#*internationally/leaf

[disneydatass]

They literally cut off the power so the world wouldn’t see the genocide they are about to commit…fully backed by the US government meanwhile said government also does nothing to the people who continue to get killed by the regular mass shootings

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for being a successful entrepreneur?

I am a humbly wealthy shopowner with my two nephews as employees. I’ve had many businesses in small towns and villages over the years and worked my way up from a independent business owner working 13 hours a day to an internationally recognized brand name. I’ve even owned my own house remodeling business at one point! Yes, yes! Things have never been better and I’m so happy that I can provide for my nephews! 🎵

But apparently some people think I’m a scammer. See, by virtue of being one of the only shops in wherever I set up, I also essentially controlled the housing market. If someone needed a house, or wanted to do anything with it, I was the ra—erm, man for the job. And I do admit that, in the past, by businesses practices hadn’t always been kind, especially in this one little 🌳animal forest🌳. I like to think that I’ve grown, though. 😸

I only learned news of this complaint once I started my latest business venture: transforming a barren, deserted island into a paradise. It was wildly successful, and every single person that bought my getaway package loved it! 💰

Except for a few.

In every island I’ve been a part of, and even in the towns of the past, there’s always someone that complains. It’s just gotten very difficult to contend with over the past four years. Oddly, it’s usually a certain group with large, round heads and a liking for furniture. I’ve been called many horrible names over the years specifically for the mortgaging options I provide… 😿

Every house is offered on a buy-first-pay-whenever-you-want system. It’s a zero-interest loan with no conditions other than you pay off your house if you want me to make it bigger. That’s one of the fairest deals in the world! No rent, no monthly payments, just take out the loan and live your life! ✨

How is that a scam?! Of course the prices aren’t cheap, I’m practically giving you an entire house for free! Yes, yes! It’s the perfect deal! 🏆

It’s quite the 🌎 wild world 🌎 out there, but entrepreneurial 🏙city folk🏙 like me have to make ends meet somewhere! On the offchance that I am the asshole, though, I’m more than willing to turn over a 🍃new leaf! 🍃 After all, it’s my personal mission to keep an open mind and find 🏝new horizons🏝 to grow.

Much love, ❤️

T.N.

[beefromanoff]

Project Mockingbird Ch. 6

summary: a little insight into Charlotte's backstory, lots of training.

pairing: Bucky Barnes x OC

author's note: there are more visuals than I usually use for this chapter, but it's just so fun! let me know what you think and if it's distracting! thanks for reading, xox!

tag list: @bangtanxberm (let me know if you want to be added <3)

chapter list

_________________________________________________________

Six weeks. 

It had been three weeks of living at the compound. The longest she’d lived anywhere, except - no. That doesn’t count. She didn’t live there, she was kept there. 

In the time since her imprisonment, she’d flitted from place to place, from life to life. Being a quick learner, she slipped into different places almost seamlessly. Her first stint in the real world had been in Siberia, not exactly an ideal place to be. She’d traveled across Europe by train-hopping, stowing away, and hitch-hiking before eventually settling in Austria. 

Her mistake was being a little too reckless with her abilities. Though she’d gone relatively unnoticed at first, it was difficult to make it anywhere without money. That’s when she started doing what she did best…fighting. A few underground fights, cash payout. It was a cakewalk. Through a few connections she made in the seedy world of street fighting, she moved up. People wanted to bet on her, knowing they’d win. It fast-tracked her to bigger fights, higher winnings. She’d even given thought to making that her new life, it was something she knew and something she was good at. Something she was made for. 

Until she saw the most beautiful, elegant thing she’d ever witnessed. In her studio apartment, rented for her by the man who’d been making a shitload of money off of her fighting, she sat surfing through channels just like every other night. On the screen, a strong, graceful girl hurtled through the air, landing perfectly on a blue mat. It was the first time she’d ever seen gymnastics. Charlotte couldn’t tear her eyes away. 

The next morning, she’d packed her limited belongings in a bag and headed for the train station. The man called her 27 times when he realized she’d left. At least, that’s how many she counted before she threw the phone out a train window. 

In less than a week, she’d learned everything she could about the gymnastics world, including the fact that the National Championship meet was being held in two weeks in Boston. With no ID, no passport, and no real identity at all - flying internationally wasn’t an option. However, when a cruise ship acrobat had suddenly received an urgent call from her ailing mother and fled to attend to her, Charlotte was there ready to step in. Her “audition” was enough for them to offer her a permanent contract performing on the ship. Politely declining, her only goal was to get to the United States. After ten days of performing for sunburnt tourists on the ship, they docked in the Port of Boston with just enough time to spare. 

Knowing she’d need to incentivize the powers that be to allow her to participate in such a prestigious meet as a nobody, she went back to the drawing board. While thinking of how to come into a large sum of cash in less than four days, she overheard a group of Harvard students talking about how they didn’t know how they would ever pass the BAR exam that weekend. In less than 72 hours, she walked out of the last exam with twenty thousand dollars cash in her bag. Four students, desperate and wealthy, had jumped at her offer to take their exams for five grand each. All it took was a night of leafing through their textbooks with a box of takeout in her lap to have it all memorized. 

With one day left until the meet, she bought the most beautiful leotard she could find. All black, one long sleeve, beautiful jeweled detailing. She watched footage of old Olympic meets, NCAA gymnasts getting perfect scores, anything she could find online. On the day of the championships, she stood waiting by the front door long before sunrise for the first judge to show up. She offered him ten thousand dollars cash to put her name on the roster for the day. He immediately accepted, leaving Charlotte pleasantly surprised. She’d been prepared to offer the full twenty. 

The rest is history. She competed last, swept the meet with perfect scores in every event. Her name was in headlines across the country by the next day, even making it on ESPN.

For a little while, she thought she could have her dream life after all. Thought her abilities could do more than the violence she was bred for. It was beautiful, but it was fleeting. Just before the conclusion of Olympic Trials, she was framed for using performance enhancing drugs and kicked out without ever even being drug tested. She knew gymnastics was a very political sport, and if she could bribe her way in, it was only feasible that someone else could have bribed her out. 

So she went back to fighting. This time in Vegas. After a few months of that, her penthouse suite rented indefinitely with three additional safes full of cash, she decided to switch to gambling. Poker and blackjack were her favorites. She’d managed to keep that going for a few weeks before casinos started to pick up on it, not knowing how seriously they took card counting. In her naive newness to the modern world, she thought that winning would be allowed and rewarded. It wasn’t the case. Not in the casino, not in gymnastics. The second someone caught wind of her unfair advantage, even when they couldn’t begin to explain it, she was kicked out. So her life became a run from one ruse to the next, catapulting to the top of whatever she tried and then forcing herself to abandon it as soon as eyebrows started to raise. 

Until Nat showed up and finally gave her a chance to stop running. 

And that was six weeks ago. 

After breaking her conditioning, she’d found a loose routine. One that didn’t involve lying about who she was or figuring out how to conceal all the cash she had without so much as a drivers’ license to open a bank account. These days were good. She’d wake up early with the team, following a different member each day. Since she didn’t really have a role of her own, she helped out where she could. Sometimes watching and assisting Tony in his lab, sometimes watching Steve train the SHIELD agents. Everyone had something to do, a role here. Except Charlotte. Up until now, it didn’t really bother her. She liked the freedom to drift around the compound, not looking over her shoulder. After about a month, however, she was beginning to feel restless. 

Which is why she asked to train with the SHIELD agents two weeks ago. 

“I thought you didn’t want to be an Avenger?” Nat had raised her eyebrow. 

“I don’t,” Charlotte protested. “But I’m…bored, I guess. I don’t have anything to do here. I feel like I’m in the way. If I can train with them, at least I’ll be prepared, you know…if anything happens and you do need me.” 

“Something tells me you’re already more prepared than even our veteran agents.”

“Please, Nat, I need to do something.” Her eyes were desperate. 

“I’ll talk to Steve.” 

The next week, she’d begun training. Alternating between hand to hand combat, weapons’ training, and intelligence tactics, Charlotte was in Heaven. There was a schedule, a routine, and always more to learn. Although not all of the agents felt the warm fuzzies about having her there. The team had chosen to limit the amount of information given on Charlotte for her own privacy, but her performance had left people with suspicions. 

“Fuck me.” Agent Bronson mumbled under his breath, stepping forward when his name was called. 

Steve frowned. “What was that?” 

“Nothing.” He ran a hand through his hair as he climbed into the sparring ring with Charlotte. “Let’s get this over with.” A few of the other agents snickered from the sidelines, relieved their name wasn’t called to be her partner. 

“Don’t sound so enthusiastic.” Charlotte rolled her eyes. 

“Come on, Rossi, we both know how this is gonna go. Just try to leave me a shred of my masculinity this time.” 

“I’ll see what I can do.” She smirked, feet set in a defensive stance. As soon as Agent Bronson began to raise his fists, her eyes tracked every miniscule movement he made. The way his eyes flicked to her feet, debating a leg sweep to take her down. The muscle that tensed in his neck when he prepared to throw a punch. In fractions of a second, her mind cataloged his fighting style, instinctively reacting to dodge and duck all of his attempts. 

Eight, nine…She counted each of the blows that whipped past her. Steve had scolded her at the end of the past week, telling her that if she was going to train with the agents, she had to at least try to stay on their level. She told him she’d give each agent a ten swing head start before she went on the offensive. Ten. 

When his boot swung over her head, Charlotte dropped to the ground, swinging her leg to knock his planted one out from underneath him. His back smacked the mat, making the spectating agents wince. From her crouched position, she interlocked her legs with his, flipping both of their bodies with the momentum. Agent Bronson was flat on his face before he even knew what happened. In another half second, Charlotte had his arms locked behind his back with her knees driving his shoulders down. 

“Fuck.” His voice was muffled as his face pressed into the mat. 

“Alright, let him up.” Steve stepped in. Charlotte climbed off, extending a hand to help him up. 

“I tried to make it quick and painless.” She grinned, whispering in his ear as he stood. 

“Much appreciated.” He grumbled. Of all the agents, Derek Bronson had been one of the more welcoming ones. He had some security from being one of the top performers, but still fell short when it came to Charlotte. 

“Okay, team, what can Agent Bronson improve in his hand-to-hand?” Steve looked over the group, waiting for a response. The agents exchanged glances, shuffling their feet. “Anyone?” 

No one spoke up for fear of being assigned to spar with Charlotte next, to demonstrate what they thought they could do better. After a few moments of awkward silence, Steve spoke again. “Alright, let’s wrap it up. We’ll resume on Monday. Good work today, agents.” He patted Agent Bronson on the back. “You’re a good sport.” 

As the agents filed out of the training room, Charlotte took her time gathering her things. She knew she wouldn’t be invited to wherever the group of agents chose to get dinner and happy hour drinks outside the compound, so she preferred not to see them make the plans at all. 

“You bored yet?” Steve crossed his arms and smiled. 

“Do I look bored?” 

“You looked bored the second day you got here.” 

She laughed. “I’m not, actually. I really enjoy it. I could do this all day.” She winked, using Cap’s favorite line against him. 

“I know you can, that’s the problem. Why don’t you train with us?” He held his hands up defensively. “Just train, that’s all. You don’t have to go off base, but it would be a little more of a challenge than this.” 

Charlotte narrowed her eyes, thinking. “I’ll try it out. But don’t get mad at me when you end up like Bronson.” 

This time, it was Steve who laughed. “I’m a decent sport, too.” 

_____________________

The next morning, Charlotte and Bucky jogged around the lake, having lost track of their laps an hour ago. 

“Good God, do you ever get tired?” He groaned as she ran past the trail that lead back to the compound, beginning another lap. 

“Eventually.” She smirked over her shoulder. “Keep up, old man.” 

He caught back up to her, throwing a dirty look. “We’re the same age.” 

“Semantics.” 

“Alright, one more mile and I’m calling it. I want to do more with my day than run in circles.” 

Charlotte shot him a mischievous look. “Race ya.” 

They took off running back into the woods. 

_____________________

The training room of the Avengers Compound buzzed with anticipation as Charlotte stepped into the ring, her eyes focused, albeit a little arrogant. Though the buzz of her first session with the Avengers’ had made its way around the compound, they elected to keep it a closed session. The group of them was clad in their black training uniforms, meant to mimic the weight and feel of their combat suits. Since Charlotte didn’t have her own yet, she wore another of Natasha’s. Each suit was specially engineered for the one who wore it, meant to accommodate their specific skill set. Nat’s was thinner, lightweight and flexible. Sam’s was double lined to keep him warm in high altitudes. Bucky’s suit had a cutout for his left arm, allowing full range of motion for the prosthetic. 

Sam, with his usual charismatic grin, stepped into the ring first. "I’ll take it easy on you, alright?" he held the ropes open, allowing her to step in. 

"I wouldn’t." Charlotte replied, her eyes glinting with challenge.

The spar commenced. Sam lunged forward, his wings extending to give him an advantage in reach. But before he could react, Charlotte sidestepped, her movements fluid. With a swift motion, she dropped to her knees and slid beneath the reach of his rings, grabbed his arm and twisted, putting him in a painful bind that dropped him to his knees.

"Damn girl," Sam breathed, his eyes wide with surprise.

"T’was a pleasure," Charlotte replied, releasing him and mock curtseying, barely out of breath at all. 

Next up the Black Widow herself. She stepped in the ring with an air of confidence, her eyes sharp and assessing. She must have noticed how Charlotte balked, not wanting to overstep on her first friend, the reason she was here in the first place. "Don’t you dare take it easy on me," Natasha reprimanded.

“If you say so.” Charlotte gave a small smile, preparing for action. Faster than Sam, Nat put her weight back on her left foot, aiming a kick at Charlotte's midsection.

Charlotte spun to her right, evading the kick. Nat was already striking again, punching across her body. Charlotte blocked, dropping her elbow in the crook of Nat’s arm, bending it and bringing them within inches of each other. Both women moving at once, their legs interlocked in the same takedown attempt. They rolled once on the floor, a blur of black neoprene. 

While Natasha was one of the most skilled Avengers in hand-to-hand combat, Charlotte was stronger, pinning the redhead down as they came to a stop. She held her forearm to Nat’s throat, knees pinning her arms down. 

"Impressive," she croaked, a flicker of admiration in her eyes. Charlotte stood and helped Nat to her feet. 

“Right back at you.” Charlotte’s chest rose and fell, breathing hard. 

Then came Peter Parker, all enthusiasm and boyish charm. "You ready for this?" he asked, a grin on his face.

"Are you?" Charlotte replied, smirking.

Attempting to go for the element of surprise, Peter shot a web at her feet, aiming to immobilize her. Having seen his tell, a clenched jaw and eye flick to the place he wanted to shoot the webs, she knew it was coming. Somersaulting forward, she rolled over the web blast and closed the distance between them. Without rising back off the ground, she delivered a swift kick to the back of his legs, buckling them and dropping him to his knees. As soon as he fell, she wrapped her arm around his neck from behind, pulling him onto his back on top of her. Each of her legs hooked around his arms, pinning them to the ground so he was at an impossible angle to web her. He froze, momentarily stunned.

"You're so fast," Peter breathed, eyes wide.

“So I’ve been told.” She untangled her legs from his arms and he climbed to his feet, offering her a hand. 

Finally, it was Steve’s turn, the one who’d convinced her to do this in the first place. "A little more fun than the agents?" he joked.

“I guess you could say that.” Charlotte tensed, knowing he would be the toughest of the three prior. 

The spar was intense, each blow whistling through the air as she dodged it, power oozing from his every movement. Charlotte anticipated Steve's moves with uncanny accuracy, her eyes keenly observant of his every shift in stance. Steve, in turn, pushed her limits, testing her stamina as the clock ticked on. His style was classic, controlled. He relied on speed and strength more than exceptional skill or strategy. 

The round went on longer than the previous three combined, Charlotte getting Steve in a near-pinned position three times, but unable to overpower him enough to keep him down. 

This time, she took a different approach. Steve swung with a hard right hook, and instead of dodging what she knew was coming, she stood her ground and took it. His fist collided with her jaw, blood immediately bursting from her split lip. Her head snapped to the side, but she didn’t lose her footing. 

“Oh, my God, Charlotte, are you okay?” Steve broke his defensive posture, eyes full of guilt. 

Exactly the reaction she wanted. 

In two moves, she swung her leg up, momentum carrying her into the air. Her legs wrapped around his neck and she twisted, throwing him to the ground. He landed flat on his back with a resounding thud, her shin pressed to his neck. 

"You're good," Steve admitted, a grin tugging at his lips. "Although some may say that’s cheating."

"All’s fair in love and war," Charlotte replied, blood dripping off of her face from the busted lip.

The other Avengers, watching with keen interest, broke into applause, their admiration evident. Nat cheered the loudest, recognizing her signature move in the final takedown. 

Bucky stepped forward and approached the ring, offering Charlotte a towel for her bloody face. “That looks like hell.” 

“But kinda badass, right?” She smiled, showing her blood-stained teeth. 

“Something like that.” 

Charlotte, slightly breathless but clearly exhilarated, wiped her face and stood to face Natasha, waiting to give her kudos. 

Bucky turned to Steve with a sly grin, clearly amused. "Well, well, Steve," he teased, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Losing to a girl half your size. What would Coach Tyler say?"

Steve gave an incredulous look. “Our high school wrestling coach, really?” He rolled his eyes. "Why don't you give it a shot, Buck? Let's see how you fare against that girl that’s also half your size." He raised his voice at the end, baiting Charlotte.

Bucky cracked his knuckles, his metal arm glinting under the training room lights. He stepped into the ring, eyeing Charlotte with a playful glint in his eyes. "Hope you're ready for this, sweetheart," he said, his tone mockingly confident.

Charlotte met his challenge with a smirk, her confidence unwavering. "I don’t know if you’ve forgotten, Barnes, but I was made for this." 

He grimaced ever so slightly, still not used to the flippant way she spoke about her tortuous past. The team had heard more about HYDRA in her six weeks at the compound than in Bucky’s five years. Clearly she coped with trauma differently than he did.

The two circled each other in the ring, the air crackling with anticipation. Eyes locked on each other, Charlotte raised an eyebrow and licked blood off her lips. Bucky lunged forward, his movements swift and controlled. Charlotte dodged his advances with ease, her lithe form moving as fast as his fists. She countered his strikes, her blows precise and calculated, although they didn’t seem to phase him in the slightest. Their movements were lightning fast, the spectating Avengers’ having trouble tracking the action. It was clear neither of them held back the challenge too tantalizing to back down from. The two didn’t spend a ton of time together outside of group settings, save for the occasional run, but they seemed to get along well. Their shared sense of grim humor was the catalyst for most interactions. 

Bucky tried to catch her off guard, but Charlotte anticipated his every move. He advanced on her, swinging with near lethal force. She executed a series of back handsprings, narrowly avoiding his attacks. The ring seemed to blur with her swift movements, a small nod to her brief stint in the gymnastics world.

"Show-off," Bucky remarked, his admiration evident. 

Charlotte grinned. "Impressed?"

“Don’t flatter yourself.” 

Their spar escalated, each move met with a countermove. Bucky utilized his strength, attempting to overpower her, but Charlotte danced around him, always one step ahead. She was incredibly light on her feet, her agility allowing her to evade his strikes effortlessly. Where he was strong and intense, she was quick and fleeting. She landed more blows, but they barely even registered. He swung harder, but she stayed out of reach.

After almost twenty minutes of intense combat, both combatants found themselves in a deadlock, neither of them able to budge. Flat on his back, Bucky's arm stuck up in the air, his metal hand wrapped around Charlotte’s throat. She perched above his chest, one shin pressed into his throat, the other leg braced on the ground, giving her leverage to push down harder. Their breathing became ragged as neither one conceded, fighting for oxygen as they continued to right each other. 

“Should we -” Steve murmured to Natasha, brows knit together. 

“Let’s see how this plays out.” She narrowed her eyes. “Worst case, they both pass out.” 

Steve frowned but said nothing.

In the ring, Charlotte tasted the salt of sweat mixed with the lingering metallic taste of blood. She grit her teeth and drove her shin further down onto Bucky’s throat. He grunted but didn’t concede, gripping her throat tighter. Sweat had caused a few strands of his dark hair to stick to his forehead. 

The corners of her vision were beginning to go dark, the sounds of the training room sounding like they were fading away. Charlotte saw the blood vessels in Bucky’s eyes reddening and knew he wasn’t far behind her. Their eyes locked, a battle of wills and stubborn pride. Bucky felt her wobble ever so slightly and made a snap decision. 

“Truce?” He croaked. She paused, ever so slightly, debating if she could somehow spin this into a fifth victory of the day before her lack of oxygen overruled.

“Truce.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper through the vice grip he had on her neck. They paused for a second longer, eyes narrow, as if neither one of them trusted the other. Finally, they both released their grip, Charlotte tumbling to the mat beside him. Both chests heaved, their senses flooding back as their oxygen was no longer restricted.

Charlotte looked to her right and grinned. “You called a truce.”

Bucky, still flat on his back beside her, narrowed his eyes. “I’d feel bad choking out the new girl the first time we sparred.” 

“Whatever stops the tears.” She winked.

The other Avengers applauded, climbing into the ring with them. Natasha and Steve pulled them to their feet. “Just when we thought no one was more stubborn than you, Barnes.” 

Bucky chuckled, shooting a glance at Charlotte. "She’s tougher than she looks."

“Wish I could say the same for you.” She raised her eyebrows, eyes fiery. His eyes scanned her face, amused. Just like in the hospital room over a month ago, she swore she saw his eyes flick to her lips for just a split second. 

The team’s enthusiasm drowned out their banter, equal parts shit-talking and compliments flying. Someone handed her a bag of ice for her chin. One one side, Peter was asking her to teach him a back handspring and on the other, Sam was mimicking her doe-eyed look to Steve right after he socked her. All of it was good-natured, all of it was warm. Even with the throbbing in her jaw and pounding in her head from almost passing out, she was happy. 

So much better than the goddamn SHIELD agents. 

[beyondthisdarkhouse]

Hi! I love your Blackwork patterns, and the one with the acorn and leaf garland especially is PEFFECT for a project I'm currently working on.

only thing is, I have about 5m of edge to embroider, and also shipping internationally is pricey.

Would it be okay if I copied the pattern off the pictures you posted and sent you like $15 for it?

(if in the future you'd ever consider pdf patterns I'd also be very 👀)

I have some GREAT news for you! What you want is actually already out there, perhaps beyond your wildest dreams.

The acorn border you like is not actually my design. I'm using it with permission from its designer, Kim B. Salazar, who freely shares a lot of patterns online in addition to having published many books of patterns. Her terms are that they may be used for free by any person making a non-commercial craft project for themselves.

Here's the PDF the acorn border is from. (It's in the second column from the left.) Take it, enjoy it, go wild, send back pics (optional).

What copyright means on these patterns is that the designer has the legal right to say who can make and distribute copies, or use them to make money. I'm allowed to use her patterns in my shop because I emailed her and worked out a license arrangement where I can sell a certain number of copies; once I've hit that limit, I'll have to go back and make a new arrangement. I am guessing I got a different deal from her than a factory wanting to print off 10,000 of them might.

So yeah, the pattern is already free for you! The idea behind my shop/the value I add to the equation when I'm using someone else's designs like this is being the person to acquire the interfacing and ink, prepare the computerized pattern layout, print, cut, package, and ship the results.

I will think about selling PDFs of my own patterns. Safe to say, copyright in these matters is intensely complicated, and I need to have all my ducks in a row before I really dive in.

[mote-historie]

Coty powder compact designed by Leon Bakst, Made by Coty Inc in Paris, France, 1935-1955.

The founder, Francois Coty believed the aesthetics of the packaging to be as important as the product. After his successful artistic partnership with designer Rene Lalique in the early 20th century, Coty approached Leon Bakst to design the Air Spun powder box. Leon Bakst is celebrated for his colourful exotic costumes and decors created for the Ballet Russes, which prompted new fashions in dress and interior decoration. This colourful, exotic aesthetic can be seen in the design of the powder box, where fluffy white powder puffs with black and gold handles float against an orange and gold background. Bakst’s original powder box design was made of Moroccan leather with gold leaf embossing. However, these boxes were expensive to manufacture and Coty paid his customers to return them when empty. They were then sent to Japan where the gold leaf would be scraped off and then reused. Bakst’s design was later modified into a cheaper cardboard version by Coty’s commercial artist Georges Draeger. The design of the packaging created an impression of luxury and prestige, while still being mass produced. These ‘luxury’ items were made even more accessible to middle and working class women by packaging them in small quantities and creating gift sets and co-ordinating product lines. Coty Air Spun powder was very successful, selling in Europe, North and South America, Australia and Asia. It was so popular in Asia that the ‘Rachel’ colour was created specifically for Asian skin tones. Coty is an internationally renowned beauty product and fragrance company that was founded in Paris in 1904 by François Coty. The company was acquired by the fragrance division of Unilever in 2005. In 2010 Coty had it’s headquarters in New York City and had become the world’s largest manufacturer of mass-market fragrances, aligning many of its new fragrances with celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, David and Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez and Calvin Klein. Alysha Buss, Curatorial volunteer with Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Curator, February 2011 Reference: Toledano, Roulhac B. and Coty, Elizabeth Z., ‘Francois Coty: Fragrance, Power, Money’, Pelican Publishing Company Inc, Gretna, Louisiana, 2009

Powerhouse Museum Collection.

[bumblebeeappletree]

In South Sumatra, conservationist Pungky Nanda Pratama is dedicating his life to conserving what is left of Sumatra’s rainforest.

He is thrilled to hear the call of the rare white-handed gibbon, a species that mates for life, which he describes as “super romantic”.

To show how many endangered species live in this rainforest, Pungky and some friends set up a camera trap project to photograph passing animals. Their footage includes the Sumatran Clouded Leopard, Sun Bears, and Asian Golden Cats.

Indonesia’s iconic wildlife relies on the health of these tropical rainforests.

The area where he is walking is supposed to be protected but already there are signs of open canopy due to illegal clearing, probably for coffee plantations. Palm oil and rubber is also grown in this region.

Pungky is working with local government agencies to collect protected flora from cleared land. Head of conservation for Region I, Martialis Puspito Khristy Maharsi of the Natural Resources Conservation Centre (BKSDA), says extinction is a real threat for some species.

Another threat is poaching for the flora and fauna itself.

Rescued plants are transferred to a large, purpose-built greenhouse. Here it is rehabilitated and propagated. There are about 5,000 specimens here, including hoyas, orchids, aroids, nepenthes and ferns. There are also ant plants (Myrmecodia tuberosa), which have a symbiotic relationship with ants: they provide habitat for ants to nest in their bulbous roots and receive protection from the ants who attack predatory insects.

Orchids such as the critically endangered primrose-yellow slipper orchid are often poached by orchid hunters, despite being protected by law internationally. By propagating through tissue culture, the team hopes to reduce pressure on the plant and return them to the wild.

The urge to collect exotic plants has fed this illegal trade in rare plants.

To help empower local communities on the front line of habitat loss, he works in schools to teach children about the plants and animals living in nearby rainforests. He teaches in 9 schools, some a six-hour walk from the nearest road. He says conservation is not a one- or two-year plan, but a lifetime plan to get communities involved and help find other ways to support their families.

He hopes that people will come to understand that humans depend on nature more than nature depends on us.

Featured Species:

White-handed gibbon (Hybolates lar)

Mitered leaf monkey (Presbytis melalophos)

Featured Plants:

Bulbophyllum sp.

Ant plant (Myrmecodia tuberosa)

Swain’s Coelogyne (Coelogyne swaniana)

Primrose-yellow slipper orchid (Paphiopedilum primulinum)

[mybeingthere]

Esther Haywood, born 1982

in Alice Springs, NT

LANGUAGE GROUP: Alyawarre

COMMUNITY: Utopia, NT

Esther Haywood is part of the exciting next generation of Utopian artists who are using artmaking as a means to uphold their commitment to traditional culture and knowledge. She belongs to the Alyawarre language group and associates with her grandmothers country of Atnangkere in the Utopia region, approximately 230kms north east of Alice Springs.

As a child Esther was surrounded by celebrated Utopian artists who had led the way in depicting their ancient dreaming stories in a highly contemporary and expressive manner. Her aunties include the late Ada Bird Petyarre and Kathleen Petyarre and her cousin is Gracie Pwerle Morton.Her grandmother, internationally acclaimed artist Gloria Petyarre (deceased), taught her the songs, dances and body paint designs to all the stories that belong to her Atnangkere country. In later years, Esther also cared for her grandmother and assisted her with painting.

Esther's intimate knowledge of her culture and Country, as well as her considerable experience in painting with acrylics and canvas, has resulted in an extraordinary body of work for an artist who has only painted in her own right for a short number of years. Her sense of artistic authority has developed quickly and she is exciting everyone with the boldness and beauty of her paintings.

She carries on her grandmother's bush medicine leaf style. Bush Medicine leaves are healing leaves of the Kurrajong tree used by women from the Utopia region in traditional bush medicines. Through painting, Esther pays homage to the spirit of the bush medicine leaves to ensure its regeneration, so her people can continue to benefit from its medicinal powers.As an artist Esther has an incredible eye for detail and beautiful use of colour. Her works are radiant and dynamic. We look forward to seeing Esther develop on her incredible talent in the coming years.

Copyright Kate Owen Gallery June 2021

https://www.kateowengallery.com/artists/Est981/Est18099.htm

[virtchandmoir]

'Bringing the energy': How Scott Moir is moulding the next generation of ice dancers

Scott Moir hasn't lost his edge. 

January 10, 2023

Former Olympic dance figure skater Scott Moir, one half of the gold medal team of Virtue and Moir, now coaches teams from the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Moir works with Canadian ice dancers Jacob Portz and Alyssa Robinson as they practise at the Komoka Wellness Centre west of London on Friday Jan. 6, 2023. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)

“We're going to kick Charlie's ass,” Moir, 35, quipped during a lively training session last week at Komoka Wellness Centre. “Quote that one.”

The one-liners, verbal jabs, laughs and hockey talk is so familiar to anyone who closely followed Moir’s career with his longtime partner, Tessa Virtue of Ilderton, to Olympic gold and the top of the skating world.

Later this month, the ice dance superstar-turned-coach will be in San Jose, Calif., to support one of his promising teams – Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko – at the U.S. national championships.

In the fall, he bet Ponomarenko, a die-hard San Jose Sharks fan, the Maple Leafs would beat them. When Toronto didn’t, Moir wore one of Sharks captain Logan Couture’s jerseys on the ice, then handed it over to his student.

“He loved that,” said the head coach and managing director of the Ice Academy of Montreal’s Ontario campus.

The American ice dance team of Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko work through their routine under the gaze of coach Scott Moir at Komoka Wellness Centre on Friday Jan. 6, 2023. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)

This week, Moir will wear out a path to the Kiss and Cry area at the Canadian figure skating championships in Oshawa. His local crew is looking to take big steps after some international success.

Londoners Lily Hensen and Nathan Lickers aim to crack the Top 5 in the senior ranks while Ridgetown’s Alyssa Robinson and Calgary’s Jake Portz have that potential, too. Haley Sales and Nikolas Wamsteeker, who relocated from B.C., hope to grab a podium spot.

Kilworth’s Jordyn Lewis and Ilderton’s Noah McMillan want to earn a junior worlds berth and former novice champs Layla Veillon and Alex Brandys, both Londoners, are taking the next step up the ladder. Lewis and Veillon are also on the Ice Ignite synchro team seeking a junior worlds spot.

Internationally, Leia Dozzi and Pietro Papetti skate for Italy and Samantha Ritter and Daniel Brykalov represent Azerbaijan.

Senior ice dancers Nathan Lickers and Lily Hensen of London work on their routines under the guidance of Olympic champion Scott Moir and his mom, Alma Moir, at Komoka Wellness Centre Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)

“The project here is to create two equal schools,” Moir said. “Montreal is, by far, the most dominant in the world. At the last Olympics, they had 10 of the last 20 skaters (in ice dance). That’s a lot. It’s a big ask, but I think it’s possible now.”

Moir studied the Montreal way when he and Tessa Virtue moved there for their dominant run to the 2018 Olympic title. They worked under old friends Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, then Moir brought the spirit of camaraderie and friendly, in-house competition back home.

“The kids have to create the atmosphere they want,” he said. “They cheer each other on. Even though a lot of them will go and be on the competition ice with each other, I learned the real magic is if you have each other’s back. There’s a balance to be struck.

“We (Moir and Virtue) didn’t have the same in Canton (Mich.),” he added. “We had it early when Charlie and I were really firing in 2010. I wasn’t the most mature young man in 2014, so I didn’t use that environment to my advantage. But we doubled down on it in 2018 (alongside the French team of Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron) and it was to our advantage, for sure.”

Former Olympic ice dancer Scott Moir now has a thriving business coaching teams from the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Moir skates past his mom, and fellow coach, Alma Moir, at Komoka Wellness Centre on Friday Jan. 6, 2023. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)

LENDING A HAND: Moir grew up surrounded by figure skating coaches. That family connection remains at the academy. His mother Alma, aunt Carol and cousins Sheri and Cara are part of the staff.

“It’s fun – it’s kind of hard to call him my boss now, though,” Alma joked. “He stresses a positive attitude to the coaches and an old (veteran) here sometimes, I have to do a check on how positive I am some days. It took a while for the kids to feed into it, but you could see the energy change from the summer to now.”

Moir has some non-family help, too, in Justin Trojek and soon-to-be-married Madison Hubbell and Adrian Diaz, a Spanish ice dancer. Hubbell, who finished third at the last Olympics with Zachary Donohue, called her immediate jump from athlete to full-time coach a rare transition.

“It was really after meeting Adrian and seeing his love of skating and different perspective that I started enjoying analyzing skating together,” the 31-year-old from Michigan said.

“When we trained together (in Montreal), one of my favourite things was Scott’s energy – whether it was doing back-and-forth cardio or competing on a daily basis. It can feel like a very solo sport and Scott made a point of including you and cheering you on with a compliment or kind word. He’s a big instigator in what I would consider more of a hockey mentality: rowdy, yelling and having fun.”

MOVING FORWARD: Moir, who’s married and has a two-year-old daughter, recently congratulated Virtue on her engagement to Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly. Once in a while, he admits he will press her for some inside info on his favourite team.

His skaters want to hear stories about Virtue, too.

“I looked up to Tessa so much and still do every day,” said Carreira, 22. “She came to the rink once and it was literally the best day. Getting to train with Scott Moir every day is a privilege. I grew up in Montreal and they were my heroes.”

Moir believes the much-loved on-ice connection he shared with Virtue can be taught technically, but he has no interest in churning out mere carbon copies.

“These athletes aren’t going to be able to be Tessa and Scott, because in four, eight and 12 years, Tessa and Scott aren’t going to be good enough,” he said. “They already aren’t. We wouldn’t have won the last Olympics. The sport is evolving, the skaters will and I have to, as well. It’s about making it their own. Everyone has a different look and story.”

Former Olympic dance figure skater Scott Moir coaches American skaters Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)

Carreira and Ponomarenko, whose parents Marina and Sergei won 1992 Olympic ice dance gold, are developing that mature skating connection that served Virtue and Moir so well. But Moir isn’t designing similar programs for Veillon, 16, and Brandys, 17.

“You can’t coach two athletes the same way and you motivate the man and woman different,” Moir said. “That’s the fun of coaching. I don’t come here to walk down memory lane. I come here to learn, too. How can I teach this kid a counter even though I was a good counter turner? Now, I need to figure out a different way. It’s a challenge and my coaching staff challenges me. Hopefully, this momentum turns into a snowball and keeps rolling.”

The bond is already encouraging.

“Even though I’m one of the youngest, you completely forget an age gap,” Veillon said. “You get to come to the rink every day and skate with some of your closest friends. The coaches are amazing, they want the best for us and we have such a fun time.”

ONE-ON-ON WITH COACH SCOTT MOIR

Former Olympic dance figure skater Scott Moir demonstrates some footwork for one of his teams at the Komoka Wellness Centre on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)

Has your approach to the sport changed since on-ice retirement?

“I was much more performance and result-based. I wanted to win. I studied the points and what needed to be better to be on top. My experience with Tessa, as a coach, showed me if I strategize properly, it can work. I was a little riskier as an athlete, because it’s you out there. You’re the one who puts your heart and soul into it. Now, I feel I owe it to the kids. You feel responsible, but you still have to be a little dangerous. That edge is what gives us an advantage. The goal is not personal-best skates alone. It’s taking advantage of your opportunity. Go for it and take the lessons of being able to perform in front of people, because you have to really bring it on this stage.”

What’s the goal of the Ice Academy of Montreal’s Ontario campus?

“To make great people. It sounds so stupid, but we believe success is a byproduct. You’re a good person first, support your teammates, demand the best of yourself, never stop wanting to grow and be ready to learn. It’s not a trade-off. I used to think you can drink the Kool-Aid and be your best self, but I wanted to win. Patrice, Marie-France and Romain (Haguenauer) showed me it all goes hand-in-hand. We’re an elite school and we want to be on top of the world. As we develop these kids and these skills that will serve them well in life, we want to become excellent athletes able to stand on top of podiums. We don’t have a ton of great skating schools in Canada and our success doesn’t mean we can’t have great schools in Scarborough, Vancouver and Calgary. We’re the most dominant skating country with the most rinks. I hope we can get the footprint a little bigger so we can affect more athletes. Hopefully, we can compete against our Montreal teammates and push their boundaries, too.”

How can you affect the skating experience for your students beyond the technical elements?

“I had success in my career, but I got bogged down in the negatives over many years. Who knows if we would’ve beaten Marilyn (Davis) and Charlie, but I think my outlook on skating kept me from being my best self leading up to 2014 (silver medal in Sochi). I’d love for the kids to hear my wisdom and not have to go through the black period I did. At the same time, it’s their journey and they need to have their own path. I can have a direct impact on the negative parts of the sport that don’t need to exist. There are parts of the sport people may think of as ugly or the judging, but being able to be happy about yourself no matter what people think can be a positive. In this age of social media and all that s—, it’s important. Even before the scores, are you personally happy? Did you give everything you had? I’m hoping to prepare for them to deal with those issues the right way.”

How do you impact a generation of skaters who didn’t face the same challenges you did?

“They motivate very differently. It’s tricky for me. I grew up in the other one. My dad was fair and hard on me. If I deserved it, I got it and I deserved it a lot. He didn’t baby me and I thrived. I have fantastic parents. I had some coaches that were a little harder on me and when you go through the Russian schools, of course, that’s the way it is. I loved it. There were also dark parts it created that I also had to deal with later in life. I think there’s a way to expect the most out of these kids and have them expect it, but through love and support. There’s a balance. You can be critical and deliver the message the right way. This generation motivates from exciting things. You’ve got to keep it fresh and keep them rolling and feeling good. My first couple of years, I got bogged down in hammering on them, because I like being in the trenches. The kids felt it was super heavy and it didn’t work. I started being more positive and bringing the energy every day and you see them lift up with results much better. We’re trending that way and it’s natural for me, too.”

Are you able to watch old videos of you and Tessa Virtue skating without finding every little fault in it?

“My perspective of our career is probably the most jaded. You can’t really watch yourself without it. Watching it is getting better and better, actually. You forget the cues you’re supposed to be doing and I’m able to just watch Tessa much more than what I’m doing wrong, so that’s enjoyable. I watch it with a different eye now that I coach. I was very critical and it wasn’t fun to watch tape before, but it’s getting better. I think for the sake of ice dance – and I think that’s why 2018 was such a success for us – the sport evolved. We came back, dove in, pushed ourselves and were able to come away with Olympic gold again. It would be foolish for me to step in and say if I can create 10 Scott Moirs, we’re going to be successful. I don’t believe that.”

—The London Free Press

[novuit]

I need to ramble about my cardverse AU. I was daydreaming about it alot while "redesigning" Arthur's Queen of Spades outfit 🤲 I might actually draw cardverse or expand on this because I have so many things to explain about

Spades

This kingdom is known for many things: fashion, pollution, modernism, technology, clocks and their obsession with lions but the most famous would be the royalty. Arthur III, while he has never been crowned unlike King Alfred, is the first ever Queen to have power over a kingdom (especially while there's a king) as kings are the only ones who can rule. He has terrorized politicians, own white lions as pets, psychologically torture/execute people, wearing black lipstick (this is something relevent with the Hearts Kingdom) and having more power than the King. Though it's a kingdom known for fashion, it also has strict laws over what's reserved only for royalty or such as lion fur/skin (the wealthy are an exception) and the colour purple, which dates back to Roman times, though recently, the colour purple has been seen on products and companies if it has been officially favoured by the Queen Arthur III. So if you visit the Spades Kingdom, don't wear any purple or lion. (Idk where to add this so I'm adding it at the end but this is just some fun fact that I love and want to talk about more: were no records of any other royalty nor relative named Arthur even though he's titled as the third Arthur to be royalty. He added it himself. because 3 is his favourite number 💀. He would execute one politician - either for dinner or to import to the Diamonds Kingdom - for every day the government wouldn't make him the third Arthur and ofc by the 8th day they were getting understaffed from this so in the end, they allowed him to be titled Queen Arthur III.... He is so petty and a menance but it's something that would likely happen lmfao).

Hearts

Though, their royalty was never as known as the Spades, it is well very known for their aesthetics, music, art, romance, history and sports. Many of their architecture hasn't been modified since the renaissance era and in some areas, even the attire hadn't changed. The Hearts are very particular on makeup and attire so , they even have not-so-secret unspoken lipstick code which may not be as relevant to the common people anymore, it is more important on royalty. Many artists, writers and historians go there to make a living while others may go there for romance or the pretty architecture as many romance stories are set in Hearts. The Prince, Feliciano, is labelled as 'the face of Hearts' by Heartians but internationally as a romantic icon (sometimes a sexual icon but idk I think that would be King Francis IV). The Spades are fond of Feliciano for embracing modernism and doing things that would be frown upon for Heartian royalty like not abiding to the lipstick code (but thats okay for him to break the rules because he's the favourite out of the Heartian royals).

Clubs

Many people would think the Clubs Kingdom would be filled with greenery and nature by their symbol of a three-leafed clover but in reality it is a very snowy. The reason behind the clover may be from an old Cluban folktale or their obsession with luck and magic. The Clubs are famous for their competitiveness, tourism, and their strong belief in luck and magic despite having the most science labs/schools in the world. The King, Ivan the First , is always seen shirtless and smiling - a standard for Cluban royalty to show their health, luck and strength against harsh snow weathers.

Diamonds

Being known for their wealth, they are known for their films/theatres, mining sites, heavy surveillance, vast greenery, prestigious schools and famous cuisine. It is a kingdom many people go to for either their wealth or education meaning you'll find alot of aspiring actors, cooks and archeologists studying here (and rich snobs, though, you'll find those kind of people up north). They have plenty of famous cuisines that originated there that enjoyed around the world like Ligone Fries and Burgers, but they have their fair share of really questionable dishes like: shepherd-dog pie, human steak and cub stew (they are not as common nowadays, but there are no laws on what you can't eat in the Diamond Kingdom so you can eat these). The King - Francis IV - is always either oversees, or in small villages talking to locals. The Diamonds are stereotyped as very snobby, paranoid poshos, but in reality they are really laid back and hospitable.

Jokers

The Jokers are forbidden land that hadn't been "claimed" by any of the kingdoms. They either prank or hunt down people who are seen as threats to the land and therefore are depicted as savage barbarians. Not much is known about them and are usually either villains or silly goofy pranksters in many stories. The information known about them has been rumored to be destroyed and possibly also forgotten by Kingdoms.

[nokingsonlyfooles]

Global genocide, what a beautiful choice...

In case you missed it - and a golf update seems to have knocked it off the front page - Republicans are threatening to kill millions of people in order to protect "the unborn child." No, not just pregnant women like usual, but men and children - everyone.

The US has been giving HIV/AIDS meds to people who can't afford them, internationally, for about two decades. Most of the institutions distributing these meds are Catholic. Catholics are infamously anti-abortion - to the point of allowing mothers to suffer and die, just like Republicans! This program has a requirement to spend money teaching abstinence - it was penned into law by G. W. Bush! It seems like there shouldn't be a conflict of interest between these two groups, but there is now, and there's a clock ticking down to when these people won't get the meds they need to stay alive.

I suspect our old friend "intellectual property" also has a hand in this situation. It doesn't look like we've spent any money over the last two decades on building infrastructure so these places can make their own damn meds, we just buy them premade and ship them. Actually helping these places manufacture these very expensive drugs would eat into the profits of the pharmaceutical companies that "own" them. It's much better for Gilead there if people just buy drugs and send them. We can just keep doing that forever, right? It's good PR!

Well, now we're in a position where a grandstanding, megalomaniacal political party can hold millions of orphaned children hostage while crowing that they're "saving babies". The Republican solution is that these foreigners should be "responsible" and pay for their own meds... while US companies sit on the patents and jack up the damn prices as high as the market will bear. Yeah, that'll work great.

I've already fled the States. If Democrats can't stop this from happening... You... You can't expect me to keep filling out a ballot and giving you a fig leaf of legitimacy. I found out this year that you didn't even stop stealing children at the border. You can't ask me to keep behaving like it's going to be fine and the system can heal itself if I just keep participating in it. I don't want anything to do with this. I am being dragged kicking and screaming to check a box for people who throw up their hands and refuse to help because, I dunno, maybe this time they might? And then they try to tell me this is my fault, for not being centrist enough.

I dunno what I'm gonna do. I mean, distract myself. Keep redistributing wealth by fair means and foul. And keep yelling about these things. But apart from that...?

[lacrimosathedark]

I know I'm probably a weirdo for this, but one day I got to thinking, what if Pokemon was lingually accurate? Like, if characters were named appropriately based on their region? So I actually went through Bulbapedia and compiled a list of every major character's names in other languages. And just in case anyone else was curious, I thought I'd share it.

I'm going from the English base, so I'm majorly not including Unova, Galar, and most of Alola. Ones that are weird or are migrants I give explanations for.

Kanto: Japanese

Red: Same in English and Japanese

Leaf: Same in English and Japanese

Blue: Technically referred to as Green in Japanese since the original games were Red and Green (hence remakes being FireRed and LeafGreen), but is considered Blue internationally and it makes more sense to me (Red picks Charmander, rival picks Squirtle to be better, thus Blue).

Kakeru (Chase)

Ayumi (Elaine)

Shin (Trace)

Takeshi (Brock)

Kasumi (Misty)

Lt. Surge: His original title is "The Lightning American" and there's a whole tribute gym to his in Alola, so it's very likely he's from an America-inspired region, thus English name.

Erika: Same in English and Japanese

Kyou (Koga)

Anzu (Janine)

Natsume (Sabrina)

Katsura (Blaine)

Kanna (Lorelei)

Siba (Bruno)

Kikuko (Agatha)

Wataru (Lance)

Rocket-dan (Team Rocket): Literally written in katakana "ro-ke-t(su)-to"

Sakaki (Giovanni)

Ohkido Yukinari-hakase (Professor Samuel Oak)

Johto: Japanese

Hibiki (Ethan)

Kris: Same in English and Japanese

Kotone (Lyra)

Silver: Same in English and Japanese

Hayato (Falkner)

Tsukushi (Bugsy)

Akane (Whitney)

Matsuba (Morty)

Shijima (Chuck)

Mikan (Jasmine)

Yanagi (Pryce)

Ibuki (Clair)

Itsuki (Will)

Karin (Karen)

Minaki (Eusine)

Apollo (Archer)

Athena (Arianna)

Lambda (Petrel)

Lance (Proton): Yes, this is confusing with the Indigo Champion's English name being Lance.

Utsugi-hakase (Professor Elm)

Hoenn: Japanese

Yuuki (Brendan)

Haruka (May)

Mitsuru (Wally)

Tsutsuji (Roxanne)

Touki (Brawly)

Tessen (Wattson)

Asuna (Flannery)

Senri (Norman)

Nagi (Winona)

Fū (Tate)

Lan (Liza)

Juan: His Japanese name is Adan, but he uses different foreign words by localization (English in Japanese, Spanish in Viz's anime dub, and French in the Adventures manga's translation) so is likely foreign. Juan is his name in English, German, and French.

Mikuri (Wallace) Rune no Tami (Sootopolitan)

Kagetsu (Sidney)

Fuyou (Phoebe)

Glacia: Her name in Japanese is Prim, but she's implied to be from a more Western-based region. Glacia is her name in both English and French.

Genji (Drake)

Tsuwabuki Daigo (Steven Stone)

Datsura (Noland) Factory Head: Same in English and Japanese

Kogomi (Greta) Arena Captain (Arena Tycoon)

Tucker: Implied to be foreign, especially as his Japanese name is Heath. Tucker is his English name, and most other Romantic translations are loosely similar and come from the respective languages' word for "tactics". Dome Superstar (Dome Ace)

Azami (Lucy) Tube Queen (Pike Queen)

Ukon (Spenser) Palace Guardian (Palace Maven)

Jindai (Brandon) Pyramid King: Same in English and Japanese

Lila (Anabel) Tower Tycoon (Salon Maiden)

Higana (Zinnia) Denshousha (Lorekeeper)

Lutia (Lisia) Lutti (Lissi)

Tylulu (Ali): Lisia's Altaria

Magma-dan (Team Magma): Literally written in katakana "ma-gu-ma"

Matsubusa (Maxie)

Kagari (Courtney)

Homura (Tabitha)

Aqua-dan (Team Aqua): Literally written in katakana "a-ku-a"

Aogiri (Archie)

Ushio (Matt)

Izumi (Shelly)

Odomaki-hakase (Professor Birch)

Sinnoh: Japanese

Kouki (Lucas)

Hikari (Dawn)

Jun (Barry)

Hyouta (Roark)

Natane (Gardenia)

Sumomo (Maylene)

Maximum Mask (Crasher Wake): Maybe a little more clearly than the English name, it's a stage name and his real name is unknown. He's called "Maxi" for short, so it could just be that.

Fantina or Kiméra: Her name in Japanese is Melissa, which is a clearly Western name along with using foreign phrases. The difficulty here is in original Japanese (as well as French, logically) she speaks English, while most other localizations she speaks French. Fantina is her name in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Kiméra is her name in French.

Suzuna (Candice)

Denzi (Volkner)

Ryou (Aaron)

Kikuno (Bertha)

Ōba (Flint)

Goyou (Lucian)

Shirona (Cynthia)

Kurotsugu (Palmer) Tower Tycoon: Same in English and Japanese

Neziki (Thorton) Factory Head: Same in English and Japanese

Dahlia: Same in English and Japanese Roulette Goddess (Arcade Star)

Kokuran (Darach): His Lady may be likely Unovan, but his lineage is never specified and he seems to have a Hisuian ancestor, so him being from Sinnoh is likely, hence Japanese name. Castle Butler (Castle Valet)

Argenta or Kate: Kate is her name in Japanese and is clearly Western. Argenta is her name in English, German, and Spanish. Stage Madonna (Hall Matron)

Momi (Cheryl)

Gen (Riley)

Baku (Buck)

Miru (Mira)

Mai (Marley)

Looker: Honestly, I just prefer Looker because it seems smoother to say as a codename than his Japanese codename which is Handsome. Looker also has the double meaning that Handsome doesn't, like he's looking/watching, because he's a detective. Looker is also his name in Portuguese, and sometimes in German, Spanish, and Italian. Every one of his codenames is a reference to his appearance ex. LeBelle in German and Beladonis in French.

Ginga-dan (Team Galaxy)

Akagi (Cyrus)

Mars: Same in English and Japanese

Jupiter: Same in English and Japanese

Saturn: Same in English and Japanese

Pluto (Charon)

Nanakamado-hakase (Professor Rowan)

Hisui: Japanese

Teru (Rei) Chō satai (Survey Corps' (Trainer class))

Shō (Akari) Chō satai (Survey Corps' (Trainer class))

Ginga-dan (Galaxy Expedition Team): Shares it's name with the modern Team Galaxy in Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, and Italian.

Kamado or Denboku: His original home region is unknown and he bears Galarian armor that looks strikingly similar to Kalosian Wikstrom. Denboku is from raidenboku, an alternate reading of the Japanese rowan, nanakamado, which is Rowan's Japanese name. Kamado also comes from nanakamado.

Shimaboshi (Cyllene): She is originally from Hoenn, but Hoenn is also Japanese so that means nothing for her name.

Perilla (Zisu) Keibi-tai (Security Corps)

Kine (Pesselle) Iryō-tai (Medical Corps)

Tao Hua: Same in English and Japanese Seizō-tai (Supply Corps)

Sazanka (Sanqua) Kenchiku-tai (Construction Corps)

Nabana (Colza): His original region is apparently unknown, but Japanese is still a safe bet. Also most other localizations stem from Nabana rather than Colza. Hatasaku-tai (Agriculture Corps)

Haku (Rye) Hatasaku-tai (Agriculture Corps)

Mube (Beni): His home region is apparently unknown, but Japanese is a safe bet. Imozuru-tei (The Wallflower): [directly from Bulbapedia] From imozuru (vines of Japanese mountain yam or sweet potato), Mitsuru (Wally), and tei (common suffix in restaurant names)

Taisai (Choy)

Sharon (Anthe): Oddly, Sharon is her Japanese name.

Kongō-dan (Diamond Clan)

Seki (Adaman) Osa (Clan Leader)

Yone (Mai) Captain (Warden)

Hinatsu (Arezu) Captain (Warden)

Susuki (Iscan) Captain (Warden)

Tsubaki (Melli) Captain (Warden)

Wasabi (Sabi) Captain (Warden)

Shinju-dan (Pearl Clan)

Kai (Irida) Osa (Clan Leader)

Kikui (Lian) Captain (Warden)

Yūgao (Calaba) Captain (Warden)

Garana (Palina) Captain (Warden)

Hamarenge (Gaeric) Captain (Warden)

Shō-Chiku-Ba (Miss Fortunes)

Omatsu (Charm) Yatō (Bandit)

Otake (Clover) Yatō (Bandit)

Oume (Coin) Yatō (Bandit)

Ichō Shōkai (Ginkgo Guild)

Ginnan (Ginter)

Tsuiri (Tuli)

Volo: Same in English and Japanese Pokemon Tsukai (Pokemon Wielder)

Cogito (Cogita): She is a whole ass mystery, but Cogita (her name in English and German) is just a (non-existent) feminine form of Cogito, her Japanese name, which comes from Latin and basically means "I think", as in Decaretes' "cogito, ergo sum" or "I think, therefore I am". French and Chinese use the respective language's variation of the phrase as a base for her name, while Spanish and Italian use Greek words, for "wisdom" and "intelligence" respectively.

Professor Laventon: He's Galarian, so his name is English.

Unova: English The only ones I'm doing here are ones that AREN'T necessarily the English version.

Clay or Yakon: I've heard Clay may play on Japanese businessman tropes, and he has an ancestor in Hisui, so his name could be either of these.

Lacey or Taro: As Clay's daughter, her situation is the same as his.

Cyrano or Mirtilo: English and Spanish names respectively. Lives in Unova, but as Clavel's classmate could be from Paldea maybe? Saffron or Milo: As above

Kalos: French

Kalem (Calem)

Serena: Same in English and French

Sannah (Shauna)

Trevor: Same in English and French

Tierno: Same in English and French

Violette (Viola)

Lino (Grant)

Cornélia (Korrina) Héritière (Successor)

Amaro (Ramos)

Lem (Clemont)

Mache (Valerie): Mache is actually originally from Johto, hence her Japanese name.

Astera (Olympia)

Urup (Wulfric): Given he likely has a Hisuian ancestor, it wouldn't be unlikely for his name to be Japanese. Luckily, his Japanese and French names are the same!

Malva: Same in English and French

Narcisse (Siebold)

Wikstrom or Thyméo: Since we know his armor is likely Galarian his English name isn't out of place, but his French name is Thyméo.

Dracéna (Drasna)

Dianthéa (Diantha) Grande-Duchesse (Grand Duchess)

Aurore (Morgan)

Méridia (Dana)

Vesper (Evelyn)

Nix (Nita)

Millie (Emma) Elili (Essentia) Femme Louche (Suspicious Woman) Enfant Louche (Suspicious Child) Jeune Femme Louche (Suspicious Lady)

Gribouille (Mimi): Millie's Espurr friend

Team Flare: Apparently the same in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

Lysandre: Same in English and French

Ancolie (Aliana)

Brasénie (Bryony)

Cyane (Celosia)

Myosotis (Mable)

Xanthin (Xerosic)

Professeur Platane (Professor Sycamore): Somewhat surprisingly, his Japanese and French names are the same, though they do both originate from the French word platane.

Alola: English Hawaii is an American state, and there isn't a Native Hawaiian translation of the games, so English is the default language here. But Hawaii does have ties to the East, so I will use some of the Japanese names if they make more sense to me. Most are just slight spelling changes anyhow.

Yo (Elio): Moved from Kanto to Alola, so Japanese name.

Mizuki (Selene): Moved from Kanto to Alola, so Japanese name.

Ma'o (Mallow): Technically her Japanese name is just Mao, but ma'o is the Hawaiian word for Hawaiian cotton and I feel spelling it that way feels better.

Sophocles or Māmane: Both names after the same plant, the Sophora chrysophylla, it's common and local Hawaiian name being māmane.

Hapu'u (Hapu): Hapu'u is her name in Japanese and comes from hāpuʻu, the Hawaaian tree fern.

Molayne or Mullein: Molayne is just a different spelling tbh and I kinda think it looks better.

Skipping Galar; there aren't really a lot of clear foreigners besides Kabu whose name is the same.

Paldea: Spanish and Portuguese I look at both languages because Paldea is based on the Iberian Peninsula and not just Spain. However, with Portuguese, I'm having to look at Brazilian Portuguese, which is not quite the same as European Portuguese, because that's almost all that's on Bulbapedia. I generally choose whether to use Spanish or Portuguese based on if said name is also the same as the English and/or Japanese name. Or default if only one is available. Also uhh my order might be a bit weird here because I didn't get to actually play these games. I kinda assumed you go through the teachers before Gym Leaders, so...yeah. I can re-order it later if that's wrong or confusing.

Florian: From an unknown region, but the same in English, German, Spanish, French, and Italian.

Juliana: From an unknown region, but the same in English, German, Spanish, French, and Italian.

Nemo(?): She is noted to not be from Paldea but her home isn't specified so it could be anything. Nemona is her name in English and E. Portuguese, Nemo in Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Thai, Noêmia in B. Portuguese, Nemila in German, Nemola in Indonesian, and Nemi in Italian. The odd ones out are Mencía in Spanish and Menzi in French.

Arven: Same in English and B. Portuguese

Academia Naranja (Naranja Academy)

Academia Uva (Uva Academy)

Miriam: Same in English and B. Portuguese

Saguaro: Same in English, Japanese, and B. Portuguese (as well as German and French)

Dendra: Same in English and B. Portuguese

Cloe or Mora (Raifort): Cloe is her name in Spanish, and Mora is her name in French, which I only include because her English/Japanese name Raifort is from the French word for horseradish apparently, so maybe she's Kalosian.

Silvio (Salvatore)

Mila (Tyme)

Jacques (Jacq): The B. Portuguese name as it's closer to his English name. His Spanish name is Cinio, which is Spanish for his Japanese name, Zinnia, which could be confusing considering Higana.

Clavel: Same in Japanese, Spanish, German, French, and Italian. English and B. Portuguese just adds another L. Clive: Same in English and B. Portuguese Director Escolar (Director)

Catarina (Katy): Her B. Portuguese name, which is closer to her name in English (Katy) and Japanese (Kaede).

Brais or Brás (Brassius): His Spanish and B. Portuguese names respectively, as both are very close to his English name.

Kissera (Iono): Her B. Portuguese name, comes from "O que será?" apparently meaning "what will it be?", which is closer to the intent behind her name in Japanese (Nanjyamo, name given to an unusually large tree that grows in a particular place; literally meaning "What is it?") and English (Iono, as in "I don't know") than her Spanish name, e-Nigma. Which makes me think of the Riddler.

Fuco (Kufo)

Laureano or Lauro (Larry): His Spanish and B. Portuguese names respectively. Larry could be a nickname for either though.

Lima or Citrina (Ryme): Her Spanish and B. Portuguese names respectively. Lima has the same puns on lime and rhyme that English and Japanese does, but tbh makes me think more of lima beans. Citrina is from citrino (citrus).

Tuli or Tulipa (Tulip): Her Spanish and B. Portuguese names respectively.

Grusha: Actually may be from an unrevealed Russian region as his name is Russian. It's also the same in most languages.

Cayena or Kaya (Rika): Her Spanish and B. Portuguese names respectively. Both come from cayenne, which isn't in her Japanese or English names. Her Japanese name is Chili, and Rika comes from paprika.

Poppy: Her name in English, Japanese, and B. Portuguese as well as German and Indonesian.

Hassel?: From and unknown region so could literally be anything, and all his names are very different.

Ságita or Guita (Geeta): Her Spanish and B. Portuguese names respectively. Supercampeona (Top Champion)

Team Star: Same in English and Spanish as well as German, French, and Italian

Penny: Actually from Galar, so her English name. Cassiopeia or Casiopea: English and Spanish forms respectively, referencing the constellation.

Giacomo: Same in English and B. Portuguese DJ Vil (DJ Vice)

Melo or Mélia (Mela): Spanish and B. Portuguese respectively.

Henzo (Atticus): Spanish name. Not like English or Japanese name, but his whole ninja theming makes Henzo fit better than the B. Portuguese Érico.

Ortega: Same in English and B. Portuguese, similar to Japanese, French, and Korean Ortiga.

Erin or Êri (Eri): Spanish and B. Portuguese respectively.

Profesor Sada: Same in English and EUROPEAN Portuguese, listed for once.

Profesor Turo: Same in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Kitakami: Japanese Not a region itself I don't think, but it's not connected to a specific region I don't think, so.

Zeiyu (Carmine)

Suguri (Kieran) Sugu (Kiki)

Sazare (Perrin): Actually from Sinnoh, but this is where you meet her so here she is. Shashinka (Photographer)

What do you think? Did I forget anyone important?

Okay this took way too long for something probably no one will see okaybaiiiiii

[luminasgarden]

It’s time to start moving along some of the eyes I’ve acquired during my quest for the Perfect Pair (which I’m still working on. Ye gods, I hope it’s almost over. 😩) I’m in the UK, but will happily ship internationally. PM me for a shipping quote. Unless noted, eyes will ship in their original packaging, inside a small reused bubble envelope by 2nd class large letter (for the UK included shipping.) I am more than happy to ship by whatever method you would like if the costs are covered, however. If you want any additional information/photos, please ask.

Pair #1: 14/8mm Aliexpress resin eyes, £14, inclusive of shipping within the UK. Very striking and colourful eyes but they turned out to have too much yellow in them for me. I was expecting them to be entirely green. They are flat-backed with low domes. They will ship in original packaging (a clear plastic case).

Pair #2: 16mm Angell Studio glass eyes (“aqua iris”, the fullset eyes for Osmanthus wine), £18, inclusive of shipping within the UK. They don’t have a distinct pupil, but instead have a pool of dark gold glitter at the center with further touches of gold leaf above a finely veined green iris. The dark edge around the outside of the iris is also golden. Sold out on the company website(s). No stem, medium dome. They will ship in their original packaging (a baggie with inventory # label.)

Pair #3: 16mm Ashuradarkeyes resin eyes, £15, inclusive of shipping within the UK. The iris is made of glow-in-the-dark material. Unique “handle” back, low dome. They will not ship in their original packaging (a small cube-shaped cardboard box) unless buyer pays the difference in postage, but will come with makers’ certificate.

Pair #4: 16mm CandyWorld resin eyes, £15, inclusive of shipping within the UK. The green parts of the iris are glow-in-the-dark. Flat-backed, low dome. They will not ship in their original packaging (a small clear plastic jar) unless buyer pays the difference in postage.

Pair #5: 18mm ACBJD glass eyes, £5, inclusive of shipping within the UK. One of these has some small bubbles in the dome. Stems, high domes. They will ship in their original packaging (a baggie with inventory # label.)

Pair #6: 18mm ACBJD glass eyes, £8, inclusive of shipping within the UK. Stems, high domes. They will ship in their original packaging (a baggie with inventory # label.)

[komododad1]

Black Sun Vignettes - Address on the South African Crisis

On December 26th, 1962, President of the United States Jacob Olson made a televised address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House on the escalating crisis in South Africa.

The following is a transcript of that address, courtesy of the Jacob C. Olson Presidential Library in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

An image of The Seal of the President of the United States comes into focus on the screen

“And now an address by the President of the United States, speaking live from Washington.”

The seal remains on the screen for several moments, before fading away to reveal President Jacob Olson, seated at his desk in the Oval Office of the White House. He begins to speak.

Good evening my fellow citizens and comrades. For the past three years, this government – alongside our allies in the International Treaty Organization – have maintained military forces on the soil of the Union of South Africa. These forces were deployed at the request of the internationally recognized government of South Africa, with the expressed purpose of maintaining peace, and to enable the government of South Africa to find a solution to end the violent crisis that had been ongoing within its borders, and to transition to a new political settlement that would be acceptable to a plurality of its peoples.

The actions that have been taken by the government of South Africa to preserve and strengthen peace in that country, were undertaken in good faith and with honest and noble intentions. Unfortunately, in recent days, it has become blatantly obvious to the world what we in this government have believed to be the case for some time: that the blatantly fascist leadership of the so-called “Independent State of South Africa” have in no way been engaging in good faith with their government interlocutors and have possessed only ill-intent.

48 hours ago, on Christmas Eve – a day intended for peace, love, and friendship for those of the Christian faith throughout the world, these fascist paramilitary forces in South launched a full-scale offensive out of the territory that they have illegally occupied in the northeast of the country. Our intelligence suggests that the intent behind this offensive is simple: these fascists seek to expand their illegal control over more territory and people, and to destroy the ability of the South African government and its allies to threaten their political power. Their goals are conquest and destruction, plain and simple.

The leaders of these fascist rebels have belatedly offered excuses for these offensive actions, claiming provocation by South Africa and even by this government that forced them to act in what they claim is self-defense. These claims are made with no reliable evidence and are intended simply to act as a fig leaf to enable the so-called “Independent State’s” supporters overseas to continue said support. These actions are unjustified, unprovoked, and abhorrent.

These fascists have not only engaged in illegal violence against South Africa and her citizens, but against those of foreign governments and their people. As part of its offensive, fascist forces have even launched a brazen invasion of the neighboring Protectorate of Bechuanaland, a land that has in no way engage in offensive action against any party to the current conflict. Again, there is no legitimate justification for these acts, regardless of whatever excuses or accusations are made by these aggressors after the fact. This invasion has been launched simply because the so-called “Independent State” covets a route to their fascist supporters in German-controlled Southwest Africa, to enable them to continue their aggression.

Through these hostile acts, this fascist gang has made clear that the only outcome that they will accept in South Africa, is one in which they will be allowed to act with impunity to enforce a system of absolute totalitarianism and racial superiority on the territory which they control. They have made it clear that there are more than willing to both pursue their goals of fascist tyranny and to expand the territory under its control by armed force and have been preparing to do so for some time – all while falsely claiming to be engaged in earnest and open negotiations with other parties to put an end to the current crisis in peaceful manner.

This violence not only was premeditated but has been aided and abetted by outside parties to the crisis. The forces of the so-called “Independent State” have been armed, equipped, trained, and otherwise supported by Nazi Germany and its partners and minions within the Axis Powers. We have intelligence to suggest that German citizens – alongside other citizens of the Axis Powers – are currently serving as “volunteers” in fascist paramilitary forces that are engaged in illegal warfare in South Africa as I speak. The Axis Powers have undertaken these hostiles acts with the intent of furthering their own interests and tightening their oppressive control over the African continent and her people, at the cost of the lives and liberty of South Africans of all races and backgrounds.

Much like the so-called “Independent State,” Nazi Germany has concealed these activities and falsely claimed to be seeking a road to peace and understanding, all while helping to prepare a path to death and destruction spearheaded by their partners in crime. Germany’s actions in South Africa are the latest in a long, predictable pattern of misdirection, lies, interference, and a host of other hostile acts short of war. Not content with its domination of the European continent and most of Africa, the fascist overlords of Europe covet control over all territories that they do not already subjugate or manipulate. They seek this, because their fascist ideology cannot allow them to be content with what they already possess. They must seek constant war and conflict with those they brand as their enemies and the “other” in order to justify the oppressive measures and machinery of death that keep a select few in control of the mechanisms of power and wealth and to maintain that system.

Almost more importantly, Nazi Germany and its cohorts seek to extent their control and influence further, because – quite simply – they are afraid. They are afraid of any government or people that they do not control, because as long as corners of the Earth exist that are not under the bottom of the fascist boot, the fascist is vulnerable. As long as there are people who are living free, demonstrating the weakness and contradictions of the fascist system, there will be others who will seek to make themselves free. As along as there are those who seek true freedom, and are willing to fight for it, the fascist may never sleep soundly.

This is why Germany’s minions now wage war in South Africa, with their blessing and support. This is why Germany and Italy have supported efforts to spread their fascist ideology wherever it has not already taken hold – including in our own hemisphere. This is why they engage in destabilizing provocations to intimidate the free world and to allow them to act with impunity, as we saw very recently with the abortive deployment of German ballistic missiles to the Dominican Republic. Now, with their pride and stature wounded following that misadventure, they seek to gain ground on a new front in order to protect their façade of strength and power.

It is the avowed policy of this government not to seek out conflict directly. As a veteran of two foreign wars against fascism, I know from personal experience that war is never something to be taken lightly. However, to act in defense of yourself – and others – is an entirely different matter. In that case, it is not only justified to fight back, but is ethically and morally necessary if we are to stay true to our values of promoting the democratic rights of all peoples, everywhere.

We have also seen, that when confronted with the expansionary nature of fascism, the only way to meet strength is with strength. This past October, we navigated one of the most dangerous moments not just in the history of this nation, but of the world. The imperialist ideology and ego of Nazi Germany very nearly drove the planet into a global thermonuclear war. It was only through a demonstration of strength – in all respects – combined with restraint, determination, and will, that we were able to navigate that crisis to a peaceful conclusion. It was only by exposing the falsehoods of Nazi claims and demonstrating that we would accept no further lies and bullying that we were able to force them to back down.

We in the free world now face a new, different, but similar challenge in South Africa. As already stated, becoming party to a military conflict – especially one so far away from our shores – is never a decision that should be made hastily. However, while we know for a fact that the people of South Africa will – and as a matter of fact, already are – fight for their freedom in the face of fascism, if left to fight alone against the might of an enemy that enjoys the full backing of the Axis Powers and the fascist world, it is a fight they cannot hope to win on their own. All of these facts and realities have been taken into careful consideration as this government has deliberated on the appropriate course of action in regard to the South African Crisis.

Acting, therefore, in the defense of our own security and of the entire free world, and under the authority entrusted to me by the Constitution as endorsed by the resolution of the Congress, I have directed that the following initial steps be taken immediately: 

First: Effective immediately, all U.S. military forces currently deployed to the Union of South Africa, are to consider any and all forces fighting under the flag of the so-called “Independent State of South Africa” to be a hostile armed force and to treated as such under the laws of armed conflict.

Second: I have directed our senior military commander in South Africa, in consultation with the South African military and the military forces of our ITO allies also deployed to South Africa, to begin immediate military operations with the forces currently at their disposal to halt the further advance of fascist paramilitary forces and to protect civilian lives and livelihoods.

Third: I am reinforcing our military contingent in South Africa with additional forces. If necessary, this contingent will be further reinforced with additional forces at a future date to facilitate the successful completion of the orders I am now issuing to them.

Fourth: Under the Charter of the International Treaty Organization, we are calling for an immediate meeting of the International Council to consider this new threat to world peace and to coordinate our support of South Africa’s resistance against fascist aggression with our allies.

Fifth: I am directing our military forces – again, in close consultation with our ITO allies and with the government and military forces of South Africa – to begin immediate planning for a military counter-offensive in South Africa against the forces of the so-called “Independent State.” The objectives of this counter-offensive will be twofold: first, it will seek to retake territory and free populations that have been illegally occupied and subjugated by the so-called ��Independent State”; second, it will aim to eliminate the so-called “Independent State” and any forces fighting under its flag as a threat to peace and security in the entirety of Southern African. This mission will be accomplished by whatever means we judge necessary and prudent.

Sixth: I call upon the so-called “Independent State of South Africa” to cease its armed aggression, and to order all forces fighting under its banner to lay down their arms and surrender to the military forces of the government of South Africa and the ITO – effective immediately. From this point on, this government and its allies will accept no further offers of negotiation or parlay that do not directly result in this outcome. We will accept no more false offers of bargaining in good faith. We will accept nothing short of unconditional surrender by the so-called “Independent State,” and an end to illegal armed rebellion by fascist forces in South Africa.

Seventh – and finally: I call upon the government of the Greater Germanic Reich and all signatories of the Tripartite Pact to both A.) cease their political and military support of illegal armed rebellion by fascist paramilitary forces in South Africa; and B.) to refrain from any direct military intervention in the ongoing crisis, which may result in an escalation of the conflict – both within and outside South Africa’s borders.

I now wish to state to you, that which I have already stated clearly and plainly to the diplomatic representatives of Nazi Germany and the other member states of the Axis Powers shortly before this broadcast: the United States of America does not seek military conflict with their governments. The goal of the steps I have just laid out, are to assist the internationally recognized government of South Africa in putting down an illegal armed rebellion that seeks to subvert legal authority and to establish a rogue state with a political system that does not represent the popular will of the South African people. In no way does this necessitate or require military action be taken by the United States against any of the Axis Powers.

With that said, I have also made it clear to the German government and the governments of the Axis powers that we will not accept any direct intervention by the military forces of any Axis member state in the present conflict. South Africa is fighting an internal rebellion, and we are assisting them with the expressed consent of the recognized government of that country. There is no purpose under which Axis military forces may legitimately be present in South Africa under these conditions. Any unauthorized incursion into South African territory or attack on South African and allied forces present there will be considered an attack on the United States and will be responded to as such. This is not intended as a threat, but as a simple statement of the policy of this government.

I recognize that some Americans may raise doubts about the motivations behind or stated reasons for this intervention. In particular, some citizens may question whether the political system in South Africa truly reflects the values that we and our ITO allies claim to hold and promote in terms of democracy, civil rights, economic and social justice, and more. These are sensible questions to raise. We would be doing the American people a disservice if we did not recognize that South Africa – much like our own nation – has a difficult past of imperialism, racial discrimination, social inequality, and a myriad of other painful and shameful issues.

However, in recent years – under the current administration – South Africa has taken significant steps in reforming its political structure and expanding rights and freedoms to all of its citizens. This progress has come haltingly, and is yet incomplete, but has continued – even in the face of past fascist attempts at undermining or sabotaging reform, and now in the face of armed fascist aggression. Much as we have struggled with these issues in our own nation and continue to contend with them, South Africa marches onward in healing the wounds of its past and crafting a better future for all people who reside within its borders – regardless of their racial or religious background. If that effort at self-improvement is not worth defending, then we would be best served at laying down our own arms at home and abroad and submitting to the fascist efforts to expand their totalitarian system throughout the entirety of the globe, until there was no corner of the planet hat was not shrouded in their darkness.

The year 1962 has not been an easy one. It has been a year fraught with peril and danger for all people everywhere. But by standing by our ethical and moral convictions with the strength of our will and character, we and our allies and comrades around the globe have navigated these dangers with grace and dexterity. We have proven to those who would seek to dominate us, that we will not simply fall to our knees and prostrate ourselves before them in fear.

As the year 1963 fast approaches, we enter it knowing that we have demonstrated that the free people of the world stand shoulder to shoulder, hand-in-hand, in defense of one another and their right to live freely and in peace. We will mark 1963 as the year in which fascist expansionism was met with the equal but opposite force of international solidarity among those who do not consider democracy to be “weakness”; who value the rights of the individual without forsaking the common welfare; who mobilize their fellow citizens not simply to engage in campaigns of oppression at home and abroad, but to improve their societies.

It is for these reasons that we choose to go to South Africa and stand alongside our allies. Our goal is not victory simply for victory’s sake; not for glory or self-aggrandizement, let alone empire and wealth. We do so, because it is the right thing to do; because it is in keeping with our democratic values, those which South Africans wish to adopt for themselves. We will not leave South Africa, until its people are able to do just that, freely, safely, and independently.

Thank you, and good night.

[artificial-condition]

Um, for the ask game- 9, 23, 36, 52 (if you want).

Sorry this is so late!! Yesterday was a long day haha thanks for the ask!!

9. What is your favorite tea?

Oh man I love tea. Black tea is my favorite, within that I have many favorites. At home I love chai with milk and sugar, I just got a loose leaf chai for the first time and oh my god it’s so good

When im out i love to get boba tea. Thai tea is one of my favorites, I love it with a milk cap, but any black milk tea I usually adore!

23. Park or forest?

Another hard one as I love both. Im more of a paved path gal than a hiking one but I also love being surrounded by trees so hm. I guess I’ll have to go with park but the really big kind with paths through the woods

Here’s a picture I took last week at a park in my area, I took my dogs for a long walk in the cold

36. What place do you want to visit?

Everywhere! A couple places I would like to go are Maine, California, and Chicago. Also anywhere with a warm beach right now. Maine seems so beautiful, I would love to go in the summer and see the forests. California has the Monterey Bay Aquarium as well as more beautiful nature and I’ve been wanting to visit for a long time. Chicago is closer to where I live and I’ll be visiting in March! Super excited to see what the city has to offer :)

Internationally there’s so many places I’d like to visit it’s almost impossible to narrow it down. I’ve been thinking about New Zealand lately because it’s summer there right now so I’d love to plan a trip and visit when it’s warm

52. Favorite artist?

Off the top of my head I’d say Monet!! His paintings are gorgeous. I also love Van Gogh

Im guessing this means visual artist haha not music artist

Thanks again for the ask!!

[dayablogs01]

BLACK CLOVER BEST ANIME

INTRODUCTION

Black clover is the most famous anime in the world and it is created by yuki tabata.The story follows a young orphan boy named Asta, who was born without magic in a world where magic is everything. Despite this, Asta aspires to become the Wizard King, the most powerful magic user in the country. He is joined by his best friend, Yuno, who is a talented magic user, and together they embark on a journey to become the greatest magic knights in the kingdom. The series is known for its fast-paced action, unique magic system, and engaging characters. CHECK OUT OUR HOMEPAGE…LEADLEAVE

Overview

Overview of the Manga Black Clover is a manga series written and illustrated by Yuki Tabata. The story takes place in a world where magic is everything, and everyone has the ability to use it except for the protagonist, Asta, who was born without magic. Despite this, Asta aspires to become the Wizard King, the most powerful mage in the country.

Asta was raised alongside his fellow orphan, Yuno, who is a natural-born genius and possesses immense magical power. The two boys have a friendly rivalry and compete to become the strongest mage in the kingdom.

The story follows Asta and Yuno as they join the Magic Knights, an organization of mages who protect the kingdom from evil. They encounter many challenges and obstacles as they rise through the ranks and face off against powerful opponents, including demons and other magic users.

Black Clover is known for its fast-paced action, unique magic system, and engaging characters. This series shows the true meaning of friendship and loyalty and also shows that you should never give up on your dreams, no matter what. It has been adapted into an anime series and has gained a large following both in Japan and internationally.

 Main Character

1 ASTA

Asta, the main protagonist of Black Clover, is a young orphan boy who was born without any magical powers in a world where magic is everything. Despite being unable to use magic, Asta has a strong will and determination to become the Wizard King, the most powerful mage in the kingdom.

2. Powers:

To compensate for his lack of magical ability, Asta has trained his physical strength and agility to the maximum level, allowing him to use swords as his primary weapon. He also possesses a rare and mysterious five-leaf clover grimoire, which grants him the power of anti-magic and the ability to nullify and negate magic spells.

3. Personality: 

Asta's personality is characterized by his energetic and optimistic nature, his strong sense of justice, and his unwavering determination to achieve his goals. He has a never-give-up attitude and refuses to let his lack of magic hold him back. Asta also values his friendships and is always willing to help his friends, even if it means putting himself in danger.

Overall, Asta's unique blend of physical strength, anti-magic powers.

Conclusion

Black Clover is the most a thrilling manga and anime series that shows the journey of Asta and his friends as they explore the world filled with magic and some mysterious danger. The series is known for its fast-paced action, unique magic system, and such powerful characters.

Asta, the main character of the series, is a young orphan boy who was born without any magical powers. Despite this, he is determined to become the Wizard King, and with his physical strength and anti-magic powers, he rises through the ranks of the Magic Knights to achieve his goal.

The series explores themes of friendship, perseverance, and never giving up on one's dreams. It has gained a large following both in Japan and internationally, and its popularity continues to grow. Black Clover is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys action-packed stories with well-developed characters and a unique twist on the traditional magic genre.

Visit our partner website globalhunk.com: best university

[mxstball]

🥢 - What does your muses diet consist of?

Character Development Questions For Trainers

--

For religious reasons, Zinnia's a vegetarian. For the most part, she eats fruits and vegetables as well as wheat and other non-meat products like eggs; however, she also does consume dairy products. In fact, one of the traditional desserts are what she calls "Draconid pastries" which originally used Noivern milk to create a fluffy yet crumbly cake; however, modern-day Draconid pastries use either Miltank Milk or Gogoat Milk thanks to Internationalization. If there is meat in the village, Draconids typically give it to their Pokémon.

Leaf, on the other hand, eats basically anything on her plate. Fish, meat, rice... as long as it's edible, it's going down the gullet. Granted, part of her anything goes diet comes from a childhood of never knowing when her first meal is coming from but still.

Though, she LOVES ramen. She'd eat non-stop ramen if Professor Oak didn't stop her from doing that.