#russian mob

[odinsblog]

Dang. Idk if anyone has ever laid out Donald Trump’s entanglement with Russia sO clearly.

If you’ve had enough of watching the Trump clowns defending Trump & white supremacy, the Sutori link is definitely worth reading. It is a very enlightening, detailed and comprehensive timeline that puts Trump’s very very long history with Russian mobsters into sharp perspective.

👉🏿 https://www.sutori.com/story/timeline-you-might-be-interested-in--pTTyLH39r7FsRtF51JZi4BVt

👉🏿 https://forensicnews.net/trump-deutsche-bank-loans-underwritten-by-russian-state-owned-bank-whistleblower-told-fbi/

[hyperboreandad-82]

[lifewithaview]

Timothy Hutton, Aldis Hodge, Christian Kane, and Beth Riesgraf in Leverage (2008) The Wedding Job

S1E7

Blackmailed restaurateur Ray Palermo was falsely convicted and jailed instead of mobster Nicky Moscone, who didn't even keep his promise to take care of his family. Sophie makes Nate accepts to promise getting the restaurant back for 'widow' Teresa Palermo. The plan is stealing enough cash at Moscone's daughter's wedding, posing as wedding planner, caterer and minister. But is gets complicated because Russian mob guest Sergei and Nicky's bossy wife Heather bring their own plans and his ruthless retinue, including Elliot's nemesis, the butcher of Kiev.

*First interactive appearance of the inept FBI agents Taggert and McSweetin, whose careers will continue to skyrocket thanks to the intervention of Nate and his team. (First appearance was The Bank Shot Job, but they never met the Leverage team.)

[brinconvenient]

FOR THE LAST TIME! MARTIN SCORSESE DID NOT DIRECT GONCHAROV!

I wrote all of this on a reblog of a great post  by @mortalityplays that explains how Twitter’s broken copyright protection system is finally letting the world appreciate the up-til-recently lost film “Goncharov,” but it was a reblog, so I don’t think enough people are seeing this. And honestly, it’s just like tumblr to go hog wild on a media property without knowing even a scintilla of the actual history of it. 

I know that Martin Scorsese is getting a lot of love for tumblr’s favorite new rediscovered film, but (and I can't believe I have to fucking go all filmbro on this, but I fell down a hyper-fixation rabbit hole on this a while back) what's pissing me off about all of this, is that everyone, including op, keeps giving Martin Scorsese credit as the director, when the title card clearly shows "Martin Scorsese Presents" (I think it's the snippet in the 3rd tweet, maybe the 4th) which means that Martin Scorsese was the DISTRIBUTOR.

Like. Ok, so Scorsese graduates film school roughly the same time as George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, Brian DePalma, and the rest of the Movie Brats, coming up with Steven Spielberg etc, launching the American auteur era of film, but smack in the middle of research for Mean Streets, Scorsese encounters this film by the mononymic Italian director, Matteo (JWHJ0715 was his member id number in Italy's version of the Director's Guild of America - pretty sure they stopped requiring directors include their guild number in the credits after Fellini refused for like 20 years and they just gave up trying to fine him. This is also what inspired Lucas to cow the DGA into submission on the credits at the end thing for Star Wars).

And Scorsese is just fucking blown away. Like, it's everything he's wanted to do since he went into film school. The symbolism, the interpersonal intrigue, the conflicting loyalties between love, honor and duty, the family you are born into vs. the mafia family that finds, accepts and trains you, the constant ethical tension between doing what's right for your morality and what's right for YOUR family vs. what's right For the Family.

I mean. Jesus, look at Goodfellas if you want to see how Scorsese tries to touch on SOME OF THAT when he finally feels like he knows enough to even attempt to approach Matteo's mastery.

Of course, that's not even touching on the Cold War intrigue about the Russian mob operating outside of Soviet Russia and the whole KGB subplot aspect of it all.

Anyway, so back to 1972. Scorsese is just absolutely blown away. The Godfather has just come out and America is mafia mad! Scorsese has had some modest hits. He thinks that Mean Streets is gonna be his big break, and he sees this movie. Not only does he dump his original lead actor to cast Robert Deniro because of it, he decides that he's gonna use the connections he's been making to get this film in front of American movie goers, to help finance the films he wants to make.

So he just, he just fuckin COLD CALLS Dominico Procacci and says "I know people and I can get this movie seen over here" and Procacci takes the meeting... Like, the balls on Martin!

But Procacci doesn't tell him that the real Russian mafia is already sniffing around. Anyway, Scorsese gets the distribution rights for the US and starts getting prints made and ready to distribute to prop up the mob-movie-fever so he can ride it when Mean Streets hits later in the year.

Like, the film was already in cans and at the theater, when the Russian mob knocks on Marty's door and have a very convincing conversation with him.

Next thing you know, all of the prints are back at the warehouse where, reportedly, the fucking Russian mob counts each and every single one. Then they toss the fucking master on the pile (I don't know where they got that, does anyone have that story??) and set it all alight, while Marty watches his future go up in flames.

But then they just fucking walk away and Martin Scorsese, with britches full, goes back to his car and doesn't even see the bag of cash in the backseat until the next day. Business concluded.

Gotta give Old Ivan credit. Just like Matteo depicted - they keep their fucking word. Martin Scorsese decided to stick to the Italian and Irish mobs in his movies from then on, and leave the god damned Ruskies alone.

Of course, none of them knew about the test prints back at the warehouse of the company that was hired to make the copies for American distribution. I could be wrong, but isn't the leading theory about the provenance of the Twitter copy that someone probably found one of those test prints in some corporate asset auction or something?

Anyway, sorry for the ramble. I just hate seeing Matteo getting left out of the fucking conversation, especially now that arguably his greatest work is finally getting attention.

Scorsese has been basically fanfic AU-ing "Goncharov" his whole fucking career and now he's gonna get actually credit for the original? Not on my fucking watch, thank you.

[collindelade]

THE MACHINE REVIEW

Are you a fan of comedian Bert Kreischer aka "The Machine"? If your answer is anything but yes, this movie is not directed toward you. Unapologetically, "The Machine" movie is intended for the die-hard fans of Kreischer's material and the legendary story of his time in college when he got caught up with the Russian mob.

"The Machine" movie is a fictionalized retelling and continuation of Kreischer playing himself twenty years of living up to the legend he created. Struggling to connect with his dad (Mark Hamill), the two get kidnapped by a Russian mobster searching for her family stolen pocket watch. Bert must retrace his step of that drunken train ride to corporate before his father and he gets killed.

As a fan of Kreischer's stand-up, his everyday buddy persona is very charming and entertaining to follow. This charm is carried over to the film as you see Kreischer playing out this over-the-top Hollywoodized interpretation of his infamous story. As an actor, Kreischer is very likable both in the comedic action and also in a couple of serious moments. Just like his big smile on the poster, you want to join him in having a blast throughout the movie.

Unfortunately, in reality, Kreischer is the only one getting any satisfying enjoyment in this "in-joke" movie. For a majority of the runtime, the movie is simply not fun and misguided. Seeing Bert's family feel miserable and embarrassed to be around him is unpleasant and nothing like how he describes them in his other specials. Mark Hamill just sits around bored only occasionally contributing to the story.

"The Machine" is much more focused on the serious tone Russian mob subplot than doing anything fun. Iva Babic who plays the main mobster is genuinely good in the movie, but she might as well be considered the lead as Bert and his father just stand in the background for most of the scenes. Occasionally there would be a laugh-out out moments that wakes the audience up, but its far and few between. The action is surprisingly well shot and executed, especially during the climax where the energy gets more crazy.

The biggest comparison "The Machine" could have strived for is to be like "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" which takes real-life events and heightens them to outrageous levels. With Jimmy Tatro playing the Young Bert, there are multiple angles the movie could have done to be a much more enjoyable film. One idea, for example, could be scrapping the father character and having Jimmy Tatro be in Kreischer head through the current-day plot, allowing the 20-something and 40-something Bert play off each other.

As much fun Kreischer is having onscreen, it does not translate to audiences. The movie lacks the laughs and fails to reach any potential it sets out for. When thinking about alternate possibilities of what COULD HAVE been done with the movie becomes more entertaining than the actual film itself, that's the sign of a true disappointment.

4/10

[newtinaboot]

Remembering the time I probably dined at a Russian mob restaurant. The my food was okay, and they found it cool that my bio mum is Russian/Uzbek (Tashkent). My tortellini was actually pretty good. My parents’ was....not good. They seemed to like me tho, so that was nice. They did get arrested tho. Idk man.

[funnuraba]

Everyone else's storylines in the Sopranos:

Janice's storylines:

[kitkatabasis]

if the second one dies and lyney becomes the third arlecchino im sorry but he’s going to turn into a butch lesbian. That’s just part of the job I think.

[diresang]

add this human huskerdust au to the wishlist boys

[odinsblog]

DONALD TRUMP: MOBBED UP AF - A RETROSPECTIVE

(by @saradannerdukic)

1970s & 1980s: wave of Russian criminals arrive in New York and begin interfacing with established American organized crime networks (La Cosa Nostra/The Five Families aka Bonanno, Genovese, Colombo, Lucchese, Gambino) (source)

1977: KGB reportedly opens file on Donald Trump (source).

1979: Construction begins on Trump Tower.  Trump purchases overpriced concrete from mafia bosses Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno and Paul Castellano of the Genovese and Gambino crime families (respectively). (source)

1980: Trump's mentor, Roy Cohn, introduces Donald to Roger Stone. (source)

1982: New York City Housing Commissioner Anthony Gliedman received what he described as an “abusive and profane” call from someone angry that Gliedman had opposed Trump’s request for a $20 million tax abatement. Gliedman reported the call to the FBI, saying the caller was “threatening his life.” (source)

June 3, 1983: Rudy Giuliani becomes US attorney for SDNY

January, 1984: Vladimir Alexandrovich Kryuchkov, First Chief Directorate of the KGB arm responsible for gathering foreign intelligence, urges his officers to be more creative with agent recruitment - and to use money and flattery vs. alignment with Soviet ideology.  Additionally, he gives the directive to find "U.S. targets to cultivate or, at the very least, official contacts...The main effort must be concentrated on acquiring valuable agents." (source)

1984: Russian émigré David Bogatin pays cash for five apartments in Trump Tower. (source).  Bogatin's brother ran a $150 million stock scam with Russian mafia boss Semion Mogilevich (source)

1985: Trump reportedly “apoplectic” when he loses bid to re-develop the Coliseum at Columbus Circle to Salomon Brothers-backed Mort Zuckerman. (source)  More on Trump’s proposal here.

October 1985: Trump's helicopter pilot indicted on drug trafficking charges. Trump doesn't fire him.  Instead, he leases his personally-owned unit in Trump Plaza Apartments to him with an agreement of half the rent is to be paid in cash, the other half in unspecified helicopter services.  Trump also writes a letter on behalf of his pilot (Weichselbaum), calling him "a credit to the community.”  Who does the case end up with?  Federal judge Maryanne Trump, Donald's sister. (source)

Autumn, 1986: Trump meets Soviet ambassador Yuri Dubinin.  And per Trump's own account in Art of the Deal, “One thing led to another, and now I’m talking about building a large luxury hotel, across the street from the Kremlin, in partnership with the Soviet government.” (source)

1986: Trump makes the rounds in the news offering to negotiate with the Russians (source), and also angles for a Soviet posting in the Reagan administration (source)

March 16, 1987: Bogatin (who had purchased multiple apartments in Trump Tower for cash) pleads guilty to taking part in a massive gasoline-bootlegging scheme with Russian mobsters. The government seized his five condos at Trump Tower, because he'd used them to “launder money, to shelter and hide assets.” A Senate investigation into organized crime later revealed that Bogatin was a leading figure in the Russian mob in New York. (from New Republic)

April 3, 1987: Trump excluded from bidding on Australian casino deal because of mafia connections (per Australian police) (source)

July 4, 1987: Trump flies to the USSR for the first time after being personally invited - the trip is arranged by the Soviet government (source).

1987: Trump talks extensively in an interview about nuclear bombs, and states that his pilot used to work for Qaddafi.  In the same interview, Trump describes the type of bomb he thinks will be possible in the future: "Carry it in your briefcase, right. I’m not even talking about airplanes and missiles. You’ll walk in with your damn tape recorder,” he says, pointing to my innocent Sony, “and you’ll say it’s a tape recorder and nobody will be able to tell the difference. I mean, that’s where it’s going to be in 20 years.” (source)

1988: Trump starts talking about running for president on Oprah (source).

1988: Trump purchases a yacht from Adnan Khashoggi, the uncle of Jamal Khashoggi (source) (source)

1988: American Media Inc. (AMI) comes into being after Enquirer owner Generoso Pope dies. (source)  Among the interested parties are Robert Maxwell (source), the father of Ghislaine Maxwell - Jeffrey Epstein's partner. (source).  Among the trustees of the Pope estate are Peter G. Peterson, a partner in the Blackstone Group (source) - a private equity firm founded by Steven Schwarzman (source). (More on Schwarzman and his relation to Trump here).  According to Pope's son, Paul, The Enquirer was started with a $75,000 loan from the mafia (source).

October 11, 1989: helicopter crashes with 3 Trump casino execs aboard (source).  Trump claimed he was supposed to be on it, but then changed his mind at the last minute. (source)  After their deaths, he blamed them for the failure of his Atlantic City casino (source) The helicopter's pilot was identified by the state police as Robert Kent of Ronkonkoma, L.I., and its co-pilot as Lawrence Diener of Westbury, L.I.  b/b

1990: Wall Street bond house Salomon Brothers advises institutional clients to sell bonds issue from Trump's Castle Casino in Atlantic City, due to debt and performance concerns. (source)

1991: Trump declares bankruptcy (source)

1991: Trump sells his yacht to Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal (source) (source)

December 17, 1991: Fred Trump gives Donald an interest-free loan by purchasing $3.5 million worth of casino chips at Trump Castle casino, circumventing bankruptcy rules and enabling Donald to make the interest payment due on his bonds. (source)

1992: Trump declares bankruptcy an additional 3 times stemming from various properties he's over-leveraged. (source)

1994: Trump allegedly rapes and beats a 13-year-old girl at a party with Jeffrey Epstein, multiple times.  In the filed complaint, the 13-year-old was threatened to be "disappeared" like another young girl had been if she told anyone. (source)

October 20, 1994: Christine Seymour, Roy Cohn's secretary (Cohn was Trump's mentor), who was set to publish a tell-all book, dies in head-on collision with tractor trailer (source)

1995: Trump reportedly in Moscow to discuss matters related to Okhotny Ryad underground mall on Manezh Square. (source)

The trip is also reference in this article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1997/05/19/trump-solo

1995: Trump sells Plaza Hotel to Alwaleed bin Talal (source) Barbara Corcoran brokers the deal (source)

June 8, 1995: Vyacheslav Ivankov arrested (source).  Ivankov was known to be a notoriously brutal gangster in the upper echelon of the Russian mafia. (source) After having difficulty finding him, the FBI picked up his trail at Trump Taj Mahal, and then discovered that Ivankov had a luxury condo in Trump Tower. (source)  According to Robert Friedman in his book, Red Mafiya, Friedman viewed Ivankov's personal phone book containing "a working number for the Trump Organization’s Trump Tower Residence, and a Trump Organization office fax machine." (this is listed as a citation at the end of the book).  Ivankov is also mentioned in this 2003 DOJ paper on organized crime, with a forward by Bruce Ohr (pp 49).

1996: Trump goes to Russia with Howard Lorber (source).  Lorber later donated to the Trump inaugural fund (source).

1998: Trump Taj Mahal fined for currency transaction reporting violations (source)

February 1999: Evercore Capital Partners L.L.C., headed by former Deputy Treasury Secretary Roger C. Altman, acquires American Media, Inc. and places David Pecker at the helm. (source)

1999: Trump's first run for president (source)

2000/2001: Mark Burnett in negotiations with Putin for a show called "Destination Mir." (source)

October 2001: AMI offices in Boca Raton are attacked with anthrax (source).  Later, in 2004, a cleaning company owned by Rudy Giuliani is contracted to clean up the anthrax, with his company, Bio-One, slated to rent/occupy the building after cleanup. (source)  The contract later ended in a feud. (source)

2002: Mark Burnett begins talks with Trump regarding The Apprentice. (source)

2002 - 2011: The Bayrock Group partners with the Trump Organization on developments including the Trump SoHo hotel (source).  Principals in the group include Felix Sater - believed to be connected with Semion Mogilevich (source) - and Tevfik Arif (source).

2004: Trump declares bankruptcy again. (source)

Spring 2004: The Apprentice debuts (source)

May 2004: Diamond dealer and former Trump Tower tenant (1 year prior he'd lived right below Kellyanne Conway) Eduard Nektalov is shot on 6th Avenue (source).  He was reportedly cooperating with federal authorities on a money laundering investigation (source)  More on money laundering and Trump properties here.

2005: at the same time Trump is unable to get a 25 million pound loan from Bank of Scotland due to being a credit risk (source), Deutsche Bank (who later is hit with massive fines for money laundering) loans Trump nearly one billion dollars. Trump's banker at Deutsche Bank is Justice Kennedy's son. (source).

2006: Felix Sater escorts the Trump children during their trip to Russia (according to Sater) (source).  Later, in emails to Michael Cohen, Sater says that he'd arranged for Ivanka to sit in Putin's chair. (source).

2006: Paul Manafort buys unit in Trump Tower (source).

2006 - 2009: Trump makes multiple attempts (and fails) to get a loan from the Bank of Scotland to purchase Hamilton Hall.  The bank executive "expressed concern that Trump would hold the bank to 'future ransom'” (source)

2007 - 2016: Buyers tied to Russia make 86 cash purchases at Trump properties. (source)

2008: Soviet-born (Moldovia) Orly Taitz helps bring suit regarding Obama's citizenship/birth certificate. (source)

2008: Junior brags that they're getting a lot of money from Russia. (source)

2008: Russian oligarch buys a Palm Beach mansion from Trump, paying twice the value (source).

August 27, 2008: a small-time scam artist transfers a Beverly Hills, California, mansion to Donald Trump for $0. (source)

November 2008: Unable to meet his obligations for the nearly 1 billion dollar loan they gave him, Trump sues Deutsche Bank saying he shouldn't have to make good on his promise because of the economic crash. (source)

2009: Trump declares bankruptcy again. (source)

2009: a lawyer representing Trump Atlantic City casino creditors says he got threatening phone calls. The FBI traced one of them to a payphone outside the “Late Show With David Letterman,” where Trump was appearing.

“My name is Carmine,” the caller told the lawyer, Kristopher Hansen. “I don’t know why you’re fucking with Mr. Trump but if you keep fucking with Mr. Trump, we know where you live and we’re going to your house for your wife and kids.” (source)

July 23, 2009: Stormy Daniels' political advisor's car explodes (source).  This was approximately 3 years after her affair with Trump (source).

August 2009: After multiple tries dating back to 2006, Trump denied a final time for loan for 25 million pounds from Bank of Scotland because the bank considered it "too risky." (source)

2010: Tevfik Arif, a principal of the Bayrock Group - which at this time is partnering with the Trump organization on a variety of projects - is arrested in a Turkish prostitution sting. (source).  Charges were later dropped by Turkish authorities.

July 25, 2011: President Obama issues executive order declaring organized crime a national security emergency. (source)

2011 - 2015: Deutsche Bank, who 5 years previous had given Donald Trump nearly 1 billion dollars when Bank of Scotland wouldn't loan him 25 million pounds, is laundering billions of dollars with the help of Russians. (source)

2011: Eric Trump brags that they have access to millions of dollars from Russians. (source)

2011 - 2015: Donald Trump begins paying for his properties with hundreds of millions of dollars in cash. (source)

January 1, 2012: former Trump bodyguard dies from apparent overdose (source).

2013: Trump walks out of a BBC Panorama interview when asked about his connections with Felix Sater. (source)

April 16, 2013: Preet Bharara, then US attorney for SDNY, announces charges against massive Russian organized crime ring operating out of Trump Tower. (source)

June 16, 2013: Trump announces Miss Universe pageant will be in Moscow. (source)

November 9, 2013: Miss Universe pageant (source).  One of the fugitives indicted in the Trump Tower organized crime ring in April, ALIMZHAN TOKHTAKHOUNOV, is a guest of honor there. (source)

2014: Steve Bannon, while at Cambridge Analytica, orders testing on Putin messaging with Americans. (source)

February 10, 2014: Trump praises Putin on Fox & Friends. (source)

March 6, 2015: Trump Taj Mahal fined for money laundering. (source)

2015: Michael Cohen threatens a reporter covering Trump's divorce with Ivana.  “I’m warning you, tread very fucking lightly, because what I’m going to do to you is going to be fucking disgusting,” the Daily Beast’s Tim Mak, recalled Cohen telling him. “You write a story that has Mr. Trump’s name in it, with the word ‘rape,’ and I’m going to mess your life up … for as long as you’re on this frickin’ planet.” (source) (source)

April 18, 2015: Trump's former pilot dies in head-on collision (source).

November 3, 2015: Felix Sater, who is believed to work for Semion Mogilevich (source) writes Michael Cohen stating that he'll get buy-in from Putin and that they'll engineer Trump's presidency. (source)

November 5, 2015: former head of RT Mikhail Lesin found dead in DC hotel room with blunt force trauma to head, neck and torso.  He had a meeting with DOJ scheduled for following day. (source)

January 23, 2016: Trump tells the crowd at a rally that he could shoot someone in the middle of 5th Avenue and not lose voters. (source)

February 23, 2016: Trump tells the crowd at a rally that he'd like to punch a protestor in the face, and "I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They’d be carried out on a stretcher, folks.” (source)

March 29, 2016: Paul Manafort joins Trump campaign. (source)

April - May 2016: George Papadopoulos in communication with “high ranking Russian official” in an attempt to set up meetings between Trump team and Russian reps, w/the promise “that the Kremlin had 'dirt' on Hillary Clinton in the form of “thousands of emails…” (source)

May 2016: Stephen Schwarzman flies to Riyadh to meet with Mohammed bin Salman - then the deputy crown prince of Saudi Arabia - about infrastructure, and presumably the $20 billion fund that's announced a year later. (source) More on Schwarzman's relationship with Trump, and Saudi Arabia here.  More on Schwarzman's links to Russia and Rosneft here.

Summer 2016: Stefan Halper, an FBI informant, approaches Trump campaign officials. (source)

June 9, 2016: Trump Tower meeting with Russians, Manafort, Kushner, Don Jr.. (source).  Present at the meeting was Nataliya Veselnitskaya, who at the time was representing Prevezon (source), a company implicated in a money-laundering case at SDNY (source)

June 14, 2016: News breaks that the DNC has been hacked by Russians. (source)

June 14, 2016: Michael Cohen cancels his planned trip to Moscow to discuss Trump Tower Moscow (source)

Sometime after July 19, 2016: Trump warned by FBI that Russians will try to infiltrate campaign. (source)

July 2016: FBI opens counter intelligence investigation into Trump campaign. (source) (source)

September, 2016: Trump and Cohen discuss hush money and contingency for if guy gets hit by a truck. (source)

October 31, 2016: Mother Jones reports "A Veteran Spy Has Given the FBI Information Alleging a Russian Operation to Cultivate Donald Trump"

November 7, 2016 (one day before election day): Connie Watton, maid of Stephen Schwarzman - a Trump AND Kremlin friend - is pushed in front of a subway. (source)  The woman who pushed her is assigned defense attorney Mathew Mari, known for his legal work for the Bonanno crime family.  More on Schwarzman's relationship with Trump, and Saudi Arabia here.  More on Schwarzman's links to Russia and Rosneft here.  Schwarzman had also financed Kushner projects and gave Jared Kushner a loan (source).

November 8, 2016 (election day): Russian diplomat Sergei Krivov found unconscious at the Russian Consulate in New York and died on the scene. (source)

December 2016: FSB officers arrested in Russia. (source)

December 2016: Jared Kushner instructs Michael Flynn to sabotage US foreign policy. (source)

December 1 or 2, 2016: Kushner tries to set up secret back channel with Russians using Russians' secure facilities. (source)

December 1, 2016: Jared Kushner and Michael Flynn meet with Sergei Kislyak at Trump Tower (source)

December 13-14, 2016 (date not confirmed): Jared Kushner meets with Sergey Gorkov, "a graduate of the academy of the Federal Security Service, or FSB, the domestic intelligence arm of the former Soviet KGB, who was appointed by Putin to the post less than a year before his encounter with Kushner." (source)

December 19, 2016: Russia's ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, is killed. (source)

December 19, 2016: Russian diplomat to Latin America, Peter Polshikov, is killed. (source)

December 20, 2016: Methbot white paper published. (source)

December 26, 2016: Ex-KGB chief Oleg Erovinkin, who was suspected of helping draft the Trump dossier, found dead in the back of his car. (source)

December 29, 2016: Obama expels 35 Russian diplomats. (source)

December 29, 2016: KT McFarland sends email stating that "If there is a tit-for-tat escalation Trump will have difficulty improving relations with Russia, which has just thrown U.S.A. election to him," (source)

December 29, 2016: Flynn calls Kislyak to discuss the expelling of the diplomates and asks that the Russians not retaliate. (source)

January 6, 2017: Trump, McFarland, Pence, Flynn, Priebus, Pompeo and Bossert briefed with classified intelligence report by Brennan, Clapper, Comey. (source)  That same day, DNI releases this report.

January 9, 2017: Russian Consul in Athens, Greece, Andrei Malanin, found dead in his apartment (source)

January 10, 2017: Buzzfeed publishes Steele Dossier. (source)

January 24, 2017: Peter Strzok interviews Michael Flynn. (source)

January  27, 2017: Russia's Ambassador to India, Alexander Kadakin, dies. (source)

January 30, 2017: New York State Department of Financial Services fines Deutsche Bank $425 million for massive Russian mirror trading scheme. (source)

February 2017: Trump's bodyguard, a Trump Organization lawyer and a third man raid Harold Bornstein's office, taking Trump's medical records. (source)

February 20, 2017: Vitaly Churkin, Russia's ambassador to the UN, dies suddenly in New York (source)

March 2, 2017: Ukrainian businessman with links to Trump found dead from undetermined causes.  Oronov was Michael Cohen's brother's father-in-law, and Cohen did business with him. (source)

March 11, 2017: Trump fires Preet Bharara, who as US Attorney of SDNY had led the breakup of a massive Russian organized crime ring operating out of Trump Tower. (source)

March 16, 2017: laptop stolen from Secret Service agent's car while parked in her driveway.  The laptop contained highly sensitive information including floor plans and evacuation protocol for Trump Tower. (source)

March 20, 2017: It's learned that the FBI had launched a counter intelligence investigation into the Trump campaign and Russian links in July of 2016. (source) (source)

March 21, 2017: A lawyer for a Putin-foe, Nikolai Gorokhov, reportedly thrown from a window in Moscow. Gorokhov was set to testify as a U.S. government witness in a money laundering case initiated by SDNY (led by Preet Bahrara). (source)  "The alleged vehicle by which these dirty assets were washed clean was a Cyprus-registered company called Prevezon Holdings Ltd." (source)  Prevezon is represented by Nataliya Veselnitskaya at the time that she attends the Trump Tower meeting in June of 2016. (source)

March 23, 2017: former Russian MP, Denis Voronenkov, shot dead in Kiev. (source)

March 30, 2017: FBI raids Trump-linked casino in Saipan. (source)

March 30, 2017: Mike Flynn asks for immunity. (source)

May 1, 2017: Scott Christianson, investigative reporter for McClatchy, publishes this:

May 9, 2017: Trump fires FBI director James Comey. (source)

May 2017 (date unclear): FBI opens counter intelligence investigation into Trump. (source)

May 10: 2017: Subpoenas issued to Michael Flynn by Senate Intelligence Committee. (source)

May 10, 2017: closed-door meeting in Oval Office with Russians. (source)

May 10, 2017: Roger Ailes falls in his home at Palm Beach Country. (source)

May 11, 2017: FBI raids GOP consulting firm in Maryland. (source)

May 14, 2017: Scott Christianson dies after falling down the stairs at his home (source)

May 14 2017: Republic operative Peter Smith found dead in Minnesota 10 days after speaking with WSJ (source)

Smith had said he'd been working with Michael Flynn (source).

May 17, 2017: Robert Mueller appointed special counsel (source).

May 18, 2017: Roger Ailes dies from head injury he'd sustained 8 days earlier (source).

May 20-21, 2017: Trump takes his first overseas trip as president to Saudi Arabia.  During this trip, it's announced that Blackstone, led by Stephen Schwarzman, will manage Saudi Arabia's $20 billion investment fund. (source)  Most of the investment will be in US infrastructure (source)  During that trip, Trump also meets with Kirill Dmitriev of VEB bank (source)

July 4, 2017: body washes up on shore of Trump golf course in California. (source) (source)

July 26, 2017: Paul Manafort's home raided (source)

July 27, 2017: George Papadopoulos arrested. (source)

August 3, 2017: Secret Service kicked out of Trump Tower (source).

August 23, 2017: Russian ambassador to Sudan, Mirgayas Shirinsky, found dead. (source)

September 1, 2017: fire at Russian consulate in San Francisco (source).

September 14, 2017: Junior ditches Secret Service to go to Canada (source).

September 25, 2017: Richard Beckler, Trump's appointee as General Counsel of GSA dies (source).  Beckler is the GSA staff member who'd assured Trump that requests for materials/emails from special counsel would not be honored (source).

September 27, 2017: Paul Horner, fake news writer who took credit for Trump’s win, dies of apparent overdose (source)

October 2017: Trump muses that he'll likely get to place 4 justices on the Supreme Court because of future health issues they may have (source).

October 16, 2017: Panama Papers journalist killed with a car bomb. (source)

October 25, 2017: Jared Kushner leaves on unannounced visit to Saudi Arabia.

October 26, 2017: Investigator (Catherine Hunt, a former FBI agent) working on behalf of 9/11 families suing Saudi Arabia interviews Jamal Khashoggi.  Khashoggi texted Saudi officials that same day.

(as claimed by the lawyer working on behalf of the families)

October 28, 2018: Jared Kushner returns from unannounced visit to Saudi Arabia.

October 30, 2017: Papadopoulos guilty plea revealed (source)

November 3, 2017: Alex van der Zwaan is interviewed by the FBI. (source)

November 4, 2017: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman consolidates power and arrests several princes, including Prince Alwaleed bin-Talal. (source)  Trump had previously sold his yacht (1991) and the Plaza Hotel to Alwaleed bin-Talal (source).

November 2017: Trump picks fights with North Korea. (source)

November 17, 2017: Brett Kavanaugh added to short list of SCOTUS nominees. (source)

December 1, 2017: Michael Flynn pleads guilty to lying to the FBI. (source)

December 5, 2017: It's reported that Deutsche Bank received subpoena from Robert Mueller (source) In-depth Rachel Maddow segment on Deutsche Bank and the subpoena here.

December 16, 2017: Trump learns that Mueller has in his possession all of their transition emails on the .gov domain, obtained via the GSA. (source)

December 22, 2017: House Intelligence Committee interviews Rhona Graff

December 30, 2017: Fire at home linked to Ivanka's diamond business (source).

January 8, 2018: Fire at Trump Tower (source)

January 20, 2018: Former spokesman for Rick Gates, Glenn Selig, dies in Afghanistan hotel attack.  Selig was a well-known Tampa Bay Area TV anchor. (source)

January 25, 2018: It's learned that Dutch intelligence had infiltrated Russian hacker group Cozy Bear and witnessed in real time as they attacked the State Department as well as the DNC. (source)

January 27, 2018: Steve Wynn resigns as RNC finance chair amid sexual assault allegations (source).

January 31, 2018: chartered train carrying GOP lawmakers to retreat crashes into truck (source).

February 16, 2018: Indictment of 12 Russians, outlining their methods of election interference (indictment sealed). (source)

February 20, 2018: Alex van der Zwaan pleads guilty to making false statements to FBI. (source)

February 22, 2018: Paul Manafort and Richard Gates indicted. (source)

February 23 - 27, 2018: Trump Tower Panama standoff with physical altercations and armed guards (source).

Week of March 4 - 10, 2018 (date unclear): FBI raids Trump-linked casino in Saipan a second time. (source)

March 4, 2018: Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, found poisoned on a park bench in Salisbury. (source)

March 16, 2018: FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe fired. (source)

April 7, 2018: ANOTHER Trump Tower Fire - art dealer Todd Brassner dies (source); Michael Cohen texts Dennis Shields with a warning to "get out ASAP" (source).

April 9, 2018: FBI raids Michael Cohen's home, hotel room, and office (source).

April 13, 2018: RNC Finance Chair Elliot Broidy resigns in midst hush money payoff scandal (source).

April 15 or 16, 2018: Matthew Mellon (finance chair, NY RNC, and who made his fortune in cryptocurrency) dies of apparent overdose (source). Note - original link/story is now gone; here are alternate sources for that story: https://twitter.com/business/status/986135482013769728

April 24, 2018: Devin Nunes sends classified letter to Jeff Sessions regarding FBI informant (source) who is later revealed to be Stefan Halper. (source)

April 28, 2018: Fire at Trump Tower Azerbaijan (source).

Week of April 29, 2018: Devin Nunes issues subpoena to DOJ seeking information about FBI informant (later revealed to be Stefan Halper). (source)

June 20, 2018: New York State Department of Financial Services fines Deutsche Bank $205 million for "unlawful, unsafe and unsound conduct in its foreign exchange trading business." (source)

June 22, 2018: Trump-backed Katie Arrington seriously injured in head-in collision (source).

June 27, 2018: Justice Kennedy, whose son was Donald Trump's banker, unexpectedly announces retirement. (source) Trump and Kennedy reportedly had a special relationship (source).

July 4, 2018: delegation of Republicans go to Moscow. (source)

July 9, 2018: Brett Kavanaugh nominated to SCOTUS. (source)

July 14, 2018: Indictment of 12 Russians/internet research agency unsealed (source).

July 16, 2018: Maria Butina criminal complaint unsealed. (source)

July 16, 2018: Trump meets with Putin in Helsinki. (source)

July 17, 2018: Secret Service agent dies in Scotland.  After falling ill at Trump's golf course in Turnberry, he died the day after the Helsinki meeting (source) (source). (obituary)

July 25, 2018: dead body found in waters off Trump NYC golf course (source).

August 6, 2018: Rand Paul goes to Russia. (source)

August 10, 2018: Dennis Shields - the same guy Cohen texted back in April - found dead in Trump Tower (source)

August 15, 2018: Trump revokes John Brennan's security clearance. (source)

August 16, 2018: mystery case before grand jury initiated. (source)

October 2, 2018: Jamal Khashoggi murdered on orders from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (source)  Trump later disputes the findings of the CIA and stands with MBS, stating that too much money is at stake. (source)

October 3, 2018: Nikki Hailey resigns, but resignation is not yet publicly announced. (source)

October 3, 2018: The Russian deputy attorney general (Saak Karapetyan) who reportedly directed Natalya Veselnitskaya (the lawyer who met with the Trump campaign in Trump Tower) dies in a helicopter crash (source).  It was later reported that the pilot of the helicopter had been shot. (source)

October 9, 2018: Internet Research Agency (aka the troll farm) named in DOJ indictment (unsealed July 14, 2018) set on fire. (source)

October 9, 2018: Nikki Haley announces resignation.

October 9, 2018: New York Times reports that Saudi Arabia had ordered Khashoggi's murder.

October 17, 2018: Don McGahn resigns. (source)

October 19, 2018: "Project Lahkta" (Russian election interference) criminal complaint unsealed (source)

October 21, 2018: John Bolton goes to Russia to meet with Putin. (source)

October 22 - 27, 2018: week of terror begins with bombs at the home of George Soros. (source).  It was followed by bombs sent to Bill and Hillary Clinton (Oct. 23); Barack Obama, CNN, John Brennan, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Eric Holder and Maxine Waters (October 24); Robert de Niro and Joe Biden (October 25); and Cory Booker, James Clapper, Kamala Harris, and Tom Steyer (October 26). It ends with mass shooting at Tree of Life synagogue on October 27 (source).

October 30, 2018: Whitey Bulger killed. (source)

November 21, 2018: head of GRU agency accused of DNC hacks and Skripal poisoning dies, reportedly after a long illness. (source)

November 27, 2018: Methbot indictment unsealed at EDNY. (source)

November 28, 2018: Miami Herald publishes Perversion of Justice investigative report.

November 29, 2018: Michael Cohen pleads guilty. (source)

November 29, 2018: Massive raid at Deutsche Bank. (source)

November 29, 2018: FBI raids offices of Trump's former tax attorney, Chicago Alderman Ed Burke. (source)

December 4, 2018: Epstein trial set to begin.  It is settled at the last minute, avoiding testimony from witnesses. (source)

December 13, 2018: FBI allegedly raids Chicago Alderman and former Trump tax attorney Ed Burke's office a second time (FBI neither confirms nor denies whether raid took place) (source).

December 22, 2018: Government shuts down. (source)

January 8, 2019: it's learned that Manafort passed polling data to Kilimnik in the summer of 2016. (source)

January 11, 2019: it's learned/reported that the FBI had opened a counter intelligence investigation into Trump in May of 2017. (source)

January 23, 2019: Michael Cohen postpones testimony before Congress, saying it's because Trump has been threatening him. (source)

January 25, 2019: Roger Stone arrested and indicted. (source) (source)

February 21, 2019: Judge rules that federal prosecutors (including Trump labor secretary Alex Acosta) broke the law in Epstein case. (source)

February 27, 2019: Michael Cohen testifies before Congress that Trump had directed him to threaten people as many as 500 times when he worked for him. (source)  He also testifies that Felix Sater's office had been located on the 26th floor of Trump Tower - the same floor as Trump's office - and, in the location that would eventually become Cohen's office. (source)

And let's not forget the acid in Steve Bannon's bathroom: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bannons-vacated-florida-home-had-a-bathroom-destroyed-by-acid-washington-post-report-985356

Or how Michael Cohen threatened this reporter: https://twitter.com/cherijacobus/status/974831949285031936

Or the threats Stormy Daniels received: https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/25/politics/stormy-daniels-threat-60-minutes/index.html

A short history of Donald Trump's threats: https://www.propublica.org/article/a-short-history-of-threats-received-by-donald-trumps-opponents

[roughridingrednecks]

[bloodmothsart]

return of Nigel 🦇

[jpriest85-blog]

Recently, I got into @vendetta-if and have been coming up with concept art of my MC, Katerina aka Kitty. Including a portrait of her with how I imagine Viktor and Yevette appearing, fashion lineup of clothing she would wear, concept sketches of her tattoos, and a full body reference picture of her tattoos and underwear. Damn no wonder Ash got so flustered in the demo😘

Vendetta MC info

Name: Katerina Viktorovna Smirnova [ Катерина Викторовна Смирнова]

Nickname: Kitty

Gender: Female

Sexual preferences: Bisexual

Codename: Anath, Canaanite Goddess of warfare and the hunt who defeats the death god Mot for killing Ba'al, in a rather brutal fashion.

Pistols: Freyr & Freyja

Mask: Venetian mask with wings and crown made of a swirling black

Car: Black and gold Mercedes Benz Maybach S650.

Face claim: Haya Maraachli

Fashion preferences: Fancy elegant clothes in a variety of styles and colors.

ROs: Ash & Rin

Height: 6ft./182.88cms

Ethnicity: Mix of Russian, Syrian, and French descent

Hair: long, straight black hair

Eyes: Brown

Complexion: olive complexion

Tattoos & distinguishing features: a couple of beauty marks on her face on the left side of her chin and upper lip. As well as a few in memoriam tattoos; a stylized camera on the left side of her chest for her father, a stylized motorcycle with flowers on her right shoulder for Cara, and a cameo tattoo on her left wrist depicting her grandmother.

Personality: At first appearance, Kitty seems like a spoiled sweet rich girl, bubbly, charming, and fashionable, but she is also incredibly educated and intelligent. Imagine Elle Woods from Legally Blonde. Only Kitty is a brunette, was born into an infamous criminal family, and is aspiring to become a vigilante like her father Although considering the kind of student she was, Katerina could easily get into Harvard, although she'd be more likely to pursue a major in business or anthropology rather than focusing on law.

She's also a huge Nerd. She was president of the school debate team, graduated as class valedictorian, and everything. She does tend to dress fashionably, and she is fascinated by a wide variety of subjects, and she will study extensively in her free time whenever she develops an interest in a new subject matter. As a result, she's now fluent in over 7 languages; English, Russian, Arabic, Japanese, Spanish, Mandarin, and French, and is even attempting to learn Sign language. She's just as likely to be interested in popular media, as well as more academic fare, with equal enthusiasm. So she's the type of person who'd enjoy listening to popular music as well as podcast lectures on ancient civilizations, or the latest blockbuster movie and documentaries about endangered species, etc. She's also considerate enough not to talk down to the people around her. She doesn't want to make someone feel stupid or bad about themselves just because they don't know something, this just means it's an opportunity to introduce them to something new they can get excited about!

Honestly, Kitty tends to be more offended by people who pretend to know everything, especially when they're trying to just suck up to her. Sure, she was brought up to be enough of a lady to be polite to people, but she doesn't enjoy folks wanting to get closer to her just to get on good with her family. Reminds her too much of her childhood when other kids pretended to be friends with her to get her to do their homework, make connections with her family, take advantage of her generosity, or even seduce her when she "grew up pretty." As a result, despite the fact Katerina is a very sociable and charming person, her friend group is pretty small. There are very few people she trusts explicitly outside of her family, Ash, and Rin. Although Skylar and Detective Valdez are strong candidates to join her inner circle depending on how things play out.

She also tends to be pretty generous since she still remembers how much her father used to worry about money and expenses when she was growing up. She understands how many advantages and opportunities having money can afford, especially as she got older and studied business and accounting to help better assist her uncle. As much as she still wants to be a vigilante, she knows change can't really happen until more people have better opportunities and chances to earn a living without having to resort to crime out of desperation. So she started to secretly start up and fund charity programs that help to improve people's lives like food banks, rehab treatment, after-school and scholarship programs, etc. All of these donations and charity projects are strictly anonymous though, considering her family's reputation she doesn't want the much needed funds being taken away from these people in case of suspicions of money laundering, or that she's using the charities as a PR tactic.

While she usually tries to be optimistic, losing her father so young still takes its toll on her. Katerina still struggles with PTSD, anxiety, depression and even developed OCD after her father's murder. Young children deal with grief and trauma in different ways and in Kitty's case she became an overachiever instead of lashing out; after all, the last thing she promised her father before he died was to be a good girl. She'd push herself to smile and be the dutiful student and child so as not to cause problems for the people around her. Her uncle and grandparents are already grieving and struggling enough, although at the time, she didn't realize she was worrying her family more. Especially her Uncle Luka, sure he didn't have much experience in childcare except for babysitting Kitty and Ash. He's no stranger to concealing his real feelings to not publicly appear weak, but his niece is still so young that she shouldn't be hiding her grief and pain behind a smile like a Stepford wife!

Especially when he knows she's not sleeping well, and he even caught her out of bed in the middle of the night obsessively scrubbing the walls and ceiling. The worst incident was when Kitty was 11 and woke up from a nightmare about her father's murder. Even after washing her face and hands, she still remembers the feeling of her father's blood seeping into her clothes. While she can't see any blood, she can still feel it warm and tacky against her skin. So she kept washing, but the sink wasn't big enough, so she stepped into the shower still in her pjs, and just kept scrubbing even long after the water ran cold and the shadows started multiplying. When her uncle found her, he frantically turned off the shower and wrapped her in a towel, trapping her hands to stop her from scrubbing her skin raw. Luka started taking her to a therapist after this incident, and she still sees a psychiatrist pretty regularly.

It's helped her manage and deal with things, especially after understanding her obsessive fixation with order and cleaning can flare up when she's stressed or trying to reassert some control in her life. Although she still doesn't bring up her attempts at becoming a vigilante and hunting down her father's murder with her doctors for obvious reasons. She's also explored other ways to help her cope in addition to therapy, although some methods are more effective than others. Sure, smoking can help lower her stress, but tobacco and nicotine have long-term health risks, so she's been trying to quit. Kitty has responded well with animal therapy, especially the treatments that involved horses. As a result, her uncle and grandfather both had horse stables added to the family estate, as well as staff, horses, equestrian equipment, and training for her.

Additional info & Headcanons

Kitty tends to be very cuddly and affectionate with people she's close to, ever since she was a child. She'd always cuddle her dad, Uncle Luka, Cara, and even Takashi. She always greeted her grandparents with a hug and 3 alternating kisses on the cheek, even as an adult. Although she often leaves lipstick marks on her Deda Pavel, so now she also makes sure to wipe his cheek after a rather humorous incident when several people were too afraid to let the intimidating Morozov patriarch know he still had colorful lipstick marks on his face. Ash and Rin also grew accustomed to Kitty's gestures of affection, although Ash is a bit more self conscious about the physical contact when she started developing feelings for Kitty, and Rin was initially unused to people being so cuddly with him, other than his father, but he's learned to appreciate it (especially with the advantages of the height difference between himself and Kitty). Once Kitty decides to trust and welcome Jackal into the family, Artyom can expect an enthusiastic bear hug from her as well.

Is a bit of a foodie and enjoys a wide range of different types of meals. Her palette isn't limited to higher end foods, sure she enjoys caviar and champagne as much as the next person but she also loves food discovered from some little hole in the wall spot, or even home cooked meals. She even has an anonymous food review blog that's very popular on social media. Even Skylar follows it.

As far as Kitty's own cooking skills, she's decent enough on her own but needs more practice for more complicated recipes. Especially after the time she tried learning how to make Crème Brûlée, she asked Ash to help her and they both set off the fire alarm…thankfully they always make sure the fire extinguishers are nearby and in working condition.

Kitty prefers strong black tea when she needs a caffeine boost, as coffee tends to give her heart burn. She also picked up the habit of drinking her tea with a sugar cube in her mouth, which she learned from her grandmother when they used to have tea together.

She always has a little tin filled with sugar cubes in her purse, usually because she prefers them to the little sugar packets when drinking her tea and to give little treats for her horses. As a result, Katerina is well known by the mounted units in EPD because the horses always know she's got treats for them.

Since starting animal therapy, Kitty has owned and grown attached to many horses over the years. Her current therapy horse is a Snowflake Appaloosa she named Zefir after the candy. Although after meeting Detective Valdez and seeing how overworked and stressed out they are, she is considering introducing Satana to her horses.

While Kitty still struggles with her OCD she did pick up some useful skills while trying to manage it. She learned how to get blood stains out of almost anything and how to use her Gravikinesis to find and dispose of trace evidence in hard to reach places.

While therapy has helped Katerina learn not to bury her feelings, she still doesn't like crying in public. Partly out not wanting to be vulnerable in front of strangers, and she gets embarrassed by how messy she appears while crying; runny makeup, her face gets all red and puffy, hiccups, ect. She doesn't have any problem crying in front of, or even on, people she trusts like her family, Ash, and Rin. Although sometimes Ash gets too emotional when Kitty starts crying, and if it's not a situation where she can fix things by killing the bastard that made Kitty cry in the first place, Ash will start crying too. Usually, Luka or Rin has to console them both when this happens. Comfort food like ice cream has proven to be effective.

Considering Katerina's affinity to horses, it would surprise no one to learn she was a huge fan of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic cartoon as a child. However, Ash also used to watch the cartoon with her religiously when they were both little girls. Rin will sometimes tease Ash about it as he's one of the few people who remembers this fact and can get away with talking about it without risking death.

When Kitty was a child, she and Ash both joined the Girl Scouts. It was an enjoyable experience, although sadly short-lived, because Ash and Kitty used overly aggressive tactics when selling cookies, like intimidation and racketeering. So they were both kicked out, and Viktor made both girls apologize and refund all the people they extorted. Still, Kitty did learn some useful skills like first aid and fire safety. So whenever Girl Scout Cookie Season comes around, she'll buy everything she can from any Girlscout she encounters and hand out boxes to family, friends, and even staff.

Katerina has astigmatism and has needed corrective lenses since she was 13. She normally wears contact lenses but prefers to wear glasses when at home, during business meetings, or when researching.

Katerina was sort of a late bloomer and was very cubby as a child. Viktor did everything he could to make sure his daughter never felt self-conscious about it, especially since he was also a heavy kid before he had his growth spurt. For the most part, it worked, but Kitty would still feel self-conscious about herself from other kids teasing or fashion advertising. Especially the ones that featured her mother.

When Katerina hit her growth spurt at 14, she was very caught off guard by the sudden attention when people would try asking her out or flirting with her. Especially since many of these same people didn't even give her a second look when she still had her "baby fat," she didn't even lose any actual weight, but because she's taller now she looks thinner.

This has also made her friends and family extra protective of Kitty, and they are often very successful at scarring off any creeps and perverts. There was one incident when Luka was giving Kitty a driving lesson when she was 15, a couple of frat boys pulled up to them at a red light and immediately started aggressively hitting on Katerina when they spotted her in the driver's seat. They didn't notice Luka blinking into their back seat where he proceeded to beat them half to death for harassing his underage niece.

Whenever folks only compliment Kitty on her looks, she quickly loses interest. Sure, she'll politely accept the compliment if it's their first meeting and the other person isn't being a creep. However, if that's the only thing that they're interested in, she'll disengage.

Katerina has a variety of interests, much like a Renaissance man or woman in this case. She is not interested in folks getting close to her just because of her family, wealth, or in an attempt to get into her pants! She speaks over 7 languages and tries initiating a conversation with her about food, history, art, or even something obscure, like the life cycle about an endangered beetle! Just say something of value to the conversation if you want anything more than a standard polite response from her!

Katerina has some very mixed feelings about her mother. While Yevette's rejection of her did hurt and affect her, she still had Cara and her grandmother in her life. They helped shape her into the kind of woman she wants to be. Although as she got older, she's learned to let go of some of the hurt…mostly. She understands not everyone is meant to be a parent and believes Yevette is just one of those people who doesn't have it in her to be a mother. Sure, Kitty doesn't want Yevette to die, but for the most part, her mother is a stranger to her. Just because she grew up seeing Mirage everywhere in TV, comics, ads, and movies doesn't mean they know each other even if Yevette did give birth to her. Sure she'll be polite to Yevette, after all Baba Alina made sure Katerina was raised to be a respectful young lady, but if Yevette wants to build an actual relationship with Kitty she needs to show she means it. Katerina learned early on how to deal with folks who have ulterior motives for getting close to her. She doesn't need that BS from her own mother!

Over the years, movie nights with Uncle Luka will sometimes inspire new interests and hobbies for Kitty. Like when she wanted to learn how to use a whip after watching Indiana Jones, or getting into Egyptology and ancient cultures after watching The Mummy films, both the original horror films from 1932 starring Boris Karloff, and the 1999 movie starring Brendon Frazer.

Kitty did eventually learn how to use a whip. It even helps her practice using precision with her Umbrakinesis abilities. As well as winning first place at last year's Halloween costume contest when she dressed up Julie Newmar's iconic Catwoman, complete with whip stunt demonstration and terrible cat puns.

The 1999 Mummy film also helped young Kitty realize she was Bisexual as she developed crushes on a good part of the main cast; Brendon Frazer, Rachel Weisz, Oded Fehr, and even Patricia Velasquez.

Likewise, these movie nights sometimes inspired a few fears and phobias. Such as when Luka made the mistake of showing her Mimic, directed by Guillermo del Toro, and she developed an intense fear of cockroaches. She liked del Toro's other films, and usually, when a scary movie bothered her, learning more about the subject made her less scared. Like after she watched Jaws, she got less scared when she learned real sharks are much different than from the movie.Cockroaches were the exception, though the more she learned about the insects, the more they freaked her out.

Despite already being pretty tall, Kitty tends to wear high heels, except when she's relaxing, exercising, or doing missions. She claims she likes the added height because other than her mother, she's the shortest one out of her relatives by comparison (although at 6ft./182.88cms, she isn't that much shorter than her Uncle and Grandparents). Also, the thin heels can make an effective impromptu stabbing weapon in a pinch. Why do you think Stiletto heels share their name with a type of dagger?

[swinginmandarin]

I think that scene of Natasha Lyonne walking around new york to personal jesus by depeche mode changed me as a person

[shamrockqueen]

Wasteland paradise

Chapter 1

Pairing : Boyka X Reader (Post Apocalyptic AU/ inspired by but not in the universe of Fallout new Vegas)

Warnings : R18, human trafficking, purchased reader, eventual Smut, rough smut, eroticism (not every chapter has smut), death of minor characters.

Word count : 1498

Scott Adkins Masterlist

They say that the decay was gradual, overtaking humanity like a spiderweb of cancer and bleeding into the very bones of modern society. The elite sat comfortably on their pedestals as the earth below them crumbled—that is, until the rot reached them too. They say that when the tallest tower finally fell, it was already too late.

The underbelly was all that survived, becoming this new aristocracy within what once were major cities. Those who fled were left with the scorched landscape they had left barren. Some founded small communes; others formed almost farel gangs that roamed further out into the wasteland. Some settlements fizzled easily; some were attacked and picked clean by invaders; but a few seemed to live long enough to spawn other generations.

You’d never know what that modern world was truly like, and sometimes you’d find yourself wondering how your life would have been if the older generations had ensured a better future. It wasn’t worth thinking about anymore. No, living through the week has greatly outweighed depressive fantasies.

You found yourself alone—finally and horribly alone.

You tried your best to wash the blood stain out, but no amount of scrubbing could make the dress clean again. It felt low, repurposing the very clothes your mother died in while she lay naked in a shallow grave, but you couldn’t afford to waste the fabric. The dress would never come clean, but the pattern was a beautiful yet slightly faded floral blue, so the cleanest part of the fabric had to have been worth something. Anything to put some food on that empty table now that you’d be the only one left to provide for it.

Almost all of your time had been spent taking care of your mother until her slow demise, which had her coughing up most of her own blood. It was always hard to look at her while she was in that state, and the only hope now was that she would be at peace.

You looked at the once-beautiful dress you had bundled in your hands. It had been her favorite, but it was too late to bury her with it now. You pulled the small switchblade from your pocket and began cutting off the stained portion of the fabric. You didn’t bother to cut the seams, as whoever bought it off of the trader once it left your hands would just do it themselves.

You bundled the dress under your arm and left your little home. You had shared this poorly constructed, one-room shanty house with what was left of your family. The small shanty village wasn’t very big and didn’t yield very much production, but the few traders that came through were often a godsend as they brought in many much-needed supplies. A tiny smudge on their map, and they still remembered to visit all of you.

You hoped to get there early so as not to be stuck in the hot sun for most of your day. The caravan was normally parked over by the moonshiners shack, an old man who made a pretty good hootch and would sell a lot to the passing traders.

It was the main reason the caravan came at all and often a great reprieve from everyday life since he’d let the townsfolk get drunk at a hefty discount.

He was nice enough for an old coot, and more often than not, he could be seen sitting in front of his home with his dog Trixie, waiting for the traders to show up.

Old Trixie was sweet and would wonder over and nuzzle up to passersby in search of extra affection and maybe a bit of food. She usually rushed the hill when anyone got close, but when you rounded towards the shack, she wasn’t anywhere in sight.

You crested over the hill and looked down at the lonely little shack at the bottom. There were vehicles all around the house, alongside the trader’s trucks, but you didn’t see any people. You used your hand as a visor to shield your vision from the bright sun overhead to get a better look at the scene before you.

A mound of fluff lay motionless next to the door. Trixie’s telltale brown and white spots were stained in a deep, terrifying red splattered along her small body.

More bodies, larger and human, came into view, all of which lay slain by the side of the caravan. You stopped walking, shaking in your boots at the prospect of getting caught by whatever had caused this entire scene. You nearly pissed your pants off when the mirador walked out of the shack with a jug of hooch in each hand. He wore a torn armored vest doused in a fair amount of blood that most likely wasn’t his.

He turns back towards the house as if to talk to someone behind him, and you take this chance to turn tail and run back the way you came. The fabric was let loose from where you’d clutched it under your arm, kicked away by the dusty wind in exchange for your meager life. The desecration, the sacrifice, the loss—none of it was worth anything now, and all was forgotten in the wake of a possible bullet to the teeth.

The only sound you could hear was the crunch of dirt under your boots as the blood rushed to your ears. You sprint off as fast as you can, propelling yourself down the hill almost faster than your legs can keep up with.

You barely caught the sound of someone shouting after you with a jovial “Woah, where’s the fire?”

All were silenced after a loud bang of gunshots went off not far behind you. Everyone scattered like ants as more shots rang through the air.

You make the mistake of turning back to look at the whirring of a spiked vehicle as it rounds over the hill. You tried to run as fast and as far as your feet could carry you until you could find ample cover from the impending doom.

The flicker of the blue plastic tarp as it got caught up in the breeze stole your sight as you switched your direction towards possible safety. Your boots nearly slid out from under you as you dove towards the tarp. It proved to be a small, unused alcove between two shanty houses, with the plastic cover leftover from a collapsed partial roof.

You kick yourself underneath it and fling the tarp back over your body. You had to squeeze in among the long-forgotten junk as you tried to steady your heart.

You watched as the shadows flickered from the outside of your small cover; many were from those running away just as you had, but others were larger with more sharp edges. Your stomach ached as the shrill and broken voices of your neighbors disappeared into the distance, but it would be the first crack of gunfire that made your guts drop entirely. The cries of the fallen were quickly devoured by the roar of scrap metal against the rough terrain vehicles that rolled by.

You held your breath to keep from hyperventilating, digging your teeth into your bottom lip as tears dribbled tracks down your dirtied cheeks.

You hear heavier, slower footsteps that clinked as they hit the dirt. The sound of it was horribly clear as they got closer and closer to you, hidden only by a tattered blue tarp. When the cracked leather of the side of a boot came into view, you had to choke down every ounce of fear that wanted to burst forth, practically forcing it back down into your lungs as it twisted your face in horror.

You wait just as they wait. The boots don’t move for however long it takes to make your heart nearly beat out of your chest. Then they started to turn towards you.

The next sound is deafening as bits of rusted metal go flying as the blue sheet is ripped right off of it. Old car parts clunk and scrape together, and you have to cover your head with your hands as the small avalanche of junk falls over you.

As the hot sun hit your body once again, there was no use in staying quiet, and a scream finally forced its way out of your body.

To your dismay, you weren’t shot; you were only dragged out by the roots of your hair as the raider dug his fingers into your scalp. You're barely kicking as your legs fight, only to wiggle out from under the junk pile.

He pulls you out onto the road before giving you a kick and a quick order of “get up, off the fuckin ground.”

You scramble up, hands over your head, his rusted gun pointed to your face. He barked out “walk” through his broken teeth, pointing ahead of you with his weapon before kicking the back of your knee when you didn’t already turn and start moving. Your leg buckled but kept you upright as you limped ahead of him towards the chaos they had created.

Shanty houses were lit on fire after being looted and knocked over. A few children were being pulled away from the corpses of their parents left laying in the street; some were caught in the crossfire and laid not far from their fallen family.

“There’s almost nothing here aside from the hooch and the cargo from the caravan!” One man shouted out to the one following not far behind you, his gun still pointed to your back.

“Grab some survivors and load'em into one of the empty wagons. We can sell them off at the trade center for good money.” The voice behind you called back. “If they try to fight you, just shoot’um.”

When your knees shook, it slowed your pace, and you heard him yell at you, “Move, damn it.” And you picked your feet up as quickly as you could towards the caravan.

True to their word, anyone who fought back was shot immediately. They would say that they could still get plenty of money for a few of you, so losing 1, 2, or maybe 5 wouldn’t be an issue.

When everyone was loaded into the wagon, it pulled off with a kick of dust. You watched your old town smolder and smoke in the distance until it disappeared into the wasteland. You’d never see the shanty town again, not that there would ever be anything left to look for.

Chapter 2

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