#element of gallantry

[deadpresidents]

Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. -- the eldest son of the 26th President of the United States -- was the only Allied general to land on the beaches of Normandy with the first wave of soldiers during the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944.

Crippled by arthritis, hobbled by old combat wounds from the First World War, and forced to use a cane as he landed on Utah Beach with the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division on D-Day, General Roosevelt was the oldest man to take part in the opening stage of the invasion. He had made three requests to personally lead the assault on Utah Beach before finally being given command despite concerns about his health. During the confusion and chaos of the largest seaborne assault in human history, Roosevelt realized that tidal currents had carried nearly two dozen of the initial landing craft to the wrong location and was said to have announced, "We'll start the war from right here!"

For his actions on D-Day, General Roosevelt would be awarded the country's highest military decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor, on September 21, 1944:

For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty of 6 June 1944, in France. After two verbal requests to accompany the leading assault elements in the Normandy invasion had been denied, Brig. Gen. Roosevelt's written request for this mission was approved and he landed with the first wave of the forces assaulting the enemy-held beaches. He repeatedly led groups from the beach, over the seawall and established them inland. His valor, courage, and presence in the very front of the attack and his complete unconcern at being under heavy fire inspired the troops to heights of enthusiasm and self-sacrifice. Although the enemy had the beach under constant direct fire, Brig. Gen. Roosevelt moved from one locality to another, rallying men around him, directed and personally led them against the enemy. Under his seasoned, precise, calm, and unfaltering leadership, assault troops reduced beach strong points and rapidly moved inland with minimum casualties. He thus contributed substantially to the successful establishment of the beachhead in France.

However, the Medal of Honor would be awarded to Theodore Roosevelt Jr. posthumously. On July 12, 1944, thirty-six days after landing in Normandy on D-Day, General Roosevelt died in his sleep at the age of 56 after suffering a heart attack. In a letter to his wife, General George S. Patton would write, "Teddy R[oosevelt] died in his sleep last night. He had made three landings with the leading wave -- such is fate...He was one of the bravest men I ever knew." General Patton would join General Omar Bradley and numerous other generals as honorary pallbearers at Roosevelt's funeral. Roosevelt was buried at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial along with thousands of his fellow American soldiers who died in Europe during World War II. He is buried next to his youngest brother, Quentin Roosevelt, who was killed in action in 1918 after being shot down over France during World War I.

[psychotrenny]

I can understand getting annoyed about the whole mech sexualisation "eroticism of the machine" thing you see widespread in certain tumblr tgirl spaces. It's not really something you see in the source material, being more a vauge jumble of mecha iconography and vibes combined with the common tgirl sexual proclivities rather than a reflection of any actual established tropes, and any sort of idea is gonna get grating if it feels oversaturated and/or insincere enough. But like, it doesn't come from nothing. Generally speaking, the intimacy of piloting a mech is usually the whole point of the genre. Because it's not as if mecha are a remotely realistic or even reasonable form of war machine within the bounds of conventional physics; if you just wanted to tell a story about "war but in the future" you'd just make up a fancy tank or something.

The whole point of a mech is to be a war machine that mimics the human form. It pretty much functions as an extension of the pilot's body; sometimes in a very literal way though direct neural interface but even more conventional cockpit controls ultimately have a similar effect. They nearly always have one human operator, rarely more than two, in contrast to any sort of conventional military vehicle; mech combat become a duel between pilots rather than a battle between crews. It essentially restores a certain element of humanity to war by taking the human element and scaling it up dramatically, taking the insane destructive potential of modern warfare and concentrating it in the hands of a single super-heavily armoured person. Re-creating the gallantry of a knighthood in an age of machine guns and heavy artillery. Now specific pieces of mecha media will emphasise or de-emphasise these aspects to varying extents and take them in all sorts of direction; something like Battletech takes this to an extreme by basing the setting around outright Mech Feudalism while Armoured Trooper Votoms essentially reduces mechs to the level of futuristic grunts. But the unity of man and machine and the way this affects the emotional stakes of combat is more or less core to the genre.

It's only natural enough that some people would notice this intimacy and take it in a more sexual direction. People develop all kinds of attachments to inanimate objects all the time, which tend to intensify the more visibly important said object is to their continued life, sometimes even to the point of romantic affection. And what object could be more important than your combined sword and armour and steed? What object could be more intimate than one you literally encase yourself inside of and become one with? In some settings mechs even have their own AI with varying degrees of intelligence, which humanises both the machine itself and the pilot's with it to an even greater extent. Like I can understand why wanting to fuck your mech might not resonate with everyone, but it's a natural enough place to take it. It's an approach that's in conversation with concepts and themes that widespread through the genre, not a random projection of desire upon the first half-suitable target. Certainly makes more sense than sexualising your shopping trolley

[alittlebitofloveliness]

I’ve always loved the idea of Buck accidentally developing a fatherly relationship with Dallas because imagine being a Cowboy kinda guy in the 1960s and finding some rat stealing from your pantry and then whoops, that’s your new son! You’re stuck with him! You love him and you will be gutted when he inevitably gets himself killed because no one can take the wild out of an animal, especially not you and you are very aware of this!

I'm not going to lie, with all the awesome headcanons and lore being created about Buck I am SUPER conflicted about my take on him. I think having him act as a fatherly or older brotherly figure to Dallas in an alternate universe would add some really interesting depth to his character and offer a bit more insight into his motivation for doing and saying certain things. HOWEVER, that said, I think within the canon universe I couldn't really ever see Buck that way and there's a few reasons for that. For one, in the little we see from Buck we know that he displays none of Dallas' gallantry, and that he's weak. Canon Dallas would abhor that weakness, and we know he uses it to his advantage, bullying Buck to get what he wants. Even PONY knows this is a hallmark of his character as he 'bullies' Buck into going to get Dallas after Johnny stabs Bob. We also know that Dallas has a dad that wouldn't care if he died and that it 'doesn't bother him'- I can't see canon Dallas forming a father/son bond with someone only a few years his senior, or really anyone at all (remember, it was the Curtis' MOM he was canonically close to, not their dad). Finally, if we establish Buck as a fatherly/brotherly influence in Dally's life we lose some of the 'shown not told' elements of his character. Dally lives alone in rented room in a (heavily implied to be) illegal bar at seventeen years old, and he is stuck in this dangerous environment BECAUSE he is entirely self sufficient and has to take care of himself. Dally living at Buck's has always been (in my eyes) a way to further establish him as wilder and more dangerous than the rest of the Curtis gang and Tulsa hoods.

SIGH. Now I'm done yapping I can explore the fun world in your ask because it really DOES offer some fun headcanons/character work. Sooooo, here's some headcanons:

-Buck is (as we know) a cowboy, and he first establishes a connection with Dallas because he just unconciously treated him like a horse he was trying to tame and lo and behold it worked

-Dally only rides in the rodeos because BUCK talked to the higher ups and got him a chance at the position. It made Buck even more mad when Dally wouldn't help him fix the races

-Buck isn't sure if Dally is completely sane because he's seen one too many violent outbursts or mental breakdowns but it doesn't bother him much, because there's a lot of folks from the east side who aren't completely right in the head. What DOES scare him is the look in Dally's eyes sometimes when he pulls out his switch

-Dally is the only 'tenant' of Bucks that Buck ever drags back to their room when they pass out drinking at the bar (Dally is convinced he's just good at taking care of himself when he's blackout drunk. He isn't, but Buck isn't gonna be the one to tell him.)

-Buck looks out for Johnny because Dally looks out for Johnny, and Dallas might go full crazy if anything happened to the kid

-After Dally died, Buck hosted a party that lasted three days and nights until the fuzz finally shut it down (it was easier to drink and party than to think about the blond haired asshole Buck had grown to love)

-Buck is the only person besides Johnny who ever saw a softer side of Dally, and it wasn't because Dally was soft with HIM but the hoods' eyes were calm and his face almost happy whenever he went with Buck to the stables to groom the horses

thanks for the ask xx

[transgamerthoughts]

If I Should Die Here On This Field

I'm a big tactics game fan. Which is a little different than being a simulation or strategy game fan. The joy of a more simulation-heavy game comes from intense granularity over equipment and the wider appeal of high-level military strategy. Maps pull back wide, sometimes to the galactic scale if the setting demands, and there's a grand stage upon which your puppets dance. Tactics games, on the other hand, often spring joy from a very specific mix of sweeping sensibilities and smallter moment to moment perils. They allow access both to the gallantry of soldiers (particularly when it's knights and horsemen) while never shying from the ways in which battlefields grind that idealist interpretation into so much powder. In the best moments they dive into matters that many games often ignore.

Unicorn Overlord succeeds more with the gallantry than the politicking. It chases after numerous inspirations and while it never matches their moral or political complexity, the moment to moment decision making—not to mention a surprising addictive overworld exploration element—will be more than enough to please more players. The tactics are good! The grandeur is there! Sometimes that's all you need. I've been playing throughout my weeknights and a majority of the weekend. And while the game may yet surprise me with last moment twists (as is Vanillaware's habit) that's more than enough to get the gist.

So! Let's talk!

Unicorn Overlord tells the tale of the exiled prince Alain and his quest to retake the kingdom of Cornia (and really the entire conquered world) from the clutches of the evil Emperor Galarius. In some ways, that's all you need to know. You'll travel from nation to nation, each of which wears convenient hats like "the one with the elves" or "the one with the beastmen," and gather a host of lionhearted heroes to lead in battle. You know how it is.

I'll circle back to plot and presentation later because the core of Unicorn Overlord really is the gameplay itself. When you enter a battle and begin deploying troops, it plays like a simplified RTS; you will move units in real time and occasionally make use of war machines (ballista, catapaults, etc) to hinder approaching forces while sometimes building up points to use on more specialized abilities. Mages might place gravity wells that slow down enemies, Eleven troops conjure rain to heal allies over time or douse fires. You'll capture outposts and other defensive positions that confer various bonuses and protections. It's what you'd expect from the genre and the game does a good job offering a mix of map sizes and scenarios on this front. You might play a large defense mission based around placing traps and barricades in the way of an approaching force or face a necromancer type with a knack for hurling waves of troops you way.

This is contrasted with the smaller battles you'll face while liberating towns on the overworld map. You see, there's a pretty sizable map here with lots of secrets to find as well as towns and forts interspersed throughout. To liberate these towns (gaining access to shops and recruitment posts) you'll pay bite-sized battles on much smaller maps. These function a minor combat puzzles. How exactly do you capture a fort with two shaman and their gladiator bodyguards? Figure it out! Whereas story battles tend to throw complications when it comes to moving your troops or dealing with unique victory requires, these liberations missions focus on tactical knowledge and unit building.

Because Unicorn Overlord is an Ogre Battle clone. It's not Fire Emblem or even Tactic Ogre, where the battles involve moving each an every soldier and choosing their actions. Instead, you assemble a mash of soldiers into a unit that then automatically battles the enemy when the time for combat comes. It's about understanding synergies that lead to robust units as much as a matter of understanding "hey, your archers are good at shooting down gyphon knights." It's not quite my preferred tactics gameplay but it's also much more rare to have battles like this in your games these days. I've fond memories of Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber and while I'm sure there were games like this dancing at the margins of the genre, I really do appreciate that it's come back in a higher profile game.

The notion of troops automatically battling might cause certain players to chafe but Unicorn Overlord's not a game of random battles where you hope your digital soldiers perform as you imagined. You actually have a Final Fantasy XII esque Gambit System for determining how each character will act in battle. This is one of many examples of Unicorn Overlord chasing after Yasumi Matsuno's legacy and it's by far the best. You might not need this level of control in the early game but as you unlock advanced classes and face trickier enemies, there is a push to min-max performance. I don't think Unicorn Overlord is a hard game on default difficulty or even the more advanced "Tactical" option but the highest peak does ramp up combat to a point where micro-management is crucial. (As a tangent: the Story difficulty mostly seems to bypass the map navigation phase as it grants more stamina to perform actions without needed to pause troops moments to replenish resource.)

These conditional statements are where most of the depth rests. Unicorn Overlord doesn't have stat growths like Fire Emblem. It has dispositions that affect stat spread. For example, you can have someone who is both a "Hardy" type with high HP and a "Precise" type who enjoys greater accuracy. Recruitable units are not particularly different than your story characters; if you use an item to change a named characters dispositions to the same as a generic soldier, they will have identical states so long as they are the same class. My Alain will be, statistically speaking, the same as your Alain at the endgame presuming neither of us adjust his growth types. Which means that key differences in character performance will come down to what customizations we give our characters in the gambit system and the units we assemble. This might disappoint players looking to manipulate characters into the best of all possible arrangements but the upside is that all you really need to worry about is navigating the gambit system and assembling effective tactics.

Unicorn Overlord works best when you are solving those individual combat puzzles. Even the smallest tweak to your conditional statements can mean the difference between victory of defeat. There's an in game Coliseum with both NPC battles and the choice to fight other players' pre-assembled parties. Not only are the rewards great but it's maybe the best showcase of Unicorn Overlord's combat appeal. Dialed down to one single fight (where the goal is simply to come out numerically on top as opposed to wiping out the enemy entirely) the game shines brightly. There's some limitations here but the overall appeal is undeniable. The gambit system probably should have offered three conditional statements per line and lacks certain nuances such as the ability target a specific character in your party instead of specific classes but those are nitpicks. Gambits kicked ass in 2006 and they continue to kick ass in 2024. For roleplaying and tactics? It hardly gets better than this.

This is a lot of words to say that Unicorn Overlord plays far beyond the batting average of the story beats. This is a game whose yearning to emulate Matsuno is baked into every decision and that includes the plot. Which often tries gestures towards interesting character motivations and politcs without really following through. Some of that's baked into the "Unicorn" part of the title. It refers to Alain's signet ring which we learn (about in the first thirty minutes) has the ability to dispel the magickal brainwashing that allowed Galarius to perform the sudden coup against Queen Ilenia at the start of the game. There's some twists regarding the true nature of this magic but the result is often that many opposing characters are not motivated by important material and personal concerns. They're just evil and brainwashed. This immediately mars the storytelling potential and places it more on par with a game like Fire Emblem Awakening than Tactics Ogre. Which! Awakening is a very good game with a great sense of heroism. I wanna be clear about that. But Unicorn Overlord clearly wants to be in the latter category. It hasn't managed it so far.

I played Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together for the first time last year. I've actually been dying to write about it but my ability to write promptly has suffered over the last few years for a variety of reasons. I'll say: Tactics Ogre is the best game I have ever played. Part of that rests in the plot, which tosses all kinds of tough decisions at the protagonist and features a variety of characters from different factions fighting for different reasons. Matsuno is an astounding writer when it comes to understanding how his settings function and the material realities that can push even the best individuals down dark roads. Yes, some characters are irredeemably evil but many shift allegiances in the face of dramatic revelations or simply for selfish reasons. Tactics Ogre's script (and frankly its narrative design) displays a most astounding craftsmanship. I am constantly learning about characters I missed recruiting or paths I chose not to walk. It's an incredibly rich game.

I don't think Unicorn Overlord's quite as rich and that's entirely tied to the way in which is flattens its conflicts. It often talks about a grand history that is far more interesting than the status quo our characters are in. On the one hand, I get it. You want a story that allows the player to bop and weave around the map and readily justifies the sheer volume of combat challenges. On the other hand, while the setting has politic tensions woven into the fabric, they're very thin. This is mostly a game about the good knights fighting the bad knights.

Often is the case that you'll fight a lord hoarding food from his people only to find he was actually preparing for a famine. Yes, you fought that strange guy who was experimenting on people but don't you feel conflict killing him now that you know he was looking for a cure to the plague? Compare this to the agonizing choice players face at the end on Tactic Ogre's first chapter where they need to decide whether to help facilitate the slaughter of an entire town so that it might be presented as a false flag operation in the hope of uniting disparate resistance cells fighting against the apartheid state. That lone choice leads to two entirely different story paths, leaving ripples that affect the protagonist and the world. It poses a question of realpolitik versus nobility. Can you fight this war as an idealist or not? "There is blood on my hands," a title card declares. How long till it lies on my heart?"

Tactics Ogre is full of difficult choices like that and side stories that add richness to the character. Unicorn Overlord doesn't really have this. Or at least what it does have very often feels like a video game trick rather than something meanginful. There's little complication to the story and while there's time given to some character's individual motivations it is not a game concerned with tough questions even if I wants to convince you that it is.

It does, however, have pretty good moment to moment writing. Everything flows well and there's enough heart poured into the mix that while things are pretty superficial once you pull back your gaze, the story still proceeds with a lot of energy. Recently, gamer assholes went on a bender regarding Unicorn Overlord's localization after an amateur on Twitter created an extensive thread of differences between the English and Japanese scripts. There's been a string of anti-localization sentiment among certain gamers and in anime circles from folks who want things to adhere to the original language with strictness.

This, of course, shows a misunderstanding for what localization even is but rather than unpacking all that drama I'll just say: this localization is fine. It's fine! It's trying to emulate the approach of folks like Alex O. Smith and Joe Reeder. Which means there's a certain degree of purple to the prose but it's nothing you can cut through. Most localization flourishes aren't even that archaic; they simply toss in figures of speech.

A metaphor here. A fancy word there. It's well done!

I'm not gonna beat around the bush and maybe some assholes will find this and damn me for it since it's gonna sound haughty but I think you can boil pretty much all of the controversy down to the fact that a lot of gamers kinda suck at reading.

That's a complicated topic to unravel here. Over the last decade or so, there's been changes to how grammar and reading are taught in education systems that have radically inhibited some folks' ability to understand texts. I don't mean "understand the metaphor" or "understand the vocabulary" but rather understand the raw facts of what's happening. Combine this with a lot of culture problems and I don't think it's a surprise that localization has become a sticking point for a certain kind of cretin. And it also doesn't surprise me that this tempest in a teapot came side by side with similarly manufactured controversies.

I sometimes talk about the death of criticism in games spaces but we also just have… worse readers. Not just in terms of their imagination but in their raw comprehension. Unicorn Overlord's localization is not impenetrable and I don't get the sense that it's radically shifting the core action or characterizations at the center of the game. I don't think it particularly matches the games it is chasing after (shockingly many of these are localizations of Matsuno's games) but it's got enough flair that it gives the plot some spice.

That's a good way to sum up Unicorn Overlord. When you look at the ingredients, it's Meat and Potatoes tactics but there's a little bit of spice dusted on top which brings everything together. Be it the Gambit System pulling combat together or turns of phrase bringing the story to life. You're mostly gonna be bounding around the map in a very satisfying loop of battles and town upgrading before some larger tests in the main story. Not the height of the genre but still eminently enjoyable.

And let's be honest. For some of you? All I really needed to say was that it was "Ogre Battle."

[freetheshit-outofyou]

Medal of Honor

AWARDED FOR ACTIONS DURING Korean War

Service: Army

Division: 2d Infantry Division

GENERAL ORDERS:

Department of the Army, General Orders No. 70 (August 2, 1951)

CITATION:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Private First Class Luther H. Story (ASN: 14285693), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company A, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces at Agok, Korea, on 1 September 1950. A savage daylight attack by elements of three enemy divisions penetrated the thinly held lines of the 9th Infantry. Company A beat off several banzai attacks but was bypassed and in danger of being cut off and surrounded. Private First Class Story, a weapons squad leader, was heavily engaged in stopping the early attacks and had just moved his squad to a position overlooking the Naktong River when he observed a large group of the enemy crossing the river to attack Company A. Seizing a machinegun from his wounded gunner he placed deadly fire on the hostile column killing or wounding an estimated 100 enemy soldiers. Facing certain encirclement the company commander ordered a withdrawal. During the move Private First Class Story noticed the approach of an enemy truck loaded with troops and towing an ammunition trailer. Alerting his comrades to take cover he fearlessly stood in the middle of the road, throwing grenades into the truck. Out of grenades he crawled to his squad, gathered up additional grenades and again attacked the vehicle. During the withdrawal the company was attacked by such superior numbers that it was forced to deploy in a rice field. Private First Class Story was wounded in this action, but, disregarding his wounds, rallied the men about him and repelled the attack. Realizing that his wounds would hamper his comrades he refused to retire to the next position but remained to cover the company's withdrawal. When last seen he was firing every weapon available and fighting off another hostile assault. Private Story's extraordinary heroism, aggressive leadership, and supreme devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon himself and were in keeping with the esteemed traditions of the military service.

Welcome home.

[stephensmithuk]

The Empty House

Published in 1903, this was the first Holmes short story for a decade. Doyle had previously released - in a serial format - The Hound of the Baskervilles, which was set before "The Final Problem".

ACD had become Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by this point, honoured in the 1902 Coronation Honours, arguably for a pro-Boer War short work he wrote. That's what he believed in any event.

This is the first story in The Return of Sherlock Holmes and the second that we've covered - we did "The Second Stain" previously because Baring-Gould's chronology puts it quite early.

Park Lane, as I might have mentioned previously, is a highly desirable street and is the equivalent of Park Place on the London Monopoly board.

"Honourable" is the courtesy title used for the younger sons of earls; it's also used by most members of the House of Commons. Insert joke about politicians here.

Carstairs is a village in South Lanarkshire Scotland. It is best known in British railway circles as a major junction and the place where the London to Edinburgh & Glasgow sleeper is split up, a section for each destination.

Expanding bullets were also known as dum-dum bullets after the Indian city of Dum Dum where some of them were made. The hollow point is a more modern version. The nastier injuries that they cause led to their banning from use in warfare in the 1899 Hague Convention, but they remain legal for law enforcement use, it being argued there is less risk of harm to bystanders as the bullet will not pass through.

Baritsu is possibly a typo for Bartitsu, a martial art invented by Edward William Barton-Wright, an engineer who had spent three years living in Japan. Combining elements of boxing, cane fighting, jujitsu and Frence kickboxing, it faded into obscurity during the 20th century before making something of a small comeback in the 21st.

Mecca, then under Ottoman rule, is closed to non-Muslims and the Ahmadiyya movement (seen as heretics). Holmes likely followed some other Westerners by getting in disguised as a Muslim.

The "Khalifa" was Abdallahi ibn Muhammad, a figure who tried to set up an Islamic caliphate in Sudan and the surrounding area at this time (1893). He faced an Anglo-Egyptian invasion in 1896-1899, lost and then engaged in a final stand at the Battle of Umm Diwaykarat in October 1899. To make use of a famous phrase, the other side had Maxim guns and he did not; the battle was massively one-sided, resulting in his death.

The "Jew's harp" is a mouth harp. It's probably from Siberia.

"Journeys end in lovers' meetings" is from Twelfth Night.

A shikari is a big game hunter.

Charasiab was an 1879 battle between the British and Indian Army on one side, with Afghans on the other. The British used Gatling guns for the first time in anger and won, capturing Kabul shortly after.

Despatches refers to the fact that Moran's conduct in the battle was sufficiently brave or high quality to warrant a mention in the official report sent to London and usually published in The London Gazette, the official government journal of record. This still exists and is used to formally announce honours etc. like Arthur Conan Doyle's knighthood. Simply put, it is an official commendation - not a gallantry medal, but one may well follow.

The Scotland Yard Museum, historically known as the Black Museum and now the Crime Museum, is a collection of criminal artefacts used for teaching purposes. Located in the basement of the current New Scotland Yard (the third to use that name) it is not open to the public - only police officers are generally allowed in and need an appointment. The Metropolitan Police has a public museum in Sidcup, but this is also appointment only.

[galleryofart]

A Lady at a Window

Artist: Jean Raoux (French, 1677–1734)

Genre: Portrait

Date: 18th Century

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Description

A young woman with an elegant hairstyle is depicted wearing a white dress with a low neckline, giving her a refined and aristocratic air. She has a serene and somewhat introspective expression, and there is a vase with flowers on a ledge beside her, contributing to the classical and romantic ambiance of the portrait.

Jean Raoux (1677-1734)

Jean Raoux, French painter, was born at Montpellier. After the usual course of training he became a member of the Academy in 1717 as an historical painter. His reputation had been previously established by the acclaimed decorations executed during his three years in Italy on the palace of Giustiniani Solini in Venice, and by some easel paintings, the Four Ages of Man (National Gallery), commissioned by the grand prior of Vendôme. To this latter class of subject Raoux devoted himself, refusing to paint portraits except in character.

The list of his works is a long series of sets of the Seasons, of the Hours, of the Elements, or of those scenes of amusement and gallantry in the representation of which he was immeasurably surpassed by his younger rival Watteau. After his stay in England (1720) he lived much in the Temple, where he decorated several rooms. He died in Paris in 1734. His best pupils were Chevalier and Montdidier. His works were much engraved by Poilly, Moyreau, Dupuis, etc.

[gallantfairy]

green eyes rest on the taller woman, disdain glistening in them. " do you mind? " was the fairy doing anything other than existing in minerva's presence? probably not, but she was nothing if not petty.

❛ --- Hmm? ❜

Inadvertence was interrupted; now replaced with the element of surpise. Her head would tilt towards the direction of the voice ( one that held familiarity ) that interrupted inner thoughts. Expression altered upon recognizing the individual that had just entered her sight --- unveiling the sentiment of irritation.

Muscular arms took a folded posture across armed sternum, as annoyance was still plastered upon canvas of gallantry. Apparent mutual feelings.

❛ I don't believe that I stand so much as an obstacle on your way, but-- here. ❜

Sudden alteration of posture took place, by taking one step to the side, indicating for the fellow mage to pass by --- hopefully no further altercation shall transpire.

[artemlegere]

A Lady at a Window

Artist: Jean Raoux (French, 1677–1734)

Genre: Portrait

Date: 18th Century

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Description

A young woman with an elegant hairstyle is depicted wearing a white dress with a low neckline, giving her a refined and aristocratic air. She has a serene and somewhat introspective expression, and there is a vase with flowers on a ledge beside her, contributing to the classical and romantic ambiance of the portrait.

Jean Raoux (1677-1734)

Jean Raoux, French painter, was born at Montpellier. After the usual course of training he became a member of the Academy in 1717 as an historical painter. His reputation had been previously established by the acclaimed decorations executed during his three years in Italy on the palace of Giustiniani Solini in Venice, and by some easel paintings, the Four Ages of Man (National Gallery), commissioned by the grand prior of Vendôme. To this latter class of subject Raoux devoted himself, refusing to paint portraits except in character.

The list of his works is a long series of sets of the Seasons, of the Hours, of the Elements, or of those scenes of amusement and gallantry in the representation of which he was immeasurably surpassed by his younger rival Watteau. After his stay in England (1720) he lived much in the Temple, where he decorated several rooms. He died in Paris in 1734. His best pupils were Chevalier and Montdidier. His works were much engraved by Poilly, Moyreau, Dupuis, etc.

[pxnandqxll]

the drabble thing: JEALOUSY (for James 👀)

SEND A WORD AND I WILL WRITE A DRABBLE ABOUT OUR MUSES

II @vxctorx

The element of surprise had never been an option that Commodore Norrington liked to entertain, however, that evening something stirred in him. A jocund defiance against his own consistent nature dressed in the guise of quietly endearing gallantry.-- Since he had found himself spending countless days alongside the desired company of Victor Trevor, James had found himself changed. Emboldened, perhaps? All he knew was that just the mere thought of Victor tempted his very being to sly on the err of want rather than practically; and that evening, he wanted to see Victor. To be amidst his presence, even amongst a throng of soiree attendees. To listen to the velvet words sculpted by His golden tongue, before reveling in sharing his own chatter in a rare circumstance of loquaciousness. Either way, the officer found himself craving for the companionship of the gentleman. Surely an unexpected visit couldn't hurt.

Regret, unfortunately, remained James's constant companion once more.-- He felt as if he played himself the fool. An absolute fool. The flourish of a final twirl, followed by a swan-like curtsey from the line of dancers as the strings decadent melody fluttered to a close.

James's sable gaze entranced itself upon the couple from the margins of the soiree. How many dances had the two engaged in? He saw the way she looked at him; her petalled smile, a gentle constellation of pearls, perfectly framed by her flowing locks of gold. Its golden shade matching... No... Complimenting His own. The woman's rouge lips parted as she uttered some unknown, dulcet words. Her dazzling eyes starry with delight as she wallowed upon the golden vision before her.-- Was Victor basking in the delicate curves of her silken beauty with just as much notice? Was he showering her with more than a cordial smile? The sort of untutored smile that brimmed with guiltless sincerity that James had grown endeared to? Victor's partner uttered another string of sweetened words, before the gentleman's lips laced the back of her hand with a kiss.

His shoulders squeezed into a tightened knot. All at once, the officer didn't feel like a companion nor a guest, but instead an intruder. Not an intruder within the gaudy walls of the Trevor estate per se, but an intruder regarding the matters of Victor's heart.-- The coils of envy enraptured round his ribs. Foolish, foolish man. Had the snakeheads of envy been targeted at the seemingly intimate regard Victor had shown to his newfound companion? Perhaps. The idea of the gentleman offering his affections for another did sting more than James would ever admit, however, his jealousy stemmed from something more. The true bite of it all came from the ineffable laws of nature. How, no matter what he did, nor how much he desired Victor's companionship, the truth of the matter was that there would be no place for such absurd fantasies. In the end, Victor's place was not alongside his own, hands clasped into a loving hold, but instead with Her, or at least with a woman of equal rank.-- Who's to say that he had not read this all wrong and Victor had realized the depth of the officer's sentiments and had grown repulsed by James's closeness? There was a hierarchy to the laws of nature. One that was unforgiving to those who stepped out of line.

What foolish naivety to entertain such sentiments. Foolish, foolish man. He should never have come. He should've known better than to step out of line. Know your place.

[lboogie1906]

General Bernard P. Randolph (July 10, 1933 - January 4, 2021)) was born to Phillip J. Randolph and Claudia Randolph in New Orleans. He attended Xavier University of Louisiana, where he graduated with a BS in Chemistry. He earned a BS in Electrical Engineering, he received an MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of North Dakota.

He enlisted in the Air Force. He did not have intentions of making a career out of his time in the Air Force, but he saw the value of staying in the military. He became a Second Lieutenant (1955), and he became a First Lieutenant (1957).

He attended Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He attended Air Staff and Command College while earning an MBA from Auburn University. He went to Air War College. His aviation cadet training was at Ellington Air For Base and Mather Air Force Base.

His first assignment received was with Strategic Air Command, where he became a Captain (1960). He had been one of the select crew responsible for KC-97 and B-47 flights. He became the Chief of On-Orbit Operations at Los Angeles Air Force Station and was promoted to Assistant Deputy Program Director for Launch and Orbital Operations.

He was an airlift operations officer in South Vietnam. He was responsible for the airlift control elements there. He received the Vietnam Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

He became a Colonel in 1975. He became commander of Air Force Systems Command. In this position, he was responsible for a third of the Air Force’s annual budget. He was promoted to become a General (1987).

He retired in 1990. He was inducted into the University of North Dakota Engineering Alumni Academy.

He married Lucille Robinson (1956). They have six children. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[crimechannels]

By • Olalekan Fagbade Seven gunmen neutralised, AK-47 riffle, fourteen [14] motorcycles retrieved Troops neutralised seven bandits in Kaduna State between Wednesday and Friday. Spokesman of 1 Division Nigerian Army, Lt.-Col Musa Yahaya, stated on Friday in Kaduna that troops of the division neutralised four of the bandits on Wednesday at Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state. He explained that during the operation, the troops recovered one AK 47 rifle, one AK 47 magazine, one machete, one mobile phone and 14 motorcycles from the criminals. He stated also that on Thursday, some farmers who were harvesting their crops at Sabon Sara village fled their farms and alerted troops of bandits’ attack. “Upon receipt of the information, troops mobilised to the area where four of the farmers joined them and neutralised one bandit while others withdrew in disarray with gunshot wounds. “The troops recovered two AK 47 rifles, but one of the farmers sustained minor injuries and was immediately evacuated to a nearby military hospital for treatment. “On Friday, acting on credible intelligence, troops carried out clearance operation around Kankomi, Juji, Gwantu, Kujeni, Kikwari and Kaso in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. “Troops made contact with bandits and successfully neutralised two of the criminals. “Items recovered include one AK 47 rifle, one AK 47 magazine, four 7.62MM special ammunition, one Honda motorcycle and one Techno phone,’’ Yahaya stated. He added that the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division Nigerian Army and Force Commander, “Operation Whirl Punch’’, Maj.-Gen. Valentine Okoro commended the troops for their gallantry. Okoro also commended the farmers for their bravery. He charged troops not to relent until all terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements in the Division’s area of responsibility were neutralised, Yahaya also stated. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng) TJ/ALLI

[hardynwa]

Troops rescues abducted Cross River Commissioner after 35 days kidnap

Troops of 13 Brigade Nigerian Army Calabar deployed for Operation Akpakwu, have rescued the abducted Commissioner for Women Affairs in Cross Rivers, Associate Prof Gertrude Nnanjar Njar after 35 days in captivity. The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the 13th Brigade Nigerian Army Calabar, Captain Dorcas Oluwatope Aluko, who confirmed this in a statement on Wednesday said the troops laid a tacit ambush for the kidnappers around Peter Effiong Creek, Messembe, Jebs. Recall that the rescued Commissioner was kidnapped on February 1st while driving back home at Main Avenue, street Calabar South. The statement added that “The gallant troops tactically sprung an ambush to take the kidnappers by surprise while on search of the victim. In the ensuing melee, the criminals abandoned the victim and fled into the creeks. “Troops are, however, on the trail of the fleeing criminals. Meanwhile, the victim is currently receiving medical treatment, after which she will be discharged. “The Commander 13 Brigade Nigerian Army commends troops for their gallantry and urges them to sustain the tempo against all criminal elements in the Brigade’s Area of Responsibility. “Members of the general public are also encouraged to continue providing timely and accurate information on criminal activities within their vicinities.” Read the full article

[sfc-paulchambers]

Sergeant First Class William Maud Bryant, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. His battalion came under heavy fire and became surrounded by the elements of three enemy regiments. Bryant displayed extraordinary heroism throughout the succeeding 34 hours of incessant attacks as he moved throughout the company position heedless of the intense hostile fire while establishing and improving the defensive perimeter, directing fire during critical phases of the battle, distributing ammunition, assisting the wounded, and providing leadership and an inspirational example of courage to his men. If you’re ready to be a part of #history & #armyhistory then #contactmenow 615-429-0932 #yourarmyreservecareercounselor #armystrong #armyteam #celebritysoldiers #blacksoldiers #bearmystrong #bedifferent #theydiditwhycantyou #famoussoldiers #theydidit #whatsyourexcuse #teamarmy #bedifferent #blackhistorymonth #beallthatyoucanbe #bearmystrong #brotherhood Read more: www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/3238/bryant-william-maud.php (at Army Recruiting Columbia, TN) https://www.instagram.com/p/CouO8Uou22I/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=