#military caused global warming

[callese]

[probablyasocialecologist]

If Plan Dalet was a settler-colonial script for the destruction of Palestine from 1948 onwards, it was preceded by – and had its conditions of existence in – the imperialist vision of an entity imposed on the land of Palestine for the protection of the interests of the core: access to raw materials and markets, prevention of subversive projects, buffer zones and counterweights against more distant rivals. In 1840, it was cotton, Muhammed Ali and Tsarist Russia. 127 years later, when the occupation was completed, it was petroleum, third world liberation and the Soviet Union. We are dealing here with an exceedingly deep structure, not an event or two; a ratcheting up and escalation across two centuries, a worsening and intensification of patterns first developed in the early nineteenth – also, not coincidentally, the temporal form of global warming itself. I have pointed very quickly and superficially to three further pivotal moments of articulation. In 1917 and after, the British occupation of Palestine was part of the transformation of the Middle East into a foundation for fossil capital, by dint of its oil resources. In 1947 and after, Western support for the new Zionist state was informed by the consummation of that order; in 1967 and after, by its defence. The steps along the way to the destruction of Palestine were simultaneously steps along the way to that of the Earth.

[...]

The destruction of Gaza is executed by tanks and fighter jets pouring out their projectiles over the land: the Merkavas and the F-16s sending their hellfire over the Palestinians, the rockets and bombs that turn everything into rubble – but only after the explosive force of fossil fuel combustion has put them on the right trajectory. All these military vehicles run on petroleum. So do the supply flights from the US, the Boeings that ferry the missiles over the permanent airbridge. An early, provisional, conservative analysis found that emissions caused during the first 60 days of the war equalled annual emissions of between 20 and 33 low-emitting countries: a sudden spike, a plume of CO2 rising over the debris of Gaza. If I repeat the point here, it is because the cycle is self-repeating, only growing in scale and size: Western forces pulverise the living quarters of Palestine by mobilising the boundless capacity for destruction only fossil fuels can give.

[rinbowaman]

ROMAN HOLIDAY

Part one

𝔚𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰:

Some fluff, minor comedy, slow burn type romance. Part 2 will have smut.

Had to take a break from MT's final chapter (it's almost done I promise) but I needed a break from Heedam (trust me…the man is getting juicy with his y/n.) so please enjoy this heartwarming piece based off the film with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. Sorry not proofread.

"Princess Y/N of (home country) has safely arrived to Italy as part of her European tour, becoming the diplomatic voice for the troubled youths of today's generation. The heir to King (your father's name) throne has received the warmest welcomes as she is greeted by the local nationals and the royal families of Europe.

Tonight, a grand ball will be held in the Princess’s honor, attended by the most pristine global guests at the Il Colosseo Rosa, where the sole heir will personally greet and address both, the royal and political unions of the continental divide.”

You gracefully appeared before the massive audience as General Hector Lucino, head of the royal guards, escorted you to the head of the ball room. The guests sigh and gasp at the sight as you delicately take your steps, greeting them with a warm smile and gently nodding your head in modesty. The level of class and sophistication within your aura wasn’t just a part of the years of royal grooming. No, this was the natural inheritance of your pure bloodline as the sole heir of your father’s nobility. 

Taking his place by your side, the general stands by amidst the colonels and high ranking officials, along with your closest staff, the Duke of Sagewick, the Marquis of Pemberton, and the Duchess de Barbarac, your personal headmistress that cared and looked after you religiously. 

The national anthem was played beautifully by a live performance, followed by your formal introduction as the announcer represented you to the public. Lined up before you, was the lengthy row of ambassadors, military officials, royal members of various continental houses, and more. As the announcer formally calls out their names, you greet them with grace and a formal introduction. 

The gems of your necklace, earrings, and tiara shined brightly, yet still was no match against your heavenly smile. Your eyes, glistened by the chandelier lighting, twinkled like the stars in the sky, while your gown flared your noble appeal. 

Moments after greeting the first ranking official, you lost track of the time. You were quite certain it had been at least thirty minutes since the announcer called the first name, and your feet were reminding you of it. You swore, it never mattered how often you wore these low heels, your body could never adjust to the extension as the balls of your feet began to beat with a sense of soreness. You did your best to shift between each foot, uncasting them from the intrusive pressures of the silkened pumps. Back and forth, between left and right, you shifted out of the pumps and wiggled your toes, stretched the arch, and returned back to your modest posture, never letting out a clue as to what was going on beneath your dress–at least, up until you mistakenly lost your balance, a rookie move for a seasoned princess. Failing to feed your foot back into the heel, you shifted in motion, causing a slight disruption when greeting the Grand Duke Casta of DeLatitia. You remained composed; your smile stayed ever so gentle as you tried your best to not pay any attention to the sudden note of humiliation. 

Finally, the last member was called, and you would have felt relieved if it weren’t for the fact that your right, silk threaded pump falls over. You did your best to delicately put it back in place so that you could slip it back on, but to no avail. Between the sheer, slick material of your stockings and the smoothness of the pump’s material, you lost all will to place it back on foot. The audience all wait for you to take your seat, you nearly forgot as you remained ever so focused in getting your slipper back on, when the Duchess de Barbarac gently places a hand on your elbow, giving you a slight tug as she guides you back into your chair. Admitting defeat, you take your position and watch as everyone takes a breath and is relieved to finally sit down, only to find that laying lonesomely before you, was your abandoned slipper. 

The general and royal staff members all signaled to the Duchess with a sense of urgency in their expressions. It took a few seconds for her to notice, but once she did, a frown of dismay nearly disrupted her calm look, but she caught herself and remained unperturbed, something she had mastered from years of training you. 

The General whispers into the Marquis’s ear. Standing straight and tall, the man presents his hand, a formal gesture to ignite the first dance, in which you took the hint and accepted as you placed your palm in his. Taking a step down, he levels your balance as you were able to strategically hover over your slipper, and slip it back into place. All was well. 

After spending the evening with the routines of royal responsibilities, it was finally time to lay the night to rest. 

“Duchess?”

“Yes?” 

“May I request a readjustment of my wardrobe?”

The duchess continues her tasks without pause, merely raising a brow in slight vexation. “A readjustment? What for?”

You finish brushing your long strands, placing the gold victorian brush down on your vanity. “My nightgown…I hate it.” 

“You shouldn’t use the word ‘hate’ my dear, it’s very unsuitable for someone from your station.” 

“But I do hate it–and I hate all of my underwear too.” 

Slightly rolling her eyes, the Duchess bids you to come to bed. “Come to bed Y/N, we have crackers, and milk in a fine glass.” Tucking you in, she sets the tray table over your lap while grabbing onto her filefax, preparing to go over tomorrow’s schedule. “Now my dear, I know you dislike going over tomorrow’s events, but it must be done. Finish your milk and crackers, I will proceed.” 

She places her thin glasses over the bridge of her nose, penciling her notes as she reads off the strict time hacks of all the press conferences, the visit with local orphanages, and the meeting with the Commandant of the Italian military forces. 

“First thing, we have the press conference to address the rising concerns of global inequality within the woman’s workforce and illegal recruitment of children conducting factory labor.” 

You sigh out as you munch on the saltine cracker. “I’ve visited this topic many times, how must I change the world when I am the sole individual addressing these concerns?”

“Oh my dear, that’s not proper language. You will have to accept and review the notes on the daily report.” Pulling out the document, the Duchess goes over the new avenues of approach to further emphasize the issue at hand, one that you had expressed on many occasions. Reading off each bullet point, you whispered out “Please…enough.” 

“And statistics also show that many women have…”

“Please stop.

“Then there are the points of view of the religious community that you will have to address.”

“No thank you…”

“Furthermore, there are many cultural aspects that interfere with the viewpoints of women in the workplace that you must take into consideration as the diplomatic figure of your family’s household–.” 

“STOP!!!”

The Duchess jumps at your tone, you finally snapped. It was long coming, yet the pressures of maintaining appearance and dignity only created a passive ball of depression that stormed in your chest, and tonight, it decided to burst out. “I can’t take it anymore! Just stop!”

“It’s alright Y/N, calm yourself, it's just nerves.”

“Nerves?! How dare you? Why does it always have to be this way? Why can’t I just be away from it all for once?”

“Your highness!” The Duchess raises her voice, doing her best to bring you back to a rational level, yet you continue to burst out in tears as you whimper out your absolute unhappiness with everything. The duties, the schedules, the constant controlling of your movements, the way you spoke, acted, thought, and felt–everything was too much, and you reached your breaking point. 

“I will get doctor Rue.” The Duchess dismisses herself, hastily telling the guard to quickly alert the general and royal staff that their presence was urgently requested at once. 

Moments later, the royal physician arrived with the royal staff following suit. You continue to cry and voice out your bitter disappointment; you certainly didn’t mean to act out, but who in the world could ever understand you? Everything was so mundane and dull, you lacked any excitement and spark in your life. WIth all the regulations and overhaul of agendas to fill your day, you barely had any time for yourself, much less to do anything memorable. The life of a princess, it was only glamorous and fashionable in the eyes of the public, but within closed walls, it was a disastrous lifestyle that you wish you could trade out in a heartbeat. 

Doctor Rue fetched out a syringe and needle, his face remained poised as he presented the solution to your ‘problem’. “Your highness, here is a little something to help you rest.”

“I don't need to rest…I want out! Out! I want out of this life!”

“Now, now.” Pinching the flesh on your arm, he sticks you with the needle tip, injecting the clear fluid. “What’s that?” you asked while hiccuping your tears. 

“Just a little something to help put you to sleep. By tomorrow morning, you’ll be good as new.” 

After taking your vitals, he and the staff left you alone; you laid fully awake, gazing at the cathedral ceiling. From outside your window, across the river, you could hear the laughter, dancing, and musical air that flowed and graced the night. How wonderful to be that free and joyful? 

“...I wish to be that happy.” you remarked to yourself, when your own mental voice presented you an ultimatum. So why don’t you? 

You quickly got up and out of bed, dressing yourself in modest casual attire, if you could even label it as casual. Everything you owned was sophisticated, elegant, and lavish. The most basic pieces were still eye-catching, regarding the most high end fabric and design. But that wasn’t going to stop you, not one bit. 

You peeked out through the door, to find the guards caught up in chit-chat. They stood in one end of the corridor, leaving the opposite path open, but just barely. You slipped through, hiding behind statues until the two pairs of eyes were looking away, which afforded you a chance to get by. Getting out from the inside was easy, it was the perimeter of the entire building and exiting the gate that was problematic. You were determined, which was further fueled by your success in getting out and hiding in the royal garden. Thankfully, you knew all the station points of where each guard and camera was set. The viewpoints of the camera lens were expansive, yet there were just enough blind spots for you to hide under as you swoop through, finding the organic market truck delivering fresh produce and meat for the chef and kitchen staff. Quickly, you snuck in the back of the cart, hiding behind a wooden cart of milk bottles as the driver closed up the tail, and started the vehicle. 

With a left turn, and straight ahead, you took a quick peek to find that the truck left the gates behind, closing for the night as everyone contained within are left thinking you are still in your bed, when in all reality, you were finally free. 

I did it…

You couldn’t believe it, this was entirely too good to be true. You finally made out and left the Colosseum. Resting your chin on the wooden crate, you watched all the happy couples taking their nightly stroll laugh and enjoy the Roman night. How dazzling it must be to be able to meet new people, go on dates, dress the way you see fit and to build companionship–a close and personal one at that. A world without having to be politically correct, not involved with the aggressive issues of world affairs and global diplomacy…just a life of chosen happiness and freedom. What a blissful and wonderful life that would be to have. 

The truck finally stopped, subtly waking you as you began to drift off. It would seem that doctor Rue’s medication was starting to take effect, but you had come so far to just merely return and fall asleep. You had to see and experience more, ride a motorbike, go sightseeing and even drink real Italian soda, or eat ice cream from a cone, for once. 

Walking along the sidewalk, you admired the dazzling architecture and fountains, graced by such remarkable statues. 

“I can’t wait to see everything.”

…………………………………..

“Alright, show face gents.”

“I got nothing.”

“Got a straight.”

Ethan strokes his chin, leveling out his hand, revealing a full house. “Oh, a full house. Bet you were feeling lucky, eh Ethan?” Jake, Ethan’s best friend remarks with a devious tune in his voice. “Let’s have it.” Ethan mumbles out, already figuring he lost this round as he tosses the remainder of his poker chips. 

“Royal flush! Go ahead and weep boys.” Jake announces delightfully as he scoops up his entire night’s winnings. 

“Whatever, I’m out. I got a early morning tomorrow.”

“Ah, the press conference with Princess Y/N?”

“Yup.” Ethan lets out a tiresome sigh while placing his jacket on. “You heading out soon?” He raises a brow and extends an inquiry towards Jake. “Yeah, after a bit.”

“Cool, see ya.” At his que, Ethan leaves. 

With his casual suit and tie, he takes a nightly stroll as his hands remain nestled in both pockets. What a night, another game ending with him losing a week's worth of pay, so much for a fun night out with the boys. 

Up ahead, he spots a peculiar view. Drawing closer in, he notices you asleep on the bench. Odd. Why would a young lady, neatly dressed be asleep on the street. 

“Miss?…Miss! Wake up.” 

You mumbled as he dipped down to shake your shoulder. “Miss, you shouldn’t be sleeping here.” 

“Mmm…not…not sleeping…”

“Uh huh.” Rolling his eyes, Ethan buries his hand back in the pocket before mocking your pitiful state. “You know, typically if someone can’t handle their liquor, they shouldn’t drink. Especially at this hour.” 

“Mmm…” you flutter your lashes as you blink, all the while Ethan half-heartedly sits you up. “Mm…Art thou afeared to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou art in desire?” You drew out your tired voice as you reiterated your favorite verse, succeeding in impressing the rather stoic young man at your side. “Do you know who wrote that?” You questioned as your eyes go back to being shut. 

“Huh…so you’re not only well dressed, but you’re also well educated.” Ethan tosses a small pebble in the air, catches it before skipping it against the placid surface of the water. “What is someone like you out here charting lines from Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”?” His tone was playful and teasing, but you hardly noticed as you drifted off. A nearby taxi drives close, and Ethan waves it down. “Well, see ya chica.” 

He opens the car door before taking another pitiful glance at you. Your body goes limp as you lay yourself back down, nuzzling against the backrest of the bench. 

Ethan comes back and taps your arm. “Hey, you take the cab. Come on, take it and go home.” 

“Mmmmmmmngh….”

“Come on…” lifting you, he rests you against his shoulder as he helps you inside the back of the taxi. “Senor, where to?” 

Ethan shuts the door as he does his best to stabilize you in the back seat. No matter how he tried, you kept slouching over, mumbling out tiresome moans as you expressed may times, over and over that you merely needed to sleep. 

“Senor—“ 

“I know, I know.” Ethan appeases the cab driver as he grips your shoulders, and inquires your home address. “Miss, where do you live?”

“Mmmmmnnnngh.”

“Miss?”

“Mmmm….the….the colosseum..”

Ethan and the cab driver both exchange looks before proceeding once more to get a legitimate answer. “Uh…miss? Miss, where do you live?”

“Mmmm.”

“야!” Growing impatient, Ethan’s Korean roots comes out as he takes a harsh tone and verbiage to you ”진지하게…“

“Signore, per favore devo andare—“

“Okay, okay.” Rubbing his temples, Ethan winces out of frustration as he reignites the question once more. “Miss, where do you live? Don’t say—“

“Mmm colosseum….”

“…the colosseum.” He whispers in defeat as faces the cab driver. “Please driver to Casa Gabriella.” 

“Ah! Thank you Signore!” The cab driver enthusiastically thanks Ethan before driving to the street belonging to his own residence. 

Between going back and forth with trying to get an answer out of you, and reasoning with the driver, Ethan found himself in a pickle, having no choice but to take you in for the night. “Damn…” he huffed under his breath.

He pays the driver before seeing you in through the gated entrance. Thumbing through his pocket, he fetched for his keys, yet paused upon feeling a sudden density resting against his back. He looks over his shoulder to expand his peripheral sight, catching the subtle image of you sleeping on his back and barely standing with his frame as support. Clearing his throat, he faces back forward as he unlocked the gate.

Leading you through the entrance, Ethan guides you in by the hand. You walked closely behind, practically sleep-walking with your eyes glued shut. He knew that your ‘inebriation’ was the cause in your lack of functionality, yet he couldn’t help but think of how childish you appeared as you rubbed your eyelids, tucked in your chin, and gently stomped your heels while being dragged through the outer corridor. 

He proceeds to climb the staircase, when your hand began slipping through his grip. He looked back, only to find that you managed to continue forward, but on the opposite of the stair rail. 

“Oh come on…” Ethan sighed tirelessly, raising your hand above head and once again, guided you all the way back around and on to the steps. 

He fishes through his key ring, grabbing the one that unlocked his front door. You stood behind, eyes shut, swaying as you waited, not at all coherent. He only looked away for a second as he grabbed the house key, when he looked back just in the nick of time. Aiming for the door, you recognized the structure of the entrance to Ethan’s neighbor, even at your sleeping state, you managed to not only realize that there was a door beside you, but also decided to act brazen as you marched straight for the frame with your fist balled up, seemingly ready to knock at such a late hour. 

“Shit!” Ethan harshly whispers as he leans forward and by the grace of God, was able to catch onto your wrist before you made contact with the door. 

“Wheeeeeeeew….” Breathing out steadily, Ethan regains his posture, while pulling you back in and behind him. He quickly enters and drags you to his apartment, finally able to take a breath. This was much harder than he expected. 

You merely stood by his bed, your chin still tucked in with your eyes closed. Now that you were in a stable environment, Ethan was able to take a breather and sipped on some scotch, trying to take the edge off from being bestowed as your babysitter. 

“Mmmmmnnn…do you know my favorite Shakespeare verse?” You mumbled out, drawing your words in a somber tone. 

Eyeballing you as he sips from the glass, with hand in pocket and his frame casually leaned against the wall, Ethan tucked in his lips as he relished the taste of liquor gracing his tongue. “Yeah, yeah, yeah…” he sets the glass down and digs through his drawers. 

“Here.” Presenting you with a pair of cotton, checkered seat pants and an oversized tee shirt, you lazily received them as your eyes opened just a sliver. “Pajamas?” 

“Yup. The bathroom is to your right, you can change in there.” His tone expressed annoyance, watching as you half wittingly untied your neck tab. “May I have a silk nightgown with baby rose buds on the hem?” 

Ethan raises a brow, tucking his hands back in his pockets. Did you seriously just request for something so lavish after all you had put him through? ‘Huh…typical rich girl.’

“Sorry princess, you’re gonna have to rough it out with these tonight.”

He turns back over to fetch his glass and finishes off his drink. “May I have some?”

Ethan nearly choked out upon hearing you request for a drink. “No! Go change and get to sleep!” 

He wipes the leaked beverage from his lip and checks the time on his wrist watch. “I’m going to step out for a bit. Change over and you’ll sleep on the couch.” 

“Will you assist in my undressing?” 

‘What did she just ask me to do?’……

“Come again, young lady?” 

“Please undo my attire  so that I may retire to bed.” You expressed as you tilted your nose up into the air. Your eyes remained closed as you slightly spread your arms apart. 

Peaking a perturbed brow, Ethan rolled his eyes before ‘assisting’ in undressing you. He squares up and looks down and reviews your sleepy countenance. “Uhh….um…here.” Pulling the neck sash loose from your collar, he hands it to you and watches as you barely grabbed onto it. “There. I helped.”

Turning hastily, he locks up the scotch before grabbing onto the knob. “I’m going out for a bit. Remember, you sleep on the couch, got it?” 

You loosened the fabric belt and unbuttoned your skirt, turning around, you flared your wrist and delicately graced the air with a fingered motion. The moment you rotated, your skirt drapes downward and falls to the floor. “You have my permission to withdraw.” 

Ethan simply rolled his eyes once more as he shuts the door. “Whatever princess, don’t touch anything.”

……………

Walking back up the stairs, Ethan rubbed his eyes. He was so tired, while he was out, he effortlessly asked around to see if he could find anyone that recognized your description, but it was futile. Guess you really had to stay over in his apartment until you sober up in the morning. Re-entering his apartment, he tosses his keys before noticing, much to his dismay, that you were nestled into his bed. 

“Oh Hell no! Come on! I said couch…couch!” 

He flings his jacket aside as he loosens his tie. Placing both hands on his hip, what a night this turned out to be. 

He changed over to his own set of pajamas before attempting to configure a way to fit himself in the bed. Placing a row of pillows between both your bodies, he attempted to gain comfort and place head to pillow, when in a blink of an eye, his goose-feathered fortress was demolished as you turned over. Swinging your arm and leg, you rolled over in your sleep as you limbs held onto him. “What the—“

He flings your limbs away and sits upright. His full size bed was simply not large enough for you both, so he was left with only one other option. 

“Move over.” 

Bouldering you to the edge, he rolls you right onto the couch beside the bed and watches as you land against the stuff cushion. “So happy…” you mumbled out. 

“Shut up.” Fluffing his pillows, he lays back down and finally, at precisely 3 am, he was able to get some sleep. 

“….Mmm…so happy...”

“Girl, I swear to God…”

………………………..

“General, we’ve searched the entire premises. There is no sight of Princess y/n.”

“Keep each detachment commander on standby, we must handle this with the utmost discretion. Understand? The Princess is the direct heir to the throne, we must avoid any stir with the press.”

The guard snaps a salute before pivoting and taking his leave. The royal staff all sit around in complete disarray. “We will issue a public statement that the Princess is ill, that will excuse and cancel out the list of events we have coordinated.” 

The general strokes his chin as he listens to the Marquis. “Well…all that’s left is to notify their majesties…”

The royal staff all stood, eyes widening as they prepare to take in whatever was coming. Your father, the King, was known to be a fair and benevolent man, but overly harsh and stern when it came to grave mistakes—in this case, losing his only child.

……………

Ethan fluttered his eyes open, harshly greeted by the sun peering through the window. What time was it? Time…the time! 

Jolting up, he snags his watch from the bedside table. “Shit…the press conference with the Princess…Fuck!” 

Jumping out of bed, he quickly got dressed, not at all paying attention to the abandoned ‘drunk’ he had watched over from last night. You remained heavily asleep on his couch, which was all dandy with him. He didn’t have time to arrange for your departure; right now, his job was at stake. “Fuck fuck fuck!” 

Running out, he catches a cab ride and proceeds to the office, unaware that various media outlets had published countless articles of your ‘illness’ and the cancellation of the arranged conference. 

“Ethan! Mr. Park has been looking for you.” 

“Yeah…got it.” 

Taking in a breath, Ethan walks in to greet his boss. “Hey.” 

“Where have you been?” 

“You want the truth or a harmless lie?” 

“Don’t even bother Ethan.” Jay, a longtime friend and employer of Ethan and Jake, eaves his hand as he dismisses his friends lack of responsibility. “I stopped giving a shit a long time ago. If I continued to stress over you, you would have been fired a hundred times by now.”

Ethan smirked as he issued a slight nod. “Sorry, I overslept. I had a…rather rough night.” 

“What? Did boys night end so badly that it kept you from sleeping?” 

“I wish.” Ethan sighed as he pours himself a cup of coffee. “Anyhow, I know I’m late but I’ll head over to the press conference and see if I can catch the end of it.” 

Jay perks up a brow. “The press conference?”

“Yes sir.”

Jay scoffs as he rubs his forehead. “It’s rather ironic that you were for a media outlet but you can’t keep up with current events.” 

“What do you mean?” Taking a sip, Ethan stares at Jay wide eyed, completely unaware of what his friend was referring to. Tossing a bundle up newspaper article towards him. Jay snaps his fingers as he gazes at a mischievous expression. “Read it. Princess is out sick, the press conference was canceled, dummy.”

Ethan’s brows furrowed together as he unraveled the paper and proceeded to read the headline, when the image header nearly caused his heart to skip a beat. 

“It’s postponed until further notice, so saddle up because I have a feeling that once she’s in the clear to make public appearances, there’s going to be a riot of journalists trying to get their greedy questions answered.”

Ethan didn’t hear a single word, instead, he stared into the portrait styled photograph that graced every front page in the country. 

“J-Jay…”

“What?”

“Is…this the princess?”

Jay shifts his elbow on the desk, leaning cheek to palm as he breathed out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, smart one. THAT, is the princess, y/n.”

Ethan crinkles the paper, internally giggling as he grabbed on to the fortuitous opportunity. “If I got an exclusive interview…what would that get me?” 

Raising his brows, Jay slowly raises his head, his interest peaked at Ethan’s words. 

“Yeah, that’s right you heard me. EXCLUSIVE…”

……………………

Building up beads of sweat, Ethan hurried back to his apartment. He couldn’t relish the details to Jay, but he only hinted enough to shake on a granted promotion and independence, should he gain an one of a kind interview with you, Princess Y/N. 

He bursts through the door, and to his everlasting joy, you were still asleep. He quickly shuts the door and maneuvers the furniture in his flat, and tidies up the bed stand. Looking overhead, he made a sudden realization as it dawned on him that you were on the couch. He made you, the Princess, sleep on a couch. 

“Let’s fix that real quick.” 

Huffing under his breath, he lifts you up and over, placing you back on the mattress as he fixes the pillows and bed spread. 

The sirens of local national security could be heard roaming the streets, he already knew the meaning behind it. Taking a final glance at the paper, he compares your face to the image. “It really is her…” 

Clearing his throat, he shoved the paper behind his headboard before gently waking you. “Um…your highness?”

“Mmmm….”

Not exactly the response he was looking for. Trying once more, he issues a more authoritative tone as he lightly taps your leg. “Your royal highness…are you awake?”

“Yes, what is it?” You rolled over, refusing to open your eyes or get out of bed. You felt so exhausted. “Please close the curtains, the sun is too bright, doctor.” You softly commanded as you nuzzled your nose against the pillow.

“Ah…sure.” Ethan was ecstatic, this could practically be a route for him to take on early retirement. 

“Your highness, can you sit up for a moment?” 

“Mmm….doctor….I had the strangest dream.”

“Oh yeah? Tell me about it.”

Your eyes remained shut as you recounted whatever details you could vaguely recall from last nights ‘dream’. “I dreamt that I was away…and I met a man.”

“Oh?” Developing a mischievous grin, Ethan probes. “What did he look like?”

“Mmm…tall…he was so tall.” 

“Yeah?”

“Tall….handsome….and he was so mean to me.” You frowned at the bitter end of your sentence, which had Ethan’s grin quickly transitioning to a somewhat guilty look. 

“Is that so?….Sorry to hear that.” 

You flung your arm over your eyes as you bashfully grinned out. “It was wonderful…”

Ethan’s grin reappears. “Glad to hear it.” 

Basking in the warmth of the sun's rays, you slowly opened your eyes to spot the blurred silhouette of the man before you. It must be a side effect of the medication. Blinking, you cleared your vision as you re-opened your eyes one more, only to find that the clarity of your sight displayed the truth of your detailed account. 

‘What…..who….where am I?’ 

You stared endlessly as the voice in your head questions the current nature of the setting, when Ethan’s voice shocks you. “Good morning….” 

His face…this man is…

Part two coming soon…

Authors note: I promise “Devil Wears Prada” is in the works. That one has a more elaborate storyline.

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[legalkimchi]

Geopolitics is not what you think.

It is interesting to me that how we view issues of global politics and how academics and certain political actors view the issues have such a huge separation.

For instance, when people view the russian invasion of ukraine, they think of a simple power grab, or they don't understand why russia would want to do that.

When i was talking to a friend, who is a geopolitical expert, about the russian war against ukraine, he pulled out a topographical map of europe. Geopolitics is the study of how geography affects politics. it is NOT a general term for international politics.

The easy answer is Russia's need for a warm water port. If you know russia's borders, you would know that all of it's major ports are in the north and they freeze in the winter. They don't have a good port in the black sea that stays unfrozen. Sevastopol is the port in Crimea. While technically Ukrainian territory, it has been controlled by Russia since 2014.

The second point he made was looking at the moutains. See the map above. Then let's look at a map of the warsaw pact

Understanding moutain ranges and how they are defensible, you start to see why NATO and the Warsaw pact involved those specific countries. it creates a natural bottle neck in Germany. This also goes into why Poland gets invaded so much. it is a flat territory without natural boundaries that makes it easy to attack, and if you want your border to be a mountain you have to go through Poland. Without the countries to make up its borders anymore, Russia lacks natural boundaries. Instead of the carpathian mountains, they have simple grassland.

Then you talk to demographers as to why russia is aggressive, you see that since the end of the cold war, russia's death rate has exceeded it's birth rate. this causes a decline in population and a "demographic crisis." the average age in russia is over 40 years old. this stagnation has rippling effects throughout the country. with an older workforce, they don't have a surplus younger generation to pay for the care of the older generation. they are experiencing migration out of the country of individuals with experience and education needed in the country. They are, in short, a nation in panic.

In the international relations field, you see discussions of the lack of political influence. Russia once held a spot as one of two superpowers in the world. a regional giant who's influence shook the way international politics operated. From 1950-1989 there were really only two countries in the world that everyone needed to pay attention to: the Soviet Union and the United States. everyone else was a pawn. There was the First world, the US and her allies, the Second World, the Soviet Union and her allies, and the Third world, the non-aligned nations. (which, by the way, is where that phrase came from. a "third world" country was thought as a country so unimportant, neither the US or USSR cared about you.) in this climate, Russian, who still held what was considered the second most powerful military in the world (though... not so much now) felt they were under appreciated. China was the emerging economic powerhouse.

This is something i went into in my IR video. (as i have an IR background)

What is amazing about all this analysis is that different fields point to different reasons as to why russia invaded. and similar analysis could be done other regions. any conflict can be analyzed in this manner. the disputes in africa are interesting because the easy answer to why there are so many wars in africa is "colonialism." and i think it does make a useful, simplified solution. but it foregoes the other realms of analysis as to why these conflicts are happening.

not sure what made me procrastinate on making a video and writing this out. i needed a break from editing. I hope you found this interesting.

[apollos-boyfriend]

Boyfriend of apollo I need more about Point Nemo. Please infodump. Be mentally ill I'm so invested and interested - 🥺🔥

OKAY SO. the thing about point nemo is that like. not much is known about it, which makes sense. it's isolated, hard to get to, and if anything goes wrong, the chances of rescue are Thin because of the fact that literal astronauts in space are closer to you than any eathbound people. however! there was a really interesting phenomena that occurred nearby once

so, as i mentioned before, when writing his cthulhu mythos, lovecraft got WEIRDLY close to the actual location of point nemo for a place that wouldn't be founded until like, 60+ years later. keep this in mind.

in 1997, one of the loudest recorded underwater sounds was heard, which you can hear for yourself here [link]. the sound seemed to emanate from the approximate area of point nemo and was deemed the bloop, which is SUCH a cute name for something that sounds like That. now, at the time NO ONE knew what the fuck this thing was. theories ranged from bombs to military weapons testing to all kinds of crazy stuff. and, obviously, the most prominent theory was that it was generated by some sort of animal/creature. sperm whales can create frequencies so powerful they could potentially kill a human, and blue whales' calls are able to be heard from 800 km away, so it wasn't necessarily impossible that this sound was organic, too. i bring up cthulhu above because this thing spawned SO many conspiracy theories about aliens, or underwater civilizations we could barely fathom, or, as mentioned, literal cthulu. i think fox news did an interview on it once where they said they believed it was aliens. to no one's surprise

well, in 2005 we got our answer! the bloop wasn't caused by some eldritch monster or government weapons testing conspiracy. it was just an icequake! a HUGE chunk of ice (like, iceberg-sized chunk) had broken from the antarctic glacier, and that was the noise that its breaking off produced! some people still act like it's this huge terrifying mystery to this day, but it was just global warming </3

[submalevolentgrace]

"A group of leading defence figures is urging the Albanese government to release a secret report on the national security risks of climate change even though its contents may alarm Australians.

Former Defence Force chief Admiral Chris Barrie said climate change posed a bigger risk to Australia than China’s rapid military build-up, and it was crucial to inform the public about the security implications of warmer temperatures, rising sea levels and increased natural disasters.

Potential impacts included famines caused by global warming, conflicts over access to scarce resources and the mass migration of people to Australia from vulnerable Asia-Pacific nations in the coming decades.

“We are worried about the possible collapse of societies because of starvation, a lack of fresh water and shortages of food supplies,” said Barrie, a member of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group.

Barrie said he understood the Office of National Intelligence (ONI) had delivered a landmark report on external climate risks to the government in December but a declassified version had not been released to the public.

“I expect it might contain things that are a bit scary, but we’re adults and we are up for it,” he said. “This is about transparency and keeping people informed.”

As the government prepares to spend up to $368 billion on nuclear-powered submarines over the next three decades under the AUKUS pact, Barrie said: “I see climate change as an existential threat.

“It’s a much bigger threat to our national security than a potential fight with China or some other conflagration. Only a nuclear war could be more catastrophic.”"

[just-antithings]

To answer that anon who asked, Hetalia has virtually no mention of the holocaust (there's a few distasteful lines about it in the dub but they don't exist in the Japanese version). The characters' relationships, especially (but not exclusively) in the WW2 part, are mostly based on alliances and rivalries but they are pretty much emptied of their more serious, social and cultural causes.

To make an example, during WW2, the South Italy character hates Germany for silly reasons like him enjoying beer and potatoes, and the way he complains about his brother North Italy spending too much time with Germany and Japan makes it sound like he's just wary of foreigners and wishes to be appreciated more by N.Italy. The real, historical reason/inspiration behind this, however, is most likely how at some point during WW2 Italy split into a civil war after Mussolini's government was overthrown and the Southern half of the Country started collaborating with the Allies, whereas the Northern half was still occupied by Nazi Germany. Germans were retreating towards the North as Allies advanced up the Country, and in Northern Italy a Nazi-German puppet state called Republic of Salò was established in 1943 and formally led by Mussolini after his government in Rome was overthrown upon the invasion of Italy by the Allies from the South which was supported by the king of Italy. (I'm not being super accurate because I don't want to turn this into a history lesson, but you get the idea)

As you can see from this example, Hetalia typically uses these kinds of military, historical and/or cultural trivia as a base to build the characters' personality and relationships between each other, but these tend to be devoid of their irl more complex, serious and morally questionable aspects.

Besides, WW2 actually takes up very little of Hetalia's contents in general, sure it focused more on it in the beginning, but I mean, even back then other things like WW1, the 20s, the 16th Century and modern-day scenarios (like America discussing global warming briefly) were also shown.

for anon!

[yasmin-bashirova-brand]

How the Ukraine Crisis Affected Children Globally

How the Ukraine Crisis Affected Children Globally https://ift.tt/N7q3gHQ Since the start of the military operation in Ukraine, millions of children have been forced from their homes. Some were forced to flee across the border into other countries, while others remained in Ukraine, hiding out in underground shelters. The violence in Ukraine has also affected children in other countries that are already struggling with the effects of other crises such as the climate emergency and the humanitarian situation in their home countries. Discover these effects below. The Risk of Hunger The conflict in Ukraine raised concerns about the global supply of wheat, which is a staple food for many countries. If the situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate, it could lead to a reduction in this staple’s availability and cause prices to rise. In Lebanon, around 80% of its wheat imports come from Ukraine and Russia. The world is currently experiencing the worst global hunger crisis since the Second World War. It has affected 45 million people in 43 countries, and it is expected to get worse. This is a tragedy for children, who are the most vulnerable individuals in a food crisis. In 2020, almost half a million children under five years old were reportedly acutely malnourished. According to Save the Children, an end to the violence in Ukraine would allow the country to protect its children and prevent them from experiencing a worse situation. Mental Health The violence in Ukraine has affected children the most due to the country’s military operation. However, their digital age has also made it easier for them to understand the impact of the conflict on other kids. This is why it is important that parents talk to their children about the war in Ukraine. The situation in the country can be frightening for both adults and children. Being able to talk about the war in Ukraine with your kids can help them feel more aware and help them process what’s happening rather than avoiding the topic altogether.  Energy Poverty The conflict in Ukraine has highlighted the vulnerability of nations that rely on Russian gas and oil. Due to the rising cost of crude oil, the global economy has started to feel the effects of this issue. As the conflict in Ukraine continues to affect families, many parents will be wondering how they can keep their families warm and feed their children. Rising energy costs are already having a negative impact on children, as they are forcing them to live in damp and cold homes. This is additionally going to prevent them from accessing the opportunities they need to grow. The post How the Ukraine Crisis Affected Children Globally first appeared on Yasmin Bashirova | Entrepreneurship. via Yasmin Bashirova | Entrepreneurship https://ift.tt/ngNsfaH April 19, 2023 at 02:43PM

[wealmostaneckbeard]

The California-to-Texas War: A Dark Near-Future Political Drama/War Game

I read a complaint somewhere that mainstream realistic fiction isn't political enough so I decided to write this outline for a super-political near-future story:

An Anti-federalist movement sweeps through Congress of the United States of America. Enough far left and right politicians unite to indefinitely shut down the federal government.

This is the ridiculous premise that sets up the rest of the narrative:

Authority shifts to state governments backed by corporate consortiums. These governments need taxes and corporations want social stability so they work together to keep everything fine for about a decade. Trading state/corpo currencies becomes a somewhat lucrative trade for some people. Micronations form (somewhat) unopposed, some out of Native American reservations, others are religious or ideological enclaves.

Then on a particularly hot day, a number of illegal immigrant laborers die of heat stroke while working at a factory farm in the fictional town of Damocles, Texas. The survivors go on strike and demand better working conditions. The corporation that owns the factory refuses to negotiate and sends in scabs and strikebreakers. The workers don't let anyone cross the line, and in the resulting chaos a local neo-fascist militia gets involved by killing the families of striking workers. The violence is captured on cameras and put on social media.

Meanwhile the Governor of California, Stan Yee, needs to boost his popularity with the local labor unions. So Stan sends a task force to investigate the Damocles Massacre (as it's now being called) and bring to justice whoever was responsible for the killings. Doing so will violate the Texas Republic's territorial sovereignty, but Yee is betting that his Texan counterpart, Randolf Marshall, will allow a few neonazis to be dragged across state lines.

It turns out that Randolf Marshall has several personal connections to the militia, so he'll be damned before he lets some Leftists into His State. The delegation of californian investigators are threatened by various factions and are forced to flee.

Stan attempts to defuse the tension between the two states by opening up diplomatic channels. But Randolf decides to retaliate by secretly hiring PMC paratroopers to air-drop into the Port of Los Angeles and seize control of it. These mercenaries cause a lot of damage and kill a lot of employees working for overseas corporations from Korea, China, and Japan. But they are overwhelmed by angry dock workers, local police, and other security forces. Some of the mercenaries surrender and turn over evidence that Governor Marshall hired them.

Under pressure from all sides, Governor Yee declares war on the state of Texas with the goal of removing it's Governor from power. Shortly after, Governor Marshall reciprocates with his own declaration.

The Northern Theater of the war consists of New Mexico and Arizona, with Nevada, Utah, and Colorado and being on the fringes. The Southern Theater of the war consists of Chihuahua and Sonora, with both Baja California and Tamaulipas being fringe areas.

The forces arraigned against each other are diverse: There are Apache, Navajo, and Hualapai led militias, Foreign Corporate/National Legions, State Guards, and Private Military Companies. They fight each other over rural battlefields and urban fortresses using drones and other advanced weapons developed by the long gone United States. But a death by heatstroke is far more likely for the average soldier than one caused by a weapon, thanks to global warming.

In this near-future hellscape any number of small stories could be told.

[callese]

Source

[mariacallous]

In 1959, the United States began construction of a real-life version of the frozen Echo Base from The Empire Strikes Back. The plan for Camp Century was to test snow tunneling technologies in northwest Greenland, not far from the north pole, ostensibly for scientific research. Really, the US was flexing its military muscle, and may have been considering Project Iceworm, a way to hide 600 nuclear missiles in thousands of miles of snow tunnels across northern Greenland, close to the former Soviet Union. The island’s massive ice sheet had other ideas for Camp Century, though—ice shifts and flows, making this not a particularly ideal place to stash nukes or run the nuclear reactor that powered the base.

Iceworm never went anywhere, and the US closed Camp Century in 1966, leaving the tunnels to collapse. But before everyone fled, researchers did manage to dig up some actual scientific dirt, drilling a 4,550-foot-deep core into the ice sheet. When they hit earth, they drilled a further 12 feet, bringing up a plug of frozen sand, dirty ice, cobbles, and mud. The military moved that ice core from its own freezers to the University at Buffalo in the 1970s. The core ended up in Denmark in the '90s, where it was kept frozen, so that now it provides scientists with invaluable insight into ice ages past.

Nobody cared much about the sediment, though, until 2018, when it was rediscovered in cookie jars in a University of Copenhagen freezer. Now, an international team of researchers has analyzed that sediment, and made a major scientific discovery.

“In that frozen sediment are leaf fossils and little bits of bugs and twigs and mosses that tell us in the past there was a tundra ecosystem living where today there's almost a mile of ice,” says University of Vermont geoscientist Paul Bierman, coauthor of a new paper describing the finding in the journal Science. “The ice sheet is fragile. It can disappear, and it has disappeared. Now we have a date for that.”

Previously, scientists reckoned that Greenland iced over some 2.5 million years ago, and has been that way since. In 2021, Bierman and his colleagues determined that it was actually ice-free sometime in the past million years. Now, they’ve dated the tundra ecosystem captured in the Camp Century core to a mere 416,000 years ago—so northwestern Greenland couldn’t have been locked in ice then.

Scientists also know that at that time, global temperatures were similar or slightly warmer than what they are today. However, back then, atmospheric concentrations of planet-warming carbon dioxide were about 280 parts per million, compared to today’s 422 parts per million—a number that continues to skyrocket. Because humans have so dramatically and rapidly warmed the climate, we’re exceeding the conditions that had previously led to the wide-scale melting of Greenland’s ice sheet and gave rise to the tundra ecosystem. “It's a forewarning,” says Utah State University geoscientist Tammy Rittenour, a coauthor of the new paper. “This can happen under much lower CO2 conditions than our current state.” 

That melting could be incredibly perilous. The new study finds that the Greenland ice melt 400,000 years ago caused at least 5 feet of sea level rise, but perhaps as much as 20 feet. “These findings raise additional concern that we could be coming perilously close to the threshold for collapse of the Greenland ice sheet and massive additional sea level rise of a meter or more,” says University of Pennsylvania climate scientist Michael Mann, who wasn’t involved in the research. Today, less than a foot of global sea level rise is already causing serious flooding and storm surge problems for coastal cities—and that’s without the potential for an additional 20 feet. 

If Greenland melts again, it could reach a point of no return, relentlessly driving up sea levels as it does so. When an ice sheet melts, it exposes darker dirt beneath it, which absorbs more of the sun’s energy, raising local temperatures and driving more melting.

“If too much mass is lost and the elevation of the surface drops significantly, the resulting warming of the surface makes regrowth of the ice sheet more difficult,” says Pennsylvania State University geoscientist Richard B. Alley, who wasn’t involved in the research. “The new paper provides further evidence that even moderate sustained warmth will drive major melting in Greenland, forcing sea-level rise.”

Exactly how the Greenland ice sheet might degrade in the future is still unclear, and requires more research. Temperatures 400,000 years ago were similar to what they are today, but the natural warming that drove Greenland's melting back then happened gradually. Humans have quickly and dramatically warmed the planet since preindustrial times, and anthropogenic CO2 will stay in the atmosphere for thousands of years, unless people invent a way to remove it at large scale. We can also reduce temperatures. If we slash emissions, Mann says, Greenland’s ice sheet might remain stable.

So, how did this research team figure out that northwest Greenland was an ice-sheet-free tundra 400,000 years ago? The sediment from the Camp Century core was loaded with organic material, but it was way too old to examine by using carbon dating, which is only effective for periods up to 50,000 years back. “We pulled out little twigs and leaves, and we immediately sent them off radiocarbon dating, and they came back what we call ‘radiocarbon dead,’” says Rittenour. “There were no traces of radioactive carbon left in the sample.”

So instead, Rittenour used light—specifically the luminescence of bits of feldspar buried in the sediment. Free electrons build up in the minerals over time, producing a "luminescence signal." Exposure to sunlight essentially neutralizes this signal, but once these minerals became buried under thousands of feet of ice, the sun’s rays could no longer reach them, and the electron buildup recommenced. In a darkroom in the lab, Rittenour could peer into the Camp Century samples using infrared light. “We can use light of one wavelength, and we measure the luminescence coming off at a different wavelength,” says Rittenour. “The older the sample, the more luminescence it produces.” That allowed them to determine how long it had been since the feldspar in the sediment last saw sunlight.

To complement this, at the University of Vermont, Bierman looked at the mineral quartz in the samples for rare isotopes of beryllium and aluminum. “They're formed when cosmic rays, these really high energy particles, come zipping into Earth from beyond the solar system. And occasionally, they'll smack an element in the quartz grain,” says Bierman. “By looking at the ratio of those two isotopes, we can tell how long something's been buried away from those cosmic rays.” The result told them that this material had sat out on the landscape for less than 16,000 years.

Scientists are now racing to drill more ice cores in Greenland to gather more soil. Although the Camp Century core gives them the basis for modeling that they can use for estimations, with more cores, they can better work out how much of the island’s ice had disappeared and how quickly—and what that might presage about the ice sheet’s modern decline. “We now have definitive evidence that when the climate gets warm, the Greenland ice sheet disappears,” says Bierman. “And we've just started warming the climate.”

“We use the past to try to understand the future and understand the present,” Bierman continues. “And that makes the future a little frightening. Not that we should run from it—but to me, it's a call for action.”

[aurianneor]

Ecoterrorism

Terrorism is the use of terror for ideological, political or religious ends. The word "terrorisme" was first used in November 1794, when it was used to describe the "doctrine of the partisans of the Terror", those who, some time earlier, had exercised power by waging an intense and violent struggle against the counter-revolutionaries. It was a way of exercising power, not a means of acting against it. The word evolved during the 19th century to mean action against the state rather than action by it (Terrorisme: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorisme).

Terrorism therefore stems from action by the State against its own people. Eco-terrorists are defined as "threats, intimidation and acts of violence against property or persons (civilians, police or military) committed in the name of ecologism". (Ecoterrorisme: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Écoterrorisme).

But doesn't terrorism come from those in power who use the police and the army against people who follow the advice of scientists to avoid the deaths and migrations linked to global warming? This is illegitimate violence.

These people in power could have acted in the 1990s to prevent the current disasters and can still act to prevent them in the future. This inaction in the face of global warming and despite the warnings of the scientific community is a form of terrorism that is amplified when these people use the police and the army against desperate environmental activists to make their voices heard. In effect, the people are allowed to elect but not to decide. Instead, our leaders encourage pollution. The Légion d'honneur for Total's boss, the difficulty for farmers and fishermen to convert to organic farming in the face of a system that only allows them to survive by polluting, and so on.

Rather than attacking immigrants who come to take up jobs in developed countries, wouldn't it be better to attack the oligarchs who plunder the wealth of developing countries, making life miserable for the people in the countries they pollute to no end? If people were treated well in their countries of origin, they would not seek to emigrate. And what about the migration caused by natural disasters resulting from climate change brought about by the thoughtlessness of these oligarchs?

The police and the army have a responsibility when they defend this oligarchy instead of defending the will of the people and saving lives by using the advice of scientists who have all the solutions to stop polluting and upsetting the climate. We have the solutions, we just have to do it!

This oligarchy is taking all the wealth and running our so-called democracies. When will we have popular initiative referendums so that we no longer need violence to make ourselves heard?

France is the 7th world power (https://www.journaldunet.fr/patrimoine/guide-des-finances-personnelles/1209268-classement-pib-quelles-sont-les-puissances-mondiales/#quels-sont-les-30premiers-pib-du-monde-). Why is it that the French have such problems with their purchasing power that they can't, for example, afford unsubsidised and overpriced organic produce or invest in a greener home? Wouldn't it be better to introduce a universal basic income so that everyone can live decently, rather than engaging in a race for jobs that leads to the suffering associated with unemployment, the RSA and bullshit jobs (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullshit_jobs) that we are already paying for with our taxes? With the development of technology and AI, work will not be there for everyone, with or without immigrants. A universal basic income would enable everyone to live decently, so that wealth is redistributed and not monopolised by the oligarchy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

L’écoterrorisme: https://www.aurianneor.org/lecoterrorisme/

Tomorrow – Chap 4: La démocratie: https://www.aurianneor.org/tomorrow-chap-4-la-democratie-the-panama/

Basic Income is possible: https://www.aurianneor.org/basic-income-is-possible-the-instrument-of/

Nos ancêtres les marrons: https://www.aurianneor.org/nos-ancetres-les-marrons-il-nexiste-quune-seule/

Police and justice for the people: https://www.aurianneor.org/police-and-justice-for-the-people/

4-day workweek: https://www.aurianneor.org/4-day-workweek-2/

Rob the poor to feed the rich: https://www.aurianneor.org/rob-the-poor-to-feed-the-rich/

The American people’s choice: https://www.aurianneor.org/the-american-peoples-choice-fahrenheit-119/

“The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed”.: https://www.aurianneor.org/the-world-has-enough-for-everyones-need-but-not/

Popular Initiative: https://www.aurianneor.org/popular-initiative-petition-to-the-un-in/

Police, Armée: https://www.aurianneor.org/police-armee-manif-des-policiers-je-suis-gilet/

Le référendum est une arme qui tue la violence: https://www.aurianneor.org/le-referendum-est-une-arme-qui-tue-la-violence-oui/

Electing is not voting: https://www.aurianneor.org/electing-is-not-voting-oui-au-referendum/

What kind of democracy do we want?: https://www.aurianneor.org/what-kind-of-democracy-do-we-want-a-multitude-is/

Juste une question de culture; et de politique…: https://www.aurianneor.org/juste-une-question-de-culture-et-de-politique/

AI: https://www.aurianneor.org/ai-what-a-surprise-to-find-a-comic-strip-on/

Heaven For Everyone – Queen: https://www.aurianneor.org/heaven-for-everyone-queen-this-could-be-heaven/

Protecting water: https://www.aurianneor.org/protecting-water/

Fair trade and organic farming: https://www.aurianneor.org/fair-trade-and-organic-farming/

Les autorités illégitimes: https://www.aurianneor.org/les-autorites-illegitimes/

[ukdamo]

Atlas

Terisa Siagatonu

If you open up any atlas

and take a look at a map of the world,

almost every single one of them

slices the Pacific Ocean in half.

To the human eye,

every map centres all the land masses on Earth

creating the illusion

that water can handle the butchering

and be pushed to the edges

of the world.

As if the Pacific Ocean isn’t the largest body

living today, beating the loudest heart,

the reason why land has a pulse in the first place.

The audacity one must have to create a visual so

violent as to assume that no one comes

from water so no one will care

what you do with it

and yet,

people came from land,

are still coming from land,

and look what was done to them.

When people ask me where I’m from,

they don’t believe me when I say water.

So instead, I tell them that home is a machete

and that I belong to places

that don’t belong to themselves anymore,

broken and butchered places that have made me

a hyphen of a woman:

a Samoan-American that carries the weight of both

colonizer and colonized,

both blade and blood.

California                          stolen.

Samoa                                        sliced in half                                          stolen.

California, nestled on the western coast of the most powerful

country on this planet.

Samoa, an island so microscopic on a map, it’s no wonder

people doubt its existence.

California, a state of emergency away from having the drought

rid it of all its water.

Samoa, a state of emergency away from becoming a saltwater cemetery

if the sea level doesn’t stop rising.

When people ask me where I’m from,

what they want is to hear me speak of land,

what they want is to know where I go once I leave here,

the privilege that comes with assuming that home

is just a destination, and not the panic.

Not the constant migration that the panic gives birth to.

What is it like? To know that home is something

that’s waiting for you to return to it?

What does it mean to belong to something that isn’t sinking?

What does it mean to belong to what is causing the flood?

So many of us come from water

but when you come from water

no one believes you.

Colonization keeps laughing.

Global warming is grinning

at all your grief.

How you mourn the loss of a home

that isn’t even gone yet.

That no one believes you’re from.

How everyone is beginning

to hear more about your island

but only in the context of

vacations and honeymoons,

football and military life,

exotic women exotic fruit exotic beaches

but never asks about the rest of its body.

The water.

The islands breathing in it.

The reason why they’re sinking.

No one visualizes islands in the Pacific

as actually being there.

You explain and explain and clarify

and correct their incorrect pronunciation

and explain

until they remember just how vast your ocean is,

how microscopic your islands look in it,

how easy it is to miss when looking

on a map of the world.

Excuses people make

for why they didn’t see it

before.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Wear Purple for Peace Day

National Wear Purple for Peace Day is celebrated annually on May 16. The day is not just an ordinary observance to promote peace, but it’s an extraordinary practice to entice aliens to visit Earth due to its peaceful state. Okay, first let’s just focus on promoting peace around the world. Whether the founder of this holiday is serious or not in making this event about the extraterrestrials’ visit, we human beings always long for peace, right?

History of National Wear Purple for Peace Day

The origin of National Wear Purple for Peace Day is still unknown, like aliens, but that doesn’t mean peace is. Peace is well-known. Most of us know exactly how it feels. It feels really good — no conflict and no violence. Sadly, some people in other parts of the world don’t feel the same. If you google “Is there a war going on right now?” you’ll most likely see results showing that conflicts are going on. It’s unfortunate. That’s why wearing purple for peace is a small act of advocating for peace throughout the world.

Is world peace possible? We believe it is attainable, and that it begins with us. Some people have probably lost faith in humanity, and this can hold us back. That’s because we choose to be pessimistic, but when it comes to peace, it’s better to look at it from the positive side. It may not be as easy as it sounds, but it’s worth trying. If we stay focused and restore our faith in humanity, then world peace is definitely coming our way.

World peace is a state where people in all nations experience freedom, happiness, and peace within. Who doesn’t long for such a heavenly state? No conflict, no violence, no war, and no fighting — world peace is worth fighting for. What we need to do is to create peace within by relinquishing the negative emotions such as anger and nurturing the positive ones such as compassion. If we succeed in establishing peace within ourselves, then peace will spread throughout the world. And when this happens, then world peace is gained. So, why purple? The color purple is associated with royalty, nobility, and ambition. It can also represent spirituality, wisdom, and peace.

National Wear Purple for Peace Day timeline

1901 Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to those whose lives and works are aimed at maintaining and promoting a better world.

1920 League of Nations

The League of Nations becomes the first worldwide intergovernmental organization with the principal mission of maintaining world peace.

1945 United Nations

The United Nations is founded to stop wars between nations and provide a platform for dialogue.

1960 Gandhi Peace Prize

The Gandhi Peace Prize is created to pay tribute to the modern era’s leading advocate of nonviolent resistance.

National Wear Purple for Peace Day FAQs

What is Purple Day all about?

Purple Day means increasing global awareness about epilepsy.

Is purple warm or cool?

Purple is neither warm nor cool.

What chakra is purple?

It’s purple chakra, or crown chakra, or the thousand-petaled lotus.

National Wear Purple for Peace Day Activities

Wear purple

Tell others

Maintain ours

First and foremost, wear purple as the day indicates. Show the world that you long for peace by wearing a purple suit, purple T-shirt, purple sweatshirt, or purple hoodie.

Peace is contagious. The more people know about the day and join the celebration, the more we can see how close we are to attaining the world peace that we are all hoping for.

It’s impossible to share something that we don’t have, right? So, before we can spread peace, it’s essential to first maintain peace within ourselves. That’s when it becomes contagious.

5 Facts About The Color Purple You Need To Know

Purple dye came from an accident

There’s a phobia caused by it

Two nations use purple on their flags

It symbolizes privilege

America’s oldest military award is colored purple

William Henry Perkin accidentally discovered synthetic purple dye (mauve) while he was trying to synthesize quinine.

Just like other color phobias, there is a phobia of the color purple called ‘porphyrophobia.’

Dominica and Nicaragua are the only two countries that use the color purple on their flags.

‘Born to the purple’ means born into a reigning family or privileged class.

America’s oldest military award that is still given to military members is the Purple Heart.

Why We Love National Wear Purple for Peace Day

It’s fun

Peace is needed

Purple is a nice color

National Wear Purple for Peace Day can be fun. You gather with others who are also celebrating the day and talk about how you can spread peace to others.

Peace is always needed by most of us, if not all. The day is a reminder that peace is worth fighting for and that conflict is never a fun thing.

National Wear Purple for Peace Day can be a day for those who never wore purple or didn’t have purple clothing. Wearing purple can make you stand out.

Source

[beardedmrbean]

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — The NATO military alliance warned Thursday it would retaliate for any attacks on the critical infrastructure of its 30 member countries and joined other Western officials in citing sabotage as the likely cause of damage to two natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

The warning came as the Swedish coast guard confirmed a fourth leak on the pipelines off southern Sweden, which is in the process of joining NATO. The first leaks in the pipelines that extend from Russia to Germany were reported on Tuesday, prompting energy companies and European governments to beef up security.

The fear of further damage to Europe’s energy infrastructure has added pressure on natural gas prices, which had already been soaring. Russia, a major supplier to Europe, cut off deliveries earlier this year in retaliation for sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine. That has caused widespread economic pain across the continent.

NATO ambassadors said in a statement that “any deliberate attack against allies’ critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response.” They refrained from saying who they thought was responsible, even though some allies like Poland, and many experts, have said they believe that Russia is responsible.

“All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage. These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage,” the envoys said.

The rising tensions around energy security in Europe come as Russia prepares to annex four regions of occupied Ukraine, a move widely condemned by the West. Russian energy giant Gazprom heightened uncertainty around energy supplies Wednesday by threatening on Twitter to cease dealing with a Ukrainian company that controls one of the two remaining pipelines that ship Russian gas to Europe.

Rather than assigning blame to anyone specific, EU officials on Thursday said they would await the outcome of an investigation, which probably will not start in earnest until next week once the undersea pipelines are empty.

The two lines between Russia and Germany were not in operation. But they were filled with tons of methane, a major cause of global warming that is being emitted into the atmosphere and will continue to bubble to the Baltic Sea’s surface, probably until Sunday, according to energy experts.

Danish Defense Minister Morten Bødskov turned to Twitter to call the NATO statement a “joint condemnation and very strong signal from the alliance.” But NATO has made many statements of resolve to defend its members and their territory since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Two of the leaks are on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that Russia recently turned off as it ramped up energy pressure on Europe. The other two are on Nord Stream 2, which has never been used. The Danish and Swedish governments have said that they believe the leaks were “deliberate actions.”

According to seismologists, the leaks were preceded by explosions. A first explosion was recorded early Monday southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm. A second, stronger blast northeast of the island that night was equivalent to a magnitude-2.3 earthquake. Seismic stations in Denmark, Norway and Finland also registered the explosions.

Speaking Wednesday before the fourth leak was reported, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said it would have taken a large explosive device to cause the damage.

Norway was among the first countries on Wednesday to beef up the protection of its energy installations. Finnish Finance Minister Annika Saarikko said Thursday that security measures have been tightened around the Balticconnector line running in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia.

“Very exceptional and serious actions that point to sabotage give reason to intensify our preparations,” Saarikko told reporters.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that the Nord Stream pipeline incident would have been impossible without a state actor’s involvement.

“It looks like a terror attack, probably conducted on a state level,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters.

He dismissed media reports about Russian warships spotted in the area as “stupid and biased,” adding that “many more aircraft and vessels belonging to NATO countries have been spotted in the area.”

The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting Friday afternoon at Russia’s request to discuss the suspected pipeline sabotage.

Torben Ørting Jørgensen, a former admiral with the Danish navy, told The Associated Press that it was “not so demanding” to carry out an operation either by using a remotely operated underwater vehicle or sending divers from a submarine or a surface vessel.

“Those who carried out the operation knew they wouldn’t get caught,” Ørting Jørgensen said. “Who would have thought of an operation against pipelines in the Baltic Sea?”

[angelsaxis]

Even though I very rarely talk about them on here, I really should explain more about Richard, Valentine, and Zinnia. I think part of the reason I do less of this is because it's a contemporary adult romance setting and lots of people who follow me by now know that I do fantasy more (hence TYC).

Richard is a gay concept artist and/or character designer living in New York, Zinnia as well. They're best friends and they met through work, and Richard is the more chaotic act first/think second of the two. Always on the move, he's working two jobs because the viddy game one isn't sustaining him (he also works at best buy as a truck loader).

Richard has a roommate that's barely in the apartment and when he is he kinda ghosts around. Then he disappears one day and he doesn't come back and rent is due and then it's due again and Richard is like. Pissed off esp since the guys alive he's just not responsible. Zinnia lives with her cousin in another apartment a few blocks away.

Val at this point is houseless and living on the street. Val and Richard meet through a mutual aid app where basically someone with means (whatever that may mean for Richard) helps out someone without any means.

Several pieces fall into place. Richards roommate leaves and now he's responsible for all his rent. An hourly job as a member of geek squad opens up at best buy and Richards annoying manager is a sucker for anything military. And global warming has created harsh winter blizzards and one is coming.

What do you know Valentine's a vet who majored in compsci and knows about computers and also needs an apartment to stay in and a job.

So Richard hounds his manager to hire Valentine and he gets the job. Now he's off the street, has a roof over his head even if it's a kinda shitty NY apartment. But also he's clearly a v quiet and reserved guy (terribly shy around new people).

But as the weather warms up they get warmer w each other and then they're pretty decent friends. Val gets poached by a guy at best buy and now he's got a much better paying salaried job. He's also started to develop feelings for Richard but he still thinks he's straight.

Richard has a dog that they both do initial bonding over. Her name is Clancy. Val has nightmares that Clancy wakes him up from.

Val and Zinnia also become closer friends cause they both have the same sense of humor and zinnia is genuinely just a nice person. She's the one to convince Val to get therapy since you know, he's got health insurance now so he might as well use it.

I'll probably continue in a reblog bc I forgot u can't do readmores on mobile