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Angel | Spencer Reid

Smurph’s Masterlist | Series Masterlist

Chapter 17 of Operation: Sand Leopard

Warnings: canon typical stories, Christmas visits, crying, happy hugs fear, espionage, confessions

Summary: Spencer arrives in America and struggles to sleep. You finally tell Alijah who Angel really is.

The flight to Anacostia-Bolling air base in DC was agonizingly long, and somehow seemed longer than the flight to Iraq. 

The unit met their families at the hangar- Garrett with his four daughters and much more handsome husband than Spencer expected, Morello with his son and pregnant wife, Peanut with her mother and three younger siblings, and Barretti with his parents. 

Spencer hadn't told the BAU he was coming home. He wanted to surprise them tomorrow at Rossi’s house for their pre-Christmas dinner. 

He took a cab through familiar streets to his familiar apartment, flurries swirling around until he was standing outside the building in the December snow and gazing up at it curiously. Everything looked the same, but he knew as he stood there that he no longer was. Iraq had changed him, and with his gunny pack on one shoulder and his dog tags hanging around his neck, he was out of place. 

It was late, the entranceway dark and gloomy as the stairs loomed ominously before him. It was a journey in itself walking up them, taking a trip into the not so distant past but feeling as though he'd aged ten years. As he got to his floor he stood in front of his door, chewing on his cheek. 

He was an intruder in the night, slinking into a place he shouldn't be, a place he didn't belong. 

Sliding the key in the lock, the familiar smell of aged books and leather plumed on the other side. He opened the door and flicked on the lights, furrowing his brows at the sight. 

His old couch stood in the same place, his desk and record player in one corner. Books were scattered all around, on shelves and tables and the floor. The lamps glowed dimly in the small place, but it was much bigger than he felt comfortable with. He missed his CHU. 

Spencer sighed as he shut and locked the door behind him. He kicked a few books aside as he made his way to the bedroom, tossing his gunny pack at the foot of the bed and falling face first into the mattress. 

He didn't even take off his boots as he curled up, staring at the window through to the cityscape outside. The sounds of Bombaconda gave way to honking horns and sirens, gunfire and IEDs washed away with the far off desert. With horror, Spencer realized he missed the sounds of baselife. 

He also missed you, curled up next to him and sweating in the night. It was cold and dark here, a far cry from the Iraqi heat and blazing sun. Spencer closed his eyes and tried to imagine your sticky warmth bleeding through his cargos and cotton tee, the scent of your flowery perfume and sweat, your hair tickling his nose. 

But you were six thousand, one hundred ninety eight and a half miles away, probably just waking up in your CHU and going about your day without your team. He wondered if you'd gone to the DFAC with Mercer, or if you sat alone in your trailer instead. He almost hoped you went to the DFAC. 

He was restless, tossing and turning as he struggled to get comfortable. At first he thought it was the heavy blanket, so with a grunt Spencer threw it on the floor, but it didn't work. 

The fan above Spencer's head was still, so he turned it on, but the soft hum was too quiet compared to the constant whirring of the pop vent in his CHU. Spencer even threw his pillows from the bed, but an hour later he still couldn't sleep. 

Then your voice came to the surface, tired and weary all those months ago when you muttered in the dimming light. 

It gets better. You get used to all the noises, and when you go home you'll find that's when you can't sleep. The city's too quiet, the bed's too soft, the food has too much flavor. 

Spencer hated how you were always right. 

Groaning as he sat up, Spencer ambled off the bed and got down on the carpet. Stuffing one of the errant pillows under his head, his eyes drooped as he watched the fan some more. 

Your smirk flashed before him just before he hit the dark undertow of sleep, and Spencer ended his long day the way he started it. 

Grinning like a fiend. 

You didn't sleep a wink. 

Instead, you spent all night with Mercer at the bonfire pit, letting the crackle of the flames drown out your planning and whispers in the night. 

You were exposed, and who knew how many of your team's missions were queueing up to be used against you. Your greatest fear had come true, that once more your future would slip from your grasp. 

You weren't going to let that happen. Not this time. 

"Why do you come to see me?"

You looked up from your spot on the floor, only to see Alijah watching you expectantly. Your heart swelled painfully in your chest every time you looked at her. 

Since deciding a few months ago you were going to adopt Alijah and Sivan, you'd been coming to visit again. You started slow, only coming a few times a week, and now you came every day. Your plan had changed…again. 

Instead of playing the good cop bad cop with her, you were going to earn her trust the way Teddy and Spencer had, simply by talking to her. If she was going to come home with you, she needed to see you as Teddy had presented you. As a mother, a friend, someone to lean on. 

You clicked your teeth and shrugged, "Maybe I like you, Alijah."

She squinted at you, "I said I don't like you."

You smiled, her English had improved so much because of Spencer. Pride poured through your soul, flooding you with a fierce protectiveness you were more than happy to have return. 

"That's okay."

Alijah leaned back against the wall and continued her little scrunched up squinting, "I like you a little now."

"Okay," you said quietly. 

"When will you let me see Teddy again?" she asked in a small voice, looking to you hopefully. 

You sighed and glanced down at your hands, "Alijah, you can't see Teddy again."

"Is he dead?"

When you met her dark gaze, she had her arms crossed protectively over her small chest. Feeling brave, you got up enough to move to the cot, sitting next to her and leaning against the wall yourself. 

She seemed to understand, her chin wobbling as she began to cry. Alijah dropped her head in her hands as a sob broke free, shattering your heart. You reached out slowly and wrapped your arm around her shoulders, and when she let you pull her to your chest tears of your own began to spill down your cheeks. 

Setting your jaw on her covered head, you whispered tearfully, "I'm sorry. He's not coming back."

"What happened?" Alijah burst out in Kurdish. She wept in your arms, her small desperate hands clinging to you to ground her. 

"It was an accident," you replied back in her mother tongue, your voice trembling. You lied to her. She didn't need to know. "He was a soldier. Things happen."

Alijah pulled back, her watery eyes wide. "What about Angel?"

Was it the time to tell her? Would it ever be? Sighing, you leaned over to the last Redwall book in the pile near her cot. The rest of them nearly tumbled over as you tugged it away. With shaky hands, you flipped it open to the back cover and handed it to her. 

She took it cautiously. You watched nervously as she read the words you'd written there so long ago, when all you wanted was to welcome this poor child into a happy home with you and Teddy. 

Alijah,

I wish I could have gone on this journey with you. Maybe by the time you finish these books you'll already be home with me, and we'll have finished them together. I've spent years reading and rereading these words, countless hours hunched over the paper and drinking in each sweet line. These books showed me the wonder of the world, that while destiny is important… We make our own ways in life. 

You're going to do great things. My sweet girl, I cannot wait to hold you in my arms and know that you're safe with me. I love you already. I always will. 

Xoxo, Y/N

Aka Angel <3

You'd drawn a heart next to your name in a last ditch flourish to come across as a mother. In truth, you'd been so nervous to be one, but the closer it came the more you'd solidified it in your mind. You would have done anything for Alijah. You still would. 

She looked up slowly from the book, a flurry of emotions raging behind her dark eyes. Tears stained my cheeks as you watched her back. Regret coursed through your veins. 

"I came back to Iraq for you," you whispered, your voice shaking. "After Teddy died… I didn’t want to love you anymore, but I did. I do. This is the only way I knew how to protect you.

"When I found out about Sivan, I knew I needed to get to her before bringing you home," you finished tearfully, struggling to continue to look her in the eyes. But you kept strong. "I'm going to get you home. I'm sorry I had to keep you here, Alijah. I'm so sorry that I did this to you."

Alijah closed the book, holding it on her lap. Her jaw worked as she thought long and hard about this revelation. Her eyes searched the charged air between us as she followed her train of thought. Finally, she opened her mouth. 

"I don't think I will ever forgive you."

Your heart shattered into a million pieces, but you understood. You nodded slowly, "I'm still going to take you home. I will make sure you're safe, but…"

You trailed off with your mind churning. Taking a deep breath, you closed your eyes to calm the shaking deep in your bones. When you opened them, you knew they blazed, as Alijah seemed taken aback by the fire there. 

"I have a plan, and I need your help. If it works, we'll get the funding to go find Sivan and bring you to the States. As much as you don't like me, I need you to trust me. To trust Spencer. It all hinges on you and him."

Her own gaze turned fierce. When her hand rubbed over her empty belly, a thunderous crack burst through your core in grief. 

"I trust Spencer. Tell me what I need to do."

Spencer finally woke about ten hours later, struggling to remember where he was. Grunting in pain after sleeping on a hard floor in his forties, he squirmed onto his belly until he could see the alarm clock. 

6:56 p.m.

He was running late. Dinner started at Rossi's at seven. Scrambling to his feet, Spencer kicked off his boots, shucked his clothes, and hopped in the shower. The hot water had much better pressure than his CHU, and he closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling of it beating his muscles until they eased up. 

When he opened them, he spotted his old shampoo and conditioner bottles, his body wash from four months ago still sitting in the same spot he'd left them the morning he left for Iraq. It was such a strange feeling, familiar but off. Like he didn't belong here and was showering at some strangers. 

He popped one open and sniffed it, flinching at the harsh scent of cinnamon. He'd only brought along his cologne to Iraq as they frowned on outside products except for a few. Making a face, Spencer stepped out of the shower and tossed it in the bin and went for his gunny pack for the scentless ones he'd bought at the post exchange and went back in. 

When he was finished, he got out and stood in a towel in front of his closet. Four months ago, his soft silks and expensive blend clothing had soothed his raging mind as he got often overwhelmed with clothing tags and scratchy fabrics. Now, when he touched them, they were too soft. He felt naked with them, so he opted for a pair of cargo pants and a black tee, and a coat for the DC winter. 

Spencer had at least the forethought to charge his long dead cell phone, knowing you had his number and wanted to call. He stuffed it in one of his thousand pockets, grabbing his Homeland badge, then his gun. 

He was almost at the door before he put it safely back in the nightstand. He wouldn't be needing it here. 

The city was alive with people making last minute trips to shops as his cab ambled along through the night. Lamplight flooded the streets, washing them all in a white yellow glow. He found himself missing the bright harsh lights of the base, as these didn't let him see too far into the night. 

Spencer paid the cabbie and walked up Rossi's front walkway. His hand touched the doorknob, spotting everyone's cars in the driveway. He knew this mansion by heart now, the way it sprawled along Rossi's expansive land, but he felt so out of place. 

Should he knock? Knowing the team they might be offended if he showed such little familiarity, so he softly turned it and stepped inside. Voices echoed along the marble as he came in like an intruder in the night, his anxiety only growing under his skin. 

Walking quietly so his heavy boots didn't thump along the hardwood, Spencer made his way through the kitchen and to the dining room. The voices grew louder, and he adjusted his pack nervously on his shoulder. He turned the corner to see a welcome sight before him. 

JJ, Will, and the kids sat on one end of the room with Garcia and Luke, who were of course nearly draped across one another. Emily and Tara laughed into their wine glasses before a mountain of food and ham. Matt, his wife and kids sat near JJ's family. Even Morgan was there with Savannah and Hank. Rossi sat with his back to him, but none seemed to notice him. 

He knocked lightly on the doorframe, "Room for one more?"

Silence fell over the room as they finally spotted him with jaws dropped. Then a chorus of cheers broke out through the room.

"Oh my god!" Garcia burst finally, jumping up from her chair. In an instant, everyone seemed to launch from their spots and surround him, and he was in a group hug he hadn't had in a long, long time. 

He tried not to let it overwhelm him, as he hadn't been touched this much in a while. There were a lot of tears and happy laughs, and soon enough he was deposited in a chair next to Rossi and Emily. JJ piled a lot of food on a plate in her maternal fashion, pushed a fork and knife in his hands and ordered him to eat. 

Your words came back to him again as he took his first bite of ham, the food has too much flavor. Spencer choked it down with a forced smile, but it was almost too much. 

"How long are you back?" Garcia nearly demanded, her eyes alight with worry. Everyone's eyes were trained on him, and it was all he had not to wilt under the weight. 

"I'm leaving the twenty-seventh."

"You're going back?" JJ asked quietly. Hurt washed over her, but he just nodded. 

"I'm doing good work over there. Plus, I actually like it," he replied softly, but with conviction. He didn't need them trying to convince him to stay. 

Morgan came up behind him and set a heavy pair of hands on his shoulders, "I can't believe it. Pretty boy became a soldier, and look at this hair!"

He ruffled Spencer's long locks, which he admitted to himself were getting too far past his shoulders. Spencer decided to throw JJ a bone since she used to cut his hair for him as he didn't like strangers touching him. "Speaking of which, could you give me a trim before I go?"

"Didn't want a flat top?" Luke smirked. He leaned back in his chair with his arm around Penelope's. "The barber shops on base don't give the best cuts."

"Yeah, the last thing I wanted was to look like Garrett," he told them sheepishly. "Guy wears that thing like a badge of honor."

"What all have you been doing over there?" Tara asked lightly. Thankfully, she hadn't bombarded him with too many hugs and kisses. Tara was always good about respecting his boundaries. 

"I can't talk about much, but I've seen a lot. Speaking of which, I got you all something!" Spencer excitedly remembered. He hadn't shipped his Christmas presents since he wanted his visit to be a surprise. 

They eventually moved to the parlor, opening presents and chatting idly. Emily gave him some sparkling grape juice that the kids drank since he didn't drink alcohol, and JJ clung tightly to his side, never letting him too far out of her sight as though he may disappear. 

Spencer told them a bit about base life, which Luke backed him up on, taking the sting out of some of the harsher realities of it when Spencer accidentally let something slip. He talked about the villages and merchant streets he'd been to, the mountains he'd seen. He even lamented about having to go to the bathroom outside and how grateful he was for Barreti and his spare teepee. 

He talked about the unit. He talked about you. He couldn't talk about Alijah, so he didn't. He told them how hard you were on him, pushing him to be better and stronger, that you never let up. You had high expectations, and even though it had been difficult to meet them, he would never stop trying to exceed them. 

Eventually he found himself in one of the rooms with just Derek, Rossi, Luke and Will. Savannah and JJ had taken the kids to bed for the night, but Matt and his family had to travel out of state so they'd left early while the rest of them expected to stay at Rossi's overnight. 

"I'll tell you what, kid," Rossi mumbled into his scotch. They'd all been drinking pretty heavily for the last few hours, and it was nearing midnight. "They didn't have bases like that when I was in the Corps. The desert? We were in the jungle mostly. It's a whole new world out there."

"It's not so bad," Spencer replied with a soft smile. He was the only sober one there, and he kept anxiously checking his phone for your call. 

"It's called Bombaconda, Reid," Morgan pointed out, angling his beer bottle toward him. "Weren't you scared out there?"

Spencer and Luke shared a knowing look as he'd been there before joining the FBI. Spencer nodded, "At first, but with the unit I was fine. I got into a fight my first week with that jackass Mercer who took me to the DoD meetings and his team, and they backed me up even though they barely knew me."

"You got into a fight?" Luke asked, clearly impressed. 

Spencer chuckled, "I didn't throw the first punch, but I dislocated my nose. Agent Y/N put it back for me after chewing them all out."

"Since then, it's just been us all working together. I feel like we all bonded a lot after all we've gone through. I trust them with my life."

"You have to in a place like that. If you can't trust your team, who can you trust?" Rossi agreed. "There's very few bonds as strong as a unit's. I still talk with mine from Vietnam."

"Do you know when you're coming back for good?" Morgan asked. "Everyone misses you."

Spencer felt caught suddenly, because he didn't even really want to come back. He wanted to stay with you and the unit for as long as it took. He clicked his teeth and sighed, "I don't know… Y/N and I are working on something big. When it's finished, she's retiring. I'm not coming home until we're done."

"She's real pretty," Rossi chuckled, and Luke made a face like he did over video calls each time someone called you hot, like you were his sister. "You like this girl?"

Heat rushed to his cheeks, but he was powerless to hide the smile that cracked open on his sunburned face. Spencer nodded, "I do actually. It's… new, but we talked and when we get back we want to try being together. I don't know if it'll work out, but I really hope it does."

He didn't tell them he loved you. He didn't want a lecture. 

Eventually, they all turned in for the night. Spencer was growing worried, as you still hadn't called. It would be mid morning for you by the time he nestled into his spot on Rossi's couch, giving everyone else their own rooms with their partners and kids. 

But sleep wanted to take him, and he couldn't stop it. The exhaustion of the last days and months caught up to him now that he was home with his family, but his dreams were filled with you and Alijah, of Sivan and his image of her from the locket. 

He dreamed of a future, a life.

Together. 

Notes: *GASP*What do you think reader's plan is???

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my fav nyc spots ─♡⊰

bookstores

codex 4.8 ⭐️

mercer street books & records 4.6 ⭐️

housing works bookstore 4.7 ⭐️

greenlight bookstore 4.7 ⭐️

the corner bookstore 4.6 ⭐️

cafés

kona coffee roasters | east village 4.5 ⭐️

ground central coffee company 4.4 ⭐️

think coffee 4.2 ⭐️

remi flower & coffee 4.7 ⭐️

cha cha match 4.3 ⭐️

vintage stores

green fingers market 5.0 ⭐️

vintage thrift 4.0 ⭐️

beacon’s closet 4.1 ⭐️

auh20 thriftique 4.7 ⭐️

cure thrift shop 4.0 ⭐️

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This may help you set a good price that ends in a revenue for you. In this guide, we’ll speak about fixed prices and how you can calculate them. We’ll spotlight the variations between fastened prices and variable costs and even offer you a number of extra monetary formulas to take your small business to the following level. Variable prices are the prices that change in whole every time a further unit is produced or bought. Knowing the difference between bills and income is the necessary thing to understanding the profitability of your small business. To show, let's use the same example from above. In this case, suppose Company ABC has a set cost of $10,000 per thirty days to lease the machine it uses to provide mugs. If the company doesn't produce any mugs for the month, it nonetheless must pay $10,000 to lease the machine. But even when it produces one million mugs, its mounted cost stays the identical. The variable costs change from zero to $2 million in this instance. These prices are additionally hooked up to revenue because the more you promote, the more revenue you earn. Fixed costs can also be referred to as fastened expenses or overhead. These expenses are the identical from month to month. They don't change based on your production volume or sales quantity. Many firms contemplate variable costs when making profit projections or calculating break-even points for particular ventures or initiatives. Some expenses may fluctuate based on a corresponding change in output, which can trigger inconsistencies on your steadiness sheet. These kinds of changes may point out the necessity to modify your selling price per unit to maintain your profit margin. It is mostly beneficial for corporations to reduce the prices of producing their products to ensure profitability. Therefore, many managers monitor profitability by dividing the variable costs by the total income to determine the prices as a share of the sales. How To Compute Your Companys Breakeven Point At this stage, the corporate is theoretically realizing neither a profit nor a loss. After the next sale beyond the break-even point, the corporate will start to make a profit, and the revenue will continue to extend as extra items are bought. While there are exceptions and issues that could be integrated, these are the final tips for break-even evaluation. In this example, the production capability between 1,800 and 2,000 could be an expense that presently would not present further contribution toward fastened prices. With these numbers, we’ll first subtract the variety of total variable prices ($60,000) from whole gross sales ($150,000). Next, we divide that difference ($90,000) by the entire gross sales quantity ($150,000). For our sub-business, the contribution margin ratio is 2/5, that is to say, forty cents of each dollar contributes to fixed prices. With $20,000 fixed costs/divided by the contribution margin ratio (.4) we arrive at $50,000 in gross sales. Therefore, if we ring up $50,000 in gross sales it will permit us to break even. What this tells us is that Hicks should sell 225 Blue Jay Model birdbaths in order to cowl their fastened bills. In different words, they gained't start to indicate a profit till they sell the 226th unit. You can use them to experiment with your pricing methods and find alternatives to increase revenue and minimize prices. Variable Cost Per UnitVariable cost per unit refers to the worth of production of each unit produced, which changes when the output quantity or the exercise level changes. These aren't dedicated prices as they happen provided that there's production within the firm. Calculating break even prices at different gross sales volume provides valuable insights about particular person product profitability and gross sales strategies. In a fiercely competitive market, pricing at break even factors can be used to discourage new entrants and drive current opponents out of the market. Accounting Vs Auditing Combined Financial Statement Financial assertion comprising the accounts of two or extra entities. Bond One type of long-term promissory notice, incessantly issued to the general public as a security regulated beneath federal securities laws or state blue sky legal guidelines. Bonds can both be registered in the owner's name or are issued as bearer devices. These goals bear, in lots of instances, no relation to web revenue outcomes but are somewhat about service supply and effectivity. The taxpayer, a very vital group, simply needs to pay as little taxes as potential for the important providers for which cash is being coerced by legislation. The usage of the results of accounting processes of government differs significantly from the use thereof in the non-public sector. Some exceptions exist, of course, similar to non-profit organizations. Non-profits have distinctive tax preparation necessities because of their no-tax status. This comes together with its justifiable share of obligations, paperwork, and approvals from the governing bodies. For 會計師事務所 , quite so much of reviews are launched quarterly and yearly for stakeholders. Managerial accounting creates additional paperwork used for internal, strategic decision-making. Management accounting provides related and useful info to people contained in the business, corresponding to employees, managers, owners and auditors. It supplies data for decision making and company technique. Media and most of the people are thinking about monetary statements for a big selection of causes. Payroll Accounting & Tax Preparation Tulsa, Ok If you get extra notices from the IRS, you will need to share these notices with 212 Tax immediately. Many notices highlight essential deadlines, dates, and directions. The IRS tries to audit tax returns as soon as possible after they're filed. Accordingly most audits will be of returns filed within the final two years. An experienced, professional consultant can help settle penalty aid issues similar to Innocent spouse relief or Bankruptcy. An IRS representative will perceive how to represent these sensitive issues and navigate these situations into a better outcome. Due to tax issues or owing back taxes, the IRS might seize your property, property, or garnish wages in case you are unable to make a payment in money. Clients can inadvertently say something that can lead to additional inquiries and open up additional years to the audit. We know what to say and what not to say, to avoid these situations. Obtaining a replica of your IRS file is important in analyzing the choices available to resolve your tax issues. Requesting copies of your IRS file is finest accomplished by knowledgeable who understands the means to obtain them without elevating any red flags in addition to the method to interpret the information in your file. The IRS also offers mediation or you possibly can file an enchantment if there may be enough time remaining on the statute of limitations. You don’t have to agree to extend the statute of limitations date. We have a radical knowledge of sales tax laws and we will even assist businesses that function in a quantity of states with submitting their taxes. Using Nexus tax evaluation, we can help multi-state businesses keep in compliance with all applicable tax laws. For extra information on our audit representation providers, contact the professionals at Superstein & Superstein, PA at present.

IN LIFE, IN DEATH...

PART THREE

Part One, Part Two

Warnings: just some swearing

May 1995

“We’re totally gonna get a record deal!”

Luke said for the tenth time in the past hour as he bounced in his seat.

It was Friday night and normally, you would all be messing around at the park, the beach, or just watching a movie in the studio. But when your phone rang and it was the booking manager for the Orpheum telling you that Sunset Curve is officially the new opener next month, the boys insisted on being there the second your shift at the diner was over.

So instead of arguing about having another Star Wars marathon or playing at the pier, you were all packed in your regular booth at Cece’s for celebratory milkshakes. You sat on the very edge of the booth, practically falling asleep on Alex. Ever since you got the call that morning, every cell in your body felt supercharged with excitement.

But now that the day was coming to an end, you could hardly stay awake enough to pay attention to the conversation.

Bobby, who was in your usual spot, pinched Luke’s arm. “Don’t jinx it, dude.”

“It’s not jinxing if you know for sure.” Luke said. “I mean, we’re awesome! And we’ve worked so hard to get to this point. It’s all gonna pay off.”

As much as you wanted to believe him, you were still nervous. There was nothing you were prouder of than your music, and you knew that a crowd that big would be good for gaining a lot of new fans. But the idea of that many people seeing you perform and hearing your lyrics was nerve-wracking.

You could tell the others felt the same way. Bobby was biting his nails, Alex was bouncing his leg so hard it almost hit the table and Reggie was slumped against the wall. Luke just stared at all of you, his bright smile never fading.

He snapped his fingers so loud that you jumped at the noise, then he started digging in his pockets. “I know what’ll cheer you guys up.”

Luke pulled out a safety pin, then brought its point down into the table, his tongue poking out of the side of his mouth in concentration. After a few minutes, he brushed off the table and presented his design proudly. It was four words in huge slanted letters.

‘SUNSET CURVE WAS HERE’

“Seriously, Luke?” Alex said, his eyes wide. “Cece’s gonna kill you!”

Luke just smirked and handed him the pin, gesturing to the space under the words. “‘C’mon, man. You’re up first.”

It took a lot of convincing, but Alex eventually gave in, and one by one, you all signed your names.

‘Alex,

Bobby

Reggie

Luke

(Y/N)’

You heard the sound of Cece’s heels hitting the floor as she exited the kitchen. Panicking, you shoved the pin in your pocket just in time as she came up to the table. 

Before she could even see that anything was different, Reggie pointed at Luke.

“He did it!”

Cece frowned before inspecting the table, letting out a deep sigh and putting her hands on her hips.

“Are you vandalizing my diner, Patterson?”

Luke paled. “It was a group effort.”

“But it was your idea,” Alex said with a smirk, no doubt trying to pin the blame on Luke to keep his spot as Cece’s favorite. You had to bury your head into his shoulder to contain your laughter.

You could tell from the way that she was struggling to keep a straight face that Cece wasn’t actually mad but you weren’t gonna tell Luke that. He tried to kick Alex’s leg under the table but he hit yours instead. You hissed in pain and Luke paled even further.

“Shit, sorry, (Y/n).”

“And abusing my staff?” Cece joked, shaking her head.

Luke flashed her a charming smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, Cece. Just got a little excited.”

“I can see that.” She laughed then turned to you. “Hey. Get up. I got you something.”

You looked up at her in confusion but she didn’t offer you any answer as you dragged yourself up. Cece pulled a small blue box out from behind her back and handed it to you. “What’s the occasion?”

Cece rolled her eyes. “Just open it.” 

The first thing you saw was a folded piece of paper with your name on it, under it was a silver key. You picked it up and held it in between your fingers as you carefully unfolded the paper to see three words in Cece’s careful handwriting.

just in case

You looked up at her, eyebrows knitted together. “Cece?”

She just winked as she put her hand on your cheek. “Honey, you know that I couldn’t have more faith in you and your rockstar dreams. But just in case things don’t work out...well, I couldn’t imagine giving this place to anyone else.”

You flew into her arms and hugged her so tight it was a little painful. Of course, all you wanted was for Sunset Curve to get signed to a label and take over the world. But this place was like home to you and the idea of owning it some day made your heart swell. “Thank you!”

The booth erupted in cheers and Cece playfully glared at them as she tucked you under her arm. “But you have to promise you’ll keep these boys of yours from doing any more damage to the property.”

Bobby scoffed. “Hey, we’re not-”

You slapped your hand over his mouth before nodding at Cece. “I’ll try my best.”

The bell on the door jingled to announce the arrival of another customer, and Cece left to greet them. You twirled the key around in your hand and looked at the boys' smiling faces, unable to hide your own.

As you settled back in the booth and took a sip of your milkshake, you couldn’t help but feel like everything was coming together.

2020

L.A was somehow so different, yet exactly the way you remembered.

The way the bright lights flooded the streets, to the way that every surface you see was decorated with a piece of art, made you anxious to re-explore the city you loved so much. 

You couldn’t help but stare through your swinging legs at the crowds walking around below, listening to the soft buzzing of the Orpheum’s sign above your head.

An hour ago when Luke had suggested walking around the city, you figured you would end up here eventually. But now that you were actually here, you couldn’t help the hollow feeling that settled in your stomach.

It must’ve shown on your face because Luke launched into one of his motivational speeches. “C’mon, guys. I know being dead wasn’t our first choice. But you gotta admit, it is easier to get around.”

Reggie pouted. “Easy for you maybe. I lost my shirt on that one.”

You hadn’t even noticed that he was shirtless until it reappeared in a flash and he sighed in relief.

“So, why did you bring us here?” Alex asked Luke. “Just another painful reminder of where we never got to play?”

You smiled sarcastically. “Yeah, thanks, Luke.”

Luke rolled his eyes. “Because, we’re not done yet!”

He slung his arm around Alex’s shoulder, and gripped yours as he poofed you all down to the sidewalk, pulling away from you as fast as possible once your feet were back on the ground.

“I’m telling you.” Luke said. “We’ve been given a second chance. Let’s go see how many clubs we can hit before sunrise!”

He started walking down the street and Reggie was quick to follow, leaving you and Alex behind. As you watched them skip down the sidewalk, Alex let out a sharp ‘hey!’ and you whipped around to see him rubbing his shoulder.

A man in a long black suit stared straight into your eyes before tipping his hat to Alex and disappearing down the street. Every hair on your body stood on end as you stared at the spot where he was just standing.

“That was weird.” You said, turning to Alex. “You okay?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’m good.”

You could hear Luke and Reggie’s excited shouting as they ran down the street, but you and Alex kept your distance. He reached his arm out to you and you took it automatically.

Over the last six months, Alex had become your best friend. You had always been close but last summer when things got bad with his parents, he turned to you.

And when things started to get weird between you and Luke or you had a fight with your mom, Alex was the only one you wanted to talk to. 

“Alright.” Alex sighed. “Out with it.”

“Out with what?”

“I know you’re dying to talk about Luke.”

“I am not!”

Alex raised his eyebrows, clearly not convinced.

“Besides, there’s nothing to talk about.”

“Nothing-” He took in a sharp breath. “(Y/n), for someone so smart, you’re acting like a dumbass.”

You put a hand on your chest, dramatically gasping. “Alexander Mercer! I had no idea you were capable of using that kind of language.”

He flashed you his middle finger before unlocking his arm from yours and pulling you into his side. “Seriously though. What’s rolling around up there?”

You were quiet for a few minutes as you rested your head on his shoulder. “I just want to know what I did, you know?” 

Alex nodded, but didn’t say anything, as he knew that you were just getting started.

“I mean, he’s always been there. He's always been my person. The one who I could count on for anything. Then that night in the studio, I thought…” 

You trailed off and Alex held you a little tighter. Even though he wasn’t there, he could probably describe that night in exact detail from the amount of times you had told him about it. “I just miss him."

“Yeah, I know.” Alex said, his eyes glued to Luke’s back. “But, hey, you know that he loves you, and that didn’t change because of one night.”

He started to say something else but cut himself off as he saw Reggie and Luke approaching, both with big, goofy smiles. Reggie took your arm that wasn’t around Alex’s back and locked it in his.

“What are you guys talking about?” He asked.

“Nothing!” You said way too fast, cringing to yourself as you dragged Reggie down the sidewalk. “Come on, Reg. Let’s go see if that old comic book shop is still around.”

As the night wore on, you became more and more thankful that you weren’t able to get tired.

You spent the whole night sneaking into concert venues, clubs, and pretty much any place you wanted now that there was no chance of getting caught. It wasn’t until you passed a small street-side café that you let yourself think about the one place you hadn’t been yet.

Cece’s Diner.

When Julie told you it had been 25 years, you assumed that it had closed down. That Cece had moved away. Maybe even reconnected with her son and lived out her life. It seemed like such a perfect thought that you didn’t want to ruin it with reality. 

But now that you had seen the way things had changed in the time you had been gone, you were now filled with a sense of urgency. You launched up the sidewalk until you were in front of the boys.

“Hey, guys?” You asked. They all stared at you curiously as a smile slowly spread across your face. “Anyone up for milkshakes?”

-

When you walked up to the diner - for only an instant - it was as if no time had passed. You felt the urge to run inside, throw your hair up in a ponytail, and make a beeline for the kitchen before you got in trouble for being late for your shift. 

Only as you got closer, you realized how much had changed. The building, which had always been a little ordinary and worn like a well-loved home, now felt about twenty stories tall. You dragged yourself forward toward the door, unable to look away.

The boys lingered behind you, but no one said a word. 

Your hand reached for the doorknob before you remembered that you wouldn’t actually be able to touch it.

I really gotta get used to that, you mumbled to yourself as you walked through the door.

It looked so different that you almost didn’t recognize it.

The bright blue paint had been replaced with brown on every wall, bookshelves lined the corners of the room, and long leather couches had replaced the booths and tables. The old jukebox had disappeared, and some old jazz song was playing over speakers over your head.

“Can I help you?” 

A voice asked from behind the counter. It was a boy that looked a little older than you, messy black hair and an uninterested smile. He dragged a blue pen across the margins of a book as he waited for your answer.

“You can see us?” Alex asked, to which the boy rolled his eyes.

“I’m talking to you, aren’t I?” He said, raising his eyebrows when you all failed to answer either of his questions.

“My, my. Aren’t we chatty.”

“Who are you, exactly?” You said, trying to mask your annoyance with a smile.

“Teddy.” He said, pushing himself off the counter and making his way around until he stopped just a few feet ahead of you. “And you’re (Y/n).”

A shiver ran down your spine. “How do you know that?”

“You were a friend of my grandma’s.”

Before you could ask what the hell he meant by that, a man came walking out of the kitchen. He looked so much like Cece that it made your stomach flip. It was her son.

And as you looked back at Teddy, your mind slowly connected the dots. “You’re Cece’s grandson?”

He nodded.

“Okay, this is just too weird.” You said as you rubbed your temples. There was no way that this was actually happening, right? Maybe you somehow fell asleep and are having some weird ghost dream. 

“Okay, well I definitely feel old.” Alex sighed.

Your head was spinning. “What is even happening right now.”

Teddy smiled. “Well, it’s too bad we’re dead or else I would buy you coffee and explain it to you.”

You internally cringed at his pick-up line but you couldn’t help but laugh a little. Normally, random guys flirting with you made you uncomfortable but behind his cocky attitude, he seemed like a genuine guy.

Maybe it was the way that he twirled his pen between his fingers the way that Cece used to, but something told you that there was more to him than meets the eye.

Before you could answer, Luke spoke up. “Well, it was nice meeting you. But we really should be getting back home.”

You could see that he was right as the pale light came in through the windows as the sky started to lighten.

But you couldn’t help but notice that this was the first time he had interjected in the conversation since you got there, and a small part of you wondered if that had anything to do with the way that Teddy was staring at you.

You shook those thoughts from your head, giving Teddy a soft smile.

“Maybe next time.”

Though you weren’t capable of getting cold, you still shivered a little as you walked through the door and back out onto the street. You could feel Luke’s eyes on the side of your face, flickering down to the sidewalk when he saw you looking.

You gave him a light nudge on the shoulder, and he gave you a soft smile that you couldn’t quite decipher the meaning behind.

That was pretty much all you got from Luke these days.

“So,” Luke said, his enthusiasm returning in full force as he threw his arms over Alex and Reggie’s shoulders. “I think it’s safe to say we’re officially back in business.”

-

The second that you landed in the studio, your jaw dropped.

Julie was sitting at the piano, her voice shaky but full of passion as she belted out the most beautiful song you’ve ever heard. Her fingers hit the keys expertly and you smiled.

You closed your eyes, listening to her voice echo through the room and getting lost in the warm feeling the lyrics filled you with. It wasn’t until she stopped singing and sniffled quietly that your heart dropped.

Both you and Alex surged forward to comfort her but Luke shook his head and swirled his finger, signaling to meet up outside. You wanted to protest. To stay and comfort your new friend.

But Julie sniffled again and you thought that maybe it would be a good idea to give her space. You made a mental note to talk to her later and poofed out of the garage.

-

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This is my favorite bookstore in New York ... and that’s really saying something ! I have found so many treasures here and I desperately want it to survive this terrible time.

Please consider donating or purchasing books/records here and/or doing the same for another used bookstore in your area.

Support Your OG Bookstores

Buying from your local bookstores in the East Village is an experience that even Amazon’s money can’t buy.

From James Baldwin to E. E. Cummings and many more, there was a time when literary icons roamed Bleecker and Broadway. Many of them sat in the East Village and pondered on the world before becoming textbook topics. The atmosphere of a classic neighborhood bookstore is like no other, but the one that holds a special place in my heart is Mercer Street Books & Records.

The neon pink “BOOKS” sign in the window invited my inner child to enter. When I was younger, I loved trips to Barnes & Noble. At the time the franchise was new to my area. The children’s section was equipped with bean bags and brightly colored decorations that told me that I must read another book. Mercer Books & Records is the adult version of that experience. The endless stacks of new and used books make you feel as if you are buried alive in literature. It’s a place where I feel comfortable ignoring the vibrations on my phone while perusing through the sections.

What stands out to readers in a neighborhood bookstore is the opportunity to discover a new read without algorithms or programming. Neighborhood bookstores like Mercer Street Books & Records offer a rare escape to solitude without enduring hours of travel to connect with yourself by leaving the city limits. To all the aspiring writers, bookstores give you a place to chat with other book enthusiasts about what they’re reading now and what you should be reading next.

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Alberta Hunter

Alberta Hunter (April 1, 1895 – October 17, 1984) was an American jazz singer and songwriter who had a successful career from the early 1920s to the late 1950s, and then stopped performing. After twenty years of working as a nurse, in 1977 Hunter successfully resumed her popular singing career until her death.

Early life

Hunter was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to Laura Peterson, who worked as a maid in a Memphis brothel, and Charles Hunter, a Pullman porter. Hunter said she never knew her father. She attended Grant Elementary School, off Auction Street, which she called Auction School, in Memphis. She attended school until around age 15.

Hunter had a difficult childhood. Her father left when she was a child, and to support the family her mother worked as a servant in a brothel in Memphis, although she married again in 1906. Hunter was not happy with her new family and left for Chicago, Illinois, around the age of 11, in the hopes of becoming a paid singer; she had heard that it paid 10 dollars per week. Instead of finding a job as a singer she had to earn money by working at a boardinghouse that paid six dollars a week as well as room and board. Hunter's mother left Memphis and moved in with her soon afterwards.

Career

Early years: 1910s–1940s

Hunter began her singing career in a bordello and soon moved to clubs that appealed to men, black and white alike. By 1914 she was receiving lessons from a prominent jazz pianist, Tony Jackson, who helped her to expand her repertoire and compose her own songs.

She was still in her early teens when she settled in Chicago. Part of her early career was spent singing at Dago Frank's, a brothel. She then sang at Hugh Hoskin's saloon and, eventually, in many Chicago bars.

One of her first notable experiences as an artist was at the Panama Club, a white-owned club with a white-only clientele that had a chain in Chicago, New York and other large cities. Hunter's first act was in an upstairs room, far from the main event; thus, she began developing as an artist in front of a cabaret crowd. "The crowd wouldn't stay downstairs. They'd go upstairs to hear us sing the blues. That's where I would stand and make up verses and sing as I go along." Many claim her appeal was based on her gift for improvising lyrics to satisfy the audience. Her big break came when she was booked at Dreamland Cafe, singing with King Oliver and his band.

She peeled potatoes by day and hounded club owners by night, determined to land a singing job. Her persistence paid off, and Hunter began a climb from some of the city's lowest dives to a headlining job at its most prestigious venue for black entertainers, the Dreamland ballroom. She had a five-year association with the Dreamland, beginning in 1917, and her salary rose to $35 a week.

She first toured Europe in 1917, performing in Paris and London. The Europeans treated her as an artist, showing her respect and even reverence, which made a great impression on her.

Her career as singer and songwriter flourished in the 1920s and 1930s, and she appeared in clubs and on stage in musicals in both New York and London. The songs she wrote include the critically acclaimed "Downhearted Blues" (1922).

She recorded several records with Perry Bradford from 1922 to 1927.

Hunter recorded prolifically during the 1920s, starting with sessions for Black Swan in 1921, Paramount in 1922–1924, Gennett in 1924, OKeh in 1925–1926, Victor in 1927 and Columbia in 1929. While still working for Paramount, she also recorded for Harmograph Records under the pseudonym May Alix.

Hunter wrote "Downhearted Blues" with Lovie Austin and recorded the track for Ink Williams at Paramount Records. She received only $368 in royalties. Williams had secretly sold the recording rights to Columbia Records in a deal in which all royalties were paid to him. The song became a big hit for Columbia, with Bessie Smith as the vocalist. This record sold almost 1 million copies. Hunter learned what Williams had done and stopped recording for him.

In 1928, Hunter played Queenie opposite Paul Robeson in the first London production of Show Boat at Drury Lane. She subsequently performed in nightclubs throughout Europe and appeared for the 1934 winter season with Jack Jackson's society orchestra at the Dorchester, in London. One of her recordings with Jackson is "Miss Otis Regrets".

While at the Dorchester, she made several HMV recordings with the orchestra and appeared in Radio Parade of 1935 (1934), the first British theatrical film to feature the short-lived Dufaycolor, but only Hunter's segment was in color. She spent the late 1930s fulfilling engagements on both sides of the Atlantic and the early 1940s performing at home.

Hunter eventually moved to New York City. She performed with Bricktop and recorded with Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet. She continued to perform on both sides of the Atlantic, and as the head of the U.S.O.'s first black show, until her mother's death.

In 1944, she took a U.S.O. troupe to Casablanca and continued entertaining troops in both theatres of war for the duration of World War II and into the early postwar period. In the 1950s, she led U.S.O. troupes in Korea, but her mother's death in 1957 led her to seek a radical career change.

Retirement: late 1950s–1970s

Hunter said that when her mother died in 1957, because they had been partners and were so close, the appeal of performing ended for her. She reduced her age, "invented" a high school diploma, and enrolled in nursing school, embarking on a career in health care, in which she worked for 20 years at Roosevelt Island's Goldwater Memorial Hospital.

The hospital forced Hunter to retire because it believed she was 70 years old. Hunter—who was actually 82 years old—decided to return to singing. She had already made a brief return by performing on two albums in the early 1960s, but now she had a regular engagement at a Greenwich Village club, becoming an attraction there until her death, in October 1984.

Comeback: 1970s–1980s

Hunter was still working at Goldwater Memorial Hospital in 1961 when she was persuaded to participate in two recording sessions. In 1971 she was videotaped for a segment of a Danish television program, and she taped an interview for the Smithsonian Institution.

In the summer of 1976, Hunter attended a party for her long-time friend Mabel Mercer, hosted by Bobby Short; music public relations agent Charles Bourgeois asked Hunter to sing and connected her with the owner of Cafe Society, Barney Josephson. Josephson offered Hunter a limited engagement at his Greenwich Village club, The Cookery. Her two-week appearance there was a huge success, turning into a six-year engagement and a revival of her career in music.

Impressed with the attention paid her by the press, John Hammond signed Hunter to Columbia Records. He had not previously shown interest in Hunter, but he had been a close associate of Barney Josephson decades earlier, when the latter ran the Café Society Uptown and Downtown clubs. Her Columbia albums, The Glory of Alberta Hunter, Amtrak Blues (on which she sang the jazz classic "Darktown Strutters' Ball"), and Look For the Silver Lining, did not sell as well as expected, but sales were nevertheless healthy. There were also numerous appearances on television programs, including To Tell the Truth (in which panelist Kitty Carlisle had to recuse herself, the two having known each other in Hunter's heyday). She also had a walk-on role in Remember My Name, a 1978 film by the producer Robert Altman, for which he commissioned her to write and to perform the soundtrack music.

Personal life

In 1919, Hunter married Willard Saxby Townsend, a former soldier who later became a labor leader for baggage handlers via the International Brotherhood of Red Caps, was short-lived. They separated within months, as Hunter did not want to quit her career. They were divorced in 1923.

Hunter was a lesbian but kept her sexuality relatively private. In August 1927, she sailed for France, accompanied by Lottie Tyler, the niece of the well-known comedian Bert Williams. Hunter and Tyler had met in Chicago a few years earlier. Their relationship lasted until Tyler's death, many years later.

Hunter is buried in the Ferncliff Cemetery and Mausoleum in Hartsdale, Westchester County, New York (Elmwood section, plot 1411), the location of many celebrity graves.

Hunter's life was documented in Alberta Hunter: My Castle's Rockin' (1988 TV movie), a documentary written by Chris Albertson and narrated by the pianist Billy Taylor, and in Cookin' at the Cookery, a biographical musical by Marion J. Caffey, which has toured the United States in recent years with Ernestine Jackson as Hunter. Hunter's life and relationship with Lottie Tyler are represented in the play Leaving the Blues by Jewelle Gomez, produced by the TOSOS theatre company in New York City in 2020.

Hunter was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2015. Hunter's comeback album, Amtrak Blues, was honored by the Blues Hall of Fame in 2009.

Discography

Early work: 1921–1946

Hunter, Alberta. Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order. Volume 1: May 1921 to February 1923. Vienna, Austria: Document Records, 1996. DOCD-5422. OCLC 35186454.

Hunter, Alberta. Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order. Volume 2: February 1923 to November 1924. Vienna, Austria: Document Records, 1996. DOCD-5423. OCLC 35186490.

Hunter, Alberta. Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order. Volume 3: 6 November 1924 to 26 February 1927. Vienna, Austria: Document Records, 1996. DOCD-5424. OCLC 37591743.

Hunter, Alberta. Volume 5: The Alternate Takes. 1921–1925. Vienna, Austria: Document Records, 1997. DOCD-1006. OCLC 38880479.

Hunter, Alberta, and Jack Jackson. The Legendary Alberta Hunter. The London Sessions with Jack Jackson & His Orchestra. New York: DRG, 1981. Recorded at the Dorchester Hotel, September–November 1934. OCLC 178720357.

Featuring Fletcher Henderson, Eubie Blake, Jimmy Lytell, Phil Napoleon, Elmer Chambers, Don Redman, Frank Signorelli

Featuring Fletcher Henderson, Joe Smith, Fats Waller, Tommy Ladnier, Jimmy O'Bryant, Lovie Austin, Elkins-Payne Jubilee Quartette

Featuring Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Buster Bailey, Charlie Irvis, Perry Bradford, Clarence Williams, Mike Jackson

Featuring Ray's Dreamland Orchestra, Eubie Blake, Original Memphis Five, Fletcher Henderson, Paramount Boys, Lovie Austin

Collaborations: 1961

1961: Chicago: The Living Legends. Alberta Hunter with Lovie Austin's Blues Serenaders (Riverside), recorded September 1, 1961, in Chicago.

1961: Songs We Taught Your Mother: Alberta Hunter, Lucille Hegamin, Victoria Spivey (Bluesville/Original Blues Classics), recorded by Rudy Van Gelder, August 16, 1961, in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Comeback: 1978–1983

1978: Remember My Name, the soundtrack recording of the Robert Altman film Remember My Name (Columbia), OCLC 894368622

1980: Amtrak Blues (Columbia), OCLC 191945612

1981: Downhearted Blues: Live at the Cookery, a concert from the documentary Alberta Hunter: My Castle's Rockin, recorded December 1981 at the Cookery, New York (Varèse Sarabande), OCLC 74155365

1982: The Glory of Alberta Hunter (Columbia)

1983: Look for the Silver Lining (Columbia)

78 RPM Singles - Black Swan Records

78 RPM Singles - Paramount Records

78 RPM Singles - Gennett Records

78 RPM Singles - Harmograph Records

78 RPM Singles - Okeh Records

78 RPM Singles - Victor Records

78 RPM Singles - Columbia Records

crime and disorder

Previously on Impeaching the Motherfucker: Donald “Individual-1” Trump tried to use the Oval Office to shake down Ukrainian President Zelensky for a public announcement of bullshit investigations, which Trump wanted to use to discredit American citizens and intelligence agencies.

You may have seen people compare Trump’s scheme to have the Ukrainian president announce investigations into his Democratic opposition to James Comey’s various interventions in the 2016 election. This comparison is not wrong. If anything, it understates the similarities.

The story that former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani tried to feed Zelensky about a member of Joe Biden’s family was basically fascist fanfiction by a guy named Peter Schweitzer. Schweitzer worked for Steve Bannon, who led the Trump campaign for a while, at the racist agitprop website Breitbart. His books are funded by the Mercer family. (If you’re struggling to place that name, they also finance the Facebook data thieves at Cambridge Analytica.) As Schweitzer’s lies were being used to pressure Zelensky to abuse law enforcement, they were also being fed to the mortifyingly credulous New York Times. The NYT validated the smear, which gave Giuliani and his crew leverage to increase pressure on law enforcement to take action in the hopes that this would create more news.

These exact same people pulled these exact same moves in 2015 and 2016. Of course, that time the Democratic frontrunner was Hillary Clinton, and Schweitzer’s lies were about the Clinton Foundation.* Those lies were debunked as quickly and easily as the stories about Biden, but they were still validated and spread by the mainstream media, in particular by the New York Times. These stories were picked up by the various disinformation trollbot networks throughout the 2016 election and used to drown out the serious stories about Donald Trump’s many financial crimes. And it gave a partisan faction in the FBI an excuse to open an investigation into Clinton.

Giuliani, by his own admission, was also the Trump campaign’s connection to the FBI’s New York field office in 2016. Now he’s telling the press, on the record, that his scheming in Ukraine is an attempt to manipulate the Department of Justice into investigating Biden.

It’s important to remember what happened from there. Short-term, we need to prepare ourselves to keep it from being so effective next time. The impeachment hearings might have discredited this particular line of attack against Biden, but something like this will happen to whoever the Democratic nominee ends up being. Long-term, progressives need to start holding grudges the way conservatives do, not least because our grievances are real. And we have to do this for ourselves because, let’s be honest, most of the mainstream and nearly all of the “leftist” media would rather be rounded up at gunpoint and sent to a gulag than admit they fucked up in 2016.

We remember the EMAILS investigation because it was so public, but in fact, the FBI was also investigating the Clinton Foundation, despite the Department of Justice telling them there was no case, specifically because their “evidence” was just trash from Schweitzer’s book.+

An FBI investigation is a serious thing, even if the director doesn’t use it as a pretext to throw a presidential election. That’s why the FBI is supposed to take it seriously. They’re only supposed to open an investigation if they have an an actual reason. (To state the obvious, debunked conspiracy theories by a political propagandist are not an actual reason.) Then they’re supposed to shut the fuck up and actually investigate, not preen for the media about how great they are for doing all this manly investigating. This is both to protect the reputation of the person they’re investigating and because you can usually investigate something better if you minimize how many people know you’re investigating. When they’re done, they’re supposed to either charge someone with a crime or to close the case and leave the person alone.

The FBI clearly did not take the Clinton Foundation investigation seriously, because if they had been taking it seriously they never would have pretended there was a case there at all, but it was still a serious thing. The existence of this “investigation” bolstered these false propaganda narratives which were intended to distort a presidential election, and which publicly disparaged a world-class charity that has saved millions of lives around the world.

Worse, the bullshit metastasized within the FBI. It ate into the time and attention of senior leadership, when they needed to be making some genuinely complicated decisions concerning the national security threat posed by the criminal syndicate known as the Trump campaign. Instead, they were finding out what happens if you give a mouse a cookie. The faction of the FBI who were abusing their power to hurt Clinton and help Trump seem to have been emboldened by the indulgence. FBI leadership fell into the bad habit of feeding the press, especially right-wing media like the Wall Street Journal and Fox News, hints that something crime-y was going on with the Clinton Foundation. A week before the election, after Comey had upended the election with his letter about the emails, “sources” at the FBI were telling a Fox News anchor that there were about to be indictments over something at the Clinton Foundation.

Reading between the lines of various reports, it looks like these pressures within the FBI to support the Clinton Cash propaganda helped desensitize Comey and his bros to the idea of taking dramatic public action against Hillary Clinton. It never occurred to anyone else that they would pull a stunt like this, not because everyone trusts the FBI so much, but because it is so far from what they do. Nobody expects the feds to start wearing mashed potatoes to the office instead of suits, either, not because they have such great fashion sense, but because it’s too bizarre to occur to anyone. But if there were a handful of agents crabbing every day that they should wear mashed potatoes to work, and those agents kept forwarding around a drumbeat of media speculating that maybe they would start wearing mashed potatoes to work, maybe they start to think it’s not too weird of a compromise if they just start wearing mashed potatoes instead of jackets and ties.

Law enforcement abusing its power to influence elections is bad for democracy. But it’s also bad for law enforcement. As long as everyone understands the FBI shouldn’t be expected to get involved in partisan politics, there’s no incentive for politicians to waste time trying to pressure them. But once they caved to this pressure from right-wing media, it showed that they could be manipulated by at least one side, and the Republicans have been hammering them relentlessly ever since. Trump doesn’t beat up on the FBI – or, for that matter, the NYT – because he’s afraid of them. He beats up on them because he knows, from experience, that it works.

Since all that happened, Trump’s had time to purge his dupes from FBI leadership and replace them with people he believes will be even more likely to follow his unethical directives. So that’s not great.

One major difference in Giuliani and Schweitzer’s scheme this year is that they’re trying to outsource their dirty work to Ukraine, which is a lot riskier and a lot more work. In a weird way, this is a slightly encouraging sign for 2020. Even if the real motivation is that Trump is fucking around with Ukraine to please Putin and smearing Biden is just a side benefit, I doubt it would be happening like this, because you don’t actually need to bring your clown sidekick and his clown sidekicks into your clear-cut impeachable offenses. It’s entirely possible that they’re going global because they don’t think the FBI will throw all the rules out the window to help them this time.

On the other hand, the fact that they’re changing the pattern means it could easily get even worse. Right-wing ratfuckers have already attacked at least two 2020 Democratic presidential candidates with false claims of sexual violence. At this point, it’s still the JV squad,± but once we have a nominee, the professionals are going to get involved. It wouldn’t even take Giuliani’s subtlety and finesse to get law enforcement involved, either, just one pro-Trump sheriff’s office in an area the nominee could have conceivably visited. I don’t have a concrete idea of what to do if things take this particular turn, but I’m legitimately worried that we need to brace ourselves for it.

*Substantively, this comparison is unfair, because Burisma is an oil and gas company with a mixed ethical record, while the Clinton Foundation is a clean, transparent charity that has saved millions of lives. The fact that Schweitzer and the New York Times describe them nearly interchangeably says it all.

+The existence of not one but two flimsy investigations into Clinton actually discredits both of them even further, because it shows a pattern of the FBI investigating a person rather than a crime.

±It’s easy to treat the Warren thing as a joke because this particular ratfucker faceplanted so badly, but the lie itself wasn’t funny. Escalating consensual BDSM into a vicious, traumatic beating isn’t some wacky cartoon trope, it’s a type of abuse that real people have experienced.

reading the work #4

lil fun fact: this book was written in California, specifically San Francisco, and I was reading it while I was there! It was cool because as the author mentioned certain streets and created visuals, I could literally see them from my apartment.

back to the book, which has me. irritated. as. hell. basically the main character Deckard is now with this other bounty hunter, Phil, who has no empathy and can kill w/o a second thought. Deckard is coming to this revelation that this could be him in the future and then Phil suggests that the reason he has trouble killing is because he is attracted to female androids. The events that late transpire between Deckard and a female android, Rachael, remind me heavily of films such as Her and Ex Machina. It just really kind of sucks that Rachael in the novel existed as a character for Deckards fulfillment. I wish there was more from the perspective of her, or any other androids, or even other women. Also, there are so many weird robot women fantasy tropes that exist in science fiction (but I guess similar exist in every other genre as well). Phillip K. Dick’s writing is very interesting. It’s sort of choppy but it really feels like you’re in the heads of the characters and the way they/people usually experience things; you think about it suddenly, briefly.

Something i’m confused about is in regards to Mercerism—the main religion for people on Earth. Basically they uncover it to be this huge scam and basically William Mercer wasn’t real—just an actor who recorded clips. I wonder if the author is trying to remark on the concept of religion and it’s validity. On the other hand, it is this entity that people merge with which allow them to be more empathetic—more human. A lot of the writing and thoughts in the novel are all over the place but I kind of like this aspect because it makes the reader draw his or her own conclusions. It’s pretty deceptive though; you’d think at first glance that the book wouldn’t be so difficult to read but it’s the content which really makes you think.

📷Pentax K1000 🎞Kodak 400TX 👨🏾‍🎨 @chris.anthony._ • • • • • #analogphotography #filmphotography #pentaxk1000 #kodak #kodak400tx #photography #photoshoot #photographer #newyork #fashionweek #specialized #fixedgear #fixie #boombotix #blackandwhite (at Mercer Street Books & Records) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bto0NdMgYAp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1426k72sjw14m

Did Republicans Riot When Obama Won

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/did-republicans-riot-when-obama-won/

Did Republicans Riot When Obama Won

Dow Opens Up 133 Points As Markets Look Beyond Us Capitol Siege

Protesters Today vs the Racist Republican Anti-Obama Protesters – #OccupyDemocratsReport

The major US stock indexes opened higher on Thursday, as investors continued to look beyond the storming of the US Capitol on Wednesday by supporters of President Donald Trump.

While Wednesdays chaos in Washington, DC saw US stocks move off of session highs, the Dow Jones Industrial Average still managed to finish in record territory.

The 30-share index continued its advance on Thursday, jumping more than 133 points at the open of trading on Wall Street to 30,962.95.

The S&P 500 edged up 0.70 percent at the open, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index gained 1.02 percent.

Speculation abounds as to why the stock market continues to move higher in the face of Wednesdays events.

Read the analysis of Al Jazeeras managing business editor Patricia Sabga here.

7 Jan 2021 – 15:08 GMT

The State Department Labels Cuba A State Sponsor Of Terrorism In A Last

The State Department has designated Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism, a last-minute foreign policy stroke that will complicate the incoming Biden administrations plans for dealing with Havana.

With this action, we will once again hold Cubas government accountable and send a clear message: The Castro regime must end its support for international terrorism and subversion of U.S. justice, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

The New York Times reported last month that Mr. Pompeo was weighing the move and had a plan to do so on his desk. The action, announced with just over a week left in the Trump administration, reverses a step taken in 2015 after President Barack Obama restored U.S. diplomatic relations with Cuba, calling its decades of isolation an archaic relic of the Cold War.

Once in office, President Trump acted swiftly to undermine Mr. Obamas policy of openness, which Republicans said Havana forfeited by failing to implement promised reforms and continuing to crack down on political dissent. The designation requires a finding that a country has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism, according to the State Department. The move automatically triggers U.S. sanctions against Cuba, including limits on U.S. foreign assistance, export controls and financial restrictions.

Congressman Who Was Inside Capitol During Riot Says Extremism In The Us Is The True Problem

From CNN’s Josiah Ryan

Democratic Rep. Adam Smith said he quickly realized that extremism in the US is the true threat, as he learned the US Capitol building, which he was in, was being stormed by a violent pro-Trump mob.

“What was going through my mind is extremism is an enormous problem in this country, and Donald Trump is just throwing matches all over the powder kegs,” he said, speaking with CNN’s Erin Burnett this evening.;

“The rest of the country that enabled him is what we really need to work to fix,” continued Smith,;who is the the chairman of the Armed Services Committee. “You need to understand the dangers of extremism. We have gotten to the point we don’t understand rule of law matters.”

“It isn’t that you get your way all the time and if you don’t get your way you have to fight until you do.” he continued. “You play by the rules and when it’s over, you accept the outcome and you govern this country.”

“We need to push back on the extremism,” he concluded.

But Smith also reserved harsh words for President Trump.

“Donald Trump, is a narcissistic psychopath, let’s just be clear about that,” said the congressman. “He stumbled his way into the presidency. What he believes from a policy standpoint is irrelevant. He is an egotist, cares about himself, period.”

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Army Officer Who Led Group To Washington Rally Now Under Investigation

The Army is investigating one of its officers after she led a group from North Carolina to the pro-Trump rally in Washington.

Commanders at Fort Bragg are reviewing psychological operations officer Capt. Emily Rainey‘s involvement in last week’s events that led to the;deadly riot in the U.S. Capitol.

“I was a private citizen and doing everything right and within my rights,” Rainey told The Associated Press on Sunday.

Rainey said she led 100 members of Moore County Citizens for Freedom, which describes itself online as a nonpartisan network promoting conservative values, to Washington to “stand against election fraud” and support Trump.;

She said she acted within military regulations and that no one in her group broke the law. Valerie Block

Shadowy Conservative Pac Pushed Supporters To Go To Rally March That Led To Riot

A political action committee once funded by conservative millionaire Robert Mercer promoted both the rally featuring President;Donald Trump;and the ensuing march on Capitol Hill that led to a deadly riot last week.

The PAC, called the Black Conservatives Fund, promotes itself as “committed to turning out the black vote and elect black conservatives at every level of government.” The PAC didn’t raise or spend any money in 2020, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. It has shifted primarily to encourage its followers to attend pro-Trump rallies, and it’s not clear who runs the group.

Through social media posts, the committee pushed tens of thousands of its followers to attend the rally in front of the White House on Wednesday and then to participate in the march on Capitol Hill that led to a riot, leaving at least five people dead, including a police officer.

The Black Conservatives Fund’s biggest previous donation came from Mercer in 2014. He gave;more than $150,000 to the committee;at the time. Brian Schwartz

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Republican Voters Want To Impeach The President Good Luck With That

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and other Republicans calling for the impeachment of President Barack Obama might want to take a look at the history books and the U.S. Constitution before getting too excited about the idea.

Congress rarely uses its power to impeach, and when it has, impeachment has only infrequently and in the case of a president, never resulted in removal from office. Congress has initiated impeachment proceedings more than 60 times in the history of the United States. Just 19 of those cases have been tried by the Senate, and only eight federal judges have ever been convicted and removed from office.

Although House Speaker John Boehner has maintained he is not interested in pursuing impeachment, a top White House aide said Friday that he expected House Republicans to do just that. And a recent HuffPost/YouGov poll shows that one-third of Americans and two-thirds of Republicans believe Obama should be impeached. These numbers reflect an increasingly popular view in conservative circles, which Palin gave voice to earlier this month when she claimed the recent surge of undocumented immigrants at the border was an example of the presidents rewarding of lawlessness.

So, why do some conservatives appear to think this would be more of a Nixon than a Clinton situation?

Rep. Bob Goodlatte , chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, earlier this month offered perhaps the most sober rebuke to the calls for impeachment.

Biden Harris Certified As Winners Of 2020 Election: A Timeline

Trump promises an orderly transition after the Congress certifies the Electoral College win of Biden and Harris officially making them the next president and vice president.

Supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol as Congress gathers to certify President-elect Joe Bidens presidential win.

Four people are dead, 52 arrested as protesters entered US Capitol building as legislators meet.

Chaos comes after Trump encouraged the crowd to march to Capitol.

The US House and Senate rejected the Republican objection to Pennsylvanias vote results.

Heres Al Jazeeras coverage of the US elections. This is Tamila Varshalomidze taking over from Creede Newton.

We are closing this blog now. These were the updates up to 16:00 GMT on Thursday, January 7. For the latest news look here.

7 Jan 2021 – 16:10 GMT

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Mcconnell: We Will Certify The Winner Of The Election

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell offered up a defiant tone when the Senate returned after rioters stormed the US Capitol, saying the Senate will not be intimidated.

We will not be kept out of this chamber by thugs, mobs or threats, McConnell said. We will not bow to lawlessness or intimidation.

The US and US Congress has faced down much greater threats than the unhinged crowd we saw today. They tried to disrupt our democracy. They failed. They failed.

Now we are going to finish what we started, said McConnell. And we will certify the winner of the 2020 presidential election.

Members Of Congress Inside House Chamber Told By Police To Put On Gas Masks

âThe GOP Is Now The Riot Adjacent Party,â Says Obama Campaign Vet | The Beat With Ari Melber | MSNBC

Members of Congress inside House chamber told by police to put on gas masks after tear gas dispersed in Capitol Rotunda.

The tear gas had been used after protesters entered the Capitol building.

Protesters broke windows looking into the House chamber, with images from inside the chamber showing security with guns drawn.

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Trump Warns Of Riots Pulls Plug On Republican Presidential Debate

By Steve Holland

7 Min Read

PALM BEACH, Fla. – Republican front-runner Donald Trump warned on Wednesday of riots if he is denied the partys presidential nomination and pulled the plug on a scheduled debate among candidates, raising the temperature even more in a heated White House race.

The outspoken New York businessman scored big wins in primaries in Florida, Illinois and North Carolina on Tuesday, bringing him closer to the 1,237 convention delegates he needs to win the nomination.

Trump also claimed victory in Missouri but lost the crucial state of Ohio, and left the door open for those in the party trying to stop him from becoming the Republican nominee for the Nov. 8 election.

Trump might fall short of the majority of delegates required, enabling the partys establishment to put forward another name at the July convention in Cleveland to formally pick its candidate.

In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, Trump said the party could not deny him the nomination should he fail to win enough delegates.

I dont think you can say that we dont get it automatically. I think youd have riots. I think youd have riots. Im representing many, many millions of people.

While the Republicans were mired deeper in turmoil, Hillary Clinton won victories in at least four states on Tuesday that put her in good shape to defeat Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and win the Democratic Partys nomination.

Related Coverage

Video Shows Trump Supporters Heckling Mitt Romney On Flight

A viral video shows Republican Senator Mitt Romney, one of the few vocal critics of the president in the party, heckled by a group of Trump supporters on a flight.

The group of Trump supporters, who reportedly on their way to the protest in Washington, DC, chanted Traitor! Traitor! Traitor at Romney on the flight from Salt Lake City, Nevada to the US capital.

Romney, who has criticised a Republican plot to object the certification of the Electoral College vote on Wednesday, was also approached by Trump supporters in the airport before the flight took off, video shows.

heres a clip purportedly of Trump patriots harassing Sen. Mitt Romney *ON A FLIGHT* on way to DC.

our Republic had a decent run.

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Green Light For Bidens Nominees

While the filibuster will be a continued thorn in Democratic sides when it comes to legislation, it no longer applies to presidential nominations. That means Bidens selection for his administration, from the Cabinet on down, can be confirmed solely with Democratic votes . Thats good news for nominees who might have been controversial, like Neera Tanden, Bidens budget office pick.

Since several centrist Republicans have already said they will usually defer to the new presidents appointments, it should be smooth sailing for most of his nominees.

The same goes for Bidens judicial appointments, including any Supreme Court vacancies that open up in the near future. Donald Trump in his four years placed 234 judges on the federal bench, including three to the Supreme Court. That has given him a political legacy that will long outlast his one term in office. Biden, thanks to Georgia, should have the opportunity to start rolling back some of those gains.

The Nobel Peace Prize And Partisanship

In an effort to improve the image of the United States abroadwhich many believed had been much damaged during the Bush administrationObama took a number of steps that indicated a significant shift in tone. He signed an executive order that banned excessive interrogation techniques; ordered the closing of the controversial military detention facility in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, within a year ; proposed a fresh start to strained relations with Russia; and traveled to Cairo in June 2009 to deliver a historic speech in which he reached out to the Muslim world. Largely as a result of these efforts, Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Yet some left-wing critics complained that he actually had adopted and even escalated most of the war and national security policies of his predecessor. Indeed, when Obama accepted the Nobel Prize in December, he said, Evil does exist in the world and there will be times when nationsacting individually or in concertwill find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified. Notwithstanding that tough talk, there were others who criticized Obama for issuing only a mild condemnation of the Iranian governments crackdown on pro-democracy dissidents following a disputed election in June 2009. Moreover, the Obama administrations handling of national security was questioned by some when a Nigerian terrorist trained in Yemen was thwarted in an attempt to bomb an airliner headed for Detroit on Christmas Day, 2009.

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Pence: Lets Get Back To Work

Vice President Pence resumed the session of Congress, calling Wednesday a dark day in the history of the US Capitol.

The Capitol is secured and the peoples work continues, Pence said. We condemn the violence that took place here in the strongest possible terms.

We grieve the loss of life in these hallowed halls, Pence said. To those who wreaked havoc in the US Capitol, you did not win. Violence never wins. Freedom wins. And this is still the peoples house. Lets get back to work.

Trump Warns Of ‘riots’ If He Isn’t Gop Nominee

A contested convention could ‘disenfranchise’ millions of voters, he says.

03/16/2016 10:16 AM EDT

Donald Trump on Wednesday sounded like a man ready to take the stage as the Republican Party’s nominee by acclamation at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland come mid-July, delegate math and a debate scheduled for next Monday be damned.

Denying him the GOP nomination as part of a contested convention, he declared, would “disenfranchise” the millions of people he is bringing into the party and could spark riots. The only problem: Delegate math.

Trump, who flooded the morning television shows with a deluge of off-camera telephone calls after a night of big wins that knocked Florida Sen. Marco Rubio out of the race, said that even if he doesnt amass a majority of delegates by July, the party should unite behind him anyway. But Trump has a ways to go when it comes to getting to the magic number of 1,237.

At this point in the 2012 race, which began a month earlier than this year’s, Mitt Romney was already on his way to securing a simple majority of total delegate votes, though even he did not get there until a resounding victory in Texas on May 29.

Trump said he’s bringing in all kinds of new people to the party, and those voices must be heard or else.

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Trump Issues Dc Emergency Order To Support Inauguration Security

President Donald Trump approved a Washington, D.C. emergency declaration ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration from Jan. 11 to Jan. 24 to bolster security.

The order comes after violent rioters attacked the U.S Capitol last Wednesday, using online platforms to organize.

Trump’s declaration says an “emergency exists in the District of Columbia” and orders federal assistance to supplement Washington, D.C’s response efforts due to the emergency conditions.

Trump’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate all disaster relief efforts if required. Riya Bhattacharjee

Taryvon Martin And The Acquittal Of George Zimmerman

Republicans react to Obama’s success

Trayvon Benjamin Martin was an African American from Miami Gardens, Florida, who, at 17 years old, was fatally shot by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, in Sanford, Florida. On the evening of February 26, 2012, Martin had gone to a convenience store and purchased candy and a canned drink. As Martin returned from the store, he walked through a neighborhood that had been victimized by robberies several times that year. Zimmerman, a member of the community watch, spotted him and called the Sanford Police to report him for suspicious behavior. Moments later, Martin was shot in the chest. Zimmerman was not charged at the time of the shooting by the Sanford Police, who said that there was no evidence to refute his claim of self-defense and that Floridas stand your ground law prohibited law-enforcement officials from arresting or charging him. After national media focused on the tragedy, Zimmerman was eventually charged and tried in Martins death. A jury acquitted Zimmerman of second-degree murder and of manslaughter in July 2013.

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Obama’s Reaction To The Dc Riots Is Turning Heads

On Jan. 6, 2021, riots broke out at the U.S. Capitol building as supporters of President Donald Trump gathered around and within the building, creating a scene of chaos that left four people dead, according to CNN. The day was a symbolic one in the changing of hands between Trump and President-elect Joe Biden;because;Vice President Mike Pence was to count the votes from the electoral college, confirming Biden’s win.

The riots in Washington D.C. caused mayhem and havoc, and Pence was evacuated from the scene, reported;USA Today. The crowd broke through police lines and entered the building, leaving behind broken glass and battered doors. By 6 p.m. EST, the National Guard was called in to offer support to the U.S. Capitol police, who “used tear gas and percussion grenades” to stop the riots, per USA Today.

The situation was so intense that several political leaders, including Biden, spoke out against Trump and his followers, but it was former President Barack Obama’s comments that turned heads. Here’s what he said.

The ‘one hit wonders’ of jazz

This month's Jazzicology blog is contributed by Sid Thomas, UK jazz musician, author - and my dear friend and musical mentor. Sid writes about the lesser-known composers of some well-known jazz songs. 

-Nance Wilson

Great individual jazz songs

The body of standard twentieth century songs on which jazz is built, sometimes called The Great American Songbook, is dominated by a relatively small number of brilliant composers – Jerome Kern, Richard Rogers, Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and so on. These giants are noteworthy not only for the quality of their work but also the sheer sustained quantity. For example, it’s said that, every day of his life, Irving Berlin wrote at least one complete song (words, music, verse, chorus, coda), more than 900 of which are in his published catalogue. But alongside the creations of the familiar songsmiths are many individual songs, usually by relatively unregarded composers, standing alone and carrying sometimes unexpected backstories. Here are a few tales of such orphan songs.

Sweet Lorraine (1928) is a charming song by Cliff Burwell, pianist with the Paul Whiteman and Rudy Vallee bands. I haven’t been able to find anything else he wrote.

S’posin’ (1929) by Paul Denniker is in the tradition of few-note popular songs, like Whispering and I cried for you, that were hits in the early decades of the century. The lyricist was the prolific Andy Razaf, who wrote more than 200 songs with many composers, including such classics as Ain’t misbehavin’, Honeysuckle Rose, Gee baby ain’t I good to you and Stompin’ at the Savoy.

Kay Swift was a classically trained musician who had a long-lasting affair with George Gershwin. She wrote the revue song Can’t we be friends (1929) and Fine and Dandy, the title number from the hit 1930 musical.

Another songwriter with a Gershwin connection was Ann Ronnell, whose Willow weep for me (1932) is thought to be a personal statement of unrequited love. Although she wrote several other songs during her time in Tin Pan Alley and Hollywood, perhaps the one she’s best remembered for (and about the greatest imaginable contrast with the deeply personal Willow weep for me) is Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf (1933).

Just friends (1931), a song much favoured in the bebop era (Charlie Parker’s version with strings is a classic), is one of very few compositions by German-American pianist John Klenner.

George Bassman’s one notable song is Getting sentimental over you (1932), familiar as the theme tune of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Bassman worked as an arranger before falling foul of the McCarthy purge and his career and personal life dwindled to a tragic end.

Bernice Petkere was a productive writer (called at one time the ‘Queen of Tin Pan Alley’), best remembered now for two songs from the early 1930s – Lullaby of the leaves and Close your eyes.

Friedrich Hollaender was primarily a film composer. While in Berlin he wrote the score for The Blue Angel, which includes Marlene Dietrich’s celebrated Falling in love again (1930). After leaving Germany for the USA he composed many film scores and songs, one of which – You leave me breathless (1938) – became a jazz standard on the strength of a tour de force performance by John Coltrane.

Another favourite of Coltrane (and Charlie Parker too) is You go to my head (1938), by the marvellously named J Fred Coots. Coots was prodigiously productive (more than 700 songs and a dozen broadway shows) but unless you count Santa Claus is coming to town (1934), he only once matched the heights of You go to my head, with the poignant For all we know (1934), which conjures up visions of young WWII pilots dancing romantically with their girls the night before flying off to who knows what fate.

Bob Haggart was bass player and arranger with the Bob Crosby Band. He’s known for a few jazz numbers (Big Noise from Winetka, South Rampart Street parade) and one or two songs including the groovy What’s new (1939), which was originally a solo piece for trumpeter Billy Butterfield but later had lyrics added by Johnny Burke.

That old bebop warhorse How high the moon (1940) was composed by Morgan Lewis (could he possibly be of Welsh extraction?) who wrote a number of Broadway show tunes, including the novelty number The old soft shoe (1946).

Carl Fischer was a self-taught Native American pianist who composed just two enduring standards - but what songs they are: We'll be together again (1945) and You've changed (1942).

Moonlight in Vermont (1944) has been performed by most of the great jazz singers and instrumentalists. It’s an unusual song in that its lyrics (by John Blackburn) do not rhyme and take the form of two haikus (for an analysis, see https://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-1/moonlightinvermont.htm). It was the best-known composition by Karl Suessdorf.

David Raksin (1912-2004) was the foremost composer of film and television scores of his time. His theme music for the film Laura (1944) was conceived as an instrumental piece, and a complex one at that, and the story goes that he was resistant to its becoming a song. However Johnny Mercer’s beautiful lyric changed everyone’s mind and it became a big hit and one of the most recorded songs of all time.

The story behind Nature boy (1947) has often been told. The composer, eden ahbez (no capitals, by request), left a copy of the song backstage at a Nat King Cole performance and the following year it became a hit for Cole as well as Sarah Vaughan and Frank Sinatra. The song was subject of litigation by Herman Yablokoff who claimed that the melody was a copy of his Yiddish composition Shvayg mayn harts (Be still my heart). The action was settled out of court. eden ahbez was a mystic, pursuing the classic Californian hippy vegetarian sandal-wearing alternative lifestyle and was said to have lived for a while with his family under the L of the HOLLYWOOD sign. Nature boy is his only significant composition and apart from some recordings of poetic chanting in the 50s and 60s, he pretty well disappeared from the music scene. He died in a car accident in 1995 at the age of 86.

And finally, perhaps the greatest one-off standard jazz song of all – and it’s Hungarian/French.

Autumn leaves(1946) was written by Joseph Kosma, who moved from his native Budapest to Paris via Berlin and composed the scores for several films, including such classics as La Grande Illusion and Les Enfants du Paradis. Kosma set to music the poem Les feuilles mortes, by poet and screenwriter Jacques Prevert, for the film Les Portes de la Nuit, in which it was performed by Yves Montand. Some accounts of the song’s origins state that the music was originally composed as a pas-de-deux for the 1945 ballet Le Rendez-vous. The English lyrics for Autumn leaves were written by Johnny Mercer in 1950 during a short train journey to New York. The song’s repetitive structure and basic harmonies have made it one of the most widely taught introductions for elementary jazz students, and the foremost non-American popular song, having been recorded at least 1400 times.

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Sid Thomas is a UK jazz composer and multi-instrumentalist who leads a parallel life as emeritus Professor of Biology at Aberystwyth University. He is author of numerous books on plant science, and is author of ‘Confessions of an Accidental Jazz Pianist’.

Every Day Is Exactly The Same: The Early Life of Trent Reznor

Michael Trent Reznor was born on May 17, 1965 in New Castle, Pennsylvania, but he would grow up in Mercer, Pennsylvania. His parents, Michael and Nancy Lou, would divorce when he was six years old. Trent would live with his maternal grandparents, while his sister went with his aunt following the separation. As a boy, he started playing piano at the age of 12. His grandfather George offered up these memories in a People interview in 1995. "[Reznor] was a good kid [...] a Boy Scout who loved to skateboard, build model planes, and play the piano. Music was his life, from the time he was a wee boy. He was so gifted." Reznor would later say in an interview with Rolling Stone that his isolated childhood played a key part in his decision to pursue music professionally. “I don't know why I want to do these things, other than my desire to escape from Small Town, U.S.A., to dismiss the boundaries, to explore. It isn't a bad place where I grew up, but there was nothing going on but the cornfields. My life experience came from watching movies, watching TV and reading books and looking at magazines. And when your culture comes from watching TV every day, you're bombarded with images of things that seem cool, places that seem interesting, people who have jobs and careers and opportunities. None of that happened where I was. You're almost taught to realize it's not for you." The first concert that he ever attended was the Eagles in 1976, which Reznor would reminisce that “Someday I'd love to be up on that stage.” In high school, he learned how to play the tuba and the saxophone, while becoming a member of both the marching band and the jazz band. The singer also participated in theater productions, which led to his classmates awarding him the best drama award for his roles in Jesus Christ Superstar as Judas and The Music Man as Professor Henry Hill. Upon graduation, Trent would attend college for one year at Allegheny College, where he studied computer engineering, but dropped out to pursue his music career.

Trent Reznor joined his first band while still in high school, Option 30. After moving to Cleveland in 1984, he immediately took part in the cover band, The Urge. Reznor in 1985 joined The Innocent as that group’s keyboard player, who would release one album, Livin’ in the Street. This only lasted for three months when he became a member of Exotic Birds. The group would appear as the fictional band, The Problems in the 1987 film, Light of Day starring Joan Jett and Michael J. Fox. The group did open for some popular 1980’s acts like Culture Club, Information Society, and the Eurythmics. Yet, Reznor had no participation in any of the songwriting for the band. Around this time, the singer got a job as assistant engineer and janitor at Right Track Studio in Cleveland. He would ask the owner Bart Koster for permission to use the studio when not in service to record his own music. Koster would later say that he was totally fine with this because it only cost him “just a little wear on [his] tape heads.”