#james may's old articles

[blackkat15]

James May on stupid sheep

He talks about Fusker 😭

"This month, I have acquired a cat. He’s a black and white tom, eight weeks old, and I have named him Fusker in memory of the late Bob Cook, father of my childhood friend Robert Cook. He was a man who hated cats.

In fact he would refer to any cat as ‘a little fusker’ and it’s only now I realise that he was probably just sparing Mrs Cook’s blushes. But it’s too late. He answers to Fusker, I love him, and he loves me.

But don’t worry. I’m not going to turn into one of those pathetic pussy-whipped blokes who says, “Ha, ha, it was ever so funny the other day with Fusker he climbed onto my desk and jumped onto the computer keybolrddgdfgk lsdkfj l sdf k sdfsldfkjjjjjjj and I said look Fusker there’s a mouse and he chased it, ha, ha, ha, and I lost everything!”

but the other day – it was ever so funny – I opened the fridge to get another beer and found I’d shut him in it! And he was purring!

In the end, even the most ardent cat fancier has to admit that they just aren’t very bright. They have become the stuff of superstition, various cultures have attributed mystical powers to them, and the ancient Egyptians went as far as to turn a cat into a deity. My own experience, however, suggests that the cat understands only two things – the peerless pleasure of a fresh dollop of Whiskas, and the pain of being trodden on following a mistimed lunge at an approaching booted foot.

Mind you, compared with some of the sheep I have met recently, Fusker is Magnus ruddy Magnusson.

I’ve been meeting a lot of sheep, because I’ve been driving in Scotland and Wales. I thought I liked them. They’re decorative and scenic; they wander, lonely, around the hills and vales like the clouds of the earth. At the risk of being misunderstood, the pedigree sheep of Scotland and Wales are quite handsome brutes.

There are obvious downsides to being a sheep: it must be pretty boring and people keep nicking your coat. But, in many ways, life must be utterly idyllic. There’s no work to do, you fear no natural predators, and when you eat grass and live in the Brecon Beacons the whole world is your lunch. The equivalent for me would be if every street in London was carpeted with plates of egg and chips.

So I have to ask why so many of them, even now, are standing in the middle of the A4067 between Defynnog and Abercraf. I’ve tried to work out, using my knowledge of geometry, what percentage of this region of Wales, by area, is road rather than grass. But it’s so small I’ve given up. Proportionally, it’s smaller than that irritating bit of lemon grass in a Thai curry.

Standing in the middle of the road really is idiotic behaviour even by the standards of the beasts of the fields, and especially when I’m enjoying the new Vauxhall Monaro VXR. As a sheep, standing in front of one-and-a-half tons of V8 muscle car is a bit like turning up to a jousting tournament in a cardigan.

The Monaro is actually an Australian car, which is strangely relevant as the Aussies have a similar problem with kangaroos. But at least a road-kill kangaroo can be made into what the manager of a Nullabor roadhouse once described to me as a ‘pie-flavoured pie’.

Sheep are unbelievably thick, and when you examine one closely you can see why. They appear to be quite big but, as with Richard Hammond’s poodle, there isn’t actually very much animal inside that big ball of fluff. And even then, this surprisingly small creature has a disproportionately small head, and hence brain (I once ate a sheep’s brain in the Middle East, and I have to say I came away still hungry). Hammond’s poodle is merely difficult to shoot at, but a sheep is dangerously witless.

It’s not as if they skip about in the road or scamper away in terror. They just sit there looking sheepish as you bear down on them. But if you stop and get out of the car, they run like hell. What does this tell us?

Clearly, we need to deal with the sheep menace, because it’s spoiling some of the best driving roads in Britain. So I rang the RSPCA, probably the most powerful organisation in the country, to see what they were going to do about it. The phone was answered by a computer which said ‘Press one to report a stray animal’, but as I was still in Wales I could see that becoming boring.

Eventually, I got through to a preventionist, and her first recommendation was the erection of more fencing. Brilliant. We’ve never even devised a means of keeping the Scots and the Welsh in, so I can’t see us getting very far with their livestock. And here’s something else that might surprise animal lovers – according to the RSPCA, there is ‘no scientific evidence’ that those ultra-sonic animal alarm things work. All they mean is that the last thought to pass through the mind of a hedgehog is ‘what’s that irritating whining noise?’

Apparently, your typical Welsh or Scottish sheep is ‘hefted’, that is, free to roam. “They know where they’re supposed to be,” said my contact. “They know where the good grazing is and tend to stay there.”

Well, this is patently untrue. They hide behind rocks in groups and say, “Get ready lads – here comes one now”, before leaping out in front of the big Vozza just as I’ve snicked it into fourth. I can’t stand it. The sheer gormlessness of their faces is putting me off my driving.

The solution is simple. I stopped and spoke to a shepherd in Scotland and he told me that sheep farming is now a completely pointless exercise, with whole fleeces fetching prices that he expressed in pence. So why bother? Get rid of the woolly wastes of space. This is confirmation of something I have suspected for a very long time – that the countryside is not for living  in, it’s just for driving through and admiring.

We can get lamb chops from New Zealand."

[keepmycandleburning]

Perhaps the most common misconception about Voldemort is that he only got his snakelike red-eyed appearance after his resurrection. I get why people may assume this (an unfounded assumption typically based on the fact that snake venom was used, and that he was made in a cauldron, and the misunderstanding that Wormtail was an unskilled sorcerer), but there’s lots of evidence that he already looked like that in 1981, and nothing in canon implies his appearance was changed by the rebirthing potion.

In the graveyard, Voldemort calls gaining his current body getting his 'old body back’:

Note that the body creation potion is a pre-existing piece of old magic that Voldemort already knew about. He knew that to get his old body back, he would need to use this ancient potion with the three powerful ingredients. This is not magic he invented himself. Snake venom is not an ingredient in his rebirthing potion, but only an ingredient (along with unicorn blood) in the potion he was drinking while in the rudimentary body. He is not 'made of' snake venom any more than he's made of unicorn blood.

He tells a pretty thorough story of the last 13 years to the DEs, and never implies he looks different and explains why. If he did look different, he likely would have included that in his several pages of explanations of what had happened to him.

This happens right after he summons his DEs to the graveyard and they immediately recognize him—in the dark, from a distance so far away that they have to walk toward him and then crawl the rest of the way.

Fudge and other Ministry workers also immediately recognize him the following year. Harry did publish an interview describing him, but Fudge doesn't trust Harry at that point, or isn't claiming to anyway. The only thing that convinces Fudge is seeing a person he personally believes to be Voldemort with his own eyes. This is a person Fudge recognizes beyond doubt:

In Sorcerer's Stone, Voldemort's face is described:

He already has the white skin, the red eyes, and the slit nostrils years before the snake venom drinking and the rebirthing potion. They did not appear for the first time after he stepped out of the cauldron.

On Halloween 1981, we know two things about his appearance: that his hand is white, and that his face is so terrifying it makes a child run away.

We also know that James recognizes Voldemort immediately. I don't think his face itself would've been well-known, as there aren't any instances in the Second War of Voldemort being photographed, or images of him being published in the paper or hung up with the Azkaban escapees' portraits (only the verbal description in the Quibbler article). It seems more likely that what makes him so recognizable is that he has very unique features.

We know for a fact that by the late 1960s (ish?), Voldemort was no longer the handsome Tom Riddle. He was described like this at his interview with Dumbledore:

Notice the similarities to his appearance in SS & GoF: the white skin, the partially red eyes (the whites & flashing red multiple times), the slitlike nostrils. He seems to be partway through a transformation between the handsome human form of his youth and the snakelike form of his middle age. Harry says Voldemort's features here are not yet 'as' snakelike, which implies they are reminiscent of it, just not fully identical. I see no other possible explanation for Voldemort having somewhat snakelike features and slitlike nostrils and reddening eyes in ~1968, besides him slowly undergoing a visual transformation into the appearance we know. (Well, it could either happen very gradually or it could happen in distinct stages after each Horcrux creation, based on Dumbledore's info in HBP that the Horcruxes are what caused the appearance changes. Either way, it happened over many years.)

(A decade earlier in the Hepzibah Smith memory, Voldemort looks quite normal and like his younger self other than his eyes sometimes flashing red.)

There are around 13 years between this interview and Halloween 1981—years in which we must assume Voldemort's appearance continues changing along the lines it's already changing in 1968 and into the face we know from SS & GoF. Not only does 1968 Voldemort seem well on the way to his canon-era face, I just don't see another explanation for why he would have this face in 1992 if he did not in 1981.

What did Voldemort look like when he killed the Potters? Exactly like he did when he stepped out of the cauldron. Any claims otherwise are headcanons based on conjectures of the effects of the snake venom and the rebirthing process that are not supported by the text.

At no point in the First War was Voldemort handsome in the way he was in his youth. This means that anyone that Voldemort only met after his presumable return to Britain in the late 60s (such as perhaps Bellatrix) never knew him by his old face, only by some version of his new one.

[reiniesainyo]

IN BETWEEN. charlie bushnell x reader – 01

01 | SPARKS FLY previous | next | masterfile

SYNPOSIS. when a girl's co-star is good to her and now she wants it more than everything in between. (smau)

A/N. this chapter is more like world building (it's where i explain what the fuck i'm doing with the YN okay)

The "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series at Disney+ has added an unexpected pick to its growing cast.

The new live-action series is based on the hugely successful novels from author Rick Riordan of the same title. We will be seeing YN LN join the series as Rina Velasco, one of the supporting characters of the show.

LN's Rina Velasco is referred to as "the offspring of The Muses, goddesses of the sciences and the arts." Unlike most other demigods, she is born out of the artistic and scientific output of the muses. When the moral ingenuity of humans meets the divine musings of The Muses. Her character is described as a unique allrounder who becomes a mentor figure to our main cast as they embark on their journey.

This will be LN's first on-screen role of her career. LN's experience mostly lies in Broadway, she is known for playing Kim in the Miss Saigon revival on Broadway. LN was nominated for a Tony in 2022 for the same role. She is repped by Salonga/Chien Entertainment and B817 Agency.

Riordan posted on the Meta app, Threads, about this update to the casting saying: "YN was one of the actors we didn't expect to see a tape of but when we saw it, we couldn't help but fall in love with her. She embodies the spirit of Rina so well and is such a kind spirit, we can't wait for you to fall in love with her too! Welcome to the cast, YN!"

The live-action show is based on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson book series. It tells the fantastical tale of the titular 12-year-old modern demigod (Scobell), who's just coming to terms with his newfound supernatural powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. With help from his friends Grover (Simhadri) and Annabeth (Jeffries), Percy must embark on an adventure of a lifetime to find it and restore order to Olympus.

Production on the show is now underway in Vancouver. Riordan and Jon Steinberg are writing the pilot with James Bobin directing. Steinberg and his producing partner Dan Shotz are overseeing the series and serve as executive producers alongside Bobin, Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, Anders Engström, Jet Wilkinson, and Gotham Group's Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, and D.J. Goldberg. 20th Television is the studio. Salke was formerly the president of Touchstone Television and originally put the show into development.

liked by percyseries, iamcharliebushnell, and 37,789 others thelnarchive the child of the muses @percyseries

percyseries OUR MUSE!

user1 this is literally perfect casting who cried i did ↳ user2 she's so rina coded! thank the gods for the casting directors

iamcharliebushnell only muse in my life ↳ thlnarchive only traveler in my life ↳ user3 the way filming hasn't started and they're already like this ↳ user4 their chemistry is chemistry-ing

user5 roman empire. she is my roman empire.

dior.n.goodjohn i LOVE LOVE LOVE women ↳ thelnarchive HELP i love you

user6 this is so fcking random but i NEED her in a taylor swift music video

A/N i truly hope you guys can forgive the horrible editing in the pictures. the article portion is based on (and has some parts that are directly pulled from) this article from variety ! here's some succint information about rina velasco, the PJO character YN LN plays (and is my childhood OC!) - rina velasco, filipino, 18 years old (year younger than luke) - she's an offspring of the muses, not directly a child or daughter, though she may be referred as such - by her being an offspring of the muses, i mean that she was born in the same way athena's children are born. - but in rina's case she's more like a weird conglomeration of each muse. her birth is a rare event, but her mothers are honored as minor goddesses so she stayed in the apollo cabin (connection to music) - rina operates as a guidance figure for the main trio, especially annabeth - she's also luke's love interest, there's a lot of tragicness and doomed romance stuff with those two - and for the sake of everyone, we pretend like the weird i love you from the books didn't happen !

[whencyclopedia]

Siege of Detroit

The Siege of Detroit (15-16 August 1812) was one of the first major actions of the War of 1812. After a botched invasion of Canada, a US army retreated to Fort Detroit, where it was besieged by British and Native American forces under Major General Isaac Brock and Shawnee chieftain Tecumseh. The Americans quickly capitulated, leaving Detroit in British hands.

Background: March to Detroit

By April 1812, war between the United States and the United Kingdom seemed just over the horizon. On the high seas, British warships had been boarding American merchantmen and impressing American sailors with impunity, while on the northwestern frontier, British agents were believed to be aiding two Shawnee brothers, Tecumseh and the Prophet, in their attempt to form a Native American confederacy and resist US encroachment onto their hunting grounds. In Congress, a clique of belligerent, newly-elected representatives – called 'War Hawks' – clamored for war, despite the reluctance of the general population and the underpreparedness of the military. To prepare for a conflict that seemed increasingly likely, the administration of President James Madison looked to shore up defenses in the northwest, where the US shared a border with British-controlled Canada.

As part of this plan, the Madison administration ordered a new army to be raised in the Michigan Territory and then marched to the outpost of Fort Detroit. William Hull, the 59-year-old governor of the Michigan Territory, was commissioned as a brigadier general and offered the command. Hull, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War, was reluctant to accept – he had, after all, recently suffered a stroke – but his fear of an increase in Native American attacks against Michigan settlers led him to take the command. On 25 May, Hull arrived in Dayton, Ohio, where his makeshift army was being assembled, and was dismayed at what he found. The volunteers were noisy and undisciplined, lacking adequate arms or powder. Organized into three militia regiments, the volunteers insisted on electing their own officers. As such, the men they selected as colonels – Duncan McArthur, James Findlay, and Lewis Cass – were all either politicians or aspiring politicians, men with no military experience.

After a botched army inspection in which Hull was nearly flung from his horse, the army of Ohio volunteers set out on 1 June. Proceeding at a slow pace, they reached the frontier community of Urbana ten days later, where they were joined by Lt. Colonel James Miller and a regiment of regulars, the 4th US Infantry. At Urbana, some of Hull's volunteers refused to go any further, claiming that they had not received the full pay that had been promised to them. Though they were eventually prodded along by Miller's regulars, it was not a promising start. A few days later another incident took place when one militiaman, drunk on moonshine, was startled by a noise in the dark and shot one of his fellow sentries. The man was promptly court-martialed and given the "grotesque sentence" of having his ears cropped and each cheek branded (Berton, 94). The army then marched into the Great Black Swamp, northwest of Ohio, where incessant rainfalls had overflown streams and turned the ground to mud. Meanwhile, they were, unbeknownst to them, being closely watched by Tecumseh's scouts, hiding amongst the trees.

On 26 June, Hull received a letter from the US Secretary of War dated 18 June, warning him that war was imminent and ordering him to get to Detroit "with all possible speed". On 1 July, Hull reached the mouth of the Maumee River where he hired the schooner Cuyahoga and loaded it with anything that was slowing the army down, including his personal dispatches, officers' baggage, extra uniforms, medical supplies, and around 30 sick men. The Cuyahoga then sailed into Lake Erie to transport the supplies to Detroit. The next day, Hull received a second letter from Washington, also dated 18 June, informing him that war had been declared, but it was too late to recall the schooner. As it attempted to enter the Detroit River, the Cuyahoga, carrying Hull's dispatches, was captured by a Canadian vessel. On 5 July, Hull finally reached Detroit, where he was joined by several companies of Michigan militia, bringing his total number to about 2,500 men. Hull, whose army was running dangerously low on supplies, had hoped to find food in Detroit but was disappointed.

Continue reading...

[franciswhetsel]

I can't find on my blog if I've posted about this before, but the 19th century local dandy that wrote Edgar Allen Poe fanfiction, Douglass Sherley, was mentioned in this letter that a local historian dug up for me and it is fascinating. I'm just going to copy + paste my pillowfort post about it.

So the historian I've been in contact with was an incredible help, and went ahead and transcribed the bits of the letters that discuss Sherley.

"The description of Douglass Sherley is on the final page of that letter (page 6) and reads:

“By this time you have, doubtless, read of the horrible confirmation of the old reports about Douglass Sherley. I did not believe them before and cannot comprehend how he could have been guilty of such baseness. He has consented to leave the country for good next Monday, so ___ Sherley’s brother informed brother Will.” Bruce then goes on to talk about cantaloupes, I think. I believe the blank might be “Mrs.” or a first name.

Second letter, second page

“You say you did not read of Douglass Sherley’s disgrace. Don’t speak of it to anyone, for the disgraceful affair should never pollute a woman’s lips.' "

These letters are from August 23rd and August 28th 1896, and there are barely any mention of him in the Courier Journal after 1896. This is important because prior to that he was all over the paper. There were mentions of him going to numerous weddings and parties, he wrote columns for the paper, and he was involved in putting on things like operas and plays. 

He also died in Martinsville, Indiana, which makes me wonder if that was where he moved. (I believe he still lived in Louisville for part of his last years.) 

I think I've just about reached a wall with my research; the only other thing I have any interest (at the moment, at least) in chasing after are newspapers that he was in when he toured with James Whitcomb Riley. Someone else was kind enough to write a blog entry that includes clippings from non-Louisville newspapers, and they're an interesting look into how Sherley was known outside of Louisville: 

The Wilmington, NC Weekly Star, 8 Dec 1893 (reprinted from the Indianapolis Journal):

Kentucky’s Oscar Wilde Douglass Sherley is doubtless, in a literary way, the most conspicuous person in Louisville. He is notable also in many other ways. At first glance he is seen to be what is styled a “character.” Being fond of character study himself, he would no doubt generously recognize his own claim to the classification. He is a large, well built, squarely adjusted man, with a massive head and neck, dark hair, an intelligent brown, suggestive of femininity in a way, keen and kindly eyes, a large brown mustache, worn in curly ends like the “beau catchers” of the traditional stage spinster, a pleasant, sensitive mouth, with the air of a man of the world, but withal a clean, temperate, perfectly correct man of the world. He has a droll habit of holding his head on one side and looking aslant through his eyeglasses, which gives him a unique expression, and without which and the flowers in his lapel, almost always a red rose, he would hardly be Douglass Sherley, Mr. Sherley is popular among the men, and also much liked by the women, his literary work being more generally appreciated by the latter. There is a fine, feminine, but not unmanly, quality in his writings, which  really only women, or men with a like feminine streak, can interpret and enjoy.

A point of interest is this May 1886 article about Sherley from the Cincinnati Enquirer

A CLUB SCANDAL Douglas Sherley, of the Pelhams, Involved He Hunts for the Originator of the Story, and in His Search Punches a Bank Clerk SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE ENQUIRER LOUISVILLE, KY., May 3 — Nothing is talked of in the clubs to-night except a difficulty which occured to-day between Mr. Douglas Sherley, Present of the Pelham Club, and Mr. Matt Smith, a member of that body. Mr. Sherley is a man of means and leisure, and belongs essentially to society. HE has written several books and has built an aesthetic house that has been the talk of the town for three years. The Pelham Club members are the younger set of society men and recently persuaded Mr. Sherley to accept the Presidency of their club. Within the last two weeks, however, a movement has been on foot in which twenty members of the club were interested to bring about Mr. Sherley’s removal. The understanding was that the twenty members in question should offer their resignations simultaneously to the Board of Directors. When questioned in regard to this unexpected action they were to say they would not belong to an organization which had for its Chief Executive a man who had been guilty of certain disgusting and unnatural practices that were charged against Mr. Sherley. When Mr. Sherley heard of this movement to-day he went at once to Mr. Matt Smith, a blank clerk, whom he had heard was one of his defamers, and demanded an immediate denial in writing of the nasty stories. Mr. Smith said he had not originated the stories, but had repeated them, and refused to sign the paper. Mr. Sherley, who is a fearless man and very athletic, promptly attacked young Smith and gave him a sharp blow in the neck. Smith attempted to return the blow, but outsiders interfered too quickly, and dragged the gentlemen apart before either was painfully injured. The affair quickly went the rounds, and the scandal has been vigorously discussed by society men all day. It is due Mr. Sherley to say that none of his friends believe the stories which gossips have put in circulation about him. He is an eccentric man, and some of his peculiarities have subjected him to comment, but he is a gentleman, nevertheless. Mr. Sherley has secured a cowhide and a pistol, it is said, and will either thrash or kill the man who is at the bottom of the outrage, if he can discover him.

I have a lot of thoughts about the connection but I'll get back around to that later

[fullcolorfright]

Reveal any secrets you may know about the history of gore in old horror movies?

I’m not an expert but I’ll give you what I’ve got!

(^from the Wikipedia article on splatter films)

Blood Feast (1963) is generally considered to be the first splatter film, due to both the graphic onscreen gore in its kill scenes and the high frequency which these occur through the movie (rather than just having one shocking scene, which would be more common). Blood Feast was inspired by the lack of onscreen gore in blockbuster horror at the time (specifically in Psycho).

Still, there was a variety of pre-Blood Feast horror that didn’t mind flouting the censors (especially in mad scientist films- in the pre-slasher era, surgical gore was more common). When Hammer studios received an X rating for a 1955 film of theirs, they changed the name to “The Quatermass Xperiment” to capitalize on the rating. Two years later, critics were outraged by the blood in Hammer's The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), with studio head James Carreras quoted as saying, “blood doesn’t look like anything unless it’s good and red.” Eyes Without a Face (1960) has an on-screen surgery scene that still shocks, despite concerns of censorship during production. And then there’s the 50s low-budget drive-in type films, which capitalized on mutilation and sometimes showed its effects (I’m thinking of I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957) specifically).

The Hays Code’s enforcement from the mid-30s to the 60s definitely put a damper on gore in American films- though its focus was more on nudity, “brutal killings should not be presented in detail” was one of its points.

In any case, most pre-code films tended to use a tell-not-show method for gore; Dr. X (1932), for instance, mentions cannibalism and serial killing as the driving forces of its plot, but artfully hides any victims from the camera. On-screen gore was possible (for example, in 1936’s short film The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar) but uncommon.

If we go back far enough, the influence of the French Grand Guignol theater becomes apparent in the type of onscreen gore presented. It’s very pulpy and theatrical- featuring mad doctors, mysterious slayings, and executions- and often in the service of non-horror genre films (These shots are from Good Night, Nurse! (1918) (comedy), Les Vampires Episode 1: The Severed Head (1915) (crime), and The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots (1895) (history)).

Basically- gore in film has always been around, it just took until the 60s to really become accepted!

[workingclasshistory]

On this day, 15 May 1970, police opened fire just past midnight on a small group of Black students protesting at Jackson State College, Mississippi, killing two, including a bystander, and wounding 12. This was just 10 days after the much more widely known killings of white students at Kent State. Protests by Jackson State students had been held against the bombing of Vietnam and Cambodia, against the killings at Kent State, and again on this evening in response to rumours of a racist murder. Those killed were Phillip Lafayette Gibbs, 21 (left), father of an 18-month-old baby, and James Earl Green, a 17 year old grocery store worker who just happened to be walking home after his shift. More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8718/jackson-state-massacre To access this hyperlink, click our link in bio then click this photo https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=626491269524092&set=a.602588028581083&type=3

[queenshelby]

Yes! Mr Murphy (Rewritten)

PART 27: RESIGNATION

Pairing: Cillian Murphy x Reader

Warning: Lots of Angst, Age Gap, Teacher x Student, Pregnancy Loss, Infertility

One week later

One week passed, and you finally left the hospital after missing work and school, putting you behind with the curriculum.

During this time, Emma was looking after you, calling in sick from work herself and even Nina visited you twice, once with Connie and once with Cillian, who politely waited outside.

Seeing him still bothered you, and you were not over the fact that he had slept with his assistant, who, you knew, had it out for him, and this did not make it easy on you. You were disgusted by the sheer thought of it, him pleasuring her the way he pleasured you.

You felt disgusted, and you wondered whether he enjoyed it. Did he want her? Was she better than you in bed? She was older, sure. But was she more experienced? The answer was probably yes.

After telling Emma about these thoughts, she told you to try and forget about him. Being an actor probably made him a player, and you may have dodged a bullet when he broke up with you.

“He is not worth your tears,” she reminded you before embracing you. She had been your best friend for life, and you knew she was probably right.

You had to forget about Cillian, regardless of how hard it was or how much you were still in love with him. He was twice your age as well, and he was famous, both matters which could create much trouble for you in the future.

***

While trying to forget about Cillian, you spent most of the weekend catching up on reading the play Enda Walsh had given you to prepare for, and this play, too, reminded you of Cillian.

It was one of his own, called Disco Pigs, and you knew that this was Cillian’s first ever on-stage performance after he had dropped out of law school when he was just 19 years old.

“Christ, why?” you cursed as you put the book aside for the night, and Emma, again, reminded you that this, too, would pass.

“Try not to think of him”, she told you, but this was easier said than done as you missed him a lot and wondered whether he missed you too.

***

After a while, you got some sleep, and then, the following day, you went to school early to address your dispute with James.

James, however, tried to avoid you, and it wasn’t until you asked him whether two could talk that he pulled you aside, and you had the chance to confront him.

“Save it. I won’t say anything to anyone,” James told you before you could say anything yourself. He was squirming, and his reaction surprised you.

“Great, but why the change of mind?” you asked, crossing your arms.

“Your boyfriend’s lawyer sent me a letter, but I am sure you already know that,” he told you, causing you to grin.

“No…well yes…maybe I did” You smirked while James shook his head in disbelief and told you he was embarrassed for you.

“I did see the article in the Irish Times, though,” James thus pointed out, explaining that your lover was a player, and you simply fell for his charm like a silly young girl.

“We aren’t together, James,” you felt the need to point out, but James simply shrugged it off and disappeared into the crowds. He no longer cared, and you found out later that day that he was seeing an old friend of yours.

***

Following your day at drama school, you finally went to dance school to teach the evening class. A new teacher had run the course in your absence, but you knew you could still supervise your students and review their routines even though you were not allowed to perform. You had not healed yet and were instructed to wait at least two weeks before resuming any exercise.

When you arrived at the facility, you were asked to see your employer immediately and wondered what this was all about.

You did not think that you had done anything wrong but had a bad feeling in the pits of your stomach as soon as you walked into his office.

Your employer had a stern look and asked you to sit down. A small manila folder was sitting on his desk, staring at you, and you could not help but ask whether you were in trouble.

“For a matter of fact, you are,” your boss said, and your chin dropped while anxiety filled your mind.

“What did I do?” you asked, thinking that it was because you were absent for the past week.

“It came to our attention that you had an intimate relationship with one of our student’s parents,” your employer exclaimed, and you inhaled sharply. Sweat was now building up on your forehead, and your hands started to fidget nervously. You did not know how to respond, and there was silence for a long minute.

“Of course, you have nothing to say to this, do you?” your employer asked, and you told him quickly that you regretted your intimate relationship with the student’s father.

“The problem is two-fold, Miss Y/LN. Firstly, Mr Murphy has a certain standing in the community, being an actor subject to much publicity. Secondly, he is not divorced yet, and we are, as you know, an institution funded by the Catholic Church,” your employer lectured you, seeing that the academy was attached to one of the best schools in Dublin, which, of course, being in Ireland, happened to be catholic.

“I understand, and I can guarantee you that this affair was short-lived”, you reassured your employer, who handed you a three-page document entitled “Non-Disclosure Agreement”.

“That may be the case; however, we have already found a replacement teacher for you, and your services here will no longer be needed,” your boss told you, to which you shook your head.

“You can’t just fire me,” you told him, but he begged to differ.

“I can because your intimate relationship with Mr Murphy constitutes misconduct in the workplace. But, I would much rather ask you to voluntarily resign and sign this agreement which will entitle you to redundancy pay of six weeks’ worth of wages,” your boss told you while handing you a ballpoint pen.

For a minute, you considered telling him to get lost. Still, then you read the agreement, which prevented you from speaking to the press about your relationship with Cillian and prevented him from doing the same. In addition, your employer could not issue you with a bad reference because of it, which you knew he would do if you did not sign and voluntarily walked away from your job. 

“You see, Miss Y/LN, neither us nor Mr Murphy has any interest in making this public,” your employer told you as you considered your options, taking your time.

“You have spoken to him?” you asked, surprised. You did not expect Cillian to take likely to such a threat.

“No, but I have spoken to his assistant about it, and she concurred”, your boss informed you, causing you to laugh.

“Of course, she concurred”, you chuckled before putting pen to taper. You knew you had no choice, and, at least this way, you were getting paid.

After signing the agreement, you packed up your things and left, tears streaming down your face. You loved teaching these excellent students you had, and now, all of this was coming to an end.

You were not even given a chance to say goodbye to your students, and, just as your boss’s secretary saw you out the door, some of the parents stared at you, being escorted out of the building like some criminal.

You wondered who did this to you, and, in the end, it did not matter. Your short-lived fling with Cillian slowly destroyed your life, and you regretted every moment.

It was your fault. Getting involved with him was wrong; now, you must face the consequences.

***

Unfortunately, you were not the only one to suffer from this, and just as the class commenced without you, the parents began to gossip while their children started to listen.

According to one of the mothers, she had been told by your employer’s secretary that you were fired because you slept with one of the parents.

“He is married too,” she whispered, causing Cillian’s wife, Lorraine, to chuckle.

“How typical of these young women. She is probably after money,” Danielle whispered without knowing who it was you had slept with.

Only Connie decided not to engage in the conversation, telling the others that she did not like to spread unsubstantiated rumours, and it was then that Danielle tried to catch her out.

“It may have been Dermont”, she teased, causing Connie to laugh.

“Uhm, if my husband could land the girls’ dance teacher, I would even go so far as to congratulate him on his achievement, but no, it is not Dermont. I am sure of it,” Connie chuckled, seeing that Danielle was trying to get under her skin.

“Maybe it was Cillian?” another one of the mothers then said, now teasing Danielle, who, too, began to laugh and brushed it off.

“Doubtful. My soon-to-be ex-husband is shagging his assistant, just as I had suspected all those years. Also, this rag of a dance teacher is not his type,” Danielle spat, and it was obvious to the other women who were present that she was still somewhat upset that her husband had moved on with his assistant.

“I suppose we will never find out, so how about we just leave it at that,” Connie said as she began to notice the children listening in; even though Nina was not nearby, she did not want this kind of gossip to be spread amongst the students.

***

Following a rather eventful and unpleasant evening at the dance academy, Nina threw her bag and shoes into the boot of her mother’s car, and it was apparent to Danielle that her daughter was angry and confused.

Danielle knew that Nina liked you and, with that in mind, tried to comfort her in the best possible way.

“It’s all right; you will get used to having someone else teach you. I know you liked Y/N, but she resigned, so there is not much you can do about it,” Danielle explained as they got into the car and drove to Cillian’s house, where Nina would stay for the next three nights.

“She did not resign. She got fired,” Nina pointed out angrily while playing around on her phone and texting you to see whether you were all right. After turning fourteen, she had recently joined Instagram and Facebook and added you as a friend across these platforms, occasionally sharing links with you to dance performances she liked.

“What makes you say that?” Danielle wondered before asking Nina to look at her and get off her phone.

“Oh god, Mum, I am not stupid. I heard the gossip,” Nina told her mother, who was worried about what she may have heard.

“So you know what happened?” she thus asked, gauging the situation.

“Yes, I know what happened, but I don’t know why,” Nina told her mother before accusing her of being the culprit. “Did you tell the academy? Because it seems like something you would do to get back at Dad. It’s just like the stupid court orders he had to get to see me,” Nina spat, telling her mother how upset she had been with these events.

“What are you talking about?” Danielle asked as she pulled the car over in shock.

“What I am talking about is that you did not like the fact that Dad was dating Y/N, so you had her fired. Because all you care about is yourself,” Nina accused, causing her mother’s chin to drop.

“Your dad was dating your dance teacher?” she asked, and Nina quickly realised she screwed up. Her mother did not know, causing Nina to curse and cover her mouth with her hands.

[ohgodwhatdoiputhere]

words: 748

QUIDDICH HEARTTHROB JAMES POTTER HAS A NEW LOVER? Article by Rita Skeeter

We all know and love the quidditch star James Potter, ever since he first came to hogwarts he has captivated all of us with his charming looks and personality, truly the sun in person!

That's why ever since he reached the number one spot in rumours!'s "Hogwarts' most eligible bachelor" everyone has been desperate for a date with him.

However, James Potter himself just admitted to having a crush! And who wouldn't return this boy's feelings?

Last week we did a poll on who you thought could be this mystery person, here are the results! Stay till the end to find who was voted the most.

6. Severus Snape - 15 votes

Ever since stepping foot in Hogwarts these two seemed to have a strong rivalry, going as far as fighting each other on the hallway!

Despite the last 6 years, they seem to have made up? Since a few months ago they have been seen talking normally like nothing ever happened.

Did something happen between them? Some readers say that love was the glue that fixed old wounds, how romantic!!

5. Peter Pettigrew - 19 votes

Being childhood friends, it wouldn't be such a surprise if something happened between them. They are in the same friend group, have the same tastes, even share a room!

Apparently, some readers close to the boys have said that even though they are in the same group of friends, they seem to be more closed off with each other, preferring to keep to themselves in the group.

It's no doubt they have been though a lot together, maybe it was shared experices what pulled them together.

4. Regulus Black - 22 votes

Being his best friend's younger brother, they see each other quite a lot. But that's not only why this couple is so popular between the students.

Whilst James is caring and charismatic, Regulus is more reserved and mysterious, making them the perfect opposites attract!

"James is like the sun and Regulus the stars" Truly beautiful words by a secret informant.

They have even been seen practicing together. Even though they are enemies and in rival houses! It seems like love knows no limits.

3. Barty Crouch Jr. - 30 votes

What an unexpected duo! At a first glance, they would look like they have nothing in common, however, our readers are more observant than that.

Because Barty is a year younger, their first years together they didn't interact much, but as the years passed they seemed to become closer.

The couple has been caught spending time alone in quiet spaces more than once, and when questioned, they quickly change the subject. How suspicious!

One of Barty's housemates said he even went to look for him to speak privately during valentine's day. What could this mean? Our readers are certainly eager to find out more!

2. Sirius Black - 34 votes

He's James' best friend and has been ever since they first met. They are always together, and some people even refer to them as soulmates!

Sirius' good looks landed him the second spot in most eligible bachelor right next to James. It would be no surprise that they end up together.

The duo is known for their elaborate pranks, always being up to something. That's why even teachers have noticed their habit of constantly touching and whispering to each other.

They may cause trouble, but they certainly cause even more confusion about the nature of their relationship.

With their beauty, I'm sure everyone will have mixed feelings about them becoming a couple.

1. Lily Evans - 40 votes

With a whopping 25% of the votes, miss Lily Evans is positioned on first place.

She's the brightest witch of her age, has a heart of gold and strikingly good looks. They met during their first year and since then they have built a beautiful friendship.

James has shown an interest in Lily many times before, going as far as rejecting other people trying to flirt for her.

And even though Lily used to appear mad at him for these acts, lately she seems much more pleased with him than before.

"This truly is a match made in heaven" their yearmates say.

Everyone is excited about these two, how could you not love them!!

These were the results of the poll, who do you think he will end up with? Send us an owl if you have any more information, we're dying to know!!

[conhivemindcent]

So I’ve been consuming a lot of the posts about Oceangate and now that it’s safe to assume the passengers are dead, I want to give my own take. Feel free to disagree.

Firstly, I never heard this on the news. I did hear about the boat where 78 immigrants were killed and hundreds missing off the coast of Greece. This may be a cultural and proxemics thing though, as I’m British (we have shit immigrant laws) and the Oceangate fiasco took place closer to America and Canada. So those claiming this is probably a case of Tumblr once again being American-centric.

Secondly, i don’t know how to feel about the deaths. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. They knew what they were getting into with this, and that their deaths were very likely. I do think this was a failing of their own hubris and also a huge waste of money. Insert something about capitalism and the woes of such here. But if the ship didn’t implode, it would’ve been a living hell. Starving, cramped, excrement everywhere, dark. It sounds like something out of a nightmare rather than something real. I don’t know if I feel sorry, as it’s most likely I won’t experience this ever in my life, but I definitely feel bad about it.

Third, I hope Oceangate gets sued. This was unsafe af, and where most of my anger is directed. These people tried turning a tragedy (itself also being rooted in capitalism) into a tourism spot for only the elite. Not to mention the unsafe conditions and the knock-off Xbox controller used to pilot the ship. This definitely seems like a scam and I hope they suffer repercussions for their actions, especially now it’s likely the CEO is dead.

Forth, I hope the ship imploded. That seems like the most humane way for this all to end. Battle about humaneness all you want and whether the rich deserve it, whether a 19-year-old nobody knew about prior to this deserves this, but I hope they all died quickly rather than long, drawn out, and suffering from lack of oxygen.

Fifth, some of the memes are funny. Mostly the ones about the Xbox controller. I don’t really like memes making fun of people dying. But then again I’ve never liked to make fun of death, whether deserved or not. (Exception to the kind of things in r/peoplefuckingdying because those are over-exaggerations of the most mundane stuff.)

Sixth, this should be taken as a cautionary tale. Don’t underprepare and do your research on shady seeming stuff. Don’t think you’re above death because you’ve got a spare load of money.

Seventh, leave the damn titanic alone. Everyone who was on it is now dead. The ship itself is crumbling. Leave it to rot, and let it echo through history books and that one James Cameron movie. Let children learn about it and use it to learn how to write newspaper articles and as a fun research project, which fun fact: is how I learnt about it. As an 8-9 year old. The novelty’s worn off in the past few years. Let’s just leave it as something cool for kids to learn and not add onto it with stupid stuff like Titan.

[yurayura-kurage]

A3! Troupe Event: MY WORST WEDDING | Event Story Translation (10/11)

Neither Japanese nor English is my first language so please forgive me if I made mistake. However, feel free to point me out, I’d love to hear your feedbacks on the translation ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶

I recommend reading along in-game for this chapter to get a better visual for what's happening in the play!!

Translation under the cut

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Andrew: “I never thought James-san would get married.”

James: “I was also going to be unmarried, but I’m worried about what people would say then.”

Grayson: “What kind of person is your partner?” 

Andrew: “The three of us took a picture the other day. Here you go.”

James: “She’s younger than me but she’s a sharp person. Perfect suit for a business partner.” 

Andrew: “That sounds so businesslike. But it’s not bad to have someone waiting for you at home, isn’t it.”

Grayson: “I have no idea about how people would feel when they get married. Aside from being on duty, being with someone all the time is like hell.”

James: “That’s Grayson for you.”

*shifts to Ethan’s table*

Ethan: “She is my fated partner. I was sitting next to her at the cafe, and ever since our eyes met, I knew it was what was called love at first sight.”

Noah: “She looks just like an anime character, doesn’t she.”

Ethan: “Do you want to see the picture?”

Lucas: “Ah… But that’s why you’re getting married though. The genius graduating at the top of his class despite skipping grades is still in his teens, huh.”

Ethan: “N-not only that. She also has a nice personality, and we’re even on the same wavelength!”

Noah: “Even so, I thought the president’s son should be able to charter this whole cruise ship, shouldn’t you?”

Ethan: “This time, Olivia has arranged everything for me.”

Ethan: “I told her I wasn’t too interested in helding a bachelorette party, but she said I should definitely do it. She’s such a modest person.”

Noah: “I don’t think a modest partner would book a whole floor which costs this much though.”

Lucas: Well, isn’t that great to do this once in a while? Ethan, you didn’t come out and play much when we were students.

Ethan: “It’s because studying is fun.”

Noah: “By the way, who is the SP today?” (*)

Ethan: “There’s no way I’d bring any of them on a day like this.”

Noah: “Is that so.”

Izumi: (Azami-kun’s Ethan, I can feel like he’s really in love with Olivia. It’s completely different from when we started practicing.)

Andrew: “It seems that those guys over there also came to this bachelorette party like us.”

Grayson: “They look surprisingly young though.”

James: “That boy is…”

Ethan: “Cheers.”

James: “That sounds great, Bocchan. Congratulations on your wedding engagement.”

Ethan: “?”

James: “I just happened to hear your story.”

Ethan: “Aah. Thank you.”

James: “I guess there haven’t been any articles yet about the president’s son getting engaged?”

Andrew: “Yeah, if it happened to be seen somewhere,...”

Ethan: “My father is the only one who is well-known.”

Grayson: “There even seems to be some rumours about how much of a rare genius you are that you’ll be the next president?”

James: “I’m James, the secretary for congressman Brown.”

Ethan: “Nice to meet you.”

Noah: “Could it be that you guys are also enjoying the night before the wedding?”

James: “Aah. Such a coincidence.”

Lucas: “How old are you now, James-san?”

James: “I’m 32.”

Lucas: “Normally people are getting married at around that age. Ethan’s case is too early.” 

Andrew: “Well, I also got married when I was 26.”

Ethan: “Because I will never find anyone who looks like Misaki and matches my personality like this in the future!” 

James: “Misaki?”

Ethan: “Do you know the Japanese anime “One Hundred Poems, One People Each Reincarnated in a Different World”? (**). Misaki is a character in that series. Do you know it?”

James: “Hm–, I think I may have heard that name.” 

Ethan: “Here, you can look at this photo of her! You will see they really look alike!” 

James: “Heh… I’m not sure, but are they that similar?”

James: “Hm…? You said her name was?”

Ethan: “She is Olivia.”

James: “...”

Andrew: “James-san.”

Ethan: “Is there something wrong?”

James: “No, nothing. Please enjoy the party then—”

Grayson: “This woman named Olivia, doesn’t her name and face look just like James-san’s fiancée Olivia?”

Ethan: “Eh? That’s an odd coincidence—”

James: “Maybe it’s just a random resemblance to someone.” 

Grayson: “No, it’s just the hairstyle and hair color that are different, but they’re the same person. You can put it into the analysis software.” 

James: “...”

Noah: “So, what does that mean?”

Lucas: “Hm—, in other words, Olivia is gonna get married with two of you at the same time?”

Ethan: “N-No way! There’s no way that Olivia would marry such an old uncle. She said she likes men younger than her.” 

James: “If you say that, then my fiancée also said the same thing. She said she has no interest in someone younger.”

James: “There is no way that she would make a mistake as marrying such a child.”

Ethan: “With all due respect, I am an independent person. Isn’t it too much to say “such a child”? 

Andrew: “Anyway, why don’t you two ask your fiancée directly to confirm? Maybe they are twins who live away from others.”

Grayson: “Isn’t this a marriage fraud?” 

Lucas: “I thought so too.”

Ethan: “That can’t be true!”

James: “We will know right after confirming with her.”

Ethan: “That’s right. Let me make a call to Olivia—”

Ethan: “What? There is no signal.”

Noah: “We could use wireless LANs though.”

James: “This is strange…” 

Andrew: “My phone can’t connect either.” 

Lucas: “It was connected until a while ago.”

Grayson: “James-san, the state at the floor is nowー”

James: “Get down!”

*The power suddenly went out*

Ethan: “ーー”

Noah: “Eh!? W-What!?”

Lucas: “A power outage!?”

*Grayson and Andrew put their guns out*

*Shifts to the ship’s hold*

 Andrew: “Maybe that’s a hijacking.”

James: “There are too many enemies for a normal hijacking.”

Andrew: “This is strange. There wasn’t a single customer there a while ago.”

Greyson: “Right before the power outage, customers began to move all at once. This is no doubt a corporation.”

James: “I can’t say for sure yet, but it might be better to think that everyone except us is the enemy.”

Ethan: “W-What does that mean? What are they aiming for?”

James: “We still have no idea about it. Anyway, we should think about a way to escape this ship safely for now.”

James: “I will go first. Grayson will be behind me, and Andrew will be in defence of these three.”

Grayson: “Yes sir.”

Andrew: “Yes sir.”

Lucas: “You guys all have experience in the army by any chance…?”

James: “Aah. We’re friends in the same unit.”

Noah: “How reliable!”

Ethan: “W-wait a minute. In the first place, we don’t know if those guys are on the same boat with us or not.”

Lucas: “Now is not the time to say that.”

Ethan: “Like, even Olivia’s case is not still clear yet.”

Ethan: “I can’t trust someone suddenly saying that my fiancée, who is going to get married to me tomorrow, is the same person as his fiancée.”

James: “That’s the same for me too. I don’t mind if you don’t want to follow us.”

Ethan: “ーーW-Wait a minute!”

Andrew: “Isn’t it too bad to leave the president’s son behind?”

Grayson: “Our career advancement opportunities are gonna be out of reach.”

James: “...Tsk.”

Ethan: “For now, I’ll put Olivia’s case on hold. But that doesn’t mean I completely trust you.”

James: “This is why Bocchan is so troublesome.”

Ethan: “What?”

James: “No, nothing.”

Noah: “Uhmー, by the way, can I go back to my room?”

James: “We don’t have time to break now.”

Noah: “Ah, actually I’ve brought a drone here since I was thinking of using it for some photoshoot.”

Noah: “Even if the drone can’t connect through wireless communication now, it can communicate through infrared, and it has a camera too so wouldn’t it still be useful?”

Andrew: “It may be useful to watch the enemy’s movements.”

James: “There is a possibility that the cabin is now surrounded.”

Grayson: “Then I’ll be going.”

James: “If it’s impossible after checking the situation, give up and come back here.”

Grayson: “Yes sir.”

Izumi: (As expected of the ex-militaries. Thanks to the hair makeup, they look dignified and powerful.)

*Short timeskip* 

James: “How is it? Do you find something?”

Lucas: “From the time being, the information recorded on the terminal can be easily obtained though…”

Lucas: “It’s gonna take a lil’ bit of time to get the information that requires access to the headquarters' database.”

Lucas: “Anyway, I’ll share this ship’s map that is quite useful.”

Noah: “Uhmー, I’m currently looking around the ship, but it seems like it’s gradually getting farther away from the port.”

Ethan: “It was supposed to return to the port overnight as planned.”

Andrew: “Where on earth is it heading to…”

Grayson: “I’m sure it’s not a good destination.”

James: “First thing first, let’s find a lifeboat to escape from this ship.”

Ethan: “In addition, in order to communicate with others outside this ship, we should look for the signal jammers.”

Ethan: “That’s no doubt the reason why the radio waves suddenly stopped connecting.” 

James: “Then, let’s split into 2 groups. Grayson, preparing for the field. Lucas, please continue to analyze here.”

James: “And Noah, lend me the drone.”

Noah: “Ahー, the operation is quite complicated so only me can handle it.”

Noah: “Since the radio waves are blocked, you can’t control it unless you’re close to the infrared.”

James: “Then you go with Andrew and secure the lifeboat.”

Noah: “It’ll be like that after all…?”

Andrew: “I will guarantee your safety as much as possible.”

Noah: “I’m looking forward to working with you…”

James: “I will go find the signal jammers.”

Ethan: “What should I do then?”

James: “Bocchan should have some tea here.”

Ethan: “ーーI’ll go with you, James-san. I’ve learned self-defense and gun shooting, so we’ll work in pairs.”

James: “Do as you wish.”

Izumi: (Their blatant hostility towards others is perfect. It’s the kind of relationship that only works because it's Azami-kun and Sakyo-san.)

*Shifts to the cabin*

James: “Stop!” 

Ethan: “ーーTsk.”

James: “If you didn’t come here to be a handicap, then at least don’t get in my way.”

Ethan: “...Depending on the function of the signal jammers, there are several patterns of placement to cover the vast interior of the ship."

*James & Ethans run*

Ethan: “However, no matter which pattern is, there should always be one placed around here. It’s not that way.”

James: “Does that mean you've simulated all the patterns?”

Ethan: “It’s not that I’ve simulated all of it before. You can get it right away once you look at the map.”

James: “I see. Seems like “genius Bocchan”' isn't just for show."

Ethan: “Can you stop calling me Bocchan.”

*Short timeskips*

James: “ーーApparently, your reading is correct. It’s a bingo.”

Ethan: “Once we stop this jammer, we can at least call the police from here. Nowーー”

James: “Wait. It comes with a bonus.” 

Ethan: “?”

James: “A bomb. If you touch this carelessly, the bomb will explode.”

Ethan: “If that happens, its effect on the ship willーー Don’t tell me, the other jammers also have a bomb with it?”

James: “The possibility is high. Maybe they’re planning to sink this ship.”

Ethan: “That’sーー”

James: “We will go back for now. I’m also curious about Andrew’s report.”

*Back to the ship’s hold*

Ethan: “All the lifeboats are gone?”

Lucas: “Then how are we gonna escape from this ship.”

Grayson: “That means the bombs are all bluff?”

James: “No, they didn’t look fake at all.”

Ethan: “Unless they are planning to go down with the ship, their comrades are probably supposed to come pick them up.”

Ethan: “Once they accomplish their goal, won't they contact their comrades and sink the ship to destroy all the evidence?”

Noah: “What do you mean by their goal…?”

James: “Their goal is undoubtedly one of us, or even all of us. There were no corpses around this ship, and no one was running away except us.”

Noah: “What should we do then if there is no way to escape or contact the outside?”

Lucas: “It’s an escape game for real.”

Ethan: “Not something we can joke about.”

James: “For the time being, if we can clean up all the enemies, we can spare some time until the bombs explode.”

Ethan: “Please don’t say that easily.”

James: “If Bocchan doesn’t get in the way, we can do it.”

Ethan: “If that’s the case, let me tell you thisーー I think taking control over the cockpit and heading to the port would be faster than dealing with all the enemies.”

Ethan: “Calling for backup and escaping would take time, but if we get closer to the port, we might be able to escape.”

James: “Well, it’s worth a try. Then, are you going to tag along with me again?”

Ethan: “Yes, of course. I haven’t completely believed in you yet.”

James: “Andrew, follow me. Grayson, continue to take care of this place.”

Andrew: “Yes sir.”

Grayson: “Yes sir.”

Izumi: (Noah, the robot enthusiast, and Lucas, who’s into hacking, make a great brainy team. Compared to the former militaries team, it gives a really interesting feeling.)

*Shifts to the cabin*

SP: “Ethan! Where are you! I have been hiding due to the president’s request! Are you alright!?”

Ethan: “That isーー An SP. I’ve seen his face before. What a relief, we are saved! I’m right here!” 

James: “Waitーー!”

SP: “I’m glad you’re safe… Finally caught you.” 

Ethan: “?”

Andrew: “ーー”

James: “Wait. Now is not the time to show your face.”

Ethan: “Let go of me! What are you going to do!?”

SP: “If you value your life, be quiet and behave.”

Ethan: “You tricked me!”

Andrew: “...” James: “It’s okay. He didn’t shoot Ethan.”

Andrew: “Their purpose is kidnapping, isn’t it.”

James: “In that case, there is no need to involve us in this.”

Andrew: “There seems to be no doubt that Olivia is also involved.”

James: “...Leave questioning for later.”

*Shifts to the main hall*

SP: “...Contact headquarters.”

Terrorist A: “It took an unexpected effort.”

Ethan: “...”

*The phone rings*

Ethan: “!?”

SP: “Answer it.”

Ethan: “Eh? Can I?”

SP: “If you say anything thoughtless, I’ll kill you right away.”

Ethan: “...Understood.”

Ethan: “Oliviaーー Are you there?”

Olivia: “Yes. I’m sorry.”

Olivia: “I didn't intend to disturb you today, but I have something that needs to be checked about tomorrow’s wedding arrangements.”

Ethan: “That’s not the point! Nowーー”

*Sounds of bullet being loaded*

SP: “...” Olivia: “What happens?”

Ethan: “N-No, nothing.”

Olivia: “Is that so? By the way, I just got a call from the venue, and it seems the flowers we ordered won't be arriving.” 

Olivia: “White is okay, but if there has to be some mix, which one would be better, pink or red? Considering Misaki's image, maybe purple?”

Ethan: “Ah, that’s right…”

Olivia: “Ethan also thinks so? What a relief! Then, I’ll contact the staff right away.”

Ethan: “Rather than that, I want to ask you something.”

Ethan: “Do you know James? He is the secretary for congressman Brown, and he is going to have a wedding with you tomorrow…”

Olivia: “With me? Who?”

Ethan: “It’s James.”

Olivia: “What are you talking about? You’re the guy who will have a wedding with me tomorrow, Ethan. Could it be that you're starting to regret your last single night?”

Ethan: “You really don’t know him?”

Olivia: “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re drunk, aren’t you.”

Olivia: “Show your face properly tomorrow, okay? I'd never want to stand alone at the venue just by myself.”

Ethan: “Y-Yeah. I already know it.”

Olivia: “Then. Good night. I love you.”

Ethan: “ーー”

SP: “That’s fine. If you obediently listen to what I say, I won't’ take your and your friends’ lives.”

Ethan: “Really?”

SP: “However, there is 1 condition. Bring James and others to the cockpit.”

Ethan: “Eh?”

SP: “You were aiming to take control over the cockpit, weren’t you? Unfortunately, this ship is controlled from the outside.”

SP: “If you try to touch the equipment, it’ll explode.”

Ethan: “No way…”

SP: “I’ll release you, so bring James and others. If you do that, I’ll save your and your friends’ lives.”

SP: “You know the location of the cockpit right?”

Ethan: “...I know it.”

*Sounds of shooting gun”

James: “Ethan!” 

*Sounds of loading bullet and shooting gun*

SP: “ーーTsk.”

*They starts to shoot guns towards others*

James: “Come here!”

Ethan: “ーー”

*Shifts to the cabin*

James: “Any injuries?”

Ethan: “I’m fine… But why…”

James: “I can’t leave the president’s son alone.”

Ethan: “...”

James: “What’s wrong?”

Ethan: Oliviaーー No, there’s nothing.”

James: “There is no doubt that woman is involved in this incident. I understand you have lingering feelings, but you need to let her go. Their goal is to kidnap you."

James: "Most likely, they plan to use this as leverage to negotiate with the president. Once they're done, they might sink this ship along with everything."

Ethan: “...”

*Shifts to the ship’s hold*

Lucas: “Welcome back. I was finally able to break into the headquarters’ database.”

Lucas: “For the time being, what seems to be useful in the current situation is the number of enemies and the wiring diagram. And here is the list of enemiesーー”

Ethan: “Thisーー”

James: “As expected, Olivia is one of them. She must have gotten close to us to gather information.”

Ethan: “That’sーー”

Noah: “W-Well, at least you found out before getting married.”

Lucas: “You may be killed the moment you know it.”

James: “What should we do now? Shall we aim for the cockpit again?”

Ethan: “The cockpit on this ship cannot be used. They said that the control is completely left to the outside.”

Ethan: “In other words, it’s impossible for the terrorists to escape unless they are picked up by their comrades. There is no point in annihilating the cockpit.”

James: “...And?”

Ethan: “They promised me to save our lives on the condition that James-san and others were handed over.”

Ethan: “If their goal is to kidnap me and leave the ship, then I'll let them achieve their goal and make the call for the pickup.”

Ethan: “ After that, we'll hijack the rescue ship. That’s the only way.”

James: “That’s fine. It’s a great strategy for Bocchan.”

*Shifts to the cockpit*

James: “? What does this mean? There is no one hereーー”

Terrorist B: “Don’t you dare to move.”

Andrew: “ーー”

James: “We are surrounded.”

SP: “Thank you, Ethan. You saved us.”

Ethan: “...”

James: “Ethan?”

Andrew: “Did you betray us?”

SP: “There are 3 people here. What about your other friend?”

Lucas: “We disagreed on betraying James-san and the others this time. We had a falling out.”

SP: “Well that’s fine. 1 student doesn't make much of a difference. Let's quickly take care of the three of them."

James: “...Didn't you notice that one of the bombs you carefully planted all over the ship is missing? If you shoot now, we will die together.”

Terrorist B: “There’s no wayーー”

Terrorist C: “That’s fine. Leaving you here would lead to the same result anyway. Contact headquarters. We're withdrawing."

SP: “Originally, we were supposed to let the son go down with the ship as well.”

SP: “Negotiations are gonna take time, so you'll be coming with us. Consider yourself lucky.”

Ethan: “In other words, James-san and others' terms didn't matter at all?”

SP: “You made things easier for us. But honestly, you were more persistent than we expected and it was troublesome.”

Announcer: “10 seconds left until the explosion.” 

Terrorist B: “!?”

SP: “What the heck is this drone? Something like this wasn't part of the planー”

Terrorist C: “More than that, what on earth is the “10 seconds left until the explosion”ーー”

SP: “Don’t panic! Shoot it down!”

Ethan: “That Noah guy, even if you said you’re going to use it to get their attention, this is…”

James: “That’s enough.”

*They start shooting guns towards others*

Terrorist B: “Urgh!”

SP: “Youーー!?”

James: “You two, lie down!”

Ethan: “Y-Yes!”

Lucas: “How many times do I have to come close to dying in just one night…!”

*Shifts to the cabin*

Noah: “There are several small boats moored side by side. Only the driver is on board.”

James: “Well, they will have to carry lots of people. Alright, let’s go.”

Ethan: “What do you mean by going, how do weーー”

James: “Jump!”

Ethan: “Eh!?”

Andrew: “Hurry up!”

Noah: “Hehhhhh!” 

Lucas: “How many times do I have to come close to dying in just…!”

*Shifts to the lifeboat*

James: “Who's in charge of the steering?”

Ethan: “I have the license.”

James: “Then, I’ll leave it to Bocchan.”

Andrew: “Haa… It was a hard bachelorette party.” 

Grayson: “If it's a training, you should have told me earlier.”

*The bomb explodes*

Noah: “Uwah, it really exploded.”

Ethan: “​​That was a close call.”

Lucas: “I wonder how many times I’ve come close to dying in just one night. Please give me a break from this real life escape game.”

James: “We’re escaping right at dawn.”

Ethan: “What are you going to do with today’s ceremony?”

James: “Bocchan, what is your plan?”

Ethan: “I’m going.”

James: “I’m also going as planned.”

Lucas: “Are you out of mind?”

Noah: “You must be kidding!”

James: “Please take good care of me, groomsmen.”

Andrew: “I thought you would say that.”

Grayson: “It can’t be helped.”

Noah: “I don’t know what happens anymore!” 

Lucas: “I don’t wanna die yet…”

*The phone rings*

Izumi: (From now, during an audio-only call, Ethan and James will have a quick change)

Ethan: “Are you there, Olivia?”

Olivia: “Ethan? Where areーー”

Ethan: “We’re almost at the port. The ship was delayed a bit, but it's okay. There's nothing to worry about.”

Olivia: “...Is that so?”

Ethan: “Because I’ll be on time for the ceremony.”

Olivia: “E-Ehh. Wait for me a minute.”

*Arriving at the port*

Lucas: “Why do we need to bother dressing up formal when it's just going to get dirty anyway...”

Grayson: “It seems difficult to move.”

James: “You can't show up at a sunny wedding in a wrinkled suit.”

Ethan: “It might feel better if you get it completely dirty later.”

Andrew: “You two are really a good match.” 

Audiences: “!!”

Izumi: (Alright, these two’s quick change is a success! The audiences were surprised. The rest is…)

Noah: “We just need to stall until the police arrive, right?”

Noah: “I brought as many drones and robots as I could, but they're not really meant for combat against people to begin with.”

James: “That’s enough to create distraction.”

Ethan: “Sorry for making you both come all the way here.”

Noah: “It can’t be helped, right. If I’m the only one not here, they'll probably get suspicious, and if I end up being alone, that could be dangerous too."

Lucas: “So I’ll hide with Noah and support him.”

Grayson: “Let’s finish all these things soon.”

Andrew: “I’m sleep-deprived after all.”

James: “Ethan, have you prepared your vows yet?”

Ethans: “It’s all in my head.”

James: “Very good. Let’s go.”

Izumi: (Now Noah and Lucas will step back, and Taichi's quick change and makeup... We've practiced so many times, so it should be fine.)

*Shifts to the ceremony hall*

Terrorist D: “They came!”

Terrorist E: “Kill all of them except the president’s son!”

Andrew: “We've got some dangerous guests gathered here.”

Grayson: ​​”You should be more careful choosing who you date.”

James: “That’s painfully true.”

Terrorist D: “You’re causing us trouble!”

Ethan: “That’s my line!”

Noah: “Ready?”

Lucas: “GO!”

*The robots start intruding*

Terrorist E: “!? W-What the heck are these!?”

Terrorist D: “Damn it, I can’t see anything!” 

Andrew: “It's rude to cause violence in a church.”

Terrorist E: “Urgh”

Grayson: “Guess it's perfect for a confession.”

Terrorist D: “Ughh” 

Ethan: “It was supposed to be the best day of my life!”

Terrorist F: “ーーUgh”

James: “And now it has become the worst day of my life.”

Terrorist G: “Urrghーー”

Olivia: “You really came. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Ethan: “Olivia!”

Audiences: “!?!?”

Izumi: (Okay, a success! I can tell that the audiences are now gasping)

Olivia: “I love you, Ethan.”

Ethan: “Olivia, Iーー”

Olivia: “That’s why behave yourself.”

*Olivia loads the bullet*

 James: “Ellude, Ethan!”

Ethan: “ーー”

Olivia: “ーー”

Olivia: “Tsk. You're really tight-lipped and overly cautious, such a boring man, James!”

James: “Who was the one saying she liked that about me.”

Ethan: “Olivia, these are all lies after allーー”

*Ethan fights against Olivia*

Olivia: “ーーUgh”

Olivia: “I didn’t know you could do something this rough, Ethan. You’re much more charming now.”

Ethan: “You’re terrible! It was! Supposed to be! My first love!”

*They start to fight against others*

Olivia: “Tch, stop shouting! This is why I can't stand kids!”

Ethan: “ーー”

James: “​​Well, there was at least one truth in what you said. Goodbye now.” 

*James shoots Olivia*

Olivia: “ーーUrgh”

*Olivia passes out*

Ethan: “Olivia!”

James: “She hasn’t dead yet. It’s a tranquilizer gun. I guess she was trying to shoot you with that.”

Ethan: “...”

James: “Ethan, how about the vows?”

Ethan: “In sickness and in healthーー”

James: “To honor and cherish each othersーー”

Ethan: “And be faithful to others as long as we both shall liveーー”

Ethan: “There’s no way I could swear that!”

James: “Bastard.”

*They both throw away the rings*

*Shifts to the port*

James: “After all, marriage doesn’t work like business.”

Andrew: “Obviously.”

Grayson: “But I thought marriage might not be that bad.”

James: “Where in all of this can you think that way?”

Ethan: “Haa… I even thought that was my soulmate…Next time, I'll take more time to understand the person before getting married.”

*Noah and Lucas appears through video call*

Lucas: “Please do so.”

Noah: “I’ll tell you this, I’ll never go to the bachelorette party again.”

James: “Well, you should work on improving your judgment of people, Bocchan.”

Ethan: “The same to you.”

*Shifts to Mankai Stage*

Audience A: Azami-kun and Sakyo-san being buddy were so cool!

Audience B: Isn’t it!? I even did a triple take because these two are both blonde!!

Audience C: Taichi-kun’s dual role really surprised me!

Audience A: The quick change and makeup were really amazing~!

Audience B: Speaking of which, the ex-militaries team is insane. They’re so cool.

Audience C: The Ethan team gave the greatest nobility!

Azami: Thank you for coming this timeーー Thank you so much!

Sakyo: Thank you!

Sakyo’s mother: …

Miyako: Onii-chan, you were so cool~!

Sakyo: ーー.

Sakyo’s mother: Azami-kun too!

Azami: Thanks…

Azami: (To be honest, I didn’t understand what is love or true love but…) (***)

Azami: (Perhaps living with this kind of compassion and supporting each other... is what true love is)

Azami: (This, what am I thinking…)

Sakyo: Why are you giving me that look? Let’s go all out with fanservice!

Azami: Annoyingー.

Azami: (Well, it’s okay once in a while. Only once in a while)

Translator’s notes:

(*) SP stands for Security Police.

(**) I think this is a reference to the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (百人一首) - a classical Japanese anthology of 100 Japanese waka by 100 poets.

(***) Love is for 恋 (Koi) and 愛 (Ai) is True love.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Previous || Next

[thislovintime]

A very brief snippet of footage from the 1968 tour; I’ve tried to sync it with audio of Peter performing “Cindy, Cindy” during that tour.

“The one thing the tour is proving, is that the Monkees, individually and collectively, have talent. […] And they each do individual numbers which show off their talents.Davy Jones sings a spiritual, Peter Tork performs with his banjo, Mike Nesmith does a rock ’n’ roll send-up of Chuck Berry, and Micky Dolenz does a show-stopping impression of James Brown.” - article by Jock Veitch, The Sydney Morning Herald, September 22, 1968 “I love the five-string banjo and some of those lonely old mountain songs.” - Peter, The Life, May 3, 1996

[whencyclopedia]

Ûñtsaiyĭ', the Gambler

Ûñtsaiyĭ', the Gambler is a legend of the Cherokee nation, known as a Wonder Story, which features supernatural characters, sometimes interacting with mortals, sometimes with each other. In Ûñtsaiyĭ', the Gambler, all the characters are supernatural entities representing natural phenomena such as thunder and lightning.

Ball Play Dance

George Catlin (Public Domain)

The story features the common Native American motif of the young boy's journey from youth to maturity and the challenges he must overcome. Unlike other wonder stories – including The Man Who Married the Thunder's Sister – there are no mortals in Ûñtsaiyĭ', the Gambler and the action of the piece follows one of the sons of Thunder on his quest for healing and, ultimately, wholeness.

At the center of the tale is Ûñtsaiyĭ', the gambler, a trickster figure similar to those in the legends of other Native peoples of North America, including the Wihio tales of the Cheyenne, Iktomi tales of the Sioux, and the Nih'a'ca tales of the Arapaho, among many others. In this story, the trickster Ûñtsaiyĭ' serves to convey the cultural value of honoring one's promise in agreements and paying what one owes, no matter how great the price.

Ûñtsaiyĭ' (also known as E'tsaiyi or Tsaihi) exemplifies the character of the gambler who lives by his wits but finds his luck run out when he bets against the son of the Thunder. The game they play may be stickball (known as Anetso to the Eastern Cherokee nation) or could be chunkey, the game which, according to Cherokee lore, Ûñtsaiyĭ' invented.

As with all the works of Native American literature, there are multiple levels of meaning to Ûñtsaiyĭ', the Gambler and many possible interpretations. The story was popular among the Cherokee in the past and continues to be shared in their communities in the present day.

Text

The following is taken from Myths of the Cherokee (1900) by James Mooney, republished by Dover Publications, 2014.

Thunder lives in the west, or a little to the south of west, near the place where the sun goes down behind the water. In the old times he sometimes made a journey to the east, and once after he had come back from one of these journeys a child was born in the east who, the people said, was his son. As the boy grew up it was found that he had scrofula sores all over his body, so one day his mother said to him, "Your father, Thunder, is a great doctor. He lives far in the west, but if you can find him, he can cure you."

So the boy set out to find his father and be cured. He traveled long toward the west, asking of everyone he met where Thunder lived, until at last they began to tell him that it was only a little way ahead. He went on and came to Ûñtiguhĭ', on Tennessee, where lived Ûñtsaiyĭ' "Brass." Now Ûñtsaiyĭ' was a great gambler and made his living that way. It was he who invented the gatayûstĭ game that we play with a stone wheel and a stick. He lived on the south side of the river, and everybody who came that way he challenged to play against him. The large flat rock, with the lines and grooves where they used to roll the wheel, is still there, with the wheels themselves and the stick turned to stone. He won almost every time, because he was so tricky, so that he had his house filled with all kinds of fine things. Sometimes he would lose, and then he would bet all that he had, even to his own life, but the winner got nothing for his trouble, for Ûñtsaiyĭ' knew how to take on different shapes, so that he always got away.

As soon as Ûñtsaiyĭ' saw him he asked him to stop and play a while, but the boy said he was looking for his father, Thunder, and had no time to wait. "Well," said Ûñtsaiyĭ', "he lives in the next house; you can hear him grumbling over there all the time"—he meant the Thunder— "so we may as well have a game or two before you go on." The boy said he had nothing to bet. "That's all right," said the gambler, "we'll play for your pretty spots." He said this to make the boy angry so that he would play, but still the boy said he must go first and find his father and would come back afterwards.

He went on, and soon the news came to Thunder that a boy was looking for him who claimed to be his son. Said Thunder, "I have traveled in many lands and have many children. Bring him here and we shall soon know." So, they brought in the boy, and Thunder showed him a seat and told him to sit down. Under the blanket on the seat were long, sharp thorns of the honey locust, with the points all sticking up, but when the boy sat down, they did not hurt him, and then Thunder knew that it was his son. He asked the boy why he had come. "I have sores all over my body, and my mother told me you were my father and a great doctor, and if I came here, you would cure me." "Yes," said his father, "I am a great doctor, and I'll soon fix you."

There was a large pot in the corner, and he told his wife to fill it with water and put it over the fire. When it was boiling, he put in some roots, then took the boy and put him in with them. He let it boil a long time until one would have thought that the flesh was boiled from the poor boy's bones, and then told his wife to take the pot and throw it into the river, boy and all. She did as she was told, and threw it into the water, and ever since there is an eddy there that we call Ûñ'tiguhĭ', "Pot-in-the-water." A service tree and a calico bush grew on the bank above. A great cloud of steam came up and made streaks and blotches on their bark, and it has been so to this day. When the steam cleared away, she looked over and saw the boy clinging to the roots of the service tree where they hung down into the water, but now his skin was all clean. She helped him up the bank, and they went back to the house. On the way she told him, "When we go in, your father will put a new dress on you, but when he opens his box and tells you to pick out your ornaments be sure to take them from the bottom. Then he will send for his other sons to play ball against you. There is a honey-locust tree in front of the house, and as soon as you begin to get tired strike at that and your father will stop the play, because he does not want to lose the tree."

When they went into the house, the old man was pleased to see the boy looking so clean, and said, "I knew I could soon cure those spots. Now we must dress you." He brought out a fine suit of buckskin, with belt and headdress, and had the boy put them on. Then he opened a box and said, "Now pick out your necklace and bracelets." The boy looked, and the box was full of all kinds of snakes gliding over each other with their heads up. He was not afraid, but remembered what the woman had told him, and plunged his hand to the bottom and drew out a great rattlesnake and put it around his neck for a necklace. He put down his hand again four times and drew up four copperheads and twisted them around his wrists and ankles. Then his father gave him a war club and said, "Now you must play a ball game with your two elder brothers. They live beyond here in the Darkening land, and I have sent for them." He said a ball game, but he meant that the boy must fight for his life. The young men came, and they were both older and stronger than the boy, but he was not afraid and fought against them. The thunder rolled and the lightning flashed at every stroke, for they were the young Thunders, and the boy himself was Lightning. At last, he was tired from defending himself alone against two, and pretended to aim a blow at the honey-locust tree. Then his father stopped the fight, because he was afraid the lightning would split the tree, and he saw that the boy was brave and strong.

The boy told his father how Ûñtsaiyĭ' had dared him to play and had even offered to play for the spots on his skin. "Yes," said Thunder, "he is a great gambler and makes his living that way, but I will see that you win." He brought a small cymling gourd with a hole bored through the neck and tied it on the boy's wrist. Inside the gourd there was a string of beads, and one end hung out from a hole in the top, but there was no end to the string inside. "Now," said his father, "go back the way you came, and as soon as he sees you, he will want to play for the beads. He is very hard to beat, but this time he will lose every game. When he cries out for a drink, you will know he is getting discouraged, and then strike the rock with your war club and water will come, so that you can play on without stopping. At last, he will bet his life, and lose. Then send at once for your brothers to kill him, or he will get away, he is so tricky."

The boy took the gourd and his war club and started east along the road by which he had come. As soon as Ûñtsaiyĭ' saw him he called to him, and when he saw the gourd with the bead string hanging out, he wanted to play for it. The boy drew out the string, but there seemed to be no end to it, and he kept on pulling until enough had come out to make a circle all around the playground. "I will play one game for this much against your stake," said the boy, "and when that is over, we can have another game."

They began the game with the wheel and stick and the boy won. Ûñtsaiyĭ' did not know what to think of it, but he put up another stake and called for a second game. The boy won again, and so they played on until noon, when Ûñtsaiyĭ' had lost nearly everything he had and was about discouraged. It was very hot, and he said, "I am thirsty," and wanted to stop long enough to get a drink. "No," said the boy, and struck the rock with his club so that water came out, and they had a drink. They played on until Ûñtsaiyĭ' had lost all his buckskins and beaded work, his eagle feathers, and ornaments, and at last offered to bet his wife. They played and the boy won her. Then Ûñtsaiyĭ' was desperate and offered to stake his life. "If I win, I kill you, but if you win you may kill me." They played and the boy won.

"Let me go and tell my wife," said Ûñtsaiyĭ', "so that she will receive her new husband, and then you may kill me." He went into the house, but it had two doors, and although the boy waited long Ûñtsaiyĭ' did not come back. When at last he went to look for him he found that the gambler had gone out the back way and was nearly out of sight going east.

The boy ran to his father's house and got his brothers to help him. They brought their dog—the Horned Green Beetle—and hurried after the gambler. He ran fast and was soon out of sight, and they followed as fast as they could. After a while they met an old woman making pottery and asked her if she had seen Ûñtsaiyĭ' and she said she had not. "He came this way," said the brothers. "Then he must have passed in the night," said the old woman, "for I have been here all day." They were about to take another road when the Beetle, which had been circling about in the air above the old woman, made a dart at her and struck her on the forehead, and it rang like brass—ûñtsaiyĭ'! Then they knew it was Brass and sprang at him, but he jumped up in his right shape and was off, running so fast that he was soon out of sight again. The Beetle had struck so hard that some of the brass rubbed off, and we can see it on the beetle's forehead yet.

They followed and came to an old man sitting by the trail, carving a stone pipe. They asked him if he had seen Brass pass that way and he said no, but again the Beetle—which could know Brass under any shape—struck him on the forehead so that it rang like metal, and the gambler jumped up in his right form and was off again before they could hold him. He ran east until he came to the great water; then he ran north until he came to the edge of the world and had to turn again to the west. He took every shape to throw them off the track, but the Green Beetle always knew him, and the brothers pressed him so hard that at last he could go no more, and they caught him just as he reached the edge of the great water where the sun goes down.

They tied his hands and feet with a grapevine and drove a long stake through his breast and planted it far out in the deep water. They set two crows on the end of the pole to guard it and called the place Kâgûñ'yĭ, "Crow place." But Brass never died, and cannot die, until the end of the world, but lies there always with his face up. Sometimes he struggles under the water to get free, and sometimes the beavers, who are his friends, come and gnaw at the grapevine to release him. Then the pole shakes and the crows at the top cry Ka! Ka! Ka! and scare the beavers away.

Continue reading...

[charlestownbound]

Miscellaneous misadventures of Washington's aide-de-camps

John Laurens had a rather interesting relationship to clothing, as is seen in a few of his letters to his father. Is this a product of his privileged upbringing and something that cannot really be helped? Most certainly. But is it something I find quite amusing? Indeed!

In a letter dated February 9, 1778 to his father, Henry Laurens, John makes the claim that white is an easy color to clean. He writes:

"...I wrote to James for some Hair Powder, & Pomatum but received only the latter with a Comb. As I am on the subject of dress, it will not be premature to inform you, that if you should command me to remain in my present Station, blue and buff Cloth, Linding, Twist, yellow flat double gilt Buttons sufficient to make me a Uniform Suit will be wanted, besides corded Dimitty for Waistcoats and Breeches against the opening of the Campaign, and I must beg the favor of you to write to some Friend in South Caroline to procure me these Articles - a pair of gold Epaulettes and a Saddle Cloth may be added if not too expensive - if you should give me leave to execute my black project, my uniform will be a white field, (faced with red) - a Color which is easiest kept clean and will form a good Contrast with the Complexion of the Solider."

(Source)

For the next account, I have been unable to track down the letter and relay this to you from George Washington's Indispensable Men by Arthur S. Lefkowitz. He cites Laurens Papers, 12:31. After much digging, I am unable to find a letter that matches the date given (September 16, 1777) even upon looking through volume 11 rather than 12.

"My old Sash rather disfigur'd by the heavy Rain which half drown'd us on our march to the Yellow Springs, (and by which by the bye spoilt me a waistcoat and breeches of white Cloth and my uniform Coat, clouding them with the dye wash'd out of my hat.)"

John Laurens was, in his heart, a material girl.

[myemuisemo]

Is there a gas leak at Baskerville Hall? I am so frustrated with my cinnamon roll Dr. Watson in chapter VIII of The Hound of the Baskervilles. We've suddenly gone epistolary, which fits the Wilkie Collins mood of all the derring-don't. and Watson has. lost. his. mind.

Selden the Murderer has either "got clean away" or been lurking in a neolithic hut, occasionally tackling and gnawing sheep for nourishment. (Here's Grimspound, as an example of neolithic huts.) Given that Baskerville Hall and Merripit Hall are both sparsely staffed (and Lafter Hall may be as well), Selden could just move into a disused wing and pilfer pies from the kitchen.

Mr. Frankland of Lafter Hall is nothing like the modern MP I expected (which is not Watson's fault), being instead a "choleric" old man who enjoys bringing law suits. "Apart from the law he seems a kindly, good-natured person," Watson says, thereby lining up with the legions of men who've refuted claims that a fellow man is awful by saying well, but he's always nice to me.

It would not in the least surprise me if Mr. Frankland had a long-term plan regarding property rights in Devon, and Watson just never thought to ask.

Speaking of asking, directly inquiring of Barrymore whether he got the telegram seems pointless because:

If he was up to no good, he knows he needs to lie and will.

If he isn't up to no good, his true answer will be exactly the same as if he were lying.

Meanwhile, because Mrs. Barrymore is a stolid, muscular sort of woman, nobody asks what overwhelming grief has her sobbing in the night. Watson does entertain the idea that her husband is a "domestic tyrant," but he does nothing about it.

Our old friend James Mortimer drops by with a skull he dug up because of course he desecrates graves. To be fair, grave robbing for cadavers to use in medical school was still done in the 1880s, so Mortimer wouldn't feel the kind of ick that we do. (Here's an article from Smithsonian and also a tangentially relevant article on how, in the U.S., it was usually Black cadavers that were disrespectfully obtained.) Since Mr. Frankland intends to sue Mortimer over this, perhaps Frankland does have an enlightened agenda that he's working toward, one brief at a time.

Where is Mrs. Mortimer? Sir Henry and Dr. Watson are entertaining Mr. Stapleton and Miss Stapleton somewhat regularly. it would seem little trouble to make it six at the dinner table and have another woman to accompany Miss Stapleton to the parlor for tea while the gentlemen remain at the dining table to pass port and cigars.

Meanwhile, previously daffy and harmless butterfly-chaser Jack Stapleton has developed "a dry glitter in his eyes, and a firm set of his thin lips, which goes with a positive and possibly a harsh nature." I feel like Watson is struggling to find a new man to focus on, now that his recent crush, Sir Henry Baskerville, is showing interest in the "exotic" Beryl Stapleton.

Watson is troubled that Beryl is seen to "continually glance at him [Stapleton] as she talked as if seeking approbation for what she said." WATSON. He's her brother. She's a woman in 1889. Yes, they might be hiding a terrible secret, but she also has no real power to do anything without her brother's approval. Watson hangs on the tiniest potential clues of a rocky family relationship for the beauteous Beryl but downplays big, flashing red signs saying FAMILY TROUBLE HERE from Mrs. Barrymore.

One would imagine that such a match would be very welcome to Stapleton, and yet I have more than once caught a look of the strongest disapprobation in his face when Sir Henry has been paying some attention to his sister. 

WATSON. What did Beryl do the minute she met you? Thinking you were Sir Henry, she told you to flee the moor. If her brother is up to something nefarious, of course he doesn't want her talking to Sir Henry. If she's merely superstitious, there's still the danger she'll drive away the only nearby gentry to batten on for dinners and socializing.

Maybe Beryl isn't that into Sir Henry but feels she can't say anything without ruining her only opportunity to socialize at all. I mean, it'd be gothic af to reveal that she's actually Stapleton's wife and maybe also the daughter of Rodger Baskerville, but there are other, simpler explanations for a little tension in the air.

In the vein of simpler explanations, Watson finds Barrymore skulking about Baskerville Hall in the wee hours of the night. "[T]here was something indescribably guilty and furtive in his whole appearance." Yes, Watson: because it's two in the morning. Everyone looks guilty at two in the morning, padding about trying not to wake anyone up.

Barrymore appears to be signaling with a candle from a window, which could be hound-related or Selden-the-murderer-related but could also have the simple, traditional explanation of smuggling.

Watson and Sir Henry have a plan to investigate this. I do not feel at all sanguine about their abilities to do anything other than blunder about, tripping over each other and shooting at the shadows.

If Sherlock Holmes suddenly appeared, having been disguised as Perkins the groom, the elderly Merripit Hall butler, or even one of the moor sheep, I would be so relieved.

This is one of those weeks when I viscerally understand how there was a huge Holmes fandom all discussing, arguing, and predicting between installments.

[mirastudiesphysics]

Introduction to Environmental Ethics

I saw a post that reminded me how much I hate corn and the current agricultural industry. So in a caffeinated fugue state I found my old environmental ethics syllabus and collected links to the PDFs of as many articles I could find. Some topics include introduction to general ethics and philosophy, ethics in ecology, food and agriculture ethics, and predictions of viral outbreaks (I took this class during the 2020 spring semester and to say it was topical is an understatement).

These articles are meant to give a name and face to a lot of environmental concepts plus an overview of the historical and current landscape of this field. You do not have to agree with all ideas presented in these articles, and in fact most concepts have plenty of counter articles.

I did my best to only include links that show the PDF without needing to download anything, because I'm paranoid of random files automatically downloading and I don't want to inflict that on anyone else. I still include anything I couldn't find open access to since I don't want to leave anything out and other people might have better luck.

Readings and Resources

The Elements of Moral Philosophy by James Rachels

Contested Frameworks in Environmental Ethics by Clare Palmer

The Historical Roots of Our Environmental Crises by Lynn White, Jr.

The Evolutionary Roots of Our Environmental Crises by Dustin J. Penn and Iver Mysterud

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold

Movie: A Fierce Green Fire (insitution libraries may have this, I wanted to recommend despite not finding a good link)

Ecosophy T: Deep Versus Shallow Ecology by Arne Naess

Connection to Nature and the Case for Deep Ecology by Christian Diehm (request from author directly) (with institution access)

The Power and Promise of Ecological Feminism by Karen J. Warren

A Utilitarian Defense of Animal Liberation by Peter Singer

Environmental Ethics by Holmes Rolston III

Can Animal Rights Activists be Environmentalists? by Gary E. Varner

Against Zoos by Dale Jamieson

Biocentrism in Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy

The Trouble with Wilderness by William Cronon

Emma Marris: Rambunctious Garden (can't find a good link, may be in libraries)

Invasive species and natural function in ecology by Christopher Hunter Lean

How Humanity Unleashed a Flood of New Diseases by Ferris Jabr (can use the Firefox reader view to get past NYT subscription BS if you click fast enough)

Eating Animals (excerpt) by Jonathan Safran Foer

The Pleasures of Eating by Wendell Berry

Movie: Food Inc.

Omnivores Dilemma (excerpts) by Michael Pollan

A Plea for Culinary Modernism by Rachel Laudan

From Field to Fork: Food Ethics for Everyone (excerpt) by Paul B. Thompson

Movie: Darwin's Nightmare

Feeding People versus Saving Nature? by Holmes Rolston III

The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change by Naomi Oreskes

Global Environment and International Inequality by Henry Shue

Radical American Environmentalism by Ramachandra Guha

The New Nature by Jedediah Britton-Purdy