#specter meeting the in-laws was something I wanted to draw for a while

[neoyi]

"They would never - could not ever - go back to how they used to be; the son would not be the child their parents wanted, and his parents would not accommodate for their son. And that was just something they all had to accept. Over time, mama and papa contacted and apologized - at least the King did - for putting so much pressure on their boy to be more than what one person was capable of, even a prince. The son admitted he, too, had put pressure on himself to live up to a standard - subconsciously so from a youth growing up with nothing but standards - and endured too many sacrifices to name. There was an understanding that day, but their relationship remained forever bittersweet. The undead Lord though, would often visit every other weekend to chat and engage with his eventual in-laws. He had quite the rapport with the King whom shared his love for solitude, card games, and their affection for their respective fiery significant other. He often volunteered to put flowers on their graves once they had passed on years later..."

(From this prompt list: https://www.tumblr.com/yearoftheotpevent/703929864186740736/prompt-list-2023-alt-text-under-the?source=share)

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⭐Prince Marine: The Dandy Robot / Art Commission / Ko-Fi / Itch.io / Bluesky⭐

[sweetcerac]

SUMMER SCARIEST BOOK TAG

I saw this tag on Emmmabooks‘ channel and thought it looked so fun that I wanted to do it too!!

On to the questions!!

1. Specter: A book still haunts you after reading it.

Ryan’s Bed by Tijan

This book was just gorgeous and Wow! This girl is dealing with the suicide of her twin sister and her rollercoaster of emotions and decisions is just a twisty anxiety filled ride. But she’s found Ryan. And Ryan is the support she needs. He lets her do what she needs to do, whether she is fighting mean girls at school or do something stupid, but he’s there looking out for her and loving her the way she feels her own family isn’t. And the end of this book is just a punch in the gut that it’s stayed with me.

“I crawled into Ryan Jensen’s bed that first night by accident.

I barely knew him. I thought it was his sister’s bed—her room. It took seconds to realize my error, and I should've left...

I didn’t.

I didn’t jump out.

I didn’t get embarrassed.

I relaxed.

And that night, in that moment, it was the only thing I craved.

I asked to stay. He let me, and I slept.

The truth? I never wanted to leave his bed. If I could've stayed forever, I would have.

He became my sanctuary.

Because—four hours earlier—my twin sister killed herself.”

2. Don't split up: A book would you want to read around a campfire with friends.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell This book just takes me back to my childhood Girl Scout camping! I brought these books every single time we went and read it around the campfire and in the tent. The illustrations are gross and spooky and awesome! And the stories are straight up scary for a girl in her tweens.

“This spooky addition to Alvin Schwartz's popular books on American folklore is filled with tales of eerie horror and dark revenge that will make you jump with fright.

There is a story here for everyone -- skeletons with torn and tangled flesh who roam the earth; a ghost who takes revenge on her murderer; and a haunted house where every night a bloody head falls down the chimney.

Stephen Gammell's splendidly creepy drawings perfectly capture the mood of more than two dozen scary stories -- and even scary songs -- all just right for reading alone or for telling aloud in the dark.”

3. Ghost: A book would you like to ghost.

The Harvest Festival by Jack Gallow

Man! Really did not like this book! It’s one of three books in my life that I can put on my totally dislike list. The concept seemed so fun, but it was so poorly written. The plot line was so inconsistent and there were a lot of loose ends that also made no sense to introduce. And I definitely feel like make a character just disappear without any explanation was such a cop out. Not a well thought out story at all. Ghosting this if any more in this series comes out.  

“When Mallory Watson’s family moves to Fallen Oaks, she quickly discovers dark and dangerous secrets lurking beneath the surface of the quiet town. Last year’s prom queen is missing. Sean Bolan, the only suspect in the disappearance, sets his sights on Mallory. She finds herself drawn to Sean and realizes that things aren’t always as they appear.

Welcome to Fallen Oaks. Discover this haunting tale of love and betrayal. A paranormal romance for any fan of the genre.”

4. Frankenstein: A book that mixes genres well.

On The Edge Of Gone by Corinne Duyvis

I really loved how this story wasn’t just a sci fi story and a world ending disaster story, but it had some really diverse characters. The main character is autistic, her sister is transgender, and her mom is a drug addict. And they are trying to get off planet in this ship that was designed to only hold the most “perfect” people. A lot of family drama is happening while the world is ending and I loved the blend of dealing with saving family while trying to survive. This book can really fall into a few different genres.

“January 29, 2035.

That’s the day the comet is scheduled to hit—the big one. Denise and her mother and sister, Iris, have been assigned to a temporary shelter near their hometown of Amsterdam to wait out the blast, but Iris is nowhere to be found, and at the rate Denise’s drug-addicted mother is going, they’ll never reach the shelter in time.

Then a last-minute encounter leads them to something better than a temporary shelter: a generation ship that’s scheduled to leave Earth behind and colonize new worlds after the comet hits. But each passenger must have a practical skill to contribute. Denise is autistic and fears that she’ll never be allowed to stay. Can she obtain a spot before the ship takes flight? What about her mother and sister?

When the future of the human race is at stake, whose lives matter most?”

5. Murder: A book with a twist you didn't see coming.

Wake The Hollow by Gaby Triana This book was so cool with it’s integration of the Sleepy Hollow legend with a contemporary story of a girl who grew up in the town of fame and having to go back to deal with her family demons when her mother dies. It had this supernatural essence to it that made you feel for the character. Was her mom crazy or was this supernatural entity what got her killed? And there are some crazy twists in this that really keep my hooked and I couldn’t put it down! “Tragedy has brought Micaela Burgos back to her hometown of Sleepy Hollow. It’s been six years since she chose to live with her father in Miami instead of her eccentric mother. And now her mother is dead.

This town will suck you in and not let go.

Sleepy Hollow may be famous for its fabled headless horseman, but the town is real. So are its prejudices and hatred, targeting Mica’s family as outsiders. But ghostly voices carry on the wind, whispering that her mother’s death was based on hate…not an accident at all. With the help of two very different guys—who pull at her heart in very different ways—Micaela must awaken the hidden secret of Sleepy Hollow…before she meets her mother’s fate.

Find the answers.

Unless, of course, the answers find you first.”

6. Zombie: A book or series you would like to revive from the BookTube graveyard.

A Fierce and Subtle Poison by Samantha Mabry

I remember this book got some major buzz when it first came out and I feel like we should be buzzing about it again!

A story about this guy, living on this Caribbean island, whose been hearing ghost stories all his life about this girl with green skin who lives in a large walled in house with a garden full of poisonous plants. And she grants wishes?!?!  What?!?! And it turns out to be somewhat true! But with all urban legends, while there is a grain of truth to them, there is also the disappointment of realty and he learns the truth about her while all this crazy crap is happening around them.

“Everyone knows the legends about the cursed girl--Isabel, the one the señoras whisper about. They say she has green skin and grass for hair, and she feeds on the poisonous plants that fill her family’s Caribbean island garden. Some say she can grant wishes; some say her touch can kill.

Seventeen-year-old Lucas lives on the mainland most of the year but spends summers with his hotel-developer father in Puerto Rico. He’s grown up hearing stories about the cursed girl, and he wants to believe in Isabel and her magic. When letters from Isabel begin mysteriously appearing in his room the same day his new girlfriend disappears, Lucas turns to Isabel for answers--and finds himself lured into her strange and enchanted world. But time is running out for the girl filled with poison, and the more entangled Lucas becomes with Isabel, the less certain he is of escaping with his own life.”

7. Witch: A horror book with a strong female protagonist.

The Cresswell Plot by Eliza Wass

To say this book is disturbing would be an understatement. Or maybe my life with my family has been so loving and wonderful that I can’t possibly imagine a life like this. But that is the life that Cas has and how she finds the strength to fight through it is beyond me and so admirable. Disturbing and scary reading what was happening to Cas and her siblings but awesome to watch her be the strong force her siblings need.

“Castella Cresswell and her five siblings—Hannan, Caspar, Mortimer, Delvive, and Jerusalem—know what it’s like to be different. For years, their world has been confined to their ramshackle family home deep in the woods of upstate New York. They abide by the strict rule of God, whose messages come directly from their father.

Slowly, Castley and her siblings start to test the boundaries of the laws that bind them. But, at school, they’re still the freaks they’ve always been to the outside world. Marked by their plain clothing. Unexplained bruising. Utter isolation from their classmates. That is, until Castley is forced to partner with the totally irritating, totally normal George Gray, who offers her a glimpse of a life filled with freedom and choice.

Castley’s world rapidly expands beyond the woods she knows so well and the beliefs she once thought were the only truths. There is a future waiting for her if she can escape her father’s grasp, but Castley refuses to leave her siblings behind. Just as she begins to form a plan, her father makes a chilling announcement: the Cresswells will soon return to their home in heaven. With time running out on all of their lives, Castley must expose the depth of her father’s lies. The forest has buried the truth in darkness for far too long. Castley might be their last hope for salvation.”

8. Mind Control: A spooky book you would recommend to everyone.

Fear The Drowning Deep by Sarah Glenn Marsh

The concept of this book is so cool!! Love the setting on the Isle of Man and the seaside scape. A body of a girl washes up on shore one day and the whole town is scared of what lays in the deep. And Birdie, the main character, is already scared of the water because her grandfather drowned out there and the stories of a monster. But then one day a gorgeous guy washes up on shore too and the fear and fantasy mixes in with a love story. Gorgeous! Lyrical! Atmospheric! And totally Magical!

“Witch’s apprentice Bridey Corkill has hated the ocean ever since she watched her granddad dive in and drown with a smile on his face. So when a dead girl rolls in with the tide in the summer of 1913, sixteen-year-old Bridey suspects that whatever compelled her granddad to leap into the sea has made its return to the Isle of Man.

Soon, villagers are vanishing in the night, but no one shares Bridey’s suspicions about the sea. No one but the island’s witch, who isn’t as frightening as she first appears, and the handsome dark-haired lad Bridey rescues from a grim and watery fate. The cause of the deep gashes in Fynn’s stomach and his lost memories are, like the recent disappearances, a mystery well-guarded by the sea. In exchange for saving his life, Fynn teaches Bridey to master her fear of the water — stealing her heart in the process.

Now, Bridey must work with the Isle’s eccentric witch and the boy she isn’t sure she can trust — because if she can’t uncover the truth about the ancient evil in the water, everyone she loves will walk into the sea, never to return.”

[darveyfics]

The Art of Trick-or-Treating

Prompt:

Anon: Darvey take their son/daughter trick or treating for the first time

mrgaretcarter: TRICK OR TREATING WITH THEIR OWN KID(S) ps: one of them has to be a girl

--

He had come home on Wednesday evening later than usual in an attempt to finish up work so they could spend the Halloween weekend at his father's place in Boston and not be interrupted by clients with questions. It was approaching midnight when he walked in and noticed the overhead lights at the kitchen island were still on, and he turned the corner to find his wife, sitting on a barstool, with what he assumed to be dinner she had shared with their daughter at a normal hour earlier this evening.

He sets his briefcase on the floor near the island and lets out a long sigh and moves to Donna's side, pressing his lips to her temple and whispering his hey.

"Hey," Donna greets through a mouthful of macaroni and cheese. "There’s more in the oven if you’re hungry.”

"Oven?" He asks but moves away to the other side of the island to take it out anyway. 

"Your daughter wakes at the sound of your alarm going off for your 5:00 am runs. Do you think I was going to test that on the microwave at midnight when I'm starving?" Donna says with a slight laugh. "I wanted to eat my food while it was still hot."

He chuckles and uses the hot pads, and notices there’s an extra plate still on the counter, so he sets the hot dish on the top of the stove as he closes the oven door and turns the stove off. 

He piles the macaroni and cheese onto his plate and sits on the barstool next to her. 

"How's the world of corporate law this evening?" Donna jokes as she runs her fork of cheesy noodles through her puddle of ranch dressing on her plate.

"Pretty quiet for the start of the fourth quarter of the year," Harvey says with a shrug.

They eat in silence as Donna scrolls through the various apps on her phone and looks at all the tagged pictures she's in on Instagram with interest.

"You finish her costume?" Harvey asks between bites of his dinner. 

"Yep," she nods as she likes a comment that made her chuckle a little inside. "And, of course, she wanted to watch The Little Mermaid as I finished it. So we viewed it three times today."

Harvey shook his head. 

"It’s your fault you know," Harvey pointed out. "You’re the one who showed her all the princesses with the same hair colour as the two of you."

She sets her phone down and stabs noodles on his plate and eats them and gives him a look. 

"You can do my dishes," Donna says as she stands and sets her fork across her empty plate. "I have to pee."

Harvey shakes his head and watches as she leaves the room and goes back to their bedroom. He finishes dinner and their dishes, and he's yawning as peeks in the room across from theirs to find his little princess has decided to sleep at the foot of her bed. 

When he steps into his own room, Donna is laying on her side of the bed and has stolen one of his pillows. She’s far from sleep and watches as he moves through his nightly routine. After stripping down to his boxer briefs, he climbs into bed, and she shifts to find a comfortable position as she moves closer to him.

"How long did you nap today?" He asks quietly as his fingers weave through her locks. 

"Umm, five-ish hours between the two naps?" She sighs. "I’m exhausted but can’t sleep. Big surprise."

His fingers move from her hair to steal under the sheets and run down her side to her waist, drawing a pattern on the side of her growing belly.

"I can tell you a riveting tale about the meeting Jessica and I just had with Paul Porter and his bowtie trying to convince us we should switch the firm's compensation structure," he tells her while still tracing patterns on her belly.

"You paid attention?" She asks with more than a hint of scepticism in her tone.

"Well, Jessica told me the highlights. His bow tie was a bunch of little pumpkins and aliens. I was fascinated and worried at the same time," Harvey recalled.

"Elizabeth definitely gets her attention span from you," Donna quietly laughs. "But, sure, bore me to sleep."

Harvey pouts a little, but soon enough he launches into his day that had been jam-packed with meetings. -- Thursday, the day before Halloween, is a slow start to their long weekend. Harvey decided to let Donna sleep in a little and gets their three-year-old daughter ready for a half a day of driving, but she's a little hostile in the way only three-year-olds can get away with, and she wakes Donna with her jagged crying. 

He's looking apologetic as Elizabeth runs and hugs her mother's legs and Donna decides today a bribe will get them closer to a successful morning and future nap, so she suggests going out to get hot chocolate and pancakes and Elizabeth stops crying and looks up at her mother with wide brown eyes. She has to let her father put her in warm clothes since its autumn, and they compromise with one of her rejected costumes. And as Harvey helps her dress as Donna gets dressed from her pajamas into something loose and comfortable for a walk down a few blocks, he thinks about the past Halloweens they've had as a family.

Her first Halloween, Elizabeth was two months old, and Donna was in Los Angeles doing talk show rounds with the various networks promoting her film that was coming out and a new television show she was taking part in. Naturally, where mom went, the new baby went. She had taken pictures of their baby dressed in a little monkey onesie costume they had picked out when they had gone outfit shopping and sent them to him via text. It was a welcome respite from the frustrating day of court he had when he got back to his office to find pictures and a video waiting. When they had FaceTimed later that night, he watched as his little monkey fell asleep as Donna unwrapped candy she had received in the guest dressing rooms as they talked about their respective long days. 

Her second Halloween, they had moved into a new building and didn’t know any of the neighbours. So, Donna had the day off from the set, and she took the little Nemo in with her to Pearson Specter and the partners and associates were kind enough to take a minute out of their day to let the two-year-old get candy. Harvey had been meeting with a client so they were a surprise in the office when he came back. Elizabeth had wiggled out of Jessica’s arms and ran to the elevators to reach for her father. It had been an Instagram-worthy photo with little hands squishing Harvey’s cheeks in an attempt to make fish lips as he grinned. That picture was a top ten of the year as it passed over 100,000 likes. A new record for her that year.

Now, her third Halloween would be the first time she'd experience trick or treating for real as Donna was wrapping her series and had gotten Thursday and Friday off and Harvey was the one with the idea to give her a real trick or treating experience like they had when they were kids. Donna reminded him that she had spent most of her younger trick-or-treating years in Cortland where the houses tend to be half a mile away or longer. He gave her a look because he was just trying to make a gesture and she laughed and told him it was sweet. 

As bribed, they eat breakfast at the café down the street. As they walk, Elizabeth is between them, dressed as a little zookeeper with a little giraffe wrapped around her neck. Elizabeth's hands are in either one of Donna's and Harvey's and every few minutes Elizabeth counts one, two, 'free, and she's lifted between them, and a giggle makes its way past her lips. 

Their daughter can’t contain her excitement at the little foam pumpkin the barista draws in the milky froth of her hot chocolate. While waiting for their food, Donna sets all their drinks together to show off the art of a maple leaf, a pumpkin, and a cat face in their respective beverages. Of course, little fingers that are more interested in continuing to sneak the extra chocolate powder feature in the picture she edits for her Instagram.

"You know your most loyal fans will be here within ten minutes," Harvey points out as he sees she tags the location.

"Why do you think I always post it as we're finishing?" Donna says as she shows him it's all set to be posted, but she hasn't pressed the done button. "I'd like to eat these pancakes in peace."

Harvey looks at her with slight concern as she wraps her scrambled eggs in a pancake with a bit of syrup. But he learned to stop asking, and it's not like anyone in the café is paying attention to them.

Elizabeth eats her one along with her eggs, separately, and since they're sitting on the same side, she leans into his side, and her fork touches his french toast in an effort to steal it. He takes the hint and cuts it up, and Donna laughs and shares a conspiratory grin with their daughter as father and daughter share the remainder of Harvey’s breakfast.

When they get back to the condo, it's much easier to finish packing the last minute items and loading the SUV for the nearly five-hour drive--in good traffic--to Boston when mother and daughter are sated with food.

And, it's a more leisurely drive when, a few hours in, both of his passengers are asleep, and he can listen to his music in peace. -- When they get to Gordon Specter’s hour in the late afternoon, Marcus and his family were already there. It looked like they had come straight from school as two bright pink backpacks sit near the coat rack in the entryway. His father was watching a rerun of some show, his brother and his wife were on the couch, and it looked like the five and seven-year-olds were outside burning off energy. 

He opens the door with Elizabeth still half asleep in his arms and an overnight bag hanging on his shoulder while Donna held the garment bag all their costumes were in for tomorrow night. 

They say passing hellos as they head upstairs for his old bedroom to set their stuff down before heading back downstairs.

When he finally sat down on the loveseat with Donna, Katie made an effort to clear her throat loudly and dramatically. 

He heard Donna sigh, and he hid his grin by pretending to check to see if Elizabeth had fallen back asleep or if she was just quietly observing the scene around her. It was the latter.

In Katie Specter's hands was the most recent issue of Vanity Fair with Donna’s face on the cover. It was fitting that she be on the October issue and get to dress up in Halloween costumes considering this is her favourite holiday. 

"I see you’ve found a fascinating read," Donna says as she leans forward on the cushion she sits on. She turns to Gordon. "How many did you buy?"

"I’m kinda digging that you’re Ariel, Merida, Elastigirl, and Elsa, all in one article. But the best part is probably your little Anna," Katie laughs as Gordon pretends like he doesn’t hear Donna. 

"They were going to have me be Anna, but when they saw her, well, they decided she'd make her modelling debut," Donna says with a laugh. 

She gets up from the couch and moves to the kitchen to get herself water and thinks if she's hungry, Elizabeth is bound to be as well and sneaks some Chex Mix from Gordon's pantry.

"I'm wondering about the new feature coming in April 2015," Gordon says with his brows raised as he ignores the television for a moment. "Your IMDB doesn't list any projects with that release date."

It had been one of the last questions they asked what she had been looking forward to in 2015 and she had laughed before answering 'Probably my feature in April 2015' and not giving any more details.

Before she sits on the loveseat again, she turns to her audience and her hand that holds the bag of Chex Mix moves to her tunic, and smooths the material over her growing but still a moderately small bump for 18 weeks.

"Our new feature," Donna laughs. "Due like nineteen days before I have to go back to work on the new season in April."

"Shit," Marcus finally pipes up and hands over a fifty dollar bill to his father.

Gordon winks at Harvey as Donna sits on the loveseat again and she and Elizabeth dig into his Chex Mix. -- In an effort to have Elizabeth's first real Halloween be memorable, they all decided it would be a family-themed event. 

"I'm starting to regret this costume," Donna says as she catches Harvey's eyes in the mirror as she teases her hair a little more with her pick comb.

Harvey gives her an appreciative once over as she stands up straight.

She was wearing a black bateau neckline, high waisted dress that had violet, lavender, purple, white, and black tulle draping down the waist to make her look like an octopus without the gaudy appendages. 

She had teased her hair with enough product to wonder if it would set itself on fire near an open flame. Her off-white hair sits in a messy beehive. She has shockingly bright red lipstick on and the most vivid blue eyeshadow colour he'd ever seen.

"Because it's supposed to rain later?" He asks.

"More like my boobs hurt, my back hurts, and I swear my feet are also starting to swell the longer I stand here," she sighs and tosses the comb in her hands onto the counter.

Harvey steps into her personal space and his hands move over her hips through the tulle. He spaces out his thumbs on either side of her lower back to find the familiar knot on either side. His thumbs work in a tiny, circular motion with ease as he presses close.

She leans her hands against the counter as she breathes in and out slowly.

"Better?" He asks after a few minutes of kneading and watching her mirrored reflection.

"It's a start," she concedes. 

"Mmh," he says with a laugh as he backs away and lets her turn to face him. "You smell like baby powder."

"Can't exactly use the temporary hair dye," she says with a sigh as she presses a hand to her growing belly that's somewhat hidden in the folds of tulle.

"You could have worn a wig," he points out and regrets it as soon as she narrows her eyes.

"I just wore a wig on and off for the last month. These locks need to breathe," Donna reminds him. "And all this new hair growth is making my scalp itchy, so it's a good thing we're wrapping soon."

"Let's go get our little Ariel so we can trick-or-treat and then I can feed you. And I even went to get that god awful spumoni ice cream and some potato chips for you from the store."

Donna frowns because that's exactly what she wants. She hates that her cravings are predictably the same.

"The tabloids think my cravings are ice cream and pickles," she notes as she follows him out of the washroom.

"I bought pickles once for sandwiches," Harvey says as he shakes his head.

"Apparently if you buy ice cream and pickles at the same time, they report I am pregnant, and they assume it's for me," Donna shrugs her shoulders.

"Well, I mean, they're not wrong with one report. We just haven't officially confirmed it? Nevermind we also bought like thirty other items at the grocery store that day," Harvey sighs but drops the subject as they find themselves now on the outskirts of his father's living room with a grumpy little Sebastian, a crying Flounder, and a mischevious looking Ariel in the arms of King Triton.

"That's all you," Donna pats Harvey's arm before moving to the coat rack to get her black hoodie--just in case it does start to rain.

Harvey moves and takes Elizabeth from his father's arms.

"She hasn't done anything," Gordon says. "But I know that look, so I kept her out of the fray."

Her little brown eyes are twinkling with mischief, and her little dimples are showing as she laughs as her two cousins get reprimanded by Marcus who’s the crazy Chef Louis and Katie, dressed as Carlotta, the palace maid. Harvey tampers his own smile and figures the best course of action is just to leave the situation before he starts to laugh and set a bad example.

"Let's have you go potty before we head out," Harvey says as he walks back to the washroom on this floor to let his brother and sister-in-law handle their fighting children.

Donna had gone with a long sleeve peach-coloured leotard for Elizabeth's costume to keep her warm. Ariel's familiar purple seashell top was carefully stuck on the leotard thanks to neat strips of iron-on adhesive that's usually used to hem pants magically. She was determined to keep their three-year-old warm while trick or treating without compromising the costume, and since she couldn't sew worth a damn, improvisation is essential.

She had the foresight to get one that had buttons, so there was no catastrophes or wardrobe malfunctions as Harvey helped Elizabeth out of her green sequence skirt and lime green leggings to keep her warm. He thinks Donna will teach her to hold skirts and dresses up after she masters the main point--to go when she needs to and without prompting or them noticing the familiar "potty dance."

For his own Prince Eric costume, he'd stuck with his own clothes--a bright white button down and dark blue jeans. He had to find a pair of black snow boots, and he had folded his jeans up to where the boots and pants meet. Donna had snuck a red sash from the costume department to tie around his waist, and he sported a combover and had enough pomade to make it darker than his sandy-brown natural hair colour.

All in all, it was quite the family affair, and Donna made sure to capture the whole thing with video and pictures. -- Gordon Specter lived on a cul de sac in one of Boston's suburban, middle-class neighbourhoods where everyone knew everybody, and there were monthly neighbourhood cookouts.

To begin, they practice at Gordon's door, and Marcus's kids participate thanks to a bribe of ten dollars from Harvey for their time.

The seven-year-old rings the bell and Gordon answers the door with such enthusiasm Elizabeth wiggles excitedly and giggles out a version of trick-or-treat and attempts to go back inside.

"Hey, wait, you don't go into the houses," Harvey says as he scoops her up. "You say trick-or-treat and then wait for candy."

Harvey nods, and they try it again. That time she doesn't go in, but as they call it a success and Gordon deposits a box of Milk Duds in her bag, she digs through her bag and hands said tote to Harvey and runs to Donna whose conversing with Katie at the end of the driveway.

There's a brief meltdown as Donna explains treats are for after its all done but her tears vanish when Donna says they can share this one box until tonight after dinner. Elizabeth doesn't know the box only holds four and Donna takes two for herself as she hands the open box back to Elizabeth as they begin at the neighbour's house for the official start.

With Gordon living on the block for the past 15 years, it’s not surprising when neighbours see Donna, Harvey, and Elizabeth with Gordon, Marcus, and Marcus' family as they trick-or-treat, they want to chat with the New Yorkers who only make the occasional holiday visit. Thankfully, they refrain and just mention they need to catch up one night when they’re still here or plan something at a later date.

Harvey's tenth grade English teacher lives a block down from his dad, so it's no surprise he spends a little more time here and makes Donna come up the driveway with him and Elizabeth. The woman reminds him that he almost failed her class by failing to participate in the theatre portion of class and wonders how he appreciates the stage and acting because he's been married to a famous actress for the past eight years.

"I'm a Donna fan, Mrs Burkowicz," Harvey shrugs. "Maybe if I had gone to tenth grade in Hartford, I would have passed English with more than a B-."

Donna bites the inside of her cheek and Harvey tilts his head and grins. Elizabeth’s trick-or-treat sounds more like 'tick-er-teat' and Harvey stifles a laugh each time she mutters it.

Elizabeth gets an extra handful of candy despite her father's sass.

"For you and your mom," Mrs Burkowicz says as she looks to the little Ariel whose eyes are huge as she looks between her canvas tote and the lady who just gave her treats.

"No, dad," Elizabeth conspires.

Donna decides now is the perfect time to laugh aloud, and she takes Elizabeth's hand and starts to walk away.

Harvey looks back at his old English teacher, and the woman winks before shutting the door.

Donna and Harvey take turns walking up the driveways with the rest of his family as they continue moving throughout the neighbourhood.

They make it almost four more blocks before Elizabeth gets tired of walking and asks to be held by Harvey. It’s another seven blocks before she falls asleep and they go another ten before the sky begins to darken and Donna’s steps slow because her back aches, her feet are sore, and she’s hungry for something that isn't candy that she's been sneaking every few blocks from Elizabeth's bag she carries.

Donna thinks she's going to really enjoy this weekend eating through their kid's candy and wondering how many slices of Pinocchio's she can eat without getting tired of the cheesy goodness. -- Elizabeth was still passed out, leaning against her mother as Donna lounged against the arm of the couch with her feet in Harvey’s lap as he sat on the far cushion and absentmindedly worked his fingers against the muscles and tendons in Donna's feet and calves. They were waiting for Katie and Marcus to get back with the pizza, pasta, and salad before waking Elizabeth. With Elizabeth draped alongside her and stuck between her mother and the couch, Donna's skirt and dress material were pulled enough that everyone in the room could really see the swell of her belly. 

"You know what it is yet?" Gordon asks as he watched his daughter-in-law run her fingers through her daughter's hair as the less boisterous Specter family shared the room. The other little kids are in the kitchen trading candy and drinking a can of soda they're not really supposed to have in an effort to get a sugar rush while mom and dad are away and grandpa's in charge.

"Uh, a few days ago, the ultrasound tech accidentally said it’s a girl," Donna says as she looks over at her father-in-law with a small smile. "95% certain."

"Both my sons, surrounded by females," Gordon chuckles. "Did Marcus let you know they’re trying for a boy?"

Harvey shook his head, but Donna nodded.

"Katie was wondering if we’re going to have another. I told her we needed to get through birthing this one before thinking about a number three," Donna says honestly.

Gordon chuckles, and Harvey already feels slightly overwhelmed by the thought.

As Harvey and his father play catch up, Donna finds a fantastic photo of the three of them where her bump is visible and decides to let her fans in on their secret. After all, its been almost a month of speculation since Vanity Fair was published with her cryptic interview answer and thankfully her coworkers and the set crew kept mum even as fans began to stalk the set more and tweet at her fellow cast members.

In the photo outside on the lawn of Gordon's house, Elizabeth is having a little meltdown, pulling on the tulle skirt of her mother's and therefore showing off her baby bump as Donna, as Ursula, kisses Harvey, as Prince Eric. When Katie sees it on her own feed the next day, she jokingly demands a photo cred, and when Donna does indeed photo cred her username, Katie ends up with hundreds of new follower requests.

She posts another two during the weekend in Boston. One of the backs of the entire crew walking down the sidewalk--she doesn't like to feature the faces of little ones, including her own, just to keep something private. The last is a shot of Harvey and Elizabeth as they sit on the rug and sort out the Halloween candy. In the photo, Elizabeth is sharing an M&M with her father.

That weekend, Donna tells Harvey they should really do the whole neighbourhood-type trick-or-treating every year, and she hopes the family-themed trick-or-treats last at least until Elizabeth is a teenager and therefore becomes too cool to dress the same as her soon-to-be sister.

Harvey wonders if it’d be appropriate to also buy a house in New York to escape to for the weekends. And, for future trick-or-treating adventures. And, maybe to even start hosting holidays and inviting people and having enough room to spare.

[doomedandstoned]

Fallout Ritualist:

A Visit with Mikko Kääriäinen of Cardinals Folly

~By Billy Goate (Editor in Chief)~

Photographs by Jouni Parkku

There's something about that voice. Mikko Kääriäinen (best known as Count Karnstein) of the Finnish band CARDINALS FOLLY croons like a stern master with ice water for blood. Dare not knock on the door of his estate seeking shelter from the tempest. His singing incites shivers as he wails and thrashes about, bemoaning the wiles of the devil and the fate of foodhardy thrill seekers. Mikko joined our own Stephanie V. Cantu for her podcast Crypt of Despair last year and I was eager to get to get a proper interview with him in these pages. Come with me now, into the shadows to a domain where doom is law and riffs conjure soul-stealing specters. This is the twisted realm of Cardinals Folly...

You draw significant inspiration from mysticism and the occult. What are your own beliefs about the supernatural? And while we're on the subject, have you ever encountered something uncanny, unearthly, or otherwise unexplainable?

I guess it's mere curiosity that has brought this devious individual and many others on the brink of great things. Teenage rebellion is a pathway to many things you will be able to truly understand later on, to expand your consciousness to unnatural levels. I believe in the devil as an ideal collaborator in spiritual rebellion -- a dark power of nature, relentless illumination, self-deification, and resistance of the right-hand path. A cultivated inspiration and idol for individuals like us. Of course, The Master will always take care of its own, the truly initiated and dedicated, and therefore things will always happen. From everyday charms to weirder incidents. I don´t want to pick out anything special, for it´s not about bragging how weird your life has been. That´s the naturality or unnaturality of this kind of mind -- you just live it. Nothing is that strange anymore. That´s almost like a Biblical term to me, at this point. Reference based on the many, the majority, what they would think.

Interesting. I’m guessing you’re well read on the occult. For the novice, what tomes would you recommend for reading? I’m guessing Dennis Wheatley’s novels will be among them, given the band's name.

Well, for someone willing to get both a factual and fictional overall briefing about the western esoteric and occult practices, I recommend the following starters:

Stephen Flowers: 'Lords of the Left-Hand Path' (1997)

Dennis Wheatley: 'The Devil and All His Works' (1971)

Don Web: 'Overthrowing the Old Gods: Aleister Crowley and the Book of the Law' (2013)

Trevor Ravenscroft: 'The Spear of Destiny' (1972)

Anton LaVey: 'The Satanic Bible' (1969)

H.P Blavatsky: 'The Secret Doctrine' (1888)

Eliphas Levi: 'Transcendental Magic: Its Doctrine and Ritual' (1855)

Dennis Wheatley: 'The Devil Rides Out' (1950) or 'Strange Conflict' (1941)

How long have you been singing and playing bass? I'm curious about what lit the fire inside of you to get started with both.

I started everything with this band. I needed a vision of a band to make happen, to actually give a damn. Never been one of those bedroom metal musicians. Cardinals Folly and its early version symbolize my musical career. I simply started to play bass and sing when we started playing doom in 2004, without having any experience. To be honest, the more I see in this life, the more I like my choices. There´s a shitload of stagnated bands out there. Bands with members who can play, but are pretty clueless about anything else. I´m glad I had no specific pattern to start laboring when we started. I´ve learned it all myself along the way, which certainly suits me very well. I´m a person of my own. Our heaviest influence among traditional doom bands was Reverend Bizarre, when we started. Reverend Bizarre was emerging in Finland and it felt the closest thing to us. Of course, there are also typical old school legends like Saint Vitus, Pentagram, Cathedral, etc., but Reverend Bizarre was so present, especially in our early works. Now all that really remains from their influence is the cinematic gothickry, but that I love too much to ever let it go. Besides, it´s nothing that unusual in metal, generally. They just did it really well, I want to do it even better -- really combine the themes and the music.

Holocaust of Ecstasy & Freedom by Cardinals Folly

I admit I’m a little late to the game. The Coven was the original incarnation of Cardinal’s Folly, right?

You could say so. The idea didn´t change one bit and we simply continued with a new drummer and new moniker. Like I said, we were total newbies back then to everything regarding functioning as a band, so we made up a proper fitting name hastily in our excitement, without giving it too much thought. Our first drummer left and we got a new one, who was really into doom and very experienced with the underground. So we forged our visions stronger and had more artistic approach. I found the true name for us and we set the course to where we are today.

Around 2012-2013, there was a complete change of line-up. Was the future of Cardinals Folly in doubt at that point in time?

I´ve always been very demanding regarding people´s input in Cardinals Folly. I never chose to be the leader of the band. It came naturally, because of my level of ambition, temperament, and vision. Cardinals Folly is my baby, and I was never truly happy with the input of the previous members. Our guitar player had no time to really play in a band and since we took our name in 2007, our drummer had always had self-doubts about his playing and we always argued about many things. He´s a friend of mine still, and probably always will be, but we weren´t exactly the dream team, musically. I was always pushing forward and he was stalling.

With Juho joining in guitar around 2012 and Joni in drums 2014, we got the right dedicated members to push things forward. The future of Cardinals Folly has never truly been in doubt, as it´s always been a major creative outlet for me. But you can speculate if I had made it to this point without these guys. Probably not. The band would exist anyway, but you kind of need the lineup to truly make it something. After all, band life is about sharing our views, rehearsing, talking crap, playing live, doing records, drinking together -- that´s what it is to me.

So how did you come to meet your current partners, Juho and Joni? You’re the primary songwriter, naturally, so I’m curious how these two contribute to or otherwise enhance your musical ideas.

They both just answered the ads I had left. I really like that I didn´t take them into the band because of some guaranteed friendship. They weren´t old fishing buddies. That sort of thing is overrated, when it comes to band members. Also, if the band has ambition, it can fuck over the friendship or the friendship can fuck over the band, if you know what I mean. You need brutal honesty, sometimes. Making music like Cardinals Folly is about ambition and vision, so it doesn´t help one bit if you´re a great guy otherwise. Previous members were perfect examples of that.

Juho trained on a few songs on acoustic guitar over the weekend up north at his parents and returned early from his holiday to make it to the audition down south, where he nailed everything totally. Joni did the same, without missing a beat. The musical collaboration and understanding is on a very high level here. An exceptionally high level that even most pro musicians can´t reach with each other for different personal reasons. I´ve seen this. We can together spice up the original idea and structure for a song without changing the atmosphere or screwing anything over. We simply enrich it with good flavors. I or Juho come up with a few matching riffs and we complete the song usually as a group, throwing in riffs and fixing the arrangements for whole band. The original idea remains, but grows some muscle around itself.

Lyrics sometimes exist already before the song, but usually some interesting theme pops up after the feeling I get from the music and I finish the lyrics in a frenzy of inspiration from that. In my opinion, combining the music with the fitting and believable lyrics of a similar atmosphere is very important. If you fuck that up, you´re not in the game anymore. Our approach is similar and we talk the same “language,” because we´re not educated musicians, but three guys on a mission they all completely understand, both spiritually and musically. I feel we´re a real band -- a three-piece unit. We work everything together, despite of who wrote the original ideas. Nothing is ever personal. We understand our art and wish to push it forward. That is the priority in Cardinals Folly for us all, despite also being friends. It's very easy for me to say this, since it´s nothing, but a transcription of what happens in the world of Cardinals Folly nowadays.

You balk at trendiness in music, “laughing at stoner/retro trends as Cardinals Folly since 2007.” In “Hyperborean,” there is the declamatory “No Trends!” in the chorus. Obviously it’s an important sentiment to you.

It feels very natural to me, that a metal band not only plays hard, but also views hard. With my current understanding of the music I´m doing, I certainly wouldn't settle for less, in any way. This is my chosen lifestyle. Metal music in general is dominated by trends, which is understandable, but spoils the danger and excitement levels of this kinda music completely. I´ll be honest with you, I rarely even listen to new doom anymore. I do still get excited when I hear something totally ass-ripping, like the new Caskets Open album, for an example, but mostly you can predict the moves of the bands, even their behavior. The whole thing is just like my mom making a metal band, and as much as I love my mom, she´s not cut out for this. I feel I need to look elsewhere if I want inspiration. I´m over 30, but I´m still a rebel. I just don´t feel it enough.

Are you coming across many acts that are going their own way, perhaps even a little misunderstood? We’d love to know about bands in Finland, in particular, that have earned your respect and patronage.

Well, just to make it short by recommending some Finnish bands you might not know about: Caskets Open, Seremonia, Kohti Tuhoa, Vinum Sabbatum, Slave Hands, Chestburster and why don´t you also check out the Lithuanian band Hellhookah, because so far Arnas is the only one staying up and downing vodka later than I do! Great people, great band.

Coalition of the Anathematized by Cardinals Folly / Church of Void / Acolytes of Moros

Cardinals Folly has been prolific, releasing a new full-length every two years. Last year, you brought us virtually two albums worth of songs, if you include that fantastic split with Church of Void and Acolytes of Moros. Are you tapped out or do you have more songs in the works for us? If so, it would be amazing if you could give us a hint about the material you’re toying with.

Well, I would never consider us being “tapped out” at this point, regardless of the song situation, since we´re hungry and nasty bastards, one of the few bands actually living the shit! Every week we do something, be it rehearsal, studio, a live gig, or just sitting at a bar together, getting nutty ideas.

And to back this up, I will humbly say that our fourth album, Deranged Pagan Sons, which will wipe the floor with all our previous works, will be released in the fall of 2017 on CD via Nine Records and LP via Topillo Records. Fresh start with couple of up-and-coming Euro labels and the very finest we can offer. Eight tracks and 48 minutes of brutal, barbaric, heavy, in-your-face doom metal. The songs are the best, the sound is the best, and for the first fucking time ever, I don´t really even hate my vocals.

That’s awesome news! I think I speak for many when I say I can't wait to give the new record a spin. As we wrap up the conversation, anything you'd like to share with fans, or at least those who by now are becoming curious?

Later this year, you gotta face our new album in all its power. Join the doom metal cult Cardinals Folly and its ventures. Ride with the doomed ones! Retreating from it doesn´t do good for your metal credibility, so I suggest you open yourselves to it. Dance with the devil. It can´t be ignored anymore. We are going to blow off some steam and live to win, even if some boring jerks keep saying it´s a sin.

Thank you for spending time with me and the Doomed & Stoned readers!

The pleasure was all mine, and will be.

Follow The Band.

Get Their Music.

[blamnews]

Furious Palestinians Burn American Flags In Protest To Trump

President Donald Trump announced that America formally recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city that set off protests throughout the Middle East.

Appearing in the White House’s Diplomatic Reception Room against an elaborate backdrop of Christmas decorations, he changed decades of U.S. policy in a brief afternoon speech. He said the move was a bid to preserve, not derail, aspirations for regional peace.

He also said the United States embassy in Israel would, over time, be moved there from Tel Aviv. Israel is the only country where the United States has an embassy in a city that the host nation does not consider its capital.

His speech was greeted by demonstrations and a threat from Hamas. Hamas called Thursday and Friday ‘days of rage’ and that Trump had ‘opened the gates of hell.’

Meanwhile, in Gaza, thousands flooded the streets and burned U.S. flags. Palestinian secular and Islamist factions called a general strike on Thursday after tens of thousands took to the streets on Wednesday night.

Israeli security forces have braced for possible violence for days to come, and the U.S. embassy in Jordan was locked down.

The Pope and other world leaders spoke out against the measure, saying that it jeopardized the peace process. However, Trump was unrepentant that he was doing the ‘right thing.’

‘I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,’ Trump said. ‘While previous presidents have made this a major campaign promise, they failed to deliver. Today I am delivering.’

‘When I came into office I promised to look at the world’s challenges with open eyes and very fresh thinking,’ he said, leaning heavily on a mid-1990s federal law that demanded the embassy’s relocation.

‘We have declined to acknowledge any Israeli capital – at all,’ Trump added. ‘But today we finally acknowledge the obvious, that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality.’

‘It is also the right thing to do. It is something that has to be done.’

Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Wednesday and launched a process to move the U.S. embassy there, casting his decision as an act of political courage

Days of rage on way: Hamas supporters stage a protest against the decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, in Jebaliya Refugee Camp, part of the Gaza Strip

Palestinian protesters chant slogans as they wave their national flags and pictures of late Palestinian president Yasser Arafat during a protest at the main Square in Gaza City, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017. Defying worldwide warnings, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday broke with decades of U.S. and international policy by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.(AP Photo/Adel Hana)

The president signed a proclamation after his short speech, backed up by Vice President Mike Pence

‘Today we finally acknowledge the obvious, that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital; this is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do,’ Trump said

Take to the streets: Young men in Gaza protested after Trump’s announcement, with Hamas asking for a ‘day of rage’ on Friday

Reaction spread around the Islamic world, with this crowd taking to the streets in Istanbul in front of the U.S. consulate to protest

In flames: In Gaza Palestinians burned the U.S. and Israeli flags as Trump’s announcement later on Wednesday was revealed

Trump spoke to cameras in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House, surrounded by Christmas trees as he spoke about tensions between Muslims and Jews

Trump said that has brought the world ‘no closer to a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians,’ while every president since Bill Clinton has exercised a waiver in the Jerusalem Embassy Act. A major theme in Trump’s unprecedented statement was his claim that it shouldn’t interfere with longer-term peace negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

The speech, however, did not say how that could be the case and there was no briefing from the White House afterward to expand on Trump’s case.

Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law is currently drawing up a Middle East peace plan. When it will appear and how Wednesday’s dramatic announcement will play a part in it, is unknown.

Kushner, 36, a former property developer, was not present for Trump’s speech and proclamation signing.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said that the speech had destroyed hopes for a two-state solution. The terror group Hamas said Trump had opened ‘the gates of hell.’

The leader of Hamas, Sami Abu Zuhri, said that Trump’s decision ‘will not succeed in changing the reality of Jerusalem being Islamic Arab land.’

‘This decision is foolish and time will tell that the biggest losers are Trump and Netanyahu.’

Trump insisted that ‘this decision is not intended in any way to reflect a departure from our strong commitment to facilitating a lasting peace agreement. ‘We want an agreement that is a great deal for the Israelis and a great deal for the Palestinians.’

‘We are not taking a position on any final status issues, including the specific boundaries of the Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem or the resolution of contested borders,’ he continued.

‘Those questions are up to the parties involved. The United States remains deeply committed to helping facilitate a peace agreement that is acceptable to both sides. I intend to do everything in my power to help forge such an agreement.’

‘If agreed to by both sides,’ Trump said the United States would continue to support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian standoff.

‘In the meantime, I call on all parties to maintain the status quo at Jerusalem’s holy sites,’ he said.

‘Jerusalem is today, and must remain, a place where Jews pray at the Western Wall, where Christians walk the Stations of the Cross and where Muslims pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque,’ Trump added.

Trump’s policy was called ‘historic’ by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and quickly pledged to continue giving Muslims and Christians access to their sacred places in Jerusalem’s Old City.

While Trump insisted that ordering a move of the embassy’s location would ‘immediately begin the process of hiring architects, engineers and planners so that a new embassy, when completed, will be a magnificent tribute to peace,’ America’s friends and foes unleashed fierce criticism before Trump made official what the White House previewed for reporters Tuesday night.

However, Trump stuck to his guns, calling his decision an act of political courage.

‘Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East. And I think it’s long overdue,’ said Trump

‘Many presidents have said they want to do something, and they didn’t do it. Whether it’s through courage or they change their mind, I can’t tell you. But a lot of people have said we have to do something, and they didn’t do it.’

US and Israeli national flags were projected on the wall of Jerusalem’s Old City on Wednesday

The status of Jerusalem – home to sites holy to the Muslim, Jewish and Christian religions – has been one of the thorniest issues in long-running Mideast peace efforts. Pictured: Protesters in Gaza City tonight

A woman chants slogans during a sit-in in the Bourj al-Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon

President Macron branded the decision ‘regrettable’, calling for efforts to ‘avoid violence at all costs’. Pictured: Protests in Istanbul after the announcement tonight

Rebukes spread: In Britain, Prime Minister Theresa May said she would challenge Trump and at the Vatican Pope Francis said he was ‘profoundly concerned’ and appealed that ‘everyone respects the status quo of the city’

More opprobrium: Turkey’s president Recey Tayyip Erdogan, who met King Abdullah of Jordan on Tuesday, had called the move on Jerusalem a ‘red line’. His spokesman on Wednesday said it was a ‘grave mistake that will virtually eliminate the fragile Middle East peace process’.

Tuesday, a senior administration official said that the president’s decision to move the embassy in the long term ‘is a recognition of reality.’

Israel welcomed the news, but the Palestinian officials declared the Mideast peace process ‘finished’ and Turkey announced it would host a meeting of Islamic nations next week to give Muslim countries’ leaders an opportunity to coordinate a response.

U.S. and Israeli flags were burned in Gaza, while the West Bank Hamas declared Friday a ‘day of rage,’ raising the specter of mass violence in the occupied territories. Security forces in Israel braced for violence as well.

The Pope pleaded for Trump to rethink immediately and spoke to his weekly general audience in Rome.

‘I make a heartfelt appeal so that all commit themselves to respecting the status quo of the city, in conformity with the pertinent resolutions of the United Nations,’ Pope Francis said.

The Roman Catholic Pontiff said: ‘I cannot keep quiet about my deep concern about the situation that has been created in the last few days.’

Turkish government spokesman said that the move would plunge the region and the world into ‘a fire with no end in sight.’

UK Prime Minister, Theresa May said she would challenge the country’s closest ally.

‘I’m intending to speak to President Trump about this matter,’ May said.

‘Our position has not changed, it has been a long-standing one and it is also a very clear one. It is that the status of Jerusalem should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately form a shared capital between the Israeli and Palestinian states.’

The intense global reaction cast questions about the feasibility of a brewing U.S. peace plan that is expected to be presented by the White House soon.

Trump would effectively be making a ‘declaration of war,’ the Palestinians’ chief representative to Britain said Wednesday before the president’s speech.

‘If he says what he is intending to say about Jerusalem being the capital of Israel, it means a kiss of death to the two-state solution,’ Manuel Hassassian said.

‘He is declaring war in the Middle East, he is declaring war against 1.5 billion Muslims [and] hundreds of millions of Christians that are not going to accept the holy shrines to be totally under the hegemony of Israel,’ Hassassian added.

Trump complained during a late morning cabinet meeting at the White House that ‘many presidents have said they want to do something, and they didn’t do it; whether it’s through courage or they change their mind I can’t tell you’

Contested city: Jerusalem is the holiest city of three religions and until now, never recognized by the U.S. or most other countries as Israel’s capital. Trump’s move upends what had long been U.S. policy, that recognition would be part of the peace process

‘There is no way that there can be talks with the Americans. The peace process is finished. They have already pre-empted the outcome,’ said Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi. ‘They cannot take us for granted.’ Ashrawi believes the Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state and fear that Trump’s declaration essentially imposes on them a disastrous solution for one of the core issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah said the U.S. decision ‘destroys the peace process.’ Top Palestinian officials were meeting Wednesday to plot their course forward.

Trump’s decisions received overwhelming support from congressional leaders on the Republican side in Washington on Wednesday.

‘This is a day that is long overdue,’ said Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.

‘Jerusalem has been, and always will be, the eternal, undivided capital of the State of Israel.’

Democrats, however, were openly critical.

Trump’s decision ‘comes at the wrong time and unnecessarily inflames the region,’ Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia insisted.

‘This announcement upends long-standing U.S. policy and international agreements that the status of Jerusalem should be determined as part of a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, not unilaterally.’

Nicholas Burns, a former member of the Foreign Policy Board while Democrat John Kerry as secretary of State and a faculty member at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, was among Trump’s critics.

‘I believe this decision is misguided. It will diminish U.S. influence among Palestinians and the wider Moslem World,’ Burns said.

‘The State Department is already warning Americans about the possible reaction worldwide. And we are getting nothing for this major, unilateral American concession.’ In addition, moving the embassy will be a long process.

‘This will be a matter of some years. It won’t be immediate, it won’t be months, it won’t be quick,’ a senior administration official said Tuesday night.

‘For instance,’ he said, ‘the United States was looking at moving out of Grosvenor Square in London for a long, long time. And I think that took something like eight years to get done and will be done in early 2018.’

‘It is a practical impossibility to move the embassy tomorrow,’ another official said. ‘There is about 1,000 personnel in the embassy in Tel Aviv. There is no facility they can move into in Jerusalem, as of today.’

‘It will take some time to find a site, address security concerns, design a new facility, fund a new facility – working with Congress, obviously – and build it. So this is not an instantaneous process.’

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, said on Facebook that ‘our historical national identity is receiving important expressions every day.’

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, head of the nationalist Jewish Home party, praised what he called Trump’s ‘bold and yet natural’ move, while other members of his cabinet were more forthcoming.

‘That they claim they want to announce [Jerusalem] as the capital of occupied Palestine is because of their incompetence and failure,’ Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said

A laborer hangs a U.S. national flag on a lamppost along a street where the U.S. consulate located in Jerusalem

‘The sooner the Arab world recognizes Jerusalem as our capital, the sooner we will reach real peace. A real peace that is not predicated on an illusion that we are going to carve up Jerusalem and carve up Israel,’ Bennett said on the sidelines of the Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference.

American evangelical Christian group, The Family Research Council, was enthusiastic.

‘America’s foreign policy, as it pertains to Israel, is coming into alignment with this biblical truth: Jerusalem is the eternal and indivisible capital of the Jewish state,’ the group’s president Tony Perkins said.

Trump was quickly criticized by international leaders.

China expressed concerns over ‘possible aggravation of regional tensions.’

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said they have good ties with Israel and the Palestinians During a news briefing that the status of Jerusalem, a complicated and sensitive issue, China was concerned the U.S. decision ‘could sharpen regional conflict.’

‘All parties should do more for the peace and tranquility of the region, behave cautiously, and avoid impacting the foundation for resolving the long-standing Palestine issue and initiating new hostility in the region,’ Geng said.

Key Mideast player, Russia, expressed its concern about a ‘possible deterioration.’

Lebanese newspapers published front-page rebukes of Trump.

Boris Johnson, Britain’s Foreign Minister, who had already expressed concern about the U.S. decision, on Wednesday said it was now time for the Americans to present their peace plan for the region.

‘Jerusalem obviously should be part of the final settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians – a negotiated settlement that we want to see,’ Johnson said. ‘We have no plans ourselves to move our embassy.’

While Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson was in Brussels, he tried to dampen down the reaction.

‘The president is very committed to the Middle East peace process,’ Tillerson told reporters at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers.

Tillerson said a small team led by Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, has been ‘engaged in a quiet way’ in the region to try to revive peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

‘We continue to believe there is a very good opportunity for peace to be achieved and the president has a team that is devoted to that entirely,’ Tillerson said.

Months of meetings with Israeli, Palestinian and Arab leaders have taken place. However, details of their long-awaited plan remain a mystery Trump’s Mideast team have spent.

‘Clearly, this is a decision that makes it more important than ever that the long-awaited American proposals on the Middle East peace process are now brought forward,’ Johnson told reporters in Brussels.

Trump was expected to instruct the State Department to begin the multi-year process of moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to the holy city. It was unclear, however, when he might take that step required by U.S. law but has been waived on national security grounds for more than two decades.

Trump’s relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping could be in danger after Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the status of Jerusalem was a complicated and sensitive issue and the U.S. decision ‘could sharpen regional conflict’

Officials said Trump would delay the embassy move by signing a waiver, which is required by U.S. law, every six months. He said he would continue to sign the waiver until preparations for the embassy move are complete.

Speaking on condition of anonymity pending Trump’s announcement, the officials said the decision was merely an acknowledgment of ‘historical and current reality’ rather than a political statement and said the city’s physical and political borders would not be compromised.

Nearly all of Israel’s government agencies and parliament are in Jerusalem, rather than Tel Aviv, where the U.S. and other countries maintain embassies.

The declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital carries deep symbolic significance and could have dangerous consequences. East Jerusalem, the section of the city captured by Israel in 1967, has frequently boiled over into deadly violence over the years.

The city’s most sensitive Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy sites, as well as its 330,000 Palestinian residents,  are in East Jerusalem.

The U.S. has never endorsed the Jewish state’s claim of sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem and insists its status be resolved through Israeli-Palestinian negotiation.

Trump changing the status quo sparked a renewed U.S. security warning on Tuesday. America’s consulate in Jerusalem ordered U.S. personnel and their families avoid visiting Jerusalem’s Old City or the West Bank. They urged American citizens, in general, to avoid places with increased police or military presence.

Trump repeatedly promised to move the U.S. Embassy when he was a presidential candidate,  U.S. leaders have routinely delayed such a move since President Bill Clinton signed a law in 1995 stipulating that the U.S. must relocate its diplomatic presence to Jerusalem unless the commander in chief issues a waiver on national security grounds.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, key national security advisers have urged caution, according to the officials. Trump has been receptive to some of their concerns.

Trump said his desire is to broker a ‘deal of the century’ that would end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Outside advisers to the administration and U.S. officials, said the president’s speech was not aimed at resolving the conflict over Jerusalem.

According to the officials, Trump is not planning to use the phrase ‘undivided capital.’ Such terminology is favored by Israeli officials and would imply Israel’s sovereignty over east Jerusalem.

Trump would insist that issues of sovereignty and borders must be negotiated by Israel and the Palestinians according to one official. Trump would call for Jordan to maintain its role as the legal guardian of Jerusalem’s Muslim holy places, and reflect Israel and Palestinian wishes for a two-state peace solution said the same official.

Reactions were skeptical, especially across the Muslim world. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the ‘whole world is against’ Trump’s move. The supreme leader of Iran, Israel’s staunchest enemy, condemned Trump.

The state quoted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying that ‘the victory will ultimately be for the Islamic nation and Palestine, ‘ on their TV’s website.

Iran does not recognize Israel. It supports anti-Israeli militant groups like Lebanese Hezbollah and Palestinian Hamas.

‘That they claim they want to announce Quds as the capital of occupied Palestine is because of their incompetence and failure,’ Khamenei said, using the Arabic name for Jerusalem.

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Furious Palestinians Burn American Flags In Protest To Trump was originally published on BlamNews