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only-johnny-deppp · 3 years

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“Whatever I’ve gone through, I’ve gone through. But, ultimately, this particular arena of my life has been so absurd...”

Johnny Depp’s NEW INTERVIEW!

Last saturday, August 14, The UK Times, released a new interview with Johnny for the Sunday Times section. It was realized sometime earlier this month, in London, probably on the same day he and Andrew Levitas were recording for the Q&A for the “Minamata” release in UK. This is Johnny’s first interview since the UK trials in London last year, and released three years after Johnny’s major interview for the British GQ Magazine. Here Johnny and Andrew Levitas speaks about “Minamata”, his future as actor and a thing or two about his personal life, although he cannot talk about the court case.

For those who couldn’t read yet, here is the FULL interview: Enjoy.

***

“I’M BEING BOYCOTTED BY HOLLYWOOD”

Johnny Depp has a new film out this week. In the opening scene his character, the real-life photographer W Eugene Smith, says, “I’m done. I’m tired. My body is older than I am. I’m always in goddam pain. I can’t trust my f***ing dick any more. Constantly in a foul mood. Even the drugs bore me.”

I ask Depp if Smith’s despair resonated with him. Depp stops. Rocks back and forth. “That’s interesting,” he replies with painful hesitation.

“I didn’t approach playing Smith in that way… Although you bring your toolbox to work and use what is available. Having experienced...” He stops again. Depp takes any questions that might refer to his calamitous libel case last year slowly, in a mumbly, croaking drawl. “A surreal five years…”

In the film Smith needs to revive his reputation. In real life Depp’s task is even more daunting. Thanks to the judgment, everyone can call him a “wife-beater”. Now he must convince a Hollywood still convulsed by #MeToo that he’s not toxic — and that any attempt to rebuild his career is a risk worth taking. This is Depp’s first interview since the case.

We are speaking over Zoom, Depp in his London home, in front of a gold-framed painting. The 58-year-old is wearing a lot of clothes. Earrings. Floppy hat. Sunglasses. Bandana. Scarf. Checked shirt over a T-shirt with an indiscernible slogan. If you saw him on the Tube*, you might think he was off to work at the London Dungeon*, to play most of the characters.

PS. For those who are not familiar with British words: * Tube = British slang for London Underground, the subway trains. * London Dungeon = is a walk-through experience that recreates scenes from London's scary history in a mixture of live actors, special effects and rides.

Depp resumes, talking in broken sentences about the new film, Minamata, in which Smith, via Life magazine, exposes the brutal mercury poisoning of Japanese villagers in the early 1970s.

“How do we do this?” he asks rhetorically, meaning how to speak about the elephant in the Zoom. “Well, there’s no way one can’t recognise the absurdity of the mathematics.” He grins. “If you know what I mean?” No. “Absurdity of media mathematics.” He talks in riddles. “Whatever I’ve gone through, I’ve gone through. But, ultimately, this particular arena of my life has been so absurd...”

He trails off again. He is holding a big brown roll-up of some sort. “What the people in Minamata dealt with? People who suffered with Covid? A lot of people lost lives. Children sick...Ill. Ultimately, in answer to your question? Yeah, you use what you’ve got. But what I’ve been through? That’s like getting scratched by a kitten. Comparatively.”

Last July, I went to the High Court in London to watch Depp on another screen — a video from the socially distanced court where the Hollywood star was losing a libel action against The Sun after it called him a “wife-beater”. It was the grottiest showbiz trial of the century. There were photos of the actor passed out in a foetal slump, socks on show. One lengthy exchange involved faeces. Another urination, inside or outside a house, after a violent night with his ex-wife Amber Heard.

This had all been going on for a while. In 2016 Heard applied for a temporary restraining order against him. The couple had long endured a narcotic, booze-filled, childish relationship, but that does not matter — 12 incidents levelled against Depp were proved, said the judge, and abuse is abuse, regardless of how badly they both behaved. Depp wanted to appeal, but the court said no. Next April in the US he has a $50 million defamation case against Heard relating to an opinion piece she wrote about being the victim of domestic abuse. It may be his last roll of the dice.

In the 1990s Depp was a sensitive heart-throb. Cooler than DiCaprio, edgier than Pitt. In this past year he has been stripped of his status and dignity. On day three of the trial Sasha Wass QC, representing The Sun, asked Depp about daubing a penis on a painting. He could not remember. “That would be quite a big thing, painting a penis on a picture?” Wass asked. “Quite a big thing?” Depp asked.

It was a well-delivered line, but Depp was on show. Performing. Now he is more timid, less lucid. His people say he cannot talk about the court case given the looming US trial, yet it hangs over everything. The director of Minamata, Andrew Levitas, is also on our call — as a pub trivia aside, Levitas is married to the Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins.

The two men clearly get on. “With regards to journalism, it was important for us to put across in the film the power of truth,” Levitas says. Depp nods. “The responsibility of journalists to look after citizens of the world. [Our film] coincided with the moment important publications had to put Raquel Welch on a cover to get enough eyeballs to sell enough ads in order to put something meaningful inside. A result of that is clickbait — it’s destroying the purpose of journalism,” Levitas continues.

“You said it beautifully,” says Depp, one of the world’s most pinned-up men, who built a career on magazine covers. “I couldn’t say it better than that.”

Last month Levitas wrote to MGM, which bought Minamata for the US market but decided not to release it. He accused MGM of being concerned that “the personal issues of an actor in the film could reflect negatively upon them”. Then the letter got really strong. Levitas accused MGM of failing in its “moral obligation” to release the film and said it needed to explain to the victims “why you think an actor’s personal life is more important than their dead children”. He then attached Smith’s photos of ghastly deformities that shocked the world 50 years ago.

“It’s important that the movie gets seen and supported,” Levitas says. “And if I get an inkling it’s not going to be, it’s my responsibility to say so. Where it goes from there? I don’t know. But we have responsibility to these victims . . .”

You can see why he’s passionate. The film is good. MGM bought the film because it is good. Depp is good too. He disappears into the role, far from his more recent pantomime parts. It’s being released worldwide, just not in the actor’s homeland.

Depp, who also produced the film, interrupts. “We looked these people in the eyeballs and promised we would not be exploitative. That the film would be respectful. I believe that we’ve kept our end of the bargain, but those who came in later should also maintain theirs.”

“Some films touch people,” he adds. “And this affects those in Minamata and people who experience similar things. And for anything…” He pauses, as he does. “For Hollywood’s boycott of, erm, me? One man, one actor in an unpleasant and messy situation, over the last number of years?” He trails off. “But, you know, I’m moving towards where I need to go to make all that…” Again, he trails off. “To bring things to light.”

The fact, as I think Depp knows, is that for his career, the court that matters is not one of law, but public opinion. On social media, where a lot of minds are made up, Depp’s good reputation will always outweigh the bad, thanks to his frequently blinkered fans.

Outside the High Court, as Heard arrived, I saw Natasha, 30, yell: “Get hit by a truck, Amber!” She is extreme, but the persistent way his fans demand that others think their idol is a saint shows a career revival will happen. After all, most filmgoers do not follow his private life at all. To them, he is Jack Sparrow, Edward Scissorhands. To them, he is a star — and a star can take an awful lot of heat before it burns out.

“They have always been my employers,” Depp says of his fans. “They are all our employers. They buy tickets, merchandise. They made all of those studios rich, but they forgot that a long time ago. I certainly haven’t. I’m proud of these people, because of what they are trying to say, which is the truth. The truth they’re trying to get out since it doesn’t in more mainstream publications. It’s a long road that sometimes gets clunky. Sometimes just plain stupid. But they stayed on the ride with me and it’s for them I will fight. Always, to the end. Whatever it may be.”

Depp will talk like this for ever — about his “truth”. Minamata is the last film Depp has listed on the industry site IMDb, where actors usually have half a dozen in development. So, yes, fans of the actor can see Depp in a new role now — it is a return, but is it a relaunch? The film was finished in 2019, way before last year’s court case. Is that it? His last film? He thinks and looks off to his bookshelves, at biographies of Betjeman and Olivier.

“Er...no,” he says, eventually. “No. No. Actually, I look forward to the next few films I make to be my first films, in a way. Because once you’ve...Well, look. The way they wrote it in The Wizard of Oz is that when you see behind the curtain, it’s not him. When you see behind the curtain, there’s a whole lot of motherf***ers squished into one spot. All praying that you don’t look at them. And notice them.”

I would ask him to explain, but I am not sure he is an explainer. Watch this space, I guess, but he is already taking a first step back. After we speak, it is announced Depp is getting the coveted Donostia award at the San Sebastian Film Festival next month. Some people are just too famous to fail.

~ Interview by Jonathan Dean, in London, for The Times UK (released on August 14, 2021)

#Johnny Depp #New Interview #Interview #Minamata #Justice For Johnny Depp #I Believe Him #Johnny Depp is Innocent #The Times UK

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echo-of-sounds · 3 years

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bnha original characters pt.2

This is less about the character herself and more about her quirks, her strengths, weaknesses, and the like. I've only included Penumbra in this from Quick Comfort.

Since I've finished this, I'm going to be working on some quirk possibilities the guy's children may inherent from them! I have some Penumbra/Eraserhead ones too!

Quick Comfort’s reader

Hero Name: Penumbra (The less-dark outer part of a shadow, surrounding a dark center.)

Quirk: Shadow Person

She essentially becomes a shadow person (a shadow/black mass that has the form of a human). To others, her figure isn’t crystal clear and rather foggy, but they can still make out a human shape. She’s difficult to keep in focus. It’s as if you’re always seeing her out of your peripheral vision.

With less emotional and mental control, her figure becomes more of a black mass than a humanoid shape.

Hero Costume: Her costume is dark, fit clothing with some purple markings. Since her quirk isn’t that suited for combat, she relies on stealth for sneak attacks. And she has a pair of electrified batons for when she needs to incapacitate someone. They’re strapped to her thigh and require minimal movement to use. Since she isn't a martial artist, she can’t wield bo-staff or nun-chucks effectively.

Strengths:

Since other’s perception of her is often distorted, they need to stay focused, relaxed, and patient to watch her movements. Think of when you’re trying to watch someone, but you don’t want it to be too obvious. You focus on a different spot close by and watch via your peripheral vision. When you hold your eyes still like that, they’re not entirely in focus yet you can make out what they’re doing.

Natural shadows allow for her to blend in and use less energy. Because of this, she sticks to night patrols.

Ultimate Move and events in Quick Comfort:

In QC, the prompting event was Penumbra killing a villain who had attacked a bank, killing numerous people in the process. It was the very end of her night-long patrol so she was exhausted and drained. No other Heroes were responding to the call for help. She was alone, desperate, and used her ultimate move to kill him, stopping the bloodshed.

I’ve based many of the side effects of this quirk off of the stories of shadow people (being fuzzy, seen out of the corner of your eye, feeling cold/freezing air). There are also some accounts of them walking through walls. From this, Penumbra can very briefly make herself intangible, reach into another’s chest, grab their heart, and squeeze by making herself a little tangible again, ultimately killing the person.

She did go to U.A. She was not taught this at U.A. On her own free time and training, she’s created this ultimate move exclusively for emergencies, such as this event in QC. The villain wasn't listening to anything so she used her last resort to kill him and save the rest of the innocent people.

It also takes a lot of energy to become intangible so she can only use it for a few fleeting moments. It needs exact timing and positioning to work.

Weaknesses:

Penumbra cannot talk once her quirk is activated, hindering communication if she is working on a team.

She doesn't engage in 'big' fights that require more power. She focuses on things like bank robbers and muggers during her night patrol. She knows when to back out.

Since she is just a shadow person, she cannot manipulate shadows, but she can use them to blend in and hide. The brighter the area (like an open field on a sunny day), the more she struggles to keep her quirk activated. She couldn’t walk around in a park as a shadow because she'd get drained almost instantly. When it's dark, it's much easier to keep her quirk activated.

Quirk Side Effects and Other Info:

The air around her is cooled which can give away her presence.

In shadow form, she doesn’t appear on camera and video well. What’s typically seen is just a black, blurry mess.

When her quirk was first developing and throughout her teenage years, she dealt with a lot of dissociation and depersonalization as she felt her mind and body were disconnected.

Her costume (or whatever she’s wearing) becomes part of the shadow.

#bnha #bnha oc #my ocs #bnha quirks #quirk thoughts #boku no hero academia #quick comfort

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shijiujun · 4 years

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Can I be cheeky& also jump on the Chuyao fic prompt bandwagon, please? Sham marriage idea proposed by LY when his sister appears to drag him back home. Except LY announces straight up he can't as he is with QCS (We are married...spiritually!) and everyone, even QCS, going wth??? Then there's chaos (LY family) but also support (Bai family /all of Shanghai)? And somehow LY & QCS evolve from friends to lovers? I imagine QCS will suffer in this fic becoz of LY antics. Thank you so much!!

ANON, HERE YOU GO: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25225831

“You can’t take me away from Lao Qiao, he’s my husband!” Lu Yao blurts out suddenly in the chaos, yelling at the top of his lungs.

The ensuing silence comes swiftly, and it’s so quiet that he thinks he can hear everyone’s heartbeats.

“You are?” yells Youning, about to launch a ceramic vase at an unsuspecting person in front of her.

“I am?” thinks Chusheng, a fist of his opponent’s hair in his right hand.

Read the full chapter below

“You can’t take me away from Lao Qiao, he’s my husband!” Lu Yao blurts out suddenly in the chaos, yelling at the top of his lungs.

The ensuing silence comes swiftly, and it’s so quiet that he thinks he can hear everyone’s heartbeats.

“You are?” yells Youning, about to launch a ceramic vase at an unsuspecting person in front of her.

“I am?” thinks Chusheng, a fist of his opponent’s hair in his right hand.

Lu Yao regrets it the moment the words leave his mouth, because he’d said whatever was the first thing on his mind in this moment of crisis, if only to keep everyone from fighting to the death. How did the situation even escalate like this?

His sister (and his siblings, to be accurate) rarely find themselves surprised by their youngest brother, but this time, Lu Miao’s eyes go comically wide as his words sink in. As soon as the surprise comes, however, the cold fury sets in, and Chusheng turns around just in time to have Lu Miao turn her attention on him. If looks could kill…

Chusheng is a little ashamed to say that he might be dead right now.

“You better explain, Lu Yao,” seethes Lu Miao.

===

He sits uncomfortably on the chair in Bai Qili’s manor, looking at his hands on his laps. Next to him, Chusheng sits as well in silence. The man has not exposed him so far, and Lu Yao wonders if he will — on one hand he hopes fervently that Chusheng helps him through this, but the other part fears Chusheng’s anger and disgust after.

He embarrassed Chusheng in front of so many people earlier. Lu Yao basically fake-outed Chusheng and dragged him into this farce, a farce that has no easy solution.

Why didn’t he use his stupid brain before spouting nonsense?

“You must be joking,” Lu Miao snorts, considering Lu Yao. “Which church or registry would have allowed you to officially marry another man?”

“We’re married spiritually!” Lu Yao retorts, when no one else speaks up. “We did our baitang, three bows and all.”

Chusheng doesn’t contradict him, but Lu Yao can almost feel the murderous intent emanating off the inspector who’s sitting closest to him.

“You are being entirely ridiculous, if it’s not officially registered then it doesn’t count at all! You’re coming back with me right this instant-“

“Why are you always sticking your nose into my affairs where it’s not welcomed? I’m perfectly happy here, have you ever thought about what I want? I’m not three anymore, jie!”

They might have continued to argue for hours after, maybe shatter some plates and cups in the process, if not for Bai Qili’s intervention.

“… Lu-xiaojie, perhaps a baitang doesn’t mean much to you or the rest of the Lu family, but the Bai family and Green Dragon Gang takes the ceremony very seriously. Since San Tu is married to Chusheng by ritual, I’m afraid he is one of ours now. If your family insists, I’m sure I can make arrangements for an official registration, conventional or not," the man drawls, as imposing as ever.

Lu Yao almost gapes at Bai Qili — out of everyone present here in this living room, Lu Yao was sure the old man would be the first to beat him to death and then toss his body into the river for daring to corrupt his Chusheng, never mind that Lu Yao comes from a powerful family himself.

How would he not know what a taboo it is for two men to be together in Shanghai, or the rest of China? If they were overseas — Paris, London, anywhere, this would be much more acceptable, so to hear Bai Qili just go with the flow without a word of protest or even a look at Lu Yao is not what he expects of the head of the Bai family.

Finally daring to brave a look at Chusheng, Lu Yao sees his best friend glance over at the same time and freezes.

There’s no anger, not that Lu Yao can see. Some exasperation and resignation perhaps as Chusheng sports an expression that is similar to the one he has when he’s experiencing severe gastric.

San Tu, you can’t tell me you don’t know just how much he dotes on and gives in to you.

This was something Youning said a while ago, and he shudders, all the hair on his skin standing up as Chusheng reaches out a little hesitantly, and then wrapping Lu Yao’s smaller hand in his.

“Da-jie, lao ye-zi, I’m sorry for not informing the both of you earlier, this was indeed an oversight on my part. We completed the ceremony in the Green Dragon Gang’s altar hall… we were still figuring out how to tell you both. My apologies,” he lies smoothly. “And if here is where San Tu wants to stay, I won’t have anyone take him away from me.”

Fuck, Lu Yao curses internally, his eyes widening because why does this sound so, so real?

A squeeze around his hand reminds him that it’s his turn to play his part, and so Lu Yao continues, “Jie, please. I just want to be here with Lao Qiao. If you… if you decide to take me back home anyway, if you do anything to take him away from me… I won’t want to live anymore.”

Lu Miao stares for a good while, but tries again, “Do I not know you well enough? You won’t have the guts to do that. Stop theatening me, it won’t work-“

“You didn’t think I’d cut myself off from the family,” Lu Yao returns quietly. “But I got out from right under your nose, didn’t I? At least for the first year.”

“San Tu, do you even know what you’re doing? He’s a gang member!”

“Hey, what’s wrong with a gang member? Are you looking down on my brother?” interrupts Youning suddenly, her hands on her hips as she furiously snaps at Lu Miao. “This gang member of a brother has been taking care of San Tu, where were you guys when he was down to his last silver and almost getting chased out of his house? It’s Lu Yao’s fortune to have bagged someone as outstanding as Chusheng-ge!"

Lu Yao pales a little at the mention of a fine example of how he’s not taking care of himself well and also at Youning’s insinuation that he married up, then hurries to say, “Jie, there’s no one else for me but Qiao Chusheng. Where he goes, I will go.”

Even in death, is the unspoken part to that declaration.

She falls silent at that. After a beat passes, Lu Miao turns her attention to Chusheng, as if saying, if my brother wants to be ridiculous, so be it, but are you going to ruin your reputation and everything you’ve built just to play along to his whims?

“And you love him?” she asks.

Unconsciously, Lu Yao clutches back at Chusheng’s hand in his, a plea.

“I love and cherish him above all else,” Chusheng replies without the slightest bit of hesitation.

If Lu Yao ignores everyone else around them, he can almost believe Chusheng when he says that.

===

It’s a clusterfuck of epic proportions. Lu Yao is curled up on the couch in Chusheng’s room at the Bai manor, with his knees drawn up to his chest and his fingers pressing at his temple as he contemplates just how much trouble he’s in. Not only has he pissed off his sister, because he’s sure Chusheng is mad at him too.

Now that the anger at his sister and the Lu family has abated somewhat, Lu Yao is finally left alone in his thoughts as he marvels at how bold he was earlier.

He regrets it now of course, but damn, this is the first time he’s been able to pull one over his sister. As ridiculous as he was, Lu Yao manages to think through the consequences of his actions — mainly the possibility that his family will try to do anything and everything within their power to create trouble for Chusheng.

He’s already dealt Chusheng with such a heavy blow, and over his dead body will the Lu family hurt even a strand of hair on his head, Lu Yao vows.

The only other problem is Chusheng’s happiness in the future. Once the news of his sham marriage with Chusheng goes out, will women dare to approach him after? What if there’s a woman that Chusheng really, really likes right now, and Lu Yao has basically ruined everything for him?

Would Chusheng hate him?

So absorbed he is in his thoughts, his teeth gnawing lightly at his nails, that he misses Chusheng’s entry into the room until the man flops down right next to him on the couch. Lu Yao startles so much that he almost falls off the edge of his seat, if not for Chusheng’s fast reflexes.

“You are honestly…” Chusheng admonishes without heat, sounding absolutely tired.

“I’m sorry,” Lu Yao rarely apologizes and admits his wrongdoings, but here he is. “Lao Qiao, I’m so sorry, I swear I wasn’t thinking-“

“Did I spoil you too much?” the man sighs, leaning into his seat with his eyes closed. “That you would pull such a huge lie in front of your family and mine and think that I would, without question, play along?”

The phrasing is strange enough that Lu Yao knows Chusheng is really, really upset.

Panicked, he replies, “Lao Qiao, I- I’ll go and tell them that it was a lie. I just… I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking! I’ll tell Bai lao-ye that it’s a lie, that you’re helping me deceive my sister, so don’t-“

Don’t be angry with me, don’t ignore me, don’t hate me.

“Forget it. You made the announcement to more than 60 people today, San Tu. I just barely smoothed this over with lao ye-zi, and what’s done has been done,” Chusheng finally says, patting at Lu Yao’s shoulder. “We’ll figure this out tomorrow. You can take the bed, I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Other than the fact that Lu Yao doesn’t sleep well in new environments, the events of today have rattled him significantly, and with Chusheng lying on the couch surely awake as well, Lu Yao finds himself staring at the ceiling until dawn breaks.

Lu Yao knows he can fix this for Chusheng.

Can’t he?

===

“Inspector Qiao, congratulations!”

“Da-ge, congratulations! What kind of a brother are you huh, you got married and didn’t think to get us to throw a party for you?”

“Ahh… no wonder Detective Lu has been spending so much time with you recently. You hid it so well, lao-da!”

Chusheng has to be immensely thankful for the support from his brothers and the people who actually know him, like the owners of the snack stalls he frequents, even the newspaper boys that Chusheng regularly tips and everyone at the station. Telegrams start coming in from other precincts that are headed by several other members of the gang, and even some of the petty criminals that are stuck in the holding cell at the station for a few weeks give him their blessings.

Of course, while the people happy for him and Lu Yao actually number more than Chusheng expected, there are as many others who gossip and shoot him strange looks. He can almost hear the, look at him, such a fine young man, if not for his unconventional tastes in a partner.

By the end of the morning, Chusheng has unplugged all electronic communication devices in his office and the doors are firmly locked, with instructions to Salim to not let anyone in unless an entire village is on the cusp of imminent death.

He’s trying his best not to think too much about it. Chusheng meant what he said to Lu Miao before, that there isn’t much he can do for Lu Yao except to ensure that he will not suffer in silence. With the stunt Lu Yao pulled yesterday, this is the best Chusheng can do for him. For now, his strategy is to simply wait until everyone has forgotten that he and Lu Yao are married, and then…

And then what?

It’s not as if baitang is child’s play. Can he simple fake-divorce Lu Yao at the end of this? When will this end, in the first place? A year? Two years, a decade? And let’s say if they do manage that, will any proper and self-respecting woman even consider him?

Chusheng doesn’t have any prejudice against same-sex couples — back when he worked at the docks which saw an all-male staff, sometimes he heard stories about how some brothers would help each other out and find companionship in each other as well — but not everyone shares the same views as he.

At the thought, Chusheng calls, “Ah Dou.”

Ah Dou, who is patiently sorting through Chusheng’s actual work documents and the pile of congratulatory messages that came for him today, looks up from where he’s standing at the shelves.

“Get Liu Zi to send some brothers to protect Lu Yao,” he says with a frown.

That dumbass probably wouldn’t even notice if someone was intending to do him harm and with the way the gossip mill is running, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

And as for the future, possibly marrying a woman…

Chusheng shakes his head, clearing his mind of wishful thoughts.

For someone who doesn’t know if he can live to see the next day, who has blood all over his hands and is no good person at all, Chusheng has never expected to have his own family.

Not even Lu Yao should be tied down to him.

Salim pops his head through a small opening in the doors and asks, “Sir! Two congratulatory flower stands came for you, do you want me to set it up outside the office?”

Finally, Chusheng loses it.

“Anyone who makes another congratulatory remark can spend a night in jail!” he snaps. “What, do people not have anything better to do? I’m not fucking kidding. I don’t want to hear another message coming through the doors of the station, do you hear me?”

“Okay,” Salim replies a little dejectedly, closing the door shut behind him again.

Of course, his outburst and anger is what Lu Yao hears about a few hours later. Remorseful, he turns up at the station and sneaks into Chusheng’s office.

“… what’re you doing here?” Chusheng asks, looking up from his papers.

“Lao Qiao… I’m sorry,” he apologizes, biting at his lower lip. “I didn’t realize there’d be such a huge fuss over this.”

Lu Yao is the perfect picture of a sad, pitiful puppy, and Chusheng has all along doted on Lu Yao, so the image does tug at his heartstrings. As soon as the urge to comfort him comes, Chusheng frowns.

He’s got this all wrong. He’s the one who was wronged and taken advantaged of, so why does Lu Yao look like he’s the one being bullied?

Sighing, Chusheng kicks at the chair in front of him, signalling for Lu Yao to sit down.

“I’m not angry, San Tu. I would have appreciated some warning, and maybe we could have thought things through a little, but as I said last night, that’s all been done and we can’t turn back,” he points out.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Lu Yao swears, “I… I’ll take on all the cases you have while this marriage thing is going on for free? I can… I promise I won’t make you pay for any of my meals again, Lao Qiao. I… I won’t even hang around anymore outside of a case, just… just…”

At that, Chusheng finally laughs, and the sound is a huge relief for Lu Yao, who hasn’t heard him laugh since the shit that went down yesterday.

“I’ll hold you onto the first two then,” Chusheng says nonchalantly. “San Tu ah, what are you thinking? We’re brothers, are we not? You said before that you cherish the friends you have here and… it’s the same for me. If it’s something you want to do, or don’t want to do, I’m at your back ready to support you. For as long as this ruse has to last.”

“Even… if that means you’re in a gay relationship with me? Even if no woman would want to marry you after this?”

“Even then,” Chusheng nods. “I’m no good person to marry anyway.”

“That’s not true!” Lu Yao protests.

“Alright,” Chusheng waves him off. “I’ve already gotten earfuls from Youning and lao ye-zi for not treating you right, so… I guess since everyone thinks we’re married now, you need to move in to my apartment. Get Liu Zi to help you pack, and you really should move in as soon as possible.”

Lu Yao didn’t even think of that. As the implications of staying together with Chusheng sink in, he stiffens in his seat.

“What, you laid your claim on me first and now you’re being all shy about it?” snorts Chusheng, reaching over and poking at Lu Yao’s forehead. “I have an extra room, so don’t worry, husband.”

“Mnn,” Lu Yao nods at that, and his cheeks flush a little pink at the term. “I’ll go pack then.”

“And we have to do dinner at the Bai manor tonight!” calls Chusheng after him.

At the door, Lu Yao blanches.

===

They live together as friends from then on. Compared to Youning, Chusheng is the perfect roommate. At the very least, the likelihood of Chusheng setting something on fire is minimal, and the man’s house surprisingly suits Lu Yao’s tastes. As promised, there is enough space for them to have a bedroom each, and the storage room at the back turns into half a study for Lu Yao and his books.

Lu Yao decides that the least he can do is cook (and now that he has lost his source of income by offering to work for free, the only way he gets fed without having to pawn off his treasures is to ask for grocery money from Chusheng) for them both. When Chusheng realizes that Lu Yao is cooking regularly, he starts coming home early on a daily basis as well.

Bai Le Men and Chang San Tang are off-limits, unfortunately. For now, Chusheng is experiencing what it’s like to live as a monk, but the inconveniences stop there.

In fact, having Lu Yao in the same house as he has its perks, namely the ability to drag Lu Yao out of bed early in the morning for cases.

It’s their first case since the announcement and there is no lack of attention on them, as this is the first time they’re being seen out in public together. When some men in the crowd begin to focus on Lu Yao with less than friendly gazes, Chusheng naturally steps closer to him, his eyes steadily sweeping over the crowd.

He’s mine, he’s trying to say, if you’ve got anything you want to say you come at me.

They solve the murder two days later, and Lu Yao jumps in surprise when Chusheng slides three silvers over the top of the dining table, his usual payment for consulting on cases.

“What…”

“Save it,” Chusheng’s eyes crinkle a little as he smiles, “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you eyeing my wallet recently.”

Touched, Lu Yao feels hot tears come to his eyes, “Lao Qiao, I knew it, you’re the best to me-“

“Yeah, remember that the next time you try to use me to lie to your family. I don’t want you to spring an adopted child on me next,” Chusheng downs his wine, shaking his head.

Not as many changes happen after his fake-marriage to Lu Yao, much to Chusheng’s bewilderment.

On a usual day, it’s typical for him to buy breakfast, lunch or dinner for Lu Yao even before they began to live together. The only difference is that he’s going out to buy breakfast every day now before Lu Yao wakes up instead of every few days. Chusheng still chauffeurs him up and down, only the destination is no longer the apartment he shared with Youning, but Chusheng’s house.

Before this, he had Lu Yao’s cooking frequently too as the man would roll up his sleeves and cook for him and Youning at least one a week or every two weeks. They’re both slowly getting used to each other in close proximity, and the latest of developments involve them making grocery trips together every four days.

Everything else has stayed pretty much the same.

When Chusheng sees an imported coat made of high quality sheep’s fur as he passes by a store one day, he doesn’t even think much of it before he’s walking in and buying the expensive outerwear for Lu Yao. The price doesn’t even cross his mind. All he knows is that Lu Yao will like this.

He presents the bag to Lu Yao over dinner the same day, and Chusheng is right.

Lu Yao loves it so much that he leans over the table and presses a kiss to Chusheng’s cheek in excitement.

“What, are you really that happy?” Chusheng teases, but warmth fills him as he sees that he’s made the right choice.

“Of course I am! You know how scared I am of the cold,” Lu Yao points out, hugging the material to himself. “This material is known for trapping heat in!”

A few weeks later, Lu Yao ironically catches the flu bug despite how protected he is, and ends up bedridden with fever. To better take care of him, Chusheng lets Lu Yao rest in his bed so he doesn’t have to run between two rooms.

The bed sleeps two now, even after Lu Yao has made a full recovery. It feels less empty that way and both Chusheng and Lu Yao find themselves warmer under the covers sharing a bed.

As the weeks go by, they shift from having their own sides of the bed, to falling asleep and waking up in each other’s arms, their legs tangled together. Most of the time, Chusheng wakes to Lu Yao’s hair in his nose and his arm resting over Lu Yao’s waist.

And when Chusheng gets hurt by a rival gang involved in their latest case, Lu Yao tells the nurse outside the operating theatre that he’s Qiao Chusheng’s husband loudly. In the days after the operation. the nurses even bring an extra bed into the ward so Lu Yao can keep an eye on his husband.

The nurses and doctors, for one, think that their relationship is cute.

They even survive a trip to Hai Ning to visit Lu Yao’s father. Chusheng has to endure four separate shovel talks, each sounding more deadly than the previous one, but they get to announce their relationship to Lu Yao’s mother at her grave too.

On the train journey back, Lu Yao dozes off against Chusheng’s shoulder. He lifts up his arm to hug Lu Yao to him so he’s laying a bit more comfortably without question, enjoying the feeling of having Lu Yao in his hold.

===

A year after Lu Yao tried to con his way into matrimony with Chusheng, he returns home to an empty house, Chusheng not yet returned from the station. As Lu Yao passes the dining table for the kitchen to put his groceries away, a piece of paper and a metal trinket catches his eye.

It’s a marriage certificate. As real as it can be, with Lu Yao and Chushueng’s name on it.

The realization that they’ve been living just like a married couple in the past year hits him like a freight train and his legs feel weak.

Indeed, they are as real as any married couple existent in the country, minus the sex.

Of course Lu Yao loves Chusheng. There has never been any question about that. Chusheng is the only person Lu Yao truly cares about, more than he cares about himself.

Wherever he goes, I will go, even in death, he said then.

I love and cherish him above all else, Chusheng had answered.

With a small smile tugging at his lips, Lu Yao slides the gold band onto his fourth finger.

Busy at the stove making Chusheng’s favourite beef stew when Chusheng comes home later, Lu Yao is prepared when the man comes close, sliding his arms around his waist and pressing himself against Lu Yao’s back, his chin hooked on Lu Yao’s shoulder.

It’s not difficult to catch the gleam of an identical band sitting on Chusheng’s hand/

“Smells good,” Chusheng inhales deeply.

Lu Yao sets the spatula aside and covers the pot with a lid to let it simmer, and once he’s free, Chusheng turns him around and reaches for his lips.

They kiss softly as if they’ve done this countless of times, when it’s only their first, proper kiss, but it doesn't matter.

“Tomorrow,” Chusheng breathes, his forehead pressed against Lu Yao’s after they part finally for air.

“Let’s baitang for real in the ancestral hall.”

===

*baitang 拜堂 - Traditional Chinese wedding custom which involves three kowtows, there are variations but usually the couple kowtows to heaven & earth, to their ancestors, and then to their parents. Some baitangs will have the couple kowtowing to each other.

#mriad #asks #my roommate is a detective #mriad fic #fic prompt #民国奇探 #chuyao

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gunmetalgrey-trashpile · 4 years

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Full name: Moira Alice Van Dijk (neé moran) Nickname(s) or Alias: She doesn’t like nicknames, but Alex will refer to her as that bitch. Birthday: 15th November Nationality: British, initially has dual Irish citizenship. Religion: Lapsed Catholic City or town of birth: Southwold, Suffolk Currently lives: Bermondsey, London Languages spoken: Russian, English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Latin. Native language: Russian Height: 6ft Figure/build: Toned but slim, slightly boarder shoulder than the average woman and imposingly tall. Faceclaim: Ludovica Martino, Jessica Chastain. Hair colour: Ginger Eye colour: Blue/grey like Alex’s Tattoos: none Scars/distinguishing marks: in the summer she gets freckles from the sun Preferred style of clothing: Work chic, power suits and dresses with angled shoulders, blazers and pussy bow blouses, heels or well fitting oxfords. Slightly Androgynous. Frequently worn jewellery/accessories: A watch from her father, a bracelet from her mother, her ears pierced twice on each side and usually filled with dainty hoops. Her wedding and engagement ring. Level of education: A level; History, English Lit, Mathematics, Russian, Latin. International relations (BA Hons) at St Andrews, Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), Legal and Constitutional Studies at St. Andrews (MLitt), Occupation: Volunteer with Free Representation Unit (FRU), Human rights lawyer with Slater & Gordon (eventually QC), Human rights lawyer with Prakken d'Oliveira (European Court of Human Rights), Guest lecturer at UCL (Univesity college London) and (LSE) London School of Economics and Political Science Husband: Ruben Van Dijk (Science fiction and thriller author) Children: Nora Van Dijk, Rosalie Van Dijk and Ivy Van Dijk (last two are twins)

Likes: Being right, arguing with people, red wine, good vodka, sunshine, reading, her daughters. Dislikes: Stupid people, smokers/the smell of smoking, stupid questions, reality tv.

CHILDHOOD Third Moran child and the first daughter, Moira was a funny baby. She was late to smile, late to laugh, but slow to cry. She was fascinated with the world around her, and watching the people that filled it but she struggled to come to an understanding of other peoples emotions. By the time she was around three, she was starting to understand what seemed to be her place. Her mother wanted her to smile, be gentle, be kind. She would do these things when she was in plain sight, she could be ruthless when no one was watching. She would play her brothers off of one another to get what she ultimately wanted. As her younger sister Alex was born, Moira learned what trouble could really look like. By playing along, no one suspected any ulterior motives. Her actions became more careful and considered, never giving away that she could be the smartest person in the room. People don’t like a know it all, and with an eidetic memory, she literally couldn’t forget she was better than them.

TEENAGE YEARS Moira went to a local school in Southwold whilst her brothers studied in London, St Felix. Thomas was happy to pay for her education, and it was even better that she didn’t have to board seeing as it was so local. She was a perfect student, she although she kept to herself. She had a few that she kept the pretence of being friends with, more to seem like a well rounded individual than to actually care about anyone. She remembered their conversations despite turning out very often, focusing more on her own selfish ambitions. The world was lucky, Moira Moran wanted to do what she could to go down in history and it seemed that being moral was just the easier way to get there. With her fathers influence when he was home from the city, she would read the classics as well as some of his legal books. Where her mother loved literature, she would indulge in Leo Tolstoy and Victor Hugo in their original languages. She tried her best to stay neutral, despite how much her and Alex fought constantly. It wasn’t her fault she could be perfect, she just wanted to be.

UNIVERSITY It would have been easier to study law directly, but Moira had bigger ambitions than simply being a barrister. She took international relations knowing it would make her father swell with pride. She started to realise the full gift of her talents at university, playing people for fools. She liked that no one seemed to know where they stood with her, and yet wanted to please her all the same. She would smile prettily, enjoy the attention, play friends as it worked to her advantage. She could mimic what they wanted. The world saw a nice girl, not the cut throat creature that lay just beneath the surface.

ADULTHOOD After leaving university, Moira volunteered for a year before taking her conversion into law. She met her husband in a bar in Edinburgh. He was ignoring everyone else there, scribbling away in a notebook as if he was possessed. She could tell in that moment he had something bigger on his mind. They started dating, and she felt the fondest for him that she had known to be possible. Maybe it was love. Or what other people called love. Sometimes it was hard to tell. He was patient, and kind, and didn’t mind that her work and drive came above all else in her life. He travelled with his books every now and again, it was enough to give him time in his life without putting stress on their relationship.

Jasper’s death came just after she turned 24, and Moira held it together. She arranged the funeral, she dealt with the legal stuff, she held her mothers hand through the whole thing. She was rock hard in the way she had trained herself to be. It was easier to keep moving, knowing grief would set in later. But it never really did. It wasn’t that she didn’t love her brother, she isn’t know how to express emotion in that way. Her and Ruben moved to London after the service, becoming more distant from the Southwold home and more caught up in her fathers world. She started working for a human rights focused firm in London, making her way steadily up to QC.

MOTHERHOOD Her first daughter wasn’t planned, but they had been together for years. The knew this is where their relationship was headed. Moira never knew she could love something as much as Nora with her little strawberry blonde girls and dirty old man laugh. She was perfect, and not in all the ways Moira made herself be. Ruben stayed home to take care of the first one, and Moira threw herself back into work taking barely any maternity leave. He would bring Nora to meet her mother for lunches and dinners in the city, they were trying to make it work for now. Nothing, not even motherhood would dampen Moira’s aspirations. The wedding was a couple years later, and the twins a couple years after that when Moira finally made QC. One of the youngest Queens Council on record, with an amazing track record behind her and a family she adored. When she was offered the chance to move to Holland whilst her daughters were still young to work on the European Court of Human Rights, she leapt at the chance.

She’s had a few magazine spreads written about her and her perfect life. Her house is spotless, her kids are photogenic and friendly, her husband is doting and besotted with her. It’s gotten easier to pretend, throwing all of her cold and ambitious side into work. Now she can relax a little more when she gets home in the evening, knowing there is another case she can win on the horizon. Her husband RUben has recently been working on a hit adaptation of his book series by HBO called the church experiment.

AUS:

HAPPYVERSE: All is the same except Japser doesn’t die, so the Morans are all still in contact.

#perfect in every way | (moira)#bio #*IMPORTANT* | important things #does moira moran have feelings or is she really good at faking them???#WE WILL NEVER KNOW

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sometimesalwaysmusic · 5 years

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CHRISTINE JAKEL

Christine Jakel (CJ) has a busy spring planned, with gigs lined up in Montreal, Brockville, Kingston, Toronto, and Ottawa. She has seamlessly transitioned between the classical training of a formal music degree to her own unique song-writing style. Give her latest number, Storm Clouds, a spin and check her out when she plays your town.

VITALS

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/christinejakelmusic/

Bandcamp: https://christinejakel.bandcamp.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinejakelmusic

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdqtTm41pI8vz6gNg1E6Erw

Latest Release: Storm Clouds (Single, April 2019)

Upcoming shows: April 16 - Christine Jakel, Heather Ragnars and Gerry Galipeau. Barfly, Montreal QC. April 20 - Christine Jakel and DRFTR. Spitfire Cafe, Brockville, ON. April 25 - Christine Jakel, Sapph Decaf and Erika Lamon. The Mansion, Kingston, ON. April 27 - Ottawa Grassroots Festival. Ottawa, ON. May 9 - Canadian Music Week Showcase. Toronto, ON.

SA: How did you first get your start in music? CJ: I've been doing music my whole life. I started piano at age 5 which was followed by 17 years of classical training. I also sang in choirs and took voice lessons at my high school (De La Salle) and then went to university for classical voice. I’m self taught at guitar since I was fourteen and would play folk/pop songs in my spare time. I didn't start writing and playing my own songs until I founded the band Grace Note with my best friend Charlotte Esme Frank in 2017. It really helped to build my confidence as a songwriter. I have since developed my own solo act and have been performing around Ontario and the East Coast for the past two years.

SA: What bands or musicians would you cite as the biggest influences on your sound? CJ: First and foremost Joni Mitchell. Big Yellow Taxi is the reason I learned how to play guitar. I was also exposed to a lot of jazz growing up (my dad was a big fan). Brandi Carlile is who really inspired me to start writing. Her music just spoke to me and I don't think there's a single song in her entire discography that I don't like. I currently listen to a lot of Feist, Hozier and Florence and the Machine, which are all artists I look up to as well.

SA: Thus far in your career, what has been your biggest success? CJ: I would say my biggest accomplishment so far has been organizing my Space Cadet Tour in April 2019. It's my first fime completely organizing a tour for myself and I got really creative with it and worked really hard for it and I'm pretty proud of that! It's to promote the release of my new single Storm Clouds and will be followed by a showcase at Canadian Music Week.

SA: On the other hand, what is the biggest challenge you have faced, and how have you dealt with it? CJ: When I first started as an emerging solo artist, I found it very challenging to navigate a male-dominated industry. I experienced unprofessional and disrespectful behaviours that I should not have had to experience and I didn't know how to handle it at the time. My way of dealing with this was to work with other women in the industry and to learn from their experiences. They have been a huge inspiration to me and I have since gained the confidence to stand up to these kinds of behaviors.

SA: How do you approach the song-writing process? CJ: My approaches to songwriting vary. I used to always start with lyrics. But I've since opened myself more to starting with the music and letting that inspire me. So I switch between both approaches. I've also recently started rewriting which I didn't do before. Working with Tara Shannon and Debbie Zavitson at The Syndicut really helped me realize how much more in depth I can go with the writing process, and I am still learning to express myself through song more clearly and eloquently. Developing my craft is a continuous process.

SA: What are your thoughts on the Ottawa music scene? CJ: It's my home and I love it. The scene is really lucky to have some hard-working and dedicated humans involved in it. Matias Muñoz at Ottawa Showbox and Bad Form Artist Services, Jumpin Joel Flash and Trish Bolechewsky at The Brew on CKCU, Jon and Lawrence Evenchick at Live on Elgin, Julie Corrigan, host of Girls to the Front, everyone at Girls Rock Ottawa helping women make careers in music, to name just a few. Every one of them has supported me on my journey and it has been magical.

SA: If you had to choose your favourite moment off your latest release, Storm Clouds, what would it be, and why? CJ: My favourite moment would have to be during recording when Cam pushed me to belt out the last chorus and I discovered that I was actually able to do it! I felt invincible for a sec.

SA: With respect to your lyrics, what serves as lyrical inspiration? CJ: Some of my songs are love songs, some healing songs and some “f*ck you songs”, I just hope to connect with people through writing about human experiences, mostly my own. Stylistically I've drawn inspiration from Joni Mitchell, Bruce Cockburn and Hozier, who I all consider masters of lyrics.

SA: If you had to choose your favourite concert, that you’ve attended as an audience-member, what would it be and why? CJ: I'd have to say my favourite was the first time I saw Brandi Carlile at Bluesfest. I had just loved her music for so long and was ecstatic to find out that she was coming to Ottawa. Plus she had canceled the year before because of family issues so it was just that much more anticipated. I got to sing and dance along to my favourite songs, cry a bit, cheer louder than I've ever cheered before and just be an all-out fangirl. And she gave a great performance. It was the best day ever!

SA: What do you hope for musically in 2019? Our best wishes for your continued success! CJ: To continue to grow by working with (and learn from) a variety of different people and to be able to follow through with all the things I said I'd do.

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elizadoolittlethings · 6 years

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“InterviewMark Gatiss: My family values

Alistair Duncan

[the guardian]

The actor and writer talks about his family

Sat 23 Oct 2010 00.06 BSTFirst published on Sat 23 Oct 2010 00.06

My older brother and I only stopped hating each other recently. We never had anything in common. He was painfully shy and found his expression in lashing out at people. I was quite shy myself, but I was all right on stage, being a performer. My brother, however, wasn't forthcoming at all. He was a fierce defender of me in the playground, but at home he would hit me. We have become closer over the years.

My dad was quite a forbidding figure. I realise now that that was mainly because he worked so hard. He wasn't unkind, but he was a presence. When our mum said "Wait till your father gets home", it definitely worked. Now I'm older I can understand that children need some fear. Otherwise they behave abominably. They need parameters.

Dad's entire family were miners. He was the first not to go down the mines – he was a mining engineer, working above ground. He worked since he was 14 and was always incredibly hardworking. I was a lazy child and I didn't admire that quality then, but I do now. I used to think he was intolerant and rather bigoted, which he was, but in a very old Labour, north-eastern kind of way. He hated the Tories with a passion, but some of his views were also quite unreconstructed.

I dreaded coming out to my dad, but it was taken out of my hands by my mum. I told her I was gay and was ready to tell my dad, but she said: "Don't, you'll kill him." So, I put it off for a bit, then about two weeks later she called me up and said mysteriously: "We've had snow! Oh, look, it's only dad just come in the room," which I took to mean she had told him. A year later, I realised that they had dealt with it by not dealing with it at all. I had to go through it all again and confront them about my sexuality. There's a lesson there, in terms of not putting things off.

I had a girlfriend before I ever had a boyfriend, but it was just a phase. I think a lot of people who say they are bisexual aren't. I loved her dearly and we had a very nice time, but on the Kinsey scale, I would say I was always predominantly gay.

I grew up with low self-esteem. I didn't think I was very pretty. I had glasses, red hair and was generally quite a spod. I was a Doctor Who fan and I loved fossils and astronomy. So when I started going out with boys, I was too keen, doing too much of the chasing.

I was always ready for a serious relationship. I remember 12 years ago going on holiday, sitting in the airport on my own, thinking: "This is meaningless without someone to share it with."

I met Ian online. He spelled everything so well – I said to myself: "This is the man for me." We spent most of our first chat talking grammar. I knew I wanted to see him again. He said coolly: "I like to keep my cards close to my chest." But he rang me the next day.

I admire Ian's patience. I get very cross. I've learned to talk things through with Ian before I do anything I'll regret. We row very rarely. We've weathered several storms but it's not about huge drama any more. I think we all have an imaginary world where we envisage ourselves like Burton and Taylor, Verlaine and Rimbaud – extraordinary highs, devastating lows.

We got married in Middle Temple, in the City of London, underneath a portrait of Edward Carson QC, the man who prosecuted Oscar Wilde. The whole day was replete with irony.”

there is so much that i relate to that i HAD to blog this to re-read whenever i felt down. gives me hope that i can make it some day.

[especially the - “I grew up with low self-esteem. “ and “I was always ready for a serious relationship. “ ]

#Mark Gatiss #Ian Hallard

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handyguypros1 · 3 years

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Best Automatic Pool Cleaners HandyGuyPros

If you own a pool, you will surely agree with me when I say that regular cleaning can be a challenging task. Automatic pool cleaners are to the rescue. Available in three types – robotic, pressure, and suction – they are effective in getting rid of debris in the pool water.

With the right choice for an automatic pool cleaner, you will have clean and refreshing water to dive into. Plus, cleaning will be a breeze, requiring minimal time and effort on your end.

If you are clueless about which one can prove to be the best choice, read on and learn from some of our recommendations.

Top Automatic Pool Cleaners

Our team spent hours of research to evaluate the top-notch automatic pool cleaners on the market, including those that are briefly mentioned below.

Hayward Poolvergnuegen 896584000-518 Automatic Suction Pool Vacuum

Although quite expensive, this is a notable pool cleaner with a two-wheel drive system that allows it to move around without difficulty. However, if you need one that can climb efficiently on the pool, this might not be the best choice.

The pool cleaner comes with a patented adjustable roller skirt, which will help in delivering optimal suction even if the pool floor is uneven.

It also comes with multiple pre-programmed steering settings, which will allow it to be smart enough to maneuver and make sure that no part of the pool is left uncleaned.

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Automatic Robotic Pool Cleaner

With the powerful suction and the innovative scanning technology that is delivered by this product, you can be confident that the cleaning performance will be hard to match.

Feature-wise, it is a good thing that it has it has patented swivel technology, which will prevent the cords from being tangled as it cleans. It also has a single-button operation, making it a snap to use. Plus, it has a remote and a weekly timer, allowing you to schedule the cleaning in advance.

Zodiac Baracuda G3 W03000 Advanced Suction Side Automatic Pool Cleaner

This is a powerful suction cleaner that delivers whisper-quiet performance. It is recommended that you use it with a low-speed pump to achieve optimal cleaning performance. There is a Flow Keeper Valve, which automatically adjusts the flow of water depending on the pump that you are using.

The cleaner comes with a disc that has 36 fins for maximum cleaning coverage. The fins will adhere to a variety of materials.

However, while it can clean even large debris, it will be directed to the filter basket of your pool, which can result in clogging.

Pentair K50600 Kreepy Krauly EZ Vac Suction Side Above Pool Cleaner

The durability of this product is one of its strongest points, which can be attributed to the fact that there is only one moving part. It has no wheels or gears that will require a replacement throughout its functional life.

All that you have to do is to hook this on the skimmer line. It uses the existing pump and filter of the pool as it cleans.

It also has hydraulic design and true random pattern coverage, both of which will make sure that no traces of dirt will remain on the pool once it is done cleaning.

Dolphin Escape Robotic Above Ground Pool Cleaner

Small but terrible – this is one of the best ways to describe this robotic pool cleaner. It is compact but this does not mean that its performance is compromised.

One of the notable features of this product is the Hyper-Brush Active Scrubbing. Simply put, this is the one that allows this to scrub powerfully to get rid of the contaminants that are possibly present in your pool.

A lot of its users were also happy with the improved traction on different surfaces.

Dolphin Triton Plus Robotic Pool Cleaner

This is one of the most advanced robotic pool cleaners you can find on the market today. It features Bluetooth Navigation System, so you can use a virtual joystick to be able to control the movements of the cleaner.

It also has Power Stream Jets, providing a powerful stream of water that tackles even tough dirt on the surface. It also provides improved friction.

However, there were some complaints from its users with regards to how it does not thoroughly clean all sections of the pool, including the stairs and shallow portions.

Aquabot Pool Rover Hybrid Robotic Pool Cleaner

Designed for both above ground and in-ground pools, it comes with non-marring wheels, so this will not damage the surface material.

It has a self-contained mobile filtration, which eliminates the need to have it connected to your pool system. Meanwhile, there is a jet-propelled system to ensure the effectiveness in tackling dirt on the pool without exerting too much effort.

A lot of its users were happy over the fact that it is a low-maintenance product. There are no parts that will require immediate replacement. It is built to withstand the test of time.

Hayward 925ADV Navigator Pro Suction Automatic Pool Cleaner

The turbine-drive system is one feature that gives this a distinct advantage over many of its competitors. Basically, it allows the cleaner to operate smoothly and quietly. It is powered by the existing filtration of your pool, so there is no need to have an external booster pump.

It is designed with enhanced wings and skirts, which will improve the efficiency of the vacuum as it cleans more in a short time.

Hayward 900 Wanda The Whale Suction Above Ground Pool Cleaner

The unique design of this pool cleaner is perhaps the first thing that will capture your attention. More than the design, it is packed with features that make it powerful, such as the turbine system for the right balance of water while making sure of its quiet performance.

It has a Smart Drive Program Steering, which has been exclusively developed by Hayward to make sure that no spot will be missed as it cleans.

Nonetheless, with the plastic that is used in the construction of this product, it seems like the durability is not its best asset.

Hayward RC9990GR TigerShark QC Automatic Robotic Pool Cleaner

One of the best features of this product is the Quick Clean Technology, a patented innovation that allows it to clean more in a short time. This can result in up to 94% energy costs since it requires less to do more.

The robotic cleaner comes with an intelligent on-board computer that dictates exactly where it should go, making sure that even the corners will be dealt with.

However, one of the issues that you can encounter in this product is with regards to the longevity of the motor, which some people find to be not as long-lasting as others.

Intex Auto Pool Cleaner

Intex is one of the leading manufacturers of above ground pools. They developed this cleaner as the perfect companion for their pools.

To maximize the cleaning performance of this cleaner, however, make sure that it is connected to a filter pump with a flow rate that ranges from 1,600 to 3,500 gallons per hour. It should also have a 1-1/2-inch fitting for the hose.

Polaris Vac-Sweep 360 Pressure Side Pool Cleaner

Featuring advanced cleaning technology and triple jets, this is another product that is guaranteed to deliver pool cleaning performance that is hard to match.

The versatility of this product is one of the reasons why it is notable. It can sweep, scrub, and vacuum pools.

This cleaner is connected directly to the circulation pump of the pool. There is a 31-foot hose, which means that the maneuverability will not be limited. Regardless of the size of your in-ground pool, this can prove to be a reliable cleaning companion.

Polaris F9550 Sport Robotic In-Ground Pool Cleaner

It is equipped with a four-wheel drive system and has Aqua-Trax tires that are developed to deliver optimal cleaning performance regardless of the surface material of your in-ground pool.

With the rear water propulsion system, it efficiently cleans even tight corners and under the stairs. There is also ActivMotion Sensor Technology to provide smart navigation. Meaning, it will clean all areas of the pool.

To deliver maximum power, it has the innovative Vortex Vacuum Technology, which has been developed exclusively to allow the cleaner to pick up even large debris.

Smart Pool NC22 SmartKleen Robotic Pool Cleaner

This is a robotic cleaner that will work for above ground pools and small in-ground pools. Regardless of the surface material, whether it is vinyl, fiberglass, or concrete, among others, you can expect it to work well.

It also comes with an extra-large filter bag with a generous capacity, so there is no need to empty it every now and then.

Looking at the reviews from its users, however, there are many of them who are saying that this product does not fare well in terms of durability, so be sure to keep it well-maintained.

Zodiac MX6 Automatic In-Ground Pool Cleaner

If you have an in-ground pool, this can be an excellent cleaning companion. It has a variable speed pump and a cyclonic suction to provide an assurance that it will leave your pool spotless. The articulating turbine blade is also a good feature, which will allow it to climb walls.

However, there are some users who feel that the cleaner can be quite flimsy. This can be attributed to the fact that there are lots of plastic parts that can be easily prone to wear.

Zodiac MX8 Suction Side Cleaner

This is a more powerful iteration of the product that has been mentioned above. It is also made for all types of in-ground pools.

It has the innovative Cyclonic Vacuum Technology, which will ensure optimal cleaning performance even for large debris. To add, it also has X-Drive Technology for revolutionary navigation, making sure that all parts of the pool will be cleaned thoroughly.

Meanwhile, with the X-trax tires, it will glide smoothly on all surfaces. Plus, it also has the ability to climb the walls and clean even tight spaces.

Pentair GW9500 Kreepy Krauly Great White In-Ground Pool Cleaner

One of the best features of this product is the SmartTrac Programmed Steering, which will allow effortless navigation when cleaning in-ground pools. It has a 15-inch cleaning path to clean more within a short span of time.

It is also a great option if you are looking for a user-friendly pool cleaner. Right out of the box, it is almost ready to be used and comes complete with the accessories that will be needed.

Lastly, there is an agile turning mechanism, providing an assurance that no part will be missed.

Solar Breeze NX2 Robotic Solar Pool Cleaner

The main difference of this product from those that have been mentioned above is the source of power. It has panels that will allow it to harness energy from the heat of the sun, making this an eco-friendly alternative.

This model comes with an on-board tray that can hold up to two chlorine tablets, making it easier to maintain the cleanliness of water in the pool.

However, the cleaning performance may not be as tough. It is best to limit its use in small pools that do not need extensive cleaning. Otherwise, you might end up in frustration.

Automatic Pool Cleaners FAQs

Before we end this post, we’ll try to answer some of the most common questions a lot of people may have about automatic pool cleaners.

What is the Difference between Suction, Pressure, and Robotic Pool Cleaners?

It is important to know the differences between the three to help figure out which one is most suitable for your needs:

Suction Pool Cleaner: This will be attached to the suction system of your pool, such as the skimmer. They are the cheapest from the three types, although, this can be quite frustrating as it can easily clog.

Pressure Pool Cleaner: It makes use of water pressure from a pool or booster pump. They are powerful and great in terms of speed. Even for large debris, it can be effective.

Robotic Pool Cleaner: One of the best things about this cleaner is that there is no need to hook it with a filtration system as it works independently. They have an onboard motor and equipped with their own debris bag.

What is the Difference Between Above Ground and In-Ground Pool Cleaner?

When choosing a pool cleaner, one of the best starting points is to determine the type of pool that you will clean know which one will work best. While there are some with a hybrid design, most will be made to be used only on a specific type of pool.

Usually, above-ground pools are deeper and larger, which is why you will need a more powerful automatic pool cleaner. It must be able to collect more dirt and should have a wide cleaning path.

How Do You Clean and Maintain Automatic Pool Cleaners?

Different manufacturers will have different requirements when it comes to the care and maintenance of their pool cleaners. It is important to follow their instructions religiously.

It is important that you rinse the pool cleaner after every use, paying attention to the little corners to be sure that no dirt will be lodged. All working components should be washed. It should be stored in a dry place after use.

You should never leave the cleaner in the pool when it is not used. Keep it in a place where it will be away from dust and dirt.

Do Pool Cleaners Climb on Walls?

Yes, but this depends on the model that you will choose. Some pool cleaners are powerful enough to climb on the side of the pool, providing an assurance that no area will be left uncleaned. They can even climb stairs and clean tight corners.

Can You Use Pool Cleaners on Vinyl?

Especially if you have an above-ground pool, vinyl is one of the most popular materials. It is important to check with the manufacturer if the cleaner is rated for vinyl use. In most instance, vinyl is brittle and can be deformed when you use the wrong kind of automatic pool cleaner.

Are Automatic Pool Cleaners Replacement to Manual Brushing and Scrubbing?

Yes, as long as you choose a top-notch product! Gone were the days when you need to manually clean the pool and spend a lot of time doing it. These are intelligent tools that will clean the pool as if they have a mind of their own, making sure that they cover all the necessary areas.

What Should You Do if Dirt Gets Stuck in the Pool Cleaner?

If you are using a powerful and reliable automatic pool cleaner, chances are, you won’t be confronted with this situation.

However, if there is dirt, such as large leaves that are stuck, the best thing to do is to remove them manually, but make sure to turn off the pool cleaner first. You can also use water with high pressure to dislodge the debris that has been stuck.

Wrap Up

Keep the pool water free of algae, dirt, and other types of dirt! Use the automatic pool cleaners that have been mentioned above to make it pristine and spotless. With these products, you do not have to exert a lot of effort and waste time in keeping the pool well-maintained.

Source : https://handyguypros.com/best-automatic-pool-cleaners/

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a-student-out-of-time · 4 years

Text

Twisted Sister Arc Review Part 2

Mindwipe

Welcome back everyone! Last time we looked how Kanade killed everyone, got the shit beaten out of her by a lot of people, mainly Nikei and Hibiki though, stuff the Mod doesn’t want to talk about and now that timeline is DED. Now it’s time to deal with Kanade proper as we already wasted a life on her (actually she ate two lives now, as she was responsible for Hajime dying the first time, he lost a life) and we don’t need any more lives being lost.

With a reset and briefing of the QC of how Kanade got strok, it’s time for Hajime and Nikei to beeline to Hope’s Peak and this time they are not fucking around as Kanade racked up a decent body count last time, and that’s not an experience they want to repeat. But first thing’s first time for Hajime to keep his promise to Massacre!Nikei and make sure that Iroha doesn’t become the first victim to Kanade and start the chain reaction off. I think we Anons do kinda feel guilty for getting Iroha killed the first time around as she was supposed to be on a date with Makoto that day, and of course Makoto’s wonderful luck meant the Prison Break had to happen on that day, and rather than stay with Makoto, she rushed in to stop Kanade. Then again, we all assumed that Kanade was still the same pathetic serial killer that Hajime and Sonia dealt with in the Concert Arc and didn’t get more generous buffs then Samus did from Smash 64 to Melee, so hindsight 20/20, I guess? Anyway, they get Iroha to go back to her ahoge boyfriend and now at Hope’s Peak it’s time for Hajime’s grand master plan to bring…EVERYONE FROM CLASS 77-B! *Insert Smash Ultimate meme here* Oh and Juzo, he’s useful too, I guess. Kanade arrives to begin the plot of Carrie, but instead gets tear gas in her face, a swift pound down from Class 77-B, and Juzo, and then is quickly disabled by Mikan. Again, like with the whole Kanade Vs. Hibiki fight beforehand, I would love to see an animation of Class 77-B just beating the living snot out of Kanade and this is much better imo then when Sonia kicked the living shit out of Kanade. There our reasons for hating Kanade were basically all the shit she pulled in SDAR2, but here we just had a bad timeline where Kanade killed a bunch of people, and likeable people as well, and thus as they say…the fallen have been avenged.

Of course, getting Kanade’s arse handed to her was half the battle, as now the focus is on; what the heck is going on here? A quick check from the biology people revealed some very worrying facts. The first one is that Kanade’s syringe contained an addictive which not only can keep a person awake for days, but the chemical compound is unique, only came out for a few months in 2003 and all the people involved in it are in jail. Then there is the fact that she has dermal armour which looks like skin on her, which while flexible like skin, is strong enough to block bullets and blades. The experimental nature of it makes it highly expensive as well, meaning whoever is behind this, they are loaded and have resources. And then there is the confirmation that yes, she has a BCI. One that is full of combat data and information on Class 77-B. This is the most worrying part in my opinion. Anyone in the Despairs with enough money and resources could do all the above but VERY few people knew that Hibiki came over to Hope’s Peak and bonded with Class 77-B. The data required for that narrows suspect list down a lot and the implications are…worrying. Whoever backed Kanade, they are not to be underestimated.

And then comes when Yasuke is relevant to the plot for once and the whole Mindwipe proposal. So first let’s talk Yasuke. A lot of people hated the idea he was on the side of good here, as they prefereed it when he was just Junko’s boyfriend. Thing is though, I feel like Yasuke could work here. Remember he never bought Junko’s despair ideology and while he is an arsehole, he could be the ‘Byakuya’ of the group in which he is a cold jerk who says harsh things, but said harsh things are required as there are uncomfortable truths out there which the rest of the QC are either too afraid or too polite to say. I just hope Mod doesn’t bow down to peer pressure and make Yasuke a bone fila villain just because people hate him, but maybe tone down his jackarsey a bit. I know its canonically accurate but not everyone has read Zero and as such I don’t think people are used to that kind of harsh words coming from a non-antagonistic character.

And then there is the Mindwipe…naturally this a decision which has caused many readers to be split on it, and even for the QC to have a scrum debate over it. Don’t lie, you all heard the music. And unlike with a scrum debate where one side is clearly one, here both sides have a point. Mindwiping Kanade is ethically wrong on so many levels, and easily the darkest thing the QC have done, but they also don’t have a lot of options because there is a Prison Break to deal with, and Kanade was gonna be killed anyway so this is keeping her body alive but just killing her mind. They may be the good guys here, but given how morally deprived their opponents are, sometimes you do have to swoop to their level because you have little choice in the matter. It’s also interesting to see everyone’s viewpoints on it, some stating that from leadership like characters such as Sonia and Nikei arguing that at times you do have to make difficult choices and they don’t have the luxury of being morally right all the time, pragmatic characters like Sora stating that a mindwiped and redeemed Kanade could be beneficial to them if they do go down this route, to those who have spiritual issues like with Gundham, moral problems like with Chiaki and ethical problems like with Kyoji. Nobody is split in the middle, you either think mindwiping is the best possible solution, or if it’s so wrong it cannot be done. Arguing got so bad that Yoruko had to step in and get Hibiki, the most important person as far this matter goes, to decide. And Hibiki vents her feelings on the matter, and decides that since both sides have good points, to just vote on the matter.

This is one of the best parts here because it isn’t done by the characters but rather the audience. After all, given this is such a morally questionable decision it makes sense for the audience to decide what path they are going down. And thus, votes are casted…a lot more people read this then I suspected, and a significant majority go towards mindwiping. I dunno how they explain the votes though as there clearly isn’t that many people voting so how does one in-universe count the Anons’ votes? But again, I’m not surprised the mindwipe came through as Kanade is a popular character in the fandom (She ranked #2 in the official SDAR2 popularity poll, just behind Sora) so any chances of Kanade getting a redemption arc especially as we would have a Ryoko-espe character with her, would be something the fanbase would gobble up. I just hope none of the QC resent this decision, they may regret it but they have to remember it’s a hard choice for all of them and they didn’t have a lot of options. Even those against the Mindwipe would have to do their part, after all they are a team. At least Yasuke is considerate enough for all blame regarding the consequences of the mindwipe to be directed at him as he kinda forced the decision onto us. Hopefully Kyoji and Kokoro made sure he didn’t turn Kanade into a Despair Sleeper Agent or something. However, I did genuinely enjoy the audience participation here and I hope more chances like this come up in the future as it gives the audience a greater degree of control on how the story pans out.

That’s Kanade dealt with, but The QC cannot rest yet, because her escaping wasn’t the only bad thing to occur, there’s a Prison Break and tons of criminals running around that need wrangling! And with that the second part of the review concludes. Next time for the final time we talk about dealing with them damn prisoners and my final overall thoughts on the Arc! See ya then- Review Anon

#a student out of time #submission #review-anon

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onceuponanolicity · 6 years

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Oliver searches out Felicity to find out information on Derek Reston.

“So where are we going exactly?” Diggle asked as they entered the elevator at Queen Consolidated a week later.

“To visit a friend.” Oliver bobbed his head from side to side as if even he was uncertain of his own words. “Sort of.”

“Does this friend have a name?”

“Felicity Smoak,” Oliver told him. Diggle’s eyes rolled upwards. By his expression, Oliver could tell he already dismissed this whole meeting as nothing more than superficial. “Not that kind of friend, Digg.” Not that Oliver had not thought about it. Actually, since his return the thoughts of what could have been between him and Felicity haunted him more and more. If he had never left on the Gambit, maybe he and Felicity could have managed to finally make something of the feelings that circled around them for years. It might be too late for them, but that did not mean that Oliver could stay away from her any more than he could when he was younger, which was the exact reason he was at QC now. Well, that and Felicity had a certain skill set that he needed.

“What’s the plan?” Diggle asked him as the elevator ascended up to the floor where Felicity would be located.

“I’m going to see if she can pull up any information on Reston.”

The elevator opened and the two men stepped out at the executive floor. Oliver had left a message on Felicity’s phone to meet them there, so he wasn’t surprised to find her there already.

“Well, that’s different,” Diggle said with a slight bit of awe in his voice when he took in Felicity’s appearance.

Oliver glared over at him before he pulled open the door to the offices that Walter used. “I told you. She’s a friend.”

Felicity looked up from her laptop and smiled at the two of them. Though if Oliver was not wrong, the smile seemed tentative. What was making her so nervous? “What did you need today?”

Diggle went to go lean against Walter’s desk while Oliver settled on the couch across from Felicity. Oliver studied her for a moment. She did not look much different from the last time he had seen her at the offices. In fact, he was pretty sure that was the same pink blouse. The one he memorized on his phone.

“Oliver?”

Her question snapped him out of his thoughts. “Sorry. I was hoping that you could help me track someone.”

Diggle watched the two of them interact and he smiled. Oliver might claim that this girl was just a friend, but there was definitely more to the story that what Oliver had told.

Felicity had this cute way of talking back to Oliver without being outwardly insulting and by Oliver’s reactions, he was not immune. Oliver actually seemed animated with the blonde present. It was a side of him that Diggle had never really seen before. Not even when Oliver was around Tommy, Laurel or his family.

There was really only one other person that Oliver seemed to let down his guard with and that was Thea. For all the stories that Diggle had heard about Oliver and Laurel, he more expected this kind of reaction from the two of them, rather than the one in front of him now.

Which led to the question, who was Felicity Smoak in relation to Oliver Queen? She was not exactly the type that Diggle would have pictured for the man he was getting to know. Let alone the kid he used to be. Felicity seemed to have a bullshit meter where Oliver was concerned. One that even Oliver’s own mother lacked. It was exactly what Oliver needed and avoided.

Oliver preferred to lie and hide from anyone who got too close. Which was strange since this woman Oliver specifically sought out, revealing things with his questions and searches that could lead to questions about what Oliver was hiding. Diggle had seen his friend with computers. He wasn’t a novice. Diggle was pretty sure that Oliver could have discovered what he needed to know about Derek Reston all on his own. Oliver had rigged the forty million dollar heist from Adam Hunt after all. Discovering that Weston worked for QC before disappearing off the grid did not seem as complicated.

When Felicity rose to leave, Digg did too. He walked quickly over to the doors to hold them open for her. It gave him that much more time to study the woman who intrigued Oliver so much. The second the doors were closed, it was time to get back to business. “What’s the plan now, boss?”

“Now we talk to Derek Reston.” Oliver rose from the couch and walked over to Diggle’s side.

“Did you get everything you needed from Felicity?” Diggle noticed the slight change in Oliver’s expression at the mention of her name. The fact that Oliver clammed up until they reached the bunker gave Diggle all the answers he needed.

OQFSOQFSOQFS

Felicity stood in front of her closet and sighed. Even if she wanted to go to the fundraiser Tommy was throwing for CNRI, she had nothing to wear. Throwing the invitation that lay in her hand on the bed, Felicity reached for her phone. She’d just have to call Tommy and let him know she wasn’t coming. It would be so much easier over the phone anyway. It was the fact that he talked her into it over lunch with all his Tommy Merlyn charm that led to the situation she was currently in.

Leaving a message, Felicity redialed the phone to order in some Chinese food and began to wait. The waiting brought her over to her laptop and she pulled it onto her lap as she collapsed on the couch. Walter may have left town for a business trip, but that did not mean there wasn’t more to find on Tempest. Only her fingers froze over the keyboard as she remembered her earlier meeting with Oliver.

What was going on with him? First he brings her a laptop riddled with bullets. If he had his way, she would have just ignored that fact. Then when she went to his part and he barely spoke a dozen sentences to her. He seemed like all he wanted to do was push her away, much as he had when they were younger. So, why ask to see her again? About a friend that Felicity was pretty sure that he never really knew.

None of it made any sense. Neither did his attitude. One minute he was the charming guy everyone thought he was, the next sullen and reserved. When he noticed that people were getting too close to him, he shut down completely and escaped. If not literally, then mentally. Felicity dealt with mood swings before, but Oliver was taking it to whole new levels.

What had happened to him? Felicity knew something had. She saw some of the scars and the tattoo that lay over his heart. There were more differences than what was physical though. Even if those physical changes were very evident by the muscle structure he had gained. There was an air about him that held more confidence, something he lacked in his younger years, despite the bravado. More than that, there was something in him that radiated the experiences that he lived through. Ones that would break a lesser man. It was like Oliver had finally become the man that she could see he could be if he just stopped and grew up.

A knock on the door of her apartment made her jump. She had no idea she had sat there that long reminiscing over Oliver. It was not like she ever be able to get answers. No, Oliver was much more likely to hand her some bullshit story of the spilled latte variety.

Grabbing her purse, Felicity went to pay for her dinner. She needed to dwell on the answers she could find out, what Moira planned for Tempest.

Which was why Felicity stood there stunned with her door wide open and her wallet falling to the floor when instead of Chinese food she found Oliver Queen. A well-dressed Oliver Queen. If there was a magazine for suit porn, he’d be on the cover, every freaking month.

“You’re not dressed,” he told her as he swept past her into her living room.

“I’m not going,” Felicity told him as she picked up her wallet.

Oliver turned around and smiled at her. “So, you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“The fundraiser.” Felicity closed her front door and leaned back on it. “No. I’m not going. I called Tommy.”

“Why not?” His brow creased as if he could not figure out why she would not be going.

Felicity could not believe his audacity for even showing up. He had barely spoken to her outside of those few times that she done something for him and his party. And now here he was at her apartment. One she never told him she lived in. What the hell? “Because I have things to do.”

The doorbell rang and Felicity pulled herself off the panel to turn and answer it, but Oliver made his way there first. Felicity tried to wrestle the handle away from him but it only brought her body in contact with his. They both stilled. She felt his breath move the strands of her hair.

“Felicity, let go. I don’t want to hurt you.” His voice came out rough, pleading.

“That’s my dinner,” she complained.

“Correction.” Oliver peeled her hand off the handle and set it by her side before opening the door. “It was your dinner.” Oliver reached inside his pocket and pulled a folded up fifty from his pocket and handed it to the guy. “Keep the change and leave the food there. Thanks.”

Felicity was held back by Oliver’s body and could not do a thing when the guy left the food and Oliver closed the door. She glared up at him, her hands on her hips. “Thank you for paying, but can I please have my dinner?”

“Sure.” He nodded down at her. “Get dressed.”

“I don’t want to go. I honestly have things to do.”

His eyes sparkled and for half a second Felicity was pretty sure there was a glimmer of lust as they lingered across her lips. His tongue came out and licked his lips making her own body react. Her nipples pebbled against her bra while her thighs clenched together.

She saw him close his eyes in effort to compose himself. When they opened, the blue was almost gone. “Felicity, get dressed before I dress you myself.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Would he? What did she really know about him anymore? He seemed more than capable of doing it, but would he?

Oliver advanced on her. Felicity refused to budge until he was almost on top of her. It was only then that she realized how large Oliver really was. He dwarfed her not only by his size but by bulk as well. Taking a step back, Felicity was about to run to her room when he grabbed her arm and yanked her against him. “Felicity.”

His voice was breathy as he said her name, making her realize that there was a fine line for his patience. Well, too bad for him because she had no intention to go to the fundraiser tonight. “Fine, I’ll get dressed.”

Oliver noticed she did not ask to be let go. It was just there underlining her words. She was anything but happy at that moment. But she seemed willing to comply with his request despite her reluctance. He released her because he had to or else he would have slammed her up against a wall and kissed her like he had longed to for too long. Like a man who wanted a woman.

She made her way from him and Oliver glanced around her apartment. A poster featuring Robin Hood caught his eyes and a small smirk appeared at the corners of his mouth. If she only knew. Right below that was a pink starfish. Oliver stepped closer and admired the irony. His aim had definitely gotten better since he won her that silly toy. Her own winning was deep within the ocean as it had been sucked down with the Gambit. Sunshine. He had not thought of that dog in years.

A knock sounded on the front door and Oliver went over to open it. An older lady with a cat in her arms stared up at him. She blinked a few times at him from beneath really thick glasses. “Hello.” She tried to peek past him inside Felicity’s apartment, but he blocked her inquiring eyes. “Is Felicity here? I wasn’t sure if she knew her food was outside.”

“She’s getting dressed. Thanks.” Oliver picked up the bag of food. He graced her with his most charming smile and a wink. “I appreciate you letting us know.”

“Who was that?” Felicity asked from her bedroom as he closed the door.

“Someone, probably one of your neighbors, letting you know that you had food at your front door.” Oliver brought the food to her kitchen and unpacked it. Dumplings. Chicken Lo Main. Sweet and sour soup. He shoved all of it into her refrigerator and noticed that it barely had any food inside. Well, it was a good thing he was dragging her to the fundraiser. There would be plenty of food there and she’d have this for later. He was actually helping her out, Oliver assured himself.

Hearing heels clacking on the floor, Oliver turned and made his way out of the kitchen. When he saw her, Oliver felt his mouth fall open. “What the hell are you wearing?”

“My pajamas.” She glanced down at what she wore before her gaze returned to his. “You told me to get changed. You’re right I feel much more comfortable now.” She grimaced down at her feet. “Well, except for the shoes. What woman ever where’s heels inside their own place?”

Oliver’s eyes climbed her body much as he wished she’d climb his. She looked so innocent standing there all in white. Pure.

He could not touch her, even if she gave him permission to do so. Oliver clenched his hands into fists. He would taint her. He was more monster than man and he could never show her that. Not now. Not ever. It would not be fair to either of them. For him to inject her with his darkness.

And, yet, he was doing that anyway. Every time he saw her he showed her a little more of the inky swells that lingered around him. He needed to stay away and he couldn’t. He needed that purity, that light, to remind him that he could still function as Oliver Queen and not just the monster that had been created over the last half of a decade.

That was why he needed to walk away, as tempted as he was to drag her out dressed as she was. Because he could never hurt her. He had done enough of that already.

Oliver breathed heavily. He needed to ignore the fact that Felicity was one of the sexiest women he ever encountered. Especially dressed in the silken, white chemise she wore with straps thin enough that he could snap them between his fingers. She had no bra underneath and he saw her nipples puckering under his heavy gaze. The matching super short shorts left a ton of leg exposed. It made her look much taller than she actually was, especially paired with those bright red patent heels. On top of all of that, she tried to make it all a little less sexy with a short cotton robe that lay open and fell to her knees. Her blonde hair was clipped up leaving her neck exposed. Fuck, she was an angel sent to tempt him.

Oliver tried to steady his nerves, but he was pretty sure they were already shot. “I said to change so you could go to the fundraiser.”

“And I told you I had things to do.” Felicity walked over to him and tapped a light purple painted fingernail against his chest and then began to blush a light pink. “I mean I have things I need to accomplish. Which I can’t do if I go with you.”

“And what exactly are you planning to do in that getup?” Oliver stepped forward leaving barely any space between them. Bending slightly he whispered in her ear. “Who’s coming over, Felicity?”

“Why do you care?” Her eyes narrowed up at him. “Not that anyone is coming.” Her voice dipped down to an almost inaudible whisper, “Unfortunately.”

A smile tilted at Oliver’s lips. “Then you’re not doing it right. Or he’s not.” Felicity groaned and covered her face with her hands. Oliver pried them away, holding them down at their sides. “I’m teasing. What’s so important? Do you need me to help?”

Felicity shook her head, her cheeks still a pleasant pink. “Walter had me working on a project. It’s important that I finish it.”

“Tommy is going to be upset that you are not going to be there.”

“I know,” Felicity admitted, “but I just saw him at lunch. He should be fine.”

“You did?” Oliver’s brow creased. “How long has that been…” Oliver shook his head. “Never mind. Look.” He reached out and tilted her chin up so that their eyes could meet. He tried to smile but emotion clogged his throat. “We were friends once. The three of us. I know things happened. A lot of things happened,” he said with a tilt of his lips. “But, I’d really like us to try to be friends again. I’m sure Tommy feels the same way.”

Felicity briefly nodded. “I’ll think about it, but I can’t get out of this project. It’s important.”

“Fine, but…” Oliver was interrupted by his phone buzzing in his coat. He reached inside and pulled it out. He held it out to her. “Tommy. He’s probably wondering what happened to me.”

“Tell him, I’m sorry and that I’ll try to see him again soon.”

Oliver tucked his phone back in his pocket after sending off a quick text. When he opened his mouth, he could not quite believe what he heard. “What about me?”

She smiled up at him. It was a small smile, but it still tugged at that part of him that he had almost forgotten existed. “It hasn’t stopped you thus far.”

“Sure,” Oliver said completely unconvinced that she had an interest in seeing him again.

But she shocked him when she rocked forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. It took a moment for him to react. And for a man whose very life required quick action that was saying a lot. Oliver reached out and cupped the back of her of her head and shifted their position slightly so that their lips touched. It was not meant to mean anything more than to actually kick up a memory of their previous shared kisses.

Then her hands landed on his shoulders and she opened under his tongue that slid against her lips. Passion flared within both of them. Their bodies clenched together and Oliver wondered why it had taken this long for this moment to happen. He had to be dreaming, because never once had Felicity shown any indication that his feelings were returned in any way.

Pulling back, Oliver stared down at her. Her eyes blinked open, but they were hazy. She was beautiful. More beautiful than he remembered. Oliver pushed himself away. He was poison to her. Things like hope and love had been cut away from his life as much as the skin on his body had been. He had nothing to offer her. He couldn’t even offer her Oliver Queen, because he was only a hollow shell that he hid inside. She deserved a full, complete person. Someone capable of having a relationship.

Staying away from her was his best, if only, option. He had to still convince himself he could.

“Are you leaving?” Felicity asked as she stared at him in confusion, her hand lingering over her lips.

“Yes. I have a fundraiser to attend.” The pull to kiss her again was strong. If he didn’t retreat now, he was not sure that he ever would. Oliver shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from reaching out. He nodded and went to the door. She followed him and opened it, which was perfect because Oliver was not sure if he released his hands that he would not have already had her in them. “Goodnight, Felicity.”

OQFSOQFSOQFS

“It’s okay, man. You tried to save him,” Diggle told Oliver while he slammed around the bunker after Derek Reston passed away at the bank.

“Not hard enough. If I had, they never would have robbed the bank.” Oliver shook his head as he locked his trunk closed. “I should have made sure they were never there to begin with.”

“Like hell. You heard him earlier,” Diggle told him as he joined him. “He made the choice to keep going. Pleasing his family was more important than anything you might have said or offered.”

Oliver turned to his friend after pounding on the lid of the trunk. “I have to disagree.”

“Let’s rationalize this,” Diggle told him. “In what universe do you think you can make a grown man back down when his mind is set? In his head, he was convinced his family needed that money. You would’ve done the same if you were in his position and Thea asked it of you.”

Dragging in a deep breath, Oliver raised a hand to his brow. Digg had a point. Family had a way of making crazy decisions seem sane. Why else would he have agreed to spend time with Carter Bowen?

Speaking of… Oliver really needed to get home. He had to try to apologize to his mother. She deserved more than all of these lies and deceptions after the welcome she had given him after all the time he had been gone. Maybe Thea was right. He needed to open up a little more. Oliver had already tried with Felicity and failed in spectacular fashion. He did not need to think about that kiss right now.

“What are you thinking about?” Diggle stood there with his arms crossed over his broad chest as he studied him. It was like Digg expected him to do something stupid. Well, he was wrong, Oliver had already done that earlier.

“That I need to head home and talk to my mother.”

Diggle shrugged. “That’s better than blaming yourself for something that’s not your fault.” Digg reached out and picked up Oliver’s suit jacket and shoved it at him. “I’ll drive.”

OQFSOQFSOQFS

Oliver sat there watching his mother enjoy her burger and glanced around. This Big Belly Burger held a lot of memories. Why had it taken him this long to come here again?

His eyes shot off to one corner. That was where Digg had dropped his and Tommy’s asses after their brawl at Poison. Then they shifted over to a table. The same spot where Oliver had spotted Felicity with that creeper that she dated back in high school. Oliver had wanted to kill that kid. Now he knew he was more than capable of doing it. Shifting his eyes over to the hall where the bathrooms lay, he thought of the fight that he and Felicity had over the whole thing. Glancing over to the other side of the restaurant, Oliver remembered the night when he asked Laurel to go out with him the first time after they had all watched a movie together. For the life of him, Oliver could barely remember what it was they saw that night.

But, when movement caught his eyes and they returned back toward that hallway, Oliver could remember that conversation.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” he had asked her.

“Having fun with my friends.” Oliver remembered how much it hurt when she emphasized friends, indicating he wasn’t one.

“Go home, Felicity. That guy, the one you call a friend, he’s not me. And he certainly doesn’t care how young you are. You think you’re safe because Sara is with you, but you’re not.” Oliver had been so pissed off that night. He had watched all night long while the guy kept putting the moves on her. But, it was jealousy that underscored each one of the harsh words he sent her way.

“Then let me not be safe. My choice, not yours. My parent is fine with me being here. I don’t understand why you can’t be. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my friends are waiting.”

Oliver smiled thinking about how he had thought about Thea. How he had hoped that his sister would not be half as much trouble as Felicity had been at her age. Oliver really never had the chance to find out. Thea had grown up past those years by the time he had returned home. But, he knew her now. She was even more trouble than Felicity. If only he knew back then what he knew now.

“What’s so funny?” his mom asked.

“I was just remembering something that happened here. It made me think about Thea and how headstrong she is.”

Moira nodded. “I don’t know what to do about her lately. She seems to be growing up so quickly and I’m sorry to say that I should have been paying more attention.”

Oliver reached across the table and took his mom’s hand in his own, squeezing it. “You did the best you could under the circumstances.”

She smiled over at him and pressed his hand back. “We both did.”

@almondblossomme @lovethishealthylife @sunshine0977 @1106angel @miriam1779

#Olicity #olicity fanfiction #olicityfic

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terrypearrson · 4 years

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A life of crime

Legal Cheek’s Aishah Hussain chats to Chris Daw QC about life at the bar, his newly released book and venture into ‘vlawging’

Chris Daw QC

Chris Daw QC’s new book, Justice on Trial, has received a mostly positive reception. He thinks this is due to the public having an appetite for the subject matter which has received a lot of media attention as of late.

The coronavirus crisis has magnified debate around prison reform while the Black Lives Matter movement has thrust questions around racial imbalance in the criminal justice system into prominence.

We’ve hit a sort of ‘reset’ point in society. People have realised that some aspects do need to change and have become, perhaps, more receptive to new ideas like the ones Daw proposes in his book.

The COVID-19 lockdown has made us realise that we can do a lot more remotely than we might have thought. For Daw — a serious crime silk at Millennium Chambers and member of Serjeants’ Inn Chambers and Lincoln House Chambers — remote-working has been “liberating”. He’s not on the go as much, travelling to court or to client conferences, and is able to maintain a sense of discipline around his diary, he tells me when we speak.

More broadly, technology and more specifically, remote monitoring, offers creative solutions to improving the criminal justice system, as Daw addresses in his book. The idea is simple: prison is costly; and by embracing technology, and the so-called “virtual prison”, we can remove non-violent offenders, who let’s be honest, “don’t learn anything useful” in physical imprisonment, and keep track of them as they go about their lives. They could go to work or through education, attend counselling or rehabilitation, and “just be more productive” than they are behind brick walls and barbed wire.

Interestingly, where he doesn’t see tech has much of a place is virtual hearings for criminal trials. “There are far too many low-level cases going through the courts that should be diverted away from the system and dealt with in other forms,” he tells me. “By using online courts for criminal cases you’re enabling a system that is already broken. Why online? Well, why do it at all? It’s a waste of time.” This narrative continues in his book.

Justice on Trial is a manifesto, if you like, proposing radical reform to the criminal justice system. It’s at breaking point, he argues, and to break free of the cycle of crime, perpetuated as much by our criminal justice system as by those behind its bars, we must rip up the playbook and start again. Daw lobbies mainly for three things: we should close all prisons but for a few inmates; legalise drugs (under government control); and put a stop to children being tried in the adult system.

Headline-grabbing, that’s for sure, and an ideology the far-right would have a field day opposing. But make no mistake: Daw is no apologist for violence and antisocial behaviour. His views do not arise from some ‘soft’ liberal perspective. He is only interested in hard facts and what works to reduce crime and prevent recidivism. Daw’s ideas are simple; they are steeped in history and intertwined with anecdotes and lived experience from his many cases and travels.

25 years in the justice system and I can tell you that it's broken.

I can also tell you how to fix it…

…but you might not like my suggestions.

Available now https://t.co/K3CN5ASpyW pic.twitter.com/EBwzzeZbjW

— Chris Daw QC (@crimlawuk) July 28, 2020

All in all, Daw presents a compelling case for reform. His ‘blueprint’ for society will make readers question the dogma they’ve been fed for years. Prison is the “default soundbite” of politicians standing for election, for example, while the ‘War on Drugs’ in modern times is, simply put, political point-scoring. It’s no wonder why then that the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and Justice Secretary top the list of people he’d most like to read his book.

Does he think his ideas will ever become reality? The answer is, sadly (or whichever way you view it), no. He doesn’t see there being motivation beyond the mainstream “lock ‘em up” mentality nor for radical drug reform. But he has faith it will succeed in parts. We’re likely to see the scaling back of drug classification to some extent, he predicts, and maybe even change in our approach to incarceration, particularly among young offenders.

The 2020 Legal Cheek Chambers Most List

Before he carved out a career in serious crime work, Daw studied and completed pupillage in Manchester. He started “at the bottom of the criminal bar”, accepting instruction on matters ranging from shoplifting to sex work. He soon progressed over a 20-year period to take on serious and organised crime cases, including murder, and numerous forms of financial crime. It wasn’t until he took silk in 2013 that his practice diversified and he began to accept instruction on “an eclectic mix” of ‘general crime’ — cases ranging from robbery to rape.

Daw has represented notorious drug barons through to premier league footballers. He takes on fewer cases now, about four to six each year, in contrast to the 20 or so he’d have on the go as a junior, but they’re far more complex and tend to last much longer. He tells me it took him just over a year to take Justice on Trial from initial concept to print; all while continuing to accept instruction and shoot a BBC documentary.

Though he has spent the years since he took silk doing private work, I was curious to ask whether he would begin his career in criminal law now, as the system is today, public sector cuts and all? The Bar Council, for example, found recently that almost four in ten criminal barristers are unsure if they will still be practising law by the end of next year. “I still would,” he responds resolutely, adding: “Being a criminal lawyer — it’s one of those things that’s either in your blood or not.”

Daw became “hooked” on the criminal law career path as a teen sitting in on crown court cases in the public gallery. “I became addicted to the whole process,” he reflects. It was never about the money, or lack thereof: 20-year-old Daw made just £9,000 in his first year of practice. “Anyone deciding on a career in criminal practice because they’ll make money from it is looking at the wrong job — there’s never been a guarantee of making money at the bar,” he says. What will get students far in this line of work is, ultimately, passion. That alone is what got Daw through what could sometimes stretch to 70 hours a week of work as a junior barrister.

He expresses sadness at the thought that youngsters could be put off a career in criminal law. “We need bright new blood in criminal law from diverse backgrounds,” he says. “I think it’s a real shame people are put off — they should go for it and that’s really important.”

To help them on their way, Daw has, again, alongside his other pursuits, entered the world of ‘vlawging’. Some of the content on his YouTube channel, which has amassed over 12,000 views, by the way, focuses on current affairs (there are snippets of some of the television interviews he has given) but the rest is chock-full with application tips on how to secure pupillage. Daw tells me he even takes video requests and follows these up if he receives enough interest.

So what’s next for Britain’s top criminal barrister? The epilogue to Justice on Trial touches on the dark web and internet of crime, something that Daw says he is fascinated to see play out in the years ahead and how law enforcement adapts to this new underworld of criminal activity. It could be the focus of a sequel, he teases, adding that he does not intend for this to be his last foray in the world of writing. He concludes:

“I enjoyed the process; and it has been rewarding to see the impact the book has had on debate. If I can contribute to just getting people talking about criminal justice and potential reform in a serious way then I consider that to be worthwhile.”

Chris Daw QC is a serious crime silk at Millennium Chambers. His new book, Justice on Trial, is out now.

The post A life of crime appeared first on Legal Cheek.

source https://www.legalcheek.com/2020/08/a-life-of-crime/

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thefootballworks · 4 years

Text

Football is null and void

So, the Championship season is possibly starting again on 20 June 2020. I've put it in my diary but excuse me if I don't get excited about it. I mean, what is the point? I keep hearing all about "the integrity of the competition" but what sort of competition takes a three-month break? What is the integrity of having a nine-game season and that is what this will be. Because when Wigan Athletic, Millwall et al step out to play that first game it will be a completely different end to the season that finished when the virus came a calling. I assume Wigan Athletic will be walking out - at an appropriate social distance - with players of Stoke City into an empty DW Stadium on 20 June. Both teams may even be able to increase their matchday squad from 18 to 20 and may be able to bring on five substitutes. According to the EFL this date of 20 June all depends on: "(The) strict proviso that all safety requirements and Government guidance is met; and that clubs receive clearance from their local authorities in order to stage matches at their home grounds." Now given that the Government guidance has been pie-in-the-sky since day one and changes by the hour who knows what will happen. But let's consider we do kick-off on that date. First things first there will be no crowd there - so that's that. End of, don't even bother. But, but… We can watch it on television, on a laptop. We can watch it on our phones while sitting on a park bench. We can tweet about it, we can get angry at decisions that don't go our way and we can also just not bother… And that's just us - the fans. But, of course restarting the Championship season has nothing to do with the fans. It's about the "integrity of the competition." Well, without fans, there is no competition. "Yeah but what about those teams at the top, those teams at the bottom?" Sod it. Unlucky. And I would say that if Wigan Athletic was top of the pile and not just two points above a relegation place. Oh this two points off the bottom lark. Yes, we sit two points off the bottom but if the competition had run its course then there is no way we would have finished the season in that position. We were unbeaten in six. That's what a football season is about. There are ups and downs. Times of form and times when you can't buy a win. But when you get to the "business end of the season" - there's an apt phrase - it is all down to form and keeping your nerve, building on each result, keeping the dressing room as one. It's about going into training on a Monday with a smile on your face, it's about being with your best mates, doing it for the gaffer and most of all winning for the fans. It's about putting a penalty away at Bramhall Lane, coming from behind to beat Arsenal or scraping a 1-0 to beat QPR to secure safety Good Friday, just gone. It's not about playing at Oakwell with 36 people in the stands. As it is, all that good form from Latics is out the window - it is now down to a nine-game season with no bugger watching. Whoever goes up or goes down the season will be tainted. You could go points-per-game (PPG) but all the above could talk you out of that. A season is a season. There are ups and downs and every team has the right to play their way out of trouble or to a league title. Where is the fairness if you lie third in the PPG scheme of things but out of your last nine games you've got five games at home against the bottom five in the division. You'd fancy your chances of improving your PPG and possibly even winning the title or nicking second-place to get promotion. You could also just have your leading scorer back and banging them in and, and… You could have another one hundred reasons why PPG may not work. No, in my view, the whole thing should have been null and voided two months ago when it was realised that this virus wasn't "just the flu." Null and void and start a new season when fans can safely go back in the stadium and a full schedule can be completed. Of course, Liverpool, Leeds and others would complain but if you can't see past football the that's your problem not mine or anybody else's. Bill Shankly was a brilliant manager, a fine man and had some great soundbites but he got it wrong when he said, "Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that." He got it very wrong. Yes, Liverpool will complain, Leeds United will complain - as will many others. It was reported that South Shields - who sat atop of the Northern Premier League Premier Division when the season ended - were talking about employing a QC to argue against The FA's decision to null and void their season. Now if South Shields can afford a QC then they could equally just throw that money into next season's budget and win the division at a canter! And there's the rub… The FA null and voided all leagues at Step 3 to Step 7 in the non-League pyramid. A) they were correct to do this and B) that - I'm guessing - is their view on all football. Again they are correct in this thinking. The Football Association gets untold stick but they get many things right - especially at non-League level - but they have lost control of the mega-clubs. Those mega-clubs with their mega-debts that are so important to our national game and - if you believe some people - our national mental health as the return of the Premier league will boost morale. I can tell you - without any doubt - watching on television Burnley v Watford in an empty Turf Moor will do absolutely zilch for my morale. The FA were toothless to null and void the Premier League and - in turn the English Football League - due to the money involved. The TV money, the endorsements, the sponsorships, the online betting companies. No the games must be played for the "integrity of the competition." Even the FA Cup has to be played. The FA Cup in front of no fans. I wonder if the semi-finals will be played at Wembley? They've even set the date of the final for 1 August 2020. Wembley, fans not streaming down Wembley Way, not singing Abide With Me, not enjoying the London sunshine, not taking in the atmosphere. Imagine winning the cup with a last-minute Ben Watson header. A Ben Watson header at the end where his fans are not at. Just imagine that. Yes it would be better than losing but… Just imagine that. All because of money. All because clubs desperately need that money to continue competing with mega clubs like themselves. Mega-clubs like themselves with mega-debts. Dare we even mention the Champions League and, yes, but what about the other clubs further down the league that may - and possibly will - go bust? What like Bury? I'm sorry about this but I have dealt with Bury FC - in a work capacity - and I can honestly say I have never dealt with a worse company. Arrogant, ignorant, amateur, and those are just the polite words. Never have I dealt with anybody like it and considering I've worked in the clothing, construction and advertising industries that is really saying something. Obviously, I will feel sorry for the fans of these clubs - I may even be one of those fans - but I equally feel sorry for all the independent bars and restaurants, cafés and clothing shops that haven't opened for the "integrity of the competition" that will find themselves out of business. However, we will see what happens. The build-up begins right now. The banter begins, the stats and shots-on-target. Unless you lived through World War II this is the most worrying time we have all lived through, the number of dead would fill Elland Road to capacity and some more. We all love football. I've even been watching Bundesliga matches on the telly. I can't wait to go to Barrows Farm to watch Billinge and the DW to watch Latics. But only when it's safe. Safe for me and just as importantly the players. I mean the platers appear to be the last to be considered in all this re-opening of football. Then there's the problems that will occur when a player (or players) test positive. Do the teams than all self-isolate. A plays B. A then play C and B plays D, Then a player from A test positive. Does that mean all players from A, B, C and D need to self-isolate? Then there's the case of players refusing to play - which in my book is fair enough; add in players contracts running out, loan players being recalled by their parent clubs. I mean why wouldn't Brighton recall Leon Balogun from Wigan. He's been magnificent and Brighton are battling for their own lives. Oh and here come the agents at the training ground gates. What a mess! Football is important. It needs to come back but let's be sensible, eh? But it isn't that important. The 2019/20 Premiership and Championship seasons may about to be completed but it's null and void to me.

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michiganprelawland · 4 years

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Coronavirus Contact Tracing Apps vs. Personal Privacy

By Kate Wills, Michigan State University Class of 2023

May 29, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, leaders have begun to explore other options to track the disease. When the virus reached the United States, many governors chose to implement stay-at-home orders to achieve what leaders called “flattening the curve” of COVID-19 infections. Because this is the most urgent imperative of leaders, it is “crucial to know where public-health strategies like stay-at-home orders were working and where they were not” [1].

Along with examining where social distancing is (and isn’t) being practiced, an essential component to slowing the spread of this virus is contact tracing. Contact Tracing is the recording of infected people to identify (and inform) anyone who may have been in contact with an infected person so that they may quickly quarantine to avoid the spread of the virus.

Traditionally, this tracing is done in a private setting, with health care workers interviewing individuals to review their health and movements [1]. However, the method used previously could be slow at identifying where the infected person could have spread disease and who they could have infected.This method posed a problem to public health leaders – they needed a way to disperse this information quickly and accurately – but how?

The big tech industry had an answer. They would create apps that track people’s location and, when users logged their coronavirus diagnosis into the app, other app users that were in the same locations as the infected person would be notified. Because these apps would allow data to be presented in an accessible and searchable format, “the project would enable researchers and policy makers to see how members of the public move around their communities” as well as “guide policymakers as they grapple with when and where to lift stay-at-home orders” [1].

So far, these types of apps have yet to be widely implemented and used in the U.S. and have been voluntary for individuals to share the details of their location [2]. In China, however, these apps function more prominently and work differently than those proposed in the U.S. Each person who has signed up for the virus-tracking system by submitting their “personal information, recent travel, and health status” into the app receives a color code: green, yellow or red [3]. These colors indicate a person’s risk for infection, and “workers posted outside subways, offices, and malls stop anyone without a green code from entering’ [3]. While this method has produced positive results in slowing the spread of infection, there has been major backlash to suggestions of ranking citizens on a personal health index and warnings that this kind of tracking would be a violation of privacy and lead to discrimination against unhealthy people [3].

No matter where these apps will be implemented, there is concern over an invasion of privacy that they would bring. And, while contact tracing apps have not been widely used in the United States yet, Apple and Google have developed the technology to implement contact tracing apps in their most recent updates – the future of public health utilizing big tech is approaching quickly.

These major moves do not come without risks – although data is kept anonymous, “a number of studies have shown that they can be easily unmasked to reveal identities,” including “names, addresses, phone numbers,” and more [1]. Additionally, there are fears surrounding the submission of privacy fundamental to these apps – Senator Maria Cantwell wrote of this new technology that “rights and data surrendered temporarily during an emergency can become very difficult to get back” [1].

The COVID-19 pandemic brings unprecedented problems and unique combatants that haven’t necessarily been legally addressed. Location tracking has been dealt with primarily in criminal investigations, which shed some light on privacy rights but do not address other uses of location data.

Carpenter v. United States

The Fourth Amendment guarantees the right to privacy against unreasonable searches or seizures. In Camera v. Municipal Court of City and County of San Francisco, it was determined that the main purpose of this amendment was to “safeguard the privacy and security of individuals against arbitrary invasions by government officials,” a concept used in the Supreme Court case Carpenter v. United States. Carpenter solidified the extension of privacy to include cell-site location information held by cell phone carriers. The court determined that, because individuals have a reasonable expectation to privacy in their physical movements, allowing government access to cell-site records without a warrant would be unconstitutional [4]. Similarly, Riley v. California required warrants for the government to search a person’s cell phone data [5].

Carpenter v. United States

Riley v. California

As of now, these apps remain voluntary, and it seems unlikely that this aspect of the apps will change. Although the precedent set by Carpenter v. United States and Riley v. California covered criminal investigations, the takeaway stands clear – the government cannot use location data from cell phones without a warrant. Because of this requirement, it appears unlikely that these apps will be mandatory, as that would violate a person’s choice for their physical location to be shared.

Ravi Naik, legal director of the data rights agency AWO, Matthew Ryder QC, Edward Craven of Matrix Chambers, and Gayatri Sarathy of Blackstone Chambers drafted a legal opinion on these new apps, stating that “there would need to be a clear and detailed legal basis for a mandatory system, set out in specific legislation” [6]. They also argued that sharing data held by healthcare and private organizations to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic could create “a number of legal problems… resulting in potential illegality” [6].

Concerns with this new technology reach further than legality: “nearly 3 in 5 Americans say they are either unable or unwilling to use the infection-alert system,” and “approximately 1 in 6 Americans do not have smartphones” necessary to the use of these apps [7]. These statistics are concerning to public health officials, as Oxford University researchers have suggested that, in order to be successful in stopping the viral spread, 60 percent of a country’s population must participate [7].

These apps will likely appear in the U.S. sometime soon, as leaders increasingly look for more efficient ways to track and slow the spread of COVID-19. However, much is up in the air as to how they will be used – or if they will be helpful at all – dependent on the willingness and ability of Americans to participate. Based on legal precedent, it is unlikely that they will become mandatory without changes in legislation, so major political moves will need to be made if the government strives to ensure maximum usage of these coronavirus tracking tools. However, because there is no exact legal precedent for a pandemic and public health utilization of cell-site location information during this unique crisis, there may be room for adjustment.

________________________________________________________________

Kate Wills is an Honors College student in Michigan State University majoring in International Relations (James Madison College) and Economics with a minor in Arabic. She plans on attending law school after graduation in 2023.

_______________________________________________________________

[1] “Can We Track COVID-19 and Protect Privacy at the Same Time?” Sue Halpern, 27 April 2020https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/can-we-track-covid-19-and-protect-privacy-at-the-same-time

[2]“Coronavirus tracking technology raises privacy concerns: ‘It’s a little scary’” CBS news, 14 April 2020 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-tracking-technology-privacy-debate/

[3]“China’s Virus Apps May Outlast the Outbreak, Stirring Privacy Fears” Raymond Zhong, 26 May 2020https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/26/technology/china-coronavirus-surveillance.html?auth=login-email&login=email

[4]Carpenter v. United States, 22 June 2018

[5]Riley v. California, 25 June 2014

[6]“Covid-19 tracking app must satisfy human rights and data laws” Owen Bowcott, 3 May 2020 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/03/covid-19-tracking-app-must-satisfy-human-rights-and-data-laws

[7] “Most Americans are not willing or able to use an app tracking coronavirus infections. That’s a problem for Big Tech’s plan to slow the pandemic” Craig Timberg, Drew Harwell, AlaunaSafarpour; 29 April 2020 https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/04/29/most-americans-are-not-willing-or-able-use-an-app-tracking-coronavirus-infections-thats-problem-big-techs-plan-slow-pandemic/

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cdnsolution · 4 years

Text

Top 10 IT Trends in 2020 That Will Heighten Digital Transformation in Australia

Australia is known worldwide for its exceptionally developed market economy. Its progressive achievement relies much upon the capacity of nearby organizations to improve technologically, fabricate new items and find new markets. We have assembled all the tech bits of knowledge in this article to reveal the fate of the Australian IT industry.

As the measure of time we’re spending in a “virtual workspace” keeps on expanding, employees and representatives are replacing face to face gatherings and water cooler minutes with video meetings and Slack messages. The LinkedIn platform is the new business handshake. You shouldn’t be in a similar stay with your manager to sign an agreement any longer. It is entertaining to imagine that 20 years back we were stressed about what might happen when the clock struck 12 PM and took us into the new era. Presently we are discussing robots, digitized cash, automatons, and self-driving vehicles…Technological Innovation has totally revolutionized the manner in which we see the world, how we collaborate with each other and how we work together. With the tireless pace at which technology advances and changes, it’s just going to get all the more energizing!

Let’s have a look at the top 10 Technology Trends for 2020 and past

1. 5G (Fifth Generation Internet)

The 5G Fifth Generation Internet will be at the core of every single innovative technological development in the coming years. With its overly low inactive abilities, this is an energizing time ahead. For Aussies, our web speed will most likely despite everything being slower than that of Romanians, however.

2. Blockchain Development

Basically: Blockchain is to resource what the web is to content and various organizations have effectively looked beyond Bitcoin and executed blockchain into their association of the organization.

One of the Melbourne Web jet group has built up a blockchain-based arrangement called Rechain, a complex platform which is helping the records groups. The travel business gauges that 3-5% of appointments are questioned and this innovation framework will be a distinct advantage in their field.

Ever ledger which is London based organization utilizes more than 40 extraordinary attributes to make a computerized scanner tag on Diamonds and makes a record on the blockchain of these stones.

Walmart has additionally taken the Blockchain innovation to the following level and has created programming which can permit their clients to scan their products and discover where it originated from, you can truly discover which ranch your crisp produce originated from and the journey it has taken.

So with these models, it is sheltered to state that the Bitcoin bubble may have to some degree fallen, anyway the basic innovation which pins everything together is well and really flying!

3. Data Analytics

On the off chance that you aren’t taking a gander at data analytics as an organization before 2020 you won’t exchange much into 2021 it is that easier. Organizations that have been looking at information to give more bits of knowledge into client interaction presently have the high ground and have picked up that contender advantage. The 5 most significant organizations, all-inclusive (Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google) notwithstanding their item offering, additionally have the most measure of information available to them. By saying “Data information is the oil, some state the gold, of the 21st century Joe Kaeser (Siemens CEO), summarized it superbly “.

4. IoT (Internet Of Things)

To remain competitive in the of Digitial Transformation, major companies developing advanced technology-based products. There is high growth we see for IoT based applications and software. Internet of Things (

IoT

) market of

Australia

caters to various applications such as connected logistics, smart retail, smart mobility & transportation, building & home automation and others.Let’s understand the position of IoT Applications in 2020 – 8.4 billion Internet of things IoT Solutions were used in 2017 which is determined by Gartner and up to 31 % from 2016 it is assumed to reach 20.4 billion by 2020. Gartner anticipates that technological budget spending plans should be developed by 2.1% in corporate and legislative parts across Australia which is slightly below the worldwide average that is 2.8%.

5. AR / VR Applications

AR/VR applications are on the boom as per Australia Survey. AR/VR based software and tools are increasingly providing comprehensive, interactive and engaging learning options to support skills acquisition and transfer. Let’s have an example, Pokémon Go presumably raised enormous attention to the capability of Augmented Reality(AR) and has made the establishment over $2.45 Billion simultaneously. In 2017, 46% of Americans utilized AR/VR Apps and by 2020, specialists are anticipating that there will be more than 1 Billion Augmented Reality clients all around.

6. Quantum Computing

Richard Feynman proposed QC in the 1980s and it has charmed individuals from that point onward. Quantum Computing utilizes sub-nuclear particles to speak to data and guarantees preparing power higher than the quickest of the present semiconductor-based supercomputers. Notable improvements in this field are occurring directly here in Australia as well, with UNSW as of late structure the initial two-qubit door, which can work complex issues at 0.8 nanoseconds or multiple times quicker than past research.

7. Expanded Data Governance

GDPR has set the bar high and it is conceived that this will currently set the standard. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) will become effective in 2020 which again will prepare for more grounded information administration and assurances. Google, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft have all turned out and are empowering progressive guidelines here too. I believe this is most likely a reasonable shielding procedure since they would prefer not to follow Mark Zuckerberg and need to sit before congress protecting themselves.

8. Xaas

This is certifiably not another term, in 2020 we will see it being utilized all the more broadly. With expanded globalization and the pace at which innovation advancement moves, organizations are currently reclassifying their item and services contributions continually.

9. Voice Recognition Technology

Voice Recognition has developed enormously as of late and it will just keep on developing. Financial speculators, Kleiner Perkins expressed that in June 2015 Siri dealt with more than 1 billion solicitations each week; and in May 2016, 1 out of 5 pursuits on Android were voice-looked. Andrew Ng, Chief Scientist at Baidu, predicts that come 2020, half of the searches will be through voice.

10. Edge Computing

Edge Computing is a distributed processing framework that brings calculation and information stockpiling nearer to the area where it is required. The purpose of this is to improve reaction time and spare transmission capacity. The expansion of the

Internet of things (IoT)

devices at the edge of the system is creating a monstrous measure of information to be registered to server farms in this way stretching the data transfer system as far as necessary. With the inexhaustible increment in the measure of IoT devices expected in 2020 ‘Edge Computing’ will be standard.All in all, technology is boundless, and we are setting out on an unparalleled time ahead. Talking about: AR/VR applications, AI & Machine Learning solutions, IoT Softwares and Applications, and Blockchain Development appears to be something from a science fiction film, and this is our current innovative scene. It will be a fascinating year ahead yet technology won’t supplant every human asset… for now in any eventWe are glad to share that the

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#Business trip to Australia #Technology #5G Technology #5G #Blockchain Development #Blockchain #Data analytics services #IoT #AR / VR #Quantum Computing #Xaas #Voice Recognition Technology

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miraculousubs · 7 years

Text

THE LONG AWAITED POST

Hey guys!

Long time, no see. We’ve decided to make this little (rather long) update post / log about what is currently going on with: the team, the future (and what it contains), and the most requested piece of information ever, the spreadsheet. We know that this post is quite lengthy (and brutal in some points), but we cover a lot of important and relevant information in here, so please read the whole post because asking us a question. Asks will not be answered if anything mentioned here is asked again to us for the 180+ time. We thank you in advance! :)

Let us start this off with the most important thing (to most of you, with it being the only point you will only read):

THE SPREADSHEET

Contrary to belief, we do know that the spreadsheet is down. In fact, we have made several post about it on our blog, which you can view in our most recent blog posts. We’ve run into some struggles with Google’s Terms of Services (ToS) and hosting with our episode files / RAWs. This is highly expected with hosting anything like this and with countries recently ruling fansubbing groups, like us, illegal. There are laws, regulations and protection acts in place to ensure everyone is happy and safe.

So what does breaking the ToS actually mean? It means that all of our episodes have been flagged - they are still there on our Google Drive, for our own, personal use. We cannot share them to anyone else and only we can view them using our login with our password. Of course some of you may want this login and ‘promise not to do anything expect watch the episodes’. For obvious reasons, we are not giving our GDrive login. We’ve also lost access to all the episodes hosted on MEGA, they have been completely removed from our account.

There is no way around this, we fully understand that we have broken these ToS and knew that this day would come from the start. It wasn’t a ‘what if?’ question but more of a ‘when will it happen?’ thing.

Is this the end of MiraculouSubs? Absolutely not, the spreadsheet will return, but not in a way you will expect it to do so.

Abbey has been working on producing the new spreadsheets. Yes, you read that correctly. It’s plural. Each dub will have it’s own designated spreadsheet, one for French, one for Korean and one for English. The English dub spreadsheets are already up and running, and you can find the link to them on Miraculous English. (In a nutshell we provide English subtitles for the English dub over there and HOH English subtitles, more can be found on @miraculousenglish)

New methods are being tested, tried and implemented. Please be patient with us, we are only human and we have an actual life to live. I know, it’s sad.

Click ‘Keep reading’ to find out more about the future, how you can get early access to new updates via Discord, be notified first when the new spreadsheet goes live and more about the current state of the team. It’s a long post that is servery overdue, I know.

THE FUTURE

Will we be subbing season 2? Yes, now stop asking us :)

Have we considered torrents, as mentioned in our FAQ? We have, but it just isn’t practical enough yet. For one member of the team, torrents can result in up to 10 years jail time and the risk just isn’t worth that. Other members can receive serious fines for torrents. Another issue is that most people just want to stream the episodes with lots of our followers not even knowing how torrents work or what they even are.

How will future releases be dealt with? As previously mentioned, we said updates and early access will be given through Discord. We have a brand new, MiraculouSubs Discord server coming soon, with bots currently being coded for it and spam prevention techniques being implemented. For now, updates are being given out through our Miraculous English server which you can join here. Fewer updates are being given out through our Zak Storm server, which you can join here.

THE TEAM (and briefly THE SUBBING PROCESS)

As we have previously mentioned, we are only human and not some super robotic team who can automatically translate everything amazingly perfect as soon as a new episode comes out, or even predict the future. Life is currently a mess, very hectic for every team member. (There are only eight of us here, we are trying our best :))

At least half of us are being lugged down with Exams / University / College / Homework / Other boring education things with the other half juggling jobs and other responsibilities. For some of us, we are currently in the exam period that can mean the difference between getting the grades for our dream career or ending up having to evaluate what we can do with the grades we achieved.

To put this all in a little perspective, Abbey has briefly made an update on each team member (She wanted to go full out update and there is no stopping her, so...):

Tech Surgeon (Alice) [QC] - About to enter sixth form. Eyesight just as bad as her grades. (Okay yeah I’ve seen Alice’s grades, they’re brilliant, although can’t say the same for her eyesight, she is stereoblind - Abbey ;)

Barbie girl (Abbey) [Timer, English Dub Subber] - Halfway through the second to last year of high school. Knee injuries are going okay, but may need surgery on them in the next year or so.

Halalfej (Rita) [The Rest] - Working as a help desk representative thingy, and doing the usual Rita thing of trying to learn nineteen new languages, working and managing several subbing teams and projects. Also she isn’t lost, she is dead.

God (Spacey) [French Translator] - Working in a fancy lab, you’ll have to ask her because I don’t really know.

Feather (Ari) [French Editor] - I’ve spoken to Ari a collective seven times I swear, so I’m not sure how she is, although I hope she is well.

Vodka Aunt (Olivia) [Blog] - Working her summer job and who knows what other things.

President (Chiatt) [Korean Translator] & Snail [Korean Editor] - The Korean team don’t speak on our group chat much, but I know that both Chiatt and Snail are slightly older than Alice and I, so most likely in their second to last / last year of high school.

Basically, we’re saying that we don’t currently have the time for subbing and we’re grateful that there isn’t a season currently being aired. (We did predict autumn and got that one right). However, we are all doing our best to get our work done efficiently and we are hoping to devote more time towards the blog and Miraculous!

We do admit that balancing actual life responsibilities and subbing life is a bit of a trek, and it can be quite tough on us at times, running on little to no hours of sleep just for an episode release. No, we’re not complaining about the subbing life and what it entails, we chose to sign up to this ourselves (Well Alice didn’t, in a way...). All we ask is that you all be patient with us as we continue to release episodes and transcripts, and don’t pester us about ‘how long until the episode’ and ‘where are the subs’, etc.

So what is it like to sub a standard episode? Standard episode are the around 21 minutes of Miraculous that air on Tfou (and now Disney Channel), in France, and us releasing the subs to that episode.

Take a guess at how long that takes. If you’ve never fansubbed an episode in your life, your guess is probably very wrong. If you have fansubbed before, you know how long and tedious the process is. A standard episode can take up to (and occasionally over) 12 hours, depending on the circumstances. Yes, 12 hours. It is a very long, tedious process, but the outcome is worth the wait. We are not paid for this. We do this all for fans, for free. Hence, please be patient with us. We are humans: small, tired and breakable.

And finally, thank you guys for remaining (mostly) patient throughout this!

#MiraculouSubs #updates #news

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