View allAll Photos Tagged uncontrollable
As I snap my fingers,
the flaming circle roars,
around me words written in blue,
caressing and eating my skin.
I scream in pain,
but tear only evaporate,
I hold onto the fire within my hand,
watching the flames engulf me,
my eyes mirror the element I grasp,
anger, control, destruction.
This is not who I am.
This is not who I want to be.
But I cannot stop,
to burn,
to suffocate,
when the warmth spins my mind,
and the flames cover my body.
Only heat and fire to be found,
from the rupture behind me, surrounding me
I cannot point it out
where the fire begin or I end
in my mind, I swim through the blue flames.
This is not who I am.
This is not who I want to be.
This light is not warmth
This light inside of me
is a stinging heat,
uncontrollable and unforgiving.
East Lyn River,
Watersmeet,
Lynmouth,
Devon.
24sec Exposure with Kase Filters.
The Lynmouth Disaster occurred on the East Lyn river due to rocks and fallen trees having been washed into the West Lyn river. These formed a log jam near Watersmeet, forming a landslide dam. When the pressure behind the dam increased to uncontrollable levels, the water broke out of the dam, and rushed down the East Lyn (via the convergence of the rivers) into Lynmouth, obliterating houses and ultimately resulting in 34 deaths. Boulders from the incident can still be seen today, lining the banks of the East Lyn as it travels into Lynmouth.
still trying to learn hair styling. Have to say its something that I've neglected over the years mainly because I've had shorter hair for obvious reasons. I am of course kicking myself now.
I am still on this road of discovery and still find it difficult to see the me everyone else sees. sometimes she jumps out of the screen at me like demon from a horror film gives me a slap around the face then buggers off again leaving me to remember I am her now. still don't know where I am going or where road the will lead, Every now and then things leap forward at an uncontrollable pace and I have to hit the anchors of the runaway train before someone gets hurt.
Don't get me wrong I an not unhappy its just it can be blinking scary sometimes.
Jennifer Walters is a lawyer who, after an injury, received an emergency blood transfusion from her cousin, Bruce Banner, and acquired a milder version of his Hulk condition. As such, Walters becomes a large, powerful, green-hued version of herself. Unlike Banner she largely retains her personality, in particular the majority of her intelligence and emotional control. Like Hulk, she is still susceptible to outbursts of anger and becomes much stronger when enraged.
She-Hulk has been a member of the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Heroes for Hire, the Defenders, Fantastic Force and S.H.I.E.L.D. As a highly skilled lawyer who became a superhero by accident, she frequently leverages her legal and personal experience to serve as legal counsel to various superheroes and other metahumans. She-Hulk has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful female heroes.
Jennifer Walters, the cousin of Bruce Banner (Hulk), is the small and somewhat shy daughter of Los Angeles County Sheriff William Morris Walters and Elaine (née Banner) Walters (who died in a car crash when Jennifer was 17).
Operatives of Nicholas Trask, a crime boss who had crossed paths with her father, shot and seriously wounded her on the day that Banner visited her to tell her about his transformation into the Hulk.
Since no other donors with her blood type were available, Banner provided his blood for a transfusion; as they already shared the same blood type and DNA, his gamma-irradiated blood, combined with her anger, transformed Jennifer into the green-skinned She-Hulk when the mobsters tried to finish her off at the hospital.
She then used her new powers to take down Trask, who was killed when the earth-boring device he rode malfunctioned, taking him to the center of the Earth.
As She-Hulk, Jennifer possessed powers similar to those of her cousin, though at a reduced level. She also possessed a less monstrous, more Amazonian appearance. Initially, anger triggered the transformation to her She-Hulk form (as with Bruce Banner's).
Like her cousin Bruce, his counterpart, the Leader, Doc Samson and most other persons mutated by exposure to gamma radiation over the years, her mutated form was originally explained as being molded by her subconscious desire to look like the ideal woman.
She eventually gains control of her transformations when Michael Morbius cures her of a lethal blood disease. As a criminal defense lawyer, she defended Morbius in his trial for his vampiric killings and managed to reduce the conviction to involuntary manslaughter, considering his medical condition.
Eventually, Jennifer decides that she will retain her She-Hulk form permanently—preferring the freedom, confidence, and assertiveness it gave her compared to her more timorous and fragile "normal" form. After her brief solo career, she joined the Avengers.
This led to her being transported to Battleworld by the Beyonder and her participation in the Secret Wars is most notable for sparking her long-standing rivalry with the newly empowered Titania.
After the heroes returned to Earth, she temporarily replaced the Thing (who, having been repeatedly de-powered during the event, opted to stay in Battleworld for some time as a form of soul-searching) as a member of the Fantastic Four.
During her tenure with the Fantastic Four, She-Hulk met and started a romance with Wyatt Wingfoot. One day, she had to prevent a radiation leak in a downed S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. This radiation exposure drastically affected Jennifer: she could no longer transform back into her original human form. However, this was an agreeable turn of events for her, since she preferred being She-Hulk, and it was revealed much later by Leonard Samson and Reed Richards that the block was purely psychological.
Shortly after that, she appeared before the Supreme Court, where she battled Titania again.
After her Fantastic Four years, She-Hulk rejoined the Avengers for a while. She became hypnotized by the Ringmaster into becoming a performer in the Circus of Crime, and battled the Headmen.
With Spider-Man, she defeated the Headmen and became an assistant District Attorney and began working for New York City district attorney Blake Tower. Here she met Louise "Weezie" Grant Mason, formerly the Golden Age superheroine the Blonde Phantom. She had a long series of unusual encounters, including when she battled Doctor Bong, first contended against Xemnu the Living Titan, encountered "Nick St. Christopher", and encountered "Spragg the Living Hill/Comet".
Jennifer underwent another change, transforming into a grey version of She-Hulk that appeared at night only and shared a lot in common with the Hulk, such as having a childlike mind, speaking in the third person and divorcing from her Jennifer Walters identity, referring to Jennifer as "puny Jennifer", She-Hulk quickly returned to "normal", with her green coloration returning.
She-Hulk later discovered that Louise Mason had manipulated Tower into hiring her, so that Mason might again perform as a super-heroine (and thus avoid dying of old age). Later, while doing legal work for Heroes for Hire, She-Hulk spent some time dating Luke Cage.
After a time, She-Hulk returns to the Avengers. Repeated exposure to the presence of her teammate Jack of Hearts, who has the innate ability to absorb radiation that is around him, leads to She-Hulk being unable to control her changes, which resulted in her tearing the Vision in half.
It is then revealed that all of the events were caused by the Scarlet Witch. Now, when she is afraid, she not only turns into She-Hulk but her mind becomes maddened by paranoia and rage. Jennifer flees, fearing that she will endanger her friends and others, leading to the "Search for She-Hulk".
The other Avengers track her to the town of Bone, Idaho, where Jennifer is lying low but the anxiety of being found prompts her to change, causing her to damage much of the town. Her cousin shows up but fails to reason with her; he "Hulks out" and the two fight—the devastation to the town subsequently being blamed on the Hulk.
Psychological limitations inhibit her transformation between her two forms. For a time, Jennifer works as a relief volunteer helping to repair Bone. She gains confidence after solving a murder mystery, reveals her green alter-ego to the entire town, and then uses her strength to make many more repairs. This, combined with Leonard Samson's new 'gamma-charger', gives her full control over her transformations for, as she said, 'the time being'.
She-Hulk registered under the Superhuman Registration Act, and is a supporter of Tony Stark (Iron Man). However, as an attorney, she advised individuals on both sides of the Civil War.
She agreed to file suit against Peter Parker for fraud on behalf of her father-in-law, Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson. Her intention is to keep the suit tied up in the courts indefinitely. She is also the lawyer for Speedball.
Then Clay Quartermain of S.H.I.E.L.D. informs Jennifer that she has been drafted into the organization as a result of her registration. Her mission is to fight various foes of the Hulk while training heroes under the Initiative. She serves with the Hulkbusters: Clay Quartermain, Agent Crimson, Agent Cheesecake and Agent Beefcake.
Due to her involvement in S.H.I.E.L.D., She-Hulk derives a bit of information suggesting that the organization knows of her cousin's whereabouts. Anticipating a problem, Tony Stark has She-Hulk secretly injected with S.P.I.N. Tech that transforms her to human form. Enraged, she tells Stark that, although he may have taken She-Hulk out of the equation, he still has to face Jennifer Walters, one of the best lawyers in the country. Jennifer informs Stark that he's miscalculated: She-Hulk would have just pummeled him, but Jennifer Walters has the ability to destroy him.
On her way home, Jennifer runs into Amadeus Cho, a young genius out looking for friends of the Hulk. Cho, whom the Hulk once saved, discovered what the Illuminati had done to the Hulk, and he wants help in finding him. Cho temporarily restores Jennifer's powers so that she can take out Doc Samson, who came to apprehend Cho for Reed Richards and Tony Stark. Cho says he can permanently restore Jennifer's powers if she will join him, but she politely refuses, instead directing him to Hercules and Angel.
During the "World War Hulk" event, a re-powered She-Hulk assists in the evacuation of Manhattan. She tries to reason with her cousin, who has just destroyed Stark Tower during his battle with Iron Man. The Hulk warns her to leave, but she stands her ground. After she lands a punch squarely to his face, the Hulk smashes her into the ground, creating a crater around her body. As he moves on to his next confrontation, all Jennifer can say is: "God help us all."
Jennifer is held captive with the other defeated heroes at Madison Square Garden, which the Hulk has converted into a gladiatorial arena. The heroes have been implanted with the same obedience discs that compelled the Hulk and his allies to fight one another during their time on the planet Sakaar.
Jennifer returns to the law firm to work on suing Tony Stark for stealing her powers. She is subpoenaed to give a testimony in a case in which Mallory Book is trying to prove that the Leader's criminal acts are the result of a shift of personality induced by his mutation, and an addiction to his gamma irradiated powers, and that he thus cannot be held accountable for his actions.
During her testimony, Jennifer realizes that she herself is "addicted" to being She-Hulk. After the testimony, Pug appears and the two spend an evening together as friends, which cheers her up. She confronts Mallory the next day and tells her that she will put a stop to her Leader case. However, it is revealed that the Leader has been acquitted of his crimes.
At some point after World War Hulk, Jennifer was brought before the Living Tribunal, and asked to weigh her universe against a newer, better "cosmic trophy wife" version, described by Walters as "an ultimate universe." Her universe wins, and she resigns from the Magistrati.
After the Leader's trial, Artie Zix reveals himself as RT-Z9 and holds the main staff of GLK&H hostage while asking them questions at the behest of a group of aliens from a corner of the galaxy recently discovered by the Watcher Qyre. The aliens, called the Recluses, wish to keep their existence a secret.
She-Hulk earlier decreed that Qyre not reveal knowledge of the Recluses' existence at the meetings of the Watchers.
This had serious repercussions: it is revealed that an evil being has conquered that portion of the galaxy, and is preparing an assault on all of creation. Qyre, who holds knowledge of the plan, is unable to speak of it to anyone else. At She-Hulk's time trial, it was revealed that her actions made a destructive event called the Reckoning War possible. However, comments made by the future Southpaw, divulge that the war, though a terrible and dark time, will be favorably resolved.
A permanently de-powered Jennifer Walters finds that tourists from an alternate universe – designated the Alpha universe – are crossing into her universe – which they call Beta – to gain access to superpowers and comes face to face with her own powered-up doppelganger.
Her anger quickly turns to sorrow as she realizes that without her abilities, the Alpha Jennifer Walters – while unfamiliar with superhuman law – is far better suited to life in the Beta universe. Realizing this, she decides that she will go to the Alpha universe and let the other Jennifer Walters take over for her.
As she steps through the portal, Reed Richards realizes he can use the previously stored configuration of the Alpha She-Hulk to restore Jennifer's powers by purging the nanites from her body and setting the teleporter to loop her back to this reality.
Having regained her abilities, Jennifer remains in her home reality, while the Alpha Jen Walters returns to her own universe and reconciles with her boyfriend, the Alpha Augustus "Pug" Pugliese.
At an unspecified time after World War Hulk, She-Hulk assists Tony Stark with Emil Blonsky's murder investigation.
While in Stark's Helicarrier, she is attacked and beaten by the Red Hulk who states to her that he's not Bruce. She-Hulk vows to get even for the deliberate humiliation.
She later helps to prevent casualties in San Francisco after the Red Hulk caused an earthquake in the area, and assembles Thundra and the Valkyrie together to capture him.
Some months after regaining her abilities, Jennifer was tasked to defend an accused killer named Arthur Moore. While she was successful in defending him, immediately after his freedom was secured he claimed to be guilty and showed her images of the crimes he had been accused of.
Jennifer's horror at what she was being shown, combined with Moore's gloating, was enough to push her rage so far that she became the savage She-Hulk once again. She attacked him and threatened to kill him if he was not given the death penalty. She also told everybody within earshot that he was guilty and backed up her accusation by revealing privileged information.
This resulted in her being disbarred. Jennifer later found out that Moore really was innocent; the images he had shown her had been false. It was also revealed, albeit not to Jennifer, that Moore had hoped to get her to react exactly the way she did since his employers wanted She-Hulk disbarred for purposes as yet unknown.
Unable to practice law any more, Jennifer began working for Freeman Bonds Inc. – a subsidiary of GLK&B – as a bounty hunter with her Skrull partner Jazinda.
She was later recruited by Stark as a member of an Initiative-sponsored incarnation of the Defenders for a short while until Tony Stark disbanded the team.
Afterwards, she continued to aid team leader Nighthawk for a brief time until she was fully able to join the team on Nighthawk's request and that it would be away from the Initiative.
Together they have several adventures, even encountering Hercules, but they soon ended up involved in the midst of the Secret Invasion.
During the Skrull takeover of Earth during Secret Invasion, She-Hulk and Jazinda hunt down a member of the Skrulls who functions as their religious leader.
X-Factor initially impedes her progress, but they part ways on uncertain terms. She-Hulk and Jazinda capture the Skrull and the two heroines take the Skrull to New York, where they encounter the Super-Skrull, Kl'rt.
Kl'rt came to kill his daughter, Jazinda, going so far as to shoot her in the head. Due to her regenerative properties, Jazinda was still not fully dead. The Skrull religious leader wants to completely remove her regenerative ability, but Kl'rt stops him after She-Hulk pleads to his fatherly nature, tapping into his guilt for not being able to save his son who had died in a previous war.
Some time after the Skrull invasion is defeated, the country of Marinmer suffers a devastating earthquake.
Because the victims of the earthquake are members of a minority religious group, the Marinmer government has confiscated all humanitarian aid packages, and because of Marinmer's strong ties to powerful countries such as Russia and China, other nations refuse to intervene for fear of sparking a war.
She-Hulk and several members of the Lady Liberators secretly enter Marinmer, intending to steal the confiscated aid packages and distribute them to the earthquake victims.
The Winter Guard attempts to stop them, but gives up after seeing the plight of the earthquake victims.
Afterwards, the US government attempts to arrest She-Hulk for her actions in Marinmer, but drops the charges to avoid political embarrassment. With public opinion overwhelmingly in her favor, She-Hulk seems poised to get her legal license back when Jazinda is captured by the Behemoth after he mistakenly attacks her, thinking she is the real She-Hulk.
Jazinda is then taken to a government lab and brutally experimented on when her ability to resurrect herself from the dead is discovered. Jazinda contacts She-Hulk telepathically through a secretly implanted mind reading device and warns her that the government will be coming to question her about their relationship.
Jazinda tells She-Hulk to say she did not know Jazinda was a Skrull. When she sees Jazinda about to be vivisected, she loses control and breaks Jazinda out.
The Behemoth tries to stop her, but She-Hulk defeats him with the help of the Lady Liberators. Later it is revealed that Mallory Book, her former boss, was behind all the bad things happening to She-Hulk along with a group called the "Fourth Wall". Yet when she saw She-Hulk risk herself to save her Skrull friend, Book "cancelled" the plan.
Later, Jennifer tasks Ben Urich to discover the identity of Red Hulk. She informs him that she is unable to as she has asked too many questions to the wrong people. She has Urich bring a photographer (Peter Parker), and meets him along with her insider, Doc Samson, and they venture into a S.H.I.E.L.D. base that is actually a front for A.I.M. and General Ross's Gamma Power Super Soldier Program.
Leonard Samson then appears to have a breakdown, but in reality he is changing into Samson. Samson claims to be stronger and faster (and is larger in size, has longer hair and a lightning bolt scar) than Jennifer.
The clashing duo are subdued by MODOK and the facility explodes in the aftermath of a fight between Red Hulk and Hulk; Jennifer, Samson (who has reverted to Leonard) and Red Hulk are caught in the explosion. Jennifer's status is unknown and Red Hulk does not reveal anything to Urich when the two meet a second time.
While She-Hulk is M.I.A., the Red She-Hulk makes her first appearance where she claims Jennifer Walters to be dead.
It was later shown in a flashback that Red She-Hulk prevented Jennifer Walters from escaping from A.I.M. custody. During this battle, Red She-Hulk brutally beat Jennifer and snapped her neck with a cable. In the last panel, Jennifer Walters appeared to be dead with the Red She-Hulk standing over her body, though the Red She-Hulk claims she did not know her own strength.
She then questions Doc Samson whether it was the real She-Hulk or a Life-Model Decoy, to which Samson answers "You're here to follow orders, not to ask questions". Lyra later infiltrates the Intelligencia, where she finds Jennifer in stasis. Following a brief fight with the Red She-Hulk, the three decide to team up to take down Intelligencia's forces.
Following the defeat of the Intelligencia, Jennifer begins traveling with her cousin Bruce, Skaar, Korg, Rick Jones and Betty Ross.
Shortly after the events of World War Hulks, Skaar becomes aware that his brother Hiro-Kala is approaching and that he intends to crash the planet K'ai into the Earth. She-Hulk is on the team as they manage to successfully avert disaster. Upon returning to Earth, they find the world in flames as it is in the grasp of the Chaos War. They journey to Hell, where they fight and defeat the Chaos King. Returning to a restored Earth, they are greeted as monsters.
At some point before or after these events, Jennifer and Lyra end up in New York, where Lyra begins to attend high school in an attempt to gain an understanding of humanity as it occurs in this timeline. As well as helping to integrate Lyra into society, they are also involved in trying to round up the remaining members of the Intelligencia.
They manage to round up the Intelligencia, but the Wizard is able to escape imprisonment and goes after Lyra at her high school prom, almost killing her before She-Hulk intervenes, knocking out Wizard but not before Lyra's secret identity has been compromised.
The rest of the pupils turn on Lyra as a result of her prom date being injured and the endangerment of everyone at the dance. She-Hulk explains to her afterwards that they have to leave and that despite being heroes, the life of a Hulk is often lonely.
During the Fear Itself evemt, She-Hulk joins with Howard the Duck, Nighthawk and the Frankenstein Monster to form a four-person team called the Fearsome Four to stop the Man-Thing from its destructive path. They later discover a plot by Psycho-Man to use the Man-Thing's volatile empathy to create a weapon.
Prior to a time- and multiverse-spanning trip by the Fantastic Four and family, the Thing asks She-Hulk to be a member of the Future Foundation.
When the Hulk is elevated into "Doc Green" – a version of the Hulk possessing Bruce Banner's intellect – after he is treated for a shot to the head as Bruce Banner by use of the Extremis virus, he sets out to attack and cure other gamma-based mutations.
Steve Rogers attempts to order the Hulk to stop before he goes after She-Hulk, but when Doc Green finally confronts her, he instead admits that he has come to recognize that he is coming dangerously close to the Maestro, as part of him enjoyed eliminating his 'rivals', having decided instead to accept the eventual loss of his intellect as Extremis wore off rather than risk that persona emerging.
Informing She-Hulk that she is the only gamma mutation whose life he felt had been legitimately enhanced by her condition, Doc Green provides her with the last injection of his cure, asking her to use it on him if he goes too far in his efforts to stop an A.I. version of himself that he created and unleashed.
In Gwenpool's first Christmas event, Howard the Duck invited her to She-Hulk's Christmas party on the provision that she has not killed any good guys recently. She shows up and karaokes with Ms. Marvel.
There were dozens of superhumans in attendance, proving that whether she is acting as a hero or not, She-Hulk keeps strong ties to the super-community.
During the 2016 Civil War II event, after the Inhuman Ulysses predicts Thanos' arrival on Earth, She-Hulk was mortally wounded by a direct attack from the villain in question.
When Iron Man learns that they used Ulysses' precognitive power to ambush Thanos, he vows to make sure that no one uses it again. Before She-Hulk goes into cardiac arrest, she tells Captain Marvel to fight for the future.
After Hawkeye was acquitted for shooting Bruce Banner, Captain Marvel visited She-Hulk, who came out of her coma. When She-Hulk angrily demanded to know the verdict of Hawkeye's trial, Captain Marvel remained silent.
Following Bruce Banner's funeral, Jennifer Walters left the superhero business and continued to work as a lawyer, where she gained her first client: Maise Brewn, who was an Inhuman descendant.
Due to the stress following the fight with Thanos, Jennifer started turning uncontrollably into her version of the Grey Hulk at different intervals. Jennifer helped Maise when she was recovering from the trauma and being evicted by her landlord Mr. Tick.
When Maise got impatient with Jennifer and summoned a Fear Golem that killed Mr. Tick and some police officers, Jennifer is nearly killed by it and transforms into the Hulk. She defeated the Fear Golem and prevented Maise from committing suicide when Maise was arrested for reckless endangerment afterwards.
Afterwards, Jennifer transformed into the Hulk and met the Hellcat. After changing back, Jennifer told the Hellcat that she was worried over the fact that her grey color could mean that she is like Bruce (since Bruce also had a grey incarnation).
Later, Jennifer was watching a live video on the internet when a baker named Oliver turned into a Hulk-like creature on-camera. Jennifer spent several days trying to track him down, eventually confronting him as the Hulk at the Brooklyn Bridge. During the following battle, she lost control of her Hulk persona, almost killing him, though the Hellcat managed to calm her down. However, the incident left Jennifer worried about losing control again.
Some time later, the Leader kidnapped Jennifer and forced her to transform into the Hulk in order to force her to kill his new assistant, Robyn, who willingly went through a blood transfusion in order to become a Hulk-like monster herself. The Hulk nearly killed Robyn, but Jennifer managed to regain control, before defeating the Leader by electrocuting him.
Jen then went with self-help writer Florida Mayer, who used a special pill to transport Jennifer to her subconscious, leading her to confront her Hulk persona and illusions of Thanos and Banner, finally overcoming her trauma in the process. Upon waking, Jennifer reverted to her standard green She-Hulk persona.
During the war against the Cotati, She-Hulk is revealed to have been killed and replaced by a Cotati, attacking the Avengers when they tried to negotiate a truce with their new enemy, the heroes only surviving the attack thanks to the Invisible Woman's forcefield, although the Cotati/She-Hulk then beats down the Thing and retreats.
Invisible Woman, Mantis, and Thing are locked in combat with the Cotati-possessed She-Hulk. Back in New York, Jo-Venn and N'kalla release their positive memories which revives She-Hulk enough to break the Cotati off of her and to stop the fighting between the Kree and the Skrull. When the Cotati are defeated, She-Hulk and Thor take Sequoia away.
It turns out that She-Hulk was able to return to life thanks to Leader who has mastered the way to control the Green Door.
⚡ Happy 🎯 Heroclix 💫 Friday! 👽
_____________________________
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Secret Identity: Jennifer Walters
Publisher: Marvel
First appearance: The Savage She-Hulk #1 (February 1980)
Created by: Stan Lee (Writer)
John Buscema (Artist)
See Shulkie in action in Paprihaven! Standing up to fake goddesses:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/45639543754/
Getting slung around by giants:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/46780598762/
Driving her She-Hulk mobile:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/44546396654/
And hanging out A LOT with Ben Grimm:
Every year, some time around now, the morning post plops onto the doormat at 123 Somewhereintheblackcountry Street, Walsall, England (not a real address – or an impressive and unintended coincidence if it is). A stovepipe hat wearing septuagenarian hears the sound of the letterbox flap dropping back into place and shuffles along the hall to where among the myriad leaflets for home delivery pizza services that have spread across the floor, he finds and opens an envelope, in which lies a cheque made payable to a Mr N Holder for a very large sum of money. Attached to the cheque is a note which screams “IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!, Love you Noddy, from the people in charge of the dishing out the royalties.” All is well in the world and this famous pensioner will survive the year ahead in comfort and unaffected by the astronomical wholesale price increases in gas and electricity. All because of a song he sung as the front man of a band called Slade nearly fifty years ago that still gets blasted across the airwaves in every supermarket, every workplace and at every party across the land as soon as the bunting goes up in early November. Merry Christmas Everbody!
I really hate that song. In fact, that’s pretty much my position on all popular Christmas songs. In fact (and you may need to read the next bit with your eyes covered because it contains a blasphemy), I even hate “Fairytale of New York,” and that’s an undeniably wonderful record – everyone loves that one don’t they? I know that makes no sense, but when you hear these songs played on loop time after time, year after year wherever you go, whether you asked to hear them or not, you start to wonder how much more of it you can take. But most of all, I can’t stand that song by Slade; the one I’ve been forced to listen to for weeks on end every year since I was seven years old. Anyone coming into my office during the festive period (or any other period for that matter) was far more likely to be serenaded with Black Sabbath or Rainbow; or maybe Billie Holliday if I was in a more reflective mood. If they popped their heads through the door to say goodbye at the end of the day, then they might find me sitting at my desk with my head in my hands, lost somewhere amidst Dave Gilmour’s guitar break from “Comfortably Numb.” I always save Pink Floyd for the most important moments.
So you’re probably thinking to yourself, “what a miserable old curmudgeon he is, listening to Pink Floyd while we’re all being invited to Step into Christmas by Elton John” and you may be right, but it’s just that I’ve never been comfortable with what someone I once knew rather creatively referred to as “enforced jollity.” I like to enjoy things (including Christmas) in my own quiet way, and I never understand why people feel the need to almost bankrupt themselves in the annual budget race as they seek out the most extravagant crackers and a turkey the size of a small ostrich. Most people don’t even like turkey because no matter what recipe they follow, the resulting Christmas Day roast is a dry as a fortnight in Lanzarote. Answers on a postcard please. In fact, Ali and I were supposed to be in Lanzarote at the moment, but the arrival of Omicron B put the frighteners on us and we postponed that much wanted dose of winter Vitamin D. Although in retrospect it seems we may as well have gone in any case.
Lee and I were discussing the pleasures of the Yuletide season on the way to a place where you can’t hear Slade on Monday, and concluded that the best thing ever about Christmas is the break from work. He said his wife couldn’t wait to have thirteen days catching up on sleep and overdosing on cheese, which pretty much echoed my favourite memories of the festive period in the days when work ruled everything. A couple of days earlier, after some lengthy discussions around whether we were really bothered at all about it, Ali and I had finally decided to drag the decorations out of the loft. It was a slow process, interrupted by her insistence on singing the words of non Christmas songs to the wrong tunes; something she does deliberately at regular intervals to make me think I’ve finally lost the plot completely. Either that or she’s in the mood to amuse herself by awakening the uncontrollable pedant that lurks close to the surface, ever waiting to be invited to the table because she knows that the person who hates this trait in me most of all is myself. This time she was warbling happily away with the sparse lyrics of Lieutenant Pigeon’s “Mouldy Old Dough” to the tune of Roger Whittaker’s “Dirty of Town.” Try it for yourself – it works rather neatly in fact. So to correct her and also make sure my own memory was still intact, I located a YouTube video of the eternally bizarre “Mouldy Old Dough” and the next three minutes were lost to a bout of uncoordinated movements that were supposed to pass for dancing in the hallway as we procrastinated on the Christmas decorations. With further similar bouts of irrelevant and deliberate dithering, it took all day to finish assembling the fifteen year old artificial Virginia Pine and covering it in baubles and tinsel.
So, it seems appropriate that miserable old souls such as mine are cast into the wilderness, to a place where the strains of Slade’s annual reign can’t reach, and I can enjoy the sound of not very much at all. After all, a brain as full as much useless nonsense as this one contains needs a quiet space in which to recover. On Monday, we found such silent contentment in the misty and rainy wilds of Dartmoor, an early start delivering us to the abandoned Nun’s Cross Farm, where the only other human we saw was a lone trail runner who wasn’t playing Slade on his headphones as far as I could tell. Life seems so much easier in places where nobody is urging you to join in the fun and sing along with everyone else. And no, I’m not going to wear a paper crown either, just because we always do.
Today’s post is dedicated to all you similarly minded people whose only crime is to want to escape the madness of enforced jollity. For those of you who love the madness, do have fun, but please leave us out of it – we’re happy being miserable after all. It’s why we come to places like Nun’s Cross Farm in the pouring rain in December.
And as for Mariah Carey - let's not even go there..........
...are merely hallucinations.
Well, that's what I've been told and now believe.
While at a conference a while ago, I had an idea. Specifically to have my photo taken while lounging on a polished stone fountain wall in a busy hotel lobby.
Why? Really do not know, except I felt it would be regretful to not do it.
No, it would not be among life's most common big regrets voiced by people facing the end.
But, don't you think little regrets are indicators of, or builders of, larger ones?
If I had not made this pose, and have a photo to prove it, I figured it would be an indicator that I was not living life authentically - unnecessarily in fear of what others might think.
That's one of the common big regrets!
So fortified by this little step, it felt good to make progress towards a larger one.
There are many regrets built into life that seem uncontrollable. Why add to them?
Nora
PS - This maxi is among my favs. Like it?
Dratini continually molts and sloughs off its old skin. It does so because the life energy within its body steadily builds to reach uncontrollable levels.
Today would have been our first day out to have coffee in the backyard, which we had planned and prepared for months. I sit alone, wishing you were here. The sorrow is uncontrollable. I miss you so much.
My hair gets really uncontrollable when I'm near an ocean.
My Mom says it is all the salt.
I think it's magic.
326 | 365
“Life is truly known only to those who suffer, lose, endure adversity and stumble from defeat to defeat.” - Anais Nin
Love will tear us apart again.
[There are some things in life that jostle you so thoroughly, you're left reeling for an indeterminate amount of time. And *sometimes* when you're already reeling, you reel further due to other occurrences heaping on top of the initial thing that sent you reeling. At which point you might find yourself spinning uncontrollably, in such a way that eating and sleeping become less and less likely options--until you give up on them altogether. It then becomes *exciting* when you feel a small hunger pang or stinging in your eyes that seems to be your body weakly telling you you need to address those once habitual basic needs you used to meet.
So. That's where I'm at. I don't know what it is about my life, but things really do come in threes for me. Three deaths, three breakups in three years, three relationships...three cars. Okay maybe that last one doesn't matter. But--it's odd. At this point I don't know if I'm becoming superstitious or just losing my mind. Let's hope for the former, because the latter really sounds like a bother.
I really want anyone reading this who might also be going through hard times to know--deeply--that they are not alone. I don't care how cliche it sounds.]
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KCS 4688 decided enough was enough that morning and its prime mover decided to "run away". This occurred at the west end of KCS Knoche Yard at the Service Track. You could see the smoke pouring from the ES44AC from up to 10 miles away.
A runaway diesel engine is a mechanical ailment that is the result of seals failing, thus allowing the engine to combust its own lube oil as fuel, rather than diesel. This causes the engine to overspeed, and essentially the RPM's increase uncontrollably.
The only way to stop an engine from doing this once a runaway begins is to shut off the source of intake air for combustion and starve the process of oxygen. In the case of a diesel prime mover this large, this task is basically impossible. Essentially all you can do is wait until the engine runs out of lube oil and either stops running, seizes up, or suffers a severe mechanical failure, sometimes in the form of an explosion.
The 4688 made one awful noise when it seized up and flamed out at the end. KCFD was on scene to put the flame out in the end. Also on scene were KCS and GE Officials from the nearby locomotive shop, as well as KCPD for traffic control on Front Street due to the smokescreen being laid down from the stack.
After all of that, KCS used this photo and it scrolled across 60 inch TV screens on a slide show in their headquarters building for at least year.
Locomotive: KCS 4688
8-20-12
Kansas City, MO
Life has turned upside down with the result that its speed has taken on new dimensions. While some of us cannot remember their last time-out, others feel locked in an infinite expanse of time. And so many are left with boredom, loneliness, existential fears, and endless unanswered questions.
In lots of cases, there are no final answers in life. And while this is a general statement, this fact seems to have recently become our most significant threat. Though worrying is a natural reaction to danger, it is questionable until which amount it has a positive impact.
There are various things one can do to contribute. Still, individual action has its limits. And although one cannot take over the uncontrollable, one can focus on what can be controlled. While this time-out is a challenge for everyone, we still have the power to gain control over ourselves.
In this photo the bulls are nearing the finishing post and they must turn left to avoid running into the embankment straight ahead with people standing on top of it. The bulls are not in gallop mode as you can see in Photo 1 of the series and I guess are slowing down.
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Adoor in Kerala holds its famous Bull Races every year around the time of Onam. It is a celebration of agrarian existence and is carried on without any grants or aid from the Government. This is a spectacular fiesta of rural Kerala. There are 2-3 other such events that are held in Kerala.
Two racing bulls are hitched together and three men come into action. Two racers with lead ropes on either side of the bulls who try to control the direction and speed if possible and one often obscured by sprays of mud and water, a jockey who rides on a small flat strip of wood.
The bulls race ahead with the men keeping desperately abreast of the thundering hooves. At the end of the racing track there is a 4-6 feet embankment of earth which acts as a protection and a marker for the bulls. The embankment gets totally crowded with onlookers. The bull racers need to turn the bull around and do a 360 degree here but most times that effort fails as the bulls in their racing frenzy would be uncontrollable.
I have no idea on the current status of the bull races. There are enough organisations howling to stop such races but the Supreme Court of India in a judgement a few months ago allowed bull/bullock cart races to go on in Punjab. So chances are that the tradition may still live on.
Dates
Taken on August 15, 2007 at 1.16pm IST (edit)
Posted to Flickr September 18, 2012 at 11.18AM IST (edit)
Exif data
Camera Nikon D70
Exposure 0.001 sec (1/1000)
Aperture f/4.0
Focal Length 70 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire
DSC_0379 via ACR
Even heroes will get mad sometimes...
This is Laxus' alternate form when he gets serious in battle. He discards his lightning powers for plasma and becomes an even greater force to be reckon with! However, his uncontrollable temper during this form may lead regretful decisions and unthinkable consequences later on when he reverts back to normal.
I've found myself some free time and decided to moc a bit. I have this idea of an alt form for Laxus for quite some time and wanted to try it out. Turns out, it's pretty good. I'm grateful that I bought breakout Nex now :P
As always, thanks for stopping by and C&C is always appreciated! :D
Or Something....
Spent my day off working at Kohls. Ugh.... just not the same place I left.... but I did get to work with my friends, and be ridiculed for wearing camo pants.... by my friend that I ran the Lincoln Tunnel 5K with last year and will run again this year... as I tried to stop her from working and thank her for never returning my text messages. Her answer...
“Torrie, I hear you, but I can’t see you.... but just keep talking....” I’ve been texting her to let her know that I have been “training “ for the 5K and she reminded me that I am in the upper end of my age bracket and have to outrun all of the people that are almost 10 years younger than me and are still driven, serious runners. Thanks buddy!! But today I did get a text from her telling me that she ran 4 miles today and thanked me for the inspiration. And then there were the usual conversations with Sharon that make absolutely no sense to anyone but us and end in uncontrollable laughter.
They are my favorite conversations, when she just starts to laugh, stops everything and says “Have I told you today that I love you?” and hugs me. That makes working in total chaos and “negativity central” worthwhile. (Everyone should be so lucky to work with someone like that!) But yes, the place has some serious issues... You know it’s bad when one of the managers opens the door for you in the morning and says.... “What the heck happened to your shoe department? They are fighting like cats and dogs back there!” Yeah...they are. I guess I really was good at my job there. I never had those problems.
After work, it was time for my weekly drive to my window for a photo.... praying that no one else showed up there because I really didn’t want to have to explain THIS! I would have felt very very foolish. And yes, I did wear this costume.... back in the day... on stage.... in front of people.... and it was a blast! Later my son stopped home as I was getting ready to go out and run and he told me I didn’t have to go, and we went out and got something to eat. When he was leaving, I said I was going to go out and run.... and he said “NOW?!! In the dark? That’s not very smart. You’re not really going to do that?!” So after he left, at 8:45 pm, I went out to run.... in the dark... with a flashlight and a head lamp.... and when I was done, I sent him my screen shot from Map My Run... and he texted me back ... “You’re Nuts!” Yes, yes I am. But.... the show must go on! Because I’m not going back to work tomorrow and having to admit that I missed a day... something about goals.... and deals.... oh, and something about raspberry syrup!! ; ) So, yeah, the show MUST go on!
When I came up with the idea of the Honor Locos, this is one of the things I had in mind. Reaching out to communities and attempting to gain support and understanding how a railroad works. One thing that always bothered me, and still does, is how communities view railroads. Of course, some things are uncontrollable, and the railroads don't help themselves some days. None the less, there is value in making something everyone can enjoy. Unfortunately, some people that lead CSX didn't see the value in it.
I brought the CSXT 1776 and 911 to Chicago for a presentation for the STB Members. (Which they all loved them). But the day prior I had to do some touch up work on the locos to get them ready. A nearby community, Crete, IL, is lead by their Mayor Michael Einhorn, and is a fan of railroads. And don't take that too mean he is a railfan. He understands the value railroads bring to the table. He heard about the locos being in town, and we decided to do an impromptu photo shoot with his truck and a couple of CSXT Policeman. Here they pose at Forrest Hill (75th Street) on July 31, 2019.
© Eric T. Hendrickson 2019 All Rights Reserved
Well, people ask me to write the 16 things in english too,so here it is! (with a lot of mistakes!)
Not that all these things are really important, but if you wanna know about Nika, I think she is pretty much like this:
1. A complete happy frustrated rockstar.
2. Seven crazy talkative consciences, that are never in a agreement, spend the day talking inside her brain.
3. She wrote letters for herself on the future, so she will be able to remember all the things she dreamed and that matters for her when she was a child.
4. She wrote a book, that makes sense for just two persons in this world.
5. She is a compulsory maniac reader of car's plates to discover from which city they are.
6. There is a frog inside her, who has uncontrollable hiccups EVERYDAY on the most random moments ever.
7. When she gets old, she and some friends will "build" an Old West city and live the rest of their lifes in a "bang bang" style.
8. The Inspiration, the muse, the drug, the addiction: Music!
9. A fluorescent green martian E.T. lives inside her wardrobe about three years.
10. Her dream is to have a penguin named Au.
11. If she was a man, her name would be Little Onion and she would wear a hat and sunglasses and play blues on her harmonica. (I think this is not making any sense hahaha)
12. She has serious problems wih the number 22.
13. There's a HAKUNA MATATA on the wall of her bedroom, for the tense moments.
14. She studies biomedical engineering, but she also wants to study cinema and oceanography. The plan is to discover a way to mix the three professions.
15. She's a maniac-paranoiac-neorotic girl, who keeps everything inside a box.
16. 42
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Fotógrafa: Lívia Fernandes
Modelo/Edição: Monica Fadul
Produção: Mônica Fadul, Lívia Fernandes, Larissa Cogu, Priscilla Martins
One of my favourites at the moment - love this. Gorgeous sunny day - Bank Holiday Sunday new part of town for me.
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This image has been used on this website on the main page - londonist.com/2013/05/extra-extra-605.php
Also on this website - www.lightstalking.com/this-many-great-photography-links-m...
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Profile
Name: Mason Jerrold
Villain's name: Dunewire
Age: 27
Bio: Mason was born in Pennsylvania. When he was young he was often unstable, and had been a test subject since 16, taken by the will of his own parents who agreed that he was uncontrollable. However Isaiah Harrington offered to rescue him and control his situation if he would work for him, providing the resources to Mason, who hesitatingly accepted the offer. He works as a occasional bodyguard for Harrington and is the second chief of security at Harrington Powers after Isaiah had rebranded and restructured his company.
Powers and abilities: Mason has two powers on both arms. The blue arm allows him to generate wires, and effectively create whips and strings, allowing him to dispatch and choke enemies. The other arm allows him to control sand, manipulate sandstorms, turning into a sand giant, reassemble into sand and generate constructs etc. Carries a gun in his civilian form.
Weaknesses: Only able to use one arm's power and the other arm is usually weaker. Not very well in deflecting melee users, so he gets punched by stronger opponents. Sand can be overwhelmed by elemental powers and sometimes energy. Due to his unstable nature and his powers might unintentionally destroy technology, he has to be kept in check.
Equipment: Test suit refined by Isaiah Harrington's company. Wears a white headband.
Personality: Uncalm, defensive, dauntless, cynical towards enemies. Superficial, brave, willing to take risks.
SHOULD THE ELEVATOR DOORS FAIL TO OPEN
DO NOT BECOME ALARMED.
THERE IS LITTLE DANGER OF RUNNING OUT OF AIR
OR OF THIS ELEVATOR DROPPING UNCONTROLLABLY.
PLEASE USE THE BUTTON MARKED "ALARM" OR
TELEPHONE (IF FURNISHED) TO SUMMON AID.
ELEVATOR COMPANIES ARE ON CALL
24 HOURS A DAY FOR EMERGENCY SERVICE.
Leyenda de San Jorge
San Jorge que en ese momento llegó a la ciudad se encontró con la bella joven a la que le preguntó que ocurría puesto que lloraba desconsolada. La doncella le respondió a sus preguntas como pudo. San Jorge le ofreció su ayuda y su protección. En ese momento, justamente, llegó el dragón enfurecido que salía del lago donde vivía. Rápidamente St. Jorge montó sobre su caballo y sacó su espada y con mucho coraje se le enfrentó.
Legend of St. George
St George at that time came to town he met the beautiful young woman who asked that occurred since sobbed uncontrollably. The maid answered his questions as he could. St George offered his help and protection. At that moment, precisely, the enraged dragon came out of the lake where he lived. St. George quickly mounted his horse and drew his sword and courageously confronted him.
“100% tourist, 0% time space continuum integrity”
“After being fused with the Kanohi Olmak, Vezon went on his many (unintentional) interdimensional adventures. On these trips, he has the uncontrollable urge to hoard everything that looks remotely valuable, with all of the consequences of such actions. This is what led to him getting his hands on the story bible, which he now uses to complete his collection of non-cannon masks.”
This a bit of a joke build that I did based on some derailed conversations with friends. After reading the serials, I always jokingly imagined Vezon to be a Deadpool like character, a loose cannon with some comedy aspects (preferably voiced by Jack Black).
British Columbia is known to get scorched with wildfires every year. This year has bin no exception. 1 of our driest and hottest summers to date has bin tearing through our forests with massive nearly uncontrollable flames.
This years wildfires has also stricken dangerously close to home for me. I live 9 miles up Kootenay Lake from Nelson BC. We witnessed hurricane level thunderstorms tearing through our communities, smashing old growth trees like twigs and destroying our power lines. These wicked storms also started the 7 mile wildfires that were knockin on my back door for weeks, having a lot of us under evacuation alert.
The day this photo was taken the fires had already bin contained, but the smoke build up and smoldering earth kept our areas smoggy for weeks later.
Thanks to the hard work and dedication to our BC fire fighting teams killing the flames so we can breathe easy. Still loads of work ahead of us though, as a lot of the province is still on fire.
A Curious Vigilance p1
Grammarly another role play story idea
A Curious Vigilance
Part One of Two
A Watchman Cometh
“If you can’t take the heat, don’t be tickling dragons !”
Acte 1
Ginny and I had, several weeks ago, received invitations to a fellow student's upscale, formal evening wedding.
Since we both love to get dressed up, it was a no-brainer to accept. Even though we really weren’t players in her circle.
Probably just wanted the gifts. The git.
So I borrowed my twin brothers antique roadster, drove up the road a short way, and picked up Ginny.
As she walked up to the car I couldn’t help but think how we both were dressed for the kill.
I had on my smart purple silk dress with the long pleated slinky knee-length skirt and spaghetti straps. The dress came with a cuffed long-sleeved, waist-length, black satin jacket with rhinestone buttons.
I had put in a diamond pin on one side of the jacket. It was in the shape of a bursting star, giving off a pleasing shimmer.
My other jewels consisted of my silver v shaped necklace. The v was set with small round rhinestones with 3 kite shaped sapphires set hanging down the center of the V. I also had in the necklaces’s matching semi-long earrings. Also worn was my diamond tennis bracelet on my right wrist, while gracing my left was a wide rhinestone bracelet. One ring, diamonds surrounding a gold rose(my best ring) gracing the ring finger on my left hand, completed the look.
Ginny?
Well, our Ginny girl was smashing.
She had poured her lithe figure into the sleek satin high shoulder sleeve sheath dress she had bought to wear in a play she acted in last spring. It was midnight black with a brite lime green inner lining and tight lime green Lycra pants. The only decoration on the elegant dress was a glittery silver rhinestone Dragon, with green slanted eyes and a red fiery tongue. It was embroidered crawling up one side of the dress, grasping claws reaching around up towards her bosom.
“Naughty Dragon.”
Ginny had green mascara above her eyes, around which she drew lines of black mascara to give them a slanted look. The whole effect looked a lot like Shirley Jackson did in the Michael Caine movie Gambit. Right up to the solid gold headpiece in Gunny’s reddish hair.
Ginny also had in her emerald drop earrings, along with her wide emerald bracelet loosely dangling along an otherwise bare left wrist, and a fancy emerald cocktail ring flashing from the pinkie on her left hand.
But it was her necklace that stole the show.
The opulently handsome necklace was the estate auction won, long pendant that had neatly set her back a month's wages. We both had opened bids on it at the same time, with me immediately backing off so she would win it.
It was a very shimmery piece of jewellery, with its long rhinestone encrusted chain hanging past her breasts, ending with a dangling pendant which held a birds egg size synthetic oval-shaped emerald, surrounded by long rhinestone fringes that resembled the silver beard of the dragon on her dress.
It was a very striking effect, especially when it stopped swaying and hung straight down, appearing just out of reach from the grasping front rhinestone claw of the gem greedy dragon.
^^^^^^^^
The church and reception hall was only about a 60-minute drive away green m our village.
We arrived in the city where it was located early and stopped at a pub for a glass of wine, which we drank outside at a garden table.
We then left, arriving at the church with plenty of time to walk around and soak in the surroundings.
Acte 2
The wedding Proper was pretty normal, with the usual pomp, circumstance, and rigid schedule only the upper class seem to achieve with nothing atoll coming close to being original and new.
The reception was more of the same. Ginny, per normal, snagged more time on the dance floor than me. Though I was
by no means being ignored. The bar was free, so we made good use of that.
By around 7:30 we were a pair of happily well-fed, well-partied, and well-liquored-up young ladies.
The reception for the most part was the usual fun and the usual routine flow that goes on at such affairs.
There was only one incident of note, well actually I guess, two, that have a bearing on my story.
The first was this:
A young girl was wearing what must have been a previously worn, hideously yellow, satin bridesmaid gown. She also was wearing a nice set of real diamonds. Ginny was really impressed with the jewelry she was wearing. As the party went, and the more we drank, the more Ginny prattled on over different ways someone could try lifting some of those diamonds from the lady.
Sensing there may be trouble soon brewing, I was getting tired of holding Ginny back from her obsession, that I suggested we should be heading out.
Then I was asked to dance, and lost track of her. When I found her, she was chatting up the lady in yellow satin and diamonds. The lady was holding up Ginny’s shimmery pendant, and I saw that Ginny had a hand placed lightly on the lady’s wrist, next to her diamond bracelet
Telling myself:
“Enough of that missy!”
I went up and pried Ginny away.
“Don’t be tickling that Dragon, even if you were thinking of doing it as a prank.”
I scolded.
My twin brother is always saying “If you are not prepared to take the heat, don’t tickle a dragon!” In other words, don’t invite trouble if you are not sure you would welcome the outcome.
I started suggesting to her we might be heading home soon.
“Stop at our pub(The Poet & Peasant),” I suggested.
Ginny said we should do one better…
We could stop at the old cemetery where we liked to role-play various games of both pickpockets, and jewel thievery. Sometimes combining the two. There she could nick my jewels to her heart’s content.
I admitted that sounded promising.
Then came the second incident on the heels of her suggestion.
Ginny said pleasantly, if we’re not doing the pub, then we should take something to drink with us. That way we don’t need a pub.
Suspiciously, I asked my grinning childhood friend.
“What’s you on about? “
“I mean Cade, nick a bottle while I distract the bartender. He’s working over there alone for a few minutes.”
I sighed, but it may be fun, so game on….
We pulled it off. It was far easier than it should have been.
As Ginny flirted with the young man tending the open bar, so I kept moving till his back was to me, and I ended up sitting on the far end.
I took a deep breath, scurried around and grabbed a bottle from the supply bin on the floor, and walked straight out the nearest exit.
I circled around the building to the lot and found Ginny at the roadster waiting.
She had placed her black beaded purse, opened, on the bonnet of the car and was bending over to put lipstick on using the car's outside mirror.
“What did you snag luv?”
Breathless, I looked at the bottle for the first time. It was a bottle of Penderyn.
Slightly disappointed, I would have preferred wine over a single malt. But it would do.
Meanwhile, I was standing between Ginny and the roadsters’ bonnet.
I handed the bottle to her, and as she looked I reached out behind me and dipping my fingers into her purse pulled out her wallet.
Holding it behind, suppressing a desire to laugh, I circled around to the right side and got into the driver's seat.
Ginny put her lipstick inside her purse and snapped it close with one hand still holding the bottle. Then picking up the purse and got inside the passenger’s seat.
She never noticed her wallet was gone, and by then I had it inside my own purse.
Still totally clueless, Ginny asked as we drove away :
“Do you think we should include your brother in with us?”
I said he was practicing darts with Brian(my boyfriend) and their friend, teammate, and one of our fellow players, Derrick.
Ginny giggled, hoisting up the bottle.
“More for us then.”
Acte 3
We arrived at the cemetery with plenty of light left in the evening. Parking in the open lot, we made our way past the open wrought iron gates.
The almost 40 Hectares square-shaped cemetery is no longer in use, its main gates are permanently opened to the public, but besides us, only very few ever visit it. Judging by the dates on the gravestones, the last burial was not too long after the Victorian age officially ended. No way of truly establishing when its first burial was.
It lays along a lane called Abbots Chase.
Where a highwayman by the name of Craig Abbot used to roam several hundred years ago. It is said he is buried here in this very cemetery. Though most of the old stones are so blackened the names are not legible.
My dad is a direct descendant of Craig Abbot, and much to the chagrin of my mum’s Irish catholic family, my twin brother was named after him. Destiny?
The other end off Abbots Chase lane, west of the cemetery goes past the large old manor house some 5 kilometers away from the cemetery. The manor is now a private men’s seminary college.
^^^^^^^^^^^
We hung out at the cemetery and its interior, and surrounding woods, as kids, walking the 2 Kilometers along from the east end of the lane, where the local village was.
Both Ginny and I grew up in houses located on the opposite side of the village.
We use this private cemetery for our role-playing game adventures. We had the run of the area. Not only because of its solitude, and lack of visitors, but also because there were no roads in it. Only narrow overgrown horse-drawn cart paths. And a few cobblestone footpaths. Both of which are blocked by fallen gravestones.
The games have evolved. But they mostly are based on pickpocketing and other forms of thievery. Mainly related to lifting or the nicking of jewels that the one portraying the victim is wearing. We take turns being one or the other.
Originally there were just the 3 of us, Ginny, my twin brother, and myself. We would bring various costumes, play jewelry, and other various items. Backpacking them in from our homes.
We have since added four more “players” to our group, though only a few times have we all met here in force.
There are also times as we grew older that we have stopped to play after being somewhere dressed up. The motivation can be anything from too much to drink, or something that evening triggered the idea.
Like tonight, with Ginny taking a fancy to a young lady’s diamonds.
Acte 4
Ginny and I entered through the main gate and walked the 75 meters up to the marble pagoda sitting on a small hill.
In years long past, this pagoda would have served as the last service area for the deceased being buried here.
There is a set of steps leading up to the platform which is eye level. On the ground, flanking the steps are a pair of long marble benches. With old wrought iron ones scattered about surrounding the octagonal platform.
As per normal, no sign that anyone had been here in a while. Though we did have a bit of a jump when a fox ran out from underneath the pagoda, giving us the evil green eye before slipping off into some tall grass.
I had brought a blanket which we laid on the stairs. We put down our purses on one of the marble benches.
Sitting on the stairs, Ginny opened the bottle and took a small sip. Followed by a bigger one.
“Whew, that burns going down.”
She exclaimed passing it to me.
It smelled strong.
“Should have brought some water to cut it.”
I said taking a hit, feeling it burn warmly.
We each took several more sips before getting down to business.
I place a hand on Ginny’s arm, looking her in the eyes.
She starts to giggle. As do I also, both of us falling into each other’s arms, hugging as our figures are being racked by our uncontrollable laughter.
Meanwhile, I was busy. My hand running down her arm, I reached her her emerald bracelet and nimbly opened the clasp, easily pulling it off and cuffing it in my fist, moving that hand to her backside, using it to hold her quivering figure close.
Finally, we broke away, settling down. As I stroked her sleek backside with my hand, I say:
“Ok lass, are you ready to lift some of my diamonds?”
Taking a belt from the bottle ( it was not a sip, nor a gulp, somewhere in between)
Ginny nodded her head, earrings sparkling with intensity, like the look in her eyes just before she said:
“Let’s dance.”
Acte 5
I went over and pulled the cell from my purse, seeing a text from my brother asking if:
“Us girls were having fun?”
I sent one back:
“Smashing fun, wish you could be here, now I have to go and see a lady about doing a lift on some jewels she is wearing…”
That should make him stop in his tracks and ponder. I would imagine his own game now being off all of a sudden.
Giggling mischievously, I laid the cell in front of my purse on the marble seat, I selected “And we danced” by the Hooters.
Ginny was already on the platform, strutting her stuff. I went to the stairs, grabbed the bottle, took a swig, and ran up to join her.
She bumped into me with her hip, then went behind me, her hands running along my figure, then pulling me against her she ran her hands down along the satin sleeve of my jacket. I only felt it because I knew it was coming. After all, as her hand slipped along my wrist, she expertly whisked off my diamond bracelet.
I pushed her away using my hinney, then turned and began dancing close to her, wriggling up against and away from her figure. Her eyes had been opened quite wide, from the thrill of the bracelet lift, but she closed them as I rubbed my figure up along hers.
I had been eyeing her dazzling dripping jeweled pendant. My arms went up behind her back. Pulling down the clasp I unhooked it and reaching my hands up, pulled it away from her gown’s rhinestone dragon’s clutches
I had it pocketed before she reopened her eyes.
The music ended, and arm in arm we went back to the stairs, passing the bottle to each other.
We were becoming quite happily intoxicated by now, giggling at everything.
Acte 6
Ginny sets down the bottle, then stares at her bare wrist.
“I don’t suppose this bracelet fell off on its own?”
I chuckled, looking at where her necklace should have been dangling, picking up the bottle.
“No, it had a bit of help, I felt inside my pocket and pulled it out, replacing it as Ginny held up the bottle and asked:
“Another round?”
We both took several swigs before I decided it was time to have a bit more role play.
I place a hand on Ginny’s chest...
“Give me a lead luv…”
Ginny thinks a minute, long enough for us to take another swig each from the fast becoming 3/4 full bottle.
Looking me over, she tells me.
“Take a walk..”
I stand (maybe a little wobbly), and manage to do so, taking the path around the pagoda.
She comes up behind me, putting her hands over my eyes.
“Guess who Abigail?”
I answered...
I’m not Abigail?”
The voice behind me, as the hands are lifted from my eyes and reach down to my chest..”
“I’m so sorry, of course, your not, my bad.”
I turn around to face Ginny…
Placing a hand on my chest( lifting off my broach from the lapel of the jacket) Ginny says:
“I’m so sorry, I can’t believe I made a mistake like that. “
I feel her placing the broach in my pocket, as I say(thinking that counted as two lifts)
“That’s ok luv, we all make mistakes.’
Quite pleased with herself Ginny went back to the steps.
She thought I was following as she talked to me.
I did not, rather I hid in the bushes and watched her.
Ginny picked up the bottle and took a swig, handing it to me…
It was then she realized I wasn’t there.
“Where are you, you silly ninny?”
She called out, then began to walk back the way she had come.
I jump out of the bushes behind her my hand in the satin jacket's pocket( I can feel the cold necklace inside. I point my fingers In the pocket like I am ‘ packing heat’.
Prodding my finger in her back I say
“Stick 'em up, pretty lady!”
Ginny giggles,
“Speaking of sticks. Is that one or are you just happy to see me?
“Funny lady, now turn around. “
She did and gave a fake gasp, hand to her mouth, ring sparkly.
“There you go, now be a good Lass and hand over those jewels around your wrist and finger. ”
She lifted her wrist and undid the bracelet, then slips off her ring. As she hands them to me:
“My this bracelet is popular with thieves this evening.”
She then pulls out her gold hairpiece, shaking down her hair as I take it:
“Here thief. The thing was starting to pull on my hair and bothering me anyways.”
I smirk:
“Thanks, lady !”
We both have a laugh over this latest sequence of events, while I give her back the bracelet and ring.
I lead her, as her laughing satin clad figure leans into me, over to the steps.
But as we approach, Ginny stops and grabs my arm, her, heavily mascara’d eyes suddenly bugging out, placing a hand to her mouth, she really Gasped.
“Cade,Look, over by the gate!”
I did, feeling the hairs on my scalp rise by what I saw!
To be Continued…
To be Continued…
This relatively newer palace cum luxury hotel looks stunning standing tall among the cotton candy clouds and angling sunlight. In fact what interested me more was that the clouds looks like coming out of the dome.
Human may believe that nature is being controlled by him. Nature on the other hand is eternal, uncontrollable and timeless.
©Saurabh's Reveries
Tiger Tiger Fading Bright Part 6
The Hunter in the Red PVC Cap is still giving an impromptu rock and roll guitar rendition on his knee. Don't miss that.
the situation on the Tiger front has been grim for quite sometime. The Planet Earth is slowly relinquising its flora and fauna as humankind expands in uncontrollable numbers and fritters away Nature and its resources in a headlong dive to extinction for almost all.
Continuing the series
Tiger Tiger, Fading Bright !
The tigers in India are facing the toughest odds and are on the brink of being wiped out. There is a big industry based on tiger claws and bones etc that drives up the demand for the killing of this beautiful beast.
Men will buy a enlargement (is enhancement the right choice of word ?) of libido anytime anywhere but Chinese men will pay top dollars for tiger remains to increase theirs.
If you wonder why all the grand conservation efforts to save the tiger are failing, go no further then the politics of funding tiger conservation. It has been known for years that it is allegedly a big sham with mega bucks and mega publicity but almost nil results.
If you have the time it would be interesting to read some interesting thoughts and the current day reality ( The link is now dead as Aditya Singh has closed that blog, However you can see his work at
on the tigers in an exchange between Thatzme and Aditya Singh from Rajasthan. This is not possible now... as the content has since then vanished in the great digital morass.
One can only hope that one sees a tiger in the wild in one's life time as the future generation may not have that privilege anytime soon. So if you are young and in India, head out and go see the elusive tiger before it is too late.
India has only 1150 - 1600 tigers that are available in the wild as per the Minister of Environment Jairam Ramesh.
Pervez 183A in one of his earlier comments on this series had mentioned >>>
"why don't the Chinese just try Viagra...???...it might make them dance on one leg...!!!"
Will Viagra be the Saviour of the Indian Tiger ?
This is an enactment of the situation at a Kerala street show during Onam in Thrippunithra near Cochin on the Atthachamayam day.
DSC_0843 jpeg via ACR
Baffetta ran out in the garden to play with Bimbo, the white cat , she was uncontrollable...... I had to stay around against all dangers
The word "jungle" carries connotations of untamed and uncontrollable nature and isolation from civilisation, along with the emotions that evokes: threat, confusion, powerlessness, disorientation and immobilisation.
Girl please me
Be my soul bride
Every women
Has a piece of aphrodite
Copulate to create
A state of sexual light
Kissing her virginity
My affinity
Glorious euphoria
Is my must
Erotic shock
Is a function of lust
Temporarily blind
Dimensions to discover
In time
Each into the other
Uncontrollable notes
From her snowwhite throat
Fill a space
In which two bodies float
Operatic by voice
A fanatic by choice
Aromatic is the flower
Nuclear energy remains uncontrollable and a deadly danger
Graffito eines guten Freundes
Graffito of a good friend of mine.
Voerde-Spellen 1988
edited-(sn 53-7786) (c/n 083-1001)-Location is Edwards AFB-Lockheed Chief Test Pilot Anthony "Tony" LeVier in the XF-104-LO cocpit. Sent to me by Tony in the late 1950s. On July 11, 1957, Lockheed engineering test pilot William C. “Bill” Park, Jr. was flying the first XF-104 as chase for F-104A flight tests when the prototype developed uncontrollable tail flutter. Pilot Bill Park was forced to eject when the entire tail group was ripped from the airplane.
Mixed Media oilgraph with acrylic, graphite and gunpowder on wooden panel // 12x16
Base image photographed with a Mamiya 645 on Tri-x and processed in Agfa Rodinal
From the new series ‘The Spirit of Ukraine’ Being over half Ukrainian and Russian I take the war in Ukraine personally. In this continuing series I hope to capture the both the strength and vulnerability of the Ukrainian people.
The textures were created by igniting gunpowder on the surface of the panel and burning into the print itself. It’s an uncontrollable process and the explosion chooses its own direction. Just like war itself.
Purchase options here:
Athens Hellinikon 1982-04-11
727-2L5 c/n 21050
Note: This aircraft was written off on December 22, 1992
159 killed, RIP
"Libyan Arab Airlines flight 1103, a Boeing 727, was destroyed when it crashed while on approach to Tripoli International Airport, Libya. All 159 persons on board were killed.
The aircraft operated a domestic flight from Benghazi to Tripoli, Libya. As the flight approached Tripoli Airport, it was instructed to hold at the Papa Echo beacon at 3000 feet, 4.1DME from runway 27. At 08:05 the flight was told they would need to hold for another three minutes due to military traffic.
This military traffic was a MiG-23UB that had just taken off. The aircraft climbed in a left hand turn and headed towards Papa Echo. Reaching 3000 feet, the aircraft hit the tail fin of flight 1103. The tail separated and the Boeing 727 entered an uncontrollable descent and impacted the ground. Both crew members of the MiG-23 reportedly ejected safely."
The Society was never officially present on Ra’un. Forces were dispatched from sympathetic imperial remnants, or as ex-imperial mercenaries. Society leaders saw this campaign as an opportunity to get rid of uncontrollable experimental forces.
Unofficially however, the Society had sent a handful of elite agents. Rumors of a several force sensitive children in the local population, warranted sending in agents to secure and “evacuate” these individuals. The participation in the battle, and the heaps of expendable forces, was just a cover for the real operation. Operation Harvester.
This is a picture from the front of the house where we lived in Omaha.
The road is now known simply as "Childs Road," and technically it's in the suburb of Bellevue, which is in South Omaha. (I've geotagged this photo, so you can see exactly where it's located.)
One of my weekly chores was to mow the front lawn (and the side and back lawns too). It doesn't look very big, but we only had a manual lawnmower, and I was only 11; it seemed like an eternal amount of time to get it all cut. (Shortly after I went off to college, years later, Dad decided that it would be a great time to get a gas-powered lawnmower. C'est la vie.)
*********************************
Some of the photos in this album are “originals” from the year that my family spent in Omaha in 1955-56. But the final 10 color photos were taken nearly 40 years later, as part of some research that I was doing for a novel called Do-Overs, the beginning of which can be found here on my website
www.yourdon.com/personal/fiction/doovers/index.html
and the relevant chapter (concerning Omaha) can be found here:
www.yourdon.com/personal/fiction/doovers/chapters/ch9.html
Before I get into the details, let me make a strong request — if you’re looking at these photos, and if you are getting any enjoyment at all of this brief look at some mundane Americana from 60+ years ago: find a similar episode in your own life, and write it down. Gather the pictures, clean them up, and upload them somewhere on the Internet where they can be found. Trust me: there will come a day when the only person on the planet who actually experienced those events is you. Your own memories may be fuzzy and incomplete; but they will be invaluable to your friends and family members, and to many generations of your descendants.
So, what do I remember about the year that I spent in Omaha? Not much at the moment, though I’m sure more details will occur to me in the days to come — and I’ll add them to these notes, along with additional photos that I’m tweaking and editing now.
For now, here is a random list of things I remember:
1. I attended the last couple months of 6th grade, and all of 7th grade, in one school. My parents moved from Omaha to Long Island, NY in the spring of my 7th grade school year; but unlike previous years, they made arrangements for me to stay with a neighbor’s family, so that I could finish the school year before joining them in New York.
2. Our dog, Blackie, traveled with us from our previous home in Riverside, and was with us until my parents left Omaha for New York; at that point, they gave him to some other family. For some reason, this had almost no impact on me. It was a case of “out of sight, out of mind” — when Blackie was gone, I spent my final three months in Omaha without ever thinking about him again.
3. Most days, I rode my bike to school; but Omaha was the place where one of my sisters first started attending first grade — in the same school where I was attending 6th grade. I remember walking her to school along Bellevue Avenue on the first morning, which seemed to take forever: it was about a mile away.
4. As noted in a previous Flickr album about my year in Riverside, I was a year younger than my classmates; but I was tall for my age, and thus looked “normal” at a quick glance. But because I was a year younger, I was incredibly shy and awkward in the presence of girls. Omaha was certainly not “sin city,” but by 6th grade and 7th grade, puberty was beginning to hit, and the girls had grown to the point where they were occasionally interested in boys. The school tried to accommodate this social development by teaching us the square dance (and forbidding the playing of songs by Elvis Presley, whose music was just beginning to be heard on the radio). I was an awful dancer, and even more of a shy misfit than my classmates; I continue to be an awful dancer today.
5. My bike ride to school was uneventful most days; but the final part of the ride was a steep downhill stretch on Avery Road, lasting three or four blocks. My friends and I usually raced downhill as fast as we could; but one day, my front bicycle wheel began to wobble on the downhill run, and my bike drifted uncontrollably to the side of the road and then off into a ditch. I got banged up pretty badly.
6. But this accident was nothing compared to my worst mishap: a neighborhood friend and I enjoyed playing “cowboys and Indians” in the woods near his home (and his younger brother usually tagged along). I had a bow and a few arrows for our adventure, and we often shot at trees a hundred feet away. Unfortunately, the arrows often disappeared into the underbrush (because we were lousy shots) and were difficult to find. Consequently, one of us came up with the clever idea of standing behind the “target” tree, so that we could see where the randomly-shot arrows landed. Through a series of miscommunications, I poked my head out from behind the tree just as my friend shot one of the arrows … and it skipped off the side of the tree and into my face, impaling itself into my cheek bone about an inch below my eye. An inch higher, and I would not be typing these words … (meanwhile, my friend's younger brother grew up to be an officer in the U.S. Air Force, and he tracked me down on the Internet, decades later).
7. In the summer of 1956, my parents decided to spend their summer vacation prospecting for uranium (seriously!) in the remote hills of eastern Utah, where my dad had grown up on the Utah-Colorado border. This entailed a long, long drive from Omaha; and it involved leaving me and my two sisters with my grandparents near Vernal, UT. My grandparents lived in a very small mining village outside of Vernal; and while they had electricity and various other modern conveniences, they also had an outhouse in the back yard. Trips to the “bathroom” in the middle of the night were quite an adventure. On the way back to Omaha at the end of this vacation trip (with no uranium ore having been found), we stopped for a couple of days of camping somewhere in the mountains of Colorado; you’ll see a couple of photos from that camping trip in this album.
8. There were no lizards in Omaha, and thus no opportunity for lizard-hunting with my slingshot—which had been a significant hobby in my previous homes in Riverside and Roswell. Indeed, there was almost nothing to shoot at … and I couldn’t find anyone with whom I could play (and hopefully win) marbles, to use as slingshot ammunition. But for reasons I never questioned or investigated (but about which I’m very curious now), there was a small vineyard in the field behind our house, and I was able to climb over the fence and retrieve dozens of small, hard, green grapes. They turned out to be excellent ammunition … but I never did find any lizards.
9. A few months before my parents left for New York, I told them about the latest craze sweeping the neighborhood: “English bikes,” with three speeds, thin tires, and hand-brakes. I desperately wanted one, but Dad said it was far too expensive for him to buy as a frivolous gift for me: at the time, English bikes had an outrageous price tag of $25. I was told that I would have to earn the money myself if I wanted one … and the going rate for young, scrawny kids who shoveled sidewalks, pulled weeds from gardens, and did babysitting chores, was 25 cents per hour. That works out to 100 hours of work … but I did it, over the course of the next few months, and when I got to New York, the first thing I did was buy my English bike.
10. Toward the end of my 7th-grade school year, everyone in my class was subjected to a vision test: we were lined up in alphabetical order, and one-by-one read off a series of letters that we could barely see on a large placard taped onto the classroom blackboard. Because my surname starts with a “Y,” I was usually near the end of the line … and by the time I got to the front, I had usually memorized the letters (because they never bothered to change them, from one student to the next) without even realizing it consciously. But on this particular occasion in 7th grade, for some reason, they decided to line us up in reverse alphabetical order … and I was the first in line. For the first time in my life, I realized that I could not see anything of the letters, and that I was woefully near-sighted. When I got to New York, my parents took me to an optometrist to get my first set of glasses (and, yes, all of the neighborhood kids did begin taunting me immediately: “Four eyes! Four eyes!”) … and I’ve worn glasses ever since.
Three years after I arrived in New York, the glasses saved my vision when a home-brewed mix of gunpowder and powdered aluminum blew up in my face in the school chemistry lab (where I had an after-school volunteer job as a “lab assistant”). I suffered 2nd-degree burns on my face from the explosion, but the glasses protected my eyes. That, however, is a different story for a different time.
Acte 2
The Girls
The two giggling girls had just gotten in their car to head off in pursuit of more drinking fun in the city.
Micke looked over at her cousin settling in the leather passenger seat. Her plush black velvet dress with its rhinestone trimmings gently flickering along down her figure. The subdued sparkling of her diamond earrings and ring held a rather fetching attractiveness.
Micke wished she had real diamonds to wear out like that. It was one of the reasons that made her snatch up the diamond bracelet when she saw the opportunity.
Verity pulled a blanket from the back jump seat, then leaned back in the Leather seat closing her eyes as Micke finished settling in.
Verity suddenly giggled at a thought.
Opening her eyes she turned toward Micke, saying...
“You missed your calling luv...”
Micke laughed as she started the engine before answering ...
“Now just how is that, Verity ?”
Verity had already closed her eyes again and did not open them as she explained...
Raising her right wrist, the one her erstwhile diamond bracelet had earlier adorned she waved it saying sleepily.
“Lovely trick you pulled to steal my bracelet back there, you should consider training to becoming a thief.”
Micke smiled wickedly at the compliment.
“Find me a thief to train under, and I just may become one Verity, To steal your diamonds my pretty one...
Verity turned to look at her cousin, smirking, as Micke pulled into the sports car inro gear and drove out of the parking lot and onto the road.
They both waved to their new friend still standing on the sidewalk.
As they drive along the Main Street Verity teased...
“Maybe I would find a thief for you, if I knew how to find one.”
She sighed ...
“But probably thieves like that only really exist in the movies and on the Telly luv. Like when they steal a girl’s ring or necklace without her catching on. Doesn’t happen in real life. “
“Yep,” answered Micke.
“Or l like slipping off a pair diamond earrings by a bloke your dancing with, like that kidnapping thief did on Gilligan’s Island. Pure tosh that. “
Verity opened her eyes wide, then Re-enacted from that show by letting her hand dart up to sweep back her long red silky hair, fully exposing the long diamond earring she wore, while quoting from the show ...
“You were lovely, ...you wore your hair up, didn’t you!”
She let her hair down and gently tugged at her expensive earring as she continued mimicking the scene from the show...
“Gorgeous, just gorgeous...”
She looked over at the giggling Micke, smiling gleefully at her wit...
“Forgot about that one...”
Your very right Micke, Thieves that slick simply does not exist or are caught readily enough if they try something that foolish.”
“The ones you need to worry about Micke are the professional jewel thieves. And no worries, there are none around here. “
Micke nodded her head in a happily secure manner, her earrings dimly glittering reddish and gold fire.
They then drove off thoughtfully as they headed towards their next destination.
Suddenly Micke was taken from her deep mulling as she felt Verity’s fingers tickling upon her sleeve.
“Wotcher up to now Verity?
“Just trying to steal my bracelet back.”
She said innocently
“Your right. Bloody awful thieves we would be. And Verity, I'm wearing your bracelet on my other wrist. “
She wriggled that wrist as both girls began giggling uncontrollably as they drove off into the night.
£££££££££
The Stranger
As the last auto disappeared around the curve leaving the village, I turned and walked across the quiet street to my own Italian-made sports car, where it now sat alone on the now deserted block next to the empty church lot.
With the powerful car engine purring, matching my anticipated mood, I headed the car back out into the road leading from town.
Taking an unhurried pace, I backtracked a bit till I reached a different turn just before the highway to the city, and went down a new road that soon followed the river.
About 30 minutes traveling down this road I spotted a turnaround and pulled off.
Pulling out my gold case I selected a long cigarette, clicked the case thoughtfully closed, tapping the cigarette on the lid as I walked over to the river bank.
I gave out a small, deliciously relieved sigh as I lit the cigarette with my gold lighter and drew in the smoke looking up at the full moon.
I let it out in a long long pleasing puff and watched with yet another relieved sigh as the wisp of smoke moves over the gently flowing currents of the river.
Comfortable now that I was safely alone and unobserved, I reached into a hidden pocket and wrapped my fingers around the hard sharp object that lay inside.
I then pulled out the long shimmery diamond bracelet that Micke had been proudly, if not recklessly, wearing after snatching the jewelry from unwary Verity, whilst both had been in the loo.
I held it up dangling in front of my eyes, losing myself within its richly expensive fiery sparkles as it was caught in the full moon's rays.
I chuckled openly over my lucky cleverness at acquiring the girl’s diamond bracelet.
€€€€€
It had turned out to be a piece of cake, caressing the piece of expensive jewelry of the wriggling drunk Micke’s wrist without notice!
To be honest, I had actually been Just past drooling over the alluring, but apparently unobtainable, diamonds Verity was sporting.
I had placed them out of my mind as I considered leaving the party and heading back on the road.
Then Micke had plopped down next to me and incredibly had flashed the sparkling beauty up under my nose as it slid down her underneath the satin blouse’s cuff.
My mouth began again to water over diamonds.
It had also allowed me a good opportunity to closely look it over. And what I saw (the twit had left the bloody safety clasp undone) whetted my appetite and I began to light-heartedly scheme in my mind over the delight it would be to acquire it.
But time was running out, the pub would be soon be closing. So my thoughts were a mere bit of whimsy, or so I imagined...
Then, seeing as the giddy pair were so freely giving hugs to those buying them shots, I saw a spur of the moment opportunity came a knocking as Verity left Micke’s side to give a hug to an admirer who had bought her a shot.
I quickly went and added 2 shots onto my tab as I paid it in full.
Taking one, I winked mischievously to the bar mistress to tell Micke the other was from one of the dart throwers, a laddie name Merrick...
I walked over to Micke as the shot and message were delivered.
She had happily downed the shot as I did my own with her, clinking our empty glasses and setting them upside down on the bar. Then she a bit unsteadily rose. I helped her up and she fell against me, laughing.
I joined her in laughing, but I saw my chance as the bracelet was exposed and I automatically began to reach down for it.
But out of the corner of my eye, I saw the bar mistress directly behind us, collecting the empty shot glasses, and decided the risk was too great.
So I let my silken-covered prey(and the diamonds) slip loose from my grasp.
Micke began to scurry, almost tripping over the hem of her skirt, over to Merrick, with me in close tow.
Reaching the surprised lad she grabbed and enveloped him in a tight warm hug, leaning heavily against him.
Seeing no one watching us this time, I came in from around behind and pressed up playfully against them, with Micke’s hands at my stomach. I could feel her fancy rings digging splendidly into my skin, through the thin white silk turtleneck I was wearing, as I grasped her arms just above the elbows and pressed into her.
It took only seconds but seemed to me far longer.
I slipped my fingers ever so nimbly down to the sleeve of her blouse, and pulling the cuff of her blouse up with my right hand, exposed the shimmering bracelet.
I as I held the blouse’s cuff up with two fingers of my right hand, I pressed my thump up into her arm to divert any focus of unusual feelings she may experience there.
With the diamond bracelet now exposed, it was a simple matter of locating the clasp, with my left hand, wedging my index finger in between Micke’s wrist and the bracelet.
Almost at the same time, I managed to quickly press my left thumb up against the hinge to release the clip and grasp a loose end as it separated ( thanking in my mind pretty Micke for not setting the safety chain).
And “Bobs your Uncle”, I had the fancy diamond-encrusted bracelet she was wearing slipped off from around her wrist and secreted in my hidden pocket, easy peasy as you please. And thank you, Micke.
As I let go of her arm with my right hand, the white satin blouse’s long cuff slipped back down covering up the evidence of my dirty deed.
I was humming a happy tune(Gregg Altman’s ’m no angel) to myself as Micke finished her hugging of the bewildered Merrick.
Then, with her leaning tiredly against my shoulder, we went over to her cousin Verity and her boisterous crew.
The keep just then hollered over the commotion “Closing”, and we all turned to leave as a group.
Neither of the sozzled girls became the wiser over the bracelet being nicked again, this time for real, as we all then parted for the evening….
But even if they had. I harbored no doubts they would assume it had fallen off.
Verity and Micke were that innocent to the wicked ways of this world.
“An innocent abroad.., “ to quote Twain.
I suppose everyone has heard the phrase looking like a million. Well, young Verity had been wearing very close to that in diamonds in my estimate, as she had entered the pub this evening.
And even after being relieved(twice)of her flashy bracelet, sweet Verity still was wearing well up in six figures of remaining diamonds...
My mind came back to the present as I continued to hold the bracelet up catching the rays of the moon, but my eyes no longer were able to focus on it.
Out loud I said...
“Pity it was, to let her go on wearing those lovely earrings and ring.”
Having admitted that to myself, I suddenly felt an odd inkling at the back of my head that I may have just let a golden million £ opportunity drive right by me tonight.
I shook my head to clear those annoying thoughts, running my free hand through my hair as I felt an urge to get back on the road.
“time was now a wasting ...”
So, once again humming my happy tune, I placed the bracelet carefully back inside my pocket.
I then threw the cigarette spiraling into the river before, with happy satisfaction, I headed back to my sports car.
I started the engine pulled out back on the main road.
Not a meter down the road I see headlights suddenly looming up behind me. I watch with some interest, some trepidation.
But then it turned down into the very parking area I had just left.
My luck was holding I told myself, letting out some breath. Happily, I headed off to the adventures my next stop promised to offer.
Embolden by the success of my last.
Involuntary and uncontrollable
Did you know you cannot make yourself blush? I wish I could make myself NOT blush.
Although I have years of public speaking and performing experience, I still find myself blushing when unexpectedly asked to speak up in a group. I only make it worse by blushing about blushing. There’s no hiding the pink on my pale skin.
Blazer, Caslon (thrifted). Tank, Gembera. Skirt, Topshop. Loafers, Doc Marten. Earrings and scarf, gifts. Bag, Pom Pom London.
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David M. Densford, Chinook pilot with 4,000 flight hours and 24 years in the CH-47 models A thru F, has compiled the following 14 amazing facts on this legendary helicopter based on his experiences (found on theaviationgeekclub.com/did-you-know-that-ch-47-crew-can-... ):
1. Originally the A-model fuel system consisted of 550 gallons of Jet A split between 2 main tanks bolted to the side without a self-sealing internal rubber bladder. When we dropped the tanks for airframe inspections we had to put a LOT of goop around the edges when we reinstalled them and then pressure test them for leaks. As a result, they made a huge mess if any of the mount bolts failed during the pressure test.
2. The A-models also started life with L-7 turbines that only put out 1,300 shp each.
3. Max gross weight was 33,000 lbs
4. It originally had a single center hook and could lift a whopping 10,000 lbs. When conditions were right and we got the load off the ground the airframe shook uncontrollably.
5. With the L7 and later L11 engines and improved self-sealing fuel tanks we had a flight time of about 1.5 hours before needing to look for a landing spot.
6. The old rotor system (including the swashplate) was filled with mil-l-7808 light oil which needed constant servicing. Centrifugal force would sling oil everywhere, which is why old CH-47's look so stained in old photographs.
7. The old asymmetric metal rotor blades were prone to failure and would shake the dental work out of your mouth before you could get on the ground.
8. And we were fast! Take the old girl up, point her nose down, pull back on the RRPM and she could do 190 knots!
9. Engine failures were not to be feared since at 5,000 ft we could glide for 5 miles looking for suitable landing area.
10. The tandem rotors are synchronized by a long aluminum 7-section drive shaft running along the top. The airframe was designed to flex so the shafting had to flex as well. Each section was held in place in brackets and supported by aluminum vibration absorbing “Lord” mounts. We had to go up top and inspect those metal springs after every flight because the metal would fatigue fail which could leave pieces up there that might cut the shaft. Then the forward and aft blades would collide, pretty much ripping one or both pylons off the airframe.
11. We could land on water, shut down, climb up on top for a photo, then get back in, start up and take off.
12. On a B-model we even landed in the Panama Canal and used the hydraulic wheel steering control like a rudder for turning.
13. Rumor is that during the evacuation at the end of Vietnam, one CH-47 took off with 100 souls on board but landed with 101 as a lady gave birth during flight. During the Desert Storm cleanup, I was able to pack 65 standing room only Iraqi POWs in my cabin. Thank God they were docile as we were only issued a .38 and one Barney Fife bullet.
14. The old floors were held down with hundreds of stupid #2 Philip’s head screws. We had to pull the floors every 30 days to inspect “the bilge” for cracks and mildew. This was in the days before cordless drills and many of those stupid shallow headed screws stripped out. In the early 80s, I took it upon myself to switch the screws to bolts and used a socket. Then I went to Sears and bought myself one of those new 6-volt battery powered screwdrivers and a socket adapter. Afterward, the Quality Control department went off on me for making an unauthorized modification to the airframe and using an unauthorized tool to do it. They made me take every bolt out and put the screws back in. A month later, the Army authorized the modifications and I ordered enough bolts for our whole fleet in Panama.
This photo was taken in 2013 during my previous Project 365…please visit my album for this “REMASTERED” Project 365 as I revisit each day of 2013 for additional photos to share!!
Technical Information (or Nerdy Stuff):
Camera - Nikon D5200 (handheld)
Lens – Nikkor 18-300mm Zoom
ISO – 250
Aperture – f/5.6
Exposure – 1/1000 second
Focal Length – 250mm
The original RAW file was processed with Adobe Camera Raw and final adjustments were made with Photoshop CS6.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the link below: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/
“100% tourist, 0% time space continuum integrity”
“After being fused with the Kanohi Olmak, Vezon went on his many (unintentional) interdimensional adventures. On these trips, he has the uncontrollable urge to hoard everything that looks remotely valuable, with all of the consequences of such actions. This is what led to him getting his hands on the story bible, which he now uses to complete his collection of non-cannon masks.”
This a bit of a joke build that I did based on some derailed conversations with friends. After reading the serials, I always jokingly imagined Vezon to be a Deadpool like character, a loose cannon with some comedy aspects (preferably voiced by Jack Black).
Hello again all. This year, aside from a daily photo, I'm going to be working through a Stoicism book in the hope of ingesting some much needed wisdom. It conveniently has 366 meditations, ideal for a leap year such as this. Today's lesson is from Epictetus
"The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own..."
Makes sense...I think it basically means not worrying about things I can't control. Slightly easier said than done. 😂
Self-portrait January 2025 ⭐️ This self-portrait was created with a disco ball, illuminated with a spotlight flashlight. A smoke machine was also used. The light spectacle was unbelievable 😊
This one was a really tricky self-portrait, because I photographed myself from a slightly lower perspective than I would normally do. And the light that fell on the disco ball was almost uncontrollable (angle the light which falls on the glass plates, etc.). Maybe this is an absolute lucky snapshot 😊
When she opens her eyes, there is nothing but darkness, a weightless sensation, as if she were caught somewhere between waking and dreaming. Then — a beam of light. A thin, pale shimmer descending from above, touching her face. With the light comes a whisper. And an echo.
The light expands. It fractures, as if something had been trapped within it. New rays burst forth in every direction, like cracks in a mirror as it shatters. With each new glimmer, a voice follows. Fragments of her past, scattered in the darkness—now gathered in the light.
Echoes.
Visit me on instagram to see behind the scenes of my photos :)
© 2025 Sabine Fischer
find me elsewhere:
instagram: sabinefey
portfolio: www.phoenixstudios.de
“I used to believe, although I don't now, that growing and growing up are analogous, that both are inevitable and uncontrollable processes. Now it seems to me that growing up is governed by the will, that one can choose to become an adult, but only at given moments...”
― Nick Hornby, Fever Pitch
be unruly even if under good emperors
music:
youtu.be/TmDkzVvherk?si=eC1eY3LbPaqYqHOZ
Portishead - Only You
youtu.be/wyUSfuL9dxY?si=CxSvJx7W6LzY1Z4r
Forest Swords - Panic (Official Video)
.
youtu.be/YD-yg0bpF7A?si=YQOlgrzeDuKMeN4F
Twilight of American Democracy: Mapping A Democratic Breakdown in the USA, with Bernard E. Harcourt
youtu.be/i6TaQD_4pfY?si=rmjTgFU7NoTOlbzA
Hegel and the Heritage Foundation: Family Resemblance and New Beginnings [Full Intro to Hegel 13/13]
Hegelian self-consciousness through the master-slave dialectic
Hegelian self-consciousness is the state where a being recognizes itself as a distinct, independent entity through its interaction with and acknowledgment by another self-conscious being. It is a dynamic process of self-reflection mediated by the "other" (another person or an object). For Hegel, a purely isolated consciousness cannot achieve true self-consciousness; recognition from another is necessary for one's existence to be affirmed, leading to the development of a unified, self-aware self.
Hegel's Master-Slave dialectic describes how self-consciousness develops through a life-or-death struggle for recognition between two individuals, leading to a reversal where the slave, through labor and engagement with the world, achieves a more profound and independent sense of self than the master, who remains dependent and dependent on the servant for sustenance and affirmation.
youtu.be/Da6cbuAfnbA?si=cDtz3SFrBZri_s4f
I, CLAUDIUS - 'Lost your stutter, too, I see' ( + ̂ )
youtu.be/bKz-HtOPvjE?si=3RoK3jCCflelHB_r
Hegel: the master-servant dialectic
youtu.be/9Dqyq-UjoVA?si=shtyiOKOfR3gCcxr
Hegel: Philosophy of world history and spirit
How do freedom, reason, passion, the state, and ethical life fit into the world-historical process?
youtu.be/EpFFyQ7rv8Q?si=VjFoh2I-oq5HQgmr
Mary Beard and Why America Isn’t Rome (And Why That Matters) | The David Frum Show
youtu.be/5i5mDO6ai_c?si=9He2nMD7lhDsyP_f
Rulers and Power | Mary Beard and David Mitchell
self-consciousness
unruly
I hope Americans never get to have a good emperor
forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit
perhaps even these things will be good to remember one day
Vincit qui se vincit
Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano
what have the romans ever done for us?
they believed in the republic... that's why they were killed
youtu.be/FeCTilEwRmY?si=oAHndul3fLoE3P-8
Claudius gets some valuable advice.
.
.
photo:
Portrait of Trajan
Venice, National Archaeological Museum
Inv. N. 5
Marble, 57 cm
Roman Imperial period
legate of Domenico Grimani, 1523
www.meravigliedivenezia.it/en/virtual-objects/MAN_128.html
National Archaeological Museum of Venice
Ritratto di Traiano
Venezia, Museo Archeologico Nazionale
Inv. N. 5
Marmo, h cm 57
Epoca romana imperiale
Legato di Domenico Grimani, 1523
www.meravigliedivenezia.it/it/oggetti-virtuali/MAN_128.html
Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Venezia
Do we need a master to self-actualize?
No, you do not need a "master" to self-actualize; it is an individual journey to realize one's full potential, and a master can be an unnecessary intermediary. Maslow's theory views self-actualization as an innate desire to become the best version of oneself, a process achievable by anyone through personal growth, self-acceptance, and engaging in fulfilling work that aligns with their aptitudes.
Understanding Self-Actualization
An inherent need: Self-actualization is a fundamental drive to fulfill one's potential.
An individual journey: The path to self-actualization is unique for each person and is not defined by external success, fame, or status.
A process, not an endpoint: It's a continuous journey of personal growth, not a final state of perfection.
What is Required for Self-Actualization?
Instead of a master, the focus should be on personal development:
Self-awareness and acceptance: Understanding and accepting yourself is a crucial first step.
Personal growth: This involves continuous learning, developing skills, and working on relationships.
Fulfillment: Engaging in activities that align with your intrinsic values and aptitudes brings a sense of fulfillment.
Mindfulness and presence: Living in the moment and letting go of self-doubt can foster progress.
Purpose and authenticity: Living a life aligned with your inner truth and purpose is key to self-actualization.
Esta es la primera de una serie de fotos tomadas desde el Coffee Costa, en New Oxford St., Londres. Había varias limitaciones que fueron un aliciente. Utilicé el agujero del respaldo de una de las sillas como marco, en el cristal había una estrella navideña, y un cartón entraba y salía de campo movido por el viento. El azar, ese elemento incontrolable y mágico, puso el resto. Tomé 253 imágenes entre sorbo y sorbo de un buen café. A Miriam, gracias por su amor y paciencia.
En esta colección de Los pasos perdidos iré mostrando algunas de esas imágenes.
This is the first of a photos serial taken from the Coffee Costa in New Oxford St., London. There were several limitations which became an incentive. I used the hole in of one of the chairs as a framework, the glass had a Christmas star sticked on it, and a cardboard entered and left the frame moved by the wind. Fate, uncontrollable and magical element, put the rest.
I took 253 pictures from sip to sip of coffee.
In this collection called "The lost steps" ("Los pasos perdidos"), I'll be showing some of those images.
To Miriam, thank you for your love and patience.
Yes, I'm afraid it's another Flight shot...!!!
As you know, Pied Stilts are not big birds, and nor is their wing span especially large. So how did this bird manage to remain in the air with its wings in this configuration???
And how, seconds after this shot was taken, did she or he manage to land without cartwheeling uncontrollably into the tidal pond it was aiming for???
All too often, we tend to look at the birds and creatures around us, and think that we're the smarter ones... But are we???
Thanks for visiting Folks, and thanks for taking the time and trouble to leave a Comment. It's always nice to hear from you...!
it totally goes with this song. really. bwahaha!!!
and how funny when a couple comes traipsing by and the man gives me Thee most horrified look when they find out I'm taking a self portrait...
and I was actually in a friendly chatty mood that evening but explanations just seemed to make it worse which cracked me up no end. Pretty sure they were telepathically telling each other to "make sure not to make eye contact with her. Remember what we've heard about Californian's..."
free o' charge folks! I make random appearances all around these parts. muahahaha!!!
oh and when it came to editing the light on the rock/cave entrance? Agony! I'm still unsure as to what exactly I did wrong but I suspect I might've (totally a word!) overexposed it. Yeah okay thinking about it a little harder that makes sense. SOB though!!!
love y'all
and a very lovely good night :)
xo
Something green today?
During the experimental detonation of a gamma bomb, scientist Robert Bruce Banner saves teenager Rick Jones who has driven onto the testing field; Banner pushes Jones into a trench to save him, but is hit with the blast, absorbing massive amounts of gamma radiation.
He awakens later seemingly unscathed, but that night transforms into a lumbering grey form. A pursuing soldier dubs the creature a "hulk". Originally, it was believed that Banner's transformations into the Hulk were caused by sunset and undone at sunrise, but later, after Rick witnessed Banner turn into Hulk at daytime following a failed attempt by Ross' men to shoot the Hulk into space, it was discovered to be caused by anger. Banner was cured, but chose to restore Hulk's powers with Banner's intelligence.
The gamma-ray machine needed to affect the transformation-induced side effects that made Banner temporarily sick and weak when returned to his normal state.
In September 1963, the Hulk became a founding member of the the Avengers, who would go on to become the premiere superhero team in the Marvel universe.
Soon, however, overuse of the gamma-ray machine rendered the Hulk as an uncontrollable, rampaging monster, subject to spontaneous changing.
In September 1964 the Hulk appeared as an antagonist for Giant-Man. It was established that stress was the trigger for Banner turning into the Hulk and vice versa.
It was during this time that the Hulk developed a more savage and childlike identity, shifting away from his original portrayal as a brutish but not entirely unintelligent figure.
Also, his memory, both long-term and short-term, would now become markedly impaired in his Hulk state. Tales to Astonish #64 (February 1965) was the last Hulk story to feature him speaking in complete sentences. In Tales to Astonish #77 (March 1966), Banner's and the Hulk's dual identity became publicly known when Rick Jones, mistakenly convinced that Banner was dead (when he actually had been catapulted into the future), told Major Glenn Talbot, a rival to Banner for the affections of Betsy Ross, the truth.
Consequently, Glenn informed his superiors and that turned Banner into a wanted fugitive upon returning to the present.
The 1970s saw Banner and Betty nearly marry in The Incredible Hulk #124 (February 1970). Betty ultimately married Talbot in issue #158 (Dec. 1972). The Hulk also traveled to other dimensions, one of which had him meet empress Jarella, who used magic to bring Banner's intelligence to the Hulk, and came to love him. The Hulk helped to form the Defenders.
In the 1980s, Banner once again gained control over the Hulk, and gained amnesty for his past rampages; however, due to the manipulations of supernatural character Nightmare, Banner eventually lost control over the Hulk.
It was also established that Banner had serious mental problems even before he became the Hulk, having suffered childhood traumas that engendered Bruce's repressed rage.
Banner comes to terms with his issues for a time, and the Hulk and Banner were physically separated by Doc Samson.
Banner is recruited by the U.S. government to create the Hulkbusters, a government team dedicated to catching the Hulk. Banner finally married Betty in The Incredible Hulk #319 (May 1986) following Talbot's death in 1981.
Banner and the Hulk were reunited in The Incredible Hulk #323 (Sep. 1986) and with issue #324, returned the Hulk to his grey coloration, with his transformations once again occurring at night, regardless of Banner's emotional state.
In issue #347 the grey Hulk persona "Joe Fixit" was introduced, a morally ambiguous Las Vegas enforcer and tough guy. Banner remained repressed in the Hulk's mind for months, but slowly began to reappear.
The 1990s saw the Green Hulk return. In issue #377 (Jan. 1991), the Hulk was revamped in a storyline that saw the various dissociative identities of Banner, Fixit, and Savage confront Banner's past abuse at the hands of his father Brian and a new "Guilt" identity.
Overcoming the trauma, the intelligent Banner, cunning Fixit, and powerful Savage identities merge into a new single entity possessing the traits of all three.
The Hulk also joined the Pantheon, a secretive organization of superpowered individuals. His tenure with the organization brought the Hulk into conflict with a tyrannical alternate future version of himself called the Maestro in the 1993 Future Imperfect miniseries, who rules over a world where many heroes are dead.
In 2000, Banner and the three Hulks (Savage, Fixit, and the "Merged Hulk", now considered a separate identity and referred to as the Professor) become able to mentally interact with one another, each identity taking over the shared body as Banner began to weaken due to his suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease.
During this, the four identities (including Banner) confronted yet another submerged identity, a sadistic "Devil" intent on attacking the world and attempting to break out of Banner's fracturing psyche, but the Devil was eventually locked away again when the Leader was able to devise a cure for the disease using genes taken from the corpse of Brian Banner.
In 2005, it is revealed that the Nightmare has manipulated the Hulk for years, and it is implied that some or all of the Hulk's adventures written by Bruce Jones may have been just an illusion.
In 2006, the Illuminati decide the Hulk is too dangerous to remain on Earth and send him away by rocket ship which crashes on Planet Sakaar ushering in the "Planet Hulk" storyline that saw the Hulk find allies in the Warbound, and marry alien queen Caiera, a relationship that was later revealed to have born him two sons: Skaar and Hiro-Kala.
After the Illuminati's ship explodes and kills Caiera, the Hulk returns to Earth with his superhero group Warbound and declares war on the planet in World War Hulk (2007).
However, after learning that Miek, one of the Warbound, had actually been responsible for the destruction, the Hulk allows himself to be defeated, with Banner subsequently redeeming himself as a hero as he works with and against the new Red Hulk to defeat the new supervillain team the Intelligencia.
In the 2010s, Hiro-Kala traveled to Earth to destroy the OldStrong Power wielded by Skaar, forcing Skaar and the Hulk to defeat and imprison him within his home planet.
During the 2011 Fear Itself storyline, the Hulk finds one of the Serpent's magical hammers associated with the Worthy and becomes Nul: Breaker of Worlds. As he starts to transform, the Hulk tells the Red She-Hulk to run far away from him.
Rampaging through South and Central America, Nul was eventually transported to New York City where he began battling Thor, with aid of the Thing, who was transformed into Angrir: Breaker of Souls.
After defeating the Thing, Thor stated that he never could beat the Hulk, and instead removed him from the battle by launching him into Earth orbit, after which Thor collapsed from exhaustion.
Landing in Romania, Nul immediately began heading for the base of the vampire-king Dracula. Opposed by Dracula's forces, including a legion of monsters, Nul was seemingly unstoppable.
Only after the intervention of Raizo Kodo's Forgiven was Nul briefly slowed. Ultimately, Nul makes his way to Dracula's castle where the timely arrival of Kodo and Forgiven member Inka, disguised as Betty Ross, is able to throw off the effects of the Nul possession. Throwing aside the hammer, the Hulk regains control, and promptly leaves upon realizing "Betty's" true nature.
With the crisis concluded, the Hulk contacted Doctor Doom for help separating him and Banner for good in return for an unspecified favor. Doom proceeded to perform brain surgery on the Hulk, extracting the uniquely Banner elements from the Hulk's brain and cloning a new body for Banner.
When Doctor Doom demands to keep Banner for his own purposes, the Hulk reneges on the deal and flees with Banner's body, leaving his alter ego in the desert where he was created to ensure that Doctor Doom cannot use Banner's intellect.
When Banner goes insane due to his separation from the Hulk, irradiating an entire tropical island trying to recreate his transformation- something he cannot do as the cloned body lacks the genetic elements of Banner that allowed him to process the gamma radiation- the Hulk is forced to destroy his other side by letting him be disintegrated by a gamma bomb, prompting the Hulk to accuse Doom of tampering with Banner's mind, only for Doom to observe that what was witnessed was simply Banner without the Hulk to use as a scapegoat for his problems.
Initially assuming that Banner is dead, the Hulk soon realizes that Banner was somehow "re-combined" with him when the gamma bomb disintegrated Banner's body, resulting in the Hulk finding himself waking up in various strange locations, including helping the Punisher confront a drug cartel run by a mutated dog, hunting sasquatches with Kraven the Hunter, and being forced to face Wolverine and the Thing in an old SHIELD base.
Banner eventually leaves a video message for the Hulk in which he apologizes for his actions while they were separate, having come to recognize that he is a better person with the Hulk than without, the two joining forces to thwart the Doombots' attempt to use the animals on Banner's irradiated island as the basis for a new gamma army using a one-of-a-kind gamma cure Banner had created to turn all the animals back to normal.
Following this, Bruce willingly joined the spy organization S.H.I.E.L.D., allowing them to use the Hulk as a weapon in exchange for providing him with the means and funding to create a lasting legacy for himself.
After the Hulk had suffered brain damage upon being shot in the head by the Order of the Shield- the assassin having been carefully trained to target Bruce at just the right part of the brain to incapacitate him without triggering a transformation- Iron Man used the Extremis to cure the Hulk.
This procedure also increased Banner's mental capacity, which gave him the intelligence to tweak the Extremis virus within him and unleash a new persona for the Hulk: the super-intelligent Doc Green.
During the 2014 "Original Sin" storyline, Bruce Banner confronted by the eye of the murdered Uatu the Watcher. Bruce temporarily experienced some of Tony Stark's memories of their first meeting before either of them became the Hulk or Iron Man. During this vision, Bruce witnessed Tony modifying the gamma bomb to be more effective prompting Bruce to realize that Tony was essentially responsible for him becoming the Hulk in the first place.
Subsequent research reveals that Tony's tampering had actually refined the bomb's explosive potential so that it would not disintegrate everyone within the blast radius, with the result that Tony's actions had actually saved Bruce's life.
In the 2014 "AXIS" storyline, when a mistake made by the Scarlet Witch causes various heroes and villains to experience a moral inversion, Bruce Banner attended a meeting between Nick Fury Jr. and Maria Hill of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers who refused to turn over Red Skull.
Later when he sided with Edwin Jarvis and tried to prevent his teammates from executing the Red Skull, the Hulk was thrown aside by Luke Cage.
The Hulk's sorrow at his friends' betrayal awakened a new persona known as the bloodthirsty Kluh (described as the Hulk's Hulk, being the ruthless part of himself that even the Hulk repressed) with this new version easily defeating the Avengers, sneering that the Hulk they knew was nothing more than a "sad piece of 'Doc Green's' ID." Kluh then leaves to wreak havoc, with Nova attempting to stop him after witnessing his rampage with the remaining good heroes.
As with the other inverted Avengers and X-Men, Kluh was restored to Hulk when Brother Voodoo was summoned back to life by Doctor Doom so that Daniel Drumm's ghost can possess the Scarlet Witch and undo the inversion.
With his newfound intellect, Doc Green came to the conclusion that the world was in danger by Gamma Mutates and thus needed to be depowered. He developed a serum made from Adamantium nanobites that absorbed gamma energy.
He used these to depower Red Leader, Red She-Hulk, Red Hulk, Skaar, Gamma Corps, and A-Bomb, but decided to 'spare' She-Hulk as he concluded that she was the one gamma mutation whose life had been legitimately improved by her mutation. At the close of the storyline, Doc Green discovered that he was beginning to disappear as the result of the Extremis serum wearing off. He ultimately allowed himself to fade away, returning to his normal Hulk form, as he feared that remaining at his current intellectual level would lead to him becoming the Maestro.
During the 2015 "Secret Wars" storyline, the Hulk took part in the incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-1610. The Hulk used the "Fastball Special" with Colossus to destroy the Triskelion.
As part of the 2015–2018 All-New, All-Different Marvel branding, Amadeus Cho becomes the new Hulk. Flashbacks reveal that the Hulk had absorbed a dangerous new type of radiation while helping Iron Man and the Black Panther deal with a massive accident on Kiber Island. Fearing the Hulk's meltdown would kill countless innocents, Cho was able to use special nanites to absorb the Hulk from Banner and take it into himself to become his own version of the Hulk, leaving Banner normal and free from the Hulk.
He is then rescued from a bar fight by Amadeus, who tells him that he is cured. Having confirmed that he can no longer transform or sense the Hulk, Bruce spends some time traveling across America taking various risks such as driving at high speeds, running away from a bear, or gambling in Las Vegas, until he is confronted by Tony Stark out of concern that Bruce has a death wish. Bruce instead acknowledges that he still harbors guilt and rage over how so many of the Hulk's rampages were provoked by various agencies refusing to leave him alone.
During the 2016 "Civil War II" storyline, the vision of the Inhuman Ulysses shows a rampaging Hulk standing over the corpses of the superheroes. Meanwhile, Bruce Banner is shown to have set up a laboratory in Alpine, Utah, where he is approached by Captain Marvel, followed by Tony Stark, the rest of the Avengers, the X-Men, and the Inhumans.
The confrontation leads to the Beast hacking into Banner's work servers and the revelation that he had been injecting himself with dead gamma-irradiated cells. S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill places him under arrest. Banner gets infuriated at all these events, when suddenly, Hawkeye shoots Banner with an arrow to the head and then to the heart, apparently killing him, much to the dismay and horror of the superheroes, especially Tony Stark.
At an Avengers-presided tribunal, Hawkeye states that Bruce Banner had approached him and ordered him to kill him if he ever showed signs of turning into the Hulk again. At the funeral, Korg of the Warbound stated how Hulk wanted to be left alone and how his allies that he made along the way have become his family. In his video will, Bruce leaves various items to other heroes and his allies including leaving Doctor Strange his notes on the Hulk's ability to perceive ghosts and an egg-timer for the various former/current other Hulks (based on one of Bruce's more successful attempts to control himself as he would sit down for three minutes doing nothing before making a particularly big decision and then decide if he still wanted to do it).
Following the funeral of Bruce Banner, the Hand in allegiance with Daniel Drumm's ghost steal Bruce Banner's body in order to use the dead to bolster their ranks. When the reassembled Uncanny Avengers went to Japan and attempted to enlist Elektra for help in stopping the Hand, the ritual that the Hand performed has been completed as the Uncanny Avengers are attacked by a revived Hulk who is wearing samurai armor.
The Uncanny Avengers were able to contain Hulk's rampage and sever his mystical link to the Beast of the Hand. Afterward, Hulk regressed back to Bruce Banner and returned to the dead.[93]
During the 2017 "Secret Empire" storyline, Arnim Zola used an unknown method to temporarily revive Bruce Banner, and the Hydra Supreme version of Captain America persuades his Hulk side to attack the Underground's hideout called the Vault. He fought Thing and Giant-Man's A.I.Vengers until the temporary revival started to wear off and caused Hulk to die again.
During the "No Surrender" arc, the exiled Elder of the Universe Challenger revives Hulk to be his ace in the hole during a contest between his Black Order and Grandmaster's Lethal Legion.
Hulk participated since he knew that Earth will be destroyed either way while his Bruce Banner suspects that Hulk's revivals were a manifestation of Hulk's immortality. While defeating Cannonball and Living Lightning, breaking Vision, and draining the gamma energy out of Robert Maverick's Hulk Plug-In, Wonder Man successfully reasoned with him as Hulk destroyed the Pyarmoid in Voyager's possession. After feeling remorse for what happened, Bruce Banner became Hulk and faced off against Challenger. After Challenger sent Hulk into Earth's orbit, Hulk was pleased that he managed to hurt Challenger.
While maintaining a low profile, Bruce Banner was shot by Tommy Hill of the Dogs of Hell biker gang during a robbery that also claimed the lives of Sandy Brockhurst and Josh Alfaro. He came back to life and turned into Hulk where he badly beat up Tommy Hill. The witnesses in the Dogs of Hell told Detective Gloria Mayes of the attacker as she and reporter Jackie McGee have a suspicion that it was Hulk even though Banner is believed to be dead.
During the events of "Absolute Carnage," the Venom Symbiote takes Bruce as its host to fight Carnage. Inside of Bruce's mind, Bruce converses with the Venom Symbiote as the other Hulk identities such as Joe Fixit and Savage add their opinions about their current situation.
Devil (in his more traditional-looking reptilian form) is against the symbiote's presence in Bruce and says it should be removed immediately, saying they have more important matters to deal with. In the end, Bruce, Fixit, and Savage agree to collaborate with the Venom Symbiote and Devil storms off, saying they are making a mistake. As Bruce states that the vote is three to one with two abstentions, he welcomes the Venom symbiote to the family.
Powers and abilities
Bruce Banner
Considered to be one of the greatest scientific minds on Earth, Banner possesses "a mind so brilliant it cannot be measured on any known intelligence test."
Norman Osborn estimates that he is the fourth most-intelligent person on Earth. Banner holds expertise in biology, chemistry, engineering, medicine, physiology, and nuclear physics.
Using this knowledge, he creates advanced technology dubbed "Bannertech", which is on par with technological development from Tony Stark or Doctor Doom. Some of these technologies include a force field that can protect him from the attacks of Hulk-level entities, and a teleporter.
After becoming a fugitive from the law, Banner is forced to go on the run and over the years learns various skills in order to both survive and remain under radar of those who are hunting him.
Banner’s most frequent method of travel includes hitchhiking, train hopping or simply just walking as he is unable to travel legally via planes, passenger ships or buses due to being in several travel watchlists.
Banner is generally on the move and rarely ever stays in one place for very long and only does so if there’s a possibility of curing himself. He will only ever stay in one place for an extended period of time if it provides him with complete solitude and privacy where the Hulk can do little to no harm.
To avoid being tracked, Banner does not use cell phones, debit or credit cards and will only use payphone’s or cash. He will often use fake identities when staying at motels or working jobs that require identification.
Having been on the run for years, Banner can normally tell when he is being followed and will generally make a run for it when he is discovered. Having traveled across the globe, Banner is able to sneak over borders without being detected and can get by, by either knowing or learning the local language. Often traveling light, Banner has little to no possessions that he carries in either a satchel or backpack.
Often losing everything he owns after transforming into the Hulk, Banner avoids keeping anything of personal value to him so that he can easily replace the items and clothes that were lost or destroyed.
To support himself financially, Banner will work quick part time jobs and will only accept payments in cash. These jobs have varied from simply working in low pay diners to working as local doctor.
Banner’s work ethic as well as his vast knowledge and skillset in science, medicine and engineering often help him get hired rather quickly. Unless desperate, Banner will generally avoid jobs that are high stress due to the potential danger of transforming into the Hulk.
During his travels, Banner has developed several different techniques to help suppress or control his transformations when he becomes a little angry or upset.
Among the techniques he’s learned over the years include meditation and hypnotherapy. While they have helped him to better understand and suppress his transformations, none of techniques Banner has learned have helped him to gain full control over the Hulk.
The Hulk possesses the potential for seemingly limitless physical strength that is influenced by his emotional state, particularly his anger.
This has been reflected in the repeated comment "The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets." The cosmically powerful entity known as the Beyonder once analyzed the Hulk's physiology, and claimed that the Hulk's potential strength had "no finite element inside."
Hulk's strength has been depicted as sometimes limited by Banner's subconscious influence; when Jean Grey psionically "shut Banner off", Hulk became strong enough to overpower and destroy the physical form of the villain Onslaught.
Writer Greg Pak described the Worldbreaker Hulk shown during World War Hulk as having a level of physical power where "Hulk was stronger than any mortal—and most immortals—who ever walked the Earth" and depicted the character as powerful enough to completely destroy entire planets.
His strength allows him to leap into lower Earth orbit or across continents, and he has displayed superhuman speed.
Exposure to radiation has also been shown to make the Hulk stronger. It is unknown how he gains biomass during transformation but it may be linked to subatomic black matter.
His durability, regeneration, and endurance also increase in proportion to his temper. Hulk is resistant to injury or damage, though the degree to which varies between interpretations, but he has withstood the equivalent of solar temperatures, nuclear explosions, and planet-shattering impacts.
Despite his remarkable resiliency, continuous barrages of high-caliber gunfire can hinder his movement to some degree while he can be temporarily subdued by intense attacks with chemical weapons such as anesthetic gases, although any interruption of such dosages will allow him to quickly recover.
He has been shown to have both regenerative and adaptive healing abilities, including growing tissues to allow him to breathe underwater, surviving unprotected in space for extended periods, and when injured, healing from most wounds within seconds, including, on one occasion, the complete destruction of most of his body mass.
His future self, the "Maestro", was even eventually able to recover from being blown to pieces. As an effect, he has an extremely prolonged lifespan.
He also possesses less commonly described powers, including abilities allowing him to "home in" to his place of origin in New Mexico; resist psychic control, or unwilling transformation; grow stronger from radiation or dark magic; punch his way between separate temporal or spatial dimensions; and to see and interact with astral forms.
Some of these abilities were in later years explained as being related; his ability to home in on the New Mexico bomb site was due to his latent ability to sense astral forms and spirits, since the bomb site was also the place where the Maestro's skeleton was and the Maestro's spirit was calling out to him in order to absorb his radiation.
He is also shown to have a separate memory to Bruce Banner - when Spider-Man has the knowledge of his secret identity erased during Spider-Man: One More Day, the Hulk later asks how Peter is doing, not Spider-Man; upon questioning, he enigmatically states "Banner forgot. But I don't forget."
⚡ Happy 🎯 Heroclix 💫 Friday! 👽
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A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Secret Identity: Robert Bruce Banner
Publisher: Marvel
First appearance: The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962)
Created by: Stan Lee (Writer)
Jack Kirby (Artist)
This shot has a lot of meaning to me. I took this in the morning of July, 1994, in Yosemite National Park. We had spent the night camped out here, at about 10,000 feet, but it had not been a good night for me. Having hiked nearly 30 miles over the previous couple of days, I was suffering from a combination of altitude sickness and exhaustion.
In the middle of the night, I woke up shaking uncontrollably (shivering); I could not stop. I viewed this as a very bad sign, health-wise, and needed to get to a lower elevation.
The next morning, feeling awful and unable to drink the iodine-infused water, I got this picture (on 35mm color film) before hiking down to Tanaka Lake.
The memory is unforgettable; I had wondered if I would make it out of there at all. Fortunately, I did. My memories of Yosemite will always include this perilous experience, as well as the beautiful scenes.
(This image was scanned from the 4x6 photo and then edited to reduce noise. If 1994 qualifies as "vintage", then this is vintage!)
When I was looking for some new textures today (always looking!!), I came across this postcard on SophieG* www.flickr.com/photos/-smallfish-/ site and I just loved it.
I've only included a small part of the text on the photo but what was important to me was the CHERIE AMIE.
So this is for all my darling friends who:
Bring me Protea's
Who make me laugh uncontrollably
Who are incredibly generous
Who share my pain and sorrow
Who let me talk on and on and on !!!!!
Who let ME be ME
Where would I be without you all!!!!!
SNEAKED INTO EXPLORE #490 12TH SEPTEMBER