#Apollo Global Management

[alltrekvarnews]

Las Acciones de Paramount suben tras el informe de que la firma de Capital Privado Apollo está Considerando una Oferta para National Amusements .

[questlation]

Pegasus Merger Co. Announces Extension of Tender Offers

Pegasus Merger Co. Announces Extension of Tender Offers

NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pegasus Merger Co. (the “Company”), an affiliate of certain investment funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc., announced today that it has amended the terms of the Company’s previously announced cash tender offers (together, the “Tender Offer”) and consent solicitations (together, the “Consent Solicitation”) to purchase any and all…

[unopenablebox]

all sorts of things are difficult in life but at least while im doing my labwork i can listen to a ten-year-old podcast about the crusades by an astonishingly bored-sounding australian woman

[entertainmentusanewstoday]

Carvana shares tank as bankruptcy concerns grow for used car retailer

Carvana shares tank as bankruptcy concerns grow for used car retailer

Shares of Carvana plummeted by more than 40% during trading Wednesday after the embattled online used car retailer’s largest creditors signed a deal binding them to act together in negotiations with the company. The pact, as first reported by Bloomberg, includes creditors such as Apollo Global Management and Pacific Investment Management that hold around $4 billion of Carvana’s unsecured debt, or…

[goliath-de-senfina-sango]

Danny Phantom and the Riordanverse

I have some thoughts about a Shared World kind of crossover between Danny Phantom and Percy Jackson & the Olympians. I haven’t done a full rewatch of DP in ages, nor have a read outside the core 5 PJO books, the HOO books, the Kane Chronicles, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, and about 2 and a half of the Trials of Apollo books, also been a while. Apologies for any inaccuracies but hey, fanon.

A Glitch In Time canonizes that the Infinite Realms and Material World were once one and the same, but a global war - waged by people who were naturally half ghost the way Danny and Vlad are - split the world in 2. All things regarding Pariah Dark, I’d say he was one of the major powers in this war.

Realms can range from a 10x10x10 room to entire islands with their own celestial bodies like Dora’s kingdom and its sun. Technically we don’t know if the Far Frozen even has an End Point. Doors can lead to alternate timelines; Desiree, Ghost Writer and Clockwork are all able to warp reality, time included, and the Observant Council perceive time in at least 2 dimensions.

In the Riordanverse it is revealed in the few books of the Trials of Apollo that I read and remember that mortal belief from even a relatively small cult can elevate a mortal man to immortal status a la monsters and Gods. Apollo even muses about the way the Gods don’t want to acknowledge how dependent on mortals remembering them they are.

All of this considered, if you want DP to exist in the Riodanverse and even keep the lore of both, then the Realms/Planes/Worlds of the Gods - of Hellas, Kemet, the Æsir and Vanir, the Heavenly Beauracracy, etcetera - are Realms connected to the Spirit World but managed to remain intersected with the Material World through the efforts of the Gods and the memories of Mortals.

The Duat could even be a layer of the Infinite Realms, frankly.

Danny states that his accident was a month ago as of Episode 1, Mystery Meat, which is set April 3rd, 2004. Based on the few concrete date indicators we get in Danny Phantom, the series takes place over 3 years. 4 if you count Claw of the Wild, but that means the trio stays Tiny all the way into Senior Year lol.

Prisoners of Love begins on May 18th, Fright Knight is a Halloween episode, and in Lucky in Love, they’re at a waterpark, which only open in May at the earliest. The Fright Before Christmas is obviously set before and during Christmas and then Reality Trip is set at the beginning of Summer 2006.

In Urban Jungle, Tucker remarks that it’s 90 degrees outside, which means it’s either late May or early June since I do believe they Are in school at that point and iirc global warming hadn’t made it 90 in the midwest early in 2006. Claw of the Wild is an odd camping episode featuring Danny’s class, and I forget in episode details so if this was during school time it had to be during the spring since, again, they live relatively close to the Great Lakes, so it’s gotta be during a naturally warm time. A Glitch In Time, therefore, is set in late spring or early summer of 2008.

Percy Jackson is 12 at the beginning of The Lightning Thief & 13 at the end Iirc since his birthday is August 12th. Either way, this is in 2005. Sea of Monsters and Titan’s Curse are both set during 2006; Battle of the Labyrinth is in 2007, and iirc The Last Olympian is set next year during 2008 and Percy is 16.

Thereby when the Heroes of Olympus books begin in 2008-2009, Danny is 18 and either a senior or highschool graduate. This is a hilarious point in time for Percy to meet Danny, actually, or any of our protagonist crew, if you want to maintain canon for both.

I know most people don’t, in fact, care to keep up DP canon nearly this rigidly, so some other fun thoughts.

In Reality Trip, Freakshow acquires the Reality Gauntlet, and begins the summer (as this begins on a last day of school event I’d say probably even on the Solstice) of 2006 with a reality warping bang. Once he gets the gems, Freakshow transforms the whole world into his circus, until Danny tricks him and gets the glove back, fixing reality to exactly how it was before the change, wiping his identity from the memories of everyone save Tuck, Sam, & Jazz, and then destroyed the Reality Gauntlet in a single shot.

This, I imagine, would grab the attention of The Gods. That’s if the Pariah Dark situation didn’t register to them, even. Considering Percy is 13 at the time and due to deal with the Sea of Monsters situation, the Kane siblings haven’t been recruited yet (I think) and Magnus is still just a homeless kid in Boston, I dunno if anyone from New Rome would be sent but the Gods of various pantheons may investigate directly or through minor gods/spirits.

The House of Life certainly wouldn’t approve of the Ghost Portals, Vlad, or possibly even Danny. Hell, Luke might actually be sent to recruit Danny or Vlad to the Titan’s cause now that I think about it.

With the fact that Danny, Vlad, and Dan were destroying other timelines while smashing into them from sheer speed through the Spirit World during A Glitch In Time, I’d say Danny is at least a 6D being (existing in at least 4 dimensions of space and 2 of time.) If that doesn’t count him as a God, idk what would. Also during Infinite Realms, Vlad and Danny time travel to both ancient Rome during an event in the colosseum and ancient China at a monetary. If these are the same universe as Danny’s, then he and Vlad should have a myth or two regarding one another, which would also put them on the watch list for Olympus and the Bureaucracy of Heaven.

But hey, what do you think? I’m open to talk about this and wanna hear other people’s thoughts and opinions.

[aliciavance4228]

One thing that I honestly do not understand about some of Hades' fans is the way they claim that they like him because he is a complex figure, yet at the same time they erase all the characteristics that make him complex in order to depict him as the nicest guy possible.

"Hades never had any bastards." Yes, this is absolutely true, yet at the same time nobody is wondering why ancient greeks depicted him as having sexual relationships only with Persephone, or why Leuce and Minthe were added only centuries later by the roman poets. In order to answer to this question we have to understand why other gods are depicted as womanizers in the first place. It's because in this way it was easy for you to pretend that your father is a god, and by extension to receive a certain attention or priviledges.

"Of course I'm great. Don't you know that my father is Zeus himself?"

"How do you know that?"

"He told me in a dream that he disguised himself as an ant and then entered my mother's vagina."

"But then why didn't Hera kill you already?"

"He forgot to tell me why."

Hades, on the other hand, was equally feared and hated by ancient greeks, which is why nobody wanted to claim that they are his offspring. Romans, on the other hand, weren't necessarily afraid nor repulsed by him, which is probably why they were more comfortable writing about him having a dead lover and a mistress on top of Persephone.

"Hades never punished mortals the way other gods do." Are you kidding me, right? When Asclepcius started to bring people back to life he complained to Zeus about how Apollo's son is openly mocking death and asked him to kill him, not to mention that in some versions of the myth the reason why Zeus decided to murder him was because Hades was going to unleash his wrath on Apollo himself or destroy Asclepius' entire city. When Pirithous and Theseus tried to kidnap Persephone he trapped them for years and let them be attacked by the Furies on a daily basis.

Now, people will tell me: "Yeah but both of them were violating his rules so he had all the right to do that." and I'm not contradicting you here. However, there's another myth where he inflicted Thebes with a deadly plague after a king refused to bury some dead warriors or something like that. It is emphasized the fact that many died, and "many" could mean anyone, no matter if they were innocent, quilty, children, elders etc. The only way they managed to appease him was by sacrificing two girls. Sure, he took pity of them in the end and turned them into comets, but was the death of hundreds of mortals so necessary? Why didn't he punish only the king instead of his people? And then his stans are really going to say that Demeter is a monster for causing a global famine, even though this was clearly a result of her grief for her daughter.

Furthermore, I would also like to point out the fact that the main reason why there are few myths where he's directly punishing a living mortal is because he knows that sooner or later everyone will become his subject. Sure, you may not be punished immediately for cursing his name or badmouthing him, but thirty years later when you will be dead quess who will throw you into Tartarus!

"Hades was the least problematic greek god." First of all, there aren't only fifteen deities in Greek Mythology, but hundreds of them. And I doubt that out of hundreds of deities he's the least problematic one. And secondly, even if you think only about the fifteen major gods you cannot say that he's the least problematic one when Hestia exists. I think people are focusing way too much on his qualities and moments where he proves himself to be generous and equitable, and forget the fact that he's literally the King of the Underworld. One of the reasons why there are few to no writings about him nowdays is because a) people were afraid even to write about him and b) we're not sure how many of the few writings about him survived and how many were lost. He might have done even more horrible things that we're not aware of. Also, we do not live in Ancient Greece among people who existed thousands of years ago and had a way more clear perception on their deities. They might had good reasons to fear him other than the ones that we already know.

I do not consider anything wrong in portraying him as having a secret soft side or emphasizing the fact that just because he was the god of the dead that doesn’t mean that he was "pure evil" or "the devil himself", because we're talking about a polytheistic religion where deities are allowed to have complex, multidimensional personalities instead of being only "good" or "bad". But that doesn’t mean that you have to automatically turn him into an innocent guy who never did anything wrong in his entire life and all he wants is to unconditionally love his pastel goth wife and play with his dog Spot.

[thoughtlessarse]

The Taiwanese company whose name appeared on the pagers that detonated across Lebanon has denied manufacturing the devices. That has put relatively unknown Hungarian and Bulgarian firms in the spotlight. A Hungarian firm, BAC Consulting, has been linked to the thousands of pagers that exploded in Lebanon on Tuesday, killing at least 12 people and leaving nearly 3,000 wounded. The name of the Budapest-based firm first cropped up in a statement by a Taiwanese manufacturer, Gold Apollo, whose label appeared on the devices. Gold Apollo said it did not manufacture the devices and that they were made by its Hungarian partner, BAC Consulting. "The product was not ours. It was only that it had our brand on it," Gold Apollo founder and president Hsu Ching-kuang told reporters at the company's offices in the northern Taiwanese city of New Taipei on Wednesday. "We may not be a large company, but we are a responsible one," he said. "This is very embarrassing." […] Meanwhile, Telex, a Hungarian media outlet, has reported that it was actually Norta Global, a company based in Bulgaria's capital Sofia, that supplied the pagers to Hezbollah. The Bulgarian company, owned by a Norwegian citizen, was reportedly behind the deal with Gold Apollo, although on paper it was BAC that signed the contract, Telex wrote. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that BAC was part of an Israeli front and that at least two other shell companies were created as well to obfuscate links to Israeli intelligence officers. […] A shell company? DW visited BAC's official address in Budapest but didn't meet or see any employee from the firm. Nobody responded to the doorbell. An A4 sheet of paper with BAC's name printed on it is the only proof of the company's existence. Residents of the house told DW that they don't know this company, and that they rarely see any correspondence sent to the address. According to data on CompanyWall business, which classifies and analyzes financial information and business information on firms, BAC Consulting posted a profit after tax of 18.3 million Hungarian forint (€46,400/$51,700) on revenue of 215 million Hungarian forint in 2023. The company posted a profit after tax of 5.8 million Hungarian forint in 2022. […] What do we know about the Bulgarian firm? Citing sources familiar with the case, Telex reported that BAC Consulting CEO Barsony-Arcidiacono was in contact with Norta Global. It said that it was the Bulgarian company, not BAC Consulting, that imported the pagers from Taiwan. Responding to the report, Bulgarian authorities said no customs operations related to the pagers had occurred in the country. They confirmed that they were investigating any potential involvement of Norta Global in the supply chain. Norta Global was established on April 14, 2022, around the same time BAC was registered with the Hungarian authorities. The company was registered with an initial paid-in capital of 200 Bulgarian levs (€102, $114). Norta Global claims to offer management consulting services but doesn't mention any manufacturing operation.

read complete article

[whispersinthedawn]

Fluttering fireflies 2

“You never said creature wrangling was part of your job description,” the minor god next to Triton announced.

A minor god that Apollo had somehow failed to notice until that very moment, but who Apollo couldn’t take his eyes off once he’d seen him.

The golden ichor beading at his lip, the hair pulled back in a small ponytail at the base of his neck, bare muscular chest liberally coated in black and blue monster blood, and a tail double the length of the god’s torso sparkling iridescently with scales the colour of the inside of an abalone shell – it was like the god was designed to attract attention. And since they were gods capable of shapeshifting, he might as well have been.

“It’s not part of my job description,” Triton announced like the pompous prince he was. “As my guard for this trip, however, it is yours.”

The minor god laughed in incredulity even as he grabbed the arm of a squid, impervious to the sharp suckers on the appendage, and tossed it away in a twist of muscles that made Apollo’s mouth dry out.

He surreptitiously parted his mouth and allowed some of the oceanwater in. Never mind the salt – he desperately needed some hydration, however deceptive.

“You sure are popular,” the unknown god remarked.

Triton brushed the conch shell hanging at his waist with mock humility. “Well, I am the prince of the seas. I carry messages of global importance that could pit the ocean at war if they were to fall into the wrong hands. People are always after me.”

The minor god ignored the blades of the seaweed furtively attempting to encircle him and placed a brave, brave hand on Triton’s shoulder. “You should get a bodyguard,” he advised. “Or a PR team that is better at making friends than you.”

If Apollo could, he would have held his breath. Had this god – minor, unimportant, with no backing but his own wits – not only dared to touch Triton, but also tease him in a manner reserved to family?

“At least I warrant a PR team,” Triton said sardonically, folding his arms. “You haven’t even figured out your own domain.”

The completely brazen god pouted. “But that’s what I have you for, isn’t it? To help me figure out what I’m good at!”

Triton rubbed one of the horns on his forehead in a gesture Apollo recognised from the mirror. That of a much-beleaguered sibling.

“You’re good at getting on people’s nerves,” Triton scolded.

“Now, now,” the new god said with arms raised in placation. “You have to admit. I am quite proficient at destruction as well.”

With only his words as warning, the god swung his tail at the weed and ripped all its blades off. Another swing of his tail, a vertical slash this time instead of the previous horizontal curve, and a rift opened up in the seabed.

An explosion of gases had Apollo looking away for a moment, but by the time he’d managed to create protective upper lids, bubbling lava had replaced the initial explosion.

Triton clapped his hands together. “I know what you can be god of! Sudden underwater volcanic eruptions!”

The other god placed his hands on his hips and raised his eyebrows sceptically. “Isn’t that Hephaestus?”

“You can share,” Triton assured.

They really couldn’t, Apollo knew. But it didn’t matter. The heart in Apollo’s chest that he kept around only for form’s sake had begun beating, keeping pulse with the swings of the other god’s tail.

Swings that swept the waters clear of anyone hoping to approach Triton.

Including Apollo.

But it didn’t matter. Because he’d already seen what he’d come there to.

When he resurfaced beside Artemis’s carriage, it was to find her eyeing him with deep approbation. “No,” she instructed firmly like he was a dog to be brought to heel.

“Yes,” Apollo insisted as he climbed inside the chariot, unrepentantly dripping all over the  fur rug.

“No.”

“You don’t even know what I’m planning,” Apollo protested.

“I don’t need to in order to recognise that look on your face.”

Apollo pouted.

Artemis pressed a hand to her forehead. “Please, just please, don’t make a stalker shrine this time. I am tired of making excuses for my idiot of a brother.”

***

Read more on Ao3

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[saintmeghanmarkle]

Paramount Global Owner Shari Redstone Calls Off Skydance Media Merger by u/Realistic_Twist_8212

Paramount Global Owner Shari Redstone Calls Off Skydance Media Merger No deal! Shari Redstone pulls plug on Skydance/Paramount Global merger - TVBEuropeSkydance/Paramount Global wants $2.5 billion. Now, in talks with Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management. $2.5 billion!!! No wonder H&M are clinging to their Paramount connections....Brian Robbins and wife, Tracy James. post link: https://ift.tt/9nR5q26 author: Realistic_Twist_8212 submitted: June 13, 2024 at 04:15AM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

[consanguinitatum]

Innnnnteresting......

My friend @TearsOf10th_ on Twitter found this interesting tidbit about a reboot of the 80s television show, Bergerac:

This is interesting indeed, since rumor on Twitter says DT was spotted in Paris over the last couple days. According to another article, "At the end of 2020, French TV production firm Banijay sealed its $2.2 billion acquisition of Endemol Shine from Disney and Apollo Global Management, which meant that the previous Bergerac project team was split up. Westward Studios, Banijay – and its company BlackLight – eventually decided to buy back the script from the owners of Paramount and start again, with the rights to develop the series being renewed last year." So the production company is French, Jersey is in the heavily Franco-British cultural landscape, and more than likely the production company's HQ is in Paris. Also, "Executive producers Phil Trethowan, Ben Bickerton and writer Toby Whithouse were recently able to visit Jersey for a familiarisation and scouting exercise that resulted in numerous changes being made to the initial draft script." Whithouse, as you all know, wrote Being Human (in which Turner starred.) And he's also done Doctor Who as well. This looks VERY promising indeed! Now let's all manifest David speaking French..... --- Here's the first ep of the original Bergerac (keep in mind this was made in the 1980s, so do be aware of how television has changed from then until now before watching it......you've been warned!)

[jordanandegypt]

Petra and other thoughts - part 1

September 18, 2024

Greetings from Cairo, Egypt.  We have had a busy day of travel and I’m trying to finish my write up about Petra before we have new experiences that will push it into to past.  So - here goes…

......

It is the early hours of Sept. 18 and I was just too tired to write about the amazing and massive site of Petra last night, BUT I wanted everyone to know we are just fine and safe.  We leave Jordan this AM and fly to Egypt.    Our Petra experiences follow but have taken a back seat to global issues.  We were so sad to hear the news coming out of Lebanon while we were experiencing Petra and all its glories.  From our brief trip here - we know things will not be made better for this event.  

Here is the latest from The NY Times: 

Israel carried out its operation against Hezbollah on Tuesday by hiding explosive material within a new batch of Taiwanese-made pagers imported into Lebanon, according to American and other officials briefed on the operation.

The pagers, which Hezbollah had ordered from Gold Apollo in Taiwan, had been tampered with before they reached Lebanon, according to some of the officials. Most were the company’s AP924 model, though three other Gold Apollo models were also included in the shipment.

The explosive material, as little as one to two ounces, was implanted next to the battery in each pager, two of the officials said. A switch was also embedded that could be triggered remotely to detonate the explosives.

At 3:30 p.m. in Lebanon, the pagers received a message that appeared as though it was coming from Hezbollah’s leadership, two of the officials said. Instead, the message activated the explosives. Lebanon’s health minister told state media at least nine people were killed and more than 2,800 injured.

SalamSeptember 17, 2024

Salam,

We have a huge day today but I’m up super early because Mark was right about the bed - it is like sleeping on a pile of bricks.  Now I have a tiny air mattress that can change a brick mattress into a manageable night sleep - but where is that magic little item?  In the closet in my house in Michigan.  DANG IT!!!  That takes up very little room and it will NOW be a required packing item. I am - and I’m not proud of this - like the princess and the pea.  I like my bed soft with no lumps with a top sheet, please.  (I bring a top sheet - FYI.)  I bring my own pillow too but that is because I like a down pillow and I have a tiny one that is perfect for me and rolls up to be very small.  Wah-wah!  How dare I complain about this clean bed in this clean room in this practically brand new, highly modern hotel?  I know I shouldn’t but here I am.  I’m not proud of this, either BTW.🥴

Moving on… While I expect to see remarkable things today, I want to take a few minutes to talk about things I have learned and viewpoints I have never considered.  Today, at age 72, when I think of the Middle East, I think of a conglomeration of countries that seemingly hate each other.  I think of hotheaded strongmen political leaders (Netanyahu, Bashar al-Assad, Mohammed bin Salman, Abd el-Fattah el-Sisi, Yahya Sinwar, also known as Abu Ibrahim, just to name a few) who have little or no interest in human life, human rights or in advancing the lives of their people. POWER & MONEY.  I also think of the people who live in this unjust frightening place and wonder why they can’t fix this -  but know I better understand.  

After meeting some Jordanians, I have a different perspective.  First - these damn borders.  

The borders of the Middle East were drawn during World War I by a Briton, Mark Sykes, and a Frenchman, Francois Picot.

The two diplomats' pencils divided the map of one of the most volatile regions in the world into states that cut through ethnic and religious communities.

Later dubbed the Sykes-Picot treaty, the secret agreement was signed by Paris and London on May 16, 1916, to become the basis on which the Levant region was shaped for years to come.

A century on, the Middle East continues to bear the consequences of the treaty, and many Arabs across the region continue to blame the subsequent violence in the Middle East, from the occupation of Palestine to the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), on the Sykes-Picot treaty.

I was struck by how “global” the lives of our Home Hosted dinner appeared to be.  Grandmother was born in Saudi Arabia to a Saudi father and an Egyptian mother and they had moved to Jordan when she was a teenager. Each of her children had married people from one country or another near Jordan.  Our trip leader Nad has an uncle somewhere in Michigan that lived in Palestine but emigrated in 1949 - when getting out was easier.  

Let’s put this into context for a minute.  Below is an overview of the Middle Eastern countries atop the US.    One can see that how easily it would be to move from Kentucky to Michigan (my family) or from Iowa and Minnesota (Mark’s family) for better employment.

Moving back and forth should be easy - but suddenly it is not.  It would be as if suddenly we needed a Visa to go to Ohio.  So people in the Middle East can no longer visit friends and family.  It also shocked me that our hostesses at our Home Hosted Dinner told us they had been trying to visit a sister who had lived in Texas for 30 years.  The grandmother, mother and the great grandmother applied for US Visas and the only person that was granted a Visa was Great-grandmother - who does not speak English and cannot travel alone.  No explanation as to why the denial - just NOPE!   It is pissing me off.

I will finish this rant and talk about Petra - the jewel in the crown of Jordan.  WOWZA!!

Most everyone is familiar with the slot canyon that leads you to the “Treasury” - thanks to Indiana Jones, but I don’t think people know how that is just the “welcome center” and there is much, much more to see.   The map below gives you an idea of the size and the white area is just sand while the beige area represents the solid sandstone cliffs that surround this city.

But first whose city is this and when was it constructed?  I will let Lonely Planet fill you in…

The spectacular sandstone city of Petra was built in the 3rd century BC by the Nabataeans, who carved palaces, temples, tombs, storerooms and stables from the soft stone cliffs. Today it is a World Heritage Site that needs little introduction; suffice to say, no visit to Jordan is complete without at least two days spent exploring the remarkable Ancient City. It is approached through the adjacent town of Wadi Musa, which is the accommodation and transport hub.

It was from Petra that the Nabataeans, a community of master builders whose skills included hydraulic engineering, iron production and copper refining, commanded the trade routes from Damascus to Arabia, profiting by the taxes paid on the caravans that passed through Nabataean territory. An earthquake in AD 555 is the most likely cause of the city's demise, but thankfully many of Petra's most impressive structures remain intact, making it a treasure trove of architectural surprises, hidden along hiking trails of various lengths and difficulties.

The Ancient City is approached through the 1.2km-long, high-walled Siq – a crack in the rock, torn apart by tectonic forces. Just as you start to think there’s no end to the Siq, you catch breathtaking glimpses ahead of the most impressive of Petra’s sights, the Treasury, known locally as Al Khazneh. Carved out of iron-laden sandstone to serve as a tomb, the Treasury gets its name from the misguided local belief that an Egyptian pharaoh hid his treasure in the top urn. The Greek-style pillars, alcoves and plinths are truly masterpieces of masonry work.

From the Treasury, the way broadens into the Outer Siq, riddled by more than 40 tombs known collectively as the Street of Facades. Just before you reach the weather-worn 7000-seat Theatre, notice a set of steps on the left. These ascend to the High Place of Sacrifice, a hilltop altar, an easy but steep 45-minute climb. Descend on the other side of the mountain via the Garden Tomb, Roman Soldier’s Tomb and Garden Triclinium and follow your nose back to the Street of Facades, not far after the Theatre.

Time for some pics…. This is heading into the site…

Finally, the gorge…. 

Well protected..

Traveling buddy Phil had the music at the ready as we walked almost an hour before this revealed itself.  It was so much fun walking to this music, that I suggest you listen to the music as you view our pics.

OK - let’s go….

Parts of the gorge are the original road.

In this arid, often shaded place little plants fight to live.  Above is a caper tree.

Then finally the reveal…

TA-DA!!!

But like I said - only the welcome center.

I have a restriction on the number of photos I can send all at once - so this post is PART 1.

You will hear from me soon. If you want more info watch this:

Salam

[see-throughthelines]

Raising awareness for chronic health conditions

The Global Risks Report examines some of the most serious threats that the world may see in the next ten years, considering the speed at which technology is developing, economic instability, global warming, and conflict. Weakened economies and societies may only need the tiniest shock to push past the very edge of resilience when it comes under pressure.

The 19th GRR published by the World Economic Forum informs us about all possible major dangers to humans and human development. Amongst the social issues, the rise of chronic diseases is one of them that terrifies the common people, as it can affect anyone from any social or economic background alike. Raising awareness regarding the preventative measures of chronic conditions is imperative for the risks to be dealt with.

While some of the hazards we face are well-known from human history, like pandemics and geopolitical wars, others are relatively new and rapidly changing, including changes in the Earth system or unfavourable effects from the latest technologies. Multiple global risks are connected with each other and may have adverse effects on humanity– clawing at our feeble shields and decreasing our ability to counter them.

Chronic illness is mainly referred to any illness that lasts beyond 21 to 30 days. Some of these are hypertension, diabetes, cancer, cardiac diseases, stroke, psychological disorders, and many more. As mentioned by Md Wasim Mondal, a nurse working in the Apollo Hospital, chronic diseases are mainly caused due to unhealthy lifestyle led by a person. He stated 3 major reasons due to which a person might develop a chronic illness: diet, lifestyle, and stress. There is no definite cure for chronic diseases but with certain measures, they can be controlled.

Some of the preventative measures according to Dr. Jigar Nayak, who is an MS surgeon, include exercising, doing yoga, maintaining a proper diet, and managing stress effectively. It is also better to replace carbonated drinks with organic beverages like coconut water and lemon water. He stated that if someone is already suffering from a chronic disease; along with the above-mentioned points they also need to go for regular checkups, have protein-rich food, and refrain from smoking & drinking.

Dr. Jigar Nayak shared one of his experiences with a patient who was suffering from chronic disease. According to the doctor when the patient came to him for the first time, they considered his condition to be jaundice as the symptoms mainly included yellow eyes, drastic fluctuation in weight, and many more. However, the prescribed medications did not make any impact on his condition. Thereafter they made further tests and concluded that he was suffering from Pancreatic Cancer. Since there is no cure for this disease, all that the doctor and the medical staff could do was to reduce his suffering. They assisted the man to improve by putting him on a better diet, encouraging him to exercise, and in fact assisting him to lead a healthier life. “You are what you eat.” said Dr. Jigar Nayak implying that to lead a healthy lifestyle one must eat healthy and exercise regularly.

To conclude, a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet must be followed by every individual to prevent the looming danger of chronic conditions. Stress management and minimising harmful practices, primarily smoking and drinking are necessary. It is worth mentioning that the occupation of many is a great source of stress, and prevents some from having healthier lifestyles as well. How corporations and organisations shall make changes to ensure the health of their employees should be discussed and materialised.

*image taken from mantracare.org

*image taken from healthfederation.org

SOURCES:

*Interviwee 1: Md Wasim Mondal (nurse)

*Interviwee 2: Dr. Jigar Nayak (surgeon)

*Global risk report 2024

[beardedmrbean]

The Huntsman family has halted donations to the University of Pennsylvania due to its response to Hamas' terrorist attacks on Israel and the resulting war. It's the latest indication of the growing friction between elite colleges and their rich alumni over the conflict.

Jon Huntsman Jr. — the former governor of Utah and US ambassador to China, Russia, and Singapore — penned a letter to Penn's president Elizabeth Magill, alerting her of the Huntsman Foundation's decision.

"The University's silence in the face of reprehensible and historic Hamas evil against the people of Israel (when the only response should be outright condemnation) is a new low. Silence is antisemitism, and antisemitism is hate, the very thing higher ed was built to obviate," he wrote in the letter, which was published by the student newspaper. "Consequently, Huntsman Foundation will close its checkbook on all future giving to Penn."

The Huntsman family, which includes three generations of Penn graduates, has donated tens of millions of dollars to the school over the past three decades, including a $10 million gift in 1997 and a $40 million gift to its business school, Wharton, in 1998. The family has donated at least $25,000 annually to Wharton in recent years.

The late Jon Huntsman Sr. attended Wharton on scholarship and went on to become the billionaire CEO of chemical giant Huntsman Corp. Huntsman Jr. has had two stints on Penn's board of trustees.

Huntsman's letter was reportedly written before an email from Penn's president Magill went out to the Penn community on Sunday.

"I want to leave no doubt about where I stand," she wrote in the email, which was viewed by Insider. "I, and this University, are horrified by and condemn Hamas's terrorist assault on Israel and their violent atrocities against civilians."

The Huntsmans are the latest megadonors to pull back from from donations to the school: Last week, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan announced he would donate $1 — rather than his typical annual contribution — unless Magill and the chairman of its board of trustees, Scott Bok, stepped down. Rowan and his wife donated $50 million to Wharton in 2018. 

The campus has been mired in tensions over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since September, when the Palestine Writes Literary Festival, which some said gave antisemitism a platform, was hosted at the university.

"The University did not, and emphatically does not, endorse these speakers or their views," Magill wrote in her email on Sunday. "While we did communicate, we should have moved faster to share our position strongly and more broadly with the Penn community."

Penn did respond to a request for comment regarding Huntsman's letter. The Huntsman family did not respond to requests for comment ahead of publication.

Across the country, campus conversations have boiled over into the real world, as alumni donors and prospective employers follow student and school leadership responses to the war between Israel and Hamas.

For the past week, Harvard has been grappling with the ramifications of a joint statement signed by more than 30 student groups, together dubbed the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups, that said the Israeli government was "entirely responsible for all unfolding violence." 

The statement launched a series of hostilities: Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, a Harvard alum and donor, called on the university to release the names of students in the groups that signed the letter so he could avoid hiring them. A Harvard alum, who seemingly had nothing to do with the letter, said they were doxxed. Ackman's call for the list of names was likened to McCarthyism.

The joint statement was eventually deleted, but the fallout continues.

Idan and Batia Ofer, Israel's richest man and his wife, stepped down from the board of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

"Unfortunately, our faith in the University's leadership has been broken and we cannot in good faith continue to support Harvard and its committees," the Ofers said in a statement.

Yale, NYU, and Stanford have also been caught up in the escalating tensions, which have no signs of slowing down or staying on campus behind ivy-covered gates. 

[tozettastone]

a-ok if neither of these are up your current alley, but I was wondering if you had either a) thoughts on some form of a hollow knight crossover or fusion with Naruto (how would you do it? what would you do?) or uhhhhh b) (as a result of your recent thing about Lore ('illegal underground New York fighting ring') and your slightly less recent thing about modern-au Deidara (underground cage match)), Akatsuki in Lore????? or c) akatsuki dealing with unpleasant noise?? below "immediate murder" level reactions I mean

?

HELLO

a) Hollow Knight/Naruto fusion concepts

Naruto ninjas as cute little bugs is very exciting! It's fun to think of how their attributes would transfer to the bugs. Gai would be a dung beetle like Ogrim! Or... Oh, Sasori would be a Stalking Devout, like, because of how they are hulking masked creatures in ragged cloaks and then their masks split down the middle when you come too close and they move SO FAST. Kakuzu is a void creature like the Collector, both because he has no organs in there and because their themes of preservation and avarice overlap a lot. Tobirama's got that fluffy mantle... my aesthetic sense says moss knight, but my heart says nailmaster.

The plot is that Hidan is a traitor mantis who has attained higher being status entirely by freak accident and who, having attained freedom of mind, is unconnected to his brethren and believes himself foresaken by his god of dreams and light. So he worships the Void now — not really a more welcoming god — and has set out to personally fight the Radiance. 'Are you taking feedback on this plan?' No. No he isn't.

Okay, okay, not all plots have to be about the Akatsuki... Probably. Let's see. Perhaps we can reimagine the Radiance as a mangekyo sharingan user who has trapped much of the world in an endless tsukoyomi dream? And the story centres on Tsunade wandering through the miserable decay of her home village, learning to wake the infected up and trying to discover what happened through the process.

b) Akatsuki in modern day New York is kind of inscrutable to me, as I've never been there. But I guess if it's like, Akatsuki takes on that general concept....

We could have them systematically hunting down each mortal-for-a-week god and stealing their powers with the death blow. In any city! Perhaps in the elemental nations, actress. Maybe that could be the new way they plan to enforce global peace?

I think I'd have more trouble matching each of the Akatsuki to one of the nine gods used in that novel (Artemis, Athena, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Ares, Apollo, Hermes or Hephaestus) than I would matching them to Hollow Knight bugs! But maybe that could be part of the fun. We'll say they can't decide either, so they draw lots, and Kisame gets Aphrodite instead of Poseidon. Take that, big guy.

c) Construction has been started next to their HQ in Rain on seven separate occasions, and every time the attempt is made the workers just mysteriously don't manage to do the job. Sometimes they wander off in a genjutsu haze and can't explain why. Sometimes they just quit and say absolutely nothing in their exit interviews. Sometimes they're simply never seen or heard from again. Obviously, the construction site must be haunted.

[dzthenerd490]

Department of Universal Affairs

Description: Created in response to the rapid growth of the Foundation and its knowledge about our universe, our reality, the laws that govern it, the anomalies that threaten or could help it, and even the realities outside our own. Created to understand the laws inside and outside our reality relating to other realities, different timelines, the multiverse in general, and even the afterlife. Unknown to most Foundation staff is the DUA's main goal being contingency measures against entities that reside within the dimension known as "The Abyss" where the Scarlet King and many other eldritch horrors and ancient gods reside. 

- Multiverse Management Division: 

Universe-Α-1: "[data expunged by order of the O5 Council]"/ Situation: [data expunged by order of the O5 Council]/ Contact: [data expunged by order of the O5 Council]

Universe-Α-11: "When Day Breaks"/ Situation: SCP-001 "When Day Breaks" exists and has already turned all organic life into living blobs of flesh. SCP-001's light is so corrupting that even the soul becomes its slave and even the dead are converted/ Contact: Foundation researchers of high clearance and AFA-3 units are only allowed to enter after wearing the right protective gear against the sun. They have to go in and out quickly and never in the same location in order to prevent SCP-001 from finding our reality. This only happens in regard to highly classified experiments that are entirely under the control of the O5 Council. 

Universe-Ο-420: “Ad Astra Per Aspera”/ Situation: The earth has been destroyed by unknown means leaving humanity to travel the stars and colonize new planets. The veil has been broken as a result, though the SCP Foundation continues its work to protect humanity from anomalies by containing them, though now the public is more aware of the SCP Foundation and other Groups of Interest/ Contact: Contact with this reality is minimal. Mainly its reserved with messages between both O5 Councils to ensure that they both can better predict incoming anomalies and trade scientific knowledge about anomalies. 

Universe-Υ-17: "Broken Masquerade"/ Situation: Often called "Heroes and Villains" as it is an earth populated with lots and LOTS of humanoid anomalies. Thus, maintaining the veil has become impossible for the Foundation. Now everyone has to deal with the anomalous world in their own way, whether they want to or not. / Contact: [data expunged by order of the O5 Council]

Related Files:

SCP-AJI

- Intergalactic Management Division: 

Earth - Base of all Humanity. Top priority of protection because of [data expunged by order of the O5 Council]

Moon - Contains 60 Foundation Areas most on the dark side of the moon. Used as a recon base for forces on earth when the Foundation is dealing with intergalactic threats. Is also owned by the Global Occult Coalition, currently has 42 bases. The SCP Foundation owns 40%, The Global Occult Coalition owns 40%, and the Eight Wings of Mekhane owns 20%. 

Mars - Has 2 Foundation Sites, 1 Foundation owned city, 50 Foundation Areas, and 124 MTF outposts. The Foundation owns only 25% of Mars while the Global Occult Coalition owns 35%. The Eight Wings of Mekhane own 15%, The Church of Maxwellism 15%, and The Horizon Initiative owns 10%.

Venus - Has 5 Foundation Sites, 2 Foundation own cities, 48 Foundation Area, 200 MTF outposts. The SCP Foundation owns 30%, The Church of Maxwellism owns 20%, and The Global Occult owns 20%. Is under consideration to be used as a replacement of earth should humanity ever be wiped out on the planet. 

Mercury - Contains free ports for all members of the ACPA also used as a port for intergalactic allies of the ACPA. 

Jupiter - Under the watch of STF Apollo-1 due to SCP-2399. has most Apollo-1 space stations around the planet and is home to the second largest fleet in the SCP Foundation and Global Occult Coalition. 

Saturn - Under the watch of STF Apllo-1 due to SCP-[data expunged]. Its rings are regularly used for Foundation experimentation and has the third largest fleet in the SCP Foundation. 

Neptune - [data expunged] is also under the watch of the largest fleet in the solar system created by the combined efforts of the ACPA to help contain SCP-[data expunged] and SCP-[data expunged]

Pluto - Under the control of the Anomalous Celestial Body Management Department

- Afterlife Management Division: 

Major Projects:

Site-AFTERLIFE/ Situation: Still under construction, consideration to be under the control of the Department of the Impossible. 

Related Files:

SCP-AHO

[data expunged by order of the O5 Council]

- "Beyond Comprehension" Management Division: 

Universe-Ω-197 "The Backrooms"/ Situation: A seemingly never-ending liminal space. Made up of a seemingly never-ending number of "levels" with each one stretching out infinitely. Was discovered by accident through a Foundation experiment. / Contact: Efforts to have permanent Foundation presence within this reality is ongoing. Reality is very unstable and filled with anomalous entities making establishing permanent outposts difficult. Resistance has been confirmed by Group of Interest: The Black Queen's Insurgency. 

Universe-ΑΩ-Prime-7 "Hangout of the Gods"/ Situation: [data expunged by order of the O5 Council], including Dr. Stefansdottir/ Contact: Only Dr. Stefansdottir has access to this reality.

Universe-ΩΑ-Negative0 "The Abyss"/ Situation: The residence of the Scarlet King, The Original [data expunged], [data expunged], [data expunged], The Dark Blood, and many other ancient horrors/ Contact: We only know this reality exists, unfortunately they know we exist and have sent several anomalies into our reality in hopes of using the chaos to widen the cracks between both realities. Efforts to find ways to prevent the progression of the Abyss reaching our world is ongoing.

.

SCP: HMF - Departments and Divisions Hub

[incarnateirony]

Suspended, not cancelled, but uh, let's just say there's a reason or three they're in fact big mad at Berlanti. Beyond the entertainers fund donations past and current. I cannot be more clear.

Notice they've gone from "September back to work date" to "Impact till end of year".

WB calls in a lifeline to finish something announced 4 years ago,

Right now the truth of it is, the older studios are terrified of pissing off the big tech distributors like Amazon and Apple, lest they be cut out of shit on that end, and that's why the "direct loss" values pan out about the same in their head, but at this point if they insist on riding it out they're gonna be 400-500 behind Q3, approaching it again Q4, and with a new 480M loan on top of that.

Free Cash Flow is however how Zaslav makes his bonus money. I have a feeling he may try to ride it a few months into Q4, then Start Discussions right around or before christmas, since money won't need to be Paid Out Immediately, and still get his turbo bonus late in the year of failcaking, because that's somehow how it works around here, and then just hope he can get shit on track by early Q2 with dev during Q1. That's my guess.