#SH317

[hiddlesgirl]

“What you did today, putting your life on the line for the people you care about? It's pretty badass.”  

“You're pretty badass too.”

[newscheckz]

Coast hotels risk losing out on tourism stimulus cash

New Post has been published on https://newscheckz.com/coast-hotels-risk-losing-out-on-tourism-stimulus-cash/

Coast hotels risk losing out on tourism stimulus cash

Coast tourism stakeholders could lose up to Sh1.8 billion of the Sh3 billion tourism recovery economic stimulus funds, state officials have warned.

This is because of lack of compliance and crucial documents required by the government, pointing to a possibility a huge number of businesses are operating illegally.

Lack of Tourism Regulatory Authority licenses and Kenya Revenue Authority compliance certificates among other key documents contributed to the low number of applications from the region.

Some of the players could be operating illegally and that is why they find it hard to provide the key documents that are required by the government as it could eventually expose them for tax defaults.

Government authorities have been forced to engage stakeholders for the second time, before opening the portal to enable them apply for the funding to help them refurbish their establishments.

For the past one week, officials have held tourism stakeholder’s meetings in Taita Taveta, Kwale, Mombasa and Malindi.

In the Malindi meeting there was concern over few applications from Kilifi and Lamu counties.

The Coast region has been allocated the lion share of the kitty (60 per cent) owing to its key role in the tourism sector. The rest of the country has been given Sh. 1.2 billion.

Currently, the total applications are Sh7.29 billion with the Coast region having only sent applications worth Sh1.5 billion.

Kilifi county applications are Sh317 million, while Kwale and Mombasa so far have applications worth Sh214 million and Sh942 million, respectively.

Taita Taveta ‘s applications stand at Sh52 million while  Lamu county which is also a key tourism destination had no single application.

Tourism Finance Corporation(TFC) managing director Jonah Orumoi said of the Sh 1.5 billion applications from the Coast, many gave the wrong purpose for the funds, with a huge number seeking support to settle debts and off-set existing loan facilities.

“We had challenges in terms of wrong purposes considering this is a refurbishment fund to ensure the beach products are well refurbished and fit the competitiveness of the market,” he said.

He said the government will dispatch a team to help applicants from the five coastal counties to understand the application process in order for them to fully benefit from the fund.

TFC is leading disbursement of the loans capped at Sh50 million per establishment.

Investors with a chain of facilities however qualify for up to Sh200 million, at five per cent interest, payable after one year for 10 years.

Maureen Awuor, the chairperson of Kenya Hotel Keepers and Caterers Association North Coast region, said most of the tourism businesses are not fully compliant.

Tax compliance is among the major challenges, she noted.

[hiddlesgirl]

“I've never seen you like this.”

“No. Neither have I.”

[hiddlesgirl]

I might've lost my strength, but I'll never lose my will to fight.

Raphael Santiago, Shadowhunters (3x17)

[hiddlesgirl]

“Listen to me. It's not gonna matter what you do or what you say when he realises he gets to spend the rest of his life with you.”

[hiddlesgirl]

“Please, Alexander. Don't make me pretend this is just a phase. Because it's not. What I'm feeling now it may never pass.”

Credit

[hiddlesgirl]

“I was the princess that was supposed to rescue him.”

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[hiddlesgirl]

I am one lucky man.'' "Not as lucky as I am.

Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood, Shadowhunters (3x17)

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[hiddlesgirl]

Izzy Lightwood in Heavenly Fire

[hiddlesgirl]

“Torture? I don't know what you're talking about.”  

“I guess some Seelies can lie.”

[hiddlesgirl]

“It's not Glorious, but it's the next best thing. Use it for something good.”

Credit 

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[hiddlesgirl]

“No, it's too dangerous, especially with the Clave involved.”  

“I know the risks.”

[hiddlesgirl]

“All I've ever wanted is for you to be happy.”

“Well, I'm not!”

[hiddlesgirl]

“This place is totally off the grid. The only way to find it is to get someone on the inside.”  

“But not just anyone, a vampire named Zeke Russo.”

[hiddlesgirl]

“Is something wrong?”  

“What? No. No.”

[hiddlesgirl]

SH 317: Heavenly Fire

This was another absolutely fantastic episode! Apart from a couple of episodes 3B has been incredible. Some very emotional moments, a few action scenes with a new team up and we finally find out what is happening at the Clave. We meet Helen Blackthorn in this episode and also witness her meeting Aline; I’m excited to see their future interactions. Alec is nervously excited about his proposal, Clary discovers a truth about her childhood and Izzy takes down an old foe.

From the first moment we see Alec in this episode it is abundantly clear his is very nervous about proposing to Magnus, he is buttoning and unbuttoning his shirt because he wants to look perfect. Magnus is looking for apartments but he is sat on what has been established as Alec’s side of the bed, I love this because it implies (again) that they sleep cuddled together and that after Alec gets up Magnus moves into Alec’s space for warmth. I absolutely love seeing domestic moments like this.

Magnus notices how distracted Alec is, but Alec deflects and instead talks about being happy that Magnus is back to his old self or at least healthy. Alec is just so happy that Magnus’ life is no longer in danger that he has put the emotional side of Magnus’ suffering to the back of his mind for now, which is understandable given his mind being on proposing. He is not dismissing that there will be lasting effects of what Magnus has been through or thinking that he is fixed now, I think that he is just concentrating on Magnus’ physical health and he is excited about proposing.

Magnus is definitely not of the same mind set because he tells Alec to not get carried away and subtly raises his eyes brows doubtfully. Magnus knows that he isn’t feeling like himself and that this way of life is going to take a lot of getting used to, if ever. For Magnus nothing has really changed, he still feels depressed and he doesn’t know how to deal with everything that has happened; but he can see how happy Alec is right now after his near death experience so is putting up a brave face for him.

I love how Alec stalls when Magnus asks what the occasion for a special dinner is, and their exchange of how lucky they are to have each other. Magnus loves Alec and he appreciates Alec’s support, he views himself as lucky to have Alec love him. Alec is so in love with Magnus, he never thought he would have this and to have a man as wonderful as Magnus, he knows that he couldn’t be luckier.

Alec is looking at the family ring in the next scene, you can see how much sentimentality this ring has and how important it is to the Lightwood family; I think that Magnus would not only love the ring but would wholly appreciate the meaning behind it. I did tear up a bit when I realised that the two runes on the ring are strength and trust; not only to symbolise the people in the relationship but also the relationship itself.

Jonathan will only talk to Clary but even then he is being very evasive about his intentions with the Morningstar sword and instead is using this opportunity to try to invoke emotions in Clary in order to strengthen their bond and endear her to him.

In a flash back we find out that Jonathan didn’t know of Clary’s existence until 205 when she banished the demon from Iris’ house; it explains how obsessed with her he is because he has only known about her for a couple of months. So he is consumed with wanting to know her and he is desperate for love so he’s clinging to her with everything he has, the fact that it’s so fresh just strengthens that.

We also see just how emotionally manipulative Lilith was towards him, constantly reminding him that his father abandoned him and that his sibling would do the same. Lilith and Jonathan are very similar in this regard; they both want the person they love to love them the most, to have them to themselves.

Alec arrives in the weapons room saying that he is very busy and I want to squeal because we know that he is planning his proposal dinner, to see just how much effort he is putting into it is wonderful.

I am always in awe of Simon, he is so self sacrificing and is willing to put himself in unknown danger for the people he loves. I also love seeing Izzy and Simon teaming up, I really enjoy their friendship and I am excited to see it develop into a romantic relationship.

When Simon realises that Raphael is in the cell with him you can see his concern raise because now it’s not just himself but there is Raphael to worry about. Although Raphael has done some horrible things he is still important to both Magnus and Izzy, plus he was the one who returned Simon to Clary after Camille killed him and even though he was a pain about Simon dealing with Camille he did help Simon adjust to his new life.

Despite everything that has happened they both still care what happens to each other, Simon is clearly worried to see Raphael there and Raphael pulls Simon away from the door because he knows what is happening, trying to protect him.

I smiled so much when we hear Alec on the phone ordering roses for his dinner with Magnus, every time we see him you can see how much thought he is putting into the proposal and that it is pretty much all he can think about. Compared to him proposing to Lidia out of duty it is so heart warming to see him planning a proposal to someone he is in love with.

I like the little moment between Alec and Jace, I think that Alec needed to hear those reassurances to help settle his nerves a little and to know that his Parabatai is supporting him in this too. Plus Jace isn’t questioning his decision he just accepts it and is happy for him, he knows how much Alec loves Magnus and trusts Alec to know what is right for their relationship. Jace is just so happy that Alec has found this happiness and will support him completely.

In another flashback we see an even younger Jonathan being afraid of Lilith and begging her not to burn him, you can see how terrifying his time in Edom must have been; especially as a child. When she tells him about the sword you can see how desperate he is for someone to save him, although we know about what he did as a child (killing a werewolf and another child, Valentine wrote it in his journals) he is still a child who has been abandoned.

Again we see Lilith emotionally and physically abusing him, reinforcing that she is the only person who loves him while inflicting pain; this is probably to make him remember her words even more by associating it with physical pain.  It is horrifying to see the reality of what he lived through, for what 10 years? Anyone would have lasting trauma and issues.

I think that we all collectively thought ‘not this bitch again’ when we found out that it was Aldertree who transferred Raphael; we presume this is because of Raphael’s relationship with Izzy and Aldertree being spiteful.

My heart hurts a little when Simon is trying to protect Raphael from being taken but Raphael easily accepts his fate, you can see how much he has turned back to his faith to find redemption for what he has done. He is ready to accept any and all consequences for his actions.

Izzy looking absolutely gorgeous turns up for dinner with Aldertree, she is using his affection for her in order to gain any information she can and we learn that since leaving their Institute Aldertree has only gained more power within the Clave.

He says he regrets enabling her addiction and I really want to hurl something at the screen in an attempt to hurt the piece of trash. He didn’t just enable her, he was the one who introduced her to Yin Fen in the first place, he is the reason she developed an addiction and he knows that perfectly well. He is seriously so despicable; he definitely comes a very close second to Lorenzo in ‘character I hate the most’.

I am in awe of Izzy for holding her composure and not calling him out, she holds off her anger because she needs to keep him distracted; I would not have blamed her at all for punching him right there in the middle of the dining hall.

My heart is breaking when we learn that Clary used to have nightmares about a Prince in a burning tower, she has multiple drawings of this nightmare in various skill levels so it is clear that she was having this dreams from a young age and for a long time. To find out that these were visions of her brother, that they were happening and that she was seeing his reality is devastating.

She feels guilty for not being able to save him, she feels that she was supposed to have saved him and that it is her fault that he lived there for so long. She believes that if she had saved him he might be a different person, he could have been her brother and he might not have done all these terrible things. You can see the internal conflict she is having with her hate of what he has done and her reluctant care for her brother; also realising that the suffering boy she dreamt about is the man she helped imprison.

You can really see the beginning of her becoming more compassionate towards Jonathan, she has always been conflicted because they are siblings but to be faced with the reality of what he lived through she can see why he has become so twisted. She wants to believe that there is more in him than darkness.

Jace says that she couldn’t have changed him because it was too late but I don’t know if that is true. We know that he has had very skewed morals form the beginning, partly Valentine, partly his mixed blood and later partly because of Lilith; we cannot blame how he is on the demon blood because there is a whole community of people with demon blood and the majority of them are good. So to say that it would have been impossible to help and change him seems too black and white; if Jonathan had spent less time with Lilith and had experienced healthy love from Clary (and possibly Jocelyn) he may not have become so violent and they could have helped him be better.

I’m not saying that he could have become perfect if he hadn’t of lived with Lilith, but I think it is narrow sighted to believe that he is completely evil and that some love and understanding couldn’t have changed him for the better.

We can see three examples of the difference that nurture has; Clary who is a Morgenstern but was raise by Jocelyn and Luke, she has a good moral compass and is well adjusted; Jace who was raised partially by Valentine and the Lightwoods, he is a good person but you can see the pieces of darkness in the ideals of Valentine’s that he hung onto (answering yes and no when asked if he believed in Valentine’s quest to destroy the Downworld); and Jonathan who was raised by Valentine and then Lilith, he has a skewed moral compass and no comprehension of the line between platonic and romantic love.

To say that Jonathan is who he is purely because of how he was born is completely ignorant to the environments that he grew up in; if Clary or Jace had experienced what Jonathan had then they would be different people too.

Also, Jace holds nothing but contempt for Jonathan and although I completely understand why I think that it is a mistake for him to not try to understand Clary’s feelings and see where she is coming from. You can see that she is starting to question how she sees Jonathan and how she feels about him, and having Jace constantly adamant about how evil he is, is only going to drive her towards him faster. Clary is more likely to go to Jonathan’s side more quickly if she believes that no one is even trying to understand her view, at the end of the day he is her brother and it is completely understandable that she is conflicted about her feelings towards him.

I love Magnus’ outfit; that gorgeous red shirt and the collar pin are beautiful, plus he’s wearing that awesome belt again (from 2x18 and 3x14). It breaks my heart when he finds the grey hair because it’s physical proof that he can and is ageing now, it is a physical manifestation of his mortality. You can see the full realisation wash over him and you know that it is going to cause him to spiral which is completely understandable; he hasn’t been able to process losing his magic yet so to be faced with proof of his mortality is a huge blow.

I am so happy for Raphael because he seems absolutely ecstatic that he is human again, however Iris feels very differently saying they stole her ‘very soul’. I like that we got both ends of the spectrum here; for some, most likely vampires and warlocks who are infected, becoming human again could be a gift and something they want; but for others, most likely warlocks and seelies who were born with demon blood, it is taking away a huge part of who they are and their identity.

We learn that Aldertree plans to release the serum into the New York water supply to ‘cure’ all Downworlders without their consent; this is absolutely shocking because while I am glad that my theory about them turning Downworlders into mundanes was true I did not imagine that they would be willing to use it on civilians against their will.

Iris remarks that she would rather have a quick death then live 50 years without magic, I like this because we are getting perspective from another warlock of just how important magic is and how big a part of them it is; they feel completely lost without. It helps us understand Magnus a bit more and shows that it isn’t just his reaction to the situation but magic really is that pivotal to all warlocks.

I also like that Raphael understands her view point, even though he is happy and it is a good thing for him he understands that for her it is a gross violation. I like this because if Raphael and Magnus interact while Magnus is still mundane then it shows that Raphael is going to be compassionate and is not going to try to convince Magnus that it is a good thing. I really hope we get some Magnus and Raphael scenes soon because they are family and it is a little ridiculous that with all they have been through that we haven’t seen them support each other.

Helen has learned about Aldertree’s plans from Izzy and is completely distraught that she has been helping him; she thought she was doing a good thing by rehabilitating prisoners but now she knows she was furthering an agenda that would have wiped out one side of her heritage. She asks them to help her stop him, she cannot allow him to turn Downworlders against their will; and I love the team up that happens. I love Helen, Simon and Raphael being complete badasses taking down the guards.

I absolutely love Raphael’s line ‘I may have lost my strength but I’ll never lose my will to fight’; I think that it is quite empowering because I know that a lot of people, including myself sometimes, don’t feel like they have the strength to deal with things but that doesn’t mean they lose the will to fight.

Helen gives Simon the vials of the serum that are in the lab, the only vials left after the explosion, she wants him to use them to really help someone; she doesn’t want what she has done to all be for bad. She wants something positive to come out of the horror Aldertree created.

It is clear that Aldertree is completely blinded by his own personal experiences; he believes that not only would Shadowhunters thank him for eradicating the Downworld but that the Downworlders would thank him too. He is so immersed in his opinion that demon blood is a poison that he doesn’t see how wrong it is to change someone without their consent; he doesn’t see that what he is planning to do is the same as deruning a Shadowhunter.

I was cheering when Izzy punched and took him down; I think I can say that we have all been waiting for someone to take him down pretty much since we met him and I am glad that it was Izzy.

I really liked Helen and Aline’s first meeting, it was tentative curiosity and maybe a bit of mutual attraction. You can see that they both admire the other and I am very excited to see how they will continue to interact and begin to develop a relationship.

Simon took 6 vials of serum back to the Institute; now, Izzy has to use at least one to test it, then one or two to break the twinning rune, that leaves at least three other vials. I think that Luke may willingly take the serum to become mundane. We saw in one of the trailers that his eyes and veins were glowing like those who have had the serum; maybe he takes it so to escape from the Praetor because he is part of their organisation out of necessity not choice.

Maybe Simon uses one? Although he is a Daylighter now he never wanted to be a vampire and this is his chance to reverse that (plus I know that in the books he does become a Shadowhunter right?). I’m not sure but there are three more vials up for grabs.

Izzy says that Aldertree will be prosecuted and I hope that we get confirmation of that and how severe it was. Plus, Raphael and the other new mundanes may have their sentences changed as compensation for what was done to them; so hopefully we will be seeing Raphael sooner rather than later (crossing my fingers for a Magnus and Raphael scene, maybe Magnus will be the one to greet him coming back from the Gard?).

Alec leaves to prepare for his dinner with Magnus and I love the little knowing look he shares with Jace who is sending him silent support and encouragement. I really like Izzy’s confused look because she knows that something is going on and doesn’t like being left out of the loop (I wonder if she will find out what Alec was planning to do considering it actually didn’t happen).

I love that Jace pats Simon on the shoulder as he and Clary leave to see Jonathan; with the antagonistic relationship they have it is great to see Jace actually give some positive gesture to Simon in appreciation for what he did. I really wanted to see a friendship grow between them but the bickering is fun too.

I really like the Sizzy scene because you can see that they are starting to see each other in a different light; the most important thing to both of them is the welfare of those they care about. To see Simon risk everything has really opened Izzy’s eyes, not that she didn’t appreciate him before but this has started to change how she views him. I think that they would have a great romantic relationship because they have a wonderful friendship as a foundation, they have very similar values and they have a strong bond of trust. I am excited.

Jonathan is devastated to learn that they may have found a way to break the twinning rune; he holds so much reverence for it because it connects him to Clary in such a deep way that he cannot fathom losing that. You can see Clary struggling with his show of emotion and her own conflict too.

Jace talks about everything Jonathan has done which hardens Clary’s resolve to disconnect them, it’s almost like Jonathan exists as two people inside her head; the one who killed many Shadowhunters, hurt Max and kidnapped her; and the one who she saw burning in her dreams and yearns for her love. She keeps swinging between the two and is finding it difficult to gel those views into one person.

Luke’s acting in this scene is amazing, to see Jonathan completely lose hope and break down; my heart hurt at his words of Lilith being right and begging Clary not to leave him. In that moment you could really see the boy who was abandoned by his parents and was reaching out for the love of his sister.

Oh my god. Okay. The end scene. It absolutely destroyed me.

I started tearing up seeing how much effort Alec has put into this dinner; the fairy lights, the roses, he dressed up and my heart swells to see that he has the ring sat on a plate full of rose petals. It is amazing to see how much thought he has put into this for someone he loves with his entire heart compared to Season 1 when he proposed out of duty.

Not only is Magnus late but he is drunk too, I knew this wasn’t going to go well but my heart starts hurting immediately. I hurt for Magnus who is clearly not coping with losing his magic and for Alec who has put all this effort into a perfect proposal.

Magnus once again expresses how useless he feels without his magic, all his life he has been able to help people but now he is struggling to find a purpose and feels unable to be helpful because he cannot do all the things he used to be able to, especially when it comes to those he cares about. When he talks about Alec’s position it isn’t because he is jealous, he is lashing out because he is drunk and upset; plus he is pointing out why Alec cannot understand what he feels right now because of the differences in their positions of power.

My heart breaks when Magnus says ‘I’m mundane now like you always wanted’, he knows that Alec would never force him to become mortal just because he wants them to grow  old together but he is hurting and when you’re hurting you tend to hurt those you love so that they can understand a fraction of what you are feeling. I’m not saying it is right but it is understandable.

Alec is definitely taken aback by Magnus’ behaviour, he has never seen Magnus like this before; drunk, angry and lashing out. It is a shock to him to see Magnus this way and to be on the receiving end of it. Also he has gone a complete turnaround emotionally which isn’t helping, he went from happy, nervous and excited to concerned and upset.

It also shocks him to hear Magnus say that he isn’t happy; he knew that magic was important but to so blatantly hear that Magnus isn’t happy is a blow because Alec himself was feeling so happy. As I said earlier, Alec’s relief over Magnus’ physically health and excitement about proposing kinda eclipsed everything else including thinking about Magnus’ mental state. I am not trying to criticise him, I completely understand why he got so swept up in his elation; it was a failing in both of them, Alec for not asking about how Magnus’ is coping, and Magnus for not telling Alec that he is struggling. But neither of them are to blame or are in the wrong here.

Magnus continues to break my heart when he pleads with Alec, he knows that how he feels could last a lifetime and he cannot bear to be made to feel like it will pass; he cannot bear to have it dismissed as a phase. He needs Alec to understand and acknowledge the severity and possible longevity of his depression. I think this was an incredibly important moment as a viewer because it really shows how people who suffer with depression feel, they don’t know how long this feeling will last and people telling them it’s a phase makes them feel worse.

I cannot express how much the last moments hurt, Magnus doesn’t want to break down in front of Alec because even now he struggles being vulnerable in front of him, especially now when he feels so completely estranged from himself and so low. He doesn’t want Alec to see the worst of him.

Alec begs Magnus to let him be there for him, he wants to help him but he knows that he can’t and failing that he wants Magnus to be able to be vulnerable with him, to be able to break down and show him all these emotions that he is feeling. He doesn’t want Magnus to hide how much he is suffering and is determined to show Magnus that he is there for him no matter what and there is no part of him that Alec doesn’t love.

The way Magnus’ voice breaks absolutely shatters my heart, I am sobbing as he clings to Alec and starts crying. You can see how much he needs to let these feelings out and he needs Alec’s support he just didn’t want to ask for it because he is so used to being independent and being the one to help others, he still finds it incredibly difficult to ask for help even from Alec.

I think this is the moment that Alec truly understands the severity and magnitude of Magnus’ suffering, to have such a strong person completely break down is a shock and you see him reeling from it. This is going to be a turning point for Alec because he now knows how deep  Magnus’ depression is and he’s going to do anything he can to help him.

Are you ok after that? Nope, me neither. *sobs*

Okay, so, this was an amazing episode; I know that I didn’t talk about some scenes but sometimes they are so self explanatory that there really is nothing for me to say, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t like and enjoy them (as you know I am not afraid of saying when I don’t like something).

I really liked seeing a deeper insight into Jonathan’s past; I loved the Helen, Simon and Raphael team up; I am excited to see more of Helen; Sizzy is beginning; Clary is really starting to show conflict about Jonathan; and Malec absolutely shattered my heart, again.

Next episode Asmodeus is up to something, Halloween is afoot and Clary looks to be joining her brother.

Now, as for what we saw in the promo for 318 I am very scared about the Asmodeus and Alec interaction because there are so many ways it could go and the Edom angst could come about;

1.       Alec accepts the deal and breaks up with Magnus.

2.       He asks for a different deal, and who knows what he would offer or Asmodeus would ask for because we know that Alec would sacrifice anything for Magnus.

3.       He could refuse and walk away.

Plus there’s Lilith to think about, she said she was returning to Edom with Cain but we don’t know for sure that, that is what she did. I think that she may be on Earth somewhere because why would she willingly return to Edom where Asmodeus has her under his thumb and Jonathan can easily find her? I think that she may be involved in the Edom angst because of her situation with Asmodeus and she knows it was caused by him taking Magnus’ powers.

1.       She could take Magnus to use as a bargaining chip.

2.       She could offer Magnus a deal, help her and he gets his magic back.

3.       She could offer Alec a deal.

I just have a gut feeling that Lilith will be involved. The whole situation is made more terrifying because there are multiple possible ways it could happen.