#Picked 1868 because:

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

By Peter Rosenstein

I will surely be challenged for these views, not the least being called ageist. But as someone older myself, I am comfortable with that. It is not that I think older people are not fully capable of functioning at a very high level; they are. I just believe we must let the next generations, who will be living much longer with the results of what government does, have more of a role in determining what that is.

Based on what we have seen of this Supreme Court, its willingness to overturn decades of precedent, the time has come to expand the court for a rational balance. In addition, we should set 24-year term limits for justices, or retirement at 80, whichever comes first. Changing the number of people on the court is not a new idea. The number of persons on the Supreme Court has been changed six times since our country was founded. The U.S. Constitution is silent about how many justices should sit on the Supreme Court.

“After the Civil War and Lincoln’s assassination, Congress clashed with Lincoln’s successor, Andrew Johnson, who was rapidly undoing the ‘Radical Republicans’ plan for Reconstruction. To limit Johnson’s power, Congress passed legislation in 1866 that cut the number of Supreme Court justices back to seven, all but assuring that Johnson wouldn’t have the opportunity to fill a vacant seat. The last time Congress changed the number of Supreme Court justices was in 1869, again to meet a political end. Ulysses S. Grant was elected president in 1868 with the backing of congressional Republicans who hated Johnson. As a gift to Grant, Congress increased the number of justices from seven back to nine, and Grant gamely used those picks.”

On today’s Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas has now served 32 years, and Roberts and Alito, 19 years each. Then there was Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was 87, and had served 27 years, when she died, clinging to her seat when it was known how ill she was.

It is only recently I have come to this conclusion regarding the Supreme Court, and on term and age limits for the Congress. We are seeing too many older men, and women, cling to power. They may still have the mental acuity to perform their jobs, but entire generations aren’t serving because they refuse to leave. There is incredible power in incumbency, and we are seeing it abused.

We are asking young people to vote for candidates old enough to be their grandparents, or great-grandparents. Some say they should revolt and change that. But the fact is, so much money is now in the game, the unlimited amount people can spend on their own campaigns, and collect from others, makes that nearly impossible. It’s rare to be able to fight incumbency and wealth.

Yes, it can happen, as in the case of Maryland Congressman David Trone (D-Md.), who is 68, and tried to buy a United States Senate seat in Maryland with $60 million of his own money. He lost his primary to Angela Alsobrooks, who is 53, whose campaign had less than a tenth of that. But she was a known entity, and elected official, in her own right.

Today, in the 100-member United States Senate, there is one senator over 90, four over 80, and another 10 over 70. I propose we set a limit of four terms, or 24 years, and mandatory retirement at 80. In the House of Representatives, which now has 11 members over 80, and 62 over 70, I would recommend a 12-term limit, or 24 years, and mandatory retirement at 80.

I have had conversations with many young people, and listened to their frustrations with their ability to move forward in politics. Many see the world differently than I do, and my belief is they are entitled to be making the decisions that will impact their lives, and not have the older generations continue to do so. I think being in office for 24 years is enough time to make a difference, and to accomplish what you wanted to do when you ran for office. And if you couldn’t do it, it is time to allow the next generations to try.

The desire to cling to power is natural. For many, the fear of retirement, and not knowing what they will do with their lives, is scary. I think one must plan for that, even politicians. They need to accept they can make a difference, even if not in office, if they really want to.

[whencyclopedia]

Little Crow (Eastman's Biography)

Little Crow (Taoyateduta, also known as Little Crow III, l. c. 1810-1863) was a Dakota Sioux chief best known as the leader of the Mdewakanton Dakota (Santee) Sioux during the Dakota War of 1862. After years of trying to maintain peaceful relations with the Euro-Americans, despite every broken treaty, Little Crow was left with no choice but to declare war.

The Dakota War (18 August to 26 September 1862) was a direct result of the failure of the US government to keep the promises made in the Treaty of Mendota in 1851, which promised the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute Sioux over $1 million for their lands; money the Sioux never saw. In 1858, Little Crow led a delegation to Washington, D.C., to address the problem, but this only resulted in the forced surrender of even more land. By 1862, because of his participation in these negotiations, Little Crow had fallen out of favor with his people.

Dakota War & Death

By this time, the US government had made more promises they had no intention of keeping regarding housing, stipends, educational and agricultural programs, and medical care in return for even more land. Many of the Dakota were starving to death and restricted to a land allotment of 20 miles (32 km) of poor soil. On 17 August 1862, four Dakota killed five settlers during an argument and appealed to their chiefs for protection. The chiefs then sought the support of Little Crow in declaring war. Even though he did not wish to fight, feeling it was futile, he agreed to die with them and launched the Dakota War the next morning.

He survived the conflict only to be killed on 3 July 1863 by the farmer Nathan Lamson and his son Chauncey, who did not even know who he was. Little Crow was picking raspberries with his son, Wowinape, when they were seen and fired upon. Wowinape fled after his father was killed, and Lamson reported the shooting to others, who mutilated Little Crow's body, dragging it through the main street of Hutchinson, Minnesota, and throwing it into the offal pit of the slaughterhouse.

When Wowinape was captured on 28 July and told the authorities of Little Crow's death, only then did the people of Hutchinson realize whose body was in the pit. Lamson was then awarded $500.00 for his service in killing the Dakota leader, and Chauncey received $75.00 for Little Crow's scalp. The scalp was given to the Minnesota Historical Society in 1868, Little Crow's skull in 1896, and his assembled remains were put on display until 1971 when Wowinape's son, Jesse Wakeman, negotiated their return to the family, and these were then buried according to proper Dakota funerary rites.

Continue reading...

[deadpresidents]

Which President, in your opinion, was the most reluctant to seek the position? Which wound up hating it the most by the end of his term?

I am a strong believer that nobody truly becomes President of the United States "reluctantly". That's not exactly the kind of job that seeks you, especially the modern Presidency.

For a significant slice of American history, many of the people nominated for President acted as if they were being called upon to run when, behind-the-scenes, they were very active in building their campaigns and corralling supporters. Until the 20th Century it was frowned upon to openly run for the Presidency, but almost all of the Presidents wanted the gig.

I'd say that George Washington was probably more reluctant than most of his successors and likely would have preferred retiring to Mount Vernon after the Revolution, but I think he also recognized that he was the guy who needed to be the President that set the precedents. I think Ulysses S. Grant would have been perfectly happy to not be President, but once he was elected in 1868 he also wanted to keep the job. He even tried to run for a third term in 1880.

That 1880 election might have been the one case where the winner -- James Garfield -- genuinely wasn't interested in the Presidency at that point. He had gone to the Republican National Convention to support fellow Ohioan John Sherman (and defeat Grant's hopes for a third term) and gained some major attention after giving a well-received speech placing Sherman's name in nomination. When the candidacies of Sherman and James G. Blaine -- another anti-Grant candidate -- stalled, Garfield became a compromise choice and was eventually nominated on the 36th ballot. Garfield was apparently legitimately shocked by the events leading to him leaving Chicago as the GOP nominee.

By most accounts, William Howard Taft was far more interested in a potential seat on the Supreme Court than becoming President. At heart he was a judge and believed himself to be better suited for the judiciary than the Executive Branch. But Taft turned down three offers by Theodore Roosevelt to be appointed to the Supreme Court (in 1902, 1903, and 1906) because he felt obligated to complete his work as Governor-General of the Philippines and then Secretary of War. But Taft's wife desperately wanted him to become President and by the time of President Roosevelt's third offer of a seat on the Court, Taft was already being talked about as Roosevelt's hand-picked successor in the White House. And, as with all other Presidents, once he had a taste for the job, he didn't want to give it up, running for re-election in 1912 against his former friend, Roosevelt.

Gerald Ford is the only other President who hadn't spent a significant portion of his political career with his eyes on the White House. Ford spent nearly a quarter-century in the House of Representatives and his main ambition was to be Speaker of the House, but Republicans weren't able to win control of the House when Ford was in Congressional leadership positions. But even with Ford being a creature of Congress, he did attempt to put himself forward as a nominee for the Vice Presidency, first in 1960 and then in 1968, and Nixon kicked the tires on picking him as his running mate in 1960. No one wants to be Vice President without seeing it as a potential stepping stone to the Presidency, particularly at that point in history before Vice Presidents were empowered with some real influence within the Administrations they served in.

As for who wound up hating it by the end of their time in office, I think it's safe to say that John Quincy Adams didn't shed too many tears when he was defeated for re-election in 1828. And I'm sure he wouldn't use the word "hate", but nobody can convince me that George W. Bush wasn't thoroughly ready to escape Washington by late-2007. There were times in 2008 when he seemed like he just wanted to hold a snap election like they have in parliamentary systems and go home to Texas. If some Presidential insider published a book that said that Bush asked if he could just give the keys to the White House to Barack Obama in July 2008, I wouldn't be the least bit shocked.

On the other hand, if there were no term limits, Bill Clinton would have been running for President in every election since 1992 (and the crazy thing is that he's still younger than both of the presumptive 2024 nominees). I'm kind of surprised that he didn't make an effort to repeal the 22nd Amendment in the past 20 years. Clinton loved being President and was trying to find something Presidential to do until minutes before his successor was inaugurated in 2001.

[tokidokitokyo]

神奈川県

Japanese Prefectures: Kantō - Kanagawa

都道府県 (とどうふけん) - Prefectures of Japan

Learning the kanji and a little bit about each of Japan’s 47 prefectures!

Kanji・漢字

神　かみ、かん～、こう～、シン、ジン、かな　gods, mind, soul

奈　いかん、からなし、ナ、ナイ、ダイ　Nara

川　かわ、セン　stream; river

県　ケン　prefecture

関東　かんとう　Kanto, region consisting of Tokyo and surrounding prefectures

Prefectural Capital (県庁所在地) : Yokohama (横浜市)

Kanagawa Prefecture is located just south of Tokyo. It is home to many day trip destinations from Tokyo, including the cities of Kamakura and Hakone. The prefectural capital of Yokohama on the Pacific coast is Japan's second largest city and its major port, including many multicultural influences such as a China Town and the Minato Mirai building. The port areas are also major centres of bonito and tuna fishing. Inland, Kanagawa has a flourishing agricultural area producing flowers and dairy products for the Tokyo market.

Recommended Tourist Spot・おすすめ観光スポット The Great Buddha of Kamakura - 鎌倉大仏

The Great Buddha of Kamakura (source)

At the Buddhist temple Kotoku-in (高徳院) in Kamakura stands the 11-metre tall 13th-century bronze statue of Amida Buddha. Initially housed in a wooden hall, it was restored in the Edo period (1603-1868) after being damaged over the years by typhoons and earthquakes and now towers over the grounds of the temple. The Great Buddha of Kamakura is the second largest seated Buddha in Japan.

After you visit the Great Buddha, you can also find other Zen Buddhist temples, which are among the oldest and most beautiful in the country, and most in walking distance from each other. Enoshima and the Kamakura beaches are also nearby.

Regional Cuisine - 郷土料理 Kuro-tamago (Black eggs) - 黒卵 (くろたまご)

Kuro-tamago or Black eggs (source)

It may seem strange, but this popular souvenir from the Owakudani (大涌谷 or Great Boiling Valley) in the resort town of Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture gets its distinctive black color from being boiled in natural hot spring water for 60 minutes at a temperature of 80°C, then steamed at 100°C for 15 minutes in steel baskets over natural hot spring water. The natural hot spring water contains sulfur and iron, thus turning the egg shells black. The Kuro-tamago, or Black Eggs, have a slight sulfur smell (although the whole valley has this smell so you might not notice). They are safe to eat and are said to add 7 years to your lifespan! (You shouldn't eat more than two at one time though, as the lifespan elongating effects will then be nullified, or you might just feel slightly sick).

Owakudani is an active volcanic valley that is known to locals as Jigokudani (地獄谷 or Valley of Hell) due to the sulfurous volcanic gasses and steam from the natural hot spring waters. There are many resorts nearby in Hakone which tap into these natural hot springs. The valley was formed due to the last eruption of Mt Hakone about 3,000 years ago. On clear days, you have a great view of Mt Fuji. There is also a ropeway that will take you over the active volcanic area, but sometimes it can be closed when the volcanic activity picks up and the volcanic gasses increase, so check before you visit.

Kanagawa Dialect・Kanagawa-ben・神奈川弁

Kanagawa-ben is a basket term used to describe the dialects spoken in the prefecture, but there is no single unified dialect.

1. うんめろ　unmero very, a lot

うんめろ美味しい (unmero oishii)

Standard Japanese: たくさん、とても　(takusan, totemo)

とても美味しい (totemo oishii)

English: very, a lot

very delicious

2. あんきだ　anki da　I'm relieved, it's a relief

おめーらガ、みんなこどまーでけーからあんきだなー (omeera ga, minna kodomaa dekei kara anki da naa)

Standard Japanese: 安心だ　(anshin da)

お前の家は、みんな子どもが成長しているから安心だな (omae no ie wa, minna kodomo ga seichou shite iru kara anshin da na)

English: I'm relieved

It's a relief because all the children in your home are growing up well

3. あっちかし・こっちかし　(acchikashi, kocchikashi)

椅子を並べるのはこっちかし?　あっちかし？ (isu o naraberu no wa kocchikashi? acchikashi?)

Standard Japanese: あちら側・こちら側　(achiragawa, kochiragawa)

椅子を並べるのはこちら側?　あちら側？ (isu o naraberu no wa kochiragawa? achiragawa?)

English: that side, this side

Should I arrange the chairs this way? That way?

4. うっちゃる　(uccharu)

ゴミをうっちゃる (gomi o uccharu)

Standard Japanese: 捨てる　(suteru)

ゴミを捨てる (gomi o suteru)

English: to throw away

Throw away your trash

5. かったるい　(kattarui)

遠くて歩くのかったるいな (tookute aruku no kattarui na)

Standard Japanese: 面倒くさい、だるい　(mendoukusai, darui)

遠くて歩くのだるいな (tookute aruku no darui na)

English: bothersome, tiresome

It's so far that it would be a pain to walk there

More Kanagawa dialect here (Japanese site).

[ausetkmt]

The Louisiana Massacre of 1868 Full Video

Reconstruction or Redistruction. It is the year 1868, and the first Presidential election since Lincoln was underway. The former Confederate Rebels had a chip on their shoulders, as their former property picked up arms and fought to secure their Emancipation. 

During reconstruction, The former Rebels created the KKK terrorist organization. Because the former Rebels had made no allegiance to never raise up arms to former slaves. A series of massacres began taking place all over America. 

The largest one took place in Opelousas, Louisiana in September 1868. It is estimated that over 300 people were killed. All of them Unionists, and most of them former slaves.

[verdemoun]

I don't know if you've answered this before but how old do you think everyone was when they died? obviously there's canon ages for some of them (Arthur, John, Lenny, etcetera) but for others we just Don't Know their ages and I'd really like to know how old you think certain characters were

in age of birth order! i'll put a slash beside canon birth years so they can be told apart from headcanons. please note i have issues with strauss's age i think he would be closer to dutch's age than canon suggests

Hosea: b. 1844/ d. 1899 (age 55) Strauss: b. 1846/ d. 1906 (age 60) Bessie: b. 1849 d. 1888 (age 37) Uncle: b. 1849/ d. 1911 (age 62) Dutch: b. 1855/ d. 1911 (aged 56) Grimshaw: b. 1856 d. 1899 (age 43) Trelawney: b. approx. 1858 d. -- (always appears rdr2 age, 41)* Micah: b. 1860/ d. 1907 (age 47) Arthur: b. 1863/ d. 1899 (age 36) Bill: b. 1866 d. 1911 (age 45) Charles: b. 1867 d. 1908 (age 41) Mac Callander: b. 1867 d. 1899 (age 32) Annabelle: b. 1868 d. 1891 (age 25)** Eliza: b. 1870 d. 1896 (age 26) Jake Adler: b.1871 d. 1899 (age 29) Molly: b. 1871 d. 1899 (age 28) Kieran: b. 1872 d. 1899 (age 27)*** John: b. 1873/ d. 1911 (age 38) Javier: b. 1873 d. 1911 (age 38) Davey Callander: b. 1873 d. 1899 (age 26) Sadie: b. 1874 d. 1907 (age 33) Karen: b. 1877 d. 1902 (age 25) Abigail: b. 1877 d. 1914 (age 37) Sean: b. 1879 d. 1899 (age 20) Lenny: b. 1880/ d. 1899 (age 19) Jenny: b.1881 d. 1899 (age 18) Isaac: b. 1890 d. 1896 (age 5) Jack: b. 1895 d. 1914 (age 19) Abigail Jr: b. 1907 d. 1910 (age 3)

*i very specifically headcanon as Trelawney is older than Arthur because I wholeheartedly believe Arthur was not the first plucky young orphan hosea and dutch picked off the street. they had originally picked up Trelawney around 1875 shortly after meeting and deciding to create the Van der Linde's a full gang, making Josiah their first apprentice. However, in 1877, Josiah met the woman who would become his wife and decided to step out. they picked up Arthur who, while having a much more difficult temperament, Dutch saw his younger age as an advantage in inspiring the loyalty Trelawney lacked. as a result, Trelawney sees Arthur and most of the gang as something akin a younger sibling, hence always calling him 'dear boy'. this is also why Trelawney's loyalty to the VDLs went so far as to create the timewarp so they would all have a chance at redemption.

** part of the reason dutch remembers Annabelle so fondly is that she died young, though he does not recognise it. Annabelle was in fact approaching the age where dutch gets bored of women and, if she had lived, he would have ended up with molly regardless. dutch is v problematic

*** this is exclusive to timewarp. i usually headcanon Kieran as closer to Arthur's age, born 1866 and dying at age 33

[singular-yike]

What's the deal with how Sanra talks?

Sanra's Style of Speech

Right, so what is Sanra's style of speech? There's a short answer and a long answer, but let's check out the short answer first:

Roujin-go (老人語), "Elderly Language"

First off, I suppose I should mention the concept of yakuwarigo (役割語), "role language". Which is basically the idea that certain language features are used in media to signal certain character traits, although they can diverge from how said language features are used in real life or historically.

With that in mind, it's actually pretty easy to point out what Sanra's speech style is, because it's pretty much exactly an established type of role language: Roujin-go (老人語), "elderly language". As the name implies, it associates a character with being old, or at least old-fashioned.

This style of language has many features that can be traced back to the western Japanese dialects, particularly similar to the modern Hiroshima dialect. This association arose during the Edo period (1603 to 1868), where the center of power in Japan moved from Kyoto, in west Japan, to Edo (Modern-day Tokyo) in east Japan. Many powerful people from the region around the old capital, called Kinai (畿内), followed this move and settled in Edo.

Initially, Edo didn't really have its own dialect and so adopted the Kinai dialects as the standard. But as commoners started settling in and developing their own culture, a unique Edo dialect came into being, and thus the style of the Kinai dialects became associated with the conservative elderly and the educated elite.

From there theatrical performances would make use of exaggerating features from these accents to indicate that the character being acted is an elderly person, cementing the "elderly role language".

What this means for Sanra's character

For Sanra, within the context of Len'en, I highly doubt this is meant to indicate that Sanra is actually old by any measure. After all they're likely younger than Mitori, and Mitori talks in standard Japanese when they're not hamming up the emperor persona.

Instead, I would suggest that they imply Sanra is old-fashioned, at least in certain aspects (we know that they're not one for uniform rules though), or that they spend a lot of time with older people, possibly other high-ranking members of the military, picking up their speech along the way. In other words, that it ties to their military background the most.

Long Answer: A Dissection of Features

And that's the short answer. Next up, the long answer. It's nothing that will reframe everything that came before this, but rather just a dissection of the specific language features employed in Sanra's speech. So if you're not interested, that's all for now!

Otherwise, here's each of the standout features used in Sanra's speech:

1. First-person Pronoun: Washi (ワシ)

Description

The first-person pronoun washi (儂・私) is believed to come from a contraction of the "standard" watashi (私) pronoun. It has its origins in the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573) and is still in use to this day, though it is steadily on the decline.

Demographic

Washi originates from western Japan, and is used by men of all ages, although ore (俺) has been slowly eclipsing its use amongst the younger generations in modern days. As for women, it is not unheard of for them to use it either, though it is in general not as common nowadays. It should be noted however that its modern decline amongst younger generations has nothing to do with its association to the elderly in fiction.

Perception

In the regions in which washi is actually used, it ranges from carrying a neutral level of respect to actually being one to use when showing respect to whomever you're talking to. However, outside of western Japan, it can be perceived as rather unpleasant and crude, similar to ore (俺), and carries that association with elderly men.

In Fiction

The pronoun washi largely shares the same story as the elderly role language, where features of western Japanese dialects were adopted as signaling an elderly, authoritative character, such as the elderly or warriors. Nowadays, this perception persists, and the association with old men in particular is the strongest.

Use by Sanra

In Sanra's dialogue, washi is written in hiragana characters rather than kanji, like so わし. As far as I can tell this variation carries no particular additional meaning though.

Example:

JP: ＜わし＞は『藤原 銀 讃良』 Romaji: <Washi> wa "Fujiwara no Shirogane no Sanra" EN: <I> am "Fujiwara no Shirogane no Sanra"

2. Dialectal Copula: ja (じゃ)

Description

I apologise for getting a bit technical here, but I can't think of another way to describe this. A copula is the part of a sentence that connects the subject to the object, like the verb "to be" in English.

The copula ja (じゃ) comes from dearu (である), which got shortened into dea (であ) and later into ja (じゃ). It serves the same purpose as desu (です) or da (だ), making a sentence declarative, i.e. providing information about something. For example:

JP with ja: これはワシの本じゃ (Kore wa washi no hon ja) Standard JP: これは私の本です (Kore wa watashi no hon desu) EN: This is my book.

Demographic

Ja is localised to the Chuugoku region of western Japan, specifically in the Okayama dialect (岡山弁) of Okayama prefecture. I couldn't find much more about what specific demographics use it (though anecdotally it seems like men use it more), nor whether its use is in decline or not.

Perception

To be completely honest I couldn't find much on its perception in actual use, though I would imagine that with its proliferation in media, the association with the elderly is found in reality as well.

In Fiction

The copula ja again shares the same story as the elderly role language, and came to be associated with the elderly. Nowadays, this perception persists.

Use by Sanra

In Sanra's dialogue, ja is used as one would expect, and nothing particularly stands out.

Example:

JP: 陛下の命はこの都で最も貴重なもの＜じゃ＞ Romaji: Heika no inochi wa kono miyako de mottomo kichou-na mono <ja> EN: Their Majesty's life <is> the most valuable thing in this entire city.

3. Sentence-ending Particle: nou (のう)

Description

The sentence-ending particle nou (のう) traces its roots back to the medieval particle nau (なう), roots that it shares with the more commonly seen ne (ね) and na (な), which is reflected in their similar usage.

Entire papers can and have been written on how such particles are used, so I can't possibly explain it adequately here. But in general, they are emphatic particles, little bits of language which convey emotion or add nuance to a sentence, be it surprise, frustration or what else have you, all with the same little particle.

Demographic

Nou is now mainly used in western Japan, again, particularly in the Kishuu dialect (紀州弁) of Wakayama Prefecture. I couldn't find much more about what specific demographics use it, nor whether its use is in decline or not.

Perception

I again couldn't find much on its perception in actual use, the pronouns have a lot more weight in perception judgements like these, leaving smaller particles on the wayside. I have been able to find that some regions consider nou and na to be pretty similar, performing the same function, though whether it's more or less refined than na fluctuates.

In Fiction

The copula nou again shares the same story as the elderly role language, and came to be associated with the elderly. Nowadays, this perception persists.

Use by Sanra

In Sanra's dialogue, nou is used as one would expect, written both as のう and as のぅ, the only difference being whether the う is small or not. Though this makes no real difference in its meaning.

Example

JP: 侵入者がたったの三人だけとは思わなかった＜のぅ＞ Romaji: Shinyuusha ga tatta no sannnin dake to wa omowa-nakatta <nou> EN: But I <sure> didn't expect there to only be three intruders.

4. Negation: nu/n (ぬ・ん)

Description

The most common form of negation in standard Japanese is with nai (ない), e.g. 書かない (kaka-nai) for "do not write". However, prior to this, nu (ぬ) was used instead much in the same manner and to the same effect, e.g. 書かぬ (kaka-nu), which can also be abbreviated simply into n (ん), e.g. 書かん (kaka-n).

Demographic

The nu/n negation is nowadays mainly used, once again, in western Japan, and the story repeats itself. It can be used by all people, but is seeing decline in modern days. Again, its modern decline is unrelated to its association with the elderly in fiction.

Perception

I again couldn't find much on its perception in actual use.

In Fiction

The nu/n negation also shares the same story as the elderly role language, and came to be associated with the elderly. Nowadays, this perception persists.

Use by Sanra

In Sanra's dialogue, both negation using nu and n are found, again used as one would expect, with nothing outstanding.

Example 1: nu

JP: 勝て＜ぬ＞か・・・ Romaji: Kate-<nu> ka... EN: I could<n't> win…?

Example 2: n

JP: 相手になら＜ん＞と聞いておったが Romaji: Aite ni nara-<n> to kii-te otta ga EN: I did hear that [those Goefu mannequins] were <no> match for th' intruders, but…

5. Dialectal Verb: oru (おる)

Description

Oru (おる) is the dialectal version of the standard verb iru (いる), which can be described as the verb "to be/have/exist (for living beings)". In dialects where oru is used, it replaces all cases of iru, even in cases like te-iru (ている) for the progressive tense, where it would instead be te-oru (ておる).

Demographic

You guessed it, oru as a dialectal variation of iru is used in western Japan. I couldn't find much more about what specific demographics use it, nor whether its use is in decline or not (though anecdotally this one seems to be holding on quite well).

Perception

There's not much difference in how oru is perceived as compared to iru. Though it should be noted that, while in standard Japanese, oru is actually the humble form of iru, it is not considered so in these dialects.

In Fiction

On its own, oru seems to have avoided the elderly association in fiction, perhaps due to how ubiquitous it is in western Japan. Instead, it typically simply signals a person being from the Kansai region. However, when appearing alongside the previous features, it contributes to the signaling of an elderly image all the same.

Use by Sanra

In Sanra's dialogue oru is again used as one would expect, with nothing outstanding.

Example

JP: 我らの都に攻め入って＜おる＞んじゃ？ Romaji: Warera no miyako ni seme haitte <oru>n ja? EN: [...] you three invadi<n'> our capital city?

Conclusion

And that's all 5 standout features used by Sanra in their speech, all from the "elderly role language".

To recap once more, they are:

First-person Pronoun: Washi (ワシ)

Dialectal Copula: ja (じゃ)

Sentence-ending Particle: nou (のう)

Negation: nu/n (ぬ・ん)

Dialectal Verb: oru (おる)

All in all I believe Sanra's use of the stock "old person talk" is meant to relate to their time in the military, perhaps due to them spending a lot of time with the older, high-ranking members of the army.

Alternatively, it could be showing that they're more of an old-fashioned person, which in some senses is true, despite them representing the "new" in the "old vs new" clash they and Kaoru have going on.

Ending

And that's finally all I have, first post in a good long while and it's a long one dang.

I apologise if my explanations for the linguistic features got more and more technical and ambiguous as the list went on. They're not nearly as discussed as the first-person pronouns and much harder to both do research on and explain.

It is always the simplest-looking bits of language that are the hardest to explain, and I've elected to avoid really going into the nitty gritty of semantics and grammar, since I'd imagine you're more interested in the indexed meaning rather than the practical application of these language bits.

I suppose I should finally note that I am, of course, not Japanese myself, and thus ultimately unfamiliar with how things actually are on the ground in Japan. So it's more than possible that I've missed some things, but still I believe that this is at least suffice to get a surface grasp on the central question of "What's the deal with how Sanra talks?"

As usual, I hope you enjoyed~! :)

[un-unavoidableanxiousball]

✨ Meowpheus ✨

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Masterlist

Prompt used: Bite, Flashbacks

Rating: Teen and Up

Fandom: The Sandman

Pairing: Dream of The Endless/Hob Gadling

Characters: Hob Gadling, Dream of The Endless, random OC Patricia created just for this

Tags: hurt/comfort, possible out of character,

! Warnings ! : flashback (if I succeeded) of an ambush (though it's probably more of a subtext), blood

Word count: 1868

This is one hell of a slippery slope, I swear.

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New Year's Eve is coming up.

Hob has a love-hate relationship of sorts with this holiday. Well... he doesn't have anything against the holiday itself, but what it entails — fireworks. 

It was the sounds that bothered him. That's also the reason for his near half-century hatred of poppers or bang snaps. Reminded him a bit too much of artillery shells bursting in the air. But after his participation in The Great War and WWII?

(However brief that one was. It got too dangerous too fast. Sue him for not wanting a part in that.)

He had found out the hard way that sudden flashes of light have joined "Hob's private party of various PTSD triggers".

He can certainly try to avoid getting triggered. But one can only go so far out of their way to do so. Been there, done that. 

Because surely a notorious tendency to move out of cities around New Year's Eve is such a fantastic habit. Heading to the closest available secluded and unpopulated areas can be a nightmare. There's traffic and weather to consider, and ughh, the iced-over roads. All in all not really ideal in the long run.

Nowadays, at times like this, he opted to staying inside and listening to music or other media with his noise cancelling headphones.

He'd stay holed up in his apartment. High stock of food? — some leftovers from Christmas Dinner, but most just from his excessive grocery runs for Christmas — ✓Check. 

Hob is sure to avoid any reasons to go outside. Whether he succeeds or not is a whole other thing. 

He did actually pick up the habit of listening to music when outdoors. It helps. It's not foolproof, that's for certain, but if it works - it works.

Nonetheless there are moments when taking off those headphones is simply polite and right thing to do. 

Like today.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Dream had found himself on high alert the second Hob had gotten out of bed. There was a tension to him that Dream hasn't seen before. He tried his best to provide comfort for his friend, but it didn't seem to be helping much. 

The entire time the air between them was charged with uncertainty and apprehension. Perhaps Hob can read him - even in cat form - like an open book. It shouldn't be surprising. After all, by their sixth meeting, in 1889, Hob already saw more than Dream had liked or let on at the time. The human hadn't even been afraid to speak his mind.

Dream witnessed how throughout the day it was getting worse. To an unobservant individual nothing would have been amiss. But Dream has known Hob longer, than any human ever could, therefore he saw those changes with no difficulty. Hob lead fewer conversations with even fewer words and little Hob-like expressiveness. 

Dream lazily follows Hob's movement. 

When push came to shove, it took mere seconds for Hob to cave. 

✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎

Back and forth between the fridge, the oven and the cupboards. 

A melody softly escapes the immortal's lips now and again. Not unfamiliar, but Dream won't delve into its name or by whom. 

After stewing the minced meat, Hob goes ahead with layering the pasta sheets, sliced cheese and prepared meat into a pyrex dish. 

The oven's digital clock struck 17:53 when Hob's phone starts ringing.

"Hello?" 

The response isn't audible that far from the counter Dream lies on. Scratch that, it would be hard to hear from a closer distance anyway, because Hob has earphones plugged in. Whatever it was, it was enough for Hob's shoulders to tense.

"Pat!" Hob turns to turn off the oven. 

"What's wrong? You never call me." Dream lifts his head at the worried tone and is quickly approached. Shaky fingers caress his head and neck. 

"Oh love," his eyes close, "do you need me to come over?" 

Hob slowly opens his eyes, eyebrows raise and with a softer voice, "Do you want me to?"

The answer must be positive, because his friend says, "Take some deep breaths for me, Patts." with that placating type of smile, and  "I'll be right there."

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

"-bert. Rob, hello. Earth to Robbie Rob Bobby-" 

Hob is shaken from his thoughts, only to be greeted by a finger poking his cheek repeatedly. His gaze flows from the finger up the arm to the shoulders and finally rest on Patricia's irritated face. 

Oops.

"There you are! I've been trying to get your attention for minutes, Rob." 

"Sorry, Patts. I got to lost in my thoughts again." He gives a nervous chuckle, then adds with humor "Who would've thought bloodshed is so enticing." 

"Rob!" She gasps with indignation and hits him upside the head, "I don't need you to protect my honour. I can handle myself." 

"I know. I know you can." He brings up his hands in an "I-mean-you-no-harm" gesture. 

He clears his throat, "So...can we go through it again?"

"You know, if I wanted someone to sit around and ignore me I might as well have chosen Logan." Patricia stands up from the kitchen counter to resume pacing. "You are a fantastic guy, Robert. I need your help, so focus stays here mister."

"Full attention. Got it. No distractions." Hob nods his head and throws a sheepish smile.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Dream settles on Hob's lap and absentmindedly listens to the conversation between Patricia and Hob. From time to time Hob's hand goes down his spine or to scratch his head. That's fine, Dream is here to offer support and comfort. No more or less at the moment.

Patricia's earnest and expressive voice introduces an unnoticeable tune. Electric hum makes for a quiet echoic bass line. Freshly put kettle on the stove awaits its solo part.

It happens some time along Patricia's second retelling - a sudden noise that puts an end to this unheard odd melody and silent calm.

Dream's attention shoots to his friend. Immediately notes the distant yet focused look in Hob's eyes. Dream, not noticing Hob scanning the place, was just about to direct that focus to him, but-

A second cracking sound slips through the open window, and with it- 

Patricia gasps as Hob falls to the ground and scrambles away to a wall.

For a second there was nothing else, but Hob's heavy breathing audible.

Suddenly the kettle started to whistle and all hell broke loose.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

Hob holds his breath, strains his ears and waits.

He listens and listens. His heartbeat strong and loud within his chest. Adrenaline rushing through his blood. He scans the room for the best place to hide, the closest weapon. Just in case his ears were right.

He doesn't know how long he waits but there it is again! 

He drops to the ground and swiftly crawls to the wall. Away from any door's or window's view. 

His hand itches. A wooden chair's leg will suffice. He has to break it away.

Not yet.

His heart hammers in his chest. He waits ready for an opportunity to present itself. 

Now!

With precise moves the wooden chair gives out with ease.

A long whistle blast, perfect. Good enough to mask that racket with.

Then he snaps his head around upon hearing a hurt yelp.

Hob for the first time acknowledges the other's presence. He sees Helen cradling her hand to her chest. Sees the blood staining her dress. 

God's wounds. It's one thing to witness fellow comrades being wounded in action. Quite another when it's innocent civilians. 

The sound of an opening window snaps him back to the present. He swings with force at it, anticipating someone to reach through it, to hurt them.

Except - no one did.

Fuck. 

He can't go back to his waiting position, he compromised his location. He closes his eyes and inhales. He needs to think.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Dream jumps on a stool and without hesitation bites Patricia in her left hand. 

She yelps but brings her attention to the cat.

There, at least she's no longer frozen. 

Dream gestures his head toward the window.

Patricia with her hand pressed to her chest, looks back and forth between Dream, Hob and the window. Like she's unsure what Dream wants her to do.

At last she approaches the window and shuts it.

So he narrows his eyes and with theatrical exaggeration snaps his jaws. A clear intent. It's not hard to understand.

Suddenly Hob takes a big swing with the leg and Patricia misses being hit by a hair.

She takes multiple steps backwards. They both see Hob freeze.

In seconds his attention is back on Patricia. 

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

Hob opens his eyes and turns to Helen, and whisper, "Are you okay?"

Why is there so much blood?

"Yeah..." 

He doesn't see her look at him puzzled. With efficiency he tears a fragment of his shirt, approaches her and wraps Helen's hand to stop the bleeding somewhat.

"That should do it."

He grabs her other hand and drags her to the bedroom. Once there Hob makes her sit behind the closet while he, himself, guards the door. Listening and ready to defend. He calms his heart. He looks at her and puts his finger to his lips. 

She nods. Good. 

He closes his eyes and focuses on his hearing.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈-ˋˏ✄┈

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

Dream follows them close behind and stands near the sitting woman, watching closely both humans.

Minutes pass and the impromptu bandage on Patricia's hand is starting to leak. Drop by drop it adds to the main stain on her shirt, expanding it.

At some point Hob slid down the wall to the floor.

Dream in measured steps goes to Hob and decides to lie next to the immortal human's leg.

In took a few long moments, but finally Hob has opened his eyes and noticed Dream.

"Oh."  

Hob lets go of the wooden leg. He groans and thumps his head on the wall behind him.

"You with us now, Robert?" Patricia speaks up shakily, unsure.

"Yep, body and mind in one place." Hob chuckles with no humor.

"You know that cat of yours is very protective of you. I have a wound to prove it." Patricia gestures at her hand. Dream narrows his eyes at the woman. 

Of course I'm protective of him, he's my only friend.

Patricia lets out a thoughtful hum, "I wonder if it'll scar..." 

A breathy exhale leaves Hob.

"Vicious, isn't he?" A crooked smile disappears as quickly as it appeared. Dream in response licks Hob's fingers.

"Are you alright? You gave me quite a scare there Robert. I bet your cat too."

"Hm?" Hob lifts his head, "Oh. Don't worry, I'm fine. It was a long time coming." A poor imitation of a carefree-like voice, but it still holds tention beneath. Such a simple thing betraying one's emotional state.

"If you say so." Patricia's voice is woven with doubt.

"Really, Patts. You don't have to worry." 

"Ok, I believe you.",

Hob raises his eyebrow, "Okay?" 

"Okay," then, "as long as you receive help... not my business."

Hob sends her a grateful smile. "Thanks."

He nods his head and takes deep breaths. Minute long silence passes.

"So listen, about your problem, I dunno if you want my advice or not. But if I were you I'd think it would be for the best if..."

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Also sorry for taking so long to write this. TwT

Positive and constructive criticism is welcome. I'll embrace any advice coming my way.

@fandom-free-bingo

[impulseimpact]

popolcano and frozcihuatl

the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl are two volcanoes found in the southern central part of Mexico and the 2nd and 3rd tallest peaks of the country. while the Iztaccíhuatl is a "sleeping volcano" as its been inactive ever since 1868 and the Popocatépetl is still quite active and so a legend has been formed around them: the story of a tlaxcalteca warrior and his fiancee who are separated because of the war with the mexica, after hearing false news about the death of Popocatépetl Iztaccíhuatl falls into an eternal sleep (or dies), back from the war Popocatépetl finds out about this and decides to make a giant mountain the eternal resting place of Iztaccíhuatl, where he stays mourning her with a torch until both are covered by the earth and snow. Iztaccíhuatl remains in her eternal sleep while Popocatépetl love remains as the constant eruptions of the volcano

[source1] [source2]

[grumpy-potat]

Wednesday Tarot Pick a Pile

It's Wednesday, and I find the middle of the week to be the least motivating time of the week. Any positive energy I had at the beginning of the week is gone, and I have a hard time finding the weekend to be motivating. (Maybe that comes from being disabled and without a job so all the days bleed together….) Anyway! Midweek tarot reading for the rest of the week!

You know what to do, pick an image and scroll down. Today I picked artists from the Romantic/Academic eras of the 1800s.

Bashi-Bazouk, Jean-Leon Gerome,1868-69 (Image Source: The Met) Situation, Outcome, Advice 5 of Swords, Queen of Swords rx, 5 of Cups This is week has been rough so far and it feels like you have been fighting for your life. Maybe words were said in the heat of the moment that cut deeply, or actions taken that hurt more than they meant to. Its hard to say, but now you are trying to pick up the pieces and are feeling very emotional and thinking more with your heart than your head. Maybe you are hanging on to something that you logically know would be better to let go of. Its ok to let go, you can forgive yourself, and move on. Sometimes you need to let go of the past to move ahead and not hold on to that pain. Grand Odalisque,Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres,1814 (Image Source: Wikiart) (Sorry for the misspelling in the image edit) Situation, Outcome, Advice The Chariot, The Wheel, Justice rx Big life changes are happening for you but you have have a strong grip at the reigns. There is a big change coming for you, and you have set it in motion. You need to be courageous and have faith in your abilities, when you feel yourself start to waver remember why you chose this path. Change often will bring with it positives, but it will also bring unwanted effects. You need to take full accountability on this journey, take heed of trying to avoid any negative consequences from your decisions. Evening Landscape with an Aqueduct,Theodore Gericualt, 1818 (Image Source: The Met) Situation, Outcome, Advice Ooo, Extra card fell out… 7 of swords rx, 3 of cups, The Lovers, 9 of Cups You have found yourself wanting to leave a life you found undesirable behind. It can be hard to transition from one life to another. Worrying if you will have a community, but it seems like you have a loving community and friendship waiting. Making decisions can be difficult, but communities can offer emotional stability, and luxury that maybe where you currently find yourself you don't have that type of relationship with others. It is important to ensure that you are creating and fostering relationships that are healthy for you and not making decisions out of pure anxiety.

I'll probably be posting more about art content as well because part of this was reading about these paintings and that was fun and maybe some of you will find that interesting.

[rjalker]

K. Remaking this post because the OP is deactivated so I can't click on any names to add image descriptions or plain text.

trender-typhlosion (deactivated) said:

Neopronouns are not a “tumblr fad”. Gender neutral pronouns other than they/them have existed in the English language for actual centuries. They are not harmful to the trans community.

To those who are against neopronouns, you’re acting against the evolution of a language and acting against something that’s been around for far longer than you’ve been alive.

To those who use neopronouns, your pronouns are not harmful. You do not deserve to be made to feel ashamed for your pronouns.

boobless-wonder said, August 10th 2019:

Op you can’t just drop this and expect us to not ask what the old school gender neutral pronouns were!!! How on earth are all my nb friends gonna pick the dapper pronouns????

fallon-has-opinions (Deactivated? Now an empty blog) said:

I found these doing very minimal research:

Ey/Em/Eir (1975, created by Christine M. Elverson) E/Em/Es (1890, created by James Rogers) Per/Pers/Perself (1976, Used in a novel by Marge Piercy) Thon/Thos/Thonself (1858, Created by Charles Crozat Converse) Ve dates back to 1980 Xe dates back to 1973 In 1789, William Marshall confirmed the use of both“a” and “ou” as a replacement for he/she/they and even i. Co/Coself (1970, created by Mary Orovan) Ne (1850, appeared in print in 1884) En (1868, mentioned by Richard Grant White) Han/Hans/Hanself (1868) Un/Uns/One (1868) Se/Sis/Sim (1884) Hesh/Hiser/Himer (1879) Hi/Hes/Hem (1884) Le/Lis/Lim (1884) Hersh/Herm (1884) Ip/Ips (1884) Hae/Haes(Hais)/Haim (1884) Tha/Thare/Them(Thon) (1885) Zyhe/Zyhe’s/Zyhem (1885) Ir/Iro/Im (1888) De/Der/Dem (1888) Hor/Hors/Horself (1890) Ith/Iths (1890) Sources for these as well as many others that I didn’t add due to the list getting too long can be found here. [[Unfortunately, the original link is broken, and no version available on the web archive :( ]] An interesting note is that in the modern language a lot more people use neopronouns then you would expect! Yo is a majorly African American pronoun coined in 2004 and used by Middle School students In Baltimore, Maryland. Fae/Faer, coined in 2014, is used by 4.3% of participants in the 2019 Gender Census. Plus a vast variety of newly coined pronouns that you will have seen commonly floating around! Neopronouns have existed and been recorded for a long time, they are not a new concept, nor are they MOGAI or a tumblr concept. They are not modern, there have just been many modern adaptions to already existing pronouns.

As another addition from me, Ae/aer pronouns are from 1920, from the scifi/philosophy/??? book, A Voyage to Arcturus, by David Linsey.

You can download it or read it for free here on Project Gutenberg:

"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1329"

[spnfanficpond]

New Member Spotlight - May 2023

The Pond is always growing and we want to make our new members feel welcome! Here’s a list of recent additions to our fishy family, along with a little info about them!

Turtles

@rayraywillis -

Other SM names? - Discord: rayraywiilis66#8881, Twitter

OTP? - Destiel

Other fandoms? - OFMD (but not very active)

Looking for in the Pond? - I love reading and listening to fics, mainly the latter because of visual impairment. I still have some sight left but I am very low vision/legally blind. I have been an avid reader my whole life and it sucks I am losing my sight, but glad to have found podfics and audiobooks. I am a finale denier. I think what they did was a travesty and Jensen should get his chance to finish sharing his fix it with us. I hope and pray they get picked up. I look forward to diving into all the stories that u guys have to share.

Something to signal boost? - I make rec lists on request and share with the community. Mainly I just comment, boost, reblog/tweet, and support all the awesome writers and artists I meet. I love sharing their stories and art and getting them the most exposure I can to help them out.i always like/ give kudos, comment, rec/share all the goodies I find. I subscribe and follow and just try and support as much as I can since I can't contribute any other way. I have wondered what being a beta entails and would be open for that if possible. But I am here to enjoy, explore, and support.

Pairings you read? - Destiel, Gabriel, samifer( if done right), saileen, and sometimes debriel

Genres you read? - I like angst as long as there is fluff/smut or a happy ending, smut of course, pwp, porn, fluff, prefer m/m slash the smuttier the better but not a deal breaker if it's not smut as long as it's fluffy and has feels.

Favorite writer(s)? - Omg that one is hard NorthernSparrow is in my top 5 for sure but bendingsignpost, serperis, @castielslostwings, aleandri, exterminator, nerdynerdinstien, tenoko1 litra, , @bunnymaccool, @godoflaundrybaskets, @malmuses, @icaruspendragon, @bobwess, missannthropic, and skeens_leap round out all my favorites.

@raiseyourhandifyourenobody -

This new member is cool and mysterious, like Billie, but without the scythe and drama.

Guppies, Jellies, and Mutuals, oh, my!

@sammysnaughtygirl -

Other fandoms? - TVD, OTH

Looking for in the Pond? - Friends and more writing experience.

Something to signal boost? - I create gifs, stories, graphics for Sam and Sam/Brooke (OTH)

Pairings you read? - I like SAm with almost anyone, but Brooke (OTH) is my fave.

Genres you read? - Everything, just not too much smut

Favorite writer(s)? - I like them all!

What do you like to write? - All kinds of stories with Sam, Brooke (OTH), and Damon (TVD)

Masterlist - Don't have one.

@the-family-business-83 -

Other SM names? - @t-dog, Discord: Don'tTouchMyBlueberries#1868, Instagram

Other fandoms? - Marvel, Star Wars, Harry Potter

Looking for in the Pond? - Looking to grow my outreach and exposure as a writer, to grow my followers and be more established.

Pairings you read? - DeanXFemale reader, DeanXOC/OFC, SamXFemale reader, SamXOC/OFC

Genres you read? - Everything

What do you like to write? - Mostly angst and genfics, and the occasional fluff, but i dabble with writing smut as well.

Masterlist! - Don't have one, yet.

Most underappreciated fic? - The Long Haul

That's all for this month, folks! (If we're missing anyone, let us know and we'll add them to next month's list!) Make sure to say hi to the newbies and make them feel welcome! Thanks to all from @manawhaat, @mrswhozeewhatsis, @mariekoukie6661, @princessmisery666, @thoughtslikeaminefield, and @katbratsupernaturalwhore!

[besiegedhunter]

You mentioned connection between Higashi and Siracusa and do you know if there was any connection between real life Italy and Japan?

I mean, besides their alliance with Germany in WW2

So I've looked into this every now and then before this but this is the first time I've properly sat down and committed myself to it and I think there's a decent amount there.

So much that I'm gonna put this under the cut and fair warning, mid way it delves into speculation about Higashi and just a general one that I'm not very knowledgeable about this and sorry if I get anything wrong.

But onto the post:

On one hand you have the spread of Christianity, with Daimyo sending delegations to Rome before Christianity was banned and Japan closed it's borders.

But I find the Meiji Era to be more interesting for this topic because Japan and Italy signed a friendship treaty and begun fierce trade across several ports and in time some Italians gained positions of government in Japan, artisans were hired for various things and their art begun influencing each other's.

And they were allies in a few other conflicts before WW2 and though it halted when Italy signed the armistice, it was picked back up after the war. With them both embracing each other's culture and aiding each other through earthquakes recently. The relationship described as old and important and particularly I think Italian culture is popular in Japan. Or at least that's what one thing's said.

But maybe AK could possibly to taking inspiration from this?

There's also a bit that I've not mentioned which is the Risorgimento, an event in Italy's history wherein different states in the Italian Peninsula were united into the Kingdom of Italy. A similar period that was reaching it's end around the time the Meiji Restoration began.

The Risorgimento is the likely inspiration behind Siracusa's independence from Leithania with Leithania inspired by Austro-Hungary who played a similar role as Leithania to Siracusa in the Risorgimento.

The similar positions of Italy and Japan at the time may have helped with their relations possibly or at least push them to work together. I can't confirm but maybe something of note.

Now, Higashi seems moreso based on the Nanboku-chō period of Japan that happened from 1336 to 1392 vs the Meiji Restoration happening in 1868. But it's possible various parts of Japan's history will be used for Higashi's story... whenever that's happening.

And Siracusa could be, either through it's culture, it's experiences or something it can provide, could have a foothold in Higashi, maybe backing one of the two courts.

If I had to chose I'd probably lean towards the Mitsumoto or Southern Court of Higashi which as opposed to the Kougon of the North that are more conservative and militaristic, the Southern Court have focused on their economy and trade with perhaps the North and South having their own inspirations, with the South being inspired by the Meiji Restoration and working on trade with other countries, Siracusa being one of them perhaps with an influence on the art and culture (and underworld)?

Maybe the North is inspired by the Tokugawa Shogunate or the forces of the Samurai class who revolted against the Meiji Restoration.

Thought I'd throw some speculation out there but anyway. I like the idea of Siracusa in some way influencing or working with a Higashi court in their own efforts to consolidate power after it's Independence from Leithania.

Lappland could, as either part of her family or for Signora Sicily, gone to Higashi to conduct some business. Same as Suzuran's family who perhaps have a particularly strong focus on it. And because it's not limited to the mafia, Angelina's parents could've met from the relationship the two countries share.

And if we get an event in Higashi it could possibly feature Siracusans and a lore dump that's similar to Columbia or Laterano's impact on Siracusa but for Siracusa and Higashi.

I'd love to see that and the npc or playable character involved in it but yeah, heavy speculation about a couple Siracusans having connections to Higashi lol we'll see if it's anything.

[chika-the-terrible]

Okay, so, to begin, please note that I’ve only seen the first two seasons of Buffy and about half of the third (and it’s been a long while since I’ve watched them), so my judgment is probably going to be off. But I’m gonna go ahead and spout this stupid idea I just got this afternoon because if I don’t I’m gonna write it and I already have a fuckton of stuff I wanna write.

Main idea: To begin, my main thought is that this Xander, who is the main character of this idea, might be the same one set between seasons, when Buffy runs away between S2 and S3. For some reason, perhaps because of a magical artifact or a Piece of Eden or something, Xander gets caught in the crossfire and ends up transported into the past. Specifically, London in 1868. And you know who goes to London in 1868? The Frye Twins.

Xander’s initially really lost but he tries to adapt quickly, understanding that he needs to blend in before someone tries to arrest him or something. He ends up taking a temporary residence in Whitechapel as he tries to figure out what happened and how he’s supposed to get back to Sunnydale. But since Evil waits for no one, he spends his nights trying to at least keep London supernatural-free. It’s this prowling at night that earns him the attention of the Twins, specifically Jacob.

Jacob, who knows that going out at night usually means either you’re going to get drunk or you’re up to no good, starts keeping an eye on Xander. However, much to Jacob’s surprise, Xander (who initially mistakes Jacob for a supernatural being) is able to slip away and get out of Jacob’s sight. At least when Jacob’s not using his second sight, of course. The assassin is impressed by this and so asks Xander if he’d like to join the Rooks, who are just beginning to grow under the Twins and haven’t taken Whitechapel yet. While he knows he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, Xander can see that Jacob is special and not a guy you wanna get on the bad side of so he takes a chance and agrees. And since he doesn’t really have a permanent home (which Jacob looked into before he decided to talk to Xander), Jacob offers Xander a spot on the train for him to stay. Xander agrees, touched by the kindness, and so he moves into the train. Jacob quickly convinces Evie of Xander’s usefulness (and homelessness) and so she doesn’t protest as much as she should about the situation.

Over time, Xander becomes a more integral part of the group. He’s not included in the assassin dealings, of course, but his ability to slip away and fend for himself earns him a spot close to the Twins, and not just physically, either. In a way, such as how Evie has Henry to turn to for help, Xander soon becomes Jacob’s helper and confidant. It’s like this as they go on to conquer both Whitechapel and Lambeth, and then it changes.

Xander, who’s been trying to deal with the vampires in his own time, goes drinking with Jacob one night. (And yes, I know he’d be underage but you know as well as I do that there are plenty of people who drink despite the fact they’re not supposed to and I think Xander wouldn’t mind some beer every once in a while) However, the bar they go to is infested with vampires, who can’t believe their luck that the guy they’ve been fighting just walked right into one of their hideouts. And so they try to take advantage of the situation, maybe turn him and his buddy so they can have powerful allies, but Xander has other plans. He may not be a Slayer but he’s no slouch, either, so he quickly picks the nearest piece of wood to defend himself. Jacob, who has no idea what’s going on, does his best to defend himself using his own tactics but his blows do nothing to take out the vampires for good until Xander throws him a piece of wood to use and they start making mincemeat out of the monsters. Eventually the bar is empty, save for the two of them, and they run back to the train as quickly as they can.

Xander then has to explain the whole thing about Slayers and Vampires and everything he’s learned since meeting Buffy and becoming part of the Scoobies, and he’s surprised when Jacob takes it well. He’s surprised further when Jacob reveals the truth about the Assassin-Templar War and the fact that the Twins came to London to free it from Templar control and to find a Piece of Eden. Jacob only shared this information because of what Xander shared with him, and then Jacob offers something else: He asks Xander if he wants to learn new skills to help him fight the vampires. Jacob wants to teach Xander how to become an Assassin, despite Jacob’s own past, because the assassin understands that Xander could use the help. The only thing Jacob asks in return is for Xander to teach him (and Evie, if Jacob can convince her) how to fight against vampires and whatever other creatures are lurking in the darkness. And really, how can Xander say no?

So Xander and Jacob make their exchanges of information, and eventually Jacob adds ‘patrolling for monsters’ to his list of nighttime duties while Xander joins Jacob on missions. Xander learns how to take Leaps of Faith without hurting himself and Jacob learns the best way to use the wood in the environment to his advantage. They help each other out and Xander and Jacob get close. I wouldn’t say a pairing between them is out the window but I’m leaning towards a more brotherly friendship myself. Xander also seems like he would step in to help Jacob and Evie mend their relationship, along with Henry, which helps endear him to the Twins.

(And that’s just my basic idea. I’ll probably add more later in other posts but I hope this is good enough for now)

[tokidokitokyo]

東京都

Japanese Prefectures: Kantō - Tokyo

都道府県 (とどうふけん) - Prefectures of Japan

Learning the kanji and a little bit about each of Japan’s 47 prefectures!

Kanji・漢字

東　ひがし、トウ　east

京　キョウ、ケイ　capital; 10**16 (ten quadrillion)

都　みやこ、ト、ツ　metropolis, capital

関東　かんとう　Kanto, region consisting of Tokyo and surrounding prefectures

The capital of Japan, Tokyo has 23 special wards (東京都区部), 26 cities, 1 district (西多摩郡), and 4 subprefectures (支庁)

Tokyo is the largest urban and industrial agglomeration of Japan. Since ancient times the unassuming fishing village of Edo existed for centuries before the Tokugawa shogunate (1603-1867) made it into the capital city, while the imperial family remained in Kyoto. The Tokugawa shogunate ended with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, and Edo became the official capital of Japan, renamed to Tokyo, meaning "eastern capital." It was already the largest city in Japan and the population exceeded one million. Now it is one of the world's most populous cities and the largest industrial, commercial, and financial center in Japan. The Imperial Palace, the home of the emperor of Japan, lies at the heart of the city, encircled by stone-walled moats and broad gardens. Tokyo is the chief transportation hub for Japan and an important international traffic center, and also Japan's major cultural center.

Recommended Tourist Spot・おすすめ観光スポット Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden - 新宿御苑

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

When it comes to Tokyo there is an endless list of things to do and see. So picking one to highlight was difficult, but I went with a favorite of mine. Located a short walk from Shinjuku Station, spacious lawns, meandering walking paths and tranquil scenery of Shinjuku Gyoen provide a relaxing escape from the busy urban center around it. In the spring, Shinjuku Gyoen becomes one of the best places in the city to see cherry blossoms, and in the fall the autumn colors are stunning. With an admission fee of only ￥500, it is a wonderful way to get lost in the beauty of an oasis in the middle of the metropolis.

Shinjuku Gyoen, meaning Shinjuku Imperial Garden, originated during the Edo Period (1603-1868) as a feudal lord's Tokyo residence. Later, it was converted into a botanical garden before being transferred to the Imperial Family in 1903 who used it for recreation and for the entertainment of guests. The park was almost completely destroyed during World War II, but was eventually rebuilt and reopened in 1949 as a public park.

There are three main gardens - the Japanese garden, the French garden, and the English garden - as well as a greenhouse full of tropical flowers. There are restaurants and cafes, a tea room, and a rest house with souvenirs. The garden is so large that I have never been able to view it all in one visit.

Regional Cuisine - 郷土料理 Monjayaki - もんじゃ焼き

Monjayaki (source)

A type of pan-fried batter or savoury pancake, monjayaki is Tokyo’s version of okonomiyaki, the iconic dish of Hiroshima and Osaka. Monjayaki looks less like a potato pancake than okonomiyaki and retains a slightly runny appearance similar to melted cheese, even when cooked, but the cooking method remains the same.

The origins of monjayaki or monja can be traced back to a crêpe-like confection known as mojiyaki in the late Edo period. It was called mojiyaki (moji means character, as in hiragana) because people used it to write characters on the hot griddle surface. Monja experienced a popularity boom in the 1980s that led to the birth of Monja Street on Nishinakadori in Tsukishima where today 75 monja restaurants line the street.

To cook monja, first, stir-fry the ingredients, consisting of meats, veggies, cheese, and mochi or crispy noodles – on the griddle. Once they’re almost cooked, form a doughnut shape with a hole in the middle and pour the batter into it. Wait until the batter starts to boil, then mix it all up and press it down with the spatula to better cook it. Then scoop it into a bowl or onto a plate and enjoy.

Tokyo Dialect・Toukyou no hougen・東京の方言

Generally, the Tokyo dialect is taken to be Standard Japanese, although slang can vary between regions and social classes. Traditional dialects in central Tokyo are generally classified in two groups: Yamanote dialect (山の手言葉, Yamanote kotoba) and Shitamachi dialect (下町言葉, Shitamachi kotoba). The Yamanote dialect is characteristic of the old upper class from the Yamanote area. Since the Meiji period, Standard Japanese has been based on the Yamanote dialect. The Shitamachi dialect is a working-class dialect, and it preserves features of Edo Chōnin (Edokko) speech, also called Edo dialect (江戸言葉, 江戸弁, Edo kotoba, Edo-ben). Tokyo-style rakugo is typically played in the Shitamachi dialect.

Tokyo dialect dates back to Tokugawa Ieyasu's establishment of Edo as the main capital. Large groups of people, speaking a range of dialects migrated across the country from the former capital of Kyoto. The Kyoto dialect was the prestige language of the time and strongly influenced the Edo dialect in the early Edo period. The Edo dialect grew as Edo became the largest city in Japan and became the new prestige language in the late Edo period. Because of its unique history, especially in relation to the Kyoto dialect, Tokyo is what is known as a language island in the Kantō region. For example, traditional Kantō dialects have been characterized by the use of volitional and presumptive suffix -be, which is rarely used in Tokyo.

あたぼー　(atabou)　

Standard Japanese: 当たり前　(atari mae) English: obviously

あんまり　(anmari)

Standard Japanese: あまり　(amari) English: not very much

しょっぱい　(shoppai)

Standard Japanese: 塩辛い　(shiokarai) English: salty

でかい　(dekai)

Standard Japanese: 大きい　(ookii) English: big

About Tokyo dialect (Japanese page)

[spaciousreasoning]

No Laboring, Just Walking

Labor Day morning’s blood sugar was up to 166, most likely due to the overabundance of food last night at the party and the relative lack of walking yesterday.

I managed to sleep through the night, perhaps with the help of a couple of hops capsules. Nancy’s daughter created them from the collection of hops we provided from the vine on our back deck. Kalen reported that they helped her relax and it certainly seemed to work for me. We shall see again tonight.

The day’s forecast called for temperatures remaining below 70 degrees until after 1 p.m., so we were in no hurry to get out walking to avoid heat. We breakfasted on oatmeal after finishing our morning coffee and brain games.

We finally got out to walk a little after 1 p.m. We parked near the Heron Playground on West D Street in Springfield and got on the North Bank Path and headed toward Eugene, taking our walking sticks with us. They turned out to be more help than we thought on paved paths.

Just west of the I-5 bridge we crossed the Knickerbocker Bicycle Bridge to the south side of the Willamette. Built in 1978, the bridge was named for Willie Knickerbocker (1868–1960), “the father of bicycling in Eugene.”

The South Bank Path petered out as we reached Franklin Blvd., and we had to negotiate some city streets before finding our way back to the river path system. Once we did, we were not far from the Frohnmayer Bridge, which we had crossed once before on our walks.

We headed east along the North Bank Path and just after passing under the I-5 bridge we ran into two women who recognized Nancy. They turned out to be Peg, the ex-wife of Nancy’s brother Robin, and Peg’s sister Jane, accompanied by two friendly little dogs. We chatted for several minutes before we they continued their walk and we completed our loop for the day, which measured about 3.8 miles.

On the way home, we stopped off at Albertson’s to pick up a few grocery items, forgetting Mexican-style shredded cheese because we had left the shopping list at home. I ran back to the store for the cheese while Nancy went ahead and warmed up the leftover pinto beans and microwaved the tamales. They were ready by the time I returned. Nancy decided the green chili chicken tamales were not to her liking, so if the green chili cheese tamales are not available next time, she will go for the red chili pork, which is my preferred variety.

After dinner, I went out to do a little more walking, taking a different route around part of our neighborhood, for a total of 1.2 miles. Then we settled in for an evening of streaming, which included another episode of “Midsomer Murders” and the second episode of the new “Granite Harbour” series.