𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐍𝐎 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 ⚽️ A brace from captain... Wayne Bushell secured us a well-deserved point on the road against Cray Valley PM 💪 🎥 Ben Brown #PridePassionPunjab🔴⚪️show more

𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀 𝐂𝐔𝐏 𝐈𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 ⚽️... In the last few seconds of the game, Hudson Scudder steps up to fire home against SE Dons to send the game to a replay! 🎥 Ben Brown #PridePassionPunjab🔴⚪️show more

Here’s the moment Duckens Nazon secured a crucial point... against Costa Rica with a sublime performance in the World Cup qualifiers 🇭🇹⚽️ Soccer remains one of the few forces that truly unite Haitians from all walks of life. We look forward to seeing our national team compete on the world stage.show more

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing... that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” - Romans 5:3-4 Last week a story went viral that says a difficult life isn’t worth living. I want to offer a different perspective: The Hard Road Is The Point. There’s a growing lie baked into modern culture that life is supposed to be smooth. Convenient. Perfect. That if things are difficult, something’s gone wrong. That suffering is a malfunction, not a feature. So people spend their lives optimizing for comfort. Avoiding friction and inconvenience. Looking for the shortcut, the hack, the easier path. And they miss the whole point. The beauty of a life well-lived isn’t found despite the struggle - it’s forged inside it. Character doesn’t grow in comfort. It grows under pressure, strain, stress and adversity. Gratitude doesn’t come from ease. It comes from having walked through something hard and making it to the other side. The ancient understanding - the one we’ve traded for comfort - is that suffering carries meaning. That the valley isn’t a detour. It is the journey. Truth is, when you strip away the hard parts, you don’t get a better life. You get a shallow one. Because the rough road isn’t a sign you’re doing it wrong. It might be the surest sign you’re doing it right. My son Iron Will has Down syndrome. He spent his earliest months in a walker just to build the strength to stand. Every step was a fight. Every inchstone and milestone was hard won. And watching him work, really work, for things that come effortlessly to other kids didn’t break my heart. It expanded it. Because what I saw wasn’t limitation. I saw determination unencumbered by societal expectations. I saw joy that doesn’t depend on easy. I saw a little boy who gets up every single time, grins, and goes again on his own terms, at his own pace. My brave little son didn’t teach me about suffering. He taught me what it looks like to pursue life fully - without fear, without shortcuts, and without ever being told what he can’t do. When we decide a life will be too hard before it begins - based on the inherent limitations of our mortal understanding - we end a story before it ever has the chance to be written. We will never tell Iron Will, or any of our children, that the hard road isn’t worth it. Because the greatest stories ever told involve suffering that produces endurance that produces character that produces hope. And hope changes everything. #TeamIronWill #DownSyndromeAdvocacy #IronWill #SayYesToPossibilityshow more

Iran war, day 96! Iran has turned the game... on its head! Iran’s president confirms that Iran has a nuke to the Pakistani prime minister. •The NSA may have intercepted this call •the Pakistani fm let the U.S. know -CIA Intel agent Larry Johnson confirms -Veteran journalist Pepe Escobar confirms -The IRGC previously confirms -Iran will demo its nuke on its time My analysis: Iran’s disclosure of a nuclear weapon is a massive humiliation to the Trump regime and Israel who committed two illegal wars against Iran, lost both while claiming victory defined by preventing Iran from obtaining nuke. This massive humiliation further solidifies Trump’s failed presidency and confirms America is a paper tiger who did its utmost for 39 days to defeat Iran while suffering a one sided defeat. How has Trump changed his tune since this news was exposed last week? Isn’t it interesting how Trump seems so much more diplomatic? Trump: "We actually spoke with Hezbollah for the first time. We didn’t know they spoke." •perhaps because he kept bombing them Trump on Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei: “Yeah, I’d like to meet him. I’d love to meet everybody. I would like to meet him and we probably will meet at some point, depending on how it all works out.” •Trump previously said Mojtaba is gay? •What changed? How did Trump respond to Iran levelling Kuwait and striking Bahrain? ‘They Were Slightly Provoked’: Trump DownplayedIran’s Attacks Targeting US Bases in Kuwait and Bahrain At least one person was killed, and dozens were injured during Iran's attack on Kuwait Iran launched missile and drone attacks on the GCC terror states after the US bombed a commercial ship attempting to reach Iran and launched strikes on Iran’s Qeshm island. During the Iranian attack on Kuwait, a passenger terminal at Kuwait’s international airport was hit, and at least one person was killed, and more than 60 were injured. Trump has completely sold out gulf allies in fear of a nuclear Iran! How has Iran responded since? Iranian Navy targeted a U.S. warship in the Sea of Oman •But Trump said Iran has no navy •see video below •Trump has yet to respond. How has Hezbollah responded? •Hezbollah launched a 2nd drone •it set of sirens in the Western Galilee What is a deal breaker for Trump? Per Hebrew channel 12: -Trump said he would consider ending the ceasefire with Iran if Tehran caused the death of American soldiers. •and that’s why he’s covering up deaths Eg. US DOW: A soldier died at Erbil Air Base in Iraq due to an accident during military training. lol yeah right. In the meantime Trump/israel have violated the ceasefire 6x in 10 days like the terrorist, barbarians they are with zero regard for international law. Who does Trump black for the war he started? “Israel needed us. They couldn't have done it without us. They couldn't have even come close. They needed us, and they got us to help them.” What are the consequences of trump’s failed foreign policies? Per US Army spokesperson: • We are facing financial pressures due to the war with Iran, border operations, and rising fuel prices. •impact to military training plans. • impact to cost of transporting personnel, supplies, and equipment. • The Army has issued directives to ration resources. •expect fuel rationing and difficult times ahead. Sen. Jacobs to Rubio: You say we are winning because the Iranian economy is suffering from inflation and losing millions daily. Well, we are also suffering from inflation. This inflation has cost us about $100 billion so far, and gasoline prices have risen. You say the war is over, but that's not what US intelligence agencies are saying. CIA analyst Pollack says Trump in a stalemate with Iran What is the extent of war crimes by the kosher terror state? -WHO: 190 Israeli terror attacks on healthcare workers in Lebanon in 3 months -17 hospitals have been damaged. -3 hospitals and 42 health centers remain closed.show more

🚨 Israeli strikes hit dozens of locations across Lebanon... Tuesday Israeli artillery, airstrikes, and drone attacks struck towns across southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs on March 10, according to a summary published by Al Manar. ➤ Southern Lebanon under heavy bombardment: Artillery fire hit Al-Khiyam, Tayr Harfa, Al-Taybeh, Ainata, Kfarchouba, Rubb Thalathin, Shebaa, Wadi Hanin, Yahmor Al-Shuqayf, Al-Habbariyah, Zawtar, Maroun Al-Ras, Bint Jbeil, Aitaroun, and Zalaiya in the western Bekaa. ➤ Airstrikes across the south and Bekaa: Israeli warplanes struck Ansariyeh, Al-Majdal, Shaqra, Majdal Silm, Al-Khiyam, Al-Rihan, Deir Antar, Qabrikha, Tebnine, Al-Shehabiya, Brayqeh, Adshit, Jwaya, Beit Lif, Yater, Deir Siriane, Al-Taybeh, Maarkaba-Al-Abbasiyah, Qantara, Nabatieh Al-Fawqa, Kfar Juz, Al-Kharaieb, Al-Housh, Adloun, Ansar, Jibsheet, Hanaway, Tayr Debba, Dweir, Kafr Rumman, Al-Mahmoudiya, Bint Jbeil, and Deir Taqla-Ansariyeh, as well as the outskirts of Jarmaq near Kafr Rumman. ➤ Beirut’s southern suburbs targeted: Airstrikes were reported near the Al-Jamous area, Al-Lilaki, and the Al-Amerkan neighborhood. ➤ Drone strikes: Attacks hit Baraachit, Deir Antar, Sarifa, Haboush (two strikes), the plains of Al-Qleileh (two strikes), Bint Jbeil, Beit Yahoun, Sadiqin, Qana, Shebaa, and Beit Lif. A separate drone strike targeted a motorbike on Al-Ouzai road in Beirut’s southern suburbs. ➤ Casualties: At least six people were killed and seven wounded in Al-Shehabiya, while a paramedic from the Islamic Health Authority was killed in a drone strike in Baraachit. Two people were killed in a strike on a medical center in Zawtar in Nabatieh. 🎥 Video circulating online shows explosions and smoke rising over Beirut’s southern suburbs following strikes earlier tonight.show more

Can't help but smile at this one. One of... those stories I think we are going to look back and laugh at one day. ⬇️ James Voorhies was an uncommitted catcher (and a very good one) just over a year ago. Hadn't thrown a varsity inning on the mound. In October going into his senior year I played catch with him at the local elementary school. We threw on a crabgrass field and I told him after 15 minutes of playing catch that his arm, body type, and feel for the baseball were far too advanced for him to not be on the mound. James agreed to start throwing bullpens and "give it a shot". 3 weeks later I did a workout with some of our clients and James threw a bullpen on the game mound. He was 85-87 and absolutely pounded the zone. Threw 3 of the dirtiest changeups I’ve seen (we had played with a kick-change grip a few weeks prior). I had never seen him throw against hitters. Saw a 15 minute catch play session and his first bullpen in years. I Immediately sent the video to a handful of Division 1 programs that were on his list and gave them the scoop. “He's got zero track record but everything about him looks like a future pro arm”. Responses ranged anywhere from excitement to skepticism, which was 100% to be expected. Fast forward a few months to February... CSUN pulled the trigger before his high school season even started and James went on to post a 1.09 ERA, 83 IP, 60 H, 21 BB, and 83 K in his first year of pitching to help take College Park HS to the NCS championship. So here we are essentially 1 year after Jimmy started pitching full time and he’s up to 94 mph as a true freshman, with a win and a save in his first two collegiate appearances with 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 13 K. Pretty cool story of a guy going “all in” on something new and different, and a college program taking a chance on a guy that they see future potential in. But the best part of this story and biggest point I want to make is that I firmly believe the reason Jimmy V was the guy that CSUN took a shot on was because of his makeup, work ethic, character, and competitiveness. Jimmy is one of the best “makeup” guys I’ve ever recruited or advised. He is the perfect combination of humble and confident and was the QB/captain of his football team in high school. Jimmy made it easy for CSUN to say “that’s the guy we want to take a chance on.” And yes, it helped that he was 6’4” and a big time multi-sport athlete with a ton of upside. It fires me up to watch Jimmy doing his thing at a very high level. He’s got a ton of good baseball ahead of him. @jam8svoorhies CollegePark Baseball Diablo Valley Baseball Club CSUN Baseballshow more

Happy 5th Anniversary to Everyone ❤️ Since the birth... of our NFSC, we’ve walked a powerful path through storms and sunshine and Mr. Miles Guo didn’t just help us - He awakened us and he taught us Truth, Love, Courage through the movement and this is more than a fight - This is Family, this is Faith, this is History in the making. I don’t have the right to speak for others and I never will but based on what I’ve seen - The Alliance and our Great Fellow Fighters didn’t just fight but they protected, they bled, they sacrificed, they stood tall when it hurt the most and their bravery has become the heartbeat of our movement and this is the reality, not a story or a rumor and from my point of view, it’s only going to get better and stronger. With all due respect to Brothers and Sisters, let’s take a moment to show more appreciation towards the great people around us, those in the Alliance, your Farm, your Fellow Fighters who are showing up with intelligence and courage, both online and offline activities and I truly mean this to everyone from every part of the world - One of the greatest way to stay United is by sharing Love, Respect, Support, Advice, Experiences with one another, all under the one and only important goal is to grow stronger together and fight against CCP, a journey that has been incredibly tough and long but deeply meaningful. For a very long time - I kept hearing the same question over and over again: People asked with worry, when will Mr. Miles Guo come out ? But ever since 3.15, my mind has been holding onto just one question that I keep asking myself every single day: Why would he choose to stay inside when he had the option to be free outside ? IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, it's because he wants to make it clear to everyone that he prioritizes his mission to TAKE DOWN THE CCP over his own freedom - That’s why I’ve never spent even a second believing he couldn’t get out because the people behind him is massive and there’s no such thing as 99% - It’s a 100% chance he could be released if he chose to make the call... Most importantly, please don’t misunderstand: the FACT is that he is a PURE, CLEAN, INNOCENT PERSON who has done absolutely nothing wrong and everyone knows it - CCP, the West, the Families knows it pretty well and they know far more than all of us combined and whether people agree or not, it doesn’t change the fact that he was a good person, a man of his word, a man who never backed down from doing what’s right and good for the Chinese people.show more

What's happening in the Strait of Hormuz Every escalation... of the military-political situation around Iran is accompanied by numerous rumors and speculations about the blocking of shipping in the strategically important for the global economy Strait of Hormuz. Yesterday, the Iranian IRGC Navy broadcast a radio message about a complete ban on shipping, and the US Department of Transportation called for leaving the strait and adjacent waters. Later, the IRGC softened the rhetoric, stating that the strait was closed only for Americans. According to the latest reports, passage through the strait is allowed only for Iranian and Chinese naval ships. Such statements need to be confirmed by actions, and probably the first step on the path to a blockade was the defeat of the oil tanker SKYLIGHT, which was heading from an Iraqi port under the Palau flag. According to various reports, the ship was attacked by drones or missiles, and a fire broke out on board. At the moment, the tanker is anchored in the Persian Gulf near the coast of the Sultanate of Oman. It is reported that the crew was evacuated, as evidenced by the presence of a rescue boat nearby, from which footage of the fire was taken. It's worth noting that this tanker is on the US sanctions lists for transporting Iranian oil, but this does not mean it belongs to Iran. It's a classic "shadow" ship, operating under a "convenient" flag in the interests of whoever is currently paying. When reading reports on maritime events, it's worth remembering that this information is written and disseminated by journalists and bloggers, many of whom have only seen the sea in pictures, and none of whom have ever worked a single day on a ship. The Strait of Hormuz is not a road where you can put up a barrier, nor is it a field that can be carefully mined. The width of the Strait of Hormuz at its narrowest point reaches 40 kilometers, and at its widest point it is almost 100 kilometers. Of course, these figures are not so high given the depths, and theoretically, Iran has the military-technical capabilities to, if not stop, then seriously damage international shipping. However, it's highly doubtful that under the current circumstances, the leadership of the Islamic Republic will decide on radical actions, such as those that went down in history under the name "Tanker War". The lessons of those events showed that attacks and seizures of international ships could not stop traffic and did not collapse the global market, but they did turn many previously neutral states against Iran. Including the USSR, which was forced to send a fleet of warships to the Persian Gulf to combat the newly emerged piracy. We would also like to ask our bellicose authors to be less gloating and rejoicing at the news of burning and sinking ships. On each of these ships, sailors are burning and sinking - innocent citizens of Russia, Ukraine, India, the Philippines... and many other peaceful men and women, forced to work at sea to support their families. A reserve sailor, specially for the project wargonzo UPD: Iran does not intend to block the Strait of Hormuz at the moment, said the head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Abbas Arakchi, to Al Jazeera. Join WarGonzoshow more

Majestically perched upon a rocky basalt cliff overlooking Selco... Valley, set against dramatic the backdrop of Majella mountains, is Castle of Roccascalegna, near Chieti in Abruzzo, Italy. The basalt rocky cliff on which the castle was built is a geological jewel, originally carried along a clay floor by the currents of the sea that covered the area over 20 million years ago. The hardened clays surrounding it have spectacular shapes and different colors, ranging from gray to green to blue to red in relation to the abundance of iron and copper. Some still contain fragments of shell fossils. Name comes from sentence ‘Rocca con scala di legno”, meaning a fortress with a wooden staircase, possibly a drawbridge, which was only way to access castle from village below it. A ramp was added in 1705 AD, and when castle was fully restored over a 10 year period starting in 1985, municipality built a staircase leading directly to village. Founded in 1160 AD, castle had two functions: to control underlying Valle del Rio Secco, and to offer a defense against unwanted arrivals on Adriatic coast. Nothing much is known about it until 1599 AD, when fiefdom of Montescalegna was bought by baron Vincenzo Corvi for 10,000 ducati, who restored it to accommodate needs of firearm warfare. Vincenzo was succeeded by Annibale, then Giuseppe, Giovanni Battista, Annibale III and finally by Pompeo Filippo, who sold it to a noble gentleman of Palena, Don Nicolò Nanni, who ended saga of Corvi barons. I called it a saga because, apparently, they weren’t all good landlords. One of them decided to force his subjects to kneel before a raven, which is called corvo in Italian, whom he placed in a cage along only road leading to the village. Later, another baron decided to introduce most hideous of medieval feudal customs, "jus primae noctis", obliging every newly-wed bride to spend her first nuptial night with him. This deeply angered parish priest, who protested publicly. Baron ordered his guards to punish him, and he was killed at entrance of village while trying to escape. Later, a brave bride stabbed baron directly in his heart with a stiletto dagger. He leaned onto a rock wall with his bloody hand, and left his imprint. Many tried to wash this handprint off rock, but it always came back as red as ever, remaining visible until 27 January 1940, when tower where bedroom was situated collapsed. Today, Castle used to be rented out for just 110$ a night, including the torture chamber and armory, but the listing was taken down at the beginning of the pandemic, and today the castle can only be visited by booking a personal tour. 🎥© alessio_marcosano (IG) #archaeohistoriesshow more

The US can apply pressure, but Iran is not... Venezuela. The choice to arm groups in Iran instead of investing in peaceful protests eliminated all chances for the movement seeking greater change and freedom. Although President Trump is discussing support for the protesters and possible aid, I don't believe there are resources available for that. Although Iran is facing severe problems with electricity and water, in addition to high inflation and debts from the 12-day war, they have accelerated repairs on military installations as well as in the missile cities. The manufacturing and the pace of refurbishment of missiles produced before 2015 and with liquid fuel, such as the Shahab-3, Emad, Ghadr, and the Soumar cruise missiles, are proceeding at full steam. A country like Iran can recondition more than 1,000 of these missiles in 6 months. Anyone who thinks Iran's missile stock is somehow limited is deluding themselves. The missile cities are fully loaded. There may be shortages of water and electricity in the country, but missile production there has proven to be a priority. Furthermore, a new attack on Iran could unite the country and lead to violent retaliations against various American bases, in addition to closing the Strait of Hormuz with more than 20 submarines and thousands of anti-ship missiles with ranges exceeding 1,000 km, causing daily economic losses of billions to the world. And there's another thing to worry about. The US sent Israel more than 90,000 tons of bombs that were dropped on Gaza and Iran. This left American stocks in a position where they have not yet been replenished. The same goes for air defense missiles from both the US and Israel, which have not yet been restocked. The entire situation is being evaluated by the US. Iran used little of what it has in the 12-day war, mainly because it knew it had been caught by surprise and was without strategic air defense systems. It preserved a large part of its military units. Today, it is likely that Iran would treat any attack and the proportional retaliation as matters of survival. Furthermore, Iran is more under Chinese and Russian influence than American, another point that differs greatly from the Venezuela situation. President Trump is already dealing with problems in Venezuela and now this Greenland issue. Given the weapon stock issues, Iran's potential retaliations, and the matters Trump is still resolving, I don't think an attack on Iran is likely, unless it's something small and symbolic.show more

🚨Rebellion Erupts Against Munir–Shehbaz Alliance in AJ&K: Shutdown, Protests... & Army Firing A major uprising is underway across Pakistani administered Kashmir known as Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) as thousands have taken to the streets against the Pakistani government and military. Protests and a complete shutdown are ongoing in Rawalakot, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, Bhimber, Dadyal, Palandri, and Sudhnoti. In Rawalakot, demonstrations began around 11 a.m., with protesters blocking the main road. Pakistani police, army personnel, and Rangers responded with live firing, pellet guns, and tear gas. At least seven people were injured when security forces opened fire on protesters moving from Bhimber toward Rawalakot. In Kotli, large crowds are chanting slogans against the Pakistani military, with groups marching toward Rawalakot. In Dadyal, massive anti-army demonstrations are visible on the roads. The shutdown has paralyzed AJ&K — markets and businesses remain closed in all major cities including Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Kotli, Bhimber, and Dadyal. In Palandri, protesters displayed tear gas shells fired by security forces. In Sudhnoti, demonstrators carrying timber sticks issued warning messages to the Pakistani government and military. Clashes have now begun at Neelum Bridge in Muzaffarabad, with visuals of firing emerging as tensions escalate. What are the protesters demanding? A 38-point charter of demands, including: · Cheaper electricity, flour, rice, and pulses · Reduced electricity rates from hydropower projects like Mangla Dam — built on AJ&K land, which protesters argue is not part of Pakistan · Removal of 12 "refugee" seats in the AJ&K Legislative Assembly The 12-seat controversy: These seats are reserved for individuals who migrated from Indian-administered Kashmir but now live in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Karachi — not in AJ&K. Protesters ask: how can non-residents be voters and legislators here? Protesters claim that Pakistani military establishment and intelligence apparatus uses these seats to control the government in AJ&K Allegedly Pakistan's military uses these 12 seats (out of 45) to elect proxies, often militant leadership, and their family members. This allows the ISI and military to break away legislators and install their choice of prime minister whenever needed. This is not the first protest: Last October, a similar movement left 31 people dead. PM Shehbaz Sharif sent Rana Sanaullah to negotiate. Of 38 demands, 21 were accepted — but after eight months, none have been implemented. Instead, authorities have resumed firing on demonstrators. The "Butcher of Lahore" in AJ&K: Brigadier Faiq Ayub, now ISI Sector Commander in AJ&K, was previously Sub-Sector Commander Punjab — where he earned the nickname "Butcher of Lahore" for a violent crackdown on former PM Imran Khan's party PTI. He was handpicked and posted to AJ&K by Field Marshal Asim Munir. Since his arrival, military repression has intensified dramatically. As of June 9, 2 p.m., reportedly 57 civilians have been killed in military firing over the past eight months. What began as a protest over bread and butter has now become a direct challenge to military rule in AJ&K. Stay tuned for a Livestream on the latest updates and analysis...show more

Seedance 2.0 on Higgsfield AI The visual fidelity and... scene consistency bring this pirate adventure to life like never before.Every cut feels intentional immersive and ready for the big screen. Full open sourced prompts & assets below: SCENE CONTEXT Bright day at sea aboard a sailing galleon. Captain Eduardo bursts out of the sterncastle door onto the deck; his scarlet macaw lands on his LEFT shoulder mid-stride. He runs up to the quarterdeck where a lookout crewman watches the horizon through a brass spyglass, takes the spyglass and looks himself: a distant island, and a violent optical crash zoom finds a small futuristic hard case on the beach. Then a second crewman runs up, grabs his arm and points the OTHER way, astern — Eduardo turns: a black-sailed pirate ship very far behind them, a speck on the horizon. He does not raise the spyglass — he just stands and stares at the distant black sails, holding the look. ACTIVE REFERENCES >> — lean pirate captain, dark curly hair falling free from under a dusty mustard-yellow cloth bandana, a small white shark tooth pinned to the front of the bandana above his temple, thin moustache, gold hoop earrings, cream linen shirt under a worn brown leather waistcoat, cloth sash and leather belts. 100% matches the reference; studio sheet layout NOT inherited. >> — scarlet macaw, red body, blue-and-yellow wing feathers, small leather shoulder harness. 100% matches the reference; it flies in and rides Eduardo's left shoulder. >> — weathered pirate crewmen from the reference group (bandana, rough shirt, vest). 100% match the reference; TWO of them appear: the lookout at the quarterdeck rail, and a second runner who arrives in CUT 4 pointing astern. >> — collapsible brass spyglass with dark leather-wrapped barrel sections. 100% matches the reference; starts in the lookout's hands, ends at Eduardo's eye. >> — Eduardo's galleon: pale square sails, tall wooden sterncastle, raised quarterdeck. 100% matches the reference; controls hull, deck, masts and rigging only. >> — calm bright sea, glittering sun path, hazy horizon. Controls water and sky atmosphere only. >> — small lone island: dense dark-green jungle cover, a curved white-sand beach on one side, grey rocky cliff edges, turquoise shallows ringing the shore. 100% matches the reference; it is the island seen on the horizon and inside the spyglass view. >> — small futuristic hard case: matte-black armored corners, neon acid-green side panels, brushed-steel top plate with a glowing green star-shaped button. 100% matches the reference; it appears ONLY inside the zoomed spyglass view of CUT 3, lying on the beach. >> — enemy pirate galleon: black sails, acid-green skull-and-crossed-swords on the mainsail, dark carved hull. 100% matches the reference; revealed VERY far astern in CUT 4 as a tiny silhouette on the horizon — never seen closer in this beat. LOCATION MAP >> under sail on >>, open bright sea. The sterncastle door opens onto the main deck; a short wooden stair leads up to the quarterdeck at the stern. The lookout stands at the quarterdeck rail on the forward side, spyglass raised toward the horizon screen-right. Far on that horizon, 2–3 km out: >> — dense green jungle mass, the white-sand beach catching the sun on its near side, turquoise water at its shore. In the OPPOSITE direction, astern of the ship screen-left: open sea where >> rides VERY FAR OFF — 4–5 km out, right on the horizon line, a tiny dark silhouette almost dissolved in the haze — present in the world from the start, revealed to the camera only in CUT 4. Haze visible at the horizon distance. Sun high, sea glitter everywhere. FIRST FRAME / BLOCKING First frame: the sterncastle door already swinging open, >> mid-stride through it onto the deck, body angled toward the quarterdeck stair screen-right. Crew activity in the background of the deck. The lookout is visible up on the quarterdeck at the rail, spyglass already at his eye, pointed screen-right toward the horizon. FORMAT MODE Sequence of cuts, no timecodes — cuts only at the specified points, the camera does not cut on its own. CUT 1 — 63° handheld follow: the door bursts open, Eduardo comes out in a strange hurried scurry — up on TIPTOE, quick tiny mincing steps, both arms half-raised in front of him with elbows out, hands hovering at chest height, shoulders slightly hunched — comically odd, but FAST, covering the deck at 10 km/h. >> sweeps in from off-frame upper-right, wings braking, and lands on his left shoulder without breaking the scurry. He tiptoe-rushes across the deck and up the quarterdeck stair; the camera chases behind-left, half a beat late. CUT 2 — MS, 47°, on the quarterdeck: the lookout at the rail with >> raised. Eduardo arrives frame-left, the scarlet macaw >> sitting clearly visible ON HIS LEFT SHOULDER through the whole cut. With his RIGHT hand he grabs the spyglass out of the lookout's hands in one firm motion and raises it right-handed to his RIGHT eye toward the horizon screen-right, left eye squeezing shut. The lookout yields a step. CUT 3 — SPYGLASS POV, MONOCULAR: one single round image — the view through ONE lens of a telescope, a single circle centered in frame, black around it. This is a one-eyed spyglass view, never the twin overlapping circles of binoculars. Extreme telephoto image swaying with a hand-held tremor, compressed haze layers stacking toward the island. Distant >> sits small in the circle: dark-green jungle, the curved white-sand beach, turquoise shallows, heat haze. Hold 1 second — then a RAPID CRASH ZOOM, one continuous accelerating optical dive down to the waterline of the beach: >> lying on the wet sand, black-and-acid-green case, steel top plate, green star button glinting. The zoom lands and locks on the case filling half the circle. Hold. CUT 4 — MS, 47°: Eduardo lowering the spyglass, macaw on his left shoulder — a second crewman from >> runs into frame from screen-left, grabs Eduardo's arm and jabs his finger the OTHER way, astern, screen-left, shouting over the wind: "CAP'N! BEHIND US!" — and the macaw on Eduardo's shoulder instantly screams it back in a harsh parrot voice: "BEHIND US! BEHIND US!", wings half-flaring. Eduardo whips around following the point; the camera racks past his shoulder — REVEAL deep in the frame: >> VERY far astern, a TINY black silhouette sitting right on the horizon line — smaller in the frame than Eduardo's fist, under 5% of the frame height, barely bigger than a speck, half-swallowed by haze — but the black sails read unmistakably. Vast empty water fills everything between the rail and that distant speck. Eduardo does NOT raise the spyglass — it stays lowered in his right hand. He simply STANDS and STARES at the tiny black sails, motionless, eyes locked on the horizon. The cut ends on his long look toward the enemy ship against the empty sea. OPTICS CUT 1: 63° observational wide, handheld. CUT 2: 47° neutral. CUT 3: monocular spyglass optics — ONE single circular image (a one-lens telescope, never the twin circles of binoculars), tele compression as at 8°, soft edge inside the circle; the crash zoom is purely optical, horizon compressing, haze layers stacking. CUT 4: 47° neutral with a rack to the deep background on the reveal, then holding on Eduardo's profile against the horizon. No drift mid-segment. CAMERA Handheld operator character throughout the real-world cuts: chases the run at deck level in CUT 1 with visible footstep energy, settles to a 1–2 cm breath on the quarterdeck. Camera stays on the shadow side of Eduardo, sun working across from screen-right. The POV cut carries a hand-tremor sway of 1–2 cm that calms when the zoom locks on the case. ACTION Door kicks open from inside. Eduardo's gait in CUT 1 is deliberately odd: he rushes on the balls of his feet, heels never touching the planks, tiny fast tiptoe steps, arms half-raised with hands floating in front of his chest — hurried and urgent, never slow, sash swaying with the quick mincing rhythm, boot toes tapping the deck. The macaw's landing is physical: wings flare to brake, claws grip the leather waistcoat's shoulder, one small balance flap as he keeps scurrying. The spyglass handover is brisk, captain's-right, two hands to one. In the POV the island rises gently with the ship's sway until the crash zoom pins the case. PERFORMANCE Urgency without panic: breath fast through the nose, eyes fixed forward during the run. At the eyepiece his face stills completely — squint tightens, lips part a fraction when the case appears. In CUT 4 the runner's grip snaps him out of it — head whip, eyes refocusing to the far black sails — then he goes still: eyes fixed on the distant ship, a slow exhale, jaw tightening a fraction — the look held long, unreadable, no words at all. Pore-level skin realism, sun catch-lights, spray-damp sheen on the temples. PHYSICS Ship heels gently on a calm swell; rigging sways against the sky. The parrot has real bird mass — landing compresses the shoulder slightly. Cloth reacts to the run wind. In the POV, heat haze wobbles the island image and glitter fires irregularly off the water; the case sits with real weight in the wet sand, a shallow water film sliding around its base. LIGHTING High bright sun, 5600K daylight, hard key from screen-right with sea-bounce fill from below. Deck in full sun, crisp short shadows. Inside the spyglass POV the image is brighter and milkier — long air column, haze density rising toward the horizon; the case's acid-green panels and glowing star button read as the only saturated color on the pale beach. AUDIO Wind over the deck, sails snapping, boots on planks, macaw squawk on landing, gulls distant. On the POV: the world's sound thins to wind and a faint ring of focus. On the crash zoom a low whoosh rising in pitch, landing on near-silence with only the surf of the far beach, thin and distant. CUT 4: deck sound returns — running boots, the crewman's urgent shout over the wind: "CAP'N! BEHIND US!", answered at once by the macaw's harsh screeching echo: "BEHIND US! BEHIND US!" — then only the wind, a slow exhale, and the creak of the deck. No spoken line from Eduardo. STYLE Photoreal live-action, bright maritime daylight, fine film grain, crisp highlights with gentle roll-off, 8K master. POSITIVE LOCKS >> appears only inside the spyglass POV of CUT 3, lying on the beach at the waterline, star button glowing green in every frame it exists. The island always matches >>: green jungle, white-sand beach, turquoise shallows — and stays screen-right, ahead; the enemy ship stays astern, screen-left, in the opposite direction from the island. The spyglass POV (CUT 3) is MONOCULAR: one single round telescope image per frame. Eduardo handles the spyglass with his RIGHT hand at his RIGHT eye in every cut where he uses it. >> keeps black sails and the green skull mainsail in every appearance and stays VERY FAR AWAY the whole beat — naked-eye, she is only a tiny silhouette on the horizon, under 5% of the frame height in CUT 4; she never gets closer than the horizon line. After the reveal Eduardo keeps the spyglass LOWERED — he never raises it at the enemy ship; he speaks no line and makes no gesture — he simply stands looking at the distant ship, and the beat ends on that look; no cannons and no gunfire anywhere in this beat. Eduardo's head: mustard-yellow bandana with the small white shark tooth at the front, hair loose. In CUT 1 Eduardo moves only in the tiptoe scurry: heels off the deck, quick small steps, arms half-raised at chest height — fast and urgent the whole way. The macaw sits on Eduardo's LEFT shoulder continuously from its landing in CUT 1 through the end of the beat, clearly visible in CUTS 2 and 4. The spyglass is in the lookout's hands in CUT 2's first frame and in Eduardo's hands from then on. Same sun direction, same sea state, same wardrobe in every cut. Cuts only at the specified points.show more

🚨 Aurora Alert! 🚨 Hey everyone, a Coronal Mass... Ejection (CME) from the Sun is heading our way, potentially sparking strong aurora displays tonight into tomorrow (Nov 7-8). NOAA predicts arrival of the CME around midnight UTC on Nov 7, but add +/- 7 hours for uncertainty. The CME we are concerned with specifically launched due to an M7.4 CME produced by AR 4274. In coronagraph imagery, a full halo eruption iswasclearly seen. This is how we know this particular eruption is coming at us. When it will hit and how strong it will be are not things we can predict until we see the shockwave detected by satellites close to Earth (ACE, DSCOVR at the L1 point). The forecast shows possible G3 storming, and there are multiple CMEs on the way besides the main arrival around midnight on Nov 7. There is also a coronal hole that may enhance and add additional complexity to the situation, affecting arrival times of the CME(s). Conditions need to align for the best-case scenario to play out. The CME needs to hit (most models have a high % chance of this happening, but you never know), and the Bz needs to be southward for some time for conditions to ramp up. The auroral ovals may expand to lower latitudes, and chasers above the 45th parallel may see auroras all night long. During substorms, the aurora "explodes" across the sky and becomes bright and tall. These explosive bursts push the northern lights higher in the sky, making them appear further equatorward. Download my free e-book and check my blog for substorm info: E-book: Substorms: Your aurora apps will likely not tell you when a substorm is occuring, but these times are VERY important since we have a full moon. Without a substorm, you may not be able to see the aurora well. To track substorm activity, I use the GOES magnetometers. I have a tutorial about how to use these data on my website: . A few aurora apps/websites may help you track substorms. For example, the Glendale App issues alerts when substorms are occuring: . This app has a bit of a steeper learning curve compared to others, but it provides useful alerts for catching brief intensifications of aurora. I also like Norlys ( and Aurora Notice ( Webcams are probably the MOST helpful resources, though. I have a large list of cameras all around the world and the northern U.S. on my website: . If you see the aurora on a webcam near you, it is out at your location, too. The Maine webcam in particular is great to get a "feel" for how aurora might shape up across the Lower 48. I always have that one pulled up as sun sets on the east coast to see if aurora can immediately be seen on the northern horizon. Keep following for more updates on this event. I am at a workshop today until 5 pm MST then traveling back to Calgary on my way to the Aurora Summit, so be patient with my updates. I am working as fast as I can :) Thanks!show more

Dear François Nzanga Mobutu, Good evening. I bet your... father is turning in his grave, writhing in pain and shame after reading your tweet. He, at least, knew that there are authentic and fully-fledged Congolese Tutsis. He proved it until people like you and others came along and misled him. Do I need to inform you, in case you're unaware, that the people who demonstrated yesterday in Washington DC, roughly 4,000 of them, others the same day in Nairobi, and still others in England shortly before, are Banyamulenge, these Congolese Tutsis from the highlands, who are protesting against what Tshisekedi and the FARDC, the Wazalendo, Évariste Ndayishimiye and the FDNB, as well as the FDLR and mercenaries, are doing to their relatives in Minembwe and throughout the highlands? Their Sukhoi fighter jets and drones bomb daily, killing children, women, the elderly, and men. They destroy homes, churches, schools, hospitals, and community radio stations. They even kill cows and sheep and destroy fields and crops. They have imposed a blockade on Minembwe, with no entry or exit. They have done and are doing the same thing to the Tutsi in Masisi and Rutshuru in North Kivu. Instead of listening to their cries and examining their demands, the excuse is quickly found; the preferred shortcut is Rwanda. Always and only Rwanda. Too easy, isn't it? Your thinking, which is also the regime's narrative, can be summarized in these two sentences: - all the problems facing the DRC come from elsewhere, particularly from Rwanda; we will end up being told that even the migrants are here because of Rwanda. “And all the solutions must come from elsewhere, especially from the United States of America, from Papa Trump.” Under these conditions, what is the point of the regime you serve? Two small truths to remember, dear François: “Such an attitude, this kind of ideology, this denial of nationality to Congolese Tutsis of origin, from North and South Kivu, as well as to all those who are victims of the same persecution, like the Hema and others, this easy rejection based on appearance (racial profiling), are among the root causes of the crisis the country is going through;” “As long as we haven’t decided to be sufficiently responsible, to sit down as a nation and rigorously assess our share (of responsibility) in what is happening to us, we will continue to wait for solutions from others, solutions that may never come.” Furthermore, there are satanic verses that must be banished immediately, in the interest of everyone and the country, such as: "There are no Congolese Tutsis, every Tutsi is Rwandan, therefore a foreigner," etc. Either we will be able to put an end to exclusion, discrimination, hate speech, and ethnic hatred, and live together according to the law and history, or this deep-seated problem risks haunting us for a long time. But to achieve this, we need leadership capable of understanding and transcending differences and turning them into assets for living together. This is possible.show more