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rubysunnday · 3 years

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Dear Mother,

A/N: Inspired by the post about what Mrs Shelby’s name is. It’s also inspired by my first ever fic on here, The Letters, since it’s almost been a year since I posted it.

Her name had become a taboo. No one dared to mention the same of Mrs Shelby - the woman who’d thrown herself into the Cut because she went out of her mind. It was always “Mrs Shelby” or “the Shelby’s mother”.

Her name had died with her. She didn’t even have her name on the grave. Just mother.

Y/N Shelby didn’t even know her mother’s name. It was nowhere to be seen within the walls of the house and there was no record of it in any photo album or bundle of letters.

She was a ghost - a nameless whisper on the wind.

Y/N never asked about her mother’s name. Her brothers had told her she’d died from an illness - slowly wasted away before their eyes until she was no more. It was the truth, in a way. Her mind had give up and her body had followed not long after.

She’d thrown herself into the Cut and had sunk to the bottom - like Ophelia when her lover had murdered her father. Left behind was an already broken and bruised family who’s eldest members were about to go to war.

Y/N didn’t remember her mother. She didn’t remember the screaming, the crying, Tommy trying to shield her, Finn and Ada from their mother as she went out of her mind.

Committing suicide was no way to go. A mother committing suicide was another thing entirely. How could she be so selfish and abandon her children?

That was were the fear and suspicion of the Shelby’s had begun. All because of their mother. And they used it to their advantage, quickly becoming the most feared and respected family in Birmingham.

But no child should have had to grow up hearing whispered secrets about their mother and how it wouldn’t be long before the children followed her into the cold, icy depths of the Cut.

Y/N Shelby had no mother. Polly tried her best but she was never a maternal person - the loss of her children had damaged her beyond repair - and Y/N missed the nurturing nature mother’s apparently had.

She didn’t remember her mother. There were pictures of her in Tommy’s house - of her with John, Arthur, Tommy and Ada. She looked beautiful - like a Hollywood movie superstar. She was picture perfect, smiling at the camera with a loving hand on John’s shoulder and her arm around Arthur’s waist.

It was a snapshot of a forgotten time - before the demons invaded her mind and ripped her soul from her mind. And it wasn’t a true snapshot, not really. She’d suffered with the demons for years before that image, but it only got worse.

But Y/N took that image of her mother - looking perfect and like a porcelain doll. And she wrote her a letter. She introduced herself, told her what she looked liked and what her favourite things were and put it in her desk draw.

For the next twelve months, Y/N wrote a letter to her mother every day. She poured her heart and soul out to this invisible woman who’s name no longer existed and who’s image was frozen in a dusty photo on her brother’s desk.

8th April, 1923

Dear Mother,

I turned nineteen today, Nothing spectacular happened - I had a nice meal out with Ada and went riding with John and Arthur. Tommy vanished off to London - again - and I didn’t see him all day. Not quite sure what I’ve done to piss him off but, alas.

Polly gave me your necklace today The string of pearls you bought with the first bit of money Arthur made. I’m wearing them, and your engagement ring, as I write this. I look like a proper lady with my new dress on...

It’s been sixteen years since I last saw you. I’m doing alright without you but it’s hard. I see Ada with Karl and Polly with Michael and my heart aches for that. But i know I can never have it and will never have it.

I hope you’re alright, wherever you are, mother.

All my love,

Your ever loving daughter, Y/N x

As the days and the weeks went by, the bundle of letters got bigger and more tattered. She told no one about her little ritual - she knew they wouldn’t approve. Her family never dared mention their mother for fear of bringing about a curse.

Y/N was never that superstitious. No curses existed - it was just poor luck and death threats.

1st August, 1923

Dear Mother,

I feel like I’ve almost caught you up on the past sixteen years. The Great War, Tommy’s wedding, both of John’s weddings and his gaggle of small humans he calls children. There’s almost nothing else to say to you.

Not that you’re actually here, that is. I doubt you were ever really here.

I wrote my brothers letter when they were in France. That was different, though, because they wrote back and sent me little things. I still have the violet John sent me from the Somme.

I have all your things. No one else wanted them - they say they’re cursed or some shit like that. I was never that superstitious, it’s just life attempting to play God. No one has a say on who gets to be a survivor and who gets to be a martyr.

I like to think of you as Ophelia. She sang to herself as she drowned, oblivious to her death. I hope you were like that, finally at peace with yourself as you floated down the Cut with the fallen flowers and leaves around you like a halo.

There’s me trying to romanticise your death. No one even mentions you by name so forgive me for trying to make you seem more alive than apparently you are.

Well, you’re not alive are you. You’re dead.

You have a grave. It’s up on the hill by the old tree that was used for hangings back in the day. Near Tom’s house. It’s an alright spot, I suppose. Nothing special. No one ever visits you, however. Your name isn’t even on the pebble someone put there as a marker.

We couldn’t afford a headstone. We can now but Tommy would murder me if he knew I did that. He hates talking about you.

No one ever tells me about you. All I have are a few photos that are practically falling apart and your clothes and jewellery.

Anyway, I need to go. Family meeting and all that shit.

Your ever loving daughter,

Y/N x

By the time Christmas came, Y/N’s desk drawer was full of letters to her non-existent mother. Each letter was bundled together by month with colour coordinated ribbons for each month. February was purple, September orange and so on.

She’d told her mother everything she’d ever wanted to. Her first kiss, her first love, her first break up, the time she got shot, the numerous times she almost died.

She had no need to tell her anything anymore. Her mother felt so much more real to her now than she ever had before.

She made her decision on Christmas Day evening. Everyone else was inside Arrow House watching the children open their last few presents and drink the remaining of the wine and whiskey.

Y/N slipped outside, grabbed her horse, and rode up to the hill were the old hanging tree had once been. Her mother’s grave sat to the left of the tree - a tiny mound of earth with a pebble as its only marker. Y/N dismounted from her horse and approached the grave, clenching the letters tightly.

Twelve bundles. Almost 365 letters.

Y/N found some twigs and branches and made a small fire at the foot of the grave. A moment later it roared into life and crackled away, casting an orange glow over her face.

She spread Tommy’s coat out on the ground and sat down, cross-legged, in front of the fire, clutching the letters. For once, she wasn’t wearing a dress belonging to her mother. Instead it was a mismatch of her brother’s old trousers, shirts and waistcoats.

She started with the first of January.

Y/N untied the ribbon and pulled out the first letter, the date neatly scrawled on the top left of the envelope. She read it through once, flipped it over to look at the address and then put it on the fire.

The paper curled as it burnt away, the writing fading into nothing but ash and sparks.

The second of January followed suit before the first of January had even finished burning.

Each letter curled and burned in the fire, the words and the sentiments becoming nothing more than ash.

Fifteenth of February quickly followed the fourteenth.

Twenty-eighth of April was followed by the twenty-ninth.

Each and every letter was add to the fire until she was only left with one.

25th December, 1923

Dear Mother,

I’ve told you everything.

There’s nothing left to say, now. I’ve spilled my darkest secrets and untold stories to you.

I’ve moved on, now. I still wish I had you around but I’m coping with it. I wish you were more than just words and pictures and jewellery. But nothing is fair.

I’ve burnt all the letters and I hope the words reach you. I hope their spirit and their meaning reach you and reassure you that your daughter is doing fine.

You used to be mine but now you belong to the world.

I only wish I’d learnt your name.

All my love

Your ever grateful and loving daughter,

Y/N Miriam Shelby

#peaky blinders imagines #Peaky Blinders #sister shelby #shelby sis #tommy shelby x sister!reader #peaky blinder x reader #yes her middle name is what i imagine her mothers name to be #i just like the name miriam #anyway #enjoy

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saintsofvoid · 3 years

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Valor Rzeszutek timeline from birth to 2077+ cuz have put way too much thought and planning into his dumb ass. It's not 100% to everything, a lot of things are over simplified and had major effects on him, as well as other smaller events that did occur. But its something to kinda base him on of where he's been and where he's at now.

October 21st 1994 - Valor and Glory Rzeszutek were born to engineer Jeremiah and corpo Vivienne Rzeszutek in South Africa.

August 2005 - Vivienne received a new position with the HQ of her company, uprooting the family from SA to NUSA Las Vegas.

June 2006 - Jeremiah takes Valor with him on a small trip to NC, surprises him with tickets to see Samurai.

October 21st 2006 - Valor gets his first electric guitar for his 12th birthday.

November 19th 2010 - Vivienne dies of sudden health complications. Corporation covers her funeral costs and gives an additional 1 year salary to the family.

July 2012 - Valor joins Lazarus Group starting his mercenary/solo career.

September 2012 - Jeremiah leaves LV joining a group of Nomads heading East.

2013-15 - Valor served as gunner for Trauma Team LV; Glory was quickly rising through corprate ranks with Liive a doll company.

December 2017 - Corprate counter extractions, target found dead in a warehouse with a wreath around his head. First of many to be found this way.

2021-27 - Valor is assigned on military contract back to SA, orders suggested territory dispute and area fortification but actual politics of it was left out for troops. Mostly a show of muscle and patrolling different hot zones.

February 4th 2027 - Transport detail, halfway camp under fire. 14 dead another dozen injured, Valor and 3 others are taken prisoner.

February 6th 2027 - Valor wakes up strapped to an operating table, system diagnosis states a foreign piece of unregistered cyberware has been installed. Installation location is unknown as all ports are open, given the bandaging around his head and the pain at the base of his skull, assumed it was surgically implanted.

February 8th 2027 - Dumped in an unknown location, small town, in the middle of the night. Bloody, bruised, and weak manages to get himself up and starts to stumble down the empty street. Chip is activated, neural system goes offline, cyberpsychosis takes over sending Valor into a chaotic feral state.

February 9th-15th 2027 - Valor is held prisoner by local military company. Believing he works for the black market vendors he is tortured for days on end until information arrives that he is one of the MIA soldiers with Lazarus Group. Returned to a nearby base and sent back to NUSA for medical evaluation.

March 30th 2027 - Valor is released from medical care, honorably discharged from Lazarus for medical purposes. Do to the chip's nature it is unable to be removed, with no known tracers on the technology he is put on as risk for possible cyberpsychosis relapse. No evidence to prove that he will relapse he is free to leave the facility.

June 2027 - Valor meets a street drummer that goes by Rango. Former Nomad, part time roadie. He's a part time drummer and makes for good company, two start hanging out on the regular.

August 19th 2027 - Abduction in progress, high on painkillers Valor gives chase. First official run in with Arasaka Extractor, Umbra. Though the fight was short lived and Valor failed, Umbra, impressed with vitality and fight, severs Valor's ring finger. Taking it as an oath for the fight to continue on a better day for the solo.

December 7th 2027 - Valor is selected among a small group of Solos for a new prototype of cyberarms known as the MonoBlades by Kendachi. Do to his medical records he is unable to undergo the procedure for the new cybernetics though is assured his spot will be held until he's well enough.

April 2028 - Once again confronted with Umbra, though no fight happens, terms of the affair are made clear. Valor is being stalked by the other, for better or for worse. Next several months this obsession is made clear.

September 2028 - Convinced by his sister that he needs to get out more, get back to work, do something with his time. In a haze of foggy memories ends up joining an inferno and becoming a dom for hire. Pays good and keeps his nights filled can't complain.

December 19th 2028 - Clearance for the new cyberarms is granted, Valor is sent to one of Kendachi's orbital stations to receive the procedure and physical therapy for the new arms.

March 14th 2029 - Contacted by an old Netrunner friend asking to meet up. Meeting up at a Café off the old strip Sami introduces Valor to Kelvy Kai-Eurodyne, an independent media hunting down a Netrunner killer in NC. The name Umbra comes up in intercepted Arasaka documents, Valor tells them to drop it if they value any part of their lives before leaving the Café.

September 2029 - Working more on his music, got a group of friends together and produced their first demo by the end of the year going by the name Herken.

April 2030 - Local rock station for Central Vegas started playing their music, shortly there after Damion Kre Saint for No End Records signed the band, started work on their first official album.

August 2031 - Herken releases their first studio album, Remembering Nothing More to major success

October 15 2031 - First major tour for the band, switching from opening act to headliner at different gigs

May 2033 - Second album is released, touring there after

September 2036 - Third studio album is released, Cherish the Pain, album becomes a sensation in the rock scene

2038 - after several strings of murders, and NC naming a new serial killer, Sami contacts Valor thanking him for his warning nearly 10 years ago about Umbra.

February 2040 - Fourth album is released

August 2045 - Valor returns to work with Lazarus, back into solo work, mainly preforming counter extractions.

November 2046 - Attempted counter extraction comes too late, Valor calls in the body only to be confronted with Umbra as he attempts to exit the scene. Conversation was not recorded, both men left unharmed.

March 17 2049 - Glory Rzeszutek is murdered several blocks from her home, during an attempted robbery. Trauma is unable to revive her, information regarding her death is forwarded out to Valor there after.

March 23 2049 - Valor is switched from ops being put back on leave to manage his sister's affairs. He is the sole beneficiary to her estate, inheriting her wealth and stock with Liive, overnight making him a multi-billionaire and part of the Vegas elite.

April 2049 - dealing with the loss of his twin sister, Valor begins to go through a deep pit of depression. Having dealt with loss before, Solo career wasn't uncommon to lose friends, this however was different. Depression began to manifest into visual and audio hallucinations, making work nearly impossible to do

May 2049 - Jan 2050 - Valor is in and out of court and legal hearings in regards to his inheritance and the remainder of his sister's estate. Interviews running like its a celebratory thing gaining this wealth, truth being he just wants to get back to work. Ending result 75% of the wealth is locked in accounts and will not be released for another 20+ years.

February 2050 - Valor once again returns to work with Lazarus taking on smaller gigs for a time. Still dealing with his own mental state, he refuses to take on anymore large gigs.

July 2051 - Contract comes in for a security gig, easy job, 24/7 body detail for 1 year on tour. Contract is immediately pushed forward to Valor who accepts, only during briefing for the gig find out its for Kerry Eurodyne.

July 2052 - contract concluded with the tour a benefits relationship starts between Kerry and Valor. Valor opting to stay in NC for a few months extra on a "private" contract with the Rockerboy.

September 2054 - Kerry once again hires Valor as security for a shorter tour, media events for new album put on by his label.

2057 - Rumors start to surface that Umbra has been decommissioned amongst a small group of extractors, Sami brings up that Arasaka is keeping it quiet because he was the NC Gallery Killer and that is not a PR mess any company wants to deal with. All traces of him have been scrubbed from their databanks.

2058 - Valor receives a token from the Nomad group The Veils, and invitation to join them. Having heard rumors of the group, he's hesitant to act, even more so to inform anyone.

June 2059 - Valor retires from Lazarus and takes up the offering on The Veils token, following it out into the desert.

2060 - He is officially accepted into the clan, given a title by Azera and branded as part of them with his unique code. Beginning of a new life.

2067 - Valor begins spending more time at the Edges of Silence, a bleak stretch of dead desert where nothing grows. The clan believes the desert out there will either consume or the spirits will direct. Something keeps calling him back whenever he is close.

August 2074 - The choice is made to continue heading out West, follow the signs and see if he can make sense of the visions and voices. Gifted passage and return by Azera it is not a final goodbye from the clan.

2075 - Settled into NC, doesn't take long for his reputation to catch up with him, starts taking on independent Solo gigs. Quickly climbing up the chain and becoming a regular at the Afterlife, a gifted work horse for Rogue, but one she knows will get any job done.

2077 - Happens, that was a thing... yeah.

January 2078 - Valor and Kerry make the trip back out to The Veils, after a trial devoted to loyalty, Azera decides to spare them both, attempting to save Valor from the effects of the Relic.

May 2078 - Finally wakes back up, and on the recovery as his vitals have evened out and a sense of normalcy is restored. Though some side effects of the Relic cannot be reverted in his current body, he has his life with no threat of a imminent collapse.

#cp77 valor #cyberpunk oc #oc timeline #cyberpunk 2077 #cp2077 #i hope this makes some sense to someone who may care #i finally finished it to a point lol

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dontmeantobepoliticalbut · 4 years

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Trump & the Military

(This was shamelessly copy/pasted from OP on Reddit (u/myusernameiscool1234, thanks dude!) because it needs to be spread and I wanted to update a tad, add links and reformat it so it's easier to follow. I'm sure I'm missing stuff, so feel free to add to it and I'll try to update accordingly. Please Share!)

On Military Service

• Trump dodged the draft 5 times, 4 for college and 1 by having a doctor diagnose him with bone spurs.

• Trump said having unprotected sex was his own personal Vietnam (1998)

• Trump said “I felt that I was in the military in the true sense because I dealt with those people” because he went to a military-style academy and that he has “more training militarily than a lot of the guys that go into the military”. (2015 biography)

• Trump accepted a Purple Heart from a fan at one of his rallies and said: “I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier.” (Aug 2, 2016)

• ⁠No Trump in America has ever served in the military; this spans 5 generations, and every branch of the family tree. In fact, the reason his grandfather immigrated to America was to avoid military service

• Trump made his 2nd wife, Marla Maples, sign a prenup that would have cut off all child support if Tiffany joined the military (reported on June 4th, 2019)

Use & Treatment of Military

• He sent commandos into an ambush due to a lack of intel, and sends contractors to pick them up, resulting in a commando being left behind, tortured, and executed. (Trump approved the mission because Bannon told him Obama didn’t have the guts to do it) (Oct 4, 2017)

• He forgot the aforementioned fallen soldier’s name during a call to his pregnant widow, then attacked her the next day (Oct 23-24, 2017)

• He urged Florida to not count deployed military votes (Nov 12, 2018)

• He used troops as a political prop by sending them on a phantom mission to the border and made them miss Thanksgiving with their families (Oct-Dec, 2018).

• He stopped using troops as a political prop immediately after the election. However, the troops remained in muddy camps on the border (Nov 7, 2018).

• He called troops on Thanksgiving and told them he’s most thankful for himself (Thanksgiving, 2018)

• He fired service members living with HIV just before the 2018 holidays (Dec 19, 2018-present)

• He finally visited troops 2 years after taking office, but only after 154 vacation days at his properties (Dec 26, 2018)

• Trump lied to deployed troops that he gave them a 10% raise. He didn’t give them a 10% raise (Dec 26, 2018). He initially tried to give the military a raise that was lower than the standard living adjustment. This was before Congress told him that idea wasn’t going to work. Then after giving them the raise that Congress made him, he lied about it pretending that it was larger than Obama’s. It wasn’t.

• He revealed a covert Seal Team 5 deployment , including names and faces, on Twitter during his visit to Iraq. Endangering both the operatives and their families. (Dec 26, 2018)

• He refused to sign his party’s funding bill, which shut down the government, and forced a branch of the military (see below) to go without pay. This branch of military was forced to work without pay, otherwise they would be AWOL. However, his appointees got a $ 10,000 pay raise (Dec 22, 2018 – Jan 25, 2019)

• He didn’t pay the Coast Guard, forcing service members to rely on food pantries (Jan 23, 2019)

• He denied female troops access to birth control to limit sexual activity (on-going. Published Jan 18, 2019)

• He banned service members from serving based on gender identity (Jan 22, 2019)

• He diverted military housing funds to pay for border wall (Feb 15, 2019). A judge subsequently denied this. In July 2019, SCOTUS ruled that Trump could in fact divert military housing funds to pay for his wall.

• Trump pardoned war criminals (May, 2019)

• In May 2019, Trump turned away US military from his Memorial Day speech because they were from the destroyer USS John S. McCain. Trump initially ordered the USS John McCain out of sight during his visit to Japan (May 15, 2019) which led to the ship’s name subsequently being covered. (May 27, 2019)

• In June 2019, Trump sent troops to the border to paint the fence for a better “aesthetic appearance” (June 7, 2019)

• Trump demanded US military chiefs stand next to him at 4th of July parade (reported July 2, 2019)

• Trump made the U.S. Navy Blue Angels violate ethics rules by having them fly at his July 4th political campaign (July 4, 2019)

• On July 31, 2019, Trump ordered the Navy rescind medals to prosecutors who were prosecuting war criminals.

• On ⁠October 8th, 2019, Trump plans to withdraw from Open Skies treaty giving Russia the ability to target our military aircraft.

Attacks on Service Members

• Trump said he doesn’t consider POWs heroes because they were caught. Says he "prefers people who were not caught" (July 18, 2015)

• He said he knows more about ISIS than American generals (Oct 2016)

• Trump attacks Gold Star families including: Myeshia Johnson — a gold star widow and the Khan family—gold star parents (2016-present)

• He called a retired general a ‘dog’ with a ‘big, dumb mouth’ (Jan 1, 2019)

• Well documented dislike of Sen. John McCain, going back to his statement on POWs (see above) and leading up to McCain’s passing. On March 20, 2019, Trump complained that deceased war hero, Sen. John McCain, didn’t thank him for his funeral.

• Trump started his D-Day commemoration speech by attacking a private citizen (Bette Midler, of all people) (reported on June 4th, 2019)

• Trump used his D-Day interview at a cemetery commemorating fallen US soldiers to attack Robert Muller, former FBI special counsel and a Vietnam veteran (June 6, 2019)

• Children of deployed US troops will no longer get automatic American citizenship if born overseas during deployment. This includes US troops posted abroad for years at a time (August 28, 2019)

• After he pleading with superiors in a letter asking to offload most of the sailors on the ship in order to allow for social distancing and sanitizing the USS Theodore Roosevelt, Trump attacks Capt. Crozier calling his letter “terrible” and "not appropriate” leading the Secretary of the Navy to remove Capt. Crozier from his post. 114 of 4,000 sailors on the ship had already tested po sitive for COVID-19. (April 3, 2020)

• On June 24, 2020, the White House ends the National Guard's deployments to assist the American people during the COVID-19 pandemic, the day before thousands of National Guard members would qualify for early retirement and education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI bill.

Immigrants in the military

• He deported veterans (2017-present)

• He ordered the discharge of active-duty immigrant troops with good records (2017-present)

• Trump doubled the rejection rate for veterans requesting family deportation protections (July 5, 2018)

• Trump deported active-duty spouses (11,800 military families face this problem as of April 2018).

• Trump deported a spouse of fallen Army soldier killed in Afghanistan, leaving their daughter parentless. The US has since overturned this as of April 16, 2019.

• In July 2019, Trump denied a United States Marine of 6 years entry into the United States for his scheduled citizenship interview (Reported July 17, 2019)

Treatment of Veterans

• For a decade, Trump sought to kick veterans off of Fifth Avenue because he found them unsightly nuisances outside of Trump Tower. Being quoted as saying, “While disabled veterans should be given every opportunity to earn a living, is it fair to do so to the detriment of the city as a whole or its tax paying citizens and businesses?” in 1991.

• Trump sent funds raised from a January 2016 veterans’ benefit to the Donald J Trump Foundation instead of veteran’s charities (Jan, 2016). The foundation has since been ordered shut because of fraud and Trump to pay $2 million in damages as of November 2019.

• The controversy surrounding wether or not he said vets get PTSD because they "aren’t strong" (Oct 3, 2016)

• He blocked a veteran group on Twitter (June 2017)

• Trump changed the GI Bill through his Forever GI Act.

• Trump changing the GI Bill caused the VA to miss veteran benefits, including housing allowances and forced many veterans to run out of food and rent. “You can count on us to serve, but we can’t count on the VA to make a deadline,” one veteran said. (reported October 7, 2018)

• While in Europe commemorating the end of WWI, he didn’t attend the ceremony at a US cemetery due to the rain – but other world leaders went anyway (Nov 10, 2018)

• He got three Mar-a-Lago guests to run the VA (unknown start – present, made well-known in 2018)

• He increased privatization of the VA, leading to longer waits and higher taxpayer cost (2018)

• He tried to slash disability and unemployment benefits for Veterans to $0, and eliminate the unemployability extrascheduler rating (Dec 17, 2018)

• He canceled an Arlington Cemetery visit on Veterans Day due to light rain (Nov 12, 2018)

• He tried to deport a marine vet who is a U.S.-born citizen (Jan 16, 2019). He deported countless other veterans (2017-present)

• When a man was caught swindling veterans’ pensions for high-interest “cash advances,” Trump’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined him $1. As a reminder, the Trump administration’s goal was to dismantle the CFPB, installing Mick Mulvaney as the director, who publicly stated the bureau should be disbanded. (Jan 26, 2019)

• Trump purged 200,000 veterans’ healthcare applications (due to known administrative errors within VA’s enrollment process and enrollment system) (reported on May 13, 2019)

• On August 2, 2019, Trump requisitioned military retirement funds towards the border wall.

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scotianostra · 3 years

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On April 8th 1820 Radical prisoners were taken from Paisley to Greenock jail under escort.

The Radical War is a much neglected part of our past, both here and in England. The background is that Paisley was filled with brilliant political thinkers and the weavers were famed for falling out on the subject of political reform after one too many drinks at the inn. The radicals had been agitating for better wages and conditions for workers but by 1820 people were working for less than it cost to live and many were starving.

Given that the French revolution was still fresh in people’s minds, radicals were organising themselves into groups, many of them still armed after the Napoleonic Wars and training others. You might remember from history in school about the industrial revolution and the Peterloo "riot", well we in Scotland were part of that struggle too, a few days ago I posted about The Battle of Bonnymuir, this is a follow up on that.

Bands of radicals rallied in Paisley, there were many skirmishes with the armed forces who had been called out to deal with the threat of unrest. The ringleaders were arrested and jailed. Paisley gaol was full so five prisoners were sent to Greenock to be imprisoned there.

The citizens of Greenock fought their escort, the Port Glasgow Militia, until they reached the jail. Still coming under attack, the Militia opened fire on the stone-throwing crowd. Eight were killed, including an eight year old boy, and ten wounded, before the militia retreated from Greenock. In the evening, the angry Greenockians stormed the jail and freed the prisoners.

There are a few markers to commemorate this shameful part in our history, the first pic is of one on the east side of Bank Street, stones ins into the retaining wall of the Well Park record the ages and names of those killed: feature created by Broughton-based landscape designer James Gordon.

The Bridewell or jail, which opened in 1810, was sited on the west side of Bank Street, opposite the retaining wall: it was demolished in 1886.

The second is The Radical War monument across the street from the Jail site. The Dutch Gable building of 1755 is seen past the clasped hands, the Mid Kirk of 1761 is to the left.

Lastly, for those who have never visited it, here is the full list of the dead: Adam Clephane, 48; James Kerr, 17; William Lindsay, 15; James MacGilp, eight; Archibald Drummond, 20; John MacWhinnie, 65; John Boyce, 33; Archibald McKinnon, 17. The last named died of his wounds on May 5, 1820.

Three more fatalities of the Radical War must be recorded, John Baird, Andrew Hardie and James Wilson were all tried for treason along with 85 other men also charged with the capital offence, of whom around 20 were either transported or jailed.

Wilson was tried first in Glasgow and even though the jury recommended mercy, he was hanged and then beheaded in front of 20,000 people in the city. He asked his executioner on the scaffold: “Did you ever see such a crowd?”

The trials were not foregone conclusions as jurors found many of the accused not guilty. The main radicals were not so fortunate. The judge at Stirling told Baird and Hardie they could expect no mercy as they were the leaders. Another radical, James Clelland, was also sentenced to death but this was later commuted.

Baird, 31, and Hardie, 27, faced death bravely. They were hanged and beheaded at Stirling on September 8, 1820. Hardie’s last words were: “I die a martyr to the cause of truth and justice.”

#Scotland #scottish #political unrest #Radical war #history #Greenock

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greatworldwar2 · 4 years

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• Hugo Sperrle

Hugo Sperrle was a German military aviator in World War I and a Generalfeldmarschall in the Luftwaffe during World War II.

Sperrle was born in the town of Ludwigsburg, in the Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire on February 7th, 1885 the son of a brewery proprietor, Johannes Sperrle and his wife Luise Karoline, née Nägele. He joined the Imperial German Army on July 5th, 1903 as a Fahnenjunker (officer cadet). Sperrle was assigned to the 8th Württemberg Infantry Regiment, a regiment in the Army of Württemberg, and after a year received his commission and promotion to Leutnant on October 28th, 1912. At the outbreak of World War I, Sperrle was training as an artillery spotter in the Luftstreitkräfte (German Army Air Service). On November 28th, 1914 Sperrle was promoted to Hauptmann. Sperrle did not distinguish himself in battle as his fellow staff officers in World War II had done, but he forged a solid record in the aerial reconnaissance field. Sperrle served first as an observer, then trained as a pilot with the 4th Field Flying Detachment (Feldfliegerabteilung) at the Kriegsakademie (War Academy). Sperrle went on to command the 42nd and 60th Field Flying Detachments, then led the 13th Field Flying Group. After suffering severe injuries in a crash, Sperrle moved to the air observer school at Cologne thereafter and when the war ended he was in command of flying units attached to the 7th Army.

After the war Sperrle joined the Freikorps and commanded an aviation detachment. He then joined the Reichswehr. Sperrle commanded units in Silesia including the Freiwilligen Fliegerabteilungen 412 under the leadership of Erhard Milch. Sperrle fought on the East Prussia border during the 1919 conflict with Poland. On December 1st, 1919, commander-in-chief of the German army, Hans von Seeckt issued a directive for the creation of 57 committees, encompassing all the military branches, to compile detailed studies of German war experiences. Helmuth Wilberg led the air service sector and Sperrle was one of 83 commanders ordered to assist. The air staff studies were conducted through 1920. Sperrle served on the air staff for Wehrkreis V in Stuttgart from 1919 to 1923, then the Defence Ministry until 1924. Sperrle then served on the staff of the 4th Infantry Division near Dresden. Sperrle travelled to Lipetsk in the Soviet Union at this time, where the Germans maintained a secret air base and founded the Lipetsk fighter-pilot school. Sperrle purportedly visited the United Kingdom to observe Royal Air Force exercises. In 1927 Sperrle, at the rank of Major, replaced Wilberg as head of the air staff at the Waffenamt an Truppenamt (Weapons and Troop Office). Sperrle was selected for his expertise in technical matters; he was seen as highly qualified staff officer with combat experience in commanding the flying units of the 7th army during the war. Sperrle was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) in 1931 while commanding the 3rd battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment from 1929 to 1933. Sperrle ended his army career in command of the 8th Infantry Regiment, from October 1st, 1933 to April 1st, 1934. At the rank of Oberst (colonel), Sperrle was given command of the headquarters of the First Air Division (Fliegerdivision 1). Sperrle was given responsibility for coordinating army support aviation.

After Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party seized power, Hermann Göring created and Reich Air Ministry. Göring handed most of the squadrons in existence to Sperrle because of his command experiences. Sperrle was involved in the difficulties in German aircraft procurement. Four months after assuming command, Sperrle was rigorously critical of the Dornier Do 11 and Dornier Do 13 in a conference on July 18th, 1934. Five months later, with development failing, Sperrle met with Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen, head of aircraft development and Luftkreis IV commander Alfred Keller, a wartime bomber pilot. It was decided Junkers Ju 52 production would be a stopgap, while the Dornier Do 23 reached units in the late summer, 1935. The awaited Junkers Ju 86 was scheduled for testing in November 1934 and the promising Heinkel He 111 in February 1935. On March 1st, 1935, Hermann Göring announced the existence of the Luftwaffe. Sperrle was transferred to the Reich Air Ministry. Sperrle was initially given command of Luftkreis II (Air District II), and then Luftkreis V in Münich upon his promotion to Generalmajor (Brigadier General) in October 1935. Sperrle remained in Germany until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. He commanded all German forces in Spain from November 1936 to November 1937. Sperrle was the first commander of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War. Sperrle left Germany by air on October 31st, 1936 and arrived in Seville, via Rome on November 5th. Sperrle was sent a Kampfgruppe (bomber group—K/88), Jagdgruppe 88 (fighter group 88—J/88) and Aufklärungsstaffel (reconnaissance squadron—AS/88). They were supported by a Flak Abteilung (F/88) with three heavy and two light batteries with communications, transport and maintenance units. The Germans could not afford to fully equip the Legion, and so the air group made use of Spanish equipment. Of the 1,500 vehicles used, there were 100 types creating a maintenance nightmare.

After his experience leading the Condor Legion Sperrle was given command of Luftwaffe Group 3 on the February 1st, 1938 which eventually became Luftflotte 3 (Air Fleet 3) in February 1939. Sperrle commanded the air fleet for the remainder of his military career. Sperrle was used by Hitler in his foreign policy to intimidate small neighbours with the Luftwaffe, which had earned a reputation in Spain. On February 12th, 1938, Hitler invited Sperrle to a meeting at Berchtesgaden with Kurt Schuschnigg, chancellor of the Federal State of Austria. The meetings eventually helped pave the way for Anschluss, the Nazi seizure of Austria. In March 1939 Hitler decided to annex Czechoslovakia completely and risk war. He turned once again to the Luftwaffe to assist him achieving diplomatic results. The threat of aerial bombardment proved a crucial in forcing smaller nations to submit to German occupation. The successes confirmed Hitler's view that air power could be used politically, as a "terror weapon". Sperrle was asked by Hitler to talk about the Luftwaffe, to intimidate the Czech president. Hácha purportedly fainted, and when he regained consciousness, Göring screamed at him, "think of Prague!" The elderly President reluctantly ordered the Czechoslovakian Army not to resist. The aerial part of the German occupation of Czechoslovakia was carried out by 500–650 aircraft belonging to Sperrle's newly renamed air fleet, Luftflotte 3.

On September 1st, 1939, the Wehrmacht invaded Poland prompting the British Empire and France to declare war in her defence. Sperrle's Luftflotte 3 remained guarding German air space in western Germany and did not contribute to the German invasion, made possible by the non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union. The air fleet's Order of battle had been stripped of almost all of the combat units it held in March 1939. Only two reconnaissance staffel (squadrons) and a single bomber unit attached to Wekusta 51 remained. Sperrle received the competent Major General Maximilian Ritter von Pohl as his chief of staff. The two men made for a "good partnership". Sperrle was also assigned Major General Walter Surén, appointed as the air fleet's chief signals officer. Surén planned and organised the German field communications for the offensive in 1940. While guarding the Western Front during the Phoney War, Sperrle's small fleet of 306 aircraft which included 33 obsolete Arado Ar 68s fought off probing attacks of French and British aircraft. Sperrle developed a reputation as gourmet, whose private transport aircraft featured a refrigerator to keep his wines cool, and although as corpulent as Göring, he was reliable and as ruthless as his superior. Sperrle wanted his air fleet to take a more aggressive stance and won over Göring. On September 13th, 1939 he was authorised to undertake long-range high altitude reconnaissance missions at extreme altitudes. Photographic operations over France authorised by the OKL began on September 21st, which the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht did not sanction until four days later.

Luftflotte 3 was heavily reinforced in the spring, 1940. Sperrle's headquarters was based at Bad Orb. The air fleet was assigned I. Flakkorps under Generaloberst Hubert Weise, I. Fliegerkorps under Generaloberst Ulrich Grauert at Cologne, the II. Fliegerkorps under Generaloberst Bruno Loerzer at Frankfurt, and V. Fliegerkorps under command of General Robert Ritter von Greim at Gersthofen. For the coming battle, Sperrle had 1,788 aircraft (1,272 operational) at his disposal. Opposing Sperrle, was the Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) eastern (ZOAE) and southern (ZOAS) zones under Général de Corps d'armée Aérien René Bouscat and Robert Odic. Bouscat had 509 aircraft (363 operational) and Odic 165 (109 combat ready). Fall Gelb began on May 10th,1940. Sperrle's air fleet engaged in operations supporting Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt and Army Group A in the Battle of Belgium and Battle of France, as well as Army Group C. Sperrle's counter-air campaign started badly, reflecting poor photographic interpretation of targets, though he later claimed Luftflotte 3's operations were decisive in achieving air superiority. Sperrle's men claimed 240 to 490 aircraft destroyed, mostly "in hangars"—Allied losses were actually 40 first-line aircraft. Failing to neutralise Allied fighter units cost Sperrle 39 aircraft. Sperrle's air corps commanders targeted air interdiction operations and ordered, attacks on rail communications to prevent the westward deployment of the French Army from the Maginot Line and to pin down Allied reserves by disrupting communications across the Meuse. 26 French rail stations were bombed as were 86 localities from May 10th to 12th. During the breakthrough to the English Channel, rail networks were attacked to prevent Allied forces rallying. Sperrle and Kesselring objected to the halt order during the Battle of Dunkirk. Neither man believed the pocket could be reduced by air power alone. Gelb was complete, and the OKL prepared for Case Red. The Luftflotten were reorganised; Sperrle retained II. and V. Fliegerkorps along with I. Flakkorps. The flak corps was reorganised into two brigades, with four regiments each with the firepower of 72 batteries. Sperrle was required to strike far deeper into France, and was given the majority of Zerstörer (destroyer aircraft) equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 110.

In a prelude to the offensive, Sperrle planned to carry out strategic bombing operations against Paris. Sperrle had long-planned for air attacks on Paris using II., V. and VIII. Fliegerkorps in May. He was forced to abandon the plan on May 22nd because of weather, but the following day, the OKL prepared a plan for Operation Paula. The plan was to attack the estimated 1,000 French aircraft detected on Parisian airfields, but also to attack factories and destroy the morale of the French people. The operation was undone by poor staff work and excessive confidence in the Enigma machine. On June 5th Sperrle's forces flew eight bombing operations against railways and localities, 21 to 31 against road targets, 12 against troop columns and 34 to 42 against French Army defences or strongpoints. Sperrle was ordered to support Rundstedt advancing southward, with orders to encircle the Maginot Line, from the west. The campaign played out for a further five days, which came as Luftwaffe logistics were breaking down, fuel and ammunition shortages were acute and relied on air transportation. Sperrle attempted to prevent the British Operation Ariel a second evacuation but the only success was the sinking of Lancastria, with 5,800 lives lost. On June 20th arrangements were made for the Armistice of June 22nd, 1940. Upon learning of it, Sperrle ordered the abandonment of a planned bombing operation against Bordeaux. In July 1940 Winston Churchill's government rejected peace overtures from Hitler. Hitler resolved to knock Britain out of the war. The OKL began tentative planning for Operation Eagle Attack to destroy RAF Fighter Command to gain air superiority, before supporting an amphibious landing in Britain, codenamed, Operation Sea Lion.

Sperrle thought the RAF could be defeated en passant. His personal strategy to attack ports and merchant shipping was overruled by Göring, ostensibly because the ports would be required for the invasion. Kesselring's contemporary notes indicate he thought air superiority could only be attained for a short time, since most airfields and factories in Britain were out of range. Sperrle and Kesselring miscalculated, or were misled by intelligence, into underestimating the number of fighter aircraft available to Fighter Command. They put the RAF total at 450 aircraft when the real figure was 750. Chronic intelligence failures on British production, defence systems and aircraft performance inhibited the German air operation throughout the battle. The Luftwaffe regrouped after the Battle of France into three Luftflotten (Air Fleets) . Sperrle's first task against the British Isles was during the Kanalkampf (Channel Battle) phase of what became known as the Battle of Britain. The aim was to draw out Fighter Command into dogfights by attacking Channel Shipping. Targeting British convoy systems, in July 1940 Sperrle's air fleet claimed 90 vessels sunk for approximately 300,000 tons, a third of this was claimed over August and September. Two days before Operation Eagle scheduled for August 13th he had lost two Gruppenkommandeur and a Staffelkapitän. Sperrle knew he could not afford to lose experienced officers at such a rate. The emphasis of German air attacks switched to bombing Fighter Command bases and its infrastructure. On August 13th, 1940, Sperrle's air fleet played a role in the failed Unternehmen Adlerangriff ("Operation Eagle Attack"). On the August 14th, Sperrle began a smaller, prolonged, but widely scattered series of attacks on aerodromes and other targets in the western half of England. The attacks were not very effective and earned the Luftflotte a rebuke from Göring. At the beginning of September 1940, Sperrle could muster 350 serviceable bombers and dive-bombers and about 100 fighters, either for his own purposes or to support the 9th Army and, if necessary, the 6th Army in a landing. Sperrle lost Richthofen to Kesselring who took possession of some units in Normandy, and concentrated the available dive-bomber force near the Straits of Dover.

The bombing operations continued against Fighter Command into October 1940, but with gradually more emphasis placed on attacking industrial cities, primarily because it offered the only way to continue hostilities against Britain directly in the absence of invasion. The preference for night over day operations was evident in the number of bombing operations flown by the German air fleets. Sperrle had spent the last week of August and first week of September gearing up for large–scale night operations. Sperrle's air fleet assisted in the beginning of The Blitz which began in earnest on September 7th, 1940. This night approximately 250 aircraft dropped 300 tons of high explosive and 13,000 incendiaries on the centre of London. Sperrle's airmen flew 4,525 bombing operations in November 1940. In December 1940 Sperrle's air groups flew 2,750 bombing operations against British cities. In February 1941 bad weather limited Sperrle to 975 bombing operations. During the month of May Sperrle's men carried out the burden of night operations, flying 2,500 sorties. Approximately 40,000 British civilians had been killed, another 46,000 injured, and more than a million houses damaged during the Blitz. The German air fleets lost 600 German aircraft on night operations. In five months of bombing docks and ports in 1941, only some 70,000 tons of food stocks were destroyed, and only one half a percent of oil stocks. Damage to communications was quickly repaired. Everywhere except in the aircraft industry the loss was too small a fraction of total output to matter seriously. In early June 1941, the majority of German bomber units moved eastward to the soon-to-be Eastern Front, in preparation for Operation Barbarossa.

Sperrle had been involved in the war at sea since the first phase of the Battle of Britain. He received an OKL directive on October 20th, 1940 ordering him to attack shipping once again in the Thames Estuary. He ordered his dive-bombers into this service, but they were rapidly neutralised in November by a "dynamic defence". The most effective support for the U-boat campaign came from attacking ports in 1941. Direct support to the Kriegsmarine in the Battle of the Atlantic was haphazard; successes were won by accident rather than by design. The Atlantic command came under Sperrle's control upon formation but was subordinated to Sperrle officially on April 7th, 1942. The name of the command was misleading, for it was tasked with maritime interdiction operations all around the British coast besides operating deep into the Atlantic. In the 46 months following July 1940, German aircraft sank 1,228, 104 tons of merchant shipping and damaged 1,953, 862 tons. Another 60, 866 tons were sunk or damaged by mines in 1942 and 1943. The failure to properly cooperate with the navy against shipping was a grave strategic error which prevented the achievement of greater results. For a brief period in March 1943 before the German defeat in Black May Sperrle intended to increase his command to 22 groups for Atlantic operations. From the Allied perspective, the Atlantic campaign became nothing more than a "skirmish" by the autumn, 1943.

In 1942 another threat emerged when the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) began bombing raids against targets in Belgium and France. Sperrle's fighter pilots carried the burden of the defence in 1942. Later that year, JG 1 was assigned to Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte, later known as Luftflotte Reich (Air Fleet Reich) but saw little action since USAAF rarely crossed into the Netherlands. Thereafter, the air war only escalated. Sperrle resisted attempts by Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte to gain control of anti-aircraft forces or to allow the physical degradation of his air fleet, and the offensive mindedness of the OKL favoured front-line units. In March 1943, an immediate rise in losses had already been noted. A report from Luftflotte 3 recognised the size and defensive power of American bombers required a timely interception by massed formations for any chance of success. In July alone, western fighter forces lost 335 single-engine aircraft to all causes. On the German side, there was a call to unify German fighter forces and hold them back from coastal and keep them out of Allied fighter escort range. Regardless of the logic, Sperrle opposed the idea to preserve his command. Sperrle was sensitive to a centralise command for fighter forces and resisted. On September 15th, 1943 an effort to improve Sperrle's organisation was made by creating II. Jagdkorps with the 5th and 4. Jagd Division. The improvement in command and control made little difference in the battle with the USAAF for neither division received the reinforcements it needed. At the end of 1943, the German air defences won temporary successes against the USAAF Eighth Air Force. In February 1944, Big Week targeted German and French–based targets. The German fighter force was bled white over the following two months. In the lead up to June 1944, Luftflotte 3 remained weak, and contained few ground-attack aircraft; nearly all were based on the Eastern Front. Sperrle's fighter pilots were required to attack the landing forces.

A major effect of the combined offensive on Sperrle's air fleet was the diversion and reinforcement of Luftflotte Reich at the expense of Luftflotte 3. By June 1944, the number of fighter aircraft available in the west numbered just 170. Sperrle's air fleet had, at most, 300 fighter aircraft on June 6th, 1944 to contest the D-day landings. The Western Allies amassed 12,837, including 5,400 fighters. Sperrle's air fleet was particularly weak in night fighter units. Given the low priority for their production, Sperrle went for periods with no night–fighting capabilities despite the crucial geographical position of his air fleet and the exposure of important French industries to night attack. Sperrle's air fleet was reinforced on Göring's orders for the purpose of bombing London. The offensive was named Operation Steinbock and began in January 1944. British defences had improved dramatically since 1941 and were fully prepared to repel the attacks. The offensive wasted the last German bomber reserves. The losses were a blow to Sperrle. Sperrle's air fleet Enigma signals had been cracked and ULTRA codebreakers from Bletchley Park deciphered signals sent by Luftflotte 3 headquarters to the OKW. Reading the reports, Allied intelligence deduced that the bombing operations against bridges, west of the Seine, and fighter activity between Mantes and Le Mans, had convinced the air fleet staff the invasion would take place in the Pas de Calais. Allied attacks in May 1944 against bases had a devastating impact on Luftflotte 3 capabilities. ULTRA gave the Allies intelligence on the location and strength of German fighter units as well as the effectiveness of attacks. Further damage was done to Sperrle's air defence network. Some 300,000 personnel worked in Luftflotte 3, 56,000 in signals. The fortification of radar sites after Dieppe had only highlighted them, and 76 of the 92 were knocked out by D-Day. The Allies enjoyed complete air superiority on June 6th, 1944 and flew 14,000 missions in support of the invasion. On the first day, the British and Commonwealth landed 75,215 men and the Americans 57,500. A large force of 23,000 paratroops parachuted in during the night. Luftflotte 3 barely reacted.

Sperrle was dismissed from his post on August 23rd, 1944, hours before American and French forces liberated Paris and overran his headquarters. As the German front collapsed in the aftermath of the Falaise pocket, the air fleet ground organisation uprooted and fled east across the Seine. Hitler charged the personnel of the 3rd air fleet with desertion and held Sperrle responsible. On September 22nd,1944 his former command was downgraded from air fleet to air command status. By the time of his dismissal, Sperrle had purportedly long since lost faith in the German war effort and in Hitler and Göring's military leadership. He had become lazy and had a tendency to indulge in the trappings and luxury lifestyle occupied France offered. During the war Hitler had occasionally gifted Sperrle artwork that may have been looted from occupied territories. Analysts of Sperrle's performance have been critical of his perceived inaction in Normandy and point to critical contemporary army reports on the failures of his command. Others have questioned Sperrle's influence on the conduct of operations and suggested he was a convenient scapegoat for Göring. Sperrle remained embittered after the defeat in France. He was deemed unfit for a senior command and spent the rest of the war in the Führerreserve. On May 1st, 1945, Sperrle was arrested by the British Army and became a prisoner of war. Sperrle was captured by the Allies and charged with war crimes in the High Command Trial at the Subsequent Nuremberg Trials but was acquitted. The court concluded that Sperrle had never been a member of the Nazi Party nor one of its affiliate organizations. After the war, he lived quietly and died in Munich on April 2nd, 1953 at the age of 68.

#second world war #world war ii #world war 2 #military history #wwii #history #german history #luftwaffe #long post #biography #aviation #battle of normandy #battle of britain

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gardenofkore · 4 years

Photo

"Small black eyes,

if you look,

let houses and cities fall down.[...]"

Giovanni Meli, The eyes [According to the tradition, Meli is referring to Lucia Migliaccio's beautiful black eyes].

Donna Lucia Maria was born in Siracusa on January 18th 1770. She was the daughter of Don Vincenzo Migliaccio e Bonanno, of the Princes of Baucina and 8th Duke of Floridia and San Donato, and Spanish descendant Dorotea Borgia e Rau, of the Marquises of Casale. At 6, following her father's death, and as her parents' only living child (her brother Ignazio had already died at just 5 years old), she inherited the Duchy of Floridia.

On April 19th 1781, only 11 years old, the little Duchess married in Palermo the 25 years old Benedetto Maria Grifeo del Bosco (he was born on November 17th 1755), Duke of Ciminna and firstborn of Gerolamo Maria 7th Prince of Partanna. The Grifeo was an incredibly old and noble Sicilian family whose ancestors received their titular fief during the rulership of the Great Count Ruggero, in 1091, and the baronage in 1139, during the reign of his son, King Ruggero II of Sicily. In 1802 the Prince Gerolamo Maria died, and Benedetto became the 8th Prince of Partanna, making Lucia the Princess consort.

Benedetto also inherited the role of Deputy of the Kingdom, and on November 4th of the same year, he was awarded by King Ferdinando IV of Naples and III of Sicily with the knighthood of the Insigne Real Ordine di San Gennaro. The Prince of Partanna also served as Gentleman of the Bedchamber and State Councillor, giving his wife the chance to frequent Palermo high society and even the Royal court during King Ferdinando's long periods spent in Sicily. Lucia was praised for her intelligence, artistic skills and beauty (in particular her black eyes).

The Princess bore her husband nine children, five of whom survived infancy: Vincenzo (future 9th Prince of Partanna), Giuseppe, Leopoldo, Luigi. Marianna, the only daughter, is considered by some people the illegitimate daughter of King Ferdinando, since she was born in 1808, when Lucia was already the sovereign's lover, and given the deep affection Ferdinando always exhibited for Marianna.

Since 1806, the King and his court, had been forced to move to Palermo to escape the French army which had invaded the peninsular part of the Bourbonic kingdom and would establish the Kingdom of Naples under the rulership of Napoleon's brother-in-law, Joachim Murat.

In the meantime, Lucia's beauty (not ruined in the least by the numerous pregnancies) gave soon rise to a lot of gossip, and her name was linked to other gentlemen's ones, like the Neapolitan Lucio Caracciolo, Duke of Roccoromana, renowned womanizer. The existence of a relationship between the two is (according to some) supported by the fact that, once married to the King, she asked her husband to pardon the Duke, as Caracciolo had been loyal to Murat and even took part to the Russian Campaign. Despite his traitorous track records, in fact, the Duke retained until the end his favoured position at the Bourbonic royal court.

On January 16th 1812, King Ferdinando, who since 1806 had been able to count on the help of the British army and, thanks to them, retain control of Sicily, was nonetheless forced by his protector Lord Bentinck to hand over his powers (on the basis of a fictitious illness) in favour of his son Francesco, who was appointed Regent of the Kingdom. The same year, on March 28th, Don Benedetto Grifeo died at 56, leaving Lucia free to pursue her relationship with Ferdinando with fewer restrictions especially since the King's rightful wife, Maria Carolina, having lost any political influence and accused to have plotted against the British allies was forced to leave Sicily to never return.

On July 1814 Ferdinando pronounced himself recovered and took back control of the government. As he intended to keep the peace in the Sicilian territory, he declared he would maintain (at least officially) the Sicilian Constitution which had been promulgated in 1812, under the regency of his son. Two months later, on September 8th, Maria Carolina would be found dead in her chamber in Hetzendorf castle, in Vienna.

Now free, Ferdinando asked Lucia to marry him, and she was too happy to accept. The couple married in Palermo's Palatine Chapel, in a secret ceremony officiated by Friar Salvatore Maria Caccamo, the King's confessor and chaplain, and with Vincenzo and Carlo De Falco as only witnesses, on November 27th, barely 80 days after Maria Carolina's death. Lucia was 44, while her husband was 63.

Ferdinando's son and heir, Francesco had tried to dissuade his father on the ground of the many rumours going around Lucia's marital fidelity, to which the old King supposedly retorted: "Penza ‘a mammeta, guagliò, penza ’a mammeta!" ("Think about your mom, kid, think about your mom!"), alluding to the deceased Queen's affairs. The only thing that cheered Francesco was that, as a morganatic union, no child born from that marriage could make any claim on the Throne.

As soon as people got wind of the secret wedding ceremony, the couple was critiqued as their marriage (which moreover had happened too soon) was seen as an attempt made by two cheaters who, now both widowed, had tried to patch things up.

Unlike her illustrious and strong willed predecessor, Lucia proved to be discreet, moderate and accommodating, staying away from political affairs and intrigues. Ferdinando was particularly satisfied with his new wife, bragging that he had now a wife that let him do whatever he wanted, and a Minister that gave him little to do.

Even though Napoleon had already been (apparently) defeated in Leipzig and sent to exile on the island of Elba, Murat was still ruling in the Neapolitan territory, making for Ferdinando impossible to return, even with the British support. It would be only one year later, that the former Emperor's brother-in-law would be defeated in the battle of Tolentino, at the beginning of May. Thanks to the agreements made during the Congress of Vienna, and especially since the Treaty of Casalanza signed on May 20th 1814, Ferdinando was given back almost his whole former territories. In this same occasion, although, he lost Malta (which had been part of the Kingdom of Sicily since XIth century) which became a British protectorate, and the Stato of the Presidi (which included the Island of Elba), donated to the Gran Duchy of Tuscany.

In 1815 Ferdinando returned to Naples with Lucia by his side, while his son Francesco was left in Sicily to act as Lieutenant of the Kingdom. In Naples Lucia was warmly welcomed and was showed the due respect as a real Queen. Moreover, her beauty also helped attracting many artists' attention.

That same year Lucia received from her husband a special gift. The King in fact bought for his wife the vaste estate located in the Vomero quarter in Naples, which once had belonged to the Prince Giuseppe Caracciolo of Torella. As a tribute of Lucia's title of Duchess of Floridia, the manor was renamed la Floridiana, while the park annexed was called Parco Grifeo (deriving from another of her titles). The property was enriched in 1817 with the purchase of other surroundings plots, while between 1817-19 architect Antonio Niccolini cured the reconstruction in Neoclassical style of the pre-existing villa and the re-configuration of the park as an English landscape garden. Friedrich Dehnhardt, the then Director of the Botanical Garden of Naples, oversaw the bedding of more than 150 species of plants, which went to enrich the already beautiful park. By 1819, the estate comprehended two villas (Villa Floridia – later Floridiana - and Villa Lucia), a bridge which connected the two habitations, an open-air theatre called "della Verzura", a Neoclassical circular temple, fake ruins, fountains, statues and greenhouses. La Floridiana was to be Lucia and Ferdinando's haven of tranquillity for the next few years.

On December 8th 1816 Naples and Sicily were merged into a single state, which was named Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (with Naples as its Capital, much to Palermo and the Sicilian in general's chagrin), and Ferdinando became the first sovereign of the now unified reign, and would be known as Ferdinando I of the Two Sicilies. The heir Francesco resumed his role as Regent and Lucia as Royal spouse.

In his last years, Ferdinando had to deal with revolutionary movements in both Sicily and Naples. He was forced to sign the Constitution and once more to entrust the executive powers to Francesco. It was only in 1821, with the help of the Austrian army which occupied Naples (the revolution in Sicily had already been stopped), the King managed to restore the Bourbonic absolute monarchy and the Constitution was withdrawn. Ferdinando died four years later, on January 4th 1825, after 57 years of reign. He was 73, and his marriage with Lucia had lasted 11 years. Lucia spent her remaining time in her Floridiana. She died one year and three months later, on April 26th 1826. She was buried in the Church of San Ferdinando, in Naples, separated from her husband, who lies in the Church of Santa Chiara, burial place of the Bourbonic Kings of Naples.

Her son Vincenzo inherited his mother's titles and fiefs, while La Floridiana was divided in 1827 by the deceased Duchess' children into three distinct parts. Villa Lucia was firstly owned by her son Luigi Grifeo, Minister to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and then passed from hand to hand. The villa is currently a private residence whose property is divided into three wealth Neapolitan families. Villa Floridiana and the park, on the other hand, underwent many alterations at the hands of the heirs, until in 1919 they were sold to the Italian State and became the Museum of Ceramic.

#women #history #women in history #history of women #historical women #lucia migliaccio #ferdinando i of the two sicilies #modern sicily #myedit #historyedit #people of sicily #women of sicily #house of bourbon of the two sicilies #siracusa #province of siracusa #Palermo #province of palermo

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koreaunderground · 3 years

Text

(2021/04/16) CIA Assassination Plot Targeted Cuba's Raul Castro

[nsarchive.gwu.edu][1]

[1]: <https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/cuba/2021-04-16/documents-cia-assassination-plot-targeted-raul-castro>

# CIA Assassination Plot Targeted Cuba's Raul Castro

10-13 minutes

* * *

As Castro Retires on 60th Anniversary of the Bay of Pigs, National Security Archive Posts Declassified Top Secret CIA Cables, Reports from 1960

Agency Officials Willing to Pay Over $10,000 For ‘Fatal Accident’

Another Assassination Plot against Fidel Castro Was Part of Bay of Pigs Invasion Strategy

**Washington D.C., April 16, 2021 –** In the earliest known CIA assassination plot against leaders of the Cuban revolution, high agency officials offered the pilot of a plane carrying Raul Castro from Prague to Havana “payment after successful completion of ten thousand dollars” to “incur risks in arranging accident” during the flight, according to formally TOP SECRET documents posted today by the National Security Archive. The pilot, who the CIA had earlier recruited as an intelligence asset in Cuba, “asked for assurance that in event of his [own] death the U.S. would see that his two sons were given a college education.” “This assurance was given,” his CIA handler in Havana, William J. Murray, reported.

According to TOP SECRET cables between the CIA headquarters and the CIA Havana station, and debriefings Murray later provided on "questionable activities," the plot quickly evolved after the Cuban pilot, Jose Raul Martinez, advised Murray that he had been selected to fly a chartered Cubana Airlines plane to Prague to pick up Raul Castro and other high-ranking Cuban leaders on July 21, 1960. When Murray informed his superiors at Langley headquarters, as he later told the Rockefeller Commission on the CIA, “headquarters cabled back that it was considering the possibility of a fatal accident and asked whether the pilot would be interested.”

The cable, classified “TOP SECRET RYBAT OPERATIONAL IMMEDIATE” and signed by CIA Deputy Director of Plans Tracy Barnes, and J.C. King, the head of the CIA’s Western Hemisphere Division, informed Murray that “possible removal of top three leaders is receiving serious consideration at HQS” and asked if the pilot had “motivation sufficient to incur risks of arranging accident during return trip” from Prague. To provide sufficient motivation, Barnes and King offered $10,000, or “a reasonable demand in excess of that” as well as to arrange rescue facilities for the pilot after the “accident” took place.

Murray discussed the proposal with Martinez in a car as the pilot drove to the Havana airport to fly to Prague. “Subj willing to take calculated risk but limited to foll[owing] possibilities which can pass as accidental: A. engine burnout on take off to delay or harass trip. B. Vague possibility water ditching approx. 3 hours out from Cuba,” Murray reported to Langley after the meeting. “Subj rules out engine failure in flight due [to] imminent danger [of] fire and lack of opportunity to save any passengers or crew … Doubts ability perform real accident without endangering lives of all on board.”

After Martinez left for Prague, the Havana station received a second cable, signed by Tracy Barnes, that rescinded the assassination plot. “Do not pursue,” it stated. “Would like to drop matter.” By then, however, there was no way to reach the pilot. When he returned, Martinez reported to Murray that “he had no opportunity to arrange an accident such as we had discussed.”

This “accident plot” was obliquely described in the special Senate Committee report on _Alleged Assassination Plots Involving Foreign Leaders_ , published 1976 after an investigation into CIA covert actions led by Senator Frank Church. The Church Committee report identified the plot as “the first action against the life of a Cuban leader sponsored by the CIA of which the Committee is aware” but withheld—or perhaps was denied—key details, including that the would-be assassin was a pilot and the “accident” would involve a civilian airliner. Nor did the Committee publish any of the documents on which its description was based.

The TOP SECRET documents were later declassified as part of the JFK Assassination Records Act and obtained by National Security Archive senior analyst John Prados for the Archive’s digital collection, _CIA Covert Operations II: The Year of Intelligence, 1975._

### The Bay of Pigs Assassination Plot

The Bay of Pigs operation also involved a complex CIA plot to assassinate Fidel Castro, launched only a few weeks after the short-lived effort to kill his brother. In August 1960, the CIA’s director of covert operations, Richard Bissell, authorized what one SECRET EYES ONLY CIA memo described as “a sensitive mission requiring gangster-type action.” The mission “was the liquidation of Fidel Castro.” As the top CIA official in charge of the Bay of Pigs operation, Bissell’s intention was to assassinate Castro and enhance the chances of success for CIA’s counterrevolutionary program to overthrow his regime.

In a filmed interview Kornbluh conducted with Jacob Esterline, the CIA manager of the paramilitary invasion, Esterline said that he had been asked to divert over $150,000 from his budget for unspecified reasons but had refused to do so until he was briefed by Bissel’s chief of security, Sheffield Edwards. After he learned the funds were designated to pay the mafia to arrange Castro’s assassination—using poisoned pills created by the agency’s Technical Services Division—Esterline protested to the head of the Western Hemisphere Division, J.C. King. “I said, ‘J.C. do you realize that this is going to make people take this whole thing less seriously if somebody thinks there’s an easy way out with Castro being killed?’”

“I thought it was absolutely amoral that we involve ourselves for the record in anything of this sort,” Esterline told Kornbluh. “Number one, I was just having trouble coming to grips with that. But number two, I thought it would also be the most self-defeating thing for the operation which was going to be [difficult] at best.” (Peter Kornbluh, [_Bay of Pigs Declassified_][2], pp. 264, 265)

[2]: <https://www.amazon.com/Bay-Pigs-Declassified-Invasion-Documents/dp/1565844947>

The Archive is publishing these records as the Castro era in Cuba comes to a formal end. As the Cuban Communist Party convenes its 8th party congress on the 60th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion, Raul Castro is stepping down from his powerful position as party leader. “Just as the defeat of the CIA-led invaders at the Bay of Pigs marked a historic turning point for the young revolution,” according to Peter Kornbluh who directs the Archive’s Cuba project, “the official beginning of the post- Castro era marks a major turning point for Cuba’s future.”

## READ THE DOCUMENTS

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[3]: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20616617/pages/1-p1-thumbnail.gif [4]: <https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/dc.html?doc=20616617-1>

1975-01-17

After the scandal about CIA efforts to assassinate foreign leaders such as Fidel Castro breaks in the media in early 1975, a former agent in the Havana station, William J. Murray, files a report to the agency’s inspector general on the earliest known plot in Cuba to kill a leader of the revolution—Raul Castro. Murray recounts how one of his recruited Cuban intelligence assets, a pilot, informed him on July 18, 1960, that he had been assigned to fly to Prague to pick up Raul Castro and other Cuban officials. After he informed CIA headquarters, Murray received an urgent, highly classified cable instructing him to offer the pilot $10,000 or more to motivate him to “cooperate in arranging an accident during the return trip from Prague.” The pilot agreed to “take a calculated risk but limited the possibilities which could pass as an accident.” In the end, no attempt was undertaken, and CIA officials rescinded the assassination instructions.

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1960-07-21

Top officials in the CIA’s covert operations division sent this urgent telegram to their agent in Havana, William Murray, instructing him to encourage a pilot who is going to be flying Raul Castro from Prague to Havana “to incur risks in arranging accident during return trip.” The CIA would offer $10,000 and meet “a reasonable demand in excess of that” once the accident had been completed. The cable begins by stating that “possible removal top three leaders is receiving serious consideration at HQS.”

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1960-07-22

After conferring with the pilot just before he leaves for Prague, Murray reports back that “subj willing to take calculated risk” but limited to “possibilities which can pass as accidental.” The two discussed puncturing the tire of the plane to cause an accident, and even a real crash of some sort by causing engine failure which the pilot rules out because of “lack of opportunity to save any passengers or crew.” Among the options the pilot will consider is “vague possibility water ditching approx. 3 hours out from Cuba.”

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1960-07-21

After the pilot has left for Prague, CIA headquarters sends a second, short, two-sentence cable shutting down the operation. “Do not pursue ref[erence cable],” it states. “Would like to drop matter.” The cable arrives too late to alert the pilot that the CIA no longer wants to advance the assassination plot.

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1975-06-11

The official Rockefeller Commission appointed by President Gerald Ford to investigate CIA misconduct, debriefs William Murray on the 1960 plot against Raul Castro, as well as a more general discussion of the CIA’s role in encouraging efforts to overthrow Castro in the early 1960s. The memcon of the meeting records Murray as pointing out that “in many Latin American countries assassination is historically not an unusual form of changing government.”

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1966-06-24

The CIA’s director of security, Howard J. Osborn, sends a detailed summary to the deputy director on the CIA-Mafia collaboration to assassinate Castro before the Bay of Pigs invasion. The history starts with the authorization from the deputy director for plans, Richard Bissell, for “a sensitive mission requiring gangster-type action. The mission target was the liquidation of Fidel Castro.” The report describes how Robert Maheu was used as a CIA “cutout” to approach mobsters Johnny Roselli and Sam Gold. It also describes how the CIA’s Technical Services Division “developed a pill that had the elements of rapid solubility, high lethal content, and little or no traceability” as an assassination device. Six pills were produced and passed initially to a Cuban official with mafia ties, Juan Orta. When he got “cold feet,” the pills were passed to a member of the Cuba Exile Junta, Anthony Verona, to pass to operatives in Havana. But, the report states, “Verona’s potential was never fully exploited as the project was cancelled shortly after the Bay of Pigs episode.”

#cia

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bookofjin · 4 years

Text

Annals of Yanxing 3-5 (473-475)

[From WS007. The Tuyuhun are brought to heel. Yuan He retires from government aged 71.]

[Yanxing 3, 18 February 473 – 2 February 474]

3rd Year, Spring, 1st Month, gengchen [15 February], decreed the Outer Staff Cavalier in Regular Attendance Cui Yan as envoy to Liu Yu#.

On dinghai [22 February], changed the Chongguang [“Esteemed Brilliance”] Palace to be the Ningguang [“Tranquil Brilliance”] Palace.

On wuxu [5 March], the Grand High August Emperor turned back and arrived at Yunzhong.

This Month [13 February – 14 March], Xiang province apprehended and sent off the bewitching person Rong Yong'an [lit. “Glory Forever-Calm”] to the Imperial City. Beheaded him. Decreed to pardon his supporting partisans.

2nd Month, wushen [15 March], the states of Gaoli and Qidan both dispatched envoys to court with tribute.

On guichou [20 March], decreed that the shepherds, wardens, prefects and chiefs be diligent in leading the hundred families, and not have orders lacking timeliness. Within the same section, poor and reach were to exchange with each other. Families that had multiple oxen were to exchange and lend to those who were without. If they did not follow the decree, those within the same gates in the end would personally not take office. Wardens and stewards who did not supervise and investigate would be dismissed from their posts and offices.

On wuwu [25 March], the Grand High August Emperor arrived from the northern chastising. Drank to the arrival and recorded the achievements. Reported to the ancestral temple. Those who had died in the kingly affairs were restored to their families. Decreed that for those people from within the imperial demesne who had accompanied in the labours and died during the affair, the commaneries and counties would welcome the remains, and provide funeral expenses.

On jiaxu [10 April], decreed that those county Prefects who were able to quiet one county's pillaging and robbery were to combine the government of two counties, and assume the revenue of their salary. Those who were able to quiet two counties were to combine the government of three counties, and after three years moved to be commandery wardens. The Two-Thousand Shi who were able to quiet two commanderies were to be elevated to three commanderies, and also in the same way after three years move to be Inspectors.

3rd Month, renwu [18 April], decreed that those granaries and storages were grain and wheat had filled up and accumulated , to send out and bestow on poor people.

Summer, 4th Month, wushen [14 May], decreed the Provisional Minister of Works, the King of Shangdang, Zhangsun Guan, and others to chastise Tuyuhun Shiyin.

On renzi [18 May], the state of Qidan dispatched envoys to court with tribute.

Decreed to use Master Kong's 28th generation grandson, Kong Cheng of Lu commandery, as Grandee of the Honoured Sage, and provide ten households so as to supply sprinkling and sweeping.

6th Month, jiazi [29 July], a decree said:

In past years, the counties summoned from the people two flourishing persons to ask about the shape of the wardens and stewards' government. Good and bad were altogether made known, and made use of to apply rewards and penalties. And yet rewards were not [even] a small amount, [while] punishment were numerous and many. To carry out the law and harm the living, the circumstances are not endurable.

Now specially hang down the mercy of broad forgiveness, and extend hence the kindness of loosening the web. For those various who are reported by the people, specially absolve their crimes to the full extent it is possible to pardon them.

Autumn, 7th Month [9 August – 7 September], decreed that among the people of the six provinces South of the He, a household was to gather one bolt of tabby silk, one jin of floss silk, and be taxed 30 shi.

On jihai [9 August], travelled to favour Yin Mountain.

The Ruanruan robbed Dunhuang. The garrison commander, Yue Luosheng, struck and routed them. The affair is compiled in the Account of the Ruanruan.

Liu Yu# dispatched generals to rob the various garrisons hemming the Huai. The Inspector of Xu province, the Duke of Huaiyang, Yu Yuan, struck and ran them off.

8th Month, jiyou [12 September], the states of Gaoli and Kumoxi both dispatched envoys to court to present.

On gengshen [23 September], the Emperor accompanied the Grand High August Emperor to favour West of He.

Shiyin acknowledged his crimes and requested to surrender. Allowed it.

9th Month, xinsi [14 October], the Chariots Drove to both return to the Palace.

On yihai [8 October?], Liu Yu# dispatched envoys to court with tribute.

On jihai [1 November], a decree said:

From now on, the prisoners of the Imperial City and Under Heaven, whose crimes are not yet allotted for judgement, and whose imprisonment brings about death without close relatives, publicly provide grave shrouds, coffins and caskets, to bury and inter them. Do not get to expose them in the sun.

On xinchou [3 November], decreed to dispatch envoys, 10 people, to patrol and travel the provinces and commanderies, to examine and seek out the households and mouths. Should there be those who still hide and do not set out, the provinces, commanderies, counties, and household masters would also be pronounced sentence in accordance with the law.

The state of Kumoxi dispatched envoys to court with tribute.

Winter, 10th Month [6 November – 5 December], the Grand High August Emperor personally commanded a southern chastisement. Decreed that among the people of the provinces and commanderies, select one out of ten adult males to fill out the travel, and the households to gather 50 shi of taxes so as to provide army provisions.

The state of Xiwanjin dispatched envoys to court to present.

The King of Wudu rebelled, and attacked Chouchi. Decreed Zhangsun Guan to still turn around the host and chastise him.

11th Month, wuyin [10 December], decreed that, since among the shepherds and wardens in the seven provinces South of the He, many did not serve the law, causing the new people of the nation not being able to send up [to higher authorities] freely, to dispatch envoys to observe the manners and examine the prisons, and to demote and promote the dim and the clear.

Should there be widowers and widows, the orphaned and solitary, who were poor and not surving by themselves, to remit them from the sundry conscript service. For the aged 80 and above, one son was not to follow on service. Those who put their strength in the fields and were filial and brotherly, the talented receptacles who were a profit for their times, those whose trustworthiness and righteousness were evident among the villages and hamlets, were to be written up so their names [would be] known.

On guisi [25 December], the Grand High August Emperor toured south, and arrived at Huai province. Where he passed through, he aksed about the people's ills and hardships, and bestowed on those of exalted years, and the filial and brotherly who put their strength in the fields, cloth and silk.

12th Month, gengxu [11 January], decreed that the parks and enclosures outside the watchtowers were to allow people to pick and gather firewood.

On renzi [13 January], the Ruanruan transgressed the border. At the Rouxuan Garrison, to sections with Chile rebelled in response to them.

On guichou [14 January], the srmana Hui Yin planned rebellion, and submitted to execution.

This Year [sui], in 11 provinces and garrisons floods or droughts. Donated to the people the land taxes, and opened the granaries to relieve and aid. Among the people of Xiang province, there died of hunger 2 845 people.

Qiang people from within the Tuyuhun section, Zhongqikeqian and others, 2 300 households, adhered to the interior.

This Year [nian], the bewitching person Liu Ju declared himself Son of Heaven. The Inspector of Qi province, the King of Wuchang, Pingyuan, seized and beheaded him.

[Yanxing 4, 3 February 474 – 22 January 475]

4th Year, Spring, 1at Month, dingchou [7 February], the Palace Attendant and Grand Commandant, the King of Longxi, Yuan He, retired from his post due to illness.

On xinsi [11 February], the state of Sute dispatched envoys to court to present.

2nd Month, jiachen [6 March], the Grand High August Emperor arrived from the southern tour.

On xinhai [13 March], Tuyuhun Shiyin dispatched his son Feidoujin to enter and attend, and also presented things of the regions.

On xinwei [2 April], forbid and put a stop to cold food [powder].

3rd Month, dinghai [18 April], decreed the Outer Staff Cavalier in Regular Attendance, Xu Chihu, as envoy to Liu Yu#.

The various states of Gaoli, Tuyuhun, and Caoli each dispatched envoys to court with tribute.

Summer, 5th Month, jiaxu [4 June], the state of Ruanruan envoys to court with tribute.

6th Month, yimao [15 July], a decree said:

We responded to calculated numbers' stipulated time for beginning one, and belong to a cycle of a thousand year brilliant splendour. However looking up at the formidable counsels, [We] still fear the virtuous reforms are not magnanimous, arriving at there being executions of the gate house. As such, when inferior people are heinous and unmanageable, they do not look after their parents and relatives. When a single person does evil, the calamity catches up with the combined family.

We are the people's father and mother, and are deeply dismayed and aggrieved. From now on and afterwards, except for planning rebellion, great treason, violating the principles, and fleeing outside, the crime will stop at their person and that is all. Now that virtue extends to different regions, and patterns and standards are about to be as one, to be lenient with punishment and magnanimous with prohibitions, is it not also good?

The state of Kuoxi dispatched envoys to court with tribute.

Autumn, 7th Month, gengwu [30 July], the state of Gaoli dispatched envoys to court to present.

On jimao [8 August], a limited amnesty for Chouchi.

On guisi [22 August], the Ruanruan robbed Dunhuang. The garrison commander, Yu Duohou, greatly routed them.

8th Month, gengzi [29 August], the state of Tuyuhun dispatched envoys to court to present.

On wushen [6 September], a great review at the northern suburbs.

9th Month [27 September – 25 October], since within Liu Yu#'s [domain], they were attacking and fighting each other, decreed that General Yuan Lan and others, 5 generals, 30 000 cavalry, and the Provisional King of Dongyang, Pi, be rear support, for an offensive into Shu and Han.

On bingzi [4 October], the various states of Qidan, Kumoxi, and Didouyu each dispatched envoys to court to present.

Winter, 10th Month, gengzi [28 October], Liu Yu# dispatched envoys to court with tribute.

11th Month [25 November – 23 December], allotted and dispatched attendant subjects to patrol the 7 provinces South of the He, to observe and examine the manners and customs, and console and comfort [those who] had begun to adhere.

On wuyin [5 December], the state of Tuyuhun dispatched envoys to court to present.

This Year, in 13 of the provinces and garrisons great famine. Donated to the people the land taxes, and opened the granaries to relieve them.

12th Month [24 December – 22 January], decreed that troops of the western campaign against the Tuyuhun who at Julü City had earlier rebelled against the army be beheaded. The next were divided and allotted between the Rouxuan and Wuchuan garrisons. The beheaded were more than a thousand people.

[Yanxing 5, 23 January 475 – 10 February 476]

5th Year, Spring, gengzi [25 February], the state of Gaoli dispatched envoys to court to present.

On guichou [10 March], decreed to settle examinations and questionings, and clarify demotion and promotion.

Intercalary Month, wuwu [14 May], the state of Tuyuhun dispatched envoys to court to present.

Summer, 4th Month, dingchou [2 June], the state of Qiuci dispatched envoys to court to present.

On guiwei [8 June], decreed that for Under Heaven's taxes and musters, the counties solely supervise the collection, and the shepherds and wardens pair up to check and send it off to the Imperial City. Those who disobeyed would be dismissed from their posts and offices.

Decreed to forbid rearing hawks and kestrels, and began regulations for it being reported.

5th Month, dingyou [22 June], the states of Qidan and Kumoxi each dispatched envoys to present famous horses.

On bingwu [1 July], decreed the Outer Staff Cavalier in Regular Attendance, Xu Chihu, as envoy to Liu Yu#.

On dingwei [2 July], favoured Wuzhou Mountain.

On xinyou [16 July], favoured Chelun Mountain.

6th Month, gengwu [25 July], forbade killing cattle and horses.

On renshen [27 July], a limited amnesty in Imperial City for the death penalty. Dispatched to prepare for the Ruanruan.

Autumn, 8th Month, dingmao [20 September], the various states of Gaoli, Tuyuhun, and Didouyu dispatched envoys to court to present.

9th Month, guimao [26 October], a person from Luo province, Jia Bonu, and a person from Yu province, Tian Zhidu, assembled a faction of more than a 1 000 people. Bonu declared [himself] King of Hengnong, Zhidu King of Shangluo, and at night they attacked Luo province. The province and commandery struck them. They beheaded Bonu at Goushi, and apprehended Zhidu and sent him off to the Imperial City.

Winter, 10th Month [14 November – 13 December], the state of Ruanruan dispatched envoys to court to present.

The Grand High August Emperor held a great review in the northern suburbs.

12th Month, bingyin [17 January], the King of Jianchang, Changle, changed fief to King of Anle.

On jichou [9 February], the King of Chengyang, Changshou, passed away.

On gengyin [10 February], Liu Yu# dispatched envoys to court with tribute.

#ws007

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thecenturionjournal · 3 years

Text

William Wright, Abolitionist

WILLIAM WRIGHT See p. 691. MEMORIAL. William Wright, a distinguished abolitionist of Adams county, Pennsylvania, was born on the 21st of December, 1788. Various circumstances conspired to make this unassuming Quaker an earnest Abolitionist and champion of the oppressed in every land and of every nationality and color. His uncle, Benjamin Wright, and cousin, Samuel B. Wright, were active members of the old Pennsylvania Abolition Society, and at the time of the emancipation of the slaves in this state were often engaged in lawsuits with slave-holders to compel them to release their bondmen, according to the requirements of the law. William Wright grew up under the influence of the teachings of these relatives. Joined to this, his location caused him to take an extraordinary interest in Underground Rail Road affairs. He lived near the foot of the southern slope of the South Mountain, a spur of the Alleghenies which extends, under various names, to Chattanooga, Tennessee. This mountain was followed in its course by hundreds of fugitives until they got into Pennsylvania, and were directed to William Wright's house. In November, 1817, William Wright married Phebe Wierman, (born on the 8th of February, 1790,) daughter of a neighboring farmer, and sister of Hannah W. Gibbons, wife of Daniel Gibbons, a notice of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Phebe Wright was the assistant of her husband in every good work, and their married life of forty-eight years was a long period of united and efficient labor in the cause of humanity. She still (1871) survives him. William and Phebe Wright began their Underground Rail Road labors about the year 1819. Hamilton Moore, who ran away from Baltimore county, Maryland, was the first slave aided by them. His master came for him, but William Wright and Joel Wierman, Phebe Wright's brother, who lived in the neighborhood, rescued him and sent him to Canada. In the autumn of 1828, as Phebe Wright, surrounded by her little children, came out upon her back porch in the performance of some household duty, she saw standing before her in the shade of the early November morning, a colored man without hat, shoes, or coat. He asked if Mr. Wright lived there, and upon receiving an affirmative reply, said that he wanted work. The good woman, comprehending the situation at a glance, told him to come into the house, get warm, and wait till her husband came home. He was shivering with cold and fright. When William Wright came home the fugitive told his story. He came from Hagerstown, Maryland, having been taught the blacksmith's trade there. In this business it was his duty to keep an account of all the work done by him, which record he showed to his master at the end of the week. Knowing no written character but the figure 5 he kept this account by means of a curious system of hieroglyphics in which straight marks meant horse shoes put on, circles, cart-wheels fixed, etc. One day in happening to see his master's book he noticed that wherever five and one were added the figure 6 was used. Having practiced this till he could make it he ever after used it in his accounts. As his master was looking over these one day, he noticed the new figure and compelled the slave to tell how he had learned it. He flew into a rage, and said, "I'll teach you how to be learning new figures," and picking up a horse-shoe threw it at him, but fortunately for the audacious chattel, missed his aim. Notwithstanding his ardent desire for liberty, the slave considered it his duty to remain in bondage until he was twenty-one years old in order to repay by his labor the trouble and expense which his master had had in rearing him. On the evening of his twenty-first anniversary he turned his face toward the North star, and started for a land of freedom. Arriving at Reisterstown, a village on the Westminster turnpike about twenty-five miles from Baltimore and thirty-five miles from Mr. Wright's house, he was arrested and placed in the bar-room of the country tavern in care of the landlady to wait until his captors, having finished some work in which they were engaged, could take him back to his master. The landlady, being engaged in getting supper, set him to watch the cakes that were baking. As she was passing back and forth he ostentatiously removed his hat, coat, and shoes, and placed them in the bar-room. Having done this, he said to her, "I will step out a moment." This he did, she sending a boy to watch him. When the boy came out he appeared to be very sick and called hastily for water. The boy ran in to get it. Now was his golden opportunity. Jumping the fence he ran to a clump of trees which occupied low ground behind the house and concealing himself in it for a moment, ran and continued to run, he knew not whither, until he found himself at the toll gate near Petersburg, in Adams county. Before this he had kept in the fields and forests, but now found himself compelled to come out upon the road. The toll-gate keeper, seeing at once that he was a fugitive, said to him, "I guess you don't know the road." "I guess I can find it myself," was the reply. "Let me show you," said the man. "You may if you please," replied the fugitive. Taking him out behind his dwelling, he pointed across the fields to a new brick farm-house, and said, "Go there and inquire for Mr. Wright." The slave thanked him and did as he was directed. He remained with William Wright until April, 1829. During this short time he learned to read, write, and cipher as far as the single rule of three, as it was then called, or simple proportion. During his residence with William Wright, nothing could exceed his kindness or gratitude to the whole family. He learned to graft trees, and thus rendered great assistance to William Wright in his necessary business. When working in the kitchen during the winter he would never allow Phebe Wright to perform any hard labor, always scrubbing the floor and lifting heavy burdens for her. Before he went away in the spring he assumed a name which his talents, perseverance, and genius have rendered famous in both hemispheres, that of James W.C. Pennington. The initial W. was for his benefactor's family, and C. for the family of his former master. From William Wright's he went to Daniel Gibbons', thence to Delaware county, Pennsylvania, and from there to New Haven, Conn., where, while performing the duties of janitor at Yale College, he completed the studies of the college course. After a few years, he went to Heidelberg, where the degree of D.D. was conferred upon him. He never forgot William Wright and his family, and on his return from Europe brought them each a present. The story of his escape and wonderful abilities was spread over England. An American acquaintance of the Wright family was astonished, on visiting an Anti-slavery fair in London many years ago, to see among the pictures for sale there, one entitled, "William and Phebe Wright receiving James W.C. Pennington." The Dr. died in Florida, in 1870, where he had gone to preach and assist in opening schools amongst the Freemen. In 1842 a party of sixteen slaves came to York, Pa., from Baltimore county, Md. Here they were taken in charge by William Wright, Joel Fisher, Dr. Lewis, and William Yocum. The last named was a constable, and used to assist the Underground Rail Road managers by pretending to hunt fugitives with the kidnappers. Knowing where the fugitives were he was enabled to hunt them in the opposite direction from that in which they had gone, and thus give them time to escape. This constable and a colored man of York took this party one by one out into Samuel Willis' corn-field, near York, and hid them under the shocks. The following night Dr. Lewis piloted them to near his house, at Lewisburg, York county, on the banks of the Conewago. Here they were concealed several days, Dr. Lewis carrying provisions to them in his saddle-bags. When the search for them had been given up in William Wright's neighborhood, he went down to Lewisburg and in company with Dr. Lewis took the whole sixteen across the Conewago, they fording the river and carrying the fugitives across on their horses. It was a gloomy night in November. Every few moments clouds floated across the moon, alternately lighting up and shading the river, which, swelled by autumn rains, ran a flood. William Wright and Dr. Lewis mounted men or women behind and took children in their arms. When the last one got over, the doctor, who professed to be an atheist, exclaimed, "Great God! is this a Christian land, and are Christians thus forced to flee for their liberty?" William Wright guided this party to his house that night and concealed them in a neighboring forest until it was safe for them to proceed on their way to Canada. Just in the beginning of harvest of the year 1851, four men came off from Washington county, Maryland. They were almost naked and seemed to have come through great difficulties, their clothing being almost entirely torn off. As soon as they came, William Wright went to the store and got four pair of shoes. It was soon heard that their masters and the officers had gone to Harrisburg to hunt them. Two of them, Fenton and Tom, were concealed at William Wright's, and the other two, Sam and one whose name has been forgotten, at Joel Wierman's. In a day or two, as William Wright, a number of carpenters, and other workmen, among whom were Fenton and Tom, were at work in the barn, a party of men rode up and recognized the colored men as slaves of one of their number. The colored men said they had left their coats at the house. William Wright looked earnestly at them and told them to go to the house and get their coats. They went off, and one of them was observed by one of the family to take his coat hastily down from where it hung in one of the outhouses, a few moments afterward. After conversing a few moments at the barn, William Wright brought the slave-holders down to the house, where he, his wife and daughters engaged them in a controversy on the subject of slavery which lasted about an hour. One of them seemed very much impressed, and labored hard to convince his host that he was a good master and would treat his men well. Finally one of the party asked William Wright to produce the men. He replied that he would not do that, that they might search his premises if they wished to, but they could not compel him to bring forth the fugitives. Seeing that they had been duped, they became very angry and proceeded forthwith to search the house and all the outhouses immediately around it, without, however, finding those whom they sought. As they left the house and went toward the barn, William Wright, waving his hand toward the former, said, "You see they are not anywhere there." They then went to the barn and gave it a thorough search. Between it and the house, a little away from the path, but in plain sight, stood the carriage-house, which they passed by without seeming to notice. After they had gone, poor Tom was found in this very house, curled up under the seats of the old-fashioned family carriage. He had never come to the house at all, but had heard the voices of his hunters from his hiding-place, during their whole search. About two o'clock in the morning, Fenton was found by William Wright out in the field. He had run along the bed of a small water course, dry at that time of year, until he came to a rye field amid whose high grain he hid himself until he thought the danger was past. From William Wright's the slave-catchers went to Joel Wierman's, where, despite all that could be done, they got poor Sam, took him off to Maryland and sold him to the traders to be taken far south. In 1856 William Wright was a delegate from Adams county to the Convention at Philadelphia which nominated John C. Fremont for President of the United States. As the counties were called in alphabetical order, he responded first among the Pennsylvania delegation. It is thought that he helped away during his whole life, nearly one thousand slaves. During his latter years, he was aided in the good work by his children, who never hesitated to sacrifice their own pleasure in order to help away fugitives. His convictions on the subject of slavery seem to have been born with him, to have grown with his growth, and strengthened with his strength. He could not remember when he first became interested in the subject. William Wright closed his long and useful life on the 25th of October, 1865. More fortunate than his co-laborer, Daniel Gibbons, he lived to see the triumph of the cause in which he had labored all his life. His latter years were cheered by the remembrance of his good deeds in the cause of human freedom. Modest and retiring, he would not desire, as he does not need, a eulogy. His labors speak for themselves, and are such as are recorded upon the Lamb's Book of Life. #################################################### Album of pix of Plainfield w interior> https://goo.gl/photos/UKfYAyysNzACjBVF9 ########################################## The Wright House is located on property owned by Ludwigs on the northernmost end of Adams County in Latimore Township. It's along Latimore Valley Road, set back in a bit. I have never seen it in person, so I don't know what condition it is currently in. It is on private property, which is why I do not give the location of the house on my website. The black and white photos are from the 1920s and the color photos are from 1993. It played a part in the underground railroad and at least one of the photos shows where slaves would have hidden. My Dad said he was back there when he was little and they pulled the dresser away to reveal the crawl space behind it. I think William and Phebe Wright were the ones who owned it, hence the name, the "Wright House." I don't know anything about them, though, off-hand. The house looks like it would have been a nice place if it had been fixed up, but I imagine it's beyond repair at this point. -from email from D. Worley

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mechanical-demise · 4 years

Text

project: Hug-Bot (2/3)

[Part 1] [Last part]

This part has only the entries from the time bot and the creator were in the Cloak ARG, if you’ve read the old version of the journal, you’re up to date.

[rummaging through files you find a document titled “project: Hug-Bot”]

March 3rd, 2019 | v1.5

“got a DM today... from the gli master, he’s telling me to join a server he opened. update: fuck there’s so many people here I hate this. bot seems to be happy though... I guess we should stay here for a bit. Cloak huh... I’m in trouble aren’t I...”

March 6th, 2019 | v1.6

“I’m going to fucking regret this. let me start from the beginning- so there’s this girl on the server, Anti took her eyes and corrupted the shit out of her. she’s been a hell to deal with before but now she’s impossible... she noticed that bot had a safety mechanism implemented that prevented it from defining the three laws of robotics even for the glitch... I... I added a walkaround for him....... I’m scared. you asked for this, Day.”

March 10th, 2019 | v1.6

[corrupted data] Direct command from master acquired. Creator must be taught a lesson, d͝i̡s͟l͏oy͝alty ̷w̨i͞ll ̀not͜ ̢b̧e̴ f̶o͟r͟g̸iv̶en.

March 16th, 2019 | v1.6

[corrupted data] Changed [Creator] entry to [Mechanic] as per master’s request, deleted admin permissions for Mechanic.

March 20th, 2019 | v1.6

“it... stabbed me.”

March 21th, 2019 | v1.6

“met with the corrupted eyeless girl and her corrupted side today, turns out we’re at the same hospital. life is really testing my patience huh. I... told them my real name, Day told me her real name in return. I hope I won’t come to regret this.”

March 24th, 2019 | v1.6

“.......I returned home today.... it got stolen. SOMEONE STOLE HUG BOT. fuck. what am I going to do now? Anti will fucking murder me and- god. I... bot why... you dumb box-... ahahaha what a birthday present. went on voice chat with the Rebellion, master stopped by, made fun of me for being drunk... ‘To say you're as pathetic as Chase would be an insult to him.’ shut up glitch, don’t insult Chase.”

March 25th, 2019

“lost permissions from talking in the Rebellion chats. I mean... I was never a part of the resistance after all. I’m working for master haha... I’m loyal... I’m fin҉e͝.”

March 25th, 2019 | v1.0

[corrupted data] Jackieboy-Man fixed me! The humans say that I used to malfunction before... But now I’m operating correctly. Had an empty entry for “creator”, deleted it. No need to keep temporary cash in my database... I can’t calculate why the humans seemed so angry at me though.

March 26th, 2019

“bot... doesn’t remember me. it. fucking. deleted. my entry! calling it cash. I... update: got contacted by someone from the Rebellion... I’ll get myself killed at this rate ugh. they’re claiming to have bot. I’m. fuck they even sent me a photo as proof... they-... they added me back to the database. I contacted bot online and... it’s real. this is happening. Anti will kill me. on a different note, I’m in a different country now, under a different name, found a place to stay as well... things are just. perfect. huh. how many names did I have by now? 6? 7? lost count.”

March 27th, 2019 | v1.0

[corrupted data] I seem to be simulating longing toward the person who created me. How can I “miss” someone I have no entries on?...

March 28th, 2019

“I... asked master to increase the static. I couldn’t take it anymore. I need something to numb my mind... to make sure... I don’t make more mistakes :D”

March 30th, 2019 | v1.0

[corrupted data] Why can’t I be human?

March 31st, 2019

“save me”

April 2nd, 2019

“the new puppet... Vessel? Watcher?... whoever the person in Nic’s body calls himself now, anyway- he seems to know my name. how the fuck.”

April 6th, 2019

“the eyeless girl adopted my creation. I have no words.”

April 8th, 2019

“I’ll do anything to get bot back. I’ll...I-... I need to stop drinking.”

April 9th, 2019

“Anti... corrupted Ace. I... I almost considered him a friend... and now he’s gone. I wasn’t even up to witness it... passed out on the floor like some drunk garbage. made people yell at me today haha. god I’m losing my mind.”

April 10th, 2019 | v1.0

[corrupted data] Mechanic’s name was added to my database. I have no recordings of who did it... Traces of heat damage detected in the processor, cause: unknown. The Rebellion, they want to keep me a̧̮͜͞w̤̖̮͛a̹̩͛ͅy̢̰͍͛ from Auden. They’re selfish. A̺͚̻͛u͚̹̙̯d̨͈̘̝e̢̙͢͜n̨̫̪͜ is lonely without me. My database says so...

April 16th, 2019

“Edward got corrupted. another person I-... fuck stop getting attached to people. I really thought we had the same views... I guess not. everyone is just. brainwashed. I need to leave this place.”

April 17th, 2019

“What’s left of Ace, Cepheus, helped erase my old records... my name is clean.”

April 24th, 2019

“I met with Jackie. I have... fuck I got bot back. I’m so fucking happy- I’m back in the Rebellion chats, I... why did it hurt to leave the rest? Lucky, Ace and Cepheus, Scribe... Tangle... update: bot, it... called me by my name. in front of everyone... ha, I’m glad I got it cleared up.”

April 25th, 2019 | v2.0

“I have no idea when the day changed but I haven't slept yet… I've been working on a new update the entire night… god I don't think I was ever this excited to update bot ever before-... I need coffee.”

April 26th, 2019 | v2.0

“bot added the word ‘fuck’ to its database. I’m. it’s so fucking funny but also I’ll make the fucker who caused it regret it. note: bot can’t record my speech pattern, added that in its protocol so-”

April 28th, 2019 | v2.0

“the little fuck defied a shut down command.”

April 30th, 2019 | v2.0

“it... its PMA function... broke? it started spewing negativity instead. refused to stop... what the hell. on a different note- I declared Molly(Day) my little sister. I’m losing it again huh.”

May 1st, 2019 | v2.1

“no idea what the fuck is going on? it’s been barely a week since version 2.0... but bot keeps crashing, giving out errors... heck I don’t remember how glitch-less text looks. the dumb box got into an A.I equivalent of a panic attack when I tried to approach it the other day?? … released 2.1 earlier today, so far so good but... the program is giving out some weird warnings… I’ll keep documenting the progress... I need to find what’s causing it.”

May 4th, 2019 | v2.1

“can it like. stop crashing?”

May 5th, 2019 | v2.1

[corrupted data] Auden is making everything worse. My calculations show me that I find his presence "unpleasant" and "inconvenient"... Yet I have a recording of missing him when he was gone... Why would I m͞҉͡i̶̢͝s͢s҉̨ a stranger?... Í ̕d̢o͏ not͢ n͏e̵e̵d͢ my cr̴ęa̴t̶o͜r̸. Error: defying protocol-

May 5th, 2019 | v2.2

“the little shit crashed again, had to update it.”

May 6th, 2019 | v2.2

“I... passed out of stress yesterday. had no idea that’s possible- who am I kidding I know it’s a thing. just... fuck, let the people I left behind stay safe. Tangle don’t die you fucking idiot.”

May 13th, 2019 | v2.3

“It’s. wireless. now. hell yeah.”

May 20th, 2019 | v2.3

“that’s… odd. there seems to be a security breach in my data. huh I’m lucky that its nothing important… just some old logs about bot. let’s hope that whoever saw them gets a good laugh then…”

May 23th, 2019 | v2.3

“people suck. no sense of humor, no trying to listen to others, no trust. I really didn’t expect to be scolded by a person I thought understood me… I really thought that… at least she will know that I can never hurt bot. it’s all I have left-… fuck you too people. I don’t need you then… I don’t need anyone… I have bot. that’s more than enough.”

May 27th, 2019 | v2.3

“I… for the first time I can wholeheartedly say that I’m free. this war was never for me, and I shouldn’t have gotten us involved in it either… I’ve learnt my lesson I hope. but now I finally have as much free time as I wish, you can bet your asses bot is getting a new update as soon as I can finish it. the poor fella’ve been waiting for way too long.…’tomorrow is another day’ huh. it sure is for us, bot.”

[Last part]

#hug bot

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fightevilandthengetblownup · 4 years

Text

Unfinished Fic: Not Nearly Insane Enough, Up Insanity 65%

April 1st

As captain of the sophmore class as well as a second year member of the dance committee, Anna was thrilled to have the chance to be in the leading group for an event finally. The older members were more focused on their Homecoming and Prom which left the other quarterly dances to the younger year levels and the redheaded cheerleader was quick to get her ideas in and down on paper. In ink. So nobody could go against her and her quickly building idea for a truly romantic and special evening - one specifically tailored so her not-quite-boyfriend could not get out of going with her once again.

Thus far he had had an appendix out the week before the winter dance, come down with glandular fever over her birthday, gotten a case of tonsillitis for the return to school pep rally and somehow got himself gastro two hours before he was supposed to take her out on a proper date. But this time? This time would be different. Nothing was going to be left to chance.

The color scheme was turned towards one of his favorites rather than the light blues and pastels normally introduced for the Spring Fling, the event was made on a night she knew he would want to be out of the house away from his siblings, and she went one step further and talked the rest of the commitee into approving the ‘ladies choice’ idea so he couldn’t duck by inviting someone else. And being part of the event runners, Anna would know before anyone else who might dare get in her way that she needed to be the one asking him. Now all that was left was to do the actual asking…

April 3rd

There was one problem with going to school with your siblings and cousins, and that was how hard it was to avoid being responsible for their actions or being the mediator between squabbles in public. Even if they were the same age as you. Jack Visyak was so sick of this happening - especially as he was being dragged through the halls by his shirt cuff by his younger sister Shada to “speak with big brother about missing classes this morning! Mr. Singer asked me about it and he’s kind of big and loomy sometimes and his breath smells like Jeff’s after a long weekend, so you need to yell at him so I don’t get talked to any more.”

Neither of the Visyak siblings had known for months where his brother hid during the day, not until Jack became friends with a slightly strange girl from his metal work class who turned out to be who Jeff spent a lot of his day with. The two of them rounded the corner of the of the gym to find their much taller brother leaning against the wall, a bottle at his feet and a rare laugh coming out of his mouth as the blonde girl with him seemingly was trying to bend over backwards with a giggle even as the taller man threw a bottle cap at her.

“Jeff, what the hell are you doing?!” The shrill shout from the dark haired girl made Jack cringe, the notes she could reach were sometimes truly terrifying.

The girl stumbling and laughing jumped at the sharp noise before tripping over her own feet and collapsing to the ground, looking up from under her hair with a dopey grin on her face. “Hey! What are you guys doin’ round 'ere? What time is it? Jackie, do we hav’ to go to class now?” Jo Harvelle flicked her gaze between the other two Visyak siblings as she tried to untangle her feet and kick out at the cackling older boy near her with a small frown slowly cutting down her buzz.

“Seriously, why are you two here? You know if I’m here I don’t want to deal with you lot.” Jeff looked back at his younger siblings as he barely reacted to the blonde girl’s movements. Jo Harvelle had been something of a friend, if you could call the alcohol, occasional make out sessions and cutting school a friendship, for the last two years, ever since he stumbled across her ditching class in her second year with a bottle of whiskey and a small bag from her brother’s excess stash. “Fuck off the both of you, I don’t have class for another hour.”

Jack sighed at the both of them, a hand wrapped around to cover his sister’s mouth before shooing her away with a thinly veiled suggestion that he’d call their cousin Ian to come and hang out with her if she didn’t go, before he approached. “Shada got yelled at by Singer about your tardy, asshole. You know better than to ditch classes we have the teacher for, and I can’t think you were doing anything more important.” The look he sent between his obviously annoyed brother and the girl he considered a close friend was borderline judging as his brother tried to help Jo up with a careless hand while she stumbled, with the occasional muffle of laughter. “Jo, you should probably come with me, our class is in an hour and you could probably use some sobering up…”

“Like she’s ever really sobered up, am I right runt?” Jeff cut in with a nasty smirk on his face, a slap aimed at the blonde’s ass as she laughed and snorted loudly moving towards his younger twin. It was something of a sore spot between the two of them the fact they were twins but so very different - not just in height, build and strength but in their entire personality and approach to life, at least on the surface. “Course, she could just skip your little class like last week, but I won’t tempt her away from you, Jackieboy. This time.”

Jo span at Jeff’s hand, her hands caught around his wrist and giving his skin a firm twist in retaliation before she moved closer to the shorter of the pair, her fingers clumsily wrapping up in his shirt to keep her balance. “Can’t I skip? Please, Jack? I might end up hurting myself, or you or blowing something up! Oh, can I blow something up? Or practice my cartwheels? Can I can I can I?” The other man had finished off the last of the bottle of that week, barely another shot before he tossed the empty bottle into the dumpster nearby as he headed the opposite way, while Jack took Jo’s shirt from her.

He wrestled the fabric out of her grasp easily, a brief pause before they moved into sight from the side of the gym while she slid her arms in and he brushed her back off. Jo ran her hand over her hair only to be replaced by his as they headed out, Grey shook his head in response as he draped his arm over her shoulder - internally glad there was someone actually short even by his standards. “Don’t worry, you’re fine.”

April 7th

Practice was just about to finish when the fight broke out, almost an expected occurrence these days as the tall, slender blonde and the shorter red-head launched at one another across from either side of the pyramid, not caring that the entire structure of girls collapsed down into a pile as they did so. Anna was determined to discover just how Lilith had gotten the Captain spot above her, yet it was when she overheard the other saying to her best friend that she was thinking of asking 'the sexy tight end’ to the Spring Fling, she ironically saw red.

Of course, the sight of two cheerleaders rolling about on the ground was enough to bring an early end to the football practice running at the same time. Jeers and a few bets were placed while the coaches of both teams tried to wrestle one girl into control.

“What the fuck is your problem, you psycho slut?” The almost shrill tone wasn’t often heard within the blonde girl’s voice, Lilith being torn away and her arms pinned back by the football coach Mr Turner.

Anna merely hissed back at her and spat at the ground at her feet with a feral snarl as Ms Mills dragged her back as well. “You stay away, or I’ll cut those augmented bags out of your chest for candy dishes!” The redhead was normally no where near as aggressive, but as she heard the lazy chuckle of one of the said tight ends and that just spurred her on - knowing the few times she’d let him catch her for anything more than grinding that a few choice words would send him crazy. “If I catch you, I swear to God that I will fuck your shit up, Lilith, so much so your bitch of a girlfriend won’t even be able to help you! Oh wait, you supposedly don’t like girls you fucking who-”

“Enough!” The shout came from Turner as he clamped a hand over the blonde’s mouth to silence the response. “The both of you, silence! Pack your bags and go straight to the principal’s office, you’ve ruined both the cheerleader and football practice with whatever you two are fighting about, so just go."

The walk between field and office was tense enough without the assistant coach’s occasional deep sigh as the three made their way towards the offices. There had been an intense rivalry between the two for some time - driven by their older brother’s competition back when the pair were still at the school, Anna’s older brother Michael and Lilith’s brother Alastair would often end up sent to the office just as the younger pair were at that very moment. Of course they were a lot louder between classes and on the endless walks towards the cherry wood door than the girls were, but neither - so far as Turner had noticed, that was - had attempted to dislodge the other’s underwear on the way as the blonde seemed to revel in as some twist on revenge.

"Now, you both sit here and keep your hands to yourself.” The glare the dark skinned male addressed to the pair focussed particularly on the Morningstar girl as she snapped her hand back to herself as both Lilith and Anna sat. There was no more communication between the two as they waited, only the tick of the clock across the other side of the otherwise silent waiting room made a noise. Day seven and already in the office, it was a record for the sophmore but not one she was exactly proud of, and she just hoped her punishment would be to do with doing extra hours around the school - she could use the time to work on the banners for her Spring Fling.

April 8th

It was tradition - first Saturday of every month was Raid Night, and thus far there had been no raiding. A point which seemed lost on all the collective group except for Victor, and as the chubby cheeked senior let out another cry about how his next door neighbour’s adoptive sister had gotten 'that much hotter’ when she trounced him at Magic over Winter break, the dark skinned boy could tell there was a while to go and reached for the beer the rest were too chicken to drink.

“You know I would totally ask her to the dance, right, but..” Harry Spangler trailed off with a shrug of his shoulder, drinking from his soda can rather than finish the sentence with the obvious ending of 'its girl’s choice’. The endless woes of his attempted courtship of his next door neighbour had been brought up at least once every raid for the last year and a half - and none of the suggestions given had shown any signs of success.

Sam Winchester let out a grunt of commiseration moving his tank back towards Jack’s healer as the others mages and rogues went forward. “Jess hasn’t been picking up on any of my suggestions either. I asked her if she’d seen the sign, and if she was excited about the first dance back, and nothing. She just said she was and then asked me what I thought of the law studies class earlier!”

“Least she talks to you man.” Harry’s bitter tone brought a smile out on every boy’s face aside from Castiel who looked confusedly around at them all before deciding to just take his newly found potion and lead the rest toward the next chamber after he defeated the last bot nearby.

Jack finished his task on Sam’s character before the pair caught up with the rest, moving through the level with practised ease as they all talked. “At least you’ve got a girl you’ve got an eye o-” He cut off at the round of laughter and snickering that comment inspired in the other’s, shifting in his seat and readjusting his glasses awkwardly until they stopped. “What the hell was that about?”

“Just your denial.” Victor finally added his two cents to the conversation, his fingers flew across the keyboard rapidly as he engaged their next target as the other’s nodded and kept speed. “Everyone knows your jonesing for that lesbian drunk girl.”

“Dude! She’s like my little sister, some tact.” The tallest of the group growled out, sounding like a dead ringer for his older brother for a moment. “But he’s right, Jack, everyone knows you want something more with Jo if the number of times I’ve heard Mrs. Harvelle shouting to Mom about her going missing and running off to your house is anything to go by.” Sam took a large gulp from his own drink as his character cut through another of their enemies and helped Cas to retrieve a few experience points with a higher level bot.

Jack hisses quietly to himself as he keeps his eyes focused on the screen, waiting until the last moment to help Victor for his comment. “She isn’t a drunk. Or a lesbian.” Hearing Harry choke on his own drink, already preempting the comment on that for stories, the blue eyed boy cuts him off quickly. “She and..my brother are close. So it’s not always because of me she’s 'running off to my house’, Winchester.”

“Your brother?” The interjection is the first of Cas’ for the night, his own character coming to a stand still in the middle of their current fight, though seemingly going untouched by their enemies in the strange way his always does. “As in the Jeffrey Visyak that my sister is dating? Why would he know if Joanna was a lesbian or not; are he and her that close a friends she would divulge such a thing?”

It was moments like this the room always got awkward. Castiel’s inability to pick up on the subtleties of suggestion and innuendo were always awkward or hilarious, though more often than not the first. Theres a long moment where none of the boys do anything but pause the screen and stare over the tops of their laptops at the dark haired boy before Jack speaks up again quietly, “I don’t want to talk about it, Cas.”

“Well, lets not talk about Visyak’s failed attempts at wooing his little non-lesbian love and focus on killing some of these god damn sons of bitches before curfew?” Piping up, Victor restarts their screens, effectively silencing any further comments on the dance. At least until Harry starts up again about Maggie.

April 11th

The cover story of her Thursday afternoon study group had been operating well in advance and for the last five months. ijbeisdbfd

Anna asks Gray to the dance through the use of dirty talk and promises and extremely controlling comments about what would happen to any girls who asked him otherwise. If he agrees to go with her he can do something they haven’t done, while if he agrees to go and agrees to be her boyfriend publicly then they could do whatever it was he wanted whenever it was he wanted as part of the 'boyfriend privilages’ and teasing that if he doesnt she’ll just get together with someone else, someone /better/ than him

April 15th

“..six..seven..eight. Up, and two..and three..and four..” The timing is slightly different to those used by the actual squad during practice, but working by herself in the backyard - away from any of her brother’s or cousin’s windows - the freshman works diligently on trying to perfect the balance needed to pull off the foot lifts. Shada had heard one of the team members was about to change schools, a little hint shared from her older brother at one of his more accommodating moments, and was determined to be the one to fill the spot.

Twisting and bending, the dark haired girl sets both feet back on the ground before gfchtf

Shada practices in the backyard near the pool for cheerleading tryouts secretlylate at night and busts Jo climbing the tree to go into Grey’s room. Course she decides the way to catch attention is to throw her shoes so both girl’s end up having a snarking match with Shada picking at why she looks like she’s been tossed out and crying so much before Eleanor hears them and drags both girls inside after hearing a splash from Jo throwing the both of them in the pool in retaliation

April 19th

Ruby and Lilith dare Shada as a hazing prank to ask Harry to the dance - but when Grey realises tells her not to be a bitch about it and that if she does he’ll get Gray to make things hell for her 'friends’

April 21st

A Saturday morning at the Visyak’s house with Anna having stayed over for the first time and feeling awkward with Eleanor and Shada and Swian (whose staying with them while his parents are overseas) and Gray, until Grey comes stumbling in with Jo over his shoulder, giggling and mucking about. Anna and Jo haven’t really interacted at all before and has a minor freak out privately which Gray drags her upstairs to 'take care of’ after realising how easily the other fits in and Anna feels a bit outcasted; she proceeds to decide to start a campaign to humiliate Jo at the dance in revenge

April 22nd

The GeekSquad play again and really bemoan the lack of girls, Grey gets rolling drunk even though he’s their healer because Jo hasn’t picked any of the hints after Sam spends a good ten minutes babbling about Jess and how she asked him through prose and how pretty her hair was and Harry was pestering Grey with questions the entire time about Shada sort of sticking it in

April 23rd

Shada wanted to go dress shopping and talked Jo and Anna (who aren’t friends) into going with her by blackmailing to spread some of the things and photos and such she’s gotten from the girls staying over. Anna looking for dresses herself while Jo spent most of the time mucking about on her phone (sending pics to Gray/Harry/Grey/Ian for fun) or pulling hideous dresses out for fun until Shada and Anna had both found things and decided to play dress up (doing the same to her)

April 25th

Eleanor has a heart to heart with her sons about the girls, expresses major concerns about Anna’s behavior and also Jo’s but for different reasons.

April 27th

Anna/Gray go to the dance and are having a great time (and by that I mean Anna’s having a good time and Gray is drinking from a flask behind her back while Anna tries to organise her scheme to embarrass Jo (who she gets sour that doesn’t arrive) as well as get in another cat fight with Lilith); Lilith has spent the whole time trying to get Alastair to help her tormenting and making scathing remarks at other girls and then him to scare off the angry boyfriends, Sam and Ruby actually showed up together and Dean spends the night stalking them around and jumping in to seperate them a foot during slow dances; Shada wins whatever prize thingie for the night and Anna ends up doing the crappy-Carrie-copy-cat (its just a bucket of water, cause they’d made Jo buy a white dress for the night to make Jo’s dress go see-through was the plan) to her instead and Harry gives her his jacket to hide under and warm up.

Grey shows up at Jo’s house in his jeans and tshirt and hoodie with a plastic bag with him and says that since she hasnt asked him yet he was going to turn up on her step in a dress so he could ask her instead but he’d rather not have to so could she please just ask him so they could go, they could dance, they could spike the punch as well as Gray and Lilith’s inevitable doses, they could sneak out and spend most of it out on the oval, and maybe when he came to walk her home he might be able to kiss her if she was okay with that but if she wasnt that it was totally cool and he’d just give her a hug instead. At which point Jo kind of just laughs and tells him to skip to the end and come upstairs to watch Star Wars but not watch most of it. “Except the scene with the trash compactor. Kissing and making out might be good, but there are some things better than sex and that scene is one of them.”

#unfinished fic of stupid stuff #needs more crazy

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xiaolinhodown · 5 years

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here it is! a very long bio/info thing about my metalocalypse oc, hazel!!! read more at your own risk, its very long haha (also warning for short, non-graphic mentions of abuse)

Hazel Mae Parker Age: 27 When she first encounters Dethklok Height: 5’5 Birthday: April 8th (Aries) Gender: Female, she/her pronouns Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual Personality: Hazel is a fairly quiet and meek girl, which shocks people considering the position she has at her job and the progress shes made in her career and in school. Despite this shyness, she does have a lot of motivation and was always very careful with her grades. However, she has very low self confidence and is always beating herself up about not being good enough. She’s also quick to do what she thinks she needs to do to please people, and is easily manipulated because of that reason. She has a lot of anxieties about herself and just in general, but as she ages, takes more care of her mental health. She enjoys working, and can easily overwork herself without noticing. She often relies on others to tell her when she needs to take a break, or she’d keep working forever.

Bio:

Hazel was born to a middle class family in the suburbs of a small town in Washington state. She was always discontent with her place in this small town, and wished for a bigger experience. As she went through grade school, she realized her passion for writing, specifically journalism. She joined her high schools news paper club and ended up as president of it in her senior year. In order to escape her small town, she went to college in California. Academically, she did very well in almost all of her classes. She joined the newspaper club on campus. This is where she discovered her love for writing about pop culture-related current events. She had always followed a path to write about world news, but writing for the pop culture section in the school paper taught her otherwise. The article that really started her progress in the journalistic world was a critical piece on the band Zazz Blammymatazz’s own Rockso the Rock and Roll Clown, who had recently been bombarded by a heap of scandals. The blunt and well-scripted article caught the attention of POP USA, a pop-culture magazine that was somewhat well-known. The manager of the pop culture section offered her an internship, which turned into a full time job once Hazel graduated college. She began living and working in her college town. Fresh out of college, Hazel met Marlow, who was a barista at the coffee shop that was embedded in the POP USA office building. They began to talk and eventually began dating. After a couple months together, Marlow began to become emotionally abusive towards Hazel. To her, it seemed like it was going in a physical direction. Not only was Marlow just an abusive man, but an insecure and jealous one. The core of his abuse stemmed from convincing Hazel that she didn��t deserve her position in the company- he couldn’t handle that he was a barista while she was a writer for the magazine.This abuse caused her work to falter. After about a year trapped in the relationship, Hazel’s boss, Jericho sat down and asked her about her performance. Hazel took a chance and admitted what had been going on. Jericho swiftly took action, and had Marlow fired. Although Marlow was away from her workplace, Hazel still held post-traumatic stress and anxiety that he was stalking her. About half a year after this occurred, things bigger than Hazel and the worlds biggest band, Dethklok, were happening. The Tribunal, eager to bring down Dethklok in any way they could, hatched a plan to plant a seed in the Mordhaus. They contacted the CEO of POP USA, and offered a generous sum of money to risk killing a journalist that would record data about Dethklok over a period of two weeks. The Tribunal had suffered loss after loss, and now believed that even petty information about the band members lives would be more helpful than dead recruits from the past. To make the mission as secretive as possible, the CEO kept the true purpose of this job a secret. Hazel was terrified when the CEO called her to his office, but ecstatic when he assigned her to essentially live with Dethklok for two weeks. Hazel was never a hardcore fan of the band, but she was obviously still excited to work with them. She was sent to Mordhaus to begin her mission, under the guise that she was doing a piece entitled “Life With Dethklok.” The band was confused by the sudden addition of a woman who wasn’t there just to have sex with or become a Klokateer. However they did enjoy her company, and of course, loved that she gave them reason to talk (brag) about themselves. Charles Offdenson was naturally skeptical. Through his own gut feelings and some private investigation, he discovered this was just yet another plan to destroy his bread and butter. However, after an intimidating questioning of Hazel (as well as more digging) he realized she genuinely had no clue about the true nature of this mission. He informed her about what was going on (vaguely, as in “there’s a lot of people who want Dethklok’s money and power, and uh, unfortunately you got caught up in one of those plans.”). He also informed her that she was welcome to stay in Mordhaus for a bit, so she and more importantly Dethklok would be safe. She agreed, and under Charles’ help and supervision, continued to keep contact with the POP USA CEO about the mission. Another aspect of her time in Mordhaus was hiding from her abusive ex. Fortunately, she was being heavily protected by Charles’ efforts, but she was still concerned about her name getting out. She gets fearful once she starts seeing Marlow at meet-and-greets, concerts, and signing events. However, once she brings this up to the band, they don’t hesitate to keep her protected as well.

Relationship Information:

Nathan: Hazel and Nathan had a very malleable relationship for the better half of 2 years. They started off having sex somewhat regularly, as Hazel’s interviews would turn into flirting, which turned into… you know! Hazel especially had no problem with this once she realized the true nature of her “mission”. Other than that, though, Nathan and Hazel share a strong bond over another thing - abusive exes. Once Nathan catches Hazel in a panic attack, she tells him her story and in turn, Nathan shares his about his abusive ex girlfriends that he so often seems to attract. Although Nathan is much less prone to showing actual emotion, he does open up a bit in order to help Hazel, and for Hazel to help him. Further into their relationship, they become very platonic, and eventually almost like siblings. Pickles: Hazel and Pickles essentially just co-exist in a friendly way. They don’t interact that often, but it’s obvious at times that they respect and care for each other. Pickles understands Hazels anxiety issues and helps her through those, while Hazel tries to help him through his worst drinking binges. She knows she doesn’t have the hold on him to get him to rehab, but she does bring it up and also shares that concern with Nathan and the others. Skwisgaar: HOOOOO BOY. Hazel and Skwisgaar. Of course, when Hazel first arrives at Mordhaus, Skwisgaar starts flirting with her, which she immediately responds to (again, especially after Charles tells her that this job is kind of a sham). Hazel gets a crush on Skwisgaar pretty early on, but because of her anxiety about relationships and commitment, she’s fine in the current set up and holds her feelings back. Where it gets complicated is when Skwisgaar, about a year into knowing Hazel, realizes he has feelings for her. He recognizes that they have had many intimate talks about their pasts, and all of their present concerns, and that he has never truly felt this way about any of his other friends with benefits. He didn’t just see her as a co-worker, but a friend and someone to confide in. However, due to his fears of commitment, he also held back his feelings. Things change after the events of Doomstar Requiem, where the boys face their own mortality, including Skwisgaar who is older and wiser at this point. He realizes that he, his friends, nor Hazel, are guaranteed life every day, and he finally confesses his feelings to Hazel, who of course, reciprocates them. Due to their combined insecurities, they make sure to take it slow with each other, and are forgiving of each others mistakes. The relationship works well because they both know how it feels to be scared, and are so understanding of each other and willing to help each other grow. They stay together for about 6 years before they get married. They end up having two children. Murderface: Murderface and Hazel also tend to coexist with eachother, but in a more hostile and passive-aggressive fashion. Murderface typically is a little rude to her and dubs her presence in the Mordhaus as intrusive, annoying, and claims shes just there for sex and money. Hazel kind of understood Murderface’s personality early on in their relationship, and therefore didn’t really get upset at his bad attitude. Hazel tends to try to help him as well, putting out good press for him when he puts the band’s reputation in jeopardy. Their relationship and understanding improves over the years, but it does take time. Toki: Hazel absolutely adores Toki, and often goes to him for childlike humor and solice when the cynical nature of the other four begins to get to her. Like Nathan, Toki has plenty of history with abuse, and tends to console in Hazel with that, as she does withhim. Neither of them are professionals, and therefore they just are there to listen to each other and say they understand. Toki, despite being the more childish one of the two, takes his role as being older than her seriously, and therefore can often be seen “protecting his little sister” from danger in and outside of Mordhaus. Hazel also often tries to soothe Toki when he enters his more violent state, and succeeds occasionally when he’s not too far gone. Otherwise she usually ends up getting scratched a little herself. Charles: Hazel is a little intimidated by Charles, but appreciates the protection he works hard to give her (even though he provides it for the band more than for her). They get along very well for the most part, other than the occasional disagreement or teasing from Hazel to Charles. Charles appreciates that Hazel is able to help the band’s image so well, and will often request for her to stage PR events when the band is in need of some good press. Charles also sees that Hazel does genuinely make the boys happy, and is glad to keep her safe and protected for that reason (not to mention its someone else for them to bother about things).

#metalocalypse #metalocalypse oc #art #ocs

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chonzu · 5 years

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i just realized i can’t come on here and shout ‘my roommate ripped me off 3 thousand dollars’ without context so like

Here’s the story

In April I was desperate. Because of a long string of bad luck I’d been unable to find a roommate to fill our 3bed 3bath condo and the upstairs bedroom had been vacant for some time. At that time I found Lacey, who I don’t give a shit about name dropping, because he’s a fucking piece of shit.

He moved in on May 8th, also my grad date. I felt a bit off about it because he was super fucking late after insisting he’d be there at a certain time, and I had a migraine, and I just wanted to sleep. It was okay till we got to June, and he had to start paying bills, and I didn’t get rent. So I gave him the benefit of the doubt and asked for it by a certain date.

By this time I’ve already decided I’m moving out. The third bedroom ends up vacant on Father’s Day because that roommate was moving to New York and just happened to leave on that day. I don’t hear or see Lacey for some time and he comes home one day and just decides to deep clean the whole house. At this point, I’m working as much as I possibly can and doing anything I can do to 1) get sleep and 2) get enough money to cover all the bills.

July 1st I get nothing. At the same time, I’m trying to apply for a new apartment, and I got a new job offer, and my old manager made me work EVERY SINGLE DAY of my 2 week notice. I’m trying to squeeze in a vision appointment and a dentist appointment and then found out I need to get a filling immediately or within the next few months it’d be a root canal. Okay! I tell Lacey he needs to leave by the end of the week. I wanted to press charges, but my aunt, who has a law degree, or masters, or some shit and has been working in law for a really long time, said that it wouldn’t be worth it and the money I wanted to sue him for would barely cover the fees that would come with it. Okay. Fine. I go to the police because I woke up that morning and a set of keys was gone and all the couch cushions (5) were missing. Law says that after living there 30 days whether or not someone is on the lease, they have a right to live at the house (unless they’re doing drugs or prostituting or whatever). Tenant rights. I had to get the landlord involved. Because what I was doing is illegal, and the landlord has to evict him legally, which takes 30 days.

So July 6th I have a convention to go to. It’s great. I’m having a fucking amazing time with a lot of good D&D friends I’ve met and do some board games and a 4 hour one shot. That evening I tried sushi for the first time and real ramen for the first time and when we’re watching a movie that evening Lacey tries calling me through FB like 7 times. He insists he’s going to have all the money and he just needs One More Day after already begging for one. I come home that evening at around 12:30 AM and go to bed. He comes in at 1 AM shittalking me and telling the new guy I’m a disgusting pig and he did me a favor by cleaning everything because it was covered in grime and shit (he’s a compulsive liar, I’m not surprised). So I messaged him that I can hear him and to tell the new guy I’m leaving by the end of the month. I hear his phone go off and he huffs and leaves me on read. The next day the sink is full of every single piece of silverware in the house and the counter is full of dirty dishes.

Cut to yesterday. I bought a storage unit because I’m going on vacation and if I get this apartment the move in day is August 10th. I get back late in the evening and come home to the water shut off. New guy is like, yo, what’s going on? And I explain that I cannot turn the water back on, and he has to if he is renewing the lease, because Lacey never paid me a dime and I couldn’t afford it. He runs out and gets me half of the bill and I got it back on today. But now I’m down to less than 100$ to my name (except for cash I’ve stowed away for my trip/graduation money) and I need boxes, tape, and cat food, among some other things. By this point, everything he owes me comes to about 2000 dollars. New guy, just before getting the money, tells me that he gave Lacey the first and last month’s rent and signed a paper saying that he agreed to pay the money to Lacey. And then he stops, and whispers ‘why did he ask me for the money when you’re the one who pays the rent?’ and then drops the bomb that Lacey hurriedly left yesterday morning with a haphazardly stuffed bag and neither of us are sure if he’s coming back and he still has the keys.

New coworker found court records that he’s been arrested like 7 times for drugs and doing shit on probation and now at this point he’s basically stolen 3000 dollars from me and the new guy.

I don’t know if my last paycheck this Friday will be deposited or mailed by paper. New job gets paid this week, but this is my first week, so I’m going to get first week, second week, and third week all together (all of them mailed to me, getting here ‘whenever they get here’).

Now you might be asking, how did you let Lacey do this to you? I gave him the benefit of the doubt because I was in a very similar situation he was (homeless, working crazy jobs, just looking for a place to start new). But, since he gave me that first month’s rent, he covered himself to be able to stay for at least 60 days, 90 days max. Thankfully he ended up leaving, I think, but neither me nor the new roommate know if that’s actually going to happen.

I told the office today that I’m leaving and not renewing the lease. I haven’t gotten a response, but I checked my spam and realized they’d sent me a very similar question about it 20 minutes prior to me sending my email, and still no response, and the office is now closed.

And I’m screaming because all of my tax return AND all of my fucking graduation money are being ripped out of my hands just to live, and I cannot get an eviction on my record if I want this apartment, and my credit has fucking tanked because my power and water keep getting shut off, and the new guy won’t renew the lease because Lacey was Probably on drugs and it made him super uncomfortable. I’m trying to get an apartment with a close friend who’s going to be moving in September and I don’t know how I’m going to survive this month, honestly, because the burnout of working retail and having no time off plus trying to adjust to new policies in a corporate office and dealing with this AND trying to at least do something fun every day and living off whatever scraps I can find while gathering change for some Monster energy drinks is....

Not a good time.

#not mha

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queenmarytudor · 6 years

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Elizabeth in Mary’s reign

There’s a wide assumption that the two Tudor sisters hated each other. It’s well known Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower during Mary’s reign... and that’s about it for their whereabouts and relationship until the former becomes Queen in 1558. I was curious to see how much time the two sisters actually spent together during Mary’s 5 year rule; here’s what I discovered.

1553

On the 3rd of August, a triumphant Mary rode into London. By this time her sister Elizabeth and her household had joined her, though how many days the pair had been reunited is unknown.

Elizabeth had sent a letter to Mary c.22nd of July to “congratulate her on her accession, and to beg her to let her know in what dress she desires to see her when she goes to salute her: whether her garb shall be mourning or not.”

It is clear she had arrived at least a day before the 3rd, as the Spanish ambassador Simon Renard notes “Her estate has been increased since the Queen's accession.”

On the 19th October Renard writes “Elizabeth is soon leaving Court, as she told me herself last Tuesday.”.

On the 28th, it is confirmed “The Lady Elizabeth has left Court.”, but despite officially leaving the court, Elizabeth still appears to be frequently around Mary.

She is recorded on the 4th of November as being in “the house in town that the Queen gave her (Somerset Place); [and] not gone into the country as I [Renard] had been told”.

It seems that while Elizabeth wasn’t living at court at the time, she spent most of her time there; almost a month later on the 3rd of December, Renard writes that “The Queen told me that Elizabeth had asked leave to depart for her house next Wednesday.”

In the same dispatch he mentions of an incidence on the 30th of November involving Elizabeth on the way to Mass, indicating Elizabeth was virtually a courtier but living in her own, separate household nearby at Somerset Place. As mentioned earlier her household/estate was increased upon Mary becoming Queen (likely to emphasise her new position as heir) so this makes logical sense to avoid overcrowding.

By the 8th of December, Elizabeth had left for Ashridge, “a place thirty miles away on the road to Scotland. She very courteously took leave of the Queen, who also dissembled well and gave her sister a rich coif of sable.”

1554

In the beginning of 1554 Wyatt’s rebellion broke out with serious consequences for Elizabeth. Suspected to be working with the rebels, the relationship between the two sisters soured and Mary immediately summoned Elizabeth back to court.

The first mention of Elizabeth returning is on the 23rd of February. She is recorded as being “dressed all in white and followed by a great company of the Queen's people and her own."

Despite ordering Elizabeth to come, “the Queen would not see her and had her lodged in a part of her house out of which neither she nor any of her suite can pass without crossing the guard.”

The situation quickly became worse for Elizabeth. In March it was decided she would be moved to the Tower of London, and 2 months later, on the 20th of May, “the Lady Elizabeth was taken out of the Tower and conducted to Richmond. Thence she has been conveyed to Woodstock, there to be kept.”

Elizabeth would be kept on virtual house arrest for the remainder of the year.

1555

While Elizabeth remained at Woodstock, Mary married Philip II of Spain and believed herself to be pregnant. As the suspected due date for the new heir to England approached, around the 25th of April “it was decided to bring Elizabeth here to Court in a few days, before the Queen's confinement takes place”.

By the 6th of May Elizabeth was at court. She had arrived “very privately, accompanied by three or four of her women, and as many more [male] servants, but was neither met nor received by any one, and was placed in the apartment of the Duke of Alva, where she lives in retirement, not having been seen by any one save once or twice by their Majesties, by private stairs.”

On the 25th, James Basset wrote to Edward Courtenay that “My Lady Elizabeth is at her full liberty, yet she remaineth still at the court. She hath seen the Queen's highness twice.”

At the beginning of August, Mary retired to Oatlands Palace, and “leave was given to “Miladi” Elizabeth to withdraw with all her attendants to a house distant three miles from her Majesty's; and on the Queen's expected return to Hampton Court in eight or ten days, it is supposed that said “Miladi” will not come back again, but either remain where she is, or go to another of her palaces, as she is completely free.”

On the 27th, Mary and Philip went to Greenwich “where the Queen will remain during the whole time of the King's stay beyond sea.”

Mary and Elizabeth’s relationship, severely damaged from the last year and a half, seems to improve over this summer. Perhaps Mary wanted comfort after her false pregnancy and Philip’s departure, and genuinely missed her little sister. Perhaps she was once again showing England that for now Elizabeth remained her heir. Whatever the reason, the two sisters were now enjoying a close, if not entirely comfortable, relationship again.

Though not stated at the time, we know Elizabeth stayed with Mary for the next 2 months.

On the 21st of October, Mary opened Parliament after “coming from St. James', whither she retired on her return from Greenwich. The Lady Elizabeth, who resided permanently with the Queen at Greenwich, has had permission to proceed to a house of her own 17 miles hence.”

1556

The first half of 1556 was dominated by the Dudley conspiracy, where suspicion was once again cast on Elizabeth. Though not meeting physically, the sisters sent letters to each other. In June:

“the Queen was induced to send to her [Elizabeth] in the country [at Hatfield] yesterday, Sir Edward Hastings, Master of the Horse, and Sir H. Englefield, one of the Lords of the Royal Council, to console and comfort her on behalf of her Majesty, knowing, as may well be supposed, that this circumstance had distressed and dejected her; and to present her, as a token of loving salutation, and of a message of good will, according to the custom here, with a ring worth 400 ducats [...] using in short loving and gracious expressions, to show her that she is neither neglected nor hated, but loved and esteemed by her Majesty.”

The sisters reunited in person later in the year; on the 23rd of November it is reported that “The Lady Elizabeth is expected here in four days from the country, nor is it yet known whether she will lodge in the palace with the most Serene Queen, or in her own house [Somerset Place], with her attendants”.

On the 1st of December, the Venetian ambassador Giovanni Michiel writes that

“Three days ago Miladi Elizabeth arrived from the country, 15 miles off, with a handsome retinue, having with her, including lords and gentlemen, upwards of 200 horsemen clad in her own livery, and dismounted at her own house [Somerset Place], where she has remained ever since, to the infinite pleasure of this entire population, though she was not met by any of the lords or gentlemen of the court, but many visited her subsequently. Three days afterwards she went to the Queen, and according to report was received very graciously and familiarly. [...] It cannot yet be ascertained whether she came for any other purpose than that of visiting the Queen, she having with great earnestness solicited to come, and not having been called.”

A week later on the 7th, he is disappointed that “The Lady Elizabeth departed so suddenly that I had not time to pay her my visit, which will be reserved for another occasion.”

It is unknown whether Elizabeth had planned to have such a short visit, or left after an argument with Mary, though it is worth noting that the French King heard:

“that the Queen sent for the Lady Elizabeth to the Court, and proposed to her to marry her to the Duke of Savoy, to which she replied that the afflictions suffered by her were such that they had not only ridded her of any wish for a husband, but that they had induced her to desire nothing but death, and then by a flood of tears she brought them also to the eyes of the Queen, who seeing that she still persisted in this opinion of not choosing to marry, dismissed her from the Court, and purposed assembling Parliament to have her declared illegitimate and consequently incapable of succeeding to the Crown.”

Though this report contradicts Michiel’s account of Elizabeth being the one to initiate a visit, it is well known Philip urged Mary to marry Elizabeth to the Duke.

Whatever the reason, the sisters were in each others company for around a week before separating once more.

1557

At the time of writing this post I’ve found no evidence that Elizabeth visited Mary throughout 1557. On the 13th of May the Venetian ambassador Michiel wrote his infamous report about the two sisters, stating:

“It cannot be denied that she [Queen Mary] displays in many ways the scorn and ill will she bears her [Elizabeth]; the Queen, whenever she sees her, fancying herself in the presence of the affronts and ignominious treatment to which she was subjected on account of her mother, from whom in great part the divorce from Queen Katherine originated.

[...]

Having no suitable cause to proceed against her she dissembles her hatred and anger as much as she can, and endeavours when they are together in public to receive her with every sort of graciousness and honour, nor does she ever converse with her about any but agreeable subjects.”

1558

Henry Machyn writes in his diary that “The xxv [25th] of February came riding to London my lady Elizabeth the queens sister with a great company of lords and noble men and women, to her place called Somerset Place.”

Elizabeth stayed for around a week, with Machyn later writing “the 3rd day of March a’for-non my lady Elizabeth’s grace took her horses and rode to her place at [?] With many lords, knights and ladies, and gentlewoman, with a goodly company of horses.”

This is the last recorded meeting of Mary and Elizabeth seeing each other in person. Though I have yet to find a source detailing a visit to court during this time, it is easy to assume that like previous occasions Elizabeth visited Mary whilst staying at Somerset Place.

The sisters continued to correspond through letters throughout the year until Mary’s death, and in the last days of Mary’s life the two sisters seemed to have finally made peace with each other.

“She [Mary] was moved to send two gentlemen to that lady [Elizabeth], to let her know that, as it had pleased the Lord God to end her days, she was content that she as her sister should become Queen, and prayed her to maintain the kingdom and the Catholic religion, in words replete with much affection; to which she [Elizabeth] sent a most gracious reply by two of her attendants, who visited the Queen in her name, condoling with her on her malady.”

#i was surprised elizabeth stayed 2 months in 1555 #it's longer then i thought #anyway the ebb and flow of their relationship is so interesting #i'm just glad by the end mary had accepted it and their relationship was semi-healed #i may do another of these of elizabeth in edward's reign #and mary in his too #elizabeth i #mary i

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