#erskine williams

[punkffunk-fire-and-desire]

Stone City Band

L - R: Levi Ruffin Jr., Lanise Hughes, Oscar Alston and Tom McDermott

L - R: Erskine Williams, Tom McDermott, Levi Ruffin, Danny LeMelle and Oscar Alston

Photograph by Bobby Holland (1981)

L - R: Allen McGrier, LaMorris Payne, Nate Hughes, Levi Ruffin Jr. and Danny LeMelle

L - R: Danny LaMelle, Nate Hughes, Levi Ruffin Jr., Tom McDermott and LaMorris Payne

L - R: LaMorris Payne, Levi Ruffin Jr., Tom McDermott, Nate Hughes and Lanise Hughes

Photo By Raymond Boyd (1985)

Front: Billy Nunn

Back: Levi Ruffin Jr., Tom McDermott, Oscar Alston, Lanise Hughes and Nate Hughes

Stone City Band albums:

In 'n' Out (1980)

The Boys Are Back (1981)

Meet The Stone City Band! - Out From The Shadow (1983)

Rest In Peace Billy Nunn.

[lillaurenp96]

The Emmy nominations are actually really good. Shogun is taking home majority: Drama, Lead Actress in Drama(Anna), Lead Actor in Drama(Hiroyuki, finally this man gets his accolades🥹), Supporting Actor in Drama(either one of those actors). Same with the Bear season 2: Best Comedy: Lead Actor in Comedy(Jeremy), Lead Actress in Comedy(Ayo, she is the frontrunner, but Selena or Jean have a shot of taking that), shout-out to Liza (Tina) and Lionel (Marcus) getting first nominations 🥰🥰🥰.

Also some more shout-outs:

Aja Naomi King: Lessons in Chemistry

Nava Mau: Baby Reindeer, first Trans-Latina actress 🔥🔥🔥 nominee

Lily Gladstone: Under the Bridge

Jonathan Bailey: Fellow Travelers

Greta Lee: Morning Show

Nicole Beharie: Morning Show

D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai: Reservation Dogs

Maya Erskine: Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Donald Glover: Mr. And Mrs. Smith

Idris Elba: Hijack

Quinta, Sheryl, Janelle, Tyler: Abbott Elementary 🔥🔥🔥

[hellostarrynightblr]

Shelley Winters in Take One False Step (1949) dir. Chester Erskine

[gatutor]

Shelley Winters-William Powell "Un paso en falso" (Take one false step) 1949, de Chester Erskine.

[nitpickrider]

Sure, let me just use this formula that the scientist who created it very famously NEVER WROTE DOWN THE WHOLE THING to fuck with my body chemistry! Hey, Willie, have you ever heard of the concept of LEAVING OUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT as a DECOY for EXACTLY THIS SCENARIO

[thefollyflaneuse]

The Pagoda, Cardross, Stirlingshire

This curious rustic structure once stood in the grounds of Cardross House in the parish of Port of Monteith, near Stirling. It was built by the estate gardener in around 1853, and according to a picture postcard it became known as ‘the Pagoda’. A family memoir however records it by the rather charming name of The Foghoose. Continue reading Untitled

[downthetubes]

VR Comics Spotlight: "Angel Eyes" features work of a great team of British comics talent

If you're an Oculus user, then you may want to check out Angel Eyes, a recently-launched VR Graphic Novel created by the Head of Sky Immersive, Matt McCartney

[wolffyluna]

My art for the @mcytblraufest, of Bushranger/1850s Australia AU Cleo and Pearl!

Go check out @aliteral-ghost's fic for the art, it's really good: link.

Web Weave Credits: 'Waltzing Matilda' by Banjo Patterson' / 'The Man from Snowy River' by Banjo Patterson' / 'The Blind Assassin' by Margaret Atwood / Cultural Cringe on Wikipedia / Dingo photographed by Sam Fraser-Smith / 'The Anglel in The House' by Coventry Patmore / Zombie Cleo's Double Life Episode 1 / PearlescentMoon's Double Life Episode 1. / British Pattern 1853 Rifle by the Smithsonian / Ned Kelly's Armour at the State Library of Victoria / 'Ned Kelly's last words: 'Ah, well, I suppose'' by Stuart E Dawson / ZombieCleo's Double Life Episode 6 / 'Reminiscences of a Victoria Mounted Constable (A Narrative of the Kelly Gang and Other Bushrangers)' by Thomas McIntyre / 'Bushrangers on St Kilda Road' by William Strut / 'Bailed Up' by Tom Roberts / 'Bushrangers Attack a Gold Escort' by McFarlane and Erskine / 'Death of Ben Hall' by Patrick Maroney

[sjsmith56]

I Won’t Watch You Die

Summary: AU one shot. Bucky and Steve, caught during a bank robbery are given the opportunity to become part of a special unit for the Strategic Scientific Reserve, formed to fight HYDRA. Bucky’s wife is happy they aren’t in jail but she has her own fears of what could happen to her husband.

Length: 7.1 K

Characters: Bucky Barnes, named OFC, Steve Rogers. Brief cameo by General Phillips, Dr. Erskine, Agent Peggy Carter, Bruce Banner and Sam Wilson.

Warnings: Minors DNI - brief scene containing mild sexual content which may be unsuitable for underage readers. OFC worrying about Bucky, OFC seeming a little bitchy due to stress, economic circumstances making life difficult for working class, heartbreak.

Author notes: This AU is set in the early 1940s, after the United States have entered the war.  The Depression lasted longer in this universe, affecting many more people, including Bucky's family who lost their house when his dad was injured at the shipyard.  After getting laid off himself, Bucky and Steve turned to bank robbery, hoping to use the money to help as many families as possible in their neighbourhood survive until the war economy takes root.  Steve's mother is still alive but is not doing well.  The opening scenes are inspired by the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  The dialogue (marked with *) in the bedroom disrobing scene is taken from the film and was written by William Goldman.  The title is also a line from the movie but is used in a different context here.

Brooklyn, spring 1943

It had been a long ride on the subway back to Brooklyn and the young teacher was tired.  Etta stayed at the school to finish marking assignments, not wanting to bring them home over spring break.  By the time she got to her stop the sun was almost set and it looked like there might be a late spring snowstorm.  Drawing her thin coat around her, Etta exited the car at the elevated station and stepped carefully down the stairs exiting out the gate at the bottom.  The wind came up, biting through her clothing, even as she wrapped her arms around her, trying to protect her gloveless hands from the elements.  There was nothing she could do about the bare legs, having torn her last pair of stockings the week before.  With rationing because of the war limiting the supply she hoped that warmer spring weather would come soon.

Finally reaching the row of brownstones that had been converted from single family homes to flats, she went up the stone steps, then in through the front door, stopping to open her mailbox and collect her mail.  Quickly, she flipped through them, grimacing at the number of bills there were.  The afternoon newspaper was also there, and she briefly read the headline about the latest bank robbery, blamed on two local men she knew well.  Folding it back up she tucked the mail and paper under her arm and went up the three flights of stairs to her one-bedroom flat, unlocking the door and closing it then turning on the kitchen light.  The bundle of papers was placed on the kitchen table.  Her coat came off, followed by her shoes, then she slipped her cold feet into her slippers left by the door.  It was chilly in the flat, and she opened the coal fireplace in the parlour, tossing several pieces into the burner, then a few lit matches, hoping it would catch.  As she walked towards her bedroom she unbuttoned her sweater, taking it off in the room lit from the light spilling in from the kitchen.  Hanging it up in the wardrobe she turned around, startled to see a man sitting in a chair beside her bed.  His face was obscured but he was big, based on the shadowy outline of his figure.

"Keep going teacher lady*," said the man, glancing at a gun on the table beside him, then focusing his eyes on her.  "It's okay, don't mind me.  Keep on going.*"

She froze until he turned on the bedside lamp, picked up the gun and held it.  Slowly, she undid the buttons on her dress, and slipped it off over her shoulders, letting it drop onto the floor.  A loud breath escaped through his nostrils as he gazed hungrily upon her in her slip.

"Let down your hair*," he ordered.

She undid the pins that held her hair up and it fell loosely around her shoulders.

"Shake your head*," was his next command, letting out an almost obscene sound at the sight of her doing that.  "Uhh*."

He gestured with the hand that had the gun in it, towards her slip, wordlessly suggesting it come off.  The dark-haired woman didn't move fast enough, and he cocked the gun.  Slipping those straps off she let them slide off her shoulders, then stepped out of the slip, before holding it against her bare chest.  He uncocked the gun and stood up, leaving it on the table beside the chair.  Pulling his suspenders down, he stepped slowly towards her, keeping his blue eyes focused on hers.  Taking the slip in his hands, he tossed it aside, and gently placed his hands on her ribcage before sliding them up to cup her soft, round breasts in the dim light that came through the doorway.

"You know what I wish?*" she asked before he did anything else.

"What?*" he smirked.

"That for once, you'd get here on time*," she answered, emotionally, throwing her arms around him and kissing him, frantically.  "Where the hell have you been, Bucky?"

"I'm sorry, baby," he whispered, as her hands unbuttoned his shirt, almost ripping it off his body.  "We got here as soon as we could."

She stiffened when she heard the word "we."

"Steve?" she asked.  "Where is he?"

"He made himself scarce so we could be alone," answered Bucky, leading her over to the brass bed, covered in the quilt her grandmother made.

Pulling back the quilt he laid her down in the crisp, white bedsheets, unable to take his eyes off her.  He quickly undressed, eager to join Etta in bed after not being with her for so long.

"I missed you," he whispered as he buried his face in her neck, taking in the smell of Ivory soap that she used for bathing.  "You smell so good."

"You don't," she retorted.  "When was the last time you had a bath?"

He shrugged, then raised his head so he could look at her face.  "We haven't exactly been living in the best accommodations, sweetheart.  Haven't eaten since yesterday, either."

"You gave it all away again, didn't you?" asked Etta, looking carefully at him.  "Bucky, you have to keep a little to survive.  What about Steve's medicines?"

"I keep enough for those," he answered.  "But people aren't doin' well and with the war and rationing, it's hard.  I can't keep money when I know there's a family that hasn't eaten in two days because their daddy got hurt on the docks.  It's what happened to my dad, and they lost the house.  I can manage."

She wanted to cry at how this man she loved so much had turned to robbing banks and passing on the money to people in need, hardly keeping any for himself.  A tear must have escaped because Bucky kissed her cheek gently.

"I should be mad at you," she whispered.  "Putting yourself in this kind of trouble for people you barely know."

"But you love me, don't you?" 

"You wish."

His lopsided smile made her heart flip, then he pressed himself into her, making her whimper.

"Say it," he murmured.  "Please."

It took several more attempts of him kissing Etta before she relented.

"I love you," she answered, looking up at him, as she accepted the full weight of his muscular body on hers.

"Damn, I love you," he groaned as he thrust into her. 

For the next half hour, there was no banter or talking about his profession.  He just wanted to touch her and feel her body react to his, bringing both to the brink of bliss before he pulled out early, not wanting to add a pregnancy that would get Etta fired from her job.  Immediately, he helped her come, knowing she needed it.  Taking a handkerchief out of his trouser pockets, he cleaned her up, then slid his arm under her head, kissing her on her temple.  They laid like that for a while, until she sat up a little, to look out the window behind the head of the bed.  With a sigh, she waved at someone outside, then she put her slip on and robe over top of it.

"I'm letting Steve in," she said.  "He looks miserable out there.  I'll start boiling water for you two to have a bath.  Then you change into clean clothes so I can wash those ones.  In the meantime, make yourself useful and start something up for supper.  I have some pork chops that you can fry up and leftover potatoes.  There might still be a good onion as well."

Bucky sat up and grabbed her hand as she came around from her side of the bed, kissing it.

"You're too good for me, Etta."

"I know," she smiled, then she cupped his face with the hand.  "You're too handsome to say no to."

After unlocking her door and leaving it slightly ajar, she looked for her biggest pot and filled it with water, then placed it on the biggest burner of the gas stove in the kitchen, turning it up high.  She heard the door open and went to the hallway.

"Thanks, Etta," said Steve, Bucky's best friend, as he took his wet shoes off and unwound the scarf from around his neck.  "I tried to sit in a diner with a nickel coffee, but they told me unless I ordered some food I couldn't stay.  There was a lineup of soldiers and sailors waiting to get in.  I guess a bunch are shipping out tomorrow."

"Yeah, they're shipping out every day," she answered.  "Go sit by the fireplace in the parlour and warm up.  I've put some water on to boil for you and Bucky to have a bath.  He's going to start supper, if you want to help him.  I'll get the washtub ready."

"Etta?" She stopped to look at the thin, sickly man, his eyes seeming too big for his face.  "Have you seen my ma?"

She thought for a moment, as if she was trying to word things right. 

"Yes.  She's in the parish poor house but she doesn't look good.  I don't think she's going to last much longer, Steve.  She said not to try to see her.  If you do, they'll arrest you."

He swallowed and nodded his head, looking ashamed for a moment.  She squeezed his shoulder then left to pull the washtub out from where it was positioned in the pantry.  A pantry that had barely any food in it.  When she returned to the kitchen, a fully dressed Bucky had the pork chops on and was chopping the onion and potatoes up.  He took over when Etta tried to lift the big pot, carrying it to the pantry and pouring it into the tub.  Then he filled it up again and put it on the burner for the next one.  Four pots would give him enough to have a shallow bath.  Etta could pour a smaller pot of warm water over his head to rinse after he washed his hair.  Then he would help Steve as he was too shy to have Etta see him naked.  Finally, they would start another batch of water boiling to wash their clothes.  Privately, Bucky was afraid they would fall apart in the harsh laundry soap as it had been a while since either he or Steve changed them.  Another pot of boiling water was poured into the washtub before the meal was ready and they sat down together. 

Etta took only a small amount of food, giving Bucky the bigger portion and Steve more than hers.  Both men ate hungrily, and she opened the ice box, finding the cake that one of her students brought her earlier that week, a boiled raisin cake.  She cut a generous piece for each man, then sat back and watched them eat.  Steve couldn't finish his, pushing it towards her, so she obliged him and ate the rest.  Unable to afford coffee, they drank water.  Bucky pushed his chair back and patted his stomach.

"Etta, that was excellent," he said.  "A feast fit for a king."

"You cooked most of it," she replied drily, then stood up to take the dishes to the sink. 

Bucky pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck until she laughed.  Winking at Steve, he tickled her a little until she almost screamed and pulled herself away from him.  She went to the bathroom to relieve herself, then stood in front of the sink, looking at herself before she washed her hands in the cold water.  A slight knock got her attention, and she opened the door to Bucky.

"You okay, sweetheart?" he asked.  "Did I hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine," she smiled.  "I had to go, that's all."

"The water's ready for me to have my bath," he said.  "Do you want some hot water in the sink to clean yourself up?"

She nodded, and he kissed her, then left her there, coming back with a smaller pot of hot water from the washtub, pouring it into the sink.  Returning to her bedroom, she got her nightgown and brought it back.  Then she gave herself a sponge bath, cleaning what she could before drying off and putting her nightgown, then her robe on.  Emptying the sink, she rinsed it with cold water.  The sound of Bucky singing That Old Black Magic reached her ears and she came out to the kitchen where Steve was cleaning up, using a smaller pot to heat water for the dishes. 

"Thanks, Steve," she said.

"Least I could do.  We did eat your food."

Bucky was singing again, and they smiled at each other.  When the water in the bigger pot was warm, she took some of it, carrying the water to the pantry where Bucky sat in the bath water, cleaning his armpits. 

"Have you washed your hair yet?" she asked.

"Not yet," he said, squeezing the washcloth over his head, then scrubbing it with the Ivory Soap bar. 

He squeezed his eyes shut as he did then nodded his head.  Etta slowly poured the clean water over him, rinsing off the lather as Bucky ran his hands through his hair.  When the last of the water was poured, he wiped his face with his hands, then gingerly opened his eyes before smiling at her.

"Hi darling.  I smell better now."

She looked at the dirty water in the tub and shook her head at how filthy it was. 

"Try not to spill any on the floor when you hook up the hose to drain it.  Make sure you rinse it before putting clean water in."

He saluted and she returned to the kitchen to top up the water that was taken from the big pot.  Steve was drying the dishes and putting them into the cupboard, standing on his tiptoes to reach the one shelf.  Bucky came out wrapped in a towel and kissed Etta on his way to the bedroom, to change into clean clothes that they left with her.  He brought Steve's clean clothes and a towel with him, placing them in the pantry room.  As they waited for the water to boil in the big pot, he glanced at Etta's mail and flipped through the envelopes, frowning, as he opened them.

"Sweetheart, this one is marked final notice," he said, holding up a bill from the electrical company. 

"They raised the rates," she replied.  "I managed at the old rates, but I fell behind with the new ones.  I figured if I could push it towards summer before they turn off the electricity I can manage with candles for a while.  I can save up enough to pay the difference."

"What about the cancellation fees and the hookup fees?" he asked, visibly upset.  "They're nickel and diming people into losing their power now.  Where does it stop?"

"Don't yell at me," she answered.  "It's been hard managing.  I've been giving your ma money to tide them over.  My own mother isn't doing well.  I'm doing the best I can."

"Sweetheart, I'm not angry at you," he said soothingly, wrapping his arms around her, as Steve left to give them privacy.  "I'm just angry that people are hurting, and they keep adding costs onto everything.  What will they do when everyone is either homeless or in the poor house?  It can't go on like this.  Why isn't the government helping people more instead of putting us into a war across the ocean?"

"You know why," she stated.  "They have to stop Hitler, Bucky.  If they don't, he'll be here next."

"I know," he answered, shaking his head.  "It just gets to me."

The water on the stove was almost boiling and Bucky carried it to the washtub, then set another pot of water to boil.  Nothing more was said about the bills but when Etta went into the bedroom, he pulled Steve aside.

"We need to hit another bank," he said.  "She's stretched too thin, and I don't want her to lose her flat because she's been helping my family while I haven't been around.  I wish I knew about this sooner."

"She's a good woman," replied Steve.  "You should marry her."

"I plan to."  The dark-haired man ran his hand through his thick hair.  "One more bank job to help her and our families then that's it.  I'll enlist in the army.  It pays well and should be enough to help her and my parents out.  They can afford a three-bedroom apartment with steam heat and hot water on army pay, and live together.  With my pay and hers they'll do alright.  Maybe you can get on at a grocer's and take over this place.  You might be able to bring your ma to live with you."

"Sounds like a plan."  Steve looked to the bedroom.  "You should go to her.  I'll call you when the water is hot."

Bucky entered the bedroom to find Etta lying on top of the bed.  By the quiet sniffles he heard she was crying.  Sliding next to her, he rubbed her arm and kissed her shoulder. 

"I'm sorry," he whispered.  "I should have realized you've been taking care of our folks while we've been away.  You're a good woman Etta and I'm a better man because of you."

She rolled towards him, wiping her eyes.

"It's hard managing three sets of parents," she murmured.  "They worry about you."

"I know."  He cleared his throat.  "I'm going to enlist in the army, then I want us to get married.  With my army pay and your teacher pay, you can afford a better apartment; one big enough for you and my parents and sister.  Steve will try to get a job as more fellas are getting shipped out.  He can take over this flat and maybe bring his ma to live with him."

"Don't go getting all romantic on me, Barnes," grinned Etta, then her face became serious.  "You'd do that?"

He nodded.  "For you, anything.  I'll go tomorrow and look into it.  Will you marry me?"

"Yes, I will."  He kissed her, drawing her close into his body, inhaling the scent of Ivory Soap on both of them, thinking he never smelled anything so good as that.

Steve called from the kitchen that the water was hot enough and he left her in the bed, going out to put it in the washtub.  One more pot should do it, since Steve was a smaller guy, and he would need some cold water in there because of his health.  A little while later as Bucky sat reading the paper while Steve bathed, he thought about his decision, knowing it was the right one.  All they needed now was the right bank for this last robbery.  With enough money to get a good apartment for everyone, he'd be ready to serve his country.  What could go wrong?

Six months later

It was warm at the docks, as Bucky and Etta were saying their goodbyes.  So much had changed since he decided on that one last bank job.  When he and Steve didn't even get the chance to pull their guns out, he knew something was wrong.  It was like the police already knew their plans as they streamed out of the bank's offices with their guns drawn and trained on the pair.  Ordered to surrender or be shot down, both men complied.  After they were cuffed and placed into the paddy wagon, they weren't even taken to the precinct.  Instead, they were taken to Fort Hamilton, the army base at the south end of Brooklyn.  There, they joined five other men in the stockade, until a man in an army uniform introduced himself and his companions when they entered the room, Colonel Phillips, a Dr. Erskine, and a British woman, Agent Carter with the Strategic Scientific Reserve, or SSR.

As she read the name and offence committed by each man in that cell from a file folder she carried in her hands, Bucky realized that they had been under surveillance for a long time.  Each man, Dugan, Dernier, Falsworth, Jones, and Morita, had skills that the SSR wanted to utilize.  When she got to Bucky, the Colonel looked him up and down.

"Well, he looks fit at least.  What skills does he bring to this unit?"

The woman smiled.  "He regularly wins prizes at the shooting galleries at Coney Island and Rockaway Beach.  Those rifles are rigged but he manages to quickly assess how they have been adjusted and can instantly change his aim.  I thought he could be the marksman for the group."

How did they know he always cleaned up at those shooting galleries?  How long had they been watching him?  The Colonel grunted then moved on to look at Steve.

"How old are you son?"

"23," he answered.  "What do you want of us?"

"I chose young Steven," said Dr. Erskine, his thick German accent surprising all of them.  "He is 4F, but that hasn't stopped him from trying to enlist five times at five different recruiting stations under five different names."

Steve felt his cheeks go hot, as Bucky glared at him.  The younger man's desire to enlist had been a source of contention between the two men for some time.  Erskine continued.

"I think he is the perfect subject for the project.  He's not already a killer; the fact the guns these two used were unloaded and they've never hurt anyone during their robberies proves it.  He tries to help people, as shown by them sharing the stolen money with people in dire need, and he has an artistic soul.  All of them an indication of a good man, limited only by his physical disabilities."

The Colonel grunted then nodded his head and stood tall in front of the cell. 

"You all have a chance to serve your countries, gentlemen, and I do mean your country for I know two of you are not citizens here.  You will be part of a special commando unit in the Strategic Scientific Reserve.  You're going to undergo six months of training, then we're going to send you on a special mission to fight a special type of Nazi."

"What if we say no?" asked Bucky.

"Then you go back to the police and wend your way through the criminal justice system.  In your case, even though your guns were unloaded, it's still considered armed robbery.  With the number of successful heists you pulled off, you're looking at life imprisonment."

The seven men looked at each other then all verbally agreed to join the special unit.  They really didn't have much choice.

In the six months since then much had changed for all of them as they underwent a gruelling training regimen that turned them all into exceptional soldiers.  Except Steve, who only trained with them sometimes and even then wasn't expected to achieve what they did physically.  He was undergoing some different training that he was sworn to secrecy about, even from the others, admitting it was a special project that was expected to change the shape of warfare forever.  While the others were being sent to Europe to be imbedded with a regiment, Steve would be staying behind for a time before he joined them.  Today was the day that Bucky and the others were shipping out.

Allowed to marry Etta on one of his leaves, Bucky learned on his honeymoon that his father got a desk job at the shipyards, and his family were moved to a newer three-bedroom apartment with steam heat and running hot water, with a real bathroom.  Steve's ma was moved to a nice sanitarium to live out her final days in a place that was bright and warm.  Etta and Bucky were offered a newer two-bedroom apartment in a nice area of Brooklyn, with all the amenities.  During their honeymoon they rarely stepped foot out of that apartment. 

He smiled at the memory of that week, then looked at his wife again, as they stood outside the gate where thousands of soldiers had lined up to board a former cruise ship that would take them to England.  Bucky felt a pang in his heart at leaving her behind.

"I'll miss you," he murmured, holding her close enough to place his lips near her ear.  "I'll write you as much as I can."

Etta smiled at him, even though inside her fears were clawing at her.  "I'll miss you too and I'll write you twice as much.  Promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise," he answered.  "When I get back, we'll start a family."

Their kiss was long, tender, and noticed by others, who guessed they were newlyweds.  Then Bucky picked up his duffel bag and checked in at the gate.  He only went a short way when Etta called out to him.

"Hey Sergeant!"  He turned back to look at her.  "Do your duty, soldier."

"Yes ma'am!"

He saluted then joined the line, watched by Etta until she lost sight of him in that sea of green.  She returned to her comfortable apartment, wondering what type of work Bucky had to do for them to warrant this kind of luxury.  What had he promised them so that she and his family were taken care of so well?

🪖 🚢

Two weeks later, she received a visitor at her apartment.  A strong knock drew her out of the kitchen, and she opened the door to a tall, blond, muscular man in an army uniform, who smiled at her as if they knew each other.  It took her a moment to realize it was Steve and she fainted.  When she came to, she was on the couch in her living room, with a cold, damp washcloth on her forehead.  Taking it off, she sat up to face the man, who sat in the armchair across from the couch.

"Steve?"

"Yeah, it's me," he replied.  "Before you ask, I can't tell you how I look this way.  It's a national secret."

"Okay," she breathed.  "Will you look like this forever?"

He smiled and nodded.  "It's permanent."  His face became serious.  "I'm here on official business.  Normally, the army sends out a telegram."  Immediately, Etta could hear her heartbeat in her ears as she thought of all those fears about Bucky.  "I found out this morning and received permission to give you the news directly.  I already saw his parents.  Bucky's MIA.  In fact, the whole unit is.  They were imbedded with the 107th regiment and were sent with a couple of companies on a mission.  200 men left, less than 50 returned."

"No, he just got there.  Why would they send them out so soon?"

"That's just the way it was."  He looked at his hands.  "Did Bucky ever tell you about the commando unit and who they were training to fight?" She shook her head.  "It's a special division of Nazis called HYDRA.  They're worse than the SS and are up to some scary things.  It's likely they were captured by this division.  They're no longer where the battle was and quite frankly, they're having trouble finding where the prisoners have been taken.  I'm going over by aircraft tomorrow with our command team to take over the search for them.  I promise that I'll do all I can to find Bucky.  With my rank, I can send my own telegrams, and I'll send one to you and to Bucky's parents as soon as I can."

"Your rank?" She looked at him, puzzled.  Just a few weeks ago he was a small, sickly man who had health issues that could kill him at any moment.  "What are you?"

"A captain, but not just any captain.  I can't tell you anymore than that.  Just know, that I can do things other men can't."  He stood up.  "I better go now.  I still need my rest, just like any other guy."

She walked him to the door and on impulse, hugged him, surprised to find that he was very warm; the heat from his body radiating through his uniform.  It was all so strange and seemed to be happening so fast.

For the next month, Etta tried to keep to a routine.  With it being summer, she was off work, but she regularly visited Sarah Rogers at the sanitarium, and her in-laws, the Barnes at their apartment.  She walked, read the newspapers voraciously for any word of the war, and slept poorly each night, consumed with dreams of Bucky in pain.  Then one day, a knock at the door brought her a telegram and she opened it to read that Bucky, and the special unit he was in, had been rescued.  There were no other details other than it would all be in the news within a day or so.  That was when she found out that Steve Rogers was Captain America, the allies first super soldier, the result of a scientific experiment that gifted him with perfect health, great strength, and incredible stamina to fight against the Nazis.  Single-handedly, he broke into a secret base, released the prisoners, including his own captured unit, then together destroyed the base, dealing a significant blow against the enemy.  It was heady stuff, and the public ate it up.  Just as they ate up the future exploits of Captain America and the Howling Commandos, the name given to that special unit.  Over the next year much was written about them, and they were on the newsreels all the time. 

Etta didn't care much for all that, as it just reinforced her fears for Bucky's safety.  Instead, she lived for his letters, filled with love for her.  She wrote back just as much; filling her letters with dried flowers from the window boxes of their apartment, drops of her perfume, and even small slivers of Ivory Soap that she shaved off and placed in the envelope, hoping that he would notice the smell and think of them, when he was still on the run. 

Her fears slowly subsided until just after Christmas 1944, when she woke up screaming one morning from a dream that seemed all too real: a dream of Bucky falling.  The next morning when she received Steve's telegram, she thought she would die.  At Bucky's funeral with an empty coffin, she and his mother numbly received the folded flag, neither of them in a state to feel anything else.  Just a few weeks later, when the newspapers reported the death of Captain America, she thought she had died and gone to hell.  At his funeral, she received the flag on behalf of his mother, who was too ill to attend.  After giving it to her in the sanitarium she wasn't surprised when Sarah Rogers died a day later, clutching the flag that represented her only child.  It was all too much for the young woman and she took a leave of absence from her teaching job, sitting alone in her apartment, not eating or drinking; not wanting to live in a world without Bucky.

⏳ ⌛️

"Etta," said a voice, a familiar voice but one that shouldn't even exist anymore. 

She opened her eyes and screamed, before a hand was placed gently on her mouth, then removed.

"Steve?"

He was older, and wearing a blue suit of some kind, like the one he wore as Captain America, but it was different. 

"Yeah, it's me.  Get dressed.  We don't have much time."

"You're dead."

"No, it was thought I was but it's too hard to explain and will take too long.  Do you trust me?"  She nodded.  "Just get dressed.  Wear trousers. I'll wait in the living room."

Quickly, she rose and put some clothes on, then brushed her hair and came out to see him standing in front of the window.  He turned around quickly and smiled at her, then took something out of his pocket.

"Put this on."  He slipped a strange device on her hand, then took her other hand in his.  "Ready?"

"Wait, where are you taking me?"

"To Bucky," he smiled, then pressed a button on the device.

She held her breath as some sort of suit grew out of the device, encasing her body so quickly that she couldn't believe it.  Then there was a flash, darkness, then another flash and the suit disappeared as quickly as it was created.  She was outside, amongst a group of trees, near a lake.  A man with long hair and a beard turned swiftly around, his eyes exactly like Bucky's.

"Etta," he whispered, then enclosed her in a noticeably warm hug, his face pressed into her hair.  "It worked."

She pulled away and looked at this man with Bucky's eyes and voice. 

"I don't understand," she stammered.  "You died.  Both of you died.  You left me alone but you're here, wherever this is and you're alive.  Is this heaven?"

"Upstate New York," said another voice and she looked towards it only to be startled by the appearance of a green skinned giant wearing glasses.  "It's okay.  I won't hurt you.  I'm Bruce and you're very much in upstate New York.  It's 2023 and you've come through time."

It was all too much for Etta and for the second time in her life, she fainted, aware only of someone saying to catch her before she fell.  When she woke up, it was on a blanket, next to the lake she remembered seeing on her arrival.  The sun was peeking through the trees with a slight breeze making the remaining gold and orange leaves rustle.  It was autumn, she realized.  It had been winter in New York when Steve appeared in the apartment.  Three men sat nearby, talking quietly, then one turned around.

"Your wife is awake, Bucky," he said, standing up and approaching her.  "Hi, I'm Sam.  I’m a friend of Steve and Bucky.  How do you feel?"

"Confused," she admitted.  "What the green man said about it being 2023.  Is that true?"

"Yeah," he smiled.  "Kind of overwhelming, isn't it?  These two didn't help matters but Steve really didn't have the time to explain.  Bucky should have at least cut his hair and shaved for you so that he was more of a familiar face."  His face grew serious, and he glanced back at where Steve and Bucky stood, giving her some space.  "Steve had to go back in time to fulfill a promise made.  Bucky asked if someone could be brought forward.  He's been through a lot and well, he thought if you were here with him, it would make it easier for him to adjust.  It won't be easy for you as there's almost 80 years of life for you to catch up on but together, I think you can do it, and you won't be alone.  There's a few of us here that will help you both." 

Acknowledging his words, Etta began to stand, accepting Sam's help up, then he walked away, followed by Steve, leaving her and Bucky alone.  She studied her husband’s face, seeing lines on it that hadn't been there before.  He wore black, which he never wore before and he had gloves on, which was strange because it wasn't cold. 

"Come, sit," he said, gesturing to a bench that overlooked the lake.  "There's so much to tell you."

"Start with why you aren't dead." 

He smiled.  Etta always was blunt.  It was one of the things he missed about her.

"Everyone thought I was, as I fell a long way.  But they didn't know that when I was a prisoner of HYDRA for that month when I was MIA that they did something to me that changed me.  They were trying to turn me into a super soldier like Steve.  I survived the fall, but HYDRA found me and took me back to their lab to finish the job.  They didn't just turn me into a super soldier, they erased Bucky Barnes, and turned me into a killer, a weapon to do their bidding.  It took them years because I fought them as hard as I could but, in the end, they made me into someone called the Winter Soldier.  I killed many people for them, Etta.  They kept me alive, freezing me then unfreezing when they wanted me to kill.  It's why I haven't aged much."

She gazed steadily at him, seeing the regret that was engraved on his face and in his eyes.  Yes, he had been a killer, but he wasn't anymore.  Somehow, he got away. 

"Why is Steve still alive?"

"He didn't die either, but no one knew that.  He deliberately crashed that plane full of bombs in the Arctic then he was frozen in the ice but the serum he got that changed him into a super soldier kept him alive, just enough that when he was found in 2011, they were able to thaw him, and he woke up.  He became Captain America in the 21st century and fought against HYDRA again, as they never really went away because what I did helped them to become dangerous again."

Etta didn't have to say it, but she did, wanting a straight answer. She was always smart at reading between the lines. It was something Bucky loved about her.

"They sent you after him, didn't they?"

Bucky nodded.  "I was sent to kill him and that's when he found out I was still alive.  He called me by my name and there wasn't a big flash of understanding or anything like that but more like an unraveling of all that they did to me.  It took some time, and I was sent to kill him again and I almost did.  I swear, I wanted to bash his face in and shut him up because he kept calling me Bucky.  Then I saw him in my mind, as he was then.  The little guy, who was always sick, his face bloody from being beaten up, and me coming to help him.  That was the beginning, and I didn't kill him.  He and his new team were able to stop HYDRA, and I went underground until he found me again and we ended up in the biggest fight of our life against someone more dangerous than HYDRA had ever been.  They needed time travel to do it and when some things had to go back to their time, I asked about bringing you forward."

She was full of questions and rattled them off one after another.

"Why not your parents or Rebecca?  Why me?  I'm not sure I can live in a future where everything is so strange.  I mean a real green giant and time travel.  What else has changed in all those years?  If I don't fit in, can I go back?"

"It was better my parents didn't find out what I became.  Rebecca's still alive and I couldn't bring her younger version forward.  It had to be you.  You're my wife."  He swallowed and his eyes became glassy as he looked out over the lake.  When he spoke again, his voice was wavering.  "You died, Etta.  Steve found your grave; you were buried next to my empty coffin.  Your date of death was February 5, 1945.  He looked up in the newspapers how you died ... you killed yourself."  The tears began falling down his cheek.  "I can't send you back because I won't watch you die, Etta.  Please, stay here in the future with me.  Don't make me face life without you, not when we can be together again."

He reached into his pocket for a handkerchief, wiping his eyes.  Noticing the gloves on his hands again, Etta took his one hand in hers. 

"Why are you wearing gloves on a warm day?  What aren't you telling me?"

He swallowed noticeably again, then took the glove off his right hand.  It looked normal and she caressed it, then interlaced her fingers with his.  With her right hand she reached for his left and tugged on the glove.  When it came off a metal hand was revealed, black with gold markings.  She looked up at him for an explanation.

"I lost my arm in the fall and HYDRA gave me a new one, a monstrous thing that was used to deliver death and destruction.  It was eventually destroyed and a kind king in a country with incredible technology designed a new one.  It's still metal but I can feel with it, and it's meant to be as close to a real arm as possible.  It wasn't designed to hurt or kill.  I'll show you all of it when we're alone, but it is different and may take some getting used to.  It's why I can't go back."

They sat without talking for some time, but she didn't pull her hand out of his. 

"What do they do for work in the 21st century?"

"A lot of the same.  I'll be part of Steve's team, called the Avengers.  They kind of protect the whole world from evil."

"No more bank robberies?"

Bucky smirked.  "No more bank robberies."

"I should still be mad at you," she whispered.  "Putting yourself in this kind of trouble for people you barely know."

"But you love me, don't you?" 

"You wish."

His lopsided smile made her heart flip like it always did, then he pressed his lips onto hers, making her whimper.

"Say it," he murmured.  "Please."

It took several more attempts of him kissing Etta before she relented.

"I love you," she answered.  "I'll stay."

"I love you, too," he cried, kissing her all over her face before he grasped it in his hands.  "We'll have a nice place to live, and we can start a family, if you want.  I know I'm older now but inside I'm still the young man you married at City Hall."  His eyes searched her face.  "We just have to find Steve a girlfriend."

"I heard that," said Steve, still talking to Sam a fair distance away.  "I can find my own girl."

"Yeah, you've been in this century how long and you're still single," answered Bucky, standing up and pulling Etta with him.  "Face it, you need our help."

As the two men bantered back and forth, Etta made eye contact with Sam, who grinned at her.  Apparently, Steve was just as hopeless with romance now, as he had been in the 1940s.  She wasn't sure how well she would adjust but having her husband and his best friend back in her life was better than good.  It just felt right, as if it were how it always was and would always be.

One Shots Masterlist

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[scotianostra]

On July 2nd 1971 The Erskine bridge was officially opened.

Construction on the project began in April 1967 at a cost of £10.5m, which is the equivalent of almost £150m today.

The bridge was designed by Freeman Fox & Partners for the Erskine Bridge Joint Committee. Dr Oleg Kerensky was the partner in charge and the chief design engineer was Dr William Brown under the supervision of Sir Gilbert Roberts. The piers and foundations were designed by W. A. Fairhurst & Partners. The consultant architect was R. E. Slater.

The central span is 305m (1000ft) flanked by anchor spans of 110m each. The total length including approach spans is 1322m. The aerofoil box-girder deck is supported by fourteen diamond-plan, single-shaft concrete piers at a maximum height of 45m above the river. Two central pylons extend 38m above the level of the deck. A 6x4 cluster of galvanized steel cables passes over the saddle of each pylon in a centralised, single plane.

The dual carriageway has cycle lanes and footpaths with metal safety barriers, renewed in 2012. The underside of the deck carries four water mains pipes and two gas pipes. In 2017 the cables were painted and aluminium lighting columns were installed.

The Bridge was a state-of-the-art infrastructure landmark in Scotland for its time and remains one of the country's most architecturally and technically distinguished bridges of the post-war period and beyond its date of construction. It is the first example of a large-scale cable-stayed bridge in Scotland and is recognised for its structural simplicity, economy of materials and slender appearance.

It was designed and built during a period of substantial development in civil engineering and road infrastructure. It illustrates the aspirations for economic and social progress in Scottish society and is directly associated with the period of ambitious transformation of Scotland's modern infrastructure during the 1960s.

The Erskine Bridge is one of only three road bridges in Scotland with a main span exceeding 300 metres. Its minimalistic single-cable design remains exceptionally rare for large-scale road bridges. On completion, the Erskine Bridge is understood to have had the longest span of this type in the world. The appearance of many bridges on this scale have been altered by later alteration and engineering works. The largely unchanged appearance of the Erskine Bridge contributes to its special interest.

Some of these pics I unearthed are brilliant, my faves are, probably the first person to cross the bridge, no health and safety back then, and the photo with the PS Waverley passing by during construction.

[insanityclause]

Deadline’s Contenders Television, the event where stars and showrunners talk up their shows ahead of Emmy voting, has unveiled its lineup.

The event kicks off on Saturday April 13 and runs through Sunday April 14 at the Directors Guild of America in LA. There will also be a virtual livestream of the event. Full details of the event and an RSVP link can be found here.

It will give you a sense of the hits of the last twelve months, as well as some shows that you’re about to be talking about, as the networks, studios and streamers vie for some awards love.

Stars attending include Tom Hiddleston, Nicole Kidman, Brie Larson, Kristen Wiig, Rebecca Ferguson, Lily Gladstone, David Oyelowo, Common, Jimmy Fallon, Giancarlo Esposito, Joey King, Andrea Riseborough, Sebastian Maniscalco, Bill Pullman, Kiefer Sutherland, Logan Lerman, Kelsey Grammer, Matt Bomer, Jonathan Bailey, Allison Williams, Maya Erskine, Nathan Fielder, Skeet Ulrich, Jeff Probst, Omar J. Dorsey, Harriet Dyer, Patrick Brammall, Sophia Di Martino, Sarayu Blue, Ji-young Yoo and Taylor Zakhar Perez.

Shows that will be featured across the two days include Parish, Masters of the Air, Lessons in Chemistry, The Morning Show, Silo, Palm Royale, The New Look, Survivor, Colin From Accounts, A Murder at the End of the World, True Detective: Night Country, We Were the Lucky Ones, Under the Bridge, Murdaugh Murders: The Movie, Loki, Alice & Jack, Genius: MLK/X, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, 3 Body Problem, Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Frasier, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Fallout, Expats, Red, White & Royal Blue, Fellow Travelers, The Curse, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, Platonic and Bookie.

There will also be numerous top showrunners and exec producers including Chuck Lorre, David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Alexander Woo, Benny Safdie, Graham Yost, Gary Goetzman, Lee Eisenberg, Abe Sylvia, Brit Marling, Zal Batmanglij, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Francesca Sloane, Lulu Wang, Sarah Schechter and Nicholas Stoller.

The studios, networks and streamers participating include AMC, Apple TV+, CBS, CBS Studios, FX, HBO and Max, Hulu, Lifetime, Marvel Studios and Disney+, Masterpiece on PBS, National Geographic, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Peacock, Paramount+, Prime Video, Showtime, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. Television.

The event is sponsored by Apple TV+, Eyepetizer Eyewear and Final Draft + ScreenCraft in partnership with Four Seasons Resort Maui and 11 Ravens.

---

Both Tom and Sophia will be there.

[the1920sinpictures]

1925 “Beauty begins at the ankle where this cast is concerned. They are the beauties appearing in “Chickie” for First National Pictures. Being measured for their roles are Betty Williams, Gladys Erskine, Thelma Percy, Mae Atwood, Winifred Hunter and Ethlyn Williamson.” The Roaring Twenties, FB.

[goetiae]

Leeches were largely popular in the medical field during the Victorian era both in Europe (primarily England and France) and America. The 19th century saw progression of the academic study of leeches as used in medicine that was conducted prior and laid basis for the modern application of anticoagulant in medical practice.

At the time, many famous Englishmen found leeches fascinating: zoologist Arthur Everett Shipley, for instance, wrote papers marveling at the beauty and functionality of a leech. This fascination often grew personal. Lord Thomas Erskine, a lawyer, underwent a successful bloodletting, afterwards taking with him two leeches; later naming them Home and Clina. According to the memoirs of Sir Sam Romilly, Erskine's friend, he took great care of making sure the leeches "knew him".

In France, the obsession with leeches took drastic turns as well. François-Joseph-Victor Broussais, a notable surgeon of Napoleon's army, was known to possess a certain infatuation with leeches.

Leeches were in growingly high demand in the 19th century Europe. France imported leeches in terrific quantities equating up to dozens of millions a year.

Overall, bloodletting for medicinal purposes is not strictly unique to the 19th century Europe. Like many other medical methods, it has its roots in Ancient Egypt and Greece where bloodletting via cutting veins was often practiced by the followers of the method described in the Hippocratic collection of the 5th century BC. The medicinal use of leeches dates back to 1500 BC and is not a recent invention. However, it is only in 1884 that Haycraft learned why leeches are so efficient in bloodletting: their saliva contains an anticoagulant hirudin (hence hirudotherapy). These observations are listed in Haycraft's work, On the Action of a Secretion Obtained from the Medicinal Leech on the Coagulation of the Blood. For this property, leeches are still in high medicinal demand.

During the Victorian era, leeches were used for all kinds of medical treatment: from headaches to hemorrhoids, from fatigue to nymphomania. Sir William Henry, for example, writes that bloodletting is far beyond any other medical treatment in helping many diseases.

Albeit, the effectiveness of such treatment is a matter of much questioning as often leeching only weakened the fragile state of those being treated. Some patients were, unsurprisingly, allergic to the treatment and either suffered reactions to leeches, larger loss of blood than intended, or even died during treatment.

Leeches and bloodletting were studied with much attention: physicians wrote books on the physiology and medical benefits of leech usage, and a very detailed description of leeches was added in the 1880 edition of Johnson's Universal Cyclopaedia.

The curiosity for leeches found its way into much earlier publications as well. For example, J. R. Johnson released multiple medical studies on leeches in the very beginning of the 19th century. His A Treatise on the Medicinal Leech (1816) and Further Observations in the Medicinal Leech (1825) dwelled on the precise details of leech usage and preservation.

From Johnson's studies mentioned above, we learn that he worked with cocoons of different sizes which he received from other leech enthusiasts. He recorded that leeches are to be kept in an enclosure with a stream of fresh water coming in and turf placed conveniently so that the leeches could "retire in a shady spot". He also studied leeches' detailed anatomical structure.

Such academic interest centered around leeches in England roots within earlier academic research done by the scientists of the 18th century - for example, an apothecary by the name George Horn who published his An Entirely New Treatise on Leeches: Wherein the Nature, Properties and Use in 1798. Interestingly, even this early into the studying of leeches, he mentions the dangers of infections if leeches were to be attracted by walking bare-legged into a river (as was done in India, according to him). Instead, he promotes the English method of agitating the leech-infested waters until the animals come up to the surface to then be caught by the nets. Overall, prior to Horn's manual not many spoke in favor of leeching: William Buchan in his study from 1769 speaks on leeches as unreliable and inefficient as it's unclear how much blood is taken per use.

Horn describes four species of leech (two of which are found in England) and dwells on their peculiar anatomy:

no eyes but a teeth-filled mouth

lips to catch blood from escaping

lack of a proper stomach

presence of the so-called "bags" across their body that "get saturated when leeches receive nourishment"

Based on the gathered information, one can claim leeches were awakening more and more scientific curiosity among the English apothecaries and physicians even at the end of the 18th century.

The medical treatment of patients with the use of leeches is described by Horn as well, though he tends to recommend additional treatment - usually mixtures of milk and syrup with herbs - to be given to the patient alongside bloodletting. This as well as other studies of the late 18th century certainly became the basis of medicinal usage of leeches in the upcoming 19th century and far into the 1910s.

It is impossible to speak of leech therapy of the early 19th century in England and beyond without mentioning the influence of François-Joseph-Victor Broussais, a surgeon of immense medical fascination with leeches who employed them vastly in his treatment of Napoleon's soldiers. Broussais used around fifty leeches a time per patient and was thus called "the vampire of medicine" for his fascination with bloodletting. He claimed, among other things, that all "fevers" had the precisely same origin: inflammation. Letting out "bad blood" was thus a plausible solution to the issue.

Women wore embroidery in colors inspired by leeches' dim, soft shades. A whole sort of fashion - à la Broussais - was born out of this unusual fascination. The notable traits of this fashion, according to Michel Valentin who wrote a large biography of Broussais, were purple garnitures - embroidery, trimming - and top coats that resembled leeches' colors.

This conclusion was, of course, the result of the "humoral theory", which was widely supported in Europe. Rooting from Greece, it centered around the idea that the human body held inside four types of liquids: two kinds of bile, phlegm, and blood. Each humor was associated with two qualities, either hot or cold, and either wet or dry. Having one of the liquids "in excess" was associated with certain conditions (for blood, it was any that caused redness, for example), hence bloodletting was a naturally sought out practice.

The leeches were placed “inside the nostrils, on the inside of the lower lip, on the chest, and on the side, sometimes by four at a time.” Leeches could access otherwise inaccessible parts of one's body (such as perineum) and were often used for treatment conditions that were believed to be connected to genitalia - for example, "nymphomaniac" states. To apply a leech, one would hold a small leech-containing vessel filled with water to the desired spot, wait until it bites, and then gently remove the container; tubes could be used as well.

A whole industry related to leeches was established in the 19th century: propagating leeches rose to the state level of importance and leech keeping became a popular activity. Leeches were, in fact, nearly hunted to extinction in some European countries in the 19th century, including England. Containing leeches started to become complicated: leeches only needed meals once every six months (and thus were not suitable for frequent use) and required specific conditions of containment. Thus, the mechanical leech quickly became a popular invention. The first prototype of 1817, called bdellomètre, is credited to French doctor Jean-Baptiste Sarlandière.

Transactions of the Pharmaceutical Meetings (1855) notes some statistical numbers regarding the "leech hunt" of the 19th century: in imports alone England received 8 million leeches annually, besides the large numbers collected within the country. The practice of using mechanical leeches (two types for different purposes) is mentioned as "ingenious" and discussed as a great opportunity to keep the natural leech healthy. The book tracks down purchases of various vessels for fresh water used as leech enclosures.

Actual preservation and propagation of leeches are described in various books of the time, though the peak of such publications in England comes around in the 1850s. In 1855, Specification of Nathaniel Johnston: Breeding, Rearing and Carrying Leeches is published. Johnston, whilst in Paris, invented an apparatus for keeping and breeding medicinal leeches: a complicated water vessel to keep leeches at the perfect temperature and humidity for the breeder - the inventor titled these containers hirudinieres. A similar invention was marked by another author in Specification of George Lifford Smartt: Vessels for Preserving Leeches and Fish Alive.

There was a lot of thought and effort put into keeping leeches healthy and vital - either for medicinal purposes or out of personal fascination.

[dannyreviews]

Golden Age of Hollywood Actors Born Before (And Including) 1936 Still Alive

This only includes actors that had at least one credited role in a Hollywood feature film or short up to 1959.

Elisabeth Waldo (b. 1918)

Caren Marsh Doll (b. 1919)

Patricia Wright (b. 1921)

Jacqueline White (b. 1922)

Annette Warren (b. 1922)

Ray Anthony (b. 1922)

Tommy Dix (b. 1923)

Eva Marie Saint (b. 1924)

Anne Vernon (b. 1924)

Maria Riva (b. 1924)

June Lockhart (b. 1925)

Lee Grant (b. 1925)

Peggy Webber (b. 1925)

Lise Bourdin (b. 1925)

Brigitte Auber (b. 1925)

Kerima (b. 1925)

Terry Kilburn (b. 1926) 

Marilyn Erskine (b. 1926)

Bambi Linn (b. 1926)

David Frankham (b. 1926)

Tommy Morton (b. 1926)

Jill Jarmyn (b. 1926)

Marilyn Knowlden (b. 1926)

Genevieve Page (b. 1927)

Donna Martell (b. 1927)

William Smithers (b. 1927)

Peter Walker (b. 1927)

H.M. Wynant (b. 1927)

Betty Harford (b. 1927)

Cora Sue Collins (b. 1927)

Marilyn Granas (b. 1927)

Ann Blyth (b. 1928)

Nancy Olson (b. 1928)

Peggy Dow (b. 1928)

Kathleen Hughes (b. 1928)

Colleen Townsend (b. 1928)

Marion Ross (b. 1928)

Gaby Rodgers (b. 1928)

Jan Shepard (b. 1928)

Walter Maslow (b. 1928)

Tom Troupe (b. 1928)

Sidney Kibrick (b. 1928)

Garry Watson (b. 1928)

Fay Chaldecott (b. 1928)

Mark Rydell (b. 1929)

Terry Moore (b. 1929)

Vera Miles (b. 1929)

Ann Robinson (b. 1929)

Liseotte Pulver (b. 1929)

James Hong (b. 1929)

Rachel Ames (b. 1929)

Olga James (b. 1929)

Michael Forest (b. 1929)

Vikki Dougan (b. 1929)

Steve Terrell (b. 1929)

Margaret Kerry (b. 1929)

James Congdon (b. 1929)

Betsy Gay (b. 1929)

Jack Betts (b. 1929)

Clint Eastwood (b. 1930)

Joanne Woodward (b. 1930)

Mara Corday (b. 1930)

Nita Talbot (b. 1930)

Taina Elg (b. 1930)

Robert Wagner (b. 1930)

John Astin (b. 1930)

Tommy Cook (b. 1930)

Mary Costa (b. 1930)

Lois Smith (b. 1930)

Will Hutchins (b. 1930)

Peggy King (b. 1930)

Lynn Hamilton (b. 1930)

Don Burnett (b. 1930)

Clark Burroughs (b. 1930)

Robert Hinkle (b. 1930)

Sheila Connolly (b. 1930)

Barbara Bestar (b. 1930)

Rita Moreno (b. 1931)

Leslie Caron (b. 1931)

Carroll Baker (b. 1931)

William Shatner (b. 1931)

Mamie Van Doren (b. 1931)

Robert Colbert (b. 1931)

Barbara Eden (b. 1931)

Angie Dickinson (b. 1931)

Claire Bloom (b. 1931)

Marianne Koch (b. 1931)

Sylvia Lewis (b. 1931)

Carmen De Lavallade (b. 1931)

Zohra Lampert (b. 1931)

Michael Dante (b. 1931)

Ann McCrea (b. 1931)

Jack Grinnage (b. 1931)

Maralou Gray (b. 1931)

Billy Mindy (b. 1931)

Sugar Dawn (b. 1931)

Joanne Arnold (b. 1931)

Joel Grey (b. 1932)

George Chakiris (b. 1932)

Felicia Farr (b. 1932)

Abbe Lane (b. 1932)

Steve Rowland (b. 1932)

Jacqueline Beer (b. 1932)

Colleen Miller (b. 1932)

Joanne Gilbert (b. 1932)

Olive Moorefield (b. 1932)

Neile Adams (b. 1932)

Jacqueline Duval (b. 1932)

Edna May Wonnacott (b. 1932)

Richard Tyler (b. 1932)

Mickey Roth (b. 1932)

Leon Tyler (b. 1932)

Peggy McIntyre (b. 1932)

Christiane Martel (b. 1932)

Elsa Cardenas (b. 1932)

Claude Bessy (b. 1932)

Kim Novak (b. 1933)

Julie Newmar (b. 1933)

Debra Paget (b. 1933)

Constance Towers (b. 1933)

Joan Collins (b. 1933)

Kathleen Nolan (b. 1933)

Brett Halsey (b. 1933)

Robert Fuller (b. 1933)

Pat Crowley (b. 1933)

Barrie Chase (b. 1933)

Jackie Joseph (b. 1933)

Geoffrey Horne (b. 1933)

Tsai Chin (b. 1933)

Lita Milan (b. 1933)

Vera Day (b. 1933)

Diana Darrin (b. 1933)

Ziva Rodann (b. 1933)

Jeanette Sterke (b. 1933)

Marti Stevens (b. 1933)

Annette Dionne (b. 1933)

Cecile Dionne (b. 1933)

Johnny Russell (b. 1933)

Patti Hale (b. 1933)

Gary Clarke (b. 1933)

Shirley MacLaine (b. 1934) 

Sophia Loren (b. 1934)

Shirley Jones (b. 1934)

Russ Tamblyn (b. 1934)

Pat Boone (b. 1934)

Audrey Dalton (b. 1934)

Claude Jarman Jr. (b. 1934)

Tina Louise (b. 1934)

Karen Sharpe (b. 1934)

Joyce Van Patten (b. 1934)

May Britt (b. 1934)

Joby Baker (b. 1934)

Jamie Farr (b. 1934)

Myrna Hansen (b. 1934)

Priscilla Morgan (b. 1934)

Aki Aeong (b. 1934)

Robert Fields (b. 1934)

Dani Crayne (b. 1934)

Donnie Dunagan (b. 1934)

Richard Hall (b. 1934)

Charles Bates (b. 1934)

Marilyn Horne (b. 1934)

Marilee Earle (b. 1934)

Rod Dana (b. 1935) 

Pippa Scott (b. 1935)

Ruta Lee (b. 1935)

Barbara Bostock (b. 1935)

Johnny Mathis (b. 1935)

Leslie Parrish (b. 1935)

Salome Jens (b. 1935)

Yvonne Lime (b. 1935)

Jean Moorehead (b. 1935)

Marco Lopez (b. 1935)

Joyce Meadows (b. 1935)

Christopher Severn (b. 1935)

Richard Nichols (b. 1935)

Carol Coombs (b. 1935)

Nino Tempo (b. 1935)

Patricia Prest (b. 1935)

Dawn Bender (b. 1935)

John Considine (b. 1935)

Jerry Farber (b. 1935)

Clyde Willson (b. 1935)

Bob Burns (b. 1935)

Susan Kohner (b. 1936)

Millie Perkins (b. 1936)

Burt Brickenhoff (b. 1936)

Mason Alan Dinehart (b. 1936)

Anna Maria Alberghetti (b. 1936)

Lisa Davis (b. 1936)

Joan O'Brien (b. 1936)

Richard Harrison (b. 1936)

Tommy Ivo (b. 1936)

John Wilder (b. 1936)

Gary Conway (b. 1936)

Michael Chapin (b. 1936)

Carol Morris (b. 1936)

Fernando Alvarado (b. 1936)

[projazznet]

Joe Henderson – Relaxin’ at Camarillo

Relaxin’ at Camarillo is an album by American jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson, recorded in 1979 and released on the Contemporary label. Featuring Henderson with keyboardist Chick Corea, and two rhythm sections-bassist Richard Davis and drummer Tony Williams on two tracks, and bassist Tony Dumas and drummer Peter Erskine on the remaining three.

Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone Chick Corea – piano Richard Davis , Tony Dumas – bass Peter Erskine , Tony Williams – drums

[ltwilliammowett]

The Zetland- the world's oldest surviving lifeboat

The Zetland named after the Marquess of Zetland was launched in Redcar, North Yorkshire in 1802. She had a clinker hull, was 9.15m long and 3.1m wide and a crew of 13 and could be enlarged to 20. She was housed in a boathouse near the beach and was launched using a trolley. It was pulled across the beach to the sea by local people, sometimes by a team of horses from the local farm. When the lifeboat was needed, the crew was called through the streets by a local boy with a drum.

The Zetland (x)

It served for a total of 73 years, saving over 500 lives, but not everything always went well. On Christmas Day 1836, the Zetland was launched to rescue the crew of the Caroline, a Danish tugboat. During the rescue attempt, one of the crew, William Guy, was washed overboard and drowned. This was the only death among the crew in the lifeboat's long history. The Zetland was then washed ashore and was unable to launch, and tragically the crew of the Caroline also drowned.

(x)

However, a remarkable rescue operation took place in 1854 when the Jane Erskine ran aground off Redcar. Several local fishermen went out in their boats to refloat the ship, but ran into trouble when the weather deteriorated. The Zetland went out and rescued all the crew and the 26 fishermen, who had a total of 52 people on board.

Zetland (x)

After being damaged in 1864 while rescuing a crew from the Brigg Brothers, the Zetland was deemed unserviceable and was to be scrapped. This caused great protests among the population and so the Zetland was handed over to them, who repaired her and so she went out for the last time on 29 October 1880. On that day the schooner Luna rammed the pier at Redcar in a gusty wind and broke in two. Emma and Burton-on-Trent the other two local lifeboats were both out of action after rescuing crew members from two other distressed vessels. Zetland was very successful one last time and rescued the 7 Sailors. She was then decommissioned and can now be admired as the oldest lifeboat in the Zetland Lifeboat Museum in Redcar.