#so many ravenscroft boys

[tainoodles]

It's another baby boy!

Introducing Lil' Kody Lyon

[thepastisalreadywritten]

This Saturday, at St James's Palace in London, the man most of us have known all our lives as Prince Charles will be officially proclaimed King following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The fact he will be the oldest man in history to accede to the throne has been much remarked upon; the fact he will also be the most stylish, less so.

Those of us who care about such things can play an easy game. What is your favourite King Charles III style moment?

Maybe it’s the time he wore a western suit (in a jazzy shade of millennial pink) with a check shirt, a bolo tie and a quartz-hued ten-gallon hat on an official tour of Canada in the late 1970s.

Or perhaps it’s the time he wore a short-sleeved baby-blue safari shirt with a pair of chinos and some riding boots to the polo.

Our personal favourite? The time he brandished his considerable wealth with no shortage of rakishness by pairing a yolk-yellow Hermès sweater (complete with cartoonish “Happy Hermès” logo) with a chambray shirt and a pair of skintight white jeans to, you guessed it, a polo match at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor.

What people tend to forget about Charles is that he was a bit of a style icon back in the day.

But it's something that will be brought back to our collective consciousness as the outpouring of grief and tributes from around the world slowly give way to looking at the future of the monarchy, which Charles now leads after the longest wait in royal history.

Take the forest-green and cherry-red shirt Charles wore to play in a charity polo match in the late Seventies.

Imbued with a prepped-up, Eton-boy-gone-bad vibe (not least because Charles chose to wear it quite so close-cut), it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine Frank Ocean – or even the fash pack’s favourite skater Blondey McCoy – wearing the same thing today and looking every bit the wavy young disruptor doing it.

Then there’s that full-on, Yves Saint Laurent-inspired taupe safari suit he wore on a state visit to Australia in 1985.

Both of those looks exemplify Charles’s acute understanding of the soft power demonstrated by an excellent cut.

The King so often opted – and still opts – for muted shades over showier ones and tends to pick garments that focus on function over form.

This attention to detail is something those studying the King have often remarked on.

The man who played him in the The Crown, Josh O'Connor, said:

“Whenever he gets out of a car, he checks his cufflink, checks his pocket and then waves. [It’s] the same movement every time.”

It’s this sense of consistency that defines Charles' unique personal flair.

“In every photo you see, he has great style. The shirt, tie and pocket square combinations are put together so well, with a great eye for detail,” says Steven Quin, retail director at Turnbull & Asser.

“He’s not afraid of colour and he clearly wears what he feels comfortable in and does not follow trends. HRH has always worn a double-breasted jacket.

I remember reading a quote from him where he stated that his style 'comes back into fashion every 25 years’. That still rings true. His elegance is timeless.”

The other important thing to note about Charles’ very specific mode of dressing is that he’s loyal to the brands he likes and, perhaps most importantly, he invests in quality.

He has his shirts made at the aforementioned Jermyn Street shirtmaker Turnbull & Asser.

He wears handmade shoes from Northampton shoemaker Crockett & Jones.

He gets his ceremonial gear from Ede & Ravenscroft.

He alternates having his suits made at Gieves & Hawkes and Anderson & Sheppard. It’s a roster of loyalty many British men will probably relate to.

“[King] Charles is a total inspiration. His taste is impeccable, almost always in double-breasted jackets, looking resplendent but totally at ease with a tie and pocket square,” says John Harrison, creative director at Gieves & Hawkes.

”He’s also done more than anyone in the public eye to promote the idea of bespoke garments and handmade shoes being investments, to last forever with proper care and the odd repair or patch-up. He makes us all want to dress like a better man.”

Ultimately, though, it’s the confidence King Charles displays with his wardrobe decisions – a certain ruffled indifference – that makes his style so covetable.

Though today he’s best known for wearing a double-breasted suit better than any man on earth (fact), once upon a time his collars were curled, his shirts were French tucked, his jumpers were oversized.

Such flourishes are beyond him now, and not just because he's a man of 73.

After Saturday's official proclamation will come much more pomp and ceremony to sit him on the throne: a second meeting of the Accession Council in which he must swear an oath to preserve the Church of Scotland (a tradition dating back to the early 18th century).

A fanfare of trumpets from the balcony above St James's Palace, gun salutes in Hyde Park and from naval ships at sea, and the national anthem sung with the words “God Save the King.”

All of these before the coronation itself, at which Charles will have the crown placed on his head before a global audience of millions.

He will dress according to tradition throughout, in suits of impeccable shape and cut.

But as he goes forward in the role he has waited a lifetime to play, something of the King's fastidious but playful character will come back into what he wears and how he wears it.

It will be part of his legacy, wherever that may lead us.

[discountdemonwarehouse]

Domestic December Day 26

Prompt - Holidays

Quinn and Terzo decorate holiday cookies while she introduces him to How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

SFW. AO3 Link

Ages → Quinn is 12, Terzo 15

        Cookies of assorted shapes, sizes, and flavours covered the kitchen counters of the Demuirs’ clergial apartment, and the duo of teens sat at the table dutifully icing and decorating them for the holidays. In the other room the record ended, and Quinn hurried to wash her hands and change it out. “What are the options this time?” Terzo asked. “Oh, you don’t get a choice this time. Now we have to follow tradition.” Quinn grinned at him. “What tradition?” “ How The Grinch Stole Christmas , duh.” “Excuse me? How is that tradition?” “It just is. It has good songs.” The young Emeritus boy stared at her. “You’ve never heard, read, or seen it, have you?” “I don’t make a habit of Christmas things. I grew up in a Satanist Ministry…?” “Don’t act like you’re suddenly the only one in a Satanist household. Give me a minute,” she said as she hurried to the other room to change records. “What’s so good about it anyways?” he called. “You’ll find out. All I’m going to say is Boris Karloff is the narrator and Thurl Ravenscroft sings one of the best songs.”

        Terzo looked like he didn’t believe her as she walked back into the kitchen. “This better not be for babies,” he warned her. “Says the boy covered in icing and sprinkles as he decorates cookies,” she smirked. Her smirked died quickly as a pinch of sprinkles was thrown in her face. “Hey!” She flicked a glob of icing at him in retaliation. They settled quickly and Terzo decided the vinyl was worthy of at least hearing once. He looked up slowly at some of the strange words, raising a brow at Quinn. “Are those English words I don’t know?” “Ehhh, no? They’re… made up words. Dr. Seuss uses a lot of those in his writing. I can show you some of his books later.” “I’m relating to the Grinch’s hatred of ‘noise, noise, noise’ in this.” “Oh, give it a chance.” She rolled her eyes, continuing her cookie decorating. “Quit being a Grinch.” “We don’t even celebrate Christmas! We celebrate the Solstice and Yule.” “Some Siblings and members celebrate a secular Christmas,” she reminded him. Terzo grumped at her, angrily dashing a cookie with coloured sugar before acknowledging she was correct.

        Quinn saw small smiles coming to his face as they listened. You’re A Mean One, Mister Grinch quickly became his favourite part, joking he may need to use some of the names and insults on Papa Nihil. “I would pick a seasick crocodile, too!” He smirked. “Same. It’d still have a better attitude,” she muttered, making the two laugh. “He is a sauerkraut sandwich with arsenic sauce.” “ Ahem .” Bishop Russel Demuir’s throat cleared pointedly behind them. “Hi, Dad!” Quinn smiled innocently. “You keep that talk to yourself, hm?” Russel chastised, walking over to take a cookie. “Yes, sir,” both kids answered obediently. “So the Grinch steals all their material things, then realizes it’s about caring about each other, so he gives everything back?” Terzo said as the story ended. “Pretty much.” “I guess I can appreciate that. Satan would approve of caring for each other and giving gifts because you love someone.” “You don’t have to hate Christmas because you’re a Satanist,” Russel gently reminded Terzo. “Most of the traditions come from non-Christian roots as a way to convert the ‘pagans’ - which in this context just meant non-Christians.” Terzo nodded thoughtfully as he listened to Quinn’s father.

        Russel continued, “Many of the traditions are about welcoming the light back to your life, which can easily be made into a metaphor for Satan or Lucifer, and then there’s all the indulgences we partake in with giving and receiving gifts, and the food, etc..” “Not everything has to be made into a religious thing – no matter the religion,” Quinn added quietly. “Indeed.” Russel smiled at his daughter. “Now, who wants some hot chocolate sent from the Mexican Ministry location?” Russel patted the open package under his arm. “From Padre Luís?” Quinn asked excitedly. “Who else?” He moved towards the counter to set the box down. “And yes, he sent you your favourite candy.” “Yes!” She drew out the “s” in a happy hiss. “Now, Terzo, don’t judge me too harshly, all right? These tablets for the hot chocolate are good, but from scratch is better.” Russel opened the box, a grin coming to his face. “Wonderful, he included a molinillo !” “A what…?” Terzo looked at Quinn, who shrugged. “This is a molinillo – a type of carved whisk for this type of drink,” Russel held it up. “Some are very elaborately carved, a work of art on their own. It’s used to froth the drink.” “What makes this hot chocolate so special?” Russel shrugged casually. “It’s chocolate with vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne… It’s full of history; chocolate originated with the Olmecs and Mayans, you see.” Terzo nodded in understanding, “Sounds tasty.” “Now then, give me a few minutes and I’ll have some hot chocolate to go with our cookies!”

You can listen to the vinyl recording of How The Grinch Stole Christmas here on Youtube  OR here on Spotify

[joels-shitty-puns]

rules: pick a song for each letter of your URL and tag that many people

Thank you for the tags! @littlegrungegirlaf @pascalpvnk @fhatbhabie @pamasaur

❤️ I did this once before so I'm gonna do all Christmas songs this time ! ☃️🎄

Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms

O Tannenbaum - Vince Guaraldi Trio

Emmanuel, (O Come, O Come) - The Piano Guys

Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys

Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes

-

Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt

Here Comes Santa Claus - Gene Autry

I'll Be Home For Christmas - Dean Martin

That's Christmas to Me - Pentatonix

Thank God It's Christmas - Queen

You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Thurl Ravenscroft

-

Polar Express, The - Tom Hanks

Up On the Housetop - The Jackson 5

Nutcracker Suite - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Shake Up Christmas - Train

I have no idea who has done this already or who I already tagged, and I don't have the energy, unfortunately. I tag whoever wishes to play ❤️

[casspurrjoybell-24]

The Alpha's Brother - Chapter 4 - Part 1

Book Three In : The Alpha's Trilogy

*Warning - Adult Content*

Cypher Ravenscroft

"Why is there so much fuss over these stupid jewels?" Star asked, watching me carefully, like he didn't want to trust me.

I couldn't blame him for that.

I didn't want him to trust me.

I didn't want any of them too because if they trust me now, it means they let their guard down too easily and I can't let Simon come back to a place that isn't safe, even after Charles Maverick was gone.

I wasn't going to risk losing him.

"The jewels have an ancient power. The Vampire Lilith had ran to a witch in hopes to settle the war between the twins Tobias and Tabitha but it was for nothing, it just made the two fight harder. The ability for a wolf to become whatever it decides is risky in a war for a Shape-shifter."

"Especially when the jewels give the wolf the ability to fight like it's a Golden Wolf. In the hands of a Shape-shifter, the jewels would do the same, just without the obvious. but it would let them gain the ability to fight with the power of a Golden Wolf. Harder, better, faster, stronger..."

"Did you just quote the Black-eyed Peas?"

"That's not the point," I said, waving my hand dismissively at Ellis.

"The point is Simon has the jewels and it's taken this long for Charlie to finally set his sights on getting his little Golden Wolfie back."

"Ew, don't say it like that," Star complained, his brows furrowed.

I'm sure he was more than a bit worried but the boy had a knack for hiding his emotions on his face.

"We can figure out the rest of the basics later. First, how did you figure out that Charlie was hunting for me again?"

I paused for a moment, wondering if I should even bother.

Rena was waiting in the car still and I can only imagine how she might be feeling.

"We have ties within the pack. Loose ties but ties. It's no big deal."

"Who is it?" Star questioned.

"I know everyone in that pack, I know who you can really trust."

I sighed, rubbing a hand down my face.

"Listen, kid..."

"No, he has a point," Darren said, cutting me off.

"Star was raised in that Shape-shifter pack. He would have a good idea on if someone is just fucking with you just to get to Simon."

"It's okay Cypher," Simon said from the video-chat that Silas was still holding onto.

"You can tell them. They won't hurt him."

"Fine," I shook my head, taking a seat on one of the lounge chairs that sat in the corner of the living room.

If Symon said it was okay, then it was okay.

He knew everyone here better than I did and if he thought they would be okay with outing our informant, then so be it.

"He's a British dude by the name of Elijah."

"Elijah is your ears on the inside?"

Star pulled a face for a second before a grin split across his face.

"Elijah. I knew he wasn't all in. He was too nice to be in with a pack of snakes like that. How the hell did you guys even manage to snag him?"

I didn't want to talk about it and didn't want to give too much to anyone.

My guard was up with all of this in the first place.

Sure, I trust Symon and his judgment but I didn't like the idea of spilling all our secrets in the open like this, to so many people.

Simon didn't care though as he took the reins of the conversation.

"Cypher had a bit of a run-in with the pack before we met. Totally not related to us or me or Alister because Cypher is a werewolf, Charles Maverick was just going to off him but Elijah talked him into letting him go. I don't know all the details, it's like three am and like not my story but... "

"It was stupid, the guy slipped me his email. I knew he wanted an out. It wasn't anything romantic. He's a Maltose, just like most of Charlie's pack. I'm pretty sure he gets half of his following from the self-help groups online for the mate-less. They pinned me for being mate-less."

"But you're not right? You and Simon are mates, right?" it was Silas who asked, and I bit my lip.

Simon and I both knew the question about our bond would come up sooner or later but I expected more time.

"It's complicated."

Star, of course, had to chime in again with...

"What do you mean?"

"We can talk about it another time," I said, praying that Simon wouldn't pipe up.

"It's a long story."

"Alright, well. We have a motel in town. It only has five rooms and they're almost always empty. Stay there," Silas said, there was a sound from upstairs now and Darren let out a groan of frustration.

"I'll go and get him," Silas offered, patting his mate's knee as he got off the couch, handing my cell-phone back to me.

Simon still laid on the other side, head on the pillow as he blinked his eyes slowly.

"Go back to sleep love, I'll call ya' later."

He shook his head, his tired eyes not really watching me.

"I want to see the boys first. All of them."

He was hardly keeping his eyes open at this point.

I just rolled my eyes at the stubbornness and flipped the camera so he could see the living room but I could still see his sleepy face, just in time for Silas to walk down the stairs holding one of the twins.

"Thanks babe," Simon mumbled, while Silas cooed at the toddler, asking him why he woke up so early from his rest.

I felt out of place now, I didn't want to be in the middle of the family moment.

Everyone here had a past together or a future.

Ellis was practically family, Riot was mated to their son, the brother, Darren.

I was just an outsider who knew everything about them all.

I was always the outsider and now it was making my skin crawl, all the cool I had earlier in the day was now starting to seep out of my skin as my adrenaline started to fade.

I looked back down at the cell-phone screen to see Simon's sleeping face.

He had dozed back off and I took that moment to end the call, shooting him a quick text message telling him that I loved him and to sleep well.

I stood up then, giving half a smile to Silas.

"Thanks for the offer but I don't think..."

"You said you were leaving in the morning. You just spent the whole day on a plane. You and your ride are going to check-in at the motel, have dinner at Smith's restaurant and then leave in the morning."

I knew he didn't mean it, Alpha Silas, from what Simon had told me was pretty laid back when it came to being an Alpha.

It was pretty relaxing that he didn't fit the stereotype.

Darren on the other hand but that wasn't the point.

The point was that an Alpha had just practically given me an order and even though I was aware that he didn't mean it in that way, the Omega mindset that I had left behind me years ago was still kicking my ass and ready to bow down to the bigger, more powerful wolf.

"Yeah sure. Rena and I can do that," I said, rubbing the back of my neck.

"I'm sure she is just as tired and hungry as I am. I'll stop by before we leave. Let you actually get the chance to see Simon off before he runs off again, this time, Yeah?"

"Yeah, I'd like that," Silas said, with a sad smile,

[simeons-sinful-saint]

🎄Christmas Songs🎄

Below are my headcanons of the characters favorite Christmas songs (with links) also the new characters aren’t included except one

Lucifer

Silver Bells by Bing Crosby

Its a classic for Christmas

I imagine MC gifting him a Bing Crosby vinyl for him to enjoy

He cherishes it and listens it every winter time (especially so if MC isn’t with him)

Mammon

Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt

I think this one was obvious

Of course this would be Mammon singing this to MC (or anyone honestly)

Plus it’s perfect to seduce people with ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Levi

Last Christmas by Wham!

Ok my favorite Christmas song

Would love something more upbeat

Plus this over dramatic song screams Levi energy.

Thinking MC has abandoned him for someone else which isn’t true at all 🥺

Satan

Baby, it’s cold outside by Ella Fizgerald ft Louis Armstrong)

Another one that loves classic Christmas songs

Imagines singing this song with MC

Keeping them inside to stay with him (most likely to read and cuddle or more)

Asmo

All I Want For Christmas is You by Mariah Carey

Another one that was pretty obvious

Has the song memorized in like 20 languages

He’ll skip around the house singing this. Wants MC to join him

Beel

The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole

Some food references (he was hard to pick for ok 💀)

But there is a nice innocence to this song and thinking about happy children watching for Santa Clause makes him soft and fuzzy 🥺

Wants to take you on long walks to get hot chocolate and this song sets the mood

Belphie

Sleigh Ride by the Ronettes

Another hard one to pick for, but I think he’d listen to more fun songs

Likes the idea of a sleigh ride

Imagine being with him on one. Being nice and cozy while on it. Ofc he’ll fall asleep as the nice jingles of the bells lull him

Diavolo

Little Saint Nick by The Beach Boys

Another one who likes fun Christmas song

Becomes a giant kid when Christmas rolls around and he requires a song that matches his intensity

Totally dresses like Santa and this is his theme song

Barbatos

White Christmas by Bing Crosby

Another one who likes classics

Not one to listen to too many Christmas songs but is forced to by Diavolo

But imagine slow dancing to this song with him 😩

Solomon

Believe by Josh Groban

Has celebrated many Christmases. So he’s tired of the classic Christmas songs

Even if it’s sung by a new artist, he’s tired of hearing Jingle Bells

Plus you can’t tell me he hasn’t seen polar express (actively tries to recreate the hot chocolate scene)

Simeon

Do You Hear What I Hear? By Carrie Underwood

Emily you used this in your fic yeah but it’s still the best one for him

It’s such a gentle song and he likes it sung by someone with a gentle voice

Imagining him singing this makes me melt 💀

Luke

Little Drummer Boy by Bing Crosby

I wanna see him play the Little Drummer Boy

It would be so cute 🥺 plus this still tells a story he thinks is important

I just wanna see him with a little drum ok

(Bonus) Mephistopheles

You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch by Thurl Ravenscroft

I think this one explains itself 💀

Satan and Belphie sing backup

[thealmightyemprex]

10 Favorite Stand alone classic theatrical cartoon shorts

Before TV while the animated feature was in it's infancy,the most prominate form of animation were theatrical shorts .Now there are many great ones with classic characters ,but this list is interested in the one off stories .Few rules

1.Only theatrical shorts

2.No sequels, these are one off stories with moe or less one off characters .So no Bugs Bunny or anything . I bent the rule with one of them but I'll explain my reasoning

3.Cut off date is the 60's

4,No shorts that were made for a movie like the Reluctant Dragon or Legend of Sleepy Hollow

10.Peace on Earth (1939)

So this is low only because I JUST saw it .It's a very serious post apocalyptic anti war cartoon made in the 30'S !!! Frankly I am very surprised it exists

9.The Flying Mouse (1934)

I saw this as a child and the sinister bats mocking the mouse for being "Nothing but a nothing " just stuck with one

8.The Goddess of Spring (1934)

A retelling of the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone and kind of a demo reel for Disney's artists testing out animating realistic humans.I'm a Greek Myth nut so I dig this one

7.Red Hot Riding Hood (1943)

A modern (Or rather 40's ) retelling of Little Red Riding Hood ,with a lecherous wolf and Red asa nightclub singer ,thisis a classic I had toinclude

6.The Critic (1963)

OK so this one is a little diffrent from the others on the list ,but had to include it cause its hilarious .It's an experimental film with abstract images ,with a running commentary by a very grumpy old man watching said film played by comedic legend Mel Brooks !!!

5.The Tell Tale Heart (1953)

This creepy short adaption of Edgar Allan Poe is a horror classic in my mind .Striking visuals and a wonderfully creepy performance by the legendary James Mason as the Mad Man make this short

4.Chicken Little (1943)

About the dangers of Mass hysteria ,this is a retellling of the classic story.....With a surprisingly dark ending

3.Rooty Toot Toot (1951)

A retelling of the song Frankie and Johnny. It is a dark comedy really up my alley ,with wonderful visuals and spetacular voice acting by Annette Warren and Thurl Ravenscroft )

2.One Froggy Evening (1955)

OK I am bending the rules a little here cause there was a sequel......Made 40 years later ,and I had never heard of it .This was made to be a one off ,and Ihave always thought of it as one .Plus it's one of the classic cartoons for a reason ,and Michigan J Frongs singing of "Hello My Baby" is iconic

1. The Dover Boys of Pimento University or the Rivals of Roquefort Hall (1942)

THis is just one of the FUNNIEST THINGS I HAVE EVER SEEN ! Love the smear frames ! Love how corny the characters are ! Love that Mel Blanc is screaming all his lines as the villlain ! I just love this cartoon !

Agree? Disagree ? Tell me some of your favorite one off cartoons. Also yes I will be doing one on more traditional cartoon characters as well

@amalthea9 @ariel-seagull-wings @theancientvaleofsoulmaking @marquisedemasque @metropolitan-mutant-of-ark @princesssarisa @filmcityworld1

[imagine-organization-xiii]

Can you do their favorite Christmas songs??? I would love you forever if you did (even though I already do)

I am such a Christmas gal, you don’t even know. I was listening to christmas songs in like September

Xemnas - The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole

“So, I’m offering this simple phrase to kids from one to ninety-two. Although it’s been said many times, many ways, merry Christmas to you.“

Xigbar - Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms

“What a bright time, it’s the right time to rock the night away. Jingle bell time is a swell time, to go gliding in a one-horse sleigh.“

Xaldin - I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Rascal Flatts

“I’ll be home for Christmas, you can count on me. Please have snow and mistletoe, and presents under the tree.“

Vexen - The Christmas Shoes by NewSong

“It was almost Christmas time, there I stood in another line trying to buy that last gift or two - not really in the Christmas mood. Standing right in front of me was a little boy waiting anxiously. Pacing ‘round like little boys do and in his hands he held a pair of shoes.“

Lexaeus - All I Want for Christmas by Vince Vance and the Valiants

“I don’t need sleigh rides in the snow, don’t want a Christmas that’s blue. Take back the tinsel, stockings and bows, ‘cause all I want for Christmas is you!“

Zexion - Silent Night by Chris Young ft. Boys II Men

“Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright, round yon virgin mother and child, holy infant so tender and mild - sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.“

Saix - Auld Lang Syne by Home Free

“Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind, should all acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne. For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we’ll share a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.“

Axel - You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch by Thurl Ravenscroft

“You’re a monster, Mr. Grinch. Your heart’s an empty hole. Your brain is full of spiders, you’ve got garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch. I wouldn’t touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!“

Demyx - Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer by Elmo & Patsy

“Grandma got run over by a reindeer, walking home from our house Christmas Eve. You can say there’s no such thing as Santa, but as for me and grandpa, we believe.“

Luxord - The First Noel by Carrie Underwood

“The first Noel, the angels did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay. In fields where they lay keeping their sheep, on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.“

Marluxia - All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey

“I don’t want a lot for Christmas - there is just one thing I need. I don’t care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know. Make my wish come true... All I want for Christmas is you.“

Larxene - Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt

“Come and trim my Christmas tree with some decorations bought at Tiffany’s. I really do believe in you, let’s see if you believe in me...“

Roxas - Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)

“Want a plane that loops the loop. Me, I want a hula hoop! We can hardly stand the wait, please Christmas don’t be late!“

Xion - I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by Gayla Peevey

“I want a hippopotamus for Christmas - only a hippopotamus will do! No crocodiles, no rhinoceroses, I only like hippopotamuses and hippopotamuses like me too!“

[itcameuponamidnightqueer]

a happier 2019 wrap-up

every year for new year’s, my mom gets everyone one-a-day calendars tailored to their interests. for 2020, she got me a calendar of funny/stupid answers people have written on tests. 

but for 2019, she gave me a calendar with a different trivia question every day. i had two rules for this calendar: 1) i had to write down an answer for each question, even if what i wrote down was the dumbest shit in the world, and 2) i wasn’t allowed to look at the answer until the day after. 

i saved up all of the ones that i got right bc i like to quantify things, so if nothing else, i know 93 things—

january 18: many musicians have recorded and performed the song “hallelujah.” who wrote it?

january 29: thurl ravenscroft was an accomplished voice actor who sang “you’re a mean one, mr. grinch.” however, ravenscroft was best known for voicing which TV commercial icon?

february 7: who was the first african american appointed to the US supreme court?

february 12: mount rushmore features the giant carved faces of george washington, abraham lincoln, thomas jefferson, and which other US president? 

february 13: what is ninjitsu? 

february 26: mae c. jemison went into space in 1992 aboard the endeavor, earning her what distinction?

february 27: who wrote and first recorded the song “big yellow taxi”?

march 2: what is the longest running show in broadway history?

march 5: what is the largest library in the world?

march 8: what two novels did the lesser-known brontë sister, anne, write?

march 12: which reptile can breathe through its rear end?

march 16: the winner of best picture at the 2017 oscars was moonlight—but, in an historic mix-up, the announcers initially declared which other nominee to be the winner?

march 21: which is the smallest planet in our solar system?

march 22: why is a pound cake called a pound cake? 

march 23: the hit musical wicked is based on a 1995 novel by which author?

march 24: billy eichner, comedian and host of billy on the street, once had a role on which beloved NBC sitcom?

march 27: name the star who plays offred in the hulu series the handmaid’s tale?

april 6: the 2015 song “fourfiveseconds” was a collaboration between rihanna, kanye west, and which other legendary musician?

april 8: why do apples turn brown when sliced?

april 16: what is a pooh-bah?

april 19: what is the belgian town of duffel’s claim to fame?

april 29: what ancient babylonian king created a compendium of 282 laws to guide society in 18th century BCE?

may 2: what is the name for the condition in which a dog’s feet smell like corn chips? 

may 5: in mary shelley’s frankenstein, which character is named frankenstein?

may 7: name the australian pop star whose debut studio album blue neighborhood included hits “youth” and “wild”.

may 10: which superhero did british actor benedict cumberbatch play in a 2016 film?

may 16: which american film tradition began this day in 1929?

may 17: in science, what does “triple point” refer to?

may 26: what function do cats’ whiskers serve?

may 27: where is the tomb of the unknown soldier located?

june 1: which cult classic film popularized the red swingline stapler? 

june 3: who is barbie (the doll) named after? 

june 4: eid al-fitr is an annual muslim festival that marks the end of what?

june 10: which actor was offered a role on the o.c. but turned it down for a role on one tree hill?

june 11: the sport that americans call soccer is known as football in many other countries. where did the term “soccer” originate?

june 17: there is a species of horsefly known as bootylicious. which celebrity inspired the nickname?

june 18: the amc series the walking dead is based on a series of comic books penned by which accomplished writer?

june 24: which actress played wonder woman in the 2017 film of the same name?

june 27: what makes chili peppers hot? 

june 28: which architectural engineering feat allowed the ancient incans to cross canyons and rivers with ease?

june 29: the word “scuba” is an acronym. what does it stand for? 

july 3: who is the bestselling fiction writer ever? 

july 5: which animated film was the first to be nominated for best picture at the oscars? 

july 9: which item did women living in the dust bowl during the great depression commonly fashion into clothing? 

july 16: in nintendo’s mario video games, the nefarious wario is mario’s foil. who is luigi’s foil and archrival? 

july 18: pop stars taylor swift and zayn malik teamed up to record the song “i don’t want to live forever” for which 2017 film soundtrack? 

july 22: which is the only letter that doesn’t appear on the periodic table? 

july 23: which novel is considered frank herbert’s masterpiece? 

july 25: name the three women who were cast in the first season of SNL in 1975. 

july 26: during which years did the olympics award official medals for the arts, including painting, architecture, sculpture, music, and literature?

july 28: what are the ingredients of a moscow mule?

august 2: which “luxury” music festival was supposed to take place in the bahamas in april 2017 but dissolved into chaos and was eventually canceled after attendees began to arrive?

august 3: what is the claim to fame of anchor bar in buffalo, NY? 

august 8: the la brea tar pits are a popular tourist attraction and fossil excavation site. what does “la brea” mean in spanish? 

august 9: the popular board game clue goes by which other name in the UK, where it was invented?

august 11: what is earth’s largest ocean? 

august 12: who wrote johnny cash’s “a boy named sue”?

august 13: what were the original 3 pokemon that players could choose from at the start of pokemon red and pokemon blue, the first pokemon video games released internationally?

august 14: what kind of music did katy perry release as a teenager before she became a pop star? 

august 20: philip k. dick’s novel do androids dream of electric sheep? inspired which 1982 film with a different title?

august 30: batman is to gotham city as superman is to what? 

september 6: what is the hottest planet in the solar system? 

september 9: the first book of the “his dark materials” trilogy is known as the golden compass in the US, and what in the UK? 

september 15: one of the classic monopoly player tokens is a dog. what breed is it?

september 16: why are spiders technically not considered insects?

september 22: on her debut album, lily allen included a song called “alfie” about her little brother. alfie allen is best known now for his role on which TV show?

october 2: a killer whale isn’t technically a whale. what is it?

october 8: name the breed of large domestic cats native to new england 

october 10: which company uses the slogan “because we’re worth it”?

october 12: which female pop star had a brief stint in an R&B group called basic instinct in the 1990s?

october 16: if you ordered a berliner in a cafe in wisconsin, what would they serve you?

october 21: in 1943, when many NFL players were drafted for service in WWII, which two teams combined forces and formed a team called the steagles?

october 25: virginia was the birthplace of 8 US presidents. which state follows close on virginia’s heels as the birthplace of 7 US presidents?

october 28: bram stoker’s legendary vampire dracula is widely thought to be inspired by which real-life romanian prince?

october 30: in european folklore, what is a familiar? 

november 1: what does nanowrimo stand for?

november 13: name the movie that imagines how playwright j.m. barrie came to write peter pan.

november 14: which US state has the smallest population?

november 16: who technically owns all of the unmarked swans in england?

november 19: which entertainment icon was offered the role of phoebe in friends but turned it down?

november 22: robert louis stevenson’s novel treasure island features a cast of colorful characters, including the infamous long john silver. what is the name of the novel’s young protagonist, an innkeeper’s son who ends up serving as a cabin boy on a sea adventure?

november 23: where is dollywood?

november 28: not surprisingly, americans eat more food on thanksgiving than they do on any other day of the year. which day boasts the second-highest food consumption?

november 29: “swish swish”, a song on katy perry’s 2017 album witness, was rumored to be a diss track about which other pop star?

november 30: which actor wore a hairpiece every time he played james bond?

december 2: in greek mythology, perspehone was the goddess of the underworld and the wife of hades. who were persephone’s parents?

december 3: which prominent magazine declined to run an excerpt of the catcher in the rye on the grounds that the characters were unbelievable and the writing was “show-offy”? 

december 12: which comic book series featured batman’s first appearance? 

december 14: what was elvis presley’s natural hair color?

december 21: a 16th century da Vinci manuscript known as the codex leicester sold for over $30 million. who was the wealthy buyer?

december 23: ancient egyptian queen cleopatra had relationships with both julius caesar and mark antony. which of the two men was she buried next to?

december 27: which of the following hollywood stars did not get their start on the disney channel—shia labeouf, hayden panettiere, keri russell, ellen page, ryan gosling

december 29: technically, peanuts aren’t nuts. what are they?

[jamescurcio]

White Lines, Black Magic

This came up on various public groups when I was doing my research for Masks. I wanted to share it with you, because I think it’s an interesting, and generally good, take. 

David's Dark Doings - And How He Escaped To Tell The Tale David Bowie's Station To Station and the "Berlin Trilogy". By Ian MacDonald

"I ran across a monster who was sleeping by a tree. And I looked and frowned and the monster was me" (David Bowie, "The Width Of A Circle", 1971)

EMI's latest batch of mid-price Bowie reissues, discs released at full price in 1990-1, consists of the 1976-8 sequence, Station To Station, Low, "Heroes", and Stage. It might have been truer to his career to have made a foursome of Low, "Heroes", Stage and Lodger - the "Berlin Trilogy" plus their complimentary live album - and to have corralled Station To Station with his other "American" albums, David Live and Young Americans. Never mind. As it happens, EMI's decision highlights a little-understood juncture in Bowie's development: the transition between the two The Man Who Fell To Earth albums, Station To Station and Low. Bowie's modus operandi during the Seventies was transformation, acting out the suburban dream of escape into glamorous "otherness" - hence his popularity among a very specific audience  segment (and the total blank he registered with those for whom escape was not an issue). This method held good until Young Americans, even though that album's associated transformation - white boy on Soul Train - was less the usual Brechtian device than an identity-crisis on the part of the artist (or the Actor, as he then referred to himself). Uprooted from his native context in the cultural artifice of Europe, isolated in a largely unironic and cultureless alien land, Bowie was forced back on himself, a self he didn't much like. Weary of the artistic transformations which were now getting too close to home, he fended off self-examination with mental diversion, reading obsessively from a portable library and deadening his growing sense of emotional emptiness with cocaine and booze. David Live is, in effect, a station-stop in this journey on the old Oblivion Express, an evening's snapshot of Bowie's deepening malaise.

With Station To Station - its title partly suggested by Bowie's 1973-6 touring schedule which, due to his fear of flying, mostly consisted of travel by train-the Oblivion Express reached another halt. But, this time, Bowie, rarely one to repeat himself, refused another David Live stop-over. Instead, he got off the damned train. A sonic "dark night of the soul", Station to Station is to Bowie what On The Beach is to Neil Young's album, rooted in the folk-blues tradition of American "authenticity", remains too musically raw for wide appeal, whereas Station, if only superficially, is one of Bowie's most glamorous discs. However, the superficial view of Station to Station doesn't tell half the inner story of the album, a recherché work which, despite being recorded at Cherokee Studios in the hyper-American suburb of Hollywood, is essentially European.

The key to the transition between Station To Station and Low (whose covers both employ images from Nicolas Roeg's the Man Who Fell To Earth) is that it does not coincide with Bowie's usual sort of artistic transformation: the persona swap. Bowie's final mask, the Thin White Duke, travels no further than Station to Station. There's no mask, no persona in Low. Just a rather gaunt young man in a "styleless" dufflecoat, looking sideways to the viewer as if in a police mugshot. Some would say that this is merely because Bowie then ceased touring for a while (appearing live only as Iggy Pop's keyboard player), and consequently had no need to invent a new stage character. In truth, Bowie's temporary low profile, coded in the cover of Low itself, was forced on him at a time when an interlude of retreat for recuperation and regrouping was the only alternative to a full-scale crack-up during the recording of Station to Station, a period of which he claims to recall almost nothing. Mental breakdown still appeared to be impending in May, 1976 when, returning to Britain from his sojourn in America, a seemingly stoned Bowie acknowledged the British press corps at Victoria Station with what most of those present took to be a Nazi salute.

Britain was then witnessing the electoral rise of the neo-fascist National Front, and Bowie's proclaimed ambition to be the country's fascist dictator was naturally, those of us who were fans chose to read Bowie's stance as ironic. Neither was wholly correct. Like Neil Young's republicanism, Bowie's brand of fascism, while it embraced irony, was basically serious; or was taken seriously by a certain hermetic compartment of his mind, wherein it dwelt. The rest of him - what passed for the normal lad from Brixton - was deeply uneasy about it; so uneasy that he included on Station To Station a song open to God in case the demons evoked elsewhere in the album should get out of hand. Bowie's fascination with Nazism was never conventionally political. Rather, it was one aspect of a personal cosmology traceable in cryptic songs like "Cygnet Committee" (Space Oddity, 1969), "The Supermen" (The Man Who Sold The World, 1971), "Big Brother" (Diamond Dogs, 1974), but most explicitly in "Oh! You Pretty Things" and - particularly - "Quicksand" on Hunky Dory (1972): "I'm closer to the Golden Dawn/Immersed in Crowley's uniform/Of imager/I'm living in a silent film/Portraying Himmler's sacred realm/Of dream reality." Eagerly absorbed from the omnivorous reading with which the self-taught Bowie, insecure in his intellect, then shored up his self-esteem, this personal cosmology was rooted in the Gnostic myth of the Fall, viz: we human beings are born into this world from a higher dimension ("heaven") which we forget upon entering the sphere of material existence. Hence, homo sapiens is a half-finished thing living in a state of waking sleep he calls reality, but which is actually a kind of delusion. Only those "awake" on the physical plane, the "enlightened" ones, see reality as it truly is. As such, they are supermen. Now that "home sapiens have outgrown their use", such mental supermen are set to inherit the earth. As a young man, Bowie was impatiently obsessed with the inefficiency of our unenlightened minds ("We're today's scrambled creatures, looked in tomorrow's double feature"). As a result, he viewed the majority, unaware as they were of their plight, with a blend of tolerant irony and frank contempt ("the mice in their million hordes"). Elaborating on the Gnostic myth, he cross-bred Nietzsche's Superman - "The Wild-Eyed Boy From Freecloud" is a sort of pop Zarathustra - with esoteric motifs in the writing of Madame Blavatsky and the teaching of the American mystic, Gurdjeff. Both allude extensively to mysterious "Masters": enlightened super-beings who supposedly guide human affairs from mountain fastnesses in Tibet and the Hindou Kush ("the men who protect you and I"). Blavatsky's writing, along with those of Eliphas Levi, gave birth to the late 19th-century Occult Revival which in Britain produced the magical society called The Golden Dawn, whence Aleister Crowley emerged, and which in Germany created the occult basis of Nazism, epitomised in Himmler's vision of his SS as an Arthurian company of immortals, incarnated to bring order to the physical plane. Though he made plenty of pro-Hitler statements around 1975-6, Bowie ultimately remained sane enough to distinguish the ideal of an order-bringing élite from the Nazi reality. He was, he would occasionally claim, a Nietzschean, his "fascism" being conceptually benign (if nonetheless arrogant). He favoured a New Order not of domination, but of enlightenment: rule of the "asleep" by the "awake". The main snag was that he was doing too many drugs. Imbibed along with piles of prime Colombian, books like Pauwel and Bergier's The Morning Of The Magicians (1971) and Trevor Ravenscroft's The Spear Of Destiny (1973) had, by 1975, led Bowie into a remote headspace where even UFO's were part of the plot.

During the LA sessions for Station To Station, the Fuhrerling (as Bowie drolly refers to himself in a demo of "Candidate" on the 1990 reissue of Diamond Dogs) was archetypally "torn between the light and dark". At one point the journalist, Cameron Crowe, found him burning black tapers in the seeming aftermath of some ritual magic that had gone wrong. "Been having a little trouble with the neighbours," said Bowie, evidently not referring to the people in the apartment next door. Michael Lippman, a friend of Bowie's during this period, remembers him describing strange nightmares. Lippman gave him a gold cross. Bowie later asked him for a mezuzah (a parchment in a glass tube, inscribed with the divine name Shaddai, which Orthodox Jews keep nailed to their door to ward off evil). The title track of the album is packed with occult references and allusions to the Gnostic myth of the Fall. A mention of White Stains, Crowley's very obscure first book, shows how deeply Bowie delved into the golden Dawn background; indeed, the lyric suggests that he also studied The Tree Of Life by Crowley's pupil, Israel Regardie, a brilliant treatise on the magical use of the 13th century Jewish mystical system, Quabala. In Quabalistic language, the Gnostic myth of the Fall can be expressed as "one magical movement from kether to malkuth" (Kether being the sphere of the Godhead, or Crown of Creation, and Malkuth being the sphere of the physical world, aka the kingdom). These spheres (sephiroth) lie at opposite ends of the glyph known as the Tree of Life, which Bowie is seen drawing on the back of EMI's reissue of Station to Station. Seems he thought of the sephiroth as stations - "standing places", as in the Stations Of the Cross (which have their own occult interpretation). Sadly there are 14 Stations Of The Cross but only 10 sephiroth. (The Christian sign of the cross, though does "map" onto the Tree..) The song, "Station to Station", also has a Shakespearean resonance. Prospero the magician (and incognito duke) in Shakespeare's most mysterious play. the Tempest, surrounds himself with books, among which is his occult grimoire. At the end of the play, he abjures magic and "drowns" his book of spells. In "Station To Station", the Thin White Duke - Bowie as a cocaine-frozen Prospero lost in his (magic) circle, tall in his room overlooking the ocean (Prospero's Island "cell" transported to the coast by Los Angeles) - despairingly reviews his repertoire of illusions. "Such is the stuff from where dreams are woven," he muses, not quite quoting Prospero ("We are such stuff/As dreams are made on"). Clearly, illusion is no longer what he wants. Station to Station - like Plastic Ono Band, like Todd, like On the Beach - is an exorcism: an exorcism of self, of the mind, of the past. By 1976, Bowie had nearly had enough of his "magic" - the theatrical "grand illusion" by which he'd lived since 1972. Thus, he "flashes no colour" - another magical allusion, this time to the so-called Tattva symbols which use "flashing" complimentary colours to after consciousness, ushering the magical aspirant into the Astral Plane of heightened vision. Decoded: Bowie has travelled the Astral (or ascended the tree Of Life); now he wants to come down o earth, to love. (Hence the cover image of the soundproof chamber in The Man Who fell to Earth.) One could easily continue for another thousand words in this vein about "Station To Station". (Let alone the rest of the record. Bowie; "It's the nearest album to a magical treatise that I've written"). Yet none of this symbolism would matter if the artist were not in control of it; and if it didn't crack, via the desperate drunken grandiloquence of the song's bridge ("Once there were mountains on mountains"), into the naked-and-wired stamped of its epic, up-tempo release, driven by that magnificent late Seventies rhythm section of Carlos Alomar, Dennis Davis, and George Murray, and lit by the elemental fire-scream of Earl Slick's hysterical guitar. Those who accuse Bowie of lacking feeling should listen closely to this transition: the quavering, hopeless-to-hopeful vulnerability of the couplet, "It's not the side effects of the cocaine/I'm thinking that it must be love." This is a deeply unhappy human being, harried by his own incandescently gifted mind.

In fact, Bowie didn't cast his grimoire into the ocean after station To Station. He hedged his commercial bets by mixing the album "big", and made plans to tour it in Europe. He was still half in his mystic-fascist Thin White Duke persona when he "returned", like some parallel universe Duke of Windsor, to Britain in May, 1976 (and he would certainly have been aware that the Nazi salute is identical to the occult sign of the Zelator grade in the Golden Dawn system). Yet he went on, soon after this, to move to a roughhouse Turkish suburb of Berlin, there to kick the white powder, clean up his mind/body, and start a new career in a new town. The artistic transformation between Station to Station and Low was an inner one, not a career move, it happened to Bowie himself, not to Bowie the Actor. In Berlin, the sons of real SS men sorted his head out. In Berlin, he saw neo-nazis beat up Turkish immigrants. In Berlin, low in the aftermath of heavy drugs and Hollywood glamour, he forced himself to live like an everyday person, buying his own groceries. The nightmare of the Thin White Duke faded, chased away by hours of laughter with his new cohort, Eno, the first person Bowie worked with who could keep up with him. He finished Low (another album one could write thousands of words about) and mixed it, as he claims he intended to mix Station To Station, "dry": close, compressed, and with a gate on the snare so vicious that it became the first drum-sound people outside the studio-world actually noticed. What happened to the private cosmology, to the magical Nietzschean? Bowie has lately conceded "a need to vacillate between atheism or a kind of gnosticism". On his 1997 tour, he played, of all things "Quicksand". Think on, secret thinkers."

[grundyscribbling]

Musical Acrostic

Tagged by @mythopoeticreality! Yay!

G - Good Life, OneRepublic

R - Rise Up, Andra Day

U - Unsteady, X Ambassadors

N - Nintendo, Todd Carey

D - Dancing With Myself, Billy Idol (Honorable mention: Drunken Lullabies, Flogging Molly

Y - You Can’t Always Get What You Want, Rolling Stones (Honorable Mention: You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, Thurl Ravenscroft, and You Want It Darker, Leonard Cohen)

S - Shut Up and Dance, Walk The Moon (Honorable mention: Sixteen Tons, Ernie Ford and Sabotage, Beastie Boys, and Seven Devils, Florence & The Machine If it doesn’t show, I was kinda put out I only get one S.)

C - Come Together, Aerosmith (Honorable mention: Ces soirees la, Yannick, Chaiyya Chaiyya Bollywood Joint, Punjabi MC)

R - Requiem, Mozart (Honorable Mention: Ruby Soho, Rancid, Raise Your Glass, P!nk)

I  - Into The West, Howard Shore/Annie Lennox (I had to get at least one soundtrack song in here!)

B - Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen

B - Born In the USA, Bruce Springsteen

L - Livin On A Prayer, Bon Jovi (Honorable Mention: Little Talks, Of Monsters and Men, and Love Don’t Die, The Fray)

I - I Bet My Life, Imagine Dragons

N - Name, Goo Goo Dolls

G - Galileo, Indigo Girls

If there were rules on how many people we were meant to tag, I didn’t see them, so I tag @alystraea, @joyfullynervouscreator, @cycas, @thefightingurukhai, @lightofthetrees, @lordnelson100, and @independence1776

I admit I am slightly evil kinda curious to see what the folks with numbers in their handles come up with. 

[willinspire4food]

Furnace Boy

What follows I know to be true.

Some prequel, I have worked in hospice care for eleven years.  Longer by far than most of my colleagues.  I take care of the forgotten, the alone, the abandoned.  I have changed bedpans, cleaned bed sores, fed and bathed patients.  I have been spat upon and worse, hit and bite and worse.  I have seen minds fade away, bodies wither, I have held hands with the dead.  I have cried in my car and nearly quit a hundred times.  But I have stayed on because between dosing medicine and changing soiled sheets my main job is to listen.  

To hear the stories of lives that history will not remember, stories that children and loved ones never hear.  In their last years my patients just want to be heard, to have an ear for all the secrets they fear to carry to the grave.  None will haunt me more than the story of Edward Jonathan Ravenscroft.  

Edward was born in 1932, came to us in 2010.  He was an angel of a patient.  Mobile enough to reach the bathroom nine times out of ten, old world polite, and still had his wits.  I was understandably surprised to learn that this was the seventeenth home he’d been in.  He had the money to live somewhere far better than my facility where the fruit came canned and the jello only in green.  I became his sole provider, the other nurses and attendees avoided him, taking on more of my responsibilities so they wouldn’t have to deal with him.  I didn’t know why, none of them seemed able to articulate why themselves.  I guess they sensed something I didn’t.  

In 2015 his health took a bad turn and by August he was gone.  On his last night, his Swan Song, he told me this tale.  

It was 1940.  Churchill was Prime Minister, ruling from tunnels underground, and the Germans were winning.  The Blitzkrieg was slowly demolishing London while the English kept calm and carried on, working by day in buildings with shattered windows and missing walls and taking refuge in subways at night.  

Edward’s father worked in the war office and died fighting the good fight, executed by a Nazi bullet.  His brother, older than him by a decade, had done as all other boys his age and joined the army; he never made it out of Dunkirk.  His mother, a seamstress, would spend the war putting her needlework to use in mud crusted field hospitals.  She would return home only to drown in drink a year later.

Edward went north to live with his Aunt Lydia at the Ravenscroft School for Boys.  In his picture, the last his mother would ever take of him, he’s a boy of ten.  Small for his age, thin blond hair with shy eyes, dressed in his Sunday’s best for the train ride north.  

In her picture Lydia Ravenscroft is a tall dark woman, with the severe face of a widow determined to carry on after the loss of her only love and child.  She’d established the school in the quiet years when people still thought the Great War was going to be the last.  She stands before her school, once the Ravenscroft Manner.  A sprawling three story Victorian building doomed to be devoured by climbing ivy.  It looked like a castle to me.  Built by Edward’s grandfather who made a fortune in spice and tea trade from India before two bad marriages wrought every last penny out of him.  

Edward was not the only boy to be evacuated there.  The school was packed to capacity, housing an hundred and fifty-two boys when the previous year only seventy-six had filled its halls.  A hundred and fifty-two boys to be managed by Lydia Ravenscroft, one nurse, one cook, and seven matrons.  The poor women never stood a chance.  Lydia was strict, enacting a precise schedule and severe punishment.  A whipping might have been suitable deterrence for the boys born with silver spoons but many of these children had lived in London and fell beneath their father’s belt most nights.  It did not take long for these boys to find outlet for the anger and fear in harassing Edward, the only child upon which Lydia showed favor.

This was how Edward me Furnace Boy.

[crazyhermitdm]

3000 Followers!

So the current campaign I’m DMing has been a fun one so far. This is my fourth full campaign and my first one for 5th Edition. (I’ve done like 4 more minor ones that fizzled out) Since I’m really enjoying this campaign and this page just hit 3000 followers! I figured I’d share the premise and the PC’s that play in it. First off the premise for it is something I’ve been playing around with running for years now but I was always hesitant because I don’t think it fit the role-play style of my original play group . Basically the ‘players’ at my table have been magically transfered into their player characters by ‘me’ the DM and they have to figure out a way to get back home while having to deal sharing a mind with their PC and dealing with the characters past dealings that they have no memory of. I borrowed from several sources to develop this idea. I straight stole the premise from The Guardian of the Flames book series, than continued to borrow ideas from the Wizard of Oz, Quantum Leap, Land of the Last, The Sword of Truth Book Series, Doctor Who, Tron: Legacy as well a number of other sources. I’m using my own custom campaign setting which I was developing already from the novel I’ve been writing off and on for years but with that on hold for now I figured I’d take advantage of my dnd group to flesh out my world more and develop it more than I ever could. Anyways here’s our starring line up.

Amelia Ravenscroft (Ava) - Imagine Khalessi from Game of Thrones meets the Evil Queen from Once Upon a Time and that is Amelia. She’s the 'Evil’ Queen whose also a human draconic sorceress from the Southern Isle of Thelum who narrowly escaped being executed and ran from her kingdom after her niece Joandanna Ravenscroft usurped her and took the throne. Not being able to claim her throne Amelia/Ava being 'their’ fiery self’s have made the best of a bad situation, with a foggy memory of things of things back home both have agreed to work together instead of against one another to help Amelia take her throne while searching for a way home. 

So far she’s managed to acquire her father’s former knight Walter who is fiercely loyal to her and has already proven he’d kill without question at just the whim of her order. Mingled with the nobles of different towns and has recently started a small rebellion in Alexandria, the largest city on the continent after it became apparent that she wasn’t going to be able to get the return in fealty from the ruler of the city that her father once gave in a war that happened in decades before.

Azazel Ebonnova (Daven) - Being our Satyr Bard Azazel is literally the Swiss army knife of skill checks to our group. Much of his childhood is shrouded in mystery still and the transfer of essences has made their memory a bit foggy. Piece by piece though their memories have been coming back especially as the in game version of Daven realizes that in the land their in no one has heard or seen of a Satyr causing both to assume they’re the only Satyr in existence.

Azazel/Daven have had some unique encounters though in their shared time. Azazel is wanted by a hobgoblin tribe known as the horned riders for skipping out on the wedding of the tribal chiefs daughter because he realized it was gonna be too hard to loot the tribes crown gem on his own, he’s successfully robbed the governess in the first town the group encountered and not only that but after one his many drunken nights, won at gambling against a shephardess and acquired the woman’s daughter as a prize which he is now training to be a wizards apprentice.

Enna Nailo (Rachel) - Being a Half-Elf Thief isn’t easy but it’s something Enna makes look like it is. Being raised by humans of a more lower class Enna has been thieving since she was just a small pointy eared girl. At times she’s let her inner kleptomaniac loose by just going down the streets and helping herself to whatever she can grab off a person. Her biggest accomplishment is stealing a prized greataxe off a minotaurs back without a single person noticing. 

Being Azazels woman is far an easy task as well but Enna/Rachel manage the satyrs often at times large ego and reckless drinking behavior. Even if the goal to get home seems impossible at times the urges she has with her sticky fingers and borderline narcissistic lover keeps her going.

Evette/Alison: The relationship between Evette and Alison is often a tricky one. Since the point of the groups arrival. These two were the only ones to fully integrate as one vessel. While Evette remains in control the genius but rogue Wizard has full access to Alison’s memories. Which caused some tension for Kaid since he’s married to the half whose not in charge.

While she is in full control Evette is often quiet and mysterious. Her motives are unknown and it hard to tell whether or not she’s working with the group or for some personal cause. One thing that is known is time and time again her knowledge of the arcane arts have been indispensable and she wants to see Amelia return to power for the Thelumian bounty from rival wizard Tharkun the Grey can be pardoned.  

Kaid Wither (Brent): Born and raised along the borders of Freelands and the Elven Forest Kaid was raised by his Uncle Kirk in the arts of being a Gunslinger which in this campaign world is the only knowledge that remains of what an Artificer was or use to be. Though things were tricky at first with Evette; things have settled down now as he is now focused on getting home and freeing Alison away from the wizard. 

Being at times the moral voice of the group is probably one of the hardest jobs considering the group is far from beacon of shining light. Since arriving he’s clashed with a number of the members of the party over their decisions and actions and more recently faltered on his own when his uncle and mentor came back into his life and proclaimed that Kaid and the group need to stay out of his and his employers (a Necromancers Guild) way. Racked with guilt over the past and what has transpired between him and his Uncle, Kaid is torn between doing the right thing and stopping his Uncle or letting his past mistakes stayed buried. Either way the newly named 'Elemental Slayer’ has his choices ahead of him.

Nelg 'TwistedLimb" Wahi (Glen): Nelg is big… well big is an understatement for the groups Goliath Eldritch Knight. The hulking Goliath who I’ve teased calling him a giant because he stands over ten feet tall which for a Goliath is huge with their race being an average of eight. Though he isn’t the most graceful of the group Nelg is definitely the most imposing and his shield and axe in hand has stood toe and toe with Scions to Ancient Elementals, Champions to the Arch-Duke of Alexandria and yes even more recently a Mummy Lord

Since 'Glen’ has transferred into Nelg’s body the two have have quite a ride together and gotten themselves into a fair bit of trouble as well everything from pinning a dwarf head to a Tavern sign out of anger . For every bad thing he’s done he’s made up for it with something good. Such as saving a young boy from being executed for stealing bread. Nelg is the prophesized one known in prophecy as “The one bonded to the shield” and is foretold to become a great hero as well as figuring out a way to get back home so Glen can see his new baby boy and woman.

[placetobenation]

The Sword in the Stone

Release Date: December 25th, 1963

Inspiration: “The Sword in the Stone” by T.H. White

Budget: $3 million

Domestic Gross: $22.2 million

Worldwide Gross: $22.2 million

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68%

IMDB Score: 7.2/10

Storyline (per IMDB): Arthur (aka Wart) is a young boy who aspires to be a knight’s squire. On a hunting trip he falls in on Merlin, a powerful but amnesiac wizard who has plans for Wart beyond mere squiredom. He starts by trying to give Wart an education (whatever that is), believing that once one has an education, one can go anywhere. Needless to say, it doesn’t quite work out that way.

Pre-Watching Thoughts: We continue on into the 1960s with this film which I can honestly say is one of the films that I have never seen at any point in my life, and it is one of the last ones I haven’t seen until we get to the late 1990s. Obviously, the story of King Arthur is well regarded and is one of the greatest stories of all time, and this film was a very unique take on that that story. We have been on a solid role in terms of the quality of the films and the last two films have held up very well, so we will see if this film matches up to them and keeps the momentum going.

Voice Cast: So going forward, I have decided in order to make things a little more streamlined, I will only put major focus on the actors that voiced a main character or a slightly minor character, and anyone that had very few lines for their character will still get mentioned but as part of a group. I feel like this will put a bit more emphasis on the actors that are more high profile, but we will still make mention as to who is a newcomer and who is returning as we do have a few returns for this film. We have the return of Thurl Ravenscroft who voices the knight Sir Bart, we have James MacDonald who provides the growls from the wolf, and we have two ladies who make their final appearance ever with this film as Barbara Jo Allen voices the Scullery Maid and Martha Wentworth who voices Madam Mim and one of the squirrels. We also have one other actor in Tudor Owen who voices one of the knights in the tournament as this would be his final role as well. When it comes to the new actors, we have an interesting note here as Arthur is voiced by three different actors in Rickie Sorensen, and brothers Richard and Robert Reitherman which is unique especially since at times we hear all three voices at certain times during Arthur’s dialogue. We then have Karl Swenson who voices Merlin in what would be one of his few, if only appearances in an animated film, and then we have Junius Matthews who voices Archimedes the owl as he would become a regular in a future series. We then have Sebastian Cabot who voices Sir Ector as he would also make a few more appearances after this, and then we have Norman Aiden who voices Sir Kay as his career was really just getting started. We then have Alan Napier who voices Sir Pellinore as he was about to start winding down his career, and finally we have Ginny Tyler providing the sounds for the female squirrel. It was nice not having a large cast as we had back in the last film as it gives more actors a chance to shine and we will see if they keep with this pattern or if they go back to having a large cast.

Hero/Prince: N/A

Princess: N/A

Villain: Amazingly enough for a film that doesn’t really have a hero, prince, or a princess, we do actually have a villain here even though I would characterize her more as a nuisance as opposed to an actual villain. I of course am referring to the witch Madam Mim who is Merlin’s main adversary, and Arthur encounters her for the first time when while he is a bird flies into her house. She tries to get him to follow her teachings until Merlin arrives and they have a duel where they transform into numerous creatures, and Merlin ultimately wins after becoming a germ and infecting Mim with an illness. As I mentioned, Mim is not so much a villain as she is more a nuisance especially to Merlin and he ends up outdueling her despite her cheating, and thus she does rank pretty high in terms of the Disney villains especially considering who she has had to follow recently in Maleficent and Cruella De Vil.

Other Characters: Unlike the previous film which had a lot of characters to keep track of, this one is pretty straight forward as most of the film was focused on a handful of characters with the rest mainly in the background. Of course, we have the main character of the film which is not really Arthur, but rather Merlin the Wizard who tries to teach Arthur that there is more value in being smart than being strong and he drives this home throughout the film to the point that he even leaves for 20th century Bermuda when he feels shut out by Arthur. Speaking of Arthur or Wart as he is referred to, he is taught by Merlin while trying to please his foster father and he ultimately pulls the sword out of the stone which earns him the right to be King of England. We then have Merlin’s talking owl Archimedes who assists him in training Arthur though he nearly eats Arthur while he is a fish, and he stays by Arthur’s side when Merlin leaves and he is there when Arthur pulls the sword out of the stone. We then have Sir Ector and Sir Kay who are Arthur’s adoptive family and they don’t treat him well with Kay in particular being mean to him, but they are quickly repentant when Arthur pulls the sword out and is declared King. We then have a few other minor characters like Sir Pellinore who tells Ector about the tournament to crown a new king, and then there is the wolf that stalks Arthur for most of the film until the female squirrel causes him to get jammed in a log and fall into a river, and finally the Scullery Maid who reveals that Merlin is training Arthur much to Ector’s chagrin. While the majority of the film was focused on Merlin, Arthur, and Archimedes, the other characters in the film played their roles well enough to keep the film and the plot moving.

Songs: It’s funny because of all the films that Disney has done, this seemed like the one that would have absolutely no songs in it because they didn’t seem like they would fit. However as one can imagine, only a studio like Disney could figure out a way to add songs to the film which they did as we have quite a number of songs here though they aren’t too long. The first is the title song “The Sword in the Stone” which is heard during the prologue as it set the story well enough, and then we have Merlin’s song “Higitus Figitus” which he sings while he’s clearing out his home and it is fun enough for how long it is. We then have “That’s What Makes the World Goes Round” that Merlin and Arthur sing while they are fish as Merlin tells Arthur about physics, and then Merlin sings “A Most Befuddling Thing” when Arthur is pursued by the female squirrel. We finally have “Mad Madam Mim” which Mim sings when describing herself to Arthur which again is just fine, but nothing too standout which pretty much sums up everything about this film. I should quickly mention we also had the last verse of the song “Blue Oak Tree” which was supposed to be longer, but was ultimately cut from the final version of the film.  As mentioned, the songs were perfectly fine for the film though there was nothing that could stand up to some of the more popular songs in the Disney canon.

Plot: The story of King Arthur is one of the most popular stories in English history and most of the films that are made about him are when he is an adult and King, but there aren’t many that focus on his youth and what eventually led to him becoming King. In fact, this was the first film to focus on Arthur’s youth and the leading up to him pulling the sword from the stone, and it is an interesting tale of Arthur being trained by Merlin the wizard for a bigger purpose than that of a squire. Merlin goes to the lengths of turning Arthur into various animals as a means of learning different subjects, but Arthur is torn between that and being a squire leading Merlin to leave him. Arthur goes with Ector and Kay to London for the tournament and after realizing Kay didn’t have his sword, he finds the sword in the stone and pulls it out without realizing that it was the prophesied sword and he was now the rightful King of England as Merlin returns to be by his side. It is pretty interesting that we haven’t seen another film adaptation of Arthur as a boy and they focus more on his time as King, and we will see if we ever see another adaptation of this mythical story.

Random Watching Thoughts: It does feel a bit strange having someone like Walt Disney do an adaptation of King Arthur especially in the opening credits as the music has a real jazz feeling which doesn’t seem to fit an old English tale; Back to the story book intro though this is the first time the intro is done in song; It is a bit misleading that it is called “The Sword in the Stone” when the sword is actually in an anvil embedded into a stone; So if England had been without a king for so long, wouldn’t there be someone to serve as a stand in until someone pulled the sword out?; I wonder if having the gift of seeing into the future is more of a blessing or a curse for Merlin; I would like to know when Archimedes gained the ability to speak; Given how far animation has come since Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, this film looks like it was straight out of the 1930s and not the 1960s; What did Arthur do to deserve a nickname like “Wart”?; Listening to Kay speak, he sounds more Australian than British and meanwhile Arthur sounds American which is pretty blasphemous; Not only does Archimedes talk, he drinks tea; Can you imagine Merlin going into the future, seeing all of these inventions, and then coming back to this time and trying to explain them to people? They would think that he is completely mad; Merlin needs to watch his sugar intake if that pot keeps dumping more sugar into his tea; I can only imagine what the actor voicing Merlin could’ve been thinking seeing some of the random words he would have to say and sing; That wolf is so determined to get at Arthur no matter the obstacle in his path; Ector seems like he does care about Arthur, but yet he has him work in the kitchen like a slave; Nothing worse in the world than a “wizard blizzard”; Merlin did a hell of a job to get all of his stuff crammed in that small tower; You figured one of those days that tower would collapse when the drawbridge slammed down onto the ground; Merlin’s threat to Archimedes is to turn him into a human, he already talks and enjoys tea so he’s not far off; All these years of doing the tournament and now they decide to have the winner be the King of England; Kay has to be one of the worst knights ever if he can get knocked off his horse by a mechanical knight staying in one place; Merlin tells Arthur that magic won’t solve all his problems yet he plans to cheat if he wants to convince Arthur to learn under him; It is interesting that Merlin would turn himself and Arthur into a fish to learn about physics; So Merlin tells Arthur not to trust in fate and only he can decide how far he’ll go, but if Merlin can see into the future doesn’t he already know that Arthur will be king or is he just playing it up so Arthur can prove himself?; Didn’t Arthur at any point think about trying to free Merlin from the helmet?; I never knew that owls could last in water as long as Archimedes did; Merlin was so fixated on taking out the big fish that he almost forgot to turn Arthur back into a human; So not only did Arthur’s voice change drastically when he was telling Ector and Kay about being a fish, but the dialogue was not matching the animation of his mouth as well; I can’t believe they couldn’t have done a better job in figuring out how to handle having three people voice Arthur at the right times; How many people actually live in this castle that they can have that many dirty dishes?; I feel like the animators were inspired by Sleeping Beauty to have Merlin use his magic to have the dishes cleaned; It is funny that even as an animal, Merlin keeps his glasses and mustache; Again, an interesting choice of animal to learn about gravity with squirrels; That female squirrel was immediately smitten with Arthur; So not only is Arthur learning about gravity, he is also learning about love while being a squirrel; Merlin was having so much fun when the female squirrel was chasing Arthur, but didn’t like it so much when it was happening to him; That female squirrel showed no fear in saving Arthur from the wolf; Arthur was so quick to be transformed back into a human, but after he was he then felt bad for the squirrel knowing she lost her true love; If Ector thinks that dishes cleaning themselves is black magic, I can’t imagine how he would react to real black magic; Those are some strong pans if they can shatter a sword like that; Ector says that Hobbs is going to be Kay’s new squire and the audience watching is thinking, “Who’s Hobbs?”; “New World to be Discovered in 1492”; Archimedes did make some pretty good points and Merlin is so frustrated that he makes Archimedes Arthur’s new teacher; Arthur is pretty good at writing considering he doesn’t know how to write; Merlin’s beard is quite strong as it has been through a lot this whole film; Archimedes was so against having Arthur around yet he has no problem showing him how to fly; Is that solitaire that Mim is playing?; It is always funny that they have to have an evil equivalent to someone good as we have Mim to counter Merlin; So the knights have jousting while Merlin and Mim have a Wizard’s Duel; That is quite the array of animals that they change into and yet Merlin is able to win by becoming a germ and infecting Mim with a disease; I wouldn’t think sunshine would be the best thing for Mim if she is covered in spots; The maid tells Ector that Hobbs has come down with the mumps and once again the audience watching asks “Who’s Hobbs?”; Arthur was so willing to learn from Merlin yet he threw it all away when he was given his squire position back; Merlin says “Blow me to Bermuda” as an insult and yet he is actually blown not only to Bermuda, but Bermuda in the 20th century as we would find out; Considering that the sword in the stone was covered in vines by one point, are we to believe that someone has been keeping it clean in case someone pulls it out?; Ector points to where the inscription is on the sword yet nothing is there in the shot; They put the sword back into the anvil with ease only for it to become impossible to pull out again until Arthur does it; Ector was quite forgiving to Arthur upon learning he was now King; England finally has a King after so long and Arthur wants to run away; That was a quick return for Merlin after Arthur just called his name out; If Merlin thinks the 20th century is a mess, he better thank his lucky stars he didn’t go to the 21st century; “King Arthur and his Knights of the Square Table” just doesn’t seem right, it’s a good thing the table was round; So Merlin’s description of motion pictures is it is like television without the commercials.

Overall Thoughts: Overall, the film was about as average as you could get as it was fine as a film, but it wasn’t anything too good and it was a major step down from the last few films that had come out. It is a bit sad in a way that this would be the last film released while Walt Disney was still alive, but there wasn’t anything they could do about it as I’m sure they thought Walt would still be around until at least a little while longer. As I mentioned, the film looked like it was completely out of date in terms of the animations which was strange considering how far they had come, but in a way I guess it worked out given the subject matter. After starting the decade fairly strong, this was a big step in the wrong direction and hopefully the next film would be able to turn things back around to close out the decade. As for this film, it was a pretty basic film that wasn’t bad, but wasn’t good either and it pretty much could just be described as average.

Final Grade: 5/10

[bountyofbeads]

Jeffrey Epstein Is the Ultimate Symbol of Plutocratic Rot https://nyti.ms/2LKqTY8

"Women have no value. Girls even less. They exist to be exploited by despicable old men. We live in the same world we always have, women are a commodity to be bought, sold, traded and used until you are tired of them. Look at our entertainment. Look at our advertising."

MJ, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE

Ms. Goldberg points out that Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance Jr. inexplicably asked a judge to reduce Epstein's sex offender status from the most to the least serious, a suggestion that the judge fortunately rejected. This is not the first time that Vance has protected the rich and powerful. in 2012, he ordered his prosecutors to drop a fraud investigation of Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. for misleading potential condo buyers. In 2015, he chose not to prosecute Harvey Weinstein despite considerable evidence that he groped a woman without her consent. One of Weinstein's defense attorneys was Vance's former law partner who had donated to Vance's election campaign. It's time for Vance to go. BRUCE A, BROOKLYN NY

"Let’s hear it for Julie K Brown … and Jim DeRogatis … and all the other journalists who care more about the common man than they do the plutocrat, the girls being exploited over the cool bros who can afford private jets from Paris, living on money they earned by actually working over favoritism and nepotism. People: Pay the paywall. Buy the paper. Subscribe to the magazine. Except, now, for Vanity Fair. Or, be a part of the problem."

ANGELA RAVENSCROFT, LOS ANGELES

"“He’s sensitive about the young women.” This makes me livid. Yet again - one powerful man protects another powerful man, and all at the expense of the lives, and emotional and physical well-being of girls. It just shows that we NEED more women writing, editing, and reporting...only then will these stories get the attention" LAURA, NYC

"It is so hard not to be a conspiracy theorist when it comes to this reality show government. Bill Barr's dad, the thirteen year old who accused both Epstein and Trump of rape and then, suddenly, dropped the charges, the disregard for the victims, the blanket pardon of Epstein's co-conspirators, the elevation of Acosta to a cabinet position, the people above Acosta who would have had to sign off on this extra-legal deal and, above all, the damaging evidence that would account for all the schizophrenic actions and reactions of the main players. Evidence of pedophilia or rape may not bring down our form of government but it remains the surest form of blackmail."

RICK GAGE, MT DORA

"In our society powerful men never pay a price for abusing women. And nearly half of our citizens believe this is as it should be. They voted for Trump after they heard him proudly boast of sexual assault, and they are poised to give him a second term. So let's have a thought experiment. Suppose Epstein has "the goods" on Trump and offers to spill the beans in order to receive a more lenient sentence. (As an attorney, I suspect the case against him is supported by a wealth of evidence, or it wouldn't have been brought.) And let's assume that Epstein will definitely face charges that may not be pardoned by Trump, because they are state criminal charges. So Epstein has a powerful incentive to either plea, or argue for a vastly reduced sentence. So he provides state prosecutors ample evidence of Trump's criminal acts (state crimes) regarding women, including underage women. A woman is already proceeding with a claim that Trump sexually assaulted her when she was 13 years old (and she alleges that this assault took place in Epstein's apartment). But prosecutors are powerless to proceed against Trump, while the statute of limitations is ticking. Trump's voters could care less whether he has raped women, and with the assistance of the Electoral College, elect him again in 2020. They continue to ignore the wealth of evidence of his crimes against women. This scenario is quite possible. And it shows how far nearly half of our citizens have fallen."

DB COOPER, PORTLAND OR

“Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me." F. Scott Fitzgerald How true, perhaps even more so today. And it underscores why so many people are fed up with the "system", so fed up that they voted for a man most knew to be so corrupt and unfit for the job, they voted for him hoping that he would break that system. When it came to the Great Bail Out, who was served? The very rich. Not the average American who lost their savings, pensions, homes, jobs, because of the outright illegal activity of these very rich. But none at the top went to jail. And this is why there is a groundswell of support for candidates like Bernie and Liz who are running on a platform opposed to this wealth and power. And when I say "wealth and power", it cannot possibly convey how much power is being wielded, not only in the halls of government at all levels, but in the media and all other businesses that affect our lives. We are, by every measure, living in a plutocracy, not a democracy, and it's these "different" people, who live beyond the law that applies to the rest of us that are pulling the strings. But the scales are being peeled from our eyes, and people are realizing what has been happening. If they can't change it at the ballot box soon, they may turn to harsher remedies, like an American Spring." KINGFISH52, ROCKY MOUNTAINS

"There should be no mystery why he was handled with such leniency..his friends were rich, or powerful, or both and they all benefitted from the pain he caused his teenage victims. These are the guys in charge of big companies and/or working in government, heads of state.. each and every one of the people involved with this benefited from secrecy and sealed documents, and withholding details from their victims. And with all those important connections, who exactly is going to take him down, who would want to? This sets the tone for what's considered acceptable.. and we have in the USA much violence against women, many femicides, untested rape kits, health care stripped from us, even though we bear the next generation.. there is lip service given to women's rights, and handwringing over the status/safety of women abroad...with no reflection upon our status/safety right here." ELLEN, WILLIAMSBURG VA

Jeffrey Epstein Is the Ultimate Symbol of Plutocratic Rot

Powerful elites enabled the financier accused of trafficking underage girls.

By Michelle Goldberg, Opinion Columnist | Published July 8, 2019 | New York Times | Posted July 9, 2019 |

In 2003, the journalist Vicky Ward profiled Jeffrey Epstein, the financier indicted Monday on charges of sexually abusing and trafficking underage girls, for Vanity Fair. Her piece painted him as an enigmatic Jay Gatsby type, a boy from a middle-class family in Brooklyn who had scaled the rungs of the plutocracy, though no one could quite figure out how he made his money. It detailed dubious business dealings and mentioned that Epstein often had lots of beautiful young women around. But it left out Ward’s most important finding.

Twelve years later, in The Daily Beast, Ward wrote about how, in the course of her reporting, two sisters allegedly preyed upon by Epstein, as well as their mother, had spoken to her on the record. But shortly before the story went to press, Ward wrote, the Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter cut that section, saying, of Epstein, “He’s sensitive about the young women.” (In a statement on Monday, Carter said Ward’s reporting hadn’t been solid enough.)

Over the last couple of months, Ward told me, she’s started going through transcripts of the interviews about Epstein she did more than 16 years ago. “What is so amazing to me is how his entire social circle knew about this and just blithely overlooked it,” she said of his penchant for adolescents. While praising his charm, brilliance and generous donations to Harvard, those she spoke to, she said, “all mentioned the girls, as an aside.”

On Saturday evening, more than a decade after receiving a sweetheart plea deal in an earlier sex crime case, Epstein was arrested after getting off a private flight from Paris. He has been accused of exploiting and abusing “dozens” of minor girls, some as young as 14, and conspiring with others to traffic them. Epstein’s arrest was the rare event that gratified right and left alike, both because it seemed that justice might finally be done, and because each side has reason to believe that if Epstein goes down, he could bring some of its enemies with him.

Both sides are likely right. The Epstein case is first and foremost about the casual victimization of vulnerable girls. But it is also a political scandal, if not a partisan one. It reveals a deep corruption among mostly male elites across parties, and the way the very rich can often purchase impunity for even the most loathsome of crimes. If it were fiction, it would be both too sordid and too on-the-nose to be believable, like a season of “True Detective” penned by a doctrinaire Marxist.

[Listen to “The Argument” podcast every Thursday morning, with Ross Douthat, Michelle Goldberg and David Leonhardt.]

Epstein socialized with Donald Trump, who in 2002 described him to New York Magazine as a “terrific guy” whom he’d known for 15 years. “It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side,” said the future president. In 2000, a porter who worked next door to Epstein’s Manhattan home told a British newspaper, admiringly, “I often see Donald Trump and there are loads of models coming and going, mostly at night. It’s amazing.”

Epstein also hung out with Bill Clinton, who rode on his jet several times. Ghislaine Maxwell, a close companion of Epstein who has been accused of working as his procurer, attended Chelsea Clinton’s wedding in 2010, long after Epstein’s exposure. Following his arrest on Saturday, Christine Pelosi, daughter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, tweeted, “It is quite likely that some of our faves are implicated but we must follow the facts and let the chips fall where they may.”

Among the mysteries of the Epstein case are why powerful prosecutors of both parties treated him with such leniency. Alexander Acosta, now Trump’s labor secretary, was the federal attorney who oversaw the deal Epstein received in 2008.Though facing potential federal charges that could have put him away for life, Epstein was allowed to plead to minor state charges instead, an arrangement that was kept secret from his victims. He served 13 months in a county jail, where he got to spend six days a week in his office on work-release. In February, a judge ruled that Acosta’s team’s handling of the case violated the Crime Victims’ Rights Act. (Naturally, Acosta still has his job.)

After Epstein served his time, he had to register as a sex offender. Inexplicably, the Manhattan district attorney’s office, under Democrat Cyrus Vance Jr., asked a judge to downgrade Epstein’s sex offender status from Level 3, the most serious, to Level 1, the least. The judge, stunned, refused. “I am a little overwhelmed because I have never seen a prosecutor’s office do anything like this,” she said.

In a detention memo submitted on Monday, federal prosecutors outlined some of the evidence seized from a search of Epstein’s house on Saturday night. It included hundreds — possibly thousands — of sexually suggestive photographs of girls who appear underage, as well as hand-labeled compact discs with titles like “Girl pics nude,” and, with the names redacted, “Young [Name] + [Name].”

It seems, at first, astonishingly reckless for Epstein not just to allegedly keep such material, but to keep it in Manhattan, instead of, say, on his private Caribbean island. Maybe, however, it’s simply a sign of how protected he felt. “In my mind there has always been this huge question mark: What is Jeffrey Epstein’s leverage?” Ward said. If we find out, we’ll know just how rotten our rulers really are.

[somekindamushroom]

AMANITA DERIVATIVES: A NEW TREATMENT FOR DEMENTIA? - PART IX

It is ironic that most established medical practitioners still regard homeopathy as being a fringe or 'alternative' medicine, when scientists at the cutting edge of molecular biology tell us of substances like carcinogens which may be life-threatening even when present in only a few parts per billion. If it is possible for just one or two pesky molecules to wreak havoc among a billion other molecules in a biological system, then a homeopathic remedy with only a few potentized (supercharged?) molecules remaining may be just the thing to fight them.

As far as science is concerned, reason dictates that once the active molecules are gone, they're gone. If microscopic analysis of a solution shows no trace of the active material remaining, so all one sees is solvent; that would have to be the cut-off point from a scientific perspective. To potentize a remedy any further demands a metaphysical explanation, which is no longer in the realm of science. Yet physicists talk of ghost-like particles called antimatter and present such hypotheses as established fact; while Richard Dawkins thinks that molecular biologists may yet find the signature of an intelligent designer (extraterrestrials) on self-replicating molecules or DNA - the assumed source of all life on earth. It looks like we've only two choices here: evolutionism or Creationism. If you choose the latter, you assign this DNA life force to a supernatural entity, a God. If you choose the former, you're stuck with the Dawkins paradox, trying to explain the existence of a something from another something because, as a scientist, you cannot say that something can come from nothing.

Yet homeopaths dilute an active substance to the point of apparent non-existence or nothingness and claim that some kind of metaphysical imprint has been left from the active substance (the something) on the remaining solvent (the nothing) making it also biologically active.        

Maybe there's nothing metaphysical about it. In 1988, the French immunologist, Jacques Benveniste, caused an international stir when he diluted immunoglobulin antibodies from plasma cells in water and found that, once all trace of antibody was removed via a succession of higher and higher dilutions, the water remained biologically active. He later asserted that this water “memory” could be digitized and processed further, then inserted into another water sample which would retain the same biological activity as the first sample; a transfer of cellular memory. Though he had no interest in homeopathy, Benveniste had in effect discovered the ghost.    

Against his startling discovery, recent scientific studies have shown that while the hydrogen bonds in water do retain memories of any substances mixed in them, the memories are extremely short-term. Hydrogen molecules appear to suffer from severe Alzheimer's. Memory loss in hydrogen bonds has been measured as occurring in a fraction of a microsecond. Suffice to say, a lot of people weren't happy about Benveniste's work and have sought to debunk him. It appears we are now at a stage where homeopathy has been let off the hook and the scientists are fighting among themselves over whether or not ghost molecules really exist!

My personal take on potentization is to align with the purists, who stress the pathology of homeopathy, against the pragmatists, who stress 'supermolecules', 'vital force', and 'water memory' as acts of faith. In fact, while most over-the-counter homeopathic remedies may contain nothing but water or alcohol, many practising homeopathic doctors, especially in Europe, prefer lower X potencies to higher C potencies. Still, a lot of people swear by the latter. If the 30C potency works, then some fundamental questions we thought we had the answers for, remain mysteries. Textbooks on molecular biology would need major revision. Our ideas about matter would be thrown into chaos.

Dr. Hahnemann's earlier practice, from around 1790 up to the early-1800s, only involved potencies up to a maximum 3C, or one part per million. Based on what we're told about the power of mutagenic molecules to cause severe illness on a scale of parts-per-billion, Hahnemann's early work was well within the boundaries of scientific acceptability today. A 3C remedy contains 1000ppb, while a 4C contains 10ppb. Anything higher than 4C or its equivalent 8X is bound to arouse skepticism. It's also worth noting that Dr. Hahnemann's experiments and trials involved “proving” many highly-toxic plant alkaloids or extracts, including those from the Fly Agaric. These chemicals are very complex. They possess some very potent molecules. Heavy dilution is necessary in order to diminish their toxicity to the point where they become purely medicinal. Only the dose makes the poison, and what is a good dose for one type of person is not necessarily a good dose for another type of person.  

The first-generation homeopaths were men of medicine who already knew both the toxicity of their sources, as well as the symptoms of many diseases, before they took up homeopathy. They spent years in clinical study testing known toxic substances at different dilutions on healthy people on a case-by-case basis, often family and friends, carefully recording symptoms all along; then squaring these symptoms up with the symptoms they'd seen in unhealthy people - like cures like. Some of the chemicals hidden within the toxins produce very specific symptoms, yet the existence of these chemicals was unknown at the time. Nevertheless, the homeopaths were able to detect the symptoms induced by the hidden chemicals at different dilutions and could target them against very similar symptoms they observed in neurological and other diseases.

The diglyceride 1,3-Diolein, a fatty acid and minor chemical produced by the Fly Agaric, is a good example.

The name 'Fly Agaric' is said by most sources to derive from its ancient use as a fly-killer. It was first mentioned in this regard by the German alchemist Saint Albert the Great (Albertus Magnus) in 1256. Indeed, it was used for this purpose throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere (the mushroom never grew south of the equator). The cap was cut into pieces and put in a bowl of milk to attract flies, which become intoxicated before apparently dying on the spot; only, they do not die. They merely go into a deep, deep sleep due to the effect of THIP/gaboxadol. It is a death-like sleep, so the flies appear dead to an observer. If you take a few of these 'dead' flies and keep them in a jar for a day or two they'll soon be buzzing again.

Best known as the processed food emulsifier E471 (check your ice cream, cakes, chewing gum, sweets and 100s of other foods and beverages) 1-3-Diolein is a chemical found in and on the cap/surface of the Fly Agaric that the mushroom uses to attract insects. While nowhere near as potent as the orgasm-inducing gleba produced on the helmet of Phallus impudicus (Stinkhorn), it does its job. Flies congregate (attracted by 1,3-Diolein), they get intoxicated (by other chemicals), they copulate, the females lay eggs, and most of the mushroom becomes infested with maggots. Meanwhile, an opportunistic frog or toad might come along for a free meal. What exactly the mushroom is getting out of all this activity is not fully understood. I've counted 100s of maggots in a single Fly Agaric mushroom that had the yellow stuff under the cap, and boy can those maggots jump! There seems to be more to this relationship than just a trade-off between the fungus and the flies for the purposes of spore dispersal.

Some of the more common symptoms of Fly Agaric intoxication are: sweating buckets (literally), a constant flow of saliva (making it hard to avoid throwing up), excessive lacrimation (tear flow), and, in women, excessive lactation. Each of these symptoms may be pin-pointed to one or more of the chemicals in the mushroom. The tear flow appears to be the result of 1,3-Diolein because in chemical form it's chief hazard is as an eye irritant. The early homeopaths noted this symptom, so when a patient was presented to them with a set of symptoms including watery eyes, and if a number of those symptoms corresponded to the effects of Fly Agaric intoxication, then Agaricus Muscarius would be indicated as an appropriate remedy.

Perhaps the best thing about this remedy is that, if it does have an application in the treatment of spasmodic-type disorders, not to mention dementia - and there seems to be no good scientific reason to assume otherwise - it is one that can easily be prepared at home. The same goes for many other homeopathic remedies sourced from common weeds, plants and fungi. If all else fails, they are worth a try; or maybe they are worth trying before all else fails and you end up with any one of a huge number of drug-induced disorders you never bargained for. Homeopathic self-care remedy kits may be bought online for a full range of acute conditions ranging from headaches and stomach aches to menstrual cramps and 'emotional upsets'; but since they tend to be at 30C potency, you're relying on 'water memory' for them to do their job.

Incidentally, there is a dark side to homeopathy that few practitioners are aware of. Trevor Ravenscroft's book 'The Spear of Destiny' tells an apocryphal story of how Rudolf Steiner used potentized ashes of rabbit testicles and cast them to the wind across a large German estate to rid the place of rabbits. The randy bucks, sensing apocalypse, scarpered and never returned to the area. Ravenscroft uses this story to give credence to his grotesque fantasy that Himmler, taking his cues from Steiner, used the testicles of Jewish concentration camp inmates in an experiment to hasten the Jewish exodus from German territory. While the latter tale is fiction, the former may be true because Steiner did employ potentized ash for what he called “peppering”, a form of biological pest control. It is a technique still used today as a last resort against weeds, insects, rodents and other pests. It must be used with caution since 'its effect is to eradicate something completely from a treated area', and there may be consequences for surrounding ecosystems, killing the good plants along with the bad etc.