#119th generation

[wishingforatypewriter]

Hi! I know this might be out of the blue, but recently I've been reminscing on Shokugeki No Soma. Looking back on the extreme fun of the first arcs, the eternal excitement I would feel whenever Joichiro showed up, also remembering that I kind of dropped it when BLUE came around ... But after all these years, I can say Damn, that was really fun. It truly had some unforgettable characters and moments that I still laugh so much at.

And you, my friend, were MY FAVORITE Shokugeki blog. To the point, where even if I wasn't that into what was happening in the manga, I would search up and read your posts. On Casual Committments was my lifeline!!! Your analysis of the characters and their diverse futures were so spot on. And don't even get me started on your Next Gen!

If there was ever a Next Gen cast that should be made official, it's yours. Give me Shokugeki no Raiden, and I will be there! I loved the fact that these characters felt like their parents, but also felt like completely themselves. It was everything I could ever ask for.

Having said that, I want to finish this ask with a question that you can ignore if you like, but I still gotta ask. From where I remember and from the brief reviewing I've been doing, Raiden's final ship was never confirmed. I know it's been years, but was a choice ever made between Akane and Maria for the endgame?

Hi!!! Thank you so much for your kind words! It truly warms my heart to know that my little posts and stories from years ago brought another person some joy! A while back, I had been thinking about transferring a few of my older fics over to ao3 for safekeeping, and your message has inspired me to actually do it.

In terms of the next gen fics, I never officially decided on endgame pairs. When I initially started the project, I intended for Raiden and Maria to be together. However, as I continued exploring the characters and their dynamics and getting feedback from readers, I wavered on it until I became more or less neutral on the matter. Although I know it isn't very satisfying, I sort of like the idea of letting readers choose their own ending. What I will say, though, is that my last fics in the 119th gen timeline feature Raiden and Akane in their mid 20s, and very much still romantically involved, while the Raiden/Maria fics leave off while they're in school.

Anyway, your comment truly made my day! Thanks again!

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Mike Luckovich

* * * * *

Lessons from our success!

November 22, 2024

Robert B. Hubbell

Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal from consideration for Attorney General is instructive on many levels. Most of the lessons learned should fortify us for the battles to come.

Lessons include:

Public pressure works. Although the proximate cause of Gaetz’s withdrawal was a lack of support among GOP Senators, that lack of congressional support was the first derivative of public outrage over Gaetz’s reprehensible conduct. We must repeat that public pressure with respect to Pete Hegseth, Robert Kennedy, and Tulsi Gabbard, among others. Everyone who called their Senators or otherwise raised the alarm about Gaetz deserves a pat on the back.

Just because Trump wants something doesn’t mean he can get it. Those who oppose Trump sometimes accept the myth that he can accomplish everything and anything he wants. Not so. On Wednesday, Trump expressed public support for Gaetz’s nomination as Attorney General. On Thursday, he told Gaetz, “You don’t have the votes.” If we resist, we can win. Timothy Snyder advises us, “Do not obey in advance.” To that admonition we should add, “Do not concede before the battle is over.”

Trump was bluffing about recess appointments. Like most bullies, Trump relies on bluffing to get most of what he wants. When challenged, he retreats. Trump threatened to use recess appointments (and the Adjournment Clause) to force nominations through the Senate. However, he allowed Gaetz to drop out as soon as it was clear that Gaetz did not have the votes for confirmation. See The Bulwark, ‘You Don’t Have the Votes’: How Trump Barred the Gaetz

If Trump were serious about forcing the Senate into an involuntary adjournment, he would not care whether Gaetz had the votes. The fact that Trump cared whether Gaetz had the votes for confirmation shows that Trump was bluffing about forcing recess appointments.

Every defeat suffered by Trump weakens the illusion that he is invincible. Part of Trump's bluffing strategy depends on the fiction that he is invincible. But every time Trump loses a battle, the illusion of his invincibility becomes weaker. That should give us hope in the battles over Hegseth, Kennedy, and Gabbard.

Trump has other corrupt and corruptible candidates to replace every nominee we defeat. That’s okay. Trump immediately replaced Gaetz with Pam Bondi, former Attorney General of Florida. Bondi supported Trump's claims that the 2020 election was rigged and dropped an investigation against Trump University’s fraudulent practices after Trump donated $25,000 to her campaign. See NYTimes, New Records Shed Light on Donald Trump’s $25,000 Gift to Florida Official. Per the Times,

[In September], a check for $25,000 from the Donald J. Trump Foundation landed in the Tampa office of a political action committee that had been formed to support Ms. Bondi’s 2014 re-election. In mid-October, her office announced that it would not be acting on the Trump University complaints.

There is no bottom to the supply of corrupt and corruptible Trump loyalists who can (and will) replace every corrupt and corruptible nominee or appointee who takes office in the Trump administration. That’s okay. The point is to resist, disrupt, and expose the corruption. We need to keep it up, every day!

As I replied to a friend who alerted me to Matt Gaetz’s announcement on Twitter that he was withdrawing, “One down. Fourteen to go.”

Will Matt Gaetz rejoin the House of Representatives? Maybe.

Matt Gaetz resigned from the 118th Congress, which ends on January 3, 2025 at 11:59 a.m.

Gaetz was elected to the new Congress (the 119th), which begins on January 3, 2025, at Noon.

In his letter of resignation, Gaetz said that he “does not intend” to take his seat in the 119th Congress. Saying that you “do not intend” to do something is not the same as a “resignation.”

What if Gaetz changes his mind and shows up on January 3, 2025, to be sworn into the 119th Congress? Gaetz could easily say, “I didn’t intend to be sworn into the 119th Congress because I thought I would be the Attorney General. That didn’t happen, so I changed my mind.”

If that happens, the answer to “What comes next isn’t clear.” See HuffPo, So, Matt Gaetz Won’t Be AG. Can He Go Back To Congress?

I don’t know what will happen. I am simply noting that Gaetz has a plausible path back to Congress—which would presumably resurrect the House Ethics investigation. Query whether that investigation would need to begin from scratch. The 118th Congress is not the 119th Congress.

New questions about Pete Hegseth emerge

On Thursday, news organizations obtained a copy of a police report investigating a reported sexual assault by Hegseth in 2017 at a conservative conference. See AP, Police report reveals assault allegations against Hegseth, Trump's pick for defense secretary. The police report is linked in the AP article. It contains graphic descriptions of the reported assault.

The conclusion of the report states, “I recommend this report be forwarded to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office for review.” That recommendation does not exonerate Hegseth, as he claimed in statements to the press on Thursday. See ABC News, Hegseth says he's 'completely cleared' in sex assault case. The police report doesn't say that.

Hegseth later entered into a non-disclosure agreement with the woman who reported the assault. Hegseth paid the woman an undisclosed amount of money to enter into the non-disclosure agreement. Hegseth’s attorney claims that the the woman “was the aggressor” and that she fabricated the story of rape in order to “save face” with her husband, who was staying at the hotel with his wife when the sexual assault took place.

More evidence will be gathered, including the investigation from local prosecutor to whom the case was referred for review. And since Hegseth has made public statements about the alleged assault despite the non-disclosure agreement, it may be that the woman he allegedly assaulted is free to speak to Senate investigators and the media.

The incident took place while Hegseth was in the middle of a divorce from his second wife and fathering a child with his then-girlfriend, who is now his third wife. If Hegseth was an active duty military officer at the time, it is likely he would have been discharged—possibly dishonorably.

Equally troubling are Hegseth’s public statements that express strong sympathy for white nationalist views and animosity toward fellow Americans who do not share those views. See Jonathan Chait in The Atlantic, Pete Hegseth Might Be Trump’s Most Dangerous Nominee.

Chait writes,

In his [Hegseth’s] three most recent books, Hegseth puts forward a wide range of familiarly misguided ideas: vaccines are “poisonous”; climate change is a hoax (they used to warn about global cooling, you know); George Floyd died of a drug overdose and was not murdered; the Holocaust was perpetrated by “German socialists.” [¶¶]

The Marxist conspiracy has also, according to Hegseth, begun creeping into the U.S. military, the institution he is now poised to run. His most recent book calls for a straightforward political purge of military brass who had the gall to obey Democratic administrations: “Fire any general who has carried water for Obama and Biden’s extraconstitutional and agenda-driven transformation of our military.” [¶¶]

In the most chilling passage of his three books, Hegseth declares his fellow citizens to be enemies:

The clearest through line of all three books is the application of Hegseth’s wartime mentality to his struggle against domestic opponents. American Crusade calls for the “categorical defeat of the Left,” with the goal of “utter annihilation,” without which “America cannot, and will not, survive.” Are the Crusades just a metaphor? Sort of, but not really: “Our American Crusade is not about literal swords, and our fight is not with guns. Yet.” (Emphasis—gulp—his.)

Hegseth bears tattoos that are associated with the white supremacist movement. He is unfit to serve in the military, much less serve as Secretary of Defense. Call your Senators to let them know how you feel about a man accused of rape (allegations he papered over with a non-disclosure agreement) and who views his fellow Americans as the enemy.

You can reach your Senators by entering your home state in the dialog box at U.S. Senate: Contacting U.S. Senators.

+

Women, in particular, are in disbelief that their fellow Americans did not rise to defend their status as full citizens under the Constitution. And after the reprehensible effort by the House to stigmatize trans people, everyone who is not straight, white, and in a same-sex marriage is understandably looking over their shoulder to see if the morality police are following them.

Yesterday, Heather Cox Richardson addressed an op-ed in the WSJ by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. See November 20, 2024 - by Heather Cox Richardson. The Musk-Ramaswamy op-ed distressed many readers. (See the Comments to Today’s Edition Newsletter date 10/21/24.)

Professor Richardson criticizes the Musk-Ramaswamy op-ed and planned “Department of Government Efficiency” in her usual professional, historical, and classy way—which is why she is a national treasure.

Me, not so much. I will say it directly: Musk and Ramaswamy are like a couple of twelve-year-old boys who know nothing about the world but are confident that they can make the world bend to their will because they are twelve-year-old boys who don’t know any better.

They have been put in charge of a fake “department” that can make recommendations that are dependent entirely on members of Congress—who will think twice about cutting two trillion dollars from programs that directly impact their constituents. To underscore this point, Musk has been on a diet of humble pie for over a week—repeatedly failing to persuade Trump and US Senators that Musk’s favorite candidates for the cabinet should be appointed. If Musk were a baseball player, his batting average would be perfect—0.000.

I am not saying that Trump will fail in his effort to cause chaos and inflict pain. He will do so intentionally and negligently in abundance. But the Dynamic Duds of Musk and his sidekick Vivek will be engaged in the equivalent of a kindergarten production of “Wheels on the Bus” while the adults are across town at the opera house watching Wagner’s Ring cycle.

Musk and Ramaswamy are designated psychological terrorists. Their purpose in the new administration is to issue baseless but ominous pronouncements that will garner press coverage and create the illusion that Trump is doing something. They will hold live hearings. Indeed, they will livestream them on Twitter so that Musk can fabricate viewer numbers that do not match reality. Musk and Ramaswamy will slap one another on the back as they congratulate themselves for the masterful production of “Wheels on the Bus.”

Their job is to upset us. Don’t let them. They are jesters in the classic sense of the word. Their job is to mollify the petulant and bored king. Do not let them fool and distract us. The real action is in the Oval Office and the Capitol. Let’s focus our resistance on those venues—which are ultimately accountable to the American people, as the Matt Gaetz withdrawal demonstrated today.

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[medievalandfantasymelee]

THE HOT MEDIEVAL & FANTASY MEN MELEE

QUALIFYING ROUND: 119th Tilt

Prince John, Robin Hood (2010) VS. Willow Ufgood, Willow (2022)

Propaganda

Prince John, Robin Hood (2010) Portrayed by: Oscar Isaac

“I always love a hot villain, and how could he be otherwise when he's being played by a pre-breakout Oscar Isaac? He preens, he sneers, he's horny on main, what's not to like?”

Willow Ufgood, Willow (2022) Portrayed by: Warwick Davis

“I had a crush on Willow when I was a kid and when the tv series came out I was so thrilled to see him again! Warwick Davis does an excellent job portraying this world-worn sorcerer. Willow, in the series, is an example of what happens to a hero when things don't quite work out in the end. He still manages to rise from his funk and help the next generation! Plus, he has a flamethrower in one scene and it's hilarious.”

Additional Propaganda Under the Cut

Additional Propaganda

For Prince John:

For Willow Ufgood:

[tomorrowusa]

Matt Gaetz, Trump's former nominee for US Attorney General, is out of work. He resigned his House seat in the 118th Congress and won't take his seat in the 119th Congress.

So he needs some income to pay for typical expenses like food, housing, and hush money. For now, he's raising money by offering his services on Cameo.

The Florida Republican Matt Gaetz has made his first big move since withdrawing from consideration to be Donald Trump’s attorney general – by starting an account on Cameo, the website that lets ordinary people pay for video messages from celebrities, dubious or otherwise. The news website Semafor first reported the move on Friday. The revelation came a day after Gaetz withdrew from the confirmation process, under fire over a House ethics committee investigation of allegations of misconduct including allegedly paying an underage girl for sex – all of which Gaetz vehemently denies. “I served in Congress,” the page said, the past tense pointing to Gaetz’s resignation last week, pre-empting release of the ethics report, and announcement on Friday that he would not seek to return next year. “Trump nominated me to be US attorney general (that didn’t work out),” the page said. “Once I fired the House speaker.” [ ... ] Cameo offers users a chance to pay for messages to mark holidays, say happy birthday, send a pep talk, get advice, ask a question or, perhaps appealing to fans of Gaetz, to “roast someone” with pointed abuse. [ ... ] On Friday, Gaetz began by charging $250 a video but soon raised that price to $500. One social media user noted that Gaetz was thus charging “about the same rate as George Santos” – the serial fabulist, admitted fraudster and elected Republican who turned to Cameo amid the scandal that saw him expelled from Congress last year.

Making money by offering services online is not unusual. But in the case of Gaetz, OnlyFans seems like it would be a much better fit.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Martin Pengelly at The Guardian:

Matt Gaetz, the former Florida representative who this week withdrew from consideration to be US attorney general under Donald Trump, said on Friday he would not seek to return to Congress.

“I’m still going to be in the fight but it’s going to be from a new perch,” Gaetz told the rightwing podcaster and radio host Charlie Kirk. “I do not intend to join the 119th Congress.” Gaetz is a dedicated far-right controversialist and staunch Trump loyalist who last year played a key role in the removal of Republican Kevin McCarthy as House speaker, the first such move ever orchestrated by a speaker’s own party. Picked for attorney general during a plane ride with Trump, Gaetz was seen as likely to carry out the president-elect’s agenda of revenge on his political enemies and pardons for allies, including those convicted over the deadly 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol by supporters of Trump who sought in vain to overturn his 2020 loss to Joe Biden. Gaetz swiftly resigned his US House seat, which he had held for nearly three full terms on Capitol Hill.

Former Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) will NOT be returning to Congress. Could being a right-wing media pundit be next on his job list? Or could it be in the 2nd Trump Administration in a different role? Stay tuned.

[starlight-blackbird]

MEET THE 119TH CLONE SQUADRON

The 119th Attack Squadron is perhaps the most chaotic, ragtag bunch of soldiers fighting in the Clone War. Made up of eight fresh-out-of-training shinies who were all desperate to prove themselves in their own ways, a corporal with a slightly maniacal laugh and a penchant for violence, and a battle-hardened sergeant and medic who were betrayed by the Jedi general they used to serve under, this mixed group of clone troopers was destined from the beginning to be a challenge for any Jedi assigned to lead them.

Apollo Eupheria was fairly certain he was not cut out to be that Jedi. For the Force’s sake, he was only a Knight, not a Master, and he’d been working in the Temple Library when the Council had suddenly decided to “grant” him command of a unit. Admittedly he had gotten some training from Master Kenobi on battle techniques and how to properly lead a clone unit, so it wasn’t like the Council was throwing him in blind, but he was far from stupid. He knew the main reason they were doing this was because of his old Master, because they felt bad about how horrifically she’d died and how grief-stricken he had clearly been about it. Sure, he did have some pretty significant skill in the Force (not nearly on Anakin Skywalker’s level, but he was good), but that didn’t change the fact that the Council’s main motivation had been pity, and he hated that.

Still, no matter what the Jedi Council was thinking when they decided to give Apollo command of the 119th, he is now responsible for all of them: Corporal Ripper, with his terrifying fighting style and only slightly less terrifying laugh; Makeshift, who delights in pulling pranks that make his brothers furious; Verbal, who lives up to his name with his quick wit and endless ramblings; Pyxis, the new squadron’s long-suffering medic who can never decide if he loves his brothers or wants to kill them out of exasperation; Seeker, the squadron’s sniper with a keen eye for targets and whoever won’t punch him in the face for flirting; Nim, the freshest one of the bunch off Kamino, who would much rather be painting than going to battle; the self-named “twins,” Sunbeam and Raindrop, who live up to their names fairly well; Whisper, the mostly-silent one who has been through a mysterious trauma none but he and Pyxis know about; Slim, the always-hearty, ever-loyal solider and brother who is always ready with a loud tavern ballad; and, most confusing of all, Sergeant Shadow, Apollo’s second-in-command, who refuses to trust another Jedi after his and Pyxis’s former general betrayed the Republic and nearly killed them, but whose amber eyes make Apollo unable to look away any time he looks into them.

And so there is the 119th Squadron - a group of absolute disasters, bonded together by duty, brotherhood, and the horrors of galactic warfare. Apollo is still completely unsure how he is ever supposed to properly lead these men, but as the Clone War rages and more and more danger comes to light on both sides of it, he will ultimately learn quickly how to keep his batch of courageous idiots alive, form a sort of odd little family with these men he would trust with his life… and possibly fall in love with his amber-eyed sergeant in the process.

Tagging @loverswillowed!!

[ukrainenews]

Daily Wrap Up March 10-13, 2023

Under the cut:

Russia and the United Nations have agreed to a 60-day extension of the Ukraine grain deal after negotiations in Geneva, Russian state news agency RIA reported on Monday.

Fierce fighting rages over central Bakhmut as Russia’s Wagner mercenaries try to break through Ukrainian defenses in the ruined city, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said on March 13. Syrskyi, who commands Ukraine’s Ground Forces and made two known visits to Bakhmut in recent weeks, acknowledged that the situation in the embattled city remained difficult as Russia continued to press forward.

Ukrainian intelligence officials have officially confirmed the identity of the prisoner of war who shouted, "Glory to Ukraine!" before he was executed in a video that was widely circulated on social media. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) determined he was a sniper with the 163rd Battalion of the 119th Separate Tank Brigade of the Chernihiv Region, Oleksandr Ihorovych Matsiyevsky. CNN earlier reported that Matsiyevsky's loved ones and his commander had recognized him as the man in the clip.

Three civilians were killed in Russian shelling of Kherson in southern Ukraine on Saturday, and another died in Donetsk, regional officials said. Reuters reported the governor of Kherson oblast, Oleksandr Prokudin, as saying three people, including an elderly woman, had also been wounded.

Dozens of Ukrainian soldiers on Monday wrapped up a four-week training in Spain on how to operate the Leopard 2A4 battle tank, of which Madrid is set to deliver six mothballed units to Kyiv this spring. A total of 40 tank crew members and 15 mechanical specialists underwent training on their use at a military base in the northeastern city of Zaragoza, Spain’s armed forces said in a statement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to travel to Russia to meet his counterpart Vladimir Putin as soon as next week, people familiar with the matter said, which would be sooner than previously expected. Plans for a visit come as China has been offering to broker peace in Ukraine, an effort that has been met with scepticism in the West given Beijing's diplomatic support for Russia.

“Russia and the United Nations have agreed to a 60-day extension of the Ukraine grain deal after negotiations in Geneva, Russian state news agency RIA reported on Monday.

"Our Russian interdepartmental delegation has just completed another round of talks with UN representatives led by UNCTAD Secretary General R. Greenspan and OCHA head M. Griffiths,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin said at a briefing on Monday, according to RIA.

The diplomat added Moscow had agreed to extend the current grain deal, which lasts until March 18, for an additional 60 days.

"But just for 60 days,” Vershinin said. “Any further grain policy will depend on actual —based on not what's said but what's done — progress on the normalization of our agricultural exports, including bank payments, transport logistics, insurance, unfreezing of financial activities and the continuation of ammonia supply through the Tolyatti-Odessa pipeline.”

Why are grain exports so important? Ukraine and Russia are both significant suppliers of food to the world. Before the war, Ukraine – known as one of the globe’s breadbaskets – would export around three-quarters of the grain it produces. According to data from the European Commission, about 90% of these exports were shipped by sea, from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. The war and its impact on grain exports therefore has major implications, particularly in the global South which relies heavily on them.”-via CNN

~

“Fierce fighting rages over central Bakhmut as Russia’s Wagner mercenaries try to break through Ukrainian defenses in the ruined city, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said on March 13.

Syrskyi, who commands Ukraine’s Ground Forces and made two known visits to Bakhmut in recent weeks, acknowledged that the situation in the embattled city remained difficult as Russia continued to press forward.

The commander said that the Wagner members were storming into central Bakhmut from multiple fronts, but Ukraine still held on to the “fortress” while inflicting “significant losses” on the invading forces.

“All enemy attempts to capture the city are repelled by artillery, tanks, and other firepower," Syrskyi said, as quoted by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's media center.

Syrskyi’s statement comes amid an eight-month-long battle over Bakhmut, a largely destroyed city nearly emptied of its 70,000 residents. Russia has intensified its offensive on Bakhmut in recent weeks as it captured neighboring settlements, inching its way into encircling the city.

Late on March 12, Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a Telegram post that his mercenaries began storming into the underground compound of the Artemivskyi non-ferrous metal processing plant, also known as AZOM, in northern Bakhmut.

Neither Ukraine nor Russia officially commented on the situation at the plant on March 13.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a D.C.-based think-tank analyzing the war in Ukraine, said on March 12 that the Russian military leadership could be trying to expend the Wagner forces and Prigozhin’s influence in Bakhmut.

The ISW has earlier reported that Wagner’s committed elite forces in Bakhmut may be running out as the paramilitary group uses up its manpower to maintain offensive momentum.

Serhiy Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Eastern Military Command, said on March 11 that Ukraine seeks to degrade Wagner forces during its defense of Bakhmut.

He added that Ukraine has already “thinned out” the second formation of Wagner’s recruited prisoners over the winter, and Ukraine has “a real chance” of degrading Wagner if it keeps up the pace.

As fierce battles raged in the east and south of Ukraine, civilian casualties continued to be reported.

The President’s Office said on March 13 that Russian troops launched two missiles at a school in Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, killing a woman.

To the northeast, the Russians launched a missile strike on the village of Znob-Novhorodske in Sumy Oblast, killing at least one and wounding four, according to the President’s Office.

On the southern front, the Russians fired upon energy workers in a liberated area of Kherson Oblast, wounding one person, the regional military administration said.”-via Kyiv Independent

~

“Ukrainian intelligence officials have officially confirmed the identity of the prisoner of war who shouted, "Glory to Ukraine!" before he was executed in a video that was widely circulated on social media.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) determined he was a sniper with the 163rd Battalion of the 119th Separate Tank Brigade of the Chernihiv Region, Oleksandr Ihorovych Matsiyevsky. CNN earlier reported that Matsiyevsky's loved ones and his commander had recognized him as the man in the clip.

The SBU came to the conclusion after communicating with the sniper's family and comrades-in-arms, as well as processing photo and video materials, officials said.

"This is a true Hero who, even looking into the face of death, demonstrated to the whole world what Ukrainian character and invincibility are," said SBU Head Vasyl Malyuk in a statement on their website. "It is these defenders who are defending our land today, which means that the enemy will definitely be defeated. Because Ukraine's Great Victory is made up of the heroic deeds of people like Oleksandr Matsiyevsky. Glory to the hero! Glory to the heroes! Glory to Ukraine!" Matsiyevsky was called for military service in March 2022. Since the end of December, he was reported missing near the village of Krasna Hora in the eastern Donetsk region, according to the SBU. The sniper was shot dead on December 30. His body was returned home in February.

The SBU said it is working to identify the Russian military personnel involved in the execution, and investigating the killing under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war).

Officials in Kyiv, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, have roundly condemned the sniper's on-camera slaying as a war crime.”-via CNN

~

“Three civilians were killed in Russian shelling of Kherson in southern Ukraine on Saturday, and another died in Donetsk, regional officials said.

Reuters reported the governor of Kherson oblast, Oleksandr Prokudin, as saying three people, including an elderly woman, had also been wounded .

“Today the Russian occupiers have hit Kherson again, on Mykolayivsky road near a shop, debris from a shell killed three people,” he told Ukrainian TV.

Ukraine recaptured Kherson in November after nearly eight months of occupation by Russian forces who seized it soon after the start of their invasion. The area is now under almost constant bombardment from Russian forces on the opposite side of the Dnieper river.

The Donetsk regional governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said one person had been killed and at least three injured in the city of Kostyantynivka after several rounds of Russian shelling during the day.”-via The Guardian

~

“Dozens of Ukrainian soldiers on Monday wrapped up a four-week training in Spain on how to operate the Leopard 2A4 battle tank, of which Madrid is set to deliver six mothballed units to Kyiv this spring.

A total of 40 tank crew members and 15 mechanical specialists underwent training on their use at a military base in the northeastern city of Zaragoza, Spain’s armed forces said in a statement.

“It has been intense,” Spanish trainer Captain Contreras - who identified himself only by his rank and surname - told reporters, who were allowed access to the drills for the first time.

Contreras said the Ukrainians would be returning home “with a very acceptable knowledge” of the Leopards.

“Although the tanks were different, there were many systems that coincide and that has made things much easier. With that, together with the motivation that the personnel brought and their desire to learn, we see them very well prepared to resume combat.”

One of the Ukrainian soldiers being trained had a patch on a sleeve sporting the slogan “Freedom or Death” underneath the Ukrainian flag.”-via The Guardian

~

“Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to travel to Russia to meet his counterpart Vladimir Putin as soon as next week, people familiar with the matter said, which would be sooner than previously expected.

Plans for a visit come as China has been offering to broker peace in Ukraine, an effort that has been met with scepticism in the West given Beijing's diplomatic support for Russia.

Putin said last month that a Xi visit had been agreed, though the Kremlin chief gave no date for a possible visit. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that a visit to Moscow could take place in April or early May.

China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the possibility of Xi going to Moscow.

When asked about the Reuters report, the Kremlin said it had nothing to say on the matter.

"As a rule, announcements of official foreign visits are coordinated synchronously by mutual agreement of the parties," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.

"When there is such readiness, we will let you know."

No other details were immediately available.

The sources briefed on the matter declined to be identified given the sensitivity of the issue.

Last month, Putin hosted China's top diplomat Wang Yi on a visit to Moscow. One source said that Wang's trip to Moscow was to help prepare for Xi's visit.

China and Russia struck a "no limits" partnership in February of 2022, when Putin was visiting Beijing for the opening of the Winter Olympics, weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine. The two sides have continued to reaffirm the strength of their ties.

Xi has met Putin in person 39 times since becoming president, most recently in September during a summit in central Asia.

On Monday, Xi wrapped up the annual session of China's parliament, the National People's Congress, during which he was unanimously confirmed in a precedent-breaking third term as president.”-via Reuters

[bakersstreetirregulars]

2022 Cookie of the Year Ranking Board

⚙️ Yeah, I built this leaderboard since I, Strawberry Crepe Cookie, am not doing this contest. As each round ends, this board will get new entries to tell you who got knocked out of the contest, what rank they got, and their final score. Whoever gets 1st Place in the 5th and/or Final Round will get a Valentine’s Day Costume with the probability of extra attention and a balancing buff in their favor! In the meantime, use the icons here to tell you how we decipher who we’re referring to on this blog, and on @crepearchives which is an info blog that I got Meringue to help me with after the Editor had some coding problems with a wiki-hosting website!

Eliminated in Round 1 (81st - 162nd)

🍫 Chocolate Truffle Cookie (38,377 points - 81st)

🌺 Bellflower Cookie (37,336 points - 82nd)

🎻 Mint Choco Cookie (36,059 points - 83rd)

⚽️ Choco Ball Cookie (35,123 points)

🍊 Orange Cookie (32,283 points - 85th)

🦊 Kumiho Cookie (32,110 points - 86th)

🍮 Pudding Cookie (31,227 points - 87th)

🧪 Cauliflower Cookie (29,054 points - 88th)

🔎 Walnut Cookie (29,038 points -89th)

💥 Peperoncino Cookie (28,974 points - 90th)

❄️ Snow Sugar Cookie (27,524 points - 91st)

🐯 Tiger Lily Cookie (25,236 points - 92nd)

🩴 Lime Cookie (25,059 points - 93rd)

🌹 Rose Cookie (24,752 points - 94th)

🛠 Aloe Cookie (24,061 points - 95th)

🗡 Raspberry Mousse Cookie (23,364 points - 96th)

🦞 Lobster Cookie (23,139 points - 97th)

🌰 Chestnut Cookie (22,533 points - 98th)

🫖🍵 Matcha Cookie (22,531 points - 99th)

🎼 DJ Cookie (21,605 points - 💯th place)

🫘 Red Bean Cookie (21,550 points - 101st)

👼 Angel Cookie (21,208 points - 102nd)

🦕 Dino-Sour Cookie (20,195 points - 103rd place)

🦌 Fig Cookie (19,436 points - 104th)

🍑 Peach Cookie (19,372 points - 105th

🎺 Marshmallow Cookie (18,758 points - 106th)

⛩ General Jujube Cookie (18,698 points - 107th)

🎯 Beet Cookie (18,491 points - 108th)

🎍 Leek Cookie (18,222 points- 109th)

🤖 Ion Cookie Robot (18,203 points - 110th)

🥭 Mango Cookie (18,013 points - 111th)

🏄‍♂️ Soda Cookie (17,760 points - 112th)

🥝 Kiwi Cookie (17,245 points - 113th)

🍌 Banana Cookie (16,992 points - 114th)

😈 Devil Cookie (16,954 points - 115th)

✨ Wizard Cookie (16,879 points - 116th)

🧀 Cheesecake Cookie (15,890 points - 117th)

🍿 Popcorn Cookie (15,824 points - 118th)

✈️ Pilot Cookie (15,164 points - 119th)

🤠 Adventurer Cookie (15,045 points - 120th)

💪 Muscle Cookie (15,009 points - 121st)

🤺 White Choco Cookie (14,778 points - 122nd)

🍒 Cherry Cookie (14,264 points - 123rd)

🥷 Ninja Cookie (14,257 points - 124th)

💗 Pink Choco Cookie (14,030 points - 125th)

🧨 Firecracker Cookie (14,029 points - 126th)

💰 Goblin Cookie (13,964 points - 127th)

🍓 Strawberry Cookie (13,875 points - 128th)

🎸 Rockstar Cookie (13,793 points - 129th)

🎄 Carol Cookie (13,367 points - 130th)

🐴 Knight Cookie (13,353 points - 131st)

🍏 Apple Cookie (13,224 points - 132nd)

⛸ Skating Queen Cookie (13,262 points - 133rd)

🥪 Sandwich Cookie (13,227 points - 134th)

🛼 Grapefruit Cookie (13,215 points - 135th)

🌶 Chili Pepper Cookie (13,193 points - 136th)

👸 Princess Cookie (13,084 points - 137th)

🧚‍♀️ Fairy Cookie (13,044 points - 138th)

🛡🌟 Pistachio Cookie (13,012 points - 139th)

🏒 Ice Candy Cookie (13,006 points - 140th)

📣 Cheerleader Cookie (12,982 points - 141st)

🔨 Roll Cake Cookie (12,913 points - 142nd)

🥋 Plum Cookie (12,897 points - 143rd)

🛹 Skater Cookie (12,894 points - 144th)

⛏ Melon Bun Cookie (12,833 points - 145th)

🍭 GingerBright (12,786 points - 146th)

🥠 Prophet Cookie (12,763 points - 147th

🧟‍♂️ Zombie Cookie (12,755 points - 148th)

🌋 Mala Sauce Cookie (12,738 points - 149th)

🫑 Bell Pepper Cookie (12,670 points - 150th)

🔩 Cyborg Cookie (12,534 points - 151st)

💉 Dr. Wasabi Cookie (12,515 points - 152nd)

🏴‍☠️ Pirate Cookie (12,493 points - 153rd)

🍬 Gumball Cookie (12,489 points - 154th)

☮️ Yoga Cookie (12,469 points - 155th)

🥊 Red Pepper Cookie (12,456 points - 156th)

🤓 Hero Cookie (12,438 points - 157th)

🥑 Avocado Cookie (12,435 points - 158th)

⚗️ Alchemist Cookie (12,432 points - 159th)

🥕 Carrot Cookie (12,427 points - 160th)

🧂 Salt Cookie (12,389 points - 161st)

🟠 Mustard Cookie (12,384 points - 162nd & Least Points Earned)

DNOI (Did Not Opt In)

🔥 Fire Spirit Cookie “What? Valentine’s? I don’t care about chocolate, it just melts!” (163rd)

🪷🐉 Lotus Dragon Cookie “It’s not a festival in my favor, so you didn’t need to show up.” (164th)

⚡️🐲 Longan Dragon Cookie “I have no intention of partaking in the vain events of insignificant Cookies.” (165th & Last Place)

[bullrentalsandiego]

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Twitter: https://x.com/Bullrentalsd Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bullrentalsandiego/

[irradiate-space]

(Copying a take I posted elsewhere, because I'm curious if @xhxhxhx might have a take.)

Ben Shapiro's nightmare scenario for the 2024 election

Via the Daily Wire.

Summarized: If you can argue that the apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives after the 2020 Census was wrong, then a 270-268 EC win for Harris could be converted by the Supreme Court to a narrow EC win for Trump by reallocating EC votes from Democratic states (NY, Michigan, Delaware) to Republican states (Florida, Texas).

I don't think this works, but the why isn't clearcut so much as it is a bunch of arguing-in-the-alternative, which I lay out below:

Electoral College apportionment by state isn't set based on raw population numbers; it's set based on the number of senators and representatives they have. For the SC to throw out the existing apportionment of EC electors would require them to rule that the just-elected 2025-2026 class of the House of Representatives is not correct, and throw that entire class out (or at least the reps in the affected states), leaving those states without representation in the House during the vote counting.

Furthermore, The US does not have procedures for invalidating the results of an election or holding a do-over. The SC would be flying by the seat of their tighty-whities. It is generally accepted that members of the House of Representatives must be elected to that chamber. Because House of Representative seats are generally from drawn districts (although not required to be), to hold a new election would require those states to first draw new districts, which is a process that takes a year at the best of times. Except the SC would be ruling that the Census was wrong, and can't be used as the basis of that redistricting, so since the maps are drawn based on population distributions within the state, first you'd need to redo the Census, which is a process that takes a year when they've had a couple of years of prep time. Which means that it would take two years to get new maps, and then you'd need another year to run an election, which puts us electing the Representatives to the House for the 119th Congress (2025-2026) in 2027.

You could maybe condense that to two years, and elect the 2025-2026 House in 2026.

Now, a Trump supporter might say: Sure, but you don't need to have Representatives seated in order to have EC electors seated. And maybe the Constitution doesn't actually require Representatives to be elected, so states can use their own procedures to fill the empty seats in the interim, such as by appointing new representatives to fill the empty seats, and waiving residency requirements because their districts haven't been drawn yet. You just need to have the number of seats, so that electors can be appointed.

The rejoinder is that if you don't have Representatives in their seats on January 6, 2025, then those States whose Representatives were thrown out will lack representation in the House when the EC votes are counted. Therefore Ben Shapiro's SC scenario would leave the election in an unresolvable situation, where the House of Representatives would not be able to fulfill its 12thA duty to elect a new President if the EC does not have a winner.

The 12thA scenario probably doesn't change anything in the current election, since it seems extremely unlikely that the EC will lack a winner, no matter how it is apportioned. The SC could look at the reapportioned tally and say that a House vote would not be needed.

(also let's fix this by requiring the EC to have an odd number of seats)

However! The Electoral Count Reform Act of 2024 provides that, during the counting of the ballots, the gathered members of the House and Senate may file objections to the counting of any State's EC votes. If there are no Representatives from these changed states present in the joint session on that day, then their State will be unable to file objections, or join other objections, or vote on objections, and their State's interests cannot be adequately represented. This isn't a scenario that the Trump supporters will accept, because it removes the big Trump-supporting states from the votes to support Trump.

Now the SC could try to split the difference, and use the mis-allocated batch of 2025-2026 Representatives to vote on an EC batch with corrected numbers. To do so would be to say that it's OK to have a bad allocation in one situation but not in the other. I don't think the more-centrist Republicans on the court would join with the right-winger Republicans to endorse such a take. 4-3 conservatives for Shaprio's scenario, 2-3 against, 3 liberal against: results in at least a 5-4 ruling against splitting the EC count from the House apportionment.

Keeping the EC and House apportionment together means that the 2025-2026 House lacks representatives from major Republican states during the EC vote, and during the 2025-2026 Congress. This would not be acceptable to the right-wing SC justices, nor to the states which stand to benefit from reallocation, so it's not going to move forward.

Or maybe the SC finds that States can appoint Representatives to fill empty seats, instead of using an election. Then, swift action from the existing State governments would let the House sit with all Representative seats filled in the new apportionment, even without drawn districts. But the appointment scenario still requires the SC to invalidate the Census, and invalidate the apportionment, and invalidate the election that was done with districts based on the invalidated apportionment (which has never, ever been done before), and invalidate state laws requiring that Representatives be elected. Precedent and practicality don't bind the current Supreme Court, and Moore v. Harper might give them the power, but that set of invalidations still seems like way too much to ask. I hope.

With these paths foreclosed, I think that's the entire set of possibilities ruled out.

No, if the current Supreme Court wanted to hand the Presidency to Trump, they wouldn't fuck with the Electoral College. They'd find a way to throw out a bunch of Democratic ballots.

[thejfblog]

Maps: Miami Urbanization in the 1920s

Aerial photographs of Downtown Miami, Florida in 1930. (G.W. Romer; uncredited)

In 1900, Dade County, Florida had a population of 5,000. By the 1920s, the number of its permanent residents mushroomed to 100,000 as a land boom flourished, prompting Miami to be nicknamed “The Magic City.” Hundreds of miles of new local roads were built to accommodate the growth.

“The Official Road Map: Dade County, Florida.” Adopted by the Dade County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 20, 1921. (Richeson Love, 1921)

“Map of Miami's Metropolitan District, showing location of Coral Gables in relation to the City and Surrounding Territory | Map of Metropolitan District Miami Florida.” (Karl Squires, 1922)

“Map of Dade County, Florida.” (Associated Map Co., 1926)

“Map of Dade County.” (Florida State Road Department, 1936)

Fast facts:

Dade County’s newly implemented street grid called the Chaille Plan went into effect in 1921.

The same year in 1921, the Dixie Highway was completed in Miami, connecting Miami to the Midwest. The main historic segments were West Dixie Highway, which followed the alignment of Northeast 2nd Avenue in the City of Miami until Gratigny Road now Northwest and Northeast 119th Street, turning northeastward toward Broward County, East Dixie Highway, which followed most of the current alignment of Biscayne Boulevard in Miami north of Federal Highway and Northeast 54th Street, also toward Broward County, and South Dixie Highway, which connected Homestead and Florida City in South Dade, on its modern route, with Miami to the north.

Development of Dade County in the 1920s north of the Miami River was generally confined to east of Northwest 42nd Avenue (Le Jeune Road) closer to the City of Miami, and east of Northwest 27th Avenue north of the city limits.

South of Downtown Miami and the Miami River, development generally followed the alignment of the Florida East Coast Railway (now Metrorail north of North Kendall Drive) and the surrounds of its depots, paralleled by South Dixie Highway.

In the 1920s, mainland Dade County and its beaches were connected by four east-west routes, from south to north: the County Causeway now called the MacArthur Causeway (opened in 1920), the Venetian Causeway (1925) that replaced the earlier Collins Bridge completed in 1915, the 79th Street Causeway (1928), and Ocean Boulevard and Sunny Isles Road now 163rd Street (ca. 1920).

A number of Miami’s suburbs were established during the 1920s, including Hialeah (1925), Coral Gables (1925), North Miami (1926), North Miami Beach (1927), and South Miami (1927).

Northward view of vehicle traveling south on West Dixie Highway in Fulford-by-the-Sea now North Miami Beach, just north of Ocean Boulevard in 1924. (W.A. Fishbaugh)

[wishingforatypewriter]

🎫 Erik x Sumire? For old times sake. I miss them and your SNS OC's

Hi there! Thanks for the ask! It makes me so happy to know someone out there is still thinking about these characters! I'm honestly struggling to remember what I have and haven't already written about when it comes to those two, so I apologize if this ends up being a repeat.

The ring Erik proposes to Sumire with is the same engagement ring Soe gave to Leonora years ago. It's been in the Nakiri family for a few generations, and it ends up going really well with Sumire's classic fashion sense. Erik's grandparents happily gave it to him for this purpose because they adore Sumire and wanted to welcome her into the family.

[marwahstudios]

AAFT Breaks Its Own Record with the Launch of 119th Batch in Short Term Courses

Noida: In a remarkable achievement, the Asian Academy of Film and Television (AAFT) has set a new milestone in the field of film, television, and media training by inaugurating its 119th batch of creative courses. Dr. Sandeep Marwah, the President of AAFT, expressed pride in the faculty, administration, and management for their support in creating this unprecedented record.

Addressing the students of AAFT University during the inauguration, Bhikkhu Sanghasena, the founder of Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre in Ladakh, emphasized the pivotal role of compassion in various career paths. He urged the young students to transcend self-centered interests and cultivate a global vision.

“This century is the century of Asia, and within Asia, it is the century of India. The young generation of India, under the great leadership of our country, must prepare themselves to lead the world with our most ancient treasures – wisdom of Compassion, Ahimsa, Maitri, meditation, Yoga, and the culture of peace. We can no longer remain spectators to ongoing brutal wars,” Bhikkhu Sanghasena stated.

He commended and applauded Dr. Sandeep Marwah, the founder and chancellor of AAFT, for his remarkable achievements and outstanding contributions to the nation and the world.

Renowned author Diwakar Goel and Lali Sahni, former Advisor to the Ministry of HRD and Tedex Speaker, shared their experiences with the aspiring students.

Bhikkhu Sanghasena drew comparisons between Dr. Sandeep Marwah’s commanding presence and the voices of Swami Vivekananda, his profound knowledge of Sanskrit and Sanskriti with Maharishi Valmiki, and his awe-inspiring personality likened to the superstar Amitabh Bachchan.

The International Film and Television Club, a part of AAFT, honored Bhikkhu Sanghasena, Lali Sahni, and Diwakar Goel with its Lifetime Membership, recognizing their significant contributions to the industry.

This achievement not only marks a significant milestone for AAFT but also underscores its commitment to providing quality education and training in the creative arts.

[homestuck-human-generator]

Name: Mrs. Noma Bisset Color: Floral White #Fffaf0 Symbol: squiddle Strife Specibus: wordkind Handle: tastyAftermath Animal: turtle Pronouns: she/her Age: 33 Birthday: 119th day of the year Sexuality: indecipherable Interests: blacksmithing and confectionery Dream Moon: derse Classpect: Muse of Heart Land: Land of Glow and Riddles, a thoughtless place, with impossible Asian Box Turtle consorts. It is a place full of bays and turning gears. Atlas cannot rest. Instrument: pibcorn via homestuck-human-generator https://ift.tt/HgzhO3y

[the-sayuri-rin]

The oldest intercollegiate Black fraternity in the country is moving its 2025 conference from Florida, calling the state "hostile" to the Black community.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will relocate the fraternity’s 99th General Convention and 119th Anniversary Convention from Orlando "due to Governor Ron DeSantis’ harmful, racist, and insensitive policies against the Black community," according to a press release from the organization.

The event was expected to generate $4.6 million, according to Alpha Phi Alpha.

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 27 of 2023

Title: This Is What Hell Looks Like: Life as a Bomb Disposal Specialist During the Vietnam War Authors: Stuart Allan Steinberg ISBN: 9781625450654 Tags: AC-47 Spooky, AFG Afghanistan, B-52 Stratofortress, CBRNE Weapons, EOD, FRA ADT French Ground Army (Armée de terre), FRA France, FRA Groupement Mobile 100 (Indochina War), HH-43 Huskie, JPN Japan, JPN Okinawa, JPN Okinawa - Naha, KOR Korea, KOR ROK 26th Infantry Regiment, KOR ROK 26th Infantry Regiment - 2/56, KOR ROK Capital Tiger Division, KOR ROK Republic of Korea Army, KOR ROKMC Republic Of Korea Marine Corps, M551 Sheridan, Office of Strategic Services (OSS), OSS Albert Peter Dewey, OV-1 Mohawk, Pathfinders, SpecOps, Typhoon Hester, UN United Nations, UN UNODC Office on Drugs and Crime, US CIA Central Intelligence Agency, US USA 101st Airborne Division - Screaming Eagles, US USA 119th Assault Helicopter Company, US USA 140th Transportation Det., US USA 158th Aviation Bn, US USA 15th Artillery Regiment, US USA 15th Artillery Regiment - 7/15, US USA 160th Aviation Group, US USA 160th Aviation Group - Pathfinders, US USA 170th Ordnance Det, US USA 173rd Airborne Brigade - 3rd Provisional Rifle Co, US USA 173rd Airborne Brigade - Casper Aviation Platoon, US USA 173rd Airborne Brigade - Sky Soldiers, US USA 17th Artillery Regiment, US USA 17th Artillery Regiment - 2/17, US USA 17th Cavalry Regiment, US USA 17th Cavalry Regiment - 2/17 - A Troop, US USA 17th Cavalry Regiment - 2/17 - Aero-Rifle, US USA 184th Ordnance Bn, US USA 187th Infantry Regiment, US USA 187th Infantry Regiment - 3/187, US USA 191st Ordnance Bn, US USA 1st Cavalry Division, US USA 25th Ordnance Det., US USA 26th Artillery Regiment, US USA 26th Artillery Regiment - 8/26, US USA 27th Engineers, US USA 287th Ordnance Det., US USA 319th Artillery Regiment, US USA 319th Artillery Regiment - 2/319, US USA 326th Engineer Bn, US USA 326th Engineer Bn - B Co, US USA 327th Infantry Regiment, US USA 327th Infantry Regiment - 1/327, US USA 327th Infantry Regiment - 2/327, US USA 377th Artillery Bn, US USA 39th Artillery Regiment, US USA 39th Artillery Regiment - 1/39, US USA 39th Transportation Bn, US USA 42nd Ordnance Det, US USA 44th Ordnance Det, US USA 46th Supply and Service Bn, US USA 4th ID, US USA 4th ID - 1st Brigade, US USA 502nd Infantry Regiment, US USA 502nd Infantry Regiment - 2/502, US USA 502nd Infantry Regiment - 2/502 - B Co, US USA 503rd Infantry Regiment, US USA 503rd Infantry Regiment - 1/503, US USA 503rd Infantry Regiment - 2/503, US USA 503rd Infantry Regiment - 4/503, US USA 506th Infantry Regiment, US USA 506th Infantry Regiment - 2/506, US USA 506th Infantry Regiment - 2/506 - D Co, US USA 50th Infantry Regiment, US USA 50th Infantry Regiment - 1/50, US USA 51st Medical Co, US USA 533rd Ordnance Det, US USA 571st Ordnance Co, US USA 58th Infantry Regiment, US USA 58th Infantry Regiment - D Co, US USA 59th Ordnance Brigade, US USA 5th ID (Mechanized), US USA 5th ID (Mechanized) - 1st Brigade, US USA 647th Quartermaster Co, US USA 67th Ordnance Det, US USA 69th Armor Regiment, US USA 69th Armor Regiment - 1/69, US USA 75th Rangers, US USA 75th Rangers - L Co, US USA 77th Aerial Rocket Artillery (ARA), US USA 77th Aerial Rocket Artillery (ARA) - 4/77, US USA 820th Ordnance Co, US USA 85th Ordnance Det., US USA 8th Infantry Regiment, US USA 8th Infantry Regiment - 3/8, US USA 8th Infantry Regiment - 3/8 - B Co, US USA 8th Transportation Group, US USA 90th Replacement Bn, US USA ASA 8th Radio Research Station, US USA ASA Army Security Agency, US USA Combat Trackers - K9, US USA Dugway Proving Grounds UT, US USA Fort Gordon GA, US USA Fort McClellan AL, US USA General John J. Hennessey, US USA General John M. Wright Jr., US USA LRRP Team (Vietnam War), US USA United States Army, US USA USSF 5th SFG, US USA USSF Green Berets, US USA USSF Special Forces, US USA USSF Team A-101, US USA USSF Team A-221, US USA XXIV Corps, US USAF Eglin Air Force Base FL, US USAF United States Air Force, US USMC 1st MarDiv, US USMC 3rd Force Recon Co, US USMC 3rd MarDiv, US USMC MAG-36, US USMC United States Marine Corps, US USN NOS Indianhead MD, US USN NOS Naval Ordnance Station, US USN United States Navy, US UT USA DPG - Sheep Kill Incident (1968), US UT Utah, VNM 1968 Tet Offensive (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM 1969 Mini-Tet Offensive (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM 506 Valley, VNM A Shau Valley, VNM An Khe, VNM An Khe Pass, VNM An Loa Mountain, VNM Ao Lai Bang, VNM Ap Hien, VNM Ap Hien Luong, VNM Ap Thanh Tan, VNM Ap Uu Phuong, VNM Arizona Territory, VNM Battle of Dong Ap Bia (Hamburger Hill) (Operation Apache Snow) (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Battle of Hamburger Hill (Dong Ap Bia) (Operation Apache Snow) (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Battle of Khe Sanh (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Battle of Lang Vei (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Battle of Saigon (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Bien Hoa Airbase (Vietnam War), VNM Binh Dinh Province, VNM Bong Son, VNM Cam Lo River, VNM Cam Ranh Bay, VNM Camp Eagle (Vietnam War), VNM Camp Evans (Vietnam War), VNM Camp Radcliff (Vietnam War), VNM Camp Vasquez (Vietnam War), VNM Central Highlands, VNM CIA Phung Hoang / Phoenix Program (1965-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM Cu Chi, VNM Cung Son, VNM Cung Son Special Forces Camp (Vietnam War), VNM Da Nang, VNM Dien Bien Phu, VNM DMZ Demilitarized Zone - 17th Parallel (Vietnam War), VNM Dong Ha, VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army, VNM DRV VC 300th Sapper Bn, VNM DRV VC 300th Sapper Bn - 5th Co, VNM DRV VC Viet Cong, VNM DRV VM Viet Minh, VNM Duc Co, VNM French Indochina War (1946-1954), VNM FSB Airborne (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Bastogne (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Berchtesgaden, VNM FSB Birmingham (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Blackhawk (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Currahee (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Davis (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Destiny (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Jack (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Ripcord (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Roy (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Shepard (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Sheridan (Vietnam War), VNM FSB T-Bone, VNM FSB Tomahawk (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Vehgel (Vietnam War), VNM Gia Lo, VNM Ha Tay, VNM Hai Van Pass, VNM Hanoi, VNM Highway 1, VNM Highway 19, VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnam War), VNM Hue, VNM I Corps (Vietnam War), VNM Ia Drang Valley, VNM II Corps (Vietnam War), VNM IV Corps (Vietnam War), VNM Kontum, VNM Lang Vei Special Forces Camp (Vietnam War), VNM Long Binh Post (Vietnam War), VNM LZ English (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Hard Times (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Pony (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Sally (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Schueller (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Uplift (Vietnam War), VNM Mang Yang Pass, VNM Nha Trang, VNM Operation Apache Snow (1969) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Arc Light (1965-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Ranch Hand (1962-1971) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Randolph Glen (1969-1970) (Vietnam War), VNM Phi Lu, VNM Phu Bai, VNM Phu Hiep, VNM Phu Hiep Base Camp (Vietnam War), VNM Phu Loc, VNM Phu Lu, VNM Phu Lu Bridge, VNM Phu Tai, VNM Phu Tai Valley, VNM Phu Thanh Valley, VNM Pleiku, VNM Pleiku Province (Gia Lai), VNM Quang Tri, VNM Quang Tri Province, VNM Que Son Valley, VNM Qui Nhon, VNM Qui Nhon Ammunition Base Depot (Vietnam War), VNM Route 441, VNM Route 506, VNM Route 545, VNM Route 547, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN ARVN CIDG Civilian Irregular Defense Group, VNM RVN ARVN MP Quan Canh Military Police, VNM Saigon, VNM Saigon - Buddhist Chua Quan Am Pagoda, VNM Saigon - US Embassy (Vietnam War), VNM Son Con Valley, VNM Song Bo, VNM Song Con, VNM Song Dai Giang, VNM Song Lai Giang, VNM Song Nong, VNM Tan Son Nhut Air Base, VNM Thon Khe Xa, VNM Thura Thien-Hue Province, VNM Tuy Hoa, VNM US Agent Orange (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Advisory Teams (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Battalion Advisory Team 46 (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam (Vietnam War), VNM US USA 187th Infantry Regiment - 3/187 - Bn Advisory Team 46 (Vietnam War), VNM US USA 67th Evacuation Hospital - Qui Nhon (Vietnam War), VNM US USA 85th Evacuation Hospital - Phu Bai (Vietnam War), VNM US USAF Phu Cat Air Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC CAP Combined Action Platoon (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC CAP Team 3-1-3 (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC CAP Team 3-3-5 (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC DHCB Dong Ha Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC III MAF Marine Amphibious Force (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC KSCB Khe Sanh Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC/USA Phu Bai Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NSA Naval Support Activity - Da Nang (White Elephant) (Vietnam War), VNM Vietnam, VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975), VNM Vinh Thang Valley, VNM Vung Chua Mountain, VNM Vung Ro Bay, VNM War Zone C (Vietnam War) Rating: ★★★★ (4 Stars) Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.US Army.EOD Description: From 1967-1971, Stuart Steinberg served in the U.S. Army as an explosive ordnance disposal specialist. In January 1968, he was sent to Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah, where chemical and biological weaponry was stockpiled, staying there until July 1968. Steinberg was involved in helping to clean up the worst nerve gas disaster in American history on March 13, 1968. As a result, he volunteered to serve in Vietnam from September 4, 1968 to March 24, 1970. This is What Hell Looks Like explores the difficult and traumatic situations faced by Steinberg and his teammates across their time in Vietnam. This volume also examines the causes and consequences of post-traumatic stress disorder though Steinberg's honest account of his experiences, including his subsequent addiction to prescription painkillers. Documenting Steinberg's personal journey through "Hell," his account casts further light on life during the Vietnam War. Review: Honestly, EOD stories are some of my favorites and this one did not disappoint, especially as I’ve read other tales of Ammo Dumps going up from other perspectives. The only negative is just how disjointed the book was. He could not keep a steady narrative or stream of thought going without bouncing back and forth from present day to the past and back again. It became so repetitive that it would take you out of the moment and out of the story all together.