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sjsmith56 · 18 hours

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The Cruelest Animal, Chapter 20 - Eyes of the Father

Summary: In the 24 hours taken since the kidnapping to assemble their forces, the Avengers learn that Tommy has been taken by the Power Broker, while Lacey has been sold to human traffickers. Splitting their force in two, Bucky leads the team staying in New York, finding out where the traffickers are based and attacking them.

Length: 5.1K

Characters: Bucky, Terry, John Walker, assorted Avengers.

Warning: Details of human trafficking and its effects on its victims, violence causing injury.

Author notes: Human traffickers come in all shapes and forms and are often indistinguishable from regular co-workers or neighbours. The ones in this story are Russian-based and are not intended to be representative of the typical criminal type.

<<Chapter 19

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"We have good news and bad news," said Fury when he resumed the briefing. "We have located where Lacey Chapman and her son were taken after their kidnapping. Thanks to a picture that Carter provided to taunt us Bucky Barnes noticed a logo on a coffee cup linked to a specific coffee kiosk in Greenwich Village. Using satellite footage we were able to identify the arrival of our kidnap victims to a location in the Village on the same day of the kidnapping. Barnes also pointed out his belief that the memory suppression machine in the photo had been used on Miss Chapman. Our analysis concurred with that belief. Yesterday afternoon that machine was dismantled and removed piece by piece from the premises. Miss Chapman was seen leaving in the custody of individuals associated with Russian mafia human traffickers. Young Tommy was seen in the custody of Miss Carter as she also left the premises. They are no longer in the Greenwich Village location."

Bucky's lip curled. They had missed their chance while assembling their team. Several people touched his shoulder in support and he took a deep breath. Fury looked directly at him and gave him a grim smile.

"We believe that Carter has taken the boy to Madripoor, where her base of power is," he stated. "The memory machine has likely been transported there as well. We are going to send select individuals there with nano masks to infiltrate Carter's base of operations. Cap has been there before and will be heading up that team. Barnes will be heading up the team that will locate Miss Chapman. We have identified two of the men who were with her when she left the Greenwich Village location." He looked up at the screen. "Sergei Dendrov, and Anatoly Maksimov are both high ranking members of Black Cat, the trafficking arm of the Black Dog mafia. They both have eye tattoos on their hands which is indicative of them watching their prey."

Bucky stood up. "Dendrov is one of the men who attempted to find a flash drive in Lacey's house in 2014," he said. "At that time he also recognized me as the Soldier meaning that Black Cat were providing subjects for HYDRA experimentation and had access to their facilities. It's likely he has been planning to abduct Lacey since then, although the FBI arrested him in 2014. I put a knife through his palm in subduing him so I'm sure he remembers her very well."

"That may be a fair assessment," said Fury. "He disappeared during the Blip and was accidentally released upon his reappearance due to the confusion at the time. He immediately went underground. We do know that the current incarnation of Black Cat take their captives to the docks, keeping them in a shipping container until they have enough numbers to be profitable. The container is usually transferred to a Russian registered cargo ship and they are transported over to be slaves, or put into the Eastern European sex trade. It's a filthy business and we wish to shut them down completely and for good. If you have a preference for which team you're on now's your opportunity. Team Cap will stay here. Team Barnes will reconvene in another location which Miss Hill will lead you to."

Sam and Bucky both stood up and gave each other a pound shake then Bucky followed Hill to another briefing room. He was followed by Walker, Torres, Belova, Van Dyne, Bishop, Parker and Ayo. When they entered the next briefing room Hill also stayed. Terry Williams walked in a moment later. Walker eyed Ayo nervously when she sat next to him, while she gazed at him impassively.

"We are on the same team, John Walker," she said in her serious voice. "You have nothing to fear from me."

Bucky stood in front of them and breathed out before speaking. "I have some memories of the viciousness of the Russian traffickers from when I was the Winter Soldier," he said quietly. "They are cruel to their captives. Physical punishment is a given and they will not hesitate to mentally intimidate them into complete submission. Lacey, having her memory wiped, will be at their mercy, which she won't get. She will likely be in a state of complete confusion and submission. My fear is they will use it as an opportunity to abuse her physically and sexually for they will see her condition as weakness and they prey on the weak. If Dendrov recognizes her which is quite likely he'll be inclined to give her extra cruel treatment."

"So we need to locate that shipping container as soon as possible," said Yelena Belova. "Those men are cut from the same cloth as the men who ran the Red Room in Russia."

"Red Room?" asked Walker. "What's that?"

Nearly everyone looked at him incredulously. "It is what the training facility for Black Widow operatives in Russia was called," said Bucky. "The operatives were taken from their families as small children and grew up with a foster family who helped train them in spy craft and martial arts. When they were old enough they began their real training in the Red Room. Physical punishment and intimidation was the order of the day. They survived it and moved on or they didn't and were culled."

"Culled?" repeated Walker, shaking his head slightly. "You mean killed?"

No one answered and he let out a big breath. Torres broke the silence.

"I can go up in the Falcon suit and activate Red Wing to search for hidden heat signatures inside the shipping containers. The only trouble is I won't know if it's the Russians or another trafficking outfit until we get visual confirmation. Are we doing anything about the other outfits?"

Bucky looked at the women who had volunteered for his team, knowing they had their own reasons for being on this team. "We concentrate on the Russians first, then we go after the others. Shut them all down. Hope, can you go with Red Wing and do your own reconnaissance, be our visual confirmation?"

"Can do," she replied. "I can also place a marker on the container from above so if they move it we can track it.

"Peter, can you web the base of the marked container so it can't be moved?" asked Bucky.

"Yeah, no problem," said Peter. "What do we do once we locate and free the women?"

"They will need much kindness and compassion," said Ayo unexpectedly. "They can be extremely emotional, or completely shut down, and may cower from others, especially men. It would be advisable to have emergency services in the form of ambulances there to transport them to hospital as they are likely to be suffering from injuries caused by physical or sexual abuse. If you can engage the services of trauma counsellors to begin treating them immediately their chances of recovery are better." Her piercing eyes gazed at everyone. "I have experience from similar cases in Africa."

"I think both Bucky and I want to be there for Lacey," said Terry, then his voice broke. "Just make sure you take all of those bastards down and make sure they never get out of prison."

"Agreed," said Bucky. "Torres and Van Dyne, please start your reconnaissance. Meet back here in one hour."

Those two left right away and Maria approached Bucky. "I'll set up the emergency and counselling services," she said calmly. "We'll find her Bucky."

She touched his arm reassuringly and went off to set them up. Yelena looked at Ayo appraisingly.

"I've heard of the fighting prowess of the Dora Milaje," she said. "Want to spar?"

Ayo smirked. "I've heard of the fighting prowess of the Black Widows," she replied. "I'm up for it if you are."

Bishop followed the two women out. Peter looked at Bucky.

"Mind if I do some satellite surfing?" he asked. "I'm good at computers. Maybe I can locate the trafficker's hangouts."

Bucky nodded and Peter went off to find an open terminal. Walker looked at Bucky and Terry.

"So, we just wait?" he asked.

"We're muscle, Terry is emotional support," said Bucky. "Our time will come in just over an hour. We want these guys alive, John. They need to pay for their crimes."

"Even if they've raped her?" he asked then he looked at Terry quickly. "No offence."

"I don't kill," replied Bucky, looking at Walker in a decidedly cool manner. "I haven't killed a human since 2014. It's what keeps me sane. You should try it."

Walker smirked, thinking Bucky was joking, then realized he wasn't. "I wish I had known that before I agreed to come on this mission," he said sullenly.

"There's the door," gestured Bucky with his hand, irritated and disappointed with the man. "I asked you because I needed your super soldier abilities. When your wife said you shut down some traffickers in Afghanistan I thought you might be interested in pursuing similar justice in your own country. If that's too much to ask of you then leave. I'll still answer the call if Carter ever comes after your wife and child."

"I'll stay," said Walker, sounding surly. "Wouldn't want you thinking you're a better man than me."

"You don't get it, do you?" said Bucky, becoming angry. "I don't care if I'm a better or worse man than you or anyone else. My morals are mine and mine alone. You goaded me in Europe about the serum flowing through my veins and all that power I keep suppressed. You know why? Because if I don't suppress it I will overdo it and hurt someone, possibly someone I love. That's why I don't kill because if I did I wouldn't stop. I was a killer against my will, John. I won't be a killer again because of my will. My choice, my decision, my cross to bear. I hope you never reach a point again where you hurt someone because you reacted with rage or without control, especially someone you love. It will destroy you probably more than your PTSD is already doing."

Bucky got up without waiting for a reply and Terry followed him, not wanting to be in a room alone with Walker. He followed Bucky all the way outside where he watched as Bucky paced like a caged animal, waiting for the others to do their reconnaissance. After a few minutes Bucky noticed him and stopped pacing. Terry approached him then.

"That's why you left her," he said. "You had a PTSD flashback and thought you would hurt her."

Bucky nodded then took a deep breath. "I should have stayed and confided in her so she could understand what I go through," he admitted. "But I panicked and left instead. I was ashamed of what went through my mind while we were in bed together. I know I hurt her and Tommy, and I will regret that my whole life. I don't expect her to take me back. All I can hope for is her forgiveness."

"For what it's worth I forgave you right away," said Terry. "I figured it was something like that. If you ever need someone to talk to you can call on me, anytime. I'll listen."

Bucky nodded and smiled grimly. "Thanks Terry," he replied. "I appreciate that."

They both sat on a nearby bench and Terry told him about his job coaching. Bucky could hear the pride in Terry's voice as he described the satisfaction the position gave him. It made him contemplate his own future after this mission was over. For so long he had been consumed with staying under the radar, then focused on undergoing treatment. Getting involved in the Flag Smashers case had been a spur of the moment thing but his actions had felt natural once he was involved. He found a sense of partnership with Sam that he hadn't felt since Steve and to him that was a good thing. Perhaps becoming an Avenger for real could be the calling he was looking for. It might even allow him the luxury of a family. Clint seemed to have been able to have both. But until they found Lacey and Tommy he couldn't allow himself to think that far ahead. Bucky stood up while looking at his watch, noticing almost an hour had passed.

"Let's see if we have any intel to go over," he said to Terry.

They returned to the meeting room, where John Walker still sat. Ayo and Belova returned from their sparring session, both of them displaying a sense of satisfaction. Within minutes the rest of the group arrived and Bucky received the information he had been waiting for.

"Start telling me things," said Bucky.

"I've located three different shipping containers with people inside," said Torres. "Hope put a tracker on each of the containers."

"I flew close to each one to establish visuals," added Hope. "The one that is a Black Cat container is in a dock in Brooklyn. They have several guards on that dock and more men in a building just beside the dock."

Bucky's jaw clamped down firmly when he heard the location but he said nothing.

"They also operate out of a hotel near the docks in Brooklyn," said Peter, hesitantly, knowing that Bucky was from there. "In fact, all of the groups known for trafficking have set up operations in the various boroughs. There are some in Queens and The Bronx. Most of the groups traffic in teenage girls, setting them up in the hotels. The Black Cat bring European women in and ship American women out to meet the demands of their customers in many different countries."

"Hope, were you able to get inside the container?" asked Bucky.

"Yes, but it wasn't lit inside," she said. "I had to use my infrared to maneuver and I couldn't tell if Lacey was in there."

"So, we have two different sites where she might be," said Bucky. "In any of your reconnaissance did you see Sergei Dendrov?"

Both Torres and Hope shook their heads. Bucky looked at Peter who looked back at him with compassion. "Yeah, he was at the Brooklyn Hotel. I hacked into traffic cams and identified his car. He had a woman with him but she was dark haired, not blonde like Lacey. I took a screen shot but I couldn't tell if it was her with her hair dyed. Friday, can you show the screen shot?"

A display on the wall showed the image of a woman. Both Bucky and Terry leaned forward trying to determine if the grainy image was of Lacey. They both sat back unable to confirm the woman's identity.

"We'll split up," said Bucky decisively. "One group will hit the shipping container while another group will hit the hotel. I'll be with the hotel group. I want Hope and Ayo with me. The rest of you will take the container and deal with the men on the dock. Maria, am I right in assuming that the sorcerers are here to open portals for us?"

"You're right," she said. "I'll alert Wong. When is go time?"

"Thirty minutes," said Bucky. "Gear up and meet outside, south entrance."

Bucky went straight to his quarters and changed into his black combat pants, black singlet, and leather jacket with one sleeve. He strapped on two gun holsters, and two knife sheaths, one on his right leg and one on his right wrist. At his weapons storage locker he pulled out two handguns checking the magazines and putting several more in a pocket on the left leg of his pants. Then he pulled out his knives, twirling them on his fingertips.

"I want to come with you," said a voice and Bucky looked up to see Terry.

"Too dangerous," he replied. "These guys are hardened killers. You have no fighting skills, no offence."

"Then I'll wait outside," said Terry. "I'll act like a tourist and can let you know if anyone comes to help Dendrov." Bucky looked hard at him. "Please, I already feel impotent. Let me do something, even if it's just as a lookout."

"Okay, but you stay out of the hotel," said Bucky. "If you see anyone with Russian gang tattoos stay out of their line of sight. They won't hesitate to kill you. Get a comms piece fitted for your ear."

Thirty minutes later they all assembled on the grass at the south entrance of the building. Wong was there and Bucky explained that a portal was needed for the docks and also for the hotel in Brooklyn.

"Which one would you like me at?" asked Wong. "I'm not just a pretty face. I'm a master of many martial arts disciplines."

A small smile creased Bucky's face at Wong's declaration. Those pudgy guys were usually the ones you had to watch out for.

"Can you stay on the street outside the hotel?" he asked, "If you could deal with any reinforcements that show up that would be great."

The sorcerer nodded and opened the first portal to the docks. Everyone except Bucky, Ayo, Hope and Terry went through. Then he opened the portal to the hotel and stepped through with Bucky's team, staying on the street with Terry as the other three entered the building.

Hope had shrunk down to wasp size and immediately began flying up the stairs to search room to room trying to locate Dendrov. She sent back information on the guards for each floor as she ascended. The desk clerk looked with alarm at Bucky and Ayo, trying to activate a panic button but Bucky was much faster and put his hand around the man's throat, pushing him up against the wall high enough that his feet dangled.

"The dark haired woman," he demanded, "where is she? What room?"

The man shook his head. Bucky squeezed harder and the man finally spoke. "She's Dendrov's personal property," he gasped. "He keeps her in his suite, top floor."

Bucky tossed the man aside as if he was garbage and began running up the stairs followed by Ayo. Several guards challenged them on the way up but were no match for the two, as they worked seamlessly as a unit.

"Hope, top floor," said Bucky. "Dendrov has a suite."

"On it," she responded.

Outside Terry and Wong saw a black SUV race up to the hotel and several men get out, fully armed. Terry alerted Bucky on comms. Wong smiled a grim smile then brought up magic that levitated each of the men and threw them repeatedly against the side of the hotel until they were unconscious before he dropped them on the street.

Hope arrived at the top floor and flew from room to room, finding Dendrov in the bedroom of his suite, about to enter the bed where a woman was cowering. Tapping Dendrov on the cheek she made him try to brush her away then she aimed a kick at his face that staggered him. He looked confused, not seeing what hit him. Flying straight into his mid-section, Hope pushed him against the window. She could hear signs of a fight outside the suite doors and flashed into full size, punching Dendrov in the face then shrunk again and retreated to the ceiling. The action rattled him and he looked everywhere in confusion. The sound of the suite door being broken open alerted him and he raced to the bed, grabbing the woman, holding a knife to her throat.

"Oh no, you don't," said Hope, firing her blasters at Dendrov in a narrow beam, hitting his knife hand.

He dropped the knife in pain and staggered back. The woman he was holding turned around and kicked him between the legs sending him to the ground. Then she jumped on him and began beating him with her fists, hitting every sensitive point on his head; his ears, nose and throat. Bucky and Ayo came into the room, watching the woman get her revenge on her captor with a certain sense of satisfaction. It was only when she turned to face them in triumph that Bucky realized she wasn't Lacey. Advancing towards her he offered her his hand to help her up.

"I need to speak with him," he said then turned his attention to Dendrov and addressed him in Russian. "We met once before. Where is she?"

Dendrov looked at Bucky as recognition slowly came to him. "Soldat," he said, then he sat up and spat on the floor before giving Bucky a smug smile. "She should never have given the flash drive to the FBI. You will never find her. She is already on her way. So compliant and a complete blank slate. She will fetch a good price."

Bucky punched Dendrov, knocking him out then stood up, his nostrils flaring as he spoke into his comms. "She's not here," he announced. "Dendrov said she is already on her way, meaning she's probably in a ship on the Atlantic. We need to find that ship."

"What about the other two containers?" asked Torres on his comms. "We've taken this one and the women are in bad shape."

Bucky thought for a moment. "Give the NYPD the locations of the other two cargo containers and let their Special Victims division handle it," he said. "They were already alerted we were targeting the Black Cats."

"He didn't specifically say ship," noted Ayo. "He knows who she is. She may be on a private jet for all we know, Sergeant Barnes."

"What would you have me do, Ayo?" He turned to her with his eyes blazing. "Give up? Let them have her? I thought you knew me better than that."

She put her hand on his arm. "Of course not," she said calmly. "He said she would fetch a good price which means they plan to auction her off. I can find out where the next auction takes place and can hack into their online catalogue. Then we take a force in there and release all of their captives. It is something that has already been discussed in Wakanda by our anti-trafficking unit."

"What aren't you telling me?" he asked.

"It is better that you let us do this tracking part without you," she said. "You are too emotionally involved at this time. We already have operatives that can impersonate being a buyer if we find her. The brother can come with us, to support her when we recover her. You and the rest of your team should now concentrate on finding and rescuing your son. The other two Dora Milaje will stay with that team."

Hope watched Bucky process this latest proposal, feeling his turmoil as he wrestled with doing what was best for Lacey. After what seemed like an eternity but was really only a couple of minutes Bucky's shoulders slumped and he looked beseechingly at Ayo.

"Alright, you find her," he said. "The moment you find her you call me, day or night. You get them all."

Ayo nodded and left the room. Bucky followed. They met the police coming up the stairs as they went down. Hope told them Dendrov was the man responsible for trafficking in Brooklyn. When they got down to the street it was full of police cars and ambulances as the women who had been locked up in the hotel rooms were led out in blankets. The dark haired woman who was with Dendrov came out wrapped in a blanket and spat on each one of his men. Wong looked at Bucky with understanding.

"I'm sorry she wasn't there," he said. "Ayo is right. Let her take up the search for Lacey. You will be more useful in Madripoor where Carter is."

He brought up a portal and the small team stepped through to the compound where the rest of the larger team had already returned. Ayo went to make arrangements for her and Terry to go to Europe to rendezvous with the Wakandan anti-trafficking team. Bucky went to Fury's office sitting on the chair across from him.

"We freed many women but Lacey wasn't one of them," he reported. "Dendrov said she was compliant and a blank slate. It means they've wiped her memory completely. Anyone could buy her and do anything they wanted to her. She wouldn't know if it was good or bad. Hell, they could turn her into an assassin if they wanted."

"I understand you are letting the Wakandans take over the search for her," said Fury carefully. "I think that is the right course of action at this time. You and the others should go to Madripoor." He hesitated for a moment. "I spent some time with Miss Williams during the time you spent in Wakanda. She is a strong woman and if your experience with the memory machine is anything to go by there is a residue, if you can call it that, of a person's basic personality that stays with them. It helped you throw off the yoke after 70 years of programming. It may also help Miss Williams maintain her core identity."

Bucky gave a smirk of acknowledgement. "I still killed for them," he replied. "I fought them all the time but once they said the right words I was their puppet. I think you give me too much credit. In many ways, I was an outlier. I fought them but they could still control me. The ones that willingly took the serum couldn't be controlled."

"That may be true," stated Fury, "but those who took the serum willingly were already out of control, being the killers and deviants they already were. When you did break with them you did it well and completely. I followed your case closely, Barnes; tried to find you, in fact. For two years you stayed under the radar, not killing or hurting anyone, except when the Russians came to Miss Williams' house. A true killer wouldn't have lasted a fraction of that time without resorting to violence. When this current rescue mission has concluded please consider staying on with the new incarnation of the Avengers. You have qualities and skills that we need. Your personal moral code is strong and we need that more than anything."

Bucky didn't agree or disagree but he did acknowledge the offer. When he came out of the office the others were waiting for him.

"We're going to Madripoor," he said. "Get a bag together, weapons in a separate bag. Ayo and Terry will continue the search for Lacey. Wong, is there a safe house there where we can base our operations?"

"Yes," replied Wong. "Dr. Strange has put a protection and concealment spell on it so that Carter can't find it. I will give you a portal into it. I cannot join you as I must stay to protect the Sanctum but I will do what I can to assist you from here."

"Alright, meet outside in 20 minutes," said Bucky, then he turned to Terry. "I want to talk to you while I'm getting ready." Terry followed him into the weapons storage area and stood listening as Bucky put his weapons back in their satchel then pulled the entire bag out. "The memory suppression machine wipes away all previous memories by destroying the synapses between brain cells. The Wakandans believe the cells themselves hold the memories but without the synapses they can't be accessed. In my case, they believe some synapses did begin to rebuild. Maybe it was part of the super soldier regenerative process ... I don't know. You have to accept that Lacey may have no idea of who you are. She may have no memory of your parents, your childhood, Tommy ... it will all be gone. It's going to distress you but what she needs from you is proof of her identity. If you have pictures on your phone, show them. Tell her stories of growing up together. Tell her both the good stuff and the bad stuff. If there is a chance that her synapses have started rebuilding then she may have a flash of a memory. Help her to hold onto it and build it. I kept memory books, where I wrote down things as I remembered them, both good and bad. I wanted to remember all of it."

"How long did it take you?" asked Terry, his brow furrowed.

"I'll let you know when I'm there," said Bucky, smiling grimly. "For me it started with one word, "Bucky", said by Steve Rogers as I was trying to kill him. Just the way he said it triggered something in my mind. Not even an actual memory at first, just a realization that I had known him and that we had been close. They wiped my memory again and sent me after him once more. I was so close to killing him and he said something else, something that I remembered saying to him when he was 18 and I was 19. That memory burned like a flame in my mind and stayed my hand long enough for me to realize that the killer I had been wasn't me, the real me. That's when I ran. For two years I was under the radar. I met Lacey during that time and she was so kind to me. She gave me food, and shelter before she gave me herself."

Bucky looked away from Terry as he remembered that night. Terry could see the emotion in Bucky as he remembered the night he spent with Lacey. In his mind, he saw a man who was very much in love with his sister.

"She got pregnant that night," continued Terry. "She told me about the four Russians who came to the house in the middle of the night, and that you handled all of them easily. Then you told her to phone the FBI and you left, blowing her a kiss from outside, leaving her an origami heart on the dresser. You made an impact on her, Bucky. You accepted her as she was, just like she accepted you as a man, not as a killer. I'll make sure she remembers you."

Bucky closed the door of the weapons locker and looked at Terry with emotion. Then he clapped him on the shoulder and wished him good luck, returning to his quarters to get his go bag. He made his way outside where the rest of the team already was. Wong opened a portal to the safe house in Madripoor and they all walked through.

Chapter 21>>

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megashadowdragon · 8 days

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When I read posts about john killing a surrendering guy, I haven't watched the episode. So I imagined that the guy stopped dead in his tracks, put his hands above his head and said, " I surrender!".

But nope, he ran away when walker chased him, used lethal force to slow him down (threw a giant concrete object hard enough for it to shatter on impact), tried to get up when he got knocked down twice, and when he was pinned down and had no other option, he put his hands forward in a defensive position and said "it wasn't me!".

That didn't look like surrender, that looked like he was stalling for a chance to escape.

As a veteran, I related to John walker more than just about any character in the MCU. He was a guy always wanting to do the right thing, selected for a position he was not sure to take but did it for the people to have their symbol. Tries to handle things peacefully and work with bucky and falcon, who do nothing but get in the way and talk down to him. Then when his best friend is killed infrint of him, he reacted the way any warrior would. And the most incredible part is that his priority after, was to visit his best friends family and give his deepest condolences. The way any honorable soldier fighting with his mates would.Show less

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the sympathetic strawman how mcu accidentally created one of the best mcu characters

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john walker effect part 2

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analysis of the vid just be focused on the john walker part I will watch it later

#john walker

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pigtailedgirl · 2 years

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hiii I hope you're having a great day! I'm not kidding when I say that it took several read throughs before I sent this 😭 I was just wondering if you'd mind linking any marvel meta and critiques pertaining to civil war and the accords, endgame, tfatws, tony, peggy, and the way steve and bucky's characters were treated.

context: I'm trying to explain some things to a friend of mine, but I just know there's posts that explain it better than I can. I spent over an hour scrolling through various tags and I really struggled to find my favourites.

I hope this doesn't sound too demanding, and feel free to ignore it if you're busy or you don't want to do it. I'm honestly just hoping you have some kind of folder where you keep them all! if you do, though, I would love if you included your own posts, because yours are some of the best ones I've read.

anyway, wishing you the best 💖

I admit this makes me super happy because, it's like even the internet friends know I'm a folder person! I do have a lot CACW and Endgame meta even offline folder saved lol.

I don't know if there is any specific arguments or points you and your friend are discussing to direct at? Let me know!

Here's what I have that applies in my current bookmarks, except LewtonBus which I think are articles for self examine and not to bring to discuss in rebuttals with friends, because there is really good stuff in them to ponder but, they are thesis' I'm not 100% subscribed too.

Also I can't rec enough the blogs of @thehollowprince, @robotmango, @monardarmmm, @fearlessinger, @chirping_tiger, @kateis_cakeis, @laporcurina, @cosmicmechanism, @keire-ke. I've scoured there tags and takes and loved so much if it.

STUCKY & Endgame

https://bamsmackpow.com/2019/04/30/avengers-endgame-lack-of-closure/

This is my defining WTF Endgame article. I don't see how anyone can argue against it. There is no explanation or reasoning to give out to the obvious and intentional erasure of Steve and Bucky out of Endgame's story narrative and why it doesn't fucking matter if you like the ship or the characters at all, erasing them, denying it, failed the set up of the story structure and the basics of arc complete writing.

The Stucky Essay - bilittlebarnes - Captain America (Movies) [Archive of Our Own]

This essay is so good. I was drawn in by it's argument on the "Bucky is alive!" moment of Endgame critic, because it highlights that the movie itself knows Stucky makes more narrative sense and importance and therefore uses it, but of course won’t let it be acknowledged. America’s ass is on display, just not the one they think.

The Silence of Peggy Carter. Peggy Carter was founder and Director… | by Summer Barbeau | Medium

I'm being really critical of Peggy's character being so beloved lately, examining my past defense of, but I think this article is the bomb on why Endgame's Steggy is dismissive of the pairing and characters whether you like them or not. An ending that devalues and silences your partner for romance is a fail.

For CACW

Exorcism, Burial, and Analysis: Representing Trauma in ‘Captain America: Civil War’ – Ceci n'est pas un discours (wordpress.com)

CA:CW, the reaction - cute but prickly (tumblr.com)

TFATWS

‘Falcon & The Winter Soldier’ & The Myth of Nonviolence | by Alex Mell-Taylor | An Injustice! (aninjusticemag.com)

I know it might not run in pop circles to my friends list but I'll say I agree with most if not all of the Mooler's breakdown of TFATWS.

https://youtu.be/N0Tu6pCvjQ4

In that Karli read more villain than John Walker to me, despite show intent, and it needs massive overhaul, because it's message sucked in many many ways. And I thought Sam and Bucky did come of as morally wrong and kinda massive jerks in comparison to Walker, as did the ethics of the Flagsmashers, the Dora.

That doesn't mean I've any love or interest in the John Walker character independently, as Jessica Jones season 1 did that style story better...it's a story meh in comparison to what I want which is a focused Sam story...and I certainly have no love or respect for Zemo's addition likewise. Where to go with the Captain America stories and ethics of the characters is so f'ed right now.

#good meta #recs #captain america #steve rogers #anti endgame #anti tony stark #cacw meta #steve rogers meta #anti steggy #stucky meta #tfatws critical

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astrovian · 1 year

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Interview with Richard Armitage for The Telegraph (30/10/22)

Transcript under cut

If anyone had asked Richard Armitage 10 years ago whether he’d ever thought about writing a book, he’d have laughed. “I’d have said, ‘I’m not clever enough’,” he tells me. “I always feel a bit of an underdog when it comes to intellectual pursuits. I didn’t graduate from Oxbridge, like so many of my peers at Lamda [the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art].”

Yet here he is, the author of an atmospheric, icily tense audio-thriller, Geneva, about a Nobel prize-winning neuroscientist, Sarah, who is slowly losing her memory. The story, released earlier this month on the online audiobook and podcast service Audible as an “Audible Original”, takes in dementia, Big Pharma and biotech; Armitage narrates alongside Nicola Walker, his voice as soothing as melted chocolate.

“Audible asked me if I wanted to write something,” he explains. “I’ve narrated quite a few books for them and I think they checked the algorithm and realised I score quite highly with crime thrillers. They’ve seen I have an audience.”

Armitage, 51, says this in a self-effacing way. He’s been a fixture on the small screen since 2004, when he emerged as the brooding mill-owner John Thornton in the BBC’s adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North & South, delighting a generation of (let’s face it) female viewers. He has worked with exhausting regularity since then, notching up credits as the imperious dwarf king Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit film trilogy; inscrutable MI5 spy Lucas in the TV series Spooks; the deliciously villainous Sir Guy of Gisborne in the BBC’s Robin Hood; and the special-forces hard-man John Porter in Chris Ryan’s Strike Back. Most recently, he starred in two Netflix adaptations of the Harlan Coben novels The Stranger and Stay Close.

He is a consistently reliable screen presence: he often plays macho heroes with an interesting, sensitive side and was particularly excellent on stage as tormented visionary Astrov in Ian Rickson’s 2020 West End revival of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. But with grey hair now at his temples, Armitage is wary of taking all this for granted. Hence the branching into other mediums: he’s developing a TV show (which he can’t yet discuss) and, of course, there’s the new book.

“I don’t want to retire when I get to 60, but I don’t necessarily want to still be an actor-for-hire, either,” he says. “It’s quite a whimsical position to be in: one day you’re flavour of the month; next day, no one wants you.

“You can’t force your own relevance. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve never been relevant, I’ve just been lucky. I’m easy to work with, but I don’t think I’ve ever been hot.”

Some might disagree. Still, I don’t think I have ever met an actor who has such a complicated relationship with his own career. Armitage is a curious mix of self-deprecating, pragmatic and quietly anguished. He approaches each role with the dedication of a scholar, penning preparatory biographies for his character and immersing himself in research (he famously endured waterboarding to prepare for his spy character undergoing the torture in Spooks).

Yet he worries he is sometimes cast because of his looks. “A couple of times I’ve been hired for something and I go, ‘Oh, I thought I was here because of my brain, but actually it’s because you want totty on screen. I’ve done all this character analysis and you just want me to take my shirt off.’ People talk about the power of the male gaze. But the female gaze is just as interesting to talk about. It’s a marketing tool like any other.”

One wonders whether Armitage is actually perfectly happy taking his shirt off. He says he told himself that when he got to 50, from that point onwards, he’d keep his clothes on – but he’s at it again in Damage, Netflix’s forthcoming remake of the 1992 steamy thriller featuring Jeremy Irons and Juliette Binoche, in which he stars opposite Peaky Blinders’s Charlie Murphy.

Still, he says that it took him a while to understand why directors would cast him in a particular type of role. “For long stretches of my career, I would take what I was offered. Yet I wouldn’t understand why I was being asked to inflict violence all the time. Why am I firing guns and throwing punches? Why am I not playing gentle, fragile, broken little people?

“But then you watch yourself and you think, ‘Well, I’m pretty tall. And I seem to have this hyper-masculine energy that I was unaware of.’ Then I realised that was quite useful, because maybe the hard shell of a man often harbours a more fragile person that I could occasionally reveal. Because the world doesn’t really allow men to be fragile.”

Armitage grew up in a working-class family in Leicester and only attended the performing arts boarding school Pattison College thanks to a local-authority grant. He worked first in musical theatre, including stints in 42nd Street and Cats, before taking a three-year course at Lamda then joining the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has always worked hard, an ethic he puts down to both an insecurity about money (linked to his roots) and a gnawing anxiety about his ability.

He admits that the character of Daniel in Geneva – Sarah’s husband and also a scientist – contains a fair bit of himself. “Daniel’s wife has all the glory. He has to accept that he’s pretty average. I relate to that. I know there are people out there who are far better at all this than I am, and I feel my only forte is that I have the discipline to put my head down and work. I’ve always felt like this – in dance, music and acting. I’ve never had that natural, God-given genius, for instance, but when I was younger I knew I could become a fairly average cello player if I worked hard enough.”

Armitage came out at the age of 19, although it’s not something he’s talked about much. “It’s not a big deal. It’s not very interesting. I suppose if I were to stop being hired because of it, that would be something else. But we’ve moved on since those days, haven’t we?”

He genially bats away further questions about his personal life. “When I was younger, the actors I found the most intriguing, such as Gary Oldman, were the ones I knew the least about. I’ve always wanted to be that type of actor; I’ve never wanted to get in my own way. Otherwise it’s a bit like painting a picture then standing in front of it waving your hands.”

These days, he spends half the year in New York: he was advised to move to the US after The Hobbit to expand his career, but couldn’t stomach Los Angeles, so settled for the Big Apple instead. “Although I can’t say living there has brought me any extra work.” That professional angst never goes away. “In fact, it gets worse as I get older.”

He is aware of the absurdities of his profession. “I look at award ceremonies and premieres, in which we’re all swanning around in $400 suits, most of them borrowed, drinking champagne, and I think, ‘What is this illusion we’re all peddling? I’m from a working-class background: I should be on the other side of the barrier!’ ”

Then he laughs. “I say all this, but I’ll probably be seen at yet another film premiere next week.”

#richard armitage

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briarruler · 2 years

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Masterpost for all of my Danny Phantom related posts.

Thoughts and Comments

For the Ghosts: why Danny keeps his secret.

Danny turning up at Sam's in the early morning.

Decided I don't like Memory Blank.

Do the students of Casper High know that Spectra was a ghost?

I shall call him 'Plasmius Phantom'.

Ghosts consider a day to be from one Sunset to the next?

Micro Management's Mouse.

King Tuck's eyeliner.

I don't think Freakshow knew Danny Phantom was half-human.

Amorpho did not know Phantom was a Halfa.

Students at camp during Claw of the Wild.

Tucker's reason Danny should keep his powers is logical.

Human to ghost and retaining hair.

Danielle is not 12.

Alternate Universes

Halfa Trio AUs

Halfa Trio AU ideas where their transformations are linked.

The Portal Kawoosh as an explanation for a Halfa Trio.

Ideas for Halfa Trio AUs with Identical Ghost Form.

Three for the Portal AU

Three for the Portal: Half-Ghost Trio Fusing via Overshadowing.

Three for the Portal: Names.

Description of the Trio's ghost-forms.

Ecto-Acne Trigger AU

Ecto-Acne Triggered Ghostification AU.

Other Trio AUs

Halfa Sam and Tucker, Human Danny AU

AU Idea: Half-Ghosts Sam and Tucker.

Lemures and Poltergeist.

Ghost Sam AUs

The Human, The Ghost and The Liminal.

AU where Sam died in the Portal.

Ghost Trio

My Dead Trio AU Masterpost.

Other AUs

Danny actually hides his transformation.

Star Mythology empowered Danny AU.

Sam with the Ring and Tucker with the Crown.

Full Ghost AU but the divergence happening during Memory Blank.

Fenton Crammer AU

Fenton Crammer used to imprison enemies.

Who Danny could uses the Fenton Crammer on.

Thoughts and Questions

Have we ever seen the Fenton Thermos not capture a ghost?

Fenton Thermos and humans?

Overshadowing and the Fenton Thermos?

Request for Overshadowing Theories/Analysis.

Why does Danny get shipped with Dash more often then Tucker?

What would the Fenton Peeler do to Danny?

Fanart

Bad Chibi Avatars: Danny Fenton-Phantom.

Bad Chibi Avatars: Ghostly Tucker Foley.

Bad Chibi Avatars: Ghostly Sam Manson.

Bad Chibi Avatars: Everyday Human and Colour Inverted Ghost forms.

Crossover Related

A pokemon team for Danny.

Masterpost for my Danny Phantom Pokemon fusion idea.

Pariah Dark's voice just gave me sudden Nene flashbacks.

The Box Ghost goes looking for the world of Blue Dragon.

Everyone goes ghost crossover beginning.

Amity Park unaffected in during Young Justice: Misplaced.

Ghost King Danny 'gifted' John Constantine's soul.

A Better World triggered discovery of Amity Park.

Sam Manson and the Justice Lords.

Justice Lords mentoring Team Phantom.

Santa vs Darkseid as the Origin of the Christmas Truce.

Team Phantom's side gig as minor supervillains.

Team Phantom moves to England and Phantom meets Constantine.

Amity Park unaffected by outside nonsense.

Superheroes were taken out by ghostly team up in TUE timeline.

Why Batman shouldn't try to adopt Danny.

Scarab Sceptre Museum Heist Crossover continuation.

Other Stuff

The problem with Sam's plan in Memory Blank.

Reason I don't use the Fandom's Ghost Obsession headcanon.

Straight up colour inverted ghost forms.

Disproven Penelope Spectra Theory.

Draft of a dates given in show-canon canon.

An Ask.

Would Half-Ghost Sam commit crimes?

For Humanity or for Love?

Secret Identity Fight: Ghosts are dead vs Danny's lack of subtly.

A possible limit on Clockwork.

Duplication vs all the other powers Danny could be trying to learn.

The less you know, the more likely to connect Phantom to Fenton.

Tucker is the Team Phantom member with lands in the Ghost Zone.

Dani is useful to a Team Phantom trying to hide.

The Fenton Ghost Portal causes a Ghost Zone population boom.

What does canon gives us about ghosts and food?

Can the Fenton Ghost Catcher create a Halfa?

A reason for Walker's ban of human world objects?

The Ghost King as an anti-mind control role.

Scarab Sceptre museum Heist.

The Infinite Realms declare war on America.

Summoning Circle Duplicates.

Will be updated via editing as needed.

#Masterpost #Danny Phantom

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lantern-hill · 1 year

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november wrapup ⛅

books

how to be a good creature: a memoir in thirteen animals (3/5)

the short stories of john cheever (4/5) (💗)

how to be animal: a new history of being human (IPR)

essays

the timeless, futile effort to fix circadian rhythms with tech (👍: look into time-space compression)

tiktok and the vibes revival (👎; shallow analysis, disagree with conclusions)

she served MIDnights: album review (👍📌; hilarious, on point)

queer as in... what, exactly? (👍)

i love sally rooney's novels, but they aren't written for me (👍)

a revolution in creativity: on slow writing (👉)

when black excellence isn't enough (👍)

the erasure of Black women in slasher films has larger implications about race in america (👍)

with twitter crumbling, it feels like the world is collapsing on disabled people (👍)

the danger - and necessity - of paranoid reading (👍📌)

what happened at the root? (👉)

the death of the girl detective (👉)

the revolutionary writing of bell hooks (👉)

beyonce's lemonade is capitalist money-making at its best (👍)

black bodies in white words (👍)

an interview with deesha philyaw (👍)

meditations on meanness (👍📌)

movies

indiana jones & the last crusade (4/5)

don't worry darling (2.5/5)

the social network (3/5)

short stories

everyday use - alice walker (💗)

#org #wrapup

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artanalysist · 1 year

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This is the painting we chose at the Walker Art Gallery, on 11th November. This is the painting we all agreed on, as there is a lot to talk about.

Rebecca also created a WhatsApp group chat, to discuss our project about anything. This was really useful to use, to help each other out, when we couldn't meet up together. This was used alot.

Then later on the week, we made a plan who is going to do what. I'm (Greta) going to the the formal reading and this blog, Rebecca is doing the iconographocal analysis and George is doing the introduction and conclusion, this includes a look into the artist and context.

12th November

George went into the library, to start his part of our presentation. He chose some books about the artist. The photo underneath shows the books he took out.

A week later, we decided to meet up on the weekend, to go up to the Walker Gallery, to take another look at the painting. This is to look at it with fresh pair of eyes.

Then we all talked about the the story, this painting is based on. The Story of Joseph, Genesis 37-50. We had looked up this story on, and to get our reference one.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2037-50&version=NLT .

I also looked up at this story on youtube, watching a couple of different videos. This is where I had noticed some differences between. We discussed about as a group, what parts of the story is the painting based on, and what else it references. Then Rebecca made an amazing mind-map breaking down the story.

Afterwards, Rebecca took some closer shots of the painting, particularly on things that caught our eye. This is when we noticed details within the painting we didn't see before. For example, the camel, the handle of the crook has a head of a bird, and seashells on the necklace. I made a collage of these close up shots.

26th November.

A week later, we came together at the Liverpool Central Library, to share out notes, and discuss what we have done so far, what we have to moving forwards on with our group work. Also to tie up any loose ends to finish our work this group presentation.

Monday 28th November

Finally, we had the last meet up, before our presentation. Me and Rebecca told George the key aspects of work, so that George can work on his conclusion. Discussed each others work, giving feedback, and a quick run down, in what we are going to say on our presentation.

Bibliography

Brown. FM Edited by Virginia Surtess. The Diary of Madox Brown. New Haven and London. Yale University Press, 1981.

Barringer. T Men at work, Art and Labour in Victorian Britain. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2005.

Hurault Bernado. 'The Story of Joseph'. Christian Community Bible. Patricia Grogan,Roger Butlans, Adolph Dias. Robert and Bernardine Caminita, Paul Ginivan, Ma, Susana, C, Basmayor, Miriam Cruz, John Ledesma, SDB, Alberto Rossa, CMF. Quezom: Claret Publishing Group. 2016, 120-130.

Murray John. HALL'S, Dictionary of Subjects & Symbols in Art. Norwich: Fletcher & Son Ltd, 1974.

Wilson, Mathew. Symbols in Art. London. Thames & Hudson, Ltd, 2020

Sorry that I have not put the titles in italics, for the Havard referencing system, as I wasn't able to find out how to do this, on tumbler.

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twdmusicboxmystery · 1 year

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Snake Symbolism Analysis via @galadrieljones

@galadrieljones:

@twdmusicboxmystery, I just saw your snake post on Instagram! I loved it. Makes me think if every snake is essentially an ouroboros symbol.

The ouroboros originates with Morgan in “Here’s Not Here,” which is when Eastman gives him the Art of Peace. There was then a Fear episode called “Ouroboros” that aired about six months later, a few weeks after “The Last Day On Earth.”

It’s the episode when they find the wreckage from Flight 462, Travis clears a blockage of dead walkers from the engine of the Abigail, Nick discovers the guts method, Chris mercy kills a man with a broken spine in the fuselage, and Strand sabotages their rescue of the Flight 462 survivors. Has anyone watched that Flight 462 mini-series?

The snake seems like a powerful symbol of “recycling” or the cycle of violence/abuse/etc. It, of course, also goes back to the Eden allegory. Beth seems to end the cycle and restart the narrative in Coda by sacrificing herself to kill Dawn and end her reign of terror. She’s the first one to do this. Then Rick does it in 9.5.

I remember I once compared Nick Clark to Beth and Rick, but Nick doesn’t die in sacrifice. He dies when Charlie kills him in revenge. He is a victim of the cycle perpetuating itself, so it’s not the same.

Madison does however seem to reset the narrative after sacrificing herself. The whole narrative does experience a reset with the onset of season 4, when Morgan shows up, along with John Dorie and several other new characters. It’s just that we learn of Madison’s death in a non-linear fashion.

Importantly, some major characters die while breaking the cycle of violence/vengeance/etc., while others are victims of the cycle. For example, Sasha dies breaking the cycle, but Tyreese is a victim. Sasha doesn’t reset the narrative though. Only a couple characters do this, like I said: Rick, Madison, and Beth.

What’s the uniting factor here? They’re not actually dead. Well, we know for sure that Rick and Madison aren’t dead. And with Beth there are “questions.” This pattern makes it all the more likely TD is right. Maybe their ultimate sacrifice is greeted with a cosmic reward or something. Like Jesus dying on the cross. Rick and Madison did what they did to save their families. Why does Beth die? It only makes sense if she dies for something really big, ie: to foil a deadly CRM research plot? Maybe…?

This can also explain why characters Teddy and Alpha don the ouroboros (Teddy on his “box of the dead,” and Alpha on her belt buckle). Both characters essentially worship the “cycle.” Teddy espouses his motto that “the end is the beginning.” He wants to reset the world but his method for doing this only perpetuates and even compounds it’s suffering. His death is in vain.

Alpha’s lifestyle involves becoming the dead. She worships death and has come to command it in some ways. When she dies, it’s a consequence of her betraying her code. She ignorantly trusts Negan, who betrays her.

@twdmusicboxmystery:

Love your analysis! Especially for why Teddy and Alpha wear them. That totally makes sense!

#beth greene #beth greene lives #beth is alive #beth is coming #td #td theories #td theory #team delusional #team defiance #beth is almost here #bethy

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honeyleesblog · 10 months

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Providing In-Depth Horoscope and Personality Analysis for May 10 Birthdays

They are not forceful or risky individuals, but rather they are unfaltering and firm: their fearlessness is solid. They will foster thanks to their own encounters and those of others. They are delayed to simply decide, and their perspective is consistently pragmatic and strong. Your brain is very free. They slowly ascend to the highest point of their beliefs, and that is the point at which they quit considering just themselves. The lacking person on this birthday is exceptionally pompous, dictatorial, and undeniably challenging to please. Notwithstanding that, his huge childishness empowers him to make material progress. With respect to the calling, they are magnificent in proficient cooking, horticulture, cultivating, and land. They additionally well as developers, vocalists, or specialists. Defect: They generally must have the final word. They are obstinate, unflinching, and imperious of character, qualities that become more unmistakable with age and industriousness. Loaded up with nobility and pride, they can be dependent upon risky interests and explosions of outrage. They are not liberated from the sensation of jealousy. What undermines them: They might go through deterrents and afflictions in their lives that influence their arrangements. What would it be advisable for them to desire? To assume command over her exotic nature, which is communicated with incredible power. Sicknesses: You can capitulate to mental despondency, and your body can show an inclination to heart conditions. Over the long run they can accomplish a decent position or have a decent profession, regardless of whether they come from a less fortunate foundation. Providing In-Depth Horoscope and Personality Analysis for May 10 Birthdays

Assuming your birthday is on May 10, your zodiac sign is Taurus May 10 - character and character character: dauntless, flawless, curious, wild, adversary, saved; calling: physicist, review or, dressmaker; colors: olive, blue, dim; stone: diopside; creature: indulgent person; plant: poinsettia; fortunate numbers: 22,25,34,35,45,57 very fortunate number: 5 Occasions and observances - May 10 Pastorate Day Mother's Day in: El Salvador, Joined Middle Easterner Emirates, Guatemala, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Pakistan, US, Qatar, Singapore, Chile. World Day of transient birds World Lupus Day. Spain: Pastorate Day May 10 Superstar Birthday. Who was conceived that very day as you? 1900: Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, English American cosmologist and astrophysicist (d. 1979). 1901: John Desmond Bernal, Irish-English crystallographer and physicist (d. 1971). 1901: Max Lorenz, German tenor (d. 1975). 1902: Anatole Litvak, Ukrainian-American producer, maker and screenwriter (d. 1974). 1902: David O. Selznick, American movie maker and chief (d. 1965). 1905: Mდ¡rkos Vamvakდ¡ris, artist lyricist, bouzouki player and Greek Rebetician performer (d. 1972). 1906: Benjamin Cid, Chilean legal advisor (f. 1990). 1909: Arturo Moreno, Spanish sketch artist and artist (f. 1993). 1913: Geoffrey Stagg, Spanish Hispanicist (d. 2004). 1915: Denis Thatcher, English military and finance manager, spouse of Margaret Thatcher (d. 2003). 1916: Milton Babbitt, American writer and instructor (d. 2011). 1918: Diva Diniz Correa, Brazilian zoologist (f. 1993). 1919: Eugenio Suდ¡rez, Spanish columnist and money manager (f. 2014). 1921: Luis Ciges, Spanish entertainer (f. 2002). 1922: Nancy Walker, American entertainer, artist and chief (d. 1992). 1923: Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijani general and lawmaker, third Leader of Azerbaijan (d. 2003). 1923: Otar Korkia, Georgian b-ball player and mentor (d. 2005). 1925: Jaime Campmany, Spanish columnist and author (f. 2005). 1925: Juanita Martდnez, entertainer and Argentine vedette (d. 2001). 1925: Nდ©stor Rossi, Argentine footballer (d. 2007). 1926: Hugo Banzer Suდ¡rez, Bolivian military and despot (f. 2002). 1928: Arnold Rდ¼დ¼tel, Estonian legislator and agronomist, Leader of Estonia. 1928: Lothar Schmid, German chess player (d. 2013). 1929: George Coe, American entertainer and maker (d. 2015). 1929: Antonine Maillet, Canadian author and writer. 1930: George E. Smith, American physicist and specialist, Nobel laureate in material science. 1931: დ‰ttore Scola, Italian movie producer and screenwriter (d. 2016). 1932: Rodolfo Zapata, Argentine vocalist and humorist. 1935: Larry Williams, American vocalist, lyricist, piano player and maker (d. 1980). 1937: Tamara Press, Ukrainian disk hurler and competitor. 1938: Manuel Santana, Spanish tennis player. 1940: Arthur Alexander, American vocalist and lyricist of nation and soul (d. 1993). 1940: Wayne Dyer, American author and teacher (d. 2015). 1940: Vicente Miera, Spanish soccer mentor. 1941: Eric Barney, Argentine competitor had some expertise in shaft vault. 1942: Jim Calhoun, American b-ball player and mentor. 1942: Carl Douglas, Jamaican vocalist and musician. 1942: Fernando Gallardo, Chilean entertainer (f. 2004). 1943: Lucinda Worsthorne, English author, photographic artist, TV host and maker. 1944: Jim Abrahams, American movie producer, maker and screenwriter. 1944: Juan Josდ© Lucas Gimდ©nez, Spanish lawmaker. 1944: Marie-France Pisier, French entertainer, chief and screenwriter (d. 2011). 1945: Rafael Ribდ³, Spanish legislator, leader of Iniciativa per Catalunya. 1946: Donovan, English vocalist, musician, guitarist, maker and entertainer. 1946: Graham Gouldman, English guitarist and author. 1946: Maureen Lipman, English entertainer. 1948: Meg Encourage, American entertainer. 1949: Miuccia Prada, Italian style originator. 1952: Kikki Danielsson, Swedish vocalist. 1952: Vanderlei Luxemburg, Brazilian footballer and administrator. 1953: Salvador Domდnguez, Spanish performer, of the band Los Canarios y Los Pekenikes. 1953: Tito Santana, American expert grappler. 1954: Jorge Rossi, Argentine TV moderator (d. 2012). 1955: Imprint David Chapman, American resident, killer of English artist John Lennon. 1956: Vladislav Listyev, Russian columnist (d. 1995). 1957: Sid Awful, bassist and English artist, of the troublemaker band Sex Guns (d. 1979). 1958: John Bonello, Maltese footballer. 1958: Rick Santorum, American government official and legal counselor. 1958: Yu Suzuki, Japanese computer game maker. 1959: Danny Schayes, American ball player. 1960: Bono (Paul Hewson), Irish artist, lyricist, performer, money manager, giver and lobbyist, head of the band U2. 1960: Merlene Ottey, Jamaican-Slovenian sprinter. 1961: Danny Carey, American drummer, of the band Device. 1962: დ?ngel Mateo Charris, Spanish painter. 1963: Lisa Nowak, American space explorer. 1965: Linda Evangelista, Canadian model. 1965: Rony Seikaly, Lebanese-American ball player and radio moderator. 1967: Youthful MC, American rapper. 1968: Darren Matthews, English grappler. 1968: Al Murray, joke artist and English TV moderator. 1969: Dennis Bergkamp, Dutch footballer and chief. 1969: John Scalzi, American sci-fi essayist and blogger. 1970: Gabriela Montero, Venezuelan musician. 1970: David Weir, English footballer and chief. 1971: Monisha Kaltenborn, Indo-Swiss legal advisor and money manager. 1971: Craig Mack, American rapper and maker. 1972: Radosვ‚aw Majdan, Clean footballer. 1972: Rodrigo Ruiz, Chilean soccer player. 1972: Christian Wდ¶rns, German footballer. 1973: Joshua Falcon, Australian tennis player. 1973: Aviv Geffen, Israeli artist, lyricist, guitarist and maker. 1973: Rდ¼ვ?tდ¼ Reდ§ber, Turkish footballer. 1974: Sylvain Wiltord, French footballer. 1974: An Or more, American rapper, of the band Spirits of Naughtiness. 1975: Hდ©lio Castroneves, Brazilian engine hustling driver. 1976: Claudio Flores, Uruguayan soccer player. 1977: Henri Camara, Senegalese footballer. 1977: Scratch Heidfeld, German motorsport driver. 1977: Hugo Silva, Spanish entertainer. 1977: Juanma Castano, notable Spanish columnist. 1978: Bruno Cheyrou, French footballer. 1978: Reinaldo Navia, Chilean soccer player. 1978: Kenan Thompson, American entertainer. 1978: Antonio დ?lvarez, Venezuelan baseball player, artist and legislator. 1979: Alfredo Canario, Venezuelan baseball player and artist. 1980: Carlos Bueno, Uruguayan footballer. 1981: Belდ©n Arjona, Spanish pop-rock craftsman. 1981: Samuel Dalembert, Haitian-Canadian ball player. 1981: Humberto Suazo, Chilean soccer player. 1983: Gustav Fridolin, Swedish lawmaker and writer, Swedish Clergyman of Schooling. 1984: Edward Mujica, Venezuelan baseball player. 1984: Santiago Ramundo, Argentine artist, entertainer and legal advisor. 1984: Edward Mujica, Venezuelan baseball player. 1985: Jon Schofield, English canoeist. 1985: Odette Yustman, American entertainer. 1986: Emilio Izaguirre, Honduran soccer player. 1987: Wilson Chandler, American ball player. 1987: Carla Cardona, Mexican entertainer and model. 1987: Emmanuel Emenike, Nigerian footballer. 1988: Adam Lallana, English footballer. 1989: Lindsey Shaw, American entertainer. 1990: Salvador Pდ©rez, Venezuelan baseball player. 1992: Charice Pempengco, Filipino artist, musician and entertainer. 1993: Tდmea Babos, Hungarian tennis player. 1993: Halston Savvy, American entertainer. 1994: Nam Tae-hyun, South Korean artist. 1995: Missy Franklin, American swimmer. 1995: Gabriella Papadakis, French artist. 1996: Tyus Jones, American ball player. 1996: Kateვ?ina Siniakovდ¡, Czech tennis player.

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cksmart-world · 1 year

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SMART BOMB

The completely unnecessary news analysis

by Christopher Smart

December 13, 2022

TWO MORMONS WALK INTO A COFFEE SHOP...

Two Mormons walk into a coffee shop. No Wilson, this isn't a joke — but it could be. They order lattes but the Gentile barista turns them away because she doesn't embrace their beliefs. The religious freedom/civil rights conflict is central to the Culture Wars and a Supreme Court case, 303 Creative v. Elenis, where a Colorado designer and Evangelical, Lori Smith, refused to create a wedding website for a same-sex couple. The First Amendment, she argues, gives her the right not to speak, that is, create a website. But Colorado law says public business must serve all comers. To grasp the case, justices turned to hypotheticals, including this one from Justice Samuel Alito: “Does a black Santa have to take a picture with a white child dressed up in a KKK outfit?” Gawd. The staff here at Smart Bomb pondered other potential conflicting rights cases: What if an unmarried Utah Ute fan and a single BYU Cougar fan want to live together, but a landlord refuses to rent to them because their union is unholy. Or what if a singer in the (Mormon) Tabernacle Choir wants to moonlight with a girl-band that covers, “Walk Like an Egyptian.” The MoTabs director, however, denies her request because in “Genesis” the Israelites did not walk like Egyptians. Sure, and it didn't rain frogs, either.

NO HONOR AMONG THIEVES AND MIKE LEE

GOP “vultures” fleeced Herschel Walker's doomed campaign with a slight of hand that reveals the slimy underbelly of some of our reptilian “statesmen.” Utah's Mike Lee and Burgess Owens along with Sens. Lyndsay Graham and Rick Scott and others sent out urgent texts and emails ahead of Georgia's Dec. 6 Senate runoff raising the ALARM for folks to donate to Walker to save the country from Democrats. But unless donors clicked the fine print those GOP hustlers got half the money. Well, hey, since Walker is going down we might as well pick his carcass clean. The National Republican Committee took up to 99 percent of individual Walker donations. There's more: In a October email Donald Trump warned “Our Senate Majority is on the line... contribute any amount immediately!” The fine print diverted 90 percent to Trump's grifter PAC. Walker's staff knew it but could only look on as his brethren ate his lunch. Walker's campaign called them,“a bunch of vultures and hyenas,” to no avail. Hey, they've been called a lot worse. For Walker it must've been nice to know his teammates had his back — with big f-ing knives. There is no honor among thieves or Republicans — no news there.

WHERE OR WHERE DID THE JOHN BIRCHERS GO?

A long, long time ago in a reality not too far away there was a small group of whacky folks who claimed to be the real American patriots. Grinch didn't steal Christmas it was the U.N. The U.S. wasn't a democracy, it was a republic. Abortion and homosexuality were the devil's work. Democrats were running the country into socialism with Medicare and Medicaid. Sound familiar? Surprise, it's not the Republican Freedom Caucus — or is it? Let's give credit where it's due — the John Birch Society, derided in the 1950s and '60s as a bunch of crackpots who saw conspiracies under every bed. They faded away only to re-materialize as the present-day Republican Party. Spooky. But this time, Grinch didn't steal Christmas, it was those damned liberals. Wonder where Mike Lee got, “the U.S. is a republic not a democracy.” Wonder no more. According to The Washington Post's Matthew Dallek, the postwar decades saw a slash-and-burn ideology take over the far right, challenging free and fair elections, acceptance of facts and the peaceful transfer of power. Hmmmm. Now a new bunch of real American patriots, aka Trumpers, somehow got the notion to rid the country of democracy and replace it with... Who knows what. Where did the Birchers go? They went to Congress.

Post script — That's about it for another week here at Smart Bomb where we keep track of nuclear fusion so you don't have to. The Department of Energy just announced scientists have for the first time produced a fusion reaction that could provide unlimited, cheap, clean power. There's just one little problem — it's 150 million degrees Celsius. Here at Smart Bomb, we much prefer Cold Fusion. Remember that Wilson — in 1989 Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons announced at the University of Utah that they had created cold fusion in a Vlasic Pickle jar. It made headlines worldwide. The Legislature put up $4.5 million for a brand new National Fusion Institute so Utah could lead the world. But no one else anywhere could produce cold fusion in a pickle jar and the U. of U., along with Fleischmann and Ponds made headlines again. Ugh. Moving on, Georgia Patriot Marjorie Taylor Greene told an audience at the New York Young Republican Club that if she were in charge of the Jan. 6 insurrections that “we would have won.... [because] we would have been armed.” It was a joke — or was it? She's so funny. And finally this: A London-based tattoo removal studio will erase Kanye West tattoos for Free. The procedure can cost up to $2,400. Call it tattoo regret — or stupidity.

Wilson, the religious freedom/civil rights clash is driving the staff crazy. These “crises” are mostly brought about by people calling themselves Christians. Good thing there are antidotes for this — remember The Bangles, that pop rock girl band who had the breakout hit “Walk Like an Egyptian.” The band must know this one, so hit it, Wilson:

All the old paintings on the tombs, They do the sand dance, Don't you know? If they move too quick They're falling down like a domino. All the bazaar men by the Nile, They got the money on a bet. Gold crocodiles they snap their teeth On your cigarette. Foreign types with their hookah pipes say Walk like an Egyptian. The blond waitresses takes their trays They spin around and they cross the floor; They've got the moves. You drop your drink then they bring you more. All the school kids so sick of books, They like the punk and the metal band. When the buzzer rings, They're walking like an Egyptian. All the kids in the marketplace say: Walk like an Egyptian. Slide your feet up the street Bend your back Shift your arm then you pull it back.

Walk like an Egyptian

(Walk Like an Egyptian — The Bangles)

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