#nixon gordon

[bleedingcoffee42]

Drawing by Pat Christensen from the Winters Files featuring the men of Easy Company

[flyingfortress1]

Finished episode two of Band of Brothers rewatch. - it's very long I'm sorry.

Damn, I love watching this now because I can actually focus on the show and not trying to keep track of everyone lol. Anyway. Thoughts

-firstly the jumping scene with the C-47s is intense! Bringing in my B-17 knowledge- flak is so terrifying and these poor paratroopers are getting a first hand idea of it, and not being able to do anything- just pray, hope, and then jump straight into that- like geez. That's what fucked up the bomber crews so bad mentally- like honestly, I don't blame the pilot for pressing the button early after his co-pilot just dies. And the scene where Meehan's plane blows up and you realize these guys were just ready to leave....

-other notes: fun time spotting all the notable characters. Toye crossing himself, Guarnere with rosary?? I think its him? Malarky trying to smoke, I think, but failing- you really just feel the chaos and tension, especially when everyone's being jolted around w/flak. Also Dick being right by the open door of a plane thousands of feet in the air gives me anxiety- like yes, he's supposed to be there, he's jumping out, there's flak, but damn, that is not safe.

-Also RIP Hall. Poor guy. I do find it funny that he's like, what the hell is Guarnere's problem- gets 1) gonoherrea but apparently it's only his nickname, and 2) Toye, Malarky etc just being, well yes he's being an asshole, but you gotta see, you gotta give it back, oh he just lost his brother you see- he's not really an asshole. And then Hall does give it back, and Guarnere is like, I respect you now.

-Also nice detail here- when they're at Brecourt Manor, and Joe punches that surrendered German soldier, you see that he has brass knuckles on- which means sometime between ranting about his gear and jumping off the plane, he got knuckles. There's a story there, I feel.

-Guarnere and Dick- interesting scene with the horse. Guarnere really comes off as a 'natural killer'. This is a mad man, and one who really, really wants to get revenge. It's a very intense scene, and yeah, I certainly understand why Dick was pissed- like yes, revenge, but also, thank you for potentially alerting us to every german soldier in the vicinity of which there are many. Also love the height comparison- Guarnere looks so much smaller than Dick (guess that's the actors, wonder if the real guys were similar heights) but it does make the scene funny in a way where Dick is chewing out him out.

-Dick scene with men in the truck bed- again, Dick is such a reserved, disciplined, controlled guy- and he's a petty ass, and Damian Lewis serves it with his chat to Guarnere in that truck. It's very subtle, but when Guarnere asks if Dick is their co now, Dick is like, yes, I am, look at that- and oh yes, I overheard you talking about me, just going to throw that in there. It does feel a little smug because Guarnere has to respect him now, and Dick isn't very obvious about it, but he is a little smug. Again, Lewis's performance is very good and very subtle which seems to fit what I have learned about the real Winters's personality.

-also Malarkey you fucking idiot- love that he admitted that this was the dumbest thing he ever did, and then tried to downplay with, oh everyone wants a luger- apparently the actor wasn't acting because the explosives were going off too early and dude was really freaked out lol.

-Also love the comparison between Buck (his eyes are so blue, like lazer beams I swear) hanging out with the men, and Dick, popping in real quick and then just going alone- it really shows their different leadership styles as officers- and shout out to Nix for checking on his bro! The way he throws away the can feels so personal tho haha. Also I really like how Dick has A Moment where you can just see him processing everything by himself- they were victorious, but the tone of the end of the episode doesn't really feel that way which is a really interesting choice and I'm kinda down with it.

-Nixon coming in with the tanks- I need a story here. There's one and I need to know.

-Spiers killing the prisoners is just a shocking moment to all the Easy guys- come over to the Pacific however and the Army/Marines have just stopped giving a fuck meanwhile. Like wounded IJA guys have grenades, I ain't risking that shit. Digging teeth out of not-quite dead guys? Yeah sure. I just find that funny for some reason- the weight placed on this, is mainly legit just European Theater stuff to my knowledge. Dunno why- just funny- also spiers was way more in this episode then I remembered.

-Malarkey talking to the Oregon Nazi- love how dude is like, I was answering the call of the fatherland or something ominous like that, and Malarkey legit is just like, Okay weird- MOVING ON WHAT FACTORY DID YOU WORK AT- SMALL WORLD WILD-

-Lastly- MVP TO THE TWO DUDES FROM THE 82ND! They come across these guys from the 81st, in very tense situation, behind enemy lines, unsure of where they are- and the officer just unzips his pants in the little battle huddle like wtf- I wish I could make gifs because these dude's expressions are hilarious. One dude is like wtf, and the other guy vacillates from shocked to what I can only call the equivalent of "I mean..." dude. why you smiling like that. why does the camera focus on Dick's fly. Why. you didn't need to do that. and why does he keep his flashlight there? I know there's a reason, I just want to know (is this why Smokey Gorden makes the compass dick joke) @bleedingcoffee42. And no one from Easy seems to care which is even funnier. Then these guys have to watch Guarnere being a bit unhinged- having drama with Dick- would love to know their thoughts on this, I need a fanfic featuring 82nd Rosencratz and Guildenstern. Also why is the sunrise after this event so cinematic- it feels a bit WW1 ish and also deserves a painting honestly.

Anyway. That's it I think. It's a very long rant, thank you for sticking to it if you made it this far. There's a lot in this episode. Would LOVE to hear other's thoughts on this episode! Any things i missed. And for those who can make gifs- PLEASE check out the 82nd guys and Dick's fly scene. It's too good. One of them gets named, but I don't remember who he was sadly.

[pastlivesandpurplepuppets]

When you're trying to mind your own business...and mindlessly just scroll and enjoy a random account...but what'y'know, up pops the Easy Company:

😊There's just no escaping them! Btw, this account is really terrific! I'd love them to colour more of the Easy guys (and maybe they do have some, Winters for sure, though I haven't looked through all of the pics there yet)

[dontirrigateme]

I lied, I have more from the outskirts. And more after this. Probably one of my favorite battles from the series, so there's a lot.....

@1waveshortofashipwreck

[bobpolls]

Round 2 Results!

Match ups for this round were based on who lost and who won in the first round. Keep an eye out for round 3!

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Dean Obeidallah at The Dean's Report:

Earlier this week, current Trump top advisor Boris Epshteyn and former Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis plead not guilty to the nine felony charges each was charged with in connection with helping Donald Trump attempt to overturn the 2020 election in Arizona. Given all the pleas entered by Trump’s criminal associates over the past year, we should just refer to this event as: “Tuesday.” When I read about these latest criminal developments by Trump’s allies, though, for some reason what popped into my head was Trump’s past comments calling numerous scandals “bigger” and “worse” than Watergate because he believed it helped him politically to say that.  In fact, Trump said that about everything from Hillary’s emails to his false claim that the FBI had engaged in surveillance of one of his then 2016 campaign advisor, George Papadopoulos.

The Watergate scandal was huge and it did send more people to jail than many may recall. As a quick refresher, like Trump’s 2020 illegal scheme, the goal of Watergate was to illegally impact a presidential campaign to help the incumbent Republican President win re-election. The Watergate scandal began on June 17, 1972, when several burglars connected to President Richard Nixon’s reelection campaign were arrested in the office of the Democratic National Committee. They had been caught wiretapping phones and stealing documents.

From there, a sprawling cover up involving President Nixon and top aides was launched ranging from providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in “hush money” to the “Watergate burglars” to a plan to instruct the CIA to impede the FBI’s investigation of the crime. By the time the criminal prosecutions came to an end, more than 40 people were charged with crimes relating to the Watergate scandal--—including high ranking Nixon administration and campaign officials.

Some of the best known include Nixon’s Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman who served 18 months for conspiracy and obstruction of justice, former U.S. Attorney General and reelection campaign manager John Mitchell who was found guilty of conspiracy, perjury, and obstruction of justice and served 19 months in prison, and top domestic policy adviser John Ehrlichman, convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and perjury. Others who went to prison included Nixon’s White House Counsel John Dean, legal counsel to the Nixon campaign G. Gordon Liddy, White House aide Jeb Magruder and more. Nixon would’ve been charged with crimes if he had not been pardoned by Gerald Ford—a point former Watergate prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks has made on my SiriusXM show.

In the case of convicted felon Trump, though, what he and his criminal conspirators did was far, far worse both in terms of the potential impact on our Republic and the sheer number of people involved. Trump attempted to remain in power despite losing the 2020 election. And while Nixon lacked any ethics or morals, only Trump incited a terrorist attack on our Capitol on Jan 6 as part of his scheme to remain in power. Plus—very importantly—the scope of Trump’s scheme involved both the federal government and various GOP state officials as well. Trump corrupted not just his White House associates but in essence the entire GOP across the nation—with few exceptions. Even Nixon didn’t do that!

For example, the most sprawling criminal case involving Trump and “All the President’s Men” is the one in Fulton County, Georgia, where 19 people have been charged with illegally interfering in the state’s 2020 election. The defendants include Trump and prominent Trump allies like Rudy Giuliani, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Trump lawyers John Eastman, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro and more.  But also charged were numerous local GOP officials such as the former chair of Georgia’s Republican Party, a sitting GOP State Senator and the former head of the Coffee County Republicans. Then there are the fraudulent elector charges brought against Trump allies in five states: Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin and Michigan. While Trump has not been charged in these cases, all the crimes were committed by Trump’s advisors, lawyers and local GOP officials in an effort to help Trump overturn the election results in their respective states so he could remain in power as President despite losing.

[...] Yes, we are witnessing something actually far “bigger’ and “worse” than Watergate. And it’s the crime spree of convicted felon Trump and his allies. This is the person the GOP chose to be their 2024 presidential nominee knowing full well this very history. Again, this reminds us of how dangerous today’s lawless and anti-democratic GOP is and why we must politically crush them this November in order to save our democratic Republic.

Dean Obeidallah has yet another banger post: The GOP’s fake electors plot to attempt to steal the 2020 elections for Donald Trump in multiple close states was worse than Watergate ever was.

[deathsresident]

A collection of art I’ve made in the past month…

[spilladabalia]

Mojo Nixon & The Toadliquors - Redneck Rampage

[thefaeriefeatherdark]

If you redrew and posted half the panels from Jack Kirby's Forever People or Jimmy Olsen and claimed they were from modern comics conservatives would spend an hour lamenting how political comics have become.

[bleedingcoffee42]

Bob Bible 1/4

[anotherpapercut]

I have 115 titles in my "to listen to" tag on Libby 😩 how in the fuck am I gonna listen to all of these books?? they range from 4-28 hours long 😭😭

[oldshowbiz]

From the Watergate to the Marriott

[dontirrigateme]

displate collages i made for me and @1waveshortofashipwreck of favorite people and scenes

[forensicated]

This was a Live Episode to celebrate 50 years of ITV, airing on 22nd September 2005.

(Out of interest this is the first episode I've heard them refer to SO19 as CO19. It will be interesting to see if this continues in the episodes between 349 and the ones that would be filmed prior to this live episode in Sept 05. As a rough guess that would be the last few or so eps of this series and potentially the start of Series 22 so roughly Sun Hill Christmas onwards (373+)

(ETA: In Episode 359 they're 'armed support' by Jack and Smithy. Episode 360 Adam and Jo both refer to them as SO19 as do Amber and Dan in 361)

I know you don't need reminding but this is just for those at the back. Strap in, it's going to get complicated and LONG.

Smiffina Episodes - Episode 349

The Fake Gabriel (TFG) tries to talk Jeff down and Amanda keeps begging Jeff to tell her what it is he wants her to do. He tells her he wants to get outside with her. She asks what is outside but he doesn't reply as TFG fudges the situation which allows Amanda to get free during a struggle. Jeff shoots at TFG and misses him but gets the water dispenser. The Real Gabriel (TRG) checks on his brother and Amanda holds her hands up with the gun pointing at her.

Downstairs is full and loud with people arriving and milling around. Jack takes over in Reg's absence and welcomes the visitors. Gina feels all eyes on her. "Feel like I should have a paperbag over my head." She muses. "Ah you don't look that bad." Adam smiles. "Bit of make up..." Smithy watches Gina enter, obviously pleased to see her.

Upstairs Jeff tells Amanda to charge the driver who killed his son but she can't as there's no evidence. Zain and Jo return and interupt them as Jack sends Dan to look for Amanda. With too many hostages to keep contained in an open area, Jeff moves them all to the CID office where Dan enters to be taken hostage. In the chaos of Dan arriving, Amanda manages to radio in that there is an emergency - right as Jeff shoots at her, shattering a CID window.

Jack reassures the guests in the canteen downstairs that they'll checkout the noise and not to worry but to stay in the room. Smithy and Phil creep up the stairs to CID but can't get in as the door is baricaded. Jeff orders Terry onto his feet to tell them what's happening through the door. I shouldn't be amused by the shot of two disembodied heads peering through but I really am!

Phil and Smithy update Jack and Roger comes in from outside having overheard Jeff's name being mentioned. He tells them what happened the day before. Jack gives his orders whilst Jeff removes radios from all the officers (Zain, Terry, Jo, Prosser, TFG and Dan) He also has 3 civilian hostages including TRG who murmurs "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you organised this." to his brother. Dan whispers to the gathered officers that if they should try disarm Jeff. Zain and Jo both tell him no and to let the others do their job. Amanda says she doesn't know - then maybe.

Plans are afoot, the road is cordoned off, CO19 are on the way as are negotiators, the building opposite looks into CID and is being checked by June and Suzie, Sam is setting up a temporary CID and Sheelagh is trying to control the visitors. The natives are getting restless until Gina pushes her way to the front and orders them to remain calm and to do what they are told by officers who will get them safely out of the building.

Jeff has made contact and it's been put through to the incident room. He tells Jack he wants the driver of the car charged with murder. The gun is at his side and Amanda tells Dan to disarm him whilst Jo and Zain repeatedly tell him not to. Dan launches at him and tries to overpower him with Terry trying to help secure him once he realises what is happening. Zain and Jo shout for the other hostages to run and they all get outside other than Terry and Dan with TRG getting shot during the escape and falls over the balcony on to the floor below with his phone and wallet having fallen out. Dan gets shot in the arm during the struggle.

Amanda tells Jack he's in no position to pass judgement because he wasn't there. Terry is doing his best to patch Dan up. They can't get to TRG yet as Jeff hasn't moved from the landing. TFG challenges Jeff to shoot him, saying he can't just watch a man die. Jeff lets him pass and TFG hurries down to 'help', pocketing TRG's phone and wallet. Sam and Phil help him move him out of the line of immediate sight but Jeff won't let an ambulance approach so Terry suggests 2 paramedics and a stretcher and Jeff agrees.

Jo asks Adam who is in charge and he tells her Amanda. She scoffs and tells him it requires a cool head and not someone who would tell an unarmed PC to tackle a gunman. Sun Hill does not have faith in Amanda. Amanda also has no traction with Jeff either and there's no sign of the official negotiating team as they're coming from Richmond and it'll be at least another 45 minutes at the earliest. Amanda tries to refuse Gina being used as a trained negotiator!

Terry tries to take control of the situation whilst supporting Dan. He tries to get him onside and find out if he's ex military. He's looking for something and it doesn't appear to be the ambulance. Terry gets him to agree to getting a first aid kit out of his desk so he can patch Dan up. Terry gives Dan a nod and he screams out in pain, distracting Jeff so he can slip a listening device he had from the covert job he'd just finished under the desk whilst he gets the first aid kit out.

Sheelagh, Phil and Sam perform CPR on TRG, TFG tells them that he had no ID on him. Smithy gets the paramedics to the front office and tells them to just get him on the stretcher and not to hang around. Sheelagh follows them to the ambulance and TFG goes with them 'incase he comes round so they can find out who he is'. At the hospital TRG has had a cardiac arrest. Sheelagh has to drag him away, telling him that he's not even concious so he can't talk to him!

Dan and Terry continue talking to Jeff and find out that the mother knows but she's on holiday and trying to get back to the country. Jeff 'wants this sorting' before she returns. Sam report that Jeff is ex military and finished a tour of Iraq just after Christmas where it's likely he got the gun from. He was looking after his son at the time of his death and he feels the guilt immensely as well as the total injustice of Ashley Morgan, the driver, not 'being punished'. Jo tells them that his ex wife was due back via Heathrow at 6.30pm and Jack sends a car to her house to collect her if she is home. "Ma'am that was CAD-" Jo starts to say after another call, speaking to Gina rather than Amanda who is just staring into space. Gina has to point at Amanda to get Jo to tell her instead. She tells her CO19 have arrived but Amanda is clearly affected and not all there. ".... Ma'am?"

Dan is suffering and needs medical attention. Jeff will only allow him to move to a chair whilst he goes out to check on the balcony. With that distraction, Terry manages to put in an earpiece. Gina manages to make contact but all Jeff will tell her is time is running out but won't clarrify what or why. Gina tells him the investigation is still ongoing and open - but he tells her that's not what Amanda told him. He orders her to deal with Ashley Morgan or he will. Sun Hill have no idea how or what he means and can't call back as he's disposed of all telephones. Adam's taking charge and suggesting lines of action. Amanda is completely silent and frazzled and has no idea what to do.

Terry asks what Jeff will do if his wife wants to talk to him now he's thrown all the phones out the window. He insists that she won't. He asks if Terry is married and if he has kids, he says he does and that he doesn't see them anymore because of the messy break up. Jeff tells him he should be ashamed of himself. Gina quietly asks Terry if he can hear her and he whispers 'yeah' before speaking to Jeff again, summing up the situation in a subtle way that tells Gina and those in the incident room what is happening/has happened.

Roger calls the station from Ashley's house - there's been a break in, the boy isn't there and his parents don't know where he is. They assume that Jeff has taken him but they don't know where he could be holding him. Adam actions a search of Jeff's house. He's not there.

Terry acknowledges they might all die in CID and wants to know why if it came to that. CO19 have a clear line of sight from the opposite building and can take the shot whilst Jeff is ranting on the balcony about time running out. Amanda says to those in the room that he should take the shot if he has it but then when it comes down to it she can't do it, she dithers and tells them she doesn't know. If they take the shot they might not find Ashley. If they don't then Terry and Dan might be killed. She dithers further and then replies no to CO19 and tells Adam that she has no authority and no experience and can't deal and asks him to take over officially. She says she's spoken to the Borough Commander and Ian agrees - it's Adam's station and he should be running it she tells him, handing over her radio.

Jeff scoffs at the lack of action, telling Terry that noone is listening still. Terry calmly tells him that's because he's been ranting and there's been no negotiation. He has to make a gesture and should let Dan go get help for his arm and keep Terry as a hostage.

TRG is hooked up to lots of machines but alive. Sheelagh goes to get TFG a drink and he takes the opportunity to stand menacingly over his brother and threaten him. "Are you alright?" She asks. "I am now."

There's no sign of Jeff's car at the house so he must have moved it somewhere else so Ashley couldn't be found, assuming he's being held in it. They circulate the registration and head to CID where Dan is being allowed out so he can get into an ambulance. Jeff gets Terry to lock the doors again and block the door. Terry asks Jeff why he's come to Sun Hill and not looking for Ashley. Jeff starts to get suspicious, especially as he keeps returning to the same seat. He tells him it's simply just because it's his desk. Jeff threatens him and tells him to remove whatever listening device he's got activated because he knows there must be one from the questions. He has no choice but to show it. Terry is now forced onto his knees with his arms behind his back, tied with a wire. In the yard Smithy has arrived with Jeff's ex wife. Sam and the rest of CID work out that the balcony of CID looks out over Shipley St so it's likely that's where the car is. And Suzi spots it.

Outside, the mother of the boy who was killed and the father of the missing driver share a very awkward but understanding sad smile. She tells Smithy she doesn't know why Jeff would do this because they're not together anymore. Sam, Zain and Phil are trying to work out how to get to the street without being seen... Sam suggests using armed officers but Phil and Zain take the keys to one of the cars outside and take that instead. They speed out of the yard with Jeff shooting after them, shooting the back window in. They crash into roadworks after losing control of the car (Amusingly the big cheer that went up after the car failed to do the stunt 100% (it started to roll but regained all four wheels) has been edited out of the credits running into the break in the DVD release). Zain and Phil fight their way out of the car and without Jeff at the balcony they have a look at the car.

Jeff thinks that CO19 are coming so loads up on more ammo, stalking the room like a soldier. Terry works on him, starting to play on Jeff's guilt for having taken his eyes off Jake which allowed him outside in the first place He'd shouted at Jake who hated being in trouble. He started crying and Jeff hit him in the heat of the moment, causing him to run out into the street which meant he got hit by the car. In the mean time Zain and Phil are trying to break into the boot to get to Ashley.

He admits that if Amanda had refused to do what he wanted, he was going to commit suicide in the car with Ashley - the car being wired up to explode. That is why the time is running out. Terry gets him to give himself up and he agrees to on his terms. He leads him out, shouting that he wants to talk to his wife. Adam tries to get him to put the gun down and Terry shouts to put the gun down and back away to let him do it because his car will explode if they waste time. Terry begs them to listen to him that he's not going to shoot him despite having him held hostage. Jeff wants to tell his wife that he's sorry and he loves her.

Suzie and June run to them to tell them the car might be wired at the same time they get the boot open. They grab Ashley and RUN as the car explodes behind them. They hear the explosion in the station but Phil radios in that everyone is ok.

Jeff walks Terry outside with Terry begging him to give himself up. Jeff doesn't want to survive with the guilt and without his son though and he whispers to Terry to go and he won't shoot him and that he should go see his kids. He lets go of Terry and pushes him away but aims his gun at him so a CO19 officer can shoot him - suicide by armed police officer.

Gina has to comfort Terry and literally haul him away with Smithy, before Smithy drops to put Jeff in the recovery position but it's too late - Jeff is dead.

[bobpolls]

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