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youknowmymethods · 5 years

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Content Creator Interview #2

In this week’s interview, fandom friends @lilsherlockian1975 and @mrsmcrieff talk about whether they found Sherlock hot or not at first sight, how publicly sharing their work changed their writing, and the hardest thing about writing smutfic (pun fully intended).

And for those who don’t know, today is Lillian’s Birthday, so m’dear, Many Happy Returns!!!!

Hey, so Lilsherlockian1975 and myself, MrsMCrieff, have decided to interview each other for Aine’s challenge. We’re going to try to answer each other’s questions but there is always the danger of us going massively off piste. Our conversations in the past have been eclectic and very wide-ranging not to mention M rated.

Anyway, I thought we could start by saying how we came into the fandom and more than that writing in the fandom. Lil, do you want to start?

Lil: All right, my sister on another continent, here’s how it went: As I’ve explained about finding The Full House on Pinterest, let’s explore what came before that moment, then just after... I was working third shift at a hotel (I had to as Mr Lil and I didn’t really have any childcare options at the time, so we just worked opposite shifts). The hotel was in a very small town - we were never busy, some nights we sold maybe 2 rooms - I usually spent my time watching Netflix. After making my way through Doctor Who, Star Trek Next Gen, Voyager then (God help me) DS9, Farscape and Firefly, I’d finally run out of anything to watch. You’d be surprised how quickly you can burn through a series binge watching for 8 hours at a time (and getting paid for it!).

Then… then I found Sherlock. Well, that changed things… a bit.

“Good Lord, who is the Cumberstud chap and why won’t he have all the sex with me!?” was my first thought, my second was, “Maybe I have a chance with the dishy DI?” and third? “Oh… what fresh hell is this ‘Mycroft’? Yummy!” Then finally, “Ahh, did the casting director somehow read my diary? Creepy but… all right.” To my defense, it was late and I usually worked on very little sleep. Also, I’m a kinky bitch.

I’d never been involved in a ‘fandom proper’, I suppose. That’s not to say that I wasn’t a fangirl. I am and always have been. I was hugely into the Kevin Smith movies, going as far as visiting the Quick Stop and RST Video in Lenardo, NJ, respectively, as well as The Secret Stash, in Red Bank. I was a comic book geek in my youth, Marvel mostly, but some DC as well.

After reading The Full House, I desperately needed MORE Sherlock and luckily enough, there was more to be found.

At first I was just reading, then I wrote and posted a couple of (horrible) fics and met this fellow writer named MrsMCrieff (I might have had a little ‘writing crush’ on you, Mrs!). We chatted on FF.net and struck up a friendship.

So, for me, writing came before fandom. Mrs was doing some betaing for me, but I didn’t ask for help often; I hated bothering her all the time for the multitude of stories I was turning out. At some point around here, I got an elusive invite to AO3 from sherlockian87, bless her soul, because I kept trying to join and couldn’t get a blessed invitation. Also around this time, I had written a prompt and got a PM from MizJoely asking if she could fix some of my mistakes (she was very sweet about it, even though I totally flipped - half fangirling, half losing my shit because ‘Crap, I screwed up so bad, here was The MizJoely asking if she could edit out my mistakes!’) but she wasn’t being critical at all, of course, just helpful as I soon found out. Shortly after, now having formed a friendship with MIz, she suggested that I start a Tumblr blog. And that’s how it all started.

Yes, sorry… I, um, tend to be a tad loquacious. Writing out my answers doesn’t help one little bit.

Okay, Mrs, right back atcha!

Mrs: OK, shall I try to be more concise? I’ll probably fail as I’m terrible as writing short fics they always seem to end up spread over multiple chapters.

I’m another one who had always been a fangirl, Doctor Who, Buffy, Twilight, vampire Diaries (yeah, I love my vampires) but I’d also been a Sherlock Holmes fan. I’d read all the books in my teens, watched the Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett adaptations and even stayed at the Sherlock Holmes hotel on Baker St so when a new series was advertised it was an easy sale.

I was late to the cumberobsession though. I have to admit watching the first two series as they came out and I remember thinking I like them but it’s a shame Sherlock isn’t that hot. I know, I know, I’m embarrassed even as I write that.

It all changed after watching season 3 and I blame the Sherlolly kiss 100%. I watched the series, DELETED the records!! And then realised I was spending a lot of time thinking about Sherlock and Benedict...that turned into looking him up online and from there it was a short step to reading Sherlolly fics on fanfic (I was already reading fics for other shipping obsessions). Anyway, it didn’t take long before Sherlolly took over all my other ships and Benedict was my number one hottie.

As for writing, I hadn’t written anything fiction based since school and school was a long time ago...almost thirty years. But one day I was looking for a specific fic, I wanted to read about Sherlock and Molly having to share body heat and I just couldn’t find anything that satisfied me. I’m not sure why but in that moment I decided to write it myself and in half an hour I’d written Frozen...my first ever fic. It took another couple of hours to pluck up the courage to post it and I clearly remember feeling a bit sick and my hand shaking as I pressed the final button to post.

Thankfully, I almost immediately started to receive positive reviews and feedback and it wasn’t long before I started to write more...the rest as they say is history. Lil got in touch soon after and it was fun chatting to another writer just starting out. We soon found we were not dissimilar in age and both had two sons and the friendship started there.

We’ve been through quite a lot over the last few years Lil and written some fab stories. Wouldn’t you agree?

(I should let on that we are now faffing about trying to find the original list of questions...we are trying to be professional).

Ok Lil, so I’ve looked at Aine’s questions and they look really hard. Any preferences on which ones you want to answer :).

Lil: I think a great follow up to that first one is this: How did posting your first story change your process of writing? So I’m shooting it back to you, Mrs, and you can send me that one or select a new one for me. Tag, you’re it!

Mrs: I can tell you quite simply how it changed my process of writing...given that it was my first piece of writing in 30 years I was starting from scratch when it came to any process. One thing that I started with that’s held true for me ever since is that my stories are fully mapped out and written before I even start posting the first chapter. I will edit and make refinements but the bones of the story are there.

I know lots of people post a chapter and then write the next chapter but that would put me under too much pressure. The downside is that if someone gives me a prompt they could be waiting months before they see it posted. The upside is if I’ve started posting a fic you will get the end of it as it’s already been written.

There have only been two exceptions to this method: Sherlock Holmes, Vampire which I worked on over a year or so posting four chapters every so often as I wrote them...it was stressful. And the other is Never Have I Ever which was/is more of a collection of one shots woven together into a fic.

How about you Lil? How did it change for you?

Lil: So, I’d been writing little stories and whatnot for years and years but, having no idea that there was such a thing as ff.net or AO3, I had no place to put them. Writing was always a very, very distant dream of mine. I have loads of notebooks filled with stories, story ideas and my own personal ramblings (unfortunately, my Tumblr followers now have to read the ‘ramblings business’). I stopped for many years after my roommate/best friend since childhood found some of my writing in college that I’d carefully hidden under my bed. I came home to find her in my room, sat on the floor, on the phone with our Art History professor (whom she was sleeping with), as she read him my story and laughed hysterically at its awfulness.

I was devastated and vowed never to write again.

But that changed, of course. Those first maybe ten stories were just me letting my mind go and getting out what I wanted to say (aided by liberal amounts of wine). Since then, however, my ‘process’ has changed drastically. I don’t always write an outline (never for one shots, which I write often) but I generally do for long fics. If not, it’s easy for me to get lost and miss critical points. My writing has become more about ‘layering’ for lack of a better word.

I found after those first few posted fics, that in going back and re-reading them I wanted to make changes. I didn’t re-edit them (because I’m lazy), but it made me realize that my writing required more time and proofing before posting; that first draft is just the start for me - a thin layer of primer paint on a canvas, if you will. I then read over it and add more details and more and more until I get the desired effect. Again, much like oil painting, I have to build things up, layer by layer. This works for me; I have no idea if it’s a proper method of writing. So, posting my first fic(s) helped me learn that I shouldn’t be so trigger happy about posting if the story wasn’t ready.

Okay, Mrs, this one is geared specifically towards you. I don’t think anyone would argue with me about your supernatural ability to write ‘case fics’, so let me ask: Which do you prefer writing, case fics or fluffy smut-filled romps? And why?

Mrs: Oh God, ask me something easy why don’t you. Both, I like writing both. I love the depth of a case fic, the idea, the research, plotting it out and working out the characters and detail but it’s so time consuming and I often write a bit, leave it, come back to it etc. etc. so a detailed case fic can take six months.

Fluff on the other hand is less satisfying but quicker (my minds already in the gutter with an analogy).

Woohoo I kept is fairly short for once. So, here’s one that’s good for you. I’m endlessly envious of how easily you make friends and how you know so many people in the fandom whereas I’m the introverted hermit. Which other authors are you friends with, and how have they help you become a better writer?

Lil: Goodness! You make me sound like a social butterfly (Mr Lil calls me that all the time!). I like people, plain and simple. Other than you, I am close to MizJoely and Darnedchild, that’s no secret, so I’ll talk about them first (you included, because you’ve made me a better writer, I’m sure of it - have actual proof!)

I cannot count the ways Miz has helped me improve my writing. She figuratively took me by the ear and said “okay, you don’t suck but do you even know what a comma is used for?” No, not those actual words, she was much kinder about it, but I got the hidden meaning and I needed it, trust me. She also challenges me and is not afraid to be honest with me when I’ve written something that isn’t good or perhaps doesn’t fit. I know I’ve improved since she started betaing for me, like a 1000%. And Child… When I volunteered to beta for the Big Bang Challenge, I had no idea what I was getting into, but man… she’d written and enormous fic. Good, amazing really, but it was longer than anything I’d ever worked on before. It scared the shit out of me but I really think it was exactly what I needed. Betaing someone else’s work can really make you see your own mistakes from a new perspective. I feel like I jumped ahead after working on the BBC with Child. As for you, MrsMCrieff, just the other day I had The Best compliment… someone actually thought I was British! Yes, that happened. I can only attribute that little feat to you, my friend. You’ve taught me when to add a ‘u’, when not to zed and about many different terms like pavement, taps, hob, loo, trousers (we really don’t say that here!). Not to mention the fact that most European men aren’t circumcised. Who knew?! It’s pretty common in the US.

But that’s just a few. I cannot count the number of fandom friends who have helped me and all the ways that they’ve done so. That doesn’t mean I won’t try…

There’s likingthistoomuch who always listens to my ideas and encouraged me to post my first Harry Potter fic. OhAine has been a true friend from the very beginning, always insightful and supportive. Mellovesall who is just too sweet for words and always helps with edits, no matter what’s going on in her life. Kendrapendragon who let me bounce ideas for my Mirror Has Two Faces AU off of her for like a whole day! the-sapphiresky who has helped me with this historical AU that may or may not ever see the light of day. Allthebellsinvenice who answered about a dozen questions (over two years!) for Dig Down Deep when I’d panic about some D/s situation I’d written myself into. o0katiekins0o who backs me up when I’m in the middle of a sensitive subject. I can always depend on her to help me when I’m afraid I’m crossing a line. Broomclosetkink, Lord help me! She’s pinch hit for me when I’ve written a fic for Miz or if I just need a good laugh. She’s the best. Sweets… it’s very hard to talk about sweet-sweet-escape. I still cannot even bring myself read her stories or the ones I wrote for her without breaking down, but no one was more supportive or kind to me than Sweets. I miss her so much.

Then there’s all the love and support I received from everyone during The Fic That Shall Not Be Named debacle. That’s when I knew how much this fandom (well, this ship, really) had my back! I will never forget how much love and support I received. Bless you all!

I’m forgetting people and I hate that. But I really do love all my fandom friends as if I see them and hang out with them every day. I mean that.

Okay, Mrs, here’s one for you (I’m going back to the list for this one because I like it and I think it’s interesting): What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters of the opposite sex?

Mrs: See, see I said you knew loads of people!

As for your question that’s easy to answer...knowing what it feels like when they get aroused and orgasm. I’m more than happy being female but it would be kind of interesting just to be a guy for one day. It would improve my writing no end.

On a wider note when it comes to writing characters I don’t think any of us made it easy on ourselves when we decided to try to write being a high functioning sociopathic genius. I think I can speak for most of us when I say he’s not the easiest person to try to write authentically. I just wish I had half his knowledge then I wouldn’t feel like such an idiot when I’m writing him.

I gave my youngest son the option of any number between 1 and 40. He chose 7 so does writing energise or exhaust you?

Lil: It absolutely energises me! I do get frustrated trying to find time to write, but actually writing does amazing things for my mental and physical self. I find that I’m much more productive around the house when I’m in the middle of a writing jag. I’ll sit and write for a while, then get up and pound out some chores (usually more quickly as to get back to my computer). Somehow, this works for me. Frankly, it’s probably got to do with my ADHD. I’m the kind of person who needs to do multiple things at once. I’m the same at work; I cannot just stand behind the registrar for 8 hours. I practically beg my managers for extra work, which they’re happy to give me.

I have an original question for you, love: How does a bad review affect you?

Mrs: I’ll be honest I don’t react well to a bad review but it does depend on whether I think it’s valid or not. You probably know each and every time I’ve had one because I will probably have sent you a screen shot and asked your opinion. Thankfully they have been few and far between, occasionally they have made me think...especially if I’m being accused of using a tired old trope and I’ve made the effort to up my game in future fics but often they are just being nasty for the sake of it.

Writing is such a personal thing though, we give a piece of ourselves in each and every fic so it’s hard to not take criticism very personally.

Same question to you Lil.

Lil: Oh, I’m a giant baby about a bad review and have been known to take it very personally. At first I brood… like really hard, thinking on the entire thing much longer than necessary. I suppose it depends on the nature and tone, for the most part though. If it’s attacking and spiteful, I’ll attack right back but if it’s coming from a ‘goodish’ place, I do try to look at my writing a bit more objectively (I don’t always succeed). Anonymous bad reviews get to me the most. The fact that I cannot reply drives me up the wall!

Okay, we’re wrapping this up (else we could go on forever!) Thanks so much and a big thanks to Aine for organizing this as well!

Mrs & Lil

Next Week:

Posting on Friday 01 March it’s @ohaine ‘s turn (eek!) to interview @ashockinglackofsatin

#content creator interviews #lilsherlockian1975 #mrsmcrieff #sherlolly #sherlock #mentions of lemony goodness

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jarry-land · 5 years

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Bluma Barker and the Treacherous Toy Taker

(This was a short story I did for my creative writing class. I revised it a while ago so may as well post the final draft. If you have any feedback I would love to hear it!)

Tap-tap-tap. A tapping that echoes as far and wide as the room’s walls allow it to. A Tapping from the tip of a fountain pen as it firmly strikes the wooden top of a table. A tapping that remains constant and consistent, like the pulsating urge of a heart. A tapping that prevents the suffocation of silence. And above all, a tapping of impatience and frustration, as if the tapper is unable to do anything else but their namesake.

Officer Bluma Barker taps her pen as she reads her papers. Her table is littered with private documents, elaborate diagrams, and a map of the city. Her eyes dart between them as she scrutinizes the printed words and rudely inked drawings. It appears she is trying to piece all her evidence together to form one simple solution. But she’s having as much success with it as she does with a horseshoe puzzle, both leaving her with a tangled mess.

Barker puts down her pen and sighs. It is 10:30 am at the time she is working in her office. Despite being the head sergeant, her room is rather small and unadorned. She prefers it that way; no embellishes and no distractions. Her walls are painted sky blue, appearing monochrome from the lack of light. She has one narrow window behind her, with shades hanging over it. For reading purposes, she has a small desk lamp with a curvy neck.

Very suddenly, the door creaks open. “Did you forget something?” Barker spoke up sharply. The door closes very swiftly, followed by a soft knock. “You can come in now,” she said. The door opens entirely, revealing officer Tom, dressed in the standard police uniform. His badge gleams faintly on his chest. He looks a little intimidated by her response. “My apologies ma'am...just dropping off some more papers…” He walks up slowly and pulls out a bulky, black binder. She takes it and briefly skims through the binder’s contents. Appearing hesitant to speak, he chimes in quietly, “You’ve been rummaging through those papers all morning... I and the guys think that you should take a break...at least for a little while.”

Barker was about to open her mouth and shred this man a new one. Take a break? There is a city infested with criminals threatening the lives of millions of civilians. It is her and her squadron’s jobs to work day and night to squash any threats to peace. The mere suggestion of a break offends her.

But instead, Barker spun her chair around and faced her window. She opened the shades with her fingers and peered outside. Her office was on the ground level, and the streets were void of anyone. She closed them and turned back to Tom. “Sure, why not. I could use some fresh air. Make sure the others are keeping busy,” she said in a low voice as she got up. Tom let her pass by and followed her on the way out. Outside her door was the main hub, where the other officers work. They were typing on their computers, addressing phone calls, and examining their own paperwork. As if they all had the same thought, they all glanced up at Barker but quickly resumed to their work. Barker neither noticed nor paid mind to them, as she knows they can operate without her supervision. She’s trained them well.

Barker stepped out the police department and into the daylight. Not that there was much of it anyways. The buildings jumble so high up from the ground that the sun never gets to shine downwards. Everything looks pale and washed-out, with the skyscrapers appearing dark at the bottom and light at their tips. Barker strolled along, wearing her mulberry-colored trench coat and pitch-black fedora. She much prefers a shaded attire over the shinier clothing of the police, as hers draw much less attention. Doesn’t really matter right now, as there are very few souls outside. People would rather hide inside than linger in the open and be vulnerable. Anyone that did pass her usually kept their distance, likely out of both fear and awe. Who wouldn’t be impressed by Officer Bluma Barker? The toughest and most tenacious investigator in all of Downtown Dilemma? The one who stopped such heinous criminals like the Shoe Slipper, the Joule Jumper, and the Clockwork Cranker?

She supposes that they look at her like a lion. Intimidating, revered, and steadfast. But they would not want to get too close to a lion, now would they?

Barker turned around the corner and sees her favorite coffee house: Sumptuous Sinkers. She enters the familiar doors and walks toward the front counter. The cashier, dressed in a stained apron and flimsy visor, instantly recognizes Barker and straightens his posture. “A-Afternoon Chief! I assume you want your usual?” he stutters. He appears to be around 19 and just starting the job. Barker gestures with a finger gun, prompting him to clumsily rush to the back. She stands there and takes in the comfy surroundings. Her eyes land on the display of freshly baked donuts, protected by a hard, plastic display glass. This is her and her squadron’s go-to place, whether for a few minutes or an hour.

The cashier came back and, in a soft plastic wrapping, brought her the prized delicacy. A soft, plump, blueberry-filled donut. A very thin coating of sugar sprinkles swaddles it, making it look exceptionally shiny. Its roundness and powderiness rival that of the moon. This isn’t just any standard, factory-produced pastry; this is baking at its finest.

Barker was about to pay when the cashier hands it to her. “Oh please, it’s on the house.” He says with an awkward smile.

“How generous. I assume you just started here?” She replies softly as she takes it.

“Oh well, you know how it goes. Just a temporary job to save up for college and such,” he says, trying to keep his cool. Perhaps he’s a fan. She drops a couple of dollars into the tip mug and sits down by the window. Barker gets comfortable and starts taking small bites into the donut, starting with the outer crust and getting into the pleasurable blue goop. She enjoys savoring it.

As she eats, Barker gazes out the window reflectively. The streets and buildings look sketched with graphite out of a notebook. She’s worked in this city for several years now, knows every nook and cranny, and went toe-to-toe with dozens of baddies. She wonders how much longer will it remain this way. Perhaps forever. She grew up in this city and was completely oblivious to the issues and threats as a child. Until...

As she continued enjoying her donut, Barker notices she’s aligned nearly perfectly with the alleyway across the street. It cuts into the buildings like a deep ravine in the ocean. A common occurrence in the city...though, something looked off. Barker squints her eyes and focuses. The alleyway is nearly pitch-black, but she can make out someone creeping, their clothes flowing ominously. It could be just a drifter...but she’s not really sure. She would rather trust her gut instinct than let it slide. She finished her donut and made her leave.

Conspicuously, she crosses the street and enters the alleyway. The place is devoid of any light. Barker takes out her flashlight and looks around. Just a couple of dumpsters and some rats curiously reading the sprawled newspapers.

“So the mouse has fallen for the bait,” a voice comes from behind her. Barker turns around to face a dimmed figure. The tattered edges of the jacket, the unshaved fuzz on his chin, the bowler hiding his eyes. It was Defunct Detective Daler, once a renowned investigator in Downtown Dilemma now a washout who backstabs both law enforcers and criminals.

“Ha...ha...did I pull you away from your indulgence?” he said amusingly. Barker crosses her arms and sighs annoyingly. She rebuttals, “And are you enjoying your time loitering the streets with nothing to do?” Daler is notorious for being a double-crosser, but Barker finds him to be a waste of time and waste of space. She’s rather unimpressed with his word folly.

“Aw come on, don’t you want some juicy tidbits from your good friend Detective Daler?” He snickers quietly. Barker starts to leave when he adds, “tidbits about the...Toy Taker?” He emphasizes the name. She stops. Is Daler in cahoots with the Toy Taker?

It could be a bluff. She turns her head slightly to see him. “And what would you know about him, you lowlife?”

He wears a smug grin. “More than probably you’ll ever find ou-” Barker swiftly pins him against the wall.

“You better quit wasting my time or I’ll make sure you won’t be able to speak again.” She asserted, agitated with his antics. He didn’t let up his amused expression.

“Oh but Barker...I think you would love to know...that the Toy Taker has his eyes on...a valuable relic being displayed at the Museum of Trifling Trinkets.”

She stared at him for a moment then released him. “It would be too obvious of a heist,” she scoffed.

After collecting himself, Daler turned away and shrugged. “Well, he could already have plans to go tonight. Or maybe he’s going to scour the shop halfway across the city. Or maybe he’s sneaking into an unsuspecting apartment.” He turns away and starts walking slowly to the other side. “Whatever you wish to believe. If you do see him, maybe you can retrieve your precious axolotl…,” he follows that last part with a laugh.

“And maybe you can shut your mout-” Barker turned around steaming when Daler was already gone. How did he get this information? She rubbed her hand on her chin and thought for a moment. This could be another ruse...but Daler has never mentioned the Toy Taker before. She’s had no luck tracking him down, so at this point, it wouldn’t hurt to check it out. Or it could be a waste of time. What a quandary.

It is now nearly 11 pm in Downtown Dilemma. Barker finds herself in the Museum of Trifling Trinkets. After speaking with the city’s mayor, she got permission to set up a stakeout in the Museum of Trifling Trinkets. She brought some of her squadrons with her and scattered the rest of them in other potential locations. As of now, she waits.

It’s difficult to make out the inside of the museum. The only source of light that breaks the darkness is the moon. Numerous pedestals erect from the ground, holding the namesake of the museum: beloved and antique toys of all sorts and all generations. This museum specializes in toys from given out at restaurants, particularly those from fast food joints. This would seem like an odd choice for an exhibition, but they’re quite valuable due to their rarity and uniqueness in the market. These are the Toy Taker’s favorite choice of theft, making his crimes especially expensive.

Ah yes, the Toy Taker. Insane and absurd, cunning and slippery. He’s only got one thing on his mind: to snatch up as many toys as he can. Doesn’t matter where and doesn’t matter who, if he fancies it, he’ll steal it. His motives are quite muddled; perhaps he never grew out of his youth and desires to preserve it? Or he is an avid, albeit extreme, collector? Maybe he’s a sadist who enjoys watching little kids cry?

What started as a trivial problem became enormous losses for everyone involved. People in Downtown Dilemma like giving their children toys for comfort, or still have their own from days of youth. It’s tough growing up in a city like Downtown Dilemma, and the kids need all they can get. Barker has seen many tearful and devastated young ones, heartbroken over the toy-shaped holes in their hands. All the Toy Taker’s doing.

In her daydreaming from the strain of watching in the dark, Barker nearly lost focus. The museum recently imported a new item: “Robo-Busters Clash n’ Smash Rugged Rover ©.” It’s a little mechanical buggy with a useless claw hanging from its back, perfect condition and all. A perfect target for the Toy Taker’s dirty hands.

...If it was still there at the moment. Barker rubbed her eyes and looked again. The buggy was gone. She was scoping the toy behind a few displays back, but neither heard nor saw any unusual activity. She gestured to one of her officers adjacent to her and he promptly turned on the lights. The entire room lit up, revealing a figure scurrying up the wall and trying to exit through the opened window. One of the officers yelled “Stay where you are!” and all the officers pointed their shotguns at him. It only made the crook squirm faster. One of them fired a bullet; it missed and ricochet off the window, but it was enough to startle the man and knock him onto the floor. Very swiftly, he got onto his feet and dashed into the room behind him. In his fall he dropped a pair “Super Spies’ Guaranteed Sticker Suckers ©.”

Barker ran in pursuit, with the other officers following. She was a jiffy too late, as the crook hopped up on one of the pedestals and smashed the window using his “Beefy Boy Builders’ Real Hammer ©.” Without the need for a command, two officers formed a base for Barker. She hopped on their arms and they hoisted her up. She got through and nearly fell off the paper thin ledge outside. She started scaling the building and faintly heard one of her men cry “Be careful!”

After climbing two stories, Barker gripped onto the roof. She got her footing but nearly slipped on the smooth, limestone-encrusted dome. She could hear someone laughing at her. She has her sights on the culprit: the Toy Taker himself. Looks like Daler wasn’t fibbing.

Compared to Barker, the Taker is twice her height with very lanky limbs. He dons a purple jester outfit, with black spandex pants and long, black-and-white striped socks. His hat has bells sticking out and doubled as a hoodie. His eyes, a dark violet, have dark circles under them. Unshaven and tired, yet diabolical and slimy.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” the Taker paces, “Too late Officer Barker. Your ignorance has allowed me to procure my latest prize.” He holds up the buggy in one hand, with a wicked smirk on his face.

“Well there’s nothing stopping me now from pummeling you all the way down to the sewers,” she rolls up one of her sleeves and makes her way to him, trying not to slip. He dances around her teasingly and chuckles. He’s sporting his “Bumble Ballerina’s Buzzing Ballad Shoes ©.”

“Why bother trying? It seems like Barker can’t get her holding.” He comes close and sticks out his foot. She didn’t fall for it but wobbled regardless. “You may think you are helping this city. People may praise you for your heroism. But all you are is a clown who can’t stop a fellow clown like me! Ahahaha!” He sounds pleased with his monologue. “I have way too many gizmos for you to keep up! You can’t do anything! You couldn’t even save your precious axolotl!”

Closed wounds have been ripped once more. Barker’s childhood comes to her mind, whether she wanted to think about it or not. The memories are centered around her favorite plushie: a soft, pink axolotl name Kippy. Her parents gave it to her when she was six. Since she had very few friends as a kid, Kippy became her best one. Since then, she was inseparable from it. They did everything together. Kippy was one thing keeping Barker naive to the chaos of Downtown Dilemma. With him at her side, life was perfect.

And he ripped him away from her.

Like. He Just. Ran past her. And grabbed him. That’s it. Really. Really?? He didn’t use any special tricks?? Was he really that self-assured with stealing a toy from a child in broad daylight?? Disrespectful.

“Ahahaha! That must bring up unpleasant memories. Poor Officer Barker, sad and lonesome without her best friend in the whole wide wor-”

BAM. The Taker was so consumed with his babbling, he did not notice Barker get up and wind up a punch straight to his face. He twisted back and fell over, still gripping firmly onto the buggy. He looks up, his left eye blackened and bleeding.

Barker stands over the Toy Taker, cracking her knuckles. “Well, we wouldn’t be here now if you stole it huh?” Ready to kick your ass?” she spoke fiercely.

Without the Taker’s nab, Barker wouldn’t have made it her goal to beat crime to a bloody pulp, or train day and night to become the strongest officer, or rise in the ranks to become head of the police department. Ironic.

The Taker looked on with distraught under the wrath of the officer, a streak of blood rolling down his cheek. But his smirk came back. “Not quite…,” he busted out his “Angst Kids Gotta-Get-Away Grappling Shot ©” and aimed it at the building behind him. He fired the hook, which seemed modified given its incredibly long rope. He slipped away from her and while in midair, he opened his “Fly High Beginner’s Hang Glider ©” and began soaring. Quite the devious pair of tools.

She wasn’t going to let the Taker steal another t. She couldn’t. Right As he slipped away, Barker took off her hat and aimed carefully. After a moment, she launched it with full force. Her last resort - a reinforced fedora known to knockout if it hits. Witnesses have dubbed this her “New Moon.”

The hat curved like a sharply hit the Taker’s side. It didn't knock him from the grapple, but it did knock off the buggy. The Toy Taker managed to escape, profusely yelling faintly in the distance.

The buggy plummets down to the surface, surely doomed once it hits the unforgiving concrete. Suddenly, a passerby rushes under it and barely catches it in their hands. Right before it went splat.

Some time passes, and the museum owner and more officers are inspecting the crime scene. There was damage to the window, but the buggy’s safety is all that matters right now. The Toy Taker was able to escape, but his heist ultimately failed. After this experience, perhaps Barker can better track the Taker’s shifty movements.

And the person that caught the buggy? The cashier from Sumptuous Sinkers, who happened to be at the right place and right time. After returning the buggy and the commotion died down, Barker privately met the adolescent.

“That was a nice catch earlier, donut boy. What were you doing out so late?”

“Oh heh, thanks...my closing shifts end pretty late. It was nothin’ special, anyone could’ve saved it...,” he folds his arms behind his back.

“Don’t push your merits aside. You did a great job for both the museum and my department,” she told him sincerely.

“G-Gee Officer Barker...it’s an honor for you to say that,” he says flustered yet excited. Yep, definitely a fan.

“Say, it’s a little dangerous out for anyone to be walking out alone. How about an escort?”

“That would be sweet! T-Thanks officer…”

So the two began strolling into the dead of the night, not another person or creature to disturb the moment. The fog envelopes them as they become silhouettes, vanishing like a couple of specters.

“My apologies, I didn’t catch your name earlier.”

“It’s Mikey.”

#short story #writing #my writing #Jard's writing #creative writing

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agent-7-at-your-service · 6 years

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The Hamartia Arc Recap (Incomplete)

Characters mentioned (special thanks to) to @inklingleesquidly @myzzy @son-of-joy @teamuntyblue / @ryan-sign-guy @ask-hybrid-havoc @alphadeathsquad @alpinesquid

This is still a rough draft, place wait for official release.

The Document (Brief Recap of the Trinity Arc and the Odysseus Arc)

The Sealant Rebellion

Prologue

“Breaking News: Return of the Amemasu Federation of Hokkaido

It appears after years of the island’s silence since the Great Turf War, a federation thought to have fallen has risen from its ashes. Rumors spread that they’ve been rebuilding since the end of the war, and records about the nation are long gone.

The people behind the return of this forgotten nation go by the name The Brethrens of the Brine. There is still no insight to their leader, their beliefs, or their activities.

We are being informed to instruct the Citizens of Inkopolis to remain calm and stay tuned for more information.”

BrineFire

Agent 7 and Marie meet once again in an abandoned park. It is the same park where they’ve danced during the Fancy Party vs Costume party, where Agent 7 proposed to Marie, and where they’ve spent most of their honeymoon. But now things are different: it is where Agent 7 and Marie go their separate ways and see other people – their divorce is official.

“So… I managed to be the Agent I want to be, I got the girl, had her leave my life, almost lost her to some ammonite, and things are changing in Inkopolis – what next?” --Agent 7, BrineFire

Agent 7 would find an Octoling named Ampth who was present in the part, having overheard what has just happened between Agent 7 and Marie. He was only there to collect his thoughts. Ampth saves Agent 7 from an attempted murder from a propelling drone. It left a dart containing an icy brine solution. Agent 7 decides to meet Ampth some other day in some other place so that Ampth can continue dealing with his thoughts.

They would meet in Port Mackerel where they ended up discovering a trade between Leviathan and the Great Amemasu Federation of Hokkaido. Calypso, leader of Leviathan, traded an inkling clone named Cassandra in exchange for information from a ghost sharkling named Hector Norman, and his soldiers from the Federation.

Ampth is shocked to hear that Calypso is a genetic clone of Marie, and his exclamation left him and Agent 7 detected by her. Calypso reveals Hector Norman, his organization The Brethrens of the Brine, and the Great Amemasu Federation of Hokkaido to Agent 7. She also reveals the newest clone, Cassandra who is a clone of Callie with foresight on an event of the next day.

Mercury arrived on time to make sure Calypso doesn’t harm Ampth, and Mercury is still a bit miffed by their last cooperation.

Calypso mentioned Agent 7’s father, Jason Gatzling Cassius Sr., who was a veteran of the Great Turf War. She is willing to give Agent 7 the information she received, and it was revealed Hector’s revenge on Agent 7’s father.

Transistion: Reignite the Great Turf War

The Speech

Sins of the Father?

Three days later, Agent 7 and his little sister Pammy (Agent 7.5) make a trip to Calamari County via train. He was going to drop off Pammy at his mother’s manor to stay for a while. At the train station, they meet two inkling twins named who asked Agent 7 to pick a card from either the red deck or the blue deck. Agent 7 picks the blue deck and gets a 7 of Diamonds. When the twins leave them be, Agent 7 feels they’ll meet again.

On the train, Agent 7 and Pammy meet two agents who recognize Agent 7. The two agents are named Roxanne Lannister (Agent 27) and Marcellus Valentine (Agent 36) from the United Kingdom and United States respectively. They were drafted to come to Japan for diplomatic reasons. They decided to join Agent 7 and Pammy on their trip to Calamari County to kill time.

Once in Calamari County, they were escorted to Cassius Manor where Agent 7’s mother, Darla Gatz-Ling Cassius, was waiting for them. Darla welcomes her son and Pammy back, and she helps them inside. Agent 7 introduced his mother as a former field medic of Conesnail Splatoon during the Great Turf War.

Later, Agent 7 privately talks with his mother about Hector Norman which shocks her. Darla explains that she was supposed to take part in a mission with his father, but had to be discharged due to pregnancy. It was called Operation Sea-Bream which was a mission Agent 7’s father took in before his heroic sacrifice.

During the Great Turf War, a private military company called the Amemasu Bayline promised to support the Squid forces in exchange for sovereignty over the island of Hokkaido as it’s own nation. The agreement was fragile to the point where the Amemasu Bayline broke it by seizing the island for itself. That’s where Hector Norman comes in. He along with two factions, The Sealine of Uchiura Bay and The Lakeline of Lake Tōya, formed a triumvirate, forming the nation–”

“– The Amemasu Federation of Hokkaido.” Agent 7 recalls the news mentioning it.

“Exactly, and the broken oath outraged some of the Splatoons. Your father was given permission to lead a liberation campaign and apprehend Hector in Operation Sea-Bream. Hector tested him somehow….. I heard Hector got killed in the end. And he made haste later to help in the final battle against the Octarians. The federation was supposed to dissolve after the Great Turf War….” She then covers her mouth. -- Darla’s conversation with Agent 7.

Darla remind Agent 7 about his father’s will and suggests he finds whatever his father left in Inkopolis.

As Agent 7 leaves to return to Inkopolis, Agent 7 is saved by another drone who tried to shoot a dart at him.

Transition: Raps and Beats

Agent 7 meets Callie and Marie again with Pearl and Marina. Agent 7 meets an ally of his, Fang from the Alpha Death Squad. After Callie, Marie, Pearl, and Marina go off on their own errands, Agent 7 takes Fang to Bigfin Grotto to help with something.

Agent 7 tried to locate whatever his father left in Inkopolis according to his will. Fang helps by marking an unexplored area in the ancient subway systems built by the human race. Agent 7 thanks her, and she adds in keys to an ATV to help him along the way.

The marker was on an area underneath the Tohoku Shinkansen train route.

The Sparrow Finally Calls

Agent 7 meets Blueshift at the entrance to an abandoned subway. They talk for a moment about Marie and later about a few friends in Inkopolis. A runaway cargo truck force Agent 7 and Blueshift into the subways. They had to explore the subway system together. Agent 7 explains his situation to Blueshift.

Eventually, Agent 7 finds the ATV that Alpha Death Squad supplied him. Both he and Blueshift get on and started driving their way to their destination. The ride wasn’t that long as Hector’s infantry ambushed them, making them escape the subway system and crash into their destination.

Robin and her friend, Mint, both find the two in the area, and they end up in the mess. They’re forced to cooperate with Agent 7 and Blueshift to fight off Hector’s infantry and unknown Brine Unit. Robin was able to defeat the Brine unit.

Afterward, Agent 7 finally finds what his father left him: A bullet train and a final note:

“Son,

I didn’t realize that the consequences that Hector made were promised. All of Hokkaido was after me and only me after leaving the island. And I was able to escape it at a cost. Afterward, they remained on that island, giving up the chase. And what happened after you knew from your mother as my sacrifice for the Inklings to win against the Octarians.

I am sorry for not being there. I’m sorry for not being there to see you grow up. Whatever you are now, I am proud of it. And what I told you to do earlier – to promise to never befriend the Octarians – I take it back. That’s shouldn’t be you.

If you found this letter, I ask you to prepare Inkopolis for the worse to come from Hector’s nation. This situation I am sorry to put you in.

Your father,

Jason Gatz-Ling Cassius Sr.”

It was a mission Agent 7’s father started, and now he has to finish it.

Revenge of the Railgunning Octo-Train

Bigfin Splatoon prepare Agent 7 to a trip to Hokkaido. Agent 27 and 36 meet Agent 7 again with a familiar face: Vladimir Shepherd. They join Agent 7 on the trip.

When the bullet train departs, they encounter an old enemy of Bigfin Splatoon. It was an octoweapon called The Railgunning Octo-Train. They manage to defeat it.

Afterward, Agent 7’s rival, Sarah Phenotyne arrives on a hovercraft to drop off another ally for Agent 7, an Octoling soldier from Sarkhalin named Laguna “Garza” Rayne.

They make their way to Aomori Bay.

Side Story: Tenkai & Fate of Mistuhide Revealed

Erikka returns to Earth once more to meet Indo and to find her brother, Mitsuhide. They track him all the way to a monk’s monastery before tying up loose ends with refugees in Inkopolis. Mitushide was alive and has remained in the monastery as an exile, trying to reflect and start a new life.

Transition: The Sea Fleet / Sail to Hokkaido

Agent 0 turned out to have snuck his way into the bullet train and join Agent 7. Agent 7 and Laguna make their way into the bay to commandeer one of the ships in a mercenary fleet paid by Hector. Agent 7 meets the twins from the Inkopolis train station who are offering either a red keycard or a blue keycard. Agent 7 picks the red keycard.

Agent 7 and Laguna steal the fleet’s fastest ship and they sail their way to Hokkaido after killing the fleet’s commodore and disabling most of the battleships.

Urchinball

Agent 7 gets to meet his father’s enemy, Hector Norman, and they have a conversation over the Great Turf War. Hector justifies his actions, saying that the Inkling broke a promise with his nation and that Agent 7’s father was a thorn in Hector’s side.

Hector then started getting under Agent 7’s skin, mentioning his relation with Inkopolis residents, his family, and his allies. He begins a “social experiment” on Agent 7 once he leaves Hokkaido.

Returning to Hokkaido, Agent 7 brings The Great Barrier Reef Treaty Organization back and announces concern about The Great Amemasu Federation of Hokkaido. But during the speech, he becomes poisoned with a cocktail of hallucinogens which caused a scene in the meeting. Agent 7 ends up in an induced coma.

And it turns out Agent 0 was behind this for he was forced to poison Agent 7.

Transition: The First Move

Blueshift interrogates Agent 0. Agent 0 confesses that he was forced into poisoning Agent 7 with the hallucinogen. Captain Cuttlefish arrives on time to clear Agent 0 o any wrong doing. Agnet 8 was with him at the time.

Lee and Robin check on Agent 7, and they meet Darla who explain what happened.

Dr. Julia Noh, an ally of Agent 7, was also there to try and help cure Agent 7.

Blueshift and Agent 0 arrive to ask Darla everything she knew about Hector Norman and Agent 7’s father.

--Splat from the Past

Darla was having trouble sleeping when she heard about the poisoning of Agent 7. She couldn’t leave his side or the hospital. An acquaintance of Agent 7 named Damien Zendall came by, meeting Darla at the hospital. Darla considered getting a therapist in to help her son and figure out what’s been troubling him.

Darla and Damien soon end up part of a game in Hector’s Social Experiement on Agent 7. They were forced to fight off Shadow Marshalls (they were armed with a unique ink-based skatter shoes) and keep them away from Agent 7, testing if there will be anyone to defend Agent 7. They were able to fight the marshals off with the arrival of Agents 27 and 36 as reinforcements.

The next day after the social experiment, Agent 7 is relocated to another room in the hospital. A therapist help reveal what’s been going on with Agent 7.

Therapy Part 1

Therapy Part 2

Agent 7 ends up in another coma; Darla is convinced by Damien to help fight this. Darla allows doctors to follow a procedure to treat Agent 7 of his condition.

That night, Agent 7 spiraled down in madness as the poison was withdrawn from his body. He was, however, able to recover at the cost of ending up in a catatonic state.

--No Idol Plays It Better

Bigfin Splatoon was ordered by Darla to find a way to snap Agent 7 out of his catatonic state. Grace (Agent 8) joined them along with Laguna to travel to Iwo Jima, where Calypso resides.Hector plays another game in his Social Experiment, sending his mercenary fleet to stop them. With the help of Grace and the relief army of Calypso, Bigfin Splatoon was able to negotiate with Calypso.

Calypso disguises herself as Marie, and she was able to snap Agent 7 out of his catatonic state. Soon, Marie arrived late after hearing Agent 7 was recovering.

--Transition: Inevitable Pain, Optional Suffering

Agent 7 and Marie make up after Agent 7 confesses what he said during therapy. Marie forgives him and offers him another chance in their relationship.

#The Hamartia Arc #Incomplete Recap

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emsykesillustration · 6 years

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Portfolio Reviews

As part of my portfolio reviews, I’ve been in contact with several people in the industry to gather feedback and advice for my portfolio so far. Rose Lloyd Rose Lloyd is a Stockport alumni, and has risen far in the industry. She’s represented by Eye Candy agency, who are massive in the illustration world. Her work is bright, bold and at such high quality she’s had clients such as the BBC, The Times, and the British Medical Journal. She uses texture and shape as a forefront for her work, which is something that makes me very lucky to have been able to speak with her about my work, as it’s not just inspiring but also very similar to my own work. Having a creative who can understand your work and the processes behind it, is brilliant in getting feedback. One of the first points Rose made when looking through my work is that she could see that I had a versatile range of media in my visual language, as well as my output. She mentioned that versatility is important, and that if you use more than one medium in your working style, let potential clients and agencies know that. I’m going to continue using different styles, as well as employing various techniques such as using mock ups, as well as if suits best - photography of my work, such as t-shirts, prints and books if needs be. Rose also suggested the I add my contact details to the back, as it’s a nice note to end with. I currently have mine at the front, so I’ll see if other artists suggest the same. Business cards were also suggested, which I’m currently designing! I’m also ensuring I keep my font, colours, and general feel consistent - I’m a brand as an illustrator and clients and agencies need to see that, purely because it looks so professional. Rose, speaking about getting work, also mentioned looking up art directors in Manchester, and just getting yourself out there, emailing your portfolio over so you’re in their books and getting your name out there for potential work! She also mentioned if I wanted to go into editorial work, it’s well worth getting current articles and adapting them as your own. Editorial is so fast paced, so it’s good to get into that fast frame of thinking and ways of applying your skillset to text in a short amount of time. It’ll also put your work into context and be super applicable for potential clients. It was wonderful to speak to Rose, and really nice to see how far you can go in the illustration world! Flow Creative I was given the amazing opportunity by Barney to visit the team at Flow, a huge agency in Manchester. They're a design agency who specialise in motion design an animation, but are super versatile. They have a massive client base and a team who are always looking for work from freelance illustrators - so it’s safe to say they have a good eye for the illustration industry. I spoke with Karl Doran, the creative director, and Sarah - accounts manager, as well as other members of the team. Feedback included my portfolio, website and social media accounts being consistent, presentation of my work being well ordered, and they liked how my website is an open portfolio. Karl commented that my mix of mockups and full digital photos was refreshing, and that mockups used with my (Re)Collection work, as well as both print and digital campaigns is brilliant - agencies and potential clients love to see things in context, and the applicability of your work, so to keep that up! Feedback also included to add sketchbook workings, and work leading up to it - this may be drafts or screenshots - it’s important that clients see this, as it puts your work into context some more, and shows the importance of your process, and how you’ve worked as a designer. I definitely need to start adding these! After showing my ident animations, it was amazing to see that the whole team actually really liked what I had going on - for something I’m really new to, a process that I struggled with, and is still a work in progress - they loved the looping of the saxo wheels, the general over-the-top-ness of the 90′s items, and the lo-fi, VHS feel. Points to improve on were looping my work, perhaps simplifying transitions, and putting them on my instagram as loops or GIFs, as people looking for work such as agencies and clients absolutely love this. Karl mentioned that I should check out Ruffmercy on instagram, and I’m so glad he did! I’m so inspired right now! When chatting, I mentioned how I felt worried that by using the MTV logo so much in my (Re)Collection work, I may be ‘ripping off’ the brand, however the whole team said that it’s a good thing - people in the industry have published ‘knock off’ potential designs and actually gotten work off the original brands! They also mentioned that using Beer Paper from GF Smith for my Beer work was so effective and a really nice touch, and possibly even creating business cards that are beermats! I am SO getting on that! Beermats are collectible, usable, and the thought of someone lifting their mug off it while looking for inspiration and seeing my contact details is a great idea! An amazing feedback experience with lots of things to take back, and my confidence boosted. Thank you for checking my work out and for your time! Tyler Spangler I contacted Tyler last year for a small interview about his views on the creative industry, and so contacted him again this year for some feedback on my PDF portfolio. Tyler is based in California, and uses amazing colours in bold designs covering character, text, and many types of concepts. He has some amazing clients including Chanel, Nike, Outkast, and has featured online in Dazed and Confused, and Hi-Fructose magazine. He’s lovely to talk to and has always had time to give me advice, and is in a great position to learn from and get advice from from within the industry. On sending him my portfolio, he mentioned that he remembered my work from last year because he likes my uses of texture! This is great, as being able to be consistent with my visual language means that I’ll be able to stay in people’s minds and proves better to staying in the radar as a creative! He mentioned that he thinks it may be nice to include project information on my PDF portfolio, similarly to how I do on my website - that it’ll give the viewer some more context. At the moment I only have my captions as to what they are, media, and when they were done. However, my website captions, such as here - simply even with how and why I came about it, why it’s grapefruit, etc. I think this is a great idea, as as well as working sketches and drafts, it gives the full information to viewers and potential clients. If I’m sending a PDF portfolio over it typically means I can’t show someone my work in person, where I’d normally explain and talk through what I’d been working on and why. So that’s a great piece of feedback! He also mentioned that his favourite piece in my portfolio is Elvis Juice, so I’m glad I’ve put it so prominently on my business cards! A few people have mentioned that it’s their favourite when looking through my work, and so it’ll be nice to be able to show people my best work here, especially in chances were first impressions are small, short, and therefore need to be really good and lasting, and an essence of my visual language as a whole. I’m going to add small captions to my work, making sure it doesn’t take over too much or become too much of a read. Ken Maylor Ken is a proper old school illustrator. He’s based in Lancashire, and has been illustrating for decades. He’s produced work for the likes of Star Trek and Elvis Presley annuals, Oyston’s Estate Agency, produced spray positives of photographs for various catalogues, as well as being a police officer for years, he created drawings for the Police and Crimewatch, as well as airbrushing. We couldn’t find any of his old work together, but he now mainly fly ties - as you can see here, he’s got an incredibly craft hand and so it’s no surprise he did so well with airbrushing and producing realistic drawings for the Police and Crimewatch! Looking through my updated portfolio with captions and sketches of the process thanks to Flow Creative’s and Tyler Spangler’s feedback, he had lots of positive feedback. Generally, he said he loves the colours I’ve used, for myself as a brand, and the boldness in the illustrations - they grab attention. The use of my batman making faces image as my logo alongside hand-drawn type is quirky, and he thinks they’re positive and there’s humour. This is great, as I’d love this to be a first impression for agencies and potential clients! Looking through my (Re)Collection work, compiled together with suggestion from Tutorial Feedback to categorise my work, the ‘90′s Called’ poster design reminded him of 90s films such as Lethal Weapon - knowing that the use of items to promote nostalgia has set off in this way for a variety of people who remember the ‘90s differently is great! The (Re)Collection campaign is definitely nostalgic and giving the right message about the ‘90s. The Inflatable Sofa piece casts a good image and Ken said it made him wonder whether watching tv is relaxing, as he saw the sofa as floating on the ceefax due to its transparency - which is a new way of myself looking at it - considering it to be possible to be used for an editorial piece covering technology etc! Going to the beer area/pieces of my portfolio, he suggested that Elvis Juice could appeal to bikers, and the ways in which the grapefruit is used for the wheels is again humorous and thought provoking - it’s lovely and refreshign to see that a fresh pair of eyes can see something like this consistent throughout my work when I’ve never noticed it before! He also mentioned that the sketches and process components are great - the feedback from before has paid off! The use of texture and paint dragged over on such a large scale gives a lovely effect in Beer Dive and allows a relaxing thing to look at - I never thought of this as a relaxing piece, but it’s now something I can use within my visual language if I need to create something relaxing or scenic! The Red Screes design is very relevant to the suggestion of where the ale is from, helping promote its locality - continuing to use the culture of the client and what my work is based on proves well and really shows that there’s deeper meaning and a lot of work put in behind my illustrations - I’ll definitely keep working like this. The craft beer book is accessible, readable for both experts and non-experts, and makes you want to go out and try craft beer! This is wonderful, exactly what I set out to create when I made this - from a portfolio page, I’ve managed to get the best choice and range of photos for Ken to be able to tell this! The Brodie’s Prime fox stance works well, as it looks mischievous but as hough he could be affectionate too, with a good stance considered in the sketches to show he’s on the prowl for mischief. The Tarn Hows XPA piece with the lemon over the building is brilliant and works well with the spotted background, representing the way the lemon is squeezed and he also loved how it makes you think - one of my most conceptual pieces which I’m glad it’s not just me that thinks of it in this way! The Palace cinema piece sets the tone well and the selection of what I’ve illustrated is so apt to the location, using Lancashire roses shows so much relevance. The House Plant piece is so differential in terms of shapes used - he said he could see a sloth, a birds head, a goose - he mentioned that you look for shapes when looking at the illustration and it casts your eye all round. The more you look, the more you see - and then he saw an elephant looking away! And now I see it! I’ve had some amazing feedback from Ken, and I’m so glad I was able to get feedback from such a practiced illustrator with a different variety of work to other artists I’ve looked at - it’s wonderful to see that artists from different disciplines can help me see my work differently, and can bring wonderful suggestions and feedback. Eva Stalinski Eva Stalinski is an illustrator based in the Netherlands, who works with bright colours and bold outlines, with most of her work screen printed as merchandise. Her work is here! Like Chris Madden and Tyler Spangler, I contacted Eva last year for some insight into the creative industry, and received some amazing information and advice! Again, I contacted her for a portfolio review and received some really good feedback. On looking through my PDF portfolio via. email, she mentioned that she really liked the bright colours used, especially yellow - I never realised myself how much I use yellow, and just how much it works nicely with my work! She also mentioned that my work is different from hers in discipline, and in that she uses bold outline a lot, however she could really see my work as merchandise! I’d love to explore screen printing some more as I have a screen printing kit at home, and I love using it! Finally, she mentioned that my beer work is really together and nice. She suggested looking at International breweries, as it’s always good to branch out and get myself out there! It’s strange, because as much as I love beer, I’ve never thought about this so I might do this! Thank you to everyone, as I’ve had so much help with my work generally, and my portfolio has improved massively!

#pdp

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beckybuildscosplays · 7 years

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3D Printing Mega-Post (with links!)

Being a member of the maker community means I am surrounded by people who are totally in love with 3D printing. There’s no other group with whom I can have a 30 minute discussion about bed adhesion, lol. While the cosplay community is also generally supportive of the technique, every now and then I will come across somebody who thinks it is akin to cheating. Most recently it happened on a blog I really enjoy. When I read posts like that, I can only shake my head and assume that person must not really understand all the work that goes into 3D printing. Even in the best case scenario where you find a ready-to-print model and own a printer large enough to accommodate it, there is still tons of work that goes into taking a raw print from... well, a raw state to something beautiful. Hence I have decided to type up an overview of 3D printing; what it is, how it works, and all the steps it takes to create a cosplay prop. This is not a detailed tutorial; rather, it’s a high level scope of all the steps. Without further ado, here’s 3D Printing 101!

*12/20/17: Updated with new information on the latest printing technology plus even MORE links!

How does 3D printing work?

3D printing is an additive manufacturing process used to create three-dimensional objects; think of it as the opposite of sculpting where you start with a block of material and cut parts away (subtractive manufacturing). There are actually many types of 3D printing technology, but the most common for hobbyists by far is Fused Deposition Modeling—or FDM for short. In plain English, FDM means the printer head is essentially a hot glue gun that “draws” the cross-section of a model, building it up one thin layer at a time. After tens or hundreds of layers, ta-dah! You have a 3D object! You can check out this link for more info on other types of 3D printing.

The workflow for printing looks like this: find/make a 3D model, optimize that model for printing, convert it to G-code with a slicer, and send it to the printer. Once printing is complete, you need to assemble any separate parts, fill major gaps, fill/prime/sand the surface, and then paint. If any of those terms are confusing, don’t worry! I will explain them all.

Finding, Modifying, or Making a Model

Sourcing models is one of the topics where I see, “Cheater!” start to sneak in. There is a misconception that you can find just about any model you want, download, and hit print. This can be true depending on what you’re trying to build; popular cosplays like Iron Man, Halo, and Star Wars do have a plethora of models available for free, and many are already optimized for printing. Once you get outside well known characters, however, it gets much more challenging. If someone has 3D printed components in their cosplay, it’s never safe to assume the person just downloaded them.

Downloading Models

It’s always worth hunting around for the files you need even if the character isn’t well known. Even if you want to build everything from scratch, it is nice to see how someone else tackled the same challenge. There are a couple websites I like for searching for printable models:

Thingiverse: Run by Makerbot, Thingiverse is a huge collection of models designed specifically for 3D printing and all of them are free! This is where I always start my search for 3D printing files. Most come with some degree of instruction and suggested optimal print settings.

GrabCAD: I don’t use this site as frequently for costuming since the focus is engineering, but it’s very possible to find some cosplay goodies there. Other than scaling, most models should be ready to print.

SketchFab: While this was originally a place to share 3D models, some users also make theirs available. If you need a file for printing, be sure to search through the Downloadable section. (and even if you can't download the file, a 3D reference beats 2D refs any day!)

When selecting a model, try to find something that specifies it was made for 3D printing. Otherwise, you may need to do some manual cleanup and that can be challenging. Just FYI, game models are never ready to be printed but if you want to start with them, Source Film Maker has hundreds to select from. it’s also worth Googling to see if anyone has offered ripped models for free, but be aware that these should NOT be used for profit. Steriolythography (or .STL for short) and Wavefront (.OBJ) are the two most common file types, but get an STL if you can. OBJs will often come with texture files (.mtl), but those are not needed for printing. Aim for highest resolution you can find unless you want the low-poly look. Trust me, you don’t want to be filling in faceted planes with heaps of Bondo later.

There are a few products and processes that allow for multi color printing, but for the most part FDM machines are limited to one or two colors. If you are bound and determined to have multiple hues, you can check out Prusa’s new Multi-material upgrade, the new Da Vinci Color, or the Palatte Filament Splicer. I suspect that multi color printing is going to be one of the next major features to hit hobby printers, but for the time being most methods are either rudimentary or really expensive. It can also be fun to print with multiple materials such as combining rigid and flexible pieces, but that is best reserved for a dual extruding printer. When it comes to cosplay, I would either suggest printing in the object’s final color or preparing to paint. Even if you choose to paint, try and pick a filament color that will make sense if it is revealed through wear and tear.

Modifying Models

If something wasn’t specifically made for FDM, how do you know if it’s printable? Most commercial 3D modeling or CAD software have tools to check and correct issues with models—sometimes automatically. Unfortunately the easy-to-use, open source options in this area are a little barren but there are still ways to do it. Here are some free options for both checking and repairing mesh issues:

MakePrintable is an online paid service, but it will let you repair a set number of models per month for free. In my experience, this is best for basic issues but it couldn’t get any easier.

Microsoft STL Repair: Similar to MakePrintable, but unlimited and free. The downside is that you have zero control in the process, and files need to be opened with Microsoft’s free 3D Builder (from there you can export as an STL).

MeshMixer: An Autodesk product that has a number of capabilities for manipulating meshes. It’s more complex than MakePrintable and Microsoft 3D printing, but you have way more options.

Meshlab: Ah, Meshlab. This program has been around for a long time, and in many ways it is incredibly capable. Unfortunately, it’s also somewhat unstable and has bad documentation, so tutorials are hard to find.

Blender: A popular open source 3D modeling program, Blender also has a 3D printing add-on with some mesh analysis tools. This is the most robust option I have tried, but Blender has a steep learning curve and it can be intimidating for newbies.

Making Models

There is a good chance that you won’t be able to find ready-to-print files, so you might need to heavily mod or even make your own from scratch. Unfortunately, you will need to jump into 3D modeling software to make this happen. There are two major categories of software types: engineering (computer assisted drafting, or CAD for short) and artistic. In a nutshell, CAD is usually meant for objects (cars, wrenches, buildings, etc) and offers tight control over dimensions, surfaces, and shapes. Artistic software can be used for just about anything from trees to characters to spaceships, but it can be more challenging to make precise mechanical objects. I use both depending on what I need to create. There are actually a ton of free 3D modeling tools, so I will list the ones I have experience with and can recommend.

TinkerCAD: This is probably one of the most popular free CAD programs, and for good reason. It’s browser-based and very intuitive to use, thus it has become popular in schools. The entire thing revolves around building objects out of primitives, so if you need something complex it might take a little creativity to get there. TinkerCAD also has its own library of downloadable objects and it can export items for 3D printing (or even send them to a printing service!).

Google Sketchup: Available in both free and paid versions, SketchUp is a lot more complex than TinkerCAD but still very approachable. For some reason, it would drive my professors nuts when anyone used this software for homework. Be sure to check out the hefty list of extensions as they can significantly increase the program’s capabilities.

Autodesk Fusion 360: I will admit that I haven’t used this one very much, but it has been getting very popular very quickly. Fusion 360 is a fully-featured, professional CAD program meant for industry use, but it is available for free to students, startups, and hobbyists. If you want to grab the bull by the horns and work with maximum potential, get this software. It can be intimidating for someone who has never set foot in CAD before, but it is one of the most approachable fully featured CAD suites I have ever seen.

Sculptris: And now for something completely different! Sculptris is the baby brother of Z-brush, an industry standard software for digital sculpting. It’s actually very capable, and if you need to model something organic or CAD just isn’t making sense, give Sculptris a whirl.

MeshMixer: MeshMixer’s site calls itself, “a Swiss Army Knife for 3D meshes,” and that’s pretty accurate. It has some CAD capabilities mixed in with artistic tools and a few unique things to boot. It’s reasonably easy to use, although there could be more tutorial support in my opinion.

Blender: Ah, good ole’ Blender. Completely free now and forever (unlike many Autodesk programs), it’s the most capable and robust open source software I have ever used. Blender is definitely on the artistic side although it has add-ons that make CAD a little less painful. The major downside is the interface; simply put, Blender is incredibly unintuitive. Thankfully, Youtube has tons of high quality tutorials to get you started.

Slicing

Once you finally have a printable model in your possession, it’s time to send it to a 3D printer. If you are using a 3D printing service, congratulations! You can send them your model and call it a day. The rest of us will need to use a Slicer. Remember how the printer moves a hot glue gun around to draw a shape? Well, the computer needs to tell the printer head where to move, how fast to move there, and when to start and stop drawing. It uses a language called G-code to do this. A slicer’s job is to convert a 3D model into G-code so the printer knows what to do.

I use a free slicer called Cura from Ultimaker, but Slic3r and Repetier Host are popular options too (although more advanced). If you want ultimate control, cutting edge features, and don’t mind paying for it, Simplify 3D is considered the best slicer on the market. Cura is my slicer of choice due to its friendly interface. In the photo above, you can see how it has made layers out of a model (hence the name “slicer”).

The first thing to do will be properly scaling your print. Cura assumes your units are millimeters by default, so you may need to convert to your original modeling unit (inches, my my case). Unless you are printing a small prop or have a very large printer, your parts will probably be too big to fit on the print bed. If this is the case, return to your modeling software and split into smaller pieces.

When it comes to 3d printers, you get what you pay for. The more expensive models ($1500+) offer the closest thing you can get to plug-and-play experience, but even they will have failed prints, clogged extruders, and other common issues every now and then. The rest will need some degree of hand-holding. It took me about a week to get my $200 Monoprice Select Mini printing to the best of its ability, and that involved a lot of fiddling in Cura and 18 test prints. Spend some time optimizing your software for the fastest, highest quality prints; you’ll be grateful you did once you get to the sanding phase.

Update: After 10 months of regular, reliable performance, the board on my Monoprice Mini has died. At $160, I definitely got my money’s worth and other users have had theirs much longer. I am upgrading to a Prusa i3 MK3 kit, but I would still recommend the Select Mini v2 as a good gateway machine.

Printing

With your slicer ready to export G-Code, now is the time to set up your printer! A 3D printer’s “ink” is spools of plastic string called filament. There is a variety of plastics to choose from, but Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) are the most common. PLA is cheap, readily available in many colors, and is made from plant starch. For most people, it’s the go-to choice but it is not the strongest material. ABS can provide better structural integrity, but it’s a little more finicky to print and the fumes are noxious and require ventilation. This link has a good summary on various types of filament on the market.

If you search Amazon or Google for 3D printing filament, you will get approximately 82376483456978938 results. Be sure that you are searching for the proper diameter filament; most printers are 1.75mm, but some are 2.85-3.0mm. Reliable brands of PLA that I have worked with are Hatchbox, Matterhackers, ProtoPasta, and ColorFabb. Be wary of no-name brands off places like Ebay or Amazon; not all filaments are created equally and I have definitely wasted money trying to be thrifty on Amazon.

With your filament loaded in the printer, it can be a good idea to extrude some and make sure everything is working properly. Next, verify you set the proper export settings in the slicing software. Different plastics need different speeds and temperatures, and often the packaging will give you a good suggestion. When all is ready, slice the model and send the G-code to your printer!

I always stick around to watch the first few layers of my print because most mistakes happen at that point. Bed adhesion in particular can be troublesome. My solution of choice for PLA is a layer of blue painter’s tape with a light misting of hair spray. Others have used glue sticks, but that didn’t work well for me. If you notice any problems, pause immediately and try to fix the issue. A small clog can turn into a major problem if plastic goops all over your extruder.

When the print is done, it can be tempting to pull the model off the bed but have a little patience! The plastic can warp while it is still warm, plus your printer will still be hot. Let it cool down slightly, then pop it off the bed.

Surfacing

Now comes the tedious part! First of all, remove any supports (or if you have a dual extruding printer, dissolve support filament) with pliers. Depending on the support type, a box knife or X-acto can be handy. I have also heard that deburring tools are handy for this. Next, assemble separate parts with glue. CA or epoxy are good choices, or you can get fancy with friction welding. If you printed with ABS, acetone can help glue pieces together and even smooth your model.

Next you will need to fill any major gaps such as those found along seams or where errors may have occurred in the print. Bondo Glazing and Spot Putty is a popular option for large holes and epoxy can be used as well. You can also use wood filler although I would reserve this for parts that will not be subject to a lot of handing or strain as it can be a little brittle.

Now you have to do something about all those layers.

Your options are sanding, smoothing, or a combination of the two. In the past I have wet sanded the plastic starting from 120, 220, and 400 grit wetdry sand paper. The “wet dry” part is important because PLA will heat quickly from friction and then you have to wait for it to cool again. If I wanted the plastic to show, then I would take it to 1000 grit or even a bit higher. 220 is the minimum for a matte appearance and slightly rough feel whereas 1000 starts to approach injection molded plastic. Bear in mind that dark filaments will show scratches and need sanding at finer grits to look clean. If you intend to paint, 400 grit paper is high enough. Then you will need to spray your model with primer. Allow to thoroughly dry (no longer cold to the touch) and sand with 600 or 800 grit paper. Reapply primer and continue sanding until you are satisfied with the surface. I have found 3 or 4 coats to be sufficient. Paint will hide very few defects, so you can’t take shortcuts with this step.

You can circumvent some obnoxious sanding by filling the layers first. Automotive filler primer works wonderfully although the fumes are terrible and it will need be to used in a well-ventilated area. Filler primer is much thicker than normal primer and with enough coats, it will fill in all those grooves. I found that 3-4 light coats built up a good base to start sanding, and then another 3 coats with sanding between each application gave an excellent finish. This might sound tedious (and it is, to be honest) but the primer sands much easier than PLA. I was satisfied with the finish 220 grit sandpaper provided.

I have heard that CA glue is also good for filling grooves, and Smooth-On makes a self-leveling product called XTC-3D that you paint over your model. I haven’t tried either of these, but they get good feedback from others. Finally, if you have printed in ABS you can try vapor smoothing your part; just be careful playing with acetone, and don’t do it too long or you’ll melt your piece.

Now with all that said, my experience with finishing 3D prints was with the intention of creating a production-quality model (aka something that looked like you bought brand new it from the store). Every print needed to be practically flawless when viewed at close range. For cosplay, this is unnecessary. Nobody is going to hyper-analyse your work from inches away; rather, you can rely on the 10 foot rule. Also, weathering will hide many defects

Focus your efforts on pieces that will show the most. For Soldier 76, this means I will be spending many hours making his mask smooth and pristine, but I’m not even going to paint the brackets on his boots.

Painting

Now you are on to the last step! Unless you wish to control texture through brush strokes, I always recommend spray painting or airbrushing. Rattle cans are available in a myriad of colors these days, but if you have an airbrush they are handy for detailed work. I had a professor who wouldn’t let a can of Rustoleum in his classroom and demanded we use Krylon, so I guess you should also use Krylon? The artists I know who use spray paint swear by the Montana brand, and they have a huge range of colors to select from.

Anyway, all your spray painting should be done outside or in an area with plenty of ventilation. I always wear a dust mask--not because I’m worried about paint fumes (dust masks don’t stop fumes anyway)--but because I don’t want to breath in teeny paint particles. Even if paint is non-toxic, it doesn’t belong in your lungs. I also like to tape down a huge backdrop so I don’t get any over-spray surprises. Your coats of paint should be incredibly light, almost like dusting the model with pigment. It will take many coats, but the slow buildup guarantees even application. I promise the effort is worth it, plus thin coats of paint dry quickly anyway.

Sealing

Last step! I have always used rattle can clear coats to seal my models. This step should not be skipped because your paint job can be marred very easily, but the sealer will help protect it. Always, always, always use the same brand of sealant as your paint or test on scraps first. I cannot reiterate this enough; not all products will get along together, and nothing ruins your week (or month) quite like destroying a detailed paint job. If your model will be going through a lot of wear and tear, you may consider coating it in clear resin for durability.

Conclusion

So as you can see, there is a LOT more work to 3D printing besides downloading and hitting print. I didn’t even go into detail and the post is huge. Any of these topics will have more information if you search on Youtube or Google, plus my Ask is always open. I hope this helps somebody!

#3D Printing #tutorial #overview #3d printing 101 #how to 3d print #beginner

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goldeagleprice · 6 years

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Bowers on collecting: Facts, fantasies, and opinions about the Bank of the United States

By Q. David Bowers

I love history, and over a period of time, I have immersed myself in many accounts published in early newspapers, books, and directories. These include Niles’ Weekly Register, launched in Baltimore in 1811, and continued for decades afterward. I skimmed every issue and read anything that had to do with finance or numismatics. The result was an ��I was there” experience, such as in late summer 1814 when Hezekiah Niles, editor, was at his desk in Baltimore while British forces were approaching the city. Of course, we all know they didn’t make it, and the rockets fired from Fort McHenry forced the British ships to flee from the Chesapeake, with “The Star Spangled Banner” memorializing this event. I have looked through the Congressional Record, the National Intelligencer, and other early print matter—this in an era when it had to be done by hand. Today, most of these sources are on the Internet and are searchable. Probably, what took me a year to do a decade or two ago could be done in a month now!

1776 Continental Dollar. Newman 1-C. CURRENCY. Pewter. MS-62. Hover to zoom. Image courtesy of Stack’s Bowers.

As it is, there are still things I am seeking that I have not found on the Internet. The subject of the 1776 Continental dollar (most of which are struck in pewter and grade from Very Fine to About Uncirculated, indicating use in commerce) has come to the fore in recent years. Where were they made and by whom? Ever since the mid-1950s, I have studied the 1785–1788 coppers made for the Republic of Vermont (it did not become a state until 1791). Even with Internet searching, I have found very little new information to add to what I gathered earlier. And then there is the little town of Arcadia, New York, where some of my ancestors settled in the late 1850s after emigrating from Germany.

However, I am getting off-topic, so now to the history of the Bank of the United States—an interest of mine for a long time, and the entity, actually two entities, that I read about in the aforementioned Niles’ Weekly Register and other publications, including quite a few books written in the 19th century into the early 20th. Andrew Jackson is one of my favorite 19th-century personalities, and I have read a lot of source material about him. I have delved into Senator Thomas Hart Benton, his daughter and her connection in a way with the San Francisco branch mint, and more. Lots of fun. On the other hand, I haven’t paid much attention to Henry Clay (except for his 1844 presidential campaign) or New Hampshire native Daniel Webster (honored here, but did he have to move to Massachusetts?).

In writing this article I sent a draft to several people, including John Kleeberg and Joel Orosz. Both are rocket scientists, so to speak when it comes to history, and both have written extensively. Their feedback, including corrections, has resulted in a rewrite and expansion of my original narrative.

By any account the two Bank of the United States institutions were controversial: Were they essential to the health of the American economy in their time, or were they partially helpful but also an interference? Today, in my opinion, later accounts of them are often confusing and muddled. Congress chartered the first in 1791 with a 20-year life. This became standard with many state-chartered banks and, beginning in 1863, with federally chartered national banks. The idea was to allow two decades for a bank to go into business and, it was hoped, prosper. Near the end of the term, the officers of the bank could petition to have the charter renewed. The charter of the first Bank of the United States expired in 1811. Its operations were quite controversial, and the charter was not renewed. Fast-forward to 1816, and a new contingent in Congress, plus optimism following the War of 1812, furnished the basis for establishing the Second Bank of the United States, also with a 20-year charter.

Neither bank was a federal bank in the sense of being owned and managed by the government and the Treasury Department. Instead, they were what can be called public-private enterprises. Most of the stock was held by private individuals and interests.

Both were headquartered in Philadelphia, with branches in other cities. The second Bank of the United States, the main subject of this article, was headquartered in Philadelphia in a new grand building in the Greek Revival style. In time 26 branches were opened in various towns and cities, a very short list including Boston, Baltimore, Portsmouth (New Hampshire), Washington, and Charleston. The bank issued paper money in various denominations, printed by private engraving and printing companies, which circulated widely.

The Bank of the United States.

A Bank of the United States note, of, say, $20, could be cashed at face value in Portland, Maine, in Charleston, South Carolina, or in Chillicothe, Ohio. As such, they were a stable unit in commerce, accepted everywhere. In unfortunate contrast, in the same era, this was not true for money of the several thousand state-chartered banks that as a group issued a far greater number of notes. These state banks were owned by stockholders who formed to seek state charters, after which capital was raised by selling shares to the public. However, unlike the bills of the Bank of the United States, which could be cashed almost anywhere for full face value, the notes of state banks were mainly of regional interest. For example, a $20 note issued by a bank in Portland, Maine, could be redeemed at face value at that city or even in Boston, where there was a currency exchange, but someone taking the note to Savannah or Charlotte or Pittsburgh would find it would not be accepted at all, or, if it was, only at a deep discount. State-chartered banks had thousands of stockholders and their officers were often leaders of the various states (including governors and legislators), so the Bank of the United States was viewed as unfair competition. Great resentment developed concerning this. Most of the state-chartered banks were sound financially and well managed. However, as a further complication, there were many exceptions, and some notes of state-chartered banks were basically of questionable value, even in their places of issue. In contrast, there was no question about Bank of the United States notes, except for occasional counterfeits (which merchants and banks either were unaware of or simply passed along to the next customer).

President Andrew Jackson.

In 1824 Andrew Jackson ran for president against John Quincy Adams. Jackson, a rough-cut military hero, contrasted the New England gentility of Adams. Jackson won the popular vote, but Congress decided the outcome and named Adams. A great brouhaha was caused, and Jackson and his followers formed the Democratic Party. In 1828 the same two men faced each other, and Jackson won by a landslide, with the results uncontested. He took office on March 4, 1829. His term, while controversial (mostly arising from the threatened secession of South Carolina from the Union due to a tariff viewed as unfavorable), was quite successful in an era of growing prosperity in America. (Whether he was significant in this expansion is a matter of controversy among historians.) Members of the old-guard, the friends of Adams and others, were distressed. In 1832 Jackson was elected to a second term. This had its own “situations,” including the “Petticoat Affair” with the flirtatious (and more, according to some accounts) Peggy O’Neal causing the resignation of some Cabinet members.

With advice and counsel, Jackson, casting himself as a “common man,” formed a strong dislike of the Bank of the United States, thought to be controlled by the aristocracy, and stated that he was against having its charter renewed (scheduled to happen in 1836). Certain of his followers agreed. In Congress, an alarm was sounded and it was decided to advance the renewal of the charter to 1833, so that the Bank of the United States could operate with confidence after that point, during Jackson’s second term, continuing to the stated charter expiration in 1836, and possibly even have the charter renewed by Congress for another 20 years to 1856.

That did not happen, as after Congress approved in advance the 1836 renewal, Jackson vetoed the legislation. The death knell was sounded for the Bank of the United States. In the mid-1830s it wound down with the various branches being liquidated and buildings sold; by late 1835 there was not much left.

Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

In the meantime, in the 1830s there was great speculation and prosperity in the Prairie lands, these comprising territories west of Pennsylvania, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and other districts. The federal government was selling millions of acres of land, and it could be purchased by giving promissory notes or notes of state-chartered banks, some of which uncertain value. The matter got out of hand, and in the summer of 1836, President Jackson issued the Specie Circular, which mandated that, henceforth, federal lands could only be purchased by paying in gold and silver coins. By that time the Bank of the United States was nearly completely defunct. Not all was well, and on the other side of the story, as John Kleeberg reminded me, there were many problems in the cotton market, the issuance of state bonds that defaulted, and more. Due to various causes, investment and speculation ceased, values fell, and the stage was set for an economic adjustment. Early in 1837, there were economic disturbances in New York and elsewhere and a chill was felt in commerce. In the meantime, Jackson had not run for reelection, and in March 1837 Martin Van Buren, his vice president, was elected to the position. Economic matters went from bad to worse, and beginning on May 10, 1837, nearly all the banks in the East stopped paying out silver and gold coins at face value in exchange for paper money. The Panic of 1837 ensued, an economic depression that lasted until early 1843 (which seems to have been the end of the “Hard Times” era), after which prosperity gradually returned, and continued into the late 1850s, later checked by the Panic of 1857.

That is my well-studied (in my opinion) view, taken from original sources, plus, as noted, some recent adjustments by John Kleeberg.

It is my opinion, not at all widely shared, that the idea that it was President Jackson’s veto of the Bank of the United States charter in 1833 that was the primary cause of the Panic of 1837 is not correct. However, excellent studies have been made on both sides of the question. Perhaps of related complexity: Who was the greatest president of the United States? Washington? Lincoln? FDR? Who was the worst? (I won’t go there!)

Portrait of Nicholas Biddle by William Inman.

Whatever the case, once the bank closed, Nicholas Biddle, who formerly had been a president of the Bank of the United States, formed a new institution, chartered by the Pennsylvania State Legislature, called the Bank of the United States of Pennsylvania. Cleverly enough, the words “of Pennsylvania” were not used on the bank’s currency including those of face value of $1,000 or more, which to all appearances seemed to be issued by the earlier Bank of the United States! However, they are nothing more than notes of a state-chartered bank. They are interesting to collect, but few numismatists know of their history. Biddle, a leading member of Philadelphia society, did not do well as his bank was charged with fraud and failed in 1841. He died on February 17, 1844, while still enveloped in civil suits alleging misdemeanors.

Today, original notes of the First Bank of the United States and the Second Bank of the United States are extremely rare. These bear the names of the different bank branches that issued them. Most denominations from various offices are completely unknown. Genuine bills sell for four-figure prices.

Image courtesy of the Eric P. Newman Collection.

In contrast, notes from the Bank of the United States (of Pennsylvania) are rather plentiful, including those in large denominations. In most instances, they are offered by sellers who are not aware that this is a different, unrelated enterprise. Some have even called this the Third Bank of the United States.

A display of the notes of Biddle’s 1836 to 1841 bank is interesting to view, as hardly any notes of denominations of $1000 or more survive from other state-chartered banks. In connection with these their history is interesting to contemplate.

❑

Comments

@NCM Collector “..Wonder if the coin medal sets will come ... by Tinto

Engaging story – I often wonder how the financial structures ... by Numismatrix

Wonder if the coin medal sets will come with individual COAs. ... by NCM Collector

Very nice article. I'm really pleased to see the Biddle ... by just another dave in pa

Wow, super interesting! Thanks so much for the information. by ClevelandRocks

#Precious Metals

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keywestlou · 4 years

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WINDOW TAX

Some of today’s topics unusually interesting.

The first involves Great Britain, the United Kingdom, England, or whatever it was called at a particular time in history.

The Brits were always taxing people and things. They cared not what nor for those being taxed. Only to collect money for the royal coffers.

That is why there was a Boston Tea Party, a need for a Robin Hood, and more.

Today’s subject the Window Tax. The Brits were known as the United Kingdom at the time. A Window Tax was imposed in 1699 and remained in place till 1851.

The Window Tax also referred to as a “bandl tax.”

Windows on a house were taxed. The more windows, the higher the tax paid by the owner.

Necessity became the mother of invention. Everyone wants to pay as little in taxes as possible. Tax avoidance came into play big time.

Homes were built with fewer windows. Older homes had some windows bricked over. The poorer homes covered all the windows.

“Dark and gloomy” became the order of the day. The more blocked windows, the less the light entering from the outside.

As the years progressed, poor and rich alike clamored for a repeal of the tax. It was considered a “tax on health” and a “tax on light and air.” The tax encouraged disease and ill health.

It took 152 years, but the people finally won out when in 1851 the Window Tax was withdrawn.

This past thursday, Trump bare naked his intelligence level. His thought process convoluted.

Trump was speaking at Owens and Minor, a medical supply distributor, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He said, “When you test, you have a case. When you test, you find something is wrong with people. If we didn’t do any testing, we would have very few cases.”

Brilliant!

Dr. Joseph Fair is known to most of us. He appears frequently on NBC and MSNBC. He is one of their medical consultants.

Dr. Fair is a virologist and epidemiologist which makes him an expert in the study of the coronavirus problem.

He flew to New Orleans last week. The plane was crowded. “Packed” as he described it. The thought occurred to him to get off. However, he did not.

He wore a face mask, gloves, and wiped his area with disinfectant.

Turns out he should have worn googles. So Dr. Fair thinks today.

Three days after the trip, he started feeling lousy. Remained home. Over the course of a few days, breathing became difficult. He could only get 25 percent of his breath into his lungs.

He was off to the hospital. They gave him 4 coronavirus tests. All negative. It took #5 to come up with a positive finding. He was definitely sick.

Dr. Fair believes the virus got into his body through his eyes. Recent studies indicate mere talking can generate droplets that can linger up to 14 minutes.

Goggles would have prevented his coming down with the virus.

Dr. Fair claims he was not at high risk for the problem. Forty years old and in good health. Runs every day. Has no underlying maladies. He said he was in the best condition he has ever been.

Which brought to his mind he probably would have died were he older and not in such good condition.

Dr. Fair remains in the hospital, no longer in critical condition.

Certain prostitutes earn big money.

Some governments tax a prostitute’s earnings. Germany has been doing so for more than 10 years. Germany legalized prostitution so it could tax the ladies.

Other European nations tax prostitutes also. Great Britain is one.

Linda St. Clair began working the streets as a teenager. At a point later in life, she became one of Britain’s leading ladies of the night. Her professional name Miss Whiplash. She was both a prostitute and dominatrix.

Linda owned and operated one of the largest whore houses in London. High class. Some 250 members of Parliament among her customers.

She drove a Rolls Royce.

The British government decided to tax her. She refused to pay. She said if she were to pay, the government would be living off “immoral earnings.” Such was her legal position.

The government said morality had nothing to do with it. The government considered her earnings derived from a “trade.”

Linda fought the tax collector successfully for 15 years. The government never gave up, however. When she saw she would not be able to win, she sold everything. Took her monies and went on a world cruise. Excuse the vernacular, she “pissed” her money away in all the fun spots of the world.

When the government finally got her and had a huge judgment against her, she was judgment proof. Penniless.

Some Trump.

One of the commentors to my blog recently wrote Trump was no “warrior” as he was claiming. He pointed out Trump dodged the draft and mocked a prisoner of war.

The gulf between Trump and scientists regarding coronavirus grows. Trump even finding fault with Fauci.

What did Trump think would happen when his thoughts and those of the scientists were at opposite ends of the spectrum. He obviously expected dedicated professionals to lie.

Trump is learning there are some honest people in the world. Not all are cut from the same bolt of cloth as he.

Coronavirus data as of 5/14 interesting. Actually, surprising.

The data shows trends are significantly rising in the U.S. if the numbers for 3 cities are pulled. New York, New Orleans, and Detroit.

Not a good sign. Indicates things getting worse, not better.

A 6.4 earthquake hit Nevada during the night. Several large aftershocks followed. The quake line near the California border.

Someday again California may experience another of its drastic earthquakes. I recall my good friend Bob Marks being involved in one. So strong, it took down a major bridge in San Francisco. Bob could not get home for 3 days because the bridge was gone.

Some Key West happenings.

Publix cut back on open hours because of the virus. Publix announced that as of tomorrow, it is returning to normal shopping hours. The stores will be open from 7 am to 9 pm.

The virus opened many eyes in Key West as to the pollution the cruise ships were causing. Key West waters have become clear since the cruise lines were shut down.

The cruise ships will return. Many do not want them. I for one do not.

Key West is at the bottom of the list re payments from the cruise lines being permitted to dock here. The cheaper cruise lines bring passengers to Key West. Not the affluent who spend money. Passengers in recent years spend a day walking around and having a drink or 2 at a bar. They skip back to the ship for lunch. Do not spend money on food or anything of value.

And of course the ships themselves pollute our waters and reef big time.

They are not worth it.

The Key West Committee For Safer Cleaner Ships has been formed by some locals. They have opened an office on Caroline street.

They are anti-cruise ships.

The issue is being put to referendum in August. The actual wording not yet formulated. It will either be to limit the number or eliminate cruise ship visits in their entirety.

John Simonton was the first American to own the Island of Key West as it was then known. Simonton died this day in 1854 in Washington, D.C.

The news is the Cow Key Channel Bridge reconstruction is on schedule. I have not seen it. I live one island off Key West. The bridge the only way in and out of Key West. I crossed it twice daily.

Since I am in my 65th day of self-quarantine, I have not seen any of the reconstruction work being done.

I wish they were ahead of schedule. With the virus impacting us, there was substantially less traffic and the contractor should be ahead of schedule. The virus would have turned out to be a benefit in disguise. Unfortunately, the State of Florida does not think that way.

The stone crab business has been taking a beating the past several years. The State now wants to add to the stone crab fishermen’s plight.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has issued a draft to be voted on in July. It proposes to close the stone crab season by 5 months. It also proposes to reduce the minimum size of stone crabs that can be caught.

The 5 months I cannot understand. The reduction in size I can. Only 1/8th of an inch.

Enjoy your day!

WINDOW TAX was originally published on Key West Lou

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courtneytincher · 5 years

Text

How We Can Stop Global Money Laundering

As economies become more interconnected and globalized and the borders between countries and jurisdictions effectively disappear, the complexity of financial transactions is reaching new levels. The fundamental difference between the current stage of globalization and the previous one that unfolded in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries consists of both the direction of capital flows and the entities they originate from. If one looks back, then one might realize that between 1870 and 1913 the major European nations (Great Britain and France) invested abroad 6.5 and 3.7 percent of their GDP respectively. In the case of Great Britain, this amounted to approximately 34 percent of its total capital investments). However, there was virtually no money from “peripheral” countries that was deposited in British and French banks, and there were only a few dozen properties that were owned by investors from these countries. Moreover, if there were cases of wealthy overseas entrepreneurs or noblemen bringing money to the most developed nations of the time, they were well-known, with their properties being perfectly documented. In our day, everything has changed in this regard: every year $800 billion to $2 trillion, or roughly 10 percent of the combined GDP of the European Union, arrives to global financial capitals like London, New York, or Zurich from “developing” countries, many of which are labelled so by mistake. Most of this money comes through various “off-shore” jurisdictions that were created after the famous decision by the Bank of England in 1957 that authorized the holding of the deposits in pounds outside Britain, with its owners unknown.In recent decades, a completely new industry has emerged which is focused entirely on processing these funds and putting them in safety outside the countries where they were “harvested.” It includes the investment bankers who attract the money and either deposit it or place it into different investment funds and SICAVS (open-ended, collective investment schemes); the lawyers which oversee a large network of offshore and shell companies, trusts and SPVs which regulate in accordance with current regulation; the crowds of nominal directors and legal owners; the real estate agents and luxury developers who sell the overpriced assets to the super-rich; the producers of exclusive goods from jewellery and watches to luxury cars and megayachts; and even the government officials who elaborate different “citizenship-for-investment” programs. The scope of this group is rather small; I would argue with great certainty that it doesn’t exceed twenty thousand people all around the world. The impact of this new industry on the global economy is enormous. Today, about a third of all multinational corporations’ FDI goes through different tax havens which results in massive tax avoidance; the figures for the corporate sector are unknown, but the most conservative assessments for tax evasion amongst individuals reach $1 trillion per year. The investment funds and large banks which claim to be completely transparent, are often sued for violating different money-laundering acts or sanction regimes—and if are accused and fined, the average fine they agree to pay has skyrocketed from $22 million in the mid-2000s to $1.6 billion in 2014–2015. The largest fine, at $9 billion, was paid by BNP-Paribas when it settled its dispute with the U.S. Justice Department in June 2014. But how can the legal banking business repay such substantial amounts and manage to stay afloat? What operations aren’t uncovered that allow such funds and banks to prosper? People should not be fooled about their nature as more than $230 billion was laundered in 2007–2015 by the Estonian subsidiary of Danske Bank, which represented a nation with a GDP that is eight times smaller than this sum, and which is proudly ranked eighteenth in the 2018 Global Transparency Index and sixteenth in the Doing Business 2018 survey. Around thirty-five thousand houses and apartments in London, as it was recently revealed, are owned by companies whose real beneficiaries remain unknown, and in New York City, close to 250,000 apartments in residential buildings are unoccupied, with at least half being bought in the name of offshore companies. I’m not addressing the issue of where the world’s superyachts or business jets are registered—more than 80 percent of these “luxury toys” carry flags of countries with low taxes.All of this depicts the reality of the modern money laundering business that has become part of today’s “financial capitalism.” Many left-wing writers argue that it devastates the peripheral nations—and I agree with that argument—but what’s much more important, I believe, is to mention that this new reality harms developed nations just as similarly as developing nations.The “traditional” arguments include the main thesis about “plundering” the peripheral countries from where the money originates and of “enrichment” of already wealthy nations where the money is directed—but such a statement is not sufficient. First of all, the inflow of dirty funds from the global “South” distorts the normal functioning of European and American business. The cities to which the super-rich flock are becoming too expensive for the locals and their economy often becomes disrupted and is pushed to the brink of crisis. More and more city dwellers are squeezed into suburbs, and the local authorities must invest more money into affordable housing. In London, these allocations rose to £3.15 billion which are to be spent on new ninety thousand affordable homes between 2017 and 2020. The financial system is overloaded by laundered funds and bubbles become more widespread and common. As I mentioned earlier, in some cases, illicit dealings with money flows from the global periphery lead to claims and penalties by the authorities, which in turn only push the bankers to take a higher-risk business strategy to cover the losses. The governments of European countries are facing dilemmas with the new capital inflows: on the one hand they should encourage them but on the other they feel obliged to defend their political and judiciary system from corruption. But with three-fifths of the United Kingdom’s richest residents being either foreign nationals or foreign-born (as are thirty-five out of fifty-five billionaires residing in London), it becomes more problematic from year to year.But there is another side of the issue which is much less studied. As poorer nations become more corrupt and their politicians and businessmen try to channel their capital to Europe, the quality of life in these countries decreases even further, and desperate people start to emigrate. Of the top ten countries that have seen the highest levels of emigration into the EU in the 2010s, eight (Pakistan, Ukraine, Iran, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Syria) are found at the lowest ranks (from 117 and 178) in the 2018 Corruption Perception Index. So by accepting hundreds of millions of dollars into European banks, the European authorities must pay dozens of billions of euros to accommodate new migrants while also facing growing social tensions caused by this inflow. Moreover, I would add that emigration from the peripheral nations, which is caused by the corrupt governments, jeopardizes their development since it deprives them of their best human capital, which has resulted in many cases in ethnic and civil conflicts which often descend into full-scale civil war (this was the case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo after Mobutu Sese Seko, one of the world’s corrupt dictators, fled to France where his fortune was kept, in 1997). Western countries are then forced to spend additional billions to provide food, medical care, and even armed humanitarian assistance to the nations ruled by the most renown kleptocrats. This is a very high price for the joy of allowing several thousand people to manage money laundering operations from their luxury offices in London or Zürich—and I would also argue that this joy contributes to an “import of corruption” from the global periphery to the core (I am reminded of the well-known story of a Scottish-based “laundromat” that allowed the Azerbaijani political elite to squeeze billions of dollars from its country and to use it, inter alia, to cover legitimate lobbying for Azerbaijan and its state-owned companies in European capitals).But why does the fight against this evil appear so ineffective? Why are the people that stripped their states of their taxpayers’ money, presided over the largest deliberate bank failures, or those engaged in looting the natural resources of their countries, all still living in Europe without experiencing any consequences? I think at least four systemic problems exist that make this possible. First, I would argue that the main focus these days is made on one issue—on the so called “problematic jurisdictions” which the West’s authorities believe are either engaged in offshore banking or lack the necessary financial regulations. Many lists of these countries were drafted in recent years, with the American “Financial Action Task Force” (FATF) and the European Union’s list being the most well-known. As of Jan. 1, 2012, the first one comprised forty states and territories, and the second as of March 2019 has sixteen. Both do not include, for example, either Russia nor China. Russia was successfully removed from the FATF list back in 2003 and has never appeared on the European Union’s list—even though it’s a common point that the Russians are among the largest final beneficiaries of companies that own real estate in the UK, Spain, and some other European countries. China never appeared on both lists while the offshore companies controlled by the Chinese are among the most active buyers of expensive mansions in the United States. At the same times, there are many countries on the list that might harbour terrorists and jihadis, but do not possess either the funds to be laundered nor the modern banking systems that would allow to transfer these money into the European banks. The excessive attention to the “intermediate” countries rather than to the places from where the money really originates is, I believe, the first tremendous challenge the fight against money laundering faces today.Second, the control over the allegedly dirty money in the “recipient” countries is quite weak. I would say that the very term “due diligence” shouldn’t be used for the description of what’s going on in Europe and in the United States. One can remember the most famous cases—like the case of Arthur Andersen insisting on Enron’s firmness five months prior to its bankruptcy; the case of Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch drawing the AAA ratings to the “subprime” mortgage-backed securities in the wake of the 2008 crisis; the case of Wachovia which laundered close to $500 billion of drug cartels affiliated money in 2000s, etc. If it comes to purchases of the expensive real estate, as one can see, remaining in the shadows is even easier. The “investments” into the wealthy countries are welcomed by their governments—today, even the EU nations effectively sell citizenships or permanent residencies in hundreds of ways with the cheapest ones (as in Malta, Cyprus or Bulgaria) requiring not more than Є1.2-2.0 million to attain citizenship. The British, who introduced “unexplained wealth orders” as part of the Criminal Finances Act of 2017, used this tool to prosecute only one person since the orders went into force—and I would remind that there are thirty-five thousand real estate units in London with a value of around $70 billion, which were paid for by unknown sources and belong to undisclosed owners. A total revision of the banking accounts owned by foreign residents and/or companies, as well as the real estate bought by such entities should be under way—but in most cases the local authorities prefer only to levy additional taxes on such objects rather than find the sources of money that bought them.Third, I would say that there’s a fascinating multitude of laws and regulations that are applied to tracking money flows in different countries. No pan-European register of real estate exists; the banking regulations in Switzerland differ greatly from those in the EU countries; special regimes like the Liechtenstein-based trusts or Sociétés civiles d’immobilier founded in Monaco or Luxembourg are used for acquiring objects throughout Europe; British law is different from the continental one and will become even more different after Brexit is finalized. At the same time, all these jurisdictions are considered “safe”—so if someone sells a mansion in the UK or transfers funds from his Swiss bank account there will be no formal procedures in place to verify money’s origins. Without all these rules being standardized, if not unified, any progress in combating money laundering practices seems to be a pipe-dream—but I would say that in recent years the legislation is becoming rather more diversified than normalized. Of course, in some cases there might be expectations—like the one that happens today with the Russians who become extremely “toxic” if it comes to opening new banking accounts or acquiring property; but I would argue it happens not so much because of the spread of corruption in Russia or since Russia’s “presence” is too obvious in Europe, but exclusively due to the sanctions against Russia that were introduced because of the violation of international law and interference into other nations’ domestic affairs.Fourth, there is another issue which deals with the growing problem of “state capture” on the world’s periphery. I’m addressing the very simple fact that most countries, if their authorities suppose some money parked in their banks or used for acquiring some property there, used to ask the authorities of those states where either the money or its owner originated from, and about his criminal records or/and the nature of the mentioned funds. If the originating country is not only corrupt, but acts as a state totally “captured” by its ruling elite where money is easily exchanged for power, and vice versa, its authorities would prove the absence of any wrongdoings. Some authors argue that these days the political elites in many countries have completely merged with the business ones, and call such nations a business-states—so in all these cases the Western judiciary looks almost impotent in addressing the most vital money laundering cases. The renowned international bodies, like, e.g., Interpol, are also acting on the same basis and will not hunt anyone in case the national bureaus initiate the search. So I would say once again that if some wealthy person from a deeply corrupt state with good political connections launders money in Europe or the United States, there is highly unlikely she or he will be accused of any wrongdoing (even if regimes collapse, nothing may change—e.g., Ukrainian authorities after the Euromaidan did virtually nothing for chasing the funds of corrupt officials from the previous government owned in the European countries).So what is to be done in such circumstances?I would argue that what we need is an institution that is able to confront money laundering activity and all types of corruption globally, or at least for the sake of all developed countries where dirty money are accumulated and invested. Therefore, we need an international organization that can either establish new rules for fighting illegal financial operations or at least use the existing ones on its own, without needing to ask governments for approving its actions. If one takes all these points into account the only option that suits them all will be to create an International Financial Court since the judiciary is the branch of authority that acts independently from the executive. Such an International Financial Court might possess several crucial features.To start with, the court can be established by several nations and blocks which consider themselves as “transparent” and “doing their best” to fight financial fraud. The European Union, the United Kingdom (in case Brexit finally happens), Japan, Canada, and some Asian countries relatively free from corruption might become the founding signatories to its statute (another approach may be based, for example, on involving all the OECD nations into the new venture—and if the countries that benefit the most from these schemes, like the United States or Britain, will oppose the measure, it could be introduced either by France or even by some of the peripheral countries). The major idea behind this move is that the court may first make its rulings based on national legislation (e.g., the British law about Unexplained Wealth Orders), but these rulings will have an equal power in all the states that ratified the court’s statute. In the long run, therefore, the anti-corruption and anti-money laundering practices of all the “transparent” and “decent” nations will move closer to one another and may eventually even merge into one code of conduct. There is a long story in the West telling us how effective the courts had been in implementing laws and treaties that were adopted by executive authorities. The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution declaring equal rights for African Americans in 1868, was de facto enacted by the 1954 Supreme Court ruling in the Brown v. The Board of Education case, while the provisions of the Treaty of Rome which established the European Communities in 1957 became fully implemented only after European Court of Justice’s landmark Cassis de Dijon ruling of 1979. The courts, I would argue, have a powerful say in putting into action the laws and rules that already exist but are easy to be avoided, and this is the major reason why I am advocating for a new international judicial institution to combat these problems.What makes the new anti corruption vehicle so different from any other international organization?First of all is its independent character. The International Financial Court might be able to nominate independent counsels, prosecutors and investigators not reporting to the national law enforcement agencies, with their powers covering the territory of all participating states. Its rulings, as I already noted, should have universal reach—that means that, in due course, they will be implemented into the national legislation. Both features greatly enhance the court’s reach and authority.The next crucial point is the system of claims behind the cases the court investigates and deliberates. These claims might be filed by any private or corporate person who considers itself a complainant or aggrieved—and in this case the set of actors might be very wide, beginning from any taxpayer in the country where money originates or from a client of any bank ruined by its owners. The claims would be directed towards any citizen of the country where the money goes whose rights have been violated by the decreasing level of decency in his country’s governing authorities caused by the inflow of “dirty funds.” This means the proposed option is able to overcome the negligence of the national investigators who, for different reasons, might be disinclined from launching an inquiry into the nature of unexplained funds or its uses inside the receiving nations’ financial domains.Yet what may become the court’s greatest advantage is its powers to block and arrest the funds and assets owned or controlled by the citizens of the countries which did not become signatories of its Statute, but whose funds and assets are on the territory of its member nations. This very fact might undermine the fundamental principle of safety that today motivates corrupt individuals and entities from around the world to hide their property abroad: just imagine how senseless such a move will become if an anti-corruption activist’s documented claim sent from the country where the money was stolen, can cause the seizure of funds in the country where either the real estate was acquired or the bank deposit was opened. Even though the court may not become a well functioning institution overnight, it can be anticipated as a crucial danger by anybody engaged in corrupt and illicit financial operations around the world, therefore, greatly curb the inflows of “dirty money” from the peripheral nations to the developed ones.Moreover, and this is extremely important for the revitalization of the global civil society, the anti-corruption activists across the globe would, for the first time, get a proper global partner whom they might appeal. Organizations like the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, not to mention less renown national groupings who will submit a substantial number of duly verified claims, might get special representation with the court. Furthermore, people concerned with growing corruption around the world will get additional reasons for uniting and working together since they will get a clear addressee for their work. I believe that this issue cannot be overestimated: In most countries plagued with rampant corruption, citizens remain passive first of all because they are discouraged by the lack of response from both the national regulators, law enforcement agencies, and even from international investigators since corrupt officials possessing either accounts in Panama or real estate in London don’t feel any pressure inside their own countries.The last advantage of the International Financial Court might become its records which—unlike the records and databases of either Interpol or national law enforcers—will be open to the public and electronically accessible from any place in the world. This would contribute to the emergence of the first truly global database of corrupt officials, doubtful jurisdictions, banks involved in processing “dirty money,” as well as the law offices and attorneys most closely linked to money laundering operations. Such an open database may, as I believe, erode the very foundations of the secrecy that allows the international corruption and money laundering to flourish in today’s world.To make one final observation, I would contend that governments in all nations across the world will face very powerful pressure from their citizens to sign the International Financial Court’s statute and to become the part of that global body. In the case that the largest global powers—the United States, China, and Russia—are not participating in the International Criminal Court, it will be much more difficult for those authorities to explain to their subjects why they should remain outside the new system, especially if they are pretending they are doing their best to eliminate corrupt practices inside their own borders. It might be framed as the debate over war crimes—which in many nations are believed to be a “natural part” of the respective countries’ “real sovereignty” (a term widely used in Russia and coined by former Deputy Defense Minister Andrei Kokoshin)—but the negative attitude to corruption and the misuse of power transcends national borders and ideological fractures. Thus, the dissenters in many parts of the globe will get a very simple “foothold,” on which they might hope to make things change.Alexander Lebedev, a Russian entrepreneur and philantropist, is the primary shareholder of the National Reserve Corporation in Moscow and the financial backer of both The Independent and The London Evening Standard in London.Image: Rueters

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