#port franks engagement

[vintagelasvegas]

Sands, December 1952

Timeline of Sands Hotel & Casino

'46: Kit Carson Club opened by H. Bynum, D. Anderson, G. Frisbee on US Hwy 91 outside of Las Vegas, adjacent to Kit Carson Motel. The club will later become LaRue nightclub, then the Garden Room of the Sands Hotel.

'50: Kit Carson Club reopened as LaRue nightclub opened by Billy Wilkerson, Nola Hahn, 12/23/50.

'51: LaRue closed by summer. Mack Kufferman buys LaRue, and hires architect Wayne McAllister to build around the existing club. Kuffman and partners apply for gaming license. The project is called Sands by 12/51.

'52: Kufferman gaming license denied in Apr., sells to Jake Freedman (RG 4/9/52, RG 6/13/52). Partners running the Sands are B. Barron, E. Levinson (casino manager), S. Wyman, J. Entratter (showroom & restaurants). Hidden partners are believed to include J. Stacher, M. Lansky. Sands road sign designed by McAllister, built by YESCO. Sands opens 12/15/52 with 200 rooms in five buildings arranged in Y-shaped layout. The guest wings are named after race tracks: Arlington Park, Belmont Park, Haileah, Rockingham Park, Santa Anita. Three other wings of equal size were added circa ’53-54 (two were named Churchill Downs, Hollywood Park), another by ’58, and larger wing by ’60. The total room count in ’60 was 465.

'53: Frank Sinatra plays his first engagement at the Sands and becomes two percent owner in Oct; Carl Cohen joins the Sands as shareholder and casino manager in Oct.

'54: Sign modification: Second reader board added below the main board, Feb or earlier. Antonio Morelli joins the Sands as musical director for the Copa in Jul.

'55: Sands partners assume control of the Dunes in Sep. They sell the Dunes in four months later.

'58: Jake Freedman dies 1/19/58; Jack Entratter becomes Sands president.

'59: Sign modification: Attraction board attached to the sign, Feb or earlier. Baccarat begins at the Sands.

'60: Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop (the "Rat Pack") are first billed together in the Copa in Jan-Feb. during the filming of Ocean's 11. Senator John F. Kennedy visits during the Democratic primary campaign.

'63: Opening of Aqueduct hotel wing (83 rm) in Apr. Julius Gabrielle, architect (RJ 4/28/63). Sinatra surrenders ownership 10/7/63.

'64: Sands acquires the former Kit Carson Motel; Belmont and Arlington buildings (base of the Y) moved southward to accommodate construction of a hotel tower.

'65: Second sign in Aug; tower completed late in the year and officially opened Jan. ’66. Martin Stern Jr, architect.

'67: Howard Hughes buys the Sands, 7/23/67. Sinatra leaves his Sands residency after confrontation with Cohen, 9/11/67.

'69: Dean Martin leaves Sands to join Riviera.

'71: Entratter dies, 3/8/71.

'73: Cohen leaves the Sands, Jan. '73.

'80: Inns of America buys the Sands from Hughes heirs Summa Corp in Oct.

'82: Third sign, new porte-cochère, marking the completion of remodeling effort including new Copa room, 1/15/82.

'83: Summa Corp reassumes control of the Sands, 4/5/83.

'88: Kirk Kerkorian buys the Sands in Jan. Kerkorian sells to Interface Group led by Sheldon Addison in Apr.

'90: Sands Expo and Convention Center opens.

'94: Remodeling of the casino.

'96: Sands closes 6/30/96. Tower demolished 11/26/96.

Photos of the Sands

Sources include David G. Schwartz. At the Sands: The Casino That Shaped Classic Las Vegas, Brought the Rat Pack Together, and Went Out With a Bang. December 1952 photo courtesy of Slidetreasurehunt.

Construction of the sign, 1952. The pylon sign pedestal was 56’ high, 21’ wide, with the S at 34’ tall. Design by Wayne McAllister, fabricated and installed by Young Electric Sign Co. Photo: YESCO Corporate Records (MS-00403), UNLV Special Collections & Archives.

Opens Dec 15. Danny Thomas, Connie Rusell, Lou Wills Jr, Ray Sinatra Orchestra. Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, 0007-0345.

Aerial view of Kit Carson Motel and the Sands, '62

[minervamagicka]

I just wanted to note something publicly since someone privately (but kindly!) alerted me to some folks kicking up a stink over my SSO to TS4 conversions offplatform, and whether they violate the original game's TOS.

The fact of the matter is that they honestly, very likely do violate the TOS — Just as any sort of model conversion/porting/modding violates the TOS of most games. The same way writing fanfiction or making your own merchandise for licensed IPs also violates the TOS/copyright of those works; you don't own the content you're working with in those regards. The same way you actually don't even own the games you buy, according to most standard EULAs — You're effectively renting them.

The fact of the matter is that game modding as a whole, not just TS4 CC, is a gigantic legal grey area. Some companies pay attention more than others and some tolerate it more than others. We operate within that grey area with the knowledge that, at any time, we could get kicked down by the companies who own these spaces.

So yeah, I'm not particularly fussed if I break X terms of use, Y EULA or Z copyright, seeing as I'm already doing so just by participating in the act of modding. I don't profit, sell, or wholesale redistribute these assets either; not that, again, it's particularly hard to get your hands on them. Just googling "SSO 3d model download" gives you enough results to give a lawyer a heart attack.

However if you (whomever it may concern) do feel strongly enough about it to be against this kind of content being made and offered, then I kindly encourage you to just not engage. You won't get a medal for defending a gigantic company either to me or other players, to be frank.

o7 that's all, more CC to come!

[racefortheironthrone]

What are your thoughts on government intervention to end labor disputes in general? On one hand, forced settlements almost always favour management, and if management knows that the government will intervene, they have an incentive to stall negotiations and run out the clock, so to speak. On the other hand, some shutdowns will have far reaching negative effects on society as a whole, particularly if the strike involves the public service or things like railroads or ports.

In terms of my take on government intervention to end labor disputes, I'm fully in favor of procedural hypocrisy (or, as a philosophy PhD might put it, consequentialism) because the only question that really matters is whose side the government is intervening on behalf of. (This is where I'm going to make a massive plug on behalf of my colleague Erik Loomis' book A History of America in Ten Strikes, and in particular recommend his chapters on the Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902 and the Flint Sit-Down Strike of 1937.)

As a labor historian, I would say that as a rule, the state almost always intervenes in labor disputes at some level, whether it's the local cops and local government, the state militia, the U.S Army, or the courts. For most of labor history, the state has intervened on behalf of capital, and was broadly succesful in using its police power to crush strikes and keep the trade union movement economically marginal.

Where the union movement has been most successful is not when the state is neutral (because capital versus labor is not historically a fair fight between opponents of equal weight), but when the state intevenes on behalf of labor. So yeah, government intervention in labor disputes is awesome - when it's Governor Frank Murphy sending in the National Guard to keep the cops and the strikebreakers out of the plants in the Flint Strike, or the "Madden Board" NLRB enforcing the Wagner Act through the work of the Economic Division and the Review Division, or the National War Labor Board ordering Little Steel to recognize SWOC and agree to the union's terms.

Specifically on the issue of forced settlements, whether they're a good thing or a bad thing depends entirely on whose terms the settlement is made, which in turn depends on how labor law is written and enforced (and staffed). The whole reason why the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 mandates that "neither party shall be under any duty to accept, in whole or in part, any proposal of settlement made by the [Federal Mediation] Service" is because one of capital's biggest grievances against the "Madden Board" NLRB was that the Board's orders and settlement proposals had systematically favored workers between 1935-1947.

I think the numbers tell the tale - when the state was at its most "neutral" at the turn of the 20th century, union density hit a ceiling of 10% of the workforce. The only time that the labor movement broke through that ceiling was during WWI and then the New Deal, when the state shifted to supporting unions. And then when the state began to shift back in the direction of capital and labor law increasingly favored management, the union movement began to shrink.

This is why I always tell my students that the state is like a great stationary engine, and the only thing that changes is where that engine's power is being sent to. If you refuse to engage in electoral politics and only rely on direct action, the engine doesn't go away - it just gets harnessed by the other side and the power is used against you.

[todaysdocument]

Letter from Inspector in Charge J. H. L. Eager to Commissioner General Frank P. Sargent Alleging the Ward Line Company was Engaged in Smuggling Chinese, with Enclosed Passenger List

Record Group 85: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization ServiceSeries: Subject and Policy Files

Department of Commerce and Labor

Immigration Service

Office of Inspector

Port of Tampa, Fla.,

April 28, 1904.

Hon. FRANK P. SARGENT,

COMMISSIONER-GENERAL,

Washington, D.C.

Sir:-

I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of the names of Chinamen who sailed from Havana, Cuba, on two of the Ward Line S/S. Those marked with an asterisk did not make known their intended destination. The one that I have underscored with red ink-- LEONG HOPP, or Wing Lee Hopp, an alias, is the one whom Mr. Seraphic captured at Pensacola as cook for the U.S. Army officer.

Believing that the Ward Line S/S Co is deeply engaged in the Chinese smuggling business the fact is patent that there are but two Captains whom they trust, as all go on these two boats.

Notwithstanding the fact that communications--official papers-- which I have sent to Mr. Howard at New Orleans fail to elicit an acknowledgneny of receipt, I have sent him this day a copy of these names.

Respectfully,

J.N.L. Eager

Inspector in Charge.[full transcription at link]

[ltwilliammowett]

Christmas time is wedding time

Christmas and the time leading up to it are also often referred to as the festival of love. And not without reason, because many of the Sailors had to stay on land during this time because the danger of winter storms was too high. Therefore, many balls and festivals were held during this time so that these gentlemen could also go on a bride hunt. But this only applied to the officers who naturally tried to get hold of a lady from a good family with as much money as possible, as it secured their status and money in case they didn't earn any or got on their sweetheart's nerves at home on half pay.

The gallant Sailor - a Master and Commander with a lovely Lady, by Frank Dadd 1910 (x)

But the normal Sailors also held their own events and so there was also the so-called sailor stabbing, a kind of jousting tournament, but with Sailors and their specialities, in order to impress the ladies with their skills. It also often happened that the couples had known each other since childhood and then got engaged at that time. But it could take a long time in the 17th and 18th century before they were married, because in the spring they would all leave again, and if the couple was unlucky, they would stay there for a few years, so that the wedding would not take place until 7 or 9 years later. If it did take place, it was quite possible that the female relatives could find a better match during this time and then the engagement was ruined.

The Sailor and his Sweetheart, by R. F. Zogbaum 1898 (x)

And one should avoid making a mistake. It is known from the 1870s in England that a girl made a promise of eternal fidelity to her boyfriend. But because the sailor in question had forgotten her address, he was unable to contact her for over two years. When he returned to his home port, he found that she was already married and had two children. Oops -

But back to the time of balls and parties, if they spotted a lady, they wooed her, and in the wintertime it suited them well, because they were at home. Many people already had their lovetokens ready, which were made at sea as a precaution and then passed on to their sweetheart, leaving out the name for the time being and only adding it later.

A 17th century sailor's posy ring (x)

Whalebone Fork and Spoon, made by a Sailor for his sweetheart: Czarina▪︎Blossom ▪︎Dearest, c. 1843 (x)

In the 19th century, people largely dispensed with a long engagement period and the couple moved in together straight away, getting married barely two weeks later so that the couple had enough time for the honeymoon.

Sailor’s Wedding, by Howard Pyle 1895 (x)

The wedding of a captain or flag officer was held in a grand, ostentatious and ceremonial manner. Often the whole town was decorated with flags and ships were moored and fired shots of joy. All family members and friends were invited to the festivities, but above all the sailor's comrades. The wedding of an ordinary seaman, on the other hand, was celebrated quite modestly and only in a small circle. Of course, it also happened that seamen regretted their decision to marry at the last moment and literally left the bride at the altar, which was a great humiliation for the bride and her family. For this reason, the fugitive groom should not dare to set foot in this place ever again, as the bride's family might want to lynch him.

So you see, the Christmas season was truly a celebration of love - whether it came to pass or not.

[justforbooks]

Frank Stella

One of the most influential US abstract artists who started out as a minimalist but constantly reinvented his work

In February 2015, a pair of enormous stars, one in polished aluminium and the other unvarnished teak, appeared in the courtyard of the Royal Academy in London. These were by the American artist and honorary Academician Frank Stella, who has died aged 87.

For all their differences, the two stars were part of a single work called, with deadpan literalness, Inflated Star and Wooden Star. Given their size – each measured 7 metres in all dimensions – it seemed unlikely that these could have anything to hide. In 1966, in a dig at the mystical airs of abstract expressionism, Stella famously said: “What you see is what you see.”

It became the battle cry of a then newly emergent style known as minimalism – and also seemed to fit Inflated Star and Wooden Star to a T.

And yet Stella’s work raised many more questions than it answered. His stars were welded together by a tubular metal armature, as they were by their title. They seemed to be in orbit around each other, although which exerted gravitational pull on which was impossible to say.

Visually as materially, they were very different from each other. Inflated Star was plumped-up and cushiony, polished to a Jeff Koonsy high gloss; Wooden Star seemed austere and skeletal. It was impossible to read one without reference to the other, and yet the frame of that reference – before / after, older / newer, stronger / weaker – was left entirely to the viewer to decide.

Beyond this again was the question of puns. Both sets of Stella’s grandparents had arrived in the US as Sicilian immigrants at the turn of the 20th century. His parents, Frank Sr, a gynaecologist, and Constance (nee Santonelli), an artist turned housewife, spoke Italian to each other at home. Stella is Italian for “star”.

Stella’s engagement with the star form began early, and in two dimensions. By 1963, on a residency at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, he was making paintings on star-shaped canvases, such as Port Tampa City. These were joined by prints such as the 1967 Star of Persia series. In one form or another, Stella’s many hundreds of stars are to be found in galleries, plazas and sculpture parks all over the world. He remained testily insistent that the form was not his nominative calling card, and pointed out that the only person he knew who did not own a Stella star was himself.

Fame came to him early. The oldest of three children, Stella was born in Malden, an affluent suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, and was sent by his ambitious parents to Phillips Academy, Andover, a local equivalent of Eton and alma mater to both Presidents Bush. The art lessons he had there were the only ones he would receive. After graduating with a BA in history from Princeton in 1958, he moved to New York, where he rented a loft in West Broadway and earned his keep as a house painter.

In this he had been trained by his father, who, despite working a 60-hour week, insisted on doing painting jobs around the house with the help of his son. Stella’s early Copper Paintings (1961) used the barnacle-repellent gunk with which he had caulked his father’s sloop the summer before. Another series, begun in the same year, was named Benjamin Moore after the well-known brand of house paint in which they were made. Andy Warhol bought an entire set of the works from new, beginning his own Campbell’s Soup series shortly after.

Stella was no pop artist, however. He used household paints and brushes not to satirise popular culture but because they were familiar to him. “The first time I saw a Pollock,” he said in a 2000 interview with the NPR radio network, “I knew straightaway how it was done.”

The black paintings that he began in 1959 remain among his most famous, canvases such as Die Fahne Hoch!, in the Whitney Museum of American Art, powerful in part because of the domesticity of their darkness. Built up of parallel bands of black household enamel separated by narrow strips of raw canvas, they are popularly known as “pinstripe” paintings; a mode that Stella would use into the 1970s. So instantly successful were these early works that their 23-year-old maker was included in the show Sixteen Americans at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1959, alongside Jasper Johns and Ellsworth Kelly. In 1970, at 33, he became the youngest artist ever to be given a MoMA retrospective.

Stella’s early insistence that a painting was “a flat surface with paint on it – nothing more” seemed reductive, but it gave him a set of rules to battle with. An early way around the self-imposed strictures of his own form of minimalism was the production of shaped canvases – stars, and so-called “notched” paintings such as Newstead Abbey (1960), in which nicks cut from all four sides of a vertical canvas generate a rhythm of lines that suggest a rhombus in the middle of them. The feeling is of a flattened ziggurat, as though Stella’s two dimensional work might at any moment spring into three dimensions.

That was more or less what happened in the mid-80s. For the ensuing decade, Stella made works such as La Scienza della Fiacca (4x) (1984) that responded in a broad way to the novel Moby Dick. Where the black and pinstripe paintings had worked with and against their own insistent flatness, Stella’s paintings of the 80s and 90s suddenly broke free of the wall, pushing outwards in curls and swoops of moulded fibreglass and aluminium, often dappled with paint. (“They’re surfaces to paint on,” he said of the new works at the time. “So it’s still all about painting.”) It was a short step from there to sculptures such as the stars that appeared in the courtyard of Burlington House in 2015.

If this seemed like a shift from minimalism to maximalism, change was itself part of Stella’s story. Also in the mid-80s, the cigar-chomping artist had become fascinated by the idea of turning smoke rings into sculptures.

Over the next 20 years, these slowly morphed, as smoke rings will, into works with names such as Atalanta and Hippomenes (2017), some wall-based and some made for the floor. As with his stars, Stella’s intention seemed to be to see how far he could push representation before it disappeared in a puff of abstraction.

Change also meant his work moving back and forth between media, dimensions and decades. When the World Trade Center was destroyed in September 2001, the large diptych paintings by Stella that had hung in the lobby of one of the buildings went with it. In 2021, they were replaced in the plaza of the rebuilt WTC by the sculpture Jasper’s Split Star, named after his friend Johns. This was both an entirely new work and one whose roots went back 60 years, to the painting Jasper’s Dilemma (1962-63).

By the 21st century, Stella was unquestionably one of the grand old men of American art. In 2009, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama. In 2023, Delta, one of his earliest black paintings, went on sale at Art Basel Miami with a price tag of $45m.

Stella married the art historian and critic Barbara Rose in 1961. They had two children, Rachel and Michael, and divorced in 1969. He had a daughter, Laura, from a relationship with Shirley De Lemos Wyse. With the paediatrician Harriet McGurk, whom he married in 1973, Stella had two sons, Peter and Patrick. She and all five children, and five grandchildren, survive him.

🔔 Frank Philip Stella, artist, born 12 May 1936; died 4 May 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[tilbageidanmark]

Movies I watched this Week #119 (Year 3/Week 15):

Victim (1961) is a landmark Neo-Noir about closeted barrister (And actor) Dirk Bogarde, an important moment of queer film history. It helped change public attitudes about homosexuality, which was still illegal in the UK. It’s also a engaging and well-made thriller about blackmail and oppression. 8/10.

🍿 

Azor, my 11th movie from Argentina, was one the best films I’ve seen this year! A tense and subtle thriller, a debut feature by a Swiss filmmaker, it tells of a discreet private banker from Geneva who arrives in Buenos Aires 1980 together with his wife. He needs to reassure his very wealthy clients about the continual services of his bank, as well as to find out what happened to his partner who had disappeared without a trace. The ominous background of the Junta’s dirty war and the lack of any action, makes this an understated study of evil, a masterpiece about the sense of danger. 100% on Rotten Tomatoes - and 10/10 from me.

🍿  

(Returning to my first week of these reviews nearly 2.5 years ago:) The kooky screwball comedy Intolerable Cruelty. Why it is considered a minor Coen Brothers masterpiece when it’s so funny and crisp? With surprising Simon & Garfunkel references sprinkled throughout, goofy characters names (Gus Petch, Rex Rexroth, Freddy Bender and asthmatic hit man Wheezy Joe), a 100% quotable dialogue, and non-stop glamorous and hilarious action, it’s 9/10 again in my book.

“You want tact, call a tactician. You want an ass nailed, you come see Gus Petch”.

🍿   

3 about young women’s sexual awakenings, all by female directors:

🍿 Girl Picture, a frank coming of age Finnish story of 3 late-teen young women looking for love and sex in the city, directed by an experienced female director. But in spite of their explicit talk about blow jobs and the sprinkling of American slang in their everyday speech, it was tedious and banal. 2/10. 

🍿 My Favorite Fabric, my first unexpected film from Syria (!), a patriarchal and unforgiving society. A defiant young woman rents a room in the neighbor's brothel where she can dream about her sexual desires and identity. And all that during the first few months of the frightening uprising of the 2011 Arab Spring.

It would have been just an another exotic coming of age story in an oppressive and harsh milieu, except for her poetic flights of imagination, as she descents into a symbolic world of fantasy. She becomes a witch, a story teller in a reality turning into a nightmare. Grim and depressing - 5/10. 

🍿 From an epic r/truefilm thread about ‘Female Directors’, Take care of my cat, (2001) a masterful coming-of-age Korean debut by the then-young Jeong Jae-eun. A sad and wonderful story about 5 girlfriends from the industrial port city of Incheon who struggle to adjust to life in the cold ‘real’ world after graduating from high-school, while also maintaining the friendships with each other. So that Teetee, the stray kitten which one of them receives as a birthday present at the beginning of the film, move hands from one to the other, as each of their fortunes deteriorate. (Photo Above).

A unique and mature vision, nearly in a New Wave style. 8/10.

Bonus: ‘Air Doll’ Bae Doona plays one of the friends!

I found her second feature, The Aggressives, and will watch it next! 

🍿

First watch: Elia Kazan’s A face in the crowd, the debut performances of both Andy Griffith and Lee Remick. An early critique of celebrity-fueled influencers in American mass media and television, examining the marriage between entertainment and politics. A charismatic drifting bum found in a country jail becomes the populist 'Demagogue in Denim; of the 1950′s. Based on the Father Coughlin’s and Billy Graham’s of the past, and paving the way to loathsome grifters like Reagan, Limbaugh, and donild drumpf. 

🍿  

‘Austin Tucker’ X 2:

🍿 “... What would you say for a cup of coffee? - Baa-aah...

After re-visiting the fantastic ‘Marriage Story’ last week, I wanted to see Two for the road for which it was compared. But this tale of a husband and wife on the edge of divorce aged poorly. Very 60′s, with annoying non-linear flash-backs to 5 French trips, each with another snazzy convertible, and snappy fake dialogue. The fact that Albert Finney alpha-male character was a pompous asshole, didn’t help. Featuring William Daniels in an irritating role. 2/10.

🍿 Another re-watch of The Parallax View, a perennial conspiracy favorite, and one the most paranoiac surveillance thrillers from the 70′s. Post JFK and MLK and Bobby Kennedy and all the many others assassinations of that time. Masterful Gordon Willis style, with the 5-minute brainwashing montage, and the famously eery soundtrack.

I’ll always remember the cautious way Austin Tucker comes to meet Joe from behind the boat, shuffling his feet in the most distinct way... 10/10.

🍿 

3 more re-watches:

🍿 “I wanna smoke a Molly with you”...

Long Shot, another one I keep watching again and again and again, and I wonder why: It’s a sweet rom-com with a perfectly-calibrated first act, most glamorous former babysitter Charlize Theron who falls for a a guy who’s definitely below her pay grade, and who drinks refrigerated Tequila from a ziplock bag, and a great Boyz II Men sound. But really why?

(Also, Bob Odenkirk’s POTUS here is just a clown). 10/10.

🍿 My first and only by Kevin Smith, Zack and Miri Make a Porno (actually the second, after the 2021 bio-documentary ‘Clerk’). In which we first had to tolerate the thought of Seth Rogen in a (non-masturbatory) sexual role. He just doesn’t seem the romantic lead type. So funny or not, you have to coat it with as much crudeness and porn jokes as possible. Also the 3rd act was just too too obvious. 3/10.

🍿 “Hey Look! It's Enrico Pallazzo!”

John Houseman's final film, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! still a goofy slapstick spoof. Also with the star of ‘O.J.: Made in America’, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Pahpshmir, and Elvis’s wife.

🍿  

After the glowing Vox review (”The best Netflix show in recent memory”), and because I’m an Ali Wong fan, I binged on her new Road Rage series Beef. But there were very few moments there that didn’t disappoint: her masturbating with the gun, her hot sex with Steven Yuen’s young brother, and the last episode where they ingest hallucinogenic elderberries and bond with each other. The rest should have been cut into a 2 hour movie. 2/10.

🍿 

Money Shot: The Pornhub Story, the new documentary about Mindgeek, the Canadian porn conglomerate. Like all Netflix products is was shallow and unoriginal, but still highlighted issues of privacy, consent and free speech. It gave way too much time to far-right, evangelical organizations (Like NCOSE, MIM) which hate all sex and try to ban porn all together “..The attacks on pornography is an attack on sexuality, women...” 4/10. 

🍿   

From my favorite editor/director Kogonada: Wes Anderson likes overhead shots, Tarantino prefers to peer up from below, Aronofsky uses sharp sounds, and Kubrick often uses one-point perspective - Kubrick // One-Point Perspective

🍿   

The Big Bus, an obscure, forgotten disaster parody, supposedly a dumb comedy spoof, but unlike ‘Airplane’ and ‘Top secret’, utterly unfunny. 1/10.

🍿 

And 2 I couldn’t finish:

🍿 ‘True Lies’ and ‘The Bourne Identity’ are some of my few favorite action movies, so I thought that Mr. & Mrs. Smith, which Doug Liman did after ‘Bourne would compare. It’s strange that only 20-30 years later, most regular Hollywood movies from that time are unwatchable. And not only because Vince Vaughan was in it.

🍿 Focus, a “sophisticated” action “comedy” with conman Will Smith and grifter Margot Robbie, which tries to be smart, slick and fast, and ends up being shallow and boring.

🍿 

(My complete movie list is here)

[crowsandmurder]

Lucky Spencer Tags and Verses

Lucky  ✖ (Aesthetics)

Lucky ✖ (Thoughts)

Lucky ✖ (Character Development)

Lucky  ✖ (Crack)

Lucky ✖ (Headcanons)

Lucky ✖ (Photos)

Lucky  ✖ (Starter Call)

Growing up with Luke Spencer as his father shaped Lucky Spencer significantly. He inherited Luke's adventurous spirit and sense of justice, but also some of his recklessness and tendency to bend the rules.

As a young child, Lucky witnessed his father, Luke, engage in dangerous activities and even commit acts of violence. This exposed him to a dark side of life and likely contributed to his later anxieties. He spent his early years on the run with his parents, hiding from dangerous enemies like Frank Smith.

Lucky eventually settled in Port Charles, where he was raised amidst the drama and intrigue of the town. When his sister Lesley Lu was born, he took it upon himself to know it was his job to take care of her, a closeness that has continued.His family tree is a little more complicated, after that. When Lesley Lu came down with Aplastic Anemia and a donor could not be found, all of a sudden a donor was found. It was then that Laura had to confess to Lucky and Luke that while she was held hostage on Cassadine Island, she gave birth to a son. His faith in his mother was shaken, and he was still determined to look after his family.

All he ever knew was that Spencers hated Cassadines and that passed on to Lucky and Nikolas. It didn't make it any easier, that they both fell for the same girl: Sarah Webber. She liked Nikolas and would lead Lucky on, when Nikolas wasn't around. He was blind to the fact, that her sister Elizabeth had a crush on him, although the two did become friends. His other friends growing up were mostly his cousin Sly and Emily Bowen Quartermaine.The night of the Valentine's Day dance, Lucky agreed to meet Elizabeth there but thought it was a friend thing, so when Sarah asked him, she told him she was going with a jock. When she didn't show up to the dance, he got worried and went looking for her.

When Lucky went looking for Elizabeth, he found her. He found her in the park, crawling out of bushes after being attacked. It took her a moment, but she let Lucky take her back to his house. He knew what had happened and he was horrified. He called his Aunt Bobbie, since Elizabeth wouldn't go to the hospital. But, they both knew that she had been raped. When Luke came down and saw her, he felt awful for her, but it was clear that he was reliving something, he tried desperately to leave in the past.

Lucky was horrified by what had happened to Elizabeth, and he talked to Luke a lot about wanting to find the guy but Luke kept telling him to leave it alone. Lucky did what he could to spend time with Elizabeth, encourage her to go back to school and work and to be there for her, all the time. She had only confessed to him the truth.Several months before, Nikolas had been shot outside Luke's club and suffered a stroke. Luke and Lucky both kept it from Laura who was away in Switzerland. Lucky, who was still in horror over what Elizabeth had been through, lashed out at a newly speaking Nikolas and was told , that it wasn't Stavros who raped Laura, it was Luke!

Lucky didn't want to believe it, but after research, he went and got his stuff to move out. The hero worship he had for his father was gone. But, Luke told him the story of the night of the campus disco, how he and Laura had moved on, how they had built a life together. But Lucky still feeling betrayed, left.He went and saw Elizabeth, to tell her he may be MIA and told her the truth. She tried to comfort him but she was still so shaken from her rape. Lucky didn't want anything to do with his parents. He took to sleeping on park benches and Elizabeth let him sleep on her floor. They only trusted each other.

When Laura came home, she was bombarded with the truth, and she had to bail Lucky out of jail for being underage. He then told her the truth and gave her no more understanding, than he gave Luke. He walked away from her too and continued to only trust Elizabeth, lashing out at his parents every single time he saw them.As summer started, they were more focused than ever to find her attacker. They thought it was her English teacher, but were mistaken and Elizabeth accidentally stabbed Lucky. When he moved into a boxcar, she painted him furniture. When it got locked, her grandmother let him move in.

Eventually, Jason Morgan gave him a room above the garage.He had moments of tolerating his parents, needing to see his sister. As Lucky and Elizabeth continued to be best friends, they were starting to grow closer. She even asked him to kiss her, but wound up scared. It was then that he admitted he'd wanted to for months. But, they still stayed friends. It wasn't until early fall, that they finally shared their first kiss.The biggest shocker of the fall was when Emily Quartermaine was being blackmailed and Nikolas and Emily went to Lucky for help. Out of it, Lucky and Nikolas became closer as did Elizabeth and Emily. The four of them were inseparable, despite Luke and Stefan's protests.

Upon finding out who Emily's blackmailer was, it was revealed that he also had raped Elizabeth on Valentine's Day, but because there was no physical proof they couldn't prosecute for that.On Christmas, Lucky and Elizabeth officially said I love you and he gave her a ring. They spent most of their time together, making promises never to lie to each other, wanting to move to New York together, even making vows to each other in a church on Valentine's Day.When they visited New York, they nearly consummated their relationship but decided to wait, until the right moment. Lucky made peace with Luke and Laura, but before they could move, a fire happened in his room and he was killed..or so everyone thought.

He was being held captive, although it was months before anyone knew that Helena Cassadine was mostly behind it, and she had brainwashed Lucky into thinking no one cared about him. His brainwashing ran deep.Lucky began to make progress, despite Helena's intense programming and he went to therapy. He and Elizabeth reconciled and eventually consummated their relationship. They became engaged, but broke it off when she found out that he didn't get back the connection to the love that Helena had taken from him.

The two stayed friends. Lucky became a police officer, much to his father's dismay. He dated various women, but no one could ever touch what he had with Elizabeth. Eventually, they got back together and married. They were different than they had been years before. Money problems, his injuries from a fall that developed into substance issues, infidelity on both sides, along with her lies about paternity made things hard.

They eventually became engaged again years later, but she had already started an affair with his brother. Once he found out, he was devastated and ripped into them both. She found out she was pregnant and despite Helena changing the test, Lucky was eventually revealed as the father, which she didn't tell him right away.

Lucky married Irish woman Siobhan, who was killed and it sent him on a tailspin. When he was working a drug bust and someone shot him up, it was Elizabeth who was there. She could feel him slipping away and faked a breakdown but he found out, and said that he had to leave, because they keep hurting each other.He has spent the last several years doing humanitarian work and has just recently returned to Port Charles, to get tested to help Lulu recover from her coma. But due to a parasite in a country, he wasn't viable, which left him reeling. He is trying to make amends to his son and to everyone else, but is still trying to figure out his life.

VERSES:

V: Always Protect your Mother & Your Sister [Childhood - Early Adolescence]

Lucky was raised on the run with famous parents, Luke and Laura. His father taught him so much, but always protect his mother. Once his sister was born, he was always to protect her too. Life settled down in PC could be hard too, especially when it's revealed his mother has another son.

V: I may be taller than you but you are my hero [High School Age]

With Laura in Switzerland mostly, Luke raises Lucky the same way he always has, more like a friend. He goes through the normal trials of a teenage kid until he finds out his family has more lies, this one more devastating than the last. He finds out that his father raped his mother a long time ago and right after finding out his friend Elizabeth Webber was raped. He moves out of the house and becomes attached at the hip with Elizabeth, eventually becoming closer to Nikolas. Over time, he makes peace with his parents and is planning to move to New York, until one night changes everything.

V: Protect the Queen [Lucky's Captivity and Brainwashing]

Although believed to be dead, Lucky is being held hostage and brainwashed by Helena Cassadine. The brainwashing has lasting effects that ultimately alters all of his relationships. He gets better, but not everything can be the way it was.

V: Officer & Detective Lucky Spencer [PCPD]

Lucky rebels against his father the ultimate way: he becomes a cop. This is his exploits.

V: Familiar Paths & Harder Problems [Adulthood and Beyond]

Lucky remains close to the same people but things aren't like when they were younger. They're older now. He falls into bad habits and it causes him relationships. He is left to deal with the fallout and has to make choices to get his life on track.

V: Humanitarian Work [Lucky leaves PC]

When problems finally get to be too much, he bails and sinks into humanitarian work, mostly in refugee camps. He isn't as good at keeping in touch, as he should.

V: Amends & Hope for the Future [Lucky returns]

When Lucky is brought back to hopefully save his sister, he comes back to the son who grew up without him, in addition to other amends he needs to make.

V: Feel This [Canon Divergent]

Sometimes, Lucky could have used a break and there was many times his life could have gone divergent.

[postgamecontent]

'Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel' Switch Review

We've reached the third and penultimate stop on the Ratalaika tour through the handful of titles comprising Sunsoft's ill-fated attempt to create a popular mascot in the 1990s. After this, all that remains to be reissued is the Game Boy Advance port of the original game. Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel is the one and only spin-off of the Aero The Acro-Bat series, launching a half-year after Aero 2 and just over a year after the original game. Yes, they released that closely together. This was effectively the end of the road for the Aero franchise, and that particular incarnation of Sunsoft's American branch didn't last much longer. Well, maybe Sunsoft saved the best for last?

I want to take a second here just to say that I kind of respect what Sunsoft did with these games. The main characters have appealing designs for their time and place, and Sunsoft and Iguana clearly were able to turn out games that looked and sounded good. All they had to do was make some generic games that copied Sonic's homework like so many others did. But they got weird. The first Aero game had those odd level objectives. Aero's attack methods were awkward. Batasha. Just… Batasha. I don't think it did those games any favors at the time, but if nothing else it helps them stand out in hindsight.

Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel is also an oddball. It comes off as part Sonic, part Shinobi. If that isn't an odd enough union, it also has a central mechanic that is tricky to master and becomes essential not far into the game at all. The Aero games were no slouches difficulty-wise, but Zero kicks things up a couple of notches. All the save states in the world won't help you much here, either. You either learn how to handle Zero's gliding, or you're not going anywhere. I don't hate that, but some people will.

Anyway, it's a stage-based platformer with large levels full of goobers to collect. Some of them have obvious uses, others are probably just for points. Collect goobers, beat enemies, and yank the banner to finish the stage. Sometimes you'll fight a boss or engage in other activities, too. The maze-like levels are best navigated by using Zero's signature glide ability, done by getting some air, diving, and then pushing in a couple of different directions. Zero can also throw shuriken and double-jump, because Shinobi. The game features vibrant, detailed graphics and some grungy rock licks, carrying itself well enough for a game of its era.

Zero himself is certainly a product of his time. A bag of stereotypes, but I suppose it was a 1990s mascot platformer. Ratalaika has made some edits in its marketing materials for the game, but once you're in-game the only real changes to this Super NES version are to some of the start-up logos and legal info. The wrapper here is similar to the one used for Aero the Acro-Bat 2, with all the same extras and options. Not as exciting the second time around, but I still prefer it to the older Ratalaika wrapper. I'm not really fond of the way the manual scans have been edited, removing all identifiable buttons and/or control diagrams. I get why, but replacing the information would have been far better than erasing it. As-is, a person has to look things up online to know the basics of how to play. I will again lodge my complaint at the Mega Drive version not also being included.

You could do a whole lot worse than Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel when diving into 16-bit mascot platformers, and Ratalaika's treatment of it is solid. It's not a game I would recommend to everyone due to the relatively high level of difficulty, and even the built-in cheats aren't going to help you at times. To be frank, some aspects of the game haven't aged well at all. But there is something to this game, and if you're the kind of player that enjoys picking at oddities, I think you'll get some kicks out of Zero.

Switch Score: 3.5/5

[grimmmviewing]

S2E1: “Bad Teeth”—C+ (Watched 9/19/24)

“I may not be awake, but I’m right.”

Similar to the season one premiere’s use of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” the first episode of Grimm’s second season gets immediate partial credit from me for using a quote from W.B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming,” which is one of my favorite poems, in no small part because of its big-feeling and ominous vibes. While not a story that can be adapted, I think “Bad Teeth” is somewhat trying to tap into that spirit of an uncertain, imposing future. There are certain images in this episode that feel like they operate on a grander scale, for example—the opening shot of a ship in a stormy sea and a later aerial establishing shot of a large castle at night, specifically. They’re more evocative than the usual, which feels like a good way to come back for a new season. It reads to me as pulling out all the stops (as much as one can in this format) to get the audience re-engaged.

The problem, of course, is that however much Grimm might want to tap into “The Second Coming” or even just convince its audience that this new season will be Exciting, it still is what it is: That ship coming into port with some sort of unsettling cargo aboard was only ever going to end with the reveal of another guy with a funny-looking monster face, which spoils the intensity and… immensity quite a bit. The new, expanded title sequence walks a similarly shaky fine line between hype and disappointment in that it’s no longer blink-and-you’ll-miss-it quick, but the over-dramatic narration that only sort of barely explains the Grimm premise over shaky old footage still doesn’t work as well for me as an actual theme song.

Despite the focus on two MacGuffin-esque objects that have previously turned up in awkward ways in past episodes—The Key and The Coins—I still found the story here reasonably engaging. It ends strong, at least, with the villainous saber-tooth Wesen’s big ploy of the episode: pretending to be the body of a murdered FBI agent before raising up and coming at Nick right at the very end. That’s not unpredictable, but it was better than the guy just dropping from the ceiling (or something) like I expected.

There also continue to be quick flourishes, visual or otherwise, that suggest the people making the show care and are trying to liven it up as best they can. After the opening with the ship, for example, we get a fun retread of Nick’s fight with Akira Kimura from the season one finale but sort of from the perspective of Nick’s mother as she arrives on the scene and then ultimately intervenes. This functions like a somewhat clever “last time on Grimm” without being so obvious.

The presence of Nick’s Grimm mother immediately creates fresh drama with Monroe and Rosalee, which is a fun complication to their dynamic with Nick, but it’s also nice to experience the feelings of openness that come with the frank, honest answers to questions that we get by way of her as well. The concept of Grimm-hood as like a type of puberty—we’re told that girls tend to become aware sooner—is an interesting bit of lore that adds to the sense of complexity or texture in the show’s world.

Interestingly, the presence of Adalind’s mother in this episode also contributes to the fun that makes this a “+” rather than just a C. “Interesting” in that mothers add so much to this particular episode for some reason. And the way that Rosalee and Monroe are reading Nick the mother’s phone number over the phone and it… overlaps with the same number calling is just cute. It turns out this is Renard’s phone that’s being called, but there’s momentarily this sense of reading the number as an invocation or summoning: a “Speak of the Devil and he shall appear”-type deal. The mothers collide, in a sense, when Nick questions and then threatens Adalind’s mother in her home before reporting back to his own mother in the car outside. He says Adalind’s mother doesn’t know where Adalind is, to which his own mother says, “Did you threaten to kill her?” “Yeah, of course,” replies Nick, like this is just standard operating procedure for them and not remarkable at all. That’s just a fun beat, even if the story around it doesn’t seem all that striking.

(Also, I “enjoyed” the reveal that the malady afflicting Juliette could damage her memory, which plays into the exact strategy I mentioned in the write-up for the season one finale: The writers get to decide if they want to essentially double dip on the drama of Nick revealing his secret to Juliette by letting her sickness undo the confrontation from “Woman in Black.” It’s definitely “convenient,” but you could see it as “fun” too if you, like I do, enjoy the way that conflicts can be strategically drawn out over these multi-season, 20-ish-episode series.)

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 5.28 (before 1960)

585 BC – A solar eclipse occurs, as predicted by the Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Cyaxares in the Battle of the Eclipse, leading to a truce. This is one of the cardinal dates from which other dates can be calculated. It is also the earliest event of which the precise date is known. 621 – Battle of Hulao: Li Shimin, the son of the Chinese emperor Gaozu, defeats the numerically superior forces of Dou Jiande near the Hulao Pass (Henan). This victory decides the outcome of the civil war that followed the Sui dynasty's collapse in favour of the Tang dynasty. 1242 – Avignonet massacre: A group of Cathars, with the probable connivance of Count Raymond VII of Toulouse, murdered the inquisitor William Arnaud and eleven of his companions. 1533 – The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, declares the marriage of King Henry VIII of England to Anne Boleyn valid. 1588 – The Spanish Armada, with 130 ships and 30,000 men, sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal, heading for the English Channel. (It will take until May 30 for all ships to leave port.) 1644 – English Civil War: Bolton Massacre by Royalist troops under the command of James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby. 1754 – French and Indian War: In the first engagement of the war, Virginia militia under the 22-year-old Lieutenant colonel George Washington defeat a French reconnaissance party in the Battle of Jumonville Glen in what is now Fayette County in southwestern Pennsylvania. 1802 – In Guadeloupe, 400 rebellious slaves, led by Louis Delgrès, blow themselves up rather than submit to Napoleon's troops. 1830 – U.S. President Andrew Jackson signs the Indian Removal Act which denies Native Americans their land rights and forcibly relocates them. 1871 – The Paris Commune falls after two months. 1892 – In San Francisco, John Muir organizes the Sierra Club. 1905 – Russo-Japanese War: The Battle of Tsushima ends with the destruction of the Russian Baltic Fleet by Admiral Tōgō Heihachirō and the Imperial Japanese Navy. 1907 – The first Isle of Man TT race is held. 1918 – The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the First Republic of Armenia declare their independence. 1926 – The 28 May 1926 coup d'état: Ditadura Nacional is established in Portugal to suppress the unrest of the First Republic. 1932 – In the Netherlands, construction of the Afsluitdijk is completed and the Zuiderzee bay is converted to the freshwater IJsselmeer. 1934 – Near Callander, Ontario, Canada, the Dionne quintuplets are born to Oliva and Elzire Dionne; they will be the first quintuplets to survive infancy. 1936 – Alan Turing submits On Computable Numbers for publication. 1937 – Volkswagen, the German automobile manufacturer, is founded. 1940 – World War II: Belgium surrenders to Nazi Germany to end the Battle of Belgium. 1940 – World War II: Norwegian, French, Polish and British forces recapture Narvik in Norway. This is the first Allied infantry victory of the War. 1948 – Daniel François Malan is elected as Prime Minister of South Africa. He later goes on to implement Apartheid. 1958 – Cuban Revolution: Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement, heavily reinforced by Frank Pais Militia, overwhelm an army post in El Uvero.

[crossover-enthusiast]

It could hardly be credited, however, that I had, even here, so utterly fallen from the gentlemanly estate, as to seek acquaintance with the vilest arts of the gambler by profession, and, having become an adept in his despicable science, to practise it habitually as a means of increasing my already enormous income at the expense of the weak-minded among my fellow-collegians. Such, nevertheless, was the fact. And the very enormity of this offence against all manly and honourable sentiment proved, beyond doubt, the main, if not the sole reason of the impunity with which it was committed. Who, indeed, among my most abandoned associates, would not rather have disputed the clearest evidence of his senses, than have suspected of such courses the gay, the frank, the generous William Wilson -- the noblest and most liberal commoner at Oxford -- him whose follies (said his parasites) were but the follies of youth and unbridled fancy -- whose errors but inimitable whim -- whose darkest vice but a careless and dashing extravagance?

I had been now two years successfully busied in this way, when there came to the university a young parvenu nobleman, Glendinning -- rich, said report, as Herodes Atticus -- his riches, too, as easily acquired. I soon found him of weak intellect, and, of course, marked him as a fitting subject for my skill. I frequently engaged him in play, and contrived, with a gambler's usual art, to let him win considerable sums, the more effectually to entangle him in my snares. At length, my schemes being ripe, I met him (with the full intention that this meeting should be final and decisive) at the chambers of a fellow-commoner, (Mr. Preston,) equally intimate with both, but who, to do him justice, entertained not even a remote suspicion of my design. To give to this a better coloring, I had contrived to have assembled a party of some eight or ten, and was solicitously careful that the introduction of cards should appear accidental, and originate in the proposal of my contemplated dupe himself. To be brief upon a vile topic, none of the low finesse was omitted, so customary upon similar occasions that it is a just matter for wonder how any are still found so besotted as to fall its victim.

We had protracted our sitting far into the night, and I had at length effected the manoeuvre of getting Glendinning as my sole antagonist. The game, too, was my favorite écarté. The rest of the company, interested in the extent of our play, had abandoned their own cards, and were standing around us as spectators. The parvenu, who had been induced by my artifices in the early part of the evening to drink deeply, now shuffled, dealt, or played, with a wild nervousness of manner for which his intoxication, I thought, might partially, but could not altogether account. In a very short period he had become my debtor to a large amount, when, having taken a long draught of port, he did precisely what I had been coolly anticipating -- he proposed to double our already extravagant stakes. With a well-feigned show of reluctance, and not until after my repeated refusal had seduced him into some angry words which gave a color of pique to my compliance, did I finally comply. The result, of course, did but prove how entirely the prey was in my toils; in less than a single hour he had quadrupled his debt. For some time his countenance had been losing the florid tinge lent it by the wine; but now, to my astonishment, I perceived that it had grown to a pallor truly fearful. I say to my astonishment. Glendinning had been represented to my eager inquiries as immeasurably wealthy; and the sums which he had as yet lost, although in themselves vast, could not, I supposed, very seriously annoy, much less so violently affect him. That he was overcome by the wine just swallowed, was the idea which most readily presented itself; and, rather with a view to the preservation of my own character in the eyes of my associates, than from any less interested motive, I was about to insist, peremptorily, upon a discontinuance of the play, when some expressions at my elbow from among the company, and an ejaculation evincing utter despair on the part of Glendinning, gave me to understand that I had effected his total ruin under circumstances which, rendering him an object for the pity of all, should have protected him from the ill offices even of a fiend.

(Stopping so ya can read)

Atticus mention

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Charges May Follow Riots," Border Cities Star. August 4, 1933. Page 21. --- DELHI IS PEACEFUL --- Provincial Police Probe Attack on Grower ---- SIMCOE, August 4 - Charges will probably follow Wednesday night's rioting at Delhi when a mob stoned and threw rotten eggs at foreigners whom they claimed had taken jobs which rightfully belonged to Canadian citizens. Provincial police went to Delhi yesterday and made an investigation of the circumstances surrounding the outbreak, but would not reveal which of the participants, if any will face court action.

It was learned, however, that the outbreak Wednesday night had really been planned for last Saturday evening, but for some reason had been postponed. In Wednesday night's affair two men, employes of Joe Rep- hack, naturalized Canadian citizen, received slight injuries from stones thrown at them by the mob. A third, William Bennett, allegedly leader of the mob, also suffered injuries, but none of these are serious. Contrary to reports, Delhi has a full-time police officer and a night watchman engaged by the local merchants. The first intímation police headquarters here had of the affair was from newspaper re-ports yesterday.

Yesterday the streets of Delhi were almost deserted as provincial police arrived to investigate the riot.

Provincial Constable L. I. Shipley, of Simcoe, who was in charge of the investigation, questioned residents of Delhi in an attempt to identify the leaders of the mob. Although so far there have been no arrests, indications are that court prosecution will follow the riot.

Meanwhile Frank Kasza and Coloman Mile, the two Hungarian immigrants who were injured in the outburst, are recovering. Kasza suffered a wound in the head when he was struck by a stone, while his fellow countryman was struck behind the left ear.

Residents of Delhi are voicing a protest at the lack of police protection. Complaints from all parts of the village were heard because police could not be located when the riot broke out. It was not until 12 hours after the outburst that provincial police from Simcoe arrived.

[bronzebtch]

meta + presiding over runestone

discussion: presiding over runestone.

alright, long story short? rhea loves ruling over runestone. and i don't think it's because of power necessarily — even though she will admit that that's nice to have — but i think she feels honoured that she could carry on what her father has readied her for.

growing up, rhea saw how yorbert royce took care of his land, took care of their people, and it is a privilege for rhea to stand in the role he and their ancestors have left behind; but specifically, the role yorbert clearly entrusts her to have, even at age fifteen years old, when he had to leave and be lord regent at the eyrie.

but lordship did not come easily to her, especially having had to act as an acting lady so quickly after realising her marriage clearly wasn't working. i don't want to get too much into house royce's politics, but while there were no obvious contestant over her inheritance — since many people supported yorbert and his claim — that still didn't mean she didn't have people getting on her nerves and challenging her commands.

i hope to explore this one day, but to simplify it, whatever agency and control she did not have in her marriage, she learned to channel all of that anger and dissatisfaction into her ruling. this means rhea is less forgivable than her father; and when she handed out punishments during any trials or even in simple confrontations of lords and ladies who dare defy her, there is clearly lack of mercy shown. she's stern in her orders, and rarely does she revoke whatever sentence she's given.

while the first few years were certainly an adjustment to her small council, because rhea enacted a lot of changes in terms of security and who could be near her (given that she's aware how her husband and her attachment to the royal family may result in many enemies) and how much more frank she is in what she demands for, she did establish a very strong and close-knitted advisors. this rippled throughout her keep; and thus, stone hall currently are consisted of staff rhea (has thoroughly investigated and) trusted.

sure, her brash honesty did earn her some ire from a few arrogant lords, but it also earned her a lot of respect in the long run because rhea rarely cheats her men under her out of anything — if she cannot provide them help, she will be honest, and she will give them an alternative. similarly, while rhea isn't the friendliest of lords, she is respected by her smallfolk.

as a ruler, rhea understands the responsibility she has over her villagers, and thus, she will always try to provide them in terms of food, shelter, clothes etc so this showed in her active encouragement for her folk to plant crops, to herd sheep or cattle, to engage in trading at their port while she tried her best to provide protection, and in donating any old clothes, or to ensure that she has enough supply to survive through winter.

of course, this is only a snippet of what she looks after. i'd love to talk more about her as a ruling lady, but for now let's settle with -

tl;dr — rhea is just a very responsible person who actually genuinely loves being able to provide for her people. her area of ruling may not be large, but she thrives on seeing her townsfolk excel.

send meta and a word and watch me ramble :/

[ltwilliammowett]

Courting and marrying Sailors

Christmas and the time leading up to it are also often referred to as the festival of love. And not without reason, because many of the Sailors had to stay on land during this time because the danger of winter storms was too high. Therefore, many balls and festivals were held during this time so that these gentlemen could also go on a bride hunt. But this only applied to the officers who naturally tried to get hold of a lady from a good family with as much money as possible, as it secured their status and money in case they didn't earn any or got on their sweetheart's nerves at home on half pay.

The gallant Sailor - a Master and Commander with a lovely Lady, by Frank Dadd 1910 (x)

But the normal Sailors also held their own events and so there was also the so-called sailor stabbing, a kind of jousting tournament, but with Sailors and their specialities, in order to impress the ladies with their skills. It also often happened that the couples had known each other since childhood and then got engaged at that time. But it could take a long time in the 17th and 18th century before they were married, because in the spring they would all leave again, and if the couple was unlucky, they would stay there for a few years, so that the wedding would not take place until 7 or 9 years later. If it did take place, it was quite possible that the female relatives could find a better match during this time and then the engagement was ruined.

The Sailor and his Sweetheart, by R. F. Zogbaum   1898 (x)

And one should avoid making a mistake. It is known from the 1870s in England that a girl made a promise of eternal fidelity to her boyfriend. But because the sailor in question had forgotten her address, he was unable to contact her for over two years. When he returned to his home port, he found that she was already married and had two children. Oops -

But back to the time of balls and parties, if they spotted a lady, they wooed her, and in the wintertime it suited them well, because they were at home. Many people already had their lovetokens ready, which were made at sea as a precaution and then passed on to their sweetheart, leaving out the name for the time being and only adding it later.

A 17th century sailor's posy ring   (x)

Whalebone Fork and Spoon, made by a Sailor for his sweetheart: Czarina▪︎Blossom ▪︎Dearest, c. 1843  (x) 

In the 19th century, people largely dispensed with a long engagement period and the couple moved in together straight away, getting married barely two weeks later so that the couple had enough time for the honeymoon. 

Sailor’s Wedding, by Howard Pyle 1895  (x)

The wedding of a captain or flag officer was held in a grand, ostentatious and ceremonial manner. Often the whole town was decorated with flags and ships were moored and fired shots of joy. All family members and friends were invited to the festivities, but above all the sailor's comrades. The wedding of an ordinary seaman, on the other hand, was celebrated quite modestly and only in a small circle. Of course, it also happened that seamen regretted their decision to marry at the last moment and literally left the bride at the altar, which was a great humiliation for the bride and her family. For this reason, the fugitive groom should not dare to set foot in this place ever again, as the bride's family might want to lynch him.

So you see, the Christmas season was truly a celebration of love - whether it came to pass or not.

[lonestarbattleship]

State Ship Series: USS Tennessee

There has been six ships commissioned named after the state of Tennessee in the US Navy. The state was admitted into the United States on June 1, 1796.

USS Tennessee (1853), side-wheel steamer, in commission from 1862 to 1865. Originally SS Republic, captured by the Confederate in 1862 and renamed CSS Tennessee. Later that year, captured by the Union and commissioned. Renamed USS Mobile.

USS Tennessee (1863), casemate ironclad, in commission from 1864 to 1865. She was originally CSS Tennessee and was captured by Union during the Battle of Mobile Bay. She participated in the Siege of Fort Morgan. Scrapped in 1867.

USS Tennessee (1865), Wampanoag class, screw frigate, in common from 1867 to 1886. Originally named USS Madawaska, renamed USS Tennessee in 1869. "In The Steam Navy of the United States, Frank M. Bennet relates that during the time Tennessee was flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron she was 'the largest vessel then in commission in the American Navy, and the era of mastless steel cruisers was yet so far away that she was not suspected, by the youngsters at least, of being obsolete and stood as the type of all that was excellent and majestic in ship construction.' Her spaciousness and the comfort of her quarters as well as her handling characteristics made her a favorite duty station."

USS Tennessee (ACR-10), Tennessee class, Armored Cruiser, in commission from 1906 to 1917. Renamed USS Memphis in 1916 to free the name for BB-43. She was lost on August 29, 1916 in San Diego Harbor when 70 to 100 ft (21 to 30 m) waves started slammed into her. She was rolling 45°, water entered through her gun ports and funnels. This put out the fire in her boilers and losing steam. Over the next hour and a half, she was slammed against the harbor floor and pushed up onto the beach. 43 men were killed or missing and 204 injured. Deemed a total loss as she had suffered the destruction of her propulsion plant and severe distortion of her hull structure. She was salvaged for her guns and other equipment and scrapped from 1922 to 1938.

USS Tennessee (BB-43), Tennessee Class, Dreadnought Battleship, in commission from 1920 to 1947. She was part of the "Big 5", the group that consisted of the the most modern battleships of the interwar period. The group compromised of the Tennessee class and Colorado class. Survived the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, being hit by two bombs, one of which was the same as the one that destroyed USS Arizona. Luckily, it was a dud. She was protected from torpedoes by being inboard of USS West Virginia. She was pulled from her mooring after USS Maryland was freed. Quickly repaired and went on patrols in 1942. She went back to the yard to be completely rebuilt and modernized from late 1943 to 1944. She fought in the Aleutian Islands Campaign, Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, Battles of Tarawa, Battle of Kwajalein, Battle of Eniwetok, Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, Battles of Saipan, Battle of Guam, Battle of Tinian, Battle of Angaur, Philippines campaign, Battle of Leyte, Battle of Surigao Strait (the last battleship engagement), invasion of Iwo Jima, and invasion of Okinawa. She took a kamikaze hit at Okinawa. She earned ten battle stars during WWII. Placed in reserves in 1947, she was scrapped in 1959. Rumor has it the citizens of Tennessee wanted her as a museum ship but the Mississippi river was not deep enough for the battleship to make it.

USS Tennessee (SSBN-734), Ohio class, nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine, in commission from 1988 to present.

NHHC: NH 99943, NH 51951, NH 42390, NH 2230

NARA: 306536

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