#also 47 meters down

[stevethehairington]

man it does not matter how bad the acting is or how shitty the concept is or how poorly made it is, but every single one of those like "we got stranded in this Situation and have to try to survive it otherwise we Will Die" movies stresses me tf OUT and puts me on total edge the whole time and i LOVE THEM

[zebrafiz]

watched girl interrupted for the first time ever today……. very interesting

[thistledropkick]

Last year, Kasai Jun was interviewed as part of the interview project DEATH, which interviews various people about death in order to find a better understanding of how to live and appreciate life.

I thought it was a fascinating interview, so I decided to translate it.

Please go visit the original interview - the photography accompanying it is absolutely gorgeous.

Also, please don't repost this whole translation elsewhere. If you want to quote an excerpt of my translation for something, please make sure to also credit the original team behind this interview and link back to the original interview.

Deathmatch Fighter Kasai Jun - 4/27/2022

“It’s not a deathmatch until you return home alive” The reason this 47 year old Charisma Wrestler continues to shed blood in the ring

Within pro wrestling, there is a genre called “deathmatch.”

An extreme set of rules that allows deadly weapons and has no disqualifications. Brawls with fluorescent light tubes, and dives onto barbed wire boards. Without hesitation, wrestlers stab their opponents in the head with fistfuls of bamboo skewers. When wound-covered bodies violently collide, shards of glass and sprays of blood shower the ringside seats.

Upon first seeing it, surely everyone thinks “Why are these people hurting each other like this?” “What the hell am I looking at?”

This is the world of the man known as “Charisma,” professional Wrestler Kasai Jun of the independent promotion Pro Wrestling Freedoms.

In November of 2009, he had a “razorblade board plus alpha deathmatch” against Ito Ryuji in Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall. Kasai, 35 years old at the time, dove from the second floor balcony, a fall of 6 meters, onto a table, aiming for his opponent Ito.

Afterwards they continued to fight with various weapons, in a match that concluded 15 seconds before the 30 minute time limit. That year, this match was awarded the Best Bout award. And Kasai, the winner of that match, became a living legend overnight.

12 years have passed since then. Kasai is now 47 years old, and he continues to rule over the world of deathmatch wrestling. Under the weight of many literal life-or-death battles, Kasai’s body no longer moves the way it did when he was young. Even so, why does he continue to set foot in such a dangerous place?

We asked “Charisma of Deathmatch” - a man who makes the crowd go mad in the space between life and death - about his views on death and on life.

Desiring to truly feel alive

- Normally, people try to avoid pain and suffering. Kasai, why do you continue to shed blood in the ring?

Hahaha. From an outside perspective, you must really wonder “Why do you keep doing something so painful” huh? That’s a normal way to feel. But from the wrestler’s perspective, it’s completely different.

In your normal daily life, do you ever feel like “Ahh, it’s so glorious to be alive”? You’d almost never unconsciously blurt out something like that.

But in a life or death battle in a deathmatch ring, after you step down from that ring, that��s exactly what you feel. “Ahh, I’m alive. I’m so grateful to be alive.” Because of that, I can’t quit.

Mountain climbers and stuntmen probably feel like this too, don’t they. Stepping into a situation where their life could end, and returning home safely. I wonder if they’re searching for that feeling of being “truly alive.”

This feeling is passed on to the audience too. Fans often tell me “Watching Kasai Jun’s deathmatch gives me the strength to continue forward.”

They say things like, “I’m being bullied at school so I wasn’t going to go any more, but now I feel like I can keep going.” Or, “It’s exhausting to keep going to work, but after seeing Kasai persevere while shedding blood in the ring, I can persevere and keep going to work.”

Recently I can’t do this much because of covid, but in the past when I’d sell merch, fans would often say things like this to me.

Because of this, it seems to me that deathmatch wrestling is simultaneously a way for wrestlers to feel truly alive, and a way for those who watch it to feel more positively about living.

- Because of the sensational way “death” is shown in the ring?

Probably, yeah. Because it looks like we’re doing something really painful.

But don’t get me wrong. We aren’t in a particular hurry to die. And we aren’t wasting our lives either. What I always say is, “It’s not a deathmatch until you return alive.”

[Note from me - this phrase (生きて帰るまでがデスマッチ) is a play on a well-known Japanese phrase 家に帰るまでが遠足 “The field trip isn’t over until we return home.” This started as something a teacher would say to students in their care, and Kasai has altered it into his motto towards both himself and other deathmatch wrestlers.]

- It’s not a deathmatch until you return alive.

If you get in a ring where you might die or get seriously injured, and you do die, or you do get seriously injured, you’re no different than a rank amateur, right? But a guy who dives into a deadly dangerous situation and returns from that ring unharmed, he’s the absolute greatest and the absolute coolest.

Like a stuntman, right? If he returns home alive, people say “amazing,” but if he dies, he’s no longer a pro.

At 35 years old, his view on life did a complete 180 during a match

But, when I was young, I thought about it completely differently. I never thought “I’m grateful to be alive.” In the ring, I did dangerous stuff and defeated my opponents. I just thought of it as my job.

The more dangerous stuff I did, the more people said “Kasai is amazing!” That felt really great. Every time I stepped into the right I thought, if something goes wrong and I die I guess that’s how it goes. I thought “Deathmatches should be a memento mori.”

- What caused such a big change in your values?

That match against Ito Ryuji in Korakuen, in 2009. It changed my mental state by 180 degrees.

The truth is, I went into that match thinking “This is my last match before I retire.” Because it was my last match, I would do everything I wanted to do. Win or lose, I went into the ring thinking “I’ll retire.”

But during the match, my feelings completely changed. I thought “If I quit like this, I’ll be half-dead.” There’s nothing else I want to do, and I’ve never felt joy like this anywhere else. It was just too much fun.

So, after the match ended with 15 seconds remaining, I announced my decision to continue wrestling. “I was thinking of retiring but, I’m gonna keep going.” That’s what changed.

- Since your values have changed so significantly from when you thought it’d be good to die in the ring, what’s your “ideal death” now?

Spending the day with my family as I always do, watching tv with an after-dinner drink as I always do, getting comfy in my futon as I always do, and passing away. That’s the best death, isn’t it.

I’ve said it before but, people who say “It’s my ambition to die in the ring” are just trying to look cool. For a pro, it all comes down to returning home alive. And so, I believe that when the life of Kasai Jun the human being comes to an end, Kasai Jun the wrestler will die as well. I want to be a pro wrestler until I die. That’s how I feel now.

When I was young, I thought the best time for a wrestler to retire was when he could still move, when people would say “It’s a shame, because there’s still more he can do.” But if that’s true, I’ve already missed my best time to retire.

Since I’ve come this far, maybe it’s better to keep doing this until my death. Since around the time I turned 40, I started thinking this way.

Gaining years = leveling up. I’ll reach my peak just before death.

- Since you’ve been doing this for so long, it’s inevitable that your body has become weaker. Kasai, how have you dealt with aging?

The word “elderly” is a concept created by human beings, isn’t it? Since that’s the case, I believe it’s something we can absolutely overcome. I don’t think increasing in age is the same as becoming elderly.

Look, it’s true that my physical stamina has decreased and my muscles have gotten weaker than they were when I was younger. But my will and my spirit have continued to grow. Instead of just breaking even, I think I’ve leveled up. 47 years old is level 47. I now see growing older as a positive, like leveling up every year.

Because of that, my peak has yet to come. I’ll reach my peak just before I die. I’ll be at my strongest just before my death. That’s the ideal I envision for myself.

There was a time when I felt insecure about my age. When I hit my mid 30s, I hated that my body was becoming weaker.

But then, while drinking at home and watching a documentary on TV about (rock musician) Yazawa Eikichi, I realized something. “If you think about it, uncool young people are uncool, and cool guys are cool even if they’re old.” Since then, my way of thinking changed. I started calling getting older “leveling up” at around that time.

[Note from me: Suzuki Minoru also refers to getting one year older as “leveling up” in the exact same way. They are friends, so I assume Suzuki got it from Kasai.]

- I'm surprised that a pro athlete who uses his body as a weapon would think of aging in that way.

Pro wrestling and deathmatch are unique among sports. Unlike say, track and field, or swimming, it isn’t a competition where every second counts. I can’t move the way I could when I was young any more, but through my facial expressions, pauses during matches, and so on, I have many ways to express myself.

A guy can be handsome, macho, with great muscles, and completely suck as a wrestler. In contrast, a guy like me who’s ugly, short, and middle-aged, can get support from the fans. It’s a completely different genre, and that’s what makes pro wrestling so interesting.

- What about your emotional struggles? In your documentary film you said you were having some difficulty maintaining your motivation, which you described as “Deathmatch Erectile Dysfunction”

Yeah, well, that can definitely be a problem. When you’re young, you’ve just got piles of hopes and dreams and things you want to do. But as the years go on, and as you accomplish those things, you can kind of get lost.

What’s helped me increase my motivation has been the existence of people who make me think “I absolutely don’t wanna lose to this guy” or “I don’t want this guy to take all the best stuff for himself” In my case, for example, that’s been (fellow PW Freedoms deathmatch wrestler) Takeda Masashi. Or, although he’s from another organization, New Japan Pro Wrestling’s El Desperado.

That’s why for the past 3 or 4 years, I’ve been asking people to “stimulate me.” I want intimidating people to keep approaching me. Well, on the other hand, if they take the most delicious part for themselves, that’s a problem.

A fear of death led to a “selfish life”

- Incidentally, perhaps it’s too late at this point, but do you worry about being injured or dying?

I said it already but, “It’s not a deathmatch until you return alive.” Since I’m a pro, I have the skills required to do this without death or injury. 

But, it’d be a lie to say “I’m not afraid.” Even now, for several days before a match I get so stressed that I can’t sleep. Despite how I look, I get plenty scared. Much of my life has been driven by a strong fear of death.

- How do you mean?

It sounds silly, but when I was in grade school I believed in “The Prophecies of Nostradamus.” Have you ever heard of it? “In the year 1999, all of humanity will be destroyed.” Every night I shook with fear in my futon, thinking that my life would end at the age of 24.

Propelled by that fear, I concluded, “If the earth is gonna get destroyed anyway, I should quit studying. Instead I should use the rest of my remaining lifetime to do stuff that I like.” I completely quit studying, and instead spent all my time watching pro wrestling, which I loved.

Conversely, my fear of death also led me to become a pro wrestler. After graduating high school, I got a job in Tokyo as a security guard, but I gave into temptation and visited brothels daily. One day I happened to be reading a magazine with an HIV checklist inside, and almost every item applied to me.

At that time, I still thought “AIDS = death” so I thought “Oh, this is AIDS.” “Oh, this is how I’ll die.”

Luckily, when I got tested the result was negative, but after preparing myself for death, I thought “I really should do what I want” and knocked on the door of Big Japan Pro Wrestling. My life has always been influenced in this way.

- I get the impression that many wrestlers die at an early age. Since then, your fear must have increased.

Nah, that’s not really true. I’m surprisingly practical about the deaths of others. I just accept it, like “That’s the kind of life you lived.” I suspect my fear of death isn’t a fear of death itself, but a fear of becoming nothing.

- A fear of becoming nothing.

I’m no (actor and spiritualist) Tanba Tetsuro, but if after you die, you go to the spirit world, and cross the Sanzu river, that’s not all that scary is it? I wouldn’t go so far as to say “it’s fine if I die” but there’s some kind of hope or meaning. But if “After death, you become complete nothingness” “After death you feel no joy or sadness” I think that’s really scary.

But these days, I don’t experience that fear of death as much as I used to. If after this interview a dump truck hits me and I die, I wouldn’t have any regrets. I could say I did what I wanted to do.

Pro wrestling is a business where you depend on your popularity with an audience, but I’ve never tried to flatter the audience to get sales or support, or thought about how to increase my popularity. Ultimately, Kasai Jun puts himself first. I’m my own number one.

To die without regrets is to win at life

- But, if someone wanted to imitate your way of life, I think most people would be profoundly afraid of not getting by financially, or of being rejected by society. Why do you think you remain stoic in the face of such fears?

What’s there worth imitating about me? If you’re selfish like me and you can change it, you should want to!

But, this is probably related to that “fear of becoming nothing” I mentioned earlier. Ever since I was little, I’ve thought stuff like “This whole world isn’t real” and “Maybe all of this is just a dream.”

Nothing in this world is certain. Since that’s the case, all you have are your own body and your own feelings. In short, I don’t believe in anything but myself, so I put myself first.

- So in order to “feel truly alive” you throw yourself into the painful world of deathmatch wrestling, which leads us back to where we started.

That’s right. I guess you could say that pain is the only thing I believe.

But when I was young, I did understand the fear of not making enough money to survive. When I was around 30 and my son had just been born, I was seized by that fear.

Really, I was broke, and I couldn’t even pay into the National Pension Fund like I was supposed to, so I went to the ward office and said “I do intend to pay, so please wait a little.” I thought to myself, “Living is so expensive and so difficult.”

- A deathmatch fighter scary enough to quiet a crying child, with such an everyday problem.

Three years after my debut, when I was around 27, I was badly injured. I quit Big Japan, and after a year’s absence, I transferred to a different group called Zero-One.

Zero-One was founded by ex-New Japan Pro Wrestler Hashimoto Shinya, and the pay was good compared to Big Japan, and they held a lot of shows, so I could wrestle frequently. The environment there was very pleasant.

But, due to the policy of the organization, I couldn’t do the deathmatches that I love. During that time as a “salaryman wrestler,” I survived, but I think deathmatch fighter Kasai Jun, pro wrestler Kasai Jun, was completely dead.

“I really should do the pro wrestling I want to do,” I thought, and I quit Zero-One, and persisted with the pro wrestling that I love. Maybe that’s why I feel like I can now “die without regrets.”

Ultimately, if you live your own life as you wish, and think “I have no regrets” when you die, you win. Maybe people today have lost sight of the essence of what it means to live. It’s fine to work hard at your job, but if you’re spending every day miserably, is that kind of life really okay with you?

I’d rather live for 20 years and laugh every day than live for 100 years and never smile. If you’ve lived for 100 years and never laughed, that’s the same as being dead, isn’t it?

~

写真：本永創太 ~ Photographer: Motonaga Souta

執筆：鈴木陸夫 ~ Author: Suzuki Atsuo

編集：日向コイケ（Huuuu）~ Editor: Hinata Koike (Huuuu)

[tokidokitokyo]

千葉県

Japanese Prefectures: Kantō - Chiba

都道府県 (とどうふけん) - Prefectures of Japan

Learning the kanji and a little bit about each of Japan’s 47 prefectures!

Kanji・漢字

千　ち、セン　thousand

葉　は、ヨウ　leaf, lobe

県　ケン　prefecture

関東　かんとう　Kantō, region consisting of Tokyo and surrounding prefectures

Prefectural Capital (県庁所在地) : Chiba City (千葉市)

Chiba lies on the Bōsō Peninsula on the east coast of Tokyo Bay, about 20 miles (30 km) southeast of central Tokyo, and boasts many international facilities such as Narita International Airport, known as the gateway to Japan); Makuhari Messe, one of the most prominent convention centers in Asia; Kazusa DNA Research Institute, a world leader in cutting edge research; and Tokyo Disney Resort, with two theme parks that draw in 30 million patrons each year. It also boasts beaches for swimming, surfing, and diving and was the location for the first Olympic surfing games. Historically, Chiba was a castle town controlled by the Chiba family in the 12th–15th century, and during the Edo (Tokugawa) period (1603–1867) it served as a post-station town for several major roads. After the construction of a railway connecting it to Tokyo, the town began to grow in the second half of the 19th century.

Recommended Tourist Spot・おすすめ観光スポット Mt Nokogiri - 鋸山

Mt. Nokogiri - Hyaku-Shaku Kannon carved into stone cliff

Mt. Nokogiri is named for the zigzag shape of a traditional handsaw that its topography resembles. Along with Mt. Kanozan and Mt. Kiyosumi, Mt. Nokogiri is one of Chiba's three most famous mountains. It stands at 330 meters high and features a grand lookout point as well as a temple complex containing one of Japan's largest Buddhas. The mountain is bare granite and has been a quarry since the Edo Period, providing stones for many of Tokyo's most iconic sites, such as Yasukuni Shrine and Waseda University. You can reach the top by an easy hike or via a ropeway to the top. Hell Lookout (地獄のぞき) is a lookout point at the top of the mountain that hangs over the edge of the cliff and offers a stunning view of Tokyo Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and the distant forests and hills of the Boso Peninsula, and on clear days, Mt. Fuji.

At the southern base of Mt. Nokogiri is Nihonji Temple (日本寺), an officially designated Important Cultural Property. There's a stairway leading from the top of the mountain down to the vast, picturesque Soto Zen Buddhist temple that dates back 1300 years and is still used to train young monks today. A giant daibutsu, or Buddha statue, is carved into the granite on the side of Mt. Nokogiri about midway up the mountain. It is 31 meters high and one of Japan's largest Buddhas, even larger than Kamakura's famous daibutsu at Kotokuin Temple. The statue was built to pray for world peace and most of the statue was carved over three years beginning in 1780.

In addition to the giant daibutsu, there are around 1500 small statues of various Buddhist deities around the temple grounds. Unfortunately, many of the smaller statues were beheaded during the anti-Buddhist movement that accompanied the Meiji Restoration, but there are ongoing efforts to repair them. This part of Nihonji was a spiritual sanctuary built over 21 years in the 18th century by craftsman Ono Kangoro and his students. Towards the top of the mountain stands a 30-meter tall Hyaku-Shaku Kannon, depicting the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Carved in 1966 into a stone cliff, it is dedicated to those who died in wars, of sickness or in accidents. The Kannon is also worshiped as a protector of transportation due to its protected location surrounded by rocks.

Regional Cuisine - 郷土料理 Sangayaki - さんが焼き

Sangayaki (source)

Namerou and sangayaki are well-known Chiba dishes, especially along the Bōsō Peninsula. Namerou (なめろう) is a dish usually made of minced horse mackerel and sardine mixed with miso, perilla leaves, and leek. When grilled and wrapped in perilla leaves, it is called sangayaki (さんが焼き). The name "namerou" may have come from the fact that namerou is so good that you want to lick your plate clean (nameru means to lick). The name "sangayaki" may be from the fact that the fishermen ate the dish along a river tributary, or sanga, and the word yaki means to grill (like yakisoba or yakitori). Namerou can be cooked in other ways, such as being shaped and grilled like a burger, or being coated in breadcrumbs and fried.

Chiba Dialect・Chiba no hougen・千葉の方言

Note: Chiba dialect is sometimes called Bōsō-ben (房総弁), after the peninsula. Chiba dialect is actually a family of three dialects: Bōshū-ben (房州弁), Tōsō-ben 東総弁, and Noda-ben (野田弁).

Bōshū-ben (房州弁)

1. おいねえ　oinee　not good

はしけえでおいねえや (hashikee de oinee ya)

Standard Japanese: かゆくていけないよ (kayukute ikenai yo)

English: This itches so badly

2. くわっせえ　kuwassee　please eat (command)

ばーさんほら、わーかでいーがらくわっせぇよ (baa-san hora, wa-ka de iigara kuwassei yo)

Standard Japanese: おばあさんほら、少しでいいから召し上がってよ (obaasan hora, sukoshi demo ii kara meshi agate yo)

English: Grandma, come on, please just eat a little bit

3. やんべえ　yanbee　health; condition (often used in a greeting)

いいやんべえだねえ (ii yanbee da nee)

Standard Japanese: こんにちは (konnichiwa)

English: Hello; Good day (lit. "you are in good health today")

Tōsō-ben 東総弁

1. あじょうだぁ　ajyou daa　how is it

あじょうだぁ？ (ajyou daa?)

Standard Japanese: どうですか？　(dou desu ka?)

English: How is it?

2. ねっけぇ　nekkee　warm

今日はずいぶんとねっけぇね (kyou wa zuibun to nekkee ne)

Standard Japanese: 今日はずいぶんと暖かいね (kyou wa zuibun to atatakai ne)

English: Today is fairly warm, isn't it?

3. わんらー　wanraa　you (informal, not very polite)

わんらーよー！んなことやってねーよ！ (wanraa you! 'n na koto yatte nee yo!)

Standard Japanese: あなたねえ！そんな事しないでよ！ (anata nee! sonna koto shinai de yo!)

English: Hey you! Stop doing that!

Noda-ben (野田弁)

1. こわい　kowai　difficult, taxing, bothersome

風邪ひいででまーだこわいだよなぁ (kaze hiide de maa-da kowai da yo naa)

Standard Japanese: 風邪を引いていてまだ身体がだるいんだよね　(kaze wo hiite ite mada karada ga daruin da yo ne)

English: I have a cold and my body still feels listless

2. はらくち　harakuchi　full

はらくちだよなぁ (harakuchi da yo naa)

Standard Japanese: お腹いっぱいだよね (onaka ippai da yo ne)

English: I'm full

3. やっこら　yakora　soon

やっこらいくべ (yakora iku be)

Standard Japanese: そろそろいこうか (sorosoro ikou ka)

English: Shall we go soon?

[thommi-tomate]

Interview with Jupp Heynckes about Thomas Müller

By: Kicker

Mr. Heynckes, Thomas Müller scored for FC Bayern for the 499th time in an official match in the recent Bundesliga match against SC Freiburg. He has 235 goals and 264 assists. You knew this player as a coach in Munich from April 28 to June 30, 2009 and in the two seasons 2011/12 and 2012/13. Why does Müller stand out?

To judge this player and appreciate his record, you have to see the full picture of Thomas Müller. Thomas is a traveler between worlds on the football field, which means that he is neither a striker nor a defensive midfielder, but an attacking midfielder endowed with a special goal-scoring instinct and a gift that is granted to very few players: he has a fundamental endurance and exceptional speed. This combination has always distinguished him physically. Moreover, he is an absolute team player who always and without exception puts himself at the service of the team.

Does this also characterize Müller as a person?

Yes, he is authentic, sympathetic, empathetic, funny, original with his sayings, optimistic, positive and able to lead. Thomas doesn't duck away in awkward moments, he always faces up and has a clear, decided opinion on football and the circumstances in a team. That's why I've always spoken highly of Thomas Müller, because he's an exceptional player, not only because of his footballing qualities, but also because of his personality. I like to compare him with my former teammate Hacki Wimmer, who was just as strong a midfielder as Thomas at Borussia Mönchengladbach and also gave everything for the team. He was self-sacrificing on the defensive end, moving forward, but not as goal-threatening as Thomas. Today, Thomas is a mature professional who knows for himself when he has played well and not so well, when he needs to be critical or hold back publicly. He is now in the late autumn of his career, which is quite normal when you have 300,000 kilometers in your legs and are 34 years old.

Thomas Müller describes himself as an Raumdeuter. Does he have this particular feel for a promising goal situation?

Yes, he intuitively recognizes situations in the game that could be dangerous for a goal. A strong runner and hard worker, he also goes where he thinks he needs to be present and finishes. With his now very good eye, he has great peripheral vision, plus calmness on the ball, so he plays precise passes and hits very good crosses. Thomas doesn't stand out as a footballing giant, but his overall image could be of a great painter like the Italian Rafael.

What was Thomas Müller like in personal interactions?

He was always accessible in communication, ready to talk and receptive. He understands football as a game, recognizes currents in a team and sees through the mechanisms outside. With Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm, he mediated within the team and forced self-cleaning processes before the coach had to take action. It's a gift when you have players like that as a coach.

In the Bundesliga, Müller, who made his debut in a 2-2 draw with Hamburger SV on August 15, 2008, has recorded 200 assists and 144 goals in 448 matches and 33,089 minutes, he needs 96 minutes for a scoring point, so he manages to score or set up a goal in almost every league match. How is this consistency possible?

First, he was very rarely injured, so he had continuity in his career. Then he has the ability to anticipate, he foresees developments on the pitch. When Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben used to go off on the wings or Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry or Leroy Sané do it today, Thomas sprints off from deep or instinctively adapts his position to requirements when he's already in the penalty area, he goes into the five-meter area or pulls back from there toward the penalty spot. He also likes to orient himself towards the second post. He has this behavior down pat and has also perfected it. Thomas has it all in his blood.

Under you as coach, Müller scored 47 goals in 135 appearances over 9754 minutes, plus 53 assists, making exactly 100 scorer points. Where did you see his ideal position?

Thomas is a highly intelligent player whom I used mainly as a forward midfielder or second striker. He could also play on the right side and accepted this role without grumbling. He got to grips with this task and then came through there as well. The optimal place for him was behind the striker.

Müller set up by far the most goals for Robert Lewandowski: 64, including 48 in the Bundesliga. Why did Müller and Lewandowski harmonize so well?

It worked so well with Thomas and Robert Lewandowski because Lewy recognized and sensed exactly when he needed to break away from his opponent - at the precise moment when the ball had left Thomas' foot, and never before. This interplay was based on the intuition of the two, it was blind understanding. Thomas hit the crosses exactly the way Lewy needed them: the striker had to go forward, run or sprint into the crosses or put-ins, often with prior backward body deception.

Were Müller and Lewandowski the most effective striker duo in Bundesliga history?

Every time is different. Of course, they were a great pair, but Thomas played just as efficiently with Mario Gomez or Mario Mandzukic. However, Lewy has already benefited a lot from Thomas.

Under Pep Guardiola, Müller collected at least 40 scorer points in every game, and in 2015/16 his best mark was 45. Does Müller need more space for his game or does it help him more when things are tight up front?

When Thomas has space, that's an advantage for him because he's also very fast. But since he is a very skilled player, he knows how to adjust to all conditions. In general, he moves very well thanks to his immense running strength and is always playable. When he comes under pressure there, he doesn't take the ball but just lets it clatter. His passes have the right sharpness and precision, they also get onto the right foot of the teammate - many professionals lack this gift. Thomas plays simple football, not fancy.

87 scorer points are the best score for a German player in the Champions League. FC Barcelona is the foreign club against which Müller scored the most points. In nine duels, he scored eight goals and served to two goals. In the semifinal before winning the title in 2013, Müller scored the 1-0 and 4-0 at home, and he set up the 3-0 by Mario Gomez. In the second leg, he scored the 3:0. What does this data say about Müller's international class?

For Thomas, the games in the Champions League were always highlights, and he saw the duels with Real Madrid or FC Barcelona as a major challenge. His special motivation was there to be felt. He knew how to adapt to his opponents, and he knew exactly when he needed to be even more focused. That's why this international top score comes as no surprise to me.

Was he nervous at any point?

No. Rather highly concentrated and well prepared, tense. Anyone who has been German champion twelve times like Thomas is no longer nervous.

Did you see Müller more as the final provider or the enforcer?

I have always seen the whole football player Thomas Müller, both elements for the offense distinguish. In addition, he was always driven by an immense will to perform, the utmost professionalism. Even if he exudes a certain lightness on the outside, in truth he is totally focused. That's why I always had such a high opinion of him.

Müller scored 149 of his 235 goals with his right foot, and he also scored with his chest - against Bochum in 2009/10 - or with his left upper arm against Hannover in the 2013/14 Cup. Is Müller underestimated because of his sometimes seemingly clumsy movements?

What I said before about him as a footballer makes any answer to this question superfluous.

Müller didn't have it easy with every coach. Did you also have doubts about him at times?

I never had any doubts about Thomas Müller. I got to know him in 2009. Back then, we still managed to reach the Champions League in the six weeks we worked together at the end of the season. After the season, we played six friendly matches, six days in a row. Thomas played every one of those games. It was amazing. After that, I transferred to Bayer Leverkusen and called Hermann Gerland in Munich and said, "Hermann, I want Thomas." Hermann replied, "You're crazy. I've already talked to Louis van Gaal and told him that Thomas is a good kid we have to promote." I then dropped the courting of Thomas.

Müller was never Footballer of the Year. Is his value not appreciated accordingly?

Has he really never been Germany's football player of the year?

Never.

That is an oversight on the part of the jury. I would like to join this group (laughs), my vote would go to Thomas. He would have deserved this award 100 percent. For me, he is exceptional and one of the best players in the history of FC Bayern, which is rich in great players and to which he has been loyal throughout his career. It is a gift for any club to have such a player. I have always held him in immense esteem, Thomas Müller is unique. What he has achieved in football so far is a magnificent, admirable lifetime achievement. And once he steps off the big football stage, I will miss him. When he plays, Thomas is always an eye-catcher. There will never be another player like him: Just as there will be no more Franz Beckenbauer or Gerd Müller, there will be no more Thomas Müller.

[love-sapphirerose]

Resuming the dynamics of the morning, this time we are at Chapter 171 of the manga, corresponding to Episode 47 of the anime.

Quick summary, Naraku tries to eliminate Kikyo permanently with a giant soul collector, so far so good, both versions are the same plan, the change lies in the showdown of Kikyo vs the red collector snake.

Here it is not shown, but at the beginning in the animated version, Kikyo's first reaction is to run away from the giant collector, that not counting that he stole a horse to be able to escape, the pursuit goes on for several kilometers until finally she stops near a precipice, Kikyo decides fight against the soul collector but all her arrows lack enough spiritual power, so when impacting the enemy this receives no damage, even shows as if she did not have enough ability with the bow, something illogical for she was able to seal a a person on the move while his arm was shattered. Seeing that her attacks are useless Kikyo decides to run away again on the horse but the soul collector gets too close to her and knocks her down, dropping her off a cliff, the latter is too much if you ask me.

In the manga is something completely different, for Kikyo instead of just running away, she walks to get away from the yokai, all this while fighting face to face against him, that is at no time ran away as his counterpart from the anime, here the snake dodged the attacks of Kikyo, by that is that she was not able to defeat him, not to mention that in the end she steals countless souls, which leaves her weak and without the possibility to defend herself, in the anime instead, she simply falls off the horse and still walks several meters more until she meets Inuyasha, something that, as I explained to them, it is illogical because if I really did not have the strength to fight because he lost many souls, also he would not have been able to ride the horse to escape, that is, Kikyo in the anime lost due to lack of ability, not because he was weak, as if he was in the manga.

We finally have one of my favorite quotes exclusive from the manga. Since Kikyo had recovered, she asks Inuyasha what he was doing there, to which he replies that he could ask her the same question, Kikyo simply replies that when she was chased by the monster hoarder she started walking and walking and ended up there, in the village where he was born, grew up and finally met him.

Next comes the infamous knife scene that we all know in the anime and the beautiful hug scene in the manga.

--Sammi Sweetheartts Bonnet.

[thebeesareback]

Good Omens, political and social satire

We all love Good Omens.

One of the things, though, which was missing from the TV adaptations was the hilarious, Douglas Adams-esque vignettes. I would have loved to see some updates about modern life, although the '90s snapshots are still funny and relevant. Given the presence of corporate mergers, lack of communication between managers, owners and workers, and a recent (and well publicised) problem with a commercial transportation device whose quality suddenly dipped when they merged with a more cutthroat company, I thought I should remind everyone of this.

Several thousand miles away, at almost the same moment as Anathema was staring at her spirals, the pleasure cruiser Morbilli was aground in three hundred fathoms of water.

For Captain Vincent, this was just another problem. For example, he knew he should contact the owners, but he never knew from day to day -or from hour to hour, in this computerized world-actually who the current owners were.

Computers, that was the bloody trouble. The ship's papers were computerized and it could switch to the most currently advantageous flag of convenience in microseconds. Its navigation had been computerized as well, constantly updating its position by satellites. Captain Vincent had explained patiently to the owners, whoever they were, that several hundred square meters of steel plating and a barrel of rivets would be a better investment, and had been informed that his recommendation did not accord with current cost/benefit flow predictions.

Captain Vincent strongly suspected that despite all its electronics the ship was worth more sunk than afloat, and would probably go down as the most perfectly pinpointed wreck in nautical history.

By inference, this also meant that he was more valuable dead than alive.

He sat at his desk quietly leafing through International Maritime Codes, whose six hundred pages contained brief yet pregnant messages designed to transmit the news of every conceivable nautical eventuality across the world with the minimum of confusion and, above all, cost.

What he wanted to say was this: Was sailing SSW at position 33°N 47° 72'W. First Mate, who you may recall was appointed in New Guinea against my wishes and is probably a head-hunter, indicated by signs that something was amiss. It appears that quite a vast expanse of seabed has risen up in the night. It contains a large number of buildings, many of which appeared pyramid-like in structure. We are aground in the courtyard of one of these. There are some rather unpleasant statues. Amiable old men in long robes and diving helmets have come aboard the ship and are mingling happily with the passengers, who think we organized this. Please advise.

His questing finger moved slowly down the page, and stopped. Good old International Codes.

They'd been devised eighty years before, but the men in those days had really thought hard about the kind of perils that might possibly be encountered on the deep.

He picked up his pen and wrote down: "XXXV QVVX."

Translated, it meant: "Have found Lost Continent of Atlantis. High Priest has just won quoits contest."

[bereft-of-frogs]

It is August 1 and so that means theoretically this is the last month of my little ocean horror phase/detour (I mean let’s be real will I stop? Probably not, it will probably extend into September at least but go with it). That means:

1. Last Call for Recs for ocean-horror related things.

Here’s what I’ve read/watched so far:

The Deep, Nick Cutter | Our Wives Under the Sea, Julia Armfield | “Fear of Depths” + “Fear of Big Things Underwater”, Jacob Geller | Into the Drowning Deep, Mira Grant | Underwater (2020) | r/thalassophobia + r/submechanophobia | The Deep House (2021) | 47 Meters Down (2017) + 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019) | The Toilers of the Sea, Victor Hugo (trans. James Hogarth) | Dark Water, Koji Suzuki (trans. Glynne Walley) | “Fear of the Deep”, Nexpo | Sea Fever (2019) | The Abyss (1989) | Open Water (2003) | From Below, Darcy Coates | Love, Death + Robots, “Bad Traveling" | “The Fog Horn”, Ray Bradbury + “A Descent into the Maelstrom”, Edgar Allen Poe collected in Stories of the Sea ed. Diana Secker Tesdell | Subnautica (2018)

And here is the queue:

Sphere (1997 adaptation)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (either book or adaptation, we'll see what I have time for)

Whale Fall, Daniel Kraus (releasing in August! hoping I'm the first hold at the library, they have it listed as 'on order')

Leviathan (1989)

They Came From the Ocean, Boris Bacic

The Luminous Dead, Caitlin Starling (reread)

Anything glaring I’ve missed? I’m trying to avoid pure creature features, so that’s why there’s no Jaws despite it being a classic. Though it’s hard to avoid (honestly most of these have a creature) so I’m ok with there being a little creature as long as a substantial part of the fear/dread comes from the setting at first, rather than just a shark or cave monster or whatever. Anything submarine/diving/caves/etc, books/films/shows/podcasts, whatever you've got! And as you can see from the list of what I've got so far and the queue...doesn't have to be "good". XD Just has to involve the ocean and maybe be a little creepy. It's also ok if it's a little silly.

Not so much ocean horror related but my inspiration list is a little short for the second half of this fic (where the ocean gets a bit more metaphorical): anyone have anything good about near death experiences?

Drop recs in replies/in askbox!

2. Getting started on a new, thematically related knitting project that I am so excited about

Look at these colors. I am so excited.

[ahaura]

i watched 47 meters down last night bec i wanted an easy watch and i didnt really like it altogether. sharks do not scare me and shark movies themselves do not rly do anything for me bec like all man vs. wild animal stories if you willingly go into the habitat of a creature that is dangerous to humans and get attacked i consider that a YOU problem & its nearly impossible to suspend disbelief but also. the most anxiety-inducing part of the movie was not the shark but the fact that the characters are trapped underwater like i think THAT is genuinely terrifying. stranded on the ocean floor, running out of air, unable to surface quickly (like you would want to bec you are a human being) bec of the bends... there was a point where a character swam past a drop off point (genuinely scary to look down and not see the bottom) to a midpoint and then couldnt figure out which direction she came from... being trapped underwater and not being able to tell up from down? THAT is scary n i wish more underwater horror/suspense did that instead of. yknow. sharks.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

(CNN) — What was supposed to be a 10-hour journey to the Titanic shipwreck ended in tragedy, with all five passengers on the missing submersible killed in a catastrophic implosion.

Their deaths were confirmed Thursday, concluding a week-long search for survivors that was closely watched around the world.

The US Navy detected a sound that would match an implosion on Sunday, the day it went missing, and search teams have since found fragments of the Titan submersible, confirming those on board have perished.

But many questions still remain as authorities continue searching for debris, including when the implosion happened and what exactly went wrong with the sub.

Here’s what we know so far.

What is a catastrophic implosion?

An underwater implosion refers to the sudden inward collapse of the vessel, which would have been under immense pressure at the depths it was diving toward.

It’s unclear where or how deep the Titan was when the implosion occurred, but the Titanic wreck sits nearly 13,000 feet (almost 4,000 meters) below sea level.

The submersible was about 1 hour and 45 minutes into the roughly 2 hour descent when it lost contact.

At the depth the Titanic rests, there is around 5,600 pounds per square inch of pressure – several hundred times the pressure we experience on the surface, according to Rick Murcar, the international training director at the National Association of Cave Divers.

A catastrophic implosion is “incredibly quick,” taking place within just a fraction of a millisecond, said Aileen Maria Marty, a former Naval officer and professor at Florida International University.

“The entire thing would have collapsed before the individuals inside would even realize that there was a problem,” she told CNN. “Ultimately, among the many ways in which we can pass, that’s painless.”

Experts say it is unlikely any bodies will be recovered.

The US Coast Guard said Thursday it will continue the search in an effort to recover what it can but warned it was “an incredibly unforgiving environment down there on the sea floor.”

What’s next for the search effort?

Besides searching for the passengers, authorities will also continue to search the sea floor in hopes of discovering more information about what led to the implosion.

It will take time to put together a specific timeline of events, the US Coast Guard said Thursday, calling the underwater environment “incredibly complex.”

So far, they have located the Titan’s nose cone and one end of its pressure hulls in a large debris field, and the other end of the pressure hull in a second, smaller debris field.

“What they would do now is go back to that site and, like cookie crumbs, try to find a trail as to where that would lead,” said Tom Maddox, CEO of Underwater Forensic Investigators, who took part in a Titanic expedition in 2005.

He added that the debris pieces could still be “slightly buoyant” and be carried further away by ocean currents.

“So the big project right now is going to be trying to collect those parts,” he said.

“They’ll mark them, they’ll indicate where they were, and they’ll lay out a map of where those parts were found.”

What is the timeline of the disaster?

The expedition set out from Newfoundland, Canada, on June 16, with the Polar Prince support ship carrying participants to the site of the Titanic wreck.

Then on Sunday, June 18, the five passengers began the dive in the submersible, launched from the support ship, which remained on the surface.

They began the dive around 9 a.m., with their last communication to the surface at 11:47 a.m, according to Miawpukek Maritime Horizon Services, which co-owns the Polar Prince.

They were expected to resurface at 6:10 p.m. but were not seen; authorities were notified at 6:35 p.m. and the rescue operations launched, according to Maritime Horizon.

There seemed to be a brief window of hope after reports emerged that search teams on Tuesday heard banging every 30 minutes, though they were unable to locate the source of the noise.

But the submersible had only been equipped with 96 hours of oxygen, setting Thursday as a key target to locate and retrieve the submersible.

By Thursday afternoon, authorities confirmed the submersible had imploded, saying there does not seem to be a connection between the banging noises and where the debris was found.

A senior US Navy official told CNN the noises were likely some form of natural life or sounds given off by other ships and vessels that were part of the search effort.

It’s still not clear when exactly the vessel may have imploded.

The Navy detected a sound that was “consistent” with an implosion on Sunday, but it was determined to be “not definitive,” so the search for survivors or remains of the vessel continued.

The US Coast Guard said on Thursday it had set up sonar buoys in the water for at least the last 72 hours – meaning from at least Monday onward – but they did not record any sign of an implosion.

Who was on board?

The five men on board included the CEO of the tour operator, a British businessman, a renowned French diver, and a Pakisatani billionaire and his son.

OceanGate Expeditions, the Titan’s operator, said Thursday it believed CEO Stockton Rush and the other passengers to be “lost,” adding that the company’s employees were “exhausted and grieving deeply over this loss.”

Rush, 61, founded OceanGate in 2009 with a stated mission of “increasing access to the deep ocean through innovation.”

In a series of interviews, Rush said he believes deeply that the sea, rather than the sky, offers humanity the best shot at survival when the Earth’s surface becomes uninhabitable.

As CEO, Rush, who graduated from Princeton in 1984 with a degree in aerospace engineering, oversaw the company’s “financial and engineering strategies” and provides a “vision for development” of crewed submersibles, according to his bio.

But in his eagerness to explore, Rush often appeared skeptical, if not dismissive, of regulations that might slow innovation.

British businessman and adventurer Hamish Harding was also on board.

Based in the United Arab Emirates, he was the chairman of Action Aviation, an aircraft brokerage – but was better known for his various expeditions.

He was part of a flight crew that broke the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe via both poles;

He was one of the first people to dive to the Challenger Deep in the Pacific Ocean, widely believed to be the deepest point in the world’s oceans;

He went to space on the Blue Origin flight; and

He was part of two record-breaking trips to the South Pole.

French diver Paul-Henri “PH” Nargeolet had decades of experience exploring the Titanic.

He served as the director of underwater research at RMS Titanic Inc., the company that has exclusive rights to salvage artifacts from the ship.

According to his biography on the company’s website, Nargeolet completed 35 dives to the Titanic wreck and supervised the recovery of 5,000 artifacts.

He also spent 22 years in the French Navy.

In a statement, his family called him one of the greatest deep-sea explorers in history, adding:

“But what we will remember him most for is his big heart, his incredible sense of humor and how much he loved his family.”

Lastly, Shahzada Dawood and his son, Suleman Dawood, were from a prominent Pakistani business family.

Dawood Hercules Corp., their business, is among the largest corporations in the country, with a portfolio spanning energy, petrochemicals, fertilizers, information technology, and food and agriculture.

In a statement online, the family patriarch Hussain Dawood and his wife, Kulsum Dawood, said:

“Please continue to keep the departed souls and our family in your prayers during this difficult period of mourning.”

[warningsine]

BALTIMORE (AP) — A container ship rammed into a major bridge in   early Tuesday, causing it to snap and plunge into the river below. Several vehicles fell into the chilly waters, and rescuers were searching for survivors.

Two people were rescued from the waters under the Francis Scott Key Bridge, one in serious condition, according to Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace. He said authorities “may be looking for upwards of seven people” but said that number could change. It was not clear if the two rescued were included in the seven.

It was not immediately clear what caused the cargo ship to crash into the bridge long before the busy morning commute in what one official called a “developing mass casualty event” in a major American city just outside of Washington.

The ship crashed into one of the bridge’s supports, causing the structure to snap and buckle at several points and tumble into the water in a matter of seconds — a shocking spectacle that was captured on video and posted on social media. The vessel caught fire, and thick, black smoke billowed out of it.

“Never would you think that you would see, physically see, the Key Bridge tumble down like that. It looked like something out of an action movie,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, calling it “an unthinkable tragedy.”

Sonar has indicated that there are vehicles in the water, where the temperature was about 47 degrees Fahrenheit (8 degrees Celsius) in the early hours of Tuesday, according to a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Earlier, Kevin Cartwright, director of communications for the Baltimore Fire Department, told The Associated Press that several vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the collapse, including one the size of a tractor-trailer truck. The bridge came down in the middle of night when traffic would be lighter than during the day when thousands of cars traverse the span.

Cartwright called the collapse a “developing mass casualty event,” though he didn’t know at the time how many people were affected.

He added that some cargo appeared to be dangling from the bridge, which spans the Patapsco River at the entrance to a busy harbor. The river leads to the Port of Baltimore, a major hub for shipping on the East Coast. Opened in 1977, the bridge is named for the writer of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore declared a state of emergency and said he was working to get federal resources deployed. The FBI was also on the scene.

Synergy Marine Group — which owns and manages the ship called the Dali — confirmed the vessel hit a pillar of the bridge at about 1:30 a.m. while two pilots were in control. It said all crew members, including the pilots, were accounted for and there are no reports of any injuries.

The Dali was headed from Baltimore to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and flying under a Singapore flag, according to data from Marine Traffic. The container ship is about 985 feet (300 meters) long and about 157 feet (48 meters) wide, according to the website.

In 2001, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in a tunnel in downtown Baltimore and caught fire, spewing black smoke into surrounding neighborhoods and forcing officials to temporarily close all major roads into the city.

[magicalqueennightmare]

Sins & Amends Chapter 47

Billy Russo x Female Reader (60 part story)

This follows pre- the punisher into the storyline of daredevil, punisher season 1 and beyond

This is NOT Canon Billy. This is decent human being Billy left with bad options over worse decisions

This was also posted to A03 under: WaywardGaPeach. That account and this one is the only place you'll see me post this. If you see it on any other platform/account know it's not me.

Chapter Summary/Warnings: Everyone slowly starts to adjust to Billy being home

Waking up the next morning after Billy met Adi was one of the most surreal things you'd ever experienced. You half expected it to be a dream but the missing photo from her birthday you'd given him and the fact that "Daddy" was every other word out of her mouth told you it had actually happened. 

"Daddy started working today with Uncle Frank, Uncle Curt and Uncle David. He'll be busy but I'll call and see if he can stop by later ok?" You told her while the two of you rode the elevator down. Sarah had texted you when she pulled up so you wanted to get downstairs before any meter maids came around. You didn't want to tell her no that she couldn't see him but you also knew you couldn't handle diving in head first and seeing Billy daily quite yet. 

You spotted Sarah standing next to her van just outside the door of your apartment building and smiled. Adi's safety seat was strapped in behind the passenger side so you picked her up to put her in it.

"Yet again thank you for watching her so much Sarah. It means the world to me to be able to leave her with someone I trust" you spoke over your shoulder after checking the straps twice. She smiled "I enjoy having a little one around again. Perks of being aunt instead of mom is I get to spoil" 

Adi's face brightened up a half second before she said "I met daddy" Sarah who you knew had been side stepping talking about it for your benefit smiled big "You did baby? Did you show him the Lions and coco?" She nodded "I did!" "that's great sweet girl" Sarah shot you a look and you shrugged then mouthed "went ok considering" she gave an understanding smile then said "Well Adi let's let mommy get going so she's not late ok?" 

You leaned into the van and kissed Adi's forehead "I love you babygirl. Be good for aunt Sarah" "love you" she said with a wide grin then plucked Coco up from her side and started telling her a story. You slid the door shut then turned to Sarah "needless to say yesterday was interesting and she may talk about Billy a lot today or at least until you put a disney movie in" 

She laughed then her face fell a bit "No problem but how are you handling it?" You shrugged again "I don't know honestly. I mean he showed up early so it went kind of like bam you're a father!" She grimaced and said "Did it get better?" You thought about the question for a moment then finally nodded "Yeah. We talked a little. He knows all I want is for Adi to have every person who will love her in her life. He's already head over heels for her but I guess one step at a time right?" 

"All you can do. Remember if you ever need to talk I'll listen too. I know you and Karen are closer but I love you girls too" you smiled and pulled her into a hug "I know Sarah. You're all family to us too" you checked your phone and made a face at the time "I gotta get going. I'll see you tonight when I get off. Call if you need me before then" 

You watched them pull away from the curb before you turned around to walk the few blocks to the EMS station. Sarah would've given you a ride but as long as the day was clear you liked the walk besides some nights after pulling a longer shift it was too late to ask anyone to come out and pick you up.

Of course Frank would show up to walk with you or Matt and if Curtis couldn't come give you a ride home he'd send Candance or one of the vets you knew from group. You really needed to go ahead and buy a car because after the incident when you'd first went back to squad after having Adi none of them were keen on taking chance as far as you were concerned. 

You imagined Frank getting someone to drop him off so he could ride to your building with you and make sure you got inside safe and that caused a laugh to escape your lips.

Your day pretty much went by without incident. Yeah you responded to two overdoses and a stabbing before lunch but hell that was a normal day on squad.

Your thoughts kept circling back around to the fact of how the hell you were supposed to keep the routine you'd laid in place for yourself and Adi but somehow fit Billy into it. Alice caught you just staring into a cup of coffee and pushed your feet down off the chair you'd propped them up on when she walked up so she could take the chair. 

"So how are we doing?" You cut your eyes up at her and she snickered in that way only she could "That well huh? Well how did Billy take the news? Is he a proud papa or was it a knock down?" You leaned back in your chair to stare at the ceiling making a mental note to let next shift that had taller people on schedule know that the roof seriously needed to be cleaned. 

"Well he showed up before Karen picked up Adi so I sort of answered the door assuming he was Karen so we were standing there staring at each other when Adi screamed mommy from her room"

She grimaced much the same way Sarah had "and how did that go over?" You ran a hand over your face then finally met her eyes "Oh Adi recognized him as daddy. She dove into his arms and they hugged about five minutes before I suggested she go get Coco to show him. That bought long enough for him to ask her name and a few words to get passed between us" "and then?" she asked.

 "Then she took him on a tour of her room while I had a mini freak out in the hallway and Karen calmed me down. Then Adi got us to sit down and watch Lion King with her and fell asleep then once I put her down we talked some more. He's got a place a couple blocks from mine.

Something that was furnished until he gets back on his feet and Curt got him a cell phone plus it's after one and he's been working in the same building as Frank and we haven't got a call to respond so that's a plus" 

She laughed and patted your leg "See told ya it'll all work out" and ducked before you could swing at her shoulder. "Remind me why I have had you as a partner this long?" You teased and she grinned "Cause you fucking love me! That's why" 

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

You were throwing everything back in your bag to head home when your phone rang. You glanced down at it to see it was Frank "Hey Frank. Something wrong?" You answered and heard him laugh gruffly "No sweetheart nothing's wrong. Was just wondering if you wanted to grab a cup of coffee before you head home. Karen said she'll meet Sarah at your place to get Adi" he didn't sound like anything was too wrong so you said "sure I'm actually packing up now" 

"I figured. Karen's been at your place for ten minutes and the cab just dropped me off out front. I'll be waiting by the door" he replied then hung up. You shook your head then grabbed your bag and headed out.

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

Alice was climbing into Kenzie's passenger seat when she spotted you "Hey who's meeting you?" She hollered across the parking lot then saw Frank walk up next to you and waved at him "Glad she's in good hands! Night you two!"

Once they pulled off you looked back at Frank "Diner?" He nodded "lead the way" the two of you walked in silence most of the way until he finally said "How'd he take it? Yeah I've been around him all day and didn't ask" you hadn't expected any deep heartfelt conversations between him and Billy but it surprised you he hadn't asked about something where Adi was concerned.

At the look on your face he added "I just ain't ready to talk to him outside of work shit yet. I asked Curt what he thought but I'd rather hear it from you" you ran down what happened once again leaving the more emotional parts out. 

By the time you got to the diner Frank asked "So he's gonna step up right?" You nodded "Yeah I think so" "Good then maybe I made the right call by going along with this" You walked into the diner first and headed for a corner booth giving Frank the seat with the wall at his back so he'd be more comfortable.

"What's working with him like so far?" You asked after taking a sip of coffee. Frank grunted then said "I barely saw him today. Nelson was there helping to finalize a lot of shit. Tomorrow we'll probably start working closer" you nodded then barely glanced at Frank before asking "are you sure you're ok with all this?" 

He went quiet for a few moments then finally said "Only way to know is to give him enough rope to hang himself. I just know he better act right where little bit is concerned" you smiled at his protective tone and said "I'm hoping he does. She was happy to meet him"

"She deserves anyone who'll love her being in her life" he agreed then raised an eyebrow "How are you handling it?" You laughed then admitted "in stride, pretty much like I do everything"

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

The two of you were almost back to your place when your phone went off with a text alert so you dug it out while you walked and clicked to read it. It was from the number you'd saved for Billy and read "Not gonna ask if i can come over again tonight. Don't want to crowd you but please give Adi a goodnight kiss from me and tell her daddy loves her"

You smiled and replied "I will definitely do that and thank you for being understanding. Maybe tomorrow night? She'll be at Frank and Karen's place, I have a twenty four hour shift. This change in routine is gonna take some getting used to for everyone"

You started to slide your phone back into your pocket considering the two of you were coming up to your apartment building but it went off again so you checked it to see it was another text from Billy "I've had a lot more distance and time between me and someone I love. Anything worth having is worth the effort right? I'll call tomorrow before I come to make sure it's ok. Good night Y/N" 

You took a deep breath and texted back "good night Billy"  then slid your phone into your pocket and followed Frank inside.

Billy sat staring at his phone after you'd sent him a good night text. He didn't know how to handle all of this. He was out in the free world, working for Homeland security of all places and a father.

Most of his day had been spent in a conference room surrounded by lawyers and agents. Nelson was good at what he did and a friend of yours to boot so he listened to what he had to say but all day his mind kept wandering. What were you doing? What was Adi doing? Just seeing you again had been shock enough then finding out about her had been so far out the realm of what he ever thought would've been a possibility.

"Billy? You good man?" Curtis asked as he sat down across from him and glanced at the phone he still held in his hand. He nodded and finally laid the phone down on the table next to him "Yeah just asked Y/N to give Adi a goodnight kiss for me and tell her I love her" "She already did that every night since Adi's been old enough to understand what she's saying" Curt said with a shrug then glanced back towards the tv where some random show was playing. 

Billy hadn't exactly kept up on stuff like that. "Why did you agree to the deal? Any of you. Why is she letting me be a part of our daughter's life? I don't deserve any of this" Billy glanced around the small living room they were sitting in. 

It wasn't the most luxurious apartment by any means but he had what he needed. It'd came furnished and Curtis had somehow ended up with his clothes from his old place or some of them anyways so he wasn't in need of anything material anyways.

"What you just said proves you deserve a second chance. She loves you man whether she admits it to anyone, even if she doesn't admit it to herself. Her feelings for you might have changed some but they're just as strong as they've always been. Adi deserves everyone who will love her. As for Homeland and all of us? Your skills add to the team. Frank is apprehensive which is understandable but he's trying a new start with Karen so that means trying to move forward. Give it time" 

Billy shook his head with a smirk. Even outside of meetings Curt still talked the same. Always being the most level headed in a group and born to help people. Had Billy been more like him what would've happened differently? "Your girl ok with you being here?" He asked after a minute and Curtis nodded "Her words were make sure him and Frank are good if not I'd hate to see Y/N take your fake leg and beat them both with it for fighting near Adi"

Billy almost choked on the sip of water he'd just drank "Yeah she would do it too. She's an amazing mom" "You'll be a good dad. You already got the love for her after a day" he knew Curtis was trying to assure him but he still felt so lost. 

Frank was the only person he knew that had ever had kids and he damn sure couldn't reach out to him for questions.He glanced over at Curtis before asking "If I have questions would you ask Frank?" "Why can't you?" He asked then rolled his eyes at the look Billy gave him "Yeah I'll ask him but he's gonna know they're coming from you. Any I can help you with?"

"What Adi's favorite color? Her favorite bed time story? I missed so much and yesterday we didn't get far past disney movies and her stuffed wolf" Curtis nodded and started mulling over every small detail he knew about Adi from her favorite fish at the aquarium to her favorite type of ice cream. "But she's only fourteen months. You still have a lot of firsts you can be there for" 

"I'm not fucking up this chance Curt. I love Y/N more than I ever thought I could love someone. Even in the hospital she was the only thing clear in all the fucking wreckage in my brain. I could remember us being together and happy. I could remember how she'd write me when we were deployed and how she kissed me when we got back. Now to know that we're parents? I never knew I could love someone I just met but when Adi called me Daddy and threw herself into my arms I've never felt anything like it" 

Curtis grinned at him and said "Sounds like you're on a good path brother. Just stay on it"

"What has Frank said? I mean about Billy and all this?" You asked Karen balancing your phone between your ear and shoulder while you walked to your bunk in the station house. You were exhausted and had pulled two double shifts back to back. 

You'd been home long enough to see Adi and grab a shower which had actually made things easier for you because it meant Billy and Adi got to see each other more without you having to be in the middle but it'd also meant Billy having to go to Frank's place to see her.

"I don't know really. I mean he sees Billy trying. He's doing good at work. He's keeping up with seeing Adi when he's supposed to and he's giving you a wide enough berth to let you catch your breath. Frank is Frank you've known him longer than I have. He's good with you regardless and I think eventually the two of them may be ok. They both love Adi and you so they have neutral ground at least" you groaned slightly but didn't let it show in your voice when you said "Have I mentioned I love you Page?" 

Her laugh sounded like she'd let out a breath she'd been holding before she said "Daily. Just know I love you too and we'll get through this. It's already been a week and no big blow ups yet so that's good. Get some rest and have a safe rest of your shift. I'll see you in the morning. I'll bring babygirl and coffee" "Night Karen" "Goodnight Y/N"

You laid the phone down between your bunk and Alice's where you both kept a charging pad for electronics. Maybe you could get a little sleep before the alarms chimed again. 

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

You felt like you'd just closed your eyes when the alarm rang out. You were pulling your jacket on about the time Alice stepped to the door "C'mon partner. Let's get on it"

Billy stood in front of Frank and Karen's door trying to get enough nerve to knock. He knew Karen didn't mind him coming to see Adi but him and Frank were still at the point that if the conversation didn't include work they didn't speak. This would be his third time coming here.

He raised his hand to knock about the time the door opened and Frank was standing there looking at him "Bill..were you planning to knock?" "I was working up to it" he said with a half smirk and Frank stepped back to let him in "Adi's in the living room. She's waiting to see you" 

"Thanks Frankie" he said it without thinking and saw Frank's jaw tense. "Don't Frankie me. I do what I do for her and Y/N" Billy knew he should let it go but he also knew Frank needed to get it out. 

"Frank you have every right to hate me. You have every right to want to finish what you started yet instead of putting a bullet in my head you've gave me copies of her favorite bedtime stories even if they came through Curt. Why?"

Frank nodded then leaned back in the door "Karen we'll be inside in a second" "Ok" she called back so he shut the door then turned back to Billy and threw a hard punch. Billy staggered a bit then rubbed his jaw as Frank asked "Did that knock some sense into you cause I need you to listen good" 

A small sense of relief washed over Billy. Maybe if they could get everything out moving forward would be easier "Yeah I'm listening" Frank walked closer to him to the point they were nearly nose to nose "I promised Y/N the day she found out she was pregnant she wouldn't ever be alone in it. That little girl in there that looks so much like you she deserves the world. Thing is I know for a fact you don't want her making the mistakes you've made any more than I do. She needs all of us and I'll be damned if she isn't going to get it. Now we're nowhere near where we were but you're doing right by her and not pushing Y/N so we're as good as we're gonna get for now. It's only been a week man. So do you want to go inside and see your babygirl or go home and wallow in whatever self pity shit you got going on?"

Billy bit back a grin and said "I wanna see my babygirl" "Well come on then" Frank opened the door and waved him inside.

When Karen saw the two of them walk inside along with the mark on Billy's jaw she knew something had blew up between them but considering they both walked in the living room where Adi was playing with her stuffed animals she figured it had come to a halfway peaceful solution. 

The next morning you had just stepped out the bathroom from showering when you heard a knock on your door. "Coming!" You hollered and half ran half slid to the door thanks to socked feet on hardwood floor.

You were laughing when you opened the door to find Karen and Adi giggling themselves. "Good morning girls!" You greeted as Adi ran into your arms "Missed you mommy!" you swung her around hugging her tight "I missed you babygirl!"

You sat her back down and she grabbed coco from Karen before hugging her "Love you" "Love you too baby" the two of you watched her toddle off then you glanced back at Karen "Do you have time for coffee?" She smiled and said "Of course"

You headed for the kitchen to start coffee while she sat down at the table. 

"So has Billy coming by been going ok?" "Yeah but um I'm fairly certain Frank may have punched him last night" you had to scramble to not spill coffee all over the floor "What now? What happened?"

She shrugged "Honestly I have no idea but they sat and played with Adi for an hour afterwards so maybe whatever happened needed to?" You shook your head and finished starting the coffee then sat across from her. She watched you for a second before a smirk slipped onto her face "Do you realize how much you still feel for him?" 

You felt your cheeks warm with a blush and averted your eyes from her gaze "I can't Karen. That's water under the bridge at this point. I don't even know what he wants" "Maybe he wants that water high enough to save the bridge before it burns completely" you shook your head with a hollow laugh "Can you ever turn the reporter off? I swear you should be a motivational speaker at times" she laughed at that and shrugged "Admit it or not you know I'm right Y/N" 

"We're miles away from that. I've barely been in the same room as him" you half muttered and she reached across to grab your hand "so invite him to dinner when we're all here. See how it goes" "and Frank will be ok with that?" You asked and she smiled "Yeah he'll be ok with that"

@intothesoul

@weallhaveadestiny

[theworldvsyoshiko]

Oh okay, they gave me a guy with a fucking MOAB launcher because this quest involved the kind of enemies who set up for a siege. Build a nice camp, set up some mortars, and try to bombard the base into the ground.

This is why I wanted to put more stuff under the mountain. Can't shell things that are under meters of bedrock.

This is exactly the kinda raid I was afraid of drawing if I expand too fast, but I think in this case it has more to do with the quest. Also, they set up right outside the base, and while they had pretty good artillery, they were carrying wooden clubs and muskets.

Yoshiko killed three guys. Poopy killed four. The Scyther, beautiful melee blender that it is, got four too.

... the Tunneler, that big T2 mech damage sponge you see up front... I can't check how many kills it got, because its log from that one fight goes beyond the visible history from enemies beating on it to no avail.

Losses: One shotgun mech got trashed and will be down a few days for repairs. Most of the other mechs got beat up pretty bad, so they're going to be down for a day or two too. Also I think they punched some holes in the roof with the mortar. Fortunately the shells they were using were poison gas ones, which were pretty harmless when the base was 95% empty.

One less tangible loss: I think the magic rain aged Poopy by the equivalent of a few months. This would have sucked when she was a little kid, but as a teenager it's whatever.

Gains: The raiders left the following presents:

a sniper rifle

a mortar and some shells, so the next time this happens we can shoot back

a fucking artillery emplacement, so Yoshiko can bombard some neighboring civilizations if she wants. Why not. Fuck it.

47 packaged survival meals, because they were very optimistic about how long this was going to go on for.

There was a 15-year-old survivor, but he was too injured to save. Just as well, because he had a terminal drug addiction that Yoshiko can not help with right now.

[queen-of-films]

6 Young Actresses Killing it in the Horror Genre

For decades, when we think of women in horror, these are the women who come to mind: Janet Leigh, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, and Neve Campbell. Young women have a long history of being the star of horror films, but now we've entered a new era of horror. Our latest horror films of the 2010s-2020s are introducing us to new young actresses who are killing it in the horror genre.

Jenna Ortega

Now dubbed a Scream Queen, Jenna Ortega is the new fresh face of mainstream horror. While some may know her for her roles in Scream (2022) and X (2022) Jenna Ortega is no stranger to horror. Her first debut in horror was her small role in Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013). Ever since then, she’s become a likable child star, but this will quickly change. Now, that she’s making her way into mainstream horror, we would likely be seeing her taking on darker roles.

Upcoming Horror Project: Wednesday (Netflix) 

Anya-Taylor Joy

Anya-Taylor Joy may not be the youngest actress on our list, but it’s safe to say, she’s our latest horror queen. Most of us know her debut role in the A24 film, The Witch (2015). But, I only knew about her as the final girl in Split (2016). Her character in Split was the least one to scream, this changes how we associate final girls with scream queens; it also shows that elevated horror films are straying away from horror as a body genre.

Upcoming Horror Project: The Menu (2022)

Violet McGraw

Who doesn’t know Violet McGraw as the adorable little sister in Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House? In some ways, Violet McGraw reminds me of Madison Bailey, another actress who is known for her roles in horror movies. They both bring innocence and charm into their characters, and young girls seem to be more rendered by the supernatural in horror movies.

Upcoming Horror Project: M3gan (2023)

Madeleine McGraw

Being cast in horror movies seems to run in the family because Violet McGraw’s older sister, Madeleine McGraw, is also seen in a couple of horror films. I first saw her in her role in The Curse of La Llorona (2019), ironically, she’s also in the Disney mystery-supernatural show, Secrets of Sulphur Springs. What makes this ironic is this won’t be her first or second time in a supernatural show; her latest horror role is in The Black Phone (2021) which also deals with the supernatural. 

Upcoming Horror Project: TBA

Brianne Tju

From the Scream (2015-2019) series to 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019), I’m seeing Brianne Tju gradually dominating mainstream horror. I’ve longed for Brianne Tju to get her leading role in a horror film; since she doesn’t seem to survive in the ones she starred in, and finally, she gets her leading role in Unhuman (2022). I hope we get to see Brianne Tju in more horror projects because she’s an underrated actress who needs to be in more mainstream horror films.

Upcoming Horror Project: TBA

Mckenna Grace

Out of all the actresses on our list, Mckenna Grace has starred in multiple horror projects. Most of us know her blockbuster horror roles, like in Annabelle Comes Home (2019) and Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021). She also plays one of the Crane children in The Haunting of Hill House, where her character is quite similar to her Conjuring Verse role. Both her characters Theo Crane (The Haunting of Hill House) and Judy Warren (Annabelle Comes Home) are intuitive, and because their gift gets them in touch with the supernatural, rather than fearing evil, both characters face it head-on. Mckenna Grace has starred in many more horror projects and many to come.

Upcoming Horror Project: A Friend of the Family (Peacock)

[tokidokitokyo]

栃木県

Japanese Prefectures: Kantō - Tochigi

都道府県 (とどうふけん) - Prefectures of Japan

Learning the kanji and a little bit about each of Japan’s 47 prefectures!

Kanji・漢字

栃　とち　horse chestnut

木　き、こ～、ボク、モク　tree, wood

県　ケン　prefecture

関東　かんとう　Kanto, region consisting of Tokyo and surrounding prefectures

Prefectural Capital (県庁所在地) : Utsunomiya (宇都宮市)

One of only eight land-locked prefectures in Japan, Tochigi prefecture is famous for gyoza and strawberries. It is also home to Japan's oldest school of higher education, the Ashikaga Gakkō, and is home to the Tōshō-gū shrine, dedicated to the shogun who unified Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu, in the city of Nikkō.

Tochigi lies just north of Tokyo, and is accessible in less than an hour by bullet train. Nasu is the location of one of the imperial family's villas, and hot springs near Nasu and Shiobara mountains are popular resort spots. In the southeast of Tochigi, the town of Mashiko is renowned for its simple but highly prized ceramics.

Recommended Tourist Spot・おすすめ観光スポット World Heritage Site Nikkō Tōshōgū - 世界遺産・日光東照宮

Nikkō is closely associated with Tokugawa Ieyasu, who unified the country after a century of warfare and founded the Tokugawa shogunate. Ieyasu retired and then passed away in present-day Shizuoka Prefecture, and was laid to rest at Kunōzan. In 1617, his remains were moved to Nikkō and he was deified as the protector of the eight Kantō provinces.

Ieyasu’s remains were reinterred at the temple Rinnōji in Nikkō, and his successor Hidetada erected the Tōshōsha in his honor. The third Tokugawa shogun Iemitsu had great respect for Ieyasu and ordered the original shrine renovated, having the country’s most skilled artisans create the richly decorated buildings that stand today. The work was completed in 1636, and nine years later the imperial court bestowed the name Tōshōgū on the shrine.

Nikkō Tōshōgū boasts eight buildings designated as national treasures and thirty-four structures selected as important cultural properties. Some of these impressive cultural properties include the 9.2-meter-tall stone torii marking the entrance and the five-storied pagoda nearby, as well as the Yōmeimon, a richly decorated gate with over 500 carvings depicting fables and saints. This magnificent gate holds an ancient superstition, which said that completing it might lead to the collapse of the Tokugawa regime. To avoid this, the builders installed one of the twelve supporting pillars upside down, thus insuring that it remained incomplete.

For more photos and information check out: nippon.com

Regional Cuisine - 郷土料理 Gyoza Dumpling - 餃子

A statue of the goddess Venus wrapped in gyoza skin outside Utsunomiya Station (source)

“Utsunomiya Gyoza” is an important part of the culinary culture of Utsunomiya City. The city has over 300 gyoza restaurants, and queuing in front of your favorite restaurant or visiting multiple restaurants is quite common. The restaurants compete to create unique recipes in order to be recognized as the best gyoza in the city. You can even join gyoza-making classes led by top chefs. There is also a gyoza association called the Utsunomiya Gyozakai that holds an annual festival in the beginning of November.

Tochigi Dialect・Tochigi-ben・栃木弁

こわい　kowai　tired

「とうと登ってたっけ、こわいから座ってもいいけ？」 touto nobottetakke, kowai kara suwatte mo iike?

Standard Japanese: 「ずっと登ってたし、疲れたから座ってもいい？」 (zutto nobottetashi, tsukareta kara suwatte mo ii?)

English: "I've been climbing for a while now, and I'm tired, so can I sit down?"

いかんべ　ikanbe　it's good

A: 「こんなもんで、いがっぺ？」 (konna mon de, igappe?) B: 「いかんべ。」 (ikanbe)

Standard Japanese: A: 「こんなもんで、いいでしょう？」 (konna mon de, ii deshou?) B: 「いいですよ。」 (ii desu yo)

English: A: "Is it okay if I do it like this?" B: "Yes, that's fine."

いじやける　ijiyakeru　irritated

「あの店員の態度、すげ～いじやける！」 (ano tenin no taido, suge～ijiyakeru!)

Standard Japanese: 「あの店員の態度、凄くイライラする！」 (ano tenin no taido, sugoku iraira suru!)

English: "That store clerk's attitude, is so irritating!"

だいじだ　daiji　no problem

A: 「だいじ？」　(daiji?) B: 「だいじだいじ！」　(daiji daiji!)

Standard Japanese: A: 「大丈夫？」　(daijyoubu?) B: 「大丈夫、大丈夫！」　(daijyoubu, daijyoubu!)

English: A: "Is it ok?" B: "No problem, no problem!"

あかなす　akanasu　tomato (lit. red eggplant)

Standard Japanese: トマト (tomato) English: tomato

[todaysbat]

There are a few bats that fly around the empty lot next to my house catching bugs every evening, I love sitting on the porch watching their silhouettes as it gets dark.

Any advice on identifying them without catching them? And anything special I can do to keep them hanging around?

I own that lot, and I'm about an hourish east of Dallas, TX

If you can afford it, bat detectors like the Echo Meter Touch 2 can help you identify them using your phone, as most species of bats have unique echolocation calls (I got mine on Batgoods). Also observing their behavior (such as when they come out at night) can help narrow down possiblities too, as well as looking up what's known to be in your area (which is probably a long list, 32 different species of bat can be found in Texas, out of the 47 total species found in North America, making it the battiest US state).

That's what all I did to figure out what bats I had that came every year to my place.

As for what you can do, growing native plants is one of the best things your can do. It'll attract bugs which in will in turn keep the bats coming. They remember from year to year where the best food spots are. You might also want to look and see what conservancy groups are present in your area, they might have some ideas as well.