#fastest way to gwangju

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

AAS NOVA Fast Radio Bursts By Astrobites Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are probably the fastest growing and most interesting field in radio astronomy right now. These extragalactic, incredibly energetic bursts last just a few milliseconds and come in two flavors, singular and repeating. Recently the number of known FRBs has exploded, as the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) radio telescope has discovered about 20 repeating FRBs (and also redetected the famous FRB 121102) and over 700 single bursts (hinted at here). However, despite the huge growth in the known FRB population, we still don’t know what the source(s) of these bursts is (are). Today’s paper looks at possible explanations for the properties of one FRB in particular to try to figure out what its source might be. Your Friendly Neighborhood FRB A number of previous astrobites have discussed the basics of FRBs (here, here, and here for example) but the FRB that the authors of this paper focus on is FRB 181112. FRB 181112 was found with the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) and localized to a host galaxy about 2.7 Gpc away from us even though it has not been observed to repeat. That’s over a hundred times farther away than the closest galaxy cluster, the Virgo Cluster! One quality of FRB 181112 that makes it particularly interesting to study is that the way ASKAP records data allows the authors to study the polarization of the radio emission. Polarization of light is a measure of how much the electromagnetic wave (here the radio emission) rotates due to any magnetic fields it propagates through. The two types of polarization are linear polarization (Q for vertical/horizontal, or V for ±45°), which occurs if the electromagnetic wave rotates in a plane, and circular (either left- or right-handed depending on the rotation direction) if the light rotates on a circular path. By looking at the polarization of FRB 181112, shown in the centre image, the authors can determine the strength of the magnetic field it traveled through. In addition to polarization, the dispersion measure (DM), or difference in time of arrival of the FRB at the telescope between the highest and lowest radio emission frequencies due to its journey through the interstellar medium (ISM), can provide information about the properties of the environment(s) the burst travels through. Each of the four components of FRB 181112 (visible in panel (a) of the centre image in three different polarizations, Q, U, and V, as well as total intensity, I) are shown in the bottom row of the lower image, and each component has a slightly different DM. By looking at how the DM changes, the authors can not only look at different emission processes that could lead these apparent changes, but can also measure how scattered the radio emission of FRB 181112 might be due to the ISM. The intensity of the emission as a function of time and radio frequency for each of the four polarization profiles (I , Q, U, and V) are shown in the top row of the lower image. The four different components that make up FRB 181112 are shown in total intensity, I, in the bottom row of the lower image. Properties of FRB 181112 The authors first find that FRB 181112 is highly polarized (see centre and bottom images), and while the degree of both the total (P/I) and linear (L/I) polarization is constant across all four components of the pulse, the degree of circular (V/I) polarization varies, as shown in the bottom image. This indicates that the FRB must have either traveled through a relativistic plasma, a cold plasma in the ISM that is moving at relativistic speeds, or that the emission was already highly polarized at the time it was emitted, meaning the source of FRB 181112 would have to be highly magnetized. However if the source of the polarization is due to the plasma in the ISM, the expected polarization would be almost completely linear (Q or U), whereas we observe significant circular polarization (V). The authors next analyzed the four different components shown in the bottom row of the lower image for variations in DM and find there are some small, but significant differences between each component. These differences could be due to some unmodeled structure in the ISM, again possibly a relativistic plasma, but is unlikely since the burst lasts for only 2 milliseconds. The authors also suggest these differences in DM could be due to gravitational lensing, the radio light being bent around a massive object. This would mean different components travel through different paths in the ISM, accounting for the different DMs and four different components. However, gravitational lensing cannot explain the high degree of polarization seen in FRB 181112. The Million Dollar Question So how was FRB 181112 made? What caused the polarization and differences in DM? Well, the authors can’t say anything for certain. They suggest that the most likely model is a relativistic plasma close to the source of the emission, which has polarization properties similar to known magnetars (highly magnetized neutron stars known to emit radio bursts), but none of their models can fully explain all of the different properties of FRB 181112. The source of FRB 181112 remains a mystery for now, but with the huge number of FRBs now being detected, the answer may lie just around the corner. TOP IMAGE....Artist's conception of the localization of a fast radio burst to its host galaxy. [Danielle Futselaar] CENTRE IMAGE....The full polarization profile of FRB 181112 showing four profile components. The black line, I, is the sum of all the polarizations of light, or the total intensity of the burst. The red line, Q, is the profile using only (linearly) horizontally or vertically polarized light; the green line, U, is using only the (linearly) ±45° polarized light; and the blue line, V, is the profile using only circularly polarized light. Negative values describe the direction of the polarization. b) The polarization position angle of the zoomed in profiles from panel (a) seen in panel (c). Variation here suggests the emission is coming from different places in the source. d) A three second time series of the data where the FRB is clearly visible at about 1.8 seconds. [Cho et al. 2020] LOWER IMAGE....Top row: Intensity of the radio emission of each of the four polarization profiles, I, Q, U, and V (described in the centre image) as a function of time and radio frequency. Bottom row: Close up of the four different pulse components of the total intensity polarization profile, I, of FRB 181112 as a function of time and radio frequency. All components have been assumed to have a DM of 589.265 pc cm-3 , and a slight slope in the intensity as a function of time and frequency can be seen in pulse 4, indicating it may have a slightly different DM. [Cho et al. 2020] BOTTOM IMAGE....Degree of polarization of FRB 181112. The black line (P/I) shows the total polarization, the red line (L/I) shows the linear polarization, and the blue line (V/I) shows the circular polarization. The red and black lines show a large amount of polarization constant in time, while the blue line shows the circular polarization changes over the pulse. [Cho et al. 2020] Title: Spectropolarimetric analysis of FRB 181112 at microsecond resolution: Implications for Fast Radio Burst emission mechanism Authors: Hyerin Cho et al. First Author’s Institution: Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea Status: Published in ApJL Editor’s note: Astrobites is a graduate-student-run organization that digests astrophysical literature for undergraduate students. As part of the partnership between the AAS and astrobites, we occasionally repost astrobites content here at AAS Nova. We hope you enjoy this post from astrobites; the original can be viewed at astrobites.org. About the author, Brent Shapiro-Albert: I’m a fourth year graduate student at West Virginia University studying various aspects of pulsars. I’m a member of the NANOGrav collaboration which uses pulsar timing arrays to detect gravitational waves. In particular I study how the interstellar medium affects the pulsar emission. Other than research I enjoy reading, hiking, and video games.

#space #science #astronomy #physics #fast radio bursts

[nyxtoxicate]

hello yearning: a'plyae mae.

Summary:

Jung Taekwoon, a fourth tier soccer player in the K3 division of Korea's football leagues, juggles the struggle of raising his nephew as well as pushing his career forward when he unconsciously commits an act which bestows a faerie of good fortune upon him. A problem; the faerie is very mischievous. Another problem; the faerie is also very, very attractive.

Rating- Mature

artwork by @changbaegi​. used with credit.

Chapter 2: Dithyramb (or read on ao3)

"Why're your arms so long?"

"Excuse me?" Incredulous, Taekwoon regards his teammate through hooded eyes even as a bead of sweat falls past his bangs and down the side of his face. It was hot out. He was hot. Jinsoo was not helping.

"Your. Arms. Are. Long." The man of the hour drags out, pausing at intervals between his words as though Taekwoon were dumb or hard of hearing. "And you're tall. You really ought to be playing basketball or something."

Taekwoon huffs, raven locks drenched in perspiration when he reaches up to run a hand through them. Grimacing in disgust, he wipes his palm against the front of his practice jersey, watching as Jinsoo begins to punt the black and white checkered football against both of his knees, not daring to meet Taekwoon’s eyes. "Are you trying to get me to quit?" He fires back, voice devoid of any threats, but serious nonetheless.

"Nah, man. Well, there'd be more of a chance of me getting recruited by one of the upper leagues if you did, but I'd miss you too much. No one here's got a poker face like you." Jinsoo was referring to the time that he and the rest of the team had gotten their first win at nationals. There was an after party that their coach deeply frowned upon the idea of, so it had been Taekwoon's job to set their coach's mind at ease.

"I like football."

Jinsoo huffs out a chuckle, sounding winded after the drills that they had just recently finished, before grabbing onto the football and tucking it under his armpit, slinging his free arm around Taekwoon's shoulders. Their height difference meant that Taekwoon had to accommodate by stooping down a bit to make up for lost inches. Jinsoo was alright most of the time. Taekwoon wouldn't trust him with a soggy piece of toast, but he was decent enough. What the man lacked in stature, he made up in stamina, endurance, and swiftness. He was probably the fastest player their team had because he was nimble and dexterous, slipping through gaps in the opposing team's defense that they most likely had no idea were even there. Jinsoo could be lazy, though, and he enjoyed partying a bit too much for Taekwoon's liking, but at least they got along on their line. "Oh yeah. A few other guys and I were gonna go get dinner after this. You busy?"

They always offered, and Taekwoon was always grateful for that, but-

There's a smile on his face when he shakes his head.

"Sorry, I have to pick up Minyul from tutoring." Even if his tutoring session was mostly just to make sure that Minyul was developing his skills properly. Taekwoon was very against the intense training that a few of the kids at Minyul's school were put through by their parents, but he didn't want the child to fall behind either.

"Gotcha. Why don't you let him come watch us practice sometime? I'm sure he'd like it," Jinsoo suggests, patting Taekwoon's back hard twice in a gesture of affection before grabbing his football and starting to pass it between his hands. The turf under their feet squelches with every step of their cleats, and Taekwoon shrugs, kicking away some of the ludicrously coloured ground.

“I like when there is someone to watch him. And he would be distracted here.” It was a lame excuse, but if the suddenly tightening of Jinsoo’s lips meant anything, it was that Taekwoon wouldn’t be questioned any further. He was relieved for that, and soon their short break for catching their breaths and re hydrating was over and the two were back to practicing their footwork with the rest of the team.

About ten years previously, Taekwoon was a rising football star out of a small town south of Gwangju. He had two elder sisters, both of whom he treasured dearly even if they were sometimes overbearing and insistent on embarrassing him in any way they deemed fit, but they were also the two people who pushed him the hardest to follow his dream of competing professionally. In his second to last year of high school, Taekwoon was offered a position on a national team, and thus sparked his career. He’d had trouble in his last year when conflicts between his final exams and championships set him back from the rest of his teammates, and the rising star began to fall. From then, there always seemed to be some excuse to not allow him to play. Taekwoon was sure that it was a type of revenge from his coaches for him putting graduation before the team, and there were games afterwards where Taekwoon did not play at all. He had to claw his way back to being recognized for his talent, but through it all, he had the two most important people at his side to continue urging him all. Through his trials, his siblings remained his biggest fans, coming to cheer for him at games whenever they could and always congratulating him on a job well done. And then Taekwoon started to have more reasons to be happy, because his sisters began to grow up as well, finding partners that he approved up and starting their own families. Minyul was born.

Taekwoon was twenty- one and in the midst of being traded to another team, one whose home field was close to the place he grew up in and would be easier to commute to, when there was an accident.

She was only trying to come home from her day job, the one she only ever spent four hours a day at because she didn’t like leaving Minyul with other people for very long. The middle child of the trio of siblings had always been fiercely protective of her brother, so why wouldn’t she be of her son? She had been coming home when her car stalled in the middle of the intersection, and Taekwoon can vividly remember the marred, disfigured mass of bone and flesh that had been pulled out of the wreckage of the crash that ensued. He remembers blaming anyone that he could; his parents for not looking after her, his brother-in-law for not being there to stop it. He blamed himself for being too caught up in his career to properly thank the woman for giving him so much of her time. But, she had left Minyul behind, and when it became apparent that Minyul’s biological father was unable to properly care for the boy due to the nature of his work, custody was ruled in favour of Taekwoon. It had not been an easy adjustment. Minyul had been three years old when he came to live with Taekwoon, and caring for a toddler while also worrying about which direction to take in his own life had taken its toll on Taekwoon’s state of mind. The football player took a year to determine what he was interested in. It helped that he and Minyul always got along. Taekwoon HAD been present at the hospital the day Minyul was born to congratulate his sister and welcome the new life into the world with an abundance of balloons and a bouquet fit for a queen. He would cherish the memory of that day.

In that time, Taekwoon learned everything he could about Minyul. His nephew liked the colour green and he was very proud of the pictures he drew. Taekwoon kept a folder of all the drawings Minyul made for him. Minyul also liked fairy tales, and when he came to realize that his uncle had a lot of them, the boy would spend hours staring at the pretty designs in the books in wonder. Minyul started to call his uncle ‘Ta’ when he saw Taekwoon’s name printed on a player card and found he couldn't quite pronounce it properly. Taekwoon never corrected him.

When it came time to start thinking about places to enroll Minyul for school, Taekwoon sought out any place he could get to that was within a safe distance of his apartment building and reasonably reputable. Minyul is five and Taekwoon has been coaching minor league football for six months when he gets the call from an agent about an opportunity to try out for a national team. He makes the cut, and with Minyul in school for hours at a time, he doesn't have to worry so much. But, Taekwoon still does worry, because if anything were to take Minyul from him now, there would be nothing to keep him from falling apart at the seams.

As it is, Taekwoon thinks he’s doing a pretty good job of keeping everything together because he hardly ever hesitates anymore. When there are things he’s unsure of, his parents and sister are only a phone call away, even if his mother has started referring to Minyul as Taekwoon’s son now. His heart always ached at that, but he knew she would never take it too far. Minyul knew that he had had a mother but that she was out of reach now, which indicated pretty good comprehension skills from the child. Still, Taekwoon wondered if Minyul would have turned out different if he had continued being raised by his mother. Would she have done things differently? Would she be proud of her little brother for taking care of her son? Taekwoon hoped she would have been, and he didn’t think Minyul was turning out half bad even if he was a little bit loud and disruptive sometimes. So sue him, he wanted his nephew to have fun in his youth. Taekwoon continues to dribble the ball between his feet.

⋯ ◯ ⋯⋯

Taekwoon’s home life is wonderfully and awfully domestic. His two bedroom apartment suite had always felt too big when he was alone, but now that he had his nephew living with him, it was tough to find enough space for himself. Haphazardly strewn about the apartment were toys and games of all kinds, including the ones that Minyul had played with as a baby that Taekwoon claimed he didn’t have the time to take away but in actuality he wanted to hold onto for safe keeping. On a few walls were leftover streaks of reds, blues, browns and pinks from crayons that Taekwoon could never properly clean away, and so it was safe to assume that the home looked as though it were in absolute turmoil most of the time. However, Taekwoon hardly cared, because it was more lived in like this than it had ever been before, when it was quiet and lonely place. He had avoided it back then, because while he liked having time to himself, Taekwoon hated the feeling of being left by himself. Now it was different, and he wouldn’t change it in the least (save for the pieces of Lego that always seemed to be right where his bare feet needed to go in the mornings).

Even now Taekwoon could hear Minyul giggling to himself in the other room while the drone of the television continued its monotonous murmur. Taekwoon smiled to himself as he finished pushing the wet clothes into the dryer, glad that he would have the next few days off to be with the boy. There was a constant, nagging doubt that festered in the football player's mind that he could be spending more time with Minyul or encouraging his nephew to be more social and make more friends. However, Taekwoon was also selfish, and there were precious memories that were still to be made between the two and the loss of time that would come with Minyul having other kids over... It made him seethe a little bit. Or maybe he was afraid that Minyul would grow away from him when he thought of his uncle as no longer worth his time. Taekwoon frowned at that, shutting the dryer door with a gesture more forceful than necessary and wiping his hands on the back of his jeans. He was not going to be frustrated by this fantasy any longer, he told himself, taking in a long breath through his nose to curb the edge to the hostile thoughts before he started to make his way back into the den of the apartment.

Taekwoon was nearing the door when the rumble of another voice made him freeze. He frantically tried to rationalize, sure that his moment of panic would be soothed when he turned the corner and found that Minyul had simply turned the volume on the television up too loudly, or maybe it was the neighbours having a heated argument. But, Taekwoon knew that he left the channel on some sort of cartoon his nephew liked before he went to put the laundry away, and the only other person he should be able to hear from this spot was the elderly woman in the suite to his right-

“Wow, you’re a good drawer!”

That was it.

Taekwoon sprinted into action, thanking any good spirits looking after him for his long legs once again and also congratulating his past self for thinking to hide some sort of weapon in almost every room. In this case, just behind the washing machine was a thick wooden bat, a bit on the shorter side, but enough to pack a punch in a tight situation. Taekwoon was grabbing the thing was so much force he was surprised that there was no snap of wood between his fingers from the vice-like grip. He swallowed hard.

Minyul was giggling. Which was good, he guessed, because that meant that no physical harm was coming to him, but it was also bad because the kid loved basically anyone that could make him laugh.

Taekwoon was moving as silently as he could, his socks brushing against the cold wooden floors with barely a sound so that it was only his ragged breathing he had to be worried about. There was no way he was going to take the chance of being found out if it put his nephew in harm’s way. He could wait until he had a sure shot at the stranger in his home. He could wait until that out of place voice become too loud…

“Where did you say your uncle went?”

“Ta’s over there,” Minyul was informing the mysterious figure, and from this vantage point, with Taekwoon’s slender body concealed behind the laundry room door, he could peer through the crack between the door frame and the wall to look at the shock of dirty blond hair that belonged to the male currently sitting cross-legged beside Minyul on the floor. Of facial features, Taekwoon made sure to remember a prominent nose, bow-shaped lips and a face on the rounder side. Taekwoon wanted to curse at the broad shoulders he saw, trying to mentally calculate just how BIG the guy was and if he had a chance to take him down without breaking too much furniture.

“Oh, really? We should call him out here!” And the guy was smiling so brightly at Minyul that a rage began to bubble up inside him even though all Taekwoon could do was grit his teeth; but then he saw his chance coming. His nephew, his brilliant, dependable, clever nephew decided that it would be HIS job to bring Uncle Taekwoon out to meet his new friend.

Taekwoon didn’t pause to question how it was possible for the man to have gotten into his apartment. He didn’t think for a second about the fact that they were on the eighth floor or that his security system hadn’t gone off or that it was highly unlikely that the guy had managed to pick the lock for the front door in the first place, because as soon as Minyul was pushing open the door to the laundry room, Taekwoon was slamming it shut. He saw the startled expression on Minyul’s face before the tears began, the loud noise most likely setting him off, but his uncle could do little to soothe the confused child because he had shut the door behind him after slipping through the opening Minyul had made when seeking out his uncle. Taekwoon must have looked like some sort of madman with the bat in hand. No doubt he would be foaming at the mouth as soon as he located the stranger whom had the audacity to barge into his home and corner his poor flesh- and- blood kin. Rapid eye movements sought out the figure Taekwoon had seen as the football player beat the polished wood of the bat against the palm of his hand. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes, but all Taekwoon was aware of was the rage induced red hue that decorated his surroundings. It was wherever he looked, but still there was no sign of the stranger. There was no way in Hell he was stepping away from the door, though. Not when Minyul was inside, sniffing and beating weakly on the door with his tiny hands.

“Ta! Scary in here!” That did capture Taekwoon’s attention, though, and while he raised the bat in a pointed gesture, he was beginning to calm down.

“It’s alright, kiddo. Ta’s going to get the bad man.”

“Not bad, Ta! He knows magic tricks!” Oh, so that’s how Minyul had trusted the guy so easily. Not for the first time, Taekwoon’s teeth made an odd sound as they scraped together when his jaw clenched. What kind of sick bastard was he dealing with here?

When there was no movement for another moment, Taekwoon opted for leaning against the laundry room door. His cell phone should still be in there, and in his alarmed state he had completely forgotten it. Now that his head was clearer and it was becoming apparent that the guy had taken off, Taekwoon thought it was probably a better plan to call the police and wait them out in the room with his nephew.

The minutes began to tick by until Taekwoon eventually, painstakingly, edged the door open, casting furtive glances over his shoulder in case the freak from before decided to make another grand appearance and thought to take Taekwoon by surprise. No such scenario played out, though, and when the Korean man was finally in full view to his nephew, Minyul threw himself around one large leg and adamantly refused to let go, clinging desperately at Taekwoon’s calf with his sharp nails digging into the material of his uncle’s jeans. With some maneuvering, Taekwoon was able to get them both inside the room, barricading the door with the dressing table that he kept the laundry things on top of and where he had left his phone.

Slowly, so as not to alarm the poor kid more than he already had, Taekwoon pried Minyul from his leg, bringing him into his uncle’s protective embrace for both of their sake.

“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Ta didn’t mean to do that,” he was murmuring into the little boy’s hair from where his nephew had stuck his head under Taekwoon’s chin. He slid down onto the floor, cradling Minyul in his arms even while he dialed the number for the local police service, waited with baited breath until the uniformed officers arrived to ensnare the two of them in the security that the authorities provided, and only then did he release the bat.

⋯ ◯ ⋯⋯

“No sign of forced entry. No tampering with locks, all windows with ledges outside of them properly closed and locked as well. No video evidence to prove that any man at all other than yourself or another resident wandered down your hallway the day of the alleged home invasion.”

It was two weeks later, and Taekwoon was back at the police station to go over his statement. It seemed that, while the officers believed that something occurred for Taekwoon to have made the call, there was trouble putting all of the pieces together. The woman in uniform questioning him let out a sigh.

“We are at a loss, Mr. Jung. Your nephew and yourself gave the exact same description of the man you said you saw, but there seems to be no evidence that concludes this to be true. No person in your building exactly matches what you have told us, and the time stamp on the hallway video proves that there was no tampering with the recording. This alarms us. If there IS a predator wandering around that part of the city, a part where there are many families, we must be able to provide evidence of the case before issuing any sort of alert. You understand this?”

Taekwoon nods, mute. He also understood that Minyul was going to a sleepover that night and it would be the first time since the incident that he would be spending such a prolonged amount of time away from his nephew. The thought was churning his stomach unpleasantly, and his expression had been sour for most of the day.

“You are also certain that you have never seen the man before?” Taekwoon nods again. The woman nods back at him. Taekwoon nods again. He really, really wanted to leave.

“Then there are no further questions that I have for you,” the officer concludes, standing and waiting for Taekwoon to do the same before gesturing for the football player to follow her slighter form out of the room. Taekwoon was glad. It had been stuffy in there, the four walls seeming to close in on him, even though he was by no means claustrophobic, and the mirror that he knew was truly a two- way mirror was so overbearing that he could hardly bring himself to look at the thing even though it was right behind the woman who had sat across from him. He wondered who else was watching their discussion, and if Taekwoon had subconsciously scowled at the mirror a few times, he would never admit to it. Taekwoon did still remember his manners, though, bowing politely to the officer as she let him be to track down Minyul in the children’s room.

The kid bounced to attention once his uncle called his name and Taekwoon reached for his nephew’s hand as soon as he was within proper holding distance. Apparently Minyul had basically forgotten what had happened and Taekwoon was happy to see that it didn’t impair his rambunctious personality. Of course, Taekwoon was sure the boy had told his schoolmates all about the strange friend he met at home the day he was allowed to go back to school, but he didn’t think too much about that. Taekwoon just made extra sure that all the locks were in order and that the bat was safely tucked away should he ever need to actually use it.

They were in Taekwoon’s car, Minyul safely in his car seat and staring out the window before he spoke again.

“Ta, excited.”

“You’re excited? For tonight?” Minyul nods; Taekwoon sees it in the rear view mirror. He was kicking his short legs out and just barely missing the back of the passenger side seat with every extension of his legs, but Taekwoon didn’t have the heart to chastise him.

“Do you want to pack Dog?” Dog was the aptly named retriever plush Minyul had gotten for his fourth birthday from Taekwoon’s eldest sister. Supposedly it was for some popular internet game and came with a code so that Minyul could play online, but he had been more interested in the soft fur than the interactive pet world and usually cuddled it to bed at night.

“I’ll make sure you have it then. And you know that if you want to come home, you can call me. No matter what time it is, I’ll come and get you. Especially if you’re scared.”

“I won’t get scared! I’m not scared of anything!” Is the indignant reply and Taekwoon laughs heartily.

“I know,” he confirms, but Taekwoon couldn’t say the same for himself.

⋯ ◯ ���⋯

There’s screaming. Three, four, five kids in unison screaming at the tops of their lungs and Taekwoon is about to let his nephew join in on the madness. The look that Yugyeom’s mother gives him is withering and the football player barely keeps Minyul’s attention long enough to get a quick kiss on the cheek before the child is running off to join in on what can only be identified as a yelling match, with the winner of the match being deemed king. What was today’s youth coming to? He almost wanted to offer some sort of retribution to the mother that greeted him at the door, but when he tried to speak there was no sound. He simply stood there, gazing past her shoulder into the mess of the home before silently placing Minyul’s overnight bag just inside the door and bowing profusely before backing away from the situation, his voice barely comprehensible as he mouthed his thanks for watching Minyul that night. When Taekwoon sees Chaewon’s nod -that was her name. She was Yugyeom’s mother, Taekwoon remembered now- he knows he’s in the clear and Taekwoon reminds himself to never buy a place big enough to house a bustling party of rugrats.

But Taekwoon knows now that Minyul will be alright, and that sets whatever tension had been causing his ill mood at ease. He had practice to worry about the next day anyway, and this night would be good to get himself back into the player mindset. There were nationals coming up soon, and that meant preliminaries were already underway and teams were being assigned their spots according to the past year’s rankings. His team had done well, but fourth was not enough to promise them a spot in the finals, which meant that they were due for the single elimination rounds. After that came the double elimination, meaning that the top five teams to progress to the finals were set to compete against at least three teams before their rankings were set for that year. Taekwoon had a lot to think about, was what it meant, and his drive home was relatively quiet save for the new formation sequences he was making up as he went.

Parking was quiet too, and he had to stop himself from getting out of the car and opening the back door to let Minyul out. The act took him aback for the moment as there had really never been a night that he had to himself since the boy moved in (not that he was complaining). It struck Taekwoon that his apartment would be quiet again, and his feet dragged all the way to the flight of stairs that would lead him up, up, up to the lonely place waiting for him. His stomach rumbles and his pace quickens. Maybe if he filled the apartment with the sounds of cooking food, he would have some incentive to enjoy his alone time.

There are few people milling around the building even though it was not particularly late. Then again, work nights tended to be the prime nights to go out with coworkers, and this complex was not one intended for that sort of use considering excessive noise after 8 was frowned upon. It just meant that there was nothing to distract Taekwoon, and if he nearly fell asleep when he finally made it inside the elevator, then it was only to be expected. Thankfully, the abhorrent ping of the bell signalling his stop pulled him from his drowsing, and through heavily lidded eyes, the football player stumbles to his suite and inputs the code that will let him inside. The numbers on the buttons blur together for a long moment, and he wonders when he had gotten so tired. Most likely stress, Taekwoon reasoned to himself, pushing the door open and pulling the deadlock over behind him- it was too high for Minyul to reach if anyone did try to coerce the child into opening the door.

Taekwoon steps inside, shrugging off his light sweater and kicking his shoes to the side of the door before moving to the small closet just off the entryway of his home- but he only takes a step in that direction before he pauses. Because if Taekwoon was being certain, he was sure he had seen a body flit from one side of the archway leading into the kitchen to the other in a wisp of activity. And if Taekwoon was a rational person, he might get his phone out just in case he needed to contact and emergency service. But Taekwoon wasn't always rational, and if he wasn't experience any form of psychosis then it must be true that there was someone in his apartment. Again. Without his permission. Treading on silent feet, the athlete slinks to the archway, taking a deep breath of gusto before tentatively peering inside the room.

But there's nothing to see. Everything was exactly as he had left it, not even a dish towel out of place, and there's a quizzical furling of Taekwoon’s eyebrows as he moves inside the kitchen. It's possible the intruder was moving through the house, but a fast inspection of each of the rooms had Taekwoon fumbling. He was certain he wasn't imagining things, but maybe he was more fatigued than he previously thought, and his growling stomach once again alerted him to the fact that he was famished as well as emotionally exhausted.

Taekwoon first trudges into the washroom to splash some cold water on his face, the somewhat gaunt and angular face that stared back at him seeming forlorn. The fingers that run across the expanse of flesh at the nape of his neck are prickled, indicating that it would soon be time for a shave again. Later, though. Later. Begrudgingly, because he still didn’t want to believe that he was suffering from any sort of paranoia, Taekwoon steps through the hallways of his apartment, weaving his way back into the kitchen. And then he freezes.

“There you are! You must be Uncle Ta!” Exclaims the blond man sitting at Taekwoon’s dining table.

Taekwoon really wishes he’d brought the bat with him.

#hello yearning #keo #vixx #fanfic #ken #leo #mine #do not repost!

[tworking711]

Adam Peaty ahead of schedule for Olympics after another 100m blast

World record holder Adam Peaty declared himself ahead of schedule for the Tokyo Olympics after swimming the fastest 100m breaststroke of the year at the British selection trials in London on Wednesday. The Olympic champion had already made sure of his ticket to Japan but the motivation was clear as he won the final in 57.39 seconds, the fifth fastest of all time, with exactly 100 days to go until the Games start.The Briton, who set a record 56.88 at the 2019 world championships in Gwangju, is the only man to have swum the 100m under 58 seconds and he now has the top 20 fastest times in history. It was also the 15th time he has recorded a sub-58 second time. World silver medallist James Wilby was second in the final with a time of 58.76."I've had a lot going on with a kid, moving house, so I'm happy to come here. I think that's consolidated the top 20 ever now," said Peaty, who became a father last year."The execution was perfect, I'm way ahead of where I should be now," added the 26-year-old. "So I can take a lot of confidence into the summer, the Olympics...and show the world we're a force to be reckoned with."The Briton, who is using the event as practice, had already swum a 57.70 in the morning's heats. เกมคาสิโน

#slot1234 #free spin #เทคนิคบาคาร่า

[technologyinfosec]

Hungarian teen Milak smashes Phelps' record

Hungarian teenager Kristof Milak shattered Michael Phelps' 10-year-old world record in the 200 metres butterfly on Wednesday while Adam Peaty sewed up a third straight breaststroke double with victory in the 50 metres at the world championships. Budapest-born Milak won gold in a time of 1:50.73, lopping 0.78 seconds off Phelps' 1:51.51 set in Rome in 2009. "It's a tremendous honour to set such a great record," he said. "Until 14 I was a backstroker and later I focused on the butterfly. But earlier I only did 100 metres because I wasn't strong enough." There can be no question about his strength now. At 19, Milak is the youngest winner of the 200 butterfly since Phelps triumphed as an 18-year-old in 2003, the second of the American great's five world titles in the event. Peaty shattered a record of his own on Sunday, becoming the first swimmer to go under 57 seconds in the 100 breaststroke semifinals and while he could not repeat the feat in the 50 he was still streets ahead of his rivals. The Briton posted 26.06, the third fastest 50 of all time and 0.6 seconds ahead of his nearest challenger, Brazilian Felipe Lima. "Got the triple double which is a massive thing for me," said Peaty. "It's what I came here to do. The 56 happened so it's just everything complete really." Chinese swimmer Sun Yang has been a lightning rod for controversy at the championships but his bid for glory in the 800 freestyle fizzled out as he trailed home in sixth. Sun is swimming under a cloud in Gwangju with a doping case against him set to be heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in September. His presence has upset fans and fellow athletes alike, with two swimmers, Australian Mack Horton and Briton Duncan Scott, showing their displeasure in the most public way possible. Horton refused to share the podium after picking up silver behind Sun in the 400 while 200 bronze medallist Scott refused to shake his hand at the medals ceremony, a move that triggered a furious response from the Chinese swimmer. All three athletes were sent warning letters by governing body Fina over their conduct. There was double freestyle delight for Italy with Federica Pellegrini winning the women's 200 world title for a fourth time and Gregorio Paltrinieri taking gold in the men's 800. Paltrinieri said he took no additional pleasure in beating Sun, who also served a doping suspension in 2014. "I don't want to think about anything while I'm racing like doping or something, I just don't care. I just want to beat them all," said the Italian. World record holder Pellegrini, who won her first 200 title a decade ago, hunted down Australian teen Ariarne Titmus over the closing 50 to claim gold in 1:54.22. "I'm too old for this," joked a breathless Pellegrini, who celebrates her 31st birthday next month. Titmus, who stunned Katie Ledecky to win gold in the 400 on Sunday, is the new kid on the block at the worlds but the 'Terminator' has a big future. "Based on training times I probably thought I had a better time in me, but what can you do? It's what you do on the day and Pellegrini was really good tonight," she said. Australia ended the night on a high note though with their mixed 4x100 medley relay team pipping the United States to gold by 0.02 seconds, Cate Campbell powering home in a scintillating anchor leg to overhaul Simone Manuel. Since anchoring the women's 4x100 freestyle relay team to gold on Sunday, Campbell has been stuck in the athletes village watching television while her team mates raced. "I feel like a bear who has been in hibernation," she said. "I was starting to get a little bit restless in the apartment, I was like 'come on let me out, let's start racing again. There are only so many episodes of Friends I can watch.'" Read the full article

#technology #technologyinfosec

[abetheone]

Host of SA swimmers in Day 1 action in South Korea

Host of SA swimmers in Day 1 action in South Korea

[ad_1]

Cape Town – A whole host of South Africans will take to the pool in the opening day’s heats of the swimming section at the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea on Sunday.

First up in the heats of the women’s 200m IM will be Rebecca Meder. Seventeen-year-old Meder’s entry time of 2:14.44 is some way off the fastest of 2:08.16 by Japan’s Yu Ohashi, while Hungary’s Katinka…

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[velmaemyers88]

Katie Ledecky, Overcoming Illness, Qualifies for a Shot at Gold

GWANGJU, South Korea — In her first individual race since illness knocked her out of two events this week at the world swimming championships, Katie Ledecky posted the second-fastest qualifying time in the 800-meter freestyle on Friday, behind her American teammate Leah Smith.

Ledecky, a two-time Olympic champion in the event who owns the 22 best times in its history, closed fast over the final 150 meters to nearly catch Smith, who was in an adjoining lane. Ledecky touched the wall in 8 minutes 17.42 seconds, almost 13 seconds slower than her world record and a blink behind Smith’s 8:17.23.

Ledecky appeared sapped by the effort, proceeding straight to the warm-down pool without stopping to talk to reporters.

The final on Saturday will cap a turbulent week for Ledecky, one of the sport’s most dominant performers, and give her a chance to salvage one gold medal from a meet where she was favored to win at least three.

Ledecky, 22, came to South Korea expecting to pick up where she left off at the world championships in Budapest, Hungary, two years ago, when she collected six medals, including five golds, in the freestyle events.

But before this meet started, she was ambushed by a mysterious ailment, and then, in her first final here, the 400-meter freestyle on Sunday, she was passed on the final lap by Ariarne Titmus, an 18-year-old Australian.

So fierce is Ledecky with a lead, the way she lost was like watching a gazelle prey on a leopard.

The next day, Ledecky returned to the water for the 1,500-meter freestyle preliminaries, and even though she recorded the top time, she knew something was seriously amiss.

“I got to the 1,100 point of the 1,500, and I almost stopped and got out,” Ledecky said Thursday, adding, “I just kind of blanked out the rest of the race and tried to finish it, got over to the coaches and medical staff and told them, ‘I’m not myself.’”

Ledecky retreated from public view for nearly three days. She withdrew from the final of the 1,500, her best event, scratched from the 200-meter freestyle and surfaced only to participate in an abbreviated training session.

Ledecky returned to competition Thursday as a member of the United States women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay. She helped the quartet, which also included Simone Manuel, Melanie Margalis and Katie McLaughlin, to an American record and a silver medal. With a time of 7:41.87, the Americans surpassed the existing world record, set in 2009 by China, but were beaten by Australia, which was timed in 7:41.50.

Swimming the second leg, Ledecky clocked a 1:54.61, which was the third-fastest split in the relay final, behind Titmus’s leadoff 1:54.27 for Australia and Penny Oleksiak’s 1:54.36 anchor leg for Canada.

“That went a lot better than I expected,” said Ledecky, who had to clear one last obstacle on her way to the 800. She had to provide a urine sample for doping control, which wasn’t easy given that she had been dehydrated, at times severely, all week.

“We don’t know exactly what caused this all,” Ledecky said, “but just feeling the effects of dehydration, loss of appetite, lightheadedness — just a lot of different things, to be honest — it just kind of created a perfect storm.”

Credit: Source link

The post Katie Ledecky, Overcoming Illness, Qualifies for a Shot at Gold appeared first on WeeklyReviewer.

from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.com/katie-ledecky-overcoming-illness-qualifies-for-a-shot-at-gold/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=katie-ledecky-overcoming-illness-qualifies-for-a-shot-at-gold from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.tumblr.com/post/186557389562

[reneeacaseyfl]

Katie Ledecky, Overcoming Illness, Qualifies for a Shot at Gold

GWANGJU, South Korea — In her first individual race since illness knocked her out of two events this week at the world swimming championships, Katie Ledecky posted the second-fastest qualifying time in the 800-meter freestyle on Friday, behind her American teammate Leah Smith.

Ledecky, a two-time Olympic champion in the event who owns the 22 best times in its history, closed fast over the final 150 meters to nearly catch Smith, who was in an adjoining lane. Ledecky touched the wall in 8 minutes 17.42 seconds, almost 13 seconds slower than her world record and a blink behind Smith’s 8:17.23.

Ledecky appeared sapped by the effort, proceeding straight to the warm-down pool without stopping to talk to reporters.

The final on Saturday will cap a turbulent week for Ledecky, one of the sport’s most dominant performers, and give her a chance to salvage one gold medal from a meet where she was favored to win at least three.

Ledecky, 22, came to South Korea expecting to pick up where she left off at the world championships in Budapest, Hungary, two years ago, when she collected six medals, including five golds, in the freestyle events.

But before this meet started, she was ambushed by a mysterious ailment, and then, in her first final here, the 400-meter freestyle on Sunday, she was passed on the final lap by Ariarne Titmus, an 18-year-old Australian.

So fierce is Ledecky with a lead, the way she lost was like watching a gazelle prey on a leopard.

The next day, Ledecky returned to the water for the 1,500-meter freestyle preliminaries, and even though she recorded the top time, she knew something was seriously amiss.

“I got to the 1,100 point of the 1,500, and I almost stopped and got out,” Ledecky said Thursday, adding, “I just kind of blanked out the rest of the race and tried to finish it, got over to the coaches and medical staff and told them, ‘I’m not myself.’”

Ledecky retreated from public view for nearly three days. She withdrew from the final of the 1,500, her best event, scratched from the 200-meter freestyle and surfaced only to participate in an abbreviated training session.

Ledecky returned to competition Thursday as a member of the United States women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay. She helped the quartet, which also included Simone Manuel, Melanie Margalis and Katie McLaughlin, to an American record and a silver medal. With a time of 7:41.87, the Americans surpassed the existing world record, set in 2009 by China, but were beaten by Australia, which was timed in 7:41.50.

Swimming the second leg, Ledecky clocked a 1:54.61, which was the third-fastest split in the relay final, behind Titmus’s leadoff 1:54.27 for Australia and Penny Oleksiak’s 1:54.36 anchor leg for Canada.

“That went a lot better than I expected,” said Ledecky, who had to clear one last obstacle on her way to the 800. She had to provide a urine sample for doping control, which wasn’t easy given that she had been dehydrated, at times severely, all week.

“We don’t know exactly what caused this all,” Ledecky said, “but just feeling the effects of dehydration, loss of appetite, lightheadedness — just a lot of different things, to be honest — it just kind of created a perfect storm.”

Credit: Source link

The post Katie Ledecky, Overcoming Illness, Qualifies for a Shot at Gold appeared first on WeeklyReviewer.

from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.com/katie-ledecky-overcoming-illness-qualifies-for-a-shot-at-gold/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=katie-ledecky-overcoming-illness-qualifies-for-a-shot-at-gold from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.tumblr.com/post/186557389562

[weeklyreviewer]

Katie Ledecky, Overcoming Illness, Qualifies for a Shot at Gold

GWANGJU, South Korea — In her first individual race since illness knocked her out of two events this week at the world swimming championships, Katie Ledecky posted the second-fastest qualifying time in the 800-meter freestyle on Friday, behind her American teammate Leah Smith.

Ledecky, a two-time Olympic champion in the event who owns the 22 best times in its history, closed fast over the final 150 meters to nearly catch Smith, who was in an adjoining lane. Ledecky touched the wall in 8 minutes 17.42 seconds, almost 13 seconds slower than her world record and a blink behind Smith’s 8:17.23.

Ledecky appeared sapped by the effort, proceeding straight to the warm-down pool without stopping to talk to reporters.

The final on Saturday will cap a turbulent week for Ledecky, one of the sport’s most dominant performers, and give her a chance to salvage one gold medal from a meet where she was favored to win at least three.

Ledecky, 22, came to South Korea expecting to pick up where she left off at the world championships in Budapest, Hungary, two years ago, when she collected six medals, including five golds, in the freestyle events.

But before this meet started, she was ambushed by a mysterious ailment, and then, in her first final here, the 400-meter freestyle on Sunday, she was passed on the final lap by Ariarne Titmus, an 18-year-old Australian.

So fierce is Ledecky with a lead, the way she lost was like watching a gazelle prey on a leopard.

The next day, Ledecky returned to the water for the 1,500-meter freestyle preliminaries, and even though she recorded the top time, she knew something was seriously amiss.

“I got to the 1,100 point of the 1,500, and I almost stopped and got out,” Ledecky said Thursday, adding, “I just kind of blanked out the rest of the race and tried to finish it, got over to the coaches and medical staff and told them, ‘I’m not myself.’”

Ledecky retreated from public view for nearly three days. She withdrew from the final of the 1,500, her best event, scratched from the 200-meter freestyle and surfaced only to participate in an abbreviated training session.

Ledecky returned to competition Thursday as a member of the United States women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay. She helped the quartet, which also included Simone Manuel, Melanie Margalis and Katie McLaughlin, to an American record and a silver medal. With a time of 7:41.87, the Americans surpassed the existing world record, set in 2009 by China, but were beaten by Australia, which was timed in 7:41.50.

Swimming the second leg, Ledecky clocked a 1:54.61, which was the third-fastest split in the relay final, behind Titmus’s leadoff 1:54.27 for Australia and Penny Oleksiak’s 1:54.36 anchor leg for Canada.

“That went a lot better than I expected,” said Ledecky, who had to clear one last obstacle on her way to the 800. She had to provide a urine sample for doping control, which wasn’t easy given that she had been dehydrated, at times severely, all week.

“We don’t know exactly what caused this all,” Ledecky said, “but just feeling the effects of dehydration, loss of appetite, lightheadedness — just a lot of different things, to be honest — it just kind of created a perfect storm.”

Credit: Source link

The post Katie Ledecky, Overcoming Illness, Qualifies for a Shot at Gold appeared first on WeeklyReviewer.

from WeeklyReviewer https://weeklyreviewer.com/katie-ledecky-overcoming-illness-qualifies-for-a-shot-at-gold/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=katie-ledecky-overcoming-illness-qualifies-for-a-shot-at-gold

[soorasaab]

It's a great way to begin a year, isn't it? New manufacturers entering the Indian market always calls for a celebration. Setting foot into the Indian market is Kia Motors and we have told you all about the company's plans for India. There are a bunch of cars that we are expecting and yes we are excited about them. But before we start spilling out details about the cars that will be making to our shores, we might as well get to know what Kia Motors is all about. It's a brand, that has seen many ups and downs but now it's been growing steadily.

2017 Kia Rio

Kia sold over 3 million cars worldwide last year, and is one of the fastest growing brands in many global markets. There's no hesitation then that it's eyeing a market that is now selling close to 7 million cars a year and growing. The strategy then is to sell and consolidate its stance in the Indian market. Asia has been a strong market for Kia and in the past 6 years the company has garnered 51 per cent of sale from this region, while America accounted for 27.6 per cent and Europe 18.4 percent. Kia's top market is China, followed by America and finally Korea.

In Korea, Kia Motors has four car plants: Sohari, producing the Kia Carnival, Sedona, Rio and Quoris; Hwasung, making the Optima, Cerato, Sorento and Borrego; Gwangju, producing the Soul, Carnes, Sportage and Bongo van; and Seosan, making the Picanto. In Europe, Kia's site in Slovakia is close to the Hyundai Czech plant and produces the Cee'd, Sportage and Venga and has an annual capacity of 300,000 units.

2017 Kia Soul Turbo

In the US, Kia's Georgia plant is also a 300,000 unit plant which produces the Sorento and Optima. And it was in September last year that the company opened a facility in Mexico to meet growing regional demand for Kia products and that too has an annual capacity of 400,000 units a year. Kia also has two joint venture plants in China, known as Dongfeng Yueda Kia while the second plant, in Yancheng in Jiangsu, opened in 2007. The company will start work on its factory in India in the third quarter of 2017 with a production rollout slated for 2019. This plant will have an initial installed annual capacity of 300,000 units

While it is Hyundai's sister brand, front-end operations of both companies remain separate, and they compete head-on with like-segment products. But Kia has a bunch of bestsellers in its kitty already and yes they're planning to bring most of them. Kia's popular cars globally have been the Soul, Optima and Sorento. Kia and Hyundai share platforms and the number of platforms has reduced drastically, from being 22 in 2002, to 18 in 2009 and finally 6 in 2013. The platform sharing has reduced the new product development time period - from design concept to start of production - from 4 years to 3.5 years.

2018 Kia Rio Sedan

While the Soul is an independent product and finds no equivalent in the Hyundai stable, it is based on the same platform as the i20 and i20 Active. The Rio too which is based on this platform finds a rival in the form of the Grand i10. The Kia Optima is based on the same platform as the Sonata and the cars are essentially rebadged versions. The Kia Forte is based on the Hyundai Elantra and a bestseller, while the Sorento is based on the Hyundai Santa Fe. Though there is a lot of sharing and even rebadging, both Kia and Hyundai have made certain that they technically compete with one another. You can clearly tell the difference in the design language used in both. While it's too early to tell, how Kia will place its products in comparison to Hyundai's, we can't wait to see how this fight eventually turns out to be.

#SooraSaab #Soora #Facebook #News #Gadgets #Technology #sports #Automobile #blog #youtube #smartphones #top #Tumblr

#IFTTT #Blogger

[altwide]

New KTX route to skip Seodaejeon

The KTX high-speed trains linking Seoul to Gwangju will no longer stop at Seodaejeon Station to ensure shortened travel times for passengers, according to the transport authority Friday.

For the convenience of people who normally take the bullet trains at Seodaejeon, separate trains will run there instead on a limited basis.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport finalized the route…

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#fastest way to gwangju #korail #korea tour #ktx honam line #seoul to gwangju