surrounding area.

Cemetery.

The sun had disappeared behind the heavy grey clouds that constantly covered the England skies. Tiny drops of water had touched her cheek, in such a way it reflected Ghost's inner thoughts right now. 

The man looked at her, "Over here." He walked with Jade following right behind him. After about 10 minutes of walking and treading through the tall grasses, Ghost stopped in front of a group of gravestones, four of them, which were placed more tightly together than the other. The grasses were tidily short, a sign that the keepers attended to these graves properly.

Jade then looked down, reading the engravings on the stones, and her heart shattered to pieces.

"Susan Riley, November 17th, 1965 - December 24th, 2017"

"Thomas Riley, July 21st, 1990 - December 24th, 2017"

"Elizabeth Riley, May 8th, 1991 - December 24th, 2017"

"Joseph Riley, March 19th, 2013 - December 24th, 2017"

It was his mother's birthday. 

She looked up to find Ghost's eyes gazing down at the names as well, noticing that the ground he was standing on was right at the front of his mother's grave. No tears in sight, only sadness, and as an MI6 agent of two decades, she could deduce an expression of regret. Jade didn't need to wonder why, as the dates of their deaths were all the same - the reason he hid his identity, lived as no one, avoided any relationship with anyone, and the reason why he was adamant about meeting her parents – His past came to haunt, and it's target was not him. 

Jade couldn't say anything. What could she say? That she's sorry this happened? She knew Ghost hated that phrase the most, of someone pitying him, that they wished things could be different. But what use is it to wish? It happened. His entire family died because something happened during one of his missions, and his family paid the price for it.

As if on cue, she heard a small sniff from him the same second the raindrops started to grow more frequent, falling harder, creating white noises and wet spots on their clothes. Being the Londoner she was, knowing that sunny days were never really sunny, Jade fished out her floral purple umbrella, holding it above Ghost's head beside her, making sure to cover his broad shoulders fully as her left shoulder grew wet. 

She saw his face, and it was enough reason to stay silent and let him grieve. She didn't know if this was the first time he'd visited their graves after years or if he always come here at some time every year, but no matter which one the answer was, if she could see one thing, it was that his tears never seemed to run out, even after years.

Jade let him cry, the sound of his sobs completely drowned by the white noises of the heavy rain. 

She knew that he wasn't a big fan of any physical touch, nonetheless, she lifted her other hand softly and rubbed at his back, going up and down in an attempt to soothe his sorrow. And after a minute of him not flinching away from her touch, Jade mustered up her will to slowly encircle her arm around his own on his side, their sides touching as she rubbed his bicep, and going even further as she leaned her head to touch his shoulder. 

Ghost's shoulder still shook for a few minutes as he cried his heart out, Jade kept doing what she did as he let his sorrow out. 

Soon after, another surprise hit her when she heard and saw that the rain started to slow down, albeit still going down on both of them. Her other arm started to grow sore after moments of holding the umbrella high to accommodate his height, yet what alleviated the pain was the fact that she felt a small weight on her head, realizing that Ghost had eased his cries, now only soft sniffs, and that he leaned his head on top of hers as well.

He still stayed silent, not a word spoken ever since they arrived, but she knew that this was a good sign that he knew that she would be there for him, even when he was vulnerable.

"Happy birthday, Mrs. Riley." 

Jade muttered softly, the man beside her still looking down on his mother's grave even though he was slightly dazed at her words. 

"This is our first meeting, but I can tell that you were a kind person, and an even more amazing mother and grandmother."

He then glanced at Jade as she continued, "Your son is a very skilled and intelligent man, traits which I assume he got from you. He's confident, a great leader-- oh! And he's handsome as well, so that's a plus." 

That prompted a scoff out of his mouth. Nevertheless, she went on. "He's not much of a social person. He's a little bit intense and stiff - We can work on that. He shot my hand once! I have the scar to prove it. His choices of words are sometimes foul, though, again, we could always work on that." Jade joked lightheartedly, seeing him softly smile above her.

"But if there's one thing about him that I love, is that he's a strong man with a warm heart, and I don't have to assume to know that he got it from you." Jade continued. "Your son is the strongest man I know, and I will stop at nothing to protect him and make him happy."

Ghost looked down at her, astounded at her words. "Thank you for bringing him into this world. Happy birthday, Mrs. Riley." 

As she finished her message, Jade looked up with a soft smile, "I'll be sure to bring some flowers the next time we visit, and every year after that." 

She thought he was going to say something, until the arm that was intertwined with hers moved, though nervously, gliding across her back and found its home on Jade's shoulder, before lightly pressing and pulling her towards him. Jade blushed, not only at the warmth of his body but also at the fact that he initiated the touch. 

"Thank you, Lottie." He muttered in his deep voice, "So much." 

"Anytime, Love." 

After about 15 minutes of standing in front of the graves, the rain had stopped, and the sun showed up to light the rest of the day as the sky turned orange. Jade had stored the wet umbrella back in its container and hung it on her wrist before she walked back to the car per his request. Jade figured he wanted some alone time with his family, and so she obliged.

"How's she, Mum? She's a beautiful bird, isn't she?" 

Ghost finally spoke, his hands tucked inside his pockets. He then glanced at his brother's grave, smirking. "What about you, Tommy? You think she's the one?" He asked no one, not expecting any answer anyway, yet he just wanted to let it out.

"I thought I'm gonna bite the dust on some fucking rathole somewhere, and that was what I wished at some point, but..." Ghost sighed, shifting his weight on his hip, "I kind of want to die an old man, after living my life to the fullest with her-- Fuck, I can't believe I'm saying this." Ghost chuckled at his own words, not expecting it to be this heartfelt. "I'm arse over tit for her. Yeah, you're gonna laugh at me for this Tommy, but at least I didn't laugh when you said the same thing about Beth." 

"And Mum, knowing you, I think you'd like her. She's a bit like you, in a way." Ghost confessed, still eyeing her name on her gravestone, "She cares too much. In a good way, and I find it endearing." He suddenly recalled the memories he had with Jade, from the first moment they met to this moment, replaying them over and over and being surprised about how much she reminded him of his mother. 

"I want to protect her with all my life. I love her, Mum."

And with that, a burden on his shoulders felt like no more. He'd never said those words to anyone, and he might be insane to be in love with someone considering how he'd lived his life, but he'd made a promise to protect her, and if he'd be a fool, then a fool he would become.

"Anyway, she's waiting back there, and I'm hungry. So I'm going to leave you now." Ghost then stood up straight, his hands still in his pockets. He glanced at every single one of the gravestones, before looking at his mother's.

"Happy birthday, Mum." 

-----

(All of the Riley's birthdays are entirely made-up. Their date of death was also made up, but I remembered there were something with Christmas, so I'll just place December 24th to make my heart hurt more) ಥ_ಥ

Anyway, thank you for reading, and hope you love this! (❁´◡`❁)

[thepratandtheidiot]

🍿 movie knights 2025 official list ⚔️

[town crier voice] HEAR YE, HEAR YE!

so the deal was originally 52 films, but y'all are great at suggestions and i have apparently missed A LOT of cinema over the years!! hence we're listing an even (and extremely optimistic) 100 titles under the cut, in no apparent order.

what: our noble quest, to watch at least one film every week

when: every friday, i'll post the upcoming week's film(s) and a ✨ lazy review ✨ of the previous week! will also update this post with links once watched

who: me (lars), sometimes theo, anyone else who wants to yap about movies or schedule a watch-along!

and so, without further ado...

in 2025, we're watching:

In Bruges (2008) Wuthering Heights (2011) Gladiator (2000) * The Great Muppet Caper (1981) Silence of the Lambs (1991) The Godfather (1972) Brokeback Mountain (2005) Parasite (2019) Citizen Kane (1941) Reservoir Dogs (1992) There Will Be Blood (2007) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) The Dictator (1940) Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979) Blazing Saddles (1974) Trainspotting (1996) The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) * Beetlejuice (1988) * Pulp Fiction (1994) Django Unchained (2012) American Psycho (2000) Blackklansman (2018) The Italian Job (1969) ✅ Far From the Madding Crowd (2015) Train to Busan (2016) Challengers (2024) The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920) The Passenger (2023) The Pelican Brief (1993) * Fire Island (2022) * Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) * A Man For All Seasons (1966) * That Funny Feeling (1965) * Cloud Atlas (2012) * Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017) * Impetigore (2019) * Rope (1948) * Ladyhawke (1985) The Big Sleep (1946) Bringing Up Baby (1938) The Outrun (2024) Moonlight (2016) The Dark Crystal (1982) * My Own Private Idaho (1991) Annihilation (2018) * Pride (2014) Ready or Not (2019) Smilla’s Sense of Snow (1997) * Pather Panchali (1955) Emma (2018) Mona Lisa Smile (2003) * I Saw the TV Glow (2024) The Thin Man (1934) The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) Velvet Goldmine (1998) * Labyrinth (1986) * Victor/Victoria (1982) * Conclave (2024) ✅ Ravenous (1999) The Thing (1982) Planet of the Apes (1968) Topper (1937) Psycho (1960) The Lion in Winter (1968) Some Like It Hot (1959) Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) Monkey Man (2024) The Lighthouse (2019) * Nosferatu (2024) * ✅ Prey (2022) Seven Samurai (1954) * ✅ Death on the Nile (1978) ✅ The Shining (1980) Maurice (1987) Space Sweepers (2021) Wings (1927) Flesh and the Devil (1926) Sherlock Jr. (1924) Goodfellas (1990) And Then We Danced (2019) Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) * Interstellar (2014) * 3:10 to Yuma (2007) Rebecca (1940) I’m No Angel (1933) The Court Jester (1955) Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) Bill (2015) Kes (1969) My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) * The Wedding Banquet (1993) At the Circus (1939) The Old Dark House (1932) The Others (2001) Lisa Frankenstein (2024) The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) * ✅ The Martian (2015) * Amsterdam (2022) * God's Own Country (2017)

[muzaktomyears]

I never turned on the tape recorder, but I do remember my talk with Brian Epstein [in August 1965] vividly and without question. (...) Epstein was candid about his feelings for the Beatles, especially for Lennon, who he described as a "genius with genius problems." He was especially concerned that John's growing political activism might divert attention from the main event - the men and their music. He felt like a father to John, whom he described as overly petulant and difficult to manage. As the conversation progressed, I realized that I was serving as a depository for some pent-up, constrained feelings. I listened intently as he expressed concern that he was losing his grip on John and maybe the whole group and described his fear that, without his presence, the Beatles' unity would divide into four separate camps. His words would be prophetic, but he didn't imagine that his own death would be a catalyst in realizing those predictions. I was surprised as Epstein described a growing paranoia. He looked pained when he described an awareness of the boys talking behind his back. He assumed that they were laughing at him. I told him I had never heard or seen anything like that. I could imagine that happening, but I was hardly an expert on their private behavior and of course didn't make any guesses with him. I decided to shift the course of conversation, hoping to get him to lighten up. "Tell me about Liverpool," I asked. He described a decent childhood, work in the family store, and the exhilaration of seeing the Beatles perform for the first time. And then, much to my astonishment, he addressed a subject close to my heart - anti-Semitism. This scourge was commonplace in industrial Liverpool in the forties and fifties, he said, creating a cloud of resentment that he unmistakably felt, even around entertainers. "Are the Beatles anti-Semitic?" I inquired. "I don't think so," he said. "But it was always around them, so it may be in them." I never told him about the incident on the plane in 1964.

Ticket to Ride: Inside the Beatles’ 1964 Tour That Changed the World, Larry Kane (2003)

[thetriphibianmonster]

Atomic Breath Through the Years

Starting the new year with another addendum to my Godzilla film watch. Here are my thoughts on Godzilla's Atomic Breath, how it's changed over time, and its use within the narrative. Credit to Wikizilla and Toho Kingdom for images, and to the Universo Godzilla Youtube channel: their atomic breath compilations were a major help in refreshing my memory.

Fire Unextinguisher (1954-1964) Godzilla's breath weapon starts out fairly modestly. This unfocused blast of white/blue hot radiation lacks the explosive punch of later variations, but its intense heat can still melt steel structures and set buildings and forest ablaze. In the original film this is more than sufficient to lay waste to Tokyo, but against other monsters it's rarely more than an annoyance. Its most bizarre feat was deflating several rock formations shielding the Mothra Larva: I don't even want to contemplate the power required to do that.

Angry Blue Cloud (1965-1975) Atomic Breath underwent a lot of minor changes through the Showa era, but I've landed on Invasion of the Astro Monster as a key turning point: absent the practical mist sprayer, the heat ray is animated directly striking its targets rather than washing over them, providing some actual impact. It still remains a relatively weak incendiary weapon in Astro Monster: the licks of fire it produces in the woods aren't even as impressive as the big gouts of flame in King Kong vs Godzilla. However, it becomes more effective against other monsters in Fukuda's island duology, even getting a few kills. From Destroy All Monsters on it becomes much more kinetic, blowing buildings to smithereens and connecting with kaiju in a satisfying spray of sparks. It still remains only one of Godzillas tools though: it can hurt other monsters, but rarely delivers the finishing blow. It does have a lot of versatility, ranging from a narrow stream to a thick spray, flying straight or curving upward, activating electrodes and of course, lifting Godzilla off the ground.

Concentric Cones (1984) Return of Godzilla is the first atomic breath I would describe as an actual "heat ray". Even late in the Showa era, it was still more reminiscent of radioactive dragonfire, with frayed boundaries and somewhat limited range. Here the breath has become a highly concentrated beam of energy, with smooth edges flanked by an even glow. Its effects on the environment remain quite explosive, but it is now capable of punching through softer targets instead of immediately dumping all its energy. More gruesomely, it is one of the few times we see its direct effects on humans. Like the Godzilla that fires it, it's a bit of an outlier compared to the rest of the Heisei series. It retains a bit of an upward curve from the Showa series, and has much less detail than in following films. The latter often results in an underwhelming appearance, particularly when the white core is particularly narrow. It arguably fails to match some of the more intricate Showa examples, with their complex, fiery forms.

Spark Dispenser (1989-1995) Kawakita's team brought back much needed dynamic complexity to the heat ray effects by replacing the uniform beam with a rougher conglomeration of linear bolts. There's something satisfyingly chaotic about the choppy frame by frame animation and the way Godzilla walks the beam onto target. This chaos is then grounded by the practical light up dorsal plates, and the impressive explosive squibs used to demonstrate its impact on target environment (even if those squibs are increasingly composed of sparks). It's a good thing the beam is so aesthetically pleasing, because you'll see it countless times by the end of the series. Heisei Godzilla is a primarily ranged fighter, but with only slightly improved damage against other kaiju, his battles end up a bit sloggy. It's likely a big part of the introduction of the Red Spiral Ray, to give Godzilla a more dramatic means of finishing fights than chipping away with repetitive blue beams. The spiral ray itself is an interesting addition: it's ironic that the more powerful beam has a colder burning hue, but alongside the nuclear pulse adds a bit of variety to the abilities of this less athletic Godzilla, and its good shorthand for how powerful he has become when it becomes the standard in his burning form.

Bad Breath (1998) Its funny how this glorified burp was made flammable as last ditch effort to appeal to fans; they shouldn't have bothered considering the film's more severe issues. Ironically the effects aren't too far removed from the earliest versions of the attack: a misty spray that causes things to catch fire.

Sunny D (1999-2000) The first proper CGI heat ray set the pattern for the rest of the Millenium Series, both in aesthetic and in usage. For the first time we see the breath build up in Godzilla's mouth, while the still coherent beam now has dynamic, fiery borders. The orange color of this iteration remains unique; it works well enough within the films, but I think it's a bit too reminiscent of more mundane fire breath. Narratively, this beam is a bit closer to the similarly colored spiral ray: Godzilla uses it less frequently, but when he does, the opposing monster is heavily maimed or even outright killed. Were it not for Orga's rapid regeneration or Megaguirus's energy absorption and massive speed advantage, their respective fights would have ended far sooner.

Thunderball (2001) Unfortunately this atomic breath never quite lives up to its explosive introduction, settling for destroyed buildings and cliff faces for the rest of the film. I'm not sure if it's the simpler charge effects, the less detailed beam, or even just the narrower width, but GMK's atomic breath never felt as satisfying as the other Millenium incarnations. It at least retains their dramatic power vs other kaiju: every time Godzilla tags a Guardian Monster they are out for the count. I think it fits here: Godzilla is an all powerful antagonist who must be defeated by the combined efforts of the plucky underdogs.

Final Form (2002-2003) The visual peak of the "bulky beam" style of atomic breath established in the Heisei series. I love how it begins with random dorsal plate flickers like an ignition start, as well as the expanding bubble of energy in the mouth that bursts just as the ray is released. The beam itself combines the ragged yet substantial form of MireGoji with the classic blue hue, better distinguishing it from ordinary flame. It strikes a balance against other Kaiju, remaining narratively significant upon impact, while refraining from the all powerful finisher status of other Millenium examples. It's telling that the modern entries have taken the breath weapon in different directions: it's hard to improve on perfection.

Super Cyan (2004) This beam barely distinguishes itself visually from the prior example, switching to a slightly greener hue and more uniform dorsal flicker. Unfortunately its narrative role is closer to an Ultraman beam (or Shonen energy wave), switching between superficial damage and obliteration of foes depending on the enemy's nebulous power level and proximity to the end of the fight. The physical effects are equally arbitrary—another element borrowed from Shonen battle manga. The environmental destruction is generally the same as before, but the attack will randomly launch massive kaiju high into the air, or generate a massive explosion during a brief beam lock. The brief return of the Red Spiral Ray is little more than fanservice: the basic blue beam is already plenty overpowered. Like the Godzilla that breaths it, I just don't think this suits the character in a protagonist role.

Blue Flame (2014-2019) Seeing that first buildup in theaters was sublime in theaters. Gareth Edwards holds off for long enough that you've almost forgotten, then promptly reminds you by bathing the frame in blue. The glow steadily creeping up the dorsal plates is such an inspired choice for building anticipation, and I like the more subtle way the light seeps from cracks in the plates. I have to admit I was underwhelmed by the actual atomic breath. I appreciate the organic, naturalistic feel, and enjoy the throwback to the Showa beams' fiery nature, but the visual appearance feels a tad underpowered for such a big, burly Godzilla. I think the more substantial flame introduced in King of the Monsters was a good compromise, though I wish they had stuck with the naturalistic dorsal glow instead of adding more light to the eyes and neck. It takes further inspiration from the Showa era's narrative use. Legendary Godzilla is more of a brawler, rarely using his ranged weapon. When it is fired, the blast rarely does more than knocking other kaiju off their feet, but can be deadly in circumstances like the iconic Kiss of Death.

Cabinet Resignation Beam (2016) Keeping the audience in the shoes of the protagonists, Shin Godzilla debuts a whole new form of atomic breath. Anno plays with expectations by having Godzilla breath actual fire, before narrowing the massive conflagration down to a thin, violet scalpel that slices through all obstacles with no noticeable delay. I love all the little touches—the way the red patches shift to purple, the unnerving split jaw, the mirrored protective eyelids, and the way the beam only becomes visible past the focal point. The color is a bold choice: this heat ray is no longer just hot, it is emitting high energy photons that are creeping off the visible light spectrum. Anno also massively expands Godzilla's versatility of ranged attacks, giving it the ability fire the same beams from its back and tail. I really appreciate that it does the most damage with the fire breath, setting the whole city ablaze in a way calls back to both the original film, and the Tokyo firebombing that influenced it.

Nose Ray (2017-2018) What AniGoji's design cribbed from 2014, its beam cribbed from Shin. The conceit of the heat ray being an extension of an electromagnetic field rather than an actual breath weapon is interesting in theory, but as Godzilla only fires it from the head area it's not taken advantage of. I also have some misgivings about the beam being purely electric instead of radioactive: I feel like Godzilla should aways retain a nuclear nature to some degree. Godzilla Earth's other additions are pretty mixed: the Super Oscillatory Wave is just a weaker breath weapon, while the Plasma Cutter seems weirdly overpowered compared to the stated output of the other weapons.

Having Your Yellowcake and Eating It (2021-2024) For Godzilla vs Kong, Wingard claimed to use versions of the titular characters familiar to audiences, but that certainly didn't apply to the top biller's breath weapon. Godzilla's fiery hammer somehow serves as an even more precise scalpel than Shin Godzilla: it slices clean through buildings while leaving adjacent comic relief unscathed, and tunnels into the Hollow Earth with barely a whiff of the miles of molten rock it would have to displace. The energy required for that little trick would make the following entry look like a firecracker, yet the following fight with Kong leaves Hong Kong largely intact beyond some neatly trimmed skyscrapers and baffling blue explosions. I personally feel the power of kaiju should be consistently apparent in their battles, but Wingard's primary decision process seems to revolve around "wouldn't it be cool if...". This chafes against the naturalistic tone of the early Monsterverse films, as do the visual choices. The extra glow from King of the Monsters has crept all over Godzilla's body, and he spams the beam so much that he ends up a gaudy neon mess for a good chunk of the fights. I'm also heavily against the implication that the "atomic" breath is some mystical Hollow Earth energy, or "quantum states" as in the novelization: it sanitizes the character by fictionalizing his power source into something safely detached from real world context or commentary.

Never Say Never Again (2023) This is the most powerful that Godzilla's Atomic Breath has ever appeared. You can cherry pick higher numbers for certain incarnations, but none are as consistently devastating as MaiGoji's nuclear fire. The cooldown period keeps the beam's usage in check, while the buildup is a wonderful twist on the Monsterverse formula, combining the gradual upwards creep with the rising dorsal plates, which slam down like control rods upon firing. The result is a repeatable GMK seen from the ground level; all the destruction of Shin Godzilla is unleashed in a single instant; for the first time, Godzilla truly embodies his origin. The moment that shocked me the most in theaters was before the fireball, when the surrounding buildings were pulverized without being hit: all the energy of an atomic bomb has been spewed in a general direction, interacting with its surroundings without constraint.

Color Out of Place (2024) All the problems under Wingard continue in Godzilla's evolved form. The unnatural neon glow is even more amplified. The wispy pink beam lightsabers through a 200 meter thick mountain of limestone, while the neon lightshow gets even further exaggerated. My biggest issue is with the new color though. Pink/magenta hues do not correspond to actual spectral wavelengths, they require a mixture of red and violet light to occur. Many films use these composite colors in artificial lighting to create an uncanny atmosphere. While a pinkish glow may work well for mystical or otherworldly kaiju, I would argue it is a poor fit for the grounded guardian of nature the Monsterverse Godzilla was originally established as. It doesn't help that it contrasts poorly with many of the environments it is used in, often coming across as garish. Perhaps the biggest missed opportunity occurs during the Hollow Earth scuffle though. Despite the Zero-G environment, the hypothetical increase in power, and the sillier tone, at no point does Godzilla use his atomic breath to maneuver in microgravity. What is the point of throwing realism out the window if you don't get creative with it?

[lovingsylvia]

The Swarm

Somebody is shooting at something in our town--- A dull pom, pom in the Sunday street. Jealousy can open the blood, It can make black roses. What are the shooting at?

It is you the knives are out for At Waterloo, Waterloo, Napoleon, The hump of Elba on your short back, And the snow, marshalling its brilliant cutlery Mass after mass, saying Shh,

Shh. These are chess people you play with, Still figures of ivory. The mud squirms with throats, Stepping stones for French bootsoles. The gilt and pink domes of Russia melt and float off

In the furnace of greed. Clouds! Clouds! So the swarm balls and deserts Seventy feet up, in a black pine tree. It must be shot down. Pom! Pom! So dumb it thinks bullets are thunder.

It thinks they are the voice of God Condoning the beak, the claw, the grin of the dog Yellow-haunched, a pack dog, Grinning over its bone of ivory Like the pack, the pack, like everybody.

The bees have got so far. Seventy feet high. Russia, Poland and Germany. The mild hills, the same old magenta Fields shrunk to a penny Spun into a river, the river crossed.

The bees argue, in their black ball, A flying hedgehog, all prickles. The man with grey hands stands under the honeycomb Of their dream, the hived station Where trains, faithful to their steel arcs,

Leave and arrive, and there is no end to the country. Pom, pom! They fall Dismembered, to a tod of ivy. So much for the chariots, the outriders, the Grand Army! A red tatter, Napoleon!

The last badge of victory. The swarm is knocked into a cocked straw hat. Elba, Elba, bleb on the sea! The white busts of marshals, admirals, generals Worming themselves into niches.

How instructive this is! The dumb, banded bodies Walking the plank draped with Mother France's upholstery Into a new mausoleum, An ivory palace, a crotch pine.

The man with grey hands smiles--- The smile of a man of business, intensely practical. They are not hands at all But asbestos receptacles. Pom, pom! 'They would have killed me.'

Stings big as drawing pins! It seems bees have a notion of honor, A black intractable mind. Napoleon is pleased, he is pleased with everything. O Europe. O ton of honey.

--Sylvia Plath, written 7 October 1962, in Ariel (1965)

[usafphantom2]

The A-12 pilot who while looking for a crashed F-105 in Utah came across a brothel with a runway (A C-7A Caribou was the largest aircraft to ever land there)

The Oxcart

In 1959, Lockheed began work on the design of a long-range, high-altitude plane, then known as the A-11. It was a Cold War project. Heading the project team was Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, Lockheed’s Vice President for Advanced Development Projects. Johnson had previously led the development of the U-2 spy plane. Five years after work began on the A-11, on Feb. 29, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson told reporters that the aircraft (by that time modified to the A-12 Oxcart production version with a reduced radar cross section) had attained speeds of over 2,000 mph and altitudes of more than 70,000 feet in tests at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB).

CLICK HERE to see The Aviation Geek Club contributor Linda Sheffield’s T-shirt designs! Linda has a personal relationship with the SR-71 because her father Butch Sheffield flew the Blackbird from test flight in 1965 until 1973. Butch’s Granddaughter’s Lisa Burroughs and Susan Miller are graphic designers. They designed most of the merchandise that is for sale on Threadless. A percentage of the profits go to Flight Test Museum at Edwards Air Force Base. This nonprofit charity is personal to the Sheffield family because they are raising money to house SR-71, #955. This was the first Blackbird that Butch Sheffield flew on Oct. 4, 1965.

Noteworthy, according to Col. Richard H. Graham’s book The Complete Book of the SR-71 Blackbird: The Illustrated Profile of Every Aircraft, Crew, and Breakthrough of the World’s Fastest Stealth Jet, during the first three years of pre-operational testing, three A-12s crashed – two from mechanical malfunctions and one because of ground crew error. All pilots ejected safely.

The A-12 crash in Utah and the F-105 crash cover story

On May 24, 1963, A-12 number 926 involved in a subsonic engine test flight and piloted by Ken Collins, crashed fourteen miles south of Wendover, Utah. While testing an inertial navigation system, Collins flew into heavy clouds above thirty thousand feet and began noticing erroneous and confusing airspeed and altitude readings just before the A-12 pitched up, stalled, and went into an inverted spin. Unable to regain control, he ejected at around twenty-five thousand feet and was unhurt. A press cover story referred to the crashed aircraft as being a Republic F-105.

It was first thought that it was a pilot error but later confirmed that it was an inadequate pitot tube design that had caused the air data computer to fail.

Because his sortie was low altitude, Collins was not in his pressure suit, so it added to the credence that the crash was an F-105.

This print is available in multiple sizes from AircraftProfilePrints.com – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS. SR-71A Blackbird 61-7972 “Skunkworks”

‘With an ironic twist of faith sometime after the loss of Article 123, an F-105 from Nellis was lost and members of the Oxcart (code word of A-12) program were involved in the search for the crash site,’ A-12 pilot Frank Murray recalls in Paul Crickmore‘s latest book “Lockheed Blackbird Beyond the Secret Missions.

A-12 pilot searching for crashed F-105

Frank Murray and Dr. Roger Anderson were airborne in a Cessna searching for the crashed F-105 when they located the crash near a small lake with the adjoining property of one of the brothels in the area known as Ash Meadow Ranch. The brothel provided a small dirt runway graded out to allow its customers the option of air travel into the facility.

‘We taxied into Ash Meadow Ranch and we explained that we were here looking for the crash site and we had located it,’ Murray explains.

‘By then it was lunchtime and the Madame got the cook to rustle up some lunch. There was some polite conversation with the Madame and my aviation curiosity got the better of me.

Brothel with landing strip

The A-12 pilot who while looking for a crashed F-105 in Utah came across a brothel with a runway (A C-7A Caribou was the largest aircraft to ever land there)

C-7A Caribou

‘I asked her what was the largest aircraft ever to use the landing strip.

‘She replied the largest was an Army C- 7A Caribou full of GIs from an army base in California! ‘Mind you” she added mischievously they weren’t looking for any downed airplanes!’

Murray concludes;

‘After lunch, the three of us said our goodbyes and departed for our lives back at our Ranch [“Groom Lake,” “The Ranch,” “Area 51,” and “Dreamland” are all names that have been associated with the Groom Lake facility in the Nevada desert]. ‘

I had heard when I was a girl growing up in California that brothels were legal in Nevada. These kinds of rumors were hard for me to believe, but I believe them now!

Be sure to check out Linda Sheffield Miller (Col Richard (Butch) Sheffield’s daughter, Col. Sheffield was an SR-71 Reconnaissance Systems Officer) Twitter X Page Habubrats SR-71, Instagram Page SR71Habubrats and Facebook Page Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats for awesome Blackbird’s photos and stories.

@Habubrats71 via X

[major-knighton]

HALLOW-LEE-N movie review Oct 29th : The Skull (1965)

Alright, let's get back in the saddle. This one was kinda relevant to some interests of mine, notably the 18th century. It was also more special effects heavy than most films watched here, but I liked that. It reminded me of the original Star Trek series in its kitschy enterprising.

The intro shows us a guy digging up someone to steal their skull, unfortunately the guy dies a horrible and mysterious death in a cloud of mist while cleaning the skull. Later, the guy's lawyer stabs a woman under the influence of... ✨THE SKULL✨

Jump to present day. During an auction presided by our thrice-returning Michael Gough, our man Maitland (Peter Cushing) and his friend Phillips (Lee) compete for a set of devil statues. Phillips wins, but he can't explain why he wants the statues so badly he's willing to pay much more than they're worth.

At home, Maitland buys a book from his usual contact, Marco. Today Marco brings him a book about the Marquis de Sade, overall terrible human being and shitstain of a century that counted many a terrible people. This book is also bound in human skin, so that's cool.

The next day, Marco comes back with a skull, claiming it's the Marquis's skull and also it's cursed by the same evil spirit that possessed de Sade. Personally I think demons have nothing to do with it and Sade was just a rancid noble who simply was never told it no enough. Anyway.

Maitland isn't sure about buying the skull, because he can't tell if it's genuine. He confides in his buddy Phillips over a game of billiard.

Phillips confirms the skull is real, because it used to belong to him and was stolen. He doesn't want it back though, he says the skill is evil and kept calling to him and even made him buy the devil statues. Maitland decides this is all a bunch of rubbish.

That night, Maitland dreams he's been kidnapped and forced to play Russian roulette. He wakes up in Marco's apartment, and goes him. This does not deter him in the slightest, and he goes back in the morning to buy the skull.

He founds Marco very dead, and makes sure to hide the skull before he calls the cops. The next day, Maitland comes back for the skull. Upon being confronted by the caretaker, he simply pushes him down the stairs to kill him.

At home, Maitland puts the skull up in a glass display case and is happy with himself. Not for long.

The skull compels him to break into Phillips' house to steal the devil statues. Phillips finds him in flagrante delicto, and tells him to just get rid of the damn thing, to which Maitland responds by violently bonking him on the head with the statue.

When Maitland puts the devil statue on his little table, the skull zooms out of its case and comes to rest on the table with the human skin book. Oh yeah, that skull is straight up floating around now.

The skull tries to get Maitland to stab his own wife, but she's wearing a crucifix and therefore he can't. The mirrors in the house are cracking, the paintings are swinging, it's a demon party in there. Maitland ends up locked in his own bedroom, howling for help, while the skull floats towards him until it bites him in the neck strong enough to kill him.

I enjoyed the cinematography of this film, especially the shots from behind the skull's eyesockets. That was creative.

Due to being a direct descendant of the same French peasant girls that the Marquis made his regular victims though, I spent most of the movie less frightened of the sentient skull and more wishing I could trample it under my feet. Ah well.

A creative, visually fun movie even if it verses a bit into cliché. 7/10.

[spinomusic]

The madness called PINK FLOYD

The history of Pink Floyd is one of the most iconic in rock and world music. The British band was formed in London in 1965 and is known for its musical, visual and lyrical innovations. The history of Pink Floyd is marked by periods of great success, but also by internal conflicts and line-up changes. Here is a summary of this trajectory:

Formation and Early Years (1965-1967)

Pink Floyd was initially formed by Syd Barrett (guitar and vocals), Roger Waters (bass), Richard Wright (keyboards) and Nick Mason (drums). They started out playing in small clubs in London, with a psychedelic sound influenced by the music scene of the time. The name "Pink Floyd" was inspired by the names of bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.

In 1967, the band released their first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, which is a landmark in psychedelic rock. The album featured compositions by Syd Barrett, who had an eccentric personality and unique creative visions. However, his mental health began to deteriorate due to drug use and personal issues, which led to his departure from the band in 1968.

The Post-Barrett Era and Early Success (1968–1973)

Following the departure of Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd went through a period of adjustment. David Gilmour was recruited to replace Barrett on guitar and vocals. The band's sound evolved into something more experimental and cohesive. In 1968, Pink Floyd released A Saucerful of Secrets, which reflected this new phase.

In the following years, the band began to explore deeper themes, such as alienation, war and the human condition. Albums such as Meddle (1971) and Obscured by Clouds (1972) began to show the progressive and conceptual style that would make Pink Floyd famous. However, it was with The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) that the band achieved enormous commercial and artistic success. This album, considered a masterpiece, explored themes such as madness, time and death, and became one of the best-selling albums of all time.

The Heyday and the First Tensions (1975-1981)

In the following years, Pink Floyd continued to expand their sound and artistic ambitions. Wish You Were Here (1975) was inspired by Syd Barrett and his departure from the band, and is considered another of the band's greatest albums. Animals (1977) presented a more critical approach, with metaphors about the social and political system.

However, during the recording of The Wall (1979), internal tensions between the members increased. The idea of the album, conceived mainly by Roger Waters, was to tell the story of a character named Pink, who builds a metaphorical wall around himself, isolating himself from the world. The Wall became a cultural phenomenon, with iconic tracks such as "Another Brick in the Wall" and "Comfortably Numb". However, disputes between Waters and the other band members, especially Gilmour, were growing.

The Split and the End of the Classic Era (1982–1994)

The height of tensions led to Roger Waters leaving Pink Floyd in 1985. This left the future of the band uncertain. However, David Gilmour took over the reins of the band, and with Nick Mason and Richard Wright (who had been fired by Waters but was reinstated after his departure), Pink Floyd continued to release albums. The first post-Waters album was A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987), which continued the band's progressive style but with a more 1980s rock-oriented sound.

In 1994, Pink Floyd released The Division Bell, which was also a great success, but tensions between the band members were evident. This album marked the last studio recording with the Gilmour, Mason and Wright lineup.

The Return and Legacy (1994–Present)

Although internal infighting has persisted, Pink Floyd has always maintained its huge fan base. In 2005, the members of the classic lineup reunited for a historic show at Live 8 in London, a moment of great emotion and nostalgia. However, since then, the band has not reunited to tour or record new albums. In 2014, Richard Wright passed away, effectively ending any possibility of new projects from the classic lineup.

Today, Pink Floyd is remembered not only for its groundbreaking music, but also for the cultural and philosophical impact of its albums, especially The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall. The band has left a lasting legacy as one of the most influential bands in rock, both musically and in its artistic and conceptual approach.

Although surviving members, such as Gilmour, have gone on to pursue solo careers, Pink Floyd remains a fundamental part of rock history. The band's impact is still felt today, with their music being widely revered and their messages timeless.

listen on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0k17h0D3J5VfsdmQ1iZtE9?si=9ud6evLxSpiv9T0k1KotXQ

[twosidesofkeithmoon]

stick a pin in the picture of you - Chapter 1

Pairing: John Entwistle x Original Female Character

Summary: In an attempt to further boost their band into the spotlight, Lambert and Stamp hatch the idea to find someone for young female fans to project onto and young male fans to desire. Thus: they find an up-and-coming model to photograph with their band in the greatest marketing stunt they can fathom. Meanwhile, Rosie - that very up-and-coming model - is doing everything in her power to keep herself from falling head over heels with their quiet, mysterious bassist.

Tags: Slow Burn, Enemies to Lovers, Coworkers to Lovers, Roger is a little sexist for plot purposes, 1965

Words: 2,540

[Archive of Our Own Link]

“JUST THIRTY MORE MINUTES, PEOPLE. TIME. IS. MONEY.”

As if Rosemary wasn’t well, well aware of that.

Strike a pose. Click, click, click goes the camera. Look doe-eyed, passive, feminine. Click, click, click. Switch outfits fifteen times in a session. Click, click, click. Collect a meager few pounds an hour for her work.

Click, click, click.

Being a model was tough work, even if people liked to pretend it wasn’t. You competed with dozens of other girls for the same position, traveled halfway across London to spend hours being forced into one cookie cutter - then dashed back to where you came from to do something entirely different. Sometimes, it was for a clothing catalogue. Sometimes it was for sewing patterns. Sometimes it was for makeup adverts.

Almost all the time, it was something she’d care very little about. Her dreams were bigger, better, but yet untapped; the silver screen was just outside the reach of her manicured fingers. One camera did not translate to another, it seemed.

“Rosie, baby, darling-!”

She turned her head away from the photographer to meet the eye of her manager wearing a broad smile and waving a stack of papers in his hand.

“Yes?”

“Do we have the contract of a LIFETIME for you!” He nearly pulled her from the backdrop, gesturing to the papers. “Guess how much.”

She rolled her eyes. She’d been promised “the contract of a lifetime” about fifteen times so far - they hardly ever crested the hundred pound point. “Oh, I don’t know, seventy-five?”

“Higher.”

“A hundred?”

“Higher.”

Her eyebrows raised before her voice did. “How… how much higher?”

There was a pause.

“Let’s go to my office, I don’t want the other girls to get any ideas.”

They were certainly going to get ideas either way, the way their heads whipped to look right at her, but she obliged, following him from the studio and up the two flights of stairs to the offices, mind racing. How high was he talking - and, realistically, what sort of hourly rate was that going to shake out to?

What the hell was she being signed up for?

Finally, they reached the little office that reeked of cigars - and one was lit.

“Care to smoke?”

“You know I don’t smoke, Bert.”

“Suit yourself.” He muttered, taking his spot at his easy chair behind the desk. She followed suit, taking her place in the much smaller and less comfortable steel chair on the other side.

Rosie gestured to the papers that were still clutched in his hands.

He beamed, exhaling a cloud of rich, blue smoke. “Three hundred pounds. Three weeks. Twelve sessions.”

Her jaw nearly hit the floor. This was a life changing sort of deal - with the mental math, that was twenty five pounds a session - over double what she was making with most shoots.

There had to be a catch.

“What’s the catch?”

“None at all, dear. You can look over the paperwork yourself.” He handed her the stack. “Decca Records reached out to us a few weeks ago asking for a… selection of the girls we have model for us. They want to drum up some publicity for one of their new acts, and they ended up picking you! That is, if you agree to it.”

“Agree to it?” She scoffed. “I’d be a fool not to for that sort of money.”

Bert waved his hand noncommittally. “I know, I know, and I know you, but it would be an awful sort of trick to just sign you up for things without asking you first. The usual protocols and all.”

She thumbed through the pages. Much of it was legal, contractual, but there were also details about the band, and - upon further inspection - a selection of magazines at the bottom.

“When would I start?”

“Next week. I’ve already cleared your schedule - if you say no, we can always fill you back in.”

She pursed her lips. This was good money. She still wasn’t quite sure what it would entail - where she fell into a publicity circuit for some up-and-coming band escaped her. Bert seemed to notice this.

“Page fifteen - it’s a breakdown of the gigs they want you to do.”

Flipping to the page, she found his claim to be correct. A series of dates and venues were listed alongside the anticipated pay. Most were straight photoshoots; a few involved brief interviews for the magazines they’d be included in. To her surprise, there were two television appearances included.

This could be her big break. Her moment to finally break away from the static of magazine pages and onto the perpetual motion of the silver screen.

The next page had a promotional photograph of the band, and she cringed. It was a quartet of floppy haired mods, none of them older than twenty or so. She was going to be expected to mingle with them, be seen with them.

Clearly, she was going to be the pretty thing in those photographs.

She sighed. “I’ll do it. Give me a pen, tell me where to sign, and I’ll do it.”

“That’s my girl!” he clapped his hands before plucking a fountain pen from its rightful place.

She was walked through all the places to sign, initial, and check. Usually, her contracts were much shorter, requiring significantly less legwork, but here, it was a series of gigs with individual NDAs and arbitration agreements and whatnot.

“Really,” Bert patted her shoulder once she filled in the final blank. “This will be just what you need to catapult into the stars. Jean Shrimpton, move out of the spotlight, here comes Rosie Meek!”

“You have high hopes for this one.” She laughed.

“Oh, believe me, this is going to change everything.”

Later that night, in her flat, over a glass of cheap wine, she poured through the magazines provided to her. These teenybopper tabloids always sort of fascinated her, regardless of how trashy or inaccurate they were. Really - how much of this junk was actually true?

There was the lead singer: Roger. Short, blond, the oldest. Eyes that reportedly sparkled when he smiled. A man who saw himself as the leader and put on some sort of tough guy act.

The songwriting guitarist: Pete. Tall, artsy, with sad eyes and a big nose. Seemingly did not shut up. A philosophical, pretentious type.

The baby faced drummer: Keith. Some sort of big eyed troublemaker that seemed like he would get on well with her younger brother. Too well with her younger brother.

The quiet bassist: John. Musically accomplished, going by at least two surnames, living between extremes. Dark haired, a bit mysterious. Not keen on blondes.

Rosie had half a mind to bleach her hair that night. She wasn’t exactly thrilled at the prospects of having any of them be keen on her. Still, she tried to see the positives in the whole thing: it was well paid, she’d be making her first television appearances, and she’d only have to deal with them for three weeks out of the thousands of weeks in her life.

She’d done worse things for less money.

☆☾☆☾☆☾☆☾☆☾☆☾☆☾☆

Showing up to the contracted studio by cab a week later, a sense of apprehension bubbled in the pit of her stomach. Rosie hadn’t done any sort of modeling like this - it was almost always an all-girl affair, modeling more the clothes or accessories than herself.

She was set dressing here. Swap her out for a well placed lamp, and nobody would be able to tell the difference.

Bert met her at the doors, in one hand holding aloft a hanger with protective garment sleeve, in the other, yet another stack of paperwork and her makeup bag.

“Walk and talk with me, dear.” He ushered her into the studio, past varying backdrops into a back hallway. “Band hasn’t arrived yet - they’re known to be rather awful at the whole punctuality thing. Their management provided us with an idea of the look they want from you, so I took the liberty of picking out your outfit and a plan for your makeup.”

She plucked the makeup chart from his hands. “This is… bold.”

“It’s what’s in.” He stopped at the end of the hall, gesturing to the door before them. “Dressing room. Be out by noon fifteen. Hopefully the band will be here by then; we want you all to mingle until photography begins at twelve thirty sharp.”

By her estimates, it was eleven fifteen. That was a lot of time to get ready, but she wasn’t exactly going to complain.

Thanking Bert, she took everything, promised to be out on time, and promptly locked herself in the dressing room. Mod fashion was not her thing. She’d much rather dress herself in satin and furs… if she’d had the budget for it.

Oh, well, her outfit couldn’t be that bad, couldn’t it?

It was bad.

She found herself face to face with a frankly hideous mini dress with a Union Jack print to be paired with a set of white, tall Go Go boots. It could have been significantly worse, but it was far, far from what she was eager to put on her body.

This was going to be a very long photo session.

Instead of going back out to the studio floor as soon as she was ready - at eleven forty-five - she tried to psyche herself up for the shoot. These guys wouldn’t be worse than the ones at any local club, they wouldn’t be worse than the ones she’d finished school with, they couldn’t be worse than the ones her brother would bring around the house - the ones who revved the engines on their motorbikes at ungodly hours and got into street fights and kept getting picked up by police for shoplifting from the chemist.

She could hear a rowdy group of voices draw nearer to her door - it was likely the band, judging by the crude jokes she could hear through the thin brick walls. It filled her with dread.

But Rosie couldn’t hide in dressing rooms all the time to avoid her problems. No, she had to face them head on, and just before the voices passed by, she composed herself and threw open the door.

The tallest one - Pete, she remembered - jumped nearly out of his skin, cutting short a shouted expletive.

“What the hell are- oh, you’re the model.”

She furrowed her brow. “My name is Rosie, thank you very much. Are we all heading the same direction, or do you need help finding the place?”

“I think we can manage.”

Shutting the door behind her, she huffed, tailing behind them as they resumed their conversation. Of course, one of them had to be dressed like her, albeit in a Union Jack suit coat rather than a dress. She could feel the migraine approaching already.

Back in the main studio, Bert stood in rapt conversation with two men she could reasonably assume to be the band’s managers. There were a number of photographers beginning to set up, which meant this was the prescribed “mingling” time.

She did not want to mingle.

Unfortunately, the doe-eyed drummer from the magazines did, walking right up to her and took her hand, pressing a dramatic kiss to the back. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance miss Rosie.”

Nearly ripping her hand out of his grasp, she bristled. “The pleasure is all yours.”

“Oh, now, now, no sour moods! One hates to see such a pretty face marred by a frown.” Keith was unfazed, batting his eyelashes at her. “The boys and I are delighted to be able to spend so much time in the presence of such beauty!”

“Speak for yourself.” Roger muttered, then stopped himself in his tracks. “No offense, love, you’re stunning, but we didn’t exactly want to do this either.”

Rosie crossed her arms. She had been put under the impression that this was something the band not only agreed to, but had specifically picked her out for. It seemed as though they were all at the mercy of management that didn’t want to cede control to their own talent.

“Well, then can we all make this quick and painless?” She asked. “The faster we get this done and over with, the faster we can get on with our lives.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” John finally spoke up, mirroring her crossed arms and less-than-pleased expression. “Glad we can come to some common ground.”

She would have been happy to leave it at that - a professional arrangement, no unnecessary conversations - but Bert had finally noticed her and strode over with a smile.

“You’ve all made it! And early! Grand! Shall we do some icebreakers, or-”

“Absolutely not.” She shook her head vehemently. “You know I hate those. This isn’t a primary school playgroup.”

“And you aren’t getting out of being personable. You all have to at least be able to pretend you like each other. You want to be an actress, you ought to learn how to act.”

If she’d been in a less career-defining position, Rosie would have been more openly furious. Instead of shouting at him, she instead took a deep breath, allowed the tension in her shoulders to dissipate, and turned back to the band, all of whom were staring at her with great amusement.

She turned on a warm, camera friendly smile.

“Well then, what would you boys like to know before we start these three weeks?”

The battery of questions began - rapid-fire, mostly from Keith who acted awfully like a puppy. That being said, Roger and Pete weren’t immune to trying to get more than basic answers out of her.

What sorts of movies do you want to be in?

Any of them.

What sorts of music do you listen to?

Not yours.

Any hobbies?

Plenty.

Such as?

Not telling.

John was absent from the questioning, but he was intently listening to the answers. She wasn’t going to call him out on it, but she swore he was checking her out, eyes sweeping up and down her body with an unreadable criticism.

Part of her really, really wanted to fight him, but she knew she wouldn’t win.

“TWELVE THIRTY!” Yelled some sort of photography assistant, signaling time for the photoshoot to begin.

The first few rounds of photos would be solo shots of the band, then just the four of them before she was added in. From there, she would be a prop: a stand-in for their adoring female fans, looking up at them lovingly, sickeningly infatuated with them. Clearly, the band had not been given lessons in modeling; their poses ranged from awkwardly stiff to awkwardly loose, all with little regard for their facial expressions.

She wasn’t going to help them, of course. This was something they'd have to figure out on their own or flounder. It was going to take work to make her expressions look genuine.

So, as she was added into the scenes, she did her best to picture the face of Paul McCartney instead of… whatever these guys had going on. It almost worked; it was at least enough that she wasn’t being scolded for a death glare.In any case, this would be a long, long set of gigs.

[sepdet]

Holy fuck y'all

Flickr account: NASA on the Commons

I haven't seen some of these photos in decades, and some I've never seen, and anyways

Crew of shuttle Atlantis playing peekaboo with crew of old Russian space station Mir (RIP) Nov 24, 1995

Q: why do most space photos showing spacecraft have no stars?

Discovery's maneuvering thrusters angled for pitch up, main engines at low burn, July 6, 2006

Discovery pulling in to dock with ISS, July 6, 2006

Endeavour departs ISS, March 24, 2008— note how bright the shadows are from the sun-glare off clouds.

Discovery over Southwest coast of Morocco as ISS and Discovery bid farewell and take photos of one another for final time on March 7, 2011.

Hint: Is it day or night in these photos?

Astronaut Charles M. Duke drilling, photographed by John W. Young (Hey, he flew on the first space shuttle!) April 21, 1972.

Pilot Harrison Schmidt bagging what they hope is a lava sample, Apollo 17, Dec 13, 1972.

International Space Station taken by Discovery undocking March 25, 2009.

Stars don't show in most photos of spacecraft because sunlight illuminates surfaces far more brightly than distant stars shine. In fact, sunlight in Earth's orbit is brighter in space, since air scatters enough light rays to turn their wavelength blue.

Columbia 😭 liftoff STS-50, June 25, 1992. Gods I miss ya, little sister.

But the sun covers less sky (or, to put it another way, the photons it emits kerp spreading out over an increasingly large sphere of space) for Mars and the outer planets, so its light is dimmer, until it's just another star.

Enhanced contrast version of first image of another planet, Mars by Mariner 3, July 15, 1965. 6 years before you were born doesn't feel that long ago... does it? Does it? How dare it start feeling that way to me! ;)

There's so many more amazing images on that channel, including planets/moons. Go look. Cool stuff.

[lboogie1906]

Bernard Hopkins Jr. (January 15, 1965) is a former boxer who competed (1988-2016). He is one of the most successful boxers of the past three decades, having held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the undisputed championship at middleweight (2001-05), and the lineal championship at light heavyweight (2011-12).

He became a world champion by winning the vacant International Boxing Federation middleweight title (1995). He compiled 20 defenses against 17 opponents, with 19 wins as a result of his no-contest bout against Robert Allen. In 2001, he successfully unified the middleweight division by defeating Félix Trinidad to win the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, Ring magazine, and lineal titles. A victory over Oscar De La Hoya for the World Boxing Organization title in 2004 cemented his status as an undisputed champion while making him the first male boxer to simultaneously hold world titles by all four major boxing-sanctioning bodies. In 2001, he was voted Fighter of the Year by The Ring and the Boxing Writers Association of America. In 2011, The Ring ranked him third on their list of the “10 best middleweight title holders of the last 50 years.” As of April 2021, he is ranked by BoxRec as the seventh greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound.

He broke his record by winning the IBF light heavyweight title from Tavoris Cloud in 2013 and 2014 when he won the WBA (Super) title from Beibut Shumenov.

He became a minority partner with Golden Boy Promotions.

Born to Bernard Hopkins Sr. and his wife Shirley, he grew up in Philadelphia. Although he was a promising amateur boxer who won the Philadelphia Jr. Golden Gloves championship at age 9, compiling an amateur record of 95–4,[he turned to crime early in his life. At seventeen, he was sentenced to 18 years in Graterford Prison for nine felonies. He was released from prison in 1988. He decided to use boxing as an escape from his previous life and converted to Islam. He attributed his discipline to his experiences and time spent in Graterford Prison.

#africanhistory365 #africanexellence

[johnkatsmc5]

Jeff St. John The Id ‎"Big Time Operators" 1967 + Jeff St. John ‎"So Far So Good"1978 + Jeffrey St. John* & The Embers "Will The Real Jeff St. John Please Stand Up" 2001 +  Jeff St. John & Michael Gray "The Invisible Years Volumes 1 & 2" 2007 +  Jeff St. John "Rare and Live: 1966 - 1985" 2016 Compilation, Australia Prog,Psych,Garage,Beat,R & B,Soul,Funk,Blue Eyed Soul

full spotify

https://open.spotify.com/album/2mjlnVKPHmr71ZCK3OQmSb

https://open.spotify.com/album/0UW3ICipOWAM5nv66Ou91k

https://open.spotify.com/album/5EyzkRihrFdQkMuJnR8mIK

https://open.spotify.com/album/6PASUMa62EL55pfC5H9MAB

Jeff St. John "Rare and Live: 1966 - 1985" 2016 Compilation full mixcloud

https://www.mixcloud.com/johnkatsmc5/jeff-st-john-rare-and-live-1966-1985-2016-compilationaustralia-progpsychgaragebeatr-bsoul/

Groups The Syndicate aka The Wild Oats (1965)

Jeff St John (lead vocals) Peter Anson (guitar) David Bentley (organ) Shane Duckham (harmonica) John Helman (bass) Don McCormack (drums) The Id (1966-67)

Jeff St John (lead vocals) Peter Anson (guitar) Bob Bertles (tenor sax '67) King Fisher (trumpet) John Helman (bass) Bruce Johnson (tenor sax, flute) Don McCormack (drums 1967) Dave Montgomery (drums 1966) Ian Walsh (organ) Jeff St John & Yama (1967-68)

Derek Brooks (?, 68) Ross East (guitar, vocals) Virgil East (bass) Allan English (sax) Peter Figures (drums) Lloyd Hardy (?, 68) Murray Hill (sax, flute) Keith Jenkins (trumpet) Wayne ‘Groove’ Myers (organ) John Phillips (?, 68) Jeff St John & Copperwine (1969-72)

Jeff St John (lead vocals) Harry Brus (bass 70-72) Ross East (guitar, vocals) Peter Figures (drums) Alan Ingram (bass, vocals 69-70) Barry Kelly (keyboards, vocals) Glyn Mason (vocals, guitar) 1972 Wendy Saddington (co-lead vocals 70-71) Phil Wooding (guitar 69) Jeff St John Band (1972-73)

Jeff St John (lead vocals) Tony Ansell (piano) Ron Barry (guitar, vocals) Peter Figures (drums) B. J. (bass) Red Cloud (1975-76)

Jeff St John (lead vocals) Neil Bamford (drums) Tony Lyon (bass) Russell Moran (guitar)

Jeff St. John The Id "Big Time Operators" 1967

Tracklist 1 The Id (4)– You Got Me Hummin' 2 The Id (4)– Papa's Got A Brand New Bag 3 The Id (4)– If I Had A Ticket 4 The Id (4)– In The Midnight Hour 5 The Id (4)– Big Time Operator 6 The Id (4)– Watch Out 7 The Id (4)– Tag 8 The Id (4)– Sister's Got A Boy Friend 9 The Id (4)– Devil Got My Woman 10 The Id (4)– Feel Awright 11 The Id (4)– How Much Pressure (Do You Think I Can Stand) 12 The Id (4)– Parchman Farm 13 The Id (4)– The Jerk Bonus Tracks – Mono Singles 1966/67 14 The Id (4)– Lindy Lou (Single A-Side As The Id) 15 The Id (4)– Somebody To Love (Single B-Side) 16 Geoff St. John & The Id*– The Jerk (Single A-Side As Geoff St. John And The Id) 17 Geoff St. John & The Id*– Take This Hurt Off Me (Single B-Side) 18 Jeff St. John And The Id– Black Girl (Single A-Side As Jeff St. John And The Id) 19 Jeff St. John And The Id– Eastern Dream (Single B-Side) 20 The Id (4) Featuring Jeff St. John– Sunoroid '67 Vocal (Single A-Side As The Id Featuring Jeff St. John) 21 The Id (4)– Sunoroid '67 Instrumental (Single B-Side) 22 Jeff St. John And The Yama*– Nothing Comes Easy (Single A-Side As Jeff St. John And The Yama) 23 Jeff St. John And The Yama*– Everybody's Gone (Rode Away On Horses) (Single B-Side) 24 The Id (4) Featuring Jeff St. John– Stupidity (Live, The Id Featuring Jeff St. John)

Jeff St. John "So Far So Good"1978

Credits Backing Vocals – Alison McCallum* (tracks: A2, A4, B2, B3, B4), Cheryl Black (tracks: A2, A4, B2, B3, B4), Janice Slater (tracks: A2, A4, B2, B3, B4), Jeff St. John, Kerry Miles (tracks: A1), Sharon Sims (tracks: A1) Bass – Barry Sullivan (tracks: A1), Jim Rattray (tracks: B5), John Young (17) (tracks: B1 - B3), Tim Partridge (tracks: A2 - A5,) Drums, Percussion – Steve Hopes Guitar – Peter Walker (tracks: A1, A3, A5, B1 - B4), Tim Piper (tracks: A2) Horns – Bob Bertles (tracks: B1 - B3, B5) Keyboards – Rex Bullen Piano – Tony Ansell (tracks: B4) Tracklist A1 Rock 'N' Roll Man A2 Love Is Forever (What Do You Think Of A Love Like That) A3 Starbrite A4 Hold On A5 Redneck Friend B1 High Life B2 I Can Heal You B3 The Dreamer B4 Putting My Heart On The Line B5 Fool In Love

Jeffrey St. John & The Embers "Will The Real Jeff St. John Please Stand Up" 2001

Tracklist 1 Some Enchanted Evening 2 Lullaby Of Broadway 3 Embraceable You 4 (I've Got My) Love To Keep Me Warm 5 Lullaby Of Birdland 6 One For My Baby (One For The Road) 7 Misty 8 Fascinatin' Rhythm 9 People Will Say We're In Love 10 S'Wonderful 11 You Can't Do That 12 Birth Of The Blues

Jeff St. John & Michael Gray "The Invisible Years Volumes 1 & 2" 2007

Tracklist 1-1 Sign Up 1-2 Share 1-3 Free Again 1-4 In The Absence Of A Miracle 1-5 Armageddon Mechanica (Cookout At Substation One) 1-6 I Am A Bell 1-7 In Love Again (For The Very First Time) 1-8 The Price Of Freedom 1-9 The New Centurions 1-10 Love 1-11 The River 1-12 Fan The Flame 1-13 Babe 1-14 Time's A Thief 1-15 Denying My Music 1-16 True Love 1-17 It's Alright 1-18 Movers And Shakers 1-19 Home Tonight 1-20 Racin' 1-21 Breathe 2-1 Olympia 2-2 The Last Jaunts 2-3 Sunday Jaunts 2-4 Flying Too Close To The Sun 2-5 Lost In Your Eyes 2-6 In Love Again 2-7 Midnight Rain 2-8 Love Won't Die 2-9 Dare 2-10 Dark Angel 2-11 How Can You Love Again (If You Don't Let Go) 2-12 I Think We've Fallen In Love 2-13 Racin' 2-14 Sign Up 2-15 Rainbow

Jeff St. John "Rare and Live: 1966 - 1985" 2016 Compilation

Track Listing 01 Introduction On Bandstand (00:46) 02 The Work Song (03:38) 03 It's Gonna Work Out Fine (02:43) 04 Stupidity (02:48) 05 Humming Bird (04:40) 06 Teach Me How To Fly (02:17) 07 Peter Figure's Drum Solo (03:39) 08 Days To Come (03:06) 09 Teach Me How To Fly #2 (04:20) 10 The New Centurions (Poem) (02:16) 11 Only A Woman Like You (05:42) 12 I Can Hardly Wait For Summer (03:59) 13 Introduction (00:59) 14 Big Time Operator (02:38) 15 Sandman (04:20)

Discography

Singles Jan. 1966 "Lindy Lou" / "Somebody To Love" (Spin EK-1220) Apr. 1966 "The Jerk" / "Take This Hurt Off Me" (Spin EK-1328) July. 1966 "Black Girl" / "Eastern Dream" (Spin EK-1446) Dec. 1966 "Big Time Operator" / "Sister's Got A Boyfriend" (Spin EK-1606) Apr. 1967 "You Got Me Hummin'" / "Watch Out" (Spin EK-1730) Oct. 1967 "Nothing Comes Easy" / "Everybody's Gone" (Spin EK-2016) Feb. 1970 "Cloud Nine" / "Days To Come" (Spin EK-3576) Nov. 1970 "Teach Me How To Fly" / "Freedom Blues" (Chart CR-214) Aug. 1971 "Hummingbird" / "Keep On Growing" (Infinity INK 4365) Oct. 1972 "Yesterday's Music" / "In The Window Of Your Love" (Infinity INK-4852) Apr. 1973 "Yesterday's Music" / "Lady Of Ginger" (A&M (US release) May 1975 "Mr Jones" / "Acapulco Lady" (Infinity) Oct. 1975 "Blood Brother" / "Reach Out And Touch Me" (Infinity) EPs Feb 1967 Big Time Operator (Spin) May 1967 You Got Me Hummin' (Spin) May 1970 Sing A Simple Song (Spin) Albums March 1967 Big Time Operators (Spin) March 1970 Joint Effort (Spin) Available on CD with bonus tracks, through Vicious Sloth Jan. 1971 Wendy Saddington & Copperwine Live (Infinity) (recorded without Jeff St John) 1972 The Best Of Jeff St John (Spin) May 1974 Jeff St John Live (Infinity) 1977 Survivor 1965-1975 (Infinity) Compilations The 3-CD reissue of So You Wanna Be A Rock ‘n' Roll Star (Spin D89931, 1998), features remastered recordings of the Id's "Lindy Lou", Yama's "Nothing Comes Easy" and Copperwine's "Cloud Nine". Golden Miles – Australian Progressive Rock 1969-1974 (Raven RVCD 39) includes "Fanciful Flights Of Mind", from Copperwine's studio album. A live recording of Copperwine's "Hummingbird" is included on the various artists' compilation CD of Hoadley's Battle Of The Sounds performances, Live, Loud And Sweaty!, put out by Canetoad 

Jeff St. John ‎ “Jeff St. John Live"1974 Australia Rock Soul,Funk

Jeff St. John “Survivor” 1965-75: 1977 Compilation Australia Psych,Funk,Soul,Blues Rock

Jeff St. Copperwine. “Joint Effort” LP Spin Label 1970 Australia Prog Psych

Jeff St. John The Id ‎"Big Time Operators" 1967 + Jeff St. John ‎"So Far So Good"1978 + Jeffrey St. John* & The Embers "Will The Real Jeff St. John Please Stand Up" 2001 +  Jeff St. John & Michael Gray "The Invisible Years Volumes 1 & 2" 2007 +  Jeff St. John "Rare and Live: 1966 - 1985" 2016 Compilation, Australia Prog,Psych,Garage,Beat,R & B,Soul,Funk,Blue Eyed Soul

https://johnkatsmc5.tumblr.com/post/771922763164401664/jeff-st-john-the-id-big-time-operators-1967

[posttexasstressdisorder]

Monday, 11-25-24, 7pm Pacific

Welp, it has definitely been a Monday, hasn't it? Mr. Baggins here with some music to soothe your achin' nerves and help ease us all into a good night. Let's start the evening off with the music of Debussy, his "Nocturnes", L.91. No. 1 Nuages ("Clouds"), No. 2 Fêtes ("Festivals"), and No. 3 Sirènes ("Sirens") , performed by The Montreal Symphony, led by Charles Dutoit.

Now let's hear our Brazilian friend Guiomar Novaes, with her wonderful 1957 recording of the Op. 9 and Op. 15 Nocturnes from Book 1 of Chopin's Nocturnes.

Now we turn from Chopin to Haydn; we hear his Symphony No. 102, from a live recording made in 1971. Here is Lenny with The Vienna.

Let's hear them do Brahms' fourth and final Symphony, the Symphony No. 4, in E-minor, Op. 98, from a recording made ten years later, live, in 1981.

Next we hear the Beaux Arts Trio, with another of the Piano Trios of Beethoven. From a live performance, we hear them play The "Ghost" Trio in D Major, Op 70, No. 1. Splendid performance!

Next let's hear a unique performance of Schubert's String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, the "Death and the Maiden" quartet, in a version for string orchestra, performed by Seiji Ozawa, leading the Mito String Orchestra.

Next we have a real treat: the legendary Fritz Kreisler playing seven of his own works with orchestral accompaniment led by Donald Voorhees, recorded live for a radio broadcast in 1945! Here is Fritz Kreisler playing his own most popular works on The Bell Telephone Hour, the Complete Program from April 16, 1945. We hear his Concerto in the style of Vivaldi, Old Refrain, Liebesfreud, Liebesleid, Schon Rosmarin, Rondino on a Theme By Beethoven, Tambourin Chinois, and Caprice Viennois.

Now let's hear Fritz Kreisler, this time with Sergei Rachmaninoff at the piano, in their landmark 1928 recording of Grieg's Violin Sonata No. 3, in C minor, Op. 45., from a truly HISTORIC series of recordings the two made together on RCA Victor.

To wind things up this evening, I thought we might hear Elly Ameling, Soprano, Hans Deinzer, Clarinet, and Jörg Demus, Piano (made by Franz Rausch, Wien 1835), performing that glorious bit of Schubert known as "Der Hirt Auf Dem Felsen", or "The Shepherd on the Rock", Op.129, D.965., from their legendary recording made in 1965.

And with the dulcet tones of a young Miss Ameling, we bring this evening's program to a close. I do hope you've enjoyed the selections this evening, and maybe heard something new to your ear. This is Mr. Baggins signing off for this evening. I'll return at 8am Pacific with Morning Coffee Music.

Until then, dream sweet dreams, babies, dream sweet dreams.

Baggins out.

[angel12jp]

La Rolls dans le film Blow Up d’Antonioni 1966.

Silver Cloud III Drop Head Coupé. 1965.