#He may have committed crimes but the real crime would be a lack of enthusiasm for the sport

[nobodysdaydreams]

L.D. Curtain in Season 3 of the Mysterious Benedict Society:

[mbti-enemies]

entp×intj (male and female), how would they lool like?

In short: a solid power couple who love nothing more than to aggravate the other and argue about anything and everything while still managing to be sentimental w each other

- entp getting all passionate and fiery and intj just watching them with slight awe and fervour cause the enthusiasm is contagious and its just a lil enthralling- intj feels like they could be sucked in and never come out but they aren't complaining cause its like they've f i n a l l y found their perfect partner in crime, someone who shows them life isnt just worth surviving its worth living, and rules can go die if they've got each other by their side. They give each other a challenge.. and its the feeling of risk and thrill that comes with it that they both crave

- the type to be sitting at the table each in their own world but hands under the desk interlinked with each other cause they still have a RePuTaTiOn to maintain but still j really wanna hold hands (neither of them will say this out loud tho)

- they could legit be dating and 100% in love and still be like "ew no why would i like them *and proceed to just roast each other*" so everyone around them is kinda confused but j go with it

- tHe DeniaL of Feelings here would be so much - entp just refusing to admit their serious about their feelings and intj refusing to admit...that they're even capable of having feelings

- intj sometimes getting stuck in the trap about thinking about things rather than acc doing them and entp just pulling them up and out into the world ..into the stars ...to a place where the 'maybe some days' become the todays

- the unspoken promise to never let the other be alone, to always be there in times of need , you know you can trust them with a n y t h i n g no matter how great a crime or sin ..they'll stand by you - "i dont care if the whole world is against me , as long as ive got you - it doesn't matter"

- when it comes to entps... its so easy to hate them but also so easy to fall in love with them and intj finds it hard to know what she hates the most , maybe its the way his eyes glimmer with mischief every time he has some crazy idea (she wondered how long it would take to count all of the hues of colors in his eyes - hours perhaps even days), maybe its the way he smiles ever so softly when no ones looking , or perhaps its the way he whisper his goodbyes just for her but yells out the hellos , or maybe j maybe.... its the way that he's the one person who intj (against all better judgement) trusts...the one person who she knows will stand strong even if she falters a little bit - the one who gives her strength ...but can still make her feel as light as a feather floating across a river

- tHe tEnsiOn being right up there cause lets be real , intjs dont back down and entps dont back off which makes for some very uh intense moments and the whole "shut up" "make me" tension

- entp enjoying seeing intj get all flustered and lacking in comeback (a very rare thing i assure you) , and intjs feeling torn between wanting to commit murder and wanting to self combust every time entp gets all bold and flirty (which is like once every minute)

- indulging each other in those moments of chaos and rebelliousness where intj thinks up a crazy idea to do at 3am and entps just like YESSS LETS DOO IT *and thats the story of how entp and intj find themselves having to figure out how to climb over a gate with a box of doughnuts after getting locked out of the house at 4am on a tuesday*

- both of them tend to be rather protective over the other and while they may not always show the love they're always ready to fight for it. Hence why everyone knows not to mess with either of them -- cause even if the one you were messing with doesn't have a reaction ..the other def will

-conversations of silence as words aren't needed ... its the simple looks and slight changes in body language, the little quirks of the mouth or sparks in eyes that carries the conversation to places beyond the universe (which is where convos go when an Ne dom and Ni dom communicate)

-ngl i can see how the first kiss between these two happens during an argument where one kisses the other to get them to shut up (cause said other was winning the argument) , and then realising what they've done and being like oh before the other responds with equal intensity and it becomes a hard core make out session in less that ten seconds ..."half of me wants to kill you rn but the other half just really wants to kiss you" vibes

- entp causally throwing an arm around intj or pulling them closer when sitting and intjs being a bit more subtle as they run their fingers thro entp's hair or casually leaning into them while reading a book

- entp resting their hand on intjs leg while witting together and intj starts playing with entp's hand cause they kindasortamaybe want to hold it but wont say so cause thats illegal for them *cue entp suddenly grabbing intjs hand , smirking slightly and trying to make eye contact with intj whose just looking ANYWHERE ELSE and being like shutupshutupshutup*

-intjs being entps debating match made in heaven. ENTPs argue for the fun and challenge of it , and for intj (w the Te) and entp (Ti), the world isn't sea of subjectivity in right or wrong dichotomy, but rather a sea of objectivity w the true or false dichotomy, so they can talk on the more controversial topics w/o being afriad of any judgement on values. they dont have to watch themsleves around each other- its being free.

- the sarcasm between these two is A+++, its basically the love language. No one will get the INTJ’s humour quite like the ENTP and vice versa-its about the quick wit in a perfectly wicked way (altho self deprecating humour is also v much appreciated )

- both admiring each other for being dreamers and explorers always ready to test the boundaries... but being smart enough not to get into trouble (cause its not a crime unless you get caught)

- everything being so r e a l w these two - there aren't any false pretences or any hidden motives , intjs dont feel the need to pretend while entps are proud to be who they appear to be - they both look at each other and know what they see is the truth ..which is something rather wonderful

- these guys may not fall in love easily , but when they do they fall h a r d - their ready to risk it all , "i'll set fire to the entire world if it meant i could spend another moment with you"

[diyunho]

The Joker x Reader- “The Work Wife” Part 6

You’ve been working for The Joker for the past 10 years: you speak and act for him and no matter the circumstances, Y/N is always there to take care of everything he needs.  The King of Gotham might not be married, yet he has a perfect partner: his work wife.

Starts HERE

After 1 Month

The Joker circles the warehouse, inspecting the boxes and crates full of ammo and smuggled goods received with last night’s shipment.

“Hmm…” he eyeballs a decorative vase engraved with gold and silver, wondering if the extravagant object should become part of his collection at The Penthouse. His cell start vibrating and J takes it out of pocket, impatient to hear about his wife’s routine checkup:

“ ‘ello,” he kicks two packages out of the way.

“Hi,” you greet your spouse. “Just got out of my appointment; the doctor said all seems fine. He ordered some lab tests to make sure my blood levels are within the normal range; I should get the results in about 3 days.”

“That’s awesome!” he grumbles while bending over to grab some papers scattered on the floor. “I’m glad you’re ok, I should have come also for moral support.”

Y/N smiles at the confession, choosing not to disclose it makes her happy:

“You have to sort out the cargo; the buyer will be there shortly.”

“Yeah, but this could have waited.”

Your smile gets wider as J fumbles around with several items. 

“Tell you what: I’ll finish up some stuff here and I’ll drive to pitch in.”

The King of Gotham wouldn’t normally decline yet he’s actually worried after everything that happened.

“Nope, I want you to rest; you’ve been too active lately and you need to slow down. Why are you giggling?” he smacks his lips, displeased four trunks look like they’ve been tampered with.

“Nothing in particular,” the bubbly Y/N keeps the best for last.

“I’ll see you home; I found something I don’t like,” The Joker grunts as the heavy lid is lifted from one of the containers. “Stay put and relax!” he orders and you nonchalantly drop the bomb:

“Maybe I will,” and after a small pause: “Oh! By the way, I was given green light for sex.”

“ ‘kay, see you in a couple of hours,” J struggles with the box and waits for your long “Byeeeeee” before hanging up. A few seconds into his task and it hits.

“Holy shit!” he exhales and holds his breath, startled. “Jesus!!” he abandons the precious merchandise, running towards the exit. “Froooossst!!!” he gets his henchman’s assistance. “Take over!!”

“Yes sir!” Jonny emerges from one of the SUV’s parked inside, not understanding why his boss is in a hurry. “Anything wrong?”

“No!!! I have a personal emergency!!” The Joker shouts and pushes the heavy metal door to the side, wishing he was already at his destination.

*************

J enters the code on the pin pad and he is granted access into your apartment. He went to The Penthouse first: you weren’t there and he figured you must be on the 29th floor. He storms inside and rushes towards the bedroom when his enthusiasm is abruptly halted by no other than Jonathan Crane coming out of the kitchen.

Scarecrow almost drops the fresh coffee mug you brewed for him; The Clown Prince of Crime was certainly not informed you had company. Doesn’t matter though, he’s not one to be embarrassed by his current situation:

“May I help you Crane?” a high and mighty J sassily blurs out wearing nothing but his birthday suit.

“I doubt it,” Jonathan is quick to respond. “I dropped by to bring you extra ampules of Liquid Dream like you wanted and pain killers refill for Y/N in case she needs more.”

You suddenly pop up from behind Scarecrow, not being able to stop the question:

“Why are you naked?!”

The Joker opens his mouth because he has a cool explanation, yet the guest doesn’t care about it.

“I think I should bail,” he smirks as he passed by J. “I’m taking the cup, I’ll bring it back next time,” he announces and can’t contain a smartass remark: “Nice attire.”

Your husband bitterly growls and as always, you have to be the catalyst for a better outcome:

“Thank you, Jonathan!”

Scarecrow waves without adding extra comments, 100% positive you’ll burst out laughing as soon as he vacates the premises.  

And he’s correct.

“Oh my God,” you snicker since you didn’t expect such a funny coincidence to unfold within today’s schedule. “That was hilarious!” the amused Y/N finds herself in The Joker’s arms moments after Jonathan’s departure. “Where are your clothes?!” you kiss him and he yanks at your waist, purring.

“The jacket and shirt in the car, pants and boxers in the elevator,” he admits while guiding you towards the couch in the living room. “The socks and shoes are somewhere on the hallway.”

“I was wondering when you’ll realize about the news I shared,” you whisper in his ear as he takes off your summer dress, aroused.

The two bodies plunge on the sofa, Y/N enjoying the intimacy as much as he does:

“J… … J…” you cling to him when his left hand slips in your bikini.

“Mmm? Does something hurt?” The Joker pecks the tip of your nose, ready to quit if you say yes.

“No… it’s not that,” the seriousness in your voice makes him pay attention.

Maybe you shouldn’t bring up the past in these circumstances; here it comes anyway:

“If the Las Vegas events repeat themselves… I won’t forgive you again,” you stare in his eyes without blinking. “I won’t return… ”

The Joker is silent and you wonder what’s going on in his mind; it’s not a secret he was miserable after being abandoned in the City of Lights due to his despicable conduct.

“They won’t.”

“Are you sure?” the doubt in your tone forces him to reveal:

“I’m sure because it felt horrible when you weren’t around.”

You caress J’s hair and remind him you won’t compromise for less than his total commitment:

“You’re either mine or you’re not, ok?...”

“I’m yours,” he grumbles and it’s not very difficult since the woman asking is no casual fling but the only one he ever wanted to marry for reals. “I want the special treatment,” the immediate request makes you snort: it’s so like him to articulate crap like this in the middle of a serious discussion. 

“Do you?!”

“Yes!!” The Joker nibbles on your neck and underlines his affliction: “I’ve been so horny I’m not sure how I still function; I behaved though, I swear!” he’s fast to emphasize while pulling on your bra strap. “You know why?” J throws the question out there, aware the statement will please his wife. “I tolerate you… even if you’ve been nagging me for almost 12 years.”

“Careful,” you admonish. “Uttering such words makes you sound like you’re in love.”

“God forbids! You think so?!” the painful grimace on his face prompts more teasing from your part:

“Yeap, no cure for this terrible disease.”

Your bra ends up on the floor and he’s not content with the epilogue.

“I’m screwed then.”

“Noooot yet,” you wink and his purring intensifies when your teeth sink into his shoulder. “We’re getting there.”

************

Same morning, 11:47am

“There you are!” J exclaims discovering you on the terrace. “You disappeared on me Y/N: I thought you said we’ll have lunch,” the hyper spouse recalls. “What’s wrong?” he frowns seeing you wiping your tears and doesn’t stress the lack of an answer when he notices the ultrasound picture. The Joker quietly sits by you on the swing, kissing your scared cheek in the process. “You ok?”

“U-hum,” you nod. “I wish I didn’t have the miscarriage, you know?...” your bottom lip quivers while placing the image in your robe’s pocket. “I really wanted a baby…”

“My poor old girl…” he sighs and doesn’t expect you to agree.

“I am old!” you keep sobbing and he squeezes you closer to him. “It was probably my last chance to have a child and I blew it!”

The King of Gotham sucks at cheering; he attempts nevertheless:

“Mmmm… You’re supposed to say you’re not old and then I reply that you are old for my standards, which should prompt you to fight back and highlight my standards are crap. Am I to carry on these sort of conversations meant for two by myself now?!” he huffs. “People will think I’m crazy!”

You snort at his monologue and it’s the perfect opportunity to make it clear your opinion is unchanged:

“Your standards are crap!”

“There you are,” the delighted Joker reckons. “I got nervous for a moment,” he chuckles and you elbow him, smiling through tears. “What about we eat something and then we can plan our location for the honeymoon we didn’t get to enjoy?”

J’s plan is working: the little surprise proposition is distracting Y/N and she carefully weighs in his sentences.

“Would you like to elope?” he pushes for a decision and you play with your wedding ring, mumbling:

“I don’t wanna go to Vegas.”

“No Vegas!” he’s fast to consent. “Where to then?”

“Well…” you sniffle, “…what about Reno? We could stay at Solaris Casino; Mark Nessi would accommodate us.”

“He would. If we pack and leave, we can make it there by 7:30-ish pm.”

“You want to leave today?! What about your meetings? You actually have one tomorrow.”

“Meh, Frost can postpone them,” The Joker dismisses your concerns. “I vote we bail and have fun, hm?” he lifts your chin up. “Let’s get the hell out of here, yes?” the impatient Clown wiggles next to you.

“OK…” Y/N elects to grant his plea because escaping town couldn’t have a better timing: it will be nice to spend time together and try to get over the disappointment of his past mistake.

**************

Reno, 8:42pm

You and The Joker are strolling towards the gambling area, excited to have made it here an hour ago. The traffic wasn’t bad and you took turns driving, that’s why you had dinner first and then changed clothes in order to enjoy the night properly.

“I liked the lobster,” you pull at his arm since he’s distrait. “How was your stake?” you seek to chat when he suddenly opens the door to one of the storage closets and shoves you inside. You get trapped against the wall as J claims his special request for the evening.

“I want the special treatment,” he growls and you smirk.

“You didn’t do anything to earn it! This morning I made an exception because it’s been weeks since we had sex. Don’t let my lenience trick you!”

“Don’t nag me!” J cuts you off. “This backless red dress of yours is doing things to me so I want the special treatment,” he slides his arms around your waist.

“Surrounded by shampoo bottles and toilet paper?!”

“It’s quite sexy,” The Joker grins and you compromise a tiny bit:

“I’ll only do the first part! That’s it! I want to go and play poker.”

His face comes close to yours and you start kissing every inch of it, ogling the door instead of paying attention to him.

“You’re not doing it right!” your husband complains. “You’re supposed to look at me!”

You switch your concentration and keep staring in his eyes, abandoning the project when you consider it done.  

“Where are you going?” J stops your movement. “Thanks to you I can’t walk now,” he lifts up your short dress and you dodge his touch, opening the door in order to escape.

“Of course you can! Come on, stop sulking,” you drag him out and he follows, bickering at your indifference.

“You’re mean!” The Joker admonishes and you intertwine his fingers with yours, guiding him in the direction of the VIP room.  

“No, I’m not,” you defend your actions. “I’ve been around you for so many years that those blue eyes and long lashes don’t have any powers over me,” Y/N teases. “I’m immune.”

“Bullshit!” he mutters and you steal a kiss, inviting him to enter the poker room.

“Do you want to sit by the bar?” you point and J doesn’t oppose the choice. “I’m getting a cocktail. Grape juice?”

“No,” he pouts and makes himself comfortable while you fetch your drink.

“Hello Mister Joker,” one of the dolled-up girls swiftly pops up at the table. “I didn’t see you in forever!”

“I’ve been busy,” he avoids the subject and barks when she tries to collapse on the chair next to his. “This seat’s taken!”

“Oh,” she straightens her back. “By whom?!” the envious Ella inquires.

Did another girl get to him first?! It’s common knowledge he’s generous with his flings and she can’t believe another will cash in the benefits.

“My wife,” he taps his fingers on the table, annoyed the interrogation continues.

“You got married Mister Joker?!” the woman doesn’t hide her astonishment: it’s not that his nuptials were broadcasted on the news. Plus… he’s a very weird man, totally not husband material.

“A few months ago,” he sneers and she’s not smart enough to take the hint.

“Who did you marry Mister Joker?” she giggles, more and more convinced he’s bluffing: The King of Gotham is probably messing around to make her jealous.

“My best friend and main nagger,” J bitterly mentions. “Isn’t this what people do? Marry their best friends?”

“You almost got me Mister Joker,” she laughs at his strange acknowledgement, reassured he’s messing with her: an individual like him would pronounce such nonsense only to initiate flirting.

“Excuse me!” you bump into her on purpose, aware why she’s there. “I got you grape juice on ice,” you place the glass in front of your spouse and he opens his mouth in amazement.

“I was literally about to order this! How did you know I changed my mind?!”

“Best friends know,” you bend to kiss him and J pouts, annoyed you overheard his childish affirmation.

“You have such a cool tattoo on your back!” Ella exclaims. “Is that Japanese?”

Y/N turns in her chair, confused to notice the lady is still standing behind them.

“Yes.”

“What does it say?”

You take a deep breath, fed up by her unwanted presence.

“It says that if you don’t get lost, I’ll make sure your body is never found again! And if it’s eventually found, it surely won’t be identifiable!!”

You reprise your position at the poker table, patiently waiting for the dealer to finish handing out the cards.

“I’m so hot and bothered,” J brushes his lips on yours. “Your attitude begs for my undivided eagerness to peel you out of this dress,” he lustfully glares at your cleavage.“What do you say we leave and have a party on our own? We can play strip poker in the honeymoon suite.”

“We just got here minutes ago,” you fix a rebel strand of hair then whisper: “Table seven, white shirt guy.”

“Do you ever take vacations?” The Joker grinds his teeth, nonchalantly gazing at your suspicious target.

“I like to mix business with pleasure,” you wink and accidentally spill a little bit of your cocktail on his pants. “Oops, pardon me; I assume you have to come with me if you need help stepping out of your wet garment.”

“As that old Arkham report specifies: I need all the help I can get,” The Clown reveals to an amused Y/N, excited she’s receptive to his innuendos.

**************

You emerge from the walk-in closet in your skimpy purple lace attire and The Joker gasps, enticed at the view.

“Oh my God! Com’ere!” he gestures for your company and you crawl in bed, pushing aside the items scattered on the sheets:

“What’s with the shampoo bottles and toilet paper rolls?!”

“I’m attempting to recreate the seductive atmosphere in the storage room, maybe it can convince you to continue the special treatment.”

“You don’t give up, do you?” you scoff and straddle his lap, conflicted if you should grant his wish.

“I usually don’t… Are you gonna help like you promised and take off my pants?” J gropes you and the knock at the door interrupts your answer.

“Room service!”

“Did you order from the menu?” you ask and your husband purrs:

“More champagne.”

“Maybe our new friend has arrived,” you wink, hopping out of bed.

“Why don’t we find out?” The Joker spanks your butt as you cover your body with the bathrobe.

Y/N grabs the bottle of champagne from the ice bucket and hides around the corner while he shouts:

“Come in!”

The waiter pushes in the rolling cart in the middle of the lobby, greeting his grouchy customer:

“Hi Mister Joker, would you like one bottle or two?”

“One!”

You creep beyond him and smash the glass against his skull; the man falls on his knees and you take advantage of his dizziness to switch him face up: it is the guy from table seven!

“Who send you?” you ferociously punch him and he struggles to escape when The King’s gun ends up one inch away from his temple. “Who send you?” Y/N shrieks and she’s so absorbed into her job she can’t discern the mesmerized Joker staring at her. It’s not that he didn’t see you in action before, but it finally clicked:

It sure pays off being married to your work wife!

Also read: MASTERLIST

You can also follow me on Ao3 and Wattpad under the same blog name: Diyunho.

[tvdas]

“Meeting the Beatles in India” has filmmaker Paul Saltzman recounting the week he spent hanging with the Beatles under the tutelage of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi during their famous sojourn to the ashram in 1968. Saltzman has a tale to tell in having been nearly the only non-entourage member along for the enlightenment alongside the Beatles during that legendary spiritual/media event. By virtue of the camera in his backpack, he also ended up being a house photographer, though he forgot about the wealth of stills in his basement for several decades, maybe offering proof that there’s such a thing as too much meditation.

It’s all good reason enough for Saltzman to turn the camera on himself and a few choice expert witnesses here, even if none of the anecdotes or insights are especially profound. As a documentarian, he’s not so interested in exploring the cultural ripple effect of the Beatles’ mid-’60s mysticism as he is in offering recollections of what cool ommm-buds-men the Beatles were, all in the service of drawing us into what’s ultimately a good-natured advert for transcendental meditation.

Morgan Freeman is the ostensible narrator, but the real bulk of the voiceover (and eventual on-camera presence) belongs to Saltzman, a former Canadian broadcaster who genially speaks in slow, measured tones. In 1968, he was a broken-hearted kid who heard an inner voice telling him not to sweat the material world, so he went to India, and ended up being just about the only student on hand for the Maharishi’s instruction, outside of the Apple corps. His convert’s enthusiasm and lack of Beatles worship soon made him a welcome guest at the Beatles’ table, and the recipient of a private sitar concert by George, and a photo-snapping witness as John and Paul sat on a porch in their white outfits and worked out the chorus of “Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da,” which had no other words at the time.

Saltzman has conversations with a few guest stars, including another TM evangelist, David Lynch, who served as an executive producer and is mostly on hand to preach the joys of inner peace in a way completely unbefitting one of the great horror directors of all time. The foremost record-keeper of Beatles history, Mark Lewisohn, accompanies Saltzman on a nostalgic trip back to India. There will probably be no moment of greater bemused interest to hardcore Beatles fans (and befuddlement to everyone else) than the exchange in which Saltzman says he was told the group members wrote 42 songs during their time in India and Lewisohn gently affirms it was really only 30. The filmmaker meets up again with a fellow traveler from the ’68 trip, Pattie Boyd, Harrison’s ex-wife, who is particularly delighted when he tells her he’s tracked down the real “Bungalow Bill,” Richard Cooke III, who was there with his mother, Nancy Cooke de Herrera, a publicist for Maharishi at the time. Maharishi had assigned Nancy to look after the Beatles during the course. The real-life hunter, who ticked off Lennon by bragging about just having killed a tiger — thus inspiring one of the more acidic songs on the White Album, declares that he never picked up a gun again after that trip and subsequently became a conservationist.

Little tidbits like that keep interest going, and who doesn’t want to be reminded that Lennon had a way with one-liners, or that Harrison and McCartney could be mensches? (Ringo Starr doesn’t come up for discussion much, and if you either hoped or feared that fellow ashram attendant and major TM advocate Mike Love would be reminisced about, rest assured he is not.) When it comes to exploring the real benefits of TM, the talk gets vague, as discussions of mysticism will.

The Maharishi is portrayed only in a positive light, although there’s a passing reference to the nasty song Lennon wrote about him immediately after the sojourn, “Sexy Sadie,” before Saltzman fleetingly addresses the still hot-button topic of why some of the group members fell out with the guru, which had to do with the Maharishi allegedly making moves on women in the compound. The apologia offered by Saltzman and Lewisohn is that a peripheral figure in the Beatles’ entourage, “Magic Alex,” spread false stories, though the figure in question told a very different accounting of the fallout (and sued the New York Times over a description similar to the one offered here) before he died in 2017.

The waters that “Meeting the Beatles in India” wades through on the way to celebrating spiritual enlightenment don’t run much deeper than the famously wide Ganges, as the nature and results of TM-induced contentment remain something we still have to take the filmmaker’s word for, and the bigger picture of how the Beatles’ Eastern tilt affected Western civilization remains a topic for a teller who maybe wasn’t so close to his subject. Even so, there’s some fan value here, all spiritual quests aside, in seeing how accepting the individual Beatles could be of someone they could have taken as an interloper in their lofty midst. Maybe that’s the revelation, then: Sweet, the Beatles. COMMENT: Ken Chawkin: I saw the film tonight and enjoyed it. I stayed online for the Q&A that followed with director Paul Saltzman and surprise guest Richard “Rikki” Cooke III, aka, Bungalow Bill. One of the questions asked was why the Beatles left the ashram, and did it have something to do with Maharishi supposedly making a pass at one of the female course participants. That story was a fabrication created by a jealous Magic Alex to draw John Lennon out of there. But Cooke had another explanation, and it had nothing to do with Alex, although he said Alex stirred up a lot of trouble while he was there. 

I had also read about this explanation in a book years ago. The Beatles had told Maharishi of their desire to make a documentary film about him and his message of TM to help create world peace. Maharishi was amenable, and they were excited to do it. Unfortunately, Charlie Lutes, the leader of the TM movement at that time, had already signed a deal with Four Star Productions, and they had dispatched a film crew to Rishikesh, India. Cooke said when the Beatles found out, they were disappointed, upset, and decided to leave. Rikki said he saw them walk out the north gate at the same time the film crew were coming in through the south gate. He said it was an unfortunate misunderstanding. 

I had also heard that when John and George had gone to speak with Maharishi beforehand, most thought it was to ask about his making a pass at a girl. But the real reason may have been to verify the rumor of a Four Star film crew coming to make a documentary; if so, they would not want to be involved with it in any way, and would be leaving. With both John and George gone we may never know for sure, although it seems more plausible. Of course, John would write Sexy Sadie in retaliation. He had originally used Maharishi’s name, but George convinced him to change it to Sexy Sadie. Years later, George would visit Maharishi, with the help of Deepak Chopra, to apologize for John’s behavior at that time. Maharishi said he was not upset with John, regardless of what he had said, and that he loved them. Deepak had told Maharishi that when The Beatles had played on the Ed Sullivan Show, there were no crimes committed in America. When Maharishi heard that, he called them angels, and said he could never be mad at them. Chopra said that George broke down, and was emotionally relieved with that karmic burden now off his heart. In separate interviews, both Paul and George said there was no truth to those accusations about Maharishi, which they felt were unfortunate.

‘Meeting the Beatles in India’ Review: A Fellow Seeker’s Documentary Blends Fab-Four Lore and Gentle TM Proselytism Running time: 82 min.

Here’s an announcement about the film from the national TM Office of Communications with a message from the director. Here are a few film reviews: Cryptic Rock, NYS Music. Paul Saltzman’s website: https://thebeatlesinindia.com, and trailer.

Production: (Documentary) A Gathr Films release of a Sunrise Films Limited production. Producer: Paul Saltzman. Executive producers: Pen Densham, Walter Dilts, Lon Hall, David Lynch, Tom Schlesinger, Devani Saltzman, Stephen Whitehead.

Crew: Director, writer: Paul Saltzman. Camera: Stephen Chandler Whitehead. Editor: Amanda Kirpaul. Music: Russell Walker, Craig Pruess.

With: Paul Saltzman, Mark Lewisohn, Pattie Boyd, Jenny Boyd, Lewis Lapham, Laurence Rosenthal. Narrator: Morgan Freeman.

[journeysintowebcomics]

Worm Liveblog #14

UPDATE 14: Trigger Event

Last time I had finished Arc 3, and was about to start Arc 4! Turns out the Undersiders managed to pull off successfully the bank robbery and got away with minor injuries, the worst of them being a dislocated shoulder – which I’m told really can be fixed by pushing it back into the socket, but it hurts a lot. Arc 4 is titled ‘Shell’, and that tells me absolutely nothing about what its contents, so let’s start.

Taylor returned to school after...what, two days of not going and two days of leaving in the afternoon? Her grades must be awful by now. I’m almost 60% sure Taylor is going to leave without completing the school day. So, the setting is the school, and the very first line is spoken by the Brockton Bay Miss Congeniality Award Winner -- Emma. This arc is off to a potentially painful start, isn’t it?

Indeed, Emma has come to taunt Taylor and tell her nobody noticed her absence – which is true, not even the teachers seems to have noticed. Taylor tries to defend herself by acting blasé and shooting back a few jabs about Emma’s lack of maturity, content that if Emma was taking the time to do the old routine of scathing words and opening old wounds, then she wouldn’t have time to prepare the proverbial tar and feathers later. The fact that Mr. Wildbow conspired with his authorial fiat to make Emma be deliciously clueless about the events of this story makes this scene almost funny:

“Really, Taylor?  Tell me, what are you doing with yourself?  You’re not going to school, you have no friends, I doubt you’re working. Are you really in a position to call me immature, when I’ve got all that going for me and you just… don’t?”

If you knew, Emma...you know, somehow I’m not sure what Emma’s reaction would be if she ever finds out Taylor is a cape, or if she finds out Taylor is a supervillain who robs banks and threatens people with black widow spiders. I’m not sure if Emma would be surprised and wondering if she missed any hints, or if she’d be befuddled Taylor didn’t send swarms after her as revenge, or if she’d scoff and think ‘oh, of course Taylor is a criminal’. Maybe she won’t ever find out. For now there’s a strange feeling of satisfaction at knowing that Taylor is officially a budding villain and Emma is clueless about it.

Taylor laughs in Emma’s face, pretty much ending the scene, and scampers out of the classroom without a care in the world. Well this went better than it could have gone! It’s a relief, honestly. Taylor muses that she has been...curiously fine despite, you know, committing a felony the day before. The reasons why are simple: one, she went to school, breaking the pattern of skipping it. In fact, she just completed a whole day of school! I sincerely congratulate her for that. The other reason is that her recent actions aren’t in the front page of the newspaper. We made page three of the Bulletin, coming behind a one and a half page story on an Amber Alert and a General Motors advertisement. Given that having a big article describing her terror wouldn’t make her look like a heroic person, this must be great for her conscience. It also helps that those who are considered as ‘heroic people’ are getting bad publicity right now: All in all, the story had been more focused on the property damage, most of which was caused by Glory Girl and the Wards. Hmmmm...how did the other Undersiders react? Was any of them bummed about the lack of front-page recognition, or are they fine with being relegated to the third page? It doesn’t say – yet.

Now that Taylor spent a whole day in school, she’s in liberty of doing what she wants, so she goes to the Docks, but not to the Undersiders’ hideout. She’s going to a market. Alec, Brian and Lisa were there. No sign of Rachel, I guess it’s because committing crimes isn’t enough to forge bonds of camaraderie with the person you tried to mutilate less than a week ago.

Oh. There’s a different reason here. She’s well known enough that she’d catch someone’s eye, and from there, it’s only a short leap to figuring out who the people she’s hanging with are.” Huh...Brian is right about that. I hadn’t considered it...but I’m supposing Rachel likes it more this way. She’s not the most sociable person around, she may be fine with having to stay away from everyone’s eyes.

It also helps that this way Rachel is conveniently away from the way dogs are treated around here. A woman walks by, carrying a dog wearing a sweater. That’d be enough to make Rachel ballistic.

“The sweater. The dog being carried.  Rachel would be up in her face, telling that woman it’s not the way a dog should be treated.  Screaming at her, maybe threatening violence, if one of us didn’t step in to handle things.”  

Rachel is like a more extreme and rage-filled Cesar Millan. Somehow I have the feeling saying that would be a ticket to getting punched in the gut. To the surprise of no one, it’s said mistreatment of dogs is what would make Rachel be truly angry, which prompts Taylor to ask the big mystery of the day: “Has she killed anyone?” ...apparently she has! Honestly? I didn’t expect that. I thought that Rachel would be the big red herring here, that somehow she hadn’t caused any deaths, but turns out she has, even if it may be classified as ‘manslaughter’. I doubt Armsmaster cares about the distinction, so that’s one killer found. Which one could be the other...hmmmm...

Alec returned from the stall wearing a Kid Win shirt. Classy behavior, Alec. He must be feeling real proud of causing damages to Kid Win’s stuff. Next Alec will buy a skateboard painted like Kid Win’s hoverboard and use it to light up a bonfire, I guess.

Given that right now they’re spending money around, Taylor asks what’s going to happen now with their, hm, “job and payment”. “It’s just a matter of handing the cash over to the boss later tonight.” I had thought the boss would pick up the cash from where they had left it! Is Lisa going to hand it over in person? Nobody cares because they all trust the boss. Other than that, they’re free to do whatever they want until they have a new job to do.

I felt kind of conflicted about the ‘take it easy and wait’ plan.  On the one hand, taking a break sounded awesome.  The last week had been intense, to put it lightly. On the other hand, it sort of sucked that we wouldn’t be out there on another job, since I’d be waiting that much longer for a chance on getting more details on the boss.  I’d just have to hope I could find something out tonight.

Sorry, Taylor, there are...273 chapters left. You’re not finding something out tonight. Besides, the more she spends with the Undersiders, the less she'll want to betray them, I’m sure of it. They’re pretty much the only people willing to spend time with Taylor and be her friend, I doubt she’ll be in a hurry to tattle on them once she gets attached to them emotionally.

Lisa steals Taylor aside for a shopping trip, taking her aside and talking about what she’d buy. Is she faking her enthusiasm so she could take Taylor aside? This felt a bit forced to me. Anyways, that’s the end of the chapter. It was...largely uneventful. There’s not really much to comment there, however, there is something I was passed here by my screener, one of the comments in that chapter.

she’s spending so much time trying to figure out which of the others have killed; it’s going to turn out Lung didn’t make it, i’m betting.

It’d be a twist! But sadly it wouldn’t work, because if Taylor had caused Lung’s death, well, I don’t think Armsmaster would have been roundabout over it. Besides, he’d be punished much more than he was, right? And finally, the Undersiders would have heard something if the leader of this big gang in the Docks died. No, it can’t be Taylor. That’s good for her, the thought of someone dying because of her...that’d hit her hard. To the next chapter!

Lisa channels those TLC programs about what clothing people have, telling Taylor what her clothing says about her. It’s largely accurate.  “You’re observant, detail oriented and focused.  More than any of the others.  You watch, you interpret, and then you act with this careful, surgical precision. That’s a strength and a flaw.” Perfect! I agree. And you want to change it so everyday people are caught off-guard by Taylor’s personality? Not really, apparently.

“I don’t like lying to my dad.” ...there’s going to be a lot of lying, won’t there? From what I see of Mr. Hebert, I can’t say he’d approve of Taylor being one of the Undersiders. Lying to him or telling him and having to go against his will anyway...it’s like choosing the lesser evil, isn’t it?

Lisa proceeds to show the extent of her powers, informing Taylor of her theories. “At first I thought your dad was abusing you.” That’s...a bit of a nonchalant way of saying that, Lisa. Thankfully, Taylor doesn’t react to that. Lisa theorizes that what bothers Taylor the most is at school, and this has been a topic of discussion with Brian and Alec. “I could help make the suckish parts suck less,” she offered.

...

...

...that’d be...I’m not sure if it’d be great or not. My initial thought is “oh, please, go ahead!” but this would cause all sorts of trouble, wouldn’t it? Those bullies would back off, but people can be insidious. Things can get worse. Lisa could risk being accused of something. Taylor could get interrogated about the strange friend who pranced into the school and confronted a few people. This could go wrong in many ways, I think...

“Having me try on clothes is fine,” I told her, doing my level best to keep my voice calm, “But you interfere directly in my problems, and I’m gone.” I can always appreciate somebody who wants to keep both sides of life apart. The smallest leak can lead to Taylor being found out, after all. They discuss the clothes Taylor is going to buy, Lisa is paying for it all. “A bribe in exchange for your silence,” Lisa winked at me. Keeping silent about offering to solve Taylor’s problems, you mean?

Apparently not. This is about how badly Lisa managed to screw up, about Panacea being in the bank. Looks like the rest of the band didn’t find out she was there. It’s less about they doubting her skills, and more about they being teenagers. They wouldn’t let her live it down. Hah! Lisa reiterates that she’s willing to intervene in Taylor’s life whenever she wants. Hmm...foreshadowing? A simple gesture of friendship to further the characterization or Mr. Wildbow setting things up for Lisa taking action in the problems if Taylor’s life? I’m not sure. Or it could be nothing, and I’m clinging to this for nothing. What can I say, I love mysteries, I tend to focus on anything that can hint something happening later in a book.

Once the shopping is done, they all reunite at Fugly Bob’s, where the food is so greasy paper bags turn transparent and there are foods like ‘Hideous Bob’. Anyone with any sense then waited a year to give their hearts a chance to recuperate. Really now. I think my brand marketer heart is the one that needs to recuperate. I literally shuddered. Thank goodness this is fiction!

Taylor inquires what’s going to happen later. Any other crimes to commit anytime soon? Taylor hopes it’ll be less intense, with less confrontation with capes. Taylor doesn’t want to risk dismemberment. Nothing is said, so I guess there’s no plan for the foreseeable future. They continue eating a while longer before Taylor decides this is a grand time to ask for an infodump. “I know it’s kind of cliche, but when people with powers get together, isn’t it kind of standard to share origin stories?” Please do, guys! I’m interested in hearing everyone’s backstories. Judging by everyone’s reactions, there aren’t happy memories at all. That’s the end of the chapter. Will there be answers the next chapter? I hope there are.

Hello there, I finished the update and decided to add this caveat. Fair warning, since things got heavy, I wasn’t exactly in mood to joke around or anything like that. Sorry, things are getting tough here.

So yes, next chapter. It starts in a promising way: “Let me put it this way.  When you got your powers, were you having a good day?” Taylor says ‘no’. Looks like getting powers isn’t done through happy thoughts. There are many with the potential to have powers, but only someone who has been pushed far enough will acquire them – and not always, I suppose. Would I be correct to suppose that Taylor’s awakening of her powers was a byproduct of her bullying? Some would think that it’d be her mother’s death, but...I don’t know, the way Taylor has to reign in her powers – like shown in the first chapter – shows a link between anger and her powers, instead of sorrow.

Nobody tells their backstories, but Taylor wants to tell hers. Well that’s nice. I’m a bit disappointed I won’t hear the backstories for the rest of the Undersiders yet, but there’s a lot of Worm left. There’s time for that. So, Taylor, how did you acquire these powers of yours? The people I’m talking about… I don’t want you to take revenge on them on my behalf or anything. Looks like my guess was accurate.

“I guess I feel that if you guys jumped in and beat them up or humiliated them or made them tearfully apologize, I wouldn’t feel like I’d dealt with things myself. There wouldn’t be any closure.”

Judging by how you’re going to stoically endure it, there won’t be any closure at all unless you move away from them. It says a lot of Taylor’s inner strength, I guess. So, Taylor starts talking. She starts by telling there were three girls making her life miserable, and that her worst moment happened at a time those three stopped. During that time, one of the girls that sometimes joined in taunting Taylor apologized and turned into her friend – and now I’m afraid of reading anything else, because I’m already guessing where this is going. I can’t say I have ever experienced something like this from any side, but false friends are a bit of a touchy point for me. Tough luck, me, you’re going to read this.

...wow. This is actually worse than I had expected. I heard Mr. Wildbow got inspirations of moments that did happen to people he knew. I can only say that if this is copied verbatim from one of those moments...I hope the person who went through this is okay and is happy right now. So, to describe it in few words: the bullies filled Taylor’s locker with used tampons and pads, left it in there for two weeks, and locked her inside. No wonder this is one of Taylor’s worst days ever!

Gaining this new power was very disorienting at first, like having a whole new sense – which is pretty much what this was. Suddenly Taylor could feel the bugs’ location, what they were seeing, and it was all very confusing. Taylor was taken to the hospital and while she was under observation, she pinpointed what was going on in her head. And that’s how she got her powers. Oh, that friend? She simply didn’t talk to Taylor again. And that’s Taylor’s trigger event. Highly unpleasant. This is grim, really.

Alec says what I’m sure a lot of people have thought or said while reading Worm: “Why don’t you use your power?” And he isn’t happy with Taylor’s response about how it’d be easy to guess it was Taylor doing it – they would have no proof, in my opinion – so he insists. Brian...he sides with Alec on this, and Lisa says nothing. Looks like even the characters in this story have a hard time wrapping their heads around Taylor’s refusal to fight back.

Alec wants to give crabs to the capes they encounter and is disappointed with Taylor refuses. I’m not sure what to do with this information, hah!

So, Taylor explains why she refuses to do anything, and it’s because it’d enter into this complicated Ouroboros of constant retaliation. Bullies suffer lice, they get frustrated, they torment Taylor further, Bullies suffer even more lice, they get even more frustrated, they torment Taylor ever more...and so and so, until somebody gets hurt. Paraphrasing. Taylor has repressed a lot of anger, too, so she knows her own limits and that if she lets her anger take over her, she won’t contain herself for much longer. All in all, it really is a show of Taylor’s strength, if anything for other people’s sake. She may be angry, but she isn’t angry enough to actually try to make other people suffer.

Lisa leaned forward, “Tell me it wouldn’t be awesome if we kidnapped their leader, pulled a hood over her head, dragged her into a van and dropped her off in the woods at midnight, ten miles out of town, with nothing but her skivvies.”

Honestly, Lisa? Hell no, it isn’t awesome. I’m all for revenges -- honestly I have a bit of a vindictive streak, I admit it – but that’s too far, isn’t it? Lisa disappoints me a bit by smiling at the mental image, but in the end she refuses to acknowledge it, saying it indeed would go too far.

“Then why the fuck are you a supervillain?”

“Escape.” The word left my mouth almost immediately, before I’d had a chance to even think about what it meant.

Escape from her everyday life of school bullying, you mean? Blowing off some steam and frustration? It’s not entirely wrong, Taylor herself admits it.  All she wants is to keep these two lives separate and spend time with friends. “Yes, Taylor, we’re friends,” Brian said, “And we appreciate, or at least, I appreciate that you trusted us enough to share your story.” Alright! It’s official! Taylor, you’re definitely not going to betray the Undersiders now that Brian said this. Guess you’re a villain from now on! Have fun.

Now that Taylor shared her story, it’s somebody else’s turn, but nobody wants. Alec doesn’t bother to say a thing, and Lisa simply says she’ll tell once she had a few drinks, but she’s still underage. Golly, how about that, haha! I always find it a bit amusing when seasoned criminals are concerned about comparatively minor offenses. The supervillain refuses to indulge in underage drinking! Man I love that trope; too bad I don’t read see it very often.

Since nobody wants to share, Brian decides he was going to be the one to bring up the exposition now. Great! I know pretty much nothing about Brian, this should be a chance to see his past, what kind of life he had before being a supervillain...hmm...something I noted is that the powers and the trigger events themselves have no link, at least in Taylor’s case, so I can’t guess what Brian went through that caused him to acquire powers. What’s for sure is that it was very bad. How bad...that remains to be seen next time.

Next update: five updates

[sinrau]

Former Vice President of the United States Joe Biden speaking with attendees at the Presidential Gun Sense Forum hosted by Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa. August, 2019. (photo: Gage Skidmore)

Even among people who really want Joe Biden to be the next President of the United States, there is very little enthusiasm. Joe Biden has an even bigger enthusiasm gap than Hillary Clinton did in 2016.

He is a former Vice President, a former Senator- but his in-person events, and now his online events, aren’t very well attended. Unlike the Hillary Clinton campaign, which played off Clinton’s low numbers at campaign functions as a deliberate strategy to an overly-credulous press willing to buy that nonsense, the Biden campaign has just assiduously avoided talking about it.

Biden himself gets a little upset, even visibly flustered when the subject of the lack of enthusiasm for his campaign is raised. He points out, with good reason, that he has managed to become the de facto Democratic nominee in spite of that.

He is right, of course; Joe Biden has managed to cinch the nomination, in spite of the prevailing lack of enthusiasm for Joe Biden, his poor performances during the debates and his lackluster fundraising.

But it wasn’t the strength of his campaign that carried Biden across the finish line, if indeed he has crossed the finish line. It took a massive and concerted effort by Democratic leadership, spear-headed at last by a decisive endorsement by Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, for Biden to advance.

Why?

If Joe Biden was and remains the best candidate to beat Donald Trump, why didn’t Joe Biden’s campaign do a better job of convincing everyone of that?

More specifically, if Biden was counting on the African-American vote to carry him in the primary contest, as was his constant refrain on the campaign trail when he lost all the primaries that came before South Carolina, why wasn’t Biden more proactively approaching Black community leaders for their help?

More importantly, why wasn’t the Biden campaign doing this?

Influential African-American leader Jesse Jackson endorsed Bernie Sanders on March 8. This fact was lost in the constant drama of the primaries, as was the reason Jackson gave for supporting Sanders when most of the African-American community favored Joe Biden:

Joe Biden never asked for Jesse Jackson’s endorsement.

That might have been a forgivable oversight. But Biden’s team hasn’t exactly been covering itself in glory courting the African-American community.

Which brings us to Charlamagne Tha God and the 18 minute appearance Joe Biden made on his hit morning show, The Breakfast Club. Biden avoided it longer than other candidates running for the Democratic nomination.

Charlamagne Tha God is influential in the young Black community. This interview was an all-important chance for Joe Biden to show that he wasn’t taking the Black vote for granted.

Joe Biden blew it. Or rather, Biden’s team caused him to blow it.

Not because Biden erupted, “if you don’t know if you’re voting for me or Trump, you ain’t Black!” after the host asked him what Biden planned on doing for the Black community if elected.

During the rest of the interview, Joe Biden hardly distinguished himself. And there was no reason for it but pure laziness, failure to plan ahead; failure to take the African-American community seriously as a constituency.

Many people may have never heard of Charlamagne The God; but he isn’t unknown. Charlamagne Tha God wrote an autobiographical book in 2017: “Black Privilege”. In it, CTG describes his whole life, his moral philosophy; everything.

It that book, Charlamagne Tha God- aka Larry, Cowboy and Julie’s son from Monck’s Corner South Carolina- gave a politician, and that politician’s advance guard, everything they could possibly want or need to impress the audience and hosts of The Breakfast Club.

If anyone on Biden’s team were to have read this one book- it isn’t even that long, and on the audiobook version, Charlamagne reads it himself- Biden could have knocked that interview out of the park and deeply impressed the Black community listening.

Charlamagne Tha God loves the truth; he hates lies and liars. He is so committed to the truth, he has taken multiple beatings in his life solely because he refused to lie or pull punches.

CTG loves truth so much, he spends multiple chapters in his book on it. He mentions specifically the strategy his likes to use to diffuse potentially embarrassing truths about himself.

“The Eight Mile Rule”

Being deeply immersed in Hip-Hop and Rap culture, Charlamagne Tha God references the moment in Eminem’s semi-auto biographical film “8 Mile” when “B-Rabbit”, Eminem’s character, enters the last rap battle against his most bitter enemy.

Instead of waiting to be insulted, Rabbit raps every embarrassing truth about himself with which his enemy might attack him: “I know everything he’s got to say against me: I am white, I am a f#$% bum, I do live in a trailer with my mom. My boy Future is an Uncle Tom.”

Joe Biden should have done this.

Knowing Biden’s record of authoring the 1990’s crime bill which has unfairly incarcerated so many young Black men in America for long sentences in the years since; knowing his record of making racist “gaffes”; knowing Charlamagne Tha God’s fervor for the truth, Joe Biden should have come out swinging…with The Truth.

“I made a mistake. I’m sorry. There is no excuse for it. I was wrong. But I helped elect the first African-American president and, if you give me a chance, I can help undo my past mistakes and make sure the next Black President of the U.S. isn’t confined to a jail cell, or lacking educational opportunities, or killed in the streets.”

Charlamagne Tha God is highly intelligent- his mother was a teacher and he was a self-professed “nerd” growing up- with a very curious and flexible mind. He would have known that Biden must have read his book. But Biden would have even gotten bonus points for admitting he had read Charlamagne’s book in order to prepare himself. Even more points if he had admitted reading the 48-Laws of Power, as CTG has, and applying that, too.

For a real laugh, Biden could have opened with, “Hello, my name is Joe Biden and I am not a white devil.” Anyone who has read Charlamagne’s book would understand this joke; any person familiar with the works of authors like Malcom X and Elijah Muhammed would understand as well, and appreciate the humor.

On a silver platter- in black and white, complete with convenient audiobook- radio host Charlamagne Tha God gave everything a guest on his show might need to be successful, even mentioning how much he likes people who are hard-working, diligent and willing to go the extra mile to be prepared.

Except, obviously, no one on the Biden campaign bothered to read it.

Why not? They have had plenty of downtime- no campaign events to plan, no in-person meetings with donors to conduct. The book was released in 2017.

We can tell no one on Biden’s team read Charlamagne’s biography because of the way Joe Biden tried all his normal politician’s tricks of non-answer answers and little contrived mannerisms during the interview; all of which fell as flat as T-Pain without autotune.

Why the lack of curiosity about a wildly popular media figure like Charlamagne Tha God? Why the lack of preparation for what was bound to be a contentious interview full of hard questions?- which the Biden team would have been more prepared for, had they read “Black Privilege”.

Charlamagne Tha God once told Kanye West that West’s newest album “Yeezus was wack to me,”- to his face. And Kanye West isn’t the only one. Far from it.

Charlamagne Tha God certainly has no love for Donald Trump. But there is no way he was impressed with Joe Biden. And that is what should be making voting Democrats the maddest, and most determined to demand accountability from Joe Biden’s campaign staff.

Brad Parscale is Donald Trump’s campaign manager. If Donald Trump was booked on Charlamagne Tha God’s talk show, you can bet someone on that campaign staff would have read “Black Privilege” and given Trump the cliff-notes, at the very least.

Trump’s campaign is coming hard for the African-American vote; and they are getting a great deal farther with young Black men in America that any Democrat should be comfortable with.

This is the very audience of the Breakfast Club; why wasn’t Biden prepared to fight for this constituency by at least doing a little research on an interesting person like CTG?

There are even larger implications with Biden’s lackadaisical approach to key Democratic voting blocs like African-Americans; Biden isn’t trying that hard to win the Hispanic-American vote, either.

Before announcing his Latin-American voter outreach effort “Todos con Biden”, the Biden team couldn’t even be bothered to secure the website; a glaring error the Trump campaign was ready and willing to exploit.

With the Biden campaign in “full gear”, and the Democratic Party in the fight of its life, these errors should be striking fear into the hearts of voting Democrats everywhere.

They should be wondering, as Charlamagne Tha God must have been, if Joe Biden really wants to be President.

(contributing writer, Brooke Bell)

[v-thinks-on]

The Great New Detective Game

“What do you make of this rope, Watson?” Sherlock Holmes held up a little strand of twine tied into a miniature noose.

Dr. John Watson glanced down at the cards in his hand and shook his head. “No luck.”

“Come on, Watson, you must be able to draw some conclusion,” Holmes insisted.

“I don’t have the card, Holmes,” Watson said with a hint of impatience, though he gave Holmes a good-natured smile.

“Isn’t it suspicious,” Holmes pressed, “For such a rope to be found in the ransacked study? And do you not see these marks upon it?” He peered at the twine. “They are no doubt smudges of the powder on Miss Scarlett’s gloves. What do you say to that, Doctor?” Holmes concluded triumphantly.

“I suppose it could be,” Watson admitted. “Though, I’m afraid you’re off the mark with Miss Scarlett. It’s unlike you to falsely accuse a lady.”

“I do not accuse, not yet - I do not have all the facts - but all of the men and women in this house are suspects, Watson, do not forget that, no matter how lovely some of them may be. Now, what evidence do you have to exonerate Miss Scarlett?”

Watson showed Holmes the card bearing her face.

“Pah!” Holmes exclaimed, “That is hardly enough! I ask you for evidence! Are you not a writer, Watson? Where are those words you use to turn my cases into romances?”

Watson gave Holmes a look, but his smile ruined the effect. “Very well. She cannot have been the culprit because at the time, she was with Colonel Mustard.”

“With yourself?” Holmes cut in. “And what were you doing with Miss Scarlett?” He leaned in toward Watson and peered at him over tented fingers.

Watson flushed a little at the implication in Holmes’s words. “We were having a friendly chat, nothing more.”

Holmes raised an disbelieving eyebrow at him.

“And what were you doing at the time, I ask you, Professor Plum?” Watson accused. He rolled the dice and moved his piece. “Afterward we found you in the kitchen looking rather suspicious with that dagger.” He pointed at the little metal token on the board.

Holmes let out a sharp laugh. “Is that all you have, Watson? A good first attempt, I suppose, but it cannot possibly have been the dagger. Such weapons, especially decorative ones, such as this, bear obvious signs of use that cannot so easily be cleaned away, and in this specimen” - he picked up the dagger token to peer at it for a moment - “They are plainly lacking.” His explanation complete, he showed Watson the corresponding card.

“Then what do you suppose it was?” Watson asked pointedly.

Holmes hummed a little in indecision, before finally rolling the dice and moving his piece from the study to the library. Then, he brought the tokens corresponding to Colonel Mustard and the spanner into the room with him.

“It is curious, is it not, that the study is not the only room in this mansion that bears evidence of a struggle,” Holmes remarked at last. “You claim you were with Miss Scarlett at the time of the crime, but what do you make of this?” He pointedly glanced down at the library and back up at Watson.

“So, you have brought myself and the spanner into the library. What of it?” Watson demanded, his indignation giving way to confusion.

“Think, Watson,” Holmes exclaimed. “You see but you do not observe. What do you make of these marks upon the wall?”

Watson nodded in dawning understanding. “They could only have been made by the spanner,” he acknowledged, “But I am not the only man in this house who would be strong enough to make them - you cannot deny that you have a much stronger arm than I - and there is no proof that they are associated with the murder. A murder with a spanner would be a bloody bludgeoning, and yet there is no blood upon the walls. This is only proof that there was some dispute, but that it did not end in death.” With that he showed Holmes the card bearing the image of the library.

“Well reasoned, Doctor,” Holmes said with a wry smile, though Watson still glowed a little at the praise. “You plainly know my methods, where do they lead you next?”

Watson rolled the dice and moved his piece out of the library and into the billiards room. He narrated, “At the time of the murder, I heard a loud bang, it can only have come from the billiards room, and it must have been made by this revolver” - he picked up the metal token and pretended to examine it - “which does in fact bear the marks of having been fired.”

He put down the revolver and cast about the board for a suspect.

“Aha!” Watson exclaimed with a glance at Holmes and picked up the white token. “These footprints must have been made by Mrs. White! You noted the dirt on her shoes when we arrived and it is that same dirt on the floor here! The outline even matches the toe of her slippers. What do you say to that, Holmes?”

Holmes could not but laugh at Watson’s smug expression. “Marvelous!” He rubbed his hands together in enthusiasm. “If only you made such brilliant deductions on our real investigations.”

Watson shot him a glare.

“There is one flaw in your reasoning, however,” Holmes continued. “Mrs. White was certainly in the billiards room, but those footprints you so keenly noted are too old to have been made after dinner, when the murder was committed.”

Holmes showed Watson the card bearing an image of Mrs. White and rolled the dice. He moved his piece into the hall and took Reverend Green and the revolver to join him.

“You have examined the barrel of the gun, but I am afraid you have neglected the rest. What do you make of this?” Holmes handed Watson the token.

Watson took the miniature revolver and seemed to examine it, his eyes narrowed in thought. “There is a piece of white cloth trapped in the trigger,” he concluded at last. “But it certainly could not be the tip of one of Reverend Green’s gloves as you suggest. Look, his gloves are untorn” - Watson put down the revolver and handed Holmes the corresponding card.

Watson then rolled the dice and moved his piece into the conservatory.

“Holmes,” Watson exclaimed, “Why, I believe there is a secret passageway between the conservatory and the lounge! We know Mrs. Peacock was in the lounge at the time of the murder, but when we heard the gunshot in the billiards room, we all fled, leaving her alone. She could have snuck into the conservatory” - Watson picked up the corresponding piece and moved it into the conservatory. “And look here! What is a candlestick doing on the ground under the bench?” - he moved the candlestick into the conservatory as well. Then, he pretended to look around. “It would be very easy to hide a body in the flower beds.”

Holmes shook his head and tutted. “You have been reading too many of those detective novels. None of the flowerbeds have been disturbed at all. If a man were attacked with a candlestick, no doubt a great scuffle would occur, but there is no evidence of one.” He showed Watson the card corresponding to the conservatory.

Holmes rolled the dice and moved his piece into the hall.

“I believe I have the solution,” he declared with a mischievous smile. “This is truly a most curious case. All of Mr. Black’s guests have ample motivation to murder their host and each of them made an attempt. Miss Scarlett had prepared a noose in the study and was ready to lure Mr. Black into her trap when she was accosted by Colonel Mustard. She could not slip away without engendering suspicion, so she was indisposed when the crime occurred. Your conversation became a heated argument and you, Colonel, hit the wall with the spanner in your anger, creating those distinctive marks.”

“I would never!” Watson protested.

“It is that or murder, my dear Watson,” Holmes replied wryly. He continued, “Likewise, Mrs. White was prowling in the conservatory with the candlestick, where she got that distinctive dirt on her feet, but she was startled by the arrival of Mrs. Peacock and dropped the candlestick, which rolled under that bench where you happened upon it. Mrs. White later went into the billiard room, but was gone from there long before the murder occurred.

“The revolver is truly the key piece of evidence. We all heard it go off when Mr. Black was murdered, and, as there is no corresponding bullet hole in the wall or furniture, we can conclude it hit its mark. It was fired from the billiard room, as you rightly identified, but that is not where Mr. Black died. His murderer was clever, and a good shot; he lurked in the billiards room and shot Mr. Black as he stepped into the hall. You can see the blood splattered on the door frame.

“Whoever pulled the trigger is the culprit, and for all his cleverness, he made a very foolish mistake. He did not notice that the trigger caught on the fabric of his glove and tore away a tiny shred - barely noticeable, but enough to identify the culprit. Do you know who it is, Doctor?”

Watson’s eyes widened as he realized what Holmes was suggesting.

“There is only one man whose glove is torn,” Holmes declared, “And that is Professor Plum!”

“I knew you should not play the professor,” Watson exclaimed. “I could only think of the dreaded Professor Moriarty and now I know why.”

Holmes took the little envelope form the center of the board and pulled out the cards from inside that made up the answer to their mystery. He splayed them out in his hand, their backs to Watson, so that only he could read them, and let out a sharp, barking laugh.

“What is it, Holmes?” Watson asked.

Holmes brushed the tears from his eyes and showed Watson the three cards in his hand. “I should have known! It was not the professor, but his trusted colonel that pulled the trigger.”

Sure enough, the cards in Holmes’s hand said that Colonel Mustard had killed Mr. Black in the hall with the revolver.

Watson burst out laughing despite himself. “That is horrible. We have both inadvertently made villains of ourselves. At least you were not wrong: if Colonel Moran pulled the trigger then Professor Moriarty is certainly behind it all.”

“That is the spirit, Watson,” Holmes said. “And do not fear, unlike the late professor, I intend to turn myself in post haste, and suggest you do the same.”

Note: I played too much Clue somewhat recently and this was the result.

[goldcoastdreams]

Gel ball gamers march on as retailer fights ban on importing toy guns

By Dea Clark Updated October 28, 2018 15:10:21

Photo: The toy guns can only be sold in Queensland and South Australia. (ABC News: Dea Clark) Map: Brisbane 4000 Games like Fortnite and Call of Duty continue to dominate the online gaming world, but there is growing enthusiasm in Australia for a more real-life experience. Key points:Gel ball blasters are legal in Queensland and SA, but banned in NSW and VictoriaGame organiser says a gel ball game is less painful than paintball and much cheaperMore stores open in Queensland, with one Brisbane retailer saying he sells up to 400 gel blasters a week Like paint ball, gel ball is a game of skirmish and its fast-growing popularity has game organisers and importers of the blasters struggling to keep up with demand. But not everyone shares the enthusiasm, with gel ball blasters banned in some states and at least one importer facing serious charges. It has not deterred the players. Thousands of people are joining an ever-expanding number of closed Facebook clubs.

Photo: Players take part in gel ball game at Heritage Park facility at Pimpama. (ABC News: Dea Clark) A fortnightly gel ball game on Queensland's Gold Coast attracts upwards of 150 people, which is up from 24 a year ago.

Photo: Game organiser Brent Alderton at the gel ball game Heritage Park facility at Pimpama. (ABC News: Dea Clark) Organiser Brent Alderton said the game was less painful than paintball and much cheaper.

Photo: Gel balls are used in blasters for the skirmish-style game. (ABC News: Dea Clark) "With paintball, you can have a couple of hours' play and go through a couple of hundred dollars easy," Mr Alderton said. "Except for the initial purchase of a blaster, which is around $150 to $200, gel balls are cheap for 10,000 it's $4 and that will last a full day." For many, part of the thrill is the cosplay element and that means having realistic-looking battle gear and guns.

Photo: Two players ready for a game of gel ball at the Heritage Park facility at Pimpama. (ABC News: Dea Clark) Legal battle to sell the blasters Peter Clark was selling gel ball blasters online last year, when Australian Border Force (ABF) seized one of his shipments. After a costly legal battle, a Queensland court found in Mr Clark's favour, declaring them toys. "The actual projectile the product fires is not considered ammunition under the law," Mr Clark said. Queensland Police also examined the shipment, eventually deciding they were not firearms. "The [1996] National Firearms Agreement wasn't written to ban people from owning toy guns it was written to stop mass shootings," Mr Clark said. Laws vary between the states and territories, with the blasters legal in Queensland and South Australia but banned in New South Wales and Victoria. In other areas, the blasters fall into a grey area. Criminologist Terry Goldsworthy said he was perplexed any authority would regard them as toys. "[Gel gun blasters are] painted in camouflage like the weapons the armed forces use I really think there's a lack of distinction between these type of replica weapons and the real thing," Mr Goldsworthy said. "People may not understand the law and may go out with the weapons and therefore committing criminal offences perhaps they're not aware of."

Photo: A team called 'Brisbane Bruise Brothers' ready for a game of gel ball at the Heritage Park facility at Pimpama. (ABC News: Dea Clark) Importer faces 'serious indictment' charges Sydney man Brad Towner, who is at the centre of a test case, had been importing and selling the blasters since 2010 with the full knowledge of New South Wales Police. "They had a look at my toys, they took photographs, added them to my profile on me to say he's a legitimate toy gun seller and there's no problem at all," Mr Towner said. But that changed in March 2017 when police executed a warrant on Mr Towner's business and charged him with five firearm offences, including possession of firearms and ammunition, and firearm dealing. "These charges are classified as a 'serious indictment', meaning I can go to prison for five years to life," Mr Towner said. "My legal team believe that this is a test case by the DPP [NSW Director of Public Prosecutions] to see if they can in fact ban anything toy-gun related."

Photo: Sydney businessman Brad Towner has been importing and selling Gel ball blasters since 2010. (Supplied: Brad Towner) While gel ball players await the outcome of the case, the game in New South Wales has gone underground, with events held in secret locations. Others are travelling north across the border where the game's popularity has created a mini economic boom. Stores open in Queensland Mr Clark and his business partner have recently opened a retail store on the Gold Coast. "At this point in time we can't import them quick enough it doesn't matter how many containers we have backed up, they sell straight away," Mr Clark said. Another retailer, Daniel Hennessy, said he sold up to 400 gel blasters a week from his Brisbane shop. "I can't get enough stock in it's growing very, very rapidly," Mr Hennessy said. "It's just an infectious hobby I have one bloke come in and five blokes come back." Meanwhile, Mr Towner said he had no choice but to move his life and business north. "I'm in the process of setting up in Brisbane and I'm hoping to be rock-and-roll ready for Christmas," he said.

Photo: Retailer Daniel Hennessy says he sells up to 400 gel ball blasters a week from his Brisbane shop. (ABC News: Dea Clark) Topics:people,human-interest,law-crime-and-justice,activism-and-lobbying,government-and-politics,laws,games,arts-and-entertainment,brisbane-4000,qld,australia,southport-4215,sydney-2000,nsw,pimpama-4209 First posted October 28, 2018 09:07:04 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-28/gel-ball-blaster-guns-skirmish-games-qld/10418474

[untergangsshow]

Russia arrests second historian of Stalin’s Terror

03.10.2018 | Halya Coynash for the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group

It is becoming dangerous in Russia to investigate the crimes of Stalinism.  A second Karelian historian, Sergei Koltyrin has been arrested and is facing charges almost identical to those now brought against political prisoner, Yuri Dmitriev.  While the possibility cannot be excluded that there are real grounds for these new charges, the chilling similarities between the two cases are of immense concern.  So too is the timing, with this second arrest coming soon after Koltyrin publicly rejected attempts to rewrite history about the mass graves of victims of the Terror at Sandarmokh in Karelia.

The Investigative Committee report initially stated only that “two men are suspected of depraved actions committed to a minor” (Article 135 § 4 of Russia’s Criminal Code) and that these actions had allegedly been committed in September 2018.  While on their site neither man is named, it is ominous that local media have as yet not identified the second person who, the Investigative Committee now asserts, has admitted to committing the acts.

The charges against Dmitriev have run up against insurmountable problems because of lack of evidence and the historian’s own denial of all the charges.  Anybody following the cases of Russia’s Ukrainian political prisoners will be well aware of how many hinged solely on ‘confessions’ obtained while the men were held incommunicado and through torture.

Koltyrin has been the Director of the Medvezhyegorsk District Museum since 1991.  His museum covers Sandarmokh, the clearing in Karelia where Dmitriev and other members of the Karelia branch of Memorial uncovered the mass graves of victims of the Terror.  Among those buried at Sandarmokh were 1,111 prisoners of the notorious Solovki Labour Camp, including 289 Ukrainian writers, playwrights, scientists and other members of the intelligentsia, killed by quota from 27 October to 4 November 1937.

Koltyrin always worked very closely with Dmitriev and the Memorial researchers.  The work at Sandarmokh, and its significance as a place of pilgrimage where each year International Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Terror were held, were initially fully supported by the Karelia authorities and even the FSB [security service].

Under President Vladimir Putin, the attitude to Joseph Stalin and to the darkest pages of Soviet history has changed dramatically.  Over the last two years, no representatives of the authorities have taken part in remembrance events, and in August this year, Koltyrin himself was prevented from attending.

Koltyrin’s arrest comes just over a month after he made his opposition quite clear to contentious excavations by Russia’s Military History Society. This body was created by Russian President Vladimir Putin in December 2012, in order to “consolidate the forces of state and society in the study of Russia’s military-historical past and counter efforts to distort it”.  It is headed by Russia’s Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, and has initiated such controversial moves as the creation of a museum and bust of Stalin in Khoroshevo (Tver oblast).

The excavations arose, purportedly, as a result of assertions made by two two historians from Petrozavodsk State University – Yuri Kilin and Sergei Verigin – six months in June 2016, six months before Dmitriev was first arrested.

They asserted that Sandarmokh could contain the graves of Soviet prisoners of war held in Finnish concentration camps and then killed during the Second World War.  There was enthusiasm for such suggestions from pro-Kremlin media, with Izvestia immediately asserting that “Memorial’s information about repression in Karelia may be revised”  Despite pleas from the descendants of those buried at Sandarmokh and the lack of any real evidence to justify such excavations, the work began on August 25 (more details here)

It was already difficult to separate these moves to rewrite history of Sandarmokh from the fatally flawed persecution of the man so instrumental in finding the graves and exposing the truth about both the victims and the perpetrators of those crimes.

Dmitriev was arrested on 13 December 2016 and charged with ‘preparing pornography involving a minor’ (Article 242.2 of Russia’s criminal code) and ‘depraved actions with respect to a child under the age of 11’ (Article 135).  Both these apparently serious charges pertained solely to a folder filed on his computer, and never ‘circulated’, which contained 114 photos of his adopted daughter Natasha.  The little girl had been painfully thin and in poor health at three years old, when he and his former wife took her from the children’s home, and the authorities had themselves advised him to monitor her development.  Each of the photos, taken between 2008 and 2015 recorded her weight and height.  

It was almost certainly hoped that the case, which apparently involved ‘child pornography’, would turn people away from Dmitriev and also discredit Memorial.  It did nothing of the kind.  The defence brought in proper experts, as opposed to the mathematician, teacher and art historian who obligingly perceived ‘pornography’ in nine of over 100 photos.  They dismissed the allegations outright, finding no whiff of ‘pornography’ and confirming that it was common practice to take such photos for monitoring development.

It is possible that whoever had commissioned this prosecution decided to back off briefly in the face of such damning expert assessments and with worldwide publicity for the case.  On 5 April 2018, Dmitriev was acquitted of the ‘pornography’ charges, however this acquittal was overturned on 14 June, and the case sent back for ‘retrial’.  

The aim was clearly to imprison Dmitriev and on 27 June he was re-arrested, with the ‘investigators’ adding the charge of ‘violent acts of a sexual nature’.  These alleged some kind of behaviour towards his adopted daughter up to when he was first arrested, but that had allegedly not been noticed before.  It seems likely that the new charges have arisen in cooperation with Natasha’s grandmother who had not seen the little girl after leaving her in a children’s home as a toddler.  Certainly Natasha herself was writing obviously loving letters to her father in prison and was clearly devastated by being taken from the only family she had ever known.  Most importantly, in over a year and a half of trying to make an absurd prosecution convincing, the ‘investigators’ had come up with no other charges involving the little girl.  Dmitriev remains in custody  (more details here)

It was evident from within a month of Dmitriev’s first arrest that the case was aimed at discrediting Memorial and that this had been coordinated with the FSB.  The charges had been chosen very deliberately to seem quite apolitical, while arousing aversion and anger, with many simply assuming that there must be some truth to them.  That calculation has probably been made again.  The arrest of Koltyrin soon after he rejected attempts to doctor the past with respect to Sandarmokh seems suspect, and concern is only exacerbated by attempts already reported in local media to link and discredit both highly respected and committed historians.

Update:  On 3 October, Sergei Koltyrin and Yevgeny Nosov were remandedin custody until 27 November.  The charges concern a 13-year-old.  Interfax has asserted, citing an unnamed source, that Koltyrin has written a confession. As with all proceedings against Dmitriev, the prosecution is able to hold them behind closed doors because of the age of the alleged victim.  Viktor Anufriev, who has represented Dmitriev from the beginning, will be representing Koltyrin as well.  There appears to be no information about Nosov, except that he does not appear to have a lawyer.

[goldcoastdreams]

Gel ball gamers march on as retailer fights ban on importing toy guns

By Dea Clark Updated October 28, 2018 15:10:21

Photo: The toy guns can only be sold in Queensland and South Australia. (ABC News: Dea Clark) Map: Brisbane 4000 Games like Fortnite and Call of Duty continue to dominate the online gaming world, but there is growing enthusiasm in Australia for a more real-life experience. Key points:Gel ball blasters are legal in Queensland and SA, but banned in NSW and VictoriaGame organiser says a gel ball game is less painful than paintball and much cheaperMore stores open in Queensland, with one Brisbane retailer saying he sells up to 400 gel blasters a week Like paint ball, gel ball is a game of skirmish and its fast-growing popularity has game organisers and importers of the blasters struggling to keep up with demand. But not everyone shares the enthusiasm, with gel ball blasters banned in some states and at least one importer facing serious charges. It has not deterred the players. Thousands of people are joining an ever-expanding number of closed Facebook clubs.

Photo: Players take part in gel ball game at Heritage Park facility at Pimpama. (ABC News: Dea Clark) A fortnightly gel ball game on Queensland's Gold Coast attracts upwards of 150 people, which is up from 24 a year ago.

Photo: Game organiser Brent Alderton at the gel ball game Heritage Park facility at Pimpama. (ABC News: Dea Clark) Organiser Brent Alderton said the game was less painful than paintball and much cheaper.

Photo: Gel balls are used in blasters for the skirmish-style game. (ABC News: Dea Clark) "With paintball, you can have a couple of hours' play and go through a couple of hundred dollars easy," Mr Alderton said. "Except for the initial purchase of a blaster, which is around $150 to $200, gel balls are cheap for 10,000 it's $4 and that will last a full day." For many, part of the thrill is the cosplay element and that means having realistic-looking battle gear and guns.

Photo: Two players ready for a game of gel ball at the Heritage Park facility at Pimpama. (ABC News: Dea Clark) Legal battle to sell the blasters Peter Clark was selling gel ball blasters online last year, when Australian Border Force (ABF) seized one of his shipments. After a costly legal battle, a Queensland court found in Mr Clark's favour, declaring them toys. "The actual projectile the product fires is not considered ammunition under the law," Mr Clark said. Queensland Police also examined the shipment, eventually deciding they were not firearms. "The [1996] National Firearms Agreement wasn't written to ban people from owning toy guns it was written to stop mass shootings," Mr Clark said. Laws vary between the states and territories, with the blasters legal in Queensland and South Australia but banned in New South Wales and Victoria. In other areas, the blasters fall into a grey area. Criminologist Terry Goldsworthy said he was perplexed any authority would regard them as toys. "[Gel gun blasters are] painted in camouflage like the weapons the armed forces use I really think there's a lack of distinction between these type of replica weapons and the real thing," Mr Goldsworthy said. "People may not understand the law and may go out with the weapons and therefore committing criminal offences perhaps they're not aware of."

Photo: A team called 'Brisbane Bruise Brothers' ready for a game of gel ball at the Heritage Park facility at Pimpama. (ABC News: Dea Clark) Importer faces 'serious indictment' charges Sydney man Brad Towner, who is at the centre of a test case, had been importing and selling the blasters since 2010 with the full knowledge of New South Wales Police. "They had a look at my toys, they took photographs, added them to my profile on me to say he's a legitimate toy gun seller and there's no problem at all," Mr Towner said. But that changed in March 2017 when police executed a warrant on Mr Towner's business and charged him with five firearm offences, including possession of firearms and ammunition, and firearm dealing. "These charges are classified as a 'serious indictment', meaning I can go to prison for five years to life," Mr Towner said. "My legal team believe that this is a test case by the DPP [NSW Director of Public Prosecutions] to see if they can in fact ban anything toy-gun related."

Photo: Sydney businessman Brad Towner has been importing and selling Gel ball blasters since 2010. (Supplied: Brad Towner) While gel ball players await the outcome of the case, the game in New South Wales has gone underground, with events held in secret locations. Others are travelling north across the border where the game's popularity has created a mini economic boom. Stores open in Queensland Mr Clark and his business partner have recently opened a retail store on the Gold Coast. "At this point in time we can't import them quick enough it doesn't matter how many containers we have backed up, they sell straight away," Mr Clark said. Another retailer, Daniel Hennessy, said he sold up to 400 gel blasters a week from his Brisbane shop. "I can't get enough stock in it's growing very, very rapidly," Mr Hennessy said. "It's just an infectious hobby I have one bloke come in and five blokes come back." Meanwhile, Mr Towner said he had no choice but to move his life and business north. "I'm in the process of setting up in Brisbane and I'm hoping to be rock-and-roll ready for Christmas," he said.

Photo: Retailer Daniel Hennessy says he sells up to 400 gel ball blasters a week from his Brisbane shop. (ABC News: Dea Clark) Topics:people,human-interest,law-crime-and-justice,activism-and-lobbying,government-and-politics,laws,games,arts-and-entertainment,brisbane-4000,qld,australia,southport-4215,sydney-2000,nsw,pimpama-4209 First posted October 28, 2018 09:07:04 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-28/gel-ball-blaster-guns-skirmish-games-qld/10418474