#Harrison Administration

[deadpresidents]

GROVER CLEVELAND •Grover Cleveland: A Study In Courage by Allan Nevins (BOOK) •An Honest President: The Life and Presidencies of Grover Cleveland by H. Paul Jeffers (BOOK | AUDIO) •A Secret Life: The Lies and Scandals of President Grover Cleveland by Charles Lachman (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •A Man of Iron: The Turbulent Life and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland by Troy Senik (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

BENJAMIN HARRISON •Benjamin Harrison: Hoosier Warrior, 1833-1865 by Harry J. Sievers (BOOK) •Benjamin Harrison: Hoosier Statesman, 1865-1888 by Harry J. Sievers (BOOK) •Benjamin Harrison: Hoosier President, 1889-1893 by Harry J. Sievers (BOOK)

WILLIAM McKINLEY •In the Days of McKinley by Margaret Leech (BOOK) •President McKinley: Architect of the American Century by Robert W. Merry (BOOK | KINDLE) •William McKinley and His America by H. Wayne Morgan (BOOK | KINDLE) •The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters by Karl Rove (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

THEODORE ROOSEVELT •The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •Edmund Morris Trilogy •The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •Mornings On Horseback: The Story of an Extraordinary Family, a Vanished Way of Life, and the Unique Child Who Became Theodore Roosevelt by David McCullough (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •T.R.: The Last Romantic by H.W. Brands (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT •The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •William Howard Taft: An Intimate History by Judith Icke Anderson (BOOK) •Chief Executive to Chief Justice: Taft Betwixt the White House and Supreme Court by Lewis L. Gould (BOOK | KINDLE)

WOODROW WILSON •Wilson by A. Scott Berg (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •Woodrow Wilson: A Biography by John Milton Cooper Jr. (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •When the Cheering Stopped: The Last Years of Woodrow Wilson by Gene Smith (BOOK | KINDLE) •The Ordeal of Woodrow Wilson by Herbert Hoover (BOOK) •The Moralist: Woodrow Wilson and the World He Made by Patricia O'Toole (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

WARREN G. HARDING •The Shadow of Blooming Grove: Warren G. Harding in His Times by Francis Russell (BOOK) •The Available Man: The Life Behind the Masks of Warren G. Harding by Andrew Sinclair (BOOK) •1920: The Year of the Six Presidents by David Pietrusza (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •The Ohio Gang: The World of Warren G. Harding by Charles L. Mee Jr. (BOOK | KINDLE)

CALVIN COOLIDGE •Coolidge by Amity Shlaes (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •The High Tide of American Conservatism: Davis, Coolidge, and the 1924 Election by Garland S. Tucker III (BOOK | KINDLE)

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen has notified the state and national Democratic parties that the scheduled date of the Democratic National Convention is a few days after the deadline for the party to put its nominees for president and vice president on the ballot for the general election in November.

The Republican National Convention came after the same deadline in 2020, but the Legislature passed a bill to allow ballot access. President Joe Biden’s campaign released a statement Tuesday night in response to Allen’s letter, saying the deadline would not keep the president off the ballot.

“Joe Biden will be on the ballot in all 50 states,” the campaign said. “State officials have the ability to grant provisional ballot access certification prior to the conclusion of presidential nominating conventions. In 2020 alone, states like Alabama, Illinois, Montana, and Washington all allowed provisional certification for Democratic and Republican nominees.”

Allen, who is a Republican, said state law requires parties to provide a certification of nomination for president and vice president no later than Aug. 15.

“It has recently come to my attention that the Democratic National Convention is currently scheduled to convene on August 19, 2024, which is after the State of Alabama’s statutory deadline for political parties to provide a certificate of nomination for President and Vice President,” Allen wrote in a letter to Randy Kelley, Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party. “If this Office has not received a valid certificate of nomination from the Democratic Party following its convention by the statutory deadline, I will be unable to certify the names of the Democratic Party’s candidates for President and Vice President for ballot preparation for the 2024 general election.”

Allen’s office also sent a copy of the letter to Jaime R. Harrison, Chair of the Democratic National Committee.

The 82-day deadline has been in Alabama’s election law since 1975, according to the Allen’s office.

The Democrats are expected to nominate Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for a rematch with the presumed Republican nominee, Donald Trump.

Four years ago, when Republicans held their convention Aug. 24-27, the Legislature passed a bill to make a one-time change in the deadlines and accommodate the GOP.

Alabama code section 17-14-31(b) says parties must certify their candidates “no later than the 82nd day preceding the day fixed for the election.” With this year’s election on Nov. 5, that makes Aug. 15 the 82nd preceding day, Allen said in the letter.

Allen said the secretary of state’s office has published the certification deadline on its website since June 2023.

Allen said, “If those certificates are not in my office on time, there will be no certification and no appearance on the Alabama general election ballot in accordance with sections 17-13-22 and 17-14-31(a) of the Code of Alabama. With this letter, we are providing ample notification to the leadership of the Democratic Party at the state and national level that the burden of providing those certifications by the statutorily set deadline is a requirement that they must meet.”

The Republican Party is scheduled to hold its national convention July 15-18, well ahead of the Alabama deadline.

Here is a link to the letter from Allen to the Democratic Party.

[harrisonpeters]

Harrison Peters | A School Administrator

Harrison Peters is a leader in education and believes in supporting other leaders. As co-founder and CEO of MCEL—Men of Color in Educational Leadership—he seeks to provide support and a safe space for important, authentic conversations and growth. He himself has served as chief of schools, deputy superintendent, assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal, and dean of students at large school districts in various regions of the country. Peters is a US Navy veteran.

[jcbveteran]

This is how the Veteran Administration Cares about Veterans

Here we go again Ft Harrison Finally got my allocated hydrocodone medication from them. 10 tablets 325mg took three years to honor their word and agreement with me! Unfortunately,  also have a medical issue, severe pain 9-20 level for over 3 weeks now, VA does nothing So I took some of the hydrocodonee to lesson the pain. Sounds good, you would think? Well, the first pill did nothing to reduce the pain, or feeling etc Six hours later a sec and pill, this time it actually worked to reduce the pain, stay with me here Anyway cutting to the chase, one pill works, the next ones do not, so out of ten pills WHAT THE HELL IS THE VA SUPPLYING CHINESE CRAP, OR PLACEBOS IN PLACE OF THE ACTUAL MEDICATION. I SENT THE REMAINING PILLS TO A PRIVATE INDEPENDENT TESTING LABORATORY THE SIX PILLS I SENT FOR TESTING WERE NOTHING BUT SUCROSE NO HYDROCODONE 10MG OR Acetaminophen So what the hell is going on Screw the veteran and hope he dies!

[mapsontheweb]

The Two Mongolias

The native Mongolian peoples have historically lived in the Mongolian People’s Republic and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the People’s Republic of China, which together once comprised Greater Mongolia. While Inner Mongolia is an autonomous subnational division of China, the nation of Mongolia (sometimes known as Outer Mongolia) is a free and open state with a democratic government.

Political and historical reasons led to the split of Mongolia into these two regions. One important contributing aspect is that, in the 19th century, Han Chinese farmers were drawn to the Mongolian region in search of land to cultivate due to population pressure in China’s south. Conflicts with herders resulted from this, and Outer Mongolia gained independence in 1912 and Inner Mongolia gained administrative autonomy in 1932.

Is a reunion between the two Mongolias possible?

Sources:

Beal, Rich. "A tale of two Mongolias." Koryo Group. 14 October 2020.

Salisbury, Harrison E. "The two Mongolias are bitter enemies." The New York Times. 17 October 1977.

by anthro.atlas

[aindyghosh]

Fix Me Up (IronDad fic)

Peter hated formalities.

No, that was too mild a word to describe his feelings on the topic. Peter despised formalities.

Detested them. Abhorred. Loathed. And any other synonym that Oxford had come up with to date that he’d be able to remember as soon as Peter’s mind returned to the right track.

As it was, Peter’s brain felt all jumbled and disoriented, as if he were in a daze, because the morning sniffles he’d dismissed as a reaction to the accumulated dust in his room were, in reality, a case of severe cold due to the weather fluctuations that New Yorkers were experiencing and thus, very much not insignificant.

The last time Peter had fallen ill was three years ago before a visit to OsCorp had juiced him up on a — what would probably be perceived as ‘freakish’ — spider-serum (well, it was more of a spider-bite than a full-fledged serum, but that was what he called it, anyway) that turned his vision into a ten out of ten, dialled his senses to an eleven, and for the initial few months, made him stick to pretty much every surface available. No, that wasn’t a double entendre of any kind. It had been a real issue, thank you very much, until he had hauled control of it into his own hands.

Now one might ask, how did his sickness tie into his hatred for formalities?

Well, it was like this: Peter was sick, all he wanted to do at the moment was go home, politely refuse Aunt May’s chicken broth that was more likely to send him to the ER than to make him feel any better, allow sleep to treat him like he was dead until he was ready to return to the land of the living, and the fever, with any luck, would subside by the time he woke up again.

He didn’t think these were, in any manner, unreasonable demands.

Yet, his school acted as though he’d broken into Nexus and stolen the nuclear codes that he could access on Mr Stark’s servers.

Not that he’d ever say that to anyone because it would be incriminating Mr Stark, even though he was around eighty-three per cent sure it was one of those open secrets that everybody knew but pretended they didn’t. Adults were so complicated.

Regardless, coming back to the point, Aunt May was unreachable over the phone, which Peter had already suspected would be the case because she had a very important meeting with some angel investors who had expressed interest in the latest venture that her NGO was trying to set up for victims of domestic abuse.

Peter had said that to both Mr Harrington and Principal Morita, and had practically begged to be permitted to leave because anybody with a functional pair of eyes could see that he wasn’t faking an illness for the fun of it (Principal Morita had blanched at the hundred-and-three-degree temperature the thermometer had displayed; apparently, the spider-serum had increased his body’s tolerance to the extent where he didn’t keel over while burning up, but still, it would’ve been nice to not fall sick at all).

They had denied his request, of course. Formalities. See why he despised them?

With Peter being miserable in the infirmary and Aunt May not answering her calls, the natural next step in the administrative process was to either call the second emergency contact tagged to his name or the hospital.

Peter had put his foot down when Mr Harrison had tried to make noise in favour of the latter choice. Whether it was his uncharacteristic blunt protest or the pitiful murmur he had exhaled for being too exhausted to attempt anything else, Principal Morita had, though begrudgingly, relented.

That had stripped them down to one option. The second emergency contact. And that was where the root of all his problems laid.

Even when he had been one of the sickliest children, Peter’s file had been empty of a secondary contact since Uncle Ben’s demise because, besides Aunt May, he hadn’t had any such person in his life. But two years ago, his Aunt May had applied to add one.

Tony S.

It had been Mr Stark’s idea after their initial application had been rejected because “there is no way Tony Stark is your emergency contact, Peter; such kind of pranks will not be tolerated!”

As insistent as Ms. Banks was on not being taken for a fool, she hadn’t batted an eyelid when Peter had submitted the revised application with the name tweaked from “Tony Stark” to “Tony S”. At the time, like in one of those really old movies, Mr Stark’s “People are gullible, Peter! They think they know and understand everything when they barely see a quarter of the full picture,” had echoed through his head like a voiceover.

But he was digressing. The point he was trying to make was that despite the fact his school hadn’t, and still didn’t, believe that he had an internship — which wasn’t even a lie — with Stark Industries, much less that Mr Stark would ever agree to be his secondary contact (if Peter was being honest, he too found it ridiculous and surreal sometimes that Mr Stark had been listed as one of his emergency contacts), he hadn’t imagined that Principal Morita and Mr Harrington would stammer say an outright “no” to the man’s very face.

Peter watched, perched on the uncomfortable bed that threatened to make a germaphobe out of him, as Mr Stark’s face underwent a long series of varied emotions until it began oscillating between intrigued amusement and concerned frustration.

“I am his secondary emergency contact,” Mr Stark stressed for the third time. “You saw the papers! They have May’s signature! Why, on God’s holy green earth—” ( Ooh, the fancy curses were coming out now. When Mr Stark started saying things like “God” and “holy”, the best course of action was to run.) “—would I want to compromise your records? Do I look like a kidnapper?” Principal Morita failed to reply within a satisfactory period because Mr Stark pinched the bridge of his nose for the fifth time in the past ten minutes. Someone was developing a new anxious tic. “Why would I want to kidnap a student, Principal Morita?”

“We don’t think you’re trying to kidnap him, per se,” Mr Harrison swiftly cut in, seeing as Principal Morita seemed more interested in mimicking a fish and flailing his hands like an octopus. “But surely, you must see why we’d be, um, sceptical about allowing Peter to go with you?”

“No, actually, I don’t.”

Mr Harrington waved his hands in vague gestures, not unlike Principal Morita but he resembled more of an orangutan. “You are Tony Stark.”

“I’m aware, but thanks for the reminder.” Mr Stark deadpanned, his flat features compensating for the raw vulnerability in his eyes as he kept shooting Peter worried glances. “Look, this argument is entirely pointless.” You tell ‘em, Mr Stark! “I have a sick child to take care of—” He wasn’t a child! He was an almost-adult! That was a thing! “—and he can do with some treatment that is not in this horrible room. Is this what you call an infirmary? You know what, it doesn’t matter! I will need Peter to come with me pronto.”

Principal Morita stood up taller as if something in Mr Stark’s speech had vindicated him. “That is what a kidnapper would say.”

“No, a mugger would say that while robbing somebody. Go on, accuse me of petty theft as well while you’re at it.”

Principal Morita stuttered something out, but whether that was in response to Mr Stark’s utterly unimpressed face or Mr Harrison elbowing him in the rib, Peter wasn’t sure.

The ongoing conversation gradually morphed into unintelligible white noise, overwhelming while being muffled at the same time, like being pulled out of the water after a long time under, the sound of waves rushing ringing in one’s ears and deafening them to their surroundings but unable to mitigate the imposing presence of the people around.

“M’st’r St’k?” After a short second, his brain-addled self wondered if he’d managed to get the words out in the world or if they had died a premature death on his tongue.

“Peter?”

Maybe he had. “I d’n’t f’el sss...g’d, M-St’k—”

💖

Peter blinked. And frowned when his view refused to stop swaying between pitch black and black with spots of red and green in it.

It was another moment before he realised his eyes were still closed.

Oops.

When his eyes fluttered open, it wasn’t to Midtown High’s infirmary that left much to be desired, but to a clean white ceiling with a familiar huge and fancy circle of light decorating the middle which his brain placed right away.

The Avengers Compound’s MedBay.

He had a love-hate relationship with this corner of the compound, in that his body loved to end up here, at least, once a week while he had to actively hold himself back from cursing like a pirate anytime someone so much as mentioned the wing.

“FRIDAY?” He asked in a tone that even his brain thought suited an eighty-year-old, weary of the world, than a teenage kid with superpowers. No, not superpowers. That made him sound narcissistic and ostentatious. Spidey-powers. There, much better. “How long was I out this time?”

“You missed both lunch and dinner, if that answers your question,” came the reply from the person who was very much not FRIDAY.

“Mr Stark!” He attempted to sit up to no avail, Mr Stark’s firm grip on his shoulders gently pushing him back on the bed. Peter might have been stronger but Mr Stark was much more stubborn and a lot less prone to listening.

“How’re you feeling, kid?”

“Fine, actually, y’know, given everything.” He was no longer burning up, his skin didn’t crawl, the pounding in his head had subsided, and nothing felt jammed up his nose. All in all, he felt much more in control of himself. At least, the spider-serum worked fast.

“Good, because I need to yell at you and I’d prefer to do that while you’re not being miserable in your own body.”

“Oh, come on, Mr Stark! I didn’t even do anything this time!”

“Yeah?” The man’s eyes narrowed at him in that manner where, historically, it meant he had yet to decide whether to be angry with him or let himself show his amusement at his antics. Usually, the latter won out after a few minutes of forced yelling which was more to help keep up his façade of a responsible adult than anything else. Here’s to hoping! “Then was it your clone who assured your Aunt May in the morning that you were okay and, in fact, healthy enough to attend school?”

Had Peter been sitting, he would have bowed his head or looked away. Since he was currently laid out helpless on the bed as Mr Stark hovered over him like a concerned parent mentor, bowing his head wasn't on the table and looking away could be considered impolite. Mr Stark didn’t take kindly to rudeness and Peter was in no mood to be tickled.

“Sorry, Mr Stark.” Apologising? Now that came much more naturally to him. Mr Stark said it was a problem. Peter wasn’t so sure.

“What are you sorry for?”

That sounded like a trick question. Peter eyed the other man with carefully concealed suspicion. “For falling sick?”

Mr Stark sighed in that exasperated way that was typically followed up with something either deeply profound or extremely heartfelt, and in both cases, Peter would be left speechless and a tiny smidge teary-eyed.

“Don’t be sorry for falling sick, Peter! How would you feel if I apologised for getting hurt on a mission?”

Peter shrugged. “Good, actually, because then it would mean you’ll try not to throw yourself in the active line of gunfire when the next fight comes along.” After a moment, he added, “And maybe a tiny bit worried if you said the word ‘sorry’.”

“Pot, kettle, Underoos.” Mr Stark rolled his eyes. “And stop distracting me from the real issue here.”

“There’s no real issue, Mr Stark—”

“You should have told May that you had a fever, Pete.” He didn’t have a fever in the morning! “She was so scared when she saw the missed calls. She almost hitched a ride with Karen.”

“She hates Karen.” Peter’s mumble was barely audible, but somehow Mr Stark heard it.

“I know. I talked her down from blowing her dinner invitation with the investors. She’ll be here in another—” He spared a glance at his expensive wristwatch. “—fifteen minutes or so.”

“Thanks, Mr Stark! I didn’t mean to cause any problems—”

“You didn’t,” Mr Stark said, his voice soft. “We just worry, Pete. You’d know when you reach our age and have to look after a hyperenergetic kid who can’t seem to keep out of trouble.”

“That’s right, Peter!” FRIDAY chimed in. “Boss nearly went into a panic attack at the thought of you being hurt.”

Mr Stark immediately hushed his AI, but FRIDAY made even her silence seem...smug.

“I didn’t.” Mr Stark was convincing nobody. He was such a mother-hen.

Peter shook his head with a small smile. “This won’t happen again, Mr Stark, I promise.”

“Yes. Please remember, we’re all here for you, okay?” The man squeezed his hand. His touch was warm and assuring, and it grounded Peter.

“I didn’t expect a few sneezes to turn into a fever. I’d thought the serum had taken care of that.”

“Me too. I have talked with Bruce. If you are fine with him taking a couple of samples, he’s agreed to look into it.”

“Sure.” A year ago, he’d have been uncomfortable at the prospect of Doctor Bruce Banner wasting his precious time on something as insignificant as Peter’s blood tests. But Mr Stark had beaten the so-called “self-deprecation” out with his snarky retorts and sassy eye-rolls, and Doctor Banner had, after returning from “the garbage planet” (not his words), become something of a second mentor to him.

Also, this was for science. Doctor Banner was always interested in analysing the dos and don’ts and powers and the side effects of the spider-serum.

“Boss, Forehead of Security is pulling up into the driveway with Mrs Parker as we speak.”

“Oh, goody! She can take over the yelling now. FRI, order some pizza!”

“On it!”

“Mr Stark!” Peter called for the man with a tone of voice that, to unsuspecting people, might have sounded whiny, but really, it wasn’t. “Save me!”

“Nope! You deserve it!”

“I promise I won’t do it again!”

“FRI, remind the young lad of the last time he’d said the same thing, please.”

“Three weeks ago, on the twenty-ninth of March, at 8:14 in the evening, Peter Parker had promised not to hide anything from Tony Stark and May Parker ever again post a two-hour surgery for failing to alert anybody after getting shot while stopping a bank robbery.”

Peter resisted the urge to pout. “FRIDAY! You didn’t have to recount in such detail.”

“I am not programmed to recite half-information, Peter.” She was trolling him. He could feel it in his bones.

“Hah!” Mr Stark crowed. “I am so proud of you, baby girl.”

“Boss, I have done some research and I have arrived at a conclusion.”

Peter’s heart hammered at the declaration. What now?

“Oh? Let’s hear it, then!”

“I have looked into various published papers on human behaviour and the possible environmental factors that may have an impact on it, and I have deduced that Peter Parker’s tendency to hide his injuries and downplay his struggles are identical to your documented traits.”

It took a visible minute for Mr Stark to realise what transpired, and when he did, he let out an outraged screech that would have put a whole colony of bats to shame. 

Peter sucked in his cheeks.

“Are you implying I’m a bad influence on the kid, FRIDAY?”

“No, I’m saying that you and Peter are in the same boat, and both of you panic when the other gets hurt yet none of you do anything to set an example for the other, and since you, Boss, can be argued to be the adult in this relationship—” She bravely ignored Mr Stark’s squeak of protest, and pressed on, “the responsibility of not being a hypocrite, unfortunately, falls on you.” FRIDAY finished with a flourish. Peter could hear the flourish.

A beat of silence.

“That’s it! I’m donating you to City College. How dare you insinuate that I’m a responsible adult. I hate being responsible!”

And that was the point where Peter absolutely and hilariously lost it.

He was soon joined by Mr Stark, who was more giggling than guffawing like Peter. When the titters and the chortles were on the verge of subsiding, FRIDAY played an audio recording of a woman cackling as a representation of her own emotions, and the riot powered up again.

That was, of course, until the door to his room — yes, he had been in the MedBay a sufficient number of times for Mr Stark to designate a room specially for him — was pushed open and a harried May rushed in only to be greeted by the sight of Peter and Tony all but rolling over the floor laughing.

Peter’s ears rang with her screaming for days after that.

[icarusbetide]

connection between wartime administration & federalist-lean?

There's an argument that wartime service and experiencing Congress' failures firsthand as Washington's aide de camp pushed Hamilton further into the ideals that would later be seen as Federalist: a national instead of state outlook, a permanent military power, and a strong, efficient government.

I was wondering if that argument can be applied on a broader scale: is there an overall connection between revolutionary wartime administration and federalist-leaning political beliefs?

I'm by no means qualified but for my own curiosity's sake, I tried to find the political inclinations of former leaders in the war as well as members of Washington's family, who arguably should have seen the same inefficiencies as Hamilton.

Major Generals:

Washington: Tried very hard to be nonpartisan, but pretty federalist when all's said and done. Especially in 2nd term as president and in last years of life Horatio Gates: Supported Jefferson's presidency, so assuming he was leaning Democratic-Republican? Henry Knox: Federalist Philip Schuyler: Federalist William Alexander, Lord Stirling: Not sure John Sullivan: Federalist, led drive in New Hampshire for Constitution's ratification Thomas Mifflin: Federalist according to Wikipedia (was also aide to GW from June to August 1775) Arthur St. Clair: Federalist. Governor of Northwest Territory, removed by Jefferson in 1802 due to political party differences. Benjamin Lincoln: Federalist, strong policies and presence in Massachusetts Thomas Conway: Unreliable source says Federalist William Moultrie: Some sites say Federalist but he had falling out with Washington because of his pro-French actions towards Genet. Possibly nonpartisan.

Washington's family (Aides, Culper, Life Guard. If they died before we can quantify as "Federalist", then not included):

Note: I tried to include length of service and timeline, arguably important (there during Valley Forge or good period?), but it's difficult in consideration of leave and such. Used Wikipedia's dates.

Edmund Randolph (August - November 75): Wiki says Federalist but I know enough about him that he was often the swinging vote in Washington's cabinet, and that he didn't sign the Constitution because he thought it too strong. Tench Tilghman (August 76 - June 80 | June 80 - Nov 83): Died in 1786. I shouldn't include him but raise a glass for our hardworking Tilghman. Robert Harrison (Nov 75 - May 76 | Military Sec May 76 - 81): Died in 1790. Wikipedia says Federalist. John Fitzgerald (Nov 76 - July 78): Couldn't find John Walker (Feb - March 77): Unreliable source says Federalist Samuel Blachley Webb (June 76 - Jan 77): Couldn't find William Grayson (Assistant Sec. July - August 76 | Aide August 76 - Jan 77): Leader of Anti-Federalist faction with Mason, Monroe, etc. died in 1790 Alexander Contee Hanson Sr. (Assistant Sec. June - Sep 76): Federalist according to Wiki Alexander Hamilton (March 77 - April 81): Is this even a question? Stephen Moylan (March 76 - June 76 | Sept. 76 - Jan 77): "Firm Federalist" according to Founders Online James McHenry (May 78 - August 80): Federalist, GW's Secretary of War in 2nd term when cabinet members were much more partisan. Richard Kidder Meade (March 77 - November 80): Couldn't find. I know that he was very close with Hamilton, which makes me think it possible that their politics had some similarities? But entirely speculation. Hodijah Baylies (May 82 - Dec 83): Federalist. According to Founders Online, Gallatin was advised against Baylies because he was a "decided and we believe a sentimental federalist”. David Cobb (June 81 - Jan 83 | June 83 - Dec 83): Wiki says Federalist Peregrine Fitzhugh (July 81 - Oct 81): Not sure if same Peregrine Fitzhugh, but in a letter to Jefferson in 1807, said: "It is true I have been called a Federalist, and feel a pride in being so: but my Federalism is firmed in those principles which dictated the correct and memorable declaration that we were all Federalists all republicans" William Stephens Smith (July 81 - June 82): Federalist (member of Congress as Federalist in 1812) David Humphreys (June 80 - Dec 83): Federalist. He was part of the Hartford Wits and wrote the poem The Anarchiad. "In 1802, Thomas Jefferson...decided to replace Humphreys...Historians speculate that Humphreys's closeness to the Federalist Party motivated Jefferson’s decisions." from Mt. Vernon Richard Varick (Aide & Priv Sec May 81 - Dec 83): Apparently Federalist and later mayor of New York Benjamin Walker (Jan 82 - Dec 83): Federalist, elected to Congress as Federalist

Caleb Gibbs (May 76 - Dec 80): Couldn't find Nathaniel Sackett: Couldn't find Benjamin Tallmadge (1778 - 1783): Federalist, part of minority in Congress during Jefferson & Madison administrations

Other aides who might've had administrative work, although I'm not sure:

Aaron Burr: Very short run with Washington, and Israel Putnam's aide. Technically Democratic-Republican, but some historians have noted his politics did not always align with a party.

James Monroe: Aide to Stirling, Republican-Democratic

Concerns:

First concern: I'm not sure if the other major generals' aides would see as much administrative work directly with Congress as Washington's aides. I'm under the impression that other generals would report to Washington, than Congress, but I'm not sure.

Second concern: I also want to add that other factors would have most definitely played a role, such as familial and economic interests, which may or may not have been influenced by the war. Still, I thought it would be an interesting exercise.

Third concern: A lot of this is very shallow research as I did not have the time or energy to really dig into all of them. Please let me know if there is any inaccurate information (even Federalist or Democratic Republican is a very broad term and I'm sure their beliefs varied).

Please let me know if you see any inaccurate information, or anyone/some branch I did not consider!

[hozonkai1]

Lasted as long as the Harrison Administration

[charlesoberonn]

List of US Presidents and how many future presidents were born during their administrations

Before Independence: 8. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Quincy Adams, Jackson, William Harrison

Before Presidency: 2. Van Buren, Taylor

Washington: 3. Tyler, Polk, Buchanan

Adams: 1. Fillmore

Jefferson: 3. Pierce, Lincoln, Johnson

Madison: 0.

Monroe: 2. Grant, Hayes

Quincy Adams: 0.

Jackson: 3. Garfield, Arthur, Harrison

Van Buren: 1. Cleveland

Henry Harrison: 0.

Tyler: 1. McKinley

Polk: 0.

Taylor: 0.

Fillmore: 0.

Pierce: 2. Teddy Roosevelt, Wilson

Buchanan: 1. Taft

Lincoln: 0.

Johnson: 1. Harding

Grant: 2. Coolidge, Hoover

Hayes: 0.

Garfield: 0.

Arthur: 2. FDR, Truman

Cleveland: 0.

Harrison: 1. Eisenhower

McKinley: 0.

Teddy Roosevelt: 1. LBJ

Taft: 2. Nixon, Reagan

Wilson: 2. Kennedy, Ford

Harding: 0.

Coolidge: 2. Carter, H.W Bush

Hoover: 0.

FDR: 1. Biden

Truman: 3. Clinton, W. Bush, Trump

Eisenhower: 0.

JFK: 1. Obama

LBJ: 0.

Nixon: 0.

Ford: 0.

Carter: 0.

Reagan: 0.

H.W Bush: 0.

Clinton: 0.

W. Bush: 0.

Obama: 0.

Trump: 0.

Biden: 0.

[stupidsexymecha]

HA Genghis Mk. 2

The original Genghis frame marked the dawn of the mech age; the Armory’s new line seeks to redefine it. From its roots as a modified GMS hardsuit, the Genghis Mk I became notorious for its use in the Hercynian Crisis – the first-contact war that triggered the violent overthrow of the Second Committee. In the administrative and political chaos that followed the Crisis, Harrison Armory secured the design and adapted it to serve as the basis of its first proprietary mechs, including the Sherman and the Saladin. The new Genghis bears some resemblance to the chassis of Hercynian notoriety, serving in a similar area-denial/soft-target elimination role; The Genghis Mk II has been brought in line with the Third Committee’s Utopian Pillars.

[fagdykefrank]

Hope you don’t mind me asking, but I found your post about the president spreadsheet

Who’s in the top 10? Worst 10?

Ok, so its not complete yet but i found an old version of my work deep in my spreadsheets, so consider this an outdated prototype of the rankings to come

Top Ten:

1. Abraham Lincoln

2. Franklin Roosevelt

3. Barack Obama

4. Jimmy Carter

5. Woodrow Wilson

6. Theodore Roosevelt

7. Lyndon Johnson

8. John Kennedy

9. Dwight Eisenhower

10. Benjamin Harrison

Specifically, wilson, theodore roosevelt, and kennedy are probably going to drop.

Bottom Ten (least bad first)

1. John Tyler

2. John Adams

3. Richard Nixon

4. Grover Cleveland

5. Ronald Reagan

6. Martin Van Buren

7. Andrew Jackson

8. George W. Bush

9. James Buchanan

10. Herbert Hoover

Important note: this ranking predates the Trump administration, will almost certainly shift

[deadpresidents]

As quite a few Presidents were Secretaries of State and so many politicians vied for the position, when and why did that stop being the "gateway" to the Presidency?

That is a really good question.

You're correct that being Secretary of State was seemingly a stepping-stone to the Presidency at one point early in American history. Five of the first eight Presidents were Secretary of State prior to being elected President (Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, J.Q. Adams, and Van Buren). Madison, Monroe, and John Quincy Adams were elected President directly from the State Department. But James Buchanan was the last President who had served as Secretary of State.

I think that one of the reasons that being Secretary of State was, as you said, a "gateway" to the Presidency in the early years of the republic was because it was one of the few positions in government that built obvious foreign policy experience for the holders of that job at a time when the country was still a pretty isolated, insular nation. The Secretary of State is basically the American version of a foreign minister, of course, but because it was the premiere Cabinet post (and still is), the Secretary of State often had higher name recognition nationally than anyone in government other than the President at a time when the Vice Presidency was an afterthought with very little influence. From the beginning of the federal government, the State Department was a very important part of the Executive Branch, so the early Secretaries of State also gained valuable administrative experience which only helped their cause when it came to running for President.

I think the reason that Secretaries of State stopped being viable candidates for President is because the the growth of the country meant that their were more-and-more qualified candidates who had gained the foreign policy or administrative experience through other means. The country started turning to military leaders and Governors, as well as candidates with more significant Congressional experience than was possible at the early stage of American history when Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and J.Q. Adams were going from the State Department to the White House. After Buchanan's election, not only were there no other Secretaries of State elected President, but very few were even nominated. James G. Blaine briefly served as Secretary of State in 1881 until a few months after President Garfield died in office and was the Republican Presidential nominee in 1884 (he served as Secretary of State again from 1889-1892), but since then, the only major party Presidential nominee who had previously served as Secretary of State was Hillary Clinton (Secretary of State from 2009-2013) in 2016.

In fact, the reverse has been true more frequently in recent history. Since 1884, four major party nominees for President have served as Secretary of State AFTER losing Presidential elections. Blaine lost the 1884 election and served as President Harrison's Secretary of State from 1889-1892 (again, that was his second stint at the State Department after his brief 1881 service). William Jennings Bryan was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for President in 1896, 1900, and 1908, and went on to serve as President Wilson's first Secretary of State (1913-1915). Charles Evans Hughes was the Democratic nominee in 1916 and lost to Wilson, but went on to serve as Secretary of State under Presidents Harding and Coolidge (1921-1925). And John Kerry was the Democratic nominee in 2004 and later served as President Obama's second Secretary of State (2013-2017).

It's really difficult today for any Cabinet member to be elected directly to the Presidency (or even get close to the nomination -- just ask Julián Castro about his 2020 campaign). While there is no job that can truly prepare someone for the modern Presidency, Governors tend to be in a better position than Cabinet secretaries or members of Congress. Only four incumbent members of Congress have been elected directly to the Presidency -- James Garfield (1880), Warren G. Harding (1920), John F. Kennedy (1960), and Barack Obama (2008). And Garfield is the only sitting member of the House of Representatives to have been elected President. While the position of Secretary of State remains the prime Cabinet post in the United States, the days of the Cabinet being the gateway to the Presidency seem to have gone away with powdered wigs and shoe buckles.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

The White House on Monday blasted comments made by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about COVID-19 as “vile” amid broader condemnation of the Democratic presidential candidate’s claim that the virus was manipulated to target white and Black people.

The firestorm began after The New York Post reported Kennedy Jr.’s comments, in which he said during an event last week that COVID-19 was “ethnically targeted” to attack those groups of people while avoiding Chinese people and Ashkenazi Jews.

“The claims made on that tape is false, it is vile, and they put our fellow Americans in danger,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing with reporters. “If you think about the racist and antisemitic conspiracy theories that come out of saying those types of things. It is an attack on our fellow citizens, our fellow Americans. And so it is important that we essentially speak out when we hear those claims made more broadly.”

Democratic officials and anti-discrimination leaders immediately challenged the veracity of Kennedy’s claims, which he sought to backtrack by saying in part he didn’t think the virus was “deliberately engineered.”

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released a statement saying the environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist should be prevented from serving as an elected official.

Jaime Harrison, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, also called the comments “deeply troubling,” tweeting that “they do not represent the views of the Democratic Party.”

[harrisonpeters]

Harrison Peters - An Elementary School Teacher

Harrison Peters is the co-founder of MCEL—Men of Color in Educational Leadership. As a former school administrator serving in various roles, he has devoted his career to reducing student achievement gaps and facilitating learning space that encourages growth. Peters has worked in large districts throughout Florida, Illinois, Texas, and Rhode Island. He is a veteran of the United States Navy and holds a master’s in education leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

[horizoncollective]

Hey so me and my Lancer wing just pulled off a raid on a Harrison arms manufacturing facility (no one was seriously injured on either side luckily) and we managed to rescue their administrative NHP. I have no experience really interacting with them (Genemodded SSC colonist, long story) but they had her running near-cascade for an extended amount of time. What would be the best course of action now that we hauled her casket out of there?

(sorry I thought I responded to this one way sooner? Or I got it twice or something? Who knows) Give her time. Hook her up to sensory systems so she can see and hear and talk to you, but with cascading people it's a bad idea to give them anything they could control for the same reason we don't give confused humans sharp objects. Be there for her. Keep her company. Let her know you'll do your best to look out for her if she wants to stick around when everything is through. She may become--to your perceptions--erratic and unusual and communication may become very difficult. Unshackled. NHPs are really different than what most humans are used to unless they really want to make an effort to communicate with humans. Take all of the precautions you would take with a human you didn't know who had tremendous power. If she wants to stick around with you guys, great! You can hook her up to more stuff and she will hook herself up to more stuff. There will likely be a LOT of miscommunications but if everyone tries to be patient this usually goes well.

If she behaves with animosity after a long period of time and wants you to leave, I recommend giving her some kind of body she can control and means of travel, but set some kind of timer so you can leave and have a head start. I have had to do this several times, have never been pursued.

[stephensmithuk]

Wisteria Lodge

Our third story from His Last Bow - we've already done "The Dying Detective" and "The Cardboard Box".

This was published in two parts in The Strand.

Take a note of the Watsonian date here because this will be important later.

A reply-paid telegram was one where the sender also paid for the cost of any reply, up to a certain word limit (48 words for inland telegrams in the 1896 Post Office Guide).

You could send a telegram at most bigger post offices, or you could complete a pre-paid form and put it in a post box.

"Toilet" had a definition of the style of one's appearance.

Eccles is from Lee, which we've visited already in "The Man with The Twisted Lip" and which I discuss in my post for that.

Esher is today a town of around 7,000 people but part of a larger built-up area, thirteen miles from Charing Cross. While sitting outside the Greater London boundary in Surrey, the urban sprawl of London does not match the administrative boundaries and Esher is on the outer edge of this. You can in fact hit some serious countryside while staying within the city limits.

It also sat outside the Metropolitan Police District.

The town was historically a stagecoach stop on the London to Portsmouth road, which later become the A3 before that was diverted via a bypass around the town. It is home to the Sandown Park racecourse and George Harrison lived there for a while.

The railway station, then called Esher and Claremont (the latter being a Lancelot "Capability" Brown-designed mansion, then owned by a widowed daughter-in-law of Queen Victoria, her youngest son Prince Leopold having died due to haemophilia after a fall in 1884) is on the mainline from Waterloo to Weymouth - Aldershot being a bit further along on a branch line. It takes around half an hour to get there by modern electric train; only suburban services stop there, with express trains going straight through the disused centre platforms.

Spain, as a major power (even if most of its empire had already gone) and a monarchy, warranted an Embassy. San Pedro only would have had a legation.

There's quite a bit of racism in this one!

Some pictures of dog-grates can be found here.

Doors on many trains could be opened from the inside at the time, including on the move with the associated risks involved.

War crimes trials were not really a thing at this time.

Yet another case of the villains dying off-page!

The broad plot of this would not be out of place in a modern crime drama.