#yuh its transparent | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

letterboxd · 3 years

Photo

Best of the Fests 2020.

From 17th-century werewolves to WWII gremlins to present-day nomads, the stripped-back, mostly virtual 2020 fall festivals still managed to bring the goods. Our team rounds up the very best titles we saw at TIFF, NYFF, the BFI London Film Festival and beyond.

LISTEN: Gemma Gracewood and Ella Kemp chew over their festival favorites in the latest episode of The Letterboxd Show.

Kudos to the teams at the Toronto, New York and BFI London Film Festivals for pulling excellent hybrid festivals together in extremely weird, not-at-all-ideal circumstances. From the always-excellent conversations (and Cameron Bailey’s always-excellent suits) to the hybrid options for viewing, we left feeling hope for our favorite art form.

We have been keeping track, over on our Twitter account, of the many film festivals going online, and it’s safe to say that virtual film festivals—and the wider accessibility they offer—have been a silver lining to this mostly awful year. Indeed, the 58th NYFF was one of Film at Lincoln Center’s most-attended festivals, with 70,000+ attendees in all 50 states and beyond. (We participated in a NYFF Industry Talk, along with MUBI and Rotten Tomatoes, about the future of online film conversation, moderated by Indiewire’s David Ehrlich.)

Attempting to replicate the extreme fatigue of the real thing, our festival team (Ella Kemp, Aaron Yap, Kambole Campbell, Jack Moulton and Gemma Gracewood and—helping us bridge the geo-locked divide—Canadian TIFF regular Jonathan White) disregarded international date lines and dove right in. We saw many films to love, but by consensus (and a poke around your Letterboxd reactions) these are the ones we’re still thinking about.

Lovers Rock Directed by Steve McQueen, written by McQueen and Courttia Newland. The ‘Small Axe’ anthology will be released on a weekly rollout on Amazon Prime Video beginning November 20 with ‘Mangrove’, then ‘Lovers Rock’, ‘Red, White and Blue’, ‘Alex Wheatle’ and finally ‘Education’. Seen at: NYFF, BFI London Film Festival.

Lovers Rock, the first part of Steve McQueen’s ambitious, multi-part film project Small Axe, feels like a massive stylistic departure for the filmmaker, in a manner that completely transfixes and astounds. It’s no wonder that this one turned heads at multiple festivals, as it’s immediately warmer, more freewheeling and sensual than any other McQueen work. It’s defined by a hypnotic focus on sound and touch, represented in its earliest scenes with a tactile close-up of a heated comb working its way through hair, and later with its focus on hands wrapped around shoulders, moving across shirts and dresses, people joining together and/or colliding through song and dance. Despite being made for television, it’s astounding how little Lover’s Rock feels that way. Often impressionistic and unbound to the kind of urgency or efficiency that naturally comes with having to adhere to a time-slot, it simply rests in the moment. With the seismic protests being undertaken by Black people this year, Lovers Rock feels like more than welcome respite from a hateful populace—visually rich, gorgeously soundtracked Black joy and love. Also, man, those shirts are incredible. —KC

Nomadland Written and directed by Chloé Zhao. In US theaters December 4. Seen at: TIFF, NYFF, BFI London Film Festival.

“I am already convinced that Chloé Zhao deserves the whole world,” writes Jaime of Nomadland, the TIFF People’s Choice winner. Personal security is something we don’t think about on a daily basis. We have shelter, we can buy food, anything else is bonus. But what if those two basic tenets vanish? While the global financial crisis affected all in 2008, it affected retirees more. Supposedly secure retirement investments vanished; security no more. What do you do? Survive. Zhao’s adaptation of Jessica Bruder’s 2017 non-fiction masterpiece Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century is a beacon of human spirit and survival. It may not be pretty, but it’s real. It’s not something to be embarrassed about, it’s something to be proud of. Those that let this happen to good, honest working people should be the ones embarrassed. —JW

Minari Written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung. No release date announced. Seen at: Middleburg Film Festival.

Minari is the medicine for these tough times. It’s a wonderful, wonderful, deeply personal, utterly serene and metaphysical portrait of America—freedom, faith, superstition, forces of nature, and ambition collide with the costs of intoxicating capitalist dreams, but not without a whole lot of heart. This is elegantly crafted, at once organic in its approach and always sweepingly cinematic. The film’s gentle sense of humor ensures that it never takes itself too seriously and allows the weight of its poetic images and juxtapositions to guide the narrative. The brilliant ensemble should grow to join Steven Yeun as household names (well, cinephile households). Youn Yuh-jung and Alan Kim are bright sparks as the latest classic duo of sassy grandma and precocious grandchild, but it’s Han Ye-ri—taking on the surrogate role of director Lee Isaac Chung’s mother—who provides an overlooked and tender sounding board for familial bonds in fraction. Minari is truly one of 2020’s most invaluable and essential pieces of art, living up to the hype built since Sundance. Korea came to the USA for the Oscars earlier this year, and if 2021 shows similar mercy, there’s a chance you’ll see this home-grown Asian-American picture mounting that stage in future. —JM

Wolfwalkers Directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart, written by Will Collins with Moore and Stewart. Recently released in UK theaters; coming to Apple TV+ December 11. Seen at: TIFF, BFI London Film Festival.

The much-anticipated Cartoon Saloon adventure Wolfwalkers was met with only joy around here. A fable about what happens when a colonizing force tries to tame a wild forest, set during Oliver Cromwell’s Siege of Kilkenny, Wolfwalkers builds to “one of the most sensational animated third acts I’ve seen in years,” according to Animatedantic. The film’s themes are embedded in every hand-drawn line and stroke. “It’s not sleek and seamless and modern,” writes Cow Shea. “This is transparently a true work of art where all the work of that art is part of the finished product.” Mebh and Robyn are animated action heroes for the ages, and you’ll hear a lot about ‘Wolfvision’ in the weeks to come—for very good reason. Werewolf films have, for years, tried different ways to put us inside the beast’s mind, but Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart followed their noses and it’s as thrilling as things get. —GG

David Byrne’s American Utopia Directed by Spike Lee. On HBO and HBO Max now. Seen at: TIFF, NYFF, BFI London Film Festival.

David Byrne’s American Utopia is well on track to join Jonathan Demme’s film of another Byrne stage outing, Stop Making Sense (1984), as one of the highest-rated anythings on Letterboxd. We’re still deciding whether this film is sublime because the stage show itself is sublime, or because Spike Lee has sublimely captured the whole joyous thing for us to inject into our eyeballs, time and again, for far less than the price of a Broadway ticket. Let’s be honest: it’s due to both, and more besides. It’s a blessing upon 2020, of that we are certain. As Clint writes, “The phrase ‘this is the film we need right now’ is such a creaky cliché, but there’s an ineffable feeling that, if David Byrne and Spike Lee can’t heal the world with grey suits, bare feet, and some of the most all-encompassing works of music ever written, no one can.” As my colleague says, “will rewatch to death”. —GG

Shiva Baby Written and directed by Emma Seligman. On the festival circuit. Seen at: TIFF, LFF.

A girl walks into a shiva and bumps into her sugar daddy. What sounds like a joke sets up 77 minutes of note-perfect comedy horror in Emma Seligman’s Shiva Baby, her feature debut adapted from her dissertation short of the same name. It’s funny, horrifying, excruciating and so painfully, accurately Jewish. Isaac Feldberg calls it “cruelly hilarious about everything smothering and inevitably miserable about Jewish family gatherings”, but Seligman’s sharp eye for comedy, her affection for her teen hero Danielle (Rachel Sennott, a bona fide star) just figuring her career out and owning her sexuality (Molly Gordon playing Danielle’s overachieving ex-girlfriend Maya is a highlight) cuts straight to the core, however you relate. Matt Neglia points out how Shiva Baby “captures the behaviors of its characters with the same level of dry wit and detail as the Coen Brothers would”. What a thrill for a young, smart, Jewish, bisexual woman to be setting the pace now. Keep an eye on Seligman’s bright, bright future. —EK

Tove Directed by Zaida Bergroth, written by Eeva Putro. Released in Finland; on the festival circuit elsewhere. Seen at: TIFF.

If there was a film swoony enough to fill the Portrait of a Lady on Fire-sized hole in your heart this year, it’s Zaida Bergroth’s Tove, a bewitching biopic of Finnish author and illustrator Tove Jansson, creator of the beloved Moomin cartoon characters. Set in Helsinki during and post-World War II, the film orbits around her boho world, flitting between her creative struggles as a painter and deep sexual awakening with married theater director Vivica Bandler (Krista Kosonen). As Lillian says, “Lesbians and Moomins is such a huge fucking mood I never wanted it to end.” Alma Pöysti shines effortlessly in the lead role. “The film happens on her fantastic face,” writes Hannu. Seth agrees: “a captivating first-class drama about a world-renowned talent in search of her own identity, love and freedom.” A cozy fall-season perfection. —AY

Shadow in the Cloud Co-written and directed by Roseanne Liang. Slated for a summer 2021 release. Seen at: TIFF, AFI Fest.

A proud addition to the “she did that!” canon, the single downside of Roseanne Liang’s genre-perfect, “deliciously fearless” Midnight Madness winner Shadow in the Cloud is that there was no Midnight Madness to experience it at—but thanks to a juicy sale out of TIFF, we can look forward to a premiere next summer. Chloë Grace Moretz is Maude Garrett, a WWII pilot assigned to transport a highly classified package over the Pacific. The all-male crew of the B-17 Flying Fortress banishes her to the lower ball turret, where they harass, gaslight and leer over her—and that is nowhere near the worst part of this bonkers, non-stop hell flight, which Moretz carries like the future action hero she must now become, if the movie goddesses are listening. —GG

Pieces of a Woman Directed by Kornél Mundruczó, written by Kata Wéber. Coming soon to Netflix. Seen at: TIFF, NYFF.

You will be hearing a lot about Vanessa Kirby in the months to come. Pieces of a Woman is an arresting, often taxing watch, but few actors have delivered a performance as utterly overwhelming as Kirby portraying Martha, a grieving mother processing the loss of her baby. The filmmaking team (Mundruczo and Weber share a “film by” credit) zoom in on deep, jagged pain, and tease out some of the most affecting moments put to screen this year. Jack calls the film “an intensely intimate depiction of mental and marital deterioration caused by tragedy” and nods to master Howard Shore’s “subtle yet potent” score. It’s poetry in motion, with stunning turns from Shia LaBeouf, Ellen Burstyn, Sarah Snook and Benny Safdie also. But proceed with caution: “this film will destroy you”, Alisha Tabilin warns. —EK

Underplayed Directed by Stacey Lee. On the festival circuit. Seen at: TIFF. (Also recommended in our music movies round-up.)

Women-in-the-workplace movies aren’t usually this banging. Stacey Lee’s documentary Underplayed focuses on one corner of the still wildly sexist music industry—the dance-music scene—and lays out both the facts and feelings regarding why women still, always, deserve better. A number of key names guide the story—Rezz, Alison Wonderland, Nervo, TokiMonsta—giving the viewer a taste of what we’re missing out on while booking the same old men, over and over. And it’s not just because of the stats or the injustices that this is a must-watch: in times of limited social interaction and when the feeling of an adrenaline-fuelled crowd feels like a foggy memory, Lee captures some truly electric moments of these women thriving, captivating thousands of music lovers at once. “Buy yourself good speakers and turn them up because this movie is fun and it deserves it,” writes Matt Brown, and he’s absolutely correct. Underplayed is essential and exciting. The most entertaining education of the year. —EK

Another Round Directed by Thomas Vinterburg, written by Vinterburg and Tobias Lindholm. Awaiting new UK date due to lockdown. In US cinemas soon. Seen at: TIFF, LFF.

Another Round reunites filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg with his muse Mads Mikkelsen, in a lads-on-tour buddy movie, except the lads are four middle-aged high-school teachers, and the tour features a very casual, very constant level of intoxication each man commits to in the name of a social experiment. What could possibly go wrong, you ask? Plenty, naturally—but Vinterberg marries the slapstick moments of bumbling drunks falling over themselves with more mature, poignant scenes that question just how far you can or should go to feel that little bit more alive. There’s a lot to love here, but if we’re being very precise, it’s “rock-solid proof that Mads Mikkelsen is one of our greatest actors,” says Karen Han. Come for the wise, contemplative study of youth and spontaneity, stay for rock-solid proof that Mads Mikkelsen is also, somehow, one of our greatest contemporary dancers. —EK

One Night in Miami Directed by Regina King, adapted by Kemp Powers from his own stage play. In select US theaters December 25, coming to Amazon Prime Video January 15, 2021. Seen at: TIFF, NYFF.

Ladies and gentleman, Regina King has arrived. The actor wastes nothing in her feature directorial debut, bringing to the screen Kemp Powers’ vivid stage play of the same name with a heavyweight cast of greats. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr. are Malcolm X, Cassius Clay (before he took the name Muhammad Ali), Jim Brown and Sam Cooke respectively, as the four men celebrate Clay’s victory over Sonny Liston in February 1964, during One Night in Miami. Rachel Wagner notes how “they all feel like friends and have chemistry, but each with a unique perspective”. This chemistry comes from King’s perfect alchemy of mood, design and structure; she lets her men speak, but her voice is never lost. “Queen King never wavers on her vision until every bit of flesh is torn off each man,” Ben notes, admiring a film that shines for all its famous faces, but stands the test of time for its rich, piercing empathy for every other one waiting in the shadows. —EK

Supernova Written and directed by Harry Macqueen. Awaiting UK and Ireland release due to lockdown; in select US theaters January 29, 2021. Seen at: BFI London Film Festival.

Colin Firth at his very best, Stanley Tucci losing his grip on himself, the luscious Lake District and endless cozy, delicious, warm knitwear. Supernova is every bit as beautiful as it sounds, but also packs a major punch when it comes to mapping a lifelong love story, and the cost of loyalty and pride when you’re fighting against pain nobody can control. As Sam and Tusker, devoted to one another for decades, come to terms with Tusker’s diagnosis of early on-set dementia, there is as much care and sadness as is to be expected, but it still feels brand new and cuts deep. Every good love story is its own. Director Harry Macqueen and his two shining stars understand this better than anyone. —EK

French Exit Directed by Azazel Jacobs, written by Patrick DeWitt. Scheduled for US release January 21, 2021. Seen at NYFF.

Armed with acerbic wit and sharpened claws, Michelle Pfeiffer delivers a vulnerable close-to-career-best performance in French Exit as a mother free-falling from wealth and reconciling with her son, an expertly cold Lucas Hedges. What appears to be formal and dry (“rich white-people stuff”, blegh) is actually wonderfully weird and surprisingly spiritual. There’s a divisive scene at the half-way point that instantly unroots the movie from any grounding we assumed it had established. In any other film, it would open up an entire world of possibilities, but French Exit decidedly treats it as matter-of-fact in order to focus on the emotional journey. It’s the decisive moment—you’re on its wavelength, or you’re overboard—and the rewards for staying aboard are plentiful. Patrick DeWitt’s adaptation of his own novel is in good hands with director Azazel Jacobs. —JM

Still Processing Directed by Sophy Romvari. On the festival circuit. Seen at: TIFF.

A final, honorable mention for Sophy Romvari’s Still Processing, the highest-rated short film out of TIFF, and an excavation of grief like no other. “You’ve got to watch this one twice,” writes Martyn. “First viewing to just weep every two to three minutes. Second viewing to really appreciate how great it is.”

4 notes · View notes

kokcoin · 2 years

Text

[Wise Crypto Life] 10. NFT Part 1

A first auction of this kind

The era of NFT Flooding

In recent articles, the word NFT has been pouring out. ‘NFT (Non Fungible Token)’ is a digital asset that can transparently capture the original author, owner, and transaction history by utilizing the features of blockchain technology that cannot be forged or tampered with. Thanks to this, NFTs are actively used in the fields of arts and entertainment, where copyright issues have always been a matter of contention. Since digital files are easy to replicate, illegal use has been prevalent in the past, making it difficult to determine the original ones. However, with NFT, it is possible to prove that it is the original piece by giving it unique ownership and uniqueness.

We must also note that the "smart contract" on the Ethereum network contributed greatly to the formation of this NFT (see Wise Crypto Life Part 9). If the pre-set conditions are met, NFTs can be traded reliably thanks to the "smart contract" function.

The NFT market has grown rapidly, surpassing $300 million in 2020 alone and $2 billion in the first quarter of 2021. Since there are so many different types of NFTs including music, video, art, games, and even tweets, we will take a look at the types of NFTs in two parts. There are heaps of interesting NFTs, stay tuned to learn more about them.

NFT in the Realm of Art

The works of artist Beeple greatly ignited the NFT market’s attention as it boomed after Beeple’s digital art recorded an all-time high of 78 billion won in March of this year. Since then, various artworks including works by Andy Warhol and Nam June Paik have appeared in the NFT market. The trend of gearing towards the NFT market as a means of employment has also been especially prominent among young artists.

NFT in the Music & Video Domain

1) Power Rangers NFT Card: Are you part of the generation that grew up watching Power Rangers? The 1990s the superhero television series ‘Power Rangers’, which was loved no less than the current Avengers, will come as an NFT card. This is a case where the recent retro craze and the new keyword NFT meet.

2) ‘An Experience to Die For' starring Youn Yuh-jung: The unreleased movie will be sold as NFT. Since it is a form of dividing profit ownership of the movie, owners can receive the right to a portion of the movie's revenue after its release in July.

Additionally, the song ‘A Tiger is Coming’ by Leenalchi that introduced new aspects of K-Music to the world will also be released through NFT.

NFT in the Sports World

1) Lee Sedol and AI AlphaGo match: An NFT featuring the game between Lee Sedol and AI AlphaGo, which generated a lot of attention in terms of the confrontation between humans and AI was put up for auction in May. This NFT was sold for a whopping 250 million won and was recognized for its value.

2) NBA Top Shot: Live cards featuring famous scenes of American professional basketball with big names have been NFTized. This card pack created a drawing and collecting craze among basketball enthusiasts, and the most popular LeBron James card was sold for a whopping 5.8 billion won.

3) K-Sports Star NFT: Following the NFT video of soccer player Koo Ja-Cheol’s uniform being released in May, an NFT featuring the proud volleyball queen Kim Yeon-Koung’s game will be released. Although the specific release schedule has not been released yet, it is expected that it will provoke a heated response as Kim Yeon-Koung has a strong fan base around the world.

Although the cryptocurrency market has recently been somewhat stagnant, the NFT market remains active. Next week, we will introduce more unique and surprising NFTs with the edition “You Sell THIS as NFT?”

✅* KOK-PLAY - DIGITAL CONTENT PLATFORM ✅* SERVICE CENTER HTTPS://KOK-CS.ZENDESK.COM/HC/EN-US

✅* KOK-PLAY MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION。 YOU CANNOT SIGN UP WITHOUT AN INVITATION CODE. PLEASE SELECT THE INVITATION CODE PREPARED BELOW. ✅* TOPWRZMK

✅* CLICK TO START SIGNING UP✅* TOPWRZMK

✅*KOK (APP) PLATFORM DOWNLOAD➥˘ CLICK TO DOWNLOADHTTPS://APPS.KOK-PLAY.XYZ/

✅*COMMUNITY ➥˘ CLICK TO VISITHTTPS://KOKCOINBIZ.BLOGSPOT.COM/

✅*KAKAOTALK CHATTING ➥˘ CLICK TO START CONSULTATIONHTTPS://OPEN.KAKAO.COM/O/SXG3YV8B

✅*(EN)EXPERIENCE THE PLATFORM IN ADVANCE 1. FREE MEMBERSHIP 2. APP INSTALLATION 3. EXPERIENCE THE PLATFORM IN ADVANCE

KAKAOTALK CHATTING ➥˘ CLICK TO START CONSULTATION

✅*MANUAL DOWNLOAD ENGLISH

#[Wise Crypto Life] 10. NFT Part 1

1 note · View note

punkscowardschampions · 5 years

Text

Buster & Edie

Buster: I need to talk to you Edie: hot Edie: shoot Buster: Are you in a state to hear me or not? Edie: i got eyes n ears mckenna Buster: You know what I mean Edie: am i high, what you asking yeah Buster: Well, are you? Edie: when am i not, if you waitin for me be sober u gon be blueballed forever Buster: I just don't want to be talking to a brick wall Buster: Or repeating myself like it's my job Buster: Can you give me that or should we do this another time? Edie: i ain't indie i stay functioning unless i'm nodding Edie: and we wouldn't be flirting rn if i was so off you go Edie: i'm listening Buster: Alright Buster: Drew got lifted on St Paddy's night carrying fuck knows how much Buster: He could get as much as 14 years but I doubt it Edie: ha Edie: s'funny Buster: Do you want me to hit you up again when we know how long he's getting? Edie: nah i'll just pretend he got 14, fitting Edie: how old indie is yeah Edie: paroled himself into pen, ha Buster: No way that cunt'll get max Buster: He never does Buster: But sure Edie: you ain't need to tell me Edie: 'bout to be 16 right here Buster: I was more speaking my own frustrations, babe Buster: But you know Edie: tell me all about 'em Edie: peak daddy issues right now, i'll see u right init Buster: Shut up Buster: You've got a man for that Edie: you ain't Edie: omg are you coming out to me rn Buster: Obviously yeah Buster: Your sister's my beard, like Buster: Don't be an idiot Buster: Also I ain't got daddy issues yet so why we talking about me? Edie: makes more sense than what u playing as truth Edie: wanna talk about mine some more Edie: cool Buster: I wanna make sure you're okay Buster: So sue me, babe Edie: sweet Edie: makes no odds to me does it Buster: You tell me Buster: I ain't speaking for you Edie: he ain't been about Edie: i ain't about Buster: I know that's bullshit 'cause they saw you Buster: You could've come in, had a drink Buster: You still can Buster: Fight your way through the tourists, like Edie: i dun wanna cover up your homo ways w you boy i'm soz Buster: Fuck off Buster: You love it Buster: What are you doing that's better? Edie: my mans Edie: like you said Buster: I'm so offended right now Buster: But fine Edie: gutted Edie: any more sad news to get me juiced Buster: I don't reckon Buster: You did talk my sister into therapy though so nice one Edie: whey Edie: slainte Buster: Yeah Edie: vulnerability all round Edie: get u some ur so welcome Buster: What is that meant to mean? Edie: u tellin me my daddy going gone so u can pipe me, so sayin Edie: uncovering all her trauma Edie: 🙌 Buster: Bullshit Buster: Don't be like that Edie: like what Buster: Fucked Edie: boring Buster: If that's your threshold Edie: for your boringness Edie: yeah Buster: Fine Buster: I'll go then Buster: See you later Edie: toodles Buster: Yeah yeah Buster: You know where I am if you actually need anything or wanna talk, babe Edie: desperate Edie: what you actually wanna say Edie: babe Buster: 'Course Buster: You're that irresistible, Eds Buster: I've said what I came here to say Buster: You can't blame me for wondering if that boy can string a sentence together, like Buster: Who else you talking to? Edie: fun times Edie: lots of people Buster: Yeah? Buster: Good Edie: 'fact Edie: one of my lads 'bout to go in Edie: 🤞 they get the same pen, visit 'em both ay Buster: Someone's got to Edie: you know indie will Edie: probably ro too Buster: Nah Buster: They're both over it Edie: nah Edie: indie likes her free gear and ro likes her bit of rough Buster: You're out the loop, kid Edie: you're kidding yourself you think anything changed Edie: been here many times, u weren't about Buster: I know they have Buster: I've seen them both, you ain't Edie: oh babe Edie: no smart mckennas left Edie: so sad Buster: Don't patronise me, babe Buster: You wish Edie: don't play dumb Buster: Don't play like you know anything that's going on Buster: I'd say you'll see but we both know you won't Edie: i got bored of it Edie: wait til you on your thousandth rerun of everyone's shit, you will too Buster: Bored ain't the word for what I am Edie: nah Edie: go on then if ur so smart Edie: impress me with that vocab Buster: Fuck that Buster: I don't need to prove anything to you Buster: I'm smart enough to know it's not worth bothering Edie: that riveting is it Edie: well enjoy his downfall whilst it lasts Edie: dun expect me to join in celebrations Buster: I ain't celebrating nor waiting on you Buster: I've got plenty of other shit to do Edie: clearly Edie: clogging up my inbox inviting me for drinks Buster: I'm here for Rio I ain't here for you Buster: She wanted me to tell you so I have Buster: End of Edie: now u have Edie: probs suck ur dick well done u Buster: She doesn't need the incentive Buster: But thanks for caring Edie: disgusting Buster: You brought it up Buster: Don't if you don't wanna hear about it Edie: yeah just ignore it like it ain't happening with the rest Edie: cool Buster: There's not ignoring it or talking about my sex life as the only two options Buster: Again, you wish Buster: None of this is being ignored by any of my fam Edie: it ain't being dealt with either is it Buster: Speak for yourself Buster: I'm dealing with it every day Edie: no one making u do it Buster: Nobody's making you do anything you are either Edie: welllll i ain't fucking my cuz either so i'm good Buster: That don't make you good Buster: Hilarious maybe Edie: soz ill get to work so i can be up to standard Edie: options ain't limited Buster: Tell me something I don't know Buster: I can do anything I want Buster: How about you? Edie: you can Edie: i am Buster: Proud of you, like Edie: should be Edie: mixed messages otherwise Buster: That's not about to worry me Buster: I only came to deliver one message and it's done Edie: 💔 Edie: obvs Buster: Good to know Edie: relay that if you like Edie: get 'em all feeling good Buster: I don't chat shit anymore Buster: Sorry Edie: why u sorry Edie: idc Edie: they won't love it Buster: 'Cause I know you'd love me to pass this whole convo on but I ain't Edie: aw bummer Edie: so sad Edie: hit 'em with the round robin Buster: You always want me to be your errand boy Buster: So transparent Edie: you wanna be around em so much Edie: i don't Edie: both get what we want Buster: I wanna be here, I don't want them in my face Buster: And especially not on your account Edie: sure Edie: so transparent Buster: Funnily enough, your fam are really annoying Buster: You think you're the only one who knows that? Edie: also your fam but go off Edie: makes it weird when u think on it huh Buster: No, I'm talking about your mob Buster: They ain't my immediate Buster: I'm not seeing them all at breakfast like Edie: me either Edie: i'm as related to them as you are Buster: Bullshit Buster: Your saw your brothers the other fucking day Buster: What was that? A coincidence Buster: Come on Edie: Could be Edie: they were out on street alone Edie: i coulda been anyone Buster: They were outside the pub Buster: Lie better if you're gonna try Edie: on st paddys day Edie: do better if you really dont want ur kids missing Buster: If you were my kid I would Edie: hearteyes Edie: ain't that just what i wanna hear Buster: I don't give a fuck Buster: We're having a convo I'm not playing to an audience Buster: Your parents are shit, what do you want me to do? Edie: i dunna ring social Buster: Ring them yourself Buster: You're the one they failed Buster: It aint your brothers or me Edie: oh yh rest of em are golden Buster: Yeah, as good as they can be Buster: Nobody's perfect Edie: ha Edie: now u bullshitting Buster: No I ain't Buster: What's so fucked up about any of them? Go on Edie: long Edie: u wanted this list u should've given me 3 working days Buster: Keep stalling while you make up your bullshit, babe Buster: I'll be here then Edie: what i gotta make up Edie: your whole thing is evidence of the first and worst, like Edie: why i wasting my time telling u when u don't wanna hear Buster: There's nothing wrong with Rio Buster: But feel free to hit me with that list on the rest of them when you're ready Edie: oh god Buster: Is that all you've got? Buster: Good then Edie: all needs telling to u Edie: u dont care bout the rest of them and how fucked up they are 'til they of age Edie: end of Buster: You don't care about any of them so don't lecture me Edie: sure don't Edie: who lecturing you want the list so bad Edie: k bundy Buster: Whatever Edie: 😂 Buster: I'll see you around on your brother's twitter feed, like Edie: cute u care Buster: Yeah I know Buster: I've been told Edie: i bet Edie: ⭐ Buster: Feel free if you need the cash Buster: Low risk Edie: huh Buster: I'm a safe bet, babe Buster: Don't you know? Edie: u make me wanna throw up in my mouth a bit Edie: not rlly my thing but u make it work 4 u Buster: Yeah I do Edie: ick Edie: stop Edie: i just ate Buster: Good to know Buster: At least you're not gonna starve to death Edie: such a drama queen too Edie: how do u actually get laid its impressive Edie: b4 the whole incest vibe Buster: Talk about mixed messages Buster: Stop flirting with me, babe Buster: I liked it better when you were playing hard to get Edie: boiiiiii Edie: u think that flirting u need to watch out Edie: calling u repugnant Buster: Yeah yeah Edie: oh that's who u remind me of Edie: american psycho Edie: what was his name Edie: gets horny over card stock Buster: Good one Buster: You're funny Edie: i know Edie: imma rewatch Buster: Cute Buster: You don't have to miss me you can just come see me Edie: ew Edie: bateman Edie: ha Edie: funny Edie: indie would laugh Buster: I'll tell her Buster: See if she does Edie: aw Edie: domestic bliss Buster: Yeah Edie: gotta give it to yuh Edie: hustlin on the next Edie: been there Edie: clever Buster: What? Edie: got her good to go when u get bored of ri Buster: You're fucked Buster: She's a kid Edie: whatevs Edie: 4 years ain't a big deal Buster: Yeah it fucking is Buster: When she's 14 Buster: Don't fucking say shit like that to me or about me Edie: dry Buster: Sort your head out Buster: Seriously Edie: what Edie: i don't wanna fuck a 14 year old Edie: n i ain't Buster: Neither do I Buster: Fuck you Edie: cool Edie: keep it legal but dubious Edie: that's how u rollin Buster: Shut up Buster: You don't know what you're talking about Edie: sadly do Edie: u really splash it all over socials Buster: I'm not doing anything wrong Buster: Unlike that boy fucking you Edie: what u gonna do call garda Edie: who cares Buster: You have enough of an opinion about my moral code Buster: Sort yours Edie: oooo victim blaming hahaah Edie: have u for that the feminazis Buster: Give a shit Buster: What are you gonna do, tell on me? Edie: they sense that shit from mile way Edie: dun need to Buster: I'm so scared Edie: same Buster: It's been fun Buster: I gotta go Edie: it hasn't Edie: ✌

0 notes

saltwife · 7 years

Text

Uliro Week, Day 5: Sick/Healing

The Way to A Man’s Heart

No Archive Warnings Apply. Rated G.

Relationships: Shiro/Ulaz (duh)

Other tags: Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Comfort Food, Relationship Advice, First Dates, Healing, Cooking, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Uliro Week 2017, uliro, shulaz, the effing cutest

After Ulaz is injured saving Shiro's life, Shiro contemplates how he can show his appreciation...and maybe how he feels.

The prompt I chose was ‘Healing.’ I got three cavities writing this, and now I have diabetes.

The Way To A Man’s Heart

Ulaz looked so peaceful floating inside the healing pod, Shiro could almost forget why he was in there, almost forget what the white medsuit was concealing. Almost.

The mission had been successful, on the whole. Ulaz, Pidge and he had been able to infiltrate the Galra outpost, and Pidge had hacked into the Empire’s network through the communications systems. The intel and files they’d been able to retrieve would be an incredible asset in the battles to come, but they had paid a price. Well, Ulaz did. Ironically, it hadn’t been the Galra that had posed the greatest threat to them, but the local wildlife. On their way back to the Lions to make their escape, they’d been ambushed by of a pair of electrically charged lizard-bear… things. One of the creatures had released a pulse that had disrupted the connections in Shiro’s arm, making it nothing but dead weight hanging from his shoulder. While he was off-balance, the other beast had launched itself at him, snarling and flashing. Ulaz had shielded him with his body, grappling the monster while its jaws snapped barely inches away from his nose. His strength was incredible, but when it discharged as well, he fell to the ground, twitching and smoking. If Pidge hadn’t managed to scare the things off with her bayard, they would have both been done for.

Shiro’s arm had come back online after just a few minutes. Ulaz had not. He’d been in the tank for almost a quintent now, and Coran had said it would probably be that long again before he was ready to come out. He knew, logically, that there was no reason for him to visit Ulaz like this, that Ulaz didn’t know whether he was there or not. It was more for his own benefit - to remind himself that Ulaz was still here.

“Shiro?” Startled out of his thoughts, he turned to see Hunk standing in the doorway, holding a covered container of some sort. He was surprisingly light on his feet; Shiro hadn’t heard his approach at all. “Keith said you’d probably be down here.”

“What is it, Hunk? Everything okay?”

“Uhh, yeah,” Hunk shrugged, “it’s just that you missed dinner…” Shiro could practically hear the unspoken ‘again.’ “So I thought maybe I’d bring you something.” He held out the container he’d been carrying. “Can’t have our fearless leader wasting away to nothing!” he added cheerfully. Shiro took it, feeling the warmth seep through to his hand, and peeled back the lid.

“Thanks,” he said, sincerely. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was; and whatever was inside the bowl smelled amazing.

“It’s soup! I, uh, forgot to bring you a spoon, though,” Hunk added sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. “Sorry.”

“That’s alright,” Shiro replied with a low chuckle, “I’ll just drink it.” It tasted as good as it smelled. Something about the umami flavour of the broth reminded him of home. “What’s in this, anyway?”

“Trust me, it’s probably better if you don’t know.”

A companionable silence fell between them for a few minutes as Shiro finished his soup. His gaze returned to Ulaz, still floating serenely in the pod. Shiro wondered what home meant to him.

“So, how long are you just gonna like… moon over Ulaz and not do anything about it?” Hunk asked, breaking the silence. Shiro almost choked on his last mouthful.

“Wh-what?” he managed to sputter. “What do you mean?” Surely it couldn’t have been so obvious. Not when he barely understood his feelings himself.

“Oh come on.” Hunk rolled his eyes. “Everyone knows you’ve got it bad for him. Well, except Ulaz, maybe. And you, apparently.”

“It’s not like that,” Shiro protested feebly. “We’re… colleagues. He saved my life.”

“Yuh-huhhh…” Hunk laughed. “Colleagues, sure. Colleagues who make sad puppy eyes after each other when one leaves the room. “

“I do not --”

“He’s as bad as you are, y’know. ‘Oh, Shiro’s leadership brings hope to us all!’” Hunk latticed his hands under his chin and batted his eyelashes, while doing an almost passable imitation of Ulaz’s accent. “‘He’s so brave and strong and did I mention handsome?’” Shiro covered his face with a hand, somewhere between irritated and mortified.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough.” He sighed. “So I’m really that transparent, huh?” Hunk shrugged again.

“Why don’t you just, I dunno, ask him out on a date?”

“It’s not that simple… “ Shiro’s voice trailed off as he grasped for the words to explain. “I just don’t know how much of this is just me - or us, I guess, feeling indebted to each other. And then there’s the whole, uh, ‘fraternization’ thing.” He ought to be setting an example for the others, not acting like an infatuated teenager.

“Oh please,” Hunk waved his protests away with a dismissive gesture. “Lance is already trying to pick out your smush-name.”

“My … what?” Shiro blinked, baffled.

“Anyway, that’s what dates are for, man! To figure out how you feel about someone you think you like!”

Shiro turned away to look at Ulaz again. A small smile crept over his face. A date… with Ulaz? Now he really did feel like a teenager again… but in a good way. His mind raced with possibilities he hadn’t allowed himself to consider before. What would he even like? he wondered. Then, it came to him. He glanced down at the empty bowl in his hand.

“Say, Hunk… When you were all at the Space Mall, didn’t you work at a Galra food place?” He had missed out on that particular excursion, but Lance and Pidge had been telling the stories for days afterward.

“Yeah! Vrepit Sal’s! I wonder how ol’ Sal is makin’ out now…” Hunk mused with an air of nostalgia, as if he hadn’t been pressed into indentured servitude to start with.

“Do you think you could maybe… show me how to make something? For Ulaz?” Hunk’s face lit up as though Shiro had just promised him a million GAC and a puppy.

“Oh my gosh yes!” Hunk gushed. “This is gonna be great.” He threw his arm excitedly around Shiro’s shoulder. “I know just the thing, too. The way to a man’s heart, right? Allez cuisine!” As Hunk steered him towards the door, Shiro hoped he wasn’t making a terrible mistake. He glanced back once more at the pod, and his heart fluttered. If this was wrong, well…

Quiznak it.

----

Coran usually liked to be in attendance when a patient came out of the healing pod, but today he was curiously absent. Shiro suspected Hunk might have had a hand in that. They’re probably all in on it now. He tried not to think too much about the other Paladins’ interest in his love life… It’s not like there’s much for them to do but gossip when we’re not fighting Zarkon. He checked the ticker he’d borrowed from Coran. Almost time. He straightened his shirt and flicked his hair out of his face, old nervous habits.

There was a sharp hiss as the tank’s seal released, and the force field surrounding Ulaz dropped. He lurched forward, unsteady, his eyes still closed. Shiro moved to catch him, pulling one long arm over his shoulder.

“Whoah there,” he cautioned, bracing himself against Ulaz’s considerable weight. “Take your time.” Slowly, Ulaz opened his eyes, looking first around the empty room, and then down at Shiro.

“Shiro,” he said, his expression inscrutable. Those solid yellow eyes made Galra damnably hard to read sometimes. “I am pleased to see you in good health.” Ulaz drew himself up to his full height, taking his weight off Shiro.

“Me too.”

“Were you waiting for me?” Ulaz asked, with the barest tilt of his head. Shiro felt his cheeks flush, blazing heat spreading across his face. “Oh. Are you also unwell? You appear fevered.” Ulaz remarked, sounding concerned.

“Uh, no.” Shiro shook his head. “No, I’m fine.” It’s now or never. “But Coran always says you should eat something after you come out of the pods, so I was wondering if -” he scratched the stubble at the back of his neck, feeling more nervous than when he’d first approached the Black Lion, “- if you’d want to get some dinner. With me.”

“A meal.” Ulaz blinked. “Yes, that seems like sound medical counsel.” Oh god damn it. Am I this dense too? Still, he’d come this far, and he was determined to see this through.

They found the mess hall suspiciously empty; now Shiro was certain that his shipmates were colluding together. At this time of day, there were almost always a few people hanging out around the table, sharing a snack and conversation. Ulaz didn’t comment on the anomaly.

“You just have a seat and I’ll finish getting this ready,” Shiro instructed. Ulaz’s ears pricked up slightly, in what Shiro thought was interest, or curiosity; he sat down, watching him closely. Shiro took the plates he’d prepared out of the warming unit, and applied the sauce the way Hunk had showed him. Here goes nothing, he thought as he set the first dish down in front of Ulaz, and then took the seat beside him. Shiro watched his face, trying not to look too eager, as Ulaz picked up his fork and looked down at the food.

“This… this is korial.” He turned his head to look at Shiro, his yellow eyes wide. “How did you…”

“Hunk showed me.” Shiro smiled. “Is it... Is it okay?” Ulaz scooped some onto the fork and lifted it to his mouth. He closed his eyes as he chewed and swallowed, then opened them to look at Shiro.

“It is delicious.” Shiro couldn’t help but beam. I owe you one, Hunk. “You did this for me?” Ulaz seemed puzzled. “Why?” Shiro’s face felt very warm again; his heart was pounding in his chest.

“Because… I like you. As more than a colleague,” he added, to clarify. Ulaz sat back in his chair, setting down his fork.

“Oh,” he said; then, with a dawning realization, “oh. This is a courtship ritual?” Finally.

“Yeah.” Shiro chanced a nervous grin at him. “A date. Sort of. Is that okay?” Ulaz lifted one massive hand and reached slowly, tentatively towards Shiro, until the pads of his fingers barely brushed the side of his face.

“It is very much ‘okay’.” Ulaz spoke in a low, almost purring tone Shiro hadn’t heard from him before. It seemed to resonate with something inside his chest; either that or he was just buzzing from the relief and excitement flooding through him. Shiro placed his right hand over Ulaz’s, pressing his cheek into his palm, then outstretched his right to caress the line of his jaw. “I had not dared to hope,” he murmured. “You humans are very difficult to read.”

Shiro almost laughed out loud at the irony. Instead, he drew Ulaz down for a kiss.

#uliroweek2017 #ulaz #shiro #uliro #fic #tooth-rotting fluff indeed #voltron #mine #ao3

24 notes · View notes

alamante · 6 years

Link

Adapted from Alexandra Bracken’s book, the movie begins with a flurry of dystopia, as a pandemic kills a major percentage of the U.S.’s children, leaving those that survive with strange abilities. Color-coded to identify their level of power (in the same way mutants are rated in the “X-Men” universe), the kids are rounded up and held in camps, ostensibly to seek a cure, but clearly rooted more in fear than compassion.

At the center of that depressing world is 16-year-old Ruby (Stenberg), who, registering at the “orange” end of the spectrum, has the power to perform the equivalent of Jedi mind tricks that force people to obey her, among other gifts. After six years in a camp, she’s liberated, joining up with a trio of other teens, on what amounts to a cross-country trek to find a haven from the forces seeking to capture and control them.

The bonds among the kids represent the movie’s primary strength and central core, since the adults — including Mandy Moore, Bradley Whitford (who plays the president) and “Game of Thrones'” Gwendoline Christie — don’t contribute much more than Charlie Brown’s parents.

Fortunately, Stenberg is genuinely appealing, mixing vulnerability with flashes of her powers. She’s afraid to touch people, like the X-Men’s Rogue; and prone to flashes of telekinetic anger, a bit like the teens in “The Fury.” There’s also a tenderness to her relationship with Liam (Harris Dickinson), reminding us that superpowers have a way of exacerbating the awkwardness associated with young love.

As those comparisons suggest (and a few more, such as the fear-your-children theme in the ’60s classic “Village of the Damned”), one of the problems with the film — produced by Shawn Levy (“Stranger Things”), written by Chad Hodge, and marking the live-action debut for director Jennifer Yuh Nelson (the “Kung Fu Panda” sequels) — is that virtually every aspect of it feels cribbed from something else. And that doesn’t factor in one of its best flourishes — using “Watership Down” as a means of providing commentary about the children’s search for sanctuary.

Moreover, it’s fairly transparent early on, given the variety of constituencies in play, that there won’t be time to resolve everything that’s being set up, which only magnifies the sense that the movie isn’t compelling enough to justify the expectations being heaped on it.

There is, inevitably, a metaphorical quality to science fiction, from youthful alienation to the emphasis here on colors, which includes labeling and segregating the teens based on their power levels, adding one more impediment to Ruby and Liam’s connection.

For all the talk about colors, though, and the palette that’s represented within the movie’s ambitions, “The Darkest Minds” ultimately proves pretty drab and gray.

“The Darkest Minds” premieres Aug. 3 in the U.S. It’s rated PG-13.

Source link

The post ‘The Darkest Minds’ unleashes more teens with powers, problems appeared first on MySourceSpot.

#News

0 notes

thechasefiles · 6 years

Text

The Chase Files Daily 7/26/2018

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! Here is The Chase Files Daily News Cap for Thursday 26th July 2018. Remember you can read full articles by purchasing Daily Nation Newspaper (DN), via Barbados Today (BT) or Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS).

P.M.: GOVERNMENT NOT INTO VENGENCE - Government will not be going after any of its predecessors for alleged wrongdoing. Contrary to a commitment made by Attorney General Dale Marshall QC several weeks ago, Prime Minister Mia Mottley on Tuesday said her administration “will not be consumed by vengeance”. However, she said if clear information and/or evidence is brought to prove corruption, her administration intends to investigate. Indicating that some Barbadians may want “blood”, Mottley, who also serves as Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment, sympathised with those people whom she claimed felt aggrieved and angered by perceived plundering. And while she said that she struggled with those feelings, for her it was not about vengeance but rather about setting a line in the sand for accountability. Her comments were made in the House of Assembly during the debate of the Integrity In Public Life Bill, 2018. “. . . And while we must make sure that there is accountability without doubt, this Government must never become so obsessed with anything that approaches a level of vengeance that it forgets to do what it has to do to move the people of this country forward in a way that is sustainable. “And that is my job, I believe, as Prime Minister of this country: to ensure that even though we hold people accountable, that this Government must never become consumed with wanting only to achieve a level of vengeance or a level of we gine get yuh,” she said. Noting that every individual was deserving of a second chance, Mottley iterated that whatever justice is pursued it has to be done on the basis of evidence. “And if the evidence is there we will deal with it,” she stressed. Mottley added: “I have no interest in vengeance but I have an interest in making sure that Barbadians receive the full opportunity for development. “And this is not to be interpreted as the AG not going ahead with the ones for which there is clear evidence. “ . . . . If there is clear evidence of malfeasance in public office, then he must act. If there is evidence for higher [than that], then he must equally act too, and there are instances that are still the subject of investigations.” (DN)

MINISTER ISSUES WARNING –Barbadians are being warned against engaging with anyone on social media pretending to be representing the Ministry of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce. This caution has come from the Minster of Entrepreneurship Dwight Sutherland who suggested that is almost ready to offer the Trust Loan Fund to the public. “As minister responsible for entrepreneurship, I give you the assurance that my Ministry will continue to roll out innovative business solutions to continue to address the perennial challenges faced by the entrepreneurial class in Barbados. “In this regard and by way of update let me advise that the infrastructural planning to roll out the much anticipated Trust Loan Fund… is at an advanced stage and every effort is being made to give clarity and transparency to the process,”Sutherland said. He made these comments on Wednesday at Bagnall Point Pelican Village when he addressed the opening of the Barbados Manufacturers Association’s (BMA) A Guide to Costing Workshop. “This must be said, being mindful of the fact that there are already persons purporting online to be facilitators of this loan facility. Let me categorically state that my Ministry is solely responsible for this loan facility and has not given permission to anyone to act on its behalf. “The general public is therefore warned against being duped by such persons whose intention is to get you to expend personal funds to access this loan facility,”Sutherland added. The Trust Loan was one of the promises made by the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) during the last General election. The loan facility will provide unsecured loans at a very minimal interest rate and amounts of up to $5000 will be loaned to persons in the first instance and upon repayment will facilitate access to another $10,000.00. (DN)

FOUR QUESTIONED IN MILLION DOLLAR DRUG HAUL – A fourth person is being questioned by the police as the investigation continues into a drug find aboard a yacht in the Bridgetown Port on Monday. And earlier this evening Goddard Enterprises Limited issued a statement regarding police detaining two of its directors, a staff member. “At this point, we understand that no one has been charged. We are confident that the police are engaged in their usual high standard of investigation and we look forward to putting this matter behind us very quickly when the full facts are known. "In the interim our deputy chairman, Mr William Putnam is acting as chairman of the company. Our chief executive officer, Mr Anthony Ali, is currently in Ecuador on company business,” the statement read. In addition to the four people, three men and a woman, the company’s yacht is also in police custody. “The company wishes to assure all of its stakeholders that it continues to uphold the highest standards of ethics and integrity which have been the backbone of this organisation from its very beginnings,” the read the statement signed by Putnam. Yesterday the three crew members of the Barbados registered vessel spent the day at the Oistins Police Station after the Drug Squad carried out a raid at the Bridgetown Port on Monday. Reports are that today at least two of those detained left the police for a period of time but remained detained up to this point. (DN)

ESTACY EXPOSED – There is still no indication as to if or when police will charge two prominent businessmen and an unknown third person being questioned in connection with a $3 million drug bust aboard the luxury yacht Ecstasy, which is owned by Goddard Enterprises Limited. Charles Herbert, the chairman of Goddard Enterprises and head of the Barbados Private Sector Association, and the company’s non-executive director Chris Rogers, were transferred today from the police station in Oistins, Christ Church to the Criminal Investigation Department in Fontabelle, St Michael, where lawmen continued their probe into the discovery of the drugs on board the yacht which had returned to Barbados from Grenada. The third person of interest, who it was alleged was hired to work on the vessel, but who the company has since identified as a staff member, is still being interrogated at the Oistin’s police station. Attorney-at- law Andrew Pilgrim, QC, is representing Herbert and Rogers, while Arthur Holder, who serves as Speaker of the House of Assembly, told Barbados TODAY he was providing legal counsel for the person of interest. Neither attorney would provide any details about the investigation, which has gone past the 48-hour period during which police can legally hold people being questioned, without laying charges. In a media release yesterday, the Royal Barbados Police Force said members of the Drug Squad discovered a quantity of marijuana on the yacht about 1 p.m. on Monday and that “three crew members” were being questioned in connection with the find. “On Monday 23rd July 2018 about 1 p.m., members of the Royal Barbados Police Force’s Drug Squad unit conducted an operation on board a Barbados registered vessel at the Bridgetown Port, St Michael. “As a result of that operation, a quantity of marijuana was found. Three crew members are currently assisting police with investigations,” the release said without naming the vessel, those on board or the value of the confiscated drugs. It was not immediately known when the luxury vessel left Barbados, or if it made any stops other than in Grenada. Goddard Enterprises released a statement today in which it said the company had made some adjustments as a result of the development, naming Deputy Chairman William Putnam as Acting Chairman. It said Anthony Ali, the chief executive officer, was in Ecuador on company business. In the statement, signed by Putnam, Goddard Enterprises said it “has become aware of a situation involving its vessel, two of its directors and a staff member, who have been detained by the police”. It further stated that while no one had been charged at this point, the company was confident that “police are engaged in their usual high standard of investigations and look forward to putting the matter behind them once the facts are fully known”. “The company wishes to assure all of its stakeholders that it continues to uphold the highest standards of ethics and integrity which have been the backbone of this organization from its very beginnings,” the statement said. Police have yet to issue an update since yesterday’s brief statement, however, sources have told Barbados TODAY all parties who were on the yacht could be held responsible for the contraband under the doctrine of common enterprise, if no one admitted to knowledge of the drugs. “This is a private yacht belonging to Goddards. It is not a vessel that every Tom, Dick and Harry off the streets can just board and have the run of it. So those on board would have to provide answers,” a police source stated on condition of anonymity. Goddard Enterprises Limited is a publicly traded company, listed on the Barbados Stock Exchange. Its subsidiary companies are involved in airline catering, industrial and restaurant catering, meat processing, bakery operations, automobile retail and automotive parts, real estate, the manufacture of aerosols and liquid detergents, investments, rum distilling, general trading, packaging, fish and shrimp processing, property rentals, general insurance, financing, as well as shipping agents and stevedoring, the company says on its website. Goddard had revenues of $205.8 million for the quarter ending December 31, 2017, an increase of 3.7 per cent over the corresponding period in 2016, with growth registered mainly across it auto, building supplies and services division, according to its financial statement. (BT)

TEEN REMANDED ON GUN AND AMMO CHARGES – An 18-year-old got an automatic 28-day stay at HMP Dodds today after he appeared in court on gun and ammunition charges. Shad Gabriel Orlando Slocombe, of Block one, Apartment 5, Community High Rise Towers, Country Road, St Michael, is alleged to have had a .32 revolver and five rounds of ammunition in his possession on July 18. The accused was not required to plead to the indictable charges when he appeared before Magistrate Douglas Frederick today. Slocombe, who is represented by attorney at law Mohia Ma’at, reappears in the No. 1 District ‘A’ Magistrate’s Court on August 22. (DN)

HOT PHONE – A carpenter, in his 30s, had to part with $600 today after he was found guilty of purchasing a stolen cellular phone over six years ago. Damian Renaldo Weekes, of St Lawrence, Christ Church, was charged with dishonestly obtaining the $1,000 electronic device knowing or believing it to be stolen between October 11, 2011 and January 10, 2012. “That day I was walking when I saw this guy named Andre. I accustom of getting things from him. I bought the phone from him and it turned out to be stolen . . . and when I got to court I understand that it was robbed from somebody else,” Weekes said as he gave an unsworn statement today. However, Magistrate Douglas Frederick found him guilty based on oral statements he allegedly made when he was detained for the offence. Frederick explained that Weekes had told the officer back then that he knew ‘it was a hot phone because I got it at a deal’. “If you are in doubt, leave it out! Face a reputable place to get your stuff,” the magistrate said as he chastised Weekes and imposed the fine. (DN)

TOO MUCH SECRECY AT TOWN & COUNTRY PLANNING, GOVT TOLD – Secrecy, a lack of transparency and lengthy delays have been identified as some of the major hurdles in the way of developers and other stakeholders in the planning process. Kim Penfold, consultant with the housing, planning and regeneration company, Penfold Associates, today complained there was too much secrecy and too many delays at Town & Country Planning, lending to a feeling, especially among the public, that the process was neither fair nor honest. “The wider public has a right to know that their interests are being considered when planning applications are being dealt with,” Penfold told the second in a series of stakeholder consultations on the planned reform of the Town and Country Planning Act at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. He said it was imperative that both the applicant and the wider public see the planning system as “fair, open, honest and efficient” if there were to be “a fit for purpose planning system”. The planning consultant argued that delays in the planning process served as a deterrent to investment, invited illegal developments and created “a contempt of the planning system”. “The system is also beset by secrecy, and I use that word deliberately because decisions are actually made that you don’t know anything about. That destroys the confidence and trust and it raises suspicion about corruption . . . whether corruption exist or not. And again this secrecy deters investment,” he stressed, adding that “transparency builds trust and confidence”. Penfold stressed the need for consistency in the granting of permission, although he admitted there would be exceptions, which he advised ought to be dealt “in a clear, opened and explained fashion”. “Finally on these cross-cutting issues is the governance point, which I hope will be applied to all the rest of the discussion. The governance point comes down simply to who will make the decision. Sometimes at the moment it is the Prime Minister, sometimes it is the chief town planner. Should the Prime Minister have to make decision about simple little things? Should the chief town planner have ultimate authority on almost every application that goes through the system? These are all things we should look at,” he advised. It was also revealed that it could take up to eight years for an appeal to be settled, with Penfold pleading for the process to be managed “so it can deliver on time, as simple as that”. “Sometimes when planning applications go to appeal and take eight years that is of no use to anybody. So those are things that need to be dealt with,” he insisted. Meantime, attorney-at-law Christine Toppin-Allahar said there was a lot of catching up to do with regards to updating the planning law in order to make it more reflective of current realities. During today’s discussions concerns were also raised about the lack of enforcement against those involved in unlawful developments, with participants recommending the penalty be increased from the current $1,000 fine. One of the other recommendations made was for the authorities to consider establishing a separate department to carry out enforcement of building codes and standards. The consultations were designed primarily for the Mia Mottley administration to discuss with stakeholders, the challenges associated with the town planning process and to come up with workable solutions. At the end of the process, which began last Monday, it is hoped that a new Town & Country Planning Act will be developed, which should go before Parliament by the end of November. (BT)

BACTERIAL INFECTION UNDER CONTROL QEH – The state-run Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) today confirmed that eight cases of the bacterial illness known as Burkholderia Cepacia Complex were diagnosed at the island’s premier health care institution over the past six weeks. However, it said several measures were taken to bring the situation under control. “There were six cases diagnosed in June, and two in early July, but since the introduction of mitigating measures to arrest the increase in incidences and reduce recurrences, there have been no additional cases of Burkholderia Cepacia complex diagnosed to date,” the hospital’s communications department said. The bacteria, said to be most harmful to persons suffering with renal disease or a weakened immune system, are usually found in soil and contaminated water. However, given the recent threat the hospital has been emphasizing the importance of hand and other forms of hygiene. In addition, patients diagnosed with the condition were separated from the general population and treated, amid stepped up health surveillance at the hospital. (BT)

ARRIVALS UP – Visitor arrivals are up for the first six months of 2018, and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI) is expecting the positive trend to continue, with more flights due here and new attractions to come on stream before yearend. In a release, the BTMI said that between January and June this year, Barbados recorded some 357,668 stay over visitors, an increase of 10,819, or 3.1 per cent, when compared to the same period in 2017. Of the island’s five major source markets, the United Kingdom is again out front with 119,241 people coming in from that market, up 2.8 per cent from 2017. However, the biggest jump of 8.8 per cent was registered in the United States market from whence a total of 107,328 visitors came, while 53,236 visitors made their way here from Canada, a 2.9 per cent increase compared to 2017. In terms of the Caribbean, Barbados attracted the majority of its visitors – 14,863 – from Trinidad and Tobago, while there was a 3.1 per cent increase in arrivals from the rest of the region. The European continent retained its 4.3 per cent market share with 18,988 visitors. While congratulating the players in the industry, Chief Executive Officer of the BTMI, William Billy Griffith, said Barbados must do more to remain competitive. “As we continue to grow the Barbados brand, we must be strategic in our efforts and now, more than ever, we must focus on our key relationships. So, over the next six months we will be working even more closely with our partners to ensure these trends continue through the upcoming winter period and beyond.” The increased arrivals can be attributed in part to greater airlift following the inauguration of Virgin Atlantic’s new twice-weekly service from London Heathrow, which started in December 2017 and continued through to April 2018. It is due to resume for the 2018-19 winter period. Thomas Cook, another carrier operating from London Gatwick, will also continue its flights to Barbados in the 2018-19 winter season following a successful debut this past winter. It is also expected that the new partnership with Copa Airlines out of Panama, which recently had its inaugural flight to Barbados, will reap significant benefits in terms of attracting new business from South America and the Caribbean. In the US market, American Airlines is adding a third daily flight out of Miami on December 19 this year, and on that same day it will launch a daily non-stop service from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Barbados. Canadian airline WestJet is increasing its seat capacity by eight per cent between May and October this year, and this coming winter, Air Canada will introduce three weekly flights from Montreal. Griffith further revealed that some new attractions would also have aroused greater interest in the country. “New attractions like Rihanna Drive and Nikki Beach, or even Hugo’s Restaurant, go a long way in showing that Barbados is committed to maintaining its position as a superior holiday destination, and looking ahead to the next six months, I am looking forward to experiencing the new Heritage Railway that St Nicholas Abbey is currently working on, which will feature a 45-minute train ride along the east coast of Barbados in a restored locomotive,” he said. “We are cognizant of the continuous need to refresh and invigorate our product offerings, while preserving the elements of the Barbados experience that keep our repeat guest rate so high,” he added. (BT)

SLINGER AND DONOVAN ON BOARD – Two new transport boards have been announced with community activist Adrian Donovan and journalist Timothy Slinger among the immediate standouts. Donovan, who is has been articulating the concerns of residents on the south coast sewage situation over the past year, has been appointed by the Mia Mottley-led Government to serve on the new board of directors at the state-run Transport Board, which is led by attorney-at-law Gregory Nicholls. The six-member board also includes David Bowen (deputy chairman), Paul Bernstein, Wanda Reid Beckles, and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Maintenance or a nominee, according to the Official Gazette dated June 25, 2018. The Transport Authority meantime has appointed an 11-member board to guide its affairs for the next three years. Led by businessman Ian Estwick, it also includes Rozanne Parris-Bryan (deputy chairman), along with Slinger, Steven Williams, Arley Thorpe, Andrew Willoughby, the Permanent Secretary and the Chief Technical Officer in the Ministry of Transport Works and Maintenance or their nominees, as well as representatives of the Royal Barbados Police Force, the Transport Board and the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados, the gazette added. The changes come on the heels of the May 24 general elections in which the Freundel Stuart-led Democratic Labour Party was swept from office. (BT)

AC DRAWS FIRST FOR FINALS - AC will lead the charge at the Courtesy/Mount Gay Pic O De Crop finals next Friday, August 3. Following him will be Billboard at number two and Crystal Cummins Beckles. The finalists drew for their positions last night during a mix and mingle session at Courtesy Garage, Wildey St Michael. They will be seeking to dethrone reigning monarch iWeb who will perform at position number seven. There was one change amongst the finalists with Mr Blood switching with Structure. Mr Blood will sing at number six and Structure will sing at number nine. The full list in order of performance is as follows: AC, Billboard, Chrystal Cummins Beckles, Smokey Burke, Mr Blood, Donella, iWeb, Kid Site, Structure and Jude Clarke. (DN)

For daily or breaking news reports follow us on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter & Facebook. That’s all for today folks. There are 159 days left in the year. Shalom! #thechasefilesdailynewscap #thechasefiles# dailynewscapsbythechasefiles

#The Chase Files #The Chase Files Daily Newscap #The Nation Barbados #Barbados #estacy #folks #jude clarke #teen remanded #dlp #blp #pic

0 notes