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my-shields-are-down · 1 year

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Chenford + Tim has a secret admirer 👀

Well this one just flew right out of me in 15 minutes flat. Boom.

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Angela calls Lucy the second she hears her phone alarm go off with the Empire’s Death March.

“Bradford”

“Lucy - she’s out. Where’s Tim?”

————

Lucy refuses to panic, she and Tim have made plans for this. She pulls up her “find me now” app and sees that her husband of just over 3 years is at the park with the kids, 2 blocks from their home with the reinforced steel walled safety bunker.

They’d had the bunker installed after that horrible day Oscar Hutchinson had been found in their pool on Lucy’s unicorn floaty - the place she spent most afternoons giving her back a break from lugging around all the extra pregnancy weight. She couldn’t run and hide and she had no protection when the shots went off, so Tim had dived in front of her getting shot twice - effectively ending his police career and starting his stay-at-home Dad career.

“I’m on my way. Call Grey to sound the alarm and head home. I’ll meet you there. Code still the same?”

“Yes, - 0515- first kiss.”

Angela next called Tim, who answered like his wife, “Bradford.”

“Tim! She’s out! I repeat, she’s out! Get yourself and my god babies home ASAP.”

———-

Tim was glad he had his sunglasses on- so he could scan the park looking for HER - Susan Johnson.

The last time he had seen her was at her parole hearing 2 years ago, where she had been claiming to be mentally sound enough to enter a work program - so Wesley had played his Trump card - bringing Tim to the hearing. Tim being the only one to have survived her ministrations. Susan had seen Tim and started screaming that their love was timeless, that she’d never stop working her way back to him.

He had been kidnapped and tortured much like Lucy had been- but not to kill him, not right away. But to love him. Susan Johnson, the most notorious serial killer after Rosalind Dyer, had been released from the psychiatric hospital that had recently been her home.

There was nothing remarkable about Susan. Dishwater blond hair, dull brown eyes, heavyset, average height, she blended into the background. No one ever noticed or suspected her.

Not until she set her sights on Tim, not until Lucy and Angela got involved.

Susan’s MO - which she had been following since middle school - was to send 4 unsigned cards, then reveal herself as that person’s secret admirer and kill them slowly if they didn’t reciprocate- Tim was the first and only victim ever to do so, to buy time for Lucy to find him.

Unfortunately, Susan believed him and refused to reset herself back to sanity - which she had done after her previous kills. She still thought Tim was in love with her and she was obsessed with “making him hers again.” Hence the outburst in court and her continued incarceration. Well until now anyway.

——

Tim was grateful swing time was over and that he had already placed his 2 year old twin girls (his mini Lucys) back in their stroller. Their seats faced each other so they could do their secret twin speak while eating their snacks.

While they were chatting away, Tim quickly gathered up their belongings and began to run/walk home. The extra speed made the stroller bounce more than usual, triggering peals of laughter from his girls.

He loved them so much, he memorized the sound, committing it to memory and prayed he’d live to hear it again.

As he walked up his driveway, a gray Toyota Camry pulled up to his house.

Tim ignored the car, realizing who was in it, and focused on getting his girls to the garage chute.

Their safety bunker had been custom designed by Nolan and two of Tim’s Army buddies. They basically built a bomb shelter/command center/family sized safe house in their basement with a full kitchen, a full wall of cctv, satellite phones, etc which was accessible via slides throughout the house for Lucy and the kids. Hidden behind everyday objects were slides to safety - inside the kitchen island, behind the refrigerator in the garage, the upstairs laundry chute. The back deck even slid to the side creating a space just wide enough for a full sized adult to gain entrance, but you’d have to know where to look and how to trigger its movement to get it to open.

Gigi and Mimi were only just over 2, but they knew the slides were for safety and how to call 9-1-1 once they got to their playroom and locked it down. Once in lockdown, you needed a bypass code after a scanner read your thumbprint to get in.

————

Tim leaned down to his girls, kissed each of them on the forehead and said it was slide time. Gigi nodded and climbed onto the slide and zipped down to the bunker. Mimi whispered, “Mama?” Tim nods and says, “or Aunt Angela.” Mimi then climbs in behind her sister, turns to look at her dad and says, “safety Dada” while touching her little palm to his cheek before sliding to safety herself. Tim shuts the panel, says a prayer of gratitude for the life he’s been lucky enough to live with Lucy and his precious girls. While he’s sad that he’ll likely miss out on prom and weddings and those grandkids Lucy promised, he wouldn’t change a second of the time he had with them. They were his happily ever after.

———

He stands up while grabbing the wrench they had planted in the fridge for this exact purpose. To give him a chance.

Tim turns around and sure enough, there stands Susan Johnson in his garage with a knife in her hand. He can hear the sirens in the distance getting louder and coming closer, but he doubts they will get there in time. All he can do now is do everything possible to keep his babies safe. Even if that means sacrificing himself.

“Hi” she says shyly. “Do you remember me? I’m Susan, your secret admirer.”

++++++

#chenford #tim bradford #lucy chen #the rookie #tim x lucy #i'm in chenford withdrawal #chenford fanfiction #askandrea #andrea writes #i love them so much

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hermitszine · 3 months

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FAQs

As the first few application responses go out (although only about half have been responded to, so don't worry if you haven't received one yet), there have been lots of questions from contributors, most of which appear several times, so the answers and any other possible questions have been compiled here for your benefit.

READERS:

When will the zine be published? The zine will be published at some point between the middle of April to the start of May, depending on how prompt contributions are.

I missed the deadline! Can I still help? While the last few application responses are going out, you could definitely still submit an application, especially if it's just within the next few days. Otherwise, general support towards the zine and participants will be enough, and there will definitely be future zines that you can sign up to on this blog. In the meantime, the Traffic Zine, Hermit Zine, Hermitcraft Season Zine and HotGuy Comics Zine (none of which are affiliated with this zine!) are all very cool projects with a similar focus.

CONTRIBUTERS:

What size, aspect ratio and general format should my (art) contribution be? Your contribution should be RGB (rather than CMYK) and the aspect ratio will be A4 proportions, so 2480 x 3508 (aspect ratio, not pixel count). Preferably files should be in a JPEG or PNG format, but other formats should work.

How long should my (writing) contribution be? About 3k to 5k, but this is more of a rough guideline and is very flexible.

How will I submit my finished contribution? A google form will be created to submit your contribution(s) closer to the time, but you may wish to show your progress via a link in DMs for check-ins.

What are check-ins? Check-ins are a way to make sure everything is running smoothly and on track, and dispel any problems that may have occurred. There will be two within the creative time period of this zine, one on the 24th of February and one on the 16th of March.

What content isn't allowed? Completely banned content for the zine includes: anything NSFW, anything graphically gory (although a bit of blood is fine given the nature of Secret Life) and anything that violates Gem’s boundaries. As for shipping, while implied is technically allow it (as long as it is between characters, not creators, and as long as it is within Gem’s boundaries) background relationships would probably best at most.

When is the deadline to submit my contribution? The current planned deadline is the 6th of April, but this can be extended if need be.

What counts as ‘Miscellaneous’? Miscellaneous just means anything that wouldn’t go into the category of the named SMPs (which are Hermitcraft Season 9 and 10, Secret Life and Empires SMP Season 1 and 2), so could include content: from stand-alone videos; from Gem’s skyblock series; from Gem’s hardcore series; from SMPs that aren’t named (like Afterlife SMP, Hermitcraft Season 8, New Life, X Life, etc.; from her Stardew Valley streams; from her times playing MCC; or just generally about her character.

If you have any more questions that aren't covered here, feel free to either DM or ask this blog.

#fandom zine #faqs #faq page

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tarisilmarwen · 10 months

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Rebels Rewatch: “Fighter Flight”

We went out shopping and wound up stealing a military aircraft, only on Rebels people, only on Rebels.

This is one of my favorite episodes to rewatch, it’s just so FUN.

A very pretty shot of Lothal, pre-burninating, and a short mellow excerpt of the Main Titles theme to open us up.

Behind the scenes it seems that Kanan has been teaching Ezra something, because he’s poised over this bowl like he’s ready and raring to practice something he learned.

You know I gotta talk about it, it’s the flirting scene!

Look at this dork trying to be all suave and charming. ^_^

It doesn’t work because of course Ezra is fourteen and a dumbass just how I like ‘em but I like that Sabine never really seems overly bothered by his attempts, mildly irritated at worst, and even then she never gives him a hard no and she’s plenty capable, she certainly doesn’t let niceties get in the way of her speaking her mind on other things.

(See: How she was almost outright rude to Kanan and Hera about the whole Fulcrum thing.)

Subtle animation appreciation moment: Ezra briefly losing his place leaned against the doorframe and having to quickly readjust. Adorkable.

Zeb, you’re already awake, there’s no point to threatening Ezra here.

Smug little bastard I love him so much.

I really do like that they explore the inevitable friction that was going to occur when you house a snarky teenager with a cranky grown adult. It builds naturally off the previous episode.

Plus I just love Zeb and Ezra’s dynamic and love seeing them grow to respect and care about each other, sue me.

This is nitpicky but... sometimes the paths the characters take through this ship make no damn sense.

Like right here, Ezra comes out of the nose gun pod... which can only be accessed via the cockpit ladder that he immediately runs to. We can hypothesize that maybe he made a detour via the vents, as in the pilot, but... Zeb comes that path too. And he definitely doesn’t fit in the Ghost’s ventilation system.

Granted I notice this because I obsessively charted out the Ghost’s layout but still, it bugs me.

Zeb coming in with a flying leap to tackle Ezra will never not be hilarious.

The Found Family dynamics are in full swing this episode; Hera lording over as Team Mom, Zeb and Ezra acting like squabbling siblings, pretty sure this is the first time someone refers to the other three as “the kids”, Kanan and Hera being absolutely low-key married...

The bouncy, elastic character movement is also very prominent here. Like I said, the show loses this as it goes on, but it lends itself perfectly to the comedy of this episode.

Please appreciate Ezra swiping at Zeb like a feral cat with me.

Subtle animation appreciation moment: The animators take time out to have Ezra scratching up into his hair as he turns from Sumar. I love little tiny character details like this, it just makes things feel so natural and organic.

Imperial March snatches coming on the clarinet here.

Again with the small character moments, Ezra crouching and readying his slingshot.

Rebels said Eminent Domain is the arm of state tyranny, pass it on.

Friiiiiiick the height difference between Ezra and Zeb is getting to me, he is so freaking tiny!

No wonder everyone he meets feels the immediate need to adopt and protect him.

Serious question: What exactly does the Empire want or need with a crate of meilooruns? They hardly seem the type to care that much about the nutritional needs of their troops.

Like as not it’s for the plate of an officer with an expensive palate.

Ezra already responding much better to Zeb’s shoulder punches.

I would like to just reiterate: I love Zeb and Ezra’s friendship, it is adorable, they play so nicely off each other and I’m glad they got this bonding episode in early Season One.

The bouncy woodwind that’s been picking away in the background here transitions seamlessly into the Force theme prelude, hgn I LOVE it when the score adds to plot beats.

I could be wrong, but this sounds vaguely like a cue from ANH when the Stormtroopers were chasing Han and Chewie.

Ezra being so smol that Zeb can literally chuck him up to a rooftop. *cries*

Baron Valen Rudor was featured in Ezra’s introductory short (Zeb’s too I think?), it’s kind of a running gag how the Rebels show up to ruin this guy’s day in particular. And it is hilarious.

Please appreciate Zeb’s maniacal cackle as he blasts troopers away with the TIE fighter with me.

Oh wow, I never noticed the subtle Force ring sound effect right here with Ezra leaping to the other roof. Nice touch.

I hear some notes from the Return of the Jedi soundtrack here, specifically when the Rebel Alliance is making its attack on the Death Star. I think that may be one of the leitmotifs associated with the Rebel Alliance specifically?

I really want to know the story behind Ezra’s, “You don’t know how. Let me!” here.

A lot of this really seems to suggest that Ezra’s flown ships before.

Force ring sound effect coming in as Ezra senses the approaching rock formation and once again, I love this show’s animation. I think I have a gifset of this moment specifically under my #your clone wars could never tag.

(Explanation: That tag is mostly for appreciating early Season One Rebels animation, which is on the level of TCW’s Season Three at least.)

I may be a Sabezra whore at heart, but I do love how casually domestic Kanan and Hera are right here.

This is one of the funniest exchanges on the show. XD

Subtle animation appreciation moment: Zeb’s ear flickers and the awkward way Ezra scratches his face.

Ezra’s “I think I know where it [the smoke] is coming from.” makes me think he’s visited the Sumar’s farm at least once or twice and knows its general location.

IIRC a large part of this episode’s inspiration was the toy or concept of this specific transport right here. Fun trivia fact.

I don’t think anyone anticipated Lyste becoming more prominent a player lol.

Like an OC you get inexplicably fond of.

Oh hey! Ezra’s theme is piping in here!

Oh frick is that a Dies Irae reference?

(For context, the Dies Irae is basically an ooooooooold classical music meme, usually used to musically portent death, doom, or gloom. Star Wars tends to use the Dies Irae liberally. Rogue One in particular had heavy Dies Irae references in several of its tracks.)

This music cue, on the other hand? Unique to Rebels. Kind of fun, but then I’m a soundtrack nerd and enjoy this kind of thing.

Zeb continuing in the classic Star Wars tradition of, “We’re fine, we’re all fine here... now... How are you?” failed bluffing lololol.

I know I’ve mentioned my appreciation for the hair animation but... seriously.

It’s so soft-looking.

A stuttered, half-formed variation of the Force Theme here, which only plays a few notes in the sequence, just the suggestion of the leitmotif really.

Luke’s Theme, on the other hand, though in mellow horns, allowed to play more fully, though interrupted on the very end by a sharp discordant note as the Stormtroopers come up top.

This is what we call ~*musical storytelling*~.

Snrk, one Trooper downed by fruit, the other by friendly fire. Love the whimsical little sting as Ezra’s pelting them with meilooruns.

“You did all this... for FRUIT?!”

Still one of the funniest lines in the series.

Oh wow I just noticed the nice scuffed texture on Ezra’s backpack.

Ezra’s jaunty little salute character tic, which Kanan picks up. <33333

Props to Zeb’s prehensile feet, love whenever the writers use them.

I wanna know when and how Zeb learned about Ezra’s helmet collecting hobby, did Ezra try to cram his stash on the shelves as soon as he moved in? Lol.

Awwww and Ezra’s already getting comfortable with arm bumps, love to see it.

*bangs “Rebels animation was gorgeous from the start, ya’ll just hatin’” drum*

I think I can hear some of the cue from the “Property of Ezra Bridger” short. Pretty sure it’s used as a kind of “Rebel shenanigans” leitmotif throughout the series.

Prime “aww” moment here as Zeb and Ezra wrestle, love love love the boys being affectionate, underrated friendship, gimme more.

Lol, Ezra sounds more confused than offended by Sabine’s painting.

And a slightly more upbeat rendition of Ezra’s theme to close us out.

I love this episode it’s got Zeb and Ezra friendship bonding, Kanan/Hera being adorably married, it becomes delightfully relevant to the finale, and it’s hilarious, I don’t really have anything else to say except haters to the left, why don’t you have some fun occasionally?

Tomorrow, the episode that most people said was the hook for them for the show and the start of major Spacedad-Spaceson feels.

#star wars #star wars rebels #liveblog #rebels rewatch #sabezra #ezra bridger #your clone wars could never #music #soundtracks #kanan x hera

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kyogre-blue · 6 months

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SS continues. Seteth is handsome and I think I would be okay with this normally, but I played VW first and Claude was cuter.

Not to be mean, but that's pretty much literally the only difference so far. Off screen Claude even supporting character magics us into getting the same reinforcements in the same place and going to the same next map. (I tell Seteth I want to go to the Kingdom this time. Seteth says no. I feel like at least Claude didn't pretend I had options. Did I just agree with him on everything...? That is also possible.)

It's kind of... even some of Seteth's lines don't seem to be intended for him. I heard from interview that SS was written first, so I figured that playing it would make VW feel like a reskin, but I dunno if it's the order I did them in, but tbh VW so far feels a more "natural" progression, Edelgard stuff aside.

Aside from that, using church units on the church route has some funny effects like that one general going "your army of children," but I'm actually... using almost entirely adults...

Live blogging notes:

Oh, I didn't notice, but the "village" where we wake up is in ruins. There are burnt remnants and half-collapsed brick walls in the background.

Interesting point: I didn't keep track of the months before, but now I see we fell asleep in March 1181 but wake up in December 1185. I kinda thought it would be the same months, but it's not.

Edelgard's tone at the reunion is...... hum. Not very emotive? Don't get me wrong, Claude doesn't exactly get worked up much either, but Edelgard has a lot more personal stakes in all this, and she should really have a deeper investment in regard to Byleth. It was like this when they parted ways in Garreg Mach too.

Edelgard says "friend from our Black Eagle days have chosen to join me in the fight ahead." But that's... hum. First, why is it a fight ahead for her? She's been fighting for 5 years and is winning, according to the info dump. Second, did the students actually join her? I got them all killed, so I won't know either way, but my impression is that this is not actually the case to begin with.

Edelgard is using a wavy sword... Levin Sword?

Kinda meh sword battle scene.

The fact that Edelgard is older than Byleth now... haha. Claude switches to calling you "my friend" but Edelgard is still pushing the teacher angle.

The info dumps about the political situation post timeskip are slightly different all around, but the only real difference seems to be that Lorenz leads the Empire supporter faction in the Alliance, which iirc was not the case in VW. That checks out. Dimitri is still presumed dead and Faerghus is a Dukedom.

Flayn says she forgot something at the Holy Mausoleum, where we meet up with her... Not sure what this is about. (Update: She and Seteth hang around there later too. Really not sure why.)

SS savefile has the banner I presume Claude also makes you use in VW - kinda blue-grey background with a pink Crest of Flames.

Lol, I killed everyone, but the chapter crawl still says students from the Black Eagle house are working with the Church. Instead I recruited all the Church units, so they show up to help in the new month.

War phase SS has the same monastery music and yellow skybox as VW. Kinda disappointed, tbh. I was (vainly) hoping that each route would get something a little different.

I did notice that they have wooden construction equipment type structures in a lot of places, which I didn't realize before. I guess it's supposed to show how the monastery is in a rundown, damaged state, but even seeing it, I don't think it works too well.

Shamir says that Dagda was "destroyed" ten years ago.

Seteth has been refusing Hanneman's requests for 21 years. So even though Flayn came to the monastery very recently, Seteth has been around for long enough that his physical age is going to start looking weird lol (his info on Serenes Forest says he's physically 27). Notably though, he and Jeralt didn't know each other (iirc), so based on the timeline, Seteth came pretty much immediately after Jeralt faked Byleth's death and disappeared. I wonder if it was because Rhea would have been "in a state" about Byleth's supposed death (and the loss of Sothis's crest stone).

There are no records of anyone except Seteth having a Major Crest of Cichol. In fact, it seems like there's probably no one who has a crest of Cichol at all. Seteth says he is a commoner and has no idea how he ended up with a crest. Hanneman when Byleth says the exact same thing, while being just as sus:

There's some cliff rubble on the monastery defense map... looks like there was a rockslide during the Imperial attack.

The fact that I've forgotten half of VW already is making this a little more tolerable, but looking at the chapter list for VW, we did have a monastery defense map before going to get Judith's troops, and in SS we are...... also going to get Judith's troops.

There's some snippets about how Judith and Daphnel have mostly remained out of Imperial attention and how Judith is a devout follower of the Seiros faith, but tbh it feels out of place here compared to VW.

Oh, there's a spy. Man, was this in VW? I remember nothing.

I've seen this mentioned in fic, but the quest for the Almyran merchant in disguise mentions a Nader bear (which is an Armored Bear Stuffy in your inventory). The thing you give him is "Zoltan's Beast Idol" that mentions the famous craftsman Zoltan who was believed to have made only weapons. I wonder if there's some weapon in the game that was made by him?

Seteth repeats the legend about Ailell being caused by the goddess's wrath after a battle there long ago. Which... is a weird thing, given that he should theoretically know the actual cause -- Agarthan missiles getting deflected from the monastery by the protections on the Holy Tomb.

Oh, Judith suggests she's helping because Claude asked her to. My sus man <3

Reiterating that the Oghma mountains are to the south of the monastery and between it and the Empire. You can't enter the monastery from the Empire directly. You have to go through the Kingdom or the Alliance.

Why do they give you the choice between east and west approaches?? I picked west because I already saw the Alliance stuff, but Seteth just directly shoots you down...

Claude continues to be a proper side character by giving us a way to get into the Empire through the Alliance. "I don't know exactly why, but I feel that I can trust you," my dude, it's because you are a side character who exists to fill the needs of the plot. It's the damn bridge again. SIGH

Also, I was worried for a moment when I couldn't talk to Ashe, but apparently you don't need to. Just kill him and he magically survives. There isn't even a little scene about him coming back or anything...?

#playing fire emblem

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noirandchocolate · 1 year

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Happy 345th Birthday to Antonio Vivaldi! (March 4, 1678-July 28, 1741) Antonio Lucio Vivaldi was born in Venice on the same day an earthquake shook the canal city, and as a newborn was so weak his family was sure he wouldn’t live long. But live he did, and at age 25, he was ordained in the Catholic Church. Thereafter he was often called “il Prete Rosso” (“the red priest”) after the red hair he inherited from his father (who was also a composer, and published an opera under the name “Giovanni Battista Rossi”). Vivaldi had poor health attributed to what we now understand as a form of asthma his entire life, but that didn’t prevent him from becoming a virtuoso violinist, music teacher and choir conductor to orphaned girls at Venice’s Ospidale della Pietà, and very prolific composer. (It did, however, earn him special dispensation from conducting Mass.) Though best known for his collection of concerti “The Four Seasons,” Vivaldi composed more than 500 other concerti for a wide variety of instruments, a large number of sacred choral pieces, sinfonias, 90 sonatas, chamber music, and 46 operas. After dedicating his Opus 9 to Charles VI of the Habsberg Empire, Vivaldi was even made a knight by the Holy Roman Emperor.

Vivaldi died at age 63 in Vienna after a musical career with many ups and downs. He is now one of the most well-known composers of the Baroque era, and his innovative approach to concerti in particular also inspired later famous composers like Johann Sebastian Bach.

(Source)

But enough with the biographical details--you're here for the music, aren't you?

Well you are in luck because here is a Youtube playlist I've made of some of the Red Priest's greatest hits! It's hours long and great for background listening. It even includes a video of part of the "Winter" concerto being played on a Stradivarius (the legendary violin maker was a contemporary of Vivaldi's)! Please enjoy!

Or, if you'd just like to listen to the Four Seasons, which takes only about 42 minutes, here you go.

youtube

Spring= 00:00 Summer = 10:31 Autumn = 20:59 Winter = 32:48

Now go forth and enjoy ANTONIO LUCIO VIVALDI this March 4, everyone!

#vivaldi #antonio vivaldi #classical music #baroque music #always blog antonio vivaldi on march 4 #Youtube

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popentertainment-moviereviews · 27 days

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GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE (2024)

Starring Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, Fala Chen, Rachel House, Ron Smyck, Chantelle Jamieson, Greg Hatton, Kevin Copeland, Tess Dobré, Tim Carroll, Anthony Brandon Wong, Sophia Emberson-Bain, Chika Ikogwe, Vincent B. Gorce, Yeye Zhou, Jamaliah Othman and Nick Lawler.

Screenplay by Terry Rossio and Simon Barrett and Jeremy Slater.

Directed by Adam Wingard.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. 115 minutes. Rated PG-13.

Is it possible for a movie to be dumber than a bag of rocks and still pretty fun? Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire seems to prove that it is indeed possible. The adult in me recognizes that this film is intellectually kind of ridiculous, but damned if it doesn’t give a sense of Saturday afternoon Creature Feature nostalgia that makes you feel like a kid while watching it.

The story makes little to no sense. The people in the background are one-dimensional – although Dan Stevens and Brian Tyree Henry add some needed comic relief. Honestly, they could have probably cut out all of the human characters and the movie would not lose all that much.

Still, I kind of enjoyed myself during Godzilla x Kong. Go figure.

The two “titans” in the title are separate through most of the film, until the slam-bang last section. In fact, they are in different dimensions.

Godzilla is “protecting” Earth from marauding monsters (although he did a whole lot of damage even when “protecting”). Then at night he sleeps in the Roman Coliseum as if it is a giant doggie bed. (I told you there was a lot of stupidity going on here.)

Kong, in the meantime, has been banished to “Hollow Earth,” an entirely different world which seems to be somewhere in the Earth’s core, like something out of Land of the Lost. He is the only giant gorilla in this new world – until he isn’t, when he runs across an evil band of angry, giant monkeys (and one annoyingly cutesy Little Kong). He is returned to the Earth’s surface when Kong has a toothache. (Yes, really, a toothache…)

Then Kong must summon Godzilla (and an extended cameo by Mothra) to fight off the evil giant gorillas and their Godzilla-like giant-lizard co-hort who have escaped to the surface. However, instead of breathing fire like Godzilla, this baddy lizard breathes ice. Kong is even outfitted with a superpowered robot glove… because… why not?

Cut to multiple scenes of giant monsters tossing each other all over Rio De Janeiro, causing maximum damage in name of Earth safety.

Periodically the film will suddenly blast some retro pop hits – like Badfinger’s “Day After Day” and Kiss’ “I Was Made For Loving You” – without explaining how exactly those songs were being played in Hollow Earth. I’m not complaining, though, those songs were some of the better parts of the film.

It’s like one of the old films, however with much better special effects and with the human characters’ lip movements actually matching their dialogue when they speak.

Jay S. Jacobs

youtube

#godzilla x kong: the new empire #2024 #Movie Reviews #Rebecca Hall #Jay S. Jacobs #Youtube

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watchingtheearthrise · 1 year

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Looking back I have to say how much I love how Andor uses sound—and the lack of it.

Sound is such an important part of the senses, so to have the lack of sound at key places in the episodes to drive the point home was just chefs kiss

But then we get to Maarva’s funeral procession and it’s loud.

After the silence, after the lack of background music, after the quietness of death, the procession begins to play and they play LOUD.

The Empire tried to place so many restrictions on them, but they chose to defy each one. The people marching, the procession playing, Maarva’s speech—they were all a raised middle finger to the Empire.

And not only that, we also see how Ferrix relies on sound not just for their way of life (The Time Grappler), but for communication as well. Their banging of metal in the beginning of the season was a warning to everyone. A warning of invasion.

The funeral procession was the opposite of a warning. It was a calling. It was to wake the people up, just like Maarva wanted. No more sleeping. One way out.

#Andor #star wars #andor spoilers #cassian andor #watchingtheearthrise #maarva andor #ferrix #andor star wars #it was honestly a beautiful scene #I teared up

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maximumwobblerbanditdonut · 1 month

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Duncan Lacroix stands in front of a statue with the Beatles' song playing in the background, seemingly unaware of what type of statue it is. 🙄

This is the statue behind Duncan, Statue of Earl Roberts by Harry Bates, which is in Glasgow`s Kelvingrove Park, commemorates one of the most distinguished commanders of the British Empire, Field Marshal Lord Frederick Sleigh Roberts of Kandahar 1st Earl Roberts (1832 – 1914) and is an exact replica of the original which was unveiled in 1898 in Calcutta, India, to acknowledge his actions during the “Indian Rebellion,” 1857-1858 also known as the “Sepoy Mutiny”.

Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts (30 September 1832 – 14 November 1914) VC KG KP GCB OM GCSI GCIE KStJ PC was one of Britain’s most successful military commanders of the 19th century. British Victorian-era general born in Kanpur (Cawnpore) India served much of his military career there. Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations of British India.

He won important victories during the Second Afghan War and revitalised the British campaign in the Boer War. He rose to Major-General during the Afghan war, 1878-80, and Commander-in-Chief in India, 1885-93.

A Field Marshal is the highest rank in the British Army. The rank of Field Marshal is never awarded except to a General who has commanded an army in war.

These are words from a recruiting speech given by Lord Roberts:

"I seem to see the gleam in the near distance of the weapons and accoutrements of this Army of the future, this Citizen Army, the wonder of these islands, and the pledge of the peace and of the continued greatness of this Empire" Extract from Lord Robert's speech in Glasgow on 6th May 1913.

Lord Roberts was the protagonist of a national military service and he visited Glasgow on the 5th of May 1913 as part of his duties to the National Service League and aimed to ‘rouse public interest to the necessity of a more adequate home defence.

The University of Glasgow decided confer his honorary degree upon him at a special ceremony, to coincide with Lord Roberts visit at this time. Professor James Moir, Dean of the Faculty of Law, presented Earl Roberts for the degree of Doctor of Laws at the Bute hall.

Lord Roberts died at the Front of pneumonia at St Omer, France while visiting Indian troops fighting the First World War. He was given a state funeral after lying in state at Westminster Hall (only one of two non-royal family members to do so in the 20th century, the other being Sir Winston Churchill) and was buried in St Paul's Cathedral.

Indian troops preceding the coffin of Field Marshal Roberts, November 1914. From W. R. DEIGHTON, 4, GRAND HOTEL BUILDINGS, STRAND, LONDON, W.C.

#StatueofEarlRoberts #KelvingrovePark #Victorianera #LordFrederickSleighRoberts #RobertsofKandahar #1stEarlRoberts #replica #Calcutta #India #IndianRebellion #SepoyMutiny #commandersoftheBritishEmpire #Glasgow #FieldMarshal #General #Kanpur #Cawnpore #HarryBates #sculptor #StOmer #France #FirstWorldWar #Indiantroops #statefuneral #WestminsterHall #StPaul's Cathedral #lyinginstate

Posted 16th March 2024

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thisdayinwwi · 1 year

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Piper Daniel Laidlaw

London Gazette, 18 November, 1915. For most conspicuous bravery prior to an assault on German trenches near Loos and Hill 70 on 25th September 1915. During the worst of the bombardment, when the attack was about to commence, Piper Laidlaw, seeing that his company was somewhat shaken from the effects of gas, with absolute coolness and disregard of danger, mounted the parapet, marched up and down and played the company out of the trench. The effect of his splendid example was immediate, and the company dashed out to the assault. Piper Laidlaw continued playing his pipes till he was wounded.

Issue 829. - Vol 63 - Dec 11 1915 - Sphere

Prior to the assault on the German trenches in September, Piper Laidlaw, with absolute coolness, mounted the parapet during the worst of the bombardment and played the regimental march of the K.O.S.B., “Blue Bonnets Over the Border.” The effect of his splendid example was immediate, and the company ... to the assault. Piper Laidlaw continued playing his pipes till he was wounded. For his act of superb bravery the piper was awarded the V. C.

In a publish... gave the circumstances underwhich the episode took place. “There was a light wind that morning. he said. “It was blowing a bank of gas towards the German trenches when their high-explosive shells burst in its midst and sent it among our own men. For a minute or two it had a bad effect on my company; but in a flash Lieutenant Young sized up the situation, and, noticing I had my pipes, exclaimed, ‘For God’s sake, Laidlaw, pipe them together.” The brave piper is here seen playing the pipes in full view of the enemy.

Dec 4 1915 - Illustrated London News

Piper Daniel Laidlaw of the 7th Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, has added one more glorious page to the annals of the Scottish bag-pipes-annals which include the story of ”The Pipes at Lucknows,” as told in Whittier’s poem, and the heroism of Piper Findlater, of the Gordon Highlanders, at Dargai. The latter, it say be recalled, continued piping after he was wounded in the storming of the Dargai Heights on October 20, 1897, during the Tirah Campaign. Piper Laidlaw will henceforth stand beside Piper Findlater among the heroes of the bag-pipes, and for a very similar exploit. In the words of the official account, the V.C. was awarded to Piper Daniel Laidlaw “for most conspicuous bravery prior to an assault on German trenches near Loos and Hill 70 on September 25, 1915. During the worst of the bombardment, when the attack was about to commence, Piper Laidlaw, seeing that his company was somewhat shaken from the effects of gas, with absolute coolness and disregard of danger, mounted the parapet, marched up and down (i.e., outside), and played his company out of the trench. The effect of his splendid example was immediate, and the company dashed out to the assault. Piper Laidlaw continued playing his pipes till he was wounded.” A fragment of wire was blown through his foot as he was approaching the German trenches, but he still went on piping. He is seen marching up and down outside the British trench, playing “The Flowers of the Forest,” while Lieut. Young, the neat man out of the trench, is climbing over the parapet. The men are wearing their gas-masks. In the background is the ” Tower Bridge ” of Loos. Piper Laidlaw is the first man of the Scottish Borderers to win the V.C. in the present war.

IMAGE number: LLM976461

Piper Daniel Laidlaw marching up and down the parapet of his trench playing his pipes to rally men shaken by the effects of gas, Battle of Loos, 25 September 1915. Illustration for Deeds That Thrill The Empire (Standard Art Book Co, c 1919).

Artist: Bagdatopoulos, William Spencer (1888-1965)

#daniel laidlaw #William Spencer Bagdatopoulos #wwi #ww1

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shoukokunoaltairfans · 9 months

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Battle of Pločnik ( Pantellaria ) ( 15/12/78 )

Balkans and Europe Geopolitics situation at the end of 78 CTR.

The Battle of Plocnik, also known as the Battle of Pantellaria Field, took place on 15 Cay, 78 CTR, in the village of Plonik, Balt region (now Serbia). The army of the Turkiye Stratocracy led by Tughril Mahmut Pasha, the masterpiece commander in the conquest of Sud Rumelia, defeated the Balt Rhein forces led by Theo Androch. This war became the beginning of the second Balt Rhein-Turkiye conflict and the beginning of the Stratocracy's conquest operations in Western Rumelia.

Background

The political and military progress of the Balt Rhein Empire suffered a setback in 77 CTR. After the neighboring state, the Turkiye Stratocracy carried out major reforms in the state, led by Zehir Zaganos. and was able to score a victory in the conquest of Sud, as well as repel the imperial invasion of Muchever in early 78 CTR. The ministers and dukes of the Empire saw that the time had come for a peace treaty. especially the faction of Minister Eisntein, who had seen signs of weakness in the country. although the pro-war faction of Prime Minister Virigillio Louis's faction denounced him as a fool and continued to push for war (believing their war would have the support of the Vatican Pope and the European Crusader alliance). King GoldeBalt XI, favoring peace, produced the Treaty of Florence, signed on 30 Lale, 78 CTR.

Teritory of Turkiye and Balt Rhein that is agreed upon Treaty of Florence.

Prime Minister Louis rejected this peace treaty and insisted on persuading both GoldeBalt and the ministers to cancel it. but he was unable to do anything. In particular, his influence in the Empire began to decline as a direct result of losing the war. He began to look for excuses and use his power in the state to start the war once again. Louis secretly invited Bey of Karaman Karamanoglu Ibrahim II to a banquet and formed a secret alliance against Turkiye. The Emirate of Karaman was a Turkoman state in Anatolia that was also a bitter enemy of Turkiye.

Karaman State

Ibrahim II targeted the Zaganos Pasha army convoy, which was on its way back to Constantinople after the conquest of Trebizond. and devises a plan to kill him as per his deal with the Empire. However, this plan leaked into Zaganos' ears via his Goz Kulak. Swiftly, Zaganos accelerated his march and attacked the border town of Karaman, Ak Hisar, at the beginning of the month of Seker. This sudden attack terrified Ibrahim. Thinking that this time the Turkiye troops would conquer his country, coupled with the fact that the Balt Rhein reinforcements did not come, Ibrahim felt that he had been deceived and betrayed. decided to renew his peace treaty with Zaganos. Louis' plan to end the life of Zaganos failed.

After the incident, Zaganos Pasha accused Balt Rhein of plotting his assassination along with Bey Karaman. Even the imperial envoy appeared under the wrong circumstances; while Zaganos was in Akhisar, the empire demanded an increase in the amount of tribute that Turkiye paid for his territory in the Sud (according to the clauses of the Treaty of Florence) by 60,000 ducats from 30,000 ducats. Zaganos Pasha rejected the demands. Seeing that the Balt Rhein was playing around with the clauses of the Treaty of Florence, Zaganos decided to stop paying tribute. These two incidents have restarted tensions between the two countries.

In the political conditions of the palace of St. Michael himself, the minister Louis tried to gather his faction's supporters and get rid of any group that opposed his policies. He saw the Einstein faction as an obstacle to him realizing his cunning imperialist ambitions. Because of that, he conspired before King Goldebalt IX, laying down false evidence and suspicions that Einstein had committed corruption and even carrying out a coup d'état within the palace. It's a shame that GoldeBalt is an impressionable person and doesn't have a firm mind. He decided to hang Einstein and his family in the month of Biber, 78 CTR. Thus, Minister Louis became the absolute holder of state power, representing the king without any faction opposing him.

minister Einstein, from Anti War Faction, He was hanged by GoldeBalt in mid-78 CTR.

Zaganos Pasha continues to monitor the situation of the Balt Rhein based on the increasingly suspicious reports of his Goz Kulaks. The spy reports said Imperial envoys had spread throughout Europe. to form a new crusader movement against Turkiye. In the month of Ak Koyunlu, according to the latest reports from Goz Kulak, Balt Rhein troops began to mobilize from the capital as well as most of the Rhein and Balt provinces. This action clearly violated the Peace Treaty of Florence. and restarted the second round of the Balt-Rhein-Turkiye war.

Preparations

The Balt Rhein, in total, numbered 200,000 Soldiers. 50,000 of them were heavy cavalry troops under Hermaan, who was famous for being tough in Europe at that time. (According to Franz Babinger, the number is 40,000.) The Balt Rhein troops were mostly spearheaded and still used the Phalanx formation in their military. accompanied by a Pike and Shot formation. This troop is accompanied by 16–40 ballistas. The top commander in this force is Theo Androsch, a veteran commander who took part in the Turkiye invasion 15 years ago. Hermaan's cavalrymen were led by Siegfried Kaufmaann and Jacques Jourdainn. Andreas Palatine led the right-wing troops; the left-wing was led by Simon Dominis, and the artillery force (ballistae) was commanded by General Barrett.

Minister Louis hoped for reinforcements from Europe and the Pope. but apparently he was blind to the complicated political conditions there. The Habsburgs were in conflict with the Pope on religious and political issues, which led to war between the two. The Pope preferred that the crusader coalition be directed towards Germany rather than the Balkans. The 100-year war between England and France still hasn't died down. As for Hungary, being a neighboring country to the Balt Rhein, it was willing to send troops and supplies, but that never materialized. Gabor Agoston stated that Mathias Corvinus had a personal grudge against the Balt Rhein because of internal conflict problems that befell both of their troops during the first Crusader invasion of Sud in 77 CTR, which made him abandon the plan. Moldavia was busy at war with the Crimean Khan over Ochakov and Jedisan. and Poland was busy at war with the Despotate of Moscow. As a result, the Balt Rhein was literally forced to fight alone at the start of this conflict. However, some volunteers from Cyprus, Rhodes, and Genoa also sent aid to St. Michael in small numbers, which had no effect whatsoever. where they are just an army of adventurers trying to find money and loot.

deems that war cannot be avoided, and after receiving a fatwa from Molla Gurani, who decided to fight the Balt Rhein and invade the country because it always disturbs the country's sovereignty and threatens religion and the lives of Muslims, Turkiye makes combat preparations. Their troop numbers are around 150,000 Soldiers. 50,000 of them were cavalrymen from heavy classes such as sipahi and akinji (archer-class light cavalry troops). These troops were equipped with Matchlock musket armament, consisting of 15,000 Janissary Muzrak musketeers. led by Bayazit Pasha (Beylerbey Muzrak). and 350 Cannons. Tughril Mahmut Pasha was reappointed as commander of the main army. remembering the feat of victory he achieved in the Sud conquest operation. Karamanli Ishaq Pasha led the right flank troops, and Lala Syahin and Sahabettin Syahin led the left flank troops in two different formations.

The Turkish Matchlock musket, during the Balt Rhein-Türkiye war, was modified from the Tibetan Musket that had entered the muzrak in 75 CTR. This musket design was created by Muslihittin Reis and mass-produced by order of Zaganos Pasha in late 76 CTR.

Muzrak Janissary

there was no minor conflict on the border between the two countries until entering the month of Cay. on the 6th, the Balt Rhein in large numbers had left the capital. while Turkiye's troops left Istanbul 4 days later, following the routes of Edirne, Tarnovo and Hisar and then crossing the border. The Balt Rhein troops have arrived on the plains of Pantellaria adjacent to the village of Plocnik which will later become a battlefield. all the commanders in chief were gathered in the evening of the 12th. Jacques as commander in chief Hermann urged Androsch to first attack the Turkish troops before they got ready. however, Androsch thought otherwise by choosing the plains of Pantellaria as a suitable terrain for formulating formations and strategies. besides the Balt Rhein troops benefited that they were fighting on a field that was familiar to them.

Battlefield Location

On the 14th, the Balt Rhein troops encamped as planned at Plocnik while preparing to meet the enemy. Like the general arrangement of troops in that era, Androsch divided his army into three parts. right wing, left wing, and core troops led by himself. Androsch placed Hermann's Cavalry in the rear as an ambush in case the enemy attempted to flee. However, this plan was roundly rejected by the majority of the soldiers. Instead, they want to be placed in the front row, which will advance first to tear apart the formation of the Turkish troops. 40 ballistae were installed in the infantry rear formation in order to prevent the encirclement of the Turkish cavalry troops.

Turkish troops arrived at Plocnik in the early morning of the 15th. Mahmut Pasha arranged the Janissary troop formation in a crescent formation and joined all the army wings to the core troops. As for the cavalry troops, consisting of Akinji and Sipahi, they were at the forefront of welcoming the enemy's attack. Mahmut Pasha ordered the artillery to be placed in the center of the formation.

Battle

battle scheme of Pantellaria 15 Cay 78 CTR.

The Turkish troops only arrived in Pantellaria in the early hours of the 15th and were still organizing their battle preparations until midday. Jacques and Siegfried took advantage of this opportunity to launch a surprise attack. Without waiting for Androch's order, the Hermaan troops shouted "Deus Veult" and immediately started the battle. The Turkish troops were surprised by this sudden attack. Mahmut Pasha ordered the Sipahi and Akinji cavalry to block the Hermaan troops behind the core troop formation. However, the Sipahi cavalry were not as heavy and tough as the Hermaan troops. As a result, the Sipahi troops disintegrated, and many victims fell in the first attack.

Unable to resist the onslaught of the Hermaan Cavalry, Hasan Ulubat ordered the Sipahi troops to retreat while asking the Akinjis troops to shoot arrows. However, the thick armor protected Hermaan's entire army and did not cause any fatal injuries. Hermaan's troops were increasingly convinced that victory was in sight, and they continued to break through the Turkish army's center formation. Janisarry troops, accompanied by artillery troops, were ready to confront the enemy. Turkiye artillery troops fired simultaneously, followed by Musketeer troops from Janisarry Muzrak (Volley Fire). Hermaan's troop movement stopped, and this time it was the turn of the main troop from the Stratocracy janissaries (those holding the red banners) to launch a counterattack with pike and shot formations. Hermaan's troops try to keep advancing, but a barrage of artillery and musketeer attacks results in heavy casualties. In this battle, Jacques, one of the commanders of the Hermaan troops, died after being stabbed many times by hundreds of Janissary spearmen.

The Morality of Hermaan's Troops Weakens. and his attacks began to slack off. The Janissaries swiftly surrounded the Hermaan troops in wolf trap formations and surrounded them. At the same time, the cavalry led by Hasan Ulubat, who had retreated, regrouped their ranks and turned back to attack the Hermaan troops. Simon Dominis and Andreas began moving troops right and left to save Hermaan, but Sahabettin and Ishaq Pasha advanced with their 20,000 Janissaries and were able to repulse the Balt Rhein advance. Siegfried, who began to realize the precarious situation and Jacques' death, decided to withdraw his soldiers, and most of Hermaan fled into the middle of the forest.

Androsch decided to change his entire war strategy and take a defensive position against the next Turkish attack. The cavalry turned to the right and rear of the Balt Rhein. However, they were met by a fence of Balistae fire and pike and shot formation, temporarily driving them back. In order to tear apart the Balt Rhein mobile fortress formation, Artillery troops were positioned all over the flanks of the enemy troops and fired at them. causing the Phalanx's formation to break down and disintegrate. After a series of cannon fires, the janissaries immediately plunged into slaughtering the remaining Balt Rhein troops. The Balt-Rhein troops panicked and started to flee from the battlefield. with huge losses and casualties. The battle arc lasts 8 hours. After the battle, Mahmut Pasha encamped temporarily at Plocnik while sending out his small detachment of troops to capture scattered infantry, or hermaans.

Aftermath

The Balt Rhein were unable to put up any further resistance to the Turkiye after this war, preferring to take defensive positions by taking cover in their strongholds or engaging in guerrilla warfare, as Gralat and Lelederik had done in other engagements. This war became the Balt Rhein's biggest disastrous military defeat in their history, before the Battle of the Arch. For the first time, the Balt Rhein Troops were surprised by the superiority of the Turkiye cannon and firearms, which were used en masse in field battles. Cannons and muskets have been known in Europe for a long time. However, no one was able to surpass its use except for Turkiye at that time. This defeat, at the same time, showed the decline and weakness of the Empire in its truest sense. and the ineffectiveness of their strategy, especially the use of Phalanx and mobile fortress formations, which had actually been out of use in that era. because at that time the troops mobilization in fast and light motion got more priority.

The losses suffered by the Balt Rhein after the war were enormous. around 90,000 troops, including 20,000 Hermaan Cavalrymen. 14 commanders and 4 Counts, including Androsch and Jacques, died during the battle. Casualties for the Turkiye troops were relatively light. at least between 4000 and 7000 troops. There was no reported number of enemy troops taken prisoner after the battle. However, Turkiye troops were able to capture some stragglers among Hermaan troops who had fled in this battle.

15 days after the battle, on the 30th, Tughril Mahmut advanced to lay siege to Gol City, the old capital of the Balt Rhein Empire. without any obstacles standing in his way. Even though it is known as a big city, with its strong fortifications, the Turkiye troops were able to control it in just six hours. The fall of Gol City directly threatened the capital of St. Michael, which is only about 95 kilometers away. Gol's fall caused panic and commotion both in society and within the elite palace. Minister Louis, as the mastermind behind the outbreak of war, tried to gather the number of soldiers who remained and repeatedly sent ambassadors to Europe asking for help. However, there were no significant results.

the location of Gol City, the capital, as well as the embryo of the birth of the Balt Rhein Empire.

Stratocracy of Turkiye Teritorial after Battle of Pantellaria

#shoukoku no altair #altair a record of battles #kotono kato #altair;era of crusades #kato kotono #fanfic #fan fiction #ottoman #tughril mahmut #zehir zaganos

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bisexualbumblebee-writes · 1 year

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Informal- Fred Weasley x OC

Fred Weasley x Mallorie Bishopp

Description: It’s Fred and Mallorie’s wedding. Considering that Fred was always the more outgoing and flamboyant twin, everyone expected them to have a grand wedding. One could imagine the guests’ surprise when the ceremony began.

Word Count: 1.9k

Out of the many weddings that the Weasley family would experience, they had not expected the way Fred and Mallorie’s turned out. It’s absolutely no secret to anyone that Fred was the more boisterous and outgoing twin. He was always the one to initiate conversations between him and George, and it was often his charm that got them out of trouble when George’s soothing words didn’t work as well as they would like.

Naturally, when he proposed, everyone expected him to make a bigger deal about it. In fact people hadn’t even known that the couple had gotten engaged until they received an invitation from them with a ‘save the date’ written in beautiful calligraphy. It took the receivers a moment before their eyes reached the bottom, where ‘casual dress is requested’ was written at the bottom.

Even the Weasley family (save for George and Corinne probably) were surprised. They hadn’t even known Fred was planning on proposing. To be fair though, Fred had become a bit recluse after the Battle of Hogwarts (more specifically, after he and Mallorie nearly died) and aside from working in the shop, he hadn’t gone out as much as he probably could have.

Nevertheless, they offered their help when needed, but Fred and Mallorie rarely accepted it. Their upcoming wedding was becoming sort of infamous and very anticipated by those who would be in attendance. The only ones who knew what was going on were George, Corinne, Bill and Sophia, who were their groomsmen and bridesmaids respectively.

Molly never said it to their faces (she could never), but she was quite annoyed with their elusive behavior. After all, another one of her babies was getting married! How could she not want to participate in its planning? She claimed that she just wanted to help, but everyone knew that was a lie, she just wanted to make sure things went her way. Try as she might, she just couldn’t get her hands on the plans. Bill, Sophia, George and Corinne kept everything under wraps as per requested by the future bride and groom (which they were grateful for).

Finally, the fateful day came on Sunday, March 21, 1999. The wedding was taking place in Mallorie’s parent’s backyard. It wasn’t a big guest list, having only contained their closest friends and family, but that was all they claimed they would need. There were chairs set up on either side of an aisle made from white satin with some flower petals strewn about. On the far end of the aisle sat an arbor with pastel flowers and greenery. Obrass Ahagan, a friend of (Mallorie’s mother) Tanya’s, had been selected to be the one to officiate.

At precisely 5:30 p.m., just as the sun began to set beautifully in the background, Fred led Bill and George to the altar/arbor. All three of them were in casual suits that were unbuttoned. Naturally, everyone was a bit surprised by this. Sure, the guest’s dress code was casual, but they hadn’t been expecting the groom and groomsmen to be in such informal clothes.

Then, the bridal march began playing from somewhere the guests couldn’t see. Everyone stood and faced the back of the house, where Mallorie would be making her entrance, respectfully. Yet again the attendees were shocked by what they saw. Mallorie wore a long empire waist sundress with short flutter sleeves. Yes, the bride wore a literal sundress. And so did the bridesmaids. The rest of the Weasley family was surprised that Molly didn’t faint on the spot upon seeing it.

Despite her unpretentious dress, no one could deny the way that Fred looked at her as she began walking down the aisle. His eyes never strayed from her, and he stared at her as if she’d hung the stars and created the night sky itself. It was a beautiful sight for anyone watching. As Mallorie and her father drew closer, both her and Fred’s smiles widened until they were almost comical. Her father Michael handed her off with a hug to both her and Fred, and Corinne gingerly took the bride's bouquet so the ceremony could commence.

The wedding itself couldn’t be considered much of one at all. It lasted long enough for Fred and Mallorie to share their previously prepared vows, then they were pronounced man and wife by the time the sun had fully submerged behind the horizon. The sun was gracious enough to leave a beautiful twilight sky in the background in its wake that left the guests in awe while Fred and Mallorie shared their first kiss as man and wife.

The ceremony was over before the guests knew it, and then came the reception. It was an odd sight, and it sort of felt like watching what a wedding sounded like to two children. Food came first, which wasn’t unusual. But it wasn’t traditional finger foods or anything like that. No, it was food from around the world. There was pirozhki from Russia, jianbing from China, zapiekanka from Poland, and many more. Even the desserts didn't originate from England except for the cake, which they didn’t make a big deal about cutting.

Next came dancing. There was a space in the back reserved specifically for that portion of the reception. Fred and Mallorie had a quick dance together, then after that the floor was open to whoever wanted to dance. The bride and groom danced for what felt like hours before finally sitting down to take a break.

The wedding ended soon after. After everyone had gone home (save for the Weasley clan and Mallorie’s parents) everyone had gone inside the Bishopp house to change into more comfortable clothes and relax after such a long day. While Molly, Arthur, Michael and Tanya talked in the other room, all the Weasley kids (plus girlfriends/wives) sat around the living room comfortably. They all conversed amongst themselves for a short while until Adora faced Fred and Mallorie.

“So, can I ask, what made you decide to have such an informal wedding?” She asked. Her question made the others quiet down and look at the couple. It seemed that just about everyone else was curious about this.

“Yeah, I thought you’d be the one to go all out for it,” Ginny added, leaning back against her seat. The couple glanced at each other, and Fred shot Mallorie a look that she realized was a silent question. Can I tell them? The girl, who saw no harm in doing so, shrugged with a single nod. Once he got the okay Fred grinned then faced the others.

“Allow me to take you back to dear Charlie and Adora’s wedding,” he started.

Charlie and Adora’s wedding was, in typical Weasley fashion, a grand event. Of course it wasn’t as big as Molly would have liked, but they were in the middle of a second Wizarding War, so they had to make do. That didn’t stop Charlie’s mother from doing as much as she could with what they had.

It was stressful to even plan, but they eventually managed to do so before the wedding day. And luckily all their hard work paid off. It was a massive success from start to finish. Despite the fact that they didn’t have as much to work with, everything still looked so lavish as they merged from the ceremony into the reception.

The scars on which they had been sitting rose gracefully into the air as the canvas walls of the marquee vanished, so that they stood beneath a canopy supported by golden poles, with a glorious view of the sunlit orchard and surrounding countryside. A pool of molten gold spread from the center of the tent to form a gleaming dance floor; the hovering chairs grouped themselves around small, white-clothed tables. They all floated gracefully back to earth round it, and the golden-jacketed hand trooped toward a podium. Waiters popped up on all sides, some hearing silver trays of pumpkin juice, butterbeer, and firewhisky, others tottering piles of tarts and sandwiches. It had been an extravagant affair, and Fred Weasley hadn’t hesitated to express his distaste of it to his (then) girlfriend.

“When we get married, I won't be bothering with all this nonsense,” he spoke before looking at several of his friends and siblings that sat around them. “You can all wear what you like, and I’ll put a Full-Body Bind Curse on mum until it’s all over.”

“I can’t believe you actually remember saying that,” Charlie laughed as he reminisced about his own wedding day.

“I can’t believe you didn’t actually put a Full-Body Bind curse on mum,” Ginny added amusedly.

“He almost did,” Mallorie retorted in the same tone.

“It was very tempting,” Fred snickered, taking his wife’s hand in his. “But, Mallorie said that mum would kill me as soon as she got out of it. Of course I can’t be dying on my own wedding day, so I ultimately decided against it.” Ron’s brows furrowed curiously, which caught Mallorie’s attention.

“Everything okay, Ron?” The boy faced her.

“I’m confused,” he started, though he was cut off by Fred almost immediately.

“There’s a shocker,” he teased, dodging the throw pillow his younger brother launched at him. The others rolled their eyes at the interaction.

“What are you confused about?” Mallorie asked as she attempted to prevent her husband from throwing the pillow back at the younger boy.

“If you guys didn’t want such a big wedding, why didn’t you just go to a courthouse or something?” The boy questioned, which made Fred look at him in bewilderment.

“Well, we still wanted a ceremony,” he answered as if it were obvious, earning a nod from his wife.

“Yeah, Fred would never have forced me to just elope with him and move on. We wanted a wedding, so we planned a wedding. It just wasn’t one that was up to your mum’s standards. All we needed were our families, closest friends, and each other,” she concluded. Several people cooed at their explanation, which made the couple blush.

“What are we talking about?” Tanya asked as she, Michael, Molly and Arthur walked into the living room.

“Nothing,” everyone responded simultaneously, which made both sets of parents pause in their steps. That caused everyone to burst into laughter as the four newcomers all took a seat in random places.

After talking for a few more hours everyone collectively decided to call it a night. Despite the fact that the wedding wasn’t huge, it was still a tiring day. Fred and Mallorie wished everyone a good night before heading up to their designated room. Since they were already in their pajamas they just climbed into bed. Immediately Fred’s arm wrapped around the girl once they were close enough to each other. Mallorie’s arms were around his neck and she played with the hair at the nape of his neck, eyes already closed.

“Did you have a good day?” Fred whispered despite the fact that they were the only ones in the room. The girl nodded immediately.

“The best,” she answered with a small smile. “Did you?”

“Well, I got to marry my best friend, so absolutely,” he responded, which made both of them laugh quietly. “I love you, you know?”

“Well I would hope so. It’d be a bit awkward considering what happened today,” Mallorie retorted. Fred chuckled softly.

“Fair enough.” Silence settled over them for a minute before she spoke again.

“I love you too,” she whispered, tone laced with exhaustion and sleepiness. “Goodnight, Mr. Weasley.” A fond smile settled on the boy's face as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Goodnight, Mrs. Weasley.”

#harry potter #harry potter imagine #fred weasley #fred weasley imagine #fred weasley x oc

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forevercloudnine · 2 years

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Was anyone gonna tell me that in Batman the audio adventures, Two-Face and Penguin announced they were merging their crime empires by PRINTING WHAT LOOKED LIKE WEDDING INVITATIONS AND THE WEDDING MARCH PLAYS SOFTLY IN THE BACKGROUND WHEN PEOPLE READ THEM or was I supposed to just pirate that podcast a year late myself? asdjklfhgs I'm losing my entire mind. Everyone was SO good in this, but Two-Face specially! With his "concept murder" and birdwatching club laws.

Aww! Good for them 🤵💕🤵 I've only ever read the one-shot prequel comic, where I honestly got the impression that Two-Face was in a relationship with himself. But this Oswald seems delightfully twisted, so I'm sure they work well together....

#batman: the audio adventures #two face #harvey dent #penguin #oswald cobblepot #i wish i had the audio processing capabilities to be able to listen to podcasts #unfortunately i require written text to be able to comprehend things #i LOVE seth meyers as jack ryder though #he'd be my live action pick too honestly #very entertained by everything that people tell me about this podcast. it sounds SO wild #twotoucans #LOVE THAT SO MUCH AS A TAG...

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concerthopperblog · 24 days

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The Deathless Tour Featuring Set It Off, Crown The Empire, Caskets & DeathbyRomy

Set It Off has started The Deathless Tour with Crown The Empire, Caskets, and Deathbyromy. The tour includes 32 dates and began on March 13th. The group has also released two new singles titled "Parasite" and "Evil People" to get fans excited for what's next from the rock group. As the band was gearing up to go on tour, they released a third single titled "Fake Ass Friends" to further excite their fans. Stepping into the venue, a wave of excitement washed over me. It had been years since I had last been to Water Street Music Hall, back in my teenage years watching my friends perform with their bands. The line extended down the block, showing the anticipation and enthusiasm of the fans. The atmosphere was electric, evident in the excited faces of those entering the venue. Seeing the resurgence of this iconic place gives me hope for the music scene in Rochester, where opportunities to see live bands can limited.

Romy Flores, known by her stage name DeathbyRomy, is a talented singer-songwriter from the United States. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and started pursuing music professionally at the young age of 15. In 2019, Flores signed a contract with Capitol Records, a UMG company, for her upcoming project. Her debut single, "Problems," was released on October 4th, and it quickly went viral on TikTok, becoming her breakthrough hit. It has become her most-streamed song on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube. Flores's music explores themes of mental health struggles, expressed through her goth clothing style, makeup & songwriting. The theme of the interplay between life and death in Flores's music is influenced by her multicultural background, especially Mexican traditions, and beliefs, such as the Day Of The Dead. Romy & Team Dead, know how to perform, Romy Flores, the lead vocalist, possesses a truly mesmerizing voice. During one of their electrifying performances, Jayden Hammer, the incredible guitarist, surprised everyone by playing flawlessly and adding a unique touch by licking her guitar. DeathbyRomy, being the amazing artist she is, made sure their outfits were perfectly coordinated for their set. I must admit, before tonight, I hadn't had the pleasure of listening to their music, but I couldn't help myself from singing along to one of their catchy new songs, "2, 4, 6, 8,” which was also a live debut of this song. If you ever get an opportunity to see these talented individuals on tour, I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

There's a band called Caskets, and they are crushing it in the music scene. They're from Leeds and have created their brand of alternative, post-hardcore-inspired Metal that is nothing short of electrifying. If you're looking for a band that will get your adrenaline pumping and your heart racing, look no further than Caskets. Trust me, you won't be disappointed! Get ready to have your mind blown! Well, some fans did end up being disappointed with this band. They could not make a bunch of dates on the tour due to an issue with their visas. The band posted a statement and updates on their Instagram regarding the situation (Click Here to read the statement) If you are going to any of the tour dates listed below with a * Caskets will be there!

Crown The Empire is a metalcore band hailing from Dallas, Texas. They've been around since 2010 and are made up of some seriously talented musicians - Andrew "Andy Leo" Rockhold on vocals, Brandon Hoover on guitar, Hayden Tree on bass, and Jeeves Avalos on drums. I recently discovered that they are signed to Rise Records and have released five studio albums. Their latest album, Dogma, dropped on April 28, 2023. Pretty cool, huh? I have been a fan of the band Crown The Empire for some time now. I have been listening to their music since they released their album The Fallout in 2012. Recently, I found myself listening to their album Sudden Sky, released in 2019, and singing along to their song "BLURRY (Out Of Place)" quite often because the lyrics are very catchy. I had the opportunity to see them perform live at the Vans Warped Tour some years back. Their amazing stage presence completely blew me away and I love how they interacted with the crowd. In my opinion, Crown The Empire is one of the best live acts out there, and worth checking out. Before Crown The Empire even stepped foot on stage, the fans & I were ready for them to perform. We were all eagerly awaiting their performance. The band treated us to a mix of their latest hits like “BLURRY (Out Of Place) and beloved classics such as “The Fallout”, but before diving into their setlist, they decided to pull a playful prank on the audience and Rick rolled everyone. It was a hilarious start to the show. As the first notes of "Dogma" filled the venue, Andy Leo, the lead vocalist, unleashed an incredible amount of energy. He passionately belted out the lyrics to each song, his voice echoing through the air, while simultaneously leaping and bounding across the stage, igniting an even greater level of excitement among the fans.

Set It Off is a rock trio that hails from Tampa, Florida, and was formed in 2008 by singer Cody Carson. Carson began the band's career on YouTube and quickly gained a large following. The band released a few EPs, including Calm Before The Storm and Baby, You Don't Tripajaharda, before signing with Equal Vision Records. A few years after signing to Equal Vision Records, the band switched to Fearless Records in 2019. However, Set It Off ultimately decided to break the trend of being tied to a label and announced in 2023 that they had gone independent. The performance by Set It Off was fantastic, I was blown away by the way they had the stage set up, especially with Maxx Danziger (drums) positioned on a riser that gave the illusion of him being inside the "monster" featured on the tour poster. It was a visually stunning setup that added a whole new dimension to their performance. Throughout the night, Set It Off played a total of 18 songs, ending the show on a high note. The addition of Romy Flores to perform "Partners In Crime" was a pleasant surprise, adding an extra layer of excitement to the performance. And who could forget Cody's daring move of crowd-surfing on an air mattress during "Ancient History" - a moment that truly showcased their energy and connection with the audience. One of the things that sets Set It Off apart is their incredible crowd interaction and stage presence. It's clear that they genuinely enjoy performing and engaging with their fans, creating a memorable experience for everyone in the audience. The moment when Cody and Maxx switched spots towards the end of the set was a brilliant move, showcasing their versatility and talent as musicians.

Keep an eye out for their upcoming live performance! You wouldn't want to miss this one-of-a-kind experience. Luckily, there are still plenty of shows remaining and the tour will be hitting a city near you soon. Trust us, it's a show you won't want to miss! To stay in the loop, make sure to follow Concert Hopper’s Instagram and Facebook pages for all the latest updates. Happy hopping!

Sun Mar 31 – Detroit, MI – St Andrew’s Hall*

Mon Apr 01 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues*

Wed Apr 03 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore Minneapolis*

Fri Apr 05 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant*

Sat Apr 06 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman*

Sun Apr 07 – Denver, CO – Summit*

Tue Apr 09 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot*

Wed Apr 10 – Garden City, ID – Revolution Concert House and Event Center*

Mon Apr 13 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory*

Sun Apr 14 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom*

Tue Apr 16 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom*

Thu Apr 18 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades*

Fri Apr 19 – Riverside, CA – Riverside Municipal Auditorium*

Mon Apr 22 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren*

Tue Apr 23 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues*

Thu Apr 25 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues*

Fri Apr 26 – Austin, TX – Emo’s*

Sat Apr 27 – Houston, TX – House of Blues*

Mon Apr 29 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl*

Sun Apr 30 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone*

#2024 #Review #concert photography #Concert #concert review #Concerthopper #metal #metal tours #photography #music #new york

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evoldir · 1 month

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Fwd: Conference: Montreal.PlasticitySocialEvolution.Jul26-30

Begin forwarded message: > From: [email protected] > Subject: Conference: Montreal.PlasticitySocialEvolution.Jul26-30 > Date: 12 March 2024 at 05:15:16 GMT > To: [email protected] > > > Evoldir title: Montreal.PlasticitySocialEvolution.Jul26-30 > > Subject: Symposium on the role of phenotypic plasticity in social > evolution > > > Dear colleagues, > > We are excited to announce the symposium "Interacting in a changing world: > the role of phenotypic plasticity in social evolution" at this year's 3rd > Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology in Montreal on 26-30 July 2024. We > would like to invite anyone interested in sharing their research and > joining the discussion on the topic to submit an abstract. We welcome > researchers from all career stages and backgrounds. You can register > here: https://ift.tt/3lmaxz1. > > Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions on the > symposium, The organizers > > Francesca Santostefano [email protected] > Tom Ratz [email protected] > > > > Symposium title > Interacting in a changing world: the role of phenotypic plasticity in > social evolution > > Symposium Abstract > Interacting with conspecifics is an important part of an organism's life, > often crucial to reproduction and survival. Traits mediating social > interactions can have a genetic basis and be under selection, a process > known as social evolution. Theory in social evolution has highlighted > how interactions can affect the rate of evolution by accelerating or > constraining the response to selection. Current models, however, do not > yet fully capture the dynamic nature of social interactions: individuals > typically differ in social behavior and adjust it to social partners. As > a result, we still poorly understand how between- and within-individual > variation, which determines heritable variation on which selection can > act upon, affects the direction and speed of evolution. This symposium > seeks to showcase recent advances in the field, focusing on individuality > and plasticity. In doing so we aim to stimulate discussion and identify > potential gaps and future directions of research on social evolution. > > Goal of the Symposium > Social evolution is a central topic in evolutionary biology. The field > has recently made exciting conceptual advances to clarify how indirect > genetic effects and social selection affect the evolution of phenotypes, > and developed powerful statistical tools (random-slope GLMMs, social > animal models) to analyze complex data on social behavior. Yet empirical > studies are lagging due to limited exchange between theoreticians > and empiricists on one hand, and between quantitative geneticists > and behavioral ecologists on the other hand. Given that the Congress > will attract a broad crowd of theoreticians and empiricists from both > backgrounds, a symposium on social evolution will be a unique opportunity > to present the latest theoretical advances and ongoing empirical research > in the field. We will look forward to fostering discussion and exchange of > ideas in social evolution, which is an essential step to drive progress in > understanding the central role that social interactions play in evolution. > > > > "Santostefano, Francesca"

#IFTTT #Email

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industry212 · 2 months

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What are remote data science jobs to apply for in March 2024?

In March 2024, the field of data science continues to offer a plethora of remote job opportunities across various industries. As technology evolves and businesses increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making, the demand for skilled data scientists remains high. Here's a glimpse into some remote data science jobs you might consider applying for in March 2024 and Big Data

Machine Learning Engineer: Machine learning engineers are in high demand as organizations seek to leverage artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to gain insights from their data. Remote positions in this field often involve developing and deploying machine learning models, optimizing algorithms, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to integrate ML solutions into products or systems.

Data Analyst: Data analysts play a crucial role in interpreting and analyzing data to inform business decisions. Remote data analyst positions typically involve querying databases, cleaning and preprocessing data, performing statistical analysis, and creating visualizations to communicate findings effectively. These roles are prevalent across industries such as finance, marketing, healthcare, and e-commerce.

Data Scientist: Data scientists utilize advanced analytics techniques to extract meaningful insights from complex data sets. Remote data scientist positions may involve tasks such as predictive modeling, clustering analysis, natural language processing, and experimentation. These professionals often work closely with stakeholders to identify business opportunities and develop data-driven solutions.

Quantitative Analyst: Quantitative analysts, also known as quants, apply mathematical and statistical methods to financial and risk management problems. Remote quant roles typically involve developing and testing trading strategies, building financial models, and conducting quantitative research to optimize investment decisions. Strong programming skills and proficiency in quantitative analysis tools are essential for these positions.

Business Intelligence Developer: Business intelligence developers design and implement solutions for gathering, storing, and analyzing business data. Remote BI developer roles may involve designing data warehouses, creating dashboards and reports, and implementing ETL (extract, transform, load) processes. These professionals collaborate with stakeholders to understand reporting requirements and deliver insights that drive strategic decisions.

Data Engineer: Data engineers focus on designing and maintaining the infrastructure required for data storage, processing, and retrieval. Remote data engineering positions often involve building data pipelines, optimizing database performance, and implementing data integration solutions. Proficiency in big data technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, and Kafka is typically required for these roles.

Statistical Programmer: Statistical programmers play a critical role in analyzing clinical trial data and supporting research projects in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Remote statistical programming positions involve programming and validating statistical analysis code, generating tables and graphs, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. Knowledge of programming languages such as SAS, R, or Python is essential for these roles.

AI Research Scientist: AI research scientists focus on advancing the state-of-the-art in artificial intelligence through theoretical research and experimentation. Remote AI research positions may involve developing new algorithms, conducting empirical studies, and publishing research findings in academic journals or conferences. These roles often require a strong background in computer science, mathematics, and machine learning.

Data Science Consultant: Data science consultants work with clients to solve complex business problems using data-driven approaches. Remote consulting positions may involve conducting needs assessments, developing custom analytics solutions, and presenting findings to stakeholders. Strong communication and project management skills are essential for success in these roles.

Freelance Data Science Projects: In addition to traditional full-time roles, many companies and organizations offer remote freelance opportunities for data scientists. Platforms such as Upwork, Toptal, and Kaggle allow data scientists to bid on projects ranging from data analysis and visualization to machine learning model development. Freelancing offers flexibility and the opportunity to work on a diverse range of projects.

In conclusion, March 2024 presents a wide range of remote data science job opportunities across various industries and specializations. Whether you're interested in machine learning, data analysis, or business intelligence, there are plenty of remote roles available for skilled data professionals. Keeping an eye on job boards, networking with industry professionals, and leveraging online platforms can help you find the perfect remote data science job to apply for and Stock Prices and News