#Its already friday in Korea

[yearofinstitutionalization]

Living in My Day of Denial and Separation

#Its already friday in Korea #Will miss you Yoongi #denial #my year of rest and relaxation #reference #but with more BTS #context is important #delulu #bts army #bts #agustd #agust d #suga #yoongi marry me #bts suga #kpop #bts edits #bts gif #suga gif #suga bts #suga be safe #min yoongi #yoongi #bantang boys #run bts #valentino #valentino fall 2023 couture #marie claire #suga fashion show #rap line

[sunboki]

— FOR THE NIGHT. a Christopher Bahng fiction

Christopher Bahng x fem. reader

WORD COUNT. 1.1k words

AUG'S NOTES. this bangchan is from my “Korea’s Most Wanted” universe because i have yet to get over him from october…

“Bin, you said it was shipped friday.” The man, Christopher Bahng, grumbles, massaging the pinch between his brows.

His counterpart, Bin, whom he was now quarreling with on the phone groaned profusely, claiming how shipments were already slow—not to mention with the new investigations on his business underway.

The life of The Gunsman isn’t an easy one. It’s a constant game of tag against the police and the government while wielding a well-planned dictionary of excuses to avoid suspicion. 

So now, as Bahng’s precious system becomes increasingly jeopardized, he finds himself losing more and more sleep to a worrisome degree.

And, having left the party filled with chairman, associates, and colleagues alike, Bahng slips into the safety of his car, once again troubled with the demands this illegal trade calls for.

“Well tell him I’ll have to serve his head on a platter if the ammunition doesn’t arrive by Friday. I’m running a charity event with how many funds I’ve given the idiot.”

Although halfway into Bin’s response, a quiet, though audible sound rustles in his backseat.

Instantly, he’s lurched a pistol from his thigh, aimed directly at the responsible interruption.

“Bahng. Bahng?” Bin echoes, only to be hung up on as Chris takes in the sight before him.

Lying in his backseat, curled up in a miniature ball, is a girl.

Your face is wrinkled in discomfort, hand resting right below your cheek, smushed against his car, a Lamborghini’s, interior.

How you got here without him noticing is beyond him, how long you’ve been here an even larger mystery.

His hand falters with the pistol, gawking with obvious surprise prior to stuffing the weapon back into its leather holster.

Instinctively, he would’ve called an assistant, asked them to take you home, find someone who knew you. Except, by the look of your current state, he has an inkling you wouldn’t be the greatest help navigating.

You’re gone.

Plus, the party’s already drawing to a close, people scattering out in every direction. The last thing he needs is to draw attention to himself.

Bahng may work illegally, lacking the fear of blood on his hands, but he’s not heartless.

Stifling a sigh, he rakes a hand through his hair, repeatedly clearing his throat in the case you woke up.

Leave it to him to end up with a random girl in his backseat.

Fine. Home it is.

Or, one of his many homes in the area.

Starting the engine, he spares repeated glances at you on the drive back, simply met with your same, woeful expression. Eyes screwed shut, lips pursed, cheeks stained a pink hue.

Pulling in, he stalls in the front seat, debating on all his morals up till now.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this..” Words a mere mutter, he carefully opens your door, gingerly dragging you out from your awkward position.

Knees pulled to your chest, Bahng keeps one, scarred hand on your back and another beneath your thighs while your head hangs, both hands bunched into fists, pressed to your chest.

Scared.

Whatever happened before, however you got here, you were scared—that much was known.

Somehow, the realization had him holding you closer.

Swiping the code to the door, he silently curses the loud beep, confusing himself with his concern for you.

Why did he care? You’d wake up, he’d get your home address and send you off. Why was he now so conscious about your comfort?

Heading up the winding stairs, he pulls his office chair from its place, deciding water as the best option.

“I’m going to put you down for a second, okay?”

Gently idling you into the chair, his movements halt when your arms reach up around his shoulders, a soft, barely divisible whine slipping past your lips, unwilling to let go.

He can barely recognize anything with how loud his heart rams against his rib cage.

Pull yourself together Bahng.

Ensuring you were still asleep, he slips into the kitchen, filling a glass with water before returning to you.

Your head jerks from when he holds the rim to your mouth, unwilling to cooperate.

“Just water sweetness,” He soothed, hating how worried he was, how senseless this behavior was.

Yet, he only continued to ease you into each sip, palm cupping your cheek for support, narrowly masking his astonishment when your eyes slowly opened, barely awake.

“Mm..?” Your vocal cords betray you, leering on the verge of dream and reality as you try acknowledging your surroundings.

No amount of recollection aids your perception in figuring out how you got here, only aware of the blaring ache in your head and a strangers voice in the distance.

One thing’s for certain. You feel awful.

Discerning the splash of water dumped down a sink, you’re once again hoisted into his arms, disappearing back into unconsciousness as Bahng nudges open his bedroom door, settling down on the edge of the bed.

“I don’t mean to man-handle you, but we need to get these shoes off.”

Situating you upright, his arm slips down, propping each of your ankles where he can pull the heels from your feet.

Softly placing you down, he savors your feeble grip grasping at his clothing, gradually loosening in an attempt at holding his face.

“Unfortunately, I can’t stay here all night sweets, you’re gonna have to let go,” Bahng whispers, easing your wrists down to your sides.

Unfortunately? What’s gotten into him?

Although, just as he adjusts the comforter over you, turning to go, he hears a sniffle.

C’mon, ignore it, she’s fine.

Another sniffle.

Screw it.

“If you tell me where you live I can take you home?” He utters, lingering by your bedside like a child waiting to hear if they can go on a play date.

It’s painful admitting the effect your tears have on him, brows creasing so sadly in a way he can’t ignore.

“Are… Are you gonna hurt me?” You whimper, feeling absolutely exhausted the longer your mind races, frantically piecing together any clues of your whereabouts to no avail.

The pad of his thumb wiping free falling tears, he shakes his head, a miniature smile gracing usually serious, unmoving features.

“I can’t say I haven’t hurt someone before, but I’m not gonna hurt you, alright sweetness?”

Nodding fervently, his face contorts, admiring the adorable manner you blink up at him, lashes all clumped from crying.

Look, his ego isn’t too fragile to admit you’re cute.

“..How did I get here?”

Bahng chuckles.

“I don’t know the answer to that myself.”

Freeing your arm from his sheets, you furiously rub your eyes, frown tugging at the corner of your lips, hiccuping as your breathing shallows.

“I know things are scary when you’re this drunk. I promise everything will be a thousand times better in the morning.”

And with that, he pulls the comforter over you, bidding a quiet good night and nearing the door for a second time.

This time, you intervene, latching onto the fabric of his shirt.

“Thank you.”

What did he just get himself into.

He sucks his teeth, surveying the sleepy eyes you’re torturing him with.

“Don’t mention it.”

sunboki, may 2022 ©

#stray kids x you #stray kids x reader #stray kids x y/n #skz x you #skz x reader #skz x y/n #straykids x you #straykids x reader #straykids x y/n #bangchan x female reader #bangchan x y/n #bangchan x reader #bangchan x you #bangchan angst #bang chan x female reader #bang chan x you #bang chan x y/n #bang chan x reader #bangchan fluff #bang chan fluff #bang chan angst

[swiftviolets]

top 23 screenshots of 2023 <3

i was tagged by @applesaucesims a while ago to share my top 23 screenshots of 2023 and it was actually pretty hard to pick just 23!!!! i've seen a lot of people do them by month but because i made this blog in like may i'm just post them all as one :) some are raw some are edited its a real mixed bag i've seen a lot tagged in this already but if you haven't done this yet consider yourself tagged <3!!!

i thought she just looked cool here :(

2. i like the vibe of it and again i just thought she looked cool here lol. i wanna remake this so bad

3. i really like the angle i got w this, like its from elvis' pov. he wants attention but neither are giving it him

4. this was initially from when i started to make pictures to go around lori's apartment but never got around to finishing them. its a little lori and her oldest brother before he goes off to fight in korea :)

5. elvis was not having being held!!!

6. this was when i first started messing around with tool and i just love this shot a lot

7. one of my faves of all time!!!! i cant wait to add more context to this as i get deeper into four to one

8. i was trying so hard to get that feel of an up and coming band and their first album. i looked at a lot of old 60s garage band album covers and some were so raw like literally just a bunch of guys posing somewhere and thats what i attempted to duplicate with this :)

9. i could've honestly included the whole post this screen was from but out of all of them this was my favourite. idk i just like its the first little glimpse you get of new orleans before the street scenes. i was trying to set the mood a little lol

10. literally not a thought inside his little orange head <3

11. i used another angle of this pose for the initial post its from but idk i also liked this one a lot too i think lou's awkwardness makes it for me lol

12. i really like how andy looks back to lori as she was leaving. he looks so helpless and ideally he'd have gone after her but a) he didn't want to deal with her anger and b) he was really not in the mood to receive any shit from the rest of the group, and out of the 2 he's not ready to face lori's wrath!!!! i also like the couple on the left bc they could legit be talking about anything

13. the way they're looking here.... ough. in the story post they take a few moments to watch lori pass before initially approaching her. the look they give her is mixed with the displeasure of spending their friday night tailing their boss' 'girlfriend' and just your typical male gaze of watching girls go by

14. i think i peaked with this shot. she was literally just getting into a car what an absolute icon

15. & 16. the way she looks at him and the way he looks at her...... chefs kiss. she's annoyed and he can tell but that doesn't stop him with appreciating how she looks

17. its my blog header image for a reason <3

18. i love this little moment of intimacy between them. their relationship can feel more like an acquaintanceship at times, especially with how marco speaks to lori and how he treats her. i like in this shot it captures a rare moment in their relationship where lori is genuinely sweet and he's soaking it all in. also i really like both their side profiles hehe

19. i was starting to take screens for a post i was going to make then i just forgot about it but i really like this and how it's a little sneak peak on what to expect later on in four to one :)

20. i just love how the preset i used made this screen look tbh

21. just a cute lil gameplay moment no poses or anything just love between a girl and her cat <3

22. & 23. taken from lori's magazine spread i just really like how candid they look both look

#thank you soooooo much for the tag it was fun!!!! #tag game

[mariacallous]

Exclusive: Iran sends Russia hundreds of ballistic missiles

DUBAI, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Iran has provided Russia with a large number of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, six sources told Reuters, deepening the military cooperation between the two U.S.-sanctioned countries.

Iran's provision of around 400 missiles includes many from the Fateh-110 family of short-range ballistic weapons, such as the Zolfaghar, three Iranian sources said. This road-mobile missile is capable of striking targets at a distance of between 300 and 700 km (186 and 435 miles), experts say.

Iran's defence ministry and the Revolutionary Guards - an elite force that oversees Iran's ballistic missile programme - declined to comment. Russia's defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The shipments began in early January after a deal was finalised in meetings late last year between Iranian and Russian military and security officials that took place in Tehran and Moscow, one of the Iranian sources said.

An Iranian military official - who, like the other sources, asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the information - said there had been at least four shipments of missiles and there would be more in the coming weeks. He declined to provide further details.

Another senior Iranian official said some of the missiles were sent to Russia by ship via the Caspian Sea, while others were transported by plane.

"There will be more shipments," the second Iranian official said. "There is no reason to hide it. We are allowed to export weapons to any country that we wish to."

U.N. Security Council restrictions on Iran's export of some missiles, drones and other technologies expired in October. However, the United States and European Union retained sanctions on Iran's ballistic missile programme amid concerns over exports of weapons to its proxies in the Middle East and to Russia.

A fourth source, familiar with the matter, confirmed that Russia had received a large number of missiles from Iran recently, without providing further details.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said in early January the United States was concerned that Russia was close to acquiring short-range ballistic weapons from Iran, in addition to missiles already sourced from North Korea.

A U.S. official told Reuters that Washington had seen evidence of talks actively advancing but no indication yet of deliveries having taken place.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the missile deliveries.

Ukraine's top prosecutor said on Friday the ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea to Russia had proven unreliable on the battlefield, with only two of 24 hitting their targets. Moscow and Pyongyang have both denied that North Korea has provided Russia with munitions used in Ukraine.

By contrast, Jeffrey Lewis, an expert with the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, said the Fateh-110 family of missiles and the Zolfaghar were precision weapons.

"They are used to point at things that are high value and need precise damage," said Lewis, adding that 400 munitions could inflict considerable harm if used in Ukraine. He noted, however, that Russian bombardments were already "pretty brutal".

U.S. AID DELAY WEAKENS UKRAINE'S DEFENCES

A Ukrainian military source told Reuters that Kyiv had not registered any use of Iranian ballistic missiles by Russian forces in the conflict. The Ukrainian defence ministry did not immediately reply to Reuters' request for comment.

Following the publication of this story, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force told national television that it had no official information on Russia obtaining such missiles. He said that ballistic missiles would pose a serious threat to Ukraine.

Former Ukrainian defence minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk said that Russia wanted to supplement its missile arsenal at a time when delays in approving a major package of U.S. military aid in Congress has left Ukraine short of ammunition and other material.

"The lack of U.S. support means shortages of ground-based air defence in Ukraine. So they want to accumulate a mass of rockets and break through Ukrainian air defence," said Zagorodnyuk, who chairs the Kyiv-based Centre for Defence Strategies, a security think tank, and advises the government.

Kyiv has repeatedly asked Tehran to stop supplying Shahed drones to Russia, which have become a staple of Moscow's long-range assaults on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, alongside an array of missiles.

Ukraine's air force said in December that Russia had launched 3,700 Shahed drones during the war, which can fly hundreds of kilometres and explode on impact. Ukrainians call them "mopeds" because of the distinctive sound of their engines; air defences down dozens of them each week.

Iran initially denied supplying drones to Russia but months later said it had provided a small number before Moscow launched the war on Ukraine in 2022.

"Those who accuse Iran of providing weapons to one of the sides in the Ukraine war are doing so for political purposes," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said on Monday, when asked about Tehran's delivery of drones to Russia. "We have not given any drones to take part in that war."

Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a Philadelphia-based think tank, said a supply of Fateh-100 and Zolfaghar missiles from Iran would hand Russia an even greater advantage on the battlefield.

"They could be used to strike military targets at operational depths, and ballistic missiles are more difficult for Ukrainian air defences to intercept," Lee said.

DEEPENING TIES WITH MOSCOW

Iran's hardline clerical rulers have steadily sought to deepen ties with Russia and China, betting that would help Tehran to resist U.S. sanctions and to end its political isolation.

Defence cooperation between Iran and Russia has intensified since Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu met the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Force, Amirali Hajizadeh, in Tehran in September, when Iran's drones, missiles and air defence systems were displayed for him, Iranian state media reported.

And last month, Russia's foreign ministry said it expected President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi to sign a broad new cooperation treaty soon, following talks in Moscow in December.

"This military partnership with Russia has shown the world Iran's defence capabilities," said the military official. "It does not mean we are taking sides with Russia in the Ukraine conflict."

The stakes are high for Iran's clerical rulers amid the war between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas that erupted after Oct. 7. They also face growing dissent at home over economic woes and social restrictions.

While Tehran tries to avoid a direct confrontation with Israel that could draw in the United States, its Axis of Resistance allies - including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen - have attacked Israeli and U.S. targets.

A Western diplomat briefed on the matter confirmed the delivery of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia in the recent weeks, without providing more details.

He said Western nations were concerned that Russia's reciprocal transfer of weapons to Iran could strengthen its position in any possible conflict with the United States and Israel.

Iran said in November it had finalised arrangements for Russia to provide it with Su-35 fighter jets, Mi-28 attack helicopters and Yak-130 pilot training aircraft.

Analyst Gregory Brew at Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy, said Russia is an ally of convenience for Iran.

"The relationship is transactional: in exchange for drones, Iran expects more security cooperation and advanced weaponry, particularly modern aircraft," he said.

[wanderrlust0]

im so excited for these next few weeksss

i may or may not join my bfs family for thanksgiving after im finished having mine and ill sleepover his house and then the day after im hanging with my bestie to go christmas shoppingggg. its gonna be on a friday and we didnt realize that its literally black friday so were hoping it doesnt get tooo crazy but either way we reallyyy want to and need to shop lol i also need to look for bday gifts. then my absolute best friend for like 9 years is flying up here to visit and this time we’ll actually be able to hang out so im sooo excitedD; we havent seen eachother since 2016!!!!! like!? the crazy thing is that weve been staying besties from far away for much longer than when we lived closer. i only knew her for 2 years until i moved but we saw each other like alllll the time and just ended up becoming super closeee. so yesss shes coming next week for a few days and its my bday next wk so its like a bday gift omgg were gonna go out and get drinks and finally get high together. her and my bf can finallyyyy meet. theyve already met on facetime multiple times but now theyll actuallyy meet and she wont be awkward at all with him so itll be a fun timee. we’ll most likely hang out in the cityyy (bam takes nyc actuallyyy now, its surreal!!!!<3) and thennn a couple days later is my bfs bday(its insane how close our bdays are) so were gonna plan something for thatttt, probs another city thing. then at the end of that week, me and the bestie are getting our tattoos!!!! im like soso excited for that you have no idea. ive been wanting this for yearsss. omg and lastly, a few days after that is snows bday and they invited me to hang out with their friends to go to the city. they go to korea town, which ive never been to yet, so im so excited for that!!! this will be my first time meeting their friends so itll be interesting and itll be the 4 of us. me and snow will also possibly try to go christmas shopping another day if we can! so yeah, its soo many plans happening :)))

#mypost #journal

[187days]

Day Fifteen

It's Homecoming Week, today's spirit day theme was movies/television, and it was delightful.

I went to work dressed as Barbie: pink floral dress, pink cardigan, heels, high ponytail, glittery pink makeup. The joke among my colleagues was that I just looked like myself since I'm tall, blonde, and preppy already, but the students loved my look, so that's a win.

Barbie was a popular choice for students and staff alike, so we were recreating the "Hi Barbie!" scene throughout the halls all day long. A bunch of the seniors were Minions, a bunch of the sophomores were Smurfs, and there were many Marvel superheroes, Hogwarts students, Jedi knights, Disney princesses, etc... scattered throughout all four grades.

It was fun.

The Minions in my APGOV class read about and discussed the FSP and its impact of state politics. That's the last lesson on state and local government, so that's a wrap on this unit. To prepare for the next one- the first real AP one- they're reading the Articles of Confederation for homework.

Meantime, my Global Studies students continued the research about North Korea they'd started on Friday. I also had a lot of great conversations with students about what they were learning, and that's really cool. There were a few who tried to blow it off (being on computers means a lot of distractions) by telling me they'd finished everything over the weekend. They assumed I wouldn't actually check their work to see that it was done. Whoops. But they learned, and for the most part, and they got to work without me needing to nudge them too much.

We'll go over the assignment tomorrow, and- hopefully- put together a solid explanation for what's been happening in North Korea and why. Stay tuned!

#teaching #teachblr #teacher #edublr #education #high school #social studies #see the whole board #homecoming #spirit week #so much fun #day fifteen #conversations about current events

[charlesandmartine]

Sunday 9th July 2023

Two of my most favourite announcements came close together around 8am this morning: 'All aboard' and 'Breakfast will be served shortly'. As the Rocky Mountaineer pulled slowly out of Jasper Station, there was an announcement that there was a bear on the tracks. We we all pushed our noses against the glass, but saw nothing. I can't believe the railway company is part of this bear conspiracy.

Breakfast served and Coldplay playing softly in the background Martine told me not to do the old man head nod to Chris Martin and then realising all the old men in the carriage were simultaneously doing it anyway.

Everyone craned through the window as we passed Moose Lake, so named because of the 100,000 moose supposed to be in the area. My finger was paused on the camera button just in case but clearly all 100,000 were on a coffee break somewhere. The mighty Fraser River uniquely filters through this lake on its 1500km journey to Vancouver. Next hotspot was a stunning view to Mount Robson, the highest peak clocking in at 3954m. Following soon after is Valemount, famous for having the longest chum salmon run anywhere in the world. The old salmon swim 830 miles from the ocean for spawning. Logging was the main industry here until 2006 when the sawmill closed. Now tourism is their main source of income.

Single track railroads the world over can be the cause of accidents without adequate control. One such incident took place on November 21 1950 on Canoe River just south of Valemount. Due to a mistaken directive, a westbound troop train carrying soldiers bound for Korea collided with a Canadian National Railway train head-on. Poor old signalman Jack Ashton was initially charged with manslaughter, but was later let off the charge of not sending vital information required to move one train out of the way to a siding. Instead procedures were reviewed preventing any repetition. Sadly twenty one people were killed.

It is a skill not yet learnt how to drink SB with the movement of the train without spilling any. I'm sure it is one that could be mastered with enough practice.

The Rocky Mountaineer runs throughout the summer until October, leaving Vancouver on Friday to Jasper returning on Sunday back to Vancouver every week. Coaches are light and airy with fantastic visabilty of the surrounding countryside. Wide aisles and comfortable seating with plenty of leg room. Guests relax in their seats or stroll down to the viewing platform at the end of the coach, providing an opportunity for a bit of a natter. We left Jasper with 12 coaches and 220 guests but at Kamloops overnight the similar service run from Banff will be attached to us taking us to 22 coaches with 550 guests in all.

Breakfast and lunch were superb; a tender chunk of rib of beef for the latter washed down in the appropriate manner.

The scenery gradually changed from the high Rocky Mountains to pine clad hillsides, fast flowing rivers and waterfalls then woods of thick deciduous trees and rain. One such tree fell in front of the train holding up events whilst an engineer was sent out to clear it. It was like Murder on the Orient Express. Tree cut and moved to the trackside we were once again on the move again and heading towards Kamloops.

The organisation had thought of everything and issued our hotel room keys to us whilst still on the train, then fed onto a waiting bus by the track to take us to our room for the night. We were told when you get to your room, your luggage will already be there. If it isn't, don't worry, it'll probably be somewhere else!

Great day. Great way to see the Rockies. More tomorrow to complete our journey to Vancouver.

ps. Bear spotted in the water. No chance of a photo.

[usafphantom2]

Deliveries of F-35 fighters will be resumed after Chinese league has paralyzed production

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/10/2022 - 08:07em Military

The component - a magnet in a device supplied by Honeywell International Inc. - has been used on the plane since 2003. After the Chinese league was discovered, the Pentagon suspended deliveries of new F-35s last month, citing regulations on "specialmetals".

William LaPlante, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, signed the waiver to allow aircraft deliveries to be resumed despite the prohibited league, he said in a statement released on Saturday. Lockheed said Honeywell found an "alternative source in the US" for the alloy that will be used in the production of future aircraft from November.

Eighteen aircraft were held as part of the delivery break, Lockheed said in a statement on Saturday.

The waiver, signed on Friday, allows the Pentagon to accept 126 aircraft in current production contracts that run until October 31, 2023. "Ac Acceptance of aircraft is necessary for national security interests," said LaPlante.

The Department of Defense's F-35 program office said that the piece has no technical fault and does not pose a safety risk to the main U.S. stealth game. Instead, it is a matter of supply chain safety and why the prohibited alloy was not detected by Honeywell. The part was supplied to a Honeywell subcontractor by a lower-level supplier, Lockheed said.

U.S. law and Pentagon acquisition regulations prohibit the use of metals or special alloys manufactured in China, Iran, North Korea or Russia. The Defense Contracts Management Agency reported the violation to the F-35 program office on August 19.

The episode is not unprecedented: a decade ago, the Pentagon granted an exemption to Honeywell to use Chinese magnets in other components of the F-35, saying that the program, already hampered by delays and cost overflows, would have been further delayed. The F-35 program has more than 1,700 suppliers from around the world, according to Lockheed.

Source: Bloomberg

Tags: Military AviationF-35 Lightning IIHoneywellLockheed Martin

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. It has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[beardedmrbean]

SEOUL, June 2 (UPI) -- A top World Health Organization official said that the U.N. agency believes North Korea's COVID-19 outbreak, which the secretive regime claims is improving, is "getting worse, not better" and appealed to Pyongyang for more information.

"We have real issues in getting access to the raw data and to the actual situation on the ground," WHO health emergencies director Dr. Mike Ryan said during an online press briefing Wednesday.

"We assume that situation is getting worse, not better, but it is very, very difficult to provide a proper analysis to the world when we don't have access to the necessary data," he said.

North Korea reported its first official COVID-19 infection last month after more than two years of claiming to be virus-free amid a total border shutdown.

On Thursday, North Korean health officials reported over 96,000 new cases of an unspecified fever, bringing the country's official tally to 3.8 million.

Daily case numbers have been on a steady decline since a peak of nearly 400,000 on May 15. State-run Korean Central News Agency claimed last week that emergency anti-epidemic measures were "succeeding in effectively curbing and controlling the spread of the pandemic disease and maintaining the clearly stable situation."

Pyongyang has not reported any new deaths since last Friday, when officials placed the total count at just 69 -- a fatality rate far lower than anywhere else in the world and one that experts doubt, as North Korea's population remains almost entirely unvaccinated.

Ryan said the WHO has offered vaccines on three separate occasions and continues to offer assistance and medical supplies.

"We do not wish to see intense transmission of this disease in a mainly susceptible population in a health system that is already weakened," Ryan said.

#nunyas news

[sleepysera]

8.12.22 Headlines

WORLD NEWS

Sudan: Seasonal floods destroy over 2,500 homes (AP)

“Deadly seasonal floods have collapsed more than 2,500 houses in eastern Sudan, state news has reported, leaving thousands homeless in an already impoverished region. Another 546 houses were partially destroyed by torrential rains in River Nile province, SUNA news agency said late on Thursday. Since the start of the rainy season in May, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that an estimated 38,000 people have been affected by the floods across the East African country.”

Ukraine: Ship heads to Ukraine to get grain for food-starved Africa (AP)

“A ship approached Ukraine on Friday to pick up wheat for hungry people in Ethiopia, in the first food delivery to Africa under a U.N.-brokered plan to unblock grain trapped by Russia’s war and bring relief to some of the millions worldwide on the brink of starvation.”

South Korea: Samsung’s Lee to be pardoned along with other corporate giants (AP)

“Samsung’s de-facto leader secured a pardon Friday of his conviction for bribing a former president in a corruption scandal that toppled a previous South Korean government, an act of leniency that underscored the tech company’s huge influence in the nation.”

US NEWS

FBI: Suspect who tried to breach FBI office dies in standoff (AP)

“Authorities are investigating the motives of an armed man who they say tried to breach the FBI’s Cincinnati office, fled and died hours later in a rural standoff with law enforcement, a case unfolding as the FBI warns agents to take extra precautions amid increased social media threats to its employees and facilities.”

Cybersecurity: Online privacy in a post-Roe world (AP)

“The case of a Nebraska woman charged with helping her teenage daughter end her pregnancy after investigators obtained Facebook messages between the two has raised fresh concerns about data privacy in the post-Roe world. Since before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, Big Tech companies that collect personal details of their users have faced new calls to limit that tracking and surveillance amid fears that law enforcement or vigilantes could use those data troves against people seeking abortions or those who try to help them.”

Trump: Calls for ‘immediate’ release of Mar-a-Lago warrant (AP)

“Former President Donald Trump called late Thursday for the “immediate” release of the federal warrant the FBI used to search his Florida estate, hours after the Justice Department had asked a court to unseal the warrant, with Attorney General Merrick Garland citing the “substantial public interest in this matter.””

#current events #news #sudan #floods #global warming #climate change #climate crisis #ukraine #russia #war #africa #famine #south korea #samsung #corruption #united states #fbi #cybersecurity #abortion #trump

[theonemyleejongsuk]

ARTICLE‼️

[Kbizoom] Before Yoona, Lee Jong Suk boasted outstanding chemistry with these 3 K-drama actresses

see below👇

As a top star, Lee Jong Suk has his own fair share of drop-dead gorgeous on-screen lovers.

The ongoing K-drama “Big Mouth” is gaining immense attention from the audience with its gripping and unpredictable plot, and the appearance of “visual couple” Lee Jong Suk and Yoona is a big bonus.

In “Big Mouth”, Yoona assumes the role of Go Mi Ho – wife to Lee Jong Suk’s character Park Chang Ho. The couple is already boasting an intense chemistry, but before Yoona, Lee Jong Suk has been through these just as outstanding on-screen lovers:

Lee Jong Suk – Bae Suzy

Lee Jong Suk and Bae Suzy collaborated in “While You Were Sleeping”, where Suzy played the female lead Hong Joo – who can predict the future through her dreams. Meanwhile, Lee Jong Suk assumed the role of prosecutor Jae Chan, who tried his best to stop Hong Joo’s nightmare from becoming true.

Lee Jong Suk and Suzy’s overflowing chemistry in “While You Were Sleeping”

With such a unique concept, “While You Were Sleeping” managed to gain the interest of many audiences, and became a hit the year it aired. However, the overwhelming chemistry of Lee Jong Suk and Suzy was also a crucial factor, stealing hearts left and right whenever the couple appeared on the screen together.

To play Hong Joo, Suzy had to sacrifice her silky long hair, and even wore clothes similar to menswear. However, the “nation’s first love” never fail to shine, regardless of what styling she’s adorning.

Lee Jong Suk – Park Shin Hye

The next iconic on-screen partner of Lee Jong Suk is undoubtedly Park Shin Hye, who have starred in series like “The Heirs”, “You’re Beautiful”, “Doctors”, “Memories of Alhambra”, “Sisyphus: The Myth”, and of course, “Pinocchio”.

In this hit series, Park Shin Hye transformed into female lead Choi In Ha – who suffers from the “Pinocchio syndrome” which causes her to hiccup whenever she lies. Meanwhile, Lee Jong Suk assumed the role of Choi Dal Po, the “uncle” of In Ha. The couple’s desire to unveil the truth has driven them to become reporters together, leading to various hardships and pains.

Early this year, Park Shin Hye tied the knot with her long-term boyfriend Choi Tae Joon, and recently gave birth to a son. Now, the actress is leading an extremely happy life where she’s pampered by her husband and mother-in-law, making netizens envious of her sweet married life. In addition, many are waiting for Park Shin Hye’s grand return in the future.

Lee Jong Suk – Han Hyo Joo

The final name on the list is an actress said to own “Korea’s most gorgeous smile” – Han Hyo Joo, who worked with Lee Jong Suk in the famous K-drama “W: Two World”. The series revolves around Kang Chul – a “comic character”, and Oh Yeon Joo – daughter to the creator of the webtoon that stars Kang Chul.

With its unique plot, “W: Two Worlds” became one of the most phenomenal K-dramas in the year it aired. In addition, Lee Jong Suk and Han Hyo Joo’s performance in the show was also said to be one of the most iconic chemistry out there.

However, if the chemistry in “W: Two Worlds” is sweet, then real life interactions between Lee Jong Suk and Han Hyo Joo are even more scene-stealing. In fact, fans at the time shipped the couple extremely hard, as they were all swayed watching behind-the-scenes videos

So, above are some of Lee Jong Suk’s most outstanding on-screen partners. Hopefully, his collaboration with idol-actress Yoona will be just as explosive.

Yoona and Lee Jong Suk K-drama “Big Mouth” is airing every Friday and Saturday starting July 29th.

Source: https://kbizoom.com/before-yoona-lee-jong-suk-boasted-outstanding-chemistry-with-these-3-k-drama-actresses/?s=09

Posted 06 Aug 2022

Thank you for sharing🙏

#LeeJongSuk #BigMouth

[whotfcares1234]

Nathan

For as long as I can remember, we had been best friends. Yes, best friends. The kind everyone would doubt as something more than friendship, and although a part of me, wished it were true, but as always, I had never had the courage to ever ask him about us. We rode through driveways on the nights, our parents would sleep early, and silently creep into our rooms just before three, after deep conversations, while sitting on the bonnet of his mother's car, drinking an orange juice that I would get from my fridge. He looked like the kind of guy that would never hurt a fly, but would fight the world if his best friend was hurt even a little. He was a foot taller than me, yet his smile was just like that of a toddler on his first steps. His name was Nathan, and he always told me how his paternal aunt boasted to everyone back in Korea that he was the tallest baby in their city, and how it made him feel so embarrassed. His hair was neatly parted in the middle, just like how his grandmother liked. He always said, "Anna, I wish I could take you back to Korea, you will love the food, and everything". There was just so much we have been through together, for sixteen years, but it always seemed, that even when was next to me, we were so far apart.

It was during senior year, that I joined the literary club of my high school. Nathan and I had few classes together, but still we never failed to catch up on weekends. Our SAT's were approaching, so our meetups reduced, but our bond never weakened. Nathan was a shy boy since he was little, and his friends would always say, he would never dare to approach any girl. However on the first day of our first Violin class, there was a new transfer student. I doubt if there was girl in our class whose heart didn't race instantly. The last time I had felt this way was in grade 8, when I was given a dare to kiss Nathan at Becky's birthday party, and he blushed so hard that he almost peed his pants. We never talked about it, but he always made it clear, he was never into me, romantically so over the years, the intensity of my feelings was repressed. But this new guy kind of became my new obsession, just like any other high school fangirl. And when I came to know, Jeremy, (the new guy) was in Nathan's class, my joy knew no bounds. I could get his schedule from Nat, and eventually we could be good friends.

Nathan knew about all the guys I had ever liked before. From Timothee in my music choir to Anthony in mathletes and a thousand more who added colours in my non existent melancholic love life, he knew about everyone except him. It was a Friday, and our violin lessons just got over. The teacher asked me to jot down the names of the freshmen who submitted their applications last week, and handed me the key as she bade me goodbye. I texted Nathan and urged him not to wait for me, because his grandmother was all alone at home. Urghh!! It was exhausting, but I needed to do it to get some extra credits for my college applications. It amused me because it reminded me of the freshmen days when we have the energy to ace all the aspects of high school but the fire dies away with time indeed. As I was counting the number of applications remaining till I can go back home, I heard a noise. As I turned around, my heart stopped. A tall muscular frame smiled awkwardly at me. Jeremyyyy!!!! I started sweating, and the papers dropped from my hand.

"Are you okay? Can I help? Umm, I am Jeremy, we have class together, the teacher sent me to tell you that you can pause your work there, its already late, and she is worried", the words struck against my tympanum like Cupid's arrows.

"Ahh, okay, okay, I mean, thanks. Yes I know you, you are in Nathan's class and you love Violin and your sister is a sophomore", I said every piece of information that I had gone around collecting, about him,

"You know a lot! Wow!" , he smiled awkwardly.

I blushed so hard immediately that I ran out of the room. The applications lay on the floor. I wished I could just disappear into the realms of embarrassment. I heard him call out to me but I just didn't have the courage to even look at him. How could I embarrass myself in front of my Crush. I really ruined all the hopes that I still had for Us, and I couldn't stop crying as I reached home.

That night, Nathan and I went to our secret spot again, beneath the slides at the Children's park. Nathan bought a strawberry ice cream for me and put his hands around my shoulders and said, "It's alright, Ann. It happens."

"What do you know? You never liked anybody, yet you had everyone like you. And I always try so hard, yet nobody ever loved me back. Becky, Anya, Natasha, all of my friends get so many letters on Valentine's Day, every year, including you, and I get none. And I ruined my moment even today. He was such a nice guy, tried to help me, and I just embarrassed myself. I can't even face him anymore. He must think I am a stalker. What if he told everybody? Nathan, everything's over. I can't go back to school."

"Hey, you know that it doesn't mean the end. You are not a little kid Ann, nobody knows about it and Jerry probably knows how it's like. Why would he hate you? Are you crazy?"

"It's Jeremy. And okay, he might not hate me, but wouldn't like me ever. You know, like a woman, someone to kiss, someone to hold hands with."

"Why would he?"

"What?"

Nathan didn't speak. He just patted me on my shoulders and said, "Finish the ice cream, else I am gonna do that for you."

I got a little mad. Nathan never hides things from me, but his expressions clearly showed he did.

"Why can't I get a guy to like me Nathan? You never liked me, nobody ever did. Just say it, if you just wanna keep me as only your friend forever. I will. But just don't hurt me like that. It's already bad enough."

I started crying as the ice cream started melting and dripped onto my jeans.

"I didn't mean it. I am sorry, Ann. Ann, do you like me?"

I was already embarrassed enough so I didn't think of stopping myself anymore, "Yes, I do. Ever since you took my math notebook and drew butterflies on the last page in the first grade. Okay? But you don't, and I am okay. I liked only you. And I tried so hard to get my mind off and to other guys. But I am not pretty or smart like you. So I guess, it's over. Nathan, you don't have to be friends with this silly girl anymore."

I ate the ice cream quickly and almost choked but then I stood up and decided to leave. "Goodnight, Nat", I said, with teary eyes, "I will cherish our friendship forever. Please don't forget me. I will be fine. Goodnight."

All of a sudden, I felt a pair of strong arms pushing me against the wall. The tough veiny hands held the cold wall and Nathan breathed heavily as I panted for breath. He kissed me, our lips pressing each other, as my heart leapt and raced and skipped and fell and got back up again and jumped into euphoria. I clutched his T-shirt and shook in nervousness, as he gently nibbled on my lower lip. All of a sudden he stopped. "I'm sorry, do you want me to stop", Nathan asked.

My face was red. I didn't have anything to lose anymore. I jumped into his arms as his fingers trailed my curves tenderly, and I whispered, "Just the opposite, actually." I smirked, and he pulled me closer to his chest and whispered, "God you smell so good, Ann," and turned around and kissed me deeper. As I held him tighter, he untied my hair and kissed my forehead. "Why didn't you ever tell?" I asked, in a half-panting voice.

"I am so scared to lose you, Ann. I don't ever want to see you unhappy, but this time, I couldn't hold back my fears and I had to do this. Are you sure, Ann? I don't want....."

He dropped to the ground. I hugged him tightly and smiled. I brushed my hand against him and he grabbed my hands, "You are never gonna leave me, Ann, never", he said, and choked on his own tears.

He held my cold fingers in his tough hands and lay on the ground. I lay on his chest. The moonlight shone brightly on his innocent eyes, and I stared at him. It was sudden, it took long, but it was worth it. 'cuz he was worth it. 'Cuz 'we' were worth it.

#writeblr #love story #crushcore #original story

[onlinenewseran]

Pentagon to 'rush' Patriot missiles to Ukraine in $6bn package

Join : https://onlinenewseran24.blogspot.com/

Speaking on Friday, Mr Austin told a news conference that the US was committing to its largest security assistance package to date and would "move immediately" to get the supplies to Ukraine.

The US was using $6bn (£4.8bn) for this purpose, he said. A source confirmed to the BBC that the $6bn was part of a $60bn aid package signed into law by US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, which also includes $1bn in more immediate aid.

The assistance would include air defence munitions, counter-drone systems and artillery ammunition but not Patriot missile systems.

"It's not just Patriots that they [the Ukrainians] need, they need other types of systems and interceptors as well," Mr Austin said. "I would caution us all in terms of making Patriot the silver bullet."

Mr Austin added that he was confident that more of the missile systems would be made available for Kyiv soon. Conversations were ongoing with European partners, he said, to deliver additional capabilities.

The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles Brown, said the assistance should eliminate the Ukrainians' need to ration shells on the frontline.

Ukraine's air defence plea falls short in southern Europe

What weapons are being supplied to Ukraine?

LISTEN: Is the US £61bn aid package enough?

Some of the latest funding would also go to building up Ukraine's own defence industry, so that it can start manufacturing more of the ammunition it desperately needs.

Mr Austin said Russia had already increased domestic production of artillery ammunition and other weapons - as well as being propped up by supplies from Iran and North Korea

[00towns]

ty track: taeyong's first solo concert and seoul 2/22 - 2/26

i debated writing this because it has always felt very silly to me to read people attempting to do serious reviews of kpop shows, which by nature can feel like very silly things, but after this show what kind of fan would i be if i were to still fall back on the cheap excuse that it wasn’t anything serious, artistic, and worthy of review? i also told close to no one that i was going to korea for the weekend – my nerves for the trip were too high to withstand so much inquiry, so if i lied to you, i’m sorry, but please read anyway. 

it was a weekend of kismet: i wasn’t scheduled to teach on the head or tail end, it was a long weekend holiday for the emperor’s birthday, it was the day(s) of the solo concert, and it was my 24th birthday on saturday. all the signs were pointing towards seoul, so on a random thursday i dipped out of work three hours early and almost broke into a sprint on the way home. i arrived in seoul past midnight, ate a shitty pyeonuijeom meal, and crashed in my airbnb after bothering the neighbors to help me with the electronic lock. 

the next morning, p and k surprised me with a birthday call with my friends from home. it meant more than they knew – birthday anxiety is an illness and i am not immune, and i was feeling slightly anxious about the trip overall. the size of my anticipation seemed to have gotten away from me, and i almost felt like i was setting myself up to fail for its sheer magnitude. an hour on zoom later, i could have moved mountains with my hands. love you guys, thank you for making something already special even more so <3

i moved through friday in a daze – picked up my show tickets from my mom’s friend, went to my usual bookstore, ate my favorite lunch, walked probably thirty thousand steps while waiting for some friends to get off work. i made it out to my favorite art museum to see a show on queer korean futures (loved) and on the problems of art museum practice (hated). the whole day felt like a snapshot of a seventeen year old’s saturday. perhaps the only thing that hadn’t changed at all was the squirming independence that moved my body torso-first through the city, a taste of something, an eternal appetizer. it felt a little ridiculous to be back in seoul, six years after living here last and about to watch the first solo concert of an artist i had loved even then. i thought about taeyong, and i thought about what was bringing us together again in this city. i thought about how far we’d come, growing on our own in that time. 

at soundcheck on the first day of ty track, i almost expected something to cut to black when he started to make his way down the extended stage to where i was standing at barricade, but nothing did, and he just kept coming, so i waved, and he waved back, and he was really there in front of me. i’ve been able to see taeyong in show more than just a few times, but anyone could have told you this was different – he carried on his shoulders being a ten-year artist holding the first solo concert of entirely his original work and vision before going away for his mandatory service. it was also easily the closest i’ve ever been to any idol ever. being a head taller than most of the fans around me was a big favor too, and for most of the show i felt like we were staring each other down. 

taeyong is an artist who has always known when to take himself seriously, and i feel like in the last few months in the leadup to this second project, he has absolutely locked in. the choices he’s made for this recent concert and project are seriously good, and he’s thought about it all in the context of his world, his discography, his upcoming enlistment, and the way that his fans have grown with him. it’s a much more sonically advanced project than i would have anticipated, exhibited by the fact that he could hold a solo concert with strictly self-composed and produced songs, many of which are unreleased and will remain unreleased until he returns in 2025, and still show out at the level he did. even in changes in demeanor, attitude, and poise through the unity shows in nagoya and osaka – he came to ty track knowing what he was showing out to do. the stage design, writing, pacing, and performance all screamed taeyong, through and through. 

on the second day, i felt more relaxed going into the actual show knowing what to expect, but wasn’t prepared for how emotional i’d be when he began reflecting on his career, team, and life up until now. i don’t think anyone was – they prepared so much for him but by the end most people were in tears. i thought about how taeyong’s work and music have moved me for so long, and how easy that is to take for granted. i’m beyond grateful to have shared that moment with him, his collaborators, and a stadium full of people who have been touched by his work. 

after the show, every attendee got a rose, after the penny sized scar on his face that looks like a flower in bloom. i thought about how the title of his first solo concert was from his first baby-faced official verse on an sm song back in 2014. i’ve been a taeyong fan since before we were even named taeyong friends, and the anniversary coming up this summer will make 8 years for me with 127. i’ve been so blessed to be able to spend so much time with them, especially over the last year since my move to japan (something about how the familiar will make itself clear). perhaps it is a bit silly to assign so much value to a kpop boy, and my relationship to kpop overall remains a bit complicated, but even as it waxes and wanes i’ve been thankful for taeyong’s music, talent, and thought. i’m grateful to have grown with taeyong and 127, and to have felt myself mature from someone deep in the swamps of teenage obsession to an adult fan who can cheer him on and be cheered on by him from whatever distance and time. thank you, taeyong, for ten years of artistry, hard work, and sincerity. i’ll see you in 2025 <3 

‘tap’ the second mini album comes out tonight at 6PM KST! 

[nicetrynicetry]

91

There must be some astrological wind changing direction this fortnight, because after months of nothing (and no real wish to change this), three romantic prospects slam into my periphery. A guy who used to work with N “circles back” on a scuppered Raya date from August. Looking at our last conversation, we were commenting on the severe heat wave in London. I had not yet gone to Korea nor started rehearsing with my band for Paris. I was sitting in the sun without SPF, and beginning to read again. We arrange to go for coffee on Friday

Next, a musician I idolised as a teenager and stopped listening to around the time his collaboration with Solange lost its novelty. We met in New York in 2021 at a party during the brief respite from covid panic, a week in which I partied like it was going out of style, which in some ways it was. I was introduced to him and sensed his distinct lack of interest in anything I had to say. The severe status discrepancy was palpable. I am shocked when he says he remembers that night, even naming the host of the party. He is in London for only 18 more hours, 8 of those likely spent sleeping, so we won’t meet for a while. I tell him I saw him play in Portsmouth in 2010 and he says “stop”

Then the kicker, a man with an alliterative name sliding into my DMs: he has a crush, he’d like to meet. I already know who he is because everybody in London knows that he started a world famous music broadcasting company. I remember hearing he grew up rich, that he likes drugs, and other allusions to debauchery. But front of mind when I see his message in the Instagram equivalent of my spam folder, is that he employs the guy who raped me. He would’ve been the person to contact had I wished to get the raper cancelled, to ruin his life and cause a stir. But I never did, at first because I was in shock, then because I got Indian food with the raper after it happened (also perhaps due to shock), and finally because I was never sure “speaking out” in this way was my style. I never went to the police, because why would I? And I did think of contacting this guy, the one in my dms, emailing him. In the end I didn’t want the scrutiny, so I held off, moved on. Exactly what is the etiquette here, though, when a raper’s boss asks for a date? I coyly respond, and we begin talking. I ask how he came across me, and he says Frieze, general word of mouth, Raya. So the holy trinity. At some point I must think: “sod the etiquette”, and I tell him I had worried it was B, his employee and my raper, who I had a “cursed” entanglement with in 2019. He doesn’t like this. Then I go for broke and tell him everything, not every gory detail, but enough. It spills from me like a frothing saucepan of pasta, or the whistle of a kettle. I regret it as I type it, not so much because I am ruining any romantic prospects by doing what I’m doing, but because it’s so palpably messy, so painfully truthful. He suggests firing B, I tell him that’s not what I want. I tell him this must all make me radioactive for dating, and he says “no it doesn’t” but this is a lie. How could it not be? He suggests coffee, and we arrange for Thursday. When I wake up, he texts to say he no longer wants Thursday to be a date. He says knowing a girl has slept with someone he knows turns him off, citing an “unstoppable crush” from a month ago that was dampened by learning she hooked up with his friend. He wants to meet as friends. My stomach churns uneasily because, even for me, this is the fastest I’ve ever driven a man away. They should just hand me the rights to the How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days sequel, and let me call it How To Lose A Guy In 12 Hours. And having planned a glorious day off in which I meet J for coffee and do laundry, I do away with it all bike as quickly as I can to the studio, to refuge. It’s the only source of normality in an abnormal situation. I spend the breaks in between painting picking nervously at my skin, becoming “damaged goods” embodied. And I should state here that although I love to overshare, I do not open with my sexual trauma to every suitor. But then not every suitor has the source of my sexual trauma on the payroll. The situation is exceptional, and the world is sometimes very small. Which is why this man may well have difficulty finding a woman that hasn’t slept with someone he knows, because I’ve slept with fewer than 10 people (and most are abroad), and I’m already too ran-through for his liking. By the afternoon I want to text him that I know some great virgins in my eating disorder group. Then I realise he doesn’t seem to care for women in pain either, past or present. He alluded to not wanting “complexity” in one of his texts. Again, find me a woman worth talking to without complications. And why god why, if an easy life is what you seek, would anybody hit on an artist?

And that’s that. Coffee on Friday, an already-doomed coffee on Thursday, and a musician flying to Milan as I type this, me batting 1 for 3. A crow in the yard pecks at a metal takeaway tray, trying to turn it over and feast on its contents. It succeeds. I always forget how smart crows are. Smarter than me dot dot dot

[yesthatssadirichardslove]

Swiftonomics and Beyonce bump: How stars power economies

PARIS

Three years after the pandemic wiped out the live music scene, fans are flocking again to see their favourite stars on stage, with Taylor Swift and Beyonce raking it in with tours that are giving local economies a boost.

Big-spending Swifties

Swiftmania is at an all-time high, and it is leaping from the stadium to the cinema, where a film on Swift's Eras tour out Friday in over 100 countries worldwide has already clocked up more than $100 million in ticket pre-sales.

The tour itself, which finishes in December 2024, is poised to become the first tour to make $1 billion.

According to Maria Psyllou, an economist at Britain's Birmingham University who has written about the trickle-down effect of Swift's tour, the six concerts in Los Angeles added $320 million to that county's GDP.

"A big phenomenon," was how New York Federal Reserve President John Williams described the Taylor Swift effect last month.

Queen B stings

The war in Ukraine is usually cited as a key factor for the cost-of-living crisis in Europe but in Sweden, the party held up as responsible for higher-than-expected inflation in May was none other than Beyonce.

Consumer prices rose by a higher-than-expected 9.7 percent in May year-on-year, with increased costs of certain goods and services, such as clothing and hotel visits, offsetting a decrease in electricity and food prices.

Michael Grahn, chief economist for Sweden at Danske Bank, said Beyonce's first two dates on her first solo tour in seven years were probably to blame.

Tens of thousands of fans flocked to Stockholm for the gigs, adding between 0.2 and 0.3 percentage points to the inflation caused by hotel and restaurant prices, according to Grahn.

K-pop fever

In its decade-long existence, K-pop boy band BTS -- on pause as several members do their compulsory military service -- has added billions of dollars to the South Korean economy.

The Hyundai Research Institute in 2018 estimated that the first entirely South Korean group to top the US and UK charts brought its country more than $3.6 billion in annual economic benefits.

In 2022, the Korea Institute of Culture and Tourism estimated each BTS concert made 1.22 trillion won (more than $900 million).

Beatles nostalgia forever

More than a half century after The Beatles broke up, Liverpool, the birthplace of its four band members, continues to attract nostalgic fans.

Beatles-themed museums, restaurants, souvenir shops and tours of key sites in their journey as a band, including the Cavern Club, where they started out, and the storied Penny Lane all contribute to Fab Four tourism estimated at 120 million pounds annually (nearly $150 million), according to the city's council.

Liverpool is not alone in the pop nostalgia market.

Memphis in Tennessee, home to Elvis Presley's former property Graceland, is another key site of pilgrimage for fans, while Jamaica is an essential destination for Bob Marley lovers.

#yesthatssadirichardslove