#Napoleon on an escalator

[daincrediblegg]

THE LONG AWAITED LADY TERROR BIO

Full name: Genevieve Sinclair

DOB: February 12th,  1816 Baptism: April 16th, 1816 Birthplace: London, England Eyes: Brown Hair: Dark Brown Sexual Orientation: Queer Disposition: Enigmatic. In some circumstances quiet, thoughtful, introverted, in others, charming, charismatic and even boisterous Build: Full-figured, somewhat corpulent.

Genevieve “Lady Terror” Sinclair was born to Captain Charles Sinclair, a 2nd generation French/Italian immigrant who rose to captaincy during the napoleonic wars, and his lawful wife Ms. Marie Sinclair (nee. Bennet) after his return to London. Though he would never receive medals or great honor for the commencement of battle during the wars, he was recognized by the Royal Navy for his rescue efforts in recovering several stranded crews from the wrecks of many naval battles that commenced in French-controlled waters. Several years after his daughter was born, Charles found his funds running short to support his wife and child, and elected to take up the merchant’s trade to deliver and receive goods from the Americas and Russia, forming good relationships with the Hudson Bay Company and other exporters to be recognized as a business partner in full.

Sinclair’s childhood was mostly spent just outside of London in the family’s country manor. She spent much of her childhood happily as the only child that the couple would come to bear. Under both her parent’s tutelage she would learn much not just on the ways of being a proper lady, but also she was extremely well read in literature from around the world, philosophy, and studied in sciences as well. But her passions were especially prominent in her own writing, and the illustrations that would accompany them- a talent that she would pursue for the rest of her life and a constant comfort especially in her years leading up to her womanhood.

As she began to enter womanhood, her parent’s relationship, and her relations to them in turn, became strained. With her father often away, and left at home with only her mother to care for her as consequence, resentment brewed between them for Charles, but also in turn did Marie’s resentments implode upon the young woman, as her mother took to drinking and contradicting public endless praise for a talented daughter with endless private slander of the burden of raising her alone and increasing difficulties that she would face as a woman too intelligent for her lot in life, and how important it was also that she secure herself through marriage as she did. The unsavory dynamic between mother and daughter escalated until in her early twenties, Charles, on a return trip to England, found his daughter so deep in distress that she was to afeared to leave her room, prone to fits of being unable to sleep, distress from her mother’s private demeanor and admonishments and being given laudanum for these anxieties. Charles, knowing this to be unlike his daughter and heartbroken by her deep distress, discovered in turn that on top of her increased drinking and horrific spending habits while he was away, uncovered that she had also been unfaithful during his absence. He attempted a divorce from her in 1834 but nothing much ever came of it. Instead, Charles retained the custody of his daughter and brought her with him as he purchased a separate townhouse in London for themselves and summarily brought the young woman with him on all subsequent ventures, as she had once done in her youth for a time, but her mother had put an end to. 

Over the course of the next eight years, Sinclair would span half the globe with her father while he conducted trade in its many corners. In that time, she learned much in the art of navigation, and was considered the most competent among the crew of her father’s ship-aptly named The Demeter- in this regard. Learning much and her skill also for reading charts and also re-drawing them for better navigational accuracy would have earned her any competent place on any given naval ship as a ship’s master- if not captain herself. The crew of the Demeter had been far warmer to her presence than might have been any other kind of crew one could encounter, but nonetheless took some time to warm up to the bright young woman they now had aboard. Nevertheless, Sinclair’s sharp thinking and suggestions managed to curtail many near misses, with no men lost during her tenure on the Demeter. But along with her skills in navigation also came a keen sense of business by proxy of her father’s business, and therefore became savvy in such dealings. It was always well regarded that much of her multiple talents served her well, and the culmination of these talents rose to great promise when word began to spread upon their arrival back in London after a long winter strait in Russian waters that another expedition to find the elusive Northwest Passage was underway. To secure a name for herself, with greater promise for her own self security (as her father, now in his 70’s, began to make preparations for her to inherit his entire estate and affairs upon his death, and she, wanting to be a part of such an adventure undertaken alone, put her name forward in the lots of ice masters that were to be considered for the expedition. Whilst her entry was highly unusual on account of her being a woman, she was considered highly for a secondary position as a junior in which she would assist her more tenured counterparts on Erebus and Terror with charting the unmapped territory and in navigation through the icy waters of the Arctic. It was not so much for her clear and unrivaled skill that she was eventually chosen, but moreso for her connections with merchants in the area for whom trade would be promising, and a navigator experienced in taking the route would be of great use to them once the passage had been charted. Though this fact continued to aggrieve her greatly throughout the expedition, her ability to take part in such a venture at all and as she was greatly overshadowed it, and accepted the position with gusto. However, as she would come to grapple with the incomprehensible horrors that awaited her in the arctic, she would come to regret what excitement she had once had to be a part of an exploratory mission such as this, and at the same time, consider it to be one of the best decisions she had ever made.

In her personal life, Sinclair by all was considered an odd sort of girl. Her outspoken nature earned her disdain amongst good society men and women that she encountered, but amongst the oddest lots in life she always seemed to find friends. One person in particular- author of ill repute Edgar Allan Poe had been a singularly constant companion to her and had been since their childhoods, as he attended a boarding school very near to the family home where they lived as his adoptive parents-Frances and John Allan- conducted their affairs in London. It was rumored once that there were wishes on behalf of each party to marry, but nothing came of it as time and miles parted them in their teenaged years, though up until her disappearance they remained very close friends. It is through this friend that Sinclair became acquainted with some of the other literati of the day (though Poe had burned many bridges with his scathing reviews of his peers works, a point of which Sinclair herself admired, Sinclair did not garner such a reputation herself), including the likes of Charles Dickens and Walt Whitman. In any and all such circles, she was always warmly regarded, if not well liked.

In affairs of the heart, however, Sinclair would never find herself so rich in either opportunity or prospect. Even though as a sole heiress she had been viewed as a desirable match for many gentlemen and many certainly took a chance at pursuing her in her youth, Sinclair never failed to turn them all down eventually. By her twentieth year it seemed the offers of marriage fell to the wayside both in light of her reputation and her sheer absence from such scenes where opportunity to meet potential suitors was presented, and she never took as much interest in finding a husband before spinsterhood approached her as many other ladies she had known were. Instead, she focused her efforts on making her life her own, and surpassing great obstacles in order to achieve her own independence whilst also not compromising her emotional well being.

#lady terror #egg's oc's #oc bio #here just take it JUST TAKE IT #MIGHT EDIT THIS LATER #also I started a body base last night to do an outfit breakdown... so keep an eye out for that #no accompanying photos rn but i know there's that sim I made in the tags somewhere #the terror oc

[warsofasoiaf]

Russia has demonstrated that they can inevitably attrite ukraine. defeating Russia would require a radical expansion of ukrainian offensive capabilities far above the threshold that Putin will seek nuclear escalation. unless biden is prepared to end the world (over ukraine and not Chinese Taipei or Israel as he is willing to), how do propose "beating" CSTO .

This is cute. Russian cope always has this distinct flavor of "we're a great power and we can't be beaten," despite the fact that Russia has experienced numerous failures and has largely been exposed as an incompetent military power.

Frankly speaking, CSTO doesn't really need to be beaten. Given that Kazakhstan has dismissed CSTO troops and Armenia largely sees no hope for CSTO, the world has largely seen Russian security commitments as worthless - they are incapable of fulfilling said agreements given that Russia has largely bled out its force in Ukraine. It's a zombie organization, shuffling on in a semblance of life as opposed to an actual living organization. I predict it largely collapses as Russia loses the ability to influence the near-abroad and Central Asia seeks other partners that can actually fulfill obligations to ally nations.

I don't think Russia has demonstrated the ability to attrit Ukraine. In fact, given the numerical superiority, any competent military would have succeeded their battlefield objectives relatively easily, even if they lost the peace and occupation to come after. Avdiivka was supposed to fall - Russia kept saying it was, and it hasn't. As I've mentioned before, Russia is an incapable force conventionally and has been for a long time. Economically, they're weak and coring out their economy to sustain their fool's crusade. Militarily, they're sluggish, uncreative, and reduced to begging Iran and North Korea for aid to conquer a country with a fraction of the size and manpower, had no navy to speak of and the faintest wisp of an air force. In a conventional conflict, Russia has no advantages against a NATO country other than perhaps the zeal to throw themselves on the enemy's spears - an emotion that only comes from the realization that you live in Russia.

Fact of the matter is, revitalizing the defense industrial base and actually producing HIMARS and other quality armaments would be more than enough to destroy Russia, and wouldn't even reach the Russian nuclear escalation as defined in Russian doctrine. Hell, if we actually had courage in our foreign policy establishment, Russia would have been defeated and sued for peace already as the aid shipments quadrupled. That would be better off for the whole world, including Russia. Especially for the minority populations Russia keeps sending off to die so the elites in St. Petersburg and Moscow don't have to feel the consequences of their actions.

I don't fear nuclear escalation because Russia isn't willing to end the world because the elites like having their vast wealth and the wide array of perks that it offers access to. They wouldn't do it just because they can't have Ukraine. Honestly, Russia should count its lucky stars that they have a nuclear deterrent, otherwise China would have invaded it already to seize resources from the Central Siberian Basin. Alas for the rest of us, Russia was free in the 1990's to launch damn fool wars in Central Asia and Eastern Europe to reassert its own imperialist glories, rather than being brought to heel. Alas, now it can continue to pretend it's anything other than a decrepit excuse for a country run by a wannabe tsar with a Napoleon complex crying over the fact that his country lost the Cold War and no one fears or respects the Russian bear. Boo-hoo. In the words of your fearless leader after the Beslan school siege where you simply mowed down your own people because you couldn't handle a single hostage operation: "You've shown yourselves to be weak, and the weak get beaten."

Also, as a pro-tip: the verb attrite means to wear down by use (as in to wear down a tool through using it for hours on end). You want the verb attrit, which means to use sustained offensive pressure to weaken an opponent. You might want to brush up on your English; this goes double against someone who not only takes great pleasure in laughing at Russian trolls but someone who actually studies the terminology of military science.

Cry more, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

#russia #troll #pathetic

[olympeline]

I don’t know but I like the idea of the ultimate lowpoint of Francis and Arthur’s relationship being the period between the American Revolution and the era after the end of the Napoleonic Wars

They’d been rivals and enemies for centuries by then, but when Francis helped Alfred against Arthur, that was the first time Arthur truly loathed him. The pain of losing his adopted son cut so much deeper than any foiled conquest or border spat. When he recovers, Arthur immediately starts plotting revenge. It eats him alive, he’s consumed by the need to see Francis suffer like he did. Arthur gets his chance a few decades later when he seizes the opportunity to become the key player in engineering Napoleon’s downfall. Francis, so proud and powerful, losing everything he gained and watching as his greatest is sentenced to a humiliating slow death in a prison far from his shores. It’s unbearable, to come so far then lose it all. Especially when Arthur is there to twist the knife and grind his face into the dirt even before the tears can fall

They’d clashed many times but this was different: this was personal, this was a strike right at the heart. If they were human and Francis could have killed Arthur in 1815, he would have. Same for Arthur in 1776.

That’s their nadir. So the relationship can only improve from there lol. Centuries of escalating tension and build up, then everything burns down in an all-consuming blaze. Afterwards they’re both so raw and hurt and exhausted that some vulnerability can finally get a foothold next time they meet. The period between then and the start of WW1 would see them slowly growing closer again. For the first time since the Dark Ages

IDK, I just see their relationship as being one which would need a rock bottom like this before it could progress. I’m picturing when a forest fire brings new life: little shoots that struggled to grow before, now rising from the ashes. All this went down hard and fast but by the end of WW2, they’d be a couple starting a relationship that will last until the stars turn cold ❤️

#hetalia #fruk #hws france #hws england #aph france #aph england #my posts #aph america

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Francis Drake Main Story

Translations may not always capture the exact nuances or tone of the original text. Expect grammatical errors.

Drake: “This is how you load gunpowder and bullets. Before shooting, you pull the hammer back to hit the firing pin.”

He skillfully loaded the rounds, then held the gun with one hand, aiming at a tree serving as the target.

Drake: “And pull the trigger.”

Mitsuki: “Kyaah!”

An incredibly loud noise echoed through the peaceful garden, causing the birds resting on the tree to fly away.

Drake: “See?”

Mitsuki: “See, my ass!”

I couldn’t help but blurt out loudly.

Today, he promised to teach me how to handle a gun.

Mitsuki: “This is impossible. I can’t imagine shooting something like this.”

Drake: “It’s not that difficult once you remember the steps. Even a fawn like you can do it.”

Drake: “Or are you scared?”

Mitsuki: “Well, it’s still a weapon, so yeah, maybe a little. It looked cool when I was just watching, though.”

Drake: “Cool? The gun or me shooting it?”

(He’s asking these embarrassing questions again. In that case...)

Mitsuki: “Which one do you think I found cool?”

Drake: “Of course, me. I’d be happy if you found me cool.”

(Ugh. I wanted to get back at him, but he doesn’t seem bothered at all.)

Instead, I found myself even more embarrassed.

(I've never seen him use a gun before.)

(He looked really cool with those serious eyes.)

He wasn't just good with guns; he was also skilled with knives and capable of fighting against Napoleon and Jean.

Drake: "Well, let's just practice shooting without putting bullets in it."

Mitsuki: "If it's just that, then okay."

I nodded and felt the weight of the gun he handed me.

Drake: "Can you turn around for a moment?"

Mitsuki: “Eh? Ah…”

Drake stood behind me, supporting my hands, which were holding the gun.

My heart skipped a beat as I found myself in a position where he embraced me from behind.

Drake: "It's better to aim with both hands. Look straight at the target."

Mitsuki: "........."

Drake: "Hey, little fawn?"

Mitsuki: "Y-Yes! I'm listening."

(Stop acting weird, Mitsuki. Stay focused!)

However, the more I tried to concentrate, the more I became aware of his warmth against my back and his voice near my ear. Throughout the practice, my mind was constantly elsewhere.

After seeing Drake off to town and returning to my duties at the mansion, I brought coffee to Vincent's room.

Vincent: "I saw you and Drake shooting a gun from the window earlier."

Vincent: "The sound startled me, but you looked very dignified, Mitsuki."

Mitsuki: "Sorry for surprising you, Vincent. I didn't think it'd be that loud either."

Mitsuki: "I did choose a time when Theo wasn't around, but I'll stop practicing in the mansion anymore."

Vincent: "Thank you."

Vincent, always caring for his brother, smiled gently, like an angel.

Dazai: "I was also watching the practice."

Dazai, poking his head through the open door, made a surprise appearance.

Dazai: "They were so close to each other. Their passion almost turned into hot bullets, and the way they worked together was very sensual."

Vincent: "Huh? What part of the gun practice was sensual?"

Mitsuki: "Nothing was sensual, Vincent. Stop saying those weird things, Dazai."

Dazai: "Ahaha, sorry."

Dazai: "But I'm relieved that you and Drake are still the same as always."

A worried look crossed Dazai's smiling face.

Dazai: "He bit you, right? I was worried it'd become traumatic for you."

Dazai: "It'd be a shame if a rift formed between you two."

Vincent: "Me too. Since Drake came to the mansion, you guys have become very close."

I felt unexpectedly warm and fuzzy as I realized they were genuinely concerned.

Mitsuki: "Thanks, but the situation back then wasn't only Drake's fault. I also accepted it willingly."

Dazai: "Hoho, I see."

For some reason, Dazai had a smirk on his face in response to my answer.

Dazai: "Then, from now on, you should think twice about getting close to him in public, like you did earlier."

Dazai: "Because if your emotions escalate, he might bite you again."

Mitsuki: "What do you mean?"

I tilted my head in confusion, and Dazai continued to speak with a smile on his face.

Dazai: "As you probably know, the bloodlust is not only related to hunger but also proportional to affection for a specific person."

Dazai: "I just thought that Drake biting you and you accepting it was for that reason."

Vincent: "Oh, so you and Drake are in love with each other?"

Mitsuki: "----!"

My heart made a loud thump at his straightforward words.

(I...about Drake...)

(But Drake...)

The pounding in my chest subsided into a momentary silence.

Mitsuki: "That's probably not it."

Mitsuki: "On the day he bit me, Drake was already suffering from the bloodlust when I arrived."

Mitsuki: "I just happened to be there at the right time."

(Drake himself mentioned it. On a full moon night, he tends to become impulsive.)

So, it wasn't Drake's affection for me that caused it; it was merely coincidental.

Vincent: "Mitsuki."

Dazai: "Sorry. It seems like I spoke too much based on speculation."

(Ah, crap.)

To lighten the slightly heavy atmosphere, I forced a smile.

Mitsuki: "Exactly! So there's no use teasing me, Dazai."

Mitsuki: "For me, Drake, and everyone here are my important roommates."

Although the words I spoke felt somewhat empty, Dazai and Vincent just smiled.

Even after coming to town for shopping, I kept thinking about my conversation with Dazai and Vincent.

(That's right. There are no special feelings about Drake biting me.)

(I should've known that, and yet...)

A sharp pain throbbed in the depths of my chest.

(Why am I feeling like this?)

(This makes it seem like I really have...)

However, even in my heart, I hesitated to mutter those feelings because speaking them out loud would only intensify the pain in my chest.

(I need to stop thinking about unnecessary things.)

(Being with Drake is fun, and that's all that matters.)

Contrary to my determination, a small sigh escaped my lips.

At that moment, I suddenly heard the conversation of the people nearby.

Townsperson 1: "I haven't seen the store clerk from your place recently. What happened?"

Townsperson 2: "Yeah. She hasn't been around for the past few days. Maybe she got homesick and went back."

Townsperson 1: "Really? Come to think of it, I heard that some foreigners who came for the expo have gone missing."

Townsperson 2: "Is that true? I hope they haven't been involved in any incidents."

(Foreigners gone missing? That's a bit unsettling.)

I didn't know if it was true, but it was a somewhat ominous rumor.

(I'm also a foreigner here, so I need to be careful. I should probably go home before it gets dark.)

With that thought, I turned around the corner, and suddenly...

???: "Mademoiselle."

(Huh?)

I turned around and saw several men standing there, causing my body to tense up instantly.

They were all wearing cloaks and swords.

------------Flashback-----------

Comte: "I'll get straight to the point. It seems that vampire hunters have appeared in Paris."

Comte: "There are few who know of their existence, but they are, as the name suggests, individuals who hunt vampires. In other words, they are our enemies."

Comte: "If you have seen those intimidating men wielding swords in the city, those guys are the Hunters."

---------Flashback Ends--------

(These people are vampire hunters.)

The men gazed at me intimidatingly while one of them spoke.

Vampire Hunter: "We have a few questions. Will you come with us?"

Unbeknownst to everyone, a parrot was silently watching from a tree as the vampire hunters approached Mitsuki.

Draco: "........."

Then the men took her away, and the parrot flew away from the scene.

The men suddenly grabbed me and forcibly put me in a carriage.

Vampire Hunter: "Stay in here."

Mitsuki: "----!"

Without any explanation, they took me to an unknown prison.

Mitsuki: "Wait! Why did you capture me?"

Mitsuki: "Who are you, people?"

???: "You're the girl from that time..."

From within the same prison cell, I heard a high-pitched voice and turned around to see a surprised girl standing there.

Mitsuki: "Karen!? Why are you here? Did these people lock you in here, too?"

Karen: "I, um..."

Karen's hesitant voice was accompanied by approaching footsteps.

I turned around and saw a dignified man with a white beard standing next to the man who brought me here.

Vampire Hunter: "Chief, this way."

Chief Hunter: "Oh? Judging by the kid's reaction, it seems this foreign girl is the one we're looking for."

Karen: "........."

Karen seemed like she wanted to say something but averted her eyes.

Chief Hunter: "Lass. Does this look familiar to you?"

The man who was called "Chief" now spoke to me and took something out of his pocket.

It was一

(Rouge!?)

There was no mistaking it.

Although the liquid inside had turned dark red, the bottle's shape was the same as those in the mansion.

Chief Hunter: "Looks like you know what this is."

The chief said this confidently after noticing the change in my expression.

Chief Hunter: "We already know that this is blood. When we questioned the kid over there who had it, she said she stole it from the bag of an unknown foreign woman.”

Chief Hunter: "She seemed to have mistaken it for something valuable."

(Karen...)

(I should've realized it back then.)

That day, the rouge I intended to give Isaac was one bottle short.

That must have been after Karen stole it.

(I was so careless.)

Chief Hunter: "We tried to investigate the owner of this vial by accompanying several foreign women in town."

Karen: "Investigating, my ass! More like randomly capturing and imprisoning everyone!"

I turned my head in surprise and noticed other figures in nearby cells.

Karen: "In the first place, whether I steal or do anything, it's none of your business! You're not the police!"

Chief Hunter: "It is very much our business."

Chief Hunter: "We are proud vampire hunters."

Unfazed by Karen's hostility, the man responded with unwavering determination. Then, with an even more stern gaze, he looked at me.

Chief Hunter: "Lass, are you a vampire?"

Previous Part ╎ Masterlist ╎ Next Part

#ikemen vampire #ikevamp drake #ikevamp #ikevamp translations #ikevamp jp #ikevamp francis #cybird #francis drake

[zooweemama143]

misc greaser backstory headcanons because i'm bored and it's time for this fandom to hear my lukewarm hot takes <ब₍₍( ˃̗εू˂ )₎₎<ब

johnny and lola's fatal relationship flaws are learned from their respective sets of parents.

johnny grew up witnessing his parents' tumultuous marriage and often felt like he was walking on eggshells due to his father's possessiveness and short fuse. mrs. vincent stayed, no matter how much her husband's fits of rage scared her because she felt she had a duty to her family. her one silver lining was that at least he never laid a hand on her (no, he'd only punch the walls near her or throw dinnerware– that's not abuse, is it? was just one of the numerous feeble defenses johnny would hear from his mom.) (the one time she DID defend herself, the situation escalated and eventually landed both of johnny's parents in prison. because he was already 18 when this happened, social services did not get involved.)

lola's father cheated on her mom and as a result, she's never had any stable relationships beyond short-lived flings. ms. lombardi consequently passed her bitterness about the affair and the divorce onto her daughter; it didn't help that lola's father stopped giving a shit about her after he married his affair partner and started a family with her. witnessing her family breaking apart, her mother wrecking her life with numerous toxic flings, and the father she used to love so dearly doting on his son with his new wife had not only resulted in non-committal tendencies, but also a dislike of men that borders on misandry.

(on that, i feel like a case can be made that lola's a closeted lesbian with MAD comphet, but that's a story for another time.)

peanut's home life is nearly similar to johnny's, but what sets them apart is the fact that peanut's father– alongside his verbal abuse– outright beats him; that's where his intense napoleon complex stems from. initially, his mother was the victim of his father's rage, but the older peanut grew, the more he fought back for her. consequently, at some point, he essentially became his father's outlet for his rage. he hates losing fights, being made to feel small and weak, because, well– if he can't fight back, who'll be there to protect his mom?

norton's family is relatively more normal and maybe even more stable than the rest of his clique's, but they're– unsurprisingly– not without their own issues. i feel like most of the conflict within the williams' family stems from the clashing ideals between norton and his dad; norton's a guy who was radicalized at a young age (since he's quite well-read), and his father– a police officer– represents the authority and the system he hates so much. becoming a greaser was not only teenage rebellion, but also a way to show that he outright rejects what his father believes in; he resents him for being a sellout. officer williams is aware of this.

vance is the only son among a brood of daughters. the second eldest child, he shares a close bond with his younger sisters, but a hesitant, nearly strained relationship with his older sister. their father is absent, and their mother overworked, so both of them are parentified– even if ms. medici didn't intend for that to happen. vance's never been shy about his bisexuality, and the unorthodox way he expresses his masculinity is a source of contention for his sister. she resents how carefree he is, how arbitrary his priorities are (like his obsession with his appearance, his social standing amongst the greasers, and his various romances in bullworth). their father couldn't be the man of the house, and now vance can't even fill in that role if he tried.

as implied by some of his voicelines, hal's fatness is (not so) secretly a major source of insecurities for him. his mother truly tries to be as supportive as she can be, but his father– perhaps another alumni of bullworth, maybe even a former jock?– is especially harsh on him, his "tough love" bordering on outright verbal abuse. hal was initially sent to bullworth in order to "whip him into shape" (both figuratively and literally), and his dad hit the roof when he found out that hal decided to join the greasers instead of getting into something "worthwhile". he tries to be as confident as he's making himself seem, though his dad's comments about his body and his hobbies and his friends cut deep.

ricky was essentially raised by his older brother (a former greaser himself). their parents have never been in the picture, and they were initially raised by their hyperreligious, paranoid grandmother before ricky's brother had enough– he moved out at 18 and took ricky with him. he had to take numerous odd jobs just to support them, ultimately dropping out of his last year in bullworth and forgoing college in favor of working. despite their similar personalities and interests, this is why they often clash– ricky's brother had to sacrifice his schooling for him, and he wants nothing more than for ricky to be responsible and successful. to be the opposite of who he was.

on the other hand, lucky essentially raised his younger siblings (a sister and a brother). his mom walked out on his family when he was still a kid; consequently, his dad fell into a deep depression, was laid off from his job, and turned to alcohol and gambling. lucky had to step up to the plate and be the man of the house in his stead. he's not quite sure who he resents more: his mom, for walking out; his dad, for taking away his remaining childhood; or the system, for fucking them all up in the first place.

lefty is a latch-key kid. both of his parents may be present in his life, but it's as if they're not all that interested in their son– he doesn't quite know why, but there's the implication that he's an accident; one that forced them to have a shotgun marriage despite not being in love anymore. they provide the bare minimum for him, but not much beyond that; whether its gifts or affection. he'll claim he's given up on trying to win their love a long time ago, but he can't deny that with every new scar he earns, he wishes they'd notice. at least once. (with concern or anger, it doesn't matter anymore.)

#tldr the greasers are bonded not only by their mutual interests but also by their tumultuous home lives #i think thats part of why theyre so loyal to each other. the group isnt perfect dont get me wrong #but no one else understands them like they do for each other yknow? #though i think this blind loyalty also often alienates lola from the rest of them #like she understands them to a degree but shes all too aware the boys dont view her on an equal level with them #she's kind of a special case imo. she isnt as loyal to her group as the rest of them but she knows theyre all she has in bullworth #(thats a story for another time tho) #but sigh. i love her. sorry. my misunderstood pookie #anyways ill do the jocks soon 💪 #tw abuse #tw implied homophobia/biphobia #long post #bully cce #bully scholarship edition #johnny vincent #lola lombardi #peanut romano #etc im not tagging all of them lmao

[headcanonthings]

Napoleon: You can de-escalate any situation by simply saying, 'Are we about to kiss?'

Napoleon: Doesn't work for getting out of speeding tickets, by the way.

#incorrect quotes #incorrect the man from uncle quotes #the man from uncle #tmfu #Napoleon Solo

[isthenapoleoncute]

Okay, I need some advice. The Bavarian crown prince Ludwig said of Napoleon “To avoid being shot by Napoleon, I got down on the ground, as did my German and French companions. He shot very carelessly, causing Marshal Massena to lose an eye.” But Napoleon’s brother Joseph told Louisa Adams in America that Napoleon was “an excellent shot.” Who do I believe???? I need to know if I should plan on ducking when Napoleons are around.

I mean, idk why you think there’s any contradiction there. Napoleons are not a hive mind, it’s not like it’s just one guy named Napoleon Bonaparte who did all that, that would be crazy. Some Napoleons are good shots, some are bad? What’s not clicking?

But if we were going to generalize, we can err on the side of Napoleons being Not Super At Aiming! Shooting out the eye of a friend is a bad look, and it escalated into discourse when a Napoleon was in a too-small enclosure and engaging in hunting that would, allegedly, make a sportsman weep. Apparently there was even a debate as to whether, if the clumsy Napoleon, accidentally shot a British sentry, he should be brought up on manslaughter charges or put down?

It’s a thing.

So better safe than sorry, if your Napoleon has a gun assume he can kill you, but also don’t trust him to guard your homestead with any crack shot maneuvers.

#is the napoleon cute? #napoleon #empirearchives

[heytheredeann]

Okay but have we considered:

Napoleon is the one who pulls pigtails, right? But imagine Illya decides one day that, fine, he'll give the American a taste of his own medicine. Napoleon wants to play? He'd best make sure he's ready for the big leagues.

Inexplicably, he decides stealing Gaby's bottle of cotton-candy-pink nail polish and painting Napoleon's nails as he sleeps is the way to go. He slips a Xanax in Napoleon's dinner, just to be sure he won't wake up during, and is awake bright and early and chomping at the bit to see what Napoleon does.

Except all Napoleon does is notice it when he reaches for his morning coffee. He pauses, hand outstretched, rotates his wrist to inspect his nails, then shrugs and keeps going for his coffee. Takes a sip, and says; "impressive outline control, Peril," and settles down with the morning paper.

Illya grinds his teeth. Fine.

On their next mission, Napoleon finds all his silk and pure cotton boxer-briefs have been replaced with women's underwear. He looks bemused as he stares down at his open suitcase, before he simply clicks his tongue and begins to unpack.

It escalates. Napoleon finally retaliates by switching the leather band on his father's watch for a stripe of eye-wateringly bold pink. Illya puts purple glitter in his hair gel. Napoleon douses all his clothes in so much women's perfume Illya can't stop sneezing when he's forced to wear them without washing due to a time crunch on tailing a mark.

Illya sticks a note on Napoleon's back reading 'squeeze for a good time' with an arrow to Napoleon's ass, and Napoleon, somehow, manages to dye Illya's hair the same shocking hot pink as the watch strap.

(Illya still hasn't figured out how Napoleon did it.)

((Napoleon, all day, cannot even think about the way Peril stands there, fully suited, donning a ferocious scowl, hair all but glowing like a beacon without laughing so hard he almost dies of oxygen deprivation.))

Illya gets him back by painting Napoleon's door the most horrid shade of orange.

Four months in Waverly outright bans any form of retaliation on HQ property or grounds after Napoleon fills Illya's locker with wasps, which causes a building-wide shutdown.

LOOOOL listen they would make annoying each other into a competitive sport and it would end with HQ shutting down, I love it

Important considerations

I need to see Illya with pink hair, and of course Napoleon would make sure that it matches the watch, he does have this kind of attention to detail

I think that Illya low-key just wanted to see how good Napoleon would look with nail polish (answer: very good, damn him)

The horrid orange door is probably one of the things that got to Napoleon the most, because it really was just an insult, so distasteful Peril wtf, and it's a big contributing factor to the wasps incident, because Illya deserves it now

#though i'm terrified of wasps so actually no nobody deserves that JAIL FOR NAPOLEON JAIL FOR ONE THOUSAND YEARS #anyway they are idiots and i love them looool #napollya #napoleon x illya #illya x napoleon #the man from uncle #tmfu #not spn #ely replies #therogueheart

[murillo-enthusiast]

To le Maréchal Soult;

I am writing to inform you that I may need your assistance. I actually am hoping it does not come to that and everything will be resolved between them without further incident. Duroc and Bessières had a domestic dispute earlier today and Jean has decided to retreat to his afterlife for now. I've decided I should go in after him.

Jean is in a bit of a mood, and I don't know what to expect once I get there. However, if you don't hear from me in a few hours or a day, you may want to send a search party. Just don't bring any obvious weapons. That might escalate things. I myself am going in only armed with a metal-tipped walking cane. Just in case. This does not thrill me, but my love for Jean and Geraud is of greater importance.

Also, would Louise be up for any occasional babysitting? Asking for a friend.

- Joachim Murat, "Roi d'Italie," @your-dandy-king

Soult reads the sign off of “Roi d’Italie” and scoffs. He’d heard about the spat with Napoleon. He had not heard much from his emperor, which suited him just fine. He drafts the letter-

Dear Maréchal Murat,

I am pained to hear of the troubles that have befallen your family. Let us hope that this is resolved quickly.

If it is not, you have my sword - in a metaphorical sense. The restrictions that you convey are concerning; I will bring a cane as well as a concealed pistol, but I am also considering enlisting the aid of Marshal Lannes. Unarmed, he would be sturdier and equipped to fight than you- and very much more so than my delicate frame. His concern for you and Duroc will ideally override his distaste for Marshal Bessières, I believe. If the importance of not aggravating the presences in this theatre is impressed on him, I should hope that he would comply.

I will bring one or two of my ADCs as well. They may be able to escape and call for help if needed.

I may also ask Duroc if he wishes to accompany us. In that case, and in future cases, I am sure that Louise will be happy to babysit, as aided by my men.

I wish you the best of luck and success.

- The Marshal Duke of Dalmatia

#the duke of dalmatia's correspondence #your-dandy-king #correspondence with marshalate colleagues

[theintexp]

The Battle of Krasnoy on 17 November 1812 by Peter von Hess

The Battle of Krasnoy (at Krasny or Krasnoe) unfolded from 15 to 18 November 1812 marking a critical episode in Napoleon's arduous retreat from Moscow. Over the course of six skirmishes the Russian forces under field marshal Kutuzov inflicted significant blows upon the remnants of the Grande Armée, already severely weakened by attrition warfare. These confrontations, though not escalated into full-scale battles, led to substantial losses for the French due to their depleted weapons and horses.

Throughout the four days of combat, Napoleon attempted to rush his troops, stretched out in a 30 mi (48 km) march, past the parallel-positioned Russian forces along the high road. Despite the Russian army's superiority in horse and manpower, Kutuzov hesitated to launch a full offensive, according to Mikhail Pokrovsky fearing the risks associated with facing Napoleon head-on. Instead, he hoped that hunger, cold and decay in discipline would ultimately wear down the French forces. This strategy, however, led him in a nearly perpendicular course, placing him amidst of the separated French corps.

On 17 November a pivotal moment occurred when the French Imperial Guard executed an aggressive feint. This maneuver prompted Kutuzov to delay what could have been a decisive final assault, leading him to seek support from both his left and right flanks. This strategic decision allowed Napoleon to successfully withdraw Davout and his corps but it also led to his immediate retreat before the Russians could capture Krasny or block his escape route. Kutusow opted not to commit his entire force against his adversary but instead chose to pursue the French relentlessly, employing both large and small detachments to continually harass and weaken the French army.

The decision to divide into columns proved catastrophic, resulting in heavy defeats for the corps of Eugene, Davout and Ney throughout the four days of relentless combat. The Russians captured a significant number of prisoners, including several generals and 300 officers, while the Grande Armée was forced to abandon most of its remaining artillery and baggage train.

Overall, the Battle of Krasnoy inflicted devastating losses upon the French forces, amplifying their already continuous losses during their perilous retreat. Despite the valiant efforts of the Imperial Guard, the confrontation left the French military in dire straits and without supply and food, further weakening their already battered army. Sources. French invasion of Russia, The Battle of Krasnoy, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

#Отечественная война 1812 года #War of 1812 #Художник #Начинающий художник #famous artists #Эрмитаж #Hermitage Museum #Russian Empire #Российская империя #История России #Наполеон #Napoleon Bonaparte #Наполеоновские войны #Михаил Кутузов #Mikhail Kutuzov #Peter von Hess #theintexp #Youtube

[dubiousdisco]

I have some thoughts on the deleted napoleon scene.

For those who don't know, there's more in the script about that weird napoleon bust that icepick joe pointed out in the background of the delivery scene. 8flix guy has posted some parts of the first draft that didn't make it to the final version of Goncharov. In one of them there's a little more about the napoleon bust scene:

The most adorable thing here is Mario and Joe's relationship, I think. Kinda reframes Mario's jab about Ice Pick Joe's death when you know they had an actual friendship.

It's also interesting that It was a portrait instead of a bust. Makes me think they made the decision to cut the scene early on but wanted the napoleon reference to be noted somehow and the bust draws more attention. They even had Joe point at it in the final scene as well. It serves to establish that they are dealing with enemies they can overcome, given the history of Napoleon vs russia and their little gang's first business is with Frenchmen. A subtle nod.

But here's where I think the foreshadowing and themes get interesting. It's actually pretty heavy handed, even if it's meant to come off as a joke, so I get why they would cut it out, but Napoleon's story is basically Goncharov's story. Andrey is Alexander I, we just don't know yet, because at this point we think Andrey had the same upbringing as Goncharov, but he even hints it a bit by being the one to know Alexander's name that he had more a formal education than the rest of them. And Josephine is Katya.

The story of napoleon regarding Alexander ends with a betrayal and Napoleon's story with Josephine ends with him deciding to leave her to make sure him and his future family will be royals in the future, even though he truly loves her, but we know none of this works. Alexander I was, after all, a royal, so of course, he joins the royals against Napoleon and Napoleon has his infamous Russia defeat that escalates into his downfall. And after leaving Josephine to marry a royal woman and have royal children, he loses the war, he gets separated from his kid or his future, in the case of goncharov, and he ends up trapped in a little house he can't leave, much like Goncharov remembers his first home with his dad.

Now, of course i will point out the ships. Goncharov's reation to the story is to exclaim "why would he SAY that". The emphasys is on the fact that napoleon would tell his beloved that he had feelings for Alexander, not that he would have them, not even that he's act on them, it's just the fact that he would let it be known.

And both Goncharov AND Katya stop smoking (you know the simbolism with the cigars/cigarretes i won't go into this here), showing confusion. Katya can't answer this either. None of them can, actually, but the emphasys is on Goncharov and Katya. To them, the honesty of napoleon admiting such feelings to his partner is absurd, and they can't find a reason for it. The longer focus on them also makes me think that they know how napoleon felt, they know what he meant, they just could never even think about being honest about it, this is a thing that doesn't exist for them, and they're having to face it so soon already, but they can't, so they stay quiet. It's no coincidence that Sofia shows up after this scene and Katya awkwardly brushes her off for the day, and that Andrey stays quiet for the duration of the delivery scene after the bust, he also knows and he was probably thinking about goncharov's reaction. This was probably one of the things that made his decide to betray Goncharov, having to hear him say that even if it was acceptable to have feelings for him, it was absurd to say it out loud. He knew from that moment that Goncharov would prioritize his "emperor" future, and probably so did katya, but she also had her own "empress" future to think of.

what is the most interesting here, though, is that our russian protagonists are being paralled to napoleon, not to Alexander I, they aren't the incredible win of the motherland, they were never good enough to fit in, they are the enemy in the eyes of their home, thats why katya can't face her past and that's why goncharov can't go back home, and that's why no place is home in this movie. They are the little guy from Corsica, former italy, that now is france trying to fit in with france and then with the other kings and no matter how much they, and in this case goncharov in particular, can achieve, they will never belong or be seem as equals, they are france against russia during winte AND THAT'S WHY THEY USED THE PHRASE WINTER COMES TO NAPLES IT'S LITERALLY WHAT HAPPENED TO NAPOLEON AND IT'S WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN TO GONCHAROV!!

It's such a giant thing that they just hinted at i just wish we could have a recorded scene to watch even if it wouldn't make it into the movie.

#goncharov 1973 #goncharov x andrey #goncharov x katya #katya x sofia #mario x ice pick joe #napoleon symbolism #unreality // #gonchrey #katfia

[abr]

Dopo il sabotaggio dei gasdotti russi verso la Germania, la Cia avvisa che la Russia starebbe pianificando una ulteriore escalation autoinculante: bombardarsi L'Ermitage di San Pietroburgo e la cattedrale di San Basilio a Mosca.

La prima mossa l'han spiegata ai boccaloni da Ripubblica in sintesi come mossa da checca isterica tradita: tu non compri più il mio gas e io ti sfascio la macchina che mi hai regalato. Coerente con la mentalità dei lettori. Ora l'analisi si va raffinando: sarebbe tattica della TERRA BRUCIATA, decisa da Putin per rallentare la vittoriosa offensiva della Nato ooops, dell'Ucragna. Zelensky come Napoleone.

[honoka-marierose]

We've been waiting with bated breath for some official news on Marvel's Fantastic Four movie for a long time. The wait, though, is finally over, as the comic book giant has dropped some massive news about its hotly-anticipated film.

First up, the biggest reveal of the lot: the Fantastic Four movie's official cast. Making the announcement on its social media channels – including X/Twitter – Marvel confirmed that Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon), Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear) have officially signed on to play Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman, Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and Ben Grimm/The Thing.

But wait, there's more… Marvel also revealed that the movie will now fly into theaters on July 25, 2025. That was the date previously held by Marvel Phase 5 film Thunderbolts, whose latest release delay is sure to bump it out of that lineup of movies and Disney Plus shows and into Marvel Phase 6.

The movie also has a new title: it's now called The Fantastic 4, which is a two-fold marketing plot from Marvel Studios. For one, it's a nostalgic call-back to the title of the iconic superhero group's first-ever comic book – The Fantastic Four #1, which was released in November 1961. Perhaps more importantly, though, The Fantastic 4 title differentiates it from the superhero team's previous big-screen outings – those being 2005's Fantastic Four and its 2015 reboot namesake.

Lastly, The Fantastic 4's first piece of official artwork has been unveiled by Marvel (see the X post above). The Disney subsidiary revealed the film's new name and release date alongside said artwork, which is certainly giving off the retro-futuristic vibes that the supergroup are renowned for. Marvel's Fantastic Four poster also teases when the movie might be set, too.

The end of a drawn-out, rumor-filled era

The Fantastic Four casting rumor mill can finally rest (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

It's about time we learned official details about The Fantastic 4. Ever since the superhero movie was first announced in July 2019, there's been no end to the speculation about who'll play the iconic quartet. Indeed, the rumor mill has been in overdrive for at least 18 months, with a number of big-name stars reportedly holding talks with Marvel.

In January 2022 we first reported that Marvel was ready to cast the lead roles in its Fantastic Four film, only for the comic book giant to, well, not do so. Since then, Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard batted away suggestions she would play The Invisible Woman, Star Wars alumnus Adam Driver was linked with playing the group's legendary villain Doctor Doom and Richards, and the likes of Margot Robbie, Paul Mescal, and Dev Patel were reportedly tapped for various roles.

In January 2022 we first reported that Marvel was ready to cast the lead roles in its Fantastic Four film, only for the comic book giant to, well, not do so. Since then, Jurassic World star Bryce Dallas Howard batted away suggestions she would play The Invisible Woman, Star Wars alumnus Adam Driver was linked with playing the group's legendary villain Doctor Doom and Richards, and the likes of Margot Robbie, Paul Mescal, and Dev Patel were reportedly tapped for various roles.

All in all, the sheer number of Fantastic Four movie cast rumors sent Marvel fans into a tailspin, and led director Matt Shakman to ask fans to ignore the growing speculation about who would feature.

Things, though, continued to escalate. Per an unlikely source, Marvel was said to have officially cast Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic in early February – the apparent confirmation coming three months after Pascal was reportedly tapped to star in the Marvel film. Shakman appeared to reveal that this was the case on Instagram before deleting the post 24 hours later once the unveiling gained traction.

Vanessa Kirby seemed set to play Storm, too, with the Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning actor coyly telling TechRadar it "would be an honor" to portray The Invisible Woman in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Ebon Moss-Bachrach was similarly skittish when asked about his likely involvement in January.

Thankfully, Marvel has put an end to all the long-running speculation, and finally put us all out of our misery – and by misery, we mean made us all the more excited for The Fantastic 4. July 2025 can't come soon enough.

#marvel #marvel studios #marvel cinematic universe #mcu #fantastic four #reed richards #sue storm #johnny storm #ben grimm #mr fantastic #the invisible woman #the human torch #the thing #pedro pascal #vanessa kirby #joseph quinn #ebon moss bachrach #marvel comics

[fionamccall]

My top ten historical films

While on long-term sick leave, I’ve started a project to list all my favourite films, and it seems natural to start with some historical ones.  Really good historical films are a rarity - one of the drawbacks of becoming a historian is that you are eternally cringing at historical inaccuracies.  

The following, entirely my own selection, are films based on real historical events or people, with varying levels of artistic licence or authenticity, in chronological order by the period in which they are set.  It is surprising how many of them are about war.  I have not included films with a fictional setting in the past or literary adaptions: these will go in separate lists.

1 Andrey Rublev (1966), Andrei Tarkovsky

An examination of the artistic process, this epic film follows the life of the icon painter Rublev, capturing the world of a medieval Russia suspended between paganism and Christian mysticism.  The most memorable scene is a long sequence at the end in which a very young bellmaker dedicates his whole soul and being to creating a great bell, in the knowledge that if he fails he will be executed.

2  Winstanley (1975), Kevin Brownlow

Reflecting his extensive knowledge of early silent film technique, Kevin Brownlow uses black and white film to bring to life the idealism of the Diggers, proto-communists who, following the British Civil Wars, tried to return to their vision of Eden by sharing all things in common on St George’s Hill in Surrey.  Led by Gerard Winstanley (an inspiring performance by amateur actor Miles Halliwell) the reality of pitching camp in the pouring rain of the English climate is shown as somewhat more depressing than the ideal, as support from a neighbouring parson’s wife drifts away and the Diggers are soon defeated by General Fairfax and the continuing power of the propertied class.  Watch for a great scene filmed under the great plastered vault of the long gallery at Chastleton House in Oxfordshire

3 Witchhammer (1970),  Otakar Vávra

The Czechs have made some of the best historical films of all.  This film chillingly portrays the course of the North Moravian witch trials of the 1670s under the Catholic Inquisition, showing how the terms of investigation and the climate of fear create the perfect conditions for the witch hunt to escalate until even the clergy fall under suspicion.  If you want to understand the dynamics and the universal qualities of witch-hunting, watch this.

4 Napoleon (1927), Abel Gance

I went completely mad about this film as the apotheosis of silent film-making technique, with its close attention to the visual language of communication.    Technical brilliance, great performances as both the child and the adult Napoleon, ace snow fight and an underdog story. Quotes marked ‘historical’ – ha!  This is Napoleon as the French would like to remember him, young, emotive, whip-smart and whip-thin.  The later Napoleon, warmonger, egotist, pudgy womaniser and cultural looter, was a completely different matter.  A very long film, but that makes it all the more profound an experience.  There is a bizarre parallel love story involving a female Napoleon stalker, I guess because Gance found Josephine somewhat disappointing as a love-object!

5 Waterloo (1970), Sergei Bondarchuk

This was a failure at the time of release, but stands the test of time.  See my review after watching it in 2014. Starring the incomparable (and much undervalued) Christopher Plummer as Wellington; Rod Steiger less appropriately cast as Napoleon.  I’ve watched Bondarchuk’s War and Peace, which is the best version going (despite cutting out a good chunk of the story) but this is more effective because it is more focused, as the drama of the day of battle itself shapes the action.

6 Topsy Turvy (1999) Mike Leigh

Leigh immerses us in the late-19th century world of the Savoy Opera, demonstrating the genius of Gilbert and Sullivan, but set against the pathos of their own lives and those of the actors they employ. The genius and originality of Gilbert’s setting for the Mikado is counterpoised with the seamier realities of life for Gilbert, Sullivan and the actors they employ, involving impotency, addiction and abortion.  It has a magnificent cast, particularly Jim Broadbent as W.S. Gilbert and Leslie Manville as his wife Kitty.  Shirley Henderson, as always, takes your breath away as the alcoholic Leonora Braham, when the drama suspends time for her dream-like rendition of ‘The Sun whose Rays’.

7 The Pianist (2002)

An unforgettable performance by Adrian Brody as the Jewish pianist  Władysław Szpilman who survived the holocaust and the Warsaw uprising in hiding.  At the beginning of the film he is a normal man with ordinary hopes, and we gradually see him dehumanised by Nazi persecution until at the end of the film, living like a rat underground, he is unexpectedly asked once more to play the piano, and his music signifies his humanity that has almost but not quite been destroyed. 

8 Schindler’s List (1993), Steven Spielberg

My then-husband refused to go with me to see this - it seemed like a hard watch.  I was drenched with emotion by the end, and wept buckets. Spielberg had such a serious purpose behind this, and employed all the artistry he had accumulated over years of more popular film-making to say something important for humanity within a particular framework.  We do have choices, for good or ill, and it is important to act as witnesses.

9 Come and See (1985)

The most harrowing film I have ever seen, about the German occupation of Belarus, seen through the eyes of a young boy.  An unflinching depiction of German atrocities, seen as a game by the German soldiers who laugh and joke as they burn people alive.  Not for the faint-hearted.

10 The Killing Fields (1984)

Its a long time since I’ve seen this but this film about the Khymer Rouge ‘Year Zero’ in Cambodia made a huge impression on me when younger.  Some have objected to the use of John Lennon’s Imagine at the end of the film, but seem to misunderstand the point - if Winstanley shows the limits of idealism, when set against the need for day to day survival and the existing power-base, this is about what happens when idealism (such as envisaged in Lennon’s song) is taken too far until it strips us entirely of our humanity.

#historical films

[travelingue]

Naples (6): Elevation

The story so far: on the morning of our last full day in Naples we found the genteel part.  And we began to suspect that the nicest bits were on the hills, looking down on the grimy centre.

As we boarded a bus climbing up to Capodimonte, home to Naples' main art museum, I flashed Lesley's phone at the driver who waved us through before I could conjure up both e-passes.

This relaxed attitude provoked the ire of a woman sitting at the front.

Throughout our 20-minute journey she harangued the driver while glaring at us.  You didn't need to understand Italian to get her drift: fare dodgers were an insult to regular users and bleeding the transit system dry.

The driver occasionally responded with sighs of impotent sympathy: "Lo so, lo so..."  All the while, people were getting on and off freely.  For all we knew, the only fare-paying passengers on board were that bitching woman and us.

As we alighted at the top of the hill, she said in English: "For the return, make sure you buy a ticket at that shop over there."

The gardens of Capodimonte Palace confirmed our hypothesis about the correlation between elevation and refinement in this city.

The museum cafeteria was located in the grand courtyard. Sparse attendance, swift service, tasty food: our lunch experience had everything the Museo archeologico had failed to provide a day earlier.

The gallery itself is fabulous.

The women in various states of rapture (such as Titian's Magdalene and Botticelli's Madonna below, left and centre) are so over the top that an atheist may wonder if the artist is taking the piss.

I am certain, however, about the pout of scepticism Raphael put on God's face as He crowns His son (above right).

We were looking forward to admiring The Flagellation of Christ by Caravaggio – painted as he passed through Naples while running away from murder charges.  I asked the staff where I could see it. 

"At the Louvre," the man said.  "It's on loan until December." "Are you telling me," I thundered, "that I flew across Europe to see a painting that has been shipped to my native city?" "Le mie scuse signore."

I quickly checked the Louvre's website.  In "a dialogue between the masterpieces of the two museums", the French were getting their hand on not just on Capodimonte's Caravaggio, but also dozens of pieces by Michelangelo, Titian, etc.

Dialogue?  I call that a plunder of Napoleonic proportions which, from my point of view, was no less invidious for being temporary.

"Lo so, lo so," The man sighed in impotent sympathy.

Our afternoon to the museum, however, was far from wasted.  Among the marvels on display was the piece at the top of this post: Scuole diverse ("Different Schools", 1890) by one Augusto Moriani.

Another underrated local genius, Achille d'Orsi, crafted this 1877 sculpture of two men asleep on a park bench.  I find the title, Il Parassiti, refreshingly brutal.  Nowadays it might be marketed as "Helpless victims of neoliberalism".

On our final evening we decided to explore another hill.  We made our way to the funicolare we had spotted that morning.

The ride itself was disappointing: you can't see anything as the carriage rattles through tunnels.

Once we got to the top, though, the Vomero district bore out my altitude theory of desirability.

We wandered through opulent streets. A few tasteful streamers overhead quietly honoured the Napoli football club, which had just won the Serie A - nothing like the garish bunting and images of Saint Maradona that were ubiquitous downtown.

From the medieval fortress of Sant'Elmo you had a clear view of Mount Vesuvius.

We knew there must have been at least one area in Naples where people hung out, a place where you could dine on something else than good pizza and drink wine. We were happy to have found Vomero on our final night.

We returned to our hotel by metro. The escalator at Duomo station was down. We had memorised a complex succession of lifts that got you to the surface.

During the day, you had to dart from one to the next ahead of other passengers.  At 10 pm, there was little competition.

But the final lift was "not in exercise", and we reached the empty street via the stairs.

Previous entries on Naples:

1. Ryanair 2. Neapolis or Nablus? 3. Daylight robbery 4. Sybaritic afternoon 5. The benefits of being bombed

#naples #capodimonte #vomero #italy

[theculturedmarxist]

Time to wake up and smell the cordite. Like shockwaves from an exploding missile, Vladimir Putin’s war on Europe’s edge is rapidly rolling westwards, blasting its way through the front doors of homes, businesses and workplaces from Berlin to Birmingham. Its fallout seeds a toxic rain of instability, hardship and fear.

The idea the Ukraine conflict could be confined to Ukraine – Nato’s politically convenient grand delusion – and that western sanctions and arms supplies would stop the Russians was always a nonsense. Now, enraged by Kyiv’s stubborn resistance and hell-bent on punishing his punishers, Putin’s aim is the immiseration of Europe.

By weaponising energy, food, refugees and information, Russia’s leader spreads the economic and political pain, creating wartime conditions for all. A long, cold, calamity-filled European winter of power shortages and turmoil looms. And like a coin-fed gas meter, the price of western leaders’ timidity and shortsightedness ticks upwards by the hour.

Russia’s destabilisation operations, social media manipulation, cyber-attacks, diplomatic double-talk, nuclear blackmail, plus its unrelenting slaughter of civilians in Ukraine, will only intensify Europe’s state of siege in the months ahead. The west’s fanciful belief it could avoid continent-wide escalation is evaporating fast.

Though not entirely due to Putin’s war [fucking lmao], Europe now faces fundamental challenges as big or bigger than the 2008 financial crash, Brexit, or the pandemic. Yet many EU and UK politicians skulk in denial. If, as predicted, the gas stops flowing and the lights dim, it will not just be a matter of closed factories, lost jobs, and depressed markets.

Freezing pensioners, hungry children, empty supermarket shelves, unaffordable cost of living increases, devalued wages, strikes and street protests point to Sri Lanka-style meltdowns. An exaggeration? Not really. Blowback, fanned by the Putin-admiring far right, is already gathering strength in Greece and Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.

In prospect, too, is a shattering of EU solidarity as national governments compete for scarce resources. Brussels is due to publish a “winter preparedness plan” this week. But its provisions are unclear and unenforceable. The broader context is lack of an agreed, implemented EU-wide energy policy.

Despite bilateral cooperation pledges, a total Russian cut-off could pit country against country, further inflate prices, and split the anti-Moscow coalition. In such a scenario Putin would demand sanctions relief in return for resumed supplies, just as he has over blockaded Black Sea grain.

Import-dependent Germany is already taking unilateral steps, seeking alternative oil and gas suppliers. A national emergency moved closer after Moscow turned off the Nord Stream I pipeline last Monday. Many in Berlin fear (and some environmentalists hope) the shutdown – and any subsequent rationing – may become permanent.

Robert Habeck, Germany’s vice-chancellor, fretted publicly about a “political nightmare”. Bruno Le Maire, France’s finance minister, sounded similarly panicky last week. He predicted an imminent gas cut-off. Waxing Napoleonic, he urged European countries to form up in “order of battle”. But as in 1812, Russia has “General Winter”.

As if the mounting misery of millions were not daunting enough, then consider, too, the war’s knock-on impact on efforts to combat the climate and biodiversity crises. In the UK and elsewhere, net zero targets appear at increasing risk of being abandoned.

Because Europe faces “very, very strong conflict and strife” this winter over energy prices, it should make a short-term return to fossil fuels, Frans Timmermans, the European commission’s vice-president, suggested. Once again, Germany is showing a lead, increasing electricity production from coal-fired power stations. Once again, the west looks to tyrannical Gulf oil sheikhs for salvation.

A European winter of chaos may also strain US ties. By comparison, America’s post-pandemic recovery is more advanced, its economy more resilient, its energy costs much lower. Yet it is US president Joe Biden’s too-cautious leadership of Nato that has led Europe into this geopolitical cul-de-sac, even as a weakening euro slides below one dollar.

For Europeans, as they are re-learning to their cost, all wars are local. For Americans, as ever, all wars are foreign.

The sanctions, economic aid, and other non-military measures preferred by Biden were never going to be enough to bring Putin to heel. Some observers suspect a stalemate that slowly bleeds Russia suits US purposes, whatever the collateral damage. Yet right now, it’s Putin who is bleeding Europe. Sanctions are backfiring or poorly enforced. His energy coffers bulge. And Ukrainians aside, the pain is disproportionately felt by less wealthy European and developing countries. As instability grows, US-Europe divergence will feed pressure to change course.

The obvious escape route is a land-for-peace deal with Putin, agreed over Ukraine’s dead bodies. This kind of shoddy sellout has influential advocates. If (and it’s a big “if”), Russia returned to business as normal, it would alleviate Europe’s suffering – though probably not Ukraine’s.

Yet such a deal would also be a precedent-setting disaster for future peace and security across the continent and globally, too. Just think Taiwan. Or Estonia. It would destroy the sovereign integrity of democratic Ukraine.

Fortunately, there is an alternative: using Nato’s overwhelming power to decisively turn the military tide.

As previously argued here, direct, targeted, forceful western action to repulse Russia’s repulsive horde is not a vote for a third world war. It’s the only feasible way to bring this escalating horror to a swift conclusion while ensuring Putin, and those who might emulate him, do not profit from lawless butchery.

Intent on inflicting maximum disruption, Putin openly menaces the heartlands of European democracy. The writing is on the wall and may no longer be ignored. Enough of the half-measures and the dithering! Nato should act now to force Putin’s marauding troops back inside Russia’s recognised borders.

It’s not only Ukraine that requires saving. It’s Europe, too.

Nato propaganda is so tiresome. It wasn't Russia that created the conditions for war in Ukraine. It wasn't Russia that started the war in Ukraine. It wasn't Russia that imposed sanctions meant to punish Russia for fighting in Ukraine.

But it's all evil bad Putin's fault and we've got to wage WW3 to put a stop to him.

It's like that comic of the boy riding the bike and putting a stick into the spokes. EU committed economic suicide to please the US and now is crying "how could Russia do this???"

#ukraine conflict #nato propaganda #propaganda #us imperialism #economics