#the sign of four 1983

[grapefruitpasta]

if nobody has mentioned it already, may i add:

The Sign of Four (1983)

because i hardly ever see it mentioned, and it looks quite comfortable. it's also the first result you get when you search up mouse coloured dressing gown. it's not silky but there seems to be some weight to it, as well as a plaid collar and belt. i don't know the first thing about a good dressing gown, but i feel like it deserves a mention

Ranking Sherlock Holmes Adaptations by the Quality of Their Dressing Gowns

First, my qualifications: I'm a flamboyant fashion-forward femme who frequently wears dressing gowns.

Rubric: I am scoring based on color, pattern, textural intrigue, garment construction, and fit. In cases where there are multiple dressing gowns per adaptation, I picked my favorite one.

#12 The Seven-Percent Solution (1976)

I hate this one. It's so beige, and the corded details + drop waist ultimately make it look like a monk's tunic. The only redeeming value I can find in this is the slight angled detail with the cording on the sleeves.

#11 Mr. Holmes (2015)

Similar to the last robe with some slight improvements. For one, it has pockets! The pockets have a corded decorative applique, and if you zoom in on a higher-def image you can see that the fabric has an interesting textured weave. I could definitely see it styled well. This robe is ugly, too thin to keep him warm, and fits worse than a burlap sack, but this Holmes is retired and deserves to put comfort and practicality first.

#10 Granada (1984)

This dressing gown is BAD!!! Before you accuse me of being biased against mouse-colored dressing gowns (I am) let me assure you that color is not my only issue with this dressing gown. It commits the ultimate fashion sin- boring. The texture looks decidedly un-cozy. I even hate the construction! There's no belt, or even belt loops, and the pocket is sewn onto the outside of the gown! Nothing wrong with patch pockets per se, but on this robe it looks shabby. This is made all the more painful by the fact that Watson wears multiple colorful and well-textured dressing gowns in this show. I love Granada, but I can't excuse this.

#9 Cushing Holmes (1968)

I really wish I liked this dressing gown more, because I think that Cushing is one of the best-dressed Holmeses we've ever seen. But I simply cannot get behind this. I applaud the bold use of color and how on theme this gown is for The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, but the red cording and blue looks odd together. In other shots, you can see buttons, but I think a dressing gown should have a nice belt, and I think the buttons are just a bit too formal for what should be a comfortable piece. I love that this is a Holmes who's willing to take a fashion risk, but in this case it did not pay off. 

#8 Soviet Holmes (1979)

While this dressing gown is boring, the fabric looks nice and heavy, perfect for curling up cozily in front of the fire on a cold night. Contrary to the Granada plain brown dressing gown, this one has a belt and pockets sewn into the gown. There’s nothing interesting about this gown, but it isn't offensive.

#7 Ritchie Holmes (2009)

Agh! This dressing gown is in tatters! As befits action-hero Holmes, I suppose. It might deserve the lowest spot on the list for its condition, but looking beyond that, I really enjoy the colors and the paisley pattern. It reminds me of a nice Persian rug. The hints of blue set off the reds and oranges nicely, and at one point it must have been a very nice robe. I like that the state of the robe tells us something about the personality of the wearer, but points are deducted because the texture looks a tad rough and it's in an unbelievably rough state.

#6 Basil of Baker Street (1986)

Now we're getting to the good stuff! The magenta dressing gown is set off nicely by the black cuffs, collar, and belt. Extra points for styling it with a green cravat, and because it nearly matches Dr. Dawson's vest. Great character design, and it makes Basil look like a snazzy little rodent.

#5 Rathbone Holmes (1939)

It's harder to judge in black and white, but I really like this dressing gown! The fabric looks like a thick cotton velvet, and the cording gives it a lovely contrast. It's distinguished, but it still manages to look comfortable for smoking a pipe next to Watson.

#4 The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970)

Now this is nice! The velvet is very shiny, slightly green, and I love the quilted collar and pocket. However, upon further inspection, it's not quite a dressing gown, but more like a long smoking jacket, for which it loses points. Still, it's the closest he comes to wearing a dressing gown and perfect for this urbane and fashionable Holmes.

#3 Enola Holmes (2020)

Dare I say fabulous? I love the cerulean on this one! The fabric looks like a soft silk, which isn't exactly the warmest, but very comfortable. The pattern on the collar is very intricate as well. It's definitely not the dressing gown I would pick for a classic Holmes, but it suits this untraditional Holmes perfectly.

#2 William Gillette (1899)

For the man who popularized the deerstalker/Inverness combo, he can certainly rock a dressing gown. Definitely the most authentic on the list (this picture was taken in 1916), I love the quilted collar, pockets, and cuffs. The silky fabric and decorative pattern make for a very stylish sleuth. I particularly enjoy the shape of the pockets and cuffs. Points deducted for an awkward fit and the lack of a belt.

#1 Star Trek: The Next Generation (1988)

"But this isn't an adaptation, it's just an episode of Star Trek!" I don't care! It counts in my heart. And Data has my favorite Holmes dressing gown. Let's break it down. This looks like a velvet gown with a classically Victorian damask pattern. The velvet texture contrasts really well with the quilted silk collar. The twisted cord belt even has a tassel at the end! And to top it off, it's fully lined with bright red silk. It looks comfortable for lounging in, the fabric has a nice heft without being stiff, and the aesthetic is perfect. This is, to me, the ultimate Holmes dressing gown.

Let me know which ones I missed and what your favorite dressing gowns are!

[tavolgisvist]

… we always had that thing that our names would go on songs even if we didn’t write them. It was never a legal deal between Paul and me, just an agreement when we were fifteen or sixteen to put both our names on our songs.

(John Lennon, 1980, All We Are Saying by David Sheff)

1969

September, 9

-John, Paul and George held a meeting at Apple

John then addressed the agreement under which he and Paul had worked since 1962, in which any song written by either of them was credited to Lennon-McCartney. They rarely collaborated anymore, and most fans could tell who wrote what. John proposed, with no objection from Paul, that their future songs be published under their individual names. Notably, Lennon made a point of saying that they had to find a way to announce this compositional de-linking in a way that would not lead to “Beatles Splitting” rumors.

(The McCartney Legacy Volume 1. 1969-73 by Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair, 2022)

September, 13 -the Plastic Ono Band’s debut in Toronto

September, 19 -ATV bought shares from the Consortium and reached just under 50% ownership of Northern Songs

September, 20 (16?) -John tells he had decided to leave band

Klein asked John to wait until the contracts were finalized before he started talk that the Beatles were disbanding. But that didn’t keep John from enjoying the satisfaction of telling Paul. Shortly after John’s return from Toronto, he demanded a meeting at Apple. Paul arrived, his usual magnanimous self, full of plans for new Beatles projects. But no matter what Paul suggested, John kept saying, “No, I don’t want to do that,” or “No, I’m not interested.” The discussion finally dissolved into a mean argument, which Paul finally recovered from by launching into one of his Beatle-pep talks, one of those “Toppermost of the Poppermost” things. “When everything is said and done,” he summed up, “we’re still the Beatles, aren’t we?” “Aw fuck,” John said, “I ain’t no Beatle.” Paul wouldn’t hear it. “Of course you are—” “I’m not!” John shouted, “Don’t you understand? It’s over! Over! I want a divorce, just like the divorce I got from Cynthia! Can’t you get it through your bloody head?” The meeting ended shortly after with John rushing down the stairs, Yoko right behind him, shouting, “It’s over! Finished!” Still, John said nothing to the press, and when he and Yoko left Savile Row that afternoon in their white Rolls-Royce, Paul still somehow believed that John would calm down and there would always be the Beatles.

(The Love You Make by Peter Brown, 1983)

Klein persuaded John to remain silent until the EMI deal was ratified by both sides. John’s news was no more welcome to Klein than it was to the other Beatles. But that was not the only reason Klein wanted John to keep mum. He knew that John could be volatile, and he thought there was a chance that John would reconsider once he’d weighed the pros and cons of going it on his own or continuing as a Beatle. But that was only likely to happen if John kept the plan to himself for a while. <…> Klein’s only option was to swear all the Beatles to secrecy for some indeterminate amount of time after the new EMI deal was in effect. The four Beatles signed the EMI contract on September 20, 1969, but it still had to be ratified by EMI. But John added a proviso.

(The McCartney Legacy Volume 1. 1969-73 by Allan Kozinn and Adrian Sinclair, 2022)

'John had made it clear that he wanted to be the one to announce the split,' Linda McCartney explained years later, 'since it was his idea.' 'He wanted to be first,' her husband confirmed. 'But I didn't realise it would hurt him that much or that it mattered who was first.'

(You Never Give Me Your Money. The Beatles: After the Breakup by Peter Doggett, 2009)

September, 25

-ATV increased its shareholding to 54%, effectively controlling Northern Songs -John recorded Cold Turkey

October, 20 -(US) and 25 (UK) - Cold Turkey released as a single, the first song for which John took sole credit, not Lennon-McCartney

October, 22 -Paul had flown from London to Scotland with Linda, Mary and Heather

1970 April, 9

- was published press release 'McCartney' (all songs with sole writing credits to Paul)

Q: "Are you planning a new album or single with the Beatles?" PAUL: "No." Q: "Do you foresee a time when Lennon-McCartney becomes an active songwriting partnership again?" PAUL: "No."

_________

And then a year later, Paul announced it, right? [laughs; bleak] Good ol’… That was a great trick, you know. Because maybe that’s how when he – [very quiet] He felt that’s how he had to do it. So.

(John Lennon, January 1st, 1976, interview with Elliot Mintz)

[thislovintime]

Photo by Bob Willoughby.

“The boys’ suite on the 20th floor [of the Hilton Hotel] was literally cluttered with gifts from fans. There were coloring books, toys, a large homemade cake in the shape of a guitar and, of course, bananas. Peter Tork, ‘Monkee’ guitar player, views the longhairs’ loyal following as a sign of popularity. ‘Before, popularity for me was measured by the amount of money in my basket,’ explained Tork, a former folksinger at a ‘pass-the-hat-house’ in Greenwich Village. […] Dolenz believes the reason for ‘The Monkees’ success is that ‘we are playing ourselves and are natural.’He spoke admirably of his partners in ‘Monkee’ business. ‘We’re really the best of friends,’ he said, ‘of course we’re four distinct personalities and we do have occasional squabbles, but they’re only minor.’ […] Tork, the son of an economics professor at the University of Connecticut, is known to have strong feelings about Vietnam in particular, but he is beginning to realize he is skating on thin ice whenever he makes a statement.” - article by Ed Romanoff, The Washington Reporter, January 5, 1967 “‘I thought that we had no business being in Vietnam, and I said so to the New York Times,’ Tork recalled. ‘I was asked (by Monkees’ management) to retract the statement. I called the Times and did that.’ It was, said Tork, a question of honor; he had signed a contract, and he would abide by its terms.” - We all want to change the world: Rock and politics from Elvis to Eminem (2003) Peter: “Well, they wouldn’t let us criticize the war in Vietnam.” Q: “Really?” Peter: “Really.” Q: “Did you want to?" Peter: “Yup. I actually did, to a New York Times reporter, and they made me, asked me very seriously, very strenuously, to call her and ask her to withhold that section of the interview. And I did, and she did, she was very kind about it. But it was… I look back on it and it seems kind of silly, but I think that the whole point of the project was: don’t make waves. Look like revolutionary, look like something new, but don’t make waves. On the other hand, in the experience of an awful lot of our audience, we were something new. So I can’t knock that.” - NPR, June 1983 (the NPR interview - part 1 & part 2)

[m-a-salter]

Why is Peter Capaldi so hot? Part Four.

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3]

What is sexier than (6-7) personal devotion and (8) correct political opinions? This concluding installment of "Why is Peter Capaldi so hot?" will address what we know of the life and beliefs of Peter Capaldi's public persona.

6. His 40+ year relationship with Elaine Collins

With the caveat that you can never really understand anything about other people's marriages, especially people you don't actually know, everything Peter Capaldi has publicly said about his marriage paints a picture of a lifetime of devotion.

To give one example, in an interview with Larry King he explains that his relationship with his wife was essentially his first relationship, and that he has been in love with her since he was 23 years old (this topic starts around 16:20):

Another anecdote I find particularly compelling is his general reluctance to take off his wedding ring, which led to both Malcolm Tucker and the twelfth Doctor wearing wedding bands.

7. His 60+ year relationship with Doctor Who

I don't mean to suggest that Peter Capaldi's life-long love of Doctor Who is in any way equivalent to his marriage, but I do think they are two elements of a personality that seems (again, from the outside) to be grounded in the joys of long-term commitment.

It is widely known that he was a big fan as a kid:

But there is also plenty of evidence that his love for the show hasn't faded:

8. His lefty politics

It is easy to find photographic evidence of Peter Capaldi at demonstrations for women's rights, climate justice, labor rights, etc. In most long-form interviews, he expresses some form of condemnation of recent Tory governments, advocacy for public services like the BBC and the NHS, and anti-austerity (and sometimes more openly anti-capitalist) ideas.

Take, for example, this article, which includes a discussion of the no-longer-operative social programs that allowed him to go to art school and how all forms of art are harmed when the privileged classes have differential access to arts training:

He's loved Doctor Who since 1963, and shows no signs of stopping. He's loved his wife since 1983, and shows no signs of stopping. He has not allowed his professional success to obscure his vision of the role of class and material deprivation in British society, and he uses his celebrity to advocate for social justice and the public good. Hot.

That is the view from where I sit. Peter Capaldi is hot because of his physical characteristics, his mannerisms, his skills, because the characters he plays are hot, and because all evidence suggests that in real life he is a genuinely nice person. It is a holistic, ineffable feature of his personhood.

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3]

[kemetic-dreams]

House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute as a re-emergence of 1970's disco. It was created by DJs and music producers from Chicago's underground club culture and evolved slowly in the early/mid 1980s, and as DJs began altering disco songs to give them a more mechanical beat. By early 1988, House became mainstream and supplanted the typical 80s music beat

House was created and pioneered by DJs and producers in Chicago such as Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy, Jesse Saunders, Chip E., Joe Smooth, Steve "Silk" Hurley, Farley "Jackmaster" Funk, Marshall Jefferson, Phuture, and others. House music initially expanded internationally, to London, then to other American cities, such as New York City, and ultimately a worldwide phenomenon.

In its most typical form, the genre is characterized by repetitive 4/4rhythms including bass drums, off-beat hi-hats, snare drums, claps, and/or snaps at a tempo of between 120 and 130 beats per minute (bpm); synthesizerriffs; deep basslines; and often, but not necessarily, sung, spoken or sampled vocals. In house, the bass drum is usually sounded on beats one, two, three, and four, and the snare drum, claps, or other higher-pitched percussion on beats two and four. The drum beats in house music are almost always provided by an electronic drum machine, often a Roland TR-808, TR-909, or a TR-707. Claps, shakers, snare drum, or hi-hat sounds are used to add syncopation. One of the signature rhythm riffs, especially in early Chicago house, is built on the clave pattern. Congas and bongos may be added for an African sound, or metallic percussion for a Latin feel

One book from 2009 states the name "house music" originated from a Chicago club called the Warehouse that was open from 1977 to 1982. Clubbers to the Warehouse were primarily African, gay men, who came to dance to music played by the club's resident DJ, Frankie Knuckles, who fans refer to as the "godfather of house". Frankie began the trend of splicing together different records when he found that the records he had were not long enough to satisfy his audience of dancers. After the Warehouse closed in 1983, eventually the crowds went to Knuckles' new club, The Power House, later to be called The Power Plant, and the club was renamed, yet again, into Music Box with Ron Hardy as the resident DJ. The 1986 documentary, "House Music in Chicago", by filmmaker, Phil Ranstrom, captured opening night at The Power House, and stands as the only film or video to capture a young Frankie Knuckles in this early era, right after his departure from The Warehouse. 

In the Channel 4 documentary Pump Up the Volume, Knuckles remarks that the first time he heard the term "house music" was upon seeing "we play house music" on a sign in the window of a bar on Chicago's South Side. One of the people in the car joked, "you know that's the kind of music you play down at the Warehouse!" In self-published statements, South-Side Chicago DJ Leonard "Remix" Rroy claimed he put such a sign in a tavern window because it was where he played music that one might find in one's home; in his case, it referred to his mother's soul and disco records, which he worked into his sets

[vladdyissues]

Soulmate AU Danny Phantom, and Vlad and Danny found out that they are soulmate for each other from the very-very first meeting, like they don't even know the character of another, all they got is sh*** of a big age gap, and as for Vlad also: you've been having a crush on your soulmate's mom for 20 years. Idk, it may be skin's glowing where soulmates are touching each other? How much in shock do halfas be? Which parent accept it first?

They were called soul sigils. Temporary signs that appeared on the skin of people whose lives were destined to entwine.

Sigils presented twice, sometimes three times, during a person’s life: at birth, indicating that their partner was already alive and waiting for them; at the first meeting; and at the final separation.

Vlad Masters was not born with a sigil. His left hand went unmarked through his childhood. He lied to his peers in high school, saying he’d already gotten his a long time ago. 

By the time he enrolled in his first semester at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he was beginning to worry. How much of his life was going to pass before his special someone was born?

At twenty-four, on the verge of completing his Master’s degree, he began to believe that perhaps he was destined to be alone. It wasn’t unheard of. Nearly twenty percent of the population never presented soul sigils. They were free to live however they pleased. It wouldn’t have been a bad fate, but Vlad yearned for partnership. His parents were dead, his family estranged. And Madeline, the girl he’d hoped would be The One, had her sigil appear when she met his best friend, Jack.

Vlad slept in the lab that night. He couldn’t bear to go back to his dorm room and listen to Jack’s lovesick exultations. 

Then the portal accident happened, and he stopped caring about sigils and love for the next few years. He was too busy recovering from the effects of radiation poisoning to concern himself with the silly banalities taking place outside his hospital ward.

Maybe he would die alone. That was always a possibility.

He didn’t. He was discharged in 1983 and walked out the hospital doors a new man.

Half of one, anyway.

By the late 1980s he was learning how to use his newfound powers, robbing his way toward a life of affluence. He began construction on his own portal, using the blueprints stolen from Jack—who, he discovered, had married Maddie while he was rotting in a hospital bed and had moved to a podunk town called Amity Park. They were expecting their first child, a girl. 

Vlad threw himself into his work and ignored the Fentons and their happy, growing family. His loneliness gnawed at him. 

Late one evening, just a few months before his thirty-first birthday, he pulled his work glove off his itching hand and blinked, staring.

His sigil. But he felt no joy. How could he? His soulmate was young enough to be his child. 

Within twenty-four hours the mark had faded, and Vlad pretended he’d never seen it. He had no interest in getting involved with someone so young.

Fourteen years later, the Fenton family climbed the front steps of Vlad’s home with their teenage son, Danny, who was absently scratching his hand.

Vlad felt the tingling. He didn’t have to look. The evidence was staring back at him: a pair of stunned blue eyes that flashed ecto-green.

[coochiequeens]

A small victory for women in American politics

Kentucky’s next Supreme Court is shaping up to be a historic one for women. 

Deputy Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert will become Kentucky’s chief justice in January. (Administrative Office of the Courts photo)

With the election of Kentucky’s first Black female justice, Pamela Goodwine, women will hold four of the court’s seven seats. Additionally, the court will be led by the first female chief justice, Deputy Chief Justice Debra Lambert, starting in January. 

As of earlier this year, 17 states have female majorities on their supreme court benches, according to a report from the Brennan Center for Justice. Alaska was also poised to gain a female majority after seven women sought a seat on its Supreme Court this summer. 

Goodwine’s election also makes her the first woman in history who will serve at every level of Kentucky’s judiciary branch: district court, circuit court, appeals court and the Supreme Court. . She said in a statement to the Kentucky Lantern that the milestone “reminds me of the women who came before me, paving the way through hard work, determination and resilience, often overcoming significant obstacles to reach their goals.” 

“Their struggles paved the way for our successes today, and it is our duty to continue their legacy and to forge a path for others as well,” Goodwine said. “Throughout my life, education and career, I have faced what many described as insurmountable challenges, but I don’t give up on my dreams when things get hard. I simply work harder to make my dreams come true.” 

Women outnumber men in law schools

Two previous female justices — Sara Walter Combs and retired Janet Stumbo — both say the new majority of women on the high court is a reflection of the increase in women in the legal profession. 

In 2016, women for the first time made up the majority of students in the nation’s law schools, according to the American Bar Association, which says the change came slowly. In 1963, only 4% of first-year law students were female, rising to 20% in 1973, 39% in 1983 and 44% by 1993.

In Kentucky last year women made up the majority of law students at the University of Louisville (53%) and Northern Kentucky University (55%). Female and male enrollment were about even at the University of Kentucky in 2023-24 with 203 women and 206 men enrolled in the law school.

Judge Sara Walter Combs Combs was the first woman to serve on Kentucky’s Supreme Court after being appointed by Gov. Brereton Jones in 1993. She now serves on the Kentucky Court of Appeals. When she began taking law classes at night at the University of Louisville, she said she was one of very few women in her law class. 

“When I started my work career, I was a teacher, and the one thing that women could do, predominantly in that period of our history, was to teach or to be a nurse,” Combs said. “Well, they’re still wonderful professions; it’s just a matter that now there are more options for women beyond those two choices, and I think the more options we have, the better, because we all have different talents.” 

While she was reluctant to “to tie gender and competency to one another,” Combs applauded the women on the Kentucky Supreme Court. 

“They have good legal minds, they have a great work ethic, they’re collegial, they’re everything that a good judge should be. They just happen to be women,” Combs said. “I’m delighted that they haven’t been held back because of that fact, but I would prefer to emphasize the fact of their competence rather than their gender.”

When asked if the majority of women could be a sign of increasing diversity on the bench in the future, Combs said a diverse pool of judges is needed to review cases. 

“I hope it does, because our social problems are very diverse in nature and origin, and I think their solution will require some diversity of approach to how we solve these problems,” she said. 

Change takes time

Stumbo, who was the first woman elected to the Kentucky Supreme Court in 1993 and retired from the Court of Appeals in 2017, said that diversity on the bench — in terms of race and gender — is a change that happens over time. Kentucky judicial candidates are required to be a licensed attorney for some time before seeking election. A district judge requires two years while the Supreme Court requires eight years. 

Retired Justice Janet L. Stumbo stands beside her portrait, painted by artist Tona Barkley, following a dedication ceremony Dec. 6, 2023. The portrait joined others of justices in the corridors of the second floor of the Kentucky Capitol in Frankfort. (Photo by Brian Bohannon)

“The composition of the bar has changed greatly,” Stumbo said. “The number of women who are lawyers, the number of minorities who are lawyers, has increased dramatically, and that’s the way we’ll see more diversity on the bench.” 

Stumbo said that the majority of female justices shows that the electorate in Kentucky is also more accepting of women being in these high-ranking roles. 

“There’s definitely more work to be done, but women are succeeding and succeeding in ways that are getting them recognized as fine litigators and tenacious litigators and people that you’re proud to have representing you,” Stumbo said. 

Judge Goodwine speaks to supporters at her election night watch party in Lexington Nov. 5, 2024. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Arden Barnes)

Women would have won a majority of Kentucky Supreme Court seats no matter how the Nov. 5 election turned out. Goodwine’s opponent also was a woman, Lexington attorney Erin Izzo.

Goodwine echoed those sentiments. She said that each justice on the court “carries unique perspectives and experiences” and that it’s imperative that younger generations see themselves reflected in the highest levels of the judiciary. She said that many have “expressed gratitude to me for being a trailblazer helping to forge a path for others to follow in my footsteps in their chosen profession, and that increases my drive and dedication to ensure that our justice system reflects our community.” 

“This new chapter for our court affirms the progress we have made and also challenges us to move forward with purpose and conviction,” Goodwine said. “We honor the legacy of our forerunners by continuing to uphold the principles of fairness, justice and equality for all. It is a responsibility I take to heart, and I look forward to working with my esteemed colleagues to protect the rights and uphold the dignity of everyone in our state ensuring that the Kentucky Supreme Court is a beacon of justice for all.” 

[qilingxiong]

九龍城寨之圍城: Onscreen Timeline

All dates listed directly appear in the film in some type of written form, or they have been concretely verified through calendar search and date conversion.

• Sep. 24, 1953 — Chan Lok-kwan is born [fake ID; birth certificate].

(The false date of issue on the ID is Feb. 5, 1983.)

• Oct. 2nd, 1984 — Lok-kwan runs from Big Boss and Wong Gau, enters the Walled City, and meets Cyclone and Shin [Cyclone's shop calendar].

• Oct. 3rd, 1984 — Lok-kwan meets AV, and starts work in the Walled City [debt promise letter signed in AV's clinic].

• Oct. 17, 1984 — Lok-kwan delivers propane to Cyclone's shop, now working multiple jobs and sleeping on roofs [Cyclone's shop calendar].

(With the context of dates before and after, this could be Oct. 17 or Nov. 17, 1984. I went with Oct. 17 based on the length/placement of the white-on-green day text beneath the date number, as the month itself can't easily be made out. Oct. 17 was a Wednesday while Nov. 17 was a Saturday, so the former would take up more character space as shown in the screencap.)

• Dec. 5, 1984 — Cyclone treats Lok-kwan to char siu rice, and offers him a place to live [BBQ restaurant calendar].

• Dec. 19, 1984 — Signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration [BBQ restaurant calendar; history].

• Dec. 31, 1984 — The Walled City Four set up the karaoke machine. Lok-kwan tells Cyclone he wants to stay in the Walled City [Cyclone's shop calendar].

• Jan. 10, 1985 — Chau-gor and Tiger-gor storm into the Walled City to kill Lok-kwan. Big Boss and Wong Gau make a deal with Chau-gor to finish the job, and attack the Walled City. Cyclone dies. Big Boss takes over the Walled City and locks up Chau-gor [BBQ restaurant calendar; Cyclone's shop calendar].

• Jan-Apr 1985 — 3 month timeskip. Lok-kwan has been recovering from his wounds, and attempting to sort out his immigrant status. Shin, Twelve, and AV are in hiding/exile [onscreen text].

• Aug. 30, 1985 — Ghost Festival. Lok-kwan, Shin, Twelve, and AV have their final showdown with Wong Gau, and take back the Walled City [set pieces; history].

BONUS:

• Jan. 26, 1957 — Ah-Jim sneaks into Cyclone's new barber shop in the Walled City, and tells Cyclone that his wife is pregnant with Lok-kwan [converted from Chinese calendar date in the shop].

(Given that this is set after Lok-kwan's given birthdate, unfortunately it is a chronological inconsistency, although admirably the only apparent one in the film. The Chinese date on the calendar is Bingshen Year, 26th day of the 12th month.)

[camisoledadparis]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … December 20

1785 – The last known execution for sodomy in the United States occurs in Pennsylvania. Joseph Ross is the victim.

1904 – The American actor and director Albert Dekker, who died in unusual circumstance in 1968, was born in Brooklyn, New York, as Albert Ecke. His films include the classics The Man in the Iron Mask (1939), Beau Geste (1939), The Killers (1946), The Sound and the Fury (1959), Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), and The Wild Bunch(1969). He replaced Lee J. Cobb as Willy Loman in the original production of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, and during a five-year stint back on Broadway in the early 1960s, he played the Duke of Norfolk in Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons.

Dekker appeared in some seventy films from the 1930s to 1960s, but his four most famous screen roles were as a mad scientist in the 1940 horror film Dr. Cyclops; as a vicious hitman in the The Killers; as a dangerous dealer in atomic fuel in the 1955 film noir Kiss Me Deadly; and as an unscrupulous railroad detective in Sam Peckinpah's western The Wild Bunch, which would be his last screen appearance.

Dekker's off-screen preoccupation with politics led to his winning a seat in the California State Assembly in 1944. Dekker served as a Democratic member for the Assembly until 1946. During the McCarthy era he was an outspoken critic of U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy's tactics; to avoid being blacklisted he spent most of the period working on Broadway rather than Hollywood.

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Dekker has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6620 Hollywood Boulevard.

On May 5, 1968, Dekker was found dead in his Hollywood home after failing to answer numerous phone calls for two days. Although money and camera equipment were missing, there were no signs of forced entry. He was found naked, kneeling in his bathtub with a noose wrapped around his neck that was looped around the shower's curtain rod. He was also handcuffed, blindfolded, gagged and had "make me suck" and "slave" and "cocksucker" scrawled on his body in red lipstick.

The police toyed with a theory that Dekker was a closet homosexual who practiced his eccentricities very discreetly with anonymous male prostitutes, and that this time, something had gone wrong and the frightened partner had quietly let himself out. The coroner's ruling was accidental death by autoerotic asphyxiation.

1955 – Frank Kameny is fired from his job as an astronomer in the United States Army’s Map Service in Washington, D.C. because of his homosexuality. A few days later he is blacklisted from seeking federal employment. These events spur Kameny into being a gay rights activist.

1962 – Doug Wright is an American playwright, librettist, and screenwriter. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2004 for his play, I Am My Own Wife.

A Texas native, Wright was born in Dallas. He was the target of schoolyard teasing and playground attacks throughout elementary school. Overweight and awkward as a child, and not athletically inclined, he was routinely taunted by classmates as a "sissy," a "queer," and worse.

Despite the torments he was forced to endure in elementary and middle schools, once he entered Highland Park High School, outside of Dallas, Wright found acceptance in the theater department.

He entered Yale University in the fall of 1981. He achieved early success while still an undergraduate, when one of his first works, The Stonewater Rapture (1983), a two-character play about teenage sexuality and religious repression in a rural Texas town, was performed to acclaim at Scotland's Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 1984.

The works of Doug Wright often focus on the unconventional lives of society's outsiders. Among these are the iconoclastic artist Marcel Duchamp in Interrogating the Nude; the Marquis de Sade in Quills; Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, an East Berlin transvestite who survived persecution by both the Nazi and Communist regimes, in the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning I Am My Own Wife; and "Big Edie" and "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale, two eccentric American aristocrats who ended up living in squalor, sharing a once-elegant mansion, in the musical Grey Gardens, based on the cult classic documentary film of the same name.

Wright also helped adapt the animated Disney film The Little Mermaid into a Broadway musical.

He currently lives in New York City with his husband/partner, the singer-songwriter David Clement.

1980 – According to recently released stats, at least one person is physically assaulted in New York City each day because they are gay or lesbian.

[alltheweirdkidsinoneplace]

Eddie Munson + potential Iron Maiden references

because I'm hyperfixiating and desperate. Also apparently not everyone was raised on 80s metal, so this might be new to some people and gatekeeping is lame. None of this is confirmed obviously and I'm probably reaching but here we go

let's start with the most obvious one: This is Iron Maiden's mascot. His name is Eddie. He's been on every single album cover, most single covers, merch, posters... He looks a little different every time, but he's always undead.

This is the cover artwork for the 1982 album The Number of the Beast. It features A huge version of Eddie, controlling the strings of a red, devil-like creature, which in turn holds the strings of a tiny version of Eddie. The Devil (Vecna, there I said it) is not shown to be aware of Big Eddie controlling him. It's all very double agent, The Spy parallel. Also if you take just the frame of Big Eddie's hand and the devil, it looks A LOT like Eddie Munson's puppetmaster tattoo. With a little fantasy and even more reaching there's also some vaguely mindflayery shape in the background of the image.

(probably irrelevant but still fun fact: This album was released on March 22nd 1982 - EXACTLY four years before Eddie Munson became the main suspect in Chrissy's death)

This one speaks for itself. We've all seen the Eddie prequel book that's gonna come out later this year with literally the same title as this 1983 song.

Interestingly, Eddie has batwings here, aka KAS THEORY CONFIRMED?

This one, holy shit. This is the artwork for the 1986 (!) album Somewhere in Time, and if the year and title weren't enough, there is so much more.

1. Again starting with the most obvious: There is a graffito on the wall to the very right that literally says EDDIE LIVES.

2. Under the graffito we see a hand reaching up from the ground (grave?). The version of Eddie that we get here is a cyborg, and the hand on the ground looks very cyborg-esque as well. The band members are seen a little towards the left as normal humans, so it's not like everyone's just a cyborg in this world. Ergo the hand belongs to a second Eddie, which is very in line with the whole "there is another timeline with shadow selves"-theory.

3. The red clouds in the background are very vecna-y.

4. The little winged figure from the Flight of Icarus cover is seen left of the big tower in the middle.

5. The neon sign of the movie theatre to the very bottom left contains the words "Live After Death" (illegible here, but it's there!)

6. The lyrics on this album! In particular Wasted Years, featuring the lines "But now it seems I'm just a stranger to myself

And all the things I sometimes do, it isn't me but someone else"

- again, very much in line with shadow selves. And even more Stranger in a Strange Land:

"Was many years ago that I left home and came this way

I was a young man full of hopes and dreams

But now it seems to me that all is lost and nothing gained

Sometimes things ain't what they seem

No brave new world, no brave new world

No brave new world, no brave new world

Night and day I scan horizon, sea and sky

My spirit wanders endlessly

Until the day will dawn and friends from home discover why

Hear me calling, rescue me

Set me free, set me free

Lost in this place and leave no trace

Stranger in a strange land

Land of ice and snow

Trapped inside this prison

Lost and far from home

[...]

They found his body lying where it fell on that day

Preserved in time for all to see

No brave new world, no brave new world

Lost in this place, and leave no trace

What became of the man that started

All are gone and their souls departed

Left me here in this place so all alone"

Does that sound like someone left for dead in the Upside Down or is that just me?

7. idk a fuckload more in the cover probablay because it's wild.

Bonus Metallica fact: Master of Puppets was released on March 3rd 1986. Eeven if he bought the album the day it was released (he would) that would have given him under three weeks to rehearse it so much that he could give the most metal concert ever on March 27th.

Anyway that's just from the top of my head; I might add on to it if/when I think of more. PLEASE spam me with your theories I beg you.

Side note: Contrary to popular belief, if you got into metal because of Eddie: That's awesome! Welcome! Again, gatekeeping sucks; we've all had our minds blown by a Metallica song for the first time at some point, so let's be nice to the newcomers.

[serxa]

HEATHER — TWO

Word count: 1.2k

Summary:Y/n finally comes back from Hawkins and meet with her friends, but only to know that her crush, has already replaced her without telling her

Based on Heather by Conan Grey (if not obvious) — Angst — Pt. 2 here

Warning: None,,

"𝐎𝐇." 𝐘/𝐍 𝐌𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐑 breath. "Wait.. You.. You didn't know Mike met El? Didn't you guys like, kept in contact?" Lucas quickly shot up from his seat. Y/n adjusted her sweater and shook her head.

They were over Y/n's. Y/n finally went back to Hawkins after staying at San Fransisco. She missed Hawkins, and especially one person.

"No.. Actually, we haven't talked for 2 years. He doesn't send me any letters. So i just stopped also." Y/n explained as she fixed her box of stuff. She quickly took the shoe box filled with Mike's old Letters.

She sets it aside as she takes care of her other belongings, setting them perfectly on the shelves and desk. Her box was labelled as "Mike's Letters", making the four, Lucas, Dustin, Will and Max curious. Max quickly grabbed it. "Hey!" Y/n screeched. "Hold on Y/n, one letter." She smiled and pouted.

"And why would I let you?" Y/n grabbed the other end of the box. "Because we want to." She smiled. Y/n lets go of the box and open it. They saw hundreds of Letters, opened and closed. "Just one!"

She grabbed the box and rummaged through the letters. She took one that is all the way at the bottom. "Here." She threw it at them. Dustin opened it quickly, wrestling Max, Will and Lucas so he could read it first. What happened then was Dustin was on the floor, Lucas and Max on top, reading the letter.

Dear, Y/n - December 3, 1983

Hey Y/n. I heard it gets really cold there in San Francisco during winter, so you can have my sweater. Its the one where the letter is attached too, I know you like my red and black striped sweater. . Hope you like it, send me a picture of you wearing it next time.

Hope to see you soon.

Yours truly

Mike W.

The four quickly glanced over at Y/n as she took out her sketchbooks and notebooks out of the box. They all notice Y/n wearing the same sweater which was explained in the letter. "Holy shit you're wearing Mike's sweater!" Dustin said as he pushed the two people off his back and stood up.

"Shit, you weren't supposed to see that!" She jumped towards Dustin. "Holy shit!" He chuckled as he gave the letter back. "So, what, Mike used to have a crush on Y/n or something?" Max asked as she stood up and dusted herself.

"Well..." Lucas started, making Y/n snap her head towards Lucas. "WELL?" She asked frantically. He looked over at Dustin and Dustin looked over at Y/n. "Yes." Dustin stated. "He used to what!?" He grabbed Dustin by the collar, his camp hat falling off his curly head.

"Uhh-" He looked away. "Dude! I was giving you a sign to not tell her!" Lucas shouted. "I didn't know!" He fought back.

"Wheres Mike.. Off with that El girl making out in his basement?" She said sarcastically, with bitterness in her voice. "They probably... Are.." Will looked down. She sighs as she finished placing all of her stuff in her room. "I can't be able to look Mike in the face! Augh!! Its just going to be so awkward!!" She threw her legs in the air, swinging them a bit as she plops down on her bed.

"I cant stand to see him with somebody else!" She dug her head into the pillow. Will sat next to her and Max leaned on her bed frame near her head. "Dude, Mike is a huge douche. Trust me, you'll love El, maybe we can hang out with his later." Max reassured Y/n. "But i cant stand it. I thought he liked me.." She started to form tears in her eyes.

"Woahh, Mike is not a thing to cry about." Dustin started as he jumped up the bed. "He is not worth crying for." He smacked his lips. Y/n wiped her eyes. Will looked at her with sympathy. Lucas too.

"He's not worth any of your body fluid." Dustin said, trying to comfort me, but the four of us ust looked at him with disgusted or confused looks. "... I should've just said tears." I groaned as he covered his face in embarrassment. Lucas shook his head and chuckled a bit, but Max pushed his shoulder a bit and he shut up.

"Aughhh.. Fine. Fine. Ill try and face him tomorrow. Atleast say hi. And sure, ill hang out with you and El.." She looked over at max, who had an excited face plastered on her.

"Great. I have to go, just channel us when you need us, on channel 13, Mike never uses that channel." Will smiled and he stood up.

Lucas and Dustin decided to go with Will, and go back to their houses. Max left already as the three talked about random stuff. "Bye Y/n. See you tomorrow!" Dustin shouted as they walked out of her bedroom. She waved a lazy goodbye and they closed the door.

She plopped onto her bed, her arms open wide. Thinking on what to do, what to say, how to stop the butterflies from growing in her stomach and exploding. She started crying, like with actual tears running down her face and her nose becoming pink.

She dug her head in the pillow and started screaming. She cried for hours until her mom noticed. Her mom knocked on her door softly. "Y/n? Are you in there? Can I come in? Its mom." She heard from outside.

She wiped her nose and sat up. "Yeah.."

Her mom opened the door and saw her teary eyes, and her pinkish nose. "Oh dear, what happened?" She walked up and hugged her. "You know when mike stopped sending letters to me for the last few years.." She started.

"Mhm.."

"Well.." Her tears started to swell in her eyes. Her mom started to wipe her eyes carefully. "I guess you could say he met someone new. And like.. Its a girl with powers or something.." She whispered.

"And.. I guess he already settled in with that girl.. I just. I just cant stand it that he already met someone while I've been waiting for almost 5 years for him..!"

She started to cry at her mom. "Aw... Honey its okay.." She rubbed her back. "You'll move on and find a new boy. Better than Mike." They kind of chuckle at the last part.

"Mom.. Can I go out tomorrow..? Max and the others said there will be a new mall here." She asked as she wiped her tears with the sweater. Her mom nodded.

"Thanks mom."

"Your welcome Y/n. Enjoy yourself, its summer, the things you should be worried about you spending money!" She chuckled. Y/n smiled and grabbed some tissues.

"You can worry about boys later. You still have alot of friends here at Hawkins! Thats why we went back here. I wanted you to be happy darling." She rubbed Y/ns temple. "Thanks again Mom.."

Y/ns mom kissed her forehead and stood up. "Ill get dinner started, okay? Ill call you when its done.. "

She nodded and her mom exited the room. She took her sketchbook and pencils. And quickly started to sketch, she had mike in mind and started sketching what mike looked like, just with more mature details that last time she saw him.

She then heard her phone ring. She answered, her voice still sounding tired. "Hello, This is L/n residence, Y/n speaking.." She said to the phone.

"Hey, I heard you're back in town."

[girlvasectomy]

Stranger Things and the Upside Down as a Homophobia and AIDS Allegory

One of my favorite theory (if you can call it that) that has emerged—especially when revisiting Season 1—is the idea that the Upside Down functions as a metaphor for homophobia and, more broadly, the AIDS crisis.

Queer Characters and Queercoding

The first season introduces four known victims of the Upside Down:

– Will Byers

– Barb Holland

– Dale and Henry (the two hunters who disappear and are later found dead in the Upside Down)

From the start, Stranger Things presents homophobia as a key part of its story, especially through Will Byers. Will is repeatedly subjected to homophobic bullying—his father calls him a “fag,” his classmates mock him, it's mentioned in the show's Bible. It's even mentioned how other adults think he's gay:

"He’s dead. That’s what my dad says. He said he was probably killed by some other queer."

Will was later confirmed to be gay.

Barb Holland's character has been interpreted by some fans as queer-coded, particularly through insights from the companion novel "Stranger Things: Rebel Robin" and its associated podcast, "Rebel Robin: Surviving Hawkins." In the podcast, Robin Buckley reflects on individuals who are perceived as "different" in Hawkins. She mentions both Will Byers, who is canonically gay, and Barb in this context, suggesting a shared sense of otherness. Robin states, "Barb is like me, well not exactly like me. She fits in better. Probably because she knows how to survive Hawkins better than most people." This implies that Barb, while adept at navigating the social dynamics of Hawkins, conceals aspects of herself that deviate from the town's norms.

Additionally, the podcast reveals that Barb was aware of Mr. Hauser's homosexuality and kept it confidential. This indicates Barb's understanding and acceptance of queer identities, as well as her willingness to protect such secrets in a potentially hostile environment. While the series does not explicitly define Barb's sexuality, these subtle cues contribute to interpretations of her character as queer-coded.

Dale and Henry, the two hunters who go missing. It's the hardest to know if they were queer as we know very, very little about them but some fans have read them as potentially queer-coded—two men on a “hunting trip” together, lost in the same space where Will and Barb disappear. Their Queercoding definitely fall more into confirmation bias but I believe it's still important.

The Upside Down is Fairyland

In the show, Troy taunts Mike, saying:

> "Will's in fairyland now, right? Flying around with all the other little fairies?"

If we take "fairyland" as a coded reference to the Upside Down, then the show implicitly frames the Upside Down as a place where queer people are sent, abandoned, or erased. The fact that he say that Will is with the other fairies add coding to the other victim of the Upside Down.

AIDS, Silence, and Reagan’s America

The setting of Stranger Things—1983—is significant. This was the early stage of the AIDS epidemic, a crisis that would devastate the LGBTQ+ community throughout the decade, while the government turned a blind eye. Season 2 even features a “Reagan/Bush ‘84” sign in front of Mike’s house, subtly reminding the audience of the political landscape of the time. Ronald Reagan’s administration infamously ignored AIDS, treating it as a “gay disease” and refusing to acknowledge the suffering of thousands.

Now, think about how people treat the Upside Down:

– It’s a dark, decaying reflection of the real world, as if it exists alongside but separate.

– The town of Hawkins ignores its dangers until it spills over into their daily lives.

– The Upside Down is a place of sickness and infection—the air itself is toxic, and creatures like the Demogorgon spread its influence.

And then there’s Will. He is the one who escape the Upside Down, but he doesn’t come back unscathed. He’s hiding something (the slug he coughs up in the last episode of Season 1), much like how people in the early days of AIDS might have concealed symptoms out of fear of discrimination. Will’s mother and friends want to believe he’s "better" after being rescued, but his sickness – or his homosexuality – lingers, unspoken, just beneath the surface.

Eleven

Eleven is an interesting parallel to this metaphor. She is one of the only characters who can communicate between the real world and the Upside Down, and she exists between binaries in other ways too.

With her cropped hair, baggy clothes, and initial lack of gendered presentation, she is gender nonconforming (GNC) – even being mistaken for a boy, and even for Will, by other characters – until she’s literally forced into a pink dress and a wig to “pass” as a normal girl.

Her first unfiltered reaction to seeing a girl (Nancy) is to call her “pretty.” She lacks traditional social conditioning about gender and attraction, making her an outsider in yet another way.

If the Upside Down represents queerness as something suppressed or ignored, then Eleven—who can move between the two worlds—represents someone who refuses to be confined by traditional expectations. She is a figure who is both rejected by society and holds the key to confronting its horrors.

Conclusion

Ultimately, Stranger Things Season 1 can be read as a story about queerness in a small, conservative town—a town where being different means being pushed into the shadows. The Upside Down is not just a monster-infested wasteland; it is a space of forced invisibility, a place where those who do not conform are cast away, erased, or left to suffer in silence.

From the way Will is bullied and called a "fairy" to the fact that Barb, a queer character, is simply forgotten until people found a cause more safe and clean for her death (the chemical leak lie in Stranger Things 2). Stranger Things subtly critiques the way LGBTQ+ individuals were (and often still are) treated. The Upside Down is a place of isolation, silence, and sickness—just as homophobia forced many queer people into secrecy, and just as the AIDS epidemic took thousands of lives while the world looked away.

[xkittzkornerx]

it’s Martin Luther King Day! 🫶🏻 (history & learning resources)

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., born Michael Luther King, Jr., was an American human rights activist, political philosopher, Baptist minister, and one of the most notable pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement (1954-1964) in the United States during the Jim Crow Era of law, which legalized segregation of Black folks from White ones, and bred many acts of hatred, ostracism, and frequent violence against Black Americans.

King was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 15th, 1929, to his mother, Alberta Williams King, and his father, Martin Luther King, Sr. (then Michael Luther King, Sr.). a young woman by the name Coretta Scott would be attending the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, the same time that King was studying at Boston University. they soon fell in love, married on June 18th, 1953, and in September 1954, settled down in Montgomery, Alabama.

Coretta gave him four children: two sons, Martin Luther King III (Oct. 23rd, 1957 - present) and Dexter Scott King (Jan. 30th, 1961 - Jan. 22nd, 2024), and two daughters, Yolanda Denise King (Nov. 17th, 1955 - May 15th, 2007) and Bernice Albertine King (Mar. 28th, 1963 - present).

on Nov. 2nd, 1983, then-President Ronald Reagan signed the King Holiday Bill into law. this made the third Monday in January a federal holiday in observance of King and his work. it would take fifteen years for the holiday to be approved by the federal government, and seventeen more for it to be recognized in every state. (that’s a total of thirty-two years spent by activists, fighting for it to be in all fifty states!)

from the Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture | a pin-back button promoting Martin Luther King Day 1982 (source)

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.… We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." — MLK, Jr.

from naacp.org:

“In 1963, King and the SCLC worked with NAACP and other civil rights groups to organize the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which attracted 250,000 people to rally for the civil and economic rights of Black Americans in the nation's capital. There, King delivered his majestic 17-minute "I Have a Dream" speech. Along with other civil rights activists, King participated in the Selma-to-Montgomery march in 1965. The brutal attacks on activists by the police during the march were televised into the homes of Americans across the country. When the march concluded in Montgomery, King gave his "How Long, Not Long" speech, in which he predicted that equal rights for African Americans would be imminently granted. His legendary words are widely quoted today: "How long? Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Less than six months later, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act banning disenfranchisement of Black Americans.”

in the spring of 1968, Black sanitary workers went on strike in Memphis, Tennessee. these works were protesting their racist White employer’s behaviors: low pay, abusive working conditions, unsafe work environments, and union busting. King arrived in Memphis on April 3rd, to prepare for a march in support of the workers.

around 6pm CST, on April 4th, 1968, on the balcony of his second-floor room at the Lorraine Motel, Dr. King was shot by a White supremacist. his advisor and close friend, Ralph Abernathy, ran to King’s side and cradled his head.

paramedics rushed him to St. Joseph’s Hospital where at 7:05pm CST, he was pronounced dead.

from kinginstitute.stanford.edu:

“President Lyndon B. Johnson called for a national day of mourning to be observed on 7 April. In the following days, public libraries, museums, schools, and businesses were closed, and the Academy Awards ceremony and numerous sporting events were postponed. On 8 April King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, and other family members joined thousands of participants in a march in Memphis honoring King and supporting the sanitation workers. King’s funeral service was held the following day in Atlanta at Ebenezer Baptist Church. It was attended by many of the nation’s political and civil rights leaders, including Jacqueline Kennedy, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, and Ralph Bunche. Morehouse College President Benjamin Mays delivered the eulogy, predicting that King “would probably say that, if death had to come, I am sure there was no greater cause to die for than fighting to get a just wage for garbage collectors” (Mays, 9 April 1968). Over 100,000 mourners followed two mules pulling King’s coffin through the streets of Atlanta. After another ceremony on the Morehouse campus, King’s body was initially interred at South-View Cemetery. Eventually, it was moved to a crypt next to the Ebenezer Church at the King Center, an institution founded by [Coretta Scott King].”

today, and tomorrow, and all days following, we remember, thank, and honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for a better tomorrow.

sources

Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture - The 15 Year Battle for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Stanford University Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute - King, Coretta Scott

Stanford University Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute - the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

The King Center - About Mrs. Coretta Scott King

New England Conservatory - Celebrate Boston’s Greatest Love Story: A Look Back at Coretta Scott King ’51, ’71 Hon. DM and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Historic First Meeting

extras/learning material

The King Center - About Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

National Education Association (NEA) - Lesson plans, activity ideas & other resources for teaching MLK Day

PBS - Martin Luther King Jr. Day classroom resources

We Are Teachers - 30 Meaningful Martin Luther King Jr. Activities for All Ages

Civil Rights Teaching - Teaching King Beyond “I Have a Dream”

Louisiana State University Libraries - Martin Luther King, Jr. timeline

Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture - Gestures of Solidarity in African American Culture

UNICEF USA - 5 Ways to Stand Up Against Racism and Injustice

Richton Park Public Library District - 11 Speeches by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Cross Cultural Solidarity - MLK: Speeches, Sermons, Essays, & Interviews

[wildandmoody]

GROUP: Various R&B, Soul, Disco, etc.

The Four Tops - Reach Out (w Motown "The Sound of Young America" Catalogue inner sleeve) (1967)

The O'Jays - Family Reunion (inner flap picture on the right) (1975)

Heatwave - Central Heating (1978)

Donna Summer - On The Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes 1 & 2 (1979)

Anita Baker - Rapture (1986)

Third World - Hold On To Love (1987)

GROUP: Various Stuff I Couldn't Fit Into Other Groups

Jethro Tull - Aqualung (1971)

Blondie - Eat to the Beat (1979)

Into Battle with the Art of Noise (1983)

Bob James - Sign of the Times (1981)

Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain (1984) (2017 Rerelease)

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (2006)

[eregyrn-falls-art]

Went down to Woods Hole, MA, on Cape Code, for brunch on Sunday. Afterwards poked around Woods Hole and Falmouth; and I wanted to see Nobska Light while we were there. While chilly and windy, we were still feeling the benefits of the warm weekend, and had to bundle up less than you'd expect for a trip to the Cape in February.

Nobska Light is very cute and scenic! It wasn't open, and while the Keeper's house seems to have been renovated and is planned to be a maritime museum, it wasn't open either. On the other side of the road was a short path to the cliff above the ocean (really, Vineyard Sound), where we looked out at Martha's Vineyard to the east, and the Elizabeth Islands chain to the west. Birds spotted: common eiders, red breasted mergansers, and a long-tailed duck drake came flying in.

Here's the text of the historical sign:

NOBSKA LIGHTHOUSE Latitude 41 30' 54" N Longitude 70 39' 20" Since 1828, Nobska Light has provided a familiar beacon for "all who go down to the sea in ships". 67 feet above sea level, Nobska's flash every six seconds is visible 17 miles out to sea. This 28,000 candlepower light used a 1000-watt lamp magnified by a Fourth Order Fresnel lens. The red section visible ton the east side of the lantern house warns ships away from Hedge Fence and L'Hommedieu Shoals south of the Cape. The present tower is 42 feelt high and was constructed in 1876. It was built to replace the original "Nobsque" light, a stone cottage with a light tower on top which had stood since 1828. The present tower is made of a cast iron shell lined with brick. It was built in Chelsea, Massachusetts and transported to Cape Cod in four sections. The front half of the current "keeper's house" was also built in 1876. Originally painted dark maroon-brown, it had a covered walkway to the tower attacked in 1899 and a second "assistant keeper's house" added in 1907. [Note: see bottom-right photo above.] Over the year, windows, doors, porches and walkways have come and gone and the color has been changed to the classic Coast Guard white with red roof. [Note: this sign is now out of date; the keeper's house is no longer white, although it still has its red roof; it is now covered in cedar shingles, which have weathered to a grey color.] Nobska Light became part of the Coast Guard in 1939, when the U.S. Light House Service merged with the Coast Guard. Despite this change, the keepers of the light remained civilians until Mr. Hindley retired in 1973, when active duty Coast Guard keepers took up the duty. In 1983, Nobska Light was automated. The two keepers houses were joined and became the quarters for Commander Coast Guard Group Woods Hole and his family. The Woods Hole Group serves the mainland and islands from Plymouth, Massachusetts to the Rhode Island/Connecticut state line.

Older photos above and some information came from:

The Enterprise, Falmouth: "History of Nobska Light Sheds Light on More Than Navigation" (July 15, 2015)

New England Lighthouses: A Virtual Guide. History of Nobska Point Light, Woods Hole, Massachusetts

Friends of Nobska Light

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[40-years-of-robin-ii]

Hello! Welcome to the 40 Years of Jason Todd anniversary exchange!!! Batman 357 hit comic book stores March 10, 1983 and introduced us to the character who would shortly become the second Robin. His introduction changed the face of comics forever and as we all know, it wouldn't be the last time this character had an impact on the entire industry.

Help us celebrate four decades of this historical character and our favorite zombie, and participate in this gift exchange!

SIGN-UPS ARE NOW OPEN! (please read the rules/faqs first!)

Exchange Schedule:

Sign-up: February 26 [2:00pm PST] Sign-up Closes: March 8 [10:00am PST] Assignments Due: April 14 [10:00am PDT] Works Revealed: April 20 [12:00am PDT] Creators Revealed: April 27 [12:00am PDT]

Key Notes:

All ratings, kinks, ships, and categories are welcome but all requests and works MUST be focused on Jason Todd.

Gen requests are as welcome as any other rating, but since we are open to all content, this is an 18+ only event. You MUST be 18 years old or older to participate. Submitting a sign-up is acknowledging that you are 18 years old or older.

Key Links:

Exchange Info AO3 Sign-Up Matching Form

If you have any questions, please send us an ask!