Opening post
The Way Life’s Meant To Be: Redux
An AJM8888 story
Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo early 1980s
Times Square, Facing South, 1981
Main Building of Moscow State University, Moscow 1981
Piccadilly Circus, London 1981.
Gwangju May 1980 (Getty Pictures)
An AJM8888 story
Nishi-Shinjuku Tokyo early 1980s
Times Square, Facing South, 1981
Main Building of Moscow State University, Moscow 1981
Piccadilly Circus, London 1981.
Gwangju May 1980 (Getty Pictures)
Part I: Preamble I
John and the man who would try to shoot him five hours later (Paul Goresh)
"I mean I saw Jeff "Cutter" Culkin just struggling with Chapman. The Coast Guard vet was having a fight with Chapman and I swear I saw him wrestle the gun from Chapman's hands, start clubbing Chapman with the handle of the gun and then throw the revolver so hard at a wall that the wheel came out of the gun. Cutter was more mad afterwards that the police were mad he broke the gun, Culkin said, 'I am sorry if my struggle to survive inconvenienced you you bent fuck!' Yeah Cutter Culkin was not fond of the NYPD."
Jay Hastings, Concierge at the Dakota
Gunman Targets John Lennon, Lennon Escaped Unharmed
New York Times : December 9th, 1980
Musician John Lennon formerly of the Beatles was shocked when after being delayed from returning from his wife's Yoko Ono recording session near Times Square left later last night and arrived to see New York City Police around his residence, the Famous Dakota Apartment building. A doorman noticed the gunman and was suspicious of the man. The doorman asked some questions and the the doorman noticed his revolver. A struggle ensued and the doorman disarmed the man with the gun. An eyewitness to the fight said after hitting the gunman with his own weapon the doorman threw the gun at the stone façade of the Dakota and the revolver shattered. Mr. Lennon said he is happy to be safe according to his spokesman.
Picture by Masayoshi Sukita
Rolling Stone January 1981
It has been rumored that British singer, David Bowie has considered Japan as a possible home. While Bowie has not said anything concrete he has not ruled it out again saying he loves the ancient capital of Kyoto, He certainly likes Japan more right now than it's "democratic" neighbor South Korea whom he was very critical of. Bowie said his hesitation is he is worried life in Japan would make him loose his edge.
Today, a new Republican administration was sworn in. Reagan will make this nation a better place I can feel it! I came in with the Bush people but still I am in the White House, so many doors will open to me because of this and so many legs will open too...
Excerpts from the diary of Tom Waller; January 20th, 1981.
I was late meeting Senator Hart for my new staffer job. Great...
Excerpt of the diary of Mary Cho; February 1st, 1981
Excerpt from The Long Way Round: My Rise In The FBI by Erik Nyygard with Val Vaccaro and Dennis Lundgaard First Edition 2016
Good God my career went odd places, from San Antonio, Atlanta, Tokyo, briefly in New York, DC, Honolulu, LA, back to New York, and then finally back to DC. It was a career that the first decade I really didn't think I'd make much of a career after an operation in Alabama. God who'd think that would turn out as it did. All because I got burned out after dealing with a racist ass of a USDA and future failed candidate.
My path brought me across interesting people and people who would be my enemies, my friends, my allies, and one lucky lady would become my wife.
But where did this lunkhead go right? I am not sure how events went lucky for me but they did.
My husband is an idiot. That moron thinks stealing cash from a bank using foreign nationals from Italy will work? I met these fools and they ain't mafia I can tell you that as they were in awe of my tattoos. These guys look like some sort of foreigner you'd see in a TV show that is playing Italian, American, Russian, and so forth because we can't get many that act. Yuji thinks it is a wise idea to hit a Mitsubishi armored car while it is in transit and copy what the 300 million yen robbers did 13 years ago.
Yuji thinks we can get 600 to 700 million yen. I tell him he's a moron. I love my Yakuza hubby but he'll never get approval from the old goats who run this county. You think they'd approve of it. We'd be sloppy and they'd want a majority of the money. And Yuji would have to kill them idiots. I think it is better to run our bath houses and pachinko parlors.
We aren't big but Yuji and his soldiers run a small little empire here in Western Tokyo. My husband's father created the little family, the Nakamura Family which is under the Inagawa-kai. It used to be more independent but my father-in-law saw the strength of the Inagawa-Kai and he had his family join the clan. But this robbery will cause us problems. This whole robbery is because my husband is an addict.
Yuji loves meth. it's gonna get him thrown in jail or killed. I can't believe the man I love is destroying himself with meth. This robbery is more to hide a hundred million he stole from family funds. I suspect my husband is gonna get killed. I am gonna have to be very smart after the planned robbery. Yuji is dumb enough to lead the cops and the bosses back to himself. If all the money doesn't get turned to more meth for Yuji to drink.
I will try to keep my daughter, Saya, away from this lifestyle. My hope is Yuji doesn't hurt her. He nearly attacked the two year old.
It is odd as my husband uses me as sort of his number two. I often am his strategists, I was a sukeban [1], I ran a gang of girls in Tokyo in the early 1970s. We were a feared biker gang. We essentially practiced our own protection rackets. I had my past and I was always expected to shut up, but Yuji was a fuck up I loved him but he was a fuck up. The man has been a disappointment. I hope this bank robbery goes wrong in way that doesn't splash onto me or the kids...
The world is fucked up. Some lunatic shot President Reagan almost a week ago.
Now I am going to the Sagami Dam after a drive its just a nice place to unwind with a cigar.
Personal journal of Sara Nakamura dated April 5th, 1981
WinterTech Internal Memo April 6th, 1981
How did Osborne beat us and IBM? I expected IBM but not Osborne! We'll need to do more tests to ensure our portable is ready by Chicago Technology Conference in September.
CEO Amelia Winter to Chief Technology Officer Elaine Graham
Ford on a run for Congress?
Mankato Free Press April 9th, 1981
DFL State Representative Danny Ford (31), from Mankato has been mentioned as a contender against Tom Hagedorn in 1982. Mr. Hagedorn who Represents the Second District has had his seat redistricted to the Minnesota 1st. On the possible chance of running for Congress Mr. Ford told the Free Press, "I haven't made up my mind but I'd need to talk to my wife first. If I run, I am in it to win it."
Colin,
If you're still interested in the meeting come to Kilcannon's along Foyle Road. After that we'll see where we go, keep your Saturday open.
Johnny
Letter by Johnny Reynolds to Colin O’Fallon, amongst recovered documents released by MI5 showing initial possible initiation of Colin O’Fallon in the Provisional Irish Republican Army. Exact date written unknown believed to be April 10th, 1981
Partners in the Press: The Vacarro and Lungaard Story by Val Vacarro, Dennis Lundgaard, and Dennis Craig Thompson
Letter Jacket excerpt.
"Vacarro, You're getting a green reporter from Minnesota, his name is Lundgaard, getting Chicago. He was pretty good there. So work with him." My boss at the time, Daily New Editor for Metro, Bill Coen told me.
"Not some hayseed!" I complained to him.
"Suck it up Vacarro!" Coen told me.
"Oh hi!" came this gigantic 6'4 tall blonde haired blue eyed, glasses wearing man in a business suit, "Dennis Lundgaard." He introduced himself, and that's how I met my writing partner Denny Lundgaard.
New Superstation to Compete with CNN
Saint Paul Pioneer Press February 6th, 1981
Gary Kerr of the Kerr Advertising agency and a man who has made a fortune in chemicals and real estate has announced he plans to upgrade the old WLTC [2] independent TV station and making into making it into an international news TV station with offices in Kerr thinks that such a company could operate out of Minneapolis. Mr. Kerr plans to call the new channel World Cable News. Kerr as reached out to veteran news men...
"I was writing my first fantasy series when I saw the UFO outside of Buffalo. Who'd think a UFO would make me famous before I wrote my Criminals And Warriors Series and then Elves Of Buffalo. Both were urban fantasies but I am best known for the Hecate series. Never would've thought that was gonna be as popular as it was, didn't think I'd get the courage to write after I saw the UFO but I got the confidence to write my novels.
Opal Graham, author of fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Satire. UFO witness
Inside the Cartel S1, E08
[Come back from Commercial Break]
Montage- We see establishing shots of Medellin, Colombia before it zooms out from the city in a globe view and zooms in on Colorado, USA and has a square around a location named ADX Florence
Narrator:
Perhaps one of the few people with the better understandings of Pablo Escobar that is still alive was one of his best hit men, Armando Luis Vásquez Valencia, Armando Vásquez is his official name but he states it is a name he rarely used be from a small farming village. Armando was a top killer for Escobar. When Escobar wanted people killed, Armando did it and took pictures with an instant camera.
Perhaps one of the few people with the better understandings of Pablo Escobar that is still alive was one of his best hit men, Armando Luis Vásquez Valencia, Armando Vásquez is his official name but he states it is a name he rarely used be from a small farming village. Armando was a top killer for Escobar. When Escobar wanted people killed, Armando did it and took pictures with an instant camera.
ADX Florence Interior - We see an older Colombian man in an orange prison jumpsuit, he was in his sixties wearing glasses, he had a mustache, short grey hair, and he was with a bible. He was sitting politely as the crew got ready to interview him.
Armando: (In Spanish)
If I had known the trouble joining Escobar's crew would get me I'd never have joined. All the death I caused. Looking back on it now, I can only hope God has a big enough heart to forgive me for all I have done. I started as a minor soldier and rose to be one of his top hitmen. If I had known who I was aiming at along with Galan that night in August 1989 I'd have not pulled the trigger, but I opened up a Pandora's box on my end and we angered an annoyed dragon and made it mad in America. My actions made the cartels a big target by the North Americans.
Interviewer: (In Spanish)
So you shot at Senator Luis Galan?
Armando: (In Spanish)
Yes. And that American he was with. I am not sure how he survived but I regretted he did back then. Now I am thankful both Galan and the American survived...
Interviewer:
So your actions brought down the American Special Forces upon your head and the cartels' heads?
Armando: (Sadly)
Yes.
If I had known the trouble joining Escobar's crew would get me I'd never have joined. All the death I caused. Looking back on it now, I can only hope God has a big enough heart to forgive me for all I have done. I started as a minor soldier and rose to be one of his top hitmen. If I had known who I was aiming at along with Galan that night in August 1989 I'd have not pulled the trigger, but I opened up a Pandora's box on my end and we angered an annoyed dragon and made it mad in America. My actions made the cartels a big target by the North Americans.
Interviewer: (In Spanish)
So you shot at Senator Luis Galan?
Armando: (In Spanish)
Yes. And that American he was with. I am not sure how he survived but I regretted he did back then. Now I am thankful both Galan and the American survived...
Interviewer:
So your actions brought down the American Special Forces upon your head and the cartels' heads?
Armando: (Sadly)
Yes.
"Felix, please remind Andy he has to be at the play by 7 or I'll kick his ass!" Miss Atkins told me this morning, threatening Master Warner. She knew how to fight and unlike Master Warner, she'd hit below the belt.
Felix Hayles, valet to Andrew Warner to a reporter of the Boston Globe.
References
[1]Sukeban is a Japanese Term for girl boss of a girl gang. Sara here was the boss of a girl gang that were bōsōzoku , 暴走族, literally "running-out-of-control (as of a vehicle) tribe". We'll be seeing more of her soon.
[2] Not based on any real TV stations with those letters. Fictional.
Well there is the intro post, I hope it sates some curiosity.
I am grateful to @Geekhis Khan for pushing me to create this story. And I thank lot of other folks like @varyar @theg*ddam*hoi2fan @BlackWave @gap80 and others for helping me.
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