#nisshoki

[danglovely]

Regrading Taskmaster: S03 E03 Little polythene grief cave.

*Score changes in parenthesis.

Prize Task: Best battery-operated item.

No one brings in the obvious thing, which is somewhat relieving. Dave's white noise generator has a sweet story associated with it and I'm surprised it didn't do better. Last place should have gone to Sara who brings in her iPhone. It might be technically the correct answer but it's not an imaginative showing. Similar lack of creativity with Al bringing in Wall-E. Paul brings in light up dreadlocks, which contains the traditional amount of confusion associated with everything Paul does. Rob's toilet seat light makes your toilet look like an alien abduction and I love it.

Al: 2 (0) Dave: 4 (+3) Paul: 3 (-1) Rob: 5 (0) Sara: 1 (-2)

VT 01: Fill this egg cup with your own sweat. Most sweat wins.

Rob had to do accents and doesn't get a bonus point for it. He could've gotten around it by just not talking. Even Al doesn't believe urine is sweat. Like the tears task, the question is whether you need to produce a single drop of sweat to avoid disqualification. I'd say in most cases no . . . except if you do what Al did. Sara's purchase of sweat was clever.

Al: DQ Dave: 3 Paul: 5 Rob: 2 Sara: 4

VT 02: Make the best domino rally.

Paul really earned this win. His rally looked difficult to set up, it was interesting to watch, and it has the air of impressiveness. Al 's doesn't work but was still somehow better than Sara, who had a story. Both the story and the rally were kind of sad.

Rob gets third but I'm not sure this should actually qualify. The people aren't actually knocking each other over but using the shove a signal to fall. Sara and Al failing sort of saves him in this case. Dave just had a traditional rally which was good enough for second in this case.

Al: 2 (+1) Dave: 4 (0) Paul: 5 (0) Rob: 3 (0) Sara: 1 (0)

Studio Task: Buy a gift for the Taskmaster. Here is £20.

Rob should have won this one. A footstool for the throne is so cool that it would take a tattoo to defeat it. Dave's was good and Greg seemed legitimately happy about the research he did about Wem. I didn't get "the last Rolo" thing until I looked up that this was the tagline for Rolos for awhile. One page of a script for Man Down is almost definitely going to be just a cast list and the first setting only, but it still should have beaten Twister. A board game is something you buy if you need something last second.

Al: 3 (0) Dave: 4 (-1) Paul: 1 (-1) Rob: 5 (+1) Sara: 2 (+1)

VT 03: Make the best flag meal.

Cooking 101: A meal should have a protein, a vegetable element, and a starch element. For the "flag" portion, there's a question on if it should be close to your chosen flag, or any flag (the Paul problem).

Sara's Canadian flag looked accurate, but is basically a really bad desert. Al's Union Jack was stunning, but also just rice. Rice is a staple food that is about as close to a meal as one food can get. Dave's Jolly Rodger falls in between Sara and Al appearance-wise, but he cooked an actual meal with all three elements.

Rob's Nisshoki wasn't ambitious, wasn't accurate, wasn't a meal, and didn't taste good. Paul barely sneaks past him just because it constitutes a meal.

Al: 3 (+1) Dave: 5 (0) Paul: 2 (-2) Rob: 1 (0) Sara: 4 (+1)

Live Task: Anchor these balloons using only bread.

No issues here. Sara developed a technique and she won because of it.

Al: 1 Dave: 3 Paul: 2 Rob: 4 Sara: 5

Final

Al: 11 (+2) Dave: 23 (+2) Paul: 18 (-4) Rob: 16 (-3) Sara: 17 (0)

Paul's gift and meal were over scored, so I deny him is only episode win, which is too bad.

[eirikrjs]

Why is Lakhe wearing a fan with a Nisshoki?

Whatever the reason, it began with Hakuma Budu:

The games identify both as Nepalese but I otherwise don't have a guess!

[rawvnoisevcruster]

Hey heads up the rising sun headband is basically the east Asian equivalent of the nazi swastika armbands. You do you but just being real and letting you know.

I understand your concern, I'm vary aware of this history (and the history of Japanese fascism) which I why I chose to use the Nisshoki (the modern post war) flag instead of the "rising sun" version as to avoid that history. But (not trying to um actually a culture I'm not apart of) the hachimaki has a history much before and after its unfortunate use by fascist japanese forces. But if I am mistaken please inform me with more context as I'm not in the "wearing war criminal fashion and symbols" game.

[usmanblogger]

Japan Flag

Japan’s national flag or Japan Flag, is a rectangular white banner with a red circle in the middle. Although technically known as the Nisshōki flag, the Hinomaru is the most well-recognised name for this flag in Japan. It embodies the nickname “Land of the Rising Sun,” given to the nation. The Act on National Flag and Anthem, which was enacted on August 13, 1999, designates the Nisshoki flag as…

[raverzero01]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/155513671@N04/50800416728/ #unitedkingdom #greatbritain🇬🇧 #uk #england_insta #cheshire #warrington #winegum #maynardbassetts #artprints #picturepostcard #postcards #vintageart #flickr #nippon #japan #flag #nisshoki #hinomaru #sun #asia #imagination #association #phantasie #mockimages #illusion #deceit #opticalillusion #pareidolia #whatdoyousee #seeing (at Phantasia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJo2KVrntNm/?igshid=1x3zjtn3q0quj

[rvexillology]

Japan Flag Change in 1999

from /r/vexillology Top comment: Okay so it seems like everyone just wants to laugh at this, but here's what actually happened and why. It wasn't a flag change. The title is wrong. Prior to the 1999 *Act on National Flag and Anthem*, Japan *had no law* designating an official national flag. The *Hinomaru*/*Nisshoki* - that's the red sun flag used today - had previously been the only official national flag in Japan's history, from 1870, and had been used as a merchant ensign by the Tokugawa before then. In 1885 however, with the introduction of the Kanpo (the official Japanese Government Gazette), all laws not published in said gazette were abolished, which included the law designating the Hinomaru as the national flag. As far as I can tell this seems like one of those weird legal flukes of history where a government tries to do a hard reset on all the laws and accidentally does something interesting, like when the Bolsheviks abolished all Tsarists laws, accidentally making Russia the first country to decriminalize homosexuality (iirc). There was, incidentally, heavy resistance within Japan to the law, as it was seen as returning to nationalistic sentiments, which people were justifiably wary of, especially since it happened to coincide with the anniversary of Emperor Akihito's enthronement. The background of the law was a dispute in a Hiroshima school over the use of the flag and anthem; the Hiroshima School Board required all principals enforced the use of the flag and anthem, but many teachers, including the Teacher's Union, were vehemently against this. The principal of one school where the teachers absolutely refused the demand killed himself over this dispute. The law was supported by conservatives and centrists, and opposed by the social democrats and leftists. The Japan Teachers Union said that it "smacked of emperor-worship." It was a pretty big deal. TL;DR Japan had no *official* national flag or anthem from 1885 until 1999, when the red sun flag and the *Kimigayo* anthem were enshrined as the official national flag and and anthem, despite having been those two things *de facto* since forever. Saying that what happened in 1999 was a "flag change" is a misrepresentation, and I don't know where OP got those colours from. It wasn't a change, it was a standardization.

[portlandflag]

#Repost @pictures_for_heroes with @get_repost ・・・ 100 year old, WWII Hero Stanley Troutman, is holding a Japanese flag with signatures and well wishes from his loved ones. Mr. Troutman worked as a War Correspondent in the South Pacific Theatre. He was the 1st American Journalist into Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the bombs were dropped. To learn more about his amazing experiences and those of other WWII Vets, visit www.picturesforheroes.org #picturesforheroes #wwii #wwiivet #hero #hiroshima #nagasaki #southpacific #warcorrespondent #flag #japan #wwiiveteran #honorflight #japaneseflag #hinomaru #日の丸 #日章旗 #nisshoki

[daringthepen]

Flying a Flag

Usually nations have a flag to represent their country.  And usually that flag means something.

While you could get away with just saying the nation's flag was flying, you might want to give it a little detail.  But where to start?

The point of this post is to show the history and symbolism of real flags in order to give you some ideas should you decide to design flags for your nations.  If you find yourself disliking a design, don't necessarily toss it- remember that there are real nations that have undergone redesigns.  The one you don't like can just end up a part of your nation's actual history.

Flag of the United Kingdom

It's officially called the Union Flag, though many call it the Union Jack.  The nickname “Union Jack” was actually meant only for Union Flags on the sea, though it's also called the Union Jack when it appears in the corner of the New Zealand and Australian flags.

The Union Flag is a combination of three flags: St. George's Cross of England (the vertical and horizontal red bars), St. Andrew's Cross of Scotland (the blue triangles and the white X), and St. Patrick's Cross of Ireland (the red X).

In the early sixteen hundreds, Scotland and England were separate countries with their own flags (St. George's Cross and St. Andrew's Cross).  When King James of Scotland became king of England, he combined the two flags to symbolize the unity between the two nations.  A little over a hundred years later, Queen Anne made the flag the official flag as the two nations had joined to make Great Britain.  A century later Ireland's flag of St. Patrick's Cross was added to the Union Flag when Ireland joined Great Britain.

White: Peace and honesty.

Blue: Vigilance, truth, loyalty, perseverance and justice.

Red: Hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor.

The flag is flown from 11am to sunset when a new Sovereign is proclaimed.  It is flown at half-mast from government buildings during the time of mourning and on the day of the funeral of a member of British Royal Family, and on the days of the funerals of a foreign Head of State and former British Prime Minister.

Flag of the United States of America

It has no official name and is normally referred to as the American flag.  Though it does have several different nicknames, such as the Stars and Bars, the Stars and Stripes, the Red, White, and Blue, the Star Spangled Banner, and Old Glory.  Old Glory was the name of a specific American flag owned by William Driver, and inspired the nickname for other flags.  The original Old Glory is on display.

The first American flag after it was declared its own nation had thirteen bars, alternating between red and white, and a blue rectangle in the corner with thirteen stars in a circle (known as the Betsy Ross flag).  The stars and the stripes represented the thirteen colonies, now states. From its first design the American flag has undergone 27 modifications, the current flag still having the thirteen stripes to represent the original thirteen states and fifty stars to represent each state in the union.

Red: Valor, hardiness, and sacrifice.

White: Purity, innocence, and peace.

Blue: Vigilance, perseverance, and justice.

The American flag is lowered to half-staff (not half-mast) when the whole nation is in mourning.  30 days at federal buildings, grounds, territories, and naval vessels for when the president or former president has died, 10 days for the vice president, the chief justice, a retired chief justice, or the chief speaker of the House of Representatives. States may lower the flag for the death of someone important in the state.

Flag of Japan

The official name of the Japanese flag is Nisshoki (the sun-marked flag).  It is also called the Hinomaru (the sun disk, or circle of the sun).

The Nisshoki is simply a white flag with a red circle in the middle, meant to represent the sun.  The flag embodies Japan's nickname of the Land of the Rising Sun.

The Nisshoki was adopted as the merchant flag in 1870.  It wasn't until 1999 that the Nisshoki became the official flag of Japan.  The oldest existing flag, older than the 16th century, is being preserved.  In January 1949, all restrictions on the flag were abolished and people were allowed to fly the flag without permission.

Red: Representation of the goddess Amaterasu, who was said to have founded Japan.

White: Honesty and integrity.

In time of mourning, the Nisshoki may be lowered to half-staff, or a mourning flag may be placed above it.  The flag may fly from sunrise to sunset, though businesses and schools are permitted to leave the flag up when they are open and lower the flag when they are closed.

Flag of Italy

In Italian, the flag is known as the Il Tricolore, translated into English as the Tricolor.

The Italian flag has three thick vertical bars: Green, white, and red respectively. Past designs before the current flag was established in 1948 had emblems, differing on the time period.  The 1805 flag kept the three colors, though it was red with a white diamond, and a green box in the diamond with an emblem.  The Sardinia flag of 1848 did not have the green, white, and red design, instead going with an almost completely blue flag with a red and white design in the corner.

The colors of the flag do not necessarily represent virtues as the previously mentioned flags do.  The Italian flag was a combination of a couple of flags when it was joined together.  The red and white came from the flag of Milan (a white flag with a red cross for St. Ambrose- not unlike the St. George Cross) while the green represented the region's military. However, meanings for the colors have been added in, such as the green represents the hills or white represents faith.

The flag may be flown from sunrise to sundown, with the exception of bad weather, and only displayed at night if properly illuminated.

Flag of Sudan

The flag of Sudan does not have an official name or nicknames it is known by.  It is simply the Sudanese flag.  It should not be confused with the South Sudanese Flag.

The previous flag of Sudan when Sudan gained independence from Britain and Egypt was a tricolor flag of blue, yellow, and green horizontal bars.  In 1970, the current design of the Sudanese flag was adopted.  It now has for colors: Red, white, and black horizontal bars with a green triangle on the side pointing towards the middle.

Red: Sudan's struggles for independence and the country's matyrs.

White: Peace, love, light, and optimism.

Black: The people of Sudan.

Green: Islam, agriculture, and prosperity of the land.

While I had intended to do more, I did not wish to overload you.  This is, after all, just to get you started on thinking about how to bring the story of your nation's flag about, what it stands for, and maybe even consider some design ideas.

The history of the flags is not extensive.  There are also many more guidelines on flag protocol for some of the flags, which may help you figure out some of your country's flag protocols.  Some protocols are affected by the UN's own rules.  Other countries may not necessarily have flag protocols.  Some of those protocols will go into detail about how the flag should be made, such as the specific color code and the size of the flag.

But a few things to note:

Colors don't always represent a virtue.

Countries that originate from another country will have their view on colors influenced.

Flags can spark a feeling of national pride or rally discouraged soldiers.  Someone doesn't always have to agree with their country's actions to feel pride when they see their country's flag.

No design is set in stone.  A country years later may decide to change their flag's design.

If you want to give your nation’s flag a nickname, have fun with it.  Though I would encourage you to look at it through the eyes of your nation.  After all, “Old Glory” and “Hinomaru” were less of what the flag looked like and more about what it represented.

[simonvvfx865]

Are you able to Match All 50 Flags For his or her Respective International locations?

In the hope that Honduras reunites with the previous nations sooner or later, the 5 stars of the flag remain united. The blue represents the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, while the white symbolizes integrity and religion. The original flag has represented the nation because it was adopted in 1851. The pink represents the brave soldiers of Bolivia, especially in the course of the battles for independence. The yellow stands for the wealth of mineral deposits present in Bolivia’s soil. Finally, the green represents the nation’s rich vegetation.

The present flag was adopted on February 12, 1992, after Mongolia transferred to a democracy. The official name of the Japanese flag is nisshoki, or "sun-mark flag." The first documented use of this flag was in 701. The Japanese flag is not white and purple, it is white and crimson. Also, there are a quantity of, partially deviating or even conflicting requirements for three-letter nation codes, but usually only a single flag. They might even function a separator or substitute for an inventory bullet. The colorful blobs allow for a quicker estimation of geographical distribution – e.g. a lot of US entries within the example –, however letters are more reliably discerned.

However, should you current a mix of abbreviations and flags the possibility that the consumer will know the nation raises to a minimum of ~25.6% (50/195) as a result of she is conscious of a minimal of 50 flags. But the proportion will increase if the data for flags and abbreviations doesn't overlap completely. Meaning consumer knows abbreviations for which she would not know their flag and the other. I've made this a while in the past, however here's a hyperlink of all alternate flags and country names in Victoria II. Drag a flag onto the map and drop it over the corresponding country. Your score will change primarily based on the factors assigned to each flag.

Brazil Stick Flag

The “Y” represents the nation’s various parts and their convergence towards a unified path. Being an necessary image of the sovereign state, the nationwide flags describe in their colors and design the history and the present day of the countries. The most well-known of them have turn into the extensively known symbols and country manufacturers, recognized in every corner of the world. Citizens of the country may wear the colors current in country flags or might use different related equipment to indicate their patriotism.

Oftentimes I get flags principally incorrect as a outcome of I get mixed up with them. Like Austria and Peru's flag, Romania and Chad's flag, and Indonesia and Monaco's flag. The way I keep in mind Monaco, Indonesia and Poland are that it is cold in Poland and due to this fact the snow is on the top. Indonesia to me is an everyday country and due to this fact has a regular sized flag.

The flag options Angkor Wat (“Capital Temple”), the biggest spiritual monument in the world and the country’s most well-known attraction.

When Argentinians looking for their independence from Spain gathered in Buenos Aires on May 25, 1810, the solar got here out from behind the clouds.

Known as “The Land of the Rising Sun” the flag of Japan features a red solar rising in the heart of a white banner.

Over the years, they have advanced to include symbols vital to the international locations they symbolize.

The pink horizontal band stands for the blood of the battles for independence, which stirs a sense of victory and delight among the people.

Another fetish flag, the pony play flag was designed in 2007 by Carrie P., and consists of black to precise unity with the bigger leather group. To add to the genderqueer flag's representation, 17-year-old Kye Rowan created the nonbinary flag in 2014 for gender existing outside the binary . White is all genders, black is no gender, and purple is a combine of genders. Intersex International Australia designed this flag in 2013 with non-gendered colours "that celebrate dwelling outside the binary." Intersex can also be represented in the transgender flag .

Listener Mail On Espn, The White House Press Corps, And Watching The Olympics

During the primary period of Spanish occupation, Texas was largely ignored, apart from the explorations of some conquistadors. It wasn't until the late 17th century when France challenged their claims with an expedition led by La Salle that Spain began seriously settling Texas. Around 1810, in the course of the height of Spanish occupation, solely about 5,000 Spaniards lived in Texas, most of them small farmers or ranchers. Spain left a lasting legacy that is still noticeable right now in language, place names, and one of many largest cities within the United States—San Antonio.

What are country girl names?

The most dangerous countries to visit in 2021 are Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Iraq, Libya and Mali according to the latest Travel Risk Map, an interactive tool produced by security specialists at International SOS.

Good luck to the Gray Jay in achieving that kind of saturation. Even oft-forgotten St. Pierre et Miquelon gets into the enjoyable, though the Gallic rooster gets docked for being a home bird. Originally adopted when Cambodia gained independence from France in 1948, this flag was replaced underneath the Khmer Republic in 1970. Cambodia also had two other flags earlier than re-adopting this one in 1993, when the monarchy was restored. The flag features Angkor Wat (“Capital Temple”), the most important non secular monument on the planet and the country’s most well-known attraction.

Flags Of The World Coloring Pages And Posters

The pillars on both sides of the protect characterize the Straits of Gibraltar where the restrict of the identified world was thought to exist. For this cause, the pink ribbon across the pillars as quickly as learn “Ne plus extremely,” which suggests “Nothing more beyond”. Once Christopher Columbus discovered the New World, the flag modified the wording to “Plus Ultra,” or More Beyond. On top of the pillars are two crowns, one is for the Imperial Crown and the other the Royal Crown.

Every nation flag is the pride of the nation and the image of unity, freedom, and self-governance. Initially, the flags were the wood poles with carvings and later were replaced with ornamental material which is now acknowledged as one of the main objects in the National flag. I am ecstatic to say that we've a printable of North America country flags for kids to attach with this set. During the Republic of Texas’ existence from 1836 to 1845, it had two national flags. The Lone Star flag is still recognized at present because the state flag of Texas.

[therevaliir-blog]

Announcements: 07-19-2018

SOMETHING IS HAPPENING! Reports of shipwrecks off the northeast of Abed have been growing more frequent, particularly for ships sailing in from Nisshoki. Local fishermen are discovering abnormally high levels of flotsam washing in from the open ocean as seafaring vessels sailing in or out towards that direction go missing. Some superstitious sailors believe it to be the sea's curse, while others suspect Vilpamolan pirates encroaching on Parvporan waters. In Baltil miners are going missing following the opening of a new mine shaft in the Zujiuchu Mountains.The progress of mining operations has slowed to a halt as more miners go missing as time passes. Search parties have been dispatched through the tunnels, though none were successful in finding where they might have gone. Scouts reported finding their abandoned belongings in the caverns, but no tracks–as if they were spirited away.

Site Changes:

- I REDID THE ENTIRE WAY OUR MAPS LOOK ON THE SITE! :D I got lost in HTML for 5 hours! BUT I HAVE EMERGED VICTORIOUS! You will now see that upon clicking the "Map" link on the side of the site that it will bring you to a WORLD map instead of Canelux. You can go to the individual maps by click on the map or scrolling down to the bottom! :D I got rid of the bodies on the flat pages to give it a more seamless look :3 Also, I put up new maps for Itjivut and Parvpora today! Also, I reduxed Canelux's map. Everything should look not only better but simpler now! I also added a few things to the map but if you can't figure out what I'll list below: Canelux: Kinigoh Jiwe Lake Himiria Scar Deces Bay Suluria Kirika Lake Sundered Falls Moritius Swamp Luna Sea Sviet Aestas Outpost Parvpora: Luna Sea Fort Dinclaire Chisana Mts. Znanje Bay Edhit Menomori Tyr Itjivut: Nyella Ocean link Gleymt Bay Svero Ice Drifts I also redid all the map tags to be in our new font that eventually the rest of the site will be in :3 have fun, you guys! I hope you like the changes! - Brittlez

-  Finished updating all of the indexes on the site, redid the wishing well logo, redid the wish upon a star logo, updated the synth and alchemy recommendations logo, updated the Canelux map again because for some reason it never switched to the newer one where I wasn't an idiot and didn't misspell anything. Welcome page has been completely updated as well!!! - Brittlez

Wiki Changes and Additions:

Sularia's Way of Life Added a new thing that describes what Sularian People are required to do in their society. :3 - Brittlez

Introducing Jayou, The River City!

Jayou, The River City Area I had Discord set up the last area for Parvpora! It is a merchant/artisan/gambling city nestled within the five rivers northeast of Karith. I will get the map set up so it can link to it! I've updated the wiki page on linguistics, added the shortcut link, I've edited the synth guide where stuff is, and I added tags to Zets'Ki Cradle and Jayou to reflect them. Also added in the half-angels to the description for Zets'Ki since I know it was missing. The short description for Zets'Ki now says it and I'll fit it in somewhere in the description as well since I know it was confusing people.

- Brittlez

The GDPR and our ToS

With the new law in place in Europe, Revaliir is forced to add these new guidelines to how European User's data is used. Before anyone freaks out I want to explain a few things You might not know. (You might have seen in your emails everyone updating their ToS just like we are today) Rev has always recorded your IPs. This is to make sure we can protect you guys from any threats. When we ban someone we don't ban the accounts but the IP so that they cannot access our site. The only time we ever look at the IP is to make sure that someone is who they say they are/when they need to be banned. All sites on the internet record your IPs. You must remember to protect yourself at all times. Revaliir is also part of a growing group of sites that are designed to protect all users from threats who linger on sites. For example, if Revaliir gets a pedophile and we get proof. We ban the pedophile, get his info, and send it to the head admins of the sites in the Watch. Now the Watch knows that this person is a pedophile with absolute proof and can now protect their users. (You can come on Discord and ask me about it. I don't want you guys to freak out over this). In no way shape or form are we spying on everyone. This is more like an information network should something go terribly wrong. Matter of fact, I'm one of the moderators for said group. Now here is the addendum which may change but for right now is enough to cover us. Should you not agree just contact staff and we'll inactivate your accounts.: Terms of Service Addendum 6/3/2018 European users are now required to be 16 years or older to use Revaliir without the consent of their parents. By accepting this terms of service you are guaranteeing Revaliir and it’s staff that you have full permission to use this site. Revaliir collects the Ip(Internet Protocol) addresses of all of its users by accepting our terms of service you acknowledge this happens. This is to ensure the safety of all of our users should a user become a threat. Revaliir is part of a growing network of sites designed to ensure the safety of all users involved. Should a user be a threat their information will be shared within the network. This Neighborhood Watch will not share things that are not considered a threat. Some viable threats include: harassment, pedophilia, hacking, etc.

[marsjapanelliothall]

Red sun disc represents the goddess Amaterasu which is considered a mythical founder of Japan and the ancestor of its emperors. White color represents honesty and integrity of Japanese people. Japanese flag is also called Nisshoki (sun-mark flag) or Hinomaru (sun disc).

According to tradition and history goddess Amaterasu founded Japan and its nation 2,700 years ago. It is also believed that this goddess is the ancestor of the first Japanese emperor. So that is why emperor is known by the name “son of the sun”, and Japan is called “the land of the rising sun”. The old recordings says that this flag was first used by the emperor Mommu who used a flag representing the sun in the court in year 701. A sun flag was also used by shoguns in 13th century , when the Japanese fought against the Mongolian invasion.

[shiwoomoon]

@ofncri​​

“well. look at you.“

maverick holds the car door open. offers his hand and guides her out into a storm of cameras. click, flash-- little lightning strikes of light. he turns his head to the left (it’s his best side), resting his palm on nari’s lower back. the press of his fingers is delicate-- a light brush, a little pressure, just enough to anchor her to him as they glide into the art gallery.

he knows she doesn’t like to be touched. as soon as the glass doors swish shut, the rabble of noise outside cut clean and replaced with the tinkling keys of a piano, hushed conversation-- maverick withdraws his hand and tucks it into the pocket of his slacks. the theme of the evening is nisshoki, and his designer had dressed him in merlot. his dress shirt is black, his shoes like glass, catching the light.

“you should have warned me you were getting dolled up, love. palpitations aren’t good for the heart.“ his voice is lowered. hushed. just for her-- but people are always listening. and while their decision to feign intimacy and fabricate a relationship was entirely business, a temporary arrangement to boost stocks, mav is (and always will be) an opportunist. what���s the harm in a little pleasure while they played their game?

“art first? or wine?“

[culturizando]

#UnDíaComoHoy: 7 de agosto en la historia

El 7 de agosto es el 219º día del año en el calendario gregoriano y el 220º (ducentésimo vigésimo) en los años bisiestos. Quedan 146 días para finalizar el año.  Hagamos un breve recorrido por algunos de los hechos más destacados que ocurrieron un día como hoy 7 de agosto en el pasado.

-1560: nace Erzsébet Báthory, aristócrata y asesina en serie húngara (m. 1614). Ha pasado a la historia por haber sido acusada y condenada de ser responsable de una serie de crímenes motivados por su obsesión por la belleza que le han valido el sobrenombre de “La Condesa Sangrienta”, además tiene el Record Guinness de la mujer que más ha asesinado en la historia de la humanidad con 630 muertes. Según la leyenda, Erzsébet Báthory fue una cruel asesina en serie obsesionada por la belleza, que utilizaba la sangre de sus jóvenes sirvientas y pupilas para mantenerse joven en una época en que una mujer de 44 años se acercaba peligrosamente a la ancianidad. El diario de Erzsébet contaba día por día sus víctimas, con todo lujo de detalles, hasta sumar más de 600 jóvenes torturadas y asesinadas. En su castillo había toneles de ceniza y serrín, usados para recoger la sangre que se vertía tan pródigamente en aquel lugar. Debido a esto, todo el lugar estaba cubierto de manchas oscuras y despedía un tenue olor a putrefacción.

-1711: se celebra la primera carrera de caballos en Royal Ascot, Ascot.

-1813: tras vencer a los realistas, Bolívar entra triunfal a la capital venezolana. Se trató del fin de una exitosa “Campaña Admirable” contra los realistas en la que el Libertador mostró sus cualidades militares y el carisma para lograr el apoyo de las masas criollas. La liberación de Caracas dió inicio a la Segunda República, el periodo en donde se produjeron las luchas mas encarnizadas contra la ocupación española.

-1819: con la Batalla de Boyacá se sella la independencia de Colombia ante España. Las fuerzas de Simón Bolívar se enfrentaron a los realistas en el puente de Teatinos. Era un sitio estratégico en donde se unen las dos rutas que permitían el avance de los patriotas hacia la capital colombiana. La embestida furiosa de las fuerzas de Bolívar y la acción de la caballería “llanera” decidió el resultado de la batalla. Bolívar contaba con casi 3.000 hombres entre infantes y hombres de a caballo. Las dos columnas realistas sumaban casi 3.000 soldados. El virrey Juan de Sámano huyó de la capital al enterarse de la derrota y dejó el camino libre para la liberación de Bogotá. La batalla de Boyacá consolidó la independencia de Nueva Granada, nombre virreinal de Colombia.

-1825: se funda el Glorioso Colegio Nacional de San Carlos por El Libertador Simón Bolívar en Perú.

-1854: Japón estableció el Hinomaru o Nisshoki, diseño que simboliza el sol en su bandera nacional. El Hinomaru era la bandera oficial que flameaba en sus barcos. Aunque la bandera continuó considerándose la bandera nacional oficial, no existía una base legal para esto sino hasta 1999, cuando se promulgó la Ley de la Bandera Oficial y el Himno, la cual permitió que el Hinomaru fuera la bandera oficial legalmente sancionada de Japón. No obstante, la percepción del público sobre la bandera varía. Algunos japoneses asocian a la bandera con el militarismo japonés y sus guerras de agresión en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, considerándola como un símbolo del ultranacionalismo. Otros respetan a la bandera y lo que representa. Cualquiera sea su connotación, el Hinomaru sigue siendo un símbolo poderoso y duradero para los japoneses.

-1858: Ottawa es elegida como la capital de Canadá por la Reina Victoria.

-1876: nace Mata Hari, bailarina y espía neerlandesa (m. 1917). Fue una famosa bailarina de striptease, quien fue condenada a muerte por espionaje y ejecutada durante la I Guerra Mundial (1914-1918). En 1917, siete meses antes del final de la “Gran Guerra”, fue sometida a juicio en Francia acusada de espionaje, de ser una agente doble para Alemania y de haber sido la causa de la muerte de miles de soldados. Fue declarada culpable sin pruebas concluyentes y basadas en hipótesis no probadas que hoy en día (principios del siglo XXI) no se sostendrían en un juicio moderno. Fue ejecutada por el pelotón de fusilamiento. La leyenda sostiene que la escuadra tuvo que ser vendada para no sucumbir a sus encantos, sin embargo, son probados los hechos de que lanzó un beso de despedida a sus ejecutores y que, de los 12 soldados que constituyeron el pelotón de fusilamiento, sólo acertaron curiosamente 4 disparos, uno de ellos en el corazón que le causó la muerte instantánea. El oficial a cargo, como así se disponía en estos casos, ultimó el acto innecesariamente con un disparo de gracia en la sien. La noticia recorrió el mundo. Hubo incluso una narración periodística que detalló este dramático momento describiendo la expresión de su rostro, forma de caída y disposición final del cuerpo en el suelo. Su cuerpo, que no fue enterrado, se empleó para el aprendizaje de anatomía de los estudiantes de medicina, como se hacía con los ajusticiados en aquella época, pero su cabeza, embalsamada, permaneció en el Museo de Criminales de Francia hasta 1958, año en el que fue robada, seguramente, por un admirador.

-1938: inicia la construcción del campo de concentración de Mauthausen-Gusen.

-1942: nace Caetano Veloso, cantautor brasileño.

-1957: se retiran del cine los cómicos Stan Laurel y Oliver Hardy, conocidos como ‘el Gordo y el Flaco’.

-1958: nace Bruce Dickinson, vocalista británico de Iron Maiden.

-1960: Costa de Marfil se independiza de Francia.

-1960: nace David Duchovny, actor y productor estadounidense (X Files).

-1961: nace Carlos Vives, cantante colombiano.

-1963: el Consejo de Seguridad de Naciones Unidas prohíbe la venta de armas a Sudáfrica.

-1975: nace Charlize Theron, actriz sudafricana (Monster, Snow White and the Huntsman, Mad Max: FuryRoad)

-1978: golpe de estado en Honduras: un triunvirato militar depone al jefe de Estado, Gral. Melgar.

La entrada #UnDíaComoHoy: 7 de agosto en la historia aparece primero en culturizando.com | Alimenta tu Mente.

[sosekisuggestions]

Alternate Ending

((I turned this into an opium!au drabble instead, I’m sorry, because I think Sensei is too pained to even think that there could be another ending to his past. For what it’s worth, you can think of it as alternate ending to if Sensei won the war and visited the families of his comrades. 

Also I’m sorry it took so long. Writing about wartime stories can render someone pretty darn emotional, though I still had my fun writing them.))

A soldier dreams of coming home to his beloved after the war.

Sensei saw his comrades with their boyish grins. The men would cradle the yellow photos in their hands and they would hold them against their hearts, hidden behind the silver badges of their bloodstained uniforms. As the days in the battlefield went by, with each passing wait for death to come and shoot him at the back of his head, more of his friends’ names were crossed off from the survivors list. He chuckled bitterly while he gathered their remains, which included the charred bits of what’s left of those photos, the beautiful women that those fallen soldiers would come home to if only they had survived.

He never kept pictures of his beloved. He only had his memories of her.

There was this feeling inside him, this brewing envy when he thought there would be no one to greet him home. No one would be able to tell, of course, not with his rigid salute blocking the view of his bloodshot eyes.

No amount of red poppy coronations would be able to comfort these mourning women. Those flowers were worthless formalities, a form of courtesy for the family of those who have passed on, and he had to stand there and watch them break down into tears right in front of him.

Would this have happened if he had died instead of her?

He remembered then, he had his fellow comrade’s head resting on his lap, and he was forced to inject morphine into his friend’s veins, just like he always did for his first lover. Those eyes would stare up at him and they would gasp to him looking for help. They should have known better than to bet on their lives. As unlucky as he was, Sensei survived for this long, but not without having to watch the light fade from yet another person’s eyes before him.

He remembered the memories of war. He was covered in dirt amidst the fall of smokes and fire and the sun rose with another day to fight, with or without someone to come home to. He remembered how he writhed in pain, how he wriggled like a filthy worm to ensure his survival, even when there was only the Nisshoki fluttering in front of him standing tall and proud, centering the pile of bodies that once fought for their beloved Yokohama.

Sensei glanced at the red poppies while he waited for the soldier’s wife to stop crying. Red poppies, the symbol of lost lives. That woman, that tragic, fallen lover–she was his first red poppy, and she won’t be the last.

He will keep what little remains left of his beloved–her dreams of staying with him, of visiting Yokohama one day–along with her laughter, her tears, her story. He will protect this city, as broken as it is, he will sustain it with only the most marvelous form of grace.

That feeling of envy still brewed within him. Sensei dared himself to look back, to see the soldier’s wife and children in their little home and in their little peace, and he turned away from what never could have been.

Somehow, somewhere, there was this charred desire to hear the voice of his beloved, in the only words that a soldier such as he would deeply cherish:

“Welcome home.”