#the UN wasn’t distributing it???

[ohello0]

Cutting UN food aid to Yemen and then bombing them wasn’t enough apparently

Biden cut off funding to UNWRA and the best reasoning I can think of is maybe he’s the only person on the planet who believed “the UN is Hamas!” defense from israel at the ICJ

[polarisgreenley]

Cactus

Garreth Weasley x Artemis Loreley (MC)

Summary: The last Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match ended, and now the after-party is on in the Gryffindor Tower.

Floriography for Cactus (Cactacae): Ardent Love. Burning with Love. Lust.

This was for the March NSFW prompt for the discord server writing event: "Getting (Un)Lucky Tonight". No cactus was harmed in this story whatsoever.

Tags: NSFW, Hogwarts 7th year, Gryffindor-Slytherin Relationship, hand jobs, plot what plot, drapery lions laughing at misery, Garreth POV Limited, inappropriate licking of green apple liqueur

Artemis is my MC in my long fic "A Bouquet of New Beginnings," but this is separate and not related to said story.

[AO3]//Word count: 2.2k

An echo of the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch after-party climbed the spiral staircase.  A right hubbub of a - mostly - friendly rivalry, where drinks, song, and at least one miniature firework from Zonko’s had been unleashed. Garreth would usually be, and had been, in the heart of it – behind the makeshift counter handing out concoctions with his brewing partner.

“Are you sure it was fine for both of us to leave?” Artemis asked softly as she followed.

He would’ve sworn he’d climbed up the tower by himself if he wasn’t holding said brewing partner’s small, chilled hand tightly within his, their fingers interlaced like perfect puzzle pieces. The swish of her floor length green skirt drowned her soft treads.

“Don’t worry Snow,” said Garreth cheerfully, “We left plenty of stock for Lee and Sebastian to distribute while we grab more.”

“If they don’t drink it first.”

“They won’t.”

He made sure of that.

“Oh?”

She squeezed his hand; he squeezed back.

“Oh,” repeated Garreth.

The familiar door swung open and shut as the red and gold regalia revealed themselves, and Garreth regrettably let go of Artemis’ hand as he went straight toward his bed. The miniature cactus that she gifted him stood proudly on his bedside stand, and he gave the little guy a ghostly brush before he crouched to the floorboards. He snuck a glance toward her as he shovelled out a few crates worth of conspicuously brewed beverages. She was the lone presence of emerald green and silver; her forest green eyes were alight with curiosity as they travelled along the walls, the drapery, the ceiling, the desks, and now, down to him.

Their gazes met. She smiled; her cheeks tinted pink.

His stomach fluttered with butterflies just as intense as ever. He could die happy right then and there.

But instead of dying crouched on the floor like a sappy fool, Garreth stood as he pulled out an unlabelled bottle as he took one, two, three steps to close the distance. The top of her head barely reached his chin, her snow-white hair stood out brilliantly against the reddish-brown brick wall and the way her eyes lifted slowly to meet his made him question if they really needed to go back.

“Here, my newest brew,” said Garreth as he popped the bottle open.

“Oh, this smells lovely.” Artemis sniffed lightly. “Green apples?”

“Mhm. Go on, have a sip.”

She took the cool bottle, and her fingertips ghosted his knuckles in a subtle caress. His heart buzzed. Damned temptress.

“The first test?”

“Yep,” said Garreth.

Nope. He drank every disgusting version he managed to produce before landing on this one.

“You’re an awful liar, Garreth.”

The lamplight danced along her eyes; they crinkled softly around the edges.

He smiled like an idiot. “How do you know?”

She chuckled, soft and melodious.

“My lips are buttoned,” said Artemis as she brought the bottle to her lips and took a slow drink.

Her throat softly bobbed with a barely audible gulp. He could just see the tip of her tongue peeking out from between her lips – the same lips that could emit the most cutthroat of insults and words as sweet as molasses – as it licked off undoubtedly any remnants of the drink.

He swallowed for entirely different reasons that had his blood rushing southward.

“Tangy. I like the sugar granules,” commented Artemis as she gave the bottle back to him. “Not too sweet.”

Of course it wasn’t; he knew her tastes.

“Glad you like it. Want more?”

“Sure,” agreed Artemis warmly, “but after you have some.”

“Suit yourself,” said Garreth.

He didn’t move from his spot - nor did she - as they stood about a half-arm’s length apart and he brought the bottle to his own lips. He felt her gaze as he tipped the bottle excruciatingly slow, the green apple liqueur passed his lips in a tangy, light burn that filled his mouth. Particularly, she seemed focused along his neck, right where his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed once.

A thought – a brilliant, genius thought – crossed his mind.

He took another swig and watched as his favourite girl’s eyes moved with the bottle as the glass touched the nearest dresser. There was a moment, a delicious moment, where her eyes widened ever slightly just before his uplifted lips met hers. The surprised hum from her throat as her lips slightly parted was far more delectable than the drink, and yet it wouldn’t do for him to keep this drink to himself.

Fingers tangled into her long, soft snow-white hair, gently pressing against her as he took hold of her hand, his slightly dry, burning fingers intertwined with her smooth, cool ones. One step, two step, and his beloved was pressed softly against the reddish-brown wall as he coaxed her mouth to open with a small, teasing swipe of his own tongue. The green apple liqueur spilled a thin line along her chin and undoubtedly down the smooth column of her neck as he pressed forward, any distance between them criminally negligent.

Her other hand slipped behind his back. What he would give to have her always holding him like this, desperately clinging to him like this.

Even when he heard her swallow, Garreth didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. Not when the little gasps that escaped her lips as he tugged her hair gently sounded better than any heavenly choir. Not when their lips parted, a single strand of silvery saliva connected them before he kissed the corner of her lip, his mouth slowly travelling down along the path of green apple and sugar granules. Not when she whimpered just right as his tongue licked its way to the hollow of her throat, and a gentle nip accompanied by his fingers combing languidly through her locks.

“The party –”

“– Can wait. Can’t let anyone see you like this,” murmured Garreth.

The music below wandered through the bottom crack of the door louder, but he couldn’t care less. His body burned for them both, his hands the device in which he delivered reverence upon her. Reticent to let go of the hand that gave and helped students, teachers, and the rest of the wizarding world, his grip tightened as he pressed against her, the linen they wore on their very persons seemed a travesty. Even his own bed, perhaps not a few feet away, was too far.

“Garreth.”

She would see him unravel with just the breathy whisper of his name as his lips grazed back up to the sensitive spot just beneath her ear.

“Hm?”

His fingers moved from her hair as he made the minimum requirement of room to slip his hand along the middle of her abdomen, her chest, and finally reached her blouse buttons.

One. Two. Three.

Slowly her luscious skin appeared before him, another canvas to map as his tongue glided down. He groaned as he created friction between the two, his own need burning hot as he tugged the blouse from her waistband.

“Garreth–” Artemis started, her voice breathy as her free hand coaxed his shirt hem out.

“– We’ll make it quick,” he whispered against her ear before he gave a little nip.

Her warm breath tickled the shell of his ear as she nodded minutely. His hand moved to squeeze her bum.

“Troublemaker,” murmured Artemis as her hand snuck in, her cool fingertips sent a shiver up his spine as they slowly slid under his waistband, taking an excruciatingly long time to move from the small of his back to his hip.

“You love it.”

Garreth fully moved his hand and gently lifted Artemis’ leg to wrap around his waist. Her hand popped the buttons of his trousers, and bless this woman as she freed him from his own prison.

“Always,” purred Artemis as her thumb swiped at his head, already leaking with a clear bead.

“Merlin Snow,” Garreth gasped out as his hand touched the pantyhose at her ankles. “How attached are you to these?

“Not at all.”

Merlin be damned this minx.

A low growl emitted as he pulled out his wand, and wordlessly vanished the offending cloth and her undergarments for good measure. “Good.”

Her leg was softer than any silk in his grip, of which he held so tight they’d leave marks. It kept him from utterly shattering as the snow-haired beauty circled his head with her thumb. She uttered a charm under her breath, and from her palm came the sensations of incredibly warm liquid that she spread down his shaft. His other hand let go of Artemis’ against the wall in favour of reaching within her skirt toward the apex of her thighs. Her now free hand shot out toward the back of his head, her fingers now entangled with his red locks as she beckoned him back into a kiss.

Incredibly hot and wet – so above, and so below.

“Damn,” he moaned as his finger sunk into her depths, and he swallowed her moan as his tongue tangled with hers.

His hips canted as her small hand pumped his cock in the rhythm he loved, and he returned the favour as he hooked his finger inside as he slid another. The hand around his cock stuttered even as the grip in his hair tightened, her back arched as her chest pressed against his. The haze that clouded his mind lightened ever so slightly even as he burned the sight of Artemis flushed in its place.

Their gasps mixed with the beautiful obscene sounds as his fingers work her open quickly in time with the music that flowed louder from under the door. Warmth pooled within him as he panted, her hand being entirely sinful as it alternated giving his head and his shaft attention. He slipped another in and flicked up inside; her head tilted back as she gasped, offering her neck has her fingers grasped tighter in his hair.

Her wrist twisted around his cock and he groaned as he sucked something delicious at the crux of her neck. The scent of her perfume mingled with the green apple liqueur peppered with sex in the air.

Delicious. Absolutely perfect.

“I- I’m ready,” said Artemis  

Artemis’ skin bore a dark purple bruise perfectly shape where Garreth’s mouth had been; her leg hooked around the small of his back as his hand readjusted the grip. She whimpered as he kissed her temple when his fingers left the comforts of her wet folds; her skirt entirely bunched, the front of his shirt entirely a mess.

Garreth sucked off each of his fingers, the familiar taste of her on his tongue. Her forest green eyes were blow, her normally well-kept hair and attire utterly dishevelled. Her leg insisted he come closer – he obliged as fabric crumpled peripherally.

“Good girl,” he whispered against her lips as he pushed up the skirt further, readjusting his grip on her soft thigh. Pants escaped his lips as he slid his cock lightly against her wet folds, coating himself with her as her hand, that’d been so wonderfully wrapped around his cock moments ago, slipped under his shirt.

Her chest heaved in tandem with his pounding heart. Her nails ghosted his back as he lined himself to her entrance. Everything felt hot and warm and absolutely -

“Perfect,” murmured Garreth as he looked into her eyes.

They softened; he swore he saw the Slieve Guillion Forest within.

The door slammed open as the music roared.

Garreth jolted up from his waist, gasping for air as his mind scrambled. Linen bedding was under his sweaty palms as his heart beat loudly against his chest. A clear tent was pitched under the sheets as his brain caught up that no, he was not deliciously pressed against the love of his life on the wall. He was in his bed with all the deep red drapes shut, decorated with golden lions that laughed at his misery.

He was so close, he could practically feel her breath against his ear, her warmth around his fingers, her soft leg wrapped around his waist, his head lined up and -

“Garreth, you up?” Leander’s voice carried from beyond the drapery.

Garreth seriously considered violence for three seconds. He let out a grumbled noise; his cock was painfully, painfully aware it was not where it was supposed to be.

Could Leander not have waited for five bloody seconds to barge in?  

“Well hurry up. The Gryffindor-Slytherin match is going to start up in an hour, and I am not going to miss the good seats for the finals!” Leander called from beyond the proverbial veil as the cheer music bellowed from the Common Room and spilled in through the opened door.

The match. The after-party.

“The after-party’s still on, yeah?” He managed to squeeze out.

“Well, I hope so! You and Artemis are our bartenders after all.”

The concoctions were under his floorboard. He still had the green apple liqueur.

His cock twitched at the thought of what followed.

“Brilliant. Lee?”

“Yeah?” Leander’s voice came from near the other redhead’s bed. “Hurry it up, will you?”

“Sure.” He’d need less than a minute, really, once Leander stepped outside. “You mind doing bar duty tonight for a bit?”

“Yeah that’s fine.”

Brilliant.

[rabbitcruiser]

World Meteorological Day

Unraveling the mysteries of weather's patterns, and predicting its whims — a thrilling exploration of our natural world.

For those who experience the weather and climate each day, no matter what part of the world they live in, World Meteorological Day is a unique and interesting time to raise awareness for and pay attention to the importance of the weather!

History of World Meteorological Day

The study of the Earth’s atmosphere has been a fascination of scientists for thousands of years, though the progress of this discipline wasn’t significant until the 18th and 19th centuries. Weather observation networks began developing and the 20th century brought computers that made advancements in meteorology grow at a much faster pace.

In 1873, the International Meteorological Organization was formed in order to encourage those studying the science of the Earth’s atmosphere to share information between governments, cultures and geographical locations. As developments and scientific discoveries grew over the years, the people involved in tracking and learning about weather knew that collaboration was essential for gaining a full perspective beyond countries or boundaries.

After several decades, the IMO decided that they would be better able to function with the support of the governments they represented. By the late 1940s, plans were in the works to create a branch that would work as part of the United Nations, which would become the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

World Meteorological Day was founded to celebrate the start of the World Meteorological Organization that took place on March 23, 1950. For more than 70 years, the World Meteorological Organization has been a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that is dedicated to cooperation and coordination between countries.

The purpose of the World Meteorological Organization is to better understand and measure the way the atmosphere of the Earth behaves, how it interacts with the oceans and lands, and the climate, weather and water distribution that results from this. And World Meteorological Day is the celebration of this group and the science behind it that impacts every human every day!

Since 1961, World Meteorological Day has worked toward raising awareness and making a difference, implementing a new theme each and every year. Some of the interesting themes over the past years have included:

Climate and Water: Count Every Drop, Every Drop Counts

Hotter, Drier, Wetter: Face the Future

Powering Our Future with Weather, Climate and Water

Weather and Climate: Engaging Youth

These and other themes have been part of the WMO’s sponsorship of World Meteorological Day which seeks to bring light and attention to the ways that weather and the environment are vital to life. And that is absolutely world celebrating!

How to Celebrate World Meteorological Day

Looking for interesting ways to get involved with celebrating World Meteorological Day? Get started with some of these ideas to take part in the day:

Pay Attention to the Weather Report

Whether looking it up online on the weather channel or watching the weather forecast on the news on television, World Meteorological Day is the perfect time for taking a look at the weather forecast! In addition to just seeing what it is like outside at the moment, perhaps it would be interesting to take a deeper look at the weather. Try to understand what some of the specialized terms are, such as Doppler technology, or high pressure and humidity. Learn a little bit along the way!

Submit a Photo for the WMO Calendar

Each year, the WMO hosts a calendar competition that allows anyone to submit a photo. This calendar competition was started in 2014 and has been growing in status and volume since that time. Winners of the WMO Calendar Competition will not only have their photos featured on the calendar for the year, but they will also have their artwork placed on the website.

To participate in the competition, photos should be artistic and of high quality, featuring images that capture the power and beauty of the elements of the Earth’s atmosphere, specifically related to weather, climate and water. This includes photos that represent the concept of protecting people from the forces of nature, as well as protecting nature from the activities of humans.

Learn More About Meteorology

World Meteorological Day is a great time to brush up on interesting information about the Earth’s atmosphere and its impact on the world around us. One way to make the day fun, and raise awareness by sharing with others, might be to learn some tidbits of trivia about the planet, weather, climate and more. Get started with some of these fun facts about meteorology:

Every sixty seconds, approximately 2,000 thunderstorms are raining down on the Earth’s surface!

Wildfires, which are typically caused by lighting and considered to be meteorological hazards or disasters, can create tornadoes that are made of fire. These are called fire whirls.

In the year 1984, it was so cold in the city of London, UK, that the River Thames froze for two months solid. This is certainly unusual weather for this area of the world.

Some places in the United States get pink snow! The pink color is tinted by a specific algae called Chlamydomonas nivalis, which is a red-tinged algae that only lives in certain cold climates, like Colorado and northern California, and can leave the snowfall with a pink tinge.

Access Resources from WMO

School teachers, community leaders and others who want to encourage the celebration of World Meteorological Day can find a variety of interesting and useful resources on the WMO web page. Here, it is possible to gain more information about the upcoming year’s WMD theme as well as other useful media to help with communication and events.

Attend World Meteorological Day Events Virtually

Each year, in honor of the World Meteorological Day, the WMO hosts events and ceremonies. Events include official addresses from members of the United Nations, panel discussions, educational speakers and much more. Following the event, those who are interested can catch the live-stream recording of the happenings on the WMO YouTube channel in English.

World Meteorological Day FAQs

What is meteorology?

Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere, particularly related to climate and weather.

What is meteorological spring?

Meteorological spring takes place on the first of March each year, the day when meteorologists and climatologists mark the beginning of spring.

How to pronounce meteorological?

The word meteorological can be pronounced: mee-tee-ur-uh-laa-juh-kl

What are meteorological disasters?

Meteorological disasters are bad things that happen related to weather, such as floods, droughts, storms, wildfires and heat waves.

Why do we need meteorological instruments?

Weather or meteorological instruments are important for a variety of industries including air travel, shipping, agriculture, and construction.

[loutenthusiast]

Why is the Mona Lisa so famous?

We know of the warm tones of her skin, how her hair flows like silk cascading over her shoulders as she sits and looks beyond the four corners of her frame with an enigmatic expression.

The known masterpiece that captures the essence of femininty and grace: The Mona Lisa.

But why is the Mona Lisa so famous?

It was as dawn broke over Paris on the 21st of August in 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia hoisted a painting off the wall and slipped down the back stairs of the Louvre. He was close to freedom, the exit just before him when he encountered a two pronged problem — the door was locked and footsteps were approaching.

Tucked under Peruggia’s arm was Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.”

It's arguably the world's most famous painting today. But how did it achieve its status?

Leonardo is thought to have started the portrait in 1503 at the request of a Florentine businessman who wanted a portrait of his wife, Lisa Gherardini.

He continued working on the painting for more than 10 years, but it was un?nished by the time he died.

Over his lifetime, Leonardo conducted groundbreaking studies on human optics, which led him to pioneer certain artistic techniques.

Some can be seen in the “Mona Lisa.”

Using “atmospheric perspective,” he made images at greater distances hazier, producing the illusion of profound depth. And with “sfumato,” he created subtle gradations between colors that softened the edges of the forms he depicted. He used many other elevated techniques which is discussed in this in depth analysis done by the channel Great Art Explained: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElWG0_kjy_Y

All of this is striking, but is it enough to make the “Mona Lisa” the world’s most famous painting?

Many scholars consider it an outstanding Renaissance portrait—but one among plenty.

And history is full of great paintings.

Indeed, the “Mona Lisa’s” rise to worldwide fame depended largely on factors beyond the canvas.

King François the First of France purchased the painting and began displaying it after Leonardo’s death. Then, in 1550, Italian scholar Giorgio Vasari published a popular biography of Italian Renaissance artists, Leonardo included. The book was translated and distributed widely, and it contained a gushing description of the “Mona Lisa” as a hypnotic imitation of life.

Over the years, the “Mona Lisa” became one of the most enviable pieces in the French Royal Collection.

It hung in Napoleon’s bedroom and eventually went on public display in the Louvre Museum.

There, visitors ?ocked to see the once-private treasures of the deposed aristocracy. During the 1800s, a series of European scholars further hyped the “Mona Lisa” up, ?xating to a conspicuous degree on the subject's allure.

In 1854, Alfred Dumesnil said that Mona Lisa’s smile imparted a “treacherous attraction.”A year later, Théophile Gautier wrote of her “mocking lips” and “gaze promising unknown pleasures.”

And in 1869, Walter Pater described Mona Lisa as the embodiment of timeless feminine beauty.

By the 20th century, the portrait was an iconic piece in one of the world’s most famous museums.

But the “Mona Lisa” wasn’t yet a household name.

It was Peruggia’s 1911 heist that helped it skyrocket to unprecedented fame. Having been contracted to make protective cases for the Louvre, it wasn’t totally inconceivable for Peruggia to be locked inside the museum.

And, lucky for him, when a workman encountered him in the stairwell, he simply helped Peruggia open the door and let him walk out into the morning.

The theft made international headlines.

People gathered to see the blank space where the “Mona Lisa” once hung. The police interviewed Peruggia because he had worked at the Louvre, but they never considered him a suspect.

Meanwhile, they interrogated Pablo Picasso because of his connection to a previous Louvre theft, but eventually let him go.

For two years, Peruggia kept the painting in a false-bottom suitcase, then smuggled the “Mona Lisa” to Italy and arranged to sell it to a Florentine art dealer. He saw himself as an Italian patriot returning an old master’s work. But instead of being celebrated as such, he was immediately arrested.

With the mystery solved, the “Mona Lisa” went back on display to large crowds, and newspapers took the story for a victory lap.

In the following decades, conceptual artist Marcel Duchamp mocked it; Nazi art thieves pursued it; Nat King Cole sang about it; and museumgoers wielding stones, paint, acid, and teacups attacked it.

More than 500 years after its creation— eyebrows and eyelashes long since faded— the “Mona Lisa” is protected by a bulletproof, earthquake-safe case.

Now, it stands perhaps less as an exemplary Renaissance portrait and more as a testament to how we create and maintain celebrity.

[oldfacesnewdawnoffical]

Can we get the story of scourge? Or anything about them!? Their fraction even? How it’s run?

Hm… let’s see…

The son of Quince, Tiny was born as the runt to a litter of three. Due to his size, his littermates bullied him often, especially when it came to stealing his share of nutrition, and eventually did away with him by tricking him into a scrap of old fabric and throwing him into a river. He nearly drowned, but was rescued by a kind, elderly black molly-hound named Haggler who essentially raised him from then on. Desperate to keep her safe, and himself alongside his adopted mother figure, he started sweeping the surrounding areas for a better place to live - and was ultimately confronted by the king of the ruins, a twisted mass of an archfiend. Struggling to escape, he ultimately turned to fight the beast, and ended up tricking it off of a great height, where he impaled it upon a jagged spire of stone. His victory was seen and spread, and it wasn’t long until he took the name Scourge, warrior of the streets, The Slayer, The Protector, commander of those bound not by blood, but by fear.

The Bloodbound is definitely not a faction; they’re not part of the fealty, and look with envy and disdain upon those who occupy the lush, fertile, safe forestlands. They’re more like… a gang, really. Sort of… Think of if an activist organization/commune had a really weird baby with the way a medieval kingdom is set up, but they were led by a tiny Batman and full of a bunch of aggressive outcasts governed by fear and intimidation, and you’ve got yourself the Bloodbound.

They have an incredibly strict, set hierarchy: at the very top, their leader, the strongest amongst them, is their commander and founder, Scourge. He has a reputation for being bloodcurdling vicious, terrifying and ruthless, but also with a distinctive softness towards the weak and a loathing for the fealty. When he first stepped foot within the ruins, he gained power horrifyingly swiftly, as he single-handedly slain the eldest archfiend that haunted and dominated the streets. With Scourge at the very top in the wake of such a mind numbing victory, everything just kind of fell into place beneath him.

His wardens, his personal guard of sorts, rank directly below him; they flank Scourge, act as his escorts and messengers, etc. They’re essentially the direct enforcers of his will; whatever Scourge wants? They do it, without question. Most of Scourge’s orders to them, however, are asking to offer food to the weak or put a haughty head in their place.

Speaking of which: the regiment heads! The Bloodbound is split into four sectors… I suppose factions, as well ;). The heads are third in the Bloodbound’s rankings, with those of their regiment ranking directly below them. The heads don’t so much lead them as they manage them, making sure everyone is healthy, well-fed, and satisfied in their roles. The heads report to the wardens, and the wardens report to Scourge.

The Claw Regiment are the fighters, skilled in combat and typically used to swiftly quell any uprisings or keep the untamed archfiends at bay. They are managed by Fury, a one-eyed molly cat with a tendency towards violence.

The Tooth Regiment are the scavengers, the hunters, the gatherers. They find the food that feeds the entirety of the Bloodbound, and distribute it evenly amongst their ranks. They are managed by Mourn, a blind molly hound. (Roughly inspired by/pays homage to @am-i-too-old-for-warriors-yet’s Cricketleap; they were one of the original inspirations for OFND)

The Horn Regiment are the Bloodbound’s primary defense unit. They sweep the streets, take note of infrastructure and potential hiding spots, keep things clean and safe. They are managed by Claw, a massive, mutated rat tom the size of a cat.

The Wing Regiment are the Bloodbound’s eyes. They survey the streets, scouting out anything new that may change from the day-to-day normalcy. They are how Scourge stays updated on the daily affairs of those under his care; if anything threatens them, the Wing Regiment (and their head) report directly to him to be taken care of. They are managed by Hiss, a vulture jack with a clipped wing and a mangled beak.

Anyone not part of a regiment are referred to as unofficials or wanderers - creatures that are technically part of the Bloodbound, but who are too weak, young, old, or otherwise unable to take part in the natural hierarchy and sorting of the primary group. Rust is an unofficial/wanderer of the Bloodbound!

[spuddy-buddy]

(Disclaimer: in no way related to this post)

Dunno what possessed me to do this, but I got to thinking about some DST skins that I didn’t particularly enjoy the execution of last night and how I thought they could be done differently. In my infinite wisdom I decided the best thing to do was do edits by hand until like 3 AM. For the sake of easy comparison my edits are on the left and the OGs are on the right.

Thought process and explanations for each under the cut.

Wigfrid’s GoH is pretty good in theory, but suffers from being literally the first skin collection in the game’s history; the art team at Klei had no way of knowing how skins would evolve as time went on. That being said, it’s still really inconsistent with other metal/armor-type skins, being completely flatly colored and lacking highlights. Her circlet is also inconsistent with other headdresses from future skins, being more or less completely flat instead of bowing upwards to imply depth. The point of this edit was purely to bring it up to the standard of more modern skins.

Maxwell’s GoH was another simple one. His trousers are colored weird and he looks fucking miserable instead of posh(which is what I think they were going for). Another really basic edit, just to fix the trousers and un-depress his expression; admittedly this is the one I’m most iffy on. If I’d have thought about it at the time I probably would have also unrolled his sleeves since we have skins like that now, but c'est la vie.

There wasn’t anything really wrong with Snowfallen Wurt per se, but I really hate it when people give rabbits dog-like noses. After editing the nose the pink inside the ears threw off the colors so I changed that to be more in line with the rest of the skin. For funsies I added lil paws on her feet since Klei changing Wurt’s feet isn’t unprecedented(Abyssal, Verdant, and Victorian).

I’m sorry, fellow Woodie mains, but they really did our boy dirty with his Snowfallen. It’s a bad skin when compared with both the other Woodie skins and the other Snowfallen skins. The mountaineer theme is fitting to Woodie, but he’s just so boring to look at - just a mass of grey and brown and gold, a far cry from the blues of the Snowfallen collection. Aside from Treeguard it’s his only skin that completely changes his hair color, which also doesn’t help it sticking out so badly(also warm cream greying with cool grey hair? blech). The main goal here was to bring the skin up to speed with the rest of the collection. Every color was sampled from another skin already in the game to help produce a coherent design(if you ask politely I’ll tell you what’s from where). The blue hair, I feel, still looks a bit out-of-place when put next to the other Woodie skins, but it plays nice with the rest of the collection. As for the addition of more brown when I cited that as a bad thing in the original, the main problem was that it was such a warm color compared to his grey hair that it looked very out of place; using a cooler brown and distributing it across more of the design helped with the color balance I think. The most extreme edit was changing the sleeves completely; I just couldn’t find a good balance with the more plain sleeves, plus I feel adding a bit more fur sells that this is an outfit for trekking across freezing mountain peaks.

[too-destiny-panda]

Wyllvember Day 22: Camp

A/N: Another day, another wyllvember post. This one was very fun to think about, the camp shenanigans the party got up to must be glorious to witness sometimes. Credits go to @sagscrib, and tagging @commander-yinello

WC: 656

The Blade of Frontiers was no stranger to camping. When he was out on the road, taverns and inns were often hard to come by, especially in the more isolated and dangerous areas of the continent. And, of course, he was alone, unless Mizora decided to pop in for one of her visits, but even then, it was mostly him trying to ignore her. He had to admit, this was a nice change of pace.

It was far louder and more… chaotic than he was used to, but he guessed that such things come with the territory of sharing a space with a multiple other, very unique, individuals. Everyone had their own tent, though he wondered where some of them got their decorations from (he swore that mounted mindflayer head would be the death of him one of these nights), and most importantly where they found the time and space to colour coordinate their things, especially when some of them were snatched from decidedly un-campy places. He also had to show several of them how to mount a tent properly, and to comfort an exasperated Gale who bemoaned the fact he couldn’t make the inside of his tent bigger with magic.

Lae’zel handled herself well enough, presumably due to her gith training, their leader as well, what with their experience as a ranger. Shadowheart was vaguely familiar with how to make shelter but didn’t seem to remember how to. Gale and Astarion were lost causes. They wouldn’t be able to keep a tent up for longer than a few seconds if their life depended on it. But he supposes they would have to figure it out quickly enough, if their almost daily location changing was any indication. When Karlach joined their troupe, he heaved a sigh of relief at her quick tent-pitching, happy that he wouldn’t have to repeat himself once again.

And once they all settled into their routines, their own daily rituals and camp duties, he felt far more relaxed than he has been in ages. He likely shouldn’t be, especially with their current predicament, but he couldn’t help himself. He had others to lean on, others to wake up for watch, others he could ask to cook dinner, others to talk to than the fireflies flitting along the outskirts of their campsite. For the first time in a long time, he felt normal. He wasn’t the one with the most secrets or most scars, and unlike a lot of the others, he didn’t have any ties to the celestial, for better or worse.

The duties were distributed according to their skills, which was no surprise. Lae’zel and Astarion usually were in the watch roster, one due to his diet, the other because she insisted that her senses were the sharpest of all of them. He and Gale usually shared cooking duties, though the wizard was prone to politely strongarm him away from the pot. Ah well, more time for him to read his books and train, he supposes. Shadowheart, and later on Halsin, were exempt from any camp duties as their healing is invaluable and exhausting, and not having a healer in tip top shape to, well, heal, was a recipe for disaster both on and off the battlefield. Karclach was just good company, though she was also a decent cook, so when Gale was busy or too tired, she would help Wyll with supper.

And then there was, of course, Withers. The young man still wasn’t sure what to make of the undead priest. He speaks as if he serves a god, yet he answers remarkably little questions when it came to his faith, or himself overall. And he could have sworn such powerful resurrection magic doesn’t come easy to any priest, no matter how powerful they are. Oh well, as long as he wasn’t some kind of God in disguise, spying on them, he supposed he didn’t care who he was.

[nerves-nebula]

I’m sorry, “spoon-racism complex”?

*cracks knuckles* SO HERE'S THE THING.

When I was younger I noticed that we had two main different kinds of spoons. Plain spoons with un-decorated handles and spoons with more detailed handles with flowers and swirls on them. At some point I got it in my head that other people were intentionally choosing only the fancier spoons. This was a very serious form of inequality to me and really upset me for a while. (after recently talking to my sister about it, I think I might have gotten the wrong idea because she would always try to get a specific spoon, but it wasn’t based on the handle being pretty)

Anyway, I would readjust the spoon stack in the utensils drawer to make sure the distribution of fancy to non-fancy spoons was equal. I would also intentionally pick less-fancy spoon handles as I thought other people were picking the fancier spoon handles and I didn’t want them to feel left out.

Eventually I realized I was the only one perpetrating inequality, because nobody else actually cared. And I felt bad for having done what I’d intended to solve (spoon racism) and that’s the end of that story. 

it was weird though because i never thought the spoons were like, ALIVE, but I did think they would be sad if they were left out. idk!

[hazardous-waste-containment]

Had a vague concept of fascism a while ago as mass bourgeoisification, like popular elitism as a material reality, making workers into owners and bosses en masse. J. Sakai talks about a similar process in “The Shock of Recognition”, of the mass upliftment of male ‘Aryan’ workers into managerial and police work (and of course eventually landowning on the eastern frontier) while a new proletariat of women and slaves was created beneath them, and the program of the Mexican Unión Nacional Sinarquista talks about, contra the mass ‘proletarianization’ under communism, everyone in the new Mexico will become bourgeois through a sort of Catholic distributism. I abandoned it because the UNS wasn’t even fully typologically fascist (there were some national syndicalists involved but mostly it was a movement of nostalgic Catholic reactionaries), the Nazi example can’t necessarily be generalized to all other fascisms, and in any case everything from Proudhonian anarchism to Manifest Destiny settlerism have had similar visions.

Interesting to think about though. A couple French proto-fascists were influenced by Proudhon (the Marquis de Morès, then later Valois and the Cercle Proudhon) and the International Third Position was, like the sinarquistas, Catholic distributist and sought to restore a more decentralized and entrepreneurial capitalist market. Obviously the Nazis were inspired by U.S. settler colonialism, though all settler projects serve a sort of similar role as an escape valve for class conflict; that’s how Imperial Japan used Manchuria.

[doublezipper]

“What about that road-trip?”|| StevexEddie

‼️contains vol2 spoilers‼️

Context: Eddie and Steve, are now in thier thirties with 4 adopted kids. One day while sitting at home eddie decides he wants to have a road trip after remembering Steve’s speech in the van ( lets just pretend Eddie didn’t die after that scene lmao lets just pretend he lived and Now him a Steve and married)

NOT SPELL CHECKED

Warnings: I don’t think there is any but let me know if there’s one I should add!

……………………………………………………………………..

“Looks like Ozzy slept in today” Victoria scoffed as ozzy walked out of him room, rubbing his eyes with one hand and holding a plush bat in the other hand. Ozzy was the youngest of the Harington children. He had dirty blond hair that went his his shoulders. Victoria was the oldest child. She had short brown hair and bright blue eyes. The middle children were twins, Rose, and Axel. Rose had ginger hair that she always kept in a ponytail and Axel had black hair that he always kept clean-cut. You can tell that Eddie came up with Ozzy and Axels names. “Be nice he’s just a toddler” Steve said as he walked into the kitchen where Victoria was standing. “Well I made some breakfast” Victoria said will she stepped to the side, revealing two plays with stacks of pancakes on them. Steve smiled and he walked to Victoria to kiss her on the forehead. “ should I go wake up Rose and Axel so they can enjoy some of your amazing looking pancakes?” Steve smiled. “I’ll go wake up Axel and rose, could you wake up dad please?” Victoria asked. “Sure thing” steve nodded and he went back to his room to wake up Eddie

Steve stood in the doorway, admiring how un-peacefully his husband slept. “Morning Ed’s” Steve said. Eddie was still out cold. Steve walked to the bed and leaned over, no just hovering over his face. “Eddie?” Steve whispered. Eddie grumbled and squeezed his eyes shut. Steve leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. Eddie smiled and opened his eyes. He kissed steve back but this time it was on the lips. “There’s a surprise waiting for you in the kitchen” steve said and they broke their kiss. Steve was now sitting on the bed next to Eddie as he was still laying down. Without warning Eddie pulled Steve down onto his chest. Steve smiled and he rested his face against His lovers chest. “Could we just stay like this forever” Eddie grumbled in his morning voice as he wrapped his arms around Steve. “But I think your really gonna like it” Steve said and he got up from the bed and pulled Eddie by the arm. Eddie stumbled off to bed but followed Steve, sleepily.

The rest of the family was already sitting at the table waiting for thier dads. Eddie was instantly grinning ear to ear when he saw Victoria with a flour covered apron on as she distributed the pancakes. Eddie wasn’t good with words sometimes and his kids understood that so Victoria took the smile as a thank you. Steve sat down and Eddie sat next to him. Rose was already scarfing down her pancakes as if she was starved and Axel was making sure he evenly spread his butter. Victoria has just sat down and Ozzy and as cutting his pancakes into squares before eating them. Steve almost looked shocked as he took a bite of the pancake. “How did you manage to make these, thier amazing!” He exclaimed as he looked back up at Victoria. “What’s that supposed to mean, that I’m a bad cook?” She joked. With that Eddie tried a pancake and was shocked by how good it tasted and quickly cleaned his plate. Eddie and Rose were the first yo finish so they sat at the table and waited for everyone else to finish.

Eddie looked at Steve as he remembered the day they were in the van. He was telling Nancy about a dream he had where he had 6 kids and each summer they went out and explored the country. They only had 4 kids but Eddie wondered if Steve still thought about that road trip sometimes. “Hey Steve” Eddie said as he turned to steve. Steve looked up from his plate, cheeks full and looked at Eddie almost saying “yes?” With his eyes. “What about that road trip?” Eddie asked. Steve looked confused for a second then he looked a bit shocked. “ oh come on Stevie, you know what I’m talking about” Eddie said while smiling. “How did you hear that?” Steve questioned. “Well you suck at being quiet, hun” Eddie said. “You heard all of it huh?” Steve sighed. Eddie looked down before saying “ I heard you were with Nancy in that dream”. Steve looked worried and empathetic. “Well that’s what I said.” Steve paused. Eddie looked back up at him. By now the kids had put thier plates in the sink and left the table to go watch a movie or play music or whatever they did during the day.

Steve looked at Eddie dead in the eyes and said “but I didn’t mean it”. Eddie’s eyes lit up. “Then who was with you in that dream?” Eddie asked, excitedly. Steve tools Eddie’s hands in his own and said “you”. Eddie smiled softly, it looked like he was tearing up. “I only told Nancy she was in it because I wanted her back” Steve paused again. “ or Atleast I thought I wanted her back but I was really just trying to distract myself from who I really wanted” Steve said, giving a crooked smile to Eddie. “I love you so much Harington” Eddie said as he started to cry. Steve stood up, still holding Eddie’s hands as he guided him to the bedroom. The sat on the bed and fell into a warm embrace Eddie laid on top of Steve’s chest and he traced circles into Eddie’s back. “Well where do you wanna go on a road trip to?” Steve said jn a low voice. “Wait are we really gonna go?” Eddie said, his head jolting up in excitement. He looked like and excited puppy. “I mean if you want to then yeah” Steve blushed.

“You said something about the grand canyons? How about we go there?” Eddie suggested. Steve smiled “ how do you remember what places I said I wanted to go?” He asked. “Cause I thought about that day a lot, I remember every detail.” Eddie said. Steve hugged him tight, that day was hard for everyone, especially Eddie, he almost died. “ I don’t know what I would have done if you died.” Steve said. “Let’s not think about that” Eddie whispered. They cuddles silently and calmly with one another for a couple minutes.

“Should we go tell the kids to pack up?” Steve asked. “We’re leaving today?” Eddie asked. “Yeah why not” Steve replied. “Well what are we waiting for then?” Eddie said ecstatically. “Well your gonna have to get up first” Steve chuckled. “Oh god no!” Eddie said in a over-dramatic tone. They both got up and walked to the living room. “emergency family meeting!” Steve shouted. All the kids came downstairs almost instantly. They all sat on the couch or the floor. “How would you guys feel about a family road trip?” Steve asked excitedly. They all looked at each other and nodded in approval. “Alright then get your shit packed cause we’re leaving in 20 minutes!” Eddie said. “Eddie!” Steve looked at Eddie wildly. “The children!” He told Eddie. “They’ve Heard worse” Eddie said as he rolled his eyes.

*time skip*

“Alright are you guys sure you packed everything?” Steve asked as he sat in the driver seat. The all made sounds of approval as they got comfortable. If Eddie said in the front seat he wouldn’t be close enough to Steve as he wanted to be so he decided to sit on the floor of the van next to Steve’s seat, resting his head on his thigh. “The cops are gonna pull us over if they see you not in a seat” Steve said. “That’s why we’re gonna take the backroads” Eddie smiled. Steve smiled and shook his head. “Ok so Black Sabbath or Metallica ?” Eddie asked as he held two vhs tapes in his hand. “Black Sabbath!” Ozzy shouted from the back. “ Black Sabbath it is!” Eddie exclaimed. “How did I get so lucky” Steve sighed as he rested his free hand in on top of Eddie’s head, playing with his hair. “ I could say the same thing” Eddie said looking up at him with loving eyes

……………………………………………………………………

[starcchild]

@tarnishedxknight sent:

“Carter, may I inquire about something if you have a moment to talk?” Basch asked, hoping he wasn’t disturbing her. “Increasingly, I am finding the interactions between Avengers bewildering. Is social status in this time period no longer determined by wealth, land holdings, and bloodline? And, if not, what then determines social status? I am confused as to what constitutes proper social behavior between classes in this time period.”

Carter had been noting and detailing a few upgrades she had in mind for her suit - too absorbed into her work to even hear FAARIS’s announcement - and jumped when she heard someone call to her. Quickly, she scrambled out of her chair, already opening her mouth to apologize, but stopped when she saw Basch, and visibly relaxed. Her slightly panicked expression softening as she let out a slow breath and offered a small smile in response. “Go- go for it,” she said, and sat back down before she gestured to another stool nearby. “I’m- I’m all ears.” Mostly.

But she held the joke to herself, and tilted her head as he explained his confusion - her brow furrowing slightly. Ah. This was... going to be fun. Anything dealing with cultural studies back in school hadn’t exactly been her strongest suit, but... it was Basch asking, and she wanted to try and clear up as much confusion as she could. And as best as she could.

Hopefully.

“Well... I- I mean, I- I won’t lie, I’m- I’m not sure how- how helpful I’ll- I’ll be, but... Weal-wealth plays a- a strong role in so-social status still. The- the wealthier you- you are, the ‘’be-better’’-” she added air-quotes around better, “-you are. But... pe-people are more open to- to challen-challenging other classes be-because there’s... really noth-nothing stopping them outside of- of specific circum-circumstances and- and expecta-tations. Not- not sure about land- land holdings, and blood-bloodlines are a- a hit or miss thi-thing. If- if you have fa-famous family, then, yea-yeah, bloodlines will- will play a role in- in how people be-behave. I...”

She let out a slow sigh and rubbed the back of her neck - frowning slightly and clearly lost in thought. “It... rea-really depends on- on the coun-country and people in- in general. Not- not everyone care-cares about social sta-status, but... it’s- it’s still a big- big deal. Though, not ev-everyone takes kind-kindly to the upper- upper class, and for- for good reason. The- the wealth distri-distribution is awful, and there’s- there’s nothing legally in- in place - in the- the States, at le-least - saying that- that the upper cla-class needs to be- be treated a- a specific way. It’s... more un-unspoken favor-favoritism in that- that regard, but...” 

Oh, she wasn’t helping this, was she?

Carter shook her head and shifted in her seat - absentmindedly reaching for the hacky sack that had been sitting on her desk, before tossing it between her hands. “Sorry. I- I was always bad- bad with cul-cultural stuff, but it- it really comes down- down to lo-location and people, but a specific so-social behavior is- is kinda out the- the window for the- for the most part. There’s... not- not really a- a guide-guideline to follow. But, for- for us speci-cifically, we... don’t- don’t really care- care about any- any of that. Wealth, blood-bloodlines... I- I mean, we all- all come from diff-different backgrounds, and... I- I guess the others- others have a- a more family dy-dynamic than- than anything. Not- not class. Just... people.”

God, she probably didn’t make a lick of sense.

[popentertainment-moviereviews]

HALLELUJAH: LEONARD COHEN, A JOURNEY, A SONG (2022)

Featuring Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Judy Collins, Sharon Robinson, Regina Spektor, Rufus Wainwright, Nancy Bacal, Steve Berkowitz, Adrienne Clarkson, Clive Davis, Shayne Doyle, Susan Feldman, Rabbi Mordecai Finley, Glen Hansard, Dominique Issermann, Vicky Jenson, Myles Kennedy, John Lissauer, Janine Dreyer Nichols, Amanda Palmer, Larry 'Ratso' Sloman, Joan Wasser, Hal Willner and archival footage of Leonard Cohen, John Cale, Bob Dylan and Jeff Buckley.

Directed by Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine.

Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. 115 minutes. Rated PG-13.

The Documentary Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song Celebrates The Late Singer/Songwriter’s Poetic Hit

I’ll admit it. It wasn’t until the 82-year-old Leonard Cohen had died in 2016 (November 7th) did I really start paying attention to the fantastic quality of his music and lyrics. There were songs and albums that I acknowledged but, somehow, I didn’t quite get the body and breadth of this Canadian Jewish poet. The richness of his songs and the substance of his lyrics hadn’t fully caught my attention until after his death. 

I never made it to a concert nor had an opportunity to interview him. I only encountered him tangentially. There was an interactive exhibit dedicated to Cohen’s life and career which opened on November 9, 2017, at Montreal's contemporary art museum (MAC) entitled "Leonard Cohen: Une Brèche en Toute Chose/A Crack in Everything.” The exhibit had been in the works for several years prior to the Montreal born artist’s death, part of the official program of Montreal's 375th anniversary. It broke museum's attendance records in its five-month run. Then it embarked on an international tour, opening in New York City at the Jewish Museum in April 2019 — and I saw it shortly before it left NYC spending hours there. 

Thanks to guitarist/sound stylist Gary Lucas, I came to understand Cohen’s impact on other musicians. Lucas often spoke of the late Jeff Buckley —his former collaborator and one-time band mate. They worked on some songs together that appeared on Grace, Buckley’s one full studio-produced release. And the singer/songwriter really got established posthumously through a powerful and touching rendition of “Hallelujah,” Cohen’s most enduring song. 

I had listened to Buckley’s version numerous times and, though I appreciated his heartfelt rendition, I didn't realize the huge back story to that song. Originally released on Various Positions — Cohen’s 1984 album — “Hallelujah” achieved little initial success. Then it developed a growing audience after achieving popular and critical acclaim through a version recorded by former Velvet Underground founder John Cale in 1991 for I'm Your Fan, a Cohen tribute album. That inspired Buckley to record his version of Cale's take in 1994.  

I knew of author Alan Light’s 2012 book, The Holy Or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, and the Unlikely Ascent of ‘Hallelujah.’ But it wasn’t until I recently saw ‘Hallelujah:’ Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song at the Walter Reade Theater (part of Film at Lincoln Center), that I came to understand what I’d been missing. Building on Light’s book, the feature doc spotlights Cohen in a way that offers a perspective on an artist who in many ways was as creatively significant as Nobel Prize winner Bob Dylan (who did a live version of the song himself and was friends with Cohen). As Light said somewhere, Cohen's "approach to language and craft felt unlike the work of anybody else. The sound was rooted in poetry and literature because he studied as a poet and a novelist first."  

Cohen kept changing the song, eventually crafting as many as 180 possible verses to choose from, recorded several iterations (some more sexually suggestive than others) and performed variations of it live. After an edited version of Cale’s take was featured in the 2001 film Shrek, it landed on the multi-platinum-selling soundtrack release. Many other arrangements of “Hallelujah” have been performed in recordings and in concert, with over 300 versions known. The song has since been used in other film and television soundtracks and televised talent contests such as American Idol. Following Cohen's death in November 2016, “Hallelujah” enjoyed renewed interest. It appeared on many international singles charts and entered the American Billboard Hot 100 for the first time. 

But the film — directed by Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfire — is much more than simply detailing the evolution of the song and Various Positions — the album it first appeared on. Cohen’s seventh studio album was released in December 1984 (and February 1985) and marked not only his turn to a more modern sound with synthesizers, but also featured Jennifer Warnes’ harmonies and backing vocals — she’s credited equally to Cohen as vocalist on all of the tracks. 

Produced by John Lissauer, the album was a glistening display of Cohen at his basic best after having done 1977's Death of a Ladies' Man, an over-produced recording with Phil Spector (Mr. Wall of Sound). Although it featured a more contemporary approach compared with the singer's previous LPs, Columbia President Walter Yetnikoff didn’t think it was commercial enough and refused to release it in the States. That stuck in Cohen’s craw and affected his work for a long time. 

All of this and much more is effectively detailed in the film. Interviews with those who knew him well such as Judy Collins (who popularized him through her 1966 cover of “Suzanne”) pop music chronicler Larry “Ratso” Sloman, Lissauer and others help establish who Cohen was and what informed his work such as his observant Jewish roots and the many women he had been with. 

Said one of the film's co-creators in an interview, “Cohen addressed the deepest of our human concerns about longing for connection and some sort of hope, transcendence and acknowledgment of the difficulties of life."

As docs go, this one really does the job. While focused on the song as a doorway into who Cohen was, it sets us up for a fully realized story about an important creator.

Brad Balfour

Copyright ©2022 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: July 2, 2022.

[oldsalempost-blog]

The Old Salem Post

Our  Local Tamassee-Salem SC Area News each Monday except holidays                                          Contact: theoldsalempost@gmail.com                              Distributed to local businesses, town hall, library.                                            Volume 7 Issue 26                                                                                                  Week of July 10, 2023                https://www.tumblr.com/settings/blog/oldsalempost-blog                                                         Lynne Martin Publishing

EDITOR:  If you care at all about your tax dollars, the next multimillion dollar school consolidation, and trying to prevent our Tamassee-Salem Elementary school from closing, now is the time, probably past time, to rally against the Oconee School Board of Trustees.  TSE is on the chopping block along with Keowee Elementary to consolidate.  Older schools are often  not maintained as they should be in order to give a good reason to close the school.  WGOG radio reports that the Board has seen very little opposition according to their website, where you need to access to give your opinion.   I feel people are best represented when they rally peacefully in massive numbers, and use the media to present the side that is unheard. LRMartin  

Town of SALEM:  Need Softball and Soccer players all ages! Sign up at the SalemTown Hall.  944-2819              

Jottings from Jeannie:  Time to Enjoy Kitty Cats   It would be just terrible to only have one pet and to have to decide between a cat or a dog.   I love them both.  Mama wouldn't let us have cats in the house, but then I married into a CAT family and fell madly in love with a succession of kitties.  I wasn't there, but "they" say that cats were domesticated 5,000 year ago.  Ancient customs and folktales record love between kitties and kids all over the world.   News to Me! If you meet a kitty with the tip of his left  ear cut off, that identifies a kitty who is feral (wild).  Kind folks have trapped, neutered, and vaccinated this kitty, and then let it go so it could roam the countryside catching mice.  I once tried to make friends with such a kitty, but he would not cooperate! He did stop by for a dish of milk every so often.  Miz Jeannie loves you!  Take time to cuddle your kitties and fix them a little dish of melted ice cream!

JOCASSEE VALLEY BREWING COMPANY,(JVBC) & COFFEE SHOP 13412 N Hwy 11 Open  Wed–Sat-Sat 8am-9pm. Sun: 12pm-7pm.  Events this week: Thurs: Old Time Jam 6:30pm. Fri– Food: RadDads at 5pm  Music: LUKE DEUCE at 6:30pm.  Sat–Food: IRON PIG Music: DOGDAY BLUEJAY at 6:30pm.  Sun 12pm-7pm Food: Lobster Dogs.  Music: Cornbread Heads 4pm.  Coffee shop features Pisgah Coffee Roasters and Dough-Dough pastries. More information 864-873-0048   PAINT & PINT or SIP ART CLASS: Paint a local landscape.   Sept 7. 6pm. $$45 Preregister. 864-873-0048

TAMASSEE DAR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM:  Sign up beginning July 3 for the Tamassee DAR Afterschool program that begins August 3.  Call 864-944-1390   for more details.                                                

Health & Recycle Tip : Freeze fresh water in a recycled plastic water or soda bottle to grab and take along with you on a short trip to town. Or, place many frozen ones in your cooler for a long trip.  It will keep you other foods cold along the way.  Drink the fresh cold water as it melts.  LRM                                                Conservation Corner:  Un-tethered growth has a cost:  Traffic, over crowdedness of once serene areas, need for additional services in law enforcement and emergency services, and loss of community…To Be Coninued ...E Martin                                                                                    

Have you ever heard?:  Sprinkling grits over a fire ant bed is supposed to get rid of those red hot heaping mounds of ants.  Placing a shiny penny in a ziplock bag filled with water and nailing it above your door entrance or windows is supposed to detour flies from entering.  

DID YOU KNOW?  If you are retired from Duke Energy and you are volunteer for community projects,  Duke Energy  will match your volunteer hours by donating $10 for each hour, up to $2000  a year to a nonprofit of your choice.  

QUOTE this week by Joyce Meyer:  If you are busy trying to change people you are too busy to allow how God is changing you.

(Adult )MOVIE RECOMMENDATION:  A Christian friend recommended we all need go to the movies to see  Sound of Freedom.  

DAR SCHOOL STUDENT FROM 1942-46 RECALLS EXPERIENCES - (Fifteenth Installment of Pauline Kelley Cannon's Memoir). . .On December 13th of our 10th grade year, Maggie's boyfriend, Leroy, came home on furlough, and he and Mama came to New Jersey Cottage and carried Maggie home. They did not come to see me. After they left, Mr. Cain told me Maggie and Leroy were getting married and she would not be returning to school. . .It really upset me that they didn't come to see me and tell me what they were doing and let me say goodbye to Maggie. I wrote Maggie and Leroy a letter to let them know how I felt about the situation, and Leroy wrote and told me that was the best reprimand he had ever gotten. I also wrote to Mama and let her know just how I felt. . .I was heartbroken and felt so alone. I had not seen any of the family except Maggie since early spring, as I had worked all summer to pay my tuition. But I talked to the Lord and soon got over it. . .MY 11TH GRADE (SENIOR) YEAR, Mr. Dupree was our class sponsor. That year seemed to fly by at breakneck speed. . .For our last prom we decorated the dining hall again, and it seemed even more beautiful than it was for the first one. Ernest was again my date, of course. . .Everyone had a wonderful time dancing and reminiscing about our school years. I don't remember all the menu for our meal, but I do remember we had brick ice cream for dessert. It was so delicious. . .My uncle, James Broome, and his band provided the music for the dancing. . .After it was over we had to clean up the dining hall and put it back in proper order. We were so tired after that, we were ready for bed.--TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

                                     EAGLES NEST ART CENTER                                    501c3

Located 4 Eagle Lane, Salem SC 29676  DHEC kitchen available & rentals                                                                                                                      

INDOOR YARD SALE at ENAC  Friday, July 14, 1pm-6pm and Saturday July 15, 8am-1pm.  Please call  or 864-280-1258 if you want to rent a table for $5/day.                                                                                                                          OCONEE MOUNTAIN OPRY:  July 15, 2023 at 7pm-9pm we will hold our 4th Oconee Mountain Opry featuring Spaulding McIntosh, Amelia Hawke, and The Waterkickers.  Tickets are $10 at the door, the day of the event. or online.                

TALENT SHOWCASE:  August 12th.  This will be a fun evening to show off your talents on stage.  Please sign up by July 30th.  Please call 864-944-2490  or email eaglesnestartcenter@gmail.com.                                                                               

*****The T-S Class of 1978  is having their 45th Class Reunion at ENAC, July 28,  6pm-8pm. Come visit us!******

                                              CHURCH NEWS                                                                                                                                                                               Salem Seventh-Day Adventist Church:  Join us for Vacation Bible School Sunday July 16 from 1-4pm. Theme: The Creator Is My Friend/What Do You Feel? Featuring “The Critter Keeper.” Ages 4-14 years. Children under 4 years must be accompanied by an adult. Come dressed for water play and bring a towel. See you soon!

CHILDHOOD PRAYER:   God is Great! God is Good! Let us thank Him for our food! By Your Hands we are fed. Give us Lord our Daily Bread!   Amen                                                                                                                                                  I missed you! Glad to be back this week! Lynne R Martin                        

[swldx]

Voice of America 0320 4 May 2023

6080Khz 0259 4 MAY 2023 - VOICE OF AMERICA (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA) in ENGLISH from MOPENG HILL. SINPO = 55333. English, s/on with dead-carrier. @0259z Yankee Doodle int fb news anchored by Richard Green @0300. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed Wednesday for an end to the fighting in Sudan and international support for the Sudanese people, who he said are facing a humanitarian catastrophe. “Aid must be allowed into Sudan, and we need secure and immediate access to be able to distribute it to people who need it most,” Guterres said during a news conference in Nairobi, Kenya. “Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected, and humanitarian workers and their assets must be respected.” The Kremlin claims Ukraine launched two drones at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence overnight but that security services disabled them, and Putin wasn’t injured. The Russian claim couldn’t be immediately verified, and a Ukrainian official denied any involvement. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a report released Monday that “the Haitian people are victims of one of the worst human rights crises in decades” and that “the death toll and the increase in the area controlled by armed gangs” in Port-au-Prince, the capital, are “comparable to those in countries in a situation of armed conflict”. The Brazilian police raided the home of former President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday and seized his cellphone as part of a sweeping investigation into forged Covid-19 vaccination records that may have allowed him and his top aides to gain entry into the United States. Police have arrested a former U.S. Coast Guardsman suspected of killing one person and wounding four, all of them women, in a shooting on Wednesday at a medical building in Atlanta, then carjacking a vehicle to flee the scene, authorities said. A woman identified as the wife of a Texas man suspected of killing five of his neighbors was arrested Wednesday for allegedly helping the man elude capture for four days, authorities said, and a third person is expected to face similar charges. Former 100 metres world champion Tori Bowie has died at the age of 32, her management company said on Wednesday. The American was crowned world champion in 2017 and won three Olympic medals at the Rio Games in 2016. @0305z “Daybreak Africa” anchored by male announcer (w/African accent). MLA 30 amplified loop (powered w/8 AA rechargeable batteries ~10.8vdc), Etón e1XM. 100kW, BeamAz 350°, bearing 85°. Received at Plymouth, United States, 14087KM from transmitter at Mopeng Hill. Local time: 2159.

[kitschd]

un-prompted asks | accepting

@mugunghwc​ says: "so, how are you adjusting?" daeyun's voice is heard as he approaches david before opening hours. the lower ground looked vastly different with no music & all the lights being on. it took the ' magic ' out of it ; leaving no crevice to be unseen. the start of the weekend promised a busy night, & it was his job to make sure that it was impeccable by the time those doors were opened to the public. even the garden of eden needed some weeding, after all.

he took seat next to david with both arms resting on his thighs ; hands hanging from between his legs. a rather casual posture, as he inspected his attired & chuckle. what a difference, from how he had seen him the first time. "is it still worth it?" he referred to all the effort that was put into his image. the suit, the stylised hair, the makeup... possibly ruining his reputation by becoming someone's ' boy toy '. he was too young to be working in a place like this, but daeyun felt compromised to help him, after hearing about his situation. "the first weeks can be though, but once you get a hold of it, it gets better. you just need to know what your strengths are."

David had been helping out with opening duties, nearly finished with the tasks that had been assigned to him.  Luckily the tasks that require a lot of strenuous activity had been given to his other coworkers since his shoulder still needed more time to heal.  At least Daeyun had been fair when distributing those duties.  He had just finished rolling the last of the oshibori towels to soon be put in the heaters for the patrons.  He had been so focused, he had not noticed Daeyun approaching him.  David grins, appreciating his concern and company.  

“It’s been...an experience so far.” he replies, not exactly sure how to take all his recent encounters.  Stardust had certainly kept him busy during the night on the weekends and Thursdays, perfect for his current schedule since he had been busy with vocational school during the week days.  “Definitely a more rowdier crowd than what I’m used to, but considering what we do here, it makes sense. At least most of Stardust’s guests know exactly what they want when they come here. No one has really given me any trouble and been making a lot of drink and bottle sales.”  Definitely not as many as the top hosts here, but enough to hopefully please his manager and boss.  

David had definitely stepped up his game when it came to his appearance.  Admittedly he had some help, gratefully valuing Sunny’s input when it came to makeup and style choices.  “I think so.  Not gonna lie, its a lot to keep up with and my wallet definitely says ‘ouch’ but I know I wasn’t going to get far in this industry if I didn’t invest in myself.  It’s also given me a chance to express myself a little more.  Suits had never really been my thing.  Street wear is more my style, but I think I’ve cleaned up quite nice.” Admittedly, dressing a bit more provocatively and teasing his patrons with exposing a bit of his chest had given him a confidence boost, especially since he had been working out a lot more.  

“That’s good to hear.  I think I’ve a decent job of handling myself but yeah, it has been rough.  I’ve been entertaining and taking care of my clients well enough, but I haven't given the chance to take it to the next level, if you know what I mean.”, he sighs.  “I feel like I’m not taken very seriously.  Will that change?  How do I even initiate those extra services?” 

[polarisstop]

Vmware esxi 6.7 the system has found a problem on your machine failed to decompress s.v00

Is the package extraction location the System Swap location? Now since his solution was to adjust the system swap location, it begs the question. The main thing mentioned by the blogger is “The problem is caused by ESXi not having enough free space available to extract the installation packages.” but failed to specify where that exactly is, and the event log didn’t specify that either. Lookup up the error about not being able to stage the file I found this one blog post which of course mentioned changing the swap location to get past the error… The VMware docs doesn’t seem to describe accurately the difference between these two options. Which if you look on the vCenter Web UI on a ESXi hosts there are two options available: VM – Swap, and System Swap. However, researching this even more lots of posts on reddit mentioned the swap file for VM’s being on their VM directories, so if using a shared datastore they will reside there, and I shouldn’t see issues around swap usage at all at the host level.

Swap Location: VMware Doc 1 (Configure), VMware Doc2 (About), Tech Blogger Who seem to regurgitate the exact about page from VMware.

Scratch Log: VMware KB Tech Blogger 1 Tech Blogger 2.

However, not many source specify changing the system swap location. So couple things to note here, first the ESXi image is installed on a USB/SD Card style setup as such it should be well know to define the persistent log location, as well as the scratch location. It just hasn’t fully flooded /tmp just yet. However I feel maybe there’s a bit of the known HPE bug as mentioned the last time this happened. Huh, Now note this host was installed running the official VMware Image provided by HPE for this exact hardware supported by the VMware HCL. OK I guess… moving on… the very next error event was: Could not stage image profile '(Updated) HPE-ESXi-Image': ('VMware_bootbank_vmware-fdm_7.0.2-18455184', ' No space left on device') This seemed a bit weird but I could find any info other than what’s usuallly a very Microsoft type answer of “you can just ignore it” or “ usually this is not an issue, just it says vCenter saying it is connecting to esxi host and installing it’s agent” Which was in the log right after this event of attempting to install a base ESXi image? Installing image profile '(Updated) HPE-ESXi-Image' with acceptance level checking disabled As a result, the file /tmp/img-stg/data/vmware_f.v00 could not be written Which showed only 90% full, which was still pretty high, which might have explained the one log event that I did see about it: The ramdisk 'tmp' is full. Un like the last time this happened, the event log wasn’t as blatant (flooded) complaining about the /tmp being full. This time after updating again a host in the cluster had the error message. This seems to be a reoccurring story these last couple posts… Error on Host The information on this site is not directed at residents of the United States and is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation.Another vCenter Patch, Another problem 😀 The company is authorized and regulated by the VFSC (Reference number 14,691) and is a proud member of the Financial Markets Association of Vanuatu.

GCH (Global Clearing House) is a company incorporated under the laws of Vanuatu (Register number 14,691) with registered address 1276 Kumul Highway, Port Vila, Vanuatu, Republic of Vanuatu. The company is also registered under the MiFID regulations with a lot of European regulators - AFM Netherlands, BaFin Germany, CONSOB Italy, CySEC Cyprus, FMA Austria, FSA Denmark, FSA Estonia, FSMA Belgium, KFN Poland, NBS Slovakia etc.

The address of FH Ever JSCo is 1303, Stamboliiski Blvd, Sofia, Bulgaria. Read more in our Risk Notice.įH Ever JSCo is registered in Bulgaria (831649724) and is authorized and regulated by the Financial Supervision Commission (Register number RG-03-08). You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFD’s with this provider. CFDs are complex instruments and carry a risk of losing money. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may be subject to change. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.