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camisoledadparis · 4 months ago

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THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … November 10

1855 – Quaker poet and critic, Rufus Griswold, denounces Walt Whitman as a "scurvy fellow...indulging the vilest imaginings"

In the November 10, 1855, issue of The Criterion, Griswold anonymously reviewed the first edition of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass, declaring: "It is impossible to image how any man's fancy could have conceived such a mass of stupid filth". Griswold charged that Whitman was guilty of "the vilest imaginings and shamefullest license", a "degrading, beastly sensuality." Referring to Whitman's poetry, Griswold said he left "this gathering of muck to the laws which... must have the power to suppress such gross obscenity." He ended his review with a phrase in Latin referring to "that horrible sin, among Christians not to be named", the stock phrase long associated with Christian condemnations of sodomy.

Griswold was the first person in the 19th century to publicly point to and stress the theme of erotic desire and acts between men in Whitman's poetry.

1879 – Patrick Pearse (also known as Pádraic or Pádraig Pearse (d.1916) was an Irish teacher, barrister, poet, writer, nationalist and political activist who was one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916. Following his execution along with fifteen other leaders, Pearse came to be seen by many as the embodiment of the rebellion.

When the Easter Rising began on Easter Monday, 24 April 1916, it was Pearse who read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic from the steps of the General Post Office, the headquarters of the rising. After six days of fighting, heavy civilian casualties and great destruction of property, Pearse issued the order to surrender.

Pearse and fourteen other leaders, including his brother Willie, were court-martialled and executed by firing squad. Thomas Clarke, Thomas MacDonagh and Pearse himself were the first of the rebels to be executed, on the morning of 3 May 1916. Pearse was 36 years old at the time of his death. Roger Casement, who had tried unsuccessfully to recruit an insurgent force among Irish-born prisoners of war from the Irish Brigade in Germany, was hanged in London the following August.

The suggestion that the unmarried Pearse, a hero of Irish nationalism, may have been homosexual, has drawn fierce opposition from some Irish people. However, his biographer Ruth Dudley Edwards is clear that although celibate, he was undoubtedly physically attracted to young men men and boys.

1879 – The poet and influential critic Vachel Lindsay was born on this date (d.1931). His exuberant recitation of some of his work led some critics to compare it to jazz poetry despite his persistent protests. Because of his use of American Midwest themes he also became known as the "Prairie Troubador."

Lindsay's fame as a poet grew in the 1910s. Because Harriet Monroe showcased him with two other Illinois poets — Carl Sandburg and Edgar Lee Masters — his name became linked to theirs. The success of either of the other two, in turn, seemed to help the third.

Edgar Lee Masters published a biography of Lindsay in 1935 (four years after its subject's death) entitled 'Vachel Lindsay: A Poet in America'. In 1915, Lindsay gave a poetry reading to President Woodrow Wilson and the entire Cabinet. Lindsay was well known throughout the nation, and especially in Illinois, because of his travels which were sometimes recorded in the front page of every newspaper.

He is probably best known for this poetic apostrophe to the Salvation Army in "General William Booth Enters Heaven," although it is questionable whether he ever made it past the pearly Gates himself, since he not only liked boys too much , but also ended his days a suicide.

In his 40s, Lindsay lost his heart to the dazzlingly good-looking Australian composer and pianist, Percy Grainger, as had the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg before him.

Lindsay killed himself (horribly, swallowing Lysol) in 1931, the year before Hart Crane leapt into the sea. His only biography was published during the Eisenhower years, a decade before homosexuality was officially invented. If it took biographers almost a century to acknowledge Whitman's Gayness, Lindsay should be due for a really serious biography around 2021.

Lindsay is credited with having "discovered" the poet Langston Hughes while staying at the Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC. Lindsay was dining in the hotel restaurant and the young Hughes was his busboy. When Hughes came to take his food away he left a number of his poems at Lindsay's table. Lindsay, upon reading them, was moved to declare the next day in his daily column to having "discovered a great Negro American poet." It launched Hughes' career.

1913 – James Broughton (d.1999) was an American poet, and poetic filmmaker. He was part of the San Francisco Renaissance. He was an early bard of the Radical Faeries as well as a charter member of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence serving her community as Sister Sermonetta.

Born to wealthy parents, he lost his father early to the 1918 influenza epidemic and spent the rest of his life getting over his high-strung, overbearing mother.

Before he was three, "Sunny Jim" experienced a transformational visit from his muse, Hermy, which he describes in his autobiography, Coming Unbuttoned (1993):

I remember waking in the dark and hearing my parents arguing in the next room. But a more persistent sound, a kind of whirring whistle, spun a light across the ceiling. I stood up in my crib and looked into the backyard. Over a neighbor's palm tree a pulsing headlamp came whistling directly toward me. When it had whirled right up to my window, out of its radiance stepped a naked boy. He was at least three years older than I but he looked all ages at once. He had no wings, but I knew he was angel-sent: his laughing beauty illuminated the night and his melodious voice enraptured my ears ... He insisted I would always be a poet even if I tried not to be ... Despite what I might hear to the contrary the world was not a miserable prison, it was a playground for a nonstop tournament between stupidity and imagination. If I followed the game sharply enough, I could be a useful spokesman for Big Joy.

Broughton was kicked out of military school for having an affair with a classmate, dropped out of Stanford before graduating, and spent time in Europe during the 1950s, where he received an award in Cannes from Jean Cocteau for the "poetic fantasy" of his film The Pleasure Garden, made in England with partner Kermit Sheets.

"Cinema saved me from suicide when I was 32 by revealing to me a wondrous reality: the love between fellow artists," Broughton wrote. This theme carried him through his 85 years. "It was as important to live poetically as to write poems."

Despite many love affairs during the San Francisco Beat Scene, Broughton put off marriage until age 49, when, steeped in his explorations of Jungian psychology, he married Susanna Hart in a three-day ceremony on the Pacific coast documented by his friend, the experimental filmmaker Stan Brakhage. Susanna's theatrical background and personality made for a great playmate; they had two children. And they built a great community among the creative spirits of San Francisco.

In 1967s "summer of love," Broughton made a film, The Bed, a celebration of the dance of life which broke taboos against frontal nudity and won prizes at many film festivals. It rekindled Broughton's filmmaking and led to more tributes to the human body (The Golden Positions), the eternal child (This Is It), the eternal return (The Water Circle), the eternal moment (High Kukus), and the eternal feminine (Dreamwood). "These eternalities praised the beauty of humans, the surprises of soul, and the necessity of merriment," Broughton wrote.

In the Coming Unbuttoned, Broughton remarks on his love affairs with both men and women. Among his male lovers was gay activist Harry Hay.

Hermy appeared again to the older Broughton in the person of a twenty-five-year-old Canadian film student named Joel Singer. Broughton's meeting with Singer was a life-changing, life-determining moment that animated his consciousness with a power that lasted until his death. In Joel Singer he found a creative as well as emotional partner.

With Singer, Broughton traveled and made more films - Hermes Bird (1979), a slow-motion look at an erection shot with the camera developed to photograph atomic bomb explosions, The Gardener of Eden (1981), filmed when they lived in Sri Lanka, Devotions (1983), which takes delight in friendly things men can do together from the odd to the rapturous, and Scattered Remains (1988), a cheerfully death-obsessed tribute to Broughton's poetry and filmmaking.

He died in May, 1999 with champagne on his lips, in the house in Port Townsend, Washington where he and Joel lived for 10 years. Before he died, he said, "My creeping decrepitude has crept me all the way to the crypt." His gravestone in a Port Townsend cemetery reads, "Adventure - not predicament."

God and Fuck belong together Both are sacred and profane God (the Divine) a dirty word used for damning Fuck (the sublime) a dirty term of depredation God and Fuck are so much alike they might be synonymous glories I'd even go so far as to say God is the Fuck of all Fucks And boy He has a Body like you've never seen - From Special Deliveries by James Broughton

Richard Burton (R) with Elizabeth Taylor

1925 – Richard Burton, CBE (born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.;d.1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his mellifluous baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable performance of Hamlet in 1964. He was called "the natural successor to Olivier" by critic and dramaturge Kenneth Tynan. An alcoholic, Burton's failure to live up to those expectations disappointed critics and colleagues and fuelled his legend as a great thespian wastrel.

Burton was nominated for an Academy Award seven times, but never won an Oscar. He was a recipient of BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and Tony Awards for Best Actor. In the mid-1960s, Burton ascended into the ranks of the top box office stars. By the late 1960s, Burton was one of the highest-paid actors in the world, receiving fees of $1 million or more plus a share of the gross receipts. Burton remains closely associated in the public consciousness with his second wife, actress Elizabeth Taylor. The couple's turbulent relationship was rarely out of the news.

Burton was married five times, twice consecutively to Taylor. From 1949 until 1963, he was married to Sybil Williams. His marriages to Taylor lasted from 15 March 1964 to 26 June 1974 and from 10 October 1975 to 29 July 1976. Their first wedding was at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montreal. Of their marriage, Taylor proclaimed, "I'm so happy you can't believe it. This marriage will last forever." Their second wedding took place sixteen months after their divorce, in Chobe National Park in Botswana. Taylor and Eddie Fisher adopted a daughter from Germany, Maria Burton (born 1 August 1961), who was re-adopted by Burton after he and Taylor married. Burton also re-adopted Taylor and producer Mike Todd's daughter, Elizabeth Frances "Liza" Todd (born 6 August 1957), who had been first adopted by Fisher.

Burton acknowledged homosexual experiences as a young actor on the London stage in the 1950s. In a February 1975 interview with his friend, David Lewin, he said he "tried" homosexuality. He also suggested that perhaps all actors were latent homosexuals, and "we cover it up with drink". In 2000 Ellis Amburn's biography of Elizabeth Taylor suggested that Burton had an affair with Laurence Olivier and tried to seduce Eddie Fisher, although this was strongly denied by Burton's younger brother Graham Jenkins.

1955 – Roland Emmerich is a German film director, screenwriter, and producer. His films, most of which are Hollywood productions filmed in English, have grossed more than $3 billion worldwide, more than those of any other European director. His films have grossed just over $1 billion in the United States, making him the country's 14th-highest grossing director of all time.

He began his work in the film industry by directing the film The Noah's Ark Principle as part of his university thesis and also co-founded Centropolis Entertainment in 1985 with his sister. He is a collector of art and an active campaigner for the lesbian and gay community, himself being openly gay. He is also a campaigner for an awareness of global warming and equal rights.

in 1990, Emmerich was hired to replace director Andrew Davis for the action movie Universal Soldier. The film was released in 1992, and has since been followed by two direct-to-video sequels, a theatrical sequel, and another sequel released in 2010.

Emmerich next helmed the 1994 science-fiction film Stargate. At the time, it set a record for the highest-grossing opening weekend for a film released in the month of October. It became more commercially successful than most film industry insiders had anticipated, and spawned a highly popular media franchise.

Emmerich then directed Independence Day, an alien invasion feature that became the first film to gross $100 million in less than a week and went on to become one of the most successful films of all time. His next film, the much-hyped Godzilla, did not meet its anticipated box office success and was largely panned by critics. Taking a short break from science-fiction, Emmerich next directed the American Revolutionary War film The Patriot.

After teaming up with new writing partner Harald Kloser, Emmerich returned once again to directing a visual effects-laden adventure with 2004's The Day After Tomorrow. Soon afterwards, he founded Reelmachine, another film production company based in Germany.

Emmerich's most recent efforts have been 10,000 BC, a film about the journeys of a prehistoric tribe, and 2012, an apocalyptic film inspired by the theory that the Mayans prophesied the world's ending in 2012.

In 2006, he pledged $150,000 to the Legacy Project, a campaign dedicated to Gay and Lesbian film preservation. Emmerich, who is openly Gay, made the donation on behalf of Outfest, making it the largest gift in the festival's history.

1986 – Andy Mientus is an American stage and television actor. He is known for his role as Kyle Bishop in the television series Smash.

Mientus has toured with the first national touring company of Spring Awakening as Hanschen and appeared in the 2012 Off-Broadway revival of Carrie: The Musical.

In 2013, Mientus was cast in season two of the musical drama television series Smash as series regular Kyle Bishop. Following the cancellation of Smash, Mientus and co-stars Jeremy Jordan and Krysta Rodriguez joined the cast of Hit List, the real-world staging of the fictional rock musical created for season two of Smash. The show ran for three performances on December 8—9 at 54 Below.

Mientus made his Broadway debut in the 2014 revival of Les Misérables as Marius.

In 2014, Mientus appeared in several episodes of the ABC Family series Chasing Life. That same year, he was cast in a recurring role on the CW series The Flash as the Pied Piper.

Mientus is openly bisexual. He is engaged to fellow Broadway actor Michael Arden. Mientus and Arden both planned to propose to each other on the same exact day while on a trip in England. Michael had planned a scavenger hunt for Andy to complete and eventually lead to a proposal. However, Andy was able to execute his proposal first. Andy's proposal was a video of a young boy talking about marriage which quickly cut to all of their friends saying why Michael should say yes. The couple set the wedding to take place Autumn of 2015.

1992 – The Louisiana Baptist Convention voted 581-199 to exclude congregations which condone homosexuality. A similar resolution was approved the same day by the North Carolina State Baptist convention.

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paranormalsaga · 3 months ago

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Nebulous (Chapter Twelve)

“Strike! Strike! Strike!”

“Ujamaa!”

“Strike! Strike! Strike!”

“Ujamaa!”

The swelling mass of protestors continued chanting as Dante and a squad of soldiers marched through Otewos, a Corinthian-occupied city on the eastern side of Ujamaa. The reeking stench of sewage flooded Dante’s nostrils. Trash littered the city’s narrow streets and shouting civilians added to the pile as they pelted Dante and his men with rocks and garbage from their dilapidated residences up above. The shacks were crowded with cheap laborers and their families.

Dante gritted his teeth, reminding himself why he was here. Corinthian intelligence had identified a possible location for the targets in this part of the urban complex. He’d unleash his frustration with these people soon enough.

He regarded the protesters with a hard gaze. A few of them held up signs and large pictures of various individuals, Dante presumed they were Ujamaans who’d died in the ongoing military raids and airstrikes conducted throughout the country in the wake of the attack on Colossus. Or perhaps they were political prisoners detained by the Corinthian military. It didn’t matter to him either way.

The way Dante saw it, the Ujamaans were picking fights they wouldn’t win.

Like these targets, for example. They were suspected gunmen of the Black Brigades who had killed five Corinthian officers yesterday, and they were barricading themselves in one or more of the tightly packed buildings surrounding Dante. What those men hoped to accomplish eluded him.

Even the so-called innocents were bringing this suffering upon themselves. They were provoking the United Republic of Corinthia to take lethal action so they could cry wolf about indiscriminate civilian killing. The country had already paid for the Colossus Attack sevenfold, yet they persisted with this pointless fight. They were sacrificing themselves.

In the end, none of it mattered. You didn’t win battles with sympathy. Dante’s abilities were already proving to be vital in the Corinthians’ military campaign. Their casualties during ground raids had plummeted since they’d first deployed him, and they were barely a month into the counterattack.

One of the soldiers kicked open the door leading into a rundown building. Dante rested a hand on the man’s shoulder before he could enter, towering over him, the soldier tried his best to appear confident despite that. It wasn’t working.

“Stand guard,” Dante ordered. “I’ll call for backup if I need it.”

Not that it would make a difference, Dante thought, brushing past him.

The other soldiers stood at attention around the entrance as Dante walked inside.

…

The room was so empty and quiet that it almost could’ve fooled Dante for a moment, but two men armed with assault rifles sprung out from their hiding places in the next instant, shattering the illusion.

Gunshots cracked through the air as the men unleashed a maelstrom of bullets. Dante’s heightened reflexes sharpened the world around him with crystal clarity. It felt as if his surroundings moved at a fourth of his speed. The gunfire spread across the room, encompassing most of the areas he could turn toward. A few of the bullets caught him in the chest, they burned the way a bit of sizzling oil did when it danced its way out of a frying pan onto exposed skin, but they were essentially useless against him. The bullets popped back out of his flesh as his wounds rapidly healed. He could feel his enemy’s awe as they watched him move around the space with inhuman speed, unfazed by their assault.

One of the men screamed something in Ujamaan at the top of his lungs. The only term he could recognize from the flurry of words was “Gladiator!”

Dante unholstered a semi-automatic pistol from his side and aimed it at the gunman to his right. Bullets hissed through the air, sinking into the man’s stomach, neck, and forehead. He immediately collapsed.

Dodging the remaining gunman’s line of fire required little effort, but Dante needed to ensure the soldiers outside didn’t get caught in the crossfire. The gunshots paused for a moment as the militant hurried to reload, but he was already too late. Dante crashed into the man at full force and sent him flying back into the door he’d sprung out of. He knocked the rifle out of the man’s grasp, then wrapped his hands around his head. A couple seconds of passed before his skull cracked open under the pressure, bursting his head open.

Dante let the corpse drop to the ground and wiped the blood off his face. The air was filled with the thick, acrid smell of gunpowder, it tasted like metal.

The targets must have been tipped off by the sounds of the protests. Dante was sure more than a few of the people chanting outside in the streets were aiding these terrorists in evading their fate, but he didn’t have time to dwell on that. Three more hostiles were still somewhere in the area.

He made his way up the stairwell at the end of the room to the floor above. Before he got halfway across the room, he sensed it. Someone else’s presence. He stood still until a slight creak in the floorboards allowed him to hone in on the source. As he moved to rip the target from his hiding spot, two men leaped out to tackle him from behind.

One of them stabbed Dante’s right shoulder blade, the other knife pierced the right side of his torso. Air hissed from his gritted teeth as he bucked around. The militant who’d stabbed him in the shoulder was flung back, his blade still lodged in Dante’s shoulder, but the one who’d stabbed him in the shoulder still clung to his midriff. The man ripped out the knife and kept stabbing him repeatedly.

Gunshots rang out in the air, the man’s grip around Dante’s waist loosened and he quickly slumped to the floor. Dante turned to find the source of the gunfire, his eyes landed on the soldier he’d prevented from entering the building. His name was Elias.

“I told you to stay away,” Dante said, fixing Elias with a firm glare as he ripped the knife out of his shoulder without even wincing.

“I imagine that’s what they would’ve wanted as well,” Elias responded, regarding the dead men at Dante’s feet, smoke was still rising from their fresh gunshot wounds. He flashed Dante a triumphant grin.

“I didn’t need you, you’re only getting in the way.”

Elias laughed. “You Americans are always so smug, as if the rest of us should be grateful to breathe the same air as you. Would it kill you to just say thanks?”

“Where you’re from is irrelevant. I’m the ranking officer for a reason. If you don’t like it, take it up with—”

The room erupted in flames before Dante could utter another word. The force of the explosion demolished the surface beneath him and he plummeted to the ground. Debris and shards of glass rained down on top of him. This made the gunshots and stab wounds from before feel like paper cuts, it made death seem preferable.

Even as his burns healed, the memory of the pain still lingered.

The soldiers outside were shouting frantically at one another, barking orders and calling out for him. One of them made their way toward him, but the remains of the building were still burning.

“I’m alright,” Dante said, though he knew the soldier would still find that hard to believe. The inferno had stripped him of his shirt, baring his chest, and the rest of his clothes were in smoking tatters, but thankfully his pants were primarily intact.

“Elias!” Another soldier cried out. There was no way he could have survived the blast, yet they persisted in searching for him anyway.

Dante couldn’t afford to let the incident cloud his judgment. He knew the person responsible for this had slipped away, and now he’d suffered a casualty as well. Their mission wasn’t over yet, not by a long shot.

Dante snatched a radio from one of the soldiers.

“Does anyone have eyes on the suspect?”

There was only the sound of static for a few seconds.

“Got him,” came the response. “He’s running toward the protest. How should we proceed, sir?”

“Engage, I’ll be with you in a moment.”

…

They caught the last Black Brigade militant attempting to blend in with the rest of the angry mob. The others even attempted to shield him to no avail.

The man stared down the barrel of Dante’s gun as he stood on his knees, quivering. Ujamaan protestors milled about, surrounding the two of them, they were only kept at bay by the Corinthian soldiers’ riot shields.

“I surrender,” the man said, his voice shaking, Dante could hardly hear him over the commotion around them. “I’m done fighting.”

Dante aimed the gun away from him and the man before him showed the faintest sign of relief, though his body was still visibly tensed. Dante looked him in the eye.

“I know,” he said, then he put the pistol back in front of his face and pulled the trigger.

It took a moment for the shock to settle in among the witnesses, and then they were pressing upon the soldiers’ defensive formation, attempting to reach the body.

The soldiers around him raised their rifles and began firing into the crowd.

…

Masquerade didn’t bother to cloak herself as she watched the Gladiator fire his gun, she was already at a safe distance a few rooftops away. She openly stared at the mayhem below and tried to pretend it didn’t bother her. She’d killed before, in those moments that came down to a zero-sum game of your survival or someone else’s, but what was unfolding in front of her was different. It wasn’t a fight, it was a slaughter.

Her fists clenched, she wanted to jump down there and even the odds, but that wasn’t her job. She wasn’t the soldier who charged into battle guns blazing, she was the assassin you never saw coming.

The men were beginning to make their way toward their vehicles, leaving the bodies of their victims behind.

She lowered her gaze to check her equipment. A bow and a quiver full of arrows strapped to her back. Combat knives hidden in sheaths all over her body. A fully automatic infinity ray the size of a standard-issue pistol holstered at her hip. Gadget had given her some other useful tools too. Explosives, a force field generator, siphons, and, most importantly at the moment, a hoverboard. She needed to pick it up so she could stay on their tail.

“They’re on the move,” she said into her earpiece. While she spoke, she activated one of Gadget’s infiltration drones and he began piloting it to follow the Gladiator’s envoy.

“Stay on them,” Director Liu ordered.

As Masquerade glided invisibly through the streets of Otewos, she couldn’t help but think about the fact that all of her resources and power would be nothing compared to the Gladiator. She wanted to believe she’d be safe as long as she stayed hidden, but the Gladiator was unlike anything she’d seen.

She watched them drive into the Corinthian military base. The building was a fortress and its extravagance stood out all the more because it was a twenty-minute drive away from the slums of Otewos.

Just as she moved forward to follow them and find a hidden point of entry, she sensed it. When Masquerade was invisible, she couldn’t physically see, but her clairvoyance was a superior form of perception. Her other senses and imagination were heightened. She could visualize everything around her much more vividly than her normal vision had ever allowed her to.

She honed her sixth sense on the object, it was some metallic device hidden a few feet away. It was difficult to tell what it was for, but she remained still regardless.

Then alarms began blaring from the military base. Masquerade cursed. As she ran to get back to where she’d left her hoverboard, she thought of only one name.

“Nagode.”

“Maya,” Nagode responded telepathically. They’d agreed to use his power as a failsafe in case anyone was compromised in the field. “What’s wrong?”

Gunfire erupted in the distance, and Masquerade ran harder, her heartbeat hammering in her ears.

“They know I’m here.”

Last Part

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forabeatofadrum · 1 year ago

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Happy Out of Touch Thursday. I finally watched the 4 hour long plagiarism video. How y'all doing? No one tagged me yesterday, but I had something to share and I also have some musings.

I am a huge Brittana girlie. I'm a big Gay Squad lover.

But man, I am excited to throw in some Dantana for my December Fanworks fic, just to throw myself out of the loop, or whatever it's called.

“How’s Brittany?” An uncomfortable silence follows. What is it with uncomfortable silences this day? “Kurt, Brittany and I broke up,” Santana says solemnly and Kurt’s eyes widen, “And I got a new girlfriend.” “… Woah. What happened?” “So, the person who subleased your room?” Santana starts and Kurt nods. “Dani?” Yes, he’s met her briefly before he moved to Ljubljana. “Yeah, she’s my new girlfriend.”

Anyway, musings! My December Fanworks fic is a direct sequel to last year's Advent Ljubim te and I have dropped some hints that I have thought about this sequel for a while, but it wasn't going well. This is kind of why. Ljubim te wasn't written with a sequel in mind, and I notice it. I suddenly have to think about things I didn't have to care about in the first fic. I completely let out Kurt's friends, for example. They were mentioned, but that was it. Same goes for Blaine's family. They existed off-screen and now I am confronted by the fact that I never had Kurt and Blaine speak to their friends and family (except for Burt) in Ljubim te.

So yeah, that's just sort of on my mind. I suddenly have to think about all these other things. I got away with it in the first fic, because Kurt and Blaine were in Ljubljana, far away from their friends and family. Literally, all connection to America they had was Quinn and Kurt didn't even speak to her for most of the story. But now they're in LA and New York and they have family, friends, classmates, colleagues, etc. Oh my God. I don't want shit to become too messy by adding a lot of more people to the story, but I also feel like I cannot ignore it like I could with Ljubim te.

Especially since I don't want to fall into the same pitfall with Ljubim te, in my eyes, which was "what the FUCK is Kurt doing???"

Because what the FUCK is Kurt doing??? So I actually was quite excited when I got the idea that his friends moved on to other things (or people, like Santana) while he was gone and he feels a bit left out (totallynotwhathappenedtomewhenicamebackfromljubljanawhatdoyoumean), but that entails adding Kurt's friends to an already packed idea, since Blaine and Quinn's whole thing with them coming out etc. is also a huge chunk of the fic. Or at least, that's the plan.

Anyway... that's my musing.

And now, the weather: @quizasvivamos @jinglejavey @coffeegleek @otherworldsivelivedin @caramelcoffeeaddict @sillyunicorn @dragoneggos @raenestee @tectonicduck @nightimedreamersworld @urban-sith @thnxforknowingme @captain-aralias @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @justgleekout @cerriddwenluna @tea-brigade @ivelovedhimthroughworse @bookish-bogwitch @confused-bi-queer @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @1908jmd @special-bc-ur-part-of-it @larkral @cutestkilla @wellbelesbian @artsyunderstudy @martsonmars @facewithoutheart @shrekgogurt @rockitmans @bitbybitwrites @blackberrysummerblog @whatevertheweather @theotherhufflepuff

#tagged in #wip wednesday

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greengargouille · 2 years ago

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A correction on Karasuma’s career

(...And Takaoka’s too I guess)

A fandom wiki can be a fickle thing. Sometimes helpful. Sometimes, straight up misinformation. Some time ago, I woke up in the middle of the night, pondering something about a character’s past that I immediately needed to check- as one is bound to do when they should be asleep. Said character? Karasuma Tadaomi of Assassination Classroom (as some mutuals will have cleverly guessed from the title). ...Except. Something was wrong. I’m not talking about his description as a ‘handsome young man’, because it’s supposed to be true within canon (despite visual evidence to the contrary). I’m talking about facts that are harder to disprove just by a glance- especially since the source isn’t written. “I’m... pretty sure Karasuma never was in the Air Force, that doesn’t sounds right.” “Warrant Officer? ‘According to the manga, Karasuma’s dress during his career-’ where. Which panel is it and where can I compare it to an actual uniform.” “Uh, Takaoka’s profile doesn’t help much more. ‘Takaoka and Karasuma were in the same squad in the military but were in different sections.’ That’s not possible, as a squad is part of a section. And unsourced too.”

So. Even though I don’t participate in the fandom. I had to do something. Edit the wiki? Well I don’t know if I need permission to do that, so no. But, there’s something much easier I can do, one thing I’m pretty used to. Complain about it on Tumblr!

So, I looked up what I could. The official French translation, the English scans. His Graduation Album’s profile just in case, though it was unhelpful. Hunted down his tankobon’s profile, and, bingo, a career path! ...With a few differences from the French translation. Hmm. At this point I would need to look at the raws. Thankfully, I do have Roll Book Time, in paper format, a gift of years ago from my good friend and sweetheart. Unfortunately, I don’t actually read Japanese- but as if that stopped me in the past! By now I’m an expert at painfully looking over radicals to search for accurate kanji on jisho.org, one at a time. It’s long and tedious and in the end I still rely on Google Translate, but at least I’m going somewhere. So, without further ado! Let me show you what I’ve got!

[Alt: Photo of a half page from the Roll Book, describing Karasuma’s career. The text is in Japanese, and illustrated by two panels from the manga. One shows Karasuma in camo uniform training recruits, the other shows him at the start of the manga, presenting himself to the 3-E. ] For those of you who wants to read the Japanese text, but it is too small or the pic isn’t showing, here the transcription:

烏間先生の経歴ファイル

自衛隊入隊

第一空挺団配属

自衛隊の第一空挺団では、他者を寄せ付けない成績を収め、教官としての才能も目覚しかった。

統合情報部ヘ異動

諸外国の軍事、政治情情報などを収集し分析する諜報部員としても活躍。事務能力でも一流だ。

臨時特務部ヘ異動

これらの実績を買われて現在の特務部ヘ。迢破壊生物の暗殺・監��、E組ヘ技術提供に勤しむ。

As for some sort of translation, here’s a little something to get the gist of it, but don’t consider this as a totally accurate translation.

Karasuma-sensei’s background file Enrolled in the Self-defence Forces Assigned to the 1st Airborne Brigade In the SDF’s 1st Airborne Brigade, his talent was unmatched. His talent as an instructor was also remarkable. Transferred to the Defense Intelligence Office He had been active as an intelligence agent who collects and analyses military and political information in other countries. His office ability is also top notch. Temporary transferred to the Special Services Office Due to his past results, he was brought into the Special Affairs Department. He works with the monitoring / assassination of the “destructive creature”, and teaches his technique to Class E.

So, the first point of this. The Japanese Self-defence Force (which I will abbreviate in JSDF) is, like most if not all armies, divided into ground, air and naval forces. You would think the 1st Airborne Brigade is part of the Japan Air SDF, since there’s ‘airborne’ in the name. And you would be wrong! It is part of the Japan Ground SDF, and my, what a part it is. They’re considered among the toughest soldiers of the JGSDF, deserving of their “The Matchless Elite Second To None” motto. While the JSDF are supposedly defensive, as the name said, for legal reasons (they technically can’t call themselves an army because Japan can’t have one), this brigade is considered as one of the few with an offensive capability. Yeah, fitting for Karasuma! (And yes, this means Takaoka has been part of it too. Which... kinda explains why he underestimated Nagisa so much. If you’ve been in an elite troop for years, you can let a scrawny teenager with a knife get closer to you a few steps further, just to prove a point.) Then, we have what the tankobon profile’s translator chooses to translate as “Information Bureau”, but I choose Defense Intelligence Office. You see, the original text was 情報部. Now, Matsui has been known to slightly modify the name of actual places/schools rather than reference the actual thing (dunno if he’s required to do it or it’s a personal choice). And, if you take 部 (office, bureau, department- I prefer ‘office’ since it’s found in the translation for some Ministry of Defense’s extraordinary organs) and add 本 to make 本部 (headquarters), you get 情報本部, which is the Japanese name of the Defense Intelligence Headquarters! Which is still part of the Ministry of Defense, so it makes sense the transfer could be done. (As for Takaoka- The first page of chapter 38 shows us a shadowed Takaoka, with his chief going ‘It’s a hidden ball trick, courtesy of our Information Bureau’. So I guess it’s either a natural advancement career, either he followed Karasuma there, or this guy has the worst of luck.) Finally- Special Services Office- or Division, as per the English scans. But the tankobon profile translation talks about ‘Special Forces’? Well, I can disprove that. The Special Forces Group of JGSDF is 特殊作戦群 in Japanese. Meanwhile, 特務部 is... nowhere close from that, except there’s 特(special) in their names. Furthermore, we do have an 部 again at the end, which implies an office/department/division/etc. Given the explanation in Karasuma’s profile, I would assume this office was created specifically to deal with Korosensei, and various agents were transferred to it temporarily? Notably, Karasuma and Takaoka. --

Now, that solves it for the Air Force misunderstanding. What about Karasuma’s rank, though?The fandom wiki mentions his uniform in the manga. Which turns out to be one panel. It... makes sense, since Karasuma is no longer part of the JSDF, having transferred, and so wouldn’t be able to use a military uniform on important events ; the French translation of Karasuma’s chief’s words in his flashback from chapter 38 even says “After you abandoned your military uniform [...]”. What is this famous panel, then?

...Well, that’s going to be tricky. We don’t have a view of the arms themselves, though he doesn’t seem to have a patch. Then we have the notch lapel insignia, but those meant for rank are put on the upper notch- the lower notch is for the branch of service, from what I gathered in photos. (And I mean, it would be ridiculous as a rank insignia- it seems to have three dots in a triangle, so either a captain or a colonel, can you imagine this, a colonel? A guy in mid-twenties? Ridiculous) What about the shoulders, then? Well. Let me tell you a thing. ...Finding things about Japanese formal dress military uniforms is super annoying. US uniforms? Sure, no problem. French uniforms? If you type in French, sure. Japanese Uniforms? Oh, did you mean WWII Imperial Army uniform? No? You’re sure? Because this is what you will get. Oh, sure, Wikipedia has a page on the ranks and insignia of the JSDF. But it doesn’t seem to account for those formal epaulets, which are only used in ceremonies. But! There’s a silver lining! Typing 陸自儀礼肩章 (JGSDF formal epaulets) in a pic search, we can then click on the ones that interest us and look for the grade. (Though, some of them seem to come from Yahoo Auction, and are unavailable to me). So, on our manga panel, we have three dots on the knot, plus a little one at the end to pin it to the uniform.

Something like this. Now those specific ceremonial shoulder insignia are for a 一等陸佐 (or 1等陸佐), which correspond in the US Army to... uh. Hm. Wait. Let me check. Gotta be a mistake. He can’t be a colonel.

...A bit smaller but that will do. Notice how the knots have one less... wire? Thread? Look, I’ve put way too much energy into this post to start worrying about words. Anyway, the number of stars might be the same, but the whole epaulet is different. And we even have the less formal insignias on the side! Those are for a 1等陸尉, which corresponds to... Captain. ...No, seriously. I mean, you can check on other sources if you want. Wikimedia even has this photo if you don’t believe me.) As for Takaoka (as well as every man present in the panel), it’s small but you can see two stars on his shoulders, so he has the grade just below- 2等陸尉, which corresponds to first lieutenant. But hey, maybe Matsui and his assistants took a random uniform as reference! You know, the anime tends to have interesting background details in the classroom, so maybe they would also have been careful with this!

...Ah, yeah, not really. What about Takaoka?

...Well. Not very helpful either. It does show us he has the service ribbon for the Medal with Blue Ribbon, a Japanese medal of honour awarded to individuals who have made significant achievements in the areas of public welfare or public service. As for the weird infinity sign- this pin badge is likely the same as Karasuma’s in the manga, which is not quite clear on the scan, but I can confirm on the tankobon that it’s the Ranger Courses pin badge. The fact it is golden means he specifically completed the Fuji School one, which is needed to be a course instructor or an officer. ...So, I have no idea where this Warrant Officer rank came from. It would make more sense, but it seems like somehow, Karasuma reached captain rank. Despite being in his mid-twenties (he’s 28 by the time of the manga, which is to say, after he spent time at the Defense Intelligence Office). Seriously, is it too much to ask for a bit of realism in my supersonic giant yellow octopus manga? ...One mystery remains, though. ...Where the hell did Karasuma find the time to get a valid teaching license? Because he does tell Gakuhô he has one early on, and being an instructor for military recruits certainly doesn’t require the same license as to teach middle-schoolers. Did he get a special rush training between the time Korosensei said he would be 3-E’s teacher and whenever chapter 3 happens? Or did he just happen to have one before? He probably entered the JSDF as soon as he got the minimum age, so I can’t see how. Matsui please show us your notes.

#assassination classroom #ansatsu kyoushitsu #assclass #karasuma tadaomi #takaoka akira #long post #...this was originally going to be way longer as I narrate my struggles in searching for information #but I keep pushing back this post because it would take so long to write so. Guess y'all got lucky

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consequencesofargentdawn · 1 year ago

Note

The forums...

Speaking as someone who used to be a moderator for forums and games: man, 90% of the "regulars" in the forums would be slapped with a straight up ban if Blizzard had any type of moderation there.

All of these "haha funny snarky" remarks are off-topic and shouldn't be posted. Most of the oneliners or weird copypastas are downright spam and would be slapped with a silence. Try to post these things in any type of forum and you will be instantly banned or atleast restricted from posting. https://eu.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/sanlayn-not-a-race-confirmed-i-want-an-apology/475071 Pretend to be a moderator to uphold rules of the forums and think to yourself how often you would slap someone with a ban. The first 10 posts following the OP alone would receive a silence for a week for non-sense replies, being off-topic, being a troll or downright spam.

Out of the (currently) 318 replies, I am convinced, 90% are non sense and shouldn't be made.

These people can be lucky that Blizzard doesn't give a hoot about moderation.

Blizzard used to have moderation but now that moderation has been outsourced to the community!

We agree, a good amount of mostly any posts on the AD forums, especially by the 10k trout squad are completely meaningless in value or worth.

Most threads made that are not explicitly guild threads are almost immediately derailed by the terminally online brigades, pcu posters or just pcu socks. The first group so they can continue to farm likes and 'forum trust' because their actual lives are hollow and have little going in them and the latter two in order to keep the official forums 'cleansed' so that their bump squadrons can mindlessly keep the remaining PCU recruitment threads at the top.

We have two former community moderators (from outside of the Warcraft franchise) and they have repeatedly stated the same general points as you have said.

Thankfully from just the editor team here alone we can launch a metaphoric thermonuclear war upon any post we deem inappropriate as the five core editors are more than enough to bury any posts that require removal.

It's just there is so much nonsense that we can't really be bothered to do Blizzard's job for them. But please do direct DMs to us for posts you'd like to see 'ashed' (to use Warscale/Santern's term).

#confessions of argent dawn #argent dawn eu

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bobbo1958 · 1 year ago

Text

God damn was that a battle. We had to have been outnumbered five to one. Our guys were being picked off one after another! Our platoon strength was down to two squads. We surprised a brigade of the Kaisers elite troops and they were taking us out like shooting fish in a barrel. For the moment the two squads had found sanctuary in a particularly dense thicket of woods but we all knew our reprieve would be temporary at best. I was all of twenty two and by attrition, I was now the senior man in what was left of the platoon. For some reason one of the guys had a marking pen on him and converted my corporal’s stripes into an impromptu staff sergeant’s stripes. Every one around saw him doing it and nodded in acceptance of my battlefield promotion. “

“You’re all we got left” PFC Langley said. “We’re all making this up as we go along now, so your guess is as good as ours. What’s our next move?”Langley finished.

“Don’t you think you should ask me that? Immediately behind Langley stood Captain Anderson our Battery Captain. Before anybody could snap to attention or salute, Captain Anderson raised his hand to stop us.

“Don’t you all dare salute here! If any of them Germans are watching us or just happen to see us they’ll know I’m the officer and my life wouldn’t be worth spit” Captain Anderson growled. Captain Anderson looked at the spur of the moment art work on my sleeve and looked me up and down sizing me up.

“What’s your name? Staff Sergeant? He queried.

“Corp…er Staff Sergeant Greg Linzer” I replied.

“Linzer how old are you?”

“Sir, I’m twenty two, sir.”

“OK Linzer, if by some miracle we get out of this we’ll have to get to headquarters and make those extra stripes real. OK?”

“Sir, yes Sir” I said barely concealing a grin.”

Captain Anderson was known to be a capable officer and this wasn’t his first experience in battle either so he was generally trusted by those he commanded. But the fact was that he was an odd duck. Nothing too out there but he was quiet and reserved and if he had a personal life, no one could attest to what it was. He was never known to have visited an officers club anywhere so it was assumed that he didn’t drink. Someone once said something about him having a better than average record in keeping his troops alive and right at the moment that was comforting that we had some odds working for us. And right now being a force of maybe twenty five when we started the day over a hundred, we hoped that Captain Anderson’s mojo or knack or whatever had just enough left in it to get us out of this mess we were in.

“Staff Sergeant Linzer” he began “You are to disseminate new orders to whoever is left. You are to gather information on who’s left and what armament they still have. Then report back to me.”

“Yes sir. What are your orders sir?”

With a gleam in his eyes, and a sudden determined scowl he barked “No one is allowed to die without my express permission.”

Thinking this was just an attempt to build something resembling morale, I nodded in response to him and left to figure out who and what was left.

Fifteen minutes later I had dutifully relayed to twenty six men the captain’s order and found most of them had but a clip or two of ammunition left. A couple had found dead German soldiers and relieved their corpses of their rifles and ammunition. So we weren’t dead yet but we didn’t have much on us to stay that way for very long.

I found Captain Anderson in a secluded thicket close by. He seemed to be talking to someone but I couldn’t see anyone with him. I cleared my throat to alert him to my presence. “Sir, Staff Sergeant Linzer reporting Sir.”

“Very good Linzer. Tell me what we’ve got.”

“Twenty six men sir. We’re a pretty banged up bunch but we can still fight sir. Most have one or two clips of ammo and a couple have German rifles and spare ammo for them.”

“Were my orders delivered to all of them?”

“Yes sir all twenty six. No one is to die without your express permission.”

“That order applies to you too Staff Sergeant.”

“Yes sir. Thank you sir.”

“OK. Here’s what we’re going to do. First you find one man you’re comfortable with that can run like the wind. He’s to be given coordinates for our current position and pointed towards field headquarters. Next the rest of us will, as quietly as possible, follow these tree lines as far back to headquarters as they go and hopefully your runner will have gotten there and relayed our position and sent reinforcements. Next if we are engaged in combat each man is to sparingly use what ammo he has. If he finds any dead soldier on either side he is to take their ammo for themselves if he can do it safely. Lastly if or when a man runs out he is to fix bayonets and continue the fight. Don’t wait for further orders, just do it. Don’t worry, if we’re engaged our escape path will likely be blocked and there will be no other option but to fight.”

“Yes sir” I said nervously.

Since the men had coalesced into a group nearby, relaying the orders was quick and efficient. The runner was chosen and sent on his way.

Looking at Captain Anderson for a signal he waved his hand over his head.

“OK let’s go” I ordered. “Spread out Patrol formation” this would keep the men yards away from one another but still within eyesight of each other. No need for a cheap shot felling a couple of men because they were too close to each other.

We walked for maybe half an hour as quietly as we could and we’re just allowing ourselves to think that we might just get out of this when the telltale whistle of an incoming mortar round ruined any hope of escape.

“Take cover!” I yelled.

The shell landed with a deafening explosion and immediately the world around us was insane. The Germans seemed to be all around us. No escape seemed possible. The men took cover in any depression, behind any log or behind any tree they could find. Captain Anderson’s words about not dieing without his permission seemed silly at the moment and the guys fought as valiantly as they could. One by one I could tell that they were running out of ammo and I could hear the telltale sound of bayonets being fixed to rifles. Captain Anderson somehow appeared next to me. His bayonet already on his expended rifle.

“Anybody dead yet.” He asked

“And disobey direct orders?” I countered in real battlefield humor

“Good. Crawl to as many as you can and tell them to wait for your signal to attack”

“Attack sir!?!” I asked incredulously.

“You want to keep those stripes staff sergeant?”

“Yes”

“Then follow orders”

I got to about twenty of them before hearing German troops searching all around us. Captain’s orders became clear. We would let them draw as close as we dared and then engage them with fixed bayonets. Too close for rifles to be effective. I held my place until I could see troopers virtually on top of me.

I let the closest of them get just past me and shouted “NOW” for all I was worth.

I sprang up behind the startled soldier and stuck my bayonet into his back before he could react. All around me I heard one shot followed by a scream and gurgle as another trooper fell to a bayonet. One by one their numbers diminished as the effectiveness of our attack proved well purposed. As they could a lot of the guys grabbed the German riffles and ammo and began to press the enemy into retreat. Riffle in one hand bayonet in the other.

Screams in German filled the air. Chaos ruled the moment. The German force was confused and without direction. As we were falling earlier in the day, so now were the enemy forces. A sideways turned bayonet thrust between a rib cage here, a random shot there and the Germans abandoned their attack and ran for dear life. A couple of poorly aimed mortar shells exploded way off course and only served to cover their retreat. They had to have thought that there were many more of us because we were clearly outnumbered. But somehow it worked. The last of the enemy combatants were seen leaving the wooded area on a dead run. A couple of pot shots in his direction insured he stayed that way.

Captain Anderson ordered fall in. I guess he wanted to see who was left.

We were incredulous! 25 men, one battlefield promoted staff sergeant and one slightly odd captain stood staring at each other. Bruised, cut, a couple had gunshot wounds in their arms and one leg but we had all made it!

“Sergeant search the area. Let’s see if anyone is still alive out there. Make sure no one’s got a gun next to them.”

I grabbed a couple of guys who looked like they had fared better than the rest and we searched the area. No one was even remotely alive. We gathered as many rifles and ammo we could carry and destroyed the rest. We gathered 3 ammo cans of ammo and the confiscated rifles and ammo was distributed to the group. One guy, who was a veterinarian before the war, was drafted into being our corpsman and he set about dressing the wounds as best he could with next to no supplies.

“OK.” Captain Anderson began. “We’re still in a war zone men. We need to get out of here before they regroup and come back for us. Sergeant let’s go. If you can walk then you walk. Sergeant figure out some kind of liter or something for the man with the leg injury.”

We stripped a couple of dead soldiers of their coats and with them and a couple of tree branches we made a stretcher and carried him out with us. We’re about eight or nine clicks from safety and only half of that would be covered in forest or other cover. The last few miles would have to be traversed in the open. We reached the open area just at dusk and waited for the cover of darkness to attempt to cross the open area.

“Quick time March. We need to get across this area as quickly as possible.” Came Captains orders.

Two clicks. We were two clicks away when a rifle shot from behind blew the captains bars off of Captain Anderson’s left shoulder. Fortunately for us this area had been fought over time and again and there were plenty of fox holes and bomb craters for us to take cover in. We didn’t need orders this time. We shot when we had a good target but otherwise didn’t waste ammo. Our bayonets were ready at our sides should we once again need them. We had abandoned our issued rifles because without ammo they were useless now. Our confiscated German rifles wouldn’t accept our bayonets so they stood ready at our sides.

Huddled in a fox hole with bullets flying all around, the persistent blast of a mortar round exploding nearby, a Quick Look here and there to see if you could get a quick shot off is not the kind of lifestyle that lends itself to a very long life. Captains orders or not. We didn’t have machine guns to lay down suppressing fire or even enough ammo to get off more than a random shot here or there. We were pinned down and this time it wouldn’t be but a few minutes until we were overrun. The foxhole I had dove into contained three of us. With nothing left to do I reminded the other two of Captain’s orders. I was met with condescending half grins and not but a couple of harsh replies. Tracer rounds flying above us attested to the fact that it would be suicide to poke our heads above the rim to see if there was any chance of return fire or escape.

“Boys I don’t know what to say. We’re pretty stuck. If they come do what you can. That’s all I can offer.” Figuring these to be my last orders before the inevitable.

A new sound. Mechanical. Machinery. Coming from our side. Ground vibrating then BOOM shells flying overhead towards the Germans. Machine gun fire, then men jumping over our foxholes running and firing towards the Germans. I looked over the rim. The guy in the makeshift stretcher with the leg wound was being evacuated. I looked around and saw Captain Anderson. He was yelling for us to join in the attack. I sat down for a moment, looked at my comrades and just said, “Captain’s orders, let’s go!” A memorized series of whistle bursts alerted the rest of our men to join the fight. German rifles firing when we could, cutting and slashing when too close for long arms.

The fight lasted the rest of the night into the next morning. We pushed them back beyond the wooded area we had fought in the day before. The Germans were beating a hasty retreat and Captain Anderson found me and ordered a stand down for us.

With odds like these I needed to find a plane to Las Vegas or something. Back at field headquarters Captain ordered us to fall in. Wide eyed and incredulous twenty four men, one staff sergeant and one captain eyed each other. Our runner, Langley, found us and reported to the captain. His jaw dropped when he saw all of us still standing. “Wheres Harold” he asked. “Infirmary with a leg wound. He’ll be ok” reported the captain.

“Well…it’s good to see you men can follow a direct order” Captain Anderson quipped.

Our ragtag group was folded into other ragtag groups and then again and again. I kept my stripes and Captain Andersen was promoted to Major.

Just as all wars go, someone wins, someone looses, or everyone negotiates a way to just stop fighting. This one was no different. At wars end we got into ships or planes or whatever we were assigned to and went home.

That’s when things got weird.

Ten years after that last battle, Langley found enough of us to have a reunion. At a hotel in Dallas Texas twenty six men stood staring at each other. No one had changed. Not one grey hair, not one wrinkle. Silently we hugged each other and our wives stood nervously around wondering what was going on. Captain/Major Anderson was still in the military and couldn’t attend. He sent a message of congratulations to all of us and ended it with “remember my orders. No one dies without my permission.” We all took it with good humor figuring he was just having a laugh at our expense.

The night otherwise went well. Telling our wives of our adventures and renewing old friendships. A great steak dinner and reluctantly the night had to eventually end. We all went home glad to see everyone was well and happy.

As life went on we all found jobs and careers. Families were created and life went on. We all had each other’s addresses and kept in touch regularly. A group letter circulated regularly and everyone contributed to it and sent it on to the next guy. Forty years went by and the letters still came but slowly came farther apart. Another world war came and went and then Korea. A couple had re-enlisted but as far as anyone could tell everyone made it home. Major Anderson seemed to fall off the earth.

Langley found my phone number and called me one day. “What’s up Staff Sergeant?” Came the gleeful voice on the other end of the phone.

“I’m doing well.. no complaints “

“Listen, Harold and I are nearby and we should talk. Any chance you could get away for an hour or so?”

“Sure! I can join you at a diner nearby. Say in about an hour?”

“Perfect, see you there.”

The location of this impromptu meet up was confirmed and I looked forward to seeing my friends shortly.

An hour later I entered that diner and was stunned. There stood a Harold, and Langley. They should have been sixty plus old men but all three of us stood and stared at the twenty somethings in front of us. We found a booth and sat silently. Harold produced an old platoon photo with us in it and simply said “What the hell is going on?” Our images could have been taken yesterday. We hadn’t changed!

“My wife died a year ago. Before she died, if we went out people thought I was her grandson!” “She thought she was going nuts.” Offered Harold

“My wife is in a rest home with dementia. When I come to visit her I get the same thing. They think I’m a grandson or a nephew or something. The one time I offered that I was her husband they wanted to kick me out for suggesting such a thing.” Langley complained.

I had never married. The PTSD I suffered from eventually ended any relationship I had entered into when I inevitably took cover from a car backfire or sought refuge from Fourth of July fireworks or woke up screaming in the middle of the night. But I wasn’t ignorant of the fact that in our sixties, we still looked like we were twenty somethings.

“I don’t know what to say.” I began “you all know our correct ages. We went through hell together and…WE ALL CAME HOME!” A light was beginning to shine in my head. “Look. You all know what we went through way back when. What are the chances that giving what we went through, NONE of us died then, and as far as I know, if the group letter is any indication, none of us has died since!”

Harold and Langley stared at one another. “You can’t mean that crazy order of Captain Anderson’s has anything to do with this…can you?” Started Langley.

“What else makes sense?” I questioned

“He was just trying to keep our spirits up. That’s all “ they said in unison.

“We all knew that Anderson was an odd duck so to speak.”

“Yea but he kept us together and he got us home!”

“Just because he was a loner and didn’t drink doesn’t mean he was some kind of wizard or guru or something.”

“Have any of you gone and had physicals or anything? To see if anything is wrong with us?”

Both confirmed that they had had many physicals over the years and the only thing that had ever come of it was having to correct their records age when their doctors refused to believe their true age.

“I never told anyone this before but that day we were in the Forrest. Langley it was that day you painted extra stripes on my sleeve. I found Captain Anderson in a thicket talking to someone but nobody else was there. He saw me and turned around before I could look any more.”

“So?”

“So it was just after that he gave that crazy order.”

“Are you saying he had help from above or something”

“I don’t know what I’m saying. All I know is what happened.”

We all stared at each other, not knowing what to say.

“I’ll see if I can get ahold of any one else and see if they’re going through the same thing.”

We paid our bill and silently left.

Langley called me periodically and confirmed that all twenty six of us were experiencing the same thing. Some had capitalized on the situation and had married much younger women and had two and even three families over their extended lifetimes. I tried to find Captain Anderson but without much to go on his whereabouts were elusive.

Time went on again and advanced age came and went. More wars where we had to make up some excuse that we were 4F or had deferments or whatever to keep from having to be drafted. Another reunion happened when we were in our nineties but it still looked like some recent high school reunion. We came, silently stared, mumbled under our breath, ate and left. Our wives ran the gamut of old grannies to twenty something’s. And children and grandchildren looked older than their grandfathers.

Eventually all of us began to live secluded lives. Tired of the questions and physicals and the odd picture in the local paper and the questions they started. The century mark came and went quietly for us and we welcomed the anonymity.

Ten more years and all of us had buried at least one wife and kids and grandkids. The anguish from these deaths had more than a few begging for release from whatever this was. Somehow even the couple of attempted suicides didn’t work and all twenty six survived into their hundred and teens.

The group letter turned into a group email and it actually made keeping in touch easier. Someone would send a recent picture that only confirmed that the “curse?” “Blessing” whatever was still in force. I continued to look for Captain Anderson with no luck.

Then it finally happened. Harold DIED! At a hundred and twenty he just suddenly died. An autopsy didn’t find anything wrong, he had just seemed to turn off. Having been a veteran of both world wars he qualified for burial at Arlington National Cemetery. Twenty three of the original twenty five survivors attended the funeral. Harold had no one left. Wives and kids had all passed on. In the absence of any one else to give it to I accepted the flag from the color guard.

I didn’t have anywhere to go, and as far as I knew I had all the time in the world so I kind of hung around Washington D.C. just to take in the sites. Harold’s lawyer found our group email and asked that as many as possible of us, could we attend a reading of his will in two days. We had all stayed close and all twenty five of us indicated we would be there. The appointed time and date came and we all crowded into the lawyers meeting room. The lawyer greeted us with astonishment. He had only handled Harold’s affairs via emails and faxes. He had never actually met him. All twenty five of us confirmed to the lawyer that we were who we said we were and our average age was one hundred and twenty. I was the oldest at one hundred and twenty two.

“It is near impossible for me to believe that you twenty five men are all over a century old when my thirty two year old son looks older than any one of you.” The lawyer confessed. “Never the less, Harold’s will forewarned of this incredible occurrence so I have no choice but to continue.” The lawyer picked up some papers that likely were Harold’s will and began. “In the matter of the estate of Harold Willis. To the band of soldiers it was my honor to serve with a century ago and having no other surviving relatives, I have liquidated my assets and leave to each of you a check representing one twenty fifth of my estate.” The lawyer passed out checks, in the amount of thirty thousand dollars, to each of us.” We all sat silently with our thoughts. Quoting from the will the lawyer continued. “In addition to this money I have one other gift to give you if you want it. I won’t say all the specifics but if you go to the American Cemetery in Normandy France, section J last row in the corner you’ll find what you may be looking for.” Thank you gentleman that’s all the will says.

All of us agreed that we’d charter a flight to France and find out what this cryptic message ment. A week later we were landing in Paris France. We had chartered a bus that would accommodate all of us and headed to Normandy.

The news services the next day were having a field day with what had been found at the American Cemetery in Normandy. Twenty five bodies, all of them very advanced in age, were found lined up as if in formation in a corner of section J of the cemetery. All of them had checks in their pockets for thirty thousand dollars and one way tickets to France from Washington DC. One body, it was speculated may have been some sort of leader to the group was laying at the front of the group. The coroners did their investigations and then the bodies were bagged and removed. The coroners dreaded what was sure to be a lengthy investigation. As the last of them left, one las picture was taken by one of the investigators.

At the top if the picture, a cross headstone had the inscription. Anderson, James West Major US Army WW1 and 2 on the bottom a further inscription read. Orders are rescinded. Rest in peace.

“You’re not allowed to die without my permission!” The Captain had barked the night before the battle. We laughed then. 100 years later, it’s not as funny.

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thechicanedoll · 6 days ago

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‎ ‎

THIS IS HER INNER CIRCLE, HER RACE CREW!

Get a glimpse into the high-speed camaraderie of the Paddock Princess and her family at Oracle Red Bull Racing as well as the fierce rivalries and alliances within the 2025 grid. Ever wonder who's in her corner when the helmets come off?

THE TEAM BEHIND HER SUCCESS, ORACLE RED BULL RACING.

Name: Richard Martin

Date of Birth: 30th of December, 1995

Relation: Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing ‎ ‎

Relationship Description: Richard and Quinton share a very professional but easygoing relationship, often joking around when their time permits. However, they share a very high mutual respect with each other and their passion for the sport is unmatched. It is this very same passion that sometimes leads them to butt heads, especially when it comes to strategies. More often than not though, she follows his calls — not just out of obligation, but out of deep respect for the man guiding her through the chaos of the grid.

Name: Richard Wood

Date of Birth: 6th of January, 1994

Relation: Race Engineer of Oracle Red Bull Racing ‎ ‎

Relationship Description: If there was anyone who knew Quinton the best out of everyone on the team, it would be Richard. He had memorized her driving style, the way she reacts under pressure, and how she hates being pressured into committing to team orders. Their exchanges aren’t always the warmest, but beneath the sharp retorts and occasional attitude, Quinton’s respect for him runs deep. No matter how the race unfolds, he’s always the first person she acknowledges when the helmet comes off—because at the end of the day, she knows she couldn't do it without him.

Name: Sebastian Vettel

Date of Birth: 3rd of July, 1987

Relation: Manager ‎ ‎

Relationship Description: Sebastian was one of the people who saw Quinton’s potential from the very beginning. Without hesitation, he took her under his wing and taught her everything he knew - the ins and outs of the track, paddock etiquette, everything she thought she knew about Formula 1 was well-rewritten by one of the greatest himself. Sebastian has always been one of the people who pushed Quinton to do her very best in everything she does, and he made sure she was the best version of herself in and out of the car.

Name: Max Emilian Verstappen

Date of Birth: 30th of September, 1997

Relation: Teammate at Oracle Red Bull Racing ‎ ‎

Relationship Description: Off the track, Quinton and Max share a dynamic that’s equal parts playful rivalry and genuine camaraderie. Quinton values Max’s criticism, always eager to hear his take on her performance, while Max, in his own way, has a soft spot for her, even if he’d never admit it outright. But the moment they hit the track, all sentimentality is left in the garage. Whether it’d be sprint races, qualifying sessions, or the race itself, there is never a dull moment whenever these two are behind the wheel.

WHERE COMPETITION MEETS CAMARADERIE, THE 2025 GRID.

HER RIDE-OR-DIES: OP81, OB87, GB5, KA12 Her inner circle is made up of four of the most competitive yet chaotic drivers on the grid — Oscar Piastri, Ollie Bearman, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and Gabriel Bortoleto. They’re her best friends, the ones she can always count on, whether it’s for late-night sim races, inside jokes, or making fun of her when she’s being dramatic. Each of them brings a different dynamic to the friendship: Oscar is the dry, sarcastic realist, Ollie is the playful troublemaker, Kimi is the calm peacekeeper, Quinton is the drama queen, and Gabriel is the voice of reason. Together, they form the ultimate paddock squad.

THE BIG BROTHER BRIGADE: JD7, PG10, GR63, IH6, YT22, AA23, CS55 If there’s one thing that’s certain in the paddock, it’s that Quinton has an army of protective older brothers — whether she asked for them or not. These drivers have all taken her under their wing in some way or another, looking out for her both on and off the track. From giving her unsolicited advice to stepping in when things get tough and confusing, they always have her back. Quinton may pretend to roll her eyes at their overprotectiveness, but deep down, she knows she’s lucky to have them.

THE "FATHERS" AWAY FROM HOME: LH44, FA14, NH27 They have always been a source of wisdom and inspiration, reminding her to focus on the bigger picture and never lose sight of who she is. They're often offering sharp but valuable insights about the sport but remain as the cool yet subtly caring presence in the paddock, often giving her no-nonsense advice and making sure she stays grounded — kind of like what fathers do.

THE ON-TRACK NEMESES: EO31, LS18 Not everyone on the grid is in her corner, at least not when the visors come down. There are two drivers she just does not get along with on track. Whether it’s aggressive overtakes, hard racing, or a few too many near-misses, there’s always tension when they’re fighting for position. But while things can get heated between them during a race, once they’re back in the paddock, it’s a different story — there’s no personal grudge, at least on her end.

‎ ‎

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salvia-plathitudes · 12 days ago

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Israel News

The incident took place in Gaza City, in the neighborhood of Zaytoun, in May. According to soldiers who interviewed for the report, the elderly man was forced to inspect neighborhood houses for booby traps, even though he needed a cane to walk.

The soldiers, from the Nahal infantry brigade, spotted the man and his elderly wife in a house in Zaytoun.

"They said that they did not have anywhere to go, and that they were not able to evacuate to Khan Yunis" in the southern Gaza Strip, one of the soldiers said. "The man walked with a cane, and they said that they just could not walk all the way there," he added.

At that point, the squad's commanders decided to leave the woman under supervision in the house, while the man was forced to march in front of the IDF forces, with his cane.

"He entered each house before us, so that if there was a booby trap or a terrorist – then the device would be activated by him, not by us," said a soldier who witnessed the incident.

"The officer tied the [IED] command-wire to the elderly man's neck, so that he would not run away," another soldier said.

After the man was commanded to inspect houses with the squad for eight whole hours, the couple was ordered to evacuate south, to an area dubbed as a humanitarian zone. However, the soldiers said that they didn't update other IDF forces in the vicinity that the couple was about to head south.

"After 100 meters, the other battalion saw them and shot them on the spot. They died like that, on the street," one of the soldiers said.

The IDF said in response that it has yet to hear of the incident. "If more details surface, then another inspection will be undertaken," they said.

Jerusalem (CNN) —

It was so common in the Israeli military that it had a name: “mosquito protocol.”

The exact scale and scope of the practice by the Israeli military is not known. But the testimony of both the soldier and five civilians shows that it was widespread across the territory: in northern Gaza, Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Rafah.

The soldier explained that, at first, his unit, which at the time was in northern Gaza, used standardized procedures before entering a suspect building: sending in a dog or punching a hole through its side with a tank shell or an armored bulldozer.

A photo shared by Breaking the Silence, an organization that provides a forum for Israeli soldiers to speak out and verifies their testimony, showing a soldier guarding a Palestinian prisoner with their hands bound. Image blurred at source.

But one day this spring, the soldier said an intelligence officer showed up with two Palestinian detainees – a 16-year-old boy and 20-year-old man – and told the troops to use them as human shields before entering buildings. The intelligence officer claimed they were connected to Hamas.

When he questioned the practice, the soldier said one of his commanders told him, “‘It’s better that the Palestinian will explode and not our soldiers.’”

“It’s quite shocking, but after a few months in Gaza you [tend not to] think clearly,” the soldier said. “You’re just tired. Obviously, I prefer that my soldiers live. But, you know, that’s not how the world works.”

The soldier said that he and his comrades refused to carry on with the practice after two days and confronted their senior commander about it. Their commander, who first told them not to “think about international law,” saying that their own lives were “more important,” ultimately relented, releasing the two Palestinians, the soldier said.

The fact that they were released, he said, made it clear to him that they had no affiliation with Hamas, “that they are not terrorists.”

CNN was connected with the soldier by Breaking the Silence, an organization that provides a forum for Israeli soldiers to speak out and verifies their testimony.

In a statement, the Israeli military told CNN: “The IDF’s directives and guidelines strictly prohibit the use of detained Gaza civilians for military operations. The relevant protocols and instructions are routinely clarified to soldiers in the field during the conflict.”

International law forbids the use of civilians to shield military activity, or to forcibly involve civilians in military operations. The Israeli Supreme Court explicitly banned the practice in 2005, after rights groups filed a complaint about the military’s use of Palestinian civilians to knock on the doors of suspected militants in the West Bank. Justice Aharon Barak at the time called the practice “cruel and barbaric.”

Israel has long accused Hamas of using civilians in Gaza as human shields, embedding military infrastructure in civilian areas – allegations Hamas has denied. There is ample evidence for it: weapons located inside homes, tunnels dug beneath residential neighborhoods and rockets fired from those same neighborhoods in the densely packed territory.

The Israeli military frequently cites those practices in blaming Hamas for the extraordinary civilian death toll in Gaza, where Israel has dropped bombs on those same residential areas. Israeli attacks have killed more than 42,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October last year, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The United Nations says that most of the dead are civilians.

#free palestine #human shields #there could be so many more relevant testimonies added to the post but it’s obviously quite long

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laresearchette · 2 months ago

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Wednesday, January 01, 2025 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES? HOMICIDE SQUAD NEW ORLEANS (A&E Canada) 10:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT?: 2024 ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY (ABC Feed)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA THE 13TH CHAIR ACT OF VENGEANCE AFRICAN JIM THE AMBULANCE AMITYVILLE ANTI-TRUST THE APPLE ARENA AT FIRST SIGHT AUTUMN IN NEW YORK AVENGING FORCE BAD INFLUENCE BEAT STREET THE BELIEVERS BELLE OF THE YUKON THE BELLY OF AN ARCHITECT BENNY & JOON THE BERLIN AFFAIR BILLION DOLLAR BRAIN BOBBIE JO AND THE OUTLAW BOLERO BULL DURHAM CANADIAN BACON CAST A LONG SHADOW CAST A GIANT SHADOW CATTLE ANNIE AND LITTLE BRITCHES THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE CLUB FED THE COCA-COLA KID CODE 46 A COLD WIND IN AUGUST COLD PURSUIT COP CRIMEWAVE THE CUTTING EDGE THE CUTTING EDGE: CHASING THE DREAM THE CUTTING EDGE: GOING FOR THE GOLD CUTTING EDGE 4: FIRE AND ICE DANGEROUS GAME DEADLY INTENT DEJA VU THE DEFIANT ONES THE DELINQUENTS DILLINGER DOOMED TO DIE THE DUNGEONMASTER ELECTRA GLIDE IN BLUE EUREKA EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THE EXPLOSIVE GENERATION EYE OF THE TIGER FAITH, LOVE & PANCAKES THE FINAL ALLIANCE THE FINAL OPTION FLYING DEVILS FOR THOSE WHO THINK YOUNG FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL FROM HOLLYWOOD TO DEADWOOD GAS PUMP GIRLS THE GOLDEN SEAL THE GREAT DIVIDE GUN DUEL IN DURANGO A GUY THING THE HAPPY THIEVES HEARTBREAKERS THE HEAVENLY KID HELL DRIVERS THE HUNTING PARTY IN THE HEAT: A MATTER OF JUSTICE IN THE HEAT: GROW OLD ALONG WITH ME IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT: BY DUTY BOUND IN THE HEAT: GIVE ME YOUR LIFE IN THE HEAT: WHO WAS GELI BENDL? INGEBRIGTSEN BORN TO RUN [EXCLUSIVE CONTENT] INSIDE THE MAFIA INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU INVASION OF THE STAR CREATURES JACK HIGGINS’ A PRAYER FOR THE DYING THE JANUARY MAN KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL THE KILLER ELITE LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER LARS AND THE REAL GIRL LIES MY BABYSITTER TOLD THE LONGSHOT LOVE OR MONEY? LOVE FIELD MADAME X MAN OF LA MANCHA THE MAN WHO LOVED WOMEN MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS MARIANNE MARY MAGDALENE MATEWAN MIDWAY MILLION DOLLAR RIP OFF MOONLIGHT AND VALENTINO MOONSTRUCK MR. WONG, DETECTIVE MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND MYSTIC PIZZA THE NAKED CAGE NEW YEAR’S EVIL NICHOLAS NICKLEBY NIGHTMARE PAGEANT MOMS THE O.C. (Seasons 1-4) THE OCTAGON OPERATION BIKINI OUR WINNING SEASON OVERBOARD THE PACKAGE PARIS BLUES PATHS OF GLORY PATTY HEARST THE PEOPLE THAT TIME FORGOT PIONEER WOMAN PLAYMOBIL: THE MOVIE THE POPE OF GREENWICH VILLAGE PRANCER THE PRICE PUMPKIN PWHL: Ottawa vs Toronto RETURN TO ME RIDE OUT FOR REVENGE RIOT ON SUNSET STRIP ROBBERS’ ROOSTVALERIE ROMEO IS BLEEDING SABAKA SAVED! THE SECRET OF SANTA VITTORIA THE SECRET OF THE ICE CAVE SERENITY SHE-DEVIL SHOUT AT THE DEVIL SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION SMALL CHANGE SNOW WHITE SOLARBABIES SOME LIKE IT HOT SOMETHING WILD SPACE PROBE TAURUS THE SPEEDWAY MURDERS STOOGEMANIA SUITS (Seasons 1-9) THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR SURPRISED BY OXFORD TEEN WITCH TEEN SPIRIT THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR THREE BAD SISTERS THUNDERBOLT TOM SAWYER TRUE CONFESSIONS UNDERTOW THE UNHOLY NIGHT UNTAMED HEART VALDEZ IS COMING THE VALIANT VALMONT WALKING TARGET WARRIORS FROM HELL WE’LL NEVER HAVE PARIS WEDDING DAZE WEST SIDE STORY THE WHALES OF AUGUST WHISPERS WHO’LL STOP THE RAIN? WICKER PARK PHANTOM KILLER THE WOMAN IN RED WUTHERING HEIGHTS YENTL

CBC GEM CATASTROPHE (Season 3) THE HOLIDAY JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE JUSTIFIED (Season 1 and 2) SNOWPIERCER

CRAVE TV VOYAGERS UNSUNG HERO

DISNEY + STAR VOW OF SILENCE: THE ASSASSINATION OF ANNIE MAE (all episodes)

NETFLIX CANADA DON’T DIE: THE MAN WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER THE EQUALIZER 2 HALLOWEEN ENDS THE INTERVIEW THE LOVE SCAM (IT) MAID IN MANHATTAN MISSING YOU (GB) MY GIRL NEIGHBORS NUMER 24 (NO) SCHITT’S CREEK (Seasons 1-3) THE SHALLOWS TAR TICKET TO PARADISE THE WEDDING RINGER

NHL HOCKEY (SN) 6:00pm: Devils vs. Kings

NBA BASKETBALL (SN1) 7:30pm: Jazz vs. Knicks (TSN4/TSN5) 7:30pm: Nets vs. Raptors (TSN5) 10:00pm: 76ers vs. Kings

THE REPAIR SHOP (Makeful) 8:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Lucia restores a cracked 19th-century painting that was a casualty of war; Steven sews up a fix for a tiny stitching machine at the workbench; Brian restores some cool '50s audio technology.

MORIMOTO'S SUSHI MASTER (Flavour Network) 9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Eight competing chefs meet judges Masaharu Morimoto, Dakota Weiss and J. Kenji López-Alt; they'll need to prove their mastery of fundamental sushi skills in the first challenge, because one chef will be eliminated.

GIRLS GONE WILD: THE UNTOLD STORY (Lifetime Canada) 9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Joe Francis seizes an opportunity to build a new kind of porn company; it quickly becomes a runaway hit and makes Francis a celebrity, but behind the success are questionable business practices and lasting impacts for the women involved.

100 DAY DREAM HOME (Home Network) 9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Soon-to-be newlyweds are ready to make their first big joint decision about building a home; Brian and Mika help the couple decide on their dream home's location, size and style, promising to deliver the finished home in just 100 days.

EAT, SLAY, LOVE (Slice) 9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Nivea invites friends Eva Marcille, Tammy Rivera and London Hughes on the girls' trip of a lifetime to Vietnam; the ladies arrive in Hanoi ready to eat, slay and love, but cultures clash and an unexpected blowup jeopardizes the entire trip.

THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (CTV Sci-Fi) 9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Helen Grace and her children move to their ancestral home, Spiderwick; Jared Grace, 15, discovers a boggart and realizes that magical creatures are real; Aunt Lucinda implores him to find the pages of her father's field guide to magical creatures.

SUPERMAN & LOIS (CTV) 10:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Superman becomes locked in a brutal battle with Luthor's monster; Lois and the boys race against time to save General Lane.

BARMAGEDDON (Slice) 10:15pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Blake Shelton vs. Kane Brown: Country superstars Blake Shelton and Kane Brown realize that everybody "Sharts."

#cdntv #cancon #canadian tv #canadian tv listings #nhl hockey #nba basketball

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news365timesindia · 4 months ago

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[ad_1] East Bengal fans and team after Mohammedan Clash (PC: X) Nine-man East Bengal put up a memorable fight for their fans and secured a 0-0 draw against arch-rivals Mohammedan Sporting. This draw earned them their first point of the ISL season, but it was the players’ determined fight that made headlines. Despite the positives, there are a few areas where East Bengal could get better. Here are the key talking points: Nandhakumar Sekar and Naorem Mahesh Singh’s immaturity Both wingers, Nandhakumar Sekar and Mahesh Singh, are key players for the Red and Gold brigade. However, their actions, made in frustration, were unacceptable. In the 28th minute, Nandhakumar received a straight red card for swinging his arm at Amarjit Singh’s face. Frustrated with the call, Mahesh, who was already on a yellow card, kicked a water bottle in anger, earning himself a second yellow. This left East Bengal down to nine players and put the whole team in a tough spot. In the post-match press conference, Coach Bruzon made it clear that he was disappointed with their actions and promised disciplinary measures. He said: “Mahesh is a very important player for us, a captain. But I can openly say that the team needs much more from Mahesh. “His recent performances are not the ones that he was having in former seasons or beginning of the season. The player that everybody is expecting, is not the Mahesh we are getting in reality. Two particular actions from my players for the red card are not okay, and with our players, we are going to take disciplinary actions because we are not happy.” Fans and their unwavering support With 10 minutes of extra time added, East Bengal’s nine players stood tall, giving everything for over 70 minutes to defend and secure their first clean-sheet of the ISL season. During this period, the fans were fully behind them, showing the true power of the “12th man”! They raised their voices, chanting and supporting each player. Although the crowd showed their displeasure with the referee—bursting firecrackers at one point—several announcements were made to calm things down. After the final whistle, all East Bengal players and staff applauded the fans, acknowledging their unwavering support. For the Latest Sports News: Click Here East Bengal Head Coach Oscar Bruzon in the post-match press conference (PC: Snehasis Mukherjee) Oscar Bruzon’s charisma The first question in the post-match press conference was about the pep talk Bruzon gave the players before the second half. In response, he emphasised the mindset of keeping a solid, compact defence. The Spaniard also shared that his players “fought like tigers” and, even with only nine men on the field, their only goal was to win. This is why they seized every chance to launch counter-attacks. Bruzon noted that his players are starting to understand his messages, which is a positive sign for the future. He also said that he is not used to losing matches, reminding everyone of his past record. With a confident smile, the way the East Bengal coach spoke after the game showed the mentality that is being built within this Red and Gold squad. Improvement of team’s fitness Since the season began, East Bengal players have often been seen as lacking in fitness. After joining the club, Bruzon also highlighted this issue, saying improvements were needed. In the three AFC Challenge Cup matches, progress was clear, especially with how they performed at a high altitude in Bhutan. Yesterday, they proved that their fitness no longer needs to be questioned. For over 70 minutes, all nine players fought hard—without top fitness, this would have been impossible. Apart from forward Dimitrios Diamantakos, the other eight players ran up and down the field together, working as a unit to prevent the ‘Black Panthers’ from scoring. East Bengal vs Mohammedan SC in the ISL (PC: East Bengal/X) Commitment of foreign players After losing their first six ISL matches, former players, legends, and many fans questioned the commitment of the current foreign players.

These players are paid large sums of money, yet fans felt their efforts were lacking. Many said that there was a clear lack of intensity and passion to play for the historic badge. However, after yesterday’s match, fans might find it hard to question the players’ commitment. Whether it was Diamantakos, Madih Talal, Saul Crespo, or Hijazi Maher, they all gave their best for the team. Maher, who has faced heavy criticism for his performances, showed true leadership with some vital tackles and clearances. Diamantakos, despite limited opportunities, used his speed and strength to trouble Mohammedan’s defenders. Midway through the second half, Bruzon tried to substitute Talal, but the French midfielder signalled that he would stay on longer to help the team. This showed his passion and urgency to support the team in a challenging situation. Crespo, as always, played with calmness and composure, acting as a connecting piece between the defensive and offensive halves. Missed chances, not capitalising on the numerical advantage – frustrating night for Md. Sporting Surprisingly, Mohammedan Sporting started the game stronger than their opponents. When East Bengal was reduced to nine men, every Md. Sporting fan expected their team to capitalise on the numerical advantage. However, they struggled to penetrate the final third throughout the match, squandering key opportunities to take the lead. East Bengal’s goalkeeper, Prabhsukhan Gill, also made some crucial saves. In the post-match press conference, coach Andrey Chernyshov expressed disappointment, stating they should have won against nine men and were dissatisfied with the result. He voiced frustration over mistakes in final passes and shots on goal. Several club officials also commented on the lack of quality forwards, highlighting the upcoming January transfer window as a crucial period to strengthen the attack. Nonetheless, they praised East Bengal’s head coach, Bruzon, for his effective tactics to thwart their attacks, despite being down to nine men. Hence, this performance was a testament to East Bengal’s resilience and fighting spirit. With growing support from fans and improvements on the pitch, the team looks to build momentum for the rest of the season. While ‘Black Panthers’ will aim to resolve their goal scoring issues swiftly to get their season back on track. Also Read: Down to nine men for over an hour, East Bengal salvages 0-0 Draw Against Mohammedan Sporting The post Grit, Fan power and Bruzon’s Pep Talk: Key takeaways from East Bengal holding Mohammedan Sporting to Draw appeared first on Sports News Portal | Latest Sports Articles | Revsports. [ad_2] Source link

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news365times · 4 months ago

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