text:
High Value Cargo
Akina, Keiji
The remnants of team 2, Akina and Keiji are guarding high value cargo when a routine bandit attack occurs.
"High Value Cargo"
Sunagakure Desert
A light breeze blows a couple flecks of sand through the air as the sun sets over the horizon in the land of Wind. There is a small fire going outside of a nearby cave. There are several horses attached to a wagon. The wagon is filled with jugs of liquid.
Keiji stands at the entrance to the cave. He is watching the merchants men fill the wagon. Each wagon carried roughly twenty jugs. There were three wagons total. Luckily for Keiji this was the last wagon that needed to be filled. It was almost completed. His eyes scanned over the horizon. The customer had insisted that this precious commodity be moved at night.
Earlier, Keiji had already briefed Akina on the mission. In this dry and desolate land, water itself was more precious than gold. Sure, when the rains came anyone with a container could get water. This was different. This was a water source that someone had found and was hiding to protect their own interests. It did happen from time to time. Thats why the two shinobi were brought in. They were to ensure any other merchants did not move in to steal the wagons of water.
Akina, fully masked, stands guard at the entrance of the cave, opposite side to that of Keiji. She watches silently as the jugs of water are packed into the last wagon, before glancing over her shoulder, at the cavern itself. So far things have been going well, but for some reason she felt ill-at-ease. As if something were nagging at the back of her mind. It made her nervous for some reason. Akina exhales a longer breath and shakes her dark head, clearing her thoughts, knowing that if she were jumpy then she wouldn't be effective.
As the last worker comes up and fills the wagon with his jug, the merchant appears from within the cave. "We are halfway done. Just imagine. A few hours and we will be rolling in the money." The man then looks at Keiji, then Akina. "You sure the two of you can handle escorting us? I hear there are lots of people trying to get the jump on me."
Keiji glanced at the man. He seemed to be counting his chickens before they hatched. He disliked the greedy. As the wagon is finished loading, Keiji nods to Akina. "You take the first wagon. I will be in the last. We will be able to communicate through hand signs. If you see something let me know. The main mission here though is to protect the water so stay with the caravan." Keiji states before latching on to the wagon that was just recently filled.
Listening silently, Akina turns her masked head towards Keiji, absorbing the directions before dipping her chin with an equally silent nod. Just before he climbs into his wagon, she catches his hand, only for a moment and gives it a squeeze. She just as quickly releases her grip and turns away, swiftly climbing into the first wagon as instructed. From there, she perches so that she can have a good view around them.
Soon the wagons are off leaving only a trail of kicked up sand behind them. They were specifically travelling under the guise of night to hide where they were coming from. With all the precautions that the customer was taking, Keiji was a bit surprised that they had not requested the travel wait until their was a sandstorm.
Although Keiji knew better than to not take a mission seriously, he doubted this would be anything more than a long, boring ride. The customer was one of those worried types. It simply seemed unfounded in this situation. Though it did seem like Akina worried a bit about the journey. Keiji knew it had been a while since she had been on a real mission.
The Shippodoku's eyes remained cast out behind the wagon watching for any signs of trouble. So far it was nothing but kicked up dust. Now and again a coyote would howl in the distance or a set of glowing eyes would be seen over a hill. In the end it all simply returned to nothing. These were normal signs of night life in the desert.
Perched on the front of the wagon, it's lurches lightly as it finally starts forward. Akina glances back over her shoulder and watches momentarily as the other wagons start up and begin to follow in turn. A minute, then another passes and the kunoichi settles herself into her seat, holding onto the edge as her dark eyes turn their attention back towards the desert. Just like Keiji, her gaze pierced the darkness easily, searching for movement, for the forms of beings rather than animals that may be coming out.
A yawn escapes Keiji as the night continues on. The Chuunin was more than a little bored. He had become use to guard missions. The vast, empty space between towns made the land easy pickings for bandits. It was hard to enforce any type of laws in this area. Even the established trade routes, although safer, still had several reported attacks a month. On the bright side, they were getting paid and did not have to walk next to the wagons.
After a few hours, and the edge of boredom creeping in, Akina tries her best to keep her attention on the desert. The endless sands doing nothing to help the growing monotony. The lurch in the wagon is almost abrupt, letting Akina wake some as she blinks her dusky eyes ahead of them instinctively. Wagons. A few of them were suddenly just there. And… The kunoichi tenses as she counts the bandits quickly, a hand reaching into the air to swiftly sign, 'bandits, twelve, swords'.
As the wagons came to a halt, Keiji's attention was turned towards the source. His eyes saw the sign made by Akina. There were a dozen bandits. These bandits carried swords. These were not farmers turned bandits. No. These were actual bandits that made their living off of theft. If Keiji had to vote. These guys were scum. In the end they were a bit easier to kill. Keiji raises a closed fist. It meant Akina was free to engage the bandits. Once Keiji was certain that Akina saw the orders, he stepped off the wagon and sank into the ground itself.
"'Ello 'ello 'ello? And what do we have 'ere? Looks like it's da catch of the day, boys!" Taunts the centermost bandit, speaking ironically and earning several throaty chuckles as the others begin to fan out, already walking towards the other wagons. "I'm afraid we'll 'aveta confiscate ya wares this very fine eve. There's ah 'eavy tax currently, and that tax 'as fallen onto you lovelies this even'in. Now then. Please be so kind and 'elp unload the wares." He smirks.
Akina's reply? Several poisoned senbon are thrown in a wide arc, aiming for several of the bandits at once.
The senbon hit two of the of the bandits. Both of them manage to stay on their feet though one starts to scream out in pain. The rest of the bandits charge directly towards Akina in an attempt to kill the one threat that has already revealed itself.
As they pass over top of him, Keiji reaches upwards from the ground grasping at a set of ankles. He pulls them down into the earth leaving only their head visible above ground. He repeats the manuever once more. At least both bandits would have someone to talk to until they were let out or died. Keiji finally rises from the earth. His eyes follow the eight or so bandits attacking Akina. Keiji was interested in seeing how she handled them.
The attention of eight bandits, Akina smirks to herself under her mask as she jumps hard from the seat of the wagon, expertly flipping through the air and, as she lands, the kunoichi disappears under the surface of the sandy earth. This leaves the bandits suddenly lost and confused, unsure of what had happened, and speculating that the kunoichi could have been a ghost. At least, until the first is suddenly pulled underground, as if the earth itself swallowed him up, then another. The two that were poisoned are already feeling the effects.
Keiji watches as two more bandits are pulled into the ground leaving only their heads showing. It is only a moment before the bandits turn around and look towards Keiji. He was standing a good deal away from the loaded wagons. Instead of dealing with the bandits rushing towards him. He turns his back and places his fingers together. "Demon Grave Jutsu." is stated just loud enough that the bandits could hear him. Almost immediately the wagons blocking their path begin to sink into the sand. As they do, earthen hands reach up grasping anything that they can. They pull the wagons down until they become no more than a bump in the dense sandy road…. Of course, Keiji expected Akina had his back.
Akina emerges from the sands, just beside Keiji. As he is busy sinking the wagons that had been in the way, the kunoichi prepares another several handfuls of poisoned senbon, the smirk hidden again as she throws them with quick precision. She takes care of the rest while ensuring that no one unexpectedly attacks Keiji while he's working.
As the remaining bandits see the wagons dropping into the earth, they seem to pause for a second. Almost in disbelief that their road block could just vanish, a few start to become shaken. Akina's senbon easily hit their targets. The remaining few take off towards the sandy, perverbial hills. Keiji turns around and looks at the fleeing crowd. "You have done well Akina. Go ahead and lead the caravan onwards. I will finish off the witnesses." he states before turning into a cloud of smoke. The real Keiji was already off moving underground. Though it was not a mission requirement, he decided to eliminate all the witnesses. Also he truly doubted that they actually knew what the cargo was. This way though a paranoid customer would have nothing to worry about later on.
"Pfft. Taking all the fun for yourself." Akina murmurs, her feigned scoff easily twarted by the sound of the smirk in her voice. "I expect a reward later." She says this as she turns to walk back towards the caravan. By then, Keiji has already disappeared underground. Climbing up on the first wagon, she explains to the driver there that the mischief makers are taken care of, and that they were to continue to their destination.
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text:
class Door < ApplicationRecord

  serialize :from_coords, JSON
  serialize :to_coords, JSON

  def self.exists_between?(start_coords, end_coords)
    sql = <<~SQL
      (from_coords = :start_coords AND to_coords = :end_coords)
      OR
      (from_coords = :end_coords AND to_coords = :start_coords)
    SQL
    where(
      sql,
      {
        start_coords: start_coords.to_json,
        end_coords: end_coords.to_json
      }
    ).first.present?
  end

  def opens_into?(coords)
    self.from_coords == coords || self.to_coords == coords
  end

end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
My TLO
Fancy becoming the Lord of your very own manor?
A lord's manor described as one of Dorset's "best kept secrets" is on sale for £2m.
The luxury seven-bedroom property, which lies hidden in the remote village of Arne and boasts panoramic views of Poole Harbour, comes complete with a manorial lordship title dating back to 1555.
It was built 135 years ago as a hunting lodge for prominent politician Evelyn Cecil, the first Baron of Rockley, but has recently undergone a radical refurbishment to bring the 5.5 acre site near Wareham up to date.
The grounds of Arne House, just a stone's throw from the RSPB's Dorset nature reserve, can be found at the top of a winding pathway and are concealed from the roadside by flourishing woodland.
This clandestine location made it a point of strategic importance for military chiefs searching for the best coastal positions to defend Britain's shores from possible Nazi invasion during World War II. The original turrets and gun emplacements are still in place and maintained by English Heritage.
Nigel Sheppard, of Symonds and Sampson estate agents, said: "Arne House is a hidden gem. It is one of Dorset's best kept secrets.
"Anyone walking nearby would have no idea such a beautiful building was so close.
"How often can you buy a property and then actually become the lord of the manor? It is an incredibly rare opportunity.
"The views are breathtaking, the grounds are beautiful and the finish inside the property is modern and luxurious, while still incorporating some stunning period features.
"Arne House has everything a lord of the manor could dream of and because, unlike many similar designs, it is not grade listed – there is plenty of opportunity for someone to put their own stamp on it."
The current owner, businesswoman Nathelie Tudberry, said while researching the history of the village she found that Arne derived from the Saxon word "Aern", which means "secret place".
She said: "I instantly fell in love with the privacy and the beauty of the spot after years of bustle and stress working in London
"I've never been anywhere more magical. Even after 15 years living here I still notice something new every time I take a walk in the grounds.
"It is a chocolate box of novelty and beauty. It is like a secret world, a real Narnia.
"When I discovered Arne meant secret place, it all made sense."
As well as the historical features outside, it also includes a fire yurt for entertaining, a Finish sauna for relaxing as well as a huge hot tub for more extravagant parities.
Inside, the Victorian architecture is evident with multiple archways made of world-famous Purbeck stone and semi-circular staircases interlinking the four reception rooms, a 30ft family room, office and bathrooms.
A pre-planning application has been agreed for an infinity swimming pool set on tiers overlooking the building, a tennis court and triple garage with office space.
The property will also benefit from super-fast broadband, which has been installed in the area as part of a government-backed project to bring the internet to rural communities.
Arne lordship fact box
- The Arne lordship was created in 1555, more than 300 years before Arne House was built
- It was first granted to royal courtier Edward Neville, who had worked for King Henry VIII
- The title became associated with the manor after being bought by a private buyer
- It is one of only a handful of manorial titles in the country sold alongside deeds to the associated property
- The owner can use the Lord or Lady prefix on their passport, driving licence and other identity documents
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Jimmie Walker on Relationship between 'Good Times' Co-Stars: 'We Were Never Friends'
By Oyin Balogun
https://news.amomama.com/191941-jimmie-walker-relationship-good-times-co.html
For six seasons, actor and comedian Jimmie Walker won hearts on the '70s CBS series, "Good Times," featuring as the comedy center, JJ Evans.
"Good Times" star, Jimmie Evans opened up about his relationship with other casts on the CBS sitcom, during the six-year run.
The comedy icon revealed that despite their years together on-set, the relationship between them was strained, and they never bonded as friends.
Jimmie JJ Walker attends Day 2 of the Chiller Theatre Expo at Sheraton Parsippany Hotel on October 25, 2014 | Photo: Getty Images
JIMMIE OPENS UP ABOUT RELATIONSHIP WITH "GOOD TIMES" CAST
Starring as the buffoonish eldest son of the Evans, he became a fan-favorite on the show, so much so that the sitcom's plot soon centered around him, to the dismay of other casts, who thought his comedic antics were a blemished portrayal of the African-American community.
Decades after the show aired on the network, the actor spoke up about the severity of the rift created by the series' "Dy-no-mite" direction saying:
"I will honestly say I don't remember speaking a word to Esther the whole time she was there. I think the same basically goes for john. I mean we talk more now a little bit, but very very little. We were never friends, we never talked."
Jimmie Walker with a talking doll based on his character 'J. J.' from the television series "Good Times." | Source: Getty Images.
The comedian went on to explain that they never had each other's numbers for emergencies, as they only ever spoke on-set.
Going further, the star described how his on-screen father, John Amos's dissatisfaction over the sitcom's direction, led to his being fired and the ultimate killing off of James Evans's character.
To date, his relationship with the other cast has remained strained, although he noted a slight improvement on John Amos's part, with whom he starred in the 1975 film, "Let's do it again."
Notwithstanding, the "Dy-no-mite" comedian was certain there were no chances of the cast becoming friends, or getting to have a sit-down together anytime in the future.
ABOUT JIMMIE WALKER
Now 72, Jimmie was born on June 25, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York. He began his career working with a radio station, as a radio engineer/announcer, a skill he acquired through the federally-funded SEEK program, but his comedy prowess soon came to light.
Before long, he began performing as a stand-up comedian and gained recognition by the casting director of "Good Times," who recruited him to be on the sitcom as the teenage JJ Evans, when he was twenty-seven.
During the icon's run on the CBS show, he became widely renowned for his catchphrase, Dy-no-mite, which was featured on clothing items, toys, and other accessories around the country.
His pursuit of success, with an estimated comedy tour period of 25-30 weeks a year, the actor hardly carved out time for a remote personal life. Thus, he never married nor fathered children, but has been linked with several women in the past, including conservative media pundit and author, Ann Coulter.
JIMMIE'S LIFE AFTER THE SHOW
After the series hit an end in 1979, the comedian went back to his stand-up career. He also took up other acting gigs in movies like "BAD Cats," "At Ease," and "Bustin Loose."
At 72, the stand-up genius still tours the United States as a comedian, along with sound effect specialist, Michael Winslow.
Together, the duo released his 2018 comedy special, "We Are Still Here," a title the actor explained was a reflection of his age-deferring comedic antics saying:
"The title means, 'despite what some people in the industry are saying, you're too old, or out of style, we're still here, writing and grinding.' And the people who see us seem to like us."
Since his stint as JJ, Walker has been on a quest to achieve "everything!" without the distraction of family, relationships, wife, or kids.
The comedy legend has been open about his decision to remain unmarried in his career pursuit, explaining that the institution was a sham that left people hostile, angry, and on the verge of losing all they worked for. Notwithstanding, Jimmie has had his fair share of girlfriends.
WAS JIMMIE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH ANN COULTER?
Rumors of a relationship between the JJ Evans' role player and media pundit, Ann Coulter, has surfaced several times over the years.
However, both television personalities have constantly debunked the claims, noting they were good friends with no strings attached.
Jimmie Walker at the PBS portion of the 2014 Winter Television Critics Association tour on January 21, 2014 | Photo: Getty Images
The rumors became more prominent in 2017, following a sit down on Entertainment Weekly with "Black-ish" creator, Kenya Barris, and "Good Times," director, Norman Lear.
The director confirmed the rumors, saying the pair was in a relationship while describing an encounter he was privileged to have with the couple.
But Barris was quick to point out the fault in the assertion, noting that since the conservative media pundit was not a fan of solid food, the date couldn't have happened. Once again, Coulter stepped up to clear the air, shutting down the rumors for good.
"GOOD TIMES" ACTORS— WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
The icon's role as JJ, "Good Times'" comic attraction, made him the ultimate center of the sitcom, and by far, one of the most prosperous decades after.
Private Life Details of 'I Love Lucy' Star William Frawley
Meet Original 'One Day at a Time' Cast 35 Years after the Sitcom Ended
'Good Times's' Esther Rolle Cared How On-Screen Children Looked despite Having None in Reality
Other casts have succeeded in their own rights as well, embracing new dreams or building up their acting career into a successful empire.
John Amos, who played the family patriarch, James Evans, has developed a successful on-screen empire, with hits like "Roots," "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air," "Coming To America," "Die hard 2" and "Dr. Doolitle 3" among others.
Thelma Evans, played by Bern Nadette, now married with two kids, went on to become an author, a website hostess and the spokesperson for Jeunesse skincare line, while the fictional family's youngest, Ralph Carter, as Michael, ventured into music.
John Amos, Bern Nadette Stanis, Jimmie JJ Walker and Ralph Carter of " Good Times" reunite at Day 1 of the Chiller Theatre Expo at Sheraton Parsippany Hotel on October 24, 2014 | Photo: Getty Images
Also dabbling into music is the famous Janet Jackson, who starred as the Penny Gordon, the family's adopted daughter in latter seasons. The singer got married to billionaire Wissam Al Mana in 2012.
The family matriarch, Florida Evans, played by Esther Rolle, died in November 2017, following a difficult battle with diabetes. Before her death, she made several television appearances, which fast-tracked her rise to fame.
Taking a little boost from "Good Times," the CBS sitcom's cast have paved their way to fame as legendary personalities in the industry.