#general karpov

[eggbreadboi]

the devil you know//cold comfort

[sarahowritesostucky]

📖Make it Stick: Pt. 1 The Dragon

Rating: Explicit

Chapter Rating: Mature

Pairing: Bucky x ofc x Steve

Word Count: 1103

Tags: dark!fic, mob/mafia au, mob!Bucky, mob!Steve, dubcon/noncon, sexual coercion, half-sibling incest, m/f/m, non-con drug use, mentions of torture (non graphic), double penetration, forced tattooing, forced orgasms, enemies to lovers

Summary: When his babygirl—his sweet pea, little one, puppy ... half-sister—is recaptured after her latest attempt at running away, Bucky makes a power play in front of the entire Bratva to remind her exactly who she belongs to.

Dark and smutty content below the break. Consume responsibly.

“Да. Good. Make sure she stays that way. Now, tell me everything.” Bucky listens to his henchman’s answer, pissed in general but only getting truly angry when he hears one specific detail. “She was with who?! Ублюдок!!” He takes the phone away from his face for a second as he curses in three different languages. Fucking Gleb. He fucking knew it. He’s going to cut his fucking dick off! When he brings the phone back up to his face, all he utters is a deathly quiet, “We’re in the Dragon’s Den. Get them here. Both of them.” He ends the call.

The gun at Bucky’s back has stopped buzzing. Funny, how it’s the sudden lack of pain that makes goosebumps rise to his skin. “Boss?” Natasha asks.

Bucky’s eyes flick over to Steve, who’s sitting next to the Karpovs on the couch. One moment of intense eye contact between the two of them, and Steve’s face goes wan in recognition. Tight-lipped, Bucky gives an almost imperceptible nod of confirmation. Steve squares his shoulders and pushes up to standing to go over to the bar. The guy has an almost preternatural ability to predict Bucky’s wants and needs, which is one reason why he’s risen through the ranks so fast (well, it's one, leastways). He artfully flips a lowball, knowing what this situation calls for without having to be told; ice and two fingers of the Russo-Baltique that’s so expensive, Bucky once stabbed a guy’s hand into a table for drinking it without permission.

Steve delivers the glass and retreats to stand sentinel along the wall. Bucky sips, sets it down, growls and grabs it up again. He rolls the liquor in his mouth as he fumes, a dark plan starting to form in his head. It comes together quickly, because it’s not like he hasn’t spent plenty of time fantasizing about it before now. What he’d do when he finally got her back.

His little one is tenacious and likes to make trouble. She has a penchant for running away, but she’s never lasted this long before. It’s been over ten months—long enough to put the fear of God in Bucky that he could actually lose her for good, if he isn’t more careful. So, he has to be careful, has to make a statement, send a message. He has to make it stick.

Luckily, when it comes to “sending messages,” Bucky Barnes can be very creative. Like tattooing, torture is an oft underappreciated artform. “Dimi,” he barks. “I’m expecting some special guests tonight. Go and sort things out downstairs. I want the place packed by ten—Make sure it’s with the right people.”

“Boss?” Lev pipes up, confused. He’s Karpov’s kid brother: new, inexperienced but eager, still “earning his scales,” as the boys like to say.

Dimitri jerks his head for his brother to follow him. “Boss wants a demonstration. C’mon.” He’s already got his phone out as they leave the room to get things arranged. Bucky’s “demonstrations” usually require plastic sheeting and a crowd of people who are either Hydra themselves, or else educated enough to know to keep their mouths shut about Bratva business.

“Where’d they find her?” Steve asks.

Bucky scoffs, still fuming. “Floating off the coast of Belize. On my own fucking yacht. Can you even believe that?”

“Sounds like her.”

“Lena?” Nat hums. “Who’d you send?”

“Maximoff and Belova have her.” Bucky grits his teeth at the sting as Natasha uses a wet cloth to wipe off the excess blood and ink. He can feel her scrutinizing her work. “You can keep going,” he tells her, but she ‘tsks’ in that way that only a Russian tongue can really do.

“We’ll come back to it. Skin behaves differently when you’re not relaxed.”

“I’m am relaxed!” He hears how ridiculous he sounds and heaves a long sigh, trying to let his shoulders untense to at least somewhere below the level of his ears. “I’m relaxed.”

“Keep saying it and it might come true.” Nat rolls away on her stool, peeling off her gloves with finality. “Your blood pressure and vodka’ll push the ink out faster than I can stick it. Just come over to the Red Room once it’s done scabbing and we’ll finish it then.”

She’s already packing up her stuff when Bucky gets the idea. “Wait.” He narrows his eyes at the rolling toolkit that Nat keeps in the club’s upstairs lounge just for him and his men. “Do me a favor,” he says slowly, the idea taking shape in his mind. “Run down to the shop and print out a transfer for me. Cyrillic. A small font. Something pretty but … bold. Easy to read.”

Natasha tenses. “What do you want it to say?”

“собственность дракона.”

“No,” she says, and when Bucky looks over, she’s standing ramrod straight.

“Clearly, you disapprove.”

“I’m not inking it.”

“I’m not asking you to,” he snaps, low on patience tonight, even for Natasha. “Print it out on a goddamn transfer sheet and bring it to me.”

She’s doing that dead faced thing she does—where she goes still like a doll to avoid making some expression she doesn’t want you to see. Right now, Bucky suspects it might be sheer disdain. “Size?” she asks. “Shaping?”

“One line straight up the forearm. Delicate lettering, but clear as a fucking bell to read.”

“That still doesn’t tell me what spacing—”

“You know how big she is, you figure out the fucking spacing!” he yells. “Or what the fuck am I even paying you for?!”

Natasha goes eerily still, then abruptly pivots to leave, the severe line of her hair whipping around with the motion. She’s unhappy with him.

“Red ink!” Bucky calls out, the door slamming shut after her a millisecond later. He grinds his teeth together and stands up from the chair he’s been perched in for the past three hours, carrying his drink over to the mirrors so that he can get a better look at his back.

Scales, teeth, claws. Crouched and curling across his shoulders, tendrils creeping up onto his neck, marking him as what he is: Дракон.

The Dragon.

“Will you help me?” he asks Steve, quiet now that it’s just the two of them.

“Depends on what you want me to do.”

“It depends”—No other man in the Bratva could give such an answer and expect to remain in one piece. But Steve’s gaze is steadfast when Bucky meets it and tells him, “She’s gotten away with too much for too long. It’s time to shorten the leash.”

In the mirror, Steve’s eyes darken. He nods.

Take me to part 2!

Masterlist

If you like what you read and feel so inclined, please consider dropping a tip in the Kofi🍵 cup!

Commissions: contact via Tumblr messenger or Kofi

[bucknastysbabe]

The Handler - 1991 - Compliance

A/N: Short lil prequel! I need to get off my angsty shit and write some good ole fashioned happy luv luv hee hee✨

Rating: Explicit

Tags: TW: Sexual assault on someone incapable of consent, dub-con, twisted rationalizations, abuse of power. HTP. Hydra!Reader, Back in ye ole Siberia, winter soldier Bucky, hand jobs, praise kink, Voyeurism, The Chair, touchstarved buckbuck

Vasily stood unmoving, arms crossed over his chest. The asset looked like a caged animal, blue eyes darting around for unseen targets. Guards moved forward to grab the soldier, now dazed from cryo.

“He’s usually the most vulnerable like this. Meet our prized possession, little girl.”

You nodded along, hiding any trace of fear in your body. General Karpov had chosen you from a pool of willing participants to help oversee the Winter Soldier program. It had been a week since you’d moved to the base. But you liked the respect you received around here, being Karpov’s protege, one day to handle the fist of Hydra.

You followed behind Vasily’s taller frame like a shadow. The asset stumbled in front as they led him to the Chair. Electroconvulsive shocks to suppress memory and make the asset more suggestible to commands. The guards shoved the Winter Soldier into the machine, computers and a couple of scientists standing around.

They shoved a mouthpiece into his snarling face, eyes unfocused. Vasily murmured, “He shattered his teeth in the beginning,” the man handed you a red book, “After he stops screaming you read the words.”

“Yes General.”

The asset’s cries of pain made you flinch, your general frowning down at you. Refocusing you opened the book and filtered through to the words you needed. The shocks echoed through the room along with his howling. The asset’s built chest heaved and he was sweating from exertion.

The headpiece flipped up and off his long dark hair, matted down with sweat. You circled the soldier, prattling off the words needed to activate his protocol. When you finished Vasily handed the soldier an envelope asking, “Ready to comply soldier?”

“Ready to comply,” he responded robotically.

They sent the soldier off soon after, you pondering the strangeness of it all. He was to be retrieving supersoldier serum, recreated by Howard Stark. Then the Winter Soldier program could truly begin, test subjects waiting to join an armada of unstoppable super soldiers.

Then Hydra could become supreme, start a new world. A better one without disorder and deviants. Your chest puffed with pride at the thought of being such an integral part of changing the world. Vasily clapped your shoulder and stated, “Nice job agent. Back to your work, girl. When soldier returns I have to teach you the, hm, intricacies of handling.”

So you went back to work, detailing plans and structure for the new soldiers. How they were to stay compliant and such. There would have to be much testing, but the government supplied plenty of money. Some of the Americans even loaned a spare officer or scientist.

Soldat returned, face devoid of any emotion. He held out the briefcase and stood at attention. You all stood in a tight office, the proximity of the soldier making you wary. He’d been gone for a week without any time in the chair. The brain repairs fast regardless of how scrambled his limbic system might be.

Vasily opened the box, revealing the multiple packets of the serum, smiling contentedly. He murmured, “Good job soldat. Very good job. You might deserve a reward.” The asset’s breath hitched the slightest bit, eyes darkening. The general closed the case and moved to the other side of the desk, reclining in the chair.

You eyed the soldier, then your commander.

“General? Is he not to be put back in cryo?”

Vasily leaned back, a strange glint in his eye, lips turned up. He waved a hand and said, “I told you I have a lesson on handling our precious asset, silly girl.” You frowned in confusion. Karpov continued like the soldier wasn’t even in the room, “He can get a bit riled up. It scares you does it not? Being so close to a precise machine designed for murder.”

You gulped, eyeing the asset’s huge frame. His silvery arm softly clicked in the room. He almost seemed to be vibrating with energy, if one had an eye for it. Blue eyes darting around, seemingly disliking the tights quarters. Finally you whispered, “It is intimidating, yes General.”

“Besides the brain fuck machine, he likes a softer touch in order to comply,” he cocked his head and ordered, “Soldier, mission report.” The soldier listed off the details, the deaths of Howard and Maria Stark and the camera he shot out that would need to be wiped. You frowned at dealing with the Americans.

“Good boy. My agent here will take good care now.”

You fidgeted in place, waiting for further instruction. Karpov kicked his legs up on the desk and laughed, “The soldier is touch starved, swoons like a slut for soft hands. You can keep him out of cryo a bit longer and have some fun with him.” Your face drained of color as you questioned, “You want me to fuck the asset sir?”

“No, just play with him a little. It’s entertaining watching the soldier crumble. Besides, the fist probably hasn’t had a woman’s touch in years. Go on now. This is part of the routine.”

Your heart was thudding in your ears. This was vile to you. Being a woman in Hydra was hard enough, but sexually using the best weapon they had in front of your commander was humiliating. That was the culture you grimly supposed. Vasily probably felt the same the first time and whoever before him.

You stepped toward the soldiers larger frame, staring up into his handsome face. You caressed his cheek gently, murmuring, “I apologize, precious star.” He made a low noise, lids lowering as you stroked your thumb across a sharp cheek.

Your other hand relocated to his lips, thumbing the full bottom one. The asset instinctively opened his mouth, suckling on your thumb with a whine. His breathing sped up, left arm recalibrating with a series of clack, clack, clack. You removed your now wet thumb, closing your mouth to his own.

The asset moaned into your mouth, eagerly licking inwards. You cradled the back of his head, curling fingers into dark locks. Vasily made a pleased hum from behind. The pair of you kissed slowly, the asset seeming to soak up every smack with another whine.

You pulled back, eyes boring into his lust blown pupils. He tried to kiss you again, but you held a finger to swollen lips. Your hand slid down to grasp between thick thighs. You gasped in shock and arousal. He was certainly…above average. The soldier whimpered softly, face begging for more.

“Take him out, big one isn’t he?,” said your general.

You unlatched the belt and many holsters, them dropping to the tile with a thud. You popped the button, his flushed cock shoved into the front of his tac pants. That had to be uncomfortable, you idly thought. He groaned when you gripped the length and stroked one time.

You wanted to ask the quivering man how he liked it, but the burning gaze of your commander shut you up. Instead you cooed while stroking the brunette’s thick cock, “Good soldier, complying so well. So pretty, pretty face, cock, body. Perfection.” He let out a particularly loud moan, legs twitching at the praise.

Your other hand moved back to pulling lightly at his hair, making the soldier flush and pant. His big chest was staccato as you jacked him off faster and faster. You played with his sensitive cockhead, swirling your thumb around the crown and slit. Karpov barked a laugh when the soldier sniffled and whimpered.

“C’mon soldier, good soldier, cum for your handlers. Gorgeous noises, fuck,” you rambled.

The asset thinly keened, “T-thank you!” His body was trembling intensely as you used both hands to work his pulsing cock. You kissed and licked at his neck, savoring the taste while he sharply sobbed. It wasn’t loud but sounded deafening in the small room. Heated wetness covered your hand and belly. Stroking the asset through his climax was longer than expected, him seemingly having an endless load, face crumpled and red as he emptied.

Finally he whimpered and twitched, indication that this was over. Karpov clapped and commented, “Wonderful. Take him to the showers he needs to be hosed off. Took to it well girl, but no need to be so kind.” You nodded in thanks and led the hazy soldier out of the too small, horrid room.

“I’m sorry soldier, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do that.” You hoped he would respond but was met with nothing. After a moment you commanded, “Soldier, speak your mind.”

“You were kind. Much softer than the others.”

You felt a protective need to shield this beautiful weapon from greedy hands. Only you should be able to handle him, establish a bond that made him ever loyal. Vasily wouldn’t have to know. He’d be busy with the new recruits. You rubbed the asset’s wide shoulders and said, “I’ll never hurt you, precious star. Too important for us all.”

Your heart ached at watching his swaggering walk into the showers filled with guards and scientists. Blue eyes gazed back once and then you wouldn’t see him until next mission. Back to work, cover it up with work, yes. Ignore that crawling, slimy feeling over your skin. Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about Hydra after all.

[polizwrites]

Fathers Don't Know Best

This is a fill for today’s  @flashfictionfridayofficial  prompt [#FFF245 You Never Cared] as well as my @winterironevents  I4 - SHIELD HQ  bingo square.  

Fandom: MCU/Marvel Pairing:  Bucky Barnes & Tony Stark Rating: General Tags:  No Powers AU,  modern!Bucky,  SHIELD,  shitty fathers, alcohol, making friends Summary:   Bucky’s working overtime at SHIELD HQ and stumbles into a moment of confrontation.  Word Count: 407

“You never cared.”  An unexpected but familiar voice caught Bucky’s ear as he walked down the hallway towards the lobby of SHIELD’s headquarters.  It was nearly midnight and the place was normally deserted except for a security guard or two. And, in his case,  an analyst working overtime on an encrypted dataset from Kyiv.   

Bucky turned the corner to see Tony Stark standing in front of the life-sized portrait of his father, one of the founders of SHIELD. While Howard Stark had given SHIELD its spark,  his son was the engine that kept the organization going by providing the best surveillance and analytical technology in the world.    “You didn't care about me. Not really.  The stuff I could do, though, that was what was important to you, wasn’t it, Dad?”    There was a definite slur in his voice, and as he spat out the last word, he wobbled just a little. 

“Mister Stark? Are you all right?”  Bucky called out before he could think better of it. Everyone knew Tony Stark had a mercurial temper that could get someone fired at a whim and Bucky had just made a target of himself by stumbling on what was clearly meant to be a private moment.  But what he'd said struck a chord with Bucky, and he couldn't let the man suffer alone.

Stark whirled around unsteadily.  “I’m just peachy keen.  You can go about your business.”  He made a shooing gesture, then stopped and peered more closely at Bucky.   “You’re Barnes, right?  Your intel analysis was key to getting Karpov hunted down.” He gave Bucky a thumbs up.  “Nice work, kid.” 

“Thank you, sir.”  He could smell the alcohol on Stark’s  breath and started formulating a plan. “Can I get you some coffee or something?  I think there’s some leftover donuts in the break room if you want to join me.”    

Stark frowned at him. “You think I’m drunk, don’t you?” 

“The evidence is leaning in that direction, sir.” 

Stark snorted. “Spoken like a true datahead.  And I suppose you’re trying to sober me up a bit before I get behind the wheel?” 

“More or less, sir.” Taking a chance, he added,   “Would it help to say I know a little something about fathers who care more about what you can do than who you are?”

Tony blinked.  “You know what? It just might.”  He threw an arm around Bucky’s shoulders.   “And how about you call me Tony?” 

[madameaug]

Promise Me || Bucky x Black Reader

Synopsis: This occurs maybe about a year after the events of Captain America: Civil War. The reader is a black woman and should be imagined as such :) Bucky is 37, and the reader is ideally 32/33.

Very angsty (reader and bucky are getting a divorce). Not edited at the moment. First non-BTS imagine/fic so I'm super nervous. I love Marvel too <3

I didn't think forever for us would end so soon. Four years seemingly going down the drain. Two years of dating, eight months of engagement, and barely a year of marriage. I felt like I was giving up. Quitting. Like I wasn't honoring my vows.

Til death do us part.

But when I took those vows I believed I was giving them to James Buchanan Barnes. Who I lovingly refer to as Bucky. A man a slightly older than me, but didn't look a day over thirty. He was the man that I envisioned as a little girl marrying.

A man who was tall, easy on the eyes, with a look of danger, but a heart of gold. Bucky had the perfect mix of both. A veteran turned firefighter. He risked his life daily, saving those in a life-or-death situation. He was second chances, personified for these people. He was a light of hope in the darkness of succumbing to a burning fate. He was a hero.

A hero.

A hero more in the literal sense than what I could have possibly imagined.

Bucky Barnes wasn't a thirty-seven-year-old man who was technologically challenged. Not a man who liked listening to music artist from the 1930s. He was sophisticated and romantic.

Doll was his favorite name to call me. Initially, I thought he was just trying to hard not to use generic pet names like 'baby' or 'bae'. Or that maybe his fascination with the olden days carried into his pet names for his girlfriends. But now I wish the truth was that easy and simple to understand. It didn't involve decades of high-profile assassinations and the bringing down of governments.

One man could bring down an entire government regime.

And that man, is my husband?

My James?

My Bucky?

The man sitting across from me in this stuffy monochrome conference room. Well the conference room was quite large. It's just the tension was sucking out any air circulation.

When I took my vows to James Barnes, I hadn't realized I said them to this 'Winter Soldier' to. A man wanted by hundreds of countries for international crimes that date back to the Kennedy administration. A man hunted down by the Black Panther for killing the king of the most powerful nation.

No, surely there was a mistake.

But I would be foolish to argue with evidence. Pictures of his stalky figure I curled up to several times at night. Blue eyes were the portals to his true thoughts. Shoulder-length hair I raked my fingers through mindlessly when listening to him recount his twelve-hour shift at the station. His wardrobe wasn't anything special, which explains why he could slip under the radar for so long.

That was him. He was responsible but not at the same time. Fourteen hours after being interrogated by Maria Hill, I better understood the double life Bucky The Winter Soldier had been living. Believed to be dead by the Allies, he was held hostage by Karpov, who brainwashed him and tortured him until he became the Winter Soldier. Breaking his mind, and piecing him back together to become he perfect killing machine in human form.

Helmut Zemo managed to get his hands on the book containing the words that activate the Winter Solider. He awakened the monster and manipulated him into the bombings that killed King T'Chaka. He used the Winter Solider to effectively divide and dissolve the Avengers. Zemo was responsible for taking away the Bucky that I knew. The hero.

"I'm glad you and your client could be civil and agree to our demands." Your lawyer, Jennifer Walters, spoke. You and Bucky's lawyer had been talking for twenty minutes, but you couldn't focus on their legal jargon. You were tuned out, tracing your steps on how you and Bucky were sitting in this office. On the opposite end of the table, staring at each other as if we'd become opponents. No longer players on the same team.

Bucky's eyes dragged across to scan Jennifer's face. In his heart he held no misplaced hatred for the woman. She was a professional doing her job, representing the interest of her client. He didn't spend long reading the lists of things that you wanted from the marriage.

The house was yours, he wouldn't dare try to live in that house if you weren't there. It wasn't good for him to stay in open spaces, for too long it freaked him out.

Most of your demands were reasonable and he put up no fight. He didn't want to fight with you. When he finally got his head on straight, he wanted to explain his disappearance. He wanted to be the first person to tell you about the Soviets and the Winter Soldier Program. He wanted to tell you about the bad things that he's done, but his memory was a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. He wasn't sure if you would believe him, until he had all the pieces. When he did come across a piece, he was scared that it would show more harm than he did.

Confirming his belifs that he wasn't worthy of a second chance. That he could find happiness living a solo mundane life. Even with his slow aging, he could blend in his environment and live a good life. He would keep intact what little of his humanity he had left. But after Zemo got his hands on him again that little sliver of his humanity was gone. He was a tool designed for slaughter and destruction. Becoming a firefighter saving people wouldn't undo all the lives he took. Marrying you, the love of his life, wouldn't give him the normalcy he sought. He was reminded of that every time he looked down and saw the metal arm. The brute strength granted him the ability to kill with ease. The same metal arm that would now be a reminder of everything he was getting ready to lose with his wife.

The lawyers summarized the documents, and everything signed up to this point. The deed to the house, papers to change your last name, insurance paperwork, everything was discussed. Bucky even took it upon himself to hand you his 401k from firefighting.

Never had the lawyers seen a divorce proceeding go so smoothly. Usually, they have to clear out the rest of their calendars for divorce calendars. Would today be the day that they get out before the late lunch rush? Oh, let it be true.

Jennifer was smart in her word choice. Avoiding the emotional minefields that the couple has. The room was somber, as you shared your emotional hardships. Dealing with the sudden disappearance of your husband. Preparing for a funeral without a body, dreading adopting the label as a widower. Becoming behind on the mortgage and personal family issues flaring up.

Even though it was emotionally heavy, it was easy to formulate the words. You thought long and hard about what you wanted to say. However, you didn't truly have the words for the physical hardship, which was much more challenging to hide. Your right wrist in a sling. A fracture of the ulna and three smaller bones. The one place Bucky has been fighting with himself not to look.

From an instance of right place, wrong time. It would be your first time revealing the details of your broken wrist out loud. Even when Jennifer asked, you were short with your explanation. But looking at Bucky for probably the last time, you were moved by emotion. Emotions of hurt, frustration, and sorrow.

"I see that you haven't signed the restraining order." You gathered your tone to sound as unemotional and far removed as possible.

"Why?"

"I'm not signing it."

The tension in the room deepens as this is the first time you have directly spoken to Bucky. Your lawyers were doing a lot of the communicating for you.

He didn't want to word vomit his emotions and potentially mispeak. Widening the divide between the two. So he opted to sit in silence, letting his heartbreak in silence. Divorce from the only woman he ever loved was going to take a lifetime to heal. On top of that, a restraining order would send him to an early grave.

"What? I thought you agreed to all of our terms."

"That's why I wanted to talk in person. I cant get myself to agree to this. I can't."

Bucky sat across from you with a plea in his eyes. He didn't want to let go of the connection he spent four years building with you. His heart and mind fought each other for days when he got the divorce paperwork. His heart wanted to fight for the marriage. Fight for the sacred union yall made in front of your friends and family. Fight for the love he knew deep down that you still had for him. But his mind hit him with the harsh truth. You weren't safe around him. Having all these enhanced abilities, having this metal arm could protect you. That it wasn't a curse, but a blessing in disguise.

But that wasn't true. And his brain reminded him of that fact with a mental image of your arm in the sling.

It was before Steve managed to track down Bucky's coordinates to that apartment building. When he was still hiding in plain sight. You just happened to be there. Browsing different vendors, as it was the city was hosting a market.

Bucky was right beside you, you knew his scent from anywhere. And the fact that his head slightly turned in your direction, upon calling him confirmed it.

"Buck is that you?"

You raised a hand to touch his face. "It's me. Remember?" His metal hand gripped yours tightly. His hand clapped down on your wrist, leaving you at the mercy of his strength.

You attempted to snatch your hand back. Eyes swelled with tears, as the pain was escalating. Buck remained silent, as he twisted your wrist, to an almost 180 point.

"STOP IT! JAMES STOP!" Your shriek brought unnecessary attention to him. In a frustrated grunt, he huffed before completing the snap. He walked off into the crowd without looking back at you. Those eyes that were the portals to reading his mind was closed. There was nothing behind those eyes. Even in the presence of his wife, his eyes didn't change. I was a stranger. A stranger that he could very easily hurt with little provocation.

Holding onto your broken wrist you were soon comforted by a stand manager. He got you up on your feet and walked you in the direction of the nearest medical aid.

"Please, Bucky. Let this be a clean break. It's for the best."

"The best for who?" His voice a mixture of frustration and vulnerability. "I've been through a lot. We've been through a lot. I want to fight for us. This restraining order snuffs out any chance of us rekindling this."

"We've changed Bucky. The world has changed. I need a fresh start, and I think you need one too."

"You are my fresh start. Don't you see!?" Bucky couldn't go into much detail. His lawyer was unaware of his assassin's past. He was more skeptical than ever about what details he shared about his personal life. Lawyer, doctor, psychiatrist or not. There could be more Zemo's looking to play puppet master with his mind.

"Think about your safety."

The lawyers attempt to mediate. They could sense that something was being left out of the conversation. Something that was connected to your arm in the sling. You were standing firm in your position to sever any ties to Bucky. This was the best decision for the both of you.

Bucky didn't have to worry about his superhero work trickling into his personal life. Not having to worry if some vengeful villain would come searching for you, and harm you to even out the score with Bucky. It was just another concern that didn't have to cloud his mind.

While you wouldn't have to worry about Bucky not coming back home. Getting the news from SHIELD agents that Bucky had died protecting the world from some global threat. The heartache would be too much.

"This is getting us nowhere. Did you and your client really come here to waste our time?"

"Mr. Barnes is just as entitled to getting all of his demands met.

The lawyers started bickering. The couple with actual grounds of argue sitting in silence. You spoke up first, your raised voice silencing the room.

"I'm not asking you to change who you are. I know you've been through a lot. And it is a lot." You reached your hand out to grasp his. You wanted to convey that your heart was full of love for Bucky. You could see a broken and scared man in front of you. A man with more skeletons in his closet than you would like to imagine. But you loved him. And with that love, you had to make the tough choices for both of you.

"You need space and time to collect yourself. Fight those battles in your mind. Get better and heal."

A singular tear runs down your cheek and hits the wooden table as you continue spilling your heart out.

"I love you. I love all of you, and I forgive you. You were unwell and need true help. As much as I want to remove that pain from you, I know that I can't. My love isn't enough. Sometimes love requires letting go. Let me go. Please."

"Even when I was sick, I still had dreams of you. I couldn't make out your face, but I found myself reliving our dates. The time I took you to the drive-thru movies. You said I made you feel like you were in high school again. Or the time I accidentally used all your leave in conditioner on wash day.

Then I started dreaming of a family with you. Raising mini versions of ourselves away from the chaos my life brought. The woods were our backyard, and we were happy. With you I was happy. I still want to make that dream a reality. I'm willing to give up anything to ensure our future."

You listened to his plea. You could tell he was genuine. He would if he could give up his enhanced abilities to be with you. No doubt about it. However, you knew that Bucky was meant for something greater. When he was a soldier who fought the good fight. He was destined to be a hero. A would-be alongside Captain America, fighting threats the world doesn't know about. Ensuring that we live in a world, where us regular people wouldn't have to.

"I can't be the reason you give that up, Buck." You said gently. "It's a part of who you are. Even when you've made mistakes, I've seen you try to right your wrongs. That's the Bucky I know, the hero."

The room was silent again filled with emotion. Bucky had to come to terms that yall were on different paths. Two paths diverged into a left and right. That even under the premise of love, you were right. Bucky was too vulnerable. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened. The Winter Soldier was an ugly part of him that he had to live with. He has to make room for that identity instead of pretending it never existed.

He would be working with Steve and Sam Wilson on hunting down any of the remaining Winter Soldiers. He was thrusting himself into danger. Danger that he didn't want you to be apart of, danger that he felt responsible to end.

You leaned over to whisper in Jennifer's ears. Maybe the restraining order was too much. You were making a rash decision that you may come to regret in the future. Jennifer following the request of her client, placed the restraining order papers in the shredder.

"My client had a change of mind." She stood up packing up all the signed papers in her briefcase.

"Well all the paperwork is signed, our work is done here."

The divorce meeting came to a close and both parties went their separate ways. There you stood discussing the next steps with Jennifer. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Bucky alone. He waited at the bottom of the stairs.

Jennifer took her cue to dismiss herself. With your eyes low, you carefully walked down the courthouse steps to stand before Bucky.

"Promise me we will find a way back to each other."

"I can't promise that Bucky. And you shouldn't make promises you can't keep."

"I would keep that promise. I would stake my life on it." He brought your left hand to his chest. Your wedding ring still on your finger. You hadn't thought about when you would take it off.

"Promise me." His lips were a few inches away from yours. Your eyes were conversing in another language of their own. Saying their goodbyes, and final 'I love yous.'

You brought Bucky into your arms. Arms wrapping around his shoulder as you cried silently to yourself. Bucky tightened his arms around you, his warms rubbing circles in your back. A hypnotizing pattern that would put you to sleep. It was settling over the both of you that this could be the last time that you held one another like this.

You let go of the hug first. Your hand on his chiseled face again. This time not worried that he would harm you again.

"I love you." You laid a tender kiss on his lips. Capturing your affection and goodbyes.

"Promise me." Bucky spoke during the kiss. "Promise me Doll."

You placed your thumb over his lip. You looked deep into his eyes. He was hanging onto every word that you said. Bucky's phone rings, breaking the staring contest you had. To no ones surprise, Steve was on the other end. A bitter reminder of the double life that Bucky was apart of.

"I need to hear you say it."

"I promise."

Bucky leaves a passing kiss on your lips before walking away from the courthouse. He picked up the phone, walking with haste. In a few short seconds, a red-headed woman joined him on his side.

My hero.

My Bucky.

[wehavecomeforyourprivateschools]

EAT THE RICH / 1987

Has anyone seen this?? This is literally the first I've heard of it. It looks fucking bonkers. Lemmy's in it, plus a brief cameo from Shane Magowan with a machine gun killing rich people.

Synopsis: Alex (Al Pillay) is a disgruntled server at a snobby exclusive restaurant who falls on hard times. Forced to deal with the contempt and disgust of the upper class, Alex and cohorts attempt to go on a rampage. Meanwhile, General Karpov (Dave Beard) and Spider (Lemmy) plot to involve the inept anarchists in their plans to derail the Prime-Minister-to-be's campaign.

[darlingletmesing]

Recs for:

Ryder/David

Davina/Trace

Tylvinian Tales and cause I wanna listen to the sound you associate with your work, can I get recs for:

The Crimson Bride in general

Infernal Serenade in general

Cats of Imperium

Remi/Sawyer

aaaaand the doggy game show WIP? (i hate that I can never remember the name cause it's such a good WIP and I remember LIKING the name but it always slips and GAH)

Gonna be honest, I don't know Davina and Trace's relationship dynamic well enough to recommend songs for them. But here is some song recs for Ryder/David:

Best Behavior by Louisa Johnson

Smoke Signals by Cavetown, Tessa Violet

Outnumbered by Dermot Kennedy

Blinded By Love by Lenka

Fix You by Coldplay

Jenny by Studio Killers

Hometown Smile by Bahjat

Whataya Want from Me by Adam Lambert

You Get Me So High by The Neighbourhood

I Don't Wanna See You Cryin' Anymore by Adam Melchor

Here's also the playlist link:

For Tylvinian Tales, I wasn't quite as confident with it since the WIP also focuses a lot on Ryder/David, but:

Lo-Fi Children by Wild Party

Everything's Okay by Lenka

Backyard Boy by Claire Rosinkranz

Bumpy Ride by The Hoosiers

Think Before I Talk by Astrid S

If You Ever Want To Be In Love by James Bay

broken by lovelytheband

Doubt by Twenty One Pilots

Choices by The Hoosiers

Chasing The Sun by Sara Bareilles

Here is the playlist:

As for my own WIPs, I'll do the top six songs for each.

The Crimson Bride:

The Attic by Yutaka Minobe

If The World Falls To Pieces by Young Summer

Mushroom Punch by Zella Day

Taking You Dancing by Jason Derulo

Padam Padam by Kylie Minogue

Sugar Water by Flower Face (tw abusive relationship, intense metaphors related to death)

Infernal Serenade:

Rats by Maximus KQ

Burning Pile by Mother Mother

Let It In by Josh Woodward (tw intense descriptions/ some body horror)

Dirty Town by Mother Mother

Devil in Paradise by Cruel Youth

The Red Means I Love You by Madds Buckley (tw blood, love obsession/violence)

Nocturnus by Adrian Von Ziegler

Go Get Your Gun by The Dear Hunter (tw mention of gun violence)

Christmas Kids by Roar (tw stalking? mention of drinking)

I Don't Take Insults Lightly by Madds Buckley

(I tried to mix in a variety from the different books and did ten for this one lol).

Cats of Imperium:

Soldier, Poet, King by The Oh Hellos

Day and Night (From "Shiki") by Christina Nova

Dusk Of A Northern Kindgdom by Adam Skorupa

Of Dreams and Dragons (Original Soundtrack) by Karpov Kinrade

A Celtic Lore by Adrian Von Ziegler

Moonsong by Adrian on Ziegler

Remi/Sawyer:

Why Do You Feel So Down by Declan McKenna

Cloud 9 by Beach Bunny

Squaring Up by Sir Chloe

Only Yourself by Kevin Devine

Honey And The Bee by Owl City

Noise in my Head by spookyghostboy (tw depression)

Milk by Jack Stauber's Micropop

Rose-Colored Boy by Paramore

First Love/Late Spring by Mitski

The Breeding Grounds:

Sway by Fitz and The Tantrums

Make You Mine - Acoustic by PUBLIC

Ghost of Chicago by Noah Floersch

Tangled Up - Lokee Remix by Cao Emerald, Lokee

Girls by Zella Day

City of Stars / Audition (From "La La La Land") [Mashup] by Bailey Pelkman

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 4.3 (after 1970)

1973 – Martin Cooper of Motorola makes the first handheld mobile phone call to Joel S. Engel of Bell Labs. 1974 – The 1974 Super Outbreak occurs, the second largest tornado outbreak in recorded history (after the 2011 Super Outbreak). The death toll is 315, with nearly 5,500 injured. 1975 – Vietnam War: Operation Babylift, a mass evacuation of children in the closing stages of the war begins. 1975 – Bobby Fischer refuses to play in a chess match against Anatoly Karpov, giving Karpov the title of World Champion by default. 1980 – US Congress restores a federal trust relationship with the 501 members of the Shivwits, Kanosh, Koosharem, and the Indian Peaks and Cedar City bands of the Paiute people of Utah. 1981 – The Osborne 1, the first successful portable computer, is unveiled at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco. 1989 – The US Supreme Court upholds the jurisdictional rights of tribal courts under the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 in Mississippi Choctaw Band v. Holyfield. 1993 – The outcome of the Grand National horse race is declared void for the first (and only) time 1996 – Suspected "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski is captured at his Montana cabin in the United States. 1996 – A United States Air Force Boeing T-43 crashes near Dubrovnik Airport in Croatia, killing 35, including Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown. 1997 – The Thalit massacre begins in Algeria; all but one of the 53 inhabitants of Thalit are killed by guerrillas. 2000 – United States v. Microsoft Corp.: Microsoft is ruled to have violated United States antitrust law by keeping "an oppressive thumb" on its competitors. 2004 – Islamic terrorists involved in the 2004 Madrid train bombings are trapped by the police in their apartment and kill themselves. 2007 – Conventional-Train World Speed Record: A French TGV train on the LGV Est high speed line sets an official new world speed record. 2008 – ATA Airlines, once one of the ten largest U.S. passenger airlines and largest charter airline, files for bankruptcy for the second time in five years and ceases all operations. 2008 – Texas law enforcement cordons off the FLDS's YFZ Ranch. Eventually 533 women and children will be taken into state custody. 2009 – Jiverly Antares Wong opens fire at the American Civic Association immigration center in Binghamton, New York, killing thirteen and wounding four before committing suicide. 2010 – Apple Inc. released the first generation iPad, a tablet computer. 2013 – More than 50 people die in floods resulting from record-breaking rainfall in La Plata and Buenos Aires, Argentina. 2016 – The Panama Papers, a leak of legal documents, reveals information on 214,488 offshore companies. 2017 – A bomb explodes in the St Petersburg metro system, killing 14 and injuring several more people. 2018 – YouTube headquarters shooting: A 38-year-old gunwoman opens fire at YouTube Headquarters in San Bruno, California, injuring three people before committing suicide.

[beardedmrbean]

A Russian lawmaker and alleged Vladimir Putin loyalist was left in a coma after suffering a series of mysterious head injuries in a parliament building, RadarOnline.com has learned.

71-year-old Anatoly Karpov was hospitalized late Saturday night after allegedly “suffering a fall.” He now reportedly resides in the neurology ward of a prestigious Moscow medical institution as his “serious” condition is monitored 24/7.

According to Daily Mail, Karpov was a “Putin ultra-loyalist” before criticizing the Russian leader over his invasion of Ukraine. At one point during the invasion, Karpov reportedly called upon Putin to end the war against Ukraine “so that peaceful people will stop dying.”

“I wish [the war] would end sooner, so that peaceful people would stop dying,” he said earlier this year. “In the end ordinary people are the victims. Ordinary people fight, politicians and generals decide, and ordinary people fight, civilians die.”

“I am not even talking about soldiers and officers,” he continued. “No, I could not imagine at all that Russians and Ukrainians would go to war. I have many friends in Ukraine.”

Following the Russian lawmaker’s mysterious incident, a number of his associates spoke out and provided contradicting accounts about what happened to Karpov.

Andrey Kovalev, who serves as the head of the All-Russian Movement of Entrepreneurs, claimed Karpov was attacked and violently assaulted while leaving Moscow's State Duma building.

Kovalev also reported Karpov sustained a series of neck fractures and head injuries as a result of the assault made by “unknown assailants” – although others, such as his close friend Kirill Zangalis, called those claims “fake news.”

Karpov’s daughter also rejected Kovalev’s allegations and suggested his injuries were a result of a “domestic incident” or an “unfortunate fall.”

As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Karpov is just the latest Putin ally to end up dead or seriously injured following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February.

[murder-popsicle]

STUDY: BUCKY BARNES

—    basics.

▸     is your muse tall/short/average? Pretty tall for a woman at 5′11.

▸     are they okay with their height? She was self-conscious about it when she was younger, but now she’s okay with it.

▸     what’s their hair like? Dark brown and naturally curly, though she sometimes straightens it.

▸     do they spend a lot of time on their hair/grooming? It depends. Nowadays, if she’s not doing anything special she just washes and combs it. For missions and training, she keeps it braided. She’ll style it for more formal events. When she was younger, she was much more fashion-conscious and very finicky about her hair.

▸     does your muse care about their appearance/what others think? When she was growing up, Bucky was very tuned-in to what was and wasn’t fashionable. Now, she values being clean and presentable, but she isn’t so concerned with what other people think about her looks.

—    preferences.

▸   indoors or outdoors?     indoors ▸    rain or sunshine?     sunshine ▸    forest or beach?     beach ▸    precious metals or gems?     metals ▸    flowers or perfumes?     flowers ▸    personality or appearance?     personality ▸    being alone or being in a crowd?     both can be nice ▸    order or anarchy?     order ▸    painful truths or white lies?     painful truths ▸    science or magic?     science ▸    peace or conflict?     peace ▸    night or day?     day ▸    dusk or dawn?     dusk ▸    warmth or cold?     cold ▸    many acquaintances or a few close friends?     a  few  close  friends ▸    reading or playing a game?    reading

—    questionnaire.

▸     what are some of your muse’s bad habits? Overprotective, ruthless, sometimes a little too pragmatic. She’s not great at handling negative emotions like guilt or anger; she tends to bottle them up and try to ignore them, which isn’t a particularly healthy strategy.

▸     has your muse lost anyone close to them? how has it affected them? Yes. The Barnes family lost Bucky’s infant brother, Joseph, to SIDS when Bucky was six years old. They lost her (at the time) youngest sister Eileen to influenza when Bucky was eleven; Eileen died in her sleep in the same bedroom as her three older sisters, and Bucky was the one who woke up in the middle of the night and discovered that Eileen was no longer breathing.

She lost several friends from the 107th during the war. The worst for her was Ruth Jones, who was Bucky’s closet friend in the unit. Ruth was a smart woman with a truly wicked sense of humor, and she was blown apart by a shell a few weeks before the unit was captured at Azzano.

She lost the rest of her family during her years with HYDRA, though she didn’t know it at the time. Her father, her mother, her sisters, and her close extended family (aunts, uncles, and cousins) all died while she was held captive.

She lost Natasha, for a time. When General Karpov discovered that the Winter Soldier and the Black Widow were romantically involved, he forcibly separated them and had all of the Winter Soldier’s memories of Natasha removed.

She lost herself for decades, too. Not sure if that counts for the purposes of this question.

Sometimes she feels like there’s some force in the universe that is determined not to let her keep anyone she loves. It’s like a great wave cresting over her, and someday it’ll crash down and take away Steve and Natasha and everyone else she cares for, and there’s nothing she can do to stop it. She’s trapped waiting for it to hit.

▸     what are some fond memories your muse has? Growing up during the Great Depression wasn’t easy, and Bucky’s family definitely had their share of struggles. But Bucky never doubted that she and her sisters were loved. She has a lot of fond memories of her life in Brooklyn – of pulling pranks with her sisters, going to mass with her parents, reading books with her father, and learning to cook from her mother and her Aunt Mo. She went dancing with her friends, and went to baseball games with Steve, and had good relationships with her neighbors. She cherishes her memories of the happy moments.

▸     is it easy for your muse to kill? Yes. Even during the war, she found killing to be much easier than she expected it to be, and she worried that it maybe should have bothered her more than it did. But it was war; someone had to stop the Nazis and HYDRA. Bucky was in a position to do it, so she did.

She regrets all the innocent people she killed for HYDRA. But she is, in general, very pragmatic about death – maybe too pragmatic. As far as she’s concerned, sometimes, to solve a problem, someone has to die. That’s just how it is.

▸     is your muse capable of trusting someone with their life? Yes. She trusts Steve. She trusts Natasha. She trusts Sam. She trusts @oftomorrow​‘s Clark Kent.

▸     what’s your muse like when they’re in love? Soft. So soft. Bucky is a very sweet and devoted girlfriend. She likes to spoil and pamper her lovers – cook for them, cuddle with them, give them massages, that kind of thing.

stolen from: myself tagging: @oftomorrow, @bokketo (Stevie and/or Nat), @invncibleiron, @nerdybirdboy, @wingedshield, @dontrequireyourhelp, @lovelostdelinquent, @dearlybelovad, @abrooklynboy, @symbioteburnout, @despair-with-walnuts, @knowseverythingaboutyou​

[eggbreadboi]

General Karpov study!

[faceofpoe]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💖

Aw, thanks for the ask and chance to talk myself up. Let's see...

Hamilton

1- What Comes Next - this is actually part 5 of the Conway Cabal series (but really THE sequel, with a bunch of smaller fics otherwise comprising the set). Very attached to this series, but probably had the most fun writing this fic and puzzling together various plot threads from fics 1-3. Certainly the fic I've reread parts of the most of anything I've got up on AO3. Series is modern political AU, sex scandal, underage and abuse themes rooted in fics 1 & 3. Lams from fic 2 and on.

2 - Powder Keg; about to explode - modern military Whamilton AU. I'm an overthinker and overplotter in my old age and this fic stands out for the way it was entirely un-plotted and just unfolded in a way that is very rare for me as a writer anymore.

MCU

3 - Freight Car - Inspired by Falcon & the Winter Soldier but set at the end of Endgame. Like many, I had my issues^tm with Endgame, and TFATWS was something of a dumpster fire, but I did have fun generating a set of one-shots off of it and this one was my favorite. My headcanon for Endgame closure pried out of what little scraps canon gave me to work with. Vague and fleeting Stucky vibes.

4 - Cinders - still Bucky-centric (as is my entire MCU collection, I think) but Vasily Karpov POV. Kind of an exploration of questions from the Winter Soldier-to-Civil War timespan (how exactly *did* Karpov end up in Cleveland?) meets my weakness for Bad Guys with a Code, however twisted.

Justified

5 - Somewhere in Kandahar - noncon and PTSD themes. A backstory fic I pieced together for my favorite and tragically under-explored character, Tim Gutterson. This show was a delight for fic writing. Very rich characters. I miss it.

[endworldbroadcast]

An actual linguist is most likely to answer this better so do not take this as an academic claim but more a 'the health is determined by the four humours' type of meanderthalic observation but between the argument that language is 'innate' [ or at the very least, that we have a 'seed' for it that later sprouts with practice ] and that humans in their exceptional intelligence/analytic skills are able to grasp and solve language like a puzzle.

Um. Well, the problem with the first is that it is indeed not easy to falsify, exactly, but I generally find it more convincing [ again, as somebody with no actual claim to an informed opinion ] if only because language is very complex. I am sure even people like me with no backgrounds in linguistics are well-aware by now that language is far more complicated than memorising plug-and-play formulae and swapping out the words. Like, language is more than just counting and arranging lexical units.

And this is what I find confusing about the notion that humans have no 'innate' ability for language and that it is wholly learned from the outside world: language is quite complex but most people know how to use language 'correctly' [ for lack of a better word ].

Other skills that to me seem significantly simpler [ or less complex, if that communicates something different ] aren't held by the majority of the population, and it does seem aren't as 'intuitive' to learn, so I am uncertain with how to reconcile this with the idea that people have that much of a general 'competence' to 'solve puzzles' in a way that lets them learn language [ without some innate... I don't know what linguists call it, the great automatic grammatisator or something ], but not something else like, um, chess, or looking at a piece of art and immediately knowing it's ugly as shit[1].

Especially when considering that machines have been 'taught' how to play board games before they 'learned' how to 'speak' [ insofar that you would call that 'speaking' ], it doesn't seem too erroneous to assume that if the 'answer' is in the human mind's great automatic puzzleinator, then you'd think there would be a higher proportion of people who would have given Karpov a run for his money far earlier.

As a sort of... uh, folk-knowledge intuition-no-evidence feeling I have, it does seem language is uniquely coupled with 'abstraction' in that if you asked me, language exists specifically for the sake of conveying abstraction? Or perhaps I imagine that 'speech' resembles/represents 'thought' in the same way that a mental projection resembles/represents material reality.

I've always wondered if, coupled with humans being 'innately social' and thus sort of leading to an 'innate' need as well to communicate abstraction then perhaps this alone is enough to make the brain 'prioritise' the need to learn language, devoting resources to that instead of the less 'important' skills, but, uh, this does seem like a weak argument, at least one that doesn't sound any more reasonably 'provable' than the assumption that a person can just 'know' how to use language given the 'seed' is allowed to sprout within a critical period of youth.

I haven't really read anything about this at all, but do animals create art? Not counting the ones where they are trained to do so by humans. But do animals just spontaneously make art, for self-expression? I think if they did this would reveal a depth in their ability for abstract thinking, which would have important implications for language acquisition. I think that 'language' is a representation of abstraction (and a recursive theory of mind), and that animals cannot (seem to) use 'human' language because they lack the sort of abstract thinking humans do. 'Art' is another such representation so... well, I'm really not articulating this the way I want, but I think the idea I am gesturing to is evident enough.

[1] I say this as a lighthearted example of a skill that seems less complex than language but of which is proportionally more uncommon in the population, because I cannot think of another skill to use as an example [ Maybe riding a bike? I cannot ride a bike, and that's more of a motor skill than a cognitive one so maybe it is not related ]. For the sake of simplicity please ignore how there is no objective measure for evaluating an artwork as 'shit' and understand I am gesturing to some understanding of the technical skills/anatomical structure/realism/whatever else of art.

[gonzalo-obes]

IMAGENES Y DATOS INTERESANTES DEL DIA 3 DE ABRIL DE 2024

Día Mundial del Arcoíris, Año Internacional de los Camélidos.

Santa Burgundófera.

Tal día como hoy en el año Tal día como hoy en el año 1975

Anatoly Karpov se convierte en campeón del mundo de ajedrez por incomparecencia de Bobby Fischer. (Hace 49 años)

1948

El Presidente de los Estados Unidos, Harry S. Truman, firma la ley del Acto de Asistencia Extranjera, más conocido como Plan Marshall, así llamado en honor al Secretario de Estado norteamericano, George C. Marshall. Este programa brindará, entre los años 1948 y 1951, 13.000 millones de dólares en ayuda a la Europa de la posguerra que tras la Segunda Guerra Mundial ha quedado devastada. La URSS prohibirá la participación de sus países satélites Polonia y Checoslovaquia en este plan, lo que indirectamente contribuirá a consolidar el "Telón de Acero" entre el Este y el Oeste. (Hace 76 años)

1933

Los británicos Clydesdale y McIntrye despegan desde la India dispuestos a sobrevolar por primera vez la cumbre del Everest, el techo del mundo, y obtener fotografías aéreas de su cima. Al acercarse el primer avión a la cara suroeste, una corriente descendente le hace caer 600 metros de golpe, pero el piloto logra recuperar altura antes de que la montaña se le eche encima, consiguiendo sobrepasarla a unos 30 metros por arriba de la cumbre, comiéndose el eterno penacho de nieve que la abandera en los días de viento. La única consecuencia de este inmenso susto es tener que quitarse el hielo de la cumbre del Everest de la cara. A cambio del mismo, logran obtener un material fotográfico que reproduce lo nunca visto hasta ahora de la montaña más alta del mundo. (Hace 91 años)

1922

Stalin es nombrado Secretario General del Comité Central del Partido Comunista de todas las Rusias, un cargo que él posteriormente transformará en el más poderoso del país. (Hace 102 años)

1919

Un decreto del Gobierno de España establece que la jornada laboral tenga un máximo de ocho horas. (Hace 105 años)

1860

En Nueva York (EE.UU.) se inaugura un servicio de correos a caballo urgente denominado Pony-Express, para cubrir los territorios que van desde el río Missouri hasta la costa oeste de los Estados Unidos, unos 3.200 km. El sistema empleado consiste en instalar en el trayecto 160 paradas (una cada 20 km aproximadamente) para repostar y cambiar de montura. De este modo se consigue acortar en muchos días la entrega de correo. (Hace 164 años)

1588

En la actual Argentina, y siguiendo órdenes de Juan Torres de Vera y Aragón, los conquistadores Alonso de Vera y Hernandarias de Saavedra fundan San Juan de la Vera de las Siete Corrientes, ahora Corrientes. Han llegado a este lugar tras 4 meses de penosa marcha y continuo asedio de los guaraníes. (Hace 436 años)

1312

En el Concilio de Vienne, Francia, el Papa Clemente V, intimidado por Felipe IV de Francia, declara suprimida en toda la cristiandad la Orden del Temple (que protege a los cristianos en peregrinación a Jerusalén), tras 194 años de existencia. La bula de supresión, "Vox in excelso", está firmada el 22 de marzo y se lee hoy públicamente al cierre del mencionado Concilio. (Hace 712 años)

[dan6085]

Ranking the top 20 chess players of all time is a difficult task because there have been so many great players throughout history, each with their own unique styles and achievements. Nevertheless, here's a list that considers the players' overall impact on the game of chess, their accomplishments, and their influence on future generations of players:

1. Garry Kasparov: Kasparov is widely regarded as the greatest chess player of all time. He dominated the game from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, winning numerous championships and setting many records. He was known for his aggressive style of play and his ability to outthink his opponents.

2. Anatoly Karpov: Karpov was a dominant force in the 1970s and 1980s, winning numerous championships and setting many records. He was known for his positional play and his ability to grind down opponents in long, drawn-out games.

3. Magnus Carlsen: Carlsen is the current world chess champion and has been at the top of the game for over a decade. He is known for his ability to play a wide variety of openings and his exceptional endgame skills.

4. Bobby Fischer: Fischer was a prodigy who became the youngest player to win the US Championship at the age of 14. He went on to win the world championship in 1972 in a historic match against Boris Spassky. Fischer was known for his aggressive style of play and his ability to find creative solutions to difficult problems.

5. Emanuel Lasker: Lasker was the second world chess champion and held the title for a record-breaking 27 years. He was known for his innovative approach to the game and his ability to play a wide variety of openings.

6. José Capablanca: Capablanca was the third world chess champion and was known for his exceptional endgame skills and his ability to simplify complex positions.

7. Mikhail Tal: Tal was the eighth world chess champion and was known for his aggressive, attacking style of play. He was a master of tactical play and was able to create brilliant combinations that often left his opponents reeling.

8. Vladimir Kramnik: Kramnik was the 14th world chess champion and is known for his exceptional positional play and his ability to defend difficult positions.

9. Viswanathan Anand: Anand was the 15th world chess champion and is known for his ability to play a wide variety of openings and his exceptional tactical skills.

10. Mikhail Botvinnik: Botvinnik was the sixth world chess champion and was known for his scientific approach to the game. He was a master of the openings and was able to develop new ideas that influenced future generations of players.

11. Alexander Alekhine: Alekhine was the fourth world chess champion and was known for his aggressive style of play and his ability to find creative solutions to difficult problems.

12. Tigran Petrosian: Petrosian was the ninth world chess champion and was known for his exceptional defensive skills and his ability to find counterattacking opportunities in seemingly lost positions.

13. Vasily Smyslov: Smyslov was the seventh world chess champion and was known for his exceptional endgame skills and his ability to play a wide variety of openings.

14. Boris Spassky: Spassky was the tenth world chess champion and is best known for his historic match against Bobby Fischer in 1972. He was known for his aggressive style of play and his ability to outthink his opponents.

15. Paul Morphy: Morphy was a prodigy from the 19th century who was known for his exceptional tactical skills and his ability to dominate his opponents.

16. Max Euwe: Euwe was the fifth world chess champion and was known for his exceptional positional skills and his ability to play a wide variety of openings.

17. Akiba Rubinstein: Rubinstein was a dominant force in the early 20th century and was known for his exceptional endgame skills and his ability to simplify complex positions.

18. Bent Larsen: Larsen was a Danish grandmaster who was known for his aggressive, attacking style of play and his ability to surprise opponents with unusual openings.

19. Frank Marshall: Marshall was an American grandmaster who was known for his exceptional tactical skills and his ability to find creative solutions to difficult problems.

20. David Bronstein: Bronstein was a Soviet grandmaster who was known for his innovative approach to the game and his ability to find creative solutions to difficult problems.

Overall, these players have made significant contributions to the game of chess, and their achievements have inspired future generations of players. Their styles of play and unique approaches to the game have also influenced the development of chess theory and strategy.

[valgasnewsthings]

Contents

Molecular Biology

Vol. 56, No. 6, 2022

Virus Genome Editing

Editing of Phage Genomes—Recombineering-assisted SpCas9 Modification of Model Coliphages T7, T5, and T3

A. Isaev, A. Andriianov, E. Znobishcheva, E. Zorin, N. Morozova and K. Severinov p. 801  abstract

Antiviral Activity of CRISPR/Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein Complexes on a Hepatitis B Virus Model In Vivo

A. P. Kostyusheva, S. A. Brezgin, N. I. Ponomareva, I. A. Goptar, A. V. Nikiforova, V. I. Gegechkori, V. B. Poluektova, K. A. Turkadze, A. E. Sudina, V. P. Chulanov and D. S. Kostyushev p. 816  abstract

Bacterial Genome Editing

CRISPR Interference in Regulation of Bacterial Gene Expression

N. I. Nadolinskaia and A. V. Goncharenko p. 823  abstract

Genetic Engineering in Mycobacteria

D. K. Armianinova, D. S. Karpov, M. S. Kotliarova and A. V. Goncharenko p. 830  abstract

Repair of Double-Stranded DNA Breaks Generated by CRISPR–Cas9 in Pseudomonas putida KT2440

N. Sharaev, L. Chacon-Machado, O. Musharova, E. Savitskaya and K. Severinov p. 842  abstract

New Genome Editors

Prokaryotic Argonaute Proteins as a Tool for Biotechnology

E. V. Kropocheva, L. A. Lisitskaya, A. A. Agapov, A. A. Musabirov, A. V. Kulbachinskiy and D. M. Esyunina p. 854  abstract

Yeast Genome Editing

A Test System for Assessment of the Activity of Mutant Cas9 Variants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

D. S. Spasskaya, A. I. Davletshin, V. V. Tutyaeva, K. A. Kulagin, D. G. Garbuz and D. S. Karpov p. 874  abstract

Plant Genome Editing

Genome Editing in Species of the Tribe Triticeae with the CRISPR/Cas System

B. R. Kuluev, E. V. Mikhailova, A. R. Kuluev, A. A. Galimova, E. A. Zaikina and E. K. Khlestkina p. 885  abstract

cis-Prenyltransferases of Marchantia polymorpha: Phylogenetic Analysis and Perspectives for Use as Regulators of Antimicrobial Agent Synthesis

L. R. Valeeva, S. M. Dzhabrailova and M. R. Sharipova p. 902  abstract

Worm Genome Editing

Transgenesis in Worms: Candidates for an Ideal Model

I. S. Sukhikh, M. Yu. Biryukov and A. G. Blinov p. 915  abstract

Mammalian Genome Editing

Genome Editing in Therapy of Genodermatoses

A. V. Ivanenko, N. A. Evtushenko and N. G. Gurskaya p. 921  abstract

The Efficiency of Gene Activation Using CRISPR/dCas9-Based Transactivation Systems Depends on the System Run Time

A. S. Artyuhov, D. A. Dorovskiy, A. V. Sorokina, K. M. Shakirova, E. D. Momotyuk and E. B. Dashinimaev p. 942  abstract

Structural Elements of DNA and RNA Eukaryotic Expression Vectors for In Vitro and In Vivo Genome Editor Delivery

A. A. Zagoskin, M. V. Zakharova and M. O. Nagornykh p. 950  abstract

Reviews

Prospects of Genetically Encoded Flim Indicators for the Quantitative Assessment of Intracellular Parameters

A. V. Mamontova, T. R. Simonyan and A. M. Bogdanov p. 963  abstract

Protein Homeostasis Dysregulation in Pathogenesis of Neurodegenerative Diseases

M. S. Kukharsky, M. W. Everett, O. A. Lytkina, M. A. Raspopova, E. A. Kovrazhkina, R. K. Ovchinnikov, A. I. Antohin and A. A. Moskovtsev p. 967  abstract

The p53 Tumor Suppressor and Copper Metabolism: An Unrevealed but Important Link

S. A. Tsymbal, A. G. Refeld and O. A. Kuchur p. 979  abstract

Genomics. Transcriptomics

Methylation Status of Apoptosis Genes and Intensity of Apoptotic Death of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes in Persons Chronically Exposed to Radiation

E. A. Blinova, V. S. Nikiforov, A. I. Kotikova, M. A. Yanishevskaya and A. V. Akleyev p. 993  abstract

Genetic and Molecular Characterization of a Dash Cryptochrome Homologous Gene from Antarctic Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum ICE-H

M. L. An and J. L. Miao p. 1003  abstract

Cell Molecular Biology

Mechanism of Leakage in Phosphatidylserine-Containing Membranes by Melittin

R. Wang, M.-Y. Shi, B.-B. Ma and J. Sheng p. 1012  abstract

Blood–Brain Barrier Transwell Modeling

A. V. Petrovskaya, E. P. Barykin, A. M. Tverskoi, K. B. Varshavskaya, V. A. Mitkevich, I. Yu. Petrushanko and A. A. Makarov p. 1020  abstract

High Heterogeneity of Virus-Neutralizing and RBD-Binding Activities of COVID-19 Convalescent Sera

E. A. Astakhova, M. G. Byazrova, G. M. Yusubalieva, V. F. Larichev, V. P. Baklaushev and A. V. Filatov p. 1028  abstract

Full and D-BOX-Deficient PTTG1 Isoforms: Effects on Cell Proliferation

D. E. Demin, E. M. Stasevich, M. M. Murashko, E. A. Tkachenko, A. N. Uvarova and A. M. Schwartz p. 1036  abstract

  from Valga s health news,gardening,and cooking ,and beauty . https://ift.tt/6CFGXNT via https://ift.tt/n2QDhgT