#here speaks my Cypriot blood

[why-even-ask]

I headcanon J. S. Steinman as a Cypriot. And it works.

Aphrodite's birthplace is in Cyprus and we all know how much Steinman loves Aphrodite. You know, make him a Jewish Cypriot. His family might as well come to Cyprus during the Ottoman period (late 16th century onwards) or even the late 19th century.

It very much works. Look at him. He looks like some Nicosian you'd see in your uncle's kebab shop or something. Just some guy you'd drink zivania and KEO with.

Wanna read more? Click on.

I say he has a mixed family of Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, and of course his Jewish roots. I mean, Cypriots are kind of chill with religion; for example, the Linobambakis would have both Christian and Muslim traditions and celebrations. Nothing conflicts with anything, you just have a personal relationship with religion over there.

So, here's our favorite Jewish (and Greek and Turkish) Cypriot who worships Aphrodite.

[Using the "There's Something in the Sea" data to build a 'canon' background here.] So, he vanishes from the US around the late 1940s, right? Apparently, he had a friendship with someone for 32 years. Let's say that their friendship started around 1918. Steinman was known for his face reconstruction work at a young age, and it makes sense because it would line up with the First World War. If we say that Steinman took only a few years of education to get to that degree with extraordinary success, it would mean that he was in the US at least by 1914.

It means that, in the game (Bioshock 1 - 1960), Steinman is at least 65 years old.

And, well, building a headcanon here: Let's say that his family left Cyprus because of the British occupation getting stricter with taxes and even hinting at conscription if/when the war broke out.

Now, imagine him.

He still misses home during his studies. He complains about not being able to find zivania (Cypriot drink) to drink. His family sometimes visits Cyprus and sends him some halloumi cheese over. He even visits Cyprus at some point and brings some cattle bones from the empty fields over Nicosia, say, Kythrea. He has them in his student dorm on his shelf.

I mean, don't think of a city when I say Kythrea or something. Think of a village, a very small one. Imagine him growing up there. He steals from the melon fields of the neighbors. He knows which wild weeds to pick to eat. Hell, he even experiments with which herbs are good for healing purposes, as his grandmother is a village elder who people go to for that kind of stuff. He learns that the branch of pharmaceutics exists just for that. Then, though, his focus shifts to medicine. Most importantly, surgeries --face reconstruction and all that. He's around 15 or something, they leave Cyprus.

Now, it's around the 1930s. Steinman is well over 30 at the time. His family had gone back to Cyprus at some point because they couldn't handle the US. His father picks the field up, and his uncle and his mother are running the barns & farm. Sometimes when Steinman visits, his uncle asks him to check the health of the cattle. "I'm not a vet!" doesn't work for Cypriots, you gotta do what you gotta do, lol. He stays there for half a year as a break and thinks about staying and working there as a vet because he really misses home... but the Second World War breaks out. The Brits are trying to draft up people for the Cyprus Regiment to fight in Europe or Northern Africa, especially those who know English being very much preferred... and Steinman has to flee once again. He tries to take his family to come with him as well, but they refuse. They cannot part from Cyprus once again.

Hell, the Brits manage to "convince" his father and uncle to join the Regiment. His mother goes to the US to stay with Steinman because it's hard being so lonely there. Steinman is making good money but you know, his father and uncle are deep in the war already and were as stubborn as mules about not coming to the US.

By the end of the war, his father gets injured, and they get a residency permit for the UK as a "gift" or something. His father decides to live there because he cannot work in the field easily anymore. His mother follows suit. Only his uncle remains in Cyprus. Steinman is alone in the US again.

He also read about Cypriot mythology, by the way. He learnt that Cyprus was Aphrodite's birthplace and now he believes that it's all fate that he is the best face reconstruction surgeon. He believes that he should work with "beauty" as well, and starts worshipping Aphrodite in the private and takes up aesthetic surgery.

He briefly visits Cyprus every once in a while. It's not horrible, but it feels lonely as hell. At least he has his uncle still running the farm, so they hang out and all that. When his uncle dies in the late 40s, though, he permanently goes back to the US.

He's now over 40. He expects to have a feeling of home, right?

The US doesn't feel right, though. There's business, yes, but he wants a home. He wants a place he can belong in. He feels like he needs to erase his name and face off the earth to ever belong somewhere, which feels impossible.

Until... Rapture happens.

Does he miss Cyprus? A bit, of course. But he knows he couldn't have lived there. It's a memory, but quite a strong one. At some point, he manages to convince Fontaine to smuggle him some zivania. For Fontaine's surgery (the Atlas thing, you know), Fontaine brings him soil from the fields, some molohiya (a cookable weed also called Jew's Mallow), and crates full of zivania and a new brand: KEO. When Steinman asks what it is, he tells him that it's the new fad around Cyprus, established in 1949. It's good beer, truly.

And, well, Fontaine had brought him so much zivania and KEO that he doesn't run out of them until his death.

#here speaks my Cypriot blood #he's Jewish as told by the creators I think #and I thought; okay; we got Jewish Cypriots over Cyprus as well #and he pretty much seems like just some guy I'd encounter 'round Nicosia hehe #he would fit PERFECTLY in. #give us some Cypriot representation damn man we're chill I swear lol #EEEEEEYYY NAPAN VRE GUMBAREEEE #EISAI GALA RE MLK;;; ÖLMEDİN MİYDİ BEA? #[ in mixed greek and turkish dialects of cyprus; switching randomly: eey whatcha doing pal? are you okay ya wanker? haven't you died eh?] #my Cypriot (specifically Nicosian lol) father would very much adore it if i wrote this as a story #but how could i explain to him that this is just some fucked-up character headcanons for a game about uuuuuuuh #'So dad; theres this game you kill people with a wrench BUT IT'S ACTUALLY SO DEEP IN POLITICS AND IS A MASTERPIECE- #Dad are you listening??' #ahajalkdgjsfsdf #tw alcohol #alcohol #okay there it was #i had SO MUCH FUN #bioshock 1 #bioshock #j s steinman #j. s. steinman #steinman bioshock #dr steinman

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

13th April >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Tuesday, Second Week of Eastertide

    or 

Saint Martin I, Pope, Martyr.

Tuesday, Second Week of Eastertide

(Liturgical Colour: White)

First Reading

Acts of the Apostles 4:32-37

The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul

The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed for his own use anything that he had, as everything they owned was held in common.    The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and they were all given great respect.

   None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from them, to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any members who might be in need.    There was a Levite of Cypriot origin called Joseph whom the apostles surnamed Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). He owned a piece of land and he sold it and brought the money, and presented it to the apostles.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 92(93):1-2,5

R/ The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed. or R/ Alleluia!

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed;    the Lord has robed himself with might,    he has girded himself with power.

R/ The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed. or R/ Alleluia!

The world you made firm, not to be moved;    your throne has stood firm from of old.    From all eternity, O Lord, you are.

R/ The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed. or R/ Alleluia!

Truly your decrees are to be trusted.    Holiness is fitting to your house,    O Lord, until the end of time.

R/ The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed. or R/ Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

cf. Revelation 1:5

Alleluia, alleluia! You, O Christ, are the faithful witness, the First-born from the dead, you have loved us and have washed away our sins with your blood. Alleluia!

Or:

John 3:15

Alleluia, alleluia! The Son of Man must be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. Alleluia!

Gospel

John 3:7-15

No-one has gone up to heaven except the Son of Man who has come down from heaven

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘Do not be surprised when I say: You must be born from above. The wind blows wherever it pleases; you hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit.’

‘How can that be possible?’ asked Nicodemus. ‘You, a teacher in Israel, and you do not know these things!’ replied Jesus.

‘I tell you most solemnly, we speak only about what we know and witness only to what we have seen and yet you people reject our evidence. If you do not believe me when I speak about things in this world, how are you going to believe me when I speak to you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is in heaven; and the Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Saint Martin I, Pope, Martyr

(Liturgical Colour: Red)

(Readings for the memorial)

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Tuesday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading

2 Timothy 2:8-13,3:10-12

Anybody who tries to live in devotion to Christ is certain to be attacked

Remember the Good News that I carry, ‘Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David’; it is on account of this that I have my own hardships to bear, even to being chained like a criminal – but they cannot chain up God’s news. So I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen, so that in the end they may have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and the eternal glory that comes with it.    Here is a saying that you can rely on:

If we have died with him, then we shall live with him. If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him. If we disown him, then he will disown us. We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful, for he cannot disown his own self.

You know, though, what I have taught, how I have lived, what I have aimed at; you know my faith, my patience and my love; my constancy and the persecutions and hardships that came to me in places like Antioch, Iconium and Lystra – all the persecutions I have endured; and the Lord has rescued me from every one of them. You are well aware, then, that anybody who tries to live in devotion to Christ is certain to be attacked.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 125(126):1-6

R/ Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,    it seemed like a dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter,    on our lips there were songs.

R/ Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels    the Lord worked for them!’ What marvels the Lord worked for us!    Indeed we were glad.

R/ Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage    as streams in dry land. Those who are sowing in tears    will sing when they reap.

R/ Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,    carrying seed for the sowing: they come back, they come back, full of song,    carrying their sheaves.

R/ Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

Gospel Acclamation

cf. Te Deum

Alleluia, alleluia! We praise you, O God, we acknowledge you to be the Lord; the noble army of martyrs praise you, O Lord. Alleluia!

Gospel

John 15:18-21

The world hated me before it hated you

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world, because my choice withdrew you from the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the words I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well. But it will be on my account that they will do all this, because they do not know the one who sent me.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[kamatael]

Greetings. This is Egor, my spiritual name is Kamatael. You can always write to me at [email protected] if you want to chat. Today is May 21, 2021 and I decided to write this information. I want to touch on many topics in order to show the general picture of what is happening now. I ask the holy spirit for strength in prayer to tell all the necessary things, amen. I belong to the Orthodox Church.

I will begin with the revelation of the cross of Belial, or the satanic cross. You may have noticed how various people, such as singers or prostitutes, wear Christian crosses around their necks. Spiritually, such crosses do not worship Jesus Christ. I was in the spirit world and ended up in some kind of laboratory. I saw Satanists there, as well as Reptilians. One reptilian spoke to me. "Many people are deceived. They see the cross on us and think that we are worshiping Jesus. But this is not so, naive people. In fact, it is the cross of our God, Lucifer. It is the cross of Belial. It only looks like a Christian cross. It is worn reptilians to hide their essence and deceive you, as well as our servants on Earth. Look here. "

I saw a cross appeared in front of me. He was white. "This is the cross of our master. In this way we deceive people." After that I woke up. I saw a similar cross on the neck of Tony Ferguson, the mma fighter. In the past, I've talked about UFC hell of a tournament. Tony Ferguson wears such a cross. After losing, he tweeted a picture of Jesus on the cross of Calvary, and how he was given a painful hold. This is blasphemy in disguise. Therefore, if you see a cross on someone, it does not mean that this person serves Jesus Christ.

Now let's move on. Recently, the number of demonic attacks on me has increased. I saw the road. The demon told me, "You are a man, do you know that it costs a Christian just a little deviates from the truth, as he is already on a different road, to hell?" The next day I heard the voice of a demon in my dream. "Your God is coming to Earth soon. His coming is near." Then a mermaid wrote to me on the Internet and began to threaten that I crossed their path. I had to fight in the spirit world. After the fight, I saw a big man in front of me. He was bigger than me and had a sword. "I am your personal guardian. God's revelation is a good book. Satanists and sorcerers exploit your weak points. Be careful."

I woke up. The next day I saw a huge snake that wanted to attack me, but I was able to escape from it. She moved very quickly. Let's remember the Bible, the devil walks like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Now I want to talk about the dangers of anime and mundane music. I know that this is a hackneyed topic and there is a lot of talk about it. But I will also say a few words. The problem is that many Christians lose their grip and succumb to worldly things. I studied the demonic influence of the Sailor Moon anime. About the warrior of the moon. The moon is a symbol of the occult and is often used in anime, along with pentagrams, they insert rock music there, to summon demons, sexy women, so that sex demons can influence people, as well as curses and they constantly say there, "damn, heck". These are all spells of the dark forces.

After watching the anime, I went to bed. I dreamed that I was washing in the shower and a girl from this anime was sticking to me, but her eyes were black. “Get away from me, Satan,” I said to this illusion and woke up. Prodigal demons started working immediately after watching. I found anime with names such as "Beelzebub", the prince of demons mentioned in the Bible, as well as "death note", this is the book of hell, the names of dead souls. The devil loves to praise himself through anime. Already from the names it is clear that these anime are made in hell. In the spirit I saw a huge demon in hell, this is the scribe of hell. He holds a fiery feather in his paws and gives revelations to anime producers. Under his leadership, such a satanic cartoon as "spawn" was released, as well as comics.

Then I started to study the popular Japanese anime "Bleach". In the splash screen, I immediately saw a pentagram, as well as blasphemy over the bright angels. In one of the episodes, they showed the Bible and the hero said, "Damn, this is not what I want." Further, a parody of the crucifixion of Jesus and blasphemy against the spirit of the saint was shown, when a fiery dove wanted to kill a girl. And then a hero appeared who called himself Lucifer and the hell gate. I watched 64 episodes in a row and then they put in more rock music and for a couple of days I didn't feel important. This can be characterized in one word - devilish schizophrenia. A huge spiritual negative impact on the psyche of immature and not understanding children, who is watching, the illusory jungle of demons, a mirage.

I won't watch it anymore, even for study. Then I studied the lyrics of some of the singers and saw the demonic language that Christians and Satanists understand. Mention of hell, fire and souls. Then a demon of music appeared to me, who called himself "Didjetal". He paralyzed my body and wanted to suck my spirit out, but he failed. Since I have touched on the topic of music, I move on to the next important topic - Eurovision.

I myself do not watch this show, but from the news I learned that one of the singers called her song "the devil". I am writing this and my phone is very buggy. Demons prevent me from writing this. So great is their anger at this information. So, when I saw this in the news feed, I decided to find out more.

"El Diablo" (The Devil) - a dance mix performed by Greek singer Elena Tsagrinu reached the final of the Eurovision Song Contest -2021, which is now taking place in Rotterdam. The final itself will take place on May 22.

“We must get rid of this blasphemy,” said one of the priests. “She is an insult to Cyprus and is a danger to our children.” “This is Satan worship,” protester Eleni, 62, told Ioannou. “The old Eurovision was so good. And now Satan is in charge there. " Residents of a nearby house decided to "troll" the protesters and played the song "El Diablo" at full volume.

The Cypriot Broadcasting Corporation PIK has stated that the song is actually about a battle between good and evil. It is worth noting that "El Diablo" is not the only song at Eurovision 2021 dedicated to a fallen angel. The Norwegian performer TIX performed the composition "Fallen Angel", the performer himself appeared on stage with the wings of an angel, and devils roamed around the singer, to which he was tied with chains.

I see that even an experienced Orthodox woman, 62 years old, said, "Previously, Eurovision was good." Earlier? it has always been devilish. What's in the 1980s, what's today. The only difference is that now the dark forces are acting more openly, and not veiled, as before. Only a few dozen people came to this rally in Cyprus. This speaks well of how few soldiers of Jesus Christ are not indifferent to the situations that are taking place in the world. Small flock, so it is written in the Bible, and so it is. Not everyone who calls himself a Christian will go to heaven. Jesus spoke of this while he was on earth. In general, this whole situation is just a shame for Orthodox Cyprus. I understand that any country, including my Russia,disgraced at this satanic meeting, but it was the representative of Cyprus who spoke more openly than others. In general, this is another sign of the end and the imminent coming of the Savior, and I do not advise Christians to watch these satanic, demonic games. Don't give them glory from watching their show. Don't give praise to demons. Amen.

And the last thing I want to talk about in this piece of information. Consecrate all your data on the Internet with the blood of Jesus Christ. I have noticed that the number of Satanists, witches and sorcerers has increased, especially on dating sites. They also contacted me. These applications, such as wattsap, youtube, vk, included a lot of demons and their goal is the murder and destruction of the children of God. They conjure and damage photographs, put spiritual chains and, due to the spells of magicians, tie people to this dark, digital world. I saw many mermaids seducing men, as well as demons disguised as humans. There is a lot of black magic and lies in these places. It is best to delete all your data, but if you are there, be careful.

Satan is very cunning and easily deceives many. With the help of black magic and curses, they killed a lot of people through social networks and threw them into hell. They have special scouts, I ran into them. They closely follow everyone and they have access to any of your data - photos, messages. They even showed it to me. Therefore, there is no data security. Don't believe this. As soon as you register on social networks, the scouts immediately observe you. If they see that you are a Christian or that you are preaching, then they become the object of increased attack and interest. Satanists and witches connect to you and begin your destruction. They are looking for weak points through which to kill you, or hurt you.

If they fail to kill, they will try to take you away from Christ and the body of Christ. These places have become very dangerous. They previously belonged to demons, but today the Christian is in them like death. No acquaintance, no woman, or man, in my opinion, is worth risking salvation and life in these places. I conclude my testimony, who have read to the end, be blessed. Amen!

#christianity #religion #nature #sports #spirituality #evrovizija #satanic #ortodox

[artfortheages]

Aim To Be A Traveller, Not A Tourist

By Dora Cheatham

Full disclosure.  I’ve been lucky.  

Born in England to Greek-Cypriot parents, I had a head start when it came to understanding different cultures, though straddling cultures definitely had its drawbacks.  I was never truly “English” or “Greek”.  My personality is most definitely English – my sense of humor, the way I think, my behavior towards other people, the way I do business are all so much more “British” rather than “Greek”. 

At school in England I stood out not because of any intellectual or sporting prowess, but because I was that kid with the curly hair and long, unpronounceable surname.  But my blood…ah my blood.  Put on Zorba’s dance and I’m out there, arms out, head bowed, kicking my legs and shouting “opa”. There is no denying my bloodline or heritage and I am secretly proud of being able to associate myself in some little way with the likes of Aristotle, Plato, Euripides, Archimedes, the Spartans, and the heroes of OXI day.

When you grow up in Europe, going from country to country is relatively easy, and with family in Greece, Cyprus and England my parents made sure that we visited the “homeland” frequently. In the 1970s my parents decided to move to Cyprus permanently, only to return to England after Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974, leaving the country in tatters and many without husbands, without fathers and without homes. War is an experience that is part of my being but one that I would never want to relive.

Above: Greek Cypriot refugees fleeing to the south.  Image (c) Getty Images.

As a student, whether as a result of my bilingual background or not, it turned out I had a knack for absorbing new languages.  At school, I learned Spanish, German and French, along with the Classics, and went on to study French & Spanish language and literature at University.  This meant that I also had the opportunity to spend extended periods of time in Spain and France either studying or working. When I met – and married – an American, the idea of relocating to the US did not present itself as an unsurmountable obstacle.  After all, I had already lived and/or studied/worked in four different countries all before the age of 25.  

That having been said, I recently realized that I am a “travel snob”.  For the first time in my life, I went on a group tour – you know the type – 5 cities in 4 days, it’s Thursday, so you must be in Paris. That was when I realized that travelling is so much more than sightseeing and when I also appreciated – maybe more than ever – my multi-cultural background and education.  

Even at the early age of 17, I realized that there is no “best country in the world”, because each and every country has its unique beauty, strength, and indeed flaws. Because I was able to see that no one nation is better than any other, because there are good – and bad – people in all countries. That people in different countries think differently, and what may be important, interesting and inspiring to someone in the US, does not carry the same value or relevance to someone in Spain, Singapore or the Seychelles. 

While family, friends, food and a universal mistrust of politicians are common among all cultures, half an hour with many Americans and the conversation will eventually run to subjects like sports, tailgating, hobbies, shopping, business.  Conversations with friends in France would end in where one could catch screenings of films by Jean Renoir,  or a talk about the life, times and impact of Edith Piaf, Camus or Colette.  In England, pub grub was often accompanied with the uniquely British sense of humor, the exchange of anecdotes, experiences, and more trivia than one brain can hold. Yes, somewhat of a generalization, but you get the point.

And that is where so many people stumble. Too many people visit countries and compare them and the people of that country to their own – usually to the detriment of the countries they are visiting. To those people I quote Clifton Fadiman: 

“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.”

Above:  Traditional Lefkara embroidery in Cyprus

When people ask me what I enjoy most about speaking several languages I usually give the same answer. It’s not about being able to successfully order a sandwich in a different country. It’s bigger than that.

Imagine you are in a huge room, surrounded by books, art, history, culture and the ability to observe and comprehend how the people in this room conduct business and live their everyday lives.  This is your country and everything in that room is accessible to you – whether you choose to access it or not. 

Now imagine that this room is also surrounded by a number of locked doors. Each time you learn a language and visit the country, speak with the people of that country, learn about what they believe in, what they love, what they hate and how they think, you unlock another door.  

Read their literature in the original language. Understand their art.  Learn how to cook their food. Talk to the people – preferably in their own language. You have just unlocked another huge room. 

Above:  Cypriot sweet cheese “fritters” coated in syrup.

It’s not just about visiting castles, cathedrals, or canyons.  It’s about so much more. And it is not until people understand this in its essence, that they can open their minds to tolerance and understanding. This, my friends, is what it means to travel.  

I’ll end as I began. I have been lucky.  My family believed in the old adage of giving your children both roots and wings.

To close out, here are some of my favorite travel quotes that maybe, just maybe, serve to illustrate the idea.  And remember, try to be a traveler, not a tourist!

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.”  - Miriam Beard

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page” - Augustine of Hippo

“Travel brings wisdom only to the wise. It renders the ignorant more ignorant than ever.” – Joe Abercrombie

“Adventure is allowing the unexpected to happen to you. Exploration and experiencing what you have not experienced before. How can there be any adventure, any exploration, if you let somebody else – above all, a travel bureau – arrange everything beforehand?” – Richard Aldington

“The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see.” – G. K. Chesterton

“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.”  – James A. Michener

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” – Mark Twain

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustave Flaubert

“The value of your travels does not hinge on how many stamps you have in your passport when you get home – and the slow nuanced experience of a single country is always better than the hurried, superficial experience of forty countries.” – Rolf Potts

#travel #tourism #culture

[k-p-p-d]

Creatures of the Night, X

Summary: Kihyun’s got a list and he’s checking it twice...

Warnings: sacrilegious mentions/usage of incense offering, allusions to blood

Length: 3k

A/N: I AM GOING TO HELL AND IT IS ALL KIHYUN’S FAULT.  Also, hi, hello, this series has never been dead! It’s just been my Halloween treat for you all~

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9  | 11

[Thirteen hours earlier...]

With such casual precision that only came with a few millennia’s worth of practice, Kihyun arranged the seventeen brass bowls—each filled to brimming save for the last, most precious one—in a semicircle before the volcanic rock-made and sulfur-kissed pestle and mortar which were sat in the middle of the stone table.  Carefully, he ground each fragrant spice and resin until he had reached the exact maneh as prescribed all those eons ago: First came the tears of Chios, then the operculum which was to be followed by the galbanum before the heady, heavy frankincense and myrrh that were to be sweetened, deepened, and balanced by the cassia, muskroot, aloeswood, saffron, costus, raw cinnamon bark (which he had to refrain from getting carried away with and adding too much lest it overpower the delicate balance he had to strike), and the amber of Jordan.  Kihyun, despite all his measured preparations, unceremoniously dumped each ground spice into a separate, larger golden bowl.  He sprinkled the maaleh ashan overtop the combined spices before emptying the bowls containing the Cypriot wine, the karshinah residue, and—his personal favorite considering he had been the reason for its existence—the salt of Sodom into the large bowl.  He lifted it gently to feel the weight of it in his hands as a final assurance it was the proper weight.  He smiled to himself as he lowered the bowl to rest in its rightful place in the ornate gold censer.  

Kihyun let his eyes linger longingly on the sole remaining brass bowl.  An overwhelmingly potent blend of hunger and exhilaration unlike anything he’d felt in centuries washed over him with such force that he had to whisper a soft prayer to his unholy father for strength.  He only needed to hold onto himself for a few hours more.  Once the sun set, he’d be free to sate his appetite enough to tide him over until the real festivities began.  A shiver wracked his body at the thought of him bathing and reveling in a river of the bowl’s forbidden treasure.  He took a steadying breath to calm himself.  He clapped his hands twice.  Out of the literal thin air appeared a sleepy Changkyun.  If he had a heart, Kihyun reasoned it’d might make him coo at the younger’s puffy face and messy bedhead.  But he didn’t have one so instead he ordered (as politely as he could for the nightcrawler’s sake), “Clean all this up for me, except for that bowl and the censer.”  Changkyun blinked at him—nictitating & human eyelids alike—in mild irritation.  Kihyun reached forward to ruffle his hair, knuckles bumping against the stubby horns, and promised sweetly, “If you do it quickly, I won’t summon you again until well after the sun sets.  That means you can get all the sleep you want.”  Changkyun simply nodded as he released an enormous yawn, body moving on autopilot to clear off the table as instructed.  With all the bowls balanced precariously on the forked tip of his tail, he gathered up the large pestle and mortar into his arms before vanishing in a cloud of faint smoke. Waving a hand back and forth to dissipate the lingering smoke, Kihyun exited his study to make his way to his master’s suite.  There he found Hyungwon, busy enchanting every inch of the gold-plated slabs of acacia wood to disguise them lest their fun be spoiled before rearranging them into a floating bed—four posts, a headboard, a footboard, and the sides too. “Hyungwon,” Kihyun called sweetly. “You only use that voice when you’re about to ask me to do something I most certainly have no interest in doing,” the tall man drawled in slight annoyance without even glancing over his shoulder.   Kihyun countered with a smirk, “Since you already know that then you should have no problem acquiescing.” Hyungwon released his most dramatic, long-suffering sigh yet as he slowly turned on his heel and leveled his deceivingly disinterested gaze at the other.  Kihyun knew him well enough to know beneath the surface of his sleepy eyes raged an eternal pyre of vigilance whose flames were fanned by an equally undying sense of curiosity.  “Alright, quit smirking and just tell me.” Kihyun appreciated the enchanter’s bluntness. It made his life so much easier, no need to worry about maintaining pretenses or politeness.  And yet, he still couldn’t help but indulge himself in a favorite past time: Annoying Hyungwon. “I know you’ve been improving your craft,” he stated simply, as if he’d said all there was to say in his vagueness. Hyungwon didn’t even bat an eye.  “If you’re just here to speak in riddles and half-truths to annoy me, I can easily get rid of you with a single chant.  So if you don’t want to be exorcised,” it was his turn to smile disingenuously now, “please get on with it.” “Just ruin all of my fun, why don’t you,” Kihyun grumbled with a deep eye roll.  “But fine, I suppose I’ll let you win this time.”  He stepped further into the room, doors automatically closing and locking behind him as he went.  Hyungwon wasn’t the only one who could do little parlor tricks.  “You’ve added ‘necromancy’ to your skillset and I intend to have you use said skill this evening.  I know I don’t need to impress upon you the importance of this night nor the magnitude of just how...special, shall we say, our guest is to my dear prince.  As such, I am requesting that you aid me in making this the most memorable feast night yet for him.  When the moment comes, do all that you can to draw it out for as long as you can so that he may fully partake in its splendor.” “Just for him?” Hyungwon questioned with a raised brow and bemused lilt to his voice. Kihyun simply shrugged, “I’m a demon.  Selfishness is in my blood, figuratively speaking of course. Forgive me if I want to have my own fun tonight.” Hyungwon laughed, “If I could forgive you, I would only because I love making your skin crawl.  But fine, I’ll draw it out.  Happy?” “Thank you, Hyungwon,” Kihyun smiled warmly at him for the briefest of seconds.  “Now back to work.  I’m not paying you to just be pretty tonight.” “You aren’t even paying me right now because you can’t even afford my overtime rate, you demonic bastard,” Hyungwon scoffed but resumed his work anyway. Kihyun checked his watch. Half-past noon.  If he moved quickly enough, he could catch Hyunwoo before his third lunch of the day.  He hurried out of the suite and down the hidden stairs and passageways once used by the servants of the aging manor.  Just as he pushed open the creaky wooden door, a low growl rumbled through stale air.  Kihyun rolled his eyes as he turned to face the golden pair glowing brightly at him in the darkness of the cellar.  “Down, boy,” he purred teasingly while stepping toward the massive ball of tawny fur, “I’m not going to hurt you and you know you certainly can’t hurt me.”  The beast snorted in a way Kihyun could only describe as derisive.  It never ceased to amaze him how this creature could be more expressive than its human counterpart.  “Oh, don’t look at me like that.  Just go and get Hyunwoo.  I promise I won’t look.”  The wolf regarded him skeptically.   “Oh my Azazel, I said I wouldn’t look.  I might thrive off lust but I do have some self-restraint. Do I need to paw-promise you or something?”  It let out a loud yip and lifted its front right paw.  Kihyun scowled.  This was absolutely degrading.  Nevertheless, he gripped the offered paw firmly.  “If you whisper a word of this to anyone else, I’ll skin you with my fingernails and find a way to impregnate Hyunwoo with a million little cambions, you brat,” he hissed threateningly.  All he got in response from the wolf was three short barks that resembled laughter before dropping its paw and trodding further back into the darkness.  Kihyun turned on his and rubbed his temples. Hell below, that was embarrassing. A few seconds of muffled shuffling passed before an awkward cough rang clear through the dusty air.  Kihyun turned around and greeted the very naked and very bemused Hyunwoo with a scowl.  The taller scratched the back of his neck as he apologized awkwardly, “Uh, I’m sorry about...all of...that.” Kihyun rolled his eyes, “Liar.  I could hear you laughing the entire time.” Hyunwoo flashed a sheepish smile before shifting his stance and crossing his arms.  “So, you wanted to see me?” “I do,” he confirmed with a solemn nod.  “We have to ensure every precaution has been taken and that includes further securing the grounds.” “But I’ve alr—“ “I know you have and I thank you for it. Just think of this as extra insurance, just in case.”  He reached into his pocket to fish out a golden chain on which hung a tiny glass vial filled with a dimly glowing liquid.  “Take this with you on your run.  One drop per stop should be enough, but you must make sure the circle is not broken.”  He handed it to Hyunwoo, who carefully cradled the vial in his palm.  “I would have told this to Fido-you, but I know his sense of smell is hypersensitive.” Hyunwoo’s eyes flicked up to meet his in sheer amazement.  “You mean to tell me this is—“ “Yes, it is.” “Wow...” Hyunwoo whistled as slipped the chain over his head to rest on his neck.  His brow suddenly knitted together in confusion.  “Wait, hold on.  How did you even manage to get this?” Kihyun smirked. “What happened to your strict policy on not inquiring about certain nefarious details that don’t necessarily concern you?” “I—,“ Hyunwoo huffed, “I mean, I still have it.  But you’re asking me to let my wolf run around with this,” he motioned to the vial, “dangling around his neck when it’s practically catnip laced with heroin to him.  So I think I have a right to know.” “You’re adorable when you pout,” Kihyun teased as he reached up to pat the pouting man’s cheeks.  Call him petty or vindicative (both of which he absolutely was) for enjoying seeing the other’s blatant embarrassment after what his wolf put him through earlier.  “But if you must know, I asked Jooheon.” Hyunwoo’s nose crinkled as he held up his hands, “Never mind, I don’t want to know.  I’m just going to pretend this isn’t what I know it is.  So if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a wolf to feed.  Again.”  With that, Hyunwoo offered a mock salute as he proudly marched past him and up to the door.  He flung open the door as he tossed a warm grin over his shoulder before bolting full speed ahead out into the wilderness behind the manor, towering muscular frame morphing seamlessly into that of an enormous canine whose fur gleamed a gorgeous gold-tinged chestnut in the bright sunlight.   Kihyun only shook his head at the sounds of the wolf’s delighted grunts of exertion as it tore through the woodland brush.   Hopefully, Hyunwoo would ruin his appetite so there’d be that much more left for him to enjoy.  With a rueful smirk, Kihyun closed his eyes and left himself fall forward through the floor. He was immediately surrounded by a garishly bright smattering of fluorescent pinks and neon yellows and electric greens and pulsing blues.  Nose wrinkled in disgust, he shook his head disapprovingly.  This just simply would not do.  Slowly he drew his arms in until they were outstretched before him, the shadows hooked on his fingertips flowing down like silk to dampen the cheery color scheme into something darker, something ominous, something much more befitting him. The hair on the nape of Jooheon’s neck snapped to attention as chills ripped down his body.  Something was wrong.  He pushed one of his headphones off his ear as he paused the song he’d been jamming to so he could better focus his attention on what he was hearing.  Or rather, what he wasn’t hearing.  Jooheon narrowed his eyes at the dulled colors of his studio.  The eerie silence and shifted mood would be off-putting to him on a normal basis, but not now because this was his dream.  He alone had sole dominion over his dreams.  He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before exhaling, pushing hard against the darkness that had gathered around him as he breathed until bit by bit the colors regained their vibrancy.  Jooheon huffed triumphantly to himself, fingers securing the snug headphone back over his ear so he could resume listening to the music. Kihyun grinned down at the vampire.  Any other being would have let their subconscious fall victim to his little tease of a grand entrance.  Not Jooheon though.  Despite his cherubic face and warm disposition, there was an underlying current of edged grittiness and raw rage always swirling into an ever-growing maelstrom that Kihyun was just dying to dance in.  He was almost proud of the younger, the only thing stopping him of feeling that pride being his nonexistent heart.  More than anything though, he was happy to rise to Jooheon’s unwarily issued challenge.  Kihyun drew the shadows once more over the scene and him.  Under the cover of the heavy darkness, he let himself slip out of his skin. Jooheon’s brow furrowed deeper than before at the sudden resurgence of darkness.  He pushed his headphones off entirely as he spun to face away from his desk.  He was not in the mood to deal with his brain’s bul— “Aw, hi baby!” he cooed sweetly at the chubby chihuahua waddling up to his feet.  Jooheon stooped over to scoop the puppy up so he could hold it against his chest, nuzzling his cheek against its furry head.  He pulled back to look the small dog over for a moment.  “You know,” he began softly, still smiling sweetly at the little bundle of fur, “you look a lot like Sanche.  I miss that stubborn, little guy so much sometimes.”  He sighed wistfully as memories of puppies gone by played in his mi— One, two, the devil’s coming for you... Jooheon’s unbeating heart skidded to a metaphorical halt.  What the actual fuck. Three, four, should’ve locked your door... Jooheon’s jaw dropped to the floor. Five, six, where’s your crucifix? Okay, he knew his mind could play tricks on him during his dream, but this?  This was a whole new level of fucked up. Seven, eight, think I’ll grab a stake... The dog— The fucking dog was SINGING to him!!!  Jooheon dropped the evil bitch and clambered up onto his desk to get away from it.  “SHUT UP!” he screeched at the top of his lungs. “SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!” Nine, ten, your Gucci’s fake... Jooheon stopped screaming.  Instead, he jumped off his desk to crouch down in the furry creature’s stupid face and hiss vehemently, “Fuck you, Kihyun.”  A sharp, grating cackle floated through the air as the chihuahua just stared innocently at him, though its tail wagged excitedly behind it.  “I really hate you sometimes, you demonic bastard,” Jooheon griped as he rose to his feet.  The chihuahua yipped excitedly twice before vanishing into thin air. “You have to admit,” Kihyun began with a wicked smirk, “that was absolutely hilarious.” Jooheon glanced up to the ceiling and narrowed his eyes at the demonic asshole standing upside down on it.  “No, it wasn’t.  It was fucking creepy.  I’ll never be able to look at Sanche the same way ever again.” “You’re welcome,” Kihyun chuckled. “I didn’t ask for it,” Jooheon huffed with a pout. “Why are you even in my dream anyway?  I thought I wasn’t your type or whatever.” “Everyone’s my type,” Kihyun shrugged simply, “I just don’t particularly feel anything when it comes to your bloodlust.  But...” he stretched out a hand to rake his fingertips through the younger’s silvery locks, “...I could make an exception if you’d like.” Jooheon’s face scrunched up with distaste, “Uh, no thank you.  It’s enough dealing with you when you’re not trying to leech off my life force.” “Says the leech,” Kihyun dismissed with a roll of his eyes. “To the other leech,” Jooheon fired back sassily as he crossed his arms over his chest.  “Now, answer my question or get outta my head.” “So testy, and over such a harmless prank.  Tsk, tsk,” Kihyun chastised sarcastically with a click of his teeth.  Nevertheless, he pushed off the ceiling in a flip to land on his feet right-side up in front of the other.  “I’m here just to double-check you’ve had the snack I left for you.” Now it was Jooheon’s turn to roll his eyes.  “If I had, I wouldn’t have been resting so peacefully.  Besides, you could have just gone into my mausoleum to check.  It’s not like you needed my permis—“ “Hyunwoo’s out taking his wolf for a walk,” Kihyun interrupted.  “You know how territorial he can get, especially since he’s got the vial.  I know I don’t need my physical body, but I quite enjoy having it.  Makes things convenient.  And you know what else is convenient?  Me being able to waltz into your dream.” “How you can be so anal retentive about almost everything yet so willing to cut so many corners is something I don’t think I’ll ever stand.” “Confusion is in my metaphorical DNA.”  Kihyun stepped forward to grip the younger’s shoulders, mood suddenly turning serious with his action.  “All my contradictory complexities aside, I needed to speak with you privately away from everyone and I couldn’t wait until dusk for you to wake.  I need you to take the drop as soon as you can.  Hoseok is up to something and I suspect it might interfere with tonight’s festivities.  I hope this is one of the rare times I’m wrong, but I have to be prepared.  So I need you.  I need you to do what I unfortunately can’t in case the moment should arise.” Jooheon nodded solemnly, “I understand.”

#monsta x #monsta x fanfic #monsta x scenario #monsta x kihyun #monsta x shownu #monsta x jooheon #monsta x i.m #monsta x hyungwon #Creatures of the Night AU #monsta x au #Admin Lily #Happy Swalloween! #creepin creepin creepin...

[fictionfromafar]

The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed

The Fortune Men

By Nadifa Mohamed

Penguin Viking

Publication Date: 27 May 2021

First here is the description

Mahmood Mattan is a fixture in Cardiff's Tiger Bay, 1952, which bustles with Somali and West Indian sailors, Maltese businessmen and Jewish families. He is a father, chancer, some-time petty thief. He is many things, in fact, but he is not a murderer.

So when a shopkeeper is brutally killed and all eyes fall on him, Mahmood isn't too worried. It is true that he has been getting into trouble more often since his Welsh wife Laura left him. But Mahmood is secure in his innocence in a country where, he thinks, justice is served.

It is only in the run-up to the trial, as the prospect of freedom dwindles, that it will dawn on Mahmood that he is in a terrifying fight for his life - against conspiracy, prejudice and the inhumanity of the state. And, under the shadow of the hangman's noose, he begins to realise that the truth may not be enough to save him.

My Review

Nadifa Mohamed’s third novel The Fortune Men is a fictionalised account of the story of Mahmood Mattan who was one of the last men in Wales to be state executed and for a crime he did not commit. The book is focused on the imagined life and experiences of the main character rather than an examination of the legal processes.

The story starts in February 1952 when the radio news has just broadcast that King George VI has died. Mahmood is at his friend Berlin’s Milk Bar which is populated by many customers from what was the British Empire. In fact, as we follow Mahmood down Bute Street we realise how multi-cultural Tiger Bay in Cardiff was at the time with West Indians in the pubs, Cypriot hairdressers, Nigerian watch makers and Jewish owned shops. We are also separately introduced to sisters Violet and Diana Volacki. The rich descriptions of the settings allow us to imagine the hustle and bustle of post war Butetown very vividly and it’s very clear that Mohamed has done a lot of research on the type of people and businesses that existed at that time. While he has travelled extensively across different oceans, for Mahmood this area has become his metropolis.

Gradually we learn more about Mahmood’s life. Although he is the father of 3 children, he does not live with their mother Laura. Instead he is living in an unpleasant and cramped boarding house. While he’s been a sailor, since meeting Laura he has been living on the land but has never maintained any long-lasting job. He often resorts to petty crime, usually shoplifting, in order to pay for his rent, lodgings and a gambling habit. Yet far from being put off Mahmood, he becomes an endearing character who deeply cares for the welfare of others. While Laura, who lives with her parents, is desperate for money to clothe their children better, Mahmood would prefer to spoil them on ill-gotten gifts. Gradually his actions have fostered some hostility from some locals who have or believe have been swindled by him. This includes his landlord. Mahmood may be from the third world but he does have standards. He recalls that always slept with the comfort of an Indian mattress as child rather than other Somalis who slept in beds of thorns and rocks.

Diana Volacki is entertaining her daughter Grace one evening in the room adjacent to her sister’s shop when a customer discovers the body of Violet on a blood soaked floor. She had been killed by a wide cut to the throat. When the family mention that they saw a dark skinned man close to their front porch, the police start their search for a culprit at the local boarding houses. We learn of the prejudices of Police Inspector Powell who hates the dock area with its “perverts, lunatics, desperadoes and Jekyll and Hydes,” recalling how his first chief constable has called the ports “our broken skin.” Powell is staunchly against mixed race marriages. As Somalis are known for each being their own master and the police believe the culprit must be someone without respect for the authorities.

Mahmood has been visiting Laura and his boys with gifts and a stolen coat where he tells her “You are the best thing God gave me, you and these three boys. I would steal the stars out of the sky for you.” When she rejects the coat he is planning a meet up with a Maltese fence when he is stopped and arrested by the police. It’s not the coat they are interested in him for…

We then follow Mahmood on remand as the time ticks down to his trial. A reward has been offered which is publicised heavily in the local press with many dubious characters appearing to give their recollections of the night that Violet died. At his first court appearance we learn from Diana Volacki’s narrative – where no testimonies are given – that she does not recognise him. Mahmood is still far from convinced that he is in trouble and he and his cellmate speak in disparaging turns about the shopkeeper, typical of the stereotyping of Jews at that time.

As the novel progresses we discover more from Mahmood’s inner world. This includes a large section on his background in Somalia and the times he saw from British colonial times, Italian occupation and the post war period that saw him lose his father then leave his mother to take to the seas. This is a real interesting part of the story. We also learn the story of the Volacki’s moving from eastern Europe via Germany to Cardiff where they thought they would be safe.

As the story moves to the sadly inevitable conclusion, the ending is never fixed for Mahmood who resiliently continues to maintain a belief in the legal system. This hope is a very positive factor and Mahmood’s clear and insightful prose helps preserve the memory of someone who was badly let down; with tragic long lasting affects for his family. While it is taken far too early, his life was certainly a life that was worthy of living.

The Fortune Men is an exceptional and poignant story which traverses several literary genres and is essential reading for anyone who wishes to gain an understanding of how flawed the British justice system has been.

About the author

Nadifa Mohamed was born in 1981 in Hargeisa, Somaliland. At the age of four she moved with her family to London. She is the author of Black Mamba Boy, The Orchard of Lost Souls and, most recently, The Fortune Men. She has received both The Betty Trask Award and the Somerset Maugham Award, as well as numerous other prize nominations, for her fiction. She was named as one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists in 2013. She contributes regularly to the Guardian and the BBC.

[apsbicepstraining]

Elite Tennis Preview: Jo-Willy Tsonga Primed For A Run In Buenos Aires

Frenchie, male, the f* ck happened, my buster?

I attest I didnt sleep Monday night after the Tiafoe match. First specified was a exhilaration: a tiebagel in the first breaker. Second initiate, eh, he declined the tiebreak after being up a mini at 4-2. Then, jeez, that third set.

After going up a shatter, he had three destroy points to try and secure the double smash — and essentially the equal — and squandered all of them, before stopping his provide at 5-4, to stay in the match.

It was a really disappointing parallel, altogether. Not merely for our stakes sake; I just really wanted to see another round out of the American teenage. His forehand — or should I say fearhand — had a ton of life on it for the better segment of the competition, but as the nighttime changed, the youngsters fitness, or lack thereof, began to show. By the middle part of that third prepare, he precisely ogled gassed.

Fair play to Harrison though — that child could use some good fortune.

Generally speaking, we didnt actually have a great start to the week. Thats on me. Im not one to make excuses for these pickings, but Gaba clearly shouldve taken the second start out Mahut. Had he done that, I definitely wouldve thoughts his probabilities in the third.

As for Paire? Hes dead to me. At least in a bet gumption. Thankfully, Berankis and Dzhumur produced some nice winners at good value so it wasnt all bad. We can certainly right the ship and stack some chips before its all said and done this week.

Tonight we attend some big names in Argentina, although why theyre there is actually preferably confounding, truly. Instead of playing a hard tournament, whichwould essentially be a home game for Big John, Isner decided to jam-pack his bags and begin his clay season in Buenos Aires.

Likewise, instead of playing on his face of select — probably in Rotterdam, at a 500 -level event — Jo-Willy decided to embark on a clay venture, and we attend him in action on the blood-red trash as well tonight in Argentina.

And while I dont enjoy the stranges of trying Isman — at odds — on his first clay equal of the season, Tsonga, on the other hand, is preferably enticing( at a cheaper rate ).

Elsewhere, Nishikori plays a primetime equal, stateside, in Memphis. And in my sleeper special, ori squares off against Gal Monfils, and I truly think hes got the tools to pound away at La Monf and sneak a succes in what is a wide open describe over in Rotterdam.

Season totals: 29 -2 3( 56%) +4.53 divisions

Tsonga -1 65 over Mayer

Weird line, this.I presume I can see where Layersare coming from, though: Jo in his first clay competition of the season facing a participate on his face of choice.

Still, its not like Leo Mayer has been torching the crimson nonsense thus far this season; hes played one competition — and get washed in the first to be prepared by Guido f* ckin Pella. Am I looking at this pair visualizing Mayer sits no shoot of upsetting Tsonga? Of direction not.

But do I feel confident enough in Jos form, right now, to back him at a cheap rate against a participate of much lesser class? You betcha.

Stretching back to 2012, Jo-Willy has only just exited from TWO clay tournaments in the first round: Barcelona, last year, against Granollers and 2013 in Rome, at the hands of Janowicz. Remain in intellect, Tsonga was also a equal away from doing the French Open final last year, if not for the man who would go on to eventually prevail the tournament, Stan Wawrinka.

Back Jo tonight, and if Leo Mayer can somehow plagiarize the coincide, tip your cap.

Prediction : Tsonga in two( 7-5, 6-3)

Kukushkin -1 07 over Kudla

Granted, Kudla — the World No. 59 — is ranked significantly greater than Kukushkin, sitting at 93, I still seem as though the Kazakh should be favored here.

Aside from Kudlas rise to prominence last-place summertime — between Wimbledon and Montreal — he truly hasnt depicted much firmnes at the Tour level, including a straight established defeat at last years US Open to the likes of Jurgen Melzer( Kudla was a -2 50 favorite ).

Kukushkin, on the other hand, took down Dimitrov at the Open last year and, in my view, has been a much more consistent actor, despite their rankings.

Kudla is a free swinger, and if he doesnt play a super tidy coincide, his faults have the tendency to rack up throughout parallels. Kukushkin has great apoplexies from the baseline and a strong enough serve to hold his own against Kudla, who really relies on his heart and firmnes — rather than his technique — to keep himself in matches.

At favorable stranges, I look for Kush to smoke the American Kudla in his own place.

Prediction : Kukushkin in two( 6-4, 6-4)

Baghdatis -1 45 over Klizan

If you follow me on Twitter, youd know I backed Baggy last round at +175 against Goffin.

In my opinion, the two coincided up greatly well: Goffin being a chiefly defensive player, while Baghdatis gazes to hold himself on the offensive back of things. Ultimately, “its been” Baggy who dominated — after going down 2-5 in the decided tiebreak — and acquires himself with a comparatively wide open outline ahead of him.

Early tomorrow morning, inferno encounter the Slovak, Martin Klizan, with a excursion to the quarterfinals at bet — a achievement he attained twice in his job at Rotterdam, a tournament hes enjoyed much success at over the years.

Again, similar to Goffin, I dont conceive Klizan has enough firepower to test a motivated Baggy, such as were checking thus far this season. Hes slimmed down, he appears starving( in agood way ), and hes been playing some really good tennis for the past time and a half — enough for me to back him tonight at -1 45 odds.

Like Ive mentioned, this Rotterdam draw is anyones for the go right now, and with Gasquet withdrawing it might be a tournament that the Cypriot has his eyes on plagiarizing. It would certainly ply his ranking with a well-deserved boost.

Back to the Baggy well, we go.

Prediction : Baghdatis in three( 7-6, 4-6, 6-2)

The post Elite Tennis Preview: Jo-Willy Tsonga Primed For A Run In Buenos Aires appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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This Women is not making any decisions the military is running the country.She will be back in prison and never have any freedom if she said a single thing against the people who actually run the country. Ah, all the do gooders are having sooks, perhaps if they had a brain and did a bit of research they might understand that Aung SAN was put in as a puppet by the Myanmar Military and that in reality in a country where the military hold sway that 1 single female has absolutely.

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Is this the same hypocrite Geldof that performed in the illgally occupied areas of Cyprus?? The prick that disrespected ti memory of the brutally murdered greeks cypriots and the eviction of 200,000 people from their homes and lands. For blood money he sold his soul and now has the bloody cheek to talk about this woman. He is as bad as her may he rot in hell. Good aul sanctimonious Bob… What’s the chances of giving up your knighthood and then speak for the people of Dublin! Fool!

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Reactions are quite natural as a human being. Everybody having the sense of right & wrong should come up like this. Thanks to all of you from the core of my heart. But one thing that surprises me too much is why you the same people don’t speak against Israel in the same tone? Is it just to kill innocent child & woman of Palestine who demand their own homeland where they refugee for decades? Can anybody of you give me a logical answer to make my heart cool.

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Ask Bob if he’s proud of the deaths that can be directly attributed to the live aid money given, against UN and medicine sans frontiere advice to Mengistu. These awards are useless piece of trash. She is more concerned and rightfully so, about the safety and security of her citizens rather than pampering ego of some Libtards elites. She won’t mind it at all! Whatever she’s doing is beyond your IQs. You should learn not to see a problem superficially.

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Did he take a bath with hot water and soap before he handed it in I don’t think so his pelt stinks like a ferret hutch he is the most unkempt person on the planet. who is he by the I Will Drink Beer Here Or There I Will Drink Beer Everywhere Sweat Shirt . if ppl starte giving up awards then the way west are causing carnage all over the world – middle east, japan , vietnam , there will be no more awards to give up. Bob, stick to playing music (not that you’ve done much in that last 20 years) and keep out of politics.