#wooden box 212

[bratshaws]

through the hourglass 229. brb x oc

a/n: i just love writing them bonding. I do :) (comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

1/

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-

Bradley does follow Mav into the kitchen, his brows furrowed at the box. It wasn’t that big, maybe just a bit bigger than a shoe box, it looked old and very…frail, it was glued at the sides by yellowed tape.

Rooster looked from the box to his uncle then repeated the motion a few more times, crossing his arms as he leaned on the threshold, ‘...are you going to tell me?”

“What?”

He nods towards it, “What’s inside.”

“Oh,Bradley,” he tuts, using his real name, “You have to learn patience.”

Rooster let out a dramatic sigh, clearly not thrilled with Maverick's teasing, pressing his temple to the wooden threshold. "I am patient."

Maverick chuckled, patting Rooster on the back as he made his way to the table. "Don't worry, it's nothing nefarious. In fact, it's something quite special."

“Hm.”

“Come on,” Maverick throws his hands up with a smile, ‘Don’t you trust me?”

“With my life.” and his nephew’s words made his teasing demeanor simmer for a bit, a gentle pain in his heart after hearing those words. “But you also,” he points to the box, “Do a lot of weird shit,Mav. I know you. I grew up with you.”

His uncle just clicks his tongue, “Don’t worry about that. Bea is with Nicole you said?” Rooster nods, “Good, good.” 

“...why?”

“Well, no reason.’ Pete smirks, patting the box, “But it’d be nice if she was here to see it.”

Rooster purses his lips, narrowing his eyes and then lean back from the kitchen to see the staircase better, “Gorgeous! Mav’s here!” he calls, never raising his voice and just alerting her about the sudden visit. Beatrice replies something that resembles a ‘coming!’ before he hears her moving around the twins’ nursery.

Beatrice then appears on the top of the stairs, holding Nicole on her left side while tucking a few strands of brown hair behind her ear, “Sorry.” she smiles, slowly walking down, “I was checking some stuff in the twins’ nursery and-” he holds out his hand when she’s within reach, making his wife blush and clear her throat, gently taking the offer “A-And well,Nikki woke up.”

He kisses the back of her hand noisily, “It’s alright.” he repeats the motion with Nicole’s smaller hand, kissing her nose after, “We got a visitor.”

“I heard! Hi Mav!” the Captain gives her a short finger wave and Beatrice blinks, “What’s in the box?”

Maverick grinned at Beatrice's question, his eyes twinkling as he moved towards Rooster’s “You two are so alike.” he says, earning a confused smile from the brunette and an eyeroll from Bradley . "Well, I suppose I can't keep it a secret any longer," he replied, reaching for the box and carefully opening it to reveal its contents.

“Finally.”

“Oh,shush.” he pauses, then inhales shakily, ‘Well,” he slowly parts the lids open, revealing more from the inside. Rooster and Beatrice approach, the younger pilot craning his head to see it better…then his mouth dropped.

“Where…did you get this?”

“I’ve had it for…a while.” he confesses, gently moving the box a bit until he finally pulls it out, “And I thought it was time for you to have it.”

It was Goose’s jacket. Well, one of them at least. Maverick and Carole used to joke he’d never use it because he either preferred his Hawaiian shirts or he just forgot it somewhere…Maverick holds it in front of his eyes a bit, “Your mom sent it to me.” he explains, “She…said she couldn’t see it for too long, y’know. And…well, it is pretty new. Your dad never used it that often.”

Rooster couldn't take his eyes off the jacket that now lay in Maverick's hands. It was Goose's flight jacket, a piece of his father's history that he had only seen in photographs and heard about in stories. The jacket was worn but well-preserved, it wasn’t even stitched

He reached out, his fingers gently tracing the unfamiliar patches and insignias. "I can't believe you kept this all these years," Rooster murmured, his voice filled with emotion.

Beatrice, too, was taken aback by the significance of the jacket. She watched the exchange between Rooster and Maverick, gasping quietly with her hand covering her mouth. She placed a hand on his back when he seemed to wobble a bit, in surprise, keeping him steady in case he felt dizzy.

Rooster finally looked up from the jacket, his eyes meeting Maverick's. "You…I…”

“I know.”

Rooster licked his lips, gently tracing the ‘Bradshaw’ written on the lapel, “...did she sent this to you because…because of the talk you guys had?” and Maverick looked guilty as he nodded, chewing the inside of his cheek ,”...shit. I…damn. How long��?”

“I don’t know.” Maverick shrugs, “You were…I think thirteen when she sent it to me.”

They were still talking back then,Rooster thought. He had just gotten the growth burst’ and was slowly towering over pretty much everyone in his life…but somehow, even now at 39 years old, that jacket looked enormous to him.

Beatrice smiles sweetly, rubbing his back, kissing his shoulder before asking, “You okay?”

Rooster nodded after a few seconds, a mixture of emotions swirling within him. "Yeah, I'm okay," he replied, his voice a bit shaky. He reached out and gently touched the jacket once more, as if trying to connect with the father he had lost too soon. "It's just...unexpected. I never thought I'd see this."

Maverick  smiled  "I thought it’d be a good birthday gift.” he whispered, “Your mom…also agreed you could have it, one day. But she wouldn’t be able to give it to you.”

Rooster's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he absorbed the weight of the moment. He let out a nervous huff followed by a chuckle "Wow…um…Thank you," Rooster finally said, his voice filled with gratitude. He turned to Maverick, his eyes locked on his uncle's. "This means the world to me, Mav. I can't express how much…it means to me.”

Maverick's eyes softened, and he patted Rooster on the back. "You're welcome, kiddo. So,try it on.”

“What?”

“Try it on.” he points to it, “The jacket.”

Beatrice couldn't help but smile, looking from Rooster to Maverick, seeing her husband’s eyes widen and his mouth part open in surprise. And the subtle shake on his hands as he brings the jacket close

 “I…” he begins, “...try it on?”

“If you want-” Maverick adds, ready to fold it away but Rooster brings it to his chest, protecting it from the outside forces - aka, his godfather.

“No!No,I…I want to,I…” Rooster inhales, “I…I’m going to try it on.”

Rooster carefully unfolded the jacket, his hands trembling slightly with both excitement and nervousness. It felt so heavy yet so light?

 As he slipped into it, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions wash over him. It was like time moved in slow motion as he slid his arms into the sleeves. The weather was a bit chilly so…he wasn’t complaining about how it felt.

The jacket was…just perfect in size. It was a bit snug on his shoulders, and the sleeves were a bit too short on his wrists, but it felt like a warm embrace from the past. He glanced at Beatrice, who watched him with a soft smile, she looked so proud.

"You look incredible," she whispered, her voice laced with admiration. “How do you feel?”

Rooster's heart swelled with a mix of emotions as he looked down at the jacket. "I …” he pats the worn leather, feeling each patch touch his finger tips, ‘...I…I feel…wow. I don’t even know how to describe what I feel right now.” 

Maverick smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening with genuine happiness. "It suits you, kid," he said, pride evident in his voice.

Rooster couldn't help but chuckle, a mix of emotions bubbling within him. "I can't believe I'm wearing my dad's jacket. I never thought I'd see it, let alone wear it."

Beatrice stepped closer, her hand reaching out to gently touch the sleeve of the jacket. "It's like you're carrying a piece of your dad with you," she said softly, her eyes filled with warmth.

He nodded, his throat tightening with emotion. "Yeah, it is."

The four of them stood there, in the kitchen for a little while just talking amongst themselves…but Nicoel wasn’t getting what was going on. She chewed on her teething ring for a few seconds, then leaned closer to her father as they talked, touching his shoulder and letting out an ‘aa’ to get his attention.

“Roos,I think she wants to be held.” Bea smiles, “By you,LC.’

Rooster's heart swelled with a mix of emotions as he looked down at his daughter,she was reaching out to him, her tiny hands grasping at the air as if trying to touch him. It was a heartwarming sight, and he couldn't help but smile down at her.

"I could never say no to her," Rooster said with a soft chuckle. He carefully scooped Nicole into his arms, holding her close to his chest. She immediately snuggled against him, her wide eyes gazing up at him with curiosity.

Rooster gently rocked Nicole in his arms, his deep voice filled with affection as he spoke to her. "Hey there, sweetheart. Did you miss your daddy?" Nicole cooed in response, her tiny fingers curling around one of Rooster's shirt buttons.

Beatrice couldn't resist reaching out to stroke Nicole's soft hair. "She's getting more and more attached to you every day," she remarked with a smile. "I think she knows just how amazing her dad is."

He lets out a weak laugh, then clears his throat, “Looks like it.” he whispers, watching as Nicole’s attention is locked on the several patches on his dad - and her grandfather’s - jacket. She straightened herself a bit as she sits on his arms, placing both hands on the most colorful ones she sees before she babbles a bit. “...wait, is it safe for her to touch the jacket?” he questions Maverick, “I’m not breaking the mood,but she’s a toddler and-”

Maverick chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he watched Nicole's fascination with the patches. "Don't worry, Rooster," he reassured him, "The jacket's been through worse."

Rooster narrowed his eyes, bringing Nicole close to his chest, “I’m serious though.”

“So am I. Relax, it’s fine.”

Nicole was still patting the patches, as if she wanted to grab them and play with them for a little while, furrowing her light brows when they remained intact. She let out a little grunt of annoyance, but no adult there stopped her, “You know,” Maverick nods, “...it fits better than it did before.”

Rooster couldn't help but smile at Maverick's comment about the jacket fitting better now. It was as if the jacket had found its rightful owner in Rooster, a tangible connection between father and son, even though they had been separated by time and circumstances.

"Maybe it was just waiting for the right moment," Rooster mused,shrugging a bit, “Maybe that’s what.”

Beatrice just watched the scene with a small smile, then cleared her throat after wiping her eyes, “Hm! Um,Mav, you hungry? I can prepare something quick! Oh!Better, you should stay for lunch!” she suggests,already marching to the fridge, “Maybe we can do that, to celebrate!”

“Bea,there’s not need to-” but Rooster just shakes his head, making his uncle stop and sigh softly, “Alright,I’ll stay for lunch,kiddo. Don’t worry.”

Beatrice's face lit up with enthusiasm at the idea of preparing lunch to celebrate the unexpected reunion. "Great! I’ll prepare something!," she said, pulling out ingredients from the fridge and pantry with the kind of determination that only appeared when she was in her element in the kitchen.

Rooster while still holding Nicole, nodded towards the outside, “Garden?”

“Yeah,garden.” Maverick smirks, “I feel you have questions.”

Rooster chuckled as he stepped outside with Maverick, Nicole still in his arms, her tiny fingers pointing at the trees and flowers in the garden.The clouds were still there, looming above, but there was no more rain.

"Alright, Mav," Rooster began as they found a comfortable spot to sit, "Why did you really give it to me? I love it,I do…but–”

“Isn’t your birthday soon?” Maverick smirks, “Later this month, remember?”

“...yea,I’ll be 39.” he frowns, “Was that why?”

Maverick chuckled. "Time flies, doesn't it? Seems like just yesterday you were that scrawny kid, snot on your nose…"

“...that was never me.”

“Wasn’t it?”

Rooster's narrowed his eyes, but his gaze softened as he looked down at Nicole, who was now reaching for a nearby flower with unbridled curiosity. "Yeah, well" he replied, “Got here, didn’t I?”

Maverick's expression turned more serious as he continued, "The thing is, kiddo, I wanted you to have the jacket now because…well, because I think it's time. Plus," he elbows Rooster’s arm, ‘Lieutenant-Commander.”

Rooster nodded, his gaze focused on the jacket that now lay in his lap. "Well, thanks Mav. I appreciate it more than I can express. But there's something else, isn't there?"

Maverick sighed, his eyes distant for a moment. "Yeah, there is," he admitted. "I've been doing some thinking, and…I guess I've come to realize that family is more important than I've let on in the past."

Maverick continued, "I've missed out on a lot over the years, and I don't want to keep making the same mistakes."

Rooster felt a lump in his throat as he listened to his uncle's words. Maverick reached over and patted Rooster on the back. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to be a better uncle, a better godfather. And I thought that giving you your dad's jacket was a good place to start."

Rooster smiled warmly at his uncle, his eyes shining with gratitude. "Mav, that means the world to me. You've…you’ve always been like a second father to me, and I'm glad we can strengthen our bond even more." he pauses, “And you’ve been doing a good job so far.”

Maverick returned the smile, a hint of moisture in his eyes that he quickly blinked away. "Ah,I still got a lot to learn.” he looks down at Nicole who was now standing between Rooster’s legs, ‘...I haven’t held a baby in so long and now there are…three in my life.” he whispers, “Crazy.”

"Yeah, life has a way of surprising us, doesn't it?"

Maverick nodded, his gaze lingering on Nicole. "It sure does," he said softly, his voice filled with a mix of wonder and humility. "But you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way."

“No regrets?”

“Now,” Maverick chuckles, “I never said that.I have plenty…but,it’s gotten better to deal with…but anyway,I wanted to ask you something: excited to officially become a LC?” he leans closer, “I know it’s something you’d dreamed of.”

He might’ve mentioned it to Mav a few times over the years, “...Honestly,I’m nervous.”

Maverick nodded, propping his arms on his knees . "Nervous is natural," he admitted. "I'd be more concerned if you weren't. It means you care about it."

"Course I do care about it. It's something I've worked hard for, and it's a big responsibility. But at the same time, it's what I've always wanted." he sighs, “I should be less nervous about it then.”

Maverick smiled, a proud gleam in his eyes. "You're going to do great. And you've got a fantastic support system, too."

Rooster's gaze shifted to Beatrice, who had been busy in the kitchen to listen to their. "I couldn't do it without her,Mav" he admitted, his voice filled with love and appreciation. "She's been my rock ever since the beginning."

“Yeah, well, you needed to find the right one.” his uncle says, “And I’m glad it’s her.”

‘Me too.”

Maverick’s eyes moved from him to Nicole, “...and,well,we might have someone else enrolled in the future,isn’t that right Nikki?” his grandniece just looked over at him with a huge few toothed grin, then pointed at a butterfly that fluttered by with interest.

“Mav-”

“I know,I know,” he holds his hands up, “But she’ll be surrounded by that. By this,” he circles his finger on the air, “You know it could influence her, it influenced you.” he shrugs, “It’s a possibility.”

‘Yeah but I don’t want to think about it yet.” Rooster muttered, bringing Nicole close to him and hugging his little daughter tight, “I told you before, she’ll have her own path. If she wants to follow…” he pauses, opening and closing his mouth. His uncle arched his brow waiting for the response, “Then…I’ll…be okay with it.”

Maverick blinked, “Uh-huh.”

“Again, she’s too young.” he replies, kissing her soft cheek, “She’ll have time to think about that.”

Pete’s eyes lowered to Nicole’s hand, seeing how it clenched on one of Goose’s patches and how she refused to let go unless Rooster moved her hand away.

Damn. It was like a mirror to the past. That very scene replayed in his brain for a few seconds.  “...yeah,” he smiles knowingly, “Of course.” 

[ledenews]

The 'Greenhouse Getaway' - The 1992 Escape from the W.Va. Penitentiary - Part Two

Two weeks before the notorious greenhouse escape, Correctional Officer Maggie Gray saw Tomie, Fred, and David huddled together in a tight circle on the Main Dining Room (M.D.R.) Hallway.  Officer Gray approached them, “What are you guys doing? Planning an escape?” Tomie chuckled, “No, we’re just shooting the breeze.”  “Well, if you guys are going to break out; just don’t go on a holiday.”  They all laughed. When Tomie returned to the penitentiary after being captured, he saw Officer Gray in the Captain’s office and smirked, “At least we didn’t go on a holiday.”  "Camp Fair Chance" was a 212-acre farm where prisoners worked during their days. It was also the site of many "walk aways," too.  FACTORS LEADING TO ESCAPE  There were several contributing factors that enabled the greenhouse escape to be successful.  They were the penitentiary administration, the history of the inmates, and their skill sets.  With these three items in place, the escape was inevitable.  Carl Legursky was the warden for the West Virginia Penitentiary at the time. He was a well-known and respected State Trooper. Wood County Deputy, Brady Stephens, remembered Legursky’s teaching at the law enforcement academy and stated, “He knew what he was doing and he was a man’s man.” However, there were others who didn’t respect Legursky, especially as a warden.  One Correctional Officer, who asked to remain anonymous stated, “Legursky was the reason they were able to escape.”  Some correctional officers believed Legursky favored the inmates over the officers.  Another reason why people blamed Legursky is because Tomie approached him and told him the correctional officers were interfering with their jobs as he, Fred, and David worked at the prison greenhouse. After hearing Tomie’s complaints, Warden Legursky ordered correctional officers to surrender their greenhouse keys to the inmates.  The only ones who had access to an unsupervised building with shovels, pickaxes, electrical supplies, landscaping instruments, and many more tools conducive for building a tunnel were three criminals convicted of murder and serving life sentences.    The second reason the escape was successful was that each of the three inmates previously escaped from the penitentiary. They knew they could break out so they would again.  Fred bragged, “I’ve gotten out before, I'll get out again.”  The skill sets of the inmates was also a contributing factor for the escape. Tomie was a fix-it man, a jack of all trades. He worked as a maintenance man at the penitentiary which provided access to a variety of tools. Fred had taken electrical classes which enabled him to be very helpful in providing lighting for the tunnel. Before David committed murder, he worked in a coal mine and knew the strategy on how to build a tunnel.  This map was created by prison officials soon after the escape took place. THE TUNNEL  The concept of a greenhouse situated within the confines of a penitentiary began with the older inmates. Those who were classified as “O and I” (Old and Infirmed) started growing flowers and selling them to correctional officers and visitors to the penitentiary.  In 1989, it was decided to expand the horticultural activity and build a greenhouse.  It was located just south of the prison industry building and east of Tower Three.  Tower Three was normally unmanned because of the shortage of correctional officers and this was a well-known fact amongst the inmates.  When Tomie, Fred, and David began working together in the greenhouse, it didn’t take long before they began scheming on how to construct a tunnel. They slowly strategized while Tomie scrummaged for supplies throughout the penitentiary to accomplish their feat.  The opening of the tunnel was dug under a rectangular, wooden footlocker. Above the footlocker, there were shelves in which they draped hoses and other materials to cover the box to avert suspicion. On the top of the footlocker was a homemade latch to secure it. One observer stated it looked like something straight out of “Hogan’s Heroes.”  Once the ground was broken beneath the footlocker, using shovels and pickaxes, the inmates dug down to a depth of eight feet. While one inmate dug, one stood at the entrance of the greenhouse watching to see if anyone was coming. David and Fred did most of the digging because they were much younger than Tomie.  Three prisoners made their way out of the former W.Va. Penitentiary in Moundsville just a few years before the facility was closed for good. Once they reached a depth, which they estimated to be below the walls of the penitentiary, they began digging horizontally.  They eventually dug thirty-two feet to be beyond the perimeter of the prison.  They dug a couple of feet in the tunnel each day.  As they tunneled, they placed the dirt in plastic casings of mattresses which they ripped open.  They filled the mattress bags and brought the dirt back to the opening. With some of the dirt, they bagged it up and used it to shore up the tunnel walls. Other dirt, they put in bags with peat moss and placed them next to the greenhouse. An urban myth of the penitentiary was that dirt from the tunnel was given to visitors in outgoing flowerpots, but Fred stated that was not true.  After several feet stretched out toward Tower Three, Fred began connecting strings of electrical lighting which were plugged into an outlet in the greenhouse.  When the tunnel was completed, there was electrical lighting strung from the opening almost to the exit hole. One correctional officer stated, “It was as bright as Christmas in there (the tunnel).”   Since David worked as a coal miner, he knew the importance of airflow within a tunnel.  There were several fans set up within it to circulate the air so the inmates would not asphyxiate. The fans had been stored in the greenhouse to keep the flowers cool. The inmates were meticulously cautious of safety procedures as they built the tunnel.  Painstakingly, inch by inch and foot by foot, they patiently cleared out more and more dirt. After they worked in the tunnel, they changed clothes in the greenhouse, so the correctional officers did not see their clothes saturated with dirt.    The cells at the former pen were very small, and in many cases, housed two inmates each, When they believed they were on the other side of the wall of the prison, they built a ladder out of materials in the greenhouse. They dug sixteen feet straight up and when the shovel first struck through the sod on the outside of the walls on Washington Street, the inmates had to subdue themselves from breaking out in raucous joy.  The inmates had a wooden manhole cover made in the prison industry building. They placed it over the small opening of the exit until they could dig the opening wide enough to escape.  The manhole cover was so elaborately made that if the inmates had placed it back on the top when they left the tunnel, they might not have been discovered so quickly. While no one else escaped but the three, others helped construct the manhole cover and knew about the plan. Thomas Drescher who was convicted of murder and serving a life sentence stated, “Everybody here is still laughing. It was a well-known secret. It was as plain as day what they were doing.”  The height of the tunnel was tall enough for a person to walk upright if they slightly hunched their head down.  One of the first correctional officers who walked through the tunnel was six feet tall and said, “I didn’t have to bend over very much to get through it.”  The inmates also walked through the tunnel with their hands behind their backs to change their center of gravity to assist their mobility.  Many coal miners are familiar with this technique. Tomie, Fred, and David spent a great deal of time inside the tunnel and knew how to navigate through it quickly.  The tunnel was well constructed, and people were amazed when they viewed it.  Former Warden Donald Bordenkircher said, “The tunnel was big enough and well enough done that everybody in the penitentiary could have walked through it.”  Fred stated, “It took about four months to build.” The former W.Va. Penitentiary is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Moundsville. (Image - Google Earth) DISCOVERING THE TUNNEL  At 3:15 p.m. on February 19, Shane Williams and his cousin, Gordon Gump saw a suspicious man walking down the street wearing a nice sweater with brown work boots. They thought his dress was unusual and when he hung his head down to avoid contact, they looked over to the walls of the prison. Gordon was initially shocked as he saw a hole and asked Shane to call the police.  When they slowly approached the hole, they noticed a ladder made of three-foot-long sections of pipe and the rungs connected with elbow fittings. The ladder was placed over the hole giving the impression the escaped inmates did not want anyone to fall into it. When the boys peered into the hole, they saw a pick, shovel, plastic bag, and a jacket at the bottom of it.    Once the authorities heard the news, they responded by locking down the penitentiary and setting up roadblocks leading out of Moundsville.  Twenty-three different law enforcement agencies were contacted to be involved in the search.  https://ledenews.com/greenhouse-getaway-the-1992-escape-from-the-w-va-penitentiary-part-one/ Read the full article

[dontbekoifish]

Cake (Mark Tuan Drabble)

Pairing: Mark Tuan x gn!Reader

Word Count: 212

Genre: Fluff

Summary: Mark just really likes cake, don’t blame him

Warnings: None

In the middle of cooking lunch, you hear rustling from behind you. You weren’t too interested in looking; it was probably Mark trying to find a snack before you finish eating. But the rustling doesn’t stop, and you’re curious. You turn around, and see your husband putting a mug into the microwave and the box of your baking ingredients out.

“Mark? What are you making? Lunch is almost ready.” Mark turns to look at you sheepishly like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

“Mug cake. I found a recipe.” You raise and eyebrow and the corner of your mouth twitches.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll have a great time having cake for lunch.” Mark almost immediately whines, walking around the kitchen island and pulling you toward him with his grubby, batter-y hands. “Yah, get off me, I’m cooking on the stove.”

“(Y/N), my love, the light of my life,” he whines, drawing out each syllable, “my honey-bunches, the Juliet to my Romeo-”

“Juliet killed herself.”

“Semantics. But my love, I’m sorry, please let e eat,” he pleads with a twinkle in his eyes.

You roll your eyes, pushing him away with the butt of your wooden spoon. “Love you too, dork. Don’t whine to me when your stomach hurts.”

[gourmade4u]

Start at the basics

Kitchen Essentials

If you’re just starting out, what are some essential tools and tips to keep in mind while you’re working away at your best Gordon Ramsey duplicate? 

Well, for starters, you need to make sure that your kitchen has the necessary base in which to build from. 

TL;DR- Chef’s knife, rubber spatula, whisk, pans (all types are neatly listed below the picture with the whisk and rubber spatulas), glass mixing bowls, kevlar or other cut-resistant gloves, metal spatula, cutting boards, electric thermometer, colander, box grater, and a timer (if you don’t have a microwave or oven that has one). 

First thing’s first: 

A Chef’s knife. I purchased mine from Ergo Chef (not an affiliate, I’m just a huge fan). From the moment my hand touched this knife, I cried literal happy tears from the depths of my soul. If you have arthritis issues, or issues that cause your hands to swell or lock up from consistent use, an ergonomically designed knife is incredibly important. For those of you just starting, my first knife set was a Farberware set with a wooden block from Walmart. It was a 20 piece knife set with steak knives and it was less than 90 dollars. But take the time to invest in your knives, you’ll be grateful that you did. 

I’ll post in a separate article how to sharpen your knife, but do keep in mind to NEVER, hold on, let me bold this, NEVER: run your knives or single knife through the dishwasher, and/or leave them in the sink. After you finish using your knife, it is best if you wash and dry it immediately to keep it from rusting. Your knives will thank you, and so will your wallet. 

A rubber spatula.

So, this little guy is the absolute best. He will help you toast rice for your risotto, spoon out that perfect pan sauce that took you way too many tries to get it exactly the way you wanted, AND he'll make sure that all your batter makes it into the pan, or your mouth, whichever you prefer.

A whisk. So yes, a whisk is incredibly versatile. You can use it to scramble eggs, make meringue, mayo, vinaigrette, and bake that cake you’re gonna regret in a week.

PANsexuality is important. But it has nothing to do with this next list of pans.

Non-stick pan

10 in. stainless steal or ceramic pan 

Cast iron pan (or 3)

Sauce pot (if you're like me, you have 6)

Griddle pan (not pictured... yet)

Sheet pan

Casserole

Each and every one of these serves a unique purpose.

A non-stick is great for eggs, bacon, frittatas (which are fancy eggs), and so many other items that I promise aren't just breakfast food. 

A ceramic pan is wonderful, but in my personal opinion, a stainless steel is better if you're a novice. A ceramic pan requires a lot of spoons (energy) and maintenance. They scratch easily if you look at them the wrong way. But they are great for more even cooking than a stainless, and make the best pork chops. Stainless steel isn’t as hard to work with, isn’t as high maintenance (though, like knives, NEVER put them in your dishwasher), is ideal for crusting your steak, and making a pan sauce with the remaining bits. 

A cast iron pan evenly distributes heat and you can put it in the oven at 500 degrees without worrying about warping or damage to your pan. Cast iron is also fantastic if you don’t want to use as much fat in your pan to keep your items from sticking. Also, you can’t get a crust on a steak in any other pan, the way you do in a cast iron. Also, don’t put this in the dishwasher.

A sauce pot sounds like an unnecessary necessity. I’ll explain, when most people hear “sauce” pot, they get very confused because there are like, 30 types. This is an exaggeration, but there are a lot of types. A large saucepot can hold from 1 qt. to 5 qts. I always recommend getting a 5 qt. pot because you can use it for small amounts and large amounts. But the best advice I can give would be to get one that can hold at least 2 c of liquid, and also one that can hold 5 qts so you’re not making oatmeal for yourself in a pot that’s too big. 

A Griddle pan is more of a luxury item, but I always recommend having one in your kitchen. You can make your best pancakes, arepas, bacon, grilled cheese, tuna melt, etc. It’s honestly a great tool to have on hand if you want to whip something up quickly. 

A sheet pan is important for so many reasons. You can make cookies, cake, bacon (I know I’ve said about 2 of the others already), roasted veggies, etc. I definitely recommend having at least one on hand. You’ll find that you’ve allowed yourself to enjoy brussel sprouts  smothered in parmesan cheese, and roasted cauliflower with garam masala and ginger for the first time ever. Just trust me, your oven is made for a varying amount of possibilities, and the right tools can get you started.

A baking dish/pan/casserole, whatever you want to call it, it’s a huge piece of either: cast iron, ceramic, glass, or clay that can be covered and it will, much like your sheet pan, allow for new ideas in the kitchen. Casserole is a very common word used by mostly older women from the south, but they aren’t just a dish your grandma cooked in the 50′s. French toast casserole is so impossibly custardy and delicious, you will thank the Gods that there has ever been something so wonderful in existence. You have stews, roasts, lasagna (uncovered, don’t be rude to your lasagna), and so many others. Just please, okay? Okay.  

Glass mixing bowls are a MUST. Okay, so some really important things about these bad boys: DON’T leave them on a hot stove because the heat will make them shatter and explode all over your kitchen. If you have pets or kids, I don’t have to tell you why this would be bad for potentially weeks on end. You can, however, makeshift a glass bowl and a boiling pot of water into a double boiler to melt your favorite chocolate chips to make fudge. Glass bowls are also non-absorbent, so they won’t retain bad odors or flavors when you use them in the kitchen. They’re also incredibly sanitary for the same reason.

A pair of Kevlar or other gloves meant for slicing and dicing in the kitchen. I recommend this no matter what level of experience you have. Professional chefs cut and burn themselves all the time, it is best you do what you can to protect your fingertips and nails. 

A metal spatula will help you scrape any bits and pieces that have stuck onto your stainless or ceramic pan. Please be sure to use carefully, the metal spatula itself is very temperamental and can ruin your pans forever. 

Cutting boards. There are, a whole litany of reasons you need a cutting board or 10 in your kitchen. I myself have 4 and I use all of them. Cutting boards are made of several different kinds of material. Ultimately, for me, I use a wooden one and an eco-friendly material cutting board set I got from Bed Bath and Beyond. Cutting board maintenance is, arguably, the most important thing when it comes to  purchasing one. Best way to clean a cutting board is to make sure you’re passing your sponge over the slits in the board left behind by your knife, in the same direction. In other words, don’t scrub your board in a circle, but trace over the cuts in the board to ensure proper sanitation of it. 

An electric thermometer. Okay, so show of hands, how many people have deep fried chicken, burned the outside and undercooked the inside? I don’t know of any single person who is just beginning, who hasn’t done it. An electric thermometer is your best friend. You can get a regular thermometer, that will require constant calibration, or you can get an electric thermometer and not have to worry about calibrating it as often. Perfectly juicy, succulent, and properly cooked chicken will measure at 165 degrees Farenheit. Anything beyond 180, expect it to be dry, but at least it was cooked properly! To calibrate a thermometer: bring water to a boil, and then place your thermometer in the water, allow it to come to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, then place your thermometer into an ice bath until it gets to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Celsius would be 100 degrees boiling, and 0 degrees in ice. 

A colander is meant to strain out pasta water, and you’ve probably not seen it used for much else. But a fine mesh colander can be used to filter out your frying oil so you can reuse it instead of wasting it. This little thing is good for anything that requires draining: meat, starch from rice and potatoes before cooking them, washing all of your vegetables at once before getting started, and also, it can help with steaming your broccoli or shrimp when you don’t have a basket steamer.

A box grater in general, is a fantastic tool. They have different sides that allow you to do different things. From shredding cheese, potatoes, carrots, or zuccini. But the question a lot of people ask: what is that side with all the really tiny spaces in it? It’s a zester, and it goes so unnoticed for so long because most folx don’t know the best way to use it. The zester is great for adding a little elegance or pop of flavor into a dish. For example, if you use lemon pepper often, adding a zested lemon rind to your dish would bring out all that delicious acidity that you won’t get from just using the regular seasoning from a bottle. A little fresh lemon zest here, some grated nutmeg there, a little orange zest in your tea, these all pack a mean right hook. Try them out. 

Last, but not least: a timer, gentlefolx. I can not stress the utter importance of learning how long it actually takes you, the reader to complete a task from start to finish. Not everyone works at the same pace, so a recipe that says “prep time: 5 minutes”, might actually take you an hour, and that’s okay. Keeping a timer on hand so you can keep track of how long each task is taking to complete, or making sure you’re pacing yourself as things are bubbling away in the kitchen, is a great way to figure yourself out in the kitchen. I recommend listening to music, writing your ingredients on a white board that sits at eye level in your kitchen so you can refer to your recipe as you’re going without having to constantly look at your phone. 

I hope this helps every single one of you learn a bit more about what it means to begin your journey with food. 

[fluidityandgiggles]

Sleep Is For The Weak - Chapter 6

Previous Chapters: Prologue, Chapter 1, Last Chapter

Writing Masterlist - for previous chapters not otherwise linked, Read on AO3

Notes (I guess): I started writing this chapter while writing chapter five and I was expecting to have fun with it, and I did, and it has a new OC in it. One that I’ve been talking about through this entire fic basically. One I’m terribly in love with and would start a fire for. So... I’m sorry if it seems like you have to keep up with all those OCs, but it really isn’t. It’s mostly just India, and this gal in this here chapter.

I apologize in advance. (Also Remy’s dad’s phone number starts with 212, which if anyone didn’t know is the Manhattan area code. Just pointing that out.)

As usual, thanks to @broadwaytheanimatedseries​ for the original thirty second long recording of them rambling about this idea, to @whatwashernameagain​ for Keep Him Safe and just for being pure and sweet as she is, and for @anony-phangirl​ , @asleepybisexual​ and @winglessnymph​ for dealing with my insanity and random bouts of ideas.

Tag list (sort of): @bunny222​ , @ab-artist​ , @secretlyanxiouspersona​ , @your-username-is-unavailable​ , @virgilcrofters​ , @why-things-go-boom​ , @ilovemygaydad​ , @violetblossem​

(If you want to be tagged or removed, please let me know! Preferably via notes/reblogs, I have bad memory, but… you do you.)

Trigger warning: period appropriate transphobia (the early 00s were not exactly trans-friendly). This chapter also discusses forms of child abuse and drug use.

—————

Emile was sent to the hospital the moment they explained the situation to the doctor on campus and was released from the ER a couple of days later. It was the very day Remy made the worst decision of his life. He missed some classes, Remy was glad to fill him up on those, and his mother had to fly in from Minnesota to look after him for the time he was there.

(Nathalie Picani was an incredibly nice woman, Remy decided within five seconds of meeting her. And he was yet to be proven wrong.)

But on the day Emile was released, Remy finally did it. He did the one thing he said he'd never do.

On that one fateful night in early November, Remy Harris agreed to babysit for Linda and Stephen Hollander. The victim? Remy. And also Leah.

"Would you please tell me who Leah is?" India asked him after a group meeting.

"Linda's daughter." Remy couldn't stop shaking. "She's six. Almost seven. And I don't want to babysit her."

"You're making a much bigger deal out of this than it really is and it's driving you crazy. It's a six year old. What's the worst that could possibly happen?"

But then, a couple hours later, Linda dropped the demon child off at Weld Hall - Remy wasn't a fan of her knowing where he stayed, thank you very much - and left. Well, then.

"You don't look like a Rebecca," the demon child muttered when she first saw Remy. And he was thankful. Both for the child having the sense to not imagine him as a Rebecca, and for the fact that it was nearing winter and he could start wearing baggier clothes, meaning he didn't have to bind.

(His back and boobs were going to thank him for it for the next six months, give or take.)

"Because it's not my name. My name is Remy, and Linda is just a bitch."

"A bitch is like my auntie when she doesn't listen to Mom, right…?"

What?!

"Auntie Steph wants to take me to see Lion King in New York on Christmas and Mom thinks that she shouldn't because I don't deserve to so she called her a bitch. Is that what you mean?" Less than a second later, "I dreamed last night that I was in a bouncy castle, and there was a clown, and I really don't like clowns, I think they're scary…"

She avoided eye contact. Much like two other figures in Remy's life. He didn't want to make wrong assumptions, but the thought was there.

"I saw a movie about real-real lions and you know that Simba is Nala's brother? Boy lions are really lazy, they don't hunt for themselves, the girl lions do it for them. Did you know that hyenas don't like boys? Like, at all? They have a really weird—"

"Look, kid, I'm sure all that is very interesting, but why do you know all this shit about hyenas?"

"My name is Leah Mae Hollander and I'm not a kid, I'm seven!"

"You'll be seven in two weeks."

"Girl hyenas have pen—"

"Yeah, I'm not gonna let you finish that! Let's do something other than talking."

He failed to notice her expression change when he said that.

——

Remy didn't have the heart to tell Leah that he already knew who George Michael is and that Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go was the song his dad used to wake him up all the time, which is why he doesn't like it, when a tiny gray bunny followed Katherine into the suite.

She swore she didn't steal him. And for once, he actually believed her.

"But it's a song about oh oh oh Remy that's a bunny I wanna cuddle the bunny can I please please cuddle the bunny?" He couldn't even answer before she dashed from the couch and grabbed the bunny a little too harshly. "Fluffy bunbun! You're so cute, little bunny!"

"Leah, someone needs this bunny right now. Would you mind putting him down so we could take him back?"

The look she gave him could kill a man.

"I found him. He's mine now."

"No, his name is Mycroft and he belongs to a very good friend of mine who is sick and needs him back." She tried using puppy eyes. Well… "You can come with me. But I'm taking the bunny back."

"Okay!"

Leah bounced all the way down the hall, and insisted on knocking on the door herself. It took several tries before Emile opened the door, still looking incredibly pale.

"I'm actually surprised you're doing this well," the nurse said while changing Emile's IV. "The lab suspected GHB, and—"

"Let's celebrate the small miracles instead of constantly pointing out facts that my son would rather forget."

"I can't hang out right now," Emile sighed. He sounded incredibly tired, almost… as if he's been crying. "I need to study for—"

"You, my good bitch, need to study for nothing. Get back in bed and I'll make you more tea."

"I'm not actually sick…"

"No, but it will help calm you down. And your mom would hate me if I didn't."

"Hello, I'm Leah!" Oh yeah. The demon child was here too. Emile looked down at her, forcing a smile. "I'm seven."

"You're not seven."

"Not yet but almost."

"Remy, please, she's clearly seven!" Leah's smile grew at that. "I'm Emile, I'm sixteen. Thank you so much for returning my bunny, Leah!"

"He's my bunny now."

For a second, Remy thought Emile was trying to imitate him. He never saw his adorable blond friend be evil... "How about he'll be ours, together?"

"...fine."

Leah bolted into the suite after the bunny, who was placed on the ground and started hopping towards his food. She was an interesting kid. A demon child, but still interesting.

Remy didn't know if he liked her or not.

"Thanks for coming to check on me, but I'm okay. You don't have to do anything. I'll be fine." Emile kissed Remy's cheek as he entered after Leah… and then didn't immediately leave. There was no way he was going to. "Remy, please!"

"No! You were—"

"I know what I was. I kept being reminded of what I was when I was in the hospital. Please stop reminding me."

"I was in the hospital two months ago," Leah started rambling again and broke whatever tension was between the boys. "Mom took Rachel to the park and I wanted to go too, because the park has the slides and the swings and there's a red slide that has rollers on it and it's funner because of the rollers and I really like it but every time I go there someone is already on it and nobody lets me slide on it so I really wanted to, so I took my rollerblades and I was on my way and then I tripped and it was very close to my home and it all hurt so our neighbor Matilda called Dad and when we went to the hospital he told me that I'm stupid and shouldn't do that ever again and when I tried to tell him that it was because I wanted to slide he called me stupid again and said the fuck word."

"And what happened then?" Emile asked softly, finally going to sit down and allowing Remy to make him tea. Well, sorta.

"I broke my arm. And it was very cool! I had a cast and everything, and nobody signed it, not even Mom or Dad, so I signed it for myself. And I did whatever I wanted!"

"What did you sign then?"

"It was a story about a group of princesses who went to fight a knight who was trying to kill their dragon friend."

Something didn't seem right to Remy. Other than absolutely not understanding a single word she said (that was a bit of an exaggeration, yes), something about the story didn't… make sense. And earlier when he cut her off, she looked incredibly offended.

Yeah… nothing matched up.

"Wait… Leah, let's work it through, okay?" She hummed in agreement. Remy was looking for mugs in the suite kitchenette. "You broke your arm rollerblading?"

"Yeah, I said that—"

"And Stephen called you stupid for breaking your arm rollerblading?"

"Yeah! I told you that!"

"And what did Linda say?"

"She said that I'm a stupid child for thinking I can rollerblade. But I can! I learned how to last year, and I'm practicing, and the park isn't that far, so I can!"

"Are you trying to analyze your sister?" Emile looked overly worried. "The tea bags are in that wooden box on the toaster oven."

"I'm not trying to analyze anything, but… something is weird." There were about ten different types of tea in there. Oh dear. Chamomile…? Emile likes chamomile, right?

"I saw Monsters, Inc. last week," Leah said out of the blue. "I saw it on my birthday and I stayed until the very-very end, and Mike Wazowski actually did a musical called put that thing back where it came from or so help me! And there's a song that's like, there's a child there's a child there's a human child, running ‘round the restaurant, this is really wild, what in heaven's name will become of us, we who are living in Monstropolis?"

"You saw that last week?" Emile sounded happy. "Remy, please no chamomile. It makes my stomach feel worse. Peppermint, please?"

"Alright."

"You saw Monsters, Inc.?"

"Yeah! I like Mike. He's fun."

Linda said that Leah was disruptive, annoying, a monster of a child. So far she… certainly talked a lot, but she wasn't disruptive, or annoying (well, maybe a little), and she didn't seem stupid at all. On their way over here she kept pointing at the suite numbers (not that many, but apparently she loved it) and asking Remy to read them to her, after which she'd declare whether or not they were multiples of three. And she couldn't stop talking about animals, some of which Remy didn't even know existed - she kept talking about betta fish for some reason, whatever those fish were, and how people killed their fish by putting more than one in the fish tank or putting cold water instead of warm (he was starting to think she just really liked betta fish). And those things meant she was… the opposite of stupid. No?

He was being redundant in his own head, it wasn't nice.

"Leah, I don't think you're stupid." Leah made a squeaky noise in response. "Linda and Stephen make no sense."

"But I can't do anything right…"

"Says who?"

"Remy Harris, you came here to make yourself useful, now where's my tea?" Emile laughed.

Once the tea was made, they sat down and watched Monsters, Inc. as per Leah's request.

Things were going to be okay today.

——

"How was babysitting the little rascal?"

"Dad… don't call her that."

"Changed your mind?"

"I don't know… I don't remember Linda berating me as much as she does Leah, and it sucks. I almost want to call social services and I only met that girl today!"

"Remy, kiddo, calm down. You'll get to see her again for thanksgiving and get a better picture of what's going on—"

"But I don't want to see them for thanksgiving and I'm worried for Leah! She's learning to play the piano, she can calculate stuff really quickly for a six year old, she remembers things with scary accuracy, it's almost inhuman… and she was called names by Linda and her husband for breaking her arm rollerblading. That's not—"

"How's Emile? Last time I called you said he was in the hospital."

"Yeah… he had a blood test. They found traces of GHB. He doesn't want to talk about it though."

"I know you probably don't want to hear this—"

"Don't tell me if I don't want to know about this…"

"When you were three, your mom used to go out a lot. She loved clubbing."

"She went out a lot my whole childhood, Dad. It's not news. She never really grew up since the eighties."

"She was seventeen when she had you, you can be a little bit—"

"Which means she's thirty-five, in a good enough position to raise children, and she chooses to call her daughter names for not fulfilling her expectations. Huh, kind of like how she treats me, isn't it?"

"...you'll be the death of me, child."

"I know. I'm already working on it. You can't see me but I'm winking at you."

"Remy, please don't make this harder than it is. Do you think I want her to want contact with you?"

"No, I don't. I don't want her to either. But it's not like I have any choice. You're making me do this!"

"You're being a brat."

"Thank you so much, I totally needed to hear that."

Remy hung up. Something was… not quite right. He just had to—

Incoming Call: 212-729-5555

"I don't want to talk to you right now."

"You said you didn't want to babysit Linda's kids, and now you're protecting her child like your life depends on it. Do you want to listen to what I have to say or not?"

"...sure. Whatever."

"When you were six, I had to leave you with your grandparents one night because your mom didn't come home from one of her parties. She almost died that night."

"And that has to do with what exactly?"

"That has to do with you being super worried about Emile. He's alive, isn't he? And he's doing alright. All you can do now is be there to support him."

"Well… yeah, you're right. I hate it when you're right."

"Now, about Leah. I know you don't trust your mom, I know you can't stand her, but it's no reason to call social services."

"Okay, I call her Linda to distance myself from her. She's not my mom. And the way Leah says she treats her is horrendous, and I would say it's abusive but I don't know the severity of it yet. So will you please just…"

"I think you need to take a day off, think about it, and we'll talk tomorrow."

"...fine. Good night, Dad. I'm going to go to sleep."

"Good. Good night, son. Sleep tight."

[bonnie-barstow-of-flag]

Headcanons: Bonnie Barstow

Things from Halloween Knight: 

When Bonnie wasn’t living at the Foundation at the start of season 3 she had her own apartment. Her’s was #212. She keeps her modest place relatively orderly. 

The apartment comes with more keys than a Federal Reserve bank which, to Bonnie is mildly irritating but super comforting. After working to catch criminals with the Foundation For Law and Government all day, the last thing she wants to do is deal with is feeling vulnerable in her own place. 

Her kitchen has wooden cabinets and she has a more modern fridge and appliances. The interior of Bonnie’s apartment was predominantly furnished by herself. As she states, “the apartment was empty when I moved in.” The outside balcony separated from the inside by a sliding glass door and it came pre-furnished.

Bonnie is also a careful packer- having everything wrapped in protective layers of newspaper. She abhors packing and unpacking. Especially, in a hurry and whilst sick because everything ends up getting lost or misplaced.

Kitt says “why did Bonnie have to choose one of those singles buildings?” That is because at this point in the series, she still believes she will never find anyone to settle down with. What she doesn’t realize is that she and Michael are destined for each other. Also: let’s not forget that Kitt’s instincts here are spot on. It isn’t exactly the safe place Bonnie had expected it to be.  

She hates being pitied and being made to feel like she is going crazy. Because of the pranks pulled on her Devon attempts to sway her to come and stay at Wilton’s mansion. While staying at the mansion is probably the best option for her, she insists she is fine because she likes to have some semblance of independence. Honestly, this apartment is her one real connection to the world outside of FLAG and outside of the garage. As a social being, she sometimes craves human companionship. 

When her apartment was broken into a she can’t help but feel violated. The individual had gone through her boxes, her clothing, and her cupboards. Not only did they intrude upon her privacy but they had trashed the place! Even more alarming is that the individual had enough time to mess with the ceiling tiles and vents in her bathroom, rigging up a holograph projector and a mini cassette recorder.

After witnessing a murder there and the fiasco that ensued. Bonnie most likely finds another place to live. Legally fighting the lease agreement with the help of Devon Miles. Especially, since her landlord and fellow attendants attempted to murder her and Michael. They were secondary of course and only targeted 1) because Bonnie witnessed the murder (2) because she was too close to the evidence they desperately wanted to get their hands on

Michael and Bonnie going to the Halloween party in matching costumes makes a HUGE statement. He goes as Rhett Butler and she goes as Scarlett O’hara from Gone with the Wind. IE: they are genuinely meant for each other but just can’t see it yet. It also fits the kind of relationship they have together. 

[digitalandy]

De Juwelier, Amsterdam

A nice atmosphere in this packed Michelin star restaurant in Amsterdam which has been recently opened by the owner of the famous two stars 212.

Not far away from the other restaurant, this place is on a relatively busy street among a series of shops. The place is small with a one window entrance where there is a counter with seats available facing the small open kitchen. On the back the room splits in two visible floors where tables with white clothes are placed very close to each other.

On each table a nice wooden box is containing the cutlery that guests has to take for their dishes.

The menu has a specific and strong style focusing on quinto/quarto so the less noble parts of the animals. This includes dishes like pig's head and ox tail.

Also fish is available like the crab salad, served in a small iceberg salad with salmon roe and a sauce made of the fish lever. Very nice the wild duck which is well cooked, juicy and tasty.

The feeling is anyway the one of a too heavy cooking and an overpriced experience.

Wine list is mainly French and not big. Service is ok bit not memorable.

The idea of building a French inspired experience is probably not coming completely though.

https://www.restaurant-dejuwelier.nl/

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[sdosssheet]

420J2 Stainless Steel Strip

https://www.sdosssheet.com/products/420j2-stainless-steel-strip/

420J2 stainless steel strip belongs to the Japanese standard martensitic stainless steel, the implementation standard: JIS G4303-2005. 420J2 This steel has good mechanical processing performance. After heat treatment (quenching and tempering), it has excellent corrosion resistance, polishing performance, high strength and wear resistance, and is suitable for manufacturing to withstand high loads, high wear resistance and under the action of corrosive media. Plastic molds. After quenching and tempering, the 420J2 material whose hardness is below HRC30 has better workability and is easy to achieve better surface quality. The surface quality of the parts processed when the hardness is greater than HRC30 is good, but the tool is easy to wear. Therefore, after the material enters the factory, the quenching and tempering treatment is carried out to reach the hardness of HRC25-30, and then the cutting is carried out.

 420J2 Stainless Steel Strip Specification

Item

Stainless Steel 420J2 strip (Hot rolled, Cold rolled)

Thickness

0.01~300mm

Width

500mm,800mm,1m, 1.2m, 1.5m, 2m, or as required.

Standard

JIS, AISI, ASTM, GB, DIN, EN, etc

Surface

2B, 2D, BA, NO.1, NO.4, NO.8, 8K, mirror, checkered, embossed, hair line, sand blast, Brush, etching, etc

Package

Shrink-wrapped, Carton boxes, Wooden pallets, Wooden boxes, Wooden crates Etc.

Edge

Mill Edge Slit Edge

Export to

India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Iran, Iraq, Oman, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Italy, UK, Brazil, Russia, Egypt, Kuwait, Taiwan, Australia.

Payment term

T/T, L/C, Western Union.

 Chemical Elements of 420J2 Stainless Steel Sheet

Chemical Components

Specification

Key Features

Typical Application

element

Minimum percentage

Maximum percentage

ASTM A240 ISO 15156-3 (NACE MR0175) BS EN 10088-3

The corrosion resistance at higher temperatures is better than that of 316 stainless steel.

Chemical processing. spring. fastener. Threaded insert. Metal mesh

C

–

0.08

Si

–

1

Mn

–

2

P

–

0.045

S

–

0.03

Cr

16.5

18.5

Mo

2

2.5

Ni

10.5

13.5

Ti

5 x C

0.7

Fe

bal

Density

7.9 g/cm³

0.285 lb/in³

Melting point

1375°C

2500°F

Coefficient of expansion

16.5 μm/m °C (21 – 100°C)

9.110 x 10-6 in/in °F (70 – 212°F)

Rigid modulus

74 kN/mm²

10730 ksi

Modulus of elasticity

193 kN/mm²

27990 ksi

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[heir-to-the-diamond-throne]

Masterlist

I’ve actually received a few people interested in my current list of podcasts so I’m writing them all down (also it’ll be helpful in case my podcast app decides to crash and wipe my library for the fourth time)

I just want to preface this by saying I’m probably still missing a few that I haven’t been able to remember. Also there’s a few on here that have finished, a few I’ve stopped listening to and am waiting to see if I’ll go back to, and a few that I haven’t gotten around to listening to yet.

1. 2 Dope Queens 2. 36 Questions 3. A New Winter 4. A Scottish Podcast 5. Action Science Theatre 6. Active Radioactive Radio 7. The Adventure Zone 8. The Adventures of Mechabetty 9. The After Disaster Broadcast 10. Alba Salix, Royal Physician 11. The Alexandra Archives 12. Alice isn’t Dead 13. All in the Mind 14. And that’s why we Drink 15. Anything Ghost 16. Archive 81 17. Ark City 18. Ars Paradoxica 19. Astonishing Legends 20. Athiest Apocalypse 21. Attention Hellmart Shoppers 22. Audio Diary of a Superhero 23. Audio Drama Production 24. Audio Verse Awards 25. Augustine 26. Aural Traditions: Anthology 27. Aural Traditions: Crosswired 28. Beast of Bardon College 29. Bedtime Stories 30. Beef and Dairy Network 31. Big Data 32. Bizarre States 33. The Black Tapes 34. The Blood Crow Stories 35. Boone Shepard 36. The Box 37. The Bridge 38. The Bright Sessions 39. Bronzeville 40. The Bunker 41. Bunker Buddies 42. Busy Gamer Nation presents I Love Bees 43. The Call of Cthulhu Mysteries 44. Carpe DM 45. Celestial Blood 46. The Cleansed 47. Code: Severe 48. Coffee Break Chinese 49. Conversations with People who Hate Me 50. Cool Games 51. Cop Doctors 52. Corpse Club 53. Creepy 54. Critical Hit 55. Critical Role 56. Crossing Wires 57. The Cryptid Keeper 58. Cthulhu and Friends 59. Cults 60. D&D is for Nerds 61. The Dark Tome 62. Darkest Night 63. Dead Oaks 64. Dead Ringers 65. Dead Serious 66. Deadly Manners 67. Dear Hank + John 68. Deck the Halls 69. The Deep Vault 70. Defence Learning Portal 71. Detective 72. Diana’s Monster 73. Diary of a Mad Man 74. Dinosaur Park 75. Discovery 76. The Discovery Adventures 77. Don’t Worry; It’s Only the End of the World 78. Dopple Avenue Hurt 79. The Drift and Ramble 80. Drywater 81. DWM presents Unwritten 82. The Earth Collective 83. Easy Japanese 84. Edict Zero 85. The Elysium Project 86. Empty 87. End of All Hope 88. EOS 10 89. Fables Radio 90. The Faculty of Horror 91. Fall of the House of Sunshine 92. The Family Tree 93. The Far Meridian 94. Fictional 95. Field Craft Survival 96. Flash Forward 97. Focused AF 98. Freed 99. Friends at the Table 100. Gallowtree Radio 101. Geek by Night 102. Generation Why 103. The Ghost Radio Project 104. Ghosts in the Burbs 105. Girl in Space 106. The Good Friends of Jackson Elias 107. Good Morning Zahera Ward 108. The Gray Area 109. Greater Boston 110. Hackable? 111. The Harry Strange Radio Drama 112. Haunted Places 113. The Haven Chronicles 114. Hayward Sanitarium 115. Heaven’s Gate 116. Hector vs the Future 117. Hello from the Magic Tavern 118. Help Me 119. Henderson + Havner 120. Herbarium Podcasts 121. History of Alchemy 122. The History of Rome 123. Hollywood and Crime 124. Homecoming 125. Horror City 126. How to do Everything 127. How we Roll 128. Hunt the Truth 129. Hush 130. I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats 131. Illusionoid 132. Immunities 133. In Darkness Vast 134. The Infinite 135. The Infinite Bad 136. The Infinite Now 137. Inkwyrm 138. Inner Sanctum 139. Inside the Exorcist 140. Inside the NYPD 141. International Waters 142. It Makes A Sound 143. Jim Robbie and the Wanderers 144. Join the Party 145. Junction 146. Kakos Industries 147. Kevin’s Cryptids 148. King Falls AM 149. The Kingery 150. Knifepoint Horror 151. Knights of the Night 152. Knite Coffee! 153. Lake Clarity 154. The Last Podcast on the Left 155. The Late Night Driving Show 156. LEARN 157. The Lesbian Romantic 158. Lesser Gods 159. The Leviathan 160. Liberty 161. LifeAfter 162. The Lift 163. Limetown 164. Lore 165. The Lost Cat 166. The Lovecraft Covenant 167. Lucyd 168. Mabel 169. Magic Lessons 170. The Magnus Archives 171. Mars Corp 172. Marsfall 173. The McElroy Brothers will be in Trolls 2 174. The Meat Blockade 175. The Mental Illness Happy Hour 176. Misadventure by Death 177. Miskatonic University 178. Mission to Zyxx 179. Modern Audio Drama 180. Mollyville 181. The Moonlit Road 182. My Brother, My Brother, and Me 183. My Brother, My Brother, and Me: Fantasy Football League 184. My Favourite Murder 185. Mysterious Universe 186. The Mythology Podcast 187. Myths and Legends 188. Neon Nights 189. The Night Blogger 190. Night Time 191. No Extra Words 192. No Such Thing as a Fish 193. The No Sleep Podcast 194. Oak Podcast 195. The Orbiting Human Circus (of the air) 196. Organism 197. The Orphans 198. The Orpheus Protocol 199. Ostium 200. The Other Stories 201. Otherverse 202. Our Fair City 203. Paralyzed 204. Passage 205. The Penumbra Podcast 206. Pleasure Town 207. Plumbing the Death Star 208. Podcast Detected 209. The Podcast Method 210. Podcasts Collected 211. Point Mystic 212. Poplar Cove 213. Powder Burns 214. Public Domain Universe 215. Purrcast 216. Qwerpline 217. Rabbits 218. Radiation World 219. Radio Demons 220. Ray Gunn + Starburst 221. Real Ghost Stories Online 222. Return Home 223. Rex Rivetter: Private Eye 224. Rippercast 225. The Rogues Gallery 226. Rose Drive 227. Rover Red 228. Ruby: The Adventures of a Galactic Gumshoe 229. Rusty Quill Gaming 230. S-Town 231. Sable 232. Saffron and Peri 233. Sage + Savant 234. Sawbones 235. Sayer 236. Scared? 237. Secret Cabinet 238. Seminar 239. Serial 240. Serial Killers 241. The Shadowvane Podcast 242. Shattered Worlds RPG 243. Shut up a Second 244. Sirenicide 245. Small Town Horror 246. Snap Judgements Presents: Spooked 247. SOFREP Radio 248. Someone Knows Something 249. Space 250. Space Log 251. Spines 252. Spire 253. Spirits 254. Star Talk 255. Station to Station 256. Stay Talkingish 257. Steal the Stars 258. The Strange Case of Starship Iris 259. Strange 260. Strangers in Space 261. Stuff to Blow your Mind 262. Stuff you Should Know 263. Subject: Found 264. Subvercity Transmit 265. Supervillian Corner 266. Synesthesia Theatre 267. Taking Care of Paul 278. Tales of Nowhere 269. Tales of THATTOWN 270. Tanis 271. Terms 272. Theatre for the Mind 273. The Theatre of Tomorrow 274. The Thrilling Adventure Hour 275. Timelapse 276. Tokyo Hotel 277. Tribulation 278. True Crime Garage 279. The Tunnels 280. Twelve Chimes it’s Midnight 281. Uncanny County 282. Uncanny Japan 283. Under Pressure 284. Undiscovered 285. Unexplained 286. Unsolved Murders 287. Urban Chicken Podcast 288. Urban Decay 289. Victoriocity 290. We’re Alive 291. We’re Alive: Lockdown 292. We’re so Bad at Adventuring 293. Weird Work 294. Welcome to Night Vale 295. What the Cluck 296. What’s the Frequency 297. The White Vault 298. The Wicked Library 299. Wisecracks: The Squanch 300. Within the Wires 301. Wolf 359 302. Wooden Overcoats 303. The Writers Panel 304. You Are Here 305. Zoolaplex And a couple of podcasts that haven’t come out yet: 306. The Big Loop 307. Tarnum

[getseriouser]

20 THOUGHTS: You can't bite the boys of the Bulldog breed

FUNNY that.

The Bulldogs were wooden spoon certainties and in a world of trouble, now we jump off Essendon as quickly, pardoning their victors as we do.

Collingwood wins by four goals against a lowly Carlton and now Buckley is showing something we’ve never seen before?

West Coast kick six unanswered goals in the final term when their travelling opponents had a smaller bench than an inner-city apartment’s kitchenette and they are now on the path to greatness?

Steady on.

 1.       Cricket first - in a sport that desperately could use some PR right about now - why haven't we had a female umpire a men's test match? Has it happened and no-one noticed? Or is it a glaring oversite with other men’s competitions around the world catching up? Cricket Australia needs me. James Sutherland, you have my number, give me a call.

 2.       So the Doggies. Had a significant portion of their best line-up out on Sunday and showed a bit, showed us what we think the 2016 premiers should be playing like. Round One was what it was, and yes they had a stinker to follow up, but these Dogs will be just fine, probably not a top four fancy but certainly a long way from the bottom of the ladder come the end of August.

 3.       As for their opponents, well yes, little excuse. Unlike the winners, Essendon were pretty close to rolling out their best team (Gleeson perhaps the only exception?) and yet were pummelled and lucky to have gotten so close. In that case, on Sunday, that just comes down to a bit of want and desire. Not good. But there’s always a next week so not all is lost at Tullamarine.

 4.       Hasn’t the man love come for Nic Naitanui since Sunday night. He is back, there’s no-one better in full flight, best on ground and probably a Logie, Nobel Prize and a chance to play for the showcase on Price is Right too. However, and this goes somewhat for Stef Martin who also played a ‘blinder’ on the weekend, who were they rucking against? Both Geelong and Port Adelaide did not possess a first-choice ruckman, so for Naitanui and Martin to go bananas is bare minimum. That’s what separates Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy above the others. Gawn defeated an All-Australian ruckman in Todd Goldstein, Grundy took down a pretty handy colleague in Matty Kreuzer too. So, as mentioned above, when it comes to ruckmen dominating games with no equal – steady on.

 5.       Geez the Power run it dicey with opponents they should just be taking care of. Credit to the Lions I guess but Port are so lucky. Yet, a win is a win, they didn’t stuff it up like last year when this would have gone against them, if they ride their luck and make amends, this is still a very positive platform for Ken Hinkley’s men.

 6.       This column continues to be enamoured with the Freo back six. A solid, in-form and gelling backline is the foundation of good, great sides. The combination of Joel Hamling, premiership player, the assured veteran presence of Michael Johnson and Stephen Hill, the rapidly developing Alex Pearce and Luke Ryan plus one of the recruits of the year in Nathan Wilson, that’s a very good core group. Let alone the fact their mids look great especially their captain and their forward line is functioning and dangerous alike, again, it’s all set up for success.

 7.       Friday night, gee the heat came for Jacob Weitering. Liam Jones had a few brain fades but I’m not sure why the sole focus of the attention for Carlton letting a winless team roll through for nine unanswered goals went on the former no.1 pick? How about some attention for the midfield who looked completely absent leaving the Blues’ defence with little prospects to do anything to stop the wave? Starts with the captain whose getting away with doing the best part of bugger all so far in 2018.

 8.       Their opponents, first win for the Pies, they looked alright. Throw Elliott, Fasolo and Moore with what worked Friday inside 50, the back six is improving and confidence with ball movement can grow into the season – they present ‘some’ chance to be 4-4 after eight rounds where their draw does get easier than the start. Need luck, some they need to create themselves, some the way of good fortune.

 9.       Different role for Scott Pendlebury, essentially ran with Cripps all night, now Cripps did end up with 26 but wasn’t anywhere near as influential as Round One. A big stat: no-one in the competition has tackled more so far this season than the Pies' skipper, not known for the real physical side of the game but leading by example in that way.

 10.   Gold Coast leads the tackle count after three rounds with 250, they did have 98 in Round One though in the monsoonal conditions against North who had 86 themselves and are second for that team stat as you’d expect. Third though, Collingwood, 212.

 11.   Interesting, the teams that have had been tackled the most, North and Gold Coast are high because of Round One, but number one? Carlton, averaging 77 a game where the average is 62. They are really struggling to find space. The best, no surprise, Richmond, averaging 50 a game. Dogs just behind in second best, they actually are playing ok.

 12.   Essendon are the by far the worst team for conceding uncontested possessions so far, a decent margin ahead of second worst Brisbane. That’s down to workrate and team discipline as we said before.

 13.   Last team stat, inside 50s conceded, the worst, Geelong, ahead of North, Gold Coast and Carlton. Averaging over 60 a game conceded the Cats, so once opposition get the ball, it’s too easy to transition, or turn the Cats over and get re-entry. The best, Melbourne, Port and Freo, just over 40 a game, big difference.

 14.   As for Geelong, Ablett goes down and so did their chances coincidentally. He wasn’t the sole factor but once he came off at the start of the fourth the Eagles flicked a switch and ran rampant. Almost immediately he has become their best player and just edges Dangerfield perhaps for their most important. And he ain’t no spring chicken, with an increasingly concerning knack for picking up niggles.

 15.   Sunday saw Clarko almost orchestrate another upset; they will overachieve far too often this year. The Tigers were by far the better outfit but I credit the Hawthorn coaching box and not lady luck for the fact the Hawks were in it almost all the way. Such a genius.

 16.   So the Saints are looking into Dylan Shiel. Josh Kelly stayed, so there’s nothing to suggest that Shiel might do any differently. But given the Saints ‘perception’ right now, other than monster cash – good luck.

 17.   Buddy watch, might not get a vote, only got two goals although one was just mega, but was in the best half dozen on the field easily and is on big time in 2018. Please make sure you get on.

 18.   Want to touch on big Melbourne crowds -  six crowds at the ‘G so far of approximately 55k and above with some over 80k. Three including Hawthorn, two with Collingwood, two with Richmond. A couple 40k+ at Etihad too, both Essendon games. Hawks-Dees will be good this week, two huge games next week Dees-Tigers and Pies-Dons, with those four clubs reverse the Sunday after too. People are turning up to the footy in droves, the game’s going well.

 19.   Let’s have a look at Sydney, their NRL crowds, 19 of the 37 ‘fixtures’ (they've had double headers) so far in the NRL have been in Sydney, a mix of old suburban and big stadium venues. Only two crowds over 30k, averaging 16k, other than Origin or finals not likely to get anything over 40k all year. Yes the money is in TV, but crowds are still a very important revenue source and talks to fan engagement. Yes, the Giants are still too new in a tough environment, the Swans though, two home games, both 34k, the two highest attended football games in town so far in 2018.

 20.   Conor McGregor throws a hand trolley at a bus. Connor McKenna bites Tory Dickson. If you meet an Irishman, named Connor, with a Scottish surname, back away slowly…

(originally published 10 April)

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[itunesbooks]

Fairly at Bat - Ron Fairly

Fairly at Bat My 50 years in baseball, from the batter's box to the broadcast booth Ron Fairly Genre: Baseball Price: $8.99 Publish Date: February 1, 2018 Publisher: Back Story Publishing, LLC Seller: Ingram DV LLC Ron Fairly had an unbelievable 1958, in which he started the year playing baseball at the University of Southern California and ended it as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. And then it got better. Fairly at Bat is a dramatic, funny, and altogether entertaining romp through a 50-year career as a player and broadcaster, including as a member of three World Series champion Dodgers teams in the 1950s and ‘60s. All the stars of those great teams are here, not just as players, but as people, teammates and friends. The old guard from Brooklyn and the new stars in Los Angeles: Gil Hodges, Duke Snider, Carl Furillo, Frank Howard, Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, Maury Wills and so many more. How the Dodgers who came west made Los Angeles their own, even winning a World Series in a football stadium until Dodger Stadium was built. Fairly takes you into the lives of baseball players of the 1960s and ‘70s, not only between the basepaths, but in off-hours before and after the games. His memoir includes not only the Dodgers, but players he faced such as Cardinals Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson, or just met along the way, like Red Sox hitting star Ted Williams. The incidents are famous, of course, like the 1963 World Series sweep of the New York Yankees, how a bad scouting report almost cost the Dodgers the 1965 World Series and what it was like to be swept by Baltimore in the 1966 Series. The way baseball was in a rougher time, with brushback pitches and even the infamous Marichal-Roseboro brawl in 1965. Fairly pulls no punches, discussing his relationship with the Dodger management, including owner Walter O'Malley, general manager Buzzie Bavasi and manager Walter Alston. He includes an amazing story about Alston pulling a star pitcher after 10 pitches ... in batting practice! So much more: why Fairly chose USC for college over UCLA, even though he was offered a basketball scholarship by Bruins coach John Wooden, what Vero Beach was like in the heyday of Dodgertown and his post-Dodgers odyssey that included All-Star selections in Montreal and Toronto and stints in Oakland, St. Louis and a lucky final stop in Anaheim. He made a very successful transition from player to broadcaster, but just as when he came up with the Dodgers, he had to learn a new trade. Being behind a microphone had its own challenges, much different than those of a player. Fairly at Bat is a memoir shaped by his half-century in the game that originally started as a personal journal that has been transformed into 212 pages of fun that's easy to read and enjoy. Fairly worked with long-time Los Angeles Times sportswriter and author Steve Springer, a veteran of more than a dozen books, including best-selling biographies of Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya and many others.  It's illustrated with Fairly's personal photographs, including those from his youth, and many locker room prank shots that showed teammates and friends having a good time as well as playing a game they loved. Fairly at Bat: My 50 years in baseball, from the batter's box to the broadcast booth includes a foreword by Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda, a timeline of Fairly's career from youth baseball in Long Beach, California, to the broadcast booth until his retirement in 2012, and a statistical summary of his 20 years as a major leaguer. “My worst day in a baseball uniform was better than the best day I could have had in any other career.” Share those days with Ron in Fairly at Bat. http://bit.ly/2NYSKmG

[wizehomedirect-blog]

3 Great Ideas For Your Deck

Summer time is here and it’s time to enjoy your back yard. One of the best ways to do that is with a porch or deck. It’s the perfect place to enjoy family dinners, t

From string lights on a budget to built in lighting there are options for every budget and every back porch. Simple lighting can turn a dark night into a beautiful oasis. Here are some clever ideas to add lighting to your deck.

LIGHTS

If you’re going for high-end and stylish deck or patio that’s maintenance free than a composite deck like Fiberon with built in lighting is for you.

If this is a great idea but doesn’t fit your budge here is a great alternative. Attach your own solar step lights. They are inexpensive and you don’t even have to worry about batteries.

SEATING Sure you probably want that great outdoor patio set but a great way to use all your deck space from large porches meant to entertain or small ones that could barely fit a table. They can be added to your plans for the builder down to some DIY wooden boxes. The great thing is you gain more usual space and possibly even storage.

COUNTER SPACE It doesn’t take much to make a big difference. You can have it made into the plans or simply add another 2x4.

If you have an existing deck or building one you should incorporate one or all of these to make it even better. If you're looking for someone to build your deck in North Carolina be sure to give Wize Home Direct a call 828-513-7726 for a free estimate. 

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During the 19th century two Polynesians, Mamae of Mangaia and Rewi Rangi-amio from Aotearoa New Zealand, proudly narrated short accounts about their respective ancestors: 'Īkoke, a warrior leader of the Ngāti Vara, and Taketake of Tūhoe. These narratives focused upon the ancestors' displays of genitals at critical junctures in battle. In this paper the stories provide reference points by which we can better understand ancient Polynesian perceptions of the relationship between sex and war as practised by the chiefly classes. These particular incidents draw attention to the existence of other references in Eastern Polynesia, notably in Aotearoa, to displays, or misleading displays, of male and female chiefly genitalia in the context of aggressive acts. Taken together, these various references from islands as far apart as Aotearoa, Mangaia and Hawai'i show how in Polynesia chiefly genitals were able to manifest the potency of leaders. While principally examined in the particular context of Eastern Polynesia, these stories of genital displays are also discussed in relation to themes concerning aggression and power as played out in the ambivalent relations between men and women. The paper begins with Mamae's unpublished narrative about his ancestor, 'Īkoke, and then locates this story in the history and ethnography of Mangaia and other islands. The second half recounts the published versions of Taketake's feat before widening the discussion to consider other stories about male and female chiefly displays of genitals in Aotearoa.

Michael Reilly. "Sex and War in Ancient Polynesia." The Journal of the Polynesian Society.  Volume 110, No. 1, p 31-58.

'Īkoke first appears in the historical record at the subsequent battle of 'Arerā; this was the “great battle” referred to by Mamae which confirmed his ancestor's warrior status. 'Arerā was an important conflict in which Mautara and his sons faced a numerically stronger opposing force, comprising mostly Ngāriki as well as a smaller number of Tepei. Mautara, in his capacity as Ngāriki's priest, had chosen the field of battle. The combined army of Ngāriki and Tepei arrived first and had already arranged themselves in ranks (possibly as many as eight) in conformity with usual Mangaian battle tactics before the smaller Ngāti Vara force came in sight. At that point, the Ngāriki and Tepei performed a war dance. Mautara, who commanded his men but did not participate in the fighting, warned and exhorted his sons and their followers. Gill and Mamae ascribe two statements to Mautara which may have been uttered at this juncture. According to Gill (1984:166), he warned that “‘If we fail, we shall certainly be cooked and eaten’”. According to Mamae (Reilly n.d.), he encouraged his three sons with these words, “Kākaro tika e a'u Ariki me ta'uri tei runga i te a'i kikau” (Be careful, oh my ariki [a form of address to an elder son], in case the coconut leaves fall upon the fire). Both remarks highlight his concerns about the enemy's numerical superiority; the second one warned his sons not to unnecessarily waste their warriors' lives (represented as coconut leaves) in the fire of fighting. Immediately after this the Ngāti Vara charged at the enemy's centre and cut their army in two, parts of which appear to have fairly soon retired from the battle in some confusion, leaving the others to continue a hard fought contest (see Gill 1984:166-67). The Ngāti Vara's tactic, an unusual manoeuvre, had negated the enemy's superiority of numbers and gained the day for Mautara and his three sons. Te Uanuku now became the dominant chiefly leader, or mangaia, on the island while Raumea and 'Īkoke presumably acted as his warrior supporters.

Mautara's non-combatant directorial role, his metaphorical injunctions and the Ngāti Vara battle formation have parallels in other Polynesian islands. When the ruling chief of Hawai'i, Alapa'i-nui, attempted to carry war to the island of Oahu his forces were defeated by the local warriors led by their six year old ruler, Ka-naha-o-ka-lani, who “directed his forces by the voice alone, from the shoulders of his attendant” (Kamakau 1992:71). Metaphorically laden exhortations, such as those used by Mautara, were also employed by the Hawaiian chief, Ka'iana, when speaking to his men before battle (see Kamakau 1991:15, cf. 1992:153-54).

The Ngāti Vara formation used at Arerā was most likely a form of wedge, a well-recognised tactic elsewhere in Polynesia. In New Zealand it was apparently only used in desperate situations when a company of warriors was trying to quickly break through the opposing outer ranks and reach the enemy's main position. In such formations, the leading warriors occupied the posts of honour at the point of the wedge and the two positions in the second row (Vayda 1960:16). This may have been where Mautara's sons fought. The use of wedge formations was also recorded in Hawaiian battles such as that of Ka-pu-lei on the island of Molokai (Kamakau 1992:70).

[...]

Despite being opposed by another numerically superior force, including a significant number of Ngāriki leaders and other seasoned warriors, Mautara's hurriedly assembled force achieved a decisive victory. They were helped by the timely intervention of some of the opposing leaders, notably from the Ngāriki ivi, who presumably could not contemplate attacking the embodiment of their own tribal spiritual being, Mōtoro. The Tongaiti's pi'a atua (spirit medium), Pārae, also helped Mautara by telling him of the conspiracy, 4 and later by signalling to him to move the Ngāti Vara to a more advantageous battle site. The conspirators then attacked their erstwhile colleagues from the rear. Many of the latter were slain and those who survived were captured, with Te Uanuku's assassin being tortured to death by Mautara as some compensation for the murder of his first born.With this victory Mautara assumed political power and sagely ruled the island through a series of strategic alliances for a number of years. 'Īkoke played a prominent part in this period of his father's reign, marrying a number of the wives of his slain opponents (Gill 1984:212). Mamae (n.d.) listed six wives in his genealogies (including Raumea's messenger, Kārua), highlighting the extent of 'Īkoke's privileged position and explaining why his descendants were to become so prominent in the subsequent history of Ngāti Vara.

[...]

The story of Īkoke suggests that before these duels between leading warriors, Mangaian battles involved what might be characterised as forms of psychological sparring, perhaps analogous to boxing opponents' pre-fight verbal jousting. The intention in both is undoubtedly to undermine the enemy's resolution and morale, so important an element in achieving victory (e.g., Keegan 1978:301-2). The first tactic involved both 'Īkoke and 'Āmai yelling their war cries at each other. This sort of yelling (probably using tribally specific cries, see below) may have been a common tactic. For example, the Mangaian war dance, the reru tāki, 6 which preceded fighting (as at Arerā) ended with “a wild prolonged yell” (Gill 1984:46).

On another occasion, the formidable mangaia, Ngāuta, prior to attacking his enemies whom he had come upon sleeping in a cave, raised “a terrible war-shout” before falling upon them, no doubt, adding to the awakened sleepers' confusion and terror (Gill 1984:85).As part of Mana'une's adoption into Ngāti Vara, Mautara accompanied his kinsman towards the tribe's waiting warriors (including his sons) “shouting to them with all his might” whereupon a mock fight began (Gill 1984:196). A Mangaian death custom provides further information on preliminary battle practices. Immediately after someone's death a messenger, or manu (bird), would go to the boundary of another district and give “the war-shout peculiar to these people” before indicating who had died (Gill 1876:268). Subsequently, the young men of the dead person's district would go and fight a mock battle with the young warriors from this other district in what was called “‘e teina no te puruki’” or, “‘a younger brother of war’” (Gill 1876:269). This involved both sides arraying themselves “as if for battle”, performing the war dance, then rushing at each other, “clashing their spears and wooden swords, as though in right earnest”, in order to defeat the “malignant spirits” (probably tuārangi) which had contributed to the death (Gill 1876:268). All these examples suggest that the fierce hand-to-hand combat of battles such as Tuāopapa were preceded by the use of tribal battle cries and fierce war dances intended to enhance one side's morale and to undermine the opponent's before the fighting was actually joined.

The most dramatic preliminary gesture was undoubtedly 'Īkoke's flaunting of his penis in front of the first rank of his enemies, where the most experienced warriors stood. 'Īkoke's posturing suggests strongly that his penis was erect; hence his call to 'Āmai and the other warriors to attempt to stab it. As the example of Taketake will show, among New Zealand Māori erect penes were considered favourable signs and closely associated with warriors and fighting (e.g., Reilly 1995:33). If 'Īkoke's confident display was able to weaken the resolve of the opposing front line, then the battle might be won before it had started. This was probably a common assumption because some fights did end with very little loss of life when one of the opposing parties fled the battlefield. For example, at Arerā the combined army of Ngāriki and Tepei carefully arranged their lines below the island's interior hills (Gill 1984:167), one benefit of which would be to permit a rapid retreat into its hidden refuges. At Pukuōto'i, the few food gatherers who survived had fled at the outset of the brief contest to the shelter of the surrounding rocks (Gill 1984:197).

'Īkoke's dramatic actions in undoing his loincloth highlights the place of provocative gestures in these preliminary verbal jousts. A similar gesture is mentioned in S.M. Kamakau's history of Kamehameha's seizure of Hawai'i when Kaha'i, distraught at the death of his elder brother, Kane-koa, laid aside his loin cloth and travelled “to challenge Kamehameha as a warrior” (Kamakau 1992:124). Kaha'i's dramatic act was intended, however, to arouse Kamehameha's pity (presumably at the sight of his naked elder kinsman) and to obtain his assistance in revenging the death of Kane-koa who, along with Kaha'i, had cared for Kamehameha when he was a child. Such actions and their accompanying forms of challenging language are not altogether surprising within a wider Polynesian culture distinguished for its oral arts, including the use of dramatic gesture and rhetoric.