#They suffered and accident. They tried to kill themselves. They are very sick. Their sibling or parent died. And you knew these people

[longagoitwastuesday]

Going through the Utahim.e tag had me checking several times if at some point I had clicked on the G.ojo/Utahim.e one instead

[e-vasong]

Leverage AU ideas

Submission (Hey, it looked like tumblr sent this to me under your real name, so I’m not gonna say who submitted it just in case that was an accident, but @ submitter if you want credit feel free to hit me up with a URL or something, or reblog this and @ me or whatever!):

 Idrk how tumblr works but, for your leverage au: Vanya is Reggie’s real daughter which is why she has the violin but she was neglected bc reggie was obsessed with the others. The others are jealous of Vanya for her normal life/being Reggie’s real kid.

Eventually however she comes to the for help (probably bc of Lenard) and she helps them and they become a real family.

Maybe at some point she gets infected with a bio weapon that could kill everyone (maybe lenard tries to sell it to the commission) or learns dangerous information and they all have to save Vanya!

Oh God.  (Presuming these are about the Reginald-As-Archie-Raises-The-Kids-As-Criminals AU.)  These are so good.

The others are all homeless kids or kids from the system that Reggie plucked out and adopted because he saw tendencies in them that he believed, with training, could make them the best team of criminals around.

And this all translates so well to the canon dynamic where Vanya/the rest of the family both don’t really process the abuse endured by the other party.

Reginald neglects Vanya in favor of the others; tells them they have potential.  And when Vanya asks to join in on the lessons he tells her that she has no talent at all.  He tells her again and again how he chose the others, and the implication is clear.  That if it had been up to him, he never would have chosen her at all.

Meanwhile, the others are jealous of Vanya, Reginald’s biological kid.  They’re always aware, on some level, that he only took them in because he thought they might be useful--that it was money and power that brought them into his care, as if he’d bought them.  That he could always just...put them back, in a way they feel he can’t do with Vanya.  They look at Vanya, who spends her days practicing the violin and studying normal school subjects while they have to devote their days to things like disabling laser grids, swindling people out of their funds, and getting beaten into the ground in martial arts training, and they’re--they’re jealous.  Of course they are, even if they don’t know it.

It takes them a long time (though not as long as in canon, I think) to realize they never should have blamed each other.  It was always their father.

Instead of writing a tell-all book, Vanya turns over a bunch of information to the FBI.  Their father gets arrested, a handful of the siblings get their covers blown on an important job and almost get killed by the mark’s henchman.  It’s a shitshow all around.  Their dad’s the only one to go to jail, though before he serves any real time a sniper takes him out through a courthouse window.  They can’t figure out who did it; the mystery haunts them all for years.  The others don’t get caught, but they’re still furious that Vanya almost got them killed.

(And later, much later, Vanya will join up with her family to run a con.  Some of them haven’t let go of their suspicion and hurt yet.  She doesn’t quite blame them, but it still stings.  But here’s the thing.  There are always people out there looking to exploit weakness.  And Vanya will argue with her siblings.  Diego will snap: don’t pretend like you care, you almost got us killed!

And Harold Jenkins will be waiting.  Once a young homeless thief and grifter himself, Harold heard of Reginald Hargreeves collecting prodigious young criminals off the street and begged, begged Hargreeves to take him in.  Hargreeves had sniffed, shouldered the child out of the way.  If you really had any talent, Hargreeves had said, you would have conned me into it.

But Reginald Hargreeves’ vision had always been flawed.  Harold is no perfect criminal, but he’s a dangerous one.  And when Vanya storms out of the team’s homebase in the torrential rain, Harold pops his hood up, plasters the gentle, personable smile of Leonard Peabody onto his face, and sets his con into motion.)

They all split ways for a while, the way I described in my other post.  Allison keeps grifting.  Falls in love with a mark, Patrick, at one point.  It ends badly.  Ben and Klaus are a hacker/thief duo, except Ben has more scruples about who they victimize than Klaus, and it makes things tense as hell between them sometimes.  Diego is working as a ‘retrieval specialist’ with an intense moral code and a willingness to turn on anyone that hires him if they prove themselves shitty enough.  Luther gets out of the life and goes to live in the same apartment complex as Vanya.  They end up staying close the whole time, with Vanya giving music lessons out of her apartment and Luther teaching martial arts classes.

And then they all get a missive.  An invitation, a promise of a job.  Luther almost throws it away, but Vanya stops him.  We should check it out, she says.  And so they do.  And there they find all the others: Diego, Allison, Klaus, and Ben.

And Five.  Five, the brother they’ve long thought dead.  He looks tired.  And after he fields their frantic embraces, their questions, and even lets them cry on him a bit (though he doesn’t look very happy about it), he leans back, and he tells them he has a job to offer them all.

He gets a chorus of rejections almost immediately.  Vanya presumes she isn’t invited.  Luther says he’s out of the game, and Allison says she’s trying to get out.  Diego mainly seems skeptical that Five has anything worth offering.  Klaus wants to go back to his apartment and not take jobs that are like, hard, or anything.  Low risk only, please.  Come on, Ben, let’s go.

Ben shoots Klaus a furious glare.  Actually, he says.  I can make my own decisions, Klaus.  I want to hear what Five has to say.

Five has to repress a grin. Ben has always been Five’s favorite brother.

Five puts a manila folder on the table.  His siblings pick it up, start passing it around.  It’s not long before they’re frowning, clearly distressed by what they’re reading.

“His name is James Moore,” Five says.  “He’s seven years old.  He has a rare blood disease, but there’s a new experimental treatment that his doctors believe could save his life.  His insurance company is refusing to pay for his treatment; they keep forcing the family to jump through loopholes.  It’s a, uh, company policy that they didn’t include in the contract.  Stall paying for treatment until it’s too late.  Commit a moral atrocity, let innocents die, profit.  Y’know how it goes.  Age old story, really.”

“I don’t con sick people,” Diego says, and Five rolls his eyes.

“Good, because that’s not what I’m suggesting.”

“The insurance company?” Allison catches on first.  Ben follows suit, eyebrows shooting up as he realizes what Five is saying.  “You’re suggesting we con Perseus Insurance?  Owned by one of the most powerful men in the world?  That Perseus Insurance?”

Five leans forward, rests his elbows on his knees.  He’s planned this speech.  He has a plan to take down the Commission, but it involves moving a lot of pieces very, very slowly.  And if he can take down some other bad people along the way?  Good.  But he needs a team he can trust.  He needs his family, which means this pitch needs to work.  

“The rich and powerful take what they want,” Five says slowly.  “Right now, James and his family,” he gestures to the Moore file, “are suffering under an enormous weight.  I’m suggesting that we provide...leverage.”

[cptcrooktail-blog]

#15: Plateau

((BIG content warning for: character narrating their experience of depression, allusions to suicidal ideation, and a bunch of self destructive language. Please look after yourselves before reading. And please: remember that Jess is not a reliable narrator here. Do not fall into Jess' trap. It's never too late to heal. Please reach out to someone if you feel any of these things; you are loved and wanted by someone and you deserve to feel okay.)) There was a point after which everything held steady. When life would ground at last to a blissful halt. When nothing literally could get worse- and that was a relief all its own. Climbing to heights of joy was one thing- but it always came with the promise of a fall, soon to come. And as they said, perhaps it wasn't the fall that killed you: it was the sudden stop. Her grandmother had lost the fight to this terrible melancholy. Her sire had disappeared from her and her siblings lives numerous times to fight monsters and demons in her mind, as much as the beasts of the sea. Her elder sister had very nearly done the same, losing herself to vice and drink early in life, to the point where their mother had cast her into the street like a dog. Oh, what a delightful family, they were though, weren't they? And that was the worst part- seeing it happen again and again, to people she cared about. Hurting the people that *they* cared about. How could they do it? How could they stand it, living with themselves? Knowing that their healthiest was staying as close to even tempered and neutral as possible- that all else, Highs and lows alike, would put the people around them under such strain? Why could they not see that the answer was not to have people around them at all, to save them from the inevitable flotsam when their dreadful existence would finally wreck itself upon life's treacherous, rocky shallows? Jess had vowed from too young an age that her life would be lead in solitude. To protect herself- and prevent this sickness from carrying on down the generations. When she realized that her sisters were as cursed as their foremothers, that all felt the same pain, the fears, the destructive, seductive voices of evil in their heads? The decision she made seemed the only fair one to make. And then she became an aunt, several times over. Her heart grew bitter with each new kitten that Jahnat's crowded belly had spat out- but at the very least, her sisters had the excuse that these continued injustices of creating more children doomed to the curse were *accidents*. Just happenstance. They might have tried harder, she thought, not to ruin perfectly good souls with their tainted bloodline- but she could hold her tongue, and try to ignore it. Jahnat, most guilty of all with six kittens already at thirty-two, seemed neither to understand, nor to care, nor did she seem to notice that they were susceptible to the sickness at all! She was always so, so *chipper*, and if Jess was quite honest with herself, it made her sick. It can't possibly have been real. But even for this, she could glower, but try to move on. But now? Now she was truly livid- for even the most affected, most wretched of her still living siblings was about to be wed. Defying all assumptions and odds for literally decades, Jack, of *all* people, had found love and companionship. A family to fit into. And worst of all, from their union, another descendant would be brought into the world. Jess loathed her for this, privately. Not for jealousy, heavens forfend- it was a cold disdain. She had thought, of all of their brood, that Jack would *understand*. They had talked of this when they were young! Jack had supported her, when she had made her vow, and had parts of herself removed just to be sure that it would never happen. That no one would have to feel what she felt, because of her. Yet on the sun before Jack's stag party, that smug, crooked old salt had come to *her workshop* in Moraby Bay to ask for her blessing, to join her and their sea wolf mother, their grandsire, and a load of Maelstrom cronies to drink to her *future.* Jess could taste bile already, before she even opened her mouth to speak. They *had* no future. It was the sad inevitably of a static, unwanted existence, and she had *thought* Jack knew better than this trivial, utter bullshite. Jess explained, gesturing around the nearly pristine workstation, that there was just too much work to be doing here for her to lose a week's progress to a night of drunken excess. That she wished Jack *well*, as well could be, and would see her at the wedding if nothing else came up. She felt her throat tighten at the pained look on Jack's face. Of all their brood, Jack and Jess had understood one another the most. But right now- what Jack was doing with her equally miserable existence felt like yet another betrayal. How could Jack not see the writing on the wall? How could she allow herself to live in this delusion of healing and peace? How arrogant- how inconsiderate she was being, involving a sweet girl like that young Captain and her boy in their endless, ceaseless torment- and worse! To bring an innocent, unborn child into it, deliberately, knowing the risk! She could not stand by it, support it, or *ever* forget that Jack was the one person on this doomed star that once understood how utterly pointless this charade was. She had lost, to sentiment and carnal distraction, her only confidante to the inevitable march towards mediocrity- of hiding from the truth within the trappings of domestic and material life. It was a dangerous lie, to be sure- and for Jack's selfish need to be loved, or held, or whatever *else*, she had doomed another life to this suffering. Jess would have ground her teeth, if she hadn't already worn them down over the last twenty years. Jack's expression grew similarly hollow to mirror her own, and a twinge of guilt crept into the shipwright's heart, but she held her head up high and didn't let it reach her face- as watching Storm had taught her. She didn't look away when Jack said her dues and turned to leave, and she didn't call out to her. She did not, and would not apologise. If she felt any regret now, it was too well folded in with the rest of her daily torment. It was all one, these days. She had always been a useless daughter, a dour co-worker, a terrible friend- a cruel sister wasn't too much further to fall. Eventually, if she fell far enough, there wouldn't be anywhere lower to go, and she might reach that blissful relief of a flat, straight line.

[jjillekkot]

General

Name: Yuffie Kisaragi Alias(es): Yuff&Stuff, Yufi, White Rose, Treasure Princess. Gender: Female. Age: 22 in default, various ages in compilation. Date of birth: 20 Nov. Occupation: Princess, thief, ninja, cat daddy’s best friend && neighborhood brat.

Appearance

Eye color: A milk chocolate to warm hazelnut brown, save for when she’s in the midst of spirits && the supernatural. At those times, locals say her eyes reflect hues of amber and aqua alike, the reflections of Da Chao && Leviathan themselves. Hair color: Very dark brown.  Height: 5′2″ and she’s proud of it! Do you know how many places she can fit into with that kind of size? Only regrets it when she’s constantly teased about it. Scars: They’ve dulled && healed over time, but there’s evidence on her wrists and inner thighs from falls && friction alike. Burns: She used to have one at the nape of her neck from a childhood accident, but it’s hidden by her hair now. Overweight: Has never been an issue. Though considering how Rufus && Tifa feed her... Underweight: Has suffered from malnourishment through most of her adolesence && teenage years, still quite small considering her physique and skill set.

Favorite

Color: Nature-based colors like greens, browns, && blues. Hair color: The bright ones catch her eye: blond, red, silver. She’d never change her own, but she’s interested. Eye color: Mako eyes were always interesting.  Song: Junon’s pretty cheerful sounding, don’t you think? Movie: She watches whatever @adventhero subjects her to. TV Show:  Again, leaving that up to @adventhero. Food: Simple, without too many complex flavors. The fresher it tastes, the more impressed she is. Drink: Fruit-infused water && tea.  Book: Ha! Yuffie’s terrible at studying. But she tries hard for @ivory-paragon ‘s sake.

Have they…

Passed university: As if. But she’s got of incredible tutors, so it works out quite well.  Had sex: She’s no scrub. Had sex in public: It’s happened before, but not a personal preference. Gotten pregnant: HA. Kissed a boy: //clicks tongue Kissed a girl: //winks at @axgmented Gotten tattoos: Nope. Gotten piercings: She’s a weenie. Had a broken heart: She tries not to get that attached.  Been in love: We don’t use that word. Stayed up for more than 24 hours: A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.

Are they…

A virgin: Back in Crisis Core-era, yeah. A kisser: //casually applies chapstick like a babe. Scared easily: @kunselxknows as a spoopy ghost is kind of creepy when it’s not funny. Jealous easily: Not easily. Trustworthy: If she considers you worthy of respect. Everything’s about her gain. Dominant: She’s got some traits. She can be quite alpha-female. Submissive: Follow the leader isn’t a bad game. In love: We don’t use that word. Single: In the whole not married yet sense, yes. ( can feel everyone squinting at @ivory-paragon tho )

Random questions

Have they harmed themselves: Yikes. Yes. Thought of suicide: Yikes. Attempted suicide: Super yikes. Wanted to kill someone: This is a pretty dark place for Yuffie. But it exists. Drove a car: Hahaha. No. We have drivers for that. And she hates most rides. That whole motion sickness thing. Have/had a job: That princess gig keeps her pretty busy. Have any fears: Quite a few nightmares.

Family

Siblings: Could you imagine her sharing the glory? Nah. Parents: Lord Godo. What a mess of a man. We don’t talk about Kasumi. Children: HA. 

tagged by: @backwaterheroics ( kinda?? i have a shirt on rn ) && kinda close to what @thecxmmissioner && @kyouminaine tagged me in. tagging: @gongagan-soldier @tsengofshinra @underplater @synxrgist && whoever else that’s interested?

[veale2006-blog]

Life of John F. Kennedy

Growing Up in the Kennedy Family Happy Birthday JFK Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, who was a very disciplined and organized woman, made the following entry on a note card, when her second child was born:

John Fitzgerald Kennedy Born Brookline, Mass. (83 Beals Street) May 29, 1917

The eight Kennedy children, Hyannis Port, 1928 In all, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy would have nine children, four boys and five girls. She kept note cards for each of them in a small wooden file box and made a point of writing down everything from a doctor’s visit to the shoe size they had at a particular age. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was named in honor of Rose’s father, John Francis Fitzgerald, the Boston Mayor popularly known as Honey Fitz. Before long, family and friends called this small blue-eyed baby, Jack. Jack was not a very healthy baby, and Rose recorded on his note card the childhood diseases from which he suffered, such as: "whooping cough, measles, chicken pox." On February 20, 1920 when Jack was not yet three years old, he became sick with scarlet fever, a highly contagious and then potentially life-threatening disease. His father, Joseph Patrick Kennedy, was terrified that little Jack would die.

Mr. Kennedy went to the hospital every day to be by his son’s side, and about a month later Jack took a turn for the better and recovered. But Jack was never very healthy, and because he was always suffering from one ailment or another his family used to joke about the great risk a mosquito took in biting him – with some of his blood the mosquito was almost sure to die!

When Jack was three, the Kennedy's moved to a new home a few blocks away from their old house in Brookline, a neighborhood just outside of Boston. It was a lovely house with twelve rooms, turreted windows, and a big porch. Full of energy and ambition, Jack’s father worked very hard at becoming a successful businessman. When he was a student at Harvard College and having a difficult time fitting in as an Irish Catholic, he swore to himself he would make a million dollars by the age of 35. There was a lot of prejudice against Irish Catholics in Boston at that time, but Joseph Kennedy was determined to succeed. Jack’s great-grandparents had come from Ireland and managed to provide for their families, despite many hardships. Jack’s grandfathers did even better for themselves, both becoming prominent Boston politicians. Jack, because of all his family had done, could enjoy a very comfortable life. The Kennedy's had everything they needed and more.

By the time Jack was eight there were seven children altogether. Jack had an older brother, Joe; four sisters, Rosemary, Kathleen, Eunice, and Patricia; and a younger brother, Robert. Jean and Teddy hadn’t been born yet.

Nannies and housekeepers helped Rose run the household.

At the end of the school year, the Kennedy children would go to their summer home in Hyannis Port on Cape Cod where they enjoyed swimming, sailing, and playing touch football. The Kennedy children played hard, and they enjoyed competing with one another. Joseph Sr. encouraged this competition, especially among the boys. He was a father with very high expectations and wanted the boys to win at sports and everything they tried. As he often said, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." But sometimes these competitions went too far. One time when Joe suggested that he and Jack race on their bicycles, they collided head-on. Joe emerged unscathed while Jack had to have twenty-eight stitches. Because Joe was two years older and stronger than Jack, whenever they fought, Jack would usually get the worst of it. Jack was the only sibling who posed any real threat to Joe’s dominant position as the oldest child.

Jack was very popular and had many friends at Choate, a boarding school for adolescent boys in Connecticut. He played tennis, basketball, football, and golf and also enjoyed reading. His friend Lem Billings remembers how unusual it was that Jack had a daily subscription to the New York Times. Jack had a "clever, individualist mind," his Head Master once noted, though he was not the best student. He did not always work as hard as he could, except in history and English, which were his favorite subjects. "Now Jack," his father wrote in a letter one day, "I don’t want to give the impression that I am a nagger, for goodness knows I think that is the worse thing any parent can be, and I also feel that you know if I didn’t really feel you had the goods I would be most charitable in my attitude toward your failings. After long experience in sizing up people I definitely know you have the goods and you can go a long way…It is very difficult to make up fundamentals that you have neglected when you were very young, and that is why I am urging you to do the best you can. I am not expecting too much, and I will not be disappointed if you don’t turn out to be a real genius, but I think you can be a really worthwhile citizen with good judgment and understanding."

Jack graduated from Choate and entered Harvard in 1936, where Joe was already a student. Like his brother Joe, Jack played football. He was not as good an athlete as Joe but he had a lot of determination and perseverance.

Unfortunately, one day while playing he ruptured a disk in his spine. Jack never really recovered from this accident and his back continued to bother him for the rest of his life.

The two eldest boys were attractive, agreeable, and intelligent young men and Mr. Kennedy had high hopes for them both. However, it was Joe who had announced to everyone when he was a young boy that he would be the first

Catholic to become President. No one doubted him for a moment. Jack, on the other hand, seemed somewhat less ambitious. He was active in student groups and sports and he worked hard in his history and government classes, though his grades remained only average. Late in 1937, Mr. Kennedy was appointed United States Ambassador to England and moved there with his whole family, with the exception of Joe and Jack who were at Harvard. Because of his father’s job, Jack became very interested in European politics and world affairs. After a summer visit to England and other countries in Europe, Jack returned to Harvard more eager to learn about history and government and to keep up with current events.

Joe and Jack frequently received letters from their father in England, who informed them of the latest news regarding the conflicts and tensions that everyone feared would soon blow up into a full-scale war. Adolph Hitler ruled Germany and Benito Mussolini ruled Italy. They both had strong armies and wanted to take land from other countries. On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland and World War II began.

By this time, Jack was a senior at Harvard and decided to write his thesis on why Great Britain was unprepared for war with Germany. It was later published as a book called Why England Slept. In June 1940, Jack graduated from Harvard. His father sent him a cablegram from London: "TWO THINGS I ALWAYS KNEW ABOUT YOU ONE THAT YOU ARE SMART TWO THAT YOU ARE A SWELL GUY LOVE DAD."

World War II and a Future in Politics Soon after graduating, both Joe and Jack joined the Navy. Joe was a flyer and sent to Europe, while Jack was made Lieutenant (Lt.) and assigned to the South Pacific as commander of a patrol torpedo boat, the PT-109. Lt. Kennedy  had a crew of twelve men whose mission was to stop Japanese ships from delivering supplies to their soldiers. On the night of August 2, 1943, Lt. Kennedy’s crew patrolled the waters looking for enemy ships to sink. A Japanese destroyer suddenly became visible. But it was traveling at full speed and headed straight at them. Holding the wheel, Lt. Kennedy tried to swerve out of the way, but to no avail. The much larger Japanese warship rammed the PT-109, splitting it in half and killing two of Lt. Kennedy’s men. The others managed to jump off as their boat went up in flames. Lt. Kennedy was slammed hard against the cockpit, once again injuring his weak back. Patrick McMahon, one of his crew members, had horrible burns on his face and hands and was ready to give up. In the darkness, Lt. Kennedy managed to find McMahon and haul him back to where the other survivors were clinging to a piece of the boat that was still afloat. At sunrise, Lt. Kennedy led his men toward a small island several miles away. Despite his own injuries, Lt. Kennedy was able to tow Patrick McMahon ashore, a strap from McMahon’s life jacket clenched between his teeth.

Six days later two native islanders found them and went for help, delivering a message Jack had carved into a piece of coconut shell. The next day, the PT-109 crew was rescued. Jack’s brother Joe was not so lucky. He died a year later when his plane blew up during a dangerous mission in Europe.

When he returned home, Jack was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his leadership and courage. With the war finally coming to an end, it was time to choose the kind of work he wanted to do. Jack had considered becoming a teacher or a writer, but with Joe’s tragic death suddenly everything changed. After serious discussions with Jack about his future, Joseph Kennedy convinced him that he should run for Congress in Massachusetts' eleventh congressional district, where he won in 1946. This was the beginning of Jack’s political career. As the years went on,

John F. Kennedy, a Democrat, served three terms (six years) in the House of Representatives, and in 1952 he was elected to the US Senate.

Soon after being elected senator, John F. Kennedy, at 36 years of age, married 24 year-old Jacqueline Bouvier, a writer with the Washington Times-Herald. Unfortunately, early on in their marriage, Senator Kennedy’s back started to hurt again and he had two serious operations. While recovering from surgery, he wrote a book about several US Senators who had risked their careers to fight for the things in which they believed. The book, called Profiles in Courage, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 1957. That same year, the Kennedy's’ first child, Caroline, was born.

John F. Kennedy was becoming a popular politician. In 1956 he was almost picked to run for vice president. Kennedy nonetheless decided that he would run for president in the next election. He began working very long hours and traveling all around the United States on weekends. On July 13, 1960 the Democratic party nominated him as its candidate for president. Kennedy asked Lyndon B. Johnson, a senator from Texas, to run with him as vice president.

In the general election on November 8, 1960, Kennedy defeated the Republican Vice President Richard M. Nixon in a very close race. At the age of 43, Kennedy was the youngest man elected president and the first Catholic. Before his inauguration, his second child, John Jr., was born. His father liked to call him John-John.

John F. Kennedy Becomes The 35th President of the United States

John F. Kennedy was sworn in as the 35th president on January 20, 1961. In his inaugural speech he spoke of the need for all Americans to be active citizens. "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country," he said. He also asked the nations of the world to join together to fight what he called the "common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself." President Kennedy, together with his wife and two children, brought a new, youthful spirit to the White House. The Kennedy's believed that the White House should be a place to celebrate American history, culture, and achievement. They invited artists, writers, scientists, poets, musicians, actors, and athletes to visit them. Jacqueline Kennedy also shared her husband's interest in American history. Gathering some of the finest art and furniture the United States had produced, she restored all the rooms in the White House to make it a place that truly reflected America’s history and artistic creativity. Everyone was impressed and appreciated her hard work.

The White House also seemed like a fun place because of the Kennedys’ two young children, Caroline and John-John.

There was a pre-school, a swimming pool, and a tree-house outside on the White House lawn. President Kennedy was probably the busiest man in the country, but he still found time to laugh and play with his children.

However, the president also had many worries. One of the things he worried about most was the possibility of nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. He knew that if there was a war, millions of people would die.

Since World War II, there had been a lot of anger and suspicion between the two countries but never any shooting between Soviet and American troops. This 'Cold War', which was unlike any other war the world had seen, was really a struggle between the Soviet Union's communist system of government and the United States' democratic system.

Because they distrusted each other, both countries spent enormous amounts of money building nuclear weapons. There were many times when the struggle between the Soviet Union and the United States could have ended in nuclear war, such as in Cuba during the 1962 missile crisis or over the divided city of Berlin.

President Kennedy worked long hours, getting up at seven and not going to bed until eleven or twelve at night, or later.

He read six newspapers while he ate breakfast, had meetings with important people throughout the day, and read reports from his advisers. He wanted to make sure that he made the best decisions for his country. "I am asking each of you to be new pioneers in that New Frontier," he said. The New Frontier was not a place but a way of thinking and acting. President Kennedy wanted the United States to move forward into the future with new discoveries in science and improvements in education, employment and other fields. He wanted democracy and freedom for the whole world.

One of the first things President Kennedy did was to create the Peace Corps. Through this program, which still exists today, Americans can volunteer to work anywhere in the world where assistance is needed. They can help in areas such as education, farming, health care, and construction. Many young men and women have served as Peace Corps volunteers and have won the respect of people throughout the world.

President Kennedy was also eager for the United States to lead the way in exploring space. The Soviet Union was ahead of the United States in its space program and President Kennedy was determined to catch up. He said, "No nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in this race for space." Kennedy was the  president to ask Congress to approve more than 22 billion dollars for Project Apollo, which had the goal of landing an American man on the moon before the end of the decade.

President Kennedy had to deal with many serious problems here in the United States. The biggest problem of all was racial discrimination. The US Supreme Court had ruled in 1954 that segregation in public schools would no longer be permitted. Black and white children, the decision mandated, should go to school together. This was now the law of the land. However, there were many schools, especially in southern states, that did not obey this law. There was also racial segregation on buses, in restaurants, movie theaters, and other public places.

Thousands of Americans joined together, people of all races and backgrounds, to protest peacefully this injustice.

Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the famous leaders of the movement for civil rights. Many civil rights leaders didn’t think President Kennedy was supportive enough of their efforts. The President believed that holding public protests would only anger many white people and make it even more difficult to convince the members of Congress who didn't agree with him to pass civil rights laws. By June 11, 1963, however, President Kennedy decided that the time had come to take stronger action to help the civil rights struggle. He proposed a new Civil Rights bill to the Congress, and he went on television asking Americans to end racism. "One hundred years of delay have passed since President Lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons, are not fully free," he said. "This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds…[and] on the principle that all men are created equal." President Kennedy made it clear that all Americans, regardless of their skin color, should enjoy a good and happy life in the United States.

The President is Shot On November 21, 1963, President Kennedy flew to Texas to give several political speeches. The next day, as his car drove slowly past cheering crowds in Dallas, shots rang out. Kennedy was seriously wounded and died a short time later.

Within a few hours of the shooting, police arrested Lee Harvey Oswald and charged him with the murder. On November 24, another man, Jack Ruby, shot and killed Oswald, thus silencing the only person who could have offered more information about this tragic event. The Warren Commission was organized to investigate the assassination and to clarify the many questions which remained.

The Legacy of John F. Kennedy President Kennedy's death caused enormous sadness and grief among all Americans. Most people still remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Washington for the President's funeral, and millions throughout the world watched it on television.

As the years have gone by and other presidents have written their chapters in history, John Kennedy's brief time in office stands out in people's memories for his leadership, personality, and accomplishments. Many respect his coolness when faced with difficult decisions--like what to do about Soviet missiles in Cuba in 1962. Others admire his ability to inspire people with his eloquent speeches. Still others think his compassion and his willingness to fight for new government programs to help the poor, the elderly and the ill were most important. Like all leaders, John Kennedy made mistakes, but he was always optimistic about the future. He believed that people could solve their common problems if they put their country's interests first and worked together.

Have a blessed day and weekend. May Yeshua the Messiah bless you, Love, Debbie