Fortress Of Good Fortune

Amazing how six decades have passed since JFK's murder. That's well over half a century.

Those who weren't around during the days of JFK as President can't begin to understand the excitement and optimism of the New Frontier years. So brief, 1961-1963, two months short of three years. People believed thay could solve problems, maybe finally defeat poverty, make equality more than a pipe dream.

It didn't mean that life was perfect. People worried about nuclear war, and their fears almost came true in October 1962, but the world survived and JFK, having stared down into the nuclear abyss, started to think about thawing the Cold War. He did have plans to pull us out of Vietnam, bringing the advisors sent to teach the South Vietnamese home. For years people had said, "We don't know what he was thinking about Vietnam" but NSM-263, a National Security memo, clearly stated withdrawal of 1,000 troops by the end of 1963, complete withdrawal by 1965. That order was quietly reversed after his death. Instead American forces were built up to half a million in '65 by LBJ.

Was Oswald the lone gunman? Did he have help? Did he shoot at all from the Texas School Depository? I speculated on this here. Too many weird occurrences.

Another interesting tidbit: two women watching the motorcade from an upper-floor window in the Depository went downstairs immediately after the shooting. They neither saw nor heard Oswald running down from the sixth floor in order to get to the lunchroom where his supervisor and a Dallas motorcycle cop woukd find him seconds later. Oswald would have had to pass the women to get there in time as no elevators were working that day.

Ruth and Michael Paine, who had taken in Marina Oswald and her kids after her separation from Lee, were CIA. Ruth had gotten LHO the job at the Texas School Book Depository. Michael worked at Bell Helicopter, the company that would make millions during the Vietnam War.

The Secret Service detail in Texas went out drinking the night before, consuming white lightning at a Fort Worth club called The Cellar. Needless to say, their reflexes were terrible the next day. Not that they would have risked their lives for JFK at any rate. They hated him because he was a 'n'-lover', according to them (overheard by the first African-American agent, Abraham Bolden, assigned to the White House detail, handpicked by JFK).

On Friday, November 22, 1963, people were looking forward to the weekend, and Thanksgiving the following week. It was a good Friday with lots of promise until the news came from Dallas. And then on Sunday, November 24, 1963, the world got to watch TV's first live murder as Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald in the basement of the Dallas Police Department, surrounded by hundreds of Dallas cops. Madness!

Who Benefited From JFK's Death?

So while you're in the midst of Thanksgiving preparations this Wednesday, take a moment to ponder what might have been.

Crossposts: https://bradygirl-12.livejournal.com/1573410.html

Yesterday was the 70th anniversary of the Tornado of 1953 that hit Central Massachusetts. They were just given warnings of severe thunderstorms, not tornados. The tornado turned out to be a Category F-4, just below the worst (F-5). It killed 94 people amd wounded 1.288 and caused damage of $52.193 million in 1953 dollars, which equates to $590 million in 2023 dollars. Newly-minted Senator John F. Kennedy surveyed the damage. Assumption College was completelty destroyed. They moved to othe land, and today Quinsigamond Community College stands on the old Assumption land.

My mother recalled a brutally hot day with greenish skies before the freight trsin hit. My dad was over in Korea fighting the war (he was only 18) and frantic to find out if his family and my mom's family survived (they did). For that brief moment, he was safer in Korea than at home!

Crossposts: https://bradygirl-12.livejournal.com/1565585.html

Fifty-four years ago today, Star Trek debuted on NBC. Always an anniversary worth celebrating, eh? :)

This weekend is the 50th anniversary of Woodstock. Groovy, man! :)

I've watched the classic 1970 documentary and a recent one on PBS's American Experience. Both programs stressed the lack of violence. Why not? Just about everybody was stoned most of the time! ;)

But I dig how there were comments about feeling there were other people out there like them. I felt that way when I attended my first Media*West Con. These were my people! They understood what I was talking about, my fannish jewelry, everything! :)

Woodstock sure was the high-water mark for the counterculture. The Summer of Love had been cool two years ago, and now there were three days of peace and music, and great music it was! Janis Joplin, The Who, Country Joe and the Fish, Joan Baez, Richie Havens, Jimi Hendrix...dozens more!

The counterculture kind of fizzled out in the '70s except for the die-hards. After the draft for Vietnam was over, the big protests stopped. Commune life, which had been a thing for almost a decade, fizzled, too. People got tired of doing the same old chores without any rotation for variety while others were smoking pot and just chillin'.

You know when you're in a group project at school or work? Everyone gets the same grade or a bonus. Those who really want that grade/bonus do all the work while others coast. Even hippies get tired of that.

There's still a counterculture out there, but nowhere near the numbers of the '60s/'70s. And every time they try to recreate Woodstock, they can't. Sure, they had to plan things to hold the event, but more than 400,000 people showing up? And the experiences they had? It was organic. It was a happening, man! :)

Title: On Halloween (1/1)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters: Steve/Diana
Continuity: Wonder Woman (2017)
Genres: Angst, Challenge, Drama, Holiday, Romance, Fix-It
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Spoilers: For Wonder Woman (2017)
Summary: On one special night a year, Diana’s heart aches a little less.
Dates Of Completion: 9/28/17 + 9/29/2017
Date Of Posting: October 20, 2017
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC and Warner Brothers do, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 1442
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author’s Note: Written for my 2017 DCU Fic/Art Wonder Woman Diamond Anniversary Challenge (DW) and (LJ) in the spirit of the season! :)

( On Halloween 1919, Diana received her first visit from Steve, or more accurately, his ghost. )

Title: The Sisterhood Of The Ruby Stilettos XIV: Hola! (1/1)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters: Natasha/Pepper, Steve Rogers
Continuity: The Avengers (2012)/Wonder Woman (2017)
Genres: Challenge, Fluff, Romance, Slice-Of-Life
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
Summary: All women are Amazon Warriors under their bracelets.
Date Of Completion: June 16, 2017
Date Of Posting: August 4, 2017
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, Marvel, Paramount, DC Comics and Warner Brothers do, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 660
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author's Notes: Written for my 2017 DCU Fic/Art Wonder Woman Love Diamond Anniversary Challenge (DW) and (LJ). The entire series can be found here.

( Steve seemed uncertain as to what to say next. Natasha was going to take pity on him when Pepper appeared. Both Avengers stared. )

Title: The Long And The Short Of It (Pray Tell) (1/1)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters: Steve/Diana, The Chief
Continuity: Wonder Woman (2017)
Genres: Fluff, Humor, Slice-Of-Life
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Spoilers: For Wonder Woman (2017)
Summary: Steve lied to Diana. Tsk, tsk!
Date Of Completion: June 13, 2017
Date Of Posting: July 5, 2017
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC and Warner Brothers do, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 561
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author’s Notes: The inspiration is coming fast! :) Also written for my 2017 DCU Fic/Art Wonder Woman Love Diamond Anniversary Challenge (DW) and (LJ).

( I lied to you. )

Hola!

It's Wonder Woman Day!

Celebrate by going to the Movie!

Create fanworks!

Take part in BradyGirl's 2017 DCU Fic/Art Wonder Woman Diamond Anniversary Challenge! ;)

The Movie's almost here! Enjoy some WW links:

http://www.theflitecast.com/blogdc/2017/5/19/what-the-positive-buzz-for-wonder-woman-really-means

http://screenrant.com/wonder-woman-reactions-screening-generates-positive-reviews/

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/28/530490073/some-men-are-not-happy-about-a-women-only-screening-of-wonder-woman (Considering how men have excluded women for centuries in their private and public lives, I'd say one evening of 'women-only' won''t hurt them. I also like the idea someone suggested about charging women 85% of the ticket price, reflecting the gender wage gap.)

Enjoy this video ad that played during Supergirl's finale (Nevertheless, She Persisted 2x22) featuring Kara and Alex, the American President (Lynda Carter) and Daxamite Queen Rhea (Teri Hatcher) Boy, Supergirl's America is a lot luckier than us when it comes to the White House! :)

My 2017 DCU Fic/Art Wonder Woman Diamond Anniversary Challenge coming tomorrow! :)

Watch on YouTube

Hi, luvs!

I just realized that it's close to my 10th anniversary here on LJ. I created this journal on October 24, 2006, made my first post on November 12th, and my first fic posting on November 21st (Announcement I: The Ready Room), introducing myself to the DC Comics community here on-line. Little did I know the friends I would make and the prolific writing in my future! Good times, good times. :)

I don't know if I'll come up with something for the anniversary, but I wanted to acknowledge it to all my friends here on my f-list, and who have stuck around when a lot of people took off for shinier baubles platforms. A big THANK YOU to all the people who have encouraged me during low points, celebrated with me in good times, and helped me with gifting me with paid accounts and extra icon userpics, which has really made life here more fun. :)

I've had a great time reading, writing, and hosting my Challenges over the years, too. The 2016 DCU Fic/Art Halloween Challenge is my next-to-last Challenge, as I'm seriously considering doing something special for Wonder Woman next year to commemorate her first ever live-action movie. That will be my grand final Challenge and how better to do it than with one of my all-time favorite characters? :) I'm pretty proud of the many Challenges I've hosted (Complete List here) and another big THANK YOU to all who contributed during these past ten years.

It's been a rainy morning with plenty of fog, but we need the rain after a summer of drought. The leaves are turning bright colors and my sister and I are going to the orchard tomorrow to get fresh apples (can't get any fresher!). Life is good. Enjoy your weekend, my friends! :)