#Eugene F. Rivers

[gregor-samsung]

“ «L’identità bianca,» afferma il pastore battista Eugene F. Rivers, «spacca gli Usa in due e potrebbe generare una guerra civile nel Paese.» Poi aggiunge: «L’ideologia demoniaca della supremazia bianca è il principio dominante che governa la cultura americana». E invita i bianchi a «scegliere tra il loro Dio e la loro bianchezza». «Noi abbiamo speso tre secoli per sviluppare questa ideologia che è ora profondamente radicata nella psicologia culturale della nazione e della Chiesa. Solo una conversione radicale della fede biblica può liberarci da questo spirito demoniaco che ci lega e ci impedisce di vivere come ragionevoli esseri umani.» E scavando più in profondità, pone un pesante interrogativo: «L’orgoglio della supremazia bianca è un’ideologia e un concetto identitario che è essenzialmente contro Dio: è ateo e demoniaco. La grande sfida che ci sta davanti ora è questa: essere bianchi o essere Chiesa». Tutto questo è diventato chiaro il 6 gennaio 2021 quando una folla di bianchi, su spinta dell’ex presidente degli Usa, Donald Trump, ha invaso il Campidoglio, proprio mentre i membri del Senato e della Camera dovevano proclamare l’elezione di Joe Biden. È stato un vero e proprio golpe che ha lasciato tutti sbalorditi. In quella folla c’era l’intera galassia della supremazia bianca. Spiccava su tutti O’ Shaman (lo sciamano) di QAnon, i complottisti per i quali esiste un potere occulto, colluso con una rete di pedofili ed esponenti di spicco dei democratici, in particolare Hillary Clinton e Barack Obama. C’erano i Proud Boys (chiamati “i Patrioti” da Trump), un gruppo violento di suprematisti bianchi di stampo neofascista. I Proud Boys, fondati nel 2017 dal commentatore radiofonico Gavin McInnes per difendere i valori occidentali, non accettano donne nelle loro file e sono convinti che il Covid-19 sia solo una scusa per vietare le armi e rinchiuderli in casa. E poi ci sono i Boogaloo, armati fino ai denti, con pantaloni militari. Erano apparsi la prima volta in pubblico durante il lockdown dell’aprile 2020. Presenti anche gli Oath Keepers (Fedeli al giuramento) fondati da Stewart Rhodes, accusato oggi di “cospirazione sediziosa”. L’altro gruppo importante dell’ultra destra presente era Alt-right (destra alternativa), costituito da gruppi non omogenei e non organizzati. Hanno un manifesto con tre punti chiari. Primo, gli uomini sono sotto attacco: no al femminismo. Secondo, il linguaggio è sotto attacco perché viene loro proibito il linguaggio razzista e sessista. Terzo, la razza bianca è sotto attacco: le ondate migratorie minacciano la purezza della razza bianca. Partendo dal presupposto che le razze esistono dal punto di vista biologico, Alt-right ha trovato in Donald Trump, con la sua politica antimigratoria e razzista, il candidato perfetto per la presidenza degli Stati Uniti d’America.

È incredibile come quella folla sia riuscita a sfondare e a occupare il Campidoglio nonostante le imponenti misure di sicurezza. Oggi grazie all’indagine della Camera dei deputati sappiamo che l’assalto al Congresso non era una semplice manifestazione pro-Trump, ma il frutto di una pianificazione iniziata mesi prima da un gruppo di avvocati del tycoon, tra i quali Rudy Giuliani e il suo capo di gabinetto Mark Meadows, oltre a numerosi deputati repubblicani. La mente del piano sembra essere stato il noto Stephen Bannon, che aveva lanciato l’idea del 6 gennaio. Secondo il Select Committee della Camera, «Bannon aveva sollecitato Trump a fare pressione sul vicepresidente Mike Pence per aiutare a rovesciare i risultati delle elezioni del 2020 rifiutando di approvare i voti elettorali di alcuni Stati». Si trattava di un vero e proprio golpe. Purtroppo non ci libereremo facilmente dal trumpismo e dai suoi sostenitori, i suprematisti bianchi. Trump ha ancora una forte presa sui repubblicani e potrebbe candidarsi nel 2024. Nel febbraio 2021 si è riunita a Orlando la Conferenza per l’azione politica dei conservatori, dove il 95 per cento dei repubblicani presenti ha detto di voler continuare le politiche delll’amministrazione Trump e difendere la “supremazia bianca”. Trump sta già scaldando i motori per diventare di nuovo presidente degli Usa nel 2024. “

Alex Zanotelli, Lettera alla tribù bianca, Feltrinelli (collana Serie Bianca); prima edizione marzo 2022. [Libro elettronico]

[evan-collins90]

Various mall selections from the book, ‘Shopping Centers & Malls 2′ (1988)

1. Galleria at Erieview - Cleveland OH (Oct. 1987) - designed by Kober/Belluschi Associates

2. Galtier Plaza - St. Paul, Minnesota (Nov. 1985) - designed by Miller Hanson Westerbeck Bell 

3 & 5. Montclair Plaza - Montclair, CA (1985) - designed by The Jerde Partnership 

4. Pompano Square Mall - Pompano Beach, FL (1985-86) - designed by Walker Group/CNI

6. The Halle Building - Cleveland, OH (1986) - designed by Cope Linder Associates with Steven Cohen and Associates

7. Valley River Center - Eugene, OR (1986) - designed by Kober/Sclater Associates

8. The Mall at Mill Creek - Secaucus, NJ (1986) - designed by Gerard F. Santucci, Hartz Mountain Industries. 

9. The Promenade - Vaughan, ON (1986) - designed by RTKL Associates/Crang & Boake

10. Town Center at Boca Raton - Boca Raton, FL (Oct. 1986) - designed by RTKL Associates

[she-wolf09231982]

Chapter 9-It Ain't Over

Summary: Easy is tasked to dismantle German outposts across the river and were to return with prisoners for interrogation. The mission is successful but not without another loss. When the Colonel tried to send the men back in, Winters unconventionally goes against the grain, allowing the men a night of rest instead of risking more unnecessary deaths.

A/N: Mature audience, Joe LiebgottxFem!Medic, Post Bastogne, She/Her Pronouns, Y/F/N, Y/L/N, Cursing/Swearing, Derogatory Slurs, Womanizing Comments, Aggression, Angst, Confrontation, Military Terminology, 1940’s slang, Inappropriate Nicknames, Band of Brothers References, A League of Their Own Movie References, Mentions of Weaponry, Yiddish/German language with English translation, Smoking, Crying, Banter, Pining, FOREVER FLUFF

German is identified with (g)

Yiddish is identified with (y)

*These stories may not fall entirely in accordance with the TV series timeline. I do not know the real soldiers the actors portray in this series, so please understand I show no disrespect. Some or most of historical events and character interactions in my fanfics are fabricated purely for the sake of the enjoyment of fiction*

~~~~~~~

February 1945/Night of POW Mission

American side of the river

Liebgott sits behind his M1919 Browning machine gun with his assistant gunner on a bombed-out landing at battalion headquarters right off the water, watching the rest of the platoon load into the boats on the riverbank. You sneak past the AG and sit next to Joe.

"Gams?? What the fuck are ya doin'?" he chided at you.

You roll your eyes, "Just checking on you two and seeing where the guys are." you respond quietly.

"Yeah, well, they ain't even crossed yet so get back downstairs, will ya? I don't want you out here if shit starts poppin' off." he scolded.

You sigh, "Fine, Joe, I just wanted to see you before anything happened, that's all."

You turned to leave but then hesitated. You looked over your shoulder at him with his back towards you. You return to him swiftly, grab his chin and plant a hasty peck on his cheek.

"Ich liebe dich, Joe Liebgott (g)(I love you, Joe Liebgott)." you say in a quick hush before you scamper off inside.

Joe grunted at you not knowing whether to be irritated or entertained,

"Du verdammte Füchsin (g)(You goddamn vixen)." he called after you before you could reach the stairs.

Basement of Battalion HQ

You and Doc sit together in the cellar of HQ, waiting and listening intensely for any gunfire exchange outside. Minutes feel like hours sitting there, as you sip on a tin cup of coffee.

Your leg is bouncing from anxiety, waiting for something to happen. Eugene reached across to you and grabbed your knee to stop your leg from jumping. You look up at him startled.

"You're too jittery. Lay off the coffee, Y/F/N." he said in his low soothing Cajun accent with a gentle smile.

You nod then smile back, placing your cup on the table next to you.

~~~~~~~

German side of the river

The patrol crosses the river in the inflatable boats. When they reach land, they strategically approach the building where German soldiers are posted. As Easy makes entry, Jackson rushes into the building too soon after throwing a grenade and is severely wounded.

The rest of the guys then rush the building and captured three Germans. As they retreat with their prisoners, the remaining German forces open fire. One of the prisoners is hit and is left behind on the riverbank.

American side of the river

Joe sees his platoon scattering towards the boats as smoke and gunfire erupt from the German side. He shifts his line of fire, anxiously waiting to pull the trigger.

"Jesus Christ, come on. Blow the goddamn whistle!" he yelled.

The sound of the whistle finally reaches Joe's ears. He lays heavy suppressive fire at the windows where he sees flashes from German MG-42s. He peppers the buildings back and forth, in hopes he's nailing each one dead center of their foreheads.

Basement of HQ

You and Doc hear an eruption of gunfire and shells dropping through the garden windows of the basement. You stand next to the little window listening hard for the yells and screams from your boys. Just then, you suddenly hear the faint call from the riverbank on the American side...

"WHERE'S THE MEDIC!?!?"

Alarmed, you look back at Eugene with wide, panicked eyes.

"No, Y/L/N." Doc said sternly.

He knew damn well what you were thinking, and he wasn't going to allow it. Not again.

You began to protest, "But they-"

"Y/F/N, NO!" he barked, "I'm not lettin' you run to danger again. Remember what happened in Ardennes?" He reminded you angrily.

You look down shamefully at your boots. Suddenly the basement door abruptly swung open as the platoon started scrambling in.

"Wounded! We got wounded, come on!" Ramirez bellowed.

You swept papers and utensils off the nearest table to clear it for Jackson who was being carried in.

"Set him right here!" you call out.

Johnny Martin entered, "Get the Krauts back there, shake them down! Move! Move! McClung! Get on over to CP, let them know what we got!" he ordered.

Jackson lying flat on the table, his face bloody and raw from the neck up, began gagging on his own blood.

"Jesus, what the hell happened to him over there?!" you ask overwhelmed by the soldier’s appearance.

"Grenade went off right in front of him." Ramirez reported.

"Shit, his lungs are probably hemorrhaging. He can't breathe right." you confirm aloud.

Doc gently pushed you aside and lowered his ear to Jackson's mouth.

"Light. I need some light. Give me some light." Doc requested urgently.

Grant took his lighter and flipped it on. Doc held Jackson's mouth open by the chin, observing and listening for a few seconds as the poor soldier gurgled and whimpered.

"All right, look at the flame. Look at the flame. Ok, that's good." Doc instructed Jackson.

The room became eerily quiet as they all watched Doc work.

"All right, let's get him outta here." Doc directed.

"I don't wanna die!" Jackson cried out.

He repeated these words tearfully over and over again as the platoon started to move him towards the door on a litter. Jackson started to grab at Doc, kicking off the surface as his choking worsened. The men set him down.

"He's gonna die!" one of the guys shrilled in horror.

"Hey, shut the hell up! You're upsetting him more!" You hiss over the sea of bellowing soldiers, while Jackson started to flail and kick in terror.

"Please help me, I don't wanna die!" He wallowed.

Doc tried to hold him steady on the stretcher, "Jackson, you're not gonna die! I need you to hang on!"

Jackson continued to bawl and throw an agonizing fit out of fear until the life drifted from his tearing eyes and his body fell limp. Doc sat up, dropping his helmet to his side with a huff of defeat leaving his mouth. He sat there, lost in his thoughts then looked up at you with frustration painted all over his face.

You look around the room at rest of the guys until you see Martin. You shake your head, confirming he didn't make it. You take Babe's wool blanket he wrapped himself with and covered Jackson.

~~~~~~~

The following morning, the platoon hung out in the barracks, resting up after a long night. Webster entered the room with LT Jones.

"Jackson is dead." Webster announced.

"Yeah, we heard." Joe replied from his bunk sitting above you.

"Yeah, well, they want another patrol tonight." Perconte added.

Joe shifted onto the mattress and laid against the pillow. You stood up angrily and walked out the room, down the stairs, and out the door to head to the basement back at HQ to be alone.

With most of Easy at HQ later that day, Winters, Nixon and Speirs address the same patrol from the night before to discuss the next mission for that evening. You're in attendance once again, across the room where you can see Joe as you stood next to Eugene.

Winters opened the brief by stating how proud he was of the good work the platoon did last night then added that Col Sink was proud as well.

"-In fact, he's so proud he wants you to do another patrol across the river tonight."

The men remain resentfully silent. Joe lights a cigarette then shoots you an unamused glance as Winters continued.

"Any moment now, the outpost we hit last night will go up in flames. Means we have to venture farther into town this time. Captain Speirs, you have the map, please."

Speirs passes the map to Grant to display across the table.

"We have enemy movement here and here," Winters began as he pointed on the paper, "Which means this is our new house target here. We recovered all the boats. So, we'll be setting off from the same place we did last night."

"We're not changing the plan any, sir?" Martin spoke up.

"No. The plan is the same. It will be 0200 hours instead of 0100. Is that clear?" Winters asked.

The men shifted in discomfort, "Yes sir." they acknowledged collectively.

"Good, because I want you all to get a full night's sleep tonight. Which means in the morning, you will report to me that you made it across that river into German lines but were unable to secure any live prisoners-" he instructed as he looked around the room to see if the platoon was tracking what he was saying.

Everyone looked at him in disbelief. The man was really ordering you to disobey Col Sink’s orders.

"Understand?" he pushed cautiously as he scanned the room making eye contact with each of his men.

"Yes, sir." The men replied in unison. (Some of their responses sounding like a question, unsure this was actually happening).

"Good. Look sharp for tomorrow. We're moving off the line." Winters finalized as he left the room.

The guys all breathed their first sigh of relief since Holland. A few exchanged handshakes. Joe stood up from the table to rush over to you.

"Did you just fucking hear that, Gams!?" His smile stretching from ear to ear revealing your favorite dimple on his left cheek.

You beam at him, "I did. He's a good man."

You wrap your arms around the back of Joe's neck, pulling him into a tight hug. He pressed you against him, burying his face into your neck. A couple of happy tears stream down your face.

"Can we just hold each other for the rest of our lives?" you utter softly in Joe's ear.

Joe chuckled, "That's my plan."

~~~~~~~

As the sun set that evening, Cobb distributed bottles of liquor he found in the cellar at HQ. Each man happily accepted the offer, taking hearty swigs from the bottles.

Luz hacked, pounding on his chest to soften the sting of what he just swallowed.

"Shit! *cough* What the hell is this Cobb?? Jesus Christ!" Luz choked.

"What's wrong, George? A little too strong for ya?" Cobb teased.

"This stuff will knock ya on your ass." Malarkey confirmed as he took another drink.

You walk into the room, and the entire platoon cheered. You stop in your tracks, almost alarmed by their response to you entering the room.

"What are you miscreants doing now?" you ask looking around the room at them.

"Nothin' we're just happy to see our songbird!" Babe yelled across the room.

"Hey, Y/F/N, sing us a little somethin' yeah??" Luz pleaded.

"No, George, I'm not-" you contested before all the men groaned and boo-ed expressing their disappointment.

"-I'm tired, guys! It's been a rough few days for all of us." you defended.

"Hey, Joe, come on. Get her to sing!" Babe resorted.

Liebgott hopped off the top bunk and approached you with his bottle. You deliver a look of skepticism to him as he closed in on you. He raised his eyebrow as he smiled mischievously at you.

"No, Joe." Is all you say.

"Gams, the boys just want you to sing a little lullaby so they can get a good night's sleep like the captain said." Joe justified.

"Winters never said anything about me singing you to sleep." you pointed out.

"True," Joe started, "but Webster didn't get to hear ya yet, and l’ve been tellin’ him how sweet my girl’s voice is. I wanna show you off."

You shake your head at him, "You're unbelievable."

"I know." Joe replied confidently.

You look around the room at all the expectant drunk faces of your boys.

"One song so you can sleep. Just one." you compromise.

"Don't get on a chair this time!" Luz called out.

You glare at him, then smile.

"Get comfortable you idiots." you say as you dim the lamps to set the mood.

"What are you gonna sing, Gams?" Joe whispered in your ear over your shoulder as he snaked his arms around your waist from behind.

"A piece from Laurel and Hardy's The Bohemian Girl. Thelma Todd was always one of my favorites.”

Joe hummed as he pecked your cheek. You smell the whiskey on his breath.

“Hm, ir hot aoykh a bisl shlogn di flash, tsi nit? (y)(Hm, you’ve been hitting the bottle a little, too, haven’t ya)?” You ask Joe, smiling at him skeptically.

Joe only grinned, his face glowing and his eyes droopy, sauced from drink, exhausted by the mission, and completely entranced by you.

“Ok, settle down, boys." you project through the room.

"Hey, Liebgott ain't in bed." Perconte protested.

You guide Joe to your bed and have him sit. You stand in the middle of the room so everyone can hear. Every pair of eyes and ears focus on you, waiting patiently for you to begin.

🎶 “I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls,

With vassals and serfs at my side,

And of all who assembled within those walls,

That I was the hope and the pride.” 🎶

You serenade to your platoon, watching their heads lull and their eyes flutter. You make a round around the room to each soldier, touching a shoulder here or patting another on the head over there, making a personal connection to each one to bring a sense of comfort amongst them as you near the end of the song.

🎶 “And I dreamt that one of that noble host

Came forth my hand to claim.

But I also dreamt, which charmed me most,

That you lov'd me still the same...”🎶

You come back to Joe who is laying across your mattress zeroed in on you with adoration behind his eyes. He beamed up at you from your pillow when you start combing your fingers through his hair as you finish your song just for him.

🎶”That you lov'd me, you lov'd me still the same

That you lov'd me, you lov'd me still-“🎶

You seat yourself on the side of your bed next to him.

🎶”-the same.“🎶

The room is quiet, with the gentle snores and breathes of the guys sound asleep in their bunks. Joe took your free hand and started to pull you towards him as he sat up to meet you half way for a kiss-

“That was incredible, Y/L/N.” You hear Webster compliment from the bunk across from Liebgott’s.

You look over at him and smile, “Thanks, Web. Get some sleep, buddy.”

“Yeah, can’t you see we’re busy over here?” Joe sneered.

Webster chuckled and turned towards the wall to make his back face you.

You look back to Joe, whose face was a hair away from yours.

“That wasn’t very nice.” You giggled.

Joe nudged his nose against yours, “Any second I can get with my girl is precious, I don’t want to waste it.” He purred.

You lean forward, kissing his lips softly. Joe’s faultless ability to lock onto your lips as he tilts his head to deepen his kiss always left you craving for more. You try to pull back but he holds you in place so you don’t go too far.

“We should sleep, too, Joe.”

A devilish smirk appeared across his face, “One of these days, Gams-“ he started without finishing.

You smile coyly and laugh, “I don’t mean to get you riled up. But we’re not getting away with anything in a room full of people.”

Joe shook his head and sighed, “Komm her, du Füchsin (g)(Get over here, you vixen)."

You scoot onto the bed laying across his chest as he enveloped you in his arms. He kissed the top of your head as you nuzzle into him.

"Liebe dich sehr (g)(Love you so much)." Joe uttered to you.

"Liebe dich mehr (g)(Love you more)." you whisper back, squeezing him.

~~~~~~~

@wordsaresimple-imnot @mrs-greenside @skiesofrosie 🪖♠️🦅

[revasserium]

the unofficial ultimate bungo stray dogs reading list

this is mainly for myself bc i rly do want to read most if not all of these and i'm sure it's already been done by someone somewhere. but, i thought why not post it lmao; most if not all of these can be found on anna's archive, z-library, or project gutenberg! (also, consider buying from your local bookstore!) for those that are a bit harder to find, i've included links, though some are from j-stor and would require login to access.

detective agency:

osamu dazai:

no longer human (novel)

the setting sun (novel)

nakajima atsushi:

the moon over the mountain: stories (short story collection)

light, wind and dreams (short story)

fukuzawa yukichi:

an encouragement of learning (17 volume collections of writings)

all the countries of the world, for children written in verse (textbook)

yosano akiko:

kimi shinitamou koto nakare (poem)

midaregami (poetry collection)

edogawa ranpo:

the boy detectives club (book series)

japanese tales of mystery and imagination (short story collection)

the early cases of akechi kogoro (novel)

kunikida doppo:

river mist and other stories (short story collection)

izumi kyouka:

demon lake (play)

spirits of another sort: the plays of izumi kyoka (play collection)

tanizaki junichirou:

the makioka sisters (novel)

the red roof and other stories (short story collection)

miyazawa kenji:

ame ni mo makezu; be not defeated by the rain (poem)

night on the galactic railroad (novel)

strong in the rain (poetry collection)

port mafia:

mori ougai:

vita sexualis (novel)

the dancing girl (novel)

nakahara chuuya:

poems of nakahara chuya (poetry collection)

akutagawa ryuunosuke:

rashoumon (short story)

the spider's thread (short story)

rashoumon and other stories (short story collection)

ozaki kyouyou:

the gold demon (novel)

higuchi ichiyou:

in the shade of spring leaves (biography and short stories)

hirotsu ryuurou:

falling camellia (novel)

tachihara michizou:

in mourning for the summer (poem)

midwinter momento (poem)

from the country of eight islands: an anthology of japanese poetry (poetry collection)

kajii motojirou:

lemon (short story)

yumeno kyuusaku:

dogra magra (novel)

oda sakunosuke:

flawless/immaculate (short story)

sakaguchi ango:

darakuron (essay)

the guild:

f. scott fitzgerald:

the great gatsby (novel)

the beautiful and the damned (novel)

edgar allen poe:

the raven (poem)

the black cat (short story)

the murders in the rue morgue (short story)

herman melville:

moby dick (novel)

h.p. lovecraft:

the call of cthulhu (short story)

the shadow out of time (novella)

john steinbeck:

the grapes of wrath (novel)

of mice and men (novel)

lucy maud montgomery:

anne of green gables (novel)

the blue castle (novel)

chronicles of avonlea (short story collection)

louisa may alcott:

little women (novel)

the brownie and the princess (short story collection)

margaret mitchell:

gone with the wind (novel)

mark twain:

the adventures of tom sawyer (novel)

adventures of huckleberry finn (novel)

nathaniel hawthorn:

the scarlet letter (novel)

rats in the house of the dead:

fyodor dostoevsky:

crime and punishment (novel)

the brothers karamozov (novel)

notes from the underground (short story collection)

alexander pushkin:

eugene onegin (novel)

a feast in time of plague (play)

ivan goncharov:

the precipice (novel)

oguri mushitarou:

the perfect crime (novel)

decay of the angel:

fukuchi ouchi:

the mirror lion, a spring diversion (kabuki play)

bram stoker:

dracula (novel)

dracula's guest and other weird stories (short story collection)

nikolai gogol:

the overcoat (short story)

dead souls (novel)

hunting dogs: (i must caveat here that the hunting dogs are named after much more comparatively obscure jpn writers/playwrights so i was unable to find a lot of the specific pieces actually mentioned; but i still wanted to include them on the list because well -- it wouldn't be a bsd list without them)

okura teruko:

gasp of the soul (short story; i wasn't able to find an english translation)

devil woman (short story)

jouno saigiku:

priceless tears (kabuki play; no translation but at least we have a summary)

suehiro tetchou:

setchuubai/a political novel: plum blossoms in snow (novel)

division for unusual powers:

taneda santouka:

the santoka: versions by scott watson (poetry collection)

tsujimura mizuki:

lonely castle in the mirror (novel)

yesterday's shadow tag (short story collection; i was unable to find a translation)

order of the clock tower:

agatha christie:

and then there were none (novel)

murder on the orient express (novel)

she is the best selling fiction writer of all time there's too much to list here

mimic:

andre gide:

strait is the gate (novel)

trascendents:

arthur rimbaud:

illuminations (poetry collection)

the drunken boat (poem)

a season in hell (prose poem)

johann von goethe:

faust

the sorrows of young werther

paul verlaine:

clair de lune (poem, yes it did inspire the debussy piece, yes)

poems under saturn (poetry collection)

victor hugo:

the hunchback of notre-dame (novel)

les miserables (novel)

william shakespeare:

romeo and juliet (play)

a midsummer nights' dream (play)

sonnets (poetry collection)

the seven traitors:

jules verne:

around the world in 80 days (novel)

journey to the center of the earth (novel)

twenty thousand leagues under the seas (novel)

other:

natsume souseki:

i am a cat (novel)

kokoro (novel)

botchan (novel)

h.g. wells:

the time machine (novella)

the invisible man (novel)

the war of the worlds (novel)

shibusawa tatsuhiko:

the travels of prince takaoka (novel; unable to find translation)

dr. mary wollstonecraft godwin shelley

frankenstein (novel)

[inglourious-imagines]

Beers, Tomato, and Suspenders (Lewis Nixon X GN!Reader)

Prompts: 106 – Neither one of us is drunk enough for this conversation. & 109 – I saw that. You just checked me out.

Summary: Before D-Day. Two conversations take place, one with your best friend George Luz, the second with your (perhaps, perhaps not) friend Lewis Nixon. What can come out of this?

Warnings: some f words

Author’s Note: Long time no see, my friends! I’m sorry for being MIA for so long. Anyway, consider this some sort of a comeback 😊. There have ended up some BoB smut requests in my inbox so to inform you, I’m not writing smut, at least not yet, for I do not feel comfortable doing so. I apologise to the people who came to me through my inbox to ask me some questions, sorry I wasn’t able to answer them.

-> Also does anyone know how to edit masterlist (or any other old post actually) after some time? I'm not able to update my masterlist or just simply edit a list of fandoms. Help is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Taglist: @alienoresimagines @teenmagazines @meteora-fc @eugenesmorphine @band-of-brothers-cz @real-fans @not-john-watsons-blog @tealaquinn @ok-roemanov @mrseasycompany @punkgeekchic @wexhappyxfew @hellitwasyoufirstsergeant @rayofshanshine @mavysnavy @easynix @georgeluzwarmhugs @easy-company-tradition @immrsronaldspeirs @snafus-peckuh @curraheewestandalone @warrior-healer @justamadgirlinabox @happyveday @order-of-river-phoenix @whoahersheybars

.

.

.

“Okay, we have a few more days before we’re moving out and you still haven’t done anything about your big fat crush on-“

“Shut the fuck up, Luz!” you exclaim, covering his mouth with yours. He laughs at your somewhat childish behaviour, but then he licks your hand so you would pull it away and also to annoy you even more so the fight over who’s more immature is clearly won by him again.

“You are disgusting,” you say, but your lips slowly form a soft smile – the situation is quite ridiculous; two paratroopers discussing one’s crush in the middle of a bar somewhere in Britain, while other paratroopers around them are getting blind drunk. “And I do not intend to do anything about it.”

George pouts, clearly he is more than excited to see you hit on someone, the need for some entertainment overwhelms him and you are sure that once you would have gotten up from your chair, Liebgott and Tab would be immediately by Luz’s side, cheering you on and closely watching the situation unfold. But you remain sitting, and George has to turn to his beer instead.

“But why?” he presses on, once he finishes his glass of that golden liquid and sets it down on the wooden bar. “Tab has some classified information that Lewis Nixon is over the heels for you.” That makes you laugh out loud, and soon enough George joins you but for another reason completely – he laughs because someone else is laughing and he’s drunk, you laugh because that sentence alone sounded so ridiculous that you simply could not react in any other way.

George doesn’t bring up the topic anymore, but he remains at your side as if he knows something you don’t. You sing with Floyd, you play cards with Malarkey and Muck, you have a contest about who downs a beer faster with Toye (you win but Joe swears he’ll challenge you soon enough and this time for money for he is sure that he’ll be the winner). You try to stay away from drinking too much alcohol; those two beers, one with George and one with Joe, plus the one shot with Eugene (which you practically coerced him into drinking – who could have said no when the toast was to victory?) is pretty much the only liquor flowing in your veins.

For a moment, George excuses himself (“When I drink, I always have to piss all the fucking time. I hate it.”) and you find yourself on your own behind the bar, wondering whether another beer is a good idea until someone interrupts your thoughts. “Hey Joe, get me a pint, would ya?”

You’ve spent so much time daydreaming about that voice, that by now you can recognize it anytime, anywhere, in your sleep, in your dreams, from meters away. You turn your head to your favourite intelligence officer and you’re suddenly glad you have not ordered that beer because you would have probably choked on it for Lewis Nixon just looks so good in just the green trousers, green shirt, and those damn suspenders. While he waits for his drink (apparently, he’s all out of Vat69 when he’s opted for beer), he slips his one arm under one part of the suspenders, then his other arm, and the suspenders fall down from his shoulders, hanging now from his hips from their clips on his trousers. This simple action, that takes not more than few seconds, leaves you breathless, you could watch him just be his self for hours on end and never get tired from the sight.

“I saw that,” he suddenly turns to you, “you just checked me out.”

Now you would have definitely choked on that beer. Your cheeks redden immediately, you know exactly how you look (like a fucking tomato, that’s for sure) and you struggle really hard to find an excuse because it’d be obvious even to a blind person that you were downright staring at him.

“I did not.” you state as sternly as you could, but Nixon smiles and for some reason unknown to you, he does not go away but rather orders another beer that lands before you in a moment.

Lexis is apparently pleased at how flustered he can make you, he is enjoying it to his bones, so he does not stop teasing you. “Yes, yes, you did.” A bigger smile now adorns his face, and you have to fight really hard to not smiling again because his joy is so contagious.

“No, I did not. If anything, you were checking me out.” you try to spin the conversation in another way and to your surprise (and later pleasure) it works for Lewis steps a little closer to you and responds. “Well, I did not really try to hide it, did I.”

It’s more of a statement than a question and for the second time in about three minutes you are blushing again like a teenager.

Nixon goes on. “And at least I can admit it.”

Your head is spinning, you quite can’t comprehend that this is what you are talking about with Nix, and he just stands so close to you, you could touch his army shirt if you desired to, the urge to run your fingers through his messy hair is storming you and you find yourself in need of a fresh air. But you don’t step away, you wouldn’t dare to because this type of breathlessness just feels good.

So, you opt to play his little game. “Neither one of us is drunk enough for this conversation.”

Lewis’s eyes sparkle. He takes his beer in one hand, yours in other and nods his head in the direction where the doors out of the bar are. “Maybe we should fix that.”

Finally you smile at him, you know he knows you won’t decline the offer, but it doesn’t bother you one bit. “The conversation or our not-drunken state?”

Lewis grins at you in his own special mischievous way and he knows you know what the answer will be, but it doesn’t bother him one bit. “How about both?”

[thatwasuzi]

49 years ago today

SS Arthur M Anderson: "Fitzgerald, this is the Anderson. Have you checked down?"

SS Edmund Fitzgerald: "Yes we have."

Anderson: "Fitzgerald, we are about 10 miles behind you, and gaining about 1 1/2 miles per hour. Fitzgerald, there is a target 19 miles ahead of us. So the target would be 9 miles on ahead of you."

Fitzgerald: "Well, am I going to clear?"

A: "Yes. He is going to pass to the west of you."

F: "Well, fine."

A: "By the way, Fitzgerald, how are you making out with your problem?"

F: "We are holding our own."

A: "Okay, fine. I'll be talking to you later."

The crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald would never speak to anyone outside of the ship again. After the Fitzgerald entered a squall and was obscured from the Anderson's radar. Some time shortly thereafter the Edmund Fitzgerald sank with all hands aboard.

Michael E. Armagost, 37, Third Mate, from Iron River, Wisconsin

Frederick J. Beetcher, 56, Porter, from Superior, Wisconsin

Thomas D. Bentsen, 23, Oiler, from St. Joseph, Michigan

Edward F. Bindon, 47, First Assistant Engineer, from Fairport Harbor, Ohio

Thomas D. Borgeson, 41, Maintenance Man, from Duluth, Minnesota

Oliver J. Champeau, 41, Third Assistant Engineer, from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Nolan S. Church, 55, Porter, from Silver Bay, Minnesota

Ransom E. Cundy, 53, Watchman, from Superior, Wisconsin

Thomas E. Edwards, 50, Second Assistant Engineer, from Oregon, Ohio

Russell G. Haskell, 40, Second Assistant Engineer, from Millbury, Ohio

George J. Holl, 60, Chief Engineer, from Cabot, Pennsylvania

Bruce L. Hudson, 22, Deck Hand, from North Olmsted, Ohio

Allen G. Kalmon, 43, Second Cook, from Washburn, Wisconsin

Gordon F. MacLellan, 30, Wiper, from Clearwater, Florida

Joseph W. Mazes, 59, Special Maintenance Man, from Ashland, Wisconsin

John H. McCarthy, 62, First Mate, from Bay Village, Ohio

Ernest M. McSorley, 63, Captain, from Toledo, Ohio

Eugene W. O’Brien, 50, Wheelsman, from Toledo, Ohio

Karl A. Peckol, 20, Watchman, from Ashtabula, Ohio

John J. Poviach, 59, Wheelsman, from Bradenton, Florida

James A. Pratt, 44, Second Mate, from Lakewood, Ohio

Robert C. Rafferty, 62, Steward, from Toledo, Ohio

Paul M. Riippa, 22, Deck Hand, from Ashtabula, Ohio

John D. Simmons, 63, Wheelsman, from Ashland, Wisconsin

William J. Spengler, 59, Watchman, from Toledo, Ohio

Mark A. Thomas, 21, Deck Hand, from Richmond Heights, Ohio

Ralph G. Walton, 58, Oiler, from Fremont, Ohio

David E. Weiss, 22, Cadet, from Agoura, California

Blaine H. Wilhelm, 52, Oiler, from Moquah, Wisconsin

[pocket-ghostie]

More incorrect quotes!!! Gotta love the gang being chaotic <3

Quotes:

Lilly: Oh fiddlesticks...

River: Look, I understand this is a tense situation, but lets watch the f---ing language

----------

Lilly: What does "take out" mean?

Hayden: Food!

Joan: Dating

River & Charlie: Murder

Boss: It can be all three if you're brave enough

Eugene in the back sighing: You guys...

---------

River: In my defense, I was left unsupervised

Boss: Wasn't Charlie with you?

Charlie: In my defense, I was also left unsupervised

[regina-bithyniae]

I didn't have access to the book again until today, so sorry for the late response. In one chapter, Colby gives short summaries of various leaders in the 90th Division who proved to be incapable of command, obtained through the 1962 interview of Major General George B. Barth, who commanded the 357th Infantry Regiment after Colonel Ginder had been replaced by Colonel John Sheehy, who was then killed in action;

Brig. Gen. Jay W. MacKelvie: Should never have been given command of a division. In Normandy, critically weak in all aspects of leadership, command, and tactics. Could not communicate with subordinates, enlisted or commissioned. Relieved on 12 June, after 5 days of combat command.

Maj. Gen. Eugene M. Landrum: Short, fat, uninspiring; could not lift up or motivate troops. Commanded the Division from an arm chair in a cellar. By-passed his regimental commanders and talked by telephone directly to battalion commanders, from his chair. No faith or confidence in his subordinates. Gloomy and pessimistic in outlook. Relieved 28 July after 5 weeks.

Lt. Col. Homer Jensen, CO 1st Bn., 357th: Good appearance but no guts. Lacked courage, initiative, and energy. Tried to command his battalion from a deep foxhole a mile to the rear. Relieved by Col. Barth on 16 June.

Lt. Col. LeRoy F. Lester, CO 2nd Bn., 357th: Big, potbellied, coarse blowhard: Made one combat reconnaissance patrol on or about 10 June, claimed he went blind, and never returned to his battalion.

Lt. Col. Al Seegar, CO 2nd Bn., 358th: Nice guy but no drive, spirit, courage, or leadership. Got into trouble on the Seves river island, surrendered his battalion (11 officers, 254 men) to a German combat patrol of 50 men and two tanks. Spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of the Germans.

Lt. Col. Dan Gorton, CO 2nd Bn., 359th: A competent administrator, unschooled in tactics, not aggressive in implementation; e.g., he would attack with one company leading and not use his two reserve companies at all. Not a natural leader, he would eventually request relief.

Lt. Col. Casey, CO 3rd Bn., 359th Inf.: Had been a studious and conscientious officer, but was not a troop leader. His 3rd Bn. got in trouble several times under his command. Eventually wounded and evacuated, but led a Bn. in another Division.

I love reading about the absolutely awful units.

[AskHistorians link]

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 7.24

1132 – Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. 1148 – Louis VII of France lays siege to Damascus during the Second Crusade. 1304 – Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle: King Edward I of England takes the stronghold using the War Wolf. 1411 – Battle of Harlaw, one of the bloodiest battles in Scotland, takes place. 1412 – Behnam Hadloyo becomes Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Mardin. 1487 – Citizens of Leeuwarden, Netherlands, strike against a ban on foreign beer. 1534 – French explorer Jacques Cartier plants a cross on the Gaspé Peninsula and takes possession of the territory in the name of Francis I of France. 1567 – Mary, Queen of Scots, is forced to abdicate and be replaced by her one-year-old son James VI. 1701 – Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founds the trading post at Fort Pontchartrain, which later becomes the city of Detroit. 1712 – War of the Spanish Succession: The French under Marshal Villars win a decisive victory over Eugene of Savoy at Denain. 1847 – After 17 months of travel, Brigham Young leads 148 Mormon pioneers into Salt Lake Valley, resulting in the establishment of Salt Lake City. 1847 – Richard March Hoe, American inventor, patented the rotary-type printing press. 1864 – American Civil War: Battle of Kernstown: Confederate General Jubal Early defeats Union troops led by General George Crook in an effort to keep them out of the Shenandoah Valley. 1866 – Reconstruction: Tennessee becomes the first U.S. state to be readmitted to Congress following the American Civil War. 1901 – O. Henry is released from prison in Columbus, Ohio, after serving three years for embezzlement from a bank. 1910 – The Ottoman Empire captures the city of Shkodër, putting down the Albanian Revolt of 1910. 1911 – Hiram Bingham III re-discovers Machu Picchu, "the Lost City of the Incas". 1915 – The passenger ship SS Eastland capsizes while tied to a dock in the Chicago River. A total of 844 passengers and crew are killed in the largest loss of life disaster from a single shipwreck on the Great Lakes. 1922 – The draft of the British Mandate of Palestine was formally confirmed by the Council of the League of Nations; it came into effect on 26 September 1923. 1923 – The Treaty of Lausanne, settling the boundaries of modern Turkey, is signed in Switzerland by Greece, Bulgaria and other countries that fought in World War I. 1924 – Themistoklis Sofoulis becomes Prime Minister of Greece. 1927 – The Menin Gate war memorial is unveiled at Ypres. 1929 – The Kellogg–Briand Pact, renouncing war as an instrument of foreign policy, goes into effect (it is first signed in Paris on August 27, 1928, by most leading world powers). 1935 – The Dust Bowl heat wave reaches its peak, sending temperatures to 109 °F (43 °C) in Chicago and 104 °F (40 °C) in Milwaukee.

[ghostt-writerr]

Eugene: Is Charlie sleeping or dead?

River: Hopefully dead, I hated their guts

Boss: Same

Charlie: Ok. First of all. F*** you-

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Faithful Wife Claims Wagner Innocent of Serious Charge," Windsor Record. October 3, 1912. Page 1. --- MAN WHO COMMITTED ASSAULT ON ENGLISH GIRL WHO PLACED CONFIDENCE IN HIM SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS' IMPRISONMENT - MISS HOLBROOK POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED HER ASAILANT. ---- Clinging desperately to the man she loves, Ivy Wagner, the attractive wife of Charles A. Wagner, who was sentenced on Thursday morning by Justice Britton to five years in Kingston Penitentiary on two serious charges, still declares him innocent though twelve good men and true declared him guilty.

Wagner leaves for the Kingston "Pen" feeling in his heart that his own dear wife still believes him true to her.

The night of June the fifth last, was dark and dreary, and Esther Holbrook, a prepossessing young English lady of seven and twenty years, was on the belt line car bound for Walkerville. Miss Holbrook was returning from Detroit to the home of Mr. William Robins, Walkerville, where she was employed as a domestic.

When she asked the street car conductor to direct her on her way, Wagner stepped up and offered to show her the route. Instead, he lured her to a lonely spot along the river front of Sandwich East and there attempted committing the outrage for which he was arrested later.

The woman's condition was for a time serious and the case awakened much interest.

The trial began when court opened on Wednesday morning and was not finished until late in the afternoon.

Many witnesses were called, including the complaining witness, members of the Walkerville police force and medical men.

After committing the crime, Wagner had gone to Detroit, but in a few days, when he learned the police were after him, he returned to Walkerville, and surrendered himself to officer Burchiel at the ferry dock.

Miss Holbrook positively identified her assailant, but there was also strong circumstantial evidence against the prisoner.

Wagner is about 35 years of age, rather rough and ugly, and has a florid countenance. He has much of the typical degenerate appearance. In the prisoner's dock he sat patiently while the evidence was being heard and wore a cynical smile. His wife, a former widow, was also in court and sat on the back benches. She was unaffected when the verdict was announced. The prisoner made no sign of emotion.

Maxfield Sheppard acted as counsel for the prisoner.

On Thursday morning, in passing sentence on Wagner, Justice Britton gave the prisoner a scorching reprimand, telling him he was a beast of prey and that this was about the worst case he had ever heard of. Wagner informed His Lordship that he was paying the penalty for another man.

Caption: WIFE CLINGS TO THIS HEARTLESS BRUTE --- CHARLES A. WAGNER. --- Who was sentenced to five years at Kingston penitentiary on two serious charges.

[Wagner is listed on his prison intake form as 39, a painter and wallpaper dresser, an American, and married. His crime is listed as 'attempted rape.' He was convict #F-473 at Kingston Penitentiary, had a 'clean' record, and was released with earned good time in 1917. Interesting how this and several other stories deployed the language of degeneracy, eugenics and Lombrosian criminology to describe convicted individuals. ]

[cksmart-world]

SMART BOMB

The Completely Unnecessary News Analysis

By Christopher Smart

December 5, 2023

WORLD'S FIRST WHALE-ATHON RECORD BROKEN!!

Well Wilson, you could be right, the big, colorful whale at 9th South and 11th East could be the coolest thing in the City of Salt. But already the news media has labeled it “the whale at 9th and 9th” — demonstrably inaccurate. It's as bad as not being able to distinguish Kimball Jct. from Park City. But we digress. It took Stephen Kesler three years to design and build the full-size — 23-foot — humpback that's been breaching in the center of the roundabout since April 2022. It's called “Out of the Blue” and oddly has become a sports venue. In October four dudes made headlines by running a marathon around the whale. We are not making this up. Wyn Barnett, Jackson Bradshaw, Evan Service and Caleb Leftwich ran 630 laps around it — 26.2 miles. It was the first Whale-athon in the world. Sure, it sounds nuts but they did make history. Wait there's more: Last week Allie Kolaski ran 800 laps — 30 miles — as training for an ultra-marathon. Great, but not everyone wanted a whale there. One group sought a giant gnome sculpture to grace the roundabout. Yes Wilson, that would be weird. The gnome people are not giving up. They place little gnomes around the whale because they are spirits of the earth — or something. Keep a lookout for the world's first Gnome-athon.

SAVING GREAT SALT LAKE

DON'T LOOK AT THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN

The Utah State Legislature is saving Great Salt Lake! They instituted the Agricultural Water Optimization Program to save water northern Utah farmers take from the Bear River. Grants to save water can amount to $1 million. But oops, the state didn't collect data to see if any water was saved at all. Well as Utah Jazz fans like to say, there's always next year. The Leg is also considering the Bear River Development Project to build a huge reservoir to keep Bear River water from flowing to Great Salt Lake. Well Wilson, it's what they call reverse logic. Lawmakers even took a helicopter ride over the lake to be sure it is shrinking. And golly sakes, it is. They are very detail oriented. The Great Salt Lake drought contingency plan would seek voluntary water transfers; would report annually how much water the lake should have; and impose a $75 fee for each acre-foot used by secondary water suppliers — agricultural would be exempt. What! Alfalfa farmers suck a lot of water out of the Bear. One-third of Utah's alfalfa crop goes to China. Yes Wilson, it is like shipping Great Salt Lake to Asia. At this rate, scientists say, the lake will disappear in five years. By then Utah lawmakers might have a better plan.

DON'T SAY PALESTINIAN — OR YOU COULD GET F#%&*

You better not utter anything about Israel and Hamas or you could get the axe. Listen to this: Mehdi Hasan's Sunday political talk show on MSNBC got canned. Hasan, a Muslim, was critical of Israel for the war in Gaza. Welcome to the new McCarthy era. Other public figures who have been dumped for their views on Gaza include Melissa Barrera, Susan Sarandon, Bella Hadid, Mia Khalifa and the list goes on and on. Don't they know real Americans support Israel in the aftermath of the massacre of 1,200 Israelis by Hamas militants. Still, employees, students and others have suffered for voicing their opinions as some 15,000 Palestinians have been killed during the ongoing bombing of Gaza. So, of course Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered Florida public universities to disband campus groups associated with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). Free speech — not exactly. It's reminiscent of Sen. Eugene McCarthy's Red Scare and the mass hysteria in the 1950s over the perceived threat of communism. Anyone accused of being a communist was in for a very bad time. Palestinian supporters best not post on line. Yes Wilson, it does seem like Palestinians and Israelis will keep killing each other until they're all dead. Still, there is never an excuse for harming non-combatants, period.

Post script — That's a wrap for another festive week here at Smart Bomb where we keep track of history in the making so you don't have to. The U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives was a collaborator in then-president Donald J. Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and remain in power. Now that is history. A hundred years from now they'll be talking about Mike Johnson, the evangelical backbencher who could look through a keyhole with both eyes at he same time. Life is not fair: The Florida State football team went undefeated in the ACC and was denied a position in the College Football Playoffs. Here's what Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell said about the selection committee: “#$%& &$# &%$#@&.” OpenAI's Sam Altman was fired from the artificial intelligence company but returned as a mastermind who seems less concerned with the dangers of A.I. than turning a billion bucks or two. What's more important, saving humanity or making a killing. And then there is this: The Oxford University Press has selected “Rizz as its “Word of the Year.” It's a slang term that refers to someone’s “ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner.” Well yes, Wilson, everyone knows you and the band have plenty of rizz — or something that rhymes with it.

Well hell it's hard to be upbeat, Wilson, when there's people killing each other all over the place. Seems like the history of humankind is filled with war and death and the killing of innocents. Give the band some coffee and take us out with something to remember:

There's a graveyard by the station Where the girls wear nylon skirts and Sandals from Hungary The boys ride their Riga 1's Upon the little hill Such sadness and grief The trees die standing That's where we made our trysts And struggled with our guns Would you still love me If the clocks could go backwards The girls would fill with blood and The grass would be green again Remember the dead They were so great Some of them

Where do the boys lie Mud mud mud How does the grass grow Blood blood blood

I gaze in defeat At the stars in the night The light in my life burnt away There will be no tomorrow Then you sigh in your sleep And meaning returns with the day

Where do the boys lie Mud mud mud How does the grass grow Blood blood blood

(How Does the Grass Grow — David Bowie)

[eventcharts]

City's secret weapon against flooding is deep underground

It's a structure so vast that the Statue of Liberty could fit inside -- but above ground, there's almost no sign that something so enormous lies beneath.

Mars (construction of large infrastructure projects) square & Saturn (building qualities (colossal structure, which resembles a bare concrete tank)) opposite Praamzius (flood control (revolutionary world-class flood control system)).

Whether it's the result of a powerful typhoon, or simply a long-duration rain event during Japan's wet season, flooding in Toyko is an all-too-common occurrence. However, when it comes to cleaning up from major flooding events, the city has a secret weapon of sorts at its disposal that can help recovery from catastrophic flooding go much smoother.

After 10 years of construction at a cost of nearly $2.2 billion dollars (230 billion yen), a revolutionary world-class flood control system in Japan has helped reduce the number of homes affected by water damage in nearby areas such as Kasukabe, a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, by around 90 percent, Nobuyuki Akiyama, director of Kasukabe drainage infrastructure said.  

Official studies estimate that the immense structure, called Japan's "underground Parthenon" because of a resemblance to the ancient Greek temple, has saved 148 billion yen ($1.4 billion USD) in disaster cleanup costs since 2006.

Completed in 2006, the cavernous complex has already been used more than half a dozen times this year by funneling away and redirecting excess water from storms and typhoons, protecting one of the globe's most heavily-populated cities.

A view looking down the enormous tunnel leading to the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel, a facility also known as the "Underground Temple" or "Underground Parthenon," which is credited with dramatically improving flood mitigation in Japan over the last 15 years. (AFP)

The colossal structure, which resembles a bare concrete tank the length of two football fields, is supported by gigantic pillars weighing 500 tons each.

“To give you an order of magnitude, we could put a rocket or the Statue of Liberty in it,” Akiyama said, according to AFP News.

One tank is about 100 feet in diameter and 230 feet deep.

"When we compare the damage after heavy rains of the same magnitude before and after the construction of this infrastructure, we see that the number of affected homes has decreased by 90%,” Akiyama said, according to AFP.

Workers walk through the main water tank in Kasukabe, Saitama, north of Tokyo. The facility also is known as "Underground Temple" or "Underground Parthenon," is one of the largest underground discharge channels to control floodwater in the area. The main water tank is supported by 59 concrete pillars each weighing 500 tons. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

The idea behind the system in Tokyo deviates from some of the accepted flood mitigation approaches used in the United States and elsewhere around the world.

“The Parthenon, a remarkable feat of engineering, is an example of a different philosophy from levees, dams, floodwalls (LD&F) in the U.S.," Sandy Rosenthal, the founder of levees.org, told AccuWeather in an interview. "The Parthenon is built with the expectation that floods will come and Tokyo must accept its inevitability, live with it and prepare for it. In contrast, LD&F represents a different philosophy, namely where the engineers fight the water, refuse to live it and attempt to keep it completely out.”

The main water tank of the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel is seen in Kasukabe, Saitama, north of Tokyo. Tokyo has a long history of flooding. Since the 16th century, people have tried to control city floodwaters through building barriers and diverting river courses in the Japanese capital -- and today those efforts continue. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

According to Rosenthal, there was once a time when engineers in the Netherlands thought they could control nature and build defenses.

“On January 31, 1953, their flood dikes (levees) breached in 67 places. Since then, the Netherlands has changed its philosophy to something similar to Toyko and its Parthenon," Rosenthal said. "But the U.S., at this time, is still stuck in the LD&F philosophy.”

Rosenthal acknowledged there are few places in the world that could support something like a Parthenon. Yet, above ground, there is little that shows the largest facility of its kind in the world exists below.

The cathedrallike feat of engineering is connected to a tunnel 3.9 miles long and equipped with a system that can discharge the equivalent of an 80-foot swimming pool into the nearby Edogawa River every second.

Visitors observe the main water tank of the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel, in Kasukabe, Saitama, north of Tokyo.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Excess water flows in automatically, and operators pump it out from the main tank when it approaches capacity, Akiyama said.

In Tokyo alone, a city crisscrossed by more than 100 rivers, there are 10 other underground reservoirs and three flood tunnels.

Staff at the facility in Saitama, north of Tokyo, are on constant alert, especially during Japan's rainy season from June to late October.

"In this area, torrential rain, typhoons and even daily rainfall can cause damage by submerging houses and roads," Akiyama told AFP.

Deadly typhoons in recent history have triggered a national awareness in Japan and resulted in the construction of large infrastructure projects to reduce future flood risks.

“Japan is frequently impacted by typhoons each summer through early autumn, and this is one of the main reasons it floods so often there," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio said. "Another issue lies with regards to Tokyo Bay, where water often piles up with significant storm surge from typhoons that make landfall just to the southwest of Tokyo,”

“We can actively see that the number of tropical cyclones continues to increase as our global temperature rises and the climate dramatically changes as a result,” Rossio said.

Experts warn more structures like the parthenon might be needed as the problem gets worse.

Others are under construction, such as in Osaka, where a facility similar to the Kasukabe reservoir is due to be completed in 2044, at a cost estimated at 366 billion yen (3.4 billion euros).

Minor planet keywords developed by Philip Sedgwick, used with permission http://philipsedgwick.com/

Centaur, TNO & Asteroid Aspectarian http://serennu.com/astrology/aspectarians.php

[fishoutofwaterlikeabird]

Last Year First

Well here we are the last day of the first month of 2023. This year sure started off very different from 2022. Ringing in 2022 we had friends over, we (again) lit off our wedding sparklers and Elise was 6 months away from giving birth to our first son Noah. We also did our traditional New Year's Day walk and even mixed in some Frisbee golf.

2022 was a year full of firsts for the Hansen family. As we were preparing for the birth and life change of becoming parents we started looking for a place to call our own. We really liked where we were in our duplex. We had nice neighbours, it was a nice area, it was also close to a river we regularly swam in. It was also close to work and things we need. However, it wasn't close to where we spent most of our time or our friends. In April a house came up that we really liked and we put in an offer and it became our very own home.

I believe we got keys the 6th of April 2022 and were moved in that weekend with the help of our friend family. We moved in just in time as it snowed the day after.

After we had a little party to find out whether we were having a boy or a girl...

...we started doing some house projects to make the place ours and get it set up for when family would come to visit for Elise's baby shower.

So far I have put in a brand-new fence on one side of the house (it didn't have a fence at all) and taken down the broken one on the other side and made it to match. Done some outside work for an in ground garden. We've done some painting. Most importantly we fixed up the room for the little guy.

Our next first came in June with the birth of our wee little human. 12 days early! We were so excited!! Noah Jamison Hansen came on 17th June 2022. What a treat! What a joy! Born on the same day as my aunt Darcy and my best friend from school days mister Dan the man Sagaser! Being a parent has never been sweeter. Noah is now just over 7 months (at the time of this writing) and life has never been so beautiful.

The next first for the Hansen household came in October 2022 when I ran a marathon with my good mate Tag in Medford Oregon. I wrote about the experience here (https://www.tumblr.com/fishoutofwaterlikeabird/700127168240435200/we-ran-a-marathon?source=share). I also made a video of the adventure here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aEw5Sj_ndw). What an experience it was. One, I wasn't sure I would want to do again, but have actually decided to do in April of this year (2023) in Eugene, Oregon and with my mate Tag and a couple others. This time I am not just doing it for myself. I am actually running for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. You can read more about it here if you like (https://charity.pledgeit.org/f/ZIfuySVkcF).

The rest of the year has brought on many new things with our little human. Elise went back to work three months after Noah was born. I went back a month after. Being working parents has been challenging, but very manageable. It is also so fun to see Noah light up when one of us walks in the door and he sees us.

Not long after I went back to work, I switched jobs. Elise working four days a week nearly 8-5 and me working five days a week 8-5 was not working well for us with a little one. I went back to working in a school and also started school to finish up getting my bachelors degree in teaching. Adding back our volunteer commitments, work, school (for me) and a toddler has made life quite full on.

As the year came to a close we celebrated holidays with him for the first time (with friends and family), he began to notice us and things around him more, he is laughing and smiling way more, eating real food for the first time and going from being stationary to "power crawling" all over the house. Life is so great!! I couldn't imagine anything better.

As 2022 has finished and the first month of 2023 is almost over it has been fun seeing Noah learn and do new things. It has been great to see when he wants something he crawls over to it. It has been exciting to see him pull himself from sitting to a stand. He is sure to be standing and walking soon which will mean more new and exciting things coming in life. Life is so busy, but it is a great busy. Something we wouldn't change for anything.

As we look forward to so many new fun and exciting changes in life, we are so grateful for the blessings we have been given. This year we will get to see family that Elise and Noah haven't met yet. We will celebrate having a one-year-old in the house and I am sure there will be many new adventures with our little family, more house projects, fun and laughs along the way.

[inglourious-imagines]

A Bet Worth More Than 50 Bucks (Lewis Nixon!GNReader)

Requested by: @cagzzz107 - Hi! So glad you're writing again! How are ya? 🙂 As far as my request goes, I'll shamelessly ask for number 115 from your prompt list + Nix if you're up to it 🙈😁

Prompt: 115 - Are you naked under that thing?

Summary: The war is over, there's drinking and Liebgott offers you a bet one simply can't refuse.

Warnings: a few f words, implications of sex, drinking, smoking

Author's Note: Thank you so much for the request! I'm super happy I'm starting off with Nix! I'm not doing particularly well, but I'm trying, thanks a lot for asking ♡. My writing might be a bit rusty so please, be tolerant with me. Enjoy :)

Taglist: @alienoresimagines @teenmagazines @meteora-fc @eugenesmorphine @band-of-brothers-cz @real-fans @not-john-watsons-blog @tealaquinn @ok-roemanov @mrseasycompany @punkgeekchic @wexhappyxfew @hellitwasyoufirstsergeant @rayofshanshine @mavysnavy @easynix @georgeluzwarmhugs @easy-company-tradition @immrsronaldspeirs @snafus-peckuh @curraheewestandalone @warrior-healer @justamadgirlinabox @happyveday @order-of-river-phoenix @whoahersheybars

Taglist Link in my bio (should work now), as well as my Masterlist and Prompt list, if anyone's interested. My requests are open.

.

.

.

The war was over.

It was all undoubtedly over that your eyes prickled with years, and you continued to repeat those four words in your head again and again as if you were convincing yourself of it all.

When you left for Toccoa, Georgia, in 1942, when you were getting on that train, you never really expect to come back to your little hometown. To you, it was a one-way ticket. You didn’t feel particularly sad about your fate at that time, you were terrified, of course, but not sad for enlisting was something you had to do, needed to do and wanted to do. You wouldn’t be able to live with yourself knowing you were able to help but did not.

But here you were, standing on a balcony in Eagle’s Nest, sun kissing your cheeks, as you took in the heavenly sight of Austrian Alps, finally able to appreciate the beauty of the world. You were alive, you survived. A smile slowly tucked at your lips.

“How come you’re all alone?” a voice, thick with accent, filled your ears and a boy, no, a man with tired eyes appeared next to you.

“How come you’re wandering all alone?” you replied with a question, tilting your head slightly.

Eugene Roe was the bravest man you ever had the fortune of meeting – being a medic in the midst of killing required a whole lot of courage, determination and empathy, something you always admired him for. You wondered if he will ever be able to lose that fatigue from his eyes but you had a feeling that no matter how much he sleep he got, he’ll never catch up with the lost nights in Bastogne.

“Alright, let me rephrase that,” he chuckled, “where is Nixon and why are you not together?”

You almost choked on the smoke from your cigarette. “What?”

“You heard me, Y/N.” Roe laughed sweetly.

“’Gene, please, he doesn’t have any attachment to me nor I to him plus I’ve heard things are pretty serious with his girl… oh, what was her name? Ah, yes, Vat ’69.”

Eugene looked at you, a soft smile on his face, but then he averted his gaze, focusing on something in the distance unknown to the whole world.

“Oh God,” you sighed, “don’t give me that look like you know everything. I hate it.”

Eugene just laughed, this time in a more relaxed way. “Tonight, celebration begins. Don’t be late.”

•••

The celebration was under a full swing, they were happy the war was over, sad they lost so many.

You were dancing in the middle of the room with George and notably drunk Shifty who was appearing and disappearing randomly - you reminded yourself to keep an eye on how much, or rather how fast, he was drinking. You lasted maybe 2 minutes, probably less, and all hope was definitely lost when George suddenly grabbed your hand and dragged you gently across the room to Tab and Liebgott, who were giggling at something like two teenage girls discussing their crush.

“What the hell…” you mumbled but did not really resist, and when Tab handed you another beer with a wink, your slight concerns dissolved. You were too drunk to care anyway.

“Guess who has been watching you the whole fucking night.” Liebgott chuckled, throwing his arm around your shoulders, giving you all sorts of funny and knowing looks.

“I know, I know, I know!” Tab all of a sudden shouted, his cheeks red, “Is it Shifty? I know it’s Shifty, right. But-“

“Not you, you idiot.” George slapped his arm playfully, shaking head at him. “Fucking unbelievable.”

You amusedly watched the whole exchange of ideas, trying not to burst out laughing, genuinely intrigued by the conversation.

“You always do this,” George continued, he obviously had forgotten all about you due to his drunken state, “Not everything is about you, Talbert.”

Floyd just sniggered. “You’re just jealous ‘cause I-“

The rest you unfortunately did not hear for Liebgott was leading you a bit further from them, apparently very eager to discuss the matter Luz brought you over for in the first place.

“Hey, Joe! I was actually enjoying that-“

Today was not the day to finish your, or anyone’s, sentences.

“I’ll bet you 50 bucks if you sneak into Nixon’s room, steal one of his shirts and those sunglasses he keeps on his bedside table and come back here.”

You stared at Lieb for a second, processing the words he said very quickly. Then you devilishly smiled, you did not even ask how he knew where Nix was keeping his sunglasses.

“You just got yourself a deal.”

•••

You knew exactly where Lewis’s room was, you were able to get there blindfolded, in pitch dark. This wasn’t necessarily because you possessed some super navigating and orientation skills, but because you simply visited his room during the night when others were asleep.

Nobody knew about it, you hadn’t even told Eugene, your best friend, not for a feeling of shame, not in the least, but because you weren’t quite sure what was happening between you and Nixon. Just fooling around? Was there a relationship starting? You had no idea and right now, you couldn’t care less.

When you reached your destination, you didn’t even hesitate to listen if there was someone inside but your bet on Lewis and his unwavering love for alcohol was right. The room was abandoned.

You rushed as quietly as possible to the drawer where you knew he kept his clean clothes, picked one army shirt, and put it on, once you also undressed your clothes. However, you decided to make it even more interesting and took off your underwear as well.

You chuckled to yourself. You were getting yourself in so much trouble, but you simply couldn’t resist the urge to tease Lew to the point of madness. God knows he’d done that to you multiple times.

You swiftly grabbed the sunglasses, put them on and disappeared from the room. You were surprised, and quite proud of yourself too, when you managed to close the door really quietly given your drunken state, but you couldn’t stop the giggle.

You ran through the huge house, not meeting a single soul (thank God), obviously because everyone was drinking in the big hall.

It wasn’t hard for you to slip inside, but keeping a low profile was. A person with nothing on but a shirt that reached their mid-thighs and sunglasses? On the other hand, people were turning their heads, but it wasn’t such a spectacle, they’d seen crazier things happen.

You knew exactly why Liebgott challenged you to do this. Maybe when the war ended today, something new could begin.

You were almost halfway through your journey to Joe when a hand grabbed your arm firmly and stopped you. One side of his body was pressed against you as he held you close. You knew this was coming, and yet you weren’t ready for the overwhelming storm of emotions roaring inside of you, as it happened every time when Lewis Nixon was near you.

“Are you naked under that thing?” his lips grazed your skin, and you shuddered under the light touch.

“If by that thing you mean your favourite shirt, then yes, I am naked under that thing.” you responded, looking Nix in the eye, getting lost for a moment. A soft smile tugged at your lips. You suddenly felt this strong urge to run your fingers through his hair, over and over again, touch him everywhere, get to know his every dark corner, and then to stay forever.

Lewis stared at you for a second, contemplating your words carefully.

“Okay, we’re leaving.” he finally said as he grabbed your hand this time, intertwining his fingers with yours, which he had never done before, especially in public.

You were almost out of the door but you managed to turn back, find Liebgott with your eyes and mouthed voicelessly with a cheeky grin: “You owe me 50 bucks!”

[hollowwhisperings]

The Average Lifespan of Targaryen Monarchs of Westeros

The Life Expectancies of Targaryen Monarchs: Dead by "Natural" Causes

Of 18 Targaryen Monarchs (Rhaenyra I & Aegon II here jointly as monarch #6),

2 died of "old" age: Aegon the Conqueror dying at 64, Jaehaerys I at 69.

8 died of illness: Aenys I (35), Viserys I (52), Aegon III (36), Baelor I (28), Viserys II* (50), Aegon IV (49), Daeron II (~56), & Jaehaerys II (36).

6 were killed, 2 in battle (Daeron I, 18; Maekar I, 64~69) and 3 by murder (Rhaenyra I, 33; Aegon II, 24; Aerys II, 39). Maegor I's exact cause of death (36) is unknown but it is Universally Agreed that his death was both Unnatural & completely justified.

Aerys I's cause of death is as yet unknown, as is his exact year of birth. He is approximated by The Wiki as dying aged 34~39 years.

Under the cut: content warnings, distinctions between causes of death, calculation, notable factors & speculation thereon, "The Dragon In The Room".

CW: Major Character Death spoilers for HotD, endgame spoilers for HotD, spoilers for F&B, discussion of incest, reference to child marriage & underage parents, reference & implication of dubcon, discussion of fertility & infertility, brief reference to Old Valyria (slavery, genocide, human experimentation), reference to Targaryen eugenics.

Cause of Death: "Old" Age

Since only 2 of the 18 Targaryen monarchs survived to die of age, an average for a "natural" life expectancy cannot be made. It should also be noted that both Aegom the Conqueror was a war veteran whilst Jaehaerys I had a very dangerous childhood. Both kings were dragonriders, of Balerion & Vermithor respectively.

The longest living Targaryens on record are Queen Visenya the Conqueror (73) and Maester Aemon of the Night's Watch (102).

(Off-record, the longest-lived is Ser Brynden "Bloodraven" Rivers (125, going on 126) but, given that Bloodraven is a dubiously human tree-wizard, he is a Statistical Outlier who Should Not Be Counted.)

It is difficult to approximate an average, "natural" life expectancy for members of House Targaryen due to an insufficient pool of data: most of the recorded deaths were only noted for being sudden or violent, whilst female & younger siblings faded into obscurity.

Cause of Death: Illness

Most kings who died of illness were born frail or otherwise known to be "sickly", yes, dragonriders included. These kings tended to die slowly or "as expected". There were only 2 exceptions to this rule: Viserys II, who died "suddenly" a year into his reign, and Daeron II, who died during The Great Spring Sickness of 209 AC (a pandemic that struck the entirety of King's Landing).

Baelor I is included amongst the monarchs to die of illness as his cause of death was "religious fasting", the illness that killed him thus "self-inflicted" but "natural" nonetheless (Baelor's religious enthusiasm was extreme and dangerous to himself & others).

An Average "Natural" Lifespan: Calculation

For the sake of this calculation, deaths by illness will be included amongst those of old age (suspiciously timed illnesses reluctantly included). A secondary calculation will be made, removing kings whose illnesses were sudden as opposed to "naturally" progressing.

The following 9 monarchs (& ages at death) will be used: Aegon the Conqueror (64), Aenys I (35), Jaehaerys I (69), Aegon III (36), Baelor I (28), Viserys II (50), Aegon IV (49), Daeron II (56), Jaehearys II (36).

(64+35+69+36+28+50+49+56+36) ÷ 9

= 423 ÷ 9

= 47 years.

Thusly, the average natural life span of a Targaryen monarch is 47 years.

With the removal of Kings Viserys II & Daeron II, whose deaths by illness were Sudden rather than Inevitable, the average lifespan becomes 45.3 years or "45 yrs & 4 months".

Factors, Additional Context & Speculation

Genetic Diversity (& Lack Thereof)

Of the 8 kings felled by illness, 3 were born to sibling-spouses (Viserys I, Baelor I, Daeron II), 3 had wholly unrelated parents (Aegon IV, Aerys I), 1 had parents who were cousins many times over (Aenys I), 1 had parents who were uncle & niece (Aegon III).

Inbreeding, as known by farmers & thus humanity for time immemorial (Westeros included), results in offspring who are more susceptible & less adaptable to illness.

Illness: Maternal Health

A major factor to any person's long-term health is the manner of their birth: mothers who were too young or too old, had previously dangerous pregnancies, &/or experienced trauma during their pregnancy... all these factors can contribute to the wellness of both mother & child.

Of 18 monarchs,

2 were born when their mothers were underage (Rhaenyra I & Daeron II)3 were born when their mothers were over 30 (Aenys I, Maegor I, Jaehaerys I),

3 had mothers neglected by historic record, 4 with the inclusion of Alicent Hightower (whose lifetime is currently Under Revision & thus excluded from this post's calculations),

the remaining 10 had mothers who were actually Of Age, 4 monarchs having older siblings.

For more speculation, see "The Maternity of Targaryen Kings" here: https://at.tumblr.com/hollowwhisperings/the-maternity-of-targaryen-kings/

Royal Privileges

The wealth & authority held by a monarch in a feudal society affords many privileges: a varied & stable diet, accessible healthcare, servants to attend hygiene, education, Kingsguard sworn to bodily protection, the highest quality arms & armour, and more.

Their high stations also, however, gavs historic Targaryens the "privileges" of: being able to eat & drink in excess, override sound advice from a young age (it is harder to enforce the eating of vegetables or the importance of Safe Sex when such advice could be interpreted as Treason), and becoming the Targets of [medical sabotage].

Regardless of any Greater Maester Conspiracies, the good health of those who hold or will inherit absolute power can never be truly safeguarded. The lavish lifestyle of medieval-ish royalty requires countless servants (cooks, kitchen staff, personal attendants, maids, errand runners...) and a life lived in public (at court, in council, for ceremony...). The ambitious and fearful can & do find ways to further their interests, anyone could mean a royal harm: their council, their bannermen, their chamber maid, their betrothed, their in-laws, their uncles, their children.

These combined Royal Privileges undoubtedly affected Targaryen Monarchs, especially those who inherited the throne in times of societal upheaval. Stress and authority over a continent (give or take a kingdom) take their toll, even on the most disinterested of monarchs.

A pertinent example is that of Viserys II: the illness that killed him was both abrupt and suspiciously timed.

Viserys II: a case study of Royal "Privilege"

Despite being one of the better rulers of Westeros, having served the Realm for ~30 years to Kings Aegon III (depressed), Daeron I (war-hungry) & Baelor I (dangerously pious) before his ending up on the throne himself. His sudden illness occurred just 1 year into his rule. Many persons & factions had incentive to remove Viserys II from office. He was unpopular both in his lifetime & in public record.

(nevermind his successfully resolving the conflict with Dorne through treaty & marriage alliances; his making & codifying law reforms; his increasing trade & public wellbeing... okay, Viserys II may or may not be one of my favourite monarchs. Better to acknowledge my bias & recommend grains of salt).

The Dragon In The Room

Of 18 Targaryen monarchs were dragonriders, 7 were dragonriders. Of these 7: 2 died of "old" age, 3 died of illness, and 3 were killed.

Thusly is the idea of "Dragonrider Immunity" in the royal line of House Targaryen disproved.

If anything, dragonriding seems to age a person: the height and speed of flight would logically take a toll, regardless of any "Dragonriding Genes". Queen Alysanne, amongst the few Targaryens noted to die of old age, hatched & rode the dragon Silverwing: she was noted as losing her hearing in her late 50's and, at 57, lost the mobility needed to ride her dragon. This point is dubious, given it is one example amongst an already small sample size. Another dubious point is the precedence in House Targaryen of premature greying of hair: this is difficult to confirm, given the shallow difference between "silver/silver-gold/blonde" and "grey/white" (as well as the dubious quality of witness accounts of historic Targaryens, given how polarizing many figures were & the thusly dubious accuracy of witness testimonies).

Less controversial is the fact that, in the ASOIAF setting, all magic comes At Cost: dragons are magical ("fire made flesh") and Targaryens were originally a minor house of dragonlords in Old Valyria. Valyria is mostly known for its dragons, wealth, conquering, mass enslavement, pyromancy, blood magic ...and human experimentation. Members of House Targaryen believe themselves to have "blood of the dragon" & in early cases, intended very literally. It is plausible that House Targaryen, specifically, became or were made dragonlords via [blood magic & human experimentation]. It is unknown if this was a unique feature of House Targaryen or common practice amongst the more ambitious families of Valyria. Thusly, Targaryens are themselves magical. Later generations added the blood of First Men (most notably Houses Hightower, Dayne & Blackwood) & thus also Andal, & the Rhoynar (a people whose genocide was attempted by Valyria but thwarted by Queen Nymeria; whose home was made a wasteland in their absence).

Through the hatching of dragons by Targaryens, a method used to ensure a "bonding", could plausibly cost a person's theoretical & potential [lifeforce?]. Dragonriders can bond with dragons they have not personally hatched, with varying difference in compatibility, and a dragon can have multiple riders durings their lifetime.

Note: Dragons DO hatch naturally, without Targaryen intervention, as evidenced by: the wild dragons of Dragonstone, descendants of eggs & dragons brought from Valyria; the past & present wild dragons of eastern Essos (though any Valyrian breeds are believed extinct); the historic dragons of Westeros, regularly recorded (& slain) many thousands of years before the rise of the Valyrian Freehold & its dragonlords.