#Federation Cliff Walk

[siobhantuite]

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[bitchb0ybunny]

Brand New City

(Keegan P. Russ x Reader)

COD men are my roman empire, PLEASE SEND ME ASKS IM BEGGING- I NEED SOMETHING TO WRITE ABOUT SO I CAN GET OUT OF MY OWN SKIN (this is a cry for help, I'm supposed to be focusing on finals but I cant get these scrunkly ass military men outta my head, so enjoy this spew from the depths of my sleep deprived mind..)

Keegan wasn't sure how he got here.. One minute, he was fighting Federation soldiers alongside Hesh, Merrick, and the Walker brothers and now he was... God, where even was he right now?? It was dark and cold.. He still had his mask, tactical gear, and weapons, but it was like he had been transported to an entirely new goddamn universe.

The city looked clean, it was something he wasn't used to. The Federation had destroyed everything years ago, back when he was in his late 20s or early 30s, he couldn't quite remember, but this place.. It was completely spotless, besides the normal city trash and critters wandering the dark alley he found himself in. He definitely did not miss this air quality, he had only been wherever here was for less than 5 minutes and he was already feeling like his lungs could collapse at any moment.. But the more he stands here, confused, the more.. Familiar this gets. Cautiously, he steps out of the alleyway he was in, ending up on a city street lined with shops that twinge with familiarity for reasons unknown to him. The sidewalk was empty besides himself, and the street was mostly empty besides a few cars that drive by every five or so minutes as he walks down the pavement in a random direction- the direction that just felt right. He didn't know where he was, but being a Ghost for most of his life has gotten him to trust his gut no matter what.

And he does just that.

He heads in whatever direction he feels like he's supposed to go, turning down side streets and such whenever he feels like he's supposed to, it's.. Almost concerning how his gut knows this city but his mind doesn't. Everything is in-tact, theres no destroyed buildings or cliffs that clearly hadn't been there when the roads were paved and parking garages made, it looked like a city from before the Federation bombed the States.. Had he gone back in time? No, no, that's not possible. Had he died? Was this his version of hell, or maybe heaven? How did he even get here?

He wasn't sure of anything anymore.

It took about two hours of walking until he stopped, suddenly the feeling of familiarity vanished and everything was so unfamiliar that it made him feel sick. Made him feel like he was going to vomit all over the pavement.. But then a jingle of a bell rang out as a door opened across the street, voices rang out in the night as people bid each other goodbye and went on their separate ways. The sounds of talking and jingling didn't seem to help curb this feeling of sickness, uneasiness, in fact the voices made him feel worse. He felt dizzy, his vision was spinning and he couldn't stand right, whatever was making him suddenly feel ill was getting worse. His legs gave out beneath him, and suddenly one of the voices from before got louder.. The last thing his vision managed to focus on was an all-too familiar face, the face he saw in his dreams and the face that haunted his nightmares, staring down at him with an all-too familiar concerned expression that made his heart clench.

It was you. You, who had become one of the many casualties caused by The Federation the day they bombed the United States. You, who had plagued his mind for years. You, who he kept a picture of on his person all the time so they could be with him all the time. You, who loved him dearly, even with your last breath.

[rustbeltjessie]

Chicago Noise (Love Letter to Steve Albini) by Jarret Keene

How many boys want to be whipped by Steve Albini’s guitar? -Sonic Youth bassist/singer Kim Gordon

Woke up this morning, as usual, hungry for white-boy noise and black coffee. Popped in – what else? – Big Black’s Songs About *!?king and blasted it at full volume on the home stereo so I could feel every

drum-machine wallop in my molars, every lacerating riff against my face, those places where noise really hits me when its good and loud. Steve, there’s something about your band Big Black

in the morning that helps me to more effectively hate birds outside my window as they chirp ridiculous tunes about nothing to no one, something in the serrated edges of the song “Pavement Saw” and

the slaughterhouse fury of “Colombian Necktie” that transports me to the Loop, jostling around inside a metal tube across an ice-cold, urban-Midwest landscape of old, bombed-out meatpacking plants.

Like it’s a clear day in March and I’m taking it all in – the canyons of LaSalle, the cliffs of Michigan Avenue, the public artworks – and there’s this satanic chainsaw behind my ears, eager to sink

its teeth into my skull, turning my lights out and then everyone else’s. This noise is dirty and yet so pure that I can’t help feeling even more comfortable in my alienation, even happier in hostile

territory. I imagine myself lying down like a lamb at the paws of a lion guarding the stairs of the Art Institute. I picture myself walking into a Wicker Park record shop (a real record shop that

actually sells, you know, vinyl) and asking the skinny, unfriendly employees there if they might sell me another Big Black LP. And when they scowl at me with an expression that says “Why don’t

you already own that record, poser?” all I can say to my fellow rock snobs is leave me alone, because I’m armed and dangerous, and about to vaporize Cloud Gate in Millenium Park, to rip

the girders from Calder’s red-orange flamingo-looking thing perched in front of the Federal Center with my incisors before flame-broiling it oh-so-slowly with an acetylene torch until the steel is tender enough

to eat with a plastic spork, to challenge the next thrash band to play the Double Door to a demolition derby-style mosh pit involving broken beer bottles and our bare chests and bags of salt.

And if anyone asks about the point of this tsunami of sucking nihilism, this whole tortured carnival ride, let me say that it’s my chance to ignore the terrifying silence at the end of this caffeinated daydream.

Anyhow, Steve, just thought I’d write you a quick letter letting you know how much your anti-corporate band gets me dreaming of Chicago and prepares me for another gray and greasy day

of corporate enslavement, chained to my cubicle, hoping for a moment to shut down my computer and loosen my tie, straining to hear a measure, the merest note, of the sweet music of birds.

[hirik0]

Ghosts

Ripped apart

COD Ghosts Cannon divergence

David 'Hesh' Walker is storming in the office of his father he's about to explode and he wants an explanation. Elias Walker is standig up from his chair needing to hug his returned son. "Hesh", his father starts but he dont let's him finish punching his father. This man Rorke has Logan. Elias falls to the ground not expecting Hesh to react like this, looking shocked when he sits up. "He has Logan and its your fault", Hesh screams at his father ready to punsh him again, but Merrick is holding him back. "Let me", Hesh screams, fighting against the hold of the second in command, tearing the wound on his leg open again. If hes not angry he will break down over the fact that he could not save his littel brother, that he failed Logan. That their own father send them in the trap of a man that made it his mission to destroy the Ghosts and their father took them on the Team, knowing this psyco is haunting them. What kind of father is doing this, only a shitty one, Hesh is sure of it.

6 h earlier

It's was suposed to be a easy mission. Going in going out, stealing some intel. Something easy something the two newest members of the Ghost team could do alone. Something to do in between big mission, to train, low risk a good learning experience, something to prepere them to do fieldwork with out the rest of the Ghosts. Now they are on the run from Rorke the man that wants to kill all of them. They are running away from what was ones a littel californinan town south of LA behind the wall in the middel of no man's land. It's concerning how close Rorke is to the wall with out them knowing, but it hits Hesh that they probably have very less on the former Ghost in general. They are running along the rocky coast. Desperately trying to get to exfile or finding a hiding spot what ever they reach first. Evading bullets, hiding as good as they can behind rocks, what ever they can do to get away from the man that hopefully will kill them, everything else would be a worse fate. He hears Logan panting behind him, they are on a small rocky path, neither of them would ever set a foot on if they wouldn't literally run for their lifes. The rock under their feet is crumbling a desater about to happen something that is slowing them down. Atleast nobody is shotting at them at the moment. "Scarecrow, I think we got away", Hesh says over radio the only problem is he has no idea where they are and how to get to exfile. "Good. Where is your location?", their father asks back. "A cliff? About 2 hours away from where you dropped us off?", Hesh explains unsure where they even are before noticing and cursing the path they are on is ending in a big gap where part of the rock broke away. A dead end, if the federation is following them, they are fucked. He shares a look with Logan who is simply pointing up, to say we need to climb. Hesh looks trying to see if they could jump over the gap, they can not and even if the could its questionable if the rock would not break under the weight. "I need a better location Hesh", it comes over the radio. "I can't give you a better one. We are on a small path on a the cliff, very good view of the Pacific." Hesh knows this is not helping at all, that its childish of him to act like this. What else can he even say, he knows they fucked up, they where forced by not really paying attention to walk this shitty path, like they just left boot camp. "Hesh, is there anything we can use as a landmark?", Elias ask sounding like he is about to panic, what is not helping at all, besides that their father is caring for them in someway. "Part of the cliff broke away?", Hesh answer unsure god he sounds like a idiot, he nearly dont hears the sound of something hitting the water but before he can realise what is happening its to late. Sudenly Logan is grabing his shoulder in a panic he lost his footing as part of the ground he's standing on is breaking away. In an instict Hesh trys to get a hold on the stone wall, but its to no use, he now has some rock in his hand, well atleast they die with the knowledge that they would not be able to climb the wall up, while falling in to the ocean. "Hesh, we need a clear landmark", is probably the last think the Walker brothers hear before hitting the water.

The next thing Hesh knows hes laying on a small beach, coughing up water about to throw up. He looks around seeing Logan just a few meters away looking absolutely exhausted. They survived, thanks to Logan, but still having no idea where the fuck they are. "Hesh, Logan", Merrick voice comes over the radio but neither of the brothers are able to answer, coughing up water. The blaclava they are wearing are not helping at all so Hesh rolls his up so his mouth and nose are free, inhalling the air greddy, looking around to find some sort of landmark to give. When Hesh finaly has a breath to spare for talking, he simply states "We are alive, had a unplanned swim we are on a small part of beach, maybe its just a sandbank." Thats when Rorke is apearing and Hesh starts to shake not only because he is cold, but out of fear what this man will do to them. "Ah finaly meeting Elias sons in person", the leader of the federations troops is saying having a simle on his face that makes Hesh blood freeze. No, no they made it so far it can't stop here. "Hesh?", Merrick is asking urgently needing more to find them, not knowing what a shit situation the brothers are in. "Look at you two, how big and strong you got since I saw you the last time", Rorke continues making Hesh heart race what, what does Rorke mean with this. They never meet any Ghosts as kids their father never having his two parts of his life touch before Odin. "Tell me how does it feel being send to the slaughter by Elias? I know that feeling to good, he left me to die", Rorke continues his littel monologe and its only now that Hesh notices he lost his weapons in the fall, not that he thinks he can move faster then Rorke if he really had to, but he would try. The man is stepping closer to Logan, pulling out a gun and for the first time since Odin Hesh is affrait for their lifes. He hears a shot, and then his leg hurts, Rorke shot him in the leg, like he is playing with them, why not kill them its the chance. "Tell Elias hello from me and never forget David, it's your fathers fault what is happening from here." Everything is happening in slow motion from there for Hesh, Logan gets hit against the head with the weapon and falls over and then to his absolute horror Rorke grabbing one of his brothers legs to drag his littel brother away. "No, Logan!" He trys to reach the hand Logans is desperately holding out for him to reach for help. But he can't, this fucker made sure that he can't reach his brother, is he dragging Logan away extra slowly to taunt him? "Logan! LOGAN!!", he screams desperately trying to reach his brother having to watch helplessly how his brother is kidnapped, he never feelt this powerless in his life. Then time as a cruel punishment is starting to flow normal again and his brother is gone. Everything stops at this moment he dont hears Merrick over the radio it dosent matter anymore, that he is bleeding out is not mattering anymore, nothing matters anymore, he failed Logan, he is a failure, he failed and Logan has to endurce the consequences. The only time he needed to protect his brother he failed. He dont know how much later Kegan is finding him, he don't hear his questions, dont registers that Kegan is patching him up, dont hear Kegan tell everyone that Logan is MIA. He is a failure and he let his brother down. The foundation of his mind is breaking under him and he feels himself falling into a deep black hole.

Now

"Hesh calm down your hurting yourself", Elias miserably fails to calm his hot-headed son down, only feeding Hesh rage even more. He was never good at this, but well he had to because his wife wasn't there to help him with this. "No, you.. you send us in a trap", Hesh screams he feels how he is about to break, like he finally reached rock bottom of the hole hole he fallen into. "There was no information that anyone would be there. The place was given up.", Elias trys to explain, he looked over the intel countless times since he got the call that his sons got compromise, there was nothing he oversaw, Hesh has to understandthis. "Oh and that will make it better? You took us on the team knowing, knowing this monster is hunting all of you. This your fault", somehow the rage Hesh is feeling is only getting stronger, turn the hurt he is feeling into aggression is numbing the pain, over playing what he is really feeling. Being angry is easy, anger is something he can deal with he knows anger. "Hesh, this is nobody's fault", Merrick tells him not losing his grip on him, but Hesh is really trying his hardest to get free, even with bleeding again. Rorke defently took the 'easier' brother with him. "Its only one person's fault and that is you Dad", is the last think Hesh says before the first sob is ripping through his body, the grief of losing his brother now fully hitting him.

Logan lays on the floor of the helicopter silent tears running down his face. He wishes Rorke would just have killed him there on the beach, what ever the other is planing is a worse fate then death. Nausea is spreading, he might throw up, his heart trys to break out of his chest and he cant really breath. Every breath hurts, did he injure himsels when they fallen in the ocean? He still hears Hesh screaming his name, while he slowly gets dragged over the beach to a jeep. How abosulty horrified Hesh sounded, he dont think that he heard Hesh like this before. And that is terrifying, not really helping his curent state. "I have big plans with you Logan, Elias don't even know what potential is in you, but don't worry you will reach your full potential under my supervision", Rorke tells him and the air becomes ice cold, as if he isn't already frezzing. What, what will this man do to him? The nausea gets worse at this. His only hope he has is that Hesh will do everything in his power to rescue him, right? His big brother will rescue him, he has to hope this, because he dont even wants to think about the alternative. He has no idea how long they are already in the air, but the further they get away from US soil the worse are his chances of him getting saved, they will not send anyone that deep into enemy territory for one person. What is one person in a war, nothing he trys to fight the hopelessness that is spreading through his brain. His shaking gets stronger, must be visible by now, his cloths still being wet and the floor of the helicopter is slowly sucking the warmth out of his body. They will try everything to get him home, Hesh will try everything in his power to gey him back. He cant forget this, what ever happens he cant forget this. "You think your father will let David find you or do you think he will sacrefice you for the war?", Rorke is asking as if he knows what Logan is thinking about, it's also strange to have Hesh be referred to as David. "Selected mutism I forgot, don't worry Logan it dosent matter what you would have answered, there is no way they will find you till I let them", the older man ends their littel conversation and Logan fels how tears are running down his face again. The way how casual Rorke is telling him this, knowing this is the truth, it makes Logan wish the fucking Helicopter is breaking apart then he atleast would be dead. "You know I never planned to get you two into your fathers mess, but then you joined the Team and I couldn't let this opertunity pass. This will hurt Elias more then anything I could ever come up with." He looks at Rorke for the first time really looking at him, tears still running down his face, but anger slowly fighting its way to through his calm character. He might be freezing, he might be a prisinor but he will survive this. Rorke is lifting his chin with his boot looking a tiny bit impressed. "I thought I picked the weaker brother, but I think I made a wrong call", Rorke says more to himself then to Logan. So Rorke does make mistakes and he can try to work with all the tiny mistakes to get free. He will survive this or die trying to get away.

[gobiin-z]

WE’RE BACK WITH THE GHOSTS BABY WOOOOOOOOO

PART 2 HERE IT IS

This’ll be in 2 parts as well unfortunately, i need to figure out how to link posts, I’m not the best at this shit yet

WRITING UNDERNEATH

“Weapon”

June 29th - 01:45

Yacutinga Rainforest, Misiones Province, Argentina

???

“Please….tell me he’s safe….”

He ran. Fast. He didn’t know where he was going, he didn’t know when he would stop, he just ran. He could hear the patrol team behind him giving chase, their feet and his pounding against the foliage in a frantic rhythm.

Fear was etched onto him. His mask was making him work overtime in order to get a breath in, and beads of sweat trickled down his forehead.

A shot rang out, and for a moment, the world went still. Everything slowed, as the bullet pierced his skull and ripped through it like a piece of paper.

His lifeless body dropped onto the floor, his head a leaky faucet of blood. The enemies approached, and the one in front knelt down and examined the hole in his head. They held up a thumbs up to their sniper, signalling that he was dead.

June 29th - 01:45

Federation Ground Array Ruins, Antofagasta, Chile

Commander Gabriel T. Rorke

The wall in front of him was lined with monitors. Each showed a different angle of the same mission, displaying his team’s power. He stood smug, leaning against a table not far in front, watching.

There was a knock on the door. A soldier walked in. He didn’t know who, he didn’t really care. It wasn’t until they started talking that he started paying attention.

“Sir? …Rorke?” The soldier murmured, almost cautiously.

“Lieutenant,” He acknowledged, his eyes glued to the screens, “Has our …friend, spoken yet?”

The soldier shifted nervously.

That’s what I came to talk to you about. They haven’t.”

“Shame.”

A silence followed afterwards. Rorke stared at the screens for a minute longer, deep in thought, before turning to the side so he could see the soldier out the corner of his eye.

“Come here for a second, will ya? Need to show ya somethin’.”

After a moment’s hesitation, the soldier inched closer until Rorke was a few feet in front of him. Rorke grabbed his shoulder and guided him to stand in front, facing the screens.

“Rewind 30 seconds and watch.” The soldier did as he was told, rewinding the footage and darting his eyes from one screen to another. Rorke saw his confusion and grabbed his jaw, tilting the soldier’s head to the view of the screen directly in front of them, relying on his hip to lean against the table.

“Watch.”

The screen showed what Rorke had been watching before, the mission his men were currently on. The camera’s attention was aimed towards the sniper within the group, perched high above the ground on a cliff far away. As the footage came closer to the sniper pulling the trigger, Rorke’s eyes practically lit up. He paused the camera footage directly after the shot fired.

“See, there, right there, you catch that?” Rorke smirked.

“..Yes, sir….the sniper done their job.”

“You’re missing the point! A couple years ago, they couldn’t do that!”

“A couple of years ago they weren’t with us, sir.”

“Details, Lieutenant, details. The point is, without him, we wouldn’t be here. We need him, he’s got skills no one else has. …Because of me.”

[natureismynature]

if you had to assign at least 10 qsmp characters songs that fits them. what qsmp characters would you choose and which songs would it be.

(and feel free to explain your reasoning behind the choices, but you don't have to)

OOHHH FUN ASK! Thank you Anon! Now, sorry if this takes me really fuckin long to answer because I am gonna be thinking about my answers very deeply-

Foolish - Parachute by Liel Bar-Z ("I did it, I did, I jumped, I walked right off that cliff without a parachute" is SUCH a banger way to describe how qFoolish lives his life. He would just jump into situations and make brash decisions without a fallout plan JUST because he's curious about what would happen.)

Badboyhalo - Momento Mori by Fish in a Birdcage ("Momento Mori, leaves a debt. You haven't paid it yet. I never wanted to sleep" HELLO?? "My suit stayed the same, can't remember my own name, inside a timeless cage" need I explain myself???)

Jaiden - Who Am I by Besomorph ("You've given us everything and nothing at all, so why do you build us up to crumble and fall?" "I'm falling apart at the seams, I can't deny, I'm losing grip of what I knew" Just thinking about how terrible it must have felt for her when she realized she used to be part of the organization that is causing so much pain to her and her friends, yet she's still powerless... GHHH)

Baghera - Rät by Penelope Scott ("I came from scientists and atheists and white men who kill god, they make technology high quality complex physiological, experiments and sacrilege in the name of public good, they taught me everything, just like a daddy should" Thinking about Baghera thinking the Federation's her only family now... AUGHHH"

Forever - Give a Little by LeGrand ("Everyone projecting all their dreams on me, a million life plans of what they want me to be" Dude, listening to this song while thinking about Forever's story ever since he became the president? It hurts. "Just give a little, give a little, give a little, until you disintegrate")

Pac - Ship in a Bottle by fin ("You set sail alone, there is no crew. No one on deck who can help you, this is all your own battle to win, this is your ship and you are the captain" His whole story during the Happy Pills arc!! He was alone at that moment, driving his own boat, trying to save his friend and himself and everyone who could potentially be affected.)

Cellbit - Stronger by The Score ("I write truths and never fiction, my disease is what you fed, I can't stop with my ambition, like a missle on a mission, I'm a force that you will dread" Cellbit's way of dealing with the Federation, so unrelenting, never ending. They keep pushing him down and he always comes back)

Tubbo - Middle Finger by Bohnes ("So I put my middle finger up, I'm done being your slave. My generation's had enough and you should be afraid" His beef with the Federation will always be famous <3)

Roier - Pretender by AJR ("I'm a good pretender, won't you come see my show? I've got lots of problems, well, good thing nobody knows" IT'S LITERALLY HIM "Don't you think I'm clever? We laugh at all the same jokes")

Etoiles - Do What I Gotta by Naethan Apollo ("Imma do what I gotta. This city got issues, lucky for us, though, I'm a one-man armada" I don't even know enough words to express how ETOILES this song is. Just- just listen to it idgsjs)

[cgadzfna]

In The Dragon Republic specifically, do you think Nezha confided in Venka about everything going on with Rin, their growing friendship, all the fighting etc or is everyone else simply drawing their conclusions about the two from observation? Kitay is ofcourse there for Rin but even when she can't bring herself to say anything he's observant and smart, so he'd figure it out. It makes me think about that one moment in chapter 34 I think it was, where Venka's helping Rin get dressed and as soon as she sees Nezha she's all smug like 'have fun' before immediately trying to flee the scene. And even before she walks out Nezha makes a comment about Rin's knot saying it's pretty and Venka continues to tease him, winking when she says it's 'even prettier on the wearer.' That was such a light hearted moment (for a change) and made me curious about how much she knew

Personally, I don’t think Nezha would have confided in Venka. He lashes out when he’s scared, insecure, unsure, etc, all the times he insulted or hurt rin when she presented something that conflicted with his ideals or perception of the world (ex. a southerner at Sinegard, her criticism of jinzha, etc), but when it comes to his deepest feelings he keeps them bottled up until he physically can’t anymore, often because rin pushes him ‘too far’. For example, her repeatedly calling him a coward and unintentionally striking at his deep rooted trauma and him finally blowing up after revealing the story of the Dragon. When she doesn’t push though, he refuses to reveal anything deep, like when he denies calling her name as the Federation dragged him away, as well as him only telling her about his nightmares of her death when he’s convinced they’ll die the next day (and obviously still not revealing all the details of those dreams), and him never revealing his true feelings to her at all, instead stifling then as we see in TDF. He’ll reveal ‘surface-level’ feelings, i.e fear during battle, anger, frustration, etc but not the ones held deepest, i.e, his trauma (aside from that one scene, and only after she pushed him and he’d thought she’d died), and his love and fear for/of rin. So I don’t think he would’ve confided in venka, because I don’t think he can or would know how to. Moreso, their relationship fundamentally changed after he refused to let her fight on campaign with them. that’s when something in their relationship irreparably fractured (and her allegiance subtly shifted towards rin). Even if they were still on ‘good terms’ after that, it wasn’t the same because he’d denied her her autonomy, decided for her what she was capable of handling or not, restricting her from doing the one thing that might give her some sense of self/‘worth’/autonomy back. They didn’t interact much before the campaign started, and he always treated her as if she were fragile when he did. their relationship was fraught, and I think they both sensed that, whether or not they actively acknowledged it. I’m not sure she would have been in the right headspace pre-campaign even if he had told her either (because I think the last thing on her mind with all her other worries would’ve been a budding relationship between rinezha). However, the scene you’re referring to is post-Battle of Red Cliffs, when they’d all just survived a ‘final’ battle of epic proportions, presumed unwinnable, and after she’d already ‘proven’ herself with her archery skills during it. Like you said, it’s a lighter moment, and they’re all in disbelief and relieved so I think she let those comments slip because she’s just glad they’re alive against all odds. The usual somberness/grim reality of warfare is temporarily suspended in that victorious, post-battle haze and they can ‘relax’ a little, hence her words. On a different note, to finally answer your original question lol, I believe venka intuited his feelings herself. She’s spent most of her youth being prepared to be the ‘proper’ wife by her parents, and with her cleverness and perceptiveness, she would’ve learned quickly how to tell where, when, and how a man’s interest in a woman lies, whether it’s romantic, sexual, predatory, etc, as that’s what she needed to watch out for, gauging any potential suitors chosen by her parents. this is reaffirmed when she asks rin how she’d survived so long without feminine wiles, implying that her [venka]’s feminine wiles include knowing when a man is interested and how to handle that (seeing as her life before Sinegard largely revolved around that). Nezha’s interest would’ve been obvious.  Plus, she’s been friends with him for a long time, even if their relationship changed, she would’ve been able to tell, just like how kitay was able to know that nezha would throw himself off a cliff for rin. Great ask OP! i really wracked my brain for this question since I haven’t read the series in a while, thanks for giving me the chance to analyze again! 

[theodorebasmanov]

I’ve rewatched “Unification” (Star Trek: The Next Generation, season 5, episode 7-8). Oh, my god, Spoilers! Spoilers! It’s the Spock episode. Spock is missing and presumably has gone to Romulus and some even speculate that he’s betraying the Federation. Picard is ordered to investigate, so he visits dying Sarek on Vulcan and gets some information on Spock’s relations with Romulans. Picard and Data go to Romulus with the not-so-voluntary help of Klingons and disguised as Romulans go to search for the Ambassador. They don’t find him, but the “resistance”, “underground”, or whatever else you like to call them, find them themselves and again I have to pity people who were watching the series on TV – they’ve ended the first part with a cliff-hanger – Spock walking out of the shadows. Well, in the next part they argue a lot and Spock compares Picard to Sarek. Then Spock gets to meet a Romulan Proconsul, who’s supposed to be pro-unification. About which I forgot to tell you – the main idea is that Vulcans and Romulans have to reunite and live as one nation as they did in the past and Spock, of course, fully supports it. Well, the Proconsul seems to even a little too eager to support such a “radical” idea but we see the explanation of his behaviour very soon – he works with Tal Shiar, moreover with Sela. So, soon after their meeting Spock, Data and Picard are captured and the “evil plan” of contesting Vulcan, however, what Sela doesn’t know, is that Data and Spock have access to their computer system. So, they create a holographic illusion and manage to run and to prevent the plan from being accomplished. At the end Spock mind-melts Picard to connect with his father and then stays on Romulus to help them spread their beliefs.

[fleurcareil]

First month recap; Thursday 1-29th June

The odometer is at 61103 (started at 54836) so that means I've already driven 6,267 kilometers, wow!! The map below is not completely accurate due to GMaps' constraints on how you can modify the route, but it gives a good picture of the road travelled so far; from my old home in Burlington, through east Ontario and Quebec City, down the west Gaspesie to Saint John, then a counterclockwise loop around Nova Scotia, up New Brunswick's east coast to finish with a loop around east Gaspesie's coast.

A lot of pretty views, great hiking trails, impressive wildlife and very friendly people wherever I went, whether it were long-time friends or complete strangers.

After the first hick-up of being over-bitten by mosquitos, everything went really well and I got a good hang of things now I believe, whether it's the mix of hotels, hostels, cabins and tents that I stay in, the food I eat (a little less fries & more healthy veggies & lovely seafood wherever I can), the amount I drive on a day incl. staying 2 nights at campgrounds to pace myself, and being able to find everything in my car! 🤣 The average accommodation cost for the month was $64/night and with two national park passes (the federal one and another for Québec as they have their own "national park" system 😝), I'm not spending that much either.

Here's my top ten of best experiences so far, in chronological order. Scroll to my previous blogs for pictures!

1. Bon Echo SUPping, ON

2. Staying at Ivan & Cynthia in Mont-Tremblant, QC

3. Coastal cliffs hike at parc du Bic, QC

4. Boating & lobster boil at Duncan & Laura in Saint John, NB

5. Beach walk at Five Islands provincial park, NS

6. Whale watching at Brier Island, NS

7. Coastal hike at Kejimkujik National Park, NS

8. Halifax & Peggy's Cove, NS

9. Beach day at Kouchibouguac National Park, NB

10. Bird watching at Île Bonaventure National Park, QC

and with special mention, the sculptures standing in the sea at Centre D'art Marcel Gagnon, QC 😍

I'm really loving the travel so far & not regretting that I no longer work 😉 so am ready for the next month! 😊💖

[a-mole-of-iron]

Duchowiesen stories: Liftoff

Alright, so, update. Due to diminishing resources and abilities, I was unable to post anything for a while - and now, I’ll be starting to publish a series of very unpretentious short stories in the urban fantasy genre. And I don’t mean modern-day real-world with fantasy trappings; I mean a fantasy world with big cities and elaborate technology. There will be train journeys through magic forests, and visits to taverns with televisions and telephones placed therein; bureaucrats cataloguing ancient relics, and dragons doing aerial photography; elaborate underground cities lit by electric lanterns and overgrown by moss and mushrooms, and mystical deserts with towns raised on concrete pillars above the shifting dunes; welfare provisions for werebeasts and changelings, and vast industries supplying the people with affordable goods; and more besides, all in the setting that me and my friends have developed together.

Without further ado, I present to you: the fantasy world of Duchowiesen, and all of its many unusual and wonderful things, places, and people.

Story genre: comfy urban fantasy

Liftoff

At the Electric Lamplight Inn, it was an hour past lunchtime. The sun crept across the wooden tables covered with checkered tablecloth, with colorful mass-manufacture metal-and-cloth dining chairs around them and salt and pepper shakers with folded-up napkins close by on every table, along the bar and its selection of bottles of varying colors, shapes, and sizes that held alcohol as well as soft drinks, up the wooden beams that helped hold up the second floor, over the walls covered by vanilla-colored plaster and decorated with landscape photographs of meadows, mountains, boreal woods, and glaciers, and towards the clock and the nearby refrigerator with its curved outer surfaces and a glass door displaying cold foods and drinks. The barkeep was absent, and only a couple of people were there, eating their mid-day meal a little late. A big beast-folk guy with striped grey fur, wearing a jacket loaded up with carpentry tools and overalls that seemed sturdy as a cliff face, was treating himself to a good serving of meat and potatoes the inn sourced from the local farmer's market; two businesswomen in rumpled suits discussed trade as they helped themselves to fish with rice that they've systematically drowned in lots and lots of tartar sauce, and an occultist professional from the Southern Lands, with his hawk-like features alongside a fancy coat and pants covered in rune embroidery, was eating alone - or so it seemed if you didn't notice him having a one-sided conversation while looking into a mirror he had standing on his dinner table. The television standing next to one of the walls was set on mute, and even if it wasn't, at the moment it was displaying "The Wondrous World of Duchowiesen Dragons" - one of the most boring offerings among all the niche-subject documentary shows available on TV across the entire Federation, which was saying a lot. The time dragged out a little, flowing like a calm river - but then, another prospective patron walked through the door, a diminutive kobold engineer with their bright green scales and hemispheric sunglasses on their wide, gecko-like face, who was for some reason also wearing a labcoat far outside of any lab.

The kobold walked up to the bar, perched the sunglasses on their forehead, and said: "Excuse me, innkeeper? INNKEEPER?" in their high-pitched voice.

The innkeeper, a middle-aged woman wearing somewhat outdated and yet eternally cool clothing from the jazz era - a flapper look adapted for the everydays of the modern age - walked out to the bar to meet them. "Hello there. Would you like to order a full lunch, or book lodgings?" she asked.

"Neither, actually." the kobold answered. "I just want two deli sandwiches, a glass of mineral water, and a TV broadcast."

"Broadcast...?" the innkeeper asked, somewhat confused.

"Yes!" the kobold squeaked. "Could you tune your particle accelerator... sorry, TV set, to Science Channel One? Yours was the only place in town with a TV I could find on short notice!"

"Alright then." the innkeeper said.

She turned the dial on the wired TV controller, and the picture changed to show a sunlit desert, and in the midst of its sands, the Cosmodrome launch site with a rocket set up on the launch pad. The sound went back on, and the people eating dinner turned their heads to the TV, as they heard the ever so slightly portentous announcer read the text. The announcer went: "...seems that all of the pre-launch checks have been cleared, and the computers monitoring the site all read green. And now we're being told, the Cosmodrome is ready for launch, T-minus five minutes."

"Hey, what's with the broadcast? Is this live?" one of the businesswomen asked the kobold.

"Yes, it is live!" the kobold said. "They're putting the first-ever photo camera into orbit with this rocket! To think we're going to have all-encompassing pictures of the World at last!"

"Now I'm interested." the occultist said, still looking into the mirror on his table. "Sorry, my friend, we'll have to continue another time. What? Okay, that's good in my books. Bye." He folded the mirror's stand, closed up the small decorated shutters over it, and turned around to look at the television as well.

The voice behind the broadcast kept on talking. In the deadpan shared only by the most composed of Railway Commanders and emergency broadcasters, she said: "I am being informed the rocket's fuel pumps are completing their warm-up cycle, and the Skyguard shields with their EM plus Flux ward properties are ready to go. In a minute, we should have the hand-over of controls and telemetry to the radio channels..."

The people in the inn were interested but slightly flabbergasted; none of them really understood the technical terms involved, even as the announcer explained the rocket's systems in more detail. The kobold engineer was geeking out, however, their eyes transfixed by the picture on the screen. Minutes tensed like the strings of a violin as the launch approached, and finally, the announcer has proclaimed: "And now, we have the clearance for launch. T-minus ten... nine... eight... seven... main engines ignition... five... four... three... two... one!"

The broadcast picture showed plumes of steam, and then fire, blast from the lowest stage of the rocket, and just like that, it started ascending, leaving behind the launch tower with its cabling and pipes. "We have liftoff!" the announcer called, the broadcast switching to another camera that showed the rocket blast off into the sky, and disappear into the clear blue above the desert lands surrounding the Cosmodrome.

The kobold engineer looked at the broadcast as the announcer started describing the photography satellite the rocket was loaded with, then slammed their cutesy hands on the table and yelled: "That... WAS SO COOL!" Everyone else around them was in agreement, even though they weren't the same level of enthusiastic. The occultist looked at the screen with an unspoken wisdom, thinking about the sheer possibilities for new esoteric understanding that a view perch to see the entire world could open. The businesswomen wondered just how the world would change once the satellites get flying in earnest. The beast-folk carpenter was impressed by the engineering involved; many orders of complexity above what he did, but hey, he knew an impressive build when he saw one. Even the innkeeper was interested; the whole scene was dramatic and inspiring, and stirred emotions in all who were there to see it. Finally, the kobold picked up their deli sandwich and started chewing on it. One of the businesswomen asked them:

"Hey, you said you were looking for a TV. Are you just passing through like we are?"

"Yes, but I might become a regular commuter here, it seems!" the kobold replied. "I'm doing engineer consulting around the region."

"Odd! We're kind of in the same boat; our firm sells machinery parts all around the Four Cities area!" the other businesswoman said. "Mechanismus-Magiker GmbH, at your service."

"What about you, friend?" the kobold asked the beast-folk carpenter.

"Well, I'm on my way to the Inland Sea for the weekend." he said. "Funny you are from Mechanismus-Magiker." he said to the businesswomen. "I did renovations in one of your company's trade offices just a month ago."

"Oooh..." the occultist said, turning towards the others with an enigmatic smile. "Serendipity."

"Very much serendipity!" the kobold engineer noted with a goofy grin. "Who knows, maybe this is a sign that we should be here for the next rocket launch!"

"When is that?" the occultist asked, laying a pocketbook of solar and lunar calendars on the table.

"In 16 days, 8 PM for our current timezone." the kobold replied. "They're going to launch a radio amplifier satellite next!"

The occultist looked through the book, then smiled enigmatically again and said: "I have not found anything major, but... perhaps something interesting will happen if we join again at that day and hour. Who's with me to try and test this... small hypothesis?" There were a few seconds of indecisive silence, and then, one after the other, everyone else present responded with a variation of "I'm in!"

[xtruss]

House of Bears: Polar Bears living in an abandoned Weather Station in Kolyuchin. Photograph Dmitry Kokh

Polar Bears Move Into Abandoned Arctic Weather Station – Photo Essay

Photographer Dmitry Kokh Discovered Polar Bears living in an Abandoned Weather Station in Kolyuchin, in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of the Russian Federation, while on a trip to Wrangel Island, a Unesco-recognised Nature Reserve that Serves as a Refuge to the Animals

— Dmitry Kokh | Monday, 31 January 2022

I had dreamed about photographing polar bears for a long time. Some time ago my hobby, wildlife photography, ceased to be just a hobby and turned into a large part of my life. And if you devote so much time to an activity then your goals should be ambitious. Most of all I like to take pictures of large marine animals, whether on land or under water. Not everyone knows, but zoologists classify polar bears as marine mammals since they spend most of their time on ice floes away from land. And their paws even have webbing.

There are only a few places on the planet where polar bears can be found in large numbers. One of them is Russia’s Wrangel Island, a nature reserve under Unesco protection that is often called a polar bear maternity ward. The place is very inaccessible, which may be bad for tourists but is great for the animals.

Preparations for the expedition to Wrangel took nearly two years, and last August we finally set off for the north of Chukotka on a small ice-class sailing yacht. We proceeded about 2,000km (1,200 miles) along the coast, stopping in deserted bays and photographing grey and humpback whales. We met an incredible number of different birds, several brown bears, sea lions and seals. We went scuba diving in the waters of the Chukchi Sea, which turned out to be full of life. I felt as if I was in a parallel universe. Days and weeks passed. Landscapes changed dozens of times: sunny pebble beaches, steep cliffs, mountains and tundra. Finally, after passing Cape Dezhnev and heading for Wrangel Island, we began to encounter floating sea ice, which was unusual for the time of year. It had been assumed that the ice edge would be much farther north.

One day, bad weather was expected and the captain approached a small island, Kolyuchin, to take shelter from the storm. Kolyuchin is known for the polar weather station that operated on it in Soviet times. Though the station was closed in 1992, the abandoned village still stands on the island.

The stormy wind and rain and the neglected buildings on the rocky shores all served to make everything happening seem surreal. Suddenly we noticed movement in the windows of the houses.

Someone took out some binoculars and we saw the heads of polar bears. Fog, a place long deserted by people, polar bears – it was the perfect setting.

The bears walked around the houses and among barrels left on the island a long time ago. There were about 20 animals in sight at the same time, mostly males. The females kept to the side with their cubs, closer to the shores of the island. Barrels are a well-known problem in the Russian Arctic. Back in the days of the USSR, fuel was delivered to the station in them, but it was very expensive to take the barrels back, so they were simply discarded.

It was too dangerous to land on the island that day, so I took pictures from a drone equipped with special low-noise propellers. I also used certain tricks of the trade that allowed me to shoot the animals without disturbing them. After a while, the bears practically ignored the unusual buzzing.

Later I asked one of Russia’s top polar bear experts, Anatoly Kochnev, what causes the animals’ behaviour – why do they love to sit in the buildings? The biologist, who worked in Chukotka and on the island of Kolyuchin for many years, told me that, first of all, polar bears are very curious by nature, so they always attempt to get through any unlocked window or door. And secondly, unfortunately, these animals were traditionally hunted, and so they use these houses as a form of protection from humans.

But then he told me something even more interesting. It turns out that bears very rarely appear on the island in such numbers. No one knows why, but once every nine years the floating ice remains near the shore in summer. Consequently, the bears do not travel far to the north with the ice, as usual, and take up residence in the abandoned polar station. We saw proof of this later on when we met almost no bears on Wrangel Island to the north.

Though several months have passed since the expedition, I still sometimes see polar bears in decaying windows before my eyes when falling asleep. And looking at the main photo in my life at the moment, the one named House of Bears, I think that sooner or later all human-made things on Earth will cease to exist – buildings, cars and computers will all meet their end. But life is eternal. These bears will continue to hunt, swim among ice floes and explore islands even when civilization ceases to exist. But life will remain eternal only if we humans finally begin to take care of the planet and the living creatures that need our protection.

[sportpeskenyateam]

SportPesa announces landmark Ksh 75 million sponsorship deal with Shabana FC

SportPesa, Kenya's leading online gaming company, has unveiled a monumental Ksh 75 million sponsorship agreement with Football Kenya Federation Premier League side Shabana FC. This game-changing partnership solidifies SportPesa's role as a pillar in Kenya's sporting landscape, now extending its support to three topflight clubs, alongside Gor Mahia and Murang’a Seal.

The SportPesa sponsorship, set to span three seasons, will take immediate effect as Shabana FC embarks on the 2024/2025 topflight campaign kicking off on 24 August. The deal was announced at a grand unveiling ceremony attended by club patron and Kisii Governor, Hon. Simba Arati, who hailed SportPesa's continued commitment to the development of Kenyan sports.

A commitment to growing Kenyan football

SportPesa’s Head of Operations, Bernard Chauro, expressed the company’s enthusiasm for the new partnership, highlighting the shared vision between SportPesa and Shabana FC in promoting football and nurturing talent in Kenya.

"Today marks a significant milestone for us in the realm of sponsorships and partnerships. We have been a key player in Kenyan sports for years, and now, Shabana’s management, players, and fans can rest assured that they have a reliable partner to walk this journey with them," said Chauro. "Shabana FC boasts one of the most passionate fanbases in the country, and we are excited to support them in their quest to compete at the continental level alongside our other sponsored teams."

Leadership support and a call for prudence

Governor Simba Arati, who also serves as Shabana's club patron, expressed his gratitude to SportPesa for the significant investment in the club’s future. He called on the club's management to use the funds wisely, ensuring that the team thrives both on and off the pitch.

"This is a monumental occasion for us, and I am overjoyed as Shabana’s patron. I want to personally thank SportPesa for their partnership," said Arati. "To the management, let us ensure that this money is safeguarded from those who may seek to disrupt our progress. We have a great responsibility to our fans and the community."

Shabana FC chairman, Jared Nivaton, echoed Arati’s sentiments, underscoring the importance of the sponsorship in aligning with the club’s long-term goals.

"I am deeply humbled by this partnership, which is a significant milestone for our club. SportPesa’s investment aligns perfectly with our shared vision for the growth of football and the youth in this country," said Nivaton. "We, as the Shabana fraternity, are committed to making SportPesa proud by delivering on and off the pitch."

Shabana FC’s promising future

Shabana FC, affectionately known as "Tore Bobe," made a triumphant return to the Kenya Premier League in the 2023/2024 season after a 17-year absence. Despite the challenges of re-establishing themselves in the topflight, the team managed a commendable 14th-place finish under the guidance of former Kenyan international Sammy ‘Pamzo’ Omollo.

The 2024/2025 season promises to be even more exciting for Shabana, with the club making several impressive signings, including Elvis Osok and Titus Achesa from Posta Rangers, and Kevin Omundi from Mully Children’s Family (MCF). The club’s new recruits, alongside seasoned players like Cliff Nyakeya and Maxwell Muchesia from AFC Leopards, are set to boost Shabana’s chances of competing at the highest levels.

Shabana will kick off their new season with an away match against Bidco United at Thika Stadium on Saturday, 24 August.

Tujiamini Initiative: empowering Kenyan sports and talent

In addition to the sponsorship, SportPesa reaffirmed its commitment to Kenya’s sports and talent ecosystem through the "Tujiamini" initiative. This program aims to provide up to Ksh 30 million in funding to support individual athletes, teams, and various talents across the country. The initiative seeks to inspire pride and excellence in Kenya’s sports and talent sectors, with applications open on the website www.tujiamini.co.ke.

SportPesa’s sponsorship of Shabana FC is a testament to the company’s unwavering support for the growth of Kenyan football and its dedication to uplifting communities through sports. With this partnership, Shabana FC is poised for a bright future, with the backing of one of Kenya’s most prominent and committed sponsors.

[news1latest]

Redwood National and State Parks: Discovering the World’s Tallest Trees

Redwood National and State Parks, located on the rugged northern coast of California, are home to the world’s tallest trees—the majestic coast redwoods. These ancient giants, some of which soar over 350 feet into the sky, are a natural wonder that has captivated visitors for generations. Walking among these towering trees is a humbling and awe-inspiring experience, offering a glimpse into a world where nature reigns supreme. Join us as we explore the incredible beauty and significance of these iconic forests.

The Majesty of the World’s Tallest Trees

The coast redwoods, or Sequoia sempervirens, are the tallest trees on Earth, with the tallest known specimen, Hyperion, standing at a staggering 379.7 feet. These trees are not only remarkable for their height but also for their longevity, with some individuals living for more than 2,000 years. As you stand at the base of these colossal trees, craning your neck to take in their full height, you can’t help but feel a profound sense of awe. The redwoods’ immense size and age make them a symbol of endurance and resilience, having survived through millennia of natural and human-induced changes.

A Network of Protected Forests

Redwood National and State Parks is a unique partnership between federal and state agencies, encompassing over 139,000 acres of protected land. This includes Redwood National Park, along with three state parks: Jedediah Smith Redwoods, Del Norte Coast Redwoods, and Prairie Creek Redwoods. Together, these parks protect nearly half of the world’s remaining old-growth redwoods. Each park offers its own unique landscapes and experiences, from the dense, shadowy groves of Jedediah Smith to the coastal cliffs and meadows of Del Norte. No matter where you go, you’ll be surrounded by the awe-inspiring presence of these ancient trees.

Exploring the Redwood Groves

One of the best ways to experience the redwoods is by exploring the many trails that wind through the parks. The trails range from easy walks to more challenging hikes, each offering a different perspective on the forest. The Tall Trees Grove in Redwood National Park is a must-visit, home to some of the tallest trees in the park. The trail to the grove is a moderate hike, leading you deep into the heart of the redwood forest. For a shorter, yet equally impressive experience, the Lady Bird Johnson Grove offers a loop trail that takes you through a cathedral-like grove of towering trees.

The Rich Biodiversity of the Parks

While the redwoods are the star attraction, the parks are also home to a rich array of plant and animal life. The forest floor is lush with ferns, mosses, and wildflowers, creating a vibrant green carpet beneath the towering trees. The parks’ rivers and streams provide habitat for salmon and steelhead trout, while the meadows and coastal areas are home to Roosevelt elk, black bears, and a variety of bird species. The diverse ecosystems within the parks support a complex web of life, making it a hotspot for biodiversity and a living laboratory for scientists and nature enthusiasts alike.

The Coastal Connection

Redwood National and State Parks are not just about the forests; they also encompass some of the most stunning coastal scenery in California. The parks’ rugged coastline features dramatic cliffs, secluded beaches, and rocky tide pools teeming with marine life. The Coastal Trail offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, where you might spot migrating gray whales, playful sea otters, or soaring seabirds. The combination of towering redwoods and wild, windswept shores makes this a truly unique and breathtaking landscape.

The Importance of Preservation

The history of the redwoods is one of survival against the odds. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, much of the redwood forest was logged, leading to the destruction of vast areas of old-growth trees. However, thanks to the efforts of conservationists and organizations like the Save the Redwoods League, significant portions of these ancient forests were protected. Today, ongoing conservation efforts continue to preserve these giants for future generations. Visitors to the parks are encouraged to follow Leave No Trace principles and support local conservation initiatives to help protect this irreplaceable natural treasure.

Conclusion

Redwood National and State Parks offer a rare opportunity to experience the world’s tallest trees in their natural habitat. The towering redwoods, with their incredible height, age, and beauty, are a reminder of the power and majesty of nature. As you explore these ancient forests, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the importance of preserving such extraordinary landscapes. Whether you’re hiking through a serene grove, marveling at the coastal views, or simply standing in awe beneath a giant tree, Redwood National and State Parks provide an unforgettable journey through some of the world’s most remarkable natural wonders.

[dankusner]

JUNETEENTH

Freedom, remembrance integral to holiday

Juneteenth in Dallas offers celebrations, lessons, historian says

Despite its recent designation as a federal holiday, Juneteenth has a long history with Black Texans.

As municipalities, businesses and nonprofits offer a host of events, local historian Ed Gray said it’s important to remember why these celebrations are happening in the first place.

“We have traditionally in Dallas … whitewashed history to exclude Black people,” Gray, 62, said.

Now in its 159th year of celebration, Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, commemorates the day some of the last enslaved people in Texas were freed.

Union Army Major Gen. Gordon Granger read an order from the federal government officially proclaiming all enslaved people free.

The June 19, 1865, order marked the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Abraham Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1863.

Juneteenth celebrations in Dallas over the past few years have included parties, community service, history sessions sponsored by Remembering Black Dallas, among others, and the annual walk of Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.”

For Gray, a member of two nonprofits that seek to document and preserve the city’s Black history, the holiday is just as much about celebrating freedom as it is about the continuous fight toward equality.

Brutal legacy

In Dallas, the holiday marking freedom is tainted by a brutal local history.

Texas is the state with the third-highest number of lynchings in the country, with records noting 339 extrajudicial lynchings of Black people in the state from 1885 to 1942, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

For African Americans historically, Gray said, “true judicial hearings [happened] on the streets.”

In 1910, a Black man named Allen Brooks was lynched in Dallas after being accused of raping a young white girl.

On the day he was set for trial, a white mob threw him from a second-story window at the Dallas County Courthouse and dragged him for six blocks to Akard and Main streets where he was hung from the Elks Arch telephone pole, Gray said.

The cross streets of Brooks’ lynching is now the site of Pegasus Park, a 23-acre life sciences campus and biotech hub.

“In the 1920s and ’30s, the largest Klan chapter in the United States of America was in Dallas, Texas,” he said. “The second largest being in Fort Worth.”

The Dallas chapter of the KKK had 13,000 members at its height in the early 1920s — the largest membership in the U.S. per capita.

Gray noted that there was also a large Klan chapter in Oak Cliff, a neighborhood that is now predominantly Black.

The site of Brooks’ lynching blended in with the rest of the downtown landscape for 111 years until the nonprofit organizations Remembering Black Dallas and Dallas County Justice Initiative placed a historical marker at the location.

Remembering Black Dallas was founded in 2015 by the late Dr. George Keaton, a local historian and co-founder of the Dallas County Justice Initiative along with Gray.

“One of the most touching moments I’ve ever had was when I found one of the descendants of Allen Brooks and brought her to the site of where her great-grandfather was lynched,” Gray said.

“She did not know her great-grandfather was lynched until she read about it in a book, and the only picture she has of her great-grandfather’s being hung.”

For Gray, the importance of the Dallas County Justice Initiative is “to make sure that people don’t forget our past, so we don’t be doomed to repeat it.”

Opportunity, exposure

Juneteenth was not recognized as a federal holiday until 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.

Gray noted that the federal government’s recognition of the holiday came one year after George Floyd was murdered by a white police officer, leading to the large-scale mobilization of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.

“From my time in Dallas,” said Gray, who’s lived his whole life in the city, “Juneteenth has always been the Black holiday for Black freedom, and it’s been always celebrated in the community … it’s not a new thing.

“It’s become new because America has embraced it as a new holiday.”

Gray said that Juneteenth is perceived as a Black holiday but that America will truly begin to lean into its celebration “when they can find a way … to make a commercial aspect.”

Some have welcomed the opportunity and exposure Juneteenth could bring to Black businesses and issues, but Gray warned of the dangers potential marketization poses to the preservation of Black joy in celebrating the holiday.

He lamented the possibility of the holiday becomes “sanitized.”

“And that’s what’s going to end up happening with Juneteenth,” Gray said. “America will cross over to Juneteenth, and will take the spiritual aspect out of it for African Americans, and some people will not even care.”

This Juneteenth, Gray hopes that Dallas residents will engage with their local Black history and familiarize themselves with the legacy of the holiday, and why it matters to North Texas’ Black community.

“Juneteenth should be just like what they say about Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday: Not a day off, but a day on,” he said. “We can’t rest on the fact that someone read a proclamation in Galveston Bay without looking forward to the future and realizing that … what has happened before in the past can happen now in a different way.”

■ In Wednesday’s editions, the site of Allen Brooks’ lynching in downtown Dallas in 1910 was misidentified. The site is now known as Pegasus Plaza.

What Is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed.

The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday.

On June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday.

Juneteenth 2024 will occur on Wednesday, June 19.

Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Court House two months earlier in Virginia, but slavery had remained relatively unaffected in Texas—until U.S. General Gordon Granger stood on Texas soil and read General Orders No. 3: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.” The Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, had established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

But in reality, the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t instantly free any enslaved people.

The proclamation only applied to places under Confederate control and not to slave-holding border states or rebel areas already under Union control.

However, as Northern troops advanced into the Confederate South, many enslaved people fled behind Union lines. Juneteenth and Slavery in Texas

In Texas, slavery had continued as the state experienced no large-scale fighting or significant presence of Union troops.

Many enslavers from outside the Lone Star State had moved there, as they viewed it as a safe haven for slavery.

After the war came to a close in the spring of 1865, General Granger’s arrival in Galveston that June signaled freedom for Texas’s 250,000 enslaved people.

Although emancipation didn’t happen overnight for everyone—in some cases, enslavers withheld the information until after harvest season—celebrations broke out among newly freed Black people, and Juneteenth was born.

That December, slavery in America was formally abolished with the adoption of the 13th Amendment.

The year following 1865, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of "Jubilee Day" on June 19.

In the ensuing decades, Juneteenth commemorations featured music, barbecues, prayer services and other activities, and as Black people migrated from Texas to other parts of the country the Juneteenth tradition spread.

Red velvet cake

7 Juneteenth Foods and Traditions

From eating red foods to promoting activism, Juneteenth traditions pay tribute to the liberation of America’s enslaved. Read more a

In 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday; several others followed suit over the years.

In June 2021, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday; President Biden signed it into law on June 17, 2021.

The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, “all slaves are free.”

This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.

DALLAS ‘We give them a voice’

Victims of racial violence memorialized at Martyrs Park

Two black sheets hung in the hot sun Saturday at Martyrs Park in downtown Dallas. City leaders, volunteers and other attendees sat for the reveal of two long-awaited markers memorializing victims of racial violence.

The two shiny gray and black Texas Historical Commission Markers, each towering over the heads of attendees who wanted to take a closer look at them, tell the stories of four Black people who were lynched in the mid-1800s.

The park serves as a “memorial to the men and to the inhumane legacy of slavery in Dallas,” one sign says.

“We do have some bad history in the city,” Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins told dozens gathered there Saturday. “But what are we going to do about it? How are we going to write the history of Dallas?”

The markers are only the latest step in an effort to raise awareness of racial violence and injustice that took place in the city.

One marker honors Jane Elkins, the first documented enslaved person purchased in Dallas County and the first woman legally hanged in the state.

The other marker honors three men — Patrick Jennings, Cato Miller and the Rev. Samuel Smith — who were lynched at the site.

Their names are etched into a sundial-inspired steel sculpture — “Shadow Lines” — which the city in March dedicated to the four and all other local victims of lynching and racial violence between 1853 and 1920.

Local historian and activist Ed Gray said that it is important to remember and share the stories of those who “meant nothing to American society” in the past.

Gray is president of the Dallas County Justice Initiative and on the board of directors for Remembering Black Dallas, two nonprofits he said led the effort.

“We give them a life,” Gray said. “We give them a voice when someone else made sure their voices were not heard.”

Adjacent to The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and the grassy knoll, the park, established in 1991, is less than an acre in size.

Cars from the Triple Underpass and the access ramp to Interstate 35E whizzed by as speakers, including Mayor Eric Johnson, gave their remarks Saturday.

Johnson said he felt the markers both honored the past and showed “how far our city has come.”

“We as a city must not sidestep the difficult parts of our history,” Johnson said. “We should recognize those difficult parts and we should confront those difficult parts head-on.”

Gray said the markers would have lost their impact if placed anywhere else.

In addition to the three men who were killed at the site, he said enslaved people in Dallas County were often whipped there.

The lynchings defined the area in the 1860s, he said, much like President John F. Kennedy’s assassination did a century later.

“We want people to realize that’s holy and sacred ground,” he said.

“It’s just as holy and sacred as the ‘X’ that people marked on the street, that marks the spot where President Kennedy lost his life.” Confronting history

Elkins was hanged in 1853 after being convicted of killing her white owner, Andrew Wisdom.

The marker honoring Elkins says that she was tried before an all-white, male jury.

She wasn’t allowed to testify and was without representation during her trial.

The marker states that years later, in 1880, a Galveston Daily News article found that she had been the first person to report Wisdom’s death.

Though she had accused another person of committing the crime, Elkins became the sole and primary suspect.

“Her body was not her own,” the Rev. Sheron Patterson said Saturday. “Her actions were not her own.”

Jennings, Miller and Smith were hanged on newly built gallows in 1860 after being falsely accused in connection with a fire downtown.

The marker reads that a committee of 100 white men ordered that all slaves in Dallas be whipped.

Gray said Smith had political power and influence in his community as a minister.

Miller was highly respected by other Black men and women at the Overton Plantation in Dallas County.

“He was enslaved but he ran things on the plantation,” Gray said of Miller. “When you have a Black man who is running things that sends the message to other African American men and women that they too can run things. They too can be important. They too can be respected.”

In recent years, other markers addressing racial violence have also been dedicated in the city.

The Dallas County Justice Initiative worked for years to meet the requirements of the Equal Justice Initiative — which has the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Ala. — and secure two markers in Dallas for Allen Brooks and William Allen Taylor.

The marker for Brooks, who was abducted, killed and hanged downtown in front of a large crowd in 1910, was dedicated at Pegasus Plaza in November 2021.

The marker for Taylor, who was lynched in 1884 near the Trinity River, was dedicated last November at Trinity Overlook Park.

Both of their names are on the sculpture in Martyrs Park.

“This is one of those portions of history that can’t be, for lack of a better word, whitewashed and forgotten,” Gray said.

‘Hope’ for the city

The smell of fresh mulch wafted at the unveiling Saturday as visitors appeared to take notice of landscaping improvements at the park.

The land used to be filled with vines, shrubs and weeds, said Trent Williams, former senior program manager for Dallas Park and Recreation.

In the past year, the parks department has led efforts to clear the space to make room for the memorial and historical markers, he said. New trees and shrubs were planted.

City Council members showed interest in a memorial to victims of racial violence in 2018, amid ongoing debate over the removal of Confederate statues.

There was controversy when work started on the project to place the markers, said Beverly Davis, vice president of Remembering Black Dallas, at the event.

“Some people said, ‘Why would you want to bring to light something negative, that would make Dallas look bad,’” she said.

Davis said George Keaton Jr., the founder of Remembering Black Dallas, would always say: “This is not Black history. This is our shared history. This is American history.”

Keaton worked until his death in 2022 to put the idea of preserving history into action.

At the unveiling, several speakers credited Keaton and his impact. Community organizations and city officials, along with Gray, have continued his work.

“This was a monumental task to get it done,” Gray said of Martyrs Park and the two new historical markers.

Gray commended the work of former City Manager T.C. Broadnax and interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, who he said helped to remove “roadblocks” to make the memorial and historical markers possible.

Tolbert, who spoke at the unveiling, told attendees to “hold onto our hope” and continue working to “dismantle the barriers that have divided us” and set people back in the city.

“My hope for this city and for those of you who are here this morning is that as we come back to this place to visit, that we are reminded that these markers are an opportunity for us to really cultivate the soul’s appreciation,” Tolbert said. “For truth. For honor. For respect and for dignity for these individuals.”

[bike42]

Thursday, May 2 2024

Montenegro “Black Mountain”

I got out on the top deck for a yoga session at 6:30am, as we were just entering Kotor Bay for the 90 minute cruise through the fiord-like inlet to the village of Kotor. The bay was dotted with coastal fortified villages, all with churches, waterfront promenades and beaches. Kotor is a village at the end of the inlet, nestled inside steep limestone cliffs at Mt. Lovcen. Apparently, the whole Bay of Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The name, Kotor, translates to “squeezed between the mountains and sea.”

We transferred by tender from the boat to the harbor, where we were met by our guide, Vasco, for the “Taste of Montenegro” tour. We walked just a few blocks, where we boarded a small bus that quickly led us out of town into the mountainside overlooking the Bay. That gave us plenty of time for Vasco to give us a quick history lesson.

The history was long and complicated, starting in 500 BC. For hundreds of years, land changed hands after various invasions: Romans, Greek, Austria-Hungarian, Turkish and Venetians. Throughout history, the boundaries blurred between what is now Montenegro and their neighbors (Albania to the south, Serbia to the east, Croatia to the north

10th century - Duklja (medieval South Slavic state)

1356 - Zeta (medieval Serbian state)

1516 - Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro 

1878 - Treaty of Berlin, kicked the Ottomans out and officially gave the Montenegrins independence

1910 - Kingdom of Montenegro, monarchy in southeastern Europe during the tumultuous time leading up to WWI.

1918 - Kingdom of Yugoslavia (translated means land of the south Slavs), included territory around Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia

1945 - Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, lasted until 1992 when it was broken up as a consequence of the Yugoslav Wars. It was a one-party socialist state and federation led by the league of Communists.

1992 - Serbia and Montenegro

2006 - Independence referendum 

2017 - joined NATO (Adriatic Charter).

Vasco said the 1990s were terrible times for the country. They’re not yet a member of the EU, but working towards that. Last year they started using the Euro, and their economy is a bit unstable. He said without being a NATO member, he thinks they’d be in a state similar to Ukraine right now.

A few more facts:

624,000 people

7th smallest country in Europe (13,812 square kilometers)

Surrounded by Croatia, Albania, Serbia and Bosnia.

Only industry is tourism and unemployment is high, yet, many foreign workers come to work in the service industry.

They speak Montenegrin, but Vosco said each of the former Yugoslavian countries have their own language, however it’s the same language with a different name and some regional dialect. Interesting that some of the names are Spanish / Italian and he said that’s because sailers would stop here and the terms they used were incorporated into the language - including the name of the country. It was officially Crna Gors, but became Montenegro (Black Mountain).

Our drive took us to the little village of Tici, where we were greeted by Ilija Moric, a university professor and President of the Montenegro Olive Oil Producers Association. With his two brothers, he is the eighth generation of owners of this Olive Tree farm, in his family for nearly 300 years. He and his two donkeys greeted us with Grapa and donuts - the donkeys wanted the leftover donuts.

Their farm has 1000 trees, and produces about 3 liters per tree, considered a small organic farm (he joked it’s a large garden). In commercial production, the get about 6 liters per tree. We learned olive oil isn’t healthy because of the oil, it’s healthy because of the nutrients. The nutrients come from the pit, which is smashed with the olive. Fresh olive oil will be cloudy for 2 months, so it is left to settle before the oil is bottled. He debunked a few myths (it’s all Cold Processed, and it’s all First Press).

We traveled a few more minutes by bus to an old structure where the old processing equipment was still located (similar to what we’d seen in Sorrento a few days ago). There we had a sampling of: two local cheeses, eggs from their chickens, tomatoes, two homemade breads, battered zucchini, prosciutto, local wines, a yummy apple torte and Turkish coffee. It was a beautiful setting and we felt immersed in Montenegrin history and culture. I wondered what this family’s experience was like and how they’d been impacted by the wars. Had they just survived off the land and kept producing their olive oil and tending their trees and garden? Wish I’d asked.

During our drive Vasco talked about how the Infrastructure in the country is a mess, and we saw first hand that the roads are narrow, steep and crumbling. There were occasions where we’d meet a bus or truck, and one would have to reverse, or both pull their mirrors in and squeeze past. There is no public water or sewer system, must each have a well and drain field. The power grid is down frequently. Vasco said winters are still especially rough, with power out and roads inaccessible.

We drove back to Kotor a different route. Vasco pointed out major developments with private harbors and yachts, some luxury hotels (Aman) but most privately owned by UAE money, or one development from a Egyptian Billionaire who is also building infrastructure for his development. I couldn’t tell if Vasco was feeling proud and excited about these developments, or disgusted. He talked a lot about how hard it is to make money here - the open jobs are all service based low paying jobs. He has friends working on cruise ships and oil platforms making really good money, but that’s a different life. He makes good money as a guide, but only has work about 8 months a year and then sits around depressed the other 4 months. I wondered if 100+ years being in a poor socialist country, not enough people know how to make it as capitalists?

Traffic in town was majorly connected. One lane roundabout at the main intersection. I had a nap during that part after a big lunch with alcohol. We finally arrived at the Old Town and got out on foot.

There are 5km of zigzag walls surrounding the town. Initially started during the 9th century, they were completed in the 14th century with endless additions made until the 19th century. Despite all the wars, erosion and natural disasters, the walls are still strong today.

The fortification was necessary as this was an important trading port, specifically weapons were stored and sold from inside the walls. We walked together to the 12th century Cathedral of St Triphon, where we said goodbye to our guide and went off on our own. Jeff and I walked as high as possible along the wall without paying the €15 to walk to the top. It was fun to poke along the narrow passageways that would open to patios and gardens belonging to the houses built into the steep mountain. We walked the portion of the wall that overlooks the harbor and newer part of the city, but that was crammed with tourists.

We headed down, grabbed a gelato and headed back to the ship to rest up the the evening. We showered and went on deck for trivia and evening entertainment. The restaurants are closed tonight and the staff went all out for a BBQ. Great cheeses and salads, seafood, Asian sucking pig, ribs, and chicken. Then a whole dessert table including an apple pie that was about 40” in diameter.

We ate early, at a table overlooking the beautiful city. There had been a large cruise ship in town, and it was fun to watch them steam off into the Bay while we enjoyed dinner. We then cleared out to the lounge to make room for others. It was quiet and we were into our second backgammon game, when a rush of noise and people came in. Apparently, the gorgeous evening turned into a sudden gush of rain!

The band moved inside. Entertainment tonight included a show of staff performing about 10 different line dances. It was really fun! So many of the staff, including our room attendant Asep, have such fun personalities and that really came out in their dancing!

[cqallenwalker]

I had a dream that my stepmom was giving me lots of shit because allegedly the federal government was going to sue me for "taking Native American holidays" which in reality was my company taking the day off to learn about the local tribes some more. So I yelled at her, then walked off. I encountered a big green Jeep blasting FM music. Apparently the car had Yamaha FM chips built in.

I drive off to the desert where I saw a bunch of people jumping off cliffs on homemade planes heading to Nevada. At night I was watching some community theater thing. I was hitting it off with some lady there. We started watching a mishmash of various things like Hayasaka Mirei getting in a pillow fight in some open field in a crowd, some OVA by the animators behind that one Summer Wars, a presentation on goth industrial music in the early 2000s and things that I can't quite remember anymore.

A new day started and I realized that I needed to head home, so I was looking on Tiktok for someone to give me ride. There was something else about stealing a statue in a movie theater but I can't remember the details, then I woke up.