Latest news with #BlackJack
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Black Jack hits the jackpot in centenary Fastnet thriller
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Monaco's Black Jack 100 played its hand perfectly on Tuesday to take monohull line honours in the centenary Rolex Fastnet Race, rounding off a fiercely contested few days that saw record fleets, tight margins, and underdogs pushing giants all the way across 695 nautical miles of testing waters. Remon Vos's Black Jack, skippered by Tristan Le Brun, crossed the finish line in Cherbourg after two days, 12 hours, 31 minutes and 21 seconds of racing, leading home a competitive monohull fleet that showcased the global appeal of offshore sailing's most prestigious contest. Hong Kong's SHK Scallywag finished second in the monohull division, followed by Monaco's Leopard 3 in third. U.S. entries Pyewacket 70 and Tschuss 2 rounded out the top five in Tuesday's finish, underlining the international flavour of a race that has grown from seven boats in 1925 to a record-breaking 444-strong fleet. The monohull honours came a day after France's SVR Lazartigue had already claimed overall line honours, the sleek blue 32-metre Ultim trimaran slicing through the darkness to become first to reach Cherbourg on Monday - a reminder that in offshore racing, line honours go to the first boat home, typically the fastest and most technologically advanced yacht in the fleet. But it was the Ocean Fifty class that has delivered perhaps the most compelling racing drama of the centenary edition. France's Inter Invest claimed victory in that category, finishing in two days, eight hours, 38 minutes and 13 seconds as dusk settled on Monday, with Koesio following just 31 minutes and 16 seconds later and Viabilis Oceans another 20 minutes behind. The tight competition proved remarkable across the entire Ocean Fifty fleet - the top seven trimarans arrived within two hours of each other despite the race's epic distance. These double-handed boats even gave the bigger classes a serious challenge, with Inter Invest reaching Fastnet Rock on the stern of the MOD70 Argo, while even the mighty Ultims struggled to shake off the Ocean Fiftys before rounding Plymouth. While still relatively unknown outside France, the Ocean Fifty class (formerly Multi50) is gaining momentum, with nine boats taking part in this centenary edition as part of their annual racing calendar. The biennial contest traces a challenging course from Cowes on England's Isle of Wight around Ireland's famous Fastnet Rock before finishing in Cherbourg — a test that has challenged sailors' skill and endurance for a century. While line honours go to the first boat home, the overall Fastnet Race winner receives the Fastnet Challenge Cup based on corrected time under the International Rating Certificate (IRC) handicap system, meaning a well-sailed 12-metre yacht can still beat a 30-metre racing machine once handicaps are applied. Administered jointly by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) in Britain, and the Union Nationale pour la Course au Large (UNCL) in France, IRC assigns a rating based on a boat's measurements and predicted performance, producing a time correction factor used to calculate results after a race. REUTERS
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Japan's manga artists can't ignore AI any more
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The brushstrokes of generative AI can help anime and manga to thrive. Japan's creative sector has been wrestling with the question of the role of generative AI in the production process. Imagine if the late Osamu Tezuka, Japan's revered 'Godfather of Manga' for his pioneering artistic techniques and visionary behind the iconic worlds of Astro Boy and Black Jack, were alive today. What would his stance be on generative artificial intelligence (AI)? His eldest son Macoto Tezka believes that he would have embraced it.
Scottish Sun
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Everyone told me not to paint my oak doors but I did it anyway – I love it but trolls rage and say it was better before
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A DIY enthusiast has revealed that everyone warned her against painting her oak doors black, but she did it anyway. And now, Rebecca Forrey, a stay-at-home mum-of-three who is on a mission to give her home a mega makeover, has no regrets over her latest DIY overhaul. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 A DIY fan has revealed that despite everyone warning her against painting her oak doors black, she did it anyway Credit: TikTok/@rebeccaforrey 2 But now, Rebecca Forrey has left people totally divided with her latest DIY project Credit: TikTok/@rebeccaforrey But having said that, Rebecca's black doors have left people totally divided - and while some suggest it will 'date' her property, others think it looks 'so classy'. Posting on social media, the brunette beauty gave her followers a close-up look at her oak doors, which she bought from Wickes. Alongside the clip, she revealed a comment she had heard one too many times, as she penned: 'Do NOT paint those oak doors black.' Clearly unbothered by the advice, moments later viewers saw Rebecca holding a paint brush. The content creator then mimed along to a viral audio that said: 'I'm not gon' do it girl, I was just thinking about it. I'm not gon' do it…I did it.' Seconds later, she proudly showed off her new black living room door and beamed: 'No regrets.' Rebecca confirmed that she didn't prime the door before painting and used Frenchic Furniture Pant in the shade Black Jack, from the Lazy Range. We think Rebecca's black door looks fabulous and matches the trendy decor of her beautiful home. But the TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @rebeccaforrey, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as at the time of writing it had quickly racked up 279,700 views in just 24 hours. Not only this, but it had also amassed 10,100 likes and 162 comments. I'm doing up my council house but have only just discovered the £5 B&Q hack that'll save you a tonne of cash when redecorating DIY enthusiasts were split by the black doors and many eagerly raced to the comments to share their thoughts. One user beamed: 'The black is SO CHIC.' Eight Easy DIY Tips & Tricks The ultimate guide for homeowners and renters: DIY expert's lazy painting hack will make decorating your home much easier Save time and money with this easy DIY tiling hack to transform a room in under an hour Avoid these five mistakes in your next DIY project Transform your kitchen with this renter-friendly DIY hack Noisy neighbours? Here's how to soundproof a room DIY expert shared her favourite strategy for painting around glass without tape If you want to give your kitchen a fresh look, here's how to paint your kitchen cabinets Five tricks to spruce up every room in your home for less than £5 A second chimed in: 'Black looks soooo much better! So classy.' Whilst someone else gushed: 'Gorgeous!!! It looks so expensive!' Looking forward to five years' time when everyone is sanding their doors back to the natural finish TikTok user But at the same time, not everyone was as complimentary, as one DIY enthusiast slammed: 'Oak is much better.' Another added: '[It] will date quickly, whereas the oak remains timeless in my opinion.' And a third commented: 'Looking forward to five years' time when everyone is sanding their doors back to the natural finish.' Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club
Daily Record
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Outlander predicted Black Jack Randall's death back in key scene you may have missed
Outlander saw Black Jack meet a brutal end Outlander enthusiasts might have overlooked a subtle hint that alluded to the demise of Captain 'Black Jack' Randall (portrayed by Tobias Menzies) within the series, reports the Scottish Daily Express. During the second season, the nefarious redcoat has a humiliating encounter with King Louis XV (played by Lionel Lingelser) in the gardens at Versailles. In an uncomfortable moment, the king compels Black Jack to kneel and implore for his brother Alex Randall's (Laurence Dobiesz) release from his obligations to the Duke of Sandringham (Simon Callow) owing to illness. Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire Fraser (Caitríona Balfe) witness the episode, finding some satisfaction as Black Jack faces a rare form of powerlessness. Delivering a loaded remark, King Louis XV notes: "The king admires your uniform, Captain. So seldom seen at this court. Such bold clouds as befit the brave soldiers of your sovereign." He adds poignantly, "A pity that your countrymen are usually too busy slaughtering each other to exchange such pleasantries." To which Black Jack retorts: "Speaking as a soldier, of many years, Your Majesty, I must say that I find war preferable to politics. At least in war, you know your enemies." Continuing the foreshadowing dialogue, the monarch remarks: "The king finds some truth in what you say. "However we hope your affection for carnage does not ultimately prove fatal for you." And as the audience is well aware, Black Jack meets his end on the Culloden battlefield at the hands of Jamie in their final confrontation. The demise of Black Jack was a fitting conclusion to a life marked by violence and a penchant for sadism. Despite being unaware of Black Jack's brutal nature, it seems the royal accurately perceived him, with King Louis' words ominously foreshadowing the wicked Captain's downfall. The scene in question also depicted a significant shift in power between Black Jack and the Frasers, who were present at the French court as representatives of Scotland. On the other hand, Black Jack was an English officer and encountered subtle hostility from the locals due to Britain's ongoing war with France elsewhere in Europe. Black Jack was very much a stranger in France, which meant he had to significantly moderate his behaviour compared to his previous actions in Scotland where he held power.
Daily Record
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Outlander bosses share surprising insight into Black Jack Randall 'humiliation' scene with Jamie Fraser
Outlander's cruellest villain saw the tables turned on him Outlander fans may be surprised to learn the reason why Captain 'Black Jack' Randall (played by Tobias Menzies) was hugely humiliated when he met King Louis XV (Lionel Lingelser) in Versailles. The scene in question saw the evil Redcoat on the back foot during an encounter with the French monarch, Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire Fraser (Caitríona Balfe). After making a comment to Claire about how serendipitous it was to have encountered the Frasers in Paris not long after brutally torturing and raping Jamie, he was very much humbled, reports the Express. King Louis XV witnessed the tense moment between Claire and Black Jack as she warned the soldier to let go of her arm, before the royal and his fellow courtiers intervened. Black Jack was mocked for his poor French pronunciation while Claire was complimented on her impeccable language skills. Then Black Jack was forced to his knees and beg a favour of the king on behalf of his brother Alex Randall (Laurence Dobiesz), who was in the employ of the Duke of Sandringham (Simon Callow). Black Jack wanted Alex's position reconsidered given his ailing health with the Randall sibling not long for this world. On the orders of the monarch, the captain did kneel with Louis laughing in his face and declaring: 'You English are so literal.' Black Jack was silently fuming but unable to retaliate given his position. Previously addressing the scene on the show's official podcast, Outlander's executive producer Ronald D. Moore broke down the screen, which saw the power dynamic between Black Jack and the Frasers shifting. Moore said: 'I came up with this idea of King Louis coming over, and Jack sort of having to talk to Jamie through Louis and Louis sort of forcing Jack to his knees and f***ing with him because he's a British officer at the French court. 'I like that and essentially France and Britain, yes, they are fighting a war somewhere else in Europe at this time in Austria or something. 'But it's not a total war that we think about. There's still this odd, to our mindsets, odd 18th century idea of warfare where these countries would be at war with each other but they would still sort of be polite to each other in other contexts. Moore compared this quiet but fierce animosity to the Cold War, where the USA and the USSR were fighting in hot spots like Vietnam and Korea but continued with general civilities to each other on their home turf. 'So the idea of a British officer showing up in Versailles was not completely out of the question and I like the idea that when a British officer showed up at Versailles Louis would start to screw with them, to f*** with them. 'Once he picked up the idea that Claire and Jamie did not like Jack Randall, that he would try to find some way to humiliate him,' Moore said.
